Theatre through the eyes of a Manc
Played in its entirety, Handel's Alcina is three and a half hours long. Thankfully, Opera North have heavily edited the opera to under three hours in length. However, this doesn't make its complex plot any easier to follow. Like The Tempest, Handel's opera is set on an enchanted island. The island belongs to a sorceress, Alcina,... Continue Reading →
Verdi's Rigoletto features one of opera's most famous pieces of music, 'La Donna e mobile', which is recognisable the world over, even if you've never seen an opera before. Other than that, I knew relatively little about Rigoletto, as I have never watched it before, and I make a rule of never reading the programme... Continue Reading →
Bizet's Carmen is the perfect opera for beginners, because of how familiar the music is. Even those who are completely new to opera will instantly recognise this opera's iconic songs 'Habanera', 'Les Toreadors' and the 'Toreador Song'. Conducted by Antony Hermus, hearing this famous music performed by a live orchestra really is something else. After two years... Continue Reading →
When Arthur Conan Doyle wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles, it was in response to public outrage when he killed off Sherlock Holmes in his previous story, The Final Problem. With no option but to bring back his famous detective, he wrote a completely absurd novel about a noble family being haunted by a demonic... Continue Reading →
A testament to the popularity of Richard O'Brien's cult hit The Rocky Horror Picture Show, nearly fifty years after its release, are the fans of all ages wearing costumes, lined up outside the Palace Theatre on a freezing, foggy winter's night. Looking around the theatre, there are plenty of people dressed as Magenta, wearing maid... Continue Reading →
Based on the 2003 film, School of Rock has been adapted for the stage by Andrew Lloyd Webber and has just embarked on an extensive UK Tour, finishing in August 2022. It is a musical that follows the exploits of wannabe rock star, Dewie Finn (Alex Tomkins). When slacker Dewie gets fired from his job... Continue Reading →
In the past, the Christmas slot at the Royal Exchange Theatre has been reserved for big musical productions like The Producers, Guys and Dolls, Gypsy, and Stephen Sondheim's Into The Woods. So it seems a little strange that a quaint, folk musical is chosen for such a prestigious slot this winter. However, if you bear... Continue Reading →
There's no denying that the past two years have been incredibly difficult for the theatre industry. It has been battered and beaten by the Covid19 pandemic, but it remarkably still survives to fight another day. As we welcome in 2022, so too must we move into the new year with a renewed sense of optimism... Continue Reading →
Some of the earliest memories that I can remember are of my mum, sat with myself and my brother at bedtime, reading C.S Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. I have, quite literally, loved the fantasy world of Narnia for as long as I remember. Therefore, it's no surprise that I got tickets to this stage... Continue Reading →
When an army of panto dames marched on Westminster last Christmas, they helped highlight the importance of pantomimes to the theatre economy. Pantos are often deemed the theatre industry's lifeline, making more money than most other shows and helping to keep a venue going for the next year. Equally as vital, they serve as an... Continue Reading →
THE PLAY'S THE THING 