In a world where brown plasters reign supreme and Idris Elba would be the only suitable choice for Bond , two young lovers are kept apart by an unjust societies’ racism and prejudice. We follow Sephy (Heather Agyepong) and Callum (Billy Harris) through a world where reversed racial discrimination sees sluggish progress to integrate black and white schools that is met with explosive opposition. Echoing our world history of racial segregation, rebellion and resistance, Malorie Blackman weaves a dystopian fantasy where all power rests with the black population, also known as the crosses. While racism is tolerated against the white noughts, (offensively referred to as blankers) we see noughts and crosses as opposites with Callum’s family held on the lowest economic ladder, offered inadequate housing and no public-school education. On the road to reversing this trend, Callum whose mother was once a housekeeper for the nought’s Home Office Minister Kamal Hadley, has grown up and fallen in love with his daughter Sephy. Having secured a trial placement at Sephy’s elite Heathcroft high school and with dreams of further education to better himself, Callum discovers that there are penetrating systems in place that keep the racial and social divides between the noughts and crosses alive. We are guided through this fictional dystopia by both Callum and Sephy who throughout the novel split the chapters to relay their personal perspective of the story. Here their inner conflict is played out on a smaller scale. The melodrama allows the two young voices to speak in monologues showing their growth from persevering high schoolers into world-weary young adults in a convincing manner. With the two-tiered society in place, the production attempts to give both characters a fair shot at defending their families, rationalising their choices and explaining their entrapments. In the Lowry Quays theatre, Blackman’s novel has been distilled to the finer details making the first in her five-book series a sharp and compact reworking. With a BBC One drama of the novel in the works, a detailed adaption filmed in South Africa is expected to give the story a lavish light. Here the landscape is black with director Esther Richardson utilising projectors, film and striking spotlighting to muster the snowballing plot into its next scene. Its minimal set with hidden compartments counters the detailed material of Blackman's work, relying on its fantastic cast to transport the audience with nuanced performances. Agyepong (Sephy) standing under a broken spotlight, challenging her privileged and undesired position captures her fragility in a far more honest and effective way that a needlessly extravagant set ever could. The audience are asked to do some of the work in this harsh reframing of racism that blacks out your surroundings while reflecting familiar aspects of our society and history. Noughts and Crosses is a subtle production, overflowing with memorable plot points that travel between familiar worlds (mostly To Kill a Mockingbird and Romeo and Juliet ). Despite having been written in 2001 and intended for young adults, the newly adapted script by Sabrina Mahfouz has reformed the story in a way that makes everybody feel welcome. NoughtsCrosses #Manchester TheLowry

Audiences cannot get enough of the precocious, tap dancing kid whose Hard Knock Life moves swiftly onto Easy Street . Having already produced three film adaptations that have updated Annie from a red-headed orphan into an African American foster child, it is clear that this rags to riches tale is going nowhere. While its original Broadway show debuted in 1977, this rebooted production polishes its cruder characters and lewder songs for the sake of full family entertainment. With uncluttered, airborne sets and the use of clever lighting, this bright and breezy production brings the 30s squarely to the present. The Opera House’s shadowy staging of a broken jigsaw puzzle is brought to life by director Nikolai Foster who offers a riveting revival of the gritty musical. The production promptly moves from outrageously lavish scenery to ragamuffins cleaning dirty floors, thanks chiefly to its fantastic ensemble cast whose choreography lifts the story alongside their collective numbers. As the cast shape the sets around themselves, Foster is able to make Annie’s New York a vast playground that engulfs the audience. Renewing the original story that pins comic book villains against an all-girl orphanage, the feel-good fairy-tale adjusts the feisty girl-power character into a quietly confident heroine. The delectable Taziva-Faye Katsande takes on the role based on the Orphan Annie 1924 comic strip set during the 1933 Great Depression. Treating audiences to a time travelling trip back to the good old days when serving gruel and leading kids by the ear was perfectly acceptable. We follow orphan Annie and friends under the care of the animated Miss Hannigan, played by Anita Dobson ( EastEnders , Wicked , Chicago ). Alongside dodging Hannigan’s old-school punishments, Annie’s on a mission to find her birth parents with only one half of a memory locket left to trace them. