Reviewer: Megan Hyland

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fat Blokes is not your typical dance show. It’s witty, queer, honest, and uncomfortable in all the right places. It’s nothing you expect it to be, but everything that it should be. Scottee, Asad Ullah, Joe Spencer, Gez (Graham Mercer) and Sam Buttery take to the stage to tell you their stories and break down your preconceptions about what it means to be fat. They are here to bare their souls and their bodies, and they’re not apologising for either.

Director and performer Scottee has created a striking blend of personal and political, using dance and monologue to depict the performers’ experiences. The monologues in this performance are hard-hitting and powerful, from Asad’s emotional confession about his relationship with his father, to Sam’s recollection of a Soho attack that will leave you shifting in your seat. As much as the show is about pride and anger, it’s also about vulnerability. These men may command the stage with their bold personalities, but they also captivate you with raw emotion. This blend of bravado and sensitivity is carried off expertly, rather than creating a jarring jump-cut between touching personal stories and confident strutting to blaring music, Scottee has threaded this performance together so that the tone flows seamlessly.

This is not a show that takes itself too seriously, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not a show to be taken seriously. These men are not afraid to have a laugh at the audience, or at themselves, but they are not here to be laughed at. This isn’t just a show for the audience, or for fat people around the country – this is a show for them, the performers. These men are opening themselves up and exploring their relationships with their bodies night by night, guaranteeing that every show will be unique, as these relationships are ever-changing.

Fat Blokes is a breath of fresh air. These men do not hold anything back, and what I liked most about the show was the sense of comradery and friendship between them. They help and support each other throughout the performance, encouraging one another to be vulnerable but also to be proud. They laugh with one another, and help each other through the difficult moments. For some of them, this is a celebration of their body, of self-love, others are still trying to get there. And for all, it’s a big fat revolution.

-Megan Hyland

Fat Blokes runs at HOME Manchester until Saturday 23 March 2019.

Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Walking up the steps of Yang Sing, a restaurant on the edge of Chinatown, it is easy to see that From Shore to Shore will be no ordinary night at the theatre. (Indeed, it’s not at the theatre at all.) The show takes interviews with Chinese people living in Britain to tell three differing life stories which are blended together to create a snapshot of contemporary Chinese identity.

These are stories that are often mined for their comedy but are here presented in a more appropriate tragi-comic tone. Mary Cooper’s writing cleverly uses signposting to historical events – such as the Cultural Revolution and Tiananmen Square protests – to help contextualise the action. This shows that the stories on display here are not stand-alone tales but are representative of more universal themes in the lives of Chinese migrants.

The play is not located in a functioning Chinese restaurant as a gimmick – the audience are served food both before and after the show. The soup, which is served just as the show begins, works as much more than a tasty treat (although it is delicious.) The characters make various references to food, and especially soup, as a source of comfort and a symbol of safety. Having just enjoyed it for ourselves, these references are so much more evocative.

Douglas Kuhrt’s lighting design breaks the action up, keeping scenes cleanly divided in the absence of any significant scenery. There are no illusions that this was ever intended to be a theatre space. The environment is far from ideal, but the cast nimbly zip between the chairs of the audiences as they enter and exit the stage and soldier on through noisy disruptions, making the best of the situation.

The show sometimes struggles with the balance between stereotypes and the reality of the lived experience of much of the Asian diaspora. Fierce parents, emotionally distant grandparents, and children put to work in takeaways, it’s all here. The opportunity to share a meal with fellow audience members at the end of the show goes some way to clearing up this problem though. One of my fellow diners said that some of the events of the show were, at times, painfully recognisable. This format of having a conversation with other audience members at the end of the show is a real triumph and adds immeasurably to the enjoyment of the evening.

It is certainly true that stories such as these are woefully under-represented in British theatre. Despite its flaws, From Shore to Shore does a good job of beginning to redress this imbalance.

-Daniel Shipman

From Shore to Shore runs at Yang Sing, Manchester until Saturday 16 March 2019 before heading to Angel Restaurant, Liverpool. For more tour dates click here.

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Back in 2010, writer and poet Inua Ellams was handed a leaflet about a pilot project which aimed to teach barbers the very basics of counselling. And it was this concept which inspired him to write the completely brilliant Barber Shop Chronicles. Throughout the show, there is a resounding sense that Ellams depicts real African men, the men he actually met during weeks of research travelling through the African continent. And the result is a nuanced tapestry of black male lives and experiences – soulful, heart-warming and generously entertaining.

