For a musical built on nostalgia, this Annie that’s just arrived at the Palace Theatre in Manchester feels surprisingly lively – here’s our full review…
Annie is a show tied up with countless childhood memories. Whether you performed it in the school choir, watched the film starring Carol Burnett, or saw it on stage, we’ve all got our own memories of Annie since it first opened in 1977.
So to bring it to a modern theatre audience who no doubt feel some connection to the characters and score is no mean feat.
If you’ve seen any of the posters plastered around the city, you’ll see British drag queen ‘La Voix’ take centre stage as the slippery and gin-fuelled Miss Hannigan.
Images: Press shots (supplied)
This is obviously a strategic move to get bums on seats, and although La Voix is of course a ferocious and standout performer, the production is so much more than that.
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They say never to work with children in showbiz, so leading a group of 10-year-old orphans in a snappy and perfectly choreographed rendition of‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’ is really a huge achievement in itself.
All the kids are wonderful, but Victoria Alsina, who plays the titular role, deserves particular credit. It’s a huge role for any actor, never mind a child, and she handles it with confidence, charm, and just the right amount of grit.
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As expected, La Voix gets some of the biggest laughs of the night. Her Miss Hannigan leans heavily into the character’s chaos and bitterness, but never feels one-note. It’s a performance packed with quick-fire comedy, and the vocals are tight.
Images: Supplied
That said, Annie would be in trouble if it relied solely on stunt casting. Thankfully, it doesn’t.
The wider cast is consistently strong, the ensemble numbers are full of energy, and the costumes are nothing short of fabulous. The real challenge with Annie is making a story that’s approaching its 50th birthday feel fresh. This production doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to.
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Instead, it focuses on delivering the songs people came for, giving the cast room to shine, and reminding audiences why the show has stuck around for so long.
La Voix might get people through the doors, but it’s the strength of the production as a whole that sends them home happy.
Northern Ballet’s Gentlemen Jack at The Lowry – A powerful story of queer love
Aimee Woodcock
Northern Ballet’s Gentleman Jack is a moving and beautifully crafted retelling of the life of Anne Lister, the 19th-century Yorkshire landowner often described as the ‘first modern lesbian’.
Through the stunning choreography of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, the production captures not only Anne’s extraordinary determination to live authentically, but also the enduring power of queer love.
Gemma Coutts delivers a compelling performance as Anne Lister, embodying her confidence, intelligence and refusal to conform to society’s expectations. From the opening scenes, Anne’s strength of character shines through, setting the tone for a story that feels both deeply historical and strikingly relevant. The choreography from Ochoa allows Anne’s personality to shine through every movement.
Halfway through Act I, Saeka Shirai joins the ensemble as Marianne, Anne’s great love. Their partnership is one of the production’s highlights. The pair beautifully convey the intensity of their passion and devotion, so much so that it moved me to tears.
Surrounding them is a fascinating chorus of words, embodied by the ensemble dancers, who fill the stage and bring Anne’s famous diaries and inner thoughts vividly to life, you truly feel like you’re getting lost with the words as they take over the stage.
The romance is tested when Marianne’s husband discovers their affair. Faced with an impossible choice, Marianne chooses the security of her marriage over a life with Anne, leaving Anne heartbroken.
Credit: Tristram KentonCredit: Tristram KentonGentleman Jack is at The Lowry
Following this loss, Anne travels to Paris and returns transformed, once she’s back home in Yorkshire, she forms an immediate connection with the gentle and wealthy Ann Walker, danced beautifully by Rachael Gillespie. Their relationship becomes the emotional centre of Act II.
Together they face numerous challenges, including societal pressures and personal insecurities, yet their bond continues to deepen – a true testament to queer love.
Ochoa carefully builds their relationship through movement, creating a partnership that feels authentic and symbolic. The ballet ends in a symbolic wedding and shared flight towards a future together, a powerful affirmation of their love and commitment.
As a queer woman myself, I was completely moved by this portrayal of love. Seeing a same-sex relationship presented with such beauty, dignity and tenderness within the classical language of ballet felt deeply moving.
Gentleman Jack reminds us that queer women have always been here, and always will be. It is a powerful, emotional and uplifting production that I would highly recommend.
Gentleman Jack is at The Lowry in Salford until Saturday 6 June
Multi award-winning musical Hadestown is coming to Manchester on its UK tour next year
Emily Sergeant
Multi award-winning musical Hadestown is heading out on tour next year, and of course it’ll be stopping off in Greater Manchester.
The Tony and Grammy Award-winning production is currently playing its third smash-hit year in London’s West End, but once 2027 rolls around, Hadestown is embarking on its first-ever tour of the UK and Ireland, and tickets are officially set to go on general sale this morning (5 June).
If you’re unfamiliar with this modern-day classic, Hadestown takes you on an unforgettable journey to the underworld and back, intertwining two mythic love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone.
Described as being a ‘deeply resonant’ and ‘defiantly hopeful’ theatrical experience, audiences are invited to imagine how the world could be.
We're coming, songbirds. The journey underground begins February 2027.
Having been seen by over six million people, streamed by nearly a billion, and adored by fans around the world, critics have called this record-breaking musical ’the most exhilarating ride’… and once you watch it for yourself, it’s not hard to see why.
Hadestown will be taking to the stage at the Lowry in Salford next March, arriving in the city on Tuesday 9 March and running through until Thursday 11 March 2027.
Other northern cities the production will be visiting on its upcoming tour include Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Liverpool, Hull, and Chester, while there’s many other major locations on the list before it closes in Sunderland in mid-November 2027.
Multi award-winning musical Hadestown is coming to Manchester on its UK tour next year / Credit: Marc Brenner (Supplied)
While the production is touring, the critically acclaimed West End run will still continue at London’s Lyric Theatre, more than eight years after its sold-out debut at the National Theatre in 2018.
Hadestown will be at the Lowry from Tuesday 9 – Thursday 11 March 2027.
Clementine Hall -
10th June 2026 
