Samuel Becket’s Happy Days sheds his surrealist light on propped up relationships built on obligation. Winnie, play by Maxine Peake has come to accept the monotony of her everyday life, falling into a disconnecting routine that has kept her both motivated and stagnant. Highlighting mostly what not to do in long-term relationships, Beckett plays the audience’s agony aunt showing how a lack of communication, intimacy and spontaneity can bring about the slow…slow death of a relationship and a person’s sanity. While a lot of positive affirmations can be said about committed relationships, The Royal Exchange opens the show to Winnie stuck in a mound of earth, buried up to her waist on an island surrounded by rubbish. Armed, literally while stranded with only a bag of basic beauty supplies, it quickly becomes apparent that Winnie's idea of a “happy day” is one in which her husband, Willie (played by David Crellin) is willing to speak to her. The tour de force performance by Maxine Peake follows in the wake of The Exchanges renditions of A Streetcar Named Desire and Hamlet, in which Peake starred. Presently placed as Associate Artist for The Exchange, Peake continues to push for creative, personal narratives that are perfectly fitted for The Round. Formed with a simple premise, Happy Days layers innuendo and surrealism onto the topic of death and disconnection in a believable and touching manner. Audiences are likely to pull from it several themes that strike a chord with them, shaped by the striking direction from Sarah Frankcom that will likely linger in the mind. HappyDays #Manchester #TheRoyalExchange

Highlighting the tragedy of war from both sides of the isle, War Horse utilises empty structures and a black stage to bring new depth to The Lowry Theatre. Set in Devon, the story of Joey is a coming of age narrative that intertwines war, friendship and family rivalry. Following the independent foal from his beginning, we witness Joey being auctioned, forming a bond with farmhand Albert and enlistment during World War I. Watch the ultimate test in method acting as six unknown performers take on the role of Joey and army horse Topthorn, only to be completely erased by your mind during the second act. This elegantly directed production is a sentimental play that doesn’t fall into the sickly sweet. Instead, Joey’s fantastical narrative helps to elevate the isolation and horrors connected to war. The performances are far from awkward and distracting, as the actors bring empty frames to life in a rather remarkable transformation. Aided by live folksy music and a projector screen above their heads, the subtle direction broadens a black background into a farm, trenches, and No man's land. Allowing its performers to shine and its story to take hold of the audience, this adaption melds the Handspring Puppet Company and simple storytelling to form a perfect amalgamation. The puppeteers fight sequences were more distressing to witness that much of the modern blood and guts warfare we have come to recognise on the screen. Offering quieter scenes of the underprepared, with venerable characters and authentic elements of battle. Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo, the tenth-anniversary tour has brought War Horse back to The Lowry. Following eight years in the West End and a 2012 film directed by Steven Spielberg, this is a story that is captivating in any medium. War Horse offers a sense of trauma attached to the war that does not play into familiar territory. The National Theatre presents a refreshing take that reflects loss, love and life down to its barebones. WarHorse TheLowry #Manchester

Bringing the synergy of a charismatic cast and a laughable narrative, Legally Blonde the Musical offers a revival of its 2001 hit film starring Reese Witherspoon. Not much has been altered in terms of plot as we follow Elle Woods (former X-Factor and Eurovision Song Contest contender, Lucie Jones) as she fights to keep her man by getting into Harvard and proving she’s serious. Untethered to reality, Legally Blonde transfers seamlessly into a musical. Alongside a live band the entire music catalogue, that includes Omigod You Guys, Whipped Into Shape and Bend and Snap is purely catchy and upbeat. The cast that include Rita Simons (EastEnders) as Paulette and Bill Ward (Coronation Street) as Professor Callahan are a great mix of talented singers, dancers and overperformers that are required to keep the show buoyant. Playing up for audience laughs and embracing their roles, the large cast of caricatures offer enough distractions to keep the formulaic and well-known story fresh. Additionally, energising the audience with special guest appearances of Bruser and Rufus. Elle’s journey of self-discovery