review Archives - UPSTAGED MANCHESTER

Review: Opera North – Fidelio at The Lowry

June 17, 2021June 17, 2021kristobel

Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

We can finally go back inside a theatre! After 15 months of not being able to attend any indoor performances, the atmosphere among the audience at Opera North’s Fidelio is one of anticipation. What the audience lacked in numbers (due to social distancing), it made up for in enthusiasm, with passionate applause as soon as the cast took to the stage.

What the audience lacked in numbers (due to social distancing), it made up for in enthusiasm

Rather than a fully-fledged opera with costuming and set, this was more of a concert performance. In order to maintain social distancing on stage as well as in the audience, the orchestra (under conductor Paul Daniel) were out of the pit and on the stage itself, which allowed for a rare opportunity to appreciate precisely where each strain of music originated from. Between this and the lack of visual distraction, it is so much easier to appreciate Beethoven’s score here, and allow yourself to be swept along with the music.

It is perhaps wise to focus more on the music than understanding the intricacies of the plot, which are pretty absurd at times. Broadly, it follows a woman called Leonore (Rachel Nicholls) who disguises herself as a man called Fidelio and takes up a job as a jailer’s assistant, in order to infiltrate the jail and free her imprisoned husband Florestan (Toby Spence).

The small cast of just seven primary performers are all wonderful to hear live

There are various other elements to the plot, such as a love triangle between another jailer, the jailer’s daughter, and ‘Fidelio’, but these seem strangely disconnected from the main plot and serve more as distractions than anything else. I imagine this is down to the lack of proper staging, which would perhaps have served to glue the whole thing together into a more cohesive whole. Nonetheless, the small cast of just seven primary performers are all wonderful to hear live and they tie in beautifully with the orchestra.

-Daniel Shipman

Opera North: Fidelio will next play at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham on 19 June 2021.

REVIEW: Derren Brown (The Lowry, Salford)

August 4, 2017kristobel

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 Trial (HOME, Manchester)

January 18, 2017kristobel1 Comment

people-zoo-the-trial-image

reviewer: megan hyland

upstaged rating:

The Trial is a thrillingly absurd adaptation of Franz Kafka’s novel of the same name, adapted by People Zoo Productions. Josef K, honourable citizen and profoundly innocent man, is told on the morning of his birthday that he has been arrested. The audience follows K as he tries to prove his innocence to the unjust and strange legal system that he finds himself entangled in. But not knowing what he stands accused of, and fighting against an unidentified, immeasurable power, how much is his innocence really worth?

William J Holstead stars as the protagonist, displaying remarkable physicality and masterful control, telling the story of one man’s desperation in an emotional and thoroughly committed performance. Holstead acts as a guide for the audience through this peculiar situation that K has found himself in, and as quickly as Holstead has built up the character in the opening scenes, he begins to tear him down, as we see just how far one man will go to prove his innocence. In such a dark and disturbing narrative, however, the rest of the cast provide some much-needed comic relief, all acting in multirole, with Adrian Palmer and Sarah Legg standing out in particular. Palmer’s excellent character acting and Legg’s performance as K’s moralistic and over-sexed landlady are outstanding.

The play itself can only be described as bizarrely entertaining, with well-written and clever dialogue that keeps the audience engaged even despite the nonsensicalness of the plot. The remarkable humour and intrigue that the first act creates outweigh the unusualness of the storyline, and instead supply it with a strange charm. The second act, however, is incredibly intense, with some exceptional performances and gripping scenes that send some powerful messages that are still relevant today.

Director Craig Sanders has created a wonderfully offbeat dark comedy, managing to portray both the nostalgia and relevance of Kafka’s work on the stage. Paired with the intense music of Dennis Tjoik and the simplistic but expressive set design, the effect is a thought-provoking combination of surrealism and farce. These are two things that the play combines effortlessly, transitioning frequently between slapstick humour and highly intense scenes with ease and fluidity. And although the storyline itself is quite non-traditional and perplexing, once the eccentricity of the production itself is embraced, it makes for a captivating and unusually amusing watch.

-Megan Hyland

The Trial is performed as part of PUSH Festival at HOME, Manchester. PUSH Festival runs from 14th January – 28th January 2017 and the full festival brochure is available by clicking here.

Mini Critic : The Next Step – Wild Rhythm Tour (The Lowry, Salford)

April 15, 2016kristobel

The Next Step is a Canadian reality-style TV show that follows a group of young dancers and in the UK, this popular tween drama is broadcast on CBBC.

In this explosive collaboration,The Next Step has teamed up with new CBBC show Lost and Found Music Studios and the result is The Next Step: Wild Rhythm Tour.

Young dancer and fan of the show Evie went along to The Lowry with her mum Karen to check it out…

“Hi. My name is Evie and I am nine. I was lucky enough to go and see The Next Step at the Lowry for my birthday present off mum and it was way more than awesome!

When I have time I sit back and watch The Next Step on TV and it was just fantastic to see them dancing in front of my very own eyes. I felt like my brain was going to burst with excitement!

I loved seeing the dancers being themselves and getting to know their real personalities. James and Eldon were hilarious although the girls always rule. I enjoyed the choice of music and the emotions and drama of the different dances.

The video clips inspired me to start dancing more and maybe if I work hard and believe in myself I could be in A Troupe one day. I can’t wait to see them on tour again in October.”

Evie really enjoyed The Next Step and mum Karen was impressed by the interaction during the Q&A and the positive message that the young audience take away with them…

“I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as it’s based around a TV dance programme but I can honestly say we both loved it. And I reckon by the audience response and feel of excitement in the theatre that the was general feeling from everybody. My daughter sat in awe watching the energy and passion of the dancers in front of her and you could see the commitment they give to their dance. The show was full of interaction, humour, drama and emotion and you felt totally engaged with the show and performers.

The interactive aspect was great as the kids got to be involved in a Q+A session engaging with the dancers and learning a little more about them and their aspirations. The dancers and singers were great role models for the kids and told how if they believe in themselves and work hard and show commitment they will achieve their goals. A great message for the kids to take away. I always thought it was just a TV programme but it is so much more. On a personal level this cast and their stories mean such a lot to my daughter. She has had troubles at school even at the young age of nine and she says the programme helps her solve problems at school as the programme looks at relationship dynamics and how the cast work through them. Fantastic as our kids need all the help and tools they can in order to live life to its max.”

The Next Step begins touring again in the autumn.

Kicking off at the SECC in Glasgow on 21 October 2016 with more dates in Manchester, London. Nottingham, Brighton, Birmingham, Portsmouth, Bath and Cambridge. You can click here to get your tickets.