Howard Ashman, Alan Menken Bolton Octagon, New Wolsey Theatre, Theatre by the Lake, Hull Truck Theatre co-production Bolton Octagon April 24-May 18, 2024 (also Hull Truck, May 22-June 8) One of the advantages of being a reviewer is that you get to see plays you missed. Menken and Ashman's 1982 Little Shop of Horrors had passed me by until this production. And it's a great surprise: funny, with wonderful lyrics and an exuberant cast, led by Oliver Mawdsley as a nerdy flower shop assistant who discovers a talent for growing people-eating, alien plants. Which, as this is set in capitalist, sensation-seeking America, inevitably leads to a massive expansion of the shop's clientele... In line with the tradition (eg Guys and Dolls) the other assistant, Audrey (Laura Jane Mathewson), realises her passion for sadistic dentist Orin (Mathew Ganley), is wrong-headed, and the only way to achieve her suburban nirvana is to embrace a man who can manage to calm Audrey II, the flesh-eating plant. As it's a US-set musical, the dentist is an arrogant, rich misogynist with a talent for embellishing his girl friend's face – and not with better teeth. Those who remember the dentist in the movie Marathon Man will recognise the rusty drill that is almost used to good/bad effect. And for those who remember the music of the 1950/60s, it leads to one of the funniest lines: "I'm the leader of the plaque" (note for younger readers - look up the Shangri-Las). The music is led by a trio with appropriate names – Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette (all names of US girl groups of the past). They are talented, if a little overpowering in the intimate setting of the renovated Octagon. As the audience is close to the action, with every seat having a great view, director Lotte Wakeham needs to sometimes moderate their enthusiasm. But that’s a small fault in a great bit of ensemble playing, with drumming and singing of a very high order. In the puppet plant – the star of the show – it's difficult to differentiate the puppeteer (Mathew Heywood) and the voice (Anton Stephans). The voice is wonderful, dark and earthy, as befits a plant, but the puppet itself is wonderful as it grows on its varied diet of nerdy blood and, even better, bits of dentist. I will look at my unnamed fern in our smallest room with new respect... This is great fun, and the audience responded with not-unwarranted shouts for more. Go and have a great time. More info and tickets here

Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre has appointed award-winning theatre maker Selina Cartmell as its first creative director. The new role is part of an extensive reorganisation of the theatre's management structure, part of which has involved the scrapping of artistic directors. Cartmell will take up her role in August, with her first programme beginning in 2026 for the theatre’s 50th anniversary year. Selina Cartmell grew up in Cumbria. She studied drama and history of art at Trinity College in Dublin and Glasgow University and graduated with an MA from Central School of Speech and Drama in advanced theatre directing. From 2016-2022 she was artistic director of the Gate Theatre in Dublin, where she programmed and commissioned productions with leading Irish and International talent and grew audiences. As a freelance director her work has included Shakespeare, classic revivals, new writing, musical theatre and opera for venues including the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court in London, the Unicorn, Curve Theatre in Leicester, the Lyric Belfast and the Abbey Theatre. She said: "I am thrilled to be joining the Royal Exchange at such an important and exciting time. As a teenager, I vividly remember the first time I sat in its unique and immersive auditorium and experienced the power of its artist-audience relationship. "My ambition for the Royal Exchange is for it to be an inclusive home that attracts the best of emerging and established talent to connect and inspire audiences and communities old and new." Royal Exchange Theatre chief executive Steve Freeman said: "I am excited about Selina’s appointment. She brings a wealth of experience and her inspiring vision excited us. She demonstrated a deep understanding and respect for the extraordinary artistic legacy of the Royal Exchange Theatre and is passionate about the theatre’s relationship with audiences." More info here

The Dukes award-winning outdoor walkabout theatre show returns to Lancaster’s Williamson Park (July 19-August 25), with a new version of Alice In Wonderland. Set against the backdrop of the spectacular park, which has views out across Morecambe Bay, the annual summer show is for audiences of all ages, and follows Alice through the park landscape, through a topsy-turvy wonderland featuring the mischievous Cheshire Cat, tyrannical Queen of Hearts and the rest of the Wonderland characters. The Dukes' new CEO, Chris Lawson (formerly artistic director and CEO of Oldham Coliseum), said: “We have a fantastic creative team working on this production and we're excited to present what will be a show full of fantastic family fun. "This will be my first time working with the Dukes team on the Play in the Park, but I'm excited to see what we create. These shows always sell fast!" More info and tickets here

