Book: Alexander Dinelaris Director: Thea Sharrock Reviewer: John Roberts Having been created just 10 months after the untimely death of award-winning singer Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard musical still features the singer heavily throughout. The use of Houston’s back catalogue of disco hits and ballads impregnate the whole show, overall this works, but there are times when the songs as with most ...
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Writers: Tim Firth & Gary Barlow Director: Matt Ryan Reviewer: John Roberts Tim Firth is no stranger to Calendar Girls having penned the original movie screenplay in 2003 and then the stage production in 2008. Now working in partnership with singer/songwriter and lead singer of Take That, Gary Barlow, the pair have re-worked the cheeky true story of a group of ...
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Music: Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky Choreography: Derek Deane after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov Conductor: Gavin Sutherland Reviewer: John Roberts Swan Lake is arguably the most instantly recognisable name in the Ballet repertoire, its story is ultimately universal thanks to its themes of love and loss, betrayal and forgiveness, traits and characteristics that everyone can relate so it will always be able ...
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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 ...
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Writers: Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, Henry Shields Director: Mark Bell Reviewer: John Roberts There’s nothing like a good murder mystery… and this is nothing like a good murder mystery, in fact its abysmal and the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society should be ashamed of their shocking attempt at staging the illustrious Murder at Haversham Manor, in fact one almost walked out ...
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Writer: Warner Brown Director & Choreographer: Craig Revel Horwood Reviewer: Daryl Holden Son Of A Preacher Man finds its story in three strangers who come together to find the “preacher man” after each of them have suffered different kinds of love and loss in their lives. Who was the preacher man? Well, he was a man who ran a record shop ...
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Creator: Adrian Grant Director: Gary Lloyd Reviewer: John Roberts Almost nine years to the day “The King of Pop” untimely passed, Thriller Live!Lands in Liverpool, A perfect choice considering the city’s rich musical heritage. The original production landed in London’s West End just short of six months before Jackson’s death and has since then toured the UK many times going ...
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Book & Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire Music: Jeanine Tesori Director: Nigel Harman Reviewer: May Mellstrom In 2001 DreamWorks introduced a generation to Scottish ogre Shrek and in doing so spawned a franchise; including four films, a spin-off and this stage musical, which having played Broadway and the West End now embarks on a second UK tour. With a book by ...
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