The Hallé’s epic collection of fantasy music hosted by the bell ringing, “shame” chanting, Game of Thrones actress, Hannah Waddingham offers audiences a trip to the unknown. With a vibrant wave of music hitting the Bridgewater Hall, the intense collection of gripping tracks performed by the Hallé’s conductor Stephen Bell, surfs the audiences through a wave of memorable modern classics including themes from the Hunger Games, Spiderman and Star Wars. With the orchestra kitted out in full cosplay costumes, performing as Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, Dr Who and the Men In Black, the Hallé are fully committed to the cause of entertaining their audience. These bright and accessible collaborations within the Hallé’s classic repertoire offer entirely entertaining evenings that continue to push their transfixing performances onto all round family favourite themes. Video game soundtracks including the inexplicably addictive Final Fantasy, Angry Birds and Call of Duty were included in the fantasy collection to help refresh the audience’s memory of playing against falling debris. With a plethora of inviting and inventive shows developed and performed by the Hallé heavyweights, audiences should investigate the countless themed evening that their upcoming 2019-20 catalogue has rolled out. We can expect more stunning performances from their future shows including A Night at the Oscars and Elton John - 50 Years of Your Song. Be sure to check the Hallé’s upcoming collections through the link below. TheHallé BridgewaterHall #Manchester

The dysfunctional Hoover family are taking the Lowry Quays audience on a road trip from New Mexico to California while sharing their broken, idealistic and waylaid dreams along the way. We follow parents Richard (Gabriel Vick) and Sheryl (Laura Pitt-Pulford), their teenage son Dwayne (Sev Keoshgerian) and their grandfather (Mark Moraghan), as they rally around their daughter Olive’s (Eve Gibson) dream to win the Little Miss Sunshine child beauty pageant. With the recent addition of Sheryl’s suicidal brother Frank (Paul Keating), together with grandpa’s cocaine addiction and their son's vow of silence, the detached family is forced to stay together opting to drive to California to get Olive to the pageant on time. Audiences can soak up the summery glow of the intimate Quays theatre as the set dons a fresh floor to ceiling yellow alongside a map of the families routed journey. There are plenty of moving parts added to this musical production, allowing audiences to follow the live band on the second tier of the stage, besides crafty reveals and more theatrical characters. As the Hoovers take off on their coerced trip in a hollowed out, busted minivan, Selladoor Productions transports them in a basic tiered chair set up, exposing the families limited space. Director Mehmet Ergen perfectly plays out the close living quarters of the Hoovers, with pass through walls that allow the audience to feel their claustrophobic life and the palpable tension played out between the unharmonious characters. Despite initially being bought to the screen in the dry dramedy starring Steve Carell, its stage adaptation is a challenging revamp that flows the melancholy narrative through a supportive soundtrack. The 2006 film offered a handful of memorable musical moments, but the notable gap in pop music makes the films unique ending shine. While illuminating the story for new audiences, this musical adaptation is forced to remove the familiar flashy and sentimental songs associated with the genre. The dreary lives of the Hoovers are naturally uplifted through its tricky adaptation, but the musical accomplishes a new strength and movement through its songs. The mostly seated stage production uses its soundtrack to build on the strength of its beaten-down characters and songs, such as How Have I been? and The Happiest Guy In The Van written by William Finn are enjoyable add ons to the shows painful humour. Thirteen years after the original release, the simple stories loose themes surrounding sex, suicide, drugs, and the American Dream plays out within the fractured Hoover family and continue to be carried by its engaging ensemble cast. Here, with Gibson at the centre, the cast brings the candid story in an honest musical form as its characters look for reasons to keep chugging along. The musical remains faithful to the tone of its film, centred around finding your place in the ever-growing exclusive world; Little Miss Sunshine is an inspiring journey that should leave the most pessimistic audience member feeling uplifted. LittleMissSunshineTheMusical #SelladoorProductions #Manchester TheLowry

