Just over 50 years on, Night of the Living Dead-Remix takes the original story from the 1968 independent horror movie and gives it a refresh. Thankfully, the nucleus of the original is still there. Barbara and Johnny are attacked by a zombie while on their way to paying respects to their departed father. Barbara makes her way to an ‘abandoned’ house where she meets Ben who is also on the run from the zombie attack. Later they discover that the house is not abandoned, and two more families lie hiding in the basement.

The remainder of the plot centres on the tension that is built between the external threat of the undead; and the clash between Ben and the ‘basement’ survivors: do they lock themselves in the basement and wait it out; or remain upstairs, board the windows and doors and maintain visibility of the threat?

Under the stewardship of its co-directors Andrew Quick and Pete Brooks this stage production differs from the film version because the adaptation is played out on stage before us while at the same time – the original film is run on a screen above the actors.

We’re presented with a ‘u’ shaped stage made of white material panels, used by the cast to exit and enter the stage. The panels also act as projection screens where scenes are amplified, and text is projected as the play progresses. Above the set are two large screens: on the left the original film runs and on the right a live recording play-back of the stage performance. I suspect that this approach would’ve been more impactful had I been part of a live audience at Leed’s Playhouse. The sensation of watching from home took a while to get used to as it wasn’t clear where my eyes should focus at any given time: screen 1, screen 2 or at the stage.

Being made aware of the actor/camera crew permanently on stage caused added confusion. However, after about 45 minutes I grew used to the set-up, focusing on either screen or the stage and only occasionally flitting my eyes elsewhere. And the strong story draws us in and keeps our attention.

Told in real-time without flash backs, the tension builds and alliances switch. The actors deliver stellar performances notwithstanding the warning on the website’s intro notes, that this showing is a compilation of multiple dress rehearsals and therefore sound and continuity issues may be experienced.

Why was this version was called ‘Remixed’, I wondered? In Imitating the Dog’s production Simon Wainwright’s Projection and Video Design provides the answer. He’s cleverly taken Romero’s original and spliced it with the political overtones that were previously only alluded to. Released in 1968 on a shoestring budget and having a black lead protagonist was a ground-breaking step; especially, as America was undergoing a decade of palpable civil unrest (in relation to race, gender and class politics).

Ben’s character is again cast as an intelligent, competent, black male hell bent on survival. However, his existence is given more poignancy when references to key political events in the USA are projected on to the set. These include the assassination of John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Also, thrown into the mix is the Vietnam war another key touch point during this period that divided America. As each scene is relayed the score (Composed by James Hamilton) adds currency to the performance.

Throughout this performance the piece’s message of division, separation and isolation are highlighted. Then to counter this the positive speeches of John F Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King are digitally portrayed as our actors fight for survival. These provide a space for peace, tolerance and understanding.

This performance of Night of the Living Dead – Remixed is both an unapologetic and ambitious retelling of a cult classic. I recommend it and any criticisms I may have raised are the result of my watching a dress rehearsal on-line and are not a critique of the quality of the overall piece. I can’t wait to see this live once we’ve all finished Staying at Home Saving the NHS and Saving Lives.

Imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse’s online premiere of their shot-for-shot stage recreation of the classic horror film Night of the Living Dead is available for three months from 17 April 2020. Visit www.imitatingthedog.co.uk to view online.

The post Night of The Living Dead™ – Remix : Review appeared first on Quays Life.

Marjane Satrapi didn’t appear to want to simply produce a paint by numbers account of Marie Curie’s life, instead opting to offer two parallel stories. The first is the traditional one that charts the milestones in Curie’s life as a Polish Scientist living in France and a second that shows the impact of her research on humanity.

Rosamund Pike stars as Curie and, fresh from her role as Amy Dunne in Gone Girl, really delivers. She plays the steadfast Curie at a variety of ages. The film highlights her stoicism as she’s ignored, passed over, and rejected by the male dominated scientific community on a professional front; and cast aside by ‘polite society’ for decisions she made in her private life.

The timeline of Radioactive is very complicated and requires one’s full attention – all the time. However, once engaged it does make sense.

