British Theatre Guide

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

North West

Reviews

Renaissance Men

Renaissance Men

James Patrick and Alexander Knott

Bag of Beard

53two, Manchester

19 to 20 April 2019

Robin Herford and Liz Crowther

Visitors

Barney Norris

Oldham Coliseum Theatre

Oldham Coliseum Theatre

18 April to 4 May 2019

Natasha Patel, Matthew Durkan and Roberta Kerr in Lancastrians

Lancastrians

Liz Stevenson

Junction 8 Theatre

Chorley Town Hall

16 to 20 April 2019

Matt Prendergast and Keicha Greenidge

Heart of Darkness

Andrew Quick and Pete Brooks (adapted from the novella of Joseph Conrad)

imitating the dog

The Lowry (Quays Theatre)

16 to 18 April 2019

Ghost the Musical

Ghost the Musical

Bruce Joel Rubin, based on his script for the film with music and lyrics by D...

Bill Kenwright

The Palace, Manchester

16 to 20 April 2019

Kingdom

Àlex Serrano, Pau Palacios and Ferran Dordal

Señor Serrano

HOME, Manchester (¡Viva! Spanish & Latin American Festival 2019)

9 to 13 April 2019

Denis Lill, Ian Kelsey and Okon Jones in The Verdict at Blackpool Grand

The Verdict

Barry Reed, adapted by Margaret May Hobbs

Middle Ground Theatre Company

Grand Theatre, Blackpool

9 to 13 April 2019

Jodie Prenger (Beverley) Calum Callaghan (Tony)

Abigail’s Party

Mike Leigh

Ambassadors Theatre Group, Smith and Brant Theatricals, Tulchin Bartner Productions and Julia Clare Productions

Opera House, Manchester

8 to 13 April 2019

Hair

Gerome Ragni and James Rado with music by Galt MacDermot

Aria Entertainment , Senbla and Hope Mill Theatre

Palace Theatre, Manchester

8 to 13 April 2019

Gabriela Garcia (Maria) and Andy Coxon (Tony)

West Side Story

Conceived by Jerome Robbins, book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernst...

Royal Exchange Theatre

Royal Exchange Theatre

6 April to 25 May 2019

American Idiot

Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer with lyrics by the former

Selladoor Worldwide and Piu

Palace Theatre, Manchester

2 to 6 April 2019

No Kids

Nir Paldi and George Mann

Ad Infinitum

The Lowry, Salford

1 April 2019

Mark Morris Dance Group in Pepperland

Pepperland

Mark Morris

Mark Morris Dance Group

The Lowry

29 to 30 March 2019

Aryana Ramkhalawon (Ayesha) and Francesca Zoutewelle (Janey)

The Funeral Director

Iman Qureshi

English Touring Theatre and Papatango Theatre

HOME, Manchester

27 to 30 March 2019

Danielle Bird as Mildred and Rachel Heaton as Miss Hardbroom in The Worst Witch

The Worst Witch

Jill Murphy adapted by Emma Reeves

Royal and Derngate, Kenny Wax Family Entertainment, Novel Theatre and Nica Burns

The Lowry, Salford

26 to 27 March 2019

Scott Sparrow as John Williamson and Mark Benton as Shelly Levene

Glengarry Glen Ross

David Mamet

Ambassador Theatre Group, Act Productions, Glass Half Full Productions and Rupert Gavin

Opera House, Manchester

25 to 30 March 2019

Michele Yim in From Shore to Shore at The Dukes in Lancaster

From Shore to Shore

Mary Cooper and MW Sun

On The Wire

The Dukes, Lancaster

22 to 23 March 2019

Joolta (Purvi Parmar) foreground; Mettazayne (Jennifer Kay) background

Alluriat

Story: David Freedman; Choreography: Debbie Bandara; Music: Samuel Morris

Forest Tribe Dance Theatre

Bolton Central Library

21 March 2019

Delia Mathews as Belle in Birmingham Royal Ballet's Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast

David Bintley

Birmingham Royal Ballet

The Lowry

20 to 23 March 2019

James Quinn (Terry) and Callum Sim (Jim) in At the End of the Day

JB Shorts 21

James Quinn, Peter Kerry, Dave Simpson, Diane Whitley, Lindsay Williams, Trev...

