Picture You Dead  is a hilarious thriller that manoeuvres from car boot sales to multiple murder plots. The modest stage thriller is full of British charm and brings an understated mystery to the Lowry stage. Spanning 21 books, Peter James’s, Roy Grace series has moved from the page to the stage with charming results as his intoxicating stories offer standalone thrillers, recreated for lovers of the underserved theatre genre. James’s stage re-creations are ambitious productions that bring together elements of the supernatural, comedy and crime, but his well-established Grace franchise is neatly packaged onto the Lowry stage for an entertaining evening. James’s latest adaptation, shaped by Shaun McKenna follows Detective Superintendent Grace ( George Rainsford ) as he investigates a cold case and a spate of murders interlinked with the art world. After Harry (Ben Cutler) and Freya Kipling ( Fiona Wade ) find a car boot steal in the form of a painting, they attempt to get their picture valued at the Antiques Roadshow , only to uncover a whole new world of forgeries. Alongside a suspicious cast of characters with a talent for hunting their own bargains, the lackadaisical couple are unwittingly thrust into a dangerous game of cat and mouse within the underground art scene. Attracting the attention of a gangster Stuart Piper (Nicholas Maude) and his righthand woman, Roberta Kilgore  ( Jodie Steele ), shady characters are recruited to help the reckless Piper build up his art collection. Rainsford returns to the role of Grace after performing in Wish You Were Dead . The levelheaded and believable detective grounds the show alongside the working-class Kiplings who are rooted in realism. These characters simplicity gives the show a level of relatability regardless of where the drama takes you as there are a lot of good people making bad decisions, holding onto secrets or just completely clueless. A gender-swapped role from the book brings the talented Steele ( Wicked  and Bonnie and Clyde ) into the mix as a stylish henchwoman to the quick-witted, scenery chewing Piper. Their villainous roles are one of the highlights of the show as the persistently shadowy baddies who can unnerve the audience with their highly expressive performances. Director Jonathan O’Boyle and stage designer Adrian Linford bring together a fantastic split set that allows the production to move swiftly from police station to the Kiplings’s home and onto art forgers, Dave Hegarty’s (Peter Ash) studio. Hegarty’s studio in particular, designed with re-creations of a Banksy, Van Gogh and an L.S. Lowry is lovely touch as the show instantly moves between its impressive cast of characters. Picture You Dead is a popcorn stage thriller made to serve the audience's sweet tooth. If you are familiar with James’s signature style of storytelling you are doubtlessly going to enjoy the familiar crime drama, and newcomers will soon uncover why Grace has been going strong since 2005. #PeterJames #PictureYouDead TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Bringing mood-boosting moves that will give you second-hand energy, Olivier Award-winning Boy Blue  are back at Aviva Studio’s with a masterful presentation of hip-hop exploration. Composer Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante and choreographer Kendrick ‘H20’ Sandy previously worked on the opening of Aviva Studios in October 2023. In a production that fused some of Manchester’s finest on and off the stage, the groups Matrix  inspired show, Free Your Mind   delivered on a collaboration with multiple creatives including Danny Boyle and an AI Alan Turning. Boy Blue  are now back with associate choreographer Jade Hackett to perform Cycles , a dedicated 90-minutes dive into the essence of hip-hop. This raw, communal project celebrates the art on the vast Aviva stage and spotlights the beauty of hip-hop dance and music. The groups free-flowing work is built to lift your spirit as the team   conquer the stage with razor-sharp segments of choreography mixed to Mikey J’s irresistible beats. Cycle’s  fluid production opens with a single dancer as she paves the way for the eight-strong ensemble to come together with impeccable synchronicity. The group’s upbeat and entrancing moves then break off to expand on the genre with personalised performances. Moving out of the circular huddle, the squad flaunt a fusion of styles, including breaking and krumping ,  travelling between the members with a smooth versatility that showcases solos, duets and the strength of unity. Lee Curran’s lighting design helps shape the show, giving a shadowy, menacing atmosphere that draws the Aviva audience into the pools of spotlit performers. Bringing a sense of urgency, Curran gels the group together with simple transitions that keeps the focus on the power of the performances mesmerising craft and Mikey J’s nostalgic mix. Boy Blue’s  collection is a nonstop, visceral performance that offers an emotional high to any lover of hip hop. Unleashing a mood that radiates through the Aviva studio, Mikey J’s choreography is rich in detail and full of passion. The visual language explored through Cycles  collates