STUDENT MUSIC REVIEW: Manchester University Symphony Orchestra Concert - The Martin Harris Centre, Manchester.

Saturday evening in Manchester around Hallowe'en..... let's seek cover from the madness that this time of year wreaks within the familiar and cosy surrounds of the Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall within Manchester University's Martin Harris Centre.

This concert featured four pieces. There was no thread or tangible connection between them, and all were vastly different (despite two being written by the same composer!), but that is what made this concert so interesting, an eclectic mix of music with something for everyone in there.

The first piece on the schedule was not for me. I am open to most genres of music but do struggle with contemporary composition at the best of times - unless it is film music or deliberately written in a more conventional fashion. However, this evening's first piece was composed by Alex Apostopoulos and was titled, 'Predatory Pricing'. It is a hugely experimental piece based on an economic hypothesis known as Selten's Chain Store Game. The composer therefore utilises 5 soloists to portray the independent shopkeepers, whilst the orchestra represents the big corporation who owns the 'chain stores', and an argument or dialogue ensues between the little man and the Tescos of this world. This long and monotonous piece was conducted by Ben Nicoll, yet I feel sure that the orchestra and he must have done the piece full justice, since the composer was present this evening and seemed delighted by the recital.

So to the second piece and we are on terra firma! Ralph Vaughan-Williams, one of my favourite composers. We heard his 'Fantasia For Piano And Orchestra'. This is a relatively new 'discovery' despite being written at the turn of the 20th century, and have heard a recording of it on the radio, but never heard it live in a concert hall before. Perhaps one of the reasons it lay hidden and never published was that it isn't instantly recognisable as Vaughan-Williams's style in the same way that his symphonies, his Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis, his Lark Ascending, or indeed any of his songs are; but there are several 'clues' within the piece that it is his composition if you know what to listen out for. This piano fantasia is bold, lush, lyrical, harmonic, and grandiose... in a word, perfect. And hearing it immediately after Apostolopoulos's work it was manna from heaven indeed! Conducted by Robert Guy and with the piano solo played this evening by Ben Attfield, it was extremely enjoyable. Attfield is obviously a talented young musician who understood the music intellectually, although I would have liked, and this is purely subjective, a little less use of the sustain pedal.

After the interval, and we came back to listen to Berlioz, and an unintentional song cycle - basically just a collection of songs that were not intended to be performed together, but were just published together for convenience under the title 'Les Nuits D'été'. The cycle is of 6 songs, but here we heard just five of them, and they were sung this evening by soprano Kathy McCaulay. Her interpretation of the songs and performance of them was irreproachable, and she also had a very mellow and sweet clear sound to her voice too. As a French speaker though, I felt that some of the pronunciation could benefit from a little more attention. The orchestra was at its best with this work too this evening. Jamie March's conducting was subtle but extremely precise and clear, and the orchestra responded to her perfectly. Berlioz's music is bright, ebullient and a little bombastic, but he is a composer who always wore his heart on his sleeve, and so neither MacCaulay nor March really needed to push the emotional drive in these songs, it was already there, they simply allowed it to blossom, and blossom it certainly did.

And finally back to Vaughan-Williams for the only piece in this concert that I have heard live before, his short concert piece, 'The Wasps'. Written as the overture to incidental music to accompany a theatre production of Aristophanes's 'The Wasps', Vaughan-Williams starts the music with just that, the incessant droning of a swarm of wasps. This gives way to a high-spirited march-like theme which forms the leit-motif of the work. Here we are truly in recognisable Vaughan-Williams territory, and this piece is just a joy. Perhaps conductor Gina Hazell could have found a little more contrast in the dynamics of the piece, but it was nevertheless a lovely way to end this evening's concert of music both familiar and completely new.

The symphony orchestra was sounding in fine form this evening. It's always a little odd when the membership of such an ensemble is forever changing as students leave and new students come, and this is the first time of listening to this orchestra in its present membership. There is obviously a huge amount of talent in the throng, and their cummulative sound was both impressive and co-ordinated. I am looking forward greatly to hearing more from them over the next couple of years or so.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 29.10.22

THEATRE REVIEW: The Devil Rides Out: The Musical - The Empty Space, Salford.

With book, lyrics, directing and producing of this new musical all being by just the one talented and resourceful man, Colin McCourt, 'The Devil Rides Out' is obviously a real labour of love for him.

This new musical is based, according to the programme, on the best-selling novel of the same name by Dennis Wheatley. I have to confess, I have not read the book, but I have seen the 1968 Hammer House film starring Christopher Lee and Charles Gray, and this musical tries to, at least in part, pay a deal of homage to that film. In fact sections of the musical so closely resemble the film in terms of set, costume, characterisation etc, that it is impossible not to view this show in comparison with the film.

An ensemble of 15 actors/ actresses take on all the roles necessary, with more minor characters doubling as satanists. The set is a simple double-sided flat centre stage with little else, which for a small-scale fringe theatre production suffices. The car and aeroplane both worked nicely; however the special effects left much to be desired, being far more laughable than scary.

The story takes us back to 1934, and we see a reunion of three old friends, the Duke de Richleau (Ryan Ireland), Rex Van Ryn (Tom Loughlin), and the absent and more wayward Simon Aron (Jack Gibson). We learn that Simon has become involved with a mysterious and enigmatic character by the name of Mocata (Michael Diamond), and is about to become 'baptised', along with another new recruit, Tanith (Ella Shaw), into their Satanic cult. Mocata is one of the Devil's more senior recruiters and this being the eve of Walpurgis, the Devil's throng will be out in full force. If the Duke and Rex are to have any hope in rescuing both Simon and Tanith from the Devil's clutches, they will have to act fast...!

With a soundtrack and haze effects more reminiscent of a 1980's pop music video than anything else, the musical is through-sung [ie: the plot is developed through songs and there is little or no dialogue], but it all should have cohered this evening much better than it did. Long gaps between scenes, with messy scene changes, and characters entering out of character and with no motivational impulse made it extremely difficult to emote with. There was little sense of urgency built up, and no suspense or horror, despite the red lamps, smoke, and laughably Hallowe'en-styled masks and puppets. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 28.10.22

THEATRE REVIEW: The Other Side - 53Two, Manchester.

Manchester's theatrical arches (53Two) were the setting of an original ghost / horror story this evening. New and emerging company Switch_Mcr had obviously put much thought, love, and dedication into this evening's poresentation... it was slick, moody, clever, and yes, actually quite scary too!

Directed by co-writer Gabriel Clark, this three-hander was meant to set you at the edge of your seat, make you feel uneasy, and keep you in suspense throughout, and it did. The use of sound, lighting and other effects - especially haze and a clever but distinct odour of mustiness and death in the auditorium, which was kept quite cold even when the seats were filled and the show underway... clever! - helped enormously, giving the production a multi-sensory experience. Much thought had also gone into the composite set of a living room in disrepair, and this worked well too. If I had to be picky, then a couple of the sound effects were so loud that they drowned out the dialogue on stage momentarily, but that is nit-picking.

