Musical Theatre

Gulliver’s Travels

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Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Writer Nikki Cotter

Gulliver’s Travels marks the Octagon theatre’s final production of their 50th Anniversary Season and does so in gigantic style.

Taking in several locations within Bolton’s beautiful Queen’s Park including the sunken garden, the amphitheatre and the lake, Gulliver (Michael Peavoy) and daughter Betty (Anne O’Riordan) take us on a magical adventure through the colourful land of Lilliput.

Jonathan Swift’s novel has been adapted by Satinder Chohan and Mike Kennedy ensuring Gulliver is Bolton through and through; desperate to please his daughter Betty, Gulliver’s tall tale soon lands him in trouble as his adventure takes on an unEGGspected turn!

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Elizabeth Newman and Ben Occhipinti’s creative direction sees audiences follow the action through various settings within the park making for a very unique and interactive theatrical experience. Lead cast members, Michael Peavoy, Anne O’Riordan, Alexander Bean and Marc Small do an excellent job of sharing their story far and wide so every audience member feels involved; with some great fun audience participation along the way, particularly during the celebrations at the Lilliputan Palace. The cast are also joined by a whole host of talented performers ranging from local children to community choirs to help give this ambitious project a real community feel.

This inspired production is without doubt a lot of fun, young and old will enjoy the adventure round the stunning settings within Queen’s Park with their bold colours and striking design. The Gulliver puppet, the largest puppet in the UK is a spectacular sight and will certainly wow audiences young and old.

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The cast are engaging and their exceptional storytelling skills really do make you feel part of the ride. The story is very stripped down and does lose a little momentum during the location changes, this would probably have less impact for smaller audiences but for last night’s large audience the time it took to manoeuvre between each scene impacted a little on the flow and pace of the piece. That said Gulliver’s Travels is an up-beat and vibrant adventure with the atmosphere soon returning once you’ve arrived at the next location.

Top Tip – With quite a lot of moving around the park during this outdoor production picnics/refreshments would be best enjoyed before the show or during the interval and forget the bulky camping chairs, a picnic blanket will be much easier to transport, you’re not in one location long enough to get uncomfortable so can move from scene to scene easier.

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The Octagon Theatre succeeds again in creating accessible and engaging theatre. Gulliver’s Travels although slight in story detail is a hugely entertaining production; there are egg wars, incredible feats of bravery and even a chance to sing the Lilliputian national anthem. A visually captivating piece and EGGstremely good fun for all the family!

Catch Gulliver’s Travels at Queen’s Park until Monday 27th August tickets available here.

Closets

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Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Writer Nikki Cotter

Written by Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely, Closets is an emotive and colourfully courageous journey of self-discovery, strength and celebration.

It’s 1988 and 16 year old Henry (Sam Redford) is struggling to express freely who he is for fear of his bolshy Mum’s (Hayley Tamaddon) refusal to accept his sexuality. In a desperate bid to disappear and escape the daily battles Henry steps inside his closet, travelling forward in time to the very same bedroom 20 years later where he finds shy, tormented Ben (Lloyd Daniels). The year may be different but the difficulties are the same. So begins a coming-of-age journey of exploration as Hope Mill Theatre becomes the scene of the 1969 Stone Wall Riots, Ben’s school toilets and modern day Manchester as the boys travel through time experiencing life defining moments along the way.

Closets is a cleverly constructed, deeply emotive and heart-warmingly joyful piece of theatre. The story touches on many relatable themes such as bullying, suicide and first love as we are swept along on a rollercoaster on emotions. The lovingly crafted script focusses not only on challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community but examines changing attitudes across the years in an honest and relatable way.

Sam Retford is exceptional as Henry, hard to believe this is his musical debut; his performance is confident and assured, engaging the audience entirely. Complementing Retford perfectly is X-Factor’s Lloyd Daniels, as the quiet but tormented Ben whose heartfelt delivery of Neil Ely, Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Jack Bennetts lyrics packs an emotional punch.

Hayley Tammerdon shines as Henry’s Mum Susan, confused and angry she gives an honest & engaging portrayal of a mother who is ultimately scared of losing her son. Adding many delightful slices of humour is the sensational Sophie Ellicott, she brings genuine wit and laugh out loud joy to the production, her delivery of Protection is a real highlight of the show.

Special mention must also go to powerhouse Kim Tatum, her soulful delivery and witty one-lines add further depth and poignancy to the story.

Ashley M A Walsh’s score creates the perfect soundtrack to this relevant and thought-provoking journey through both hostile and happy times. The 13 original songs ranging from up beat pop numbers to contemporary ballads evoke the sounds of the 80’s perfectly. While Joseph Thomas perfectly lights William Whelton’s punchy choreography.

