Blog Archives

Over 100 feature and short films will be screened as part of the four-day film festival this March

Manchester Film Festival has announced its full film line-up for 2018 with over 100 feature films, documentaries, animation, music, experimental and short films screening at the four-day festival.

Taking place at Odeon Great Northern between 1st to 4th March, this year’s festival aims to break away from the generic film festival format of branding and stranding by ditching the traditional category...

Stevie Helps’ ambitious but flawed play RACHEL falls short of delivering a serious message on mental health

One of the advantages of being a theatre blogger is that I get to see a real diverse mix of theatre. Whilst I love reviewing the big musicals and plays, it’s often the smaller, edgier and more thought-provoking productions that tend to leave a lasting impression. So when I read the synopsis for Stevie Helps new play RACHEL, I was naturally intrigued.

RACHEL tells the story of a young wo...

Maury Yeston talks about bringing five-time Tony award-winning TITANIC THE MUSICAL to the UK on tour

Following its award-winning run on Broadway and at London’s Charing Cross Theatre in 2016, TITANIC THE MUSICAL finally sets sail for its first ever tour across the UK and Ireland.

Based on the book by Peter Stone and music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, TITANIC THE MUSICAL tells the story of the real people aboard the most legendary ship in the world...

Despite its intriguing concept and initial promise, DOWNSIZING ultimately fails to leave a lasting impression

With the average population increasing at estimated an 83 million people per year, overpopulation remains a serious threat to the future of mankind. But what if, instead of attempting to reduce the number of people, we literally reduced the people? This is the premise of Alexander Payne’s new film DOWNSIZING.

Payne’s first foray into science fiction tells the story Paul Safranek (Mat...

Paapa Essiedu talks about reprising the title role of HAMLET in Royal Shakespeare Company’s UK touring production

Following its critically acclaimed run at Stratford-upon-Avon in 2016, the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is taking its award-winning production of HAMLET on tour across the UK.

Opening at Salford’s The Lowry before visiting Plymouth, Hull, Newcastle upon Tyne and Northampton, HAMLET tells the story of Prince of Denmark who is called by the ghost of his father, King Hamlet, to s...

Louis Dempsey talks to Frankly My Dear UK about his role as Finbar in THE WEIR

It’s hard to believe that Conor McPherson’s award-winning play THE WEIR is over 20 years old. Before it took the theatre world by storm, THE WEIR was booked to play for just three weeks to an audience of 60 people a night when it first opened at The Royal Court in 1997...

Americana singer-songwriter Josh Taerk delivers a strong third studio album with STAGES

I’ll admit that I hadn’t heard of Josh Taerk when his new CD dropped onto my desk. As an entertainment blogger, I’m often sent material from emerging artists and I assumed Taerk to be one of them. A quick Google search, along with a listen to his new EP STAGES, proved me wrong.

Best known in the US and in his native Canada, Josh Taerk (pronounced Turk) is a Pop, Country and Americana singer-songwriter...

Bold, hard-hitting and hugely entertaining, Aaron Sorkin makes a strong directorial debut with MOLLY’S GAME

With screenplays such as A FEW GOOD MEN, MONEYBALL and THE SOCIAL NETWORK to his name, it’s hard to believe that it’s taken this long for Aaron Sorkin to step behind the camera. Naturally then, expectations are high for Sorkin’s directorial debut, MOLLY’S GAME, a poker thriller about the life of Molly Bloom.

Based on real life events, MOLLY’S GAME tells the story of “Poker Prin...

Sting at THE LAST SHIP Media Launch at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse. Photo Credit: Nathan Cox

Sting talks about songwriting, his childhood and bringing his new musical THE LAST SHIP to the UK

It’s fair to say that Sting has had a varied career...

Thrilling, dark and incredibly clever, THE LAST MRS PARRISH is a story of greed, envy and psychological manipulation at its best

Never judge a book by its cover – or by its title. I’ll admit that when I first picked up THE LAST MRS PARRISH, the title put me off a little. But, as Liv Constantine’s book cleverly demonstrates, appearances can be deceiving.

THE LAST MRS PARRISH tells the story of Amber Patterson, a young woman in her 20s running from her sordid past...