With its rich sound, lush arrangements and full orchestral backing, SONGS FROM THE STAGE by Leading Ladies is a musical treat like no other

When Amber Riley, Beverley Knight and Cassidy Janson first announced they were collaborating on a new studio album, the theatre world went into a frenzy. The celebrated queens of musical theatre are more than capable of releasing a killer album in their own right but join them together and you have a musical treat like no other.

SONGS FROM THE STAGE sees ...

New musical THE TOYBOY DIARIES to make its world premiere alongside SPRING AWAKENING and ASPECTS OF LOVE

Following their landmark 2017 season, the award-winning Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester and Aria Entertainment has revealed the first three productions for 2018.

New British musical THE TOYBOY DIARIES will make its world premiere alongside a revival of the acclaimed modern Broadway hit SPRING AWAKENING and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s romantic classic ASPECTS OF LOVE...

Ten promising new playwrights battle it to take home part of a prize fund totalling £40,000

Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre played host to the 2017 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting Awards as ten promising new playwrights battled it to take home part of a prize fund totalling £40,000.

Now in its sixth year, the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting is Europe’s largest playwriting competition...

Sarah Darling brings a country twist to festive classics with WINTER WONDERLAND

With just six weeks left until Christmas, US country music singer Sarah Darling is getting into the Christmas spirit with the release of her new album WINTER WONDERLAND.

Heralded as one of country music’s breakout performers, Darling first shot to fame in 2003 when she appeared as a top-three finalist on reality television show THE ENTERTAINER...

Toyah Wilcox stars in Chris Goode’s 40th anniversary production of JUBILEE

When Derek Jarman’s iconic film JUBILEE was released 1978, it captured punk at its dizzy height. Almost forty years later, Chris Goode remixes the wild and artistic piece for a new stage adaptation at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre.

JUBILEE takes us to a contemporary London squat where a time-travelling Elizabeth I (Toyah Willcox) observes the misadventures of a group of outcasts who make love and war in a lawl...

Evocative, warm and deeply personal, DECLINING SOLO is a complex and tender piece about the relationship between father and daughter

When The Lowry launched their PAY WHAT YOU DECIDE (PWYD) programme earlier this year, they promised a series of ‘cutting-edge, contemporary shows to appeal to the creatively curious’...

Musical theatre star James Meunier makes his mark with FROM THE HEART

From leading ladies Beverley Knight, Amber Riley and Cassidy Jansen, to fan favourites Alfie Boe and Michael Ball, theatre fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to recordings by their favourite West End stars. In addition to traditional cast recordings, many West End performers have chosen to release albums under their own name with SUNSET BOULEVARD’s James Meunier now joining the pack.

Currently appearing in the UK t...

                                                       Photo Credit: Pamela Raith Photography

Elaborate and enthralling, CABARET stands the test of time in Bill Kenwright’s touring production

When it comes to musicals, CABARET is one of the all-time greats. Since its Broadway premiere in 1966 and the famous 1972 film starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, CABARET has won a staggering number of stage and screen awards including 8 Oscars, 7 BAFTAs and 13 Tonys...

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is a deliciously kitsch affair but ultimately loses steam

It’s hard to believe that Agatha Christie’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS is 84 years old. Since its publication in 1934, the classic whodunit continues to inspire generation upon generation with a brand-new film directed by Kenneth Branagh hitting UK cinema screens this week.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS takes place on the luxurious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express as it journeys from Istanbul to Calais...

The Lowry Theatre (Front Elevation). Photo Credit: Percy Dean

Why The Lowry’s PAY WHAT YOU DECIDE season could open your mind and your wallet to new experiences

If you’ve attended a theatre show recently, chances are it set you back a pretty penny. With the average theatre ticket costing £24.96 in 2016, a trip to the theatre can be an expensive night out for most...