THEATREZONE

WHAT’SWHAT’SONON

Your at-a-glance guide to all the big stage shows coming your way

WE LIKE the sound of this . . .

Blackpool’s Grand Theatre – compulsory stopping point for many award-winning touring productions – has a new audio guide for visually impaired arts lovers.

Recordings promote shows including The Grand’s own production,Around the World in 80s Days, West End hit The Woman in Black, and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Bizet’s Carmen produced by the Ellen Kent Opera company.

A-list comedians Rob Beckett, Jason Manford and Alan Carr will be bringing their particular brand of stand-up to the Grand’s stage.

Altogether, details of more than 50 shows are included in the audio version of the guide, which is a joint effort by the theatre and former employee Anne-Marie Flood, who

Theatre’s grand plans for everyone

recently launched a voice audio company.

Andrew Howard, marketing manager at The Grand, said: “Accessibility is one of our major priorities and we want all theatregoers to have a comfortable and enjoyable experience. ” n Available on Sound

Cloud, theatregoers can access theAudio brochure online www.soundcloud.com/black poolgrandtheatre/sets/theguide-blackpool-grandtheatre-autumn-winteraudio-21 IN TUNE: Anne-Marie Flood with the new guide

Spotlight on young carers

YOUNG carers are set to take centre stage at the Lowry and Unity theatre, Liverpool.

Written by Matt Woodhead, Who Cares aims to help identify young carers in the UK – those who provide care under the radar of their friends, schoolteachers and local authorities – as well as signpost them to the support available.

Matt Woodhead said: “Sharing the inspirational stories of young carers is a real privilege and a vital part of the campaign to raise awareness of this, often hidden, issue. ”

The play premiered to critical acclaim at The Lowry in November 2016. Last February, it was performed on BBC Radio 2 reaching over 800,000 listeners. n Nov 15-17: The Lowry n Nov 18-19: Unity, Liverpool

CHARITY SPOTLIGHT

Disabled people leading change

DISABILITY Rights UK is the largest national charity led by, run by, and working for disabled people.

It works with Disabled People’s Organisations and Government across the UK to influence regional and national change for better rights, benefits, quality of life and economic opportunities for disabled people.

DR UK’s distinctive position means it can put concerns strongly and directly to government, infrastructure and service providers, and care regulators. It was strongly involved in lobbying the major supermarkets to provide priority shopping and online delivery slots for disabled customers.

It continues to provide vital information to disabled people across the country through its helplines, news updates and factsheets.

Unique services, such as its Student Helpline, provide information about how to access support at university. It also partners with various grass roots organisations in the North West to run projects enabling disabled people to participate in sport and physical activity.

Naturally, the charity’s resources have been stretched during the Covid-19 pandemic and donations are very welcome at

www.justgiving.com/disabilityrightsuk.

Everything you need to know

THE Disability Rights Handbook provides in-depth, comprehensive guidance on the benefits system, explains how social care operates around the UK and includes information about other services and resources for disabled people.

And it’s full of tools and tactics to help you make a successful claim.

Written in plain English by benefits specialists and legally referenced, it’s the only user-friendly benefits guide designed for both claimants and advisers.

Fully updated for 2021/22 and easy to find your way around, it has the answers you need, to claim what you’re entitled to, or challenge an unsuccessful application for benefits or social care.

n Reduced price copies of the Handbook for individuals are available online at www.disabilityrightsuk.org/shop or by calling 020 3687 0790.

Genuine Radar NKS Key

Get priority access to accessible public toilets

If you have a health condition or disability, finding an accessible toilet that’s clean, tidy and available for you to use can be a challenge.

And they’re often kept locked.

l The Radar key gives you access to over 9,000 locked disabled public toilets around the UK.

l Disability Rights UK manages the Radar NKS Scheme and relies on key sales to maintain it.

l Don’t risk buying a cheap copy that may not work.

l All keys manufactured and guaranteed by the makers of the Radar locks themselves

Genuine Radar Key £5.00 including P&P

Available from: www.disabilityrightsuk.org/shop

Alternatively call 020 3687 0790

You can also send a £5 cheque made out to ‘Disability Rights UK’ Disability Rights UK, Plexal, 14 East Bay Lane, Here East, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 3BS

Until Oct 23: Homebaked The Musical.

Royal Court. Back in 2012, the people ofAnfield faced losing a huge chunk of their local community to property developers. Things were looking bleak until a group of likeminded individuals got together and declared:“enough is enough” . Seeking a place for local lads to earn a crust they transformed a crumbling old bakery. Homebaked was born.

Until Oct 16: Disney’s Beauty and The Beast.

Liverpool Empire.

Oct 11-16: Priscilla Queen of the

Desert. Palace Theatre Manchester. Pack up your wigs, heels and all the glitter you can find – the iconic Priscilla is back. Oct 11-23: Grease. Manchester Opera House.

