PANTOMIME REVIEW: Dick Whittington - NWTAC Theatre, Moston. Manchester.

What a way to finish one's year of reviewing... with NWTAC's pantomime in Moston, North Manchester. With their winning combination of tutors, professional actors, students and children, you can guarantee a festive treat of a truly traditional nature for all the family. I would be telling an untruth if I were to say that this was not the best pantomime that NWTAC have produced so far, and my companion this afternoon has said that it was the most enjoyable she has seen this season! So hats off to all, all round!

A few variations of traditional themes throughout (such as a shark instead of a ghost, or the Sultan of Morocco being a King of Scotland with an atrociously and deliberately bad accent). But the funniest and most endearing changes came with their casting. Instead of the traditional two bumbling policemen, we now had a rough and brusque sea captain and his inept mate, Captain Stan Dup (Maria Collins) and Neil Down (Katie Gough) who together provided the knockabout silliness to a Tee. Whilst casting James Llewelyn Burke as Fairy Tinkle was simply inspired! Absolutely hilarious, and he carried it off so well.

Idle Jack (Anthony Horricks) had also been given a character make-over, and this worked well for him too. Normally Jack would be the 'nice' one to work with the kids and be 'on their side', but here he was more the truculent and awkward rebel with a great line in modern vernacular.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Pab Singh, NWTAC's owner and director, makes an excellent Dame. And here, as Sarah the Cook, he was in his element. Plenty of silly visual and pun-style gags for the youngsters, whilst some brilliantly timed adult gags were expertly cast over the young ones' heads.

The main cast completed with Paige Garth as a traditional Principal Boy, Dick Whittington; Evie Lucas as the 'love interest', Alice Fitzwarren; Millie Potts as a perfectly evil and engaging Queen Rat, Erin Carty as The Aldi-man (yes, that's one of their jokes) Fitzwarren, and another young girl, Poppy Evans, as the all-dancing cat with attitude, Microwave. 

Four dancers / ensemble came on for some of the song / dance routines, and these were Lilly Taylor, Georgia Anderson, Ese Umudi, and Tallulah McDermott, who also donned the ginger wig and tartan kilt for her cameo as King Scott Land. 

With plenty of colouful costumes, painted flats, audience participation and repartee, and some upbeat contemporary songs, this was a family treat which is guarateed to whisk away any between Christmas and New Year blues. The entire cast were giving 100% and enjoying every second of their stage time, and one simply cannot ask for more than that...oh no we can't!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 30.12.22

MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW: The Gleeman: I Love Christmastime

With a catchy song with a melody somehow reminiscent of 'Mistletoe And Wine', this is Cornish-born singer, Gleeman's Christmas single and video. 

Titled, 'I Love Christmastime' the whole video has a very retro feel to it, fusing live action with animation / screen drawings, archive footage with the contemporary, and filming children /family, in their houses and in Christmas markets (Vienna) during this season. 

Gleeman has a very pleasant, easy-to-listen-to, melodious, baritone crooner voice, and this style of song suits it excellently. It is a sing-a-long catchy tune with a memorable melody / refrain, and puts me in mind of my childhood listening to the likes of Val Doonican and Perry Como.

The lyrics are "written through childhood eyes, and takes us all back to that innocence of youth" - and no-one can argue with this. There is definitely the feeling of seeing the world in a very nostalgic rose-coloured spectacle sort of way, and it is comforting. 

A lovely addition to popular music's Christmas canon.

The video can be found here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMYlxKsZZBg

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 29.12.22

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Jack And The Beanstalk - Applecart Arts Centre, London.

Walking into The Passmore Edwards Building in Plashet Grove, East Ham, I thought the story of Jack And The Beanstalk was one I could rely on knowing well, however, the creatives and cast on this team rewrote it. Directed and written by Alex Howarth, it was refreshing, progressively different, utterly hilarious and catered to every audience member. Children and adults alike left with wide smiles on their faces.

The use of space on the production was contemporary. Set and Costume Designer, Alice McNicholas, used the fairly small box theatre to create an immersive set replicating the ‘quaint village of East Ham’. Large painted curtains of fabric made up the sky and the beanstalk which coupled with the green painted floor created an almost ethereal space. It was as though we had stepped into ‘cloud land’.

The costumes were designed in light blues and yellows. The careful colour pallet created a unity in the cast which was contrasted by the evil character, Fleshcreep, who was dressed in deep blue. This division of the characters from good and bad emphasised the ‘goodie’ /‘baddie’ tropes of the pantomime effectively.

A particular favourite of mine was the character of the Dame Tilly, Jack’s Mum. She was dressed in a beautiful blue gingham apron dress with a yellow shirt and yellow petticoat. She had an incredible yellow wig which created overstated yellow bunches matching her loud and dramatic characterisation by Tori Messenger. Messenger’s characterisation was hilarious and refreshing. Her thick Derry accent created such a warming character and she was able to charm audience members interacting and encouraging participation with both parents and children. It was refreshing to see a female Dame, something not traditionally done in pantomime. This casting decision paid off due to Messenger’s infectious energy and powerful stage presence. She was constantly engaged, quick thinking, and truly made the character her own.

The lighting design, by Will Alder, was striking. Throughout the production the effective use of lighting enhanced the costuming and brought the set to life. This was seen beautifully in Fleshcreep’s performances. The use of green and blue washes brought out the deep blues of her costume complimenting it deliberately. This extended her characterisation making her appear all the more evil and menacing. I, age 20, felt genuinely quite scared!

The lighting design was matched to the musical direction allowing shifts and jumps in the musical scape to be emphasised by transitions in lighting the space. This allowed for the cohesion of all the different creative elements of the production. The collaboration and complementing of each element made the panto a celebration of all the dramatic art forms.

The script was relevant and funny and felt personal to Newham. It was touching to see so many children feeling involved in the show. One of the benefits of having a pantomime in such an intimate space meant the audience really did become part of the show. It was inclusive, personal, and unlike many pantomimes I’ve watched before. Yellow Kangaroo Productions took the traditional eccentricities of panto and added their own diversity. They seem to be rewriting the nature of pantomime to promote inclusivity and acceptance bringing a new age of panto to the London theatre scene!

Reviewer - Grace McNicholas
on - 20.12.22

BALLET REVIEW: The Nutcracker - The Grand Theatre, Leeds.

The Nutcracker is possibly the most widely performed ballet; it may for many, be the only ballet they have ever seen. This might be because of the familiarity of the Hans Christian Anderson story coupled with a music score with many sections that have found their way into popular consciousness (through TV adverts amongst other things). I would suggest that another key reason though is the artistic adaptability of The Nutcracker, very much evidenced by this production.

The Northern Ballet have a reputation for giving ballet a modern feel, evidenced by recent productions of contemporary works such as ‘Casanova’ which appeared at The Grand earlier this year. With this production, there was no attempt to re-invent the wheel neither was the original score given a serious makeover, but there was nevertheless a feeling of fresh originality.

There was not a single tutu in sight during the whole show but the audience was treated to a vibrant display of costumes that was essentially ballet nevertheless. When lines of dancers suddenly emerged from each wing clad in red and gold dresses, it was as if a splash of colour had suddenly lit the stage. The battle between the Toy Soldiers and the Mice was a set piece of theatre, the mouse costumes looking remarkably authentic, particularly those of the child dancers. In the forest scene, the frostiness of the background was echoed in shimmering white dresses in contrast to the opening scene at the palace, which included a wide range of showy individual outfits.

The staging was remarkable with a huge array of sets, involving both sophisticated drop screens (including a working door) and impressive platforms, all of which were used to great effect. The overall effects were so good that virtually no suspension of disbelief was required to see a winter forest (where it was actually snowing!) or the ballroom of a palace, in which the ‘toy figures’ emerged one by one from a huge box. Many significant set changes occurred during dances, giving the effect to the audience that from having concentrated on the dances down stage that the backdrop had magically transformed into something else. There was comedy as well, such as the Mouse King posturing in his remarkable little house, built on a separate raised stage. The entrance of the Nutcracker soldier was also handled using impressive staging.

