A Murder Has Been Arranged - Altrincham Garrick

THIS 1930’s play gives a theatrical nod to gentler times and it’s essential you bear that in mind when going to see it.

A thriller/ghost story, it’s fair to say the thrills are considerably more gentle than what’s served up on stage and screen today.

Enlyn Williams’ slow burner is however, a beautifully written and well crafted piece of writing that offers no offence and is yet strangely captivating in places. There are some plays that were made for long, dark winter nights and this is definitely one such piece, set in a rambling old style theatre, brilliantly re-created by designer Margaret Norris.

Sir Charles Napier - played by David Baxendale - stands to receive a 40th birthday present to remember in the shape of a £2m fortune. But his dodgy distant relative Maurice Mullins has other ideas and turns up out of the blue to get his thieving hands on the lucre. We’ve been here a million times of course, but it still great fun trying to guess if Mullins will get away with it. The role is also a great vehicle for Anthony Morris, who passes this “driving test” with flying colours.

Morris, consistently impressive, makes a really good bad guy.

There is much to admire in Mike Shaw’s watchable production, including Chloe Malandra as Sir Charles’ fretful wife Beatrice and Fiona Primrose, confident, accomplished and elegant as Sir Charles’ secretary, Miss Groze.

The costumes, made by Mike and the Garrick’s wardrobe team, provided a visual delight and the perfect compliment to Margaret’s sumptuous set.

Until January 26. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - ***

The Producers - Royal Exchange Theatre

WHEN his musical version of Hamlet receives a mauling from the critics and subsequently bombs at the box office, theatre producer Max Bialystock, a study in sleaziness, has a rather novel idea to make a quick buck.

He teams up with his downtrodden accountant Leo Bloom to stage Springtime for Hitler, a show that’s as tasteless as it sounds. Bloom spends his days working unappreciated in an office that reminded me of a latter day Victorian workhouse, presided over by a boss who wouldn’t look or sound out of place running a prison chain gang.

No wonder this lovable doormat, engagingly brought to life by Stuart Neal, wants out. Along with Julius D’Silva, who plays the gloriously amoral Bialystock, they make one of the best comedy double acts to appear on Manchester’s professional stage for some years.

Budding young actors take note, these are two men at the top of their craft. The difference in stature between Neal and D’Silva is a cause of much hilarity, particularly during the scene in which the two come to blows.

While this at times riotously funny evening, continues the RET’s much needed tradition of providing an alternative to the dreaded Christmas panto, the tone of The Producers never goes beyond the boundary pushing stage.

Some of the dance routines in Raz Shaw’s production took my breath away. Others, however, looked a little cramped on the Exchange’s small stage.

But I’ve always been drawn to characters with dubious morals and an evening with Max Bialystock will certainly live long in my memory.

Great festive fun - even if most of it is to be had in act two.

Until February 2. The box office is on 0161 833 9833. Star rating - *** Photo by Johan Pressib.

Absurd Person Singular - Altrincham Garrick

WE’RE in suburbia and Marion is raving about Jane’s brave new kitchen. She’s been invited to a Christmas Eve drinks party hosted by Jane and her ambitious husband, Sidney. Welcome to the world of Alan Ayckbourn.

A world in which the men are invariably heartless and uncaring, often oblivious or completely detached from the plight of their wives.

This play, first performed in 1972, shows its age, particularly in the way the men and women interact with each other. It’s set in three flats over three consecutive Christmas Eves and festive jollity is in short supply.

Especially in the second act, in which poor Eva takes centre stage while being completely ignored by those who think they’re helping her by engaging in trivial pursuits - and I’m not referring to the popular board game.

This play doesn’t really develop for me to the extent I would like it to but, that said, director Kathy Searcy’s well conceived production perfectly captures the spirit, the light and dark that’s a trademark of this celebrated and respected writer’s work.

You can forgive the fact that the first act is rather repetitive, for the cast of Graham Simmonds (Sidney), Ros Greenwood (Jane), Simon Garland (Ronald), Laura Chandler (Marion) and Matthew Foster (Geoffrey) work hard to bring their characters to life. There’s also an impressive debut from Kim Armstom to enjoy.

The second act will have you laughing while at the same time feeling guilty at what you’re laughing at, as Eva teeters on the brink.

