Manchester Theatre News & Reviews
Movies as Musicals & Musicals as Movies - The Best Stage & Screen Adaptations
~ Click Here for All Musicals ~
Whether it be movie versions of stage musicals, or stage musical versions of movies, there's no shortage of stage/screen crossovers at the moment.
We round up the best movie-musicals currently screening or touring, including three set to get their World Premieres in Manchester and Plymouth this year...
(Last updated 16th Jan 2025).
1) Singin' in the Rain
1952. 
1983 London Palladium.
★★★★★ Is Singin' in the Rain the finest movie musical of them all? There are none better in my book. ~ The Times.
★★★★★ An effervescent, life-affirming wonder. ~ Little White Lies.
★★★★★ Never, in the whole history of American cinema, has such a collection of talents come together at the peak of their abilities to generate such an enjoyable and clever movie. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★★ It was never expected to become immortal and the best Hollywood musical of all time. It was first seen as a means of using many of the songs that Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown had written 20 years earlier when talkies were in their infancy. ~ BBC.
★★★★★ Incredible set pieces and songs that have entered the culture forever, this is also extremely well-paced and beautifully played. Truly one of the greatest musicals ever made. ~ Empire.
★★★★★ If you've never seen it and don't, you're bonkers. ~ Time Out.
★★★★★ ~ The Guardian.
Currently not on tour
2) Top Hat
1935. 2011 Milton Keynes Theatre.
★★★★★ This is the quintessential Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers movie. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★★ This madcap musical from 1935 about an American dance star visiting London swirls effortlessly with classic songs from Irving Berlin. ~ The Guardian.
★★★★★ If you want only one Astaire-Rogers musical, Top Hat is obligatory. ~ Empire.
★★★★★ In short, perfection. ~ The Times.
Currently not on tour
3) Jaws
1975. The Shark is Broken - 2019 Rialto Theatre, Brighton.
★★★★★ Is there such a thing as a perfect film? One that knows what it wants to achieve and does it, flawlessly, artfully and intelligently? If so, then ‘Jaws’ is as good a candidate as any. ~ Time Out.
★★★★★ Peter Benchley's pulp bestseller is here turned into the scariest sea saga ever filmed, with Steven Spielberg creating maximum suspense in the first dark moments and then maintaining the momentum with his brilliant sleight-of-hand direction. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★★ Spielberg's 1975 serial killer masterpiece leaves teeth marks. ~ The Guardian.
★★★★★ Technically brilliant and charged with bone-tingling thrills. ~ Empire.
★★★★★ Jaws is a marvel of detailed, economical storytelling. Its heart and hope never spill over, its dread and darkness never depart. ~ Total Film.
★★★★★ If ever there was an important example for how music can enhance a film it is "Jaws". John Williams' memorable score is used sparingly but its tone of impending terror is more responsible for the power of the film than the sightings of the beast itself. ~ BBC.
Lowry, Salford ~ 4 to 8 Feb 2025.
Richmond Theatre, Richmond ~ 17 to 22 Feb 2025.
4) Meet Me in St. Louis
1944. 1989 Broadway.
★★★★★ One of the great musicals. ~ Time Out.
★★★★★ This much-loved 1944 musical is still an unmissable experience. ~ The Guardian.
★★★★★ A vintage MGM musical, providing a romanticised but still uplifting depiction of life in St Louis at the beginning of the 20th century, this may be a tale that only works against the backdrop of a more innocent age, but it's delightful, and too good to miss. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★★ Combining some wonderful song and dance routines with a cast of memorable characters, "Meet Me in St Louis" is certainly one the best Hollywood musicals ever. It's also one of the least ostentatious. ~ BBC.
★★★★★ There are songs, family crises, more songs, more crises, and more songs. ~ AllMovie.
★★★★★ ~ Little White Lies.
Not toured since 2013.
5) My Neighbour Totoro
1988. 2022 Barbican Centre, London.
