While this latest touring production may not be as polished as previous incarnations, BLOOD BROTHERS still packs a hefty punch

Few musicals can boast as much acclaim as the multi-award-winning BLOOD BROTHERS. Running for more than 24 years in London’s West End, Bill Kenwright’s production has played more than 10,000 performances to become the third longest-running musical production in West End history. It also continues to see great success on tour as fans packed out The Lowry’s Lyric The...

The cast of HAIR THE MUSICAL UK Tour 2019. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

While HAIR THE MUSICAL may not pack the punch it did back in 1967, this psychedelic and electric production is a joy to watch

It’s fair to say that many musicals are based on events that happened in the past but the 1967 phenomenon HAIR took the world by storm, tackling the Vietnam war as it was happening...

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’...

Fresh after last year’s STRICTLY scandal, comedian Seann Walsh is back on top form with his come back gig AFTER THIS ONE, I’M GOING HOME

Last October’s STRICTLY COME DANCING stint saw Seann Walsh begin to gain momentum with the public...

Paul Wilkins as Claude and the cast of HAIR THE MUSICAL UK tour. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Paul Wilkins talks to Frankly My Dear UK about his role as Claude in the 50th-anniversary tour of legendary rock musical HAIR

Following its critically acclaimed run at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre and a sell-out run at London’s The Vaults, the 50th-anniversary production of the legendary rock musical HAIR bursts out in full psychedelic glory at Manchester’s Palace Theatre this week.

Set in 1967, ...

Award-winning director Ned Bennett talks about EQUUS and the challenges of taking on such a well-known play

This month sees English Touring Theatre bring a new production of EQUUS to Salford’s The Lowry.

Inspired by a true story, EQUUS tells the story a young man who brutally blinded six horses and the psychiatrist tasked with uncovering the motive behind the boy’s violent act...

The cast of AMERICAN IDIOT UK Tour 2019. Photo Credit: Mark Dawson

Expanding on Green Day’s 2004 concept album, AMERICAN IDIOT is an attention-grabbing and entertaining two-hour theatrical rock concert

Sex, drugs and rock and roll take centre stage this week at the Palace Theatre as AMERICAN IDIOT’s spirited rock opera is back in Manchester to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Merging the dingiest Crayola coloured set pieces, confetti canons and a compelling soundtrack, AMERICAN IDIOT expands o...

Adam Jackson Smith and Samantha Womack in THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN. Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan

Despite its slow start, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN successfully transfers from page to stage thanks to a powerful and convincing performance from Samantha Womack

When British author Paula Hawkins released her debut novel THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN back in 2015 it took the world by storm, selling an estimated 20 million copies worldwide and resulting in a major film starring Emily Blunt...

WILD ROSE is a richly stirring human story about a young woman balancing her dreams of being a country music star with the responsibilities of motherhood

Actress Jessie Buckley delivers the star performance of the year in Tom Harper’s electrifying crowd pleaser WILD ROSE.

Fresh out of prison with a track record of bad behaviour, charisma and an electrifying set of vocal chords, WILD ROSE follows 23-year-old Rose-Lynn Harlan (Jessie Buckley), a single mum who dreams of becoming a country sing...

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...