It's panto season! (Oh no it isn't, etc…) Full disclosure: I haven't seen a panto since I was a kid, and went in to the Opera House's Peter Pan frankly a little bit cynical. I'd assumed it…
Reviewer: Daniel Shipman Upstaged Rating: âââââ The Royal Exchange has a solid reputation for outstanding, non-pantomime Christmas shows, and Betty (written by and s…
New Adventures and Matthew Bourne return to The Lowry with their Gothic take on the classic fairytale Sleeping Beauty. A firm favourite in the company's repertoire and celebrating 10 years s…
Lean, mean and totally uncompromising, Frantic Assembly bring a newly updated and gritty version of Shakespeare's Othello to The Lowry as part of their UK tour. Razor-sharp and captivating, …
Since the Royal Exchange announced their new season back at the end of 2021, I've been eagerly awaiting this production. Adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne, Let The Right One In is everyth…
Katori Hall's The Mountaintop, revived at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre by Roy Alexander Weise, is what happens when we examine our heroes at their most vulnerable.
At a time when human connection feels more vital than ever, Petrichor offers an immersive, accessible and unique way to experience theatre.
The Royal Exchange has built a reputation for consistently delivering knockout versions of classic musicals as an alternative to the traditional pantomime. I'm pleased to be able to say that…
Light Falls is Sarah Frankcom's swan song as artistic director at the Royal Exchange. And what a moving and beautifully crafted performance to leave on. Light Falls is one of the best perfor…
Intertwining ribald comedy with a morality tale is no easy feat, yet an outstanding cast and creative team reinforce this thought-provoking and immersive experience of Measure for Measure fo…
This production of Macbeth receives stunning direction from Christopher Haydon and, crucially, Lucy Ellinson is magnificent as Macbeth.
As part of MIF (Manchester International Festival), that aims to bring artists from different art forms to create forward thinking innovative work, Maxine Peake stars in the world premiere o…
The Hired Man is a lively and refreshing Northern musical which offers us an insight into the life of rural communities at the beginning of the 20th century.
This production of Miss Julie, by the Durham-based Elysium Theatre Company, keeps things simple and focused on the complex subtext of Strindberg's work (here in a proficient translation by M…
A beautiful reinterpretation of the Shakespearean classic, Matthew Bourne's Romeo & Juliet at The Lowry modernises the tale of doomed love for a new audience.
The Royal Exchange's latest offering is an adaptation of Harold Brighouse's 1916 play Hobson's Choice, with the action updated from Victorian-era Salford to Ancoats in the 1980s.
Whether you're a contemporary-dance-curious newcomer or a die-hard fan of Maliphant's exquisite vision and choreography, Silent Lines is a beautifully serene though sharply executed performa…
It may be Shakespeare but thanks to the ensemble cast and their excellent interpretation this production of Much Ado About Nothing could not be described as stuffy, taking the audience from …
This production of Hamlet asserts itself as the authentic, entertaining and thrilling rendition that it consciously aims to be.
West Side Story is Sarah Frankcom's first major musical production at the Royal Exchange, Manchester and it is nothing short of a complete triumph.
Beauty & the Beast is certainly a 'tale as old as time', and in this beautiful interpretation by Birmingham Royal Ballet the magical relationship between Belle and the Beast appears more…
Fat Blokes is not your typical dance show. It's witty, queer, honest, and uncomfortable in all the right places. It's nothing you expect it to be, but everything that it should be.
Walking up the steps of Yang Sing, a restaurant on the edge of Chinatown, it is easy to see that From Shore to Shore will be no ordinary night at the theatre. (Indeed, it's not at the theatr…
Barber Shop Chronicles is a hugely impressive production. Life-affirming and vivid. Putting lives on stage which have not been seen there before.
Opera North's The Rite of Spring/Gianni Schicchi is an uneven pairing but a thoroughly enlightening and enjoyable evening nonetheless. Both works serve as great entry points to their respect…