Award-winning theatre-makers Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison have cast a spell, transforming a childhood classic into a new must-see musical.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks is flying across the country on a musical tour, opening at our very own Palace Theatre this week for a world premiere.
A proper classic, production for the original film was given the green light by Disney studios in 1969 and received five Academy Awards in 1971.
Now, for the first time ever, a stage musical adaption of Mary Norton’s fantasy is being shown in theatres across the country.
The Manc was lucky enough to go see the magic unfold.
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Michael Harrison’s stage adaption is a force to be reckoned with. Energetic, imaginative, and fun for all – it’s sure to become the nation’s new favourite.
The Palace Theatre was packed and as the house lights lowered a spooky murmur spread across the audience. Being the first stage performance of Bedknobs and Broomsticks, to say this production had some high expectations to meet is an understatement.
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But, wow, Brian Hill’s adaption went above and beyond (there is literally a floating bed).
The main characters flying on the iconic bed / Image: Johan Persson
Seeing the original story come back to life was a pleasure for all, especially in such capable hands. The production also stayed loyal to the Disney classic in all the right places.
The set design was nothing short of magical and had audiences marveling at one another in the interval.
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Co-director and set designer James Harrison also designed the set on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Harrison certainly possessed the sorcery needed to conjure the magical land of ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’ on stage.
The iconic bed floated inexplicably above the auditorium glowing with colour and light. Miss Price commands an army of floating clothes while soaring over the audience on a broomstick. A hungry lion, a fishing bear, and a flustered bird were masterfully brought to life through puppetry. Actors turned into white rabbits and back again so seamlessly that gasps were heard followed by applause after every trick.
With these special effects, it was hard not to start believing.
Dianne Pilkington as Eglantine Price soars on a broomstick / Image: Johan Persson.
West-End star Dianne Pilkington (Glinda in Wicked and Donna in Mamma Mia!) is back on the stage for the first time to play the mysterious witch Eglantine Price. A role known and loved to be Angela Lansbury’s who played Eglantine in the film, Pilkington had mighty shoes to fill.
But only Dianne Pilkington could have filled them.
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Pilkington approaches the role with confidence and fresh energy. She captures the attention of all audience members through her unfailing vocal abilities and witty interpretation of the character. We couldn’t take our eyes off her.
Charles Brunton (Miss Trunchball in Matilda) played the con artist Emelius Brown with all the charm of a quintessential shabby Englishman. Brunton is the perfect match for Pilkington and the two danced around each other with perfect ease, a duo we would like to see again.
The Rawlins, three orphans evacuated from London and reluctantly adopted by Miss Price, were played by (Connor O’Hara, Evie Lightman, and Jasper Hawes). The children played their roles with sensitivity and were all strong vocal talents.
The three Rawlins children on stage / Image: Johan Persson.
New songs and additional music and lyrics by Neil Bartram were a grand success. ‘Nobody’s Problem’ proved the five-core actor’s strength as an ensemble, their choral harmonisations added to the heart-wrenching sadness of Bartram’s lyrics.
Sherman Brother classics including ‘Age of Not Believing’ and ‘The Beautiful Briny’ made a comeback. Combined with being old favourites and the added verve of theatricality, you wondered why this was their first time being performed on stage.
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But it was ‘Portobello Road’ that stole the show. Costumes dazzled with glitter, chorus members whirled around on carts and the detailed choreography won it The Manc’s song of the show.
The play was granted the standing ovation it deserved. Whoops and cheers shook the auditorium.
Home to lavish musicals and pantomimes since the beginning of the 20th Century, The Palace Theatre was the perfect place for Bedknobs and Broomsticks to open in Manchester.
The Palace has put on thousands of performances, but Bedknobs and Broomsticks is sure to become a gem in the crown jewels.
Grab your tickets for its run in Manchester here. Or if not, you can chase it as it flies round the rest of the country here.
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Manchester dates: October 19 – 24
Directors: Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison
Running Time: 2 hours
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Featured Image – Johan Persson
News
Chester Zoo named one of England’s most popular tourist attractions with 1.9m visitors
Emily Sergeant
Congratulations are in order, yet again, for Chester Zoo… as this time its been one of England’s most popular attractions.