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, politician and billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Alex Bourne) requires a popularity boost and his assistant Grace Farrell (Carolyn Maitland) has decided that renting an orphan for two weeks would enhance his public perception. Fortunately for us, Annie is picked and musical levity ensues. The high energy ensemble cast are put to good use with the songs You Won’t Be an Orphan for Long and N.Y.C . The films familiar tracks, Let’s Go to the Movies and Sign are removed from the stage production, refreshing the story for a younger audience and bridgeing the gap between its modern film remake. Amending surreal songs about how great it is to go to the movies with your billionaire friend and dog also alters the overall story that has a more relatable, make do and mend theme. However, the show includes several elaborate asides to counter its sombre narrative and the quirkiest of characters to hard sell this tale of woe. By playing out heart-warming songs, I Don’t Need Anything But You and Tomorrow alongside the informal Easy Street , the show forms a lot of warmth and charm. Stompy, entertaining choreography is added to Hard Knock Life where the talented orphan establishment break out the washcloths to clean up with the audience and Warbucks’ entourage of butlers tap-dance, skate and ribbon dance. Despite actors claims that you should never work with children or animals, this production abandons the suspicion to enormous success. Annie and her companion Sandy, the dog, offer the best elements of this musical, showcasing the UK’s most talented teens. Taziva-Faye Katsande delivers the emotion and power needed to run this down to earth, moralistic narrative. It’s easy to see why audiences continue to relish in the sugar-coated tale of Orphan Annie as it’s a heartfelt tale that finds a silver lining in the darkest of clouds. Annie #Manchester PalaceTheatre

Taking serious liberties with the original story, Kinky Boots the musical offers audiences a scaled up and stunning recap on the rescued Northampton shoe factory. Amplifying the down-to-earth narrative with lively tracks, the story follows Charlie Price’s struggle to turn around his failing family business following the death of his father. After a chance encounter with drag queen Lola, the Price & Sons shoe factory takes on a new clientele inspired by his newest friend. The show already has a long history, starting with the 1999 BBC2 documentary series Trouble at the Top , before being made into the 2015 film, Kinky Boots starring Chiwetel Ejiofor. The tough British framing of its documentary and film is uplifted and lightened by its musical counterpart. Its honest portrayal alongside the audience’s natural laugh track makes the remake a relaxed, feel-good success. The musical debuted in 2013, following along closely to the film’s screenplay and once again respawning the interest in Price & Sons. While branching out into a new niche market of fetish footwear for drag queens, the musical score amps up the dry British humour with powerful, eccentric performances. It is no surprise that the relatable musical has been a custom-made hit as co-writer of the musical Calendar Girls , Tim Firth is attached as the song and screenwriter alongside pop lyricist Cyndi Lauper’s. The production presents an intricate show that counters Lola’s snazzy costumes with the local’s mullet wigs and the strenuous choreography of the Angels, with delicate solos from Charlie and Lola. Layering the show with the best of both worlds, its central set is split between two levels where Charlie's office hovers above his floored factory. Switching swiftly between the factory and Lola’s club where Lola’s backing dancers, the Angels are more than happy to lend a hand to Charlie in the designing and modelling of Lola’s stilettos. The not so subtle explosion of head turning, radiant reds cover the costumes and props as Lola insists on making her killer heels in her signature colour. Unfurling in numerous dance numbers, Lola and the Angels burst through the songs Land of Lola and Sex Is in the Heel to bring a breath of fresh air to the scenes of the plain jane factory. Never wobbly in their stilettos, the long dance numbers that including conveyer belt choreography and weighty British themes costumes, complete with headpieces are superbly performed. Callum Francis has a beautiful voice, carrying the audience in the palm of his hands from his first routine. The