The Capulets and The Montagues - English Touring Opera

The most enjoyable and engrossing opera that I have attended in many a year,

T.Rextasy

T.Rex were the giants of glam, and the princes of pop. Songs such as 'Hot Love' and 'Get It On' became instant pop classics.

Forgotten In The Land of Egypt

Much more than a piece of agitprop designed to galvanise us into action over Global Warming.

Squid

Oh yes, this is what live music is about!

Moments - Theatre Re

An innovative, moving, and life-affirming production.

The Girl On The Train

A spine-tingling drama that holds its surprise very close to its chest until the final scene

Singin' In The Rain

Scintillating and spectacular!

Mediæval Bæbes

Of the many Christmas events that I have attended over last few weeks, this is the one that will really stay in my memory.

Ghosted - Another F***cking Christmas Carol

Gavin & Stacey's Christmas Special, this definitely is not.

Aladdin : a genie-us Norfolk Adventure

A 'right bootful' Christmas treat.

Northern Ballet - A Christmas Carol

The definitive way to kick-start your own Christmas celebrations.

Eliza Delf and the Wilderness

The new songs demonstrate just how far Eliza Delf has developed as a songwriter and performer over the last twelve months.

Delilah Bon

They came, they saw, and they conquered. And the Waterfront Studio audience drift away into the November night, inspired, uplifted, and energised.

Carlos Acosta's 'Nutcracker In Havana'

Nutcracker in Havana is an absolute Christmas Cracker of a show

Orchestra of Samples

An epic project to travel the world, collecting and creating an archive of eclectic and diverse musical performance

John Grant

Another night to remember for Norwich fans of John Grant

Cast

The hits come thick and fast.

The Brief Life & Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria

An ostensibly amusing, but also incredibly thought-provoking, production.

The Surfrajettes

'Easy As Pie', and a deliciously fun night out.

Peatbog Faeries

An all-dancing highland rave in downtown Diss.

Come From Away

The feel-good musical that you will want to see over and over and again

Here You Come Again

Now, that's what I call a jukebox musical.

Samantha Fish

An inspired and crowd-thrilling set.

Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening

This was certainly one of the finest folk performances I have been to in 2024

NOW That's What I Call A Musical

A celebration of teenage hopes and dreams

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

You will believe a car can fly.

Welly

The gospel according to Welly is witty and fun

The Icicle Works

Heartfelt songs about ambitions and dreams, friendship and experience, but mostly about life itself.

Lime Cordiale

Lime Cordiale certainly made a real splash on their first visit to The Adrian Flux Waterfront.

A Chorus Line

This remains one singular sensation. Go see.

Le Vent du Nord

A high velocity performance tonight from Le Vent du Nord, and one that whipped up a storm in the South Norfolk market town of Diss

The Highwayman

See this wonderful new musical now, if you can.

& JULIET

A fabulously pop-tastic party, featuring a canon of top tunes from start to finish.

La Tragédie de Carmen

Another fantastic collaboration between Norwich Theatre and Buxton International Theatre. Thank you to Stephen Crocker, and everyone at Norwich Theatre for managing to pull this one off.

Silence! The Musical

A gloriously dark, and very funny, musical stage parody.

Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls

A phenomenal show from one of the country's finest folk-punk singer-songwriters

Come Dine With Me - The Musical

An hilarious homage to Channel 4's much-loved television show

I Wish You Well - The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical

Love this show. Catch it if you can before it hits Edinburgh

Kitty Perrin

Kitty Perrin's unique blend of dreamy indie-pop will have gained even more fans following this Pony-Up show

101 Dalmatians - The Musical

A delight for children and parents of all ages.

Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Life-affirming, inclusive and diverse, and celebrating every type of friendship.

Sting

A cracker of a 'Summer Night', in the beautiful heart of Thetford Forest. .

The 39 Steps

An hilarious comedy, made to look so easy. Pleasure and laughter all of the way.

