ENTERTAINMENT
WHAT’S ON Theatres and venues are packed with top drama, brilliant musicals and some outstanding comedy and music over the next few months. All the venues are working hard to make everyone feel safe and opening their doors wide to welcome you back to enjoy the very best in live entertainment
Drama An Adventure Fri 4 – Sat 26 February: Bolton Octagon An Adventure follows the journey of husband and wife Ahmenabad and Jyoti across seven decades and three continents as they navigate political tensions in 1950s Kenya and the turbulence of first generation life in Britain in the 1960s and beyond. This is a witty, charming and moving story of upheaval, progress and revolution.
Private Lives Tue 15 – Sat 19 February: The Lowry Noël Coward’s gloriously entertaining Private Lives is the inaugural show from The Nigel Havers Theatre Company. Nigel Havers and Patricia Hodge play Elyot and Amanda, who were once married, but now find themselves on honeymoon with their new partners in the same hotel on the French Riviera, admiring the view from adjoining balconies.
Fatal Attraction Tue 22 – Sat 26 February: Manchester Opera House Based on the classic motion picture, James Dearden’s intoxicating Fatal Attraction brings the definitive movie thriller to the UK stage. Starring Kym Marsh (Hear’Say, Coronation Street, Morning Live) as the iconic Alex Forrest, soap star favourite Oliver Farnworth (Coronation Street) as Dan Gallagher and Footballer’s Wives siren Susie Amy as Beth Gallagher.
Nora : A Doll’s House Fri 4 March – Sat 2 April: Royal Exchange 1918. 1968. 2018. Three distinct and remarkable women illuminate this cleverly distilled contemporary retelling of Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House across three pivotal decades. Over a century after A Doll’s House
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shocked audiences with its stark portrayal of female married life, this searing adaptation by award-winning writer Stef Smith is rooted in the women’s rights movement, exploring how tightly bound women still are by social convention, even as the world seemingly opens up.
As You Like It Tue 8 – Sat 12 March: The Lowry Northern Broadsides take to the road once more with a celebration of the transformative power of love and the natural world, featuring some of Shakespeare’s most vivid characters and memorable poetry. With a cast of 12 northern actors, this brilliant production by Laurie Sansom captures the sheer joy of live performance and the crazy power of love to change the world.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Tue 8 – Sat 12 March: Manchester Opera House Winner of the Olivier Award and Tony Award for Best Play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time brings Mark Haddon’s international best-selling novel to thrilling life on stage in a dazzling adaptation by two-time Olivier Award winner Simon Stephens and directed by Olivier and Tony Award winner Marianne Elliott (War Horse, Company).
Kes Thu 10 March – Sat 2 April: Bolton Octagon Kes is a moving and powerful coming-ofage story based on the much-loved book and film and is adapted by Robert Alan Evans in this uplifting and fiercely warm stage production.
Animal Farm Tue 22 – Sat 26 March: The Lowry This brand-new production of Animal
Farm is directed by Robert Icke, whose version of 1984 (co-adapted and directed with Duncan Macmillan) was a smash hit in the West End and on Broadway. This imaginative and bold adaptation features puppetry by Toby Olié (whose credits include War Horse, Running Wild and Goodnight Mister Tom) and is designed by four-time Olivier Award winner Bunny Christie.
Musicals 9 to 5 the Musical Tue 1 – Sat 5 March: Palace Theatre Dolly Parton’s smash-hit musical has a rip-roaring score from the Queen of Country herself. 9 to 5 the Musical tells the story of three workmates pushed to boiling point by their sexist and egotistical boss. The women concoct a plan to kidnap and turn the tables on their despicable supervisor with hilarious consequences. This fabulous new production is about teaming up, standing up and taking care of business!
Bedknobs and Broomsticks Tue 15 – Sat 19 March: The Lowry Enter a world of magic and fantasy as Disney’s classic movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks comes to life as an exciting new stage musical. With original songs by the legendary Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ), including Portobello Road, The Age of Not Believing, and The Beautiful Briny.
Les Misérables Tue 29 March – Sat 23 April: The Lowry Hold onto your hats! One of the world’s most famous, most fabulous and well-loved musicals arrives in Salford this month! Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s musical Les Misérables has the most magnificent score, including I Dreamed
