Modern Theatre Reviews - 2006

Comedy	Drama	Tragedy	Thriller	Comedy /Drama	Mystery	Musical	Opera	Ballet	Dance	Ice Dance

Production		Genre		Date / Venue / Principal Cast Members		Score		Verdict
Click on the production title for a detailed review
The Spirit of Christmas				29th December 2006 Grand Theatre, Leeds Spirit Productions		65%		An enjoyable piece of christmas hokum, but does not live up to its billing.
A Christmas Carol				12th December 2006 Grand Theatre, Leeds Northern Ballet Theatre		95%		A wonderful christmas treat.
Coppelia				28th November 2006 Victoria Theatre, Halifax Russian Classical Ballet Theatre		85%		Colourful costumes and superb technical performances combine for a delightful and memorable production.
A Christmas Carol				17th November 2006 Theatre Royal and Opera House, Wakefield Ballet Ireland		70%		An enjoyable piece, but not one that will add substantially to the growing prestige of this company.
Blood Brothers				16th November 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Presented by Bill Kenwright by arrangement with Bob Swash		80%		Highly entertaining with an unusually strong storyline (for a musical) and some memorable tunes.
The Duchess of Malfi				10th November 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds Produced by WY Playhouse		85%		An epic story of love, tragedy, murder and bloody revenge. Not for the faint-hearted.
The Bartered Bride				4th November 2006 Theatre Royal and Opera House, Wakefield Mid Wales Opera		80%		Well sung throughout, as one might (stereotypically) expect from a Welsh company, and graced by some fine music. A worthy evening's entertainment.
Swan Lake on Ice				27th October 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Imperial Ice Stars		95%		Exhilarating action set to Tchaikovsky's magnificent music, combining romantic ballet with the daring speed and athleticism of ice skating. A great crowd pleaser.
How Many Miles to Basra				20th October 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds Produced by WY Playhouse		80%		A gritty, gripping and realistic drama of the horrors of modern warfare.
Rebecca				13th October 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Produced by David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers		75%		A strong story and performances somewhat let down by an inadequate set. A high profile production which failed to fully live up to its billing.
The Three Musketeers				27th September 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Northern Ballet Theatre		100%		Stupendous. NBT's best production to date bar none. A magnificent action-fest of a ballet.
To Kill A Mocking Bird				15th September 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse and Birmingham Repertory Theatre		85%		Gripping and moving, with a powerful message that will live in your memory.
The Overwhelming				13th September 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds National Theatre		75%		A chilling insight into one of the most shocking and inglorious episodes in recent World history.
Ladies Day				1st September 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds Hull Truck Theatre Company		70%		Manages to be funny despite the predictability of the plot and humour. Worth a flutter!
Romeo and Juliet				18th August 2006 Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds (Open Air) British Shakespeare Company		80%		A solid no-nonsense production of the Shakespearean classic.
A Midsummer Nights Dream				4th August 2006 Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds (Open Air) British Shakespeare Company		85%		A first class performance in a first class setting. If you think Shakespeare is unintelligible or dull you have not seen this.
Cats				21st July 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Really Useful Theatre Company		90%		A superb revival of the 80's classic musical. Not perhaps as fresh as on its first release, but just as powerful.
La Fille Mal Gardee				6th July 2006 The Lowry, Salford Birmingham Royal Ballet		100%		Magnificent. A superb performance of the ballet classic.
Grease				5th July 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Produced by Paul Nicholas and David Ian		75%		An otherwise excellent piece of musical theatre which unfortunately falls flat at the crucial moment.
Carmina Burana				30th June 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford La Cuadra de Sevilla		75%		Powerful, angst-filled, magnificent. A first class production.
Beauty and the Beast				23rd June 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford UK Productions Ltd		85%		An entertaining show for children aged five to ninety-five. Suspend your disbelief, let out your inner child, and sate yourself on generous servings of honey roast ham.
April in Paris				9th June 2006 Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield Platform Theatre Company.		70%		Classic tour de force of the Brits abroad.
Bad Girls - The Musical				2nd June 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse, Big Broad and Shed Productions.		95%		Thoroughly arresting entertainment.
