Tag Archives: Liverpool

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)

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)

Swallows and Amazons, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. March 27th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating * * * *

Cast: Celia Adams, Akiya Henry, Richard Holt, Katie Moore, Sophie Waller, Stewart Wright, Greg Barnett, Francesca Bradley, Neal Craig, Adrian Garratt, Alison George, Hilary Tones, Jon Trenchard.

Every so often a production comes along that when all is said and done is nothing short of charming and brilliantly executed. Nothing more, nothing less! Arthur Ransome’s classic children’s adventure Swallows and Amazons is one such play.

Swallows and Amazons, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

White Christmas, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

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

L.S. Media Rating * * * * *

Cast: Aled Jones, Adam Cooper, Kerry Washington, Ken Farrington, Amy Ellen Richardson, Louise Bowden, Mark Dickinson, David Lucas.

Liverpool may not have had a White Christmas to end 2011; however there can be no doubt in anybody’s minds on how sumptuous and grand the performance at the Empire Theatre this year of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. The amount of joy it visibly put on people’s faces and even more so than the sight of a foot of snow outside your door on the big day.

White Christmas, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

Wolf Red, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 7th 2012.

L.S. Media Rating ****

Cast: Elinor Randle.

Not all wolves wear fur, some are guised as men and it seems that sometimes a very exceptional woman can be unmasked as the wolf in woman’s clothing.

Wolf Red has to be considered as one of the most remarkable one woman shows to ever grace The Unity Theatre. From the moment the audience walks in and the mist swirls and descends around them, the thought of decomposing leaves and frayed sanity mingle together to reveal on a rotted stump Elinor Randle, hunched over and in the grip of perceived madness from there she delivers one of the most perfect opening monologues possible. It was eerie, certainly creepy and just on this side of exuding brilliance.

Wolf Red, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

My Perfect Mind, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Edward Petherbridge, Paul Hunter.

Standing on the shoulders of giants is never easy, but the view that you see, the distance and insight made possible because of their shining example is worth more than mere currency, it is the opportunity granted to learn and take note. Such is the effect that the return to Unity Theatre of Told By An Idiot’s My Perfect Mind has on the audience that it time to come it will surely be looked upon as a classic piece of theatre of the early 21st Century.

My Perfect Mind, Theatre Review. Unity Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

The Mousetrap, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

Cast: Steven France, Karl Howman, Bruno Langley, Elizabeth Power, Bob Saul, Graham Seed, Jemma Walker, Clare Wilkie.

It all starts with a radio announcement in which a murder has been announced…The Mousetrap is perhaps the most eagerly awaited plays to come to Liverpool for a long time. Unless people have been able to see down in the heart of London’s theatre land at any point in the last 60 years and with a waiting list longer than it took to write it for the then Queen Mary’s 80th Birthday that means the vast majority of the population in the country still have not had the pleasure, then the Agatha Christie play remains a huge pull of the theatre goers heart strings as it celebrates its diamond jubilee going round the country.

The Mousetrap, Theatre Review. Empire Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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

Wild Flowers, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Russell Parry, Dominic Pitt, John Bradburn, Wendy Jones, Des Flanagan, Mark Jones, Ashleigh Barton, Josie Parks, Louise Clark, Tony Russell, Jade Oxby, Franny Conlin, Wayne Lester, Peter Highton, Ken Adderley, Mal French.

It’s hard to find a production these days that is professionally polished and smooth to watch but still retains its personal touch; the little feeling you get when you recognise a character or two from your own life. It is possible to see audience members forget they are watching the latest production of Wild Flowers from the company of the same name. However they are and with original tunes and such developed characters, what a production it is!

Wild Flowers, Theatre Review. Epstein Theatre, Liverpool. full post

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