After a small fishing community on the coast of England is rocked by the news of a child dying at sea, all fingers point to the elusive Peter Grimes, who is forced to fight back a wave of accusations in Benjamin Britten’s biting 1945 opera. The Lowry audience is soaked in a tale of tragedy as director Phyllida Lloyd forms a dark and intimate portrait of Peter Grimes (John Findon), offering an insightful opera that examines empathy, ambition and mob mentality. When the reclusive outsider, Grimes and his apprentice fail to both come back from their fishing trip, Grimes is charged with the boy's murder and put on trial. Yet despite being cleared of murder, Grimes finds that the community have poisoned the well, labelling him a traitorous stranger to the village and leaving the audience to question whether or not he was actually at fault. Under the cover of community, the group strikes to hand out vigilante justice, which alongside Lloyd’s mystic set, leads to an intense and all-encompassing production, including sweeping scenes and a towering chorus. As Findon delves into vulnerable and revealing arias from Grimes’s perspective as an unwanted other, the opinionated townspeople come together to reckon with their loss as a piercing, forceful collective or in eerie communal whispers. It is clear that the town does not take well to strangers and at one point in the production, the ensemble aims their cries directly at the audience, which is hard not to take personally. The only empathy for the fisherman comes from his relationship with Ellen Orford (Natalya Romaniw), whose gentle character and thoughtful demeanour lead to her unearthing more of Grimes’s unspoken hopes and desires. Romaniw’s aria Embroidery in Childhood   allows the opera a moment of quiet reflection of a loss of innocence, with Romaniw’s lulling performance and Montagu Slater absorbing lyrics taking a step back from the drama. This production is sung in English, making it the perfect entry to Opera for newcomers. However, this ravenous tale is fuelled by raw and powerful performances that merge Findon’s simmering rage with the explosive judgement of the chorus. As both Grimes and the community feel the constant pressure of living with a perceived threat to their way of life, one side snaps under the pressure with devastating consequences. Conductor Gary Walker and the Opera North orchestra ground the piece in the environment, immediately connecting audiences to the cold, coastal and unforgiving landscape. Alongside the thunderous drums and trumpets, there is no sugar-coating Lloyd’s strikingly atmospheric and minimalist set that leaves Grimes in a cruel solitude, under blue-drenched lighting that blends the ensemble into its scenery. Lloyd keeps the ever-present threat of the chorus by having the tight-knit community emerge onstage united in crowds and forming together under a sea net as a haunting presence. Packed full of turbulent and compelling performances from the ensemble and Findon, Opera North’s Peter Grimes  allows the audience to second guess the authenticity of its protagonist, in a daring allegory around oppression and alienation. #PeterGrimes #Lowry #Manchester OperaNorth Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Opera North is bringing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s cherished tale of schemes, disguises and seduction back to the Lowry. Refreshing a classic so timeless, it consistently ranks in the top 10 operas of all time, this revived rom-com remains full of surprises and irresistible charm. This intrepid new production from Opera North moves the 1786 production outside a Spanish estate and into the contemporary English country home of Count Almavivas (James Newby), who appears to be living the life of luxury with his Countess (Gabriella Reyes). Yet despite soaking up the champagne, the story indulges the audience in copious plot twists as the Count sets out to sleep with his wife’s assistant, bride-to-be, Susanna (Claire Lees). On the day of Susanna’s wedding to fiancée Figaro (Liam James Karai), Figaro also struggles to repay his debt to housekeeper Marcellina (Katherine Broderick), who has lent him money with the promise that if he can’t repay, he will have to marry her. The foundations of Figaro and Susanna’s nuptials are already on shaky grounds but as the heartbroken countess finds herself seduced by the errand boy Cherubino (Hongni Wu), the frenzied characters start leaking secrets like a sieve. Director Louisa Muller’s creative sets, filled with split scenery, shrewd props and extravagantly large backdrops are all the better for helping characters pull focus for spying, clashing, confronting and not-so-private confessions. The staging is fantastically framed for embracing Lorenzo da Ponte’s exquisite libretto as the story visually blurs the lines of class and power within its scenes. The Marriage of Figaro  is a playful production full of seduction and sabotage, but Opera North’s ensemble delivers warmth and