Theatre through the eyes of a Manc
"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 →
The best thing about living in Manchester is the abundance of theatre on offer. From the smallest fringe venues to large theatres, there is always something fantastic to watch. Here is my pick of what to watch across Manchester in May. RICHARD III - HOME, MANCHESTER On until 4th May 2019 After decades of the... Continue Reading →
Queen Margaret is the first play in this year's Autumn/Winter season at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. Margaret of Anjou appears in four of Shakespeare's history plays, including the immensely popular Richard III. She has more dialogue than any other female character in Shakespeare, even Rosalind. However, because her story is fragmented across several... Continue Reading →
OthelloMacbeth, directed by Jude Christian, brings together two of Shakespeare's most popular tragedies into a single two-hour play. These plays are condensed into two parts, the first being Othello, with Macbeth forming the second half of the production. The main motive behind compressing these plays is to provide a retelling of Shakespeare's tragedies, and inviting... Continue Reading →
There is a poetical poignancy to Sir Ian McKellen returning to the Duke of York's Theatre to play one of William Shakespeare's most challenging roles, King Lear. This is the same theatre that McKellen made his professional West End debut in 1964. Now, 54 years later, at the age of 79, he triumphantly returns to... Continue Reading →
There is no better place to watch one of Shakespeare's comedies than Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on London's Southbank. Entering the Globe Theatre feels like stepping 400 years back in time. Authentically reconstructed, based on the original 16th century structure, the Globe is an open air theatre, exposed to the elements, pigeons, helicopters and aeroplanes. Naturally... Continue Reading →
