Tag: liverpool

REVIEW: Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World

Published on by Marianna MoranteLeave a comment

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

An inspiring and exhilarating portrayal of the female experience and the potential we have to change the world.


Currently at the Lowry, “Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World” is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Suffragette relative, Kate Pankhurst.

The pop musical tells the story of protagonist 12 year Jade who gets lost in a museum whilst on a school trip and finds herself in the “Gallery of Greatness”. While waiting for her teacher’s return Jade contemplates why she is always left behind, feeling hidden and unnoticed, that’s where the fantastically great women of history come in to take her on a journey of self discovery as she learns about all of the strong influential women who came before her. Featuring the story of inspiring historical figures such as Amelia Earhart, Sacagawea, Frida Kahlo and Rosa Parks alongside many others, the musical is educational for all ages and all walks of life.

Georgia Grant-Anderson did a beautiful job portraying the role of Jade and was an integral part in telling the story of the women in the gallery. Her character also explores the experience of female adolescence and feeling lost which are heartfelt and I can imagine resonated with every woman in the audience. 

The all female (Elena Breschi, Jennifer Caldwell, Chloe Hart, Leah Vassell and Millie Kiss) cast’s performance was energetic and inspiring. The use of multi-roling by members of the cast showed the sheer talent of each individual and carried the story on in a way that captivated the audience. The songs throughout were catchy and fun with my personal favourites being Deeds Not Words and A World of Colour.

The musical ends in a wonderful culmination of what it is to be a woman and the female experience with the message that every single individual is “Fantastically Great” and can change the world just by being themselves and standing up for what they believe in.

I would highly recommend Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World to anyone who wants to feel empowered and inspired. It is at The Lowry from the 5th December to the 7th January before touring in Spring 2024.

Photo by Mark Douet

REVIEW: The Woman in Black

Published on by Jamie O' TooleLeave a comment

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Stephen Mallatratt’s stage adaptation of Susan Hill’s horror novel proves that a well-told story doesn’t need big production flashy gimmicks to delight an audience

The collective giddy anticipation of Christmas in combination with being frightened out of your skin might seem an unlikely pairing, but Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of The Woman in Black shows how undeniably enjoyable such an atmosphere can be. The Playhouse in Liverpool has chosen to host the classic play this year for its festive period, playing to packed audiences of young and old. I was one such audience member this week, shuffling in out of the harsh wind and rain alongside the other shivering counterparts with the hopes of being chilled and thrilled by the evening’s theatrics. And cold we remained once inside! Coats, scarves, mittens and wooly hats remained firmly on once seated and persistent sniffles could be heard throughout from us audience members. I thought that surely making the theatre chilly was a directorial choice to contribute to a spooky atmosphere, but when you find yourself persistently distracted from the happenings of the stage wondering why it’s so bloody cold I’m not sure if the intended outcome is achieved. 

However, I digress! The play is adapted from Susan Hill’s 1983 novel of the same name and has been a presence in theaters since 1987.

Actors Malcolm James and Mark Hawkins make up our double act as Arthur Kipps, an elderly lawyer wishing to be released from fears of a dreadful curse he believes has haunted his family, and the unnamed young actor he hires to help him act out his memories of the awful experience at Eel Marsh House in the eerie Gothic market town of Crythin Gifford. We’re introduced by a comic scene of Kipps sheepishly attempting to read the opening of his recollections while being bolstered by the effervescent young actor character. The two gradually warm to each other, and with the actor’s cues and instructions, Kipps loses his nerves and becomes skillfully adept at playing his story’s many characters. The pacing is slow but steady, as we gradually learn that the root of this terror is attributed to the haunting presence of a woman dressed in black. 

The staging is kept at a minimum; tattered dirty curtains, a coat rack and a wicker basket are heavily relied on, but this doesn’t hinder proceedings due to the play’s vivid storytelling. Expect great soundscaping, heavy smoke, creepy shadows, and excellent use of dramatic lighting. We were often plunged into complete darkness and left there to stew in anticipation and nervous giggles only to then have illumination from only a shakily-held torch or a spotlight from above to great atmospheric effect. The several ‘jumpscare’ moments throughout were nicely paced and did the trick in terms of shaking us all up. 

