Stella Grundy (pictured) is the star and writer of Nico Icon Play which is playing as part of the Studio Season at the Lowry.

The play is an exploration into the life and times of Christa Paffgen; model, actress & singer with the Velvet Underground. Through the use of live music, film & theatre, Ultraviolet Productions present three decades capturing the glamour, hedonism & coldness of the Warhol years through to the drug addiction and squalor of the 1980s. It chronicles her meeting and close friendship with Manchester svengali, Alan Wise and her many ill-feted attempts to re-surge as a credible artist.

Grundy is a former front woman in the band Intastella. She was drawn to the story because in her words: “Nico Paffgen was a woman who occupied a man’s life, accused of theft, violence and racism. She sang like the angel that was banished to hell.” (more…)

With another jukebox musical touring and receiving bad reviews (All The Fun Of The Fair), is it time that this sub genre called it a day? The main criticism of the David Essex tune inspired show seems to be the lack of real winning songs. But critics have also mentioned the plot, or lack of one.

With Never Forget proving itself on tour, but not in the West End, where it’s about to close, is the tide turning? Mamma Mia! continues to pack them in, bolstered even more by the success of the film. We Will Rock You also continues to be absolutely critic proof. But for every two shows like this, there are a string of losers. Desperately Seeking Susan anyone? How about Tonight’s The Night or the awful Can’t Smile Without You? The list of disastrous shows is endless. (more…)

On 7th September I brought to your attention an August article from Crains Business News about tentative plans for the construction of a new Opera House in Manchester to house northern operations of the Royal Opera House.  More information was promised in September and finally, at the latter end of October, we have developements.

As reported in the Stage yesterday and on the Whatsonstage gossip pages, the plans have been rejigged and the intention is now to create a northern base for the Royal Opera at Manchester’s Palace Theatre.

But hark!  Do I not sniff a strong scent of deja vu?  Am I correct in thinking that this is a recycled plan? A tiny tot I may been in the early 1980’s but my understanding is that early in that decade the Royal Opera House had an attempt to establish a base at this very same theatre?  R. Swindells explains all in a letter published in the Stage newspaper on October 14th of this year in which he/she describles the ill fated escapade. (more…)

Date Reviewed: 28th October, 2008
Venue: The Palace Theatre

“We need to make some changes,” shouts angry teenager Jack (Paul-Ryan Carberry) at his fairground owner father Levi (David Essex) during the first act. It’s a phrase that someone should have blurted out during the writing and rehearsal process of this limp and leaden back-catalogue musical, that celebrates the hits of Essex, all wrapped up in a silly story of fairground travellers.

A game cast work hard, but with material this thin, they face an impossible task of Herculean proportions.

England, 1978. Levi’s been running his fairground for years, mourning the death of his wife, and keeping an eye on his troubled teenage son, Jack. Fortune teller Rosa (Louise English) predicts stormy times ahead, as the merry band of carnival folk try to keep their fairground going in a changing Britain. Jack’s romance with Rosa’s daughter Mary (Emma Thornett) is also threatened by the arrival of flighty Alice (understudy Lara Denning) and her violent, aggressive father Harvey (David Burrows). (more…)

Date Reviewed: 28th October, 2008
Venue: The Lowry

Yesterday marks Jasmin Vardimon’s 10th anniversary with a retrospective journey into the concept of the memory. If you are a fan, you get to meet characters from previous works including Justitia, Lullaby and Park.

This highly original dance piece works on many levels. Vardimon refuses to be pigeonholed and simply repeat herself, which gives the show a fresh appeal even for audience members who know her work. As Jasmin herself says: “There is no central narrative”- but this does not matter. Visually, this is absolutely stunning. (more…)