Leslie Kerwin visits the exhibition and meets curator, Zoe Watson to find out how she shining a spotlight on the shared thrill of live performance.

It was Émile Durkheim who first coined the term ‘collective effervescence’. The sociologist was fascinated by the sacred, powerful force of a crowd united by a shared anticipation: the rise from a pew, the soar of a football, the second before a performer sings. In the Lowry’s latest art exhibition, the eye of the spotlight is this time turned on the audience for an experience as unearthly as it is mind-twirlingly meta.  

Put together over several years by curator Zoe Watson. ‘Curtain Up’ is a multi-sensory exhibition that twists between several rooms. A maze of paintings, photographs, cinema, and participatory sculpture, the exhibition is a scrawling love letter to everyone who has ever had their heart swelled by a performance – or had the hairs on their neck stand on end. It features the work of a string of artists – including brand new works from Manchester-based artists Chris Paul Daniels and Rowland Hill, and award-winning German artist Ulla von Brandenburg – and sprawls across settings as diverse as red velvet theatres to clattering nightclubs.  

‘Curtain Up’ is much like a carnival ride: calm upon clambering onto, and quick to tilt into a brightly-lit frenzy of dreamlike sensation. The entryway galleries are carefully-placed to create a sense of wonder, featuring immense and somewhat liminal pieces from Bridget Smith and Ulla von Brandenburg that pull you into a theatre only minutes from opening its doors. A series of paintings by Denzil Forrester and Joy Labinjo bridge the rose-tinted nostalgias of community centre performances and thumping nightclubs, and the historic importance of local performances spaces is charmingly captured by collage artist Abigail Reynolds.  

Mere feet away from the soft whimsy of childhood memories, the deeper crevices of ‘Curtain Up’ unveil an edgier, moodier response to the theme of crowd anticipation. Chris Paul Daniels’ ‘Give Yourself a Round of Applause’ is a monologue built from the back-of-the-mind thoughts and feelings of a theatre audience, whose 15-minute film features footage sourced from the North West Film Archive. Meanwhile, Rowland Hill presents her biggest and most impressive installation to date: ‘Relic’, a dizzying audio-visual experience built from 14 years of documenting the Loughborough Fair – one of the oldest surviving medieval charter fairs – and uniquely, involves audience members in the piece itself during an unforgettable 12-minute loop.  

“All of these were artists I’d been following for a very long time, so I was really familiar with their work when I was thinking about the concept of the show,” says Watson.

“I realised that being in the Lowry sort of shapes the show. Every day, I’m seeing people come in and out of the building, and at different times of the day, there’s different activity in the building. But there’s always people in the space: that always inspired and influenced the show.  

“It’s a celebration of people, and a celebration of coming together collectively to experience things. I hope that people realise the power of that, and really protect these spaces that do amazing performances and things.”  

Diverse, nostalgic, and with an unshakeably ‘curiouser and curiouser’ feel, ‘Curtain Up’ is a delightfully meta experience built upon a unique and deeply human concept. With its mix of static and moving installations, this is an exhibition best digested slowly.

Remember to feel the anticipation – and enjoy the knowledge that you’re sharing it with your fellow visitors too.  

 Curtain Up is at Lowry, Salford, from 18 April to 21 June 2026.  

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The pair are stuck in a doom loop of waiting for you-know-who and wile away their time in petty bickering and philosophical musings. The scarred landscape (Beckett modelled it on Roussillon where he holed up during the Nazi occupation of France) is served in the production by the ragged placement of car seats acting as respite against the elements, the ground speckled with dirt. The lighting in particular deserves special mention for the soft hues it throws onto the stage, suggesting hope for when a new day eventually dawns.

Kelly and Costigan are a joy to watch, their dependency on each other as sad and wistful as it is necessary. The finish each other’s sentences, grimace and groan in unison, embrace and withdraw just as sharply, and take delight in each other’s misery. A true friendship then. Costigan gives us a Vladimir to remember, by turns hopeful and disdainful, his Salford accent providing a caustic edge to the character’s ruminations on life and death. Kelly is the more morose of the two, employing lugubrious facial expressions to convey the depths of his despair, the perfect foil to Costigan’s optimism.