intricate performances that capture hip-hops enduring ability to showcase the legacy and evolution of the genre. It is rare to see hip-hop in theatre and Aviva Studios wonderfully communal space opens opportunities for established and new acts to be introduced to wider audiences. After offering a  proud presentation of what hip-hop has to offer, a bonus after-show debut from dance company Rubrix  keeps the party going in the Aviva Social Hall, adding a 30-minute tribute  and introduction to a fresh, young cohort of contemporary dancers. For those who could stay up past 10:30 pm, an all-night DJ set from DJ Sham Steele and DJ Chase ended the absorbing evening of dance. B oyBlue #AvivaStudios #FactoryInternational #Manchester Tickets are available via the Aviva Studios Link

Northern Ballet has isolated pieces of Casanova’s epic mythology to showcase an intimate look at the religious, gambling lothario’s life. Northern Ballet’s production covers a lot of ground as the priest in training hurdles over obstacles, shifting from developing his musical skills as a penniless violinist to enthralling a financial benefactor and making a go of it as a writer. The minimalist sets move the action to the bedroom, the church and back into the bedroom for personal and exhaustive scenes that offer gorgeously elaborate performances. The show delivers a harmonious mix of contemporary and classic choreography alongside stirring autobiographical detail that offers a layered creation full of surprises. Casanova , ballet edition presents a passionate production that crafts a humanising story around the curious man known mainly for his womanising in spite of his eventful career. Co-created with historical biographer Ian Kelly, the show builds on Casanova’s lavish beginnings, shining a spotlight on the aspiring priest as he attends a mass in honour of the new French Ambassador. Whilst there he is secretly handed a forbidden book by the church and despite being accompanied by his students, the Savorgnan sisters, he leaves the party hoping to familiarise himself with all three (double scandal). The enticing tale of reputation and longing is further highlighted by Kenneth Tindall’s choreography that brings a seductive, dreamy and paired down staging. The immersive Lowry sets are accompanied by live orchestration performed by the Northern Ballet Sinfonia, sumptuous costumes from Tony and Oliver award-winning designer Christopher Oram and moody misty lighting that draws you into Giacome Casanova’s intimate world. As Joseph Taylor (Casanova) plays through the steps and various phases in Casanova’s journey, the soothing sleek design and minimalist set allow audiences to join in the conga line of rumours that follow the multi-talented man from Venice to Paris. Taylor is given the space to carry the tale of the eccentric within mesmerising scenes that entrap his solos in smoke and masquerade him in fanciful costumes. Highlighting Casanova as a conduit of fun and as a reckless creative, the man appears to follow an entirely separate set of rules to the people he encounters. The show's exuberance and the powerhouse ensemble cast offer a treasure trove of talent ruled by passion, humour and serious style. By the second act, the shine has not worn off Casanova, with Northern Ballet’s production bringing in a towering mirrored set to represent the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles Palace. Highlighting both his obstacles and the trappings of his talent and charisma, the production deftly blends dance, sumptuous costumes and sets to detail Casanova’s life as an aspiring writer, musician and trainee priest. Overruled by passion, Casanova is an inspiring production and a reminder that life is what you make of it. It’s stunning ballet is an expression of lust, learning and acceptance. #NorthernBallet Casanova #TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Based on the Ian Fleming novel and remodelled after the 1968 film, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang  the live musical has been stripped almost beyond recognition. We follow the Potts family of four whose aim to restore a broken racing car sees them bumping into royalty, avoiding a Child Catcher and flying off to the land of Vulgaria. Understandably, much of the colour and magic you remember from the original film cannot be replicated on stage but director, Thom Southerland has given Chitty Bang  the complete pantomime treatment, where the new production now lacks the basic scenery for a show this hugely popular. Caractacus Potts (Ore Oduba) and his children Jemima (Lara Simon) and Jeremy (Charlie Banks) hold down the first act with sweetly sung hits, including Toot Sweets  and Hushabye Mountain , until the show slowly begins to be taken over by its Vulgarian baddies. The characters Boris and Goran’s campy, old-school comedy appears to be put in place to kill time between songs, allowing for some scene changes. However, it was quickly discovered that the show has next to no scenery to change and many of the hit songs were shortened to fit more comedy of errors. Distilled to its bare bones, Chitty Bang  has been scaled down for a