Author Archives: suzie81speaks

Press Review: Rocky Horror Show at The Alexandra Theatre

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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Outrageous, absurd… and completely fabulous!

The Rocky Horror Show returns to Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre this week, celebrating its 50th anniversary – the longest continuous run of a contemporary musical anywhere in the world. 

The Rocky Horror Show tells the story of Brad and his fiancé Janet, two clean-cut college kids who find themselves stranded after their car breaks down while on their way to visit a former college professor. Seeking help at a creepy mansion nearby, they are introduced to Dr Frank’n’Furter and embark on an adventure that they’ll never forget. 

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Press Review: Death Drop: Back in The Habit

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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Unapologetically and deliciously camp with riotous laughs and razor-sharp wit!

Following three sold-out West End runs and a smash hit UK tour, Death Drop is back in an all new mystery!

The Sound of Music meets Scary Movie in this jam-packed, riotous comedy. Death Drop is the hilarious thriller which pays homage to all your favourite horror films – from IT to Scream and everything in-between.

After the glowing success of the original play (read the full review here), the team behind Death Drop return to Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre where the audience has been invited to pay a visit to the holy Convent of St. Babs…

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Press Review: The King and I at The Alexandra Theatre

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Directed by Bartlett Sher and billed as starring Helen George in the role of Anna, the critically acclaimed Lincoln Center Theatre production of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical arrived on stage at The Alexandra Theatre as part of its major 2023 UK tour. 

Set in 1860’s Bangkok, The King and I tells the story of the rather unconventional and tempestuous relationship between King Mongkut of Siam (now known as Thailand) and Anna, a strong-willed British widowed schoolteacher who is employed by the King to tutor his many children, highlighting the battle between male and female, Western ideals and Eastern traditions. The show features an instantly recognisable score with songs including Getting to Know You, Shall We Dance and Whistle a Happy Tune.

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Press Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel at The Alexandra Theatre

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Based on Deborah Moggach’s novel These Foolish Things which inspired the hit 2011 movie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel arrived at The Alexandra Theatre this week. 

With an all-star cast including Hayley Mills (yes, THE Hayley Mills), Paul Nicholas, Rula Lenska (I was genuinely star-struck), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel tells the story of an eclectic group of British retirees who travel to India in an attempt to embark on a new life. Their hotel, owned by the formidable Mrs Kapoor (Reka John-Cheriyan) and her son, Sonny (Nishad More) is far from the opulence that was promised, falling into an ever-increasing state of disrepair as the retirees try to adjust to the cultural differences around them. 

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Press Review: The Mirror Crack’d at The Alexandra Theatre

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It is 1960s England and a wind of change is blowing through the land. It has even reached the sleepy village of St. Mary Mead. There’s a new housing estate to make the villagers curious and fearful. And even stranger, a rich American film star has bought the Manor House.

The Mirror Crack’d is adapted from Agatha Christie’s novel Side to Side, published in the UK in 1962. It was also made into a Miss Marple movie from 1980 of the same name, with a star studded cast, including Angela Lansbury and Elizabeth Taylor.

This new stage adaptation from Rachel Wagstaff sees Susie Blake as Miss Marple (Victoria Wood’s As Seen on TV, Coronation Street, Mrs. Brown’s Boys), Sophie Ward (A Very British Scandal, Holby City, Land Girls) and Joe McFadden (Holby City, Heartbeat and Strictly Come Dancing 2017 winner) as the main characters.

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Press Review: Girl From The North Country

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Written and directed by Conor McPherson, with music and lyrics by Bob Dylan, Girl From The North Country is set in the 1930s in Duluth, Minnesota, opening in an American boarding house run by Nick Laine (Colin Connor). Right from the start there is a sense that all is not right, and as we are introduced to the characters it becomes apparent that everyone has a story of hardship and loss to tell.

The character portrayals are absolutely believable and many provoke an instant connection. Frances McNamee as Nick’s mentally ill wife Elizabeth Laine is multifaceted and raw to the bone as she flits from delusional outbursts to seemingly crystal-clear understandings of her place in life. Colin Connor as Nick Laine is a man who has a dark past and is haunted by it daily, but despite his big heart and desire to succeed he never seems to quite make it in anything he does, be it business or relationships. Both are standout performances and mesmerising to watch.

 

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2022: A Year in Review

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At the beginning of 2022 I set up a double page spread in my bullet journal titled ‘Memories and Highlights.’ This created a space where I could record all of the individual exciting things I experienced throughout the year and served as a reminder that this year hasn’t been as bad as I thought. 

Because let’s face it, in terms of the year from a national perspective, it’s been a dumpster fire with a dose of accelerant thrown on top. Three prime ministers in a year, the worse economic position in decades, food, gas and electric prices skyrocketing to the point where people are having to choose between heating their house during the winter or feeding their children while utility companies boast about record profits, workers from our postal service, trains, nurses, paramedics have been forced to strike… and to top it all off our Queen died. So many of us are tired, worried and angry. 

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Christmas Burnout

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Usually in the build up to Christmas I post at least something about getting ready for the festive season, what I plan to watch and comments about our wonky tree (that is now so ancient I’ve started to refer to it as ‘Old Faithful’). 

This year, however, I was whacked by all the flu and cold germs flying around and my body semi-shut down and went NOPE for several weeks. I know exactly where it came from too – in early December a woman who had a raging cold sat next to me on a train when I went up north to visit my mum and for the entirety of the trip she was coughing and spluttering and wiping her nose on her sleeve. I started to feel ill about four days later. Nice. 

Combined with the fact that I had been caught in multiple downpours and the freezing temperatures that hit the UK, I also think that I was burnt out. The last few months in particular have been ridiculously busy and I haven’t been great at taking care of myself. In a way, it felt like the universe was stepping in and telling me to rest. 

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Press Review: Dreamgirls at The Alexandra Theatre

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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Finally arriving on stage two years after their 2020 performance was cancelled, Dreamgirls has hit the stage at the Alexandra Theatre for their Christmas run, and it was worth the wait.  

I was lucky enough to experience a press preview of some of the main cast a little while ago and expectations were high, but nothing quite prepared me for the glitz and glamour that unfolded on stage. 

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