But this is not just a two-hander: there are notable performances from Gbolohan Obisesan as slaver driver Pozzo and Michael Hodgson as the unlucky Lucky. Obisesan enters the stage with Lucky on a leash looking like a cross between a warlord and a rapper and delivers what can only be described as masterful portrayal of this enigmatic character. It is Hodgson, however, who deserves – and gets – most credit as the put-upon Lucky. He is bloodied from rope round his neck and infected with pus but retains a vital spark of humanity. When he is told by Pozzo to ‘think, pig’, Hodgson had the audience spellbound with his difficult monologue and was rewarded with a just round of applause.

The play is a treatise on the human condition and the monotony of life – ‘habit is a great deadener’, Valdimir reminds us – but what it shows most clearly is that out of boredom and waiting comes humour (it’s easy sometimes to forget how funny the play is), friendship, and entertaining diversions.  While waiting on the road we never quite know who may turn up, even if it’s not the person we’ve been waiting for all along. Having miserably failed to hang themselves, Kelly and Costigan stand motionless in indecision unsure whether to stay or go, an apt metaphor for the human condition.

A must-see show.

Waiting for Godot is at The Octagon Theatre, Bolton from 15 April to 2 May 2026.

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Much of that is real. And much is genuinely the scenery that forms lifelong memories.

But Appalachia also has a habit of shrugging off idealised travel narratives. This is not a region designed for frictionless movement or gap‑year postcards. It’s beautiful, but also demanding, idiosyncratic and occasionally a little wild around the edges. Knowing that upfront makes all the difference.

1. Those backroads escalate quickly

If your route includes backroads, which it probably should, don’t get complacent too early. These roads can be staggeringly beautiful, unfurling through forested hills and deep valleys, but they’re also often narrow, steep, sharply curved, and sometimes missing guardrails in places where you’d very much like there to be guardrails.

Signage can be minimal. Tight bends appear with little warning. Stop signs operate more as a suggestion than a guarantee. This doesn’t mean the drive is constant white‑knuckle terror, but it does mean attention is required. You can’t drift. Slowing down is fine. Pulling over is fine when there’s somewhere to do it.

2. Locals drive like the road belongs to them (because it does)

Visitors often notice this quickly: cars and trucks moving at brisk, confident speeds on roads that feel intimidatingly small. It’s not aggression; it’s familiarity. These roads are daily life, learned by repetition rather than signage.

You don’t need to absorb that energy but you do need to expect it. Faster drivers will appear behind you. Large vehicles will come around blind bends. Leave space. Stay alert. Accident rates are higher on rural Appalachian roads, and awareness is your best defence.

3. Peak season is glorious — and crowded

There’s a reason summer and autumn are the big seasons for Appalachia travel. Summer brings long, green days, lakes and forgiving weather. Autumn delivers those famed explosions of colour, each ridge seemingly competing with the next.

The downside is that everyone else has seen the same photographs. Campgrounds book out quickly, especially if you’re hoping to secure a full hookup RV site, and availability can vanish faster than expected. Hotels, cabins and popular attractions follow close behind. In short, during peak season, Appalachia favours planners over last‑minute romantics.

4. The road signs mean exactly what they say

Deer crossing. Tractor crossing. Horse‑and‑buggy crossing. These aren’t decorative touches or quaint regional colour. They exist because those encounters happen frequently. If a sign warns you, believe it.

Which brings us back to the Appalachian driving rule that underpins everything else: distraction is not an option, particularly once you leave the highway behind.

Planning tips before you go:

A trip to Appalachia doesn’t need to be micro‑managed, but it does reward realistic preparation.

Plan driving shorter daily distances than you normally would. Mountain miles take time, and that’s before you factor in scenic stops, slow descents or the occasional pause to let your nerves settle.

Download offline maps and double‑check routes in advance. Mobile service can disappear abruptly and stay gone longer than expected. A paper map still earns its place here.

