Joe Spud, Billionaire Boy, has everything money could possibly buy. The son of a ‘toilet paper re-inventor,’ he has luxuries galore. Except all he really wants is to be ordinary. To be an anonymous child in an ordinary school and deal with everyday issues just like his peers, without the distraction that money can bring. Which is where we are introduced to our lead character, who decides he is moving to the ‘Local Comprehensive.’ What ensues is a quirky tale of friendship, loyalty, justice and values, all in musical form.
And when I say musical, I mean musical. The songs from last night’s show remain fresh in my head and were catchy to a fault (not really a fault, I loved the pop-tastic cheer they brought, especially ‘As weird as you!’) Each song has been cleverly written to explain plot points or reinforce character feelings whilst also providing the perfect opportunity for the cast to dance. I’m no choreography expert but this production made fantastic use of the whole stage and the talents of its versatile cast, with one member, in particular, impressing with his large framed yet show-stealing, light-footed movements in each of his dance scenes; truly delightful to watch.
The moral of the story has to have a special mention too; who amongst us can truly say they appreciate the mundane when consumerism is perpetually rapping its knuckles on our windows asking us to buy, buy, buy?
Sitting beside my eleven-year-old took on an extra poignancy as I realised this was the first activity in a while we had completed just the two of us, largely down to time constraints. When asked his opinion (this is a family show after all) he wanted me to record that it was ‘energetic and visual,’ which indeed it was with the adaptable cast transforming into multiple characters so seamlessly my young friend didn’t realise until the curtain call that one cast member had two roles. For us, the show captured Walliams’ spirit perfectly; there was humour, warmth, disgust, friendship, minor audience participation, a bit of Fortnite and love. And did I mention humour? Family friendly frolic at its best.
– Sarah Baumber
Billionaire Boy runs at The Lowry, Salford until Sunday 17th February 2019.
SparkPlug at HOME Manchester. Photo courtesy of Alex Mead, Decoy Media.
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
“I’ve got two dads. One’s black. That makes me black, I suppose.”
Manchester-based Box of Tricks Theatre Company have spent two years developing this piece of new writing with dual heritage writer/ performer David Judge.
SparkPlug is an honest and gritty autobiographical work which looks to explore the early years of performer David Judge’s life in terms of identity, culture, family and home. Inspired by events in Judge’s life, the performance takes inspiration from his dad’s story – a white man who becomes a father to a mixed-race child.
Running at around 80 minutes, SparkPlug is a monologue made up of a series of short vignettes. Richly layered, eloquent and raw, Judge weaves together defining narrative fragments of his father’s life. The story starts in 1983 and runs up into the 1990s – the clever movement through time is signalled by a changing soundtrack and the manual modification – headlights and number plate changes – of the car frame structure which dominates the centre of the stage.
Judge is a powerful presence on stage – playing a host of characters – he fuses the inflection of spoken word artistry with accent play and mimicry. Exploring a range of characters on stage as a single performer is a tricky task but Judge manages to convey a multitude of emotions. Under Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder’s direction, Judge moves in and around the car structure which gives the piece some pace and some visual variation.
SparkPlug is a really interesting play in which Judge successfully fuses an evocative personal narrative with his home city of Manchester. Some sections of the piece feel a little lengthy and would benefit from some trimming, particularly the stylised section which marks Dave’s breakdown. There were also some issues with pace and contrast between characters and individual stories. There is certainly room for some editing and a firmer directorial hand – both would make the audience’s experience even better when the piece embarks on its national tour.
-Kristy Stott
SparkPlug runs at HOME Manchester until Saturday 23rd February 2019.
House of Suarez & Contact: Vogue Ball Image courtesy of Contact
Reviewer: Daniel Shipman
Upstaged Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I started off thinking it would be difficult to give Vogue Ball a rating out of five. Within ten minutes of the show starting though, I can see that everything about this event is five out of five. The adoration from the audience is palpable as soon as the first acts take to the stage, and it is easy to see why. The talent on display here is staggering.
This year’s theme is PS4-play (the pun admittedly works much better out loud) and so the acts are loosely themed around gaming. Where else would you see a vogue-ing Angry Bird with legs that most of us would kill for?
