THEATRE REVIEW: The Play That Goes Wrong - The Opera House, Manchester.

Mischief Theatre have done it again! This was now my third time of watching this hilarious and superbly crafted farce, and even though I knew what was going to happen I was still lapping it up and laughing loudly along with everyone else in this evening's appreciative audience at Manchester's Opera House.

What made this particular production just that little bit more special perhaps, was that the 8 main principal characters were the original cast members from the 2012 London production, who are performing this for just two weeks - one here in Manchester, and the second up in Newcastle. They may well be 10 years older now, but their agility, comedy timing, skill, and characterisations were as deft and as sharp as ever. 

The plot is quite simple: The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society perform their production of 'Murder At Haversham Manor'. It is a play within a play. However, as the title suggests, this is pure farce, and everything that could possibly go wrong, does. Actors forget their lines or can't pronounce them properly; props are mislaid and misused; cast manage to either walk into each other or the set, or have the set slammed on them more times than you could say Jack Robinson, and the final sequence - a tribute to a scene in the famous 'Steamboat Bill Jr' (Buster Keaton) - is the cherry on the icing.  

The play starts more or less half an hour before the start of the play! Yes.... that's right. The performance starts at 7:30pm, however, for about 30 minutes prior to this, the cast (of the murder play), and the stage management (of the murder play), come around the audience trying to find the Stage Manager's CD which he has lost, and locate the errant dog which is part of the play. They also find a volunteer from the audience to help with making the final preparations of the set before the play starts! However, your understanding and complicity in all of this (because it is a very large theatre), depends on where the cast go, and what you manage to hear and understand as they come amongst you. 

It was a such a pleasure and indeed a privilege to be able to watch the originators at work: Rob Falconer, Henry Shields, Greg Tannahill, Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, Charlie Russell, Dave Hearn, and Nancy Zamit. They all worked so well together, you would have thought that they had been doing it non-stop for the last ten years! (Maybe they have!) It was so slick, and side-splittingly funny... it just got better and better the further into the play they went. 

For lovers of slapstick, farce, comedy, and of course damned fine acting from a hugely talented cast. I know, being an actor myself, that it takes more skill to be able to do something deliberately badly than it does to do it well, and these are masters of it! [Think Les Dawson or Morecambe and Wise]. Go and see them while you have the chance!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 30.5.22

AMATEUR CLASSICAL MUSIC REVIEW: The Manchester Beethoven Orchestra - The Stoller Hall, Manchester

Formed in 1888, The Manchester Beethoven Orchestra is an amateur orchestra based in South Manchester and their repertoire, despite their title, extends to more than just Beethoven, as was amply and ably exemplified this evening. 

In this evening's concert, at The Stoller Hall, we heard three works, all very well-known and much-loved pieces. But first, we stood for the Ukrainian National Anthem - a thoughtful and sobering touch. 

The orchestra's resident conductor, Frank Lennon welcomed us to their concert and introduced each piece with a few snippets of information about them before conducting. 

The concert opener, Overture to 'Coriolan' by Beethoven was welcome. The play for which this was written was by Von Collins, and is about the legendary Roman hero of whom Shakespeare also wrote, Coriolanus, and was written in 1807. At just 8 minutes' long, the music takes us through a microcosm of the entire play starting with the opening theme of the play itself, and ending with Coriolan's tragic death. 

The final piece before the interval was one of my favourite pieces of music, and one I was particularly looking forward to; the brooding, dramatic, and emotionally charged Cello Concerto, written by Edward Elgar in 1919. To say that the events of the preceding 5 years had not affected this composition in any way would be utterly wrong. In fact it could be argued that this composition could not have been possible if it had not been for the first world war. There is a plaintiveness and a sorrow embedded into this concerto which is not seen in many of his later works. It is a passionate piece written from the heart, full of sweeping lyricism juxtaposed with contremplative melacholia. Playing the solo cello this evening was guest soloist, Clara Hope Simpson, currently studying at The RNCM. 

After the interval and we all returned to listen to one of Tchaikovsky's most-played symphonies, his fourth. Again, a very well-known piece full of Russian bombast and patriotism. This seemed almost ironic in the light of the Ukraine Anthem at the start and our current world situation. But one must remember that this was composed in 1878, and Tchaikovsky, never one for hiding his light under a bushel, always wore his compositional heart firm and square on his sleeve. This is a symphony of sweeping melodies, stirring themes, with a wild and ferocious finale. 

A superb programme of wonderful and popular classical music played with obvious love by the talented Manchester Beethoven Orchestra. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 28.5.22

THEATRE REVIEW: Handa's Surprise - Z-Arts Theatre, Manchester.

Over the last couple of years or so, during our enforced periods of staying at home and lack of contact (whether that be social or theatrical), one London-based children's puppet theatre company had been posting regular online content for free on their Youtube channel: workshop tutorials as well as many short puppety performances of well-known children's literature. The company was Little Angel Theatre. And so, when I saw that they would be performing a live theatre piece, and so close to home, I jumped at the opportunity of reviewing it.

Eileen Browne's book, 'Handa's Surprise' had been here adapted as a two-person, 35 minute play for very young children (primarily the 2 - 5 year olds).  A large sand-coloured piece of material had been lain on the theatre floor as both children and parents were invited to sit on cushions etc around three of the four sides. It was friendly, inviting, colourful, and intimate. 

The two actresses were already on stage and the whole was completely non-threatening and the children felt happy and relaxed immediately. Our two actresses spoke and sang in both Swahili(?) and English and as an adult I found this absolutely fascinating as I subliminally learned several words in the language, however I would perhaps think that this might be somewhat confusing for their target audience who have not yet even mastered one language; and the main purpose of the book is to teach youngsters English adjectives, and the best ones to use to describe the fruits in Handa's basket. 

It was a lovely story however with plenty of repetition, and the two actresses pitched their acting and singing at exactly the right level throughout, as they worked around the audience, involving the youngsters as much as possible. Some of the puppets used for the animals were excellent. I enjoyed the giraffe and the monkey especially, whilst others didn't truly work perhaps as well as they ought to have done, since they were not understood by the childen until they were told what they were supposed to be. I speak of zebra, antelope and parrot. Although the children still wanted to touch them.

The 35-minute running time was just about right too for the young ones, and at the end they were invited to come up onto the playing area and dance along with the cast. The set design allowed us to place ourselves in the arrid heat of a rural Kenyan village, and the director made good use of the few stage props dotted around the perimeter. An enjoyable production which kept the children in this afternoon's audience totally engaged.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 28.5.22

CLASSICAL MUSIC REVIEW: The Liverpool Philharmonic plays Rachmaninov - The Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool.

The great Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto was the sparkling gem amongst a set of glimmering jewels. With Mendelssohn’s Overture for ‘Ruy Blas’ and Brahms’ First Symphony, commencing and concluding the performance respectfully, it seems almost unfair that the evening should be advertised as just Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto, however it is the big one, so to speak, that everyone knows (whether that be through David Lean’s ‘Brief Encounter’, or those few bars from the second movement that appear in Eric Carmen’s ‘All By Myself’) and it’s the piece that got me to go to the RLPO, to this concert.

Unfortunately it wasn’t a full house (something about some football team losing, I don’t know...). However as much I think such a special evening ought to have commanded more bums on seats, those who were there would not have traded it for the world.

