Theatre Review Achy Breaky Bride St Helens Theatre Royal

This bright and pacy new musical by Emma Culshaw & David Paul, is firmly rooted in Merseyside but centres on the unlikely coupling of bridal wear and American Country & Western music. The entire action takes place in an up-market bride dress shop as a cast of eight take us through a musical journey celebrating the greats of the genre (including Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Tammy Wynette and Shania Twain). Aside from the singing and dancing, there is a rich mix of relationships and personal hang-ups amongst the main characters, with doubling-up enabling us to be introduced to a curious mix of eccentric and unusual customers. 

The atmosphere in the shop is often reminiscent of Edwina and Saffron visiting Harvey Nicks in ‘Absolutely Fabulous’, where physical appearance and style battle to take precedence over personal insecurities and disfunctions. To complicate things further, there is a strong LGBT presence, in the form of Shania (played by Shania Pain) and Sue (played by David Heath). The complicated mix of emotions and connections is held together at a constant frenetic pace, as spontaneous country and music songs are weaved into the plot (although it is perhaps a little unsubtle to have the central character played by Leanne Campbell named ‘Jolene’!).

With an impressive set which remains constant throughout, no time is needed for changes of scenery but even so, blackouts between scenes literally last no more than 5 seconds, during which time characters leave the stage or are repositioned as music of the current song fades, giving an almost cinematic quality to the passage of time. The pace never slacks and at times it is hard to keep up with who is interested in who but the central issue is that Jolene had been jilted at her wedding some years before and the man in question, Hank, played by Conor Barrie, is now back on the scene but engaged to another woman. Hank is American and perhaps not surprisingly, has a taste for Country & Western clothing (possibly because he comes from Nashville?).     

This show is first and foremost a comedy but be warned, it is for the broad-minded, both in the language, nature of humour and comic representations of nudity. There is nothing irreverent or shocking and there are no nasty digs or satires but it is not for nothing that the show has an 18+ warning (and somehow, this reviewer got away with taking his 95 yr-old mother!).

There are too many different characters in this show to give individual attention to each one  but two that seemed to stand out are Faye, the shop manager, played by Jenna Sian O’Hara, who gives an air of constancy amidst all the shenanigans going on around her ( whilst having her own inner issues to contend with) and  Mikey played by Shania Pain. Interestingly, Shania’s female persona is in-yer-face, over-emotional and quite scary but as a white suited male, there is a tenderness and humanity in the character of Mikey which is much more relatable. It is also worth noting that these two characters sing what is the only true duet in the show, with a cracking rendition of ‘Stand by your man’.

The audience at press night was very enthusiastic and if you want a fun show full of classic singalong songs with ribald humour from a plethora of outrageous characters, you are likely to feel the same way and you don’t really have to be a fan of Country & Western music to enjoy the show; the action after all takes place in Merseyside!

Achy Breaky Bride is on at the Theatre Royal St Helens until Sunday 27^th September - https://www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com/

 
Reviewer: John Waterhouse

 On: 24^th September 2026 

       

  

Concert Review Saint Etienne The Roundhouse London

Saint Etienne are a band that never quite broke the mainstream, instead quietly carved out a career since 1990 with far more albums than perhaps even they can remember. At times they were almost too prolific with extra songs filling fan only CDs and deluxe editions that even their music boffin Bob Stanley might struggle to recall. 'Tonight', their opening song from 2012, is a shimmering example of their knack at a catchy radio staple, as they capture the joyful rush of the night before the hangover. It’s a perfect example of their many pop hits that were chart misses. 

They have announced their split following a solid return to form with last years International album, which followed two experimental sound montage LPs that despite critical acclaim tested one’s patience for the melodic possibilities of dripping taps, creaking radiators and slowed down samples of better songs; the covers were nice though. 

Tonight they focus on what makes them great, wistful springtime pop about unrequited love kicked about by 60's girl bands, Italo disco, rave comedown rooms and suburban dreams of when bedroom wall posters mattered, top 40 chart positions measured our own success and Our Price was our mecca. 

What makes these songs more poignant is their audience, having once listened to via cassettes on collapsed bedsit sofas and in 1-litre hatchbacks, are now in their 50s. All those future lives and loves no longer a mystery. Hearing Sarah Cracknell croon 'Spring' and its strident ‘With The Love I've Got You'll Forget About Her/ And Find It Easy To Live Without Her,’ it’s hard not to wonder where all those hopes went. Did he forget about her, or did he have to recover from a second heartbreak. The tracksuits might be more expensive, with Audi car keys and Waitrose loyalty cards, but the stories filling the Roundhouse tonight didn’t exist in the 90s and all likely to be far from what anyone expected; much like Saint Etienne’s longevity. 

Sant Etienne were one of those early 90s bands that only featured guest singers, and tonight its long-stand backing vocalist Debs who Sarah Cracknell is now depending upon. Cracknell’s voice isn’t what it once was and she was never Mariah Carey in the first place. They always walked the tightrope of slight, and straddled the genres of rare groove and comedown funk with house and pop that probably confused as many people as it coalesced. 

Few bands found such lasting success via so many lower top 30 hits. There were a few break throughs like 'He’s On The Phone' and 'Who Do You Think You Are?', both glistening perfect pop meteorites of hi-nrg and vocals purring like a cat sanctuary’s feeding time that broke into the mainstream like postcards from an alternate future. These biggest hits all hit the Roundhouse joyously, but otherwise they might have played an alternate 20 songs without any complaints. The pulsating 'Heart Failed (In The Back of a Taxi)' from 2000 and last year’s 'Take Me To The Pilot' kept spirits high, as did the stomping curveball of a Gary Numan cover 'Stormtrooper In Drag'.

Despite the victory lap, it is hard not to conclude that it might be time to drop the final curtain. Bob Stanley was grinning throughout as he pressed buttons alongside schoolfriend Pete Wiggs, but there was barely any celebratory recognition you might expect; it felt more mid-tour than end of the last tour. 

