Slava's Snow Show - I wouldn't like to be a cleaner

Ok how do you describe Slava's Snow Show... Beats me, its a special effects extravaganzer mixed with a clown show, Now as bizarre as that might sound it really captures your attention all the way through, there are lots of laughs and some great visuals. However as much you sit there thinking. This can't work, it does. The big finale special effect is STUNNING, the power from the wind machines can be felt right at the back of the auditorium and the amount of "Snow" that covers you is just phenomenal. And then to top that the auditoriom is filled with giant inflatable balls that the audience thrill in batting around. I have really done a bad job explaining this show but I defy anyone to explain it.. It's just superb. GO AND SEE IT. It's a once in a lifetime experience.

Seven Brothers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Milly gets more than she bargained for when she marries Adam Pontipee.
6 brother in law's, and they all live in the same log cabin.

My idea of heaven;
but she sets about finding them all wives.
With songs like Bless your Beautiful Hide, Goin' Courtin' and Wonderful Wonderful Day you know your gonna be traditionally entertained. With a large cast Lead by Steven Houghton Who's list of TV credits starts with London's Burning and takes in Bugs ,Holby City and Doctors,As his leading lady we have Susan McFadden, Grease is the Word winner and star of Grease in the West End as Sandy, both handle their roles very well, Yes another good show to add to the ever growing list to come to Manchester.

Essex comes to Manchester

Yes David Essex returned to the Palace on Monday with his own show "All the Fun of the Fair",a year after his hit tour with Aspects of Love.

This show as you can probably guess is set around a traveling fair,where recently widowed Levi Lee (David Essex)struggles with his wife's tragic death, the advances of longtime family friend and newly divorced Rosa,not to mention his teenage son's tangled love life, all this and the prospect of another lean winter means Levi is gonna have to keep his wits about him.

Directed by Nikoli Foster who directed Aspects for Essex and joined by David Burrows who was also in the cast. He plays Harvey the father of Jack's forbidden love interest Alice. Debuting as Jack is local lad Paul-Ryan Carberry from Salford where he studied at Pendleton Collage.
In My opinion a fine debut it was too.
Now the music we all know, the hits and more of the man himself. What pleasantly surprised me was how easily the songs lent themselves to being adapted for a theatre production. Unlike so many Jukebox musicals where the story has to fit the music here the music and the story went together hand in hand. I think with just a slight reworking this show could turn into a real long term winner even without Mr Essex in the lead role.I liked it and if it comes back to our fair city I will go and see it again.

The Boyfreind

Firstly apologies to all. I am now three shows behind.

Thinks"Aries you're a bad girl"

Last Tuesday I ventured out in the bitter cold to the Studio at the Lowry to see Salford Music and Performing Arts Service Youth Musical Theatre Company Perform Sandy Wilson's "The Boyfriend"
A 15 strong cast all from 11 different schools and colleges across Salford and beyond, who's average age is fifteen yes fifteen.
To most of us this musical is best remembered as a Ken Russel directed piece of cinema starring former cloth's horse (that's a model to you) Twiggy.
Set in a ladies finishing school it tells of love imaginary, love found and lost then found again.
Considering that all these performers are not from a specialist school for the performing arts and they rehearse in the evening and weekends after there regular school duties. this was well put together, a little shaky in one or two spots,but you cant hold that against them. What they lacked in finesse they more than made up for in enthusiasm.
Now one or two faces shone out from the rest, Henny Fox as Polly Browne Joe Carter as Bobby van Husen, keep an eye out for this boy he's got something good going for him and its not just his boyish good looks, and a young lady with a voice like a nightingale,Jess Hamp who plays the girl's teacher Madame Dubonnet. The music was provided by an accomplished five piece consisting of Piano ,Drums,Bass and two violins
Not resting on there past triumphs the company are looking for new members on Wednesday 5th November at Swinton High School between 5.30 and 7.00 pm if you fancy treading the boards, and think you have what it takes to be a performer then get yourself along,Richard Milton the head of MAPAS would be delighted to see you.
Just one thing you have to be between 12 & 19 to be a part of the cast, oh and live in the Salford area.

