Going to the theatre

[DzM]

Hughie is shuttering early.
So pissed.



Saying that a Eugene O'Neill play is a "hard sell" and that Forest Whitaker's box office draw was "overestimated" is ridiculous.
People are idiots and actually choose go see schlock like Spider-Man.

An O'Neil play with Whittaker leading it is an evening of character study and story telling. A performance of Spider-Man is an opportunity to possibly see someone fall from their rigging and be wheeled out of the theater in a gurney.

Are you really surprised which one the public will prefer to see?

[Frances]

An O'Neil play with Whittaker leading it is an evening of character study and story telling. A performance of Spider-Man is an opportunity to possibly see someone fall from their rigging and be wheeled out of the theater in a gurney.

Are you really surprised which one the public will prefer to see?

People actually bought Spider-Man tickets before all the nonsense, so one could just substitute The Hunchback, Tarzan or any other Disney monstrosity. Sad fact is, if Denzel Washington was the lead in Hughie it would've made its full (limited) run. I love August Wilson plays too, but didn't particularly need to see Denzel (and women screaming for Denzel) in one. Certainly not at the prices charged.

That's what made Whitaker starring in this role (also played by Jason Robards, Brian Dennehy, Ben Gazzara and Al Pacino) so amazing.

And the $37.25 ticket was less than a trip to the movies.

Ah, well.

[Heather]

Land of Our Fathers.
Playhouse Theatre Studio, Liverpool
Saturday 5th March 2016, 2.30pm.

When Chris Urch's debut play opened in 2013, it was an instant success winning two awards, Time Out's Critic's Choice and Fringe Show of The Year 2013.

It's May 1979 and six miner's, Chopper (Cornelius Booth), Bomber (John Cording), Curly (Tomos Eames), Chewy (Taylor Jay-Davies), Hovis (Robert Jezak) and Mostyn (Joshua Price), are trapped underground after a massve explosion.

While waiting to be rescued they form a close bond, try to stick together and start to try to dig their way out, but eventually things start to change when dark secrets begin to emerge, changing the moods of the miner's which affects their relationships with one another.

Within the two weeks they are stuck down the mine their lives as they know it and everything that they believe in changes dramatically.

It is unclear whether they get rescued in the end or not, they can hear people drilling but they hit a pipe and water starts to leak into the mine. Personally I like to think that they did, but that's because I like a happy ending to a story.

This is an extremely moving play reflecting an industry long gone from the UK and echoes a generation of lost voices.

[Christine]

"I am not mad"

The very wonderful Camille O'Sullivan doing a Shakespeare speech from King John. I wish I could see the entire play but the speech alone is worth watching:

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/video/ ... eare-video

[Heather]

The Herbal Bed.
Playhouse Theatre, Main House.
Saturday 12th March 2016, 2pm.


The Herbal Bed, based on a genuine events is a powerful and thrilling tale of human desire.


Set in Stratford Upon Avon in the Summer of 1613, Susanna Hall (Emma Lowndes), the daughter of William Shakespeare, is publicly accused of adultery by Jack Lane (Matt Whitchurch), who was apprentice to her husband John Hall (Jonathan Guy Lewis) and has been dismissed.


The allegations however are actually true. One night she was almost caught at it with her lover Rafe Smith (Philip Correia), in the garden by both her maid Hester Fletcher (Charlotte Wakefield) and Jack, the latter realises what's been going on, goes out the next night, gets drunk and informs everyone in the pub of the affair.


The family's lives then fall under the glare of public scutiny and a trial is held at Worcester Cathedral as the scandal threatens to destroy the family's reputation.


Helped by Hester Fletcher and Rafe, Susanna concocts a story to get herself off the hook.


This compelling drama also stars Patrick Driver as Bishop Parry of Worcester and Michael Mears as Barnabus Goche with Emma Hall and Heidi Morgan alternating as the two child stars playing John and Susanna Hall's daughter Elizabeth.


