On Sunday night, the AO Arena in Manchester became more than just a venue for live music; it transformed into a window to the natural world.
In a breathtaking blend of sound, imagery, and live performance, Planet Earth III Live in Concert transported its audience across deserts, oceans, and rainforests, celebrating the wonders of our planet in a way that only this franchise can.
There was something heartwarming about people from across the city coming together to marvel at the beauty of nature and to learn about its fragility. This was far from your average concert experience.
From the moment the opening sequence of Planet Earth filled the arena, accompanied by the aura of a full orchestra, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation. A stunning 4K screen, stretching above the stage, brought Planet Earth III to life with vibrant visuals that made it feel as if the AO Arena had been immersed in the depths of the Amazon or the expanse of the Arctic tundra.
The City of Prague Philharmonic orchestra, under the impeccable direction of conductor Matthew Freeman, provided an emotional backbone to the images, breathing life into every scene with a score that was as powerful as the landscapes it depicted.
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The music, composed by the brilliant Hans Zimmer, with additions by Jacob Shea and Sarah Barone, is what sets this apart from a typical evening watching Planet Earth on your TV at home.
Each note carried weight, resonating with the emotional highs and lows of the natural world: the haunting strings underscored the fragility of endangered ecosystems while the thunderous percussion amplified the awe-inspiring power of natural forces.
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It was impossible not to feel in awe during the breathtaking sequences of migrating Monarch butterflies in Mexico, or a flicker of sadness watching an endangered elephant’s quest for survival.
But beyond the sheer spectacle of it all, the evening felt like a rallying cry. Interspersed with awe-inspiring visuals were stark reminders of the environmental crisis we face. Planet Earth executive-producer Mike Gunton, the host of the evening, ever-wise and compelling, spoke to the urgency of action needed to preserve the world we were witnessing. The concert didn’t just aim to entertain; it sought to inspire change.
Planet Earth III transformed the AO Arena. Credit: The Manc Group
The night ended on a high note with a moving orchestral rendition of Bastille’s Pompeii, the chorus ironically erupting around the arena in harmony with the live orchestra; I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bring a tear to my eye.
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Paired with a montage of the evening’s most striking moments, this was a beautiful crescendo for an incredible evening.
As the final note echoed through the arena and the screen faded to black, the message was clear: this Earth is our shared home, and it is worth fighting for.
The standing ovation from the packed audience was more than just appreciation – it was a commitment to protect the fragile beauty that had just been so vividly brought to life.
Blue Planet III live in concert is coming to Manchester next year
Daisy Jackson
The spectacular Blue Planet III will come to Manchester live in concert next year, bringing the hit BBC nature documentary to life with a live orchestra.
The new arena tour will pull together the most breathtaking footage beneath the waves from across the series, curated for a giant Ultra HD LED screen.
Blue Planet III will hit screens later this year, narrated once again by the legendary Sir David Attenborough.
Filmed across four years, it will take audiences everywhere from tropical coral reefs to the darkest depths of the ocean.
When the Blue Planet III Live In Concert show arrives in Manchester, it will be hosted by series executive producer Elizabeth White, who’ll share incredible stories and behind-the-scenes insights from the making of the series.
The score once again comes from Academy Award-winner Hans Zimmer, with Thom Lukas and Laurentia Editha for Bleeding Fingers Music, performed live by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
The companion live concert is preparing to take audiences even deeper into the underwater world on an epic audio-visual scale.
Specially curated footage from Blue Planet III will be shown on a state-of-the-art 200 sq metre Ultra HD LED screen – one of the largest of its kind used for an orchestral touring screen show and approximately the size of a tennis court.
Blue Planet III live in concert is coming to Manchester next year. Credit: BBC Studios
The brand-new Blue Planet III Live in Concert will kick off here in Manchester before heading to Birmingham, Glasgow, and London.
Executive Producer Elizabeth White says: “Making Blue Planet III has taken us to places we never imagined we’d film. But there’s something about bringing that footage into a concert arena full of people, with the score performed live all around you, that will be truly special.
“This tour is our chance to share the series on a completely different scale, and I can’t wait to be there live, revealing the extraordinary stories behind what audiences are seeing on screen.”
Hans Zimmer says: “There’s nothing like experiencing this score live with an orchestra, especially when it’s paired with the extraordinary visuals of the life underwater. Thom, Laurentia and I are ecstatic that audiences will be able to enjoy our score in this way.”
Blue Planet III Live in Concert will be at the AO Arena in Manchester on Friday 21 May 2027 – general release tickets start from £40 and go on sale from 11am on Friday 16 October HERE.
Dirty Dancing at Palace Theatre, Manchester – at least one audience member had the time of her life…
Daisy Jackson
For anyone who has watched Dirty Dancing so many times they can practically recite the dialogue, taking on the Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey roles is no small feat – and turning that lakeside romance into a live musical comes with even bigger expectations.
The stage production at the Palace Theatre in Manchester has all the familiar ingredients: the dancing, the music, the forbidden romance and, of course, that lift. But while there are moments when the theatre version captures the exuberance of the original, it doesn’t always manage to recreate its magic.
Charlie Varlet as Baby does a great job of embracing the knock-kneed awkwardness of the teenage star, slowly blossoming into a beautiful dancer who is almost eerily similar to the film’s Jennifer Grey.
And Joel Benjamin plays a striking Johnny, moving lightly for such an enormously muscular actor.
But there are moments where their chemistry fizzles out, too much of the script that focuses on their bickerings and misunderstandings to make you buy into their love story.
At points, it feels almost slapstick, and the result is a restless audience that keeps hooting and hollering at a topless Benjamin when he’s trying to deliver a serious monologue about Johnny’s upbringing. One woman shouts ‘LUCKY YOU’ and cackles as Baby sits in bed with him. It’s not a Magic Mike show, guys.
Where Dirty Dancing the musical shines is when it really makes the most of its full ensemble, with huge dance numbers that see limbs and skirts flying right across the stage.
Ellie Ferguson as Penny in Dirty Dancing. Credit: Danny Kaan
And it’s hard to take your eyes off Penny (Ellie Fergusson), even when she’s lurking in the crowd, so impressive is her stage presence and the execution of her dance routines.
Having a lot of the musicians on the stage is a fantastic touch too – you spot people playing saxophones and clarinets and guitars in a lot of the scenes and it adds a real party atmosphere.
The set design does its best to replicate the iconic moments of the film, but the cast shaking themselves dry under a blue light can’t come close to the magic of the lake scene.
If you’ve watched the film so often you can recite it word for word (guilty), you won’t find a lot of surprises up on the stage – the theatre adaptation sticks pretty tightly to the original plot and script.
Baby (Charlie Varlet) and Johnny (Joel Benjamin)Dirty Dancing is at the Palace Theatre in ManchesterCredit: Danny Kaan
It means that a lot of the moments that would translate best to stage – the underground dance party in the staff quarters, the montage of Baby learning to dance, the Hungry Eyes scene – are condensed into the first half of the musical.
The second half feels a little flat in comparison, just a lot of bickering and storming around the stage… up until that grand finale, when Johnny bursts from the back of the theatre and storms the stage to complete that iconic lift.
It’s worth all the trundle just for that final euphoric moment.
Dirty Dancing is at the Palace Theatre in Manchester until Saturday 3 October, then will return next summer. You can grab tickets HERE.
Will Kendrick -
9th October 2024 
