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Blog Posts (1655)

  • Studio by Storyhouse outgrows its parent

    Chester's Storyhouse arts centre has transformed the former Boots store in the nearby Forum shopping centre into Studio by Storyhouse, a multi-purpose space for creative activities and rehearsals. Until now members have met in locations inside Storyhouse, but the service has outgrown the building. The two-storey space will give the Young Storyhouse team its own bespoke base for work and special programmes, events and performances, which will then be seen in the main Storyhouse venue. It means Storyhouse can establish a broader programme for young people, including drop-in activities such as spoken word workshops. The cente will also be used as a rehearsal space for the main house. Storyhouse’s work with young people has expanded since it opened its doors in the city centre in 2017. Young Storyhouse programmes create opportunities for young people, including working with professionals, developing skills, building confidence and working creatively. Along with three theatre companies – a youth theatre for 5 to-13-year-olds and 13 to 17-year-olds, and Storyhouse Young Company for 17 to 25-year-olds – Young Storyhouse also includes programmes for Young Leaders (skill development), Young Catalysts, Young Programmers, Young Readers and The Agency. Many participants are referred to Storyhouse by local social services. The programme reaches some of most of the disadvantaged and under-served young people in the city. Creative director Suzie Henderson said: “Having too many members is a fantastic problem to have, but our young people’s activities and projects have grown and grown since we opened six years ago and we just don’t have enough room any more. “The new Studio by Storyhouse is two storeys and has very large, light and airy spaces that are totally flexible, so we can use them however we want and for whatever activity." More info here

  • Peter Pan Goes Wrong

    Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, Henry Shields Mischief Theatre Opera House, Manchester March 26-31, 2024; 2 hrs A yell of “It’s not even Christmas!” from Jack Michael Stacy’s irate director Chris was nowhere near enough to stop the audience at Manchester’s Opera House from claiming this “Not A Pantomime” as their own. Determined to respond to every “He’s behind you!” and “Oh yes it is!” opportunity, they booed and hissed and cheered and Oohed and Aahed and roared with laughter as Peter Pan Goes Wrong went very wrong. Which is, of course, exactly what Mischief Theatre wants. The …Goes Wrong brand is nothing if not a full-on audience participation experience and this touring production – Pan’s 10th anniversary – was absolutely on message. It was hard to tell when it actually started; with the house lights still up we found ourselves searching underneath seats for something or other (a toffee apple was mentioned), and helping with some highly dodgy electrics involving the ice cream kiosk. Then we were off, with the familiar raft of non-functioning scenery, lost props, missed cues, lightning costume changes and all round daftness. At the risk of exposing my inner curmudgeon, I am not normally a fan of the Charlie Chaplin/Laurel and Hardy/Benny Hill style of slapstick with a dash of mild smut on the side. But this, well... the speed, the precision, the risk, the pin-prick accuracy of it all just blows you away. Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, following a string of low-budget productions – most notably Jack and the Bean – presents for our pleasure its own interpretation of JM Barrie’s Peter Pan. It comes (thanks to a large parental donation to secure a part for a wannabe actor student) complete with revolving stage, a drunkenly bucking pirate ship, flatpacking bunkbeds, heart-in-the-mouth flying experiences, and a leading lady (Ciara Morris as Wendy) who is the official face of Superdrug’s own-brand lip-gloss (this last gem from the programme, a rare occasion when I would say buy one, it’s an excellent read.) To say the cast is energetic and acrobatic is to say Usain Bolt is a bit quick. Designer Simon Scullion’s set, which has a life of its own and collapses at the drop of a hat (often with less provocation than that) is a thing of wonder. Hard to single out individual performances, but Matthew Howell’s turn as Peter’s sex bomb shadow is a joy, while Jean-Luke Worrell as the narrator gives a masterclass in comic timing as he freezes, waiting for a mechanical exit that never comes. There are of course the odd sections that don’t quite work, even when they aren’t meant to be working; the mermaids and the lagoon don’t really come together, and John's headset backstage prompter gag wears a bit thin. But that is to be nit-picky; the show is helter-skelter fast, the script is clever (with nods to Andy Burnham and the Arndale) and the laughter is constant. Director Adam Meggido has worked a blinder and the stage crew, who all take a well-deserved curtain call, must be one of the hardest working in the business. Peter Pan may have gone wrong, but all’s very right with this terrific performance. Info and tickets here

