There’s something very alluring about going into a show without knowing anything about it beyond what you can cobble together from the name but, we have to say, we had such a good time watching King Arthur at The Lowry in Salford we simply had to clue you in.
Like us, you can probably have a stab at what this one is about: the tale of King Arthur (sort of), his Knights of the Roundtable and the famous legends that have been retold for centuries – just not like this.
This comedic chronicling of Camelot and the character studies that lie within it as a much-loved fantasy world does more than just play with the legend, it sarcastically subverts things in an intentionally meta manner, not just breaking the fourth wall but more like stumbling through it with a perfect pratfall.
Put simply, it’s rambunctious, rude, just the right amount of camp with plenty of slapstick and it might be the most outright fun we’ve had at the theatre in ages. It’s certainly the most we’ve laughed.
A taster of what to expect from King Arthur at The Lowry, Salford Quays.
Perhaps one of the first things that we must praise is the pacing and one-upmanship that goes into this show. We struggle to think of a single other production that manages to get increasingly funnier as it goes on but these lot manage it somehow.
And that’s quite the statement when you take into account the opening scene – we daren’t spoil a thing but let’s just say they set the bar pretty high for themselves.
Created by the Exter-based Le Navet Bete theatre company, along with help from one of the country’s best comedy writers and directors, John Nicholson, they’re known for similarly humorous twists on tried and tested tales like Dracula, The Three Musketeers and Treasure Island.
Put it this way, we’re honestly gutted that this is our first taste of their take on classic stories and sincerely hope they’ll be bringing back these other shows to Salford Quays.
Each one of the main characters – plural being very much the operative phrase here – Osbert (Nick Bunt), Edgar (Al Dunn) and Dave have countless moments to shine in the spotlight and deliver plenty of childish punchlines, but a special shout-out has to go to Matt Freeman (Dave), who was nothing short of electric.
Credit: Press Images (supplied via The Lowry)
The show is filled with plenty of physical comedy and genuinely impressive feats of athleticism at times, so much so that the non-stop energy has to be applauded, and that aspect of the performance is very much typified by Freeman, a.k.a. ‘Dave the Rave’.
As the cast very much enjoys toying with, the multi-roling that a trio having to play several characters isn’t so much restrictive as it is freeing in this show, with each Arthurian figure presenting a new opportunity to be funny in a different way, and he grabs each one firmly with both hands.
His Lady Guinevere is quite frankly one of the funniest parts in the entire show and having her talk like some twisted, medieval version of Nigella Lawson meets a TOWIE star in an overly saucy M&S advert was genuinely side-splitting. But this doesn’t even come close to scratching the surface.
Be it throwing his large frame around like an excited toddler, playing the dim role to perfection, or switching to yet another regional dialect – a chance to explore even more of the breadth behind being ‘British’ in the process – his actual strength pales in comparison to his strength in sheer versatility.
Speaking of accents, it’s not all about ‘The Big D’ though; one of the best running gags which stretched wafer-thin to the point of everything almost coming part is Al Dunn’s lack of mastery when it comes to sounding French, Scottish or like he’s even trying to an accurate impersonation – because he’s not.
In fact, at what point he simply turned to the crowd and asked, “What that too much?”, which got one of the biggest laughs of the night.
(Credit: Supplied)
To tell the truth, it was these looser moments that were among some of the best. There were multiple occasions in which we genuinely couldn’t tell whether or not the actors had broken character, were simply cracking up or had downright lost their place – that’s how good they are at the nonsense of it all.
And there was no shortage of light and unserious spells, naturally; there was a good level of interaction and crowd participation too, without it ever feeling like the audience felt pressured into giving a forced response or customary chuckle. Give anyone a chance to throw stuff on stage and you’re onto a winner.
One of the high points of the entire evening was when a little kid was overcome with a case of not just a laughing fit but that pure, uncontrollable cackling that only a child can truly muster. It was almost as if he’d suddenly discovered his love of the art form and, infectiously, led everyone else to rediscover theirs.
