Modern Theatre Reviews - 2007

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
Beyond the Barricade: At Christmas				13th December 2007 St George's Hall, Bradford SmartMove Productions		90%		A wonderfully musical evening with four top performers. Superb.
The Nutcracker				7th December 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Northern Ballet Theatre		100%		A real christmas cracker of a production, a treat for the whole family and one of the best Nutcrackers ever to grace a provincial stage.
Mercy and Grand: The Tom Waits Project				28th November 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds Opera North		85%		Excellent music and virtuoso vocals combine in a uniquely memorable production.
The Nutcracker				16th November 2007 Theatre Royal, Wakefield Ballet Ireland		80%		Lacking in spectacle but technically excellent. A splendid production from Ballet Ireland.
Rough Crossings				12th November 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse, Headlong, Birmingham Rep., Everyman Playhouse and Lyric Hammersmith		80%		A powerful and exultant drama highlighting the hypocrisy of Britains position in regard to the slave trade and examining what it means to be free.
Half a Sixpence				9th November 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Theatre Royal Windsor and Churchill Bromley		85%		A heartwarming story with first class performances and a succession of memorable songs.
Brief Encounter				2nd November 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds Kneehigh Theatre		55%		Entertaining for it's moments of pure Noel Coward but substantially flawed and unconvincing as a drama.
Romeo and Juliet				27th October 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Northern Ballet Theatre		90%		Colourful, poignant, mesmerising. Another fine example of theatre ballet from a company which are one of its finest exponents.
There's Something About Simmy				26th October 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds Rifco Arts		80%		Another excellent and aptly titled offering from Pravesh Kumar and Rifco Arts, you can't help but agree that there really is 'Something about Simmy'.
Romeo and Juliet				23rd October 2007 Het Muziektheatre, Amsterdam Het Nationale Ballet (Dutch National Ballet)		95%		A colourful and spectacular interpretation of the romantic story ballet.
Falstaff				19th October 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Opera North		90%		Musical, humourous, theatrical - Verdi's sunniest work presented with style and an outstanding lead performance. Another great success from Opera North.
Aspects of Love				12th October 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Kenneth Wax, Michael Harrison and PW Productions		85%		A low key, intimate and thought provoking musical with a sombre and brooding edge, brought to life by beautiful music and a superbly talented cast.
Don Quixote				5th October 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse		45%		Confused, confusing, and at times downright bizarre. Has some funny and interesting moments but too few to be worth waiting for.
Casanova				29th September 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds Told by an Idiot		60%		A flawed and ultimately unsatisfying version of the Casanova story which fails to take any real advantage of its subject matter.
The Car Man				21st September 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford New Adventures		90%		Fast-paced, steamy and evocative. Does not pack the emotional power of Bourne's re-interpretation of Swan Lake but never fails to entertain. A great night out.
Slava's Snow Show				14th September 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Slava Polunin		85%		An exceptionally funny and poignant show, unique in its originality and overflowing with humour and visual spectacle.
La Traviata				10th September 2007 Narodni Divadlo, Praha (National Theatre, Prague) National Theatre Opera, Prague		95%		Beautifully sung, emotionally charged and visually captivating - a high-calibre production of Verdi's classic.
Swan Lake				9th September 2007 Statni Opera, Praha (State Opera, Prague) Prague State Opera Ballet		90%		Solid professional staging with superb dancing in a truly impressive setting.
A Midsummer Night's Dream				7th September 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds Northern Ballet Theatre		85%		A wonderful an innovative ballet version of Shakespeare's popular comedy, replete with some great moments of humour and originality, keeping it true to the spirit, if not the actuality of the original story.
World Class Russian Ballet Stars				31st August 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Art Stream		90%		A chance to see eleven of the best ballet technicians in the world in action on the same stage whilst contributing to a highly worthy cause. A highly satisfying evening.
Starlight Express				25th August 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Live Nation & Troika Entertainment		90%		A spectacular feel-good musical, slightly dated, but good enough to hang on to its phenominal popularity for many years yet to come.
The Sound of Murder				24th August 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Newpalm Productions		75%		An enjoyable piece of escapism with enough surprises to keep you guessing to the end.
Murder With Love				18th August 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Newpalm Productions		70%		A solid professional performance of a solid competent thriller. Short on edge of the seat moments, but with enough intrigue wrapped up in the plot to keep you entertained.
Lady Salsa				10th August 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Direct from Cuba		80%		Glitzy, glamorous, sexy and energetic. A high-voltage evening of partying, sure to leave you on a high and humming 'Guantanamera' all the way home.
As You Like It				3rd August 2007 Kirkstall Abbey Cloisters, Leeds British Shakespeare Company		95%		A charming romantic comedy, ideally suited for an outdoor performance. As You Like It? You will, enormously, I'm sure.
Henry V				27th July 2007 Kirkstall Abbey Cloisters, Leeds British Shakespeare Company		85%		A hard-hitting and very entertaining production, delivering Shakespeare at reasonable prices in a beautiful and informal atmosphere. A great way to spend a summer evening.
42nd Street				13th July 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford UK Productions		80%		A tap dancing extraganza with good enough songs and music to make a spectacular evening's entertainment.
Coppelia				5th July 2007 The Lowry, Salford Quays Birmingham Royal Ballet		95%		A gem of a performance. The best Coppelia in years.
Guys and Dolls				29th June 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Donmar on Tour		90%		A dazzlingly good product of the enduringly popular musical. Claire Sweeney alone is worth the ticket money.
