Tag: Birmingham Hippodrome

Two for Tuesday – Childhood Favourites

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I have been so lucky to have recently seen two of my childhood favourites on stage, and I felt it was time to share how much I enjoyed both of these shows (especially as my theatre posts have been slightly neglected recently).

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe – The Gillian Lynne Theatre, London

In October, I was lucky enough to go to London to see the latest stage adaptation of ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’. And, I have to be honest, I was so flipping excited. The Narnia stories have been some of my favourites since I was young. I still remember when I first unwrapped the seven books for my birthday one year, and I have treasured them ever since. So, a chance to see another way that they had been adapted was just such a treat.

This production is absolutely stunning – fans will not be disappointed at all. The characterisation is fantastic, the White Witch is as spooky as you would hope, Aslan is as brave as you would expect, and the Pevensie children become the heroes of Narnia you have always hoped for (even if Edmund does not have the most positive start, as we all know).

The staging is also incredibly clever, a minimal set that transports you directly to Narnia. As well as the fantastic costume design that brings all the residents of Narnia to life – good or bad. I was just as nervous of Maugrim in this production as I am in any other, and the book.

So, I feel it is safe to say that the current West End production is a must see for all Narnia fans, young or old, as you will feel like you have really stepped through that wardrobe and been on the adventure that you have always imagined.

Strictly Ballroom – Birmingham Hippodrome

In, contrast, another favourite of mine, which I remember my Mum introducing me to, was Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Strictly Ballroom’. A film that I adored and would watch over and over again, especially if I needed a little bit of comfort viewing. So, as soon as I found out that Craig Revell-Horwood had developed a production of ‘Strictly Ballroom: The Musical’, I knew I had to see it – which of course I did.

And what an amazing celebration of the film it is. It has everything that you would expect: the music and songs from the film (plus some shiny new songs), the dramatic costumes and the fantastic characters. By the end, we were dancing in the aisles to ‘Love is in the Air’ – so, as you can imagine, it is amazing fun.

Maisie Smith is an absolutely wonderful Fran – with all her determination and slight awkwardness that makes her such a brilliant character. Kevin Clifton is quite the Scott Hastings – the rule-breaker extraordinaire, with (let’s be honest) all the moves, as you would expect.

Together they are a fantastic pairing – but they are also supported by an extraordinary ensemble who bring everything you love about the film to the stage – especially the fantastic subtle humour that makes the story such a joy.

If you are a musical fan, a fan of ‘Strictly Ballroom’, or just a general theatre fan, then I would really recommend catching this production if you can, because you will come out singing and dancing, and feeling like there is at least some joy in the world.

In fact, that is exactly what both these stage productions did for me as they transported back to so many happy childhood memories – as well as being a chance to make even more fantastic memories.

Hobson’s Choice

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Many years ago in Mrs Dove’s English class, a group of students (including me) studied the play ‘Hobson’s Choice’. We also watched the wonderful black-and-white film with Charles Laughton and Sir John Mills. Therefore, when I saw that the Birmingham Royal Ballet was putting on the ballet as part of the summer season, I knew it had to be a treat for me and my Mum to go.

It was perfect! A fairly modern ballet as it was first composed, choreographed and performed in 1989. It is absolutely magical, totally reminiscent of those old silent movies. The story is told completely through the music, the choreography and the perfect expressions all the dancers performed. And, any ballet that can get ’10 Green Bottles’ into its score is good fun. Every dancer on the stage performed their character with great humour and emotion, and it really brought the whole story to life. The whole ballet was completely engaging and the audience were enthralled. There was even a little sing-along too.

‘Hobson’s Choice’ is such a delightful story which actually has a very strong female lead in the guise of Hobson’s daughter Maggie. This could be considered quite unusual for its time. But she is certainly the one behind sorting out her father and helping Will Mossop to really be appreciated for the talented boot maker that he is. She was performed brilliantly by Beatrice Parma.

Although, this may not be your traditional ballet tale, it was wonderful and I would absolutely love to see it again, as sometimes it does not feel like you can take it all in when you just watch it once.

Do you enjoy the ballet? Do you have a favourite?

