The Royal Exchange’s Christmas production sees the relentlessly cheery Charity Hope Valentine pursuit for true love. Sweet Charity takes its audience back to the 1960s with its fast-paced shape shifting dance numbers, its free love themes and its terrific live band on display. We first see the dance hall hostess Charity on stage sporting her latest lovers name on her shoulder. This is the same lover who pushes Charity into a lake within the first three minutes of the show. Unlike the film of the same name, which takes great enjoyment in Charity’s continued failings, David Bond considers the feminist unfriendly themes of the original and weeds out enough of the victim filled role that Charity is known for. Bonds direction allows Charity to be at the very least, in on the joke as she searches for love in all the wrong places. Charity, played by Kaisa Hammarlund brings a charming naivety to the performance that is compelling to watch. Unsurprisingly, Hammarlund has also played Elle Wood in the Legally Blonde stage musical adaptation, which is not a far stretch from Charity Hope Valentine. The Royal Exchange generally limits set changes as the theatres shape requires three levels of audience members to recognise the changing visuals of its round stage. However, Sweet Charity sweeps through unique scenes effortlessly, maximises the space in the round and recreates everything from the dance hall and broken lifts to a hot air balloon ride. Hits like Rhythm of Life, If They Could See Me Now and Big Spender are wrapped up in falling mirrors and areal lights which help to re-establish Charity’s bright, frenzied lifestyle. Fortunately, the theme of a woman’s self-worth is tacked onto this production, which boasts a strong cast of incredible singers and charismatic performers. Rather than have the audience continually watch the women dance on the floor of the club, audiences mainly view the female dancers in their dressing room through clear mirrors which stare out directly to the audience. It may sound voyeuristic but in this uncomplicated story of a dancer looking for love, its original messaging from 1966 cannot be completely removed. Nevertheless, the Rhythm of Life cult leader, which is habitually a male role, is now played by the powerful Josie Benson. The live brass band led by Mark Aspinall is terrific and the seamlessly inventive sets are a thrill to discover. With such an effortlessly great cast, the stories mixed messaging to women will easily be forgotten as Sweet Charity brings a joy that is inescapable. SweetCharity #Manchester #TheRoyalExchange

“Everyone is different. It’s a natural thing.” The multi Tony and Olivier award-winning production, based on the inspirational film has hit the Palace Theatre for its first UK and Ireland tour after an eleven-year West End run. Based on a northern mining town during the 1984/85 miners’ strike, the community has suffered under the Thatcher leadership. The harsh realities of unemployment and social discontent, have futures looking bleak for a community reliant on its pit. Despite expectations and reputations that proceed a boy that enjoys ballet, Billy has ignited a passion for dance in which he can find his escape and new opportunities. Directed by Stephen Daldry and composed by Sir Elton John. The uplifting musical is one that stages scenes of the unapologetic, thirteen-year-old Lewis Smallman (Billy Elliot) against riot police. In the face of this misfortune is an underlying comedy, successfully running alongside the drama. Annette McLaighlin as the jaded ballet teacher, Mrs. Wilkinson and Andrea Miller as Billy’s spirited grandma are representations of strong, struggling and resourceful women. They shape Billy and their community in a story that centres largely on the impact of a dying coal industry on men. The creative team behind the successful film have lovingly converted it for the stage. The large sets are frantically turned around, seamlessly revealing dramatic scenes in Billy's two floored home, to Mrs. Wilkinson's dance studio. It remains a fast-paced, honest musical with multi-layered sweeping sets. There are no romanticised images of coal workers as manly and independent but Peter Darling’s imposing choreography transforms Billy into a powerhouse. With a direction that is far from an all grey pallet, The Palace Theatre ricochets with joy as Billy duets with Samuel Tropey (playing Michael) dressing in women’s clothes. Billy Elliot is a heart-warming production that is true to the film and despite its long run still resonates with audiences. The shows dark humour, catchy music and gritty realism makes it one of Britain’s most successful musicals as Billy’s passion helps restore his audiences’ faith during difficult times. You can watch Billy Elliot The Musical Live on Amazon BillyElliot #Manchester #PalaceTheatre