Mendelssohn’s ‘Ruy Blas’ Overture kicked off the evening, to a rapturous applause, Chief Conductor Domingo Hindoyan, walked on the stage and took his place at the rostrum. Having never heard the overture before it was a delightful treat which pleased the audience and established the talent and exceptional quality of the orchestra and its members for the night, just in case there had been any doubt from anyone. At only seven minutes' long, I was left wanting to hear more, and were it not for the piece that was to follow, it would be in this reviewer’s opinion that Mendelssohn’s Overture would have been the big take away of the night.

In the days preceding the concert, I found myself humming and tapping my fingers along to the maestro’s Second Piano Concerto. In the shower, vacuuming, cleaning, gardening, you name it I was going over the movements in my head. It will certainly be the case that I’ll be doing the same in the days following it too. I, like many, many others, know the piece because of ‘Brief Encounter’, and it’s a pairing that is so well known, it was referenced in the online description for the concert. One could ask to what extent ‘Brief Encounter’ contributes to the longevity and popularity of the work. The piece by itself is more that capable enough to attract both those qualities, but I will forever picture Laura sat in her armchair staring blankly into the distance as the third movement plays.

Anyway. This review is not about the relationship between the film and music, as interesting as it may be, but rather the splendid performance given by Sergei Babayan at the piano. After a slight rearrangement on stage, and with the Steinway grand piano in it's place and ready, we welcomed on stage the pianist. Incredibly modest, but confident of his abilities, Babayan’s performance was almost hypnotic as the audience watched his hands float effortlessly across the keys of the piano. Paired with the energetic, commanding and fiercely passionate conducting of Hindoyan, any sentimentality for the film was stamped out as both made sure that it was purely about the music.

Looking at the pianist’s face, one could see a range of emotions across the three moments, from pain to delight, the Second Piano Concerto was Babayan’s first experience of Rachmaninov, and it can only be guessed how much the relationship between composer and performer has blossomed over time.

There was no time wasted from the end of one movement to the beginning of the next. There was a eagerness from Hindoyan, Babayan and the Orchestra, as well as a silent anticipation from the audience as to the execution of the concerto, which rolled over from the first, second and into the third and final, climatic movement. At points, the pianist seemed to tease the audience, taking an extra few beats here and there to realise his vision. We were in the palm of Babayan’s hand, holding onto every lingering note he played as it softly diminished into the air of the hall.

Receiving a very well-earned standing ovation and multiple thunderous encores, Babayan came on stage for a final time to perform a very short piece which seemed almost improvisational. Again the musician’s fingers moved fluidly across the keys as he performed the avant-garde melody.   

After the interval, refreshed and replenished, everyone took their seats for the final piece of the evening. Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. Like the Mendelssohn at the beginning of the evening, I was unfamiliar with it, and although not to my taste, the first and third movements left a lasting impression. The violins towards the end of the third movement were sublime, with Amarins Wierdsma's highly evocative and emotional lead standing out beautifully and forming a lasting impression on the audience.  

Unfortunately that little gremlin who seems to have been following me to performances lately was in attendance here too, as they decided to have a go at unwrapping the world’s largest hard boiled sweet during the first movement! Nevertheless, the Brahms was very good and conducted without music! Standing centre stage, the conductor very much took centre stage as his movements were captivating. Jumping, and pointing fiercely at the different sections, it’s conductors like Hindoyan that add to the overall theatrics and experience of seeing a live orchestra.

Despite the alcohol-fuelled chaos going on outside, it was like stepping into another world as we passed through the doors. The performances brought wave after lapping wave of calmness and serenity. Furthermore it must be added that part of the success and wonderful experience of the evening, and in a more general sense, previous performances which I have attended, is the Philharmonic Hall itself. A warm and inviting venue with friendly and helpful staff, and sitting amongst the beautiful architecture and decorations, one always feels comfortable enough to relax into the music without worry for a pretence of pomp and stuffiness.

Reviewer - Daryl Griffin
on - 28.5.22

STUDENT THEATRE REVIEW: The Accrington Pals - Grosvenor East Theatre, Manchester.

For their final production before entering the scary world of adulthood and professionalism, the third year graduating students of Manchester Metropolitan University's School Of Theatre students went out in a true blaze of colour with this stunning, honest, emotional, and sympathetic retelling of the true story of, 'The Accrington Pals'....Well, the truth of the story in as far as the historical accuracy of the forming and fate of the 'Pals' is true, however, the rest is an imagined storyline, but it felt true, and so easily could have been. 

Peter Whelan's script does not pull any punches, and is firmly set in the place and the era, both in terms of language and attitude, as well as historical accuracies. Director Kate Congrave Pope most sensibly embraced this wholeheartedly, and consolidated both the place (Accrington and the Western Front), as well as the time (1914/5), with zeal. A dialect coach (Abii Strudwicke) was enlisted to help with the local pronunciations, whilst much effort had been given to replicate contemporaneous props and costumes, which all helped enormously in the telling of this tragic story. 

In fact, the dedication of the creative team in general went beyond the bounds that one would normally associate with a student production. The sound design, the lighting and effects, the set - washing lines with clothes drying forming the base whilst a large double-sided market stall-cum-kitchen unit, all worked ecxcellently. My only one criticism in this regard would be the "dream sequence" in the denouement, where the disembodied echoey voice of Rivers was at times inaudible due to the split-second time differential between his speaking and the mic'd echo. In the same scene, I might also make comment that the stark realism created by Tom's lacerated body was not in keeping with the imagery and stylisation of the rest of the production. Such stark realism seemed out of place when everything before this was suggested in a highly effective but stylised manner. 

However, this was a hugely proficient production, performed by actors and actresses who are, in all but name and financial reward, professional. The 'connections' or 'chemistry' between the company was truly phenomemal, with the tragic parts of the script handled beautifully and sensitively. There are some moments of comedy which are brought out with skill and never overplayed; whilst this community drama {forget Coronation Street, it has nothing on this!} was captivating from the moment it started until the end of the nicely sung a capella song after the curtain call.

May (Catherine Attwood), Eva (Maria Perry), Heather Campbell-Ferguson (Sarah), Rosie Walker (Bertha), Frankie Lipman (Annie), William Meek (Ralph), Angus Stoble (Tom), John Smollen (Arthur), Andrew Halstein (Reggie), and Jimmy Roberts (CSM Rivers), all need recognising for their commitment to this difficult and wordy play, bringing it vividly to life, with totally believable - despite the age disparity of the cast - and relatable characters. Heartfelt, tragic, truthful, and powerful; this was a most fitting send-off for the graduates, and a play that they will undoubtedly remember for the rest of their lives. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 27.5.22

 

DANCE REVIEW: Emergence: Mixed Bill - Waterside, Sale. Greater Manchester.

Emergence is the postgraduate dance company headed by choreographer / director Joss Arnett, from Salford University. I have seen their performances a few times in the past, and so knew to expect dynamic, ultra-contemporary, urgent, and emotive dances, with their almost 'trademark' style of no set, creative lighting designs, and minimalist uniform costuming. 

This evening we were presented with four pieces. The first, 'Dangerously Low On Chocolate' [choreographed by Gosia Mielech and the dancers] had a nice mix of solo and group work, and the opening of this piece used the "follow my leader" idea to great effect. There were moments of almost inertia or small mechanical and repetitive gestures which were pitted against a more frenetic and more powerful action; there was a little balacing and acrobatics too, which worked nicely. I have to admit though to not understanding the reason behind the dancers one by one adding a sticker / badge to their clothing - each one different {a strawberry, the Scottish flag, waves, Batman etc} - if this was supposed to affect the way they moved or behaved it was not noticeable. 