The play’s climax was definitely foreseeable, however, but leaves you feeling unsettled and shaken. I thought that the play’s final concluding lines fell somewhat flat, and rather than concluding with a bang, went out with a little bit of a whimper. As a live theatre experience, The Woman in Black was certainly enjoyable. I think that it’s few lacking aspects of it could certainly be tweaked, but I would recommend you go along and see for yourself.

Photo by Gareth Jones

REVIEW: Domingo Hindoyan and Sonya Yoncheva at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

Published on by Dio MooreLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

An effortless, emotional performance, guaranteed to inspire your inner romantic

Domingo Hindoyan is a name you might be familiar with if you’ve ever walked past the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic or seen the banners hanging along Hope Street. Hailing from Venezuela, he’s the Chief Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, taking over from Vasily Petrenko in late 2021. For this very special performance, he was joined by lauded Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva, who has a long list of well-earned accolades, awards, and engagements. Performing alongside the historic Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, it truly was a night to remember. 

In the first half the audience was treated to Wagner’s Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde, a striking piece to start the evening with. The orchestra performed beautifully; that well known, ethereal first chord serving as a herald for the beauty and romanticism to follow. The story of Tristan and Isolde is one of both love and heartbreak, both of which were undeniably felt throughout this rendition. Throughout the Prelude there is the hesitation of new love, the soft tenderness of a shared uncertainty, and the swell of reciprocal passion, before we are returned to that hesitation – but, certainly for those familiar with the story of Tristan and Isolde – now that softness is tinged with a sense of sadness; this is a love that cannot be, a love that cannot end in a ‘happily ever after’. Hindoyan guides the orchestra through these movements with an extraordinary connection; you can barely see where the notes end and he begins. 

This is the case for the Leiberstod, too – the presence of emotion felt in the Prelude is still there, somehow more poignant, and certainly more passionate. Hindoyan’s command of the music manages to convey Isolde’s loss at the death of Tristan in such a way that one hardly realises there are no actors on stage. Isolde is there, grasping the body of Tristan, knowing that they can now only be together in death. She is transcendent.

At this point in the concert, upon the conclusion of the Prelude and Liebestod, Yoncheva takes the stage. It is not hard to see why she is regarded so highly in the field of classical music. Her voice is incredible, her performance effortless, and her ability to captivate an audience so completely is something rarely seen. The expression and emotion she is able to convey cannot be overstated; a gift she certainly shares with Hindoyan. It is undoubtedly no coincidence that she begins her performance after such an emotive performance of Prelude and Liebestod – Hindoyan is her husband, and this connection between is palpable. Throughout her rendition of Poème de l’amour et de la mer you could be forgiven for feeling almost voyeuristic, as she sings; “You appeared to me thus like the soul of things/My heart flew towards you, you took it without return/And from the half-opened sky roses rained upon us”.

The second half of the concert was a performance of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8; a stark contrast to the first half’s romanticism. It was clear that Hindoyan was enjoying himself; he threw himself into his conduction, and the orchestra played with a zeal to match. There was an unmistakable energy and power throughout all the movements, culminating beautifully in the fourth with a refreshing release of tension built during the third.

The ability to ensure that upwards of seventy people play such emotive music in harmony is a mind-blowing accomplishment, but to see the passion Hindoyan displays while doing so is something else altogether. His collaboration with Yoncheva is worth going out of your way to experience; they naturally complement each other, and their connection and dynamism while on stage is clear.The good news is that this performance was recorded and will be available from 5th December on Medici.tv – even better, you can view it for free up until the 19th.

REVIEW: Brahms’ Double Concerto at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Published on by Heather DoquiatanLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

An evening of beautiful music and beautiful atmosphere

This is perhaps a philistinic viewpoint, but to my mind one of the best parts about a night at the orchestra is the tuning up: it should sound unpleasantly cacophonous, but somehow never does. The audience at the Liverpool Philharmonic settled into this soundscape as we took our seats for Brahms’ Double Concerto on November 23rd,, at which the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra was conducted by Domingo Hindoyan and was accompanied by cellist Victor Julien-Laferrière, along with violinist and Artist in Residence Simone Lamsma.

