Our eagle-eyed regular readers of the blogs might have noticed that I reviewed Blood Brothers not too long ago. Gold stars to them. However, with the international smash-hit coming to Llandudno's Venue Cymru at the end of this month - I just had to mention it again!

Willy Russell, one of Liverpool's most acclaimed playwrights, penned the multi-award winning play over 20 years ago. The fact that the play is still in production in London's West End speaks volumes - it is a timeless classic. It has graced theatre stages all over the world and it always ends in the same way - with standing ovations.

Set in the writer's hometown Liverpool, the play tells the tale of twin boys, separated at birth who are reunited at several stages later on in their lives. The opening scene sets the heavy tone of the play with the twins' mother having to give up one of her beloved children as she cannot afford to provide for them both. With major themes of love, loss, superstition and revenge, the play is reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragedy and is utterly heart-wrenching and brilliant.

With beautiful, memorable musical numbers, a compelling plot and unforgettable characters, the production of Blood Brothers at this magnificent venue is an absolute must for those who haven't seen it before - and if you have, see it again!

The production will run between 30 August and 4 September at Llandudno's Venue Cymru.

Monty Python is one of those supremely British icons, like Sunday roasts, or Blackpool Tower. Its unique brand of absurd entertainment through unrelated sketches and bizarre, boundary-pushing treatment of the everyday has been entertaining us for over 40 years, on screen, on the radio and on stage.

One of the best-loved of these modern stage interpretations is Spamalot, written by original Python Eric Idle, with the collaboration of musical genius John DuPrez (who also composed music for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films) - and happily, the show has landed in the North West! It opened at the Liverpool Empire Theatre on Monday, and runs until 14 August (this Saturday), so there's still time to catch it.

The production uses the classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail as its basis, successfully recycleing scenes from the film (namely the hilarious Knights who say 'ni!' and the nastiest rabbit ever), but also spins a modern twist on the 70s favourite. Comedian Marcus Brigstocke fills the chainmail shoes of King Arthur perfectly, and gives a performance that is as ridiculous, daft, silly, and brilliant as the original - this is an absolute must for any Python fan!

Spamalot is on at the Liverpool Empire Theatre until 14 August 2010.
To book, call 08448472525.

260 tonnes of beach sand, the UK's biggest mobile rollercoaster, bandstand and a cocktail bar - something is most definitely afoot in Chavasse Park, the green epicenter of the magnificent Liverpool ONE!

This summer, the park is being transformed into Paradise in the Park - for the whole of the summer holidays you can enjoy beach volleyball, live music and DJs, as well as inflatable slides, bumper boats and the impressive 20m-high Shark Bite roller coaster. And for the super-motivated, there are morning fitness classes, including boxercise and tai chi, every weekday at 7.30am on the beach.

It's a brilliant idea that really makes the most of the park, and the beach area, complete with sand, shallow paddling area and deckchairs, is sure to be a hit with families. The rides are a lot of old-school fun too, and there's plenty of candy floss floating about, but it's the cocktail bar that really steals the show.

On a raised platform overlooking the beach, Coconut Joe's Beach Bar serves suitably tropical cocktails and ice-cold beers under palm umbrellas - while the bandstand will be hosting free live music performances and DJs throughout the summer. It will be a great place to while away a sunny afternoon, or to take the weight off your feet after a hard days shopping - well definitely be going back!

Opening times:
The beach is open from 10am-6pm Monday Sunday
Coconut Joes Beach Bar is open until 11pm daily
Rides are open from 10am-9pm Monday to Saturday and 10am-7pm on Sundays
Exercise classes are at 7.30am Monday-Friday
Beach volleyball will take place at 6pm every Monday and Tuesday

She did her first belly dance aged 4 and has been a star since she was 13. She's the fourth richest woman in pop, is the saviour of thousands of children and played captivating sets at Glastonbury and the World Cup - and now Columbian star Shakira is coming to Manchester.

