Leanne Parker-Tyree
(14 Reviews)

LE GATEAU CHOCOLAT'S FLAMBOYANT ENERGY, THEATRE MASTERY, CLEVER WRITING AND GENUINE WARMTH, MAKES I WISH A SPECIAL PRODUCTION FOR ALL TO ENJOY!

As November turns to December, the signs of festive cheer have been very much present in Manchester City Centre for a few weeks already now. But despite the twinkling lights and nods to this magical season all around, something has felt distinctly...absent. The World at large doesn’t feel especially festive, or twinkly, or magical right now, so as my four-year-old son and I stepped through the doors of Home, Manchester, in readiness to review tonight’s staging of ‘I Wish’, there was a big part of me that hoped for something that might feel akin to joy. I’m a tough audience to be honest – not one to bestow praise, especially lavish praise, on something that doesn’t feel deserving. And my little boy is an even harsher critic than me – having not yet, to my continued frustration, shown any signs of inheriting my love of the magic of theatre in any capacity whatsoever. So, if it doesn’t capture his attention, he makes it clear, fast! when I tell you that we both ended this experience, not with something akin to joy, but with actual, tangible, effervescent joy, please understand that this is me, and him, giving this piece of work, our hearty recommendation.

Written by Nigerian born cabaret, opera, musical theatre, drag and live art artist Le Gateau Chocolat (Le Gateau Chocolat, I Chocolat, Duckie, ICONS), directed by Rachel Bagshaw (Unicorn Theatre Artistic Director) with original Music and Lyrics by Seiriol Davies (How to Wing Against History, Milky Peaks, Betty: A Sort of Musical) and narrated by Julian Clary, I Wish tells the tale of Fairy godmother Effie. We the audience, join Effie as she celebrates arriving at one wish away from having achieved a dizzyingly high milestone in numbers of wishes granted (her brumblefillionth wish to be specific!), and she promises to bestow this fabulously numbered wish upon one of the lucky people in the crowd.

Performed in Manchester by Le Gateau Chocolat himself (after illness preventing him taking the role to the stage in London and New York), Effie is everything you’d want a fabulous fairy godmother to be. In fact, she is the fairy godmother you’d conjure up in your mind if someone asked you to imagine Walt Disney and Ru Paul had a fairy godmother shaped love child.  

Le Gateau Chocolat sashays and shimmies and sings across the performance space like someone born to be there in an endless stream of fabulously over the top outfits, which some of the children simply couldn’t keep their hands off. And Le Gateau Chocolat takes all of that in his stride, allowing the children to reach for a cuddle, and involving them and the wider adult audience with humour and ease, like being around an old, very fabulous friend.

As the story unfolds, Effie shares with us three of her most memorable wishes - a woman who desperately wants to be beautiful; a Cinderella who wants to go to the ball; and a boy who wants to fly and stay forever young - and how she changed the lives of the recipients. That is until the voice of Julian Clarey pipes up, to suggest that they might have had very different outcomes than Effie likes to think. And so back we go, to the three wish recipients, to see for sure exactly what happened once Effie sashayed away after granting their wishes. We quickly learn that all was not quite as well as Effie had hoped and see her make the ultimate sacrifice and pass on her power of wishes to each and every one of us, before making her dramatic exit, as only she can, by wearing the entire fluffy, cloud-like, feathered backdrop!     

What I love about the message of this performance is that the magic of any wish, is to be found in the effort you are willing to put into the creation of the wish, and that the magic of making someone else’s wishes come true is even more heightened. Taking this even further, there are nods to the impact of even the smallest actions when those actions are carried out for the good of another – when ‘I wish’, becomes ‘We Wish’. And that’s why this story is utterly perfect for children, but actually, also a bit of a reminder for us adults too, to actually see, and respond to, the things that other people need in a way that is meaningful and that shows humanness, in a world where too many people are blind to the needs of others, too busy to notice and too out of touch with that core humanness and the power of ‘Us’ over ‘Me’.    
 

The takeaway as a parent was the reminder I have a responsibility in this world, to raise my child to be the kind of human being that this planet, this society and every member of the diverse kaleidoscope of people who exist within it, will never need to recover from; that despite the noise around him, the people who will populate his world and influence him both in positive and sadly, potentially negative ways, to raise a good human being who is good to others. And that’s a responsibility I take incredibly seriously.

In summary, we came for joy and through Le Gateau Chocolat’s flamboyant energy, theatre mastery, clever writing and genuine warmth, we left with rainbow-coloured, glitter bombed, confetti covered (literally, I am covered as is my child; I mean heck even my shoe had confetti inside it when I got home!) joy and from the bottom of my heart, I, on behalf of myself and my son, thank him for that.       

WE SCORE I WISH...

Watch our "In Conversation with Le Gateau Chocolate" video

KING ARTHUR IS A BRILLIANT, CLEVER, HILARIOUS AND UTTERLY FANTASTIC IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE!

Le Navet Bete (roughly translated – ‘The Daft Turnip) originated in 2008. Their beginning was rather low-key – in a Church Hall, while all working full-time jobs doing other things. Since then, they have created multiple productions and have been touring the UK and internationally with their own blend of humour, fun and chaotic physical comedy. They are an artist-led theatre company run by company directors Al Dunn, Nick Bunt and Matt Freeman who also take to the stage to perform for their audiences. Created in Exeter, Devon their mission is to ‘create and tour hilarious, physical and totally accessible comedy theatre using creative and engaging storytelling for absolutely everyone (ages 4 - 104!)’.

Tonight was my first experience of this company, and indeed, of this style of theatre, so I was rather unsure as to what I could expect to unfold before me. This sense of intrigue was greatly increased at reading that from those humble origins, Le Navet Bete quickly established themselves firmly as one of the UK’s most ridiculously outrageous outdoor acts. Indeed, they have performed at an impressive (and diverse!) range of locations such as Glastonbury Festival, The Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover, Germany, a yacht festival on the Italian Riviera, the ruins of an old colonial church in the heart of Mexico City, an industrial factory in Prague and high up on a cliff on the Rock of Gibraltar. I suspected something in the vein of Monty Python if I am honest; but with a poster warning me that the show contains food and latex before we entered the auditorium, who even knew what this evening would entail!   

Let’s begin with the story that unfolds before us this evening. As the show opens, we are presented with three rather unexceptional squires, Dave, Edgar and Osbert, played by Matt Freeman, Nick Bunt and Al Dunn, who are in a bit of bother. A fair bit of bother as it happens. As the familiar Queen tune, ‘I want to break free’ plays, with a clever and rather naughty lyrical twist, we find them in the stocks with rotten vegetables being chucked at them. We find out that one week earlier, they, or rather, Dave on their behalf, have drunkenly promised to stage a fantastical theatrical production – ‘ArthurFest’ to praise and revere the Legend that is the young King Arthur – despite none of them having any acting experience, and King Arthur being rather dull and not even remotely fantastic or legendary or having anything that even vaguely resembles a stage-worthy life! Act one follows the three squires desperate, sometimes (often!) farcical, ridiculous and, as it turns out, fruitless efforts to gather anything even remotely interesting to pull together the promised production, while the second act sees them perform the play within a play. The range of characters is impressive, especially considering they are all played by the three performers on stage. And they are all utterly bonkers in their own way.   

This is a show which is very hard to define with a single statement. I had so many ‘What the heck am I even watching here?!’ moments throughout the evening! It’s fun for sure, with a generous sprinkle of laugh out loud moments, some enjoyably risqué lines lost on the younger audience members but not at all lost on older ones, some rather impressive acrobatic feats, some excellent and well-loved musical choices with quirky lyrical adaptations, and some rather unexpected – ‘did that really just happen?’ moments (detachable genitalia anyone?!). The logistics of this being three actors, playing all the roles, and the lightning quick changes that required for this, especially regarding costumes, is hugely impressive! The skill on display, and clearly behind the scenes, is evidenced by the slickness of it all. I think what stands out most for me, is the energy of the performers and they fun they are so clearly having with it all. There’s something infectious about it, which draws you in and pulls you along for the ride. And let me turn to those three performers now.      

Matt Freeman is one of the three pillars of Le Navet Bete. He has always apparently always loved to dress up in women’s clothing and the roles he performed this evening certainly gave him the opportunity! He also performs some very impressive acrobatics. He commands the space, flinging himself all over it with jumps, tumbles and more. His energy is limitless. His facial expressions, use of his body and voice are brilliant. In his various roles, not least the one and only ‘Dave the Rave’, he is show-stealing. He exudes playful charm, ridiculousness and a cheeky naughtiness that is utterly delightful. Australian Nick Bunt hails originally from the Gold Coast. His Le Navet Bete bio tells me that he has always loved acting and writing comedy and has performed in some of the most widely respected venues all over the UK and internationally. He ‘takes comedic inspiration from many things including the cleverly written farce of Fawlty Towers, the absurd slapstick in Bottom and the ridiculous character comedy in Father Ted’ and all of these are very much present in tonight’s script.

Playing multiple roles this evening, Bunt is brilliant. His slapstick timing and ridiculous facial expressions are comedy gold. Al Dunn brings personality, physical comedy at it’s finest and a French accent that you’ll never forget! He is exhausting to watch, in a good way, especially as Vivien, who can go up the stairs, but not down the stairs, in a scene which just gets funnier and funnier as it goes on. The fact that immediately after, he comes back out to play French Lancelot in a cooking scene is hilarious and is one of the many parts of the performance where lines, whether scripted to ad-lib, are thrown to the audience as the performers break the fourth wall repeatedly in ways which are hilarious. What stood out the most was just how much these three performers clearly *love* what they do. The joy in it for them was clear and their closeness and bond makes the whole experience feel intimate, warm and genuinely lovely. It feels like an evening spent with friends and you walk away really feeling that.     

