The Girl On The Train - Altrincham Garrick


The Girl On The Train - photo by Martin Ogden

AFTER the Garrick pantomime comes an evening of theatre exclusively for the grown ups, courtesy of Paula Hawkins’ The Girl On The Train.

Never having seen the film starring Emily Blunt, I was able to approach the stage version free from the temptation to compare the two.

It’s the intriguing tale of Rachel, a recovering alcoholic who becomes obsessed with the lives of two couples, believing them to both live in a world of suburban bliss.

The plot builds beautifully as a story unfolds and Hawkins writing is of a quality that makes you care and secretly crave a happy ending.

Sadly though, happy endings belong in pantomimes and other forms of escapist entertainment.

It’s the female leads who shine under the direction of John Cunningham, with Ruth Moore engaging and empathetic Rachel and Scarlet Newton excelling as Megan. This is a character with a genuinely sad story and Newton tells it with a quiet intensity that genuinely moved this hardened old critic.

That said though, Anthony Morris is in terrific form as Tom. But could Tom have committed murder?

I have no intention of being a party pooper and giving away a plot with no shortage of twists and turns. This is a high quality piece of writing and a cast who immerse themselves in their roles more than do it justice.

This production captured my attention to the extent it’s made me want to read the book upon which the stage version is based.

While the subject matter may well be nothing new, Hawkins’ refusal to tell her tale free from tired old clichés gives The Girl On The Train a refreshing quality that even misery guts couldn’t resist.

Isn’t it great to see younger people at the Garrick? I believe theatre should be enjoyed by everybody. And I believe it passionately.

Until January 20. The box office is on 0161 928 1677 or www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk.

Star rating – 3.5 out of 5.

Sleeping Beauty - Altrincham Garrick


MOST pantomimes are built on a good humoured battle between the goodies and the baddies so I probably shouldn’t say this.

But Conor Collins steals the show as the wicked fairy Carabosse, ensuring his character’s evil antics bring plenty of boos from the audience without seeming to try. He’s a natural.

At the other end of the spectrum we have Chester the Jester, played with just the right amount of daftness by an instantly likeable Daniel Ellis. Will this warm hearted clot win the heart of Princess Beauty, despite the fact he’s not from the opposite end of the social spectrum?

You’re sure to enjoy the scene in which Queen Doreen makes the mistake of thinking she can teach the clueless Chester how to bake, with Ellis, who also directs the panto, and Matthew Spilsbury’s having an inordinate amount of fun as Chester causes a culinary catastrophe.

Tom Whalley’s script is, in terms of the jokes, something of a mixed bag, containing several gags that will definitely go over the children’s heads.

Joseph Meighan, the Garrick’s dynamic, young artistic director, makes for a highly watchable Prince Frederick The First as does Sasha Carillo as Sleeping Beauty.

Again it was pleasing to see so many youngsters in the theatre, enthralled and captivated by what was unfolding on stage and proving yet again, there’s a source of entertainment there to be enjoyed that exists beyond a screen.

The kids in the panto also seemed very much at home on the stage, pointing to a very bright future for Altrincham’s Garrick Theatre.

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

Check with the box office for ticket availability. At the time of writing many performances were sold out.

Star rating - 3.5 out of 5.

Photo - Martin Ogden.

Brief Encounter - Royal Exchange Theatre


Brief Encounter - photo by Johan Persson.

WHEN I think of romance, a train station is the last place that comes to mind.

But love is most definitely in the air at Milford Junction, setting for Noel Coward’s classic and quintessentially English play.

While this touching and heart warming piece was inspired by a one act play from the 30s, there was no point in the production I felt I was watching the resurrection of some sort of theatrical dinosaur.

It’s remarkable who fresh and modern Sarah Frankcom’s production feels, even if the setting and the way the characters interact is firmly Noel Coward. For instance, I can’t remember the last time I saw anyone tucking into afternoon tea at a train station.

The story follows Laura and Alec whose lives are transformed by a chance meeting after he steps in to become her knight in shining armour to remove a piece of dust from her eye. The chance meeting sparks an intense and passionate affair, providing Laura with a real antidote to a marriage that’s lost its spark.