After this came, 'Arrival' [choroegraphed by Kevin Finnan and the dancers].The piece, according to the programme notes, is 'a short exploration of the struggle we all have in trying to connect with each other'. This idea was taken up by the dancers quite obviously, as we clearly saw moments of anguish and struggle, mechanical movements which were disconnected, as two people started different movements and by the end of their section were dancing as one.  There was urgency and terror with silent screams and red lighting, whilst simple, repetitive actions and exaggerated motifs brought conformism. 

The final piece before the interval was 'Time's Cradle'. [choreographed by Vidya Patel and the dancers]. This had a very visually interesting opening, as the dancers were all in a single line facing the audience as we heard a ticking clock which morphed into a fast Indian piece of music using traditional Indian musical instruments and gobbledegook male vocals, which, when used with Patel's striking choreography worked excellently. However; the piece then diversified and changed tack completely, as the performance no longer became a 'dance' in the recognised sense of the word; but instead became more Meta and theatrical. The dancers were tasked in speaking lines (self-penned?) about climate change, our planet, and how we can help to save it, etc. These words, because they were spoken by dancers and unamplified, were often lost and not loud enough, but we followed the gist. Two of the ensemble were then given mics and a Q+A ensued again still on the same topic, as the rest of the ensemble made pedestrian movements behind, building in intensity. Despite my enjoying the opening to this piece, it was, for me at least, the weak link in an otherwise extremely strong chain.

After the interval, and the final piece of the evening, 'Wild Shadows' [choreographed by Joss Arnott and the dancers]. Again I quote from the programme notes, 'Cinematically and musically driven, this work demonstrates the strength of the individual and explores how the body defends itself by illuminating the darkness whilst conjuring the beast within to restore hope and resilience through unity'. And I have to admit that my first thought when reading this was "pretentious". However, after watching the dance unfold in front of me, those words became much clearer. The choreography here was exciting and thrilling. The work was seemingly in three sections, each section starting with a solo dancer who is then joined by a second, who is then followed by the rest of the company. Each time the mood is slightly different, but there is certainly a through-theme connecting the whole, and the unison and ensemble choreography was absolutely stunning, working with the music to create 'edge-of-your-seat' thrills. The back-lighting at times however (if I had to be pernickety) was a little distracting, only creating the perfect silhouette if seated in the absolute centre of the auditorium; but other than that, the company had certainly saved the best until last, as everything came together here, leaving us drained and completely sated by the tribal rhythms, the drum beats, the creative lighting, the physicality and synchronicity of the dancers.. a powerful, full throttle feast of the senses. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 26.5.22

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: House Of Ghosts - The Garrick Playhouse, Altrincham. Greater Manchester.

Inspector Morse is recognised by most as one of the greatest crime dramas of all time, audiences this week had the pleasure of seeing this iconic character brought to life at the Altrincham Garrick.

Written by Alma Cullen ‘House Of Ghosts’ brings Colin Dexter’s characters to life in this stage production, the audience were mostly Morse fans laughing in acknowledgment at inside jokes and references. The general mood of the audience was of content for the representation and even for me who hasn’t seen or read anything of Morse the production was intriguing as a stand-alone piece.

The audience greatly enjoyed the opening sequence of the play, as actors hidden as members of the audience began emerging from their seats and reacting to Rebecca’s dramatic death (executed with graphic realness by the talented Ciara Booker), there was first confusion and then amusement as they realised the set up. Jonathan Black’s Morse was a strong portrayal of the well-known trope authoritative man with human flaws determined to do the right thing because of his good morals. Other stand out performances came from actors Stewart Mathers as the heartless theatre director and Andrew Higson as Detective Sergeant Lewis, Higson’s detective piecing together the story and ability to challenge status with his superior showed admirable acting talent.

My personal highlight was the terrific staging, designer Barry Purves gave director Mike Shaw and his cast a wonderful set to work with. Five entrances, one centre and two either side to the wings gave the actors many options to enter and exit and this was used to great effect. Doors opening and closing simultaneously, actors appearing one after the other, really kept the energy up. The use of sectioning the stage also, a raised central piece – boards of a stage where a lot of the theatre scenes took place, left space either side for other scenes to flow one after another with use of lighting and action in mime to not pull focus from the current scenes. This was so slick it was very much like watching a television show cutting from one scene to another.

The team that pulled this amateur production together should be immensely proud, the set was very impressive made by a big team of volunteers. There was a large cast that must have been difficult to rehearse together. My criticism would be that the text at times seemed to inhibit some actors and distract from their emotional connection to what was happening to their character at that point. Had lines been cut down or made simpler actors maybe would have had chance to relax and enjoy their scenes more.

A tremendous feat for an amateur theatre company, the audience very much enjoyed it.

Reviewer - Kerry Ely
on - 24.5.22

DANCE REVIEW: Rambert Dance - The Lowry Theatre, Salford.

An evening at Salford's Lowry Theatre saw three very different but all as equally challenging [both for the dancers themselves and the audience] as each other. Comedy was mixed with the macabre, sandwiched between body image issues and the sheer joy of existing. 

Rambert Dance Company are no strangers to putting themselves at the forefront of cutting-edge contemporary dance and pushing those boundaries ever further with each piece they create. Innovation is their middle name. And here, these three pieces showcased the style and ethos of the company with precision and elan. 

In the first piece, a high and foreboding black-grey wall had been placed in a semi-circle at the rear of the stage. Although it was never referenced or used, it was always lit with subtle steels creating the impression of something dank and cold. This was further enhanced when the dancers themselves were cleverly lit with straw lamps, giving their already grotesquely over-exaggerated body shapes an almost otherwordly preternatural appearance. 

The piece was called 'Eye Candy' and was choreographed by Imre Van Opstal and Marne Van Opstal with original music by Amos Ben-Tal. The piece was created to explore both the pains and pleasures of our own bodies, and how (or maybe even why) we have ideals about body image and "the perfect body". For this reason the dancers were not naked - although in all honesty it would have worked much better had they have been - but instead wore sillicon 'nude suits'. The wearing of these had two immediate effects; first, they highlighted areas of the body which many people would say are the more important elements of physical prowess (a triangular six-pack on the men) and sexual beauty (large breasts on the female); but in so highlighting these areas, made them grotesque and ridiculous. Whilst second, it was more than obvious that the dancers were wearing costumes, as so, the idea of 'nudity' or asking the audience to suspend their disbelief and to 'imagine' them nude, was also ridiculous. 

The second piece, 'Cerberus', was hardly a dance at all. In fact, what was presented was part dance, part music, and part theatre play. In a very theatrical and comedic reinterpretation of the 12th Labour of Hercules. The whole piece starts with a voice-over. She is the dancer, the one who will travel from stage right - her moment of being born; to exit stage left - the moment of her death. This we know before the curtain opens; which, when it does, we see she has a rope around her waist and it trails off into the wings as she slowly walks across the stage. We expect her to stop and show us a dance or two about her life, but instead she keeps going and the rope falls loose as she exits. What happens next is both darkly humorous, and quite unexpected. However, half-way through this piece, the mood changed quickly and dramatically from black humour to tragedy and pathos. For me the transition was both too stark and overmuch. Choreographed by Ben Duke, and assisted by Pippa Duke and Winifred Burnet-Smith, this macabre piece of drama had onstage live percussion by Romana Campbell, a classically trained soprano singing an Italian Canzone, Rebecca Leggett, and she was accompanied on the Spanish Classical guitar by George Robinson. 

