Category Archives: Theatre

Chess, Theatre Review. Floral Pavilions, New Brighton.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 12th 2009.

Cast: Paul Kirkbright, Sarah Hardman-Gardner, Samantha Arnold, Tony Clare, Bill Seabury, Mike Ellis, Ray Davies, Lois Holland.

There’s much to be said for a company of players and a director who tackle the seemingly impossible task of putting on Tim Rice’s Chess. A production that famously had teething troubles many years into its run on the West End stage

Thankfully the West Kirby Light Opera Society rose to the challenge and despite some lighting technicalities through the first act you really couldn’t fault the artists on stage for their dedication to the story, nor could you fault the Orchestra, for their playing of some of the more difficult tunes, it was simply breathtaking.

Chess, Theatre Review. Floral Pavilions, New Brighton. full post

(305 words, estimated 1:13 mins reading time)

War Of The Worlds Musical By Jeff Wayne. Theatre/Musical Review. Echo Arena, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 15th 2009.

Cast;  The voice of Richard Burton, Shannon Noll, Justin Hayward, Chris Thompson,  Anna-Marie Wayne.

“No one would have believed…”

…that thirty years ago an album would come out that blew its initial budget within weeks of starting recording. An album that used some of the greatest musical talent ever and one of the most iconic and greatest of British actors to grace stage and screen. An album that was based upon the book by the “father of science fiction” H. G Wells!

War Of The Worlds Musical By Jeff Wayne. Theatre/Musical Review. Echo Arena, Liverpool. full post

(606 words, estimated 2:25 mins reading time)

We Will Rock You, Theatre Review. Birmingham Hippodrome.

Originally published by L.S. Media. August 1st 2009.

Imagine a time when live music is banned and outlawed, to even think of picking up a musical instrument is to be condemned by an organisation that rules over all that it sees. Everybody thinks the same, dresses the same, works for the same company and all expressions of individuality erased and considered a dangerous idea of a degenerative past.

We Will Rock You, Theatre Review. Birmingham Hippodrome. full post

(460 words, estimated 1:50 mins reading time)

Bugsy Malone, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S.Media. August 7th 2009.

It is testament to the Liverpool Empire Stage Experience that a musical of this calibre is not only performed by the children of the area but it is done well and with more than a sense of style. From the moment you arrived at the Theatre you were greeted with the sight of the period costume from the Twenties and a fine Rolls Royce parked up upon the pavement.

This production took in over 120 children and all performed admirably and had the packed out audience in the palms of their hands from the opening number.

Bugsy Malone, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(417 words, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Annie, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 8th 2009.

Cast: Lydia Tunstall, Su Pollard, Michael Morgan, Chris Molloy, James Muller, Gemma James, Gareth Heesom, Simone Craddock, Lorinda King.

A story about an orphaned girl, the depression, 1930’s American society and the undercurrent of child beating doesn’t spring to mind the plot of a heart warming musical that combines some of theatre’s best known songs with some feisty one liners and cheekiness, but in the hands of director Roger Hannah and produces Chris Moreno this classic of film and theatre has been given new life.

Annie, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(312 words, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

Kes, Theatre Review. Liverpool Playhouse Theatre.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 23rd 2009.

Cast: Mike Burnside, Stefan Butler, Daniel Casey, David Crellin, Katherine Dowblyton, Oliver Farnworth, Dominic Gately, Peter McGovern, Oliver Watton.

The film is considered to be a cinematic classic, gritty in its honesty; heartbreaking and heart warming at the same time. One of the true greats and one of Ken Loach’s finest moments. It would therefore be near on impossible for anybody to transfer it to the stage, but in the writer Lawrence Till, all the sadness, tinges of humour and the bleak future is stripped bare and in its place is nothing short of theatrical genius.

Kes, Theatre Review. Liverpool Playhouse Theatre. full post

(345 words, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

Twopence To Cross The Mersey, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. October 9th 2009.

Cast: Pauline Daniels, Mark Moraghan, Emma Vaudrey, Emma Grace Arends, Ciaran Kellgren, Colin Connor, Anthony Watson, Marie Ekins, Joyce Greenaway, Annie Walker, Gordon Hall, Ronnie Orr.

It is easy to see why the local papers announced before the play started its current run at the Empire that Twopence To Cross The Mersey had taken in over two million pounds at the box office over the last few years. With such talented performers on stage taking the various parts from the author’s life and an excellent musical score to match, there was nothing for the packed out audience to not like.

Twopence To Cross The Mersey, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

Scrooge, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire Theatre.

Cast: Tommy Steele, Geoffrey Abbott, Craig Whiteley, Kristy Cullen, Hamilton Sargent, Suzie Chard, Sophie Caton, Kieron Harris, David Lyndon, Nikki Gerrard, Steven Sparling, Robbie Towns, Tony Stansfield, Halcro Johnston, Barry Howards.

Liverpool welcomed back one of its favourite adopted sons this week when the ever youthful Tommy Steele came back “home” as part of the production of the theatrical classic Scrooge.

The Charles Dickens timeless masterpiece has been the subject of so many musicals and cinema outings that it is possible for a group of people to come up with an entirely different favourite actor who has thrilled them in the part.

Scrooge, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire Theatre. full post

(408 words, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

The Thirty Nine Steps, Theatre Review. Liverpool Playhouse.

Originally published by L.S. Media. December 8th 2009.

Cast: Richard Braine, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart, Katherine Kingsley, Dan Starkey.

The team behind the Liverpool Playhouse pulled a real cracker for its final performance of the year and decade and watched it explode in delight, laughter and a touch of good old fashioned British daring do.

John Buchan’s classic The Thirty Nine Steps has been given the comedy treatment and like Spymonkey’s reworking of Moby Dick earlier on in the season it was excellently written and had the benefit of some superb comic acting.

The Thirty Nine Steps, Theatre Review. Liverpool Playhouse. full post

(418 words, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Peter Pan, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire Theatre.

Originally published by L.S. Media. December 2009.

Cast: Henry Winkler, Natasha Hamiliton, Nikki Davies-Jones, Les Dennis, Patrick Buckley, Daniel Taylor, Rick Vaughn, Kaitlin Howard, Chris Jenkins, Jessica Hill, Luke Redford, Ryan Pidgen, Lisa Connell, Ben Goffe.

J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan has been charming readers and its theatre audiences for the better part of a century now and thankfully it shows no sign of running out of steam. This year the Liverpool Empire Theatre is hosting this spectacular show and with some big names in the cast it is sure to get the reception it deserves.

Peter Pan, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire Theatre. full post

(519 words, estimated 2:05 mins reading time)