Radioactive explains Curie’s work with Radium and Polonium and the gradual discovery of radiation, before shining a mirror on the subsequent uses this had in later life. This may be perceived as dumbing down, but not everyone will be aware of this detail as portrayed by Marjane. The challenge for Marjane Satrapi was to bring to life this Titan of the scientific world and to show the audience what she achieved in spite of the obstacles placed before her. As a result, Radioactive is one of the better biopics you’ll see.

The post Radioactive: Film Review appeared first on Quays Life.

The film is based on a short story from Colin Barrett’s ‘Young Skins’ collection; it caught Director Nick Rowland’s eye on two counts: first the claustrophobic world of its characters and second, it could be brought to the big screen with the modest budget at his disposal.

Protagonist Douglas Armstrong (Cosmos Jarvis) known throughout the film as ‘Arm’ has difficult a decision to make. His life is at a crossroad: should he support his ex-partner and five-year-old son or perform a hit for the criminal Devers family?

Nick Rowland stays faithful to Colin Barrett’s wish to reflect the characters in his stories with respect. He tells their story through their eyes and doesn’t patronise them or the audience.

Singer-songwriter and actor, Jarvis is remarkable in his portrayal of Arm – very much like a young Robert DeNiro and Russell Crow rolled into one. Using very few words he consummately convinces the viewer to side with him as he hurtles from one challenge to the next.

Cosmos Jarvis’s performance (as Arm) is only matched by that given by Barry Keoghan who plays Dympna, who takes the slow-witted Arm under his wing. Keoghan was considered very early for this role and delivers a menacingly understated portrayal of life on the wrong side of the tracks. His Dympna is charismatic, delicately balancing brotherly charm with a gangland mentality. It’s no accident that most of the film’s dark humour arrives on screen when he’s present. As a result, the film careers from fable to thriller with refreshing ease.

The reference to horses (in the title) comes from Ursula, played by Niamh Algar, Arm’s ex with whom he has a son with autism. She’s what remains of Arm’s past and uses every to remind him he’s not the brutal hired hand the Devers have painted him to be. Ursula is saving; applying for jobs; and may even have a new love interest; in short, she has a ‘life plan’ and sees no reason why Arm can’t also escape his demons. Riding horses (and developing a calmness around them) is the metaphor that links Arm, an adult who ‘had’ difficulties as child to his son, who has his own difficulties.

‘Calm With Horses’ is a beautifully acted and violent parable of modern life, set in an unforgiving environment. Definitely a gem worth watching.

The post Calm With Horses: Film Review appeared first on Quays Life.

The main thrust of the piece is rebirth or renaissance. Opera North’s epic production opens with three neighbours overwhelmed by the heatwave currently sweeping the city. The heatwave is a metaphor for the brewing tension that’s scheduled for the second act of the performance.

Director Matthew Eberhardt skilfully creates a confined and claustrophobic space where immigrants, from all walks of American life, mark the milestones of human existence. Within its walls there’s a pending funeral; a couple are expecting their first child; a graduation celebration; an eviction from the tenement block (for late rent payments); and rumours of an affair.

The Maurantt’s are the central characters of the piece. Anna (Giselle Allen) and Frank Robert Heywood) who exist in a loveless marriage have a daughter, Rose (Alison Langer) who is pursued by three suitors. Sam Kaplan, who’s played by Alex Banfield, is the archetypal ‘boy next door’, bookish and introverted; Harry Easter (Quirijn de Lang) delivers an chilling portrayal of how ‘men with power’ seek to use that influence to gain sexual gratification; and Vincent Jones (Christopher Naire) – Naire’s a brute who’s not afraid to use force or foul language to get what he wants.

The original play was set in and around the steps of a tenement block and had a multitude of characters all with interweaving storylines. It was perceived as so complex in its delivery that it was deemed akin to watching improvisation on stage. Weil’s decision to retell this story and adapt it to music stemmed from his desire to reinvent the American opera to develop a unique ‘dramatic opera’ that was both a ‘commercial and an artistic’ hit.