runs her through several set pieces, from her Delta Nu sorority to the halls of Harvard. However, the sets themselves are a little worse for wear, with one that appeared to have been karate kicked in and many others roughed up. Costumes were equally shabby chic, offering some fashions that no lady of the noughties era would be seen dead in. The production saved its budget for its interval and final moments, offering Elle’s name in lights and a confetti finale, the rest was really smoke and mirrors. Mainly smoke, as the malfunctioning fog machine began to make more appearances than Elle. While smoke over spilled into scenes at law office and beauty parlour the overall feeling was a party atmosphere that wouldn’t stop. This production kept its audience smiling and offered an amusing retake of the original. Also similar to its original, in that it is saved by its fantastic performers and its ability to make fun of itself. If you are a fan of the film, then you are bound to love its musical companion. Even if you aren’t, what’s not to love about a crowd pleasing, cheesy rom-com? LegallyBlondetheMusical #PalaceTheatre #Manchester

In a campaign to keep the Parkside Colliery pit, four members of the Women Against Pit Closures have side-lined their husbands, children and jobs to fight for their communities and futures. Anne, Elaine, Dot and Lesley pose as teachers who wish to tour the mines but plan to protest the closure by staging a sit in. The Royal Exchange highlights the pits confined space, making room for a suspended cage that carries the women into the mine while lifting its floor to reveal its gravelly centre. Equipped with hard hats and flashlights, the show does its best to balance the humour and anger surrounding the closures, heard through the voices of the forgotten. Originated as a radio play by Maxine Peake, the adaption to the stage downplays the action of the movement, opting to talk through all problems without offering any solutions. For mining villages, prospects appear to be bleak as no plan or investment have been implemented to offset the impact of an industry removed. Nevertheless, stories drift between the dispute of the coal war, humour in the mundane, personal relationships, lack of relationships and higher education. It becomes a waiting game where the strategy behind the provoked coal strikes aren’t clarified and the women begin to bicker among themselves. The group includes a member labelled too highbrow for listening to Radio 4, a randy mixed raced character, a middle-aged white woman and a middle-aged white woman who still uses the term “coloured”. The point being, can’t we all just get along? Yet, with clashes that demonised while destroying working class communities, their stories fail to depict the real consequences behind pit closures. The arguments against closures range from letting men be men, to women doing it for themselves, but primarily focuses on the struggle to survive after the pits have closed. It's 1993, only 31 pits remain and despite the relentless violence and poverty ravishing mining villages, the conversations between the women serve to highlight their differences. With a Us vs Them mentality that places many on shallow ground, it becomes frustrating to listen to serious issues being suspended for jokes. When a young miner named Michael enters the space to deliver supplies, he shares his father’s experiences of the lack of support, security and diversity within his mining community. It is an experience that has sent him back to Jamaica, and a conversation ends there. Despite its diverse cast, the discussions surrounding cultural understanding and a legacy of loss aren’t spoken on in-dept. Institutional racism and police brutality are intertwined as Anne explains to Michael that she used to believe there was “no smoke without fire” when black people were arrested without cause. However, after her arrests she realised the police could unjustly detain people. Unfortunately, there simply isn’t enough time to delve into casual racism further as the rest of the ladies have returned from the loo. Instead, Michael is asked about his future, one in which he’d love to become a DJ and is told he shouldn’t give up on his dreams. Labelled weak for not fighting against his boss and the mine closure, Michael asks for the point of fighting a losing battle? It is a question that lingers throughout the production as the legacy left for its youth is never up for debate. This production does highlight how the miner strikes fashioned fighter and artists out of housewives. Opening a new birth of leadership for working-class women not deemed politically charged or mentally capable. However, the humour here often buries the real acts of heroism that these women uncovered. QueensoftheCoalAge #TheRoyalExchange #Manchester

