HERE at Confidential we’ve already given you a round-up of museum and gallery highlights in and around Manchester here.
Once you’ve satisfied your artistic hungers and lifted your inspirations, you can feast on some more dramatic cultural crudités in that most noble of past times – Theatre.
Here we have a lively summary of what’s on offer behind the various fluttering red curtains in Greater Manchester from now all the way through to August.
Bolton Octagon Theatre
TullTull by Phil Vasili
21 February – 16 March. Tickets from £9.50.
The Octagon Theatre presents the world premiere of Tull recounting the remarkable tale of real life world War One hero, Walter Tull – a talented officer on the battlefield and the first black outfield player in the First Division of the Football League. It is inspirational, dramatic, and moving – proving that through perseverance and a sense of community, divisions can be overcome.
Visit octagonbolton.co.uk for more information.
Bolton Octagon Theatre
Glass MenagerieThe Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
27 March – 20 April. Tickets from £9.50.
Presented with special arrangement with the University of South Sewanee, Tennessee, The Glass Menagerie is set in a cramped St Louis apartment in 1945. The regrets, hopes, and frustrations of an abandoned family are revealed with the truth, humour, and compassion for which Williams is renowned.
Visit octagonbolton.co.uk for more information.
Bolton Octagon Theatre
StitchedupStitched Up by Eve Steele and Ed Jones
25 April – 18 May. Tickets from £9.50.
A brand new madcap comedy, Stitched Up combines wit and parody with all the fast-paced fun of a knockabout farce. Set in the near future, it follows the trials and tribulations of a dedicated medical workforce, struggling to meet targets in the face of the cruellest cuts the NHS has ever seen.
What will happen to our down-trodden dedicated ward staff? Will they toe the line and cast one poor suffering patient after another out into the streets? Or will they scheme, plot, and manipulate in order to provide a free and equal health care for all?
Visit octagonbolton.co.uk for more information.
Bolton Octagon Theatre
PiafPiaf by Pam Gems
23 May – 15 June. Tickets from £9.50.
Piaf chronicles the rise of French singer and cultural icon, Edith Piaf, from her life on the streets of Paris to the international stage. Performed for the first time at the RSC in 1978 before moving to the West End and then to Broadway, Piaf comes to the Octagon Theatre. Featuring the iconic torch songs La Vie en Rose and Non, Je ne Regrette Rien, Piaf vividly portrays the rise and fall of this charismatic and unforgettable performer. This is the compelling and powerful story about the life of a woman who did it her way.
Visit octagonbolton.co.uk for more information.
The Met, Bury
MidsummersA Midsummer Night’s Dream
Wednesday 27 March - £10.
Hermia loves Lysander and Lysander adores Hermia. But Demetrius desires Hermia while Helena dotes on Demetrius. All of this gets spun on its head at the intervention of Oberon and his sprightly fairy, Puck.
This production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream from nationally-renowned Sell a Door Theatre Company is a guaranteed to be dynamic – with music and madness revealing the darker side of this much-loved comedy.
Visit themet.biz for more information.
The Met, Bury
MontecristoThe Count of Monte Cristo
Wednesday 29 May - £10.
A lifetime isolation awaits the once proud merchant sailor of the Pharaon but a chance escape quenches his thirst for vengeance. The hero is now the villain, and the villain will have his revenge. Achieving sell-out success and critical acclaim for their production of Hyde, Manchester Theatre Award-nominated Thunder Road Theatre return with a mesmerising new adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ swashbuckling cult classic.
Visit themet.biz for more information.
Buxton Opera House
OthelloOthello
14 March – 16 March - £8
Black Box presents their adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy depicting the devastating effects of jealously. Believing Othello has promoted the fast-rising Cassio over himself, Iago plots to destroy both Cassio and Othello. Iago convinces the jealous Othello that his beautiful wife Desdemona is unfaithful, and that Cassio is her lover. Jealous is followed by tragedy, then retribution.
