Did you know for example that ‘Scotland’ was in Manchester? That the area of Angel Meadow – tucked quietly away behind Shudehill – was the place where Irish immigrants settled in the city after fleeing the potato famine?  Or that on a Saturday night you could win a bounty if your dog killed the most rats in the ‘rat pit’ of the local tavern?

Such nuggets of information form the backdrop to Dean’s tours which tell the story of Manchester’s rise as the first industrial city and the particular role Irish immigrants played in it. He is not the first to retell the story of ‘Cottonopolis’ but what sets apart Dean’s casting of events off from others is the way he weaves personal stories – including his own family’s – into the rich tapestry of a well-known history.

Engels described Manchester during the industrial revolution as ‘hell on earth’, meticulously detailing the wretched living conditions of workers living in slums such as Angel Meadow. The name Angel Meadow derives from its once pleasant vista looking out over verdant fields, a grimly ironic twist given the industrial hellhole it later became.  Dean relates how swine herders in the city would drive their pigs up into north Manchester to forage before returning to the city at dusk, and how the well-to-do chose the area as a salubrious neighbourhood before it was engulfed by industry. The former large houses of the rich were quickly turned into dosshouses for the downtrodden by rapacious landlords cashing in on the need by large Irish immigrant families for housing of any kind.

Angel Meadow is now represented by the park and the area known as St Michael’s Flags. Gravestones can still be seen to this today of families and a startling reminder of the times is witnessed in the tender ages of the children – as many as 9 in some graves –  buried before their time by parents, such was the infant mortality rate. They were the lucky ones, Dean tells us, with the majority of people being buried in unmarked mass graves, corpses literally piled up on top of the other. Dean relates that the skeletons of such forgotten bodies  would often rise to the surface of the park and young children would play football with the skulls. Not sure what they used for goalposts…

Angel Meadow park was also the venue for often-fatal bare knuckle fights on Sunday morning, started the night before in one of the local hostelries and continued the day after. At one particular fight between two toughs (both one-armed for some reason), it was reported that one assailant ‘bit’ off the hand of the other. Different times, as they say.

Hunger and random violence sums up what life was like for residents of Angel Meadow. Dean recounts a story of one poor soul who died from burns after he was engulfed in flames, pursued as he was by a neighbour with a lamplight who set him alight following a drunken altercation with his sister. The guilty party received just five months for manslaughter, but was later sent to jail for five years for stealing lead pipes. As Dean reminds participants on the tour, the Victorians prized property above human life.

The tour ends with a reminder of the prominent role that the Co-op (Cooperative Wholesale Services or CWS as it was known) played during this and later eras. The area around Angel Meadow is stacked with former CWS buildings, such as the tobacco factory, many of which have been repurposed for flats and residential living. Also noteworthy are the various ‘ragged schools’ which adorn the neighbourhood for children of the poor.

Dean’s tour of Angel Meadow is full of rich detail about the city’s industrial heritage and he is a natural raconteur, warm and witty and an illuminating guide. His latest book about Manchester’s Victorian gangs, The Scuttlers (think the city’s answer to Peaky Blinders), will no doubt cement his reputation as a keen observer of municipal history.

And if you want to know why Scotland is in Manchester, you’ll just have to take the tour yourself.

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Le Navet Bete is back with another larger-than-life comedy, this time taking on the wildly dysfunctional world of Greek mythology.

When the stability of Olympus is threatened by the marriage of Zeus’ daughter Hebe to a mere mortal, the King of the gods hatches a plan to derail the wedding. The result is a fast-paced physical comedy in which three actors play 40 characters in a mythical farce through Ancient Greece, the Underworld and back.

Ahead of the show arriving at Lowry, Salford Quays Life chats to actor and Co-Artistic Director Nick Bunt talks to find out what it takes to bring Le Navet Bete’s unique style of controlled chaos to the stage.

We loved your version of King Arthur last time La Navet Bete toured to Lowry, Salford. What made now the right time to take on the Greek gods, and why did Greek mythology feel like the perfect playground for your unique brand of comedy?

Nick: “After ‘King Arthur’, we wanted to dive into another epic world that was universally known but with a completely fresh comedic angle. We really wanted to drop these legendary Greek gods into a surprisingly normal, relatable setting – which is actually how we came up with the idea of setting the whole thing at a hotel wedding between Zeus’ daughter and a mere mortal. The gods are larger than life, extremely petty and all awful people which makes them perfect for physical comedy and a riotously funny night out for our audiences. They’re one seriously dysfunctional family!”