Grease - The Musical

'Grease' is still very much 'the word'.

Baque Luar - NNF 2024

Baque Luar is all about the beat, and that is what their first visit to Norwich will be remembered for, long after this year's Norfolk & Norwich Festival has ended.

Laura Misch - NNF 2024

Another wonderfully atmospheric music evening within the Adnams Spiegeltent.

Stick In The Wheel - NNF 2024

My favourite late night gig of the Festival so far.

CHAMBER CHOIR IRELAND - CHOIRLAND NNF2024

An innovative and illuminating evening of choral music from this world-class Irish ensemble.

Karine Polwart - NNF 2024

A rare, and very special, visit to Norwich from one of Scotland's greatest contemporary folk singers.

Czech National Symphony Orchestra

A wonderful full-orchestra evening

Pongo - NNF 2024

Pongo came, Pongo sang, Pongo danced, and Pongo conquered.

Stillness, Softness... Hinako Omori NNF 2024

An inspired booking by the Festival, and always a pleasure to listen to any kind of live music within the Church of St Peter Mancroft

Geneva Lewis NNF 2024

Tackling exciting lesser-known pieces with confidence and daring.

Northern Ballet - Romeo & Juliet

For a Romeo & Juliet with that extra rollercoaster ride of emotion and spectacle, look no further.

Antiphony of the Trees - Laura Cannell NNF 2024

Music which harmoniously harnesses the sounds of nature

Eroica By Heart - Aurora Orchestra NNF 2024

A unique, and wholly immersive, audience experience

Edward Scissorhands - Matthew Bourne's New Adventures

I find myself holding back the tears – that is how powerful the finale of this show is.

John Osborne - Norwich : A Love Story

A show packed with moving words and memories about the city we love.

Calendar Girls - The Musical

The tears and the laughter are still there, collectively delivered with true Yorkshire grit, and stoic Northern wit.

Damian Lewis

A memorable evening on so many counts.

Shrek the Musical

A true gem of a show, faithful to the film’s roots, and yet still honouring its core message that it is OK to be different.

São Paulo Dance Company

A dazzling display of elegance, strength and stamina

Bonnie & Clyde

A musical love story, doomed from the start, but with enough heart to steal you away until the final curtain.

English Touring Opera - Manon Lescaut

Brave and challenging, English Touring Opera really do deliver 'Opera That Moves'.

Spiers & Boden

A scintillating and crowd-pleasing set from folk legends Spiers & Boden, and wonderful to see the Maddermarket Theatre filled to the rafters

Big Country / The Icicle Works

The seventh stop on Big Country's celebratory 'Return to Steeltown' tour.

The Wizard of Oz

Come on Norwich, let’s be ‘aving you, and let’s be off to see the wizard, too.

Joanne Shaw Taylor

There may be bigger, seated, venues on this string of UK dates, but for the intimate, close-up feel of Joanne Shaw Taylor's brand of the blues, Norwich's Waterfront is going to take some beating.

The Nutcracker - Varna International Ballet

Completing their triage of Tchaikovsky's most loved ballets.

Swan Lake - Varna International Ballet

Swan Lake is a mouth-watering spectacle. This production becomes the complete dance experience.

Toast - Dizraeli / Joelle Taylor

'Toast' had moved to Norwich Theatre Playhouse this month, and even in this much larger venue, nearly all the seats were taken

David Eagle - Norwich Theatre Stage 2

A superb one-man show from the accordion-wielding member of the magnificent Young'uns

The Clause

For sheer guts and dedication you had to admire this performance from The Clause

Betty Blue Eyes

An absolute delight from start to finish - a heart-warming blinder of a show.

Alex Kate

Miloš Karadaglić and Arcangelo Ensemble

A Baroque blinder of a night

Sleeping Beauty - The Fairy's Tale

A magnificent seasonal pantomime of which Norfolk should be really proud.

