Reviews, news, interviews and previews of THEATRE, COMEDY, FILM, MUSIC, ART, LITERATURE in Greater Manchester and the whole of the UK.
Monday 29 January 2024
OPERA REVIEW: La Traviata - The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford.
AMATEUR CHILDRENS THEATRE REVIEW: Matilda Jr - NWTAC Theatre, Moston. Manchester.
CABARET REVIEW: Piaf - Waterside, Sale. Greater Manchester.
on - 26.1.24
AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Guys And Dolls - St. George's Hall, Bradford.
'Guys And Dolls' is an absolute classic of a show that holds a special place in my heart as the last production I was a part of way back in my college days; there aren’t many shows that I know or love as well as this one, so I was excited to see Buttershaw St Paul’s AODS put their spin on it. Admittedly I’ve been a little spoilt with my theatre experiences – I’m usually one for large scale productions and haven’t had much experience with amateur productions from an audience standpoint, so I wasn’t too sure what to expect – but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised! Despite a few hiccups, BSP pulled out all the stops to provide us with an evening full of song, silliness and spats that definitely did this well-established show justice.
'Guys And Dolls' tells the heartwarming, rib-tickling tale of a bunch of ne’er-do-well gamblers making the most of Broadway’s criminal underbelly in the 1940s – and despite being law-dodging criminals betting their lives away on the ‘oldest established permanent floating craps game in New York’, you can’t help but love them. Nathan Detroit (Rick Whyte) is the witty and comical ringleader, on the run from the law and from his long-suffering fiancĂ© Adelaide (Stacey Gilyard-Rodgers) and trying to find a place to hold his game, makes a deal with renowned betting man Sky Masterson (Richard Armstrong) that he can’t convince uptight Lord-loving Sarah Brown (Francesca Rosado) of the Save A Soul Mission to join him on a date in Havana – to the tune of £1000. As is always the way, the guys get their dolls, and everybody wins; but not before a series of hilarious mishaps and miscommunications that you really must see for yourself.
The production values looked high – the set design looked incredibly professional, though it is a shame this doesn’t seem to be credited in the programme. I particularly enjoyed the simple way the changes of location were managed; beautifully designed street signs for ‘Broadway’, ‘The Hot Box’ and the ‘Save A Soul Mission’ were suspended above the scenes, illuminated by spotlight one at a time to show where the scenes were taking place. A simple yet effective means of transitioning which, when paired with a few additional set pieces, did the job beautifully – although there did appear to be a mix up with scene changes at one point, but this was quickly rectified and not too much of a distraction once the crew had picked up on the mistake.The mics were a little sensitive overall, or perhaps not perfectly placed, as breathing and on-stage movement was as easily heard as the dialogue, although this was easier to switch off to once the show got going, but listening to a backstage conversation above the happenings on stage, when one cast member forgot to switch off their mic after leaving the stage was more than unfortunate! The only other slight negative was the ensemble movement on stage – dance numbers were quite repetitive sadly, and sometimes we had some crowding and problems with them exiting the stage. This looked a tad messy at times. However, ‘Luck Be A Lady’ as a male ensemble piece absolutely stole the show – no notes.
Staying with the positives – of which there were many! The casting choices for the leads were marvellous; Rick Whyte and Stacey Gilyard-Rodgers painted the perfect pair as Nathan and Adelaide, with a wonderful on-stage chemistry and non-stop energy and performances that wouldn’t be out of place in a professional production. And it was lovely to watch the sarcasm develop into soppiness between Richard Amstrong and Francesca Rosado as Sky and Sarah – perhaps wanting a little fine tuning as they’re not easy parts to play, but it could just have been first night nerves, and I was still really surprised by the level of talent we were treated to. The band were also a major highlight – again, a definite surprise!
The BSP have been around for over 90 years now and it’s easy to see why – their people have real passion, and it really shows.
on - 25.1.24
Wednesday 24 January 2024
THEATRE REVIEW: Calendar Girls - The Opera House, Blackpool.
