Monday 30 August 2021

THEATRE REVIEW: Magic On The Mersey - Aloft Liverpool, Liverpool.


After experiencing the worst of the pandemic, it was time for some magic to lift our spirits. Tonight, I had the opportunity to watch comedy magician, Steve Price. His smile as well as his tricks, did indeed brighten your day. Before the country went into lockdown, Price had been performing on board cruise ships. Now, he has brought his one act magic show into Liverpool for people of all ages to enjoy.

Steve Price is a Gold Star Member of the Inner Magic Circle and his years of experience was evident in tonight’s performance. Price performed visual cabaret magic, skilled sleight of hand, and one-liner comedy. While the comedy wasn’t laugh-out-loud, it was still rib-tickling. Regarding his on-stage persona, he came across as a gentleman and there was a child-like innocence about him – ideal for performing magic. The show is advertised as “primarily for adults” but I feel it was for all ages really, because of the charactersiation and content. His harmless geekiness made the audience feel at ease and entertained. The remembering of audience’s names was a lovely touch. Price’s suit costume matched his character, with the visual hallmarks being his glasses, red shoes, and bow tie.

This 75-minute show was jam-packed with a smorgasbord of magic tricks. There were the classic tricks like, the Torn and Restored Newspaper, Multiplying Balls, and the Egg Bag trick. Add to that the newer illusions such as, the Rubix Cube, Magic Number Square, and the Glass and Water. There was something in the show for everyone. Price adapted his performance of the tricks adeptly for an intimate, close up, and perhaps more exposing setting, in comparison to his stage performances on cruise ships.

The patter for the tricks centered around Price’s personal experiences of magic. It was an insight into the world of magic itself; the time and effort which goes into practising. For most of the tricks (but not all of them) there was an interesting hook to engage you. It could have been a intriguing fact or the exploration of anagrams and numbers or teaching you how to do a trick but the second time around using another method to fool you. The little details like his catchphrase, to building rapport with the audience, to how he sets up the magic moment were the signs of a true professional.

Overall, this evening of magical entertainment completely met your expectations and more. Whether Price was putting his own spin on classic tricks or wowing us with illusions we’d never seen before, there was something in the show for everyone. The material has clearly been tried and tested over the years resulting in a polished and pleasing performance.

Reviewer - Sam Lowe
on - 28.8.21


Sunday 29 August 2021

THEATRE REVIEW: Salome - Southwark Playhouse, London.


My first thought after seeing this compelling and unique production was that of a durable elastic band being very slowly stretched by two people at a time across a large studio space over 86 minutes: a painfully elongated process whereby its viewers are teased, played with and ultimately on edge in the knowledge that at some point it has to snap. Metaphorically this represents Salome, currently showing at London’s Southwark Playhouse: a provocatively taut interpretation which hangs us uncertainly from the top of a vertiginous cliff, for its entire duration. 


A re-working and more immersive version of their Greenwich Theatre run in 2019, this is the Lazarus Theatre Company’s 44th production since their founding in 2007: a company “committed to reinvestigating, revitalising and reimagining classic works, making them accessible to a contemporary audience”. In this, their third staging of Oscar Wilde’s publicly banned play (due to its depiction of biblical characters), Salome is regendered as a male character. It is an almost seamless transposition from Wilde’s original and makes for an evocative exploration of the homosexual male gaze. 


Staged in traverse with the audience on two sides, this piece of corridor theatre immerses the audience into the action for an unbroken tense, thrilling and appalling nearly 90 minutes. On entry to the space, the scene is set bathed in gold: a long catwalk stretching the full width of the audience, a pair of hostess trolleys, candelabras and a multitude of weighted helium balloons, with pumping, grittily repetitive music; Sorcha Corcoran’s set and Ben Jacobs' sound design powerfully setting the scene for the debauchery and decadence that is to come.   