Where the production would benefit however is from an edit or two. Gabriel Clark and Andrew Long have created this new suspense drama, but, with the first half running at 85 minutes, this did tend to drag a little, and would certainly benfit from perhaps the input of someone not so closely related to the script to help. I am also uncertain about the whole story-telling with puppetry in the second act, as it was out of style with the rest of the directing, and as such didn't sit completely fully with me.

That being said however, the story was unique and compelling. [a couple of instances which, perhaps I missed, but didn't quite understand.. maybe they need signposting a tad more] and certainly kept us in a state of constant alert. I am absolutely not one for enjoying horror or ghost stories, and usually shy away from watching them {I have never seen any of the famous films of this genre and never want to!}, however I happily accepted all the effects in this production despite my nerves. 

The three talented cast, Grainne Flynn, Niombizodwa Ndlovu, and Andrew Long all gave solid and realistic portrayals, and I enjoyed the dynamics between them immensely. Realistic, sympathetic, suspenseful, and even if, like me, you don't normally go in for this genre, this production will scare you...but you'll enjoy and appreciate the experience and the skill of those bringing it about. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 26.10.22

THEATRE REVIEW: Twopence To Cross The Mersey - The Albert Halls, Bolton.

In a stage adaptation by Rob Fennah of the novel by Helen Forrester, the current tour of 'Twopence To Cross The Mersey' was at Bolton's rather resplendent Albert Halls.

The play tells, through a confusing and obfuscating mix of both narration and acting, the true story of the writer, Helen Forrester; of her and her family moving away from their comfortable upper-middle class existence in the Home Counties after her father was declared bankrupt, and their moving up to Liverpool in only the clothes they stood up in, in the hope of finding a more favourable work climate. The story covers the years 1931 - 1933, the between-war years when the country as a whole was in a huge economic downturn which was years later to be called, 'The Great Depression'. Our protagonist at this time is just 12 - 14 years' old.

What should have been a gripping kitchen-sink-esque 'period' drama, in the hands of director Gareth Tudor Price, this play was less than impressive in almost every respect sadly. Perhaps the adaptation itself is to blame here, as a cast of only 9 are required to multi-role throughout, whilst sometimes narrating their thoughts, feelings, or even how they were dressed, directly to the audience and then interact on stage with the other characters. Some of the characters were meant to be at least in part, humorous, in order to inject a differing dynamic into the show, but, this evening's audience rarely smiled, let alone raised there voices into a titter at these vignettes. 

On a composite set, using a backdrop of some of Liverpool's more iconic buildings, the acting area of the stage is given over to flats of dirty brown and is intended to give the impression of the grimy, working-class, backstreets, but even here, perhaps due to the stage size and overall cleanliness of the set and costumes, it failed to make the correct impression. I did however, like the idea of the family's clothing becoming more and more tattered as the play progressed.

The only character to remain constant throughout, is our protagonist, Helen, played with unwavering earnestness by Jenny Murphy. And although the change in her costume suggested the passage of time, I could see no other change to her character from a posh nannied 12 year old, to her being forced to integrate with and adapt to her 14-year old surroundings. It was a rather plaintive and monodimensional portrayal, but it did highlight undertones of equality and suffragettery in her constant fight for her right to education.

The play hardly ever moves out of first gear, and when it does, it reverts to caricature; whilst there is little in terms of both plot and character development to sustain the interest. What could have been a riveting drama about the depression in Liverpool, was, this evening at least, a rather depressing affair for the Bolton audience, some of which left at the interval never to return.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 25.10.22

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: The Sound Of Music - The Garrick Playhouse, Altrincham. Manchester.

The theatre's alive with the sound of music...

It's school half term, and what better way to spend a family evening of nights-drawing-in and winter approaching, than to transport yourself to the late 1930s in Austria, with the help of those talented people at Altrincham's Garrick Theatre.

We've all seen the film, right? We all the know the story, surely. However, what is different for the stage musical - just in case you think something went wrong - is that the muscial numbers are all in a different order. The story remains the same, but the songs don't; there are even a couple of songs in the stage show, which, quite wisely in this reviewer's opinion, didn't make it into the film. 

Upon arrival in the auditorium we are greeted with an open set. Mostly a composite affair which cleverly mixes the serenity and perhaps even austerity of Nonnberg Abbey with an alpine mountain backdrop. This works wonderfully (with the help of clever lighting) for all the scenes which take place within both the abbey and the great outdoors, but there was definitely something lacking for the scenes which take place in Captain Von Trapp's residence. And again, for this reviewer at least, a black curtain behind the doors at the centre rear of the stage was truly insufficient.

This is a wonderful show, and one cannot help but be swept up by the emotional and very human storyline. And to know that this story is based on reality makes it doubly so. Joseph Meighan's direction pulled absolutely no punches in this regard, utilising archive recordings of the Anschluss, as well as wisely not shying away from presenting the German forces as they really were, with the correct salutes and large red and and black swastika flags flying in the auditorium for the concert scene. In fact, both my companion and I remarked that even knowing as we did that this was just "pretend", the presence of those flags and the German officers around the auditorium gave us both palpitations... we were able to gain a valuable but minute insight to what it might truly have been like for those who lived through it.

My over-riding criticism this evening however has to be laid at the feet of the sound department sadly. Microphones' levels were all over the place all evening. Sometimes we heard the dialogue too louldy, and sometimes we didn't hear it at all; whilst other times, individual chorus members were singled out and much louder than the rest of the chorus, and the levels were constantly changing. I am sure this was not intentional, and so hopefully can be easily rectified for future performances.

I enjoyed both Helen Swain and Charlie Tomlinson as Baroness Schraeder and Max Detweiler respectively. Both Connor Ryan and Carmel Price as Rolf and Mother Abbess added greatly to the show. Steven Finney's Captain Von Trapp was, at the start of the show, perhaps not quite upright and stern enough. I should have liked to have seen a greater change from the sea captain who has his children march, to the music-loving family man he really is. That being said however, I thought his characterisation was secure and nicely pitched and he is a very natural actor and easy to watch. Whilst Natalie Hayes embodied the role of Julie Andrews... sorry.... Maria, with ease. A beautiful singing voice and again a very natural actress, and Finney and Hayes had a nice on-stage chemistry too. However, the show is stolen - and of course it absolutely should be - by the seven childen. This evening it was Team Rodgers, and so we had the pleasure of Ciara-Alexandra Brooker (Liesl), Barney Magher (Friedrich), Paige Doherty (Louisa), Dylan Williams (Kurt), Elsa Pettit (Brigitta), Isobel Bradbury (Marta), and Keira Brierley (why-am-I-always-last Gretl). Each had their own distinct characters, yet they worked as a unit beautifully, complimenting each other and the show as a whole. In short, they were just marvellous!

With Neil Bennett in the pit with his "chamber orchestra", a solid ensemble of Garrick thespians, and Jo Meighan's direction, this is a truly wonderful half-term treat, and a real feather in the Garrick's cap.  

