I fall into that bracket. Jersey Boys is a musical I’ve seen several times and each time it comes around I still can’t wait to see it again. It opens with ‘December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)’ and that’s what millions of people have been leaving the theatre feeling at the end.

This current UK tour is the show’s 20th anniversary production. After two decades does this musical, that has won 57 major awards across the world, including Best New Musical at Broadway’s Tony, London’s Olivier and Australia’s Helpmann Awards, still live up to the hype?

The strength of the story is what sets this musical apart from many others. Writers Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice spent hours with the real men behind the wild stories, merging their recollections to tell the previously unheard true story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, using the band’s catchy hits as a backdrop to chart their journey from the back streets of New Jersey to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame heroes.

We all love a rags to riches tale, and this one has so much action along the way. There’s gang crime, links to the mob, gambling, prostitution, family breakdown, drugs, tragedy, and at its core a fiercely held belief in New Jersey loyalty. As Nick Massi wryly comments: “Sell 100 million records and see how you handle it”. It’s heavy stuff in parts but that is just one side. This is a show packed with the roller-coaster of life’s emotions and even the smaller roles such as Aidan Carson as an exuberant young Joe Pesci bring a depth of interest and humour to the overall experience.

If you’ve seen it before, the staging is Klara Zieglerova’s original design. It is a simple set made up of a base of multi-layered steel platforms that easily doubles as the fire escape on a Newark tenement and the rigging of a concert stage which comes realistically to life with huge overhead screen projections as the band take to the stage.

It’s a slick show packed with hit after hit, including ‘Sherry’, ‘Walk Like A Man’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘My Eyes Adored You’, ‘Let’s Hang On (To What We’ve Got)’, ‘Bye Bye Baby’, ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, ‘Working My Way Back to You’, and ‘Rag Doll’.

Of course, even such solid foundations could falter without a strong cast to bring the characters to life. Luke Baker wows the audience as Frankie Valli, growing convincingly from a 16-year-old kid conned into crime to a confident, slick-suited superstar; making us believe in and feel for Valli as a world-famous singer with a soaring falsetto voice as well as a human being with all his vulnerabilities and flaws. His star quality shines and rightly gets a full standing ovation at end.

But this is by no means a one-man show, and much of its strength comes from the rich depth with which all four band members are drawn, each telling the story from their unique perspective. Lewis Kennedy as bass-player Nick Massi brings relatable humanity and humour to a figure who could easily be cast into the shadows as the ‘Ringo’ of the band. Carlo Boumouglbay convincingly adds a glimpse into the dark New Jersey underworld as the wide-boy guitarist Tommy DeVito with Mafia links; while Toby Miles captures both the relative innocence and sensible business-head of young whizz-kid songwriter and keyboardist, Bob Gaudio. When the four take to the stage concert-style, the audience erupts as if seeing the real thing and the atmosphere is electric.

There is so much richness in this show, it’s easy to see why audiences come back over and over again. This UK Tour is as good as it ever was. If you’ve not seen it before, go. If you have seen it before, go back. It has all the drama of Hollywood wrapped in constant stream of nostalgic, uplifting hits. Two decades on it is still the hottest ticket in town.

Jersey Boys is at the Palace Theatre, Manchester from 7-19 September before continuing on tour. Age guidance: 12+, parental guidance advised. Jersey Boys contains genuine New Jersey language which may not be suitable for younger audiences. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult (18+).

The post Jersey Boys 20th anniversary UK tour: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

For anyone discovering The Brown Suite for the first time, what is the show?

Nahum: “The Brown Suite is a dance-theatre work inspired by the music of James Brown, Etta James and Sam Cooke. It’s set in a social space in 1970s New York and follows six friends over the course of one night – the relationships, the joy, the tension, the flirtation, the conflict and everything that happens when people come together in a space where they can really be themselves.”

Darius: “At its heart, it’s about people. The music gives us the landscape, but the characters and their relationships drive the piece. We wanted to create something that feels alive and familiar – where you recognise the energy of being in a room with your friends, but also see how quickly that energy can shift”.

Nahum: “What we didn’t want was a tribute act –  six songs and a nostalgia trip. The moment you walk in, you’re a seventh person at that gathering. You know these dynamics because you’ve lived them: the friend who’s had one drink too many, the couple pretending they’re not a couple, the person quietly holding the whole room together. One night, six people, and by the end you know exactly who they are to each other”.

How would you describe who you are as artists and the work you create together?

Nahum: “We’re both dancers and choreographers, but I think what BlacBrik is really interested in is the intersection of the forms we love – ballet, contemporary, jazz, funk, African diasporic movement, social dance. Not any one of them on its own, but what happens where they meet”.

Darius: “Because each of those forms already tells a story in its own way – ballet has a certain relationship to line and restraint, social dance has a relationship to individuality and call-and-response. We’re interested in what it means when a character can move between those languages, because that tells you something about who they are, not just how well they can move”.

Nahum: “So it’s not decoration. The form a character moves in is part of the storytelling – it’s part of the language of the show, the same as the music or the setting”.

You started working with Fundamentally Dance when you performed Death of the Bachelor at Ballet Nights 007 in London. How does it feel to be touring your very own full-length work across the UK with The Brown Suite today?

Nahum: “It’s honestly quite surreal. We performed a six-minute excerpt of Death of the Bachelors at Ballet Nights 007, so going from that to creating a full-length work and then seeing it travel around the country is a huge step”.

Darius: “There’s also something really special about the fact that the relationship with Fundamentally Dance grew from that first performance. We’re not just presenting a bigger version of what we did before – we’ve had the opportunity to develop our language, our storytelling and our ideas on a much larger scale”.

