It's Valentine's Day on Tuesday!  Is love in the air for you or you simply find Cupid, annoying and stupid? Karen Ryder shares her thoughts about February 14th...


A word that either strikes fear, dread, or indifference into the hearts of people all over the globe.  Love it or loathe it, there’s no escaping it.  Whether you’re loved up, single, or somewhere inbetween, Valentines will still play out for you.  Some will drown in a dash to the petrol station to grab some wilted flowers and liquor chocolates whose only purpose is to make their recipient sit up with heart burn all night.  Some will put the rest of us to shame by emulating a Mr. Darcy moment, and some (me) will get all stubborn and sass anyone who thinks they can dictate that today is the day to proclaim our love.  It’s not that I hate romance, I actually love it, I just hate being told when to do it. 

For a theatre loving gal, it’s no surprise that my idea of romance and grand gestures may be a little skewed from reality as I wonder why someone hasn’t sung about me on the barricades, written an opera for me whilst hiding out in the Paris sewers, or sung in the rain about me.  But it’s ok because I can always give myself the perfect valentines gift by moseying on down to one of my many local theatres.  Greater Manchester always provides the perfect date and with such an eclectic mix of shows and events to choose from, I may find myself double dating or cheating on a theatre or two.

Jenna Coleman and Aiden Turner star in Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons at the Manchester Opera House

This week alone, I have been giddy to talk with two influential theatre folk.  I spoke with director Josie Rourke about the upcoming Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons coming to the Manchester Opera House (Mar 21-25), a funny and tender rom com starring Aiden Turner and Jenna Coleman, and with playwright David Eldridge as his play Beginning, which explores that initial spark of a relationship with a gentle humour and witty observational nuances, comes to the Royal Exchange (Feb 16 - Mar 11). I have been talking romance, relationships, and receptiveness as these two plays, both two handers and both following the path of lurve, show completely different stages and elements of this emotive phenomenon.  I can’t help but wonder how Oliver and Bernadette from Lemons would spend their valentines.  Would they use any of their 140 word limit a day on those 3 words?  Would Laura and Danny from Beginning find it easier or harder to rekindle their initial spark if they met on valentines day?  Would it ease or add to the pressure?  Can this one day make a difference to the outcome of our lives simply because it is Valentine's Day?  Well for two people at least, I know this to be true!

Beginning, an intimate and beautifully comic play can be seen at the Royal Exchange

About 5 years ago, I was in the old London town on Valentine’s day and had a date with the theatre.  I was at a showing of Beautiful The Carole King Musical.  Two special things happened that I have never forgotten and confirmed I am not alone in my view that theatre can feed our soul and wrap us in love, comfort, and memories.  The first happened at the interval.  An older man sat next to us was silently crying.  We asked if there was anything he needed.  He turned, smiled a watery smile, and told us his story.  His and his wife’s favourite singer was Carol King and their song was “You Are Beautiful,” so they had planned in advance to come and see the show today for today was their golden wedding anniversary.  Sadly, his wife had passed away a few months previous, but this glorious gentleman had kept his date as he knew this is where his beloved wife would be.  That is romance.  That is true love and my heart soared and broke in equal measures at his story.  The second moment came at the end of the show when the cast invited a gentleman up on stage.  He brought his bewildered looking girlfriend with him, explained that her name was Carole and his surname was King, got down on one knee and proposed!  She said yes, and the gentleman next to us said, “Now this couple can continue my own love story.”  Since that day, I have vowed never to be ashamed of my belief that theatre can change peoples lives.  I would be dishonouring that lovely man who made a date with his wife and kept it.   

Melody Thornton stars in The Bodyguard at the Palace Theatre in April

So, is there a perfect show for a date?  I tried thinking of shows as options on a dating app with the perfect date just a swipe away.  After all, with saucy shows like The Rocky Horror Show rocking its way back into town at the Manchester Opera House (Feb 20-25), you might just get lucky!  If you’re more about spending Valentines with your pals and reinvigorating your friendships, then Steel Magnolias at The Lowry (Feb 21-25) is perfect for you.  Or if you want to focus on the importance of estranged love then Song From Far Away at HOME (Feb 22 - Mar 11)will feed your soul.  Head Over Heels at Hope Mill Theatre currently on stage running until Mar 4 is a great choice for those early dates as it is such a feel good, fun show that will have you both bopping away.  If your Valentines are you mini me’s and you want to feel the love tonight with your family, then try and grab those last remaining tickets for The Lion King at the Palace Theatre ending on Mar 11 or head over to The Octagon in Bolton for some classic theatre with Spring & Port Wine – currently on stage until Mar 4, which will definitely make you appreciate your own family a little more.

A great way to dip your toes into something new and impress your other half is with ‘ONE NIGHT ONLY!’ shows, such as the Shows by Candlelight at Manchester Cathedral or any of the numerous concerts at The Bridgewater Hall.  

If you are looking to buy tickets as a Valentine’s present, there are plenty of shows coming in the future with a love theme such as The Bodyguard at the Palace (Apr 3-15), Dirty Dancing at the Palace Theatre (May 30 - Jun 3), Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet at The Lowry (July 11-15) and Strictly Ballroom The Musical at The Lowry (June 26 - July 1), to name but a few.

Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet takes centre stage at The Lowry in July

The great thing with having a theatre as your date is that if your actual date (whether it be romantic, work, friends, family or none of the above) annoy you / are boring / have no sense of humour / have never heard of jazz hands (or worse – think it’s some kind of kinky come on) then you are surrounded by hundreds or thousands of other people you can happily chit chat with, and discuss which of Sophie’s 3 dads in Mamma Mia is the real deal, should Christine have ditched Raoul and lived hauntingly ever after with The Phantom, and why didn’t Marius fall for Eponine when she basically died for him?  Did Inspector Goole have a fling with Eva, kill her in a crime of passion and then try to pin it on the Stirlings?  Ok, I may be getting carried away now but theatre has more than it’s fair share of love, passion and romance to share so it’s hard not to. 

Any of our beloved Manchester Theatres venues can provide you with a memorable Valentine’s Day, so ‘All I Ask Of You’ is ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight?’  If not, then book yourself a trip to the theatre and enter ‘A Whole New World,’ because ‘I Am Telling You,’ that you and your date might just find yourselves ‘Falling Slowly’ and become utterly ‘Helpless.’  For this Valentine’s Day ‘I Can Hear The Bells’ for many couples across Manchester, because sometimes, as we know from the gentleman I met in London, when you ask ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?’ the answer might just be “Yes!  For the next 50 years, and forever more.”

WHAT'S ON IN MANCHESTER ON VALENTINE'S DAY

 

A classic love story can be enjoyed from the end of May at the Palace Theatre, as Dirty Dancing returns