Visit buxtonoperahouse.org.uk for more information.
Buxton Opera House
Little VoiceThe Rise and Fall of Little Voice
25 March – 30 March - £16
The Olivier award-winning comedy comes to the Buxton Opera House as part of a national tour. Written and directed by Jim Cartwright, this sparkling new production is a story of music, divas, and romance featuring songs by some of the world’s greatest female stars including Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland, and Barbra Streisand. Starring Beverly Callard (Coronation Street), Ray Quinn (Dirty Dancing, Grease) and the sensational Jess Robinson as Little Voice.
Visit buxtonoperahouse.org.uk for more information.
Buxton Opera House
Jane EyreJane Eyre
11 April – 13 April – £10
From a harsh childhood, Jane Eyre has to rely on her own courage and convictions to make her way in the world. She longs to learn. She dares to dream. Employed as a governess, she travels across the bleak Yorkshire moors to the mysterious Thornfield Hall – a house of locked doors with a dangerous secret.
Hall Truck Theatre brings to life the classic story of love, loss, and redemption in an intriguing new adaptation of one of the great Gothic novels, adapted by Laura Turner and directed by Nick Lane.
Visit buxtonoperahouse.org.uk for more information.
The Lowry
LadykillersThe Ladykillers
26 March – 30 March - £14
The West End comedy smash hit from the writer of Father Ted (Graham Linehan), The Ladykillers is the much loved Ealing classic brought to life on stage in a hilarious and thrilling production. A classic black comedy: a sweet little old lady, alone in her house, is pitted against a gang of criminal misfits who will stop at nothing...
The Times used one word to describe this production: “Perfection.”
Visit thelowry.com for more information.
Oldham Coliseum Theatre
Sugar DaddiesSugar Daddies
12 March – 30 March - £11.50
Upon rescuing “Uncle” Val from a hit and run accident, naïve Sasha is initially thrilled by his presents of gratitude and tokens of affection, but as she becomes more and more drawn into a sinister world she never knew existed, can Sasha remain true to herself, or will her sugar daddy ultimately destroy her?
When Sugar Daddies premiered in 2003, The Guardian said Ayckbourn's 63rd play marked the hugely popular playwright's "transformation from social observer to impassioned moralist" whilst retaining all his classic humour.
Visit oldhamcoliseum.ticketsolve.com for more information.
Oldham Coliseum Theatre
Blonde BombshellsBlonde Bombshells of 1943
12 April – 4 May
Wartime band leader Betty is in trouble. Her all girl swing group, The Blonde Bombshells, was the greatest in the North but half of the band has gone AWOL after illicit liaisons with American GIs and the promise of nylons.
Based on Alan Plater’s nostalgic TV film The Last of the Blonde Bombshells starring Judi Dench, this fun, feel-good musical is filled with magnificent live swing band performances of 40’s classics by Gracie Fields, George Formby, and Fats Waller.
Visit oldhamcoliseum.ticketsolve.com for more information.
Opera House
CatsCats
2 April – 20 April
Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s record-breaking, smash-hit musical returns to Manchester for two weeks only. This wonderful blend of fantasy, drama, and romance is set on the night that the Jellicle Cats meet for the Jellicle Ball in a sparkling fusion of music, dance, and verse. With an amazing musical score, spectacular set designs, stunning costumes, and breathtaking choreography, Cats is a magic musical like no other.
Visit manchestertheatres.com for more information.
Library Theatre
Mother CourageMother Courage and Her Children by Bertolt Brecht
22 February – 9 March - £11
The bloody battles of the Thirty Years’ War provide the setting for Brecht’s astonishing drama. Vital, indomitable, and contradictory – Mother Courage is unswerving in her determination to make a profit from the dirty business of the war, even if it threatens her children.
Translate by Oscar and BAFTA-nominated playwright Tony Krushner who recently wrote the screenplay for Spielberg’s Lincoln.
Visit librarytheatre.com for more information.
