There’s no simple answer to this, though a quick fix of escapism is a guaranteed, short term antidote. Top Hat is now on stage, in a new adaptation by Matthew White and Howard Jacques. The show’s USP is multi award-winning double threat Kathleen Marshall, a premier league director and choreographer, feted for an acclaimed series of shows on Broadway, and in the West End (her brother is film director Rob Marshall, so it must be in the genes).

I have to admit to being late to this particular party, only discovering Kathleen Marshall’s talents with the Barbican production of ‘Anything Goes‘ a few years back. The latter was a dazzling piece of popular art, quite unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Marshall brings the same eye for glamour and sophistication to Top Hat. If it doesn’t surpass ‘Anything Goes’, it is certainly the equal; impressive enough to convert a musical heretic to the joys of song and dance. 

In New York, wealthy producer Horace Hardwick (James Hume) hires American entertainer Jerry Travers (Phillip Attmore, possessing Zeus like dancing abilities) to headline a new musical show. The action then zips across the Atlantic to London. Jerry stays in Horace’s hotel suite, and his night time dance episodes (described as ‘tapititus’) are irksome enough to wake pretty Dale Tremont (Nicole-Lily Baisden, a pint size package of fizzy energy) in the room below. When she stomps up to Horace’s suite to tell Jerry to keep it down, he falls instantly in love. The next day, Jerry follows Dale around London, croons and charms until she can resist no longer.

This being the 1930’s, she neglects to ask his name – yes, this is the improbable dramatic device on which Top Hat pivots, because Dale now believes Jerry is Horace (who she’s never actually met). Next stop, Venice. Dale knows Horace is married to sassy redhead friend Madge (Emma Williams), who informs Dale that her husband is staying in the same hotel. Misunderstandings quickly pile on top of each other. To say more would spoil the ride.

Attmore and Baisden make a charming lead couple, though are in danger of being upstaged by the sub plot players, Hume and Williams. Hume is a hilarious bundle of bristling neurosis, seemingly afraid of everything – particularly air travel. “I get frightened when I arrive at the airport, and see the word ‘departures.” Act 2’s secret weapon is Williams who crackles with attitude and whip smart put downs. Hume and Williams have such chemistry, it would be great to see these performers return in a spin off.  

I still recall versatile James Clyde from a run of mid 90’s appearances at the Royal Exchange; he deserves a mention for his droll turn as Horace’s jaded valet, Bates. Likewise understudy Zak Edwards, who brings a controlled, toreador energy to the role of flamboyant dress maker, Alberto Beddini.

The mark of a gifted designer is when their work stays in the mind, rather than fading after the curtain. Peter McKintosh’s sumptuous set is a giant art deco clock; at various points, the face spins open to reveal different rooms and suites. Alongside Yvonne Milnes, McKintosh has also created the fabulous costumes. Every member of the company is immaculately attired. Top Hat exists in a rarefied atmosphere of covetous excellence (I’m almost tempted to break into the theatre at night, and steal a souvenir – perhaps Jerry’s duck egg blue suit).

Alongside Cole Porter, Irving Berlin was the prime mover of the great American songbook. His best known tunes might be ‘White Christmas’ and ‘No Business Like Showbusiness’ but those featured in Top Hat are easily the most melodic: ‘Cheek to Cheek’, ‘Putting on the Ritz’, ‘Let’s Face the Music and Dance’ are ear worms that take up permanent residence. The undoubted highpoint of Marshall’s production is ‘Top Hat, White Tie and Tails.’ This is a dance team operating as a hive mind, a series of jaw dropping sequences which include intimate groupings, spiral stage crossing, and dancers tossing and catching canes across parallel lines. How is this sort of thing even possible? A scene like this belongs in a choreographer’s textbook; a blueprint for what the art form can achieve.    

Top Hat is as bracing as a glass of chilled champagne in a cryogenic ice bath. But you will have to hurry: this Chichester Festival production is at the end of its tour (Southampton Mayflower follows this Lowry run).   

Top Hat is at Lowry, Salford from 2 to 4 April 2026.