vibrancy to Mozart’s score, keeping the choreographed chaos constantly in motion and endlessly entertaining. The live orchestra conducted by Valentina Peleggi shape the music to the mayhem, building characters through simple arias and emotional duets that result in a rollercoaster of emotions throughout this production. Claire Lees playful aria, Deh vieni, non tardar and Reyes earnest arias pull on the heartstrings and play on the touching, passionate nature of the show. Offering the women moments of comedy and vulnerability while revealing the class and power dynamics these women are in, playing in a perilous game of cat and mouse built to benefit the powerful. However, Karai’s humour shines throughout this production and Newby’s manipulative charisma is larger than the stage, setting a high bar for opera as it balances the romance and drama to deliver a timeless and compelling piece. The Marriage of Figaro  finds a sweet spot between the chaos and comedy to form an opera of irresistible charm. Opera North’s elegantly reimagined production has a cast with the chemistry to build a world teaming with energy, passion and wall-to-wall heated performances. This 240-year-old opera does not age, it evolves with the times with Muller bringing the grandeur and pace for any fan of music to join in the celebration. #TheMarriageOfFigaro #Lowry #Manchester OperaNorth Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Armed with a bed-leg, a wooden horse and a faithful servant, Don Quixote breaks out of the page to dance in the streets of Spain with the help of Birmingham Royal’s free-spirited revival. Streamlining the sprawling 1605 novel into a quirky side-quest, the ballet follows an unwanted love triangle between the charismatic Kitri (Beatrice Parma), her playful boyfriend Basilio (Enrique Belgravia Vidal) and the wealthy Gamache  (Jonathan Payn) injected into the mix by Kitri’s father. While the storyline puts The Don in a timeout, this theatrical production overflows with impressive characters, stunning choreography and beautiful set pieces that build Don Quixote  into rich and enchanting world you want to explore. After the wannabe knight, Don Quixote (Dominic Antonucci) kits himself and his trusted squire, Sancho (Alfie-Lee Hall), out for a new adventure, the two ride through Barcelona hoping to rescue Don’s imagined lover. As the large ensemble cast pantomime and pose as villagers, original choreographer Marius Petipa and revival choreographer Carlos Acosta combine forces to bring the colourful and bustling Spanish marketplace to the Lowry audience. Birmingham Royal’s production is enriched by the strong personalities of its ensemble cast, dancing in the street with performances from a group of matadors, a kidnapped Sancho and a bewitching fan dance from Kitri. Despite bringing communal festivities and a relaxed atmosphere to this fun and flirty ballet, Act One is drawn together with deceptively effortless, athletic performances. A leaping Basilio and twirling Kitri alongside the pirouettes and castanets of the side characters are all performed under The Royal Ballet Sinfonia, with original music from Ludwig Minkus that draws you into the action. After the penniless Basilio fails to convince Kitri’s father, Lorenzo  (Rory MacKay) that he and Kitri are rich in love, Lorenzo brings in a wealthy match for his daughter to marry. Forcing the couple to escape the watchful eye of her father and escape into the woods for a second act of disguises, rebellion and impressive projected set pieces. The production’s darker Act 2 delves into Don’s dream sequence, giving us a glimpse into his mind, his love and his fight for justice that leads him to confront a giant/windmill on stage. This fantastically creative revival displays all the tricks and showcases the grandeur you would expect from a Birmingham Royal production. Miguel de Cervantes  1869 classic has been reworked into an enthralling ballet production, with a finale act that blends traditional techniques with a contemporary eye for style. Acosta’s ambitious choreography brings an explosive finale that rewards Don’s journey with a plethora of showboating and tricks from the ensemble cast partnering as Kitri and Basilio’s guests. Performing a technically demanding fandango, the focused and fiery storyline ends with the guests of honour’s pas de deux that commands attention from their show-stopping chemistry and precision. Don may find himself taking a backseat in his own production, but this charming ballet is a romantic journey, in which you will want to retrace your steps. Offering audiences a fresh angle on the classic that results in a sweet and hilarious quest, Birmingham Royal’s Don Quixote  is all about glamour and valour. #BirminghamRoyalBallet #DonQuixote # TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Operation Mincemeat  is a masterful musical that turns a twice-adapted historical drama into a boundary-pushing, high-stakes comedy. With an unstoppable cast and pulsating