Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot will celebrate the Bard’s birthday on April 27 with a packed open day of workshops and drop-in sessions for all ages, from masterclasses with renowned Shakespearean practitioner Ben Crystal to poetry workshops and storytelling. Crystal will be offering actors across the Liverpool region a workshop of text exploration, while director Chris Tomlinson will host workshops for 14 to 18-year-olds, exploring some of Shakespeare's most famous characters and scenes. TV writer Mandy Redvers Rowe will host Writing With Shakespeare’s Words for 11 to 14-year-olds, in which participants will use some of the many words that Shakespeare invented to create new pieces of writing. For visitors aged 4-8, Story Telling with OG the Giant will be running throughout the day, as will children’s drama sessions for 8 to 11-year-olds. In the evening, Becoming Othello by Debra Ann Byrd is an autobiographical solo show that chronicles the trials and triumphs of her life, including her encounter with a troupe of Shakespearean actors and her journey to playing Othello. This year’s open day progamme has been aided by the Our Town’s Sound project, which is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This year-long project focuses on the way language has developed in the local areas of Prescot, Knowsley and Merseyside, and is inspired by the idea that Shakespeare is credited with creating or adding 750 new words or phrases to our language. The project is uncovering how language has changed in the area, and the open day will offer a selection of workshops and drop-in sessions focused on the theme. One is a telephone box installation in the theatre cafe, in which visitors will be able to record messages about language unique to the local area. More information, including timings and tickets, here

Ben Duke Rambert The Lowry April 18-20, 2024; 1hr 40mins (also Newcastle Theatre Royal, April 25-26) This Lowry double-bill lasts 100 minutes, including a 20 minute interval. Of this time there is about 50% dancing, with the rest an ironic take on the idiotic questions asked by interviewers... ("And how did you feel when Eurydice died?"), or rather good music, sung by Sheree Dubois. In fact to my eyes the second piece should really have been billed as a Nina Simone concert, with the odd bit of dance to accompany it. Rambert changed its name from Ballet Rambert some years ago, and this piece seems to sum up the change. When you have some of the best contemporary dancers in Britain, who possess an ability to express all kinds of deep emotions, it seems a shame to under-use them. Director Ben Duke has built a reputation for incorporating all aspects of musical and dance theatre into his work, but in these two pieces he appears to have forgotten that dance audiences come to see great dancers using their skills. We may wish to be amused, but not at the expense of the creativity of the dance. But amid the dross there are moments of wonder. Again the dancers seem able to overcome the restraints of the production to show what they could have done for the audience. In the first half there is a wonderful piece of movement as the troupe show how to fly through the auditorium without artificial aids but using their whole body to produce a moment of magic. It's invidious to pick out individuals, but any dancer who can entrance while using a stick to balance takes your breath away. Some of the ideas - such as the use of a dancer attached to a rope, moving across the stage to the sound of a drummer (Romana Campbell) to illustrate the process of the inevitable transition of life to death, play well. But that’s because they use the skills of the dancers to good effect. If only the lesson had been followed through. So, if you like music by Nina Simone, the second half is great. If you don’t mind watching an interviewer asking strange questions and getting strange answers then the two wonderful small pieces of dance in each half could be sufficient. But if you want the experience of creative expression through physical movement, this may not be your best choice. More info and tickets here

Bolton's Octagon Theatre is making attending the theatre more accessible for more people by offering hundreds of £4 tickets a year to Bolton residents on Universal Credit or Pension Credit, or living in low-income households. Working with local partner organisations, the scheme will take price out of the equation for many people who like theatre but can't afford to go. Any Bolton resident on Universal Credit or Pension Credit or referred by one of the Octagon’s ticket access partners will be able to buy £4 tickets for any of the Octagon's home-produced shows. Bolton is currently the 34th most-deprived local authority in the country, with 37 per cent of local young people living in poverty. The scheme will offer over 1,000 £4 tickets every year, and follws the declaration of Bolton as Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture. The £4 offer is in addition to thousands of £15 tickets available throughout the year, giving the Octagon some of the lowest theatre prices in the UK. Chief Executive Roddy Gauld commented: “Our audiences tell us what fantastic value the Octagon is, but the price can still be a barrier for some, especially during the cost-of-living crisis. We are proud to offer some of the most affordable theatre tickets in the country. We want as many people as possible to enjoy the magic of live theatre.” More info here