An expert on ballet would doubtless comment on the finer points but from a lay standpoint, the dancing whilst tightly choreographed (and displaying all the commonly associated exercises of ballet) seemed to have less formality than a typical ballet production. There were extensive solo spots for principles where there was a lot of free expression whilst towards the end the entire cast produced a massed display, ensuring virtually every square inch of the stage was used. There is a place for the strict traditions of state companies, be they from London or Moscow, but Northern Ballet excel in giving a modern, creative twist to established classics such as The Nutcracker.

It is difficult to follow a precise storyline with this type of production, unaided by programme notes, but once the premise was been established, the plot (such as it was) was of secondary importance. This was a showcase of excellence in dance, costume and stagecraft, keeping the audience enthralled from start to finish. It was a full house on a Wednesday night, proving the enduring popularity of dance as a genuine creative art in sharp contrast to the tawdry populism of shows like ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ This was the kind of show to take people with scant interest in the genre to, as a demonstration of just how much fun ballet can be.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 21.12.22

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Aladdin - The Empty Space, Salford.

Producing a pantomime on the Fringe theatre is not an easy ask. It's a difficult one to pull off well, since one automatically knows that it's impossible to compete with 'the big boys', but there are certain elements of the genre - colour, pizzazz and razzmatazz - which must be omnipresent. Fortunately for The Empty Space, a small theatre in an industrial unit tucked away behind Salford Quays, The Lowry Theatre are not presenting a panto this year, and as such, they are likely to have a much bigger pull. 

This is the first year that The Empty Space have produced their own in-house pantomime, and it has obviously been a huge learning curve for all involved. Chosing the story of Aladdin, with a written-for-the-company script by Heather Phoenix, this was the first panto in a long time that has had a traditional Principal Boy, and that was truly a joy to see. I had thought that tradition had been abandonded long ago... happily not.

The story is the one we all know and love, except in this show, there is no Wishee-Washee. Here The Genie Of The Ring tries, but sadly misses the mark, to take on the audience-chatting and silliness routines (as well as doubling as The Genie of The Lamp too.....!) We follow the story with minimum set (only what is necessary) from Twankey's Laundry to the deep, dark and scary mountain cave, to the Princesses Palace, and of course, it all ends happily ever after... oh yes it does!

The jokes are not frequent enough, and sadly leave their target audience a little unamused if this evening's audience is anything to go by... the adults (mostly family and friends) seemed to be far more engaged than the few children I was able to watch. 

The very appropriately named Matthew Christmas made for a very suitable Abanazar. Obviously very talented, he had a good rapport with the audience, and impressed with his speaking and singing voice [he did a reasonable Elvis Mickey-take too!]. Another talented, but in this case underused actress this evening was Heather Phoenix, channelling Josie Lawrence if playing Queenie in 'Blackadder', as The Empress. 

Ali Babakordi played both Genie's with camp effeteness, Ella Holt was a thigh-slapping and forthright Aladdin, Ciara-Alexandra Booker was pretty and demure as Jasime, and Andrew Lambe pitched his Dame Tallulah Twankey somewhere between a traditional dame and a drag act. 

Two very young children from the theatre's own theatre school played the palace guards, and they were hilarious; whilst a team of singing dancers from the school were used as ensemble. They worked well, but their costumes were poor, and they needed a change of costume one each entrance.

Lighting in general worked well (covering for the lack of set), but the music was too loud generally. The theatre space is not large and so not much amplification is required. We were subjected to Night Club noise levels.  

A fair attenpt was made by all, and hopefully, as the cast continue their run, the pace will lift and the ad libs will become more frequent, engaging more with the young ones in the audience. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 19.12.22

 

THEATRE REVIEW: The Ocean At The End Of The Lane - The Lowry Theatre, Salford.

Where does one start when wanting to adapt something so imaginative, vivid, and perhaps cinematic, to the confines of a stage production. Reading a novel, the imagination is limitless, with cinema, there are possibilities beyond what a theatre production can provide; and this novel concerns iteself with dark fantasy, the supernatural, and gives us an impressionistic 'post-monsterish' version of that blur between childhood and adulthood, as we never truly know whether or not the unfolding events are actual or extended dreams of an 11-year-old boy who reads lots of fantasy fiction.

The story as told by The National Theatre is not exactly the same as the novel, but resembles it very closely; however, the production is utterly flawless from start to finish, the NT excelling themselves here. This is a truly wholistic production, where sound, lighting, effects, costume, set, and goodness knows what else combine and merge with puppetry, physical theatre, dance, magic, and some of the most compelling acting I've seen in a long time, building tension, suspense, and drama in carefully considered layers.

We start at a funeral. Our protagonist has returned to his home town for this. Whilst there he revisits the place where he grew up, and the farm and duck pond owned by his neighbour, the Hemstocks. The rest of the play is then told in flashback, as we return to this place 40 years' earlier to see him as a young boy. His fascinating journey, his unlikely friendships, his fantastic otherwordly adventures - if indeed they all really happened - are brought strikingly and graphically to life. The play is both emotive and visceral and we are utterly involved in compelling storytelling. 

Perhaps the sound is too loud at times; I had to cover my ears in places where the volume rose above the acceptable, but this is my only quibble with an otherwise faultless production.

This is a truly ensemble company, the protagonists just get to speak that's all; whilst the malevolent presence of something from The Beyond is there all the time as the ensemble (dressed in black but deliberatley visible) as they move the scenery around with choreographed deliberance. Katy Rudd's direction is impeccable, and the whole cast and team of creatives should quite rightly be extremely proud of this production. I very rarely write this, in fact, I can't remember the last time I did, but this is a must-see!

The production will stay at Salford's Lowry until the 8 January before an extensive tour next year. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 20.12.22

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Jack And The Beanstalk - The Prince Of Wales Theatre, Cannock.

It has been some years since I’ve either seen a traditional pantomime or visited the pleasant Staffordshire town of Cannock, so an opportunity to do both on the same trip was not to be missed. I have many happy childhood memories of annual Christmas visits to the panto in my home city of Liverpool; not having any children of my own, the tradition had somewhat lapsed more recently.

Conveniently located in Cannock town centre, The Prince Of Wales Theatre is a modern building with a fairly basic auditorium seating just over 400. It is a friendly and welcoming venue with plenty of people on hand to ensure that everybody can find their way around.

The curtain rises, and we are transported to an eerie castle, high up in the sky, where a deliciously evil villain presides over the nocturnal goings-on. This is Fleshcreep (Stephen Donald) whose greenish pallor and fiendish cackle are entirely in keeping with his position as sidekick to a wicked giant who has, allegedly, overthrown the King and subjected the people of the valley below to such misery that they are only allowed one day of happiness per year.

Next, we meet Fairy Bee (Rebecca Avery) who is Fleshcreep’s diametric opposite: bright, sparkling and beautiful with a radiant smile and (of course) a magic wand. We learn a bit about the story’s roots in the Viking tale of Jack The Giant Killer before being introduced to the Dimplebottoms: Dame Dolly Dimplebottom (Keith De’Winter), magnificently ugly complete with outrageous wig, neon costumes and glittery Doc Martin boots, and her two sons Billy and Jack.

Silly Billy (George Critchley, also the writer, director and producer of the show) acts as the warm-up man with his catchphrase “Hiya kids!” each time he comes on. He is in love with Princess Jill (Morgan Hughes), but of course it’s his brother Jack (Michael Ruben) who is the hero and you don’t need me to tell you who is going to get the girl in the end. Oh no, you don’t!