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Having taught herself to read as an infant, Matilda (Madison Davis) is leagues apart from the rest of her television-obsessed family. Mr Wormwood (Adam Stafford) is an engine-stuffing, motor meddling, Vinny Gambino-esque secondhand car dealer, and his wife Mrs Wormwood (Rebecca Thornhill) is just as eyebrow raising, if you don’t buy that she really is ‘just practising’ with her World Amateur Flamenco Competition partner Rudolpho (Ryan Lay) in the living room. Matilda’s brother Michael (Samuel Leon) is the supposed brains of the family – yes, he’s apparently got one. Somewhere.  

Life for Matilda goes impossibly further south after her parents enrol her in her new primary school, Crunchem Hall. A concrete jungle ruled over by an ex-Olympic hammer throwing champion, Agatha Trunchbull’s (Richard Hurst) reign of terror is defined by her motto BAMBINATUM EST MAGGITUM: children are maggots. Her hatred of children puts her at odds with reception teacher Miss Honey (Tessa Kadler), a woman forever trembling with her own self-doubt, whose insecurity belies a deep fascination with her strange new student. Miss Honey and Matilda have a lot to learn from each other – they may also have far more in common than they realise.  

‘Matilda: The Musical’ is indescribably brilliant. At just shy of two-and-a-half hours long, this performance would be a mean feat for any seasoned actor – let alone a cast dominated by children under 12, who share roles between shows. Sharp, assured, and yet deeply, shyly vulnerable, Madison Davis as this particular Matilda is everything every child imagines when growing up reading the original book. Bruce Bogtrotter (Brodie Robson) is a standout act for his lead in ‘Revolting Children’, and Sana Lennon as Lavender is a delight to watch skittering across the stage – an especially incredible debut for the only cast member without any formal theatre training.  

Miss Trunchbull is cocky, cruel, and hilariously, brilliantly camp from beginning to end, and Miss Honey quietly sneaks the audience’s hearts as she is forced to confront her own demons. Esther Niles as Mrs Phelps plays a much bigger role than in the original story, and is for a long time Matilda’s only support – a heartwarming watch, and comforting anchor in a story so chaotic from scene to scene.  

‘Matilda: The Musical’ makes interesting strays from the original book’s story, perhaps explained by Dennis Kelly’s screenwriting background in gritty dramas and surreal comedy. The biggest change is the decision to cut back on Matilda’s telekinetic powers, which she originally develops as a toddler because her brain is so large, it pushes the extra energy out of her eyes. Instead, much of the play is driven by Matilda’s dogged sense of justice, and her frustration at the state of her life – “Nobody but me is going to change my story,” after all. For a change so drastic, it is a shift that only sharpens the show’s edge: this is a Matilda that is entirely self-driven, and far more relatable than her aloof, superpowered inspiration. To see this tiny girl abused is a vastly more disturbing watch.  

However, with so much of the plot hinging on Matilda’s telekinesis, powers eventually do play a role in the second act – I only wish they had been introduced slightly earlier than the infamous newt scene. Shockingly for a performance already eclipsing the average theatre runtime, the show could benefit from an extra scene or two to fully flesh out this part of its story. Time may be well spent in the way it introduces characters, settings, and songs, but the introduction of her powers felt slightly out of left field: ‘Oh, so she does have powers in the end – wait, the show’s nearly over!’  

In all, ‘Matilda: The Musical’ is nothing short of out-of-this-world entertainment. This show embellishes an intergenerational classic with a surreal, dreamlike retelling, and is a fantastic showcase of the brilliance of the UK’s youngest theatrical talent. Brilliantly staged, beautifully scored, and with a blindingly talented cast both big and small, if you’re on the fence about tickets, treat yourself – sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty.  

Matilda the Musical is at The Palace Theatre Manchester from 26 March until 25 April 2026 before continuing on tour.

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Now a West End and Broadway hit with numerous awards, it is hard to imagine the musical’s humble beginnings in front of an audience of 80 in Lowry’s Aldridge Studio space.

SpitLip the talented company behind this inventive show rose up through Lowry’s Artist Development programme over a 10-year funding and mentorship scheme that included supporting other projects and co-commissioning Operation Mincemeat.

Before that, the four creatives behind the company – David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts – cut their teeth performing sketch shows at the Edinburgh Fringe. And there is evidence of that background in the tight timing, high energy and carefully orchestrated chaos of Mincemeat.

