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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Pantomime Review: Cinderella, Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Image Source: Mark McNulty

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Pantomime
Genre: Comedy
Date: December 19 2017
Location: Empire Theatre, Liverpool

The Empire Theatre has always been at the heart of Liverpool's pantomime scene during the festive season, and the venue delivers another panto-tastic experience for all the family with Cinderella.

The story is well-known: Cinders (Olivia Sloyan) struggles to make headway in her life because of her two wicked step-sisters (Daniel Taylor, who plays Hernia, and James Templeton, who plays Verruca), but a chance meeting with Prince Charming (Duncan James), accompanied by his servant Dandini (Scott Mobley), changes that. Not to mention the intervention of both her friend Buttons (John Evans) and The Fairy Godmother (Jodie Prenger), both of whom help Cinderella to keep her head up and her hopes high for a better future.

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Pantomime Review: Aladdin, Echo Arena Auditorium, Liverpool

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Echo Arena Auditorium

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Pantomime
Genre: Comedy
Date: December 16 2017
Location: Echo Arena Auditorium, Liverpool

We're just days away from Christmas now, which means that the panto season is well and truly in full swing now. The latest venue to launch its festive show is Echo Arena Auditorium, with their offering of the timeless tale known as Aladdin. ("Oh, no they're not!" "Oh, yes they are!")

The story of Aladdin is fairly easy to follow for kids and adults alike: Aladdin (played by Michael Auger, star of Collabro from Britain's Got Talent) and his daft family (his brother Wishy Washy, played by Mark Jones, and his mother Widow Twankey, played by Ruby Murry) are in Peking, where he encounters Princess Jasmine (the debuting Jessica Johann), much to the chagrin of her father who wants her to avoid falling in love with someone who lacks great wealth.

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Pantomime Review: Peter Pan, Epstein Theatre, Liverpool

Image Source: Epstein Theatre

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Pantomime
Genre: Comedy
Date: December 11 2017
Location: Epstein Theatre, Liverpool

The Epstein panto is as much an annual Christmas tradition as mince pies, work parties and the visit of the Coca-Cola truck which the usual doom-and-gloomers have been inexplicably trying to block. The formula is slightly switched up this year in a few ways, which combined with the usual big laughs and occasionally mature levels of humour (which the younger kids thankfully don't cotton onto), ensures that Peter Pan is another great festive offering.

Yes, Peter Pan; not traditionally a story which is brought to life in pantomime form, but one which perfectly adapts to the setting when performed by this experienced and talented crew. Here, Lewis Pryor takes up the title role, and quickly catches the eye of Wendy (Joanne Harper) as they travel to Neverland with a little help from Tinkerbell (Claire Simmo).

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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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Pantomime Review: Beauty & The Beast, The Black-E, Liverpool

Image Source: Made Up

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Pantomime
Genre: Comedy
Date: December 7 2017
Location: The Black-E, Liverpool

A modern, localised and charming retelling of the classic story Beauty & The Beast is currently being performed at the Black-E in Liverpool. Produced by Siobhan Noble and James Lacey, it brings the true spirit of Christmas along with some funky dance moves, some humorous situations and plenty of outrageous moments and one-liners to deliver a fantastic pantomime experience.

This version of Beauty & The Beast tells the story of Belle Vale (Tori Hargreaves), and her father Egbert (Alan Stocks) attempting to benefit from his next major invention, "Top Trumps" whoopie cushions. He also wants to find a rose for Belle, in the face of insults and adversity from her two sisters Toxteth (Maia Johnson) and Croxteth (Billiejo Fairclough). In the meantime, however, a spell by Fairy Rose Lane (Helen Carter) goes disastrously wrong, causing The Prince (Nick Langmead) to transform into a horrid Beast, who rules the kingdom with an iron fist and has his minions, particularly Dame Dolly (Jamie Greer) and Basic Bertie (Adam McCoy), perform his every wish.