“I’ve never seen such a change in a man.” With all the tropes of a classic thriller, the real shock of Christie’s 1924 Love From A Stranger, is how this established mystery continues to hypnotise its crowds. Creating genuine gasps and noooooos from audience members throughout its suspenseful, character-driven narrative, this adaptation by Lucy Bailey brings out the Miss Marple in every spectator. The story follows recent Sweepstake winner Cecily Harrington (Helen Bradbury) as she uncovers a new-found need for spontaneity and travel. It goes without saying that mo money means mo problems, but Cecily’s winnings also come with opportunities. With plans to rent her apartment, travel and revaluate her relationship to longstanding fiancé Ronald, nothing is holding her back. Though friend Mavis (Alice Haig) and only living relative, aunty Ethel (Molly Logan) do believe Cecily’s sudden need for an escapade is a little extreme. Unexpectedly, Nigel Lawrence (Justin Avoth) steps into the picture, entering in the hopes of renting Cecily’s space and leaving her with the promise of love and adventure. Within the story, there are enough stranded characters and pockets of information to have the detective within you develop your conclusions before the intermission. Long-standing private eyes may have already cracked the case, or quite possibly anyone who has watched an episode of Scooby Doo. However, within the scope of two hours, the joy of Agatha Christie’s narrative remains in the chase, rather than its reveal. At the Lowry, Mike Britton’s pure and understated set design offers a house that extends past both sides of the stage. Its transparent walls can reveal the hidden spaces surrounding the characters while also obstructing the movement of others. Its eerie flashes of white and red surround Nigel, combined with a naturalistic soundtrack of clocks, heartbeats and buzzing. The perfectly paced thriller offers a wonderfully eccentric cast whose wity, believable dialogue can be over analysed by the audience in an effort to unravel the mystery before its final scenes. Even if you aren’t a fan of the genre, it is easy to appreciate the humour, performances and design that is lovingly lavished into this production. The traditions of Agatha have been slightly updated with this feisty remake. Originally adapted by Frank Vosper for the stage in 1936, the characters here are far more suggestive and tactless. Yet, the queen of crime’s short story follows the familiar footprint of her other masterful thrillers and it is the direction and actors that hold the suspense. In a production that proves you needn’t mess with the classics, Love From A Stranger continues to stand the test of time. #AgathaChristie LoveFromAStranger TheLowry #Manchester

For its 30th anniversary tour, the students of New York’s High School for The Performing Arts are placed in a slow cooker of relentless pressure. Following the talented teens through their four-year academic journey, FAME exposes the industries prying antics and the pitfalls set for the wannabe celebrities. Sitting between its 1980 original, a six-season TV series and a cartoonish 2009 remake, FAME continues to remain relevant by relating to audiences through its message of inclusion. The storylines play into the sensitivities of the day, with a mixture of performance and pain that continues to connect. Sexuality, race and privilege are explored through the relationships within the drama, dance and music departments. The show reveals a shocking level of awareness from its 80s teens and attempts to keep the substance of its original by juggling difficult themes. Within its original class, the film mixed an illiterate black dancer, a closeted actor and a failing student as they pushed for recognition within their industry. Although its recent high-school musical reboot, wrapped the downsides of fame in cheesy clichés, FAME the Musical walks a tightrope between the two. Not quite offering the gritty realism of its predecessor, the live production by SellADoor company restores the archetypal characters. Between the rapper, the quiet one and the joker, it balances a likeable refresh of the familiar. Highlighting the harsh realities of life for the students is Miss Sherman (Mica Paris). Her focus on their academic studies is a constant reminder that the majority of the talented troupe will not make a living in the arts. The, I Wanna Hold On to You singer lends her soulful vocals to the production, bringing the assertive performance of a staple star. At the Palace Theatre the high-flying kicks were hitting audience members in the gallery seats. Director/choreographer Morgan Large offers a party atmosphere