The Dimplebottoms are poor, so poor in fact that as Billy tells us “when we go to KFC we have to lick other people’s fingers!”, and in the end the only thing for it is to sell their beloved cow Daisy. When Jack meets a French onion-seller on a bicycle who offers him a bag of gold for the animal, it seems too good to be true. Of course Jack takes the gold, not realising that the Frenchman is actually the villainous Fleshcreep in disguise and the nuggets are, in fact, (altogether now…) beans!

With a bit of help from Fairy Bee’s wand, the beans grow into a beanstalk and act one ends.

Sadly – and I genuinely hope this proves to be an aberration – the auditorium was only about half full for this Saturday evening performance which coincided with bitter weather and a major football match as well as the cost-of-living crisis which is frequently referenced in the script. This made it feel that the actors, especially Critchley, were working harder than they should to generate the right level of audience reaction. Pantomime depends on audience participation to a greater degree than most theatre and this had felt slightly flat at times.

Act Two begins in the castle where Fleshcreep is holding Princess Jill hostage in the hope of securing a ransom for her release. Fleshcreep leads the cast in a performance of “The Timewarp”, showcasing Donald’s talents as a singer and dancer (not to mention his legs!) and giving the older members of the audience something to join in with.

The Dimplebottoms and Fairy Bee have a hilarious run-in with a ghost in the castle before settling down to the serious business of rescuing the Princess who may – or may not – be about to join the Giant for dinner, as it were. Up to now the Giant’s booming voice has only been heard from off-stage but now we see him for the first time, a remarkable creation about eight feet tall, brought to life by Lee Goode.

Who is really pulling all the strings? Is the Giant as terrible as he’s been made out to be? Will the hero save the Princess? Of course he will, come on, it’s a pantomime!

'Jack And The Beanstalk' is great fun for all the family but, more than that, it is a wonderful example of the magic of theatre and a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make it happen. Costume designer Irene Whitehall in particular has excelled with some superb costumes – and there are a lot of costume changes in this show. The music, provided by Nikki Laurence and Sam Shaw is great too, mixing well-known tracks with original material. The young dancers from Studio 5 in Rugeley have to be congratulated too and I suspect that from amongst them will emerge some of the stars of the future.

It's obvious that the cast are all having great fun throughout – Avery in particular is never without a beaming smile – and the audience loved it too with lots of cheering and applause as the finale drew to its close. I hope that there will be plenty of full houses to enjoy this first-rate traditional entertainment over the Christmas season!

'Jack And The Beanstalk' is presented by PMA Productions and runs at the Prince Of Wales Theatre, Cannock, until 28th December 2022.

Reviewer - Ian Simpson
on - 17.12.22

STUDENT CONCERT REVIEW: MUMS Festive Concert - The Martin Harris Centre, Manchester.

What has now become somewhat of a tradition for the Manchester University Music Society (MUMS), their farewell to the calendar year is a festive concert full of seasonal music wishing us all well for the season, and looking forward to a brighter and better new year. 

This year's Festive Concert featured three of the society's various music ensembles. And first to take to the stage was The String Orchestra. They started in festive mood, playing a lovely arrangement by none other than Gustav Holst of  'In The Bleak Mid Winter'. This was followed by Sibelius's 'Andante Festivo' which was also a lovely piece and in the seasonal spirit. The third piece the orchestra chose however, seemed to be a little out of context with this evening's programmatic idea. It was The Concerto For Double Bass by Serge Koussevistsky, which was performed and arranged this evening by student bass player, Jan Cowell. 

After a hiatus and reconfiguration, the next group to take the stage was the Wind Orchestra, and although they may not have been playing what we would recognise as festive music, this was popular cinematic fayre and considered 'light classical', and as such fits the remit. We heard David Johnson's 'Symphonic Animation', and this was followed by Gregson's 'Festivo'. The Wind Orchestra had already performed these pieces at an earlier concert but it was lovely to hear them again. Upbeat brass music always stirs the soul, and they made a fitting end to the first half.

The conducting of all the above was divided by three students, Naomi Isaacs, Jessica Pun Lai Yuen, and Ali Wilson.

After the inetrval and The MUMS Session Orchestra took pride of place on the stage. Conducted by Gina Hazell, this was John Williams at his most famous and possibly best, his theme to 'Star Wars'. Following this the orchestra played various dances from 'The Nutcracker' by Tchaikovsky, variously conducted by our act one trio, and we finished in true orchestral festive fashion with what has become a staple for all orchestral concerts at this time of year, Leroy Anderson's 'Sleigh Ride' (conducted by Ben Nicoll).

Before and after the concert proper, members of the brass section were arranged around the foyer balcony playing carols and Christmas songs for us to enter and leave this afternoon. A lovely idea.

A wonderful first term completed, and now it's family time. Thanks for the music so far, and I look forward to hearing what delights you have in store in 2023.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 15.12.22

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Potted Panto - The Apollo Theatre, London.

What a treat to review a West End show. Christmas in London is always so magical, so how exciting to see a Panto. Magical, this is not! I’m not completely convinced it’s a children’s show either, although there were a lot of laughs from the younger members of the audience. The real guffaws came from the adults. The performance is delivered by CBBC stars Jeff (Jefferson Turner) and Dan (Daniel Clarkson), who wrote and devised the show that this is. They are also responsible for the Potted Potter show – with all of the Harry Potter stories in one.

Jeff and Dan are as ridiculously funny as Ant and Dec used to be before they became mainstream. They clown around for the full 70 minutes, not many props are needed and there’s not the usual array of over-the-top panto costumes, but a real lively performance. In true panto fashion it’s exit stage left and enter stage right with non-stop action, fast-paced talking and audience participation. Potted Panto has previously been nominated for an Olivier award and well deserved. It’s clever, silly, festive and traditional all rolled into one.

The performance is full of jokes, innuendoes, and good old-fashioned fun. Jeff and Dan have been performing Potted Panto for twelve years now. I have seen it advertised many times and have never had the time or opportunity to see it. When you are faced with so many pantomime options in London, this seems like the real deal – seven pantos in one. We step quickly inside Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, Snow White, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Dick Whittington and end up in A Christmas Carol (not a real panto but a story about ghosts and Scrooge). You have to keep up with the pace as they are onto the next panto before you’ve realised. Lots of quick changes, wigs and running about the stage. Jeff and Dan are very energetic and fast talking. I would also like to mention the support actors and performers for their input Liam Jeavons, Kevin Yates, Charlotte Payne (the good fairy with the voice of an angel), Jacob Jackson. We have the usual topical gags, especially when sleeping beauty sleeps for 100 years and in just one year how many prime ministers and monarchs have we had? We consider whether it’s ok to kiss sleeping women and partially dead ones in coffins. Political correctness has changed how we view our old-fashioned fairytales. Should we steal the giant’s gold and then kill him? The original story-tellers – the brothers Grimm could not imagine that their un-Disneyfied harsh and somewhat scary stories could be seen as inappropriate in the 21st century.

To make sure that the audience are not dozing we all have to stand up and take part. We sing along and have a jolly festive good time. Go and see this for a bit of festive family fun. Set in the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, with shows on at 11am this still leaves time to see the Christmas lights and do a spot of Christmas shopping or sale shopping afterwards. Great ticket price of £20 as well.

Before you go, practise the following words to the Merry Christmas Everybody song:
“So here it is Potted Panto,
It was seventy minutes long
And here’s our happy ending
A cheesy Christmas song”

Reviewer - Penny Curran
on - 18.12.22

CONCERT REVIEW: Kantos: Away In A Manger - The Stoller Hall, Manchester

Local up-coming chamber choir, Kantos, performed a celebration of seasonal music all invoking images of the crib and new life this afternoon at Manchester's Stoller Hall.

