THEATRE REVIEW: Locomotive For Murder: The Improvised Whodunnit - St. Luke's Bombed-Out Church, Liverpool.

Pinch Punch Theatre is an exclusively improvisation-based theatre company hailing from London. Impro Theatre has grown internationally in recent years as a genre with many theatre groups meeting regularly to improvise stories from a succession of given words. Pinch Punch have aimed to take the concept a stage further with the audience playing an inter-active role in determining both the development and outcome of a plot, with a few given characters. For the outing at Liverpool, the set backdrop was a 1930’s Agatha Christie style murder mystery. However, one thing that cannot be improvised is the weather with the cast of five valiantly performing as rain lashed the stage to a stalwart audience variously clad in cagoules or holding umbrellas.

With no set or props save a few chairs, the show centred on exaggerated stalwarts of the period, including a crusty ex-military type, a flamboyantly fashionably woman and a sporty young man; all very Cluedo. The audience was invited to decide the destination of the train and certain character elements such as regional identities, sports played and indeed, which of the characters was to be the murder victim. This was primarily where the improvisation came in and it did produce a lot of comedy to an appreciative audience.

With a run of one hour, this was never going to be a really complicated murder story, with there only ever being three suspects but there was no pretence at truly emulating a Miss Marple or a Poirot plot. The fun was in the characterisations and the interplay between them with the Miss Marple-character acting as a compere and direct link to the audience. It worked quite well as a means of entertainment and the audience certainly bought into the spirit of the production.

To anyone who has seen real impro theatre, it remained questionable to what extent this story was truly improvised because the set-up of a train journey was a given as were the four main characters. The identity of the murderer also looked like it could have easily switched to any of the three characters in the murderer’s confession, regardless of the audience’s decision. This was however in interesting concept which clearly has potential to be developed further, perhaps with the audience being involved much more frequently to enhance the level of improvisation. Nonetheless, a fun event that was a little outside of the box. 

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 26.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Outside In - Gulliver's Lounge, Manchester.

“Outside In” is a one-woman show filled with gentle humour and a keen sense of the ridiculous. Presented by Micheal Jacob, this performance was at Gulliver’s Lounge, as part of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.

Writer and performer Ilaria Passeri had set the stage with a clothes rack of outfits, and one solitary chair. Having made herself comfortable on the chair, she explained the problem to the audience in her sweet-voiced, understated way: she wanted to join a gang. With that thought hanging in the air – she did not look like motorcycle gang material – she began at the beginning, with her childhood.

The impression given was that everything she told us is true, did happen to her in real life, and is not in the slightest bit exaggerated. (She was using her own name, for example, not a character’s.) Passeri has a gift for describing things that to other people would seem far too colourful to be plausible, but in Passeri’s delivery are just normal, everyday occurrences.

The outfits on the rack were brought in from time to time, such as her Brownie uniform (the bits that could still fit on her), her Frida Kahlo overalls for pretentious poetry nights, and her Christmas Elf costume. Passeri’s search for a gang to join had been thwarted since she was six. Her description of her drunken and divorced Italian father trying to kidnap her from the Brownie hall mid-meeting was performed with loud and authentically Italian-sounding flourishes. Once at university studying drama, she had two sets of student gangs to bring to life: the pretentious poet set, and the vacuous sexy girl set. Passeri somehow managed to sustain a probationary membership with both groups right into adulthood, without actually being either type herself. (Don’t ever go to a naked yoga session run by a vegan cult.)

This led her into other adventures, such as being Sparklechops the Elf one Christmas at the Arndale Centre. Passeri was mercilessly detailed in her descriptions on what really occurred in the Father Christmas hut – and apparently there is a child out there named Ambi Pur Air, after the air freshener. She also went on holiday to Dubai with the vacuous girl set, and nearly ended up a prince’s concubine. Back at home in Salford, she started performing her short stories at spoken word nights, where the audience would finger-click instead of clap if they liked her.

The audience tried to finger-click their appreciation at the end, but that’s actually quite hard to do. So we just clapped loudly instead.

Reviewer - Thalia Terpsichore
on - 25.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Improbotics: An Artificial Intelligence Improvised Show - The International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester.

“Improbotics: Artificial Intelligence Improvisation” mixes a robot with artificial intelligence doing comedy improvisation with human performers and prompts from the audience. But once you get past the clever technical aspect of it – it’s dull. This performance was at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation, as part of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.

Being both a keen science fiction fan, and a comedy fan, this melding of the two genres was of great initial interest to me. The set-up was of a big projection screen in the middle of the space, a cute little teddy-bear-sized robot called Alex on one side, and a human operator on a computer on the other. Kraftwerk-influenced synthesiser music was played. Lots of CGI graphics flickered across the screen, reminding us that we are in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and we should be awed by the incredible things that it can potentially do, especially in the Arts. Then six energetic humans – professional comedy improvisers, and very good ones – bounced into the space, and the impro began.

This is going to sound harsh, but someone has to break it to Alex. He has no talent.

The premise was that Alex was one of the comedy improvisers. At the beginning, the humans directly interacted with Alex as a robot, and Alex answered back as a robot. Alex was seemingly listening to the performers via a microphone, and then choosing answers from AI- generated text options. First problem: Alex had a very sluggish sense of pace, and without pace, comedy dies. Big pauses followed every cue. The humans tried to cover it up, but it was a handicap.

It then went a bit cyborg. The little robot was ignored. Now a human had an earpiece, and took on Alex’s lines. The humans were interacting with each other, and I guess the idea was that Alex would be so seamless, we wouldn’t even notice which human was wearing the earpiece.

Alex got even more slow and clunky, leaving unlucky humans to sort of make gargling noises in delay as they waited for the next feed. Alex did not listen to other performers, and was a bit of a blocker. Alex generally ignored audience prompts altogether after the first couple of sentences. And the text that Alex was coming out with was just mediocre word-salad. Alex had no wit, no imagination, no idiosyncrasy, no timing – in short, if he had been human, he would have failed the audition in the first fifteen seconds.

Twice during the performance he shut down altogether. The computer operator was bent frantically over the screen, trying to get it fixed, and the humans went into some AI-free comedy improvisation to fill in the gap. They were good performers, and pleased the audience.

The bits that did work were the two occasions where AI-generated visual art were used. One scene was set around screenwriters pitching to a Hollywood studio, and the other was a European professor giving a TED talk about the feelings of robots. Both times Alex had to create art on the screen, and the humans improvised their dialogue around it. AI art is laughable, and the humans had plenty to work with.

The final scene was where all the humans wore earpieces, and went around improvising lines to a new poem about revenge. One of the humans was secretly being Alex. It was a dramatic poem, and drama is easier to fudge than comedy: – in fact, I’m not sure why Improbotics aren’t working with something like television soap opera. A couple of humans deliberately gave confused, robotic performances; and one human gave a polished flourish of every line like Laurence Olivier. The computer operator said this was a Turing Test, and asked the audience to choose who they thought was Alex. The audience chose wrong: – it was the Laurence Olivier performer. But in fairness, that was cheating.

One day we will be bowing down before our AI overlords, pleading for the existence of the human race. But judging from this show, we are going to be needing human comedy performers – and human comedy writers – for a while yet.

Reviewer - Thalia Terpsichore
on - 22.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Cruise - HOME, Manchester.

