Gareth Finn reviews An Audience with Andrew Motion

Posted by Jamie on September 30, 2007 5:02 PM

THOSE who have never been to a reading may wonder what it is like, what happens on stage, how does it look, sound and feel?

Empty chairs, two of them, not in the audience, but on the stage, Motion first stood, then sat, reading poems then prose and answering audience questions with a warm generosity.

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A Man and His Words

Posted by Jamie on September 28, 2007 2:44 PM

It was encouraging to see so many people at Southport Arts Centre last night (Thursday) for readings and recollections by Poet Laureate Andrew Motion.

A full review of the event appears in next week's Visiter, but one incident which probably won't make it to the printed page took place as I was waiting for my fellow attendee outside Southport Arts Centre.

Mr Motion was taking in the evening air with a member of Arts Centre staff before the show began.

As they chatted, one of the doormen of the bar which adjoins the Centre said to the pair: "Evening gents? Off for a night at the theatre? Anything good on?"

I would love to say that the current Poet Laureate turned round and replied: "Yes. Me," but as you'll find out from the review, such self-publicity wouldn't sit well on this likeable, unassuming man's shoulder.

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What's Sauce for the Goose...

Posted by Jamie on September 26, 2007 9:05 AM

Move Over, Mrs Markham
By Ray Cooney & John Chapman
Directed by Robin Hirsch
Southport Little Theatre, until Saturday, September 29.

If the word of mouth which made a hit of Dad's Army repeats itself, Southport Dramatic Club has another sell-out on its hands.

Move Over, Mrs Markham is a bedroom farce which has the honour of ushering Southport Little Theatre into its eighth decade.

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The Key to Cyril

Posted by Jamie on September 24, 2007 1:54 PM

There are not many opportunities to combine my liking for Doctor Who with a bona-fide Southport Visiter story, but this is one of those rare occasions.

This lunchtime, I tootled off to HMV on Chapel Street with an assortment of gift tokens (I saved them up, like every good boy should) to buy the seven-DVD Key to Time box set - a whole season of the show from the '70s where Tom Baker and Mary Tamm roam the spaceways for the six segments of an object which will restore peace to the universe.

In the very first episode, the Doctor is despatched on his mission by the White Guardian - played by none other than Southport Little Theatre stalwart Cyril Luckham (pictured).

To find out more about Cyril - but not the Key to Time (that would just look silly) - look out for Look Back in this Friday's Southport Visiter, marking the 70th anniversary of the theatre on Hoghton Street.

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Little Dahl-ings

Posted by Jamie on September 24, 2007 8:51 AM

I relived some of my childhood pleasures and fears this weekend while watching a series of programmes about the author Roald Dahl.

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When Mickey Met Jan

Posted by Jamie on September 20, 2007 9:05 AM

MICKEY Rooney must be the only surviving member of the MGM elite who still has his boots on.

And the man who turns 87 on Sunday looks like he has a lot of wear left in those soles.

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Peter Harvey reviews Richard Hawley (Liverpool Philharmonic Hall)

Posted by Jamie on September 15, 2007 8:54 AM

Richard Hawley is an intriguing character - a rough-looking, gravel-voiced bloke from Sheffield who (on first impressions, at least) you wouldn't trust to play spoons the right way round.

Behind the almost geeky sixth former image and self-deprecating, gruff small talk, there's a smooth, stylish, confident giant of a musician, singer, songwriter and...funnyman.

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He's So Two-Faced

Posted by Jamie on September 5, 2007 9:07 AM

Southport Dramatic Club opened its 2007/8 season last night with a youth theatre production of the musical Jekyll & Hyde.

Watch out for the review of this macabre - not to mention spicy - show in Friday's Southport Visiter.

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The Versatile Mr Sheen

Posted by Jamie on September 4, 2007 10:38 AM

WELSH actor Michael Sheen will be getting plaudits for his portrayal of Tony Blair in Stephen Frear's The Queen from many a TV critic this week.

But 24 hours after Sunday's premiere, he was back on our screens - albeit tucked away - as another well-known British figure.

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