Richard Dawson

A unique talent, and one worth making the effort to discover.

The Mary Wallopers

The Mary Wallopers have it all. You simply could not ask for better craic on a Sunday night in Norwich.

The King and I

In these days of real horror and turmoil around the world, perhaps an occasional dose of Rodgers and Hammerstein's theatrical escapism is no bad thing.

The Pigeon Detectives

The levels of energy and enthusiasm (both on and off stage) prove that The Pigeon Detectives are still up for a grand night out. Whatever night it is.

The Good Enough Mums Club

The theatrical experience is witty and well-paced, with a tone that lies somewhere between 'Six' and 'Fascinating Aida'.

National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

The enormity and significance of this concert suddenly sank home, and I felt guilty for simply being free to come along and listen to this great classical music.

The Full Monty - Norwich Theatre Royal

There is so much more to this stage version of The Full Monty than a titillating knock-off Chippendales show

Ballet Black - 'Pioneers'

Two very different pieces, but one absolutely fabulous evening

Kezia Gill

Kezia Gill's first journey back to Norwich since supporting The Shires at Epic Studios two years ago

The Coronation of Poppea - English Touring Opera

Elements of this fact-based narrative still hold frighteningly true today

Cinderella - English Touring Opera

The experience is a delight from start to finish

Project Dictator

Or, 'Why democracy is overrated and I don't miss it at all'

The Sherlocks

This was an evening to let the music do the talking

Deepdale Festival

Thank you Deepdale – you did it again. This is still my favourite festival of the year, and judging by the number of returning acts and audience members, everybody else's, too.

JERRY SPRINGER : THE OPERA

'Jerry Springer : The Opera' still has the power to both shock and make you laugh out loud, and, more importantly, to make you think about the role of the media and of organised religion.

The Bodyguard - The Musical

'The Bodyguard' is one of the most joyous musical experiences to have visited Norwich Theatre Royal in many a year. 100% recommended.

Greatest Days

Norwich Under The Water

Annie - The Musical

The Land of Might-Have-Been

This is definite must-see show. Hats off to Stephen Crocker, and the whole of the Norwich Theatre team, for the courage and conviction to co-produce this wonderful show together with the Buxton International Festival.

Blood Brothers

And what a moving and powerful performance it was

Heathers - The Musical

Floral Image - So Synthesised

Young Frankenstein

The Halle Orchestra NNF 2023

Solem Quartet 2 NNF 2023

Solem Quartet NNF 2023

Leonkoro Quartet NNF 2023

Geneva Lewis & Evren Ozel NNF 2023

Britten Sinfonia NNF 2023

Rhiannon Giddens -Francesco Turrisi - NNF 2023

...the concert commences, immediately filling tha vast hall space with the spine-tinglingly soulful vocals that have come to define Giddens' live performances.

EVEN - Norwich

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Roddy Woomble

Titanic the Musical

Aldous Harding

Morganway - Back to Zero

Lottery Winners

Another great night at Epic – once again the sound and lights were spot on, and the staff are always so friendly. Let's hope that Rick Lennox and the team can continue to attract further contemporary and trending music acts like these.

Strictly Ballroom - The Musical

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty

....'Sleeping Beauty remains an iconic work, a gothic romance brought to life with all the charisma, charm and wit that we have come to expect from Sir Matthew Bourne

Lucrezia Borgia - English Touring Opera, Norwich Theatre Royal

Hollie McNish , Luke Wright

Dylan

Coppelia

And thank you, Varna International Ballet, for your first visit to our city. It was an absolute delight to have the opportunity watch you perform. Please, please, please, come back soon.

Peaky Blinders - The Redemption of Thomas Shelby

Sister Act - The Musical

A two year delay but well worth it ........

