North West Reviews

Writer: Alan McHugh Director: Guy Unsworth Reviewer: Jay Nuttall It’s that time of year again (oh yes it is) when Qdos Entertainment and The Opera House in Manchester pull out all of the stops to produce one of the biggest pantomimes in the country. This year Cinderella gets a distinct Weatherfield twist as two recent stars of Corrie swap the ...

There can surely be few streets in the UK more impressive in its dazzling array of theatres, concert halls and bars than Liverpool’s Hope Street. In addition to the much loved Everyman Theatre and the Philharmonic Hall, a new independent theatre, appropriately named the Hope Street Theatre has opened in the City’s Masonic Hall. In full view of the Everyman, ...

Writer: Andrew Ryan Director: Andrew Agnew Reviewer: John Roberts As pantomime’s go, this reviewer has always found the partnership between The Floral Pavilion and UK Productions to be a fruitful one, bringing the Wirral, pantomimes with bags of charm, personality and heart, so it’s a massive disappointment that Aladdin falls remarkably short in comparison to its previous year’s offerings. Making a ...

Writer: Christian Patterson Director: Zoe Waterman Reviewers: Clare Howdon Theatre Clwyd’s annual ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ Panto is fast becoming a stalwart feature of many Flintshire family’s calendars and after having had the pleasure of experiencing Dick Whittington on a rainy Saturday evening, it isn’t difficult to see why. Not only is Christian Patterson’s take on this classic tale raucously entertaining, but Zoe Waterman’s ...

Book:  Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan Music/Lyrics: Mel Brooks Director: Raz Shaw Reviewer: Dave Cunningham The original movie version of The Producers was so outrageously funny it is hard to imagine a musical version could be an improvement. Yet this festive season The Royal Exchange certainly have a damn good try with director Raz Shaw’s staging of the musical. Producer Max ...

Music and Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Winnie Holzman Director: Joe Mantello Reviewer: Helen Jones For those who have been living under a shell for the last fifteen years, Wicked, based on Gregory McGuire's fantasy novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, is a prequel and retelling of The Wizard of Oz but from the viewpoint ...

Writer: Kevin Dyer Music: Patrick Dineen Director: Nina Hakiyianni Reviewer: Jamie Gaskin Including a great deal of movement and physical theatre in a show for children is always a risk. While many delight in the comic antics and accent on movement, others insist on breaking the silence with their own dialogue – some of it from traditional Panto. In many ...

Writer: Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss Director: Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage Reviewer: Frances Scott The chopped and changed wives of Henry VIII have moved heaven and earth to tell their side of the story. Overshadowed by their husband’s reign, these queens have taken over the Quays theatre to upgrade the audiences limited knowledge of their lives. Assuming that you ...