REVIEW: One Of Those, Tristan Bates Theatre ✭✭
As the lives from one carriage merge with the other, the play descends into farce and the promise to bring new understanding is lost.
Michael Ball
Mack and Mabel UK Tour 2015
It has been announced that Michael Ball will play Mack Sennett in a major new revival of Jerry Herman’s Mack and Mabel which will play at the Chichester Festival Theatre prior to touring. Mack and Mabel is the story of the relationship between silent film star Mabel Normand and Keystone Cops director Mack Sennett. The productions will be directed by Jonathan Church and choreographed by Stephen Mear. Mack And Mabel received eight Tony nominations when it opened on Broadway in 1974. Herman’s other shows include The Grand Tour, Hello Dolly! Mame, and La Cage Aux Folles. MACK AND MABEL UK TOUR 2015 DATES Plymouth Theatre Royal Thursday 1 October – Saturday 10 October BOOK ONLINE Manchester Opera House Monday 12 – Saturday 24 October BOOK ONLINE Dubline BGE Theatre Tuesday 27 October – Saturday 7 November BOOK ONLINE Edinburgh Playhouse Tuesday 10 – Saturday 21 November BOOK ONLINE Nottingham … Read more
REVIEW: Mack And Mabel, Chichester Festival Theatre ✭✭✭✭
Ball is an exceptional, utterly convincing Mack. He completely gets under the skin of the character, finding precisely the right level to pitch every moment of anger, driven determination, and offhand callousness. The passion for making comedy films that can see people of any race and creed laugh in any place on the planet is the backbone of Ball’s characterisation. He is entirely unsentimental in his delivery and never seeks the approval of the audience. Musically, Ball is exceptional. He uses his big, bright voice deftly, producing clear, strong notes, ringing phrases of great colour, and perfectly supported passages of soft and delicate singing
DVD Review: The Day We Sang
If, like me you had been relaxing over the Christmas break and were tuned into your TV, you might have been lucky enough to catch a little gem of a programme called The Day We Sang which has now been released on DVD. Written by national treasure Victoria Wood, The Day We Sang was originally commissioned as a play for the Manchester International festival. It is the story of Enid and Tubby, two adults who as children were involved in the children’s choir recording of Nymphs and Shepherds in the Manchester Free Trade Hall in 1929 and how their lives had changed many years later. The Day We Sang stars Michael Ball as Tubby and Imelda Staunton as Enid. They bring massive amounts of heart to the heartfelt story of two people facing a second chance in life. Balls portrayal of the over-enthusiastic, always smiling, overly likeable Tubby played against … Read more
Michael Ball Named As Patron Of Perfect Pitch
Perfect Pitch have just announced that Britain’s multi-award winning musical theatre star Michael Ball has become their patron and that they have formed a new partnership with DigitalTheatre.com. Michael Ball said: “It feels wonderful to be a patron of Perfect Pitch and officially support the company in its work to nurture and develop new musical theatre shows with up-and-coming writing talent. We have a wonderful tradition of creating great musicals in this country and, to ensure its bright future, it’s essential that we give emerging writers every opportunity to develop their craft and create the hit shows of tomorrow. It’s fantastic that Perfect Pitch can offer such great opportunities and I’m really pleased to be able to play my part.” Andy Barnes, Executive Producer of Perfect Pitch added: “Michael shares our passion in supporting emerging talent with new ideas for musicals, particularly contemporary ideas that relate to an evolving audience. … Read more