Beauty and the Beast plus Technology

Beauty and the Beast at the Palace theatre in Manchester is a stunning recreation of the Disney classic. The costumes are supurb, escpecially that of Luminere with his flaming candle hands, Now regular readers will know I am not a huge fan of special effects (shut it Aries) but the effects in this are very well done and not overdone. Middle Aged Mary was able to watch the show without her hands clamped firmly over her ears incase some stray bang should make her jump. There was also a stunning effect when the beast changed in to the prince and the effect of the little boy as a tea cup is very clever. The show started with video projected on the gauze curtain which slowly melted in to live action, A great way of getting kids in this TVcentric world into live theatre. This show had Flying, Special Effects, Magic and great tunes so obviously I didnt like it....AHEM. It was FAB. (just dont tell anyone I said that)

Thumbs Up for The Battery's Down

The internet television show I raved about on Sunday's Matinee is called The Battery's Down (www.thebatterysdown.com). It was created, written, directed, and choreographed by a young actor named Jake Wilson who also stars in it. It chronicles his day-to-day life and the trials and tribulations met with while trying to break into a career in musical theatre in New York City. One episode is funnier than the other. And the musical production numbers are wonderful parodies and/or pastiches of legitimate Broadway shows featuring many Broadway stars playing either themselves or hilariously exaggerated characters. I am totally hooked and you know me, when I love something passionately I want to share it with the world. Have a listen. The seed's been planted, it's beginning to bud. I think we're witnessing a new species of flower that will bloom into magnificence. A million thumbs up to The Battery's Down.

Ballerina Who Loves B-Boy a Beaut!

For an amazing, astonishing, astoundingly awesome evening of jovial joyous jubilance, then the blithesome Ballerina Who Loves B-Boy is your ticket. Done with no lyrics, no dialogue ala ballet, it's a wonderful visual experience. Yes, it's flawed, the story's kind of syrupy, almost corny, but, oh the dancing is sick (that's a really, really good thing in the US). Did I love the music? No, not that I don't like hip hop music, but this was like "canned elevator" hip hop music. The beautiful ballerina's turnout was poor, and her fouettes sloppy (but then again, as a former ballet dancer, I guess I might be nitpicking, although my 12 year old daughter who is an accomplished ballet dancer noted it as well). To her credit, her arms were gorgeous and her extension and control excellent. The truth is, it was more of a display of break-dancing, locking, krumping and popping than ballet and I was gasping at the incredible moves of this Korean Extreme Crew.

The story is of So-Yeon (Yoo Eun Hye), a ballerina whose classical training is frequently interrupted by the noise from the street below. She and one of her classmates step out to watch. This leads to a showdown of dancing genres as both ballet and street dancers try to outdo each other. But it's not long before So-Yeon falls for the lead B-boy (Joung Young Kwang) and we eventually find her frustratingly trying to master the B-boys' moves. I don't think I'm ruining anything by telling you that she does master the moves, shows up in hip hop regalia, dances with her B-Boy and off they walk hand-in-hand. That said, the dancing is worth the price of admission. And what I thought was a very good marketing move, the audience was encouraged to take as many pictures as we wanted. You can see some of my photos in The Matinee's Gallery.

Fresh from three sold out years in Seoul and a hit run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, it's currently playing through October at off-Broadway's 37 Arts Theatre. (They're apparently on a world tour, so look out for them.)

Bewictched by Eastwick

A Hell Of A Musical.
That's the official promotion line.
A Devil of a show to review.
That's my official line.

Marti Pellow is not only a very nice likable chap,but he is one hell of a musical performer.
In a role that he was born to play, that of the devilishly charming Daryl Van Horne, Pellow crackles with the pure joy of a child in a sweet shop. Returning to Manchester after his debut in Chicago helped by a new power to his not insubstantial vocal abilities, he leads this wonderful if undiscovered show about the awakening of three middle America suburban single women and their discovery that they can do things their way, without a man to steer them.
Eastwick also sees the return of a couple of fine performers. Namely Rachel Izen, last seen here in Hot Flush as Jessica and Poppy Tierney alongside David Essex as Guilletta Trapani in Aspects of Love. Both were well chosen for their role, with perhaps Rachel coming more into her own as Felicia Gabriel, the repressed leader of the town and matriarch of the oldest family of the said town.
A show with all the charisma of classic musical theatre and the fire and joy of new theatre, well worth catching on its 8 yes 8 month tour of the United kingdom culminating in a 12 day run in Mr Pellow's home town at the end of April next year.
Definitely one I would advise you to see. A joy to watch and some damn catchy tunes too.

