Theatre Review: TO WONG FOO THE MUSICAL – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

Pablo Gomez Jones, Gregory Haney and Peter Caulfield in TO WONG FOO THE MUSICAL. Photo Credit: Pamela Raith

Fast-paced, full of energy and a whole lot of attitude, TO WONG FOO THE MUSICAL is feel-good theatre at its best.

5 out of 5 stars

Last year saw Hope Mill Theatre staged the European premiere of the musical adaptation of CINDERELLA. This year, they have secured the world premiere of TO WONG FOO THE MUSICAL – and what an utter sumptuous joy it is.

Based on the iconic 1995 film, which tells the story of thr...

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Theatre Review: SHYLOCK – Waterside Arts, Sale

Part history lecture and part dramatic performance, Gareth Armstrong’s one-man’s performance of SHYLOCK is powerful and mesmerising.

5 out of 5 stars

Who is Shylock? A caricature? A grotesque? A construction of two thousand years of persecution? All these questions are posed and answered in Gareth Armstrong’s one man tour de force, Shylock, where using the device of Tubal, an eight line and one scene associate of Shylock, he takes us on a tour of not only the play but the systematic antisemitism that informe...

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Theatre Review: QUIZ: THE COUGHING MAJOR MILLIONAIRE SCANDAL – The Lowry, Salford

Lewis Reeves and Rory Bremner in QUIZ. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Blending populism, impressionist comedy, and social satire, QUIZ is an interactive and thought-provoking theatrical experience.

4 out of 5 stars

Six years after its initial success, James Graham’s QUIZ makes a welcome return to the stage as part of a new UK tour.

Based on real events, QUIZ delves into the origins of the iconic quiz show WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE and the notorious “coughing Major” scandal of 2001, where Charles Ingram cheat...

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Theatre Review: NOISES OFF – The Lowry, Salford

The cast of NOISES OFF UK Tour. Photo Credit: Pamela Raith

Inventive, fast-paced and witty, NOISES OFF hasn’t lost an ounce of its humour or heart, even after four decades.

4 out of 5 stars

Long before the hilarity of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG and the mystery of CURTAINS came the timeless comedy gem NOISES OFF. Since 1982, Michael Frayn’s uproarious play-within-a-play has been delighting audiences. Now, it’s back at The Lowry, returning after a triumphant West End run, celebrating its 40th anniversary in all its...

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Theatre Review: 42ND STREET – Opera House, Manchester

Michael Praed as Julian Marsh in 42ND STREET. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Driven by its talented cast, showstopping tap sequences and fresh direction, 42ND STREET solidifies its place as a beloved classic in the world of musical theatre.

4 out of 5 stars

Few shows can boast the spectacle of 42ND STREET, and the latest touring production at Manchester’s Opera House is no exception...

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#LFF 2023: ESSEX GIRLS (Short) Film Review

Busayo Ige in ESSEX GIRLS (2023)

ESSEX GIRLS is a short but impactful film about identity, race and the power of female friendships.

4 out of 5 stars

When you look up the term “Essex Girl” on Google, you’ll come across a stereotype: a loud, materialistic white woman, typically with blonde hair and a fake tan. It’s a stereotype we all know, but it doesn’t fit Bisola.

Growing up in Benfleet, Essex as a British-Nigerian girl hasn’t been easy for Bisola...

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#LFF 2023: LAST SUMMER (L’ETE DERNIER) Film Review

Léa Drucker and Samuel Kircher in LAST SUMMER (2023)

LAST SUMMER is an oddly subdued affair about the impulsive and regrettable choices people make when desire takes control.

2.5 out of 5 stars

French filmmaker Catherine Breillat returns to the screen with LAST SUMMER, an unsettling anti-romance, which is a remake of May el-Toukhy’s award-winning Danish film QUEEN OF HEARTS.

The story revolves around Anne (Léa Drucker), a successful lawyer with a wealthy husband and two adopted daughters...

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Theatre Review: FRANKENSTEIN: AN IMMERSIVE SHOW – The Crypt, London

Despite some minor shortcomings, FRANKENSTEIN: AN IMMERSIVE SHOW is a play unlike any other.

4 out of 5 stars

FRANKENSTEIN: AN IMMERSIVE SHOW delivers a unique and immersive theatre experience masterfully crafted by Midnight Circle Productions. The play takes the audience on a journey through Frankenstein’s memories, exploring the creation of the monster, its devastating impact on his family, and the inherent risks of human connection...

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Theatre Review: TONY! (THE TONY BLAIR ROCK OPERA) – The Lowry, Salford

With its mashup of musical and theatrical styles, TONY! (THE TONY BLAIR ROCK OPERA) is a tongue-in-cheek look at the political career of the UK’s youngest prime minister.

3 out of 5 stars

Prepare to be rocked, rolled and slapstick-ed as The Lowry’s Quays Theatre welcomes TONY! (THE TONY BLAIR ROCK OPERA): a tongue-in-cheek look at the political career of the UK’s youngest prime minister since 1812.

Written by long-time collaborators Harry Hill and Steve Brown, this mashup of musical and theatrical styles wil...

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Theatre Review: CASTING THE RUNES – Waterside Arts, Sale

Designed to frighten and delight in equal measure, CASTING THE RUNES is an excellent retelling of the M.R. James’ supernatural thriller.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Adapting a classic story is always a tightrope; adhere too closely, and the play runs the risk of being slow-paced; adapt too much, and you lose the essence. Pleasingly, Box Tale Soup’s retelling of the classic M.R. James’ story CASTING THE RUNES hits the audience note perfect.

The supernatural tale concerns Professor Duning (Noel Byrne) and Harrington (Ant...

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