Category Theatre

Theatre Review: ROCK OF AGES – Opera House, Manchester

The cast of ROCK OF AGES. Photo Credit: The Other Richard

Despite its catchy score and talented ensemble, ROCK OF AGES tries too hard to be funny, sexual, and different in its 2023 farewell tour.

3.5 out of 5 stars

After making its debut on the West End in 2011 and being adapted to film in 2012, ROCK OF AGES takes its final bow in its 2023 farewell tour.

The Sunset Strip is home to dreamers, rockers, and the infamous Bourbon Room, where Drew (Sam Turrell) fantasises of becoming a rock and roll legend...

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Theatre Review: FAULTY TOWERS DINING EXPERIENCE – Hotel Brooklyn, Manchester

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience. Photo Credit: Jane Hobson

Full of hapless tricks and tomfoolery, FAULTY TOWERS DINING EXPERIENCE is the ultimate tribute to the classic comedy.

5 out of 5 stars

Bounding into Manchester’s Hotel Brooklyn in all its hilarious, slapstick glory is the FAULTY TOWERS DINING EXPERIENCE from Interactive Theatre. Based on the 1975 show Fawlty Towers written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, this experience is the ultimate tribute to classic comedy and the art of the farce.

Prepare t...

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Theatre Review: BEGINNING – Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester

Erin Shanagher & Gerard Kearns in BEGINNING. Photo Credit: Helen Murray

Raw, gritty, and honest, BEGINNING draws you in and pulls at your heartstrings with its relatable script and impeccable acting.

5 out of 5 stars

BEGINNING is a two-person show that is raw, gritty, and honest. Its intimacy draws you in and pulls at your heartstrings through the themes of love, loss and loneliness.

It’s the end of the night, and there are only two left standing...

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Theatre Review: STEEL MAGNOLIAS – The Lowry, Salford

Despite some odd directorial choices, STEEL MAGNOLIAS remains a heartwarming tale of community, showcasing the strength and resilience of women.

3.5 out of 5 stars

It’s been over 30 years since Robert Harling’s play STEEL MAGNOLIAS first made its premiere. The comedy-drama, inspired by his sister’s battle with type 1 diabetes, was adapted into a movie in 1989, starring Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts, and still continues to draw a crowd, as demonstrated by the new UK tour.

Set in small-town Lousiana, STEEL MA...

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Theatre Review: THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW – Opera House, Manchester

The cast of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW UK Tour. Photo Credit: David Freeman

Celebrating 50 years of absurdity, acceptance, authenticity, and amusement, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW is as much of a crowd-pleaser now as ever.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Celebrating its fiftieth year onstage, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW has rocked and rolled back into Manchester’s Opera House as part of its 2022-2023 world tour. Ever the fan-favourite, Richard O’Brien’s timeless, time-warping, mind-bending musical is as much of a crowd-pleaser now as ever...

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Theatre Review: THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE – The Lowry, Salford

Keir Ogilvy (Boy), Millie Hikasa (Lettie) & Kemi-Bo Jacobs (Ginnie) in THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE. Photo Credit: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg

With its strong cast performance, amazing puppetry, and sumptuous staging, THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE is a masterclass in storytelling.

5 out of 5 stars

Imagine all the stories you read as a child; fairy tales, myths, Peter Pan and Narnia. Put them in a bag and shake them up, and you have the otherworldliness of THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE.

Adapted by Joel Horwoo...

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Theatre Review: THE PANTOMIME ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN – Opera House, Manchester

The cast of THE PANTOMIME ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN. Photo Credit: Phil Tragen

With its audience participation, catchy music, comic innuendos and laugh-out-loud slapstick comedy, THE PANTOMIME ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN ticks all the boxes.

4 out of 5 stars

What makes a pantomime? Is it a villain played with comedic menace or his dimwitted sidekick? Is it the audience participation and the music? The innuendo and slapstick? It is all of these things, and this year’s offering from Manchester’s Opera House in the ...

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Theatre Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL – Waterside Arts, Sale

Mesmerising in his delivery, Guy Masterson’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL is one of the best theatre adaptations to grace the stage. 

5 out of 5 stars

In 1843 there was a novella published. That novella was A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens and would go on to be one of the most consistently read works on the planet...

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Theatre Review: Agatha Christie’s THE MOUSETRAP – Opera House, Manchester

The cast of THE MOUSETRAP 70th Anniversary Tour

The cast of THE MOUSETRAP 70th Anniversary Tour. Photo Credit: Matt Crockett

Successfully blending comedy and mystery, Agatha Christie’s THE MOUSETRAP continues to entertain, thanks to its impressive set, talented cast, and skilfully written plot.

4 out of 5 stars

It’s been a big week for the creative team behind Agatha Christie’s THE MOUSETRAP...

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Theatre Review: MATTHEW BOURNE’S SLEEPING BEAUTY – The Lowry, Salford

MATTHEW BOURNE'S SLEEPING BEAUTY. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

MATTHEW BOURNE’S SLEEPING BEAUTY. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

With its sumptuous sets, masterly storytelling and superb dance performances, MATTHEW BOURNE’S SLEEPING BEAUTY is a visually spectacular piece worthy of the ticket price.

5 out of 5 stars

It’s been 10 years since MATTHEW BOURNE’S SLEEPING BEAUTY first made its premiere at London’s Sadlers Wells Theatre...

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