Oct 12-16: Dracula: The Untold Story.

Liverpool Playhouse.Achilling new version of the classic gothic vampire tale that you thought you knew so well.

Oct 12-16:Absurd Person Singular.

Theatr Clwyd.AlanAyckbourn’s comic masterpiece of social climbing in 1970s suburbia fuses a potent mix of farce and black comedy. Oct 14: The Illegal Eagles. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Oct 15: Rob Lamberti –ACelebration of the

Songs and Music of George Michael. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Oct 15: Rave On: Starring The Bluejays.

Crewe Lyceum. Fifties musical hits. Oct 15: The Illegal Eagles. Venue Cymru. Oct 15-17:AGreasy Spoon. Unity, Liverpool. Dark comedy set in an absurd Liverpool café. Also live online. Captioned.

Oct 16: The Best of Queen – The Break Free

Tour. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Oct 16:All SingingAll Swinging ... with Ray

Quinn. Floral Pavilion. Oct 16: Burn –ADeep Purple Tribute. Floral Pavilion. Oct 16-Nov 6: Isla. Theatr Clwyd.Anew dark comedy from acclaimed writer Tim Price. Roger needs company and he doesn’t want a dog . . . Oct 19-23: War of the Worlds. Liverpool Everyman.

Oct 19-23: Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight

Bell. Liverpool Playhouse. Oct 19: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Crewe Lyceum. Put on your dancing shoes.

Oct 19-Oct 24: Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Palace Theatre Manchester. Star-studded musical.

Oct 19-23: TheAddams Family.

Liverpool Empire. Musical comedy. The kooky family are back with Samantha Womack as Morticia and Cameron Blakely as Gomez. Oct 19-23: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Theatr Clwyd. Oct 20: Swan Lake. Crewe Lyceum. Royal National Ballet.

Oct 20: Seven Drunken Nights – The Story of

The Dubliners. Floral Pavilion. Oct 21: The Illegal Eagles. Floral Pavilion.

Oct 24: The Rocket Man –ATribute to Sir

Elton John. Liverpool Empire.

Oct 25-26: Paloma Fait: The Infinite Things

Tour. Liverpool Empire.

Oct 25-26: Eric & Ern.

Crewe Lyceum. Morecambe and Wise homage.

BOX  OFFICE  CONTACTS

BLACKPOOL

Grand Theatre: 01253 290190

BOLTON

Octagon: 01204 520661

CREWE

Lyceum: 01270 368 242

LIVERPOOL

Empire: 08444 999 999 Everyman & Playhouse: 0151 709 4776 Royal Court: 0870 787 1866 Unity 0151 709 4988

LLANDUDNO

Venue Cymru: 01492 872000

MOLD:

Theatr Clwyd: 0845 3303565

MANCHESTER

Opera House: 0870 401 9000 Palace: 0870 401 3000

SALFORD

The Lowry: 0843 208 6000

NEW BRIGHTON

Floral Pavilion: 0151 666 0000

PRESTON:

Charter Theatre: 0845 344 2012

RHYL:

Pavilion: 01745 330 000

RUNCORN

The Brindley: 0151 907 8360

SOUTHPORT:

Floral Hall: 0844 847 2380

ST HELENS:

Theatre Royal: 01744 756000

STOKE:

Regent Theatre: 0844 871 7627

ASWELTERING Mississippi night and the lies are as stifling as the heat. The Pollitt family meet for Big Daddy’s 65th birthday,

and the claws are out. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Theatr Clwyd, Oct 19-23.

CHATEAU Ghoul is East Yorkshire’s

go-to boutique hotel offering themed weekends. Fun for all the family, the only trouble is – the guests keep dying…

The Lowry, Oct 29-20.

TIME TO TAKE YOU

Oct 25: What’s Love Got to do With It? Venue Cymru. Tribute show to Tina Turner. Oct 25: Sessions. Unity, Liverpool. Raw, funny and bittersweet dive into the complexities of masculinity, depression and therapy. Captioned.

Oct 25-30: The Cat and the Canary.

Manchester Opera House. Britt Ekland stars in a new adaptation of the murderous mystery. Oct 25-Nov 13: Hairspray. Palace Theatre Manchester. Welcome to the 60s, where everyone’s grooving to a brand-new sound! Oct 26: The

Adventures of The Yorkshire Shepherdess

Amanda Owen. Floral Pavilion.

Oct 27: Sixties Gold. The Biggest and Best

Line-up. Venue Cymru. Featuring Herman’s Hermits, The Tremeloes, Marmalade, The Merseybeats, PJ Proby, Steve Ellis, Mamas and Papas UK, Dave Berry and Gerry’s Pacemakers.

Oct 27-30: Tip Top: The Show Must Go On.