Contact Theatre
DystopiaCyac: Dystopia
3 March – 6 March - £8
What if your dreams came true? It is one year from an event that changed the world as we know it – what happened? What is left? Who has come out on top? Told through text and physical theatre, Contact Young Actors Company will immerse you in a world where the rules have changed and things aren’t always as they seem.
Visit contactmcr.com for more information.
Contact Theatre
In Search Of My FatherNu Century Arts: In Search of My Father
22 May – 23 May -- £10
Marisol has given up her well-paid job to embark on a quest for self-discovery to Jamaica and find the Jamaican man that will father a child. In Search of My Father delves into the ancient past to examine the modern black woman through visceral theatre, enchanting dance, and evocative music from MOBO award-winner Soweto Kinch.
Visit contactmcr.com for more information.
The Royal Exchange Theatre
MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird
20 February – 30 March -- £10
The universal tale of prejudice, deep inequalities, and humanity. The best-loved novel by Harper Lee, set in 1930s Alabama, is directed on stage by Max Webster (My Young and Foolish Heart).
Visit royalexchange.co.uk for more information.
The Royal Exchange Theatre
CannibalsCannibals
3 April – 27 April - £10
When the sweeping forces of war and progress pass through a village on the fringe of Europe, Lizaveta must run for her life. Finding shelter on an old woman’s farm, she tries to piece her life back together, but her past catches up with her and she must keep moving. This bold and unique play is by Manchester playwright, Rory Mullarkey.
Visit royalexchange.co.uk for more information.
The Royal Exchange Theatre
A Dolls HouseA Doll’s House
1 May – 1 June - £10
Domestic revolution, female empowerment, and the journey towards self-liberation – this play is regarded as a landmark of the modern stage. It queries aspirations, success, and what it means to raise a happy family. Henrik Ibsen’s ground-breaking play stars Cush Jumbo, directed Greg Hersov, and comes with the support of the Norwegian Embassy.
Visit royalexchange.co.uk for more information.
Palace Box Theatre
Lion KingThe Lion King
30 November 2012 – 20 April 2013 - £20
If you missed your chance to grab good seats, the Palace Box Theatre has just announced an extension of the show until 20 April 2013. The Disney’s Lion King is a worldwide theatrical phenomenon, seen by over 65 million people and still drawing sell-out crowds. With dazzling staging, highly imaginative costumes, masks, and puppets, the Lion King uses breathtaking theatrical magic to tell the story of Simba’s epic journey to reclaim his kingdom.
Visit manchestertheatres.com for more information.
Palace Box Theatre
Dirty DancingDirty Dancing
21 May – 5 June - £19.50
An unprecedented live experience, exploding with heart-pounding music, passionate romance, and sensationally sexy dancing. This global smash-hit, and fastest selling West End show, tells the story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives.
Visit manchestertheatres.com for more information.
The Met, Bury
Shop Of Little HorrorsThe Shop of Little Horrors
Thursday 13 June - £10
Funny yet macarbre, The Shop of Little Horrors uses a range of props and puppetry to tell the story of a puppet-maker without an heir. He is obsessed by ventriloquist dummies, although his handiwork seems to bear a strange resemblance to customers, friends and family.
Visit themet.biz for more details.
The Met, Bury
Charles Dickens’ Hard Times
Hard TimesThursday 20 June - £10
Paper Zoo recreate Dickens’ classic tale mixing visual inventiveness with humour. It shows you the world of Coketown, the fictional heart of the Industrial Revolution inspired by Dickens’ own journeys to Preston and Manchester.
Amongst the smoke and the pounding machinery, you are led to wonder whether hope and love can be found.
Visit themet.biz for more information.
Buxton Opera House
George Orwell’s 1984
1984Monday 3 June - £14
Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth but a note containing a declaration of love sends him on a search for the real truth. A search that involves risking everything.
In this twisted dystopian society, will Winston succeed in finding happiness under the watchful eye of the state or will he renounce his true feelings and learn to love Big Brother?
