All in REVIEWS
In his autobiography, the comedian Stewart Lee wrote the following: ???Why don???t people like Ben Elton? Admittedly, I was writing this material in the light of seeing Elton???s Queen musical We Will Rock You. I was obliged to see it professionally, as...
Firearms and Fingertips is a new play by writer James Shaw that has been performed over five nights at the Black-E. A show aimed at teenagers and described as "an anti gun crime theatre/mixed-media production" mightn't sound like the most alluring...
As the main event of the Liverpool Shakespeare Festival, this new production of the Bard's ultimate romance could irk the purists, but packs a punch. A wrestle with the ridiculously overcomplicated and gimmicky programme was the first sign this Ro...
MADEUP attended last year???s Stage Experience at the Empire with an initial trepidation that did somewhat of a disservice to the efforts that resulted on stage. This year, it was nice to head down with the knowledge that it would be a quality produ...
Andrew Lancel, star of Coronation Street and The Bill, paid his dues as a patron of the Unity theatre at the weekend and hosted a one-man show and fundraiser for the venue. It was a packed, entertaining night that surpassed expectations and showed...
I went down to see the second Come On Girls! show last night at Studio Liverpool. A chat show spoof, the idea is simple and well-executed, and left my companions for the evening (who work in theatre), impressed by the possibilities of the format. ...
For someone who only knows the Rialto area of Toxteth as a place to get the papers, a takeaway and a grotty bottle of wine its recent history is nothing short of fascinating. It's almost impossible to imagine the place as the battleground it becam...
Dream On tells the story of wide-eyed Rochdale lad Paul (Bradley Cross), on holiday at a Welsh campsite with his overbearing mother when he meets wayward Londoner George (Joe Gosling). Mutually intrigued, the spark between them soon turns into som...
You never quite know what you're going to get when you step inside Elevator Studios and take the lift up to the fifth floor, but time and again Studio Liverpool has proved it is well worth taking a chance. Last time its in-house theatre company Tr...
As an old man, Paul Robeson (pictured above) was stopped in the street by a young journalist doing vox pops. Assuming he was being asked his opinion because he had been recognised, it slowly dawned on him he???d simply been taken for an average man ...
Can you believe it???s been six months since the last big Royal Court in house show? So, what better way to come back with a bang than with the return of the biggest success it ever staged. Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels has sold out run after run at t...
There's been some stunning shows on at the Empire over the last few months, from Matthew Bourne's Cinderella to some exceptionally good vocal performances in Jekyll & Hyde. To the list add Evita, another smart and classy production that pushes all...
It was great to see John Cleese in the city last night. Although he's only forced himself on tour to make a few quid to cover the astronomical cost of his recent divorce (and doesn't hide it), he's got enough good conversation and laughs up his sl...
It???s been a good ???un this week, with the chance to see a few new things, as well as seeing old favourites in a different way. The Spike Theatre Variety Pack fundraiser was held at the Kazimier on Thursday night, to help them in their effort to sen...
Henry Jekyll is the compassionate doctor who thinks he???s discovered the formula to eradicate evil from humankind; Edward Hyde the monster he becomes. This latest Kenwright production of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson tale is high on melodrama ...
There was never much doubt this production would see the Everyman out in style, and it soon became clear watching this Macbeth that it would be an across-the-board critical success that would barely need reviewing, yet here we are. I???ve read fair ...
Tim Minchin took his place at his grand piano, acknowledged the applause for a moment, then began to play and sing. ???Nothing kills comedy/ like an arena,??? he softly teased. We could all relax. He knew what he was up against, and was telling us he ...
Endz is a new production from the Everyman and Playhouse that has been touring community spaces across the city, including the Liverpool Lighthouse in Anfield, where yesterday it had an afternoon and evening performance. A piece of verbatim theatr...
Guest writer Tom Croft enjoys Dylan Moran's charming, yet well-polished trawl through some familiar subjects of stand up, as part of the Liverpool Comedy Festival. The night of the royal wedding, slightly tipsy, I was lucky enough to catch Dylan M...
Straight up, what I know about performance art can fit on the back of a stamp. That Yoko Ono's nice. That's about it. Obviously, this mightn't produce the most enlightened review there ever was. Or, I could trust my judgement and say I'd just been...