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 24.10.22

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Alice In Wonderland - NWTAC Theatre, Moston. Manchester.

Theatre kids are always theatre kids, and no matter what their director throws at them, they approach the material with zeal and always give of their best, as this evening's production of the rather dated and somewhat trite story of 'Alice In Wonderland' attested. There was a rather clever and original twist at the end though...!

Sticking rather rigidly (fot the most part at least) to the Victorian novel by Lewis Carroll, the play had the feeling of being both stuck in a certain era / genre - almost as a kind of homage to the novelist - as well as being alive and fresh as these youngsters and teenagers put their own particular spins on the well-known characters. It's a curious story, full of allegory and hidden meanings, and seems to belong to a bygone time; I've never really understood its continued appeal in our modern contemporary society.

There were some extremely clever ideas which worked excellently this evening under Prab Singh's direction. I loved the idea of a screen at the rear to help with certain images and ideas within the script that would not have been possible to create otherwise. And utilising TWO Alices, one a rather taller than average girl, whilst the other was the exact opposite, in order to create the illusion of shrinking and growing again was simply genius!

A couple of things worked less well though. First, vocal amplification would certainly have helped as even on the second row I was struggling to hear much of the dialogue. Alfie Cook's Mad Hatter being the only character on stage, for me at least, whose vocality was loud, clear, and correctly measured all the time. Coming in at a close second was the diminutive Alice, Isabella Horricks, whose unwavering characterisation - somewhere between irritation and acquiescence - worked very much in her favour. Second, I found it difficult to understand what animals were being represented at times, due to some strange make-up and insufficient costuming. In each case an attempt to make an approximation of the animal / costume was made, and some worked better than others, but unless you knew the story then you'd have had no idea that at the croquet match the players used flamingos to hit hedgehogs for example. 

The taller Alice was played by Lily Ife, again, pitching her character somewhere between petulence and acceptance. Lacey McDermott impressed as the White Rabbit, late for a very important date. Olivia Anderson's March Hare and Miley Kennedy's Dormouse worked well with the Mad Hatter and their tea party scene was nicely performed. Tallulah McDermott deserves a special mention for her laconic and sluggardly Mock Turtle, whilst Stephanie Canavan's Cheshire cat was just the opposite.

Credit must also go the other roles: Duchess (Lilly Taylor), Queen Of Hearts (Georgia Anderson), and King Of Hearts (Shannon Ryan), along with a talented ensemble of smaller cameo roles.  Congratulations to all involved.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 22.10.22

STUDENT MUSIC CONCERT REVIEW - Chetham's Symphony Orchestra and Chorus - The Stoller Hall, Manchester.

What an incredible concert this was, and if you weren't there, you truly missed out on a treat!

Chetham's Symphony Orchestra comprises by and large, students in their final year at the school, and as such they have had many years of training already before they make the leap into either the big bad world or into further training. But to be honest, for the most part, the quality and musicianship of these students is already at professional concert performance standard. Their cummulative sound is simply astounding, and under the conducting this evening of Timothy Redmond - a conductor who was both animated and controlling - they responded beautifully.

The opening piece in the concert was a new-to-me work by female composer Dani Howard called 'Coalescence', which was inspired by the changes happening to our planet environmentally. It is her ode to the beauty of nature, and her questioning our empowerment and destruction of it. The piece, although highly contemporary, was surprisingly lyrical and tonal, with a couple of melodious passages hidden within. It has a vibrant and chaotic opening followed by a much slower, quieter section, which is reflective and soothing - until the jarring interjecting passing notes from the brass section. This gradually throughout the piece then grows in both momentum and volume - not forgetting a nice jazzy central section - to eventually 'coalesce' into the perscussion-heavy denouement with loud brass chords and strident strings, culminating into an almost orgiastic final few bars and cadence.

Going back in time now to the 20th century for the second piece!, and a Russian composer whose political views of his country were so passionate (and so opposite to the 'party line') that he poured all his feelings and emotions into his music; and even then, being constantly investigated and condemned by the regime. Fortunately for all of us however, his music thrived, as did his popularity (or perhaps notoriety), and is now a staple of most concert halls worldwide. This evening we were to hear his cello concerto, and to play the solo cello, Chetham's student, Hairu Wang. 

In Tom Redmond's opening remarks this evening, he described this concerto as Shostakovich "putting two fingers up at Stalin", and I simply cannot find a better way of expressing this. The concerto is full of anger, anguish, disappointment, regret, but mostly anger. The strident and pervasive 4-note motif which is the backbone of this piece is just that... 

Masterfully playing the cello, Wang's control and ability was incredible. The cadenza, traditionally reserved for the soloist to show off their virtuosity prior to the denouement of the piece, was, in this case, much more than just that. It was Shostakovich himself speaking through the cello, and Wang absolutely understood this. Chords, plucking, striking, differing tempos and volumes.... he threw everything into this cademza, and Wang made her cello speak as well as sing. Amazing.

The final piece in this concert stayed within the same musical time-frame, but moved from Russia to Oldham! William Walton was a prolific composer, but much of his work has gone somewhat under the radar due to it being incidental music, film scores, or music which doesn't normally fit into a classical concert programme. This particular work - which I was listening to live for the first time - is a prime example, his incidental music to the 1944 film of Shakespeare's Henry V.  Several attempts at making a concert suite from this music have been made over the years, but this one, a 1988 arrangement by Christopher Palmer utilises most of the music from the film, which requires a chorus in some of it, whilst punctuating the music - in order to give context and gravitas - with a narrator who speaks the relevant passages from the Shakespeare text. 

Walton's music is, of course, ebullient, theatrical, dramatic, and always fitting; his use of classical and baroque ideas in his score, as well as regal fanfares etc, make the work sound much older than it is, and give the music a royal and majestic underlay, whilst his genius of composition lies on top of that, as the music is undeniably 20th century.. bold, confident, and lyrical. It is such a shame though that such a large, and obviously talented chorus - again composed entirely of Chetham's students (with a few very young singers in amongst their throng!) - were not used more than they were. The beginning and end of this 60 minute suite were almost the same, using a wordless chorus of "ahs", and for the vast majority of the suite they were silent. I wanted to hear more.

In this performance actor Kieran Smith was our Shakespearan narrator. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Timothy Redmond's conducting; secure, passionate, and very clear, and as I have already mentioned, the orchestra responded to him superbly. The music was wonderful, and the playing of it, sublime. I heard one punter on the way out remark, "My, they make a loud noise beautifully don't they!"

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 21.10.22

YOUTH THEATRE REVIEW: The Little Mermaid Jr - The Grange Theatre, Hartford. Northwich.

Having seen Mid Cheshire Musical Theatre Society's adults tackle two difficult and rarely performed musicals over the last couple of years [Big Fish and American Idiot], I was both looking forward to, and had high hopes for their youth theatre, MCYT, with their current production of Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'. Here, the company chose the JR version of the show, a one hour condensed musical, which skips along at a rate of knots, one song after another, omitting much of the dialogue and yet still retaining the storyline. The company chose to present this this evening in two halves with an interval in the middle. 