Until December 1. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - *** Photo by Vish Sharma

The Maids - HOME Manchester

NOW, I’m not averse to any art form pushing the boundaries and while there are some worthwhile themes that still deserve an outing on any stage, their impact is horribly lost in this painfully pretentious piece of theatre.

Loosely inspired by the murder by two French housemaids of their employer and her daughter, Genet’s play, written in the late 1940’s, explores themes like the thin line between love and hate and the social antagonism that still exists between the classes today, even though the class divisions that existed are by no means pronounced as they are today.

Far more captivating would have been a play about the murderous Papin sisters and a crime that shocked the French nation back in 1933. For me, Lily Sykes’ production, while being ingeniously staged, sets out to shock, and is, for me, classic case of style trumping substance.

Maids Solange and Claire, seduced by their employer’s lavish and for them unattainable lifestyle, indulge in sadomasochistic rituals in which they dress in her finery and act out fantasies about murdering her. A truly demanding piece of physical theatre for Luke Mullins and Jake Fairbrother who admirably rise to the challenge.

They also make for convincing women, enjoying some pre-performance fun with the audience, dressed in prison jumpsuits. They, along with Danny Lee Wynter who plays the crackpot duo’s employer known only as Mistress, have the mannerism spot on when it comes to convincing us they are real women.

Designer Ruari Murchison’s decision to have the action projected on to video screens facing the audience seated in-the=round initially struck me as a gimmick but it turned out to be a highly effective dramatic tool.

Not for me, I’m afraid. So sad, just as I was starting to feel right at HOME. But all relationships have their ups and downs don’t they?

Until December 1. The box office is on 0161 200 1500. Star rating - ** Photo by Jonathan Keenan.

Private Lives - Altrincham Little Theatre

LOVE hurts, the old saying goes.

But for couples like Amanda and Elyot, it should come with a Government health warning.

So, what fun ensues when the couple, whose marriage was a study in volatility and who are now divorced, find themselves on honeymoon together, in a swanky French hotel, with new partners.

But the spark that brought them together in the first place s very much still there. As are there rows, which erupt over things most trivial.

It’s hard to believe this play first premiered in 1930 for, in the hands of director Malcolm Cooper and a cast dripping with the same amount of comic talent it remains fresh, vibrant and invigorating.. The pace is absolutely perfect and Amanda and Elyot play their big scene quite brilliantly. I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen this well crafted piece of theatre.

There’s a real chemistry between Phil Harrison and Alison Bowers as Elyot and Amanda and it’s so convincing you feel their characters have really shared a past. Likewise Emily Duffy and Vince Bowers are perfect as Sybil and Victor, their spurned spouses, desperately trying to make sense of a bizarre situation.

Kathryn Fennell also makes the most of her role as the French maid Louise and I’m sure I’m not the only one aching to see a cast and a creative team as good as this one work together again.

A jolly good show, as Noel Coward, writer of the play’s sparkling script would say. He was dubbed “The Master” for a very good reason.

Make sure you don’t miss the best comedy production to come out of this theatre in years. A real antidote to the autumn gloom.

* Until November 24. The box office is on 0161 928 1113. Star rating - ****

Where Do Little Birds Go? - Lauriston Studio

THE streets of London are paved with gold, so the old saying goes.

But the reality of course, is very different as the naive teen Lucy Fuller, seduced by its big, bright lights, find out to her cost in this play, inspired by a true story.

Poor Lucy is forced to grow up fast as she’s sucked into the seedy world of the nightclub hostess in the capital during the swinging 60’s and finds herself imprisoned in a flat with the sort of bloke most women wouldn’t dream of bringing home to mother.

We really feel for her, kidnapped by two of the country’s most notorious gangsters, the Kray Twins because it’s all a far cry from her ultimate ambition of being a West End singing star.

Laura Elizabeth gives a quietly moving performance as Lucy, telling a sad and bleak story with real honesty and authenticity. We learn in the play she’s escaped from a home equally as hellish - her dad’s favourite Christmas game being to beat up her mother after returning blotto from the pub.

Laura ensures we care deeply about her character while keeping a tight rein on the histrionics. Director Ed Green certainly deserves credit for this and I would certainly like to see more of Urban Trendz work. For this 70 minute one woman show certainly held my attention in the sort of grip Ronnie and Reggie would have been proud of.

Trendz specialise in “fresh, innovative innovative writing to the stage” in a minimalist setting and Where Do Little Birds Go? works wonderfully well in the fabulous little Lauriston. Then there’s the evocative writing of course, so effective in bringing to life a world most of us will never inhabit. Thank goodness.

