From Tue 16 December for the Christmas holiday period, The Lowry’s Quays Theatre is home to a new production of ‘Allo ‘Allo!, specially written for the stage by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft. Calibre Productions, the producers behind the hugely successful Dad’s Army – The Lost Episodes, return to present a brand new stage adaptation of another hit British TV sitcom, brimming with all of the joyous mayhem and hilarious innuendos to be expected from the series.

Set in occupied France during WWII, the hapless French Café owner René and his wife Edith struggle to hide a priceless portrait – The Fallen Madonna ‘with ze Big Boobies’ – stolen by the Nazis and hidden in a sausage in their cellar. Adding to René’s woes, the French Resistance force him to aid their persistent attempts to return two bumbling British airmen to England whilst simultaneously trying to keep his long-running affairs with his two waitresses from his wife. (more…)

This competition has now closed.

The Octagon‘s award-winning productions of Roald Dahl’s work return with the beloved tale of Danny the Champion of the World. We have a family ticket up for grabs!

Following in the vein of previous success including James and The Giant Peach and The Twits, this looks set to be another winner at the Octagon this Christmas.

THE PLAY:
This new adaptation has all the classic elements of a Dahl favourite: overbearing adults, persecuted animals and the child who triumphs against the odds.

Danny the Champion of the World is a story of danger and daring, excitement and invention: Danny has the most marvellous father a boy could wish for. But one day Danny wakes up in the night to find his dad has disappeared. Danny knows his dad is keeping a secret, and demands to be told the truth. Together they hatch a cunning plan…..

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WOS Manchester isn’t in the habit of supporting rival forms of entertainment but this is too good to miss. Not content with writing , directing and acting in plays local renaissance man Joe O’Byrne has added yet another qualification to his crowded CV. His first film, Lookin’ for Lucky (directed by Chris Leonard) , will have its world premiere at the Salford Film Festival.

This takes place at the Red Cinema in the Lowry Outlet Mall (facing the theatre) at 9pm on Wednesday, 19th November. Theatregoers familiar with Joe’s work will spot that the film is set in his fictional north-west community of Paradise Heights; as featured in The Bench which played to good reviews earlier this year. (more…)

This competition is now closed and the winners are:

Ruth Slater, Nora Higgs, Karen Oultram, Diane Smith and Heather Lawrence.

Manon is arguably Kenneth MacMillan’s masterpiece.

THE SHOW:
Innocent girl or femme fatale, Manon is young, beautiful and naïve, and she is in love. Caught between two men vying for her affection, Manon becomes entangled in a web of passion, love and vanity, unable to choose. Student Des Grieux offers a pure love, but the promises and opulence of Monsieur GM entice Manon to the life of a courtesan, with tragic consequences.

Performed by English National Ballet’s 67 dancers and symphony orchestra, this production of Manon was premiered by the Royal Danish Ballet in 2003, and is given its UK premiere by English National Ballet in 2008.

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Date Reviewed: 29th October, 2008
Venue: The Opera House

As the chill of winter starts to bite and the recession dawns, some form of feel-good entertainment is much needed and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers succeeds in providing you with a warm glow on a cold night.

The show contains some of the best-known songs in musical theatre written by Gene de Paul with  lyrics by Johnny Mercer (and songs written for the stage version by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn). The book, by Lawrence Kasha and David S. Landay, tells how spirited Milly (Susan McFadden) marries backwoodsman Adam (Steven Houghton) following a whirlwind romance, unaware that part of his motive is to secure a cook and cleaner for him and his six brothers. (more…)