#lowrytheatre

[mumdadplus4-blog]

The boys had the best time ever watching What The Caterpillar Heard @the_lowry thanks to @thebrickcastle #livecaterpillar #lowrytheatre #theatreshow #schoolholidays #firstevertheatreshow #salfordquays #lowry https://www.instagram.com/p/BmB8IQvHAS_/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1czrqcwdg9cy6

[alousur-blog]

#thelowrytheatre #lowrytheatre #salfordquays #sunshine

[butterflymind]

The Girls Musical - The Countdown has begun !

I Adore theatre oh you don’t say I hear you shout ! - the atmosphere is electric in live theatre it’s pure escapism and I sit in awe at the talent of the people on the stage and also the hard work and dedication that goes into staging a production - from the lighting to the costumes, the sound and the props - I just love it . When you see some thing live it’s so absorbing and mentally stimulating and makes you think . I think you all sort of know of my love of The Lowry Theatre - it’s brilliant - Manchesters Jewel in the Crown in my opinion. I am a member there and in return get priority booking .

If you live up in Manchester you cannot fail to notice the buzz that’s been building over “The Girls ” it is a new musical comedy based on the true inspiring story about a group of women who did something extraordinary - They decided to appear in a nude calendar in order to raise money to buy a settee for the visitor’s room of their local hospital in memory of one of their husbands who died of leukaemia - they ultimately raised over three million pounds. Most of you I’m sure will have heard of the film “Calendar Girls” , I’ve seen it and also saw the original stage production of it in Manchester around five years ago (if my ageing brain serves me right) The Girls is a new adaption of the story written by Tim Firth (the writer of the original) and the legendary Gary Barlow . tHe cast looks brilliant and the music will be out of this world .

I have been desperate to see the new version but with Christmas-and two expensive children - I was banking in tickets for a Christmas present! But on Sunday I found out I’d gone one better ! I had won a competition for me and a friend to go and see the dress rehearsal ! cues ecstatic screaming and jumping around the house when I got the message ! Even better when I found out it would be an audience of me & a friend and just the cast, production team & theatre staff ! To actually be invited to this is a money can’t by experience . To see how the play is actually put together and evolves is such an exciting prospect , I’m sooooo excited . But that’s not the best bit! I get to take someone and there was only one person in my mind I could ask - my friend Janice . She is Gary Barlows number one fan, for months she had his picture as her profile picture and she just obsess by Take That , but it’s always been Gary in particular ! Janice has had a really tough time recently,,she has four lovely children , 3 of them under 5! Is at college part time and also works with elderly people (that’s why she gets on with me ! 😂) Her hubby recently found out he had skin cancer on his face and as a result they have had an awful year with tests and delays before he finally had his op about six weeks ago .

So I messaged her and told her I had won and would she like to come - talk about an ecstatic response ! She said was screaming the house down she said, like me she had been desperate to go, quite a few of her Barmyarmy Friends (Gary Barlow worshippers!) I think they are called had been to Leeds to see the show and told her how amazing it is. It is like a dream come true. When I emailed the Lovely Producer David Pugh and told him how genuinely ecstatic and pleased we are he very generously invited us to stay for the evening performance too - which is the Manchester premiere. It’s the best Christmas present I could’ve hoped for -firstly seeing the dress (on undress rehearsal as I call it 😂) then the actual show .. But the best part of it is Janice - to be able to make someone that happy and excited is the best feeling in the world - she’s on countdown and so am I ? We are making a day of it! Going for food in between the two performances hopefully and having a good old chinwag and catch up ! I just cannot wait ! And of course I’ll be telling you all about it on my blog 😀 further details about the show and to buy tickets just go to http://www.thelowry.com/event/the-girls Might see you there !

[geneticallyclumsy]

#wicked #lowrytheatre #myface #selfie #20thbirthday

[wildeyedrecords]

1000 fibre glass skulls laid out as ants attack the Lowry. #rafaelgomezbarros #casatomada #immigrants #migrantworkers #ants #skulls #artist #exhibition #lowrytheatre (at The Lowry)

[usterry-blog]

#lowry#lowrytheatre#salford#theatre#thecuriousincidentofthedoginthenighttime#nationaltheatre#cube#lighting#amazingshow (at The Lowry)

[littleblacktoe]

#lowrytheatre #salford @shinenorth new office? (at The Lowry)

[ahommetruth]

#rainbow #mediacity #lowrytheatre

[butterflymind]

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty at The Lowry Theatre Manchester

On Friday I was lucky enough to go back to my favourite theatre , The Lowry in Manchester to see Matthew Bournes production of Sleeping Beauty . I am a great great lover of his shows having stumbled across them by accident a few years ago. I’ve always loved theatre and dance (though am spectacularly untalented myself!) and a friend of mine had never been to the ballet and was desperate to go. I went on google and found that the next ballet on near us was Matthew Bournes Swan Lake- by some miracle I managed to book front row seats and we went along blind so to speak, not having read any reviews and expecting prima ballerinas and tutus ! Boy were we in for a shock ! Matthew Bournes productions are a fusion of ballet and modern interpretation , always with a twist ! It was totally mind blowing ! And to this day I will now not go and watch a so called traditional ballet as they are pale by comparison - a bit like comparing a McDonald’s to the finest steak cooked in a five star restaurant !

