Author: Uncover

By Molly Thirlwall

As the cobwebs of Halloween (both real and decorative!) are blown away, pantomime season is fast approaching. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best Pantos in Liverpool for you to check out this Winter.

From fun for all the family to adults-only-extravaganzas, there’s certainly something here for everyone to enjoy. And before you say ‘oh no there isn’t!’ check out this list for some festive fun!

The Scouse Christmas Carol, Liverpool’s Royal Court (7 November 2025- 17 January 2026)

Adults deserve a Christmas treat too, so round up your 18+ friends for this exciting Scouse reimagining of A Christmas Carol. Claiming to make Charles Dickens spin so fast in his grave that a sinkhole opens up, this show is sure to have you laughing the night away. 

Alongside this performance is the opportunity for dinner and a show. Liverpool’s Royal Court is offering one and two course meals throughout this performance run, so be sure to book your tickets quickly for the chance to share in the festive treats. 

Jack and the Beanstalk, Everyman Theatre (15 November 2025- 17 January 2026)

Returning once again for 2025 is the Everyman’s legendary Rock ‘N’ Roll Panto. This year they are putting their festive twist on another classic, Jack and the Beanstalk. Part fairy tale and part concert, Chloë Moss’ retelling is sure to provide fun for all the family.

If this new spin on the classic fairytale isn’t enough excitement, the Everyman are also creating Picnic Boxes to add onto your ticket to accompany the magical theatre experience. These include snacks for the show and are available for both kids and adults- so no one is left out!

Cinderella, Shakespeare North Playhouse (21 November 2025- 10 January 2026)

Tia Larsen takes on the titular role of Cinderella in this classic fairytale story, with a very special Prescot twist! Helped by her fairy godmother Mandy, Cinderella tries to find her missing mum and win the heart of the handsome prince, in this captivating new adaptation by Nick Lane that brings Cinderella to Merseyside. 

Packed with magical moments, your favourite songs and lots of laughter, this new production is the perfect show to warm your hearts in the festive season. 

Matilda The Musical, Liverpool Empire (2 December 2025- 4 January 2026)

The beloved story by Roald Dahl has been stealing audience’s hearts on the stage for 15 years and is in Liverpool for the first time this Christmas. Matilda The Musical has won over 100 global awards and is coming to the largest two-tier theatre in the UK, the Liverpool Empire Theatre.

Bring the whole family along (Revolting Children included!) to be inspired by the story of one extraordinary girl, with one extraordinary mind.

Beauty & The Beast, The Atkinson (5-31 December 2025)

KD Theatre Productions brings the classic love story of Beauty and the Beast to the stage at The Atkinson theatre, for their most charming pantomime yet. Step into the dazzling winter wonderland and let the timeless tale of love and transformation wow you. There’ll be laughter, song, dance, and everything you love about The Atkinson pantomime. Dazzling costumes, live music, and jaw-dropping sets just to name a few!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: M&S Bank Arena (12-28 December 2025)

Stepping into the magical world of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs this Christmas is a star-studded cast. Starring Coronation Street’s Helen Flanagan as the Wicked Queen, comedy star Bippo as Muddles, the hilarious Andy Brennan as Dame Dolly, X Factor’s Sean Smith as The Prince, singing sensation Ellis Lloyd as Snow White and local favorite Rebecca Lake as The Fairy. There is also the opportunity to meet this dazzling cast with meet and greet packages available. Join Snow White and her seven friends to see if they get their happily ever after in this truly wicked pantomime!

By Terry Sweeney

The dazzling stage adaptation of the classic 1935 film of Top hat, which starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, was first staged in 2013 on the West End and won the 2013 Olivier Award for Best New Musical that year. It also won the Evening Standard Award of Best Night Out.

Now award-winning American director and choreographer Kathleen Marshal who won the Tony and Olivier Awards for ‘Anything Goes’, has come to the UK to stage this brand-new production of Top Hat, which is on the Liverpool Empire this week.

We first meet Broadway star Jerry Travers (Phillip Attmore: Hello Dolly-Broadway, in the Fred Astaire role) as he finishes his Broadway theatre run with a scintillating song and dance routine to ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’. Jerry brings the house down and then meets up with Impresario and producer Horace Harwick (James Hume) to plan his secret return to London to star in Horace’s new production.

What ensues is a star-crossed romantic relationship with model Dale Tremont (Amara Okereke My Fair Lady-West End in the Ginger Rogers role) once he arrives in London.

Jerry meets up with Horace and his dancing in Horace’s hotel suite disturbs Dale who is trying to sleep in the room below. Dale eventually comes up to Horace’s suite to complain and Dale and Jerry meet for the first time. Jerry falls for Dale immediately, but as always in Hollywood movies or Broadway shows the course of true love never runs smooth. The plot in Top Hat hinges on mistaken identity.