The three of you play around 40 characters between you. How do you keep track of so many personalities, costumes and quick changes without descending into chaos?

Nick: “To be honest, it does descend into chaos – that’s half the fun of it! But it’s very tightly controlled chaos born from years of working together. Behind the scenes, it’s a military operation of split-second full costume changes. There’s almost more going on backstage than onstage at times! It certainly keeps us on our toes. The costumes for ‘Oh Zeus!’ are fantastically designed by the wonderful Fi Russell and really help us ‘become’ that person (or animal, at times!) and help drive the narrative along for the audience”. 

Do you have a favourite character to play or a favourite scene that always gets the biggest audience reaction?

Nick: “For me, it’s got to be Nestor, Zeus’s servant – he’s a centaur, so the half-man, half-horse costume is just brilliant fun to wear. I also love playing Thanatos, the god of death, but he’s definitely not your typical Grim Reaper. He’s the irritating guy who just hangs around making awful jokes until you want to punch him in the face so I love pushing that as far as I can! Al and Matt have some absolute corkers too that audiences instantly fall in love with. Al’s uber-macho Zeus vs Matt’s Anna Wintour-esque Hera reminds me of a certain US President and First Lady behind closed doors. Juggling all those different personalities helps build the whole mad world and keeps the story flying, and there’s a couple of brilliantly chaotic scenes where everything collides that always get a massive roar from the crowd”.

Physical comedy has become a real trademark of Le Navet Bete. How much planning goes into making the slapstick look effortless, and how physically demanding is performing ‘Oh Zeus!’ night after night?

Nick: “It is immensely demanding. Essentially every show is like a marathon! Making slapstick look effortless takes an enormous amount of rigorous planning, precise choreography, and relentless rehearsal. Every fall, slip, and comedic beat has to be calculated down to the millisecond to ensure we stay safe while making it look completely spontaneous and chaotic. By the end of a run of shows, our bodies definitely know about it, but the sheer electricity of the audience laughing back at us completely fuels the stamina and adrenaline we need to push through”.

Your productions are known for being accessible to audiences who may not usually go to the theatre. How important is it for Le Navet Bete to create comedy that appeals to everyone, whether they’re theatre regulars or complete newcomers?

Nick: “It is the absolute beating heart of everything we do. We firmly believe that theatre shouldn’t feel exclusive or intimidating. Whether you’re a seasoned theatregoer or someone who hasn’t ever stepped foot in a venue, we want you to feel included from the very first minute. When an entire auditorium of different ages and backgrounds is howling at the same silly joke, it creates a wonderful, communal atmosphere that makes for an unforgettable night out”.

The show is recommended for ages 12+, but you’ve also introduced special ‘No Kids Allowed’ performances. What can audiences expect from those versions?

Nick: “The standard show is a riot in itself but the ‘No Kids Allowed’ performances are where we really take the safety off! These ones always sell-out first. While our main shows are brilliantly high-energy and cheeky enough (think Shrek humour) these specific adult versions let us lean a bit heavier into naughtier words and humour, spontaneous audience interaction and the use of a few extra props and costume that we might otherwise rein in. The gloves definitely come off and the audience can completely let their hair down and have a wild night out”. 

The show arrives at Lowry as part of its UK tour. What are you most looking forward to about performing for Salford audiences, and how does touring keep each performance feeling fresh?

Nick: “We absolutely love it up here! I think this is our fifth or sixth time playing the Lowry (in every space). Salford and the Lowry have such a fantastic reputation for loving live comedy, and the audiences here always bring an electric, up-for-it energy. There is nothing quite like playing to a packed house in such an iconic venue and the Quays Theatre is the perfect size for our style of comedy and storytelling. Touring keeps us sharp because no two audiences are ever the same, making us play off the room, improvise, and keep the show alive. It means ‘Oh Zeus!’ is constantly evolving, making every single performance a unique live experience”.

If audiences leave the theatre talking about just one thing after seeing Oh Zeus!, what do you hope that will be?

Nick: “We hope they walk out into the foyer with aching cheeks from laughing so hard, turning to each other and saying, ‘I haven’t had a night out like that in ages.’ If they leave feeling thoroughly entertained, uplifted and buzzing from a brilliant, joyful communal experience (and maybe remembering a few of our ridiculous characters) then we’ll be happy knowing that we’ve done our job!”

Oh Zeus! is at Lowry, Salford from 28 July to 1 August 2026.