They might’ve closed with the sumptuous 'Goodnight' from 2017’s Tales from Turnpike House, but instead signed off with a tearjerking 'The Last Time', and left the stage until next time. As is customary, they have announced a few festival shows for next year and maybe another final show might be too tempting to refuse, but they are no longer the well-oiled machine of yore. The drummer might give a live feel, but the lack of a lead guitar was missed. Sarah can still shimmy like she always did, but her vocals were too frequently a stroke rather than punch. Wiggs once describe his band as an iron fist in a velvet glove, but tonight it felt more velvet glove than perhaps these songs deserved. Still, we were lucky to have them and it was good while it lasted, which somewhat diminishes their tenuous 36 years of kooky samples, pop songs about pop songs and an encyclopaedic knowledge of London’s side streets (a song which sadly didn’t appear tonight). 

Reviewer:  Tom Hocknell

On: 18th September 2026

Concert Review The Sandkings (supported by the 48K’s Yellow Arch Studios, Sheffield

 

Oasis isn’t the only 90’s band that reformed last year and is about to embark on Leg 2 of the comeback trial. After a series of triumphant 2025 comeback gigs in their native Midlands, the Sandkings travel north to the Steel City for the first gig of the year. The comeback isn’t the only thing they share with the moody Mancunians, with drummer Terry Kirkbride briefly banging the Oasis drums, most notably on the ill-fated Death in Vegas sessions.

The Sandkings - named after a 1981 collection of sci-fi short stories by George R. R. Martin - scored three Top 10 hits in the UK indie single chart alongside the critically acclaimed album ‘Welcome to England’ between 1988 and 1992. They were the opening act for Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses in the early 1990s and even touted as the first ever Britpop band. They were fronted by Jass Mann, who later went on to top the charts singing the Number One smash hit ‘Space Man’ with Babylon Zoo.

This time around the frontman’s job belongs to Sheffield stalwart Vincent Cocker and on this occasion, he would be treading the same Yellow Arch stage once graced by local boys, The Arctic Monkeys. Sheffielder Vincent is a familiar face, having played the local circuit, including the gone but not forgotten indie musical Mecca, the Leadmill, with former band Paperslave. The 2026 line-up is completed with original members Glenn Dodd and David Brown.

The Sandkings have recently signed to Revolver Records and, having released a series of anthologies, are working on new material to be released in the new year. With the first album released in 1992, that would represent a 34-year gap between albums.

The support act was the excellent, Doncaster-based 48K’s who have a decent local pedigree and are also veterans of the Leadmill. Their brand of mod and indie rock, fuelled by guitar-driven riffs, was the perfect preamble to the evening. 

The Sandkings opened their account with ‘All is Well in the World’, followed by ‘Phoney Mahoney’. It was a great start, with tracks from the album featuring strongly. The synergy and quality of the band were clear to see, with the three long-term members complemented by the relatively new singer who looked the perfect fit for the rejuvenated outfit. He put in the high-octane and accomplished vocal performance you would expect from a seasoned performer who shares the same surname as a couple of other singers from the city. His warmth and comedic comments between songs added to the experience.

‘Need to Know’ was the pre-encore closing song and my highlight of the night, with the trademark melodic hooks and introspective lyrics laced with a slice of psychedelia; served up with the help of super cool keyboard player Nil Patel. Brilliant! The curtain was brought down with ‘Earthwheel,’ and we were joined again by Nil for the final crowd pleaser, ‘Tomorrow Never Knows.’

Although I’m familiar with the Sandkings music, it was my first live experience, and I was blown away by how good they are. I will be checking out the new album next year and would watch them again. I will also check out what the 48K’s are up to. A superb evening.

The Sandkings upcoming Tour Dates

Saturday 24th October 2026 - The Castle and Falcon, Birmingham

Friday 13th November 2026 - Butlins (Minehead) - Shiiine - On

Thursday 26th November 2026 - London Dingwalls

Friday 19th March 2027 - Butlins (Minehead) - Shiiine On

Reviewer: Matthew Burgin

On 18th September 2026

Theatre Review ‘Fences’, Courtyard Theatre, Leeds Playhouse

August Wilson’s ‘Fences’ returns to the UK for the first time in over 10 years in a new production directed by Daniel Bailey. Set in the 1950s, this Pulitzer Prize-winning play explores masculinity, motherhood, music and abiding hope for a different future centred around Troy Maxson and his family.

Bailey’s production opens strongly and with foreboding as the solitary figure of Troy’s brother, Gabriel, (Simon-Anthony Rhoden) appears on a darkened stage struggling awkwardly with his trumpet strung around his shoulder and sings a song about Judgment Day. The audience is hooked and the tension builds as the Maxson family’s story unravels before us.

The action takes place mainly in front of the Maxons’ home (set designed by Lily Arnold) with its unfinished fence. Ray Fearon is compelling as Troy, he has physical and emotional presence on stage, and his portrayal is edgy and unnerving both when he is in dialogue with other characters and alone on stage. There is a standout scene where he addresses Death defiantly: “All right... Mr. Death. See now... "I'm going to tell you what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna take and build me a fence around this yard... I'm gonna build it for you. You stay on the outside of my yard".

The symbol of a fence as a boundary is reinforced in scenes where Arnold’s set revolves to reveal the interior of the Maxons’ home and Jai Morjaria’s lighting design uses neon wireframing to draw a rectangular outline around the space in which different characters perform at various times, including around Troy’s son, Lyons (Michael Ahomka-Lindsay), as he plays the saxophone. Lyons is an aspiring jazz musician who has an uneasy relationship with his father who is not interested in engaging with his son’s ambition.

The characters and their connections with each other are believable. The relationship between Troy and Jim Bono (Everal A Walsh) feels real. We care about Rose (Madeline Appiah) when Troy tells her of his infidelity, and for Cory (Josh Tedeku) when Troy insists that he addresses him as ‘Sir’ and thwarts his dreams.

The quality of the acting, set and lighting designs along with Khalil Madovi’s music and sound design serve the plot and characterisation well. This three-hour show engaged throughout.

‘Fences’ can be seen at Leeds Playhouse from 11–26 September 2026, it is a Leeds Playhouse, Headlong, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester co-production and is touring through autumn 2026. 