Closets strikes the perfect balance, delivering both humour and powerful drama, highs are beautifully woven into emotion lows ensuring the story is told with sensitivity and real heart. There is little to criticise here, a quickening up of a couple of scene changes and some tightening tweaks here and there would very quickly take this already brilliant show to the next level, but none of this affects your enjoyment of this uplifting piece of theatre in which the message of love and loving freely is strong, powerful and perfectly judged.

Closets is on at Hope Mill Theatre until Thursday 23rd August, tickets available here.

Madagascar

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Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reviewed by Eve and Maisy Powell

Family favourite Madagascar burst onto our screens and incredible 13 years ago, it spawned several sequels and now takes the leap from screen to stage in an all-new Dreamworks musical adaptation.

For those who haven’t seen the film, Madagascar tells the story of four friends from New York’s Central Park Zoo, Alex the Lion, Gloria the Hippo, Marty the Zebra and Melman the Giraffe. The four find themselves on a rather unexpected journey to the crazy world of King Julien’s Madagascar after Marty the Zebra’s dreams of living in the wild don’t quite go according to plan.

We sent out mini reviewers Eve (aged 10) and Maisy (age 7) to give us their verdict on this brand new Selladoor and Hartshorn-Hook Production.

Eve Powell

I absolutely loved the show, it was so colourful and so funny. The dancing was incredible, the cast really worked hard and at one point the animals even did the floss which was a big hit with everyone in the audience.

The adults in the audience enjoyed the show just as much as all the kids. All the characters were brilliant and so inventive but my favourite has to be King Julian who was just so funny. It’s a really, really fun show suitable for all ages.

Maisy Powell

I just loved all the animal costumes, they were brilliant, the songs were great and the dancing was really good too but my favourite thing about the show was how funny it was, my tummy was hurting at the end because I laughed so much especially at King Julian.

Out of all the costumes Melman the Giraffe was my favourite and I thought the penguins were really cute although they are a bit naughty. Children will really love this show and will laugh all the way through.

Madagascar without doubt won over our mini reviewers with its host of colourful characters who impress from the word go. Director Kirk Jameson makes full use of Max Humphries exceptional puppetry design ensuring even the youngest of children will be captivated by this visually engaging and totally charming piece of theatre, while choreography from Fabian Aloise makes certain that the anthem ‘I Like To Move It’ isn’t the only opportunity for the characters to throw some impressive shapes as they twist and twirl to George Noriega and Joel Someillan’s high energy soundtrack.

Matt Terry impresses as the charismatic Alex, he is clearly loving every moment of this his professional stage debut while Jo Parsons has the audience in the palm of his hand with his sensational performance as the brilliantly bonkers King Julien.

Kevin Del Aguila’s script is incredibly witty and keeps young and old entertained from start to finish, with an enormously talented cast, hugely impressive design and an important message of friendship at its heart Madagascar will without doubt leave a great big smile on your face, charming, feel-good family fun!

You can catch Madagascar at Manchester’s Palace theatre until Saturday 18th August tickets available here.

An Officer and a Gentleman

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Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Writer Nikki Cotter

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Based on the 1982 Oscar-winning film and bursting with feel-good 80’s favourites including ‘The Final Countdown’, ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’ and of course the ultimate ear-worm from the original score ‘Up Where We Belong’, An Officer and a Gentleman marches into Manchester this week.

In true 80’s romantic fashion we have a troubled bad boy in need of taming and a feisty female determined to live life her way until of course romance comes calling, complicating everything. When Zack Mayo rocks up at military boot camp full of swagger, he doesn’t bank on falling for local factory girl Paula nor being put through his paces by drill Sergeant Foley who has had his fill off wannabee officers. The challenge is on; can this angst filled rebel make it as not only an officer but also a gentleman?

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Jonny Fines makes for a convincing Zack, with strong vocals and impressive acting skills he convinces as both the macho cadet and the dependable gentleman, he is playful and hugely likeable. Alongside Fines is an impressive Emma Williams as the strong-willed Paula Pokrifiki who knows her mind and is damned if she’s gonna be stuck in a factory for the rest of her life. Her vocals are sublime as she belts out hit after hit effortlessly. The chemistry between the two is strong and their interactions engaging and believable.

Equally convincing are Jessica Daley and James Darch as Lynette and Sid. Jessica’s stellar vocals and sassy attitude perfectly embody the role of Lynette while James Darch, covering the role of Sid at tonight’s press night, impresses with his strong vocals and powerful performance.

