The yellow brick road leads to St Helens Theatre Royal next month with the arrival of the venue’s half term panto. The Wizard of Oz will be staged between February 11-20 at the town centre theatre. Mia Molloy returns to the St Helens stage to play Dorothy, while Abigail Middleton will be her nemesis, the Wicked Witch, and Jenna Sian O’Hara is Glinda the Good Witch. Dorothy’s three travelling companions, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion, are being played by Reece Sibbald, Harry

Liverpool’s Chinese New Year festivities take place next weekend with a return to a public celebration after last year’s virtual event. The Year of the Tiger will be marked on Sunday, February 6 with dragon, unicorn and lucky man parades, firecracker displays, Tai Chi demonstrations, family workshops and a small fairground and food stalls. Meanwhile Culture Liverpool is behind a series of new commissions to complement the free traditional celebrations. From February 4-6, a 3D

Artists from the North West are being invited to apply to see their work showcased on the Liverpool Plinth. This is the fifth year of the initiative, a collaboration between Liverpool BID Company, Liverpool Parish Church and dot-art as part of the public art strategy in the city’s commercial district. The plinth, which stands next to St Nicholas’s Church, is the city’s answer to the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. The current work on show is Liverpool artist Faith Bebbingt

LigthtNight Liverpool is being ‘paused’ for 2022 organisers have announced. The free annual after-hours celebration of art and culture was due to be held on May 20. But Open Culture, which runs the popular evening – which involves dozens of cultural and heritage organisations and individuals and attracts thousands of people out on to the city’s streets – has now said that the 2022 LightNight won’t go ahead. A statement on the website says: “This decision hasn’t been taken lig

A children’s show that offers a fun-filled introduction to the world of opera is touring over half-term with dates in Liverpool and Southport. Hurrah for the Pirate King is heading for The Atkinson at Southport on February 18 and the Epstein Theatre on February 27. Follow the great Pirate King's swashbuckling adventure as he embarks on a magical musical journey to find a treasure beyond gold and jewels. On his journey, you'll see mysterious creatures from the Queen of Cats, t

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World is returning to the Liverpool Playhouse this spring. The new production was the Williamson Square theatre’s Christmas show – but more than half of its performances were cancelled due to injury and members of the cast coming down with Covid. Now it's been announced that the fantastic women are on their way back with a second visit, this time from March 25 to April 2. Everyman and Playhouse chief executive Mark Da Vanzo says: “Our

Liverpool Everyman has announced casting for its new show Cherry Jezebel which is being premiered at the theatre this spring. Mickey Jones, who recently played Mickey in Our Lady of Blundellsands, will take on the role of legendary drag queen Cherry Brandy. Jones is joined on stage by Mariah Louca as Heidi Handjob, Stefan Race as Pearl Reckless and George Jones – who was recently in the Royal Court’s Homebaked the Musical - who plays Mo. Cherry Jezebel comes from the pen of H

Liverpool’s Africa Oyé returns to Sefton Park this summer to celebrate its 30th anniversary. It is the first time since 2019 that the Oyé will be held at the park following a two-summer hiatus due to the ongoing pandemic. The free weekend festival, running on June 18-19, will form the heart of a year long programme of anniversary events. It starts with a special Hip Hop Showcase at the Philharmonic Hall on February 3. Artistic director Paul Duhaney says: “We want to make 2022

Soul singer Sheila Ferguson will join the Chicago cast when the hit musical arrives at the Liverpool Empire next month. The Three Degrees star will play Mama Morton in the show which will be at the Lime Street theatre from February 7-12. She joins Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, Djalenga Scott as Velma Kelly and Russell ‘the Voice’ Watson who is set to play slippery lawyer Billy Flynn in the Jazz Age-set show. The Philadelphia-born singer rose to stardom in the 1970s as a member

Liverpool’s Royal Court has extended the run of its Christmas show for a second time. The Scouse Sleeping Beauty will now be staged at the Roe Street theatre until January 29. It was initially due to close on January 15 and was then extended by a week. Now it has been given an extra week on top of that. Royal Court executive producer Kevin Fearon, who has also written the show, says: “The audience, the press, the cast and the staff have all loved the show this year. “We know