'Cruise', the first and so far only play from the pen of creator Jack Holden, is a 105 minute non-stop tour-de-force for Holden. 

We start in the present day, and a thirty-something Holden is remembering his time in his early twenties as a volunteer at Switchboard, a LGBT+ telephone helpline. But it is one caller specifically whom the play focuses on, and soon, Holden cleverly takes on the persona of this caller, and takes us back to his life in the early 1980s, in Soho, amid the AIDS / HIV crisis. 

One imagines that much of the material presented this evening is either autobiographical, or drawn from close personal experience. The characters are too real, the situations too lifelike, the language and mannerisms too easy and recognisable. We all know people like those presented on stage this evening whether we are part of the LGBTQ community or not, and Holden switches between them at breakneck speed, but we never get lost. Although, undoubtedly, those of an alder generation who do identify as LGBTQ must find it even more raw and emotional. 

Holden's storytelling is powerful, sympathetic, visceral, and engaging. For the entire 105 minutes he commands the stage, whether standing completely motionless, or playing the fool, whether being himself or re-enacting scenes from his and others' lives, and even singing a couple of refrains too, as he dances in nightclubs, trolls his way through 'cottages', or sings karaoke. This is a dynamically interesting show which never loses pace or intent. 

His story is ameliorated by live music composed for this play and performed by John Patrick Elliott, as well as some creative (and at times audience-eye-blinding) lighting. Bronagh Lagan's direction is tight, easy to understand, and along with a metallic revolving set with disco lights on different levels, we are given plenty of visual stimuli too.

If there is a need for the LGBTQIA+ community to use theatre as a tool to raise awareness and curry understanding, then this is a perfect example of how it can and should be done.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 6.5.23  

THEATRE REVIEW: 42nd Street - The Grand Theatre, Leeds

"Come and meet those dancing feet!" There simply could not be a truer or more apt line from the show! This musical is a tap dancing extravaganza of a show, and despite it's songs and style harking back to the time of the great Broadway musicals, this, like Sondheim's 'Follies' (1971) and Jerry Herman's 'Mack And Mabel' (1974),, wax written in the much more recent wave of American musical theatre greats. this one was written by Al Dubin and Harry Warren in 1980!

'42nd Street' tells the story of a young would-be showgirl, Peggy Sawyer, who arrives late for her first audition on Broadway, only for her to become the star of the show. It is a real rags-to-riches dream for any thespian, but because she is both extremely talented, honest and likeable, she easily ingratiates herself with everyone, and instead of the show closing, she takes on the almost impossible task of rehearsing the whole show in just a few bars of music, and both show and carers are saved!

This tour, currently at the Grand Theatre in Leeds, is just about as perfect a production as it is possible to get. A truly multi-talented company, whose tap dancing skills are tip top. I was seated in the stalls this evening, close enough to the stage to notice any signs of faltering or fatigue, and this ensemble simply were fantastic. They "went into their dance" time after time, with ever increasingly difficult steps and routines, with hardly a pause long enough in between for them to change costumes, and yet each step was flawless, each arm movement precise, and every one of them in time every time, whilst singing and acting too. not a single noticeable bead of sweat in sight, and no-one even slightly out of breath. The talent, and physical fitness of these performers was amazing. "I was sitting in the audience trying to hate them.... but I couldn't".

A large cast fill the stage, and I truly should credit all, but that would take forever; but stand-out performances came from Michael Praed as the hard-nosed director, Julian Marsh, Samantha Womack as the star who has to give way to new blood, Dorothy Brock, and Sam Lips as the leading tenor, Billy Lawlor. All three were able to bring a range of emotions into their respective roles with such ease, giving totally believable and sympathetic characterisations. But of course, the show quite rightly belongs to Peggy "Allentown" Sawyer, performed with genuine zest and indefatigable natural ability by Nicole-Lily Baisden.

Set design, lighting, sound, music etc, were all perfect, slick, and creative, and all helped to keep the show running smoothly and effectively. Costuming, and changes were clever and well managed. In fact, there is only one very slight point which I can flag here. A couple of times this evening, the spot operators were not following the principals accurately and they had shadows on their faces. However, when everything else in this show was absolutely tip top, polished, and had that wow factor from start to finish, that really was a very minor point.

"Come on along, and listen to, the lullaby of Broadway", before it is too late!

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 25.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Titanic: The Musical - The Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

This evening, Liverpool's Empire Theatre's stage was transformed into the 'Ship Of Dreams', RMS Titanic for the 10th anniversary tour of this Maury Yeston musical.

A few things have changed since the original tour, but not much. A little more emphasis on the musical theatre characters rather than their real-life counterparts who never made it to the States and whose bodies were never recovered, is now given, but the poignancy is never lost, and their reverence to the disaster is never more than a heartbeat away. This can be seen in the set design, in the props they use, and the historical accuracy of their text and story; which despite creating a story around fictional passengers, the crew members are authentically named, and the events leading up to the disaster documented accurately. 

Yeston's score is also magnificent. Not once do we hear a phrase or chord that is more modern than 1910. It is quasi-operatic, and is a traditional book musical, and yet it also feels fresh and relevant too, coping with the emotional swells with ease; with the ensemble cast sounding superb with their full chorus harmonies.

The first act is somewhat lengthy at 85 minutes, and it takes a long time for the drama  to increase. It is a slow uphill dramatic crescendo which only really starts to make any impart towards the end of the first act, and so perhaps a little judicious editing of this act would not go amiss. 

However, the entire ensemble cast in this production are magnificent, and the quality of the singing, and indeed acting, is irreproachable. My favourite song being the gentle 'Still' in act two, sung by an elderly couple opting to spend their last hours on board together, giving up their lifeboat spaces for younger passengers; which leaves a lump in the throat.

We all know the story of The Titanic, and this musical does not pull any punches in that regard. More emphasis however is given to the first class passengers in this show; unlike the famous film starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio, where the third class (steerage) passengers are given equal footing. This is a first-class musical, inasmuch as it serves the first class, is about the first class, and we see the stories of the first class over and above everything else; in fact when we do get just one scene in the boiler room below decks, the song that the men sing there seems somehow out of place with the grandeur and hauteur of the rest of the show. 

A solid and touching show, sensitively handled, providing entertainment and information in equal measure, and the talented ensemble cast bring this tragic story to life (and song) with aplomb.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 24.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: A Caravan Named Desire - Rotunda Squeak, Buxton.

There is a lot of theatre out there... hundreds and thousands of plays, some performed more often than others, some consigned to the library shelves never to be opened again; so when a play comes along that is original, different, and stands out from the crowd, it is a real joy; and this piece of original writing from Split Infinitive Theatre is just that.

At first you think that perhaps the title of the play, 'A Caravan Named Desire', might be a Mickey-take on a more famous and similarly named Tennessee Williams masterpiece, but you'd be wrong. Instead we are in sex territory, as told in a play-within-a-play documentary style. (yes, part documentary, and part theatrical re-enactment, all wrapped up in a blanket of play!). Our protagonist (call him either Alexander or Gary - without a programme I do not know his real name!), is interested in sex, not in a pervy way.. but in a David Attenborough sort of way, and so he visits a prostitute who does her business out of a caravan. We shall call her Helen / Crystal / Charlotte / or indeed the wife of the protagonist?! 

