EDITOR'S MESSAGE: 2021: A Year In Review

Normally, around this time, I would be posting a list of the best of 2021; but sadly, we have been this year, as indeed we were last year, in a position where The Virus That Shall Not Be Named has made sure that productions have not started, closed half-way through, or had their runs completely interrupted. In fact, for much of the year, it has been a miracle that shows have been being performed at all!

So instead of celebrating the best, let's simply celebrate all, and the fact that live theatre, live concerts, live music, live comedy, has been allowed to continue and marvel at the perspicacity and dedication of all those who have been determined enough to bring it to our concert halls and theatres. Here's to you all!

With fingers firmly crossed, we all look forward to a 2022 uninterrupted by further disruption / closure. 

A huge thank you to all contributors and readers.. without you,  this site would be pointless! A happy, healthy, and prosperous new year to you all.

Matthew Dougall
Editor.

FILM REVIEW: Night Tree - Second Hand Dance

Second Hand Dance have created a pair of short films (actually really only one film in two parts), called 'Night Tree', which are available to watch for free over the Christmas period on Sadler's Wells's webpage; and are aimed at the 3 - 7 year olds.

Two adults (Amarnagh Amuludun and Keir Patrick), set off on a wintry journey through the forest to find their special tree. On the way they dance through the landscape of fallen leaves, mud, and puddles, as well as meet (in part 1) a dancing deer (Mariana Camioloti), and (in part 2), a dancing owl (Takeshi Matsumoto). The film is based on the book by Eve Bunting.

The two explore nature and the night-time through movement, voice-over, music, song, and some nice drone camera-work. The original music for these films is by Amir Shoenfeld, and is very Pagan / ritualistic / earthy in style. 

Of course the pair do find their special tree - a Christmas tree , already decorated with fairy lights. They the procede to adorn it further with garlands of popcorn and baubles of seed balls. They leave and return home, leaving the owl and deer to dance around the tree in the dark.

I watched these films alone, although throughout I was wondering just exactly how my nephew and neice would have reacted to this story, and if their reactions are typical to all children of this age, then they would have been completely bored, dismissive and derisive about the whole thing. I, on the other hand, an adult, could see the attention to detail, the creative skill, and the time and energy spent on creating these short films (8 minutes and 10 minutes respectively). Although I did wonder what message (if any) was being shown here, or what educative value these films had. Surely we don't want to be teaching children to leave popcorn on trees in the woods do we?

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 27.12.21 

ONLINE THEATRE REVIEW: Jack And The Beanstalk - The Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough.

Using a cast of just 5 actors / actresses, this is an adaptation of the traditional tale of 'Jack And The Beanstalk' suitable to fit in the Stephen Joseph Theatre's small in-the-round space. The show has been adapted by Nick Lane, Benjamin Tabart and others, and directed and choreographed by Gemma Farlie. This is not a pantomime by any stretch of the imagination - despite the show using some audience interaction (especially at the beginning and end of the show), and a rather malevolent and sinister adaptation of a pantomime set routine appearing incongruously five minutes before the show finishes. What it is however, is a very clever, slick, and imaginative children's musical using the well-known story to tell a tale of friendship, trust, community, and adventure; with characters, situations, and locations the audience of youngsters would be able to relate to.

The set (Helen Royston), is a giant footprint and a few boxes - and this becomes all the locations necessary for the story to be told, except one: the beanstalk itself. This is a choreographed and rather eerie or perhaps disquieting routine of twisted roots and stalks growing up through a gap in the audience to platforms at the rear of the auditorium. Perhaps the filming of this sequence was more scary than it was in reality. Once there though, I truly enjoyed the journey this created and loved the slide down onto the cloud.

We are shown a one-parent family from Scarborough (Jack and his mum), his school-life, the school bully - who just happens to be the head teacher's son! - and a strange neighbour from next door. It's very David Walliamseque in its set-up. There are some extremely well thought-out twists in the tarditional tale however, and the friendship that grows between Jack and Jill (who else?!) was superbly realised. Comedy was gained in the most unlikely of places, although I doubt very much whether the very young would laugh at any of the silly Spanish references of a rather Cowardly Lion-esque first entrance of the Hen Guard.

What worked even less though for me was the voice of the giant. All the cast when speaking to or interacting with this offstage, unseen creature, all knew he was huge and had a loud booming voice - however, perhaps because of not wanting to frighten the audience, or perhaps the audio playback, his voice in this recording was even quieter than those of the humans he was interacting with. 

The original music and lyrics for this musical were written by Simon Slater, and they worked well for the style of show and theatre space. I would have preferred something a little more contemporary perhaps, in order to engage the youngsters on a musical level too; but that is perhaps just personal subjectivity. 

A lovely denouement and ending, showing companionship, good-will-conquer, truth, and the true Christmas spirit. The whole musical wasn't overlong (just 100 minutes), and was performed by 5 versatile and talented young actors / actresses, who were: Jacob Butler, Jessica Dennis, Sheri Lineham, Alicia McKenzie, and Loris Scarpa. 

Very enjoyable, festive, creative, and sensibly directed for a target audience of preteens and tweenies. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 27.12.21

ONLINE THEATRE REVIEW: Tinsel - Wrongsemble.

With things still being very much 'up in the air' with live performances; many of us still not fully confident about returning to live theatres, and with the threat of another lockdown looming, many companies are still producing quality online productions to supplement any live theatre shows they are lucky enough to fulfil. 

One such company is Wrongsemble, and this show, which has been on tour around Yorkshire, is now available on Youtube to watch in the comfort of your own homes over Christmas. It is a one-man show called, 'Tinsel', performed by Harry Pitches, who also plays the guitar and sings original lyrics to well-known Chrsitmas tunes at times throughout this adventure story.

He is Tinsel, both in name and literally, and he hangs around near the bottom of the Christmas Tree. This year however, he is bored with being at the bottom of the tree and sets off on a journey to the top of the tree and a mission to become the fairy who sits on top. On the way he meets several other tree decorations (all played by Pitches), such as The Nutcracker, some baubels, and an elf. Of course he finally does reach the top of the tree, despite being told by everyone he meets that he cannot do this and he is unsuitable; and changes places with the fairy, who is also bored of sitting there and doing nothing and longing for change.

The play is aimed at young children obviously, and there is some lovely silly comedy throughout using physical humour, puns, film references, music, and Pitches's own genuine bonhomie and easy style. 

The story shows how you shouldn't give in to societal pressures, and to "follow your dreams, even if others don't believe in them". "Anyone can shine if they are given a chance".

A truly inoffensive and inspiring story for the tiny ones in our families this Christmas, superbly delivered by Pitches.

Reviewer - Chris Benchley

on - 27.12.21

GASTRONOMY REVIEW: Cibo - Manchester

A tastefully decorated Italian restaurant at the top end of Liverpool Road in Manchester, this excellent establishment offers quality dishes and superb service.

