The holiday season isn’t entirely behind us as the ghost of Christmas yet to come inhabits the Lowry Lyric theatre, reflecting on our self-absorbed worldview. The National Theatre’s immensely popular and visually thrilling production of J.B Priestley spiritually realist fable has added a few extra twists to its masterfully modern creation. Priestley’s 1954 tale reimagined by Olivier award-winning and Oscar-nominated director Stephen Daldry, unleashes a warped production that spotlights the Birling family in an ever-unravelling story surrounding power and prejudice. Daldry, who has moved between stage and screen with the longstanding Billy Elliot (2000) as well as the upcoming Wicked (2021) film musical, transitions the shadowy Birling’s family between real and mystical settings. Wrapping their opulent suburban house around multicoloured skies, Daldry centres their home on the stage, cracked open to allow audiences to peek inside. After inspector Goole interrupts the family’s engagement dinner, he takes his time serving up a lesson in social responsibilities and empathy. While conducting an enquiry into the suicide of the family’s ex-employee Eva Smith, the character-driven narrative uncovers concerning connections between the family and Eva’s death. Unsettling influences exposed through suspenseful flashbacks and thrilling direction remains framed in the Birling’s lavish home, where the inspector illuminates the family’s association with Eva . Inviting audiences to question their motives, the thriller moves through glimpses of each individual characters’ lives despite barely moving outside the bubble of the family home. While the characters confessions are reflected through the impressively expressive set and rich costumes, the colourful casting ensures the scandalous stories are also driven with humour. The naive Birling children, played by Chloe Orrock (Sheila) and Ryan Saunders (Eric), are countered by their overbearing parents, Christine Kavanagh and Jeffrey Harmer. While the children are mainly used as a sounding board for the detective’s antics, Mr and Mrs Birling’s skewed perspective is skilfully balanced by Liam Brennan playing inspector Goole. Speaking on behalf of the family, Mr Birling clashes with the detective, allowing Harmer to shine with almost pantomime villainy. Striking out and dishing some outrageous lines against Goole’s sharp comebacks, Brennan’s understated performance ties the story together, restoring justice with his cold and commanding presence. Fitted with symbols of the family’s guilt, Priestley’s straightforward story seizes on the themes of empathy, asking us to learn from our past and present mistakes. In an extremely weathered production that gathers lashings of alarming rainclouds over the heads of its cast, Daldry delivers a profoundly compelling and surprisingly hopeful narrative. Speaking directly to the crowd, this production removes the stage boundaries, moving Brennan out of the stalls and onto the stage, and enveloping the audience in a fog that clouds all in the Lowry theatre. Priestley’s classic investigates the lives of others, but Daldry’s grand retelling brings a dazzling direction that unwinds the Birling’s personal stories into a dark and captivating production. TheNationalTheatre AnInspectorCalls TheLowry #Manchester

Told by an Idiot are showing their appreciation to the icons of the silent cinema scene, reflecting the power of pantomime in a production that manufactures the best of 1910s film features. The group pay homage to the craft, with writer and director Paul Hunter, asking audiences to journey with Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel as they make their move from the UK to New York. As recent hires of Fred Karno’s Music Hall Troop , the production places the pair in a real, historical standing but envisions what took place onboard their tour of North America. After working with the company, the collaborators separated, each visibly placing their own lasting influence on classic cinema; however, this show is a flamboyant tribute, asking what inspired the men before they became household names. Threaded together with several shorts that enlighten the audience on the pair’s impactful backstories and inspirations, The Strange Tale continuously pivots forwards and backwards in time. As they fuse fact and fiction, the (almost) silent production relives and refreshes the medium into a modern, vibrant space on stage. Little embellishment is needed for the narratives as the two men’s documented lives were full of melodrama and mimicry, but these tales are rooted in fantasy. With what is known of the well-loved clowns, streamlined into shorts that combine live music, captions and animated physical comedy, this production offers a rich display that illuminates the silent