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Liverpool Empire welcomes ENB's Romeo and Juliet
English National Ballet returns to the Liverpool Empire next week with its lavish new production of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. The ballet will be performed at the Lime Street landmark from October 15-17, with the dancers accompanied by live music played by the English National Ballet Philharmonic. Verona in Renaissance Italy. Tensions run high between the Montagues and the Capulets as the families stand on the brink of violence. Against the backdrop of simmering hatred, fa
Review: Lord of the Dance 30th Anniversary at the Liverpool Empire ****
When Michael Flatley dramatically parted ways with the wildly popular Riverdance in the mid-90s he had two options – go away and lick his wounds or bounce back with something even bigger and better. He chose the latter, and lo, Lord of the Dance was born, with the ambitious Irish-American dancer and choreographer taking the titular role. Since its premiere in Dublin in 1996, Lord of the Dance has traversed the globe, playing to more than 60 million people in 70 countries and
Shows on Liverpool stages this October
Autumn, the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness – and also of a plethora of new productions in Liverpool’s theatres. Several productions which opened last month are continuing into October, among them Titanic drama Unsinkable, which runs at the Hope Street Theatre until October 3. You can catch Arthur Miller’s classic Death of a Salesman at the Liverpool Everyman until October 10. And down the road at the Royal Court, the new stage version of Frank Clarke’s Letter to Brez
Review: Annie at the Liverpool Empire ****
Time and tide wait for no man…or girl. And even little orphan Annie is now marking her big 5-0, despite being preserved for all time as a precocious 11-year-old. When the musical was first staged back in the 1970s, the Great Depression was still well within living memory, and the world was going through another troubled time. One might say plus ça change. But while the 1930s setting may not have any resonance for today's children, there’s still plenty to capture the imaginati
Review: Barnum at the Liverpool Empire ****
Every generation is gifted its own Barnum moment, from the 1930s movie The Mighty Barnum to the 2017 (highly fictionalised) cinematic blockbuster The Greatest Showman. For those of us of a certain age, the name PT Barnum likely conjures up images of Torvill and Dean skating their way to an acrobatic gold in the World Championships in Helsinki. There, the now-knighted skating stars used a medley of tunes from Barnum, Cy Coleman/Michael Stewart/Mark Bramble’s 1980 stage musical
Ballet Shoes dances into Liverpool as part of a UK tour
Strictly star Anton du Beke is set to appear in the acclaimed stage adaptation of Ballet Shoes when it comes to Liverpool as part of a newly announced UK tour. The National Theatre’s acclaimed five-star family-friendly production heads for the Liverpool Empire from January 11-15, 2028. Tickets go on general sale on Thursday, September 24. Du Beke will play Great Uncle Matthew in the show which is adapted for the stage by Kendall Feaver in what is described as a ‘reimagining’
Review: Waitress at the Liverpool Empire ****
To lose one leading actor on opening night may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both ‘names’…well, let’s just say it’s not ideal. But as the Reverend Mother tells Maria in The Sound of Music, when God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window. And the absence of both Carrie Hope Fletcher AND Les Dennis from the Empire stage, both indisposed for undisclosed reasons, allowed several other members of the Waitress cast a chance to shine. None more so than Ellie Ruiz Rodrigue
Comedy to catch in Liverpool this autumn
As autumn approaches, the nights start to get darker and the news seems to get bleaker, we all need a laugh. Happily, the nation’s funny men and women are willing to oblige, with a mighty host of comedians descending on Britain’s ‘capital of comedy’ between now and Christmas to give us all a big laugh. Along with comedy clubs and regular comedy nights, star names and rising talent are also appearing at venues like the M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool Playhouse, Philharmonic Hall, Ep
11 shows to catch in Liverpool this autumn
The summer may still be at its height but given how fast June and July have sped past it won’t be long until the autumn theatre season is upon us. And there is a packed programme of treats at Liverpool’s many venues this year. From big budget musicals to intimate dramas, high comedy to high tragedy, local stories to international tales, and classic texts to thought-provoking new work, there’s plenty for lovers of live theatre to choose from between September and Christmas. Se
Review: Moulin Rouge! the Musical at the Liverpool Empire ****
Time flies and it’s somehow now a quarter of a century since Ewan McGregor’s Christian met Nicole Kidman’s Satine at the Moulin Rouge. It seems though that truth, beauty, freedom and love don’t have a shelf life, certainly if the reported ticket sales for Moulin Rouge! The Musical, the Empire’s glitzy summer blockbuster offering, are anything to go by. The stage musical, which started its life over the pond eight years ago where it gathered armfuls of awards, takes Baz Luhrma
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