AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Guys And Dolls - The Forum Theatre, Romiley. Greater Manchester.

A musical fable of Broadway based on the story and characters of Damon Runyon with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. 'Guys And Dolls' was definitely a stock, musical favourite in my childhood home, loved by both my parents who adored the 1955 film of the same name starring Brando and Sinatra, and as a child I knew ‘Luck Be A Lady’ pretty well. I’ve also seen the show performed a few times by amateurs and professionally but not since its revivals in 2015 and 2023. 

This musical, romantic comedy follows the exploits of Manhattan crap game organiser Nathan Detroit’s attempts to organise illegal gambling whilst being constantly pursued by the police and his long-suffering fiancée of 14 years; Adelaide. Needing $1000 to secure a venue for the next game, he enlists high rolling gambler Sky Masterson and attempts to dupe him by betting him he can’t take the ‘doll’ of his naming on his trip to Havana, Cuba. The doll is named as Sarah Brown, Evangelist sergeant from the ‘Save-A-Soul’ mission. The ensuing pantomime of events to match up Sarah and Sky, Nathan to get his crap game played and marry Adelaide by the end of the day to all marry up by the final number. All against a rolling backdrop of NYC, the sewers and the sultry nightclubs of Havana, but not forgetting the threat of intimidation from the powerful Chicago mobster who may take the whole game down.  

I’ve never seen ECMTC [East Cheshire Musical Theatre Company] perform before, and was left very impressed at their tight ensemble performances and the calibre of the vocals. Performing this week at the spacious Romiley Forum on an ample proscenium stage it served their production well with its depth and height allowing for Broadway lit placards to illuminate the stage and serve as a reminder throughout of time and place.  

Musical director Ed Nurse had tight control of his ten-piece band who played sympathetically and there sounded like a few musical arrangements which might have been played around with and I liked them very much, in particular ‘A Bushel And A Peck’, which wasn’t as twee as I have seen it usually played. The famous songs ‘ Luck Be A Lady’ and ‘ Sit Down, You’re Rocking The Boat’, were crowd favourites and rightly so. The musical director had drilled his singers well and there were clear and balanced harmonies. Sound was excellent all night long with no mic gremlins.   

From the opening Overture and Runyonland, the production set off at breakneck pace with a lovely tableau of characters entering the stage and establishing themselves. And then ‘Fugue For Tinhorns’ gave the three male sub-leads a head start. Gorgeous, well-matched voices with lovely timbre and excellent delivery. So many excellent male voices on that stage. Nicely Nicely (Steve Shepherd), Benny (Ivor Farley) and Rusty Charlie (Kieran Hickey) worked well together all night by avoiding the sometimes frenetic pantomimical versions of these characters and playing for depth and character. They were different, they connected and they supported Nathan as his foils. Steve Shepherd’s ‘Sit Down’ in Act 2 made the audience want to stand up in rapturous applause.   

Enter the 'Save-A-Soul' Mission characters of Sgt. Sarah Brown and Arvide Abernathy. Francesca Bowman had a beautiful voice and her drunken ‘If I Were Bell’ after the Havana Bacardi drinks mix up really showed a softer acting side to her character. In the initial scenes, I found it hard to connect to her as I felt she was pitched too hard. Sarah IS a hardboiled doll but she felt from an audience perspective  to be coming from a place of anger rather than from frustration at the lack of conversion of NY sinners despite her daily and most fervent attempts. Her scene in Act 2 with Adelaide as they sang ‘Marry The Man Today’ though was excellent! Their interplay gave me goosebumps and as a musical number this had the biggest, dramatic impact of the night due to Bowman’s and Longdon’s team efforts. They drained every ounce of pathos and humour from that scene.

Nathan Detroit, gambler and relationship-commitment-phobe would need medicating and some help groups if his character was around in 2023. That amount of stress isn’t healthy. Nathan's role has some of the best lines in the show and he was securely performed by the confident, assured performance of  Gareth Baddeley. He sang really well and I loved his duet of ‘Sue Me’ with Adelaide which contrasted so well with her anger and frustration when he stands her up after agreeing to elope with her.   

Detroit’s comedy male lead was partnered by the stellar Katie Longden as ‘Miss Adelaide’ with only a tiny post nasal drip. I thought I didn’t like the play-down of the exaggerated influenza symptoms but upon reflection - and I don’t know if the director has made a decision based on contemporary upgrade, personal directorial choices and vision, or if in the newer revivals of the show she has been prescribed some stronger meds but - I liked Adelaide with less caricature. I loved this Miss Adelaide. She had the vocal belt to blow you into next week but also the softer timbre and control to pull you in too. Longden’s interpretation breathed some new life into the usually ditzy version of Adelaide by giving her some warmth and depth. She was supported by a fabulous set of Hot Box dancers choreographed stylishly throughout by Heidi Fletcher and Sally Hilliard. ‘Take Back Your Mink’ was performed at a slower pace than usual allowing for more of a burlesque style number and it worked. Every word could be heard thus supporting the narrative.    

Sky Masterson, a high rolling gambler who seeks the love of Sarah Brown by convincing her he’d get her a dozen souls to save the mission if she comes to Havana with him but then gets her a Bacardi infused milkshake whilst there which loosens her up enough to have a dance. (1950’s messages of how to get the woman of your desires is now controversial but it’s part of the plot.) Sky gets rebuked by Sarah after the Cuba trip and he has to seek her affections in other ways. He comes good on his bet and does indeed save the mission. Sky was played by the suave, velvet-voiced Alex Bingle who looked and sounded exactly right. He had a comfortable demeanour and was a great foil for Brown’s hard exterior until he finally cracks her. His ‘Luck Be A Lady’ with an excellent ensemble was a star turn in Act 2 and really got the audience going. 

Other minor parts were played effectively. Alexandra Severn’s General Cartwright was well grounded and sharp, and Arvide played by Dave Mallen was in safe hands and he gave us a lovely version of ‘More I Cannot Wish You’ . Lt. Brannigan (Chris Simmons) had just enough menace to be a nuisance to the illegal gamblers and Big Jule (Mark Watkins) was a big enough a presence to make his presence felt with just a tiny tip of the hat to Brando's Godfather. 

Highlights of this production were many: Thom Copestake’s direction was well thought out and he had executed some scenes better than I have seen done in professional productions: The Havana Club scene and The Mission scenes. Moving ensembles around and scene shifting and transitioning a big cast are the trickiest parts of a big musical and he directed them all with aplomb. If any of the adaptions to the version I am familiar with are down to Copestake then hats off to him. They were clever and served the show well by somehow contemporising it a little but I can’t quite define how. The pace was excellent and finally, credit where credit’s due: a fabulous lighting plot and cross spotlighting .It was as stunning to look at as it was to listen to . 

If you haven’t got a ticket, then I highly recommend a trip to the Forum before Saturday before your luck runs out.

Reviewer - Kathryn Gorton 
on - 26.4.23

STUDENT MUSIC REVIEW: Chetham's Composers' Concert - The Carole Nash Hall, Chetham's School, Manchester.