Visit buxtonoperahouse.org.uk for more information.
Buxton Opera House
Horrible Histories – Terrible Tudors
Terrible Tudors5 - 9 June - £14.50
Based on the hilarious and popular Horrible Histories books but with amazing 3D visual effects, Terrible Tudors brings the past kicking and screaming onto the stage. The legends and lies of Tudor England are all explored – from the Horrible Henrys to the Actual Armada, sailing through the audience. Explore Tudor History in all its gory detail.
Visit buxtonoperahouse.org.uk for more information.
Buxton Opera House
The Taming of the Shrew
Taming of the Shrew3 - 4 August - £14
This open-air production in the Pavilion Gardens is full of the wit and vitality of one of Shakespeare’s greatest double acts. Two wealthy Italian sisters must be married off. Sweet, pliant Bianca is inundated with suitors but her forthright and ‘shrewish’ elder sister, Katherina, frightens everyone off with her spirited, rebellious streak.
Can the equally strong-willed Petruchio tame her enough to get her to the altar? Verbal sparring and devious plans ensue but will they find true love?
Visit buxtonoperahouse.org.uk for more information.
The Lowry
Half a Person
Half A PersonFriday 14 June – £10
A tender coming of age story where the music of The Smiths provides the soundtrack to William’s life. An emotional mix of wry comedy, touching sentiment and live performance of the music of this cult Manchester band blend together to create an affecting show as William is torn between the conflicting loyalties of friendship and first love.
Visit thelowry.com for more information.
The Lowry
How to Succeed in Business
How To Succeed In Business8 – 10 August – Tickets from £20
This musical satire of the business world has garnered Tony awards and Pullitzer prizes and is now revitalised by award-winning theatre group, The Company. With classic songs such as I Believe In You, ambitious and bright window-cleaner J Pierpoint Finch works his way up the corporate ladder by doing very little except reading a manual for business success. At each rung, he encounters obstacles such as the company president’s nephew,his adoration of secretary Rosemary and the fact he hasn’t read enough of the book..
Vsiit thelowry.com for more information.
Opera House
Ghost – The Musical
Ghost2 – 20 July Tickets from £15
Based on the Oscar-winning film that made a generation sob into their hankies in the 90s, this is a musical about the timeless power of love. Sam is trapped in limbo, between this world and the next, but he must try to communicate to his grieving girlfriend to save her from his murderer. His only chance is through a phoney medium.
With a score by Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics and Glen Ballard who has written for both Michael Jackson and Alanis Morisette, and featuring the classic Unchained Melody, this musical will have you laughing and crying as it takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
Visit manchestertheatres.com for more information.
Contact Theatre
Cyac: La Biblioteca
Commedia Dell'arte1 – 3 August Free
Produced by Contact Theatre in collaboration with the University of Manchester and Dende Collective, this is a walk-through performance in the beautiful and inspiring surroundings of the John Rylands library. Using Commedia Dell’ Arte, the promenade performance explores love and hierarchy both past and present.
Visit contactmcr.com for more information.
The Royal Exchange Theatre
The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter
Birthday Party5 June – 6 July Tickets from £10
One of Harold Pinter’s best-known and best-loved plays, this powerful and uneasy story involves Stanley Webber, a pianist staying at a seaside boarding house, who might be celebrating his birthday although he denies the fact. When two strangers turn up demanding a party, the situation becomes a nightmare.
Visit royalexchange.co.uk for more information.
The Royal Exchange Theatre
Too Clever by Half by Alexandr Otrovsky
Too Clever By Half10 July – 17 August Tickets from £10
Another chaotic comedy from internationally acclaimed theatre group Told By An Idiot. This caustic satire tells the story of Gloumov, a young scoundrel who is determined to make it to the top of bourgeois society, no matter what the cost. The backstabbing and avarice of the frankly odd characters who inhabit this world make Too Clever by Half as relevant today as it was when it was written in 1868.
Visit royalexchange.co.uk for more information.