Finishes at the Liverpool Playhouse tonight but is currently on tour.


http://www.ett.org.uk/productions/85/the-herbal-bed

[Heather]

Guys and Dolls.
Empire Theatre, Liverpool.
Saturday 19th March 2016, 2.30pm.

Thirty years ago, when I was a 16 year old drama student, I decided that I wanted to join the Wirral Youth Theatre.

There was no audition as such, all someone had to do to earn the right to join the group was to paint the set for the next show and go and see it (which was free). The show in question was Guys and Dolls.

When I saw the show, I loved it so much that I went to see it every night for the whole week that it was on.

The show holds fond memories for me of performing in youth theatre, some good, other's bad, even though I wasn't in it myself and today I was really excited about seeing it for the first time since it ended all those years ago.

Set in Manhattan, the story tells of Nathan Detoit, a gambler who is trying to find a new place for his illegal crap game. He has a place in mind but hasn't got the money to secure the location.

He comes up with a plan and makes a bet with Sky Masterson, a high rolling gambler, that he can't take the girl of Nathan's choosing to Havana on a date.

Nathan picks Sarah Brown, the head of Broadway's Save A Soul Mission, thinking that she won't go with Sky, but somehow Sky manages to persuade her to go in return for him getting enough people to fill the mission for their midnight service later in the week. So Sky and Sarah go to Havana and end up falling in love.

Meanwhile, Nathan has been engaged to his fiancee, erotic nightclub dancer Adelaide, for 14 years and has always avoided the subject of marriage, but Adelaide desperately wants to marry him, settle down and have kids, she has even told her mother she is already married to him and that they have five children.

After much persuasion, Nathan agrees to marry Adelaide but just as they are about to elope, he is dragged away to the midnight meeting at the mission. Thinking he is lying and that he is going to play a crap game, she has an argument with him.

Eventually though, everything is settled, Nathan marries Adelaide and Sky, who by then has joined the mission, marries Sarah.

This is a fantastic show which finishes in Liverpool tonight, but is currently on a UK tour.

The music is delightful, there are some absolutely brilliantly songs, for example, Luck Be A Lady, I've Never Been In Love Before, Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat and (of course) Guys and Dolls.

Technical difficulties delayed the start of this afternoon's performance by about 20 minutes and the sound was a bit dodgy up until midway through Act 1, however the show was really enjoyable despite this and lived up to all my expectations.

It stars Richard Fleeshman (Sky Masterson), Maxwell Caulfield (Nathan Detroit), Louise Dearman (Adelaide), Anna O'Byrne (Sarah Brown), Jack Edwards (Nicely Nicely Johnson), Mark Sangster (Benny Southstreet), Peter Harding (Arvide Abernathy), Cameron Johnson (Big Jule), Craig Pinder (Harry the Horse), Anthony McGill (Lieutenant Brannigan), Melanie Marshall (General Matilda B Cartwright with Lucy Ashenden, Hannah Cauchi, Chloe Chambers, Eamonn Cox, Jamal Crawford, Ross Lee Fowkes, Jonny Godbold, Abigayle Honeywill, Bethany Linsdell, Kiel Payton, Danielle Stephen, Ruthie Stephens, Matthew Whennell-Clark and Aron Wild (Ensemble).

Music and lyrics were written by Frank Loesser and the orchestra was directed by Andy Massey.

http://www.guysanddollsthemusical.co.uk/

[Heather]

Down The Dock Road.
Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool,
Saturday 26th March 2016, 8pm.

There is only one highway in Liverpool called Dock Road. It's in a suburb of the city called Garston, but it is not the Dock Road that is portrayed in this 40 year old play by popular Liverpool playwright, Alan Bleasdale who turned 70 this week (Happy Birthday).

The Dock Road that this play is about is the stretch of road that runs alongside Liverpool's waterfront from Bootle to just past the Pier Head, nicknamed so because it's where Liverpool's docks were.

Most of these docks are long gone now, but a few remain.

