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analysis w/e 14.5.11 |
DVDs out 9.5.11 |
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@ DVDfever Youtube |
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May 11 2011 
DVDfever co uk
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Elly Roberts reviewsIn Other Words:
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Willy Russell: Hoovering the Moon
It's role-reversal time as Willy Russell and Tim Firth
hit the
road to promote their forthcoming albums, and come face to face with their
huge fanbase. A packed Anthony Hopkins Theatre in Mold greeted playwright
Russell and his show partner Firth on their new found venture. Better known as
writer of several successful plays and musicals such as Educating Rita
and Shirley Valentine and Blood Brothers, the mercurial Scouser
has finally turned to his first love - music.
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In Other Words - An Evening with Willy Russell and Tim Firth world-premiered
in the summer of 2003 at the Walls Restaurant in Oswestry, which was filmed
for posterity, and is currently in post-production for a forthcoming release
on DVD.
By comparison with that night, this performance proved to be far slicker and more fluid. It was well balanced and their individual slots complimented each other superbly, as they delved into both autobiographical and biographical events. Sharp witted, humorous and highly entertaining, they highlighted experiences we can all relate to, such as the aging process, and the world of children. An extract from Russell's first novel, The Wrong Boy, perfectly illustrated the demise of a school through the eyes of a child - The Niceness of Being Different, and Firth's song Keen on Cars was a poignant indicator of growing old. Then there was the predictable dip into Shirley Valentine, as Russell wonderfully mimicked her soulful lament at her treatment from the opposite sex - her husband and Greek lover. He has a penchant for the plight of down-trodden women, which can only really be empathised, and articulated with humour by a man as the observer. Children feature strongly in his work, and he reminded everyone of his classic Blood Brothers with extracts such as Long Sunday Afternoon and Easy Terms, and Firth touches on similar themes, but has a far more romantic leaning. Generic failings in the love life of a woman who falls for the same kind of man were keenly observed on Jennifer Falls. Though thoroughly entertaining, it came in at a mammoth two and a half hours. This concept, as good as it was, was far too long. After the show Firth and Russell told me that they were responding to audience reaction, so they played on. In reality, this type of show needs to be cropped to a comfortable hour and a half. Overall, they and the band, which included guitar maestro and musical director Andy Roberts, were excellent value for money, and it was a vast improvement on last year's effort. Both albums were either recorded, or part-recorded at Phil Beaumont's Forge Studio in Oswestry. |
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As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier.
PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