Theatr Clwyd.All singing, all dancing and guaranteed to leave you clicking your fingers, tapping your feet, humming your favourite show-tunes.

Oct 28: Dr Richard Shepherd – Unnatural

Causes. Floral Pavilion. Oct 29: ELOAgain. Floral Pavilion. Tribute show.

Oct 29: Into The Groove – The Ultimate

Tribute to Madonna. Liverpool Empire. Oct 29-30: Lip Service: Chateau Ghoul. The Lowry. Oct 30: What’s Love Got to do With It? A Trubute to Tina Turner. Liverpool Empire.

Oct 30: Gary Murphy Presents Music &

Laughter. Floral Pavilion. Ricky Tomlinson and Sean Styles.

Oct 31: Clinton Baptiste goes Stratospheric.

Floral Pavilion.

Oct 31: TheAustralian Pink Floyd Show.

Liverpool Empire. Nov 1: That’ll Be The Day. Floral Pavilion.

Nov 1: Money for Nothing – Dire Straits

Tribute 20thAnniversary Tour. Venue Cymru. Nov 2: Sleeping Beauty. Floral Pavilion. Russian State Ballet. Nov 2-6: 9 to 5 The Musical. Liverpool Empire. Dolly Parton’s feelgood musical. Louise Redknapp stars as Violet. Nov 3: The Nutcracker. Venue Cymru. The Russian State Ballet and Opera House. Nov 4: Swan Lake. Venue Cymru. The Russian State Ballet and Opera House.

Nov 4: Come What May – The Ultimate

Tribute to Moulin Rouge. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Nov 4: Luther –ALuther Vandross Tribute.

Floral Pavilion.

Nov 5-Jan 15: The Scouse Sleeping Beauty.

Royal Court.

Nov 5: Pauline Daniels: Get Me Before The

Crematorium Does. Floral Pavilion.

Nov 5: Ian Waite & Vincent Simone –Act

Two. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Nov 6: Showaddywaddy. Floral Pavilion. Let’s rock ‘n’ roll.

Nov 6: Sarah Millican – Bobby Dazzler.

Venue Cymru. Comedy.

Nov 7: Some Guys HaveAll The Luck – The

Rod Stewart Story. Floral Pavilion. Nov 7: Ross Noble: Humournoid. Liverpool Empire. Nov 8: The Bon Jovi Experience. Floral Pavilion.

Nov 8-11: Riverdance: The New 25th

y for a good sing-song. Louise Redknapp takes the lead as Violet in

on’s feelgood musical 9 to 5. Liverpool Empire, Nov 2-6.

GUARANTEED to bring you sunshine –

Eric & Ern returns to Liverpool with

Morecambe and Wise’s most loved routines.

Crewe Lyceum, Oct 25-26; Liverpool Playhouse, Nov 18-19.

ASPECTACULAR reminder that as humans, we have the extraordinary ability to move forward together by taking the time to really

understand each other. Human by Extraordinary Bodies, The Lowry, Nov 24.

URSEATSAGAIN

Anniversary Show. Liverpool Empire. Nov 8-20: Waitress. Manchester Opera House. Crewe Treat yourself to a slice of five-star musical pie as Lucie Jones (Les Misérables, Legally Blonde) stars in the hit musical comedy.

Nov 9: Rob Brydon –ANight of Song and

Laughter. Venue Cymru. Nov 11: Only Fools and Boycie. Floral Pavilion. Nov 12-13: Dracula: The Untold Story. The Lowry.Achilling new version of the classic gothic vampire tale that you thought you knew so well.

Nov 12-14: Out of the Narrow Place:ARitual

or Black Descendants of Slaves. Unity, Liverpool.Also live online. BSL performance. Nov 12-14: How to Kill a Rose. Unity, Liverpool. Shining a light on domestic abuse in he transgender community.Also live online. Captioned.

Nov 12: The Music of Zimmer vs Williams.

Liverpool Empire. Nov 13: The Dreamboys. Venue Cymru. Nov 14: Only BoysAloud. Venue Cymru. Nov 15-17: Who Cares? The Lowry. Lung theatre examing our failing care system, the impact of austerity and what happens when a child becomes the parent.

Nov 15-16: Riverdance – The New 25th

Anniversary Show. Palace Theatre Manchester. Nov 15-20: Grease. Liverpool Empire.After a whirlwind summer romance, leather-clad greaser Danny and girl-next-door Sandy are unexpectedly reunited.

Nov 16: TheAustralian Pink Floyd.All That

You Feel Tour 2021. Venue Cymru. Nov 17: Katherine Jenkins. Venue Cymru. Nov 18-19: Eric & Ern. Liverpool Playhouse. Brilliant homage to Morecambe and Wise. Nov 18-19: Who Cares? Unity, Liverpool. Lung theatre examing our failing care system, the impact of austerity and what happens when a child becomes the parent. Captioned, Nov 19. Nov 19: China Crisis. Floral Pavilion.