It's easy to dismiss her as the Latino singer with the nice bum, overexposed navel and a penchant for ludicrous lyrics, but having sold than 50 million albums worldwide, been nominated for over 200 global awards and her tireless charity work, Shakira is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

Her voice is mammoth, but she also has a huge heart and an intellect and desire to make a real difference - and knowing that she has the capacity to make a difference, she does just that. Despite her relatively comfortable upbringing in Columbia, Shakira was no stranger to the poverty and destitution in the country. In 1997 she set up the remarkable Foundacion Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Foundation), which works to ensure that every Colombian child can exercise their right to a quality education - so far the charity has opened six schools in rural areas, providing education and jobs for more than 30,000 people over the years.

Her voice is an absolute powerhouse, and her latest album, She Wolf (released October 2009), is just as eccentric as she is, incorporating seventies disco bass and wolf noises for an inventive and surprising listen that turns out to be outrageously good and a lot of fun. One thing's for sure: her set at the Manchester MEN on Tuesday 14 December is going to be one of the hottest tickets in town - especially with promises of tracks from her collection of smash hits including She Wolf, Waka Waka, Hips Don’t Lie and 2001's breakthrough single Whenever, Wherever.

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Tickets for Shakira's Tuesday 14 December show go on sale 9.00am Friday 9 July, priced from £40. You can get tickets by calling the Ticketmaster Hotline on 0844 847 8000; in person from the M.E.N Arena Box Office (10am-6pm: Mon-Sat); or via the venue's official website men-arena.com. Special Needs Ticketline 0161 950 5229 (10am-6pm: Mon-Sat). Group Bookings: 0844 847 2527.

"You have no idea how frightfully interesting it is to take a human being and change her into a quite different human being..."

Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, also known as a Romance in five acts, is a true British classic and is currently premiering at the charming Royal Exchange theatre in Manchester. It's a captivating, witty and ingeniously written piece that's based on a Greek myth which tells the tale of a young sculptor who takes a piece of ivory, carves a beautiful woman out of it; she is brought to life by the Gods and becomes the man's wife.

Inspired by this myth, Shaw created the play taking a rather interesting spin on the original story - Henry Higgins, Professor of Phonetics, sets out to change the enigmatic character Eliza Doolittle completely and equip her for life in high society, without however, considering Doolittle's strength of character and spirit.

Largely made famous by the 1964 film adaptation of the musical My Fair Lady, itself based on Pygmalion, this modern adaptation directed by Greg Hersov is a fantastic watch. Tackling class issues of the early 20th century and using satire and humour to expose and mock them, Hersov depicts perfectly Shaw's subversive ideas and translates them into modern theatrical spectacle with beautiful costumes, relentless humour throughout and fantastic set design. Cush Jumbo, who recently appeared in BBC1's Torchwood, portrays perfectly the charismatic attitude of the character Doolittle in Shaw's sparkling classic.

A high-spirited piece with substance, this is a brilliant interpretation, well worth checking out.

Pygmalion is on at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, until 19 June 2010. Tel: 0161 833 9833

"Women and gay people are the litmus test of whether a society is respecting human rights - the canaries down the mine."

Jonathan Harvey's play Canary, currently premiering at the Liverpool Playhouse, is a sharp, witty, tragic and utterly relevant new work that explores the fight for gay rights, the emergence of AIDS and changing attitude through the suppressed secrets and lies in one family over two generations.

Spanning almost 50 years, from the 60s to the present day, the play uses young and old actors for most characters to tell the story in a totally non linear fashion. Policeman Tom (Philip McGinley/Philip Voss) and his young lover Billy (a terrific Kevin Trainor) are discovered at a time when gay sex was still illegal. Tom chooses a career and marriage to Ellie (Paula Wilcox) over his feelings, while Billy is sent away to be 'cured' of his 'illness' through aversion and shock therapy (in truly gut-wrenching scenes that leave you sick and ashamed that such practices were so common so recently). Meanwhile we meet young best friends Mickey (Ben Allen) and Russell (Ryan Sampson/Sean Gallagher), who have run away to London and who get involved in politics and the arts respectively.

