British Theatre Guide

News, reviews, features and podcast on theatre across the UK

North West

North West theatre podcast episodes

Reviews

Conversation with Marilyn

Conversation with Marilyn

Kim and Nathalie Haley

Bloomin' Heck Productions

The King's Arms , Salford

28–29 November 2020

The Delirium of Phobos

The Delirium of Phobos

J F Cornes (Franklyn Jacks)

Carnival of Eternal Light

The King's Arms , Salford

2–3 November 2020

Love Bugged

David Viney

MancMade

23 October–30 November 2020

Drowning

Jake Talbot

Dare to Know Theatre

The Kings Arms, Salford

21–22 October 2020

Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show

Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show

Andrew Quick and Pete Brooks

Imitating The Dog and Leeds Playhouse

The Lowry, Salford

17 October 2020

News

Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

Last Call at Hope Mill Theatre

24 November 2020

Hope Mill Theatre is calling for any final submissions for its new playwriting prize.

Beauty of a ballot for NHS staff

24 November 2020

Tickets for the first evening performance of 'socially distanced' pantomime Sleeping Beauty at Manchester Opera House will be gifted to NHS workers and their families.

Courtenay in the act

24 November 2020

Comedian and musician Jon Courtenay brings his new live show to Blackpool Opera House.

Richard J Fletcher as Dame Dotty Trott

Hot to Trott for COVID heroes

24 November 2020

If you know someone who has achieved something great during the coronavirus crisis and would like a special message from Oldham Coliseum’s Dame Dotty Trott, then hurry!

Octagon entertains

Octagon entertains online

24 November 2020

Bolton Octagon has a programme of online events to entertain audiences this December.

Aiming to spread magic: Cinderella

Cinderella goes to ball at Odeon cinemas

17 November 2020

Michelle Heaton of Liberty X will play the Fairy Godmother in a new version of Cinderella which will play at selected Odeon cinemas.

53two's Christmas advert

Disability at heart of Christmas message

15 November 2020

53two in Manchester teams up with TripleC to create another Christmas advert highlighting the lack of disabled artists seen on screen.

One-woman shows planned for Lancaster

15 November 2020

Lancaster Arts is presenting two one-woman shows in collaboration with The Dukes at the Moor Space in Lancaster city centre.

Elf - flying high in Blackpool

Blackpool protects the Elf Service!

15 November 2020

Blackpool Opera House is protecting the Elf Service this Christmas.

Dame Dotty Trott (Richard J Fletcher) in 2019's Jack and the Beanstalk

Panto magic from Oldham

15 November 2020

Oldham Coliseum Theatre is offering a new kind of panto magic for 2020.

Lights out at Oldham Coliseum

Coliseum decides 'dark' is best policy

8 November 2020

Oldham Coliseum Theatre has decided to remain closed until early 2021.

Digital, down by the Waterside

8 November 2020

Waterside arts centre in Sale, Greater Manchester, has launched a new digital hub.

HOME in Manchester

Home from HOME

8 November 2020

All the HOME Manchester theatre shows that were due to be on stage in November will be live-streamed during lockdown.

My Voice Was Heard But I Was Ignored

Red Ladder tour dates postponed

8 November 2020

Red Ladder Theatre Company has postponed tour dates for My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored.

Here for Culture

Nothing for the North East

7 November 2020

No awards have been made to NE cultural organisations in the second round of CRF grants of £1m+

Manchester Festival's online 'one-off'

1 November 2020

Riz Ahmed will give a one-off livestream performance of The Long Goodbye on December 19.

Liverpool's Royal Court Studio

Liverpool looking for stage writers

1 November 2020

Liverpool’s Royal Court continues its search for new scriptwriting talent.

Turn On Fest plans return

1 November 2020

Manchester’s collaborative Turn On Fest plans to return in January.

Noir première put back

1 November 2020

The online première of original new play Noir will now be making its debut on February 13–14.

The Marathon Project

Join the Marathon!

28 October 2020

A unique music theatre collaboration invites new participants.

The Believers Are But Brothers

Radical take for Manchester

25 October 2020

The Believers Are But Brothers returns to HOME Manchester to explore online radicalisation by ISIS and the alt-right.

Andrew Lancel in Swan Song

Swan Song takes a tour

25 October 2020

Following a sold-out première at Liverpool Theatre Festival, Swan Song, a revised comedy by Jonathan Harvey, begins a short tour.

Dukes Christmas production Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty—socially distanced!

25 October 2020

Families can enjoy festive cheer at The Dukes this Christmas with a new, 'socially distanced' production of Sleeping Beauty.

Christmas Carol in Chester

25 October 2020

The cast have commenced online rehearsals for Chester’s Christmas Carol starting November 7.