Darren Pritchard gives us a potted history of vogue, from its roots in the clubs of the 1960s, through the 1990s revival and up to the fashion that makes your eyes pop and dance moves that defy physics which we have the pleasure of witnessing tonight.
As brilliant as every performer is though, the audience plays a central role in this evening’s entertainment. Everyone seems in fancy dress as the true version of themselves – with the style of make-up and clothing they would wear every day if society was comfortable with it. Vogue Ball demonstrates that queer culture extends far beyond Ru Paul’s Drag Race and Eurovision. It is a glorious mess of identities which doubles up as a killer evening of entertainment.
The Animals and Children Took to the Streets at HOME
Guest Reviewer: Daniel Shipman
Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1927’s The Animals and Children took to the Streets is a deliciously dark gem of a show. With a running time of just 70 minutes, you might assume that the action would be rushed. Instead, the three performers take their time, wringing every last drop of twisted humour out of each rhyming couplet.
The plot here functions more as a device for the company to show off their stylistic genius, but it loosely revolves around a gang of children terrorising the grotesque denizens of a rundown tenement block. The rotating cast of residents are hugely entertaining, with the melancholic mumblings of the caretaker being a personal highlight of mine. I was surprised that only three performers were revealed to us at the end of the show, such is their dedication to marking out each individual role.
In typical 1927 style, the action is a combination of live performance and animated projection. The two are blended seamlessly with live and recorded music, and the skillful timing of the interaction with projections and music is consistently satisfying.
Despite the bleak, impressionist, Soviet aesthetic of piece, its tales of poverty, social division and healthcare cuts present eerie similarities to contemporary British life. You could be forgiven for thinking this all sounds a little grim, but the script ensures that a laugh is never far away. Think the Mighty Boosh performing a script by John Cooper Clark, and you’d be in the right sinister, absurd and brilliant ballpark.
William Hone is a provocative pamphleteer who, quite unbelievably, was subjected to three trials in three days. His crime? Libel and blasphemy after he published a series of spoof caricatures relating to the church and the Prince Regent. Think memes on Twitter.
Written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman and directed by Caroline Leslie – Trial By Laughter is by the same creative trio who brought 2016’s The Wipers Times to our stages – however, this tale of historical satire pales in comparison.
A courtroom is the perfect breeding ground for all degrees of drama, and this remarkably true story has the added element of comedy – making it a perfect addition to Hislop and Newman’s portfolio. Which is why I was so disappointed with the outcome, with a true story so rich it was a shame for it to be wasted.
The narrative lends itself perfectly to the modern day discussion around freedom of the press and freedom of speech. It also serves as a refreshing and quite a smirk-inducing reminder that political incompetence, corruption and self-indulgence is hardly anything new.
I really liked how the production played around with the setting, making fun and innovative use of the space as they shot between past to present. I also really enjoyed Dan Mersh’s performance, doubling up as Lord Ellenborough and Hazlitt. I also have a huge amount of respect for Joseph Prowen, who, playing the protagonist Hone, delivered his defense at lightning speed.
Eva Scott and Helena Antoniou also did a fantastic job as the ever competing wife and mistress of the Prince Regent – the costume design was particularly good too, emphasising the absurd nature of the situation.
However, it was Jeremy Lloyd’s performance as Prince Regent which I enjoyed the most. The outrageous nature of his character was a factor which didn’t fail to deliver genuine laughter. He was a perfect blend of Regency grandeur meets Michael McIntyre – and I loved it.
But one feature that I really wasn’t fond of was the use of canned laughter and cued interjections from the “jury”. It would often make the audience cringe and sometimes came across as a safety feature to compensate any missed laugh-out-loud moments.
Having enjoyed The Wipers Times so much I went to A Trial By Laughter with a head full of expectations, all of which dwindled away as the play progressed. It seemed to lack the spirit that the duo’s first play brimmed with.
Trial by Laughter first found success as a radio play on Radio Four, and you can see why – a persecuted innocent, revolution, corruption of the higher classes and a highly mocked royal make the story perfect for any audience, it’s just a shame it didn’t quite hit the mark.
-Elise Gallagher
Trial by Laughter runs at The Lowry until Saturday 2nd February 2019.
