Theatre through the eyes of a Manc
2019 has been quite an eventful year for theatre in Manchester. It has been a year of new beginnings, with Sarah Frankcom stepping down as the Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange, paving the way for Roy Alexander Weise and Bryony Shanahan to put their own stamp on the theatre. This year also saw 53two... Continue Reading →
*Puts on best Noddy Holder voice*... IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!! I wish it could be Christmas every day because December really is the most wonderful time of year. Although the weather outside is frightful, there is nothing better than sitting in the warmth watching some wonderfully festive theatre. Manchester never fails to deliver theatrical Christmas crackers and... Continue Reading →
Oldham Coliseum's annual pantomime is steeped in tradition. It has provided Christmas sparkle to northern audiences for over 130 years and has become a hugely popular event. This year it's Jack and the Beanstalk, which marks the first annual panto to be directed by the Coliseum's Artistic Director, Chris Lawson. Yet this is no ordinary... Continue Reading →
In the words of house Stark, "Winter is coming". The dark evenings are closing in, and it's time to dig out the winter woolies again. The annual Christmas market stalls are springing up around Manchester and the mood is turning festive. What better way to escape the cold winter weather than watching some theatre? With... Continue Reading →
On the first Saturday of every month, three black men go walking in the Peak District. They are part of the Black Men's Walking Group in Sheffield. They walk for their health and wellbeing. They walk in the footsteps of their ancestors. They walk for freedom. "We walk. Though we are written into the landscape,... Continue Reading →
The nights are drawing in and the weather is getting colder. Starbucks are selling pumpkin spiced latte and the local scallies are already setting off fireworks. Autumn is certainly well under way. October is the perfect time of year to watch a play, and there are many excellent shows on offer in Manchester this month.... Continue Reading →
The skylines of Manchester and Salford are littered with towering cranes. Skyscrapers are constantly springing up, consisting of luxury apartments and five star hotels. Affordable housing is becoming increasingly scarce. Whilst regeneration is seen as signifying a city's prosperity, little thought is given to the properties demolished and the local communities destroyed by it. Residents... Continue Reading →
Harold Pinter's No Man's Land is a play in which not very much happens. There's no action, nor an exciting narrative. It is just characters talking and drinking. A lot. Deliberately ambiguous, you never really get to know any of the characters, and Pinter's dialogue is complex; packed full of metaphoric imagery. This is not an easy... Continue Reading →
With parliament suspended, and a no-deal Brexit looking more probable than ever, you could be forgiven for thinking that the country is going to the dogs. Our democracy is under threat. The Amazon Rainforest is on fire, as the effects of climate change are already becoming apparent. These are truly depressing times that we live... Continue Reading →