Anyone wishing for an 80s revival should head to the Opera House theatre for a trip back to an era where Pac-Man was the latest craze and mobile phones cost mere thousands. Embracing audiences with an interactive live show, resident entertainment manager, Joe McElderry and his troupe are heading up the Club Tropicana hotel as a familiar Butlins style resort. Offering free drinks, fun and sunshine, the spirited 80s jukebox musical set the audience up with the banter, singalongs and a pantomime- esque night out. With matching Crayola coloured costumes and glimmering sets to lift their customer's spirits, the hotel immerses you in the novelty of 80s style. Immediately thrusting you into its world, the production pitches a light, frothy comedy that grips onto old-fashioned slapstick and inuendoes, alongside its fantastic live band and extensive soundtrack. With such a large and recognisable ensemble cast including Kate Robbins (Spitting Image, Dinnerladies) and former Sugababe, Amelle Berrabah performing the hits, the show moves swiftly, including impressive musical performances by the entire team. The story centres around Robert and Lorraine’s failed wedding ceremony, which sees both bride and groom flee with their friends from the altar, only to escape separately to the same hotel. Wrapped up in shoulder pads and feathered wigs, the animated musical tales an abundance of inspiration from bubbly 80s tracks like Take on Me, Girls Just Wanna, and The Look of Love, complete with choreography and clothing to match. Although the show was unable to reserve the rights to George Michaels Wham! hit from which it takes its title, it doesn’t fail to bring audiences a wealth of accessible songs they can sing and dance along to. Did someone say Macarena? With the audience up on their feet, its enlivening dance numbers and memorable melodies are driven by its energising and talented group of performers, who don’t take themselves too seriously. Club Tropicana The Musical by Michael Gyngell comprises producers attached to the UK production of Hairspray, and there are similar themes that run through both multicoloured productions. Notably replacing its live Corny Collins Show for Garry the holiday park entertainment manager which allows its lead, Joe McElderry (2009 X-Factor winner) to talk directly to the audience alongside Consuela (Kate Robbins) assisting as the versatile cleaner. The joyful production keeps a relaxed flow, pacing its comedy between a medley of over twenty 80’s tracks. The surprisingly intense choreography and its rotating cast of colourful characters keeps the show buoyant as the simple storyline is propped up by their personalities. Club Tropicana’s musical fusion forms a production that draws on the Butlins mantra, remaining relentlessly happy with its Hi-de-Hi image. As the show’s soundscape serves up familiar classics and bright variety performances, the family audience it is affectionately aimed at are sure to be entertained. ClubTropicana #Manchester #TheOperaHouse

Harold Brighouse’s 1916 play based in Salford, follows a conservative shopkeeper named Hobson as he attempts to raise his three independent daughters alone. With sound advice like “it’s a man’s world” echoing off his shop walls, you may be surprised that Hobson’s outdated views have been revitalised in an adaption that infuses the original story with an inventive twist. Writer Tankia Gupta brings the 1880’s cobbler shop to the 1980s, transforming the shop grounds with sarees and suits. Alongside the initial facelift of its dated narrative, Gupta embraces the stories universal themes surrounding parenthood, feminism and immigration. Converting the tale with customs surrounding the Hindu community, the pressure is raised by the generation gap that sees his three daughters fighting to pick and choose their own husbands. Hobson remains at the heart of his community, having immigrated to Manchester as a Ugandan-Asian with his wife to better his family’s circumstances. Fifteen years after Idi Amin expelled 70,000 Asians from Uganda, the toiling middle-class maker has established a name for himself in the UK. Unknown circumstances have left Hobson widowed, but we follow him years later in an ambivalent and apathetic mood. More often in the pub and leaving his daughters to carry the weight of the shop unpaid, the booze-driven manager's treatment is becoming a cause for concern for his daughters. As each of the women look for a means to escape their fate as voluntary contributors to the shop, the simple story chiefly follows his eldest daughter, Durga who plans to plan to break away and shape a life for herself. Labelled as the least desirable due to her age (30), the two youngest daughters pin their hopes on their partners rescuing them from their tyrannical father before he chooses a husband for them. The honest cast brings heart filled performances to the Royal Exchange, lowering a framed picture of prime minister Edward Heath from the sky and surrounding him with the rag traders’ colourful materials. Thankful to Heath for welcoming Uganda’s Asians into the UK, the rich production brings an entertaining and revealing reimagining of the local tale. Involving the audience in this community, director Arei Baberjee ensures the cast can reach out to the audience on the round stage, allowing for quietly side-lined celebrations with the daughters. As the show offers a hopeful account of independence, it is difficult not to be seduced by this smartly reconstructed classic. HobsonsChoice #Manchester #TheRoyalExchange

