Modern Theatre Reviews (2008)

I enjoy the good fortune of living in an area which is well blessed for good quality theatre. In less than a twenty minute journey from my home I can reach the Bradford Alhambra Theatre, Leeds Grand Theatre, and the West Yorkshire Playhouse (with two auditoria, based in Leeds City Centre). Extend that journey to forty minutes and I can also take in the Halifax Victoria Theatre, Huddersfield Lawrence Batley Theatre and the Wakefield Royal Opera House. Consequently, I visit one or other of these theatres fairly regularly and I thought it would be good to share my impressions from these outings with visitors to this website.

The scores given below are intended to reflect my own overall level of satisfaction with, and/or enjoyment of, the show concerned (based of course upon my own personal tastes). They are not intended to be necessarily indicative of the technical and/or artistic merits of the particular production concerned. I am not a professional critic or reviewer, and pay full price to see all of these shows for my own entertainment. Consequently, I have no vested interest nor any axe to grind, but neither do I pay to see shows which prima facie do not have a good reputation or do not appeal to me. These then are my own honest opinions. Note that only shows scoring 60% or less do I consider a disappointment, and 50% or less not worth seeing.

This page is frequently updated. Depending on its settings, your browser may be showing you an older stored version. To check for a newer version and automatically refresh the page now, just click on the button below

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

Production		Genre		Date / Venue / Principal Cast Members		Score		Verdict
Click on the production title for a detailed review
And Then There Were None				11th July 2008 Grand Theatre, Leeds				Will be posted after performance.
Mela				4th July 2008 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse		45%		Fails to fulfill the promise of its material. One, unfortunately, to miss.
Monkey				27th June 2008 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse		75%		A moderately enjoyable piece of hokum.
Ballet Central				25th June 2008 Royal Opera House, Wakefield Central School of Ballet		85%		Overall, a grand show, well worth catching if it comes near you, featuring some of the dance stars of the future.
Where's Vietnam?				20th June 2008 WY Playhouse, Leeds Red Ladder Theatre Company		82%		A colourful and musical black comedy telling a vivid story of love and violence.
South Pacific				6th June 2008 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford UK Productions		87%		A lively show with some fine performances and memorable musical numbers.
The English Game				30th May 2008 WY Playhouse (Quarry Theatre), Leeds Headlong Theatre		85%		A very funny examination of the English way of life.
Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker				23rd May 2008 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford New Adventures		90%		A wondefully camped up version of the traditional Christmas classic overflowing with Bourne's trademark wit and theatrical flair.
A Midsummer Night's Dream				16th May 2008 Grand Theatre, Leeds Opera North		78%		An excellent performance of an opera that unfortunately does not do proper justice to its source material.
Hapgood				9th May 2008 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse and Birmingham Rep.		75%		Intriguing and witty with some good moments of action but few real surprises.
Fast Labour				2nd May 2008 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse and Hampstead Theatre		72%		An interesting and topical play but curiously unsatisfying at its conclusion.
The Big Ballet				11th April 2008 Victoria Theatre, Halifax The Big Ballet and Fight Club		85%		A combination of unquestionable skill, comedy and athleticism providing a fun evening of highly enjoyable entertainment.
Swan Lake				4th April 2008 Grand Theatre Leeds English National Ballet		97%		Sumptuous costumes, first-class sets, and superb performances from the prinicpals and a large and talented corps de ballet. A rare treat.
Swan Lake				2nd April 2008 The Lowry, Salford Quays Birmingham Royal Ballet		90%		A colourful and above average rendition of the classic ballet.
Beauty and the Beast on Ice				28th March 2008 Victoria Theatre, Halifax The Russian Ice Stars		87%		An enchanting story illustrated through creative and dazzling action to form an unforgettable experience.
Romeo and Juliet				26th March 2008 The Coliseum, London Stuttgart Ballet		90%		Visually and technically superb with some stunning choreography.
Wicked				26th March 2008 (matinee) Apollo Victoria, London Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone		92%		A kaleidoscope of great music and magical sensations for the whole family. Immensely enjoyable or, to quote the vernacular, Wicked!
Year of the Rat				20th March 2008 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse, Michael Codron Plays and CMP Ltd		87%		Historically inaccurate but hauntingly evocative and true to the spirit of Orwell's legacy. Equally a treat for the mind, the eye, and the ear.
Brainiac Live				14th March 2008 WY Playhouse, Leeds Brainiac		72%		A good show to take the kids along to but not a great deal to offer for unaccompanied discerning adults.
Doctor Doolittle				7th March 2008 Grand Theatre, Leeds Presented by Bill Kenwright		95%		A spectacular, big-budget, feel-good musical that is a vast amount of fun for all the family.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang				29th February 2008 Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Produced by Chitty (UK) Ltd		92%		A fantasmagorical epic of a musical. Great performances, lively music and stunning visuals make this a treat for all the family.
The Grouch				15th February 2008 WY Playhouse, Leeds Produced by WY Playhouse		80%		Witty, poignant, engrossing and, at times, very funny. An excellent new play from a talented writer.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat				8th February 2008 Grand Theatre, Leeds Presented by Bill Kenwright and Really Useful Group		90%		A great uplifting musical, combining a wide variation of song styles into an exuberant and fast paced story with enough humour and emotive elements to please most people.
The Nutcracker				7th February 2008 St George's Hall, Bradford Russian State Ballet of Siberia		82%		A well staged and beautifully designed production of the classic ballet.
Peter Grimes				25th January 2008 Grand Theatre, Leeds Opera North		77%		A powerful and evocative production of the great English masterpiece.
Salonika				18th January 2008 WY Playhouse, Leeds WY Playhouse Production		60%		An interesting, emotional play but one which is too drawn out and ultimately unsatisfying.