Category Archives: Theatre

‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore. Theatre Review. Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 21st 2010.

Cast: Ken Bradshaw, Kevin Harvey, Matti Houghton, Paul McCleary, Eileen O’Brien, Emily Pithon, Stuart Richman, Nicholas Shaw, Hugh Skinner.

The Everyman theatre is well renowned for its staging of hard, gritty and sometimes disturbing plays. None so more perhaps than the opening play of the new season, John Ford’s ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore.

There may be those who would shy away from the subject of incest, murder and impinging insanity but director Chris Meads has built a reputation for getting the best out of actors even in the most unusual of plays and in Tis Pity he has struck gold again with a cast that tackles some of humanity’s base instincts and wanton desires.

‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore. Theatre Review. Everyman Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(349 words, estimated 1:24 mins reading time)

The Game, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Cast: John Branwell, Liz Carney, Jo Gerard, Catherine Kinsella, Ror North, Wendi Peters, Phil Rowson, Barrie Rutter, Matt Sutton, Jos Vantyler.

Harold Brighouse’s name might ring more bells with drama and literature lovers as the writer of the classic play Hobson’s Choice, however thanks to a dramatic find in a Canadian University, Barrie Rutter and his team of players that make up Northern Broadsides have breathed life into the play The Game.

Northern Broadsides have continued to thrill Liverpool audiences over the last few years, with productions such as The Man with Two Gaffers and their own take on Romeo and Juliet, it seems as though the company can do no wrong in wrong in local eyes.

The Game, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(385 words, estimated 1:32 mins reading time)

Calendar Girls, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 28th 2010.

Cast: Denise Black, Elaine C. Smith, Julia Hills, Rachel Lumberg, Anna Charlston, Jennifer Ellison, Susan Bovell, Joe McGann, Bruno McGregor, Bruno Langley, Mikyla Dodd.

Surely there is no better way to get some of the leading ladies of British theatre and television on one stage that by bringing the celebrated Calendar Girls to the Liverpool Empire.

Based on a real life story, Calendar Girls tells the tale of a group of Women’s Institute members attempt to create a piece of work that will raise much needed funds for a hospital sofa, the same hospital in which one of the member’s husbands had been treated for Leukaemia.

Calendar Girls, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(403 words, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)

No Wise Men, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. December 9th 2010.

Cast: Helen Carter, Annabelle Dowler, Javier Marzan, John Nicholson, Clare Thomson, Milo Twomey.

Take a pinch of Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life, mix it up with lashings of Hans Christian Anderson’s tale of The Little Match Girl and add the very best of humour from theatre company Peepolykus you end up with a compelling, sometimes heartstring pulling and totally absorbing production of No Wise Men.

No Wise Men, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(328 words, estimated 1:19 mins reading time)

The Friendship Experiment, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. January 15th 2011.

Cast:  Matt Rutter, Tim Lynskey.

It takes two brave men to create the genuinely superb insanity that is portrayed on stage in the form of The Friendship Experiment. From the moment Matt Rutter and Tim Lynskey bound on stage, the audience is in for over an hour of mayhem which will lead them down several rabbit holes and coming out the other side asking “what the hell just happened”.

The Friendship Experiment, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(297 words, estimated 1:11 mins reading time)

Beachy Head, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. February 16th 2011.

Cast: Sarah Belcher, Dan Ford, Katie Lightfoot, Matt Tate, Neal Craig.

There is only one way to describe Analogue’s production of Beachy Head and that is shockingly powerful, a play that will have audiences leaving the theatre having their perceptions changed about the way we look at the way someone takes their own life.

The Unity Theatre once more played perfect host to a troupe of actors and a story that is swept under the carpet and not discussed openly in any home. The intimacy of the stage reflecting perfectly how the main character of Stephen Mitchell, played with stunning grace by Dan Ford, and his story, as told initially by the other actors on the stage.

Beachy Head, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(389 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

Footloose, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire Theatre.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 9th 2011.

Cast: Max Milner, Carys Gray, Steven Pinder, Karen Ascoe, Lorna Want, Jodie Jacobs, Keisha Amponsa Banson, Tanya Robb, Matt Willis, Daniel Smith, Adam C. Booth, Giovanni Spano, Michael Palmer.

Footloose! The very word brings up images of one of the great teen movies of the 1980’s. Reason in the face of oppression for which any teenager of the time would have identified with, a stunning soundtrack and a great cast made the film a smash in box offices both sides of the Atlantic.

Footloose, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire Theatre. full post

(435 words, estimated 1:44 mins reading time)

12. Theatre Review. The Lantern Theatre, Liverpool.

The Cast of the 12 at The Lantern Theatre, Liverpool. Photograph by Ian D. Hall.

Originally published by L.S. Media. August 24th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Cast: Shaun Fagan, Morgan McBride, Nick Crosbie, Jamie Vere, Robbie Locke, Bob Schofield, Owen Jones, Josh Quigley, Josh Hughes, Bradley Walker, Paul Holliday, Sophie Eves.

Transferring a 1950’s Henry Fonda classic film to the unsympathetic existence of 21st century Liverpool takes some imagination and a lot of writing talent to give it the grim reality that post war Hollywood films sometimes glossed over. With Shaun Fagan and Matthew Shiel at the helm of 12, the latest play to be performed at The Lantern Theatre, this was more than was ever needed to show how good writing can shine through no matter how unattractive and prejudicial the story line is.

12. Theatre Review. The Lantern Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(431 words, 1 image, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

Tell Me On A Sunday, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire Theatre.

Cast: Claire Sweeney.

Tell me on A Sunday is one of the most endearing and likeable musicals created by Andrew Lloyd Webber, whether it’s the addition of Don Black’s superbly written and well observed lyrics or the fact that almost everyone can resonate and identify with the girl on stage as she finds herself thrust into a life far from home, in a strange city, strange country with nothing but her sense of humour and the thought of meeting that one person who they can share their life with.

Tell Me On A Sunday, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire Theatre. full post

(435 words, estimated 1:44 mins reading time)

The Lady in the Van, Theatre Review. Liverpool Playhouse.

Picture from Liverpool Live

Cast: Nicola McAuliffe, Paul Kemp, James Holmes, Tina Gambe, Emma Gregory, Fiz Marcus, Benedict Sandiford, Martin Wimbush, Janet Harrison.

From the mind of one of the most unique of British playwrights, comes one of the most fascinating pieces of theatre to have been envisaged and produced and given that certain inspired finish that only Yorkshire born Alan Bennett can write is the play The Lady in the Van.

The Lady in the Van, Theatre Review. Liverpool Playhouse. full post

(405 words, 1 image, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)