It is to their absolute credit that these three engaging performers wear so many hats successfully, not just in front of us, the audience, as they perform the show, but also behind the scenes as writers, producers and frankly, almost everything else you can imagine. They work collaboratively with a range of additional creatives. In this case, Olivier award nominated John Nicolson, (Tweedys Massive Circus, Rik Mayall’s Bedtime Stories, Dracula: The Bloody Truth) as co-writer and director, Fi Russell (Set & Costume Designer / Stage Manager – Treasure Island, Velveteen Rabbit, Aladdin, The Three Musketeers), Stuart Billinghurst (Lighting Designer) and Jonny Wharton (Composer and Sound Design – Mary: The Pigeon who Never Gave Up, Friends for All, Swings and Roundabouts).

Matt, Al and Nick say, “It’s so important to mention that the reason we do this is to make people laugh, to give our fantastic audiences an experience that they can share with friends or family, to create long-lasting memories and for people to enjoy theatre in a way theatre should be enjoyed...together!” and I can absolutely confirm that they ticked all those boxes this evening. I cannot recommend this show highly enough for anyone who has even the smallest sense of humour and it gets ALL the stars from me! It’s like a tonic for joy, a feel-good, genuinely funny, hugely entertaining evening. I laughed until I cried, a smiled until my face hurt, and I walked away with a warm fuzzy happy glow from spending just over two hours enveloped in the brilliant, clever, hilarious, bonkers and utterly fantastic immersive experience that is an evening with Le Navet Bete.

WE SCORE KING ARTHUR..

LORD OF THE DANCE IS IMPRESSIVE, THRILLING AND AN AWESOME EXAMPLE OF JUST HOW EXCITING DANCE CAN BE!

I’ve been humming the title track since I was asked to do this review several weeks ago (go on, you know you want to!). It’s hard to imagine that this show is now 27 years old, having celebrated it’s 25^th Anniversary in style in 2022, not least because I remember, embarrassingly too vividly, many hours ‘dancing’ along to it in my parents living room, absolutely convinced that my legs were ‘flailing as if independent from my body’ (thanks for that immortal association with this show, Chandler Bing!) with all the same flair and expertise as the dancers on the screen before me. Just in case you are wondering – there was certainly flailing, butt absolutely no flair involved in that 1990’s living room!

This 2024 production brings a few new and exciting additions to the original. There are some new musical elements, some updated choreography, carefully created costumes, which enhance the fluidity of the dancers, retain their originalitybut without a doubt, take a step forward into a more modern, contemporary era. But probably most impactful, there are new state of the art sound, visual and lighting effects which have transformed this into a thoroughly modern performance, which holds to the older, more traditional elements that fans of Lord of the Dance know and love so well, while thrusting the set into a version for a new generation.

Michael Flatley created the original Lord of the Dance, stepping outof the shadow of the phenomenal success of ‘Riverdance’, to create the full breadth and depth his own vision as the show’sdirector, producer and choreographer.As tonight’s performance opens, we are unexpectedly greeted by the man himself, coming to us from the huge screen which forms the entire backdrop of the stage, as he shares his vision for Lord of the Dance, and the blood, sweat, determination, grit and a single minded, unshakable belief that ‘nothing is impossible’, that has culminated in the ‘biggest dance show in the World’. It’s actually a bit of an emotional start for this marshmallow reviewer! Flatley is a man who has spent a lifetime defying the odds, and fighting for his dreams, and, nobly, the dreams of others, as his commitment to supporting young dancers over the years has repeatedly demonstrated.

And with the introduction film over, it’s time for the show itself. There is a storyline - of sorts – the classic good vs evil, the Little Spirit sidekick, complete with hertuneful recorder,who dreams of the Lord of the Dance and his arch-nemesis, The Dark Lord. The Dark Lord wants to become the Lord of the Dance, and nearly succeeds by tempting him momentarily away from his true love, Saoirse, danced beautifully by Tiernaugh Canning, with the dark and mysterious Morrighan, danced with sass and attitude by Andrea Papp-Kren, who turns out to be working for The Dark Lord. The battle for the soul of Ireland itself, is interweaved with romantic, gentle and haunting moments of music and dance which are very beautiful and give us (and the dance troupe) a moment of slowness and calm in between the epic, showstopping numbers.Songs are provided courtesy of Celyn Cartwright (Come What May, Britain’s Got Talent), who showcases a stunning, hauntingly beautiful, but at the same time, real powerhouse of a voice, joined at one stage by a choir of singers.The music, composed by Gerard Fahy, billed as one of the most gifted Irish composers of our time, is all too familiar. And while we are talking about the music, it would be remiss of me to fail to mention the two talented fiddlers, Helena Gullan and Giada Costenaro Cunningham who take to the stage several times to give excellent performances.

Of course, in the end, true love prevails and good overcomes. But to be honest, the story doesn’t always tell itself well as the performance progresses, and without reading it in the programme or knowing it beforehand, I suspect there would be many audience members who hadn’t a clueabout the plot and, perhaps controversially, I’m not sure it matters. After all, we came for the dancing, and the dancing delivered.I read somewhere that the original production contains around 150,000-foot taps on the stage – after witnessing the dizzying speed of the dancers this evening, I would suspect there are even more than that in this version! Having only EVER seen Flatley perform the title role (and only ever on screen), I wasn’t sure how anyone else would manage to do what he did. After all, Flatley just *is* the Lord of the Dance. I need not have worried. Matt Smith propelled himself onto the stage like dynamite, immediately receiving whoops and applause from the audience. It was as close to watching a young Michael Flatley as you can get!Smith is an absolute spectacle. It’s easy to see how he has won multiple British, National, Great British and All Ireland Awards, and how he was ranked second in the World. Not only is he exceptionally talented, but he is also a through and through showman, much like his mentor, the original Lord, and he works the audience from start to end. Smith is very, very good, and he knows it, but the clear joy he feels for what he is doing is palpable and makes him incredibly likeable. 

Cassidy Ludwig plays the Little Spirit, a role she originally performed in Taiwan in 2020. She is light on her feet, quick in movement and wit, with an infectious, childlike cheekiness which is fun and endearing throughout. The Dark Lord, played by two times World Champion Joseph Howarth and his Army bring a menacing atmosphere to the performance space.Howarth gives a great performance, throwing out some incredible solo sections during the dances.

It must be said, the entire dance troupe on the stage this evening is remarkable. Their energy and passion for this form of dance is crystal clear and transmits through every piece. Taught by Flatley, the undisputed King of Irish Dancing, they move with a rhythm and vibe that feels trademarked to him, merging in other forms of dance to create a fusion of movement that is breathtaking at times. They command the stage, sweeping us up in the excitement, emotion and their sheer enthusiasm for what they are doing. They are a credit to Flatley and to themselves.But, despite all of this, I have to say that something just feels - missing. 60 MILLION people have seen this show, in 70 Countries and in over 1000 venues. So maybe I just went in too focused on what I expected to see.  Perhaps the scale of the show, much smaller than the 100 strong dance troupe that performed ‘Feet of Flames’, the original ‘Lord of the Dance’ on the 55 metre wide stage in Hyde Park for the VHS I saw many years ago, makes it seem like a scaled back version of a show which I remember as being electric, stirring to the point that you felt the urge to stand and clap and shout. This doesn’t feel like that in the same way somehow. The dancersarea smaller cast than I perhaps expected. Make no mistake, they are incredible. I mean, they really are. The level of skill on that stage is exceptional. They are impossibly precise. They are slick. They are a team, moving at lightning speed and never missing a single beat. At times, it is thrilling. And they know how to work an audience – a skill they have clearly learnt directly from *the*Lord of the Dance, Flatley himself, who despite not being on the stage, is very, very clearly (and literally when you factor in the opening and ending appearances) all over it!

To me, I suppose the show just felt a little, disconnected, a bit piecemeal rather than a fluid tale from start to end. And perhaps seeing such an iconic show after all these years, for the first time meant that I had built it up to impossible expectations that just were not quite met and comments from other audience members near my seat, and as we filed out at the end, gave a similar impression. At the same time, just at the points I’d start to feel that lull, I’d repeatedly, suddenly find myself swept up in a large all-cast piece that would sweep me back up into the thrill of it all. I whooped, I cheered, my heart raced, and I felt swept away at moments, as did the audience around me. There were several moments of exhilaration. And the Grand Finale left me marvelling. This was IT. This was *the* feeling I’d come for. And I did jump up, clap and shout. I think I just feel like I’d like to have felt it *more*.

Overall, this is an impressive, thrilling, awesome example of just how exciting dance can be that just falls short in a few places here and there. The machine-gun precision, the foot-tapping music, the pure spectacle of the full-troupe dancers is mesmerising. As the title song about Smith’s character exclaims, ‘I am the Lord of the Dance, said he, And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be, And I’ll lead you all in the Dance, said he’ and so he did. He leads the dance troupe with magnetic force and carries us into the rousing world of Irish Dancing at its absolute best and I for one, loved it! 

WE SCORE MICHAEL FLATLEY'S LORD OF THE DANCE...

BLUEY'S BIG PLAY IS PERFECT FOR ALL AGES TO ENJOY AND EXPERIENCE LIVE FAMILY FUN THEATRE!

Ask almost any parent of a child under 4 and the name ‘Bluey’ will be a familiar and oft used one. Little ones love it and even adults speak with sentimentality and fondness for it. This big-hearted animated series, which originated in Australia follows the lives of a family of Heeler Dogs, including namesake Bluey, the loveable pup who lives with her Mum Chilli, Dad Bandit and little sister Bingo. I think the things they got right with ‘Bluey’ that many insipid, one dimensional, repetitive and even annoying children’s TV shows aimed at this age group, is that it’s all about the feels, tackling relatable emotions and life situations in ways that adults connect with, and children learn from. I think this is probably the ultimate kids show for adults. From what I have heard from parents, most of them would watch it even without their child! I know I have sneaked a few episodes! My own little man, aged 4 has somehow, managed to completely bypass the Bluey obsession and in fact, refuses point blank to watch a single episode, so I admit to being both hopeful and excited that this live show might make him finally let me watch it (I’m not quite willing to sit and watch it all alone no matter how much I’d quite like to!).    

Bluey’s Big Play is a brand-new adaptation of the Emmy® award-winning children’s television series for the stage as we join the Heelers in their first live theatre show. The production features lovely sets which the children could easily recognise, and brilliantly created and handled puppets. This really is Bluey as you’ve never seen it before, brought to real life in this UK premiere and the reaction of the younger audience members just gives it something special for sure.

