North West Reviews

Book: Douglas Day Stewart & Sharleen Cooper Cohen Musical Supervision: Sarah Travis Director: Nikolai Foster Reviewer: Frances Scott The 1982 film is an Academy Award-winning feature that remains one of the highest grossing love stories of all time. In an all-new production that has been remixed into a stage musical, the Cinderella story continues its reign as a rom-com classic. Taking ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Alex Clifton Reviewer: Emma Boswell The Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre returns this summer, converted into a magical island in its staging of Shakespeare’s The Tempest.  Directed by the very talented artistic director of Storyhouse (and Cestrian) Alex Clifton, The Tempest explores the story of Prospero; the usurped Duke (or Duchess, in this production) of Milan, ...

Music & Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Peter Stone Director: Thom Sutherland Reviewer: John Roberts Having originally launched just months before James Cameron’s recording breaking film, Maury Yeston and Peter Stone’s powerful and heart-breaking musical won plaudits and awards on its maiden voyage on Broadway – yet unlike Cameron’s filmic version Yeston & Stone’s retelling of the tale uses the stories ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Caroline Clegg Reviewer: Lizz Clark Two households, both alike in dignity... in fair Heaton, where we lay our scene? That is the version of The Bard's famous prologue which audiences are hearing this summer, as Feelgood Theatre Productions brings the timeless love story to Grade I-listed Heaton Hall and the surrounding park. This promenade production takes ...

Writer: Connor Wray Director: Ellie Hurt Reviewer: John Roberts West Kirby based Off the Ground have been touring open-air theatre productions around the UK and Ireland for 23 years, mixing older more established performers and creatives with newly graduated professionals and alumni from their own youth theatre.  This mixing of old and new brings an incredible spark to the ensemble ...

Writer: Emma Culshaw and David Paul Director:  Craig Ryder Reviewer: Abbie Rippon As part of Liverpool Pride 2018, the Studio at Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre is celebrating with a week’s run of Break a Leg Productions The Ruby Slippers. Set in a struggling drag club in Blackpool, The Ruby Slippers follows the story of club owner Raz (played by James Rogerson) ...

Book: Jonathan Harvey Director: Maria Friedman Reviewer: May Mellstrom "I'm 90 percent smoke and mirrors darling" declares Dusty Springfield, with a glint in her kohl-rimmed eyes as she rejects a marriage proposal and hails a taxi, disappearing into the night. The legendary British singer, born Mary O'Brien in 1939, was famously private however this new musical from acclaimed writer Jonathan ...

Writer: Simon Reade after Arthur Conan Doyle Director: David Grindley Reviewer: Dave Cunningham  Sherlock Holmes has been revived and re-imagined so many times finding a new twist must be a challenge. For Sherlock Holmes – The Final Curtain writer Simon Reade steps outside fiction to take inspiration from Arthur Conan Doyle’s real-life belief in spiritualism. However, bearing in mind the very flat ...