The post Le Navet Bete’s Nick Bunt on bringing the Greek gods down to earth appeared first on Quays Life.

Touring the North West with Best Girl Productions, the play explores the complex relationship between Fay, a woman serving a life sentence for murdering her husband, and her daughter Josie, who visits her after 15 years apart.

Quays Life talks to Christine and Lois to find out what drew them to Munro’s acclaimed play, how their relationship shapes their performances and why the themes of the drama are still so relevant more than two decades on.

Can you tell us a bit about the play and why it appealed to you?

Chris: “I knew of Rona’s work and was in the Royal Exchange production of Mary Barton that she wrote but I didn’t know IRON. It’s such a fascinating take on a mother and daughter relationship and you learn about them in this contained environment where the guards Sheila and George watch them constantly, as they navigate the past. She writes in a disarmingly straightforward way and yet the text is full of extraordinary images which bring to life what happened before the crime which separated them”.

Rona Munro wrote IRON over 20 years ago and it won the John Whiting Award after transferring to the Royal Court. What do you think still makes this play resonate with audiences today?

Chris: “On a theatrical level a great play is a great play and Rona is a terrific storyteller who creates characters you want to know more about. But it also explores themes which are universally relatable, not just between mother and child, but how women love, how the prison system treats women and how so many of us are looking for closure in some way in order to move on in our lives”.

You’re playing Fay, a woman 15 years into a life sentence for killing her husband. How did you approach building a character who’s been hardened by prison?

Chris: “Fay has never admitted or denied her crime. That’s so interesting to me. She has had a singularly lonely existence not having received visitors in all the years she’s been inside. For me, the piece is not so much a ‘who done it’ but a ‘why’ did
she commit this crime and as the audience discover the truth they also get to know the zest for life, funny, live-wire woman she was”.

IRON is your first time sharing a stage with your daughter Lois, even though you’ve previously written plays for her to perform. What’s different about acting together as opposed to writing for her to perform?

Chris: “Bringing ‘Best Girl’ to the Manchester Fringe, Edinburgh Festival and then on tour was such a fantastic experience. Lois was so good in it and it was a privilege to watch her on stage and amazing to share the experience with her. Lots of laughing!
I suppose the biggest difference is that as IRON is by a very established and proven writer I don’t have to worry, as I did with Best Girl, about the risk she took of being in the first play I’d written! I trust Lois’ ability and instinct completely so this feels more like two actors meeting and building an onstage relationship and that feels freer somehow”.

Lois has said acting opposite you was “always on her bucket list.” Was there a similar moment for you, where you knew you wanted to work alongside her on stage?

Chris: “As far as we know IRON hasn’t been performed with a real mother and daughter playing Fay and Josie. And there have been a few other productions with much better known mothers and daughters shows recently which probably informed our decision. So we got pretty excited by that prospect and who wouldn’t want to work with Lois – she’s ace!”

What have you learned from working together in this way?

Chris: “I think to try and be disciplined about keeping the admin and producing bits for Best Girl Productions and the ‘in the room’ creative parts separate. And to really relish in the contributions made by the rest of the creative company we’re so lucky to have on this journey with us. And we’re both Capricorns which might mean something!”

Best Girl Productions has now had KIN tour successfully and IRON heading out across the North West. What’s your vision for the company as it grows?

Chris: “I really want to build on what we’ve done so far and collaborate with good people. The strength of Manchester’s creative energy is such an inspiration for me and I’ve learnt so much; big thanks especially to Hannah Ellis-Ryan (HER Productions) and Alex Keelan for their encouragement. I have a script in the first Vignettes to be produced outside of Manchester at the Dukes, Lancaster in September and want to make short film of another script. But we’ll see. All I know is Best Girl Productions has kindness and creativity at its core. Now that might sound a mush but without those two qualities all of the things we’ve talked about in this interview wouldn’t have happened”.

Lois, you toured one-woman show BEST GIRL, written by your mother, and were nominated for Best Actor at the Greater Manchester Fringe. What is your secret to keeping both a strong working and personal relationship?

Lois: “Percy Pigs! haha. I think BEST GIRL was a real lesson in communication for us both, we were figuring it out on the job and were very relieved and thrilled to discover it was easy. We are clear with boundaries, respectful of each others schedules and excited to do the work.” 

As Best Girl Productions continues to grow with IRON’s tour, what’s it like seeing the company your mother founded, which started with your performance of her play, now expanding into work like this?