Opera North’s production successfully delivers this balance. It does so by remaining faithful to the original production and making the ‘tenement building’ a central character in the piece. Designer, Francis O’Conner formulates a huge steel tenement block, with its internal components exposed. There is a degree of transparency which enables the audience to be outside the building while seeing what’s inside at the same time.

The overarching thread of Street Scene beautifully blends spoken word and song to move the narrative forward. James Holmes’s conducting prowess merges poignantly with Langston Hughes’s lyrics. Hughes was, incidentally, brought on board specifically because of his ability to capture the vocal rhythm of New York’s working classes.

When Anna, Frank or Rose sing, they use common parlance and very often the lyrics they sing are prophetic, revealing their innermost beliefs or the painful circumstance that await them. This is beautifully demonstrated when Anna sings ‘Somehow I Never Could Believe’, a lament about her youth and dreams of love and romance; when Frank sings ‘Let Things Be Like They Always Was’ – a broken man expressing the age-old belief that life was always better in the past; or when Rose sings ‘What Good Would the Moon Be?’ – her inner-conflict, influenced by the suitors who seek her affection and her desire escape the mental prison she’s in.

Choreographer Gary Clarke captures the mood of the times with some beautiful routines. When Mae Jones (Michelle Andrews) and her love interest Dick McGann (Rodney Vubya) dance the Jitter Bug to ‘Moon-faced Starry-eyed’ the audience give a rousing response.

Although conceived in the late 1940s and not generating the box office returns of other lighter shows of the time; Street Scene, a dramatic opera, was a success on its own terms. Opera North’s production is a phenomenal success and proves that this work still has resonance in the 21st century.

Opera North is at The Lowry, Salford Quays from 10-14 March 2020.
Tue 10 Mar The Marriage of Figaro 7.00pm
Wed 11 Mar The Turn of the Screw 7.30pm
Thu 12 Mar The Marriage of Figaro (audio-described) 7.00pm
Fri 13 Mar Street Scene (captioned) 7.00pm
Sat 14 Mar The Marriage of Figaro 7.00pm

Five reasons why The Turn of the Screw is the scariest opera you’ll ever see.

The post Street Scene from Opera North: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

The new show, from Pilot Theatre, opens with a slick a cappella rendition of ‘We are the Magnificent Six’ accompanied only by ‘beat boxing’. The action takes place in one night and the piece lasts just under two hours with an interval.

‘The Magnificent Six’ are from different cultural backgrounds but unite in their shared love of food; music and each other. They’ve also all experienced loss of some kind, be it the untimely loss of a next of kin, or the potential loss through parental divorce. Add to this mix – the urban underbelly of gang violence and these ‘youngers’ look as though they have all the cards stacked against them. Thankfully their antidote to this bleak slice of hopelessness is also their greatest strength – loyalty and friendship.

Venetia’s (Aimee Powell) phone has been stolen. It contains ‘inappropriate’ pictures of her and she must get it back before its contents are leaked on to social media. Saira (Nigar Yeva) recruits the Magnificent Six to get it back. But there is one further problem – the phone is in the hands of Venetia’s ‘ex-boyfriend’, at the Notre Dame estate – an area troubled by gang violence.

In a parallel storyline, Mckay (Olisa Odele), another of the Magnificent Six, has an older brother, Nesta (Dale Mathurin) who was mugged and put his attacker, Festus (Simi Egbeumi-David) in hospital. Festus recovers and as is the ‘code of the streets’ must have his vengeance. Nesta is now on the run but a chance meeting between Festus and Magnificent Six (including Mckay) takes a further dramatic turn when McKay is used as a hostage to lure Nesta into a trap. Will the gang survive? Will the threat of gang retribution thwart their mission?

Olisa Odele as Mckay and Dale Mathurin as Nesta add weight to this piece, delivering welcome performances as brothers potentially destined for lives on differing sides of the track. It’s this dichotomy that drives the play.

The struggles faced by The Six only serve to draw them closer together. These are teenagers making decisions, in an environment choked by machismo, knives, guns and turf war politics.