"Fashion Never Sleeps, So Neither Do We" MCR Fashion Industry (MFI) is known for bringing Manchester’s community to its edgiest hangouts, for slick and contemporary fashion events. News of MCR’s AW15 Gothic Romance secret fashion show spread quickly, and the highly anticipated event was sold-out a week in advance. MFI’s 29 Nov Gothic Romance show took place at Fumo on Oxford Road; where its clean white and golden walls complimented the blacks and reds that emblazoned the catwalk. The show combined elements of Victorian and classic Haute Couture, taking inspiration from the skintight silhouettes and luxurious fabrics. Sarvin’s current online collection names its pieces after celebrities such as Beyoncé, Mariah and Kaley. The fashion offers a mythical and opulent display of unique style, available in a multitude of colours and sizes (www.sarvin.eu). The men’s fashion range consisted of bow ties, sharp suits and unexpected hoodies for a smart-casual style. Sarvin’s latest pieces featured on Sunday, focused on dresses and skirts with a Persian elegance. The catwalk was awash with delicate fabrics and bold colours that highlighted a subtle nod to the trends that inspired them. Pleated silks, low-cut drapes and figure flattering shapes offered an essence of easy to wear, luxurious fashion. Despite the wet weather, The Milton Club had fashionistas eagerly awaiting the famously entertaining after party, hosted by Muhammad Jalal and Domaine Esdale. Darkness descended the red carpet as guests updated their LBD’s with chiffon fabrics, romantic pops of red lipstick and black leather jackets, denoting the dark romance of the themed event. I spoke to one of the hosts of the evening, Muhammad Jalal who said; 'I’m always a little apprehensive before the fashion show starts, but it’s a nice feeling [after it’s finished] where everyone can relax. We have a lot more entertainment.' The Milton Club’s exclusive atmosphere of cocktails, goody bags, and a fire eater was mixed with a contemporary hip-hop soundtrack that resulted in Manchester’s most sensational event of the season. 29 November 2015 This review was originally written for The Nubian Times #TheNubianTimes #ManchesterFashionIndustry

“If you take a woman by her word you deserve what you get.” Intended as three separate plays, Ben Powers’ melding of D.H Lawrence’s A Collier’s Friday Night, The Daughter-in-Law and The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd, forms the 1911 soap opera Husbands and Sons. The Royal Exchange production allows its round stage to play out the stories of three disloyal households in one room. The community is made up of the Lamberts family, where the mother's fondness for her accomplished son, over her undereducated mining husband unlocks has the audience question the impact of education on a working class family. Another section contains Mrs. Holroyd, a woman wavering between her marital burdens and her new love. The third family includes a wealthy wife and her desire to liberate her husband from his controlling mother. The thread connecting the women by suffering and indifference feels somewhat disjointed. The production is unable to delve into the character’s backstories, and there is no time for anything more than basic details. With three separate plays interwoven, the deeper connections and questions you may have for a character are simply unexplored. The theatre is broken into three rooms to represent the households, but while one is in action, the other is dead. In one instance the child of a wife is left eating invisible food for five minutes as the tales of others unravels around him. It can be just as distracting having the unused families carry out mundane activities as it is to overlap actions of their female counterparts. Although the performances were solid, with snippets of humour and entertaining dialect throughout, similarly to the women in the play, I had a deep regret. I wished for a richer understanding of their personal struggles, but it was immediately eroded by the merging of these three intimate D.H Lawrence texts. HusbandsAndSons #TheRoyalExchange #Manchester

“[Incoherent babble] …Cheerios.” How do you make Shakespeare relevant to a younger audience? I have watched performances of Twelfth Night where the costumes and language of the 1600’s remain faithful to the history of the playwright. Faithful maybe, but student’s eyes tend to wander during an old-school romcom in which a woman disguises herself as a man in order to be hired by a Duke. I have seen a production of Romeo and Juliet set in space. A modern idea that was not well thought through. The newest rendition of Twelfth Night, directed by Sean Holmes, has turned the love story into an interactive performance that focuses more on the festivities in-between the search for true love. Filter Theatre presents an exciting and engaging interpretation of Twelfth Night, but it is a story you had better know before going in. It could’ve easily been mistaken for Twelfth Night the rock musical with the number of instruments on its closed off and dishevelled stage. As much of the action appears off stage as it does on it; forcing the audience to turn their head for characters’ entrances, exits, off stage rants and audience participation. From the very beginning of this production you are kept on your toes. Starting with Orsino (Harry Jardine) audience sing-a-long, to Viola (Amy Marchant) grabbing clothing from audience members to disguise herself as a boy. The story plays through an interesting delivery of technology, music and audience interaction to bring Shakespeare to a broader audience. Dan Poole as Sir Toby Belch and Fergus O’Donnell as Malvolio threw caution to the wind, giving performances that stole the show. Despite calling audience members on stage to take shots of tequila and start a conga line; the cast of seven manage to keep their Shakespearian dialect throughout the 90-minute production. The rhetoric is countered with an energy so infectious; it is impossible not to be absorbed into this modern day Shakespearian production. It is a story that indulges in the dramas greatest themes. Essentially, the madness of love. #Manchester HOMEmcr #TwelfthNight