Hindoyan arrived onstage to great acclaim and warmth from the orchestra and audience alike. He is very much a full-body conductor, and throughout the evening there was the sense that we were listening to a full-blown conversation between the musicians and conductor, if through instruments and hands in lieu of words. The energy of the orchestra was palpable – the wind instruments in particular looked often to be almost taking flight – and yet meticulously controlled. Hindoyan was clearly in tune with the musicians from his first moment onstage, who in turn were in tune with one another. This sense of innate connection was reflected in the call and response technique which could frequently be heard in the evening’s four pieces.

The programme opened with Bizet’s Jeux d’enfants, followed by the performance’s namesake, Brahms’ Double Concerto. After the interval, following Debussy’s Ibéria,Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol brought the evening to a close.

Hindoyan conducted the Bizet sans-baton, which gave the impression of his really getting his hands into the piece. It made for a robust opening, beginning with a pizzicato and almost military energy, followed by a segue into smooth and flowing waves of music waxing and waning in volume. Jeux d’enfants was an excellent selection in terms of showcasing the orchestra’s prowess, not least the string sections’ nearly supernatural ability to play in perfect and distinct unison.

Brahms’ Double Concerto felt intimate, with a slightly smaller ensemble and a change to warmer lighting. Simone Lamsma and Victor Julien-Laferrière joined the orchestra onstage for this, with Lamsma’s sparkling pink dress eye-catching amongst the otherwise all-black onstage uniform. The concerto kept its initial focus on Julien-Laferrière’s cello, followed by its collaborations with Lamsma, which weaved between duet and call and response so seamlessly it was hard to pinpoint where ended and the other began. Lamsma and Julien-Laferrière’s talent was evident: their every bow and pluck were crisp, deliberate, and precise, with Lamsma’s violin sounding at once sweet and vicious. Around midway through the concerto took on a dreamier tone, with a marked change from the original definition of notes to a more glissando effect, especially notable in Lamsma’s playing. The concerto came to a close with a sense of forward motion, well-bolstered by brass and percussion. Lamsma and Julien-Laferrière’s pre-interval encore showcased their masterful control over their respective instruments, especially with regard to volume and dexterity.

Post-interval, the performance felt more relaxed, and somewhat ‘looser’. The Debussy and Rimsky-Korsakov sections utilised a full orchestra, including a celesta, orchestral bells, and (to my ear) castanets to create an immersive sense of word painting. Debussy’s Iberia spent a long time tantalisingly edging ever-nearer to its zenith, and when it eventually did arrive, it did so with its harps in full force: largely restrained at all other points, they were made all the more impactful in driving the composition towards a strong and vivacious close.

The Rimsky-Korsakov was resoundingly triumphant, with a full orchestral voice in evidence from its beginning. The suite’s sound was warm and full, its strings by turns soaring and merrily bouncy, serving to amplify the joy and connection felt throughout the evening between the musicians, conductor and audience. It provided an exceedingly cheery end to an evening of beautiful music and beautiful atmosphere.

REVIEW: Cinderella

Published on by Dio MooreLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Indulgent comical and fun evening that will delight all ages

It’s not Christmas in Liverpool until Adam Keast is on a panto bill, and true to form he returns to the Everyman Christmas stage as Graham, apprentice to Ben Welch’s Dame Fairy Godmother (or DFG), who is making one last Blind-Date-esq love-match before hanging up her wand and heading to Benidorm for an apparently well-earned retirement, leaving the Fairy Godmothering to Graham full-time.

The lucky couple are the endearing Ellanora (Grace Venus) and Prince Charming (Thomas Fabian Parrish), an adorable pair of nerdy dreamers from completely different worlds; Ellanora is an artist, desperate for the love of her uncaring family, while Mummy’s boy Prince Charming has his privileged nose stuck firmly in the nearest comic book. We follow DFG and Graham as they do what they can to facilitate a meet-cute between the two so that they can fall in love and give everyone the happily-ever-after that their panto-going heart’s desire.

The dynamic between Wech and Keast is certainly there – campy quips abound, and their presence on stage commands attention. Wech is pretty much everything you could want from a dame; buxom, suggestive, and sporting notable scruff (not quite Conchita Worst, but it’ll do in a pinch!).  Keast is old hat at this (and for good reason!), but that cheeky charm and ability to connect to the audience is as present as ever.