Packed with music, comedy and fun

Right Royal selection box

24 October 2020

It’s never too early for a Liverpool Royal Court Selection Box.

Anastasia all fired up

Halloween horrors north and south

24 October 2020

Circus of Horrors is back in Blackpool this week and at London Clapham Grand on Friday the 13th.

Octagon shares in recovery fund

24 October 2020

The Octagon in Bolton has welcomed government funding of £620,232 as part of the Culture Recovery Fund.

My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored

Oldham's socially-distanced line-up

24 October 2020

Oldham Coliseum Theatre is reopening to 'socially distanced' audiences from next month.

The personal becomes global at HOME

24 October 2020

Bertrand Lesca and Nasi Voutsas use their personal and professional relationship to explore global issues in The End, at HOME, Manchester.

Clive Parker-Sharp

ConeBoy shapes up for show

18 October 2020

ConeBoy, an "eclectic rock ‘n’ talk show", has two performances at Antwerp Mansion in Manchester November 20.

Aoife Kennan and Charles Angia make C-o-n-t-a-c-t

Making C-o-n-t-a-c-t in Salford & Manchester

18 October 2020

C-o-n-t-a-c-t, an immersive, two-hander outdoor performance will run in Salford Quays and central Manchester for six weeks.

Bolton Octagon Theatre

Octagon's eight questions

18 October 2020

The Octagon is asking the people of Bolton to answer eight questions.

Funding help in Manchester

14 October 2020

GM Artist Hub rolls out two new funding opportunities to support independent artists and creative freelancers.

Denise hosts Industry Minds awards

14 October 2020

The Industry Minds Awards 2020 will be held at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre.

Writing award seeking Northern talent

Looking for Northern writers

14 October 2020

Manchester-based theatre company Box of Tricks and Sky Studios’ Innovation Hub have teamed for the launch of the inaugural Screen/Play Award.

Material need for Fabric of Bolton

14 October 2020

Octagon Theatre in Bolton has partnered with Bolton Solidarity Community Association on a new project.

Altrincham expands art event

14 October 2020

A COVID-secure live arts event is to be staged at Altrincham Garrick Playhouse.

Blackpool Grand

North West shares in arts funding

14 October 2020

Several regional venues, including two of Blackpool’s iconic theatres, have benefitted from the government COVID-19 recovery fund.

The Delirium of Phobos

Something for all in Phobos

14 October 2020

Carnival of Eternal Light brings its new production The Delirium of Phobos to the 2020 Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.

Elizabeth Ingram Wallace

Two scoop new writing awards

14 October 2020

Elisabeth Ingram Wallace and David Calder have won the first QuietManDave short-form writing awards.

New Brighton panto postponed

Pavilion panto goes back a year

14 October 2020

New Brighton’s Floral Pavilion Theatre is to postpone this year’s production of Beauty and the Beast to December 2021.

Creative'pool from Unity Theatre

Developing talent on Merseyside

14 October 2020

Unity in Liverpool has launched a talent development programme providing 200 artists a year with resources.

Pantomonium at the Grand

Pantomonium guaranteed in Blackpool

14 October 2020

If ever a show, and its title, captured the spirit of the age then Pantomonium at the Grand in Blackpool this Christmas takes the prize.

Drowning - on tour

Drowning around the region

13 October 2020

Dare to Know Theatre is bringing its debut play, Drowning, to several stages.

Ogg-n-Ugg-n-Dogg

Half-term delights in Lancaster

13 October 2020

Families can experience classic furry-tail Puss in Boots at The Dukes in Lancaster October 24

Little Amal - from Turkey to Manchester

Amal heads towards Manchester

13 October 2020

Manchester International Festival’s first event for next year is The Walk, the culmination of an extraordinary journey from Gaziantep in Turkey to Manchester.

Chester venue stalwarts honoured

13 October 2020

Storyhouse’s ex-chair and chief executive have both been recognised with awards in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Everyone in the Zoom say hi to #txtshow

Stay more than 5m metres apart!

4 October 2020

Audiences can stay more than five million metres apart—from the performer—for a show coming to Manchester Fringe.

March For The Arts

Marching for the arts in Liverpool

3 October 2020

There's a protest march in Liverpool city centre this Saturday to raise awareness of the impact lockdown has had on the arts across the region.

HOME stages Identity parade

1 October 2020

Resident artists at Manchester's HOME arts venue, Young Identity, are to create the first live performance there since March.

Features

Popular

15 November 2020

Conservative MP Jake Berry’s remarks that northern communities prefer football to opera, ballet and theatre can be dismissed as nonsense but reflect an attitude that may deter, or limit the enjoyment of, potential theatregoers.