Category Theatre

People Zoo Productions grotesque and darkly comic adaption of Kafka’s THE TRAIL is both innovative and incredibly daring

This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub. 

Considering Franz Kafka wrote THE TRIAL more than half a century ago, it’s uncanny prediction, both in subject matter and form, is eerily disturbing...

Norwegian filmmaker Paul Refsdal is no stranger to controversy. The freelance journalist has spent more than three decades covering conflict around the world and his last film, TALIBAN BEHIND THE MASKS, was shot behind enemy lines in Afghanistan. But when Refsdal went to film an airstrike in northern Syria back in 2014, little did he realise that it would be the start of his most controversial project so far.

DUGMA: THE BUTTON is a feature film documentary about a group of suicide bombers worki...

The cast and creatives behind Julian Fellowes’ new musical adaption of THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS gave theatre fans a first glimpse into the new musical at the official media launch at The Lowry on Monday. 

Fra Fee, Neil McDermott and Sophia Nomvete wowed guests with performances of three new musical numbers from the new British production, with theatre producer Jamie Hendry and lyrist Anthony Drewe providing a unique insight into the making of the project.

Based on the classic novel by Kenneth...

Following their five-star production of HAMLET and sell-out performances of TWELFTH NIGHT, Liverpool’s PurpleCoat make a welcome return to Manchester with their innovative re-imagining of KING LEAR.

Widely considered William Shakespeare’s bleakest tragedy, KING LEAR tells the story of the jealous and ageing King of Britain who greedily divides his kingdom between his three daughters based on who loves him most...

Elliot Levey as Oliver Walzer in THE MIGHTY WALZER at Royal Exchange Theatre. Photo: Jonathan Keenan

THE MIGHTY WALZER is a fresh and modern adaption of a great comic novel

Howard Jacobson’s semi-autobiographical comic novel THE MIGHTY WALZER, has been adapted into a new stage adaptation directed by Jonathan Humphreys.

Written by Jacobson in Australia in the 1990s, THE MIGHTY WALZER is a riotous Manchester tale of growing up, sex and ping pong...

Dark, edgy and surprisingly funny, MILLIONAIRES ANONYMOUS takes a hilarious look at our never-ending lust for the green stuff

This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub. 

It is often said that money doesn’t buy you happiness and if Stewart McDonald’s new comedy play is anything to go by, the proverb certainly appears to be true.

MILLIONAIRES ANONYMOUS tells the story of six lottery winners who have lost their money to drink, drugs, sex and booze...

Olivia Greene as Pamela and Richard Ede as Hannay in THE 39 STEPS. Photo: Dan Tsantilis

Fast-paced, well-polished and sublimely executed, THE 39 STEPS is still in spiffing form

Considering THE 39 STEPS is now in its 10th year, the award-winning production is still in spiffing form. After nine years in London’s West End, Patrick Barlow’s hilarious adaptation is back on tour and is as bonkers and as brilliant as ever.

Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps [DVD][1939 version starring Ro...

Dot Con is a topical, fast-paced and witty comedy show about scamming the scammers

Email spam is still a big business. In 2013, 60% of emails sent were either spam or scam, resulting in innocent people being relieved of around $6 billion of their hard earned cash. So one bold, brave and bored comedian decided to do something about it.

For the past four years, James Veitch has been responding to as many scam emails as he can, from unclaimed insurance bonds to close friends marooned in a foreign...

SMTC’s production of ROCK OF AGES entertains but is a little rough-around-the-edges

The tail end of the big, bad 1980s was a time of big bands, big egos and even bigger hair. It was also was the age of the power ballad – those air-guitar anthems that you can’t help but rock along to...

BIRD is an extremely bold play with excellent cast performances

BIRD, the winner of a Judges award in the 2013 Bruntwood Prize for playwriting, premiered at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre last night. Welsh writer Katherine Chandler brings us the story of Ava and Tash, two best friends fighting their way through the care system with only each other as support.

Ava (Georgia Henshaw), about to turn sixteen on the cusp of adulthood and about to become homeless, after three years of seperati...