★★★★★ The iconic status of Hayao Miyazaki’s 1988 Studio Ghibli animation was recently underscored by a smash-hit stage adaptation in London. This inspirationally lovely and gentle film has a real claim to be Miyazaki’s masterpiece, or first among equals in his collection, with a simple hand-drawn design whose innocence only becomes more beguiling with repeated viewings, along with its bright, expansive, Gershwin-esque musical score. ~ The Guardian.
★★★★★ Miyazaki’s tender, gorgeous masterpiece is an otherworldly tale of childhood and a definitive work of imagination. ~ Empire.
★★★★★ The film that first brought Miyazaki to international attention remains an animated achievement almost without parallel. And the lack of sentimentality will be utterly refreshing to those raised on a diet of Disney. ~ Time Out.
★★★★★ One of the most beloved animated feature films of all time; timeless is key here, because the power of Totoro seems infinite. ~ Little White Lies.
★★★★ ~ London Evening Standard.
★★★★ ~ Radio Times.
Gillian Lynne Theatre, London ~ Until 2 Nov 2025.
6) Back to the Future
1985. 2020 Manchester Opera House.
★★★★★ This irresistible combination of dazzling special effects and sly comedy propelled Michael J Fox to stardom and Robert Zemeckis to the front rank of Hollywood directors. And time has not robbed it of any of its vitality. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★★ It sounds like a clichéd science fiction movie that could only appeal to fans of the genre - but that couldn't be more wrong. A huge hit, it appealed across the board for its invention, its exuberant energy, and the famous finale - so tense, so very exciting and yet able to make you gasp and laugh at the same time. ~ BBC.
★★★★★ To put it bluntly: if you don't like Back To The Future, it's difficult to believe that you like films at all.. ~ Empire.
★★★★★ ~ The Telegraph.
★★★★★ ~ Total Film.
★★★★★ ~ Time Out.
★★★★ ~ Evening Standard.
★★★★ ~ The Guardian.
Adelphi Theatre, London ~ Until 27 July 2025.
7) Mary Poppins
1964. 2004 Bristol Hippodrome.
★★★★★ Brilliant, entrancing, exhausting, and with thermonuclear showtunes from Richard and Robert Sherman, Disney’s hybrid live-action/animation classic from 1964 is now rereleased on home entertainment platforms for its 60th anniversary. ~ The Guardian.
★★★★ The stage version is packing them in down the West End, Mary Poppins is finally dusting off its heritage as TV schedule filler and reminding audiences why it's one of Disney's greats. ~ Empire.
★★★★★ This is easily the best of Disney's experiments in combining animation and live action, and one of the studio's best-loved films. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★ The film exerts a formidable charm and is technically very accomplished. In a magical sequence, Mary, Bert, and the children wander through an animated landscape filled with cartoon deer, rabbits, and even penguins. ~ BBC.
★★★★✭ There are a number of unforgettable song-and-dance sequences that stand the test of time, and the tale's overall subversiveness is distinctly appealing. ~ AllMovie.
★★★★ ~ The Telegraph.
BBC iPlayer (until 30th Jan 2025)
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 9 Apr - 17 May 2025.
8) West Side Story (1961 version)
1957 Washington D.C. 1961.
★★★★★ This really is the musical for people who don't like musicals. ~ Empire.
★★★★★ Ten well-deserved Oscars - plus a special award for Jerome Robbins's dynamic choreography - adorned this electrifying and moving version of the magnificent Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim musical. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★★ West Side Story is remarkable for its seamless transference from stage musical to screen classic, with the complete song score intact, as well as the choreography of Robbins. ~ AllMovie.
★★★★★ It's the groundbreaking combination of toe-tapping tunes and wailing pathos, which makes this a truly arresting musical. ~ BBC.
★★★★★ Not seen it? Time you did. ~ Total Film.
★★★★★ ~ The Telegraph.
★★★★★ ~ Sky Cinema.
