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Reviewing Shows In The North of England & The West End
Reviews


REVIEW - TAMBO & BONES | HOME MANCHESTER | 03/04/2025
Tambo & Bones, written by award-winning poet and playwright Dave Harris, is a bold and provocative satire that takes a deep dive into the...


REVIEW - SO UNFAIR | Z-ARTS MANCHESTER | 29/03/2025
So Unfair – A Fun, Fast-Paced Engineering Adventure How do you make things fair? And what could go hilariously wrong if you don’t? So...


REVIEW - CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE 90's MUSICAL | PALACE THEATRE MANCHESTER | 28/03/2025
Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical  brings the scandalous world of the cult classic 1999 film to the stage, infused with a soundtrack of...


REVIEW - OF MICE AND MEN | OCTAGON THEATRE BOLTON | 27/03/2025
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men  is a literary classic that has captivated readers for generations with its poignant exploration of...

REVIEW - THE HOUSE PARTY | HOME MANCHESTER | 26/03/2025
Headlong, in collaboration with Chichester Festival Theatre and Frantic Assembly, presents The House Party , a bold reimagining of August...


REVIEW - PIG HEART BOY | THE LOWRY | 26/03/2025
Malorie Blackman’s Pig Heart Boy  is a beloved novel that has captivated readers for decades with its thought-provoking exploration of...


REVIEW - PRIDE & PREJUDICE* (*SORT OF) | THE LOWRY | 18/03/2025
There have been countless adaptations of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, but few dare to shake up the formula quite like Pride and...


REVIEW - ANIMAL FARM | LEEDS PLAYHOUSE | 15/03/2025
George Orwell’s Animal Farm  is a political allegory that remains strikingly relevant, depicting how revolutions can descend into...


REVIEW - OPERA NORTH's THE MAGIC FLUTE | THE LOWRY | 13/03/2025
Mozart’s The Magic Flute has long been considered one of the most accessible and enchanting operas, combining fairy tale adventure,...


REVIEW - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE | CRUCIBLE THEATRE SHEFFIELD | 12/03/2025
First performed in 1947, A Streetcar Named Desire  cemented Tennessee Williams' reputation as one of America’s greatest playwrights. The...


REVIEW - BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET'S CINDERELLA | THE LOWRY | 06/03/2025
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Cinderella, choreographed by Sir David Bintley, has been a beloved part of the company’s repertoire for years....


REVIEW - JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT | MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE | 04/03/2025
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s earliest collaborations, first performed in...


REVIEW - BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL | PALACE THEATRE MANCHESTER |03/03/2025
Bat Out of Hell first roared onto the stage in Manchester in 2017 before taking the world by storm. I had the opportunity to see it...


REVIEW - THE PARENT AGENCY | STORYHOUSE, CHESTER | 01/03/2025
David Baddiel may be best known to grown-ups for his sharp stand-up comedy, but he’s also a celebrated children’s author. Now, his...

REVIEW - GHOST STORIES | THE LOWRY | 25/02/2025
Since its debut in 2010, Ghost Stories  has been thrilling audiences worldwide with its unique blend of psychological horror and...


REVIEW - BING'S BIRTHDAY | THE LOWRY | 21/02/2025
For over a decade, Bing  has been delighting preschoolers with its sweet and relatable stories about life’s little ups and downs. Now,...


REVIEW - THE THREE LITTLE PIGS | HOME MANCHESTER | 18/02/2025
Think you know The Three Little Pigs ? Think again! Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company put their signature twist on the classic fable,...


REVIEW - ONE PUNCH | HOME MANCHESTER | 13/02/2025
Written by BAFTA winner Jane Thornton and Martha Godber, One Punch  is a compelling new drama from the John Godber Company. The play,...


REVIEW - SHIRLEY VALENTINE | OCTAGON THEATRE BOLTON | 12/02/2025
Some stories never lose their sparkle, and Shirley Valentine  is one of them. Willy Russell’s iconic one-woman play first graced the...


REVIEW - THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN | THE LOWRY | 11/03/2025
Based on Paula Hawkins' international bestseller, The Girl on the Train  has captivated audiences worldwide in both novel and film form....


REVIEW - FLOELLA BENJAMIN'S COMING TO ENGLAND| THE LOWRY | 05/02/2025
Floella Benjamin’s Coming to England  is a heartfelt and inspiring story that has touched readers for over 25 years. Originally published...


REVIEW - THE SHARK IS BROKEN | THE LOWRY | 04/02/2025
As Jaws  celebrates its 50th anniversary, The Shark Is Broken  takes audiences behind the scenes of one of the most iconic films of all...


REVIEW - THE NATIONAL LOTTERY'S BIG NIGHT OF MUSICALS 2025 | AO ARENA MANCHESTER | 27/01/2025
The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals at the AO Arena in Manchester was a star-studded celebration of all things theatrical, and...


REVIEW - ANIMAL FARM | OCTAGON THEATRE BOLTON | 23/01/2025
For 80 years, George Orwell’s Animal Farm  has captivated audiences with its powerful exploration of power dynamics and societal change....


REVIEW - CALAMITY JANE | MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE | 22/01/2025
Based on the beloved 1953 film starring Doris Day, Calamity Jane  is a lighthearted musical that brings the Old West to life with classic...

