Unity Theatre Archives - Page 5 of 6

24Oct

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

First Time – Unity Theatre

Raw. Funny. Honest. Tonight, we met Nathaniel J Hall in all his glory and left the theatre better for it. Known for his role in Russell T Davies ‘It’s A Sin’ Hall has already established himself as an actor to watch. With First Time he is also establishing himself as a writer to watch. First Time manages to fit jokes, a re-enacted prom, silly string, and a quiz into the running time without it becoming farcical or cheesy; much of it is delivered with the light-hearted naivety of youth, providing a contrast to the sudden crash into the adult world Hall found himself confronted with. Opening up a topic that doesn’t often reach the mainstream warrants recognition. Doing it in a way that connects and engages a wide audience is to be even more commended. When did you last see a mainstr...

Sh!t Theatre Drink Rum With Expats – Unity Theatre

17Oct

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Sh!t Theatre Drink Rum With Expats – Unity Theatre

A man walks into a ‘bar’. He’s given a free foamy cup of lager and a lump of cheese. The punchline is 75 minutes of meta-theatre; a show about a show, ‘Lost in La Mancha’ style, packed with singing, sparklers and the eponymous rum of the title. Created by Louise Mothersole and Rebecca Biscuit, ‘Drink Rum…’ takes us through their pre-pandemic journey to Malta, where they’ve been commissioned by a friend to produce a fringe show in Valetta, in celebration of its year as European Capital of Culture. The base of operations, which is recreated as our set for tonight’s proceedings, is The Pub (its actual name), a small hostelry favoured by the late, great Sir Oliver Reed, as his drinking den of choice during the filming of Gladiator. Famously, it’s where he also breathed his last and a shr...

Out of the Narrow Place: A Ritual for Black Descendants of Slaves – Unity Theatre

15Oct

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

Out of the Narrow Place: A Ritual for Black Descendants of Slaves – Unity Theatre

Out of the Narrow Place is an invitation. It may not seem it from the title if you are not descended from a slave, but from start to finish the audience are invited to engage with - and celebrate - black history, black culture and black Britishness. The only pre-requisite is the ability to think. Using the ability to think is a choice. Garnering a standing ovation and very positive comments from a diverse audience, this was an evening to remember. Unity Theatre has given a gem its debut. The most striking thing about Out of the Narrow Place is it traverses being both a story and a statement; both entertainment and a lesson. If theatre is deemed an opportunity to bring people together, an opportunity for sharing, connecting and collective experience, this does it. The audience member ...

9Oct

By Tracy RyanNo Comments

North West

Good Grief – Unity Theatre

A leg protrudes from a jagged gravestone adorned with neon pink ‘RIP’ lettering; a sort of Tracey Emin meets Anthony Gormley start to a frenetic, pumped-up and kinetic sixty minutes of clowning, slapstick, techno & recorded interview excerpts from Liverpool-based company Ugly Bucket, Using minimal props and costume accoutrements, the best gift this youthful and award winning physical theatre company possess is a seeming electric current running through them; five bodies juddering, jumping, gyrating & jerking into life, but each with their own style and skill set – as they perform their terminally ill friend & mentor’s wish, a play about death for his memorial. The show could have been macabre, intrusive and even offensive, but in Ugly Bucket’s hands, the show is energised...

8Oct

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

Sirens, Men & Crabs – Unity Theatre

With a title like ‘Sirens, Men and Crabs’ it was hard to know what to expect from the award-winning Teatro Pomodoro and their unique take on Greek tragedy. Would it be funny? How true to ancient myth is it? And how on earth do crabs feature? Prepare to go on a journey like never before. Describing itself as “creating thought provoking, playful theatre for audiences internationally” Sirens did not disappoint Directed by Mark Bell (The Play That Goes Wrong) and produced by the notable RJ Lloyd, this reimagining of a renowned classic story is exceptionally creative and accessible to all. Based in Liverpool but brought together in Paris at Ecole Philippe Gaulier, the company create an environment that makes audience participation feel both edgy and safe. It’s not funny, it’s hilarious. ...