★★★★ ~ Evening Standard.
★★★★ ~ Time Out.
★★★★ ~ BBC.
BBC iPlayer (until 25th Jan 2025)
Currently not on tour
9) Jurassic Park
1993. Hold On To Your Butts - 2014 New York.
★★★★★ One of the big screen's very greatest thrill-rides. ~ Total Film.
★★★★★ Steven Spielberg’s meaty dino-fest is as delicious as ever. The classic movie’s unforgettable performances and CGI effects remain glorious 30 years after its original release. ~ The Guardian.
★★★★★ T-Rex and her chums may be the stars of the show, but Spielberg orchestrates the action with such effortless verve that, even today, it's hard not to be transfixed by the thrilling spectacle and the sheer scale of the director's vision. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★★ Cliché or not, there's no getting around it - quite simply one of the greatest blockbusters of all time. ~ Empire.
★★★★ ~ Evening Standard.
★★★★ ~ The Telegraph.
★★★★ ~ BBC.
Lowry, Salford ~ 12 to 15 Feb 2025.
Octagon Theatre, Bolton ~ 18 & 19 Mar 2025.
10) West Side Story (2021 version)
1957 Washington D.C. 2021.
★★★★★ Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story 2.0 is an ecstatic act of ancestor-worship: a vividly dreamed, cunningly modified and visually staggering revival. ~ The Guardian.
★★★★★ Heartfelt and heart-breaking, this feels like Spielberg has made an adaptation faithful to its roots but also, always, alive to the modern world. ~ Empire.
★★★★★ His finest film in 20 years, the director's first musical feels as definitive as the previous screen adaptation and a timely testament to the genius of Stephen Sondheim. ~ Telegraph.
★★★★★ Spielberg is wise enough to know that the original West Side Story was once-in-a-lifetime. He has created his own miracle, a diversely cast, socially-aware film for today that embraces all that is sublime in its incomparable source. ~ BBC.
★★★★★ ~ Irish Independent.
★★★★★ ~ Evening Standard.
★★★★★ ~ Financial Times.
★★★★★ ~ Time Out.
★★★★★ ~ RTE.
★★★★ ~ The Irish Times.
★★★★ ~ The Scotsman.
★★★★ ~ Sunday Times.
★★★★ ~ Radio Times.
★★★★ ~ The Times.
★★★★ ~ Time Out.
Currently not on tour
11) Quadrophenia
1979. World Premiere of Quadrophenia: A Mod Ballet at Theatre Royal Plymouth in May 2025.
★★★★ The Who's My Generation musical tribute to mods and rockers in mid-1960s England is a near-perfect integration of cinematic story and rousing pop. Sting makes his acting debut in a genuine musical milestone crackling with energy and great performances. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★ Stunning performances, a streetwise script, great pacing and a superb soundtrack make this not only an anthem of the times but an enduring tale to boot. ~ Empire.
★★★★ If you can't follow the off-the-wall storyline or turn a blind eye to the dated subject matter, why not think of Quadrophenia as a retro Trainspotting? Worth watching just to see well-known TV and pop stars beating the crap out of each other. ~ Total Film.
Lowry, Salford Quays ~ 15 Jul to 19 Jul 2025.
12) Calamity Jane
1953. 1961 Fort Worth, Texas.
★★★★★ This wonderful musical is a true delight that repays many viewings. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★★ The hugely enjoyable 1953 proto-lesbian musical features Doris Day on whip-crackin’ form and golden tunes. ~ The Guardian.
★★★★ A witty western romp celebrated as one of the queerest items in the Hollywood musical canon. ~ The Observer.
★★★★ ~ Total Film.
★★★★ ~ Empire.
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 21 to 25 Jan 2025 - £9 Off Tickets Offer.
Empire Theatre, Liverpool ~ 22 to 26 Apr 2025.
New Wimbledon Theatre, London ~ 13 to 17 May 2025.