Nahum: “And ultimately, getting to see audiences experience something that started as conversations between the two of us is probably the most rewarding part”.

Darius: “Six minutes, you can hide behind a strong idea and good stamina. A full evening asks something different of you –  pacing, restraint, knowing when to let a scene breathe. That’s been the real education”.

How has James Brown’s music been present in your life?

Nahum: “James Brown has always felt bigger than just music to me. There’s something incredibly physical about it. You don’t just hear James Brown – you feel the rhythm in your body.

“Actually, my relationship with his music goes back further than any ofmy professional training – I auditioned for my vocational ballet school dancing to James Brown. So in a strange way, he’s been part of every serious step I’ve taken as a dancer, not just this show”.

Darius: “And there’s such a huge range within his music. There’s aggression, humour, sensuality, vulnerability, swagger and joy. That range gives you so much to work with as a performer and choreographer”.

Nahum: “There’s a reason his music has had such an enormous influence on dance and popular culture. The rhythm demands a physical response, and for us that became a really important starting point for the work”.

What ideas, experiences or conversations have sat at the heart of your work on The Brown Suite?

Darius: “One of the biggest things has been community – what happens when people create a space for themselves. We were interested in social spaces and what they can mean beyond simply being somewhere to go out”.

Nahum: “We were also interested in relationships. Friendship, attraction, competition, vulnerability, masculinity, femininity – all those little negotiations that happen between people when they’re together”.

Darius: “And we didn’t want to romanticise the period. There’s joy in the piece, but there’s also fracture. The social world we’re creating can be beautiful and complicated at the same time”.

Nahum: “A lot of our conversations kept coming back to who holds the room and who’s holding themselves together while they do it. Six friends means six different jobs in that dynamic – the peacemaker, the instigator, the one everyone’s protecting without saying so. We wanted the choreography to carry those roles even in the moments where nobody’s speaking”.

Darius: “It was important to us that the fracture felt earned, too – not a twist for the sake of drama, but the kind of thing that’s been sitting under the surface of a friendship group for years before it finally comes out on a night like this one”.

You have a very diverse training. Is The Brown Suite the place where you are able to bring all your different movement knowledge together?

Nahum: “Definitely. Both of us have moved through quite different worlds as dancers, and I think this piece gives us permission to bring those experiences together without having to choose one”.

Darius: “Ballet and contemporary technique give us certain tools – line, strncture, weight, space, precision. Then there are the social and African diasporic movement traditions that bring rhythm, groove, individuality and a different relationship to the music”.

Nahum: “We’re not interested in simply putting those things next to each other. The exciting part is what happens when they actually influence one another”.

Darius: “Practically, it means a dancer might hit a classical line one beat and let it collapse into something completely social and loose the next, without a seam. That’s not a trick – it’s how people actually move when they’re comfortable in a room, half showing off and half just existing”.

To create this new piece with Fundamentally Dance, where did the work begin, and how did you turn that starting point into movement? What have you learnt from each other?

Darius: “A lot of it began with the music and the world we wanted the audience to enter. We weren’t starting with choreography for choreography’s sake. We were asking: who are these people? Where are they? What happened before this moment? What happens when the music changes?”

Nahum: “Then the movement grew out of those questions. Sometimes it starts with rhythm, sometimes with a character, sometimes with a relationship between two people. The choreography becomes a way of revealing what’s happening underneath”.

Darius: “Working together has also taught us how different our instincts can be – and how useful that difference is. We don’t always approach a problem in the same way, but that usually pushes the work somewhere neither of us would have arrived at alone.

What is the best creative advice you have received?

Nahum: “One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received came from Mark Baldwin OBE – trust your instincts. You can learn from everybody, and you should, but eventually you have to make decisions based on what you actually believe in”.

Darius: “And don’t be afraid to edit. Sometimes the hardest thing is knowing when something isn’t serving the bigger picture, especially when you’ve become attached to it”.

Nahum: “You have to be willing to let the work change. The first idea isn’t necessarily the final idea”.

Where do you tap your inspiration from? What is your favourite film?

Darius: “Inspiration comes from everywhere – music, people, architecture, fashion, photography, film, conversations. Film especially, because a director can build a whole world for you without anyone ever explaining how they feel”.

Nahum: “We actually properly align on this one –  we’re both completely obsessed with Quentin Tarantino. Kill Bill is probably the film we’d both put at the top. It’s not just that we love it, it’s that we love what he does –  the storytelling isn’t always linear, it moves between mediums, animation drops in and out, and the music is so specific to every moment”.

Darius: “The soundtrack does half the storytelling in his films. That’s something we think about constantly with The Brown Suite – how specific a piece of music can be to a character or a moment, not just a mood”.

What do you hope audiences carry with them after experiencing The Brown Suite?

Nahum: “I hope they leave feeling something. Hopefully they’ve laughed, danced in their seats, maybe recognised something of themselves in one of the characters”.

Darius: “I also hope they leave with a sense of the power of social spaces – the importance of having places where people can gather, connect, express themselves and simply exist together”.

Nahum: “And ultimately, I want them to remember the people. The music is iconic, but we want the audience to care about these six people and the night they’ve just experienced. If they leave wanting to talk about what happened between them, then we’ve done our job”.

Darius: “lf they’re still arguing about who was right and who was wrong on the drive home, we’ve done our job twice over”.

The Brown Suite is at the Opera House Manchester on Friday 23 October 2026

The post Inside The Brown Suite: BlacBrik’s Nahum McLean and Darius Drooh on James Brown, friendship and the power of social spaces appeared first on Quays Life.

Le Navet Bete is back with another larger-than-life comedy, this time taking on the wildly dysfunctional world of Greek mythology.