Tour details can be found at https://www.headlong.co.uk/productions/fences

Reviewer: Sue Hayward

On: 17 September 2026

Theatre Review Macbeth Shakespeare North Playhouse Prescot

This candlelit production of Macbeth was performed within the cockpit theatre at Shakespeare North Playhouse, directed by Ben Crystal and produced by Siobhan Noble it created a very special experience for its audience. Macbeth is a dark brooding, haunting, thrilling play, about a brave Scottish general and his lady, who turns into a brutal tyrant to those around him or who get in his way.

It contains daggers, the prophecy of the three sisters, murder plots, assassins, spirits, a ghostly banquet, paranoia and hallucinations, a Scottish King and Queen, and ghastly murders.

The performance begins with a dim spookily lit stage casting shadows and three witches (called weird sisters throughout) all dressed in black, chanting and lighting candles in the candelabras to an eerie sound played by a solo cellist. Within the first scene those famous words, “Fair is foul, and foul is fair” which sets the theme of confusion between good and evil that runs throughout and “Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn, and cauldron bubble” are spoken as the witches brew their mix of toxic potion designed to drug and hallucinate it’s intended. 

Throughout the performance the solo cellist must be given credit (Semay Wu musician) as she constantly moved slowly around the auditorium whilst gently plucking and occasionally humming in parts to create a hauntingly mysterious and clever simplistic and most effective atmosphere to compliment the overall dramatic effect the characters portrayed throughout the story.

Each character commanded the stage, with some actors playing multiple roles, and used Shakespeare’s spoken word in monologue style to brilliant effect; the acting was superb and authentic. All the characters were dressed in black throughout except in one scene towards the end where Lady Macbeth appears in white to signify purity, before she asks the dark spirits to strip away her feminine qualities so that she can commit murder. Credit must be given to Mark Bailey Costume Designer and the costume makers for creating a realistic coherent collection of costumes.

Each actor held a lit candle in a holder up to their faces as they spoke to illuminate their face and created impact and intensity, and when not speaking they turned them away from their faces to create darkness and shadows and intrigue. Above the stage Macbeth – Shakespeare North Playhouse over 50 candles adorned the candelabras which were lowered up and down for different scenes during the play creating the perfect ambiance.

The overall performance was a total spellbindingly enthralling experience, and I have not experienced anything like it before. The audience clapped for what seemed an absolute age in appreciation.

Creative Team

 Director, Curator & Co-Facilitator: Ben Crystal

 Associate Director & Co-Facilitator: Andrew Codispoti

 Company Stage Manager : Rae Woods

 Designer and Costumes: Mark Bailey

 Musician: Semay Wu (live improvised music)

Ensemble Cast (10 Storytellers)

 Devon Anderson -Banquo, Duncan’s general

 Kate Benfield – Lennox, Lady Macbeth’s servant

 Cranks – King Duncan

 Ben Crystal -Macbeth, Duncan’s General

 Jen Hardy – Lady Macduff

 Megs Kumari – Lady Macbeth

 Macsen McKay – Rosse, the Kings Royal Advisor

 Callum Sim – Malcolm, Duncan’s son

 Janelle Thompson -Macduff, Duncan’s General

The autumn 2026 candlelit production of Macbeth at Shakespeare North Playhouse

runs from September 11th to October 3rd, 2026, directed by Ben Crystal

https://shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/whats-on

Reviewer: Jill Ollerton 

On: 16/09/26

Theatre Review Love’s Labour’s Lost A New Pop Musical at The Bridewell London

A sun-drenched, bittersweet pop rock musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s early comedy, Love’s Labour’s Lost, has arrived at The Bridewell courtesy of Sedos — and it is an absolute burst of modern theatrical joy. With a book adapted by Alex Timbers and music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, this production reimagines the Bard’s tale with a contemporary twist, setting the action at a lively university college reunion and as the audience enter we are taken back into our own uni days with the whole ensemble partying. Directed by Owen Thomas James, the show blends Shakespearean wit with pop exuberance, creating a fresh, accessible gateway into one of his lesser performed works.

At its heart, Love’s Labour’s Lost is a story of four regal young men who swear an oath to abandon worldly pleasures — especially the company of women — in favour of study and contemplation. Naturally, their resolve is tested the moment the Princess of France and her three ladies in waiting arrive, sparking a cascade of flirtation, temptation, and comedic mischief. This modern adaptation leans into the absurdity of that premise, heightening the humour and making the narrative instantly relatable for a 21stcentury audience. The university reunion setting works beautifully: it’s playful, familiar, and allows the characters to feel like people we might genuinely know. Although a basic stage setting with only a door and a bar, it is the fast-paced action that sets the scene every time.

Sedos, a company renowned for its ambitious amateur productions, brings infectious energy to the stage. The cast looks as though they truly enjoyed creating this show together, and that camaraderie radiates throughout the performance. The musical numbers are vibrant, the choreography bold, and the staging cleverly designed to keep the pace brisk and the atmosphere upbeat.

The second half is particularly delightful, featuring a standout sequence where the men transform into a gloriously camp version of Take That — a moment that had the audience roaring with laughter. It’s cheeky, self aware, and exactly the kind of irreverent fun that makes this adaptation shine. Despite a few understandable first night nerves, the cast delivered a confident, joyful performance that won over the audience, especially the many Gen Z theatregoers who clearly appreciated the humour and modern styling.

The male performances were notably strong, with several standout portrayals. Alex Stephenson as Berowne anchors the narrative with charm and sincerity, acting as a confidante to the King and a witty observer of the unfolding chaos. Edward Horrocks as Dumaine impresses with a powerful voice and an equally striking costume. Arthur James Page brings a steady presence as the King, while Joby Blair as Longaville steals more than a few glances in his unforgettable Kylieesque gold mini shorts. And Alvaro Blecua as Don Armado provides irresistible eye candy and comedic flair.

The women’s performances, though occasionally overshadowed by the musical underscoring during spoken scenes, were still full of personality and vocal strength. Anna Colless as the Princess leads with poise, supported by Rachel Clements as Rosaline, Emma Miller as Maria, Izzi Richardson as Katherine, and Beth Dickson as Jaquenetta, all of whom deliver strong musical performances that elevate the production.

Musical director Maria Hallows leads a small but mighty band that drives the show with energy and precision, while choreographer Mia Mann injects the production with movement that feels youthful, bold, and perfectly attuned to the pop rock score. And a special mention must go to Adrian Hau, whose ongoing dedication to Sedos continues to champion the power and importance of amateur theatre in London.