La Fille Mal Gardee				22nd June 2007 Opera Garnier, Paris Paris Opera Ballet		95%		Charming, funny, beguiling. A superb evening of classical ballet.
Feerie (La Bal du Moulin Rouge)				21st June 2007 Moulin Rouge, Paris Featuring the Doriss Girls		95%		A spirited and enthralling evenings entertainment. Expensive, but an unmissable experience if ever you are in Paris.
Swan Lake				20th June 2007 Royal Albert Hall, London English National Ballet		90%		A traditional Swan Lake with a difference, moving, spectacular and joyfully entertaining.
Tender Dearly				15th June 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse		75%		A dark and sometimes comic examination of friendship and self-sacrifice from a new Leeds writer with undoubted potential.
The New Statesman				14th June 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Ambassador Theatre Group, Live Nation and Allan McKeown Presents Ltd.		90%		Good, clean (not!), juvenile fun in the established tradition of the TV show. Two hours of adult pantomime and very funny biting visceral satire.
Bollywood Jane				8th June 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse		85%		A lively show with dance and music for those who believe that dreams really can come true.
Safe				1st June 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse & Eclipse Theatre		60%		A gritty drama but does not fulfill it's promise.
Die Fledermaus				24th May 2007 Theatre Royal & Opera House, Wakefield Ballet Ireland		90%		A first class example of ballet theatre. A fitting celebration of Ballet Ireland's 10th anniversary.
Hay Fever				18th May 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford A Peter Hall Production		80%		A very funny comedy of manners.
The Lord of the Rings				10th May 2007 Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London Kevin Wallace Ltd		95%		The greatest of English operas in the greatest of French settings - a superb occasion.
L'Allegro, il penseroso ed il moderato				9th May 2007 Palais Garnier, Paris Opera National de Paris		100%		The greatest of English operas in the greatest of French settings - a superb occasion.
Cendrillon (Cinderella)				8th May 2007 Palais Garnier, Paris Paris Opera Ballet		100%		A superb adaptation of the classic story. A moving, witty and uplifting experience.
Les Miserables				7th May 2007 Queens Theatre, London Cameron Mackintosh		95%		The West End's longest running musical, still an exhilarating experience.
The Race				4th May 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse		65%		Energetic and physically impressive. An inventive piece which unfortunately loses it's way on the imagery and ends ups up blurring it's messages.
The Sunshine Boys				27th April 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse		85%		Well written, well staged and superbly acted. A comic masterpiece.
Le Grande Cirque				20th April 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Spirit Productions		90%		Colourful, spectacular and spellbinding - the performance show of the year.
Aida				14th April 2007 St George's Hall, Bradford Ellen Kent and Opera International		90%		A memorable piece of theatre which works not only a purely musical level, but also in terms of visuals and storytelling.
Mayerling				13th April 2007 The Royal Opera House, London The Royal Ballet		100%		An enthralling ballet spectacular.
Onegin				12th April 2007 The Royal Opera House, London The Royal Ballet		85%		A spectacular performance of this heart rending story ballet.
Evita				12th April 2007 (Matinee) The Adelphi Theatre, London The Really Useful Theatre Company		80%		Well cast and highly polished, has lost some its edge but still thoroughly enjoyable.
The Goodies Still Rule OK				5th April 2007 St George's Hall, Bradford Big Laugh Comedy Attractions - The Goodies		70%		The Goodies - goody-goody, yumm-yumm!
The Tempest				2nd April 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds Northern Broadsides and New Vic Theatre Newcastle under Lyme		75%		Another triumph for Northern Broadsides, presenting Shakespeare in a fresh, lively northern style.
Coppelia				30th March 2007 St Georges Hall, Bradford The Russian Classical Ballet Theatre		80%		A lively and passionate account of the great hindu legend.
Ramayana				23rd March 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Plahouse, Lyric Hammersmith and Bristol Old Vic		75%		A lively and passionate account of the great hindu legend.
Macbeth				16th March 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Plahouse, sponsored by Bruntwood		70%		A creditable performance of the Shakespearean classic.
High Society				9th March 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Open Air Theatre, Regents Park Production		75%		A well cast and highly polished musical, graced by some excellent individual performances but somewhat spoiled by the sound arrangement.
A Sleeping Beauty Tale				26th February 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Northern Ballet Theatre		85%		Another fine production from the NBT.
Johann Strauss Gala				18th February 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Johann Strauss Orchestra/Dancers		90%		Beautiful music, an international class soprano and colourful dancers - superb.
The Elixir of Love				9th February 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Opera North		85%		Pleasant music, great singing, and a charming story. A wonderful introduction to opera for the uninitiated.
Charley's Aunt				5th February 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Theatre Royal Bath Productions		80%		A dazzling production of the classic comedy.
The Sleeping Beauty				3rd February 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford St Petersburg Ballet Theatre		95%		Another superb production, including dancers of a calibre rarely seen in provincial theatres.
Swan Lake				31st January 2007 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford St Petersburg Ballet Theatre		95%		Sumptuous costumes, first-class sets, and an unmatched star backed by a large and talented corps de ballet. A treat for the senses.
The Hound of the Baskervilles				26th January 2007 WY Playhouse, Leeds Peepolykus		75%		An irreverently comedic telling of the classic tale providing an enjoyable evenings entertainment. Just remember one thing - please don't pat the dog!
The Magic Flute				12th January 2007 Grand Theatre, Leeds Opera North		80%		A magical story told through beautiful music. A treat for established opera buffs and newcomers alike.