At the end of my reviewing before Christmas (and before yet another looming possible lockdown), it was time to celebrate the festive season in a little style. Knowing I will be fed up (metaphorically and literally) with the traditional turkey dinner by the end of the next couple of weeks, my companion and I went for Italian food instead. And it was a perfect choice. 

The tables are laid in a lemon and white theme, uniform and smart. The seats are extremely comfortable, and we did not feel in any way rushed before, during or even after we had finished eating. The staff are attentive and polite, but certainly not over-fussy. Music is being played, but it is not too loud, it is true background music. However, I would have thought perhaps Italian music would have been preferable, and even, considering the time of year, Christmas music; but it was neither. My only other criticism here is that the tables were just a little too close together for true comfort and distance. It was a little cramped, and I imagine when the restaurant is full, it would feel very much like a tin of sardines. 

However, the food was quite simply superb. My companion and I went the whole hog, pushing the boat out so to speak, with a starter, main, dessert, wine and coffee! Our starters were calamari (lightly battered and deep fried squid rings and tartare sauce), and a duck and chicken liver pate served with toasted Italian bread and cranberry sauce. I had the pate and can safely say it was delicious. Extremely smooth, full of flavour, and very moreish. The main courses were cooked to absolute perfection, and again, nicely presented and flavoursome. They were Saltimbocca alla Romana (thin scallops of veal with Palma ham, and a sage sauce dressing; and a 7oz ribeye steak in sauce Diane. Of course, with it being an Italian restaurant, we had to finish with tiramisu, which was actually not as full-coffee flavoured as it usually is, the emphasis here being on the cream and the textures; but this suited me perfectly, and enjoyed it immensely.

For the Thursday before Christmas, the restaurant was not busy at all; I think there must have been many cancellations for sadly all-too-obvious and prevalent reasons. We however. were rather thankful for it as we were able to dine in relative quietude. 

For high quality service and true Italian cuisine this restaurant named simply 'Cibo' (which is 'food' in Italian!) simply cannot put a foot wrong. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

FILM REVIEW: A Christmas Carol - HOME, Manchester

Thinking that any Christmas simply wouldn't be Christmas without Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol'; for my final review before the big day itself, I was at HOME in Manchester to watch the 2020 film version of the story directed by Jacqui Morris.

Morris's version however, is a little strange, and takes some time to accustomise oneself to, and it is certainly a very brave and unique statement to make as a film-maker. I doubt it having a huge following though, and will probably, in time, achieve something of a cult status. The bulk of the text is taken directly from Dickens, with adapted and additional dialogue by David Morris.

The film is a mixture of contemporary ballet, voice-overs, theatre, cartoon, and goodness knows what else thrown into the mix. It starts normally enough, and we are shown a Victorian family with two young children building a cardboard theatre set in-the-round, complete with cut-out figures and flats. Their grandmother (Sian Phillips) opens a book and starts to tell them a story. The story is 'A Christmas Carol', and the theatre set [complete with cardboard cut-out footlights] becomes the setting of the story. From here on in, the filming continues this idea and the rooms are painted theatre flats with props and weights behind them; the snow falling outside is false, everything comes from the imagination of this child-like theatre set design. Sometimes we are even shown the cardboard cut-out figures or other cartoon style images instead of real people or places. The narration continues throughout, and when any of the main characters speak directly, then they are done as voice-overs, and the mute cast we see on screen are dancers. The whole is quite dark and moody, although it is also very clinical and clean. The deprivation, dirt and poverty that is spoken about never truly materialises, we have to imagine that.

One thing that did impress me with this film was that Scrooge (voiced by Simon Russell-Beale), was shown to be humane and real, with faults like everyone else, but a brain and a heart too; and his willingness to learn and change from the spirits' guidance is something that most other adaptations choose to ignore in favour of his mean and cruel side. The four ghosts are also just about as close to Dickens's actual description of them as they could perhaps be too, and I enjoyed seeing them as they had been originally intended.

Music is played almost continually throughout this 96 minute film, and cleverly interpolates a few calssical themes and well-known Christmas melodies within an original score. 

A thoughtful, elegaic, quite melancholic, fluid, adaptation; but conversely it also has little change, drama, and is somewhat predictable and unthrilling. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 23.12.21

GASTRONOMY REVIEW: The Toby Carvery - Chadderton, Oldham.

This Carvery, on the outskirts of Oldham in the area known as Chadderton Park, and close to the motorway with convenient access and plenty of parking, was, at one time, branded the worst pub in the whole of Greater Manchester. Looking online, the reviews are very mixed generally, some are extremely favourable, whilst others had a rather bad time of it all; so perhaps I should recount my experience to add to the mix too.

I have an allergic reation to eating tomatoes. It is nothing serious, and I won't die if I did eat them; but my skin doesn't particularly like the acid contained in them, and it becomes quite blotchy and sore if I eat a lot of them; a tiny amount of ketchup on the side of my plate however is not going to bring me to convulsions! However, the rigmarole and palarva this caused when I mentioned it to the waitress when she asked if I had an allergy, was nothing short of pantomimic. My companion and I were simply interested in the carvery (no tomatoes), but I had to read through and sign a declaration that I would not hold them responsible for an allergic reation after vsiting the establishment; and further, my food had to be cooked separately and fresh in the kitchen in order to avoid ay possible cross-contamination. I know about my allergy, I've had it all my life, and I visit restaurants and eat out on a regular basis; but none of this seemed to make any difference. Subtle hint folks - if you have a food allergy, and you know how to manage it, don't mention it!

My companion had almost finished eating her (luke warm) meal from the carvery when my plate arrived from the kitchen. Piled high - a mountain of food, looking unappetising and over-facing - it was placed in front of me. And this is where the problems started. The roasted potatoes had been re-roasted (at least twice), and tasted disgusting. (at least though they were hot, unlike the rest of the food). The peas, sprouts and red cabbage were all varying degrees of tepid to cold. What should have been cauliflower-cheese was instead two large florets of extremely overcooked and mushy (and therefore inedible) cauliflower with no sign of any cheese. The parsnips were rubbery - so rubbery I was unable to cut them. The carrots were raw - not even al dente, just raw! The apple sauce I had asked for to compliment the pork was a miniscule amount found eventually lying under the red cabbage, and the stuffing was a huge pile, enough for at least a party of 10 to share! The Yorkshire Pudding was crispy on the edges but soggy and undercooked on the base. At least the pork and turkey were nicely cooked and tasty. The gravy was served in a separate bowl.. yes a bowl... like a soup bowl, with no handle and no pouring lip!

The pot of tea we had ordered came already luke warm, and so was stone cold by the time we had added milk.

