Me and Marillion

                       Marillion

I have been a long time fan of Marillion, a superb pop\rock band that date back to when I was still in shorts and had more acne than you could shake a tube of Oxy at.

Mike Lord

I have seen them live many a time. It was at one of these gigs that I met Mike Lord. Mike is a performing art student, within a few weeks of this brief encounter we had set up a meeting to discuss and take part in a project interview that he was brimming in joy with.
Mike was a dj at Sunderland University, so to bring a bit of culture to the masses there, he devised a way to get Marillion out onto the airwaves. There is nothing like a bit of promotion. I think you can hear in my voice how much I love Marillion. If you have never heard of them, then you are missing out on something wonderful.

I hope you enjoy the words and the passion that is MARILLION


Below is the interview that took place.

Steve Hogarth

Related articles

• Music DVD Review: Marillion - Out Of Season (blogcritics.org)
• Music DVD Review: Marillion - Out Of Season (seattlepi.com)
• Bottom Feeders: The Rock End of the '80s, Part 31 (popdose.com)
• My Top Ten Concert DVD/Blu-ray Discs of 2010 (seattlepi.com)
• Go back to go forward: the resurgence of prog rock (guardian.co.uk)

Cultural Thing Links for Fri 26th Nov - Thurs 2nd Dec

Hi there, I have updated the Tyne and Wear links on The Cultural Thing website that I contribute to.

These are events that I am sure you will find useful if you are at a loose end in the region.
If you would like anything added\promoted for future weeks, then please get in touch with me at
michael.hunter@theculturalthing.com

The Lion in Winter -Review- Westovians

The Lion in Winter

Westovians
South Shields
Pier Pavilion
22 November 2010 


There is a lot going on in the Royal household of late. Up and coming nuptials and public opinions of who shall take over the mantle of ‘Her Majesty’. What must be going on behind the doors of the corridors of power?

We get a fantastic glimpse of this in The Lion in Winter,written by James Goldman, a fictional tale set in 1183, following Henry II and his squabbling sons. Who the next King would be normally decided on the deathbed, but the sibling rivalries of Richard, John and Geoffrey as well as Queen Eleanor need to know now! -when he is very much alive.
Set in the Castle of Chinon, there is more plotting afoot than the best Agatha Christie novel. Henry wants the power to dictate what he wants when he is gone but all things conspire against him, but he is wise to it all. His mistress Alias, is the closest he will get to an ally, but she isn’t happy either, she wants it all without the hassle of ‘family interference’. The only problem is, she is betrothed to Richard. The King of France, Philip also comes into play, wanting his hands on the land of England. Sounds all too familiar to modern Monarch life doesn’t it! Have they never learned throughout the years!

The Lion in Winter is a contemporary and humourous take on not only the Royal, but our family lives as we know it. The wrangling’s really reminded me of the brilliant late 80’s BBC sitcom ‘Bread’.
Brilliantly acted by the King, John Errington and the Princes of Dean Jukes as Richard, Mark Lamb as Geoffrey and Daniel Lee as John, with Rachael Walsh as Alias and Peter Dawson playing Philip. It is Dolores Poretta-Brown who stole the show though, she was superb as the ‘never giving up in the love stakes’ Queen.

With a great palatial stage setting, this a wonderful drama to see.

The Lion in Winter is performing every night until 27^th November at 7.30pm, tickets priced at £5

Michael Hunter

canny stuff to see and do..

Friday 19 Nov

Pig Stew - People’s Theatre, Newcastle.. http://www.ptag.org.uk/whatson.html

Judas Beast - Office, South Shields.. http://www.judasbeast.com/JudasBeastGigs.html

My Wray - Mr Lynch, Newcastle.. http://www.mrlynch.co.uk/index.php

Inheritance - Live Theatre, Newcastle.. http://www.live.org.uk/whatson/mainhouseproduction.php

Grinning Idiot Comedy Club – Cornerhouse, Newcastle.. http://www.thegrinningidiot.com/

Saturday 20 Nov

Goldfrapp  - 02 Arena, Newcastle.. http://www.britevents.com/whats-on/tyne-and-wear/newcastle-upon-tyne/goldfrapp/162911/

Lost in Vegas – Legends, Newcastle.. http://www.lostinvegas.co.uk/

The Nutcracker – Tyne Theatre, Newcastle.. http://www.thejournaltynetheatre.co.uk/events/view.aspx?event=4125

Xmas gift fair (also 21^st) – Bede’s World, Jarrow.. http://www.bedesworld.co.uk/index.php

Jibba Jabba – Trent House, Newcastle.. http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/eventview.php?day=13&month=11&year=2010&eventID=5456

Northern Children’s Book Festival, Mortimer Community Centre, South Shields.. http://www.southtyneside.info/article/11196/Book-Festival-Gala-Day-Is-Out-Of-This-World

Sunday 21 Nov

Craig Charles (funk and soul dj set) – The Trojan Rooms, Whitley Bay.. http://www.allgigs.co.uk/view/event/345339/DJ_Craig_Charles_The_Trojan_Rooms_Whitley_Bay_Tyne_And_Wear_21_November_2010.html