13) The Rocky Horror Picture Show
1973 Royal Court Theatre, London. 1975.
★★★★ Simply a cult classic. See it once and laugh about it at dinner parties for the rest of your adult life. Or go along to the interactive viewings, dress up, and sing along. It's your call. ~ Empire.
★★★★★ One hundred minutes of pure queer celebration that manages to concoct a bizarre cocktail of sincerity and reckless abandon. ~ Little White Lies.
★★★★ It's like art-rockers Roxy Music let loose on Frankenstein - ludicrous, but oddly compelling. And it even stars Meat Loaf. ~ Total Film.
★★★★ Will it appeal to everyone? Certainly not. But for those willing to experiment with something a little bit different, a little bit outré, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" has a lot to offer. ~ BBC.
Richmond Theatre, London ~ 28 Apr to 3 May 2025.
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 19 to 31 May 2025.
New Wimbledon Theatre, London ~ 30 Jun to 5 Jul 2025.
14) Coraline
2009. 2009 Manhattan, New York.
★★★★★ Henry Selick's stop-motion animation version of Neil Gaiman's celebrated children's book is just as darkly original as the director's earlier feature The Nightmare before Christmas. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★★ Terrifying and beautiful, believable and fantastical, this is one of the best children’s films in years and Selick’s finest — better even than The Nightmare Before Christmas. ~ Empire.
★★★★ The film combines stunning visuals - there are scenes of incredible beauty - with good old-fashioned storytelling that is funny, inventive and at times scary. Destined to be a classic. ~ Sunday Times.
★★★★ ~ Little White Lies.
★★★★ ~ Financial Times.
★★★★ ~ The Telegraph.
★★★★ ~ The Scotsman.
★★★★ ~ Sky Cinema.
★★★★ ~ Irish Times.
★★★★ ~ Total Film.
★★★★ ~ Empire.
★★★★ ~ RTE.
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 15 May to 7 Jun 2025.
15) Matilda
1996. 2010 Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon.
★★★★ Director Danny DeVito revels in the black comedy of this typically dark Roald Dahl story, in which monstrous adults consider children as inconvenient accessories as they devote themselves to their own pleasures. The result is classic entertainment for children. ~ Radio Times.
★★★ An absolute charmer. ~ Empire.
Cambridge Theatre, London ~ Until 24 May 2026.
Empire Theatre, Liverpool ~ 2 Dec 2025 - 4 Jan 2026.
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 26 Mar to 28 Apr 2026.
16) Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical
2010 Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon. 2022.
★★★★ Roald Dahl's beloved children's story returns to the screen with razzamatazz aplenty in this adaptation of the wildly successful stage musical from its original creative team of director Matthew Warchus, writer Dennis Kelly and songwriter Tim Minchin. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★ An immensely enjoyable reworking of the stage hit. ~ The Observer.
★★★★ The all-singing, hall-dancing adaptation is by the book brilliance. ~ The Guardian.
★★★★★ Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull rules this film, adapted from the musical based on Roald Dahl’s novel – but 13-year-old lead Alisha Weir is one to watch too. ~ The Telegraph.
★★★★ The musical of Roald Dahl’s classic book is so intrinsically British it will soon be absorbed into the Paddington cinematic universe. ~ The Independent.
★★★★✭ ~ RTE.
★★★★ ~ Irish Independent.
★★★★ ~ Evening Standard.
★★★★ ~ Time Out.
★★★★ ~ NME.
Cambridge Theatre, London ~ Until 24 May 2026.
Empire Theatre, Liverpool ~ 2 Dec 2025 - 4 Jan 2026.
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 26 Mar to 28 Apr 2026.
17) Wicked
2003 San Francisco. 2024.
★★★★★ This candy-coloured treat of a Broadway adaptation is carried by the phenomenal talent of Ariane Grande and her co-star Cynthia Erivo. ~ The i.
