Beautiful: The Carole King Musical returned to Manchester this week and The Manc were kindly invited along to the press night. We of course accepted because we’re cultured like that.
Scores of excitable theatre heads were shuffling in the cold autumn queues for the packed-out show at the historic Palace Theatre on opening night on Tuesday, 12 October.
Charting the life and career of legendary singer-songwriter Carole King, the show takes you through her early days as a four-year-old piano prodigy, selling her first single at the age of 16 and marrying her creative partner Gerry Goffin to headlining Carnegie Hall and becoming a global music sensation.
Credit: The Manc
Known for solo hits like ‘You’ve Got a Friend’, ‘So Far Away’, ‘It’s Too Late’ and dozens more, the production was part musical part history lesson, taking a whirlwind tour through the music industry in the 1960s and 70s.
While we came into the show thinking we knew a fair few tracks in her lengthy discography – ‘Take Good Care of My Baby’, ‘The Loco-Motion’, ‘Natural Woman’ and so on – we were surprised to learn just how much she has written over her illustrious career. This legend even wrote for The Beatles.
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Seeing her personal and professional life play out on her way to eventually writing and singing songs for herself not only felt like an emotional trip back in time but almost fly on the wall documentary at times, only with big dramatic set-pieces fitting of the Palace’s equally beautiful room.
Previous cast pictured above
King herself is passionately portrayed by Molly Grace-Cutler, a 2020 Olivier award-winner who proves to be perfect casting as the Brooklyn-raised songstress.
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Aside from her soaring vocals throughout its 2-hour run-time (excluding interval), her performance felt full of raw pain and joy in equal spades whilst still sprinkling plenty of comic relief, as did the rest of the ensemble.
Beyond the likes of Goffin (Tom Milner) and fellow 60s songstress Cynthia Weil (Seren Sandham-Davies) – who both enjoyed several stunning solos and big story beats as key players in King’s eventful life – we were particularly impressed with Jos Slovick, who starred as songwriting rival Barry Mann.
Molly Grace-Cutler and Tom MilnerSeren Sandham-Davies and Jos SlovickCredit: Supplied
One of several main characters in the Brill Building and Dimension Records-era of her story, Slovick played the rosy-cheeked, allergy-ridden hit-maker and did so to perfection, regularly leaving the audience in stitches as well as taken aback by his soft vocals.
The performance was met with a well-deserved standing ovation and an encore that got the crowd moving for one last song. We couldn’t think of a better way to go out than with a boogie.
Even for theatre newbies, we dare say this smash hit Broadway and West End show could convert you and even if doesn’t end up as a gateway musical, it’s nigh on impossible for any music-lover not to get engrossed in this true story.
You can buy tickets for the remaining dates of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical via ATG HERE. The show finishes its five-day run on Saturday, 15 October, so get them while you can!
Five places to watch The Traitors finale live on the big screen in and around Manchester
Danny Jones
With this year’s The Traitors finale just around the corner, Greater Manchester and the rest of the UK are preparing for one very big United Kingdom watchalong, including live viewing parties on the big screen.
Some places showed the grand finale last time around, and with the conclusion of series four fast approaching, even more have organised their own Traitors screenings in central Manchester and further afield, too.
We know plenty of you will be more than happy watching it at home, but there’s something about the idea of watching it in a room with a load of excited people over a few pints that just gets us buzzing.
All that being said, here are some places in town and beyond that are hosting screenings of The Traitors’ grand final this coming Friday, 23 January.
Live screening of The Traitors finale in Greater Manchester
1. Nell’s – Northern Quarter
First up on our list is the pizza palace that is Nell’s, specifically the one located inside beloved neighbourhood bar Common in NQ.
The place will be filling up from 8pm, ahead of the show starting half an hour later, and the full food and drinks menu will be available as normal. It’s selling out fast, so book your spot at ‘the roundtable’ now, whilst you still can.
Heading across the city centre to Gay Village, just a road over from the main throughfare of Canal Street, Richmond St’s Cockatoo Club is also holding a Traitors watch party.
Not only being played on the large projector, but also being hosted by cult favourite drag queen, Annabelle Hecter, this one should be a hoot and a half.
3. Fairfield Social Club – Greengate
Next up is one of the first ones not only to announce this year, but hop on the bandwagon of The Traitors watchalongs to begin with.
Fairfield Social Club (also the home of GRUB) are one of the experts when it comes to events like these, and it’s no surprise tickets are also disappearing rapidly. Find out more down below.
There are freebies for quiz winners, as well as the best fancy dress and Claudia Winkleman doubles.
4. Cultplex – Cheetham Hill
Our penultimate spot on the list is fellow royalty when it comes to grassroots events and championing alternative entertainment – they also happen to be the toast of Red Bank.
The Cultplex cinema team are used to smaller screenings, and if anything, this might pull in one of the most mainstream crowds all year, but they always deliver no matter what’s on the box. You can reserve your seats HERE.
5. The Light – Stockport
Last but not least, if you want to see how this season’s drama ends on a REALLY big telly, then you can always book yourself in for a trip to your nearest Light cinema location.
The Stockport branch has great food and drink, comfy recliner seats, plus plenty more – and if you’ve never done one of these live screening events before, this is a great place to start.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied)/BBC
Theatre
An interactive jury experience is happening in Manchester – and it’s selling out FAST
Danny Jones
Yes, you might have heard about different bits of ‘immersive theatre’ here in Manchester before, you may have even tried some of them before, but have you ever been part of an interactive jury experienceinspired by true events?
Didn’t think so.
We’ve come across some pretty unorthodox performance art in our time – the soon-to-arrive Star Wars burlesque show being just one recent example; having said that, this might be one of the coolest concepts around right now.
Calling the next case into court, we have ‘The Jury Experience: Diamonds, Lies, and a Dead Man’, which combines a live crime thriller with the classic jewel heist format, whodunnit tropes and more.
Organised by Fever Events and scripted and staged with help from award-winning creative directors, Les Enfants Terribles, this latest edition of The Jury Experience is one of just many in a long line of intriguing courtroom dramas that YOU get to take part in.
We don’t want to give too much away and spoil the magic, but let’s just say you get to play a key role in seeing who goes down for the theft or a multi-million dollar family treasure.
Using your phone and/or paddles to cast your votes and sway decisions, there aren’t just key moments – the audience themselves are the final verdict.
Think you handle the responsibility, or better still, will you relish the sense of power?
As for ‘Diamonds, Lies, and a Dead Man’, here’s your teaser: “You’ve been called for jury duty. Scandal brews as a disgraced ex-driver stands trial for stealing global superstar Lana Tonneti’s $20m necklace.
“But is Lana telling the truth? Throughout the show, analyse witness testimonies, examine the evidence, answer complex questions, and try to uncover what really happened.
“Every word matters. Every detail counts. And at the end, you must cast the vote that determines the fate of the accused.”
Taking place at the stunning Stoller Hall and lasting just over an hour, this strictly 12+ event (kids under 19 must be accompanied by an adult)
While tickets to the first two productions this month have already sold out, tickets for the March and April nights are still available. You can find out more about dates, timings, and other cases, as well as grab your tickets right HERE.
Danny Jones -
12th October 2022 