Down The Dock Road, set in the 1970's, paints a picture of what life was like for the dock worker's of old and Bleasdale has managed to provide a good insight into the stresses, strains and hardships of dock life.

There are plenty of characters, the old man Grandad (Les Dennis) on his last day working at the docks, the shop steward McKenna (Andrew Schofield), the thieving boss Marley (Conrad Nelson), the night watchman (James Duke, who also plays all the smaller parts), the security guard known as 'Our Kid' (Nathan McMullen) and all the other dock worker's, Guy Fawkes (Derek Barr), Mastermind (Paul Duckworth), Dobbo (Oliver Farnworth), Wonder Boy (Michael Ledwich) and Mickey (Daniel Taylor).

As the gang work away loading up a ship which sails tomorrow, they reflect on life both on and off the docks, talking about days gone by while stealing goods from the crates and generally making mischief.

This is a bittersweet tragicomedy which has a very sad ending when Grandad suffers a heart attack and dies just as he is about to clock off for his retirement do.

It is a good play and Bleasdale's style is apparent throughout, but being one of his early ones lacks the spark that some of his later plays like the televised Boys from The Blackstuff had.

The play is proving to be popular though, due to the return of Les Dennis to the Liverpool stage and most performances are sold out. Dennis is taking a short break from Coronation Street to appear in it and his presence is worth the ticket fee alone.

Runs at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool until 9th April 2016.

[Heather]

The 39 Steps.
Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.
Saturday 9th April 2016, 2pm

This award winning version of Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller is currently on tour in the UK after 9 years in the West End.

Transformed into a comedy, the show is a hilarious display of Music Hall style slapstick which includes all the scenes from the legendary 1935 film.

At 100 minutes long, it is fast paced and there are just four actors (Richard Ede, Olivia Greene, Andrew Hodges and Rob Witcomb) playing all 130 characters.

Richard Hannay (Ede), a dapper, stiff upper lipped Brit with a pencil moustache, invites a woman to stay at his flat in Portland Place, London after a night at the theatre. When she gets murdered, he realises he's the prime suspect and goes on the run ending up in rural Scotland.

When he is caught, he tries to convince the police that he didn't do it, but they don't believe him. Eventually, he manages to escape from the law with a woman called Pamela (Greene), who is also dubious about his innocence, that is until she spies two of the policemen in the lobby of the hotel where they are staying the night. She hears them talking and realises that they are members of the gang who are out to get Hannay and shut him up.

It's then that she starts to support him and they realise that they must go back to London so they can find the real murderers thus proving that Hannay is innocent.

This is a brilliant adaptation, it is comically entertaining and intense with all the actors giving dazzling performances.

http://www.love39steps.com/

[Frances]

Hamilton cast dancing to Let's Go Crazy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksiSJRt2WUQ

[Julieexeter]

A Comedy About A bank Robbery
The Criterion Theatre, Piccadilly Circus

Having dished out performances that had us laughing ‘til we cried with The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong. The Mischief Theatre has done it again with A Comedy About A Bank Robbery.
This play is different to the previous hits as it is not set in Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society but is a story in it’s own right. There is more verbal comedy with puns galore but the stunts and immaculate timing for which the Mischief Theatre Company are well known are still there – in fact some the stunts are if anything more complex than the other two shows.
The story is set in the 1950’s and a priceless diamond is stored in a Minneapolis bank whose staff can only be described as rather inept . Mitch, a prison inmate plots to break out with the help of an equally crooked guard and steal the diamond. Punny (I might have made up that word but I am sure you know what I mean!) names and mistaken identities produce the twists and turns of any good farce. The set design is worth a mention – in one scene it looks as if we are looking down on the action, amazing.
The first time I went to see The Play That Goes Wrong I made the mistake of not having tissues to wipe the tears of laughter from my eyes; I now make sure I have a good supply whenever I go to see anything these guys are doing.