scene-stealing moments all come from the Mancunian performer and when Lola struts out of a room, a void is honestly felt. Unfortunately, the remaining cast is not given the most memorable songs to work with. But regardless of the slower moving scenes, Kinky Boots cocoons its audience in a warm embrace from head to toe. Its fast-moving plot is aided by the shows talented co-star, Joel Harper-Jackson who makes for a lovable Charlie despite his turbulent second half. When the finale, Raise You Up allows Charlie to stand in somebody else’s shoes, the show offers a perfect strutting send-off to its audience. Kinky Boots the musical colours outside the lines of reality to offer a charming and engaging revision of the real W, J. Brooks Ltd story. KinkyBoots #Manchester PalaceTheatre

If you are feeling the chill this Christmas, the Bridgewater Hall are hosting a cosy celebration of three classy characters who can welcome you in from the cold. Power players Frank Sinatra (played by Stephen Triffitt), Dean Martin (Mark Adams) and Sammy Davis Jr (George Daniel Long) are swinging and swigging onstage in a live concert that proves the boys are back on top. Triffitt, Adams and Long have taken over the larger than life characters having worked together for over a decade in their faithful refashioning of the original Rat Pack Vegas show. It’s an entertaining, family-friendly template that clearly works for older diehard fans and young lovers of swing music. Boosted by the accompanying 14-piece Manhattan Swing Orchestra , the glossy experience offers a nostalgic 60’s throwback that is hard to resist. Delving back into the catalogue of the pack’s players, each member has a solo act to play out a few of their favourite hits before passing the mic along to the next member. Combined with a few group performances, the boys offer captivating seasonal hits including Let It Snow , Baby It’s Cold Outside and White Christmas to get audiences into the festive spirit. Acting as the main compere of the night, Triffitt played the part by inhabiting Franks mannerisms and performing I’ve Got You Under My Skin , New York, New York and the duet Well Did You Evah from the film High Society with Adams. On stage with a special rose for a special lady, Adams played out That’s Amore and Ain’t That A Kick In The Head while oozing confidence. Fortuitously the songs were chosen to allow the gentlemen plenty of time to play with their mobile bar and for the orchestra to shine with individual cornet, saxophone and trumpet solos. The pink-suited and booted Long brought the gentler hit Mr Bojangles to life while being left the butt of the bully Sinatra’s jokes. Kept off stage for a large part of the first act, Sinatra stated that Sammy was missing after he opted to take a power nap on the backstage floor but couldn’t be found in the dark. The original Rat Pack were known for their questionable camaraderie with Sammy, along with their indulgences and excesses. Yet the men who were plagued by controversies off stage due to Dean’s alcoholism, Sammy’s drug abuse and Sinatra’s links to violent mobsters opted to leave out their major issues for the two-hour twenty-minute show. Instead, the bright-eyed, warm presence of each act kept the audience amused with largely Christmas cracker jokes. At their best, the three intertwined singers blend for upbeat numbers that echo the talented tones of their embodied icons. Teamed with the razzle-dazzle of The Golddiggers backing dancers, the enjoyable mix of music, dance and comedy brings 60’s glamour to the Bridgewater stage with an easy-going Christmas show made for the whole family. TheDefinitiveRatPack #Manchester #BridgewaterHall

The chopped and changed wives of Henry VIII have moved heaven and earth to tell their side of the story. Overshadowed by their husband’s reign, these queens have taken over the Quays theatre to upgrade the audiences limited knowledge of their lives. Assuming that you only know them from the rhyme Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived , their infectious new nine-part album is sure to update your schooling. The 75-minute pop concert places the six queens in competition, battling each other for the bragging rights over whose life was worse with Henry. There’s no love lost between these queens and their ex as the women ditch all-consuming love songs for defiant pop tracks and power ballads that capture their strengths and reveal their hidden contributions to history. Taking away the romanticised image of queendom, writers Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss have created a medley of songs that channel the Six’s real backstories through pop, dance and hip-hop styles. With informative solos that range from tragically funny to simply tragic, each queen is given time to unpack their story as the remaining five support