North West Archives - Page 2 of 183

To Kill a Mockingbird – Liverpool Empire

13May

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

To Kill a Mockingbird – Liverpool Empire

To Kill a Mockingbird at the Liverpool Empire is a powerful and emotionally charged production that proves Harper Lee’s story still has enormous relevance today. Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation brings a sharper, more contemporary edge to the novel, while Bartlett Sher’s direction balances moments of humour and warmth with the darker realities of racism, injustice and prejudice. The result is gripping theatre that feels both timeless and uncomfortably current. Set in 1930s Alabama, the story follows lawyer Atticus Finch as he defends Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of assaulting a white woman. Told through the eyes of Scout, Jem and Dill, the production cleverly contrasts the innocence of childhood with the ugliness of the adult world around them. This adaptation also digs deeper int...

12May

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Frozen – The Brindley Theatre

Disney’s Frozen, with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, was originally directed on Broadway by Michael Grandage and has become one of the most beloved modern musicals for audiences of all ages. Therefore, it was with huge excitement and great anticipation that I attended the Centenary Theatre Company’s production of Disney Frozen at the The Brindley Theatre. As one of the very first amateur productions of Frozen anywhere in the UK and the first production in the North of England, this was always going to be a special theatrical event, and the company certainly rose to the challenge magnificently. Directed by Dan Grimes, this production captured all the magic, warmth and spectacle audiences have come to love from Frozen, whilst also bringing an enormo...

The Crucible – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

12May

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

The Crucible – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Since becoming artistic director of Altrincham Garrick Playhouse, Joseph Meighan has steadily transformed the venue into one of the north-west’s more adventurous amateur theatres, programming work that aims beyond easy familiarity. His production of The Crucible continues that run with intelligence and confidence, offering a reading of Arthur Miller’s drama that shifts attention away from political allegory and towards the intimate failures that allow hysteria to flourish. Miller famously wrote The Crucible as a response to McCarthyism and the anti-communist paranoia of 1950s America, and productions often lean heavily into that parallel: Salem as a warning about authoritarianism, ideological persecution and the dangers of collective fear. Meighan takes a quieter approach. Rather than f...

7May

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Choir Of Man – Manchester Opera House

You don’t usually expect to step into a theatre and find audience members on stage, pint in hand, joining in the action — but here, that’s exactly the point. Welcome to The Jungle, a pub where everyone’s invited, the drinks flow freely, and the music is nothing short of sensational. If you’re expecting your typical night at the theatre, then you’ll be somewhat surprised and possibly disappointed – there are no deeply developed characters, awe-inspiring dance numbers or sweeping, emotionally driven plot arcs to carry you from curtain up to finale. Instead, Choir of Man trades convention for camaraderie, offering a stripped-back, high-energy celebration of music and the simple joy of a pint shared among friends. Choir Of Man feels like a curious mash-up of ‘Pitch Perfect’, a music revu...

6May

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Rocky Horror Show – Liverpool Empire

Newly engaged preppy Brad and Janet are stranded after their car breaks down outside Dr Frank N Furter's mansion. They are greeted with his eccentric servants doing the time warp before meeting the sweet transvestite himself. Taking place over the course of one night, they are introduced to a world of seduction and lose their innocence. Camp, eccentric and utterly bonkers. As energetic of a night at the theatre than you’re going to get. There's a reason it's still a cult classic 50 years later. A massive part of the show if you didn't already know, is the audience involvement. Not only do the majority dress up as their favourite characters and boy do people really commit, but they sing along and shout lines at certain bits too. I'll admit, I didn't know these parts having only seen i...

1May

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

Double Indemnity – Opera House

When you bring a classic film noir like Double Indemnity to the stage, there’s an expectation that it will be tense, gripping and full of drama. This production at the Manchester Opera House certainly looks the part but doesn’t quite deliver the thrill you might hope for. Set in 1930s America, the play follows insurance salesman Walter Huff who becomes entangled with the mysterious Phyllis Nirdlinger, with the pair plotting to murder her husband and claim the insurance money. It’s a story packed with deceit and manipulation, but here it unfolds at a more measured pace than expected, lacking some of that edge-of-your-seat tension the original story is so well known for. Ciarán Owens takes on the role of Walter with confidence, portraying the character’s descent into moral chaos wit...

Operation Mincemeat – The Regent Theatre

28Apr

By Leanne RushtonNo Comments

North West

Operation Mincemeat – The Regent Theatre

The Regent Theatre has received its orders, and Operation Mincemeat has been put on full display for the audience. Operation Mincemeat, which tells the true story of an MI5 operation during World War Two, has been wowing audiences since 2019 but properly finding its fame in 2023 when it graced the West End stage. It has won multiple awards both here and over the pond, and it’s not hard to see why. The show currently owns the title of the best-reviewed show in West End history, and quite frankly, it couldn’t deserve it any more. The show is run with military precision and the sharpest of wit. The comedy came to the actors so naturally. It was remarkable to see the actors’ ability to change roles and costumes so quickly and with such ease. The timing of the show should be studied; ever...

23Apr

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Miss Saigon – Liverpool Empire

Miss Saigon is an iconic love story set in the last days of the Vietnam War. 17-year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as The Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he's fathered a son. There are some musicals that can stand the test of time, and this is certainly one of them. In this new and updated production of Miss Saigon, it's not so much a reinterpretation, but the same Miss Saigon fans know and love, but with a different creative approach. The role of the Engineer is played by the incredibly diverse Sean Miles Moore, stunning the audience with commanding...

23Apr

By Dan GrimesNo Comments

North West

Spamalot – Hyde Festival Theatre

I had the privilege of watching the original West End run of Spamalot over 20 years ago, starring Tim Curry and Hannah Waddingham. This was after I’d become obsessed with the original Broadway cast recording, which for many years was a loyal travelling companion. I have many happy memories of coasting down the A55, singing “I Am Not Dead Yet” at full belt. So, it’s safe to say I was very excited to come to Hyde Festival Theatre with my son, Sam, to watch this production by Hyde Musical Society. For those who haven’t seen the show—or the film from which it is “lovingly ripped off”—I’m not quite sure how best to describe it, other than as a loose retelling of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table’s search for the Holy Grail, filtered through the comedic lens of Monty Python and r...

22Apr

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

13 The Musical – Z-arts

As part of an ambitious and exciting 2026 season, Manchester Musical Youth returned to Z-arts with a vibrant, heartfelt revival of 13 The Musical, only the second time in the company’s history they have staged this beloved coming-of-age musical, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown and book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn. At the heart of 13 is a story about identity, friendship, belonging, and the sometimes-painful journey of figuring out where you fit in. Set against the chaos of adolescence, the musical follows Evan Goldman (played by Jasper Holden), a young teenager uprooted from city life and dropped into the complex social ecosystem of middle school. What unfolds is far more than a story about fitting in before a Bar Mitzvah; it is a witty, honest and deeply relatable exp...