Theatre

12 July 2018

Writer and performer Lydia Larson shares what inspired her to create the play Finding Fassbender

Finding Fassbender is a first for me. It’s the first play I’ve ever written, which means it’s the first time I’m wearing the writer and performer hat simultaneously. But the inspiration ...
9 July 2018

A day in the life of Circa’s Ela Bartilomo

A touring life with Circa often lends itself to quite a varying schedule, however now that we have landed in London for two months I am looking forward to slightly ...

5 July 2018

Mamma Mia! review, Palace Theatre Manchester

Mamma Mia! is back in Manchester for yet another run at the perfect time, just a couple of weeks before the Hollywood blockbuster sequel Here We Go Again hits the ...
8 June 2018

Review: Ruby Wax's Frazzled, Parr Hall Warrington

There has been a spate of celebrities sharing their life stories in theatres around the country of late. Having never been to one, I was unsure what to expect at ...
6 June 2018

Review: Legally Blonde: The Musical, Liverpool Empire Theatre

Having seen (and loved the film) I was excited to see the stage version of Legally Blonde at Liverpool Empire Theatre last night- and it did not disappoint. Legally Blonde ...
17 May 2018

Blood Brothers Review, Palace Theatre Manchester

For over 30 years, Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers has been entertaining audiences on stages across the globe. Now in its final two weeks of its current spring tour, the production ...

3 May 2018

Kindertransport Review, Opera House Manchester

In its 25th year on the stage, Kindertransport this week returned to the Opera House in Manchester, bringing the enchanting story of one young Jewish German girl to audiences all ...

18 April 2018

20th Century Boy Review, Opera House Manchester

Whenever a huge star passes, there’s a wealth of opportunity to tell their life story. Some are incredibly interesting, whilst others would be better left untold. The mystery surrounding the ...
29 January 2018

Judy Rosenblatt Discusses 'Woman Before A Glass'

In 2011, Austin Pendleton saw me do a monologue from Woman Before a Glass and said “You should do the whole play and invite everyone.”  I asked if he would ...
24 January 2018

Daniel Buckroyd Discusses 'Turn of the Screw'- Coming To A Theatre Near You!

Director Daniel Buckroyd kindly talked to us about the thrilling new production of Henry James’ much-loved classic ghost story; Turn of the Screw ahead of it's run, which starts on the ...
19 January 2018

Blythe Stewart Discusses 'The Moor'

The world premiere of The Moor marks the third collaboration between writer Catherine Lucie and I. We first met in 2012 after a course leader from East 15, where we both went ...
9 January 2018

My Inspiration For Making Monster By Joe Sellman-Leava

The inspiration was being in a play about domestic violence, back in 2009. In rehearsing and researching for this, I wondered what makes someone choose to lash out, given that ...

2 January 2018

10 Reasons Why We Need More Women In Theatre

Fat Rascal Theatre are an award-winning company run by women who aim to challenge the constraints of being a female within the arts industry, and discuss social and political issues ...
19 December 2017

10 Things I'd Like People To Know About Me By Elif Knight

Elif Knight is an award-winning British actress, receiving the Patricia Rothermere/Evening Standard Theatre Award, awarded by Sir Richard Attenborough when she was just 17. Soon afterwards, she starred alongside Sir ...
12 December 2017

Niall Ransome Shares His Inspiration For FCUK’D

I've always been interested in stories where things happen. From the beginning you're thrown into it. In the UK it is estimated that around 100,000 children run away from home ...

17 November 2017

My Inspiration For Creating 'The Lost Boy Peter Pan'

BY ADAPTER AND DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA SPENCER-JONES My whole life I have been a Wonderland kid – obsessed with Alice’s journey down the rabbit hole and the oddballs she met en ...
16 November 2017

Review: War Horse, Liverpool Empire Theatre

Following its eight-year run in London’s West End, I was delighted to hear that War Horse was finally coming to the North West as part of its 10th anniversary tour. ...
7 November 2017

10 Things I’d Like My People To Know About Me By Koko Brown

Koko Brown is a theatre-maker blending spoken word and vocal looping whose new show WHITE comes to Ovalhouse from 15 – 25 November 2017. I own every classic Disney film ...
30 October 2017

10 Things I'd Like People To Know About Me By Kate Perry

Referred to as “a major talent” (Edinburgh Festival magazine), “captivating” (San Francisco Examiner) and hailed by the Radio Times, Kate Perry has been enthralling Radio 4 listeners and theatre goers ...

17 October 2017

Review: Flashdance, Liverpool Empire Theatre

Having never seen the film, I was fairly open-minded when I went to see Flashdance at the Liverpool Empire last night and was looking forward to being entertained by the ...
4 October 2017

The Kite Runner Review, The Lowry Theatre Manchester

Following a critically-acclaimed run on the West End, The Kite Runner is now touring 11 cities and towns across the United Kingdom and is this week stopping at The Lowry ...

3 October 2017

Laura Ford Discusses Her New Show 'All The Little Lights'

In 2014 Fifth Word commissioned Jane Upton to write a new play. This was Fifth Word’s second collaboration with Jane after premiering her critically acclaimed debut Bones. It was at ...
11 September 2017

Katy Brand Reveals The Inspiration For Her New Show 'I Could've Been An Astronaut'

Peggy Whitson is a 57-year-old American woman from Iowa. She has just returned from space. You may have read about her earlier in the year, when she was congratulated by ...

29 August 2017

Book Story And The Age Of The Page

By Ben Glasstone (Artistic Director of MONSTRO Theatre, the Pioneers of the Puppet Musical) About ten years ago I was staring at a shelf of oversized books in a library ...