her as her backing dancers. This unmissable British musical delivers a show bursting with a uniquely youthful and historical appeal, adding a diverse cast and a variety of pop tracks that could easily be performed by the likes of Little Mix . Through the songs Don’t Lose Your Head , Get Down and I Don’t Need Your Love , the girls calve out a contemporary and fantastical vision of their lives made for the smartphone generation. Channelling their frustrations through the music, the songs help shift our perceptions of the queens through factual and smart storytelling that rework Tudor terms and layer the show with humour. Apparently, not all the queens were dealt a bad hand, and discovering the story behind Anna of Cleves (played by Alexia McIntosh) will make you wish you could press replay on history. Thankfully, the Six album is available on iTunes, Spotify and Amazon Music for all to enjoy. However, it will lack the energy radiating from these colourful characters and skilled musicians on stage. Alongside the four-piece all-female band, the deliberately defiant and daring cast have crafted a show that recognises a lack of strong musical roles for women in theatre while refreshingly writing themselves into history. The rebellious, girl-power message comes complete with custom-made bedazzled outfits that sparkle from crown to corset. Costume designer Gabriella Slade helps the ladies pack an extra punch by setting the queens apart with their own signature style and personal Power Ranger colour. The avant-garde Tudor fashions are placed against simple designs, using LED lighting to form a church backdrop and single spotlights to pull focus on the women alone. With effortless dance numbers that keep the ensemble on their heels throughout their performance, the crafting of Six stands on the theme of women’s empowerment without compromising entertainment for an overload of information. This review was originally written for The Review Hub SixtheMusical #Manchester TheLowry

The award-winning company New Adventures has a collection of modern classics under its wing. It is the world’s longest running ballet production, offering timeless cinematic pieces that carry young audiences into the theatre with an appreciation for the silent array of talent on show. The unforgettable performances in Swan Lake have been recaptured in director/choreographer Matthew Bourne’s vision that shelves the traditional tutu and pointe shoes for a modernises revision of the fairy-tale. Bourne’s masculine imaginings collide with the whimsical tale of the swan princess, Odette who spends her days on a lake as a swan and her nights in human form. Grounded by the customs of the past, the mesmerising imagery that Bourne’s project presents are as seductive and smooth as its enticing original. Its large, atmospheric production engulfs its audience into its world. With luscious sets and costumes designed by Lez Bkotherston, this stunning retelling is a haunting and unique addition to the standard repertory. Cinematic in its production, the looming sets and coated scenes move seamlessly to bring the Prince’s day-dreamy appeal directly to its audience. Bourne’s original 1995 production has been reworked for 2018 and includes revised choreography, new designs and lighting to further expand on the Prince’s idyllic world. Sparingly using projections to mix reality with fantasy, the show beautifully drifts between the Prince’s mansion, parties and the swan lake in a juggling of relatable and mystical surroundings. Dominic North interjects the ballets challenging choreography with a compelling performance as the downtrodden and loveless Prince. Alongside the large company of dancers, the layered storytelling forces the dancers to spin several plates at once. Including a mini ballet within the ballet, the story continues to play with gender roles, allowing its female ballerinas to capture the audience with their own distinctive characters. On-going into the second act, with eye patches and afros, the ballerina’s backstories are as fleshed out and powerful as the swans of the piece. The magnitude of the set’s merge with the ensemble throughout the production. In its beautiful lake sequence, lead swan played by Will Bozier floats onto the set to stand starkly against the backlit night sky. Surrounded by mist, the impeccably presented swans are captured as a forceful and feathered equal to the traditional female group. Swan Lake is a treasured story, updated by an innovative and emotive production that dilutes nothing from its traditional storytelling. Bourne’s sense of style is gloriously lavish including tongue in cheek moments that ensures audiences will always keep the immortal memory of Swan Lake in their mind. MatthewBourne #SwanLake #Manchester TheLowry #MatthewBourne