When the stability of Olympus is threatened by the marriage of Zeus’ daughter Hebe to a mere mortal, the King of the gods hatches a plan to derail the wedding. The result is a fast-paced physical comedy in which three actors play 40 characters in a mythical farce through Ancient Greece, the Underworld and back.

Ahead of the show arriving at Lowry, Salford Quays Life chats to actor and Co-Artistic Director Nick Bunt talks to find out what it takes to bring Le Navet Bete’s unique style of controlled chaos to the stage.

We loved your version of King Arthur last time La Navet Bete toured to Lowry, Salford. What made now the right time to take on the Greek gods, and why did Greek mythology feel like the perfect playground for your unique brand of comedy?

Nick: “After ‘King Arthur’, we wanted to dive into another epic world that was universally known but with a completely fresh comedic angle. We really wanted to drop these legendary Greek gods into a surprisingly normal, relatable setting – which is actually how we came up with the idea of setting the whole thing at a hotel wedding between Zeus’ daughter and a mere mortal. The gods are larger than life, extremely petty and all awful people which makes them perfect for physical comedy and a riotously funny night out for our audiences. They’re one seriously dysfunctional family!”

The three of you play around 40 characters between you. How do you keep track of so many personalities, costumes and quick changes without descending into chaos?

Nick: “To be honest, it does descend into chaos – that’s half the fun of it! But it’s very tightly controlled chaos born from years of working together. Behind the scenes, it’s a military operation of split-second full costume changes. There’s almost more going on backstage than onstage at times! It certainly keeps us on our toes. The costumes for ‘Oh Zeus!’ are fantastically designed by the wonderful Fi Russell and really help us ‘become’ that person (or animal, at times!) and help drive the narrative along for the audience”. 

Do you have a favourite character to play or a favourite scene that always gets the biggest audience reaction?

Nick: “For me, it’s got to be Nestor, Zeus’s servant – he’s a centaur, so the half-man, half-horse costume is just brilliant fun to wear. I also love playing Thanatos, the god of death, but he’s definitely not your typical Grim Reaper. He’s the irritating guy who just hangs around making awful jokes until you want to punch him in the face so I love pushing that as far as I can! Al and Matt have some absolute corkers too that audiences instantly fall in love with. Al’s uber-macho Zeus vs Matt’s Anna Wintour-esque Hera reminds me of a certain US President and First Lady behind closed doors. Juggling all those different personalities helps build the whole mad world and keeps the story flying, and there’s a couple of brilliantly chaotic scenes where everything collides that always get a massive roar from the crowd”.

Physical comedy has become a real trademark of Le Navet Bete. How much planning goes into making the slapstick look effortless, and how physically demanding is performing ‘Oh Zeus!’ night after night?

Nick: “It is immensely demanding. Essentially every show is like a marathon! Making slapstick look effortless takes an enormous amount of rigorous planning, precise choreography, and relentless rehearsal. Every fall, slip, and comedic beat has to be calculated down to the millisecond to ensure we stay safe while making it look completely spontaneous and chaotic. By the end of a run of shows, our bodies definitely know about it, but the sheer electricity of the audience laughing back at us completely fuels the stamina and adrenaline we need to push through”.

Your productions are known for being accessible to audiences who may not usually go to the theatre. How important is it for Le Navet Bete to create comedy that appeals to everyone, whether they’re theatre regulars or complete newcomers?

Nick: “It is the absolute beating heart of everything we do. We firmly believe that theatre shouldn’t feel exclusive or intimidating. Whether you’re a seasoned theatregoer or someone who hasn’t ever stepped foot in a venue, we want you to feel included from the very first minute. When an entire auditorium of different ages and backgrounds is howling at the same silly joke, it creates a wonderful, communal atmosphere that makes for an unforgettable night out”.

The show is recommended for ages 12+, but you’ve also introduced special ‘No Kids Allowed’ performances. What can audiences expect from those versions?

Nick: “The standard show is a riot in itself but the ‘No Kids Allowed’ performances are where we really take the safety off! These ones always sell-out first. While our main shows are brilliantly high-energy and cheeky enough (think Shrek humour) these specific adult versions let us lean a bit heavier into naughtier words and humour, spontaneous audience interaction and the use of a few extra props and costume that we might otherwise rein in. The gloves definitely come off and the audience can completely let their hair down and have a wild night out”. 

The show arrives at Lowry as part of its UK tour. What are you most looking forward to about performing for Salford audiences, and how does touring keep each performance feeling fresh?

Nick: “We absolutely love it up here! I think this is our fifth or sixth time playing the Lowry (in every space). Salford and the Lowry have such a fantastic reputation for loving live comedy, and the audiences here always bring an electric, up-for-it energy. There is nothing quite like playing to a packed house in such an iconic venue and the Quays Theatre is the perfect size for our style of comedy and storytelling. Touring keeps us sharp because no two audiences are ever the same, making us play off the room, improvise, and keep the show alive. It means ‘Oh Zeus!’ is constantly evolving, making every single performance a unique live experience”.

If audiences leave the theatre talking about just one thing after seeing Oh Zeus!, what do you hope that will be?

Nick: “We hope they walk out into the foyer with aching cheeks from laughing so hard, turning to each other and saying, ‘I haven’t had a night out like that in ages.’ If they leave feeling thoroughly entertained, uplifted and buzzing from a brilliant, joyful communal experience (and maybe remembering a few of our ridiculous characters) then we’ll be happy knowing that we’ve done our job!”

Oh Zeus! is at Lowry, Salford from 28 July to 1 August 2026.

The post Le Navet Bete’s Nick Bunt on bringing the Greek gods down to earth appeared first on Quays Life.

