The Wild Woods, Bradford – 26th October 2016.  Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

An empty disused building, once occupied by Marks and Spencers, has been transformed into a hi-tech contemporary arts space. Freedom Studios presents Tajinder Singh Hayer’s North Country and this is a new play currently receiving its world premiere.

Set in an intimate central space, the play is about three teenagers who survive the worldwide plague which has decimated the world’s population. Harvinder (Kamal Khan), Nusrat (Natalie Davies) and Alleyne (Philip Duguid-McQuillan) share their stories of survival and challenges they and their community face. They are constantly faced with making crucial decisions particularly when their cultural backgrounds and traditions are at stake.

The prologue begins when Harvinder narrates about an old Polish man being rushed into hospital but he unfortunately dies and the deadly plague begins to spread. Then the audience sees this sudden plunge of apocalyptic like darkness which changes Bradford and its communities. Now the three teenagers begin their quest as survivors from September 2017.

It is fitting that the play is set in Bradford with its familiar references being echoed throughout. Under the direction of Alex Chisholm, North Country represents what Bradford was and is known for. Bradford had a thriving industrial past but the city hasn’t been the same since its industrial decline and more so with its recession since 2008. The industrial heydays brought migrant workers to the city’s factories and mills, particularly those from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and thus creating the city’s diverse population. A spirit of resilience is shown among the characters and their determination to survive.

The play may have a science fiction twist to it but the stories shared certainly address the economical and social issues today and one seek their identity in order to fit into somewhat a complex and diverse society. This is an enjoyable production from the cast themselves and the creative team. North Country is running until 5th November 2016.

York Theatre Royal – 25 to 29 October 2016.  Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

English Touring Theatre and Sheffield Theatre, adapted and directed by Phillip Breen, brings to the stage the controversial D.H. Lawrence novel, Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Now showing at York Theatre Royal until Saturday 29th October, touring until end of November.

Lady Constance Chatterley, Hedydd Dylan, is trapped in her marriage, neglected both emotionally and physically by her impotent husband, Clifford, Eugene O’Hare, who was paralysed in The Great War and finds solace in the arms of the handsome gamekeeper Mellors, Jonah Russell.

The production starts with the stage being sparsely set out with dust sheets covering several pieces of furniture dotted around. It looked grim, reflecting on the aftermath of the tragic and traumatic Great War. The lighting was very dim, adding to the oppression. I did really struggle to actually see parts of the performance with such dim lighting and it did greatly affect my appreciation of the show.

Brief scenes, with the piano playing in the background, show snapshots of their life, changing when the lights go out, but only for a couple of seconds before another scene appears. In some of these short scenes sometimes I could not wholly grasp what was happening before it had finished, and we were onto another one. We see Constance in all her unhappiness before staring an affair, first with Michaelis and then Mellors, who she ultimately falls in love with.

There is nudity, which when first appeared on the stage caused a little tittle in the audience, and strong language, but a warning is given in the flyers. Connie and Mellors frolic around in the forest, running around naked in the rain, with strategic bowls placed around the stage for the water. The way the rain was portrayed was really effective and was a surprise to see on stage.

I found that the chemistry between Dylan and Russell was slightly lacking and was not convinced by their relationship, though there were some touching emotional scenes.

The first act did drag on a bit, the second act in comparison was very short and just seemed to abruptly finish, and that was it.

The theatre appeared pretty full and I know that Phillip Breen has a following here after the successful run of The Mystery Plays this summer, but I left the theatre not sure exactly how I felt about the piece, and I still don’t.

RJR Musicals present:

CELEBRATE A GOTH-TASTIC HALLOWEEN AT THE GOTHIC GRAND THEATRE

Fishnets at the ready! The Rocky Horror Show is gearing up to hit Leeds next week when it opens at The Grand Theatre on Halloween for one week only.

Bringing with it a glittering cast, startling costumes, lots of red lipstick and plenty of naughty bits, Rocky Horror promises to take audiences on a dizzying Time Warp of song, dance and outrageous performances.

Returning to the show to play the iconic role of ‘The Narrator’ will be Coronation Street favourite Charlie Condou and S Club 7 star Paul Cattermole in the roles of ‘Eddie/Dr Scott’.

Rocky Horror Show tells the story of Brad and his fiancée Janet, two squeaky clean college kids who, when their car breaks down, find themselves at the house of the somewhat peculiar Dr Frank-N- Furter and a whole host of other odd characters.  It turns out to be an adventure they will never forget.

