Theatre through the eyes of a Manc
If there's one thing that you can rely on in Manchester, it's the rain. Anybody staging open-air theatre in this city are certainly brave souls who deserve the utmost respect. The Great Open Air Theatre company are the latest to do so, performing an exciting summer festival of Shakespeare in the amphitheatre outside the Great... Continue Reading →
After the past year, it feels really nice to finally be able to write about what theatre is available to watch across Manchester, as venues are finally allowed to open their doors and allow audiences back inside their auditoriums once more. Although all theatres have to comply with the government's strict social distancing measures, it's... Continue Reading →
I didn't want to end the year without shining a spotlight on the theatre companies that I discovered in 2019 who have really excited me. They have all produced outstanding, innovative work, which has pushed boundaries and showcased incredible talent. It has been a pleasure to discover these theatre companies, so I wanted to write... Continue Reading →
Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre are no strangers in allowing women to play Shakespeare's most famous characters. In 2014, they received critical acclaim when an androgynous Maxine Peake played Hamlet, although the central character remained male. In the first play of their Autumn/Winter season, the Royal Exchange have fully switched the gender of Macbeth, changing Shakespeare's... 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 →
I want to begin this review by firmly stating that I truly dislike The Taming of the Shrew. Unlike most of William Shakespeare's plays, this one really hasn't aged well. I have always struggled to consider his play, in which a woman is broken into submission by her abusive husband, a comedy. It is difficult... Continue Reading →
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" is arguably the most famous line of poetry in the English language. In this country, we are force-fed Shakespeare in school, before we even learn about any other poet or playwright. From an early age, we learn that Shakespeare is intrinsically linked to an idea of Britishness.... Continue Reading →
It's June! Summer has officially arrived, although somebody should tell that to the British weather! Festival season has kicked off, with Glastonbury, Download, and the Isle of Wight Festival all happening within the coming weeks. If camping in a muddy field isn't your idea of fun, you can always visit the theatre instead. At least... Continue Reading →
Over four centuries, Shakespeare's Hamlet has been performed on stage countless times. It is rare to find a production that defies tradition; one that feels different to the plethora of other Hamlets out there. Girl Gang Manchester and Unseemly Women collaborate together to bring an all-female version of Shakespeare's iconic play to Manchester's Hope Mill... Continue Reading →
Richard III is a difficult play to get right. With Shakespeare's protagonist being a power-hungry, ruthless, murdering despot, there is always the temptation to place the play's context within the twentieth century, basing Richard on one of the many dictators during this period. Martin Freeman's 2014 production at Trafalgar Studios tried setting the play in... Continue Reading →