Until November 17. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - ***

Blackadder Goes Forth - Altrincham Garrick

WHAT makes a good sitcom?

For me, one of the most important things is for the TV viewers to take the characters to the hearts and warm to them.

Here we have an embarrassment of riches, from the bumbling Private Baldrick to the crown prince of the put down, Captain Edmund Blackadder, brought so engagingly to life on the small screen by Tony Robinson and Rowan Atkinson.

I never thought I’d feel the same deep seated warmth for these characters again. But in Charlie Tomlinson’s flawless and fabulous stage production I felt it - in spades.

As Blackadder, Steven Finney treats us a one man comedy masterclass and displays a sense of timing that is simply sublime. He can also make you laugh when he doesn’t actually say anything and while there are echoes of Atkinson, he’s more than succeeded in putting his individual stamp on this classic part.

Michael Gallagher is equally memorable as his sidekick and the butt of his jokes, Baldrick. There’s a natural rapport between the two of them. Rehearsals must have been a hoot.

In this particular outing, Blackadder and Baldrick are fighting for King and country in the First World War. They’re trying to keep their spirits up as they’re waiting for the next offensive, “the big push,” to begin. While Blackadder is unashamedly cynical about the War and what he sees as a senseless loss of life, the scriptwriters, Richard Curtis, Ben Elton, John Lloyd and Rowan Atkinson, never cross into irreverence and maintain the respectful tone needed when tackling a subject as difficult as this one.

If their script was a drink it would definitely be vintage champagne and not a word is wasted by a cast that includes a superb Hugh Everett performance as the unbelievably dense Lieutenant The Honourable George Colthurst St Barleigh.

This production made me laugh until my sides ached but when the ending came the tears were in my eyes. And I, as a lifelong fan of this TV classic, knew what was coming.

Until November 10. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - ***** Photo by Vish Sharma.

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man In The Moon Marigolds - Lauriston Studio

MARK Edgar-Clarkson was experiencing a few pre-performance butterflies when I bumped into him at the Garrick box office.

It was totally understandable, for this familiar face on this theatre’s stage was making his debut as a director at this fabulous little venue where there really is nowhere to hide.

But what an accomplished and assured debut it was. He had nothing to fear and, on the evidence of this absorbing and engaging and at times painfully moving production it won’t be the last time he’s asked to take on this role.

Meet Beatrice Hunsdorfer, the mother from hell who keeps her daughter Tillie, a brilliant science student, imprisoned, like a latter day Cinderella, at home. Eaten up with resentment that life has passed her by, this vile woman delights in dispensing the cruellest of barbs to Tillie, her epileptic sister Ruth and Nanny, the poor old soul whose been dumped on her by a daughter who loves her career far more than the woman who gave her life.

I’ve seen Kathryn Fennell tread the boards in Trafford numerous times. But as harridan extraordinaire Beatrice this is her best performance to date, superbly supported by Megan Relph as the mousy and mild mannered Tillie and Robyn Elizabeth Henshaw as her sister, Ruth.

Will Tillie achieve her full potential? Paul Zindel ensures we care - it doesn’t take a genius to work out why this play scooped the much sought after Pulitzer Prize. Totally devoid of cliche, Zindel writes in a way that silents pulls out your heart strings. There is humour too, with Beatrice at times so gross you can’t fail but laugh at her.

Janet Reidsma never says a word as Nanny. But there are times in drama when it’s the things that aren’t said that are the most powerful and Janet is so convincing in this role I ached for someone to come to her rescue. Hannah Weiner excels as Tillie’s horrendous student rival Janice Vickery, a young lady yet to grasp the meaning of the word “ethics.”

Yet another major triumph for a wonderful little space, whose productions continue to make a big impression on this particular hack. Do not miss this.

* Until October 30. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - ****

Death Of A Salesman - Royal Exchange Theatre

THE great American dream turns horribly sour for Willy Loman, struggling to come to terms with the fact he’s considered past his sell by date in the cut throat world of commerce that has funded his safe, suburban lifestyle for more than 30 years.

His two sons, Biff and Happy, spend this seminal play in his shadow, failing to live up to his very high expectations.

Don Warrington is a revelation as Loman, tearing into his boys after they fail to share his work ethic in what remains one of the finest plays ever written for the modern stage.

