Review: The Little Mermaid at The Lowry, Salford Quays

The Little Mermaid at The Lowry
The Little Mermaid at The Lowry
©Robert Day
Reviewer: Demi West
Upstaged Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐

At first, Metta’s Little Mermaid may seem like a simplified interpretation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic, but beneath the surface lies a magical concoction of trapeze, aerial, and acrobatics. This beautiful reinvention of the popular tale presents the perfect mixture of expression through movement and vocals, whilst being engaging for all ages.

Little Mermaid is composed of a varied selection of circus arts, which harmoniously collaborate to create a mystical illustration of the classic tale. From elegant yet risky trapeze to nerve-wracking stunts, the variety of skills on display were enough to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, whilst still creating a beautiful presentation. If the spinning bodies and nimble leaps were not enough, the musical talent of the cast members was certain to leave anyone astounded. The blend of classical vocals, string instruments, and seamless acrobatics create the perfect recipe for a contemporary twist on a well-loved fairy tale.

The main and only flaw with this production is that the narrative is that of a familiar one. The story of the Little Mermaid is ripe for this style of production, thus ultimately lends itself perfectly to what unfolds visually. However, it leaves a sense of dissatisfaction as the end product feels ‘safe’ and predictable, as opposed to the effect that adaptations of other fairy tales may have had. Despite this, it was clear to see why Metta Theatre chose to illustrate the Little Mermaid, as the performance style and skills on display were expressed nicely within the narrative.

The performance is without an interval, leaving the audience submerged in the depths of the ocean, as the cast members use the graceful strength of one another to emulate the weightlessness of an underwater setting. This uninterrupted flow of plot allows the audience to experience the story as it runs its course, flawlessly moving between actions as the characters float across the stage.  Combined with the running time of seventy minutes, the continuity of Little Mermaid made for the perfect viewing experience for the children in the audience, whilst still being a spectacle that kept adults mesmerised.

This spellbinding production of Little Mermaid is the perfect blend of circus and musical theatre and is the perfect showcase for the talents of the cast. Metta’s production gave a new lease of life to the Little Mermaid story and provides an alternative viewing experience that will keep the little ones entertained throughout.

-Demi West
The Little Mermaid runs at The Lowry until Saturday 14th April 2018.

Review: The Winslow Boy at The Lowry, Salford Quays

The Winslow Boy ©Alastair Muir
The Winslow Boy
©Alastair Muir
Reviewer: Megan Hyland
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Terrence Rattigan’s The Winslow Boy is a touching story of a father’s laboured fight to clear his son’s name after he is expelled from his naval college for stealing a five-shilling postal order. Based on the trial of George Archer-Shee, this production is a timeless portrayal of just how much a family will sacrifice for one another. And though the staple of the plot may seem simplistic, The Winslow Boy is, in fact, a complex tale of sacrifice, convictions and love.

Director Rachel Kavanaugh (The Wind in the Willows) has orchestrated a seamless and charming performance, inviting us into the Winslow’s microcosm of hardship and unwavering faith in the cause for good. The play is set entirely in one room of the Winslow home, which at first may seem rather limited, but in fact, makes the performance feel altogether more intimate and personal. Rather than follow titular character Ronnie Winslow to the courtroom, we hear about the outside world through the musings of the other characters, making the audience feel like another part of the family.

The cast is exceptional, bringing a new life and energy to Rattigan’s characters. Aden Gillett (The House of Eliott) commands the stage as Arthur Winslow, his bellowing voice and sharp-tongued wit capturing the audience. He begins the play as the authoritative archetype of an Edwardian father, however, he gradually breaks down this character in a beautiful portrayal of a father’s sacrifice for his son and his pride. Dorothea Myer-Bennett delivers another stand-out performance as Catherine Winslow, Ronnie’s strong-willed, suffragette sister. Told that she is fighting not one, but two lost causes – the case of her brother and women’s right to vote – no characters sacrifice more than she and her father. Myer-Bennett gives an emotionally raw performance as modern woman straddling the bridge between rigid values and change. As Catherine, she is both moving and inspiring, creating a character that still resonates and reminds us of the strength of the women that brought us where we are today.

