Quays Life A lifestyle webzine based-in Salford Quays

Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book – from picture book to musical

Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler is many stories in one. Charlie loves reading. Especially books about pirates. But his sister hates it – it’s boring! Can...

Read on

QUEENS the Exhibition. Photo by Nathan Chandler

Art Salford Quays To do & see

New exhibition Queens begins its reign at The Lowry

What kind of Queen are you?’ That’s the question posed by a new exhibition at The Lowry. The exhibition, which takes inspiration from the hit musical SIX, celebrates ‘everyday’ queens of every...

Read on

Reviews Theatre

Brave Space: Review

Six performers, one hour, one tent. During this time, Brave Space manages to excel in everything that it seeks to. Enchant, entertain, and just a little shock, and just like its name, it does so with...

Read on

Art Reviews

Sweet Dreams at Aviva Studios: Review

You don’t need to have read Fast Food Nation to know modern meat is created in an environment which would fit happily into the pictorial world of Hieronymus Bosch. A fake food advert in Charlie...

Read on

Reviews

Cast at The Brit Fest. Image by Mick Byrne Photography

min11

Festival Reviews

All you need to know about the very first Brit Fest

Paul ThomasonAdd comment

Celebrating all things British, The Brit Fest is a fantastic new weekend, summer festival in the north west. Dates are already set for next year and if the inaugural three day event is anything to go by, this family-friendly festival is likely to be...

Family Reviews Theatre

Life of Pi at The Lowry: Review

Carmel Thomason

BBC Philharmonic at The Bridgewater Hall conducted by Mark Wigglesworth. Photo credit - Chris Payne / BBC

Music Reviews

BBC Philharmonic Ending on a High: Review

Carmel Thomason

To do & see

Art Salford Quays To do & see

New exhibition Queens begins its reign at The Lowry

Carmel Thomason

What kind of Queen are you?’ That’s the question posed by a new exhibition at The Lowry. The exhibition, which takes inspiration from the hit musical SIX, celebrates ‘everyday’ queens of every description. “With Queens we want to celebrate not only...

Games Reviews

Taskmaster – The Board Game: Review

Paul Thomason

Paul Thomason spends a creative, fun and competitive afternoon playing Taskmaster which brings all the silliness of the TV show to your front room. It must have been the ultimate task for board game producers, Ginger Fox but somehow they’ve...

To do & see Travel

The only swing bridge aqueduct in the world

Lorraine Worsley-Carter

Lorraine Worsley-Carter stumbles upon a unique wonder of the canal age in Salford After taking a short cut to our favourite Trafford DIY store, our sat-nav suggested a route which took us over an old bridge which we had not traversed before...

Further Afield To do & see Travel

Discovering Fleetwood’s heritage with a Fisherman’s Friend

Lorraine Worsley-Carter

One day in June, taking advantage of the ease of lockdown, we decided to have a day out in Thornton Cleveleys. We took a wrong turn and found we were actually heading for Fleetwood and so decided to visit. I would expect that most Northerners...

People

Emily Spowage on pole dancing, Shakespeare and a gender-swapping Petruchio

Katie Johnson

This summer, Manchester-based actor, Emily Spowage joins HER Productions signature all female and non-binary cast as Petruchio for the company’s unique take to one of Shakespeare’s most provocative comedies, The Taming of The Shrew.She talks to...

People

Manchester Composer Carmel Smickersgill on her Radical New Work

Carmel Thomason

Carmel Smickersgill is a Manchester based composer whose recent work includes Enter Vivian, part of the Philip Glass Referactions EP; and Birthday Card for a Stranger, a joint commission to mark the 50th annivarsaries of Manchester Camerata and RNCM...