To say that Sukanya is Ravi Shankar’s only opera, while true, gives a misleading impression of his talent and influence on world music. Knowing he began writing it in the eighth decade of his life tells us more about his enthusiasm for music and his...
It’s hard to believe six years has passed since Manchester saw the premiere of Ghost the Musical with Richard Fleeshman in the lead. Based on the 1990 film with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, this supernatural murder mystery romance already had an...
Babe The Sheep-Pig is a story that has captivated young imaginations for more than 30 years. ‘A sheep-pig, that’s silly!’ my five-year-old theatre buddy laughs before we arrive. It is a ridiculous concept that twists and turns into a fantastical...
I’m coming a bit late to the party with this one I know, but when something is this good I don’t think too many people can shout about it or shout too loud. I missed press night because I was in York for the official launch of my latest book with...
For theatres, the Christmas show is often the biggest of the year. And in Greater Manchester the Opera House pantomime is the biggest of them all. Recent years have seen mega-stars, like Priscilla Presley and David Hasselhoff on the bill. But...
It’s a Horrible Christmas at the Lowry this year, but judging by the reception of Friday’s audience it could be one of their best. The show is a seasonal spin-off from Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories, whose ingenious concept of mixing historical...
The Royal Exchange likes to put a twist on the usual Christmas cheer with its festive production. So it is with its choice for this year, Sweet Charity, a musical whose innocent title belies a seedy world of lap dancing clubs, domestic violence and...
No-one knows the true number of children and young people under the age of 18, who have responsibilities for looking after a parent or sibling. Official UK figures put the number somewhere around 160,000 but if it’s true, as some think, that the...
Long before Harry Potter was imagined Roald Dahl captured the appeal of young wizardry in George’s Marvellous Medicine. This year marks 100 years since the birth of the much-loved children’s author and as part of the centenary celebrations...
There are few things in life we know to be true, and one is that there is nothing as complex as families. They have been at the heart of good drama for centuries, and in this new play Andrew Bovell takes us into their darkest secrets and most...
Carmel Thomason