An evening of new music, world-premiere performances, from young students still finding their way in an ever-changing environment, coming together to celebrate their music and their achievements. Pure magic, especially when the standard of their compositions is so high. The talent that comes from this musical establishment never ceases to amaze me!

The evening saw 14 new works performed and were a pot-pourri of solo instrument pieces, small ensemble works and even a song or two. The composers themselves were present at the event, and some of them even played their own work, and the hall was full of family, friends, fellow students, and supporters to encourage and enjoy the abilities of the next generation of composer.

Each composer had been asked to introduce their work as it came up in the programme, but I think this was a last minute suggestion, and so some seemed far more prepared to do this than others and only a couple actually were truly audible and intelligible sadly. I was very ad hoc and hit-and-miss, sadly.

However, to the music....! All 14 pieces were delightful and interesting in their own right, and all are deserving of much approbation, and I shall mention all as I go along. However, since I am only human, there were obviously some items on the set list which I enjoyed far more than others... 

The first piece this evening was 'Le Jardin Fleuri' by young composer William Cannon. This was a solo harp piece and was lyrical, tuneful, and reminded me very much of the folk music of Northern Scotland. Next came a solo piano piece, Flight' by Theo Mottram, using jazz rhythms and disjointed counterpoint as, if I were to understand the composer's introduction correctly, the fish tries to escape the fisherman. Interestingly the piece started with the famous 'Jaws' theme! A piece for solo clarinet came next by Callum Bisson and was called, 'Moments Musicaux', which used a repetitive but catchy jazz melody as the base of this short piece. 

Next came one of my personal favourites from this concert, 'Nocturne in Bb Minor' for solo piano by George Akka. The piece was lush and truly Romantic in every sense of the word. Taking one back to the salons of Vienna, this richly notated, tonal and beautifully melodious piece made my heart soar. Another personal favourite followed this; two movements from Luke Birkett's Trumpet Sonata in Eb. The composer showed a love of the Classical period but this was more than that, there were some lovely contemporary twists in there too, and the melodies tuneful and balance between the two instruments excellent. I wrote in my notes that the second movement was "Gershwin Meets Beethoven"!

The next piece was from the pen of Danielle Nutter, and was her Trio for clarinet, cello and piano. Starting with a very Yiddish-style waltz, it was sad, but tonal and melodious. However half way through the piece metamorphosed into a nightmarish dissonant dance, very much like The Tiger Lillies from Hell! A strange but oddly compelling composition.

The first half ended with two more pieces which made their way to my favourites list. The penultimate piece was a very Baroque-esque 'Tiny String Quartet' by Anastasia Foster, which was immediately likeable as the harmony filled and flowed; whilst the final piece of the first half was the baritone song, 'Star Of The Sky' from a new musical set during WW1, still a work-in-progress by student Katie Lang. A stirring and dramatic piece with an interesting, narrative-driven style, and the atmospheric refrain is a real earworm. I was singing it all the way through the interval.

The second half started with the second movement (Cavatina) from Edward Harris-Brown's 'Partita for Octet'. I have seen this young man several times on the piano, and his mastery of that instrument seems to know no bounds, however until this evening had never heard his own writing. In the composer's own introduction, he described his work as "an abstract piece, with no overriding theme or idea", which I would suggest was very self-deprecating of him. In fact the work was far more intelligently composed than perhaps he realises. It is dramatic and has a firm narrative drive. and despite it being not immediately accessible, it is a mature work which shows great potential. Perhaps what either Ravel or Stravinsky might sound like if they were still composing today..?

We were then treated to another piece by George Akka. This time he was singing his own song, 'L'Elephant', which proved to be another very dramatic and stirring piece of writing. Sung in French (because he was "studying French for his A Levels!") it was composed in the late Romantic / early 20th Century Lieder style, and was an interesting listen. Next came the second movement of Jamie Brown's Piano Trio. Again, this composition shows great promise, and has an almost cinematic quality to it. A Romantic melody played above piano chords starts the piece, and again, the music seems to tell a story here too. Forthright, dramatic, lyrical, and yet it all ended in a whimper.

Daniel Pengelly's Wind Quintet was next. A quite jolly and tuneful piece, and this was followed by Patrick Zhang's brass trio, 'Joust', which started in a similar vein being bright and jolly. This piece however soon starting to become quite jarring and whether deliberate or not, the trumpet was screeching on the high register making it a rather hard listen. 

The final piece of the evening came from composer Fynn Courtney. This was his wind quintet, 'Majoe'. Again, this was a very interesting and mature piece of writing and was written in response to his father's death, which made this lyrical 'in memoriam' all the more poignant. 

I came away from this evening's concert completely sated, having listened to some extremely lovely pieces of music from young people who all have a bright future ahead of them.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 26.4.23

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: There Came A Gypsy Riding - The Garrick Theatre, Stockport.

For over four decades, Frank McGuinness has been one of Ireland’s leading playwrights. He rose to prominence in the early 1980s and is best known for the plays, ‘Observe The Sons Of Ulster Marching Towards The Somme’ and ‘Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me.’

Like other great Irish writers, McGuinness explores themes concerned with death and superstition. In this play, first performed in the early noughties, members of a middle-class family reunite to celebrate what would have been their late son/brother’s twenty first birthday. They meet near the beach where two years previously, Gene, the youngest of three children committed suicide. Each has coped differently grieving for the son/brother they knew but little understood. Grief has brought some closer together, for others it has been divisive and on this special occasion threatens to tear the family apart.

Set in their Galway holiday home, the McKenna family, parents Margaret, an English lecturer, Leo, a successful businessman and Eugene’s two siblings, Louise and Simon are joined for the special birthday celebration by their eccentric distant cousin, Bridget, who exposes a dark secret. Performed in the Garrick’s intimate studio theatre this production is suitably claustrophobic, haunting, and intense.

Most of the play is set in the family’s kitchen, as the action develops it becomes more like a cauldron as each member of the family gives voice to their hidden demons as they struggle to make peace with Gene’s death. Louise and Simon berate their parents for what they perceive to be an apparent lack of outward grief whilst Margaret and Leo challenge them to break away from dead-end jobs and realise their full potentials. An extremely talented ensemble with near faultless Irish accents give accomplished and deeply moving performances. Tracy Burns is magnificent in conveying the deepness of a mother’s raw grief as is Sandy McGregor as her husband, whose breakdown towards the end of the play is truly heart-breaking. As the two children, Emily Field and Josh Holden give pitch perfect performances, these roles could easily come across as being bland but in these gifted actors’ capable hands the characters are given wit, vulnerability, and emotional depth. By far the hardest character to play and the one that has the most dramatic impact is the witch-like Bridget. She twists myth, legend, and reality to confuse and upset her relatives, Alison Bowers is superb in portraying the character’s deep-rooted bitterness, eccentricity, and loneliness. This is a great cast that delivers McGuinness’ peerless script with a punch.

Directed by David Meller the production moves at pace, he ensures that the tension never falters and sensitively handles the moments of intense grief. This was my first visit to the Garrick Studio and one that I will remember for a long time, not only for the high quality of acting on display but also for the warm Front of House welcome and the joy of experiencing live theatre in this dynamic space. The production is highly recommended.

