Martin ThomassonOn 4 August, 2011, a 29-year-old black man, Mark Duggan, was shot dead by police in Tottenham, London. Duggan’s death sparked a series of riots, beginning in Tottenham, spreading across London and on to other cities in England. From where he was...
Carmel ThomasonFor many in the audience at Manchester Opera House this week, the trip to Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat won’t be their first. But don’t pass up a chance to see this tour because you think you know what to expect, because Director Laurence...
Cathy CrabbIt isn’t horror’s job to be kind to you. It goes to the very extremes of negative emotions. Fear and paranoia are in charge of a horror story, and with Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson’s Ghost Stories they have a very tight grip. The premise is that...
It feels like a welcome home coming for Tracy-Ann Oberman’s Shylock as The Merchant of Venice 1936 returns to Greater Manchester. The Watford Palace Theatre & Home Manchester production was first seen at Home almost two years ago. Since then...
Dear Evan Hansen, today is going to be a good day because there is a great new musical in town that’s full of heart, hope and leaves you feeling like the sun is shining on your face. Well, when I say new, it’s a new production. The show is 10-years...
Dave PorterIt’s arguable that in youth-obsessed culture there’s a distinct lack of older people represented on stage, giving scant roles for those getting on in years. Beckett had some memorable characters and Arnold Wesker made some headway with The Old Ones...
Steve TimmsNot every popular novel transfers successfully to the stage. If you want proof, check out this touring production from Simon Friend Entertainment and Josh Andrews. The Girl on the Train is a clunky, lukewarm mess – albeit one with...
‘We’re going to need a bigger boat’. For people of a certain age – reader, include your reviewer in that category – these immortal lines evoke both terror and nostalgic fascination. Looking back to the heady days of 1970’s hot summers it’s...
Thigh-high, screaming red heels that dazzle as they shine – these boots weren’t made for walking, but they sure know how to get an audience on its feet. These aren’t just any boots, they are, as Drag Queen, Lola cheekily describes them: ‘Two...
Cast your mind back to the days before streaming platform playlists. If that’s before your time, the staging will give you a hint. Tom Rogers and Toots Butcher’ set places the action within a big box of blank tapes that frame the stage. Yes, we’re...