The concert started with the choir processing onto the stage from the rear of the auditorium, taking the title of the first movement in Britten's 'A Ceremony Of Carols' quite literally. The choir went on to sing the whole song cycle, with, of course, a literal interpretation once again of the final song, 'Recession'.  In the midst of these songs, they also sang Edmund Joliffe's 'There Is No Rose', which complimented the song by the same title in Britten's work. Joliffe had won a carol-writing competition and his prize was to have the song sung by the choir. The song cycle requires a solo soprano and solo mezzo soprano, and both soloists this afternoon, chosen from the main body of the choir were delightful, although I especially enjoyed the mezzo. The whole song cycle was sung to solo harp accompaniment, and this was provided by Eira Lynn-Jones.

After a short interval, the choir returned to sing more traditional Christmas fayre, interspersed with well-known carols which we, the audience, were invited to stand and sing along with too. I have to admit that this felt much more like a church service than a concert, and so was less happy with this than the first half, but most of the audience joined in and sang heartily. The community singing was accompanied on organ by George Herbert.

My favourite piece of the evening however was performed in this second half. It was an arrangement of a traditional Spanish song called 'A La Nanita Nama' which was arranged by choir member Robin Wallingham (who also sang quite beautifully the tenor solo in the piece). The choir should look at performing a few more up-tempo songs in their repertoire, as this evening's programme was, apart from this, all very much on the same moderato tempo.

That being said however, the cummulative sound that this choir creates is simply joyous. Their line, phrasing, breathing, articulation, and overall sound is truly beautiful, and the dynamic control superb. The sound simply washed over me, engulfed me, and I was happily drowning in it.

The one thing I would make some negative comment on - and I think I made reference to this in the last review of the choir too - is their choice of performance costuming. This evening I thought I was watching a choir rehearsal, not an actual performance. Dressed down in jeans, trainers, unironed shirts, boots, slacks, and for the second half, a combination of "quasi-seasonal" jumpers, just simply looked wrong, very ragged and uncaring.  

Close your eyes though, and you truly are in heaven.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 18.12.22

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Aladdin - The Lyceum Theatre, Crewe.

I have never been to a pantomime at Crewe's truly beautiful Lyceum Theatre before, but I am no stranger to Imagine Theatre's productions (the company producing the show). I knew therefore that the show would be a traditional panto with lots of silliness, fun gags for the kids and some adult stuff thrown in for good measure. And it was all of that and more.

The spectacle was there - colourful painted sets and cloths, silly OTT costumes, and a cast of principals who knew and understood the genre engaging perfectly with both young and old in this evening's press night audience. The one thing not in its favour this evening was the volume level. I have no idea why it needed to be so ear-piercingly loud, but would someone kindly advise the sound engineer that I now need hearing aids...!

Written by panto veteran and celebrated Dame, Eric Potts, one knew automatically that the show would be full of traditional routines and time-honoured responses, and it was. Lots of contemporary and local references added too which the Crewe audience loved. 

Dancer and personality Louie Spence starred as The Genie Of The Ring, his hilariously uber-camp antics making us all laugh. We knew what to expect from him, and we were not disappointed. Coronation Street star Jamie Kenna was our baddie this evening, and we all loved to hate the commanding and snarling (but not too formidable) Abanazar. Another TV face came in the form of Milkshake's Kiera Nicole as the Princess Jasmine, playing opposite both her mother The Councillor (Sophie Hurst), and her love interest, the lacklustre son of Twanky Twins, Aladdin (Thomas A Chan). The other 'twin' Wishy, was the delightful Peter Kay look-and-sound-alike Ste Johnston, who, for this reviewer at least, absolutely stole the show on his every entrance. The up-for-a-lark and talented Malcolm Lord donned the frocks this evening as Widow Twankey, and the sonorous and nicely spoken Amelia Atherton gave a lovely performance as the Genie of The Lamp. 

Aiding and abetting the principals were four ensemble dancers and cameo characters, as well as a junior ensemble of dancers taken from a local dancing / theatre school. The junior dancers were indeed excellent and kept up with the choreography superbly, as well as filling the stage and complimenting the acting in other scenes too. Such a pity though that the choreographer had decided to put them always at the back behind the much larger ensemble dancers, and so their talents were hidden from view majority of the time. 

For a magical, fun-filled, laugh-a-minute, family-friendly Christmas panto, then you can't go far wrong with Crewe Lyceum's 'Aladdin'! [Watch out for Johnston's lovely rapport and beautiful ad libs with both cast and errant stage-struck youngsters!]

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 17.12.22

 

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Sleeping Beauty - The Grange Theatre, Hartford. Northwich.

The wonderful theatre at The Grange School in Hartford is once again filled with the fun of the festive season as KD Theatre Productions present their annual pantomime here... oh yes they do!

This year it is the tale of Sleeping Beauty which gets the panto treatment, and with a cast of only 6 (not including the dancers) one might have thought that the stage and overall effect might have been a little empty, but not at all... the characters are of course, larger than life, and the team of dancers fill the stage at every opportunity...as well as the odd appearance of a dinosaur or other monster too!

This is a colourful, upbeat, and very traditional panto with plenty of the reponses and routines which we all love and the target audience engages fully with. There's an evil baddie that we all love to boo, Carabosse (Mollie Kate Angus), there's the rather potty Dame, Nurse Nora (Joe Docherty), the handsome Prince (Jake Hankey), the damsel in distress, Princess Aurora (Lucy Brindle), the put-upon and somewhat hapless father King Key - no-one got that joke! - (Alan Booth), and of course the 'Buttons' character who does the most interaction with the audience, Presto the Jester (Charles Michael Duke).

The routines are fun, the jokes are fast and furious.... many with contemporary and / or local references, with just a few, extremely well-placed naughty ones for the adults. These were delivered with such skill that they were almost unrecognisable as jokes at all and went over the children's heads completely. Perfect.

Some companies want to try and reinvent the wheel, some companies simply have no idea what a panto should be about; KD lie in neither category.... they understand completely, and have delivered an engaging and truly family oriented piece of entertainment for the festive season. The singing and dancing were nicely done, ditto the lighting and effects; a superb upbeat end to the first act (The Time Warp), leaving us wanting more, and of course the fairytale happy end in the finale sequence. Colourful costumes, personable and relatable characters, and lots and lots of silliness... what more could anyone ask for?

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 17.12.22

THEATRE REVIEW: Claus, The Musical. - The Lowry Theatre, Salford.

A new musical is always a little difficult to premiere, especially when everyone coming to see it will have their own preformed expectations of what the show will be about and how it will be presented. Here perhaps even more so, since the titular character is none other than our seasonal hero Father Christmas (or Santa Claus if you prefer). 

Andy Collyer (music and lyrics) and Simon Warne (book) have taken as their source material, 'The Life And Adventures Of Santa Claus' by 'Wizard Of Oz' writer, L.Frank Baum, and indeed, in his original novel, the legend of Claus takes place in the Kingdom Of Oz. However here we are in The Forest of Burzee, and set and costume designer Stewart J. Charlesworth has created something just about as far removed from Oz as is perhaps possible to be. That being said however, it doesn't look much like a forest either, but the different levels and circus-style possibilities of the set make it a playground for the cast. 

As we take our seats the cast are busy, they are inviting the young audience members to help them with material jobs, throwing a washing line acrosss the balcony, hanging material flags, dancing with ribbons, etc; whilst one lady (she is the story's narrator) takes time to chat to the youngsters and get to know a little about them in a very friendly, grandmotherly sort of way. It's unique, but it is also all-inclusive; and it gives the show a mysterious and upbeat start. Part circus, part fantasy, and we are all geared up for something which sadly, once the cast start the show properly, never actually materialises. The fourth wall comes down, and although we want to cheer and boo the elements of good and evil in the show - this is billed as the family Christmas show at this venue - we are instead treated to a rather 'worthy' and sincere production which has a rather complicated and longwinded story to follow with some very unfamiliar names and characters. 

