It’s the winter of 1941 and Millican Dalton is in his Borrowdale cave but the Keswick ARP warden has just too him to turn the candle out in his cave as it’s blackout and he might attract Hitler.
This one man play has been written by and stars Peter Macqueen, a familiar face to people who have been to Theatre by the Lake over the past few years as he has been in numerous productions and is also the Fight Director there. This time, he has taken on the role of Millican Dalton who is known as the Borrowdale Hermit who lived in a cave during the blackout of World War 2.
The production company responsible for this evenings entertainment was very keen to point out that it is no way affiliated to “Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage”. It’s no wonder... The two simply cannot compare. Having seen the latter both in the West End and on tour it is safe to say that this production is a poor comparison and was, overall, a massive disappointment.
The premise is simple we are the audience at the Kellerman’s end of season show looking back on the events that have unfolded this Season. In other words we flash through the highlights from the film and its memorable soundtrack, as well as a few others, which I am pretty sure didn’t make the final cut. Most songs were sung live by a member of the cast and of course there was lots of (Dirty) dancing!
This is a re-imagining of the fairytale-cum-pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, in which a young lad called Jack buys some magic beans in exchange for the cow he is selling and climbs the beanstalk up into the clouds to the land of giants. Thus far, the tale is not too dissimilar, however, once there, the head giant is giving a scientific lecture in which Jack learns about the importance of plants and our ecosystem, uses the giant's book as a parachute and comes back to earth and his mum to start to grow beans and save our planet from our own wanton destruction.
Ellen Kent presents Carmen, a 4 Act Opera written by Georges Bizet and presented in French, is passionate; dramatic and full of character. The opera was first performed in Paris on the 3rd March 1875 and has a rather memorable ‘disastrous’ opening night. Most of the audience and critics by the end of the first interval were left puzzled and confused of the performance that was shown before them, a ground-breaking Opera at time, but throughout the show people began to understand and critics and audience members alike became enthusiastic and loved the performance. The original production ran for 45 performances - not bad at the time.
West End Story is the perfect show for the ultimate musicals fanatic! It includes a vast variety of well-loved hits from London’s West End stage from musicals such as Chicago, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia and Phantom of the Opera to name only a few. The show is predominantly performed by Helen Noble, Graham Tudor, James Wolstenholme and Jessica Anne Ball who all performed admirably well considering the fast paced, action packed feel the show had! They were supported on stage by the students of Stafford College and Tread Acting Academies and the young performers were full of infectious enthusiasm throughout whilst also showcasing their impressive talent.
It’s Gay Pride night in the heart of Manchester’s Canal Street, bursting with people celebrating their sexuality. Only The Lionheart, the oldest gay pub in the village is…….empty. Landlady Wendy Hatley (Jane Hamlet) is worried. The health inspector is due in the morning. She knows her time at the pub will be coming to an end, with the help of the rats, and she is loathe to leave the pub to her son James (Sam Retford) who has the audacity to be straight, even after being raised by two mothers for the past 25 years. A straight man cannot run a gay establishment and with this in mind Wendy (Hamlet) has resigned herself to giving the old place up. James (Retford) and ditzy barmaid Sally (Emma McCullen) have other ideas. They invent a ghost to boost popularity and the play is surrounded by their hilarious antics in order to keep the farce going.
The official website of Guys And Dolls couldn’t sum up the show any better, Nathan Detroit is desperate: he needs money for an illegal dice game, and he needs it fast. Not to mention a 14 year engagement with night‑club singer Miss Adelaide whose patience is finally running out. Enter notorious gambler Sky Masterson, a guy who can never turn down a bet, and straight‑laced missionary Sarah Brown, a doll with a heart of ice. The wager: Sky has to romance Sarah by taking her to Havana for dinner and in return he’ll provide a dozen ‘sinners’ for Sarah’s mission. Surely this is one bet Nathan absolutely can't lose?
Towards the end of Strauss’s operetta the Prince declares that “chacun á son gout!” (each to their own taste) something that was definitely the case at this performance of Die Fledermaus at the Manchester Opera House this evening. Whilst the majority of the audience found amusement in the casts farcical interpretation and presentation the performance never quite lifted to the dizzying heights of some of its well-known arias.
This show was presented by students of The Northern Ballet School who have been, since 1992, lucky enough to call The Dancehouse in Manchester their home. The Northern Ballet School have two performance companies which celebrate the two separate but intrinsically linked art forms of ballet, Manchester City Ballet, and show dance in all its varied styles, Jazzgalore; and it was this company who were given the spotlight this time round.
I have said it many times before, and it certainly won't be the last time either, but the amount of creative talent found amongst the young people within Greater Manchester is truly astounding. This was a high energy, feel-good show with lots of catchy and famous Musical Theatre numbers put together to perfectly showcase the amazing talent that is Jazzgalore.
Simon McBurney wants to take you on a journey. A journey into the heart of the Amazon rainforest as he both performs and narrates Loren McIntyre’s account of his encounter with a lost tribe known as the Cat People and in the process goes on a twisted but spiritual journey into the forest and in the process becomes one with the Mayoruna Tribe and their Chief.
After a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Private View from Plunge Theatre has embarked on a national tour, stopping off at a half-filled Sale Waterside Theatre. Private View is a production aiming to highlight how women treat each other in society. However, for me it felt like 45 minutes of my life I will never get back again.
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