North West

North West theatre podcast episodes

Reviews

Nutcracker!

Score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, adaptation by Matthew Bourne, Martin Dunca...

New Adventures

The Lowry, Salford

23 November–4 December 2021

White Christmas

Music & lyrics by Irvin Berlin, book by David Ives & Paul Blake, written for ...

Curve

Palace Theatre, Manchester

22 November–4 December 2021

The Lemon Table

Julian Barnes, adapted by Ian McDiarmid

Wiltshire Creative, Malvern Theatres, Sheffield Theatres and HOME in associat...

HOME Manchester

16–20 November 2021

Dial M for Murder

Frederick Knott

Simon Friend Entertainment and Cavin Kalin Productions

The Lowry, Salford

15–20 November 2021

Who Cares

Matt Woodhead

LUNG with The Lowry and Gaddum

The Lowry, Salford

15–17 November 2021

Aladdin

Fine Time Fontayne and Chris Lawson

Oldham Coliseum Theatre

13 November 2021–8 January 2022

Little Boxes

Joann Condon and Leonie Rachel

Alphamum and Lights Down Productions

53two, Manchester

12–20 November 2021

Dracula: The Untold Story

Andrew Quick and Pete Brooks

Imitating the Dog

The Lowry, Salford

12–13 November 2021

Carmen

Score by Georges Bizet, libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy

Opera North

The Lowry, Salford

10–12 November 2021

Waitress

Book by Jessie Nelson (based upon the motion picture written by Adrienne Shel...

Barry and Fran Weissler and David Ian for Crossroads Live UK

Opera House, Manchester

8–20 November 2021

Political Mother Unplugged

Hofesh Shechter

Shechter II

HOME

27–30 October 2021

The Good Life

Adapted by Jeremy Sams, based on the TV series by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey

Fiery Angel

The Lowry

26–30 October 2021

as british as a watermelon

mandla rae

Black Gold Arts Festival and Contact, Switchflicker Productions/Jayne Compton

Contact, Manchester

23–27 October 2021

Bedknobs and Broomsticks

Book by Brian Hill , original music by Richard M and Robert B Sherman with ne...

Michael Harrison

Palace Theatre, Manchester

19–24 October 2021

Timeless

Brian Coyle

Sarah Lawrie

53two, Manchester

13–14 October 2021

Death Drop

Holly Stars based on an original idea by Christopher D Clegg

Tuckshop & Trafalgar Theatre with Carter Dixon McGill Productions

The Lowry, Salford

13–16 October 2021

Ballet Black—Then Or Now and The Waiting Game

Will Tuckett and Mthuthuzeli November

Ballet Black

The Lowry, Salford

12–13 October 2021

Priscilla Queen of The Desert

Stephan Elliot and Allan Scott

Mark Goucher, Jason Donovan, Gavin Kalin, Matthew Gal, Laurence Myers, Nullar...

The Palace Theatre, Manchester

11–16 October 2021

Everything All of the Time

Matt Fenton and Yandass Ndlovu

Contact and Lauren Banks

Contact, Manchester

7–9 October 2021

Draw from Within

Wim Vanderkeybus

Rambert

The Lowry, Salford

6–8 October 2021

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

William Shakespeare

Unseemly Women, Girl Gang Manchester and HER Productions

Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

6–16 October 2021

Heathers the Musical

Book, music and lyrics: Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe based on the film w...

Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills

The Palace Theatre, Manchester

5–9 October 2021

News

Festive launch to Unity programme

27 November 2021

Unity’s winter / spring programme in Liverpool begins next month with a Christmas Festival: three weeks of cabaret, circus, music, workshops and family productions.

£135,000 fillip for Lakeland

27 November 2021

Theatre by the Lake in Keswick has been awarded a grant of £135,000 from the third round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.

Suba's cross-country run

27 November 2021

Suba Das, artistic director of HighTide in the East of England, is to take on the role of creative director of Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres.

Kathryn Jacob, Ruth Bromley and Sita McIntosh

Ad chief quite at HOME

27 November 2021

HOME in Manchester has appointed a new chair, Kathryn Jacob OBE, alongside two new trustees, Dr Ruth Bromley and Sita McIntosh.

Susie gets creative in Chester

23 November 2021

Storyhouse in Chester has appointed Suzie Henderson as creative director, who leaves Contact along with Matt Fenton.

Liverpool courting new writers

23 November 2021

Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre introduced a playwright development programme in 2018 in a bid to find more new writers.

