Crazy For You

at Opera House, Manchester

Reviewed by Matthew Dougall November 2017

This was the opening night of a 5 night run of The Watermill Theatre's production of the Gerschwin classic, Crazy For You.

I was really looking forward to seeing this show; I adore Gerschwin, but so rarely does one get the opportunity to watch an entire evening of one of his Broadway classics. The songs will pop up now and then in showcases and gala evenings, but more modern style Musicals have taken over from the all-singing, all-dancing, boy-meets-girl and all ends happily-ever-after formula that this show glorifies and typifies.

The Ladykillers by Graham Lineham

at The Lyceum Theatre, Oldham

Reviewed by Matthew Dougall November 2017

When I was given the opportunity to review Oldham Lyceum's production of The Ladykillers I didn't just say 'yes', but added, 'and if anyone else thinks they're going to come in my stead, I'll kill 'em'! For as long as I can remember Peter Sellers has been my all-time favourite screen actor, with Sir Alec Guinness a close second. This truly iconic and fabulous 1955 film starred the latter, and saw Sellers perform one of his first on-screen cameos that wasn't a Goon character.

Yes, there was a terrible remake in the early 2000s - but we'll gloss over that as basically all remakes of the great films simply fall flat on their faces! This one probably fell flat though simply because it is a very British comedy, some might say quintessentially so; therefore moving the action to Mississippi and using Tom Hanks in the lead was doomed for failure straight away!

Wind Orchestra Concert

by Manchester University Wind Orchestra

at Martin Harris Centre, Manchester

Reviewed by Matthew Dougall November 2017

Manchester University Music Society, or if you prefer their more homely acronym, MUMS, are all students at Manchester University and give regular public concerts at their Concert Hall within the university complex.

Dave Spikey: Juggling on a Motorbike

at Middleton Arena, Manchester

Reviewed by Matthew Dougall November 2017

Farnworth-born comedian Dave Spikey visited Middleton, north Manchester this evening as part of his latest stand-up comedy show tour, Juggling on a Motorbike.

My previous knowledge of this self-confessed veteran comedian was as a team captain on the TV show 8 Out of Ten Cats, and little else, and so I was curious to see exactly what he would be like live.

The Full Monty

at Heywood Civic Centre, Rochdale

Reviewed by Matthew Dougall November 2017

For those of you who, like me, knew nothing of the Musical, and had previously only seen the award-winning British film, then it will come both as a surprise and disappointment to lean that the Musical version is a very watered-down affair and set, not in Sheffield, but Buffalo, USA. Presumably this is because the authors of this Musical, Terrence McNally and David Yazbek are American and thought the US market would be more likely to buy tickets for and relate to something set on their shores rather than in li'l ol' England. That may well be the case, but perversely the opposite also applies, and losing something which to many is a 'national treasure', something akin to Brassed Off, is a travesty; and the grit and spirit of the film has been 'lost in translation'.

Ed Byrne: Spoiler Alert

at Middleton Arena

Reviewed by Matthew Dougall November 2017

Irish comedian, Ed Byrne, made a stop in Middleton, north Manchester, last night as he continues a lengthy three month tour with his latest show, Spoiler Alert.

Perhaps more famous as a contestant on TV panel shows such as Mock The Week, Byrne is actually a very versatile comedian, who also acts and writes, presents TV documentaries, and also works as a voice-over artist.

Daisy Pulls It Off by Denise Deegan

Pendleton Sixth Form Centre, Salford

Reviewed by Matthew Dougall November 2017

Not just Daisy, but the students of Pendleton Sixth Form College’s Centre of Excellence for Performing and Production Arts have pulled it off!

This is by no means an easy play to stage for various reasons; but the more obvious of which is that the play is set in a time and place that so very few of us still alive today will be able to recall. Indeed, how times have changed - the mannerisms, speech, demeanour, ethics, morals, in fact pretty much everything has changed (and not always for the better) since the play's setting of 1927, and the hallowed and distinguished halls of one of England's most reputable and established schools, The Grangewood School For Girls.

The Actress by Peter Quilter

at Altrincham Little Theatre

Reviewed by John Waterhouse November 2017

Perhaps the best way to describe The Actress is a bitter sweet comedy. Set in the 1960’s, it is also an observation as to how attitudes towards women in the theatre, and acting generally, have changed. The premise is Lydia Martin, a time-served, successful actress has decided to stop whilst she is ahead (and before her looks fade), by giving one final performance. That the performance in question is ‘The Cherry Orchard’ and her past successes include the likes of ‘Hedda Gabler’ suggest this is not actress who had traded primarily on her sex appeal to achieve success.

CILLA: The Musical

at Palace Theatre

Reviewed by Matthew Dougall November 2017

This is the story of how one of Britain's most popular and enduring pop singers and later TV personality managed to climb that rocky road from working as an office typist and living in a terraced house in Liverpool in the early 1960's. Born Priscilla White, she had, at the age of 25, two number 1 hits, and the world (or at least the UK at that point) knew her as Cilla Black.