Merely months after being named the UK’s best zoo for the second year running, thanks to receiving more than 11,000 ‘excellent’ reviews from TripAdvisor, Chester Zoo has now got itself another prestigious title, as a major VisitEngland (VE) report has ranked it the third most-visited ‘paid for’ attraction in England – and the most visited outside of London.
The national tourist board for England gathered information from a total of 1,373 attractions across the country, and ranked the UK’s biggest charity zoo as the third overall in terms of popularity, with a whopping 1.9 million visitors in 2024 alone.
The Tower of London took top spot with 2.9 million visitors, while the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew was second place with 2.3 million visitors.
When it comes to free attractions, on the other hand, it wad the British Museum that claimed the top spot with 6.5 million visitors, while the Natural History Museum (5.9 million visitors) took second place, and the Tate Modern (4.6 million visitors) got third.
So as you can see, the south and London in particular is a pretty dominating force in England’s tourism industry – which is why it’s even more impressive to see Chester Zoo ranked so highly.
The new VE title also comes after the zoo was recently given £4 million of lottery funding to help ‘transform’ the local environment and restore wildlife habitats across the Cheshire and wider North West region.
Not only that, but if course follows Chester Zoo’s unveiling of its new immersive experience named Heart of Africa, which is the the largest zoo habitat ever created in the UK and is home to 57 iconic African species.
Chester Zoo has been named one of England’s most popular tourist attractions with 1.9m visitors / Credit: Chester Zoo
“As a major international wildlife charity, everything we do is focused on supporting global conservation,” commented Chester Zoo’s Commercial Director, Dom Strange.
“Whether it’s caring for highly-threatened animals and plants, making scientific discoveries, influencing Government environmental policies, impacting the National Curriculum to better connect young people with nature, or our conservation efforts in around 20 countries, we’re fully committed to protecting endangered species for the future.
“But none of this would be possible without our visitors.
“Every person who comes to the zoo for a fun and inspiring day out is helping to fund our vital work, so we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us and helped us to rank so highly in VisitEngland’s latest report.”
Featured Image –
News
Manchester Museum saves a ‘national treasure’ to ensure it stays in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum has made a stunning new addition to its natural history collections, and in the process has ensured a ‘national treasure’ stays in the UK.
Not long after claiming the coveted title of European Museum of the Year for 2025, Manchester Museum has done it again – this time working together with John Rylands Library to acquire Henry Dresser’s unique personal copy of his anthology A History of the Birds of Europe so that this ‘invaluable resource’ can remain in the UK for future generations.
The beautifully-illustrated collection of books provide an important historical record to help understand how and why bird populations have changed over time.
Dresser’s personal copy is heavily-annotated with personal notes and observations.
These books are deemed to be of ‘outstanding significance’, not only for scientific purposes but also for their aesthetic value, as they have also been illustrated by some of the leading wildlife artists of the day.
The volumes were recognised as a national treasure by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, which is supported by the Arts Council, and this meant that the Government placed a temporary export deferral on them to allow time for UK buyers to raise the funds to keep them in the country.
Brilliantly, the acquisition of these books reunites them with Dresser’s own bird specimens that are already cared for by Manchester Museum, including species such as the Slender-billed curlew, which is now believed to be extinct.
The now-extinct species’ presence in both Dresser’s beautifully-annotated volumes and the ornithological collections at Manchester Museum highlights the vital role that historical records play in tracking biodiversity loss over time to uncover the long-term impact of environmental change.
Manchester Museum has saved a ‘national treasure’ to ensure it stays in the UK / Credit: Manchester Museum
“Threats to the natural world and biodiversity have never been greater and while this anthology has historical value, it also speaks to the urgent issues of the present,” commented Esme Ward, who is the Director of Manchester Museum.
“These books are breathtakingly beautiful, and by bringing them together with natural history collections, we believe they will not only provide scientific benefit, but also capture the hearts of future ornithologists and conservationists.”
A History of the Birds of Europe will be officially unveiled at a private view on Friday 27 June, before being displayed to the public for the first time in Manchester Museum’s ‘Living Worlds’ gallery from Saturday 28 June 2025 right through until Sunday 25 January 2026.
Dolly Busby -
22nd October 2021 
