Yearly Archives: 2014

Hancock’s Half Hour: The Matador. The Lost Episodes. 2014 Re-Recording.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Kevin McNally, Kevin Eldon, Simon Greenall, Robin Sebastian, Susy Kane.

As arguably one of the finest British comedies to grace both radio and television celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the first episode, The First Night Party, being aired to the nation; Hancock’s Half Hour has suffered from the short sightedness of the time that many programmes and serials had placed upon them, the constraints of not being recorded and documented for future posterity.

Hancock’s Half Hour: The Matador. The Lost Episodes. 2014 Re-Recording. full post

(624 words, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)

Lewis: The Lions of Nemea. Television Review. I.T.V.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Kevin Whatley, Laurence Fox, Rebecca Front, Angela Griffin, Clare Holman, Clive Merrison, John Light, Ian East, Kitty Rich, Sian Brooke, Jason Done, Jessica Henwick, Andrea Lowe, Rosie Cavaliero, Jenny Howe, Michael Ryan.

Heracles would have perhaps laboured in vain to understand to the 21st Century condition of false self pride and murderous intent that seems to be more prevalent than at any time in history, especially it seems in the academic halls of Oxford, to the point where he might have got in touch with Sisyphus and asked if it was possible to balance a collection of rocks on top of Everest for a while, than ever help the Thames Valley Police solve crimes in the area.

Lewis: The Lions of Nemea. Television Review. I.T.V. full post

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

Damien Rice, My Favourite Faded Fantasy. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

The intervening years away from the full blown effects of playing in a studio have done nothing to dispel the shrouded mist that plays with the subconscious thought that Damien Rice is a man of lyrical immensity and an artist who paints the clearest pictures with just a well placed finger on a guitar string.

Damien Rice, My Favourite Faded Fantasy. Album Review. full post

(504 words, estimated 2:01 mins reading time)

Thomas McConnell, Please Don’t Slow Me Down/Crocodile. Single Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

It is almost possible to see the cogs whirring round and the musical knowledge come pouring out in a steam of fervoured imagination as you listen to Thomas McConnell’s latest digital single, Please Don’t Slow Me Down and Crocodile.

Thomas McConnell, Please Don’t Slow Me Down/Crocodile. Single Review. full post

(444 words, estimated 1:47 mins reading time)

Boxing Night Just Got Special With A Performance Of Dreaming Of A Barry White Christmas.

The producers and cast of Dreaming of a Barry White Christmas are staging a special Boxing Night performance of the hit comedy for people in need of some joy in their lives. Over 500 invited and nominated guests will be entertained by the all-star Liverpool cast of the adult festive show on the evening of Friday 26th December and local charities are invited to nominate deserving people for free places.

Dreaming of a Barry White Christmas first stormed EchoTwo @ Liverpool’s Echo Arena for five nights last Christmas. This year, it returns by popular demand for an extended run in the intimate surroundings of the Echo Arena’s sister venue, The Auditorium. The show will run from Monday 15th December to Saturday 3rd January 2015.

Boxing Night Just Got Special With A Performance Of Dreaming Of A Barry White Christmas. full post

(778 words, estimated 3:07 mins reading time)

Shebeat, E.P. Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

In a city that celebrates its music in much the same way it celebrates its sporting heroes, there are always going to be those that gets more press than others. It is the way of things, it perhaps cannot be helped but at times it might feel disingenuous to those that add so much important flavor to the world, regardless of where they play or for how long.

Shebeat, E.P. Review. full post

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

CastleStorm: Definitive Edition (PS4), Game Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9 out of 10

CastleStorm is a 2D physics based tower defence game available for download from the PlayStation Store for the PS4. CastleStorm: Definitive Edition is an enhanced port of 2013’s PlayStation Vita and PS3 versions of the game and provides a twist to tower defence games by introducing the ability of offence as players are given the power to fight and attack an enemy just as much as the enemy is able to assail back; resulting in the old adgage that the best form of defence is offence.

CastleStorm: Definitive Edition (PS4), Game Review. full post

(3453 words, 3 images, estimated 13:49 mins reading time)

Royal Court Youth Theatre Presents Badfellas This Month.

The Royal Court Liverpool Youth Theatre will be performing in the main auditorium with a new show that they have devised and created with writer Maurice Bessman.

Badfellas is set in a far off land where characters from stories and fairytales spend their down time. A comedy with music and some big physical dance numbers this is a great way to showcase the talents of the next generation of Liverpool actors. Tickets are just £3 with all proceeds being reinvested in the Youth Theatre by the Royal Court Liverpool Trust.

Royal Court Youth Theatre Presents Badfellas This Month. full post

(366 words, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

Hancock’s Half Hour (Revisited): The First Night Party. Audio Comedy Review. 60th Anniversary.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

Cast: Tony Hancock, Sidney James, Bill Kerr, Moira Lister, Alan Simpson, Gerald Campion, Kenneth Williams.

The first night of any new venture can be a daunting one, for the arts it sows the seeds of excitement and despair, of hope in a long running show or the gloomy realisation that months of preparation had all come crashing down before the first sentence uttered. How do you get round this, how to win over those who would write about you and the programme and get them to give you at least a passing golden smile within the column inches afforded them? For Tony Hancock the answer is simple, throw a first night party, invite all the big names from the B.B.C. and newspapers and watch as the reviews come glowingly in.

Hancock’s Half Hour (Revisited): The First Night Party. Audio Comedy Review. 60th Anniversary. full post

(540 words, estimated 2:10 mins reading time)

Crowded Scouse, Gig Review. Everyman Theatre. Regional Mersey Head & Neck Cancer Centre Charity Evening.

There are moments in life that no matter how great they are, no matter how impressive the sound, the action or the memory, it just cannot be assigned a number or a star rating. To do so demeans the experience and the reason why the event happened.

Crowded Scouse, Gig Review. Everyman Theatre. Regional Mersey Head & Neck Cancer Centre Charity Evening. full post

(543 words, estimated 2:10 mins reading time)