Sh*t Actually

Yippee Ki Yay

A daring and innovative show which is resplendent in its writing, engagingly delivered, and absolutely perfect for the run up to Christmas

Holly Humberstone

Nic Norton & Alice Morrell - Killing Time

Mozart's Requiem - Glyndebourne Tour 2022

Glyndebourne Tour 2022 - The Marriage of Figaro

Seth Lakeman

Bodega - Damp Matches

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Turin Brakes - The Concrete Kid

The Lemonheads - Bass Drum of Death

Nerina Pallot

Beabadoobee

Mamma Mia

Satellites

Time and Tide

Deepdale Festival

Man the Lifeboats - Soul of Albion

‘Soul of Albion’ is an album unafraid to reflect on the state of the nation, and yet still manages to convey the band’s love of a good time and a drink

Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork

.....just read the review

Goo Goo Dolls - Chaos in Bloom

A great album from start to finish – every song on it could justifiably argue a case for inclusion on a GGD 'Best Of'' compilation

Holt? Who goes There?

If you have never seen The Nimmo Twins, then you better be bloody quick. Their run of shows at Norwich Theatre Playhouse sold out yonks ago. If you are quick, you might be lucky as they are doing a one-night-only show at Norwich Theatre Royal on August 23rd. If not, just “keep on troshin”.

Carlos Acosta - On Before

The Many Lives of Nellie Bly

Life is a learning experience and if like me you had not heard of Nellie Bly then all I can say is ... it is an engrossing show that left me highly impressed, as well as suitably enlightened. Find out More PLEASE

Chicago

not only are the key cast magnificent, but the entire ensemble of dancers, singers and musicians deliver a truly scintillating performance

Priscilla Queen of The Desert

Loved it, loved it, loved it, darlings. xxx

Ladies of Letters

This theatrical reinvention of 'LOL' certainly had me 'Laughing Out Loud' from start to finish"

Crude Apache

"Crude Apache have created a show that, by delving into local history, makes us also think about workers’ rights today. Bravo!"

Private Peaceful

“We are spared the graphic horrors, but the message hits its target with dramatic precision”  

Songs of Hope and Protest

Common Lot for, once again, coming up with a community-based show that is entertaining, educational, topical, and inspiring. It does them, and Norwich, proud. Go see it.

Dreamgirls

Fantastic costumes, fantastic choreography, fantastic performances, and fantastic songs. What more is there to say? This production of Dreamgirls is simply supreme, supreme, supreme!!! (There, I said it. Sue me if you dare!)

Anna Meredith

I would not have missed this evening's show for anything. However, twenty four hours on, I cannot help musing on how this was something of an opportunity missed

Levitation Orchestra

Levitation Orchestra's sound is a potent cocktail of uninhibited energy and elegant exploration, bound together by an egality of interwoven

Sean Shibe

Shibe was an absolute gentleman, talking us through each piece, and playing to the wonderfully attentive audience with virtuosic confidence and class.

Peggy Seeger and Calum MacColl

..the sparkle in her eye tonight, and the obvious love shared between mother and son, turned this Spiegeltent show into a wholly unforgettable experience.

Fairytales and Nightingales

These three musical artists delivered a venerable tribute to Jenny Lind that was sensitive, informative and beautifully presented

Broadside Hacks

...the audience tonight were treated to something rather special, listening to a fresh generation of musicians discover and revive the songwriting treasures of the past

Grace Petrie

Petrie's fierce musical stand for the things that she feels passionate about has triumphantly fired the bellies of another festival audience.

The Golden Cockerel

"With James Conway's direction and Gerry Cornelius' conducting, 'The Golden Cockerel' is most definitely in safe hands"

Loose Fit - Social Graces

From start to finish this is an absolute peach of an album, a juicy slice of post-punk, pop perfection.

The Addams Family

For a crypt-kicking delight of an evening, The Addams Family are your perfect ghoulish hosts.

Susanna - Elevation

If you are not already familiar with the work of Susanna Wallumrød (or, come to that, Charles Baudelaire) I would implore you to give 'Elevation' a listen. It is most certainly an album that is all that I cannot leave behind.

