Category Theatre Reviews

Shocking, powerful and darkly funny, JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN is a dark comedy about the contradictory nature of faith

Jake Murray makes a welcome return to his hometown of Manchester to direct the Northern Premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning Stephen Adly Guirgis’ play JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN.

Set in America in 1998, JESUS HOPPED THE ‘A’ TRAIN tells the story of 30-year-old bike messenger Angel Cruz who is awaiting trial for the shooting of a Reverend Kim, the leader of a religious ...

Captivating and incredibly moving, Willy Russell’s award-winning musical BLOOD BROTHERS has not lost any of its power

Willy Russell’s award-winning musical BLOOD BROTHERS may be celebrating its 30th anniversary this year but the heart-breaking piece of theatre has not lost any of its power. No matter how many times I see BLOOD BROTHERS, I still get a lump in my throat as I watch the moving story unravel.

Set in 1960s Liverpool, BLOOD BROTHERS tells the captivating tale of two brothers, Eddi...

The cast of TITANIC THE MUSICAL. Photo by Scott Ryland

Powerful and poignant, TITANIC THE MUSICAL is an emotional piece of theatre full of hope, love, ambition and tragedy

This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub.

When composer Maury Yeston first announced he was going to write a musical about the Titanic, it was understandably met with scepticism. A musical about the biggest disaster in maritime history in which 1,503 people lost their lives hardly seems fitting...

The cast of TITANIC THE MUSICAL. Photo by Scott Rylander

Five-time Tony award-winning TITANIC THE MUSICAL heads to Salford’s The Lowry as part of its first ever UK & Ireland tour

With Adele throwing a Titanic-themed 30th birthday this week, Maury Yeston’s musical about the ill-fated maiden voyage of RMS Titanic makes a timely appearance at Salford’s The Lowry this week. But does TITANIC THE MUSICAL sink or sail? 

Based on the real stories of passengers aboard the ill-fated ship, TITANIC THE MU...

Hollywood legend Kathleen Turner shares stories from her career with songs from the American Songbook in FINDING MY VOICE

To say I was excited to watch Kathleen Turner, one of my childhood movie icons, perform a solo show in such an intimate setting as The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre is a mammoth understatement...

Inspired by their super fan obsession, DOLLYWOULD is a bold, bouncy and bonkers celebration of all things Dolly Parton

Louise Mothersole and Rebecca Biscuit of Sh!t Theatre have never really been conventional. Whether it’s tackling the housing crisis in LETTERS TO WINDSOR HOUSE or with shaking up history with SHE BANGS THE DRUMS, the award-winning performance duo are famed for pushing the boundaries in wild and wacky ways. Their latest show DOLLYWOULD is no exception, even if the pair do des...

Keziah Joseph as Mowgli and the cast of THE JUNGLE BOOK. Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan

Jessica Swale’s riveting and vivacious twist on Rudyard Kipling’s classic THE JUNGLE BOOK brings the life and soul of the jungle to Salford’s The Lowry

Rudyard Kipling’s THE JUNGLE BOOK has been retold in many different ways over the years, with Walt Disney’s 1967 animated film and, more recently, the live action film from 2016, in particular, standing out as favourites...

OUR KIND OF MUSIC sees Sir Michael Parkinson turn the spotlight on himself to share his passion and love for music in all its forms

This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub. 

Few talk show hosts can boast the popularity or respect of Sir Michael Parkinson. Since 1963, Parkinson (or “Parky” as he is better known) has become a firm fixture on British TV screens, most notably for his television talk show, PARKINSON which ran from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007.

Following ...

Catherine Janke & Leila Schaus in KINDERTRANSPORT. Photo Credit: Mark Sepple

Powerful, poignant and deeply moving, KINDERTRANSPORT is an emotionally charged piece of drama about a vanished moment in history

Diane Samuels’ haunting play KINDERTRANSPORT may have been written 25 years ago but it has never been more relevant than it is today...

The Cast of THIS HOUSE by James Graham. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Intelligent, enthralling and bitingly funny, THIS HOUSE is a timely, moving and amusing insight into the workings of British politics

Considering the current political climate, you’d be forgiven for thinking James Graham’s critically-acclaimed play THIS HOUSE is set just a few years ago...