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34 • Visit us @ www.ChampNews.com CMBA The Champion • Wednesday 16 October 2013ENTERTAINMENTTheatre Company topresent Crazy For YouReport by Ron EllisCOMING to Southport Little Theatreon Wednesday, November 6 toSaturday, November 9, at 7.30pmeach evening, is Maghull MusicalTheatre Company’s production of thatevergreen Gershwin musical, CrazyFor You.With its magical music, excitingdance routines, colourful costumesand an action–packed storyperformed by a talented cast, thispromises to be an evening toremember.Who could forget such favouritesongs as Shall we Dance, I GotRhythm, Embraceable You, But NotFor Me and Someone to Watch OverMe?There is also a matinee on Saturday,November 9 at 2.15pm.Tickets available on 01695 632372until October 29 and then from theLittle Theatre Box Office, open 11amto 5pm daily except Sunday. Tel.01704 530521/530460.The cast of Crazy for YouMesmerising theatrical experience at PlayhouseReview by• Crime and Punishment• Liverpool Playhouse – October 1to 19 2013• Reviewed on Thursday October 3A MASTERPIECE unfolds atLiverpool’s Playhouse as tenhighly–accomplished actors take tothe stage in Chris Hannan’s newadaptation based on Dostoyevsky’sTHEATRESJenny Robsonharrowing novel.Dominic Hill’s superb,extraordinary direction shows thecomplete cast in the background ofan open stage with all props andracks of costumes visible.Absolutely nothing is hidden. Doorsand other props are wheeledaround as required. Sound effectsare provided by the actors in thebackground with the help of variousmusical instruments.The subject is MURDER whenAdam Best takes centre stage, asCode NARaskolnikov, to begin his story.Once a law student, he has droppedout from his studies; now starvingand destitute he pawns his father’swatch and is at the mercy ofhaggard,unscrupulouspawnbroker, Alyona. Sensing theinjustice of nineteenth century StPetersburg he decides to kill herwith the excuse that it will make theworld a better place for lots ofpeople.This was a mesmerising theatricalexperience. 9/10–Atriumph!Opera Viva at last year’s Opera SupperInvitation to OperaViva’s SupperReport by Ron EllisOPERA Viva invites you to theirVictorian Opera Supper – LadyBracknell Entertains.This is a hearty supper with aconfection of Victorian andEdwardian Music from theOpera House to the Music Hall,lightly dusted with the wit ofOscar Wilde – at St Mary’sCollege, Crosby on Saturday,October 26.Tickets cost 19 guineas(£19.95)– concessions £17• The Hollies 50th AnniversaryTour• Liverpool Philharmonic HallIF, as often suggested, andquite rightly, The Byrds withtheir six string guitar soundwere inspired by The Searchers, then The Hollies with theircascading harmonies, weresurely the forerunners of TheMamas and Papas.Tony Hicks (67) andhighly–regarded drummer,Bobby Elliot (71), are the onlyoriginal members left from thehit–making sixties, the bandnow fronted by the excellentPeter Howarth, yet the oldHollies sound was still there.The audience were relivingtheir youth, miming along tothe familiar hits and there wereplenty of them like On aCarousel, I Can’t Let Go, JustOne Look and He Ain’t Heavy,He’s My Brother and aplaintive, slower version ofCode NAguineas (£17.85)Event starts at 6.30pm formeal at 7pm. Dress to impress!For tickets, phone 07539271274 emailoperaviva@ymail.com.Opera Viva’s next monthlyTable Sale will be held at StMary the Virgin, Waterloo Park,on Saturday, October 26.Admission is 20p, doors open10am, tables cost £7 (returnbookings £6).To book a table ring Doreen on0151 920 5386.The Hollies are aspopular as everReview byRon EllisHere I Go Again by PeterHowarth.It was a rousing version ofStop, Stop, Stop, started off byTony Hicks on sitar, withkeyboard player Ian Parker(who sported a strange haircutresembling a small white cactusgrowing out of the middle of hisbald head) charging round theaudience playing a tambourine,that really got the audienceclapping along, and by the endof the show, the crowd were allup on their feet joining in.This was the group’s 50thAnniversary show in whatseems like a perpetual tour(coming up, Australia in 2014)and, judging by the packedaudience, they are as popular asever.I expect in another ten therewill be a Hollies 60thAnniversary show, whateverthe line–up. After all,Manchester United are stillwinning trophies asManchester United withoutBest, Law and Charlton.1123226Tell us what you think!editor@champnews.com