There’s a palpable, powerful chemistry between Hannah Azuonye and Baker Mukasa as Laura and Alec, with Ida Regan and Georgia Frost providing memorable comic relief as the wonderful Beryl and her suitor in waiting, Stanley. Frost sounds and moves like a man for this piece of gender swapping and both have a sense of comic timing that can only be described as exemplary.

A dynamic, multi-talented cast serve up a treat here and the timeless songs of Noel Coward provide the perfect musical backdrop to an evening of theatre that’s sure to set even the hopelessly unromantic swooning.

Superb entertainment.

Until January 13. The box office is on 0161 833 9833 or www.royalexchange.co.uk.

Star rating - *****

Life of Pi - The Lowry


A roaring success - Life of Pi.

WHILE most of us will be tucking into plates of turkey and other festive treats over Christmas, theatregoers can indulge in a visual feast at The Lowry with this stunning adaptation of Yann Martel’s critically acclaimed novel.

This awe inspiring stage version by Lolita Chakrabati also provides older children with the perfect introduction to live theatre that isn’t panto shaped.

For some reason I missed the movie which meant I was able to approach Martel’s uplifting, funny, humorous and at times heartrending tale minus the temptation to compare the show with the big screen version.

On press night the role of Pi was played by Tanvi Virmani and her performance more than sets the standard for those actors carged with the very difficult task of following her.

Pi and family and forced to flee their native India to escape the political turmoil there, along with the menagerie of animals that once inhabited his father’s zoo.

Virmani’s performance is so bright and engaging it requires little effort to warm to him as he struggles to survive in the face of overwhelming odds after the family’s vessel is involved in a shipwreck.

Pi is rapidly running out of food and water and to compound the challenges he’s facing, a Bengali tiger named Richard Parker after an administrative blunder is his only companion.

Life of Pi offers us a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the desire to fight to survive in the face of overhelming odds..

The puppetry is also absolutely stunning, thanks to the ingenuity of Finn Caldwell and a creative team who create a spectacle that will live long in the memories of those who experience it.

In fact, I’d even go as far to say visually Life of Pi is a work of genius.

Until January 7. Tickets are available from 0343 208 6000 or www.thelowry.com.

Star rating - ****

A Christmas Carol - Altrincham Garrick


The season to be fearful -photo of Jonathan Black as Scrooge by Martin Ogden.

THIS is a story I know backwards and yet the redemption of one of one of our most famous skinflints still captures my imagination.

Jonathan Black gives the performance of his amateur acting career to date as Scrooge, a man obsessed with making money and oblivious to the plight of the poor around him.

Black is ultimately convincing as a man whose money making ways are most memorably challenged by three festive spirits.

Barry Purves’ production also captivated a large group of young people in the Garrick audience on opening night and will hopefully convince them to look beyond a screen for their entertainment.

The supernatural encounters the central character encounters are also genuinely scary and I also really liked the way in which the production uses music to heighten the tension and provide a stirring seasonal climax to a hugely enjoyable evening out.

Even the real life Scrooges watching this are sure to be won over and turned into fans of the impending seasonal to be cheerful thanks to the consistently creative Purves and his backstage team.

Scrooge’s encounters with the supernatural are also genuinely scary.

But this production of A Christmas Carol isn’t just the Jonathan Black/Barry Purves show. There’s so much more to enjoy, like the performance of the supporting cast.

Now here’s the bad news - the production is a complete sell out. If you hear of any returns snap them up.

You certainly won’t be disappointed. This is the best Christmas present Altrincham Garrick could possibly give us theatregoers.

Until November 25. Tickets are available from 0161 928 1677 or www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk - returns only.

Star rating - ****



Quiz - The Lowry


Brilliant - Rory Bremner as Chris Tarrant.

YOU couldn’t make it up, the old saying goes.

In 2001 an army major, Charles Ingram, his wife Diana and their accomplice Tecwen Whitlock stood accused of duping the makers of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? out of the Tv quiz’s top cash prize.