pacing, this production delivers a refreshing, laugh-out-loud reimagining around the World War II book, The Man Who Never Was (1953) . Bringing a bout of espionage to the Lowry audience, Operation Mincemeat  delves into a real-life deception used by MI5. Following the discerning Charles Cholmondeley (Seán Carey) and the self-assured Ewen Montagu (Holly Sumpton), the small team of agent's hatch a plan to circulate misinformation into German hands. Taking the body of Glyndwr Michael, a homeless man planted on Spanish shores with fake documents and fabricated plans about an Allied invasion, the cast shape-shift into a multitude of roles to showcase the elaborate bluff and their precision planning. Created by the SplitLip  comedy troupe, the five members each spin their performances into a handful of roles, switching genders, accents and costumes in rapid transitions. The versatile cast are extremely impressive and the irreverent show has a waltzing pace that rarely stops for breath. Despite having the same ingredients as its 1956 and 2021 film adaptations, this character-driven story has been hilariously revamped, weaving together the bold and familiar to offer a quintessentially British operation. The devoted team, directed by Robert Hastie includes planner Hester (Christian Andrews), new recruit Jean Leslie (Charlotte Hanna-Williams) and their boss Johnny Bevan (Jamie-Rose Monk), who round out the charismatic cast with their uppity energy. The group’s vivid, fast-paced storytelling provides a genre-clashing, catchy soundtrack, which includes the plucky Making A Hero , the shenanigans of the far-right German track Das Übermensch   and the surprisingly moving love letter Dear Bill . While some songs like Das Übermensch feel  shoehorned in, the Six  and Hamilton -inspired score ensures there is something for every audience member to enjoy. The production’s 1940s setting is mostly based in the team’s MI5 London office. With a deceptively simple set that peels away to show secret panels, passages and revelations from its graph-paper patterned walls. With a few props and a portrait of Churchill moving between the scenes, this remarkable true story is left for the cast to do the heavy-lifting. The shows strongest suit is its nuanced performances that allow its cast to flow through scenes, switching gendered performances. It is extremely effective and hits on a combination of topics that layer class, war and gender into the mix quite effortlessly. The cast dial up the pacing of this production with Hanna-Williams taking on the under-appreciated women in service and Andrews stunning wit taking effect as the Bernard Spilsbury and Hester. Carey and Sumpton also play polar opposites of each other, but their precarious plans hinge on their unflappable shoulders and watching the pair clash forms much of the traditional British humour. Operation Mincemeat  is a mashup of old-school and new, focused on the weighty topic of war whilst offering a fantastic level of intimacy from its tight-knit cast and personal storytelling. The show crafts all the magic of a classic comedy and hopefully everyone can discover this unique piece of British history, given a confident and colourful spin. #OperationMincemeat # TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

The iconic McCallister house is looking even grander projected above a live orchestra on the Bridgewater Hall stage. With the symphony performing John William’s nostalgic score, Home Alone in Concert brings the allure of live music to the perfectly crafted Christmas film. After eight-year-old Kevin McCallister’s (Macaulay Culkin) family forgets to take him on their trip to France, Kevin is forced to defend himself and his home from two fumbling burglars played by Joe Pesci (Harry) and Daniel Stern (Marv). While his four siblings, extended family and mum (Catherine O'Hara) fight to get a flight back home, Kevin’s grinchy Christmas turns into an impressive home improvement project that sees the kid make more changes than an episode of DIY SOS . Between the discombobulated break-ins, wickedly funny insults thrown at children and a hypnotic score, this much-loved Christmas classic has been blended into a new atmospheric experience. Home Alone  is flush with famous and familiar Christmas tracks and unwrapping this holiday gift with a live orchestra and choir turns Chris Columbus’s 1990 film into an irresistible revival. With Christmas fast approaching, the whimsical tracks, Somewhere in My Memory, We Wish You a Merry Christmas  and O Holy Night  make it feel like the cosiest indulgence. For anyone who keeps Home Alone  high on their Christmas film totem pole, this impeccable, supersized production is a true seasonal treat. The booby-trapped McCallister house is being brought to a new generation, as the orchestra pores over the movie and breathes new life into William’s already rich score. The warming, communal experience is clearly a family affair as the Bridgewater’s sold-out show showcases a crowd of all ages, with many dressed in a Christmas jumper for the occasion. Live film concerts don’t just frame a story alongside an orchestra, these shows celebrate the classics, delivering to boost the charm and nostalgia of a 35-year-old film that never gets old. Some things do not need to be modernised and this film’s phenomenal score, the energy of a live audience and the story of an accidentally forgotten child are key examples. #HomeAlone #Film # TheBridgewaterHall #Manchester #FilmConcertsLive Tickets for live cinema events are available through TheBridgewaterHall and Ticketmaster