In this two-hander, we are quickly ensconced into their world, we follow them with ease and eagerness, and, because this is a rather quirky production, we also allow ourselves to be a part of the production too with some clever interaction. Our participation in the play is not forced, and the two performers are experts at working audiences. It all feels very organic and natural, and we play along. 

There is drama, pathos, heaps of comedy and bonhomie within this one hour script, and we can all recognise a little part of ourselves in either one or the other of these characters, as they candidly speak of sex and desire, we can their marital bonds being tested to the limit. 

There was a little noise from the next-door venue causing disturbance this late afternoon, and sometimes the sound used in this play was a little overpowering too for the size of the tent. Whilst the end sequence, a 'dance', seemed extraneous and unnecessary. However, our two performers were excellent, engaging, and hugely sympathetic and real. This off-beat play, and the way in which it was presented was, perhaps not unique, but a rare bird indeed, and this is certainly a fringe highlight, and deserves to be put on everyone's 'Must-see' list.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 23.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: The Canterville Ghost Musical - United Reformed Church, Buxton.

The short humorous ghost story with a moralistic ending by Oscar Wilde has seen many adaptations over the years, and is ideal for small-scale and fringe companies to tackle since the cast is not large, and there's a ready-made story full of fun, mischief, frights, and good-old American no-nonsense practicality, as well as the obligatory fun-poking at the differences between the USA and the UK in terms of language, humour, customs, and society. Yes, it is a ghost story, but never should it stray into horror and scarefest territory; it is light-hearted and family-friendly.

Magpie Theatre's version this afternoon at the United Reformed Church hall in Buxton as part of the Buxton Fringe Festival was a more minimalist affair than it perhaps ought to have been. Plastic chairs and wipe-clean plastic table-cloths, no mater how hard the imagine tried to work, could not represent the olde-worlde opulence of Canterville Manor, and a simple piece of black material across the rear of their acting space would have saved us from the windowed walls of the hall and us seeing people walking across on the other side.  

In this version the father and son had been combined into the one person, so Washington Otis was now married to Mrs. Otis, and they had one child, Virginia, who was of marrying age. Two smaller male roles were performed by one actress, whilst the live-in maid / servant was performed by a second actress, with the cast being completed by the Canterville Ghost himself. Sadly without a programme I am unable to credit anyone, but this production was very much in danger of becoming a parody of a parody. Overacting and comedic melodramatic direction was definitely the order of the day; with the ghost being far more shouty and nasty than mischievous and devilish. The actress who played Virginia was the only one of the six to portray a centred and believable character, and the only one with whom the audience truly had any sympathy. The rest far cartoon-esque, and the laughs from the audience were very few and far between.

This was a musical, and original songs had been written for this show by, one can only assume, the pianist. Seated at the rear of the hall, he played the music far too loudly throughout, and the sound resonated across the hall. Sadly, this had the effect of drowning out the vast majority of the lyrics, and when cast were singing on the opposite side of the stage, one had no chance at all to understand what they were singing. Again, credit must go to Virginia, as she managed to make her plaintive solo song, despite the pianist, sound sweet and we understood every word. 

Costuming needs a little more attention, since facial jewelry needed to be removed, and the aging make-up of the maid would only be appropriate on a large prosc arch stage with stage lighting; this afternoon she just looked ill, and she was not acting any older than 25.

With a little more thought, this could have been a highly entertaining production. However, in its current form, it was hugely disappointing and uninspiring. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 23.7.23

CABARET REVIEW: Arisha's OK Cabaret - Sonata Piano Lounge, Manchester.

“Arisha’s OK Cabaret: An Operatic Extravaganza” is an unusual cabaret show based on the

experiences of a distressed British musical theatre student who was trapped in the United States

when the world went into lockdown. This performance was presented by To Bee Productions at the

Sonata Piano and Cabaret Lounge, as part of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.

The performer, Arisha-Jane Marsh, is a non-binary alto. The performance began with a lot of bounce

and zest. Marsh started with the early excitement of being twenty years old, and winning a

scholarship to a prestigious conservatoire in Oklahoma City to train in musical theatre and opera.

There was a lot of poking fun at the Americans, and their obsession with all things British; and some

description of the new customs in this place, such as the students’ Halloween production of “The

Zombies of Penzance” – a production that I would dearly love to see brought to Manchester.

Marsh’s own ambitions and dreams were high, summarised in performances of Barbra Streisand’s

“I’m The Greatest Star” and Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!”

This would have been a show in its own right: Manchester singer meets the USA. However, we only

got about two terms’ worth of this joy before we reached March 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The USA, and Marsh’s conservatoire went into lockdown.

It is great credit to Marsh as a performer that the story could swing into this area, and what sounds

like quite a harrowing time for Marsh, and never once was the audience dropped or let down.

Though plainly quite personally affected by the memories, Marsh still sustained a powerful and

moving dynamic, moving easily around a range of musical styles and spoken storytelling as the

ensuing dystopia was described.

Whatever the audience’s own experiences of lockdown had been, Marsh’s would have topped most

of them. With the conservatoire closed down, and international flights out of the country stopped,

our stranded Mancunian no longer had a place to stay, or scholarship funds to eat with, and no

knowledge of how long this was going to last for. There were detailed descriptions of how all the

students were tearfully running around saying goodbye to each other before going home to an

assorted fifty states, and the big adventure already felt at an end. Basic survival needs now took

over. Marsh did eventually get into a bubble with a group of local LGBT+ residents, and managed to

struggle through the lockdowns with their support – and a lot of alcohol and Dungeons & Dragons.

The last part of the show described the turbulent return of education as the lockdowns lifted, and

Marsh’s return to Manchester. The impact of the adventure is that there are no Broadway dreams

now, and Marsh feels very tied to home and being near familiar support networks. It was a

rollercoaster of an emotional journey to take the audience on, and the very supportive audience

stayed engaged every step of the way. Everything was bright and poppy again for the end!

Director Jas Nisic made the most of a small stage and intimate space, and ensured the different

scenes were clean and flowed together. Musical director Jess D’Silva accompanied on the piano with

great flourish.

Reviewer - Thalia Terpsichore
on - 19.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Heathers - The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford.

The 1980s. A time when popularity wasn’t defined by a follower count, but by the fear you were able to instil into fellow classmates you deemed to be lower down the social ladder than you.  A time when DNA profiling was only just taking hold and crimes were easier to cover up – the perfect time for a twisted love story with a body count.

‘Heathers’ follows the story of high school senior Veronica Sawyer (Jessica Innes) as she finds herself thrown into the spotlight of popularity by the clique of mean girls at the top of the Westberg High food chain – all very conveniently named Heather. Desperate to survive her final year of high school Veronica figures that being a doormat for the popular kids is preferable to being a victim of them; however, when mysterious new student JD (Jacob Fowler) shows up and takes a liking to Veronica things start to get a whole lot darker, and a preppy high school bitch-fest soon becomes a murderous free-for-all with a ('ahem') explosive finale.

