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Billy Elliot – Just Brilliant!
Growing up in Durham during 1984/85, as the Miners strike was at its height was difficult for anyone. But for a motherless 12 year old boy who longs to be a ballet dancer, despite being pushed towards a boxing ring, life is damn near unbearable. Dad and brother are on strike, caught up in the terrible times they are living in, but not too caught up to not react with anger and horror when they discover the boy’s secret. This is the story of Billy Elliot, which left me open mouthed with awe at the Birmingham Hippodrome last night. It is, quite frankly, the best musical I have ever seen…
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The Red Shoes – A new classic from Matthew Bourne
A new classic ballet came to life last night, as Matthew Bourne’s version of Powell and Pressburger’s ‘The Red Shoes’ came vividly to life on the stage of the Birmingham Hippodrome. The beautiful haunting story of dancer Victoria Page, and how she is destroyed by her talent and love, is one of the great movies, and now, in the hands of a superb company, the tale that started life as a rather brutal fairy story is recreated for the stage, and shows once again why Matthew Bourne is rightly recognised as a genius of modern dance. The Red Shoes is a story of love, jealousy, obsession and determination. Aristocratic Victoria…
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Birmingham Hippodrome New season review Part 2.
Following on from Part 1 of the Birmingham Hippodrome New Season review, which appeared on the blog last week, today I bring you the second part of the Q&A sessions, this time featuring David Bintley, the creative director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Kash Bennett from the National Theatre, who was talking about the phenomenal success of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the night-time. David Bintley – Birmingham Royal Ballet David Bintley’s Cinderella is part of the new season at the Birmingham Hippodrome, coming to the theatre in February. David explained: “I felt there was a gap for a real Cinderella. The Ugly sisters needed to be…
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The New Season Launch at the Birmingham Hippodrome PT 1
On Monday I was a guest of the Birmingham Hippodrome for the new season launch. It was a very special night with Q&A sessions involving people involved in some of the most exciting shows coming to Birmingham this year, as well as a preview of the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Cinderella, which is coming to the Hippodrome next month. It was a fascinating night which has certainly wet my appetite for the fantastic season ahead. The evening started with a performance of the Pas de deux from Cinderella, danced by Karla Doorbar and Lachlan Monaghan. This is a beautiful dance, made all the more iconic on the dark, sparse floor stage…
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Dick Whittington – Festive Family Fun at the Birmingham Hippodrome
The UK’s biggest and best panto opened last night, as the Birmingham Hippodrome launched Dick Whittington, this year’s festive offering. A star studded cast, including John Barrowman, The Krankies, Steve McFadden and Jodie Prenger dazzled and delighted the packed auditorium with all the best of panto tradition, presenting a dazzlingly camp and frothy spectacle that was, quite simply, hilarious. As with the best of panto, the story held little resemblance to the legend of Dick Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London. Instead, it pitted a very dashing Dick (and not matter how I write that, it still sounds naughty) against the villainous King Rat, both trying to control the…