 The plot is further complicated when Horace travels down to Venice for the weekend to meet his wife Maud (Sally Ann Triplett), Dale’s best friend, taking Jerry with him. Dale is in Venice at the invitation of Alberto Beddini (Alex Gibson-Giorgio), who has hired her to wear his dresses and impress the rich international clientele in Venice with his creations.

Add in Horace’s manservant Bates (James Clyde in fantastic comic form) and this sets the scene for his sets or Irving Berlin’s timeless classics like Puttin’ on the Ritz, I’m putting all my eggs in one basket’, ‘Cheek to Cheek’, ‘Let’s Face the Music and Dance’, and ‘Top Hat White Tie and Tails’, against a backdrop of mistaken identity and comic mistakes.

Will Jerry leave his bachelor days behind forever, and will Dale realise Jerry is not the philanderer she suspects him to be?

The two stars, and Berlin’s music, carry the show, with fantastic vocals and dancing, supported by a fabulous chorus line of singers and dancers and sparkling choreography on the big set-pieces. Horace and Maud add witty dialogue, comedy and pathos to the plot, and Bates and Alberto add broad comedy and great character acting.

As Irving Berlin aptly says:

“There may be trouble ahead.
But while there’s moonlight, and music.
And love and romance,
Let’s face the music and dance.”

For more events happening at the Empire Theatre visit atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire.

To discover hundreds of events happening across the Liverpool city region visit our What’s On listings.

By John Maguire

In the latest instalment of Buried Treasure by ArtsGroupie CIC, writer and historian John Maguire reflects on a deeply moving journey retracing the footsteps of the 1,490 Irish men, women and children forced from their homes in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, during the Great Famine. 

Last year, I undertook a walk from Strokestown to Dublin (the National Famine Way, Global Irish Famine Way) as part of ArtsGroupie’s work with the Liverpool Irish festival on the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail. This commemorated the 1847 journey taken by 1,490 evictees from Strokestown Estate (Co. Roscommon, Ireland).  The evictees were marched 165km to Dublin, to be put on cargo ships to Liverpool and thence to Canada. It’s estimated that over half of those who made the journey died before they reached their destination. Participating in the walk of the bronze shoes was a phenomenal experience.

Thought-provoking, poignant and life-changing. A rare opportunity — in a speedy modern world — to take a journey in sync with nature’s rhythms and to reflect, respect and remember the 1,490 of Strokestown. A chance to honour all those who suffered and passed during An Gorta Mór and highlight the resilience and tenacity of the Irish people and their rich contribution to the Global community.

It gave me time to reflect on the Great Hunger Commemoration’s efforts to raise funds for the Famine trail plaques and memorial in the nineties. Our role in preserving the memory of all the people who lost their lives and suffered during AN GORTA MOR, and how Liverpool and the Irish Famine Trail fit into the Global Famine Way.

The night before our departure, we took the famine soup. It tasted a little like the barley recipe my Irish Nan used to make; cheap ingredients, but filling. The poitín was like a strong mouthwash, one that should be gargled, spat out and not swallowed.

Before we started the walk, the names of all the 1,490 were read out aloud, and each was like a painful pinch down the spine. A number dehumanises, but an actual name really hits home the reality. The ‘surplus population’ were actual real people. 

So many surreal memories of the trail, including being forced to stop because a flock of cows had escaped their field and played havoc in a sculpted garden, leaping over the wall, like horses on a steeple chase.

Once we reached the canal, it became the one constant that stayed with us over the next few days. The backdrop changed from woodland to marsh, fields of ferns, soggy bogs and carved stone hills. And the wildlife, like swifts, ravens, a woodpecker and a regular visitor we called ‘Harry the Heron’. He would land in the distance.  Then, as I got closer, he would fly with grace and elegance into the cotton wool clouds, loop and circle around. A private performance for my eyes before he landed 300 metres ahead. I would walk onwards, and the gesture would be repeated, as if he were leading me along the way.

As the walk progressed, the green landscape and solitude gave way to urban buildup. Mankind is a stain on the very canvas nature has created. Civilisation made its mark on the landscape. Its housing infrastructure and branded supermarkets felt like intrusive strangers, out of place with what we were doing. 

On the final day, the collective headed towards Lock Six, the bordering wall near Custom Quay, through the industrial heartlands of Dublin’s docks. The sight of copious amounts of tents littering the canal banks like weeds that had sprung up almost overnight was saddening. People taking flight and landing on the Emerald Isle, hoping that the new land — and tomorrow— would herald a better future. History is repetition. I suddenly felt out of sorts, walking these six days in honour of the 1,490, yet still today, there are people like the 1,490 forced to flee.