...and for those people, especially the children, wanting to see their favourite seasonal character on stage, then one has to wait until about half-way through the second act before he even starts to become anything like the familiar image we all have of him. And even by the end of the show, he is still too young and hasn't found his white hair and beard yet...!

Instead, this story gives us Claus's backstory. How he grew up and how he became the toy-making recluse. Perhaps it works better on the page, but this adaptation is wordy, and the cast are continually multi-rolling, some with more success than others; so it loses focus and we lose our attention. The direction (Kate Golledge) is very busy and again we lose focus. Sometimes there is so much happening on stage [like a Baz Luhrmann film] that we would need to see it several times before we were able to take it all in. The direction uses long lengths of ribbon, large pieces of material, torches, and a ladder, throughout; it's very 'arty' and sometimes we are not quite sure what or why. I think the lengths of ribbon represented the placing of a magic spell and entrapment; the material was used for the snow, the shadow puppetry, and for shelter, but think I might have missed the reason behind the torches. It's not an easy show to follow in this respect.

Musically it is also quite unmemorable. The songs, quite pleasant and tuneful when we listen to them, are instantly forgotten, which is a shame, since there isn't a stand-out lyric or melody that the audience can take with them which would ensure the longivety of the show. The messages of love, harmony, togetherness etc are all nicely placed and relevant, but even when the evil of Awgwa comes to the fore, it is still quite tame and the battles safely choreographed and deaths reported. Act one is long and full of exposition, whilst act 2 fares somewhat better and the image of Claus on the sleigh is much more successful. The final few minutes where there are a couple of perhaps unexpected reveals in the plot, are the only truly dramatic moments of the entire show sadly. 

Moments (and only moments) of light-heartedness came from Michael Kholwadia as the Ryl Prince and Chris Draper as Will Knook; Junior Delius was an upright King Ak; Jessica Lim was a speaking and enchanted lioness with a good rapport with Harry Wichester's personable Claus, although her long tail (manned by other performers) seemed to have a life and language of its own. Jazz Evans excelled as the baddie King Awgwa, relishing and stealing every scene he was in as that character, whilst Georgie Buckland's singing voice as Necile stole the show and our hearts. Finally our lovely narrator (without whom we would have been truly lost!) was the mellow-voiced and very engaging Alwyne Taylor. 

One comment I overheard from a youngster sitting close by me during the second act was, "Mummy, why is the lion on stage now without the tail when she's dead?" And with that, I would say that this thoughtful and detailed show, presented with skill by the ensemble cast, is not something for everyone, and younger children are going to get lost along the way. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 16.12.22

THEATRE REVIEW: Realms Of Glory - 53Two, Manchester.

Manchester's arches are alive with the sound of music.... no, not THAT music! But there is a brand new musical being premiered at 53Two this Christmas. Forget pantomimes, and all the various 'Christmas Carols' that get churned out year in year out without much thought; here, Manchester theatre company, Imaginality, have teamed up with the chaps at 53Two to present a piece of original music-drama with historical background, a heartwarming storyline, and a Christmas theme.

Before writing this review, I needed to do a little research myself, and I have learned something about my adopted home city of which I was previously unaware. During the Second World War, Manchester did suffer two full days of heaving bombing from the air; it was December 1940, and was known as 'The Christmas Blitz'. Our musical this evening, 'Realms Of Glory' is set during this time.

Amelia Simpson plays a young newly-wed Lizzie, who gets caught up in a fireball bomb hitting her neighbourhood, and is trapped in her home. Whilst waiting for help, she starts to recount her recent past remembering the close friendships she enjoyed, the loves she had known, the losses she has had to endure, and most of all, the yearning to be able to start a family of her own. We meet her husband, Bob (Alex Cosgriff), her best friend Mavis (Rebecca McAuley), her husband Jim (Ben Kawalec), and the friendly, gossipy, neighboorhood ARP, Ida (Ella Heywood). We are taken on an undulating journey through her losing her brother in the First World War, to a chance meeting with Bob and her whirlwind romance; to her being married on the same day as Mavis, and to the loss of all of those around her, until (spoiler alert) Ida finds a way down to her and is freed from the rubble. 

Musically the piece is more than secure, (Ollie Mills), and the tunes are all written with a firm hat-nod in the direction of the popular music of the era. The singing, especially the harmonies, are lovely, and the opening song in particular, was especially pleasing. The dialogue however (Ollie Mills and Rachel Mann), does lack dramatic drive and dynamicism, and without a truly linear timeline, it can get a little confusing too. Perhaps a little reworking with the help of a dramaturg would give the story more power and electricity.

The set was minimal, just a few crates, sandbags, and little else which represented all the various locations that Lizzie conjurs, and sadly this sets the musical very firmly in 'Fringe' territory, which does little to lift the scenarios from the stage. Much is required on the part of the audience to visualise the settings. Lighting was creative, but on this, the opening night of the musical, there were some annoying mic crackles which can hopefully be rectified for future shows. 

It's a very 'nice' story, but hugely predictable, but it does have the 'ah' factor. The cast would certainly have benefitted from a little more rehearsal time, so given time for the show to 'bed-in' a little, the pace will hopefully shift out of what was this evening perpetual second gear. However, saying all of that, it was great to be able to watch original Manchester-made theatre for Christmas that didn't revert to the twee and the banal, as most Christmas-tide events seem to do these days.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 14.12.22

THEATRE REVIEW: The Snow Queen - The Storyhouse, Chester.

A modernising of the Hans Christian Anderson favourite, 'The Snow Queen' has arrived at Cheshire's flagship theatre, The Storyhouse in Chester.

On entering the auditorium I had a surprise. The whole stage had been hydraulically lifted to be on a level with the circle seats, meaning that which would normally be the circle was now the stalls, and that which would have normally been the grand tier, was now the circle. This made the space much more intimate although it also meant that a large number of unused and unavailable seating was underneath us all. The stage was set simply but effectively with the band on two platforms raising outwards to the rear of the stage, whilst the majority of the forestage was covered in a circular frozen mirror / lake. 

This adaptation of 'The Snow Queen' by Charles Way is not a particularly inspiring one, and so much onus has been placed on the part of the actors to bring as much life into these words as possible. It is also written as a Fringe / Studio Theatre play, and here, performing it in this reduced main house setting was perhaps a wise idea. The play wouldn't have worked on the main stage proper. 

8 actors and actresses were required to perform all the varied and multifarious characters that peopled this production, and with three of them remaining constant throughout, it meant that five truly had their work cut out! Will Kirk, Kate Malyon, Tom Richardson, Chloe Wade, and Flo Wilson all deserve credit for their many costume and character changes. My personal favourites were Wade's Robber Girl and Tom Richardson's elderly reindeer. 

The three protagonists were Rosemarie Akwafo and Taona Matope as the children Gerda and Kai respectively, whilst the wicked Snow Queen was performed by Lucy Tuck.

In this evening's production there was much focus on the technical and spectacle. The Stage Management team truly never stopped. SFX, FX, and LX were more or less non-stop, with more things coming down from the flies on each scene. It was certainly a visual spectacle. I did wonder though, just how the play would have looked / worked without it all. Take away all the gloss and the glam, and we were not left with very much at all sadly. Clever use of a trap door, and theatrical magic made this show much more entertaining.

There was one moment in the second act which truly spoiled the show though, in this reviewer's opinion. The play and story was pleasant enough, and we were watching it play out in front of us. There was most definitely a 'fourth wall' in place throughout; until half-way through the second act, when suddenly the house lights came up, and we were in panto mode... the cast asking the audience for dance move suggestions...and this came out of nowhere. With the audience being predominently adults, the suggestions were very thin on the ground too.