Runs at the Stockport Garrick until Saturday 29 April.

Reviewer - Richard Hall
on - 26.4.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Quality Street - The Octagon Theatre, Bolton.

Northern Broadsides Theatre Company, in association with Staffordshire's New Vic Theatre's latest production is the long-awaited 'Quality Street'. Starting an ill-fated tour prior to the pandemic and lockdowns, the play is now on a short tour, and is at Bolton's Octagon Theatre until the 6th May.

Famous mostly for the creation of 'Peter Pan', JM Barrie's 'Quality Street' was his seminal work during his lifetime, and occasionally gets an airing these days. Written at the turn of the 20th century, the play harks back to almost a century earlier and the Regency era, the time of "mad" King George and the Battle of Waterloo. In fact the play starts in 1805, with a young lady, Phoebe Throssel, falling madly in love with a well-to-do gentleman of the town and eligible bachelor, Valentine Brown. However, Brown enlists in the army and goes off to war, becoming a Captain and something of a hero during Waterloo and returning home ten years' later as both a doctor and an invalid, to find Miss Throssel and her sister both spinsters and schoolteachers. It is there that the play truly gets going and the mores of the time prevent either from truly telling each other the way they feel, and so some dissembling and pretending has to be done, before the eventual happy conclusion.

However, director Laurie Sansom has obfuscated this somewhat by making it a play-within-a-play. The company rehearse in Halifax, and the Mackintosh factory that produces the famous Quality Street chocolates is close by; and so he invited some of the workers in to watch and comment on the rehearsals. These documented comments from real workers were then included and so a piece of verbatim theatre surrounds Barrie's work. The play starts in the present day and we see the Quality Street workers sitting around during their break, chatting openly and freely to the audience, there is no fourth wall here... we are all 'in on it', and we all understand that they have been asked to play a part in the production. They reappear between each act to set the furniture etc, and again at the end to have a short feedback / Q+A session about the play. This should have served to add an extra dimension to the play, and to give the audience a contemporary insight into the plot and the characters as we go along, however in reality it simply lengthened the play, and made it more disjointed.

The 'actual' play of 'Quality Street' has absolutely nothing to do with the chocolates at all... it is the other way round, and even then, the link is tenuous inasmuch as the chocolates were named after the "image" of the play - a Tchaikovskyesque chocolate soldier and "Miss Sweetly", not the play itself. 

Sansom's production utilises a nondescript set which has elements of the 20th century in it (the Mackintosh factory) a metal-framed doorway and part wall, a metal-framed bay window seat, and a few items of furniture that do not expressly represent the Regency era. Costuming too is all over the place with fanciful and shiny dresses for the Ball made to resemble the wrappers of the Quality Street chocolates, as well as many items which simply did not belong in the requisite era. Whilst his direction allowed twentieth century mannerisms and dance routines to intermingle vagariously with those of Barrie's era and those of the Regency period!

The play has a cast of 9, and all, except Valentine, Phoebe and her sister Susan play at least two roles within it. This also becomes a little confusing at times as their characterisations are perhaps not different enough, or the actor / actress does not accurately represent the character they are supposed to be portraying. Louisa-May Parker was a forever-fretting and concerned older sister Susan and her characterisation was solid throughout giving us a much needed anchor for the highs and lows of those who flit and flirt around her. Paula Lane and Aron Julius worked well together as protagonists Phoebe and Valentine, and I enjoyed their denouement scene greatly.

I don't think Sansom found as much comedy in the play as perhaps there could / should have been, and overall this was a play of very mixed messages. The production was certainly played with its tongue in its cheek and the emphasis was most definitely on 'fun', even if the humour didn't always land where it ought to have, with the audience barely raising more than a titter throughout. His direction bordered on pantomime at times, and Greek tragedy at others, whilst different centuries (early 19th / early 20th and early 21st) all battling it out for supremacy throughout simply made it a very unsatisfying, disappointing, and incoherent watch.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 24.4.23

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Dad's Army - The Lyceum Theatre, Oldham.

Upon arriving at Oldham's Lyceum Theatre.... sorry, Walmington-On-Sea!, one was immediately transported back to the war years with cast milling around in period costume, FOH staff similarly attired, and plenty of contemporaneous posters and photos around the place, along with red, white and blue bunting. We were all encouraged to have a war-time sing-a-long in the bar too before we took our seats. Once there, we were reminded by the ARP Warden that we were still at war, and to "put that light out!" And after two archive announcements from both Lord Haw-Haw [Germany Calling], and the famous 'fight them on the beaches' speech from Winston Churchill himself, the searchlights went on, the famous theme song to the TV sitcom was played, and the curtains opened to a tableau of Home Guard looking as near to the TV series as is possible to get, and garnered a deserved round of applause. This was the 'Dad's Army' that we all know and love and this was going to be a splendid trip down memory lane - even for the likes of me, who only really remembers watching it because my dad did, as we only had one TV! 

There is a huge problem inherent in reviewing productions such as this though. The script has yet to be written that cannot be performed by more than one actor and interpreted by any actor in many different ways. Obviously if the script is written well enough, then the style and characterisation of the character should be immediately apparent, but any actor with the help of a director can put their own spin on it. That's the beauty of acting and the joy one gets when seeing different companies tackle the same play. BUT... with TV sitcom adaptations, there is a problem, they are so well known and loved that even those who are too young to have watched them first time round, still recognise the characters, the stock phrases, etc... and so the temptation with any production of any sitcom is to try and be a close as possible to the TV version. However, it is extremely unfair to ask anyone to emulate another actor no matter how legitimate that might sound, and how on Earth an amateur actor can be expected to turn in a reasonable 'copy' of the professional actor who originated the role I am not sure anyway. So how does one review such a play? It is my belief that it should be reviewed in the same way as it was produced. If the production has tried to reproduce the TV sitcom faithfully on stage, then one should review it as such, and as that was so obviously the case this evening, that is how it shall be tackled.

If I have it correct, then the first act was the entire episode titled, 'The Deadly Attachment', whilst the second act took parts of two other episodes, 'Mum's Army' and 'The Floral Dance'. Written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the scripts are written for a TV sitcom, and consist of little more than short vignettes lasting a couple of minutes each in one location, before it changes the location for another short interchange. Such is the nature of most TV, as it makes it easier to film short sections at once, and also works on the assumption that the audience needs a change of pace or location every 2 or 3 minutes otherwise they will get bored and switch off...! However, theatre audiences are different, and plays work in a different way, and so why no-one has adapted the scripts for the stage I have no idea. However, under the direction of Phil McCarthy and Ian Orry, they chose to adhere to the structure rigidly, and the curtains would close after every short 2/3 minute scene. Sometimes period music would be heard over the speakers if it was only a short pause, or if a longer pause was needed then a pianist and three singers were on hand to cheer us with live songs. As entertaining as this was, it was not what we had come to the theatre to see, and seemingly more time was given over to the "intervals" than the actual play itself. The sitcom fitted into a 30 minute slot for the TV, and the first act alone was one hour in length. This had the effect of making a very bity and fragmented production, and also very predictable. Not only that, but we lost interest and focus on the Dad's Army part of the evening!

