Writer: Jonathan Larkin Director: James Baker Jonathan Larkin’s gripping new comic drama Cherry Jezebel is a dark and dramatic delight. A love letter to the queer community of Liverpool that is given a raw and honest production thanks to the assured and confident direction of James Baker. On the multi-leveled and perhaps overly detailed set by Ellie Light which transforms from toilets to living room, Larkin’s characters show that the life of a drag queen is not all glitz and glamour and occasionally that despite the attacks on the streets, it’s the ones closest to home that hurt and cut…
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.
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Librettist: Francesco Maria Piave Director: Femi Elufowoju Jr Conductor: Garry Walker Rigoletto is one of the top ten most frequently performed operas in the World. Based on a play by Victor Hugo, Rigoletto, tells the story of a disabled Jester who fiercely protects the innocence of his daughter from a hedonistic Duke and his retinue of philandering aristocrats. In this stunning modern-day production by Opera North, Rigoletto, one of Verdi’s most popular operas is powerfully reimagined. In the wake of the Me-Too movement, this production takes on a deep resonance highlighting the exploitation of the vulnerable, especially…
Writer: David Walliams Adaptor/Director: Neal Foster Recently nominated for Best Family Show, at the upcoming Olivier’s, Billionaire Boy, (David Walliams’ third children’s book adapted for the stage) is back on tour courtesy of Birmingham Stage Company and this week it’s at Manchester’s glorious Palace Theatre, ready to play to the masses. As the opening night house lights dim, the audience, made up of predominantly under 12’s, comes to a complete standstill as the story begins. Okay… there is still a cacophony of kids rustling sweet wrappers underscoring the on-stage action throughout, but we’ll let them off. They’re excited… it’s a school night…
Writer: Stef Smith Director: Bryony Shanahan Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is the story of Nora, dutiful wife and mother, who fights to establish her individuality in a male-dominated world. Whether he intended it or not (and by all accounts, he denied the intention), Ibsen wrote a powerful feminist play, in which he plays with notions of financial control and ownership, of marital duty, secrets and single-mindedness. Its lasting relevance makes it one of the most performed plays in the world… So, it’s difficult to really understand the motivation to create a contemporary adaptation. Stef Smith’s play casts three women as…
Book: Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice Music and lyrics: Andrew Lippa Director: Matthew White Creepy, kooky and most definitely spooky, The Addams Family has taken residence in the Liverpool Empire turning the stage into a mausoleum come torture chamber for the week. Inspired by the 1930s cartoon characters of Charles Addams, most audience members will remember this seriously spooky family from the 1960s American TV series, or the films from the 1990s. Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice’s writing makes some wonderful nods to these, however, in the twenty-first century, Wednesday Addams is now all grown up and ready for her…
Writer: Simon Stephens, Adaptor: Mark Haddon Director: Marianne Elliott Ten years after the award-winning premiere of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the National Theatre, playwright Simon Stephens’ adaptation of the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon has embarked on a new tour and remains a dazzling and unmissable piece of theatre. Prior knowledge of the novel is not required as the audience are immediately immersed in the world of Christopher Boone, a neurodiverse 15-year-old with an extraordinary gift for mathematics, a passion for Space and a preference for being alone. When Christopher finds his neighbours dog…
Music/Lyircs: Queen Book/Director: Ben Elton The award-winning musical by Ben Elton and Queen is back for its 20th year running. We Will Rock You is a jukebox musical of Queen’s most loved songs. The show is a tribute, not only to the band but to music and live performance. The show starts how it means to go on; loud – in fact, the sound system is proficient enough to emulate the electricity of a big arena performance. This show is certainly more than an average musical, it is an experience, with dry ice, scaffolding and strobe lighting. The costumes and…
Music: Ludwig Minkus arranged by Hans Vercauteren Choreography: Carlos Acosta after Marius Petipa and the novel by Miguel de Cervantes Birmingham Royal Ballet do not seem to be having much luck with their new production of Don Quixote. The original tour had to be postponed due to the COVID pandemic and the first two dates at The Lowry were called-off due to a combination of COVID and a significant number of injuries among the dancers. Even tonight the real world intrudes with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia getting an ovation before the ballet starts by playing the Ukrainian National Anthem. Lord knows…