The result is an exciting reinvention of the genre that will both delight musical lovers and win over those sceptics who say musicals are not for them.

Set in 1943, it is based on the bizarre true story of an MI5 mission to use a corpse as a decoy to fool Hitler and give allied troops a clear run into Sicily. It is one of those stories so strange you couldn’t make it up, and audiences will likely be familiar with it from the 2021 war drama starring Colin Firth.

Here the tale is told as a fast-paced, quick-witted comedy with five actors – Christian Andrews, Seán Carey, Charlotte Hanna-Williams, Holly Sumpton, Jamie-Rose Monk – taking on numerous gender-switching roles with lightening precision and clarity.  All the cast, except Monk, are reprising their roles performed in the West End and it is an exceptionally polished production with consistent high energy from the opening line to the curtain call.

It’s war time in a secret bunker, so the set is naturally pared back. However, Ben Stones seemingly simple set design, like the show itself, has more than a few surprises, with tongue-in-cheek nods to glitzier musicals, slick reveals and effective integration of Mark Henderson’s lighting design to evoke atmosphere without blinding.

There are some lovely harmonies in the music and some genuinely emotional moments that leave the audience spellbound. This fresh, clever, and funny musical is probably the best show you will see this year. It is certainly the best I’ve seen for a long time. Don’t miss it.

Operation Mincemeat is at Lowry, Salford from 16 to 28 February 2026. Age recommendation 5+

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Of course, back then I had little knowledge of the grit and determination, as well as the talent it had taken for her to get there. Since then, there has been the 1993 film ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’, that revealed the extent of the domestic abuse she suffered at the hands of ex-husband and singing partner Ike Turner. More recently there have been several documentaries, most notably the 2021 HBO documentary film, simply titled, ‘Tina’.

But it takes a live show to capture both the emotion of the story and the electrifying energy of a gig. And this show maxes out both to jaw-dropping effect.

If you’re thinking, well this is not the first time we’ve seen a Tina Turner show, don’t mix this up with ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It’ – the theatre tribute show, which recreates a concert.

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical is a biographical jukebox musical that chronicles her incredible journey from young Anna Mae Bullock of Tennessee to the global superstar we know today. This tour is it’s first time out of the West End.

While it’s written by Olivier Award and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Katori Hall, the content of the show has been guided very much by Tina Turner herself who played a central part in the creation of the musical, ensuring audiences get to understand more of the real woman behind the stage persona.

This leads not just to scenes of her turbulent love life, but a closer lens on her family, from her early upbringing as the daughter of a Baptist preacher, the break-up of her parents’ marriage, reliance on her Gran, her difficult and often abusive relationship with her mother and her strained relationship with her sons. Literally no punches are pulled and in one scene we see a bloodied Tina begging for a roof over her head.

The story is told through 23 songs from Tina’s extensive back catalogue, including Proud Mary, River Deep – Mountain High, Private Dancer and (Simply) The Best. Mark Thompson’s set design uses minimal props and a lot of projection to seamlessly move locations in an almost filmic fashion between scenes. The costumes are fabulous too and some of the dresses from the West End show are on display to be viewed close-up at The Palace Theatre in the space where there is often a merchandise stand at the back of the stalls.

Overall, it is a slick and immersive experience, driven by a compelling story and mesmerising central performance. Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy played Tina on Thursday when we saw the show. She captures the star’s powerful vocals and signature moves while at the same time giving us an authentic interpretation that never feels like it is falling into an impression or mimicry of the singer. Jochebel shares the role with Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi because it is too vocally and physically demanding for one actor to perform six days a week, sometimes twice a day.

If you see the show, you will understand why it has two actors for the starring role as well as an alternate. The show runs for just under three hours and the lead is on stage almost throughout. The storyline is emotionally demanding and the energy required at the end to lift the atmosphere to stadium gig levels is phenomenal.

Jochebel is supported ably by a fantastic cast including an aggressively explosive, David King-Yombo in the difficult role of Ike Turner. The live band, which we get to see at the end, rocks the house down and everyone gets their chance to join in to (Simply) The Best.

The show is in Manchester until January and some people who saw it in London have told me they can’t wait to see it again closer to home. It is the kind of show you will want to see again – it’s terrific.