I am still trying to decide just exactly who the play's target audience is. This evening's audience was made up of primarily adults; I would estimate that less than one tenth of the audience were children, and majority of those were girls. I took time on occasion to watch the audience's reactions rather than the action on stage, and it truly was very mixed. The parts the youngsters engaged in, were not necessarily those which the adults laughed at, and some adults simply sat po-faced and unmoved the entire evening. The talking flowers were fun, the Robber Kingdom of Forever Autumn was well done, however no-one laughed or engaged with the Summer sequence sadly; all the children I watched during this time were hating it. 

Akwafo and Matope are both adult performers, and yet they are acting down here. However, it was impossible to say what age they were supposed to have been - I imagine preteen, but their acting was of mid-teens at best, and neither managed to engage their 'peers' in this evening's audience at all. And what was most interesting was that those who gave a standing ovation were a selection of adults. I didn't see any child or family stand to applaud at the end. 

Obviously much work and consideration has gone in to making this entertainment for families at Christmas, but if this evening's performance is anything to go by, it falls somewhat flat. The music is unmemorable and very folk-inspired, whilst the characterisations are mostly monodimensional. 

A very mixed bag which garnered mixed reactions, this is obviously very much a Marmite show.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 13.12.22

MUSIC REVIEW: Franck Carducci And The Fantastic Squad - Venue 229, London.

It was on a cold, cold evening that I made my way to watch Franck Carducci & The Fantastic Squad at Venue 229 in Central London on their The Answer Tour. I needn’t have worried about being cold, as once I had experienced the unique and effervescent Frenchman himself, I was feeling on fire! Carducci oozes flamboyance, stage presence and charisma - and on that stage is where he truly shines. What a show, led by the showman himself along with his squad of four fantastics, Barth Sky on guitar and backing vocals, Cédric Selzer on keyboards and backing vocals, Léa Fernandez on drums and finally the wonderfully exuberant Mary Reynaud on vocals, acoustic guitar, theremin (an instrument I’d never seen in action before) and percussions.

The support act came in the form of Dec Burke - Burke is a former guitarist/vocalist with acclaimed U.K. progressive rockers group, Frost*, an English neo-progressive rock supergroup. As well as his work with Dilemma, Audio Plastik and Darwin’s Radio, Burke is establishing a strong solo career, and released the album, “Life In Two Dimensions” in 2021. He certainly got the room wide awake and alive with his impressive set, and I was especially taken with the track “Energy” an edgy explosion of exquisite songwriting, and the title track from the album “Life In Two Dimensions” was also an emotional, musical gem!

Now it was time for Carducci and his Fantastics to step up onto the stage, and with bucketloads of energy and a firey spirit boldly step onto it they did! With just the right amount of glittery eye makeup, black nail polish, sparkly flares and partially opened silk shirts to spark my intrigue, Carducci and his squad treated us to some of his greatest songs and we had the impressive “Love Is The Answer” one of my absolute favourites - an amazing progressive rock tune. There are definite layers amongst this ProgRock genre of spell-bounding folk music and it wasn’t just a musical extravaganza but a light effects one too! From green lights to reds to pinks, to purples, this really was a show to entertain and stimulate the senses! When it was time for the captivating Reynaud to sing a song she composed herself  “The Angel” - she was exquisite. We also had her leave the stage and treat the audience, who were encircling her to a sensual and mystifying dance routine. The way she incorporated her magnificent LED-light-up-angel-wings costume into the dance had everyone entranced. It was a magical moment in time. Reynaud is particularly impressive and exquisite on the theremin (an electronic music instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer) and certainly wowed the audience with her impressive skill and physicality with the theremin, a particularly difficult instrument to master. When Carducci was leading the ceremonies on stage we were treated to more musical delights such as “Mr Hyde & Dr Jekyll” and as Carducci himself says this one is about people with a double personality, sometimes nice to you, sometimes really not. “Torn Apart” which is the title track of Carducci’s 2015 “Torn Apart” album, (and also features special guest Steve Hackett (Genesis) on a track on the album “Closer To Irreversible”) is an absolute Prog Rock dream! You really have to immerse yourself when watching Carducci and his Fantastic squad, a rock ‘n' roll circus where we’re all invited to be our true selves and I would say each and every audience member was thoroughly enjoying every single moment. It was my first time seeing this band, however I would definitely go and see them again and many of the audience members I spoke to were true die-hard fans - this was an intimate gig, which for me makes it all the more special and connecting. There was a lovely moment where the audience sang a cappella a bit of Pink Floyd along with Carducci “How I wish you were here, we’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl”

The band played so well together - you can really tell they are enjoying their time up on that stage and have the audience in the palm of their hand at every note! It cannot be highlighted enough the talents of the troop as a whole, Sky on his guitar was a true artiste and entertainer and extremely talented on that guitar to boot. Selzer, although a little more reserved in his showmanship on the keyboards, still thoroughly entertained and certainly had stage presence, Fernandez on drums was so watchable - she created a warmth and likeability with her drum moves which were spot on, and her understanding of musical timing is just perfect! Finally, Reynaud really impressed with her multi-talented creativity. I really liked that Carducci gives time for his Fantastic Squad to really shine in their own light - a true team player! Back to Carducci himself and meeting him briefly before they played, he is just as I imagined him, warm, witty, energetic, very French, charismatic, quirky, engaging and a true entertainer. The walls were literally shaking at this gig and I am so glad I have experienced the one and only Franck Carducci & The Fantastic Squad, a musical and creative journey, a fantasy, where no audience member can escape from being fully captivated!

Reviewer - Mary Fogg

on -10.12.22

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Goldilocks And The Three Bears - The Epstein Theatre, Liverpool.

Pantomimes abound in abundance around this time of year. For the most part, productions are taken from a select group of stories (such as Cinderella, Aladdin or Jack and the Beanstalk and usually involve a number of set-routines that get repeated year after year. Panto is certainly a great British tradition but one often wishes for a just little more originality whilst keeping to the essence of what makes a good pantomime fun for both young and old. Taking all these factors into account, ‘Goldilocks And The Three Bears’ actually comes close to reinventing the wheel!

For a start, ‘Goldilocks’, whilst being a well-known children’s fairy tale is a refreshingly rare choice for a panto, perhaps in part because of the inherent problem of presenting three bears convincingly as characters. Secondly, most pantos start with a few routines where the characters interact with each other. In ‘Goldilocks’, after an initial singing and dancing number, the Dame, Silly Billy and later the villain Baron Von Vippenhall are each given considerable time alone on stage, dependent on effective interaction with the audience with no-one else to spark off, akin to old-fashioned Music Hall and requiring considerable skill. This was potentially risky but succeeded with this show. Another notable difference was that often pantos involve well-known pop songs effectively given light weight treatment. With this show, the volume was turned up with powerful singing and dancing giving the feel of a rock concert. There were musical number as well with ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’, the whole cast doing a Tiller-girl style line; again a bit different and it worked well.

The show dispensed with old stalwarts like a messy cooking scene and created fresh and original comedy. A scene involving Silly Billy with the Baron dressed as a bee was at face value ridiculously childish and inane but it had the whole audience repeatedly laughing their heads off; no mean trick to pull off! Again, a very simple gag involving a prison door was performed so well it got a round of applause. There were other several demonstrations of great comedy achieved simply through great timing and professionalism.

Apart from the actual Bear’s house, which only appeared briefly, the staging relied on just a few backcloths and drop-screens but this was all that was needed because the generous stage was used to full effect. The dancers wore a stunning array of costumes ranging from brightly coloured long dresses to skimpy outfits that would not have looked out of place at the Moulin Rouge. There was also genuine spectacle. A circus scene involving a genuine high-level acrobat and a fire-eater brought a sense of danger to the show rarely seen in panto, providing an effective contrast the buffoonery.