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Yes in parts it’s pretty cheesy with some songs feeling a little shoe-horned in but if you’re looking for an uplifting and entertaining night at the theatre then this certainly hits the spot. The immensely talented cast deliver some stunning performances and offer a fresh take on several 80’s classics via George Dyers inventive orchestration and arrangement, the use of Martika’s ‘Toy Soldiers’ is particularly poignant.

Douglas O’Connell’s video design is projected to great effect against Michael Taylor’s set which is beautifully lit by Ben Cracknell and gives a great sense of entrapment and the need to escape the humdrum of small town life.

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The script may be thin in parts and the action predictable but An Officer and a Gentleman does exactly what it says on the tin, it undoubtedly uplifts and entertains. This is feel-good jukebox fun, the fizz in the air as ‘that scene’ approaches is palpable ensuring the audience get exactly what they came for, escapism, incredible talent, a little bit of drama, a whole lot of romance.

An Officer and a Gentleman is on at the Opera House until Saturday 18th August tickets available here.

Interview | Jonathan O’Boyle | Aspects of Love

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With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart, Aspects of Love has been wowing audiences at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre. Now as it approaches its final week of performances we caught up with Director Jonathan O’Boyle to hear a little more about his experience directing his third production at the award-winning Ancoats theatre.

Opening Night: How familiar with Aspects of Love were you before joining this production? Is it a show you’ve always wanted to work on?

Jonathan O’Boyle: I’ve always loved the score of Aspects, but I’ve never seen it on stage. I grew up listening to mix tapes of musicals, several being Andrew Lloyd Webber compilations. So invariably Love Changes Everything was on there. I grew up seeing his work and when I trained as an actor, I wanted desperately to be in one of his shows. Now, as a director, it’s an honour to be working on one of his shows. Aspects has a fantastic story and a brilliant score. To me, it’s his most narrative, actor driven show and this really appealed to me. We treated it like a play, where the characters just happened to be singing rather than speaking.

ON: How do you approach directing a new and reimagined production of a classic show like Aspects of Love?

Jonathan: I wanted it to be intimate. Now, I know everyone always says ‘intimate and stripped back’ but that’s really what I wanted and how I saw the show. The audience at the Hope Mill is so close to the action they can touch the actors. This influenced the design. I wanted the audience to be on stage with actors. Many of the locations in Aspects happen to be in cafes, so we decided to have a couple of the front rows of seats at cafe tables as if they were part of the action.

We then approached the rehearsals as if we were working on a play. We looked at character, character backstories, timelines and what the characters wanted and how they went about achieving this. This really deepened the actors connection to the material.

ON: Did the intimate space the production would be presented in play a major part in your directing decisions?

Jonathan: Absolutely. You have to respond to the space you’re directing in, and the Hope Mill is a very specific space with its own unique challenges. I think about the space at every stage of the process, from the casting to the design to the lighting rig to the sound design. Every choice I make has to be for the theatre.

ON: The reviews have been absolutely phenomenal, people are really responding to the show, this must be very gratifying to the cast and creative team?

Jonathan: It’s been incredible yes. We’re all thrilled with how it’s gone down. I’m so proud of the brilliant cast and creative team. We had a joyous rehearsal process (one of my favourite so far) and we said – if no one gets it, at least we had a great time rehearsing it! Thankfully, the audiences are responding to it in the way I’d hoped. I’m in constant awe of the cast and their talent.

We never presume it’s going to be good. In fact, I never know what the audiences are going to make of it or how it’s going to be received until we get an audience in the room. I trust my instinct and hope it resonates with people.

ON: This is your third production at Hope Mill Theatre – what makes this space/team so appealing to direct in?

Jonathan: I love the theatre and the team there. They’re all so welcoming and it’s always a pleasure being back. I’m from Derbyshire myself but my parents grew up in Salford and Rochdale, so I’ve been going to Manchester all my life. I love the vibe and the people there, so Manchester feels like my second home.

ON: Your previous shows at Hope Mill – Hair and Pippin – have both transferred to London. How much of a challenge was restaging them for London? Do you have a favourite of the three?

Jonathan: It is challenging re-staging for a different venue, primarily because the space is never the same and there are often idiosyncrasies that pop up here and there. What’s so brilliant though, is revisiting the material with the company and developing the show even further. You’re able to improve on things from the first time and the actors often find a deeper connection with the show and their characters.

They’re all so different! They had different challenges and were very different in tone. It’s hard to pick between them because I loved all three companies.

ON: What’s next for you?