The play utilised the largest cast I have thus far seen at The Lyceum, and seeing them all on stage for the 'Floral Dance' final section was most interesting, since I would not have thought the Lyceum's stage big enough to accommodate so many.. but accommodate them it did, with room to spare! In all, a cast of 26, (27 if you include the pianist!), and every one of them doing everything in their power to make you believe it was the 1940s and this was the "real" Dad's Army.

Phil McCarthy played Arthur Lowe playing Captain Mainwairing. He was very good indeed, but for me he was not quite blustery and austere enough. His brusque nature was not explored as much as it could have been, making his 'melting' with the upper-class Fiona Gray less convincing and he didn't have as far to travel with his character either. John Weetman's take on John Le Mesurier's Sgt Wilson however was much more successful, as Weetman managed to capture the facial expressions and tentative nature to a Tee. Cameron Kennedy did well in capturing a young Ian Lavender portraying "stupid boy" Pike, but perhaps the closest of the characters this evening was Ian Orry's excellently observed portrayal of Clive Dunne playing Captain Jones. Orry didn't quite have the walk and sometimes the voice went back to his own, but overall, for me at least, he gave the most convincing 'copy'. The others too all deserve much credit, as audience members during the interval were remarking at just how close these characters were to the TV show, and just how well they were all doing. I can only mirror those thoughts since I am absolutely no expert on the sitcom, and haven't seen an episode of it in many years! James McKean impressed as the German U-boat captain, and both the Vicar (Frank Williams aka Nigel Slater) and the ARP Warden Hodges (Bill Pertwee aka Jon Cockroft) gave lovely cameos, and were not seen anywhere near enough for this reviewer.

Both set and costuming all looked absolutely spot on, and it all should have been much more enjoyable and much funnier than it actually was. The whole simply did not cohere into one cogent and solid mass. Entertaining, and crafted with obvious love, but far too disjointed showing piecemeal only the play that we had all come to see. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 24.4.23

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: A Night At The Musicals - NWTAC Theatre, Moston. Manchster.

"The stage is alive with the sound of.".. oh hang on, that wasn't one of the songs in their evening of celebrating the world of Musical Theatre. But this evening teachers, staff, adults and teenagers of NWTAC (North West Theatre Arts Company) all worked together on stage to present some of their favourite songs from the shows. 

The evening was presented in 'sections' with two of the girls acting as a double-act compere in between. The idea was a good one and mostly worked well with some of the jokes being very funny - one of them pretending to be a little dumb and take things very literally - but overall this style of comedy needs much more practice to make it work fluidly and to make it appear immediate.

The show opened with a whimper. Perhaps microphones had not been switched on; perhaps the lighting was not on cue, or perhaps it was meant to be a very underwhelming and quiet start since it was only one girl on stage and then joined by a second - before finally the full company came on and gave us a hearty rendition of  'Another Openin' Another Show'. All costumed in black with some white and bits of red, the look was smart, uniform, and appropriate for almost any song they chose to sing.

The stage was a three-level affair... and in a converted low-ceilinged industrial unit, that is no mean feat! All in black and with liberal but effective use of haze, these levels were utilised to the max this evening. 

The first section was devoted to 'Phantom Of The Opera'. Beth Singh was the operatic-voiced Christine, whilst a lighter tenor voice was given to The Phantom himself as sang by Jonny Molyneux. Raoul was sung by Prab Singh. The section was nicely put together and all three voices worked well together. 

One thing I noticed straight away though - and this trend continued through every section - was that the backing tracks that the society chose to use were shortened versions of the songs. This was perhaps done in an attempt to fit as many different songs into the evening as possible and give as many people the opportunity of performing a song they wanted, but for people like myself who know every word in every song backwards and was singing along in my head to all of them, I found the shortening of them frustrating sadly. Moreover, a couple of these shortened versions did not have the same impact or failed to truly make sense either in or out of context. Shame. 

'Phantom' was followed by a 'Chicago' section, featuring Melissa Grimes and Milly Potts as Velma and Roxie, with Anthony Horricks playing lawyer Billy Flynn for 'Razzle Dazzle'. 

This was followed by one of my favourite sections this evening, which saw Jonny Molyneux's soft tenor voice reach the purest of falsettos, giving a good rendition of Frankie Valli with his backing group The Four Seasons for a 'Jersey Boys' tribute. 

A section of miscellaneous songs came next. Starting with Paige Garth giving a solid rendition of 'Can't Say No', we went through 'Sound Of Music', The King And I', to 'Carousel'; before finally coming to the last section of the first act.. 'Wicked'. Francesca Collinge proficiently took us through both 'One Fine Day', and 'Popular', before Beth Singh came along to finish the first act with 'The Wizard And I' and 'Defying Gravity'. As with all the songs in this showcase, the chorus numbers always utilised the full company and their cumulative sound always sounded great. Some nice harmonies and some simple but stylishly executed choreography aiding the principal singers.

Act two continued in the same vein, with sections from 'Miss Saigon', 'Mamma Mia', 'Rent', some more miscellaneous sets, and finishing with 'Les Miserables'. The red part of the costumes had been changed in the second act to a more mellow purple, but that was the only mellowing... everything else was still full throttle. Personal favourites in this act (yes, it is time to be subjective just for once!), included Evie Lucas and Beth Singh singing 'I Still Believe', Francesca Collinge's 'Adelaide's Lament', the entire 'Rent' section, 'All I Do Is Dream Of You', and the 'One Day More' finale. 

The mics were sadly not playing ball some times this evening, and even when the soloist was aware of this and came on with a hand-held affair, it still caused some problems. This was such a shame, but fortunately the company continued as if nothing was wrong, so hats off to them!

This was a professionally produced and entertaining evening which gave all those of all ages a chance to perform their favourite songs, build their confidence, extend their knowledge of stagecaft, inspire others, and improve their own technique.  

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 21.4.23

THEATRE REVIEW: The Bench: A Tale From Paradise Heights - The MUNI Hall, Colne, Lancashire.

There’s nothing I love more than a last minute request to attend a show (no, really) with a vague plot summary, lots of testimonials and 10 minutes down the road… it keeps you grounded and prevents you from wavering from an open mind. And an open mind is exactly what’s needed for The Bench, from award-winning write and director, Joe O’Byrne.

 

From a series of ‘Tales From Paradise Heights’, the play is written for six actors to play all the parts. But how interesting can a bench really be? Well, set in a park frequented, and resided by a whole town of interesting folk, from (almost) all walks of life, we witness neighbourly chat, declarations, (role)playing out of fantasies and other things we perhaps would rather not choose to witness.

 

It's not JUST a bench in the park, between a bin and a war memorial. A thief, a fake clairvoyant, a homeless man, two teenage burglars, a street sweeper, two war veterans, an artist, a widow, a drug dealer, a loan shark, an angel and a ghost. They've all sat here at least once this year (starting in February and March for the first half and then into Winter for the second half, and before the end of the year one of them will be murdered here...!

