Creator: Kieren King The idea behind Slamchester is simple. Eight Greater Manchester spoken word artists get three minutes to impress the audience and a panel of judges with their poetry. After a short interval, the same eight – in reverse order – have another go. There’s a headline act and an open mic. Plus the crowning of the winner, of course. This is slam poetry at its best. Engaging, thought-provoking, generally accessible and very enjoyable. Plus, it is snappy. If you’re not keen on a performer, there isn’t long to wait before the next one. Although, there was no danger…
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: William Shakespeare Director: Hannah Ellis Ryan and Amy Gavin HER Productions’ Macbeth reaches high peaks of gut-wrenching tension, which Shakespeare’s most conniving play is known for. Its daring direction choices can pack a punch, but big swings sometimes miss their mark. One of Shakespeare’s most recognisable tragedies, Macbeth follows the story of its title character, a well-decorated general who grapples with power, authority, and status being at his fingertips after a coven of witches predicts he will become king. The staging of this production was performed in the round at a black box theatre. The audience sits at all…
Book: Ronald Hanmer and Phil Park Music: Sammy Fain Lyrics: Paul Francis Webster Writer: James O’Hanlan Adaptor: Charles K Freeman Director: Nikolai Foster and Co-Director and Choreographer Nick Winston A fun-filled show that will have you tapping your toe in no time, Calamity Jane entertained old and new audiences. A feast for lovers of the classic film, but first-time viewers may find they’re playing catch-up. Jane is a tomboyish woman who would rather be upfront and centre, captivating the bar with her tall tales than be a ladylike shrinking violet. When she bets she can bring glamorous celebrity Adelaid…
Writer: Jane Austen adapted by Kate Hamill Director: Lotte Wakeham It is a truth universally acknowledged that staging an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice on a modest budget gives rise to all sorts of challenges. Director Lotte Wakeham’s production at Octagon Theatre is determined by practicalities. There is an acceptance it is just not possible to replicate extravagant balls and grand houses on an intimate stage. As some members of the cast play more than one role Louie Whitemore’s costumes are designed to be easy to change of out quickly rather than be lavish. There is a comedic…
Choreography & Direction: Daniel Hay-Gordon, Ell Perry, Azara Meghie There are four ways to approach dance. One – read what it’s all about in the programme then follow every move. Two – watch the first half then read the programme to see if your own interpretation was right (or find out what the hell was going on). Three – ignore the programme notes and make your own narrative. Four – narrative be damned, just let it all wash over you. If you’re in the first category you’ll probably enjoy Thick & Tight’s approach. If you’re in the third or fourth…
Book, music and lyrics: Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey Director: Sam Hardie As a musical that requires the triple threat performer, it’s already a big ask. And now, in the latest rendition of Grease the Musical – a partnership between Blackpool Grand and Pitlochry Festival Theatre – the ask has got even bigger, with the cast needing a fourth talent of incorporating an instrument into their role. The all-singing, all-dancing popular tale we all know and love has turned into an actor-musician led piece. And while certainly impressive, it does mean that some of the magic of the original show…
Book/Music/Lyrics: Jonathan LarsonDirector: Kate Wasserberg Jonathan Larson’s tick, tick… BOOM! opened the newly renovated Theatr Clwyd with a bang – or a boom, perhaps. It’s a musical that leaves you anxious about birthdays and looming life crises, but in the most charming, wonderful way, with a soundtrack that soars and a cast whose voices absolutely do Larson’s writing justice. With the direction of Kate Wasserberg, this production not only marks her inaugural venture as Artistic Director but also preludes a new era for the theatre itself. The revolving stage becomes a seamless canvas where three cast members play a multitude…
Writer: Liz Richardson Growing up in West Cumbria in the shadow of Sellafield nuclear power station, teenage Liz couldn’t wait to get out. Now, with a daughter of her own, she’s looking back at what made her, the place, the people, the quirks of small-town life, and where she really belongs. You don’t need an extraordinary life to build a show like Local. Much of the charm comes from the familiar, and Liz Richardson’s autobiographical, one-woman show is a gentle celebration of familiar people living ordinary lives. She tells us about her retired parents, bumbling about in the family home,…