Tag Archives: Harrogate

Writers: Phil Lowe and David Bown Director: Phil Lowe Reviewer: Ruth Jepson It’s December, which means it’s time to put the tree up, sip mulled wine, and head to the theatre for the best part of Christmas: The Pantomime! Jack and the Beanstalk at Harrogate Theatre has been given a modern twist by reimagining the titular hero as a heroine. ...

Director: Richard Twyman Writer: Shakespeare Company: English Touring Theatre Reviewer: Ruth Jepson Beware, my lord, of jealousy… Othello. Just the name conjures up so many images in the minds of the audience. A savage heathen. A misunderstood sympathetic. A trusting fool turned violent by circumstance. Richard Twyman has chosen to direct his Othello as a secret Muslim, provoked to unleash ...

Writer: Marc Camoletti Director: Ben Roddy Designer: Andy Newell Reviewer: Ron Simpson For the next three weeks, Harrogate Theatre is reverting to the days of weekly rep, with Phil and Ben Productions (that’s Stewart and Roddy) creating what, in these days of pop-up theatres, could be called a pop-up rep company. For many years repertory companies acted as the backbone ...

Writers: Phil Lowe and David Bown Music: Nick Lacey Director: Phil Lowe Choreographer: Sophie Zealand Reviewer: Sophie Dodworth Upon entering Harrogate Theatre, elegant Christmas decorations have been hung, and harmonic sounds from the Harrogate Theatre Choir fill the air. The grand decoration of the venue, following its 2011 refurbishment, contributes to the flamboyant energy emitted by this quintessential family pantomime, ...

Composer: Giacomo Puccini Librettists: Luigi Illica, Giuseppe Giacoso Artistic Director: Konstantin Balakin Music Director: Valerii Voronin Reviewer: Ron Simpson Russian State Opera’s tour of the UK is a heroic affair, just over six weeks of two popular Puccini operas (Madama Butterfly the other), with six or seven performances a week, only one or two performances per theatre. The principal parts ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Peter Stickney Musical Director: Alex Beetschen Choreography: Darren Royston Reviewer: Janet Jepson There’s something special and magical about watching a theatrical production in the open air, and there are few better places to do it than Harlow Carr Gardens near Harrogate. The setting is perfect: a level area for the stage surrounded by an assortment of ...

Writer: Florian Zeller Translator: Christopher Hampton Director: Kevin Shaw Designer: Patrick Connellan Reviewer: Ron Simpson Florian Zeller’s play has had remarkable international success. First produced in Paris in 2012, it gained him the Prix Moliere and since then in Christopher Hampton’s translation has won or been nominated for all the major awards in the UK and the USA, both for ...

Writer/Director: Suzanne Andrade Music: Lillian Henley Designer: Esme Appleton Animator: Paul Barritt Reviewer: Ron Simpson Golem is one of those shows where it’s difficult to visualise what you’re about to see from the advance publicity. In this case, however, it’s almost as difficult afterwards to describe what you’ve seen. To start with the obvious, Golem is a brilliant piece of ...