The title role of Rocky is played by Dominic Andersen and Frank-N-Furter by The Voice’s (Series 3) Liam Tamne.  Janet will be played by theatre star Haley Flaherty and completing the cast are Rocky favouritesSophie Linder-Lee as Columbia, Kristian Lavercombe as Riff Raff and Richard Meek as Brad.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, the Rocky Horror Show is a guaranteed party and a Yorkshire favourite; audience participation is encouraged as is dressing up.  This musical extravaganza features all of the famous musical classics including Science Fiction/Double Feature, Dammit Janet and of course the timeless floor-filler The Time-Warp.

Rocky Horror Show is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 31^st October to Saturday 5^th November

Tickets are still available priced from £22 to £43

Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call Box Office on 0844 848 2700

Above the Arts Theatre 25 – 29 October.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Beach Comet have struck gold again with their new comedy B-musical Apocalypse Cruise Ship Love Affair. A more polished production than Vampire Hospital Waiting Room, this Edinburgh transfer is jam packed full of laughs and lunacy.

Captain Bleufonde, obsessed with resurrecting his drowned lover, steers his cruise ship (on its 666th voyage) towards an apocalyptic storm as three tales of unrequited love play out on board. There’s Auld Mann, who’s loved Vera since they were children together, but must watch her flirt with every male with a pulse; Hanks Leeroys, the cruise director, who falls in love with nun Evie (or rather the 6 inches of her face visible), breaking one of the 10 cruising commandments; and first mate Fittles, mooning after the captain for 25 years. Basically, Carry on Cruising meets Speed… on speed.

The show begins with a flashback to Mandy’s death, with Joe McArdle (Bleufonde) and Will Hearle (Fittles) playing the scene like a twisted version of Brief Encounter, all ridiculous cut glass accents and mid distance stares. McArdle excels again in his patented raving loon persona, switching from speaking in tongues to calm reason in a howl inducing moment. His scenes with the bizarrely brilliant Hearle are painfully funny. Craig Methven as Hanks squeezes more laughs than you’d think possible out of his character’s cod Kiwi accent, and his sweet relationship with Evie (Imogen Brabant, shining in the least showy role) gives the musical its emotional centre. Steve Duffy and Rosalind Ford – with makeup that looks like someone attacked them with a Sharpie whilst they were sleeping – steal every scene as geriatric cruisers Auld Mann and Vera. Ford channels Julie Walters to provide some cringe inducing flirting with Hanks and I could watch Duffy’s old man shuffle all night.

With catchy songs by Theo McCabe and Steve Duffy, played by McCabe, Finlay Johnston and Ed Bernez, and funny choreography, the musical elements of the show are as strong as the comedy. At only 60 minutes, but with twice the laughs of much longer shows Apocalypse Cruise Ship Love Affair is perfect escapism for a cold Autumn evening – sublime silliness.

Charing Cross Theatre – 25 October 2016

In what must have been the most ridiculously hot theatre ever, Rag Time was a searingly hot and vibrant production.

‘Ragtime The Musical’ is based on a novel written by E. L. Doctorow in 1975. It first appeared in musical format in 1996 and has since won a clutch of awards including Tony’s and a 2004 Olivier Award.  Featuring music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, the style varies from gospel to ragtime. The show is mostly sung through, with relatively little in the way of dialogue.

The story consists of vignettes involving what seem to be rather disparate characters. It all starts to become clearer after about 20 minutes or so as connections between the characters fall into place.

Featuring three families. Father (Earl Carpenter), Mother (Anita Louise Combe), Mother’s Younger Brother (Jonathan Stewart) and the Little Boy (Ethan Quinn and Samuel Peterson) find their sunny, complacent life in New Rochelle, N.Y., shadowed by the discovery of an abandoned black baby in their garden. That’s the offspring of Sarah (Jennifer Saayeng), a young cleaning woman, and a Harlem piano player, Coalhouse Walker Jr. (Ako Mitchell), whose presence will disrupt Father and his family in far-reaching ways they could never have anticipated.

The third arterial story follows Tateh (Gary Tushaw) and his daughter (Alannah Hinge and Riya Vyas) and the odyssey that takes them from the squalor of Lower East Side tenements to the heights of the nascent film industry. On the sidelines — annotating and occasionally redirecting the plot — are historical figures like the showgirl Evelyn Nesbit (Joanna Hickman), the escape artist Harry Houdini (Christopher Dickins), the radical Emma Goldman (Valerie Cutko) and the captains of industry J. P. Morgan (Anthony Cable) and Henry Ford (Tom Giles). With superb ensemble support throughout.