'Calendar Girls' started life in 2003 as a British comedy film directed by Nigel Cole, based on a screenplay by Tim Firth and Juliette Towhidi. It tells the true story of a group of middle-aged Yorkshire women who produced a nude calendar to raise money for Leukaemia Research (now Blood Cancer UK) under the auspices of the Women's Institutes in April 1999 after the husband of one of their members dies from cancer. The calendar raised more than a few eyebrows at the time but more importantly to date it has raised over £3 million for the cause!
For some reason, best known to those involved, the musical originally premiered as 'The Girls' in 2016, before being renamed 'Calendar Girls' for the UK tour in 2017. The musical was a collaboration between Gary Barlow and Tim Firth. The inclusion of Tim Firth in the musical is an important factor because it guaranteed a very close alignment to the original and very successful play version, if it ain't break don’t break it.
The current tour is publicised as a new production with a revised score, and these are not the only new aspects to the production. Staging is completely changed and there are significantly fewer characters which means production as a whole has a very different feel to it. Staging had previously been a very grand backdrop of the Yorkshire Dales with props coming on and off to set the differing scenes. The revised staging is a very impressive looking interior of the hall where the WI meetings take place. Impressive if you are seated in the centre of the auditorium, not so impressive if you are sat stage left as there is a kitchen area that I had absolutely no view of that is used on several occasions. Disappointing that in a professional production no thought was really given to audience sight lines. Keeping everything “interior” also meant the action felt very one dimensional, hard to imagine how the cast were so in love with Yorkshire if all we saw was the inside of a community hall. The first act also has a very different feel to the original production. Songs have been removed '(Yorkshire', probably due to the lack of an ensemble) or chopped around. Very slightly 'Almost' is broken into three pieces and it makes it very difficult for the actor and audience to pick up the pieces and to fully appreciate and build pathos for John's health demise. 'The Flowers Of Yorkshire' seemed to be misplaced in this version and didn’t get the reaction it truly deserves. Overall Act 1 felt rushed with little time to really establish characters and relationships. It was almost like a concert version of the original. Act 2 felt more enjoyable and allowed us to really see the characters come to life. However, the lack of ensemble, notably the children, resulted in a few holes plot wise. It's unclear in this version why Chris suddenly decides to abandon her support for her best friend Annie, a key moment between the friends, due to issues with her son. In the original we see her son suspended from school, ending his chances, and her dream of him being head boy. It meant that you were left with the feeling that reduced numbers were due to perhaps a reduced budget and this resulted in a watered-down version of the original.
It's down to the cast then, to make what they can of it. This team are all names from TV soaps, theatre, or music, and honestly some can deliver a song better than others, at times there seemed to be uncertainty during some solo numbers. Stand-out was Chris (Samantha Seager) who throughout kept the team going and sung her solos brilliantly.
Overall I felt this version missed the mark. When I go to the theatre I love to be moved, the joy, the tragedy, and the comedy. All these aspects are present in this production, but somehow it does not allow all those qualities to breathe, it’s an ok night out but this story has the ability to be and great night out. If it ain't broke don’t break it.
Monday 22 January 2024
AMATEUR STUDENT DANCE REVIEW: Simply The Best - The Lowry Theatre, Salford.
on - 20.1.24
Saturday 20 January 2024
CLASSICAL CONCERT REVIEW: Flamenco Experience - The Cathedral, Manchester.
on - 19.1.24
Tuesday 16 January 2024
AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: The Girl On The Train - The Garrick Playhouse, Altrincham. Manchester.
If you can fill a theatre on a freezing cold Monday night in
January then you must be doing something right. Such was the case at the
Altrincham Garrick Playhouse last night as the latest production in its season, 'The Girl On The Train', opened. This massively popular 2015 novel captivated
readers much in the same way that Gone Girl had three years earlier, cementing
the genre of female based thrillers with confidence.