The show hasn’t missed a beat since its 2004 finale, allowing The Grapes regulars to kick off a final round of the classic British comedy in phenomenal fashion. The BBC 2 series based around the day to day running of The Grapes pub in Stockport brought lovable misfits onto the screen with alluring British (and Scottish) talent staggering through its bar doors. Its original cast, full of surprise treasures like Maxine Peake and James McAvoy helped layer the grounded sitcom with shared experiences that made the show so popular and powerful. Over a decade on and only a handful of alterations have been made from its traditional line-up, with the live run including mainly familiar faces, such as The Royle Family’s Craig Cash as Joe and the “Crime can’t crack itself” coppers Phil (James Quinn) and Nige (Peter Wight). Its stage adaption co-written by program creator Craig Cash and show writer/star Philip Mealey (Duffy), carries a brand-new story to the Lowry theatre, picking up exactly where the show left off. The show centres around pub landlord Ken (John Henshaw), his daughter Melanie (Laura Woodward), and his controlling mother (Judith Barker) who resides upstairs, gossiping on the happenings of the regulars’. Returning after its 2018 sell-out revival of the affectionately remembered 2003-4 series, the City Life award-winning comedy continues to carry a devoted fanbase. Celebrating the down-to-earth cast of locals, the live production has flipped out Eddie and Joan to serve newcomers Freddie and June in a warm nod to its original cast, but writers Cash and Mealey take comfort in the familiar, promising to give the audience what they wished for. With the exception of smoking outdoors and an adlibbed Boris Johnson reference, the story could have been cropped out of the original series. Following Ken’s relationship troubles with barmaid Tanya (Susan Cookson), alongside the usual dating and drinking shenanigans of its locals, the smooth transition from studio to stage results in the slow-moving comedy carrying a lively live laugh track. The filming of the series was all based inside the bar, which lends itself to the stage with effortless style. Transforming the entire pub into a two-tiered set with hidden walls and minimal lighting effects, the production offers a sweet and nostalgic evening of easy-flowing laughs. Early Doors opens with its theme song Small World by Roddy Fame and ends with a sing-along remix by its entire cast that reminds audiences how thoughtful and rewarding the original series was. Full of one-liners, together with authentic and down-to-earth characters, Early Doors continues to bring old-school British comedy at its best. It’s no wonder the group called for a second round of its live production. EarlyDoors #Manchester TheLowry