Four the Love of Matilda

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

This week I was lucky enough to see ‘Matilda: The Musical’ for the fourth time. A beautiful friend of mine and I went out on a school night – a big deal as we are both teachers – to see the touring production at the Birmingham Hippodrome. It was everything I hoped and remembered it would be. Humour, great tunes, wonderful characters – and a serious but heart-warming message for adults and children alike.

However, this post is going to be a little more about the appreciation of the wonderful character that is Matilda Wormwood.

Growing up I was a huge Roald Dahl fan and I still remember the birthday my Uncle gave me ‘The BFG’, The Witches and Matilda. They were 3 novels that struck a chord with me but most particularly ‘Matilda’. Like her I was a total bookworm (although maybe not as advanced) when it was not particularly cool. However, she made me realise that it did not matter – if you like to read then you can read. I am so glad that my parents encouraged me to read (unlike the Wormwoods) because, just like for Matilda, it brought so much more to life. In fact, as I have grown up, reading has become one of the things that has been important in some of my closest friendships. Books and words were even feature of my wedding day.

Matilda is also a wonderful character and role model. She is a strong female lead and – as the wonderful musical always reminds you – it is OK to be a little bit naughty. You really should not let anything stop you from standing up for what is right and, in turn, stand up for yourself.

So, my love of the book by Roald Dahl and Tim Minchin’s musical interpretation is all based om the fact that you should never let anything stand in your way. When I grow up – I want to be just like Matilda Wormwood.

P.S You really should go and see the show while it is at the Birmingham Hippodrome – it is marvellous!

The Nutcracker

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

On a snowy Friday night, is there any better adventure than a night at the ballet watching the most magical, festive show ‘The Nutcracker’? I do not think so, and that was exactly how I spent my Friday night with my Mum.

I last saw ‘The Nutcracker’ when I was 5 years old. I remember the evening so fondly, especially as I wore my favourite princess dress and remember feeling so grown up being at the theatre in the evening.

This 2017 production (because let’s not work out how long ago I was 5) by the Birmingham Royal Ballet did not burst the festive bubble I hold ‘The Nutcracker’ in.

The moment the music strikes up, you are transported to the festive wonderland. The thing that amazes me throughout a ballet is that the music and dance have to tell the story. The skill of each dancer and musician is always amazing and you are into the tale of ‘The Nutcracker’ and all its adventures.

I was mesmerised throughout; everything gelled so beautifully from start to finish. However, the ‘best’ moments (if I dare to be so brash) were the dances in the magical land, performed as a reward for the bravery of our heroine Clara.

Clara, and the audience, witness some of the most beautiful and magical dances of all time. Let’s be honest, as has pretty much every girl who has ever done ballet, I would have loved to have been the Sugar Plum Fairy too. Well, to be honest, I would have pretty much have loved to have been any one of those dancers in such an iconic piece of ballet.

I enjoyed every single moment of this production. ‘The Nutcracker’ remains one of my all-time favourite pieces of theatre. Let the festive season well and truly begin!

Cinderella certainly goes to the ball!

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

For 10 wonderful days, Birmingham Royal Ballet transported their audiences, at Birmingham Hippodrome, to the most fabulous fairy tale world of Cinderella.

Ballet appears to be becoming a bit of a little tradition for this time of year. Last year, Mum and I went to Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty (stunning) and, this year, we continued the fairy tale theme with Cinderella. I am not going to claim to be a expert in dance – I did ballet when I was younger, but the skill of these dancers was unbelievable. As beautiful as the costumes are (and they were) and as majestic as the sets are (and they really were), it was down to the dancers and the wonderful choreography to tell the story. The music offers a beautiful narration, but it really is the elegant movements of the those on the stage that truly brings the story to life.

You feel every emotion that Cinderella portrays, from her early tragic story to her happy ending. The ‘Ugly Sisters’ make you love them with the ‘elegant’ comedy they portray (I did wonder if it is harder for one to keep up the flat-footed movements of her character when she must be so used to being completely elegant and delicate). And Prince Charming, well, the strength in his dancing was amazing. When he lifted Cinderella with a stunning one-arm lift, the audience went wild (or as wild as an audience at the ballet dares to be).

However, despite the character name checks, the production would not have been as amazing as it was without the whole company. Every dancer on the stage made ‘Cinderella’ the stunning production that it was. As did the orchestra (I have always slightly envied those who play an instrument) who performed with such skill.

This production simply left me wishing that I could go to the ballet every week. It was beautiful!