Alongside such ambiguous servings of kitchen sink grimness, there is a generous helping of kitsch and glam, notably the ...

Singin’ in the Rain is at the Royal Exchange, Manchester until January 25, 2026. For more information, click here.

When I meet Jason Wilsher-Mills at the Grundy, he greets me with a line that sets the tone for everything that follows: ...

It’s nose-bitingly cold outside, but the glowing red lights of the Copper Bar at Manchester’s Band on the Wall invite me in on this dark Tuesday evening. Having tried to warm up by power-walking ...

Cinderella is at Shakespeare North Playhouse, Prescot until January 10, 2026. For more information, click here .

The likely audience for this review, as for the Everyman’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto itself, broadly falls into two categories: ...

Life is imitating art at Shakespeare North this festive season. Or perhaps it is the other way ...

Artistic Convictions - a new book is out now. Chris Wallis reflects on the work of an artist he first met 60 years ago.

There’s a new kid on the block. The meteoric rise of Skof has been a phenomenon in itself. Opened in May 2024, Tom Barnes’ new Manchester gaff has already won a slew of awards. It received a Michelin ...

As a man who, throughout my teens and student years in Manchester, argued passionately that The Who were simply the best live band in the world and that their 70s’ albums were pretty close to perfect ...

It’s July 2025, the hottest day of the year, and I’m clearing out my desk in the OperaWatch office at Northern Soul Towers. After 12 years as Northern Soul’s Opera Correspondent, I’m stepping down.

Ah, autumn! Blackberries picked, apples harvested, Keats consulted, barely-bronzed legs hidden till spring, and folk across the land are surprised and flattened by the forgotten weight of their high ...