Category Archives: Theatre

Pride And Prejudice, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Daniel Abbott, Francesca Barley, Anna Crichlow, Doña Croll, Benjamin Dilloway, Holly Edwin, Mari Izzard, Matthew Kelly, Steven Meo, Jordan Mifsud, Felicity Montagu, Charlotte Palmer, Leigh Quinn, Mark Rawlings, Kirsty Rider, Tafline Steen, Geoff Arnold, Jessica D’Arcy, Rose Daulbey, Ally Manson.

It used to be said that manners maketh man, that to be seen as genteel, saying all the right things in polite company, was the way that lead to Britain being seen for its conduct in society, that the revolving doors of etiquette depended its life on how people were judged and measured.

Pride And Prejudice, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(473 words, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)

White Liars, Theatre Review. The Gregson Memorial Institute, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Adam Stubbs, Isham R. Redford, Eve Smith.

There are so many classes of lies, the half truths, the simply tarnished and embellished, whether to get us out of trouble or to enhance our reputation within a certain social circle of friends, the lie can always be seen as the spectre in the crowd but also the warm and comfortable friend who covers us in her shroud as the day wears on. The statements of I am fine, I can cope, all is well, these are the white lies that are acceptable to others and in so making us the accomplice to the well meaning deceit, that we are White Liars who spread the white lie.

White Liars, Theatre Review. The Gregson Memorial Institute, Liverpool. full post

(389 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

Brick Up 2: The Wrath Of Ann Twacky, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Roy Brandon, Eithne Browne, Danny Burns, Suzanne Collins, Carl Chase, Paul Duckworth, Emily Linden, Andrew Schofield, Francis Tucker.

Two’s company, two is the sound of laughter taken to great heights, two is a sequel to which a comedy penned by the superb duo of Dave Kirby and Nicky Alt is completely on top of its game and is one that surely will be seen as a true worthy successor to a production worth its weight in Liverpool gold.

Brick Up 2: The Wrath Of Ann Twacky, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(508 words, estimated 2:02 mins reading time)

Noises Off, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Kathryn Chambers, Tom Platt, Vikki Earle, Tom Cavendish, Danny Fahey, Lauren Molyneux, Liz Blake, Joey Wishwell, Alec Walters.

Noises Off is one of those gems of a production that an audience can never be introduced to enough, a true blend of British stoicism in the face of absolute charade, a play that revels in its mayhem and one that if you haven’t laughed at during spells doom for British theatre; in much the same way that the ravens learning they can leave the Tower of London would spell the end of centuries tradition, so to if not laughing at arguably one of the great comedies of all time would cause a rip in the curtain of the English language.

Noises Off, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(453 words, estimated 1:49 mins reading time)

The Star, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Eithne Browne in The Star. Photograph by Robert Day.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Eithne Browne, Michelle Butterly, Helen Carter, Kevin Harvey, Danny O’Brien, Jack Rigby, Michael Starke.

Musicians: James Breckon, Elliot Chapman, Danny Miller.

Looking up into the Heavens, one can see the gallery of happy faces, the stars are there to perform, and they find no reason to ever stop beaming their light on the world below. For audiences making their way to the Playhouse this festive season, The Star is shining brightly and it is one that captures all that is good about modern theatre and the remarkable memory it invokes of hearing about the good old days of the music hall experience.

The Star, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(418 words, 1 image, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Aladdin, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Natasha Hamilton, Sean Smith, Jordan Davies, Mark Byron, Michael Chapman, Lewis Pryor, Lesley Butler, Tom Burroughs.

The Christmas pantomime, one of the great cornerstones of life and nowhere in the world really captures the point or the reason of it as much as the British, it takes sheer guts to perform so many shows to an audience to whom many are arguably having their first taste of theatre, of the slapstick fun that is at times extraordinarily paced and presented and the fun that goes with it. It is the possibly the finest of traditions and Aladdin at the Epstein Theatre is no different and one that is all too enjoyable, no matter the age of the person in the seat.

Aladdin, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(405 words, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)

Little Red And The Big Bad Wolf, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Natalie Campbell, Simone Lewis, Harvey Robinson, Luca Rutherford.

Every show at this time of year is special, it the one that can bring families together, that good will is truly spread with and the one that children get their first taste of the uniqueness of drama to express emotion, the much used phrase magic of the theatre is not wrong when it comes to this special time of year, as each wide eyed child, each grinning parent could attest to in the Unity Theatre’s fabulous show for 2016, Little Red and the Big Bad Wolf.

Little Red And The Big Bad Wolf, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(390 words, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

Beauty And The Beast, (Son Of A Creature Man), Theatre Review. Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Danny Burns, Tom Connor, Stephanie Hockley, Adam Keast, Greg Last, Raj Paul, Lauren Silver, Emmy Stonelake, Lucy Thatcher, Francis Tucker.

Christmas only truly begins once the pantomime season starts in earnest, the faithful chime of the yearly bell in which many furry creatures, the beasts of the imagination come hurtling out of the writer’s pen and prove above anything that the media or consumerism can dole out in response, that the family and friends you spend time inside the theatre with are the best days you will have.

Beauty And The Beast, (Son Of A Creature Man), Theatre Review. Everyman Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(504 words, estimated 2:01 mins reading time)

Scouse Of The Rising Sun, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Jake Abraham, Michael Fletcher, Lindzi Germain, Hayley Hampson, Michael Ledwich, Andrew Schofield, Alan Stocks, Keddy Sutton.

Musicians: Ben Gladwin, Greg Joy, Emily Linden, Howard Gray.

There may be a house in New Orleans in which many a poor lad has lost his way, but they never quite lose their way, or regain the right path, as a Liverpool lad fighting the evil intentions of a maniac hell bent on destroying the city, not even a hero of a popular 60s song could match the heroics of the Scouse of the Rising Sun.

Scouse Of The Rising Sun, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(464 words, estimated 1:51 mins reading time)

When We Are Married, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. (2016).

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Cast: Kat Rose-Martin, Luke Adamson, Sophia Hatfield, Mark Stratton, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Adrian Hood, Sue Devaney, Steve Huison, Kate Anthony, Lisa Howard, Matthew Booth, Barrie Rutter, Zoe Lambert, John Gully, Andy Hall.

Mr. J. B. Priestley never fails to deliver, even if there are those out in the dark who fail to get the nuance of the times and denounce the clever introspection the playwright had on British Society and making it look back on its own peculiarities and diminishing importance on the future. Whereas the epic An Inspector Calls is very much in the calm outraged camp, the heated tongue of a barracking old outdated ways of thought, his classic drawing room comedy When We Are Married is firmly in the chaotic tranquillity mode and it is one that never loses its heart, especially not in the hands of the superb Northern Broadsides.

When We Are Married, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. (2016). full post

(484 words, estimated 1:56 mins reading time)