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2 days ago | 
ilovemanchester.com | Glenn Meads
The multi-talented James Barr, when he's not presenting the Breakfast show on Hits Radio, is a flourishing stand-up comic. We caught up with him to talk all things trauma, making people laugh, and his love for Manchester.
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2 weeks ago | 
ilovemanchester.com | Glenn Meads
Natalie Abrahami’s production of Abigail’s Party at the Royal Exchange captures the awkward tension and quiet desperation beneath its suburban facade.
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2 weeks ago | 
ilovemanchester.com | Glenn Meads
With many theatres feeling forced to play it safe with the same plays, ready to run in rotation because they guarantee bums on seats, there is something really refreshing about Dave Harris’ ambitious, bold, gutsy and at times, terrific play Tambo & Bones. Directed by Matthew Xia, we begin in Waiting for Godot territory, as we spend time with a double act who are seeking different ways to make cash. They need a dollar, dollar, a dollar is what they need.
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1 month ago | 
ilovemanchester.com | Glenn Meads
Moira Buffini’s Handbagged focuses on the relationship between two women in power. We navigate moments in history, such as the Poll Tax riots, The Miner’s Strike, and Section 28 through the eyes of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher. Everything here is meta, so we have two Queens, two Maggies and supporting characters who discuss the actual play and the Queen keeps suggesting that an interval is required to break things up.
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1 month ago | 
ilovemanchester.com | Glenn Meads
Theatre director, Journalist, Composer and D.J Matthew Xia is no stranger to Manchester. He has staged productions at The Royal Exchange Theatre, HOME and the Hope Mill Theatre. And he has a variety of productions on his CV, from a new production of Frankenstein, a reboot of The Wiz and the brilliant One Night in Miami. His next production, Tambo & Bones began life at the Theatre Royal Stratford and it is headed to HOME next month.
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1 month ago | 
ilovemanchester.com | Glenn Meads
Director Roger Haines has worked with both the great and the good, and staged work by Stephen Sondheim and Neil Simon and directed comedy actor – Gene Wilder in the West End. He is best known in Manchester for his excellent productions at the beloved Library Theatre. He is now a tutor at PÄI, mentoring people who want to work in the creative industries.
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1 month ago | 
ilovemanchester.com | Glenn Meads
We have all seen shows like X Factor and other singing competitions, where a contestant has a big build up and back story and we expect them to blow us away with their vocals. And then….. they are out of tune and upset when they are given a no. Often, the producers milk the ‘comedy’ by including footage of the poor mite claiming that their singing teacher said they were great.
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1 month ago | 
ilovemanchester.com | Glenn Meads
Bury-born Soraya Mafi will be singing the role of Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute when Opera North returns to LOWRY next week. Soraya has performed in Seattle and sang the National Anthem, aged 18, at Wembley Stadium. She is now set to play the character of Pamina in The Magic Flute. We caught up with her to find out more. Where does your love of classical music come from? My Mum and Dad always loved listening to classical music on the radio and in the car.
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1 month ago | 
ilovemanchester.com | Glenn Meads
Actor and writer, Phil Mealey is probably best known for Early Doors. But he has had quite the career, whilst working as an engineer, he appeared on South Manchester radio station KFM alongside Caroline Aherne, Craig Cash, Terry Christian and Jon Ronson. He has worked on radio with Mark and Lard, he has appeared in The Royle Family and written episodes, including the highly acclaimed The Queen of Sheba which he co-wrote with Craig Cash and Caroline Aherne.
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2 months ago | 
ilovemanchester.com | Glenn Meads
Every time we turn on the news, we see stereotypes. It then becomes easy for people to take sides, as they scroll their phones and glance up at the bigger screen every now and then. And if you engage online and provide a counterargument, you either have lots of people being sweary and disagreeing, or if you are lucky – you can catch a wave of positivity and then you can ride it like Keanu Reeves in Point Break. But this is very rare.