Lois: “I think it is unbelievably exciting to see BGP’s journey over the past few years. Witnessing mum’s confidence grow with each project has been fantastic, I am so proud of her and can’t wait to see what’s next”.

You’ve described this production as “an emotional rollercoaster.” How do you and your mother support each other through that?

Lois: “Everyone involved, both cast and crew are very invested in the piece and so there is an enormous amount of care being poured into the process. We are making sure everyone is feeling safe and supported to explore their characters complex emotions and relationships. Communication is key”. 

What do you think you real life relationship brings to the performance?

Lois: “I think for the audience in particular, knowing the real life relationship is there bubbling underneath, it’s going to add another layer of intensity and substance to the story. Hopefully making for a more impactful performance!”

What do you hope audiences take away from watching Fay and Josie’s story?

Lois: “I think there is something to take away from each of the characters in the play, the two guards included. Each leave you with questions and challenge you throughout. I hope the audience leave feeling that they have gone on a journey and have loved, laughed and grieved with us”.

Looking ahead, after this tour and your film debut in ‘Finding Emily’, what’s next for you?

Lois: “A big holiday! And hopefully some more juicy theatre in the pipeline”.

IRON opens its short North West Tour at HOME, Manchester on Tuesday September 15 to 19 before it heads to Hull Truck 23-24 September and The Dukes in Lancaster 30 September-3 October 2026.

The post Christine and Lois Mackie on bringing IRON’s powerful mother-daughter story to life appeared first on Quays Life.

“You want to get out there and have a laugh with your bandmates. It’s good fun, a hoot, it’s like being in the Boy Scouts again. It’s a massive school trip with nobody in charge.”

Nik Kershaw is no stranger to taking to the stage, his four decades long career and slate of global hit singles including, ‘Wouldn’t it Be Good’, ‘The Riddle’ and biggest hit, ‘I Won’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me’. Has seen him perform around the globe, including an iconic performance at the 1985 Live Aid benefit concert at Wembley Stadium that attracted a global television audience of over 1 billion people.

Truly there have been few artists that have captured the imagination and burrowed in to the hearts of music lovers at the pace Nik did after signing his first record deal in 1983, “We were recording the first album in the summer of ’83 and by mid February of ’84 I couldn’t leave my house without a bodyguard.” He was living the dream, from being in a local professional band for three years, playing at weddings and bar mitzvahs, until the work eventually dried up, to going solo and spending 62 weeks on the UK Singles Chart through 1984 and 1985. Beating every other solo artist in the same period in the process.

Yet he explains how the transition from being a starving artist to a global star in such a small window of time was a jarring one: “Most of the time you’re standing there going this is amazing and the rest of the time you go this is terrifying because you can’t get off. You’re on this ride and it’s going to take you with it.”

Fame often has its caveats, it is probably a tale as old as the music industry itself, Nik was no stranger to them, “I do remember occasionally it all getting to me, and me just sitting in the corner of a hotel room, rocking back and forwards, but that was pretty rare.” Just as quickly as he rose to fame it seemed like his spotlight was dimming, “I kind of got out of the business in ’89 for a bit because the fourth album didn’t go very well and it was kind of like, that was it, that was the only chance I was going to get.” Speaking candidly Nik explains how frustration affected him at the time, “When you spend a huge amount of time, energy, and love making something new, and then it’s overshadowed and obscured by what you’ve done before, you almost think, well, if this was my first album, it would be getting a lot more attention than it is.”

Looking back on this period now, Nik holds no ill feelings, “There’s a very small window of opportunity to show people what you’re made of and what you do, and most people don’t even get that, so I’m very grateful that I got that window.”

There has always been a quiet defiance from Nik, whether that be rebelling against following in his parents musical footsteps as a child, telling me, “When you’re young the last thing you want to do is what your parents did, I just wanted to be a footballer or racing driver until I was 14 or 15 when a mate of mine got himself an electric guitar.” Or dissociating with his hit songs when fans clamoured for them most, explaining that he went through a period of getting bored with playing those songs live and started changing their arrangements to make them sound different. Or returning to music with ’15 Minutes’ his fifth solo studio album a decade after retreating to the shadows to write for artists such as Cliff Richard, the late Bonnie Tyler and Gary Barlow. An album he closed with the title track, an exclamation that if it was to be the end of his time in the spotlight, his mic drop, then it was going to be on his terms. He wasn’t just going to own it, he was going to give it its own anthem, and he would sign off in a soaring crescendo.