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Theatre Interview: Charlotte Wakefield - Crazy For You, Liverpool Empire Theatre

Image Source: West End Frame

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Crazy For You dates back to 1992, when it first came to life on Broadway. Since then, the show has received several incarnations around the world, including two runs on the West End. Now, the production is touring the UK, and the Liverpool Empire Theatre is about to experience the show for the first time. We spoke to Charlotte Wakefield, one of the key performers in Crazy For You, to discuss the show, her character Polly Baker, and her successful theatre career thus far!

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Theatre Review: War Horse - Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Image Source: ATG

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Play
Genre: Drama
Date: November 15 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England

With the Remembrance Day services having taken place last weekend, and with next year marking 100 years since the end of World War One, it seems like a fitting time for War Horse to come to the Liverpool Empire. Since the show's inception, War Horse (a stage adaptation of the 1982 book, with the West End incarnation inspiring the movie, released in 2011) has gained a reputation for being one of the most compelling and emotional stage shows ever performed, and so there was a great deal of anticipation for its current run in Liverpool.

Fortunately, I can confirm that the show, which is based on a true story, is superb. Of course, it helps to have either seen the film or read the book, or at least to have some knowledge about the atrocities of the First World War to provide context. But even those approaching this show cold will appreciate the touching story, the incredible performances and the first-class production values which all come together to deliver a fantastic theatre experience.

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Theatre Review: Eugene Onegin (WNO) - Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Image Source: ATG

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Opera
Genre: Drama
Date: November 9 2017
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England

The Welsh National Opera (WNO) recently brought their newest opera performance, Eugene Onegin, to the Liverpool Empire Theatre.

Originally written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and first performed in Moscow way back in 1879, the focus of Eugene Onegin is the character after which the show is named. Tatyana, the daughter of Madame Larina, happens to meet Eugene by chance, as he visits her house alongside his friend Lensky, who happens to be the fiancé of Tatyana's youngest sister Olga. Having been in the process of reading a romantic novel, Tatyana soon realises that she has fallen in love with Eugene, and after telling their home nurse Filippyevna that she cannot sleep about her feelings, she sits up all night writing a letter to Eugene to express her love for him.

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Theatre Review: The Wizard Of Oz - Epstein Theatre, Liverpool

Image Source: Bill Elms

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Pantomime
Genre: Comedy
Date: October 29 2017
Location: Epstein Theatre, Liverpool

The Wizard Of Oz is one of the grandest, most magical and most popular stories of all-time. The tale of Dorothy and Toto having to overcome the Wicked Witch and appease The Wizard Of Oz in order to return home from Kansas, with assistance along the way from three unusual yet trustworthy accomplices (Scarecrow, Tin-Tin & The Cowardly Lion), is one that I'm sure everybody reading this will have seen in the form of the classic 1939 movie.

A theatre version of TWOZ is currently touring the region, and it has just completed a stop-off at the Epstein Theatre in Liverpool. So, it was with anticipation and a fair bit of excitement that I headed to one of my local venues to see an all-time great story come to life in physical form.

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Theatre Interview: Lucy-Jo Hudson - "Snow White Is Going To Be A Lot Of Fun"

Written By: Mark Armstrong

HI-HO! Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs is coming to St. Helens Theatre Royal this Christmas, where a combination of hilarious jokes, classic songs, eye-catching dance moves and colourful costumes, along with one of the most familiar stories ever told, all come together for one fantastic pantomime experience. Plus, Johnny Vegas will star as The Magic Mirror, one who is not afraid to speak the truth! Also appearing in the role of Snow White will be Lucy-Jo Hudson, who has built quite the career in acting, dancing and singing, from the cobbles of Coronation Street to the wildlife of South Africa! We spoke to Lucy-Jo about her forthcoming appearance in Snow White, as well as her career highlights so far and her future ambitions. We also ask Lucy-Jo: what's the worst Christmas present that you've ever had?

