Theatre through the eyes of a Manc
Moira Buffini's political satire, Handbagged, invents what happened during the infamous meetings between the Queen and Margaret Thatcher, during her term as Prime Minister from 1979 - 1990. We still feel the ramifications of Thatcher's hugely divisive policies today. The closure of coal mines and the introduction of poll tax devastated working-class families. With strikes... 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 →
As a drag parody of the cult movie, Death Becomes Her, Peaches Christ's show, Drag Becomes Her turns the bitter rivalry between ageing Hollywood actresses, Meryl Streep and Goldie Horn into one between two leading drag queens. As they both take a potion that makes them live forever, hilarity ensues. Veteran winner of Ru Paul's... 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 →
"Who has power over you and what do you want to say to them?" Created by Jeremy Goldstein, Truth to Power Café provides ordinary people a platform to voice their own 'Truth to Power' responses to this question. Beginning its UK tour at The Royal Exchange, each night is different, as people of all ages and... Continue Reading →
With only eighteen seats arranged in Sale Waterside Arts' studio theatre space, Karl Falconer's The Orange Peel is an intimate affair. Portraying a disastrous family meal between two siblings and their partners, this is a relatable subject matter with which most people can identify. The studio's intimacy places the play's audience as eavesdropping spectators to the... Continue Reading →
At the heart of Barney Norris' play is a beautifully rendered relationship of an ageing couple, Arthur and Edie. Childhood sweethearts, they come to terms with old age as they reminisce over times gone by. Along with a life time of nostalgic memories come regrets and missed opportunities. "I wish I had tried LSD" Arthur... Continue Reading →
Patrick Marber's award-winning play Closer features such a strong script that it has been adapted into a film in 2004. Nominated for several Oscars, it also picked up some BAFTAs and Golden Globes along the way. Marber's magnificent script is the heart of the film and the stage play. Its intricate, interweaving plot focuses on four... Continue Reading →
The inclusion of West Side Story to the Royal Exchange Theatre's Spring/Summer season is undeniably relevant to our current climate. With youths becoming increasingly dissociated in society and gang related knife crime increasing, the comparisons with this classic story become all too apparent. In the musical, loosely based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the streets... Continue Reading →