This production is smart, sexy, gloriously silly, and full of heart, modern celebration of Shakespeare that feels both respectful and refreshingly irreverent. Sedos has once again proven that amateur theatre can be ambitious, polished, and deeply enjoyable. For lovers of Shakespeare, musicals, or simply a fun night out, Love’s Labour’s Lost at The Bridewell is absolutely worth seeing.

This amateur production is presented by Music Theatre International. All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.co.uk The show is rated 14+ for strong language and sexually suggestive content.

The show runs 15th-19th September, with matinees on Saturday.

SEDOS on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sedoslondon?stkn=cmpodWliZnl6cnQw

Reviewer: Penny Curran

On: Tuesday 15th September 2026

Theatre Review Julia’s Song The Epstein Theatre Liverpool

 

John Lennon’s relationship with his mother Julia has become part of Beatles mythology. We know that she encouraged his love of music, taught him to play the banjo, bought him his first guitar and, most poignantly, that her sudden death in 1958 left an emotional wound that would remain with Lennon throughout his life. Yet Julia Lennon herself has too often been reduced to a supporting character in somebody else’s story. Julia’s Song sets out to put that right.

Written and directed by Sylvia Hall, the play begins on a summer’s evening in 1958, the evening Julia was knocked down and killed by an off-duty police officer. Then the first original song takes us back to 1929 and her meeting with John’s future father, Freddie Lennon. From there, the production follows Julia through the changing world of the 1930s and the upheaval of the Second World War. Her complicated personal life, romances and controversies are explored alongside her infectious sense of fun and love of music.

Alison Crawford, in the lead role, is outstanding. Always dressed flamboyantly for the times, colourful dresses, red shoes, red handbag and red lipstick, she is able to convey the emotions Julia must have felt when making the impossible choices she faced. Those choices had consequences, particularly for those around her, and the tensions within her family provide some of the evening’s most affecting moments.

Florence King as Julia’s sister Mimi Smith is just as impressive, playing the strait-laced, buttoned-up, sensible older sister. Julia’s Song explores the contrast between the two women particularly effectively.

We get to see two John Lennons, first as a six-year-old and then  as a teenager. Arian Perry, sporting a Lennon hairstyle, plays the younger version whom his father, played by Luke Seddon, takes to Blackpool under the guise of a holiday, though he secretly plans to emigrate to New Zealand with him.

Music, naturally, runs throughout the production. Five original songs written by Tom McConnell in collaboration with Hall, and one by Peter Davies help move the story across the decades while reflecting Julia’s personality and the importance music played in her relationship with John. Rather than simply using familiar Beatles songs as an easy route to nostalgia, the decision to employ original material helps the production maintain its own identity. I might be wrong, but I’m sure at least a couple of future Beatles lyrics are referenced in the script.

The soundtrack is played live by a band featuring Georgie Weston (Paul McCartney), Ed Haslam (Colin Hanton), Alan Meuller (Pete Shotton) and Jordan Quinn (Rod Davis), who together form The Quarrymen. The first stirrings of the Beatles gradually enter the story, but Hall wisely resists allowing them to overwhelm it. We know what John Lennon is going to become; Julia does not. That knowledge gives the later scenes an added poignancy.

Teenage John, played superbly by Adam James Johnson, gets to join them as they belt out ‘Be-Bop-A-Lula’ and ‘That’ll Be the Day’. John’s family story is essential because his unconventional childhood cannot really be understood without it. Julia’s father, Pop (Christopher Lee-Power), although supportive of his daughter at first, represents the social norms of the time and almost washes his hands of her, while Bobby Dykins (Leslie Longley) provides stability for Julia, something her husband never could.

What emerges is a portrait of a woman considerably more complex than the labels  that have been attached to her. Julia is vivacious, impulsive, rebellious and sometimes infuriating, but also warm, funny and intensely musical. Crucially, the production does not attempt to turn her into a saint.

Inevitably, the shadow of tragedy hangs over proceedings. Julia was only 44 when she was struck and killed by a car in July 1958, just as her relationship with John had become close again and his musical ambitions were beginning to take shape. 

The temptation with any drama connected to the Beatles is to view everyone through the prism of what came afterwards. Julia’s Song works best when it does precisely the opposite. It asks us to forget, temporarily at least, the global icon John Lennon would become and instead see a teenage boy reconnecting with the mother who shared his mischievousness, rebelliousness and love of music.

Warm, funny and ultimately deeply moving, Julia’s Song succeeds in giving Julia Lennon something history has not always afforded her: the opportunity to step out of her famous son’s shadow and take centre stage in her own story. And, more than sixty years after John Lennon became one of Liverpool’s most famous sons, it reminds us that before there was John the Beatle, there was John the boy – and there was Julia.

Julia’s Song ran for three nights only and no other performances have been announced.

Reviewer: Adrian Cork 

On: 11/09/2026

Concert Review Revolver is 60 The Mersey Beatles The Atkinson Southport

The Mersey Beatles celebrate 60 years of Revolver with a hit-packed journey through the Fab Four’s extraordinary career. In a world where literally thousands of Beatles tribute bands exist, you have to do something special to stand out. Being from Liverpool is probably a good place to start.

Mark Bloor (John Lennon), Steven Howard (Paul McCartney) and Brian Ambrose (Ringo Starr) were high school friends in Liverpool, while Craig McGown (George Harrison) is Glaswegian. After forming a band, they quickly realised that it was their Beatles covers that got the biggest reaction and, in 1999, The Mersey Beatles were born. Success wasn’t far behind. They took up a residency at the legendary Cavern Club and, some 600 appearances later, left to tour the world. Tonight, that journey brought them to Southport. The theme of the show was the 60th anniversary of the Beatles’ landmark 1966 album Revolver, but before reaching that particular milestone we were treated to a whistle-stop tour through some of the band’s earliest hits. 