The Birmingham Royal Ballet is transporting audiences to a quaint community based on sunny Suffolk. The French ballet La Fille Mal Gardee (The Wayward Daughter) premiered in 1789 and was reworked by Fredrick Ashton in 1960, whose uniquely British blend has helped capture modern audiences. The productions alluring, rustic staging opens the Lowry to a cookie cutter world of the English countryside. Comic book backdrops of overdrawn painted sets, bundles of hay and cottages layer on a light-hearted atmosphere to the whimsical story. We follow Lise, played by principal dancer Miki Mizutani, as she falls in love with the penniless farmhand Colas. Through three acts Lise is forced to battle between her mother’s attempts to marry her off to a wealthy vineyard owner and fight for her one true love. Its recognisable rivalry narrative is reinvigorated by the shows flamboyant characters, memorable dance numbers and its quirky pastoral setting. The Birmingham Royal’s impressive production may be shaped around a simple story but is deceptively effortless. Designed with imaginative props and a beautiful array of dance styles, this down-to-earth ballet comes complete with a live pony and a touch of Mary Poppins flying sorcery. Beginning the story with prancing chickens and a cockerel, the dancers don oversized costumes and masks for a challenging opening number that harnesses the personality of the show. It’s a sharp, upbeat performance that introduces Lise, her posse of eight friends and her eccentric mother, who sweep through the narrative with virtuosity. With its Clog Dance track reused in a 2015 Quality Streets Christmas ad, it’s quintessentially British ties, formed by choreographer, Ashton is as nostalgic as a Richard Curtis movie. Moulding a joyous collection of English folk dancing with reimagined classical ballet, the show opens itself to ballet novices who can sit back and enjoy the slapstick. As the production plays with the traditional images of yesteryear, the Birmingham Royal are able to showcase their huge company. The dancers tightly weave around a maypole, donning multicoloured ribbons, that are reworked into a duet between dancers Miki and Lachlan Monaghan. In a tender scene between the loved-up couple, the two romantically tie each other up in pink ribbon, a symbol that runs throughout the show. Unlike most classical ballets, the demanding and creative choreography brings countless comedy moments, venturing away from drama, into the theatrical. Lise’s mother, Widow Simone played by Rory Mackay offers pure physical comedy, smacking Lise musically and chasing her around the farmyard. During the Lancashire clog dance, Simone and Lise’s friends go toe-to-toe, charmingly syncing their tap-dancing clogs to the live music from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia . The polished performance is an exhaustive comedic mix of intricate and beautifully controlled moves. The Birmingham Royal Ballet’s sherbet coloured backdrop and inventive range of performances offer audiences a faultless feelgood hit, bound to impress. This review was originally written for The Review Hub #BirminghamRoyalBallet LaFilleMalGardee #Manchester TheLowry

Working to forge a sense of belonging, Afua Hirch lays out her conflicting ideologies as a half-Ghanaian, half-English woman. Her book, a mix of memoir and British history covers heritage, place and class in chapters aiding to undercover what shapes the identity of Britain’s black, Asian and minority ethnic (BANE) citizens. Where are you from? The title of her first chapter touches on some of the underlying presumptions surrounding race. Highlighting how BANE identities are often challenged in a country where Britishness is synonymous with Whiteness. Arguing that a lack of representation and information has helped deepened the divide in our understanding of diversity and immigration. It is also linked to our distorted view of who can be labelled a true Brit. Despite having naturally unruly hair and a name often unpronounceable to others, Hirsch was raised as with a “colour blind” approach, where her friends and family wilfully side-lined discussions around race. With friend's reassurance that she wasn’t seen as black, Hirch’s narrative is one of a privileged outsider. Having studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University before training to be a barrister, Hirsch’s perspective of race-based inequalities centre around ideas of the good immigrant. Brit(ish) follows her path from childhood to adulthood, unravelling the conflicting sense of belonging that led her back to Ghana. Continuing the conversation at Manchester’s Central Library, Hirsch explains how her alienating experiences form her crisis of confidence, leading her to believe that identity was tied to a place. Claiming that a recognition of Britain's multi-racial history, discussion