The biggest issue I have with most of the JR versions (the 60 minute versions) of musicals now available and popular with many youth groups, is that there is little opportunity for both a) the story to carry any weight - in fact, it is almost a prerequisite on the audiences' part to be aware of the story beforehand (this musical is a prime example of this), and b) there is little room for any character development, and so doesn't afford the performers much chance of showing their understanding of character arc or indeed their place within the story as a whole. 

Directed and choreographed by Stacy Hancock, she chose to use both the actual stage at the Grange Theatre as well as the large three-sided auditorium floor space giving the cast a much larger acting area, effectively a huge thrust with audience on three sides, and giving the performers two distinct levels upon which to work.... the stage proper for "land", and the theatre floor for "sea". The idea was a good one, and should have worked much better than it did; but sadly Hancock's directing was for a proscenium arch show, and no consideration at all was given to the audiences on either side, as all the action, dialogue and choreography was performed to the few lucky audience members seated directly in front of and square on to the stage. 

However, this did not deter the young cast in any way. Every one of them gave their cummulative all to this show and it paid dividend. I was uncertain as to why various different dialects and accents were used by some, but again, that did not diminish their characterisations and performances. This was a high-energy and full-on show, and it was obvious that all on stage were enjoying every minute of their stage time - just as it should be! This reviewer's favourite moments in the show - and yes, this is purely subjective - were "Human Stuff", "She's In Love", and "Les Poissons", and I also greatly enjoyed Amber Larose's Penelope Keith-esque Ursula, the sea-witch. However, these are just personal favourites, and full credit must be given to all on stage this evening, their talent and commitment was undeniable.  

The stage was set and dressed, cleverly utilising the front of the stage and a set of steps to create the underwater world of Ariel and show contrast between land and sea, and a large screen at the rear projected relevant images in order to fill in the whole picture; whilst creative lighting was used throughout. Sadly there were times when the lighting failed to illuminate a principal when acting or singing, and we also had a few sound hiccups this evening too, but nothing that cannot easily be rectified, and kudos to the youths themselves for not letting any of this distract them from their characters and performances. 

A lovely show, and one which the whole cast should be rightly proud of.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 20.10.22

YOUTH THEATRE REVIEW: Peter Pan - The Hippodrome, Todmorden.

Todmorden's lovely Hippodrome theatre came alive this evening with something both extremely familiar, but also, completely new (at least to this reviewer). This was a Musical version of the well-known and -loved story of the boy who refused to grow up, but a version previously unknown to me. With music by George Stiles and lyrics by Anthony Drewe, this is a much more contemporary, and indeed more challenging, score than the more known versions available. 

It is all credit to the youngsters on stage then for tackling such a difficult and unfamiliar piece; and with the aid of some lovely costumes, excellent flying, and extremely good and nicely dressed sets, the children and teenagers were given a marvellous theatrical playground for them to create their characters and story.

This evening's show got off to a rather shaky and uncertain start, as the first chorus number was rather tentative and nerves were showing; but once the cast got into their stride, then the nerves were gone, and the whole company did themselves proud, performing as proficiently as they did. 

This version of the story utilisies a female narrator (for a wee plot twist right at the end), and Ella Reis had a warm and mellow voice which made us want to listen to her as she weaved in and out of the action on stage. Her make-up however did not work under the lighting used. Mr and Mrs Darling worked nicely together, (James Shepherd and Thea Crowther), although I feel the director could have found more comedy in their opening scenes for them. Crowther again had a lovely warm and pleasing voice and proved to be a proficient singer too during her solo. 

Peter Pan himself was played here with earnestness and sincerity by Joseph Dowling, as was the plaintive but strong-willed Emma Spooner as Wendy; both giving much to their roles. Whilst the comedy - what little there was - was left to the laconically sardonic Captain Hook (Finn Maden), and his hapless but well-meaning sidekick, Smee (Rebecca Spooner). We also had a 'cameo appearance' from the world's largest crocodile (!), which caused laughter from the youngsters in the audience. 

Credit should also be given to the other smaller principle roles; Nana (Emma Rawlinson), John (Maebh Logue), Michael (Ben Crowley), and Tiger Lily (Megan Shaw), all of whom added much to the production. There was also quite a large chorus / ensemble of pirates / Lost Boys / and goodness knows what else, and although it is impossible to mention them all individually, together they worked exellently and I enjoyed their cummulative choral sound greatly. 

There were a few occasions where the sound levels were not right, especially when the cast were speaking over music or in a few of the solo singing passages, where the cast member concerned simply was too quiet being drowned out by the music; whilst the lighting, although quite creative in places and generally worked well, did not light certain areas of the stage at all, meaning that when a principal was in that area and either speaking or singing, they remianed unlit. [I remember especially DSR for Captain Hook, and inside the Lost Boy's room on the bed for Peter Pan.]

However, slight mishaps aside, this was a solid production performed by a group of both enthusiastic and skilful young people, all of whom deserve the highest of praise for their commitment and effort in bringing about such an enjoyable show.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 19.10.22

 

THEATRE REVIEW: Blood Brothers - The Lowry Theatre, Salford.

The perennial favourite that is Willy Russell's 'Blood Brothers' is back again, and this time Bill Kenwright's production has a few differences from previous productions. It's highly emotive and much darker than I have seen before. 

Something like a Greek tragedy mixed with a Hollywood movie, this new production makes sure that every single word in every sentence is given due weight and emphasis, creating tension and suspense throughout; especially from the malevolent narrator, Richard Munday. In places this works well, but overall, it has the effect of manipulating the audience's emotional response, and instead of just letting the story tell itself, the lighting, sound, effects, and direction all combine to give you more than several unwanted and unnecessary thriller-esque moments, and at one point I swear I could hear the music give the thudding opening beats to the 'Eastenders' theme...!

Let none of that diminish the performances given by this evening's press night cast though. Several groups of teenage schoolchildren were in the audience this evening (is it on the current syllabus?), and they, as well as everyone else, absolutely loved the show, especially all the awkward and comedic teenage love / sex scenes and references. And the entire cast totally deserved their long and appreciative standing ovation this evening. The commitment from the team and their energy and emotion was palpable, even across to the centre of the stalls where we were. 

Sean Jones has returned one final time to play a part that he has embodied perhaps more than any other actor, the role of one of the twins, Mickie. This is now the third time this particular reviewer has seen Jones in this role, and he just gets better at it each time. Playing opposite him in this production was Jay Worley as his upper-middle-class twin Eddie, and Carly Burns as 'girlfriend' Linda. Their aging on stage was excellently measured and Burns especially I thought managed this with such ease, transforming from an 8 year old, through to 14, and then on to late teens and adulthood with aplomb. In fact Burns's interpretation of this role was the best I have thus far seen. (in my humble opinion!)

However, almost completely stealing the show (in a good way), was the amazing tour-de-force that was Niki Colwell Evans as Mrs. Johnstone, the twins' mother. Her emotional and emotive portrayal was simply electric; sympathetically and simplistically portrayed, we saw a raw and yet very real performance from a lady who could sing beautifully and yet be screaming with anguish at the same time... which takes a lot of doing!