Snow Storm hits Manchester

23 November 2021

Snow Storm is at Manchester’s Trafford Centre until January 3.

Lowry's Christmas presents

23 November 2021

The Lowry in Salford guarantees a bright Christmas with shows from acclaimed companies and performers.

Rebellion rises in Blackpool

23 November 2021

Henry VI: Rebellion, a major new Royal Shakespeare Company production of Henry VI Part II in Stratford-upon-Avon next year, will feature 12 participants from Blackpool.

Anniversary revival of Spinach at The Edge

23 November 2021

Waking up tied together, Tom and Kate can’t remember a thing.... not about the last few days anyway.

Promising Oomph in Salford

23 November 2021

Poppa’most Productions theatre company brings its comedy play Oomph.

Christmas comes early for Royal Court

23 November 2021

Liverpool’s Royal Court will receive £340,000 from the third round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.

Open callout for Liverpool fest

23 November 2021

Liverpool’s Theatre in the Rough has announced an open callout for short works for a new digital arts festival.

From YouTube to title role

23 November 2021

Christina Bianco, Shobna Gulati and Ian Kelsey lead the cast of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice at The Lowry in Salford.

Ian McDiarmid plays HOME

14 November 2021

The Lemon Table comes to Manchester's HOME November 16–20 on a world première tour of the Julian Barnes play.

All aboard for Peter Pan

14 November 2021

The Octagon In Bolton is rehearsing its upcoming festive production of Peter Pan.

Sounds write at Coliseum

14 November 2021

Oldham Coliseum will host three award-winning new audio plays as part of a national tour from the 13th annual Papatango New Writing Prize, February 1–4.

9 to 5 job for Claire

14 November 2021

9 to 5 The Musical returns to Manchester Palace Theatre next March.

Beauty in the Round

14 November 2021

The Dukes in Lancaster presents Beauty & the Beast in the Round Theatre December 3–31.

Art in a box puzzler

14 November 2021

Theatre by the Lake in Keswick is once again staging Anon, its anonymous art fundraiser where artists and celebrities create CD-size artworks.

Kym's game for Fatal Attraction

7 November 2021

Put your rabbits away—a stage adaptation of classic movie thriller Fatal Attraction is coming to Manchester Opera House.

Wiz of a cast for city

7 November 2021

Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre announces the cast for a new version of '70s musical The Wiz.

Sweet success for Isaac

7 November 2021

From Wythenshawe to the candy kingdom of Sweetieland, a North West dancer is among the cast of Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker at The Lowry.

UK première for Manchester

7 November 2021

A Broadway comedy musical’s UK première comes to Manchester next year.

Theatre and charity in tandem

7 November 2021

Dibby Theatre has partnered with the charity George House Trust to tackle HIV stigma and shame through the arts, ahead of World Aids Day December 1.

Wild musical at Hart

7 November 2021

The Strange Undoing Of Prudencia Hart, at Manchester Royal Exchange from December 4 to January 15, is a devilish offering from writer David Greig.

Panto bonus at Winter Wonderland

7 November 2021

The Wizard of Oz is the latest addition to the festive extravaganza of Silcock’s Winter Wonderland.

Blackpool opens Stage Door event

7 November 2021

Stage Door Festival is a new musical theatre exhibition taking place in Blackpool next October.

Premières in programme

7 November 2021

The Octagon in Bolton offers a world première, a regional première, a modern classic and a hit comedy as part of its next season’s offering.

Racial motive to Library play

30 October 2021

If you see something you don’t agree with, do you intervene?—a question addressed in My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored from Red Ladder.

Postman Pat delivers in Sale

30 October 2021

A season celebrating animation comes to Waterside in Sale, Greater Manchester.

Beauty and Ben in Liverpool

30 October 2021

Beauty And The Beast will entertain audiences at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre.

A big Beauty for Liverpool

30 October 2021

Sleeping Beauty magic came to Hope Street Liverpool.

Aladdin's lamp lights up Globe

30 October 2021

Aladdin: the Pantomime comes to The Globe at Blackpool Pleasure Beach for Christmas and stars Kevin Simm.

New songs for Cynthia Lennon story

30 October 2021

This Girl—The Cynthia Lennon Story returns to Liverpool’s Hope Street Theatre.

Waitress service in Manchester

30 October 2021

Romantic musical comedy Waitress, at Manchester Opera House stars Lucie Jones as Jenna.