of Britain’s involvement in the slave trade and addressing how Britain has benefited from deeply entrenched immigration, could bridge the countries colour-blinded gap. Comparing her university experience to her grandfathers, Hirsch found that the underrepresentation of people of colour (POC) brought a heavy sense of responsibility. As one of the few POC in the elite university, her sense of Otherness intensified as she began to challenge the old-fashioned curriculum and conversations centred around race and inclusion. Oxford continues to face questions of institutional bias against minorities, highlight by the Guardian reporting on the Freedom of Information Act by Kurien Parel. The findings revealed that one British black Caribbean undergraduate was admitted in 2009 and white applicants are up to twice as likely to get a placement in competitive subjects despite having the same grades. Recent conversations around the Rhodes Must Fall movement and #WhyIsMyCurriculumWhite challenged the racial exclusion that continues to overlook the experience of POC. Oxford’s Vice-chancellor, Lord Pattern stated, students who don’t like the “generosity of spirit” shown to historical figures like Rhodes should “think about being educated elsewhere.” Here Hirsch argues that inclusion should not be tolerated based on the grounds of political correctness, but on the grounds of historical fact and academic integrity. Attitudes towards racial sensitivity and inclusion are glacially moving forward, but Hirsch’s pushes for a commitment to fight back against prejudice and challenge the racial debates warped by misinformation. Britain's understanding of immigration is often used as a distraction to divide and conquer, Brit(ish) recognises how the status quo benefit from a belief that slavery bypassed Britain. A narrative that has helped form immigrants as the Other and led to our lack of inclusion. This review was originally written for Northern Soul #Brit (ish) AfuaHirsch ManchesterLiteraryFestival

Rebels with a cause, Elizabeth Uviebinené and Yomi Adegoke are challenging the barriers surrounding race. People of colour (POC) suffer from underrepresentation in many high-ranking industries where mentorship and coaching from leaders of similar backgrounds are rare. With fewer opportunities for minorities to network through family members and friends, Elizabeth and Yomi sought a self-help book that connected to their experiences. Navigating yourself through university, a career or a startup without developing an understanding of how to make a success of it can be daunting to anyone. But the lack of representation for black women has aided in the lowering of expectations, reinforced insecurities and has many believing that successful black British women are scarce. Bringing their see it to believe it attitude to Manchester’s Central Library, Elizabeth and Yomi have collated the stories of pioneering black women set to inspire and uplift. Inserting these women throughout their unapologetically bubble-gum pink book, the black female experiences on offer share a mixture of relatable and factual accounts that preach perseverance and community. Quoting distinct black voices, including Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE and Nicky Minaj, the focus is on how we secure change and push for diversity in every industry. Its confidence boosting narratives look at breaking out of the narrow range of possibilities that often shape POC’s expectations. Recognising how black women have created new spaces and promoted their novel ideas until they become the norm. Touching on issues surrounding the cancerous consequences of relaxed hair, the stereotype of the angry black woman and colourism in the media, Slay In Your Lane offers a simple recognition of a shared experience that legitimises the slights that disproportionately affect black women. Speaking to a range of women, including June Sarpong, Jamelia, Denise Lewis and Margaret Busby, the books generational experiences are uniform, but the lessons learnt garner a universal awareness that reminds others that they are not alone. Excluded from markets, investment and support, the opportunities to build their platforms through unconventional methods have boosted their voices. Interviewing once unknown talents, musician Lady Leshurr, and YouTuber Patricia Bright, the women, highlight how the internet has democratised industries and allowed entrepreneurs to evade the gatekeepers who previously limited their visibility. The book also touches on the fact that there are more opportunities across the pond, where Americans are willing to take a chance on POC. Alongside comedian Gina Yashere and Grammy Award winner Estelle, they point to Idris Elba who achieved mainstream success due to his role on The Wire before finding fame on BBCs Luther . Although Idris was unable to convince the British public to visualise a black Bond , the book points to the fact that darker-skinned black women rarely get the chance to be seen on screen. With the likes of Michaela Coel breaking through after creating her one-woman show, Chewing Gum Dreams . The ongoing microaggressions that can stop women from standing up for themselves are presented in a way that encourages women to find their voice. Slay in Your Lane is a needed presence, promoting the black female experience through different channels that are refreshingly focused on the UK. This review was originally written for Northern Soul SlayInYourLane ManchesterLiteraryFestival

