Culture
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I’ve had a rather Shakespearean run over the last few weeks. Bard-heavy, you might say? I say, that with productions of Romeo and Juliet and Falstaff in Manchester (and a quick return visit to Shakespeare country, Stratford-upon-Avon itself), it’s been a joy to immerse myself in texts which are classically brilliant in their origins but
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A fairly frequent visitor to the Lake District and Cotswolds, each time my plus 1 and I are ambling down a country lane, gingerly (me. him- confidently) crossing a stream, roasting ourselves in front of an open fire in an aggressively cosy english pub, we ponder But why, the hecky peck, don’t we relocate and
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I write this swathed in aptness as I prepare for a return to Shakespeare country; Stratford-upon-Avon this weekend. The weekender was originally intended to be more Butlins, Black Grape and Boo Radleys, and altogether less Bard, but when flooding takes out your chalet, substituting a Shiiine indie festival for Shakespeare felt the obvious move. But
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I mean it’s a staple. We studied it in school, I’ve seen it performed ‘traditionally’, in Heaton Park that involved a travelling M&S picnic and a good few thousand steps. My plus 1, both in theatre-going and life, even saw it in this very theatre, the Royal Exchange, in Manchester back in 1992, and featuring
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In a week where this was a snapshot of my search terms, it was time to get me off my phone and back out to the theatre. And this was a production I’d been particularly looking forward to. This is the story of how we met, fell in love, and f*cked it up. But it’s
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In part 2 of a blog series I’m calling a series of posts on shorts (well I am and it is), we’re looking at another jewel amongst so many, in the crown that was and is Bolton Film Festival. As discussed in part 1 – Bolton Film Festival -presenting a short series of posts on
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I’ve never been to Bolton Film Festival. I shamefully didn’t realise it was a thing but was thrilled to discover it was. And what a thing it is. Film festivals are such an indulgent treat and this one is no exception. I write in the present tense as after the ‘physical’ 5-day portion of the
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Who doesn’t love a good old ghost story? And none more-so than one from writer, M.R. James, who some consider ‘the grandfather of British horror’. A factor that separates him from many of his predecessors is that when he started writing in this genre (his first collection published in 1904), he chose to set his
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Thank goodness I’m getting older. The days, weeks and months fly. And so do the years. Most of the time this freaks me out and delivers me into my latest existential crisis. But sometimes it works to my advantage and it feels like no time at all since the last Manchester International Festival, whereas it
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It’s been a while since I visited Waterside Arts in Sale and my first time inside the Robert Bolt Theatre. What prompted my return trip down the Altrincham tram line? Why, Wednesday saw the opening night of Pride in Trafford, in its 5th year, with two shows, the first being Turtle Key Arts’ The Chosen
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I’ve said before, love me a bit of Theatre 2 at HOME Mcr. The smaller the stage, the greater the magic for me. Wednesday night offered another hey presto moment with Ad Infinitum’s If You Fall. Margaret is a pillar of her local community. Norson is a brilliant cook. He loves cricket and fishing. She
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I live oppositeish The Lowry Theatre and from my apartment I have been able to see the big red foreboding (not sure why foreboding – I guess it’s the redness of it all, the slightly off way the words are configured, the specific word bones itself?) billboard poster from my apartment for some weeks now.
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It’s taken me a few days to write this – mostly because I wanted to give it the due attention it deserves. So much was lovely and joyous and poignant and funny and sad and lovely again about this play, which I saw last Sunday night. And there was much to be moved by. For
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If last night’s party was anything to go by, the Nordoff & Robbins Northern Music Awards in November is going to be top. drawer. But what is this Northern Music Awards? I hear you say. Who are Nordoff & Robbins? And speak more of this launch party! Well, my imaginary friends… Two words, Music Therapy.
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We are never one thing, we are human.This play is dedicated to the immigrant women who have been here for decades, who are pushed into the shadows…I see your grace. Yusra Warsama- writer and director Of All The Beautiful Things In The World takes the Lorca classic The House of Bernarda Alba as inspiration, exporting
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A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the spirited, annual Spanish and Latin American festival that is ¡Viva! at HOME Mcr… Festival season hits Manchester! Not on brand, I recently left the streets paved with gold that is Manchester, for a short period to Rome. But before I flounced off, I attended the opening
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As my previous post will speak to, I love short shorts – and I love the North West. Heck, when I heard there was the chance to see the two concepts brought together as one at Manchester Film Festival, I was up those horrendous (but very pretty) stairs to The Mews as quick as my
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I love short shorts, we love short shorts. What’s Manchester Film Festival?! I hear a lone voice in my head cry. Well it’s this. So Saturday morning comes, there are works on the tram line, because of course, but the inconvenience is admittedly minimal. Those pesky steps up to The Mews negotiated, again the actual
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Well I was going to start off with saying leave your wellies in the wardrobe, but given the weather this week, maybe give that directive a moment’s pause. But no matter the weather; wind, sleet or shine, today sees two fantastic festivals kick off in Manchester, namely Manchester Film Festival (MANIFF)and ¡Viva! Spanish & Latin
honorary manc 