The mananger did deduct the price of my meal from the bill, but no apology was forthcoming. If my meal was being cooked from scratch from the kitchen then none of the above should have occured at all.. but for them all to occur on the one plate is an absolute disgrace. That's a shame, because we have eaten at Toby Carveries before and have always enjoyed our visits. We won't however, be patronising the one in Chadderton Park again.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall 

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Aladdin - NWTAC Theatre, Moston, Manchester.

In their home base, NWTAC (North West Theatre Arts Company), started a short run of their traditional family pantomime, Aladdin, this afternoon, to a very enthusiastic audience. 

This was a truly fun show. They had a bit of an uninspiring and shaky start (totally forgiveable on a first performance), but once they got into their stride, the laughter hardly ever stopped. A true community feel was omnipresent, as the rapport between cast and audience was just about as visceral as theatre can be. The audience wanted to be entertained, the cast were totally immersed and enjoying themselves, and the audience were fully invested; the whole was infectious, and we all went away with huge grins on our faces. 

Also, let me state right now, this was the most traditional pantomime I have seen for several seasons.. congratulations! We had a Principal Boy (not seen that in a panto for a very long time), and we had a comedy double-act (again, something of a rarity these days), a comedy chase around the audience, and plenty of slapstick!... and they stuck to the story without deviation (hesitation or repitition!). 

The pantomime cast was a diverse one, mixing professional actors with young students of the NWTAC Theatre School, giving them an opportunity few aspiring actors / actresses get. But that was where this company had got it so right. Pantomime isn't a grand and pompous artform (although it IS an artform), but in all honesty, panto doesn't work for me in the gandiose settings of the world's greatest theatres; panto is much more grassroots than that, and using local children and young adults, in a local theatre school, for the local residents to enjoy is the key to this genre's success.

The stage is small and I imagine very little room to manoeuvre backstage, and so the company used the space excellently, providing an array of colourful sets / cloths for each scene, and the costumes in general were also of a high standard. I think the lighting could perhaps have been a little more adventurous, but the "magic" used to make the Genie appear from the lamp was quite effective. The sound levels were generally good for the speaking, but we would have benefitted from the singers' voices being amplified more on several occasions. 

The adult professionals in the show were; a rather too likeable Abanazer [even when we were told not to boo him, we were laughing at the same time as booing], played by Anthony Horricks. A personable actor but a little more malevolence wouldn't have gone amiss. Prab Singh (who was also the director) played Dame Widow Twankey, his characterisation being of the traditional kind of man-in-a-dress comedy [think Les Dawson or Bernard Manning], only he made this role completely his own and it worked superbly for him; and a very large, tall and looming James Burke, as one half of the comedy police duo, Tok. Working superbly with a diminutive and youthful Tok (Katie Gough - who also choreographed the show). Together providing much of the slapstick humour and comedy routines. 

The students / young people in the show were, Elton Amoateng as Wishee-Washee: a lovely clear voice and great stage presence from Amoateng, dashing around the stage being the foil for everyone else's prangs. Paige Garth playing the role of Aladdin very much in the traditional manner, and along with Lois Ormerod as Princesse Jasmine, they worked excellently together, and their harmonies in the two songs they harmonised in were lovely. Milly Potts completed the principals as a rather resigned-to-her-fate Genie Of The Lamp. Three further young ensemble / dancers completed the cast; and these were Halle Kerley, Gareth Maudsley, and Lisa Saruzi;.and all of these youths showed considerable skill, passion and commitment, bringing about the success of the show

The script was full of gags, classic pantomime set routines and banter, some lovely audience interaction, as well as a few clever "updates" using mobile phones and a very caustic Alexa with attitude! The whole was directed by Prab Singh, and the energy levels and the commitment from all was not just amazing but also inspiring. Looking around the audience of families with preteens, it was an abolsute joy to watch this computer-gizmo-TV-instagram-fashion-gaming-mobilephone-generation being transported back to a type of tradiitonal Christmas entertainment I remember with affection from my childhood. What a great way to end my pantomime reviews for this year!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 22.12.21

BOOK REVIEW: Weird Tales Of Argana Zeit: Volume 1 - by Owain Oakwood

TITLE: Weird Tales Of Argana Zeit: Volume 1
AUTHOR: Owain Oakwood
PUBLISHED BY: Independent Publisher

This is a collection of the first seven short stories in the series and contains the following titles:

Argana Zeit And The Haunted Busker
Argana Zeit Stares Into The Abyss
Argana Zeit Ruins Halloween
Argana Zeit Is On The Menu
Argana Zeit Stones The Solstice
Argana Zeit Rings The Other World
Argana Zeit Collects Snow Toads

This quirky collection, all based in Derbyshire and the Peak District, sees heroine Paranormal Investigator Argana Zeit prove that her boundless inquisitiveness will either sustain her or lead her into disaster. She is no stranger to ghosts, possessions, ancient entities, angry tree spirits and pan-dimensional monsters. Zeit and her dog, Max, along with her allies solve weird mysteries and face down arcane terrors.

Argana Zeit And The Haunted Busker
This tale finds Zeit get a sense of occult overtones as she witnesses a brawl in a shopping centre. She has to pick up the pace and prove that a ghost is involved and discover which ghost, in less than twelve hours. An innocent man will be incarcerated in prison if she doesn’t succeed and her own reputation which is on shaky ground will be in disrepute. The quiet Peak District town doesn’t know what has hit it as she does her utmost to unravel the mystery bringing her own kind of weird commotion to the proceedings.

This excellent debut is a gripping short story of clues, hauntings and larger than life characters. In a world similar to our own, psychic investigator Zeit and her trusty side-kick Max, assist the police with a crime instigated with slightly broken bagpipes.

This thoroughly enjoyable romp packs in a great deal of story. It is a pacey and witty paranormal mystery with lots of humour and shrewd observations. It is original with well-rounded characters and enjoyable from start to finish.

Argana Zeit Stares Into The Abyss
An archaeologist goes on the run from a psychiatric hospital; Zeit must shut down a dangerous experiment and antagonise over what it is that stares back at her from the Abyss.

This stand-alone short story is set in a quirky Peak District town and Zeit is on hand to assist Constable Fred Berkshire solve the mystery.

Argana Zeit Ruins Halloween 
On Halloween paranormal investigator Zeit would love to stay in and chill out but when illegal revellers are abducted in the woods nearby, she gets drawn into this mystery.

This is an enjoyable supernatural mystery which contains a novel ghost dog.

Argana Zeit Is On The Menu
Online superstars Ben and Daz, ‘The Medieval Chefs’, are in a stew, and paranormal investigator Zeit comes to their rescue in this amusing paranormal romp.

This is a fast-paced, well-written amusing tale.

Argana Zeit Stones The Solstice
Scatter-brained paranormal investigator Zeit becomes entangled in solstice stones, mysterious runes and a grumpy druid.