★★★★★ If you're a Wicked fan, it's hard to imagine you could want anything more from this thrillifying film adaptation. Grande's and Erivo's performances as Glinda and Elphaba will have you defying gravity. ~ Total Film.
★★★★ The stars enchant as young rival witches in Jon M Chu’s impossibly slick first instalment of his two-part adaptation of the musical juggernaut. ~ The Observer.
★★★★ The smash stage musical by Stephen Schwartz - inspired by The Wizard of Oz - gets the film treatment with this opulent, if slightly indulgent, adaptation. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★ What an enjoyable spectacle it is. ~ The Guardian.
★★★★ ~ Little White Lies.
★★★★ ~ Financial Times.
★★★★ ~ The Times.
★★★★ ~ Time Out.
★★★★ ~ Empire.
★★★★ ~ NME.
★★★★ ~ RTE.
Odeon Cinemas - Save up to £6 on tickets
Cineworld Cinemas - Save up to £4 on tickets
Vue Cinemas - Save up to £3.59 on tickets
Apollo Theatre, London ~ Until 4 Jan 2026.
18) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
1968. 2002 London Palladium.
★★★★ When this splendid musical was released in 1968, it was unfairly compared with Disney classic Mary Poppins, not least because of its lacklustre box office. Not a surprise as this adaptation of the Ian Fleming novel shared Poppins star Dick Van Dyke, a super sing-a-long score by the Sherman brothers and a picture-book Edwardian setting. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★ The film is too long at well over two hours, but the effects are impressive for the time and the musical numbers zippy. ~ Empire.
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 11 to 16 Mar 2025. - Save up to £13 Offer.
19) Moulin Rouge! (2001 version)
2001. 2018 Boston, Massachusetts.
★★★★★ A breathtaking baroque film that marries the best of theatre, opera and cinematic technique. Baz Luhrmann generally keeps a grip on the chaotic proceedings and his cast throw themelves at the material with gusto - in short, a triumphant, if uncoventional, rewarding experience. ~ Empire.
★★★★ A feast for the senses that merges fin-de-siècle decadence with music ripped straight from today’s record charts. ~ BBC.
★★★★ It's a simple story, but one wrapped up in an audacious mix of traditional and contemporary song - including David Bowie, Elton John, Madonna and Nirvana - and staged with an near-insane visual ambition that you will either fall in love with every camp flourish, or find yourself exhausted after 20 minutes. It's a singular achievement either way. ~ Radio Times.
★★★★ ~ Total Film.
BBC iPlayer (until 7th Feb 2025)
Piccadilly Theatre, London ~ Until 14 Jun 2025.
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 20 Aug to 4 Oct 2025.
20) Les Misérables
1980 Paris. 2012.
★★★★★ Well, sorry, but if this stuff doesn't get you going, your heart must be pumping cold porridge. ~ The Telegraph.
★★★★★ Even if you are stringent musical-hater and wouldn’t watch a song-filled film for all the tea in China, you need to put aside everything you know or believe about musicals, because Les Misérables is different. Ha, I hear you cry, but miss this movie and you’re missing something very special in cinema history. ~ RTE.
★★★★ Known in luvvie circles as The Glums, Les Misérables has been seen by so many people since its 1985 London premiere it’s a marvel there’s anybody left to do so. Well, Tom Hooper’s epic movie version will send the devoted home happy and likely demonstrate to the few uninitiated what all the fuss is about. ~ Total Film.
★★★★★ Unlike the opening night of Trevor Nunn’s Barbican production, which produced poor reviews but staggering box office, this new production is going to go down in history for the way it tells a musical tale on the big screen. ~ The Independent.
★★★★ ~ Irish Independent.
★★★★ ~ The Guardian.
★★★★ ~ Sky Cinema.
★★★★ ~ Time Out.
★★★★ ~ Empire.
The Sondheim Theatre, London ~ Until 6 Sep 2025.