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical is at The Palace Theatre, Manchester from 25 November to 3 January 2025. Age guidance 14+

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Jerry Travers (Phillip Attmore), a Broadway sensation, helps an old boy out by coming to London to be in Horace Hardwick’s (James Hume) show. Horace’s wife, Madge (Sally Ann Triplett), though legendary and adored, is bleeding him dry and he needs Jerry’s all-round talent to put bums on seats. Jerry will do anything for a pal but it’s all on the hush hush so no one sees him before the big event and also for us, so mistaken identity and mild peril can ensue. So madcap and kefuffling is the topsy-turvy of the piece that a real-life counterpart would be scathed for life.

Listen, it’s not the greatest of plots but if you love Art Deco glitz, Hollywood-infused dancing and singing, and a brilliant cast to do it – do you care? Really? This isn’t a plot-driven drama, it’s a fun night out with amazing all-rounders giving it large and lavish. It takes you back to the black-and-white films, with effortless sweeping of the stage in feathers and diamonds, male characters who are much lighter on their feet than they are allowed in everyday life. The men are wry, brow-beaten and confused by women. The women are exasperated, wise and tricksy. It’s fun, frolicky and all entirely on the surface. It’s a happy-hour cocktail at the start of the festive season.

It’s a beautiful revolving Quality Street tin of Berlin bangers. The set – a big Art Deco glass and wrought-iron fan – supplies an outside image of a skyline that depicts where we are but also serves, many times, as restaurant, stage set or bedroom.

Attmore enthralls us as Jerry, and Amara Okereke as his feisty love interest matches him, bringing a peppy confidence and strong presence. But for me the older characters have a true dramatic depth I really enjoyed: Triplett as Madge reminded my friend of Kathleen Turner; comedy timing with a varied register always makes a great impact. Hume as Horace grounds us in real dramatic acting – not playing to the gods but finding the real truth in the moment, which is a rare skill to pull off in a fru-fru story.

There is a lot of over-explaining to be done in the dialogue, so that the plot will work. But if you really think about it, we tend to be very selective in what we will accept when it comes to musicals. In Top Hat, as with most musicals, you have people bursting into song every two minutes and passersby join in – all in the same colour palette with synchronised movements. We are more than happy to go with this convention, so why not accept the ludicrous nature of a story also?

So finely presented and so needed is the nostalgia and trimmings in this show, we are more than happy to suspend our disbelief entirely to escape into a wonderful time. And it really provides that. Because the beauty of the show is the dancing, the songs, the cheeky humour based around how women and men were at the time. Even the hidden sexuality that comes through with innuendo is treated exactly how it should be- fixed in a moment in time. It’s two hours well spent.

Top Hat is at the Opera House, Manchester from 25 to 29 November 2025.

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Created by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr., Miss Saigon reimagines Puccini’s Madama Butterfly – shifting the action to Vietnam during the final days of the war and the fall of Saigon in 1975. Over the decades it has attracted both acclaim and controversy, but this production steers closer to emotional and political clarity than most. It gives the story a contemporary resonance without sacrificing its operatic scale.

I felt privileged to see what I believe to be one of the best casts in any show I have ever seen. Seann Miley Moore’s Engineer is nothing short of a revelation. I cannot say enough about this performance. Moore brings swagger, danger, needle-sharp timing and a charisma that shimmers between comedy and horror. It’s the kind of performance you feel lucky to witness, and now I can say ‘I saw them play the Engineer in Manchester, I was there to see who I believed, would turn out to be a legend’.

There has been some criticism of shaving down the production meaning less impact. I would disagree. For instance – the use of animation and projected design by George Reeve is a strong asset to this production. The exodus from Saigon to Bangkok – the boat on the ocean, the wash of light, the echo of past horrors meeting the refugee crises of today – lands with astonishing force. The visuals melt into the story in a way that deepens the emotional ocean rather than floating an idea of it. For me, compromising on aspects that were spectacle in earlier productions, allows for a big cast, and that is what I appreciate. That’s work for more people in a difficult industry. I believe, the cuts are in the right place. And nothing is budget about this production.