[Heather]

The Merry Wives.
Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.
Saturday 28th May 2016, 2pm

This adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor was brought to the Liverpool Playhouse by Northern Broadsides (in partnership with the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle under Lyme. It's a Northern version of said play, complete with Yorkshire accents using the original script with just a few slight alterations to suit.

It's extremely well done and entertaining, the actors make the story come to life, it's gripping from beginning to end and incredibly funny.

If you've never seen The Merry Wives of Windsor (like I hadn't, well not in full anyway, until today), this would be a worthwhile production to go and see, however the Liverpool Playhouse was the last stop of the 2016 tour and the show ends this evening, so unfortunately you've missed it, but if a production of it comes to a theatre near you, I urge you to go, you will be completely entranced and amused by this story. Don't get put off by the flowery language, the plot is easy to follow, and this is the same with all of Shakespeare's plays.

Next stop, the annual London trip for my birthday and I'm going to see A Comedy About A Bank Robbery, which Julieexeter wrote about in the last post on this thread.

[Julieexeter]

The Toxic Avenger The Musical
Southwark Playhouse
Saturday 23rd April

The Toxic Avenger was, apparently, a cult movie of the 80's but I cannot recall hearing of it. The reason I gave this show a go was that it was directed by Benji Sperring, the Director of Shock Treatment so I expected good things ...I was not disappointed. The cast of 5 are extremely talented, Ashley Samuels and Marc Pickering take on all the characters of townspeople, male and female with wonderfully campish humour and knowing glances to the audience. Melvin (Mark Anderson) is in love with blind librarian Sarah (Hannah Grover) but she does not feel the same way. The New Jersey town is suffering from the toxic waste of Manhatten being dumped there and Melvin decides to impress Sarah by doing something about it. He discovers the company doing the dumping is owned by the Mayor (Lizzii Hills) and confronts her. She gets two heavies to 'sort him' and he end up in a vat of toxic waste..emerging as the Toxic Avenger (or Toxie as Sarah calls him). After rescuing her from an attack (and not being able to see what he looks like) Sarah falls for him. He vows to help the people save their town from the environmental catastrophe that is ensuing. The songs are catchy and the storyline races along at a great pace. You are still laughing at one joke when the next one is upon you. As well as playing the Mayor Lizzii Hills also plays Melvin's mother and there is one amazing song where she plays both parts on stage dueting with herself. It is a brilliant fun show. I went on the last night; I spoke to the Producer and Director and there are currently no plans to take it further but I hope that it does reappear as it deserves a wider audience.

[Heather]

A Comedy About A bank Robbery
The Criterion Theatre, Piccadilly Circus

Having dished out performances that had us laughing ‘til we cried with The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong. The Mischief Theatre has done it again with A Comedy About A Bank Robbery.
This play is different to the previous hits as it is not set in Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society but is a story in it’s own right. There is more verbal comedy with puns galore but the stunts and immaculate timing for which the Mischief Theatre Company are well known are still there – in fact some the stunts are if anything more complex than the other two shows.
The story is set in the 1950’s and a priceless diamond is stored in a Minneapolis bank whose staff can only be described as rather inept . Mitch, a prison inmate plots to break out with the help of an equally crooked guard and steal the diamond. Punny (I might have made up that word but I am sure you know what I mean!) names and mistaken identities produce the twists and turns of any good farce. The set design is worth a mention – in one scene it looks as if we are looking down on the action, amazing.
The first time I went to see The Play That Goes Wrong I made the mistake of not having tissues to wipe the tears of laughter from my eyes; I now make sure I have a good supply whenever I go to see anything these guys are doing.

I went to see this show on Tuesday evening and Julie has described it pretty much accurately, although I thought it was a little slow to start with, but then again maybe I didn't quite get the jokes in the early part of the play or didn't hear them properly.

The theatre itself is lovely and ornate, I could have looked at that ceiling and the curved design on the boxes forever, however it's not as interesting on the outside.

