Tag Archives: Liverpool

Ballad Of The Burning Star, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Nir Paldi, Orian Michaeli, Amy Nostbakken, Seiko Nakazawa, Stefi Sourial, Deborah Pugh, Pete Aves.

The tale of one boy growing up in the settlements of Israel, the history behind his family and the darkness that seeps through like an admission of youthful guilt is introduced not with the fading bell of entropy but with the sound of music, the reckless, wonderfully stirring style of Berlin in the 1920s and with the gaze of the a man pouring into your soul looking for understanding and a sort of forgiveness, not many plays have this at its heart, there is probably no play around that captures the soul in quite the same way as Ballad Of The Burning Star.

Ballad Of The Burning Star, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(552 words, estimated 2:12 mins reading time)

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Film Review. FACT Cinema, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Tilda Swinton, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Defoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law,Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Jason Schwartman, Léa Seydoux, Tom Wilkinson.

Every story requires an author, the voice of reason, doubt, uncertainty, humour and charm in which capture every single element possible to make the listener pin back their ears and quietly contemplate what the creator is actually telling them. If every story expects a story teller then Wes Anderson should be the one to be involved at every point of the tale’s conception.

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Film Review. FACT Cinema, Liverpool. full post

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

300: Rise Of An Empire, Film Review. FACT Cinema, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

Cast: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headley, Hans Matheson, Callan Mulvey, David Wenham, Rodrigo Santoro, Jack O’ Connell, Andrew Tiernan, Igal Naor, Andrew Pleavin, Ben Turner, Ashraf Barhom, Christopher Sciueref, Steven Cree, Caitlin Carmichael, Jade Chynoweth, Fred Ochs, Price Carson, John Michael Herndon, David Pevsner, Kevin Fry, David Sterne, Clive Sawyer, Christopher Boyer.

300: Rise Of An Empire, Film Review. FACT Cinema, Liverpool. full post

(610 words, estimated 2:26 mins reading time)

The Mono L.P.’s, Gig Review. Leaf, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

There seem to be bands that somehow stay a secret far longer than they deserve to be. The clandestine way of the Universe just keeping them under the radar for just a little while longer before unveiling them with a flourish and watching the world go wow! Though by no means a cult band, The Mono L.Ps have been plugging away and getting huge attention, now is surely the time for the universe to say enough of the secrecy, this is the band, deal as you may find.

The Mono L.P.’s, Gig Review. Leaf, Liverpool. full post

(661 words, estimated 2:39 mins reading time)

Private Peaceful, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Andy Daniel.

How would you spend the final few hours of your life if you had been labelled a coward after a hearing that would have lasted less than an hour, placed in a cell by yourself and far from home? Would you kick and scream, raging against a world that was off kilter to your actions and perception or would you spend it in isolation with your thoughts, all moments of transitory life flashing before you and the memories of happy times keeping you company till the dawn awoke in time to see you die?

Private Peaceful, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

Echoes Of The First World War, Theatre And Interactive Review. St George’s Hall, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

The sound of the Last Post forever plays each night as the sun goes down over a French field, paid for by a man who lost his son to a futile, inexcusable war and who signed a parchment called Common Form there by exonerating the Army and The Government for any injuries or deaths that might occur to those too young or seen to be too disabled once they got to the trenches.

Echoes Of The First World War, Theatre And Interactive Review. St George’s Hall, Liverpool. full post

(487 words, estimated 1:57 mins reading time)

Dial M For Murder, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Christopher Timothy, Kelly Hotten, Philip Cairns, Daniel Betts, Robert Perkins.

They say a murder cannot be perfect for somebody will always at least know about it, even if they are the ones who end up dead. However a homicide can be near perfect when presented on stage in the form of Frederick Knott’s outstanding play Dial M For Murder.

Dial M For Murder, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(470 words, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)

Leave Hitler To Me Lad, Theatre Review. Actors Studio, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound & Vision Rating: * * * *

Cast: Kivan Dene, Leanne Rowley, Rachel O’Hare, James Mountain, Jonah Kensett, Luke Wakeman, Grace Mainon.

It is the early 1950s and the country is still recovering from war. Rock and Roll is making its mark, King George is dead and war torn England is changing. At Great Stony School Essex, young Brian (Jonah Kensett) is waiting for his dad to come and fetch him to take him home, but after watching all of his friends go off to loving new homes, Brian thinks that no one will come, until one day everything changes. Brian says goodbye to his best friends George (Luke Wakeman) and Gladys (Grace Mainon) and heads off to his new life with his sister.

Leave Hitler To Me Lad, Theatre Review. Actors Studio, Liverpool. full post

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

Manchester City 3-1 Sunderland: Comeback Sees Pellegrini’s Men Claim Season’s First Silverware.

Originally published by Ace Magazine on-line on 3rd March 2014.

In 1999, just after Manchester City had gained promotion via the playoffs and Manchester United had won the Champions League, there was a suggestion cheekily suggested by some journalists the national papers that there was something in the water to have produced two thrilling moments in football history. For Manchester City it was the start, a true beginning back to the land of redemption after years of lacklustre and almost abject football. Times change, City no longer have the tag of being a big time laughing stock but they don’t half cut it close to becoming so at times.

Manchester City 3-1 Sunderland: Comeback Sees Pellegrini’s Men Claim Season’s First Silverware. full post

(1719 words, estimated 6:53 mins reading time)

By The Rivers, Gig Review. 02 Academy, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

March may have been blown in the back of the worst set of winter storms in living memory but the thought of sunshine, weather so perfect you could just turn on the radio and dream of Henry Blofeld delivering a perfectly delivered and seamless soliloquy in praise of a six by Curtly Ambrose and strawberries being placed in your mouth by a toga wearing Roman is never too far away. That dream of summer, of the lazy perfect day was bought ever closer by the Leicester band By The Rivers who were support for the legendary Ska band The Selecter on the opening day of March.

By The Rivers, Gig Review. 02 Academy, Liverpool. full post

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