(an abridged extract from A Walker’s Reflection: John Maguire, in the new book REVEAL)

This Strokestown to Dublin walk connects with the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail in Liverpool. A way for local people and visitors to the city to engage with Irish heritage. When I began work on reviving the trail with an incredible Volunteer History research group back in 2021, a casual remark from a relative mentioned that my great-grandma’s relatives had come over during the famine, which intrigued me. However, nobody knew anything else, and all those who could have provided more information had passed away. I believe that this is like many people in Liverpool with Irish surnames.

We are all made up of the stories of our ancestors. It is essential to ensure that people understand their heritage and where they have come from. The Liverpool Irish Famine trail allows communities and individuals to reflect on the streets that they live and work in, what has gone before and how that can impede on the now.

ArtsGroupie CIC specialises in bringing history alive through street theatre, walking tours and plays, to culturally engage, an interrogation of the past and an appreciation of the people who have gone before us. There are numerous figures in the Famine story, and numbers and statistics can indeed cause distance and alienation. We endeavour to seek out the personal stories that then honour those dead and also humanise what can be overlooked on the page. Community voices are key, especially when untangling the net of colonialism.  And as we continue to discover, we still have a lot more to unpick. Many more voices and stories need to be incorporated to help us understand our heritage, which can hopefully better inform our future. And so, the work continues…

The book REVEAL is available via liverpoolirishfestival.com.

Find out more about the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail and download a free map.

Free Exhibition 

Visit Rathbone Ceramic Studio & Gallery, Birkenhead, to experience extraordinary artworks created in response to the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail.

Featuring films, embroidery, banners, cyanotypes, mixed media and community stories — this exhibition powerfully connects Merseyside with the history of The Great Hunger.

Open during gallery hours until Saturday 1 Nov.
FREE entry — just drop in!

Liverpool’s waterfront will once again become a dazzling open-air gallery as River of Light returns, unveiling its brand-new theme: The Science of Light.

Taking place from Friday 24 October to Sunday 2 November (5-9pm), the popular free festival will feature ten stunning large-scale installations inspired by themes of science, technology, and nature. Now celebrating its 8th year, River of Light attracts huge crowds each autumn, blending imaginative design with some of Liverpool’s most iconic settings.

For 2025, organisers have teamed up with the city’s vibrant science and innovation community to deliver an awe-inspiring 3km trail spanning the Royal Albert Dock, Pier Head, Exchange Flags, and Liverpool ONE.

River of Light 2025 Map

River of Light 2025 Installations

Blueprint by Studio Vertigo

Blueprint is a large-scale immersive artwork inspired by the form of a double helix, the physical structure of DNA. It is a parametric design, 20m long and 5.5m high, comprising of 180 x 360º tube LEDs that follow an outer spiral and are brought together at a fixed central point with sweeping curves. This is highlighted with a sequence of high-resolution lighting effects, representing the four bases of DNA slowly flowing through the artwork.

The edges are also highlighted with a dynamic lighting program to show the DNA backbone. The sculpture appears to be in a state of constant transformation, its free-flow of curves are set within a functional and orderly working of lines. DNA is often called the blueprint of life because it contains the instructions for development, growth and survival. life.

Location: Strand, in front of Salthouse Dock – Opposite Canning Place. L3 4AN

Cycle by Serge Maheu

Cycle is an urban star, shining bright. Created by Serge Maheu, Cycle is an interactive installation inspired by the revolutions of the sun and the moon, that illuminates open spaces.

Composed of a series of modules equipped with several light animation sequences, Cycle delights with its variations in intensity and colour. Diffusing brightness from its core, it evokes the halo effect of an eclipse. In a maestria of light and sound, Cycle comes to life at the rhythm of bystanders’ interactions. By moving to the beat of the ambient music, the young and the young at heart transmit their energy to Cycle, transforming it into a larger-than-life musical sequencer.

Location: The Strand, Liverpool, L1 8LT (Outside Cunard Building)

Dandelion by Amigo & Amigo

Close your eyes, make a wish, and behold, Dandelion comes to life! Inspired by the wind-blown petals of the dandelion — a plant as symbolic as it is scientifically fascinating — this installation reimagines a delicate natural form through engineering, optics, and motion. Revered for its medicinal properties and aerodynamic seed dispersal, the dandelion becomes a living sculpture that blends biology with technology.

Every five minutes, Dandelion transforms into a dynamic spectacle, combining programmed LED light animations with immersive sound design to mimic the fluid dynamics of wind and the natural rhythm of seed release. The work not only celebrates the aesthetic beauty of the plant but also explores the principles behind its structure, movement, and resilience. By bridging natural science with sensory experience, Dandelion invites audiences into a realm where curiosity meets wonder — where light becomes a language for discovery, and art becomes an expression of the unseen forces that shape our world.

