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Tag: #thelowry

  • High Society at The Lowry Review: A Glamorous, Feel-Good Night at the Theatre

    High Society at The Lowry Review: A Glamorous, Feel-Good Night at the Theatre


    Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

    After returning from holiday with jet lag, High Society at The Lowry was exactly the kind of show I needed: light, frothy, glamorous and wonderfully easy to lose yourself in for an evening.


    This is pure Golden Age musical escapism, with a simple but charming plot, fabulous costumes, beautiful scenery and a brilliant cast. It has the feel of an old Hollywood film brought to life on stage, complete with romance, humour, misunderstandings and plenty of sparkle.


    What is High Society about?


    Set in the wealthy world of Oyster Bay, High Society follows Tracy Lord as she prepares to marry the dependable, if slightly dull, George Kittredge. However, her wedding plans are soon thrown into chaos when her charismatic ex-husband Dexter Haven returns to the family home.


    Things become even more complicated when journalist Mike Connor and photographer Liz Imbrie arrive to cover the society wedding for a magazine. They are hoping to uncover a family secret, but Mike soon finds himself drawn into the glamorous, chaotic world of the Lords — and perhaps a little too interested in the bride-to-be.
    It is not an overly complicated story, but that is part of the appeal. There is romance, family drama, sharp humour, jealousy and plenty of confusion as Tracy begins to question whether she is marrying the right man — or whether she should be getting married at all.


    The cast


    Helen George is wonderful as Tracy Lord. She is elegant, poised and perfectly suited to the glamour of the role, but she also brings warmth and vulnerability to Tracy as the wedding weekend begins to unravel.
    Julian Ovenden is effortlessly charming as Dexter Haven, Tracy’s ex-husband. He has a real old-school leading-man quality and a fantastic voice, making it easy to see why Dexter remains such an important figure in Tracy’s life.
    Freddie Fox brings lots of energy and humour as journalist Mike Connor. His character is initially unimpressed by the privileged world of the Lords, but his growing connection with Tracy adds another layer to the story. Carly Mercedes Dyer is also great as Liz, Mike’s quick-witted photographer colleague, while Nigel Lindsay gets plenty of laughs as the larger-than-life Uncle Willie.
    The supporting cast all help create a lively, polished production that feels full of personality from beginning to end.
    Beautiful scenery and fabulous costumes
    Visually, the production is gorgeous. The scenery creates the perfect setting for the Lord family’s glamorous waterside home, while the costumes are absolutely fabulous. There are elegant gowns, smart tailoring and all the glamour you would expect from a story set among high society.
    Everything feels polished and stylish without being overdone. It is exactly the kind of show where you can sit back and enjoy the spectacle as much as the story itself.


    Familiar songs and old Hollywood charm

    One of the nicest surprises was how many of the songs I recognised. I loved classic Hollywood films as a child, including The Philadelphia Story, the film on which High Society is based, so there was something particularly nostalgic about seeing this story on stage.
    The Cole Porter score is full of familiar, sophisticated songs and gives the whole production that unmistakable old-Hollywood charm. It is romantic, witty and glamorous, with plenty of toe-tapping moments along the way.
    Final thoughts
    High Society is not trying to be a deep or complicated musical, and that is exactly why it works so well. It is light, funny, romantic and easy to enjoy — the perfect choice if you want a feel-good evening at the theatre.
    With a strong cast, beautiful scenery, fabulous costumes and a soundtrack full of classic songs, this production at The Lowry is a lovely bit of escapism. It was the ideal antidote to post-holiday jet lag and a reminder of just how enjoyable a simple, stylish old Hollywood story can be.
    Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

    Production shots courtesy of the Lowry website

  • World Premiere Bank of Dave: The Musical at The Lowry – our opening night thoughts

    World Premiere Bank of Dave: The Musical at The Lowry – our opening night thoughts


    On Saturday 2nd May 2026 we headed over to The Lowry for the world premiere of Bank of Dave: The Musical, and Salford really did feel like it had dressed up for the occasion.

    The buzz in the Lyric Theatre before the show even started was brilliant – you could feel everyone was a bit giddy about seeing a brand new northern musical on its very first night.
    To top it off, the real Dave Fishwick was actually there, watching his own story unfold on stage. Lance was in his absolute element from the moment we walked in, and he ended up loving every minute. I was a little more on the fence in places, which meant we had a really good debrief on the way home about community, banks and how this wild “true‑ish” story works as a musical.