This is an engaging read with humour and a clever script.

Argana Zeit Rings The Other World
Paranormal Investigator Argana Zeit is at hand when a highly strung nerd decides to build a black box to talk to other worlds.

This is another fun adventure with Argana and Max.

Argana Zeit Collects Snow Toads 
A car crash that doesn’t look like an accident alerts Zeit who needs to find out who, or what, caused it before anyone else gets hurt or killed. It’s winter in The Peak District and away from the bright city lights and the snow gritters there’s something waiting in the blizzard, and it’s anything but friendly.  Zeit teams up with Constable Berkshire and her ever-faithful dog, Max, in this enjoyable mystery.

A weird read but if you’re a fan of strange adventures this will appeal.

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard

GASTRONOMY REVIEW: The Hanging Gate Pub Restaurant - Weaverham, Northwich.

On the way home from seeing a pantomime in Northwich, and in need of sustainance, this was the first establishment we ventured upon, and it was indeed, a veritably good find.

Situated in the village of Weaverham, just a little north of the town of Northwich, this classic pub / restaurant had a very homely, relaxed, but slightly up-market feel to it. My companion and I settled down to table service, and traditional (and some usual but non-traditional) excellently presented pub food. 

The whitebait was superb, cooked to perfection; whilst a steak and ale pie was crammed with juicy choice chunks of meat, and a thick grazy. The Hunter's Chicken was also perfectly cooked and tasty. Twice-cooked chips or sweet potato chips as well as vegetables were served with both; and we guzzled these down with a steaming hot pot of English tea. 

Extremely affordable, polite and friendly staff (not overfussy), and the place was spotlessly clean. What more could one ask for? If we are in the area again, then we'll certainly be making a beeline here for our meal.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall 

GASTRONOMY REVIEW: Cavell's Cafe Bar - Sheffield.

A super little find in Sheffield. Situated in the centre of the city on High Street amidst the bustle of shoppers and trams, a quiet haven awaits inside, which is tastefully decorated and spotlessly clean. If anything then some of the tables near the bar area are too close together, but there are other areas which offer a more substantial distance between clients.

The establishment is a cafe in the sense only that it does not offer evening food (they stop serving at 7pm); but continues later than this as a bar. The quality of the food and service however is certainly worthy of more than a simple 'cafe' moniker. The majority on offer is burgers or paninis but there are also main dishes too, and I chose their rump steak which was cooked to absolute perfection. 

For a quality lunch that won't burn a hole in your budget, and for a respite from the bustle, you can't go far wrong by chosing this cafe. If I ever find myself in Sheffield again, it shall be my go-to pit stop.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Sleeping Beauty - The Queen Elizabeth Hall, Oldham.

This evening's performance of 'Sleeping Beauty' at The Queen Elizabeth Hall in Oldham truly tested the old theatre maxim, 'The show must go on'. Star-billing had been given to Kerry Katona who was playing the evil witch Carabosse, however, she had had to withdraw whilst waiting the result of her PCR test, and so in true stalwart fashion, the company's Stage Manager, Miranda Parker, took the role on, entering with script-in-hand (although she really didn't need it, excpet perhaps as a comfort blanket). A real trouper, and an accomplished performer. 

In most respects this was a traditional pantomime, and several of panto's set pieces were included, and the jokes ranged from the down-right silly to the rather risque. What was unforgivable however, in this reviewer's opinion, was when there was a serious costume malfunction with the Dame during one of the songs, stripping Jeff Longmore's costume down to his bra and little else, he should have exited the stage and attended to his dress before returning. Continuing and even glorying in this, making it a 'virtue', was not for a family show at all. Further, in another costume and routine later on, when Longmore appeared as Tina Turner, his costume was, in a word, obscene. 

To say that corners had been cut in this production would be something of an understatement. The 'band' consisted of one man. The show contained a mixture of original recordings featuring the real artiste singing whilst a member of the cast sang over the top; some backing tracks, during which the 'band' extremporised on a drum kit; and a couple of times when he played the keyboards for the cast.  Sets were painted and colourful, but minimalist; and costumes were second hand at best. The lighting was functional, but there were no specials and no effects, save one at the very end of the first act; and we then understood where the budget had gone. We were shown the fairy (Kate Salmon) on Father Christmas's sleigh (complete with presents) flying (with the use of hydraulics) across and over the stage. I am still trying to work out what relevance Santa's sleigh had with the panto story...!

The rest of the cast included Bruce Jones (Les Battersby from Coronation Street), and Nathan Morris (Hollyoaks); with Enola Dyer as the Princess (lovely voice!), and Chris Jeffries trying his best as Wally. The company also used an ensemble of child dancers for a couple of the numbers, and without a programme [the company chose not to produce one], or cast list, I have no way of knowing who they were or where they came from.

The show contained some truly fun ideas, and could have worked much better than it did. A tower with a spinning wheel was placed DSL, and from where I was seated, the action in this scene was hidden from my view. A large safety mat for one of the set pieces in the show was clearly visible the whole time thus ruining the effect; stage-hands were visible in the wings, and 'The Twelve Days Of Christmas' was simply a lamentable mess. However, other ideas worked excellently, such as the fire-breathing scary dragon being a pink softy called Sarah, and a lovely songsheet involving two young audience members.

VERDICT: A truly mixed bag of the good, bad, and down-right ugly. The show had potential, but one had the distinct feeling that those in charge had jumped overboard before the ship sank. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 21.12.21 

THEATRE REVIEW: The Gift - Z-Arts, Manchester.

Touched Theatre in association with Manchester's premier children's theatre venue, Z-Arts, have produced an absolutely wonderful piece of calming, absorbing, and magical entertainment for their target age-group of 2 - 4 year olds. 

With a running time of 45 minutes, and a production which had us all (grown-ups too) enthralled, it is easily one of the best pieces of theatre for this age group this particular reviewer has ever seen.

Z-Arts' main theatre space was used, and as we walked into the space, it was clear that this was going to be something special. Creative and clever lighting showed us a set of planets and the interior of a spaceship, whilst large mats in areas over the floor had been laid with cushions for each family or group to enjoy the show together, in the style of a picnic. Behind these and more separately-laid soft boxes and cushions for other families, and further back still, a few chairs for us oldies who had just come without any tiny tots in tow. These areas were lit in pools of light, and soft, soothing background music was playing. I have never before been in a room with so many toddlers for so long, and had them all so quiet and attentive. Perhaps Kindergarten teachers need to take note...!

The story concerns a rather diligent but unsuccessful astronaut, Noli, whose job it seems it to try and grow plants in space. He is having absolutely no success with this however, and so a friendly nearby planet sends him a gift, the gift turns out to be a helpful, and green-fingered, if not a little mischievous robot called Zee, and the two form an unlikely friendship. 

