North West Archives - North West End UK

14Mar

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Opera North: Peter Grimes – The Lowry

In the week Timothée Chalamet made his ill-advised claim that “no one cares about ballet and opera anymore”, the 1,700 people gathered at the Lyric Theatre in Salford to watch Opera North’s revival of Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes would strongly disagree. Chalamet might revise his opinion were he ever to see this production. Karolina Sofulak’s revival of the 2006 original presents Britten’s music in all its brooding glory while sharply revealing the paranoia and groupthink at the heart of the story. The opera begins in silence. Peter Grimes (John Findon) stands in the dock before an inquest into the death of his young apprentice, William Spode. The townspeople of The Borough are deeply suspicious of Grimes, a loner and outcast in their close-knit and introspective society. His acquitt...

13Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Marriage of Figaro – The Lowry

Opera North’s 2026 production of The Marriage of Figaro proves that a thoughtful modernisation can illuminate a classic without dimming its original sparkle. Rather than forcing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte’s comedy into a contemporary mould, this staging updates the setting with a light touch, trusting the intelligence of the audience and the resilience of the material. The result feels both fresh and recognisable. Often cited among the greatest operas ever written, the story unfolds over the chaotic wedding day of Figaro, valet to Count Almaviva, and his beloved Susannah, maid to the Countess. Their hopes of marital bliss are threatened by the Count’s relentless pursuit of Susannah and by the arrival of a housekeeper armed with a contract demanding marriage from Figaro...

13Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Ballet Nights – Opera House

Ballet Nights’ first regional tour arrives in Manchester with a programme that celebrates the breadth of dance today, blending styles and artistic voices into an evening that feels both polished and joyfully eclectic. The format - a sequence of short works introduced by founder and artistic director Jamiel Devernay-Laurence - creates a lively atmosphere, allowing audiences to experience an impressive range of talent, from internationally celebrated performers to students making their stage debut. The programme offers a fabulous mix of traditional ballet, contemporary dance and tap, interwoven with pockets of live music that keep the evening feeling fluid and intimate. One highlight is the chance to relive the showcase dance “I Married Myself” from the Netflix series Étoile, danced by...

11Mar

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

The Constant Wife – Liverpool Playhouse

Take a step back into the 1920s with the Constant Wife which is based on the original play by W. Somerset Maugham and has been creatively adapted and revived by award winning Laura Wade and directed by Tamara Harvey. Despite being written nearly a century ago, Wade has beautifully written the play to maintain its original class, themes and sophistication; however, the play still feels surprisingly modern. An exploration of marriage, independence, and social hypocrisy. Meet Constance Middleton (Kara Tointon), well kept, organised, controlled, poised and who glides around stage with grace. The perfect wife and mother. However, all is not what it seems. Be prepared for a brilliant and comedic tale filled with surprise, wit, laughter, intrigue and an array of characters with wonderfully con...

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Liverpool Empire

10Mar

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Liverpool Empire

Glittering, joyous, and unapologetically bold, Priscilla Queen of the Desert bursts onto the stage as a dazzling celebration of identity, friendship, and resilience. Directed by Ian Talbot. Based on the 1994 Australian film of a similar name, this stage musical transforms the road-trip story into a vibrant theatrical spectacle packed with iconic disco hits, stunning choreography (Matt Cole) and exuberant costumes (Vicky Gill). A show absolutely NOT to be missed! The story follows three friends Tick (Mitzi) played by Kevin Clifton, Adam/Felicia (Nick Hayes), and Bernadette (Adele Anderson)—as they travel across the Australian outback in a battered old school bus named 'Priscilla'. Along the way, they encounter both hostility and kindness, forcing them to confront prejudice, pers...

6Mar

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Octagon Theatre

Over four hundred years since it was written and first performed, Shakespeare’s Macbeth still proves to be the quintessential study of guilt, paranoia and vaulting ambition. With this modern-dress version of the tragedy, Director Mark Babych produces an accessible and clear rendition of the text that emphasises the domestic trauma of the central couple at the expense of the wider political context of the play. When watching and reviewing any Macbeth, my interest always centres around the decision a director takes to emphasise certain key themes inherent in the text. Will they choose to focus on the political, martial or domestic elements that conspire to push the eponymous character from warrior hero at the outset towards bloody regicide and insecurity, culminating in his fatalistic dea...

5Mar

By Kevin EcclestonNo Comments

North West

War of the Worlds – Liverpool Playhouse

At Liverpool Playhouse, War of the Worlds is not presented as a conventional science-fiction spectacle. Instead, the innovative theatre company imitating the Dog transforms The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells into a striking exploration of storytelling itself. The result is a production that feels urgent, intelligent and technically daring. From the outset, the audience is made aware that they are watching a story being constructed. The stage resembles a film studio as much as a theatrical set: cameras are visible, miniature buildings sit on tables, and projected backdrops loom across large screens. Rather than hiding the mechanics, the company places them centre stage. This transparency becomes one of the production’s greatest strengths. As scenes of invasion and destruction unfold, w...

4Mar

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Dear England – Liverpool Empire

As someone who can’t bear football, because it is forced upon them so much, I was as shocked as everyone to find how intrigued I was by the Dear England play. Euro ’96 is probably the first big tournament I remember and Gareth Southgate’s penalty being the prevailing moment. And I think that was what made me want to see him and cheer him on as he managed to turn things around over the last decade as manager of the England men’s team. The play starts with that missed penalty that knocked England out of the Euros in 1996. It then cuts to 2016 and Sam Allardyce ‘mutually deciding’ to leave the post with the FA, after being in charge for one singular game. We get to see Southgate being asked to become the Interim manager and follow how he managed to take the team to heights we’ve n...

27Feb

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

The Memory of Water – Everyman Theatre

Welcome to 1996 and into the family home of three very different sisters as they reminisce, reveal and ruffle each other’s feathers after the passing of their beloved mother. Welcome to Olivier award winning comedy The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson and directed by Lotte Wakeham. A quick witted, passionate and heartwarming show which takes you on a rollercoaster of a journey through all aspects of grief. From the anger, sadness, uncertainty, memories and comfort. This comedy takes a deceptively simple premise—three wildly different sisters reunited for their mother’s funeral—and turns it into a sharp, funny, and unexpectedly tender study of family friction and love. Set entirely in the bedroom of their late mother Vi. Entering the auditorium the staging is set (Katie Scott) yo...

27Feb

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Mean Girls – Opera House, Manchester

Few films capture early 2000s nostalgia quite like Mean Girls. The absolute hit of the noughties – starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey and Amanda Seyfried – it has long since cemented its cult-classic status. Much like other fan-favourite films that have recently made the leap from screen to stage - Heathers, The Devil Wears Prada, Legally Blonde and Pretty Woman to name just a few – its story continues to find new life with audiences. Direct from the West End, Mean Girls has landed in Manchester and brings an absolutely ‘Fetch’ cast with it. The story follows Cady Heron, on her transition from home-schooled life in Kenya into the harsh reality of American High School… when she meets ‘The Plastics’ who rule the school, she’ll realise high school is a whole new level of sava...