'The Girl On The Train' gives us Rachel, a complex and flawed
female protagonist embroiled in a mysterious thriller with strange twists,
unexpected turns and surrounded by characters in whom she has little faith.
That lack of faith extends especially to herself. Dogged by disappointment and
loss, personal failure and alcoholism Rachel witnesses something truly dreadful
but cannot remember, due to her regular alcohol fuelled black outs. Piecing
together what has happened becomes her obsessive focus as the journey of the
play unfolds.
Now this is not an easy play to stage; short scenes and
multiple changing locations from a dank, dark and threatening railway station
underpass to comfortable middle-class homes or the sad, chaotic, one bedroomed
flat of a functioning alcoholic. It demands good design and Ian Scullion’s set
is clever, well executed and superbly effective. The exterior train station
location is the central hub of the set. It is cold, dark, damp, vandalised and
threatening.
Lighting projections and smoke effect are used very well to
create that sense of foreboding and feeling that nothing good can happen in
such an environment. Using three triangular prisms, effective lighting design
and a team of well-trained stage managers, the action smoothly moves from one
location to another; we are quickly transferred out of subway style
surroundings and into the smart, stylish living room of a Victorian terraced
house as the prisms rotate.
This play demands a lot of the ever-present leading role of Rachel. She is a clever and complex woman. Strong yet vulnerable,
clever yet foolish, sharp yet dulled by life. Ruth Moore as Rachel leads this
cast with an assured hand. In a well-judged, nicely paced and nuanced performance Moore brings Rachel
and her flawed life to the fore with skill.
Supported by a well-cast company with good rapport and pace,
tensions rise, curiosity overwhelms, instincts react and gradually the awful
truth emerges.
Direction is well judged and utilises the design to good
effect. Flashbacks are staged well and key moments were given sensitive
handling.
All in all this is a good production of a difficult play
which creates a great atmosphere, has imaginative staging and is really an
enjoyable night out.
THEATRE REVIEW: One Play, One Day - 53Two, Manchester.
Writers and Directors had the courage of their own conviction in terms of the ideas and company that they were working with, the audience loved it and all in all this made a really successful and enjoyable evening.
I understand the company, led by actor Danny Ryder, will be returning in April for a repeat of the One Day One Play format at The Lion’s Den, Manchester and I really look forward to catching the next one.
on - 14.1.24
Monday 15 January 2024
OPERA REVIEW: Madama Butterfly - The Opera House, Manchester.
Giacomo Puccini’s famous tragic romance ended what had come to be one of the best runs at Manchester Opera House by Ellen Kent directing the Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre. A sold out performance was indicative of the draw that one of Puccini’s most famous operas has in its one-hundred and twentieth year, and possibly a reassurance to Kent, who behind closed doors had seemed unsure of Madama Butterfly having kept it as part of the line up in the last few years, that the great opera should not be going anywhere just yet. Like Carmen, a few tweaks to the cast here and there had done the opera a great service, making it one of the greatest performances over previous years.
The Korean soprano Elena Dee returned as Cio-Cio San, bringing her usual top-class performance as the unfortunate lead. Dee’s stage presence and technical ability was and always will be unmatched, as her voice reached the farthest corners of the opera house with ease along with her acting was enough to bring the audience to tears. Dee was supported by the equally wonderful and emotion-evoking mezzo-soprano Natalia Matveeva as Suzuki, who brought a different quality to the role over previous incarnations of the maid. Tenor Georgi Meladze donned the summer-whites as the foolish and impulsive United States naval officer, B. F. Pinkerton and was on fine form performing against Dee’s Butterfly. Iurie Gisca returned having swapped the torero outfit for a more low-key suit as the American consul, Sharpless.