Reallife Theatre Company

53two

19 to 30 March 2019

Scottee: Fat Blokes

Scottee: Fat Blokes

Scottee with Lea Anderson

HOME and the Southbank Centre

HOME Manchester

19 to 23 March 2019

Keicha Greenidge as Marlow

Heart of Darkness

Andrew Quick & Peter Brooks

imitating the dog

The Dukes, Lancaster

19 to 23 March 2019

Your Sexts Are Sh*T: Older Better Letters

Your Sexts Are Sh*T: Older Better Letters

Rachel Mars

Rachel Mars

Royal Exchange Exchange, Manchester

14 to 16 March 2019

Jodie Prenger (left) as Beverly in Abigail's Party

Abigail's Party

Mike Leigh

Ambassador Theatre Group and Smith & Brant Theatricals in association with Tulchin Bartner Productions and Julie Clare Productions

Grand Theatre, Blackpool

11 to 16 March 2019

Rain Man

Dan Gordon based, upon the film script by Ronald Bass and Barry Morrow

Bill Kenwright Productions / Classic Screen to Stage Theatre Company

The Lowry, Salford

11 to 16 March 2019

Ozzie Yue as Cheung Wing

From Shore to Shore

Mary Cooper with M W Sun

On The Wire

Yang Sing Restaurant, Manchester

9 to 16 March 2019

Aaron Chaplin, Carlos J Martinez, Natalie Alleston, Vanessa Vince-Pang, Michael Marquez, Prentice Whitlow, Carmen Vazquez Marfil and Manon Adrianow in The Rite of Spring

The Rite of Spring; Gianni Schicchi

Rite of Spring: Igor Stravinsky (music); Jeanguy Santus (choreography). Giann...

Phoenix Dance Theatre, Opera North

The Lowry (Lyric Theatre)

8 March 2019

The Cast of Barber Shop Chronicles

Barber Shop Chronicles

Inua Ellams

Fuel, National Theatre and Leeds Playhouse

Royal Exchange Theatre

7 to 23 March 2019

Katie Bray as Varvara, Laura Kelly-McInroy as Glasha, Stephanie Corley as Katya, Andrew Kennedy as Tichon and Heather Shipp as Kabanicha

Katya Kabanova

Leos Janacek

Opera North

The Lowry (Lyric Theatre)

7 March 2019

The Stretch

Joe Ainsworth

MAP Productions

53two, Manchester

6 to 15 March 2019

Samantha Hay as The Queen of the Night with Amy J Payne as Third Lady, Lorna James as First Lady and Helen Évora as Second Lady

The Magic Flute

Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; libretto: Emanuel Schikaneder

Opera North

The Lowry (Lyric Theatre)

5 to 9 March 2019

The cast of The Lady Vanishes

The Lady Vanishes

Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder, adapted by Anthony Lampard

The Classic Thriller Company

Grand Theatre, Blackpool

4 to 9 March 2019

Robert Tripolino as Sal, Rebecca Trehearn as Rebecca and the cast

Rags the Musical

Book by Joseph Stein, music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, r...

Aria Entertainment and Hope Mill Theatre in association with Knockhardy Productions

Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

2 March to 6 April 2019

The Bodyguard

Alexander Dinelaris (book) based on screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan

Michael Harrison and David Ian

Liverpool Empire

28 February to 9 March 2019

Zucchini

Elis Shotton

Theatre Unlocked

53two, Manchester

27 February to 1 March 2019

The Supremes from Motown the Musical

Motown the Musical

Book: Berry Gordy; music & lyrics: The Legendary Motown Catalogue

Kevin McCallum, Doug Morris, Adam Spiegel & Berry Gordy

Opera House, Manchester

26 February to 23 March 2019

Heather Agyepong as Sephy and Billy Harris as Callum

Noughts & Crosses

Malorie Blackman, adapted by Sabrina Mahfouz

Pilot Theatre

The Lowry, Salford

26 February to 2 March 2019

Wise Children company

Wise Children

Angela Carter, adapted by Emma Rice

Wise Children

HOME Manchester

26 February to 2 March 2019

News

24 Hours of Peace

24 hours of peace performance

Writer and director Neil Bartlett is travelling across the UK interviewing and recording 100 people to create a new national public artwork 24 Hours of Peace.

The Tiger Who Came To Tea at The Dukes

A Tiger For Tea in Lancaster

The Tiger Who Came To Tea visits The Dukes in Lancaster.

Sarah Hadland and Alex Kingston in Admissions

Admissions tour comes to Lowry

Alex Kingston and Sarah Hadland star in Admissions the new comedy on tour to the Lowry.

The all-female cast of Hamlet

All-female Hamlet for Hope Mill

An all-female production of Shakespeare's Hamlet is being performed at Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester.

American Idiot for Liverpool

A tenth anniversary tour of rock musical American Idiot visits Liverpool Playhouse.