younger audience, adding in miniature models and bulking out the surroundings of the fair, sweet factory and castle with the ensemble doubling as the props. The show is an easy ride for kids who are bound to enjoy the puppetry and ultimate reveal of the classic car. But Chitty Bang may become a bit of a slog for the adults in the room as the lacklustre production is held together with three storage boxes that are Ikea assembled into every scene. Forming the tables, beds, the Scrumptious factory and used as hiding spots, it looks like Caractacus sold the entire set to pay for the car. Even the infamous Child Catcher doesn’t hold any sweets despite having an entirely new song dedicated to the cause. Despite the Sherman Brothers packing the two-hour 25-minute film full of classic songs including Doll on a Music Box , Me Ol’ Bamboo , Truly Scrumptious , The Roses of Success  and the Academy Award-nominated title song, many of the second act performances feel rushed and are actually cut short to focus on the adorable Chu-Chu faces running Vulgaria. The lesser-known Bombie Samba  and forgettable Child Catcher’s solo do make great use of the enjoyable cast, but the show chooses not to give its classic moments their best treatment with so little care given to anything other than the car. Fortunately, the cast carries the second act of the show with their personalities alone, allowing Martin Callahan (Baron) and Jenny Gayner (Baroness) time to shine as the leaders of their childless nation and the talented Eastenders alumni Charlie Brooks (The Child Catcher) moments to relish in her villainous role.   Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a straightforward children’s story made memorable for its unforgettably catchy score and fantastic visuals. Unfortunately, this bare-bones production overpacked with secondary characters feels empty and lacks the simple nostalgia trip demanded of the classic. #ChittyChittyBangBang # PalaceTheatre #Manchester

The legendary Flying Dutchman drops anchor at the Lowry theatre, offering a haunting reimagining of Richard Wagner’s 1843 opera. After a rash remark results in lifelong purgatory, The Dutchman (Robert Hayward) and his wistful crew are cursed to drift the sea until Judgement Day. Only a seven-yearly ultimatum remains in place to relieve them of their torture, allowing the crew to set foot on land while The Dutchman is given the opportunity to save his soul by finding a woman who will be faithful to him. Set and costume designer Joanna Parker’s multi-disciplinary set is an impressive feat, reflecting an outpouring of rain using layered chains and elegant lighting effects. As the characters grapple with this new, unnatural force that has entered their lives, Wagner’s brooding score plunges the Lowry audience into their dark and foreshadowing world that manifests the characters desires. In a world already full of drama and curses, director Annabelle Arden’s production fuses themes of asylum and boat crossings into the mix. The voices of refugees are heard off stage, opening each act and projections of floating boats and people are set in the background. As The Dutchman’s crew’s everlasting limbo is given a modern take, Arden takes the opportunity to highlight themes of self-serving politicians and capitalism. Opera North’s shadowy staging places the weathered Dutchman as an overpowering force, appearing through ghostly projected visions and towering above his admirer and adversaries on and off the stage. Wagner’s sweeping motif guides The Dutchman’s appearances and references with a creeping score that builds on the unsettling nature of the doomed captain. Here Hayward’s commanding performance dominates the immense stage and his spirit lingers through the use of Opera North’s phenomenal orchestration. Bartering for his life, The Dutchman sets out to marry Home Secretary, Daland’s (Clive Bailey) daughter. In exchange for a bribe Daland’s daughter, Senta (Layla Claire) is introduced to the captain, and fortunately for everyone involved, she is a hopeless romantic who falls deeply in love from his story alone. Unfortunately, her ex-Erik (Edgaras Montvidas) is the right-hand man to Daland and has every intention of breaking their union.  The Flying Dutchman’s myth is reimagined with suited high-flyers hustling around Daland, focused on profits and surrounded by computer coding. Unfortunately, the ideas surrounding the office setting and the stranded sailors are a bit confusing as the tale doesn’t amplify the crew's voices and the visuals don’t imagine anything for them beyond background status. Darlan’s redesign homes in on his motivation and greed, as he is placed in a jarring suit next to the ancient Dutchman. However, unlike Senta, Darlan’s refreshed image and the matter of the crew are given little time for reflection and have to wrestle against the aged visuals and tone of the original story that eventually settle on The Dutchman, his lover and his redemption. Despite the production’s new blend to the classic, Claire’s soulful ballad and Hayward’s intensely powerful performance will Casper  haunt audiences into submission. While Opera North’s beautiful live orchestrations of Wagner’s work carry the heartfelt three-act production. # TheFlyingDutchman #TheLowry #Manchester #OperaNorth Tickets are available via the Lowry link