Set at a dojo overlooking Nagasaki harbour at the turn of the twentieth century, Pinkerton leases the land and property deciding to take the young and innocent Cio-Cio San as his bride. Whilst seeing the venture as a nothing more than a bit of fun, having a ‘girl in port’ so to speak, Cio-Cio San sees it as having met her lifelong partner with an opportunity to start a new life as an American wife, willing to abandon her Japanese traditions much to the displeasure of her uncle, the Bonze (Valeriu Cojocaru). The two are married and spend a night of passion together. Pinkerton leaves with his ship, promising to return. Years pass and Cio-Cio San, having mothered Pinkerton’s child (Ivy Shi) wait along with Suzuki for Pinkerton’s ship to drop anchor in Nagasaki bay once more. Preparing herself for her husband’s arrival, it is revealed to Suzuki by Sharpless and Pinkerton that Pinkerton has matured and taken an American wife. Knowing of the son, Pinkerton wishes to take the child and raise him in the United States with his new wife. What ensues has to be one of operas most tragic and emotional climaxes when Cio-Cio San finds out what is to happen.
As always, the set pieces and costumes are grand and lavish. A dojo adorned with lanterns sitting amongst water features and blossom trees and flowers replaced the amphitheatre set which had featured so prominently in the previous two nights. With Butterfly colour and lighting appear to be as integral to the plot as the music and libretto. Embarrassingly, it has to be admitted that in previous years the costume change for the second act representing the character’s position and mood had been lost on me. Pinkerton’s summer white uniform is replaced by a black uniform, having taken on the role of the villain of the story, likewise Sharpless’ cream suit changes for a black and grey suit. Gisca’s Sharpless is morally conflicted. The lighting slowly dims and brightens aiding scene transitions more smoothly than the fall of the curtain which usually prompts the unknowing audience member to get up for a drink, only to rush back after a few minutes. This use of the backlight casting the silhouettes of Cio-Cio San, her son and Suzuki as the lights grow darker during the “Humming Chorus” is beautifully practical and symbolic of the darkness which Pinkerton brings. This performance of Madama Butterfly has to be Kent’s most beautiful yet, and it was hard for even the most stoic of us to keep a tear rolling down one’s cheek.
Much like the previous night’s performance of Carmen, Butterfly was another example of the perfect mixture. The cast was wonderful, the set was luscious and the orchestra was at its best, benefitting greatly from the timpanist whose thudding blows masquerading as the harbour cannon were felt to the bone. Everything worked so well together, Dee and Meladze’s chemistry with each other and the secondary cast was phenomenally effective. Kent’s direction was faultless, having crafted and molded Madama Butterfly to her own vision whilst keeping that core breadth of view originally realised by Puccini.
Concluding what has been purely magical and enchanting three nights at Manchester Opera House, myself and many others will be counting down the days until Kent and the Ukrainian Opera return with the likes of Matveeva, Gisca, Dee, Meladze and Davit Sumbadze. In what has been an outstanding start to the UK and Irish tour, should this exceptional level of quality and be maintained (which would be stupid to doubt) until the very end, then the 2024 season will most likely go down as one of the greatest in recent years for Ellen Kent.
OPERA REVIEW: Carmen - The Opera House, Manchester.
This evening's performance of Carmen by Ellen Kent featuring the talent of the Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre was the best of any of Kent’s productions yet. Satisfying and thoroughly enjoyable in every possible manner, Natalia Matveeva’s Carmencita and Davit Sumbladze’s Don Jose were the perfect couple for this superb performance, bringing alive the very essence of Bizet’s opera. It was pure unadulterated bliss.
Kent has always claimed that it pays well to invest in your lead singers, and Carmen proved that philosophy ten times over. Matveeva was exquisitely sultry and seductive as the heroine, her talent lay in not only reaching every corner of the Opera House with her powerful mezzo-soprano voice, but in her acting too. Matveeva used every inch of the stage, her eyes gazing at what felt like every member of the auditorium. The mezzo-soprano fully embodied the character of Carmen in a performance that Bizet himself would not find fault with. Furthermore, as if Matveeva was not captivating enough as the gypsy Carmen solo, when performing opposite Sumbladze’s Don Jose the two created a chemistry and romance that evoked such passion, it burned as hot as the cigarettes which are made in the factory from Act I. There was a real Burton-Tayloresque factor about the two singers which made for a truly enthralling and rambunctious evening. The tenor, Sumbladze (in his first UK tour), was a massive improvement on the Don Jose from 2022, from the moment he appeared on stage in his corporal’s uniform and opened his mouth, one knew he had put his heart and soul into the role. Likewise, his passion was our passion, his lust was our lust, Sumbladze had the audience on his side from the very beginning.