Ballet Central comes to Sale

Ballet Central’s 2019 International Tour comes to Waterside, Sale.

Blackpool What A Sh*t Place To Die

Blackpool-based drama for regional tour

Blackpool What A Sh*t Place To Die is on a short regional tour after debuting in Manchester.

When it Breaks it Burns

Building the barricades in Brazil's schools

When it Breaks it Burns tells the true story of the high school occupations of 2015 and 2016 in Brazil.

Rocky Horror Show

Chester ready for a Time Warp

Iconic musical The Rocky Horror Show is coming to Storyhouse in Chester.

Co-production of Hired Man on tour

The Hired Man is being revived in a co-production by Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Hull Truck Theatre in association with Oldham Coliseum Theatre.

Sarah Crowden and Susan Penhaligon in rehearsal

Coliseum opens Handbagged

Oldham Coliseum opens Handbagged this May.

Corrie star joins Martyn Hett play

Sonia Ibrahim, best known for playing Coronation Street’s Mel Maguire, has joined the cast of Hope Theatre Company’s #BeMoreMartyn: The Boy with the Deirdre Tattoo.

Pamela DeMenthe actor Jenny May Morgan

Creme DeMenthe for Lowry

Erotic fiction writer Pamela DeMenthe will be launching her latest book—a time travelling prehistoric novel set in Hull!—at The Lowry in Salford.

Smack That (A Conversation)

Domestic abuse drama on tour

A new theatre/dance crossover show takes a different approach to domestric abuse.

Daniel Goode (Basil), Jonathan Wrather (Lord Henry) and Gavin Fowler (Dorian Gray)

Dorian Gray pictured in Keswick

A new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray is at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.

Peaches Christ’s Drag Becomes Her

Drag Becomes Her at HOME

Drag Becomes Her is a parody of A-list Hollywood camp-fest Death Becomes Her, which calls in at HOME Manchester.

Cinderella at the Epstein

Epstein shall go to the Ball

The panto production coming to The Epstein Theatre in Liverpool this Christmas is Cinderella.

GMFringe hunting venues

Performance poet Jay Délise will be presenting her first full-length solo show Black And... at the eighth Greater Manchester Fringe.

Nicola Gervasi and Antoinette Brooks-Daw in The Great Gatsby

Great Gatsby ballet for Lowry

Northern Ballet is returning to Salford with its production of The Great Gatsby.

The Cast of Northern Broadsides' Much Ado

Home fixture for Shakespeare four

Four Greater Manchester actors star in the Northern Broadsides and New Vic Theatre production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.

Cheshire Fest 2019

Host of drama for Cheshire Fest

Cheshire Fest 2019 has revealed its programme for the Kids Stage and Play Park.

Audrey Brisson is to star as Amélie in Amélie The Musical

International star for Amélie musical

French-Canadian stage and screen star Audrey Brisson will play the iconic altruist Amélie Poulain in the UK’s first musical adaptation of the Oscar-nominated film.

Community cast alongside actor Kieran Hill in The Shepherd's Life (2016)

Keswick community cast sought

Theatre by the Lake in Keswick is looking for a community cast of "adventurous mature women".

The Marriage of Kim K

Keswick lays on extra treats

Alongside Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake’s six Summer Season shows, in repertoire from May to November, a variety of newly programmed music, talks, films, comedy, family friendly shows and drama are also promised.

Stephen Tompkinson

Lakeland education for Rita

Willy Russell’s Educating Rita opens in the Main House at Theatre by the Lake on April 18.

Lancastrians play premières in Chorley

In Lancaster, three teenagers dream of the big city. In Burnley, a Muslim woman wants to be Miss Lancashire. In Blackpool, a bride-to-be is having cold feet…

Around the World in 80 Days

Liverpool goes around the world

This Easter, Liverpool Playhouse will be the first port of call for a returning production of Around the World in 80 Days.

Liz Stevenson is new artistic director in Keswick

Theatre by the Lake in Keswick has appointed Liz Stevenson as new artistic director.

Katherine Parkinson as Judy

Lowry, I'm Expected!

The National Theatre and Theatr Clwyd’s co-production of Home, I’m Darling embarks on a limited UK tour this spring.

Manchester's 53two to close

One of Manchester's newest and most popular fringe venues is to close next month to make way for developers—but an alternative location is soon to be announced.

By The Waters Of Liverpool

Mersey drama set for 2020 tour

Following its run at Liverpool Empire Theatre last autumn, By The Waters Of Liverpool is set to embark on a UK tour.

