Category Theatre

Theatre Review: ANYTHING GOES – Palace Theatre, Manchester

With its show-stopping dance routines, stunning set, and all-star cast, ANYTHING GOES makes for a delightful, delicious and ‘de-lovely’ production.

5 out of 5 stars

Following its sell-out run at the Barbican in London, Kathleen Marshall’s award-winning revival of ANYTHING GOES makes a welcome return in 2022 as it heads out on a UK tour with an all-new cast.

Based on the songs of Cole Porter, ANYTHING GOES follows the lives of various passengers abroad ocean liner SS American from New York to London...

Read More

THE LION KING LAUNCH EVENT

Ahead of its run at Manchester’s Palace Theatre later this year, Frankly, My Dear UK was invited to a special launch event with the cast and crew of Disney’s THE LION KING musical

Frankly, My Dear UK was invited to a special launch event at the Palace Theatre with the cast and crew of Disney’s THE LION KING musical, due to land in Manchester in October this year.

Based on the 1994 animated Disney film, THE LION KING has brought its magic to our stages for over 23 years, first gracing our au...

Read More

Theatre Review: NORTHERN BALLET’S CASANOVA – The Lowry, Salford

Joseph Taylor and Minju Kang in Northern Ballet's Casanova. Photo Credit Emma Kauldhar

Joseph Taylor and Minju Kang in Northern Ballet’s Casanova. Photo: Emma Kauldhar

Enhanced perfectly by its opulent set and costume design, Northern Ballet’s CASANOVA is a sensual delight and a masterclass in balletic storytelling.

4 out of 5 stars

We all know the word Casanova; it’s thrown around when describing someone notorious for seducing women and having many lovers. The term originally comes from the Italian adventurer Giacomo Casanova, and many will not know his story...

Read More

Theatre Review: SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN – Opera House, Manchester

Cast of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN UK Tour

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN UK Tour. Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan

With its fabulous score, inventive choreography, and high production values, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN is a joyous celebration of musical theatre.

5 out of 5 stars

It may have been 10 years since Jonathan Church’s critically acclaimed stage production of SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN was first brought to life at Chichester Festival Theatre, but this fabulous fast-footed feast is still capable of making a splash as it heads to Manchester’s Opera House as part of a n...

Read More

Theatre Review: THE ADDAMS FAMILY – Opera House, Manchester

Scott Paige as Uncle Fester (centre) with the cast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith

Scott Paige and the cast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Photo Credit: Pamela Raith

Despite its strong cast performance, THE ADDAMS FAMILY’s musical score lacks memorable melodies and spectacular harmonies to make it something special.

3 out of 5 stars

MOVE TOWARD THE DARKNESS and allow yourself to be PULLED in by THE ADDAMS FAMILY at Manchester’s Opera House: the distinct, gothic musical-comedy will have you laughing and falling in love in perfect synchronicity.

Wednesday Addams (Kingsley Morton) has fallen for a ‘norma...

Read More

INTERVIEW: The Barricade Boys talk about their new UK tour

THE BARRICADE BOYS

The Barricade Boys. Photo Credit: Ollie Boito

Stage stars The Barricade Boys set to bring West End quality home with a new tour.

In the musical theatre world, is there a greater stamp of quality than having the incredible, epic musical LES MISERABLES on a performer’s CV?

That’s the question The Barricade Boys aim to answer with a resounding “YES” as they head out on the road this year, with dates in Cardiff, Wolverhampton, Manchester, Bradford, Sheffield, Ipswich, Basingstoke, Bath and Chepsto...

Read More

Theatre Review: Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – Palace Theatre, Manchester

Courtney Stapleton as Belle and Shaq Taylor as Beast in Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Courtney Stapleton and Shaq Taylor in Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Photo: Johan Persson

With its spectacular new designs and state-of-the-art technology, Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is a joy to watch, evoking the nostalgia, magic, and charm of the original film

5 out of 5 stars

A refreshed version of Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST makes a welcome return to Manchester’s Palace Theatre this month, boasting spectacular new designs and state-of-the-art technology to bring the beloved tale to life.

Based on the 1...

Read More

Theatre Review: LES MISERABLES – The Lowry, Salford

The cast of in LES MISERABLES UK Tour 2022.

The cast of in LES MISERABLES UK Tour 2022. Photo: Danny Kaan

Reworked for a modern audience, LES MISERABLES is one of the most memorable interpretations yet, thanks to its spectacular set-pieces, stunning special effects, and superb cast performance.

5 out of 5 stars

Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production of LES MISÉRABLES heads to Salford’s The Lowry this month for a four-week run as part of a new 2022 tour.

Based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, LES MISÉRABLES is a gripping story of love, loyalty and lo...

Read More

Theatre Review: JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT – Opera House, Manchester

Jac Yarrow (Joseph) and the company of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Jac Yarrow (Joseph) and the company of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT. Photo: Tristram Kenton

Reimagined for a modern audience, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT delights and surprises thanks to its theatrical inventiveness and superb cast performance

4 out of 5 stars

Following two successful seasons at the London Palladium, the hit 2019 staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT finally heads out on tour in 2022, launching with a two-week...

Read More

Theatre Review: SHEILA’S ISLAND – The Lowry, Salford

Abigail Thaw, Sara Crowe, Judy Flynn and Rina Fatania in SHELIA'S ISLAND.

Abigail Thaw, Sara Crowe, Judy Flynn, Rina Fatania in SHELIA’S ISLAND. Photo: Craig Fuller

With its perfect ensemble cast, SHEILA’S ISLAND is a sharp-witted comedy about four women trying to survive a night of tantrums, tears, and terror.

4 out of 5 stars

How well do you know the people you work with? How well do you want to know them, and who would crack first when the going gets tough? These are the central questions in Tim Firth’s SHEILA’S ISLAND, a reworked feminised incarnation of NEVILLE’S ISLAND, which h...

Read More