The marvellously titled Bag of Beard Theatre had me at… …it’s a Millennial Withnail and I… when telling me about their show Renaissance Men, coming to 53two on 19 and 20 April. Fresh from sell out shows at the Old Red Lion Theatre, Islington, this is Manchester’s (and surrounding areas of course – in factContinue reading “Preview: Renaissance Men at 53two”
Category Archives: Preview/review
Review – The Stretch at 53Two
An hour of theatre last night felt like ten years. I don’t mean how that sounds. Manchester Actors’ Platform (MAP) has brought The Stretch back to the 53two stage from 6 to 15 March, following rave reviews at the JB Shorts Festival. Written by Joe Ainsworth and directed by Simon Naylor, the piece follows Lee (JamesContinue reading “Review – The Stretch at 53Two”
Theatre review: The Magic Flute at The Lowry
Mozart can do no wrong. It’s not even up for debate. When I was knee-high to an etc., I went with my parents to Austria, visiting Salzburg along the way and so to the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The actual birthplace – the house. My Dad, a professional pianist, was keen to fulfill anContinue reading “Theatre review: The Magic Flute at The Lowry”
Review – Talk to Yourself at The Kings Arms
I was going to start this post off with the sentiment, I love Manchester. It’s true, I’ve got a t-shirt with it on and everything. But to do so, I would have committed the cardinal sin of referring to a ‘happening’, an ‘event, an ‘occurrence’ as being in Manchester rather than Salford. I do thisContinue reading “Review – Talk to Yourself at The Kings Arms”
Preview: Writer and film-maker, Paul Mason in conversation with Stuart Maconie – 30 April 2019
Writer, film-maker and leading thinker, Paul Mason, is coming to Manchester on 30 April 2019, to discuss his latest book, Clear Bright Future: A Radical Defence of the Human Being, with BBC 6 Music’s, Stuart Maconie. On the eve of publication, Penguin Live, will play host, at The Dancehouse, Manchester, to what promises to be aContinue reading “Preview: Writer and film-maker, Paul Mason in conversation with Stuart Maconie – 30 April 2019”
And the winner of the best Wine Awards is…
‘Twas a Monday in October when a woman who was still recovering from her (cough)th birthday party two nights before, did approach a table laden with 30 wines. 30. What craziness is this? I hear you cry. Get this woman an intervention. Or Graham from Jeremy Kyle. Or…just something. But you see it was ok.Continue reading “And the winner of the best Wine Awards is…”
Theatre review: SparkPlug
There are plays, productions, shows that you appreciate the work of, admire, praise, write about, commend. Then there are those that you actually want to frogmarch people into the theatre to see. You almost don’t want to write about it, lest it spoil the experience. You want to write of it, of course. But notContinue reading “Theatre review: SparkPlug”
Theatre review: Trial by Laughter at The Lowry
Following their previous stage success The Wipers Times, which sold out both in the West End and across the country, Ian Hislop and Nick Newman are back to entertain us with their latest sharply observed stage production, showing this week at The Lowry theatre, Salford. Inspired by real life events and based on the critically acclaimed originalContinue reading “Theatre review: Trial by Laughter at The Lowry”
Theatre review: Romeo and Juliet – Moscow City Ballet
I love Prokofiev’s score, Shakespeare’s story, and I love going to the ballet. So with all ingredients in place, it is natural that I have seen multiple ballet productions of Romeo and Juliet in the past and either because of or despite this, I happily wanted to see the latest brought to Manchester; this time by the MoscowContinue reading “Theatre review: Romeo and Juliet – Moscow City Ballet”
Head HOME for Christmas
It’s the most wonderful time of the year and so on and so forth. In fact, let us not mess around. Let’s just go straight to Chris Rea. Ish. Because this year, Mancs, Honorary Mancs, Visitors to Manc… I’m going HOME this Christmas… Why, you ask? Well I can’t wait to see those faces. Whose, youContinue reading “Head HOME for Christmas”
Theatre review: Rebus at the Opera House
The word ‘typecast’ must be as abhorrent to actors as the word ‘Macbeth’ is to…erm, well actors. Having worked with a few actors on soaps in a past life, I’m aware of the frustrations some may feel when interviewed about previous roles, future roles, that many can’t see past the character they portray in livingContinue reading “Theatre review: Rebus at the Opera House”
‘Mandy’ at HOME Mcr
Earlier in the week I told you about the brilliant FilmFear season at HOME Mcr until 31 October 2018. Review on Mandy now in on sister blog What the Projectionist Saw and all I will say is two words: Nicolas Cage…. https://whattheprojectionistsaw.wordpress.com/2018/10/28/mandy-how-happy-you-made-me/ Next showing at HOME on Monday 5 November and Friday 9 November.
HOME – it’s where the FilmFear is…
The third annual horror fest, FilmFear, returns to Manchester’s HOME this week – in association with Film4. From 26 – 31 October, residents, visitors and all round horror fanatics from Manchester can enjoy 6 days of cult films, extreme cinema and an all round fright fest on the big screen. With a mix of newContinue reading “HOME – it’s where the FilmFear is…”
OthelloMacbeth – a play of two halves…
Or should that be a production of two plays? Or a production of two halves, each one a play? But are they two plays? In this world premier of the HOME and Lyric Hammersmith co-production, they are two, yet they are one. And I shall tell you for why. The plays (when discussing Othello andContinue reading “OthelloMacbeth – a play of two halves…”
School for Scandal hits First Street
It was back to school for me this week. I wish I was young enough for that to be true in the traditional sense but for every realisation that you’re not getting any younger, there is a silver lining. To be over the age of 18 is to have your name on a more importantContinue reading “School for Scandal hits First Street”
honorarymancblog 