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Letter to Brezhnev world premiere at Liverpool's Royal Court in 2026
A new stage version of much-loved Liverpool-based film Letter to Brezhnev will be given its world premiere at the city’s Royal Court next autumn. Frank Clarke, who wrote the screenplay for the 1985 classic, is creating a bespoke new production which will be staged at the Roe Street theatre from September 11 to October 10. Theresa and Elaine are young, beautiful and full of life. But they don’t think that will last long, because it’s 1985 and this is Kirby. Sergei and Peter ar
Review: Fawlty Towers at the Liverpool Empire ****
Fawlty Towers is often voted among the best ever British television sitcoms. But it wasn’t, as it happens, an overnight sensation. The show aired first on BBC2 in September 1975 and garnered just under two million viewers. That’s a good figure by today’s standards, but in an era with only three TV channels it was decidedly modest (Stanley Baxter on ITV at the same time apparently pulled in 12 million). Reruns, and a move to BBC1, changed all that, and half-a-century, but stil
Review: Rattle and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra at Philharmonic Hall *****
Monday is not a usual music-making night at the Phil, but when one of Liverpool’s most famous sons (Sir Simon Rattle) drops in with one of the world’s foremost orchestras (the Bavarian Radio Symphony), it would be rude not to break with convention. And there was certainly a real sense of occasion in the auditorium for this bonus highlight of the 2025/26 season. Rattle, who turned 70 earlier this year, and his latest crack German outfit, are on a whistlestop European autumn to
Review: Liverpool Mozart Orchestra at the Tung Auditorium ****
How do you mark 75 years of music making in Liverpool? How about by inviting the city’s most famous (non-Beatle) musical export to launch your special anniversary? Wishful thinking? Reaching for the stars? It turned out not for the Liverpool Mozart Orchestra whose opening concert of its 75 th season serendipitously coincided with a rare visit home for its illustrious president Sir Simon Rattle, in town to open a European tour with his own current outfit the Bavarian Radio Sy
Paul Nicholas on his Major role at the Liverpool Empire
When Fawlty Towers was first broadcast in the 1970s, the series attracted millions of TV viewers. But it turns out Paul Nicholas wasn’t one of them. Because 50 years ago, the actor and singer was busy building a career on stage and screen and tended to find himself otherwise occupied at night. “I caught bits of it,” he explains, “but I was working a lot of the time, and it was pre being able to record programmes.” So when the he was asked if he was interested in playing the M
Review: Little Women at the Liverpool Playhouse ****
Those Little Women have been on a big journey over the course of 2025 with this sprightly new production of the classic coming-of-age tale crisscrossing the UK. But it’s apt the tour of a story which opens amid the brutal upheaval of the American Civil War should finish here in Liverpool, and in this week too. While it officially ended six months earlier, the American Civil War finally concluded on November 6, 1865, when Captain James Waddell sailed up the Mersey in the CSS S
Iron Ladies the stars in Liverpool filmmakers' latest release
A film documentary which tells the story of the remarkable women who were part of the steely backbone of the 1984-85 Miners’ Strike is set to receive a special screening in Liverpool this month. Iron Ladies will be shown at Picturehouse at FACT on November 20 followed by a special Q&A with Rose Hunter of the North Staffs Miners’ Wives Action Group, who is featured in the film, and moderator Abi O’Connor. Tickets are £14.85 for adults with concessions. In addition, there will
Timothy Lucas is the purfect panto villain at St Helens this Christmas
Deck the halls, ring those bells and warn the partridge in the pear tree – Timothy Lucas is back on panto duty at St Helens Theatre Royal this Christmas. And this time he’s planning to be royally bad. After moonlighting at the Wolverhampton Grand last season, the irrepressible Lucas is back in harness for Regal Entertainments at St Helens, and he couldn’t be happier. “Great theatre, great people, loyal audiences,” he says. “They are good people who just back you and support y
Review: Top Hat at the Liverpool Empire ****
The Empire is currently celebrating its centenary - and back in the same space in March 1926, Liverpool audiences would have been treated to Mr ‘top hat, white tie and tails’ himself Fred Astaire treading its boards. Astaire appeared with his sister Adele in George Gershwin’s Lady be Good. And it evidently proved to be good, because they returned to Lime Street for another run in early 1927. By the mid-30s, Astaire had gone from big theatre star to even bigger screen star. An
River of Light 2025 installations and where to find them
The Liverpool waterfront comes alive with sound and colour over the next 10 days as the annual River of Light returns – this year with the theme the Science of Light. Follow a trail of light sculptures and installations along the banks of the Mersey and through the city’s business district between tonight and November 2. The installations will be lit up from 5-9pm each night, with two quiet hours on October 26 and October 29, from 4-5pm. Ten largescale artworks are on show i
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