Described as “a comedy of love, life and loss”, there is quite a bit of adult language and graphic themes. Although it starts with S&M, it follows all manner of topics, from bereavement and grief to self-talk, coping with rejection, old age, self-believe and even coping with conviction and the life and intense psychology that follows - of course the least funny and most serious and, in parts, harrowing scene. It really messes with you.

 

The play has always been much loved by audiences, some seeing the production five times or more in prestigious venues like Salford's The Lowry, The Octagon Theatre in Bolton and The Library Theatre in Manchester (goodness, remember that place!?) and will be at Crewe Lyceum, Swansea Grand, The Platform Morecambe, Epstein in Liverpool and then Lancaster Grand. We had it following a showing at Theatre Royal Wakefield in March.

 

The cast are brilliant and the stories too, although grabbing our attention for the whole show, there could have been a bit of trimming, with the show filling every minute or a 10pm finish. Although individual stories, it was nice to join some of them together (referencing of names, etc) but this could also have been done more to link it all together as a town/park. 

The cast includes Peter Slater, Lisa Moore, Bill Bradshaw, Joe Malone, Ross Thompson and Joe Byrne himself (read further to find out how he is matched to, at least one of the roles). They each have a wealth of experience in stage and TV work (yes, and thriller/dramas) and their versatilities are evident in each portrayal. The costume and accent changes are amazing and, in the literal blink of an eye, they are someone different. Standouts include portrayals of elderly friends and comrades Lenny and Archie, Ross Thompson’s portrayal of naïve and juvenile ‘chav’ Jake, Pearl and Barbara, Shirley and Corney’s Valentine’s heartwarming tete-a-tete. Eric and Gabrielle’s frustrated feelings and believing in one another’s talents, as well as acclaimed comedienne Lisa Moor’s may incarnations, including Colin, and Janet’s confidently awkward bad sweeping puns.

 

A bit of background…

 

After 13 long years, 'The Bench' is back - and 'Tales From Paradise Heights' are alive and kicking! The first two shows went down an absolute storm at The Gatehouse Theatre in Stafford, and Whitby Pavilion. The show enchants you, thrills you, chills you, haunts you and will break your heart. Six actors play 16 unforgettable characters all wrapped up in 12 scenes, 12 months and one helluva show.

 

But how did the show come about?

 

Joe Byrne was approached to play the part of Frank in 'Educating Rita' at Studio Salford but, upon approaching Willy Russell's agent, found that they couldn't get the rights. With the dates about to be cancelled, Byrne asked if he could put something new on instead. With plans to extend the Paradise Heights world further (after his first play 'Lookin’ For Lucy'), and so started work on the Bench.

“I work Sundays for the probation service as a Community Service Officer which involves me going out supervising offenders on various projects in the community; everything from painting church halls, clearing pathways, various gardening projects etc. I had been working with a group of six lads for some time in a church graveyard, landscaping and generally keeping the grass down and the flower beds tidy. One week we installed a bench in the graveyard, and during lunch I had sat on it, looking out across the grave stones and I just thought 'I wonder how many people will end up sitting on this?  What will they talk about?  What will be going on in their lives?'  And that's when the inspiration hit me - I'd write a couple of scenes set around a park bench in a municipal park in Paradise Heights - that would be all I'd need in terms of a set - simple, manageable and cheap. The play would be a great device to introduce a range of characters that I could feature in future plays from the series.”

 

We have all watched people from a secluded spot (or in full view, on a bench, in the middle of a park) and made stories up for people’s lives. Based on how they behave or look or speak or move. What better way to put that into context than real life played out on stage? With many morals, I came away with ‘believe in yourself and others’, ‘don’t underestimate’ and ‘don’t try to be big’ and I’m still thinking about these points today.

 

Reviewer - John Kristof
on - 20.4.23

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Educating Rita - The Forum Theatre, Romiley. Greater Manchester.

Written in the 1970s and receiving its premiere in 1980, Willy Russell's poignant comedy, 'Educating Rita' seems to have been put on the shelf, rarely being tackled these days. In fact, apart from his seminal 'Blood Brothers', Russell's work is much neglected. Perhaps it is time for a resurgence? And if this production of 'Educating Rita' is anything to go by, it is long overdue, and would be welcome as an antidote to the plethora of uber-contemporary pieces being produced and tubthumped as 'worthy'.

'Educating Rita' tells the story of a world-weary and disenchanted-with-his-lot university professor, who, for financial reasons only, agrees to teach an Open University course. In arrives his first pupil, Rita, who is a breath of fresh air for him. In fact she is his complete antithesis. Working class, poorly educated, bossy, forthright, chatty, and with oodles of energy. Yet, despite everything has the capacity to sponge-like, learn the things necessary to achieve results. But does he want to teach her and by so doing quash her unique and surprisingly avant-garde subjectivity on literature? And, as if that wasn't enough, they both find that they need each other more than they dare possibly admit.

Perhaps best known as a film version, starring the excellent talents of both Julie Walters and Michael Caine, the play is a much more minimalist affair, and the set - the lecturer's office - remains constant throughout, and has only two cast members.... the lecturer (called Frank), and Susan (called Rita).

Directed by Jake Martin, the vast space of Romiley's Forum Theatre had been turned into a bijou and intimate theatre-in-the-round, seating just 80 audience members on two rows of seats around their performance arena. Martin here making things much more visceral for the audience, but not making things easy for himself. It was a brave decision, and in the main, one that worked well. Around the outside of the space, bookcases full of aging literature hid his many half-empty whisky bottles, whilst a large and cluttered desk for him contrasted against a small, simplistic and school-like desk for her. A shame that the two chairs used did not also mirror this imagery. 

Martin set a good pace, and his work on the developing relationship between the two was excellently observed. Finding humour and pathos in equal measure. However, what didn't work as well was that he had set the two desks as far apart from each other as the space would allow, meaning that a vast and empty area of stage was omnipresent, which he felt needed to be filled, and so had them walking and pacing and using this central section even when the impetus or narrative seemed to require something a little more static. And as such when the play reached a cathartic moment, it was diminished by the constant movement. 

Further, what I simply did not understand was the constant need to switch the two desks over to the opposite side of the circle for each scene. Not only was this very distracting it was also completely unnecessary as it added nothing to the play and did not afford the audience a different perspective. Furthermore, the actors failed to exit from the correct door from time to time too. This also had the effect of lessening the impact of the scenes as the long pause between them each time (alongside period music) was like watching a TV programme and not fast-forwarding the adverts!

Dawn Wrigley was Rita, and her vivacious and effusive personality was big but never over-the-top, always keeping her character on the right side of believable. It didn't really matter of course that her accent was not consistent, and strayed from Liverpool to all places between there and Manchester throughout; but her characterisation and her garrulous nature won me over. Scott Mitchell portrayed the lecturer Frank with a certain resignation, or perhaps that should be literary fatality. Perhaps he should have been a little older, and perhaps his hair should have been a little longer, but his characterisation was solid and secure throughout, providing us with the archetypal Eng Lit prof to be found in almost every higher education establishment even to this day! Mitchell's enunciation and projection however did need a little work, as at times - especially when he was not facing my direction - his voice was nothing more than a mumble and I missed word or words. Wrigley and Mitchell worked excellently together and I enjoyed watching their travails which were realistically and sympathetically portrayed.