The National Theatre’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy remains modelled around the themes of misplaced loyalty and betrayal, but its approach is far removed from the heritage driven desires we have come to expect. The contemporary revival directed by Rufus Norris and designed by Rae Smith brings a post-apocalyptic world of anarchy to the Scottish throne. The Lowry plunges audiences into a gritty, dark colour wheel based on the aftermath of a civil war, unveiling a haunted world in which Macbeth is forced to take action. How did we get here? The world formed by the producers of War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time offers stages of seclusion and levels of isolation with an overhanging bridge that conceals characters in crafty compartments. Its staging lets the witches run free, climbing poles to foretell Macbeth’s fate and surrounding him in short, unsettling music cues. Throughout the production, the music lingers on the melancholy, a natural soundtrack that evokes a sense of the unsettled. In this Walking Dead vision where kingdoms have risen from the dirt, the advantages of Macbeth’s promotions are unclear. Surrounded by plastic, from bin bag backgrounds to the carrier bags of slain heads, it is difficult to understand why competition is rife between friends, especially in a world where Macbeth is forced to duck tape his armour on and future kings rock tracksuit bottoms. Although its characters remain grounded, the shows updated interpretation is forced to combat its narrative with its imagery and as a result, leaves little of its original intentions intact. Michael Nardone is a relatable Macbeth who falls victim to witches’ visions, but in a dystopian world where he is born into suffering, it feels like everything happens upon him in an unwanted quest for power. By mutating the ideas behind Macbeth’s ambition and a real struggle for supremacy, Norris dismantles what we know to be the fearless king who teeters between remorse and desire. It is a visceral take that edits Shakespeare’s world of confusion and twists the classic into a digestible narrative for a younger audience. The shows expansive set is striking and impressive, but its new tone obliterates the reality needed to tie the Macbeth’s to power. Toying with the narrative space and time does not give more meaning to Macbeth’s plight and reframes the king to nothing more than a puppet. NationalTheatre #Macbeth #Manchester TheLowry #ManchesterConcertOrchestra

Cirque du Soleil is rolling its immense show across the country, stopping off in Manchester to capture the imaginations of children, and the grown-up kids taking them. The tried and tested formula from the high-end circus troupe has ditched its big top tent, opting instead to pitch up in Manchester Arena. The group have commandeered half of the seating to showcase its mix of beautiful performance art and bugged out costumes in a production that originally premiered in 2009. Opening the show, balancing pogo bugs swerve around a giant egg structure, while the speakers pump out Brazilian music, later performed live by a band of cockroaches. With a multicolour lighting projection flashing from the get-go, the show promises to be a colourful, unpredictable assortment of performances to excite its crowd. With half the arena walled off by a rockclimbing frame, the arena space is fairly intimate. Its energetic artists were ready to dazzle from all corners of the stage and began by warming up the crowd with audience interaction. Oodles of talent were showcased, split between stunning solo/duo acts and riskier flip/flying group performances. From stacked juggling ants, to a tricycle riding trapeze artist, the first-class acts offered a sharp collection of routines. Nonetheless, if you have come to see Cirque for the storyline you will be disappointed as the story of the insect animal kingdom is close to non-existent. The OVO story follows a foreign fly who stumbles upon an insect community and falls in love with a ladybug. His egg is taken from him and he then has no choice but to prove his love for her through a set of tests. The shows simplicity