If there’s one thing to be said for this show, it’s that it does dark comedy perfectly. It places itself perfectly in the centre of raw sexuality, shock factor and laugh-out-loud moments – which it turns out might just be the trifecta, because this production hits every mark. Costume supervisor Johnny Palmer must have had an absolute field day redesigning this cult classic for a modern audience; gone are the bulky jackets, coloured tights and skirts that had the audacity to almost graze the knee – instead replaced by a raunchy replica with a modern twist, with knee high stockings and tiny skirts that any Clueless fan would be proud of. The uniform of the Heathers – recognizable, raunchy, and so exclusive that you even get your own colour.

Despite the show being one of the most visually stunning I’ve seen so far, with a brilliantly realistic movable set design by David Shields and some amazing (if at times slightly retina burning) lighting design by Ben Cracknell, the performances were absolutely something else. This production had a calibre of talent and professionalism the likes of which I haven’t seen before, and I’ve seen a lot. I’m not ashamed to say I’ve been an avid listener of the Broadway cast recording, but the vocal performances on the night exceeded even that. Innes and Fowler had a chemistry that bordered on obsession as Veronica and JD in their toxic and twisted relationship that had you torn between rooting for first love and, you know, hoping the nice young girl doesn’t end up with the psychopath hell bent on murdering all their classmates. Fowler plays the part exceptionally well; charming and funny right from the start, twisting the truth and manipulating his way into gaining Veronica’s trust. His vocals are absolutely stunning; ‘Freeze Your Brain’ is great for a few giggles, the chemistry in the loved-up couple’s duo in ‘Seventeen’ is insurmountable and he absolutely blew me away with his unsettling ‘Meant To Be Yours’. Innes played her part perfectly too; the headstrong smart girl swept up in infatuation and headed down the wrong path. ‘I Say No’ was a beautiful ballad and the range and passion in her voice was astounding.

And then we come to the Heathers themselves. Verity Thompson absolutely stole the show as head honcho Heather Chandler; even after our dangerous duo had bumped her off. I wanted, so badly, to hate her as we watched her bully and coerce her way into staying at the top, but she just did it so well! Her tragic death at the hands of JD and (even if accidentally) Veronica could have been a toss-up between a tragic moment of a teen life lost too soon, or an it’s-about-time for a movie villain – however it ended up being the start of a hilarious character change, which was nothing if not unexpected. Watching her float around the stage as a sort of walking, talking conscience for Veronica was hilarious! Thompson oozed charisma and comedic timing, really hamming up her newfound freedom from the shackles of the social ladder; it’s easy to see why this character is so iconic. The other Heathers were wonderful too – Elise Zavou was the perfect bitchy sidekick as Heather Duke, and Billie Bowman was stunning as the quieter, more subdued Heather McNamara with a heartbreaking rendition of ‘Lifeboat’.

The rest of the cast were remarkable too – overall this is one of the strongest casts I’ve had the pleasure of watching. It’s not often you find a cast with no weak links, and I could sit here and give a special mention to everybody, but it’d be never-ending, and I’d spoil all the fun, so you’d best go and see it for yourself.

There are a few trigger warnings in place for this due to the mature content – lots of sexual references, and the ever-present running themes of murder/suicide, so it’s definitely not for younger viewers. But despite the mature themes they’re handled in a comical fashion, holding up a mirror to teenage angst and the desperate need to fit in. It all seems more than a tad overdramatic the older you get, but it certainly makes for good viewing when you put this kind of spin on it. It’s a cult classic for a reason – grab your red scrunchie and get to the box office before Heathers leaves the Bradford Alhambra on July 22^nd.

Reviewer - Hazel Kaye
on - 18.7.23

SCHOOL THEATRE REVIEW: The Addams Family - St. James's Church of England High School, Bolton.

This evening St James's Church of England High School in Bolton, transported us into the quirky and macabre world of The Addams Family. The talented cast brought the beloved characters to life, capturing their unique personalities and eccentricities with precision and flair.

One of the standout performances came from the lead actor Alex Farrar playing Gomez Addams. His portrayal was charismatic and captivating, effortlessly embodying the charm and wit of the character. The chemistry between Gomez and Morticia, played by the equally talented Nicole Zielinska was palpable, adding an extra layer of depth to their scenes together. My favourite moment being the ‘Red scene’ that encapsulated their love, passion and commitment to one and another. Wednesday Addams, portrayed by Izzy Garner commanded the show during her solo numbers and truly ‘pulled’ out all the stops of the young character. The mischievous Pugsley Addams, played by the talented young Matty Gilkey, provided the perfect comedic relief and added a touch of innocence to the otherwise dark and twisted story. Lucas Bineke was by far my favourite talented actor on stage, I have watched many an Addams Family show and his portrayal of Lucas was stunning, my favourite amateur & professional portrayal from Matthew Shallicker.

The set design and costumes were nothing short of spectacular. From the Addams' family mansion with portraits of Gomez and Morticia, to the quirky Central Park and Taxi signs that transported the audience into their world A special shout out to the Moon and Mini Uncle Fester – if you don’t know, you should get to know! The eerie and gothic atmosphere created by the set and lighting design enhanced the overall experience, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the production.

The musical numbers were a highlight of the show, with catchy tunes and impressive choreography – specific shout out to the talented tap dancers, ballet dancers and contemporary dancers – this show had it all! The talented ensemble cast delivered powerful performances, showcasing their range and skill. The audience couldn't help but tap their feet and sing along to the infectious melodies. Overall, St James's production of "The Addams Family" was a resounding success. The dedication and hard work of the cast and crew were evident in every aspect of the production. The audience was thoroughly entertained and left the theatre with smiles on their faces, having experienced a truly enjoyable evening of theatre.

In conclusion, St James's "The Addams Family" was a triumph. It showcased the talent and creativity of the students involved, bringing the iconic characters to life in a way that was both faithful to the original and infused with their unique flair. The production was a testament to the power of the arts in fostering creativity, teamwork, and self-expression.

Special shout out to Joseph Hibbert THEE BEST Lurch!

 *Click Click*

Reviewer - Catherine Bleakley
on - 12.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: OutStageUs - The Lowry Theatre, Salford.

OutStageUs is a now annual event produced by Hive North which shines a light on LGBTQIA+ issues with an evening of new writing by, for, and about those from that community. If you like, it's a Gay JB Shorts!

This evening's production was in the Quays Theatre, and in the two-hours in their company we watched 10 short plays, written and directed especially for this event. 

The evening attracts high profile performers and creatives - and indeed, this evening we had the privilege and pleasure of watching both Joyce Branagh and Alexandra Mathie perform in what was, for me at least, the event's absolute highlight, a short play called 'A Second Chance' by Roo Pilkington, directed by Adam Zane. The evening also raises awareness and highlights the issues facing the LGBTQIA+ community on a daily basis, and which often go unnoticed or unacknowledged. The plays offer humour and pathos in equal measure, and are intended to make us think as they put their points across. However, it did cross my mind that I was very much in the minority in tonight's audience as a straight male, and so, perhaps they were somewhat preaching to the converted. 

An entertaining evening which would have worked better on a smaller stage, for example to Lowry's Studio or Hope Mill Theatre, since this is essentially a Fringe theatre event. Sincerely and candidly presented and the audience loved it.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 15.7.23

AMATEUR DANCE REVIEW: Let's Dance: The Onyx Dance Academy Showcase - Waterside, Sale. Greater Manchester.