The stage show is an original story penned by Bluey creator Joe Brumm (Causes, The Meek, Bluey), with new music by Bluey composer, Joff Bush (Australian Survivor, The Family Law, The Strange Chores) but is comfortingly and cleverly wrapped up in familiarity. It has been produced by Andrew Kay (Cat in the Hat, Bananas in Pyjamas, Giggle and Hoot) and Cuffe & Taylor, one of the UK’s top 10 live music and event promoters), with Windmill Theatre Co for BBC Studios.

As the lights go down, bird puppets dance and twirl to music and it’s a captivating opener taking the auditorium from a loud and chaotic frenzy of noise and chatter to almost complete silence. Little humans all around me, including mine, were wide-eyed and mesmerised – it really was lovely to see and brought the first of several tears to my eyes, marshmallow mama that I am. The small puppetry throughout, is as good as this opening scene suggested it would be and is enchanting. The entrance of the large puppets depicting the main characters we have come to know and love in living rooms up and down the country, was greeted by much excitement and chatter from the young audience members. They couldn’t quite believe it! The puppetry of the larger characters was also very good. I was surprised to be honest, because it was very, very evident that humans were controlling the characters, and I wasn’t sure how authentic this would feel, or how confusing the young audience might find it. I worried – would it ruin the illusion? It would appear not and for that, I do credit the humans behind the puppets, who moved in a constant dance throughout, telling the story if each character and somehow, making the characters feel real. They were visible, but not obtrusive, clearly there and yet somehow, allowing the characters to take the focus. I must commend them on this.  
   

The core theme of the story is one that some parents might have felt uncomfortable with, even judged by – as Bandit spends too much time on his phone rather than giving attention to his daughters, which we see affecting them quite strongly, finding that hard. A secondary theme of being a good sibling runs alongside this, both as a child and an adult. There are plenty of moments that hit you in the feels, which was to be expected. Parts of this story make more sense or would have hit stalwarts of the show itself more deeply, especially those familiar with the episode ‘Onesies’, which provides some content to the backstory of Chillies’ strained relationship with her sister, Brandy, who struggled with fertility, driving a distance between the sisters, and confirmed Bluey’s status as a ‘rainbow child’, which hit close to my own heart. Younger audience members would miss this entirely but again, it's the adults who feel it the most here and more emotional themes are well tempered with plenty of fun, crazy dance moves, some lively music, a bit of audience participation and the sound of gasps and giggles from the young audience members wrapping it all up in a sweet little package.    

The theatre-wide game of keepy-uppy at the end and thousands of bubbles dropping, was chaotic, super-fun and joyful. It was a bit of a shame that the front of the audience in the stalls didn’t think to pass the huge bouncy balls backward so the littles further back could have their moment of fun too, as I heard a few rather disappointed and upset children as a result of the front half almost keeping it for themselves, but I noted and appreciated theatre staff trying hard to make the access a bit more equal. 

What I loved the most about this experience, was seeing how the little ones, especially my own, experienced it. As adults, we go to the theatre with high expectations, but these littles take all their experiences as they come, revel in the moments and feel the wonder in all of it. And that’s just glorious to behold. I urge anyone with Bluey loving littles to not even hesitate to take them to see this show. At 50 minutes, it’s the perfect length, and of all the theatre patrons this morning, from almost newly born, right through to older grandparents, no-one left without smiling. One word of caution- prepare to join huge queues for the merchandise!   

WE SCORE BLUEY'S BIG PLAY...

LIFE OF PI IS FULL OF HEART AND GRIT, TOLD IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FABRICATED TAPESTRY OF LIGHT, SOUND AND COLOUR

This captivating and fantastical production has briefly returned to The Lowry, and I am SO here for it! I was extremely fortunate to see this production during its previous visit to the Salford Quays theatre late last year and remember emerging afterwards as if from an ethereal, vivid, visceral dream. Tonight seemed to not only deliver on that feeling again, but somehow, increase it! Max Webster (Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, As You Like It, The Jungle Book, The Twits, The Winter’s Tale, Much Ado About Nothing, To Kill a Mockingbird) directs playwright Lolita Chakrabarti’s adaptation of the much-loved novel for the stage and honestly, I still, after a second viewing, am incredulous at how this has been achieved. For those unfamiliar with the tale, let’s just say that it does not naturally lend itself to being staged in front of a live audience in a theatre building and yet somehow, by gosh have they achieved the unachievable here! Yann Martel’s story of hope, Life of Pi is a tale that touches on philosophy, religion, faith, the sheer audacity of the human spirit in the face of challenge and the unsurmountable will to survive and it is performed with brutal, beautiful brilliance from every

For those unfamiliar with the plot, Pi, played by Divesh Subaskaran and his family find themselves forced to leave India for a new life in Canada, a journey which would be difficult enough without factoring in that they own a zoo - a zoo which also needs to be uprooted and transported, making this a rather more logistically tricky enterprise!! Pi sets off on the journey across the Ocean along with his family, Amma, played by Goldy Natay (Mahabharata, All of Us, The Game of Love and Chance; Akley Bridge, The Bill, Silent Witness), Baba, played by Chand Martinez (Romeo and Juliet, The Wizard of Oz, The Alchemist) and sister Rani played by Sonya Venugopal (Life of Pi, Come Fall in Love, Atlantis) who originated the role of Rani on Broadway. They are all relatable and their family dynamic, albeit seen briefly onstage, is light-hearted and warm. As they make their way, a powerful storm engulfs their ship, decimating it and leaving in its wake just five survivors stranded on a single lifeboat. Such is the fantastical nature of this brilliant story, those ‘survivors’ just so happen to be a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, our hero Pi, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger, named Richard Parker.

On a sidenote, we definitely need to discuss Richard Parker. Akash Heer, Romina Hytten, and Katie Kennedy-Rose combine talents to bring this incredible, 450lb Bengal Tiger to life. Richard Parker is fearsome, imposing, stunning as he saunters and moves around his stage space, with a realness you just can’t quite comprehend. Despite it being very clear that this is puppetry, it somehow doesn’t feel like it. You find yourself gasping, then holding your breath as Pi fights to survive. It’s exceptionally good. All the way through, this breathtaking show, directed by Max Webster, is like watching a mesmerising dance between actors and puppets, a flawless, seamless choreography of emotions unfolding throughout, running the full gamut of energy from slow and tranquil to fast and furious. And all the way through you almost have to sense check yourself, to remind yourself that yes, this *is* a Bengal Tiger brought to life in front of you and yes, this *is* a raging sea storm unleashing its fury in front of you and yes, this *is* actually taking place on a stage, in Salford Quays, on a Tuesday evening in July!

The ensemble cast are well worth a mention, as they play a veritable menagerie of roles. Antony Antunes, Adwitha Arumugam, Bhawna Bhawsar, Kriss Dosanjh, Sebastian Goffin, Akash Heer, Romina Hytten, Katie Kennedy-Rose, Aizah Khan, Chand Martinez, Keshini Mishai, Sharita Oomeer, Kate Rowsell, Lilian Tsang, and Peter Twose all add to the overall fluidity and appeal of the performance. However, it is Pi who holds the theatre captive, almost never leaving the stage all evening. All eyes are on him. Life of Pi was the professional debut role for Divesh Subaskaran, and he has resurrected his performance at The Lowry this evening, wonderfully. He is captivating as Pi, which is especially impressive to achieve given the sheer grace and brilliance of the all-consuming puppetry dancing across and around the stage around him throughout the evening. A lesser performance might be lost amongst all that spectacle. That his is not only lost but is decidedly stand-out is a credit to his performance.

The set is an entire character in itself and it delivers an exceptional performance backed up magnificently by the lighting design which compliments and enhances it superbly as we are effortlessly transported between land, sky and sea; an exotic zoo, a bustling Indian market, a sinking ship, a crowded lifeboat that floats beneath the constellations, and a hospital ward, where the account unfolds. Tim Hatley (Back to the Future, Dreamgirls, The Bodyguard, Shrek, Spamalot, Singin’ in the Rain), Tim Lutkin Fiddler on the Roof, Elf-The Musical, David Blaine, All’s Well that Ends Well, The Full Monty), and Andrzej Goulding (&Juliet, The Drifters, 1984, The Girl on the Train) are responsible for all of it and deserve a special mention because what they have created is amazing. Bringing the creatures to life, are puppet designers, Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell (also puppet movement director). Their expertise gives us, the audience, an entirely realistic breadth of animalistic action, which is hard to be anything but impressed by and immersed in. Their range of talents is tested, and they smash it, from the soft, watery, calm swimming motions at sea to the fierce and brutal chaos of a feeding frenzy onboard. It is no surprise whatsoever that this creative team was nominated for five Tony Awards - Best Direction, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design and won for Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design. The creativity of this production is some of the finest I have had the joy to experience.

A word of caution to anyone planning to attend with children. The production has a lower age limit of 8, but I feel that there are moments of the production that could be a little on the brutal side and are perhaps a little jarring for younger audience members. However, these are tastefully handled, and I would imagine many younger observers will be so immersed in the spellbinding puppetry and magical illusions unfolding in front of their very young eyes, that they may not bat an eyelid, but for some, it might be a little too much!

In this wondrous, fantastical exploration of humanity and the sanctity of life, Life of Pi pushes the boundaries of hearts and minds and leaves us to ponder uncomfortable and brutal questions about how far one would go to survive, how far one can experience utter weakness, abject hopelessness, literally staring into the void of death, and survive. And how, in the pursuit of such survival, we might justify our actions to ourselves. This really is a spectacle for the senses; a tale full of heart and grit told in the most beautifully fabricated tapestry of light, sound, and colour not to be missed.  

WE SCORE LIFE OF PI...



Life Of Pi is on at The Lowry, Salford until Saturday 6th July 2024.


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HOUDINI'S GREATEST ESCAPE IS CLEVER, INVENTIVE AND CAPTIVATING!

