manchesterbloggers

  • NQ Jazz is one of my favourites things. Yes we have Matt and Phred’s and I give thanks to the gods of live jazz that we do. But Manchester needs even more and NQ Jazz gives us that more in a gloriously dark, underground befitting location that is The Whiskey Jar. To speak in New

    Read more →

  • It probably won’t have escaped your notice that I wasn’t born and bred in Manchester (and surrounding areas). I mean, the clue’s in the name. Growing up on the Fylde Coast until moving to Manchester in 2000, I was excited to find my two worlds colliding in the form of a fabulous fish restaurant. Marple

    Read more →

  • Last year I shared my immense joy at what was an evening of entertainment, enlightenment, education and laughter (I couldn’t find a synonym for lolz beginning with ‘e’, ok?): Penguin Pride – less a review, more a tribute Well it’s back and I’ll be there and you should be too. And I’ll tell you for

    Read more →

  • Last summer I spent a very happy evening wandering round Heaton Park, not lost (although I’ve done that too), but at Romeo and Juliet – a production that took its audience to different locations round the park giving depth and reality to the oft told tale. So this year I’m thrilled that I’ll get to

    Read more →

  • I won’t repeat my love for fringe theatre all over again (I’ll just casually leave this here – Review – Talk to Yourself at The Kings Arms and actually probably will repeat it in this review anyway). One reason for my love of fringe theatre which I’m not going on about again (am) is the

    Read more →

  • 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

    Read more →

  • 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

    Read more →

  • Forgive me, Manchester theatre world and community, for I have sinned. Despite being a fairly frequent theatre-goer and the space being in operation since 2015, this week was the first time I entered the wonderful world that is Hope Mill Theatre. Forgive me further, Girl Gang Manchester and Unseemly Women, if I take a moment

    Read more →

  • Tensions were reaching fever pitch last night. Two words, two cities – on everyone’s minds, on everyone’s lips, up and down Deansgate, in squares… Albert, Exchange, Peter’s,  Anne’s – all the squares. Manchester Barcelona And as we headed to the theatre of dreams, we knew that this date would be imprinted on our memories for

    Read more →

  • It is here where I would love to show off about my travels around Japan, the food I’ve eaten, the sights I’ve seen, the cherry blossom I’ve been beguiled by… But I have not been. But I have this, and it’s mine… My late father was a musician and musical director. Amongst those he musically

    Read more →

  • My mum told me this story of being at the cricket at Old Trafford. Frank Sidebottom had made a glorious appearance (actual Frank – there were many pretenders to the papier-mâché head aesthetic with ‘hilarious’ consequences…) In fact in Being Frank… John Thomson tells us of Chris Sievey getting out a scrap book he kept

    Read more →

  • 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

    Read more →

  • 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

    Read more →

  • 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 important

    Read more →

  • There is a lot being done to raise awareness of male mental health at the time of writing, which is both joyous and tragic. Joyous that those afflicted or potentially afflicted are being offered support, reassurance, an outlet, and above all else, a message that they are not alone. Tragic that the above is all

    Read more →

  • And people say she’s just a big pair of tits. (David Brent). Yes, I’ve said tits in a blog post. But there’s no point being polite as the Theatre Company I had the good grace to see perform this evening are called Shit Theatre. Although for polite publications it’s written Sh!t Theatre. I’ve already written

    Read more →

  • Walking into HOME theatre on Thursday night, my plus 1 and I discussed the subject matter of the production we were about to see; that of the Falklands War. Both of a similar age (he 15 months older – devil is in the detail), we both agreed that the Falklands was one of the first

    Read more →

  • Coming home from The Lowry theatre last night, my designated plus 1 in theatre and basically life, told me the story of the snail and the ginger beer. It’s a little like the owl and the pussycat. Well actually nothing like it. The snail and the ginger beer was the court case Donoghue v Stevenson, which

    Read more →

  • Fans of singer/songwriters Jess Kemp and David Gorman will be thrilled at this double bubble news that they will be co-headlining a gig at top city venue, The Deaf Institute, on 18 May 2018. Each will be individually taking to that iconic stage with a full band, to launch some brand new music to treat

    Read more →

  • I last wrote about this topic (in more detail)in my dissertation in the year cough cough etc. You understand my entire dissertation wasn’t based on Michael Douglas but a small portion of it. I don’t have a degree in Michael Douglas. I focussed on the femme fatale on film and how feminist theory has been

    Read more →