The house lights went down and, projected onto a screen behind the stage, was an excerpt from a short film showing mid-60s Liverpool in all its Technicolor glory. Then, suited, booted and be-wigged, The Mersey Beatles took to the stage and launched into ‘She Loves You’. From those first ‘yeah, yeah, yeahs’, the audience knew it was in safe hands. ‘Please Please Me’, ‘From Me to You’, ‘All My Loving’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ and ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ followed in quick succession. With their authentic Gretsch and Rickenbacker guitars, matching suits and well-practised mannerisms, the band really did take on the air of the original Fab Four without ever allowing the impersonation to overwhelm the music.

The pace was unrelenting as hit followed hit. ‘This Boy’, ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, ‘Eight Days a Week’ and ‘Help!’ had the audience on their feet. The banter between the band was witty but never intrusive and, importantly, came across as natural rather than over-rehearsed.

All bar John then left the stage, allowing him to perform the Dylan-esque ‘You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away’, with the audience enthusiastically supplying the ‘heys’. A brief interlude followed, accompanied by colour footage of Swinging London, before the band returned dressed as the mid-60s Beatles. ‘Drive My Car’, ‘Day Tripper’, ‘In My Life’, ‘If I Needed Someone’ and ‘Ticket to Ride’ were delivered expertly before the psychedelic influence began to emerge with ‘Rain’ and ‘Paperback Writer’. It was back to the early Beatles, though, for the final song of the first half: a suitably raucous ‘Twist and Shout’.

The second half was all about Revolver and the Beatles’ later years. Starting with ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’, we were treated to nine of the album’s 14 tracks, demonstrating just how extraordinary a creative leap Revolver represented. The highlight was undoubtedly Ringo taking centre stage for ‘Yellow Submarine’, which the audience absolutely loved.

With Revolver duly celebrated, we moved into the final part of the set, drawing on The White Album, Abbey Road and Let It Be. George stepped forward for a solo version of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’, while Paul performed ‘Let It Be’ alone at the piano, providing two quieter moments amid an evening otherwise packed with hits.

The main set finished with ‘Get Back’ before the band returned for the inevitable encore of ‘Hey Jude’. By then, any remaining distinction between performers and audience had disappeared as the familiar ‘na-na-na’ refrain filled the venue. 

It had been a thoroughly enjoyable evening during which The Mersey Beatles rattled through an impressive 38 songs. But longevity in the crowded world of Beatles tribute acts takes more than wigs, suits and the right guitars. You don’t last as long as The Mersey Beatles have without talent, musicianship and a genuine affection for the music.

They announced that they’ll be back in Southport next year with a Sgt. Pepper show.

After tonight, that’s one I’ll not miss.

The Mersey Beatles tour continues and details can be found in the link below,

https://www.themerseybeatles.com/tour-dates

Reviewer: Adrian Cork 

On: 21/07/2026

Theatre Review The Sex Party Hope Street Theatre Liverpool

 

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this play, but I did expect to have a good laugh, but unfortunately this was not the case. It is billed as a comedy but I was hardly able to raise a smile; there were some titters from the audience but no big belly laugh-out-loud guffaws.

Written by Terry Johnson, one could be forgiven for thinking it looks like a 1970’s TV sitcom about swingers, although that word is not allowed for this sex-themed get-together.

The action takes place in the kitchen in the home of a middle class couple in an affluent part of London where four couples group for an evening of cheese and wine and more intimate experiences. The arrival of one guest in particular causes full scale curiosity and the plot develops.

There are naked male torsos and scantily-clad ladies in various lacey lingerie sets and much discussion of sexual themes, male and female anatomy, drugs and sexual freedom; gender politics and liberation are the order of the day resulting in a bold, sometimes erotic piece of narrative which has adult themes and language.

The set is constant recreating a modern kitchen in affluent London with a door stage left and a door stage right with many comings and goings in true stage farce style.

The cast work well together and portray their characters convincingly although I didn’t really warm to any of them and was not really interested in how they fared after the party.

I would describe this play as a somewhat serious comedy with lots of discussion about sexual liberation which maybe rather out of date by todays standards, and much of the narrative maybe considered offensive in today’s liberal world where same sex couples, transgender men and women are the norm. Some of the narrative and language may also make those viewing feel uncomfortable, bearing in mind the sensitive subject matter.

Cast:

Suzy Bloom

Jamie Ballard

Lisa Gorgin

Jack Loy

James Lavender

Pearl Schomerg

Jackie Green

Jamie Treacher

Zoe Teverson 

The play is suitable for adults 18+ and runs until 11^th September 2026

https://hopestreettheatre.com/whats-on/

Reviewer: Anne Pritchard

On: 3^rd September 2026

Theatre Review Krapp’s Last Tape Cockpit Theatre

Some pieces of theatre entertain you for an evening. Others stay with you long after you have left the theatre. Krapp’s Last Tape is very much the latter.

Performed at The Cockpit Theatre and directed by its own Artistic Director, Dave Wybrow, this is a beautifully intimate and deeply moving production. At its heart is Krapp, an ageing man confronting recordings of his younger self, and through them, fragments of a life that increasingly feels both familiar and unreachable.

There is something profoundly poignant about hearing the voice of a younger man while watching his older self grapple with memory, identity and the passage of time. The tapes become far more than recordings, they are a tangible connection to another version of Krapp a man with different ambitions, desires, disappointments and certainties.

Peter Marinker gives a remarkable performance. He brings humour, frustration, vulnerability and humanity to Krapp, never allowing him to become simply a figure of sadness. There is an almost uncomfortable honesty to the character, he can be irritable, self-absorbed and at times wonderfully funny, yet beneath all of that is a profound sense of loss. Perhaps that sense of loss has greater personal meaning for Marinker who received an Alzheimers diagnosis two years ago. In Krapp’s Last Tape, Beckett’s one-act monologue written in 1958. We meet a man marking his birthday alone, while listening to and reflecting on recordings he made each year on that day, as he makes what we are told his last tape. 

It is the contrast between the man we hear on the tapes and the man we see before us that makes the performance so affecting. The younger Krapp seems so certain of himself, while the older man is increasingly disconnected from the memories that once formed his identity. That raises one of the most powerful questions at the centre of the production, how much of who we are is held within our memories?

Dave Wybrow’s direction understands the extraordinary restraint required by a piece such as this. There is no need for theatrical excess. Instead, the production allows silence, pauses, movement and the smallest details of performance to carry the emotional weight. The intimacy of The Cockpit feels particularly suited to the piece, creating a sense that we are witnessing something intensely private rather than simply watching a character on a stage.

