The Contact Theatre continues to be the platform for both dynamic and alternative theatre for a new generation of creative artists. As part of its About Flying Solo Festival, Ria Hartley’s Untouchable is one the most powerful and moving pieces I have experienced. Guided by the staff we were led to the Pankhurst House, a Women’s support centre opposite the theatre and the place that Ria would use for her performance.
Ria Hartley's biographic solo performance explores her experiences growing up within a domestically violent mixed raced household and the steps she has taken to overcome and find her voice. This is a very challenging and personal project for Ria who has bravely decided to be open with her audience and to speak about her pain that was caused and how it not only affected her but her family later in life. This soft spoken, shy and caring young woman advises the audience that should any of them feel uncomfortable they are welcome to leave the space and return when they are ready.
All things gratuitous that have made us gasp in front of out TV sets are joyfully lampooned in the writer’s witty send up.
Sometimes the strange paradox of life and comedy is the very human condition of finding humour in the grim. Ok, maybe I’m taking HBO’s Game of Thrones too seriously for some but at a certain level the lust for power, kniving, shifts in allegiances, backstabbing, civil wars and rebellions, are not just a reflection of history but at times an uncomfortable mirror to our present, which I feel makes the TV drama so compelling. There is more going on than just swords and sorcery.
Sunny Afternoon is the multi Olivier Award winning story of band The Kinks, from the beginning of their journey as young men exploding onto the music scene with a backdrop of London’s “Swinging Sixties” right through the love/hate relationships that developed amongst the band members and almost tore a family apart. The true story is told through the songs written by The Kinks singer/songwriter Ray Davies. All of the music is original Kinks tracks, there has been no additional songs written for the show.
The most difficult problem with this dance oriented show was getting myself to a point where I could free myself from my prejudices and get along there. Dance? Disabled Dance?? What’s this all about? Hieronymus Bosch, a sixteenth century Dutch religious Zealot as the thematic background? I am really struggling here. I list my reservations only because I am human and along with many who love the theatre I worry about having my sympathies stretched too far. However that’s exactly the point of theatre in all its forms and there are a lot of very important things to say currently about disability. Clare Cunningham is a using this piece to say them in a very powerful way.
What I love most about theatre; is how quickly it can change your mood and mind-set.
Entering the Manchester Opera House this evening on a gloomy rainy day after a full day at work feeling tired and stressed. As soon as the curtain opened on the song and dance show 'That's Entertainment'; my mood changed immediately for the better. It's such a fun, feel good show filled with the best performers, costumes and songs that I have seen in a production in a long time.
Murder She Writes by Vertigo Theatre brings the well-known character Jessica Fletcher back to life in a musical that’s even camper than Christmas. Jessica (Dale Vicker) is joined by a host of famous faces; the Hoff (Richard Allen), Columbo (Ash Preston) and Donna (Natalie-Ann Stanley), who had more than a hint of Velma from Scooby Doo about her to investigate the murder of Paula Lamer.
From the beginning there seems to be a subconscious competition between Fletcher, the Hoff and Columbo to unmask the killer, which makes for great viewing. I particularly enjoyed Columbo and the Hoff’s duet complete with canes.
Footloose in the Liverpool Empire Theatre did little to disappoint. Taken from a film in the 1980s, it’s a story about a kid named Ren McCormack from out of town who comes to Bomont and turns things upside down a little; breaking the rules, stealing the tough guy’s girlfriend and challenging the local minister to bring music and dance back to the town. The show included hit songs such as ‘Holding Out for a Hero’, ‘Let’s Hear It For The Boy’, and, as expected, ‘Footloose.’ Although the other songs weren’t as familiar or catchy, they were performed with great energy and passion, resulting in a highly enjoyable show.
Hairspray has spritzed into the Regent theatre Stoke to introduce us to the Nicest Kids in town and they’ll be here all week. The town of Stoke was well and truly welcomed to the Sixties when this brilliantly bright show opened last night. The theatre was buzzing beforehand last night with people of all ages waiting to see the classic and feel good show. On arrival into the auditorium there was swinging sixties style lights creating the vibe of the show before it even started.
Chris Packham is probably best known for being one of the co-presenters of Springwatch and Autumnwatch, although he has a career in wildlife television ('The Really Wild Show' with Michaela Strachan being one example) and is also quite outspoken and vocal about various issues concerning wildlife and conservation. This tour, which runs until August, is Chris promoting his new book 'Fingers in the Sparkle Jar' which is the first part of his memoir and covers the years 1966 to 1976.
Chris was accompanied on stage tonight by Patrick Barkham, a writer and journalist (Natural History writer for The Guardian) who facilitated an interview with Chris, asking him about various incidents in the book and also prompting him to tell stories from his life. Chris also read a few extracts from the new book.
JSLN is a classical ballet dance troupe founded in 2012 and they are currently touring the UK with Variations of Pointe. The production consists of three acts all of which are creative, fun and incredibly different to each other. Artistic director Sören Magnus Niewelt has successfully used the style of traditional ballet to tell three new and exciting narratives.
The first piece is an adaptation of Fokine’s Petrouchka from the time of the Imperial Russian Ballet set to music by Stravinsky. The story is inside a puppet workshop and follows the beautiful ballerina toy as she interacts with the other dolls and puppets.
Working the stage from the minute she walked out, Andrea Pattison as Dolly Parton had the audience enthralled from the start. Singing ‘Baby I’m Burning’ she truly captured Dolly’s’ voice and mannerisms and everyone was soon singing along with her. With a very simple stage setting and backed by a fabulous four piece band, The Partoners, comprising of husband of Andrea, Richard Rutherford on guitar, on drums Paul Smith, keyboards Dean Stockdaleand guitar and vocals of Dave Dryden she continued to belt out the classics including ‘Two Doors Down’ ‘Jolene’ and ‘D.I.V.O.R.C.E.’ with a particularly great rendition of the autobiographical single ‘Coat of Many Colours’.
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