SISTER ACT - THEATRE REVIEW

SISTER ACT (WBOS) AT THE WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE

Theatre Run: Tuesday 13 - Saturday 17 May 2014
Performance Reviewed: Tuesday 13 May 2014 (Press Night)

Reviewed by Kyle Pedley

Amateur theatre and local operatic societies continue to thankfully be plentiful in number and ever evolving in regards to the professionalism, ambition and scope of the productions they put on, something which is plenty evident within the West Midlands. The West Bromwich Operatic Society/WBOS are one such organisation who, with their latest production, Sister Act, further blur the boundaries between professional productions and amateur with an extremely accomplished, technically audacious and supremely enjoyable adaptation of one of musical theatre’s more recent success stories. Following on from a celebrated original stint in London, a subsequent Broadway run and UK national tour, Sister Act is a musical adaptation of the 1992 Whoopi Goldberg comedy movie of the same name. There’s some tweaks to character and plot, most notably (but understandably) dragging the whole thing back 20 years so it nestles comfortably with the disco stylings of the 1970’s, and the score is entirely original as opposed to the collection of jukebox hits from the movie, but otherwise those familiar with the original will have a strong idea of what to expect here.

GHOST - THEATRE PREVIEW

CITY GETS IN THE 'SPIRIT' AS GHOST THE MUSICAL ARRIVES IN BIRMINGHAM FOR CHRISTMAS!

Celebrated tearjerker musical, based on the 1990 Oscar-Winning hit film starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg arrives at the New Alexandra Theatre this week to begin an extended Christmas and New Year Run!

Dates: Tuesday 17 December 2013 - Sunday 05 January 2014

Preview by Kyle Pedley

Theatre fans in Birmingham and beyond had best get their hankies and tissues at the ready this Christmas and New Year season as one of the most celebrated touring musical theatre productions of the year returns to the Midlands to see out 2013 and welcome in the New Year in the city's New Alexandra Theatre. Technically audacious and visually stunning, our previous review of this same touring production gave it a coveted 5 out of 5 stars, citing it as "Single-handedly the most ambitious, bombastically visceral and tirelessly inventive touring musical production[s] we've had the pleasure of experiencing.... an at-times breathtakingly dynamic and kinetic explosion and exploration of eye-candy and splendour".

GHOST THE MUSICAL - THEATRE REVIEW

GHOST THE MUSICAL AT THE WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE

Theatre Run: Tuesday 4 - Saturday 15 July 2013
Performance Reviewed: Tuesday 4 June (Press Night)

Reviewed by Kyle Pedley

Reviewing both West End and touring productions can sometimes be a slightly disjointed affair, and the expectations taken to the London boards have to sometimes be a touch tempered for their touring and regional counterparts. That’s not to suggest any abject inferiority or personal preference, but often the sheer practicality and demands of a production going on tour and repeatedly moving venues, often allowing no more than a days setup time, requires natural compromises be made when it comes to staging, more elaborate mechanics or flats, and generally a less cohesive and ambitious affair than London or otherwise permanent shows can usually offer.