Warrington looked visibly drained by the time he took his bows on press night and who can blame him, after giving his all in this most demanding of roles. Stubborn and proud, his character watches helplessly as his life falls apart at the seams.

The two actors who play Biff and Happy, Ashley Zhangazha and Buom Tihngang, are so convincing it’s tempting to forget that they and Willie aren’t related for real. Ten again I’ve always found it impossible not to be drawn into the plots of Arthur Miller plays, so heartfelt is the way he writes.

Maureen Beattie excels as Willy’s loyal wife Linda, desperate to be his rock and keep the family together by persuading her bloody minded husband to see there’s more to life than relentless hard work.

At three hours and 10 minutes including an interval this may strike you as a somewhat daunting theatrical journey but fear not, you have Miller’s brilliant dialogue to keep you company and it’s a theatrical journey well worth the effort.

Director Sarah Frankcom’s decision to keep the actors sitting on the edge of the stage for most of the play when they’re even not speaking is an inspired one. Make sure you don’t miss this walk with one of modern theatre’s true giants.

* Until November 17. The box office is on 0161 833 9833. Star rating - **** Photo: Johan Presson

A View From The Bridge - Altrincham Garrick

THERE are two interviews I would have killed for during my time as a reporter. One is Nelson Mandela, who never came to Trafford, sadly, the next is the American theatrical giant known as Arthur Miller, whose masterpiece A View From The Bridge is being stunningly revived by Altrincham Garrick.

Pure magic flowed from that great man’s typewriter keys and not a word of his sublime dialogue is wasted by director Mark Butt and a cast who evidently share his deep seated affection for the great man’s work.

I can’t say I find Miller’s plays an easy watch and I always feel emotionally drained after watching them. But I feel like I’m living - no dramatist affects quite as deeply as AM, God rest his soul.

On the face of it, Eddie is a hard working soul who looks out with an almost fatherly devotion for his niece, Catherine. But Eddie has a darker side and I was completely captivated by the way in which Matthew Branwell bought this to the fore, helped in no doubt by Mark’s skilful direction. This leads to some heated exchanges between him and Catherine, a young woman starting to find her voice and expertly portrayed by Charlotte Jobling.

The tension is ratcheted up in Eddie’s household with the arrival of Marco and the charismatic Rodolpho, the latter persuading Catherine there’s a more exciting life beyond the claustrophobic four walls Eddie would willingly keep her in. Charlie Gallagher excels as Rodolpho and this young actor is so disarmingly likeable you’re sure to be silently cheering him on as he locks horns with the hot tempered Eddie.

The consistently impressive Nick Sample delivers yet again as the seasoned lawyer Alfieri, watching mainly from the edge of the stage as tragedy, that reminded me so much of something from a Shakespeare play, unfolds.

I also liked the production’s effective and atmospheric use of music, to make this a truly memorable night out. An unmissable production.

* Until October 20. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - ***** Photo by Vish Sharma.

Altrincham theatre cancels play after actor's sudden death

ALTRINCHAM Little Theatre has cancelled this weeks run of Fondly Remembered after the sudden death of cast member David Garner.

A hugely popular figure in amateur theatre, David died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Monday afternoon (October 1) after collapsing in the dressing room during the interval on opening night.

A spokesman for Altrincham Little Theatre said:

“David was a delight to know - friendly, funny and an excellent actor in whatever part he played. When he was not on stage he could be found, immaculate in dinner jacket and black tie, selling programmes and members of our audiences.

“He will be sadly missed by all who knew him. We send our love and our condolences to his family and friends, who were numerous.”

Anyone interested in finding out more should call 0161 928 1113.

Around The World In 80 Days - Altrincham Garrick

IT’S two relative newcomers who light up the Garrick stage in this engaging, vibrant and gloriously tongue in cheek adaptation of this globe trotting classic.

They are Jamie Sloan, a perfect piece of casting as Phileas Fogg, a buttoned up quintessential English toff and Tim Cooper as his valet, PassePartout. They made their respective debuts at this theatre in 2016 and 2018 respectively and together they make such an engaging double act I for one hope they work together again, very soon.

Sloan had me totally convinced as Fogg, a stickler for routine who takes up the offer of a daunting bet, while Cooper combines a boundless energy with a sense of comic timing that is, quite simply, exemplary.