The boyish appeal of Parrish’s Prince Charming is undeniable, but Venus’ Ellanora exudes a lovable innocence, and her genuinely powerful rendition of Radiohead’s Creep was goose-pimple inducing. However, the show was stolen by Aminita Francis as the Queen of Liverpool; her vocal performances were captivating, and she commanded her scenes with a grace and assuredness that was nothing short of regal. With a less competent cast, it would have been easy for her to overshadow the show.

It took a bit of time for the story to get underway, and some of the jokes fell flat, but the quality of the performance more than made up for any of those shortcomings. The band is largely made of the multitalented cast members, under the musical direction of Tara Litvack, with the score arranged by Jamie Noar, providing fantastically performed music to please both children and adults alike. Plus, there was a keytar. Who isn’t a sucker for a keytar?

The set and costumes, both designed by Isla Shaw, were wonderfully creative; the production was framed against a pumpkin-carriage shaped construction, providing a neat place for the band and a handy (though slightly underused) second story for the action to take place on.

Throughout there is a strong sense of the expected panto elements, but there is also a welcoming strand of contemporary storytelling, and a breakaway from the usual ‘happily ever after’ for our protagonists. Baker and Barnes, and the rest of their clearly hard-working team, have done justice to the tradition of the Everyman’s Rock’n’Roll Panto. Kudos to first-time Rock’n’Roll panto writer Barnes for crafting a surprisingly subversive take on the classic Cinderella, with the core message that a relationship isn’t necessarily everything, and love comes in all shapes and sizes, and to Baker for his lively, well-thought-out direction.

I’m a horribly grumpy man. Miserable. Cantankerous. I have absolutely no festive spirit. I don’t have children – I don’t think I even know any children. I like indoors, where there is little to no chance of unexpected silliness. But sometimes I get the urge to indulge, and I’m glad that indulgence led me to the Everyman this year. The show is running until the 20th of January, so there’s plenty of time yet to add Cinderella to your list of festive treats. The venue is relatively intimate, and the cast manage to utilise the space offered to them quite effectively so if audience participation isn’t something that brings you joy, perhaps give Cinderella a miss – or make sure you opt for seats as far away from the isles or stage as possible.

REVIEWER: Dio Moore

Dress rehearsal for Scouse Dick Whittington at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.

REVIEW: The Scouse Dick Whittington

Published on by nickjkehoeLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

A different and hilarious spin on a theatre classic

Royal Court’s fifteenth Christmas special in a row, The Scouse Dick Whittington is more of a musical comedy than the traditional pantomime (and is definitely far more explicit than its namesake) but it does both its music and comedy spectacularly well.

The story is presumably widely known at this point – it is a common pantomime performance.  But the story of Dick’s quest for mayor – transplanted from London to Merseyside in this instance – is largely a vehicle here for the jokes, which are not only excellent, but also relentless. They come thick and fast, from both dialogue and lyrics and had the audience (myself included) laughing aloud whenever possible. As the title of the play suggests, though, the humour is largely Liverpool-centric. Whilst this is by no means a barrier to the comedy, those unfamiliar with the area and its recent history may find themselves a little confused from time to time at some of the more opaque gags.

As the curtain rose, before the actors have even taken the stage it is apparent that the set is both constructed and will be utilised remarkably efficiently. All the time, as the multitude of set alterations and scene changes unfolded, even the relatively smaller space of the Royal Court provided practically no hindrance to either the stage band or to prop and set changes throughout. 

Throughout the performance the actors themselves use this stage to its fullest, and this level of presence meant that the script – at times clever, at times crude, always hilarious – can shine, thanks to almost flawless delivery and command of the material. Their comfortability also means that inevitable small mistakes (a late change or a prop malfunction, for instance) don’t detract in the slightest from the pacing or the humour, bolstering how extraordinarily self-aware every facet of the script already is.

Standouts amongst the cast most definitely included Adam McCoy’s Dick and Andrew Schofield, who reprised several roles but most notably King Rat, often stealing the scene despite a more limited outing than some others. 