Jack Kane’s Chris is played with precision, and this staging allows something I’ve wanted to see the last time but it didn’t quite reach. Kane gives us a Chris who carries the horror of war and the guilt of his choices. His relationship with Kim feels, here, like something he used to decorate his trauma – a connection he couldn’t maintain and a responsibility he didn’t fully own. There’s a sense he could have done more. It exposes the self-serving and his terrible experiences taking effect on his choices, in a way that feels closer to the truth of what a soldier experiences.

Opposite him, Julianne Pundan’s Kim is extraordinary. She is utterly believable from her first moment to her last: steadfast, tender, fierce, doomed. Pundan’s voice and emotional truths are the heart of the entire show. You cannot look away from her. She embodies brave love and the devastation, the demolition of a true heart in a terrible war.

And then there’s Moore’s Engineer again – because he truly holds the centre. What makes the character fascinating is his honesty: he is openly self-serving, openly sleazy, openly opportunistic. Chris hides behind the myth of being morally torn. Ellen hides behind middle-class Western righteousness. The Engineer hides nothing. So when Moore tears into “The American Dream,” the audience erupts. The number becomes a glittering, rotten masterpiece – a beautiful bitch of a sequence where satire, violence, patriotism and fantasy merge into something unforgettable. He lifts the embroidered silken veil of Vietnam and shows the blood beneath it; the dreams of America become stripes and sequins stuck to a desperate fool. It’s mesmerising, horrifying, exhilarating.

The tragedy of Miss Saigon endures because no one escapes unscathed. The score remains one of the strongest ever written for musical theatre. The book – when handled with clarity instead of varnish – exposes the truth that men can go blindly into war, devastate lives, misunderstand everything, and then move on. This production edges closer to that truth than most. It is harrowing. It is spectacular. And it is, without question, worth seeing. I feel I can speak for future audiences of this production when I say – this is theatre at its best.

Miss Saigon is at The Palace Theatre, Manchester from 4-15 November 2025.

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The show is co-produced by pop superstars Steps and features their most beloved songs, prompting Rebecca to add with a smile: “Oh and it has the best music you’ll ever hear! Audiences are taken on a journey and they will leave the theatre on an absolute high.”

She knows what she’s talking about. Here & Now – which is written by Shaun Kitchener and directed by Rachel Kavanaugh – had its world premiere at The Alexandra in Birmingham last year and played for three weeks after it became the theatre’s fasting-selling show ever, with Lock earning glowing reviews for her performance as shop worker Caz.

“Like the audience she goes on a real journey,” the actress teases of a character who in an employee at seaside superstore Better Best Bargains (as a nod to Steps’ 1999 smash hit Better Best Forgotten). “She works there with three friends and at the beginning of the show it looks like Caz has everything she’s ever dreamed of, then her world is shattered.”

Lock is careful not to give spoilers, but it turns out that the shelves of the store are stocked with lies and betrayal and the summer of love (another Steps reference) that Caz and her mates have been dreaming of suddenly seems like a tragedy (ditto!).

She’s no stranger to musical theatre, with a vast CV that includes Elf, Curtains, Heathers, Mary Poppins and Mamma Mia! to name just a few. As with the latter, she feels Here & Now is a relatable story “with diverse characters that everyone can relate to”.

With a smile Rebecca adds: “And I love playing Caz, so I’m so happy that I get to do it again for the tour. I get to do comedy, I get to do pathos, I laugh, I cry and I get to sing all these amazing songs.”

Asked to pick a favourite number in the show, she settles on the slowed-down version of Love’s Got a Hold on My Heart. Then there’s the megamix at the end. “Everyone is up and dancing, and they have the biggest smiles on their faces. And I think we all need a show like this at the moment, with high drama, escapism, bright colours, happiness, some silliness and a bit of campery. And of course some banging tunes.”

Those banging tunes come courtesy of the UK’s most successful mixed-gender band ever, who have 22 million record sales and 500 million streams under their collective belts since they came to fame in 1997.

Their numerous hits include the song that gives the musical its title, prompting Jacqui Dubois to quip: “It’s the perfect show for here and now because it’s so joyful, and we all need some joy in our lives. It’s heartwarming, it’s funny, it’s got a bit of everything and you can share it with all the generations in your family.”

Jacqui plays Vel, who is one of Caz’s best friends at Better Best Bargains and about whom she says: “Vel’s been there for 25 years and she’s very loyal, both as a friend and to her work. She’s very warm and likeable, and like the rest of the characters she’s so relatable because she’s an everywoman.”