Set in Spain in the early nineteenth century, Bizet’s Carmen is a story of jealousy for the same woman. Carmen is in everybody’s eye, yet she plays and manipulates her way to those only she has eyes for. Don Jose, a young and innocent corporal, falls for the vampish Carmencita outside the cigarette factory after the young gyspy singles him out. After falling foul of the law, Carmen is detained by the soldiers and the young corporal is instructed to take her to the jail, however already wooed by her, Don Jose lets her go and takes her place in prison. After being released, Jose finds Carmen and her gang in a tavern, plotting a raid, and again unable to resist Carmen, quits the militia to join her. However there is another who has Carmencita’s favour, Escamillio the toreador (Iurie Gisca) and what develops is an intense jealousy between the two men.
Again, going back to the perfect casting, Gisca’s Escamillio was exceptionally swashbuckling and dandy, his on stage presence was almost infectious and one could not help but grin when the toreador sauntered on and smiled. Gisca’s voice was one of the best of the evening, the baritone’s rendition of the famous Toreador Song in the second act raised the hairs on one’s neck being utterly exhilarating. Energy is not an unfamiliar thing in Carmen, and every aspect of the production had energy exuding from it. Gisca’s Escamillio was this energy personified, his vibrant costumes throughout strike a bolt of colour in scenes.
Which leads onto the costumes, the sets, the props, all of which come together wonderfully to create extraordinary verisimilitude, whisking the audience back some two hundred years. Kent’s productions have always prided themselves on their firm commitment to the traditional, with no holds barred on imposing set design and the most delicate and detailed costumes. Everything is real and interacted with by the cast, and nothing is left to the imagination. All this combined with the lighting helps further the world in which Carmen is set. One almost feels the cold in the open night of Act III, the warmth and joviality which comes with it in the first act. This particular performance of the opera was lightening in a bottle, and one can only hope that the heights set by Carmen remain for the rest of the tour.
The opera itself is widely accessible, although the main plot elements are prevalent in other operas, Carmen has a perfect blend of action, pathos, comedy and romance. It appeals to all which is most likely why Manchester Opera House appeared packed again. Carmen is raunchy bordering on the perverted, it’s grandiose bordering on the bombastic, it is the perfect opera. Bizet’s music reflects this, being worthy of its own concert. Ellen Kent has worked wonders with the Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre to bring this to Manchester, and her direction and choice of cast flawless.
Is it not a shame that it was a one-night-only event? To a degree yes, but what a cultural treat to have been lucky enough to experience such a performance. If there had been any misgivings about La Traviata the night before, then Kent’s Carmen was an aggressive rebuttal, highlighting the talent of the theatre company, as well as elevating the director to a height that one doesn’t think of Ellen Kent = Opera, but rather the other way around.
Puccini’s Madama Butterfly has a tall act to follow and finish the Manchester leg of the tour on, yet one thinks we have nothing to worry about.
Friday 12 January 2024
STUDENT THEATRE REVIEW: Trial By Media And Death By Dispensing - Main Theatre, City College, Manchester.
The rather long and somewhat confusing title of this afternoon's presentation of 'Trial By Media And Death By Dispensing' by the first year students of Arden Theatre School's Theatre And Performance course, was their own adaptation and reworking of Berkoff's The Trial.
This one-hour exercise in boundary-pushing started with majority of the cast already on the thrust style stage, with the audience seated on two opposing sides, whilst a line of mirrors down the centre of the stage mirrored the action back to us, and a large screen on a third side of the stage showed the whole stage for us. Dark blue hues and calming music surrounded this, and cameras, video cameras, microphones, and goodness knows what else, adorned the perimeters.