A very brave and indeed entertaining production of an almost forgotten gem.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 20.4.23 

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Sunshine On Leith - The Hippodrome, Todmorden.

I am a huge fan of Musicals... I always have been; and yet I still manage to find shows which are new to me. 'Sunshine On Leith' is one of those shows. I have never had enough courage perhaps to venture in to see this show before, knowing as I did that this is "just another juke-box musical" (my least favourite sub-genre), and that the music is taken from the oeuvre of Scottish band, The Proclaimers. My musical interests and loves are far more classical normally. However, one cannot avoid the inevitable for ever, and so with some trepidation, took my seat this evening at Todmorden's Hippodrome for my initiation. And once again - the same thing happened with 'Calendar Girls' - I am converted!

The story revolves around two Leith lads, David [Davy] (Rick Whyte), and Alistair [Ally] (Joe Marsden), who return to their hometown in the Edinburgh suburbs after being demobbed from the army and promising never to re-enlist. Of course they both find love almost immediately, in the forms of Davy's sister Liz (Lou Whyte), and English girl, Yvonne (Alexandra Townend). They both are finding it hard to readjust to life in an ever-changing city, and when Davy's parent's Jean and Robert [Rab] (Rachel Rogers and John Spooner), make life unintentionally more complicated for them, there seems to be only one recourse.... until....., well, that would be spoiling the plot and so I shall leave it there. Suffice to say that the show has many highs and lows, drama, pathos, and comedy in equal measure, and director, Justine Sutcliffe found the balance between all these dynamics with ease, and took the audience on a real and highly sympathetic emotional rollercoaster.

The production this evening utilised a simple, single set of three levels, which Sutcliffe made full and effective use of, whilst set items for each scene (and there were many!) were either flown in or brought in and out seamlessly by the cast. A large backdrop of Edinburgh and the firth as seen from Blackford Hill graced the rear and was omnipresent. We were never in any doubt where we were at any point, which is credit to the whole team. There was some very creative and lovely lighting effects used this evening too, whilst sound levels were optimal, and the band, under the direction of Helen Clarkson has never sounded better - they must all have been huge Proclaimers enthusiasts!

One of the problems with staging a show which utilises contemporary dress, is that sometimes, despite the clothing being popular and readily seen on any street in the country, it is somehow inappropriate to wear on stage for a variety of reasons. The main one being that sometimes - as was the case this evening - the ensemble / chorus upstage and outsparkle the principals in certain scenes. 

The quality of the acting this evening was real and completely believable. I even found myself welling up during the second act! The singing - especially the ensemble chorus singing was glorious, and even though a couple of the principals didn't have the requisite singing voices, the style of music and their characterisations outweighed this slight impediment. It was such a shame that the society did not spend a little more time with the company's accents. Perhaps hiring a dialect coach would have been a good idea. The accents on stage this evening covered all areas of Scotland, a little of Ireland, and much of England too!

However, what was abundantly clear this evening was that this was a slick, competent, and highly enjoyable feel-good show, crafted with love and skill; and has managed to proselyte me completely.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 19.4.23 

THEATRE REVIEW: Home, I'm Darling - The Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield.

Laura Wade’s 2018 play has had an extended lifespan since its 2018 premiere at Theatr Clywd - the director then, as now, was Tamara Harvey - with slots in the West End and several national tours to its name. The word-playing title and effective pre-publicity (you take in the fact that this is a play about a couple who try to re-create a 1950's lifestyle in the 2010s almost by osmosis) promise an evening of situation comedy with some thoughtful touches, and that may be what the play delivers.  

What this production delivered is something less than that, and it’s easy to say why. Every scene was played at the same unvaried pace, moments of truth were thrown away like so much sudsy dish-water and several members of the cast (the female contingent - and it’s a play where women outnumber men by four to two) didn’t enunciate clearly enough, so that much of the evening passed by in a vocal blur. This being the case, it wasn’t easy to assess the merits of the play which, on this imperfect acquaintance, came across as a slight piece which attempted to provoke thought.  

The plot is not complex: Judy and Johnny are a young couple with a blandly fulfilling life together. She keeps the house in perfect order and cooks his breakfast before sending him off to earn the daily bread. The rest of her day is devoted to keeping the housework and lunching with her female friends. Their house - extravagantly created on stage, albeit with a redundant upper level - might have been lifted wholesale from a 1958 Ideal Home exhibition. But the the trick is pulled at the end of the first scene when  Judy, with Johnny safely gone, produces an Apple Mac laptop from under the table. Gradually, we are let in on the truth: the 1950's world they inhabit is nothing more than a cosy retreat they’ve fashioned to escape the pressures of the modern world, where Johnny’s job is under threat and their future looks precarious.  

This is certainly a good premise to explore several pertinent themes: the allure of the settled pace of the past against the danger of the uncertain present, how male-female relations have progressed in the last sixty years, and was ‘then’ really all it’s sometimes cracked up to be - at one point, Judy’s mother (who remembers those days) has an interesting aria on the latter point (she comes down unequivocally on the side of ‘no’) but the speech is delivered so flatly by Diane Keen that the point is almost lost.  

Elsewhere in the cast, Neil McDermott as Johnny, and Matthew Douglas as the interloping male half of another couple, delivered their lines with conviction and fleshed out their rather thin characters as much as they were able to; but Jessica Ransom in the central role of Judy was less successful in illuminating the more complex side of her character.  

The production benefited from an appropriate soundtrack between scenes (it was hard not to heave a sigh when the music faded and the play resumed) and some great choreography from Charlotte Brown, expertly executed by the limber cast. But, on this evidence at least, 'Home I’m Darling' shouldn’t encourage anyone to cancel that urgent hair-washing appointment.

Reviewer - Paul Ashcroft
on - 18.4.23

STUDENT DANCE REVIEW: Novacene - The Lowry Theatre, Salford.

34 teenagers from all walks of life and from all areas of England came together this evening in a fully-inclusive piece of original choreography by Wayne McGregor. This 55-minute non-stop piece of contemporary dance had it's world premiere performance this evening at Salford's Lowry Theatre. It will now take a short tour of the country finishing at the U. Dance Festival in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne on the 23 July.

The title of this piece 'Novacene' sounds very much like either a virus or indeed the vaccine brand name to cure it, and in these post-Covid times, that could easily have been the company's intention. This is contemporary ballet, and so the thought processes and narratives that the company perform are more internalised than traditional ballet, and the storylines (if indeed there were any), were not readily accessible. Indeed, there was nothing of any help in this regard in the large and glossy programme either. That is not to say that there wasn't any - in fact, I am certain that each dancer on stage this evening knew exactly what they were dancing, and what their story / motivation / relationship etc was the whole time... that was what made it so compelling; but despite their gravitas and sincerity, the meaning of the dance did not transcend the fourth wall. 