An annual event for the students of local dance academy, Onyx, as their students - about 50 of them - took to the Waterside's main stage this afternoon.

Without any programme or running order available I am at a loss, but it seemed that there were two main groups this afternoon; the preteens and the teens. The preteens had n older dancer up front helping them with the moves (a good idea), whilst the older ones just had to get on with it themselves... and that they did! The vast majority of the dances presented this afternoon were all of a very similar style: commercial / hip hop / street, with only the very seldom but welc0ome diversion from this with a contemporary ballet piece.  In fact, I didn't quite understand why, when it was always the same students appearing in every dance, the school didn't concentrate on just a few and make them West-End worthy with lighting design, costume, etc as well as solidifying the dance steps etc; rather than a two-hour extravaganza of very similar dances, with little to choose between any of them.

One girl performed a solo song in the first act which made a nice dynamic change, and she sang it most competently; whilst there were at least two solo dances this afternoon too.

There were some very long waits / pauses between the dances at times, which slowed the presentation down, and the entrances and exits of each dance group were somewhat ragged too sadly. 

Nevertheless, the afternoon gave these young dancers the opportunity of showing off to their family and friends, and obviously enjoyed themselves greatly in the so doing.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 15.7.23

SCHOOL THEATRE REVIEW: Les Miserables - The Academy Theatre, The Co-op Academy, Higher Blackley, Manchester.

Wow....just wow!!

A total of 44 young students aged between 9 and 16 took to the Academy Theatre stage this evening to perform perhaps the world's most famous piece of emotionally-charged musical theatre. Albeit this was the "school edition", it really didn't skimp or pull any punches, and these youngsters pulled out every stop to make it one of the best shows performed by children that I have seen in a long time.

The students were taken from 9 Greater Manchester schools al under the Co-op Academies Trust, and as such getting them all to rehearsals each week must have been something of a logistical nightmare. But it paid dividend many times over. And with a dedicated and passionate creative team behind these students, we had a superb multi-level set and barricade, a large live band made up from both school teachers and RNCM students (another brilliant collaboration idea), and a creative and professional lighting design. We even had a large screen to the rear of the stage upon which pertinent images were projected to ameliorate and enhance the settings, which were, by and large, the art works of Les Miserables author, Victor Hugo. (with a little tampering to make them work for this production by Steve Brice).

Of course, a review from me wouldn't be a review from me if I was not able to pass a few comments about the staging etc. And my first thought was that the dirty faces didn't really work. I understand why this would have been thought to have been a good idea, but in truth it just looked wrong, and didn't look like dirt. Two of the most iconic moments of this musical were sadly underplayed and didn't truly have the dramatic impact that they ought to have had. The man being caught under the cart and Valjean lifting the cart to free him, and Javert's suicide from the bridge were both a little underwhelming most unfortunately. The only other 'issue' this evening were the mics, which were playing up during the first act, but the tech team obviously knew and were on the ball, since these were all rectified for act 2!

However, when everything else in this show was absolutely top-notch, and these 44 teenagers and preteens have worked so hard to put on an almost flawless production, it might be a little churlish to criticise!

The show started with a very strong opening chorus of 'At The End Of The Day', and the energy, impact, line, and characterisations never faltered from start to the final words of their act two finale. The ensemble / chorus work was excellent throughout, with some nice harmonies coming through too. It isn't usual for me to single out ensemble members but in this instance I hope you don't mind my so doing. There was one girl, Eva Crewdson, who simply stood out on her every entrance. Not because she was stealing the show... far from it, but simply because she was completely in the zone and giving it her absolute all the whole time without once coming out of character. Another young girl, who was often seen with her on stage, also impressed. Her name was Isla Moore.

And now to the principals And what can I say?! These roles are not easy ones, even for those who have had years of training and experience, and they also require a certain age and experience to bring these characters to bear. Oscar Graydon as Jean Valjean was simply superb, carrying the show with his upright and honourable single-mindedness and kindness, whilst just a upright, but for differing reasons, was the police inspector hunting him down, Javert, played with unerring rectitude by James Rawling. Also deserving of much credit, the other principals were excellently chosen and gave their cumulative alls to this show. Fantine's (Emma Taaffe) 'I Dreamed A Dream' was lovely and heart-wrenching; whilst Cosette (Rubie Elizabeth Ward), Eponine (Sharon Ighodaro), and Marius (Michael Yakubu), all gave excellent support as the younger generation / love interests, and added much to their roles and the show. Young Isaac Leerning was an amiable Gavroche, whilst Lucy Downes and Nnenna Agah were our young Cosette and Eponine respectively, with what will be for me, the image I shall remember from this production for a long time to come, as the little Young Cosette stands in a pool of light to the rear of the stage, broom in hand, and starts to sing 'Castle On A Cloud'. 

The comedy was provided for most ably too as the obnoxious antics of M and Mme Thenardier were given rein to blossom. Charlie Hopkins's slimy innkeeper was suitably obsequious (perhaps he could have had his hair tied back out of his eyes?); whilst his no-nonsense straight-talking wife was played by fourteen-year-old Amy Bent, with a confidence and maturity well beyond her years. A talent to keep an eye on!

A thrilling and very enjoyable production created with obvious love and skill from all involved. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 14.7.23   

  

PREVIEW: The Brit Fest Music Festival comes to Cheshire.

As a keen musical and festival fan, I was excited to attend the launch event held at The Bowdon Rooms, Bowdon, Altrincham to hear about a brand-new music festival coming to the local area. This world-class music festival will be celebrating the very best of British and will be staged at Ashley Hall & Showground in Cheshire on the 5th, 6th and 7th of July 2024, a mile away from the picturesque village of Hale. This family friendly event already has a top-class line up of acts that include Scouting For Girls, The Feeling, Kim Wilde, Reef, Toploader, Paul Young, Fleur East, Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins, Heather Small, Cast, Starsailor, Dodgy, Lottery Winners, Nik Kershaw, Hot Chocolate and Tunde Baiyewu from The Lighthouse Family. The packed programme also features sets from Cassidy Janson, Chris Helme from The Seahorses, Johnny Hates Jazz, Matt Ford’s Big Band, a DJ set from Mike Joyce from The Smiths, Neeve Zahra, Owen Paul, Sonia, String Infusion, The Bluetones, The Boo Radleys, The Christians, The South, The Real Thing, and T’Pau.

The full programme and running order will be announced in the Autumn when festival tickets go on sale. Festivalgoers can register their interest now by signing up through the event website at The Brit Fest to receive the latest updates, with opportunities to win tickets and hospitality packages. There is also the opportunity to show interest in volunteering at the event and you can fill in an online sign-up form. As a volunteer myself, I know only too well, volunteering can be a wonderful way to meet new and like-minded people who in this instance would not only share a passion for music but also in giving back to the community. That community spirit is something Olivier-nominated brothers Anthony and Edward Prophet are very vocal about when highlighting the festival. The effervescent brothers are the team behind The Bowdon Rooms, and have spent over a year on plans for The Brit Fest and are incredibly enthusiastic and passionate about bringing together people who also have a passion for live music, fresh air and that community spirit. 