21) Chicago
1975 New York. 2002.
★★★★ It took more than a quarter of a century to bring the 1975 musical Chicago to the screen, but it was worth the wait to get it right. ~ Radio Times.
★★★ Extremely enjoyable, although it says it all about the 2003 Oscars that this was a winner. Fans will be in hog heaven, while newcomers should be gently beguiled. But anyone expecting a Moulin Rouge-style epiphany will be disappointed. ~ Empire.
Lowry, Salford Quays ~ 25 to 30 Aug 2025.
22) Freaky Friday (2003 version)
2001. 2016 Arlington, Virginia.
★★★ Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan get their freak on as a mother and daughter forced to walk a day in each other's shoes. It's a conventional but pleasantly cosy remake of the 1976 Jodie Foster body-swap comedy. ~ BBC.
★★★★ This remake of Mary Rodgers' classic novel offers a certain sentimentality that, dressed up with humour, side-steps an awkward feeling of dejá-vu or indeed tiredness. Although not an original idea, this lacks little in terms of entertainment value. ~ RTE.
★★★ Cute and innocently funny, with engaging turns from a beautifully silly Curtis, and Lindsay Lohan as a 21st century high school heroine. ~ Empire.
HOME, Manchester UK Premiere ~ 27 Nov - 31 Dec 2025.
23) A Knight's Tale
2001. World Premiere at Manchester Opera House ~ Apr 2025
If you can accept a medieval romp with a soundtrack by Queen, you'll definitely enjoy A Knight's Tale. ~ The Observer.
★★★★ This cheerfully irreverent period piece might just as well be called A Hard Day's Knight, for all its deliberately anachronistic detail. ~ BBC.
★★★★ This irreverent medieval caper sets out its stall right at the start, when Queen's anthem-like We Will Rock You thuds on to the soundtrack at a joust. So far, so anachronistic. But the real twist is that the 14th-century spectators join in and clap in time. It's that kind of film, full of such cheeky flourishes - jousting fans sing rock songs, emcees talk up contestants like it's WWE wrestling, and dancers at a royal banquet groove to David Bowie's Golden Years. ~ Radio Times.
Manchester Opera House ~ World Premiere ~ 11 Apr - 10 May 2025.
24) Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Come Fall in Love)
1995. 2022 San Diego.
★★★ Some of the locations may be European, but this is as traditional a Bollywood masala as you could wish for. It's lively, amusing and packed with mischievous contrivance. ~ Radio Times.
Manchester Opera House ~ UK Premiere 29 May - 21 Jun 2025 - Save up to £20 Offer.
25) Kinky Boots
2005. 2012 Chicago.
★★★★ It's no surprise to learn that Kinky Boots is from the same team who gave us Calendar Girls. Slick and impossible to dislike, it also presents a side of provincial British life rarely seen nowadays: that of the frustrated dreamer. Don't miss it. ~ BBC.
★★★ The Full Monty put Sheffield on the cinematic map and Kinky Boots arguably does the same thing for Northampton. This is big-hearted stuff. ~ Radio Times.
★★★ While a little too deliberate and reliant on its familiar formula, this still has its amusing, uplifting moments. ~ Empire.
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 4 to 8 Feb 2025 - Save up to £18.50 Offer.
Empire Theatre, Liverpool ~ 8 to 12 July 2025.
26) 13 Going On 30
2004. World Premiere at Manchester Opera House ~ Sep 2025
★★★ A funny and charming romantic comedy, 13 Going On 30 is a gender-tweaked take on Tom Hanks' child-in-adult-body hit Big. ~ BBC.
★★★ Overall the tale is flimsy and predictable, but it's buoyant and engaging enough not to matter.. ~ Radio Times.
★★★ The intelligent rom-com appreciates the importance of pandering equally to both the in-tune-with-her-emotions lady and the whey-faced gent beside her. 13 Going On 30 is one such specimen. ~ Total Film.
Manchester Opera House ~ World Premiere ~ 21 Sep - 12 Oct 2025.