The Band is not just a musical for Take That groupies – it’s a musical for anybody who grew up with a boyband. This is a musical which celebrates the music of Take That and so much more besides. Littered with warm nostalgia from the outset – fond memories of Top of The Pops, reading your weekly issues of Smash Hits and the days when we covered every inch of our bedroom wall in posters.
The play tells the story of five friends. We are first introduced to them as teenagers in 1992 before the fast forward button is pressed and we see them reunited as 40-something women desperate to rekindle the feelings of their youth.
The show opens with a teenage Rachel (Faye Christall) setting the scene for her love of The Band. It’s as if through listening to their music The Band really come to life in her bedroom as she gets ready for school. Her older self, played by Rachel Lumberg, looks on fondly as she remembers her youth.
Packed with stellar performances from all of the characters from both eras. And perhaps what is most striking to me, is that these characters are completely accessible as real women. Heather as a teenage rebel (Katy Clayton) contests to shock her friends with the biggest revelation as her older self (Emily Joyce) twenty-five years later. The super fit could-be Olympic diver, Claire (Sarah Kate Howarth) has to face her pals years later, after an unhealthy relationship with food.
The Band, played by A J Bentley, Curtis T Johns, Nick Carsberg, Yazdan Qafouri and Harry Fabulous Brown, sparkle in every scene that they are in. With their stunning harmonies, they do not detract from the narrative but fully showcase the wonderful soundtrack and celebrate the music of Take That.
Jon Bausor’s stage design is phenomenal – the transition between the two eras is the slickest that I have ever seen. Complete with pyrotechnics, Relight My Fire is a real showstopper when we see the girl’s bus ride home spectacularly transform into a raging chariot. The whole theatre singing the words to the Take That floor-filler, the atmosphere electric.
Ultimately it is the memorable and loveable female characters that shine on stage – the music just makes them sparkle even brighter.
The Band is a complete triumph. This musical is really very special and the standing ovations at the end of the performance, on the night I attended, were well deserved and the ultimate testament to the success of the show.
-Victoria Guest
The Band runs at The Lowry, Salford until Saturday 26th January.
HOME have really brought the fun into their auditorium this festive season with the hugely talented madcap ensemble from Amsterdam. This is just what the doctor ordered this close to Christmas – musical laughs, zany escapism and meticulous clowning – a pleasurable escape from all of the usual seasonal fluff.
Despite the title of the show, the Dutch quintet do not just present the audience with a physical clowning routine. Between them, the ensemble are expert musicians, masters of over 100 different instruments – it is this blend of fine musicianship and eccentric knockabout clowning which makes the show so special.
Paying tribute to the slapstick heroes of bygone years, a routine from Laurel and Hardy is re-enacted while the classic film plays on a backdrop behind. Släpstick pays homage to the musical comedian but with a very modern twist. Many of the instruments serve in multiple uses, the slide detached from a trombone may be used as a bow on a violin. In the style of carnival, a fast talker gets the audience involved in a series of fairground games.
Running at around two hours with an interval, the first half of the show seeks to subvert the audiences traditional view of slapstick. Taking an alternative stance to the expected cruelty or harm as a trigger for laughter, the performers set up a boxing match where the competitors show their prowess through their dance steps, not their fists. Succumbing to the crueller elements of slapstick, the second part of the show turns the heat up a notch and sees instruments get smashed up, ladder to the head silliness and a spectacular fall into the audience.
The audience are primed for an engaging experience. Prior to the show and during the interval, the cast leave the stage and wander the auditorium to interact with the audience – handing out sweets and trying to find their clothes. It’s charmingly bizarre but completely wonderful. Have you spent your whole life resisting the urge to have a pillow fight in a theatre? By the end of Släpstick, you will have ticked that off your list.
Släpstick is a complete triumph – scrupulously sharp, all-inclusive and utterly absorbing.
-Kristy Stott Släpstick runs at HOME Manchester until Saturday 22 December 2018.
Over fifty years since the release of the original 1967 film starring Rex Harrison, Leslie Bricusse’s Doctor Dolittle The Musical makes its way to Salford’s Lowry Theatre in a major new stage revival.
