Arts
Somebody’s Son, Directed by James Leech
April 21st, 2009Hannah Horan
It is often said that reality is stranger than fiction. Somebody’s Son, a new piece of writing by James Leech, manages to artfully demonstrate a mixture of the sharp-tongued witticism and painstaking emotion that sometimes occurs in life’s more inspired moments. [Full Article]
Slap ‘n’ Giggle
April 21st, 2009Polly Glass
“ZOO?” I hear you ask, “As in “the definitive night out of pumpin’ toons and lots of sweaty, sweaty people Zoo?” [Full Article]
Hangover Square, Directed by Nick Garrard
April 21st, 2009Abigail Nokes
Hangover Square follows the story of temporary resident George Harvey Bone. As the play opens, Bone occupies a respected social position thanks to having the “luck” of courting the beautiful but sly Netta. However, Netta’s wavering artificial affections trigger Bone’s degeneration to an alcoholic wreck, and her murder ensues. Bone is a character out of his time, with ideas far too romantic for the harsh and decentred London society, thus his erratic descent is piteous, and almost a little repulsive, as he struggles in a world in which alcohol is both a social adhesive and destroyer of relationships. [Full Article]
4.48 Psychosis, Directed by Rajiv Nathwani
April 21st, 2009Lucy Allen
In this portrayal of Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis, mental illness is starkly depicted as a blank and repetitious tedium. Quotidian superficialities are maintained as a bleak reminder that depression and inner unrest can permeate even the most rigid of social constructions. [Full Article]
Her Romeo, Directed by Rachel Fernandez-Arias and Abi Hynes
April 21st, 2009Zara Macgregor
Her Romeo is overall a refreshing retelling of Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet. Rich in music and dance, it allowed the cast to showcase their talents in this story of true love, pride, honesty and the impact of generational divides. [Full Article]
Subversive Spaces: Surrealism and Contemporary Art
April 21st, 2009Segi Adewusi
IF YOU want art to challenge you physically and intellectually, then this is definitely the exhibition for you. Subversive Spaces binds together the movement of Surrealism and the work of contemporary artists to challenge the viewer’s perception of internal and external space. [Full Article]
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
April 21st, 2009Helen Pearce
AT ONCE dark and comical, disturbing and moving, the University of Manchester’s production of Sweeney Todd was, quite literally, razor-sharp. Following the demon barber as he sets up shop in Fleet Street, perfectly equipping to dispose of the man who ruined his life (plus a few unfortunate men in search of a shave), this gruesome musical is a cut above the average. [Full Article]
Palace of the End
April 21st, 2009Eva Quigley
JUDITH THOMPSON’S shocking play Palace of the End presents three chilling monologues that describe the horrors that the Iraq war has inflicted upon an American soldier, a scientist and an Iraqi woman. [Full Article]
Song of Songs
April 21st, 2009Hannah Moore
WHAT IS LOVE? That seemingly tired, yet inexhaustible question is made original again by this playful production. The stage is set for a wedding; the absence of a groom bringing the female perspective on romance to the fore through both scripted dialogue and improvised questioning of the audience. [Full Article]
True Love Lies by Brad Fraser
April 21st, 2009Sarah Manning
MAKING ITS premiere at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, Brad Fraser’s latest play is a genuine delight. Shockingly funny, outspoken and moving, True Love Lies is a hilarious exploration of sex, sanity and society. [Full Article]
David Hoyle, Love is All
April 21st, 2009Polly Glass
HOW DID you spend your Valentine’s Day evening? At the cinema with your loved one? Having a romantic meal? Eating half your weight in chocolate in front of Bridget Jones’ Diary? Or getting trashed with fellow singletons? [Full Article]
Door Slam Shut, Directed by Henry Krempels
April 21st, 2009Anna Hargreaves
The writing debut of first-year Drama student Miran Hadzic, Door Slam Shut is a Pinter-esque play that deals with the meaning of life. [Full Article]
Ten Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci
April 21st, 2009Natalia Bagniewska
I MUST admit, rather reluctantly, that I was not too excited about seeing Ten Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. Something told me I would find them dull, archaic and totally irrelevant to our modern-day sensibilities. Yet here I stand, my post-exhibition head repentant and hanging in shame, urging all to see this rather exquisite yet simple exhibition. [Full Article]
Manuel Saiz: Private Party. Keep Out.