superstars’ talents. On HOME’s stage the decked-out production circles around a pole, piano and drum kit, featuring the cast as the band, and an original piano score composed by Mercury Award Nominee Zoe Rahman. With an open set that allows for plenty of fast-paced action, the audiences vigilantly watch for the merging of visual gags, dance moves and subtitles that flow seamlessly on set. Its natural comedy tips its bowler hat towards Chaplin’s life with Amalia Vitale’s doubling for the clown with an endearing and vigorous performance. Looking back on Chaplin’s childhood and having Vitale jump off the stage to invite an audience member into the world of mime, the stories tend to focus on Chaplin’s influence. Shaping a familiar take on his later partnership with Oliver Hardy, Jerone Marsh-Reid as Laurel balances the comedy with his reserved support. Offering audiences a taste of the past with an energetic revival of Laurel, his charismatic, breakdancing rendition of Laurel pulls together the free-spirited Chaplin and the prop heavy shenanigans taking place on stage. Holding the appeal of silent cinemas well-timed pratfalls, slipups and foreseeable stumbles, the time capsule production plays out a loving tribute to The Little Tramp and Stan Laurel. Building on their legacy with an experimental live show that is silent but deadly through its execution. Told by an Idiot conjures a reflective and inspiring reframing of the greats, offers audiences a shared experience of the silent cinemas whimsical humour and the enduring influence these men hold in comedy. TheStrangeTaleOfCharlieChaplinAndStanLaurel #ToldByAnIdiot HOMEmcr

Showering audiences in hits for eleven years straight, Thriller Live has merged Michael Jacksons classic tracks, iconic videos and original choreography to form a dazzling live concert. Fuelled by Michael’s influence, the show continues to rep for the King of Pop, enlisting five artists to cover his hits. Balanced by its male vocalists, Kieran Alleyne, Britt Quintin, David Julien and Joseph Thomas, the show injects some girl power with its fantastic female lead, Adriana Louise. The performers play through the best of Michael’s 45-year musical history, with ten backing dancers flipping and moonwalking over two floors of staging. The fabulous live band blare behind an enormous video screen that alters the locations from a multicoloured studio performance for the Jackson 5’s ABC , to a zombie-filled Thriller creation. As the production acts as a straight concert, the Palace Theatre is kitted out with studio lights and screens used to travel back through Michael’s catalogue in what feels like a live, two-hour-long MTV music video. Director and choreographer Gary Lloyd spins several plates to ensure that the nostalgic tribute allows fans to see their favourite pop video remade in front of their eyes. Moving from Little MJ, to popular impersonator, Kieran Alleyne for the memorable Billie Jean choreography, the show offers a relentless package of bundled hits. The staging is minimal, but between the productions rapid costume changes and the strength of its five lead vocalists, the concert relives the memory of Michael’s music besides a universal message of hope and unity. Despite the controversial figures resting legacy, audiences remain eager to keep the popular music alive, with Thriller Live smartly recasting famous and distinctive singers into its large ensemble habitually. The cast have plenty of material to work with, even if it’s one glove, and alongside its pacy and charming performances, the deceptively simple staging staggers a prop heavy production to carry out its concept. Including the club scene from Smooth Criminal , complete with its long lean, anti-gravity choreography and the entire Walking Dead crew shuffling out to deliver the titles song, the catalogue bundles 22 of Michael’s 44 UK Top 10’s. Thriller remains one of the most popular and famous music videos of all time, with the track built up into the shows second act as a reminder to audiences of Michael’s record-breaking impact. The 1983 pioneering video directed by An American Werewolf’s John Landis is a treat definitely worth repeating, together with thirty other tracks on offer. Sharing the stage, all five artists join together to perform They Don't Care About Us , Black or White and Man In The Mirror , presenting a short tribute to the artist they emulate in front of his silhouette. Bringing an accessible and relaxed experience to The Palace Theatre, Thriller Live is a must for any Michael fan, or anyone onboard with reviving the moonwalk. Leaving plenty of moments for the audience to sing backup alongside the numerous Jacksons on stage, the shows talented and lively performers take on the classics in an enjoyable production. ThrillerLive #MichaelJackson ThePalaceTheatre #Manchester