I’ve seen this production a few years ago when It first toured, however my friend Diane who I’ve totally converted to Matthew Bourne was desperate to see it - over the last few years I’ve taken her to see Swan Lake (still my favourite) Car Man (raunchy and passionate) and Edward Scissorhands (loved it !) I’ve also been lucky enough to watch Nutcracker (whimsical and fun!) and Cinderella (atmospheric and lovely)

The stand out for me in Matthew Bournes productions (apart from the skill) is the costumes and the set and in this production it is absolutely outstanding and atmospheric., designed by The Olivier award winning Lez Brotherston.

The production starts in 1890 and is set at the christening of Princess Aurora’s christening . At this stage the baby princess is played by an exceptionally realistic and expressive puppet - brilliantly brilliantly done - humour out and fantastic. The first act is perhaps the most traditional of all Matthew Bournes productions I have seen with amazing costumes and outstanding ballet . The second act is where in my opinion the show comes into its own. The princess is still sleeping and the time fast forwards 100 years and makes for more modern costumes (hoodies, trainers and the ilk) The show is enticing, menacing in places whimsical and fun in others but the dancing is always amazing .. Total stand out performance in this show were Ashley Shaw as Princess Aurora and Chris Trentfield as Leo the Game keeper . The audience were just totally drawn to to this pairing who have amazing chemistry . Ashley was made to play this role totally - she danced with the perfect combination of fun, delicacy flirtatiousness charm, innocence and playfulness required and Chris was perfectly cast as her besotted and earnest suitor - they were a total joy to watch

So all in all a great night, a gothic fairytale with a twist, amazing dancing, fabulous set and costumes and great company ! What a fab way to spend a Friday night ! 😃. A new Matthew Bourne production is apparently in the offing for next year and you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be there !

Official trailer 😀 https://youtu.be/uRAH8T4aHXI

[butterflymind]

A night at the ballet ... With a twist ! Last night Hopey and I went out for her belated 11th birthday treat . I absolutely adore the theatre.. I would go every week if I had the time (and the money!). Ever since the kids were little they've gone to the theatre .. We've seen Mary Poppins (one of the best shows I've seen by the way - catch it at Christmas in Manchester!) Lion King, Panto, dance .. Loads of things but when I ask Hopey what her favourite show she's every seen its always the same answer - "the funny men in ballet dresses who fall over .." Aka The Trocks as they are affectionately know as ..or officially the rather fancy title "Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo". I'm a member at the Lowry so they send me advance notifications of the shows. I was absolutely made up to see that finally (I think it was 3 years since they last came to the UK) they were coming back to The Lowry I absolutely adore the Lowry theatre .. It is unparalleled in my opinion. It was built about 15 years ago and is situated in Salford Quays, near Manchester . It's on the same site at BBC Media city and is particularly stunning when all lit up at night . It's easy to get to, just off the M62 and has loads of parking .It was commissioned by Salford City Council I think, with the help of lottery funding and cost around £106million. It runs as a charity , There are a few bars and the restaurant there, which is currently being refurbished so we didn't get the chance to eat there again - has awesome views and the food is gorgeous.. Reasonably priced too and of course the theatre is home to a fantastic gallery featuring over 400 paintings and drawings by L S Lowry and that in itself is the perfect place to spend the afternoon. Hopey was beside herself with excitement all week and because I had booked tickets so early we had front row seats . I was looking forward to spending some time with my baby girl 😀 I try to spend time with each of my girls individually on a regular basis ..both of them are so so different and entertaining . She put in her favourite dress, her little heels and pinched some of my mascara when I wasn't looking ("Mum I'm not a kid ... Im 11 now) The show itself was hilarious ! It's a total fun, tongue in cheek performance but the skill of the dancers is not to be under estimated ., They are awesome ! it's an all male cast and with the exception of the "male lead" in each act all of them are basically dressed as if female ballerinas... They have hilarious "names " such as The Legupski brothers ,, Jacques d'Aniels 😂😂😂😂 They wear immaculate make up, hair beautifully set in buns.. The dresses/tutus and what makes it even more incredible is they dance "en pointe" The muscles that ballet creates almost makes me want to sack the gym and take it up (apart from the fact I have terrible co-ordination!) . The first act was based on Swan Lake and in both mine and Hopeys opinion was the best one. The facial expressions of the dancers is second to none, the over earnest ballerina smiles, the rolling eyes when people accidentally on purpose get in their way, the "jostling" for the best position on stage and I think that is where you benefit from being so close to the front .. You don't miss a trick . Hope spent the whole evening cackling and emitting huge belly laughs.. The particular highlight being when the Main male character dropped the Prima ballerina (accidentally on purpose of course!) the hilarious mishaps and the outright slapstick had the audience in stitches . The technical skill of the dancers is superb and this was showcased in the slightly more serious third act We had a fabulous fabulous evening including Hopey kicking her shoes off In the ladies (quote .."these heels are killing me .. I don't want to be a grown up ") and pirouetting and leaping all the way back to her seat .. " I want to take up ballet again Mum" she said .. And that's why I love love live theatre .. It inspires passion, broadens the mind and the atmosphere and buzz is amazing .. The staff in the auditorium at the Lowry are all volunteers and do a total fabulous job.. They are happy, helpful, enthusiastic and that is contagious .. A great night, lots of laughs and my favourite theatre .. Can't wait to go back again in a fortnight .. Then again the week after !

[usterry-blog]

#warhorse#warhorseplay#warhorsestage#warhorseonstage#bestever#lowrytheatre (at The Lowry)

[usterry-blog]

#warhorsestage#lowrytheatre#lowry#manchester#warhorseplay#warhorseonstage#warhorse (at The Lowry)

[usterry-blog]

#warhorse#warhorseplay#warhorseonstage#lowrytheatre#salford#bestshowever#amazing (at The Lowry)