review Archives - Blackpool Social Club

02 Dec

Gig Review: Ash at Bootleg Social

Louise Ashcroft0 CommentsMusic & GigsAsh, Blackpool, bootleg social, gig, indie rock, review

There were a couple of big sell out events in town on Saturday 22nd November. Strictly waltzed into Tower Ballroom, meanwhile another full house were at Bootleg Social for the visit of Northern Irish rock veterans Ash. I arrived with support act Coach Party already in full swing and the venue already busy. Some attendees were clearly familiar with Coach Party as they sang along, those who weren’t were treated to a great set. Coach Party are supporting Ash on all their current tour engagements, and the Isle of Wight fourpiece are a fitting warm-up for the main act with…

17 Oct

Theatre Review: Noel and Gertie

Linda Hampton0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, grand theatre, Noel Coward, review

Noel and Gertie explores the lifelong friendship between Noel Coward and actress Gertrude Laurence in music, song and storytelling, in this devised entertainment by Sheridan Morley. Through stellar performances from Gary Tushaw (Coward) and Rebecca Trehearne (Laurence), who keep the energy going throughout this two-hour show, we discover the close and special relationship between these two iconic performers. For those of us looking back at Coward’s professional persona and his huge body of work, it might be hard to imagine what the man himself was really like. This show opens a door and invites the audience to step inside his life…

27 Aug

Theatre Review: The Addams Family

Stephen Dunstan0 CommentsGuide, Theatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, review, Theatre, Winter Gardens

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""] It was a night of contrasts in central Blackpool tonight. As a curtain raiser for the Illuminations brightly lit bikes were taking over the Promenade for Ride The Lights, meanwhile the dark line in humour of The Addams Family started a five day run at the Winter Gardens. The Addams Family has a heritage over 60 years strong including several TV series and four films. Most recently the Wednesday spin off has brought the characters to a new young audience. The current run of the musical lives up to this stellar ancestry with an illustrious line-up. Alexandra Burke…

30 Jul

Theatre Review: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

Louise Ashcroft0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, review, Theatre, Winter Gardens

The West End production of the classic tale of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe arrives in Blackpool this week, as part of its UK tour. Whatever your age, it is likely you have some experience of this magical story. Some of us may be familiar as early readers, with late night promises of 'just one more chapter' before lights out, or sneakily reading with a torch under the covers. Others may remember the TV series from the late eighties, introducing us to the wonderful world of Narnia and the terrifying White Witch. A wider audience was further developed…

11 Oct

Theatre Review: Wonder Boy

Louise Ashcroft0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, grand theatre, review, Theatre

The award-winning Bristol Old Vic production of Wonder Boy started its UK tour in Blackpool this week at The Grand Theatre. A truly inclusive performance, it tells the story of a young boy attempting to overcome a stammer. At the start of Wonder Boy the audience is introduced to 12-year-old Sonny and his comic book hero companion, Captain Chatter. They communicate using BSL and expressive gestures, including some very wiggly eyebrows! We then see Sonny arrive at school and discover that he struggles to communicate with peers in real life, due to his stammer. The show is enhanced by the…

25 Jul

Theatre Review: & Juliet

Louise Ashcroft0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, Opera House, review, Theatre

Shakespeare gets a feminist makeover in this retelling of the classic tragedy turned comedy. Audiences in Blackpool this week explore what would have happened if Juliet hadn’t killed herself upon discovering the dead Romeo. It turns out she could live without him! On the back of West End and Broadway success, & Juliet continues its UK tour at Blackpool Opera House this week. The show opens with a jukebox on stage, clearly owning its identity as a jukebox musical, with a score made from '90s and '00s anthems from icons such as Britney Spears, the Back Street Boys, Pink and…

23 May

Theatre Review: Unfortunate – The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch

Louise Ashcroft0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, grand theatre, review, Theatre

Have you ever wondered why Disney villains were so bad and what made them that way? Unfortunate lets us explore the origin story of the biggest baddy from Under the Sea. Unfortunate - The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch stars Shawna Hamic (Orange is the New Black, 1776 on Broadway) as ‘Ursula’ and River Medway (RuPaul’s Drag Race UK) as ‘Ariel’. The production is running until Saturday 25 May at Blackpool Grand Theatre. Are you someone who grew up with Disney princesses? Do you secretly still love singing along to 'Part of this World' but think you've maybe…

12 May

Review: Beans on Toast

Antonia Charlesworth0 CommentsMusic & Gigslive music, Music, music venue, review

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Jay McAllister, aka Beans on Toast, is playing Blackpool for the first time. Bootleg Social has firmly established itself on the small gig circuit and artists like Beans are now realising there’s good reason to head across the M55. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] At Bootleg Social, 7 May. Words: Ricky Stack. Photos: @Alessio.Zinna He does so without fanfare, gracing the stage with just a guitar and bare feet, but the crowd are less laid-back about it. They chant his every word back to him. They don his merch. They’re local fans but they follow this man with his message of peace,…

22 Apr

Review: Robert Icke’s Animal Farm – A Contemporary Ode to Orwell’s Legacy

Beth Barker0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performancegrand theatre, performance, puppets, review, Reviews, The Grand Theatre

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] My first experience of Robert Icke’s work came in 2014 when his Olivier-nominated adaptation of 1984 took centre stage at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre. Almost a decade on, I settled into my seat alongside my Dad to watch Icke take on Orwell again, this time bringing his earlier novel, Utopian classic Animal Farm, to life. As committed readers of Orwell and his seminal works, we waited with glee to discover how the revolutionary story would play out.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="34762" img_size="medium" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][vc_empty_space height="45px"][/vc_column][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text]The defining feature of this beguiling play is, of course, the puppetry. Some audience members may recognise…

14 Dec

Collective Joy and Political Parodies: The Return of Blackpool’s Pantomime

Beth Barker1 CommentTheatre, Dance & PerformanceChristmas, family, pantomime, review, Theatre

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] After the widespread disappointment of last Christmas which saw theatre productions cancelled all over the country, December marks the welcome return of Blackpool’s beloved annual pantomime. This year’s show is a well-known classic – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – produced by Martin Dodd for UK Productions. Here’s our review of the show. One of the greatest things about panto is that it truly is for everyone. Spanning back to the 16th century, this now-festive tradition is a must-have for millions of families at Christmas time. From our seats in the stunning Grand Theatre’s dress circle, we were…