Jonathan: I’m currently directing the UK Tour of Rain Man starring Mathew Horne and Ed Speleers. Then later in the year I’ll be directing the UK premiere of Ken Urban’s A Guide for the Homesick at Trafalgar Studios and Peter Pan at The Park this Christmas.

Catch Aspects of Love at Hope Mill Theatre until 9th August tickets available here.

When We Built A Rocket Ship

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Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reviewed by Matt Forrest

The Oldham Theatre Workshop is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, and what better way to celebrate than by going on an adventure, When We Built A Rocket Ship is exactly that, a celebration of adventure and just how far your imagination can take you.

Opening in 1968, we are introduced to a group of childhood friends who meet up in a secluded woodland setting: they have a den, they each have each other, and they have a place to let their imagination run free: there are battles with pirates, encounters with mermaids and sea monsters, and later even an appearance from Charlie’s Angels. Accompanying the gang on the journey is a troop of forest friendly sprites who are always there to lend a hand.

With imagination knowing no limits, the gang decide to embark on an adventure into out-of-space: an adventure that will span 50 years and see them go through personal heart ache and tragedy, with the only constants being their friendship and the group’s haven.

As we go from decade to decade with the group and whilst struggling with the cruel blows that life can send their way from time to time: however, with every one of them knowing that they have each other’s back and no matter what happens they will face each problem together.

This is an ambitious, smart piece of musical theatre that is heavy on the feel-good factor, and has something for everyone: catchy tunes, an engaging story we can all relate to and a heavy dose of nostalgia.

With a cast boasting over 40 actors they all work their socks off throughout, especially during the exceptionally well-choreographed dance routines. The costumes are outstanding, especially on the forest elves: there is more than a wink to the lost boys from Peter Pan, the forest setting looks fabulous and has everything you would want for a secret hideaway.

The production is not without its flaws: Act 1 and 2 are slick and engaging whereas the final act felt a little laboured. There is a huge dramatic event that has is front and centre to the narrative and when this is first broken to the audience it isn’t done with the magnitude it fully deserves.

In addition, there were a few notable mis-queues and mis-steps which were quite distracting, although these may be down to opening night nerves.

Overall this is an entertaining and rewarding piece of theatre and the perfect birthday celebration for the OTW: with such a young talented cast, the OTW can go from strength to strength and we can all look forward to 50 more years of success.

When We Built A Rocket Ship is on till July 28th tickets are available here.

 

 

DUSTY – The Musical

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Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️DUSTY

Reviewed by Nikki Cotter

Hailed as one of Britain’s most successful female singers, Dusty Spingfield’s turbulent life is absolutely perfect fodder for a musical biography. From political trailblazer to pop chart dominator, the deeply private life of the insular diva offers exuberant highs and heartbreakingly emotional lows; all delivered to a sensational soundtrack of 19 of the chart legends most loved songs.

BAFTA & Olivier nominated writer Jonathan Harvey’s script directed by Maria Friedman moves at a swift pace, giving a whistle stop tour of the legends life, which beyond the kohl eyes and blonde bouffant many of us actually know little about.

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There is intimacy and intensity in the form of Dusty’s relationships with partner Lois (Joanna Francis) and Mother (Roberta Taylor) intermingled with the great humour and fun she finds in her longstanding friendships with best pals and vital support network Pat (Esther Coles) and Ruby (Ella Kenion). One thing Harvey doesn’t shy away from is the dark depths of Dusty’s self-doubt, insecurities and dramatic breakdown. This is not a santitsed jukebox musical but a gritty and powerful piece of musical theatre which succeeds in giving you a rich insight into the complex life of the legendary icon.

Katherine Kingsley as lead Dusty is phenomenal. The three-time Olivier-nominated actress captures the very essence of Dusty to perfection, she belts out the big numbers with effortless style and portrays convincingly and with great depth the pain and loneliness of the fallen diva, ready to rise again to the top of her game when the call finally comes. Her emotionally charged performance more than does justice to the late great Dusty, every iconic hand gesture and breathy note feels authentic as she entirely captivates.

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Dusty’s impressive back catalogue is used to great effect to move the storyline along, while some songs are delivered by different cast members it’s the more concert style delivery from Kingsley that really takes this production to another level, ensuring a standing ovation during You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me even before the song ends. Other stand out moments include her descent into drugs, drink and debauchery during I Close My Eyes and Count To Ten, her creatively staged comeback during What Have I Done To Deserve This and the touchingly tender and deeply poignant Goin’ Back which is movingly sung from her death bed.