And with such a talented and proficient cast, it seemed like over-egging the custard not to simply allow the story to tell itself. Each time we had a directed "dun-dun-der" moment, it dimished the final tragedy and therefore the story as a whole.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 18.10.22

ONLINE THEATRE REVIEW: Anne Bayne Of Duddingston Loch - Melbourne Fringe (digital online)

Written and performed by the multi-award winning writer Lita Doolan, and currently available to listen to online as part of the Melborune Fringe this month; ‘Anne Bayne Of Duddingston Loch’ is an one-person-audio-play which describes itself as being ‘a story about love - being apart yet connected, being apart yet together’. Set amongst the dramatic surroundings of Edinburgh in the eighteenth century, the listener is taken on an evocative and highly descriptive journey through the recountings of Anne Bayne, a woman who reminisces and reflects on her relationship to and separation from the artist, Allan Ramsay.

Dealing with themes of loneliness and ones relationship with nature and the surroundings, the audio play is an incredibly relaxing and gentle listen. Beginning with two soft chimes, Doolan’s delivery and pacing, combined with these intricate descriptions offers something that matches the likes of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (or ASMR for short).

The listener feels for this character who spends her time walking about the woods, dealing with a mixture of emotions and finding herself. The freedom of solitary is embodied in a golden eagle soaring high in the sky. Anne and Allan’s house, compared to a cave by Anne raises this idea of loneliness and becoming almost hermit-like whilst Allan is away in Italy. The discovery of her childhood home gone, also brings upon the listener this idea of time passing us by.

Especially in the last couple of years with COVID preventing many of us to spend time with loved ones, Doolan’s story may be close to home for a lot of us. Our own struggles and acceptance of being apart and alone is mirrored in Anne Bayne’s situation. Despite the story being set over two centuries ago, it remains relevant to today.

When one searches Duddingston Loch on the internet it is very easy to picture a lonesome woman wandering around in 1739. The picturesque setting is perfectly described by Doolan in her performance as Bayne. Touching upon the earlier point of this being an easy listen, ASMR-y audio play, it is incredibly easy to close your eyes and vividly picture everything which is described to you, and place yourself in Anne Bayne’s shoes (or lack of). The establishment of this world and descriptions are definitely the main take away from this, Doolan’s strengths as a writer are clearly displayed in this audio play.

At only thirty minutes' long, ‘Anne Of Duddingston Loch’ is the perfect piece to have on for that something-to-listen-to-on-your-way-to-work, or to have on in the background as you do chores. One can easily follow the story and get a feeling for the character and emotions without needing to dissect it in an overly-evaluative manner. It keeps you interested and invested without requiring you to be devoted to every word said. However at the risk of seeming somewhat dismissive of the work, paying some attention of the words really drives this atmosphere that Doolan creates which heightens the character, Bayne’s, emotional journey and understanding of herself.  

What is also great about this audio play is its accessibility; a digital file available on Soundcloud with additional excerpts on YouTube, and free to listen to. Thanks to the wonders of technology we are in a time where artists, writers, performers etc., have these platforms to exhibit their talents and works for us to experience and enjoy. On a broader scale, these digital events which make up the online section of the Melbourne Fringe mean one can enjoy something they may otherwise never get the opportunity to, and it is important to make the most of these opportunities and discover new avenues of art which were previously closed to us.

Reviewer - Daryl Griffin

THEATRE REVIEW: J B Shorts 22 - 53Two, Manchester.

Friday 14^th October 2022, and I was at 53Two in Manchester, who hosted JB Shorts 22 and it was brillaint! I absolutely loved the venue and everything that was put on display. Highlighting 6 individual 15 minute shorts felt like just the right amount of theatre in one quiet and quaint little space. Perfect for a date night, a mate night or a solo trip JB Shorts was fantastic and a great night out.

The first play was 'I Want My Britain Back'. Krissi Bohn plays the controversial Secretary of State who finds herself locked in a room with political activist Rachel Gill-Davies, whose character is bidding for new healthcare plans with penny recipes to help those facing working class poverty and much more. Bohn’s character of the Secretary of State came across as a bitch BUT that was perfect for the role! She played brilliantly as we completely believed she was the Secretary of State! This was matched excellently with Gill-Davies’ character who calls out the Secretary of State at every moment she has and with every right she has. The debate between the two characters flowed effortlessly and the women had clear passion and energy on stage to fuel this great debate. The emotion and conviction from Gill-Davies’ character specifically when questioned about her class poured into the audience. Throughout the short, the humour and comedic timing was able to lift its audience from a touching and very raw topic that is captivating Britain in the present day whilst also complimenting the hard-hitting subject it was tackling. The whole piece had a 'Black Mirror' vibe and it left me wanting more. The ending for me wrapped the piece wonderfully leaving a satire note for the audience to interpret for themselves.

Starting with a fabulous rendition of when two become one, the transition of Karaoke was perfect in setting the scene for the next short 'I’m A Slut'. Hinting at the night before, 'I’m A Slut' challenges opinions and prejudice surrounding disabilities and the world of sex whilst also nodding to the societal appropriations of one-night-stands and the conversations surrounding that. Stanley Rawlings and Steph Lacey gave natural chemistry and the banter between them didn’t feel written. The conviction of Rawlings’ character made my head and my heart fight because he was so caring and loving and yet a little bit broken but had embarked on a terrible habit of adultery with no remorse for his actions. Anna Swan’s character felt like she had the right kind of egotistical balance that hit all the correct spots. Contrasting with Lacey’s intrepid yet seemingly coy character. As a whole l enjoyed the short and I was quite astounded that in the short burst of 15 minutes we see Rawlings character change so much. 

'The Looks Department' was one of my favourite pieces as the provocative storyline with drop of humour left me wanting to see a full length show of it! It left a divide between myself and my friend because it provoked her so much that she didn’t enjoy it but that is the reason I thought it was brilliant! Her opinion was that looks shouldn’t even be a discussion when hiring someone - and I said exactly that’s why this piece is so brilliant! The intertwined issues of age, culture and gender all highlighted internal prejudices that we each all have and we choose whether or not to act upon these! I also enjoyed the explorations of the solutions employees come up with in order to solve a little problem like choosing the right candidate, which can leave a company open to a lawsuit - which begs the question what do you do in all these moments. I found the dynamic between Jade Golding, Caroline Chesworth and Jordan Tweddle to be perfect! Each bringing something to the table that left the audience questioning where the piece was about to go. I walked away from this show wondering if this had ever happened in real life and also whether it’s happened to myself in life when applying for a position, a question I would never have the answer to.