Reserve accommodation earlier than feels intuitive, especially in summer and autumn. RV parks, campgrounds and small independent motels fill quickly, and flexibility narrows as the season peaks.

Pack with the landscape in mind: water, basic supplies, reliable brakes and a tolerance for sudden weather shifts. The mountains set their own terms.

Most importantly, recalibrate your sense of progress. Appalachia isn’t about ticking off distances or destinations. It’s about paying attention to the road, the terrain, and the fact that this is a place that doesn’t smooth itself out for visitors. And remember. that roughness isn’t a flaw. It’s the point.

The post What can catch you off guard on an Appalachia road trip appeared first on Quays Life.

Noel Coward pours a lot into his dramatic soup and right from the start the ingredients are on display for a feast of drama: unrequited love, settling for second best in a relationship, choosing domesticity over passion, and just what is the correct attitude to adopt towards life. If the play feels dated, it can still be held up to the light through such universal themes.

With sharp direction by Blanche McIntyre and a set which continuously revolves – sometimes faster, sometimes slower – to give a distorting sense of time passing, the play reminds us that if we seek happiness in desire we will ultimately be disappointed. Jill Halfpenny (Waterloo Road, EastEnders) gives us an Amanda fatally attracted by past love Elyot and hoping that second time round they can recreate the passion which first brought them together, even at the cost of abandoning their respective partners. Halfpenny turns in a fiery performance as a woman determined to make her own choices, wrong or otherwise. When she launches herself at the beastly Elyot it is a moment of unalloyed drama.

But it is Steve John Shepherd – complete with bolt-on hairpiece – who steals the show with his louche portrayal of Elyot, all James Mason drawl and whispering cigarette smoke. He is maddening and is meant to be. His advice is to laugh at life and hope it doesn’t laugh back in your face – down with the moralists and up with irony because the alternative is too awful to contemplate. Elyot appears effete on the surface but Shepherd shows him to be full of bubbling molten lava inside, ready to explode at any minute. Quite a brilliant performance.

It all makes it very difficult for spurned spouses Shazia Nicholls as Sybil and Daniel Millar as Victor to make their mark. The final scene in which they confront Elyot and Amanda – and in turn vent their deflected spleen on each other – feels histrionic if necessary.  This is due more to the clockwork plotting of Coward than to any actorly deficiency. When Elyot labels Victor a ‘gasbag’ it’s hard to disagree, but Millar lends him the right amount of wounded decency we can all empathise with. Nicholls pits her youth and naivety against the others’ jaded immorality and in doing so reveals Sibyl to be not simply a victim of infidelity but someone who can see it for what it is, human weakness.

Some of the attitudes in the play are antediluvian and come with a warning but there is no denying the power of this production. The one liners come fast and furious and Shepherd is fantastic as Elyot at delivering non-sequiturs which leave you wondering about his state of mind. As Coward shows, to live with someone is to relinquish your private life.

Private Lives is at The Royal Exchange Theatre from 27 March to 2 May 2026.

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There’s no simple answer to this, though a quick fix of escapism is a guaranteed, short term antidote. Top Hat is now on stage, in a new adaptation by Matthew White and Howard Jacques. The show’s USP is multi award-winning double threat Kathleen Marshall, a premier league director and choreographer, feted for an acclaimed series of shows on Broadway, and in the West End (her brother is film director Rob Marshall, so it must be in the genes).

I have to admit to being late to this particular party, only discovering Kathleen Marshall’s talents with the Barbican production of ‘Anything Goes‘ a few years back. The latter was a dazzling piece of popular art, quite unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Marshall brings the same eye for glamour and sophistication to Top Hat. If it doesn’t surpass ‘Anything Goes’, it is certainly the equal; impressive enough to convert a musical heretic to the joys of song and dance. 

In New York, wealthy producer Horace Hardwick (James Hume) hires American entertainer Jerry Travers (Phillip Attmore, possessing Zeus like dancing abilities) to headline a new musical show. The action then zips across the Atlantic to London. Jerry stays in Horace’s hotel suite, and his night time dance episodes (described as ‘tapititus’) are irksome enough to wake pretty Dale Tremont (Nicole-Lily Baisden, a pint size package of fizzy energy) in the room below. When she stomps up to Horace’s suite to tell Jerry to keep it down, he falls instantly in love. The next day, Jerry follows Dale around London, croons and charms until she can resist no longer.