Aslan is back at the Lowry for a musical revival of C.S. Lewis’s beloved classic. Tapping into a wardrobe full of wonder, this stunning adaptation transforms the 1950s story with ingenious staging and stunning puppetry that keep the childlike wonder alive. While the Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are evading the Blitz in a Professor’s old countryside manor, Lucy (Kudzai Mangombe) discovers a snowy new realm through a wardrobe. Within its land are desperate citizens, including a faun, Mr Tumnus (Alfie Richards), who are closed off in the ephemeral world of Narnia, courtesy of the frosty unofficial ruler, the White Witch. The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe  unleashes an arsenal of visual effects, majestic puppetry and terrifying Turkish Delight to showcase the world beyond the wardrobe. Elevating the White Witch to impressive heights, director Michael Fentiman’s production manages to be both intimate in its silhouetted staging of the Pevensie family and sprawling in the world of Narnia, where the intimidating presence of Katy Stephens takes over the stage with a carriage and a cloak. The path between good and evil is led by   Lucy and Edmund (Bunmi Osadolor), as Edmund is swept up in the charming treats of the chilling villain and Lucy by the story of the rightful, banished leader of Narnia, Aslan. The mythic lion Aslan is intricately puppeteered by two actors, giving him a large sense of power and beauty despite his delicate frame. Aslan is also voiced by Stanton Wright, who follows him onstage to give the spirit animal a wider presence and a greater sense of awe. Fentiman’s direction is a faithful condensed retelling, with Stephens bringing her glittering and dominating presence alongside Aslan’s stunning design. The White Witch’s icy costume is pure grandeur and illuminates the entire set, but the Pevensie children, Mangombe and Osadolor ground C.S. Lewis’s story with their sweet and playful performances. When the ensemble step back into the reality of 1940s wartime Britain, you see the parallels of the worlds, with the cast switching from being woodland creatures to the teachers and evacuees of the Blitz. Songs including We’ll Meet Again  build on the collaborative nature of the tale, but the show’s music is not its main focus. Bringing a visual prowess to the timeless story, Fentiman’s production will linger in your memory for its stunning design, putting you in the Christmas spirit with its wintery world of wonder. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe  is a bewitching rendition of a warming classic, offering an immersive world of dazzling costumes and compelling performances. Hopefully, this production will be around to remind audiences of the power of unity, forgiveness and Turkish Delight for years to come. #TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe #TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Opera North’s standout production of Susanna is a tug of war between sincerity and a double dose of deception. Built to strike a nerve, it comes across as storybook horror that plunges the Lowry audience into a familiar battle of his word against hers. This powerful reimagining of Hansel’s 1749 oratorio follows the tranquil life of Sussana (Anna Dennis), who, whilst minding her married business, has her life interrupted by two men hoping to take advantage of her whilst her husband is away for work. Despite rejecting the men, she quickly finds that they are more than happy to throw dirt on her name, labelling her as an adulterer for sleeping with another man in town. Helping to bring the community together to plan out her destruction, Susanna is a tale of holding your head up when it is about to be knocked off. Set and costume designer Zahra Mansouri’s brings a misleadingly serene design that allows the cast to glide on two levels alongside Marcus Jarrell Willis’s choreography. Director Olivia Fichs’s unobstructed storytelling is engrossing told with sign language, subtitles and an integration of dance that runs as an extension of the cast throughout the production. Intensifying the emotive tale in a beautiful and compelling fashion, the show draws you in both visually and lyrically for a chilling message of resilience. Hansel’s poetic lyrics bring an alluring sensitivity to Susanna’s injustice, spotlighting her strength and integrity with lulling arias that