Tag Archives: Michael Starke

Special Measures, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Eithne Browne, Paul Broughton, Stephen Fletcher, Jessica Guise, Colin Hoult, Adam Search, Angela Simms, Michael Starke.

St Jude’s Primary School has been placed into Special Measures, the universal, one size fits all term, to denote that somewhere something is not right with the system.

When Tory M.P. Thomas Winters feels the wrath of the P.M.s anger at being hit by a croquet mallet in a particularly painful constituency, he is dispatched to tick the right sort of boxes in a North of England school and make amends. The fall out, the so called oppressed kicking downwards is not new but for the Head Master and staff of St. Jude’s the fall of basic humility and understanding looking them in the eyes is one that is too much to bear.

Special Measures, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(499 words, estimated 2:0 mins reading time)

Special Measures This April At The Royal Court Theatre.

This April the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool will be producing a brand new comedy from the writer of Eric’s, Taboo and The Liverpool Nativity – Mark Davies Markham.

Special Measures is set in an ordinary Primary School in Netherton which has just suffered an Ofsted inspection. The inspectors deemed them a failing school and have put them into Special Measures.

A showboating Tory M.P. arrives for a photo opportunity at the school and starts picking holes in the staff. It all becomes too much and it’s time for the hardworking teachers to strike back!

Special Measures This April At The Royal Court Theatre. full post

(358 words, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

The Hitchhikers Guide To Fazakerley, Theatre Review. Royal Court, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Lynne Francis, Lindzi Germain, Jack Rigby, Angela Simms, Michael Starke, Charlotte Dalton, Stephanie Miles, Emily Trebicki.

Every science fiction story needs a hero, a man willing to put his life on the line in order to save the world and by doing so redeem his soul, a man who handles himself with courage, moral fortitude, bravery in the face of oppression…and a Tardis inspired wheelie Bin.  It’s the festive season but not as we know it.

The Hitchhikers Guide To Fazakerley, Theatre Review. Royal Court, Liverpool. full post

(440 words, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

Sons Of The Desert, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Roy Brandon, Michael Starke, Lori Haley Fox, Penelope Woodman, Matt Connor, Jonathan Markwood.

The distinctive music, the sight of two comedy greats on stage giving the audience a laugh and great entertainment in two different settings and somehow transported in time from the golden age of Hollywood comedy to the 21st Century comedy central of the Royal Court in Liverpool. Such is how nights of class are made and in the iconic Laurel and Hardy film Sons of The Desert, recently given such status as warranting to be preserved forever in the American National Congress, they don’t come much bigger, then again, it can always be given a new lick of paint and introducing to a newer audience.

Sons Of The Desert, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(476 words, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)

The Royal Court Theatre Announce Cast For Groundbreaking Show.

The Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, has announced the cast for their groundbreaking new Laurel And Hardy show – Sons Of The Desert!

Oliver Hardy will be played by Michael Starke (Bouncers, A Nightmare On Lime Street, Our Day Out) and Stan Laurel will be played by Roy Brandon (Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels, The Salon, Council Depot Blues). The two are looking forward to bringing the world’s most famous double act to life.

The Royal Court Theatre Announce Cast For Groundbreaking Show. full post

(534 words, estimated 2:08 mins reading time)

Cast Announced For The Hitchhiker’s Guide To Fazakerley At The Royal Court Theatre.

Following on from the success of the last few years (Merry Ding Dong, Scouse Pacific, Little Scouse On The Prairie, A Nightmare On Lime Street) Fred Lawless has set the action in space and the show is called The Hitchhiker’s Guide To Fazakerley and now the Royal Court Theatre has announced the cast for this fantastic festive offering for 2013.

The cast can now be confirmed as Michael Starke, Lindzi Germain, Lynn Francis, Angela Simms and Jack Rigby! Michael, Lindzi and Lynn were all in last year’s brilliant comedy A Nightmare on Lime Street but this is the first Christmas show for Jack (Our Day Out, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and Angela (Ladies Day). The show will be directed by Royal Court Artistic Director Ken Alexander and the Musical Director will be Howard Gray.

Cast Announced For The Hitchhiker’s Guide To Fazakerley At The Royal Court Theatre. full post

(309 words, estimated 1:14 mins reading time)

Bouncers, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre. Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Paul Broughton, Danny O’ Brien, Michael Starke, Mark Womack.

In the night time, in the sometimes unforgiving dark which is briefly punctuated by loud thumping music and neon lights enticing the weary, the foolhardy and the desperate, the bouncer is king of his domain. What he says, happens, if he tells you to sling your hook, you go, tail between your legs; if he orders you to laugh, cry and feel as though the night has been an almighty success, then you have probably seen John Godber’s acclaimed play, Bouncers at the Royal Court Theatre.

Bouncers, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre. Liverpool. full post

(515 words, estimated 2:04 mins reading time)

Bouncers To Step In At The Royal Court This July.

Royal Court Liverpool are producing one of English Theatre’s best known plays this summer. John Godber’s Bouncers will be filling the slot vacated by One Night In Istanbul and will run from 19th July – 17th August.

The show will be set at Liverpool’s Grafton nightclub in 1985.

John Godber is one of the most performed playwrights in the English language with plays like Teechers, Up N Under and Screaming Blue Murder regularly performed up and down the country. Bouncers is the most popular of all his shows and since it was written in 1977 there has always been a production of it playing somewhere in the world. He has written more than 50 plays and has won numerous awards for his plays including a Lawrence Olivier Award and seven Los Angeles Critics Circle Awards.

Bouncers To Step In At The Royal Court This July. full post

(376 words, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

Liverpool Sound And Vision: The Saturday Supplement, An Interview With Jamie Hampson.

Jamie Hampson is currently part of the cast that is thrilling Royal Court theatre goers that have been going in their droves to see Fred Lawless’ latest monster smash hit A Nightmare on Lime Street. Originally from Halewood she was bitten by the acting bug before she hit her teenage years.

Having completed her training at the famous Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (L.I.P.A.) she has gone on to become one of the rising stars of Liverpool theatre with superb performances in A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Macbeth and in Nicky Alt’s You’ll Never Walk Alone to her name. Multi-talented and enjoyable company, there is seemingly nothing that will stop this young actor becoming a house-hold name in years to come.

Liverpool Sound And Vision: The Saturday Supplement, An Interview With Jamie Hampson. full post

(1514 words, 1 image, estimated 6:03 mins reading time)

A Nightmare On Lime Street To Continue Fantastic Run.

Royal Court Liverpool’s Christmas show A Nightmare On Lime Street has lit up the telephone lines at the Box Office and has had audiences on their feet at the end of every show. Now the theatre has announced that the show will be extended until the 26th January, adding an astonishing 13 more shows to the original run.

The play, which stars Michael Starke, Jamie Hampson and Mark Moraghan, is written by Fred Lawless who has penned the last three Christmas shows at the Royal Court. The extra dates have been added following a surge in demand from the audience.

A Nightmare On Lime Street To Continue Fantastic Run. full post

(270 words, estimated 1:05 mins reading time)