Written and directed by Feargus Woods Dunlop (Founder of New Old Friends), Houdini’s Greatest Escape, in association with Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, is a fictional story based on the great Harry Houdini and his wife Bess. New Old Friends has something of a reputation for delivering fantastic touring productions, and this one does not fail to deliver on that reputation. The plot revolves around Houdini, on the very cusp of fame and career defining recognition, and his wife Bess, being framed for murder and having to escape in a comic thriller, which provides more than a fleeting nod to “The 39 Steps.”

The play opens and we follow Houdini and Beth, who have travelled to England hoping to be invited to perform for King Edward at a Royal Gala. Things go catastrophically wrong when they are framed for a robbery and then a murder by gangster Ma Barker and her two sons, in cahoots with the Chief of Police no less! This dark turn of events leads to journey to the literal “greatest escape” of Houdini’s life. Can Harry & Bess escape the plot and clear their names? And how is their rival, Agatha the Superstar Spiritualist Medium, involved? Interestingly, the latter question around the role of the medium is a clever nod to Houdini’s lesser-known real-life feud with false Mediums, which I thought was quite a nice touch and which was humorously referred to many times during the evening.

Ben Higgins (Othello, Kindred Spirits, A Christmas Carol, Much Ado About Nothing) and Lydia Piechowiak (A Murder is Announced, The Libertine, The Snow Queen) star respectively as Harry and Bess Houdini. Piechowiak is utterly delightful as Bess, a Brooklyn-bred woman who comes up with the plans between the couple. Bess is feisty, funny and an absolute force of nature. Higgins is delightful as Houdini, a lovable, large, lively presence on the stage. 

Kirsty Cox (Crimes on Centre Court, Fallen Angels, The Small Hours) and Adam Elliott (The Great Christmas Feast, The Count of Monte Cristo, Around the World in 80 Days) take on multiple roles throughout the show, playing all the characters outside of Harry and Bess. Cox is fabulous, playing characters including Agatha, Houdini’s rival, and Ma Barker, a gangster who believes Houdini has stolen her deceased son’s glasses. She also plays a clown who has an elephant puppet on her arm, believing it to be an actual elephant, which works so much better than it probably sounds! Elliott, meanwhile, delivers an impressive masterclass of a performance, with high-energy and great attention to detail to adapt his performance fluidly and with pure skill. Elliott manages to bring individual personalities and character to the array of roles he undertakes – some literally revolving on the same stage, at the same time, in the same scene! His characters include a Scottish couple, an ‘Olfactory Explorer’, the fraudulent Chief Doyle and Houdini’s brother, who narrates throughout. His performance is the standout of the evening, and the audience lapped it up. The movement of the performance, choreographed by Sam Archer and accompanying music composed by Guy Hughes, unquestionably adds to the overall impact of the production, especially in the underwater scene, which was superbly presented. Further mention goes to the fantastic set design, which is simple, but brilliant. I would argue that the set works almost as hard as the performers, the space being used in ways that were both genius and efficient.

As a huge fan of magic and illusions, I was hoping for some of that and then some, given that the show is, after all based on this legendary illusionist! I was not disappointed in this hope. The illusions, consulted on and taught by Pete Firman (Monkey Magic, The Magicians, The Magic Circle, Champions of Magic) are super impressive and left the inner child in me feeling like Christmas had come early at watching them unfold in front of me! Some of the magic tricks were simpler, like switching out King and Queen cards to represent Harry and Bess escaping, but others were awesome, including Houdini’s classic “Metamorphosis of Substitution Trunk” trick. Thankfully my love of illusion remains intact, and I walked away still wondering how on earth they do it (and secretly loving the fact that I still don’t know, as it is the not knowing that makes the magic even more special!). 

Elements of the performance are incredibly silly, in the best possible way, and these, along with the illusion, are what I loved most about the show. When the actors were leaning into the sillier aspects of the roles, they did this very well and the result was an audience who lapped those moment up, laughing accordingly and enjoying the lightness of it all. Similarly, the audience responded enthusiastically to the illusions taking place before them, a collective gasp here and a genuine wide-eyed ‘How did they even do that?’ reaction there. The show is certainly written and designed to be fun. However, there are real moments of heart interlaced with all that fun and magic and slapstick humour. Without doubt, this is a great performance, full of energy, fun, and magic, but there were one or two moments where the writing felt a little too descriptive as the characters try to keep us, the audience up to speed on what is happening and why and perhaps lose a little momentum in the process.  

Overall, Houdini’s Greatest Escape mixes a liberal sprinkle of melodrama, a splash of pantomime, and a pinch of old school music-hall entertainment with a hefty dose of brilliant physical comedy and a good sprinkling of magical wonderment. It’s certainly inventive, at times captivating and more than a little bit clever. The utilisation of the sets and the tour de force performances of the four, exceptionally talented individuals on stage make this well worth a watch.    

WE SCORE HOUDINI'S GREATEST ESCAPE ...

WATCH OUR "IN CONVERSATION WITH KIRSTY COX" VIDEO DISCUSSING THE PLAY

THE FULL MONTY IS A THOROUGHLY CHEERFUL PRODUCTION PACKED FULL OF TRUE NORTHERN HEART AND SOUL

I was SUPER excited for tonight’s treat of a show and raring to see the story of Sheffield’s answer to the Chippendales – ‘Bums of Steel’ - unfold on a Manchester stage before me. I’d struggle, I imagine, to find anyone around who hasn’t seen ‘The Full Monty’, and this production by the original screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Everest) directed by Michael Gyngell (Bring It One, Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, Yes, Prime Minister, The Play What I Wrote)  comes 27 years since the classic film’s release. No spoilers, but I’ll start right off by saying that if you were a fan of the film (and if you weren’t, what the heck is wrong with you!), you will be delighted to know that all of the moments you associated with the film (you know the ones I mean!) feature in this production and are just as funny, just as good and just as iconic.

The film may be set in Sheffield in the mid-1990s, when the once-successful steel mills have shut down and most of the workers have been made redundant and struggling to find new employment and pay their bills, but so many of the themes are starkly relevant in the landscape of a cost-of-living crisis in 2024. The show begins with Gaz, played by Danny Hatchard (Eastenders, Ridley Road, Our Girl, SCROOGE), a former steel worker who is a bit hard on his luck after losing his job whilst trying to maintain joint custody of his son Nathan and earn enough to pay his child maintenance costs. To this end, Gaz, and his best mate Dave, played by Neil Hurst (Fat Friends the Musical, All Creatures Great and Small, Coronation Street), seeks out scrap metal that they can steal and sell, and somewhat unwisely, Gaz’s 12-year-oldson Nathan, played this evening by Rowan Poulton often winds up joining them. The pairing of Danny and Neil in this production is pure brilliance - they play best friends in such a way that you’d be hard pressed to think they were otherwise, bouncing off each other’s one liners and jokes and displaying a heart-warming and genuine connection throughout the show. Throughout, you feel like you’re watching two best mates having a great time, which is certainly the point, and effortlessly achieved.  

Unfortunately for Gaz and Dave, they’re not that good at stealing scrap metal, and are often caught. Their less than salubrious motivations take them to an abandoned Mill, where they encounter Lomper, played by Nicholas Prasad (Around the World in 80 days, The Comedy of Errors, Doctors). What follows is a hilarious exchange between the characters. Underneath the comedy, we find out that Lomper is quite depressed and lonely, and in a sobering moment of realisation and an important nod to the theme of male mental health, he tries to end his life – thanks to the knot Dave has just helped him fashion before going on their merry way! Thankfully, Gaz and Dave realise what’s happening and arrive in the nick of time to prevent Lomper’s suicide attempt and from then on, take it on themselves to look after him and take him under their wing, with genuinely lovely, but equally hilarious results. Prasad is so darn lovable as Lomper, with all his self-depreciation, his innocent naivety and adorable misery – you quickly find yourself becoming his biggest cheerleader.    

Bill Ward (Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) is brilliant as Gerald, former foreman of Gaz and husband to Linda, who has been out of work for six months and though shame, has been hiding his new unemployed status from her. He lives a secret life and pretends he has been going to work every day by dressing in his suit but instead, sitting on a bench or visiting the Job Club. And it’s at a meeting at the Job Club that Gaz shares his brilliant, cunning, fantastic plan to help remedy all their financial difficulties; after seeing hordes of women spilling out of the local club after a ‘Chippendales’ show, he decides they should create their very own striptease group. Brilliant it may be, but there’s just one tiny, little, insignificant problem - they are not really stripper material, either in looks, skill or temperament! Undeterred by this fact, the plan is set in motion and to boost their numbers, they hold auditions which had the audience in tears (laughing, I might add!).

Along the way and with young Nathan as their manager, they recruit Horse, played to perfection by Ben Onwukwe (The Shawshank Redemption, Professor T, Marcella), who impresses with his Funky Chicken moves and unexpected rhythm despite a dodgy hip, and Guy, played by Jake Quickenden (Footloose, Hair, X Factor, Dancing on Ice) who leaves many of the audience members screaming in delight at his ‘big’ reveal of his not-so-hidden talent. The group is complete, and rehearsals begin. Gerald is given the role of choreographer due to his experience in ballroom dancing and after a few false starts it’s all steam ahead.

The path to the performance doesn’t run smooth however, and there are twists and turns ahead. All the characters take knocks to their confidence, reveal secrets about themselves, share their nerves about stripping and showing their bodies to hundreds of women, and struggle, in their own ways, along the path to self-acceptance and belief. Make no mistake, despite being a comedy, the production sensitively touches on serious subjects such as unemployment, fathers' rights, depression, erectile issues, homosexuality, body image, working class culture and suicide in moments which are gentle, heart-warming and thoughtfully characterised.

From the outset, the often laugh-out-loud moments intersperse with fantastically delivered dry humour. Throw in some 90s beats and the constantly, cleverly moving, and dynamic scenery, this production really is fantastic fun. Additional mentions really must go to the set and costume design, by Jasmine Swan, lighting design by Andrew Exeter and sound design by Chris Whybrow, all of which add to the overall quality and feel of the production. It really is the perfect recipe for a fantastically entertaining evening.