Touring the North West with Best Girl Productions, the play explores the complex relationship between Fay, a woman serving a life sentence for murdering her husband, and her daughter Josie, who visits her after 15 years apart.

Quays Life talks to Christine and Lois to find out what drew them to Munro’s acclaimed play, how their relationship shapes their performances and why the themes of the drama are still so relevant more than two decades on.

Can you tell us a bit about the play and why it appealed to you?

Chris: “I knew of Rona’s work and was in the Royal Exchange production of Mary Barton that she wrote but I didn’t know IRON. It’s such a fascinating take on a mother and daughter relationship and you learn about them in this contained environment where the guards Sheila and George watch them constantly, as they navigate the past. She writes in a disarmingly straightforward way and yet the text is full of extraordinary images which bring to life what happened before the crime which separated them”.

Rona Munro wrote IRON over 20 years ago and it won the John Whiting Award after transferring to the Royal Court. What do you think still makes this play resonate with audiences today?

Chris: “On a theatrical level a great play is a great play and Rona is a terrific storyteller who creates characters you want to know more about. But it also explores themes which are universally relatable, not just between mother and child, but how women love, how the prison system treats women and how so many of us are looking for closure in some way in order to move on in our lives”.

You’re playing Fay, a woman 15 years into a life sentence for killing her husband. How did you approach building a character who’s been hardened by prison?

Chris: “Fay has never admitted or denied her crime. That’s so interesting to me. She has had a singularly lonely existence not having received visitors in all the years she’s been inside. For me, the piece is not so much a ‘who done it’ but a ‘why’ did
she commit this crime and as the audience discover the truth they also get to know the zest for life, funny, live-wire woman she was”.

IRON is your first time sharing a stage with your daughter Lois, even though you’ve previously written plays for her to perform. What’s different about acting together as opposed to writing for her to perform?

Chris: “Bringing ‘Best Girl’ to the Manchester Fringe, Edinburgh Festival and then on tour was such a fantastic experience. Lois was so good in it and it was a privilege to watch her on stage and amazing to share the experience with her. Lots of laughing!
I suppose the biggest difference is that as IRON is by a very established and proven writer I don’t have to worry, as I did with Best Girl, about the risk she took of being in the first play I’d written! I trust Lois’ ability and instinct completely so this feels more like two actors meeting and building an onstage relationship and that feels freer somehow”.

Lois has said acting opposite you was “always on her bucket list.” Was there a similar moment for you, where you knew you wanted to work alongside her on stage?

Chris: “As far as we know IRON hasn’t been performed with a real mother and daughter playing Fay and Josie. And there have been a few other productions with much better known mothers and daughters shows recently which probably informed our decision. So we got pretty excited by that prospect and who wouldn’t want to work with Lois – she’s ace!”

What have you learned from working together in this way?

Chris: “I think to try and be disciplined about keeping the admin and producing bits for Best Girl Productions and the ‘in the room’ creative parts separate. And to really relish in the contributions made by the rest of the creative company we’re so lucky to have on this journey with us. And we’re both Capricorns which might mean something!”

Best Girl Productions has now had KIN tour successfully and IRON heading out across the North West. What’s your vision for the company as it grows?

Chris: “I really want to build on what we’ve done so far and collaborate with good people. The strength of Manchester’s creative energy is such an inspiration for me and I’ve learnt so much; big thanks especially to Hannah Ellis-Ryan (HER Productions) and Alex Keelan for their encouragement. I have a script in the first Vignettes to be produced outside of Manchester at the Dukes, Lancaster in September and want to make short film of another script. But we’ll see. All I know is Best Girl Productions has kindness and creativity at its core. Now that might sound a mush but without those two qualities all of the things we’ve talked about in this interview wouldn’t have happened”.

Lois, you toured one-woman show BEST GIRL, written by your mother, and were nominated for Best Actor at the Greater Manchester Fringe. What is your secret to keeping both a strong working and personal relationship?

Lois: “Percy Pigs! haha. I think BEST GIRL was a real lesson in communication for us both, we were figuring it out on the job and were very relieved and thrilled to discover it was easy. We are clear with boundaries, respectful of each others schedules and excited to do the work.” 

As Best Girl Productions continues to grow with IRON’s tour, what’s it like seeing the company your mother founded, which started with your performance of her play, now expanding into work like this?

Lois: “I think it is unbelievably exciting to see BGP’s journey over the past few years. Witnessing mum’s confidence grow with each project has been fantastic, I am so proud of her and can’t wait to see what’s next”.

You’ve described this production as “an emotional rollercoaster.” How do you and your mother support each other through that?

Lois: “Everyone involved, both cast and crew are very invested in the piece and so there is an enormous amount of care being poured into the process. We are making sure everyone is feeling safe and supported to explore their characters complex emotions and relationships. Communication is key”. 

What do you think you real life relationship brings to the performance?

Lois: “I think for the audience in particular, knowing the real life relationship is there bubbling underneath, it’s going to add another layer of intensity and substance to the story. Hopefully making for a more impactful performance!”

What do you hope audiences take away from watching Fay and Josie’s story?

Lois: “I think there is something to take away from each of the characters in the play, the two guards included. Each leave you with questions and challenge you throughout. I hope the audience leave feeling that they have gone on a journey and have loved, laughed and grieved with us”.

Looking ahead, after this tour and your film debut in ‘Finding Emily’, what’s next for you?

Lois: “A big holiday! And hopefully some more juicy theatre in the pipeline”.

IRON opens its short North West Tour at HOME, Manchester on Tuesday September 15 to 19 before it heads to Hull Truck 23-24 September and The Dukes in Lancaster 30 September-3 October 2026.