'The Final Nail In The Coffin' was by far my friend’s favourite 15 minute short! Absolutely hilarious in all the correct places. This short explores the kidnapping of Boris Johnson, and Billy Doherty’s characters pursuit for justice in a far fetched and comedic way. Billy Doherty and Liverpool actress Victoria Oxley had a great chemistry on stage that suggested years of companionship from the couple they portrayed. Oxley was hilarious and witty which left a warmth with her audience, this warmth was matched by Doherty and the story which unfolded about his characters sisters battle with Covid. John Joyce-O’keeffe gave quite the performance as imitation Johnson which could have easily had me cringing in my seat, however it didn’t. It was subtle and plausible that Bojo does have a doppelganger doing his work. Dominique Ward’s news reporter gave just the right amount of gritty, cutting edge journalism with a touch of charismatic beauty. The whole piece in all was perfect for a 15 minute short. Leaving just the right taste in its audiences mouth. 

I found 'Recording History' to be funny in parts and the performance given by Nadia Watson, Alexander McGonagle and Wendy Albiston to be utterly convincing. I enjoyed the actors depiction of the character but the storyline for me was a little bland and I was glad it was only a short. Some moments throughout I found brilliant - special nod to the eyebrow gestures shared between McGonagle’s and Albiston’s characters. Moments like this I felt were well timed. Albiston’s humour throughout was perfectly light, partnered wonderfully with McGonagle’s characters naive wants for stardom and Watson’s characters snootiness! Was a lovely trio. 

'Five Women; Rambling' was by far my favourite of all 6 of the plays I watched! I really wanted to see a whole staged version of this. I wanted to explore the five women’s sisterhood more and more as the time went on. I wanted to see backstories, I wanted tragic endings and more camping shenanigans. This short entertained thoroughly whilst leaving more questions than answers. I wanted to know why Lynn Roden’s character (whom I imagine myself to be in 30 or so years) didn’t see her darling poppy on her own anymore. What was the big secret Kerry Williamson-Parry’s character was battling with. Who was Nicola Gardner’s character, I wanted to know about this brilliant Sister. How is Christine Mackie’s character coping with the penultimate theory of growing older and potentially loosing her best friend and significant other. And finally, does Julie Edward’s character EVER get to rejoin trampoline-aerobics! All the questions and not enough answers but I absolutely adored it and felt emotional throughout. 

Reviewer - Caroline Louise
on - 14.10.22

THEATRE REVIEW: The Time Traveller's Wife - The Storyhouse, Chester.

Anything with “time travel” in the title, and this reviewer is there. Plus, this is the first ever theatrical adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger’s  classic timeslip romance novel. Testing the waters at Chester Storyhouse before heading to the West End, this musical production is a dazzling display of technical illusion and special effects, combined with a poignant score, witty book and lyrics, and sensitive yet entertaining performances from its cast. Last night’s performance finished with a standing ovation.

The first act covered the initial romance of Henry (the time traveller) and Clare (his eventual wife) meeting for the first time in different time zones – she meets him for the first time when she is ten, circa the late 1970s, he meets her for the first time when he is in his late twenties, circa the mid 1990s – and culminated in their wedding. There was a lot of jumping around in different decades here, particularly the 1980s and 1990s, and a lot of fun was had by designer Anna Fleischle and wigs, hair and make-up designer Susanna Peretz in their historically accurate yet colourful designs. The teenage party in the 1980s, where Clare’s friends Charisse and Gomez joined the story, was particularly merciless in its use of mullets, denim and crimped hair.

The second act lingered more on the 2000s, and the implications of being married to a time traveller. The focus became a lot more lyrical, atmospheric and plaintive. It opened with a stunning sequence showcasing the full effects of video designer Andrzej Goulding and illusion designer Chris Fisher, as they shared with the audience the experience of being hurtled through time tunnels all the time from Henry’s perspective:  – that one sequence alone is worth the price of the ticket.

Lauren Gunderson’s book switched from sympathetic yearning to full American sass in as many twists and turns as Henry’s time-travelling sequences, and her running commentary on relationships in general led to some moments of very sharp humour. The music and lyrics of Joss Stone and Dave Stewart focused more on the emotional core of the story, keeping a gently boppy pop background going of no discernible decade, but easily moving into piquancy when required. Director Bill Buckhurst had multiple design elements flowing seamlessly into each other, and created a world where time travel was real.

Joanna Woodward’s performance as Clare was beautiful: somewhat ditzy romantic comedy in the first act, artist / mother / left-behind wife in the second act. David Hunter as Henry sustained the focus of a very ordinary man who has a very extraordinary genetic ability, and kept it truthful and plausible. Phoebe Cheffings was charming as both their ten-year-old daughter Alba and the younger Clare.

Tim Mahendran was notable as baffled best friend Gomez, shambling around in comedy one moment, but flashing into dynamic anger the next, particularly in his song on first meeting Henry who he had encountered before during a time travel. Hiba Elchike nearly stole the show as Clare’s friend Charisse: sardonic, witty, and always ready to take dominance in any mad situation that occurred. Aisha Davis performed the scientist Dr Kendrick with icy intelligence. Ross Dawes was a grumpily tender presence as Henry’s widowed father.

Please do go and see it. It’s going to be a classic of musical theatre.

Reviewer - Thalia Terpsichore
on - 13.10.22

BALLET REVIEW: Beauty And The Beast - The Arena, Middleton, North Manchester.

Ballet Theatre UK is a company which offers young dancers, either still in training or taking their first tentative steps out into the big wide professional world, the chance to tour a full-scale production, taking their ballets to theatres and towns which are not normally accustomed to such culture! The school, based in Leicestershire, takes students from around the world, and offers a BA (Hons) in Ballet Performance for talented dancers aged 16 and over. 

Here, in the backwater that is Middleton, a town on the northern fringes of Manchester, the Arena stage was brought to life with the beautiful and highly Romantic music of Dvorak (obviously due to budget and being on tour on pre-recorded playback tracks), and a company of 20 young and talented ballet dancers.

The tale of Beauty And The Beast is perhaps best known in its Disney form, but there are so many variations to this legend that every time I see a production of it (whether pantomime, theatre, musical, or indeed as in this case ballet), there are always some differences in the storyline, which never ceases to surprise me.

For a touring company, the costumes were all lovely and worked well; and a minimalist set utilising back-cloths and a few gates on wheels, sufficed adequately. Lighting too was simple but effective, as was the clever use of haze during the 'transformation'.

Heading the principal dancers was Germany's Miriam Kennerth, dancing the role of Beauty. She showed great skill and he line was beautiful, showing great poise and fluidity of movement. Performing opposite her was Ewan Hambelton as the Beast. Again, a talented principal and his fight scene with Beauty's father, as well as his final pas-de-deux with Beauty were a couple of the show's highlights. Beauty's father was danced by Paul Menue, and I enjoyed his first pas-de-deux with Beauty at the start of the production greatly. Whilst the fourth protagonist in this version is the Enchantress, danced here with precision and skill by Miharu Sugahara.

Four other principal dancers performed the roles of Beauty's two sisters and their respective husbands, and these had various dances throughout, in differing combinations. All were a joy to watch and worked excellently with each other. They were, Yuko Ojima, Sophie Piper, Nathan Anson, and Oliver Russell.