throughout the shows 2 hours 35 minutes production. The impressive cast boasts a combination of theatre, musicians and TV performers, including Tyrone Huntley (Sister Act and The Book of Mormon), former Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter (Iris) and Keith Jack (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat). Using group choreography, stage singers and live musicians, it performers delivered spirited routines in every scene. The personality of the production was not only left to the cast as the charming set design offered far more than a simple school stage. The student bodies yearbook pictures adorned the walls while the productions songs elevated the pacing of the story. These Are My Children, Think of Meryl Streep and the duet Let’s Play a Love Song help form relationships and tie up loose ends within its large cast. Wrapped around its Oscar-winning song, the final farewell for the class of 84 offers a feel-good anthem for all the aspiring stars in the audience and despite its 80s flavour, FAME continues to offer a strong stage presence. FAME PalaceTheatre #Manchester

BlacKkKlansman is based on the true story of Ron Stallworth (played by John David Washington) who severed as the first African-American officer at the Colorado Springs Police Department. The story follows an ensemble cast as the new detective attempts to infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan. Alongside civil rights activist Patrice (Laura Harrier) and detective Zimmerman (Adam Driver), the wide spread rise in right-wing ideology is explored from both sides of the isle. Jordan Peele, the producer and Academy-Award winning writer of Get Out, helped lay the foundation for director Spike Lee in a story that plays to demystify the power of the Klan. The two work to raise the issue of rebranding within the unbelievable narrative that took home the Grand Prix prize at Cannes. The kung fu loving, Soul Train moving, Black Power piece unleashes the fashionable, liberated 70’s against the recent emergence of repressed racism. Taking a critical eye to the impact of imagery and themes in film, Lee includes the classics of American cinema. Opening with a wide shot of Gone with the Wind, inserting KKK footage from Birth of a Nation and referencing Blaxploitation cinema, Lee asks us to confront the representations of blackness on screen. Whether it is remixing the spectacle of blackface in Tropic Thunder or the lone heroic figure in Django Unchained, the distorted cinematic stereotypes are created to garner attention for their shock factor, rather than bring awareness to any social and moral difficulties we face. Instead of erasing or denying this past, Lee asks for accountability. Not only from filmmakers but viewers who have become less critical and more complacent about the representations created for our entertainment. While the trendy Blaxploitation era offered starved black audiences’ images of strong black characters on screen, we are only now witnessing a wider birth of real stories that are more reflective of the true black experience. While black creatives are finally being promoted on a larger platform alongside the usual suspects, we should stay critical of the narratives presented to us. This film needn’t be a flat-out documentary highlight how disturbingly relevant Ron’s story is. With BlacKkKlansman opening worldwide on the one-year anniversary of Charlottesville, jarring fake film of the Klan’s cross burning is cross cut against real footage of 2007's Unite the Right rally, where white supremacists fought over the removal of a Confederate statue. Lee’s work also pushes the past to the present by visually focusing in on black self-love to counter the new wave of conservative thinking. The character, Patrice offers a strong amalgamation of all the women who influenced the Black Power movement. Merging Angela Davis, Ella Baker, and other behind-the-scenes organisers, her presence alone helps redefine a regularly forgotten piece of history that is obscured behind the men of the movement. Strong performers are trusted with the material in a way that also makes the racism palatable. Topher Grace who plays the Grand Wizard of the KKK, David Duke has opted to lose the hood and suit up in public to help change the perception of the Klan. His reframing of racist attitudes, including “America First” has ushered in an acceptable intolerance, with a new wave of momentum behind his ideas. BlacKkKlansman is a fantastic film that reminds audiences of how current administrations have capitalised and captured the particular characteristic that makes America great for some. But, it is also a painful reminder of how effortlessly right-wing ideology has seeped into all of our cultures.

