March 2010 Archives

Diana Dias-Leão's beautiful glass frock creations go on show at the Walker from today.
But they almost ended up as nothing more than shards of broken glass she told me.

LIVERPOOL'S Bluecoat arts centre is going global with a free exhibition opening next month.
Artists from different parts of the world will be collaborating for the Global Studio exhibition opening on April 9.

Lyn Paul is on her way back to the Liverpool Empire for a fifth time as Liverpool's most famous cleaning lady Mrs Johnstone.
And she's revealed she and son Ryan, who is one of the show's lighting engineers, are renting digs close to both the theatre and to Ma Egerton's around the corner.

The Write Now One Act Play Festival opens at Liverpool's Actors Studio tomorrow and runs until 3.
And who knows - there may be a new Willy Russell, Jonathan Harvey or Heidi Thomas lurking there in the programme so in years to come you'll be able to say "I remember seeing them when they were just starting out."

I still can't remember which Canterbury Tale I did for my A levels - but it was a long time ago! I'm erring towards the Merchant's Tale because I'm sure if it had been the Miller's I would have remembered it!
Anyway, I enjoyed Northern Broasides' bawdy and energetic retelling of the Chaucer classic at the Playhouse, not least all the amazing and often beautiful music. And the cod-opera was hilarious.

read my review of last night's show on the Echo website

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-entertainment/echo-entertainment/2010/03/23/review-shaun-williamson-plays-fletcher-in-porridge-at-the-liverpool-empire-100252-26088571/

Congratuations to playwright Michael Wynne who scooped a gong at the prestigious Olivier theatre awards in London last night.
The 37-year-old won Best New Comedy for his play The Priory at the Royal Court London.

I was one of those who attended the official opening of Hope University's new Capstone arts buiding last night.
The evening was centred around a concert in its new Hope Theatre which is a very smart new space.

A one-day performing arts festival takes place at the Black-E this weekend.
The Young Performers Weekend will bring together young performers from across the Merseyside region for a day of dance, drama, film and live music.

They say familiarity breeds contempt, and maybe that's true so it was great at last night's Philharmonic concert to hear Elgar's Enigma Variations sounding so fresh.
I used the words "glorious Technicolor" in my review in today's Echo, and that's how it felt to me - as though the dulling patina of decades had been burnished to brightness again.