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…
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.
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…
Recipient of the 2019 Special Olivier Award, Sir Matthew Bourne and his New Adventures company have produced some of the most renowned and successful dance productions of the last three decades. Now, ten years since it was last performed; his production of the Nutcracker! takes the stage again, but be warned: it’s extremely high in sugar. Jam-packed with extra helpings of wit, lashings of pathos, and sprinklings of laugh-out-loud comedy moments, this magical adventure, makes a delectable recipe that’s guaranteed to please audience members of all ages. And it’s all down to the genius of Bourne’s ability to tell a story through dance…
Writer: Richard Cameron Director: Kate Wasserberg There’s a healthy tradition in British culture of telling surprising, heart-warming working-class tales against a backdrop of poverty. Think Billy Elliot, Brassed Off or The Full Monty. The stories may differ, but we’re well versed in the tropes: a smattering of setbacks leading to a feelgood finale. Richard Cameron’s The Glee Club might tread familiar ground, but it ultimately does something altogether different. The year is 1962. It’s the 60s, but not as modern audiences know or misremember them. Change is in the air, but it hasn’t yet blown into this south Yorkshire village…
Book: Patricia Resnick Music/Lyrics: Dolly Parton Director: Jeff Calhoun Following a successful West End run 9 to 5 the Musical is back on a UK tour and sharing ‘a cup of ambition’ with Stoke-on-Trent. Based on the 1980 classic movie. Dolly Parton’s much-loved film is celebrated in a fast-moving comic book-style adaptation. Writer Patricia Resnick, who also wrote the original screenplay, has revamped the story for the stage. It should be noted that although Dolly Parton has written the music and lyrics she is not in the show, but she does make her presence very much known. The storyline is…
Writer: Alison Carr Director: Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder A massive asteroid is heading towards Earth. There are a few hours left to make amends and revisit that old list of regrets. Or we could all just go down the local for a pint, a bit of company, and an evening packed with good-humoured rivalry at the pub quiz. Box of Tricks have completely nailed the notion of pub theatre with this play/quiz mash-up, managing to seamlessly blend the two as successfully as they blend the comedy and heart-wrenching drama in Alison Carr’s The Last Quiz Night on Earth. We are crammed into…
Creators: Teatro Pomodoro As you enter the cold, dark, back-room warehouse of Liverpool’s Make Studios, you are presented with a room of booths, each seating two people and all facing the arena. An arena where a twisted, dark, yet comic Battle Royale will take place. We the audience are voyeurs into the madness, punters on the games the contestants must play, games where their survival is our gain. It’s a neat premise that clearly takes hold of our current fascination with post-apocalyptic science fiction and tv programmes like last year’s hit Squid Game. Here at the Peep Show, Teatro Pomodoro…