The sensational Birmingham Royal Ballet  (BRB) walk audiences through a whimsical wonderland at The Lowry. Offering the invitation you’ve been waiting for, Cinderella  dazzles with scrumptious costumes, stunning set pieces and a soaring Sergei Prokofiev score.   With Sir David Bintley at the helm of the timeless classic, the rags to riches fairytale splits its melancholy core into a celebratory second act that takes a darker stance on the traditional tale. As choreographer and director, Sir Bintley brings Cinderella out of the shadows, he conjures a production full of dreamy backdrops and builds humour from the sizeable ensemble of flamboyant characters. Magnified set pieces place the overlooked and orphaned Cinderella (Beatrice Parma) onto a dominating and overbearing stage as she is destined to serve her abusive stepmother and stepsisters. We follow along as the family's invitation to the Prince’s ball gives Cinderella a night off from cleaning and the chance to transform her life.   With only mice, lizards and frogs to keep Cinderella company her quirky stepsisters, the vein (Ellis Small) and the rotund (Olivia Chang Clarke), along with her fairy godmothers   help pack the show with personality and magic. The squabbling stepsisters duets showcases their sibling rivalry, building their bad habits into their solo performances as the spoiled and excessive nuisances to Cinderella’s modest-mannered role. BRB’s  floor-to-ceiling breakaway scenic sets transports Cinderella from her dusty house surrounded by pots to a mist-filled scenes of ethereal fairies. The production makes use of its lavish cast of characters by injecting four godmothers representing the seasons, whose presence brings supernatural support, including Cinderella’s magnificent carriage and her mother’s silver ballet slippers.   Parma offers an endearing performance as Cinderella, portraying her bumpy journey from a humble, shoeless housemaid into a glistening princess with effortless stylistic flair. John Macfarlane’s painstaking attention to detail leads to awe-inspiring costumes with intricate bedazzled designs alongside the opulent second and third act staging. With the help of the resourceful godmothers, Cinderella travels by pumpkin-turned carriage, dramatically crafted to appear out of ice and partnered with the Prince (Enrique Bejarano Vidal) to layer some impressive lifts and a smooth waltz into the romantic production.   Accompanied by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia , the orchestra beneath the stage meld to the BRB  ensemble to immerse the Lowry audience in Prokofiev’s sentimental score, the vibrant characters and meticulous choreography. The established story offers a revival that is an easy entry for newbies to the ballet world and BRB  delivers all the magic before the clock strikes midnight.   With wide-reaching appeal, it is easy to see why BRB’s   Cinderella  stands as one of the company’s most popular ballets. Going all out with its extravagant moonlit production, expressive ensemble and celebration of perseverance, it is easy to fall in love with Cinderella . #Bir minghamRoyalBallet #Cinderella # TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link This review was originally written for

The Shark is Broken  is a jaw-dropping 90-minute comedy that takes audiences behind the scenes of Steven Spielberg’s man-killer shark thriller, Jaws . With a production fraught with challenges, including a malfunctioning mechanical shark known as Bruce, this witty retrospective draws from the real-life drama that took place off-camera. Sailing aboard the confined quarters of the Orca, the show exposes the cracks in the delicate relationship between seasoned theatre actor Robert Shaw, the young and ambitious Richard Dreyfuss and their peacekeeper Roy Scheider. As they potter around onset, dishing out home truths during their downtime, the deeply personal narrative delves into the trio's clashing personalities. With co-writers Ian Shaw (son of Robert Shaw) and Joseph Nixon offering a blend of Hollywood humour based on the actors' alcohol fuelled introspections, the show provides a hilarious peep behind a piece of cinematic history. Touching on the impacts of fame and grappling with personal grievances, the show sheds light on the film industry, lets the audience in on their inside jokes and adds a layer of meta-commentary for film enthusiasts. Duncan Henderson’s restrained design lets you sit in the actors’ oppressive production but the actors' loose lips and unflinching performances keeps the pace of the show sharp and snappy. Nina Dunn’s video design features scenes of a clear ocean backdrop loaded onto a film reel as the slow boil show is carried by its three compelling crew members. Dan Fredenburgh as Roy Schindler, Ashley Margolis as Richard Dreyfuss and Ian Shaw as Robert all bring stellar, exaggerated performances of the real men. Ian’s portrayal of his father is a lovely nostalgic tribute and filled with the charisma