New to the Here & Now cast for the tour, Jacqui’s theatre credits include The Wizard of Oz, The Lion King, Rent, The Full Monty and Fame. A seasoned tourer, she’s looking forward to taking the show around the country. “I love travelling and it’s great to visit all these different places and different audiences,” Dubois says, adding with a laugh: “In Liverpool or Glasgow, for example, they tend to be a bit more raucous.”

When she toured in Fame she starred opposite Ian ‘H’ Watkins, who is in Steps alongside Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee. “So it’s a nice reunion,” she grins, adding that the band have been very hands-on with the show to make sure it has a strong story.

“The script is so good,” Duboi says. “When I first read it I was so immersed in the story, which really sets it apart. And obviously the music is great. As with all great pop bands, Steps songs are really catchy and they stick in your mind.”

Her faves? That’d be opening number Stomp, Last Thing on My Mind (“which is so much fun, with lots of trolleys and baskets and things”) and The Way You Make Me Feel.

Rosie Singha, who stars as Neeta, is a big fan of 5,6,7,8. “It reminds me of school discos,” she says, “and doing all the dance moves. I also love Better the Devil You Know and Scared of the Dark, which is my biggest number in the show where Neeta gets to let loose and have loads of fun.”

She already knew Lee before she signed on for Here & Now, since they were both in & Juliet on tour together. “It’s been nice seeing him again, and Steps are really behind the show. They want it to be brilliant, which it is.”

Rosie describes Neeta as “a true sweetheart and an optimist” who has a crush on fellow staffer Ben. “Never in her wildest dreams does she believe that she would ever be good enough for him, but she’s got such a tight-knit group of friends for support. They have the most amazing dynamic, where they’re silly together and they can tell each other anything.”

Of South Asian heritage, Rosie is proud to be in the show because: “You don’t often see South Asians on stage, plus this show has such a gorgeously diverse cast. On top of that, all of the characters are just living their lives with real-world troubles and fears. Audiences will see people that they know or can identify with.”

This is only her second professional role after & Juliet and she’s pinching herself.

“I’m really excited and I feel very humbled to be amongst this incredible cast, and it’s the sort of escapism that we need right now. The real world can be pretty scary at times, especially at the minute, so it’s nice that we can provide people with a night out where they can forget everything, have some drama and some fun and a dance at the end.”

Played by Blake Patrick Anderson, Robbie is another store worker. “And he’s a bit of a playboy and a bit of a commitment-phobe. Caz inspires the group to take a chance on falling in love, so he goes on that journey but his coping mechanism is definitely to be silly. He’s a really fun character to play.”

Blake was in the original cast and was part of the workshops, admitting with mock embarrassment: “Back then I didn’t know Steps at all, apart from one or two songs from my sisters growing up. That’s been a brilliant part of this – getting to learn about their music and how much people love it.”

Returning to the role for the UK is a joy because: “We had such a short run in Birmingham, so we were still very much exploring and finding the characters. Knowing that I’m going to sit in this character for the next few months is really exciting and the reaction to the show was insanity beyond what I could have imagined! I remember on opening night, as soon as the overture started playing the screams were deafening.”

Blake’s many musical theatre credits include Be More Chill, Gatsby The Musical, Rent and Closer To Heaven. This show is particularly special to him, as he explains: “For me as a queer man, there are often stories about moving to the big city and how you have to go and find your community. But Here & Now is about people who have found their community at home. I’m really excited to take this show on tour because it means that a real-life Robbie somewhere is going to see it in his hometown.”

Blake’s favourite song in the show is Say You’ll Be Mine. As for why he feels Steps have such a huge LGBTQ following, he muses: “There’s a lot of camp to their songs and they’re all about having a good time. Having met the band, they are so open and inclusive and so lovely, which is as much a credit to them as it is to their music.”

River Medway is another of the musical’s returnees. A familiar face from the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, he plays Jem – a Better Best Bargains customer, Robbie’s love interest and a drag queen. “So it’s the perfect part for me! Jem has his own drag persona, which the audience gets to see when he performs Chain Reaction. Maybe I’m biased but it’s my favourite number in the show.”