Mia's ruby role in St Helens

Mia Molloy steps into the ruby slippers as Dorothy for St Helens Theatre Royal’s Wizard of Oz.

Mother's Ruin in Lancaster

Mother’s Ruin brings its cabaret to The Dukes in Lancaster.

My Mother: Rebecca Birch as Rosie, Kathryn Ritchie as Jackie, Lisa Burrows as Margaret

My Mother Said for Oldham

London Classic Theatre’s production of My Mother Said I Never Should comes to Oldham Coliseum Theatre.

Unsung at Waterside

NW Productions

Round-up of regional productions opening week beginning Sunday April 7.

The Worst Witch at The Lowry

NW Productions

Round-up of regional productions week beginning Sunday March 24

Trainspotting Live at Mayfield, Manchester

NW Productions

Round-up of regional productions opening week beginning Sunday March 31.

Ethan Kai and Norah Lopez Holden in Equus at The Lowry

NW Productions

Round-up of regional productions opening week beginning Sunday April 21.

Joseph at Storyhouse

NW Productions

Round-up of regional productions opening week beginning Sunday April 14.

Northern women’s stories told through dance

Crackle. Dust. from Newcastle-based Company of Others tells the stories of women from across the North

Something About Simon

Paul Simon story for Bolton

Singer-songwriter Gary Edward Jones re-creates the music of Paul Simon in Something About Simon.

The Isle of Brimsker

Play aimed at the learning disabled

The Isle of Brimsker is devised specifically for audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities.

Christian Edwards and Ciarán Griffiths

Prizewinner revival at Hope Mill

National Bolton Octagon Prize-winning play All I See is You is to be revived at Hope Mill in Manchester.

Matthew Morrell, Harris Beattie and Conner Jordan-Collins in Puss in Boots

Puss in Boots In Dukes

Puss in Boots, Northern Ballet’s latest children’s production, takes to The Dukes stage.

Putting Zog into Salford

The world première stage adaptation of Zog will come to Salford.

Ramping Up to Manchester

Contact and BAC’s latest production, Ramping Up, will head to Manchester’s The Bread Shed after a run at Battersea Arts Centre.

Departing Artistic Director Sarah Punshon

Sarah Punshon leaves the Dukes

Artistic director Sarah Punshon is leaving the Dukes in Lancaster.

Spanish fusion for HOME

Presented by Spanish theatre company Señor Serrano, Kingdom at HOME in Manchester, fuses live cinema, choreography and punk rock.

Dancer Sooraj Subramaniam performs in Seeta Patel’s The Rite of Spring

The Rites of an Indian Spring

Choreographer and performer Seeta Patel has re-imagined the iconic ballet The Rite of Spring in the classical Indian dance style.

Three busy folk buzz into Hive

Stefanie Moore, Simon Widdop and Sian Davies are creating a buzz in The Hive for July 2019.

Thunder Girls adds a Nolan

Coleen Nolan is the third star to be cast in the all-female world première preview of The Thunder Girls, alongside Coronation Street’s Beverley Callard and West End’s All About Jamie star, Mina Anwar.

Tom's at HOME in Richard III

Peaky Blinders star Tom Mothersdale stars in the title role of Richard III at HOME in Manchester.

Samantha Womack

Train service at The Lowry

The Girl on the Train runs at The Lowry.

Ludus Dance and The Dukes present Big Up North dance theatre festival

Two days of dance delights in Lancaster

On April 26 and 27, Ludus Dance and The Dukes in Lancaster present two nights of performance.

Butt Kapinski in Physical Fest

Unity Theatre's summer season

Unity Theatre’s 2019 summer season in Liverpool is a mix of contemporary productions, national tours and festivals.

Treasure Island

Wizard of a Christmas in Bolton

The Octagon Theatre will present Treasure Island in December.

Who Cares 2019 UK tour

Young carers play for UK tour

A play about young carers in Salford that “knocked MPs sideways” is about to embark on a national tour in June.

Haphazard at Z-arts

Z-arts goes all Haphazard again

On April 27, Hulme’s Z-arts in Manchester has another free exploration of the eccentric, with Haphazard returning.

Features

Company Chameleon

Company Chameleon shares latest work The Shadow in new Openshaw home

Contemporary dance company Company Chameleon shares its latest work in progress, The Shadow, at its new home in Openshaw—Georgina Wells went along.

Julie Hesmondhalgh and Norah Lopez Holden in The Almighty Sometimes at the Royal Exchange Theatre

Review of the Year 2018 - The North West Stage

David Chadderton looks back on his 2018 in North West theatre.