The post Christine and Lois Mackie on bringing IRON’s powerful mother-daughter story to life appeared first on Quays Life.

There is a pantomime feel to this riotous new musical comedy, but this is just a nod to the many theatrical genres it both reveres and mocks in equal measure. Indeed, there are so many theatrical references it is hard to keep up – and whatever your tastes there is something in this expert mash-up of a show to keep you entertained. For musical fans, think ‘Schmigadoon!’ but 100 times better.

The bigger question is not why are they staging this show, but what took them so long?

‘Something Rotten’ has already been a runaway hit on Broadway, premiering in 2015 where it received 10 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. Yet aside from a concert version in 2023, this new production is the first time it has been staged in the UK.

Conceived by brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick it tells the story of Nick Bottom (Manford) and his younger brother Nigel (Cassius Hackforth) whose writing partnership is forever in the shadows of the rock star poet of their day, William Shakespeare.

Desperate for a winning idea to keep the debt collectors at bay Nick visits a soothsayer he believes to be Nostradamus to find out what Shakespeare’s next great hit will be so he can steal the idea. Nostradamus, a brilliantly eccentric performance from Cory English, turns out to be the famous astrologer’s nephew who foretells a confused future of musicals and omelette. You can imagine the madcap chaos that follows.

Actress and singer Marisha Wallace who performed in the Broadway production joins the cast as leading lady, Bea, wife of the hapless Nick. It is a powerhouse performance where her American accent becomes just another of the oddities of this version of Elizabethan England.

Hackforth brings a tender vulnerability to Nigel, while Manford is as warm and entertaining as ever.

Richard Fleeshman plays the Bard as a leather clad superstar of his day. Whatever your version of a rock and pop hero might be – Elvis, George Michael or Harry Styles – he channels them with confidence, charisma and a knowing wit. It is a phenomenal performance, putting Fleeshman at the top of his game.

The show runs in Manchester until 19 July. Catch it while you can.

Something Rotten is at the Opera House, Manchester from 16 June -19 July 2026.

The post Something Rotten: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

Fasten your seat belts because you’re in for a ride, with no let-up in this roller coaster of a two-hour show.

It opens on a scene reminiscent of ‘Grease’ – a stage full of muscly young men working on cars and girls in swinging circle skirts working the nearby bar. The familiarity of Bizet’s Carmen score, with additional orchestration by Terry Davies, immediately draws us into the life of small-town Harmony. Its vibrancy is matched by the energy of Bourne’s choreography. Everywhere you look there are pairs of dancers, each telling their own story of playful youth, seduction and lust. When in the first five minutes dancers strip off and head for a cold shower Bourne sends the audience a tongue-in-cheek knowing that this show too darn hot for its own good.

As you’ve probably guessed, this isn’t the Carmen opera in a dance form. Rather Bourne has taken the essence of the tale along with the music to create something new, but equally thrilling. Bourne’s new story takes the desire and violence of the original and layers it with the noir fatalism of James M. Cain’s novel ‘The Postman Always Rings Twice’, giving the piece a sticky inevitability.

Here the handsome drifter is Luca, an imposing and mysterious Will Bozier. He crackles with sexual energy attracting both men and women and destroying any chance Harmony had of living up to its name.

His first conquest is the beautiful and feisty Lana (Cordelia Braithwaite), a name that nods to Lana Turner who played Cora in the 1946 film version of Cain’s thriller.

Alan Vincent, who played Luca in the 2000 premiere returns now as garage owner and Lana’s abusive husband, Dino. He is a giant of a man and yet Bozier lifts him as if he weighs no more than a child.

The acting as well as the dancing from this cast is phenomenal as they draw us into their dark and complex world. Leonardo McCorkindale captures this to heartbreaking effect as young Angelo who is also captivated and seduced by this enigmatic stranger.

Betrayal and jealousy fire the story forward to its tragic end. It’s a scorcher of a show made for these hot summer nights.

Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man is at Lowry. Salford from 23-27 June 2026. Age recommendation 12+

Read our interiew with Matthew Bourne.

The post Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

Was there a moment when you realised you wanted to be a professional performer and is there a role that changed everything for you?

Stephen: “I was obsessed with John Travolta in ‘Grease’. I went to watch it in London when it first opened. I was obsessed – I thought, ‘I NEED to be in theatre’. That changed it for me really. I used to watch the film all the time.”

What was your first reaction when you found out you’d be playing Frank in ‘The Rocky Horror Show’?

Stephen: “Well, I couldn’t believe it first of all. When I originally wanted to audition for Rocky, I thought I’d be up for Brad and then they said, ‘No, we want to see you for Frank’. When I got it, I was ECSTATIC, I couldn’t believe that I got this role. But in the next moment, I was really anxious because it’s such an iconic role, I just want to live up to the legacy”.

Frank is such an iconic character, how do you bring your own twist to the role while honouring the legacy of past performances?

Stephen: “I remember that Christopher Luscombe, the director, said, ‘We don’t want you to do an impersonation of Tim Curry, we want to see your version’, which actually settled me. I portray Frank using an American accent instead of an English accent. Obviously, Frank’s costume is quite feminine, so I do inject an element of masculinity into my performance – my take on it is a little bit rough around the edges. The audience has mixed feelings about Frank which I love. He is a lovable psychopath! Because the character was written during the 70s glam rock era, I take inspiration from David Bowie, T. Rex and Queen. But I always find something new every performance, which makes playing this role so exciting”.

What’s your favourite part of performing as Frank each night?