Through this defiance, a deep understanding of himself, his artistry and his audience has developed. “Most people will associate me and my name with four or five songs and that’s fine, I’m comfortable with it. I wouldn’t want that 15 minutes again to be honest. I’m not prepared today to pay the price for that kind of fame. I’m very happy being able to walk around Tesco.”

Speaking on his hit songs he smiles “You realise that, mate, they’re not your songs, they don’t belong to you anymore, they’re the fans songs, they belong to them and how dare you change them.”

Of course now we know that this was only the beginning, his unprecedented run in the 80s, his complicated relationship with his work in the 90s and that chapter closure of an album in 1999, has been followed up with four more albums since the turn of the century. But it has been his non stop touring over the same period that really nurtured his longevity.

“I went back to the all the original versions of my hit songs, I love playing them now. They’re lovely moments during a set where there’s a connection with everybody there, where everybody in this room knows this song, it’s fantastic.”

In terms of what you can expect from his latest tour offering ‘Six in 26’, it wont just be the hits in their original glory, “It’s good to get out in front of your own audience and play some of the more obscure stuff. I’ve said to the band, what do you want to play? They’ve all got songs that they want, so there’ll be songs there that people haven’t heard for quite a while.”

“We haven’t got pyrotechnics, we haven’t got performing seals or anything, it’s just us really, having a laugh. So, if that’s what you’re in to, please come along.”

Nik Kershaw and his Band are at Warrington Parr Hall on 11 July and touring throughout July and August.

The post “Am I going to sit at home watching ‘Homes Under the Hammer’?”- Nik Kershaw on his latest Six in 26 tour appeared first on Quays Life.

It’s an apt a metaphor for family dysfunction – for example, how many other children get to hide away in a casket for fun and perform numbers on it as if they were the Jackson 5? Weird surroundings result in weird behaviour.

Adapted from the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel and with superb live musical accompaniment, this is a very shrewd choice of show to stage.

Each family may be unhappy in its way own as Tolstoy says, but the Bechdels are uniquely unhappy. A father who flies into unexplained rages at his wife and children, a mother in denial about her daughter coming out as a lesbian, and a couple unwilling to admit a dark truth in small town Pennsylvania set the stage for a night of high emotion.

If all this sounds wearying, it’s not; the opposite in fact. It is in turns affecting, moving, tragic, funny and wise. To cope with family dynamics, little Alison (Harriet O’Shea) withdraws into television and drawing – her life story growing up is wittily witnessed in captions throughout the show, so that you can almost feel her walking off the pages of a graphic novel.

Her relationship with her father Bruce (brilliantly played by Nigel Harman) is alternately adoring and intensely frustrating. When she goes to college he sends her books, including by Colette. It is only her knowing college girlfriend Joan (Natasha Cottrial) who realises Bruce – himself hiding in plain sight as gay – is trying to tell her something about her sexuality. The adult Alison, played by Alice Audrey O’Hanlon with such winning insouciance that at times she resembles Dougal in Father Ted in her level of innocence about everyday affairs, only belatedly comes to understand her father’s psychological struggles, by which point it is too late.

The musical numbers in the show are sharp and powerful and brim along with zest, scooping up the audience in their enthusiasm. The fine ensemble acting adds to the show’s strong production and while there is a gnawing sense of claustrophobia in the unravelling of events, the dark never quite shades out the light.

Jodie McNee as Alison the graphic novelist is a continuous presence on stage, acting as both chorus and internal monologue for her younger selves, moving around the other actors with wonderment and pity in equal measure. Taking solace from family misfortune in drawing helps Alison process difficult truths in a way everyone will be able relate to.

The Royal Exchange may well have a smash summer hit on its hands.

Fun Home is at The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester from 3 July to 1 August 2026.

The post Fun Home: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

He recreates the experience with brutal underscoring, inviting us to imagine incarceration and the daily privations which work to grind down the prisoner, particularly one who thinks art can challenge authority. His detention was a scolding reminder of the power of the state and a corrective to the fanciful Western ideal of artistic freedom.

Sewing a Button is both a literal and a figurative recreation of Ai Weiwei’s arbitrary arrest and imprisonment. We see the cramped conditions of his cell, bed hushed up against the wall, one easy chair, a desk a sop to the idea of being able to carry out work, a bathroom where he can only relieve himself watched out over by two doleful guards and where his toothbrush is manacled to the tap.