27) Freaky Friday (1976 version)
1976. 2016 Arlington, Virginia.
★★★ This 1970s body-swap movie was a precursor to the manic 1980s rash, which included Vice Versa and the blockbuster Big. However, it's well worth catching for the sterling work of Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris. ~ Radio Times.
HOME, Manchester UK Premiere ~ 27 Nov - 31 Dec 2025.
28) Freaky Friday (2018 version)
2016 Arlington, Virginia. 2018.
Disney Channel's peppy musical version of Disney favorite Freaky Friday may not erase memories of the popular 1976 and 2003 movies, but the clever score by Pulitzer Prize winners Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey brings a fresh, fun energy. ~ TV Insider.
In the case of Disney Channel's latest adaptation, dusting off Freaky Friday to reimagine it as a full-blown, Broadway-inflected musical is more than worth the effort thanks to its talented cast, infectious songs, and lively musical numbers. ~ IndieWire.
HOME, Manchester UK Premiere ~ 27 Nov - 31 Dec 2025.
29) Cruel Intentions
1999. 2015 Los Feliz, Los Angeles.
★★★ The teen make-over of classic literature motors on. Just as Clueless ripped off Jane Austen's Emma, so Cruel Intentions transplants Les Liaisons Dangereuses to chi-chi Manhattan for a toxic little tale of two scheming half-siblings (the impressive Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe) who embroil their peers in all manner of sexual machinations. ~ The Indepenent.
★★★ Dangerous Liaisons for the under-20s is the basic premise of this sexed-up, revved-up teen picture. ~ Radio Times.
★★★ Not quite as clever as it thinks it is, but still oozing more dark wit than most teen movies can dream of. ~ Empire.
New Wimbledon Theatre, London ~ 25 Feb to 1 Mar 2025.
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 25 to 29 Mar 2025 - Save up to £16 Offer.
30) Nine
1982 Broadway. 2009.
★★★★ A smart and classy film which comfortably trumps the stage show. ~ Evening Standard.
★★ Director Rob Marshall's handsome adaptation of the Broadway musical - based on Frederico Fellini's travails while shooting 8½ - piles an awful lot of drama onto a paper thin plot. It's certainly no Chicago. ~ Sky Cinema.
★★★ Bitty and frequently batty, Nine doesn't have the sultry cogency or louche mellifluousness of Chicago. But it will do. ~ Financial Times.
★★★ So-so scoring and the sense you're watching filmed theatre rather than a movie proper. But whether or not you care about Day-Lewis' tortured auteur, it's another magnetic performance, backed by displays of motion and emotion from a bevy of icons. ~ Total Film.
★★★ Though slightly marred by a clunky structure and a lack of truly catchy tunes, Nine's wall-to-wall first-rate performances from its stellar cast add a touch of class. ~ Empire.
Lowry, Salford Quays ~ 1 & 2 Feb 2025.
31) Dear Evan Hansen
2015 Washington D.C. 2021.
★★★★ Dear Evan Hansen manages to be heartbreaking and uplifting - sometimes in the same scene - as it explores who we are in our own heads and in the eyes of others. ~ RTE.
★★★ Despite being filled with catchy rock-pop bops and ballads from the La La Land-The Greatest Showman pairing of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the 2016 Broadway juggernaut – six Tonys, one Grammy – works through a nexus of millennial hot-button topics, flitting between anxiety disorders, abject loneliness and the corrosive need to be popular fuelled by social media. Stephen Chbosky’s adaptation tackles these ideas with sensitivity through a clutch of great tunes, by turns funny and touching, but emerges too dramatically inert to truly satisfy. ~ Empire.
★★★ There's a lot to like about Dear Evan Hansen, which raises timely questions and features tuneful, smartly crafted songs. ~ Time Out.
Palace Theatre, Manchester ~ 18 to 22 Feb 2025.
New Wimbledon Theatre, London ~ 25 to 29 Mar 2025.