Also to note is Michael Taylor’s beautifully meticulous set and costume design, bringing to life the Winslow’s Edwardian home and lifestyle. A particularly subtle but nice touch is how the costumes depict the Winslow’s gradually deteriorating wealth as they pump more money into the trial, as well as Arthur’s declining health. Little details such as this only add to the play’s authenticity, such as Tim Lutkin’s innovative lighting design, beautifully imitating the golden hue of a sunny afternoon in the second act.

The Winslow Boy is by no means a fast-paced production, however, it is an upliftingly charming slow-burner that is full of heart and honesty. Rattigan’s truly powerful dialogue, coupled with Kavanaugh’s subtle directing style create a piece that is undeniably touching and that audiences will not be quick to forget.

-Megan Hyland

The Winslow Boy plays at The Lowry, Salford Quays until Saturday 14th April 2018. 

Review: Art at The Lowry, Salford Quays

Art ©Matt Crockett
©Matt Crockett
Reviewer: Daniel Shipman
Upstaged rating: 

Contrary to the title, Art is not actually about art. It focuses more on the friendship between the three main characters, Serge, Marc and Yvan (Played by Nigel Havers, Denis Lawson and Stephen Tompkinson, respectively). Having known each other for 25 years, the bond between Serge, Marc and Yvan begins to disintegrate after Serge purchases a white painting for what Marc considers to be an obscene amount of money.

Under this relatively simple premise, Yasmina Reza’s play touches on friendship, aging and class as well as the titular theme of art. Reza covers these themes effortlessly, bringing to the play a lightness of touch that makes even the climactic argument joyous to watch. This is thanks, in no small part, to the gentle comedy which exists throughout the play – something which the audience seemed to adore.

All three actors carry reputations as seasoned performers and they live up to them here, although some dialogue is delivered at such impressive speed that it can be easy to lose track of what is actually being said. Despite this, all three actors put in excellent performances, crafting detailed, three-dimensional characters drawn from the rich amount of background material provided by Reza’s text.

 A word must be given to Christopher Hampton’s translation, which features some excellent comic phrasing and expertly disguises the fact that English is not the play’s first language.

 This production of Art seems mainly to cater to the older audiences drawn in by the reputations of the three stars, but there is something here for everyone who finds themselves questioning their friendships every once in a while.

-Daniel Shipman

Art runs at The Lowry, Salford Quays until Saturday 31st March 2018.

Review: Opera North’s Madama Butterfly at The Lowry, Salford

© Opera North
© Opera North
Reviewer: Karen Clough
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Puccini’s Madama Butterfly tells a story of the marriage between American Navy Lieutenant Pinkerton (Merunas Vitulskis) and young geisha Cio-Cio-San (Anne Sophie Duprels), or Madama Butterfly, whilst he is based in Nagasaki in 1904. To Pinkerton, it’s a marriage of convenience; his purchased bride a temporary aesthetic addition whilst in Japan. To Cio-Cio-San, it’s a marriage of true and enduring love – she readily accepts the role of subservient and dedicated wife. Madama Butterfly is a tragedy full of inequality, exploitation and unrequited love, featuring cross-continent and cross-cultural disparities. Pinkerton, charmed by the novel beauty of his 15-year-old bride, is her ‘rescuer’ from life as a poor geisha. Rejected by her community, she commits to her ‘heroic’ Western husband, with a newfound sole purpose as his love and wife.