This musical adaptation of Cilla captures flashes of Cilla Blacks unique personality and energy through a snapshot of her rise in the 60’s. Despite a lengthy career covering four decades as an actress and television presenter, Cilla’s later life isn’t pulled into focus. The show, produced in part by her son Robert Willis, instead chooses to hone in on the musician she wanted to be remembered for. During the two-and-a-half-hour production that follows Pricilla White from humble Liverpudlian beginnings, to her rebranded stardom of Cilla Black at the London Palladium, there are plenty of revealing moments about the national treasure. Her down to earth personality and the infectious spirit flow out towards the audience, thanks in most part to Pauline Fleming who captures the magnetic Cilla. While she offers heart-warming vocals, the mix of her recognisable traits, familiar songs and lesser-known personal elements offer a moving and inspiring celebration of the pop singer. For audiences unfamiliar with Cilla’s legacy or the ITV miniseries the musical is based on, this concentrated adaptation merges a collection of memories and incredible songs. With a soundtrack that includes Cilla’s greatest hits, Anyone Who Had a Heart and Alfie, the show remains immensely entertaining without any prior knowledge required. It isn’t a jukebox musical with songs shoehorned in, as all but one of the songs are placed in a concert or recording studio. You can expect performances alongside the Beatles at the Cavern Club, The Mamas and The Papas’ on the Ed Sullivan Show and surprise, surprise performances from Cilla throughout. All the songs included serve a purpose, sitting alongside the dialogue to help draw the atmosphere of the 60’s. Slashed, staggered staging allows scenes to switch with ease as the sets move from solid Liverpool’s rooftops and homes to Abbey Road Studios and draped backdrops. With a large cast of 20 switching out the props, the celebration of Cilla does well to offer a concert atmosphere alongside her personal story. The only trouble with Bill Kenwright’s direction and sitting in the Stalls is its limited view. During the first half of the production, which is primarily set in the Cavern Club, all the dancers surround the artists. While this does offer the casual club vibe setting, they also block your view, and it is frustrating to have to watch actor’s shimmy and twist in front of the musicians you actually want to see. But I suppose it also makes for an authentic concert experience. Cilla’s story feels curtailed as the narrative picks up on her support systems that is split between her relationship with husband, manager and mentor Bobby Willis (played by Carl Au) and the Beatles manager Brian Epstein (played by Andrew Lancel). While this production offers an impressive array of hits and talented singers, the dramatization turns most of the cast into caricatures. With little sense of realism in the stage biography, you learn the basics behind Cilla’s rise to the top, but the show doesn’t allow enough time to let her personality shine. Fleming rightfully steals the show with her vocals. Alongside bedazzled costumes, limited choreography and blinding spotlights there is little-added presence needed at the Lowry. With the sets primarily formed around live performances, the use of an on-stage band keeps the music electric, and the crowd animated. Offering a memorable celebration of the talented musician, Cilla the Musical leaves the melancholy of Cilla’s life on the backburner and tunes into the hits. CillatheMusical TheLowry #Manchester

In a spirited musical tribute, Vika Bull celebrates the life and legacy of the rhythm and blues singer Etta James. Residing outside the typical jazz image, James’ gritty-voiced renditions are credited with helping bridge the gap between blues music and rock and roll. Her raw energy and feisty attitude were reflected in the soulful collection of classics she left behind, carrying a distinctly deep voice that harboured lovesick songs. The Etta James Story focuses on her earlier work, balancing the life of the gusty singer with her timeless tracks. In an honest portrayal of the artist, Bull opts against emulating James’ blonde bob beginnings and theatrical image, choosing to echo her earthy, powerful vocals throughout the concert. It is a sensitive portrayal that revisits James’ turbulent career and troubled life off stage. Younger audiences may be familiar with the commercial successes of At Last and I Just Want to Make Love to You, tied to the memorable Guinness and Coke adverts. However, James’ personal life was far from sweet and included problems with poor management, physical abuse and a heroin addiction that saw her husband Artis Mills serve a 10-year prison sentence for drug possession. Escaping through music, James’ sporadic career comprises 30 studio album credits and an eclectic range of songs that encompassed gospel, country and a Billie Holiday cover album titled Mystery Lady. Bull spends the evening revisiting the successes that catapulted James’ career, within the familiar genre she ultimately fell back into. Together with the Essential R&B Band, Bull belts the staples that fans want to hear. Tell Mama, I’d Rather Go Blind and Don’t Cry Baby are collated with the ultimate love song At Last, to offer audiences a relaxed atmosphere brimming with beautiful music. The show conceived