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...
Steve TimmsI’ve never felt drawn to the work of Jane Austen (whose modest output totals six novels), for various reasons. Middle class characters who do little except play the harpsichord, and visit other people’s houses, seems a narrow seam to mine. Rom-coms...
The success of The Crown tells us there is plenty of dramatic opportunity in any story about the late Queen as well as a healthy audience for it. Recently Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) too has been getting more attention from dramatists, being the...
Liz RatcliffeRichard Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman is a dramatic opera steeped in folklore, telling the tale of a cursed sea captain doomed to sail the oceans until he finds redemption through the love of a faithful woman. The story follows the Dutchman, who can...
Martin ThomassonIf I were to begin this review by telling you the stars of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s revival of Cinderella are John Macfarlane’s design and David Finn’s lighting (here honoured and adapted by Peter Teigen), you might infer that I was being...
Acclaimed creative duo, director Annabel Arden and designer Joanna Parker, transform Wagner’s opera The Flying Dutchman into an urgent story for our times. Ahead of its performance with Opera North at Lowry, Salford here are 5 reasons to let this...
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...
Not 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...
Dave Porter‘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...