Theatre Review: The Band, Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Image Source: ATG

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy Drama
Date: January 23 2018
Location: Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Judging by the promotion and the marketing, The Band is a show all about a certain band which originally formed in Manchester. When you actually see the show and understand the story, though, it is not necessarily about that group of five at all (nor is The Band about a former faction in TNA Wrestling; bonus points if you get that reference), but rather a different group of five; a group of five friends, whose lives are intertwined due to the impact of their childhood heroes.

Indeed, we begin in 1992, where five teenage schoolgirls, who fantasise about The Band every day (and they are always referred to as the lads or The Band as opposed to the group's official title), are super-excited when one of them (Debbie, played by Rachelle Diedericks) wins tickets to see them live in concert. Of course, all of the friends go along, and they love the show. An attempt to try and meet the boys afterwards is futile, though, but at least they share a bonding experience before heading home in separate directions.

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Theatre Review: Jersey Boys, Empire Theatre, Liverpool

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Brinkhoff & M+Âgenburg

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy Drama
Date: January 11 2018
Location: Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Jersey Boys is the crème de la crème of theatre musicals. The story of how Frankie Valli, Tommy Devito, Bob Gaudio and Nick Massi became huge stars as The Four Seasons with one hit after another, only for it all to fall apart (largely because of Tommy's financial problems) is a compelling and cautionary tale, but it is the songs themselves, and the performances of said songs by the cast, that make this one of the most famous shows in the world, spanning from Broadway to the West End and from Toronto to Tokyo.

I had previously seen the Jersey Boys in 2015, and at the time I believed that it was the best show I had ever seen. Upon its return to Liverpool Empire as part of a second UK tour, I was excited, and though I probably enjoyed the previous incarnation more (most likely because it was all new to me), the latest version hits all of the right notes (quite literally), making for a fantastic night at the theatre once again.

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Theatre Review: Crazy For You - Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Image Source: ATG

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy
Date: December 8 2017
Location: Empire Theatre, Liverpool

A love triangle within a musical is as old as the theatre industry itself, but when the two men involved are the same person??? That's something different, and this forms a major arc for Crazy For You.

The greater emphasis of the show is about the run-down Gaiety Theatre in Deadrock, Nevada which is threatened with closure by the banking authorities of New York. Chief to this is Bobby Child (Tom Chambers), who after a failed dance routine to impress Bela Zangler (Neil Ditt), the head of the Zangler Theatre in his hometown, is sent by his mother to Deadrock to carry out the impending takeover of the venue. This angers the feisty Polly Baker (Charlotte Wakefield), a talented theatre performer in her own right, who vows to never speak to Bobby Child again. As the Deadrock community band together to try and save Gaiety Theatre, though, Bobby develops a crush for Polly, but his advances are spurned.

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Theatre Review: Flashdance - Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool

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Written By: Alison Jones

Format: Musical
Genre: Romantic Drama
Date: October 16 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Well, the audience that first appreciated Flashdance are probably a bit long in the tooth for leotards and legwarmers these days, but we were transported back to the early 80’s without too much of a problem. I even sighed for my permed hair (maybe not ...)!

This performance didn’t have a slow-burn start; we were straight into an energetic music and dance number – Flashdance ... What A Feeling, and off we went!

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Theatre Review: Joseph

Image Source: Liverpool Live TV

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Musical
Date: October 3 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

There are two things that you think of when you hear Any Dream Will Do. The first is Jason Donovan, whose has had an eccentric career in multiple forms of entertainment but is still remembered by most for this one song. The second is Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the stage show from which this timeless tune originated.

And it's this show, with the shortened title of Joseph, which flies into Liverpool Empire with a bang, delivering some great music, fantastic scenery and eye-catching costumes which are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression. It's a show which will capture the imagination of those who have never seen it before, but one which will also provide plenty of entertainment for the generation who have seen Jason Donovan, Philip Schofield and others play the title role.

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Theatre Review: Dirty Dancing

Image Source: ATG

Written By: Alison Jones

Format: Musical
Genre: Romantic Drama
Date: September 18 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

On a rather windy, rainy autumnal night at Liverpool Empire, we were transported to an American 60’s summer at Kellerman’s resort in the mountains (which vaguely reminded me of days spent at Pontin’s Middleton Towers holiday camp in Morecambe and their photocopied entertainment schedules).

The latest musical stage version of the 1987 film Dirty Dancing follows the original dialogue without any variance, albeit at a rather rushed pace, particularly in the first half. Katie Eccles, who plays Frances Houseman (‘Baby’), is very believable and reminds us of those idealistic times and carefree summers.