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Theatre Review: Man To Man - Everyman Theatre, Liverpool

Image Source: Everyman Theatre

Written By: Scott Gunnion

Format: Play
Genre: Drama
Date: October 25 2017
Location: Everyman Theatre, Liverpool

Man to Man is a one-woman-show that unites gender bending with Nazi Germany, complete with inexplicable and deeply misplaced Scottish accents. Seriously. That might sound like a brilliantly bonkers combination, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

This is the tale of a woman who adopts her husband’s identity after he dies in order to step into his shoes in the workplace and survive Nazi Germany. But the plot doesn’t really stand up to scrutiny; as if nobody in her husband’s workplace is going to notice his newly-feminine curves and edges, the lack of Adam’s apple or five o’clock shadow.

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Theatre Review: Golem - Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool

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Wirral Globe

Written By: Scott Gunnion

Format: Play
Genre: Comedy
Date: October 18 2017
Location: Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool

I started off my usual cynical self. After all, dystopian has been done to death. I was expecting the-pseudo Hunger Games on stage. 1984 revisited. But I quickly learned to abandon my prejudices and came to love what was on offer.

Let there be no doubt: Golem is utterly bonkers. It is cracked. Truly nuts. 1927, the theatre company responsible for the production, has achieved something truly tremendous.

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Pantomime Review: Sleeping Beauty (St. Helens Theatre Royal)

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St. Helens Theatre Royal

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Pantomime
Genre: Comedy
Date: October 22 2017
Location: St. Helens Theatre Royal

Pantomimes have increased in number over the last few years. From the usual Christmas tradition, we have been treated to Easter offerings, and now we have another pantomime just in time for Halloween.

Mind you, though there are some ghostly scenes, Sleeping Beauty is all about entertainment and fairy tale-esque magic, bringing smiles to children's faces while eliciting huge laughs from the adults. The great pantos do this seamlessly, and Sleeping Beauty at St. Helens Theatre Royal does a fine job of pulling this off to the point where, by the end, you're left with a positive impression on the characters and the show as a whole.

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Theatre Interview: Cheryl Fergison & David Heath - "You Come Out Of This Show With A Feel-Good Factor"

Image Source: Bill Elms

Written By: Mark Armstrong

The Wizard Of Oz is a timeless classic of a story, which celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2019. Before that, though, Dorothy and company are coming to life on the stage in an exciting pantomime for all of the family to enjoy. The show heads to the Epstein Theatre in Liverpool next weekend, but before then, we spoke to two of the stars from this production, Cheryl Fergison and David Heath, on their characters, their careers and their futures!

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Theatre Interview: Claire Sweeney & Warren Donnelly - "There's Nothing Quite Like Pantomime"

Image Source:
St. Helens Theatre Royal

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Nothing beats a good panto. Whether you're young, old or somewhere in between, a pantomime is a great experience filled with capers, music, dancing and a fair few risqué jokes! Sleeping Beauty is the next such panto on the agenda, as it heads to St. Helens Theatre Royal. Before the cast down their hats, frocks and capes, we spoke to two of the main players in Sleeping Beauty, Claire Sweeney and Warren Donnelly, who provided an insight into the show and their backgrounds in pantomime, theatre and beyond!

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Theatre Review: Flashdance - Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Image Source: ATG

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: Rita, Sue and Bob Too - Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool

Image Source: Liverpool Echo

Written By: Scott Gunnion

Format: Play
Genre: Comedy Drama
Date: October 10 2017
Location: Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool

What is there to say about Rita, Sue and Bob Too? It is the most unpretentious of beasts, if you care to be blunt about it.

Uninhibited by inhibitions and hard-faced with bare-faced cheek, this show was full frontal - and that’s not a reference to the naked arse shots that were full and prominent. The producers, Out of Joint, certainly know how to put on a show.

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A Spectacular Season Of Entertainment At Liverpool's Theatrical Gem!

Image Source: Epstein Theatre

Written By: Mark Armstrong

The Epstein Theatre are continuing their exciting season of entertainment for autumn/winter 2017 - from thought-provoking drama to sing-along musicals, great music, hilarious comedy and fun for all the family. You can book tickets for the shows at www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk/whats-on.

Former Never Mind The Buzzcocks chairman Simon Amstell is embarking on his fifth UK tour, What Is This, which promises to be a deeply personal, funny exploration of beauty, intimacy, freedom, sex and love. See him on November 2.

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