There is also a real sense of collaboration behind the performance. A particular mention must go to stage manager Marta Fossati, who worked incredibly closely with Marinker. In a production so dependent upon precise timing, cues, repetition and an almost instinctive relationship between actor and stage, that collaboration is fundamental. I was memorised at times by the delicacy of when needed, the live in-ear prompts where it felt Marinker and Fossati worked as a perfect team, a merry dance between the two. Actor and stage manager. 

Much of a stage manager’s work is deliberately invisible to an audience. When it is done exceptionally well, we simply experience the performance as seamless. But in a piece as technically and emotionally precise as Krapp’s Last Tape, the trust and closeness between Fossati and Marinker become an important part of what makes the production work.

What I found particularly moving was that this is not simply a piece about Alzheimer’s, ageing or memory. It is about the relationship we all have with the people we once were. We carry so many versions of ourselves  the person we were, the person we imagined becoming, and the person we eventually find ourselves to be. Krapp is forced to confront those versions almost literally, through his own recorded voice. The past is right there in the room, but increasingly beyond his ability to fully access it.

There is sadness here, certainly, but also warmth and humour. That balance is important. Krapp is not reduced to his condition, he remains a complicated, flawed and recognisably human character. And perhaps that is what makes the moments of vulnerability so much more powerful.

I left Krapp’s Last Tape feeling genuinely moved, but also strangely reflective. It made me think about memory, regret, ageing and the stories we tell ourselves about our own lives. More than anything, it reminded me how fragile our sense of identity can be, and how much of a life can exist in the smallest fragments of memory.

A quiet, intimate and haunting piece of theatre, beautifully held by Marinker’s performance and the careful collaboration of the whole creative team. 

A production that doesn’t shout for your attention it simply stays with you.

Krapp’s Last Tape is running until 5th September 

For more information and tickets https://www.thecockpit.org.uk/KrappsLastTape 

Reviewer: Mary Fogg  

On: 2nd September 

Concert Review Michael Ball Philharmonic Hall Liverpool

 

Michael Ball fans gathered in Liverpool to enjoy him entertain as he promoted his new album called, Glow, which is his 23rd album.

Ball, hailed as the king of musical theatre, is an accomplished entertainer having performed on stage forty one years ago in 1981, for the first time, in the hit show Les Miserables. He is a double Olivier Award winner, a Grammy nominee, and a multi-platinum-selling artist who has also become a familiar voice and face on radio and TV.

Ball was accompanied on stage by his 8 piece orchestra which includes his Musical Director, plus his two female backing singers.

From the minute he came on stage his fans were up and dancing in their seats and many made their way to the front of the stage and danced in the aisles. Ball has an endearing way with his audience and his personality shines through.  He has a genuine rapport with his fans who adore him and he uses personal disclosures and anecdotes throughout his show along with humour and charm.

Ball opened the show with the lead track from his Glow album, ‘Best Night Of Your Life ‘ and followed with a number of Glow’s album tracks including, ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck’, ‘Glow ‘, ‘A Million Lights’,  ‘Little Wins, ‘Holding On Letting Go’,  ‘Vintage’, ‘Remember To Remember’ and ‘On With The Show’. He also made reference to the recent passing of Dolly Parton, reminiscing on meeting her and made mention to his mother’s passing last year, sharing a song he wrote for her.

Ball’s rendition of ‘The Rose’ demonstrated the beautiful quality of his voice and although his new songs were enjoyed by his fans, they were elated when he performed many of his hit musical show songs including ‘Empty Chairs, Empty Tables’ and ‘You Can’t Stop The Beat’. His self-penned song, ‘Let’s Just Dance’ got everyone in the mood for dancing and the audience were on their feet whilst Ball shook hands with many at the front of the stage.

His encore numbers included, ‘Love Changes Everything’ and ‘The Wonder of You’. The audience didn’t want him to go home and he was visibly moved.  It was a wonderful evening of entertainment, Ball’s voice is magnificent especially whilst singing songs from Les Miserables and he announced he will be starring in the West End in Jesus Christ Superstar and as Willy Wonka in Charlie And The Chocolate Factory in the near future and delighted the audience by singing 'Pure Imagination' from the film.

Ball’s guest for the tour is Liss Jones who opened the show with Cher’s ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ followed by ‘Man I Need’ accompanied by her husband, Zak Lloyd on keyboards. She also dueted with Ball singing ‘How Do We Get Back There’ penned by them both, during his set.

For future tour dates and tickets see https://musicalsontour.co.uk/michael-ball-tour/

Reviewer: Anne Pritchard

On: 3^rd September 2026

Theatre Review A Midsummer Night’s Dream Shakespeare North Playhouse Prescot

This interpretation of William Shakespeare’s comedic play was directed by Tom Hardwicke, produced by Lee Hardwicke and creatively performed by the Folksy Theatre company actors, who were fabulous in this open-air production at the Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden at Shakespeare North Playhouse.

Folksy Theatre are a non-for-profit rural touring theatre company and tour the UK with their indoor and open-air productions and specialise in Shakespearean productions and family musical adaptations.

The play follows four young lovers who flee into an enchanted forest and stumble into a chaotic world of mischievous fairies, feuding royalty and a troupe of amateur actors with more enthusiasm than talent and it flits seamlessly between the three scenarios. It covers everything from couples falling madly in love one minute to unrequited love, lust, rejection and abandonment the next.

Whilst the packed audience are settling into their seats, we are introduced to and welcomed by the actors who appear on stage as four musicians doing a turn at Mike’s open mike night at the ‘Snug Lion Pub’ and we are serenaded by their extremely talented uplifting folk style singing, accordion, violin and guitar playing, composed and musically directed by Stephanie MacGaraidh.

As the play proceeds, we are introduced along the way to the many characters, Duke Theseus, Queen Hippolyta, Oberon King of the fairies, Titania Queen of the fairies and Puck Oberon’s sprite, all under the light of the moon. 

Interspersed we meet the would-be actor characters, Peter who directs the play within a play and speaks its prologue, Bottom who plays Pyramus, Flute who plays Thisbe and Snug who plays Lion. Whilst portraying these characters they sing and dance - ‘The Mechanicals’ song being one, also a little tap dancing on one occasion and all whilst playing their musical instruments, all so very talented.