The Full Monty is a thoroughly cheerful production and it is impossible to come away from without a smile and packed full of true Northern heart and soul. As to ‘that’ final moment – well, you’ll have to watch and wait to see whether the guys leave their hats on or not, but I’d highly recommend you find out in person! 

WE SCORE THE FULL MONTY...

EVERYBODY NEEDS SOME TWINKLE TWINKLE THIS CHRISTMAS!

Devised by the ‘TouchedTheatre’ company, directed by Anna Newell (An attempt to talk with the beginning of the world; I Am Baba; The Sound of Things;littletinySPACE) and with a story written by Beccy Smith (Founder of TouchedTheatre), ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ tells the story of Marty the Dog, who simply adores playtime and spending time with his Daddy. There are two things that Marty clearly does not adore; bathtime and bedtime, or, more specifically, being left alone in the dark at bedtime.




The Puppet of Marty, created beautifully by Annie Brooks (Artistic director of theatre company, Colossal Crumbs) is full of life and fun, and has a personality all his own. He is delightful to watch and so cleverly crafted with love, that he is just so adorable that I believe every family wanted to take him home with them. I know I did!

The score, composed by Foz Foster (Me and the Sea, Human Remains, Blue), is utterly gorgeous! It is calming and relaxing and creates a beautifully wonderful atmosphere around the performance space before, and throughout the performance. It perfectly brings to life in auditory form, that lovely feeling as you drift off to sleep. The addition later in the performance of ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’, which the children join in with using little bells they have been handed, really did make for an emotional and magical moment that brought everyone together, strangers sharing a lovely moment with each other and their children. The score brings to life the power that music can have over an audience and is perfectly executed from start to finish.

The story is performed by Darren East (The Gift; Little Monster; The Smugglers!; Cunning Little Vixen) and Fagner Gastaldon (Land of the Dragon; The Memory Keeper; Fix Freddie) who are present on stage from the arrival of the audience right through until our exit. Their performance captivates every audience member, from the youngest to the oldest from start to end. As the audience arrive and take their seats, which are mixture of soft cushions on the floor, low seats and more traditional seats further back, they throw small lights to each other, which magically disappear and reappear. These two are the warmest, most welcoming, and gentle performers you could imagine. They engaged their young audience (and the not-so-young ones) throughout. You can’t help but warm to them immediately and throughout as they capture the essence of the simple story using their movements and their faces to wonderful, enchanting effect.

The moment Marty emerges slowly and playfully from a laundry basket, the younger audience members are transfixed and throughout the 25-minute performance, they bask in sheer delight at his antics as he skilfully attempts to avoid his bathtime, refuses to sleep when his Daddy tries to leave and demonstrates a feeling of nervousness and fear that many of them will relate to themselves. He doesn’t want to be alone in the dark – and let’s face it, nor do most of our littles. This sweet and simple tale is without doubt, my favourite theatre experience with my three-year-old son thus far. Designed for little ones aged 1-4 years, this is a difficult age range to cater for, but the gorgeous music, clever use of lights, interesting set design, brilliance of the puppetry and the absolute charm of the performers kept almost all of the children entertained, including my own little wriggle-bum, who doesn’t like to sit still, but who snuggled in, barely moved and giggled his little heart out. Watching him, watching this performance brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eyes. I think the light show of stars and that community rendition of ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ tipped me over the emotional edge!

Twinkle Twinkle makes you feel like you’ve been wrapped in a gigantic warm hug with a little bit of magic thrown in. This really is a perfect introduction to theatre for little ones and felt just a little bit extra special at Christmas time.

WE SCORE TWINKLE TWINKLE...

THE GOOD ENOUGH MUMS CLUB IS A THOROUGHLY HEARTWARMING, FUNNY, AND AN HONEST ACCOUNT OF THE RELENTLESSNESS OF MOTHERHOOD

The Good Enough Mums Club is a wonderfully relatable, emotional, and realistic insight into life as a Mum, told through the story of five very different, but somehow similar women who share one thing in common, their roles as a Mum. The staging is simple, designed to appear as a space within a Community Centre where the group meets, with a clever sidepiece, which acts as ‘Esme’s’ home. I am a Mum myself, and my plus one for the evening (also a Mum), took our seats in the auditorium alongside an audience made up of probably 95% women. It struck me immediately how connected this audience were to each other and to the performers this evening – which is the irony of Motherhood - there are billions of us, several hundred in one space even and yet, this production captures the loneliness and isolation that we can feel as individuals, while simultaneously celebrating the sacred and special role of other Mums who walk this road and take this journey with us.  

The five women from various walks of life, who meet at a mother and toddler group each week for two hours of sanity, space and sister-in-motherhood are front and centre throughout the production. The intimacy of the staging and warmth of these fantastic actresses, invites the audience into their group to the level that you feel almost as though you’re there with them in the room. The clever characterisation is so relatable. Essentially these woman have very little in common, but as often happens when women come together in ante-natal groups and later, in Mum and Baby/Toddler groups, although they're thrown together with people they essentially have nothing in common with other than the fact that they all have small humans to raise, and survive while doing so, soon they form friendships and bonds which draw them together until their lives and stories are inextricable from one another. This is a play which is first and foremost about solidarity and the importance of having those networks of support to hold you up and keep you level as you navigate your way through Motherhood.

Five incredible performers make this production utterly compelling. Michelle, mum of twin boys is played by Rebecca Bernice Amissah (A Strange Loop UK première, Guys and Dolls). Michelle brings to life the struggles and challenges of being a Black Woman raising Black Sons in the current social landscape, with all the complexities surrounding Race and equality as she shares with the group an all-to-familiar experience while using Public Transport, where her worth and success as a Mum is criticised and judged with the classic line linked to ‘Where you come from this might be acceptable’.      

Bea is the ‘Posh Mum’, and responsible for the group’s existence. Her initially irritating, competitive and ‘Housewives of Hale’ persona is soon exposed as something of a ‘smoke and mirrors’ façade. The reality is, she is lonely, with her husband clearly very much absent from the family home and lives. Played by Jo Kirkland (The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Dear Evan Hansen), Bea’s vulnerability, lack of self confidence and deep sense of loneliness really comes through and the way her fellow Mums embrace her, despite their vast differences, is really heartwarming.  

Sophie is a Mum who is quirky, lively, and instantly lovable. Played by Amy Ross (Wicked, Heathers, Kinky Boots), this Mum is hiding a heartbreaking secret that, when revealed, elicited a palpable and collective outpouring of grief, emotion and love from the audience.

Jade Samuels plays Chantel (founding member of 'Jumprov', the UK's first all Black & Brown Improv group & a founder of MAWA, the UK's first all Black all Female Shakespeare company), a Mum is a bit of a rough diamond, one you’d always want on your team!

Belinda Wollaston (Judy Garland in the West End world premiere of JUDY!, Jekyll & Hyde) plays Esme, who we first see struggling to leave the house to join the group. Clearly all is not alright and we witness her descent into postpartum psychosis, which is portrayed with sensitivity, unsurprisingly given the writers own experiences with this awful, poorly understood and horrendously isolating condition. At the closing of the first Act, the desperate, terrifying, and brutal reality of her situation is left hanging in the air as we see Esme break in front of us, breaking us a little in return.

This cast is exquisite. They are brilliant, enthusiastic, and bursting with clearly genuine affection for the production, each other, the subject matter and above all, being Mums. The plot, including some fantastic songs and brilliant one-liners is a thoroughly heartwarming, funny, and deeply honest account of the reality of the relentlessness of Motherhood – it’s highest, most joyous highs and it’s gut-wrenching, soul-destroying lows. All of it is captured perfectly and does justice to the hundreds and hundreds of stories that are woven together in this production. I laughed until I cried and then cried on top of that, several times during the evening. The emotional journey is a little snapshot of the emotional journey of daily Motherhood, a lovely touch which took me by surprise but somehow made me feel less alone and a little bit less critical of myself. We end the evening with the message that where Motherhood is concerned, perfection is impossible, but you are good enough - and that’s good enough.    

WE SCORE THE GOOD ENOUGH MUMS CLUB...



Watch our "In Conversation with Rebecca Bernice Amissah " discussing the show

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS DELIVERS IN A BIG WAY - BIG FUN. BIG SMILES. BIG PERSONALITY!

Take your seats, store your tray tables in their upright positions and buckle up for a thrilling adventure as you are about to be whisked ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ through a kaleidoscope of music, lights, dancing and singing. Based on the novel by Jules Verne (which I will quietly admit, I have never read), this is a fabulous, fun, family oriented musical adaptation by Kate Ferguson and Susannah Pearse in which Phileas Fogg becomes Lady Phileas Fogg, played packed full of personality and gumption by Polly Lister - One Man, Two Guvnors and Hound of the Baskervilles, Octagon Theatre Bolton, The Wizard of Oz, The Worst Witch).

Directed by Olivier Award Nominee Kash Arshad, this super fun adaptation of the classic tale sees Phileas, a wealthy widow accepting an outrageous bet to prove that the English can do it better than the Americans and travel around the world in just 80 days (the American’s did it in 90!). The bet, waged by the husband of her good friend, Lady Eliza Sullivan (Emma Fenney - A Christmas Carol, Antic Disposition, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Live Online Production, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Guildford Shakespeare Company) is one which she, being somewhat discontent with life, having lost her husband and her son and having the heart of adventure beating loudly within her, accepts! Thus, with her fortune on the line, not to mention a point to prove to the smug, snide and condescending Sir Sullivan, off she sets from London, taking us along with her for the thrilling and wild dash across the globe.

Travelling through fascinating and exotic lands, Phileas and friends get into all sorts of adventures. They jump from boats to trains, trek across Europe to Asia, celebrate Diwali in India and soar through the Americas battling storms and gangsters. Will they make it back to London in time for Christmas or will the bet be lost?

