People – Quays Life

“I want no other theatrical experience to ever live up to it!” – Tom Fletcher

Lucy Tobin

“I’m hoping for absolute chaos!” It’s an unusual aspiration for the creative behind a brand-new musical to want from his audience reaction – especially when he adds that he wants the audience to be “shouting out and jumping up and down and...

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The cast of Dear England (2025) at the National Theatre (c) Marc Brenner

People Salford Quays To do & see Uncategorized

Dear England cast reveal their approach to playing well known faces on stage

Carmel Thomason

Dear England, the hit Olivier Award-winning play by James Graham, comes to Lowry, Salford direct from a 10-week run at the National Theatre in London. After scooping the award for Best New Play In 2024 the production has been updated following last...

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People Salford Quays To do & see

Alan Bleasdale and James Graham on bringing Boys from the Blackstuff to the stage

Sarah Hemming

It’s been a long time coming. Ever since Yosser Hughes strode onto the screen in 1982 and into television drama history, with his brilliant, heartbreaking catchphrase “Gizza job”, people have been urging Alan Bleasdale to bring Boys from the...

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Nathaniel J Hall Photo by Rebecca Lupton/Factory Int

People

Nathaniel J Hall draws on lived experience to explore toxic relationships in his new play

Amy Corringham

Following its sell-out debut at HOME, Manchester in 2023, actor, writer and HIV activist Nathaniel J Hall is taking his critically acclaimed second play, Toxic on tour, arriving at Lowry, Salford on April 16. He talks to Amy Corringham about the...

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People

New play addresses the need for more organ donors

Carmel Thomason

A brand-new stage version of multi-award-winning Malorie Blackman’s novel Pig Heart Boy comes to Lowry, Salford. Quays Life met the cast to find out more about bringing this important story about organ donation to the stage. Based on Malorie...

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People Salford Quays To do & see

Jake Murray on bringing the covid monologues to the stage

Carmel Thomason

‘The Moth’, by Paul Herzberg, was originally filmed as a 10-minute piece to camera, as part of a series of short films from Elysium Theatre Company called ‘The Covid-19 Monologues’. The film was seen around the world, winning several awards...

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Artist Bobby Baker An Edible Family in a Mobile Home at The Tate 2023 © Hugo Glendenning

People

Artist Bobby Baker talks feminism, family and edible art

Verity Marchant

Whitworth Art Gallery is currently home to an installation quite literally good enough to eat. Artist Bobby Baker has recreated her An Edible Family in a Mobile Home (1976, 2023) enlisting the help of Long Boi’s Bakehouse to make the edible family...

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Floella Benjamin's Coming to England. Photo by Mark Senior

People To do & see

Floella Benjamin on staging her childhood story Coming to England

Carmel Thomason

Floella Benjamin talks to Quays Life about the stage adaptation of her autobiographical book Coming to England as a vibrant new play with music, which arrives at Lowry, Salford on 5 February as part of a UK tour. Could you tell us about Coming to...

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Laura Littlewood as Mrs Bradman. Photo by Claire Angel

People To do & see

Laura Littlewood talks Noel Coward, Coronation Street and Ghosts

Carmel Thomason

Actor Laura Littlewood has become a familiar face reporting breaking news from Coronation Street’s many dramatic moments. Now at the other end of the reporter’s notebook, Laura tells us about her latest role playing Mrs Bradman in HER...

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Momoko Hirata as Cinderella in BRB's Cinderella. Photo by Roy Smiljanic

People

Designer John Macfarlane tells us what it’s really like to get Cinderella to the ball

Diane Parkes

Sir David Bintley’s Cinderella remains one of the most popular ballets in BRB’s repertoire. As the company prepares to take this magical production on tour again in 2025, Diane Parkes talks to designer John Macfarlane to find out what it takes to...

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