Des Liminanas, Costa Blanca. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

The easiest thing in the world is to dismiss somebody’s music just because they are singing or performing in a different language, it is something that at times and no matter whom you are that we are guilty of. So much easier to fall into the trap of playing a track that you are so comfortable with that every note and nuance has been heard a million times before. Occasionally a song, a group or even an album might cross over into the subconscious and gets mass approval; however it seems to be as rare as hen’s teeth unless you live in a country where the population are so adept at understanding more than their own mother tongue.

Des Liminanas, Costa Blanca. Album Review. full post

(392 words, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

Alice In Wonderland, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

Cast: Jenny Runacre, Reaya Sealey, Ashleigh Pacham, Holly Rivers, Mairi Phillips.

There have been so many theories and speculated conjectures surrounding the many possible veiled references to Alice In Wonderland that it enough to make the poor girl’s head spin. Never mind falling down the rabbit hole, occasionally being shoved with the full force of a 1970s Welsh Rugby Union side with no sight anywhere of a very wide cat and it’s cheesy grin leaping forward to break your fall is more akin to anyone who takes on the utterly charming but completely surreal book by Lewis Carroll.

Alice In Wonderland, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

Ripper Street, Dynamite And A Woman. Television Review. B.B.C.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

Cast: Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn, Adam Rothenberg, Clive Russell, David Wilmot, Damien Molony, James Wilby, Leanne Best, Stanley Townsend, Charley Murphy, Martin McCann, Michael Marcus, Guy Williams, Steve Gunn, Frank Melia.

Dynamite and a Woman arguably the two most explosive elements in Victorian London, one in which caused devastation, the other which broke hearts and in which both figured predominantly in the latest case to fall to Detective Inspector Reid to solve; both being surrounded by the new instrument in London, electricity.

Ripper Street, Dynamite And A Woman. Television Review. B.B.C. full post

(493 words, estimated 1:58 mins reading time)

Solitaire, Companion Chronicles. Audio Review. Big Finish.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: India Fisher, David Ballie.

Of all the companions to have stepped foot inside the Tardis, arguably one of the most much loved is Charlotte Elspeth Pollard. Having travelled with Paul McGann’s eighth Doctor incarnation from their first meeting in the excellent Storm Warning, through adventures such as Invaders From Mars, the sublime The Chimes of Midnight and to the fitting finale with her time with eighth Doctor The Girl Who Never Was, fans of Big Finish recognised something in her make-up, the way she handled herself when times were grave that placed her with the likes of Jamie, Tegan and Sarah Jane in terms of most admired and valued companions.

Solitaire, Companion Chronicles. Audio Review. Big Finish. full post

(575 words, estimated 2:18 mins reading time)

The Bad Shepherds, Gig Review. 02 Academy, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

There is a moment when you are listening to The Bad Shepherds, whether it is on a C.D. or more importantly in the realms of the live performance that you realise just how important the music they have taken hold of actually is. What is more significant, is what they have moulded out of precious material and given new form to, the music remains, the lyrics don’t really change at all and yet somehow they have either given fresh impetuous to the song at hand or given a completely new radical meaning to the track.

The Bad Shepherds, Gig Review. 02 Academy, Liverpool. full post

(529 words, estimated 2:07 mins reading time)

Liverpool Sound And Vision: The Sunday Postscript, An Interview With Danny Partington.

Liverpool University Drama Society’s long association with putting on diverse and interesting plays continues this autumn with their production of Pool (No Water). Pool (No Water) is a painful, visceral insight into the issues of self-loathing, artistic integrity and bitter jealousy amongst friends and artists, known solely and collectively as “The Group”.   

Reunited at the funeral of a mutual friend, a famous artist invites her old friends and colleagues out to her luxurious new home, complete with private pool and for one night only, The Group is back together. However, celebrations come to an abrupt end when the host suffers a horrific accident.

Liverpool Sound And Vision: The Sunday Postscript, An Interview With Danny Partington. full post

(1701 words, estimated 6:48 mins reading time)

Of Mice And Men, Theatre Review. Stanley Theatre, University of Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

Cast: Christian Darnell, Greg Vicary, Michael Cook, George Parsons, Katie Overbury, Liam Middleton, Jonny Campbell, Alex Webber-Date, Patrick D’Arcy, Devan Pankhania.

The number of people who do not know the story Of Mice and Men is becoming less each generation as schools adopt Steinbeck’s classic into their curriculum early on. Therefore, Liverpool University Drama Society (LUDS) decision to produce this as their first play of the academic year was, if nothing else, a signal of intent from a society that, at amateur level, is building a reputation of producing captivating and quality theatre.

Of Mice And Men, Theatre Review. Stanley Theatre, University of Liverpool. full post

(381 words, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)

Zappa Plays Zappa, Gig Review. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

As the lights go down inside the Philharmonic Hall, the anticipation felt by the audience as they await the son of the legendary Frank Zappa, the just as eminent Dweezil Zappa, was akin to urged to be patient before the start of the Big Bang, everybody knew how important it was, everybody sensed it, they just couldn’t wait for it to begin.

Zappa Plays Zappa, Gig Review. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool. full post

(621 words, estimated 2:29 mins reading time)

Le Gateau Chocolat, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Acclaimed opera singer and cabaret star Le Gateau Chocolat brought a brilliantly intimate new solo show to the Unity Theatre as part of Liverpool’s ongoing homotopia festival occuring throughout the city as he charted his personal difficulties and triumphs with depression, identity and music.

Le Gateau Chocolat, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(333 words, estimated 1:20 mins reading time)

Mis Les. Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Gillian Hardie, Keddy Sutton.

With a song in their hearts…well, more of a set of tunes and harmonies that has been lovingly taken from one of the much adored musical of all time and which has had a treatment most befitting of satire and the huge comic embrace that only Keddy Sutton, Gillian Hardie and Homotopia could wonderfully provide.

Mis Les. Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(436 words, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)