Canary takes in the miners' strike, the devastating effect of AIDS and the government's position on HIV as well as the attitude of Margaret Thatcher and Mary Whitehouse - through black humour and magical touches with a terrific cast and intelligent direction (by Hettie Macdonald).

The play is definitely one that stays with you, and the ending is certainly one that makes you think, especially about who has fought for our rights in the past. The activism and suffering of individuals in the last century for the rights of so many groups of people (for women's rights, gay right, civil rights, working class rights...) is now often ignored when it should be celebrated, leading to dangerous levels of apathy that have the potential to lead to a regression in attitudes.

I certainly wouldn't be writing this had it not been for the actions of some seriously brave women in the early 20th century.

Canary is a brilliant play, and everyone should go and see it. But there is one dilemma. The message is oh so relevant, but as with all messages that truly need to be heard, the problem is getting the right people to hear it.

Canary runs at Liverpool Playhouse until Saturday 15 May 2010. For full details and to book call 0151 709 4776 or visit www.everymanplayhouse.com

Master storyteller, the queen of crime, Agatha Christie's murder mysteries have had her readers guessing until the final pages for decades. She is the world's most translated individual author, while her plays were also extremely popular - one play that is particularly enduring and relevant is Witness for the Prosecution, which has recently been staged at the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, by the Agatha Christie Theatre Company.

Adapted from a short story, this courtroom drama follows the murder trial of seemingly naive Leonard Vole, whose fate hinges on the testimony of his clever German wife. Twists, turns and several testimonies later, loose ends are tied up neatly in the eye of the law - but in true Christie style, what you've seen and what you know are completely at odds with the entire truth...which will keep you guessing right up to its fatal conclusion...!

The production at the Floral Pavilion truly reminded you just how remarkable Christie was, and with so many Poirot TV re-runs (excellent as David Suchet is), it's an absolute delight to witness the wit, suspense and narrative she weaves, jolting the audience from their expectations and conclusions at every corner.

All in all a spectacular success for The Floral Pavilion, who themselves have an excellent season coming up - watch out for the toe-tapping feel-good Once Upon a Time at the Adelphi (4-8 May) and the eagerly-anticipated poignant September In The Rain (27-29 May)!

After a seven year absence from the comedy circuit, Britain's best loved funnyman Peter Kay is back on tour. And how we have missed him! He is performing at the MEN Arena on his 'Tour That Doesn't Tour Tour' from 27 April to 22 May and tickets are being snapped up at a phenomenal rate. In fact an extra five dates have been added to his incredible sell-out tour for 11-15 October 2011. The tour, which has sold more than 750,000 tickets, has also made Kay the fastest-selling and biggest-selling comedy act in the British history...

Peter Kay first won the country's heart with his down-to-earth comedy on his nationwide 'My Mum wants a Bungalow Tour' in 2003 and the Bafta-winning Phoenix Nights. This current tour looks set to follow with great reviews from a series of secret 'warm up' nights that happened in small venues across the region.

This is a great chance to see Peter Kay in his home-town, and he is pretty excited too: "I'm delighted to be performing at the magnificent M.E.N Arena, it feels like home to me, in fact I can see my house from the roof!"

The Bolton comedian is playing a further 60 dates across the UK in London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle, Sheffield, Liverpool, Dublin and Belfast before heading back to Manchester for the tour finale.

INOUT has a limited number of hospitality packages available for the last 2 weeks of the tour (11 May onwards) for just 170 + VAT per person in groups of 10-28 people, if booked before 24 April. The packages include the hire of a private executive suite, complete with private bar, full buffet and a champagne reception. The packages will be allocated on a first come, first served basis so grab them while you can!

Contact the MEN Hospitality team at hospitality@men-arena.com for further info.

Staying on the theme of brotherhood, this week we go from Blues Brothers to Blood Brothers!