highlight her innocence amongst the chaos. Dennis and James Hall’s (Joacim) incredibly sweet vocals are full of runs, riffs and trills, blending to perfection and sinking you deeper into Hansel’s tale. Dennis delivers a stunning performance, finding herself in court for a heart-wrenching scene of confrontation between her conspirators, Elder (Karl Huml) and Elder (Colin Judson). Conductor Johanna Soller balances the intimate moments of Susanna’s fears and pleas, alongside the chorus whose public accusations against Sussana are sung in fiery unison. By adding a rotating cast of dancers, performers and opera singers, Opera North and Phoenix Dance Theatre production have reshaped Susanna into an enduring, modern parable. Its fluid choreography and softened natural aesthetics craft the bittersweet tale into a seamless, necessary revival. Despite leaving audiences to reflect on how little has changed since its debut, Susanna is worth the heartache, offering a beautifully gritty opera with magnetic performances. #OperaNorth #PhoenixDanceTheatre #Susanna TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Opera North offers a moody revival of Giacomo Puccini’s gritty story, which asks if an abundance of love can overcome an absence of money and status. Puccini’s romantic opera plunges the Lowry audience into an all-consuming love story of the youthful, destitute bohemians of Paris as we follow a group of struggling artists, freezing in a garret on Christmas Eve. In the group’s faded and dusty attic, painter Marcello (Yuriy Yurchuk), poet Rodolfo (Anthony Ciaramitaro) and philosopher Colline (Han Kim) work on burning Rodolfo’s words for warmth. Revival director, James Hurley’s laid-back, shadowy staging highlights the optimistic artist's work against their streaked walls and faded lighting which reflects the precarious lives of the creatives. But a candlelit evening is also the perfect time to fall in love and Rodolfo stumbles into the arms of embroider Mimi (Isabela Diaz), who is also in need of some warmth. Hurley’s revival puts Warhol and Monroe references amongst the cast's casual clothes and winter mittens, but there are only a few levels of modernity added to the story. Being broke is still hard work and Puccini’s 1896 opera remains as powerful and relevant as when it first premiered. With music that encapsulates the raw beauty of love, the story is set against the cracked and decaying world the group live in, where the men grapple with a lack of opportunities and the women a lack of prospects. Torn between flower embroidery or finding a wealthy husband, Diaz brings a wealth of emotions to Mimi, a woman who balances her quiet strength with an exuberance of love. The gorgeous Act 1 arias, Che gelida manina  and Si, with Ciaramitaro offer a sweet-toned rollercoaster of emotions before the show swiftly moves between lighthearted camaraderie to the devastating reality of poverty. Countering the lovebirds are Marcello and his ex-Musetta (Elin Pritchard), a singer who is the life of the party, knows her worth and is unwilling to compromise love for a fabulously lavish life. Between Pritchard’s bold presentation and Jeremy Peaker’s Marilyn Monroe styling, there is plenty of comic relief and scene-stealing performances. Also adding to the group's optimism and Yurchuk’s passionate frustrations is Phyllida Lloyd and revival director Hurley’s cheerful Christmas scenery. Selling the audience a dream of a better life with a chorus of choreographed children and saxophone-playing Santas, the impressive ensemble brings a sweet sense of love and intimacy to their overcrowded and weathered living arrangements. Conductor Garry Walker delivers the passion and heightens the intensity of Opera North’s production, making La Bohème the perfect entry point for anyone interested in testing the opera waters. Puccini draws you in with an honest and timeless tale of loss and youth, but Opera North’s engrossing cast made it a beautiful farewell to love. #LaBoheme #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Surging onto the Arena stage, the Grammy award-winning powerhouse returns to Manchester with an evening of chart-topping hits. Celebrating her first UK tour in 13 years, the original live-action genie dazzles her fans with a collection of enduring, decade hopping tracks. With loyal fans who have followed her from her Disney debut to her Dirrty reinvention, Aguilera takes it back to basics, performing favourites from her original 1999, self-titled album before travelling through her eight-album catalogue. Rising to fame with Genie in a Bottle (from the album that turns 20 this year), the long-haul success that has followed Aguilera has led to a cacophony of memorable hits hitting the diverse Manchester Arena crowd. Performed with power and presenting a bold cabaret focusing on female empowerment, Aguilera plays out the majority of her quadruple-platinum album Stripped to entertain with a new rendition of Beautiful launched alongside the unstoppable, Can't