Carmel ThomasonFrom a rarely performed 20th century work by Messiaen to a Wagner song and finally Berloiz’ Symphonie fantastique, the BBC Philharmonic brings its 2024 season to a close with a varied and emotional programme, showcasing its versatility, depth and...
A whole new world has arrived at Manchester’s Palace Theatre, as Disney’s Aladdin takes to the stage for a six-week run as part of its first ever UK tour. The story and music will be familiar to many as it is based on the popular 1992 animated film...
It wouldn’t be an odd question to ask: what is The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Production of Jesus Christ Superstar doing indoors? Timothy Sheader’s bold new staging first opened in 2016, winning a host of awards, including an Olivier Award for...
You don’t have to be much of a gambler to bet any show written by the late Kay Mellor is going to be a success. But as her last stage play, The Syndicate, premieres at The Lowry there is a sense of much more than the box office riding on this. The...
Some titles tell you all you need to know about a show. In the case of Mind Mangler: Member of the Tragic Circle, like the show, all is not quite what it seems. Here Mischief Theatre, the team behind smash hit comedy ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’, take...
The phenomenal success of Six the Musical tells us its producers Andy and Wendy Barnes have a keen eye for spotting the next big thing. So, their backing of quirky new musical, 42 Balloons, from young writer-composer, Jack Godfrey comes with...
Carmel Smickersgill is a Manchester based composer whose recent work includes Enter Vivian, part of the Philip Glass Referactions EP; and Birthday Card for a Stranger, a joint commission to mark the 50th annivarsaries of Manchester Camerata and RNCM...
‘What kind of Queen are you?’ That’s the question posed by a new exhibition based on the hit musical, SIX, which opens at The Lowry this autumn. In SIX each of Henry VIII’s wives are turned into a pop star on stage and take to the mic to tell their...
The 2020s is blazing a trend for all things meta. So, it’s not surprising to find Rambert leading the charge for dance by staging a meta dance comedy. But what on earth does it mean? Death Trap is a new double-bill from Ben Duke, which links two of...
RNCM Original Voices Festival celebrates new perspectives on music that has filled the concert hall for centuries alongside new orchestral works. Composer James Weatherly-Buss, one of Manchester Camerata 360 Ruth Sutton Fellows for 2023/24, is...