expected of the salty actor. Margolis’s entertaining and animated delivery bends between the dopey and neurotic as the set-up to most jokes and the punchline to many more. While Fredenburgh’s calming presence helps balance out the group’s sparring conversations in what often feels like natural, improvisational performances. Martha Geelan’s direction sees the gang   trod back and forth between their overcrowded, rinky-dink boat whilst grounding the trio in an intensely honest and seamless show. With no intermission placed between the chats, it is easy for the Lowry audience to get swept away in the drama of the group's deft storytelling. While some familiarity with Jaws  and its lore is helpful going into the show, the blockbuster is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary and is hardly short on fans.   The Shark is Broken  is an entertaining side quest from the Jaws  franchise, retelling the myth in a lighthearted and intoxicating production that any fan (with the exception of Richard Dreyfuss) is guaranteed to love. TheSharkIsBroken Lowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Far from a fairy-tale, Noel Coward’s 1945 British romantic drama is credited as a piece of realist cinema, where a whirlwind romance is exposed through its female leads inner monologue and lingering looks. Here, Kneehigh’s stage production uplifts the grounded relationship, taking elements of its nostalgic past and reigniting it with suspenseful scenes of fantasy. In a railway station café, housewife Laura Jesson (Isabel Pollen) is assisted by doctor Alec Harvey (Jim Sturgeon) allowing a casual friendship to develop into an emotionally fulfilling relationship. Tempted by an affair, the pair struggle to cling to their respectable married lives, fearing the loss of their morals and partners in their new-found freedom. In keeping with post WW1 culture, this commonplace encounter incorporates steam-age railways, black and white film and a mood to maintain the status quo. Director, Emma Rice absorbs a classical approach to the pairs new friendship, but the action is elevated as desires begin to outweigh their concerns. Alongside the evolving relationship, the production develops in colourful, captivating moments that makes the mundane appear larger than life. Seven of its musically inclined cast members play instruments live on stage and sing us into the production mimicking the opening of a feature film. The Lowry has even removed all but two of its front row seats, allowing the new lovers to flitter on and off the stage. Despite its melancholy leads personal lives and their fated to fail romance, this production casts a light-hearted and unexpected spin on the original. The staging is impressively compact, morphing into Laura’s living room, lowering the train platform and transforming into a cinema screen. With an emphasis on the detail, the production's music stays simplistic, only a few characters break into song and nothing distracts from the scenes that capture the reality/fantasy world of its lead characters. But as maintaining family life is side-lined for new adventures, everyday life for Laura and Alec becomes more whimsical. During a dinner scene, high off love, the pair rise out of their seats and swing towards each other, suspended by matching chandeliers. The two irrational lovers’ relationship blossoms into a frenzied passion where secret exchanges build an ever-tightening web of lies and fear. Isabel Pollen (Laura) and Jim Sturgeon (Alec) build a slowly consuming love affair, but Rice delays audience expectations and allows reality to catch up to the pair. While the couple are painted as every day, middle-class common folk, the actors are anything but old-fashioned and forgettable. Considering the amount of comedy that was distracting the seriousness of the love affair, Pollen and Sturgeon were able to drive the narrative with suspenseful and believable performances. Brief Encounter balances British traditions with a classic Hollywood approach. The original quiet and straightforward storyline is somewhat weighted down by this prop heavy production, but the sentiment remains the same. Rice offers a vision that refreshes a dated and oppressive narrative. One that would surely fail as a flat-out reboot. Instead, Brief Encounter presents a scandalous musical fusion that is sure to cause a stir. #BriefEncounter TheLowry #Manchester