In act two the Magnificent Six have rebranded themselves as the ‘Crongton Knights’. We witness both their highs and the lows as they charge through graffiti-covered estates, with lifts infested by ‘God knows what’. This is aptly captured in the set design – an economical and box shaped, Tardis like construction sits centre stage and acts as a stairwell; public transport; and various apartment block interiors.

Emteaz Hussian’s adaptation of Wheatle’s novel is laced with crisp, vibrant and energetic language; holding a mirror up to how a generation speaks today. This is complemented by Conrad Murray’s beatbox beats, weaved through the piece. The songs move the story forward and don’t feel forced.

Where this play does perhaps struggle (and it does so understandably) is in its ambition. It simply tries to cover too much ground and is as a result, probably around 20 minutes too long. Topics covered included male gang violence; female gang violence; county lines; ‘sexting’, bullying, depression, middle eastern politics, poverty and inner-city riots. And every member of the Six has a back story to be resolved.

This play does most things reasonably well. I suspect it’s only reasonably well because the piece’s real objective was its ‘message’. This is a cautionary tale. A cautionary tale for children. As I looked around the audience, I could see that a significant proportion were adolescents. This is significant as we laughed at different points in the piece. We probably took away different messages too. To that section of the audience the themes being addressed are a present-day (or potential) reality – and seeing their heroes and heroines make sense of their predicaments and take responsibility for their actions should resonate more when the protagonists look like you; share your experience; or are your age group.

On the whole Crongton Knights is a welcome contribution because it shines a light on voices often under-represented in mainstream theatre; and may encourage a more diverse population to attend and create their own blend of theatre.

Crongton Knights is at The Lowry, Salford Quays from 10 to 13 March 2020.

Read our interview with Alex Wheatle.

The post Crongton Knights: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

It opens in a near future; Sophie sports a blonde bob and is dressed head-to-toe in silver. As she begins to share her story digital interference thwarts her efforts. In just over an hour (without interval), and on a sparsely decorated stage, we’re transported back to Sophie’s nine-year-old self – Harlesden, 1982.

We’re introduced to her friends, ‘the gang of six’ with whom she plays; her mother who is deaf and relies on Sophie to interpret for her. The backdrop is made up of strips of brown paper (around 7 ft in length). The captioned words (by Josh Pharo) of the play appear here as they’re spoken.

As the years pass Sophie grows up like any other child of her era, she loves to sing, to dance and listens to trip hop music. However, as she gets older, she begins to find it difficult to hear. A world often taken for granted is now closing its door, bringing with it a sense of isolation, painfully expressed as Sophie finds solace in the vibrations of passing trains.

Rachel Bagshaw directs Sophie’s personal journey with consummate ease. We never question or become distracted by leaps in time from the 80s to the 90s, to the present day.

We follow Sophie as she navigates a strangely silent world, to one where her hearing is restored through medical technology. Sophie describes her cochlear implant as being ‘switched on’ – becoming a cyborg. We’re invited to laugh and lament with her as she questions the benefits of re-joining a hearing world.

The scenes following her surgery are particularly poignant. Upon being ‘switched-on’ Sophie hears the room ‘breathe’. She later comments that being ‘switched-on’ is like an LSD trip; for example, a double-decker bus engine sounds like pixelated bleeps; the family dog scratching, sounds like jazz. A new world dawns.

Sophie is advised that the first three months after this procedure are when the brain is at its most receptive (active). She ventures further into the city, floating down the London Underground escalators, reveling in the richness and tonality of everyday existence. But being ‘switched-on’ isn’t the easy journey Sophie believed it would be, and there are genuine heart-breaking moments.

Augmented is a beautifully conceived piece that acts as a rallying call, championing good accessible theatre and the benefits of cochlear implant surgery. A must see, whatever your background.

Augmented, the inaugural show from Augmented Productions in association with Told by An Idiot is at The Studio, The Royal Exchange Theatre from 5-7 March 2020.

The post Augmented: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

The fourth wall is broken very early in this performance; it’s broken regularly and to great effect. The piece opens with a rendition of the seminal theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The first song of the evening (Brink of Extinction) establishes that humanities dire situation with piercing humour.

