English National Ballet’s production of Akram Khan’s reimagining of Giselle constructs a wonderful evening of performance art at its most integrated and rewarding. The bare bones of it: Act 1: Rich boy (Albrecht) disguised as poor boy, falls for...
Ailey 2, the second company of New York’s Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, arrives at The Lowry mid-way through its first UK tour in over a decade. The company, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is renowned for giving exceptional young...
The Drifters formed in 1953 and the band is still going strong, with another UK tour this year. How do they do it? Well, the Drifters’ Girl, whose story is told in this new musical, holds the key. The Drifters’ Girl refers to the late, Faye...
Shalisha James-Davis, who plays Nurse Paige Allcott in BBC 1 drama, Casualty, is making her Royal Exchange stage debut in a fiery retelling of Shakespeare’s tragic love story. She talks to Quays Life about what it’s like to recreate one of the...
Drag fans are in for a ball this Christmas at Contact with not one but two Manchester drag queens taking centre stage in this year’s pantomime. But will there be room for Cinderella herself in all this fabulousness? Carmel Thomason meets Lady...
Ailey 2, America’s finest young dancers, are performing in the UK for the first time in over a decade. Ahead of their visit to The Lowry, Diane Parkes talks to Ailey 2 Artistic Director, Francesca Harper Ground-breaking New York dance company, Ailey...
Whether you are going on a long-haul flight, a night at the grandparents or out for a meal, a trip is always more fun for the kids if there is a game involved. We tried out three pocket-sized travel games that are small in size but big on...
Whether it has been artists looking forward or looking back, the year 2000 has always held fascination as a turning point in our psyche. Eun-Me Ahn Dragons emerged from an idea to capture the experience of young dancers from across the Asian...
Comedian Harry Hill and composer Steve Brown have joined forces to create a new musical from Britain’s Britpop era. Tony! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] arrives at The Lowry in October. So, what can we expect? Harry: “We’ve tried to make it...
In 2019, just before we were in the grips of Covid Pandemic, I alighted my train at Platform 2 in Manchester Oxford Road station, and immediately noticed some wonderful art work on the wall beyond the tracks in front of me. I began my research to...
Martin Thomasson
Carmel Thomason
Diane Parkes
Lorraine Worsley-Carter