What we mainly see is Weiwei exercising (the mind as well as the body presumably) by traversing his cell floor back and forth, back and forth, flanked by Chinese soldiers, one either side, Weiwei in sliders and joggers, the soldiers in fatigues and army boots. The crushing power of the state lies in its ability to reduce life (and art) to a monotonous exercise where time is stripped of its function as a marker of activity. Occasionally the artist will hold up a hand, a signal that he requires a drink of water. This, though, he cannot get for himself – rather, it is brought to him by a soldier and his every gulp is fastidiously watched over before it is taken off him and he returns to pacing the cell.

Occasionally, glimpses of muffled conversation between Ai Weiwei and his guards can be heard, and he is not spared the ignominy of interrogation. It is in this section that Weiwei is allowed the space to define art, its historical and political function, his words noted down by functionaries of the state. Personal art, he says, can’t change history or push it forward, but it is capable of reflecting changes in society.

Watching such activity as a ‘spectator’ is simultaneously soporific and chilling, the boredom of the daily exercise and watchful guards a stark contrast to the power of the state machine to exercise control over a person. As we watch Weiwei recreate imprisonment in a 24-hour live performance, projected onto a screen above the stage are different viewpoints of the cell which the audience can imagine themselves in. Surveillance does not end with the guards but is aided and abetted by CCTV cameras.

Lots of artists have been imprisoned for their work, and lots have memorably detailed their experiences, but perhaps none more so in a way which displays the banality of state terror and how ultimately it points to a failure of power rather than its imposition.

Ai Weiwei: Sewing A Button is a 24 hour performance at Aviva Studios on 4 July 2026. You can watch a live broadcast online. This installation is a companion piece to Weiwei’s major new exhibition Button Up! in which the artist explores how historic systems of trade, empire and exploitation resonate in today’s humanitarian and political crises. The exhibition runs until 6 September 2026.

The post Ai Weiwei: Sewing A Button – Review appeared first on Quays Life.

Shipwrecked and separated from her twin, Viola (a savvy performance from Hannah Ellis Ryan) washes ashore in Ilyria. Disguising herself as the suave Cesario, she enters the service of Count Orsino (Angela Heenan), who pines for the aloof Olivia (Jessica Mannion). But as Viola navigates tangled desires and mistaken identities, love blossoms in unexpected places.   

Hawkins and Crowther are clearly fans of Blackpool. Ilyria might be an island but here it’s one with its share of seaside tat, including vending carts selling oversized sunglasses, and cuddly toys. When Malvolio is imprisoned, it’s not in a dungeon but what appears to be an abandoned theme park. The boozy party atmosphere continues with the choice of music, mostly 90’s dance: Dee-Lite, Venga Boys, SNAP, N-Trance, and Alice Deejay (no Whigfield, sadly). The simple traffic light set up at the rear of the stage adds atmosphere during the musical numbers, expertly performed by Feste (Channique Sterling-Brown, who soap fans may recall as Dee Dee Bailey in Coronation Street). Hannah Bracegirdle’s inventive sound design adds another layer of detail, as does the work of movement director, Lisi Perry. Credit where its due, Act 2 opens with a choreographed, slow motion piece where the cast move through a series of stylized freezes, set to a Kelsey Lu cover of 10cc’s ‘I’m Not In Love.’ Genius.    

After Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night is perhaps the bard’s most accessible work. Of course in Shakespeare’s day, all roles were played by men, so an all female cast is no big deal. Why do I even mention this? Those unfamiliar with the story might be confused by the fact some male characters – like Toby Belch – wear dresses. This is a minor quibble, hopefully one which doesn’t detract from the narrative arc. Belch (Beth Vyse) and Aguecheek (Kassie Jay Ellis) are a classic duo, a drunkard and a fop, who appear to care for nothing but their own pleasure. Carrying around her own Vodka optic, Vyse is hilarious, like an entertaining lush, convinced of her genius, and gamely stepping up to perform at a chaotic Wetherspoons’ talent night. These amusing grotesques threaten to hijack the production but are smartly counterbalanced by the calmer energies of Jessica Mannion, and especially Lucie Browne as Sebastian; the latter gives an effortlessly nuanced performance, one that hits every stress of the bard’s famed rhythmic language.

