Theatre feature: North West theatre in 2023

North West theatre in 2023

Date: 30 December 2023
Reporter: David Chadderton

Jonathan Slinger as Eddie in A View from the Bridge at the Octagon Credit: The Other Richard

Mei Mac as Kim & Tom Weston-Jones as Clarke in untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play at the Royal Exchange Credit: The Other Richard - Richard Davenport

The cast of Free Your Mind at Aviva Studios disappearing into the screens for the finale Credit: Tristram Kenton

Barry Sloane, Mark Womack, Nathan McMullen, Aron Julius, Andrew Schofield in Boys from the Blackstuff at the Royal Court Credit: Jason Roberts

Kathryn Hunter in Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead at The Lowry Credit: Marc Brenner

Ralph Fiennes in Macbeth at The Depot, Liverpool Credit: Matt Humphrey

John Bishop and Ian McKellen in Mother Goose at The Lowry Credit: Manuel Harlan

Aviva Studios, from the bridge over the River Irwell Credit: David Chadderton

Other theatre

The Depot

The Depot is a warehouse just outside Liverpool that was converted into a theatre for this production, opening here before visiting Edinburgh in January, London in February and March and Washington DC in April. This production of Macbeth, directed by Simon Godwin and starring Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma, was described as ‘immersive’, but it was largely a conventional staging other than the theme park-style walk-through from the bar to the auditorium, but with strong performances and an atmospheric production that worked pretty well overall.

53two

It was good to see that JB Shorts is still going strong, albeit these days with just one presentation of its collections of short new plays each year rather than two. The 23rd edition was unusually light on comedy but had some strong pieces and performances in a packed 53two, despite its press night clashing with another regular new writing showcase, Vignettes, now up to number five, which was playing for the first time at Contact rather than its usual venue of Hope Mill (and one writer had pieces in both shows).