Theatre

Beloved local actor David Threlfall is returning to Manchester theatre after nearly three decades as King Lear

Just like his fellow 'Shameless' alumni and Manc native Maxine Peake.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 29th July 2026

Much-loved local actor and director David Threlfall is set to return to the Manchester theatre circuit after nearly three whole decades as he prepares to play King Lear at the Royal Exchange.

That’s right: Frank Gallagher himself is about to be one of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters in one of his most legendary plays.

Returning to the very same stage on which his career first began budding after 27 years since last treading the boards, the Shameless, Nowhere Boy and Hot Fuzz star will be donning the titular role in arguably the greatest tragedy of all time at the Manchester city centre theatre this coming autumn.

First announced last month, we’ve finally learned more about this significant comeback and can barely contain our excitement.

He already just looks the part, doesn’t he?

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The seasoned thespian who is best known for playing UK TV’s well-known and perpetually drunk Northern dad, not to mention embodying fellow British performer Tommy Cooper, has plenty of roots in playhouses, but it’s fair to say he’s been gone from Greater Manchester for a hot minute.

Set to lead the cast in the new adaptation, directed by Matthew Dunster – himself a local Lancashire lad schooled in Chadderton – this feels like a proper homegrown production.

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For anyone who’s never really experienced the historic tale by ‘Old Bill, the Bard of Avon’, to put it in the Royal Exchange’s words, it “charts a kingdom where power corrupts, families become enemies and prosperity devolves into war.

“At its centre is the mind of a man who can no longer understand what it means to be human. Lear is a searing portrait of a king unable to distinguish truth from lies. As the storm rises and night falls, language, identity and meaning break down completely.”

To be fair, you could argue there are some similarities between him and the Gallagher patriarch; he’ll also be in the middle of this run when he turns 73 – meaning it’ll be even longer since he last played the Royal Exchange Theatre (RET) in his mid-40s.

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As for this version by Dunster – who himself is returning to the RET once again also (for his sixth different stint, no less) his talented cast includes the likes of Isobel Akuwudike, Ed Coleman, Lisa Diveney, Rupert Hill, Johnathan Slinger and more.

It’s also worth noting that Threlfall has featured in a Lear retelling in the past.

Way back in 1983, he played Edgar in the small-screen movie made right here in 0161 by Granada Television, where he acted alongside HUGE names such as John Hurt, Diana Rigg, Robert Lindsay, as well as the late, great TV, movie and all-around acting star, Laurence Olivier.

Born in Crumpsall, raised in Burnage, and made at the REC and various other theatres across the country, this feels like a momentous homecoming for the ever-familiar Manc face.

With shows booked from Friday, 2 October until Sunday, 15 November, and tickets priced at just £12 for standard seats, you can secure yours right HERE. It’s also worth noting that this isn’t the only Shakespearean adaptation coming to the region later this year, either…

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An innovative new Macbeth stage production is being put on at an unlikely venue in Oldham
It won’t be like any other take most will have ever seen, mind you.

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Featured Images — Channel 4/The Manc Group/Publicity picture via Royal Exchange Theatre)

Theatre

Jersey Boys at Palace Theatre, Manchester – Oh, what a night

Amy Williams Amy Williams Jersey Boys at Palace Theatre, Manchester - Oh, what a night

20 years, 65 major awards (including Tonys, a Grammy, and an Olivier), and seen by over 27 million people worldwide – it could only be Jersey Boys, and now it’s back at the Palace Theatre in Manchester. 

This is one of those shows where you realise just how many songs you know and love by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, but may not know the story behind the band themselves. How they started, how big they became, how they fell apart, and how they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

It follows the four boys from Jersey (who each narrate their parts of the story), how it started as just Tommy and Nick and a range of different guys along the way, until they found the one who has a voice like an angel, Frankie Valli, and this started to change the direction of their success.

But they were missing a key part, a good song writer – enter Bob Gaudio, and the creation of The Four Lovers, who then became The Four Seasons. 

Mixed with issues of debt, loan sharks, prison time and more, it wasn’t the smoothest of sailing for them, and as they said themselves, they didn’t create a movement like the Beatles. But The Four Seasons were for the factory workers, the dads, the working class people who could relate to them. 

One thing we need to talk about, is just how INCREDIBLE the vocal performances are in this tour of Jersey Boys, staring Luke Baker as Frankie Valli, Carlo Boumouglbay as Tommy Devito, Lewis Kennedy as Nick Massi, and Toby Miles as Bob Gaudio.

Jersey Boys at Palace Theatre, Manchester - Oh, what a night
Jersey Boys at Palace Theatre, Manchester - Oh, what a night
Jersey Boys at Palace Theatre, Manchester - Oh, what a night
Jersey Boys at Palace Theatre, Manchester - Oh, what a night
Jersey Boys is back in Manchester, for a run at the Palace Theatre

A special mention for Luke Baker, because as iconic as Frankie Valli’s voice is, he very perfectly matched it. 

The musical features some of their biggest hits including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Beggin’, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Walk Like A Man, and of course, December 1963 (Oh, What A Night) which had everyone up on their feet dancing at the end.

This show is incredible from beginning to end, and would recommend everyone go to see this. 

Jersey Boys is running at the Palace Theatre in Manchester until Saturday 19 September, and you can grab your tickets HERE.

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Featured image: Publicity picture

Theatre

High School Musical at Lowry, Salford – a night spent reliving our childhood | Review

Amy Williams Amy Williams

What a night spent reliving our childhood.

Now, I don’t want to exaggerate or seem biased, considering this is one of my favourite film trilogies of all time, but this could be the best stage show I’ve seen in a long while.

We all know how High School Musical goes, right? Set at East High, we follow Troy and Gabriella (the star basketball player, and the geeky new girl) who meet over New Year, and then become ‘star-crossed lovers’ when back at school as they’re part of two different ‘cliques’.

The duo mess with the ‘Status Quo’ when they audition for the school musical. But will they stick to what they know? Or become stars of the stage? I’m sure you know the ending. 

High School Musical is currently on stage at Lowry, Salford / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)

From the costumes and the characters, to the memorable songs (there’s actually 52 songs in this production, including a mega mix at the end), they’ve kept right to the script of the films – and that’s exactly what we wanted to see. 

Of course, the biggest throwback of them all is Kaycee Stroh – who originally featured as Martha Cox in the film trilogy – taking the role as Ms Darbus, and she was just as incredible as we expected her to be. And to see her do the iconic dance in the finale was unbelievable, 13-year-old Amy was screaming. 

Also featuring Jason Donovan as Coach Bolton, Tobias Turley as Troy, Leonor Correia as Gabriella, Caitlin Tipping Sharpay, and Luke Bayer as Ryan, it was a proper impressive cast all round.

It’s a night to properly relive your mid-00s childhood / Credit: Matt Crockett (Supplied)

There was crowd interaction right from the off, as they taught the crowd a cheerleading routine to be included later in the show, plus for the finale, they had the lyrics on the big screen too so everyone could sing-along. 

If we could go and see this show every single night, we would – it is absolutely brilliant. 

Read more:

Celebrating 20 years of the trilogy, this brand-new production is at the Lowry until 19 September, make sure you grab tickets before it’s too late.

Get them here.

Featured Image – Matt Crockett (Supplied)

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