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Theatre Review: Dreamboats and Petticoats

Image Source: British Theatre

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Date: July 31 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

The summer is well and truly upon us, and for the older generation, there will be plenty of memories flooding back from summers gone by, whether it be having fun at the seaside, outings with friends, first loves or even the unforgettable music of the time.

Dreamboats and Petticoats provides all of these and more through a fun, nostalgic musical which has several familiar story arcs, along with a plethora of classic songs from the swinging 60s. For those who can remember the heydays of such acts as Cliff Richard and The Shadows, the music alone makes this a worthwhile show to see, but the production as a whole makes this one of the more enjoyable shows around.

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Theatre Review: La Cage Aux Folles

Image Source: ATG

Written By: Scott Gunnion

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy
Date: July 4 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Drag can be fabulously entertaining when done right, and not diminished by indiscriminate references and cheap innuendo. And this was a production that did drag proud. It could easily have played it for simple laughs.

As the first act unfolded, peppered as it was with one visually impressive but largely irrelevant drag routine after another, I got the feeling that this would be a play with no plot. All glitter, no substance. But I was wrong.

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Theatre Review: The Last Five Years

Image Source: Epstein Theatre

Written By: Scott Gunnion

Format: Musical
Genre: Drama
Date: June 15 2017
Location: Epstein Theatre, Liverpool, England

As always, I go into these things with hopes both high and burdened; burdened, I concede, by my own prejudices.

The premise sounded familiar. An actor and a writer fall in and out of love. Their story told from both perspectives. It sounded very La La Land, I sneered, even though the material pre-dates the well-known film.

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Wonderland

Image Source: Liverpool Echo

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Comedy
Genre: Musical
Date: June 12 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Wonderland merges the stories of Alice In Wonderland and Alice Through The Looking Glass, as well as adding some additional elements of its own, to create a story which aims to capture the imagination of children and adults alike.

In Wonderland, Alice (Kerry Ellis) is now 40-years-old, but her 40th birthday is hardly an occasion worth celebrating, as she is fired from her job. Upset at this, and disillusioned about her (unseen) husband leaving her years before, she and her daughter Ellie (Naomi Morris) both agree that they wish they could escape the real world and change their lives completely. That's when they get a visit from the mysterious White Rabbit (Dave Willett) who manages to transport them and their friend Jack (Stephen Webb), who comes on the scene almost by accident but who soon falls in love with Alice.

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Theatre Review: The Wedding Singer

Image Source: BritishTheatre.com

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Date: May 31 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Based on the 1998 movie, The Wedding Singer is based around Robbie Hart (Jon Robyns), a wedding singer by trade whose own wedding is fast approaching, where he will marry longtime sweetheart Linda (Tara Verloop). However, Linda does not show on the day, leaving a note which does little to make Robbie feel better. His situation is compounded by the engagement between Julia Sullivan (Cassie Compton) and New York hotshot Glen Gulia (Ray Quinn); Julia works as a waitress and is a close friend of Robbie, so much so that Robbie had agreed to sing at her wedding should she and Glen ever tie the knot, but prior to Robbie having his own heart broken.

Therefore, it takes some time and much persuasion from Julia for Robbie to honour his commitment. In the meantime, Robbie assists Julie with wedding preparations, but after some gentle prompting by Julia's friend Holly (Stephanie Clift) to "practice a church kiss", Robbie and Julia lock lips, and it quickly becomes clear that the two have developed feelings for each other. This slowly evolves amidst Robbie learning more about Glenn's lifestyle, which included regularly cheating on his bride-to-be.

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Theatre Review: Billy Elliot: The Musical

Image Source: ATG

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy Drama
Date: May 11 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Billy Elliot: The Musical has become one of the bigger hits on the theatre stage in recent years. It began in the West End in 2005 and has toured all over the world since then, but of course the story of Billy Elliot comes from the movie of the same name, which was released in 2000. Expectations were high as the production made its debut at Liverpool Empire Theatre, and I'm pleased to report that the show as a whole was a big success.

With the coal miners' strike just about to begin in County Durham, eleven-year-old Billy Elliot (Adam Abbou) is left to fend for himself in some respects, as he goes to boxing class while his violent, outspoken father (Martin Walsh) and brother Tony (Scott Garnham) are preparing to clash with the police. It quickly becomes obvious that Billy is not cut out for boxing, but he soon discovers after happening to witness a ballet dancing class, led by Mrs Wilkinson (Anna-Jane Casey), that he has both a passion and a flair for ballet. After initial reluctance, partly due to the feelings (held by many at the time, unfortunately) that a man or a boy wanting to dance and practice ballet must have been gay, Billy soon gives it a try, replacing boxing training with ballet classes. It is obvious that he has real talent, and Mrs Wilkinson notices how much potential Billy could have if he were to pursue ballet in an upper-class private school, especially given the economic turmoil at the time.