A Song for the Lovers

As part of the Lowry's Studio Season Monkeywood Theatre Company present there newly revised production till Saturday. Set in a Conservative Club in Manchester,is there such a place, suppose there must be. The action revolves around two step sisters and there inability to really communicate. It takes Davy, a youth of low intelligence, to fill in the blanks; clever Davy may not be, but sensitive to the plight of Catie he is.
It shows that even when we think we know what is happening in the lives of those close to us, sometimes it takes a stranger to point it out.
Both well written and acted "A Song for the Lovers" is worth paying a visit to see.
Not to doom laden but with an edge to make the grey cells tick over.
Well done to all
Director Jo Fisher
Writer and Actor Sarah McDonald Hughes
Actors Francesca Waite & Martin Gibbons

Grease vs Grease

Being a reality show junkie, I had watched "Grease, You're the One that I Want" and was first on line for tickets when the show opened on Broadway last summer. We loved the winners Max Crumm and Laura Osnes. Max was such a down to earth cutie and Laura's voice was gorgeous. But we also loved some of the runners-up including Ashley Spencer and Derek Keeling. So we were thrilled to hear that the original cast was being replaced by these two runners-up. I was given the chance to meet the cast and of course jumped on it. I even let my daughter miss her dance classes that evening because I knew meeting Ashley and Derek would be a thrill for her. So off we went to Sardi's, a New York restaurant which is located in the heart of the theatre district. Known for the hundreds of caricatures of show business celebrities that adorn its walls, Sardi's opened at its current location on March 5, 1927. That's even before Madame Aries was born. Six members of the cast walked in including Ashley and Derek who play Sandy and Danny. To our surprise, one of our favorite American Idol contestants was among them. Ace Young, a season five finalist, and that year's heartthrob is the new Kenickie. We also met Janine Divita (Rizzo), Will Blum (Roger) and Kirsten Wyatt (Frenchie), the only one we had seen in previews. Each one of them was warm and personable. I chatted at length to Will Blum and Ace Young, both of whom were adorable and very forthcoming. Will told me there had been some changes made along with the cast changes so I left knowing I had to see it again. Last Wednesday was a school holiday and a perfect day to catch the matinee. We arrived at the theatre fifteen minutes before show time to find Dominic Fortuna who plays Vince Fontaine on stage warming up the audience. This was a new and fun addition which really got the audience fired up, always a good thing. The overture starts, the lockers open and out come the T-Birds singing the title song "Grease" and then the Pink Ladies. Oh, I love this show. It's a party, a celebration of life. And as much as we loved it the first time, we enjoyed it even more this time. Maybe it was because we had met the cast. They were all great and the changes in the staging really worked. I especially thought Ashley Spencer was wonderful as Sandy. I had seen her as Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray and was very impressed with her comedic timing and presence. And Ace Young, what can I say. Smashing. He sang well, he moved well, he played the tough guy well, and well, he could have played the lead. Not to say Derek wasn't great in the part of Danny. He was very good and definitely looked like "Danny". Ace really has stage appeal and the "it" factor and I smell a great future for him. He did tell me that there was film in his future and he does have a CD out and a single "Addicted" on the charts, plus he was nominated for a Grammy for co-writing "It's Not Over" for fellow American Idol finalist, Chris Daughtry. Janine Divita was wonderful as Rizzo, a part totally unlike the real person, as was Will Blum as Roger. Kirsten Wyatt was the same scene stealer she was the first time we saw her, very perky and adorable in the role, very much like her real personality. After the show the fun continued when we met the cast as they left the theatre. They all remembered us and treated us like old friends. Ace hugged and kissed us and was as playful as he had been at Sardi's, including bopping me on the head with a playbill when I said out loud while he was taking a picture with another fan "isn't it a pity he's so ugly".