in Melbourne by the Australian singer Vika Bull presents dazzling renditions of classic tracks that have been heavily covered by icons such as Celine Dion and Amy Winehouse. A seasoned performer with penetrating vocals, Bull is recognised for singing back up for Paul Kelly and performing as one half of the duo, Vira and Linda together with her younger sister. While Bull’s life may be the polar opposite to James’, the show doesn’t rely solely on nostalgia to carry out its tribute. Multitalented bandmembers sing duos, perform solos and add to the storybook elements of James’ life. Stressing the influence and impact that James’ music has had on them and the generations that followed, the mature range that Bull brings aids audiences understanding of her experiences. Her decisive debut album, At Last was released in 1960’s at the age of 22. In spite of her struggles, her career garnered six Grammy Awards, an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Protective over her songs and personal image, James was famously frustrated with Beyoncé for performing her hit At Last at Obama’s 2009 inauguration, along with her portrayal in the 2008 melodramatic biopic, Cadillac Records. At the Bridgewater Hall, the commanding icon is presented with an aesthetically simple production that pulls Bulls aching vocals over At Last. Alongside the seven-piece instrumental, Bull’s honest introduction to the life of Etta James offers a moving tribute that recognises the legend as a stand-alone star, with no imitation necessary. This review was originally written for Frankly My Dear TheEttaJamesStory #Manchester BridgewaterHall

The moody Pulitzer Prize winning play by Arthur Miller offers audiences an intimate look into Willy Loman’s life. Despite his fragility, Willy’s archaic beliefs idealise a man's man, with a need to be perceived as a confident, self-made salesman that begins his undoing. With plans to settle his final mortgage payment, plant veggies in his garden and sell on the company floor rather than continue on the road, Willy’s dreams appear reasonable and attainable. Yet his garden is blocked off by the overshadowing apartments surrounding his house, and he works solely on commission with dwindling sales figures. Calving out a piece of the American Dream through a long-standing commitment to a company, Willy hopes to end with a decent retirement package, but his dreams are easily collapsible under the weight of the capitalist system. After selling on the road for decades with little to show for his efforts, Willy travels home to find his sons dissipate his image, merely with their presence. With his worth attached to social status and wealth, director Sarah Frankcom creates a vacant but stirring environment at the Royal Exchange, that orbits around Willy. The shadowy and sunken set allows cast members to sit on the sidelines, judging him from afar amongst the audience. A symbol of the broken American Dream, Willy demonstrations how we can all be seduced by the glitz and glamour of success without questioning the flawed reasons we strive for it. Family and friends demote his missed opportunities and increasingly arrogant attitude as passing blips as Willy clings to the belief that effort is secondary to personality. With romanticised visions that allow him to live in a bubble of the past, his wife and friends facilitate his unwillingness to change. Sanitising his suicidal thoughts as being exhausted and devalued, they become instigators for his old-fashioned mentality that is broken when his son Biff returns home. Don Warrington returns to the Exchange after the success of King Lear with an equally spiralling and destructive character. Alongside Ashley Zhangazha and Buom Tihngang, the straightforward story is cemented with utterly gripping performances. The main cast members do not often leave the stage, but scenes take seamless turns from comedic to heart-breaking moments. Dreams and reality merge with little altered than the lighting and sound, allowing Willy’s warped mind to be enclosed in on the claustrophobic stage. Despite Willy’s foreseeable fate, this production remains an engaging ride to watch. Death of a Salesman challenges the perceptions of poverty, progression and societal values, finding that quality of opportunity is no longer a given within our ruthless system. The play was written in 1949, before Miller was summoned in front of the McCarthy commission and accused of undermining the American way of life. Miller has contested that Willy's story is not about communism or capitalism, instead stating that it is merely about a man robbed of his dream. Yet when sons Biff and Happy look to the future with different outlooks on life, it is difficult to dismiss the rampant greed among the rich that continue to hold countless Loman’s in a sealed fate. #DeathofaSalesman #Manchester TheRoyalExchange