Written by Willy Russell, Blood Brothers is Liverpool's very own legendary musical of all time which also happens to be an international smash hit. The show has been running for 21 years making it the longest-running work of musical history and has sold out shows across the world. Coming to Liverpool for just two weeks this April, this is your chance to see it in the writer's hometown!

Blood Brothers tells the moving story of twin brothers separated at birth who meet later on in life with explosive consequences. Family secrets, desperation and searing insight into working-class woes bring the show to an end in a heart-rending climax. Lyn Paul, the English pop singer from Manchester, plays the mother torn Mrs Johnstone beautifully and truly outstanding musical numbers include 'Bright New Day', 'Marilyn Monroe' and the moving 'Tell Me It's Not True'.

A captivating show, with a strong cast and excellent reviews, it has enjoyed standing ovations at every performance. The show runs from 16-24 April at the Liverpool Empire Theatre.

INOUT has a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky winner for the show at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool on the 19 or 20 April 2010. For a chance to win just send your name, address and contact details to competitions@inorout.co.uk!

If you even had an inkling of a smile at the original Blues Brothers film, then this might just be right up your street!

Now normally I can't stand tribute acts, but a Blues Brothers show? That could be a totally different kettle of fish, I loved the film. 'Jake and Elwood - The Best Blues Brothers Show in the world...EVER!!!' had come to Venue Cymru, Llandudno, so we decided to give it a go.

And how was it? It was bloody brilliant! Jake & Elwood are legendary characters around the world and are two of the greatest connoisseurs of blues and soul music and, with the backing of their Black Rhino Band, they delivered an electrifying powerhouse of a performance that brought the film to life and the audience to its feet.

The show features timeless classics, including 'Everybody needs somebody', 'Gimme some Lovin' and 'Sweet Home Chicago', and the guys get the characters down to a T, from the looks to the mannerisms and voices, and if you missed it, fear not! They still have a few dates around the North West - you can check them out at the Stockport Plaza Theatre (24 April), Palace Theatre Manchester (21 May) and the Liverpool Empire (30 May).

Venue Cymru itself is an excellent venue, and they plenty of other productions coming up that will be worth checking out, especially john Bishop (14 April), Debbie Reynolds (15 April) and Joan Armatrading (22 April).

Liverpool is a city full of icons - the Beatles, the waterfront, the Grand National and, more recently, the wonderfully peculiar Superlambanana.

For those unfamiliar with this curious beastie, the Superlambanana is literally what it says on the tin - a cross between a lamb and a banana, originally created in 1998 by Japanese artist Taro Chiezo. The original is huge, yellow and sits guarding Tithebarn Street five minutes form Lime Street Station, but as part of the European Capital of Culture year in 2008, 125 two-metre tall sculptures based on the original were decorated by different community groups and placed around the city.

The 125 were sold off in aid of the Lord Mayor's Appeal, but now Liverpool City Council are installing eight new sculptures on the strand, which will be based on eight themes, including comedy, music, architecture and heroes.

They're a brilliant sight - almost as good as the puzzled expression of someone beholding the (admittedly odd) shape for the first time. It will be good to see them back though, and if you're in the city driving along the waterfront road, they're definitely worth checking out!

As a lifelong fan of those Manchester born-and-bred hometown boys, Simply Red, I'm thrilled to discover that they're performing a final hometown show at Manchester's M.E.N Arena on Sunday the 12th December. As if you need any reminding, Simply Red have enjoyed a string of memorable hits over a long and illustrious 25-year career, including Money's Too Tight (To Mention), Holding Back the Years, The Right Thing, If You Don't Know Me By Now, It's Only Love, A New Flame, Something Got Me Started, Stars, Home and Fairground. So if you're a Simply Red fan, you'd better act fast to grab your tickets, because it's going to be a sell-out! Tickets go on sale 9.00 a.m Friday 19 March, priced £40.00 and £45.00 (the announcement coincides nicely with the release of a new Simply Red album, Songs Of Love) and they're available from the following sources:

Via the 24 Hour Ticketmaster Hotline on 0844 847 8000.