The strong supporting cast is chock-full of talent which special mention to Joanna Francis who gives a strong and gritty performance as Lois, Dusty’s backing-singer and partner. Esther Coles and Ella Kenion as Pat & Ruby, Dusty’s PA and hairdresser but ultimately friends and confidents who bring real wit and joy to the production.

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Tom Pye’s and costume design perfectly sets the scene and ensures the passage of time is clear. Video projections generate movement to the static set allowing bedrooms to become theatres, even broadcasting real footage of Dusty’s funeral.

As a first outing this is an enormously entertaining production, there are a few moments in the first half which feel a little clunky where Harvey’s incredibly witty script could be pulled back a little to allow the emotion to rise or allow the audience a moment to feel and experience the tension but these are very minor niggles in what is a superb show which will not only educate and inspire but will undoubtedly remind you of why the legendary Dusty and her smoky lyrics have such timeless appeal.

This is a slick and stylish production with real depth and genuine heart, add to this a leading lady who will quite simply blow you away and you have an absolute must-see show.

On at The Lowry until Saturday 28th July here.

Interview | Jonathan Harvey | DUSTY

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JH

BAFTA and Olivier nominated writer Jonathan Harvey (Beautiful Thing, Coronation Street) has recently taken on a new challenge, bringing the legendary Dusty Springfield to life in a new and hotly anticipated production, DUSTY the musical.

Based on the personal memories of those who knew her best and chock-full of timeless classics including, I Only Want to Be with You, Son of a Preacher Man and You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, DUSTY the musical heads to The Lowry’s Lyric theatre for one week only as part of its premiere UK tour starring the magnificent Katherine Kingsley, Rufus Hound and Roberta Taylor.

We caught up with writer Jonathan Harvey ahead of the show opening at the Lowry on Tuesday 24th July to hear a little more about the new musical which critics are describing as ‘outstanding’.

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ON: What was your starting point when it came to writing DUSTY the musical?

JH: I spoke to the producers who had their own ideas for what they wanted the story to be, I mostly researched through books and DVD documentaries from over the years, I read and watched as much as I could. Dusty was really popular in Australia so I found lots of Australian TV interviews and watched those. When she died the BBC did an amazing documentary about her which is still on YouTube which was a great piece for my research. I also spoke with her Personal Assistant who is also a character in the show that was invaluable really.

Dusty I think was all things to all people, I can really identify with that, you might behave one way with your mates then a completely different way with your partner, so I read some descriptions and thought, that’s nothing like the one I just read so it was really important to get to the true essence of Dusty so we can deliver that in the show.

ON: Is it a challenge to tell the story of someone so private?

JH: Yes, you are conscious of that but everything we’re featuring in the play has already been said before so we’re not exposing anything, everything I’ve included is out there, I’ve just brought it together and made a drama about it. What’s brilliant about someone who is private is what goes on behind closed doors is often some of the most interesting things about them so we get a glimpse into that which I think will really entertain and engage audiences.

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ON: Have you had any surprises whilst researching?

JH: Absolutely I’ve found out some really interesting information, I didn’t know she’d been kicked out of South Africa for refusing to play to segregated audiences, incredibly she was really slagged off for doing it, the British press went ballistic about it at the time because it was such a political thing to do and pop stars at the time weren’t expected to act like that, many household names at the time were happily playing to separated audiences.

She hosted Ready, Steady, Go and had a Motown special on there featuring black artists she’d met in America, then suddenly after this their careers here took off all thanks to Dusty. Things like that I’ve found just so interesting, she was a real innovator.

Some people I’ve spoken to when I mention Dusty didn’t know she was British, didn’t know she was gay or didn’t know she was white. She did a lot of things ahead of her time. To get into a recording studio and be in charge and tell people exactly what she wanted was a new thing for the men working with her. She seemed to do a lot of firsts, mix this in with all her amazing songs and getting involved for me was a no brainer.

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ON: Do you feel then the show is a celebration of women?

JH: The story works best when she’s surrounded by her two best friends, her PA and her hairdresser. It’s interesting that when she went off to America in the 70’s and her mates weren’t with her she spiralled into drug and alcohol addiction, lost everything and only really got back on track when she got back to Britain with her mates around her. So I’d say it’s a real celebration of friendship.

ON: What can audiences expect from the show?