As the play begins, the first thing that strikes you is the sheer energy of this performance. The jokes start almost immediately, and are delivered sharply and confidently by the entire cast. The live band are always as much a part of the performance as the actors – a result of the ingenious set design by Olivia du Monceau – and the music choices are both fitting and fittingly energetic to kick off the play, setting the tone for the first act.

Things admittedly slow down a little at the start of the second act – the choices of music are deliberately more sedate and one or two scenes even feel like they might run on a little too long, but before too long though the pace is right back to where it was before. The quickfire jokes return and the music circles back to a similar place as the first half – an eclectic yet never out of place mix of classic rock and pop tunes from across the last fifty years. 

In fact by the end of the performance the energy is, surprisingly, maybe even higher than at the off and simply does not let up. With this jolt to the script, cast, and audience, a concise round up and an ensemble musical number serve to round out what is, overall, a wonderful comedy production that had me wondering where the time went.

REVIEW: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Published on by roisinlyst1 Comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

An epic and ambitious production bringing an old story into the 21st century

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory currently running at the Liverpool Empire is certainly putting chocolate front and center, as well as bringing its story firmly in the 21st century. To attempt to put an entire chocolate factory on stage is something most wouldn’t even consider, but if for a moment you do, you can understand just how ambitious a production this was. And it was designed and executed brilliantly. The set must be the most extensive I’ve ever seen, and the use of animated backdrops and screens along with it was extremely creative. At times this ambition felt a bit risky because the actors had to time their direction perfectly with the screen behind them. For example, at one point, Willy Wonka plays with a ball of light throwing it in the air for the backdrop to show it whizzing around before landing back in his hand. Gareth Snook, who plays Wonka, had to get both his timing and positioning on point for it to work, and he did it perfectly. The illusions created with the set were captivating and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who was transported at times.

The production I saw had Charlie portrayed as a girl, which of course works easily with Charlie being a unisex name. Some may have found this adaptation too far from the original story, but I loved it. There are many old stories which focus heavily on the male characters and with the three main characters in the original story being men, I thought it was a fitting change to bring it into the 21st century. There is nothing about Charlie that means they must be a boy, and so why should they be? Especially when you have a young actor as talented as Harmony Raine Riley, who was a fantastic Charlie Bucket. Despite being the smallest person on the stage she owned it, and her voice was fantastic. She never missed a beat and belted out every song. The other young actors were also brilliant, as was Wonka (Gareth Snook), and Grandpa Joe (Michael D’Cruze) was a favourite of mine with spot-on Grandpa Joe energy. I also very much enjoyed the comedy brought by the news reporter characters.

The costume design was fantastic and I particularly loved those worn by the Oompa Loompas, which were depicted as sort of metal people with a different costume for each scene they were in: a good move away from the racist undertone this part once carried. Their first entrance was a stand-out dramatic moment thanks to the lighting design.

There was also the addition of British Sign Language integrated seamlessly within Charlie’s family’s scenes, something that should be done more often on stage.

The songs weren’t the strongest compared to other musicals I have seen, though the cast and orchestra performed them wonderfully. In amongst many songs of lesser impact there were some magical moments, particularly the famous ‘Pure Imagination’ number.

Some people may find the story too adapted from the original, but for me the alterations were appropriate. I thought many elements of this production were fantastic but the songs themselves were not always very interesting. It wasn’t an emotional or hilarious production, but I understand this comes with it being aimed at an audience of children. However, with this in mind it should have been shorter with the first act particularly being quite long. 

Overall, this show was an impressive spectacle. The amount of effort put in by the huge team bringing this together is no mean feat. I would certainly recommend not it just for children, but all ages – just don’t forget to bring your own chocolate! 

Catriona Faint, photographed by Mihaela Bodlovic

REVIEW: Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning

Published on by Heather DoquiatanLeave a comment

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The show seems sure of itself and its offerings, and it should be: the audience is hooked from the beginning.

The week before Halloween is a wonderfully atmospheric time for the Liverpool Playhouse theatre to host Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning, a retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula written by Mona Pearson and directed by Sally Cookson. The show, a production of the National Theatre of Scotland and Aberdeen Performing Arts, seems sure of itself and its offerings, and it should be: the audience is hooked from the beginning.