It was as close to capturing that simple joy of being a pantomime when you were little and being so consumed with laughter that you suddenly suspended all disbelief as you could ask for from a largely adult crowd, though this show is definitely one that works for all age groups.
Whether it be the puns and Pixar-esque sly nods to the grown-ups, the countless bait-and-switch jokes where the lead is often so buried that the punchline comes much later than you’re expecting or is repeated to the point of insanity, or the big, broad, musical segments, the run the whole gamut.
Your belly doesn’t even get a breather in the transitions or during the interval, as purposefully over-exaggerated montages are used to show the passing of time and even Medieval-style Bardcore versions of pop songs like Hot In Herre by Nelly or Moves Like Jagger play during the breaks.
The contemporary language and poking fun at every generation helps it feel really universal too and considering they’ve only got a small stage, they make full use of the set in as far as they can – but it’s all about those performances from La Navet Bete.
Lastly, there’s also just an unapologetic sense of play about King Arthur from start to finish and it really does love up to the tagline, ‘A Legendary Comedy’. It’s the most raucous retelling of otherwise revered tales that reclaim the ridiculousness of panto and reminds you how wonderfully daft theatre can be.
There are still tickets left for the remaining King Arthur shows at The Lowry in MediaCity UK and we sincerely hope you find time to see them before they go.
To put it in one word, King Arthur: A Legendary Comedy at The Lowry, Salford is a riot.
Here & Now – The Steps Musical is coming to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A musical inspired by pop band Steps is coming to Manchester this year, and the principal cast for Here & Now has now been confirmed.
The musical features Steps’ most beloved hit songs, including Tragedy, Heartbeat, Stomp, the One For Sorrow, Better Best Forgotten, 5,6,7,8, Last Thing On My Mind, Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart, Chain Reaction, and many more.
The story is set in seaside superstore Better Best Bargains, where it’s Friday night, the vibe is right, and everyone’s dancing in the aisles.
But when Caz discovers the shelves are stocked with lies and betrayal, the summer of love she and her friends dreamed of suddenly feels like a tragedy. Have they all lost their chance of a ‘happy ever after’? Or does love have other plans in store…?
Here & Now has an original book by Shaun Kitchener and is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, with choreography by Olivier Award-winning Matt Cole and Matt Spencer-Smith as musical supervisor, orchestrator and arranger.
The show is produced by Steps themselves, ROYO, and pop legend Pete Waterman.
Producers have now confirmed that Rebecca Lock will star as Caz, returning from the original run in Birmingham.
Here & Now – The Steps Musical is coming to Manchester
Finty Williams will play Patricia, Blake Patrick Anderson will be Robbie, River Medway (fan favourite on the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, BBC) is Jem, Edward Baker Duly (The King and I) as Max and John Stacey as Lesley.
There are new cast members joining the principal cast too, including Jacqui Dubois (Ghost The Musical UK tour) as Vel, Chris Grahamson (NOW That’s What I Call A Musical UK and Ireland tour) as Gareth and Rosie Singha (& Juliet UK and Ireland tour) as Neeta.
Set design by Tom Rogers, costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Adam Fisher, wigs, hair and makeup design by Sam Cox, casting by Will Burton for Grindrod Burton Casting, Music Technology by Phij Adams with Production Management by Setting Line.
Steps are one of the biggest pop bands of a generation, made up of Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee.
In their career they achieved 14 top five singles, four number one albums, 22 million record sales, 500 million streams and 11 sold-out national arena tours.
Steps’ 2017 comeback tour was one of the biggest pop tours of that year, with 300,000 tickets sold, and they’ve continued to release new music.
You can find out more about Here & Now and book tickets HERE.
All the talented winners of this year’s Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting
Daisy Jackson
The winners of this year’s Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting have been announced, as the major award continues to elevate new voices.