appears to be what keeps Cirque du Soleil so popular and why the crowds remain so diverse. With a mix of talented performers showcasing their acrobatic strength, contortion and Spiderman wall climbing skills, Cirque often leaves plot on the backburner. Instead, you will have to settle for the creme de la creme of stunts, alongside beautiful live music. But its fantastical collection of spiders, flees, butterflies and crickets are what allows the arena to transform from a leafy knoll to an underwater paradise. Questionable group dance numbers also show the insects in their full spender, allowing audiences to witness their main challenge, which appears to be their costumes. With pogo feet, body padding and face masks, these incredible artists carry out impressive manoeuvres ranging from performances from a cradle act group, to a diablo artist. This is a two-hour ensemble piece that requires fillers for costume changes and setups, so clowns (this time posing as bugs) are once again in place to aid with the killing of time. I suppose it wouldn’t be a circus without a clown, but OVO releases two onto its unnerved audience. These bugs proceeded to pull a woman out onto the stage for a five-minute piece of audience participation. It was a moment that appeared painful to its newest cast member, but delightful to all who remained seated. Whoever you are, we appreciate your sacrifice. With a new set of routines, directed by Deborah Colker, it is great to see the travelling circus back in town. The OVO show is far from fresh but does more than many of its predecessors to keep its audiences engaged. With an inspiring vision that brings a buzzing atmosphere to the kids in the audience, its collection of nine acts morphed around a soft storyline keeps a focus on a colourful fantasy all can enjoy. CirqueduSoleil #OVO #Manchester #ManchesterArena Ticketmaster #CirqueDuSoleil

“The only sensible thing to do when you are attacked is, as Napoleon once said, to counter-attack.” Roald Dahl, Matilda Roald Dahl’s empowering fantasy following a telekinetic five-year-old with a love of reading continues to place among his top five highest selling books. Not an easy feat, as the novelist’s collection of 48 books have seen him ranked as one of the nation’s favourite writers, with his own day of celebration (13th September). Matilda’s strength and endurance appear to lie with her quiet gift to protect the helpless. Thoughtfully standing up to power against vicious and prejudicial attacks. It is a message that bears repeating. Alongside Quentin Blake’s quirky illustrations, Matilda’s girl power narrative brought magical possibilities to young adults without belittling them. In supporting the voiceless without patronising them, Matilda has made its transition to the stage with swift success, packing theatres with audiences of all ages who can appreciate her vigilante justice. The young heroine fights back against the whims of her parents who state "looks is more important than books" and her Olympic hammer-throwing headmistress Miss Trunchbull, whose contentious punishments are taken straight from the pages and jaw-droppingly placed onto the stage. The fan favourite is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and after its Olivier and Tony award-winning musical premiered in 2010 there are plans to see it converted into a film in the future. Matilda’s appeal is timeless and the playful musical tweaks little from its original book. Story writer, Dennis Kelly and lyricist Tim Minchin have joyously captured the mood of Dahl, using revolting wordplay and moving realism to form a freeing theatrical production. The story, produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company and directed by Matthew Warchus offers lavish designs that spring shadow puppetry, a live orchestra and non-stop choreography onto the scene. The show packs a punch with a flurry of action carried on the tiniest of shoulders. Although the hugely talented cast of fantastical proportions sing an array of memorable songs, Matilda (played by Sophia Ally) is sensational. Ally not only brought a clear sense of being the smartest person in the theatre, but her impeccable timing shaped the beautiful slow-moving story between Mrs. Phelps, the Acrobat and Escapologist that plays between the showier songs. Cruelly treated, Matilda forges her own path, inspiring children (and let’s face it, adults) with her spellbinding world of catchy tunes, stylised sets and undeniable cuteness. The fearless production breathes life into the pages and brings the immersive and adventurous world of Dahl in kaleidoscope tones. A musical that marries the sickly sweet, sugar high of Willy Wonka and the spellbinding magic of The Witches is not to be missed. Watch Matilda The Musical Film on Netflix MatildaTheMusical PalaceTheatre #Manchester