The play opens with the titular Mina banging on the door of a building, asking to be let in. This building is an asylum, where she spends the following 130 minutes recounting her attempts to escape all manner of situations, ranging from the constraints of being a woman in the nineteenth century to the clutches of a relentless vampire.

Kenneth MacLeod’s costumes are muted, and his set static and relatively spare – the stage is all angles and steps and ramps, largely devoid of colour. The mid-stage sign reading ‘The Aberdeen Asylum’ serves as a visual focal point for the story spun around it, as characters and audience alike are transported to the world outside through Mina’s words.

The show is visually and aurally strong, with Aideen Malone’s meticulous lighting moving us effectively from inside to outside and back again. The confines of the asylum are transformed into a variety of settings by way of lighting small parts of the stage so strategically as to render the rest of it temporarily forgotten. The lighting is buoyed by the score (Benji Bower) and video design (Lewis den Hertog), both of which heighten each scene almost cinematically: the opening scene is backed by an unsettling drone not uncommon in horror films, subtly unnerving the audience from the get go; Act 2 opens with a letter reading set to the increasingly noticeable backing track of a heartbeat; walls frequently appear to be drenched in blood.

Aside from the excellent technical effects, the cast is a high point of this show. Those playing multiple roles move smoothly and adeptly between characters, managing the transition between comedy and gravity effortlessly and making complex action sequences look easy. There is no weak link amongst them, nor one syllable wasted: the play’s every line is delivered in strong and commanding voices. The cast’s consistently clear enunciation is key for the play’s use of north-east and Doric dialects, which add another level of immersion.

Danielle Jam is an excellent Mina, with a palpable impatience for the men and society surrounding her. Catriona Faint’s Jonathan provides some appreciated comedic relief, as does Natalie Arle-Toyne’s Van Helsing. Liz Kettle is a formidable Dracula, increasing in intensity with every scene. Her power steadily builds throughout the haunting ship sequence to the end of Act 1, the pivotal moment of which gives the impression of Dracula floating mid-air alongside Mina’s doomed best friend Lucy (played with great energy by Ailsa Davidson), by which point Kettle’s authority is entirely established.

If a theme of the play is empowerment and breaking free of the confines of the patriarchy of the 1800s, Dracula is a figure in equal parts dangerous and alluring to Mina and her peers. Despite vampiric promises of freedom and unlimited possibilities, however, it seems that Mina’s ultimate empowerment comes by way of her friendships: any feelings she has for Jonathan are dwarfed by her love for Lucy, and her commitment to the companions she meets throughout the play is a driving force for her every action – and while this is a wonderfully dark and absorbing show, there’s certainly nothing spooky about that.

REVIEW: The Incident Room

Published on by ayoungishperspective1Leave a comment

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Feminist retelling, gritty mystery drama, or dark cop comedy?
A slightly confused retelling of the real Millgarth Incident Room’s search for the Yorkshire Ripper nevertheless creates a great atmosphere.

Walking into Liverpool’s Royal Court on the second night of Olivia Hirst and David Byrne’s The Incident Room’s, one steps back into the 1970s and into the centre of the police hunt for the notorious and elusive Yorkshire Ripper. Constable Andrew Laptew, played by Jordan Barkley, stands in full police uniform outside the bar and apprehends a tall young man in tartan and a flat cap who descends the stairs behind me. The rest of the cast are already on stage: stressed detectives smoking cigarettes, answering phone calls and clacking on typewriters as the audience files in. The set, a haphazard collection of cardboard boxes, photos and maps pinned to the wall, looks a little cheap but captures the disorganisation that led to heavy criticism and cries of incompetence against the real Millgarth Incident Room taskforce. 

With a sudden switch to red lights, the play begins, but unfortunately the first fifteen minutes are less well executed than the build-up, with the ladies behind me, muttering about not being able to hear a word, clearer than the dialogue on stage. However, the cast found their feet as the night went on and presented a promising crew of young actors with exciting careers ahead. The narrative is closely centred around Detective Megan Winterburn, the classic bright woman in a room full of hot-headed, sexist men – though the script still feels the need to regularly point out that she doesn’t wear makeup or care about her clothes. Florence King’s portrayal breathes real life, emotion, and regret into Meg. Christina Rose and Rachel McGrath, playing journalist Tish Morgan and survivor Maureen Long, also deserve a special mention for commanding the stage throughout each of their short but noteworthy appearances.