Annie Orwin Band – Magnesia Bank, North Shields.. http://www.magnesiabank.com/music-and-events/artist/217

Harry Potter Magical Mania Quiz , Seven Stories, Newcastle.. Harry Potter Magical Mania Quiz , Seven Stories, Newcastle.. http://www.sevenstories.org.uk/events/viewarticle.php?id=2033&offset=1

 Monday 22 Nov

Rainfalldown – Head of Steam, Newcastle.. http://www.myspace.com/rainfalldown

Engineers – Cluny, Newcastle.. http://www.ents24.com/web/event/Engineers-The-Cluny-%26-The-Cluny-2-Newcastle-upon-Tyne-2196425.html

Control (club night) – The Den, Newcastle.. http://www.thecrackmagazine.com/index.php?section=1&category=11&page=2608

Lion in the winter – Westovians, South Shields.. http://www.pierpavilion.freeuk.com/current.html

Tuesday 23 Nov

Dark Dark Dark – Cluny, Newcastle.. http://www.thecluny.com/listing/dark-dark-dark

Ely Guns – Three Tuns, Gateshead.. http://www.viewnewcastle.co.uk/listings/three-tuns-listings-46164-0.html

Electricity from Sunlight - Discovery Museum, Newcastle.. http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/discovery/thingstoseeanddo/event/2010/11/23/free-talk-armstrong-innovation-electricity-from-sunlight-today/

Wednesday 24 Nov

Cast – 02 Arena, Newcastle.. http://www.o2academynewcastle.co.uk/event/17415/cast-tickets

Hancock museum planetarium .. http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/greatnorthmuseum/thingstoseeanddo/event/2010/06/08/the-great-north-museum-planetarium/

Thursday 25 Nov

Marc Almond – Sage, Gateshead.. http://www.thesagegateshead.org/whats_on/event.aspx?e=&eid=634062447238593750_0&ts=634263102000000000&spid=17555&id=17579&df=634241664000000000&dt=634267583990000000&g=&p=&f=&ar=&keywords=show+hands++&match=any

Ten x ten – Cumberland Arms, Newcastle.. http://thecumberlandarms.com/music.php

Destination Tsunami – Northumbria University .. http://www.tourismconcern.org.uk/index.php?page=destination-tsunami

fr

Pig Stew- People's Theatre Newcastle

Pig Stew
People's Theatre
Newcastle Upon Tyne
17 November 2010
www.ptag.org.uk

Ah, the rumble and grumble of family, always only a phone call or a text message away from certain disaster in the 'boiling cauldron pot' of life. It is getting to the time of the year when differences and spat's should be put on hold for a bit of harmony....well it sounds good on paper anyway.!
I don't think Louise, Denise or Juliet could ever put anything aside, even after the death of their father. Rivalries and pecking order, jealously and hatred for one another come to blow in this darkly comical tale of greed and mind games.
Set in a Northumberland farm, Pig Stew is a take on the children's classic 'the three little pigs' with each vying for supremacy. This was prevalent tonight with the feuding sisters (all with stories to tell, from saving orangutan's, to the trouble and strife it is to be a Newcastle United footballer's wife (very topical!)) fighting over inheritance monies and who would be the top dog...or pig !
Enclosed in the intimate setting of the upstairs studio at People's, you get a fantastic feeling for the reality of it all, the coffee table could be yours...as could the emotions, and plenty of them were on show tonight.
A 'Mr Fox' added to the realism of the play, by feeding off each pig (sister) for his own needs and greed.

Fiona Veitch Smith

Lots of contemporary twists and turns kept us on our toes, and with great theatre of this ilk, we didn't know the outcome until the last words were uttered. That is great writing prowess too. Fiona Veitch Smith's script for this People's play winner of 2010 was fresh and punchy and left me wanting more.
Sarah McLane's direction was superb as each character having a monologue bringing the past and morphing it into the present, this told us a lot about why the sisters were so fractious with each other. It was moments like these when the lighting and sound had to be spot on, and from where I was sitting it was.
The brilliant Jo Kelly played the harassed Louise so well that I wanted to give her a massive cuddle and tell her that everything would be ok! She was instrumental in the success of this play and the actresses Melanie Dagg, who played Denise and Amy Nicol who played Juliet were brilliant alongside her. Stuart Laidler, was scary and very convincing as the menacing Mr Fox.
Pig Stew was a very enjoyable and entertaining play, and well worth a night out.
Pig Stew is playing until November 20th at 7.30 pm

Michael Hunter

Footloose, Customs House

Footloose

Customs House

South Shields Musical Productions (Youth Section)

9 November 2010 (Preview)

We see kids trying to overthrow authority on a regular basis in the North East, but for nothing like what Ren McCormack is willing to endure.

Brought up in Chicago by his mother Ethel after his father shoots through, Ren is a lively lad who likes to dance, sing and show the girls of the town a thing or two.

When the two of them relocate to a small town in the West, fitting in is hard for the lad-nobody wants the big city boy in their ranks – until his rebellion turns heads and hearts.