By invitation only the Bridgewater is transforming its hall for the purpose of witchcraft and wizardry. Taking on the epic catalogue of Harry Potter’s eight feature films, conductor Stephen Bell has rummaged through the files to capture the mystifying music that built J.K Rowling’s cinematic world. Boosting the narrative with personalised themes for characters and dramatic wand swishes, the production brings attention to the beautiful orchestral score that accompanies the Hollywood blockbusters. The soundtrack to Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, composed by John William’s has the benefit of being shaped by the mastermind behind the Star Wars, Jaws, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park film scores. As the Halle orchestra pays tribute to the unsung heroes behind the scenes, the time capsule concert of its eight-film soundtracks offers the mythical melodies of all four composers. With twelve Oscar nods (but no wins), including one for Best Original Score, Bell takes the multi-billion franchise by the instrumentals and leads audiences on an action-packed evening of adventure. Including, A Window to the Past and Double Trouble from The Prisoner of Azkaban, Williams first captured the imaginations of Potter fans through Harry’s first film, the Philosopher’s Stone. The illuminating tracks seized the alluring new world presented, and the wistful nature of William’s style steered the bright, young characters through the first few films. As Hedwig's Theme was the only theme to carry itself throughout the entire film series, the shift in tones from new directors and composers brought more ominous tracks and fewer repurposed themes. Composers of the later films, including Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper, and Alexandre Desplat re-established Harry’s world in their own vision. The mixing may have brought continuity issues to the series as a whole, but as the pendulum swung from one director and composer to the next, audiences re-entered the world of Hogwarts with enthralling new battle cries and melodies. Despite your totem pole of preferred films and composers, the Halle concert is enriched by the numerous voices that explored and convey Harry’s themes of hope, love and mischief. Taking audiences on a journey to Hogwarts and beyond with a beautiful departure from their classical repertoire. The incredibly thoughtful production of love includes dreamlike performances from the Halle Youth Training Choir and the Youth Choir, who layer the airy soundtrack of Double Trouble and My Love is Always Here with sharp vocals. Presented by Sarah Day-Smith, the show focuses on the glorious music that runs between its films while discussing the melee of magic behind personal tracks. Bringing in Dobby’s and the Weasley’s theme songs to highlight the playful relationships that countered the threatening tracks surrounding He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. The long-running series brings recognisable instrumentals that have captured the action on screen. Helping to build the complex world and soundscape of Harry Potter, the Halle hits all the right notes for anyone with a love of live music. With the entire orchestra playing in costume and Manchester Metropolitan drama students taking over the foyer in live cosplay, this is an adventurous performance that should not be missed. TheMusicofHarryPotter TheHallé #Manchester BridgewaterHall

After a hiatus that lasted almost 15 years, David Baddiel returned in 2013 with the stage show FAME: Not The Musical, in which he discussed the perks of celebrity and the pitfalls of his fame. His latest show, MY Family: Not The Sitcom touches on the taboos surrounding mental illness, death and infidelity. Despite the range of tougher material, My Family is not a major departure from Baddiel’s previous work. This intimate Olivier-nominated one-man show is an awareness raising experience wrapped in a stand-up routine and follows the straight-talking performer’s private life. Crafting a compelling show around his mother, Sarah who throughout her marriage carried out an affair with a golf memorabilia salesman and passed away late 2014. His father, Colin who previously worked as a research chemist at Unilever and currently suffers from Pick's disease (a rare form of dementia) and includes stories of his two brothers (one older, one younger). Embracing our rough edges, rather than plastering over them, Baddiel focuses on memory and particularly how we choose to be remembered. It may sound like an overshare of a show when hearing Baddiel read aloud one of the (many) romantic emails his mother sent to her manstress or showing footage of his family without their full consent. However, this is a show that deals with truth and memories. As his fathers’ illness and mothers’ death threatens to erase the fragments that made them unique, Baddiel chooses to share his stories of them honestly, and that means letting go of decorum. Adding a real stage to the grieving process, this non-judgemental letter of love processes grief through comedy. As Baddiel’s Twitter @Baddiel will prove, he has always worked to keep conversations open, whether that be with fake news fanatics, racists or holocaust deniers. He appears to embrace the trolls and bat away offense using comedy. Here he continues to ‘make fun of these bullies as they take us down’ and in a series of stories he captures the colourful nature of family for the audience. Talking about his mother, who became a golf memorabilia salesperson after starting an affair with a golf memorabilia salesman. He explains she then went on to write five books on the topic and brought a rivalry to the relationship. We don’t all respond to grief in the same way, but who wouldn’t rather laugh through the pain. Baddiel’s storytelling brings a brutally personal perspective on mental illness and ageing. One that is brilliantly relatable and highlights that without this type of honest commentary, there would be no conversation at all. DavidBaddiel #Manchester TheLowry

