Category Opera House Manchester

Jodie Prenger as Beverly and Calum Callaghan as Tony in ABIGAIL’S PARTY.

Sarah Esdaile squeezes every bit of humour out of Mike Leigh’s bitter comedy ABIGAIL’S PARTY but ultimately undercuts the emotional impact of the ending

As someone who never lived through the 1970s, I always imagine the era to be a mix of bell-bottomed flares, big afros, disco music and dodgy moustaches. These very thoughts were confirmed as the curtain was raised for Mike Leigh’s iconic ABIGAIL’S PARTY at Manchester’...

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS is an acute, revealing piece but Sam Yates’ touring production doesn’t quite close the deal as successfully as it should

It’s fair to say that the salesman has become almost an archetypal figure in America, embodying the American dream and taking a central role in works of art and literature such as in Arthur Miller’s DEATH OF A SALESMAN...

The Four Tops in MOTOWN THE MUSICAL. Photo Credit: Tristram Kenton

With its goldmine of hits, MOTOWN THE MUSICAL is a feel-good show about this iconic period in music and popular culture history

Mention the word Motown and you’re more likely to think of the US city of Detroit, not the UK city of Manchester. Yet this humble Northern city has more links to the iconic record label than you may think as MOTOWN THE MUSICAL aptly demonstrates.

Based on the autobiography by Berry Gordy Jr...

Rowdy and raucous, THE FULL MONTY is the ultimate crowd pleaser and a hilarious adaption of the hit 1997 film

First performed in 2013, the stage production of THE FULL MONTY is an adapted version of the 1997 film about a group of unemployed men who decide to become strippers for a night to raise money. The film was a major success upon release, becoming the highest earning film in the UK until it was outsold by TITANIC.

David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers’s presentation of the Sheffield Theatres produc...

The cast of ANNIE UK Tour. Photo: Paul Coltas

Nikolai Foster’s touring production of ANNIE certainly looks and sounds the part but the 40-year-old story is beginning to show its age

Forget the adults, it’s the kids who rule theatre at the moment. From Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin’s MATILDA THE MUSICAL to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s SCHOOL OF ROCK, the array of young talent gracing the stage in 2019 is certainly impressive as Nikolai Foster’s touring revival of ANNIE clearly demonstrates.

Se...

The cast of THE FULL MONTY tell the naked truth as they embark on the final tour of the show

With just four months left to go on their UK tour, Vicky Edwards gets the naked truth from the cast of THE FULL MONTY as they embark upon the FINAL tour of the show. 

It may be the last ever tour of this particular production, but it is the story that keeps on giving. Originally an award-winning movie, as a stage play THE FULL MONTY has won both awards and hearts...

Four guys, four stories, one unforgettable musical, JERSEY BOYS certainly lives up to the hype

West End and Broadway extravaganza JERSEY BOYS tells the remarkable tale of four ordinary boys from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who went on to sell 100 million records worldwide.

Frankie Valli, Tommy De Vito, Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio take us on a feel-good ride through the trials and tribulations of their lives as they write their own songs, create their own unique sounds and climb to...

The cast of CINDERELLA at Manchester’s Opera House. Photo Credit: Phil Tragen Photography

With its marvellous costumes, silly script and fun musical numbers, CINDERELLA is a traditional pantomime that does not disappoint

It’s that time of year again, (oh no it isn’t…) and the Opera House Manchester does not disappoint with it’s glitzy and bold pantomime, CINDERELLA.

Everything you expect from a traditional panto is included here, with plenty of laughs, digs at the audience and convoluted...

The cast of KINKY BOOTS. Photo: Helen Maybanks

A feel-good celebration of individuality, KINKY BOOTS spreads it’s timeless message of acceptance to Manchester this November

With Cyndi Lauper’s score giving us some catchy, poppy tunes to accompany Harvey Fierstein’s book, KINKY BOOTS is a lighthearted comedy with plenty of touching, heartfelt moments to go around. Based on the 2005 film of the same name, KINKY BOOTS is loosely based on the true story of the W.J. Brooks Ltd footwear company...

The cast of LET IT BE UK Tour. Photo Credit: Anthony Robling

LET IT BE charts The Beatles’ meteoric rise from their humble beginnings to the heights of Beatlemania

Billed as “The Beatles reunion you never got to see”, LET IT BE is a nostalgic romp through The Beatles’ discography.

This is not your typical jukebox musical...