The audience follows Butterfly’s foreseeable abandonment, denial, naivety and pain in discomfort. She dutifully waits for Pinkerton, watching every ship come and go, for 3 long years. Her pain is softened by their son (Oliver Chambers) and the idyllic delusion that Pinkerton will come back to her. She is his wife and true love, after all? The audience dreads what they know is more likely – he returns, but not to her. Worse, he returns with his ‘proper’ American wife and Butterfly is the last to know. Vitsulkis’ performance as Pinkerton is particularly strong in the final scenes, where the consequences of his flippancy and meaning of Butterfly’s love become clear upon her suicide.

Duprels gives a wonderful performance as Madama Butterfly, evoking her character’s emotions in the audience through her remarkable voice and performance. In Act II, as she excitedly prepares for Pinkerton’s return, Duprels made me hopeful he loved her too, whilst I braced myself for the predictable disappointment. This includes a beautifully constructed scene (Tim AlberryPeter Mumford, Maxine Braham) between Butterfly and her servant, Suzuki (fantastically portrayed by Ann Taylor), who despairs as she reluctantly helps Butterfly fill the home with petals.

The audience enjoyed robust vocal and acting performances, accompanied by a first-class orchestra (David Greed, Andrew Long, Martin Pickard), across the rest of the cast. Peter Savidge’s Sharpless and Joseph Shovelton’s Goro proved especially popular.

As a newcomer to Opera, I had doubts whether I would be able to follow the story, feel entertained or engaged by the style. Opera North declare an inclusive ethos and promote their work as accessible to all – with their informal approach, simplistic set design (Hildegard Bechtler) and helpful translation displays, I think they successfully achieve this. Madama Butterfly is a captivating and moving production, go and see it and prepare to enjoy it whether you’re an Opera veteran or novice. I suggest you take tissues!

-Karen Clough

 

REVIEW: Air Play (The Lowry, Salford Quays)

air play

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thing Stars: 

Air Play is a stunning 60-minute circus-style adventure for absolutely everybody from ages 6 -106. This beautiful show is currently in the midst of an international tour, playing only 4 UK venues and we were lucky enough to catch it at The Lowry, Salford Quays. It would be fair to say that the husband and wife team, Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone of Acrobuffos, held the audience, which included a lot of children, mesmerised throughout.

This two-hander follows the surreal journey of two siblings through a land of air as they turn familiar objects into complete works of art. The premise of the show is very simple – there is balloon play, huge kites of glimmering fabric, glitter and packing peanuts suspended in the air. However, the presentation is highly accomplished and wonderfully conceived and the result is magical – straddling clowning and circus with modern art, pure imagination and sprightly humour.

Huge canopies of gold and red silk dance in the wind – reminiscent of watching the flames in a fire or the clouds in the sky – as your imagination runs free trying to make sense of the images they create. An errant balloon strays far so from the stage that the audience becomes part of the spectacle in batting it back to the performers. A breathtaking night sky and a huge snow globe take over the performance space – the audience are all gripped.

Thing 2 loved the simple storytelling and slapstick style humour, particularly when the performers each disappeared inside a balloon. Bloom and Gelstone frequently break the fourth wall and invite the audience into their world – climbing among the audience interacting with children and adults, everybody gets the opportunity to be part of the magic.

The musical soundtrack is delightful – incorporating many different music styles from around the world, it sets the pace and mood for each section in the show. This is a show without spoken word which makes it a universal piece, language really is no barrier here. Both performers are skilled storytellers – their physicality and facial expressions communicate everything that the audience needs to know.

Featuring a winning blend of visual masterpieces and playful storytelling, Air Play is a heartfelt poetic performance guaranteed to enchant and amaze the young and the young at heart.

-Kristy Stott

Air Play performs at The Lowry, Salford Quays on Saturday 20 January 2018 before continuing on its international tour. Further dates, venues and tickets can be found here.

