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Last chance to see… The Glee Club

October 5, 2008

After reading the rave reviews for the Library Theatre’s production of The Glee Club, I fought my way through the rugby crowds on the tram, to see this brilliant production for myself.

And, I have to say, you can see why this bittersweet comedy/drama has been garnering plaudits from all sections of the press.  The performances are incredibly engaging and these six actors fill the stage with their larger than life characters.

The narrative could have so easily lapsed into sentimentality, as it steers a well worn path, but is written with such warmth and realism that you never feel manipulated into submission. The play is set in the 1960’s and beneath the brylcream, the ironed shirts and the braces of these miners, lies prejudice and betrayal. Read more

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Five Reasons To See…West Side Story

September 25, 2008

Australian actor Daniel Koek arrives in Salford next week to star as Tony in the evergreen musical, West Side Story at the Lowry. He recently performed as part of the West End Chorus in Tim Rice’s own version of Chess in concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Josh Groban, Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis were but a few of the names that made this production particularly spectacular.

Dan also recently starred in the International tour of Saturday Night Fever, where he played Father Frank Junior and understudied DJ Monty. He is delighted to be a part of West Side Story and has described it as “a dream come true to be playing a lead role in such an iconic piece of theatre!”

We caught up with him this week, to find out five reasons why you should go and see him strut his stuff as Tony in Leonard Bernstein’s musical masterpiece. Read more

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Happy 1st Birthday WOS Manchester!

September 20, 2008

We are now one year old!

WOS Manchester started life as a blog 18 months ago and finally became a fully fledged theatre site last September.

In the beginning, it wasn’t easy as we were a micro-site and people were crying: Why bother? After all, we were a spin off from one of the most successful theatre sites in the UK.

Therefore, if theatre fans already had WOS, who would visit us in the North?

It was also run in the beginning by lonely old me on my tod. This meant teaching by day, rushing home and then hot-footing it to the theatre three to four times a week to get you the reviews, news, interviews and competitions that you were all waiting for. Read more

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Jenny Platt …from Corrie to Venice

September 15, 2008

jenny-platt.jpgJenny Platt was last seen on our TV screens, driving off into the distance with her on and off screen beau, Rupert Hill (Jamie). It was the end for the much-loved Coronation Street bar-maid, Violet Wilson, but just the beginning for the young, Ipswich born actress. Like many actors, free from the gruelling schedules of soapland, Jenny is about to tread the boards.

But instead of running to the bright lights of the West End, Platt is heading somewhere closer to home, Bolton at the Octagon Theatre, in Mark Babych’s first play of the new season, The Merchant Of Venice; William Shakespeare’s classic tale of bigotry, desire and greed which opens on Thursday, 18th September until 11th October.

Jenny’s partner Rupert had a hit at the Octagon recently with Once Upon A Time In Wigan Live! and she hopes to enjoy her Bolton experience as much as he did. Read more

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Five Reasons To See…Phillip Cox in The Glee Club

September 3, 2008

Actor and singer Philip Cox (pictured, right) has appeared in countless touring and West End shows over the past 25 years, including Aspects Of Love. He stars as Bant in Roger Haines’ production of Richard Cameron’s The Glee Club, at the Library Theatre in Manchester (19 Sept - 18 Oct).

The Glee Club, made up of five hard working, hard drinking miners and a church organist, is preparing for the local gala. Though they’re established on the working men’s club circuit, they aren’t exactly at the vanguard of the musical revolution. Sometimes compassion and understanding, as well as bigotry and cowardice, can come from the most unlikely of places. This is the summer of 1962; music and much else is about to change - so too the lives of these six men.

Phillip takes time out from rehearsals, to give you five good reasons to see him in The Glee Club.

1. Bant is a complete contrast to my last role in Aspects of Love, in which I played Marcel, the actor/manager who nurtures his perfect leading lady. Read more

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