Hold Us Down . However, like Dr Who , Aguilera is not afraid of time jumping through the decades, jumping to fan favourites Candyman and Feel This Moment with sumptuous performances that focus on her active messaging of self-empowered and love, rather than with any smooth theme. Fresh from her Las Vegas residency, the international artist imports her remarkably designed production of rapid costume changes and brilliant backing dancers, for the Arenas animated roll out of her music. Flaunting an inclusive deep dive that shakes up twenty years of her tracks, the quality of the X Tour sees Aguilera flipping between a red and black leather-clad costume, knee-high boots and a beret for Ain’t No Other Man before slipping straight into an airy kimono for Beautiful . With performances that balance a fresh revival of her classics, the show finds time to input a few of her successful collaborations. Ensuring all the accessories are included and everyone gets to hear their favourite Aguilera high notes, Lady Marmalade without P!NK, Mýa and Lil Kim and Moves Like Jagger enter the show. Kicking off the X Tour with supporting act ALMA, the crowd are warmed up with a familiar fix of pop from the Helsinki based artist's playlist. After placing fifth on the seventh season of the Finish singing competition Idols , ALMA has collaborated with Charli XCX and Miley Cyrus, alongside featuring on the new Charlies Angels soundtrack under the dance track, How It’s Done . Offering similar messaging that resonates with Aguilera’s audience, ALMA performs a medley of songs that follow the singer/songwriter’s sexuality and devotion. Her electro-pop single tracks Dye My Hair , Chasing Highs and All Stars helps to frame the themes of the X Tour with honest artistry and love of otherness that is seen in Aguilera’s tracks. The X Tour offers a score of highlights, favouring a prideful mashup of classics from the hitmaker who certainly deserves to take a victory lap for her energy and scope. Taking her time to incorporate her famous ad-libs and one-liners in between beautiful vocals, the X Tour definitely highlights the fighter within Aguilera and showcases her gritty pop stardom to Manchester Arena. ChristinaAguilera ManchesterArena #Manchester

Sporting the Elastic Dislocationist, gloriously detailed puppets and an artful ringmaster, Circus 1903 offers audiences a rare chance to see the greatest show on earth, brought back with a daringly imaginative blend of magic and mayhem. With fellow Brit, Philip Astley credited as the father of the modern circus; last year marked the 250th anniversary of the big top’s tricks rolling back into town. Here the worldwide phenomenon is hitting the Lowry theatre with performers from all corners of the globe promising to take audiences to the highest of heights with aerial acrobatics, daredevil stunts and animal taming artistry. Representing the golden age of the circus, the traditional set of trapeze acts, jugglers, magicians and unicyclists all lend a hand in this slick and spectacular production. This variety show works hard to shape a world around their travelling community, with the art forms diverse performers bringing a fantastic, character-driven show. The thrilling collection of jaw-dropping stunts is headed by Ringmaster David Williamson, offering a phenomenal night at the circus alongside his engaging commentary. Keeping audiences entertained with boastful banter and bringing audience members up for a little participation and closeup tricks, Williamson carries the shows traditional aesthetic. Assisting in capturing the shows rich, old-world charm before the sweepingly dramatic moments rampage the stage, the show balances its deadly performances in between personal flourishes. Alongside performances from the Flying Fredonis’, whose deadly aerial artistry comes with body hurling movements at dizzying heights, and the Remarkable Risleys using each other as springboards for somersaults, the impressive collage of performances ensures the circus will never go out of fashion. One of the show’s most remarkable feats is its ability to bringing the circus’s cruel animal practices up to date with artistic flair with the unexpected beauty of the shows mother and child elephants, Queenie and Peanut. Rounding out the human artistry of Circus 1903’s set and ensures the circus continues to hold its place in contemporary theatre are the shows life-size, puppeteer controlled African elephants. The interplay between the puppeteers, the acts and audience bring the biggest laugh out loud moments to the Lowry theatre. Using the acclaimed creators behind War Horse, Queenie and Peanut are brought to life as the final stamp of dramatic flair for Circus 1903 . Circus 1903 gives audiences a backstage pass to the circus by allowing us to watch the elephants interact with the acts during their downtime. It is an unforgettable production that inundates its audience in a fantastically revamped tradition, offering an astonishingly display of talent, glamour and pure entertainment to the audiences of the Lowry theatre. Circus1903 TheLowry #Manchester

