Verity Thompson Archives - North West End UK

17Oct

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Moulin Rouge – Birmingham Hippodrome

It Does What It Says On The Can-Can! Baz Luhrmann’s deft capacity to envision new worlds in new ways through new eyes has placed him at the peak of Hollywood artistry. Not only his ability to find, fashion and formulate dazzling new images and inspired panoramas but also to deliver something equally as valuable and important, putting the biz in show biz - money! His works tingle with extravagance and shimmer with opulence especially in his 2001 oddity “Moulin Rouge!”, which, though toffing its top hat to history, reinvents, reimagines and reupholstered the lot. It fizzes with unique ideas and iconic vistas which linger long after the final shot has faded into celluloid oblivion coupled with a bubbling, melting pot of eclectic songs and music - little of which is of the period but drawn ...

Moulin Rouge! The Musical – Palace Theatre

22Aug

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Moulin Rouge! The Musical – Palace Theatre

Step inside Manchester’s Palace Theatre this month and you are no longer in the North West of England - you are transported straight into the beating heart of Montmartre. For its UK tour, Moulin Rouge! The Musical has transformed the venue into a lush Parisian nightspot; its boxes crowned with the glittering red windmill and a striking blue elephant symbolising Satine’s dressing room. Even before the first note is sung, the effect is spellbinding, and the theatre itself is part of the spectacle. Directed by Alex Timbers with a book by John Logan, the musical reimagines Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film for the stage. At its core lies the romance between Christian (Josh Rose), a wide-eyed, penniless songwriter, and Satine (Verity Thompson), the glamorous star of the Moulin Rouge. Christian dreams...

27Sep

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Heathers The Musical – Hull New Theatre

Thank goodness my years at the Newton Hall Grammar Technical High School, in Hull, weren’t as angst-ridden and dangerous as those “enjoyed” by the pupils of Westerberg High School, in Ohio, US. When the energetic cast of Heathers The Musical took to the Hull New Theatre stage on Tuesday evening, their actions shed light on the likes of bulimia, latent homosexuality, suicide, bullying and murder. Phew! There was never a dull moment, making my schooldays seem dull and boring. I was new to Heathers, but a large chunk of the audience whooped and hollered loudly on many occasions throughout - showing, not only their appreciation, but also their knowledge of the storyline. I admired their enthusiasm, but, sadly, couldn’t join in as (and I’m sure I was in the minority here, judging by...

Heathers the Musical – Blackpool Opera House

13Sep

By Coral MourantNo Comments

North West

Heathers the Musical – Blackpool Opera House

Teenagers wearing blazers, scrunchies and trench coats fill the Blackpool Opera House, and there’s no mistaking which show is hitting the town. Andy Fickman’s West End hit may have only closed at the Other Palace this month, but its national tour production is still slaying audiences all around the country. September 1989, Westurberg High. The jocks bully the nerds, the cool girls all have the same name and Veronica just wants to get by until college. Based on the cult-classic movie, Heathers is the classic high school survival story, but with a killer twist. Jenna Innes (Les Misérables) is gorgeously captivating as protagonist, Veronica. You can’t help but route for her as she stumbles through high school drama, boy troubles, and the added complications of accidental murder. Innes h...