Category Archives: Theatre

You’ll Never Walk Alone, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.

Cast: Pauline Daniels, Chris Grahamson, Howard Gray, Jamie Hampson, Adam Keast, Dan McIntyre, Mark Moraghan, Anthony Watson, Lenny Wood.

It seems to anyone from outside the city of Liverpool, that whenever they come here for their shopping trips their days out or just to catch the ferry to Ireland that all Liverpool folk talk about is football.

From little old ladies waiting for the bus in Queen’s Square, to the bars and clubs of the town centre and even discussions in barbers and hairdressers from Aigburth to Bootle to Kirby, it’s either red or blue and nothing else matters.

You’ll Never Walk Alone, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

Accidental Death Of An Anarchist, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. November 13th 2008.

Cast: Michael Hugo, Anthony Hunt, Matt Connor, Neil Caple, Craig Rogan, Ruth Alexander-Rubin.

Once more the Northern Broadsides theatre Company play to their strengths and adapt a play of note and turn it majestically on its head.

With previous success in Liverpool theatres with Much Ado About Nothing, Lisa’s Sex Strike and the sensational Man With Two Gaffers, Accidental Death of an Anarchist managed to top them all and played at a pace that left you breathless.

Accidental Death Of An Anarchist, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(486 words, estimated 1:57 mins reading time)

Chess, Theatre Review. Floral Pavilions, New Brighton.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 12th 2009.

Cast: Paul Kirkbright, Sarah Hardman-Gardner, Samantha Arnold, Tony Clare, Bill Seabury, Mike Ellis, Ray Davies, Lois Holland.

There’s much to be said for a company of players and a director who tackle the seemingly impossible task of putting on Tim Rice’s Chess. A production that famously had teething troubles many years into its run on the West End stage

Thankfully the West Kirby Light Opera Society rose to the challenge and despite some lighting technicalities through the first act you really couldn’t fault the artists on stage for their dedication to the story, nor could you fault the Orchestra, for their playing of some of the more difficult tunes, it was simply breathtaking.

Chess, Theatre Review. Floral Pavilions, New Brighton. full post

(305 words, estimated 1:13 mins reading time)

War Of The Worlds Musical By Jeff Wayne. Theatre/Musical Review. Echo Arena, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 15th 2009.

Cast;  The voice of Richard Burton, Shannon Noll, Justin Hayward, Chris Thompson,  Anna-Marie Wayne.

“No one would have believed…”

…that thirty years ago an album would come out that blew its initial budget within weeks of starting recording. An album that used some of the greatest musical talent ever and one of the most iconic and greatest of British actors to grace stage and screen. An album that was based upon the book by the “father of science fiction” H. G Wells!

War Of The Worlds Musical By Jeff Wayne. Theatre/Musical Review. Echo Arena, Liverpool. full post

(606 words, estimated 2:25 mins reading time)

We Will Rock You, Theatre Review. Birmingham Hippodrome.

Originally published by L.S. Media. August 1st 2009.

Imagine a time when live music is banned and outlawed, to even think of picking up a musical instrument is to be condemned by an organisation that rules over all that it sees. Everybody thinks the same, dresses the same, works for the same company and all expressions of individuality erased and considered a dangerous idea of a degenerative past.

We Will Rock You, Theatre Review. Birmingham Hippodrome. full post

(460 words, estimated 1:50 mins reading time)

Bugsy Malone, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S.Media. August 7th 2009.

It is testament to the Liverpool Empire Stage Experience that a musical of this calibre is not only performed by the children of the area but it is done well and with more than a sense of style. From the moment you arrived at the Theatre you were greeted with the sight of the period costume from the Twenties and a fine Rolls Royce parked up upon the pavement.

This production took in over 120 children and all performed admirably and had the packed out audience in the palms of their hands from the opening number.

Bugsy Malone, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(417 words, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Quadrophenia, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media

Cast: Ryan O’Donnell, George Maguire, Jack Roth, Rob Kendrick, Sean Croke, Daniel Curtis, Lillie Flynn, Ryan Gage, Kirsty Malone, Brennan Reece, Iris Roberts, Tom Robertson, John Schumacher, Sydney Rae White.

In some critics’ eyes Quadrophenia is the definition of the era of the mod, cool clothes, good music and the spirit of rebellion that had been sadly lost. To others it was time when you saw the rise of the disaffected youth that blighted a generation and the odd sea-side town. From out of this small period came The Who’s Pete Townsend who turned his imagination and past experiences into one of the critically acclaimed albums of the last forty years.

Quadrophenia, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire, Liverpool. full post

(450 words, 1 image, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)

Annie, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 8th 2009.

Cast: Lydia Tunstall, Su Pollard, Michael Morgan, Chris Molloy, James Muller, Gemma James, Gareth Heesom, Simone Craddock, Lorinda King.

A story about an orphaned girl, the depression, 1930’s American society and the undercurrent of child beating doesn’t spring to mind the plot of a heart warming musical that combines some of theatre’s best known songs with some feisty one liners and cheekiness, but in the hands of director Roger Hannah and produces Chris Moreno this classic of film and theatre has been given new life.

Annie, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(312 words, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

Kes, Theatre Review. Liverpool Playhouse Theatre.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 23rd 2009.

Cast: Mike Burnside, Stefan Butler, Daniel Casey, David Crellin, Katherine Dowblyton, Oliver Farnworth, Dominic Gately, Peter McGovern, Oliver Watton.

The film is considered to be a cinematic classic, gritty in its honesty; heartbreaking and heart warming at the same time. One of the true greats and one of Ken Loach’s finest moments. It would therefore be near on impossible for anybody to transfer it to the stage, but in the writer Lawrence Till, all the sadness, tinges of humour and the bleak future is stripped bare and in its place is nothing short of theatrical genius.

Kes, Theatre Review. Liverpool Playhouse Theatre. full post

(345 words, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

The Caretaker, Theatre Review. Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.

Picture from everyman.com

Originally published by L.S. Media. October 4th 2009.

Cast: Jonathon Pryce, Tom Brooke, Peter McDonald.

Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker celebrated it’s fortieth birthday this year and thankfully the Everyman decided to take full advantage of the timing by making it part of their production schedule for the autumn. Not only that, but by making sure that one of Britain’s best and well loved actors was involved, the Everyman has hit upon a recipe for success and one that insures the crowds will flock to this production.

The Caretaker, Theatre Review. Everyman Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(408 words, 1 image, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)