Writer: Emily White Director: Guy Jones Angry, tender, and heartbreakingly relevant. A call to action. Set amongst a row of coastal bungalows in Cardigan, Atlantis opens in 2011 with fisherman Bryn (Richard Elfyn) ranting and raving against the authorities’ decision to abandon him and his family ‘to the waves’. Faced with the prospect of becoming “climate refugees”, Bryn cannot accept that there is no alternative, no fight left to be had, and no compensation for the loss of a lifetime’s home. It is a powerful start to a play which keeps this resilient spirit throughout. At the heart of the…
Author: The Reviews Hub - North West
The Reviews Hub - North West
The North West team is under the editorship of John McRoberts. The Reviews Hub was set up in 2007. Our mission is to provide the most in-depth, nationwide arts coverage online.
Writer: Joseph Winder Director: Alex King This captivating one-man show won’t just capture the hearts of Vincent Van Gogh fans, it’s a story for anyone who has loved and lost, and for those who have needed to be strong for too long. At Eternity’s Gate follows Theo Van Gogh, the famous painter’s younger brother. Recounting Vincent’s life, Theo tells the story of how he, an art dealer, tried to help Vincent’s career and manage the artist’s tumultuous psyche. But helping Vincent’s mental state comes at the cost of his own. Joseph Winder takes on the challenge of performing a one-man…
Book: Joe Kinosian and Keller Blair Music: Joe Kinosian Lyrics: Keller Blair Director: Caroline Leslie The title may scream serious drama, but Murder for Two – an Octagon Theatre Bolton and Stephen Joseph Theatre co-production – is far from it, taking the laugh out of manslaughter and leaving audiences feeling like they could die from howling. Directed by Caroline Leslie and with book and music by Joe Kinosian and book and lyrics by Keller Blair, this is a show packed with comedy and farce – with multi-talented actors Lucy Keirl and Tom Babbage playing 13 characters between them. The pair…
Writer: Helena Braithwaite Director: Ella McKeown and Rosie Thackeray Jobs are scarce, zero-hours contracts are everywhere, and yet there’s always that one smug friend online, proudly wielding a set of keys in front of a semi-detached house after posting several hundred reels from a recent exotic holiday. Enter Bunny: grappling to secure extra shifts in a job she hates, miserable in her childhood bedroom while dreaming of a getaway and posting a years-old beach bikini photo on Instagram. But when one of those photos attracts a little more attention than expected – and a cash offer for more – what…
Music: Peter Salem Choreographer: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa Conductor: Daniel Parkinson Most people had never heard of Anne Lister until the BBC/HBO brought us her story in Sally Wainwright’s 2019 historical drama. Gentleman Jack is based on Lister’s extraordinary diaries, which, when discovered and de-coded, turned out to be an unapologetic record of her business dealings and her romantic attachments. For a woman in the early 19th century, both parts of her life – as industrialist and lesbian – went against traditional norms. It’s a story that exposes the attitudes of the time she lived in, and reminds us of how…
Writer: Liam Mansfield Director: Nathaniel J Hall The World Premiere of Liam Mansfield’s play Clothes Swap is also the first in house production at Waterside Arts in Sale. It is an especially relevant piece to be shown during Pride month since it focuses on a group of LGBTQA+ teenagers. The research and development process included young people from Trafford and as such the play has a very localised feel although that “local” could be anywhere in the country. Ash and Den belong to a youth group run by Chris, but in addition to their normal Wednesday night, Chris has organised…
Writer: Enid Blyton Adaptor and Director: Emma Rice Enid Blyton’s works may be decades old, but they are well and truly living on – the pages now being read by new young avid readers and being adapted widely for both stage and screen. Directed and adapted by Emma Rice, this latest production of Malory Towers is being hosted at the beautiful HOME Manchester – creating a wonderfully intimate and immersive performance for audiences of all ages. The show transports some Gen Z school kids back in time to the 1940s – retelling some of the moments from the iconic books…
Writer: Virginia Wolf Adaptor/Director: Jen Hayes This is a truly mesmerising, profound, original, and deeply moving production. Adapted from the classic novel by Virginia Woolf, and directed by Jen Heyes, co-created with and starring Olivier Award-winning artist Kit Green, who effectively plays over a dozen demanding roles including Virginia Woolf herself. Simon Kenny’s deceptively simplistic stage design, consisting of three huge projection screens, with a baby grand piano on one side, and a solitary green chair on the other, looks magnificent. The lighting by Phil Saunders creates a wonderfully cinematic atmosphere, working beautifully with the filmed sequences by Monika Koeck.…