Know your theatre: The most beautifully-located profes-sional theatre in the UK, Theatre by the Lake traces its origin to 1948 and a team of theatre enthusiasts who created a 225-seat mobile theatre to take live performance around post-war Britain. The convoy of trailers arrived in Keswick for the first time in 1961, but by 1975 was unfit to tour, so the company successfully took up residence by Derwentwater. In 1996 the convoy was uprooted one last time, to be replaced by the current permanent structure, the last theatre built in Britain in the 20th Century and the first to be built – at a cost of £6.5m –with the help of the national lottery. The theatre opened in August 1999 with Charley’s Aunt . There are two stages, a 400-seat main house with a central rake that has excellent sight lines, and a 100-seat studio. The main house is large for its seating capacity, high and wide, with a stage capable of holding big shows. In the main house the company presents a busy programme of now mainly wide- appeal co-productions (partnering with theatres including Bolton Octagon and Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough) throughout the year and a wide-ranging series of studio shows. TBTL also hosts a variety of festivals and visiting companies. The theatre has a loyal local audience, alongside the many tourists who enjoy a night of theatre after tramping the fells. Theatre by the Lake, Keswick Address: Theatre by the Lake, Lakeside, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5DJ Phone: Box Office: 017687 74411 (9.30am-7.30pm/6pm non-performance nights). Admin: 017687 72282 (9am-5pm). Catering: 017687 81102 (9am-9pm). Also available by email . The theatre is currently closed but expects to reopen in autumn 2021. Facilities: A modern theatre with modern sensibilities when it comes to loos and disabled facilities. Avoid the main theatre side seats if you can, despite their lower cost. The adjacent restaurant is open 10am-3pm daily, and a tourist attraction in itself, with views across the lake. When the theatre reopens allow plenty of time to dine as service can be slow – though there is that view to look at... Parking: The theatre is located off Lake Road and is indicated on brown tourist signs throughout the town. Lakeside car park (Allerdale Borough Council, pay and display) is next to the theatre, and in summer gets very busy, so allow plenty of time to park. Charge is £1 from 7pm-7am. Before 7pm charges vary. Go here and follow the booking route to your show choice. Online box office:

Know your theatre: Built for £95,000 by public subscription and opened in 1967, the Octagon was the first professional theatre built in the North West after World War II – one of very few 'in the round'. Particularly associated with local playwrights Bill Naughton and Jim Cartwright, the Octagon today offers a wide range of repertory productions and co-productions mixing classics and lighter material. When the theatre's future was threatened in 1999, 12,000 people signed a petition to 'Keep theatre made in Bolton', and succeeded. The theatre closed in 2018 for a £12m renovation and officially reopened, after Covid delays, on July 6 2021, with a production of The Hound Of The Baskervilles . The revamped building has a new roof, electrics and plumbing, is more environmentally friendly, has greatly improved accessibility, new restaurant, bar and back stage facilities. The Octagon's main space seats up to 390, its studio space 100. The main house has the best sight lines of any theatre – that's probably a fact. Octagon Theatre, Bolton Address: Octagon Theatre, Howell Croft St, Bolton BL1 1SB . Phone: Box Office: 01204 520661 (Mon-Sat, 9am-6pm, opt 2; applies also to group bookings). You can also contact info@octagonbolton.co.uk with general inquiries and boxoffice@octagonbolton.co.uk with booking inquiries. Facilities: The new theatre has an extensive cafe/bar area (open Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm) breakfast served until noon), extensive facilities for disabled patrons, new seating and studio and classroom spaces. Parking: Nearest car park: Octagon NCP multi-storey (BL1 1TN). Free street parking (some disabled bays) in Le Mans Crescent after 6pm, (limited spaces). Online box office: Go here for what's on and follow the show links for tickets. Access 24 hours.

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.