The Ocean at the End of the Lane - The Lowry


Astonishing - The Ocean at the End of the Lane

NEVER judge a book by its cover, so the old saying goes.

How apt then, when Ursula breezes into the lives of a motherless brother and sister, being raised by a dad whose culinary skills don’t seem to reach beyond burnt toast.

Ursula offers them a change from their tired old routine - and makes them burgers.

The National Theatre’s production of Neil Gaiman’s award winning novel will stay with me for a long, long time.

As you would expect from the NT, this production is acting taken to the next level and is also a major triumph for the design team, who serve up a sumptuous feast of eye popping, sometimes genuinely scary, visual treats.

The piece begins with a man returning home to attend a funeral in a remarkable piece that explores everything from the importance of memories and they way they shape us to what determines our identity, as well as the notion of an alternative reality beneath our feet by posing the simple question, what if?

This may all sound terribly deep but Gaiman deals with these ideas in a way that’s interesting and engaging for audience members of all ages.

I don’t want to give anything away for this is undoubtedly one of the most breathtakingly original pieces of theatre I’ve ever seen.

However, this production has had a suitable for the over 12s age restriction placed on it and with good reason. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is definitely not for the little ones.

Former Eastenders star Charlie Brooks is outstanding as Ursula, flitting effortlessly from the motherly to the malevolent and the same is also true of Keir Ogilvy as Boy and Millie Hikasa as his friend and ally Lettie Hempstock.

Enigmatic and unkempt, the Hempstock family are a real treat, living on a farm untouched by time. But are they all they seem?

Growing up may mean I lost my receptivity to magic when it came to entertainment but several scenes in this left me spellbound.

You simply must see and experience this. The superlatives we critics are so fond of fall short here, when it comes to capturing what is a truly astonishing theatrical experience.

Until January 8. Tickets are available from 0843 208 6000 or www.thelowry.com.

Star rating - *****

Dick Whittington - Altrincham Garrick


ALL good pantos live or die by their leads and in Conor Collins, who plays King Rat, the Garrick has an actor born to be a baddie.

When I saw this. on its freezing cold opening night, Collins managed to provoke the audience into booing and hissing him with little effort on his part every time he walked onstage.

Even big kids like me couldn’t resist the temptation to join in, even though us critics are meant to be a snooty, buttoned up bunch.

At the other end of the spectrum there are the goodies. Ethan Beer as Dick and Hannah Dorothy as the evening’s love interest, Alice Fitzwarren.

Unless you’ve had a sense of humour bypass you’ll find it impossible not to warm to Phil Edwards as Sarah the Cook and there’s a kooky bond between this panto natural and Daniel Ellis who plays his son, Idle Jack.

I also really also enjoyed Bev Stuart Cole’s Fairy Bow Bells as the action careers towards it climax. It’s hard to believe Cole has been a member at this theatre for more than 30 years, so fresh and invigorating is her performance.

Tom Whalley’s script is a mixture of daft dad jokes and a healthy smattering of saucier lines which are aimed obviously at the adults and are sure to go over the heads of the kids.

Pantos are a great way to introduce children to the theatre and there was dancing in the aisle during the musical numbers in the second half, courtesy of a group of tots who’d made it their mission to have a good time.

Also, how good it was to escape from the pressures of modern life and enjoy an evening of unbridled fun.

Until January 2. Tickets are available from 0161 928 1677 or ww.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk

Star rating - 3.5 out of 5.

Photo by Martin Ogden.

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty - The Lowy


APPARENTLY there’s a World Cup taking place at the moment. While at The Lowry in Salford however, there’s an evening of world class dance to enjoy, courtesy of Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty.

With his fresh and invigorating approach to the genre I imagine Bourne’s innovative approach has won over a new generation of ballet fans and I couldn’t myself among those.

For instance, the baby Princess Aurora is a wall climbing puppet in this production which premiered in London by Bourne’s company, New Adventures, 10 years ago.

In this role, Ashley Shaw redefines takes the words grace and elegance to a whole new level here and the choreography is by turns, moving, playful and exhilarating.

The timing of the rest of the cast is also exceptional, with all of them making it all look very easy.

You’ll find yourselves hoping Aurora escapes the evil clutches of Caradoc, danced by a darkly charismatic Paris Fitzpatrick and find her way into the arms of her true love.

If this magical production is a feast for the eyes, the ears are in for a musical treat too, courtesy of a rather brilliant score by Tchaikovsky. I guarantee even if you never seen a ballet before there will be certain sections of it you will know.

Flawless, magical and unmissable. Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty is a must see.

Until November 26. Tickets are available from 0343 208 6000 or www.thelowry.com.

Star rating - *****

All My Sons - Altrincham Garrick

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JOE Keller lives in comfort in a safe and sleepy small town. He epitomises the American dream, a successful businessman with a doting wife and a son who similarly looks up to him.