I must commend the speed in which all the actors change in and out of their costumes so seamlessly to enable each play their many characters one after the other, quite remarkable. They move around quite athletically and command the stage so effectively. 

The actors, Gilchrist Muir who reminded me of a Gollum (Lord of the Rings) like style I thought, and Stuart Scott in a Freddie ‘Parrott Face’ Davies (Comedian & Actor) like style, (showing my age here), were hilariously interactive throughout and mingled amongst the audience scavenging food to eat especially sweets from the children, which they loved. 

This fast-paced comedic upbeat play has been created to appeal to all ages and was an all-round family pleaser with something for everyone. Both children and adults alike were either howling laughing or tittering throughout. It was tantalisingly saucy in parts but most subtly and modestly done as not to offend. Was it real or was it all just a dream?

Luckily the predicted rain and thunderstorms held off during the performance and as the evening light faded it created a lovely atmospheric ambiance. 

The audience gave a standing ovation at the end and if Sir Ken Dodd had been amidst us in the audience this evening, I think he would join me in saying very aptly ‘how tattyfilarious’ and how ‘flabbergastingly good’ it was. I thoroughly recommend you see for yourself. 

Check upcoming dates and details directly through the Folksy Theatre official site at https://folksytheatre.co.uk/.

The Team:

Tom Hardwicke - Director

Lee Hardwicke – Producer/Co-Artistic Director

Stephanie MacGaraidh- Composer/Musical Director

Actors:

Seonaid Stevenson

Ariane Murchie

Stuart Scott

Gilchrist Muir

Reviewer: Jill Ollerton 

On: 28/08/26

Theatre Review Of All These Friends And Lovers Hope St Theatre Liverpool

 

This production, from Old Fruit Jar Productions in association with The Hope Street Theatre, revisits February 1964 when Beatlemania was at its height. It explores the close connection forged between John Lennon and Brian Epstein and gives us a glimpse into their relationship. But is it conjecture or fact? Whilst the events depicted in the play are fictional, writer, Alex King, asserts that they are rooted in well-documented historical context and extensive research into the lives, personalities and cultural circumstances surrounding both men. This speculative piece has Jordan Barclay cast as John Lennon and Joseph Winder as manger/mentor Brian Epstein, both encapsulate their characters superbly.

As the audience arrived, Beatles tracks from 1960’s albums played helping get everyone in the mood for the piece.  The set is constant, depicting the hotel bedroom in the Plaza Hotel, New York where Lennon and Epstein were staying during a Beatles tour of the USA. Background screams from fans outside the hotel could be heard throughout the piece and at one point Lennon is terrified upon hearing a loud bang, thinking it’s a gun shot, but it turns out to be a car backfiring, epitomising his fatal demise some years later.

Brian Epstein had taken a leap of faith by deciding to manage the new pop sensation, The Beatles after seeing them play at Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club. Much has been speculated about the relationship between Lennon and Epstein, a covert homosexual who had a secret life of promiscuity with men away from the respectable world of music shop owner and rock and roll band management. It must be noted that homosexuality at this time was illegal and in the early 1960’s homosexuality was widely stigmatised and criminalised across most of the world. In many countries, same-sex relationships were deemed immoral, illegal, and a threat to societal norms. Not long after Epstein’s death, homosexuality was decriminalised.

When Lennon finds himself unexpectedly alone with Epstein at the Plaza Hotel, New York untold emotions and fears spill out from Lennon and Epstein is there to comfort and motivate him. Their close bond is portrayed and Epstein’s attraction for Lennon is evident. With sexual tension and an emotional narrative this production is a moving insightful tribute to both men caught up in a world of drugs, alcohol, fame and new experiences far from the everyday life they once were used to and knew.

The show is 1 hour in length without an interval.

For tickets see https://hopestreettheatre.com/whats-on/

Production runs from 25^th – 29^th August 2026

Reviewer:  Anne Pritchard

On: 26^th August 2026

Album Review Jenius Paul Heaton

Forty years since releasing his debut album with The Housemartins and twenty years since The Beautiful South split, Paul Heaton is back with a new LP, Jenius. The fifteen songs find him writing about those universal themes of love, death and politics, alongside his favourite pastime: drinking.

Joining him on lead vocals for the second time is Scotland’s rising Celtic/country star Rianne Downey. With his own ear for catchy, melodic pop, Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie is the perfect producer for Heaton. The opening chords of ‘Can’t Get Next to You’ call to mind the late-70s power pop of The Only Ones. The lyrics focus on romantic frustration and the helpless feeling of being unable to reach or charm the person you desire. That Heaton sings “you’re one of life’s temptations but I can’t get next to you” is a clear indication that the title is a deliberate reference to The Temptations song of the same name.

Downey makes her first contribution on the next track, the impossibly catchy ‘Favourite Kind of Idiot’, a song that celebrates and laughs at her partner’s flaws. This was the lead single from the album, accompanied by a quirky little video. ‘I Want the Job’ is a lush country ballad on which Downey’s vocals have the perfect tinge of sadness and longing for a job she might never have. The string arrangement only adds to the song’s pathos. ‘Sad Songs and Lawsuits’ is almost a ska tune, turning into an uplifting song about the bitter end of relationships. Already, Heaton’s band have had to turn their talents to very different styles of music.

Heaton’s previous vocal partners, Briana Corrigan, Alison Wheeler and Jacqui Abbott, were perfect at the time, but surely Rianne Downey is his best yet. The blend of their voices works beautifully on the likes of ‘She Ain’t Pretty’, ‘One Eye Open’ and ‘Go Upstream’.

But it’s the lyrics on the less straightforward tracks that really shine through, such as the message behind ‘Send in the Clowns’, an acerbic takedown of the political class. ‘Do Not Ask Me’ uses the melody from Sonny and Cher’s ‘And the Beat Goes On’ to tell the tale of a man who seems to have gone missing from his own wedding photos, before Downey steals the show on the lively ‘Don’t Lean on Me’. Declan O’Rourke then joins the pair on the mournful stomper ‘The Whisky Did’.

