Do you hear the people sing? Yes, I do. And I hear them cry – there are even nose-blowing sobs to the left of me. I also hear the roar of approval with thunderous applause that sees the whole auditorium on its feet as soon the stage goes black. This...
It was a very smart move of Tim Firth to adapt his 1998 TV comedy, Neville’s Island, for the stage in 2013. It has rarely – if ever – been out of production since. It looks like being another smart move for him to realise (or be...
Writer Alison Carr wanted to create something that audiences don’t just sit and watch – they become part of it. The result was The Last Quiz Night On Earth – a quiz night AND the world is about to end. She talks to Quays Life about...
Northern Broadsides’ As You Like It is the first production I’ve seen staged in the round at The Lowry’s Quays Theatre, and it’s a layout that certainly suits both venue and play. It feels more novel and intimate than a proscenium arch staging...
Carlos Acosta’s energetic, vibrant production of this classic ballet is guaranteed to make you smile, writes Georgina Wells In his programme notes, Carlos Acosta calls Don Quixote ‘the sunshine ballet,’ and certainly Birmingham Royal Ballet...
Calling a play ‘The Last Quiz Night on Earth’ is asking for trouble. The latest from Manchester based new writing company, Box of Tricks was originally scheduled two years ago, but a global pandemic put the kibosh on a planned tour. Alison Carr’s...
‘Fatal Attraction’ is a show which starts off in high gear, and just keeps getting faster finds Steve Timms. A seminal performance text, Peter Brook’s ‘The Empty Space’ has served as a blueprint for many theatre practioners since its publication in...
Blood Brothers continues to live up to its reputation as the “standing ovation musical,” finds Georgina Wells Blood Brothers tours the UK once again – stopping at the Palace Theatre for 12 nights – it is easy to see why Willy Russell’s...
The world needs more people like Nigel Havers. After a long and successful career on stage and screen the actor is still taking risks, setting up a theatre company in the middle of a pandemic and launching it with a play and a role familiar to many...
Gate-crashing a tea break during rehearsals to chat to Patricia Hodge and Nigel Havers, Vicky Edwards finds out more about a brand new touring production of one of Noel Coward’s most effervescent and enduring comedies… Reviews for the original...
Carmel Thomason
Martin Thomasson
Georgina Wells
Steve Timms