First performed in 1890, The Birmingham Royal Ballet have stepped back in time to sample a classic steeped in history. Refreshed in a darkly atmospheric production, Peter Wright’s reimagining of Sleeping Beauty incorporates familiar elements of the fable with thriftless new features. The Lowry’s Theatre appears polished from all angles as multi-layered sets turn a regal hall into a mystical forest. Despite its familiar story, there is a sense of awe that comes from this flamboyant production, aided by its large cast and lavish costumes. Opening at Princess Aurara’s christening, fairy godmother and guests gather round the beauty and her parents in celebration. Suddenly, in a brilliant haze enters the wicked witch Carabasse, gate-crashing with a posy of six ghoulish dancers. Tapping into beauty and terror, Nao Sakuma (Carabasse) performance brings the surreal aspects to this retelling, keeping audiences out of a sickly-sweet fantasy world. In sleek formations, large entourages shape the productions scenes with only a few central performances carrying the plot. After Aurora falls under the spell of Carabasse’s curse, it is left to the Lilac Fairy to guide audiences through all three acts. The production switches between group performances and solos which allows the dancers to carry a lightness and energy throughout the difficult choreography. Teamed with Philip Prowse’s decorative scenery and elaborate costumes, the group dynamic is powerful. However, solo scenes in which Momoko Hirata’s (Aurora) endlessly jumps, spins and sores across the stage in a couture tutu offers moments of pure dance and perfection. Wright’s production does offer more than the technical steps. The story is told partly through mine acting using the Lilac Fairy (Jenna Roberts) and is set during the Baroque period. Striking costume designs layer silk, satins and sequences over restrictive corsets and cloaks. With such lux attention to detail there is always something to pull your focus back to the world they have created. Live music from The Royal Sinfonia is also masterfully composed from Tchaikovsky’s score and shaped to guide audiences through the narrative. There are even music changes that signify whether a character onstage is good or evil. Wright clearly has the Midas touch and with a tale that has lost none of its sparkle, this rigorous retelling of Sleeping Beauty will enchant a wide audience for years to come. This review was originally written for Northern Soul #SleepingBeauty #BirminghamRoyalBallet Manchester TheLowry

“Act or not act.” The 2500-year-old Greek tragedy, highlighting local talent with a largely amateur cast, is a play of three parts. The audience is informed during the libation to the Gods (a Greek custom where a local community member gives thanks and pours wine around the stage as a sign of respect) that the piece we are about to witness is the only surviving section of Aeschylus’ work. The result is a short but powerful production acknowledging a continual battle for woman’s acceptance and freedom. Directed by Kamin Gray, The Suppliant Women is a simple story presented plainly. The Royal Exchange’s unusual opening sets the scene for ritual and theatrics but its story is frank and its cast sincere. The Suppliant Women board a boat in Egypt and sail to Argos seeking protection against forced marriages to their cousins. The women are played by the community chorus, a powerful alliance, chanting primarily as one unit so their intentions are clear. The chorus is intertwined with professional artists such as Gemma May (the Choragos) but largely holds amateur performers who transform the story into an engaging and authentic presentation. As the women land in Greece, they plead with King Pelasgus for asylum. Pleasgus (Oscar Batterham) is torn between protecting the women and the possibilities of war, deciding to offer his people a vote. The music and movement serve to unite the women and empower their voices. Unfortunately, the style is limited as the entire production has been set on a cold circular breezeblock. The size of the cast also limit the groups movements but emphasises the women's entrapment. However, the infancy of its story and its limited choreography does make the performance slightly repetitive. The pattern does become tiresome even within the productions short, ninety-minute span. Although the plot is simple, interesting techniques are used to keep the audience engaged. Its universal story is carried by the strong amateur actors who highlight a strength in tradition and authentic performances. I felt connected to the cast of women, wandering into the audience, protesting for their freedom. It is a foreseeable, recurring story that resonates with contemporary audiences. In the end, are the women given freedom as promised? Part one ends with a democratic vote that accepts the women into Greece. However, based on current events and Aeschylus’ missing segments, we can assume the women’s protests are far from over. TheSuppliantWomen #Manchester #TheRoyalExchange