The Lowry theatre has transformed into a haunted house, with the League of Gentleman’s Jeremy Dyson and Derren Brown collaborator, Andy Nyman conjuring forces onto the stage for a night of terrifying truths. Constricting you to your seat and forcing you to face your fear of the others, the pair paint a picture of vengeful ghosts within real-world scenarios. Hosted by a sceptic who repeats that “the brain sees what it wants to see”, Ghost Stories explores three unsolved tales of paranormal activity that hang on a ring of truth. We follow Dr Goodman, a Professor of Parapsychology (Joshua Higgott), who investigates and debunks Casper’s on a daily basis. As we sit in on one of his lectures that features the scienceofghosts.com, we listen in on the recordings of three interviews, with the production playing back the tales of a night watchman, a disgruntled teenager and a businessman live on stage. Under the shadows, audiences are left to self-inflict their discomfort. Using the power of our own nervous energy and over eagerness to build up the notorious, but nevertheless, still cringeworthy jumps scares that playout throughout the production. For a straight hour and forty minutes, the show challenges the audience to doubt their cynicism, with Dr Goodman appearing less persuasive as each insidious story is told. Using the power of suggestion, the co-writer behind many of Derren Brown’s productions harness our relatable fears by giving all audience members the sixth sense. Torturing us with blackouts, fairground tricks and captivating storytelling, Dyson and Nyman nod to Hitchcockian mechanics, filtering the narratives through classic scare techniques to ensure the audience do the rest of the work. Lovers of the horror genre and fraidy-cats will be equally entertained by the humour and inventive setups of Ghost Stories three fables. Often told under a spotlight, the enthralling stage production startles its shrieking audience under a spooky, yet fantastically British tone that continues to hold the humour of the situation closely. Despite a 2017 film adaptation starring Paul Whitehouse, Alex Lawther, and Martin Freeman, the British horror continues to gather audiences a decade after its initial release. Bounding into the crowd and entwining the malevolent spirits with its unsuspected audience, the tension-filled production continues to revitalise classic ghost stories. Unsuitable for under 15’s, Ghost Stories is a night of intense and engaging classic tales, promising to keep you unsettled throughout. GhostStories TheLowry #Manchester

How can a boy beat a monster? Siobhan Dowd’s untimely death in 2007 left her unfinished, fifth manuscript in the capable hands of Patrick Ness who has since developed her idea into a novel, seen it adapted into a film (2017) and finally, reworked for the stage. Conjuring up haunting visions of death whilst grappling with our limited control of emotions, the fantastical tale of a thirteen-year-old awoken at night by a monster, is rooted by its honesty and heart. The 2011 novel has been reimagined for the stage by Adam Peck in a pacy, yet grounded production that plays with the isolation and procedures navigated alongside a family member dealing with a terminal illness. We follow Conor (played by Ammar Duffus) as he balances his mother’s cancer treatment, his distant father, schoolwork and the monster that has taken the form of a yew tree outside his window. The fairy tale is a down to earth narrative centred around self-actualisation and facing your fears. However, the Old Vic production employs a gritty collection of movement, pulling on its cast of characters to freeform part of the set and its props, together with projection, dance and live music. The shows abstract set is reminiscent of A Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time , as Conor’s monster entwines with the ensemble cast, allowing his temperament to be projected onto the stage. As Conor’s journey brews visceral battles with the yew monster (played by Keith Gilmore), Duffus interacts with overhanging ropes and pulleys that make the trees staging appear alive and untameable. Director Sally Cookson shapes an inventive and memorable production, connecting Conor and the audience to his otherworldly experience using various natural techniques. Cookson’s expansive, open set design brings the stories organic elements together by weaving the cast in as the props. By enabling the story and props to move fluidly together on stage, Cookson gives the narrative a dream-like quality, with no long-lasting control for its lead. With the story played entirely through Conor’s eyes, the simple but effected show captures the essence of being a constrained teen facing uncontrollable fear, using little more than rope, its cast and live musicians. Accepting the monster within, Duffus’ passionate performance as Conor brings an exhaustively distinctive tone to the piece, shaped by Dan Canham’s choreography. Conor’s slow discovery uncovers untameable movements and dance that reaches out to the audience to highlight how Conor’s internal demons are as destructive as the physical monster terrorising him outside his window. Accompany the show with free programmes, workshops and discussions for the teenagers amongst the crowd, the productions brutal honesty brings a new type of fairy tale to the Lowry audience, with open themes for debate. A Monster Calls has a marvellous and mysterious veneer that is perfect for audiences of all ages. Its attempts to capture the chaos and confusion surrounding death is surprisingly subtle, working to help viewers understand the universal abandon and multitude of confused emotions that must be dealt with during times of tragedy. AMonsterCalls TheLowry #Manchester

Ending Opera North’s three-show season at the Lowry, Street Scene turns up the heat with a powerfully cinematic take on Kurt Weill’s, 1946 opera. Capturing the vibrant world of an apartment complex, the production plays out the sordid tales and diverse voices of New York’s 1940’s melting pot, over two scalding summer days. Mathew Ebertardt’s revival is an inviting production that shines a light on an amplified microcosm of New Yorkers. Audiences join the tenants on their stoop, as the design establishes the apartment within a cascading staircase that flows from both sides of the Lowry. With the innovative set sprouting characters from all corners of the stage, the scene resembles Escher’s Relativity, continuously framing the ensemble at its centre. The shared space brings a terrific sense of community, piling in a large cast and allowing the pacy action to unveil multiple soapy stories. Within the bright brownstone, we hear the whisperings of nosey neighbours speaking on tenants’ evictions, cheating spouses and ragamuffins running wild in the neighbourhood. Additionally, just like a captivating soap opera, we are happy to witness their turbulent lives play out before us. Despite being laced with plenty of tragedy, Ebertardt’s direction ensures Street Scenes Tony Award-winning Best Original Score buzzes above the drama. Catchy songs, including We’ll Go Away Together and I Got a Marble and a Star paper over the issues of drunken, heartbroken and homeless tenants, let alone housewife Anna (Giselle Allen) making whoopie with the milkman. Over its two-tiered staging, Opera North embraces the multiplicity of its eighteen membered cast, switching musical styles to present a litany of arias and duets. Within their beautifully presented production, Gary Clarke serves up lengthy song-and-dance sequences including, Wouldn't You Like To Be On Broadway? that highlights the shows peculiar mix of Broadway tracks within its opera framework. Conducted by James Holmes, the irresistibly jazzy score layers a Broadway-style over its working-class storyline of clashes and conflicts. Plenty of memorable moments are on offer, with impressive numbers like Moon Faced and Starry Eyed woven into the fabric of the plot. A jitterbug performance between Mae Jones (Michelle Andrews) and Rodney Vubya (Dick McGann) syncs the soap with entertaining choreography and keeps the sombre drama upbeat. Even the soon to be evicted Hildebrand family have their youngest daughter, Jennie (Laura Kelly-McInroy) perform the delightfully optimistic, Wrapped in a Ribbon and Tied in a Bow as a strange dichotomy to the real action unfolding on stage. Opera North's Street Scene is one of the most relaxed, relatable and high-energy operas touring with the company. Filled with scandal and joy, it is an easy-going venture for newbies of the genre, bringing with them a terrific live orchestra, a passionate ensemble and a stunning set design. OperaNorth #StreetScene TheLowry #Manchester #ONStreetScene

Blurring the lines of its surreal world with a smoke-filled vision that veils the Lowry audience besides Odette’s moonlit lake, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s (BRB) enchanting production will leave onlookers spellbound by the classic retelling of the fable. Awaiting her true love to rescue her from a wizard’s spell, Odette roams the Earth as a swan, captivating observers with her ethereal beauty. Wandering with her large ensemble, BRB’s boundless staging of the princess’s lair engulfs the audience in the midst of the dark moonlit lake she is fated to live upon. An impassioned performance from Momoko Hirata as Odette/Odile brings the gentle swan queen to life, but BRB’s retelling of Tchaikovsky's timeless fairy tale is an overall, glamorously dreamy production. Orchestrated by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, the impactful score beats between flights of fancy, festivities and fight sequences, to capture the ambience, together with the show’s spectacular costumes and set. Peter Wright’s production brings a richness to the classic, enter all into the shimmering, haunting environment of enchanted creatures and ritualistic displays. Tchaikovsky’s 1876 model is preserved with a touch of new technology implemented to enact the echo of Odette in Act 3, which is projected onto the stage. Layering the story with rich scenery, divine costumes and balancing the beauty with the darkness of the enchanted wood, Wright pulls the full force of the company to carry the habitually individualistic show. Odette is suspended in time accompanied by her bevy of swans, developing the intrigue of Prince Siegfried (César Moralesis) from across the lake. But before being illuminated by Odette’s soulful, lakeside performance, Moralesis takes centre stage, rousing his guests with dramatic jetés for the first act of the production. Highlighting his wooing skills with a dizzying array of leaps and technical detail, the Prince performs for the audience with the promise of being married off and crowned King. Act 1 allows the male ensemble to show off their fancy footwork as they perform as the women’s entourage and friends of the Prince. Later, seduced by various suitresses and their entourages, the productions ensemble scenes flourish beside the lead’s elegant solos. Taking the audience from inside the eccentric parties of the Prince’s castle to the wide open and whimsical realm of the swan princess. The intricate choreography carries the BRB’s production of Swan Lake, presenting the pas de quatre under a shadowy forest , where the four swans sync their intricate, mirrored sequence of steps. While BRB entwines precision and poise with sumptuous sets and costumes, the audience are given a first-class rendition of the beloved and renowned classic. Hirata strong presence and detailed performance allows her to sore as the Swan Princess, switching between the fierce and passionate Odette and Odile. On the edge of evil and elegance, Hirata’s feathered tutu and grace offer a punishing display of fouettés spins to capture the full magic of Swan Lake’s animal-like creation. The immense and enthralling show is the perfect foray into classical ballet, filled with wonder and momentum. Swan Lake is always a joy to watch but BRB’s production will leave you captivated until its final, heart-breaking moments. BirminghamRoyalBallet #SwanLake TheLowry #Manchester

The Marriage of Figaro follows a fierce set of complicated characters whose class, desires and pride fuel the fast-paced farce. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s tale, originally written in 1786, set against the French Revolution has been updated to pre-revolutionary Russia, allowing Opera North to confront a collapsing aristocratic rule in a new location. Money and status are set to ruin the ceremony of Figaro (Phillip Rhodes) and Susanna (Fflur Wyn) before the vows have even been exchanged. With audiences sitting in as guests on the pairs chaotic wedding day, the looming Lowry sets the scene in a decaying manor where the once stunning house is being aired in preparation for the couple's wedding. The fading estate owned by Count Almaviva (Quirijn de Lang) and Countess Rosine (Máire Flavin) stands as a grandiose reminder of the world Figaro and Susanna reside, where their possessive bosses’ stranglehold over their lives is starting to form cracks. The lover’s, hindered by the Counts wandering eye towards Susanna and the Countess’s desire to catch her cheating husband, takes the light-hearted romance into a comedy of entrapment and tricks. Overlapping verses, repetition and tomfoolery play a significant role in the production, as page boy, Cherubino (Heather Lowe) disguises himself as a woman to lure in the Count and Figaro deals with his agreement with Marcellina (Gaynor Keeble) to take her as his wife. The cynical love story layers its darker instincts and the debt of success with peeling scenery, playful characters and memorable melodies. Spun around its contemptuous and amiable cast, The Marriage of Figaro is a hilarious romp of an opera, offering charming performances that bring plenty of standout moments. Built with passion and love, the comings and goings of the guests and the dilemmas they bring are offset by the busy, melodic lines of the live orchestra who perform Mozart’s unashamedly romantic score. Conducted by James Hendry, the spirited music, which is continuously shifting due to the confusion within the drama, layers the atmosphere with a range of confrontational lines. Driving the wonderful complexity of the story by interweaving the ensembles voices, the animated production presents a cast of characters you are happy to spend an evening spying on. Director, Jo Davies celebratory scenes offer onlookers a perfect reimagining of the imperfect love story, with the smart production pointing the finger at the upper class that is propped up by the efforts of its working-class ensemble. Combining stories of mistaken identity, strayed love and debt, the ever-increasingly outlandish tale remains reflective and entertaining throughout. Doting and fury filled arias offer the sweetest tones between its amusing moments of guests jumping out of the closet and from behind chairs. The shows extensive cast were superb, with captivating performances from Rhodes, Wyn, and Lowe, the humour and convoluted story gives the three-hour production momentum. Opera North’s lively production is a passionate affair with memorable melodies that will allure newcomers to the genre. Audiences should raise a toast to the witty tale and catchy orchestral classic that finds joy in the simple things in life. #OperaNorth TheMarriageOfFigaro TheLowry #Manchester

The six adult-sized six-year-olds of Bloomfield school already know what they want to be when they grow up. Presenting to the audience as part of their end of term presentation, Mischief Theatre’s latest offering is a warm and cosy comedy that runs through three stages of life. We follow the small friendship group as they showcase their critical changes, progressing from age six, to fourteen and finally, to their fading thirties. This layered comedy celebrates the young and optimistic lives of its baby-faced cast with a relatable story about self-acceptance and perseverance. Mischief Theatre has produced a gentil, reflective piece to join their slapstick repertoire, filling the stage with a cheerful tale that primarily highlights the casts wonderful chemistry. Laying down the groundwork with archetypal characters, we are quickly introduced to the overzealous Spencer (Dharmesh Patel), rich girl Moon (Yolanda Ovide), smarty-pants Katie (Lauren Samuels), alongside nerdy Simon (Matt Cavendish) and new kid Archie (Daniel Abbott). Despite stressing the highs and the lows of adulthood, this new story path remains consistent with Mischief’s aesthetic, with director Kirsty Patrick Ward and set designer Fly Davis producing interactive, eye-catching set pieces used for perfectly timed stunts. Playing with a tot’s perspective, the Lowry stage is filled with overwhelmingly oversized furniture for the adult-sized, child versions of themselves. The attention-grabbing sets are phased out as the group finally fumble into their careers/career-less lives and meet up at their high school reunion. However, the focus remains on the shows simple request to give yourself a break and appreciate your trudging journey into adulthood. Judging by the family-friendly audience that the Mischief group attract, their shows are always going to rekindle your inner child as they are joyously packed with a cast of free-range adults who are perfect at setting an audience at ease with their light-hearted humour. Mischief Theatre has slowly decided to sidestep away from their niche visual gags and slapstick comedy to construct a real drama full of hilarious visual gags and slapstick comedy. However, the group still holds the same level of high energy humour at the forefront of this production. While breaking some dogmas and misleading myths about what it means to be a grown-up, this feel-good social comedy will hit home as an honest commentary on how difficult adulting really is. #GroanUps MischiefTheatre #TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via t he Lowry link

Rock of Ages is a flatpack musical bolstered by its 80s pop-rock soundtrack and riff-heavy performances. The scenery-chewing ensemble ensures that audiences are engrossed by their Energiser bunny enthusiasm as the cast carry the seedy satire with friendly audience participation and charismatic performances. Health and safety procedures have been put aside for scaffold set pieces, a cacophony of lights and mini mosh pits, all to indulge the audience’s curiosity in the sex, drugs and rock and roll taking place in the Bourbon Room. The familiar storyline welcomes new town girl, Sherrie (Rhiannon Chesterman), whose dreams of becoming an actress are drop-kicked into the reality of working as a waitress for the washed-up bar and its owner Dennis (Ross Dawes). Fortunately, after befriending a young songwriter, Drew, Sherrie becomes his muse, generating some joyous soft rock ballads while also moonlighting as a waiter. You may be left with a sense of déjà vu as all your favourite guilty pleasures come pouring out of the bouffant haired, leather pant wearing cast. Rock anthems, I Wanna Rock, Final Countdown and Wanted Dead Or Alive come complete with a live band and become part of the hypnotic collection sporadically performed by the offbeat characters. With its musicians on stage throughout the show, director/choreographer Nick Winston helps to emulate the audiences feeling of being a part of a live, relentless concert. Despite being branded a jukebox musical the majority of the songs sung in Rock of Ages are not detached from the actual narrative, helping to fuel its fantasy sequences and tongue in cheek humour. The productions best tricks are its larger ensemble numbers that showcase the variety of compelling voices within its capable cast. As the Bourbon Room bar is forced to grapple with big money interests intruding in on their world, flower child city planner Regina (Gabriella Williams), attempts to keep the strip in its authentic form. Deciding to vocally bemoan with a medley of We Built This City/ We’re Not Gonna Take , the majority of the cast show out with exhaustive choreography and animated vocals for this fabulous remix of the hits. Additionally, Joe Gash commands the room with a standout performance as Lonny. Gash is a smooth-talking jester, narrating throughout the show and willing to riff with any woman lucky enough to be sat at the front of the Opera House theatre. Despite premiering in 2005 the show's story feels overly dated but a few evocative moments place it out of a family-friendly standing. Some concentration surrounding groupies, strippers and drugs is an enjoyable distraction, but its glam rock cast and vigorous choreography amplifies the humour and joy of rock, rather than leaning too heavily into the realities of the murky Sunset Strip it presents. Rock of Ages’ levity and light also means that it is not a show made to be scrutinised for its plot as its multiple story threads are admittedly disorientating and flaky. However, the audiences love of nostalgia has fuelled its 2012 film and guarantees that this jukebox musical is bound to endure as the 80s goes through yet another resurgence. RockOfAges OperaHouse #Manchester Tickets are available via ATG link

Bringing a feel-good frenzy of rearranged tracks, catsuits and cars, Grease the Musical returns for a restrained renovation of its 1978 film. The California teen musical sees Australian Sandy Dee attempt to rekindle a lost summer fling after relocating to Rydell High School in which her American summer love, Danny Zuko happens to reside. With a capable cast donning the Pink Ladies cardigan and the timeless leather jackets taken up by Dan Patridge (Danny) and Paul French (Kenickie), the live show packs its own memorable punch. Director Nikolai Foster prioritises the energy of the movie with a lovingly remodelled production that turns up the heat and volume on all of your favourite filmed scenes. However, the live shows new formation of the classics will shock die-hard fans of the feature film as Foster chooses an unfaithful retelling that ties in unfamiliar songs like the Tattoo Song and Mooning for its large cast of characters to seize. Illustrated with dazzling set pieces and props, this lyrical look at the lives of the untamed youth plays out a multitude of stories surrounding friendship, love and a fear of the future. Magnified by the musically gifted cast led by Patridge and Ellie Kingdon (Sandy), the show keeps the iconic movie characters at the forefront, with Partridge giving an amusing John Travolta impression. This production has been dramatically edited for the overly familiar crowd, including additional dialogue and scenes that tamper with the old faithful story formula, almost beyond recognition. As the show removes some of the expected visuals, it draws its strength from the company who do an admirable job peddling the unfamiliar stage material to the Opera House audience. Patridge brings an energetic and impressive performance, with the moves to match his solid vocals, but the shows countless bops means that the majority of the ensemble have their own time to shine without him in the picture. A memorable solo performance by Tendai Rinomhota (Rizzo) for the song, There Are Worse Things I Could Do was only upstaged by the cheers of the crowd, who were determined to join the live production. Packed with intense dance routines and absurd dream sequences, the musicals strong arrangements include layered backstories for its enormous cast and merges colourful fantasy sequences to deliver contagious fun. Classmate and aspiring beautician, Frenchy (Marianna Neofitou) is determined to find her footing outside of the school, but her lack of effort summons a personalised guardian angel in the form of Peter Andre. Brightening the stage with a heavenly and smoke-filled performance of Beauty School Drop Out , the mysterious maestro's double appearance as presenter Vince Fontaine and Teen Angel ensure that he takes centre stage throughout the show. Shifting its scenery from the Burger Palace to the back alley, the musical moves rapidly with its flashy and striking performances choreographed by Arlene Phillips, coming in thick and fast. Anyone married to the original film will be frustrated with this enthusiastically constructed, heart-filled remix that boasts a high-quality cast and completely distorted production. The live shows unique reimaginings are also its shortcomings as brand-new songs performed are difficult to decipher over the powerful live band and cannot be sung along to by the audience. Also, despite Grease initially opening as a stage show in 1971, audiences are primarily only acquainted with its 1978 film, making the numerous deviations from its live plot a puzzling choice. Nevertheless, this show is so slick, that you will want to be a part of it, and despite Grease’s unforgiving portrayal of teen life, you are bound to enjoy heading back to high school for this sugar-coated slice of American pie. The jukebox collection of 70’s throwbacks are given a handful of karaoke revivals, including renditions of Greased Lightnin’ and We Go Together that necessitate audience participation when performed live. Combined with the titled classic courtesy of Frankie Valli, Grease the Musical will have you believing you were Born To Hand Jive . #GreaseTheMusical # OperaHouse #Manchester Tickets are available through ATG link

West Side Story composer Leonard Bernstein turns his Broadway panache to a short 50-minute gen of an opera that packs a powerful punch. Playing with your expectations of what an opera should be, Bernstein blends musical theatre, movie magic and jazz for a vibrantly crafted depiction of a broken American Dream. The story of married couple Sam and Dinah unfurl alongside three absurdly happy crooners who open the opera with honey vocals and longing lyrics about love and marriage. However, the shows’ jazzy introduction is a deceptive and playful mask for a story mired in melodrama. The story follows Dinah (Sandra Piques Eddy) plagued with insecurities and reservations about her possibly cheating husband as the couple begins at the breakfast table exhaustively arguing over burnt coffee and toast. As the Lowry audience peep over their white picket fence and through the windows of their little white house, their suburban life begins to unravel inside their aesthetically charming 50’s cover as the production balances the couples’ separate lives through silhouetted scenery, animates choreography and vintage costumes. Director Matthew Eberhardt ensures that Opera North’s production has a rich, live orchestration and its signature 50’s stylings stand out amongst the couples’ drab lives. After Sam (Quirijn de Lang) makes a break from his tense breakfast conversation the story disjoints their painful and melancholic tunes with jaunty intervals from the backing jazz singers and a fabulous fantasy moment that will have you wishing that the stories sequel ( A Quiet Place 1983) followed straight after. With catchy tracks including a duet of despair singing “Why did I have to lie”, Bernstein’s experimental opera is equally a subtle and unexpected piece of work. Compared to older operas this 1952 sample has far fewer shenanigans happening within its story. As a result, Trouble in Tahiti remains a relatable tale that manages to offer a retro production that feels contemporary due to its consumerist narrative. Lang and Eddy carry the tale with compelling and soulful performances that parade the themes of grief and resentment within their confined relationship. However, the shows biggest number, Island Magic propels the story into a beautiful fantasy that embraces the Hollywood style and scores it mocks, specifically Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific . With a gripping performance from Sandra Piques Eddy, the elegant Dinah reimagines herself starring in a nonsensical Hollywood feature with the help of her jazzy trio giving the full splendour of the cinema live on the Lowry stage. Opera North layers the impactful short story with classic 50’s visuals that imprint this dynamic production. It is the perfect quick scat into what Opera has to offer audiences, showcasing oodles of culture, a look at the most up-to-date kitchen and a narrative that reminds audiences that the grass is not always greener. To top off the production, Symphonic Dances end the show with a riveting revival of West Side Story . As the Jets and Sharks dance battle on stage for the respect of the Lowry audience, the abridged edition of Bernstein’s work aids in highlighting his tremendous influence on musical theatre and brings this compelling production to a close. #OperaNorth TroubleInTahiti #SymphonicDances #TheLowry Manchester Tickets are available through the Lowry link