Great to see campaigning, socially engaged theatre-making at @contactmcr.bsky.social with BLOCK THE BLOCK. Nathaniel McBride's play asks challenging questions around what power citizens have, if any, as Manchester is remade around us - & the script-in-hand performance had real impact. More please!

David Thacker's THAT CAN'T HAVE HAPPENED! at Salford's The Kings Arms is verbatim theatre at its most powerful. Staged simply, with emotionally rich, and often raw, performances - the production honours the harrowing, yet inspiring, stories of women who have survived domestic violence.

Challengingly double-edged, Kellie Colbert's DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE thoughtfully conveys how relationships have the ability to make and/or break us. There's power in the show's restraint, it's often like a suppressed scream, & Colbert's face can say so much. From @warnmcr.bsky.social at Contact

Strong women, working class bingo, dormant desires, Rachael Gooch's uninhibited singing, & who would have thought bubbles would bring such pure joy to a roomful of adults! No shortage of creativity & connections at @warnmcr.bsky.social's first SOCIAL EXPERIMENT at @contactmcr.bsky.social last night.

Night People's SALOON IN BLOOM was a delight last night. Club kids, gambolling sprites, pleasure-seekers - to a beat-driven soundtrack, Daisy Howell & Aaron Howell enticingly shapeshifted back & forth through HOME's new arches. My highlight of PUSH 2025.

Isn't January meant to be quiet theatre-wise? Apparently not. Lots of festival happenings in Manchester this week with the wonderful FUTURE FLARES at Grosvenor East from tonight & the welcome return of PUSH (after its mysterious disappearance last year) at @HOME_mcr from Friday.

David Thacker scatters the audience (at the King's Arms) among the shifting & uncertain perspectives of Brian Friel's FAITH HEALER - & with Colin Connor, Vicky Binns & Rupert Hill firing on all cylinders, powerfully evokes a shabby, rootless & unravelling world - where miracles might just happen.

Experiencing David Hockney's BIGGER & CLOSER (NOT SMALLER & FURTHER AWAY) at Aviva Studios is the perfect antidote to Manchester's grey winter months - with its ravishing saturated colour palettes, eye-opening landscapes, & constantly shifting perspectives - it's like imbibing a warm reviving tonic

Manchester/Salford theatre this week is big on Christmas musicals - but there's also a dash of Jean Cocteau in the mix. Looking forward to seeing:

MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET at HOME

THE HUMAN VOICE from Peripeteia Theatre at King's Arms

A CHRISTMAS CAROL from Hope Mill Theatre at The Lowry

Incredible production of Mike Bartlett's COCK at 53two. Clever, edge-of-your-seat theatre. Not a moment wasted - the whole thing tightly drawn together by director Rupert Hill - with fully committed performances that wring every drop of emotion, drama & comedy from the writing.

Here's my round up of my favourite Greater Manchester theatre this year. My top 10 shows + a few other things I really liked: circlesandstalls.com/2023/12/28/m...

Exciting week of theatre ahead, & looking forward to seeing:

Wayne Steven Jackson's AND HERE I FIND MYSELF at The Arden

KATHY AND STELLA SOLVE A MURDER! at HOME

OH DEER! by Aphids as part of Transform Festival

Manchester School of Theatre's production of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' AN OCTOROON

Theatre-wise this week in Manchester, looking forward to seeing:

DUAL دوگانه from Peyvand Sadeghian, & Two Destination Language's 40/40. Both at HOME

And also heading to Stoke-on-Trent for Claybody Theatre's SONG OF THE SYTCH at Spode Museum.