We’re in a desperate state and if nothing’s done, we’re destined for certain doom. Enter Bourgeois and Maurice. Two alien gods with the power of time travel. Their objective is to save humanity, but in order to do so they must understand humanity, homo sapiens or as they like to describe us ‘human sexuals’.

Clad in figure hugging sequins, thigh high boots and make up that would make RuPaul blush – they link their quest to the Epic of Gilgamesh. A poem sited as being the earliest surviving work of great literature.

Directorially we’re served up two acts. Each lasting roughly an hour each. Bourgeois and Maurice are both narrators and actors actively affecting events we see before us. Think Zeus toying with lesser gods (or humanity) for pleasure.

However, in the hands of writers George Heyworth and Liz Morris this is no longer a whim but a quest for salvation. ‘…Insane Animals’ holds up an acerbic mirror to our modern way of life. The modern-day cultural references come thick and fast with a keen satirist’s eye that wouldn’t be out of place on ‘Have I Got News For You’. As a result, the performance works on several levels: a history story; a love story; political machinations; social commentary; and of course, time travel.

The cast, though small, skilfully manage to play multiple parts believably. Bourgeois and Maurice are fierce as the hosts of the show. Their performances are brought to life further by their acting during the piece as they steer us from ancient Mesopotamia to our present day. Gilgamesh (described as being part god, part mortal and thoroughly reprehensible) also delivers a stand-out performance that will linger in the memory long after the show ends. Enkido, a threat from ‘beyond the pale’, is an excellent foil for Gilgamesh’s narcissistic excesses. And finally, a nod should be given to the performance given by the harlot/shaman character who (only slightly) steals the show. Her performance and wit add spice and sass to an already formidable cast.

The musical accompaniment and choreography are provided by ‘The Unforgettables’, who deliver a stellar performance under the stewardship of Victoria Falconer (Music Director) and Carl Harrison (Choreographer). Mid way through act one Bourgeois and Maurice thank the ‘Arts Council’ for the funding gained to put on this show. There are references throughout the piece regarding the lack of budget to fulfil their cast list. Their ability to ‘improvise’ is ingenious and goes down very well with the audience. Act one’s set design doubles as the exterior of a spaceship and a glammed-up re-imagining of Uruk (Gilgamesh’s home);

There so much more I could tell you but doing so would ruin the sense of surprise instore for you. What I can say is, I particularly loved the thinly (or not, as the case may be) veiled references to Trump; republicanism; the BREXIT referendum; working conditions at Amazon, all carefully threaded into a tale about a Mesopotamian God.

The rapid-fire references are however delivered with such aplomb and grace that they never feel laboured nor do they lose their sentiment. If you’re fed up with the awful weather we’re having and our long dark nights this show is the perfect antidote – Bourgeois and Maurice’s Insane Animals is a sequin studded; thigh-high stomping; dazzling slice of escapism that genuinely has something for everyone.

Bourgeois and Maurice’s Insane Animals is at Home, Manchester from 28 February to 14 March 2020. Recommended age 16 +

In rehearsals with Bourgeois and Maurice’s Insane Animals

The post Insane Animals: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

The evening’s performance is set in the Studio Theatre of the Royal Exchange and acts as a showcase of work that’s been in development for approximately 18 months. It’s an ‘all standing’ event that lasts just over an hour. The evening is split into two parts and in the interval we are treated to music provided by The Voice’s very own, Kunmi Ogunsola (Zion).

When I say ‘split into two parts’ it’s really three if you count the later and well-orchestrated ‘Q & A’ session with the performers. The performance consists of several skits, projected onto a large screen. ‘Joy’ our Master of Ceremonies holds the evening together, putting the audience at ease with her laid back yet enthusiastic personality.

The first of the short vignettes to be shown on screen is titled: ‘The Remote’. As soon as the lights dimmed and the supporting music started, I got where this was going – and so did the audience; once the laughter started, it never stopped. This is observational comedy of a high standard (all be it still rough around the edges) and as a vehicle it has a lot of potential. All the ingredients are there. There are smatterings of Caroline Aherne’s The Royle Family, except Jim’s patriarchal figure is replaced by an African/Nigerian female lead. There are also hints of Little Miss Jocelyn (a British TV sketch comedy written by and starring Jocelyn Jee Esien). The sketches that follow include: ‘Frozen Chicken’, ‘Getting ‘B’s’ (exam grades) and ‘Way Passed Curfew’.