The play tries to take a feminist spin on the search for the Yorkshire Ripper. Told through Meg’s memories, though she may not always be a reliable narrator, it exposes much of the misogyny that prevented the real killer from being caught until eleven lives had been claimed: both that the police never cared about prostitutes, and that nobody listens to the one character with a brain. Unfortunately, The Incident Room can’t quite decide what it wants to be. Is it a feminist retelling, or a gritty mystery drama, or a dark cop comedy? Every couple of minutes the men burst into shouting matches or physical fights, and spend a lot of time getting within millimetres of each other’s faces, but then the drama alternates with laboured jokes. Tense moments are flagged up with heavy use of slow motion, freeze framing and sudden dramatic music, which I find reduces the effect. 

One-room plays (which The Incident Room is, if you exclude one somewhat out of place scene featuring ABBA in a nightclub) spanning the events of five years in a couple of hours are difficult to execute elegantly, but with a promising cast, the play would do better to trust them to create tension and drama, and decide on one angle through which to frame the story. 

I would like to note, however, that Old Fruit Jar Productions are fundraising for SAMM National through this play – a charity which supports those bereaved by murder and manslaughter, and that the play does do justice to the real women claimed by the Yorkshire Ripper, leaving the audience with the request to think of them as more than just victims. 

OFJ Productions was founded only four years ago, and despite a slightly confused play, these fresh faces still leave plenty of hope.

REVIEWER: Juliet Pone

REVIEW: Calendar Girls

Published on by roisinlystLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

A story full of heart, humour and emotion with a brilliant atmosphere created through the set and lighting

Calendar Girls is a heartwarming story, based on real events and centred on a small community of women. It portrays each of their own struggles and focusses on how they are a huge support in each other’s lives. It was a joy to watch, but also to see the audience members around me enthralled in the story and reacting with tears and laughter. The seven women leads all played their parts with great character and I enjoyed getting to know each one individually throughout the show.

The standout feature, for me, was the set and lighting design. Because the story is centred on the community of a Women’s Institute, it was very fitting to build an enclosed village hall in the centre of the stage and have the entire production within the walls. It gave a great atmosphere and was brilliantly executed with few set changes. The time of day and the way time passed were shown with the changing sky through the windows of the hall, which I thought worked very well. The story is an important message of the same women supporting each other through in the cosy space of the village hall while the seasons inevitably move on – it almost seemed like a sanctuary to them, where they could all meet and fix the world’s problems with a cup of tea. I also loved how the lighting within the hall was used to give warm glows of autumn, and the spring sunlight beaming in. Hats off to the lighting and set team!

The cast were fantastic, the story was very easy to follow and constantly entertaining. It went from making the audience laugh to making them cry multiple times with beautiful storytelling. The band was small but effective and tight, and I noticed almost no hiccups.

Tanya Franks was fantastic as the character of Annie and provided the sad moments with beautiful sensitivity; I’m sure there was not a dry eye in the room during her songs about her husband, John. Amy Robbins, who played Chris, was a standout actor. She had fantastic comedic timing and filled the stage with Chris’ big personality, rallying the other women in her outlandish ideas. 

One of my favourite parts was Paula Tappendin’s performance as Marie, singing ‘Mrs Rebellious’. It had lots of gusto and was certainly a turning point for Marie, showing a side to the character which hadn’t been seen up till then. This song isn’t in the original cast recording as it’s a recent addition, but I think it’s important to Marie’s story and made her character much more three-dimensional.

The opening was a little underwhelming for me, however I do appreciate this is a style choice. I couldn’t find much wrong with it, but at times I felt the vocals weren’t as strong as those I’ve heard in other musicals.

Overall, this is a wonderful musical about the importance of friendship, community, and female strength. It was inspiring and lovely from start to finish. Being 22, joining a Women’s Institute has never appealed to me before but I’d like to join this one!