Calendar Girls is based on a true story that follows eleven members of the Yorkshire’s Women’s Institute when the life-affirming leading ladies unify for a charity drive. With plans to break ageist expectations and stigma with the creation of a naked calendar, the middle-aged group set out to raise money for Bloodwise cancer research. Developed into a feel-good film starring Helen Mirren in 2003, the story was once again reworked into an award-winning musical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth in 2015. The success of the show has it back to the Lowry where its Yorkshire inspired story has sunflowers spilling out into the Lowry foyer. The personal story of Chris (played by Rebecca Storm) who aims to celebrate the life of her husband after his death to cancer, summons the support of her community to keep his memory alive and raise money for research. Rather than follow the downward spiral of terminal cancer with a rollercoaster of emotions drawn out through the scenes, the music preserves . Keeping its audience on a waltzer of emotions, spinning between jokes and emotive songs that push the narrative forward without becoming too disheartening. Alongside the live band, 18 hits penned by Barlow and Firth bring a pop appeal to the well-established story. Its unbusy set keeps the spotlight on its seven main cast members, allowing the powerful story and its themes of female empowerment to remain honest and relatable. An abundance of personality through its disarmingly charming cast split the story into mini side narratives that keep its plot fast-paced and its joke counter high. Each with a solo performance that captures their personal growth and heroism, the mature voices are not clumped together as a matching monolithic group. their connection is clearly one of support, with their individual stories strong and convincing enough to stand on their own. The show includes multiple appealing elements as Barlow talents stand firmly behind some of Britain’s finest long-standing female actresses. Vividly painting scenes through song, Rebecca Storm and Anna-Jane Casey perform numbers as bright as the sunflowers on set. Up-tempo tracks finish on the highest note possible, with the artists stretching out the final word with both fists punching the air. The production has attracted a great collection of stars, including Hi-De-Hi’s Ruth Madoc as Jessie and Loose Women’s Denise Welch as Celia. Helping to promote the very English and extraordinarily inspirational tale, the ensemble cast appear laid-back and likable. Finally, after exposing themselves and the audience to a personality-driven calendar posting with teapots, Bakewell tarts and bouquets, the show ends with an encore from the original Calendar Girls who since their formation have raised over six million for the Bloodwise charity. Talk about doing small things in great ways. CalendarGirls #Manchester TheLowry

Recognised for collaborating with a diverse range of artists and groups, Manchester Camerata are back at the Bridgewater Hall with a fresh take on a sixties sound. Composed by Joe Duddell, the group are reshaping a spectacular assortment of Northern Soul, and Motown hits along with Manchester’s homegrown talents. The Glastonbury opening orchestra is effective in bringing a diverse group of music lovers into the theatre to rediscover and celebrate these classics with the sparkle of the original recordings. The show strikes gold with its charismatic artists who shimmer in sequins and velvet blazers under the disco ball set dazzling above the audience. Merging America’s 60’s soul music and the British mod scene, the show unites four of the original Northern Soul DJ’s to perform before the live show began. Richard Searling, Colin Curtis, Dave Evison, Pete Roberts and Jordan Wilson from The Torch, the Wigan Casino and Manchester’s The Twisted Wheel show their appreciation to Northern Soul’s overlooked tracks that are unearthed to hype up the crowd preconcert. With a legacy of countless hits, the concert showcases Motown’s musical memories from 1960-69, mixing Gloria Jones Tainted Love and the soulful Supremes You Keep Me Hangin' On for a track list that flows between emotional ballads and impactful hits. The sensational sounds of Motown were inspired by gospel music, with founder Berry Gordy producing a line of polished commercial stars through his Detroit empire. Seducing audiences with a blend of timeless sing-along successes, complete with synchronised dancers and shoulder shimmies, the regular chart-toppers were embraced at a time when black artists had few rights off stage. Motown distilled an undeniable talent into the pop sphere, influencing social circumstances where they could, with the independent record company providing a platform to a line of talented artists that inhabited and influenced the UK’s underground sound. Playing with the unique sound that launched the careers of the Jackson 5, Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder, powerhouse vocalist, Wayne Ellington delights audiences with these tracks. Selected from a catalogue of 79 top ten charting hits, Ellington delivers the infectious songs My Girl, I Heard It Through the Grapevine and Reach Out (I'll Be There). Founder of the choir Manchester Inspirational Voices, Ellington delivers crowd-pleasing performances alongside the gifted Sharlene Hector, Paul Stuart Davies, Dominic Wilson and Beth Macar. The five closed the show with What Becomes of the Broken Hearted to a standing ovation. The dynamic Manchester Camerata apply a loving touch to the endlessly sampled classics, expanding their power to familiar favourites to the delight of their audience. Despite the Bridgewater Halls all seated venue, Out on the Floor is determined to get you up on your feet and dancing into the weekend. This review was originally written for Northern Soul ManchesterCamerata OutontheFloor #Manchester #BridgewaterHall