Sir John Sullivan (Rob Jackson - Peter Pan, Octagon Theatre Bolton, Brief Encounter, Octagon Theatre Bolton, Stephen Joseph Theatre and Theatre by the Lake) is the instigator of the whole journey and it turns out he is not a very nice or kind fella. Failing in his business and to sell newspapers, he makes the outrageous bet with Lady Phileas, incredulous that a woman has dared to suggest that she could succeed. He, being conniving and just a bit mean, attempts to throw all kinds of obstacles in her path including the lovable, fantastic Khatri, played brilliantly by Darren Kuppan - Let the Right One In, Royal Exchange Theatre, The Jungle Book, Grosvenor Open Air Theatre and Chester Storyhouse, Spooks, Coronation Street, Emmerdale); whose sole job is to delay Philias and prevent her success – something which he fails miserably to do because actually, he is just such a nice guy!

Along the way they meet the plucky Balloonist Felicity Fanshaw (Charlotte Linighan - The Booth Show and Spinach, The Edge Theatre), who comes to their aid in a beautifully staged Hot Air Balloon ride at the top of Act one and into the start of Act two. Throughout the epic journey, Phileas is accompanied by her faithful Butler Passepartout (Kai Spellman - Billie The Kid, Kyriacos & Company and Dominion Theatre, Ali and Dahlia, Pleasance Theatre), who is comical, enthusiastic and utterly adorable but who is also, not entirely as he seems as we later discover!

This extremely clever and versatile cast also play various ensemble roles throughout the evening, switching with ease and professionalism between their various role at an astounding pace. No sooner has a cast member left the stage at one point, they seem to appear out of nowhere from somewhere entirely different. It’s so clever and adds to the enjoyment of this rip-roaring journey we take with them. Completing the cast is Olivia Chandler who will be the company swing, marking her professional debut.

The staging of this production is imaginative, creative, and extraordinarily good. You expect a lot from a show which promises to take you around the World in 80 days, and despite being in the Bolton Octagon, you do genuinely forget that bit and feel that you have been transported, via a ridiculous number of modes of transport I might add, across the globe. So, on this promise, it certainly does deliver.

The music and lyrics, created by Susannah Pearse is completely original and brand new. Pearse is a member of Mercury Musical Developments and a graduate of New York University’s Musical Theatre Writing Programme, and this is not her first collaboration with Kate Ferguson, having previously worked together on Pride and Prejudice (The Forgotten Bennet sister) and Sherlock Holmes (The Early Years). The tunes are enjoyably catchy and the lyrics are quick, witty and convey a lot.

Make no mistake – this may be a small cast performing on a small scale, but this production delivers in a big way. Big fun. Big smiles. Big personality. You can feel the tangible enjoyment of the cast, who are clearly having great fun on the stage and taking us along for the ride. The versatility of the cast, the creative use of space and the light-hearted but clever and amusing script, music and songs are a credit to the entire family production from the inception to final performance and gives us, the audience, two hours of solid entertainment and feel-good fun.   


WE SCORE AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS...



Around The World In 80 Days is on at The Octagon Bolton until Saturday 6th January.


Watch our video "In Conversation with Polly Lister", who plays the main character, Lady Phileas Fogg.


To discover more about The Octagon, watch our video "In Conversation with Lotte Wakeham", the artistic director at the venue.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET - AKRAM KHAN'S GISELLE IS UTTERLY CAPTIVATING, ENERGETIC AND EMOTIONALLY CHARGED!

Akram Khan’s ‘Giselle’ is utterly captivating, extraordinary even, but probably not for the reasons you’d expect from a production of this classic and timeless dance performance! I’m pretty much a novice when it comes to Ballet and confess, I have only ever seen one traditional performance of another classic, ‘Swan Lake’, about 10 years ago. So, I wasn’t sure what to expect as my equally novice plus-one and I sat down this evening. I can assure you that what we got was beyond anything I could have anticipated. Billed as one of the greatest romantic ballets of all time, I, like most people, was loosely aware of the two-stage plot. In the first half, the young and beautiful peasant girl Giselle has her heart captured by Albrecht, a nobleman engaged to one of his own kind, who disguises himself as a village boy to win Giselle’s affections before he is outed by his love rival Hilarion, a gamekeeper who is also in love with Giselle. The deception of her beloved sends Giselle into a spiral of wild grief culminating in her dancing herself to death as her weak heart shatters. In the second half, Giselle is awakened from death by Queen Myrtha who leads the Wilis (the ghosts of maidens betrayed by their lovers) and forces any man they meet regardless of who he is, to dance until exhaustion kills them as an act of vengeance. Giselle’s love transcends vengeance, however, and she forgives Albrecht, an act which saves his life and frees her from an eternity of revenge and hatred with the Wilis, thus proving that real love can conquer all. I knew what was about to unfold before me - or at least, I assumed I did. But this production is not that? ‘Giselle’. More accurately, this atmospheric, visceral, astounding ‘Giselle’ defies all assumptions and expectations associated with its previous incarnations. 

Reimagined by Akram Khan, with an updated score by Vincenzo Lamagna which moulds elements of the familiar Adolphe Adam score into a pulsating, powerful, at times soft and melodic and at times relentlessly sinister new musical entity and a stark but stunningly effective visual design by Tim Yip, supported by Mark Henderson’s simple but incredibly effective lighting vision, this performance was tragic, emotional, and utterly extraordinary. The score to this performance is incredible, performed to perfection by the live orchestra. This truly was, for me, an unforgettable introduction to the world of Ballet reimagined and a haunting, breathtaking, heartbreakingly beautiful introduction to this classic performance piece which has undergone a serious dystopian metamorphosis into something just a little bit beyond special. Akram Khan’s ‘Giselle’ does not feel or behave even remotely like its original incarnation. This is a different entity entirely – in more ways than one. It takes you, ready or not, on an emotive, raw, cerebral journey which left me feeling a pit-of-the-stomach anger at times, discomfortingly uneasy at others, and tearfully moved in moments. At its devastatingly poignant conclusion, there is a sense of having journeyed through something brilliant, but traumatic, artistic but uncomfortable, vicious, but somehow tender.  

The cast list does change from date to date, and this is available ahead of schedule via the website. Giselle performed this evening by Erina Takahashi (Training; Kushiro Ballet Academy, English National Ballet School. Repertoire; Lead roles in Manon, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo & Juliet, Giselle) is presented as one of the ‘Outcasts’, a group of migrant workers who is now without work following the closure of the garment factory in which they previously found employment. In Khan’s ‘Giselle’, we open to the sight of an imposing wall against which men and women are lined up. The music is immediately uncomfortable. You feel immediately on edge. The wall is astounding. If Ballet did 'Game of Thrones', this wall would be at the centre of it! Throughout the performance, the wall somehow establishes itself almost as a character in and of itself, standing as a metaphor for class inequality, injustice and societal divide. We see Albrecht, portrayed by James Streeter (Training; English National Ballet School. Repertoire; Tybalt in Derek Deane’s Romeo & Juliet, Rothbart in Swan Lake, Akram Khan’s ‘Dust’) a member of the ‘Landlords’ but disguised as an Outcast, looking for Giselle, with the implied status of their relationship as being well established, contrary to the classic piece in which we see the romance unfold.

Albrecht is noticed by Hilarion, portrayed by Ken Saruhashi (Training; Harumi Shimoda Ballet School, English National Ballet School. Repertoire; Ali and Lankendem in Le Corsaire, Prince Siegfried in Derek Deane’s Swan Lake, Albrecht in Mary Skeaping’s Giselle, Nephew/Prince in Eagling’s Nutcracker, Mercutio in Nureyev’s Romeo & Juliet) who is angered by his presence. This presentation of Hilarion is a very different character to the original one in 1841. He is described as a ‘shape-changing fixer’ who mimics and trades with the Landlords for profit and appears angry at Albrecht for everything he represents rather than just for his rivalry for Giselle’s heart. As the wall turns, Albrecht is a desperate man, clearly attempting to avoid what he clearly knows to be behind the wall – the truth of who he is. As the wall reveals the ‘Landlords’, including Albrecht’s fiancée Bathilde, you could be forgiven for thinking you'd stepped into a stage version of 'The Hunger Games'. The costumes are eccentric, dramatic, and extremely clever. The contrast with the ‘Outcasts’ couldn’t be starker, solidifying our suspicions that the wall really is a metaphor for divides, and setting the stage for the inevitable meeting of Giselle and Bathilde, lighting the fuse towards the inevitable ending to Act One, the tragic demise of our heroine Giselle, broken by loves deepest betrayal, who dances into madness, twisting and turning until her heart breaks. Again, there is a divergence from the classic tale as rather than dying in Albrecht’s arms, this ‘Giselle’ is encircled by the other ‘Outcasts’, with her lifeless body revealed in Hilarion’s arms as the ‘Landlords’ retreat across the wall, taking Albrecht with them. The ending of Act One is relentlessly and wildly turbulent. If feels as if not only Giselle has been driven mad with grief but rather, that her pain has seeped into everything on and around the stage, human, aural and otherwise, as we see even the wall itself, turning on its axis until the curtain falls. You leave Act One feeling all the feels and then some. It is not a ‘good’ feeling. Rather it is one of stunned appreciation for what you have just witnessed.  
       

It’s important to say here, that despite the brilliance of the performance, someone without knowledge of the original story may find themselves deeply confused by the many missing plot developments which seem to have been stripped from this reimagined version of the piece, despite being relatively important to the cohesiveness of the story we are journeying through. Significant events from the story are entirely absent, and this makes for a confusing and at times unfathomable performance which seems almost completely unattached to any meaningful narrative. This does not abate in the second Act and is the one and only point of criticism.   

If the first Act was depressing, difficult to watch and somewhat bleak, the second catapults us, often it feels, against our will, such is the discomfort created by the brilliant staging and horrifying visual and aural atmosphere, into the wrecked, abandoned ‘ghost’ factory which is now in habited by the Wilis (originally the ghostly spirits of maidens betrayed by their lovers but recharacterized somewhat in Khan’s version into the ghosts of factory workers who seek revenge for the wrongs done to them in life). Lead by their ferocious Queen Myrtha – brilliantly performed by Emma Hawes (Training; BalletMet Dance Academy, Columbus Ohio, Canada’s National Ballet School. Repertoire; ENB First Soloist, Principal 2022, Lead Principal 2023, Manon and Lescaut’s Mistress in Manon, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Cinderella in Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella, Raymonda in Tamara Rojo’s Raymonda, Gulnare in Le Corsaire and Clara/Sugar Plum Fairy in Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker.). Hawes is terrifying, unnerving but utterly compelling and you cannot take your eyes off her. What takes place in Act Two is brutal. It is violent. It is also a beautiful reminder of the power of love and forgiveness.  