It was pleasing to see so many children in the audience for a production that can be enjoyed by all the family, a phrase that in my experience has often been shorthand for mindless and moronic entertainment. But Director Celia Bonner’s production is perfectly paced and includes a very clever use of props to denote the various exotic locations Fogg and his trusty sidekick find themselves in.

But this is far from the Sloan and Cooper show, with the entire company providing a real antidote to these dark early autumn night.

Hot on the heels of Fogg and PassePartout is old school policeman Inspector Fix, perfectly played by the always watchable Mark Jephcott. Fix believes Fogg is a criminal on the run and he inevitably ends up embroiled in the duo’s increasingly exotic adventures.

Light entertainment at its best - make sure you book for this fantastic theatrical journey.

* Until September 29. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - ****

Queen Margaret - Royal Exchange

MY advice to anyone going to see Queen Margaret is this - make sure you go with a clear head.

With more alliances than your average school playground, this fast paced theatrical history lesson by Jeannie O’Hare, with dialogue taken from Shakespeare, is sure to provide a tough test for the audience’s concentration span.

That aside, it’s well worth seeing for the charismatic and compelling Jade Anouka, who’s is in majestic form as Queen Margaret, wife of King Henry VI, who sided with the Lancastrian cause during the Wars of the Roses.

Lorraine Bruce makes a formidable Duke of York, the leading light behind bloody campaign to unseat Henry, portrayed here as weak and indecisive by a memorable Max Runham.

While O’Hare’s dialogue is highly effective and evocative and that Shakespeare chap makes a decent contribution too, there were occasions when I found it a touch overwhelming at times. I also found O’Hare’s decision to use four letter words that definitely didn’t flow from the quill of the Bard as a little gimmicky, as was the scene in which we see two of York’s sons, Edward and Richard, playing computer games.

Likewise some of the music used just simply didn’t fit the story being told.

Director Elizabeth Freestone’s production is exciting, pacy and strong on spectacle, with both cast and audience certainly deserving of a post performance drink or two.

This production also reminds how for centuries the masses have been poorly treated in this country, with references to the burden of taxation imposed on them during what was a turbulent time in our history.

* Until October 6. The box office is on 0161 833 9833. Star rating - ***

Othello/Macbeth - HOME

IT’S a classic case of mission accomplished for HOME, whic set out to place the female characters centre stage in its modern reworking of two of Shakespeare’s undisputed classics.

With the deftest of modern touches, the Library Theatre’s successor brings us two condensed versions of the Bard’s greatest tragedies and, thanks to the skills of director Jude Christian and dramaturg Elayce Ismail, the power of these two equally compelling tales remains well and truly intact.

This production, which transfixed a large party of teenagers at the Thursday matinee, is a joint production between HOME and the Lyric Hammersmith. The prospect of these two companies working together is a mouth watering one.

For those Shakespeare virgins, this production is an ideal introduction to the works of the greatest playwright this country has ever produced. It should whet your appetite to see more even if Othello, in terms of its dialogue, isn’t the easiest of his plays to fall in love with.

By far the most sympathetic of the female leads is Desdemona, trying to make sense of her husband Othello’s sudden and dramatic change in character. Kirsten Foster is so convincing in this role, making her character’s transition for doting wife to a woman living in fear thanks to a plot hatched by Shakespeare’s slipperiest of baddies Iago, played by a perfectly cast Samuel Collings. I also liked Melissa Johns as Emilia, delivering her lines in a Manchester accent and once again proving you don’t have to sound like the speaking clock to perform the works of William Shakespeare.

Dressed like someone you’d meet at one of Margot and Jerry’s dinner parties, Caroline Faber is quietly menacing as Lady Macbeth and alongside Sandy Grierson (Macbeth) they make a fabulous double act.

A hit, a very palpable hit, as Will Shakespeare might say. It was even worth a soaking on the way home.

• Until September 29. The box office is on 0161 200 1500. Star rating - ****

Verdict - Altrincham Garrick

When we first meet her, it’s tempting to dismiss Helen Rollander as a spoilt little rich girl who doesn’t have much between her ears.

But rest assured, this young woman knows exactly what she wants and exactly how to get it. The same can’t be said of the object of her affections, whose dithering nearly ends in the woman he secretly loves ending up in prison.

Why his young students, male and female, are so drawn to Professor Karl Hendryk (Richard Sails) remained a mystery to me. But this ageing academic has the magnetism usually reserved for rock stars in what is for me, the best Agatha Christie play I’ve seen to date.