The principle players in ‘Goldilocks’ deserve mention. Olivia Sloyan in the title-role was relaxed and confident, unusually for a principle girl having directed the show as well. David Tag as the Ringmaster was out of his usual comfort zone but was the ideal straight man whilst displaying a honed and muscular physique in an often self-deprecating way. Importantly, he seemed to be enjoying himself. Brandon McCaffrey brought nothing new to the role of Silly Billy but performed energetically and built a genuine rapport with the audience. The big departures from tradition were firstly having Mama G as the Dame, actually looking like a woman and frequently wearing sexy, alluring dresses, displaying disturbingly good legs! Think of the 1970’s star Danny La Rue with added panto outrage; a real asset to the show. Another marked difference was having a villain who regularly had long, solo engagements with the audience and also a ludicrous Germanic accent (think of the Baron’s Henchmen and the Child-catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang rolled into one). Timothy Lucas was truly a memorable villain. Credit must also be given to the excellent dance troupe performing and dancing in a great variety of outfits and also the three bears (effective costumes and an amusing trio).

This is a longer review than usual; it deserved to be. A great and very funny show.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse

on - 13.12.22

STUDENT OPERA REVIEW: Die Fledermaus - The RNCM, Manchester.

The Royal Northern College of Music does modern-dress productions of classical opera very, very well. And that delight also extends to Strauss operetta. 'Die Fledermaus' (The Bat), performed in English with a new libretto and dialogue by David Parry and Stephen Barlow, is a lively, amusing update set on Millennium Eve in 1999 that still hits all the champagne notes during its most famous songs.

During the Act I overture, the backstory was set up. Following a very drunken Halloween party, London posh blokes Falke (dressed as Batman) and Eisenstein (dressed as The Joker) wind up on a bench inside a tube station. Falke passes out. Eisenstein pours water onto Falke’s crotch and gleefully disappears. Falke awakes to the police, rush hour commuters, and a scandalous article in The Sun. This is the beginnings of  'The Bat’s Revenge'.

Designer Yannis Thavoris had a wonderful time with this update. Act I is a luxurious flat by the Thames, with a framed Tatler cover of Eisenstein’s wife Rosalinde on the wall. Act II is the yacht of Russian oligarch Prince Orlofsky, complete with hot tub and a view of the Millennium Dome over the water. Act III is a gleamingly new police station. The party on the yacht particularly featured a blaze of 1990's fashion among the chorus, which included celebrity guests The Spice Girls and Boris Johnson. And having a DJ booth with “DJ Strauss In Da Haus” on it was an extra special touch.

Olivia Tringham shone grandiosely as Rosalinde. Her warm soprano rolled effortlessly over Strauss’s score, particularly when she was singing about her fake Hungarian homeland in mock Eurovision style while in disguise as “Miss Budapest.” And she’s a genuinely good comic actress. Bonnie Callaghan also shone as Adele, the chambermaid who sneaks into the party disguised as a pink-gowned starlet. Her crisp soprano sparkled with every soubrette note. Matthew Secombe had a light touch as Eisenstein, and a good sense of clowning. His delicate baritone playfully engaged with the score. Adam Jarman as Falke has a lyrical baritone that was particularly suited to Falke’s softer and more melancholic moments (i.e. when Falke had had too much champagne.) Henry Strutt as Alfie, Rosalinde’s secret lover, gave his Northern-accented plumber a toolbox full of charm, and had a glowing tenor voice to match. Dominic Morgan as Blind, the lawyer, used his silvery tenor to perfectly pernickety effect, and made the most of being stripped down to a gown and Union Jack underpants towards the end. Sarah Winn blasted her strong mezzo-soprano all over Prince Orlofsky’s role, and had a dynamic stage presence. No-one else could have handled those enormous Russian security guards with such silently bored power. Taylor London brought her lively soprano and glittering belly-dancing costume to the role of Ida, Adele’s sister. Patrick Osborne’s rich bass-baritone crackled its way through Frank, the head policeman. Osborne also had a rather nice touch as a comic actor.

And the uncredited young woman who had the speaking-only role of Police Officer Frosch – first of all, why isn’t she in the programme? And secondly, her air of petty bossiness was the perfect frame to Act III, particularly when she was struggling with her antique-looking computer and other technologies.

Beautiful work from the Chorus, who also supported the guest appearance of real-life diva Kathryn Rudge when she dropped by Prince Orlofsky’s yacht to sing a bit from “Carmen” – as you do.

Conductor David Parry kept things at the perfect pitch of bubbling vitality, while still going into full showstopper mode for the biggest songs. Director Stephen Barlow kept a rollicking good story going that, though it had had a lot of liberties taken with it, made “Die Fledermaus” as fresh as ever.

Reviewer - Thalia Terpsichore

on - 12.12.22

THEATRE REVIEW: A Christmas Carol - The Shakespeare North Playhouse, Prescot. Liverpool.

The north of England has acquired a real gem with The Shakespeare North Playhouse, which only opened its doors a few months ago. This modern theatre complex combines the timbered look of a contemporaneous Shakespearian theatre with everything that modern staging technology can provide both above and below the boards. All of this was shown off to full advantage in ‘A Christmas Carol’ which was remarkably sophisticated as well as being a very fast-paced production.

The cast of four took the audience on a frenetic journey of music, song and spectacle over a two hour show which included entrances from baskets, under beds and elsewhere, making full use of the theatre’s extensive range of trap doors. This was not just a very physical show but asked for (and received!) a fair amount of audience participation, which (just about) never went down to the banality of pantomime. The show managed to remain completely faithful to the Dickens story whilst displaying considerable flair and originality.

None of the four actors were ever off stage for very long as the familiar Dickens tale was re-set in Prescot whilst retaining a fully Victorian look and feel. This was a true actor/musician show with each actor playing a variety of instruments including accordion, bass, clarinet, guitar, violin, and saxophone. With such a variety of sounds, there was a remarkably varied amount of music. None of the songs were memorable but that was not the point; much of the styles were akin to 1920’s Berlin cabaret, designed to enhance or compliment the performance, at times in a very Brechtian manner. The actors would seamlessly swap instruments as they alternated between singing or playing whilst often dancing around the stage.

All the cast played a wide range of roles with the exception of Zoe West, who was Eliva as well as the central character Scrooge. The notion of a young, dark haired woman playing the normally grizzly old man seen in so many films at first glance seems incongruous but it unquestionably worked, because the characterisation (and costuming) was all there with even West’s curly hair lending itself to a Victorian style. A joke well into the play about Scrooge being ‘a bad lady’ was funny precisely because it demonstrated the audience’s acceptance of the male Scrooge presented to them. The star turn for each of the other members of the cast was playing one of the three ghosts. Jessica Dives was a lively Ghost of Christmas Past, in nice contrast to other roles of largely prim and proper Victorian types. Abigail Middleton gave a comic twist to the Ghost of Christmas Present (no spoiler here!), again in sharp contrast to roles such as a street beggar. Eddy Westbury was not just a very funny Ghost of Christmas Yet-To-Come (developing into a set-piece involving all the cast in a superb tangential departure from the norm) but was also very memorable as Scrooge’s deceased business partner Jacob Marley.

There were numerous nice theatrical touches including two clocks that seemed to have a life of their own. Lighting and smoke effects were used sparingly but imaginatively and a considerable amount of furniture and props were smoothly moved on and off stage through the show and without any assistance from stage-hands. This was a very funny and enjoyable show which gave each of the four actors considerable opportunity to display their wide-ranging acting and musical talents. The show was fully accessible to all ages whilst not in any way dumbed down. If you want to see a fun Christmas show that is free of inane, panto childishness, this is the show for you; a very slick and funny show.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse

on - 12.12.22

PANTOMIME REVIEW: Robin Hood: The '80's Panto - The Contact Theatre, Manchester

I have had the pleasure of seeing and reviewing Eight Freestyle's pantomimes these last few years, and watched them transfer from the beautiful art deco splendour that The Dancehouse Theatre used to offer, to the more capacious and modern Contact Theatre further down Oxford Road. 

