Tag Archives: Royal Exchange Theatre

After twenty years of working at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, Sarah Frankcom has announced that she is stepping down as the theatre’s Artistic Director. Frankcom joined the Company as Literary Manager in 1998; ten years later she was made Joint Artistic Director and in 2014 took up her current position as sole Artistic Director. Frankcom is leaving the Royal Exchange ...

Writer: Arthur Miller Director: Sarah Frankcom Reviewer: Jo Beggs If Willy Loman were living in America in 2018 he wouldn’t seem out of place. A salesman whose thirty odd years of service to capitalism has left him with nothing but a zero-hours contract and no health insurance to deal with an escalating mental health problem. He’d probably be starting to ...

To many, actor Don Warrington is still fondly remembered for his role as Philip Smith in the classic 1970’s sitcom, Rising Damp in which he appeared alongside Leonard Rossiter and Frances de La Tour. In recent times he has attracted legions of fans for his appearances in TV programmes including Death In Paradise and Strictly Come Dancing. As a stage ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Adapted by: Jeanie O’Hare Director: Elizabeth Freestone Reviewer: Jim Gillespie  The Royal Exchange Theatre acknowldege that this retelling of the royal backdrop to the Wars of the Roses makes use of original text by William Shakespeare, drawn from his history plays. The perspective is that of the wife of Henry VI, Margaret of Anjou, who made up ...

Writer: Maxine Peake Director: Bryony Shanahan Reviewer: Andrea Allen Queens of the Coal Age tells the remarkable tale of four women who responded to the threat of their local pit closure and therefore their local community, by going down the pit and occupying it. It’s 1993, and this is a true story. Anne, Lesley, Dot and Elaine aren’t to be messed ...

Writer: Mary Shelley Adaptor: April De Angelis Director: Matthew Xia Reviewer: Jim Gillespie  Marking 200 years since the publication of the ground-breaking novel, The Royal Exchange Theatre offer us a new adaptation of the Frankenstein story. The anniversary is excuse enough, if one were needed, to refresh our fascination for a story which has seemed to speak to every generation ...

Writer: Thornton Wilder Director: Sarah Frankcom Reviewer: Jo Beggs Thornton Wilder’s 1938 play Our Town seems to fall in and out of favour with directors, and yet, with its timeless themes, dry humour and sincerity it always remains amazingly relevant. Sarah Frankcom’s new production offers a powerful and solid start to the Exchange’s Autumn Season and proves that the Exchange ...

It's that time of year when we launch our annual series of Fringe preview Q & A's. Next up it's Graeae and the Royal Exchange Theatre's Cosmic Scallies. In one sentence tell us about your show. A razor sharp, witty and touching new play about class, welfare and friendship in times of adversity, by award winning writer Jackie Hagan, directed by ...