In the third and final piece of this balletic triptych, 'Following The Subtle Current Upstream', we were all needing to reassert ourselves in the present, the living, and the joyful; and we needed a piece which would do just that for us. In Alonzo King's choroegraphy he states that the human condition is such that we try to avoid pain and suffering, in our omnipresent search for happiness and joy. Joy is always the goal. However, after watching this piece, it seemed that both King and his dancers were still searching for their goal(s). A series of unconnected dance vignettes without thread or relationship; some more interesting than others, but ultimately, one was left wondering more about the 'why' in this piece rather than enjoying a celebration of the joy of dance and life. Those ideas never seemed to take shape at all. 

One thing is for certain, whether one enjoyed the choreography or not, is that all those dancers / performers on stage this evening were superb. Their bodies at the peak of fitness and agility; their techniques undeniably superb, and their commitment to the pieces and the demands the pieces gave them, simply awe-inspiring.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 25.5.22

 

THEATRE REVIEW: Cluedo - The Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield.

‘Cluedo’ is a rare (if unique concept) in that it is a play inspired by a popular board game (or more accurately, based on a film, inspired by the said board game). Just as Monopoly has well known playing pieces, like the boot and the ship, so Cluedo has a set list of suspects and a set list of rooms with a specific group of murder weapons, all of which are incorporated faithfully into the stage play. The atmosphere of the country mansion on a stormy night was the final touch needed to set the scene, complete with effective lightning flashes and convincing sounds of thunder and rain.

The look of ‘Cluedo’ was a beautifully detailed recreation of 1940’s upper-class life, with pleasingly authentic costuming and a marvellously sophisticated set in which the six side doors of the hall each opened into one of the well-known rooms. Subtly concealed panelling enabled each room to be ‘pulled’ into main stage area, enabling the audience to explore the house with the cast. Each main character naturally wore certain colours denoting their name but the outfits looked natural ensuring the feel of the classic murder mystery from around the 1940’s period.

The premise of ‘Cluedo’ is borrowed directly from Agatha Christie, or to be precise, her two plays ‘The Mousetrap’ and ‘Ten Little Indians’. In each case, a number of unrelated people received the same invitation to a dinner to a location in which they find themselves trapped by a host who remains unseen. The mystery then remains as to who the host is and why he thinks each his guests should die. This by itself would have been quite acceptable but the script then went off on a tangent that was almost Woke in nature, decrying the British Empire and suggesting that post-colonial Britain had lost its place in the world. Fortunately, this did not become an enduring theme of the play as the characters soon became more concerned for their lives than atoning for the country’s past crimes. Curiously, some lines in the script were rather un-p.c. Remember the trouble Jeremy Clarkson got into for saying ‘eni mini mine mo’?

After a slow initial build-up, the play gathered pace, which was maintained at an increasingly frenetic rate. If one of the hallmarks of a farce is people continuously making exits and entrances, ‘Cluedo’ had it in abundance with remarkable timing demonstrated by all the cast as everyone was eventually going in and out of every room as the murder rate increased. The use of silent movie style music was a good addition as were frequent blackouts and once the stall had been fully laid out, the story just got more and more impossibly complicated as each character tried to make sense of the bizarre situation in which they found themselves. The inevitable climax was well worth the wait and superbly handled.

All actors appeared to be having great fun in what was a very enjoyable show. Naturally, everyone was over-the-top but special mention must be made of Jean-Luke Worrell for an extraordinary performance as Wadsworth the Butler. This was the part played by Tim Curry of Rocky Horror fame in the 1985 movie and was the most physical as well as verbally demanding role. All the cast were involved in physicality, whether running around or hauling dead bodies and ‘Cluedo’ has all the hallmarks of a frenzied-paced farce with preposterous characters, an absurd plot and plenty of funny word-play. A great piece of escapist entertainment for these troubled times.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 24.5.22

      

YOUTH THEATRE REVIEW: Madagascar Jr - The Hopwood Theatre, Middleton, Manchester.

Another first for me today, as I entered a theatre that I never even knew existed... and I LIVE in the town! The Hopwood Theatre is in part of the complex known as Hopwood Hall College - or for those, like me, of a certain generation, who still know it as De La Salle. The complex at the end of that cul-de-sac is much larger than expected, and the college boasts excellent facilities. It seems though, that those facilities don't necessarily extend to the Hopwood Theatre. The stage is nothing more than a few rostra built up at one end of what was once undoubtedly a large classroom. They have given it drapes, wings and lamps though, which did certainly help in creating the illusion. 

The Scott Cooper Academy, based in Rochdale, has been in existence since 2015, and aims at providing quality recreational drama and dance tuiton to children and youngsters. They have two centres where the workshops take place, one in Moston and the other in Rochdale, and so today, there were two performances. The first, at 1pm was for the Moston group; whilst the 4pm show, which I attended, was for the students who go to the Rochdale classes. I had never heard of the school before, and with them being on my doorstep, I was curious to find out more about them.

Performing on a bare stage, with just costumes and lighting to create all the necessary scenes, characters and effects, this was a tall ask even for hardened professionals. The 24 youngsters however, who would have been by my estimation between 4 and 15 years' old, didn't seem to mind, and happily trod the boards as they acted, sang and danced the story for us today.

'Madagascar Jr' is the 60 minute children's performing version of the professional musical based on the animated film of the same name. The characters and storyline are the same, just condensed and simplified. Performed this afternoon with a 20 minute interval half-way through, the show did seem much longer, and there was no air in the auditorium either, so how on earth the children managed underneath the stage lighting, goodness only knows!

The show started with a short song and dance routine - not part of the musical - with the very youngest members trying their best to follow some rather fast and tricky choreography for their age group. 

The 24 children did remarkably well, and all need to be congratulated. They were not given microphones, and so had to sing over the soundtrack and try and make their voices reach the rear of the auditorium. Needless to say, but most of them were far too quiet and the story was at times completely inaudible and incomprehensible. This was not the children's fault in any way - but it was unfortunate. 

Some nice characters started to emerge from the group as the show progressed and they gained confidence. However, I think the whole audience would be in agreement that the cheeky young chappy who played one of the penguins, was certainly the unofficial star of the show!

Academies such as this are an important part of a child's growing up. They don't just learn about stagecraft - although that is obviously the main objective, but they gain so many other vauluable and transferrable life skills into the bargain. Again, congratulations to the whole team of 24, and thank you for allowing me to be in your audience today!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 22.5.22

STUDENT THEATRE REVIEW: UnTaPped: The Archive Of Origin - The Contact Theatre, Manchester

The Arden, Manchester's very own theatre school were ensconced at The Contact Theatre for two days with their annual student showcase from the 3rd year graduating students on the Theatre And Performance course [hence the TaP pun in the title]. 

Theatre And Performance {variously called Theatre Performance Practice or Contemporary Performance} is, as the name suggests, both contemporary, and not mainstream. It is becoming more and more popular with young and up-coming theatre practitioners embracing the modern techniques and merging them with their own individual theatrical styles. Styles such as Meta Theatre, Verbatim Theatre, Immersive Theatre, Durational or Installation etc spring to mind and are all studied, and then undoubtedly deconstructed, before the students are given free reign to create their own final performances, open to the public, as their fond farewell to the comforts and security of the university and go forward to forge creative professional paths for themselves in the months (or maybe even years!) to come. One of the sure-fire things I have found as a reviewer of the students on this course over several years, is that you never really know what you are going to get until you get it, you simply have to take a chance and go into the theatre with no preconceived expectations - it will all be new and often quite bizarre - and you will either emerge satisfied and gratified, or even more confused than you were before entering! Oftentimes I have watched plays produced by the students of Arden's TaP course and not understood anything...! However, I am more than happy to relate that I watched 13 individual productions / performances today - yes, 13! - and all were easily understandable, and most, very enjoyable. Perhaps one can ascribe this to the fact that the students themselves in this instance had created their own work; portrayed themselves as they felt most comfortable being portrayed; and written and shown work which excited them; rather than in previous school-based productions following instructions from tutors or outside directors. This can only be seen as a plus, as it marks the all-important transition from student to fully-fledged actor.