Add to these 8 a small, but dedicated corps, which sadly, for this reviewer at least, didn't appear and dance enough as a full company - we only truly saw them at their best during the denouement / finale sequence. However, the pictures they created and the way they added to the more intimate scenes by being statues etc, was creative and interesting.

These are fledgling professionals at the start of their journey, and all showed great ability and potential this evening, and all worked superbly as an ensemble. My only real disappointment was that the choroegrapher, Christopher Moore, didn't utilise the corps as a whole ensemble more than he did, and that the whole ballet was danced very much on the same dynamic the whole evening. We never truly got anything other than "medium" (or in musical terms, mf). Even the fight with the wolves was still performed at this pace, and even when Dvorak's music was scored with feverishly-paced passing notes with discord running into harmony, the dances were still beautiful and elegant. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 13.10.22

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Sister Act - The Pendle Hippodrome, Colne.

Yet another new venue for us, and this reviewer, but Lancashire's Pendle Hippodrome Theatre in Colne plays host to the epic and iconic musical 'Sister Act' this week and Oh god, it's Fabulous, Baby!

Presented by Basics Junior Theatre School, under the direction of Philip J. Hindle - who returns after his debut with the school last year for their production of  'The King And I' - and principalship of Andy Cooke, it is, as always, a delight to witness the immense talents making their names in the foundations of the industry.

I am impressed, upon reading the programme, to see that some members of the cast have been with the group for a whole decade, having perfected their art before transitioning into drama schools and musical theatre courses at local colleges. With an impressive 14-piece orchestra, under the direction of Andrew Mitchell, the show started on a high from the off and held its energy throughout. I took close to no notes, other than positive words and phrases and the negative comment I noted down was the balance between the orchestra and singers could have been better as a few of the lyrics were lost and with such clever comedy intertwined into the whole show, it was sad for a few (and I mean only a few) to be missed by the audience. I know the show well and sang along to almost every song. It's hard not to nod or tap your foot along to the rhythmic feast that is this score, which features so many upbeast numbers (highlights: Raise Yout Voice, Spread The Love Around, Sunday Morning Fever and Bless Our Show), as well as some heartfelt ballads (Here Within These Walls, I Could Be That Guy, I Haven't Got A Prayer, The Life I Never Had and Sister Act), every one pefectly delivered, as was the execution of Helen Cheung's choreography (assisted by Lydia Cooke, and I believe Gracie Root who plays Tina, among other roles, stepped up as Dance Captain).

The story follows in the footsteps of the highly successful films starring Whoopie Goldberg, in which caberet singer Deloris Van Cartier (yes, you've guessed it, after Cartier's) is forced to seek refuge in a Convent - of The Holy Order of the Little Sisters of Our Mother of Perpetual Faith - and disguise herself as a nun, following their routine and restricted lifestyle. This salvation is facilitated by police officer Eddie Souther after Deloris witnesses her gangster and club owner boyfriend Curtis Jackson (Owen Bradley) shoot one of his clan after he hears about a report about him to the police. Deloris runs to the police station to file a report and Eddie arranged for her to be hidden, through Monsignor O'Hara (Luke Esden) who instructs the Mother Superior to take her under the nuns' wing.

Along the way we come across a multitude of personalities, from the bubbly Sister Mary Patrick, the elder yet funky, endearing and highly-entertaining Sister Mary Lazarus (Evie Musso) and postulent Sister Mary Robert, whom despite appearing shy, has a soulful spirit locked inside. The same can be said for pretty much all of the nuns as they "do their thang". Sisters Mary Theresa (Caelyn Bell), Mary Irene (Kate Hollingsworth), Martin of Tours (Amelia Lancaster) and Mary Celeste (Ava-Grayce Gregson) complete the main named superfluity, with Sisters Mary Jude (Hannah Reid), Mary Philip (Jolie Forrest), Mary Andrew (Danni-Mai Brown), Mary James (Kayley Corrigan), Mary Stephen (Darcie Brown), Mary Simon (Millie Holmes), Mary John (Gabriella Duffy) and Mary Thomas (Suki Holt) providing supporting roles, with their actors portraying other roles too.

During her time there, due to the need for her to learn restraint, she is missioned with sorting out the initially dire sounds of the choir and she does so to great effect, leading two businessmen who seek to purchase the convent plunging the money into the success ot the highly-acclaimed and well-publicised concert-style services, attracting non other than His Holyness The Pope! Deloris is recognised by Curtis, during a TV appearance and an amusing chase ensues before the nuns stand together in solidarity with their 'sister' after she returns following a realisation that she's where she should be - by their side(s).

The whole show is brilliant, matched by the talents of those performing it. I felt a huge sense of pride to be invited along and enjoy the sheer spectacle that was produced. It got a well-deserved standing ovation.

Tilly Clapham's Deloris was great but I felt that perhaps she could have had a little more confidence at the beginning - maybe I was distracted by the strange wig?! - but I warmed to her, and her talent and hard work in the role was always evident. Standout and, dare I say best performances (certainly my personal favourites) were Avalon Keenen (not a name I'll forget in a hurry) as Sister Mary Robert whose vocal ability is most admirable and Trixie Higginson as the lively Sister Mary Patrick, topped only by the incredible Gracie Gilbert as the iconic Mother Superior. 

Harris Rafferty's portrayal of police officer Eddie and musicality is brilliant (with his mini colleague - the world's shortest policeman, played by Hughie Higginson) and Owen Bradley's Curtis which is also well done, with a nice singing voice too, alongside his side-men Pablo (Felix Snowden), Joey (Luke Holmes) and nephew TJ (Oscar Williams), all of whom also have great voices and move well. The aforementioned one who was shot is Ernie (Luca Ratcliffe). I mentioned Gracie Boot as Dance Captain and Tina (Deloris' friend and trio singer) but I can't leave out the third of the trio, Michelle played by Charlotte Saunders - the three open the show, with the absence of an overture.

With the help of many behind the scenes, supported by the extremely welcoming and hospitable team at the theatre, this show is well worth seeing and I look forward to returning, as well as seeing another Basics show, soon. It really is no surprise that these young talents are progressing to great things in the world of theatre and I look forward to seeing where they go.

Reviewer - John Kristof
on - 13.10.11

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Shrek - The Lyceum Theatre, Crewe

What a gorgeous theatre Crewe's Lyceum is! A beautiful Victorian auditorium with a stage that has - I have been reliably inoformed - the steepest rake in the country. And with friendly and helpful FOH staff, what more could you want... oh, yes, a restaurant. That's what's missing. We arrived early in order to dine at the theatre before the show only to find that the restaurant is no longer there, and with no other restaurants in walking distance from the theatre, they are surely missing a trick by not having one.... however... to the show....!

This is not the first time I have seen a show presented by the talented company that is Curtain Call Productions, and so I had rather high expectations before the curtain opened. This is a company that has extremely high production values, and treats the show and the cast as a professional set-up. And it shows. Expectations were met and more besides. Costumes, sound, lighting, set, make-up etc were all of the highest standard - despite some rather clunky first night technical hitches (these can all easily be rectified before the next show) - this was a true spectacle and all helped to create the right mood and atmosphere for the skilled cast members to bring to life their characters and the story.