By calling in at the M.E.N Arena Box Office (10am-6pm: Mon-Sat)

By post (send sae & cheque payable to SMG UK Ltd)

Via the venue's official website: www.men-arena.com

Special Needs Ticketline 0161 950 5229 (10am-6pm: Mon-Sat)

Group Bookings: 0844 847 2527

The war in Iraq and Afghanistan has been going on for over seven years, and to date has claimed over 50,000 lives (including both soldiers and civilians). War is a sombre subject, and one that the current conflict has brought close to home for yet another generation - the same generation that has well and truly embraced Twitter, Facebook and the joys (and tribulations) of social networking.

An innovative exhibition at FACT, the brilliant arts centre, cinema and gallery space in Liverpool, is combining war and technology in an intriguing exhibition that investigates the identity, participation and reality of conflicts in a digitally networked world through the eyes of 12 international artists.

But as well as the exhibition itself, they are offering a chance to interact and engage with the subject through the YourWar project. Following their successful exhibition Veteran Vehicle, FACT discovered a real lack of understanding due to distanced and de-sensitised media coverage, so this new project aims to create an emotive audio-visual collection of modern conflict stories.

The war in Iraq and Afghanistan has been going on for over seven years, and to date has claimed over 50,000 lives (including both soldiers and civilians). War is a sombre subject, and one that the current conflict has brought close to home for yet another generation - the same generation that has well and truly embraced Twitter, Facebook and the joys (and tribulations) of social networking.

An innovative exhibition at FACT, the brilliant arts centre, cinema and gallery space in Liverpool, is combining war and technology in an intriguing exhibition that investigates the identity, participation and reality of conflicts in a digitally networked world through the eyes of 12 international artists.

But as well as the exhibition itself, they are offering a chance to interact and engage with the subject through the YourWar project. Following their successful exhibition Veteran Vehicle, FACT discovered a real lack of understanding due to distanced and de-sensitised media coverage, so this new project aims to create an emotive audio-visual collection of modern conflict stories.

FACT is now looking for people willing to share their thoughts, feelings and experiences on this touching subject - so they are offering an opportunity for people to record their stories on Saturday, March 6 in The Box at FACT between midday and 3pm, where everyone is welcome to share their views, which will then form part of the exhibition itself.

www.fact.co.uk - The exhibition runs from 13 March - 30 May

Send your thoughts and comments via email: mywar@fact.co.uk

SMS: send MyWar + message to 60777 (UK only)

Twitter: #MyWar

Read what others are saying on the MyWar website: http://mywar.fact.co.uk/

Nineteen Eighty-Four is one of those books that transcends its own pages. Concepts within its covers have seeped out and are now firmly embedded in the public consciousness - who hasn't heard of Room 101 or Big Brother in some form?

After numerous re-prints and adaptations for screen and radio, George Orwell's masterpiece has finally reached the stage, and is on now at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester until 27 March 2010, kick-starting what promises to be a fabulous season for the Royal, with productions that include The Comedy of Errors and Pygmalion.

Directed by Mathew Dunster, this adaptation is set to create a disturbing interpretation of Orwell's surveillance society, where history is rewritten, the government watches and one man risks everything in a quest for the real truth. With a cast that includes Jonathan McGuiness and Caroline Bartleet and a chillingly sinister design, Nineteen-Eighty-Four is set to be a doubleplusgood experience!

The story is electrifying, and a play that brings to life once again the terrors of a Big Brother culture must be applauded. The theme of surveillance society is explored further through a free exhibition in the Royal Exchange Mezzanine Gallery: REALITY TV by Manchester photographer David Dunnico investigates the theme of CCTV - the organisations which operate it, the companies that sell it and the people who oppose it - relevant, articulate and not to be missed.

Evening Performance Times: Monday-Friday: 7.30pm (except Tuesday 9 March), Saturday: 8pm

Matinee Performance Times: Wednesday: 2.30pm, Saturday: 4pm and Tuesday 9 March: 2.30pm

Box Office: 0161 833 9833 www.royalexchange.co.uk