The first time we saw this production of Grease we loved it, but the second time is a charm. This edition of Grease is a winner. The cast is fabulous, the changes successful, and of course there's the wonderful score. Jade and I had a blast and I didn't think about my waning bank account for the rest of the day.

Rent - Filmed Live on Broadway Turns Up the Heat

I want to shout it from the rooftop of that dilapidated building the struggling friends of Rent lived in, THIS IS AN AMAZING THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE. Do you think I liked it? Like isn't strong enough. I LOVED IT. I so want to see it again but I can't. For some reason Sony's Hot Ticket Division decided to screen it on an extremely limited basis, only four screenings over four days. And only in the USA and Canada. Maybe they were just testing the waters since this was the first endeavor of this kind. I emailed Sony to ask why and to plead for another go-round, not only here but in the UK and beyond. I want to share this experience with all my friends around the world. Maybe they'll put out a DVD which would be fabulous, but you have to see it on a big screen with an audience sharing the experience. It's as close as you could possibly get to seeing the live thing. For me, the added dimension of seeing the sweat and tears on the actors faces had my adrenaline pumping big time. I was even able to read the tattoo on Roger's hand (an homage to his dead girlfriend, April). Rent touched every emotion. I was laughing, crying, empathizing, sympathizing, applauding every song until my hands burned. Both of the friends who accompanied me called this week to thank me for inviting them to join me. They loved it as much as I did. I'll let you know if the Sony people get back to my people (that would be me). God bless Jonathan Larson, the genius behind Rent who suddenly died the day before it opened off-Broadway at the age of 35. It's such a pity he never got to see how this touching masterpiece captured the hearts of so many people.

Othello

Frantic Assembly's production of 'Othello' at the Quays Theatre in The Lowry, was certainly not what I expected.

As you are seated, much like 'The Phantom of the Opera,' you are cast directly into the action with the stage curtains already open, and the scene set out before you -a pub with a snooker table and a slot machine- not something I'd expect from a Shakespeare production...

Neither was I expecting the 5 minute dance routine which opened the show, and introduced the themes of the play. The play was very true to Shakespeare's script, (all Shakespearean language, set in a modern setting, with the inclusion of some modern hand gesticulations and vulgar vocabulary.) However, this worked well in my opinion, as did the occasional dance routines during the play, including a Square Dance with baseball caps and bats.

The play kept all Shakespeare's themes, and even the war in the original script was here, but against two gangs rather than two fleets, -which made for some odd ''the master has come ashore," lines.

All in all, the choreography, the set and the special effects (Othello's suicide,) were all very well put together. The dialect was a bit too much at times, and didn't really suit the Shakespearean words with a Yorkshire accent, but it didn't take away from the enjoyability of the show.

A good effect was a pool table which doubled for Othello and Desdemona's marital bed, which the cast incorporated into the show often, by delviering soliloquies on top of it, and dancing around it, dragging it along. The set was very simple, but the bar walls sometimes pulled back to reveal the street outside, and also the 'pub' toilets, which was very effective.

All in all, a very good production with the strangest programmes I've ever seen --it was the actual script to the show! Good or not? -Well, you could at least tell when they'd messed their lines up!

S.L.

Cant Stop Smiling at Cant Smile without You

Cant Smile Withou You is the new Barry Manilow musical appearing at the Palace Theatre in Manchester. If you like a bit of cheese and easy going fun then this is for you. All of the best Manilow hits are featured, including Copacabana..I'm sure thats been used in a musical before. Chesney Hawkes really stands out in this show. Prior to this performance I have only seen him in panto and of course in the charts many years ago. Many shows that have "Names" in the cast tend to just use the "Name" to get people in to the show and not because they are right for the role. Not in this case. One of the nice things about this show is the band featured in the plot actually played instruments and when not required on stage were playing with the rest of the onstage orchestra. The story is of a band that go to seek fame and fortune in America and the trials and tribulations of love, showbusiness and friendship. Lots of laughs and groans to be had.