lifestyle
-
There’s light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel, my friends. We all know the worries and concerns for the theatre, and indeed arts and entertainment industry as a collective. But as 4 July becomes some sort of D-day, a heralding of freedom, venues who have been left out of the loop
-
Gourmet pizza restaurant Croma and I have two things in common. The first is that pizza is an incredibly important part of our lives. The second is that this year marks our 20th year living in Manchester! To celebrate, I’ll be justifying ever single trip out and drink drunk with ‘it’s my 20th anniversary’. For
-
Whilst works, appreciation, opinions and afforded gravitas come in all shapes and sizes, art should be inclusive and HOME is bringing this ethos to life by celebrating the amazing talent of Greater Manchester. In the first region-wide exhibition of its type, HOME welcomed submissions from all across all 10 boroughs, for the inaugural Manchester Open
-
A funny and frank autobiographical solo-show, First Time (from Dibby Theatre) is written and performed by theatre-maker and HIV activist, Nathaniel Hall and returned to Sale Waterside Centre as part of Refract Festival. Diagnosed just two weeks after his 17th birthday and only months after coming out as gay to his family, Nathaniel kept his HIV
-
Those who have already discovered this award-winning arts festival will be thrilled to hear that Refract is back for its third edition in and around Sale, this July. Those who haven’t yet discovered Refract – you’re in for a treat. Running from Thursday 18 July to Saturday 27 July, this unconventional 10 day festival, curated
-
Bank Holiday Monday and I was whisked back to the 1960s last night. A time when Woolies was still a thing, Donovan was number 3 in the charts and who you loved or even just fancied could consign you to a prison cell and a place of deep shame and castigation in society. All I
-
The ideal short – film, story, play should leave the audience wanting more without needing more. Celebrating 10 years of theatre production and story telling, 20 sell-out seasons and 120 world premieres, JB Shorts have brought something extra special to those glorious arches of 53two. On until 30th March, JB Shorts Reloaded brings six JB Shorts
-
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 Moscow
-
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, you
-
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 living
-
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 and
-
I last went to the circus in Great Yarmouth circa 1985. Obviously this was a remarkable feat considering I hadn’t yet been born. Ok, I’d been born a bit and enough to remember the thrills, spills, gasps and heart-stopping happenings that went on – and that was before we’d set foot in the ‘big-top’. My
-
Penguin Pride is winging its way to Manchester next week, with a wonderful line-up of LGBTQ+ writers, poets and performers to celebrate the city’s incredible diversity. Taking place at Z-Arts on Thursday 23 August, poet and playwright Toby Campion hosts this special event which will showcase some of the UK’s most exciting queer talent. Presented in partnership
-
To get an invitation to try the new menu at Malmaison Manchester is to be filled with trepidation and anticipation. Trepidation because how could it match up to previous experiences: Fall fork first into autumn at Malmaison Malmaison brings the Millennial touch to Afternoon Tea It did and it was fabulous. Tried and tested for
-
It’s always an exciting thing to attend a world premiere production of…well anything, really. Not least when you get to see it before it hits Edinburgh Fringe audiences. Certainly not least when you’re not getting to Edinburgh Fringe yourself (although, fear not as there is plenty to entertain on our good own Mancunian doorstep of course). And
-
I’m going to start with a sincere apology to Liza Goddard. She has such a wealth of stage experience behind her, that for me to bring up the Give Us a Clue theme tune seems very wrong. I know I shouldn’t mention it but it’s like a scratch I have to itch. Please forgive me reader and
-
Billed as Sting’s personal, political and passionate musical, this was a ship that I wasn’t prepare to let sail by without an inquisitive look. On a tour of UK and Ireland, The Last Ship sailed into the Quays last night, making its debut at The Lowry theatre. I have already used two puns both based
honorary manc 