Theatre Review: CLUEDO 2 – The Lowry, Salford

The cast of CLUEDO 2 UK Tour. Photo Credit: Alastair Muir

CLUEDO 2 offers a fresh twist on the classic whodunnit, blending farce with mystery to great effect.

3 out of 5 stars

The much-anticipated return of the beloved whodunnit play, CLUEDO, graces the stage in 2024 with its sequel, CLUEDO 2, bringing with it a refreshing twist on the original formula.

Set in the swinging 1960s, CLUEDO 2 centres on Rick Black, a fading rock star, who invites a vibrant mix of guests to his mansion, hoping to revive his career...

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Theatre Review: DISCOVERING ANTARCTICA: HEROIC TALES OF SHACKLETON, CREAN & SCOTT – Sale Waterside Arts, Manchester

Aidan Dooley’s one-man play DISCOVERING ANTARCTICA masterfully brings to life the underappreciated heroism and adventures of explorer Tom Crean.

5 out of 5 stars

Ask anyone to name a great explorer of the early 20th century, and they will probably name either Scott (of the Antarctic) or Shackleton; they will not mention Tom Crean, the Irishman who was the only person to serve in three of the greatest expeditions ever mounted and was awarded the Albert Medal for heroism...

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Theatre Review: THE LONG SHADOW OF ALOIS BRUNNER – Factory International, Manchester

The Long Shadow of Alois Brunner. Photo Credit: Tom Dachs

Provocative and multifaceted, THE LONG SHADOW OF ALOIS BRUNNER weaves together history, personal struggle, and the complexities of justice and displacement.

3.5 out of 5 stars

THE LONG SHADOW OF ALOIS BRUNNER, the latest work from the writer Mudar Alhaggi and performed by Collective Ma’louba, is a multifaceted work dealing with many themes...

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Theatre Review: A TASTE OF HONEY – Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester

The cast of A TASTE OF HONEY. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Driven by its sublime staging and exceptional cast performance, A TASTE OF HONEY is a must-see.

5 out of 5 stars

When 19-year-old Shelagh Delaney wrote A TASTE OF HONEY in 1958, it sent shock waves through the world of theatre. It was a stinging dose of what would become known as “kitchen sink realism” and depicted a world many had not seen.

The Royal Exchange’s current production has lost none of that impact, and although the play is 66 years old, i...

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Theatre Review: BERT’S HOUSE – Salford Arts Theatre, Salford

Scott Bradley and Gemma Boaden in BERT’S HOUSE. Photo Credit: Rebecca Cockcroft

Funny, witty and guaranteed to give you a laugh, BERT’S HOUSE is a masterclass of crossed wires and comedy gold.

5 out of 5 stars

Life is not going well for Bert. He’s a run-down bed and breakfast owner of a run-down guest house in a run-down seaside town. The estate agents are circling and things could not get much worse...

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Theatre Review: Pretty Woman: The Musical – Palace Theatre, Manchester

Elly Jay and Oliver Savile in PRETTY WOMAN UK Tour. Photo Credit: Marc Brenner

With standout performances and a feel-good vibe, PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL brings a refreshing take but is unlikely to rival musical theatre classics.

3 out of 5 stars

Another hit movie has been made into a modern-day musical. Following in the footsteps of DIRTY DANCING, GHOST and BACK TO THE FUTURE, PRETTY WOMAN, the 1990 smash-hit rom-com, takes to Manchester’s Palace Theatre as a musical for the first time.

Audiences are whisked...

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Theatre Review: DROP THE DEAD DONKEY: THE REAWAKENING! – The Lowry, Salford

Despite the odd rhythmic dip, DROP THE DEAD DONKEY: THE REAWAKENING! has lost none of its acerbic wit.

3.5 out of 5 stars

In the 1990s the internet was still a different place. News media, although adopting the 24-hour format, was still regarded as more or less reliable. Or was it?

DROP THE DEAD DONKEY, which ran from 1990 to 1998, provided a satirical take on the world of news and, more specifically, GlobeLink News, the shambolic and angst-ridden comic creation of Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin...

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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.

4 out of 5 stars

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.

The Opera House audience is transported into the 15-year-old Butterfly’s world as the geisha is swallowed by an elaborate set d...

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Theatre Review: LIFE OF PI – The Lowry, Salford

LIFE OF PI UK Tour 2023. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Full of technical brilliance and masterful puppetry, LIFE OF PI is a beautiful spectacle.

4 out of 5 stars

Lolita Chakrabarti’s adaptation of Yann Martel’s best-selling book, LIFE OF PI, bursts onto The Lowry’s Lyric stage. Directed by Max Webster and full of technical brilliance and masterful puppetry, the show is a beautiful spectacle.

Piscine ‘Pi’ Patel (Tanvi Virmani –The Crown Jewels (West End and Tour); The Tempest (Bath Theatre Royal)) is the onl...

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Theatre Review: THE SNOW QUEEN – Waterside Arts, Sale

THE SNOW QUEEN at Waterside Arts. Photo Credit: Jason Lock Photography

Charming, heartwarming and magical, THE SNOW QUEEN is a blusteringly delightful watch for all the family.

4 out of 5 stars

Charming, heartwarming, and undoubtedly magical, family theatre company Wrongsemble’s THE SNOW QUEEN is a delight to watch.

Festive fun for all the family, THE SNOW QUEEN tells the story of the young and disheartened Lumi...

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