With minimal speaking, and some very clever and well-managed audience interaction, this was a sensory tale suitable for even the most difficult or challenging of toddler. The company take you on a journey into space at Christmastime, and tell a simple but heartwarming adventure tale of friendship and co-operation, through soft furnishings, puppetry, a 'video' screen, lights and sound. 

As well as watching the performance this afternoon, I kept one eye on the target audience to gauge their reactions, and they were delighted and enwrapped by it all. Simply magical.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 21.12.21

BOOK REVIEW: Hole: A Place That Needs To Be Filled by Sal Starling

TITLE: Hole: A Place That Needs To Be Filled
AUTHOR: Sal Starling
PUBLISHED BY: Pentad Books

Laura and her young daughter Beth, find themselves lost whilst driving to see Beth’s father. They end up in Hole, a quiet village with secrets; the locals are helpful and friendly enough; maybe a little over-friendly. Wildwood Cottage seems to be their saviour but the woman who lives there is rather strange, ethereal almost. Laura doesn’t believe in magic but she begins to question her memory and sanity when she is unable to separate reality from what seems to be a horrific nightmare. They try to leave but find themselves imprisoned in an encounter with something that has no intention of releasing them.

This short creepy horror story is well-paced and concise, it is a chilling read. The writing is atmospheric with many twists and turns in such a short read. I was drawn in from page one; the plot was compelling enough to keep me reading and I found it hard to put down until I’d finished it.

The characters are interesting and worth investing in; the flashbacks worked well and held the plot together.

The unpredicted ending revealed a commendable surprise, something I was not expecting. The storyline certainly gave me chills and the build-up of the reveal was handled skilfully by the author which showcased her talent.

Readers who enjoy a short creepy horror tale will devour this innovative rollercoaster of a novella.

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Beauty And The Beast - The Epstein Theatre, Liverpool.

This was the first production at Liverpool's Epstein Theatre since it re-opened under new management, bringing together largely local talent with star billing going to popular television actor Ben Richards (from Hollyoaks). Unfortunately, after only a few performances, Richards had to pull-out after testing positive for Covid on the morning of the Press Night performance. If this was not bad enough, Kelly Sweeney, who was playing the Good Fairy, became unable to perform just one and a half hours before the curtain went up on the same show. This must have tested the nerves of the entire cast but the show had to go on.

‘Beauty And The Beast’ was a traditional pantomime in most senses. The sets were created largely through a mix of full and open back-cloths, painted in an old-fashioned but effective style (providing several pleasing scenes with creative lighting effects). The show used many of the old, familiar routines (such as a ghost which keeps scaring other characters off-stage) and the jokes ranged from the corny to the downright ribald. The costumes and the acting were over-the-top and a thin storyline was punctuated by a regular flow of popular music numbers sung by the cast whilst dancers performed various routines.

The result of all the above was a fast-flowing show which never let up in pace and rather than trying to re-invent the wheel, simply delivered a consummate traditional pantomime which delivered on all counts. The audience was soon caught up in the atmosphere and the cast appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, perhaps partly through relief that everything was going well despite the set-backs earlier that day.

All the cast performed well, throwing themselves into their roles with gusto. Special mention must be made of Tom Fothergill who had the unenviable task to stepping into shoes of Ben Richards, around whom the show's publicity had been built. There was little evidence of nerves with one of the other actors even cracking a joke that if only he looked like Ben Richards! Nazene Langfield was also a real trouper who as the show choreographer, took on the singing and dancing role of Fairy Rose at very short notice, actually having to open the show. Apart the use of a book on two or three occasions, there was nothing to suggest she had not been due to play the role from the outset.

Lewis Devine was the effective front-man as French Frank, acting very much in the old music hall tradition, interacting well with the audience including an amusing scene where a young man from the stalls was brought on stage to help him up onto a wall. Jamie Greer is a time-served pantomime Dame and was at home as the gormless Potty Polly. A really interesting piece of casting was James Lacey as Madame Botox, the ‘wicked queen’ of the show. This was a genuine piece of female impersonation worthy of Danny La Rue; a feature seldom seen in pantomime and carried off with perfection. Lauren McCrory as the Beauty and Benjamin Keith as the Beast worked well together, including a powerful singing duet. Credit must also be given to the five dancers who performed various styles with a vaudeville air.

A highlight of the show, without giving away too much of a spoiler, was when things went seriously awry whilst singing 'The Twelve Days Of Christmas'; this was performed hilariously and provided, for a pantomime, a lot of originality. This was a fun show which certainly delivered and it is doubtful that anyone felt short-changed by the absence of the main star. The Epstein Theatre did proud the old adage that the show must go and it certainly did just that.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 20.12.21

 

 

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Cinderella - The Grange Theatre, Hartford, Northwich.

I have to admit to never seeing a pantomime quite like this one before. Not that that was a bad thing - on the contrary, it worked well for the team of talented actors and actresses performing 'Cinderella', at Northwich's Grange Theatre. 

My previous brushes with this pantomime have seen a traditional female Fairy Godmother, and two (male) pantomime Dames in the form of the Ugly Sisters. Dandini has often been played by a female too (a Principal Boy). Here, things had been turned on their heads somewhat, and the Fairy Godmother was also the Dame, whilst the Ugly Sisters were a pair of uber-modern techno chics who had ugly characteristics not actually being physically ugly. However, this combination worked well for the company, and in all other respects, this was most definitely a traditional family pantomime.

The Grange Theatre is in the grounds of a secondary school on the outskirts of Northwich, and this being my first visit to the theatre, I was unsure of what to expect. The theatre is of medium size (approx 400 seats?), and a small, but extremely well-equipped stage with more lamps than you could throw a stick at: and all of them seemed to have been used for this production. The company spared no expense at creating a colourful and eye-catching spectacle. The lighting design was West-End worthy, whilst an array of colourful sets and cloths, as well as costumes kept us visually stimulated. 

A couple of times the lighting cues were too late, meaning principals were left to act and sing in the dark for far too long; but that is a minor issue which can easily be rectified. I would also say that the sound levels were not balanced this afternoon either. There were a couple of times when the volume of the band overpowered the singing; and in one song, the first entrance and song of the Ugly Sisters (an upbeat modern popular song unknown to me), the volume of both performer and music was ear-piercingly loud and I was reduced to putting my fingers in my ears the entire song.

Rob Stevens was the Fairy Godmother (Dame with a magic wand!), and did actually span that odd bridge between the two differing roles with seeming ease. His balloon ballet routine with Buttons being an absolute show highlight! Hannah Ponting had just the right amount of twee and goodie-goodie, without being sickeningly sweet, and proved to be a good singer and actress too, giving an enjoyable performance. Grace Throne and Mollie Kate Angus were the Ugly Sister double-act, Insta and Gram. Ultra modern and badass sass were the order of the day for these two, who basically we all loved to hate. [Think Catherine Tate's "Am I Bovvered" with a bit more gutsy malevolence]. Aaron Carr portrayed Dandini, and was a very worthy foil and companion to Joshua Edwards's Prince Charming; whose light tenor voice was a delight. However it was Oliver Scott who truly made this pantomime as Buttons. Not stopping even for a second, he worked with the audience, had a lovely rapport with the rest of the cast, and was a truly engaging and characterful actor. 