The ensemble cast of six actors are finely tuned - from the tense opening dialogue of a soldier and his captain who voices his forbidden desire for Salome as the imprisoned Jokanaan (aka John the Baptist) slowly paces the periphery of the set - a disturbing presence covered in blood and excrement induced by his torturous dungeon-existence; to the emergence of an obsessive Salome, immersed and unflinching in his desire for the lips of Jokanaan - a highly internalised performance by Fred Thomas who embodies the role with an authenticity that I think would garner Wilde’s approval. Herodias is provocatively played by Pauline Babula who wants nothing but to erode her husband’s “ridiculous” behaviour, with humorous non-verbal asides as she pretends to pander to his infinite needs. But it is Jamie O’Neill’s performance as King Herod that is acting at its most captivating and risk-taking - as he lauds it over all in his presence with his vile, demanding and toxic behaviour - narcissistically presiding over the famous ‘Dance of the Seven Veils’ (whereby Salome displays a seductive removing of a vibrantly theatrical turquoise ball-gown), Herod ultimately reaping what he has recklessly sown as the severed head of Jokanan is given to a deranged and fixated Salome in a plastic bag, by way of his shockingly requested reward.


Director of both the company and production Ricky Dukes, excels in his re-interpretation of Salome - expertly straddling the genres of melodramatic Greek Tragedy with heightened contemporary drama - a stylised, exciting and in his own words “guttural” audience experience. And so good to see, after our own ‘pause in proceedings’, a play whose writer sadly failed to see staged in his lifetime, taken into 21st Century orbit.

Reviewer - Georgina Elliott
on - 27.8.21

Friday 27 August 2021

NEWS: Attitudes towards women's health are raised inside a public toilet in new play, Flushed - Park Theatre, London.



Theatre Unlocked in association with Grace Dickson Productions and Park Theatre present:

Flushed

Attitudes to women’s health issues examined in a show entirely set in toilet cubicles

Written & Directed by Catherine Cranfield

Park Theatre, 12 Oct - 6 November

@TheatreUnlocked | @parktheatre I #FlushedThePlay | www.theatreunlocked.co.uk

The little-known condition Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) and attitudes to women’s health issues in general are explored, questioned and raged against in a funny and heart-warming show about two sisters coming to terms with one’s recent diagnosis. Presented at Underbelly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2018, Theatre Unlocked’s debut show was created in close collaboration with UK charity The Daisy Network, as well as multiple individuals living with POI, to shed light on how the condition affects sense of identity and life choices. Flushed plays out in seven different bathrooms, as sisters Marnie and Jen retreat to that well known refuge for a heart-to-heart through cubicle walls. Flushed, along with Sold, is part of the Say it, Women double bill of stories celebrating women’s strength.

Writer and co-founder of Theatre Unlocked Catherine Cranfield said, “the motivation behind Flushed came from a desire to explore two main things: sisterhood and attitudes towards women's health issues. Besides that, I was unsure of the specifics of what I wanted the show to be - other than that it would be set in various different toilets! As I delved deeper into my research of women's health, I was struck by the lack of conversation surrounding Premature Ovarian Insufficiency, and it became clear that this was what Flushed needed to explore. However, what was vital to me was that Flushed would be funny. This is not a bleak and sombre play - it's a heart-warming hug, it's an uplifting and relatable celebration of sisterhood and female strength, and it's an answer to that age old question: why do women go to the bathroom in pairs?”

In a Park Theatre first, this production is part of the Say it, Women double bill, which also features Kuumba Nia Arts and Unlock the Chains Collective’s Sold, a forgotten true story inspired by the storytelling traditions of the West African griot told through theatre, song, live drumming and dance. These two plays not only find an unheard female voice, but sing it from the rooftops, beaconing the listener and celebrating women’s strength.