They have always been enjoyable, traditional, fun, and have always managed to excite and entertain. This year they have tried something a little different, and I am unhappy to report that the ideas fell somewhat flat. 

Robin Hood is a difficult one to pull off as a pantomime in any case, since there is no character in the actual story who could easily be the Dame, but to then make it even more difficult for themselves by making the story about two tiny 'babes' who are next in line to the throne, and with King Richard thought to be dead (away on the crusades), the Sheriff of Nottingham (now the evil baddie we need to boo) wants them dead at all costs in order that he might become the King (how this would be possible it was never made clear). 

We therefore have a story which is almost nigh impossible to either follow or believe, and one which I am certain the target audience is not likely to fully grasp. A very lengthy exposition of the history and storyline is therefore given - in rhyme - at the start of the show by the fairy, but since we just want to get on with the booing, cheering and general fun that panto normally creates, we don't really pay too much attention to this.

The third thing which made it more difficult and less accessible was the company's decision to set the show in the 1980s with 1980's costuming, music, but above all references and jokes. None of the target audience were born in the 20th century let alone the 1980s, and so, the computer graphics, cassette recorders, mullet hairstyles, computer games, and ALL the jokes and references to the pop music, culture, TV stars and shows, etc from that decade were all completely lost on their target audience. 

This therefore was not a traditional pantomime as we know it, Jim. In fact the cast seemed to be performing the show more for themselves than for the audience this Sunday morning. Perhaps it was because it was an early Sunday morning show, perhaps it was because it was only their second performance, perhaps it was because the auditorium was less than one fifth full, with not very many children, but whatever the reason, the performance was somewhat flat and pedestrian this afternoon, and scant effort was made on the part of the cast to engage their target audience at all.

And as for the traditional set routines and responses that one expects from the genre, they too were in short supply. I counted only two 'Oh yes he is' chants, and only a couple of the standard routines which were poorly executed and garnered little or no laughter. 

Technically the panto left much to be desired too. The mic' levels were simply far too high. Ear-piercingly so. I was forced to wear ear plugs throughout, and even then some of the music was too loud. I have absolutely no idea why the sound engineers of today want to deafen everyone, but trust me, loudness does not mean betterness. If we are unable to listen to the dialogue without it distorting, or can't enjoy the song without covering our ears, then there is a problem! The lighting was poor too sadly; there were many occasions when the principals were acting in semi or total darkness, spotlights didn't work, and when the cast were acting in front of the tabs, the lighting was casting enormous shadows onto the tab which looked very strange indeed. 

For this reviewer, there were only two saving graces of this afternoon's show; the first was the dancing. The company had joined forces with four principal dancers and a whole team of youngsters from I can only assume, a local dancing school. The choreography was apt, and well executed from them all, with nice costuming, and good use of the whole stage. The dances were frequent and entertaining, and the dancers more than capable of the job in hand. Full marks. Whilst the second thing in the company's favour was to use two very small and young children as the two 'babes'. who acted their little socks off this afternoon. The highlight of the whole show was their rendition of 'Stand By Me'. 

As much as it pains me to write all the above, since I have enjoyed and looked forward to Eight Feestyles pantomimes every year until now, this year's, in this reviewer's opinion, needs serious reconsideration.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 11.12.22

MUSIC REVIEW: The Manchester Camerata with The RNCM - The RNCM, Manchester.

Is there any better way to warm oneself and soul than an evening of great music? The concert hall of the Royal Northern College of Music was just the spot for this, hosting a mixture of the Manchester Camerata as well as RNCM students, we were treated to a fine selection of music from the last 220 years.

Kicking off the evening was a newly commissioned piece by Carmel Smickersgill entitled “Birthday Card To A Stranger”, an audio/visual piece written for the 50th anniversary of the RNCM. Conducted by Agata Zając, this highly atmospheric piece of music employing the full talent of strings, with some voice too, aided by sentences appearing on the screen above combines to create a deeper message about how we may approach our own birthdays and those of others. The music was certainly fresh and contemporary, a perfect start to the evening before our stepping back in time. The use of a legato portamento drove the mood of the music and gave it an almost film soundtrack-like feel, making it feel almost out-of-body, again driving this existentialism which birthdays and anniversaries bring to some of us. Smickersgill’s passion and talent for composing was fully evident in the roaring applause from the audience at the end of the piece, being further heightened when they appeared in front of the musicians for the bow.

A change in conductors with additional musicians, and the appearance of the podium followed as the Camerata’s Conductor, Gábor Takács-Nagy, took the helm for Elgar’s Cello Concerto featuring the Camerata’s Principal Cellist, Hannah Roberts. Roberts’ performance produced a wonderfully velvety rich sound which filled the concert hall and set the bar for the rest of the orchestra to compliment. Both soloist and conductor were equally animated in their positions, with vigorous gestures and foot stomping as the music swelled and tempo increased. Elgar’s Cello Concerto is an incredibly poignant piece of music, originally written in the aftermath of the First World War, it has transcended the last hundreds years to become a celebrated staple of British music, which remains as poignant even today. Roberts’ command of the cello was first class, being as delicate and forceful as the music, and conductor, required. It was hard to not keep our eyes off the cello, and any glances away to the rest of the camerata were short as attention would be brought back to the bow along the strings and Roberts’ fingers traversing the neck of the instrument with an ease that seemed almost hypnotic. The piece itself was beautifully simplistic, yet multidimensional and evocative; with a dash of Mahler’s Fifth in there? The acoustics of the hall carried the orchestra’s sound beautifully, and the Elgar was the perfect piece for that.

Following a brief interval, the audience settled down one last time as the camerata was welcomed back on stage with Takącs-Nagy introducing Beethoven’s 6th Symphony “Pastorale” along with the conductor’s interpretations of the movements. The composer’s love of the outdoors is perfectly captured in those opening bars; we all picture a different variation of the same thing in our mind, for myself, a wood with bluebells in early Spring. Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony really was the cherry on top of an already delicious and rich dessert. Time ceased to exist during this part of the night, as the great composer’s work carried the audience away, and most likely the musicians too. The trio of woodwind performing the birdsong was delightful, and special mention must be made to the woodwind section as they stole the show during this piece. The thunder storm of the 4th movement was as dark and powerful as real life and like a bolt of lightening, zapping the audience's attention who had been enjoying such a comfortable and tranquil stroll through Beethoven’s countryside. In his introduction, Takącs-Nagy expressed his thought that Symphony No.6 was Beethoven’s declaration of love to nature, which was created to bring the composer out of a long period of depression. He further elaborated that he believed the final movement to be a vote of thanks not only by the shepherds and villagers represented in the piece, but also from Beethoven himself for life. Takącs-Nagy's introduction really elevated the enjoyment of the piece and contrasted with the previous poignancy of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, lifted the mood and brought a ray of sunshine and joy for the audience.

Manchester Camerata have the presence and sound of a full scale orchestra. Correction, the Camerata as well the students of the RNCM! Were it not for some grey hair and the odd baby face, it would be impossible to distinguish between the masters and the learners. The audience was incredibly receptive to the performance, culminating in a standing ovation for many and repeated rapturous applause and cheering as the orchestra bowed with gleeful smiles multiple times. The order of the evening, juxtaposing the new composer with the old created the perfect upward curve to the sensational climax and buzzing atmosphere which left the audience with pep. Perfect for a bitter winter’s night!

Reviewer - Daryl Griffin 
on - 9.12.22