Each offers a jaw-dropping insight into parenting (and life) in the UK but with an African flavour. I say African flavour, but these sketches are truly universal – think ‘Goodness Gracious Me’. The immigrant experience has always sought to find a voice through comedy. A Pakistani cast could have delivered these sketches … in 10 years’ time a Chinese cast will be at the Royal Exchange Studio extolling their experiences of first-generation life in the UK. The essence here is the voice and its uniqueness. It’s the same story being told, but for those of African descent you’re seeing actors who look like you; talk like you share the rhythm and the gestures of the tale being told.

In between the laughter, Kunmi Ogunsola (Zion) sings three songs accompanied only by a female guitarist. The songs showcase his undeniable vocal talents – after all he’s being mentored by Sir Tom Jones on the Voice. However, I suspect, the real message being translated here is that his guitarist is female. She is also black. The whole experience felt like watching Tracey Chapman in her pomp.

This leads me on to the ‘Q & A’ session. Normally these focus on influences; challenges and desires for the future. Which is fine. These subjects were covered and covered well. However, this particular ‘Q & A’ focused heavily on the talents of the cast and funding. This cast was simply overburdened with talent. As mentioned earlier, Kunmi is currently on The Voice; he’s also a trained architect. Justina Aina has been an Assistant Producer / Director. There are Chemical Engineers and Nurses who focus on providing therapy for those who suffer from learning difficulties through theatre (Naomi Yeboah). Their starting points all differ but as a collective they are writers, directors, musicians and producers.

With regards to funding and budgets the performers state that their goal when setting up SoulPay, as a collective, was to pool their resources. Rather than each struggle independently to forge their way in this chosen career, they’ve decided to work together thereby providing that much needed network of support.
Their overarching goal is to “…challenge ourselves to contribute to the voice of the Northern Brits of the Diaspora in a big way…” and “working with those whose personalities differ from the norm”.

First Gen – A SoulPay Ting is an excellent initiation into a world less frequently seen on UK television. Their next project is a series of shorts – I for one can’t wait to see what they have in store.

First Gen – a SoulPay Ting was at The Studio in The Royal Exchange, Manchester on 20 February 2020.

The post First Gen – A SoulPay Ting: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

The brainchild of Writer/Directors Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman the format is standard fare. It starts as Professor Goodman (Joshua Higgott) a parapsychologist takes his position at a lectern and begins his lecture which challenges humanities over reliance on the supernatural. The theatre lights are switched on and the audience are asked to participate. “Put your hands up if…”. He then embarks on a journey where he shares three testimonies recapping paranormal activity that have occurred.

The first tells the tale of Tony Matthews (Paul Hawkyard) a Night Watchmen; the second Simon Rifkind (Gus Gordon) a student; the third Mike Priddle (Richard Sutton) a businessman. Each is introduced via a tape recording of a previous interview, and that’s when things really get interesting. As each character begins to recount their story we’re whisked away to a re-enactment of the ‘scene of the of the crime’ so to speak.

Light and sound play a major part of this production. Both are ‘amped up’ to 11 in the capable hands of James Farncombe (Lighting Designer) and Nick Manning (Sound). This coupled with the Scott Penrose’s special effects mean that we’re catapulted from bleak, darkened, silence to ‘edge of your seat mania’ with wild abandonment. You suspect something’s going to happen – you just don’t know when. And when it does happen, I guarantee you’ll jump. And I really do mean jump! The shock levels displayed here are akin to those excepted at the cinema not a common or garden theatre performance. Yet it translates perfectly.

