Theatre Review: THE COLOR PURPLE - The Lowry, Salford
Despite its heavy themes, THE COLOR PURPLE is a powerful and uplifting tale that celebrates life, love and the strength of survival. Following its praised revival in 2019, new musical, THE COLOR PURPLE, finally heads out on a UK tour with a week-long run at Salford’s The Lowry. Based on Alice Walker’s 1982 Pulitzer prize-winning […]
BFI #LFF 2022: THE WOMAN IN THE WHITE CAR Film Review
Shamelessly indulging in genre cliches, Christine Ko's twisty thriller, THE WOMAN IN THE WHITE CAR, finds new ways to turn itself on its head. Originally conceived as a short, two-part TV drama, Christine Ko makes her feature film debut with THE WOMAN IN THE WHITE CAR, a twisty thriller that centres around three women. The […]
BFI #LFF 2022: SICK OF MYSELF Film Review
Dark, funny, and deeply disturbing, SICK GIRL is a sharp and biting satire about our desire to be seen. Following his debut feature, DRIB (2017), writer-director Kristoffer Borgli serves up a deliciously horrid treat with SICK OF MYSELF, an extremely grotesque satire about morbid attention seeking. On the surface, Signe (Kristine Kujath Thorp) and boyfriend […]
BFI #LFF 2022: THE WOODCUTTER STORY Film Review
Strange, surreal, and deeply melancholy, THE WOODCUTTER STORY is a muted social comedy driven by Finland's famously deadpan, dark humour. Mikko Myllylahti delivers an unpredictable Nordic oddity with his debut feature, THE WOODCUTTER STORY, a deadpan philosophical fable with famously deadpan Finnish humour. Set in a snowbound area of Finland surrounded by mountains and forests, […]
BFI #LFF 2022: SUBTRACTION Film Review
Driven by strong cast performance and impressive cinematography, Mani Haghighi's twisty human drama SUBTRACTION keeps you guessing until the final frame. In his latest feature film, Iranian filmmaker Mani Haghighi delivers a tense Hitchcockian thriller about a married couple who meet their doppelgangers in Tehran. While out on a lesson, young driving instructor Farzaneh (Taraneh […]
Theatre Review: GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY – The Lowry, Salford
Leaning on Bob Dylan's glorious melodies and poetic lyrics, Conor McPherson's GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY is a stripped-back, heart-warming, and thought-provoking play packed with emotion. It's hard to imagine Bob Dylan's extensive back catalogue could be woven into a 1930s musical, yet celebrated playwright Conor McPherson has managed to do just that. Set in […]
Theatre Review: DREAMGIRLS - Palace Theatre, Manchester
From its vibrant set and costume design to the stunning cast performance, DREAMGIRLS is musical theatre at its best. Following a successful run in London's West End, the dazzling multi-award-winning musical DREAMGIRLS heads to Manchester's Palace Theatre this week for a two-week run as part of a new UK tour. Set in 1960s America, DREAMGIRLS […]
THE OSMONDS: A NEW MUSICAL - Palace Theatre, Manchester
Driven by some energetic and infectious performances, THE OSMONDS: A NEW MUSICAL gives us a glimpse into Osmond family life but barely digs beneath the surface. With more than 100m record sales to their name and a wealth of hit songs in their back catalogue, it's surprising that it's taken so long for an official […]
Theatre Review: SOUTH PACIFIC - Opera House, Manchester
Juxtaposing the lushness of the piece with an underlying threat of violent bigotry, Daniel Evans’ vibrant production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC emphasises the anti-racist message of the 1949 Broadway hit. Following a successful run in 2021, Chichester Festival Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC launches at Manchester’s Opera House […]
Theatre Review: SISTER ACT - Palace Theatre, Manchester
Big, bold and bright, SISTER ACT plays to its strengths, making this feel-good musical worthy of its new run. Following its postponed run in 2021, the eagerly anticipated brand-new production of the Broadway and UK smash hit musical SISTER ACT finally makes its premiere at Manchester’s Palace Theatre ahead of a major London run. Based […]