It would be an understatement to describe act one as a bit of a slow burner and while the pace can never be described as electrifying, it improves considerably after the interval break.

This is also the first time I’ve actually cared about characters in a Christie play, but I did find myself sharing the emotional anguish of the Prof’s wheelchair using wife Anya - a outstanding Ros Greenwood - in act one.- and later for the plight of her niece Lisa Koletzky in act two. Maya Szlachetko is making her debut on the Garrick’s main stage and judging by the strength and conviction in her performance she’s sure to be asked to tread these well trodden boards again, many times.

Janet Slade, for me one of the Garrick’s finest characters, has much fun with Mrs Roper, the Hendryk’s shrill cockney housekeeper.

I have to say I’m not a fan of Christie’s usual offerings, crammed so often with vacuous, cardboard cut out characters. That said, Parissa Zamanpour’s has made me look watchable production has made me look at the queen of suspense in a different light.

Parissa has also worked as its designer, creating an effective and absorbing backdrop for a play that’s very close to bus pass age. Highly recommended.

Until September 10. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - ***

Playhouse Creatures - Lauriston Studio

BARRY Purves, Altrincham Garrick's serial creative, has yet another hit on his hands, thanks in no small part to a tight and hugely talented all female cast who enjoy every second they spend on stage.

In this theatrical history lesson we're back in the 17th century and women are still finding their feet in the acting profession.

Despite breaking down the barriers, these ladies are still subject to abuse, the most vitriolic coming from hard of thinking men in audiences whose brains are still very much in their breeches.

April de Angelis's beautifully crafted play is a gift for Barry who has coaxed fine and flawless performances from his cast and created an equally engaging set full of theatrical clutter. A set that's very pleasing on the eye.

Leaving the Lauriston I was wondering why this piece isn't performed more often, with de Angelis serving up an engrossing tale full of humour and heartache, the latter largely restricted to the second half and a particularly distressing scene which I'm not going to divulge here.

In terms of performances, I really enjoyed Tabitha Rose Hughes and the way she develops her character, Nell Gwyn, and the way she makes her "grow up" before our very eyes. But it seems just plain wrong to single out individuals, with Lindsey Barker (Mrs Betterton), Meg Sally Royle (Mrs Marshall), Claire Cummins (Mrs Farley) and Ruth Metcalfe (Doll Common) more than rising to the challenges posed by their respective roles.

The actors making light of the demands posed by their verbally taxing roles, each of them not wasting a word o a script so good it's certainly left me wanting to see more by a dramatist who makes you care about these characters without seeming to try.

Every seat was taken in this fabulous little venue on opening night. It would be a travesty if that's not repeated throughout the run of a production that is, quite simply, outstanding.

* Until September 4. The box office is on 0161 928 1677. Star rating - ****

Dusty - The Dusty Springfield Musical - The Lowry

WHILE my own musical education began in the late 70's, there's no getting away from the fact there's a certain mystique about the pop stars of the Sixties.

Then there's the music, of course, which, somehow, has remained timeless. Like the plays of Shakespeare, many of the songs that came out of this phenomenal decade will never stop being performed.

So it is with the string of classics produced by one Dusty Springfield. Privately crippled by stage fright, she brought down many a house around the world when she stepped on to it.

Here was an artist who paid a hefty price for fame. Battling at first against pre performance nerves and a mother who made Mrs Danvers appear positively cuddly by comparison. Then there was the struggle with her sexuality, a sexuality a still intolerant society forced her to hide, and her addiction to drugs and booze.

Jonathan Harvey, one of the best writers around for me, paints a frank portrait of a star forced to battle more than her fair share of demons. But Harvey tackles his subject with all his characteristic warmth, wit and intelligence. He certainly makes you care about this tortured soul.

Then there's Katherine Kingsley who is simply sensational as our Dusty. While her singing voice doesn't have the sultry soulfulness of the original artist, what Ms Kingsley does have is a vocal range and purity that simply beggars belief. Voices like this simply must be experienced and similarly, Joanna Francis, who plays Dusty's love interest Lois, also has a voice to die for.

With some vibrant and colourful dance routines and a cast on a mission to entertain all, this has to be one of the best musicals to grace Greater Manchester in years. So, book quickly. Once word gets out just how good Dusty is the box office phone line is sure to be white hot.

