Congratulations Tim Robinson, Manchester as you have won tickets to see Joanna Riding in An Ideal Husband at The Royal Exchange!

Tim’s name was picked randomly from our subscriber’s list and you could also be a lucky winner as there are more competitions on the way.

This festive offering is a dazzling blend of comedy and morality, sex and politics, exploring human frailty and social hypocrisy. Using Oscar Wilde’s signature wit and style, An Ideal Husband has all the sumptuous elegance you expect from the Royal Exchange.

The Royal Exchange’s successes with Wilde have included Braham Murray’s The Importance Of Being Earnest which sold out and extended its run in 2004, whilst his production of Lady Windermere’s Fan, in 1996/7, transferred to the West End.

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Following his highly acclaimed turn in the UK tour of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Shane Richie brings some Christmas (Bah Humbug!) cheer to the Palace Theatre playing the title role in Leslie Bricusse’s musical Scrooge.

After a night facing the ghosts of his past, present and frightening future, Scrooge is transformed, his festive spirit restored. The score includes “I Hate Christmas”, “It’s Not My Fault”, “I’ll Begin Again” and “Better Life”.

Scrooge was originally a 1970 film starring Alec Guinness and Albert Finney. The musical by Bricusse - whose other major musicals include Stop the World - I Want to Get Off, Pickwick and Doctor Dolittle - currently on a UK tour starring Tommy Steele.

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Venue: The Lowry
Date Reviewed: 08 November 2007

Just when you think that the wonderful Matthew Bourne cannot possibly surpass his previous work, he does it again with this revival of his superb re-imagining of Bitzet’s Carmen.

This is an opera without song, replaced with dance but with all the drama, emotion and tension cranked up to gale force ten. Bourne calls this piece a “dance thriller” and that is the best way to describe it because it is ‘edge of your seat’ stuff.

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Venue: The Palace Theatre
Date Reviewed: 7th November 2007

Most people’s memories of the score to the sweet musical Doctor Dolittle stem from the classic film starring Rex Harrison. The previous UK stage version featured Phillip Schofield as the animal-loving Doc. The story was also remade for the movies starring Eddie Murphy. So there have been a fair few interpretations. Perhaps this explains why the opening night of the Manchester leg of the tour was so sparsely attended.

This is a shame as this inoffensive family show, although not flawless, does have its moments. The quack himself is played by Tommy Steele, who gives his usual upbeat performance – if his style may be a little bit cheesy by today’s standards, it’s totally in keeping with the infectiously feel-good nature of the piece. And while Steele’s singing voice is not what it was, the man can still move like the best of them.

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Venue: The Opera House
Date Reviewed: 6th November 2007

You may have expected the opening night of the new Shilpa Shetty musical Miss Bollywood to be bustling, when you consider how many headlines were devoted to the Celebrity Big Brother racism row. But, clearly many Indian cinema fans and Heat readers were not sold on the idea of a screen to stage transformation. Judging by this poorly attended, lacklustre star vehicle, they had the right idea, staying at home.

Bollywood cinema provides an audience with spectacle, colour, great costumes, exhilarating dance, Western movie references and a sense of fun. Unfortunately this new show rarely ticks these boxes. Part of the problem is the concept itself; it is billed as …The Musical. But every aspect is mimed; so far so Bollywood, but this includes the crossover parts of the show, clearly aimed at a Western audience. At least Bombay Dreams succeeded in meeting audiences in the middle with its mixture of “Shakalaka Baby” (East) and “Love’s Never Easy” (aimed squarely at the musical fan).

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