The cast was completed with 2 adult ensemble dancers (Amy Leek and Ellie Lewis), and a team of 9 children dancers (one assumes students at the school), and this afternoon it was the turn of Team 3. The ensemble work was good and added to the overall feel of the show greatly; there just wasn't enough of it. They did a couple of short routines in the first act and were mostly unused for the whole of the second. Shame, there should have been more for them to do.

I would also have preferred to have a few more "yes it is / no it isn'ts" in the show, and we certainly needed a "behind you" in the ghost scene. The children were shouting it out at the cast, but they were unfortunately ignored.  Although this was a most unusual and never-before-seen take on the traditional routine. Fun. 

All in all, this is a hugely successful and highly entertaining pantomime. All the cast were obviously enjoying themselves immensely, and that enjoyment was infectious. A good songsheet (Cinderella themed), some very funny jokes and set pieces, (with some for the adults too), modern and local references, and a great cinematic ending. Upbeat, sassy, and produced with skill and attention to detail. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 20.12.21

MUSIC SINGLE REVIEW: Klammer - Broken Dreams In A Crashing Car

Klammer is a Leeds based quartet who some might argue should have been around in the post-punk era of the 1980s but that does not do them justice. They provide some of that retro feel but they are more modern than that, perhaps more “contemporary” even as they have described themselves. They were formed by Steve Whitfield, famed for his work more recently as Scenius and Whitfield himself plays bass in the band. The remainder of the quartet is made up of Paul “Poss” Strickland on vocals / guitar, Mike Addy on bass guitar and Bruno Almeida on drums.

“Broken Dreams In A Crashing Car” is their latest release and is taken from their forthcoming album “The Day Before Yesterday” which will be out in February 2022.

The track itself is very much a staple of the Klammer back catalogue in that it is a raw release and not what I would describe as over-produced. This is important for a band like Klammer, as hearing their songs as though they are being played live is very much part of who they are and what they produce – all too often bands miss a trick by being different on audio releases than they would be in a live venue.

The melody on “Broken Dreams In A Crashing Car” is really interesting – it has simple guitar elements but this is intertwined with really sharp drumming work from Almeida and some brilliant bass lines from Whitfield.  There is a marked change in tempo between the verses and chorus which really turns this track into something more contemporary than just a 1980's style post-punk release.

Vocally I really enjoyed Strickland’s performance but then I have always liked his style from the first time I heard Klammer back in 2019.  He has the perfect tone for this type of music and has that real electronic feel that bands from that era had vocally – people like Human League and Heaven 17.

I had the pleasure of seeing Klammer in a support slot in Manchester prior to the pandemic and I really hope they tour again in the new year with the release of their fourth studio album. They really haven’t had the acclaim that they deserve to this point but that doesn’t mean they won’t in the future. There is a new desire from the public to appreciate live performance since the lockdowns and this could really benefit bands like Klammer who have struggled to get bigger audiences outside their hometown. I suspect another support slot might be just what they need, followed up by a tour in later 2022 or 2023 where they are the main attraction.

I am very much looking forward to their album in a couple of months and hope to get the chance to review it – Klammer have a spot in the market and if this album hits as hard as I expect then they will really see their popularity increase.

Reviewer - John Fish

ONLINE CHILDREN'S THEATRE REVIEW: Fantastico - Little Angel Theatre

'Fantastico' is a short (5 minute) piece of cartoon stick pupperty from Little Angel Theatre. Specialists in puppet theatre for the very young, they regularly create online pieces which are available on their Youtube channel.

Here, in a short created and performed by Jessica Shead and Ruby Saide, in a story written by Sean Taylor, we see an elephant wanting to find a comfy place for him to take a short nap. He tries a deck- and a blow-up arm chair before realising that his own rather worn but familiar armchair serves the purpose best. It's a nice story, and it is clearly and expressively narrated by Duane Gooden.

However, I am not certain how old a child would need to be in order for them to understand what an anteater is, and also an "automatic massage" chair; although they would laugh at this scene's outcome. Also, for a UK audience, the phrase 'beach vacation' needs to be put into British English.

Reviewer - Alastair Zyggu
on - 19.12.21

MUSIC REVIEW: The Syd Lawrence Orchestra Christmas Concert - The Stoller Hall, Manchester.

The Syd Lawrence Orchestra, these days under the leadership of trombonist Chris Dean, is actually a Big Band, and a true Big Band at that - ie: one that plays the music and celebrates the era of the Big Band, (1930s - 1950s), unlike the contemporary ensembles whose composers and compositions are as far removed from the traditional as Philip Glass is from Mozart!

This evening, the Stoller Hall in Manchester played host to this world famous band, and even when 2 of the band's members had to be replaced - actually on the day of the performance - due to positive COVID tests, it was still impossible to tell and the sound they created was as wondeful as ever. A female trombonist and the bass player (names unknown) stood in for their fellow instrumentalists with accomplished ease.

The band, under the leadership of Chris Dean, took us through several Big Band standards as well as a whole host of Christmas music arranged mostly by the band's pianist and condutor, Trevor Brown. Whilst some of the time Dean himself played solo trombone and other times lent his vocal tones to a song or two.

A guest vocalist was also part of this evening's concert; and I believe his name was Atila Huseyin, a jazz singer specialising in the songs of Sinatra. Here he covered several of Sinatra's more popular hits, also duetting with Dean on a couple of occasions. 

In a concert of 28 set pieces, there were bound to be a couple I wasn't so fond of, and equally, a few which simply made the evening for me! Two such pieces from the latter category were Harry James's 'Concerto For Trumpet', featuring band member Chris playing the solo with incredible dexterity and clarity.. a real showstopper of a piece; and the tune, "7:20 In The Books" in which another band member, this time Max Mills, the percussionist, got to show off his kit and his skill in a huge and impressive solo riff. 

There was only one problem with the whole evening; and that was the sound levels. The quiet and reflective sections were pitched perfectly, however, anything that was marked in the score as mf or louder, I was simply reduced to putting my fingers in my ears and hoping it would soon end! An elderly couple seated in front of me also commented on the unnecessary volume of the concert. The whole needed turning down several decibels for me and obviously others to truly enjoy it. 

Otherwise, a wonderful tribute to a lost era with a whole lot of festive music to boot, by a world-class Big Band and the traditional sound.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 18.12.21

THEATRE REVIEW: Twinkle And The Mechanical Light Machine - The Library Performance Space, Oldham.

