Tag Archives: Liverpool

Sunny Afternoon, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7.5/10

Cast: Ryan O’ Donnell, Marcelo Cervone, Victoria Anderson, Tomm Coles, Nathanial Campbell, Deryn Edwards, Andrew Gallo, Richard Hurst, Sophie Leigh Griffin, Garmon Rhys, Joseph Richardson, Robert Took, Michael Warburton, Libby Watts, Lisa Wright.

The Sixties was more than just the Stones and The Beatles, more than the burgeoning power of The Who, yet for some the Sixties only exists because of this, their immediate reference is to the three British bands from that era that truly went global and who played the American market as if was a child’s game. For groups such as The Small Faces and The Kinks the sound they produced was just as off the wall, just as intricate and finely woven in the fabric of society, it just seems to get lost in the flow of Time and the memories that some are willing to hold on to.

Sunny Afternoon, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

Pride And Prejudice, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Cast: Daniel Abbott, Francesca Barley, Anna Crichlow, Doña Croll, Benjamin Dilloway, Holly Edwin, Mari Izzard, Matthew Kelly, Steven Meo, Jordan Mifsud, Felicity Montagu, Charlotte Palmer, Leigh Quinn, Mark Rawlings, Kirsty Rider, Tafline Steen, Geoff Arnold, Jessica D’Arcy, Rose Daulbey, Ally Manson.

It used to be said that manners maketh man, that to be seen as genteel, saying all the right things in polite company, was the way that lead to Britain being seen for its conduct in society, that the revolving doors of etiquette depended its life on how people were judged and measured.

Pride And Prejudice, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(473 words, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)

White Liars, Theatre Review. The Gregson Memorial Institute, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Adam Stubbs, Isham R. Redford, Eve Smith.

There are so many classes of lies, the half truths, the simply tarnished and embellished, whether to get us out of trouble or to enhance our reputation within a certain social circle of friends, the lie can always be seen as the spectre in the crowd but also the warm and comfortable friend who covers us in her shroud as the day wears on. The statements of I am fine, I can cope, all is well, these are the white lies that are acceptable to others and in so making us the accomplice to the well meaning deceit, that we are White Liars who spread the white lie.

White Liars, Theatre Review. The Gregson Memorial Institute, Liverpool. full post

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

The Lego Batman Movie, Film Review. Picturehouse@F.A.C.T., Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Will Arnett, Ralph Fiennes, Zach Galifianakis, Rosario Dawson, Michael Cera, Jenny Slate, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Jermaine Clement, Ellie Kemper, Adam Devine, Kate Micucci, Seth Green, Jason Mantzoukas, Mariah Carey, Billy Dee Williams, Riki Lindhome, Eddie Izzard, Conan O’Brien, Doug Benson.

There is nothing like a good Batman film in which to soak up a few hours, Bob Kane’s gift to comic book fandom has had its ups and down, whilst enjoyable in a kitsch, clique ridden way, the 60s television and subsequent film didn’t add much to the mystique of the Dark Knight, whereas Michael Keaton’s and Christian Bale’s interpretation of the man and the myth was completely and beautifully captured by their respective directors.

The Lego Batman Movie, Film Review. Picturehouse@F.A.C.T., Liverpool. full post

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

Paul Dunbar, Gig Review. 02 Acadamy, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

The orange and bright white lights of the Academy Two capture the essence of many musicians who pass underneath the black curtain and stand in front of what can be a tightly packed crowd, the thin veil of sweat mixing heavily with the heady perfume and the rippling veins of muscles working a guitar or taking the drums on at full speed adding to the drama of the night; Academy Two offers much in the way of music fulfilment.

Paul Dunbar, Gig Review. 02 Acadamy, Liverpool. full post

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

Brick Up 2: The Wrath Of Ann Twacky, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Roy Brandon, Eithne Browne, Danny Burns, Suzanne Collins, Carl Chase, Paul Duckworth, Emily Linden, Andrew Schofield, Francis Tucker.

Two’s company, two is the sound of laughter taken to great heights, two is a sequel to which a comedy penned by the superb duo of Dave Kirby and Nicky Alt is completely on top of its game and is one that surely will be seen as a true worthy successor to a production worth its weight in Liverpool gold.

Brick Up 2: The Wrath Of Ann Twacky, Theatre Review. Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(508 words, estimated 2:02 mins reading time)

Noises Off, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Kathryn Chambers, Tom Platt, Vikki Earle, Tom Cavendish, Danny Fahey, Lauren Molyneux, Liz Blake, Joey Wishwell, Alec Walters.

Noises Off is one of those gems of a production that an audience can never be introduced to enough, a true blend of British stoicism in the face of absolute charade, a play that revels in its mayhem and one that if you haven’t laughed at during spells doom for British theatre; in much the same way that the ravens learning they can leave the Tower of London would spell the end of centuries tradition, so to if not laughing at arguably one of the great comedies of all time would cause a rip in the curtain of the English language.

Noises Off, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(453 words, estimated 1:49 mins reading time)

T2 Trainspotting, Film Review. Picturehouse@F.A.C.T., Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Ewan Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Steve Robertson, Shirley Henderson, Kelly McDonald, Gordon Kennedy, Anjela Nedyalkova, James Cosmo, Katie Leung, Thierry Mabonga, Scot Greenan, Irvine Welsh, Pauline Turner, Eileen Nicholas, Kyle Fitzpatrick.

T2 Trainspotting, Film Review. Picturehouse@F.A.C.T., Liverpool. full post

(512 words, estimated 2:03 mins reading time)

Herringbone John, Gig Review. The Courtroom Cafe, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

There has always been so much to take in with pleasure when in the company of John Hall, (Herringbone John), an acoustic night here, a full band session there, this is what John Hall brings to the area, the sound of the Blues, much neglected in some quarters but one delivered with appreciation and enjoyment in Liverpool by the man who makes the guitar ache with beauty. This is not a man who shows off or lets the occasion spoil him, this is no grand master to whom people will part with extortionate amounts of money for, this is a man of honour and his music respectfully shows that.

Herringbone John, Gig Review. The Courtroom Cafe, Liverpool. full post

(366 words, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

Christy Myers, Gig Review. The Courtroom Cafe, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

There is a moment, a long and lengthy process in which it might take a music lover to fall for somebody, not the normal instant attraction in which club land offers with its steady rhythmic beat and fuelled by cheap alcohol, the smell of testosterone hanging in the air and mixing freely with the pungency of liberally dosed perfume, not in the circles of Folk or the acoustic nights offered throughout the city do those rules apply; here is the normality not energised by desire but by aural sensibility, to fall for one person and their guitar is to know love and in Christy Myers, it is one that gave with passion and joy immediately.

Christy Myers, Gig Review. The Courtroom Cafe, Liverpool. full post

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