If there’s a flaw in Twelfth Night, it concerns the character of Malvolio, the Count’s steward, and whose only crime is being a pompous dullard. The prank letter sent by Belch, Aguecheek and Maria (Maya Dhokia) seems cruelly disproportionate. But Frankie Gold is so great in the role, we end up rooting for Malvolio rather than the plotters – particularly when she dons a ludicrous line dancing outfit as a love declaration to Olivia. Only a romantic fool would do such a thing, but as Duke Orsino says early on, uttering the play’s most famous line – ‘If music be the food of love, play on.’  Highly recommended.

Twelfth Night is at Hope Mill Theatre from 24 June to 5 July 2026 before touring to Rochdale Heywood Civic on 9 and 1 July and Lawrence Batley Theatre on 14 and 15 July. Age recommendation 14+

The post Twelfth Night HER Productions: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

There is a pantomime feel to this riotous new musical comedy, but this is just a nod to the many theatrical genres it both reveres and mocks in equal measure. Indeed, there are so many theatrical references it is hard to keep up – and whatever your tastes there is something in this expert mash-up of a show to keep you entertained. For musical fans, think ‘Schmigadoon!’ but 100 times better.

The bigger question is not why are they staging this show, but what took them so long?

‘Something Rotten’ has already been a runaway hit on Broadway, premiering in 2015 where it received 10 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. Yet aside from a concert version in 2023, this new production is the first time it has been staged in the UK.

Conceived by brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick it tells the story of Nick Bottom (Manford) and his younger brother Nigel (Cassius Hackforth) whose writing partnership is forever in the shadows of the rock star poet of their day, William Shakespeare.

Desperate for a winning idea to keep the debt collectors at bay Nick visits a soothsayer he believes to be Nostradamus to find out what Shakespeare’s next great hit will be so he can steal the idea. Nostradamus, a brilliantly eccentric performance from Cory English, turns out to be the famous astrologer’s nephew who foretells a confused future of musicals and omelette. You can imagine the madcap chaos that follows.

Actress and singer Marisha Wallace who performed in the Broadway production joins the cast as leading lady, Bea, wife of the hapless Nick. It is a powerhouse performance where her American accent becomes just another of the oddities of this version of Elizabethan England.

Hackforth brings a tender vulnerability to Nigel, while Manford is as warm and entertaining as ever.

Richard Fleeshman plays the Bard as a leather clad superstar of his day. Whatever your version of a rock and pop hero might be – Elvis, George Michael or Harry Styles – he channels them with confidence, charisma and a knowing wit. It is a phenomenal performance, putting Fleeshman at the top of his game.

The show runs in Manchester until 19 July. Catch it while you can.

Something Rotten is at the Opera House, Manchester from 16 June -19 July 2026.

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Fasten your seat belts because you’re in for a ride, with no let-up in this roller coaster of a two-hour show.

It opens on a scene reminiscent of ‘Grease’ – a stage full of muscly young men working on cars and girls in swinging circle skirts working the nearby bar. The familiarity of Bizet’s Carmen score, with additional orchestration by Terry Davies, immediately draws us into the life of small-town Harmony. Its vibrancy is matched by the energy of Bourne’s choreography. Everywhere you look there are pairs of dancers, each telling their own story of playful youth, seduction and lust. When in the first five minutes dancers strip off and head for a cold shower Bourne sends the audience a tongue-in-cheek knowing that this show too darn hot for its own good.

As you’ve probably guessed, this isn’t the Carmen opera in a dance form. Rather Bourne has taken the essence of the tale along with the music to create something new, but equally thrilling. Bourne’s new story takes the desire and violence of the original and layers it with the noir fatalism of James M. Cain’s novel ‘The Postman Always Rings Twice’, giving the piece a sticky inevitability.

Here the handsome drifter is Luca, an imposing and mysterious Will Bozier. He crackles with sexual energy attracting both men and women and destroying any chance Harmony had of living up to its name.

His first conquest is the beautiful and feisty Lana (Cordelia Braithwaite), a name that nods to Lana Turner who played Cora in the 1946 film version of Cain’s thriller.

Alan Vincent, who played Luca in the 2000 premiere returns now as garage owner and Lana’s abusive husband, Dino. He is a giant of a man and yet Bozier lifts him as if he weighs no more than a child.

The acting as well as the dancing from this cast is phenomenal as they draw us into their dark and complex world. Leonardo McCorkindale captures this to heartbreaking effect as young Angelo who is also captivated and seduced by this enigmatic stranger.

Betrayal and jealousy fire the story forward to its tragic end. It’s a scorcher of a show made for these hot summer nights.

Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man is at Lowry. Salford from 23-27 June 2026. Age recommendation 12+

Read our interiew with Matthew Bourne.