Theatre Unlocked was formed in 2017 by Elis Shotton and Catherine Cranfield, after a casual discussion about theatre, at a pub in central Manchester. In early 2018, Flushed became TU's first project - premiering at Manchester's 53Two Theatre, becoming the first recipient of their 'FOUNDation' award, and winning Voice Magazine’s 2018 ‘Pick of the Fringe’ award. It has since been presented at arts-health forums, including Fertility Fest at the Barbican. In 2019, TU produced Zucchini, which was written by Elis and funded by Arts Council England. The success of these productions has paved the way for Theatre Unlocked to continue their creative endeavours, and to collaborate with other venues and artists to produce urgent, exciting, and thought-provoking work.

Park Theatre presents exceptional theatre in the heart of Finsbury Park, boasting two world-class performance spaces: Park200 for predominantly larger scale productions by established talent, and Park90, a flexible studio space, for emerging artists. In eight years, it has enjoyed eight West End transfers (including Daytona starring Maureen Lipman, The Boys in the Band starring Mark Gatiss, Pressure starring David Haig and The Life I Lead starring Miles Jupp), two National Theatre transfers, twenty-five national tours, five Olivier Award nominations, has won Offie Awards for Best New Play and Best Foodie Experience and won a Theatre of the Year award from The Stage. Park Theatre are grateful to all those who have donated to the Park Life fund, supporting the venue through the pandemic.

Running Time: 60 mins | Suitable for ages 14+

Company information

Directed by Catherine Cranfield                        Written by Catherine Cranfield

Executive Producer Elis Shotton                      Associate Producer Grace Dickson

Cast

Iona Champain, Elizabeth Hammerton

 

Listings information

12 Oct – 6 Nov 2021

Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP

Mon – Sat 7.15pm, Thurs & Sat matinees 3.15pm

Captioned Thurs 4 Nov

£12.50, £20 two show multibuy offer

www.parktheatre.co.uk | 020 7870 6876*
* Telephone booking fee: 10% capped at £2.50 per ticket

NEWS: Medieval Festival marks the 600th anniversary of Manchester's oldest extant buildings.



NEW Medieval Manchester Festival marks 600th anniversary of city’s oldest buildings

 

  • Manchester’s oldest buildings – at Chetham’s – are 600-years-old
  • A major new public festival for the city will celebrate the birthday on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 September 2021
  • Events will be held in the courtyard at Chetham’s, adjacent to Cathedral Gardens
  • Organisers at Chetham’s have now released the full festival activities and event details
  • Festival will include choral music from young Chetham’s School of Music performers, Horrible Histories shows in The Stoller Hall, and tours of Chetham’s Library

A unique and family-friendly festival at Chetham’s in Manchester - featuring live music, food, drink and medieval entertainment - will celebrate the 600th anniversary of Manchester’s oldest buildings. 

 

Chetham’s – which is home to the UK’s leading music school, the UK’s oldest public library, and world-class concert venue, The Stoller Hall – boasts medieval buildings dating back to 1421. They’re where the history of modern Manchester begins. 

 

Now, a two-day festival on Saturday 25 – Sunday 26 September will celebrate the anniversary, the city’s history, and the incredible story of Chetham’s. 

 

Organisers at Chetham’s have released the full programme of events, with less than one month to go.

 

Visitors can enjoy the historic courtyard at Chetham’s for food and drink, storytelling, falconry and the chance to take part in some competitive medieval games. 

 

Live period music from Manchester Baroque and Chetham’s School of Music choristers will set the mood.

 

Families can laugh and enjoy Horrible Histories performances - revealing the gruesome side of history - in The Stoller Hall, the state-of-the-art 500 seat live music venue at Chetham’s.

 

Adults and families alike will be invited to explore Chetham’s Library – the oldest public library in the English-speaking world – with special guided tours of the historic site and collections. 

 

Chetham’s medieval buildings were originally built to accommodate the priests of Manchester’s Collegiate Church, now Manchester Cathedral. Today they form part of the wider Chetham’s site in Manchester: home to Chetham’s School of Music, The Stoller Hall, and Chetham’s Library.  