JH: They can expect something more than your average jukebox musical. The last workshop we did I invited two of my mates, one of which being the actress Kathy Burke who is always brutally honest with me and I also invited my mate Tina, Tina hates musicals. Two songs in I looked at them both sat on the front row and they were both crying their eyes out and then the next minute they were really laughing. Tina said to me, ‘I hate musicals but I really, really like this’ and Kathy said ‘She’s a f***ing star’ ha ha. It’s very moving but you’ll also have such a laugh, we’re having such a scream with this show. Kathryn is incredible, right from the audition she really made me laugh and her talent really stood out I couldn’t think of anyone more perfect for the role.

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DUSTY opens at the Lowry on Tuesday 24th July and runs until Saturday 28th July tickets available here.

Aspects of Love

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Kelly Price (Rose) & Felix Mosse (Alex) in Aspects of Love at Hope Mill Theatre. Credit Anthony Robling

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reviewed by Nikki Cotter

Stripped back, elegant and intensely intimate Aspects of Love, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s romantic classic is given its North West professional premiere by award-winning pairing Hope Mill Theatre and Aria Productions and what a sensational premiere it is.

Based on the 1995 novella by David Garnett, Aspects of Love is a multi-layered and deeply fascinating exploration into the complexities of love. The story moves from one lustful entanglement to the next as intertwining relationships based around multiple characters within 3 generations of one family develop and change over a 17 year time scale. Love, lust, loss and obsession all feature in this spellbinding sung-through musical, the third of Hope Mill’s five in-house productions for 2018.

Kelly Price (Rose) & Felix Mosse (Alex) in Aspects of Love at Hope Mill Theatre 2. Credit Anthony Robling

17-year-old Alex is hopelessly smitten with glamorous actress Rose, Rose loves the thrill of attraction, desperately craving sexual freedom and adoration yet is terrified at the thought of loneliness . Despite a passionate affair Rose turns to Alex’s Uncle George for commitment who in turn introduces her to his long-standing lover, free-spirited Italian Sculptor Giulietta. Further complexities arise when years later Alex is reconciled with lover Rose whose 15-year-old daughter Jenny enthusiastically pursues him, much to the horror of protective father George.

Director Jonathan O’Boyle’s stripped back approach to this iconic musical ensures the storytelling and emotion of piece lie firmly at its heart. Conversations flow as witty song exchanges while melodic vocals develop into passionate protests. The intimate staging of this piece takes the intensity of each relationship to another level as the audience is carried along immersed in the fizzing action.

Kelly Price is sensational as Rose Vibert, passionate and demanding yet heart-achingly vulnerable, she gives an utterly compelling and deeply moving performance. Her delivery of Anything But Lonely is raw and heart-felt.

Felix Mosse is perfectly cast as Alex, displaying an incredible vocal rage, he is sensitive and entirely believable, guarded and intense yet simmering with passion and explosive rage. He judges the character perfectly and ensures the audience now have a new actor to associate with perhaps one of the most well-known songs in any musical, Love Changes Everything.

Jerome Pradon (George) & Kimberley Blake (Giulietta) in Aspects of Love at Hope Mill Theatre. Credit Anthony Robling

Jerome Pradon’s character acting as the worldly George authenticates his journey from decadent philanderer to aging father, afraid of what love may do to his precious daughter. His delivery of The First Man You Remember sung to daughter Jenny (the sweet and endearing Eleanor Walsh) captures the tenderness of the piece perfectly.

Kimberley Blake’s vivacious and alluring Giulietta is a joy to watch, her stunning vocals accompanied by slickly delivered choreography during post-funeral Hand Me The Wine and The Dice a real highlight of the show, pacy, passionate and full of sass.

Designer Jason Denvir has transformed the intimate setting with an expanse of shutter doors which are used to great effect as we glide through multiple cities bathed in Aaron J Dootson’s atmospheric shafts of light.

Kelly Price (Rose) in Aspects of Love at Hope Mill Theatre. Credit Anthony Robling

The stripped back orchestration of 2 pianos and percussion ensures Lloyd Webber’s soaring score is delivered beautifully; it’s melodic, dreamy and devastatingly dramatic.

Every aspect of this show has been crafted beautifully, scene changes are delicately choreographed while each ensemble member captivates and leaves an impact. The sheer quality of this production combined with the uniquely intimate setting of Hope Mill Theatre breathes new life into Lloyd Webber’s work. Slick, stylish and oozing with passion, Aspects of Love is another sure-fire hit for the mighty Hope Mill Theatre/Aria Productions pairing. An absolute must-see!

ON at Hope Mill Theatre until

Interview | Katherine Kingsley | DUSTY

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DUSTY 2

Based on the personal memories of those who knew her best and packed full of her timeless hits including, I Only Want to Be with You, Son of a Preacher Man and You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, DUSTY the musical heads to The Lowry’s Lyric theatre for one week only as part of its premiere UK tour.