Review: Kate O’Donnell: You’ve Changed (The Lowry, Salford Quays)

Kate O'Donnell in You've Changed at The Lowry, Salford Quays.
Kate O’Donnell in You’ve Changed at The Lowry, Salford Quays.
Reviewer: Megan Hyland
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kate O’Donnell quite literally bares all in her new show, You’ve Changed, a hilarious and honest account of her transition in 2003. Using the backdrop of the 1930s to add a unique twist, O’Donnell explores how transitioning fourteen years ago felt a lot more like transitioning in the 1930s. And although the show itself is only an hour long, there isn’t a topic left untouched in this unapologetic story of what being transgender and transitioning is really like.

You’ve Changed combines some truly transfixing dance routines skilfully choreographed by Lea Anderson, the music of the 1930s and O’Donnell’s effortless sense of humour and sincerity to create an entertaining and insightful performance. In collaboration with her trans-led theatre company Trans Creative, the show aims to both encourage and empower other members of the trans community, whilst also educating cisgender audiences – and it does exactly that. O’Donnell takes us through every step of her transition, beginning with the moment that she said it out loud for the first time in her friend’s living room to name change documents and the cost of her surgery.

However, it is O’Donnell’s dazzling personality and humour that is the real heart of the show. She holds the audience in the palm of her hand, keeping you on the verge of tears or uncontrollable laughter at any giving moment. She commands effortless control, drawing the audience in from the moment she steps onstage dressed as Fred Astaire to the very last moment where she remerges as Ginger Rodgers. And although there are parts that may feel slightly disjointed and perhaps rough around the edges, O’Donnell’s intelligent and witty storytelling ultimately distracts and leaves you with a smile.

All in all, You’ve Changed delivers some truly powerful messages about what it’s really like to be trans and transitioning, which despite O’Donnell’s transition being almost fourteen years ago, still remain relevant today. It will make you laugh, think and maybe even cry. But the main takeaway is the question that O’Donnell herself asks – she’s changed, but have you? I certainly have.

-Megan Hyland

You’ve Changed runs at The Lowry, Salford until Saturday 11th November 2017 and continues the tour to Birmingham’s SHOUT Festival on 17th November and Lancaster Arts Centre on 1st December 2017.

Review: Superposition (The Lowry, Salford Quays)

© Sam Ryley
© Sam Ryley
Guest Reviewer: Elise Gallagher
Upstaged Rating: 

Spoken word, science and strip clubs combine to create Chanje Kunda’s one-woman cabaret show exploring the laws of attraction and the meaning of life.

Manchester poet, playwright and performance artist Chanje Kunda presents Superposition at the Lowry Theatre. Kunda took lessons in several disciplines of dance in the lead up to her show. Two are pole and lap dancing, which are commonly performed in certain venues for a particular clientele, but Kunda sets out to reinvent this.

“As a woman, I wanted to find out about the laws of attraction. I wanted to know how the universe works and about my place in the universe. So, I decided to ask these questions to a philosopher, to a physicist and to my son.”

Superposition is a frank, hopeful yet honest look at the questions that surround the universe, juxtaposed through the lens of lap dancing and quantum physics.

During one scene Kunda illustrates the similarities between the properties of particles and the routines of a nightclub. She explains that if the atom was a nightclub, “the nucleus would be dancing in the middle of the nightclub” whilst the electron would be orbiting the nucleus “getting to see the sexiness from all angles”. She explains this all whilst pole dancing, I must add.

The prospect of a show marrying poetry, pole dancing and particle physics to perform on stage is a daunting prospect, and it had the potential to go very wrong. However, it didn’t. The narrative pivoted between Kunda’s lessons in erotic dancing (including “floor fuckery”), the body positivity reflections against the backdrop of her life. And all seamlessly fused together in a dialogue of dance fusion, philosophy and music.

At one point Kunda empathises with a cat on heat and discusses the many questions life has to offer with her curious son. She then puts on the most glorious pair of ‘stripper shoes’ which she at first wobbles, unbalanced, in – but a short time later she is working the pole, transfixing the audience.