Since Drag Race River has toured the country and starred in Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch and Death Drop: Back in the Habit. He was hooked in by Here & Now because: “Steps’ music was a big part of my childhood. I trained in musical theatre and when this role came up it was like ‘I love musicals, I love pop music, I love Steps and the character is a drag queen. I’m in!'”

There was another reason why River said yes to the role. “With all the other shows I’ve done before, I’ve been in drag the whole time, whereas here I’m actually playing a real person who is also a drag queen. When we did it in Birmingham last year, it was the perfect amalgamation of so many things all coming together and with an amazing team. The fact that people like Shaun and Rachel, who have done such amazing work before, are involved reinforces just how good a show it really is.”

Echoing the sentiments of his castmates, River feels: “It’s a fantastic musical that has a lot of heart and tells a lot of really great stories that I think everyone can relate to. It’s about all these different types of people from all different walks of life – different age ranges and ethnicities and body types and sexualities.”

He grins. “And let’s not forget all those amazing Steps songs! They’ve always been really welcoming to everyone and their shows have always been about having fun and being yourself. The same is true of Here & Now.”

Here & Now the Steps Musical is at the Opera House, Manchester from 2 to 13 September 2025 before continuing on tour. Read our review

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For those who don’t know what DDLJ stands for, it is short for the 1995 Hindi-language film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which is still showing in Mumbai cinemas 30 years after its first screening.

Its loyal fan base is clear, with audience whoops as soon as the band strikes up. The stage version clearly has a lot to live up to, so can it do it?

Well, excitement of the audience aside (and there is a lot of anticipation of what is to come), the show opens with a wow factor that leaves us in no doubt of the scale of this production. It feels like the glitz and glamour of Bollywood has landed in Manchester with no expense spared.

Derek McLane’s imposing sets coupled with Akhila Krishnan’s projections make for an immersive mix that immediately draw us in whether that setting be Oxford or the Punjab.

The live band, under the musical direction of Benjamin Holder, lifts the mood from the opening bars. There are 18 new English songs in this production. I can’t say that I left singing any of them, but on the first viewing of a musical I wouldn’t necessarily expect to. The tunes are certainly easy on the ear, with an infectious Disney-esk feel good vibe. Add Rob Ashford’s energetic choreography and it is a winning vibrant mix for any musical.

The stage version also has the hand of the original film director Aditya Chopra, who was 23 when he directed the original film. Some of the elements remain the same in so far as it tells of a clashing of cultures – east and west. But the stage version adds another layer by swapping the original Raj character for Rog, the party-loving son of a tech billionaire.

Rog (Ashley Day) and Simran (Jena Pandya) are both studying philosophy at Oxford, with varying success. While Rog is sleeping his way through classes Simran is busy studying for her dissertation on what it means to love. But how will the theory stand up when Simran finds herself faced with the real thing? As the two are thrown together during a month-long inter-railing trip around Europe will head or heart win out?

Sparks definitely fly between these two very likable leads who keep us invested in an otherwise predictable story.

Nell Benjamin, who comes with top stage writing credentials, having penned the book for Mean Girls and Legally Blonde, has updated the book and lyrics to widen its appeal for a 21st century and largely western audience. As you might expect, there are plenty of witty lines but there is also a lot of broad-brushed stereotyping that feels heavy handed, particularly in the first act and weakens what could otherwise be a terrific show.

As it is, there is still much to love here with almost three hours of frivolous fun for your money. The Holi Hai finale is joyous and will leave you itching to join in.

Come Fall in Love the DDLJ Musical is at the Opera House, Manchester from 29 May to 21 June 2025.

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This stage musical, from Cameron Mackintosh and Disney, is now in its 20th year. If you’ve seen it before you know what an amazing spectacle of a show it is. This time around it is equally wonderful, and I can’t recommend it highly enough – it is one of the best stage productions you are likely to see.

Julian Fellowes’ book is a mix of PL Travers original story and the 1964 Disney film starring Julie Andrews, who gets a nod in Mr Banks old nanny, ‘Miss Andrew’. Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman’s famous songs are all there, and with a live band become real showstoppers – Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious becomes a riotous hit that has you thinking, if this is only the interval what’s to come next?

There are some new songs from George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, which fit in seamlessly. One is called, ‘Practically Perfect’ and this show definitely is.