And before you gasp in horror... no, I am not going to write much about all 13! (phew!). I am simply going to make passing mention to them, and write a little more about those which affected me the most.

The day started with a fifty minute play from the course's first year students. A nice idea to mark an end with a beginning this way. The piece was called, 'The Creation Of Knew' and very unsubtely set up the premise for the whole theme of the event. 'The Archive Of Origin' being the umbrella title for these two days of performances, all of which somewhere along the line touch upon our origin. Asking questions such as 'where did we come from?', 'what are we made of?', and 'why are we the way that we are? and should we embrace that or change that?'. With this story from the first years we were in the Library of Alexandria (before and after its destruction), and watch a battle between the Muses and the Scribes, which could quite easily be transferred to our own contemporary politics (which I guess was the whole point!). Some very amusing vignettes and nice ideas emerging from this troupe of 23 aspiring actors.

The first solo piece of the day followed; 'Cutting Ties'  by Jessica Nash, in which she explores her own insecurities and hang-ups about being alone by refusing to answer a constantly ringing telephone. Following this a duo, two friends, juxtapose comedy and tragedy nicely with their touching final show together before moving on, in 'Turn Off The TaP Before You Leave'. Moments of self-admission and personal tragic circumstance nicely brought out by using high comedy clowing with skill. 

'***Nic Dwa Razy' came next. Kasia Zwiernik's Polish language piece about being an 'immigrant', taking us through her early life in a small north-eastern Polish town helpfully giving us the English translation of her monologue on a screen - which also showed pictures and videos from her family album. And then suddenly there are no translations, and we are left listening to her speaking Polish, now understanding how immigrants feel entering this country without any knowledge of our language and customs. Following this was another solo piece, this time from Mia Gibbons, 'Artificial Light'. using words and lines from the works of Shakespeare and others, she created her own inner-monologue outlining her sorrows, regrets, and loneliness. The combination of too-loud background music and indisctinct enunciation however made it very difficult to understand and appreciate this piece. 

Fred Boudelaire, the 'Melodist', was on hand all day, offering to change a favourite well-known tune or song into a different genre / style for you. Boudelaire has generally been involved with the technical side of TaP, editing and playing the music for the shows, and so here it seemed only fitting to complete the course with a personal piece of music. We shared a love of classical music and so I am looking forward to hearing Boudelaire's version of Shostakovich's 'Romance' from 'The Gadfly'!

Another piece of installion / interactive theatre which was available throughout the day was, 'A Quick Dial With The Devil', from Kyia KB. Using your mobile, give her a quick call, she is the devil, and will put you in touch with someone who can help you to sell your soul, tell your horoscope, have a jolly good bitch with, or even tell your fortune. But be warned, it will be the improvised conversation from hell!

Katie Connelly's solo piece was next, 'Swings And Roundabouts', which was a piece of contemporary interpretive dance. In a small rehearsal studio space a single row of chairs in a circle, as Connelly contorts herself in the centre. Using pre-recorded monologue and backing tracks the deliberate writhing and movement shows us that no matter what happens, it only happens once. Life is fleeting, and so we should accept the person you are now, since tomorrow you will be a different person. My one comment to make here is that Connelly made it obvious that she had made a mistake in her own choreography. She was a solo artiste performing a unique work, and so no-one would have known if she hadn't have made it obvious.

The next piece was also a solo work, and performed in the same space using the same stage / audience configuration. This was 'Past The Pint Of No Return', by Ella Straub, and was for me, the most centred and powerful of all the performances I witnessed. Quasi-Musical, Straub presented her quotidien routine of working in a city bar to modern pop music! It started out as a humorous and clever romp, which half-way through changed tack and dynamic to become a very real and sincere piece about alcohol dependency. Undoubtedly coming from a very real place, this performance showed great sensitivity and Straub is an enigmatic performer, commanding our attention even when she is motionless.

Back again to the small black box studio theatre for the next presentation; 'Flesh and Bones' by Heather White. Another honest and personal look at her body and how the things that have happened to her (and her body) have shaped the way she is now. Tragic and from the heart, she admits personal 'secrets' never before disclosed, such as suffering from endometriotis, in order to tell us why she is the way she is now, and that we should embrace that. This was her body.. her story. The staging was poor sadly, as she had positioned her bed downstage right in front of the audience's feet, and so the whole scenelet which she performed whilst on the bed was completely obscurred from my view.  A brave piece of personal sharing, which was undoubtedly therapeutic for her, but the strong and powerful ending was more theatrically gratifying. 

'A Fright To Remember' was a theatrical duet by Callum McCourt and Elyse Roche, in which they took conventional clowing skills (which are frightening enough anyway!), and created a non-verbal physical piece about friendship and being scared. The object of their fright being a bee. Short, simple, easy to understand, well presented, with a lovely feel-good ending, it worked really well, even without the somewhat ubiquitous and extraneous vox-pop voice-overs to complete the need to continue the theme of origin.

The penultimate piece in this marathon of peformances was, 'Taking Up Space', and this was a solo work from Megan Fielden. As with the 'Flesh And Bones' piece, this dealt with body issues, but focussing especially on the performer's own anxieties. She has a condition known as Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and so creating and performing in her own one-woman show was an ordeal. I enjoyed the idea of using a computerised voiceover to be her own inner-monologue throughout. Again though, the downstage areas of the stage on both sides were utilised in this piece, and so again I was unable to see anything that happened during those moments. 

The whole evening, and indeed the whole of the two-day event, and the students' performance work on their course, ended with a rather tongue-in-cheek 'Killing Time', as the whole student body of TaP3 paid their last respects to seminal moments on the course, characters they had portrayed, costumes they had worn, and even the performances that they had been involved in. 

There were various other performances too throughout the two days, but sadly timing and scheduling did not permit me to watch them all.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 21.5.22

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: The Producers - The Champness Hall, Rochdale.

It has been a while since I last saw a production from Rochdale Musical Theatre Company; both the pandemic and a change in their venue from The Gracie Fields Theatre to their new home, The Champness Hall in the centre of the town, have happened in the interim. 

'The Producers' is a wonderful musical - as long as you are a fan of the comedy style of Mel Brooks that is. His self-effacing acerbic Jewish humour abounds in all his creations, and none more so than here. Originally a film, this musical follows the same storyline, with the same characters, and so, even if you didn't know it was a musical, but know the film... it's still the same. A failing Broadway producer very much in debt and down on his heels, hounded by the IRS, coerces a naive and neurotic tax inspector to leave his employ and join forces with him to create a Broadway flop... having discerned that producing a sure-fire flop would earn more money than a hit. In order to do this the producer raises the money by allowing sexual favours to lots of horny old ladies, and hiring the worst director for the worst play ever written. It doesn't take a genius to work out that two negatives always make a plus, and instead of a flop, they have the biggest overnight hit Broadway has ever seen!

