Guest Reviewer: Elise Gallagher

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐

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.

 

GUEST REVIEWER: VICTORIA GUEST

UPSTAGED RATING: 

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.

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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.

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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.

Guest Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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.

Guest Reviewer: Megan Hyland

Upstaged Rating:

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.

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Children are the toughest critics of all theatre – fidgeting, asking ‘can we go now?’ – they’ll certainly not mince their words when they tell you that they’ve had enough. I was lucky enough to enjoy Cinderella at Oldham Coliseum with three lively and opinionated young ones. They followed the hilarious action, sang along with the catchy tunes and joined in with all of the obligatory pantomime booing, cheering and chanting. All three came out of the auditorium saying that it was the best pantomime that they had ever seen. Now, if that isn’t testament enough, please do read on.

Every year Oldham Coliseum deliver up a top-notch traditional pantomime with their tried and tested recipe of seasonal goodness. The size of Oldham Coliseum’s auditorium really lends itself to audience involvement – just the right size for every child (and adult) to be able to interact, which is a real bonus for younger theatre-goers. Energetic, funny and full of heart – every performer has a magical glint in their eye – Cinderella is Oldham Coliseum’s best panto yet.

Pantomime is always a huge amount of fun for any creative team and this enthusiasm and engagement really shines through, with all of the cast giving commendable performances. Springy Richard J Fletcher brings an animated and charming Buttons to the stage alongside the hugely likeable Shorelle Hepkin as Cinderella. And this year, Oldham Coliseum brings a dame double-act with Simeon Truby and Fine Time Fontayne playing the ugly sisters, Trumpy and Pumpy. Double the laughs and lots of fun with sound effects.

Sue Devaney steals the show as Cinderella’s evil stepmother, Countessa Squeezepocket – her fabulous performance is worth the ticket price alone. Some of the best and most entertaining moments felt completely spontaneous, pleasingly wacky and off-script – and this is where the live stage at Oldham truly shines. On the opening night, there was a slight problem with sound at the start but all was soon rectified and no enjoyment was spared.

Simply put – Oldham Coliseum’s Cinderella is everything that a pantomime should be. With an abundance of laugh out loud moments, Dave Bintley’s lively musical score of sing-along chart-toppers, a sterling cast of seasoned performers and a pleasing price-tag – Cinderella at Oldham Coliseum is the best traditional panto in the North.

-Kristy Stott

Cinderella runs at Oldham Coliseum until 12 January 2019.

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Death of a Salesman is widely considered one of the greatest plays of the twentieth century. It’s a classic and well-studied text, and it was always going to withstand the test of time. In this production at Manchester’s Royal Exchange, Sarah Frankcom steps up to direct Arthur Miller’s masterpiece, and the result is scorchingly brilliant production which shoots straight into the heart of a modern-day audience.

Don Warrington, last seen as King Lear at the Royal Exchange, takes the role of Willie Loman, a man at the close of his life. In a self-deluded and bitter bubble, we see Willie in the last two days of his life – his belief in the American Dream of easy success and wealth, contrasted with the tortured actuality of his situation.

It’s a production of beautiful binaries and dreamlike contrasts: the round rusting stage hints at decaying industry, and the foliage hangs, just out of reach, like a canopy over the stage indicating the potential for hope, newness and growth. Warrington’s Loman is like a fast river current – his visage often impassive, but his body tense, on edge. Twitchy fingers. Stuttering, strained speech. Everything feels uneasy and fragile, and perfectly so.

Maureen Beattie as Loman’s wife Linda, nurturing and compassionate – though guarded with nerves of steel. Loman’s sons are perfectly cast with Buom Tihngang as Happy, and Ashley Zhangazha as Biff.  Happy trudges along in his father’s wake – eager to please, suited and booted – blinkered to the mundane pattern of life. And Zhangazha, as Biff, fresh from his well-deserved UK Theatre Award, gives a phenomenal performance. Gripping. Heart-wrenching. The cast are visible onstage, even when they do not feature in the dialogue centre-stage. Sat on the edges of the circular stage, mirroring the audience, watching Willie’s devastating downfall.