Their modus operandi is pretty unique too, as anyone unfamiliar with this remarkable tale with testify if they go to see Quiz at The Lowry this week.

Twenty years on this story still hasn’t lost its power to captivate or intrigue.

But Quiz is a fictional account inspired by true events and involved Ingram, the quintessential English gent.

Rory Bremner, deservedly one of this country’s top impressionists, is a perfect Chris Tarrant. As the programme’s host he has captured everything from the mannerisms to the voice to Tarrant’s unmistakable and endearing laugh. I had to remind myself more than once that I wasn’t watching the real thing.

Lewis Reeves and Charley Webb are naturals for the roles of Charles and Diana. Weiter James Graham gives the audience a chance to pass judgement on the oh so home counties couple via a keypad similar to the ones used by contestants on the real TV show.

On Tuesday night the not guilty vote won by a handful of percentage points.

I also liked the way in which Graham takes a comedic and light hearted look at the way the court case was reported by the world’s media.

While Quiz offers us a flavour of how the case impacted the life of the Ingrams, it is by \and large great fun, to be enjoyed in the spirit the writer intended.

Until October 28. The box office is on 0343 208 6000 or www.thelowry.com.

Star rating - 3.5 out of 5.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Altrincham Garrick


I SAW the film for the first time at the aged of eight and remember being completely captivated by the idea of a car with magical powers.

The idea really grabbed my imagination and the good news is five decades later this uplifting - no pun intended - tale is still able to capture the imagination of today’s kids judging by the silence that pervaded every corner of the Garrick auditorium on Monday night.

You could, quite literally, hear a pin drop.

The production has a dream team of creatives behind it and a cast who are determined the audience, children and adults, are totally swept along by this fun filled evening of classic, feel good musical theatre.

Director Joe Meighan, musical director Mark Goggins and choreographer Louise Pettitt serve up a theatrical feast that’s flawless in every way. The production brings a welcome dose of colour to these dark and miserable autumn nights.

This is an evening of unbridled, unashamed escapism. We the audience find ourselves transported to a world of colourful, larger than life characters.

Rhys Nuttall is perfect for the role of Caractacus Potts, a widowed inventor devotedly bringing up his two children. Nuttall has a singing voice that wouldn’t sound our of place on a professional stage and the same can also be said of Natalie Hayes who plays Truly Scrumptious, the show’s love interest. Her voice is one of the purest I’ve heard for some time.

Ivor Farley is a delight as the globe trotting Grandpa, sharing the responsibility of raising Jeremy and Jemima, his grandchildren, with Caractacus, as Caractacus dreams of making his fortune and securing his family’s future.

The role of the ridiculously spoilt man child Baron Bomburst is a gift for Pete Brassington who treats us to some memorably funny exchanges with Hannah Edwards who plays the long suffering Baroness. Together, they’re a hoot.

Add a score that’s packed with crowd pleasers and you have the recipe for a hugely enjoyable, fun filled night out.

Until October 29. For tickets, call 0161 928 1677 or visit www.altrinnchamgarrick.co.uk.

Please note - at the time of writing only a few seats remained.

Photo by Martin Ogden.

Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Sale and Altrincham Musical Theatre


I KNEW what was coming, having seen this iconic show several times.

But the premise behind Sweeney Todd still fascinates me and I had to stifle a laugh when a lady sitting a few rows behind me said “It’s a bit weird, isn’t it?,” when the interval came and the wheels on Todd and Mrs Lovett’s murderous enterprise had been set in motion.

Sale and Altrincham Musical Theatre serve up a sumptuous theatrical feast here. Talented and engaging and highly accomplished leads make the most of lyrics that drip with wit and crackle with the emotion.

It’s hard for us critics to fully convey just how good the work pf this composer is, turning to our tried and trusted stock of superlatives. Musicals this good simply must be experienced. Sondheim simply has a different way of telling a story. Or to put it simply, the man’s unique.