  • Alleyne Dance - Far From Home

    Alleyne Dance Kristina and Sade Alleyne The Lowry, Salford March 26-27, 2024; 1 hr 20 mins Alleyne Dance has a clear and probably unique selling point: its creators, leading performers and choreographers (and marketing managers) are identical twins Kristina and Sade Alleyne. That offers both opportunity and limitation. In this one-act piece Far From Home, they wisely avoid gimmicky features based upon their similarity, and yet it’s obvious that there are two figures on the stage who – apart from the different colours they wear – look as if they could be the same person. How to use that precious characteristic must have been one of the creative stimuli for the whole enterprise. It's about migration: that much you’re told in the briefing sheet. It’s “abstract narrative dance”, so there’s some kind of story but a lot left to observers to work out for themselves. The official description speaks of the emotional and mental stresses of migrant families, the meaning of tolerance, the practice of integration and the impact of migrants settling in host communities, so it’s timely and thoughtful. There are three groups of performers: the six company members - Kristina and Safe, Bryan Doisy, Giorgia Gasparetto, Juan Jesus Guiraldi and Iro Konti; five company interns (all girls); and a larger “community cast”, mainly drawn from The Lowry’s CAT (Centre for Advanced Training) programme . The first 30 minutes or so are presented purely by the company six alone; after that the extras are used sparingly, mainly to amplify the movement of the core group, in the case of the interns, and seemingly to represent the idea of host community in the case of the larger gang, who have their biggest function towards the end as the stage becomes fully peopled. The house style of the company is striking and well drilled: full of fast, jagged movement and kinetic energy, with a frequent device of bodies piled atop each other to make a kind of pyramid shape, like flotsam and jetsam on a beach. In almost universally dim light, at first individuals are separated, striving, grabbing on to what they can hold, then we see relationships emerge (trust and distrust, welcome and conflict), both between the arrivals and the people they meet. That’s where the twins’ similarity is cleverly used: are they two faces of the same person? Symbolising the recognition that a stranger is just like myself but for the grace of God? Highlighting the risk of alienation for some who start out with the same hopes and dreams as everyone else – the unlucky ones? The music (Giuliano Modarelli and Nicki Wells) is a sequence of tracks, with silences between, most made up of repeated cells establishing moods. There’s a kind of hinge point around half way, when it seems peace and harmony are breaking out, only for the stresses and agonies of the opening to return and be repeated on a bigger scale. On reflection, that is a factor that suggests that the graphic and energetic intensity of the piece could possibly be better preserved in a shorter format, perhaps as one part of a double bill rather than a single show. Info and tickets here

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  • TheatreReviewsNorth | Theatr Clwyd