This being the 1930’s, she neglects to ask his name – yes, this is the improbable dramatic device on which Top Hat pivots, because Dale now believes Jerry is Horace (who she’s never actually met). Next stop, Venice. Dale knows Horace is married to sassy redhead friend Madge (Emma Williams), who informs Dale that her husband is staying in the same hotel. Misunderstandings quickly pile on top of each other. To say more would spoil the ride.

Attmore and Baisden make a charming lead couple, though are in danger of being upstaged by the sub plot players, Hume and Williams. Hume is a hilarious bundle of bristling neurosis, seemingly afraid of everything – particularly air travel. “I get frightened when I arrive at the airport, and see the word ‘departures.” Act 2’s secret weapon is Williams who crackles with attitude and whip smart put downs. Hume and Williams have such chemistry, it would be great to see these performers return in a spin off.  

I still recall versatile James Clyde from a run of mid 90’s appearances at the Royal Exchange; he deserves a mention for his droll turn as Horace’s jaded valet, Bates. Likewise understudy Zak Edwards, who brings a controlled, toreador energy to the role of flamboyant dress maker, Alberto Beddini.

The mark of a gifted designer is when their work stays in the mind, rather than fading after the curtain. Peter McKintosh’s sumptuous set is a giant art deco clock; at various points, the face spins open to reveal different rooms and suites. Alongside Yvonne Milnes, McKintosh has also created the fabulous costumes. Every member of the company is immaculately attired. Top Hat exists in a rarefied atmosphere of covetous excellence (I’m almost tempted to break into the theatre at night, and steal a souvenir – perhaps Jerry’s duck egg blue suit).

Alongside Cole Porter, Irving Berlin was the prime mover of the great American songbook. His best known tunes might be ‘White Christmas’ and ‘No Business Like Showbusiness’ but those featured in Top Hat are easily the most melodic: ‘Cheek to Cheek’, ‘Putting on the Ritz’, ‘Let’s Face the Music and Dance’ are ear worms that take up permanent residence. The undoubted highpoint of Marshall’s production is ‘Top Hat, White Tie and Tails.’ This is a dance team operating as a hive mind, a series of jaw dropping sequences which include intimate groupings, spiral stage crossing, and dancers tossing and catching canes across parallel lines. How is this sort of thing even possible? A scene like this belongs in a choreographer’s textbook; a blueprint for what the art form can achieve.    

Top Hat is as bracing as a glass of chilled champagne in a cryogenic ice bath. But you will have to hurry: this Chichester Festival production is at the end of its tour (Southampton Mayflower follows this Lowry run).   

Top Hat is at Lowry, Salford from 2 to 4 April 2026.

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Since its world premiere in 2017 the show, by The Old Vic’s Artistic Director Matthew Warchus, has been seen by almost a million people in London, America and Australia, and across the globe as part of OLD VIC: IN CAMERA in 2020. But this is the first time UK audiences will have had a chance to see it outside London, where it will also run for its tenth consecutive year at The Old Vic.

“To now be able to share the joy of this production with the Lowry and its audiences makes this year a truly special one,” says director Matthew  Warchus. “I am immensely proud of the impact it continues to have on audiences – whether it be their first time seeing the show or one visit of many”.

This production sees Charles Dickens’ famous tale of Ebenezeer Scrooge, adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child), and audiences can expect a big-hearted show full of music and festive cheer.

“We know North West audiences are in for something very special this festive season and everyone at the Lowry is delighted to be welcoming the show to Salford and presenting it on our Lyric stage,” says Lowry’s Chief Executive, Julia Fawcett.  “It’s the first time the show will have been presented in the UK outside of London – a real landmark moment for theatre in the region. We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with The Old Vic – one of the UK’s leading theatres – to present their landmark production of A Christmas Carol – one of the most exciting, joyous and moving Christmas productions you’ll ever see”.