The Champness Hall - I don't know it's history - seems much more suited to a religious service or a classical music concert than being used as a theatre. The 'stage' is more of a podium on several levels high above a flat central hall, with a balcony on three sides of this auditorium. No curtains and 'backstage' must obviously be in another room away from the proceedings on stage and therefore needs masking. What this does mean therefore is that any director must be able to 'think outside the box', and find ways around this unusual configuration. Jess Bray, the show's director here, came up with a compromise between traditional stage flats either side and imaginative and clever use of the central levels. The flats however were somewhat cumbersome to move and unsteady when in place, rattling and swaying each time a cast member entered through the door. I did enjoy the use of three video screens placed at differing levels on the rear curtain which gave each scene a definite sense of place (thanks to the modern phenomenon known as the internet). Her character and narrative direction was superb, the arc of the show pacey and signposted skillfully, as well as finding moments of subtle comedy not normally found in a show this brash and in-your-face!

Musical Direction (Chris Addington) was secure and solid all evening, with the band (away to one side of the auditorium) sounding extremely proficient. The sound levels were not correct though sadly, as we were receiving too much bass and reverb through the speakers. Whilst Nikki Cooke's choreography was safe and apt. The showstopping showpiece of this musical is undeniably (and quite rightly so) the 'Springtime For Hitler' sequence, and here, it all came together perfectly. The different use of the stage's levels creating nice pictures and groupings; whilst the singing, especially the harmonies, sounded lush.

I would defy any society to find a better cast of principals! Mike Wignall's Max Bialystock was although perhaps not Jewish enough, this hardly mattered one jot, as his personality and his full-throttle performance was compelling. Zac Grenier's Leo Bloom, again, not Jewish enough perhaps, but creating the perfect comedic foil for Bialystock, and again totally committed and together they made a commanding and enigmatic double-act with punch! Not one of their throw-aways was missed.

Aiding and abetting them this evening were Annabelle Taylor, playing the sexy Sweish seductress, Ulla. Again, it mattered not one jot that her accent was far from Swedish, she played the part for all it was worth, and we enjoyed watching Bialystock and Bloom sweat and battle over her. Ben Maguire was a totally over-the-top un-German latent Nazi hiding out in New York with his flock of pigeons, obviously relishing his comedy role. Michael Twigg's totally camp and overtly gay Carmen was a joy as he minced around the stage again enjoying every second. However, for me, the award for Best Actor In A Supporting Role, simply has to go to Josh Hindle as Roger. His character was centred and earthed at all times, and yet was outrageous too. Totally believeable whether wearing a ball gown and ridiculous wig, or appearing as Adolf Hitler! A superbly measured, nuanced performance.  

The company completed with an ensemble and chorus, singing and dancing throughout. As already stated, the singing was of a very high standard from all, and I especially enjoyed the harmonies. Costuming was excellent throughout, and the lighting, although somewhat minimalist (perhaps due to the constrains of the venue) worked well and was always on cue. It was a pity that the sound levels were set too high generally, and the scene changes were a little overlong at times; but otherwise this was a highly proficient, truly thrilling and enjoyable production of which the society should rightly be very proud. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 20.5.22 

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: NKTA May Showcase - The Forum Theatre, Romiley. Greater Manchester.

The evening's showcase began with song and dance presentations from the older students, the first songs and dances were from 'Footloose'. The male lead gave a very strong vocal throughout,  then they did “I Can’t Stand Still”. All the older dancers were in both of these and gave really strong deliveries. “Mamma Says” was just by the older boys and this gave them the opportunity to showcase their abilities. There was then a duet in “Almost Paradise” which was well sung and acted, you did feel like as a couple they had a connection.  Following this was a full ensemble of the older cast in “I’m Free, Heaven Help Me”.

The second act was from, 'The Wiz', performed by the middle age group, they danced first of all to “The Wizard”, all in character and costume, lots of strong dancers in the group who kept drawing your attention because of their confident, and fluid execution of  moves. There was then a solo singing performance of “Home” which was beautifully animated and such a powerful voice from one so young, followed by a final dance from that age group to “Brand New Day”

The third act in the first part was presented by the very youngest in the company and although their performance may not be of the technical ability of the older students they gave a feelgood factor to the show and they did look very sweet in their colourful array of animal costumes. The first dance was 'The Crcle Of Life” and one thing was very clear from their faces, they clearly enjoyed what they were doing. Big smiles and confidence, there will definitely be some rising stars in that cohort. It was nice to see a mix of boys and girls in this section as well. All were supported by a few of the older dancers to help prompt anyone who  may have forgotten their moves or felt overwhelmed. I have to say they didn’t and the smiles on their faces were captivating. They then followed this dance with “I Just Can't Wait To Be King”, then by all singing to “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”. Their final one on this was “Hakuna Matata”.

The final performance in this part was from 'The Hunger Games'. This started off with ballet style dance but was quite contemporary. It was a very powerful display from all the dancers and really moving. Katniss stood out in her military styled costume but the way they all moved with such dynamic force and rhythm was captivating to watch.

The second act saw a variety of performances from ballet, to the elite contemporary, the mini and juniors performing, and two solo songs by Jessica Camilleri, the first song “Rise Like A Phoenix” was with a dance by Charlotte Greehalgh, totally complementing each other through harmony of song and rhythm of dance. The second song Camilleri sang was “Nothing” from 'A Chorus Line', an amazing voice from one so young, she certainly wouldn’t have been out of place in a west end musical.

The final production before the finale was the 'Men In Black', and again strong group displays, well timed, dynamic and energetic. They certainly looked the part all wearing black jackets, white shirts and glasses.

The whole show was enjoyable to watch, well-rehearsed with excellent performances given by all, with some very strong singers, a really enjoyable evening from start to finish.

Reviewer - Catherine Gall
on - 20.5.22

THEATRE REVIEW: Dead Lies - The Grand Theatre, Blackpool

‘Dead Lies’ is a curious play to categorise because it is not quite a political drama in the accepted sense of the term whilst being only to some extent a genuine thriller. It is certainly an interesting and engaging play, bringing together past indiscretions, blackmail and murder, with the most up-to-date political scenario, including the invasion of Ukraine and even a Tory M.P. viewing porn in the commons (a story scarcely one month old).

The play starts with an interesting premise; what if in today’s political world, a new party with a charismatic leader suddenly emerged called ‘People First’ which gained rapid support and stood poised to win the next general election? The party leader Peter George, played by Jeremy Edwards, is very much of the 2015 General Election stock (when it seemed that to lead a major party, you had to be a white male in your forties with savvy dress sense and neatly trimmed hair). Much has changed of course changed since then but Peter George came over as a compelling and dynamic man of the people who rose above party dogmas on a ticket of genuine care for the public coupled with honesty and integrity.

The production was a stylised form of minimalism with several tall video screens in line giving a selection of associated images rather than a single, representation back screen. This worked well with static images giving way to TV news footage as a means of moving the story along. Somewhat oddly however, whenever George gave a speech, it was in front on 10 Downing Street, even though he was not the P.M., but that is a minor point. With minimal props, the scenes relied on the acting, which was generally very convincing. However, the production would have benefitted from more amplification; at times (sitting in the circle), it was very hard to hear what was being said, especially when certain actors lowered their voices.

In terms of creating tension, the play is much a slow-burner with any element of blackmail or death not introduced until well into the first half. After the interval, there was a marked increase in pace and the story certainly had many unexpected twists and turns building up to a genuinely gripping final confrontation. That said, the behind-scenes observation of a rising politician handling the media and working with advisors is an interesting subject in its own right and well observed here, at times with echoes of Johnson/Cummings or Blair/Campbell relationships. The adviser here, Alicia Charles, played by Kate Compton, had the added dynamic of being Anglo-American whilst having a complicated relationship with George. There is also nice depictions of a leading political journalist, played by Alan Parfitt and the ‘supportive political wife’, played by Portia Booroff.