It is of course no surprise to read in the programme the long list of professional credits to our leading lady's name. Natasha Barnes's interpretation of the role of Princess Fiona was spot on, with a lovely singing voice and charismatic personality and a very easy stage presence. Her on-stage chemistry with Joel Montague's Shrek was also excellent. Montague too had a great stage presence and Shrek was a truly sympathetic and real character in his proficient hands, whilst his sturdy light baritone vocals gave depth further nuancing his characterisation. 

Steven Coles hammed up the role of Donkey for all it was worth, and this paid dividend, realising from the off that this was the comedy character, but never was it too much, never OTT. Excellently placed and the dialogue nicely paced too, again working well with Montague. Adam Goode drew the short straw (no pun intended!).... as he has to spend majority of the show walking on his knees as Lord Farquaad, and on the Crewe's rake, that could not have been easy. A fully-rounded and secure characterisation with good vocals. 

These four were aided and ameliorated by some 35 more performers playing supporting / cameo / and ensemble roles throughout. The direction was secure and imaginative, and I appreciated the few little personal touches added here and there which truly made the script sparkle; the singing - especially the chorus numbers - was excellent throughout; whilst the choreography was also of a high standard and worked well. The stage isn't terribly big once you have a set, a large and unwieldy dragon puppet, and 30 cast members on it, and so quite rightly minimalism executed to perfection was the order of the day.

A thoroughly enjoyable evening in the hands of the accomplished Curtain Call!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 12.10.22

THEATRE REVIEW: Please Let Me Get What I Want - The Salford Arts Theatre, Salford.

This new play by Libby Hall is a taut piece of writing, and a bittersweet comedy. Co-produced by Salford Arts Theatre and To The Left Productions, last night’s performance was at the Salford Arts Theatre.

The initial premise appears to be an updated version of “The Odd Couple”, set in urban Salford. Two eighteen-year-old boys run into each other in a pub toilet years after they last saw each other in primary school. One has violent, drug-addicted parents and is aching to leave home. The other lost his parents in a car crash years ago, and has just lost his grandmother as well. They decide to get a flat and move in together. The first boy is very neat and organised, has savings in the bank, and is looking to make a life for himself. The second boy is a bit of an irresponsible drunkard who just wants to have a good time. And it’s a very small and grotty flat, with a noisy and sexually active drug dealer living on the floor above.

Joel Hill, as the first boy, delivered a detailed performance of assured maturity, perfectly encapsulating the teenager who is old before his time. His naturalistic stage presence was partnered with a strongly quiet power and sense of pace. For an actor so young, it was rather extraordinary.

Vincent Purcell, as the second boy, had a lot more of the comedy relief. He relished every instant of it, particularly with a very nice line of small physical gestures that swelled the scripted moments. Interestingly, his own dramatic power also started to kick in as the play’s events slowly turned the two protagonists into young men who have to decide their own character. The unreliable narrator issues he was wrestling with towards the end were also performed with a maturity that was rather disconcerting in an actor so young, and full credit must be given to director Roni Ellis here. She is definitely an actors’ director.

Playwright Libby Hall has an eye for the minutiae of life, and a restrained approach to language. Though there were scenes of very broad humour – Purcell’s character’s job interview for a retirement home could not have been more over-the-top  - overall, Hall’s touch was feather-light. And the strong sense of ethics that permutated the piece gave it a deeper richness without being didactic.

The set was simple, but effective, featuring movable pale-coloured panels that could be substituted for various gungy surfaces such as pub toilets and council house walls. The lighting was also restrained yet potent, at times breaking into spotlights to isolate the two characters from each other as their versions of events differentiated, then blending again. At times there was a pounding soundtrack, featuring a great deal of music from the Smiths.

Reviewer - Thalia Terpsichore
on - 5.10.22

THEATRE REVIEW: The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore - Charing Cross Theatre, London.

Premiered in 1963,  'Milk Train...' announced the decline of Williams’ playwriting career: he’d had flops early on, but from 'The Glass Menagerie' up to 'The Night Of The Iguana', his stage works had usually managed to find an audience and had regularly been filmed (as was 'Milk Train'....later adapted into the Burton-Taylor camp classic Boom!).  After 1963, his plays rarely exercised either critics or audiences, though these later works are by no means without value: right to the end, Williams retained his gift for imaginative, poetic dialogue matched to earthy, not to say sleazy situations.

'Milk Train' presents us with an archetypal Williams set up: a dying Deep South multi-millionairess, Flora Goforth, residing on Italy’s Amalfi coast, is dictating the memoirs of her colourful life to Blackie, her put-upon secretary. She is visited by a young poet, who may or may not be the Angel of Death: the gossip mill reports that he’s recently brought ‘comfort’ to several rich women who have shortly afterwards expired.  But is he the real deal, or just another adventurer?  

We never find out for certain, as the ending is cloaked in Williams’s trademark ambiguity (and nothing wrong with that); along the way though, the play has much to recommend it - not least the dialogue and a marvellous central section in which Goforth and the ‘angel’ (named ‘Christopher Flanders’) lay each other’s souls bare - it’s hard not to feel this is distinctly lesser Williams, a man unsure of where he was going and not the confident artist of 'Streetcar Named Desire' or 'Cat On A Hot Tin Roof'. 

At the Charing Cross Theatre, it receives an uncertain production from Robert Chevara: on press night, though the cast performed scrupulously and strenuously, one had a sense of actors still searching for their characters. Linda Marlowe’s Goforth, though entirely credible as a misplaced plutocrat, was not as believable as the ex-bump-and-grind-girl who’d come into her early fortune through an advantageous Anna-Nicole Smith-type marriage to an elderly tycoon (who then died, leaving her loaded). The performance needs more vulgarity, a more loving embrace of the character’s grotesqueries if it is to work - it also needs, in common with the rest of the cast, greater volume and projection, particularly when competing against the rumbling trains from overhead. Had I not already been familiar with the play, I’d have barely a clue about what was going on.  

As the dubious poet Flanders, Sanee Raval matches Williams’ description but doesn’t seem to have made up his own mind about what he is or represents: this is crucial if the performance is to have definition, the sense of a someone knowing more (or pretending to know more) than anyone else in the play. As a consequence, the play’s major scene in Act Two, doesn’t have the impact it ideally should have.  

The Witch of Capri is a gift of a part, and one that could easily steal the evening (in an early bit of reverse gender casting, Noel Coward played the part in the film!) but Sara Kestelman’s performance suffers from the same tentativeness that afflicts her colleagues. Lucie Shorthouse as the beleaguered Blackie impresses in what is a somewhat one-note role. Nicolai Hart-Hansen’s design make the most of the space, though they can’t convey the suggested luxury of Goforth’s coastal eyrie. Hopefully as the run progresses and the ensemble gels, press night awkwardness will fade and the production gain in confidence.  

Reviewer - Paul Ashcroft
on - 3.10.22