While blood and guts are the current staples of the horror genre; April De Angelis is recounting a subtle 1818 classic of yesteryear. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is celebrating its 200th anniversary at The Royal Exchange with a jovial production that breathes life and a needed brevity to the reflective narrative. The novels old-world dialogue is given a tongue in cheek approach, with the elongated passages relaying Frankenstein’s frame of mind, fleshed out through flashbacks. During a mission to conquer the North Pole, Captain Walton’s ship is stalled by ice and impacted by a random traveller. After stumbling upon the fever-stricken wanderer named Victor Frankenstein, the Captain drags the stranger aboard and asks him to recount the journey that led him astray. Suspended in darkness and fused with atmospheric music, the audience at the Exchange are taken through Frankenstein’s account. It is a nimble production that somewhat removes the melancholy from Shelly’s long-winded monologues by concentrating on capturing the novel's themes of loss, vanity and ambition. A revolving cast of characters and props assist in questioning who the real monsters are, while filtering the narrative down in a glossier and more entertaining direction. Anchored by a fantastic cast, Shane Zaza (Frankenstein), Harry Attwell (The Creature) and Ryan Gage (Captain Walton) offer a Frankenstein fused with comedy and tension. Playing distinctive characters, that overlap in characteristics, the cast circle the Exchange with a momentum that stops the narrative from feeling stagnant. Although this is a timeless novel, the show implements edits and inflections that the dejected, pen-wielding protagonist of the novel lacked. With its novel purposefully framing women as disposable attractions devoid of sense, Shanaya Radaat (Elizabeth/ Safie), Nicola Solane (Mother/ Prof Waldman/ Witness) and Esther McAuley (Justine/ Prof. Krempe/ Agatha/ Kirwin) take multiple roles, two filling in as men despite the large cast. Regrettably, the cast were often let down by the overshadowing music that drowned out their dialogue, although the story translated effortlessly to the audience. Director, Matthew Xia’s constructs unexpected elements and hidden designs that made use of the Royal Exchanges height and hidden depts. Bringing thunder, fire and rain into the round theatre, where continuous movement and a forceful cast shape the scope of the story. There are also moments rooted in silence and suspended in darkness, where the fear of the unknown and the intimate spacing produce scenes that are particularly unnerving. In a prison of his own making, Frankenstein chooses to retreat into the recess of darkness and chase after his discovery. Frankenstein is a story that reenergises societies fear of medical research, but the contemporary narrative of its time has since progressed. Angelis’s new adaptation is far from a new discovery but what she has developed is a more engaging, entertaining and frightening Frankenstein. Frankenstein #Manchester #TheRoyalExchange

Symbolically the Cherry Orchard stands for brighter days and good fortune, but the traditions of the Ranevsky family estate have long been abandoned. Neglected and derelict, the orchard now depicts the passing of an old world order. Chekhov’s 1903 play is a timeless reading of socialism vs capitalist society, privilege, gentrification, love and any other human condition you can think of. With a minimalist set and a handful of props, it falls to the fantastic cast to depict a generation of history formed inside the great country estate. The story follows Mrs. Lyuba Ranevsky, her daughters, two brothers and their caretakers. Ranevsky has returned from Paris due to dwindling finances, to find that her family property has been so heavily mortgaged that it is about to be auctioned. The families frivolous spending habits have not been dampened by the news, with Lyuba particularly incline to continue living her lavish lifestyle. Fortunately for her, Lopakhin the son of their servant has since grown into the middle class and has a plan to generate income and cushion the impact of the family losing their estate. For the impoverished aristocrats, all the glamour has gone. Within The Royal Exchange the shows basic, unpolished appearance makes the manor appear barren with the large cast used to flesh out the set. Kirsty Bushell (Mrs. Lyuba Ranevsky) and Jude Owusu (Yermolay Lopakhin) more than make up for the lack of furnishings. The cast interacts with the audience, use the levels of The Round to emphasise the space and place much of the action offstage. As characters react to unseen events and the audience are left to hear second-hand information the mood formed becomes intimate, relatable and full of humour. Although the original script may have needed translating by award-winning playwright Rory Mullarkey, it has lost nothing through the years. Director Michael Boyd has not romanticised the stories focus for a contemporary audience or refreshed it with unnecessary frills. It is a fantastic production pushed by its cast and natural humour. With little remixed, the attention lavished on its actors makes the tears, silence and interaction between them far more believable and honest. For such a simplistic story, The Cherry Orchard remains a timeless staple that connects audiences through its layered characters and reverberating sentiments. TheCherryOrchard #Manchester #TheRoyalExchange