Vibrating with colour, 9 to 5 is a dazzling comedy with an arsenal of original songs by the legendary queen of country, Dolly Parton. The live production serves the interests of Dolly fans and shoulder pad aficionados alike, with a reprisal of the 1980s film that merges sisterhood and solidarity under the banner of its Grammy-winning theme song. The vigilante justice story has been successfully reincarnated into a television series that ran for 5 seasons, a stage show that first opened in 2009 and has an upcoming sequel to the film in the works. Grounded by a trio of secretaries, the story follows the unlikely heroines as their daydreams of getting even with their smug and sexist boss turns into a scheme to enact real revenge. Concocting fantasies that quickly begin to bleed onto the Palace theatre stage, the three independent women speak of equal pay for equal work, giving this story and their characters some weight within the playful comedy. Held together by the Oscar, Grammy and Tony-nominated soundtrack, a string of euphemisms and the energetic vocals of its leads, this production simply wants to show people a good time. Refusing to shoehorn in her familiar hits, Dolly’s original music and lyrics performed by Louise Redknapp (Violet), Amber Davies (Judy) and Georgina Castle (Doralee), elevate the fantasy and expand on the impassioned pleas concerning gender imbalance. The musical adaptation directed by Jeff Calhoun merges the multiple set pieces seamlessly with the addition of disco coloured staging and floor to ceiling screens that are worked alongside supersized office appliances spewing a nightmarish (yet believable) amount of paperwork. Together with songs like Backwoods Barbie and One of the Boys, that soften the edges of its source material, the show delivers a fanciful production teeming with energy. Its pace is ramped up further by the second half as the women go all out to settle the score with their contemptuous boss Franklin Hart Jr. (played by Sean Needham). Needham’s scenery-chewing scenes leave him suspended in mid-air for much of the interval with the audience ensuring to add to the entertainment. The glass ceiling has not yet been shattered, but 9 to 5’s marketplace feminism remains relatable 39 years after the film’s release. Justifying its frequent resurgences, the live stage show preserves the positive messaging of its original while uplifting audiences with its sparkling sense of humour. 9to5theMusical PalaceTheatre #Manchester

A Taste of Honey places audiences in a gloomy, post-war Salford where single mother Helen (Jodie Prenger) and her daughter Jo (Gemma Dobson) command a warped tale of love, shaped by people living on the margin. Written by Shelagh Delaney in 1958, the story follows the daily lives of the self-centred Helen and her independent teenage daughter Jo. Far from a helicopter parent, Helen is delighted to leave her seventeen-year-old alone to fend for herself in order to appear young, single and malleable to her latest “fancy man” (a one-eyed drunk who owns his own home). As Helen searches for a partner who can place her outside of the poverty line, Jo unable to rely on her mother, also looks on the kindness of strangers in an effort to find love. Despite the pair struggling through relationships with boyfriends, platonic friends and baby daddies, the two are never presented as deer trapped in headlights. Presenting more like bears on the prowl, the women’s fiercely worded comebacks results in a sharp, energetic and vibrant production that works to unpack the differences in our ‘Britishness’. Driven by these smartly determined characters, Delaney’s forward-thinking play remains rooted in realism and encourages audiences to engage with the intimate lives of the working-class experience. In a set devoid of colour, the gritty, harsh realities of Salford are counted by the wonderfully frank and witty banter between its female leads. The weathered beauty of their lives makes the National Theatres perfectly crafted kitchen drama a believable and thoughtful success. Peppered with issues surrounding homosexuality, race and economic power, the production, directed by Jodie Prenger, remains relevant 61 years after it was originally written. As the show sits between its five characters, the diversity of experience that binds its cast together is reaffirmed by its live band, who performing alongside the cast, backing local nursery rhymes and amplifying their regional identity. All confined to share the Lowry space, the set is restricted to play all the scenes out in a single room that forces the dark humour to unfold in uncomfortable quarters. The show emerges all the more impressive for its longstanding, beguiling story that is seldom represented on stage. The simple tale has been refresh by its inclusion of live music and the fantastic casting of Prenger and Dobson, who takes on the desires, regrets and endurance of Helen and Jo. The two allow their audience to view white working class women’s struggles without playing into their innocence or victimhood. It does not offer a fairy-tale story of women’s independence, but A Taste of Honey continues to represent the resilience of the marginalised in a surprisingly entertaining fashion. NationalTheatre ATasteofHoney #Manchester #TheLowry