As LadBaby and Stormzy battle for 2019’s coveted Christmas number one spot, the Bridgewater Hall prepare its audience for a sleighful of Christmas classics. There’s no better way to kick off the holiday season than to do a deep dive into your favourite Christmas tracks and Now’s concert brings these tracks to life with a live orchestra. With Robert Emery conducting and Capital Voices performing the backing vocals, Now That’s What I Call Christmas runs through over 14 unforgettable hits, comprising the most successful Christmas songs of all time. Performed by guest singers and stars of the stage, Kerry Ellis ( Wicked and Wonderland ) and Tim Howar ( Phantom of the Opera ) this deluxe Now edition offers everyone’s treasured seasonal album in an entertaining night of merriment. Ellis’s tracks included a beautiful rendition of O Holy Night , a Shakin’ Stevens number one and of course, the bestselling Christmas single by Mariah Carey, All I Want For Christmas Is You . With the backing of a live orchestra and three costume changes, the mellow show carried a relaxed vibe to the Christmas jumper wearing audience. Billowing into the audience for handshakes, Howar’s performances included Driving Home For Christmas , Last Christmas and a karaoke rendition of East 17’s Stay Another Day . As the songs, last-minute tag on to the line-up of tracks left Howar asking for help with the lyrics he had tacked onto the stage floor. The deep-voiced performer even turned his hand to the novelty; high pitched Darkness track, Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End). As the productions main attraction is its stage talent, there was no bad seat in the house, the sparse band and Capital Voices spread out across the stage, but there were no visual blockades in place for member sitting in the stalls. In fact, if you plan on standing to dance at the Bridgewater, the stalls and the side circle seats are your best bet for cutting a rug without being elbowed. Finally, blending their vocals for a compilation of throwback classic, the night interspersed Baby It’s Cold Outside and Fairytale of New York as its paired add-ons. Overall, Now That’s What I Call Christmas offered a spirited boost for any audience obsessed with hearing the most converted Christmas carols performed with a live band. NowThatsWhatICallChristmas #TheBridgewaterHall #Manchester

It’s the most wonderful time of the year as classic Christmas telly hits the big screen this festive season. This year the Bridgewater Hall plays host to a live orchestration of Skyfall alongside the unstoppable Daniel Craig as Bond. Keeping audiences entertained with another serving of the iconic British franchise, the production, conducted by Stephen Bell is moulding the modern classic with The Hallé’s orchestra to bring audiences a live rendition of Bond’s most nail-biting production to date. James’s endeavours have made it to Manchester, seven years after the initial release of Skyfall (2012) celebrated its 50th anniversary of the franchise. In Bond’s 22nd feature, directed by Sam Mendes ( American Beauty and 1917 ), the man mystery is given a meaty production that offers an action-packed homecoming, balanced by Mendes infusion of shadowy framework and artsy landscapes. With the fantastic Judy Dench’s reviving her final performance as M, the gadgets are passed between a broad class of A-listers, including Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes and Javier Bardem, playing the unhinged Bond brother, Raoul Silva. As the two mummies boys run from Turkey to Japan and England to Scotland, in an effort to protect or destroy M, a story of conspiracies and betrayal unfolds. In an unbelievable yet gripping production, worthy of repeat viewing, the tense 2-hour 24-minute film plays beside the marvellous Hallé orchestra to unleash the music’s full force to the audience. As a beloved British franchise, the man with the golden gun is often celebrated at the Bridgewater Hall, and you are likely to find at least one production honouring the extensive and playful soundtracks formed by the franchise’s countless composers. Scoring the action to preserve Bond’s back catalogue and breathing new life into the modern classic, Adele’s Oscar-winning score plummets the film to new depths. The Bridgewater Hall seating in the circle offers the best overview of the entire orchestra and the screen, followed by the middle stalls section that allows for a comfortable view of both. Although the all guns blazing tribute Bond has now passed, there is a constant collection of live concerts to choose from, including Joker and Star Wars later in this year. Live concerts give movies memorable moments and beloved characters a new lease of life, allowing audiences to be recharged with an original film that has the new allure of live music. TheHallé #Skyfall SkyfallInConcert #TheBridgewaterHall #Manchester #Film