Category Archives: Theatre

The Crowd, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision rating 9/10

Cast: Ross Almond, Natalie Barton, Ruby Bains, Leo Bertamini, Ellen Boyland, Erin Clarke, Stuey Dagnall, John Dixon, Olivia Dougherty, Joe Edwards, Georgie Evans, Spike Fairclough, Will Flush, Grace Fordham Bibby, Alisha Foriyire, Helena Harvey, Amber Higgins, Jake Holmes, Chloe Hughes, Esther Johnson, Connor Kelly, Neve Kelman, Luke Logan, Niamh McCarthy, Callum McCourt, John McGuick, Jack Malloy, Aimee Marnell, Chloe Nall-Smith, Joe Owens, Jamie Pye, Phil Rayner, Jess Reilly, Adam Rohan, Nathan Russell, Harry Sergeant, Kaila Sharples, Hannah Thornton, Ellie Turner, Laura Tryer, Natalie Vaughn, Tommy Williams.

The Lady Vanishes, Theatre Review. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Cast: Juliet Mills, Maxwell Caulfield, Lorna Fitzgerald, Matt Barber, Robert Duncan, Philip Lowrie, Ben Nealon, Elizabeth Payne, Mark Carlisle, Joe Reisig, Natalie Law, James Boswell, Cara Ballingall.

A classic thriller, the blood runs warm at the thought, the detective juices are turned on and the simmering undercurrent of intrigue is stirred sufficiently to keep an audience on their toes; a story worthy of the great crime dramas, The Lady Vanishes has all the hall marks of a tale of conspiracy and manoeuvring, of being part of a time in which an ideal of Europe was decaying and in which a new, terrifying order was being installed, a Europe on the brink.

Sparkplug, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: David Judge.

What does family mean in a world where the idea of relationships have become almost throwaway, consumable, there only in some eyes to fill a statistic and perhaps to belong to something rather than be on their own; the idea of family has become in some ways a short hand for strangers treating you as their own, perhaps even with the notion of reckless, limited loyalty when it all gets too much to cope with.

Ed Gamble, Blizzard. Comedy Review, Epstein Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

It is in the power of a storm that makes a Blizzard one of high tension and drama, the subtle falling of a snow that catches the lights and makes the gentle smile brighten up any face, can soon become a torrent, a fast flowing tornado of expression, a gale of the stuff that will keep you penned in your seats, absorbing every drop of nature that falls from above, and whilst it might catch you unawares, believing for a while that it will just be an inch or two to snip through with ease as you place your toes into the world of snowflakes and warm memories, instead the outpouring leaves you helpless, submerged, unable to do anything but admit that a Blizzard is a gamble worth enjoying.

DNR (Do Not Resurrect), Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre Studio, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Cast: Pauline Davies, Faye Caddick, Paul Codman, James O’Brien.

To honour the past is one thing, to find yourself unexpectedly in the back garden of time, spade in hand and ready with the synaptic electricity burning ready to resuscitate it so you can bring it back to life to examine it in greater detail, so you can relive the pain and the grief of all that you lost, all that was once loved. Such moments should be left to stay hidden and yet as we face the uncertain end and all we have is time, it is into that garden we go and the shovel and the spade dig eagerly.

The Cat In The Hat, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Sam Angell, Melissa Lowe, Charley Magalit, Nana Amoo-Gottfried, Celia Francis, Robert Penny.

An acrobatic skill weaved around one of the most beloved children’s books and characters to come out of America in the last 100 years, a set of beautiful nonsense in exacting verse and perhaps the first pull of the magic that is theatre, Dr. Seuss’ The Cat In The Hat is not just meant to inspire young minds, it allows them free range to see the world as a place in which the creativity that is possible goes hand in hand with anarchy and order, that learning can be fun rather than insipid, dull and routine.

Big Up!, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Cast: Jack Hobbs A.K.A. Hobbit, Dorcas Sebuyange, Iestyn Evans, Clarke Joseph-Edwards.

Outwardly we might forget what it was like to be little, to see through the eyes of a child, we neglect the belief in what playing can achieve, we turn our back on the youngster we once were because we fall into line with the conviction that at some point it is not the done thing, simply unacceptable, and then we wonder why we have such trouble identifying with the young, with the children who look up to us; we want them to grow, to be adult, to lose their sense of questioning and creativity, yet all the time we should just be imploring them to Big Up!

Punch And Judy Versus The Devil, Theatre Review. Casa Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

Cast: Yahya Baggash, Mikyla Jane Durkan, Peter Durr, Lindsay Fooks, Maggi Green, Robbie J Harper, Maria Hutchison, Angela McComb, PJ Murray, Sam Tolmie.

At one time there was always the Punch And Judy performance to entertain people, a side show that was not confined to the seaside, there was one that used be played out between Lime Street Station and St. George’s Hall in the dim and distant past; however it could be argued that for some this puppet show which relied on aspects of unsightly violence in which to carry its message of suffering and the higher question of morality was a reflection of some of our own relationships, of humanity at its most course and despairing, one in which the likes of Mr. Punch never fully felt the force of local anger and retribution.

Yellow Breck Road, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Jake Abrahams, Gemma Brodrick, Eithne Browne, Paul Duckworth, Lynn Francis, Jamie Greer.

Once in a lullaby…such dreams are made of, the chance to see how life brought you to this point, and one that comes out of shock and the game played out by adversity. All you have to remember is that to follow the Yellow Breck Road might mot lead you to the wizard, but it will lead you to a place in which the tragedy and humour of life go hand in hand, where joy is welcome, where the despicable finally get their just deserts.

No Kids, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Nir Paldi, George Mann.

If you stop and think about it, the chances are you will talk yourself out of almost anything that your heart desires, the mind and the soul will argue, the body will become a wreck and the fallout of this will have serious repercussions on the relationship of all those you love and hold dear.