Richard Evans sees The Woman in Black - the "scariest play ever", according to some - and considers the tragic hidden point it makes. Read his review @storyhouselive.bsky.social #thewomaninblack #touring www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/the-wom...

Fans of the TV Inspector Morse won't be disappointed by this highly watchable stage "episode", House of Ghosts, written by one of the TV series writers, with strong central characters #InspectorMorse #HouseofGhosts #grandoperahouseyork www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/inspect...

For a play set in a prison, Paul Mackenzie finds The Shawshank Redemption strangely lacking conviction... Read his review @grandtheatrebpl.bsky.social #Shawshank #BillWard #JoeMcFadden www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/the-sha...

Burnley's famous site labourer-turned-banking mogul Dave Fishwick is to be the subject of a new musical, to be premiered at Salford's Lowry in May 2026 @thelowry.com #BankofDave #DaveFishwick @curveleicester.bsky.social www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/dave-s-...

Sheffield Theatres has announced a bold plan to collaborate closely with four small but significant local theatre companies #Sheffieldtheatres @forcedents.bsky.social #rootsmbili #SBCTheatre #TheBareProject www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/new-col...

Chester's popular Storyhouse Theatre, cinema and library building is looking for three new trustees @storyhouselive.bsky.social #trustees www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/be-a-tr...

Jenny Daniel is thrilled by the excitement on display in director Ellie Hurt's semi-modern version of Shakespeare's great Romeo and Juliet @liveveryplay.bsky.social #RomeoandJuliet www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/romeo-a...

Bradford's wide-ranging City of Culture year comes to an end with an equally-diverse range of activities in local spaces @bradford2025.co.uk #cityofculture #finalevents www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/bradfor...

Richard Evans finds a lot to love in this five-star production of Alan Ayckbourn's Snake in the Grass at Theatr Clwyd #TheatrClwyd #Snakeinthegrass #AlanAyckbourn www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/snake-i...

There's a lot of fun, brilliantly-sung pop music and sisterly bonhomie in Debbie Isitt's "Military Wives, The Musical"; but it all seems a little too manipulative, says Steve Pratt. #YorkTheatreRoyal #MilitaryWivesmusical www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/militar...

Director Raz Shaw returns to Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre for Christmas for a highly-anticipated production of Singin in the Rain, with a top-line cast. @rxtheatre.bsky.social #RazShaw #SinginintheRain www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/brollie...

Comedy, an intriguing story and an apparently simple question provide a lot of food for thought in Alan Ayckbourn's 91st play, Earth Angel. Read Steve Pratt's review @thesjt.bsky.social #AlanAyckbourn #EarthAngel #theoldlaundrytheatre www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/earth-a...

Manchester's Royal Exchange returns to landmark theatre and famous names for its 50th anniversary season under new artistic director Selina Cartmell #rxtheatre #anniversaryseason #johnnyvegas #sirtomcourtenay #davidthrelfall #ShobnaGulati #lucybeaumont www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/manches...

Robert Beale on English National Opera's first partnership-led production at Salford's Lowry, Albert Herring #englishnationalopera @thelowry.com #AlbertHerring www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/english...

Robert Beale enjoys arguably the first swords and sorcery epic with Northern Ballet's revival of Merlin in Leeds @northernballet.bsky.social #LeedsGrand #Merlin #SheffieldLyceum www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/merlin

Unity Theatre, Liverpool's eclectic mix of new and socially-aware theatre is fully in evidence in the theatre's new season #unitytheatre #newseason www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/unity-t...

Theatre company Mind The Gap is throwing a special party for Bradford 2025, and everyone's invited #MindtheGap #TheInvite @bradford2025.co.uk #party www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/bradfor...

A £750k grant from the Arts Council is set to enliven Blackpool's ambition to become a national creative centre within the next five years #BlackpoolGrand #culturalcentre #Blackpool www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/huge-gr...

New Manchester company We Merry Dancers starts as it means to go on, with a rare production of Max Frisch's dark comedy The Fire Raisers #hopemilltheatre #WeMerryDancers #TheFireRaisers #AmyGavin www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/merry-d...

Jenny Daniel ponders the human psyche from inside not one but three shipping containers in Darkfield's extraordinary 'Manchester Takeover'. Read her review #Darkfield #HOMEManchester #FactoryInternational @thelowry.com #Seance #Arcade #Flight www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/darkfie...

Tim Green's highly-acclaimed 2023 play about neurodivergent people getting out into the world puts a heartwarming, human face on a landmark fight, says Richard Evans #TheatrClwyd #ShermanTheatre #Hijinxtheatre #Housemates www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/housema...

It should be more fun, but John Godber's new Black Tie Ball is a bit underpowered compared to his earlier comedies, suggests Steve Pratt. Read his review #HarrrogateTheatre #JohnGodber #BlackTieBall www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/black-t...

Bolton Octagon has a proud tradition of Coward productions - but this Private Lives seems a little wide of the mark, says Steve Griffiths. Read his review #Boltonoctagon #PrivateLives www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/private...

Reece Dinsdale returns to Leeds Playhouse to play Scrooge in the theatre's Deborah McAndrew-scripted production of A Christmas Carol #LeedsPlayhouse #ChristmasCarol #ReeceDinsdale www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/norther...

Sam Buttery, from Netflix series Kaos, will star in the Lowry's camp Christmas show Unfortunate - The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch @thelowrytree.bsky.social #Unfortunate #sambuttery www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/sam-but...