Golden celebration in Lancaster

30 October 2021

The Dukes in Lancaster has announced plans to celebrate the theatre’s 50th anniversary.

Homotopia for Liverpool

24 October 2021

Six nights of queer theatre is at the heart of Homotopia, Liverpool’s LGBTQIA arts and culture festival.

Dracula at the Dukes

24 October 2021

Digital theatre pioneers imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse bring their new co-production of Dracula: The Untold Story to the Dukes in Lancaster.

All White for Sally Ann

24 October 2021

Broadway and West End star Sally Ann Triplett joins White Christmas at Manchester Palace Theatre.

Blooming Beauty and the Beast

24 October 2021

The Floral Pavilion in New Brighton is blooming again with a pantomime for all the family, Beauty and the Beast.

Joann's boxing clever

23 October 2021

Little Boxes, by Joann Condon and Leonie Rachel, comes to 53two in Manchester after a successful London run at Vault Festival 2020.

Remarkable doctor's story

23 October 2021

The Liverpool Irish Festival 2021 welcomes The Esteemed Dr Barry (October 28–29) based on the extraordinary life of Dr James Barry.

The Trial of our times

23 October 2021

The Trial is a contemporary take on Kafka’s classic text, at the Dukes in Lancaster.

Dreamcoat fits Blackpool

23 October 2021

After seasons at the London Palladium, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat returns to Blackpool Opera House next summer.

Merseyside 's musical of musicals

23 October 2021

A new musical comes to Liverpool’s Hope Street Theatre: The Musical of Musicals... The Musical.

Political Mother Unplugged

23 October 2021

Hofesh Shechter’s Political Mother Unplugged is at HOME in Manchester.

Panto première for Alexandra Burke

17 October 2021

Manchester Opera House’s Christmas panto, Aladdin, stars Alexandra Burke as The Spirit of The Ring.

Memphis comes to Manchester

17 October 2021

Returning for a home-town performance, tribute artist Lee Memphis King presents The King, celebrating the career of Elvis Presley.

Atkinson hunting a programmer

17 October 2021

The Atkinson theatre in Southport is seeking a Performing Arts Programmer.

Fool's view of King Lear

17 October 2021

A one-man King Lear comes to Waterside in Sale.

Eva's voice is not forgotten

17 October 2021

Forgotten Voices is a one-woman show inspired by the life of Eva Moorhead Kadalie, widow of South Africa’s first national black trade union leader, Clements Kadalie.

A Carnival Christmas Carol

17 October 2021

Carnival of Eternal Light returns to the stage with its seasonal A Christmas Carol.

Curtain up on new-look Epstein

17 October 2021

Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre enters a new chapter with a new management team.

Sleeping Beauty lives in Hope!

17 October 2021

Professional pantomime returns to The Hope Street Theatre in Liverpool.

Leonard home to Liverpool

17 October 2021

Jim Blythe’s play Rossiter will be performed in Liverpool for the first time.

Aladdin flying to Oldham

17 October 2021

One of the region’s traditional pantomimes is back for 2021 as Aladdin flies on to the Oldham Coliseum stage.

Little Amal completes her journey

10 October 2021

Manchester International Festival stages the finale event of The Walk, the culmination of the remarkable journey of a 3.5m-tall puppet.

The Lady With The Data

10 October 2021

A solo theatre show explores the legacy of Florence Nightingale at Waterside, Sale.

Five Go Dancing at the Lowry

10 October 2021

The Lowry in Salford has no fewer than five acclaimed dance companies this month and next.

Sleepy stars of stage & screen

10 October 2021

Stars of stage and screen lead Wendi Peters and Bill Ward lead a new production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at Oldham Coliseum.

Sophie staged in Lancaster

10 October 2021

Lancaster’s Dukes Theatre welcomes Sophie to October 15, tying into Down’s Syndrome Awareness Month.

A lady's drawers at Gullivers

10 October 2021

Lady Ilaria’s Drawers is at Gullivers in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

Space 'shot' at Exchange

10 October 2021

Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre reframes its Great Hall, with Holding Space.

An eerie première lakeside

10 October 2021

An eerie première of Obscura Theatre’s audio walk series sound~~land~~scape opens at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.

Cast of five fly high

10 October 2021

The Octagon in Bolton flies audiences to Neverland with Peter Pan.

Hold Me Close in Salford

10 October 2021

Hold Me Close is at Salford Arts Theatre October 15, written and directed by Joe Walsh and performed by Deborah Sekibo and Jake Talbot.