For much of the ballet - the entire first section in fact - there was a screen in front of the action with computer-generated images and such appearing on it. Very militaristic and futuristic, but this also distanced us even further from the dancers, and had the effect of us watching a television screen rather than a live piece of theatre. I did not understand the costuming at all, but the lighting design was effective, sound levels were good, and I enjoyed the differing combinations of dancers used, from individual, to duet, to small ensemble, to full company, sometimes doing their own things within the body of the whole and sometimes in unison. The use of space and their relationship within that space was excellent and the individual talents of the dancers was never in question. In fact, using the music they did use, there was only one small section towards the end of the piece when the dancers were actually able to find a discernible beat and utilise it for their movements; otherwise, their rhythms and timings were all internalised, and this was no mean feat at all.

The dancers showed great skill in spacing, timing, and the variations of light / heavy and fast / slow (Laban) were excellently observed. An interesting, enjoyable, and excellently realised piece of modern dance.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 15.4.23

CHILDREN'S THEATRE REVIEW: All The World's A Stage - The Forum Theatre, Wythenshawe, Manchester.

The young students at Shooting Star Theatre School strutted their stuff this weekend on the stage at Wythenshawe's Forum Theatre for their annual showcase of their work.

Some as young as four years' old - perhaps taking their first tentative steps onto a stage in front of a live audience, gave their all to a room full of appreciative parents, friends and supporters. A total of 95 youngsters graced the stage in a variety of different acts which went from acting scenes from 'James And The Giant Peach' and 'Matilda', to solo and ensemble songs, to various groups showing off what they had learned in their respective dance classes - everything from classical ballet to street dance! there was even a couple of nice routines in there with some impressive lifts, leaps, and tumbles with the acro team.

I do have a couple of things which, as an unbiased audience member, I felt would have helped the presentation along. First, the show was very long. I understand that every group needs to be given their time to shine, but some of the items overstayed their welcome, and some of this time could also easily have been shortened by swifter and better drilled entrances and exits. It was obvious that this part of the presentation at least was under-rehearsed, and the children did not know which side of the stage to exit from. Again, with a little more rehearsal in situ, the dancers would have been able to position themselves centre stage, rather than nearly every number being performed with the vast majority of them on stage right. The use of space, the knowledge of the size of the stage, how far it is from wings to their starting position, and the space needed between dancers was not something that had been considered on these occasions. Sadly the children also had to contend with some microphone issues and tech mishaps which - all credit to them - did not faze them at all.

However, all that being said, the children performed well, and the audience whooped and cheered, encouraging their son or daughter, and this was an enjoyable and joyous event, boosting the young ones' confidence and helping them to develop the requisite skills for a life on the stage.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 15.4.23

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Sister Act - The Leisure Centre, Urmston. Manchester.

Once one society decides to produce a particular show, then seemingly every other one sooner or later will follow suit, and so I found myself this evening sitting in the new-to-me venue of Urmston Leisure Centre to watch my umpteenth production of 'Sister Act' this year! However, I DO understand why societies choose this show, it's appeal is apparent and has loads of stunning choral songs and routines, as well as many large and small cameos for the society membership to get their teeth into. It's a gutsy story with heart and of course, all those of a certain age remember with fondness the wonderful film which starred the incomparable Whoopi Goldberg. 

Urmston Musical Theatre had found a talented team to realise this show. All deserve their appropriate credit, however three need a special mention I feel. First, an original set design by Alan Pickwick, which although had its teething problems this evening, was innovative and a long way away from the standard hire set which I have seen so many times before. Congratulations. Second some lovely musical direction from Ed Nurse. The band sounded extremely professional this evening and Nurse proved to be a most proficient and talented MD. And finally to James Goodwin, whose work on the chorus singing, especially the harmonies of the nuns' choruses did not go unnoticed, and I enjoyed listening to their cumulative harmonic sound.

An equally strong team of actors / actresses graced the stage too, all working very hard to bring about their interpretations of the now-famous characters. Sue Mallett headed this cast as Deloris, with bags of energy and confidence, she led the show with ease. Margaret Johnston's Mother Superior was given a more exasperation and despair here rather than acid-tongued disapproval, and this worked for her well. Adam Garnett was a plaintive and sincere Eddie, whilst Jon Gardner showed he had panache and style, with a nice singing voice for Curtis; he wasn't however 'mafia boss-like' enough for this reviewer to truly believe his evil. The singing and dancing antics of Pablo (Ash Mallen), Joey (Bradley Wigglesworth) and TJ (Jay Talbot), made us all laugh and had one of the loudest rounds of applause of the evening, whilst another crowd-pleaser was postulant Sister Mary Robert (Bronte Hooper) proving she had what it takes in her act two solo. ('The Life I Never Led')

A couple of things this evening which did not work quite so well, but it was opening night and so hopefully things will be a little smoother as the run progresses. The scene changes were rather time-consuming and sadly rather noisy too; whilst the sound levels had been set far too high at the start of this evening's show. Thankfully though the sound engineer must have realised and the volume came down after 'Fabulous Baby!' for the remainder of the show. A couple of costumes didn't really fit the era / character for me, especially those worn by Deloris (as Deloris), and the blue fur coat was nothing more than a piece of material sadly.

However, niggles aside, this is a fun, upbeat show, which the society put heart and soul into and reaped the benefits; so 'raise your voice', 'spread the love', and get that 'Sunday morning fever'!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 13.4.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Twitchers - The Arts Centre, Bingley. West Yorkshire.

Entering their 51st year of touring, anywhere for everyone, the new season of canal-transportable theatre has hatched, featuring 4 fresh starlings, and 2 brand new bespoke shows for us to nest our little beaks into.

This show, Twitchers, like all Mikron shows, brings to light an under appreciated and potentially at risk cause, which in this case is the RSPB, teaching us the history of the charity, all the way back to its inception in the early years of the 20th century, to today’s Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan era.

We meet our cast at RSPB Shrikewing, a small reserve with a worried warden (Harvey Badger; professional debut) and an excited head warden (Rachel Hammond), as the BBC’s Birdwatch are coming to film at the reserve for the return of the turtle doves. The local mayor (Hannah Baker) is getting a touch too invested, and her aide (Eddie Ahrens; again a professional debut), who is a self-proclaimed ‘Lockdown Birder’ ends up in the middle of an unfortunate situation. The play goes on, with the highs and lows of working alongside nature, the turmoil of big corporations abusing the law,

(Spoiler) - Did you know raw sewage can be released into rivers if it has rained? Crazy right.. –

We meet a variety of characters that you might see at a reserve, a hardcore birdwatcher, Reggie, who has some of the funniest dialect in the show,  the founding sisters of the RSPB, a family of rooks who have just moved into the area, and a wonderful assortment of characters, all with their stick to add to the well-weaved nest of the story.

The playwright, Poppy Hollman, has written a great story here, balancing education, comedy, songs, controversy, into a coherent plot all together in such a clever way that it left the audience energised and spurred conversation between groups in the car park, reminiscing over their favourite songs or scenes from the show, which is always a good sign, to me. Bravo, Poppy!