Nov 19: Eclipse – Pink Floyd Experience.

Floral Pavilion. Nov 19-Jan 15: Beauty and the Beast. Theatr Clwyd. The acclaimed rock ’n’ roll panto is back. Nov 20-Jan 15: Robin Hood. Liverpool Everyman. Nov 20: Christmas Strauss Gala. Floral Pavilion. Nov 20: The Roy Orbison Story. Crewe Lyceum. Tribute show. Nov 21: Russell Watson. Crewe Lyceum. Nov 21: Sing-a-long-a Sound of Music. Floral Pavilion. Nov 21: OMD. Liverpool Empire. Nov 20: Paul Weller. Venue Cymru.

Nov 20: The Sensational 60s Experience.

Venue Cymru. Mike Pender (The Searchers), The Tremeloes, Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, The Fortunes and The Dakotas. Nov 22: Fairytale of New York. Floral Pavilion.

Nov 22-23: Dragons and Mythical Beasts –

Live. Theatre Royal, St Helens. Nov 22-Dec 4: White Christmas. Palace Theatre Manchester.

Nov 22-27: School of Rock: The Musical.

Venue Cymru. Nov 23: The Sixties Invasion. Floral Pavilion.

Nov 23-27: Everybody’s TalkingAbout

Jamie. Liverpool Empire. The smash hit musical comes to Liverpool. Nov 24: The Take That Experience. Crewe Lyceum. Tribute show.

Nov 24: Sir Ranulph Fiennes – Living

Dangerously. Floral Pavilion. Nov 24: Clinton Baptiste Goes Stratosheric. Theatre Royal, St Helens.

Nov 24: Human by Extraordinary Bodies.

The Lowry. Signed, audio described, and all performances are relaxed. Nov 25: Ralph McTell. Floral Pavilion.

Nov 26: Johnny Vegas & Friends.

Theatre Royal, St Helens. Nov 26-Jan 9: Peter Pan. Bolton Octagon. Fly to Neverland and join Peter Pan, Wendy and the Lost Boys in this warm retelling of J.M Barrie’s classic tale.

Nov 28: The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Liverpool Empire. Nov 30-Jan 9: Stick Man. The Lowry. Award-winning production featuring a trio of top actors and packed full of puppetry, songs, live music and funky moves. Relaxed, Thur 9 Dec, 1.30pm; audio described, Sat 18 Dec, 2pm; signed, 19 Dec, 2pm. (Tel. 0161 876 2183)

Nov 30-Dec 1: WNO: Madam Butterfly.

Venue Cymru.

Dec 1: Glyndenbourne: Stravinksy’s The

Rake Progress. Liverpool Empire.

Dec 2: Glyndenbourne: Handel’s Messiah.

Liverpool Empire.

Dec 2: Christmas Party Night – Nya King as

Witney. Floral Pavilion. Dec 2: WNO: The Barber of Seville. Venue Cymru.

Dec 3: Christmas Party Night – Take on

Take That. Floral Pavilion.

Dec 3: Glyndenbourne: Donizetti’s Don

Pasquale. Liverpool Empire.

Dec 4: Christmas Party Night –ABBA

Forever. Floral Pavilion. Dec 4-Jan 2: Beauty & The Beast. Floral Pavilon. Dec 8-Jan 1: The Book of Mormon. Palace Theatre Manchester. Outrageous musical comedy from the creators of South Park,Avenue Q and Frozen.

Dec 8-Jan 15: The Lion, The Witch and The

Wardrobe. Lowry. Step through the wardrobe into the enchanted kingdom of Narnia. Audio described, Sat 11 Dec, 2pm – touch tour, 1pm; Sat 23 Dec, 7pm; captioned, Thur 16 Dec, 7pm; signed, Sat 18 Dec, 2pm. (Tel. 0161 876 2183) Dec 11-Jan 2:Aladdin. Venue Cymru. The Venue Cymru panto is back and bigger than ever before. With the hilarious John Evans making a return to Llandudno as the hapless Wishee Washee you better grab your tickets now to this fabulous festive treat before they fly out of the door! Signed andAudio described, Sat 18 Dec. Relaxed performance, Wed 29 Dec, 1pm

Dec 10-Jan 9: Goldilocks and the

Three Bears. Theatre Royal, St Helens

Dec 10-Jan 2: Sleeping Beauty.

Crewe Lyceum. Bobby Davro, X Factor finalistAmelia Lily and Cheshire’s bestloved panto dame Malcolm. Dec 11-Jan 2:Aladdin. Manchester Opera House. Alexandra Burke and Ben Nickless hoping to make your wishes come true.