BAFTA and Olivier nominated writer Jonathan Harvey (Beautiful Thing, Coronation Street) brings Dusty Springfield to life with a script celebrating the extraordinary story of one of Britain’s most successful artists.

Olivier Award-winner Maria Friedman (Merrily We Roll Along, Stepping Out) directs Katherine Kingsley (Piaf, Singin’ in the Rain) as the legend that is Dusty Springfield in this incredibly funny and deeply moving new musical. We were privileged to catch up with Katherine to hear a little more about the show and her feelings on portraying such an icon.

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ON: Were you a Dusty fan before getting involved in this new musical?

KK: Yes I really was, I grew up listening to Dusty, my Mum used to play Dusty a lot which had a big influence on me, I’ve always loved that style of music, Soul, Motown, I really grew up on those sounds. I never would have imagined I’d end up playing her, when I heard about the show I had some reservations about appearing in what I thought might be another jukebox musical, it’s not really what I do but then I read Jonathan Harvey’s script and that was something else. Plus there is so much that I love about the music that I just thought, yes, I want to do this. It’s a challenge on many levels but such a good one.

ON: With Dusty being a very private person is it difficult to know what to share and how to do this respectfully?

KK: We’ve learnt so much about Dusty the person during the process of preparing the show and yes she was a very private person. I guess she lived in an era which was pre-social media and therefore there was an element of privacy for performers if they wanted it. Dusty never sought attention from the media like some other performers did, she had quite a sad life in some respects, she was fiercely private particularly about her sexuality, she was never really comfortable discussing it publicly. I almost feel quite protective over her, I’m very aware that I’m playing the role of a woman who would not have wanted to be known by her sexuality. This is where Jonathan has done an absolutely brilliant job. He’s written the script so beautifully so it reveals things about her which are surprising, fascinating and interesting but never gratuitous and always respectful. It touches on many things, her self-harming, her sexuality but most of all its about her talent and that’s absolutely where it should be.

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ON: How difficult is it not to do a flat-out impersonation of Dusty?

KK: I approach it from a very different perspective I think than an impersonator would. Those iconic moments when Dusty is performing I will look at her hand gestures etc. I will honour that and try to match it as best I can so it feels authentic but I’m never for one minute trying to do an impersonation. I am not her but hopefully bringing an essence of Dusty. I really aim to capture her spirit for the audience and if they feel a little like they’re watching Dusty then that for me will be wonderful.

ON: Do you have a personal favourite from the incredible Dusty back catalogue?

KK: Oh gosh I love so many, there are so many amazing songs. I guess my favourites are the more unusual songs, I really love I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten which is absolutely gorgeous, it’s included in the show but with a completely different arrangement. I love Losing You, it’s such an amazing song. You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me is such a great song and such a big sing for me, it really is massive, it just shows how talented she was. They’re all just so wonderful. Oh I can’t forget about Spooky. A lot of people seem to forget about Spooky but what a song!

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ON: We get the feeling you’ll be sharing a real message of female empowerment through telling Dusty’s story?

KK: Yes, I’m so excited for our audiences, particularly younger women and girls who maybe aren’t familiar with Dusty. Those who are maybe a generation or three behind who will be able to discover this amazing woman and will have more evidence and knowledge that these amazing kind of women existed in the 1960’s and were out there paving the way for future generations. Dusty undoubtedly paved the way for so many iconic singers, Adele, Amy Winehouse. Dusty was paving the way and doing that sound many years before.

ON: In a nutshell, why should audiences come and see Dusty?

KK: I think it’s a modern story, beautifully told about an amazing, strong woman who goes through some incredible personal struggles. It also has the best musical catalogue, we take you from the 60’s through pop culture right up to Dusty’s song with the Pet Shop Boys in the late 80’s, there’s so much to discover about Dusty. It’s deeply moving, it’s enormously entertaining and you’ll come away we hope feeling incredibly inspired.

DUSTY opens at the Lowry on Tuesday 24th July and runs until Saturday 28th tickets available here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mamma Mia!

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Opening night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reviewed by Nikki Cotter

Chock-full of classic Abba anthems, witty one-liners that will have you roaring with laughter and more feel-good factor than you could shake your Fernando at, Mamma Mia! arrives at Manchester’s Palace Theatre for a 2 week stop as part of its current UK tour.

The popularity of the global smash-hit, written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the classic songs penned by Benny and Bjorn shows no signs of waning and nor should it. The joyful party atmosphere is infectious, as each song is greeted with affectionate sighs of recognition and a spontaneous audience clap-along…and that’s just during the overture!