Richard Ross and Steph Niland are devilishly irresistible as Sweeney Todd and Mrs Lovett and Sasha Carirllo and Connor Ryan are outstanding as Todd’s estranged daughter, Johanna and her captivated admirer, Anthony. If you’re seeing this for the first time I guarantee you’ll be wanting these two bright young things to get together, largely so poor Joanna can escape the romantic attentions of the seedy Judge Turpin, played so well by Jon Gardner.

Musical director Peter England, choreographer James Goodwin and director Martyn Preston have a sure fire hit on their hands, with SAMT yet again, re-defining what amateur musical theatre is all about.

The intimate auditorium of the Robert Bolt Theatre lends itself perfectly to conveying an unsettling gas lit world in which the haves and the have nots live side by side. But it’s the haves who do all the living.

The character of Beggar Woman, played perfectly by Emma Johnson is a classic case in point. This is a character fighting to survive, at the mercy of a society that simply doesn’t know how to care yet. Johnson made a huge impression on me even though she’s on stage a relatively short amount of time.

A sell out run - productions of this quality deserve nothing less.

Until October 21 at Sale’s Waterside Arts Centre.

Star rating - 4.5 out of 5.

Tickets are available from samtheatre.co.uk.

Photo - Derek Stuart Cole.

Sweeney Todd Preview - Sale and Altrincham Musical Theatre


SWEENEY Todd, Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical, gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘business partnership.’

It’s the truly grisly or should that be gristly tale, of two people whose pies become a gastronomic sensation with their customers who are oblivious to their true ingredients.

If only they knew.

Sale and Altrincham Musical Theatre is about to bring the multi-award winning show to the stage and

Phil Callaghan, the production’s co-ordinator, is in no doubt as to why this macabre evening of theatre has such mass appeal.

You can rest assured, there’s nothing to upset the squeamish, with the master composer telling this dark tale with characteristic wit and cleverness.

When asked to pinpoint the reason for the show’s mass appeal, Phil said: “I think the musical really plays to the fascination around the macabre that so many of us posses.

“However despite the dark themes of the show, it is laced with comedic effect too. I think this genius combination alongside and incredible musical score provides us with a musical for the ages.”

Phil also regards the production as SAMT’s way of paying tribute to a true giant of modern musical theatre.

“We decided to stage Sweneey Todd as it’s such an iconic piece of theatre. When the theatre world mourned the death of the late, great Stephen Sondheim, there was a recognition of the immense contribution he had made to musical theatre throughout the decades.

“As a society we felt compelled to bring one of his most powerful pieces of work to the stage to perhaps share it with a new audience in Trafford. As a society we also never shy away from a challenge and knew that this would be a musical we could really get our teeth into!.”

While there’s nothing elitist about the work of the great man, Sondheim’s musicals do pose challenges for audiences and actors alike. Theatregoers must be prepared to give his scores their full attention for them to be able to fully bask in his brilliance and Phil said there are a different set of challenges for the actors to conquer.

“The score is an immense work and I personally believe one of Sondheim’s greatest pieces of work. However, like any good Sondheim score, it’s not easy for the cast.

“The conversational style of Sondheim’s score and lyrics with lines running over the top of one another mean that timing is everything.

“Thankfully with the assistance of our MD, Pete England, our cast have relished the challenge and are now speaking the language of Sondheim.”

Sale and Altrincham Musical Theatre presents Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. At the Waterside Arts Centre in Sale from October 17-21 at 7:30pm. Tickets available via www.samtheatre.co.uk,

Further information is also available via the company’s Facebook page, Sale and Altrincham Musical Theatre.

Home, I'm Darling - Altrincham Garrick


NOSTALGIA, we all love an occasional bit of it don’t we? It becomes like a sort of comfort blanket in challenging times.

In my former life as a newspaper reporter, any item we published on the mythical good old days invariably provoked considerable interest among our readers.

But Judy and Johnny have decided to take the nostalgia thing to a whole new level. Their home, their clothes and even the clothes they wear are a homage to the 1950s. Judy, recently made redundant, has happily decided to become an old school housewife, cooking his meals and ironing his shirts.

Johnny, who was talked into this bizarre lifestyle switch by his wife, even drives a 50s car to work.