REVIEW - SPEND, SPEND, SPEND | ROYAL EXCHANGE THEATRE | 20/12/2024
Spend, Spend, Spend  tells the astonishing rags-to-riches-to-rags story of Viv Nicholson, a working-class woman from Castleford who won a...


REVIEW - CHRISTMAS LIGHTS | Z-ARTS | 15/12/2024
Z-arts knows how to make Christmas truly magical, and this year’s festive offering, Christmas Lights , is a sparkling treat for the...


REVIEW - SNOW WHITE PANTO - SHEFFIELD LYCEUM - 12/12/2024
It’s that magical time of year again, and the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre has truly outdone itself with its latest pantomime, Snow White ....


REVIEW - STICK MAN | THE LOWRY | 13/12/2024
Stick Man by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler has been a beloved bedtime story in our house for years. Alice (7) and Leo (5) are avid...


REVIEW - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS | CRUCIBLE THEATRE, SHEFFIELD | 12/12/2024
Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s Little Shop of Horrors  holds a special place in my heart, blending sci-fi, horror, comedy, and rock and...


REVIEW - MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET THE MUSICAL | HOME MANCHESTER | 11/12/2024
The Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street  has enchanted audiences for decades, and this season, HOME brought a dazzling new musical...


REVIEW - THE BEAR | WATERSIDE, SALE | 07/12/2024
The Bear, based on Raymond Briggs' beloved 1994 book, is at Waterside this Christmas season. The show brings to life a heartwarming tale...


REVIEW - MR SNOW | LEEDS PLAYHOUSE | 05/12/2024
Leeds Playhouse has a gift for sprinkling festive magic, and this year’s Mr Snow  is no exception, offering the perfect holiday...


REVIEW - COME FROM AWAY | THE LOWRY | 04/12/2024
"Come From Away" is a global phenomenon, celebrated for its deeply moving and profoundly uplifting narrative. Now bringing its magic to...


REVIEW - THE JUNGLE BOOK | OCTAGON THEATRE BOLTON | 26/11/2024
For Christmas 2024, the Octagon Theatre in Bolton has reimagined Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book  as a lively and festive musical...


REVIEW - THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE | LEEDS PLAYHOUSE | 22/11/2024
Returning to Leeds Playhouse after a triumphant UK tour and a six-month run in the West End, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe  is...


REVIEW - THE ROCK 'N' ROLL PANTO RAPUNZEL | LIVERPOOL EVERYMAN | 21/11/2024
The Liverpool Everyman Theatre has long been known for its innovative and uproarious Rock ‘n’ Roll Pantos, and this year’s offering,...


REVIEW - MATTHEW BOURNE'S SWAN LAKE | THE LOWRY | 20/11/2024
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is a production that redefined the dance world when it premiered at Sadler’s Wells in 1995. Shattering...


REVIEW - AFTER THE ACT | HOME MANCHESTER | 13/11/2024
After the Act , the vibrant 80s-inspired musical from Breach Theatre, boldly tackles the controversial legacy of Section 28, the UK...


REVIEW - WONDER BOY | THE LOWRY | 12/11/2024
“Wonder Boy," a powerful play by Ross Willis and directed by Sally Cookson, centers on the journey of a young boy navigating the...


REVIEW - RUN REBEL | THE LOWRY | 01/11/2024
Run Rebel  arrives at The Lowry as a powerful adaptation of Manjeet Mann’s novel, capturing a poignant story about courage, rebellion,...


REVIEW - HERE YOU COME AGAIN | THE LOWRY | 29/10/2024
Here You Come Again  brings Dolly Parton’s infectious spirit and iconic music to the UK stage in a way that is both endearing and...


REVIEW - & JULIET | LIVERPOOL EMPIRE | 28/10/2024
Having first seen & Juliet  at its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House in 2019, I was struck by its unique, vibrant reimagining...


REVIEW - THE ELMER ADVENTURE | THE LOWRY | 25/10/2024
Tall Stories brings the much-loved Elmer  books by David McKee to life in their colourful new production, The Elmer Adventure,  and it’s...


REVIEW - RAMBERT DANCE IN PEAKY BLINDERS: THE REDEMPTION OF THOMAS SHELBY | THE LOWRY | 22/10/2024
Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders The Redemption of Thomas Shelby  is a thrilling adaptation of Steven Knight’s iconic TV series, brought...


REVIEW - DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE | THE LOWRY | 18/10/2024
Dinosaur World Live , the Olivier Award winner for Best Family Show 2024, has made a triumphant return to The Lowry, and we couldn’t...


REVIEW - PLAY ON! | LIVERPOOL PLAYHOUSE | 15/10/2024
Play On!  brings a fresh, vibrant twist to Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night , transporting the classic tale of mistaken identities and love...


REVIEW - CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG | LIVERPOOL EMPIRE | 08/10/2024
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang  is one of those timeless stories that captures the imagination of both young and old. Based on Ian Fleming’s...


REVIEW - BLUE MAN GROUP BLUEVOLUTION | THE LOWRY | 02/10/2024
Blue Man Group’s return to the UK with their Bluevolution World Tour after seven long years is an absolute treat. Known for their quirky,...


REVIEW - A DOLL'S HOUSE | CRUCIBLE THEATRE SHEFFIELD | 27/09/2024
Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House  has long been regarded as a groundbreaking play, challenging the social norms of its time with its...
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