Oldham Theatre Workshop is something of an Oldham institution these days, giving children and young people quality training in the performing arts; and in recent years they have also produced a professional Christmas show too allowing a few of their students to work alongside those already making waves in the profession. 

This year was no different. Sarah Nelson and James Atherton have written a delightful original musical titled, 'Twinkle And The Mechanical Light Machine', which has some catchy tunes, a children's adventure into the imagination, a feel-good story, and of course a happy ending, all about Christmas. 

The story is set in the fictional town of Luminvale, where the whole town is excited and waiting for the annual Christmas lights switch-on. However, when the lights fail, the town is downhearted, and those in charge start blaming others. All is not what it seems however: down below the town, in the town's mine, is a type of stone called 'lumin', and it is the lumin which creates the light in the bulbs. The lumin only works however, when everyone is happy and all is well in the world, and so the more downcast the town becomes, the lumin simply don't work or fade away completely. It does seem though that someone doesn't like Christmas very much and is deliberately sabottaging the switch-on. This is where our heroine, a young girl called Twinkle, comes into her own. She has gone into her loft only to find an old mechanical light machine, and with a little help form her best friend, and some magical fairy Light Mechanics, they try to repair the machine, bring happiness and light back to the town and save Christmas!

The production values for this show were incredibly high. The quality of acting, singing (lovely harmonies), and set / lighting etc were all excellent. It was a very enjoyable show on many levels, and would work superbly as a Christmas film. I do have a couple of thoughts about the show though.

First, the story was very wordy and over-complicated for the young audience to fully understand. Tweens and above would get it, and be enthralled by it, but, judging by the audience in this afternoon, the majority of the children were significantly younger, and were fidgeting during and not following the vast majority of the show. This brings me to my second point; for such a show with so many different characters, utilising only five main cast members who all (except Twinkle) multi-role, was also adding to the confusion. The youngsters didn't know which character was which. And finally, my third point is that it was a little lengthy too, especially the first half of the show, and some judicious cutting would not go amiss. The show is advertised for children from age 4 upwards; however, I would suggest that is very optimistic of the company. 

However, all that being said, from a more adult perspective, this show was quite delightful. The set was well thought out and worked well. My only criticism here would be that a curtain or some sort of barrier at the back of the roof would have been better, as we saw the cast there getting changed, reaching for props and costume items from a hatstand and even coming out of the loft trap door, thus meaning the illusion was lost. Costumes were good and worked well, and the effects used throughout creative and imaginative.

As I have already mentioned, all the five members of the main cast worked excellently together with Ivy Chui portraying the believably very young girl, Twinkle; although I will just make an extra special mention to Perry Moore, whose rapid changes in characterisations were, for me at least, the strongest and most adept.  

The show required the addition of three youngsters from the OTW Young Company, and again, these three worked superbly portraying Luminvale citizens, fairy light mechanics; and were a huge credit to themselves and the company. I believe this afternoon they were Alex Charnock, Lucy Turvin, and Tia Tupman.

I truly enjoyed the original feel to this show, it felt different (and of course was), from anything else on offer this Christmas, and with clever staging and quality acting, it will delight this festive season. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 18.12.21

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Goldilocks And The Three Bears - Theatre Royal, St. Helens.

This is easily the biggest, brightest and boldest pantomime to be seen at The Theatre Royal St. Helens since this particular reviewer has been seeing them there. Regal Entertainments have outdone themselves this time, bringing a touch of Barnum and Bailey to the traditional tale of Goldilocks.

The setting is a circus, where Goldilocks (Olivia Sloyan), Silly Billy (Scott Gallagher), and Ringmaster (David Tag), all work for circus owner Dame Gertie (David Phipps Davis). However, things are not all well for their circus, they are in debt and in danger of closing down; moreover there is a rival circus in town, owned by the evil Baron Von Vippemall (Timothy Lucas), and his propensity and love of whipping and generally being cruel to children and animals! His three talking and dancing bears have had enough and escaped, and of course, go to join Dame Gerie's circus, and of course (because this is panto), everyone gets to live happily ever after. It's not the traditional story of the The Three Bears (although a short sequence of the most famous moment from that tale, when Goldilocks tries the chairs, porridge and beds of the bears is shoehorned in); neither is it really a traditional panto in many ways too.. but with the emphasis firmly on fun, entertainment, and wow factor, one can forgive the company for not including many of pantomime's traditional routines. 

What they did do however (and I haven't seen this one performed in any other panto so far this season!), is have a precious object left at the side of the stage and ask the audience to shout if they see anyone try to steal it. On this occasion it was Silly Billy leaving a pot of money, but the significance of and even the story behind that pot of money got lost in the melee somewhere never to resurface. 

Other traditional panto repartee came in the form of Silly Billy (Scott Gallagher), who worked the audience with accomplished ease. [although I did think the water gun sequence was a little more than simple fun... it was actually quite malicious], and Dame Gertie (David Phipps Davis), who made for a rather 'straight' panto dame, not at all OTT, and neither really effeminate nor truly butch, but a very personable and likeable dame nevertheless with a lovely singing voice. [I loved his interpretation of 'Nobody Does It Like Me']. We were treated to only two "yes it is / no it isn'ts" the whole evening, no "behind yous", no real panto set pieces to speak of, and the songsheet turned out to be a football chant "Sweet Caroline", whereby the section of audience to win the singing competition (judged by the MD), would receive a share of half a million pounds. We felt cheated, since, although we really did not believe that this would be true, we did think that some sort of prize - whether real or comedic - would have been forthcoming, but it wasn't. So why promise a prize in the first place then? 

What we did have, however, was a whole lot of circus magic. Jenna Sian O'Hara, when not wearing her 'Baby Bear' costume, showed her skill at aerial silks and hoop (something I have never seen in a panto before!), and we all enjoyed the pyrotechnics, fireworks, and full company songs such as 'Join The Circus' and 'No Business Like Showbusiness'.

In general I don't think there was quite enough interaction with the audience, especially in the second act; and although the idea of having a "Germanic" baddy with a name like Vippemall, was a good one; Timothy Lucas's accent / pronunication was unfortunately so poor that I couldn't understand much of what he was saying; and not one of us got the "pun" of his name with the fact that he liked to 'whip them all'. Olivia Sloyan was the prefect Goldilocks; traditional panto 'beauty', pretty, twee, goody-goody, and all the audience loved her, whilst Hollyoaks's David Tag provided the adult sex factor for the middle-aged mums in the audience. The three bears (Harry Moore, Chantal Amber-Rose, and Jemma Sian O'Hara) worked well in their bear suits, but really were only a side-line to the main story, not featuring very much, and really could and should have had much more to do considering they are in the show's title! [perhaps a teddy bears' picnic with the audience?]

