Carmel ThomasonThe Mayfield venue, an old railway siding behind Piccadilly station, barely looks passable from the outside for anyone to enter without a hard hat. Inside, some basic raised seating, lighting rigs and a sprung reflective floor, transform this...
Where did the time go? That’s the central question of Shirley Valentine. For anyone in the audience who remembers the 1980s, it’s a question we’re all asking – not least on hearing Jodie Prenger is in the lead role. ‘She must be playing it younger,’...
The glimpse of a bare bum on stage is guaranteed to induce a burst of laugher. And herein lies the enduring appeal of Hans Christian Andersen’s morality fairy tale. It’s cheeky, silly and pokes fun at the pomposity sometimes only an innocent child...
The advances in digital technology have connected us in ways we could never have imagined. At the same time, our obsession with being ‘connected’ is also a cause of disconnect and overload. How we find a comfortable balance between the two is the...
To say that Sukanya is Ravi Shankar’s only opera, while true, gives a misleading impression of his talent and influence on world music. Knowing he began writing it in the eighth decade of his life tells us more about his enthusiasm for music and his...
It’s hard to believe six years has passed since Manchester saw the premiere of Ghost the Musical with Richard Fleeshman in the lead. Based on the 1990 film with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, this supernatural murder mystery romance already had an...
Babe The Sheep-Pig is a story that has captivated young imaginations for more than 30 years. ‘A sheep-pig, that’s silly!’ my five-year-old theatre buddy laughs before we arrive. It is a ridiculous concept that twists and turns into a fantastical...
I’m coming a bit late to the party with this one I know, but when something is this good I don’t think too many people can shout about it or shout too loud. I missed press night because I was in York for the official launch of my latest book with...
For theatres, the Christmas show is often the biggest of the year. And in Greater Manchester the Opera House pantomime is the biggest of them all. Recent years have seen mega-stars, like Priscilla Presley and David Hasselhoff on the bill. But...
It’s a Horrible Christmas at the Lowry this year, but judging by the reception of Friday’s audience it could be one of their best. The show is a seasonal spin-off from Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories, whose ingenious concept of mixing historical...