Horrible Histories- The Terrible Tudors
July 2, 2008
Venue: The Lowry
Date Reviewed: 2nd July, 2008
The auditorium fills and the noise levels rise as children and adults arrive for a performance of the Terrible Tudors. The lights dim and the theatre reverberates with a scream of excitement as we strap in for a roller-coaster ride through the horrible side of history.
Originally conceived as a way of getting younger children excited by history, Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories books use a combination of cartoons, jokes and the more gruesome historical facts to bring the past to life in new and interesting ways. Building on the huge popularity of the books, these touring adaptations (the Vile Victorians alternates with the Terrible Tudors) aim to recreate this mixture of learning and fun on stage.
The cast of four - Benedict Martin, Alison Fitzjohn, Zara Plessard and Timothy Speyer - perform a minor miracle with their range of characters and the speed of the dialogue and physical interaction. The broad humour of many of the jokes wouldn’t work if delivery and timing were not perfectly honed and it is testament to their abilities that it never slips throughout the two hour show. Read more
The Ladyboys Of Bangkok- ‘Devils and Angels’
July 1, 2008
Venue: The Sabai Pavillion, Sackville Street
Date Reviewed: 1st July, 2008
Take sixteen exotic ‘Kathoey,’ the so-called third sex, add hundreds of outrageous Vegas-style costumes, shake and stir and place inside an exotic pavilion, and what do you get? A total transformation of a Manchester city centre car park, and one of the best nights out you could ever hope to have!
Full credit to creators, Carol and Phillip Gandey, for the beautiful attention to detail in the realisation of their concept. From the moment you enter the Sabai Pavilion, you’re transported to a relaxed Bangkok-style floor show environment. With first-class hospitality throughout the evening, this is a total entertainment experience. Read more
To Be Straight With You
June 28, 2008
Venue: The Lowry
Date Reviewed: 28th June, 2008
Verbatim style theatre sometimes fails as it it often attracts a target audience who do not need to be convinced by the central arguments. Recently though thought-provoking pieces like What I Heard About Iraq have attempted to redress the balance via the uniqueness of the staging.
DV8’s To Be Straight With You is so viscerally challenging that it leaves you feeling shocked and stirred, as opposed to simply talked at. But there is so much more to this dazzling piece of theatre, than mere facts and figures.
Based around 85 interviews and a series of vox pops, with people living in the UK, DV8 explore some of the myths surrounding homosexuality in 2008. For example, gay Police Officers are told to be “less gay” when speaking to members of the Muslim community. Read more
The English Game
June 25, 2008
Venue: The Lowry
Date Reviewed: 25th June, 2008
Writers such as David Storey and Roy Williams have used rugby and football to examine the state of the nation. Richard Bean focuses on cricket in his new play, The English Game.
It works well as the game does attract a wide group of people ranging from a war veteran to a rock star. However, even before the play starts, the audience is made aware that the standards of cricket might not be achieved in the match between the Nightwatchmen and their opponents from a rival team. Read more
Evita
June 25, 2008
Venue: Opera House
Date Reviewed: 25th June, 2008
Evita has attracted some truly talented leading ladies over the years including Elaine Paige, Marti Webb and the wonderful Elena Roger, the last actress to play Eva Peron in the West End. Instead of resting on his laurels, allowing this classic musical to sell itself, director and producer Bill Kenwright has assembled an excellent cast, including the brilliant Louise Dearman as the Argentine First Lady.
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s tale of a poor peasant girl who drags herself out of poverty and into the arms of Argentine dictator Juan Peron (Mark Heenehan), features world-famous songs, including “Another Suitcase, Another Hall” and “A New Argentina” which cleverly mixes epic grandiose in terms of Lloyd Webber’s iconic music and cynicism, via Rice’s superb lyrics. Read more
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