This year’s overall winner is British-Nigerian writer Tolu Okanlawon, with his debut play SHOOTERS, which follows African American photojournalist Gordon Parks as he documents the lives of a group of teenage boys in 1940s Harlem for Life Magazine.
In his play, Tolu focuses on the question of who has the right to tell another person’s story, delving into themes of power, vulnerability and accurate representation.
Tolu has received a £20,000 award at the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, with the winners announced at a glittering ceremony at the Royal Exchange Theatre last Monday.
Previous winners of the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting have included Phoebe Eclair-Powell, Duncan Macmillan, Alistair McDowall, Janice Okoh, Nathan Queeley-Dennis and Katherine Soper.
This is a landmark year for the Prize, which is marking its 20th anniversary and celebrating the long-standing collaboration between Bruntwood (one of the UK’s leading commercial property developers), The Oglesby Charitable Trust, and the renowned Royal Exchange Theatre.
Also announced at the ceremony are the winners of this year’s Prize categories, which champion writers across the globe and at all stages of their playwriting careers.
The Judges Award, and a £10,000 prize, went to Przewalski’s Horses by Silva Semerciyan, which follows a woman fleeing war-torn Kyiv as she seeks refuge with her estranged grandmother in the radioactive wilderness of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
She has previously been shortlisted for the Bruntwood Prize, and for the Off West End Awards.
Jesús I. Valles, a queer Mexican immigrant writer-performer from Texas, won The International Award with SPREAD, which follows a group of boys in 9th grade as they navigate the balance of childhood and the ever-present push of adult pressures.
R Lady’s by Daisy Miles received the North-West Original New Voice Award and Residency.
The Stockport-born writer is currently training with the Royal Exchange Theatre’s Young Company of Writers, and R Lady’s is her first full-length play.
The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting event at the Royal Exchange Theatre
For the first time, a special commendation has also been awarded as part of the North-West Original New Voice Award, to disabled, hard of hearing, neurodivergent writer and actor Terri Jade Donovan, who was recognised for their play DOG DOG DOG – an unpredictable exploration of the impact of childhood trauma and neglect.
Terri was awarded a £5,000 grant.
Selina Cartmell, Artistic Director at the Royal Exchange Theatre and judge for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, said: “As a judge for this prize in its landmark 20th year, I’ve had the extraordinary privilege of reading work that has challenged, surprised, and moved me in equal measure.
“Our 15 shortlisted writers represent something remarkable – the courage to imagine different worlds, to ask uncomfortable questions, and to trust us with their most profound creative insights.
“Each script on our shortlist offers a unique window into who we are as a society, and more importantly, who we might become. SHOOTERS is an extraordinary play beautifully crafted by Tolu Okanlawon, a huge congratulations to him, to our other winners and to every writer who has shared their bold visions with us.
“None of this would be possible without the remarkable partnership between the Royal Exchange Theatre, the Oglesby Charitable Trust, and Bruntwood. So, let’s celebrate our shortlisted writers, honour our partnerships, and look forward to a future filled with the stories we haven’t yet imagined.”
Chris Oglesby, CEO of Bruntwood, added: “The Bruntwood Prize was born out of a deeply held passion that my parents had for theatre, in particular the Royal Exchange, and their recognition that a vital part of its ecology was new writing.
“20 years later, we are still uncovering incredible new stories and brilliantly talented new writers. The success of this Prize is testament to the wonderful partnership both the Oglesby Charitable Trust and Bruntwood have with the Exchange and is proof that philanthropy is about so much more than making a donation.
“Together we have created a Prize that now has international reach, putting Manchester on the map as a home for phenomenal new writing.
“The Prize has continued to champion and recognise the hard work of writers and the impact that plays can have on those who watch them. Today, we get to celebrate more winning writers, and I cannot wait to see what they do next.”
You can find out more and see all the winners HERE.
Danny Jones -
28th September 2024 