The story line of a small party with a popular leader seemingly going places only to be suddenly brought crashing down by a sex and murder scandal had echoes of Jeremy Thorpe in the '70s. Perhaps it was not a coincidence that both George (played by a Jeremy) and Thorpe both had North Devon constituencies! All the same, this is certainly a play for today and a telling reminder of how events and people from the past can emerge to destroy present success.

‘Dead Lies’ certainly ticks several boxes and viewed as a whole is well worth seeing. Audiences expecting an edge-of-the-seat thriller might be disappointed, but this play never intends to be in the same genre of say ‘Dressed To Kill’ or ‘Death Trap’, and it is certainly much more grounded in realism and credibility.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 20.5.22

STUDENT THEATRE REVIEW: Little Women - The Waterside Theatre, Manchester.

This was only the second time I have seen a production of the musical version of Louisa M. Alcott's seminal novel, the first being at another Manchester theatre, Hope Mill, a few years' ago. The latter being a major professional touring production, whilst this was performed by third year students from The Arden Theatre School's Musical Theatre degree course. I had been left unmoved and disappointed by the latter, hence my initial reserve at wanting to come along to see the musical again; feeling that the musical was long-winded and boring, with a storyline and characters that I could really not identify with - how wrong I was! This current production bounded with life, vitality, and earnestness, giving us a truly visceral and emotional rollercoaster of a ride through the lives of the March sisters, and I was hooked!

I have been reliably informed that there were two casts for this musical, and so my sincere apologies to the cast I did not have the opportunity of watching, I can only make comment on the cast for the Friday afternoon performance, and say that, if they were only half as good as the cast I did watch, then they would still have been brilliant! 

'Little Women' [music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and a book by Allan Knee] is the semi-autobiographical account of the four March sisters, their mother, aunt and their lives in Concord, Massachusetts in the mid-to-late 1800s, whilst their father is away fighting in the Civil War. There is drama, romance, tragedy, sensationalism, love, in fact, you would be hard pushed to find another musical which crams in so much without it feeling 'stagey' or 'Shakespearean'. I am reappraising this musical as I write...!

The centrepiece of this story is, of course, Alcott herself.. although here (as in the novel) she is Jo (Josephine) March. A wild, aspiring writer; nonconformist, tomboy, renegade of her age, full of fun and fantasy, a dreamer and a creator, played here with such youthful zest that it was impossible not to completely engage with her and root for her right from the start. Abby Valentine's portrayal was sincere, simple, and yet highly nuanced and full throttle; a true tour-de-force! Her three sisters were: the more sober and traditional Meg (Hollie Wright), the romantic Amy (Eleanor Moulson), and the more reserved and demure Beth (Mia Overfield). All three of these consummate actresses bringing superb and realistic characters to life, and, along with their mother, Marmee (Sarah Pearson), made a cohesive and believable family unit. Their onstage chemistry working superbly together, as well as their singing abilities. Pearson's role (despite being the same age as her daughters) was centred, focussed, almost majestic in her adulthood and authority. A calming, understanding, and yet controlling force that all four sisters looked up to and respected. 

Megan Hickie brought a sense of fun to her character as the aging but oh, so respectable society woman, Aunt March; whilst Alex Casperd, James Bradshaw, and Harry Privett brought the male characters in this story vividly to life with ease. Casperd's Laurie was innocent, plaintive, and totally sympathetic, whilst Bradshaw as John, gave us uprightness and honesty. Privett had the challenge of portraying two entirely different characters, bringing both humour and probity to both, never relying on caricature, keeping a centred, understated, and well-measured approach to the characters, making Prof Bhaer especially likeable, and giving Lawrence and almost Scrooge-like quality. 

The cast completed with 5 ensemble members bringing Jo's stories to life. The entire company excelling in their singing and harmony abilities. 

One must congratulate director Khiley Williams. She made the show ebullient and engaging, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in their world. We were heartbroken when tragedy struck - I even caught myself whelling up on a couple of occasions: something a hardened theatregoer like myself is normally inured to - whilst her movement direction always enhanced the narrative, creating some lovely images. 

A cleverly and thoughtfully realised production full of youthful energy and earnest simplicity, fully deserving of a wider audience. I don't often stand at the end of shows when applauding - I was on my feet this afternoon. Bravissimi!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 20.5.22

THEATRE REVIEW: Red Sky At Night: The Wild And Wonderful World Of Weather - The Wetherby Whaler, Leeds.

Well, this was a first for me! No, not a Mikron show, I’ve seen them a few times before, but never have I seen a production in a chip shop before! Arriving an hour before the show as invited, the whole audience tucked into a fish and chip supper before the evening’s entertainment began. Yes, you did read that correctly: this evening's performance was at the Wetherby Whaler, Guiseley, which is the chain's most prestigious site, sitting where the original Harry Ramsden's fish shop used to, having closed following an 80-year residence in Guiseley. 10 years on, and the Wetherby Whaler was bream-ing with character, and was packed full of patrons.

After we had eaten, the cast began to emerge, milling about the tables, selling raffle tickets, for their 50th anniversary draw, and selling programmes and other bits and pieces. Then, the stage lights flickered into action; the (somewhat overkill) chandelier houselights dimmed, and away we went, Mikron burst into action, as they always seem to do, with a song (and a rather confident trombone!) that whisked us away to the village of Netherby. We follow the story of a young meteorologist, Hayley, (Hannah Bainbridge) on her path to finishing her PhD in Meteorology but ends up being thrust into the limelight of a small TV channel in the role of weather girl, much to her annoyance, and although she eventually ‘bosses’ her job, starts off in a really quite funny, and awkward, manner.

On our trip, we met Eileen aka. Mother Nature (Alice McKenna) who acted as our guide, and narrator, keeping us on track of which century, or historic event we’d arrived at, which was helpful, as we did seem to whizz through time, from the 18th century, and the naming of the clouds, to the 19th century, and Francis Beaufort’s inception of the Beaufort Scale, all the way up to modern times, referencing local flooding in the surrounding areas of Mikron's home base. We also met Nigel (James McLean), a 40-year-old news station producer, who has read every colloquialism on Twitter, and throws them around willy-nilly, and rather awkwardly, adding humour to his role; and last, but by no means, least, Zeph, short for Zephyr (Thomas Cotran) a cameraman-cum-boy-band-lead-singer, who was the station's whipping boy, who - spoiler alert! - ends up falling for our lead.

Mikron are a wonderfully small company of just 4, who play the roles of upwards of 20 characters throughout the play. Not only that, but they are also the orchestra and the stagehands, which they do so fluidly, without distracting from the main action on stage. There is a unique charm that comes with their shows, and I think the quirkiness of each show brings people back time and time again. Today's show, taught us about the weather, and also touched on many hot topics across the world such as global warming, with nods to global warming protest groups as well as the ‘there is no planet B’ campaign.

Lindsay Rodden’s show was littered with dad jokes, local history and of course, fun songs, written for the show by Sonum Batra, who should be commended for their work, as they wove into the storyline like a lace does on a shoe. Along with MTC’s musical director, Rebekah Hughes, they brought the show to life with the lift that live music gives. Director Marianne McNamara has once again brought the very best out of the show, in what must be the most low-tech touring company on the circuit. There was just a small set, of some wind vanes, and a three-step podium. That was it. Decorated with bunting (that was subtle, but genius) made to look like a high pressure weather line on one side, and a low pressure line on the other side.

In classic Mikron form, the cast had several costume changes, but, mostly these were just a hat or a jumper, so as to imply a new character, as full changes would take far too long and spoil the flow of the show. And in one of the closing lines of the show, the whole of Mikron was summed up perfectly for me; they are "small, delicate, brave and mighty', and long may it continue. Happy 50th Birthday to the company (which was celebrated this week) and thank you for a lovely evening's entertainment.