Matthew Warchus’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ comes to Lowry, Salford from 11 December 2026 to 10 January 2027.

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Having taught herself to read as an infant, Matilda (Madison Davis) is leagues apart from the rest of her television-obsessed family. Mr Wormwood (Adam Stafford) is an engine-stuffing, motor meddling, Vinny Gambino-esque secondhand car dealer, and his wife Mrs Wormwood (Rebecca Thornhill) is just as eyebrow raising, if you don’t buy that she really is ‘just practising’ with her World Amateur Flamenco Competition partner Rudolpho (Ryan Lay) in the living room. Matilda’s brother Michael (Samuel Leon) is the supposed brains of the family – yes, he’s apparently got one. Somewhere.  

Life for Matilda goes impossibly further south after her parents enrol her in her new primary school, Crunchem Hall. A concrete jungle ruled over by an ex-Olympic hammer throwing champion, Agatha Trunchbull’s (Richard Hurst) reign of terror is defined by her motto BAMBINATUM EST MAGGITUM: children are maggots. Her hatred of children puts her at odds with reception teacher Miss Honey (Tessa Kadler), a woman forever trembling with her own self-doubt, whose insecurity belies a deep fascination with her strange new student. Miss Honey and Matilda have a lot to learn from each other – they may also have far more in common than they realise.  

‘Matilda: The Musical’ is indescribably brilliant. At just shy of two-and-a-half hours long, this performance would be a mean feat for any seasoned actor – let alone a cast dominated by children under 12, who share roles between shows. Sharp, assured, and yet deeply, shyly vulnerable, Madison Davis as this particular Matilda is everything every child imagines when growing up reading the original book. Bruce Bogtrotter (Brodie Robson) is a standout act for his lead in ‘Revolting Children’, and Sana Lennon as Lavender is a delight to watch skittering across the stage – an especially incredible debut for the only cast member without any formal theatre training.  

Miss Trunchbull is cocky, cruel, and hilariously, brilliantly camp from beginning to end, and Miss Honey quietly sneaks the audience’s hearts as she is forced to confront her own demons. Esther Niles as Mrs Phelps plays a much bigger role than in the original story, and is for a long time Matilda’s only support – a heartwarming watch, and comforting anchor in a story so chaotic from scene to scene.  

‘Matilda: The Musical’ makes interesting strays from the original book’s story, perhaps explained by Dennis Kelly’s screenwriting background in gritty dramas and surreal comedy. The biggest change is the decision to cut back on Matilda’s telekinetic powers, which she originally develops as a toddler because her brain is so large, it pushes the extra energy out of her eyes. Instead, much of the play is driven by Matilda’s dogged sense of justice, and her frustration at the state of her life – “Nobody but me is going to change my story,” after all. For a change so drastic, it is a shift that only sharpens the show’s edge: this is a Matilda that is entirely self-driven, and far more relatable than her aloof, superpowered inspiration. To see this tiny girl abused is a vastly more disturbing watch.  

However, with so much of the plot hinging on Matilda’s telekinesis, powers eventually do play a role in the second act – I only wish they had been introduced slightly earlier than the infamous newt scene. Shockingly for a performance already eclipsing the average theatre runtime, the show could benefit from an extra scene or two to fully flesh out this part of its story. Time may be well spent in the way it introduces characters, settings, and songs, but the introduction of her powers felt slightly out of left field: ‘Oh, so she does have powers in the end – wait, the show’s nearly over!’  

In all, ‘Matilda: The Musical’ is nothing short of out-of-this-world entertainment. This show embellishes an intergenerational classic with a surreal, dreamlike retelling, and is a fantastic showcase of the brilliance of the UK’s youngest theatrical talent. Brilliantly staged, beautifully scored, and with a blindingly talented cast both big and small, if you’re on the fence about tickets, treat yourself – sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty.  

Matilda the Musical is at The Palace Theatre Manchester from 26 March until 25 April 2026 before continuing on tour.

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Kuchipudi is an incredible form of dance. What drew you to it?

Payal: “So I started training in Kuchipudi when I was four. I did not have much of an understanding of what the dance style was at that time; I got started into it by my parents. But it’s a South Indian classical dance form. If I were to draw a parallel with something you may be familiar with, it would be ballet — not stylistically, but in terms of its structure and the discipline it requires.

“It’s replete with footwork and hand gestures. It’s a way of communication and storytelling. We use a lot of facial expressions to communicate ideas and tell stories, really using the whole body. Rhythm forms the backbone of it, and it’s very rich musically — they go hand in hand, of course. I mean, music and dance naturally go together, so that’s essentially what Kuchipudi is.”

What inspired you to create this work around motherhood and miscarriage?

Payal: “It’s a combination of several factors. I’m at that stage where I’ve been contemplating motherhood myself, but I’ve also watched others on their own journeys. The work I make usually stems from a place of curiosity — that’s my entry point into any project. It comes from feeling like I don’t know enough about a particular idea or subject, and wanting to explore it further. Motherhood is not just a simplistic term. It is a landscape of emotions. I make work that I feel needs to be spoken about.

“For me, dance is the medium I choose because it gives me a way to discover and better understand that subject matter. Then I invite people onto that journey with me — I share it with the audience, who can take part either as spectators or participants, depending on how the work unfolds.”

Do you think it’s easy to cover powerful topics through art and dance?

Payal:“I don’t know if it’s easy, but I would certainly say that it’s my way. It’s my medium, it’s the medium that I know best, it’s the medium where I can express myself to the best of my ability. So that’s my medium. Dance helps me express myself best. I think there are a lot of things that remain unsaid. Art is a great way of telling people things. I think art remains with you, even when you leave a performance. The performance stays with you for a long time. And that is the beauty of art. That is the impact that art has on people.”

How long have you been working on ‘Just Enough Madness’?

Payal: “It was born, I think, somewhere around 2019. So, it’s been a long, long time. There were gaps in between, but it was always there in my mind. Even while I was working on other productions, there would be times when I would revisit it and then just let it simmer in the background and then come back to it. It’s been through different phases. It’s been re-researched and redeveloped, and now we’re finally doing this pilot tour with hopefully a more extensive tour next year.”

How can you convince someone to come watch?

Payal: “I think everyone has either been a witness to motherhood or experienced it themselves. You know, we’ve either seen our own mothers or watched a sister, a wife, or a friend go through the journey of motherhood. And if you are someone who has witnessed it or been on that journey yourself, I would just say: come see a glimpse of yourself in it, and come to recognise the emotional labour, the rigour that a woman goes through. I’m not talking about the physical aspect so much — I mean the more unsaid truths of motherhood. Yeah. So I think it’s really a way of celebrating motherhood in the truest sense of the word, not just superficially.”

Just Enough Madness & Caught in the Net of Rebirth is at Lowry, Salford on Tuesday 31 March 2026.

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“There’s a script?”

“Not tonight there’s not!”

Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you’re having a lovely evening – and if you’re not sharing a bed with your appropriately-aged best friend, how could you be? In celebration of the comedians’ 100th birthdays, the UK’s leading Morecambe and Wise tribute act has returned after a sellout tour in 2022. Now at Lowry, Salford for a limited-edition run, ‘Eric & Ern’ guarantees a night of love, sunshine and laughter for fans old and new alike.

After a sparkling debut at the Edinburgh Fringe (or technically, their five-minute skit at the Stage Golfing Society’s ‘70s Night in 2002), Jonty Stephens (Eric Morecambe) and Ian Ashpitel (Ernie Wise) have brought the UK’s greatest variety show back from the grave – and even brought in their own Eddie Braben-inspired jokes as a bonus. In a glittering new remaster, the 2026 tour spills over with treasures from the ice cream van, to Mr Memory (‘Arsenal!’), and more, all delivered with a fondness palpable from beginning to end.