Stephen: “There are two moments. One is my entrance. I’m not on stage for the first 20 minutes and the audience are waiting for Frank to come on. There’s a big drum beat before I enter and I’ve got this big old cloak on. I walk down centre stage and sing ‘Sweet Transvestite’, whip off my cloak and reveal my crazy costume. The audience goes absolutely berserk for it. It doesn’t matter if I’ve had the worst day in the world – it goes away as soon as I’m on that stage. Another special moment for me is when you see the vulnerable side of Frank. It’s like he’s taken off his mask and you’re seeing the true side of him”.

The audience plays a huge role in the Rocky Horror experience. Do you have a favourite audience interaction or reaction so far?

Stephen: “There are loads of shouts throughout the show. The audience are very much part of the show; they are almost another character. I’ve heard pretty much all of them now, so they don’t tend to catch me out. When I’m talking to Rocky when he first comes out there are a few shouts that are quite rude, and I love them! I think they’re really funny”.

What’s the most challenging part about playing Frank, either physically or emotionally?

Stephen: “It’s not wearing the heels – I absolutely love wearing those – it’s actually wearing the black corset because it doesn’t give. I make sure I eat at the right time, otherwise I struggle throughout the show. Singing and dancing in a corset means I must make sure that I eat and drink enough at the right time before doing the show”.

Frank has some iconic costumes; do you have a favourite outfit to wear on stage?

Stephen: “My favourite outfit is my finale red sequin corset. I absolutely love it. It really fits me like a glove! And it changes colour. If you push it up, it goes a black, if you push it down, it goes red”.

If you could keep one piece of Frank’s wardrobe for yourself, what would it be?

Stephen: “I do a few scenes with a leather jacket with tassels on it. I’m a motorcyclist so would love to steal it and ride my bike wearing it!”

The Rocky Horror Show has been pushing boundaries for more than 50 years. Why do you think audiences keep coming back after all these years?

Stephen: “It’s a show that celebrates what it means to be different, to follow your dreams like the song ‘Don’t dream it, be it’. There are amazing songs; I don’t think you could ever get bored with the ‘Time Warp’ or ‘Sweet Transvestite’! It’s got a lot of heart, it’s extremely funny, and it allows people to be part of it – there’s no other show like it”.

Do you have any pre-show rituals before stepping into Frank’s heels?

Stephen: “I don’t really have any pre-show rituals. But I do love makeup. Before ‘Rocky Horror’, I never liked using make-up, now I absolutely love it. As soon as I start putting the makeup and wig on, it transforms me, like I’ve got an alter ego!”

Finally, what do you hope audiences take away from seeing The Rocky Horror Show?

Stephen: “I think everyone who comes to watch the ‘Rocky Horror Show’ will have fun. It’s unique, liberating, funny, fierce and sexy. It’s a brilliant night out where everyone can be who they want to be. It’s one great big party!”

Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show tour comes to Manchester’s Palace Theatre on 27 July to 1 August 2026.

The post Stephen Webb opens up about being Frank-ly fabulous Sweet Transvestite appeared first on Quays Life.

Loosely based on Bizet’s ever-popular opera, ‘The Car Man’ has one of the most thrilling and instantly recognisable scores in New Adventures’ repertoire. The familiar 19^th century Spanish cigarette factory becomes a greasy 1950s garage-diner in the American Mid-West where the dreams and passions of a small-town are shattered by the arrival of a handsome and enigmatic stranger. Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into an unstoppable spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge.

The show orginally premiered in 2000 and, aside from a unique revival for The Royal Albert Hall’s 150th Birthday in 2022, this is the first time audiences have had a chance to see it live on tour since 2015.

We caught up with choreographer Sir Matthew Bourne to find out more:

Why were you first attracted to Bizet’s Carmen?

Matthew Bourne: “I resisted it for quite a while because there were so many versions of it, both ballet and opera, but I kept listening to the score and I felt that it was the right kind of music for my company, New Adventures. I also felt in 2000, when I made the original piece, that it suggested a different kind of movement than we had done before. It was particularly listening to the Shchedrin arrangement (the short 40–minute ballet version using only strings and percussion) which got me really excited and I thought, we’ve got to do this, we’ve got to use this music. But to stop myself, and probably everyone else, thinking, ‘Oh no, not another Carmen’, I thought, well, we’ll use the music but we’ll tell a different story and that’s what really inspired me and made the whole thing feel like a totally original project. I was also keen to create a ‘dance thriller’, full of plot twists and suspense. You can’t do that with a story people already know!”

How does New Adventures’ The Car Man differ from the original Carmen?

Matthew Bourne: “Quite a lot but there are parallels with the opera story; there are elements of lust, fate, revenge and murder and all those things that are associated with Carmen. I think the essence of Carmen is there, but we’ve set it in a different place and time. ‘The Car Man’ is set in an Italian-American community in a small mid-western American town in the 1960. Although it’s set in the USA there is quite a European feel to the production and although there are some obvious American elements, we’ve tried to add a gritty kind of realism, associated with Italian, French and Spanish cinema, and to avoid Hollywood glamour”.

So place is not so important, it’s the flavour and feeling of the period that matters?

Matthew Bourne: “Well, we came up with a name for this fictional town, which is Harmony – it’s also by chance the name of several real towns in the States. I was looking for something charming like Pleasantville, a name that could become increasingly ironic as the story develops. The characters are very gutsy and real, requiring a whole different acting style from much of the New Adventures repertory. It was certainly a change of direction in 2000 following the royal court and lakeside fantasy of ‘Swan Lake’ and the more genteel period feel of our war-time ‘Cinderella’. ‘The Car Man’ has always been a piece that has challenged my company as actors too. The movement that came from this was also much more earthy and gritty and contemporary in feel. You could call it a classic film noir but one that tells a story that no film of that era would have been able to tell! In dance terms, 26 years on, it remains a comparative rarity, as the first ballet to depict bisexuality as a major part of the plot”.