In addition to all the incredible music acts, the family-friendly event will celebrate an entire weekend of British culture, fun activities, the arts, fashion, food and drink, and classic cars. Families will definitely be kept entertained spanning the 100-acre site. Attractions will include a vintage fairground, white knuckle rides, free family cinema, woodcraft and whittling, food and drinks festival, artisan market, garden party, festival village green, wellness in the wild with yoga, as well as the chance to meet Team GB athletes and the Extreme Mountain Bike Show. 

Tickets for the festival will include day passes for children and adults, weekend passes, VIP tickets and hospitality packages. Again, full details will be announced when tickets go on sale. The Prophet brothers Anthony and Edward and the Brit Fest Cheshire organisers commented,

“We are thrilled to officially reveal plans for The Brit Fest Cheshire 2024 – which promises to be the biggest festival this part of Cheshire has seen. The Brit Fest Cheshire will celebrate not just music but the very best of British culture, cars, food and drink, fashion, the arts, and some of the most renowned musical entertainment from these shores. The appetite for once again coming together and celebrating has never been stronger, so we want to use this opportunity to gather and shine a spotlight on the amazing talent we have in this country.

The event will have a strong charity and community focus, and we are working hard with partners to make sure the festival can be as carbon neutral as possible by developing an offsetting programme. We will announce more details as we head towards the event. We are excited to welcome festivalgoers to Cheshire, and hope they embrace the event and take the opportunity to join us for a fabulous weekend with their family and friends.”

Greatest Hits Radio presenters Jenny Powell and Mike Toolan, who launched the event in Bowdon, added: “What a real honour to officially announce the staggering line-up of live artists and festival bursting with family fun coming to Cheshire in summer 2024 – just wow! We’re already counting down until that sunny weekend in July next year when we can get up on that stage at Ashley Hall and introduce this incredible line-up of live performers to an excited crowd of festivalgoers. And not forgetting the huge programme of family fun and activities to celebrate and showcase everything that is just the best about Britain. We’ll see you there.”

Reportage - Mary Fogg

THEATRE REVIEW: Seven And A Half Years - Salford Arts Theatre, Salford.

It’s not very often you can say you saw something that really was that bit different and when that is the case, it’s often because it was wacky or off-beat. ‘Seven And A Half Years’ is not just unusual but an intensely personal piece that is both real and relevant.

It is hard to put ‘Seven And A Half Years’ into a box. As a one-man show that is to a large extent a story being told through song, a comparison could be made to Andrew Lloyd Webber's ‘Tell Me On A Sunday’ and that would be a worthy compliment in itself. However, the show also contained a lot of pure theatre, part monologue and part acting (such as taking mobile calls from an estranged father or son) with the use of numerous props. In addition to that, there was as mix of live musical performance and backing tapes, sometimes with the two interspersed. Suffice to say, this was a very sophisticated piece telling a very specific story.

The story was essentially one man’s descent from having been married and enjoying an international musical career to experiencing long-term mental illness resulting in complete isolation and financial poverty. It was a story for our times with the news frequently running stories on mental illness and loneliness but it was also a very personal, true story that was ultimately supremely uplifting.

Special mention must be made of the quality of the songs. In a play, it is possible to get away with very basic, even throwaway music as might be used in say a play by Brecht. Mark Glentworth used music to progress the story but through fully crafted songs which were sophisticated and worthy of being performed by themselves. Anyone who was fan of the more soulful offerings from either Elton John or Billy Joel would thoroughly enjoy a performance of Glentworth’s music without any overriding story attached. It also had to be said that Glentworth had a genuinely expressive singing voice!

‘Seven And A Half Years’ was a wonderfully creative piece that never slacked in pace using a variety of genres as a showcase for the multi-talents of the solo performer. It was something more however; a story that the performer felt he needed to tell and one that certainly deserved to be told.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 14.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Buzzing - The King's Arms Theatre, Salford.

“Buzzing” by Debbie Bird is a delicately sensitive coming-of-age comedy featuring mid-life, '80's pop music, and vibrators. This performance was at the King's Arms, as part of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.

The stage contained a small table on which a number of vibrators were set up, thrusting towards the sky. They were large, thick, and could be used to cosh somebody over the back of the head with. It was rather intimidating.

Debbie Bird’s character Julie, however, was not intimidating at all. She bustled onto the stage, a ray of sunshine in a rather ordinary little world, and she explained that she was about to hold a sex toy party with her friends – the same friends that she usually tried to impress Tupperware onto. And in this entertaining one-woman show, we got the story of her life.

On the surface, it is a story that is so normal and so common it’s a wonder that it’s on stage. Julie is fifty years old. She married young to a blue-collar man, had two children by him, saw her sex life spiral off into boredom and his desire for porn, and is now divorced. She is rather shy, especially about her age and her body, doesn’t like saying the word “vagina” (an audience member helpfully suggested “lovecastle” instead), and feels that she has missed out on a lot. But she also has reservations about going out and getting it.

What sold the show was the glowing charisma of Bird’s performance. This is an actor that can be plugged into the nearest socket and used as a daylight lamp. Julie was a radiantly sunny personality who could stumble her way through any situation, no matter how embarrassing. Effortlessly, Bird also slipped into other characters that were part of Julie’s story. There was the obligatory montage of bad dates from Tinder – honestly, how do dating apps stay in business? – but the unsavoury suitors were brought to vivid, masculine life. As was Julie’s ex-husband. And there was a terrifying gruff Northern woman who ran some sort of six-week sex-positivity course that Julie attended. I don’t know if such courses exist: I only know I would cosh myself unconscious with a vibrator if I was asked to attend one with that character.

Director Mark Farrelly kept the action moving smoothly around the multiple locations, and seemed particularly fond of putting Bird into some contorted physical pose whenever her insecurities around being seen naked at her age came up. The scene at a 1980's disco night was a hit, with the audience bopping along to the selection of tunes. However, it was mentioned in the play that the night was packed out with people in their 50s. I’m just going to raise that many of today’s 50-somethings actually grew up in the 1990s, and it is techno that is their nostalgia backdrop.

Overall though, it is delightful to see older women reminding the world that they have sex too, and the ending was not what was expected. Go, Julie!

Reviewer - Thalia Terpsichore
on - 11.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Enough - The King's Arms Theatre, Salford.

“Enough” by Emily Hunter is a hard-hitting naturalistic drama about misogyny in the British police force. Presented by Moonstone Theatre, this performance was at the Kings Arms as part of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.

This new play was inspired by the events of the Sarah Everard case in 2021, and the Metropolitan Police’s totally inappropriate response to the public vigil held for her. Playwright Emily Hunter spoke to many female police officers about their own experiences of misogyny within the police, compounded with accompanying race-related issues, and this script is the result.

Riah Amelle was the central character Constable Irie Dayton. A fresh young recruit straight from training, Constable Dayton is an idealistic and mixed-race young woman who really wants to help people and make a difference in society. That is what the police are for, isn’t it? As gradually the cynicism, cronyism and subtle bullying of her colleagues bit into her, little pieces of her soul began to be scattered around the stage. Amelle was born to play sensitive ingenues, and the combination of her delicate sensitivity with a job that involves bolshy authoritarianism led to a performance of both truth and subtlety.

Gemma Green was Sergeant Toni Spence. It was very interesting to see a female performer sucking up every aspect of the world-weary and rather corrupt older cop that we know from television dramas. Green’s stage presence was electric; and though she had a quiet and underplayed performance style, her authority was never to be questioned and she was fully capable of committing bodily harm – if she felt like it. Not someone you’d want to be left alone in an interrogation room with.

