ABOUT

My Theatre Journey: The Story Behind All About Theatre

Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a Manchester-based theatre reviewer and content creator, and the person behind All About Theatre, an independent theatre review website where I share my love of musicals, plays and live performance.

What started as a way to share my own theatre adventures has grown into a website filled with detailed, honest reviews, theatre news, tips and experiences. Whether I'm watching a big touring musical, discovering a smaller production or enjoying a family show, I love sharing my thoughts and helping other theatre lovers discover something new.

Where My Love of Theatre Began

My first experience of live theatre was back in 1992, when I went to see The BFG at Manchester's Opera House. From what I remember, it was a play with music rather than a full musical, but it was my very first introduction to the world of theatre.

A few years later, when I was in Year 8 at high school, I went on a school trip to see English National Ballet's production of The Sleeping Beauty at Manchester's Palace Theatre.

At Christmas in 1999, when I was 16, we went as a family to see the pantomime Peter Pan at the Palace Theatre, starring Brian Blessed. My sister was 14 at the time, while my two younger brothers were just six and three, so it was a family outing with all of us at very different ages.

Although I'd already experienced theatre, ballet and pantomime, it wasn't until 2001 that I really discovered my love of musicals. That was the year I saw my first musical, Miss Saigon, during its first UK tour at Manchester's Palace Theatre. I was 18 at the time and, believe it or not, I didn't actually want to go! However, the production completely blew me away, and from that moment on, I was hooked.

I started visiting the theatre regularly, discovering more musicals, plays and live performances. My theatre adventures have since taken me to London's West End, where I saw productions including Wicked and Les Misérables during a trip in 2008, and even across the Atlantic to Broadway in New York, where I've enjoyed shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Aladdin and Matilda.

From Science to the Theatre

Although theatre has always been a huge passion of mine, my academic and professional background is actually in science. I studied Biological Sciences at the University of Salford, graduating with a first-class honours degree in 2005, before going on to complete a master's degree in Biomedical and Forensic Egyptology at the University of Manchester.

During my university years, I also became a regular visitor to The Lowry in Salford. My friends and I would often take advantage of discounted student tickets, which meant we could enjoy a variety of productions without spending too much money. I also spent many evenings watching opera with my sister, often attending the free pre-show talks to learn more about the productions before seeing them on stage. One production I particularly remember seeing was Madama Butterfly.

I later spent time working full-time as a research assistant in a laboratory while also working part-time front of house at Manchester's Palace Theatre. I'd finish my day in the lab, grab something to eat and then walk up to the theatre for my evening shift. It was quite a contrast going from working in a laboratory to spending my evenings surrounded by live theatre, but I loved having the opportunity to be involved in both.

Working at the Palace Theatre gave me the chance to experience theatre from a different perspective. Until then, I'd only known what it was like to be part of the audience, so it was interesting to see what went into welcoming people to the theatre and making sure they enjoyed their visit.

From YouTube Reviews to All About Theatre

Before starting All About Theatre, I shared my theatre adventures through vlogs and reviews on YouTube. I loved talking about the shows I'd seen, sharing my opinions and connecting with other theatre enthusiasts. Over time, I wanted somewhere I could go into more detail about the productions I watched, from the performances and storytelling to the sets, costumes, lighting, music and choreography.

That's when I decided to create All About Theatre, officially launching the website in 2023.

Being dyslexic, writing hasn't always been straightforward for me. Although I've always enjoyed sharing my thoughts, I used to worry about making spelling and grammar mistakes, particularly as I didn't have anyone to proofread my work. Eventually, I decided not to let those worries stop me. I started writing for myself, without worrying whether anyone else would read my reviews.

What began as a personal project has grown into an established theatre review website, and it's something I'm incredibly proud of.

Reviewing Theatre From My Own Perspective

I'm also autistic, and while it doesn't define who I am or the reviews I write, it is part of how I experience the world, including theatre. Everyone experiences a performance differently, and I enjoy looking at all the elements that come together to bring a production to life.

Through All About Theatre, I've also connected with other autistic theatre enthusiasts, which has been a lovely part of sharing my theatre experiences online. It's reminded me that people can experience the same production in very different ways, and that's one of the things I find so interesting about theatre.

My aim has always been to write honest, detailed and accessible reviews. I enjoy celebrating the things that make a production special, but I'm also happy to share when something hasn't quite worked for me. I want readers to get a genuine impression of a show, rather than simply being told whether it's worth seeing.

Theatre Reviews, Press Performances & More

Over the years, I've reviewed productions at theatres across Manchester and the North West, from major touring musicals and plays to opera, dance, pantomimes, family shows and smaller productions.

The Lowry in Salford has been a particularly special part of my theatre journey for around 25 years. From those early visits as a university student to returning with my own children, it's a venue that holds so many wonderful memories for me. I've also built up a great relationship with the theatre, and their press team has been incredibly supportive of All About Theatre.

I've been fortunate enough to attend and review a wide variety of productions at The Lowry, and one of the loveliest parts has been having the opportunity to invite my mum and dad to join me at press performances. Over the years, I've bought tickets to take them to shows I thought they'd enjoy, but now I also get to introduce them to productions they might not otherwise have chosen to see. It's a lovely way to spend time together while sharing something I'm passionate about.

I've also had the opportunity to attend press performances at other theatres, including the Royal Exchange Theatre and Hope Mill Theatre, alongside independently reviewing productions at venues across the region.

Manchester's Palace Theatre and Opera House have continued to play an important part in my theatre journey. Over the years, I've independently reviewed numerous productions at both venues, sharing my experiences through All About Theatre and, before that, YouTube.

Whether I've purchased my own ticket or been invited to attend a press performance, my approach to reviewing remains the same. I want to share my genuine thoughts about what I've seen, celebrating the elements that work particularly well while also being honest about anything I feel could have been stronger.

These days, alongside my detailed website reviews, I also share my theatre adventures through Instagram Reels, TikToks and YouTube Shorts, giving fellow theatre lovers a chance to see a little more of the productions and venues I visit.

More Than Just Theatre

Although theatre is at the heart of All About Theatre, I've also expanded the website to include other experiences through All About Fun Reviews.

Here, you'll find reviews of family days out, museums, exhibitions, attractions, theme parks and places to eat. Just like my theatre reviews, I aim to share honest, detailed accounts of our experiences, including what we enjoyed, anything that could have been better and useful information for anyone thinking of visiting themselves.

Whether you're a lifelong theatre fan, planning your first visit to a show or looking for inspiration for your next family adventure, I hope All About Theatre helps you discover something you'll enjoy.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing my theatre journey with me!