Reviews

Review: Saturday Night Fever. 5* Entertainment

The Regent has always had fantastic musical productions and tonight's opening of the 1998 musical Saturday Night Fever. based on the 1977 film is no different in its high calibre. The story follows Tony Manero (Jack Wilcox) negotiating his way through 1970's Brooklyn. Complete with dead-end job and a questionable family atmosphere at home, his true passion is waiting for the weekend at the local discotheque where he can dance. Spying his big chance when a big disco dancing competition is announced, he convinces Stephanie Mangano (Rebekah Bryant) to become his dance partner and sparks fly on and off the…

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Review: Ayckbourn’s Family Album at New Vic

Photo Credit: Tony Bartholomew The New Vic, fresh from its 60th anniversary celebrations last weekend plays host to Alan Ayckbourn's 87th play, starting tonight, a mere few weeks after its premier in Scarborough in September. One of several plays penned during lockdown, Sir Alan himself saying that this particular one was inspired by a BBC4 programme called 'A House Through Time', about a house and the resident's therein going back hundreds of years. Rather than the span of centuries, Family Album is enclosed to a window within Ayckbourn's lifetime. Simultaneously layering the inhabitants of the same living room through three…

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Review: Blood Brothers – Truly Gripping 5*

Photo by Jack Merriman Now in its 34th year, the fantastic Blood Brothers musical opened this evening at Regent Theatre. The play and score written by legendary writer Willy Russell (Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine, Our Day Out plus many others) is an analysis of nature versus nurture as well as an important social study of the era. Set in 1980's Liverpool amongst the height of Thatcher's power in office, the plot centres around twins Eddie and Mickey who are separated at birth, with one growing up in a wealthy family, the other in poverty. Firm friends and 'blood brothers', but…

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Review: The Haunting Of Blaine Manor

The doors of beautiful Crewe Lyceum opened out tonight, in contrast, onto the eerie frontage of Blaine Manor. The play, written by Joe O'Byrne in 2015, tells of parapsychologist Doctor Roy Earle (Peter Slater), famous for discrediting hauntings and exposing fake mediums, is invited to attend a seance in what is said to be the most haunted building in England. Unperturbed even by the attitude of the locals who wont set foot in there for fear of a curse, Dr. Earle heads to Blaine Manor aiming to debunk, or offer rationale explanation, for its famous supernatural history. He is not…

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Eric’s Monster Mash: Freakishly Good Fun At Its Finest

Making a welcome return to New Vic, is Eric and Co. after the enforced hiatus of the last couple of years. In his first outing back Eric finds himself, in darkest Transylvania, opting for that as a suitable choice for a romantic getaway for him and his wife, Bev. If that wasn't romance enough, he has brought best mate Gordon along for good measure. Finding their way to the destination for the week, they discover that they have been double-booked by unscrupulous property owner 'Dr. Frank Einstein' and have to house share with none other than members' of that very…

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Review: Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em

The stage show based on the extremely popular 1970's TV show written by Raymond Allen, which starred Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice, crashed, banged and walloped it's way into The Regent Theatre this week. Regularly attracting over 20 million TV viewers, the show depicted the accident-prone Frank Spencer who, despite every fibre of his being, having nothing but good intentions, would find himself in more and more ludicrous situations and infuriating those around him, even occasionally, his long suffering wife Betty Written by Guy Unsworth, it is a very respectful nod to the original concept, but is not a re-imagining…

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Tom, Dick & Harry: Two Hours Of Pure Escapism

Based on the true story behind the 1943 escape from the infamous Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp, Tom, Dick and Harry (the names of the three tunnels) opened at New Vic Theatre for an extended run before it premiers in London's West End, Alexandra Palace Theatre. Expertly directed by Theresa Heskins (who also co-wrote the play with Andrew Pollard and Michael Hugo both of which also star in the production) the script was inspired by top secret information that was classified in the war archives until 1972. The production starts in darkness with the unmistakable noise of a…

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Rocky Horror Review: Five Star In Fishnets!

Before I write this, I have to confess that I LOVE Rocky Horror Show and have been captivated by it since I first saw it many moons ago. Any theatrical show in which audience contraband is considered to be rice, confetti and water pistols has to be OK with me. The Regent has always been blessed with fantastic productions of this show (whose origins started in the West End on 19th June 1973) and this one is no different. The powerhouse of the musical by the fantastic Richard O'Brien has made its way through 49 years and still leaves audiences…

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China Crisis Review: ‘On The Outskirts Of The City’

China Crisis took to the stage this evening and wow'd at 'Eleven' in Sandyford. Taking a slight detour from their 40th anniversary tour before they head off on the North American leg starting in Seattle in June, Gary and Eddie were accompanied by Eric Animan on Sax and Jack Hymers on Keyboard at the intimate venue. When Gary and Eddie sit down to plan a gig, where do they start? With an enormous back-catalog of quality song after song, how do you limit a set to just 90-120 minutes is my question? Working their way chronologically during part one, they…

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Mamma Mia! – Hats Off For A 5-Star Performance!

Mamma Mia! heads into town this week bringing with it a ray of pure sunshine to mark the start of the summer in Stoke-on-Trent. Set in the fictional Greek isle of Kalokairi, the show roars on stage with everything that we love about the summer all with the fabulous 'get-up-and-dance' soundtrack of ABBA and light-hearted comedy to add to this feel-good musical. Now in its 23rd year as a musical, the plot follows a young Sophie who is desperate for her father to attend her upcoming nuptials, the only problem is that her mother, Donna has not ever disclosed who…

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