Over The Garden Wall – Unity Theatre Online

23Sep

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

REVIEWS

Over The Garden Wall – Unity Theatre Online

The last 18 months of social isolation have caused many of us to consider what it means to live in a community and why it is important to have support where you live. The creative team behind Over The Garden Wall, a digital production being shown by the Unity Theatre in Liverpool, have asked those same questions, and this animated short is the result. Now, please do not be put off by the phrase “animated short”. Yes, this production is only 20 minutes long, and yes, it does include stop-motion and digital animation, as well as puppetry. But it is so much more than that. It is a heartfelt insight into Liverpool communities and what makes them special, how they grew, and why they are so important. You hear voices from those communities, supported by well-thought out and endearing animatio...

21Sep

By Clare ChandlerNo Comments

North West

A Greasy Spoon – Unity Theatre

Part of Unity’s Open Call The joy of a double bill is the opportunity to see two very different works and A Greasy Spoon definitely delivered a change in tone from The Weight of Repopulating a Nation earlier. This rehearsed reading marked the first public outing for Alice Bunker-Whitney’s dark comedy. Given that this is a work in the early stages of its development, and still very much a work-in-progress it would be unfair to give it a star rating. Bunker-Whitney’s show opens with promise; Mandy and Shannon appear covered in blood and Mandy matter-of-factly observes that “this is gonna stain isn’t it?”. The show delivers laughs, but the absurd heightened reality promised by the blurb is never fully achieved, and there is a heavy reliance on dated comic conven...

20Sep

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Stayin’ Alive – Unity Theatre

Up Next is a new event series showcasing exciting new work from Merseyside performers and following the success of her previous show Heaven or Pussy, Victoria Oxley stepped up with her new musical-themed comedy Stayin’ Alive. Written by and starring Oxley, and with directorial input from Gemma Bodinetz who introduced the piece tonight, it follows the story of Maggie (Oxley) as she confronts her mental health problems and the loss of her grandmother, with support from Emma Bispham reading in other roles including Maggie’s mother, her sister Ann-Marie, and therapist Rob. Drawing on Oxley’s real-life relationship with her grandmother and her own work as a mentor for young people with mental health difficulties, this was a powerful piece of work that in its opening lines managed to blow ...

The Weight of Repopulating a Nation – Unity Theatre

20Sep

By Clare ChandlerNo Comments

North West

The Weight of Repopulating a Nation – Unity Theatre

Leianna Boodaghians’ emotionally resonant exploration of her heritage, and the legacy of a forgotten genocide, began this Up Next double bill of new writing from across the city. This autobiographical performance follows Boodaghians’ own journey, as she explores her Armenian identity and uncovers a wealth of atrocities that resulted in Armenians being one of the world’s most dispersed peoples. The subject matter is incredibly hard-hitting, leading Boodaghians to question how you can relate to something so unimaginable as she shares verbatim accounts of the horrors of April 1915, when the Ottoman Empire attempted to eradicate Armenians. Boodaghians covers so much in the show, interweaving stories of her family with historical accounts and interviews. Some of these...

31Jul

By Tracy RyanNo Comments

North West

Sleepover – Unity Theatre

This is my first sleepover. I am 54 and sitting on a bed in Kelly house, reading Just Seventeen and drinking Malibu, while four teenage female friends laugh, gossip, talk crushes & nipple hair, improvise dance routines & do a bit of karaoke – as well as snog some of their posters. This is All Things Considered’s delightful, nostalgia-fest, a 90-minute interactive celebration of friendship, sisterhood & all things teenage girl in the 1990s – a heady time where New Kids on the Block, White Musk perfume & Regal ciggies reigned. The audience (13 women & one privileged young bloke) are escorted to beds encircling the action on arrival by the cast; we’re immediately engaged in conversation & faced with a torrent of excitable questions - and from there things become eve...