Quays Life A lifestyle webzine based-in Salford Quays

Betty! A Sort Of Musical - Maxine Peake (Meredith Ankle) - Image Johan Persson

Reviews Theatre

Betty! A Sort of Musical: Review

It does my Christmas spirit no good at all to be writing a less than warm review about a Maxine Peake project. The star of Dinner Ladies, Silk, and the rightly acclaimed post-Hillsborough docudrama...

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“You’re going to see miracles made out of bits of rubbish” -Neil Gaiman

The National Theatre’s fantasy adventure, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, arrives at The Lowry promising a magical Christmas. The stage adaptation brings to life the novel by author, Neil...

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Lightwaves Festival 2022 Photo by Chris Payne

Salford Quays To do & see

Free family Lightwaves festival brightens winter nights at the Quays

Free family festival, Lightwaves, from Quays Culture returns to Salford Quays for a 9th year with another spectacular line-up of immersive installations. Trailer Last year’s festival brought a...

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Zoe West in A Christmas Carol Photo by Patch Dolan

Reviews Theatre

A Christmas Carol at Shakespeare North Playhouse: Review

The ghost of Christmas past(iche) anyone? Writer, Nick Lane and director, Ellie Hurt have taken Dickens’ classic tale and turned it into a seasonal caper full of high jinks and capers. Their stated...

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Reviews

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Reviews Theatre

The Mousetrap 70th anniversary tour: Review

Steve TimmsAdd comment

One of the sleeper hits of recent years, Rian Johnson’s Knives Out grossed $312.9 million – off a modest budget of $40 million – and has been popular enough to spawn a sequel, the newly released Glass Onion. Proof, if it were needed...

A Christmas Carol at Octagon Theatre, Bolton. Pamela Raith Photography

Reviews Theatre

A Christmas Carol at Octagon Theatre Bolton: Review

Georgina Wells

Orpheus by Claudio Monteverdi and Jasdeep Singh Degun @ Opera North ©Tristram Kenton

Opera Reviews

Opera North Orpheus: Monteverdi reimagined – Review

Carmel Thomason

To do & see

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...

Greater Manchester To do & see

Salford’s gift in the remarkable 150-year history of Gorton Monastery

Lorraine Worsley-Carter

Lorraine Worsley-Carter discovers the story behind Gorton Monastery and how a gift from Salford is adding to its history In the 1950’s a courting couple would meet by the Church of St Francis, always known locally as ‘The Monastery.’ The boy, my...

Lifestyle Salford Quays To do & see

Top tips for novice runners at Salford Quays

Hayley Smith

Hayley Smith gives her top tips for novice runners and finds Salford Quays a wonderful place to start. I am not a natural born runner. In fact, I didn’t believe I was a natural born exerciser for many years (thank you, school PE lessons) – then, out...

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

‘Being hit by that truck saved my life’ – Katie Damer

Carmel Thomason

When faced with tough circumstances people often use the expression of feeling like they’ve been hit by a 10-tonne truck. For Katie Damer, that horror was real. At age 15 she was hit by a truck when cycling home from school and was told she’d never...

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel on stage. Photo Johan Persson

People

Writer Deborah Moggach’s famous later life comedy is finding a new audience on the stage

Carmel Thomason

It is 17 years since Deborah Moggach’s novel These Foolish Things introduced us to an eclectic bunch of pensioners finding a new lease of life on a journey to India. The best-selling book became a hit film under new name The Best Exotic...

Hayley Mills and Rula Lenska in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

People Salford Quays To do & see

Betty! A Sort of Musical: Review

“You’re going to see miracles made out of bits of rubbish” -Neil Gaiman

Free family Lightwaves festival brightens winter nights at the Quays

A Christmas Carol at Shakespeare North Playhouse: Review

Reviews

The Mousetrap 70th anniversary tour: Review

A Christmas Carol at Octagon Theatre Bolton: Review

Opera North Orpheus: Monteverdi reimagined – Review

To do & see

The only swing bridge aqueduct in the world

Salford’s gift in the remarkable 150-year history of Gorton Monastery

Top tips for novice runners at Salford Quays

Discovering Fleetwood’s heritage with a Fisherman’s Friend

People

‘Being hit by that truck saved my life’ – Katie Damer

Writer Deborah Moggach’s famous later life comedy is finding a new audience on the stage

Hayley Mills And Rula Lenska On Bringing The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel To The Stage

Cinderella finally brings the ball to Hope Mill

Frantic Assembly’s Scott Graham – ‘We feel very lucky to be collaborating with one of the best writers in the world’