According to Greek philosopher Plato, art imitates life. That’s clearly evident when you look at some of the storylines in today’s soap operas. EastEnders is no exception, with Shane Richie’s character Alfie Moon suffering from prostate cancer – a storyline that has left an impression on so many people. He returned to the BBC programme in autumn 2022 when a ...

By Annie Siddons Derby Theatre 24 November–31 December 2023 It is claimed there have been thousands of variants of the folk tale of Cinderella or The Glass Slipper throughout the world. So why do we need another one? Derby Theatre must have thought a new way of telling the world’s oldest-recorded story was necessary even though the venue approached Mike ...

By Charles Dickens adapted by Mark Gatiss Nottingham Playhouse 27 October–18 November 2023 Two years after Mark Gatiss’ adaptation of Charles Dickens’ festive tale had its première at Nottingham Playhouse, A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story is back with a few changes. In 2021 Gatiss played Jacob Marley and the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come. This time the actor ...

By Christopher Brookes after Lewis Carroll Wise Owl Theatre Company Winding Wheel, Chesterfield Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland is credited with helping to change children’s literature, with the writing aimed at delighting or entertaining children rather than teaching or preaching to them. Christopher Brookes’ adaptation of one of the best-known works of Victorian literature sticks as much as possible to ...

No matter how talented you are, you need a fair amount of luck if you’re to succeed in the music business. And Chris Amoo, a founder of pioneering, million-selling soul and funk band The Real Thing who are best known for their massive hit You To Me Are Everything, knows that  well. During our chat about his career and the ...

Adapted by Paul Allen, based on the screenplay by Mark Herman Derby Theatre 29 September–28 October 2023 When Derby Theatre staged Brassed Off in 2015, it was at a time when some communities were still waiting to mine the benefits of a regeneration programme after the closure of their pits. Eight years on, the cost-of-living crisis, with shops closing and nothing taking ...