Sadly there were not any programmes available this afternon (a QR code to download on mobile phone was provided) so I am unable to credit anyone; however, this young and enthusiastic cast gave very intense and committed performances as pretty much every contemporary theatre technique was thrown at it in order to give the students as much experience as possible as well as teach them just exactly how far theatre can be pushed outside the box! Everything from Deconstruction to Metatheatre, whilst this truly multi-media presentation was not without its challenges for the students.
Dressed identically in black trousers, white shirs and ties, the cast took turns to narrate, to act the protagonist, and we even had a couple of songs performed live with keyboardist. I have to confess it was disjointed at times, with so many points of action, one did not really know where the focal point of the action was. This was made even more difficult to understand since those who were unmic'd were not articulating or projecting sufficiently enough.
A sincere and challenging production which reminded me very much of my own student shows when I was at Drama School more than 30 years' ago!
OPERA REVIEW: La Traviata - The Opera House, Manchester.
CLASSICAL MUSIC REVIEW: Rachmaninov - The Liverpool Philharmonic
This evening the hallowed Grade 2 listed Philharmonic Hall was alive with the sound of Romantic music from three countries. Under the baton of conductor Domingo Hindoyan, the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra started the concert with Josef Suk's lively and tuneful Scherzo Fantastique. This work, opus 25, first received a hearing in Prague in 1905, and although Suk is known within Czechia, he often gets overlooked on other county's concert platforms, which is a shame. Somehow he is often overshadowed by the more famous Dvorak and Smetana, both contempories of his.
Following this, and we moved swiftly from Central Europe up north to the lakes and forests of central Finland.. or Karelia to be more precise. The works of Sibelius are inextricably linked with the landscape, folklore, and customs of this once independant territory. Sibelius only wrote one violin concerto, and he poured so much of Karelia (and by affiliation, himself too) that it is almost impossible to listen to it without conjuring bleak snow-filled landscapes and hardy farmsteads of the late 19th century. I have seen this work performed where they showed photos of the Karelian landscape behind during the music, and this worked beautifully.... one truly understood both music and composer more fully. Perhaps that should be made de rigeur for many of the Romantic and early 20th century composers who blend their writings with what was around them and their love of their own country and people.
To play the violin solo this evening was Artist-in-Residence Simone Lamsma, who filled her part with passion and emotion, playing deftly and wowing this evening's appreciative audience.
After the interval and the concert's showpiece. We travel over the border from Finland into Russia, and to listen to one of the greatest composers to ever emerge from that country. A huge boast I know, since Russia has supplied the world with many fine composers, but Rachmaninov remains one of my favourites! His first symphony (which was what we were to listen to) received its premiere in St. Petersburg in 1897. However, despite all the odds it was not well received at all and it shattered Rachmaninov's confidence. Thankfully, not for long as he has given the world so much, but it seemed that Russia at that time was simply not ready for his modernism, brashness, unconformity, and indeed his musical irony. It is a wonderful piece of writing, and always a joy to listen to. The Liverpool Philharmonic went "all out" here too, raising ther own bar with this.
A fabulous concert.
Thursday 11 January 2024
THEATRE REVIEW: Life Of Pi - The Grand Theatre, Leeds.
on - 10.1.24
AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: The Last Quiz Night On Earth - The Garrick Theatre, Stockport.
Friday 5 January 2024
PANTOMIME REVIEW: Beauty And The Beast - The Gladstone Theatre, Port Sunlight. The Wirral.
I had the pleasure of watching Dreamworld Entertainment’s ‘Beauty And The Beast’ at the Gladstone Theatre, in Port Sunlight. It really is a tale as old as time and this production had the audience laughing and dancing on their feet; whisking them away with an enchanted tale of love and beauty, which can be found within. This light hearted pantomime was written by Fortina Stone and produced by both Jamie-Leigh Christian and Laura Newnes.