Who’s playing Mary Poppins? Well in many ways a recognisable big name doesn’t matter, because this is one of those rare shows where the character is the star. That said, the actor must make us believe in her, and it is testament to Stefanie Jones talent that she embodies Mary Poppins with such energy, the audience is under her spell from the start. And not just children – adults spontaneously cheer and wave as she flies overhead.

When Jones is on the stage you can’t look anywhere else – she mesmerises with wit and mischief. We can well believe her favourite sugared spoonful is rum punch flavour, and we like her that way. Just like the Banks’ children we feel like we have entered another world and, wherever it is, it is fabulous!

Everything about the production draws us in, from Bob Crowley’s sketchbook inspired sets to Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear’s dazzling choreography. Mary Poppins brings with her plenty of magic too, brought to life by illusionists Paul Kieve and Jim Steinmeyer.

Jack Chambers tap dancing upside-down as chimney-sweep Bert is worth the ticket price alone. Chambers, easy humour and megawatt smile, make him the perfect sidekick for Poppins. He’s a natural comic with the kids and a dream of a dancer.

Both Jones and Chambers are reprising their roles for this tour, having received critical acclaim in the recent Australian production. Their strong rapport gives an already brilliant show that extra sparkle.

There are several children playing Jane and Michael Banks throughout the run. On Friday we saw, Katie Ryden and Charlie Donald – both were terrific. There is not a weak spot in this cast and there are lots of them.

Mary Poppins helps us see the damp, grey streets of London (and Manchester) in glorious technicolour. Catch her before the wind changes and sweeps her off to the next city in need of a lift.

Mary Poppins is at the Palace Theatre, Manchester from 9 April – 17 May 2025 before continuing on tour.

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Suffice to say, whether you are 8 or 80 there is nothing like a flying car to set the imagination soaring.

Ian Fleming’s classic children’s story about the eccentric Caractacus Potts and his fantastical inventions continues to enchant.

Most will be familiar with the musical version from the 1968 film starring Dick Van Dyke as Potts and Sally Ann Howes as sweet factory heiress, Truly Scrumptious.

Here Ore Oduba and Ellie Nunn make for a charming pair as they step into those famous roles. Oduba brings a genuine warmth to the character and his Strictly champion skills shine in the toy box scene.

Nunn gives Scrumptious an update, swapping long lacey gowns for practical jodhpurs. This is a no-nonsense woman with a generous spirit, who can turn her hand at anything. It’s easy to see why the family enjoy having her around.

The quality of the child actors is a real strength of this production, both the central characters and the ensemble. In this tour the roles of Jeremy and Jemima Potts are shared by Charlie Banks, Melody Caruana, Gracie Cochrane, Isla Ithier, Charlie McGuire, Lara Simon, Huxley Syers and Roshan Thomson. On Tuesday we saw Charlie Banks and Lara Simon. Their energy was infectious, making us believe we are on this fantasy journey with them.

The musical is a real family show and director Thom Southerland brings the childlike qualities in all the characters to the fore. Even the sinister Child Catcher becomes more theatrical than sinister. Charlie Brooks plays the part with a camp confidence, almost as if she enjoys the game of dressing up as a cat and sniffing out children with her curly trumpet more than their final capture in her fake ice-cream van.

Liam Fox (Dan Spencer in Emmerdale) gets star billing on the poster too. As Grandpa Potts, his is a smaller role but nonetheless memorable. His relative youth for the part gives him an energy that brings out the humour. His Grandpa retells his tall tales with a twinkling sense of fun and a knowingness that moves away from the film portrayal of an elderly relative with dementia.

The Sherman Brothers’ popular music and lyrics are a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Everyone knows the title track, but in case you are thinking this is a one-hit wonder there are several instantly recognisable tunes including Toot Sweets, Truly Scrumptious and the beautiful lullaby, Hushaby Mountain.

Morgan Large’s set and costume design has a pantomime feel in its vibrancy and humour including entertaining turns like the fairground dresses and definite wow moments with the car. For those who have seen previous productions the magical car doesn’t come out over the stalls, but the flying effects are still enough to make your inner-child soar and want to sing – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we love you!

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is at the Palace Theatre, Manchester from 11-16 March before continuing on tour.

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