Know your theatre: Wales’ largest producing theatre opened in 1976 next to County Hall, in a complex opened by the Queen. The theatre has a proud history of major productions with star international names. Theatr Clwyd productions are seen throughout the year both in Wales and on UK tours. Appointed as artistic director in 2023 Kate Wasserberg, formerly artistic director of new-writing company Stockroom and Cardiff's The Other Room, is overseeing an ambitious, £35m redevelopment project to create a large extension at the front, including a new three-storey foyer and restaurant, bar and cafe. The building has three performing spaces and a multi-purpose function room, and though the redevelopment will massively upgrade facilities, the theatre spaces won't be changed. The main Anthony Hopkins Theatre is a single-raked tier seating up to 569, with five wheelchair spaces. The Emlyn Williams Theatre is a flexible studio space for 147-250. Studio 2, built to TV broadcast standards, can hold up to 120 for performance events and is used as a second rehearsal space. The theatre also has a small cinema (capacity 113) and a large function room used for gigs (capacity 240). Theatr Clwyd Address: Raikes Lane, Mold, Wales CH7 1YA Phone: General inquiries and box office: 01352 344101 (line open 10am-6pm) Facilities: The theatre complex is large, containing theatre spaces and other events and refreshment facilities. The theatre website is here . Disabled visitors are well catered for with wheelchair access to all floors, disabled parking spaces, an induction loop for hearing aid users, some "relaxed" performances when audience movement and noise are acceptable, and facilities for visual impairment. See here for details. Parking: Once in the Mold area prominent signage points you to the theatre complex. Currently, an underground car park is closed but parking is available on a tiered open air car park. Avoid parking immediately in front of the building. Online box office: Go here if you haven't booked online at Theatr Clwyd before, or find the show on the website and follow the bookings link. Email box.office@theatrclwyd.com with queries.

Know your theatre: Clonter Opera Theatre, Congleton Clonter, sometimes called ‘the Glyndebourne of the North’, is on a working farm in the Cheshire countryside, not far from the Jodrell Bank radio telescope. Clonter began as informal gatherings in a barn, with seating on bales of straw. Today the venue has a 400-seat theatre (though a former hen house is still part of the backstage facilities), and a well-established programme of events. Clonter notably showcases young operatic talent, but also jazz and folk. Front of house now offers sufficient accommodation for the entire audience to enjoy a meal under one roof, either before or part-way through the performance (ordered from the house caterer or your own picnic), which is something even Glyndebourne cannot offer. Expect to meet the Cheshire set in full cry (especially after imbibing during a long interval) as your fellow opera-buffs, but this stage frequently offers future international stars in the making, so it can be worth it... Address: Swettenham Heath, Trap Rd, Congleton CW12 2LR Phone: General inquiries and box office: 01260 224514 (10am-4pm Mon-Fri and performance days). The theatre is large, the building boasting separate rooms of various sizes, allowing it to function as a theatre and for corporate hires and schools use throughout the year. The theatre website offers a range of accommodation choices for long-distance visitors. Disabled visitors are well catered for Facilities: Parking: There is a drop-off point outside the theatre entrance, and free parking. Eight bays close to the main entrance can be reserved for those with reduced mobility. Online box office: Go here if you haven't booked online at Clonter before, or here if you have. You need to open an account for online booking.

Know your theatre: Opened in 1887, the Coliseum was one of the oldest British theatres still operating, and was much loved by its loyal supporters – perhaps more so since its demise in March 2023. Once a circus, in the 1930s it was briefly a cinema before becoming the members-only Oldham Repertory Theatre. It was said to be one of the most haunted theatres in Britain, and a famous stage death occurred there in the 1940s. By the 1950s-60s the resident company helped to form the careers of Coronation Street stars Jean Alexander, Pat Phoenix, Roy Barra-clough, William Roache and local girls Barbara Knox and Anne Kirkbride. In 1978 it became the Arts Council and local authority-supported Oldham Coliseum, offering a mix of professional productions of its own and other touring shows, It was famous for its massively-popular annual pantomime. Plans for a new building were scrapped in late 2018 and the withdrawal of an Arts Council "NPO" grant in late 2022 led to the theatre's closure in March 2023. Plans are supposedly in place for a smaller replacement within three or so years, which might not retain the name. Coliseum Theatre, Oldham (closed Mar '23) Address: Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Fairbottom Street, Oldham OL1 3SW Phone: Facilities: Parking: Some on-street metered parking. Bradshaw Street car park is nearby, with a concessionary rate after 6pm. More information here Online box office: