When a children’s TV show has survived the generations, like Sooty, there has got to be some magic in it. The presenters have changed, of course. And after being in the Corbett family for 50 years (first Harry then his son Matthew), it’s now fronted...
There are many stories that have an element of shock value, but few that are so deeply shocking they stay with you a lifetime. William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies is one of them. It is decades since I read the novel as a young teenager yet I...
Commissioned to commemorate 100 years since the start of the First World War, Lest We Forget brings together the talents of three of the most sought after British choreographers to reflect, through dance, the lives and emotions of those who lived...
When even the smallest of theatre venues seems to rely on the draw of a household name to put bums on seats at panto time, it is a real credit to Oldham Coliseum that it fills the auditorium on the quality of the show alone. This is in large part...
You don’t need to be a child of the 40s to know the music of the Glenn Miller orchestra. You might not be aware that Miller won the first ever gold disc for Chattanooga Choo Choo and went on to win another 30 more, but you will associate his music...
The pile of trophies stacking up for Jersey Boys says it all – 57 major awards at the last count. To be fair, I’m not sure if there is anything left for it to win. This panel awarded the UK tour the MTA Brynteg award for best musical at last year’s...
It is a testament to the size of Manchester’s theatre going public that many big shows are now making their way to the region not once, but twice on a national tour. Last year Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Barnum played at the Palace Theatre...
Inala means abundance of goodwill in Zulu. Indeed much goodwill has gone into the creation of this Zulu ballet and, at the risk of sounding like a line from Disney’s The Lion King, that love is almost tangible. Premiering last year at the Edinburgh...
As someone who travels a lot by train, the idea of a play about travelling 21000 miles of rail naturally appealed. I think that the concept will attract a lot of people. Writer and performer Hannah Butterfield has come up with a gem of an idea, but...
In Palestine, dabke is a dance often enjoyed at weddings and other big celebrations. It is a cross between a circle dance and line dancing, with people joining with arms around each other and kicking out their legs. It is something all cultures can...
Carmel Thomason