Takahashi and Streeter are exceptional, at times moving with a fluidity that merges them into one being, seamlessly and hauntingly moving across the stage space with grace and anguished beauty. Saruhashi gives an equally impressive performance full of energy, emotion, and skill. The corps de ballet is every bit as exquisite in their performance. They swell and undulate as one at times, and at others, break apart into smaller groups, dancing with vigour and passion in a multitude of directions and expressions, creating a living, breathing performance which is remarkable to observe. Visually, this is a stunning, complex, dystopian update of this classic story. Packed full of impressive, energetic, modern choreography, astonishing visual designs, magnetic musical landscapes, deliciously effective, ethereal lighting, and a powerhouse of performances which keep you immersed throughout this production is emotionally charged, illustrating a simple but important message – while not every wrong can be righted, deep, honest love can break all boundaries and forgiveness can bring true freedom.   

WE SCORE GISELLE...

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR IS A CONTEMPORARY AND EDGY MUSICAL WELL WORTH EXPERIENCING!

I can’t lie, I was excited for this one! Jesus Christ Superstar is one musical production that I have never seen before. As a 14-year-old schoolgirl who had just opted to do drama at GCSE, I was lucky enough to be invited to take part in a workshop at my school with some professional musical theatre artists, who showcased some of the main musical numbers from this production for us, up on our lowly, creaking school stage. Thus, my love of musical theatre began. This was back in 1993 and let me tell you, dear reader, 30 years may have passed since that event, but tonight, finally, I got to take my seat and see the whole thing unfold in front of me and overall, I have to say, it did not disappoint.

Featuring lyrics and music by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber respectively, this production is a revival of this 1970’s classic musical heavyweight. I did wonder whether the musical stylings might have lost some of their edge, or show their age, given the almost four and a half decades that have passed since it was composed. Within the opening portion of the show, the apostles ask; “What’s the buzz, tell me what’s-a-happening“ and this reviewer can confirm that the ‘buzz’ is an electric evening ahead and ‘what’s-a-happening’ is a musical masterpiece, reinvented to deliver a frantic, contemporary, exciting revamp of this classic production, full of rock opera refrains, choreographic brilliance, and performed by an energetic, enthusiastic cast who give their all in a thrilling, high voltage performance from start to end.

As the overture began, with the all too familiar solo guitar reverberating around the theatre from high up within the stage rig itself, the hairs on my arms rose. Massive props must go out to the live band; Felix Strickland, Ryan Webber, Gordon Davidson, Laura Llewellyn Jones, Gavin Tate-Lovery, David Csizmadia and Venessa Domonique who were small in number, but mighty in their powerhouse of a performance throughout. While this musical may have originally been debuted on stage in 1971, this touring production, with its slick, artistic choreography carefully crafted to thrilling effect by Olivier Award-winning Drew McOnie is most certainly a ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ for our time.

Based on the gospels accounts of the passion of Christ, the week leading to the Crucifixion of Jesus, this incarnation of the production catapults us relentlessly into the psychology of Jesus and other key characters, with huge swathes of the plot focused on the role of Judas, played by Shem Omari James (Dreamgirls - UK Tour, Vanara - Hackney Empire, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Songs For a New World - London Palladium). Ian McIntosh (Olivier Award nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Barry Mann in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre), Galileo Figaro in We Will Rock You (London Coliseum); Deco Cuffe in The Commitments (UK & Ireland Tour); Galileo Figaro in We Will Rock You (20th Anniversary UK & Ireland Tour); Young Ben Stone in Follies (National Theatre); Sid Worley in An Officer and A Gentleman (UK and Ireland Tour); Bud in Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (The Criterion); Ray/Alternate Deco Cuffe in The Commitments (Palace Theatre); Hair – The European Arena Tour) brings an emotional rawness to his portrayal of Jesus that throughout the show expertly switches between making us, the audience feel like we are intruding on the intimacy of the characters inner feelings one moment and pulling us in to share in the expansive hysteria surrounding his idol status the next. The relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene (played with soul and feeling by Hannah Richardson (Theatre includes: Cathleen & swing in Sting’s The Last Ship (USA Tour); TV Appearances include: Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Late Show with James Corden) is explored in the early stages of this production as we see Judas warning Jesus to avoid Mary, because she is a prostitute, with Jesus firmly reminding Judas that those who are not without sin should not judge.  

The ensemble cast is simply superb, at times extraordinary. The set itself is equally exciting  and is simplistic, moody and gloriously utilised by the cast to its full advantage – from the rusty industrial girders which complement the contemporary ambiance and feel of this production, to the lighting which is used to perfect effect, the standout moment of which is the final beam of light, illuminating the crucifixion as the story quietly reaches its climax, at odds with the frantic pace and building energy which has whizzed us through the rest of the show. And herein lies my only disappointment. My partner-in-crime for this evening’s performance was someone who doesn’t really know the story in depth, and certainly did not know this musical. Somewhere between the turbulent pace of the choreography and the relentless musicality, in the first half especially, the story seemed somehow overshadowed, and at points, unfathomable; lost in maelstrom of everything else which, for me who knows the story and the musical and can therefore piece it all together was fine, but for those like my companion who didn’t have access to that information, may arrive at the interval somewhat confused and bewildered!   

Make no mistake, this is a heavy production, with an almost visceral sense of emotional overwhelm at times, excellently crafted by the edgy choreography, the rock-God excesses of many of the numbers and the ceaseless energy of the cast. When it all threatens to become a little too heavy, we are presented with the light-hearted comedy of the combination of the deep, rumbling voice of Caiaphas (Jad Hapchi; Credits include: Jesus Christ Superstar (Frinton Summer Theatre), Dirty Dancing (Secret Cinema), Disney in Concert; As a vocalist, Jad has also been a backing singer for Andrea Bocelli and Hiba Tawaji) and Annas (Matt Bateman: Credits - Fredrik Egerman in A Little Night Music, Bernie Buchsbaum in Little Me, Stan in Don Juan in Soho and Featured Vocalist for Friday Night is Music Night, Billy/Eugene Fodor in Crazy for You). The pinnacle of this injection of humour, is most certainly the relatively short, but comedic appearance of Julian Clary (TV Credits: Sticky Moments. More TV followed, including Terry and Julian, All Rise for Julian Clary, Prickly Heat, It’s Only TV But I Like It, Strictly Come Dancing, Have I Got News For You, Who Do You Think You Are?, QI, Celebrity Big Brother, Your Face Sounds Familiar, Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, Give a Pet a Home, Nature Nuts and Passions. Theatre credits: Leigh Bowery in Boy George’s Taboo (West End and UK tour), the Emcee in Rufus Norris’s Olivier Award-winning production of Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret (West End) and Le Grand Mort (Trafalgar Studios), Norman in The Dresser (National Tour), Bleak Expectations (West End) as King Herod who erupts onto the stage, his excessive gold cape billowing out behind him, delivering a high-camp performance which the audience lapped up with glee.

One stand-out performance for me was Ryan O’Donnell’s (Theatre includes: Mandela - The Young Vic; The Book Thief - Octagon Theatre; Tina the Musical - Aldwych Theatre; Sunny Afternoon - Harold Pinter Theatre; Quadrophenia the Musical - UK Tour; Television includes: The Crown Season 4 - Netflix; The Serpent - BBC One) Pilate. Initially moody, sardonic, and oozing disdain, we are treated to a metamorphosis of Pilate, seeing the change in the character unfold, to almost anguish and humility in response to the mob’s increasingly violent bloodlust for Jesus to be crucified, again, superbly portrayed via the uncomfortable, jerky convulsions of the choreography brought to life by the ensemble cast.

This is a contemporary, edgy, artistic update to an original piece of musical theatre history which is well worth experiencing. It sounds amazing. It looks incredible. It also makes use of copious amounts of shimmering glitter throughout. Really, what’s not to love?!    

WE SCORE JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR...

UNTITLED F*CK M*SS S**GON IS A PLAY FOR OUR TIME - IT'S SIMPLY PHENOMENAL

I had very little idea of what to expect when I sat down to watch the World premiere of ‘Untitled F*CK Miss Saigon’ on a decidedly grey and miserable Friday evening in Manchester. I reasoned that there must be something special about the play; after all, it was the inaugural winner of the international ‘Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting’ in 2019. But it turns out that ‘special’ really was the wrong word. I could not have imagined that just under two hours later, I would emerge thoroughly emotionally wrung out, having travelled the full gamut of the emotional landscape, but in a way that felt electrifying. What I just witnessed was something beyond ‘good theatre’, or even ‘special’ – this was an intense example of the transformative power of theatre and of writing. This was simply phenomenal.  

Writer Kimber Lee (Plays include ‘Tokyo Fish Story’, ’Different words for the same thing’, ‘Brownsville Tray – B-Side for tray’. Accolades include Lark Playwright’s Workshop Fellow, Dramatists Guild Fellow, member of Ma-Yi Writers Lab, recipient of the Ruby Prize, PoNY Fellowship, Hartford Stage New Voices Fellowship) is a New York-based playwright who has channelled her feelings of frustration and rage at the insidious and pervasive misrepresentation which has resulted in the stereotyped caricatures of East and South Eastern Asian women, into a call to action to change the narrative of such stereotypes and to widen the narrow space awarded to Asian American stories in the cultural world in general. Lee describes her play as being about a woman trying to find her way out of a maze or trap and this is played out in front of the audience in such a powerful way that you can readily feel the anguish and desperation build to an intense crescendo as the play reaches its finality. Lee unleashes the full force of her anger in this piece, which offers a bold confrontation of the portrayal of Asian inferiority, as well as the patriarchy. The result is brilliant.