 

Fran Healey, Festival Director at Chetham’s and The Stoller Hall, said: “It’s exactly 600 years since the first piece of Manchester, as we know it today, was put in place. Since 1421, the city has grown outwards from Chetham’s medieval buildings and the adjacent Manchester Cathedral – resulting in the modern, vibrant city we love today.

 

“As with Manchester itself, the story of Chetham’s medieval buildings is a special one. It is a story bursting with intriguing, remarkable people. From the priests who were the first to live here in 1421; to the prisoners of the English Civil War who were locked up here; to wealthy merchant Humphrey Chetham who established a school for poor boys and a stunning public library; to Karl Marx who sat in Chetham’s Library and looked out over the workers of Manchester; to the talented young musicians of Chetham’s School of Music and the performers and audiences at The Stoller Hall today – there are so many vivid personal stories to tell, characters to unpick.

 

“Medieval Manchester Festival will be a place to discover some of that story - from 1421 to present day - or just to have fun and enjoy the food and drink surrounded by the sight of stilt walkers! We can’t wait to welcome adults and families alike to our courtyard at Chetham’s. Prepare for some medieval entertainment!”

 

Medieval Manchester Festival takes place from 10am-5pm on Saturday 25 September and 10am-3pm on Sunday 26 September. Tickets cost £3 (or £10 for groups of up to five people), and can be pre-booked via www.stollerhall.com

NEWS: Liverpool, are you ready? The second annual outdoor theatre festival comes to St Luke's Bombed Out Church next week.



SECOND ANNUAL OUTDOOR

LIVERPOOL THEATRE FESTIVAL

RETURNS NEXT WEEK 

 

Event created during the pandemic is back by popular demand 

 

Line-up features 23 performances of 16 shows over 12 days 

 

Premieres include 2Georgeous4U and Something About George 

______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

The much anticipated Liverpool Theatre Festival returns next week with an exciting line-up to celebrate and showcase the region’s performing and creative arts talent. 

 

The outdoor live event is back for its second year and organisers are delighted to present a programme which features 23 performances of 16 shows across 12 days. 

 

Liverpool Theatre Festival was created by Liverpool theatre producer Bill Elms, and was first staged in September 2020 to help support the city’s creative arts industry during the Covid-19 pandemic. The event won praise from audiences and critics alike, and returns bigger for 2021. New for this year, seven-day fringe event Little LTF was staged in July to champion and showcase new works and talent, attracting 1,200 festivalgoers. 

 

Liverpool Theatre Festival runs between Wednesday 1 September and Sunday 12 September 2021, and is once again being staged at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church in Liverpool city centre. 

 

One-woman comedy show 2Gorgeous4U – From Ladette To Laundrette starring Liverpool actress Lynne Fitzgerald opens the festival on Wednesday 1 September. Something About George – The George Harrison Story featuring Liverpool actor and musician Daniel Taylor closes the festival on Sunday 12 September. Both productions are being premiered at the event. 

 

The full Liverpool Theatre Festival line-up is 2Gorgeous4U, Perfectly Frank, The Last Five Years, When Another Dragon Roars, Everybody’s Talking About Musicals, Boing…Meow! The Musical, Electric Dreams, An Evening Without Kate Bush, Twice Nightly, Swan Song, Opera Beneath The Stars, Broken Biscuits, Twelfth Night By William Shakespeare, Laughterhouse Comedy, Goldilocks And The Fab 4, and Something About George – The George Harrison Story. 

 

Producer and artistic director Bill Elms commented: “Audiences welcomed Liverpool Theatre Festival last year at a time when faith, hope and laughter was much needed. They put their trust in us to provide live entertainment in a safe environment, and their incredible support has played a huge part in bringing the festival back this year, as well as introducing new works showcase and fringe festival Little LTF in July. 