Dickens' short story of ghostly goings-on in a railway signal box is more "Tales of the Unexpected" than "Exorcist', but it's a well put together 100 minutes, says Steve Pratt #Harrogatetheatre #MiddleGroundTheatre #Dickens www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/the-sig...

Three Manchester companies combine to present the local premiere of playwright Dennis Kelly's psychological thriller, Orphans, at the King's Arms, Salford #kingsarmssalford #Orphans www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/triple-...

Chester Storyhouse gets ready to inspire young children to love words with its fourth WayWord Festival, coming in October @storyhouselive.bsky.social #WaywordFestival www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/inspiri...

Jenny Daniel - a child of the time - finds tremendous joy and fun in the new Steps musical, Here & Now - if not entirely in the skills shown in its creation #thestepsmusical @palaceandopera.bsky.social #hereandnow www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/here-an...

October's Blackpool Grand visit of "Noel and Gertie" also brings a special exhibition of Noel Coward's association with the resort, which isn't well known outside the town itself @grandtheatrebpl.bsky.social #Noelandgertie #showtownmuseum www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/noel-co...

Former Everyman-Playhouse trainee director Ellie Hurt returns to the theatre to take charge of main house show Romeo and Juliet @liveveryplay.bsky.social #RomeoandJuliet www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/young-t...

Chester Storyhouse's popular Elders Festival will return to the venue in October @storyhouselive.bsky.social #EldersFestival www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/everyon...

Yorkshire multimedia company Thunder Road tours its latest thriller. Set in space, The Void is a creepy chiller designed to shock #ThunderRoad #TheVoid #HullTruckTheatre #EdgeHillUniversity #ScunthorpeTheatres www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/dare-yo...

Three interesting one-man shows are added to the autumn line-up at Oldham Coliseum #OldhamColiseum #newseason www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/macbeth...

Writer and performer Nathan Parker's Blackpool sojourn has seen him talk to many gardeners in the resort's green spaces. In this show he relates what he has learned @leftcoastuk.bsky.social #NathanParker www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/climb-b...

Liverpool's Epstein Theatre starts the hunt for a dashing, handsome prince to appear in the reborn (again) theatre's panto Cinderella this Christmas #EpsteinTheatre #Cinderella #SearchforaPrince www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/wanted-...

Theatre veteran Sheena Wrigley will take charge of her fourth major Manchester venue, the Royal Exchange Theatre, in 2026 alongside artistic director and joint CEO Selina Cartmell @rxtheatre.bsky.social #SheenaWrigley #selinacartmell www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/sheena-...

New musical "Can't Complain" starts out in the tradition of Rice and Lloyd Webber - by revealing a full album of the music "live" and on streaming services #53two #Cantcomplain #SamEaston www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/its-a-s...

Paul Mackenzie has a shudderingly funny night of music and thrills at the opening of The Addams Family in Blackpool. Read his review #BlackpoolOperaHouse #TheAddamsFamiily www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/the-add...

A lavish new UK tour of Christie's "Death on the Nile" starting at the Lowry, Salford from next month adds to its cast #AgathaChristie @thelowry.com #Poirot www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/more-on...

Joan Davies enjoys the epic scale and energy of Riverdance's 30th anniversary UK tour, which comes to Manchester and 29 dates in England after opening in Dublin. Read her review #Riverdance @palaceandopera.bsky.social #touring #NewGeneration www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/riverda...

Anna Jordan's Bruntwood prize-winning play Yen returns north to Bolton and Newcastle for the first time in a decade #BoltonOctagon #yen www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/playwri...

York Theatre Royal brings next summer to a close by announcing youth theatre project "Main Stage Summer" - its first return since 2019 #YorkTheatreRoyal #MainStageSummer www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/make-a-...

Jenny Daniel is knocked out by the epic colour, movement and scale of world-touring Moulin Rouge The Musical, now in Manchester. Read her review @moulinmusicaluk.bsky.social @palaceandopera.bsky.social www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/moulin-...

Renowned British dance company Rambert teams up with hip Parisian company (La)Horde on a new work. #(LA)HORDE #RambertDance @thelowry.com www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/rambert...

Former police officer's treatment led to a far-from-silent approach to regaining her mental health #PolicetoParanoia #SilentApproach #NewAdelphiTheatre #DukesLancaster #LowtherPavilion #BlackburnLibrary #OakScarisbrick www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/rejecti...

Stephen Mallatratt's economical and brilliant adaptation of Susan Hill's thriller The Woman in Black sets out once again on tour this autumn #thewomaninblack @storyhouselive.bsky.social #touring #JohnMackay #DanielBurke www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/the-wom...

Jenny Daniel curtseys low in the presence of not one but five Princess Dianas in riotous queer cabaret The Diana Mixtape. Read her review @thelowry.com #TheDianaMixtape www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/the-dia...

Brendan Murphy takes his acclaimed parody of Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Buffy Revamped - to Newcastle's Tyne theatre for a night of, well, vampire slaying #TynetheatreandOperaHouse #BuffyRevamped www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/buffy-r...

The backstage cast of Moulin Rouge The Musical - opening in Manchester this week - will put together Get Technical, a special show aimed at encouraging young people into theatre tech careers @moulinmusicaluk.bsky.social @palaceandopera.bsky.social www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/moulin-...