Category Theatre

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...

The Hollywood Special Effects Show is interesting but ultimately fails to match up to its intended audience

If you’ve been to the cinema this year, chances are you saw a film that contained special effects. Almost every modern film features some form of special effects (SFX), whether its make-up prosthetics or CGI graphics. No surprise then that the team behind THE HOLLYWOOD SPECIAL EFFECTS SHOW decided to bring the glitz, glamour and gore of Hollywood to the stage.

THE HOLLYWOOD SPECIAL EFF...

Go behind-the-scenes to discover the science and secrets of creating movie magic

The glitz, glamour and gore of Hollywood heads to The Lowry this weekend for an explosive half-term treat for all the family.

THE HOLLYWOOD SPECIAL EFFECTS SHOW takes you behind the scenes of the UK’s favourite films to discover the science and secrets of creating movie magic.

Billed as a family show suitable for children aged 6 or over, the 110 minute show is a showcase of horror effects, pyrotechnics and gore.