Frankcom takes on all of the complexities of the play, the psychological blurs and switches in Loman’s mindset, with a stunning and fluid directorial hand. Death of a Salesman resonates more than ever and certainly this was evident from the audience’s reaction on the night I attended. Uncomfortable though hauntingly timely.

-Kristy Stott

Death of a Salesman runs at Manchester’s Royal Exchange until Saturday 17th November 2018.

Guest Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

With Everything that happened and would happen, MIF stage another trailblazer event designed to give us a taste of what we can expect from The Factory. Created by Heiner Goebbels, this work is ambitious, experimental and impressively large-scale. Ostensibly based around the history of 20th century Europe, the piece has very little recourse to concrete meaning, preferring instead a poetic approach to history.

Goebbels’ background in contemporary music is evident here. The sounds range from harsh and abrasive to hypnotically beautiful. There is perhaps too much of the former and not enough of the latter for my taste, but maybe that’s just me. Either way, all are totally suited to the huge, atmospheric surroundings of Mayfield Depot and make full use of this wonderful space and its unique acoustics.

Visually, the performance never quite lives up to its full potential. However, the audience are treated to flashes of brilliance with tunnels of smoke and light, chaotic layers of huge draped cloths, and an especially beautiful final section on the roof of the venue with huge folds of cotton flowing in the autumnal breeze. The pitch darkness and size of the venue allow for some fascinating interplay between shadow and light, but very little colour is brought in over two and a half hours, so I soon found my eyes getting bored.

The fact that the conclusion of the performance takes place on the roof of the Mayfield Depot surrounded by Manchester’s night skyline serves as a pertinent reminder that the Europe we have seen repeatedly built and destroyed throughout the course of the evening is not an abstract concept, it is the foundation of the world we live in. As the cast disperse into the crowd and the realisation dawns that the piece is over, the audience slowly slides back into the real world again.

Perhaps it is no surprise that a show titled Everything that happened and would happen sets expectations too high for itself. Reading the programme, it is obvious that a huge amount of intelligent work has gone in to this performance, it just seems to have strayed a little too far from its source material to still affect and entertain those not involved in the creative process.

-Daniel Shipman

Everything that happened and would happen runs at Mayfield until 21st October 2018.

 

 

Guest Reviewer: Elise Gallagher

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” Penelope Skinner’s new play Meek is a narrative surrounded by notions of control, freedom, and faith.

Shvorne Marks plays the protagonist Irene, who by day works as a munitions worker, but at night dreams of being a singer/songwriter. The play opens with Irene alone and arrested for a song she wrote and performed in a local coffee shop, which is reported as offensive to the dystopian regime ruling the country, and Irene is put on trial for a capital crime.

We see fragments of Irene’s progress in captivity through snapshots of visits from her best friend Anna (played by Scarlett Brookes) and her legal aid Gudrun (Amanda Wright), who examines her story in order to present it at her trial.

Song Number One is the name of the song which has landed Irene in purgatory. She says the song was written about her love for a married man who ended their affair, not against the holy spirit which the anonymous reporter claimed.

However, with little surrounding context on offer and with the narrative magnifying this small social group’s history it’s quite easy to identify the subject of Irene’s song, and by extension her accuser.

The set design is minimal but effective, the characters encompassed within grey blocks with the only centre point being a bright neon crucifix. You can argue that Skinner has taken inspiration from works like The Crucible and The Handmaid’s Tale, but Meek lacks the vision to explore the situation further, instead trying to push the idea that this kind of regime could happen anywhere. The vague nature of the surroundings dilutes the impact the play could have.

But the performances given by the three actors far outweigh the cons discussed above. They perfectly illustrate the situation they find themselves in, a combination of hopeful and hysterical – the performers carried the play exceptionally.

The biggest disappointment of the performance – and this was out of the production’s hands – was the disrespect that came from surrounding audience members, which were mainly made up of large groups of teenagers – a school trip I imagine. Talking, laughing, and rustling sweet packets. Not only is it disrespectful to your fellow audience members who’ve paid to attend, but it’s wholly disrespectful to the cast and crew who have put so much effort into delivering a performance.

-Elise Gallagher

Meek is at Salford’s Lowry Theatre until the 22nd September.