 

“Next week the curtain rises on the second annual Liverpool Theatre Festival and we are truly excited to be back for 12 days – we’re looking forward to seeing returning festivalgoers, and those coming to experience the event for the first time. We’ve created a diverse and fun programme, bursting with massively talented performers and inspiring creatives who will entertain young and old through 16 fantastic shows spanning 23 performances. Music, comedy, drama, and family shows, we’ve ensured there is something for everyone.” 

 

Liverpool Theatre Festival is funded by Liverpool City Council and Culture Liverpool, sponsored by Falconer Chester Hall, and supported by Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres and dBS Solutions. 

 

The festival will adhere to any Covid-19 and Government guidelines required at the time. 

 

LIVERPOOL THEATRE FESTIVAL PROGRAMME IN FULL 

 

2GORGEOUS4U – FROM LADETTE TO LAUNDRETTE is on Wednesday 1 September, with performances at 5pm and 8pm. Running time 70 minutes no interval. 

Packed with laughter, throw backs to the Nineties, and a soundtrack guaranteed to bring back memories of the decade featuring Queen Latifa, Blur, Gabrielle, and KKlass. Written by acclaimed Liverpool playwright Mark Davies Markham, the production stars Lynne Fitzgerald (Two, Bunty The Bouncer, The Desperate Scousewives), with James Baker directing (Jerry Springer The Opera, Yank). Clare is a beautician with her own spa and treatment room in Waterloo. Back in the Britpop 1990s, Clare was one half of a pop duo 2Gorgeous4U with her best mate Tina, but they fell out. Find out what happens when they’re asked to reform for a music festival in their hometown of Liverpool. 

 

PERFECTLY FRANK is on Thursday 2 September at 7.30pm. The show runs for two hours 20 minutes including interval. 

David Knopov keeps the swing of Sinatra alive through his show, Perfectly Frank. Seen on BBC’s The One And Only, the show is believed to be one of the most successful Frank Sinatra tributes around. Liverpool’s David Knopov has entertained a global audience with his Sinatra act for more than 30 years – including a performance for Queen Elizabeth II during the Golden Jubilee celebrations. Celebrity fans also include actors Bill Nighy and Dawn French. 

 

THE LAST FIVE YEARS is on Friday 3 September 2021, with performances at 5pm and 8pm. Running time 75 minutes no interval.  

Jason Robert Brown’s Drama Desk Award-winning musical, The Last Five Years, is an intimate look at the relationship between two New Yorkers – an actress and a writer, who fall in and out of love over the course of five years. The musical’s unconventional structure pulls the audience in opposite directions with Cathy’s story unfolding in reverse from the end of their turbulent relationship, while Jamie tells his story chronologically from the spark of their initial meeting, taking audiences on an emotional rollercoaster through the joyous and the tragic. Presented by Tread Productions, it stars real-life married couple Helen Noble (Hollyoaks) and Graham Tudor (West End leading actor), directed by Iestyn Arwel, with musical supervision by Jordan Alexander. 

 

WHEN ANOTHER DRAGON ROARS is on Saturday 4 September at 11.30am. The show runs for 45 minutes no interval. 

The show fuses Altered Scale’s outstanding puppetry with Petite Ullaloom’s unique storytelling style, and is directed by Kevin Dyer. Alfie and his Mum are going camping to get away from everything – and to spend some quality time together. Alfie finds it hard to talk, his Mum does too. They share stories about dragons – scary ones, sulky ones, angry ones, and funny ones. They discover that emotions, like dragons, are tricky beasts. Sometimes they need to be tamed, sometimes they need to be released. Told with charm and humour, this is a thoughtful and heart-warming show for children and adults alike. 

 

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT MUSICALS is on Saturday 4 September 2021, with performances at 6pm and 8.30pm. Running time 75 minutes no interval. 