The Birds and The Bees

Yes, it is comedy. Yes, it is fun, and yes it is raucous and at times saucy. McDermott's smartly integrated East Anglian references and dialectical nuance will delight local audiences. But, ultimately it is a much bigger picture, and there is so much more for us all to think about and take away from 'The Birds and The Bees'

The Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe

....nothing could have prepared me for the spectacle and passion of this version of the Leeds Playhouse production, currently playing at Norwich Theatre Royal.

Private Lives

As a classic drama about love, lust and conflict, 'Private Lives' still takes some beating.

William The Conqueror - Chloe Foy

Zakoor - Life Cycle

School of Rock

Nederland Dance Theater NDT2

I remember when, soon after taking being appointed as CEO of Norwich Theatre, Stephen Crocker made a pledge to continue to bring more world class contemporary dance to Norwich. He has delivered on that promise ........

Kristine Leschper - The Opening Or Closing of A Door

This is a stripped-back work that is overwhelmingly enhanced by the beauty and fragility of Leschper's vocals, creating a naturalistic and folkier feel to previous works, and producing an authentic sense of natural impermeance.

Mothermary - I Am Your God

Are they destined to become the next big thing? Who knows? But, for now, I am happy to listen, and wait, and see what happens next.

The Sound of Music

'A Load of Old Squit – The Best of the Nimmo Twins'

Dick Whittington and his cat

Make sure that you don't miss out on what will almost certainly the best feel-good night out (or matinee) on offer in Norwich over the festive season.

Robin Good - Pantomime

Robin Good is directed with lashings of local references and a bundle of in-jokes that will delight Norwich audiences – poking fun at our parochiality, our poor public transport links, and our patchy mobile phone reception.

Rake's Progress

Ward Thomas

[UNIT] Reach The Moon

Reach The Moon, managed to achieve what many others have tried and failed to do – to recreate the excitement and overwhelming sense of achievement that emerged from that historic moment on July 20th, 1969

Hot Chip and Rosie Lowe

They may have been around for almost two decades, and may not have visited Norwich for a while but, judging by tonight's show, Hot Chip have certainly not gone off the boil.

Nerija - Blume

Exciting solo performances from each player demonstrate Nérija's collaborative ethic, and the breadth of individual talent within this scintillating project.

Jesse Mac Cormack - Now

Jesse Mac Cormack's album debut arrives as a work of scorching atmosphere, panoramic tumbling melodies and vast lyrical spaces

Romeo and Juliet

Erica Whyman had decided on a contemporary transfer for this 400 year old tale of family feuding, love at first sight, and crossed star destiny, but it is a darker, starker version of the classic.....

Bayonne - Drastic Measures

Drastic Measures emerges from the new wave of composer-musician-producers...

A Christmas Carol

An imaginative sixty minute show created around Dickens' iconic 1843 work,

Glyndebourne Cinderella comes to Norwich

Pancrazi is wonderful as Prince Charming, and her parallel appearance as a maid and confidante to Cinderella in Pandolfe's household suggests a dimension of gender fluidity, adding yet another layer of duality, metamorphosis and contrast to the production

Johnny Marr

I never got to see The Smiths perform live, and Johnny Marr had packed up his guitar and left The Cribs by the time they played Latitude in 2011, so this gig at the Nick Rayns LCR was to be my first up-close encounter with the legendary guitarist

The Velveteers

It started the previous night, when someone suggested that I really ought to check out The Velveteers at Bermuda Bob's Rum Shack. 'They're a bit like The White Stripes', they explained, before adding cryptically, 'But then, they're not'. I'm intrigued, but could actually do with that night in. I file the suggestion under 'poss, but probs not'.

Eivør

I am unsure how the name of Eivør Pálsdóttirremained underneath my radar for quite so long

Late Nights / Early Mornings. An Outline

An Outline of Late Nights / Early Mornings