Celebratory and upbeat; political and confessional, the barber shop chair offers a degree of intimacy. Generations of African men have gathered in barber shops to put the world to rights. A place for banter and social interaction – a place to get your hair cut – but perhaps most importantly, a place to keep in touch with global goings-on.

Barber Shop Chronicles is set in six different barber shops, South London, Lagos, Johannesburg, Accra, Harare and Kampala, over the course of one day. Hopping from location to location, it explores the role of the barber shop in these African men’s lives. Perceptive and flying free from political correctness, Ellams’ dialogue is sharp and laugh-out-loud funny.

The play centres around the troubled relationship between Emmanuel (Anthony Ofoegbu), the owner of the Three Kings barbershop and Samuel (Mohammed Mansaray), a talented barber and son of Emmanuel’s oldest friend. There’s plenty of subtext going on. Samuel believes his dad was wrongly driven out of the business and his resentment builds against the compassionate Emmanuel throughout the duration of the play, revealing climactic revelations for the audience.

Every member of this dynamic cast, many playing more than one role, are utterly memorable. On the night I attended, the spontaneous laughter and standing ovation were testament to this. Demmy Ladipo was particularly hilarious as Mohammed, telling stories of his latest dalliances, holding the barber shop and the audience with his preacher style delivery. The play raises many questions around male relationships; the importance, meanings and origins of language and dialect; culture versus race; and questions of how you break-down a casting agent’s idea of ‘strong, black masculinity’.

Director Bijan Sheibani stages this spirited production wonderfully. The inclusive and affectionate atmosphere is set from the start – music pounds as audience members are invited to sit (or dance) on stage with the performers. Each change of scene is punctuated by vibrant well-choreographed pieces, chanting and song. Rae Smith’s set aids the audience’s whereabouts – a huge wire globe hangs above the stage, lighting up each different country.

Barber Shop Chronicles is a hugely impressive production. Life-affirming and vivid. Putting lives on stage which have not been seen there before. Go!

-Kristy Stott

Barber Shop Chronicles runs at the Royal Exchange Theatre until 23 March 2019.

Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring is known for having almost caused a riot at its Parisian premiere in 1913. It was such a drastic change from anything which had come before it that the more traditional members of the audience felt they were being mocked by the jarring dynamics, competing time structures and dissonant melodies of the ballet’s score. Over 100 years later, it is precisely these qualities which make The Rite of Spring such a draw.

This evening’s production, a joint effort between Opera North and Phoenix Dance Theatre is marvellous. Under the baton of Garry Walker, the orchestra sound wonderful and bring Stravinsky’s score to life in glorious technicolour. It is at turns moving and dissonant, disturbing and triumphant. Most film music of the twentieth century owes a huge debt to this piece.

The dancers are equally skilled, bringing Jeanguy Saintus’s new choreography to the stage with the chaotic energy that the piece demands. Designed by Yann Sabra, the costumes begin in monochrome and slowly give way to small bursts of colour, cleverly echoing the visuals of spring. This is not a spring of lambs and daffodils though. Stravinsky draws on pagan rituals of sacrifice which are also associated with the season to create something which is an altogether darker affair than the usual connotations of light and rebirth which the season has.

The ballet is paired here with Gianni Schicchi, a short operetta by Puccini which is a based on an excerpt from Dante’s Divine Comedy. The paring of the two is an inspired choice. Created just a couple of years apart, the Puccini shows how much music sounded at the time, which helps to illustrate what a radical departure the orchestrations of The Rite of Spring truly were.

Puccini himself attended a performance of the first production of The Rite of Spring and declared it to be the work of a madman, but in hindsight, it has fared much better than Gianni Schicchi. This production is modern dress, with the implication that the themes of greed and love are timeless, although this is inconsistently applied which reduces the effect somewhat.

The real problem with Gianni Schicchi (aside from being placed after the superior work rather than before) is that the translations which appear on screens at either side of the stage are witless and only one level above having run the libretto through Google translate. This would be a problem anywhere but has an especially severe impact on the audience’s ability to enjoy the comedy here.

An uneven pairing then, but a thoroughly enlightening and enjoyable evening nonetheless. Both works serve as great entry points to their respective mediums, but Stravinsky’s ballet would be more likely to cultivate a new generation of fans than Puccini’s opera.

-Daniel Shipman

Opera North: The Rite of Spring/ Gianni Schicchi will visit the Theatre Royal in Newcastle on 16 March and the Theatre Royal, Nottingham on 22 March. Visit Opera North’s website for more information.

Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Opera North’s new production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute takes the composer’s final opera and brings out the fantastical and often comedic elements of what can at times be a dark story – several characters contemplate suicide on stage, but this version avoids ever feeling bogged down in these darker moments.

The story follows Prince Tamino (Kang Wang) as he sets out to rescue Princess Pamina (Vuvu Mpofu) at the request of her mother, the Queen of the Night (Samantha Hay). Tamino soon discovers that the situation is not as clear cut as it first seems, but we are still granted our fairy tale happily ever after. Jeremy Sams’s English translation is witty and timeless with rhymes which frequently elicit laughs and land satisfyingly on the ear.

James Brining’s direction gives the production modern flourishes without ever feeling gimmicky. The projections, designed by Douglas O’Connell, lend a fantastical element to the events which occur on stage but the perspective is occasionally thrown off for anyone who is not sat directly facing the stage, which is a significant oversight in a production of this scale. Colin Richmond’s set opens the show brilliantly, although the re-positionable white walls which make up the set for much of the second act soon become quite tiresome and bland to look at when compared to the fantasy and variety of the first act.

As the Queen of the Night, Samantha Hay lends the production a gorgeous and powerful voice with the stage presence to match. Her delivery of one of most Mozart’s iconic arias is nothing short of breathtaking. However, the show is well and truly stolen by Papageno (Davan Ring). Despite being consigned to a sub-plot in which he is in constant pursuit of a wife, Ring elicits by far the biggest cheer at the end of the evening and it is well deserved. His comic interludes are the most enjoyable part of the performance by far.

The production is not without problems but still has the potential to be enjoyable for newcomers and seasoned opera-goers alike.

-Daniel Shipman

The Magic Flute runs at The Lowry until Saturday 9th March 2019.

Guest Reviewer: Elise Gallagher

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wise Children is the ultimate love letter to theatre. Complete with stars, spotlights, showgirls and Shakespeare – this is a spectacle to behold.

The date is the 23rd of April, The Bard’s birthday, but more importantly, it’s the 70th birthday of Dora and Nora Chance – living together ‘on the wrong side of the river’. Meanwhile, there’s another birthday party taking place on the other side of the river, that of the greatest actor of his generation, Melchior Hazard – who also happens to be the Chances’ father; or is he?

Wise Children is an explosion of sheer theatrical joy – celebrating all things showbusiness, family, fame, and forgiveness, but ultimately hope. With the highs of the narrative, there’s an equal share of desperate lows – death, deceit and vulnerability.

Angela Carter’s 1991 novel, illustrating a dynasty of theatrical royalty, meets its match in Artistic Director Emma Rice – who was formerly the Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe. Rice’s vision brings the work to life, taking up every inch of the stage and choreographed to the second. Amongst the plethora of theatrical spectacles, Rice also adds puppetry into the mix, adding yet again, another dimension to the narrative.

It’s hard to pinpoint individual cast members performances as I adored them all. Sam Archer and Ankur Bahl were fantastic as feuding adolescent brothers. I especially loved the showgirl-era Nora and Dora, portrayed by Omari Douglas and Melissa James, who found real balance in their performances as teenage girls, high on success and stardom, but also as two very vulnerable and curious girls trying to make sense of it all. The two were sensational.

Mike Shepherd and Paul Hunter made the night’s perfect comedy double act, particularly as the show’s stagehands. Shepherd was actually sweeping the stage and adjusting one of the bulbs on the show’s starrily lit signs above the floor. Gareth Snook (Dora Chance) and Etta Murfitt (Nora Chance) made fantastic sisters, bouncing off one another with their memories.

Katy Owen as Grandma Chance completely stole the show for me. A true matriarch, complete with a purple beehive, diamante nipples, and quick wit, she was a highlight of the show for me.

It’s also important to note that this show is held together by an array of music, all of which is performed impeccably by the on-stage band (led by Ian Ross) who weave in and out of the chorus. Patrycja Kujawska, a central member of the cast, also provided musical support with her violin, whilst juggling her three other roles seamlessly.

I’d be interested to find a theatre lover who doesn’t love this show – it really has everything you’re looking for in a performance.

-Elise Gallagher

Wise Children runs at HOME Manchester until Saturday 2nd March 2019.

Guest Reviewer: Sarah Baumber

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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.

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.

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.

-Daniel Shipman

Click here to find out more about House of Suarez.

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.

-Daniel Shipman

The Animals and Children Took to the Streets runs at HOME until Saturday 16 February 2019.