Taking on more transformations than Cinderella, the Lowry theatre sets the stage for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s gender swapping production of the Taming of the Shrew. Justin Audibert’s direction plays with the 1590’s dated societal constructs that sees women traded for property and muzzled for speaking out. Sanitised through its reimagining, that styles the shrews as men and embeds the production with lovably abusive women, the Shakespeare story of social immobility and gender struggles is a difficult tale to progress. In a world where women rule supreme and men run their mouths at the risk of being associated with the devil, the RSC’s take on Shakespeare’s problematic messaging can be forgiven for its tongue in cheek approach. The tone of Audibert’s production is far more frivolous, gathering its cast around in a gloriously immature collaboration of musical asides, impractical costumes and wit. Shakespeare’s take on courtship follows the domineering Petruchia (Claire Price) and her talkative husband, Katherine’s (Joseph Arkley) tumultuous relationship. As Katherine’s mother attempts to have her married off before her younger brother, Bianco (James Cooney), Pertuchio takes it upon herself to tame Katharine using tortuous techniques that are assured to keep him obedient. With a large dowry on the line, Pertuchio’s methods that include keeping Katharine starved and sleep deprived until he submits are hard to stomach regardless of the gender inflicting the pain. At the same time suitors, Hortensia (Amelia Donkor), Gremia (Sophie Stanton) and Lucentia (Emily Johnstone) swarm Bianco in the hopes to take the already respectable man as their husband. With gifts, trickery and disguises afoot, the RSC interject memorable moments that keep the production refreshingly uplifting despite being honestly bonded to Shakespeare’s classic. With an updated production that is carried by its fantastically animated female cast, the story that exposes the pre-packaged commodity of marriage places more spectacle onto the costumes, music and casting to improve on its message. While the story is carried by its piercing language and upgraded by the powerful casting, the production ultimately chooses to keep most conventions in place. Affirming that anyone too uppity must be shown their rightful place in society, the power imbalance between all involved remains intact. Despite the show being flexible enough to change the gender roles, it remains stilted by Shakespeare’s constructs of marriage that sees a good taming as the only way to keep an honourable marriage. However, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s dramatic take on the 1590’s text is a wonderful transgression from the original play as its serves up the wicked wording by a sharp, diverse cast in an extremely animated and entertaining reboot. RoyalShakespeareCompany #TheTamingOfTheShrew #Manchester TheLowry #Shakespeare

For the final instalment of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s touring trilogy, the 1604 comedy Measure for Measure has been adapted for the #MeToo generation. In an absorbing production that sees its multifaceted cast members taking on the issue of justice, mercy and sincerity, director Gregory Doran forces us to question if attitudes have shifted. After the duke of Vienna unexpectedly leaves his deputy Angelo (played by Sandy Grierson) in charge, the new commander begins imposing the moralistic laws upon the citizens. While brothels were never legal, they were never raided, but Angelo’s fierce interpretation of the laws leads to their closures, along with the arrest of the unmarried Claudio. Facing execution for impregnating his girlfriend before marriage, Claudio leans on his sister Isabella (Lucy Phelps) to plead for his freedom. The soon to be nun, Isabella attempts to convince Angelo but unsurprisingly, finds that the new moralistic leader is content with propositioning her to trade her chastity for her brother’s freedom. Expanding on Shakespeare’s world, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 27 actors have taken three dated but trusted plays in an effort to expand them to the masses. With reimagined retellings of the stories, including diverse casting, playful costumes and untraditional staging, the shows have been elevated by the RSC’s meta approach. Yet, unlike As You Like It and Taming of the Shrew, that shines the house lights straight at the audience with welcoming and vibrant sets, Doran’s direction of Measure for Measure sits silent and lonely. With the on-stage band rarely featured, the sanctuary of the Lowry theatre immerses audiences in a Vienna packed with mirrors and projections. Offering us a window into our own world, the grounded production has cast members hold moments in spot lit scenes that carry across their message of justice or mercy. Measure for Measure is a minimalist production that turns around its provocative story and engaging cast. The revolving RSC cast are gloriously bold, and this stalk rendition moves Phelps from the flamboyant Rosalind in As You Like It, to the reserved Isabella. It speaks to the casts versatility and range that they can move the audience equally with their flashier productions as they can with the softer remodels. However, the show remains filled with the usual trickery, deceit and whimsical wordplay you can expect from a Shakespeare production. Doran also guides the audience to an uncomfortable conclusion, as this clever reimagining of the tale parallels the current climate and continues to speak directly to the audience about our troubled times. Understandably, the RSC’s thoughtful production doesn’t offer any solid conclusions to the issues it raises, but it will certainly leave you pondering over the production long after it’s over. RoyalShakespeareCompany #MeasureforMeasure TheLowry #Manchester #Shakespeare