I mentioned the songs before, as with all Mikron shows, the cast are also the musicians, which gives the composer (Amal El-Sawad) and arranger (Rebekah Hughes) a headache every year as they are faced with a new set of people, who may have differing levels of ability, not to mention a somewhat random collection of instruments available to them, but on they ploughed, and what a triumph it was. The songs were very cleverly crafted and orchestrated so that the singers could be heard with up to 4 different instruments being played at once, which is a very commendable achievement! As for the singers themselves, I have seen quite a few Mikron shows over the years, and I think this current cast are the most talented group of singers and musicians that I’ve seen. Every song was in 4-part harmony at some point, and if not harmonised, there were contrapuntal lines and also 'call and response', which the cast had grasp of and delivered it all with aplomb. Once again, Bravo.

As is the nature of Mikron, the show tours on a canal boat where possible, so the set is always minimal, and leaves a lot to the imagination, nevertheless, the cast still brought a show to life, and told us a story. The set was very simple, a viewing hut with 4 windows at a nature reserve. That was it. But it didn’t need to be more than that as the play was set there, and it did the job! There were an amount of costume changes, but these usually were the addition, or removal of a piece of additional clothing, but once again, in the scheme of Mikron, was absolutely all it needed.

Marianne McNamara, now in her 20th year with Mikron, has put together a really enjoyable performance here, with great direction, as you’d come to expect from someone with so much experience in this field, and I expect this run to be a great success, and if nothing else, the bumper crowd in the lovely Bingley Arts Centre really seemed to enjoy tonight’s performance.

Mikron travel the length and breadth of the country, so no doubt, they will be coming to a performance space near you in the very near future, so be sure to check them out! You’ll not be disappointed.  I wish you all the best for the tour and can’t wait to see your second offering this season!

Reviewer - Simon Oliver
on - 12.4.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Richard III - The Playhouse, Liverpool.

The motivations and human qualities of Shakespeare’s characters are so timeless that reinterpretations and adaptations are now almost the norm rather than presentations of costume dramas with period sets. However, this production of Richard The Third went further than most in completely reinterpreting this tale of fifteenth century English history.

There was something of the look that was almost reminiscent of a science fiction movie with virtually every member of the large cast dressed in a white, Ninja-style outfit, the backdrop being a simple huge curved, sandstone wall. There was little to denote social status or profession other than a few stylised headdresses, reminiscent of China during the cultural revolution; all very juxtaposed to the world of medieval England where costume and status went hand in hand. A May Day parade combined with Morris dancing in a rural Cotswold setting was, however, in keeping with the original period setting.

The key element of this interpretation, both starring and directed by Adjoa Andoh, was the interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s notorious villains; here, portrayed no longer as a hunchback white male, but cast as a black female, suffering societal prejudice due to his colour rather than a deformity. The rest of the cast would have been all-white had not the assistant director stood in for an ill actor. There was not a problem in terms of the acting, which was powerful throughout, but it was questionable as to the extent of racial prejudice Richard received from her family. Andoh played Richard as an impish mischievous little devil with the mannerisms of a naughty schoolboy. She effectively brought over all the nuances and foibles of one of theatre’s greatest villains and with the support of many fine actors, effectively told the story, but her Richard was ultimately no more a sympathetic villain than that of the more usual interpretations of Richard as an evil, psychopathic child-killer.

There was a moment of dramatic irony when Richard gleefully wraps his arms around his nephew, Duke of York, beautifully played out by Joshua Day, shortly before being sent to the tower. There was a sense, however, that the sheer terror of the build up to this was not fully established with Richard coming over too convincingly benign.

Liz Kettle gave a strong performance in Queen Margaret, portraying the rage and pain of this formidable woman, reflecting the sheer torment of Richard’s evil. There were some comic elements in the production including the two murderers contracted to kill Clarence, who resembled a double-act with black hoods. It was questionable whether this came at the expense of diminishing the horror of the moment, given the vulnerability of the scene, played superbly by Oliver Ryan with his gut-wrenching reaction upon realising his impending murder.

With a minimalist setting of a rural Cotswold nature (accompanied by West Country accents), the direction did away with some of the famous locations of past productions such as the wooing of Lady Anne by the grave of Henry VI. The scenes were woven together seamlessly allowing for fast-paced action, relying on lighting and sound to depict location and time. The instrumental music, subtly and evocatively composed by Yeofi Andoh, created appropriate mood and atmosphere

This was an engaging production with some powerful performances and Adjoa Andoh had certainly given Richard an interesting new take. It is questionable whether the timelessness of this adaptation sufficiently depicted the universal theme of prejudice, although the story was told effectively and one found oneself reflecting on this diverse adaptation.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 11.4.23

 

BALLET REVIEW: Romeo And Juliet - Waterside, Sale, Greater Manchester.

We all know the famous Shakespeare tragedy... whether from film, stage, TV, or simply popular culture, the story is embedded, nay entrenched, in our society and countless versions and reworkings have ensured the story's longevity. This particular reviewer has seen more versions of this story than he cares to remember, and yet, I had, until this evening, never seen it as a ballet.

With only a few plot omittances from the Shakespeare narrative, this ballet stayed faithful to the story in both costumes / setting, and overall feel. The set was a simple grey stone raised walkway at the rear, behind which was a nondescript grey backcloth. These stayed constant throughout, and the only other scenery to appear came towards the end when Juliet's bed (again a grey oblong slab) doubled as the tomb. This minimalist approach worked surprisingly much better than I would have imagined. First, Ballet UK is a small-scale touring company and so they require a set which can be easily toured (tick); and second, they require the stage to be free from clutter in order to be able to dance their full company routines (tick). This, combined with simple but effective lighting created the playground for the dancers to tell their story. Bold colourful costumes (easy to recognise Montague from Capulet etc) created the pallet and canvas, for the paint (the dancers) to go to town!

Without a programme dear reader (or indeed any programme on the company's website), I am unable to credit individual dancers etc. What I can say is that this production of 'Romeo And Juliet' was Prokofiev's.. or at least the company used his ballet score. I have no idea who choreographed it or directed it. 

All the dancers were extremely proficient and I loved the lifts used in Romeo and Juliet's pas de deuxs. Sometimes I felt that the action was too static, and why no-one smiled, laughed or seemed to be happy during the ball scene I have no idea. [ditto the curtain calls]. The story was clearly told however and the ballet as a whole was hugely enjoyable. I did however get the feeling that this was not the first time these performers had danced these routines...that might seem a very obvious thing to say... but what I mean is that it didn't come across as fresh, and as an audience member I need to believe that the action happening in front of me is unfolding for the first time, and this was not the case this evening, which made the dances / action on stage feel a little pedestrian at times. The sword fights were nicely choreographed and clever.

I enjoyed the four 'handmaidens' (?) who attended Juliet and danced together regularly. Juliet's Maid was superb, her facial expressions and acting ability matching her dancing prowess, especially when being swept up in the ball scene. Mercutio and Benvolio danced well together, and along with Romeo made a formidable trio. Romeo and Juliet together of course were wonderful.

This is only the second time I have seen Ballet Theatre UK perform, and this was much more enjoyable and a much more proficient production than their 'Beauty And The Beast'.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 12.4.23