April 21st, 2009Kathryn Box
MOST PEOPLE see modern art as useless rubbish that their own dog could do and most artists are disgusted at the ignorance of such sceptics. However, in Private Party. Keep Out, Manuel Saiz pokes fun at both artists and those so-called “ignorant” people alike, and asks the pertinent question: “What is art?” [Full Article]
Cirque de Glace
April 21st, 2009Anthony Tshibangu
“DANCING ON Ice just doesn’t compare” said one spectator during the opening night. . She wasn’t wrong; Cirque de Glace is an ice show beyond imagination, consisting of circus skills, figure skating and gymnastics. [Full Article]
Art News: Manchester Gains a Gormley
April 21st, 2009Lucy Allan
THE MANCHESTER Art Gallery has recently acquired a sculpture by Antony Gormley, one of the UK’s leading contemporary artists and creator of the much loved and hated Angel of the North. [Full Article]
Where Incest Lurks No More, Directed by Laura Hughes and Amy Smith
April 21st, 2009Anna Hargreaves
Where Incest Lurks No More positions the spectator as a voyeur to a tempestuous sibling relationship that is a little too close for comfort. Paul and Elizabeth have an impenetrable bond in which the flamboyant and erratic Elizabeth easily dominates her frailer younger brother. The play tracks their relationship and reactions to the interferences of the outside world. [Full Article]
Tom Stoppard’s Rock ‘n’ Roll
April 21st, 2009Helen Pearce
AS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL draws to a close, four figures jump up in excitement at seeing a legendary band take to the stage – it might have been a snapshot from any recent night at the Manchester Academy. Except the band is the Rolling Stones, the location is Prague and the year is 1990, and for the figures in mid-air the elation stems not just from the music, but from the fact that finally they do not risk persecution for “dissidence” for attending. [Full Article]
Skin Deep
April 21st, 2009Christina Gregory
OPERA NORTH, in collaboration with Bregenzer Festpiele and Royal Danish Opera, have produced a modern day operetta satirising our obsession with beauty and the painful steps taken to achieve it. [Full Article]
Sneak Preview: Gates of Gold
April 21st, 2009Emer Martin
IN THE rehearsal room at the Library Theatre it was not clear what was set and what was not. I was here to find out about the theatre’s latest show, Gates of Gold, which begins on 20th March. [Full Article]
BBC Philharmonic
April 21st, 2009Jack Sullivan
THIS CONCERT was a tour de force of jazz-inspired piano concertos by George Gershwin and Maurice Ravel. It was the final concert in the Bridgewater Hall’s Piano 2009 series, showcasing some of the best pianists from around the world in solo performances or with an orchestra, as was the case last night. [Full Article]
The Overcoat
April 21st, 2009Rebecca Cohen
THE OVERCOAT, a surreal and adventurous performance devised by the award-winning company Gecko, defines the power of theatre by raising highly varied interpretations among its audience members. For some, triumph reigned, while for others, the mind was arrested by tedium. While aspects of the show were simply mind-blowing, others left you uncertain of your dominant feelings and ultimate response. [Full Article]
Macbeth
April 21st, 2009Kathryn Box
THREE YOUNG girls in their pyjamas, lounging on Spongebob Squarepants bed sheets, was not the anticipated beginning to William Shakespeare’s masterpiece Macbeth, but at the Royal Exchange Theatre it certainly makes an intriguing one. [Full Article]
The World's Wife, Directed by Lauren Clarke and Lydia Martin
April 21st, 2009Eoin O'Hara
The World’s Wife offers a fresh approach to some of the world’s best-known tales. Presented from the perspective of women throughout history, each episode tells the untold story of the wives married to the protagonists of classics such as Faust, Beauty and the Beast and King Midas. [Full Article]
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