Reviewer - Simon Oliver
on - 19.5.22

THEATRE REVIEW: Now Is Good - The Storyhouse, Chester.

A new Musical Comedy from the pen of Tim Firth? I don't mind if do, thanks! And so I found myself sitting in the auditorium of Chester's Storyhouse Theatre this evening for Press Night of the World Premiere of, 'Now Is Good'.

The story tells of a septegenarian retired builder and his relationship with his 'Health And Safety'-obsessed son, highlighting, with bonhomie and bittersweet truths, the differences and temperaments that the different ages of man bring. How the old have a much closer affinity with the very young, leaving the middle-aged standing clueless and exasperated; whilst at the same time the middle-aged having a much more feet-firm-on-the-ground grasp of the present, and are happy and comfortable with all the modern technological advances which "help" our contemporary lives. [cue many a witty and close-to-home remark about the internet...!]

The script, also by Firth, and semi-autobiographical, is full of sparkling one-liners and caustic putdowns. Much of the dialogue is extremely funny. However, this evening's audience were not fully engaging with this, and the laughs were not belly ones, and so I started to try and analyse why. What I came up with was that this musical sits somewhere between a TV sitcom and a children's play with music. It doesn't come across as a 'Musical' in the accepted sense. All the songs are instantly forgettable, none have a refrain or catchy melody - {continuing the narrative in a rather operatic sense}, and yet all do not require trained or even good singers to sing them; they are much more 'sprechgesang' [spoken to music] than truly songs. Whilst the story, and the whole premsie and set-up (using a single set throughout), was much more "Ever Decreasing Circles" or "One Foot In The Grave" than it perhaps ought to have been. Whilst Firth has excelled with his collaborations with pop group Take That ['The Band' and 'Calendar Girls'], this show felt very much more like a work-in-progress than the finished article. 

Perhaps that is also due to the directing (Joyce Branagh). The show was somewhat stilted and lacked dynamics. Much of the humour was lost due to incorrect comedic timing; whilst the physical humour of the show (which should have been apparent... think "The Play That Goes Wrong", or even Eric Sykes in 'The Plank') was at best, extremely tame and unfunny. 

None of this can be laid at the feet of the cast however, who gave their collective alls to this show. A true ensemble production which created some lovely characters; easily identifiable and relatable, bordering on caricature, but quite sensibly and correctly never crossing over the line. Chris Hannon was a very Lee Mack-esque Neil, frustrated with his dad and the situations he found themselves in; whilst also being understanding, his obvious love of his dad never overplayed. This solid cast included Elizabeth Counsell (Alice), Maxwell Hutcheon (Ted), Jeff Rawle (Ray), and Alyce Liburd (Katy), but I think the audience's favourite this evening was the straight-talking, no-nonsense hard-nut with a kind heart, Ivy, needing only the taking of her hand by a small child for her to find her laugh again, played with skill by Michele Dotrice. The cast completed with a small group of young children, ostensibly a class from the local primary school. This evening they were Ahnya Wilson, Celine Khafaga, Clara Holladay, and Freya Bell. 

It's a slow-burning and quite predictable comedy with music, which has heart and shows much promise; but it isn't quite there yet. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 19.5.22

CONCERT REVIEW: With One Look - Waterside, Sale, Greater Manchester.

The annual Pride In Trafford Festival takes place each year, starting on IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia). It, as other local Prides do, shines a spotlight on the abuse and lack of acceptance still experienced by some members of the LGBTQ+ community. It also celebrates the openness and pride that other members of the community have and encourages those who are struggling to accept their own orientation to be proud and accept themselves freely, whilst socialising with their peers and allies.

Whilst some elements of the programme include vogueing and dance, as well as other more abstract methods of entertainment, I was personally delighted to see tonight's star on the bill, after much apparent success in the West End ("and beyond").

As a HUGE fan of musical theatre, I jumped at the chance to come and see Vivienne De Vil and I had high expectations (and I think she did too)... and I was not disappointed! Treated to a selection of showtunes, originally sung by leading ladies and women from musical theatre shows, rather than the 'celebration of [the genre's] most iconic women', it was a highly-anticipated night of class, cheeky humour and damn good talent, performed by an evidently-experienced act whose look is as polished as her act. That said, it may have been a while since her last tour as she wasn't 100% sure of the running order/set list, but that may have been due to it being adapted for this pride festival, in contrast to her usual haunts of sophistication such as London's The Crazy Coqs. Nonetheless, this intimate gig, in The Chambers of Sale's Waterside, was thoroughly enjoyable and hit all the right notes. As mentioned, if it was to be a celebration of the women who sang the songs featured in this show, then Gloria Gaynor would be iconized as equally as Judy Garland.

Starting the hour-long single-act, one-women show with 'Fabulous Baby' from the stage version of 'Sister Act', we were off to an upbeat start, supported by her accompanist and sole bandman James Bricken (who is truly brilliant) on an upright piano. Sporting her signature gold sequined gown, she made reference to the recent pandemic a few times but it was 'As If We'd Never Said Goodbye' to this seasoned performer - that was the next song in the set, from 'Sunset Boulevard'. Now, I'm not sure whether she's been up North recently (or at all) but she's certainly welcome back anytime...in fact that's a personal invitation and we'll be the first to attend wherever she is performing!

Next, came an ingeniously-adapted, self-penned rendition of '(It's A) Hard Knock Life' from 'Annie' before a pondered question, "are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?" which led into a mash-up of 'You've Got To Be Carefully Taught' from 'South Pacific' and 'Children Will Listen' from 'Into The Woods'. De Vil received a call from Dame Julie Andrews (the first of three icons who have coincidentally been booked for the Queen's Jubilee pageant - as well as Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Diana Ross). Of course, after this we were encouraged to indulge in the first of various sing-a-long elements, contributing to earlier audience participation, for 'Favourite Things' and 'Do Re Me' both from 'The Sound Of Music' of which the caller has starred in the film.

A call from Elaine Paige was then taken and we witness the chillingly-beautiful 'Memory' from 'Cats' (one of many shows that De Vil has been forced to turn down roles in. Further details can be found in the show's programme, which I was pleasantly surprised to see available, alongside mugs and tote bags). These many name drops allowed us to enjoy anecdotes of alleged dealings with such stars (who knows). There were various opportunities to heckle but it didn't feel right in such a cosy venue, other than whilst (myself, the other two gentlemen at my table and a few others) singing along to these musical classics.

A dedication to her husband, who she discovered was gay, followed in the form of Judy Garland's 'Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart' before we were able to sit back and enjoy '(Somewhere) Over The Rainbow'. We were teased with a snippet of the show's title 'With One Look' before a tribute to her friend who was killed back in 2020 and all others who have been lost throughout the pandemic and otherwise, which came as 'The Place Where Lost Things Go' from 'Mary Poppins'. She spoke about bullying and sang 'I Will Survive' (which we, of course, joined in with) to instill strength and solidarity and we then had Diana Ross's, 'If We Hold On Together' - which was in the film 'The Land Before Time'. We finished with 'Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life' from 'Spamalot' (which broke the chain of female-led songs and shows) and the encore was, of course, 'I Am What I Am'.

Written and created by Gregory Hazel and produced/directed by Daniel Bell, 'With One Look' is a real spectacle of pazzazz and entertainment for fans of musical theatre, strong female leads, incredible drag and anyone wanting a great night out.

Reviewer - John Kristof
on - 19.5.22