Tchaikovsky Celebration Gala				27th May 2006 Theatre Royal and Opera House, Wakefield Ballet Ireland.		90%		Easily the best offering I have seen from Ballet Ireland to date. Unmissable entertainment.
Jerry Springer - The Opera				26th May 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Produced by The National Theatre.		85%		Offensive to some, gripping to others. A clever original piece of musical entertainment.
Bus				22nd May 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds Produced by WY Playhouse.		45%		Pedestrian and unconvincing, with little to admire other than the excellence of the performances. Ultimately, a disappointment.
Anything Goes				19th May 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Mark Goucher, Lee Menzies, Wimpole Theatre and ACT Productions		75%		An enjoyable show but fails to capture the pizzazz and dynamism of the original. Worth seeing as much for the comedy as the music.
Trainspotting				12th May 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Mark Goucher and St. Elmo Productions		79%		A darkly funny insight into the seamy underside of drug culture. Harrowing at times, but not as hard-hitting as it might have been.
Edward Scissorhands				5th May 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford New Adventures		90%		A wonderfully enjoyable and entertaining piece of dance theatre. Not quite in the same league as Bourne's reworking of Swan Lake, but unmissable nevertheless.
Foxes				28th April 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds Produced by WY Playhouse.		75%		A sweet and sour pastiche of life on the fringe.
The Burglars Opera				22nd April 2006 Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield Opera Della Luna.		85%		A riveting and original operetta in the best traditions of its inspirers (Gilbert and Sullivan).
My Fair Lady				21st April 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford A Cameron Mackintosh/National Theatre Production.		100%		"Wouldn't it be Loverley" if this 50th Anniversary revival, "with a little bit of luck", lived up to the excellence of the original. If that is what the producers were striving for, I can only say resoundingly that "you did it". The musical treat of the year so far.
Wars of the Roses		Trilogy		Henry VI, 24th March 2006 Edward IV, 13th April 2006 Richard III, 27th March 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds Northern Broadsides.		85%		A powerful, largely unornamented, and remarkably clear telling of the bloody historical saga.
Coppelia				18th March 2006 Victoria Theatre, Halifax Performed by Moscow Ballet La Classique.		90%		Beautiful music, stunning costumes, first class performances, a must-see production of the popular classic.
Scuffer				10th March 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds Richard Glaves, Hannah Storey, Lorraine Bruce, William Ilkley, Dominic Gately.		80%		A clever, roisterous comedy filled with real-life characters and many genuinely funny moments.
Hedda Gabler				3rd March 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds Gillian Kearney, Tom Smith, Polly Maberley, Jasper Britton....		90%		A moving, witty and well staged production of Ibsen's classic tragedy.
Moby Dick				24th February 2006 Theatre Royal and Opera House, Wakefield Owen Aaronovitch, Ben Abell, Jonathan Oliver....		85%		An intense and powerful drama. Not perhaps the type of material that West End hits are made of, but certainly better than average fare for provincial theatres.
East is East				17th February 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds Ernest Ignatius, Janys Chambers, Sarah Parks....		80%		A bitter-sweet comedy. Superbly acted, occasionally violent, always funny.
Madame Butterfly				8th February 2006 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Performed by Northern Ballet Theatre.		85%		An excellent production, colourful and innovative, capturing all the essence of the classic story. .
Yellowman				3rd February 2006 WY Playhouse, Leeds Anthony Ekundayo Lennon and Andi Osho.		60%		An intelligent and thought provoking play, but ultimately a little tedious for those whose tastes lean more toward action.
Sleeping Beauty				18th January 2006 Victoria Theatre, Halifax Moscow City Ballet		90%		Sumptuous costumes, colourful sets and a large and talented corps de ballet. A first class production.
Swan Lake				16th January 2006 Victoria Theatre, Halifax Moscow City Ballet		100%		Sumptuous costumes, colourful sets and a large and talented corps de ballet made this a production to savour. Top class.
The Nutcracker				13th January 2006 St. Georges Hall, Bradford Russian State Ballet of Siberia		90%		An innovative and extremely colourful reinterpretation of the Nutcracker story. Talented dancers and orchestra made it a joy to watch and listen to.