12 shows you can’t miss this Spring in Liverpool and Manchester

We’re a lucky bunch this season with some of these incredible shows on the horizon…

Ghost
Liverpool Empire – April 10 – 15
Taking inspiration from the classic movie starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, Ghost is reimagined on stage. The story follows Molly, whose boyfriend Sam has been murdered. She is in despair and lost, but with the help of a psychic, Sam is able to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving her from danger.

The Commitments
Palace Theatre, Manchester – March 27 – April 8
The Commitments is a feel-good celebration of soul and is based on the BAFTA award-winning film. The show had adapted by author Roddy Doyle and stars Coronation Street legend Kevin Kennedy. With over 20 soul classics, including Try A Little Tenderness, River Deep Mountain High, I Heard It Through The Grapevine and Reach Out, you will sing your heart out all night.

Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures
Liverpool Playhouse – March 28 – April 1
Britain’s favourite choreographer Matthew Bourne is set to return to his roots in Early Adventures at Liverpool’s Playhouse. The programme will consist of Bourne’s hit pieces that saw the birth of his company New Adventures, which brought Swan Lake, The Car Man, Edward Scissorhands and Sleeping Beauty to life.

Twelfth Night
Royal Exchange, Manchester – April 13 – May 20
This Shakespeare comedy tackles issues from gender to love and loneliness. The story follows Viola, who hides her true identity by disguising as a man, but she soon gets muddled in mistaken identities and her disguise begins to cause more problems than it solves.

Billy Elliot
Liverpool Empire – May 9 – 27
One of the most beloved shows, Billy Elliot is arriving in Liverpool in May. Set in a northern mining town against the background of the 1984/85 miners’ strike, Billy battles against the odds to make his dream come true after discovering his passion for dance that changes his life forever. The musical features a timeless score by Elton John.

Jane Eyre
The Lowry, Salford – April 8 – 15
Following a critically acclaimed season at the National Theatre, Jane Eyre on stage is the re-imagining of Charlotte Brontë’s classic story. The play still sees Jane Eyre as inspiring as ever, with the production uncovering one woman’s fight for freedom and fulfilment on her own terms, whilst taking life obstacles from poverty to injustice.

Made In Dagenham
Unity Theatre, Liverpool – April 27 – 29
Based on the true story and the hit movie, Made in Dagenham is the musical comedy all about standing up for what is right. The story is set in 1968 and follows a group of working class women of the Dagenham Ford Factory who want equal pay. They will have to decide whether to stand together, or to stay in their place.

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story
Palace Theatre, Manchester – May 30 – June 3
Experience the drama, passion and excitement of Buddy Holly’s life in this musical. The story will follow Buddy Holly’s rise to fame right through to his final performance in Clear Lake in Iowa. The show will also feature a wide range of Buddy’s music, including That’ll Be The Day, Johnny B. Goode and Peggy Sue.

My Country; a work in progress
Liverpool Playhouse – April 11 – 15
This ground-breaking new play by Carol Ann Duffy aims to give voices to those who feel like they have no voice. In the days following the Brexit vote, the National Theatre spoke to people nationwide to hear their views on the country we call home. The debate is passionate and asks the question, can there ever be a United Kingdom?

The Crucible
Opera House, Manchester – May 8 – 13
The terrifying tale of The Crucible begins with a group of young girls who are discovered dancing in the woods trying to conjure spirits. The small New England town are told the devil and witchcraft is in their midst and they soon find themselves caught up in paranoia as manipulation personal grievances collide with lust and superstition. No one is safe in the town. The play stars Coronation Street’s Charlie Condou and Call the Midwife’s Victoria Yeates.

The Wedding Singer
Liverpool Empire – May 30 – June 3
Head back to the 80s at this show where hair is huge and greed is good. Robbie Hart is New Jersey’s favourite wedding singer, but when his own fiancée dumps him at the altar, Robbie makes every wedding as disastrous as his own. Can sweet natured Julia and her best friend Holly lure Robbie out of the dumpster and back into the limelight?

Casanova
The Lowry, Salford – May 3 – 6
The Northern Ballet star in this stunning show that throws caution to the wind. Casanova lived every minute in a whirlwind of scandal, but there is more to the man than meets the eye. The original ballet will expose the real story of Casanova with all the 18th century decadence it deserves.