Despite having no actual interval (the running time is 1 hour and 50 minutes – something which I was not sure I was going to be on board with, but which actually doesn’t feel too long at all because the pace and energy of the piece just makes it work so well) this play is almost a play of two halves – the first focusing on the telling and re-telling of the popular (and painful) representations of Asian culture and women that are so familiar to us all and the second where we are transported back into 2023 to see whether the character of Kim can smash apart the cycle and break free from its inevitability.

The first ‘half’ is brilliantly narrated by Rochelle Rose (‘The Witcher’, ‘Death in Paradise’, ‘Boxing Day’, ‘Rockets and Blue Lights’, ‘Salt’, ‘The Ridiculous Darkness’, ‘Cinderella’, ‘The Winter’s Tale’) who later switches to the role of Brenda. Rose is vibrant, hilarious, deadpan, and utterly mesmerising in her storytelling, capturing the audience with wit, sarcasm, dry humour and an insanely engaging vocal tone and pace. She leads us through a sequence of familiar, popular, cultural representations, all of which, in this context, are excruciatingly recognisable characters from well-known dramatic pieces across the decades. The result, while uncomfortable, is equally hilarious and it must be said, the seamless switching between discomfort and humour is handled spectacularly well. Lourdes Faberas (‘Richard II’, ‘La Boheme’, ‘One Day, Twenty Years’, ‘No time to Die’, ‘The Sandman’, ‘Good Omens’) presents the character of Rosie, and later CIO CIO. The lead character of Kim is presented by British Actor and Laurence Olivier Award Winner Mei Mac (‘My Neighbour Totoro’, ‘Princess Mononoke’, ‘Call the Midwife’) and her portrayal is incredible. She moves fluidly, effortlessly, passionately through the various incarnations of her character with a skill and presence that is incredible and deeply engaging, even when also deeply painful. In the ‘second half’ of the play she gives a speech which brought the theatre to a level of collective silence in a scene which felt like a visceral, raw, confronting punch to the guts. Powerful is not a word that does adequate justice to her performance throughout the evening.

The character of Clark, the typical all-American Soldier we are so familiar with in such stories and hilariously described as one who clearly engages in various fitness activities such as Cardio and High-Intensity Interval Training and is likened at one point to Magic Mike is played to perfection by Tom Weston-Jones (‘Copper’, ‘Spooks’, ‘Warrior’). His random and clearly incorrect use of words in dialogue with the various characters of Vietnam, Korea and the South Pacific are both cringingly embarrassing and full of laugh-out-loud funny. The play itself references his complete lack of awareness for the language and culture of the people he is conversing with in a way which hits a little too close to home at times, but rightfully and humorously so. Jennifer Kirby (‘Teddy’, ‘Pride and Prejudice’, ‘Henry V’, ‘Call the Midwife’) plays Evelyn, (Clark’s wife) in the first half of the story, and Richards (Afi’s Fiancé) in the second half of the story. She is a delightful addition to an extremely strong casts ensemble, adding a little humour and sweetness to Evelyn, and some fierce but (in the context of the scene) completely tone-deaf feminism to the character of Richards later. Jeff D’Sangalong (‘The Ocean at the end of the Lane’), plays the dual roles of Goro and Afi.   

We are taken breathlessly, hilariously, powerfully and, at times, devastatingly through the inter-weaving stories of the characters who are brought to life by this incredible cast. The central narrative is a very real, very clear, very relevant expression of the times in which we live and those which we and, more importantly, others have lived through. The representations of the supposed lived experiences of the character of Kim (amongst others to a far lesser extent) is the rage that fuelled Kimber Lee to write this extraordinary piece and the world is certainly a better place for her having done so. Her words pull no punches. Her rage is poured into every single line and boy does it hit hard at times.   

This energetic production is superbly directed by Roy Alexander Weise (The Mountaintop) for the Royal Exchange Theatre as part of Manchester International Festival. The creative vision for this piece is brought to life in a performance which is profound, clever, and impactful. This play is beyond powerful, the writing is beyond brilliant, and the themes are beyond important. This is a play for our time, as confronting as it is empowering, as hilarious as it is devastatingly painful. The individual performances are exceptional, and the overall impression is phenomenal.

WE SCORE UNTITLED F*CK M*SS S**GON PLAY...

DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE IS THE PERFECT FAMILY SHOW FOR ALL YOU DINO LOVERS!

Warning, there are spoilers in this article...

On an unassuming Thursday afternoon, next to a grey, cold Salford Quayside, two brave and intrepid adventurers made their way into uncharted territories; me, a 43-year-old mum, and my dinosaur loving, just turned three-year-old son. The Lyric Theatre may be a million miles away from Islar Nubar (the one and only Jurassic Park), but the palpable anticipation in the air was no less contagious or thrilling had we been on that little helicopter, flying over the island of dinosaurs itself.

We took our seats ready to be transported 65 million years into the past and without a hint of shame, I’ll admit that I was at least as excited, if not more so, than pretty much every child in the room (and more excited than any middle-aged mum should reasonably be!) because…DINOSAURS!!! 

The lights go down and the exuberant chatter of a theatre full of excited little people is suddenly interrupted by the entrance of our host, Miranda (Selin Baglcioglu: Marie Antoinette/Helen of Troy, Misfits) who tells the story of her family being caught on a boat in a storm and happening upon a mysterious island inhabited by dinosaurs. She is positively perky, charming, and bubbly. She also mysteriously draws our attention to a dinosaur egg, sitting innocently at the side of the stage, urging the children to shout her name if the not-so-little egg starts a-moving. They gleefully agree.

One by one, Miranda enthusiastically introduces us to the dinosaurs that share her island, providing us with nuggets of information and facts about each one. We meet several small, unruly and lovable dinos, such as the feisty Microraptor ‘Orlando’; the stubborn vegetarian Segnosaurus, ‘Juliet’ and the adorable baby Triceratops, ‘Beatrice’ who is napping until tickled awake by a delighted child plucked from the audience. There is amazement from all in the audience (adults included) as ‘Brutus’, a full-sized Triceratops emerges to the stage to keep a watchful eye on little baby ‘Beatrice’. With each introduction, a child is picked from the audience to go up and meet, feed, stroke or tickle each dinosaur by Miranda, who bounds down into the audience to select from her many, many willing volunteers. The joy and astonishment on the faces of the children was just lovely – a memory they will keep for a long time to come.

The dinosaurs have been brilliantly and thoughtfully designed by Max Humphries (creative productions include: Cirque du Soleil, Green Ginger, Pickled Image, Bristol Old Vic, Royal Opera House) and the beautiful and engaging puppetry, which was choreographed by Puppet Director Laura Cubitt (creative works include: Beyond the Deepening Shadow – The Tower of London, A Monster Calls – The Old Vic, War Horse – NT Berlin, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time – NT West End), is brought to life with fun, versatility, and delight by a team of puppeteers including Rhea Locker-Marsh (The Hit, Rocket Girl, The Lost Leigh Goose, Boris and Sergey’s One Man Extravaganza), Sharon Sze (Animal Farm UK Tour, Inside Man, As Dusk Falls), William Uden (The Gingerbread Man, Jurassic World, Jurassic Earth Live, Emily Rising, Michael Morpurgo’s Mimi and the Mountain Dragon), Nicholas Halliwell Under the Frozen Moon, A Ladder to the Stars, Meet Fred, The Hit) and Ross Lennon (Dinosaur World Live). The puppeteers manage to make the magic of moving, breathing dinosaurs come to life in front of the audience and for the full 50 minutes, disbelief is suspended. 

Let’s face it though, no matter how fantastical the dinosaur show and tell might be so far, there is only one thought on everyone’s mind – will we meet a T-Rex?! Miranda pops up again to share the devastating news that the Tyrannosaurus Rex won’t be making an appearance. The disappointment is immediate. Thankfully, it’s a ploy and without warning there is a familiar, thrilling, almighty sound that reverbs around the theatre. ‘ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR’!!!!! He’s HERE. And by ‘he’, I mean the one, the only, the utterly magnificent (and, just to warn you, apparently terrifying to my three-year-old and several other, younger audience members!) ‘Titus’ - the T-Rex. Appearing from a super impressive amount of smoke effects and thunderous sound effects, every child (and quite a few of the adults!) are silenced. Stunned. Eyes wider than wide at the impressive sight before them. And then, inevitably, the screams, the squeals, the parents (me included) momentarily rethinking their decision to bring their tiny humans into this confined space absolutely booming with the extremely loud noise of a giant T-Rex, now stomping across the stage and eyeing up the ‘all you can eat’ lunch buffet that the audience presents to him. Thankfully. ‘Titus’ doesn’t appear to be hungry and is there strictly in the capacity of guardian to adorable baby T-Rex ‘Tamora’. Just to be on the safe side, Miranda leaps into the audience, shouting that we all need to roar as loudly as we can to keep Titus back. The audience obliges and after several deafening minutes, Titus stomps away to the cheers and delight of all involved.

As the Dinosaur World show and tell comes to an end, the dinosaur egg, which has wiggled and shook several times during the show, is taken away as the disappointed audience are told that it doesn’t look like it’s hatching today. Never fear though, egg makes a swift reappearance and this time, it’s cracking! The children are besides themselves as a tiny little Giraffatitan pops it’s adorable little head out of the egg, followed by Mama ‘Gertrude’. A surprisingly touching moment between mother and baby follows as the show comes to a close.

The 50-minute showtime is just about manageable for the littlest audience members and there is a post-show ‘meet and greet’ with an opportunity for a closer look at the baby T-Rex and baby Triceratops which is predictably mobbed, but charmingly delightful. Dinosaur World Live will leave young and old feeling like they’ve witnessed something a little bit special. Dinosaur fans will be especially captivated and will no doubt tell everyone they meet about the day they came face to face with these magnificent creatures from a time long, long ago. My three-year old has ‘roared’ at everyone he’s met since we left the theatre and refuses to take off his dino onesie. The dinosaurs remain in Salford until the 18^th February before stomping across the UK and Ireland so get yourself and your little ones booked before tickets become extinct!  

WE SCORE DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE...