There is nothing more powerful than to love and be loved!
The Playhouse Theatre has hosted some remarkable productions over the past two years, but Birdsong is by far one of the finest to ever grace its stage.
Sebastian Faulks’s epic novel of love and loss reached new heights through Rachel Wagstaff’s gritty and evocative stage adaptation. The entire cast delivered outstanding performances, gripping the audience from the very first moment. We were drawn into the highly emotional tale of one man’s journey through a passionate, all-consuming love affair, and into the devastating horrors of the First World War.
Stephen Wraysford, portrayed by James Esler, gave a commanding performance, taking us through his character’s illicit and dangerous affair with the beautiful Isabelle Azaire (Charlie Russell). Their chemistry was palpable, with moments of raw intimacy, including unexpected nudity that, while startling, felt entirely in keeping with the storyline’s intensity and realism.
This three-hour epic was impressive not only in acting but also in scope. With two intervals, the play was lengthy, but the time passed swiftly, as the engrossing narrative kept the audience riveted to every scene.
The true stars of the production were undoubtedly the exceptional props team (Katie Balmforth, Edie Lawrence, and Holly Isaacs) and the sound design (Dominic Bilkey and Simon McCorry). Only War Horse and The Lion King have matched this level of technical brilliance. The production’s soundscapes and detailed set design allowed the audience to vividly imagine the chaos of the Battle of the Somme and the sprawling underground tunnels where soldiers faced unimaginable horrors.
This was a mesmerising production, bringing to life not only a story of love and courage but also the unprecedented brutality of the Great War—a war from which, tragically, lessons were not fully learned.
This is a play that should not be missed!
Nature poetry. For too long, it’s been the domain of soft-focus sentimentality: predictable scenes of meadows, rivers, and, yes, even gliding gulls.
As 2024 draws to a close, it’s impossible not to marvel at how much has been accomplished in just one year. This
Call for Submissions: Glow: City at Night Poems The Broken Spine is excited to announce that submissions for our latest slimline anthology,
The Broken Spine is a poetry and arts collective proudly published on the coastal edge of North-West England. Founded in 2019 by Alan Parry and Paul Robert Mullen – two school friends reunited after twenty years through a mutual love of poetry.