    Know your theatre: Wales’ largest producing theatre opened in 1976 next to County Hall, in a complex opened by the Queen. The theatre has a proud history of major productions with star international names. Theatr Clwyd productions are seen throughout the year both in Wales and on UK tours. Appointed as artistic director in 2023 Kate Wasserberg, formerly artistic director of new-writing company Stockroom and Cardiff's The Other Room, is overseeing an ambitious, £35m redevelopment project to create a large extension at the front, including a new three-storey foyer and restaurant, bar and cafe. The building has three performing spaces and a multi-purpose function room, and though the redevelopment will massively upgrade facilities, the theatre spaces won't be changed. The main Anthony Hopkins Theatre is a single-raked tier seating up to 569, with five wheelchair spaces. The Emlyn Williams Theatre is a flexible studio space for 147-250. Studio 2, built to TV broadcast standards, can hold up to 120 for performance events and is used as a second rehearsal space. The theatre also has a small cinema (capacity 113) and a large function room used for gigs (capacity 240). Theatr Clwyd Address: Raikes Lane, Mold, Wales CH7 1YA Phone: General inquiries and box office: 01352 344101 (line open 10am-6pm) Facilities: The theatre complex is large, containing theatre spaces and other events and refreshment facilities. The theatre website is here . Disabled visitors are well catered for with wheelchair access to all floors, disabled parking spaces, an induction loop for hearing aid users, some "relaxed" performances when audience movement and noise are acceptable, and facilities for visual impairment. See here for details. Parking: Once in the Mold area prominent signage points you to the theatre complex. Currently, an underground car park is closed but parking is available on a tiered open air car park. Avoid parking immediately in front of the building. Online box office: Go here if you haven't booked online at Theatr Clwyd before, or find the show on the website and follow the bookings link. Email box.office@theatrclwyd.com with queries.

  • TheatreReviewsNorth | Clonter

    Know your theatre: Clonter Opera Theatre, Congleton Clonter, sometimes called ‘the Glyndebourne of the North’, is on a working farm in the Cheshire countryside, not far from the Jodrell Bank radio telescope. Clonter began as informal gatherings in a barn, with seating on bales of straw. Today the venue has a 400-seat theatre (though a former hen house is still part of the backstage facilities), and a well-established programme of events. Clonter notably showcases young operatic talent, but also jazz and folk. Front of house now offers sufficient accommodation for the entire audience to enjoy a meal under one roof, either before or part-way through the performance (ordered from the house caterer or your own picnic), which is something even Glyndebourne cannot offer. Expect to meet the Cheshire set in full cry (especially after imbibing during a long interval) as your fellow opera-buffs, but this stage frequently offers future international stars in the making, so it can be worth it... Address: Swettenham Heath, Trap Rd, Congleton CW12 2LR Phone: General inquiries and box office: 01260 224514 (10am-4pm Mon-Fri and performance days). The theatre is large, the building boasting separate rooms of various sizes, allowing it to function as a theatre and for corporate hires and schools use throughout the year. The theatre website offers a range of accommodation choices for long-distance visitors. Disabled visitors are well catered for Facilities: Parking: There is a drop-off point outside the theatre entrance, and free parking. Eight bays close to the main entrance can be reserved for those with reduced mobility. Online box office: Go here if you haven't booked online at Clonter before, or here if you have. You need to open an account for online booking.

  • TheatreReviewsNorth | Coliseum Theatre Oldham

    Know your theatre: Opened in 1887, the Coliseum was one of the oldest British theatres still operating, and was much loved by its loyal supporters – perhaps more so since its demise in March 2023. Once a circus, in the 1930s it was briefly a cinema before becoming the members-only Oldham Repertory Theatre. It was said to be one of the most haunted theatres in Britain, and a famous stage death occurred there in the 1940s. By the 1950s-60s the resident company helped to form the careers of Coronation Street stars Jean Alexander, Pat Phoenix, Roy Barra-clough, William Roache and local girls Barbara Knox and Anne Kirkbride. In 1978 it became the Arts Council and local authority-supported Oldham Coliseum, offering a mix of professional productions of its own and other touring shows, It was famous for its massively-popular annual pantomime. Plans for a new building were scrapped in late 2018 and the withdrawal of an Arts Council "NPO" grant in late 2022 led to the theatre's closure in March 2023. Plans are supposedly in place for a smaller replacement within three or so years, which might not retain the name. Coliseum Theatre, Oldham (closed Mar '23) Address: Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Fairbottom Street, Oldham OL1 3SW Phone: Facilities: Parking: Some on-street metered parking. Bradshaw Street car park is nearby, with a concessionary rate after 6pm. More information here Online box office:

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