'Beauty And The Beast' is a well-known and popular story that we know so well and this production did not disappoint. Including traditional panto favourites such as an Enchantress of the Rose (Jenna Sian O’Hara), a Dame (Shania Pain), a villain (Darren John Langford), and a sweet sidekick (Lenny Wood). With a unique twist and adapted storyline, Dreamworld Entertainment brought fun and laughter into the Gladstone theatre once again.
Melissa Weston gave a wonderful performance as Belle and showed great leading lady qualities. Conor Barrier as the Beast showcased his true talents on stage, I enjoyed watching him move with the dancers and perform in the ’12 Days Of Christmas’. This talented pair worked well together and looked beautiful at the ball.
The costumes for this production were colourful and eye-catching and matched the characters' personalities well. Belle’s iconic costumes - the simple blue day dress and her magical golden ball gown, did not disappoint. The audience audibly gasped when Belle appeared in her ball gown, and it looked fantastic twirling around the dance floor. The Beast’s transformation at the beginning of the show was cleverly achieved with lighting effects and set the bar high from the rest of the production. I was however disappointed with how the Beast returned to his natural form as it lost its magical effect.
The lighting added brilliance to the production with seamless scene transitions and was truly light art at its best. Nathan Storm’s lighting design was creative and had maximum effect making a powerful contribution to the rhythm of the production. The light truly danced with the dancers and was perfectly operated by Laurence Noble. The lighting had a choreography that matched what was happening on stage. It went way beyond the basic functions of light. With a range of special effects and magical touches that drew the audience in and added a bit of sparkle that you can only really find on the stage.
The Enchantress of the Rose was a character who was loved by the audience. O’Hara had great stage presence and narrated the story with talent and enthusiasm. She used great facial expressions to keep the audience engaged, although at times she was hard to hear. With a few wig malfunctions, O’Hara used her moustache when playing Papa Gerard to add to the comedy of the production.
A shout-out has to be made to Pain who played the Dame, Mrs Potter. Pain gave an outstanding performance that had the audience roaring with laughter and wanting more. Pain is a comical genius, with lines perfectly timed to create maximum effect with the audience. Alongside the great facial expressions, we saw many musical talents put on display. Outstanding!
The music for this production was entertaining, featuring iconic songs such as; ‘Never Gonna Not Dance Again’, This Is Me’ and ‘I’m Still Standing’. The audience could not help but clap along. The direction by Newnes was cleverly done and the stage was used to maximum effect. Newnes had excellent casting choices here, as the talent on the stage was exceptional. The old-style panto call-backs were great fun and had the audience following along. There were a few timing issues with some comical lines but this can vary depending on the audience.
The choreography by Christian had some good sections and included some striking lifts and tricks. The movement for this production was fun and the audience members enjoyed recognising the well-known TikTok moves. I feel the dance ability on the stage was capable of a lot more and I feel the choreography didn’t allow for the cast to showcase their capabilities. At times I felt the movement was repeated in different routines, making it seem repetitive and less effective. I thought Christian utilised the stage well and it was great to see audience participation on stage; with children dancing alongside the cast.
The Ensemble on stage was fun and energetic drawing the audience’s eyes adding passion and magic to the stage. Alex Patmore and Cole Porter were exceptional and their performance skills were spectacular. Mia Molloy also drew my eye with her outstanding stage presence. I was delighted to watch the brilliant children in Red Team as they danced, giving it everything they had. They gave a dazzling performance with each step perfectly executed. Well done to Ada-Grace Jones from Blue Team for standing in and for the whole cast for adapting so quickly to last minute changes.
With children arriving in their Belle dresses ready for the ball they were not disappointed but were overjoyed with the talent and magic on stage. Dreamworld Entertainment’s ‘Beauty And The Beast’ was a lovely production. The beautiful costumes, magical lighting effects and enjoyable songs made it an enchanting experience, as a brand new way to experience the tale as old as time. Well done to everyone involved!