The cast of this vibrant and electrifying show includes Marcus Collins (X Factor, Hairspray, Kinky Boots), Chloe Taylor (Mamma Mia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Wicked), Craig Ryder (Bat Out Of Hell, We Will Rock You, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert), and Gillian Hardie (Blood Brothers, Bad Girls The Musical, Macbeth), joined by an ensemble cast from Liverpool Theatre School. Pearson Theatre Productions and Curtis Productions collaborate for the first time to present this fabulous night of musical theatre with performances from West End shows such as Kinky Boots, SIX The Musical, Mamma Mia, and &Juliet. 

 

BOING…MEOW! THE MUSICAL on Sunday 5 September at 11.30am. Running time 50 minutes no interval. 

This musical adaptation of new children’s book Boing…Meow! comes from Asa Murphy, the writer of The Monkey With No Bum book and stage production, which was recently premiered at Little LTF. Sam Conlon will play Auntie May, with Asa Murphy making an appearance playing the rap cat, Moggy D. Stanley is a cat, and this is his story searching for the perfect place to sleep. There is nothing in this world that Auntie May loves more than her ginger cat Stanley – but like all cats, Stanley loves to go wondering around the local neighbourhood looking for the best and most comfortable place to have his afternoon nap. 

 

ELECTRIC DREAMS is on Sunday 5 September 2021, with performances at 4pm and 8pm. Running time two hours 10 mins including interval.  

A Place for Us Theatre Company present this 1980s outdoor musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The show was originally produced in partnership with Norton Priory Museum & Gardens in June on the ancient ruins to sell-out audiences, as part of its Igniting Imaginations programme. A spectacular musical theatre event. Set against an awesome eighties inspired soundtrack, the cast features West End stars Zoe Curlett and Keiron Crook as the warring Queen and King of the Fairies, joined by a professional cast, live band, and young performers embarking on their journey into the performing arts industry. 

 

AN EVENING WITHOUT KATE BUSH is on Monday 6 September 2021 at 7.30pm. The show runs for two hours including interval. 

Acclaimed performer Sarah-Louise Young has teamed up with theatremaker Russell Lucas to explore the music and mythology of one of the most influential voices in British music. The show is produced by John Mackay. The show has already wowed Edinburgh Fringe Festival audiences and critics, and now comes to Liverpool as a guest visiting production during a national tour before it heads to the capital for a London run in early 2022. With a career spanning five decades, Kate Bush’s fascinating story goes from releasing Wuthering Heights aged 19, to selling out the Hammersmith Apollo almost 40 years later. Celebrate her ground-breaking music through this critically acclaimed chaotic cabaret cult show. 

 

TWICE NIGHTLY is on Tuesday 7 September at 7.30pm. Running time 70 minutes no interval. 

After a successful premiere at Little LTF in July, Twice Nightly is back. Organisers and critics were so impressed by the quality of writing and story of the show, highlighting Liverpool’s lost theatres of the 1930s. The show is written, stars and is directed by Michael Alan Bailey and Maria Lovelady. Roy Carruthers and the voice of Eithne Brown also feature, with music and original score by Jessica Dives. It’s 1931 and variety is the spice of life. Liverpool’s theatres are sizzling with the hottest music hall acts of the day. Song and dance double act Don and Madge are living the sweet life, until things turn sour. A night they can’t remember finds them in hot water. 

 

SWAN SONG is on Wednesday 8 September at 7.30pm. Running time 70 minutes no interval. 

After a hugely successful premiere at last year’s Liverpool Theatre Festival, Swan Song is back due to popular demand. The one-man comedy play is written by multi award winning Jonathan Harvey, stars Liverpool television and stage actor Andrew Lancel, and is directed by BAFTA award winning Noreen Kershaw. It is Liverpool 1997, the world is changing, and in the staff room gay 40-something English teacher Dave Titswell finds that not all change is welcome. He has a crush, but life, love, and work are never straight-forward. Jonathan Harvey adapted the play specially for Liverpool Theatre Festival for Andrew Lancel to play the solo role. After a successful tour of the North West of England, it’s back in Liverpool. 