Inspired by Hugh Lofting’s children’s stories, Doctor Dolittle The Musical is the fantastical tale of a man who, thanks to his trusty companion Polynesia the Parrot, learns to communicate with animals. Learning the language of various beasts – big and small – he becomes their advocate, relieving them of their ailments and worries. The story takes an exciting turn when Dolittle receives a coded call for help and sets out on an extraordinary quest to Sea Star Island to find the Giant Pink Sea Snail.
Pleasingly and most admirably, Bricusse has spent some time bringing this vibrant revival up to speed for a modern audience. With the addition of some new songs, there is also more of a focus placed on the animal’s wellbeing and the responsibility that we have, as humans, in protecting and caring for them.
Now, this is a production which is completely crafted out of love. The design by Tom Piper is playfully paper-like in a homage to Hugh Lofting’s original writings and illustrations. The original stories came about from letters which Lofting penned for his children from the trenches of the First World War. It’s heartwarming to see that tales like these really do stand the test of time. The cast is led by Mark Williams (The Fast Show, 101 Dalmatians, The Borrowers, Shakespeare in Love and Harry Potter) in the title role. Williams is hugely endearing as the animal-loving Doctor; Vicky Entwistle has plenty of Northern charm and charisma as Polynesia. Mollie Melia-Redgrave shines as Emma Fairfax with some touching moments between her and love-interest Matthew Mugg, also played well by Patrick Sullivan.
The puppetry by Nick Barnes is a real highlight, matching that of War Horse in its detail, quality and charming design. There is a myriad of animals on show here – from smaller creatures like birds, cats and dogs to the spectacular Giant Pink Sea Snail and the equally entertaining Pushmi-Pullyu. Each animal moves in its own unique way due to the superb design and talent of each handler as they bring the puppets to life. The reveal of the Giant Lunar Moth and the Giant Pink Sea Snail were awe-inspiring, the audience wowed on the night that I attended.
Advertised as a family show, Doctor Dolittle runs at around two and a half hours long which may be just a little too long for some younger children. The show may benefit from some tightening – I attended with an 8-year-old who got slightly restless during some of the musical numbers. Nevertheless, Doctor Dolittle is a show with a big heart, outstanding production and design, and take-your-breath-away puppetry.
– Kristy Stott
Doctor Dolittle runs at The Lowry Theatre, Salford until Saturday 5th January 2019.
The Christmas musical at the Royal Exchange is fast becoming a Manchester tradition. After a run of hits, The Producers has a lot to live up to, but even so it surpasses every expectation. Raz Shaw’s production of this classic and controversial Mel Brooks musical turns the camp, the glitter and the hilarity up to 11.
For those unfamiliar with the plot, The Producers tells the story of a crooked Broadway producer and his impressionable accountant as they attempt to stage a show which will certainly flop, and inadvertently create a hit. Just as with the fictional musical it revolves around, The Producers takes aim at a variety of nationalities, sexualities and careers – offending the audience has never been this much fun.
As Max Bialystock, Julius D’Silva is a constant source of energy from the first moment of the show to the last. The show is at its strongest in the whole cast numbers which fill the stage with life, but D’Silva is just as comfortable occupying the stage single-handedly whilst the cast (and the audience!) catch their breath.
Ben Stones’ design exploits every nook and cranny of the stage for maximum comic impact, and the lack of any permanent staging keeps the show moving at a breath-taking pace. Just when you think the visual gags can’t get anymore outrageous, you are confronted with a rotating swastika made of glitter which surrounds Hitler doing jazz hands. The costumes too are a feast for the eyes and a frequent source of laughs – the cast go through more outfits than you can count, at speeds that defy belief.
An honourable mention must go to Charles Brunton as flamboyant director Roger De Bris. With shades of camp bordering on absurdity which recall the best of Monty Python, Brunton is a joy to watch whenever he is on stage.
Underneath this chaotic and entertaining show is a genuine fondness for the eccentric highs and the seedy lows of show business. The Producers lets you share in that fondness, and the payoff lies in the rapturous audience reception. Beg, borrow or steal your tickets – it’s what Max would do!
