Category Theatre Previews

Festival Square at Manchester International Festival. Photo Credit: Louis Reynolds

Manchester International Festival unveils its 2021 programme with original new works and special events taking place over 18 days

Manchester International Festival (MIF) has unveiled its 2021 programme, which will take place across 18 days (1-18 July 2021).

Events will take place safely in indoor and outdoor locations across Greater Manchester, and a rich online offer will provide a window into the Festival where...

Joseph Taylor as Mr Rochester and Mariana Rodrigues as Bertha Mason in Jane Eyre. Photo: Emma Kauldhar

First Soloist Victoria Sibson goes backstage to talk about her costume for Bertha Mason in Northern Ballet’s JANE EYRE

Northern Ballet bring their stunning production of JANE EYRE to The Lowry for the first time this week...

The first image of Coronation Street’s Connor McIntyre and Les Dennis in costume as the Ugly Sisters ahead of this year’s pantomime, CINDERELLA have been released by Manchester’s Opera House.

Connor McIntyre, who currently plays Pat Phelan in the ITV soap and is set to make a dramatic return next week, has said that his first stint in pantomime this Christmas will be ‘a welcome antidote’ to playing the villainous Pat Phelan for the last few years.

Les Dennis has also exclusively rev...

Teentalitarianism at Ruhrtriennale Festival 2016. Photo Credit: Lukas Wenniger

As part of the events taking place during this year’s Week 53 Festival at The Lowry, Mammalian Diving Reflex have brought their “Teentalitarianism” project and will be running several events throughout the festival.

Annalise Prodor, Operations Manager and Co-producer of “Teentaitarianism”, describes the project as a festival within Week 53, infiltrated and run by teenagers...

Darragh Cowley & Full Company of SPRING AWAKENING. Photo: Scott Rylander

New SPRING AWAKENING trailer released today as the show enters its final three weeks

It’s fair to say that Hope Mill Theatre’s production of SPRING AWAKENING is a hit. With just three weeks left in its current run, the critically-acclaimed revival of the modern Broadway hit has been getting rave reviews from the critics, including a five-star review from us here at Frankly My Dear UK.

Set in late 19th century Germany,...

From costume changes to the cast, Frankly My Dear UK take a look at 20 epic facts about award-winning musical MISS SAIGON

Cameron Mackintosh’s epic production of MISS SAIGON makes a welcome return to Manchester this week for an eight-week-long run at the Palace Theatre.

Set during the Vietnam War, MISS SAIGON tells the story of 17 year-old Kim who is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer...

Birmingham Royal Ballet return to The Lowry with THE SLEEPING BEAUTY and the biggest wardrobe in ballet

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY is one of the grandest ballets ever created, with a classical score by Tchaikovsky and original choreography by Marius Petipa...

From gripping thrillers to show stopping musicals, we take a look at the top five theatre shows on in Manchester this week

It’s fair to say that Manchester theatre lovers are spoilt for choice this week. From gripping thrillers to show stopping musicals, there is something for everyone in Manchester this week.

To help make your choice a little easier, Frankly My Dear UK has put together a list of our top five shows that are on this week.

STRANGERS ON A TRAIN – Opera House

First up is Craig...

New musical THE TOYBOY DIARIES to make its world premiere alongside SPRING AWAKENING and ASPECTS OF LOVE

Following their landmark 2017 season, the award-winning Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester and Aria Entertainment has revealed the first three productions for 2018.

New British musical THE TOYBOY DIARIES will make its world premiere alongside a revival of the acclaimed modern Broadway hit SPRING AWAKENING and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s romantic classic ASPECTS OF LOVE...

Ten promising new playwrights battle it to take home part of a prize fund totalling £40,000

Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre played host to the 2017 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting Awards as ten promising new playwrights battled it to take home part of a prize fund totalling £40,000.

Now in its sixth year, the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting is Europe’s largest playwriting competition...