But peel back the veneer of respectability with which Keller surrounds himself and you discover his has a skeleton in his cupboard which is slowly unlocked in Arthur Miller’s fabulously thought provoking play.

The master playwright makes the audience question the morality of making money in wartime as only this master playwright, this giant of contemporary theatre, knows how.

It’s hard to believe All My Sons celebrates its 75th birthday this year for it feels as fresh and as relevant today in a troubled world still scarred by conflict.

This is David Beddy’s best Garrick performance to date for me, with the seasoned actor/director investing so much emotion into the role of Keller spontaneous combustion seems like a distinct possibility.

He and Tom Broughton, who plays his son Joe, are terrific together, especially during the scenes in which Joe tries to make his dethroned dad confront his past. To say these scenes are heated would be an understatement.

Even sitting on the back row of the auditorium I could feel the tension between the two of them.

Equally impressive is Brigid Hemmingway as Kate Keller, a devoted wife to Joe and fiercely proud of her son Chris. She’s still holding out hope for the safe return of her other son Larry from fighting in the war.

I really enjoyed Katie Cullen’s Annie, a bright and engaging and very watchable performance by a talented young actress.

And Joe Meighan swaps the director’s chair to serve up a very convincing performance as Annie’s brother George, a man with a very real fire in his belly.

You’ll understand why and have the uttmost sympathy for this fiery figure if you go to see this very emotional evening of theatre.

Carole Carr’s production is flawless throughout, compelling, absorbing, moving and funny in places, making the most of Miller’s intelligent and insightful script.

Until November 19. Tickets are available from 0161 928 1677 or www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk

Star rating - ****

From Page To Stage - Sale and Altrincham Musical Theatre


Take a bow - the cast of From Page To Stage

STANDING ovations are like buses - you wait ages for one and three come along at once.

The Royal Exchange, The Lowry and now The Bowdon Rooms. The audience rose to its feet, applauding as if their very lives depended on it, in tribute to what had been the most memorable of musical journeys.

From Page To Stage was a highly ambitious project for all concerned, from the cast to director Sarah Clark to musical director Adam Garnett, featuring numbers from shows that started life as books.

But being boring when it comes to choosing their programme just isn’t in this company’s DNA and the cast rose to the challenge and then some, helped by an embarrassment of vocal riches that existed within its ranks.

The next generation of SAMT performers also left us in no doubt that the future of SAMT looks very bright indeed with its youth section treating us to a medley of classics from Oliver!

For me, highlights of the evening included The Color Purple Reprise, the riotous Since You’ve Been Gone from &Juliet and Defying Gravity from Wicked.

Then there was the captivating performance of The Ballad of Sweeney Todd by the mighty Steven Sondheim.

It feels wrong to pick out highlights as there weren’t any bad performances in a show played to an audience that gave a whole new meaning to the word ‘receptive.’

However, it was a real pity this show only played for one night as it deserves a much, much longer run.

But anyone who went to see it thinking musical theatre was all about tired old shows that have been around since Adam was a lad would surely have left that preconception at the door of this gorgeous Altrincham venue.

Fabulous - a much needed escape from these gloomy and uncertain times.

Let The Right One In - Royal Exchange Theatre


IF you thought theatre has lost its power to shock, look no further than Let The Right One In, a genuinely creepy and unsettling night out.

Based on a Swedish novel and adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne, it’s the dark and disturbing tale of teen love that is as far removed from the stereotypical, slushy stuff as you could possibly get.

Pete Metcalfe brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘inferiority complex’ as Oskar. Bullied and shunned by his peers at school, Oskar meets a kindred spirit in Eli, who like him, lives on the periphery of the cheerlessly bleak society in which both of them live.

Eli seems to understand Oskar and there’s a deeply touching chemistry between Metcalfe and Rhian Blundell that makes us ache for a happy ending.

Just to complicate things for them, a series of grisly murders take place on their doorstep and Andrew Sheridan, who comes from Timperley, is a genuinely scary Hakim, sporting slicked back blonde hair and round glasses he’s hugely convincing as the man from your worst nightmares. And then some.

I also really liked Stefan Race as the self-appointed school bully in chief Jonny, as he takes every chance that comes his way to make Oskar’s life a misery, re-naming him ““piggy” with a sneering contempt.

The convincingly authentic nature of the performances is testament to the skill of director Bryony Shanahan and designer Amelia Jane Harkin who between them take us to a world in which the sun never seems to shine. The swimming pool scene in which poor, nice Oskar meets Jonny’s intimidating older brother Jimmy is particularly good.

Let The Right One In is definitely different. But is it worth the age restriction that’s been slapped on this production? Yes, it is. While the play is performed by a group of exciting and exuberant young actors, it definitely isn’t one for the kids.

Until November 19. The box office is on 0161 833 9833 or www.royalexchange.co.uk. Suitable for over 14s only.

Star Rating - ****

Photo - Johan Persson

The Sound of Music - Altrincham Garrick


Musical magic at Altrincham Garrick.

