Matthew Bourne is a creative genius that in my eyes can do no wrong. Every show he creates is one that takes your breath away and sticks with you long after you leave a theatre. I'm going to be honest and say that I feel incredibly privileged to have seen so many of his shows. But the Nutcracker! was one show that I had yet to tick off that elusive list. The sickly sweet show about whimsical adventures and longing for happiness is one that I can finally say I saw and adored!

Nutcracker! Is currently on at the Mayflower Southampton before continuing on its UK tour and I was invited to see just how sweet this show really was. I opted to bring Max's best friend with me to this one. She is a dancer and I knew that she would be the best judge of how truly magical this show really is for a younger audience (and it didn't disappoint at all!). 

 Do you hear the people sing? Well you could definitely hear the cast of Les Miserables as they took to the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton stage. And fortunately for us, Max and I were invited to join them at the barricades at they brought the house down. 

Based on the classic tale by Victor Hugo, this tour version of Les Miserables has come full circle as it returns to Southampton in 2022. Watch as you follow a story about love, freedom, sacrifice, and fighting for what you truly believe in. With hit songs that even the most infrequent theatre goer will know, it's truly a show for the masses. And the timelessness of the show is evident in how it still stands strong today. 

 Moulin Rouge is one of those films that is timeless in its storytelling. It's also a film that has a huge cult following, so when the news of a fully fledged musical hit the news everyone was both nervous and excited to see what it would entail. 

Both me and my mum are absolutely huge fans of the original movie. To the point that we loved nothing more than singing the Elephant Love Medley at the top of our voices whenever we could. So as soon as we knew that the Moulin Rouge Musical would be heading to the West End, we booked tickets. After several months (think it was closer to a year!) of waiting, the day finally arrived. Would we be whisked away by the green fairy, or would be want to join the can-can line.