Shadow Captain: Abbesses. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

We have been denied much over the last five years, we live in a time when the fracturing of the artist’s soul has become not only normal, but lauded by those with an intent bent in destruction and chaos, and instead of taking arms against these agents of turmoil and manufactured confusions, we hide underground, our retorts spoken softly as not to offend the words of people we should not care of, we creep around the Abbesses of the Paris Metro, we slink in the darkness of New York’s Subway, just so we can be assured of not being accused of bringing love to a world of hate.

Shadow Captain: Abbesses. Album Review. full post

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

A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Theatre Review. The Royal Court Theatre.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 29th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating * * * * *

Cast: Harriet Barrow, Jamie Hampson, Richard Hand, Zoe Lister, Jack Lord, Shaun Mason, Jack Rigby, Michael Ryan, Adam Search, Ella Brennan, Lynsey Coulthard, Ashleigh LeRoy, Michael Loftus, Zain Salim, Amandine Vincent, Florence Watson.

Just when you think you couldn’t see a Shakespeare play performed in the most original way possible, that every conceivable way of doing it had been used, Lodestar Theatre Company come along, rip up the guide on how to present the Bard’s work, not just once but twice, as they systematically destroy the spare copy you had of Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Theatre Review. The Royal Court Theatre. full post

(421 words, estimated 1:41 mins reading time)

The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Doreene Blackstock, Curtis Cole, Dominic Gately, Savannah Gordon-Liburd, Luke James, Jack McMullen, Richard Pepple, Alix Ross, Sean Sagar.

Alan Sillitoe’s The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner was written in the dying days of National Service in Great Britain; this coupled with the thought of young offenders’ prisons which became a one-stop shop for hope being abandoned may have been on a lot of people’s minds when the national riots of 2011 scarred and divided the nation.

The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(429 words, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

The Girl I Left Behind Me, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

There was a time when to see a woman in trousers was to court scandal and above all intrigue, the ridiculous thought that the masculine clothes they chose made them any different to anyone else would be laughed at today and quite rightly so. Jessica Walker takes her audience down on a well creased and ironed road to when the music halls were abuzz with the fascination of the women who dressed as men in the well researched and brilliantly put together, The Girl I left Behind Me.  

The Girl I Left Behind Me, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(402 words, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

Epstein, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool. (2012).

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Andrew Lancel, Will Finlason.

The newly refurbished Epstein Theatre has come of age in such a relatively short time and there was probably no better way to see the theatre enjoying the first big run of its new lease of life than by celebrating the man who shares the iconic name. For a lot of people Brian Epstein is the man that a city thanks for making sure that Liverpool once more was a name to be proud of, to be distinguished once more.

Epstein, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool. (2012). full post

(424 words, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

Ian Broudie Interview, Parr Street Studios.

Originally published by L.S. Media. January 30th 2012.

Parr Street Studios has Liverpool iconic status stamped heavily all over it. Its reputation as a place of musical birth is legendary. Bands, rocks groups and the odd solo star have recorded albums there, albums that have gone on to be best sellers. Even in the last few weeks Liverpool legends Space have recorded their long awaited new album there. Parr Street studios may not be instantly recognisable say as the waterfront skyline that visitors from across the globe see as they travel up the Mersey and dock underneath the three graces. Not as the much visited homes of the four Beatles or even as Penny Lane.

Ian Broudie Interview, Parr Street Studios. full post

(1246 words, estimated 4:59 mins reading time)

A Nightmare On Lime Street, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre. (2012).

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Lynn Francis, Lindzi Germain, Jamie Hampson, Mark Moraghan, Michael Starke, Anthony Watson, Lenny Wood, Alicia Forrest, Niamh Fitzgerald, Olivia Galvin, Joe Slater.

An ancient evil is stirring beneath the bowels of Lime Street and it is up to Tommy and his daughter Julie to root it out. Fred Lawless’ latest Festive extravaganza, the brilliant A Nightmare on Lime Street, pays homage to the comedy horrors of the past and brings together a superb cast, a script of monster proportions and music to adore and smile throughout at.

A Nightmare On Lime Street, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre. (2012). full post

(468 words, estimated 1:52 mins reading time)

My Perfect Mind, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre. Liverpool. (2013).

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Paul Hunter, Edward Petherbridge.

To have a giant of stage appear in Liverpool is not uncommon, it is almost taken for granted that at some point during the year the audiences will flock to one of the city’s great theatres and be bowled over by what they witness. Only London, for logical reasons, can surely make the same claim. Yet it still is very special when it happens and when it is in a production that wouldn’t have been dreamed or even conceived without the giant becoming very ill then the play takes on a special resonance, it becomes something greater than words. Such is My Perfect Mind and such was Edward Petherbridge’s performance.

My Perfect Mind, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre. Liverpool. (2013). full post

(426 words, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

Di Is Dead, Theatre Review. The Playhouse Studio, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Combine Robert Farquhar’s original and incredible ability to make a play of side-splitting genius from even the smallest of things and Francis Tucker’s seemingly unnatural and comic god like precision to go from the humour to semi tragedy in the spilt of second and the result is the fantastic Di Is Dead.

Di Is Dead, Theatre Review. The Playhouse Studio, Liverpool. full post

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

Quadrophenia, Theatre Review. Liverpool Empire, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media

Cast: Ryan O’Donnell, George Maguire, Jack Roth, Rob Kendrick, Sean Croke, Daniel Curtis, Lillie Flynn, Ryan Gage, Kirsty Malone, Brennan Reece, Iris Roberts, Tom Robertson, John Schumacher, Sydney Rae White.

In some critics’ eyes Quadrophenia is the definition of the era of the mod, cool clothes, good music and the spirit of rebellion that had been sadly lost. To others it was time when you saw the rise of the disaffected youth that blighted a generation and the odd sea-side town. From out of this small period came The Who’s Pete Townsend who turned his imagination and past experiences into one of the critically acclaimed albums of the last forty years.

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

(451 words, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)