The post Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

Was there a moment when you realised you wanted to be a professional performer and is there a role that changed everything for you?

Stephen: “I was obsessed with John Travolta in ‘Grease’. I went to watch it in London when it first opened. I was obsessed – I thought, ‘I NEED to be in theatre’. That changed it for me really. I used to watch the film all the time.”

What was your first reaction when you found out you’d be playing Frank in ‘The Rocky Horror Show’?

Stephen: “Well, I couldn’t believe it first of all. When I originally wanted to audition for Rocky, I thought I’d be up for Brad and then they said, ‘No, we want to see you for Frank’. When I got it, I was ECSTATIC, I couldn’t believe that I got this role. But in the next moment, I was really anxious because it’s such an iconic role, I just want to live up to the legacy”.

Frank is such an iconic character, how do you bring your own twist to the role while honouring the legacy of past performances?

Stephen: “I remember that Christopher Luscombe, the director, said, ‘We don’t want you to do an impersonation of Tim Curry, we want to see your version’, which actually settled me. I portray Frank using an American accent instead of an English accent. Obviously, Frank’s costume is quite feminine, so I do inject an element of masculinity into my performance – my take on it is a little bit rough around the edges. The audience has mixed feelings about Frank which I love. He is a lovable psychopath! Because the character was written during the 70s glam rock era, I take inspiration from David Bowie, T. Rex and Queen. But I always find something new every performance, which makes playing this role so exciting”.

What’s your favourite part of performing as Frank each night?

Stephen: “There are two moments. One is my entrance. I’m not on stage for the first 20 minutes and the audience are waiting for Frank to come on. There’s a big drum beat before I enter and I’ve got this big old cloak on. I walk down centre stage and sing ‘Sweet Transvestite’, whip off my cloak and reveal my crazy costume. The audience goes absolutely berserk for it. It doesn’t matter if I’ve had the worst day in the world – it goes away as soon as I’m on that stage. Another special moment for me is when you see the vulnerable side of Frank. It’s like he’s taken off his mask and you’re seeing the true side of him”.

The audience plays a huge role in the Rocky Horror experience. Do you have a favourite audience interaction or reaction so far?

Stephen: “There are loads of shouts throughout the show. The audience are very much part of the show; they are almost another character. I’ve heard pretty much all of them now, so they don’t tend to catch me out. When I’m talking to Rocky when he first comes out there are a few shouts that are quite rude, and I love them! I think they’re really funny”.

What’s the most challenging part about playing Frank, either physically or emotionally?

Stephen: “It’s not wearing the heels – I absolutely love wearing those – it’s actually wearing the black corset because it doesn’t give. I make sure I eat at the right time, otherwise I struggle throughout the show. Singing and dancing in a corset means I must make sure that I eat and drink enough at the right time before doing the show”.

Frank has some iconic costumes; do you have a favourite outfit to wear on stage?

Stephen: “My favourite outfit is my finale red sequin corset. I absolutely love it. It really fits me like a glove! And it changes colour. If you push it up, it goes a black, if you push it down, it goes red”.

If you could keep one piece of Frank’s wardrobe for yourself, what would it be?

Stephen: “I do a few scenes with a leather jacket with tassels on it. I’m a motorcyclist so would love to steal it and ride my bike wearing it!”

The Rocky Horror Show has been pushing boundaries for more than 50 years. Why do you think audiences keep coming back after all these years?

Stephen: “It’s a show that celebrates what it means to be different, to follow your dreams like the song ‘Don’t dream it, be it’. There are amazing songs; I don’t think you could ever get bored with the ‘Time Warp’ or ‘Sweet Transvestite’! It’s got a lot of heart, it’s extremely funny, and it allows people to be part of it – there’s no other show like it”.

Do you have any pre-show rituals before stepping into Frank’s heels?

Stephen: “I don’t really have any pre-show rituals. But I do love makeup. Before ‘Rocky Horror’, I never liked using make-up, now I absolutely love it. As soon as I start putting the makeup and wig on, it transforms me, like I’ve got an alter ego!”

Finally, what do you hope audiences take away from seeing The Rocky Horror Show?

Stephen: “I think everyone who comes to watch the ‘Rocky Horror Show’ will have fun. It’s unique, liberating, funny, fierce and sexy. It’s a brilliant night out where everyone can be who they want to be. It’s one great big party!”

Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show tour comes to Manchester’s Palace Theatre on 27 July to 1 August 2026.

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