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Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story

Image Source: ATG

Written By: Seán Fitzsimmons

Format: Musical
Genre: Musical
Date: April 27 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Beginning in Lubbock, Texas, a young Buddy Holly (Glen Joseph), with the support of local radio DJ Hipockets Duncan (Matthew Quinn), sets his sights on fame and becoming a star. With his two pals Joe (Joe Butcher) and Jerry (Josh Haberfield), The Crickets are a trio of fun and talent. Enjoying the platform of local radio, Buddy decides to pursue his real passion - rock 'n' roll.

It soon becomes apparent that these three young musicians have much to overcome in their bid to break into the charts. With suspicion and even out-right rejection of rock 'n' roll, there are many slow to acknowledge Buddy's exceptional talents.

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Theatre Review: Ghost - The Musical

Image Source: ATG

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Date: April 10 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England

If you have ever seen the movie Ghost, you will know what to expect from the theatre version of the popular film, which recently came to Liverpool Empire Theatre. If you are unfamiliar with the movie and you are coming to the show with a fresh set of eyes, so to speak, then you may be in for a surprise, in more ways than one.

Ghost tells the story of a budding romantic couple, Sam Wheat (Andy Moss) and Molly Jensen (Carolyn Maitland), whose love for one another is known by others, in particular Sam's friend and work colleague Carl Bruner (Sam Ferriday), who is made aware that Sam has discovered bizarrely large amounts of money in various obscure bank accounts. The happy and slightly corny situation is turned on its head when a mugger shoots Sam dead, with Molly understandably devastated. However, Sam, now a ghost, is still able to see what is going on and how people are reacting to the murder, but as he is now a spirit, he can do nothing about it.

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Grease

Image Source: The Guide Liverpool

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Date: April 3 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England

Grease is one of the most famous films of all-time. The story is easy to follow, the characters are memorable, the performances are excellent, and the songs are timeless. Nearly 40 years on, it remains a true favourite, garnering high viewing figures whenever it's shown on television. Therefore, the prospect of seeing Grease on stage was pretty enticing. However, those who know their stuff about Grease will know that the film is actually based on the musical, not vice versa. Nevertheless, the movie itself is what most people think of, and so a high bar was raised for the 2017 incarnation.

Set at Rydell High School, Grease tells the story of two groups: the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies, consisting of guys and girls respectively. Within those two cliques, we're introduced to Danny Zuko (played here by Tom Parker of The Wanted) and Sandy Olsson (Danielle Hope), who previously met during a vacation and have been reunited here in Rydell. Initially unaware that the other is present, but telling their various friends about the summer romance, Danny and Sandy soon realise that they are both in Rydell, and the crux of the story then centres around whether they can take their previous romance any further, not least because of several bumps in the road along the way. We're also privy to other relationships involving members of the T-Birds and Pink Ladies, such as the blossoming romance between Kenickie (Tom Senior) and Rizzo (Louisa Lytton), who have setbacks of their own. Different scenes are introduced by Teen Angel/Vince (Darren Day), who adds some comic relief at times whilst also acting as a buffer between developments at time through his announcements on the local Wixx Radio.

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Funny Girl

Image Source: West End Theatre

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy Drama
Date: March 8 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Funny Girl first debuted on Broadway way back in 1964, making its West End bow in 1966. However, it has only recently been revived, so the vast majority of those seeing the show on its current run will be doing so for the first time. But regardless of whether you're a newbie to Funny Girl or if you actually saw the show back in the sixties, you're in for a real treat.

Set in New York City shortly after World War I, Funny Girl tells the story of Fanny Brice (played here by Sheridan Smith). Having been considered an outcast due to her not-exactly-supermodel figure and her occasionally overbearing yet amusing nature, Brice is initially ignored but uses her quirks and sheer talent to earn a job within vaudeville. Despite advice suggesting that she couldn't cope with the potential downsides of fame and theatre, Fanny is insistent on following this unexpected career path, which sees both her name value and financial fortune grow. At the same time, she bumps into businessman and gambler Nick Arnstein (played by Chris Peluso) on several occasions, which eventually leads to a romance between the two and, later, marriage and motherhood. Taken off her feet by Nick, Fanny risks her career and everything she has worked for to be with Nick and to help him. However, it is Nick whose life is more affected by their marriage, as a combination of Fanny's controlling nature and some unfortunate incidents relating to his business lead to a series of events which put a strain on their relationship and, ultimately, their futures.