“The diehard Morecambe and Wise fans, who grew up with Morecambe and Wise, all bring their children and grandchildren now,” Stephens remarked in a Quays Life interview earlier this month – and reader, include your reviewer in the latter category. At 22, I’m just past the vintage of the dynamic duo, but that doesn’t mean the joy of watching Morecambe play the ‘right keys in the wrong order’ was in any way diminished. Charming, innocent, with the odd poke at pettiness, my first impression of this Morecambe and Wise was somewhere near Bert and Ernie after a sherry too many – and I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction.

Stephens and Ashpitel are a delight to watch as they skip onto the stage, and are brilliant in their rosy revival of a bygone era of comedy. Childish, twitching, and unwavering in his commitment to jumping to the wrong conclusion, Stephens’ Morecambe is forever fizzing with nervous energy. Ashpitel’s Wise, meanwhile, remains the proud peacock of the pair, swanning under the spotlights with an unshakeable charm – which quickly goes down the pan at the slightest breath of wind towards his hairline. The new dynamic duo know their inspirations back-to-front and inside-out, and are uncanny in their apparent ability to read each other’s minds; no wonder an audience member asked if they were about to propose!

And like every great Morecambe and Wise act, there is – as ever – an unfortunate stooge to be used, abused, and bemused, and West End performer Olivia Fines fits the bill perfectly. Having performed “across the world, and in Stockport”, Fines’ brilliant vocals make her a class act on stage, as does her willingness to join in the fun of her hapless hosts. Her rendition of ‘Where are the Clowns’ is beautifully soulful – oh Olivia, if only you would just look behind you!

Stephens and Ashpitel’s ‘Eric & Ern’ is what you get when you put the souls of two old men inside two little boys inside two middle aged men with a dream. The jokes stack, the personalities rival, and the delightful charm of golden age comedy is beautifully revived.

‘Eric & Ern’ is a sprawling banquet of jokes both old and new, and leaves no stone unturned in its tribute to Britain’s greatest dynamic duo. “If you liked this show, we’ve been Morecambe and Wise – and if you haven’t, we’ve been Mike and Bernie Winters!”

We loved it!

Eric & Ern is at Lowry, Salford fro 22-28 March 2026.

Read our interview with stars Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens.

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So if you’re looking for your next journey to bring you a new perspective, take inspiration from these three travel experiences to bring renewal beyond the tick-list.

Let go and embrace the flow

It’s only natural to want to squeeze the most out of your time away, but sticking rigidly to a schedule can sometimes be more hindrance than help. There’s a delightful freedom in relinquishing control, ditching the endless list of must-dos and simply letting each day unfold. When you slow your pace and stop measuring every moment, you begin to truly savour where you are. The world seems to open up, inviting you to notice the little things: the changing scenery on a walk, a local café you might otherwise have missed, a spontaneous conversation, or the gentle rhythm of daily life in a new place.

Experience different cultures without the rush

Constantly hopping from one destination to the next can leave you feeling more frazzled than fulfilled. The flurry of packing, travelling, and reorienting yourself in each new spot often drains your energy and detracts from the experience itself. To find a more restful balance, opt for journeys that allow you to explore several cultures and locations without the constant upheaval. Take, for example, a Mediterranean cruise, where you can soak up the essence of multiple countries, all from the comfort of a single floating home. With logistics handled, you’re free to enjoy each destination at your own pace, fully absorbing the atmosphere and creating lasting memories without the usual stress.

Find clarity away from the noise

While constant connection puts you in a good place throughout daily life, it can also make it difficult to experience where you truly are. It’s a strange battle between the two. Your attention is typically pulled away by notifications, social media, and work emails. They keep you away from the present moment, even when you are travelling somewhere new. When you are travelling or on vacation, disconnecting from the digital noise can allow your thoughts to settle. You gain a much clearer sense of what actually matters in this world. It isn’t a case of doing something overly dramatic; it’s about creating space to think without interruption. When it’s time to return to everyday life, you feel more focused and grounded.

So, when you plan your next escape, think beyond the checklist. Seek out experiences that invite spontaneity, offer seamless exploration, and grant you the rare gift of undistracted presence. In doing so, you’ll discover journeys that stay with you long after the suitcase is unpacked.

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