 

OPERA BENEATH THE STARS is on Thursday 9 September 2021 at 7.30pm. Running time two hours including interval.  

Absolute Opera present a stunning evening of sublime operatic and classical hits. The show stars national and international performers, with Tenor Roy Locke (Opera Australia), Soprano Leigh Rhianon Coggins (Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company), and Mezzo Soprano Lilly Papaioannou (Glyndebourne). With live piano accompaniment, this enchanting gala evening will feature the most well-loved and popular songs from Grand Opera, Operetta, Neapolitan Song, modern classical and musical hits, all performed by world-class performers in beautiful evening wear. Suitable for opera lovers and newcomers to opera alike. 

 

BROKEN BISCUITS is on Friday 10 September 2021, with performances are at 6pm and 8.30pm. Running time 60 minutes no interval. 

Rita and Maggie were lifelong friends until a devastating tragedy shattered both their lives and their friendship, with emotions high things may be taking a turn for the worst. Friendship, love, laughter, sadness, and hope are all at the centre of this touching story. The cast is Catherine Rice plays Maggie, Leanne Martin as Rita, and Louise Garcia as Molly.Broken Biscuits is returning to the stage after sell-out performances around Liverpool theatres and Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  

 

TWELFTH NIGHT BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE is on Saturday 11 September at 1pm. Running time is two hours including interval. 

Presented by The Boaty Theatre Company, this is a swashbuckling adventure of love, life, and mistaken identity. When a devastating storm separates and shipwrecks twins Olivia and Sebastian, they must do their best to carve out a new life in a strange land, each believing the other twin has perished. Olivia is the young Governess of Illyria island, but the pirates are thriving – led by Captain Orsina they are over-running the port and controlling the town. Featuring a live pirate band, a fearsome yet lovable Pirate Queen, and a fool or two, the production promises family fun as The Boaty Theatre Company breathes new life into one of Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies. 

 

LAUGHTERHOUSE COMEDY presents two shows back-to-back as a Saturday night double bill on 11 September at 6pm and 8.30pm. 

Laughterhouse are Liverpool’s longest running comedy club. They have been bringing the very best in live comedy to audiences across the UK for 15 years. They know exactly what makes a perfect evening of stand-up and have built their business as comedy fans, knowing that live stand-up is the most powerful and exciting evening to experience. The 6pm show features MC Chris Cairns, Gary Delaney, Mick Miller, and The Raymond and Mr Timpkins Revue. The line-up for the 8.30pm show is MC Chris Cairns, Gary Delaney, Andy Askins, and The Raymond and Mr Timpkins Revue. 

 

GOLDILOCKS AND THE FAB 4 is on Sunday 12 September at 1pm. Running time 60 minutes no interval.  

From the team who presented A Fairy Tale Journey Across The Mersey at last year’s Liverpool Theatre Festival, comes a brand new magical, musical, mash-up family panto. Audiences are invited on a journey with Goldilocks as she takes flight on a broomstick. After the fright of her life, Goldilocks runs off into a magical forest to search for her parents. Little does she know that her biggest adventure awaits in a large castle in the middle of the woods, she has stumbled upon a great school of witchcraft and wizardry. She meets the Fab 4, who have something magical to tell her. She must face her greatest fears and save her parents from the Wicked Queen of the Enchanted Forest. 

 

SOMETHING ABOUT GEORGE – THE GEORGE HARRISON STORY is on Sunday 12 September 2021, with performances at 5pm and 8pm. Running time 75 minutes no interval. 

Where does life take you after being in the greatest band in the history of the world – this new show answers the question and comes from the creators of Something About Simon – The Paul Simon Story. The production features Daniel Taylor, and tells the truly remarkable tale and pays tribute to one of music’s most understated icons. Featuring beautiful songs My Sweet Lord, Something, and Handle With Care, the show also includes incredible solo material and music from rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys which was made up of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. And not forgetting Beatles’ classics. From heartbreak to hedonism and songwriting to success, Something About George will showcase a life that was anything but quiet. 