    A proper northern underdog story
    At its heart, Bank of Dave is a proper underdog tale. It follows Burnley‑born self‑made millionaire Dave Fishwick as he decides he’s had enough of the big banks saying no and fights to set up his own community‑focused bank, putting the profits back into local people and small businesses. It’s all about the power of community, standing up for the little guy and proving you don’t need to be part of the London elite to make a difference.
    When the show leans into that – northern grit, real people, and one man refusing to take no for an answer – it’s genuinely uplifting and very feel‑good. Those are the moments where you really feel the audience leaning in and rooting for Dave and Burnley.
    The “true‑ish” twist
    The show is very open about the fact it’s using artistic licence and calls itself the “true‑ish” story of Dave Fishwick. I completely get why they’ve done that – it gives them room for big, bold scenes, some daft fun and plenty of laugh‑out‑loud moments. It’s not trying to be a dry documentary; it wants to be a big, crowd‑pleasing night out.
    Personally though, I’d have liked it to stay a little closer to the real story. The way that “true‑ish” angle plays out means there’s a final reveal that adds an extra twist to Dave’s journey which, for me, didn’t really feel needed but I think that this is based on the Netflix movie which had the same ending and I havent seen Instead of giving me an extra emotional punch, it left me thinking, “Hmm… what did that actually add?” and pulled the focus slightly away from the real‑life achievements that are already powerful enough on their own.
    High‑energy, brilliantly performed and immense fun. One thing you can’t accuse Bank of Dave of being is dull, there’s always something happening, people dashing about, big musical numbers, lots of movement and plenty of humour. Even in the moments where I was thinking, “Whats that about?” the energy on stage kept me watching.
    The staging is fairly simple but really effective – no huge gimmicks, It suits the show, because it lets the story, music and performances do the heavy lifting rather than drowning it all in spectacle.
    There were a few points where I felt the story lost its thread a bit, but whenever it swung back round to Dave, Burnley and the community, it got me back on side. It’s that mix of chaos and heart that gives the night its particular charm.


    Who’s playing who


    The cast is led by Sam Lupton as Dave Fishwick, and he gives Dave loads of warmth, humour and that stubborn northern determination you’d expect – he’s really easy to root for and carries the show with real charm. You might recognise him from Wicked in the West End, or from the UK tours of Only Fools and Horses The Musical
    Hayley Tamaddon plays Nicky, bringing spark and heart; many will know her from her soap days as Del Dingle in Emmerdale and Andrea in Coronation . Lucca Chadwick‑Patel, fresh from MAMMA MIA! in the West End, is a lovely fit as Hugh, the posh lawyer with more depth than he first lets on. One of the nicest things about the show is the genuine enthusiasm this cast show. They feel like a really tight company, driving the whole thing forward with big vocals, sharp timing and loads of heart. You can tell they’re behind the story they’re telling and the performances never dipped. They were fully committed from start to finish, and you could feel that in the way the audience responded. That well‑deserved standing ovation at the end didn’t come out of nowhere; it was a genuine “we’ve had a good night” reaction from the room.
    A special little moment with Dave himself
    Because it was opening night, there were a few extra special touches. Before the show even started, Lance actually met Dave Fishwick, which completely made his evening – he was buzzing, and of course we’ve now got the photo to prove it.

    Having that moment with Dave and then sitting down to watch his story play out on stage made the whole thing feel more personal.
    After the curtain call, Dave came onto the stage to say a few words, and you could see how overwhelmed he was seeing the “story of his life” turned into a musical. In a really sweet touch, he brought his wife up on stage with him. It stopped it feeling like just another big theatre press night and turned it into a celebration of a life, a marriage and a community. That’s the bit that stuck with me the most on the drive home.


    So, would I recommend it?
    In our house, we came out split – Lance loved it, no question. I enjoyed it, but with a few reservations. I loved the energy, the cast, the underdog story and the hopeful message, but the “true‑ish” approach and that final twist at the end didn’t quite land for me. The storytelling got a bit bewildering for my taste, even though the performances and staging stayed strong.
    That said, Bank of Dave: The Musical is still a warm, hopeful night out with a proud northern voice, and it clearly connected with the audience around us. If you like feel‑good shows with heart, humour and a real local hero at the centre – especially if you enjoyed the film or Dave’s true story – then it’s definitely worth catching while it’s at The Lowry.

    Bank of Dave the musical is on at the Lowry until the 16th May then transfers to the Leicester Curve 20-30 May