For me, this is Fiona Primrose’s best performance I’ve seen at this theatre to date. As Judy she captivates and intrigues in equal measure and together with Hamish Macduff as Johnny they are every inch the archetypal married couple, from the disagreements to the doting.

Judy has retreated back to the 50s because it’s an era in which she feels safe and one of the play’s most memorable scenes comes when her mum Sylvia gives her a hefty dose of realism in a bid to make her take off her rose tinted spectacles.

Director Su Mowat must have thought all her birthdays had come at once when she attended the first day of rehearsals and she ably makes use of the talent at her disposal. I particularly enjoyed Paul Cudby’s Marcus and the way the actor has fun with the character’s dubious morality.

Funny, thought provoking and quietly poignant. A play not to be missed.

Until October 7. The box office is on 0161 928 1677 or www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk.

Star rating - 3.5 out of 5.

Photo by Martin Ogden.

The Shawshank Redemption - Altrincham Garrick


The Shawshank Redemption - photo by Martin Ogden.

IT never ceases to amaze me, just how resilient the human spirit can be, especially in the face of overwhelming odds and trapped in a system that’s designed to crush you.

Rehabilitation is definitely a dirty word at this grim, Shawshank jail, where inmates serve their time in filthy conditions, trying to avoid the attentions of the sodomites, perpetually stalking the prison’s dark corridors for their next victim.

But things change with the arrival of a prisoner called Andy Dufresne, a refined, intelligent and articulate man, incarcerated for a double murder he claims he didn’t commit.

I hope the subject matter doesn’t deter people from buying tickets for the Garrick’s new curtain raiser because Stephen King’s absorbing and at times deeply moving jail tale is life-affirming stuff.

You’ll also miss some powerful performances from, in particular, Tom Broughton as Dufresne and Lewis Sewell as his best friend Red. There’s a natural and easy chemistry between these two, a tribute to their own talent and a man who has for me, re-defined what amateur theatre is and should be about, Joe Meighan.

For Meighan, the Garrick’s artistic director, there’s no such thing as forbidden theatrical territory, daring to be different, while not alienating theatregoers with more mainstream tastes.

Steven Finney is outstanding as the seemingly pious Warden Stammers and Pete Brassington’s performance as head thug Bogs Drummond is his best on the Garrick stage to date.

How churlish it would be for me not to mention Bill Platt as the prison librarian Brooksie, a librarian for whom books are his reason for living.

Utterly compelling, this prison masterpiece. Do not miss.

Until September 23. Tickets are available from 0161 928 1677 or www.altrinchamgarric.co.uk.

Star rating - 4/5.

Great Expectations - Royal Exchange Theatre


Great Expectations at the Royal Exchange - photo by Ellie Kurttz

I WAS somewhat perplexed by the RET’s decision to open its new season with the stage version of a story which many of us, including myself, know backwards.

But Tanika Gupta’s adaptation of the classic Dickens tale, set in India as rumours of the country’s partition stir up civil unrest, was a theatrical experience I will never forget.

I was so wrong, spectacularly so.

Gupta has retained the themes of one of the greatest novels of all time, while inviting the audience to look at this epic and moving and ultimately uplifting tale through fresh eyes.

All the familiar characters are here from the disarmingly decent Pip, re-named Pipli here, to the unashamedly amoral lawyer Jaggers to Pipli’s hard working guardian Jagu Ganguly, or Joe in the original.

If Esh Alladi doesn’t win an award for his Pipli, a young man who grows up before our eyes there really is no justice out there. As his tormentor in chief Miss Havisham, Catherine Russell plays the role with just the right amount of vitriol and we feel for poor Pipli as the woman scorned gently taunts him with the seemingly unreachable in the shape of the enigmatic Estella, a study in aloofness.

Pooja Ghai, the production’s director, should also make space on his mantlepiece when they’re giving out the theatre gongs as this is one of those occasions when you forget you’re watching actors and totally immersing yourself in the action takes no effort at all.

I would like to say this Great Expectations is brilliant. In reality, it’s far better than that.

Until October 7. Tickets are available from 0161 833 9833 or www.royalexchange.co.uk.

Star rating - 5/5.