Emily Hunter, as Constable Christine Dash, was caught in the middle. Constable Dash essentially wanted an easy life, never putting her hand up for promotion, avoiding messy cases of paperwork, and being a great one for ensuring everybody was in the same team and on the same page. Hunter hit just the right note of being laconically slobby one moment, and ready to break fingers the next. Again, this was fascinating to see in a female performer.

The setting was a non-descript police station somewhere in the North. An Everyman police station. A quick series of vignettes bounced the characters from one micro scenario to another, building up the characters and the prevailing atmosphere. It was a surprise to see this environment being perpetuated by three female police officers, and I did wonder if the point Hunter was making was if the women are this misogynistic – and they were - we don’t even need to see the men. (Actually, Hunter had a clever twist for us on this point, which I won’t give away!)

Director Kitty Ball kept up a taut, sparse production that held the audience’s focus until we were breathing in unison. She is very, very good at handling power dynamics; and the shifts went up and down the scale with a concert pianist’s precision.

I can think of all kinds of places I would like to see this production performed at, beginning with the major conferences of the various policing organisations of the United Kingdom. In the meantime, this is an importantly angry play, and needs to be seen. Everywhere.

Reviewer - THalia Terpsichore
on - 11.7.23

AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Footloose - The Forum Theatre, Romiley. Stockport.

It’s almost forty years since Kevin Bacon came to the fore in the hit movie ‘Footloose’ and the popularity of the hit songs and feel-good story shows no sign of diminishing. The concept of a small, American town that has banned dancing (and effectively merriment) under the domination of a patriarchal religious leader has echoes of the novel ‘Babette’s Feast’ by Isak Dinesen. In fact, it is more or less the same back-story to the psychedelic Beatles film ‘Yellow Submarine’. All these works have taken the notion of a world with life made stale after the banning of music or dancing (worth remembering that this effectively happened for real in England in the 1550s under Oliver Cromwell’s puritanical regime!). ‘Footloose’ adds another dimension because it is also a study of coming to terms with tragedy and grief.

Even if you have never seen ‘Footloose’ on stage or celluloid, you probably know some of the songs even if you did not know it. The score includes numbers by Kenny Loggins and Jim Steinman amongst others. Not surprisingly, most numbers sound written for dancing to, and the large stage used to full advantage with tables and chairs was used to great effect. The very youngest age group did little dancing but were nevertheless given some prominence. In ‘Holding Out For A Hero’, against a backdrop of spirited singing and dancing by older members, a charming array of the little ones in a plethora of super-hero costumes provided a nice complement.

This was the youth edition of the stage musical, featuring different age groups. A large cast of around 130 convincingly brought over the effect on stage of a populous town, which must have taken some choreographing. A simple but effective two-level set was used to good effect as both a railway bridge and a platform for leaders to address crowds, but the main effect was those vibrant costumes with occasional props such as a mobile burger bar. The show might have been a youth edition but it was nevertheless almost an hour and a half long and pulled no punches with the story.

What really made the show was the acting, with performances across the board showing maturity and confidence beyond the actors’ actual ages. The direction was slick, the dancing dynamic and all the set used effectively but it was in the one-to-one exchanges that brought the story powerfully to life.

Sam Jeffries was well-cast as Ren, the dance-loving city boy coming to terms with having a father who deserted him, with Megan Voss giving a powerful performance with vibrant delivery of songs as Aeriel, who it transpires has had her own tragedy in losing her brother. The most interesting character however was the Reverend Moore, played by Jake Oliver, who even in dance scenes kept a straight face.

‘Footloose’ is in many ways Moore’s journey, who as both spiritual and civic leader of the town, has kept the town in a state of mourning after some of its youths (including his son) had died in a car crash on the way home from a dance. The scene with Ren and Moore together in which the minister was forced to come to terms with his inner hurts, was particularly well handled. The scenes with Ren and Aeriel on the railway bridge were also both touching and effective with the back-story fully revealed.

This was a very enjoyable production of ‘Footloose’ with full justice done to all the songs together some great dance sequences. It was also an object lesson in bringing together groups of different ages, where everyone got a chance to shine. 

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 13.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: Miss Saigon - The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.

The opportunity to see a brand new production of one of the most iconic and greatest musicals of the modern era is something I simply could not pass up, even if the journey across the Pennines is not the fastest or easiest. 'Miss Saigon'; written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schoenberg is a musical loosely based on Puccini's 'Madama Butterfly', and sparked by the chance viewing of a photograph of an Asian lady leaving her baby at the US air base so that he will have a better life, is an emotional rollercoaster of a show, and includes many of the Musical Theatre world's favoured songs.

This is a bold, brave, and substantially changed production which is currently being performed on the thrust stage of Sheffield's Crucible Theatre; and Sheffield Theatres deserve much credit and approbation for bringing this to the regional stage. A stunning achievement and exactly the sort of thing that regional powerhouses such as Sheffield should be commissioning and producing. However, that being said, for hardcore fans of the show, they will be in for a few surprises. First of all is the fact that this is a reworking of the Broadway version of the musical and not, as one would have expected, the West End show. Therefore, this version will be even further from the show's iconic original for those unfamiliar with the US / Broadway production.

'Miss Saigon' (in its simplest form) tells the story of a young US Marine Chris (Christian Maynard - pictured above), sent over to Vietnam in 1975, who falls in love with a young Vietnamese girl, Kim (Jessica Lee - also above). Three years' later when Chris is back in America, we learn that Kim has had Chris's son, and along with a desperate pimp known as The Engineer, try to buy passage to the States via Bangkok. In the meantime however, Chris has married an American, Ellen, and tries to forget his former life in Vietnam.

The staging of this musical had to be different from the original, that much was clear. We are on a thrust stage (audience on three sides), and no wings etc. This design (Ben Stones) was grey, metallic and dystopian. A large floor-to-ceiling wall dividing the thrust from the rear of the stage had been erected. This resembled a computer circuit / mother board more than anything, and opened up with doors on two levels; the higher level accessible by a single moveable set of metal ladders. Benches were set around the perimeter of the remaining arc upon which the cast sat, Brechtian style, watching and waiting for their entrances. The dystopian feel was further advanced by a small black and white TV placed in the centre of the stage, and computer generated graphics projected on the rear wall. The TV set moved as the show started, but the graphics were a huge and integral part of the show, which, at times were so obfuscating and fast-moving, that they distracted and detracted rather than added. 

The lighting design (Jessica Hung Han Yun) was creative and interesting, utilising the central revolve to great effect. Sound levels were superb. A live orchestra, visible through the gaps in the wall, on the upper level, under the direction of Chris Poon, sounded superb the whole evening, and levels between singer and musicians were perfect.

In a complete makeover from convention, playing the leading and pivotal role of The Engineer was a gutsy, feisty, conniving, tattooed female (Joanna Ampil), whilst Jessica Lee's Kim was given a more gritty and mature characterisation. Chris and his best friend, John, were both given gravitas and heart by Christian Maynard and Shane O'Riordan respectively. Thuy (Ethan Le Phong) was earnest, determined and single-minded. The non-speaking role of three-year old Tam is split between four youngsters (Anaya Awoko-Bennett, Ikayan-Ray Mulomo, Deacon Pinder, and Hirak Singla). Chris's wife, Ellen was performed with sincerity and humanity by Shannay Holmes, and this evening, for me at least, the best song in the show was her duet with Kim, 'I Still Believe'.