Earlier you mentioned the orchestration by Rodion Shchedrin being only 40 minutes long, so presumably the other hour of music was commissioned?

Matthew Bourne: “Yes. I really love the Shchedrin music and wanted to use this so I contacted Terry Davies and asked him if he would consider composing further music based on Bizet’s ‘Carmen’. There is a substantial amount of great music that Shchedrin did not use in his version, and so Terry’s brief was to use this other music, again with strings and percussion, to come up with a full-length score. With other shows that I had choreographed, ‘Nutcracker!’, ‘Highland Fling’, ‘Swan Lake’ and ‘Cinderella’, I had worked to an existing score and I made the story fit the score but with this piece, I was able to work in reverse for the first time, so with certain scenes or dances I was able to ask, what kind of music do we need for this? In that sense, it was the first time I had collaborated with a composer to create a complete score. I think that the results are very filmic and incredibly contemporary in feel. A tribute not only to Terry and Shchedrin, but to the enduring genius of Bizet”.

You were talking earlier about the characters being different from the original Carmen. Is there a title Car Man character?

Matthew Bourne: “The title of the show is there partly to differentiate between this production and previous versions of ‘Carmen’, but also to give an indication that we are retaining elements of the original, particularly in the case of the music. In terms of character, the title is quite literal really and it relates to the idea of mechanics working in a garage where most of the production is set. More specifically, it refers to the character of Luca, a stranger who arrives in Harmony at the beginning of the show and takes a part-time job as a mechanic at the local garage / diner. He is really the Car Man, the title character. Luca is a kind of fate figure who affects everyone’s lives and becomes the catalyst for change. Lana can also be seen as a Carmen figure, as can Angelo and Rita be seen as nods to Don Jose and Michela”.

So why revive The Car Man In 2026?

Matthew Bourne: “Apart from the special Albert Hall London revival in 2022 to celebrate the iconic venues 150^th Birthday, the show has not been seen around the UK, on tour, for over 10 years. ‘The Car Man’ has become one of New Adventures’ most popular productions since its creation in 2000. It’s also probably the most popular show amongst my dancers who all want the chance to play these challenging roles. There is now a whole new generation of talented New Adventures artists ready to take up that challenge and that has to be one of the other main reasons for bringing it back into the repertory in 2026. It’s a particular favourite of mine because it combines my great love of cinema with a highly theatrical approach. It also gives me a great excuse to revisit many of my much loved old movies for research!”

Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man is at Lowry. Salford from 23-27 June 2026. Age recommendation 12+

The post Matthew Bourne on The Car Man and Ballet’s Bisexual First appeared first on Quays Life.

But don’t let Jenna’s sweet singing, about her mum’s homemade deep-dish pie, fool you into thinking this musical is no more than another saccharine soaked tale.

There is much more to this young waitress from small town USA than meets the eye. And who could be better to take us on this journey for the show’s 10^th anniversary production than Carrie Hope Fletcher.

Fletcher is something of a modern-day phenomenon – a top-quality musical actress; a Grammy nominated singer, an author of both adult and children’s books, and (according to the Sunday Times) one of the UK’s top 100 social media influencers. The love for her in the auditorium is tangible and I’ve never seen so many people waiting outside the stage door for autographs as I did after the show on Tuesday night. Whatever part of her multi-faceted career this following is coming from, her sensational performance as Jenna cements her top billing and guarantees she’ll leave the run with an even bigger fan base.

The other recognisable name on the posters is Les Dennis, taking on the role of Old Joe who owns the diner where Jenna works. Dennis in his one big solo number doesn’t even pretend to be a singer yet still manages to make it a showstopper. What he lacks vocally he more than makes up for with his well-honed comic timing and the ability to draw the audience in to the heart of a character and make us care.

There are other acutely drawn performances from Mark Willshire as Jenna’s abusive and self-absorbed husband, Earl; as well as from Sandra Marvin and Evelyn Hoskins as Jenna’s friends and work mates Becky and Dawn.

Now I’ve already warned the ingredients of this musical aren’t all sweet and there is a pile of inappropriate relationships thrown in that will leave you cringing. But on the whole it is an uplifting mix with a sprinking of spice to give it an unexpected and memorable kick.

Waitress is at the Palace Theatre, Manchester from 26-30 May 2026 before carrying on its UK 10th anniversary tour.

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The patient, dedicated and methodical Barnaby was played on TV for 13 series by John Nettles. “Barnaby and Troy had an almost father/son, mentor/pupil relationship and that is very much like my relationship with John. When he learned that I was taking on the role in the play, he said, ‘Well, he’s learned at the feet of the master’,” Daniel says with a smile. “That is certainly true.

“John’s advice to me has always been ’Be true to yourself,’ so that is how I have approached playing Barnaby.”

The pair starred together in the hugely successful murder-mystery show from the pilot episode, which was shot in 1996 and aired in March 1997, through to Daniel’s departure in 2003. The actor says of Nettles: “I spent all those years standing next to him, watching and listening, so hopefully I have absorbed a bit of his magic. It’s a bit daunting, because his are big shoes to fill, but I’m really excited about doing it. I think it is important not to do an impression, so I will be bringing my own ideas to the role, while honouring John’s original Barnaby’s essential attributes of honesty and integrity.”

And Daniel’s advice to the actor who takes on the role of Troy on stage? “Make it your own and enjoy it. He’s such a lovely character to play and I’m excited to see what someone else does with it.”

Published in 1987, The Killings at Badger’s Drift was the first of Caroline Graham’s Chief Inspector Barnaby books and formed the basis of that very first Midsomer Murders episode. Adapted for the stage and directed by Guy Unsworth, the play revolves around the death of well-loved spinster Emily Simpson in the picturesque village of Badger’s Drift.