-Daniel Shipman
The Producers runs at the Royal Exchange until 26 January 2019.
As ever, JB Shorts has a great reputation and never disappoints. With its host of gripping, fifteen-minute plays by some of TV’s top writers and starring local talent, I would recommend JB Shorts to anyone looking for a great night out for less than £10.
This year opened with Lindsay Williams’ Best Behaviour, a heartfelt story of the relationship between George Best (Duncan Butcher) and his landlady, Mrs Mary Fullaway (Julie Edwards). It follows the pair from the moment George turned up on her doorstep, up until the point where it all started to go wrong. Making his JB Shorts debut as Best, Butcher is superb, but what really shines through in this piece is the warmth between Best and Fullaway. Butcher and Edwards have an excellent rapport that breathes life into the piece and hones in on the tragedy of Best’s life. In the case of this piece, fifteen minutes felt all too short.
This was followed by Trevor Suthers’ bizarre and captivating Madam Mantis. Mr Steinburg (Stephen Marzella) approaches the renowned lawyer, Madam Mantis (Theone Rashleigh) in the hope that she will take his libel case. However, Madam Mantis has undergone a rather peculiar change. Suthers’ offbeat storytelling asks nothing more of you than to just sit back, ask no questions and get on board. What follows is a peculiar but compelling narrative exploring identity and workplace sexual harassment. Rashleigh is outstanding and eccentric as Madam Mantis, commanding the stage with incredible physicality and comedic timing.
Anyone who attended JB Shorts 19 may remember Dave Simpson’s charming comedy, I’ve Tried It Once, starring Victoria Scowcroft as widowed Audrey and Shaun Hennessy as her reserved husband, Godfrey. Well, Simpson, Scowcroft and Hennessy return this year with the equally hilarious prequel, I’ve Tried It Once…Again. This time, the story centres on Godfrey, particularly his relationships with his mother, his wife and his boss (all played by Scowcroft), and how they shaped his introverted character. Simpson’s characters are both endearing and familiar, and Hennessy and Scowcroft prove once again that they are outstanding.
Taking on a different tone, was Diane Whitley’s What’s the Good, depicting the melancholy tale of Private George Edwin Ellison (played by Marcus Christopherson), the last soldier to be killed in the First World War, just ninety minutes before the war itself ended. The focus of the piece is the relationship between George and his wife, Hannah (played by Helen O’Hara), a bittersweet story of a wife who longs to have her husband home, and a husband who just can’t bear to leave the war behind. Helen O’Hara gives a stunning and emotional performance that reflects the pain of those left behind, the truth behind the story making it all the more heart-breaking. Punctuated by war footage and Jake Ferretti’s narration of Geoffrey Kennedy’s poem of the same name, What’s the Good is an emotional and poignant tale that, 100 years on, shines a light on the needlessness of that last death.
Bringing the laughter back into the evening, is James Quinn’s Equivalent 2, a sequel to his brilliant and hilarious Equivalent that was a personal highlight of JB Shorts 19. Equivalent 2 follows art thieves Pickering (James Quinn) and Shirley (Meriel Schofield) in the aftermath of their last heist, including a rather obscure modern art piece composed entirely of bricks – a point of contention between the characters in the first instalment. We watch as Pickering and Shirley hilariously attempt to cover their tracks under the nose of Gina (Katy Oliver), Shirley’s assistant. Quinn’s witty excellence shines through once again, leaving us in suspense and anticipation of a potential third instalment.
Closing the evening – and certainly ending on a high – is Peter Kerry’s operatic musical, Corruption. Told almost entirely through song, Corruption is a twisted and thoroughly entertaining tale of murder, deception and the dishonourable dealings of the press. Katie Marie Carter steals the show as Maxine, the classic femme fatale, and the cast as a whole work wonderfully together, combining eerie harmonies and outstanding character acting. With Corruption, Kerry has taken the classic parlour-room murder mystery and turned it on its head.
In JB Shorts 20, there is no one piece that stands out. Each brings its own magnificent showcase of acting talent and skilful writing to the stage, taking on a variety of tones that will leave you thinking and laughing throughout.
-Megan Hyland
JB Shorts 20 runs at 53Two until Saturday 1st December 2018.