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Rent

Image Source: Ents 24

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Musical
Date: February 28 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Currently on a 20th anniversary tour of the UK, Rent quickly became one of the most successful shows on Broadway upon its original 1996 debut. It has attracted a major following worldwide, particularly amongst a younger audience (there appeared to be a lot of students in attendance for the latest Liverpool presentation), so suffice it to say that expectations were fairly high heading into this one.

I found it difficult, however, to follow the lead story. The show is performed almost entirely in song; only around 5% of the production, if that, uses dialogue or physical performance as opposed to music. Partly due to this, and partly because we are introduced to a variety of characters and situations in a whirlwind fashion, it takes a good while to understand what is happening. It's only towards the end of the first half when one can truly put everything together, although the second half does make everything a lot more clear to those who may not have read up on the plot beforehand.

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Thoroughly Modern Millie

Image Source: Sheet Music Plus

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy
Date: February 20 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Originally a 1967 movie which hit Broadway in musical form in 2002, Thoroughly Modern Millie is set in 1922 and tells the story of Millie Dillmount (Joanne Clifton), who comes to New York City with a dual goal: find a well-paying and well-respected job (bear in mind that this was a time when women were just starting to receive equal employment opportunities to men), and heading to the big city to find a suitable husband; although she tells her friends that she is going to marry her boss, regardless of who it is or where she finds him. To cover her time in NYC, she checks into the Hotel Priscilla but, unbeknownst to her or anybody else within her social circle, the hotel is run by Mrs Meers (Michelle Collins), who is also running a white slavery ring in Hong Kong, and uses the hotel as a way to find new workers.

Along the way, she manages to achieve her first aim by finding work in Sincere Trust and quickly decides that she wants to marry Trevor Graydon (Graham MacDuff), the manager of the big-business company. She also makes a new friend in Dorothy Brown (Katherine Glover), who checks into Hotel Priscilla and reaches a compromise with Millie for the two to share a room as well as the cost of rent. In the meantime, while Meers plots the next stages of her scheme alongside two shy laundry workers at the hotel (Ching Ho, played by Damian Buhagiar, and Bun Foo, played by Andy Yau), Millie keeps bumping into Jimmy Smith (Sam Barrett) - literally at first, by accidentally tripping him up in the street - who is seemingly an average New Yorker, but who soon makes it clear that he has feelings towards Millie. Things become complicated when the Millie-James romance becomes a love triangle of sorts, as well as the increasing influence of Mrs Meers, and the unexpected twists and turns which sees Trevor enter the romantic picture but, again, choosing another lady over Millie. The various plot strands come together for the conclusion, which wraps everything up in a logical and amusing fashion.

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Million Dollar Quartet

Image Source: Backstage Pass

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Musical
Date: February 13 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

A show about Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins sounds like one hell of a night of musical entertainment, with tons of classic hits and dance moves to keep one's attention. As it turns out, Million Dollar Quartet takes a different approach with these four huge names; but don't despair, because the show remains a very enjoyable night at the theatre.

Million Dollar Quartet looks back at Tuesday December 4 1956, a night when the aforementioned names all happened to be at the Sun Records studios in Memphis, Tennessee on the same night, but for different reasons. After a quick opening number of Blue Suede Shoes, the story is told by Sam Phillips (the owner of Sun Records, played by Jason Donovan), and one-by-one, the mega-stars arrive. First to arrive is Lewis (Ashley Carruthers), who at the time wasn't well-known but quickly makes his presence felt through a combination of his obvious musical talents and his overbearing, occasionally rude nature. Next in is Perkins (Matthew Wycliffe), who is coming to record what he hopes will be his next big hit, but who doesn't take kindly to the somewhat annoying Lewis.

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Sunny Afternoon

Image Source: Ticketmaster

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy Drama
Date: February 7 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Sunny Afternoon tells the story of The Kinks, one of the most memorable and influential bands of a time when British music essentially took over the world. Since The Kinks delivered plenty of classic hits to stand out during this golden age, one would assume that the music forms the basis for this show. But that's not the case.

Well, in a way it does, because of course The Kinks are known for their music more than anything else; however, Sunny Afternoon recounts their history largely from the perspective of how their lives changed due to their success, or lack thereof at various points. It's less about building a story around their discography, and more about inserting their discography within the story.

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