It is a very funny show though and I would fully recommend it if you're looking for something different from 'normal' West End, particularly if you're with a non-theatre goer who gets bored easily and constantly looks at his watch (well normally anyway).

If I was a proper theatre reviewer, I'd give this show 4 stars out of 5.

[Julieexeter]

Funny Girl

Savoy Theatre
Strand. London

Saturday 25th June 2016


There was naturally an element of disappointment that Sheridan Smith, a very accomplished actress and lovely person, had not yet returned but the understudy Natasha J Barnes had received rave reviews so I was looking forward with interest to seeing this production. Natasha produced an amazing performance. Her stature may be quite small but she has a strong powerful voice and huge stage presence. and has grabbed by the scruff of the neck this opportunity to make the part of Fanny Brice her own. As well as showing how Fanny Brice got into show business Funny Girl concentrates on her relationship with Nick Arnstein, a professional gambler played superbly by Darius Campbell. He comes across as a chancer but with a heart, certainly for Fanny. The blend of singing voices of Natasha and Darius works so well. We follow her from being helped and encouraged by her mother and friend Eddie to give showbusiness a try. She doesn’t have the looks and dancing techniques of the Ziegfeld Follies girls but impresses Ziegfeld with her comedy talent and is an instant hit. She meets and falls for Nick Arnstein and after a start/stop relationship she leaves the theatre to follow him and they marry and start a family. All does not go well with the marriage, Nick goes to prison for embezzlement, Fanny resumes her successful career and when Nick comes out of prison and gets deeper into debt she tries surreptitiously to help him financially but he realizes and his pride is offended. He also blames the fact that she persuaded him not to leave her to go away at times to follow his financial hunches for his downfall. She felt she could support them both but did not stop to think what this would do to his ego. The marriage breaks down completely; in spite of all the pain she goes though Fanny always manages to continue with her comedy routines.
The talented cast includes Bruce Montague (remembered by those of us mature enough as Leonard the friend of Wendy Craig’s character Ria in Butterflies - one of my favourite television programmes) as the kindly Ziegfeld who gives Fanny her opportunity on the stage. Also worth a special mention is Joel Montague (no relation but I call him Dad he said when my daughter asked the obvious question) who plays Eddie. His timing was great and he is a brilliant tap dancer too….but there are no weak links in this fantastic cast.
The absolute star of the show however is Natasha J Barnes. Look out for that name in the future. During one routine her false moustache wouldn’t stay on and she used that fact to enhance the comedy. Was that part of Fanny’s routine or Natasha’s improvisation? I rather like the fact that I don’t know. She reminded me of Imelda Staunton and could well achieve the same stature in the theatre. It would be lovely to see her one day picking up an Olivier or TONY and thinking “ I saw her when she got her big break”.

[Heather]

The Merchant of Venice.
Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.
Saturday 16th July 2016, 2pm.

Currently on tour at venues throughout the UK, is a revival of the 2015 Globe production of The Merchant of Venice, starring Jonathan Pryce (Game of Thrones) as Shylock, who actually started out at repertory theatre in Liverpool.

As you would expect with all Globe productions, it is exceptionally well polished and brilliantly constructed with plenty of humour, and a little audience participation, the latter were obviously picked out in advance or were part of the company.

It starts long before the lights have gone down, with a vigorous Elizabethan dance well suited to the period that the play was written, where the characters are all wearing masks and encourage the public to join in with their rhythmic clapping.

Once they have finished the dance, the house lights go down, but only halfway on this occasion, which gives the theatre an olde worlde feel more befitting to the playhouses that this type of play would have been performed at in the past.

As with all of Shakepeare's plays, there are more twists and turns in the plot than you can shake a stick at, but for a newcomer who's not read the book or seen a performance of it, it's generally easy to follow, despite the old fashioned fancy language.

It's not surprising that the whole run of show was sold out on the first day that the tickets went on sale, a big name like The Globe is bound to attract punters after all and with highly commendable performances from all the cast, which kept everybody captivated, it was certainly good value for money.