Tag Archives: Playhouse

Writers: Cal McCrystal, Aitor Basauri, Stephan Kreiss, Petra Massey, Toby Park Director: Cal McCrystal Comedy four-piece Spymonkey are celebrating their 20-year anniversary and what better way to do so than with the revival of their 2001 show Cooped, what the cast have described as a “demented pulp gothic romance”, which believe you me only just about scratches the surface, as ...

Book: Dennis Kelly Music & Lyrics: Tim Minchin Director: Matthew Warchus Reviewer: Lauren Humphreys With its origins as the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2010 festive show, nine years down the line, Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin’s musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Matilda has been seen by over eight million people around the globe. Winning awards and smashing box office records wherever ...

Lyrics: Tim Rice Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Director: Bill Kenwright Reviewer: Edie Ranvier It’s hard to go wrong with a bit of “Joseph”. It’s coming up for fifty years since the musical, inspired by the biblical tale of Joseph and his brothers and penned by the unsurpassable double-act of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, opened for its professional premiere ...

Book: Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice Music: Bob Gaudio Lyrics: Bob Crewe Director: Des McAnuff Reviewer: Gareth Davies Comparatively few bands have had the dubious pleasure of seeing their back catalogue of hits plundered for a jukebox musical. Abba, most famously, popularised the trend with Mamma Mia!, and We Will Rock You, the Queen musical, proved you could spin a ...

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, ...

Book: Berry Gordy Director: Charles Randolph-Wright Reviewer: Dominic Corr More than music, Motown was an opportunity. It was family, dedication and an outlet for some of history’s greatest African American performers. The Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross all had a part to play in the construction of the record label. Playing such a prominent role in racial integration ...

Writer:  Lisa Genova Adaptor: Christine Mary Dunford Director: David Grindley Reviewer: James Eves ‘While I may not remember this, I hope the reason for doing it is something that is remembered.’ These words echo as Still Alice follows the mental decline of Alice Howland, a successful Harvard University professor, as she is diagnosed and suffers from a form of Alzheimer’s disease, as ...

Writer: Alan Bennet Director: Philip Franks Reviewer: James Eves To be able to tell a captivating story for the theatre is one thing, it requires a lot of character, skill and time. Therefore, to be able to create two stories for the same play that run alongside one another at the same time, deserves twice the admiration. To put it ...