“Curtains” had a disappointing start with a 10-minute delay that had the audience a little unsettled but in the gutsy opening number of ‘Wide Open Spaces’ this uncertainty soon disappeared. The opening song of cowboys and girls in the vein of “Oklahoma” certainly wasn’t what we were expecting for this ‘who-dun-it musical spoof’ but it’s refreshing to be surprised. The set was turned so that we were backstage (I love that!) and we see the old starlet Madame Marian murdered.
In Vasily Petrenko’s introduction to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestra’s performance of Mahler’s first symphony last night, he spoke of how Mahler’s aim was to move away from the superheroes of the symphonies of Brahms and Beethoven and instead focus on ‘simple human life’ and the ‘journey of the individual and his role in the universe’.
Old Fruit Jar Productions have taken to the Hope Street Theatre this week to perform Jack Thorne’s version of Georg Büchner’s classic play Woyzeck. It tells the story of Woyzeck, a soldier working for the British Army in Berlin during the Cold War, and the extents he’ll go to try and make a better life for his child and his girlfriend, Marie.
I must admit, this was a new one on me, about which I know nothing although based on a film...which came out in 2006, so there you go. And not the most promising of titles, although perhaps shorthand for 'Once upon a Time', being on a par with a fairy tale of the rags to every possibility of riches kind.
Merry Christmas, Carol is a new interpretation of Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol, set in Liverpool at the eponymously named, Dickens Department Store. Written by Helen Carter and directed by Joe Shipman, this musical features an all-female cast and tells the story of Carol (Helen Carter), a manager at Dickens Department Store, and her daughter Holly (Molly Madigan) on Christmas Eve.
Father Christmas, St. Nicholas, Santa Claus, Sinterklaas, Jolly Old St. Nick or Kris Kringle are all one in the same, but how do you refer to our friendly, once a year visitor?
Wordsworth might have thought we come ‘trailing clouds of glory’, but anyone who has had to look after a baby knows that it’s a bitter-sweet experience and a roller coaster of a ride. Theatre-rights’ production, Beasty Baby, beautifully illustrates the highs and lows of caring for a new baby.
It is always a pleasure to witness new theatre and this show was no different as Out The Attic Productions present “That's What She Said”. Out The Attic are a Liverpool based Theatre company who describe themselves as storytellers who have a passion for giving voices to women and those underrepresented through history. Their latest slice of drama services exactly that as it involves individual stories from six strong females depicted through a baseline story of that famous Ibiza holiday that happens commonly in late teen years. The anecdotes are based on true and real experiences from the actors and this shines through as they bring reality and authenticity to every part of their performance.
Bite Me! is an original comedy adventure story from Theatre on Foot director and founder, Kane Murray, ably assisted by Caitlin Clough, which centres around a group of centuries-old vampires living together in an ancient manor house in modern day Britain. When three humans break in to the spooky mansion to try and save their friend who has been kidnapped by these neck-biting vampires they discover a terrifying world unlike anything they’ve ever seen before: 100 year old caged humans locked in underground dungeons; vicious werewolves roaming the corridors; and spine chilling seances unearthing spirits from the dead.
In National Grief Awareness Week (2th - 9th December 2019), Manchester based company Talespin Theatre have given us a powerful play about the impact that grief has on one family and how each individual person in this family deals with the trauma and loss of a family member. At times, it’s not an easy watch and could be uncomfortable for some but Talespin handles the situations that arise with great care and sensitivity and the writers and co-creators Marissa Moore (who also directs) and Jordan Kennedy construct both meaningful and pertinent dialogue throughout the play.
Edward II by Christopher Marlowe is one of the greatest pieces of English theatre ever written and throughout the years the play been adapted and reimagined by many companies far and wide. Now it is the turn of Liverpool based MT Productions to give their account of this famous power play in their own unique way.
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