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Tag: West Yorkshire Playhouse

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Boys In The Band – West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Boys In The Band – West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

    ★★★★| Set in Brooklyn in the late 1960’s , nine gay men gather in an apartment to celebrate a friends birthday. Michael is an alcoholic shopaholic, Harold is a self-depreciating “Jew Fairy” (as he describes himself), Larry and Hank are a couple trying to make their differing views on monogamy fit together and Emory is as camp as they come. Throw into the mix a rather attractive, but dumb, cowboy hustler, a closeted testosterone filled ex-college roommate and copious amounts of booze and pot, and it’s not long before lives unravel, tempers fray and a cruel party game emerges.

     

    Photo Credit - Darren Bell
    Photo Credit – Darren Bell

    This long overdue revival of Mart Crowley’s classic play is most welcome, and whilst it is no longer as shocking as it was in the late 1960’s, the relevance and impact still resonates today; as, sadly, do the undertones of self-loathing and internalised homophobia. The range of characteristics on show from the main protagonists may seem slightly cliché now, but still manage to reflect a number of the sub groups within the gay community and the issues facing them. The first act is a rather whimsical affair, as the characters arrive and you get to know them, but as the second act progresses, the narrative takes a darker turn, leading to a gripping dénouement.

    The cast is strong all round, with solid performances from the ensemble, particularly Mark Gattis (Sherlock, Doctor Who) puts in an effortless performance as Harold, filled with subtlety and natural aloofness. Ian Hallard (Poirot, Doctors) holds the cast together as Michael, and James Holmes (Miranda, Psychoville) is delightful as Emory, brimming with campery and confidence. And whilst Jack Derges (Andy Flynn in EastEnders) is a vision of physical perfection, he proves he is much more than the token eye candy with an enjoyable performance as the dim witted (and mostly shirtless) cowboy hustler.

    The set is authentic and beautifully detailed, as are the costumes, but even though the fashions and décor have altered, the issues raised have not; and whilst some of the social impact of the play may have lessened with time, the personal impact hasn’t, and the gay audience will recognise aspects of themselves, their peers and their experiences amongst the events of the evening.

    With some sharp one liners, genuine emotion and some top notch performances; don’t miss your last chance to see this this excellent revival before it ends its run. The Boys in the Band is playing at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, until Saturday 19th November 2016. See www.wyp.org.uk for details.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | White Christmas, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

    ★★★★★ | White Christmas, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

    Army pals turned song and dance men, Phil Davies and Bob Wallace, are on their way to Florida for Christmas, when they stop by at Jimmy’s Nightclub to audition Betty and Judy Haynes, a sister act, for their new show. For Phil and Judy, it is love at first sight, but for Bob and Betty, it is a frosty start. Phil secretly swaps their train tickets and the pair follow the sisters to Vermont, where they are booked to play at the hotel which is owned by Phil and Bob’s former Army General, and, which is on the brink of closing. Calling in favours from their showbiz contacts and their old army pals, Phil and Bob try to put on a show to save the hotel and make it a Christmas to remember, but, as Bob Wallace discovers, falling in love can be very distracting.

    Written by Irving Berlin, and containing a number of classic songs, including Love And The Weather, Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me, Sisters, You’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm and, of course, White Christmas, this feel-good Christmas story is welcomed back to the stage in a simply brilliant production by West Yorkshire Playhouse.

    The production contained a well-rounded and consistently solid cast throughout, with the vocal performances across the board being of a very high quality. Melanie La Barrie belted out Let me Sing and I’m Happy, somehow seeming to channel the spirit of Ethel Merman into her performance. Darren Day was much better vocally than expected in his understated performance, but the standout cast member was Oliver Tompsett, whose charisma filled turn as Phil Davies showcased his ability to sing, dance, act and take on the comedy aspect of his role superbly.

    The set allowed the stage to open up into an abundance of space to undertake the well-choreographed and enthusiastically performed set pieces. There was a real tinge of 1950’s Americana in the costumes, certain aspects of the set, and the large set pieces; which were reminiscent of the old MGM Musicals. The on stage orchestra were spot on and the sound in the theatre was crisp, clear and well balanced between vocals and orchestra.

    If pushed to find fault with the production, the dancing in the set pieces could have been slightly tighter and the set did seem a touch sparse at times, but with a production that was so enjoyable, such quibbles seem slightly unfair.

    This is certainly one of the theatrical highlights of the year for me, and notwithstanding the twee nature of the show itself, you can’t beat a bit of good, old fashioned, family friendly and feel good entertainment at this time of the year.

    Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is currently playing at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds until the 17th January 2015. For information, to book tickets or for details of their new season, visit their website at http://www.wyp.org.uk

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Dracula, Northern Ballet, West Yorkshire Playhouse

    ★★★★ | Dracula, Northern Ballet, West Yorkshire Playhouse

    Jonathan Harker is a young lawyer in the employ of Dracula, who shows the Count his beautiful fiancé, Mina, and upon becoming obsessed by her, Dracula heads to the shores of England to seek her out. But following the murder of her best friend, Lucy, by the Count, Mina falls under his spell. But in an attempt to avenge the death of Lucy, Lucy’s suitors and Harker are assisted by vampire hunter, Van Helsing, to track down Dracula in a desperate attempt to save Mina from an undead eternity.

    In this deliciously dark version of Dracula, from the opening moments of a naked Dracula stepping out of a coffin swirling in mist; through to the exhilarating and dramatic ending, Bram Stoker’s tale of obsessive love is brought to life by Northern Ballet who treat audiences to a lavish and spectacular gothic production.
    The atmosphere created in the theatre was superb with the lavishly detailed, Tim Burton-esqe sets providing a beautiful and visually stimulating backdrop to the dancers, which included performers being lowered from the ceiling and raised up from the ground. The cleverly designed low level lighting added to the gothic gloom of the piece and the music further complimented the ambience with a mixture of sharp strings and angular sounds akin to the soundtrack to “Psycho”; set against a host of choral orchestrations, reminiscent of “The Omen”. As always the costumes were beautifully put together, with the female dancers flowing gowns adding to the almost dreamlike quality of the show.

    Kevin Poeung provided the performance of the evening as asylum dweller, Renfield, who seems to have a strange connection with the Count. Poeung’s physical performance was energetic and contorted and contributed to one of the highlights of the show, namely the initial scene in Dr Jack Seward’s asylum. The engagement party was also a highlight, with the company dancing beautifully together. But the crescendo of the second act was the outstanding moment of the production with an ending which proved to be a breath-taking conclusion to the piece. Ashely Dixon also impressed throughout with his performance as Jonathan Hawker.

    The ballet was a lot darker and slightly heavier going than Northern Ballet’s usual fare, but the slow burn of the first act and the drama of the second act make this a rewarding watch. For an exhilarating piece of theatre told with an accessible narrative, Dracula is a visually rich and beautifully gothic piece of ballet.

    Dracula is currently being performed at West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds until 13th September 2014. Tickets for Dracula can be booked at http://northernballet.com where you can also find out information about their upcoming productions for the Autumn/Winter season, many of which will be performed at different venues around the country.