Theatre Review: Ellen Kent: Madama Butterfly - Opera House, Manchester
Elena Dee carries Ellen Kent’s pressure-filled production of Madama Butterfly with a charged performance that shoulders every scene of Puccini’s iconic 1904 opera. Disowned by her family for rejecting her community and religion, Cio-Cio-San also known as Butterfly, envisions a better life as a devoted wife to an American naval officer through an arranged marriage. […]
Theatre Review: 42ND STREET - Opera House, Manchester
Driven by its talented cast, showstopping tap sequences and fresh direction, 42ND STREET solidifies its place as a beloved classic in the world of musical theatre. Few shows can boast the spectacle of 42ND STREET, and the latest touring production at Manchester’s Opera House is no exception. This musical extravaganza, based on Bradford Ropes' novel, […]
Theatre Review: ANNIE – Opera House, Manchester
Aided by its colourful set, inspired choreography and incredible cast performance, ANNIE stands the test of time. Slowly approaching its 50th year onstage after opening in New York in 1977, the beloved ANNIE returns to Manchester's Opera House every bit as bright and joyful as ever. Written by Thomas Meehan and featuring classic songs TOMORROW […]
Theatre Review: SHREK THE MUSICAL – Opera House, Manchester
With its beloved characters and exceptional cast performances, SHREK THE MUSICAL exudes the same rewatchable charm as the films. You don’t need a magic mirror to predict the delight that SHREK THE MUSICAL’s live adaptation will bring to younger audiences, but its humdrum soundtrack may dim its shine for the big kids amongst them. Pushing […]
Theatre Review: ROCK OF AGES - Opera House, Manchester
Despite its catchy score and talented ensemble, ROCK OF AGES tries too hard to be funny, sexual, and different in its 2023 farewell tour. After making its debut on the West End in 2011 and being adapted to film in 2012, ROCK OF AGES takes its final bow in its 2023 farewell tour. The Sunset […]
Theatre Review: THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW - Opera House, Manchester
Celebrating 50 years of absurdity, acceptance, authenticity, and amusement, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW is as much of a crowd-pleaser now as ever. Celebrating its fiftieth year onstage, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW has rocked and rolled back into Manchester’s Opera House as part of its 2022-2023 world tour. Ever the fan-favourite, Richard O’Brien’s timeless, time-warping, mind-bending […]
Theatre Review: THE PANTOMIME ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN - Opera House, Manchester
With its audience participation, catchy music, comic innuendos and laugh-out-loud slapstick comedy, THE PANTOMIME ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN ticks all the boxes. What makes a pantomime? Is it a villain played with comedic menace or his dimwitted sidekick? Is it the audience participation and the music? The innuendo and slapstick? It is all of these […]
Theatre Review: BUGSY MALONE - Opera House, Manchester
From its spectacular set designs and talented cast ensemble, BUGSY MALONE is an utterly splurgtastic show for all the family. Alan Parker's world-famous 1976 movie BUGSY MALONE, which launched the careers of Jodie Foster and Scott Baio, heads to the stage for the first time on tour with this universally acclaimed revival of the universally […]
Theatre Review: JERSEY BOYS - Opera House, Manchester
Leaning on its talented cast and fantastic back catalogue, JERSEY BOYS is a thoroughly entertaining and impressively well-crafted show worthy of its ticket price. Many musicals are often adapted from successful books, TV shows and hit movies, but JERSEY BOYS does something else entirely: it has been created from real life. Based on the music […]
Theatre Review: SOUTH PACIFIC - Opera House, Manchester
Juxtaposing the lushness of the piece with an underlying threat of violent bigotry, Daniel Evans’ vibrant production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC emphasises the anti-racist message of the 1949 Broadway hit. Following a successful run in 2021, Chichester Festival Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s SOUTH PACIFIC launches at Manchester’s Opera House […]