DIRECTOR Joe Meighan must have thought all his birthdays had come at once when he heard Natalie Hayes sing for the first time.

Hayes treats us to a flawless and engaging and highly likeable Maria in this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic The Sound of Music and she’s blessed with one of the purest voices I’ve ever heard in more than 30 years reviewing productions on the amateur stage.

There’s also an effortless chemistry between her and Steven Finney. Finney cuts a commanding figure - no pun intended - as the disarmingly decent Captain Von Trapp. He is a man of principle, a man brave enough not to cow tow to the Nazis as the evil regime encroaches further and further into his beloved Austria.

If the two leads are outstanding - Hayes is making her Garrick debut here - the Von Trapp children are a delight from start to finish, full of life, full of gentle mischief and full of love for their father.

I also liked Helen Swain as Baroness Elsa Schrader, Maria’s more worldly rival, initially at least, for the affections of Von Trapp.

The Sound of Music is a great way to introduce children to the theatre even though it’s set against the backdrop of a looming Second World War.

We also have Rodgers and Hammerstein’s wonderful score to enjoy, packed with musical delights like the rousing Climb Every Mountain to the soothing and sensual Edelweiss.

I also loved the playful So Long, Farwell perfectly sung by the Von Trapp children.

They don’t write them like this anymore - do not miss this dose of musical magic. It’s just what we need in these gloomy times.

Until October 30. The box offoce is on 0161 928 1677 or visit www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk

Star rating - *****

Blue Stockings - Altrincham Garrick


Blue Stockings.

IT’S hard to believe it nowadays, but it wasn’t until 1948 that Cambridge University finally allowed female students to graduate.

And this in a country that likes to set itself up as a bastion of decency and fair play.

This compelling subject forms the basis of Jessica Swale’s brilliant piece of work - the best production to grace the Garrick stage in 2022.

I really liked the way Swale tells the compelling story of four women, academically as able as their male peers, battle against the dismissive attitudes of their male peers and academics who wield all the power at the famous university.

An evening of man bashing this most definitely is not but there were occasions when I felt ashamed of my gender.

Blue Stockings is set in 1896, more than a century before terms like ‘sexism’ had become part of the vernacular and I really like the way in which Pippa Lane, Bronte James, Madeleine Healey and Olivia Brindley bring their characters so vividly and engagingly to life.

You’ll find yourself quietly rooting for their characters, Tess, Celia, Carolyn and Maeve, a tribute to their considerable acting ability and the skills of Sue Mowat, who makes her debut at Altrincham Garrick as director of a production packed with performances of a professional standard.

It feels wrong to single out individual performances because there aren’t any weak links in this cast. But I did really enjoy Nick Sample as Banks and Sam Evans as the disarmingly decent Ralph Mayhew.

Add some gentle and captivating original music by Mark Goggins and you have a perfect evening’s theatre that’s simply far too good too miss.

As for me. I would quite willingly, watch this again. Highly recommended.

Until October 8. Star rating - *****

For tickets, call 0161 928 1677. For tickets, call 0161 928 1677 or visit www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk.

Photo - Martin Ogden

The Habit of Art - Altrincham Garrick


The Habit of Art - plenty to ponder in Bennett play.

BILL Platt and Jonathan Black deserves nothing but praise for their performances as the poet WH Auden and the composer Benjamin Britten in this play, which sees the Garrick embark on another memorable outing with Alan Bennett.

It centres around a meeting between the two cultural icons, a meeting which took place only in Bennett’s ridiculously fertile imagination and offers a thought provoking take on a range of issues, including culture and sexuality.

It’s fair to say the brilliant writer doesn’t spare the audience’s blushes when it comes to the pleasures of the flesh and the sex references were too much for a couple who voted with their feet and left after 20 minutes or so.

But regular readers of my reviews will know I think theatre is at its best when it challenges our way of thinking and while some of the dialogue may strike Bennett followers as a little fruity in places, it is counteracted by his trademark wit and wisdom.

Bill and Jonathan give what is for me, their finest performances to date on the Garrick stage, with both actors exuding a poise and a presence that made it impossible for me not to hang on their every word.

They play actors playing Auden and Britten in a play which begins with a classic case of mistaken identity, with Auden mistaking the man who has come to interview him for a rent boy he’s ordered.

As Humphrey Carpenter, Stuart Mathers is exemplary and his timing exceptional.

The Garrick’s designer par excellence Barry Purves has devised a set that perfect captures the clutter of Auden’s living quarters, rooms so disgusting they make Steptoe’s backyard look positively luxurious,

It’s fair to say that while The Habit of Art might not have the instant appeal of some of Bennett’s other hits, it is an important and engaging piece that’s well worth seeing.

Just make sure you go with your concentrating head on.

Until September 24. The box office is on 0161 928 1677 or you can book by visiting www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk

Star rating - 3.5 out of 5.

Photo - Martin Ogden.