Waterside's climate changer

3 October 2021

Slow Violence—a comedy about climate change from B Team Theatre—comes to Waterside in Sale.

Ugly Sisters hit back!

3 October 2021

Sisters are doing it for themselves in Sale’s Waterside this Christmas when The Not So Ugly Sisters tell it how it is in a new musical play inspired by Cinderella.

Timeless back on the rank

3 October 2021

Timeless, at 53two, Manchester, stars John Rayment as Martin, a cabbie with a problem.

Resort in Black and Light

3 October 2021

Blackpool’s Lightpool Festival takes place October 15–30.

Reading out loud

3 October 2021

Nineteen black and ethnically-diverse writers from the North of England pen personal letters to be read out live on stage.

History men in Oldham

3 October 2021

A Manchester tour guide and an expert on the lost language of gay men stage a theatre event coming to Oldham Coliseum.

Bolton's fabric on film

3 October 2021

The Octagon Theatre presented a short documentary film at this year’s Bolton Film Festival.

John Thomson joins Hairspray

3 October 2021

John Thomson will join the UK tour of Hairspray as Wilbur Turnblad this Christmas for three weeks at Blackpool Winter Gardens.

Lancaster's music fest spreads out

3 October 2021

Lancaster Music Festival has an expanded programme this year with outdoor events, 40+ venues, dance, musical theatre, art and workshops.

Haunting Morecambe's Platform

3 October 2021

Halloween comes early to Morecambe Platform on October 27 with The Haunting of Blaine Manor.

Godber's Sunny Side Up

1 October 2021

Playwright John Godber returns to Oldham with his latest play, Sunny Side Up.

Art's on their sleeve

1 October 2021

Cupid’s Revenge is "a fun and sometimes heart-rending show" featuring Pete Shenton and Tom Roden, better known as New Art Club.

Black History Month and more

1 October 2021

HOME in Manchester has a Black History Month programme including live and online theatre.

Midsummer Night's Hen-Do

1 October 2021

A modern version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be staged at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester.

Ulverston dates for Swan Song

1 October 2021

Swan Song, a revised comedy by playwright Jonathan Harvey, is heading to The Coro in Ulverston.

Naughty but ninth for Sheep

1 October 2021

Naughty Corner Productions sees its ninth production debut at Liverpool’s Hope Street Theatre.

Rural shows on your doorstep

1 October 2021

Highlights Rural Touring Scheme returns with performances in rural village halls and community venues across the North of England.

Full access to Antigone

1 October 2021

A new adaptation of the Greek classic Antigone is being premièred at Storyhouse in Chester.

City festival goes down a bomb

1 October 2021

The second annual Liverpool Theatre Festival attracted an audience of 2,700 theatregoers across 12 days.

SYD comes to Sale

1 October 2021

Comedian Arthur Smith’s show SYD comes to Waterside arts centre in Sale, Manchester.

Home is where their hearts are

1 October 2021

A heart-warming expression of love for Manchester by young people who call it home is to be performed at Cross Street Chapel in the city.

Features

We’re all in this together

14 November 2021

A reviewer looks at the complexities arising from expecting artists to be socially responsible and decides to run away.

Manchester theatre mourns passing of Chris Honer

12 November 2021

The charming and much-admired Chris Honer, artistic director of Manchester’s Library Theatre from 1987–2014, died last week.

Walking ‘The Walk’: Taking part in 'When the Birds Land'

3 November 2021

A reviewer takes part in the climax of an event to raise awareness of challenges facing refugees by welcoming Little Amal to Manchester.

Exchange disrupts its building's history

22 October 2021

David Cunningham attends the launch of the Royal Exchange Theatre's Disrvpt programme, looking at whether associations with the slave trade in the 18th century via cotton traders are putting off audiences today.

Not Drowning but Waving—Dancing in ‘Sea Change’

3 July 2021

After a lengthy rehearsal period, a reviewer has the chance to dance in Sea Change—the opening ceremony of the 2021 Manchester International Festival.

A Dancer Dances: taking part in ‘Sea Change’

24 June 2021

A reviewer switches from observer to participant and reports on the development of Sea Change—the opening ceremony of the 2021 Manchester International Festival.

A Chain of Moral Dilemmas

28 May 2021

Our editor's trip to Bolton has become mired in political controversy.

North West theatre in 2020

6 January 2021

David Chadderton summarises a year of both devastation and impressive innovation in North West theatre.