* Until July 28. The box office is on 0843 208 6000. Star rating - ****

Queens of the Coal Age - Royal Exchange Theatre

MAXINE Peake, not content with being one of this country's finest stage and screen actresses, is, quite rightly, forging a reputation as one of our leading playwrights too.

Queens of the Coal Age tells the truly inspirational tale of a group of miners wives, who occupied the Parkside Colliery in 1993, as a once proud industry was in its death throes, thanks to the Tories brutal pit closure programme, a project driven by spite rather than economics.

But Peake, to her credit, never preaches to the audience and most of the first act is full of humour as the ladies, as tough as the rock their men hack through, get used to their new surroundings.

Also, considerable praise must be afforded the production's design team, who effectively re-create what it must have been like to venture hundreds of feet below ground. So, take a bow designer Georgia Lowe and lighting man Elliot Griggs, for giving us an atmosphere that does verge on the claustrophobic at times.

Put characters with very different personalities into a confined space and you have the recipe for fun and friction, both of which are brought to the surface with equal effect by director Bryony Shanahan and a strong largely all woman cast who were born to play these roles.

There's a strong chemistry between these miners' lasses, bound together by a common cause. Kate Anthony is simply brilliant as Annie Scargill, wife of the NUM leader Arthur while Jane Hazlegrove of Casualty fame is simply perfect as the straight talking Dot. Kate's recounting of Annie's appalling and degrading treatment at the hands of the authorities was so moving you could see the shameful scene being replayed before your vry eyes.

You simply must see this, the RET's production of the season for me.

* Until July 28. The box office is on 0161 833 9833. Star rating - ****

Minding Frankie - The Lowry

YET another absorbing, touching and humorous tale from the home of the natural born storyteller - Ireland.

Based on Maeve Binchy's novel, this is sure to have you rooting for Noel, battling the booze in a bid to prove he's fit to take on fatherhood, and all the responsibilities that go with it.

Aside from the sleepless nights and nappy changing to contend  with, poor Noel also has social worker Moira on his case, as she tries to prove he isn't up to the job. Moira becomes Noel's nemesis and is so for most of the play, cold and judgemental.

Thanks to a fine and very natural performance by Steve Blount as Noel we crave a happy ending, even more so because the character's news he's destined to be a dad comes completely out of the blue and the far from faultless Noel is determined to use this life changing event to turn his own life around.

Clare Barrett effortlessly develops Moira as the play goes on, making her believable throughout a piece that, at just under two hours including an interval, is perfect, feel good fare for a summer night. She's also a study in versatility, playing a number of roles including the tragic mum of baby Frankie, who Noel takes in and raises as his own.

Director Peter Sheridan ensures both actors more than rise to the challenges posed when performing a two hander and Shay Linehan's adaptation is of Binchy's novel is certainly an engaging one.

Watching Minding Frankie was like watching a paperback being performed on stage and while the second act has more substance to it, the whole evening is hugely enjoyable. 

* Until June 23. The box office is on 0843 208 6000. Star rating - ***

Happy Days - Royal Exchange Theatre

EVEN when she had her back to me, I find Maxine Peake utterly mesmerising.

As Winnie she finds herself buried in an imposing grassy mound, which revolves at a snail's pace in the middle of the stage.

What a privilege it was to watch an actress at the top of her craft, infusing every asprct of the script, from the playful to the poignant, with so much emotion.

If ever a performer deserves a post show drink, it's this disarmingly down to earth Lancashire lass. An ordinary girl blessed with an extraordinary talent.

This brings me on to what the play's about. Being a Samuel Beckett piece you're invited to bring your own interpretation to the table. Happy Days for me, is about a couple who have grown apart, whose relationship has gone stale. 

Willie, played by an excellent if largely silent David Crellin, shares her unlikely prison. But he's there largely in body rather than in spirit, needing to be coaxed, like you would coax a child at times, simply to talk to her. Winnie, on the other hand, revels in a good old verbal flourish, often aching for happier times.

But maybe I'm writing this as someone conditioned into taking away 'a meaning' from a play when there are occasions, this one included, where 'the meaning' of the piece, the true meaning, will remain forever elusive. 

Director Sarah Frankcom, designer Naomi Dawson, along with Peake and Crellin serve up an evening's theatre that is deeply affecting, not a word of Beckett's at times beautifully evocative dialogue gets wasted.

Highly recommended - just don't expect a piece of theatre that plays by the rules.

* Until June 23. The box office is on 0161 833 9833. Star rating - ****