At the end of the rabbit hole that Kunda has sent us down she studies her audience and says, “I’m letting you watch me because you paid,” and in that moment we are forced to think about the politics and conflict of ownership, the policing and imposed restrictions of bodies and more importantly, the politics of black women’s bodies. When asking to pick out a lap dancer, Kunda looks for one with a “badonk-donk bum”, only there were none; instead, the lap dancer had breasts that even gravitational force couldn’t pull down. In the body confidence workshop she attended, where they were all asked to undress, and she was the only black female, she was staggered to see that their pubic hair was like down or fur rather than the texture of her own.

I imagine, it goes without saying, that this kind of show is an acquired taste. However, behind the poetry, the pole, and the heels there is a rawness which laces between the words and the movement and transcends boundaries.

The show circles around and around, looping upon itself – but it isn’t repetitive. My only qualm with the performance as a whole was that sometimes Kunda was overshadowed by the volume of the music.

In an age where women’s eroticism is often portrayed quite cheaply, Kunda searches for a new way to elevate and celebrate it – through the disciplines of science, spirituality and sensuality. The hour passed very quickly.

-Elise Gallagher

Further UK tour dates for Superposition can be found here.

The Jungle Book (The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays)

Metta Theatre's The Jungle Book ©Richard Davenport
Metta Theatre’s The Jungle Book
©Richard Davenport
upstaged rating: 

Metta Theatre are front runners in cross art form theatre practice and this week they’ve somersaulted into The Lowry, Salford with their refreshing and radical interpretation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale, The Jungle Book.

Using a vibrant and intoxicating fusion of hip-hop, street dance, circus and storytelling, Metta’s Jungle Book is suitable for all ages 8 and up. Thing 1 (age 11), a dancer and Thing 2, (almost 8 and a keen back flipper) were gripped by the acrobatics, agility and aerial hoop display. The production swaps the original setting of the Indian jungle for the mean streets of the urban jungle in Britain, which may initially be a strange concept for younger children who are big fans of the cute Disney version. Though pleasingly, Metta Theatre challenge the well-loved tale and turn it on its head. Quite literally.

Adapted by Metta’s visionary director, Poppy Burton-Morgan – Mowgli (Nathalie Alison) is a lively young girl with a shock of black hair who has been brought up by Akela (Matt Knight) and his pack of skateboarding wolves, after finding herself abandoned. The beat-loving bin man Baloo (Stefano Addae) delivers a prologue which serves introduce the audience to each of the characters – be prepared for a graffiti artist Baghera (Kloé Dean), a pole-dancing Kaa (Ellen Wolf) and an intimidating ‘bone-breaking’ (wince) Shere Khan (Kaner Scott). It’s a clever conceit – each of the main characters are still present but they have been reshaped to reflect multi-cultural Britain and the way society views those who go against the grain.

Designer William Reynolds’ effective set of street lamps and barriers is perfectly suggestive of the concrete jungle and provides the perfect playground for the performers to dangle, pivot and climb. 

Kendra J Horsburgh’s striking choreography sees the performers fill the stage with flair and grace. Ellen Wolf displays remarkable strength and mastery as she curls and hangs from a street lamp as Kaa and Matt Knight’s Akela demonstrates superb acrobatics and street-dance skills. Nathalie Alison shines as Mowgli – weaving, spinning and balancing with absolute finesse and beauty.

The Jungle Book positively bursts with creativity, talent and passion. Each performer excels at their own individual skill and as each character, but the ensemble are at their most impressive when they occupy the stage together. This is a highly captivating show for younger theatre goers to enjoy, though cleverly, it offers a more mature social commentary on the Kipling classic – making it suitable for children and adults alike.

-Kristy Stott

The Jungle Book runs until Saturday 2nd September 2017 at The Lowry Theatre, Salford.

REVIEW: Derren Brown (The Lowry, Salford)

Derren Brown returns to The Lowry with Underground
Derren Brown returns to The Lowry with Underground
guest reviewer: Elise Gallagher
upstaged rating: 

Fresh from a sell-out London bill, Derren Brown returns to Manchester with Underground his latest stage show which brings together a collection of Brown’s previous and favourite stage work. However, do not let this put you off, for I would strongly predict that there is something new to be seen for even the most die-hard fan.