Director Thom Southerland’s genius is to turn the staging into a collective effort, with a large company of actor-musicians (there are 24 in all) flooding the Charing Cross stage and spilling regularly into the stalls, always maintaining rapt attention to the show’s musical intricacies and using the performers and instruments as staging posts.

It is a long show but it grabs your attention so much the time just flies by and the show really does leave you wanting more.

New London Theatre – 24 October 2016

I was lucky enough to be at the first preview for School of Rock on Monday.  Lord Lloyd-Webber himself welcomed us to the theatre along with Director Laurence Connor.

The show is quite simply fantastic.  Based on the film of the same name starring Jack Black.  This as had an element of a make over with Lloyd-Webber providing new music and Downton creator Julian Fellows providing the book.  If you ever dreamed of a Phantom of the Opera/Downton Abbey collaboration School of Rock would not be what you would imagine.  But the collaboration works incredibly well – providing us with what is sure to be a long running hit musical.

Led by the hilarious David Fynn in the role as Dewey Finn (with Gary Trainor Sharing the role) in a star-making performance, the show knows full well that its prime asset is the cast of ridiculously talented children. The children are universally adorable and staggeringly accomplished musicians. It is an absolute treat to hear them.  With 39 children sharing the 13 roles.

Storywise Dewey has managed to freeload for years off his gangly best buddy and former goth-rock bandmate  Ned Schneebly (Oliver Jackson). But Spencer’s shrewish girlfriend Patty (Preeya Kalidas) lays down the law, telling Dewey to start paying rent or move out.  An opportunity to make an easy buck occurs when he picks up a phone call intended for Ned, with an offer of well-paid substitute-teaching work at an elite prep school. After improbably passing inspection with starchy principal Rosalie Mullins (Florence Andrews), Dewey then declares permanent recess for his class. When he stumbles by a music class and observes the kids’ skilled musicianship, he cooks up an instant plan to make them over from classical geeks into rebel rockers and enter them in the Battle of the Bands.

This show as it all – comedy, pathos, heartwarming moments and oodles and oodles of talent.  The songs get in your head and I’m still humming them now.

If the first preview is anything to go by, then this is a show that will hang around for a good while yet – which is good as I can’t wait to get back to London to see it again

Take That

Invite you to experience

‘Wonderland Live’

The UK’s Most Successful Live Act announce 2017 tour

With Special Guests – All Saints

Metro Radio Arena

Monday 8th May & Tuesday 9th May 2017

Take That are set to bring fans their most exciting live experience to date when they hit the road in 2017 with ‘Wonderland Live’.  Gary, Mark and Howard today announce 22 dates across the UK and Ireland, in support of their brand new album ‘Wonderland’, scheduled for release in March 2017. And for the first time ever, the band’s main stage will be in the centre of the arena floor, giving their fans a truly unique and memorable experience like never before. They will be appearing at the Metro Radio Arena on Monday 8th & Tuesday 9th May 2017.

Take That are renowned for their incredible live shows and for pushing the boundaries of live production, having created some of the most memorable stage shows in UK music history. They are the only band in the world to have had a huge mechanical elephant as part of the cast for their Circus Tour, not to mention a 70 foot man named Om who rose out of the stage on The Progress Tour.  Walls of water, enormous holograms, circus performers, aerialists, a custom made flying machine and a huge ball of burning fire have all graced their stages and the Wonderland Live Tour will be no less spectacular.

Take That’s Wonderland Live is the first time that fans will see the band perform brand new material from their forthcoming studio album Wonderland, due out in March, as well as their much-loved classics, performed in the round. Pre order the album on Amazon before the 25th October and get priority access to an exclusive presale of tickets for Wonderland Live 2017.

Take That are one of the UK’s most successful acts with an enviable career spanning three decades.  The band have sold over 7.6 million concert tickets in their lifetime, setting the record for the  fastest selling tour of all time in UK history when 1.34 million tickets were snapped up for their Progress Live Tour in less than 24 hours.

In the UK alone, they have achieved seven UK Number One albums, 15 Number One singles, sold over 45 million records, won six Ivor Novellos, and eight BRIT Awards.  Internationally, they have scored an incredible 54 No.1 hits and 35 No.1 albums.  Their last album ‘III’, the first a newly created three-piece and went straight to No.1 upon its release in 2014, their seventh No.1 album, with the first single from the album ‘These Days’ also hitting the top spot.

Their brand new album Wonderland, is set for release in March 2017.

Tickets are on sale from 9.30am on Friday 28th October available online, from the booking hotline number 0844 493 6666 or in person from the Metro Radio Arena Box Office. 

Vantage Point present: