The National Theatre’s unmissable war epic has returned to The Lowry to showcase a production brimming with gentle beauty and anchored by war.  Michael Morpurgo’s stunningly adapted novel spotlights courage, faith and community as a treacherous mission to bring home a beloved family friend plays across the eruption of World War One. Driven by an unbreakable bond, Morpurgo’s narrative highlights the horrors of the Great War while offering a stirring tribute to the people and horses who lost their lives.   After Albert’s (Tom Sturgess) family horse, Joey is sold to the British Cavalry, the pair embark on separate journeys of survival and connection. As Joey encounters the Western Front, the defiant Albert, being too young to enlist in the army, plans to head to the battlefields of France to find Joey and bring him home. Playing in the shadows of a stark set, the story quickly pulls you into their reality through their sincere performances.  Tom Morris’s direction guides the Lowry audience through the sweeping story that utilises a smorgasbord of puppets to balance the serene and nestled farmlands of Devon, to the ravaged trenches of WWI France. The masterfully crafted Joey is brought to the stage through the magic of multiple puppeteers and their committed performance immediately captures your imagination. The Handspring Puppet Company ensemble gracefully build on the story's tension using vivid and ingenious mechanisms that would leave the life-sized Joey deflated without them.   War Horse  offers the best use of puppeteering since Avenue Q , with intense performances amplified by live folk singer Sally Swanson. Rianna Ash, Chris Milford and Thomas Goodridge breathe life into Joey, motioning everything from his lively gallop to the tiny swish of his tail. Their subtlety captures his essence and helps form the emotional core of the production, which relies on you believing in Joey’s strength and perseverance. Sturgess’s performance is equally compelling as Albert, as his sheltered life is quickly tested during his relentless search. Rae Smith's minimalist set design pulls focus on Sturgess’s heartfelt performance and keeps the saga utterly grounded. Battling through the brutality and futility of war, Smith’s effective use of lighting and projections that spread the landscape across a shredded background, homes in on the pair’s personal, splintered journeys as their narratives weave apart.    Without the use of complex visuals and multiple props, War Horse serves a poignant and gripping journey. Despite premiering in 2007, the emotional pull of Albert and the Handspring Company has made this unique production an enduring success. It is a show with so much heart and its deeply moving storytelling will ensure that audiences will always remain anxious to reconnect with Joey.  #WarHorse TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Ivan Michael Blackstock is an Olivier award-winning choreographer whose political and self-empowering projects have seen him collaborate with the likes of Nike and Beyoncé on the film Black is King  and the Grammy-winning video Brown Skin Girl . Now at Aviva Studio’s, Blackstock’s latest work, Traplord  showcases the barriers that must be broken to offer fresh perspectives.  Going down the rabbit hole and exploring the darker stereotypes surrounding what it means to be Black, Blackstock unpacks masculinity, race and mental health alongside a powerful ensemble of performers. Stereotypes exist for a reason, but breaking away from the prejudices surrounding race, gender and their impact on the self is a journey that Blackstock reveals through Traplord . The multifaceted production passionately infuses spoken word, live music, dance and absorbing visuals to draw the Aviva Studio audience into the shadowy world of its characters and offers a rallying cry for compassion and freedom of expression.  The manosphere may tell you that real men don’t cry and silence should be celebrated, but here the physical performances in Traplord  are pure, raw emotion. Building from the show's themes of masculinity and suppression, the performances become ever more explosive. From mirrored krumping freestyles to popping in sync and melding together.  There is a pull and an allure to the playful aesthetics that Traplord  offers. Running against a digital backdrop of an estate, Aviva’s wide, blacked-out stage displays the Trap Hero as he competes against computer game visuals of a puppeteering, pig-faced boss. Overshadowed, his warped world looks inescapable and the illusions surrounding money and power all feel gamified amongst the bedazzled guns and showy cars. With the ensemble's lonely surroundings making group performances intimidating and competitive, Traplord  looks inwards for an honest perspective on what it means to break out of these ideals. Magero’s sharp, spoken word commentary used between the action packs a punch. Picking up and playing with the stereotypes used to make visible, the self-destructive and rigid portrayals of black people.  Traplord  premiered in 2022 and its universal themes will never stop being relevant. The impressive ensemble of creatives put their foot on the gas to question our ideas of masculinity, reshape themes of depression and spin them into stunning scenes of visual art and dance. Taken in segments, its overarching ideas showcase what a restrictive outlook on life can lead to and what can happen when you open yourself up to new ways of thinking.  Tickets for Traplord are available through the Factory International link

Set in 2020 during the Covid quarantine, Here You Come Again  is a gentle jukebox musical that strikes a balance between a Dolly Parton tribute and an original storyline centred around perseverance. As the flamboyant Parton injects her music, humour and advice to offer chicken soup for the soul, the audience are taken on a journey through her curated hits that explore themes of love and self-acceptance.    The unexpected tale follows struggling comic Kevin (Steven Webb) as he is forced into isolation during the Covid pandemic. Hugging the poverty line and unravelling in his parent’s basement, the realities of a broken relationship, failing career and prolonged seclusion settle in as Kevin has nothing but time to daydream.   Gabriel Barre’s set spreads a treasure trove of abandoned trinkets amongst the immersive Lowry stage. Amidst the impressive time capsule of Monopoly and multipacks of toilet paper is Kevin’s record player, a horde of Parton vinyl and a life-size poster of his idol. The show's collective fever dream then allows the audience and our die-hard Dolly fan to see Parton in the flesh, ready to delicately guide Kevin through his troubles with style, wit and a timeless soundtrack.   Dreamed up by a cacophony of comedy writers including director Barre, Emmy award-winning Bruce Vilach and Gimme, Gimme, Gimme’s Jonathan Harvey, the show propels a fantasy of Parton through actress Tricia Paoluccio, whose warm and rich tone is easy to embrace. Paoluccio impressively captures Parton’s unique voice and spirit in a sweet and comedic performance that audiences can tip their cowboy hats to. As Kevin’s optimistic fairy godmother, she commands attention in a multitude of rhinestone-encrusted ensembles and hilarious one-liners, but the pair's direct dynamic is what drives the production forward. Webb’s fantastic physical performance alongside the pop-up backing dancers sustains a party atmosphere. As Kevin free falls into the warm embrace of Dolly, Parton is quick to offer an anecdote or song to help him out of his funk.  Within the meta-musical, the show directly involves the audience and the show's sitcom approach makes the pace fly by. The show is packed with earworms as Paoluccio alongside her on-stage band performs a selection of Parton’s most iconic songs, including Jolene , 9 to 5 , Coat of Many Colors  and, I Will Always Love You . Parton’s dense country songs lend themselves perfectly to a musical and Paoluccio’s strong vocals deliver a touching tribute to the Queen of Country.    Here You Come Again  is a nicely packaged musical, that gives audiences the best of both worlds. Barre’s closed-off and cosy set offers an intimate Dolly tribute that allows fans to be absorbed by her art and sent off with a finale that leaves you on a sweet sing-along high. While audiences less familiar with Parton’s work are able to discover it through a feel-good Covid case we all wish we’d lived through.   #HereYouComeAgain TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Opera North’s otherworldly adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream  catches the audience in multiple love triangles and moulds Shakespeare's 1596 classic into a magical, musical soiree.  After defying her father/the ruler of Athens' wishes to marry Demetrive, Hermia (Katie Bray) chooses to hide out in the woods with her lover Lysander (Joel Williams) as the couple plot to elope. Shadowed by her unwanted fiancé Demetrive (James Newby) and Lysander’s crush Helena (Camilla Harris), the foursome pick a bad time to play in the woods as they get in the middle of the Fairy King and Queen’s tiff who only help to wreak havoc on the lover's lives.  Shakespeare’s knotty play has been injected with colourful pizzazz and given a modern twist by director Martin Duncan. Styled in 60s costumes and placed on a sterile stage, the production lays focus on Benjamin Britten’s whimsical music and the shows alluring cast of characters. Duncan’s direction blurs the forest fantasy with futuristic staging to reflect the time Britten’s opera was formed and the mind-bending substances that were on offer. Opera North’s youth ensemble   whose creepy, black-winged, blonde Bowcut fairies, complete with blank stares swarm the Lowry stage, mirror the children from sci-fi horror, Village of the Damned  (1960). With British influences popping up throughout the three Act production to add to the dreamlike quality that flows throughout the show.  The eclectic score is performed by Opera North’s live orchestra, headed by conductor Garry Walker, with lyrics that play with the natural rhythms of Shakespeare’s language. Throughout the emotional rollercoaster of the plot, Britten’s harmonious libretto helps to build on the ensemble’s spirited performances with heartfelt music that complements the original text. Personalised theme songs distinguish each cast of characters in Britten’s dark remixing of the Bard’s words, slicing the score between terrestrial and foreign.  In the forest alongside the disorientated lovers is a rehearsing theatre group, led by an overenthusiastic actor named Bottom (Henry Waddington). After being given the face of an ass by the meddling fairy Puck, Waddington’s exaggerated delivery plays between the impassioned speeches of Puck, the somewhat sinister fairies and the shenanigans of the lovers in the forest. Duncan’s fast-paced production presents plenty of surprises for those familiar with Shakespeare’s work and will win over new audiences willing to open themselves to the dazzling experience that opera has to offer.  Opera North’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream  immerses its cast in Perspex and bubbles, showcasing a psychedelic and ethereal atmosphere in an accessible production that reshapes Shakespeare’s work for modern audiences. Adding some fairy dust to Shakespeare’s timeless classic, Britten wraps the story in an enchanting score that brilliantly captures the chaos and magic of love.  #AMidsummerNightsDream TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

Trumpeting community and compassion, Come From Away  is a layered, people-powered production that morphs the tragedy of September 11 into a remarkably uplifting musical.  Immediately after the 2001 September 11 attacks, 38 planes were abruptly forced to land in the small town of Gander in Canada. With 7,000 stranded passengers floating through the town, the residents took it upon themselves to open their doors to their unexpected visitors to showcase true hospitality.   Placed between the folksy music and lyrics of Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away  crisscrosses between multiple characters played by a 12-strong cast of exceedingly talented performers. The razor-sharp ensemble pivots between multiple accents and roles as they celebrate real heroes, including the town's mayor, a journalist and a police officer who worked to support the stranded plane people of Newfoundland.   Contained on the Lowry stage with a hands-off approach that lets the performances sing, wooden chairs and tables sit along the wooded staging used to morph the set into a plane and bar. As the story conveys the different cultures and backgrounds from around the world, the show's minimalist approach, placed alongside director Christopher Ashley’s grounded group choreography beautifully and modestly reflects on community. With its cast fluidly weaving back and forth to showcase its festive characters, the dramedies interconnected themes of unity and resilience shine through.   Despite the story being in the midst of a tragedy, the focal point of Come From Away  is on community, putting the spotlight on people's similarities with a moving production that represents the best of us. Bonding over new friendships as opposed to a retelling of the events of 9/11, this intimate production is a rich character study that holds detailed and joyous performances.  Sara Poyzer’s wholesome solo of Me and the Sky tells the story of the first female captain to fly for American Airlines, offering a triumphant and personal ode to reflect on the history of one of the grounded pilots. However, the soundtrack favours ensemble performances and platforms them at the heart of the show. With its live musicians entertaining from the sideline allowing its unified soundtrack to place more value in the company regardless of its long line-up of talented performers.  Come From Away  is committed to comforting audiences with a real-life miracle performed for the Lowry audience just in time for the holidays. The Lowry’s feel-good festive treat is a magnetic production that allows you to be wowed by its cast and their cathartic performances.   Sankoff and Hein’s   Celtic   soundtrack is a touching reminder of the importance of real connections in times of tragedy and joy.   ComeFromAway TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

A Christmas Carol the Musical  takes a trip down memory lane, highlighting the good, the bad and the ugly of one of the nation's favourite curmudgeons.  The unscrupulous Scrooge is hitting the Quays stage with the help of Hope Mill Theatre and writer, Mike Ockrent and Lynn Ahrens's musical reworking of Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella. Allowing Claire Moore (Evelina Scrooge) to don the top hat and mumble a “bah humbug” to the delight of the Lowry audience, this faithful reimagining is a charming and timeless hit.   Directors, Joseph Houston and William Whelton’s production is guaranteed to get audiences into the Christmas spirit as the beloved story of greed and transformation has been inventively recreated for the stage. Otherworldly Victorian aesthetics are showcased alongside smoke-filled sets, eye-watering performances and enviable costumes. Tailoring Moore under shimmering paper-filled sets and striking projected   surroundings.   Scrooge’s journey of redemption has been infused with a contemporary score, using lyrics that morph her bitter words into haunting songs. Performed alongside an under-stage band, composer Alan Menken, who has scored the best Disney musical to date ( Beauty And The Beast ) has teamed up with songwriter Lynn Ahrens ( Ragtime and Seussical ) to carry lush orchestrations alongside a catchy soundtrack. The songs range from the heart-warming addition of  God Bless Us Everyone  to the hilarious two-part performance of Nothing To Do With Me  sung by the talented Moore ( The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables ).   Allowing Moore to take on the comically grumpy moniker in a production that offers the perfect blend of nostalgia with a modern twist, this Christmas classic remains a traditional retelling whilst playfully subverting some character expectations. With no intermission to slow down the pace of the show, the soundtrack bounces between the eerie Link By Link  sung by the ghost of Jacob Marley (Barry Keenan), to the permanently uplifting ensembles,  Jolly Good Time.  While the poised ensemble counters Moore’s humbugging with jolly and heartfelt songs, the stage is consumed by her flair, as Moore clearly enjoys grumping it up on stage.   Hoping to correct all of Scrooge's wrongs in one night, the ghosts of Christmas Past (Mari McGinlay), Present (James Hume) and Future (Josie Benson) appear to show her the error of her selfish ways. Transforming the strikingly shadowy contracts that surround the set with gorgeous lighting that spotlights the sinful Scrooge and offers some heart-pounding reveals. The apparitions also arrive with their own unmistakable style and 5-minute choreographed routines.  Full of festive cheer,  A Christmas Carol The Musical  encapsulates all the joy required for the holiday. The seasonal favourite confronts the consequences of greed with a timeless reflection of community and giving. Despite being set in the cold, dark streets of Victorian London, Hope Mill Theatre’s cast shine brightly with tremendous musical performances. Alongside a host of colourful characters, Moore is masterful as Evelina Scrooge with a performance that leaves a haunting reminder of how wonderful this reworked classic really is.  AChristmasCarolTheMusical TheLowry HopeMillTheatre #Manchester Tickets are available via the TheLowry

Beauty and the Beast is the perfect Disney production, awash with dreamy set pieces, fabulous frocks and passionate performances. This big-budget show brings the spirit of its 1991 Oscar-winning animation to the Palace theatre stage, with its live incarnation encapsulating the best of what musical theatre has to offer. We follow our nameless prince (Shaq Taylor) who quickly comes under fire for turning away a homeless witch (in the rain no less), causing a unique curse to be placed on him and his staff. Having repurposed his hired hands into beautiful household objects, the socially conscious witch chooses to transform the prince into a beast who must find true love in order to break the spell. Of course, the witch has added a rose clock time constraint for finding true love and the prince's castle is surrounded by wolves, making his mission extremely difficult. However, with Taylor and Courtney Stapleton (Belle) at the helm of the enigmatic ensemble, the classic is once again unearthed on stage for a magnificent reincarnation. Matt West’s direction moves the beloved hand-drawn characters into an immersive live production that involves several spinning (and dancing) plates. Alongside its irresistible soundtrack, the enormous sets swiftly drop on and off the stage to recreate the towering castle and project the surrounding woods. With a painted backdrop of Belle’s French fields alongside the multi-coloured costumed villagers and playful singing appliances, the production is a monumental musical triumph. The light-hearted story by Linda Woolverton offers a surreal and sparkling tale with plenty to love. While its updated visuals are reassuringly full of old-school magic, the beast’s technical aspects and the show's sets are a marvel to behold. Taylor is given makeup subtle enough to allow you to read his expressions from your seat but detailed enough for you to appreciate the sacrifice of him performing 90% of the show through prosthetics and a mask of hair. The character's costumes have no expense spared with Belle’s unforgettable golden ballgown recreated by many of the younger, enthusiastic audience members. Unlike its 2017 live-action Emma Watson led retelling, this stage adaption incorporates additional songs for its ensemble cast. The song, Human Again offers an unexpected space for the talented team of servants to deliver an understated performance of their vocal talent within the Disney fairy tale. Whilst brimming with energy and excitement, the show offers a wealth of classic tracks, backed by its live orchestra. The lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice build on the electrifying direction that drives the dramady with creative flair and an animated sense of humour and style. The enchanted evening offers triumphant performances of the title’s song, Gaston and the irresistibly catchy Be Our Guest led by the marvellous Gavin Lee (Lumiere). Building on the fan favourites, the production adds moments for the audience to appreciate the live orchestra and fabulous choreography. Making use of the Palace Theatre stage, West places a camera above the action, angled to view the ensemble deliver synchronised choreography on the floor. With the spellbinding spectacle of 4D figures flying around the Palace stage, Beauty and the Beast is an embarrassment of riches. Disney’s masterful musical is rooted by its unforgettable soundtrack, and this flamboyant production definitely meets the high expectations of its animated features visuals. Any Disney fan will be thrilled to relive the magic of this musical. #Disney BeautyandtheBeast #PalaceTheatre #Manchester Tickets are available via the ATG link

This live-actioned reimagining of The Little Mermaid  from Ursula’s perspective is stuffed full of jokes, pop tracks and neat effects. But when it comes to the message, the disco diva is clear, what happened under the sea to the self-indulgent Arial, was not the whole story.     Writers Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx fuse their talents to raise this shiny, contemporary musical into a memorable, rewatchable treat that plunders the depths of Ursula’s character to uncover the real motivations and the makings of the notorious villain. The snarky storytelling is boosted by its upbeat score, with songs including, Nasty, Sucking On You , and Unfortunate that play into Ursula's inner desires and a lack of recognition for her talents.     Ursulla’s tell-all tale strikes a balance between giving fans of the 1989 film Disney easter eggs alongside layers of its lovable characters, but the production's darker humour allows the parody to forge its own path. Shawna Hamic’s ( Orange is the New Black)  frank delivery of Ursula's cutting one-liners and home truths ensures her redemption story is built on a sinful foundation and Hamic’s commanding performance is a joy to watch.     This show is placed in the Lowry’s Quays theatre where Grant, who also directs, takes advantage of the intimate space by centring the audience in the bowels of a ship. Complete with neon lighting, an immense disco ball and a backing band, the bedazzled underwater world stays ready for a party. As Hamic pushes power ballads and parody tracks with her love interest and alleged nemesis, the world around her is brought together by Abby Clarke. The designer brings Ursula's iconic image to life using some creative magic and smartly used sunken treasures that keep the large ensemble cast sparkling throughout the show. This is very much an ensemble piece, keeping Triton (Thomas Lowe), Arial and Sebastian (Allie Dart) front and centre for the ride, in which many of Dart’s scene-stealing moments push the story along when Ursula narrates from the sidelines.     This is a meaty production, as its smart set design layers in extra jokes, hidden reveals and allows you to appreciate the band's performance alongside the show. There is a merger of high-tech underwater puppets, manky sock puppet soul designs and organza quilted costumes that are delightfully crafty, making many of the campy musical numbers pop as cabaret performances. Arial’s (River Medway Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK ) solo is hysterical and underscores Unfortunate’s loving tease of the Disney original.     Despite the soundtrack stating, We Didn’t Make It To Disney , the original Ursula was partly inspired by the drag queen Divine (known for playing Tracy’s mum in Hairspray 1988 and Pink Flamingos ) but The Untold Story of Ursula  amends its villains grand, spinsters' image. Hamic plays Ursula as a hardened and straight-talking outcast, playing against Lowe’s naive and beloved Triton. Combined, their duets are powerfully funny, making their chemistry and their life choices a lot easier to understand throughout the under-the-sea adventure.    Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch  melds a potent elixir that will draw audiences into its spell. The glamour, witty lines, catchy soundtrack and wondrously villainous style are lacking in current Disney villains but fortunately, this musical parody has the cure.   Unfortunate TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available via the Lowry link

The macabre becomes musical as the Olivia Award-winning team behind Fleabag immerses the HOME audience in a charming true crime case. We follow Kathy (Bronté Barbé) and Stella (Rebekah Hinds) as the flailing podcasters venture outside of their garage to tackle the gruesome murder of their favourite murder mystery podcaster. Like students turning to SparkNotes in the final hours of their dissertation, these amateur detectives waste no time tripping over clues and plundering Wikipedia to figure out the facts of their favourite whodunits. Writer, Jon Brittain has penned this timely tale that crafts a seamless fusion of music with the nation's obsession with murder and a unique DIY approach. Librarian Kathy and between jobs Stella are longtime school friends which helps musical director Matthew Floyd Jones pull the mystery genre into a vibrant musical realm, adding original songs that team the pair with multiple duets about friendship. Accompanied by an onstage two-piece band and a concoction of sketchy suspects, the show takes several lyrical plot twists as surgical interventions and twin sisters pop up to support the grippingly silly narrative with a constant flow of fun. Barbé’s warm vocals and Hinds’s gruff tone pair perfectly as the friends resolve to solve the case with a variety of belting tracks. The ensemble makes this musical shine as the multitalented Jodie Jacobs and TJ LLoyd take on the roles of numerous suspicious suspects and the hilarious Imedla Warren-Green emerges as an intensely funny superfan. Alongside an intricate board of clues that form the main backdrop of the show, each new character infuses the soundtrack with humour or unburdens their guilty conscience through song. Kathy And Stella Solve a Murder is a brilliantly written production that covers the bonds of friendship but wraps it all up in an intriguing mystery that overspills with passion. The tightly-packed comedy is headed by a duo with palpable chemistry and backed by a fantastic ensemble cast. While murder takes centre stage, the show's witty sense of humour and sharp stealth staging expands on what is expected in the all too familiar true crime genre. Without plunging into the serious nature of reliving a psychopath's footsteps, lyrics touch on the shameful nature of profiting and relishing in others torment. However, this is mainly ironically stated in the opening number as the show immediately drops the guilt trip and sets off running with an endearing murder mystery that audiences will cruise through. #Kathy&StellaSolveAMurder Tickets are available via the #HOMEmcr link

The Bridgewater Hall is offering audiences a new Christmas tradition, breaking out the carols, Christmas jumpers and a live orchestra for some communal festive cheer.    With the Bridgewater’s second sold-out show decked with a movie theatre projector and surrounded by twinkly Christmas trees, the 2006 romcom,  The Holiday  is getting a glow-up as the Novello orchestra breathes new life into Christmas favourite. Academy and Golden Globe-winning composer Hans Zimmer radiates a warm, spirited soundtrack to writer and director Nancy Meyers’s ( Parent Trap  and Father of the Bride ) house-swapping storyline.    The story follows Californian native Cameron Diaz (Amanda) and country mouse Kate Winslet (Iris) as the two gift each other the opportunity to house swap over the Christmas holiday. With both women suffering from terminal breakups the pair are more than happy to leave behind their disastrous relationships for each other’s parallel picturesque lives. Unfolding on the big screening, this cosy switch-up cues the scenic English cottage and dreamy LA mansion above the live orchestra who add an extra sparkle of magic to the exchange. Amanda has access to the best of British, finding comfort with Jude Law (Graham) and after separating from her leeching office romance, Iris finds a sweet-talking Jack Black (Miles) to settle her holiday blues.     While the seats in the circle of the Bridgewater Hall offer a full view of the orchestra and the screen, the stall seating is stella and there isn’t a bad seat in the house that obstructs your view of the film. With the Novello orchestra amplifying the soundtrack to spellbinding results, the beautiful production brings an accessible experience for the whole family. It’s an effortless way to watch a Christmas classic and helps capture the magic of the season.  The Holiday’s  charismatic cast and chemistry make its subdued storyline pop as its sentimental tale unfolds to mend the broken-hearted or audiences in need of a heart-warming soundtrack.     The Holiday in Concert is a welcoming, immersive cinema experience for theatregoers who wish to be enchanted by charming live orchestration while enjoying a festive flick. However, live film concerts aren’t just around for everyone's favourite holiday, these events appear throughout the calendar year but tend to sell out quickly. Offering a spectacular shared experience that bridges the gap between theatre and new audiences, these shows are a comforting way to engage with live music and classical orchestras.    Live concert performances take place at The Bridgewater Hall, Co-Op and Arena accessible via the websites the links below.  TheHolidayLive MusicalsInCinema #SenblaLiveEvents Tickets available through Ticketmaster and The Bridgewater Hall

From the playwright that brought you Educating Rita , comes a dramady musical that plays with class expectations, friendship and love. Splitting a self-imposed and societal self-fulfilling prophecy, Blood Brothers ends as it begins, opening the show with a dramatic murder. Blood Brothers is burdened by fate, offering audiences a narrative that follows both superstition and systematic discrimination. As the musical plays back the story of twins Eddie (Joel Benedic) and Micky (Josh Capper) the play highlights the harsh realities of working-class life with the brothers seen divided at birth and raised in separate social circles. Eddie is brought up as an only child of a wealthy family, while Mickey’s childhood is swiftly formed through a hard-hitting environment with a single, working-class mother raising eight children. Despite growing up apart, the twins naturally gravitate towards each other, forming a bond that cannot be broken. The Palace Theatre hosts both households, where directors Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright bring a drab, sombre backdrop to counter the musical’s childlike optimism and joyous lyrics. Educating Rita plays with the concept of working-class mobility through education, opportunity and self-resilience. Here writer Willy Russell seals the fate of his lead characters by highlighting the continued shortcomings of the class divide and the institutions designed to provide freedom and opportunity to all who seek it. It is a story filtered through large personalities that allow its class division to place blame on the rich and poor alike through the use of warm and believable performances. Former X-factor contestant, Niki Evans uses her powerful portrayal and fantastic vocals to carry a mobility message that is difficult to shake. Her Marylin Monroe montage relates the dreams of a working mother, Mrs Johnstone treading water financially with little support from her community who see her as a sponge on the system. Backed up by the live narrator, Robbie Scotcher who keeps the direction of the musical seamless and smooth, while ensuring that there is no static ahead of the anticipated ending. Even during solo performances, the shadowy narrator figure lurks in the alley or on the first floor of the estate setting, looking down from the tower blocks and judging the events. His presence is a constant reminder of how archaic ideals, rites of passage and fate play a role in this modern fable. Despite the disconcerting opening, the shows gritty realism allows Benedic to show working-class charm to its full advantage. Carrying much of the humour throughout this dark comedy, it is successful in moving the happy go lucky Mickey to a place of despair through a lack of opportunity. Ending with a standing ovation, the intense finale that is foreshadowed throughout the production, still came as a shock having followed the twin’s personal growth through the 2-hour 45-minute production. Blood Brothers shepherds its audience through the trappings of poverty with moving performances, poignant direction and fantastic lyrics. With a story that continues to resonate, Blood Brothers is as relevant now as it was when it was first released in 1985. BloodBrothers #PalaceTheatre #Manchester Tickets are available via the ATG link

The cards are in your favour as Carmen waltzes into the Lowry theatre for Opera North’s new, sensual production. The French treasure, written by Georges Bizet in 1875 is infused with a Spanish flair and blends it extensive, lavish love story with a compelling score. We follow gypsy girl Carmen (Chrystal E. Williams) who falls in love with runaway soldier Don José (Erin Caves). After escaping a small-town scuffle, José flees, leaving his mother and joining the army as an undistinguished officer hoping to escape his past. Opera North’s production has updated portions of this piece, setting its cast in a captivating brothel dip dyed in red whilst rotating women on and off its stage. The cast is held hostage by its dizzying neon lighting prop in which director Edward Dick traps its lonely officers in a chilly climate of silhouetted figures, a disco ball and plumes of smoke. It’s unsurprising that Carmen’s introduction to the opera is a showstopping salute to her charismatic character and a warning signal to any man who falls in love with her. With the incredible classic, Love Is a Rebellious Bird ( L'amour est un oiseau rebelle ) Carmen wields a red rose to hurl at her next unsuspected lover. Williams’s stand out performance captures the timeless temptress as a devious and overwhelming force who leaves José deliriously in love after their first encounter. After leaving a trail of suitors in her wake the hot-headed temptress pursues José due to his initial resistance to be with her. Rojas’s performance is passionate and offers a palpably pained charm. With acts that scope him as a desperate, weak-willed man, the story is driven by his believable desire and William’s lauded talents. While the unapologetically empowered Carmen pushes José further into the deep end, the first two acts of this opera mix its bright and alluring aesthetics with light arias encompassing love and affection. Opera North’s renewed production portrays the shows 1845 themes surrounding an idealistic and independent woman as an inspiring and self-assured soul. José however cannot take ownership of his own actions and as the third and fourth acts develop, the rotating set piece turns to highlight a bleak peek behind the curtain of their tumultuous love affair. As the explosive story offers more anguished performances by its cast that highlight the consequences of demanding men who cannot deal with a free woman. As the introduction of new suitors enters the mix Bizet’s powerful score lavishes rockstar matador, Escamillo with the familiar melody of the Toreadro aria for an irresistibly entertaining performance packed with pleasure. Rival Escamillo’s (Phillip Rhodes) live for the moment attitude aligns perfectly with Carmen’s, presenting an absorbing routine of seduction with a presentation that is as smooth as butter. On the other hand, José’s other love interest Micaëla (Camila Titinger) plays out a soulful aria brimming with grit and heartache as the losing proposition of love is extended out to all parties. The classic Carmen continues to unravel its daisy chain narrative of she loves me nots to its phenomenal conclusion. As the compelling tug of war between fate vs. free will plays out Opera North ensure that this beautiful epic remains an attractive and intense production. With subtly direction and irresistible costumes and sets, almost three-hour opera builds tremendous tension through its remarkable cast, who ensure that this timeless tale continues to be superbly represented for new audiences and those acquainted with the classic. #OperaNorth Carmen #TheLowry #Manchester Tickets are available through the Lowry link