I have seen Derren Brown once before and it would seem Derren’s charm and showman ship has only grown. Underground exhibits the ingredients needed to make a world class show. Brown oozes class, charm, intelligence and just a glint of cheekiness. However, I feel Underground highlights a much more sensitive and sentimental quality to not only the show but the man himself.

As you may imagine, audience participation is key to the show, especially for the utterly jaw dropping moments. It takes genuine skill to carry a show of such ferocity alone, with only the slightest help from a gorilla and a kangaroo. The show expertly mixed culture, emotion, grief and sheer exhilaration into a perfect cocktail which we gulped down unconsciously, craving more.

I feel quite torn when considering the wonder of the mind. Half of me wants to know exactly how he does it, every unconscious clue we give on a day to day basis. However, the other half of me thinks that this would only ruin its attraction. Some things should just remain shrouded in mystery instead of being examined for all to see.

Someone remarked that this being a showcase show may as well be his goodbye tour, I sincerely hope not. The world needs a bit more magic at the moment and I’m sure he has much more up his sleeve.

It is quite hard to write a review for a one man show whose thrill factor relies solely on secrets and surprise, my lips are sealed. But I leave you with this, Underground is a true masterclass in showmanship and psychological genius. A must see.

-Elise Gallagher

Derren Brown’s Underground is at The Lowry, Salford until Saturday 5th August 2017 and continues at The Playhouse Theatre, London in September 2017.

REVIEW: The Mikado (The Lowry Theatre, Salford)

© McPHERSON PHOTOGRAPHY
© McPHERSON PHOTOGRAPHY
upstaged reviewer: Elise Gallagher
upstaged rating: 

The Mikado or ‘The Town of Titipu’ was first produced in 1885 and first ran for a mammoth 672 nights making it one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most popular plays. Set in the rather bizarre world of Titipu our protagonist Nanki-Poo (Richard Munday) falls in love with a girl named Yum-Yum (Alan Richardson) but both are tragically betrothed to others. One is bound to the Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko (David McKenchnie) whilst Nanki-Poo is entrapped by the formidable Katisha (Alex Weatherhill).

 The adaption is set in a private school camping trip which I must admit, I did not realise until I read it in the programme. I feel the production was supposed to be contextualised within a certain setting, however, I felt it was staged rather randomly in a wood far away from any towns or villages. However, the ambience that the set created was a success as it only heightened the hilarity on stage.

Director Sasha Regan stated that ultimately the tale was written as a way to poke fun at the establishment. She felt that Gilbert and Sullivan put their very English society on the stage to take the mickey in their original version of The Mikado, a sentiment which reverberates in Sasha Regan’s all-male production.

Alan Richardson shocked the audience with his vocal range, I was in complete disbelief when he first hit his high note. His performance easily stole laughter from the audience. David McKechnie played a magnificent Ko-Ko, who seemed to toy with physical comedy with ease. His performance in ‘As Some Day It May Happen’ was a show highlight. Alex Weatherhill also did a fantastic job in his role as Katisha.

However, it was Jamie Jukes who played Pitti-Sing who was the stand out performer for me. His performance was effortless and I found my eye would wander to him and Richard Russell Edwards (Peep-Bo) whenever they were on stage. The two bounced off one another and make a perfect double act.

This was my first time going into a Gilbert and Sullivan production and I would say that it is an acquired taste. It took me a little longer than usual to truly settle down into the performance. This is the perfect show for anyone who wants to leave their worries at the stage door and truly have fun, although it may be a step too silly for some.

I was seated next to an older gentleman who sang and danced throughout the entire performance with a huge grin on his face. He wasn’t alone in his glee.

-Elise Gallagher

The Mikado runs in The Quays Theatre at The Lowry until Saturday 29 July 2017.