Released January 2019. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Believe the hype. The Favourite is pretty golden. Aside from stand-out performances across the board, this is a brilliant film from camera work to costumes to cinematography to fantastic script. The film looks at Queen Anne, fleetingly Queen in the early 18th century, victim of countless personal tragedies and object of... Continue Reading →
Review: Inspiration Choir & The Orchestra of Opera North
Saturday 15th December 2018 at Leeds Town Hall. There really is nothing like the warm glow created by a fine choir and an accomplished orchestra. Combine such a sound with Christmas carol favourites and you have a splendid ninety or so minutes of festive entertainment ahead. Music Director and Founder of Inspiration Choir Gary Griffiths... Continue Reading →
Review: Whoopi Goldberg Live On Stage at Leeds First Direct Arena
Saturday 13th October 2018 at the First Direct Arena, Leeds. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Whoopi Goldberg remains as charismatic as ever. She’s a real force on stage and in watching her deliver her latest stand-up show, it’s easy to see that she is just as fearless and straight-talking as she was in her famous New York shows. In... Continue Reading →
Review from the Movie Theatre: Mamma Mia! – Here We Go Again
Released: July 2018. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again is predictably fun, light-hearted viewing but it’s also surprisingly moving as the story takes a new direction without the central star of the first movie, Donna Sheridan. The movie is based on the original musical by Catherine Johnson (originally conceived by Judy Cramer) with story... Continue Reading →
Lasting Impressions Review: Whitney Houston’s Nothing But Love World Tour
14th April 2010 at Nottingham Trent FM Arena. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion were the powerhouse voices of my teen years (pre-Streisand discovery). Warbling along shamelessly to songs I could never hope to reproduce as anything less than a dying cockerel rendition was a favourite pastime. So when the opportunity arose to... Continue Reading →
Review from the Movie Theatre: The Post
Released: January 2018. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Stephen Spielberg’s latest venture gifts us something truly special: Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, two titans of the screen, together at last. The marketing alone attests to the weight of the names, the primary poster not even featuring their faces in favour of displaying only their forms with their backs to... Continue Reading →
Review from the Movie Theatre: The Greatest Showman
January 2018 (Released December 2017) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Greatest Showman is, for me, easily a new classic. A tale of overcoming obstacles even when they seem insurmountable, pushing past prejudice and finding your own inner strength, it holds a considerable amount of relatable material. Telling the story of the infamous P.T.Barnum, considered to be the founder... Continue Reading →
Review: Greg Davies’ You Magnificent Beast
Saturday 7th October 2017, at Harrogate International Centre. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ You Magnificent Beast is the third stand up tour of Greg Davies, and it doesn't disappoint. This self proclaimed 'very dirty boy' begins by pre-warning us of our responses depending on our preferred Greg Davies projects; apparently, as a fan of Cuckoo in particular, I was... Continue Reading →
Review: Rachel Tucker, Live in Concert
Saturday 10th June, 2017 at Birmingham Pizza Express Live. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ From Belfast to Birmingham, Rachel Tucker has delighted audiences on the 12 date UK leg of her first solo tour. Directed by Guy Retallack and joined on stage by Bassist Dan Giles, Drummer Kier Adamson and pianist and arranger (and organiser of all things On... Continue Reading →
Review: Berwins Salon North
Thursday 27th April, 2017 at The Crown Hotel, Harrogate Berwins Salon North works in partnership with Harrogate International Festivals to bring experts in the fields of arts, science and psychology to the average Joe without making them schlep to a university. They provide one specific thing: something refreshing. Salon North is structured as three evenings... Continue Reading →