 

Visit www.liverpooltheatrefestival.com for the latest news updates. 

 

Website:         www.liverpooltheatrefestival.com  

Facebook:       /liverpooltheatrefestival 

Twitter:           @lpoolTFestival 

Instagram:      liverpooltheatrefestival 

Hashtag:         #TheatreIsBack 

 

 

LIVERPOOL THEATRE FESTIVAL 2021 LISTINGS 

 

2GORGEOUS4U  

DATE: Wednesday 1 September 2021 

TIMES: 5pm / 8pm 

PRICE: £22 

RUNNING TIME: 70 mins no interval 

 

PERFECTLY FRANK 

DATE: Thursday 2 September 2021 

TIMES: 7.30pm 

PRICE: £20 

RUNNING TIME: 2 hours 20 mins including interval 

 

THE LAST FIVE YEARS 

DATE: Friday 3 September 2021 

TIMES: 5pm / 8pm 

PRICE: £22 

RUNNING TIME: 75 mins no interval 

 

WHEN ANOTHER DRAGON ROARS 

DATE: Saturday 4 September 2021 

TIME: 11.30am 

PRICE: £14 / £12 Children 

RUNNING TIME: 45 mins no interval 

 

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT MUSICALS 

DATE: Saturday 4 September 2021 

TIMES: 6pm / 8.30pm 

PRICE: £22 

RUNNING TIME: 75 mins no interval 

 

BOING…MEOW! THE MUSICAL 

DATE: Sunday 5 September 2021 

TIME: 11.30am 

PRICE: £12 / £10 Children 

RUNNING TIME: 50 mins no interval 

 

ELECTRIC DREAMS 

DATE: Sunday 5 September 2021 

TIMES: 4pm / 8pm 

PRICE: £20 (4pm) £22 (8pm)  

RUNNING TIME: 2 hours 10 mins including interval 

 

AN EVENING WITHOUT KATE BUSH 

DATE: Monday 6 September 2021 

TIME: 7.30pm 

PRICE: £20  

RUNNING TIME: 2 hours including interval 

 

TWICE NIGHTLY 

DATE: Tuesday 7 September 2021 

TIME: 7.30pm 

PRICE: £16.50 

RUNNING TIME: 70 mins no interval 

 

SWAN SONG 

DATE: Wednesday 8 September 2021 

TIME: 7.30pm 

PRICE: £20 

RUNNING TIME: 70 mins no interval 

 

OPERA BENEATH THE STARS 

DATE: Thursday 9 September 2021 

TIME: 7.30pm 

PRICE: £28 

RUNNING TIME: 2 hours including interval 

 

BROKEN BISCUITS 

DATE: Friday 10 September 2021 

TIMES: 6pm / 8.30pm 

PRICE: £22 

RUNNING TIME: 60 mins no interval 

 

TWELFTH NIGHT BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 

DATE: Saturday 11 September 2021 

TIME: 1pm 

PRICE: £14 / £12 Children 

RUNNING TIME: 2 hours including interval 

 

LAUGHTERHOUSE COMEDY 

DATE: Saturday 11 September 2021 

TIMES: 6pm / 8.30pm (line-up varies slightly between shows) 

PRICE: £22 

RUNNING TIME: N/A 

 

GOLDILOCKS AND THE FAB 4 

DATE: Sunday 12 September 2021 

TIME: 1pm 

PRICE: £14 / £12 Children 

RUNNING TIME: 60 mins no interval 

 

SOMETHING ABOUT GEORGE – THE GEORGE HARRISON STORY 

DATE: Sunday 12 September 2021 

TIMES: 5pm / 8pm 

PRICE: £22 

RUNNING TIME: 75 mins no interval