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Review: Nell Gwynn at Shakespeare North Playhouse ****
Teenage orange hawker, feisty and droll star of the stage and finally the much-loved, long-term romantic partner of a king. Restoration playwrights would no doubt have chewed off their left arms to create a character even half as bold and memorable as Nell Gwynn, the woman who - for a brief time - became their real-life muse. And some 350 years on, Gwynn proves an equally luminous presence in Jessica Swale’s warm, witty and effervescent celebration of a very human heroine, br
Penny Lane Weekender 2026 details revealed
The Penny Lane Weekender returns this August promising three days of ‘boss music’ at venues in and around the world-famous street. The fourth annual event, shining a spotlight on local and independent musical talent, takes place from August 7-9. Early Bird tickets at £10 are available now. The 2026 line-up boasts an eclectic mix of genres, from indie, rock, pop and punk to electronica and dance music, and will be headlined by Scottish psychedelic band Helicon (pictured) and B
Review: The Bodyguard at the Liverpool Empire ***1/2
When The Bodyguard was released in cinemas in 1992 it propelled Whitney Houston from successful music artist to global superstar. And while film critics were generally unimpressed (the movie picked up no fewer than six Razzie nominations), audiences loved it, and the soundtrack swept the board at nearly every music awards, clocking up an estimated 45 million sales to date. That music remains the beating heart (and backbone) of this stage version, on its latest visit to Liverp
Paul O'Grady's Lily inspires SAVAGE which comes to the Liverpool Playhouse in 2027
A ‘bold and deeply moving’ new comedy inspired by the late Paul O’Grady is set to come to the Liverpool Playhouse next spring prior to a West End run. SAVAGE, written by Liverpool playwright Jonathan Harvey and created with O’Grady’s blessing, tells the story of the life of the late star and his most famous creation – the ‘Blonde Bombsite’ Lily Savage. It will be staged at the Playhouse from March 16-20, 2027, and will feature Wirral-born RuPaul Drag Race UK winner Danny Bear
Liverpool galleries to mark Julia Carter Preston centenary
The centenary of the birth of acclaimed Liverpool ceramicist Julia Carter Preston will be celebrated with a series of exhibitions at Liverpool galleries this autumn. The Bluecoat, Bluecoat Display Centre, Walker Art Gallery, Victoria Gallery & Museum and Liverpool Hope University will all showcase the work of the late artist who was best known for her ‘sgraffito’ (scratched) style of pottery design. The programme of events - titled Julia Carter Preston, Ceramicist – starts on
Africa Oyé 2026 full programme at Sefton Park
The 2026 Africa Oyé comes to Sefton Park this weekend with two full days of music from some of the most exciting figures on the international stage. The annual festival - the UK's largest celebration of African music and culture - takes place on Saturday and Sunday, June 20-21. This year’s event is ticket only, with organisers say rising costs mean it has been increasingly difficult to keep running the annual event for free. Headlining the 2026 festival are Grammy-nominated M
Liverpool Art Fair 2026 showcases record number of artists
Liverpool Art Fair has returned to the Royal Liver Building – and the 2026 event is the largest to date. The annual celebration of the region’s artists showcases work by 245 different painters, sculptors, printmakers and creatives from today, June 12, to July 26. Entrance to the fair is free and all work is for sale, with prices starting at just £25 and with a large selection for £250 or under. The fair, now in its 12th year, is run by Liverpool’s dot-art which is marking its
Wirral Open Studio Tour 2026 showcases work of almost 100 artists
Wirral artists are throwing open their studios and workspaces to visitors this weekend. Almost 100 artists are taking part in the 16th edition of the Wirral Open Studio Tour which runs on Friday and Saturday, June 13-14. A room in a former greengrocer’s in New Brighton, an old fire station in Port Sunlight, a former lifeboat station at Hoylake and a Georgian townhouse in Hamilton Square are among around 50 locations along the free, self-guided route. Studios, workshops and di
Where to enjoy open-air theatre in Liverpool City Region this summer
Dust off the picnic chairs and rugs, locate the cool box, pop a bottle of something fizzy in the fridge and your sunscreen in your bag because the 2026 open-air theatre season is upon us. Travelling theatre troupes and wandering minstrels are going back on the road to bring productions to outdoor spaces across the region and beyond over the next few months, with plenty of variety and choice to appeal to everyone. This summer Liverpool and the wider City Region is welcoming a
Reflections of Liverpool exhibition is a candid snapshot of the past
When Bob Howells died in 1999, he left his grandson Steven a couple of cameras along with a tin of film negatives and glass slides. Little can he have imagined that nearly 30 years later the images on those rolls would be blown up and on display in an exhibition on the Liverpool waterfront. Reflections of Liverpool: The Howells' Family Album, which runs at the Museum of Liverpool until September, captures his young family at home and play - and Bob Howells' colleagues at Camp
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