When four local teenagers are killed in an accident returning from a dance, the local Minister and father of one of the dead, steps into action and bans singing and dancing in public. Ren, wanting to have fun and wow his new classmates into accepting him, sets up a scheme to claw back the youthful exuberance of his clan and harmonising all of the town folk.

Footloose, with a soundtrack of dazzling songs such as brilliant ‘Holding out for Hero’ and the massive hit ‘Footloose’ is superbly acted by the Youth section in this well directed and produced stage play.

The singing range of all of the cast is a treat on the ears, with Brooke Havanna Bailey, as Ren’s prospective girlfriend Ariel, Jamie Douglass, as Ren and the superb Annie Guy as Rusty, being the stars of the show.

Footloose will captivate and maybe bring out the neon leg warmers in you.

Michael Hunter

Noises Off -Review- Whitley Bay Playhouse

Noises Off.
Whitley Bay Theatre Company.
Whitley Bay Playhouse.

Everybody loves a farce and an 'award winning' one at that, so says the programme accompanying this performance of Michael  Frayn's 'Noises Off'.
Noises Off is the proverbial 'play within a play' and we are treated to stage play of 'Nothing On' a sexy farce incorporating the mad cap lives of a tax exile couple, an estate agent with his lustful client, the housekeeper, a plate of sardines and a few burglars for good measures....ooh and of course the 'near' breakdown of the director.
 This is all staged in 3 acts. The first being a final dress rehearsal and all goes well until Dotty the housekeeper forgets the placement of the sardines- so the director steps in ...or sits in rather, as this is the special and quirky part of the show as he is actually in our audience. He shouts and swears his authority, it is clear that he and the cast have their differences. Much dialogue takes place to a semi successful conclusion of the act.
An interval takes place to allow act 2 to start. This time we are behind the scenes, what goes on in the wings, the nerves and the attitudes. We can now get a feel of why the cast and director are at loggerheads with each other, lots of mania, silly and funny situation takes place.
Act 3 starts up with the actual play, this time though with a lot more mania attached to it, with us knowing why things are going wrong with hilarious consequences.

Noises Off is one of the funniest and brilliantly acted plays I have ever seen! Every performer worked extremely hard and certainly toiled away for their art.
I have no idea how director David Swinton must have coped with all of the franticness of it all, but I take my hat off to him, he has done a fantastic job in putting it all together.
The stage set is a marvel in itself. The whole viewing area having to be lifted to reverse the positioning of 'us' the audience. All done quickly and cleverly. I also give a worthy mention to the Technical team who switched mic sounds seamlessly with great effects.
The whole thing was just perfect and I wished I could have seen it again to appreciate it more. The audience reaped all of this technical wizardry and brought about shrieks of laughter and beaming smiles.
Whitley Bay Theatre Company have invested a lot of time and effort to bring Noises Off to the stage and it was an unmitigated success.
Dianne Legg, Elizabeth Purcell, George Knox, Jenny McGuire, Dale Jewitt, James Mitchinson, Malcolm Brown, Wayne Madden and Wendy Thompson must be seriously proud of their skills on show. If all actors and the production of future WBTC shows are half as good, then the amateur trappings are in good hands.

Michael Hunter

Bugsy Malone -Review- Whitley Bay Playhouse

Bugsy Malone

Whitley Bay Playhouse.

2 Nov 2010.

Day8 Productions.

One of my all time favourite films is the 1976 production of Bugsy Malone, so I jumped at the chance of reviewing this amateur stageplay at the Whitley Bay Playhouse.

Gun totting crime is prevalent in today’s society and not a subject that should be glorified, but a lot of fun can be got out of it. Kids with splurge guns that substitute bullets for cream and custard pies in the faces for good measure is the entertainment on offer.

Bugsy Malone is an up and coming gangster stuck in the war between his boss Fat Sam and rival Dandy Dan. When Bugsy meets wannabe film actress Blousey Brown at Sam’s bar they are both smitten, but a raid by Sam’s conflicting enemy means war and a messy one at that. Dandy Dan is using the newly invented splurge gun to ‘kill’ off his foes and he desperately wants to over take Sam’s empire, but that would mean Bugsy being out of a job, or at worst splurged.

Will Bugsy get his dream girl? Will the splurging mean the end to all empires? Will the front row of the audience come out of this clean?

Bugsy played by Cameron Swan was the star of the show and really acted his socks off, his four years at stage school has really paid off. The entire cast of under 16’s really performed well. The glittering finale is well worth the entrance fee alone.

The multi roomed layout of the stage was well designed and looked really professional.

The cast though were however let down by some shoddy production. Mic levels were not universal, at stages I was straining to hear what was going on with some of the characters. Some bad pregnant pauses also hampered the flow of the play. This I am sure isn’t Day8 at their best, maybe the first night nerves were set aside for the production team.

I think I will settle down tonight with Jodie Foster and relive how the professionals have done it.

Bugsy Malone is performed at 7.15pm & Sat at 2.15pm, until November 6^th, Tickets are priced at £12 & £10 (under 16’s)

Michael Hunter