Her friend Lucy Bellringer refuses to accept that Emily’s death was an accident, so DCI Tom Barnaby and DS Gavin Troy are called in to investigate – uncovering a world of hidden passions, long-buried secrets and deadly rivalries.

The play, Daniel promises, offers “a night of murder and mystery, full of theatricality and intrigue, with the central partnership of Barnaby and Troy, a whole host of English eccentrics and this real dark undercurrent of secrets and lies going on.”

Returning to the world of Midsomer, Daniel muses: “I never thought that I would revisit it. I had such a happy time playing Troy from when I was 24 to when I was 31. It was a fantastic time in my career, but when I made the decision to leave to pursue other things I thought that was that.”

A guest appearance in the 11th series in 2008 aside, that was indeed that. But then Unsworth called up Casey to say that he was adapting The Killings at Badger’s Drift for the theatre and asked him if he’d be up for starring in it. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to go back to Midsomer at first, but then Unsworth asked him to go along to a workshop and he recalls: “Sitting down and reading Barnaby out loud, it just felt right.” Now 53, he adds: “I’m about the same age as John was when we made that original episode and it brought back so many memories from a really lovely part of my career.”

Their chemistry, Daniel remembers, was instant. They were cast separately and didn’t meet until the first read-through. “And when John walked in he had his script in a carrier bag and I thought, ‘Oh, I like him!’ We got on famously from the start.”

Casey is effusive in his praise for Nettles. “I loved playing beside him, I learned so much from him and he’s always been there for me over the years if I want to talk about anything. He’s a lovely, lovely man.” Like millions of TV viewers, Casey is also a fan of the Barnaby character. “He’s a very straight-up-and-down family man, with a good moral compass. He’s a good cop, he’s watchful and he’s thoughtful.”

Does Daniel share any of those qualities? Married to his wife Ellie since 2005 and a father of two, he maintains: “Family is so important to me too and I think I’ve got a pretty good moral compass. And I’m the fourth of five children. As a kid I couldn’t get a word in, so I’ve always been watchful.”

He’s hard-pressed to pick his fondest memory from his time on the show because “John and I sat in a car, a room and a Winnebago together for so many years, so there are loads of stories”. One abiding memory, though, is when they filmed the very first episode, The Killings at Badger’s Drift. He was supposed to pull up in front of a house and Barnaby and Troy would then step out of the car. But he got out and John didn’t. “I’d parked about two inches away from a concrete bollard and he couldn’t get out,” Casey laughs. “He was shouting from inside the car ‘Is it too late for a recast?'”

One of ITV’s most popular shows ever, Midsomer Murders is syndicated in over 200 territories worldwide. Daniel believes it’s been so successful because: “It’s set in the modern day yet it has a kind of 1940s or 1950s feel to it. It’s a wonderful form of escapism. Apparently a lot of clerics like it because it’s like a modern day morality tale. It’s good versus evil, right versus wrong. And it has such cross-generational appeal, where kids watch it with their grandparents. The beautiful countryside is another part of its appeal and it’s full of eccentrics, which British actors play so well.”

As for why Midsomer fans should come and see it on stage, he says: “It is true to the spirit of the TV show, which has an inherent theatricality to it. We’re bringing that theatricality to the stage and we have a fantastic cast of actors who are multi-roling, which gives them the opportunity to showcase their amazing acting skills. I challenge the audience to guess how many actors there are in the cast as they transform into so many different characters between scenes!”

Casey was born in Stockton-on-Tees and, at age 14, he went along to the local youth theatre, walked into the room and immediately thought, “I love it here”. He landed the lead in Bugsy Malone. “And it was amazing,” he recalls. “The week after we finished I was walking through town with my mate when a girl walking towards us screamed and went, ‘Oh my God, it’s him!’ I knew then and there that this was the job for me.”

After graduating from Grey College in Durham with a BA in English Literature, he began his professional acting career in the Hull Truck Theatre touring production of the play Dead Fish just three weeks later. Casting directors for Our Friends in the North saw him in it and cast him as Anthony Cox.

“I hadn’t been to drama school, so that was a massive game-changer for me,” he says of his three-episode stint on the show, where he played Mark Strong and Gina McKee’s son. “It was an extraordinary opportunity and just opened every door for the rest of my career.”

Parts on The Grand, A Touch of Frost and The Bill, to name just a few of his credits, followed before Midsomer Murders turned him into a household name. His post-Midsomer CV includes Steel River Blues, Marchlands, Casualty, Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale, but stage work remains a particular passion with parts in The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Nighttime, A Number and The Wings of a Dove to name a few.

Having toured in Abigail’s Party in 2019 and Cluedo in 2022, Daniel says: “I love being part of a company of actors. When touring, the challenge is to keep something fresh, real and immediate every night, and I like that challenge. There are different entrances and exits, different sizes of venues, so you’ve got to be nimble and you’ve got to be on your toes.

“Also, I’ve discovered some gorgeous places in my time when touring. You usually get told about all the little hidden gems in the area by people who come and see you, and it’s lovely to be able to meet the audience afterwards – especially with something like Midsomer Murders that’s got such a loyal fan base.”

The Badger’s Drift tour calls at Manchester, which is a score for Daniel. “I’m a big Man United fan,” he beams, “and it’s a great city. I did The Grand there with Russell T. Davies, I’ve done Corrie and I was at the Opera House with Abigail’s Party and it’s a fantastic venue in one of the best cities in the world. I also did ‘A Number’ at the Library Theatre and was nominated for an MEN Best Actor Award.”

Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift is at The Opera House, Manchester from 27-30 May 2026.

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