Writer: Oscar Wilde Director: Denzel Westley-Sanderson A burst of musical, frivolously animated, choreographed (Tinovimbanashe Sibanda) action introducing the characters. The beginning sets an entertaining light hearted atmosphere. While there are many interesting tableaux in the production, there is not another witty section like the opening, which could possibly be employed when changing scenes to a greater degree, also giving continuity. Performance is the central theme; John (Justice Ritchie) and Algernon (Abiola Owokoniran) lead double lives, pretending to be someone they are not, i.e. performing, not uncommon today. The first scene has Algernon painting, in a very modern style for the…
Author: The Reviews Hub - Yorkshire & North East
The Reviews Hub - Yorkshire & North East
The Yorkshire & North East team is under the editorship of Jacob Bush. The Reviews Hub was set up in 2007. Our mission is to provide the most in-depth, nationwide arts coverage online.
Writer: Amanda Whittington Director: Mark Babych Still in its 50th anniversary year, Hull Truck Theatre present Ladies Unleashed, the latest play in a trilogy by Amanda Whittington. Each of the three plays is a stand alone drama. Most of the action is played out in the old fishing port of Lindisfarne as four friends embark on low-key break to the Holy Island. Some of the dialogue brings a certain naïve northern poetry to the proceedings but this gets lost and almost diluted in what is a poor and meaningless idea. Though, not a triptych of plays, this critic couldn’t help…
In this, a celebration of his latest novel, An Evening with Graham Norton is a pure joy from start to finish. Norton’s endearing Irish charm proves he isn’t just a one-trick pony. It’s Graham, but not as we know him. As one of the UK’s leading broadcasters and presenters with a long list of A-Listers under his belt we see him here on the other side of the chat-show chair as an interviewee. Running 15 minutes later than advertised due to a train cancellation, interviewer Konnie Huq was indisposed for the first half of the show. The show had to…
Writers: Dario Fo and Franca Rame Adaptor: Tom Basden Director: Daniel Raggett Accidental Death of an Anarchist is the first play to be presented at the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, formerly the Crucible Studio. It is set in a police station and focuses on The Maniac, the mysterious central character, as he gets himself tied up in a police investigation. It is an absolutely hilarious play written by Dario Fo and Franca Rame and adapted and updated by Tom Basden. It is now packed full of modern cultural references and makes some strong political statements, which makes the play laugh a minute…
Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Director: Alessandra Talevi Conductor: Jonathan Webb The curtain rises on the Prelude to La Traviata, hushed strings as Violetta sways seductively in the company of other young women. The whole thing is voyeuristic, a large eye following their every move. Then Violetta’s party properly starts, lords and drunks falling about among extravagantly costumed ladies. The assorted gentlemen are much more clearly defined than usual, notably Gavan Ring’s gloriously foolish Gastone. The orchestra and chorus now are in blazing form for Jonathan Webb, his Opera North debut as a conductor already a triumph. La Traviata proceeds by alternating.…
Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Robert Hastie Much Ado About Nothing may be the perfect analogy for the Ramps on the Moon initiative, pioneered with several regional theatres since 2016. This year, in collaboration with Sheffield Theatres, the company that aims to normalise the presence of deaf, disabled and neurodiverse people both on and off stage tackle Shakespeare’s comedy of the battling sexes. The ease integrating accessibility into their productions is a beacon of how this challenge can seemingly be… much ado about nothing. Before a line of the bard is spoken, we are greeted by the cast introducing themselves, their…
Book and Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner Music: Frederick Loewe Director: Bartlett Sher For the first time in over 20 years, Lerner and Loewe’s musical My Fair Lady is on tour following a successful run at the London Coliseum this summer. With a star studded, multi award winning cast, the Lincoln Center Theatre Production certainly aren’t relying on A Little Bit of Luck to try to encourage a new generation of audience members to fall in love with this classic musical. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, the 1956 production of My Fair Lady was a huge success on Broadway,…
Book: Alan Parker Music and Lyrics: Paul Williams Director: Sean Holmes The candy-coated city slicker is back in this high energy, quirky production of the classic musical produced and loved by schools and youth theatres all over. Written by Alan Parker and Paul Williams as a film for their children to enjoy, Bugsy Malone, a classic tale of gangsters, certainly kept young audience members entertained from start to finish. This time the performance opens with narration from Jasmine Sakyiama as Tallulah who gives an assured and sultry performance, this young performer is certainly going to be one to watch. The…