The SFX and lighting used throughout was creative and interesting; however the sound levels were far too high. The auditorium music used for pre-show and the interval was not background music in any way; and once the show started it was simply ear-piercingly loud continually. I did not have any ear defenders with me sadly, and so spent the entire show with my fingers frimly in both ears, and could still hear everything clearly. Why do theatre shows need to be so loud??! Louder does not equal better!

St. Helens's best panto yet.. full of pizzazz, fun, and pantotastic costumes, colourful sets, songs and dances; suitable for children of all ages!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 17.12.21

THEATRE REVIEW: She Loves Me - The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

PERFUMERIE: The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
SCENT: She Loves Me
NOTES: Wonderful Romantic Musical Comedy with high notes of Hungarian red roses and vanilla ice-cream.

When a show is this good, and it truly was this good, it is almost impossible to review, since everything you write will sound sycophantic and fawning; but those who know me and how I review, will know that praise of this nature does not come easily.

From the moment I stepped into the thrust-staged auditorium of Sheffield's Crucible Theatre and beheld the incredibly detailed and realistic shop-front set designed by Ben Stones, I knew it was going to be a feast for the senses. Such a shame that a musical about a Budapest Perfume House couldn't have had an olfactory element to it too.  And then, when the set opened out - double-whammy - an audible gasp from the audience, and quite rightly so. 

The Musical, adapted from the play by Miklos Laszlo, by Joe Masteroff, with catchy and clever lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and (if you know your music, then very clever Hungarian classical and folk music influences included in) lovely music by Jerry Bock, is set in an upmarket perfumerie at the end of the 1930s. It is a book musical, and the main story follows Mr Nowack (played with an ease and charm rarely seen in musical theatre these days [everyone has to be "acting"!]) and a certain Amalia Balash with whom he has a letter correspondence - an internet dating site long before such a thing was invented. Unbeknownst to each other, they also happen to be work colleagues, and thus this forms the basis of the comedy. (and the romance).

Everything came together this evening to give the press night audience everything they came for and more. The singing was incredible - Alex Young's (Amalia Balash) high notes and vocal control were Grand Opera-worthy, and sounded superb. The choreography was (considering the size, shape, and dangerously open drops at the edge, of the stage), excellent, thrilling, brave, and executed with split-second timing. The cafe house scene towards the end of act 1 was a true crowd-pleaser, and a real showstopper! The lighting was creative but not over-kill, the sound levels were perfect; costumes were very authentic looking for the country and period of the setting of the show...etc etc

And of course, the entire cast was amazing. Working together as a true ensemble, there simply wasn't an even slight weak link amongst them. Director Robert Hastie injected just the right amount of comedy throughout, and created a show that gave us believable characters in an unbelievable circumstance... Traditional Musical Comedy at its best! Bravo, bravo, bravissimi tutti. 

"Thank you, Sheffield, please play again, do play again, Sheffield".

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 16.12.21

STUDENT THEATRE REVIEW: Rage - 53Two, Manchester.

The final year students on the Acting degree course at Arden Theatre School took to the stage this evening in a play as far removed from Christmas as it could possibly be... or at least, you'd have thought so; if it hadn't have been for the fact that the play was written in response to a series of photographs published in the newspapers and trended on social media of Manchester revellers on New Year's Eve 2015.

The play, entitled simply, 'Rage', is a series of short vignettes played non-stop, some returning to the same people and circumstances, whilst others were stand-alone short stories. The connection between them all being how the youth and young adults of Manchester partied, and how the police responded. Written by Simon Stephens, professor of Scripwriting at MMU and certainly no stranger to writing for and working with young people, the play felt very real and immediate.

Perhaps there ought to be a trigger warning though for this play, as the language used throughout is extremely strong, racist, sexual, and provocational. It certainly isn't for the faint-hearted. There is even a rendition of our National Anthem with the cast giving Nazi salutes and the middle finger "salute"! What it does do however is highlight how alcohol and drug use (abuse) can and does affect a person's reasoning and behaviour, and how a police uniform can and does affect the attitude and behaviour of it's wearer. The abuse of power is an age-old human problem, here shown as police brutality. In fact, the police are not shown in a good light at all in this play, and one cannot help but wonder about this, and how true-to-life these characteriations actually are [especially in the light of George Floyd etc]. The final image as the lights dim and the audience leave is one of mixed messages. A young couple lost in their close embrace, oblivious to what is going on around them, wrapped with police incident tape. 

The stage is a corner of an urban run-down suburb Manchester, corrugated iron and outdated grafittied posters, along with scaffolding and associated building materials, traffic cones etc litter the landscape, and taking pride of place in the thrust stage formation chosen for this play, an actual taxi. Without actually performing this play outside on the streets, the set could not have been more real. Combine this with creative lighting and subtle sound, and you are in for a very gritty piece of drama.

And to prove this was a talented cast of 23 young actors / actresses, all just one small step away from taking the profession by storm. The ensemble feel to this production was incredible, as director Andy Sheridan filled the stage with writhing and shaking bodies, cold and shivering with the effects of drug use. Two cast members dressed in black standing high on the rostra created by scaffolding as if mongers of evil, creating an almost omnipresent malevolence as black angels (?), was a rather stagey or cinematic touch, but would have perhaps been a stronger image if they had been on stage the whole time. Whilst other characters believe they have found a portal to another world, propose marriage, and shout out at the injustice of the world, or the futility of it all, blaming everyone, showing their prejudices. It is a world that, although not unknown to me, is one that I was never a part of, not even peripherally; and whilst we all know that drug-dealers, and other low-lifes, inhabit the streets of every city; they do seem to prey on the young and impressionable.

A few times (depending upon where one was seated), the view of the action would be different; and I did feel that Sheridan had perhaps not taken the audience into full consideration on some of his directorial ideas and images, with principals being out of the line of vision for too long. 

The play lends itself perfectly for a young persons ensemble to perform, and at times the play felt much more like a drama school exercise than something commercial. (it even featured 'standard' exercises for drama students which I remember from my time at theatre school many many years' ago!). The vignettes, although all interconnected, did not allow for any real story or character development, and after the first five minutes of the play, we knew more or less what to expect: we were shown nothing new. Despite the darkness and grittiness of the subject matter though, it is - ironically - through the roles of the police (one in particular), where some humour is injected into the play. This does not go unnoticed. 

This play is certainly not for everyone, but it does reinforce the tragic consequences of partying and revellling too far. A couple of 14 year olds (about the age that many young people in this fair city have their first sexual encounter), here, fuelled by drinking and the wanting to try drugs and play "grown-ups", the play, and the outcomes shown in this play, start. A warning - a wake-up call to all. 

Sincerely, realistically and believably acted by all, the commitment to this production was incredible, giving powerful and visceral performances throughout. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 15.12.21