I think most of the main elements of the Cinderella story were ticked off during this performance. There was definitely a glass slipper, and I definitely remember some people trying it on. There was also an elegant coach that flew, rather impressively, ri…

It’s a good sign when an up and coming artist already has a loyal fanbase, so when I, new to Dylan John Thomas’ music, was greeted by audience members with Glaswegian accents and curly wigs, wrapped in Scottish flags, I knew I was in for a night to rememb…

There are a small number of bands that I have loved consistently since my early teens, but Blossoms are one of them. I caught them at Leeds Festival in 2019 but I’d had one too many tinnies to actually recall the experience. So this gig had been a long ti…

In a tale as old as time... Robin Hood is a raging capitalist; dame belle opens a microbrewery and maid Marian saves the day with her sword wielding skills because she “needs no man”. The Customs House have proved again they are the go-to for Christmas en…

Given that Hans Andersen’s famous tale is about finding your feet (while losing your voice) it makes both an obvious and an odd choice for a ballet, but perhaps the fact that this new version had David Nixon not just as director but also as choreographer,…

Newcastle based Tatwood Puppets brought their ribald repertoire/gothic comedy show to Newcastle Art Centre’s underground pub for a modern reimagining of the traditional booth show, set to original live music, performed by Kerrin Tatman and Rosie Bristow (…

This is every little wannabe ballerina’s dream, a sugar-plum confection that selects the choicest morsels from much loved ballets, costumes them in a gossamer haze of tulle and sequins, then stages them as a fairy-tale fantasy of swans, princesses and han…

I love the theatre. I can’t remember the last time I watched something I didn’t enjoy. But now and then, you encounter those plays with a difference, the ones that really strike you to your core and, though you left the theatre days ago, your mind stays f…

Banishing the routine Sunday evening dread, Brighton trio Lambrini Girls treated us to a punchy, punky whirlwind of a gig at The Cluny. Kicking things off were Mother Said, a local group stamping a jangly 80’s twist on catchy goth-rock. Parting the crowd …

First performed just after World War II, J.B. Priestley’s excoriating account of an uncaring Capitalist society where profit rules and philanthropy is a hypocritical mask has had a chequered history. Though set in 1910, its contemporary appeal to an exhau…

Queues round the block tonight at city hall could only mean on thing. Kaiser Chiefs are in town and ready to give us an unforgettable night of music. With promise of The Sherlocks and The Fratellis opening tonight my little indie music loving heart was re…

Winner of 2020’s Biscuit Factory Contemporary Young Artist award, Millie Suu-Kyi’s interdisciplinary collection Belonging(s) explores the relationships between people and their possessions, with a focus on the use of said items to cover insecurities while…

This RSC stage adaptation of the beloved Studio Ghibli ecological fable maintains all the wonder, arresting child-logic and melancholy of the 1988 original anime. It’s the 1950s and two sisters, the four-year-old Mei (Mei Mac) and her ten-year-old siste…

Can’t remember how many times I’ve seen the magical musical duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks, but without fail their plangent ballads about death, despair, alternative states of mind and cannibalistic insects lift my spirits and make life feel worth livi…

At the heart of Verdi’s 1853 opera is the figure of Violetta, one of the “grandes horizontals” who glittered through 19th century Parisian society, high maintenance courtesans who satisfied their wealthy clints’ need for lust, luxury and fashionable visib…

Hosting a six-day film festival with Q&A’s, networking events and industry opportunities, Sunderland Shorts provides a celebration of skilled filmmakers from around the world, screening to audiences in the North East. Attending two nights, I was granted…

The full house this Friday for opening night should really have given me an idea about how good this show would be. A truly heart warming and soul soothing coming of age tale with some of the most candid and real dialogue I’ve seen in a while. The clever …

On a rainy Saturday night, the smoky neon of Cobalt was brightened up with politically-charged DIY pop by Manchester-based three-piece Peaness (say it out loud!). As self-confessed “massive fans” of the headliners, Sunderland’s Bigfatbig set the tone perf…

Rebecca Speller (pictured) on flute and Imma Setiadi on piano started this session with ‘Sonata for Flute and Piano’ by Muczynski, which was composed in 1961. With a similar sound to Bernstein and, at times, Gershwin, the recital began on a promising note…

The Cluny 2 isn’t the biggest of venues, but it felt like something BIG happened at this gig. Formed in 2019, the north-east’s LAZYRAVE already have a small army of loyal fans, and Saturday’s performance showed that their fanbase (including local legend, …

Given that Hans Andersen’s famous tale is about finding your feet (while losing your voice) it makes both an obvious and an odd choice for a ballet, but perhaps the fact that this new version had David Nixon not just as director but also as choreographer,…

Walking into the new NX venue, I was ready for a night of pretending I was 19 again, listening to indie tunes and feeling misunderstood by, though deeply connected to, everyone surrounding me. I was not disappointed. Beabadoobee and her band provided a si…

Delighting a sold-out Cluny with the most bubbly live show I’ve seen all year, Norwich duo Let’s Eat Grandma bless us with their self-described “experimental sludge pop”. Before the dancing begins, a stripped-back set from Fake Laugh brings sweetly intros…

It’s not very often that you find an artist that is clearly incredibly talented but so naturally humble, indie folk artist Melanie Baker is the epitome of this. Born and raised in Cumbria her music displays the same quiet, effortless magic as her home, th…