Lucy May Barker returns to the role of Sophie, a naive twenty year old on the verge of getting married to her sweetheart Sky (Phillip Ryan). Having never known her real father Sophie is desperate to have him at her wedding. She takes matters into her own hands and through some stealth investigation narrows it down to three potential candidates, unbeknown of course to Sophie’s fiercely independent, free-spirited mother Donna (Shona White). So, what’s the best way to work out which of her Mum’s ex-boyfriends is her birth father? Invite them all of course!

White is superb as Donna, hugely comedic with also a great ability to play the more tender heartfelt scenes beautifully, her performance during The Winner Takes It All no better evidence of this as she belts out the big notes with real heart and vulnerability.

Laughs are delivered in bucket loads by Donna’s two best mates Rosie (Nicky Swift) and Tanya (Helen Anker) who together are hilarious and individually deliver hugely entertaining solo performances. Rosie, during a lightbulb moment sets her sights firmly on Aussie adventurer Bill (Matthew Rutherford) and makes sure he knows it through her outrageous delivery of Take a Chance on Me, whilst Tanya teaches wannabe toyboy Pepper (Matt Jordan-Pidgeon) more than a thing or two about women during her fab rendition of Does Your Mother Know.

Daniel Crowder, Matthew Rutherford and Tamlyn Henderson who play Harry, Bill and Sam respectively are perfectly cast in their roles. Each very different from the next, adding a entertaining injection of charisma to proceedings.

The ensemble are superb, their delivery of Anthony Van Laast’s choreography is slick as they literally burst with energy in every scene offering some of the real stand-out moments in this glorious campfest full of fun and sprinkled with sparkle.

Mamma Mia will undoubtedly release your inner dancing queen; laugh out loud funny, touchingly tender, immensely uplifting feel-good theatre at its absolute finest!

On at the Palace Theatre until Saturday 14th July tickets available here.

The Last Ship

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Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reviewed by Matt Forrest

It’s rather fitting The Last Ship should wind up its UK tour in Salford: sure, they never built ships there, but the Lowry now stands on a site that up until 1972 was a working port. However soon like so many British industries the Salford/Manchester docks closed with 3000 people losing their jobs. So, it seems rather fitting then that for one last time (well on this tour at least), The Last Ship sets sail.

The story revolves around the return of local boy Gideon Fletcher, (Richard Fleeshman) who 17 years prior fled the town and joined the navy: he could see the writing was on the wall even back then for the shipyard and wanted to avoid the seemingly inevitable indoctrination into that way of life. However, on his return he now finds his town in potential ruin from the proposed closure of the ship yard. To make matter worse he receives a frosty reception from his old-flame Meg Dawson, (Frances McNamee) the girl he left behind. These two may be the focal point, but this is story with a bigger tale to tell: one of community, hope and defiance.

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The Last Ship is Sting’s love letter to a town he grew up in and a life he had once known. It fully acknowledges the pride and struggle that the people of Tyneside and other communities faced at the closure of not just the docks but coalmines and pits as well. Songs like “The Last Ship” the “Shipyard” swell with pride with the latter being a foot stamping statement of intent.

The cast are on fine form, Richard Fleeshman makes for engaging, charismatic lead, who at times doesn’t half sound like Sting when singing. Joe McGann and Penelope White as shipyard foreman Jackie White and his wife Peggy, make for a heart-warming, strong couple, who have each other’s and the rest of the communities backs at all times. The show is packed full of spirited and strong performances throughout that certainly do the source material full credit.

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The production design by 59 Productions is outstanding: one minute you’re in a dockyard the next a church complete with stain glass windows and eerie echo. Above we have the claustrophobic grey clouds, and magnificent tower cranes: the visuals take this production to another level, never ‘showy’ or flash, just simply stunning.

Anyone expecting an all singing, all dancing musical affair complete with ‘jazz-hands’ need look elsewhere, for this is production filled heart, soul and an unashamed political agenda. It calls out Margret Thatcher and the government of the day for the pain and suffering they caused so many at that time. The production highlights the mistakes of the past a warning to make sure these mistakes aren’t repeated in the future, especially regarding the NHS: It certainly has some something to say, and it says it loud and unashamedly proud.

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At the close of the production the cast took a well-earned standing ovation and gave us one last song: joined by Sting for an unannounced, unassuming blink and you’ll miss it cameo for the Last Ships final week of shows, judging by this performance lets hope there are plenty more voyages to come!

The Last Ship is at the Lowry until 7th July tickets available here.