Paul Foster’s showstopping musical offers audiences the comical theatrics of a live production, in front and behind the stage curtain. Playfully embodying Agatha Christie and Columbo within its plot, Curtains certainly revels in its startling moments within its twisty, turny narrative. After the lead in Robbin Hood has been mysteriously murdered on opening night, it is left to the singing detective, Frank Cioffi to investigate the cast and crew while they attempt to keep the show afloat. Allowing us to join the dots between its questionable collection of theatre talent, audiences are introduced to a barrage of would-be criminals including the cast, the producer, chorographer, composer, understudy and theatre critic, who are stirred up in a boiling pot of love triangles, bribery and revenge. With more than enough backstage dealings to keep audiences overanalysing all the characters motives until the finale, the show is weighted by its cast’s backstories and score, that is chiefly used to develop the casts motives. Comedian Jason Manford, who starred in the stage adaptions of The Producers and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang leads as detective Frank. The musical loving lieutenant, assisted by Ore Oduba (Aaron Fox) and Carley Stenson (Georgina Hendricks), offers solid performances in the energetic whodunnit, with a range of stage and screen talent keeping the sense of mystery and music alive. In a haze of smoke, cardboard cut-out set pieces and stage lights, the shift between the casts chaos lives off stage issues and the shows “live” musical performances keeps the songs flowing freely. Manford’s eccentric performance as the theatre loving detective brought the levity to this light drama, alongside the scene-stealing Samuel Holmes as the director. Full of one-liners, the musical interludes by the fantastic Stenson (Les Miserable), Rebecca Lock (Heathers and Mamma Mia), and Samuel Holmes (The Wedding Singer), bring boundless energy to the musical acts. The Palace theatre stage is left relatively bare for this 1950’s Boston period piece, with painted backdrops and costume changes taking precedent. The blank guise does allow its cast to fill the space with their peculiar personalities and allows for several full company performances that harken back to the memorable musical classics like Guys and Dolls. Originally written by Peter Stones and adapted by Rupert Holmes after Stones death, Curtains features the music of the classic Broadway duo John Kander and Fred Ebb. With the Tony award-winning composers behind the songs of Cabaret and Chicago, the shows musical flares feed the delightful murder mystery with toe-tapping numbers between its scenes of jolting reveals. The best moments in the show are when it leans on its laidback numbers plucked from its vague cowboy-themed production. The fantasy elements bring ambitious, high kicking choreography and ambiguous but ultimately catchy songs. The track Thataway! could have been plucked from Chicago as scantily clad southern belles, scandalously dance in a saloon, bathed in red lighting, singing about how to seduce a man. Curtains split life between its on and off-stage antics makes it a distinct production that offers subtle musical moments interweaved in its fully-fledged murder mystery narrative. It is an old-fashioned show despite initially premiering in 2006, but its familiar feel makes it a charming addition. Jason’s comedic touches aids in prolonging the surprisingly lavishly cast of suspects, but it is a show that ensures audiences will be kept laughing and in the dark until the final moments. Curtains #PalaceTheatre #Manchester

