Art & Entertainment at The Lowry, Salford Quays, Sep - Dec 2005
The Lowry’s brilliant new autumn and winter season is the busiest ever, with a variety of inspiring exhibitions in the galleries and an astonishing 80 separate productions jostling for space on its 3 stages. Spanning five decades of musical history in the galleries is the fascinating Rock: A Retrospective of Jane Bown’s Rock and Pop Portraits (1963-2003) featuring candid shots of musical greats from John Lennon and Keith Richards to Boy George and Bjork by the legendary photographer. The Lowry celebrates the great outdoors with the exhibition, Lowry and the Sea showing the great man’s fascination with the coast and its holiday resorts. Sir Ian McKellen commented “Once you have seen a Lowry painting of the sea you will then never see the sea again in the same way." Visitors can also gain a fascinating insight into the great outdoors around The Lowry with Nightfall, an exhibition revealing the secret nightlife world on the doorstep of the building. The Lowry has an enviable reputation for presenting the very best live entertainment on offer anywhere in the world and again performers are travelling to Salford Quays from across the globe this autumn. For the first time since a brief visit during City Of Drama in 1994, world-renowned Canadian theatre wizard Robert Lepage will be here to astonish, leading his own company Ex Machina in the unmissable six-hour epic production, The Dragons’ Trilogy, a once in a lifetime event. And from New York, two of the world’s best contemporary dance companies are also visiting The Lowry. Mark Morris, the master of American dance, is celebrating his company’s 25th anniversary, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater make their very first appearances in the North West with their very own brand of explosive movement to popular music. Other dance highlights include the international multi award-winning hit production of Swan Lake by Matthew Bourne famous for all-male swans, and return visits by STOMP and Rambert Dance Company. The Lowry is also set to host the best in big name comedy and music with Jo Brand, Ardal O’Hanlon, Jason Byrne, John Shuttleworth, Harry Hill and Al Murray featuring in an outstanding season. One of the biggest comedy hits of all time also returns for Christmas – Round The Horne is back and Revisited, with even more great sketches recreated from the classic sixties radio show and in a brand new Christmas edition. Music highlights include Joan Armatrading, Peggy Seeger and Ralph McTell, plus by-demand return visits by such varied artists as Kate Rusby, Bjorn Again and The Oldham Tinkers! Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others features the songs of Morrissey and Marr in a sensational new music drama, featuring twenty songs originally performed by The Smiths. Sir Trevor McDonald and Clive James, will both be among the high-profile speakers offering their views of the world during thought-provoking evenings and nights-out with a difference. Back on the drama season, other highlights include the first post-London visit for Alan Bennett’s award-winning National Theatre hit, The History Boys and Nigel Havers in Daphne Du Maurier’s classic, Rebecca, plus theatrical legend Sir Timothy West, with the award-winning Nichola McAuliffe, both starring in the tense new thriller, National Hero. Music fans of a more classical persuasion will be pleased to hear that both Carl Rosa Opera and Opera North are back, the former with their sparkling production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s best, The Mikado, the latter with a stirring concert performance of Verdi’s Nabucco. All this, plus a particularly busy season of Asian dance and music, featuring both contemporary and traditional performers, and shows for all the family in all our theatres, including Wee Stories’ Arthur the Story of a King and 3D action in Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories, presenting engrossing entertainment for three-year-olds and upwards. And of course the season culminates in our spectacular Christmas pop music pantomime, Cinderella, starring ex-Coronation Street’s Lucy Jo Hudson (Katy Harris), with Faith Brown as the Wicked Stepmother and Janice Connolly AKA Mrs Barbara Nice as Fairy Godmother. This best of all Christmas pantomime stories is a terrific seasonal treat for all the family and a great finale to another exceptional season at The Lowry.
Posted on Tuesday, 28 June 2005 under Press General Press