In between each vignette Professor Goodman is commanding as the ‘safe pair of hands’ that holds this piece together. He quotes facts, scenarios and statistics at the audience akin to the opening scenes of Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon series. “Pareidolia…” he cries, (the tendency for incorrect perception of a stimulus as an object, pattern or meaning known to the observer, such as seeing shapes in clouds; seeing faces in inanimate objects or abstract patterns). We’re ‘reminded’ that 51% of the earth’s population is now ‘on-line’, whilst 20 years ago this was 0.4%. Why does this matter? It matters because once a rumour starts, nowadays it has the capability of spreading like wildfire and that this act of digital transference reinforces its validity. So much so that what was just a rumour or misinterpretation now becomes a version of the truth. It’s his mission to dispel such notions.

If you make it to the end of this performance in one piece the twist is very rewarding. Ghost Stories is truly the output of minds that are in touch with the macabre. There is a child-like reverence for horror that is manifest by employing techniques previously only at the disposal of cinema and TV producers. Based on the success of this performance and indeed the show’s run, I have to ask myself, why doesn’t this type of show happen more often?

Ghost Stories is at The Lowry, Salford Quays from 18-22 February 2020.

Read our interview with Ghost Stories writers Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson.

The post Ghost Stories: Review appeared first on Quays Life.

Picture a windswept evening on Salford Quays. This however isn’t any normal evening. On this particular evening we’re being led on a ‘ghost story tour’ with Jonathan Schofield. “This is a story telling tour; I will not have people jumping out at you today but hopefully you’ll enjoy it nonetheless,” he explains.

Here, all the horror is left to our imaginations and soon the tales whisk us back to the eighteenth century and the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie ‘The Young Pretender’ who had desires on the English throne. This wider context sets the scene for the tale of James (a Salford man who fought, unsuccessfully, for Charles) and his fiancé Catherine Norton. Catherine makes her way to London to watch James’ execution; whereupon a friend gives her a lachrymatory (a bottle for catching tears) which was used to mark a period of mourning. However, the lachrymatory has unforeseen consequences.

Jonathan shares with us the origins of St Ann’s church. A lady called Ann (without an ‘e’, to guarantee uniqueness and posterity) had married a Yorkshireman (a drinker and a gambler) who died young leaving her his wealth. A wealth she used to build the church.

As we make our way to steps of the BBC’s new residence in the north Jonathan recalls in great detail and palpable enthusiasm tales of the Native American, Black Elk and his Lakota tribe, who arrived in Manchester as part of a Wild West Show and recreated key battles fought in America. The show was such a success it was extended. What’s clear from this tour is it’s a blend of local history and ghost stories which is a bonus if, like me, you love history.

The walk takes in both bridges nearest the Lowry; the BBC and the Imperial War Museum North. These are the key stopping points that underpin each of the tales that he shares with us.

Now stood precariously on the second bridge we’re eerily invited to eavesdrop on the tale of Lavinia Robinson, ‘the Manchester Ophelia’. Again, this is a tale of a woman who did not marry well and after a brief disappearance she’s found by a lock keeper near the water’s edge, frozen, her hair encrusted with ice. Her ghostly apparition causes a scandal for years to follow, until a fatal incident brings the matter to a ghoulish end.

There is even time during the walk for the Imperial War Museum North (designed by Architect Daniel Libeskind) to get a mention. If you google ‘8 things you didn’t know about the IMW North building’, you’ll find the inspiration behind its design –based on a shattered globe, to symbolise the effects of war.

Jonathan ends the walk with two remarkable, spooky tales. One is the story of Maria Malibran, an Opera singer of the highest esteem. Her life could’ve come straight from a Dickens novel; it’s filled with the difficulties she’d endured in relationships with husbands, lovers and her father. She rose to have immense wealth and popularity and suffered under the weight of divorce and bankruptcy. The one aspect of her life that would be with in life as well as death was her voice, and it’s this that sets in motion a ghostly twist to this story.

It’s all got me in the mood for Ghost Stories. Am I feeling ready – I can’t wait!

For more details visit Jonathan Schofield Manchester Tours.

Ghost Stories is at The Lowry from 18-22 February 2020.

Read our interview with Ghost Stories writers Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson.

The post A Ghost Around Every Corner – Quays Spooky Tales appeared first on Quays Life.