Carmel ThomasonWhoever said you can get too much of a good thing never saw Jason Manford in pantomime. The Salford-born comedian takes the lead at Manchester Opera House for the fourth consecutive Christmas alongside his popular panto sidekick and Britain’s Got...
Aslan returns to Lowry, Salford in the 75th anniversary of C.S. Lewis’ spellbinding children’s tale. And what a magnificent return it is, capturing all the emotion, thrill and excitement of the story in a roller-coaster two hours that leaves us...
Dave PorterWhat happens when you fail to reach the giddy heights of success as an actor? When a career high translates into a summer season in Blackpool rather than the bright lights of Broadway. That’s the intriguing premise of a play written by Andy Moseley...
In 1945, a week-long series of meetings took place in Manchester which was to change the course of history in Africa. Several of the attendees went on to become presidents of African nations and it has been argued that the Fifth Pan-African...
When it first premiered in the 1990s, Stones in his Pockets caused a stir. A winner of two Olivier awards for best new comedy and best new actor, the play by Marie Jones has played consistently in the West End as well as endearing audiences abroad...
In the programme notes, Michael Morpurgo admits he was sceptical when first approached about staging his 25-year-old book, War Horse using puppets. The National Theatre was keen to find a vehicle to work with South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company...
If you’re one of millions of dog lovers who thinks love is a four-legged word, then 101 Dalmatians is the musical you’ve been waiting for. Dodie Smith’s children’s book is most well-known for its Disney screen adaptations: the classic 1961 animation...
Martin ThomassonWhen Punch magazine first printed its cartoon about a curate’s egg, the joke was very clear. Fearful of offending his superior, the bishop, the curate describes the egg he has been served for breakfast as having “excellent” parts. For reasons that...
Resist the urge to bolt the door and close the curtains when you spot the words “Jehovah’s Witness” in the promotional blurb for Brook Tate’s confessional show, “Birthmarked.” If anything, think of this as your opportunity to turn the tables; to...
Full disclosure: I haven’t read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. An international bestseller with a panoramic vision taking in the 20th century history of Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion to the rise of the Taliban, the book charts the...