Things To Do: WINTER WONDERLAND – EventCity, Manchester

The main stage at Silcock’s Winter Wonderland. Photo Credit: Prakash Bhalsod

Featuring more than 50 family rides and attractions, Silcock’s Winter Wonderland is a family-friendly event that will appeal to children of all ages

4 out of 5 stars

Silcock’s Winter Wonderland makes a welcome return to Manchester’s EventCity this week for the first time in four years.

Organised by Kingpin Events, the family festive extravaganza features more than 50 family rides and attractions, all under one roof for a set tick...

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Theatre Review: Ian Ashpitel & Jonty Stephens as Eric and Ern at Christmas – The Lowry, Salford

Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel successfully capture the fizzy, frothing, joyous comedy of Morecambe and Wise, bringing laughs, joy and sunshine with their magical Christmas show

5 out of 5 stars

Let me take you on a journey through space and time. We start our journey in 2021 but the destination is any living room in Britain in the 1970s on Christmas Day. Queen’s Speech, Christmas dinner and then the joy that was the Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show...

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Theatre Review: SPINACH – The Edge Theatre, Manchester

Fast-paced, funny, and mysterious, SPINACH is the perfect mix of music and comedy with an unusual, twisting storyline.

4 out of 5 stars

Manchester’s The Edge Theatre and Arts Centre celebrates its 10th anniversary with two-week run of Janine Waters’ critically acclaimed musical SPINACH, which coincidentally, also celebrates its 10th year anniversary.

Upon entering the auditorium, the audience’s attention is captured by two individuals tied back-to-back on chairs in a dark setting, accompanied by the faint ...

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Theatre Review: THE WIZ – Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

Tarik Fimpong, Cherelle Williams, Jonathan Andre & Llewellyn Graham in THE WIZ

Tarik Fimpong, Cherelle Williams, Jonathan Andre & Llewellyn Graham in THE WIZ. Photo: Pamela Raith

Reimagined for a contemporary audience, THE WIZ is a glorious celebration of self-determination, self-empowerment, and Black culture.

5 out of 5 stars

Hope Mill Theatre stage the first new UK production of THE WIZ in 10 years, bringing this award-winning Broadway musical to life this Christmas.

Based on L...

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Theatre Interview: Nathaniel Hall Talks FIRST TIME

Nathaniel Hall in FIRST TIME. Photo Credit: Andrew Perry

Ahead of World Aids Day, actor, writer, and HIV activist Nathaniel Hall talks about his play FIRST TIME, his role in Russell T Davies’ hit series IT’S A SIN and his work as a HIV activist.

Can you remember your first time? Nathaniel Hall most certainly does. In fact, he can’t forget it...

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Matthew Bourne’s NUTCRACKER! – The Lowry, Salford

Matthew Bourne’s NUTCRACKER! Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Refreshed and reinvigorated for 2021, Matthew Bourne’s NUTCRACKER! is a spectacular treat for the eyes and ears

4.5 out of 5 stars

It’s hard to believe Matthew Bourne’s NUTCRACKER! is almost 30 years old. The award-winning choreographer has a rare knack for keeping his productions fresh, as his latest touring production aptly demonstrates.

Inspired by E.T.A...

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Theatre Interview: Samantha Womack Talks THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

Sam Womack in THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

Actress Samantha Womack talks about her role as the villainous White Witch in Michael Fentiman’s adaption of THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

Samantha Womack has long been a familiar and much-admired presence on TV, but the actress currently touring the country in THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE wants to make one point clear: the stage, she feels, is her natural home.

“The theatre feels to me kinder,” Womack was saying one recent afternoon, speaking to theatre critic Matt Wolf from ...

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Theatre Review: WHO CARES – The Lowry, Salford


Hard-hitting, emotional, and incredibly powerful, WHO CARES gives a vital insight into the lives of young carers across the country.

5 out of 5 stars

Adapted from real-life testimonies, award-winning theatre company LUNG examines the impact of austerity, our failing social care system and what happens when a child becomes the parent in their latest production, WHO CARES.

Set against a backdrop of blue school lockers, three actors are already on stage as the audience enters the intimate performing space, taking...

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Theatre Review: DIAL M FOR MURDER – The Lowry, Salford

Tom Chambers as Tony and Diana Vickers as Margot in DIAL M FOR MURDER

With its farcical delivery, Anthony Banks’ adaption of DIAL M FOR MURDER takes a different approach to Frederick Knott’s classic thriller

3 out of 5 stars

It’s fair to say that DIAL M FOR MURDER has somewhat of a fond place in this reviewer’s heart. As the first ever theatre review published on Frankly My Dear UK, the show marks a return to full circle for the site, as a new production by Anthony Banks’ production heads out on a UK tour.

Based on the play by Frederick Knott, DIAL M FOR MURDER tells t...

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Theatre Review: DRACULA: THE UNTOLD STORY – The Lowry, Salford

Combining live-action with graphic artwork, DRACULA: THE UNTOLD STORY shifts between reality and fantasy, adding a new level of power and horror to this classic story.

5 out of 5 stars

Dracula has been revisited many times over the years on film, radio, graphic novel, and television; even THE SIMPSONS have had a stab at it, but this new interpretation from Imitating The Dog theatre company sets the bar higher than before.

Using a combination of live-action and real-time generated graphic artwork, DRACULA: THE ...

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