It irks me that I still have to remind people who he is when I tell them I’m going to see Paul Heaton, and I suspect that lack of recognition, despite such a familiar back catalogue, is behind the album’s title and artwork. The black-and-white cover, with his surname writ large, brings to mind Johnny Cash’s American Recordings album covers.

Towards the album’s end, ‘Good for the Bees’ is a ballad complete with a beautiful waltzing outro, while ‘Go Upstream’ showcases once again how naturally Heaton and Downey’s voices complement each other. Then comes ‘A Son A Father’, a stomping glam-rock swipe at whitewashed eulogies. The line “and when you pass the casket/and he’s lying on his front/remember him/a son, a father, husband/and a c**t” ensures it’ll never pick up much radio play.

It should be beyond doubt by now that Paul Heaton is a genius: a master of contrasting bright, catchy pop melodies with dark, cynical and witty social commentary. Jenius has everything that makes him a national treasure. Forty years into his career, perhaps it’s time we finally learned how to spell genius correctly.

Jenius is available to download on all major streaming platforms and can be purchased here,

https://shop.paulheaton.emi.com/

Reviewer: Adrian Cork 

On: 28/07/2026

Album Review Comes in Waves Carly Simon

Eighteen years after This Kind of Love, her last album of original material, Carly Simon returns with Comes in Waves, a record that feels less like a comeback than the continuation of a conversation temporarily interrupted. Much has happened in the intervening years. Simon has published two memoirs, been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and largely withdrawn from recording. More significantly, the 83-year-old recently revealed that she has been living with Parkinson’s disease for several years, alongside other health problems.

Inevitably, that knowledge hangs over Comes in Waves, but this is far from an album dominated by illness or mortality. Instead, its twelve songs find Simon doing what she has always done best: examining love, loss, family, regret and resilience with intelligence, humour and painful honesty.

Recorded primarily at her studio on Martha’s Vineyard with a circle of close collaborators, including her children Ben and Sally Taylor and the late John Forté, Comes in Waves has an intimate, almost homemade quality. Simon's voice may now carry the passing of time, but that only adds another dimension to songs in which phrasing and emotional nuance matter as much as the words themselves.

She makes her intentions clear from the opening track, ‘Howl’. Against a jaunty, gently percolating piano melody, Simon urges the listener to “howl like the wind” and “roar like the river”. It is defiant without becoming melodramatic, a declaration that whatever life throws at you, sometimes the appropriate response is simply to make some noise.

From there, Comes in Waves settles into more familiar Simon territory. ‘Maybe I Never Loved You’ is wonderfully ambiguous, balancing bitterness, resignation and lingering affection. Its central thought, maybe she never loved him, although she thought she did, could easily have become straightforward recrimination, but Simon is too subtle a songwriter for that.

It is the way she delivers the final line, hesitating over whether perhaps she always will love him, that changes everything. Is this anger, denial, regret or acceptance? Simon leaves the listener to decide. More than half a century after ‘You’re So Vain’, she still understands the value of not explaining everything. 

The similarly themed ‘The More I Look for You’ continues that exploration of relationships and memories that refuse to behave themselves. Inevitably, there will be speculation about whether former husband James Taylor is lurking somewhere within these songs, but identifying their subject is ultimately less interesting than what Simon does with the emotions behind them.

If romantic love remains complicated, maternal love is considerably less so. ‘Mother of Pearl’, written for her daughter Sally Taylor, is one of the album's most affecting moments. Simon looks back at Sally as a seven-year-old child dealing with her parents’ divorce, mixing apology with an unmistakable declaration of devotion. By the time she reaches the emotional cry of “My girl, oh my girl”, the autobiographical detail has become something universal: a parent looking backwards and wondering what they might have done differently.

Musically, Comes in Waves is equally comfortable moving between styles. ‘Love Has No Ending’, drawing on W.H. Auden’s As I Walked Out One Evening, has a folk character coloured by mandolin and harmonica, while ‘Slowly’ has an almost hymnal quality. It is here that the phrase which gives the album its title appears, and it feels particularly appropriate. Memories, grief, happiness and creativity rarely arrive neatly or in order. They come in waves. 

One of the album's most intriguing moments actually reaches back 55 years. Simon revisits ‘Share the End’, originally recorded for 1971’s Anticipation, with the original versions' producer, former Yardbirds bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, returning to help reshape it.

A song concerned with madmen, false leaders and a world apparently determined to destroy itself has acquired an uncomfortable new relevance. Simon's increasingly visceral vocal towards its conclusion transforms the song from an interesting excavation of her past into something urgent and contemporary. It also provides a reminder that while circumstances change, good songs have an unfortunate habit of becoming relevant again.

Not everything here is quite so weighty. Simon's sly humour, an essential but sometimes overlooked ingredient of her songwriting, surfaces on ‘Four in the Morning’. Written by her late friend Judy Belushi, the song finally receives a proper recording, decorated with bells, keyboards and assorted “weird little things”, with Belushi's own voice woven into the track. It is affectionate, eccentric and charming.

All of which leads to ‘Do It Anyway’, a deceptively simple closing song and perhaps the perfect ending to Comes in Waves. Against acoustic guitar, Simon offers encouragement to keep going even when you are convinced you cannot face another day or win another battle.

Then something lovely happens. As the record fades, Simon's family can be heard clapping, singing and laughing together, described in the sleeve notes simply as “the usual Thanksgiving fun”. After an album filled with memories, loss, fractured relationships and the passage of time, it ends not with a grand statement about mortality but with the sound of people enjoying being alive.

There is an understandable temptation to hear Comes in Waves as a late-career summation, particularly given Simon's age and recent disclosure about her health. But treating it as a farewell would do the album a disservice.

More than fifty years after Anticipation and ‘You’re So Vain’ established her as one of the defining singer-songwriters of her generation, the voice has inevitably changed, but the intelligence behind it has not. If anything, the years have given Simon another instrument to work with. Every hesitation, crack and shift in emphasis carries meaning.

At 83, Carly Simon isn't trying to sound like the woman she was in 1971. She is singing as the woman she is now, looking backwards, looking around her and, crucially, still looking forward.

Comes in Waves is available to listen to on all major streaming services.

Reviewer: Adrian Cork 

On: 15/08/2026