One of the best-loved musicals of all time is kicking off its UK tour here in Manchester next year, and tickets are going on sale very soon.
That’s right, you can’t stop the beat… or Hairspray The Musical from heading back to our city.
There’s no denying that Hairspray is known and loved by millions worldwide since it first opened on Broadway all way back in 2002, and has had audiences tapping their feet on the West End and in countless other cities and countries across the globe ever since.
The eight Tony Award wins and the record-breaking 11 Olivier Award nominations prove that all to well, as does the smash-hit success of the 2007 film adaptation too.
But it’s been quite a while now since theatre lovers have been treated to the musical live on stage, and have been anticipating its return since 2017 – but luckily, the long wait is now over, as it’s just been confirmed this week that a new production of Hairspray The Musical is heading out on a major national tour of the UK and Ireland in 2024.
And what better way to kick things off than right here in Manchester?
In case you’re unfamiliar with the timeless story of Hairspray centres around heroine Tracy Turnblad, who has “big hair, a big heart, and big dreams” and wants to dance her way onto national TV, and into the heart of teen idol Link Larkin.
When Tracy becomes a local star, she is able to use her newfound fame to fight for liberation, tolerance, and interracial unity in Baltimore.
But the real question is, can she win equality – and Link’s heart -without denting her ’do?
Audiences in Manchester will be the first to hear some of musical theatre’s most well-known songs, including Welcome To The 60s, You Can’t Stop The Beat, and Good Morning Baltimore, before it heads out to other major cites across the country.
Iconic musical Hairspray to kick-off UK tour in Manchester next year / Credit: Hairspray the Musical
Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, and Bradford are just a few of the fellow Northern cites where the tour will stop off at in 2024.
The show’s original production team of Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale, and Laurence Myers will be joined by Brenda Edwards – who’s most famous for her appearances on ITV’s Loose Women, but also for having previously played “Motormouth” Maybelle in three tours of Hairspray – on the creative team as director for this new production, alongside Paul Kerryson too.
Choreography for the iconic show will come from Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie, while music is, of course, provided by the Academy Award, Tony, and Emmy-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
The beloved production will take to the Palace Theatre stage next summer / Credit: Hairspray The Musical
Hairspray The Musical will take to the stage at Manchester’s Palace Theatre from 16 – 27 July 2024.
Tickets are going on general sale today at 10am, and although prices haven’t been revealed yet, it’s expected they’ll be available in a range of prices so it’s affordable for everyone looking to make the most of the all-singing-all-dancing experience.
Classical musician Hauser announces huge arena gig in Manchester later this year
Thomas Melia
Croatian cellist and former member of classical band 2CELLOS, Hauser, has announced a tour including an arena date in Manchester this year.
World-class musician Stjepan Hauser, known professionally as Hauser, is getting ready to pack his cello and cheeky smile as he embarks on ‘The Rebel Is Back’ tour.
Hauser has amassed a worldwide cult following of classical music lovers, by not only respecting the genre, but evolving it too by intertwining his cello skills into modern day pop hits.
The cellist has covered lots of current pop songs while part of musical duo 2CELLOS like ‘We Found Love’, ‘Despacito’, and ‘Viva La Vida’.
You can also expect to hear covers of some of music’s greatest compositions, including the timeless opera classic ‘Nessun Dorma’, and highly-adored ballet piece ‘Swan Lake’.
Recently, Hauser has teamed up with London Symphony Orchestra to reimagine Ennio Morricone’s ‘Le Vent, le cri’, taken from the 1981 French film Le Professionnel.
Hauser has performed in over 40 countries and played at some of the most prestigious venues across the world – including Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House.
He’s also become a social media sensation, capturing people’s attention via his videos playing his cello in a variety of interesting locations like a swimming pool, at the desert, and even on the famous Brooklyn Bridge.
Classical musician Hauser announces huge arena gig in Manchester later this year / Credit: Stefan Brending (via Wikimedia Commons)
You’ll be able to identify a lot of the tracks played out when Hauser visits AO Arena, as his upcoming album titled Cinema, features a wide variety of soundtracks and film theme tunes.
The highly-anticipated LP from Hauser contains ‘What Was I Made For?’ from Barbie, ‘Mission: Impossible’, ‘A Time For Us’ from Romeo and Juliet, alongside lots more motion picture melodies.
The musician is quite familiar with Manchester city city centre too, Hauser studied at Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester before taking the classical world by storm.
Hauser is bringing ‘The Rebel Is Back’ tour to AO Arena in Manchester on 29 November, and you can find tickets HERE.
Featured Images – Publicity Picture via Simon Emmett
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Manchester music legends lead Cheshire Fest 2025 lineup
Danny Jones
The increasingly popular Cheshire Fest returns for 2025 next month, and some much-loved Manchester music names are leading the lineup.
Hosted at the stunning Capesthorne Hall estate, just a short drive from the city centre and even closer by for some boroughs, the Macclesfield-based music festival is ready for another big summer blowout.
Cheshire Fest came back with a bang and a bit of a rebrand back in 2022, selecting a whole new venue that has gone down as an instant hit across the North West.
Set to welcome more punters than ever this year, the lineup promises indie icons, up-and-coming artists from around the region and beyond, as well as plenty of the usual dancefloor fillers.
Credit: Press shots (supplied)
So, ‘Which local talents native to Greater Manchester are on the Cheshire Fest 2025 lineup?’, we hear you ask – well, get ready for a bit of the old, the new and the future.
Not only will you be treated to performers from indie icons like Peter Hook & The Light, who will be sure to play plenty of Joy Division and New Order classics, but Bez from the Happy Mondays will be bringing the party atmosphere, along with veteran Oldham rock band, Inspiral Carpets.
There’ll be plenty more dance vibes too, as always with Cheshire Fest and their continued passionate partnership with Ministry of Sound (MoS).
As well as the legendary Tunde from pop-soul duo, you can also expect plenty of club energy from the likes of DJ Billie Clements, Chester’s very own K-Klass and many more.
Oh yeah, don’t forget the stylings of MoS Ibiza Anthems featuring Ellie Sax and Friends, who’ll be pumping out tracks by the likes of Faithless, Eric Prydz, Becky Hill, The Shapeshifters, Daft Punk, Robin S and Fisher, just to name a few.
Made up of multiple stages, including the all-new ‘Indie Live Lounge’, around 5,000 are set to attend this all-day festival, with VIP tickets already sold out.
Taking place on Saturday, 2 August, you’ll have all fuel you need until the end of the night; there’ll be a street food village featuring local vendors, an international lager bar, a silent disco and even a ‘Wellness Tent’ and relaxing Premium Lounge by Bollinger for when you need to cool off, it’s to everything.
Cheshire Fest is a strictly 18+ only event, but trust us, those who are of age will be dancing the night away with all the vim and vigour of their youth.
General admission tickets are available now and can be purchased from £40 per person before booking/admin fees.
Emily Sergeant -
4th October 2023 