The contemporary dance company, ZooNation have reassembled their surreal 2011 production of Some Like It Hip Hop. The hit show is back at the Lowry with a welcoming pre-show that presents a merger of The Kate Prince Company, The Lowry and 0161 Studios, to introduce local talent to the larger stage. With a medley of tracks including Stormzy, Ed Sheeran and Bugsy Malone, The Spice of Life showcase warms up the crowd for the themes of intimidation and discrimination in a shadow of the main show. Alive with slapstick, the adventurous piece written by Kate Prince and Felix Harrison, takes place in a city where books have been outlawed and women are second-class citizens. The tale follows Jo-Jo and Kerri after the two women have been discovered breaking the law, leading to their exile from the city. Choosing to return disguised as men, the women veil themselves in Steve Harvey suits with moustaches and ties to match, before heading back to show their worth. Despite containing numerous characters fighting their way out of darkness, the shadowy, regimented space does not darken the Lowry doors with a set utterly devoid of colour. Instead, the comedy is preserved by its visual jokes, expressive lyrics and charismatic characters that fill the space. In a narrative that intermingles ideas surrounding Some Like It Hot, Mad Men and Twelfth Night, ZooNation open audiences up to an exciting world of dance with a simple message. Eight years after its initial release, its music and choreography remain fresh and energising to the audience, who are encouraged to partake in the show. In a reversal of the 1959 comedy Some Like It Hot, this joyful play on the classic remains rooted by its high-flying dance number and live musical performances. Motivated by its daring cast of impressively versatile performers, the show celebrates hip hop culture by including a variety of styles. From its krumping, tutting, locking, popping and breakdancing numbers, the show assembles a fantastic team who perform against an original soundtrack throughout the production. ZooNation offers an accessible story with a warm and charismatic production teeming with humour and driven by the desire to entertain. Incorporating everything from beatboxing, gospel-inspired musical moments and the beautiful acoustic track Invisible Me; the show is awash with inventive style. Some Like It Hip Hop’s playful nature and reimaging of the classics brings a unique take of It’s a Man’s World that allows the women to go head to head with the boys and embrace the message of tolerance and acceptance through quality choreography. With seriously stunning moves by the elusive team and talented choreographers, Prince, Tommy Franzen and Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, the show reaches out to the broadest audience to join in the dance. SomeLikeItHipHop #ZooNation TheLowry #Manchester

The Great Northern Warehouse is playing host to an exhibition dedicated to all LEGO creations. Artist, Nathan Sawaya’s wonderfully immersive works spans five chapters, opening audiences up to over fifty life-size pieces of LEGO art. Having quit his job as an attorney to follow everyone’s dream of playing with LEGO, Sawaya decided to put a personal stamp on the childhood toy, rebuilding the world with expansive sculptures and replicas that welcome lovers of LEGO into the art world. Aiming to highlight the importance of art in developing self-awareness, combating depression and building self-esteem, the thoughtful exhibition reflects the endless themes and possibilities that LEGO provides. Parading a colourful collection of skulls in response to the LEGO Groups first cease and desist email to his unauthorised artwork, the Skulls collection underscores Sawaya’s unique take on the toy, offering bright yellow, red, green and blue death-themed pieces to voice his initial frustrations with the company. Since being endorsed as a certified LEGO professional, his works continue to splinter into unexpected territories. Alongside personal pieces such as Yellow, that holds the cover of the exhibition, displaying a man tearing himself apart and spilling his LEGO kernels onto the ground, Sawaya has taken inspiration for his Red Mask self-image from the Hall of African Peoples in the American Museum of National History, displayed together with the human forms of a circle, triangle and square. Challenging himself to sculpt the simple building blocks into spectacular figures, Sawaya’s work is infused with the hyperrealist photographs of Dean West. The collaboration is shown in the In Pieces series that unveils Sawaya’s works in real-life scenarios, showing a woman wearing his LEGO dress creation while standing outside a ticket booth, as well as dropping his cloud sculptures into the sky. Alongside videos explaining how his art is produced, the Red Dress creation stands centre stage of the room, suspending its scattered LEGO fabric in the air. LEGO often sell miniature replicas of famous landmarks and characters, but the discovery of Sawaya’s recreations of the Venus de Milo, Michelangelo’s David and the Mona Lisa are unequal spectacles. Addressed with the official brick count to highlight the immense number of LEGO pieces used to create and inspire the work, the largest room of the exhibit is dedicated to recreations, paying homage to significant moments in art history. Including tributes to Girl with a Pearl Earring, Starry Night, and a portrait of Andy Warhol, the fine art inspirations ensure that younger audiences are given a stunning history lesson while appreciating the intricate contemporary creations. Impressively, the exhibit even offers LEGO pool pits for children to curate their own pieces at the end of the show. Leaving audiences with the awe-inspiring Dinosaur that appears to be plucked straight out of the National History Museum, Sawaya’s three-month construction engulfs the room as his final farewell. Despite having a loyal, built-in LEGO audience, The Art of the Brick is an exciting and unexpected show that captures themes of anxiety, love and rejuvenation to ensure that Sawaya’s personal passion brings a smile to adults and children everywhere. This review was originally written for Northern Soul #Manchester NathanSawaya