For a night of suspense, Manchester’s orchestra have formed an evening of Thrills, Spills and Chills to promote an appreciation for the music beside the movie. For the diverse audience at The Bridgewater Hall, The Hallé have curated a collection of the most memorable songs from the action genre. The tracks that promoted played a large role within the film they are featured and support the classics with an inseparable element. Where would Jaws, Bond or Psycho be without their infamous soundtracks? Similarly, even without the visuals of Spielberg or Brad Bird, these songs remain permanently connected to the director’s vision. The music can define a film, and particular composers have a knack for helping shape the drama onscreen. The influential and immediately recognisable songs by John Williams play throughout the evening and invoke memories that appear to absorb its audiences through its dramatic flair. With music that stand firmly on its own, it is a joy to watch the powerful Hallé orchestra play through a collection of iconic tracks. Conducted by Stephen Bell and presented by Petroc Trelawny, these timeless tracks are mixed amidst lesser known, atmospheric pieces that capture the spirit of the genres immediacy and movement. The Academy Award winning score from Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight and Waltz No. 2 from Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut offer quieter moments that reflect a simplicity often forgotten within the action/drama genre. These quieter sensibilities are also prefaced with curious facts surrounding the director/composer relationship. Considering the popularity of the films and directors included, it is shocking how little acknowledgement is given to celebrating the moments that tie their features together. Regardless of the tumultuous or heavenly relationship between the artist and musician, the Hallé collection carries a similar tone. It is an assortment that bleeds nostalgia, from its fractured Hitchcockian melodies, to jaunty contemporary takes such as the Incredibles. Despite following the themes of the past, this show offers music from 1960s up until 2004, with a fantastic assortment of runaway hits. Fortunately, The Hallé is always here to highlight the real magic that accompanies the big screen and a collection of future concerts are available to view on their website. TheHallé BridgewaterHall #Manchester

The Northern Ballet bring a spirited revival of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, dredging up the past for a fresh take on the 1847 classic. Overcoming a dramatic childhood, Eyre begins at the age of ten, being raised by her aunt and viewed as a burden. Learning to adapt to her rocky environments, Jane is quickly moved to Lowood school for the poor and orphaned girls, where her life continues to suffer under a new rule. Presented with an opportunity to rise above her pain, Jane becomes a teacher and later a governess. Working at Thornfield manor for Mr Rochester’s daughter, Adele she finds herself falling in love with Mr Rochester who appears to be hiding a troubling past of his own. Bronte’s novel plays within a feast of themes including independence, family and religion that translate beautifully to the ballet. Alongside live music and choreography formed by Cathy Marston, it’s performances play perfectly into the material. To highlight the development of Jane’s life and for the use of flashback, two Jane’s are presented, surrounded by rapturous but simplistic symbolism to assist in the storytelling. The leading soloist presents beautiful duet performances separate from the often repetitive and rigid movements within a group. The beauty is found between anyone who offers Jane support as you witness the ballerina poised, towed and lifted by Mr Reed and later Mr Rochester. Much of the humour comes from Adele’s character, a fun, playful child whose connections between her and the maid bring an element of relief to the otherwise tense performances. The scaled-back production offers a realism that presents rare movements of real drama regarding the visual direction. With such a moody production, it would have been exciting to witness an element of surprise, especially during the house fire. However, Northern Ballet’s visual poetry will demonstrate, even to newcomers, the power of Bronte’s work, all without a word of dialogue. Impactful through its simplicity, the softened take uses block colours and only a few props to offer an honest performance fuelled by an expressive mix of dance. The Lowry’s set is raw, allowing for audiences to engage in Jane’s personal struggle. Whether you are part of Bronte’s fantastical following or not; this modern take is disarmingly original through its reimagined adaptation that captures the heart of Jane Eyre. #JaneEyre NorthernBallet #Manchester TheLowry

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