Of course, as will always be the case when a new production of a considered masterpiece comes along, there will be changes which work better and are commendable, whilst others work less well and one wonders why they were changed or done in that particular way. However we are now straying into subjective territory, which should not be a part of a review. So, no matter what one's personal thoughts are, this is a stunning, perfectly crafted, intelligent, emotive, and entertaining piece of musical theatre which fully deserves its place amongst Sheffield Theatres' highest accolades.  

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 13.7.23

 

  

THEATRE REVIEW: In Dreams - The Leeds Playhouse, Leeds.

World Premieres of new musicals are always interesting. I have, for as long as I can remember, been a fan of musicals, and discovering unknown or new works is one of the joys of life. Therefore, taking my seat at Leeds Playhouse this evening I was shivering with anticipation (oh no, sorry, wrong Musical!).

'In Dreams' is a jukebox musical with a fictionalised story built around the songs of Roy Orbison. The title is a little confusing perhaps, as it suggests a musical based on a particularly well-known work by Shakespeare more than anything, and has scant relevance to the actual show it titles. The story concerns Kenna (played here by Lena Hall), a singer / songwriter taking off on a solo career after the four-piece band she headed, 'Heartbreak Radio', split up years' ago. However, within the first few minutes of the show we learn that there is still a huge 'Heartbreak Radio' fanbase out there, and her doctor delivers the kind of news to her (over a telephone conversation) that no-one wants to hear; she has terminal cancer. 

For the remainder of the musical we are either in or outside a US border Mexican restaurant which specialises in wakes. The Latin American custom and festival 'The Day Of The Dead' featuring heavily throughout as both a physical leit-motif, and constant reminder of our own mortality and the fragility of life. Kenna has come here, and since she knows she is dying, requests that the owners prepare a celebration of her life, so that she can enjoy it too whilst she is still able. It sounds rather morbid and depressing, I know, but in truth, it isn't, it is all actually quite uplifting. Especially since she invites the other three former band members to join her (albeit by proxy!), and of course, romance sparks in all the right places, the band are a huge hit, and all ends happily ever after... well, not quite. There is still the issue of the cancer to confront.

This is a hugely feel-good musical, which celebrates life; it is about love, about living, about cherishing those moments and keeping them alive; because death is just around the corner. (oops, sorry.. wrong musical again!). It is however also hugely predictable, trite, and formulaic, requiring no thought whatsoever from the audience. It is as sweet as saccharine and everything is tied up in a pretty pink knot. There have been other musicals about cancer (which have been done better than this), and do we really need yet another jukebox musical? Especially when the music of Roy Orbison is not that well known in this country - at least not any more. And since the musical follows the same path as 'Rock Of Ages' or 'Mamma Mia' (ie: they use the music of the band / artiste) without doing a biographical musical like 'Buddy' or 'Cher', they could have used any music, even original writing for this show. It also means too that some of the lyrics seem a little out of place at times, the songs being made to fit the story rather than the other way around. There is, however, pathos and humour (both nicely placed) in equal measure throughout,. and the dynamics of the show work well.

The set for the restaurant is good and very detailed, but there are gaps at either side to the rear and so we can see the cast walking on and off stage behind the set at each side. These need covering. Whilst the sound levels, especially the louder, chorus songs, were set far too high this evening. We are in a small and intimate theatre setting, and not a rock arena. 

This is very much an ensemble show, and as such, the cast work excellently together. And since they are all originating these roles, there is no yardstick for me to compare them with. If I am allowed to be subjective just for one moment however, then Alma Cuervo as Ana Sofia was the most real and grounded on stage, putting in a beautifully measured and underplayed performance as the twinkle-in-her-eye-and-step grandma. 

Whether you know the oeuvre of Roy Orbison or not doesn't matter; just come along to an evening of easy-watching, insouciant, but expertly crafted new writing, and be swept up in the emotion of the music of 'Heartbreak Radio' and the Mexican traditions of celebrating life by inviting your ancestors to dance with you! 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 12.7.23

THEATRE REVIEW: The Rocky Horror Show - The Lyceum Theatre, Crewe

In a world of constant change, especially in recent years, with multiple crises, it is comforting to find some things that still provide a feeling of constancy and well-being. One such item is surely ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ which always seems to be on tour somewhere in the country and remains largely unchanged 50 years on from when Richard O’Brien decided to fill some time between jobs writing a musical.

‘The Rocky Horror Show’ is the cheeky, punk alternative to big West-End/Broadway musicals from the likes of Lloyd-Webber and Rodgers & Hammerstein, but it is now a big show in its own right, usually selling out large venues and gathering new fans year on year as it enters its second half-century.

When most of the audience already knows the script, and with so many familiar characters and moments, the problem in presenting this show is to meet everyone’s expectations whilst at the same time somehow appearing to be true to the original. This production managed to achieve just that, without reinventing the wheel. With superb staging and clear attention to detail, this was an excellent presentation.

Every nuance of the music made familiar in the 1975 film version was there, giving essentially simple songs a very sophisticated feel, with a heavy dose of sax. Interestingly, an additional song was given to Brad, akin to a Buddy Holly slow-roller, which took the mood than for a short time (but was it penned by Richard O’Brien?).

The sets were a feast for the eyes, with an array of curious items (as you might expect to find in a Frankenstein house!) thoughtfully included to enhance the right backdrop, from a mounted Dodo’s head in the hall to a huge brain in the lab. A nice touch was a huge translucent roll of film across the top of the set, providing an extra singing-stage for some cast members as well as a constant reminder that it was old sci-fi B-movies that provided much of the inspiration for the Rocky Horror Show.

The show’s cast was like a fully matured fine wine, with many members being old hands in regular tours of the show. Philp Franks was outstanding as the narrator showing remarkable ad-lib versatility in exchanges with the audience. Franks seems to have a ready-made stock of quick-fire retorts to virtually any retort, clearly updated regularly to include the very latest new news (in this case, BBC presenters and waking up next to Kevin Spacey). Kristian Lavercombe was a very memorable Riff Raff, a part he has performed well over 2,000 performances so it’s perhaps not surprising he is comfortable with the script. Stephen Webb, also well-honed in his role as Frank N Furter, had the audience in the palm of his hand. However, anyone familiar with the classic 1975 film version would not be disappointed with any of the representations of all the familiar characters in this production; ‘Rocky Horror’ is after all ultimately an ensemble show with all the characters sparking off each other. It is also worth noting that some members of the cast such as Ben Westwood in the role of Rocky were relatively new to the show but you would not have known it with the relaxed, precision feel from all concerned. Haley Flaherty and Ricard Meek certainly worked well as Brad and Janet, with this production taking a slightly more in-depth look than is usual at their developing relationship.

This was a truly refreshing and enjoyable presentation of a very well-known show, certainly giving new things for fans who know ‘Rocky Horror’ inside out as well as presenting a more or less perfect rendition for anyone who had never seen the show before; very highly recommended as an exciting, sexy and hilarious night out.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 10.7.23