Location: Mann Island – in front of Museum of Liverpool (L3 1DG)

Embrace by Beamhacker

Experience the science of connection with Beamhacker’s interactive light and sound installation Embrace. First commissioned for Vivid Sydney 2024, Embrace is a circle of 15 life-sized illuminated silhouettes inspired by the nostalgic human paper chain. When people join hands between the figures, their bodies complete an electrical circuit, allowing a flow of energy that triggers ripples of light and sound.

This simple act of touch – proven to release oxytocin, lower stress, and strengthen bonds – becomes a living demonstration of bioelectricity and the transfer of energy between people. Each connection transforms the installation, with light patterns refracting and harmonies layering in response, making the science of interaction visible and audible.

As more people collaborate, the colours grow richer, the movements more dynamic, and the soundscape more intricate. When the full circle is joined, Embrace reaches a spectacular crescendo, symbolising the synergy of human connection, the flow of energy, and the beauty of achieving a shared goal.

Location: Exchange Flags, L2 3PF

FACE VALUE by Emma Brass and Venya Krutikov

“Face Value” is an immersive experience where audience members unexpectedly become part of a fantasy gameshow, as an AI-powered robotic artist selects and transforms their images in real time. The experience highlights themes of technology and control, prompting participants to wonder what ultimately happens to their digital selves.

The installation combines novel technologies, including artificial intelligence and robotics, to create a constantly evolving spectacle. A CCTV-style network of cameras captures images of the crowd, from which pictures of current audience members are selected at random. This ensures that every cycle of the installation is entirely unique.

Location: Mann Island Atrium, L3 1BP

Neuron by Juan Fuentes Studio

Neuron draws inspiration from the fascinating world of neurons and brain connectivity. The light installation “Neuron” simulates neural networks, bridging art and science by visually representing the functioning of the human brain and the connections that enable us to learn and perceive the world.

The piece reflects how neurons transmit information through electrical impulses, which are fundamental to human communication and creativity. At the same time, “Neuron” evokes the functioning of real neurons in solving complex problems. The installation transforms a fundamental scientific concept into a sensory experience, connecting audiences to the wonder of science through light.

Location: The Strand outside Royal Liver Building, George’s Dock Gates, L2 0RG

Optik by The Urban Conga

An interactive installation by The Urban Conga, Optik reflects on our ability to play with our surroundings while giving the opportunity for brand new point of views on our daily environment. The essence of Optik lies in the captivating phenomena of reflection and refraction, where light and sound becomes a medium of discovery and interaction, inviting users to manipulate it and playfully reimagine their world.

The ten 6 feet (1,8 meters) gyroscope-like forms with, at the centre, a dichroic film, offer new ever- changing opportunities that reflect any ray of lights during the day while refracting the inner rings lighting at dusk. As the audience rotates each unit, they create their own endless cascade of colors. The experience is raised to another level as sound joins us on the rhythmical effort, turning each unit into a different musical instrument.

Location: Thomas Steers Way, Liverpool ONE, L1 8LW.

SPICA by Juan Fuentes Studio

A star of lights that shines with the energy of the universe. This luminous installation, with moving LEDs, not only dazzles visually but also brings to life a fascinating scientific concept: why do stars shine? The answer lies in Einstein’s equation E=mc², which explains how nuclear fusion at the core of the Sun and other stars converts mass into an explosion of energy and light.

As a tribute to Einstein’s groundbreaking work and his most famous theory—the theory of relativity—this star transforms science into art, representing the constant flow of energy that lights up our universe. The installation connects spectators to the wonder of space, reminding us that, at the end of the day, we are all made of stardust.

Location: Outside Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building (Hartley Quay, Salthouse Quay, Royal Albert Dock, L3 4AX)

Pendulum by Amigo & Amigo

Pendulum is a giant interactive artwork that blends science, art, and play into an immersive experience. Inspired by the simple beauty of a gravity pendulum, this illuminated installation brings motion to life through dynamic waves of light and sound. Suspended above the audience, a glowing geometric structure appears to sway back and forth, mimicking the rhythm of a pendulum.

On either side, interactive light spheres invite people to engage – when pushed, they activate the artwork, sending energy across the space. The light animations follow the pendulum’s natural movement, creating the illusion of continuous motion, as if the entire structure is swinging through the air. By transforming the forces of gravity into shifting patterns of light and sound, Pendulum turns a fundamental scientific principle into a mesmerising, playful, and immersive experience.

Location: Pier Head – North (L3 1BY)

Within Water by Yellow Studio

Within Water is a site-specific installation inspired by the natural phenomenon of bioluminescence in marine life. Located within Liverpool’s Pier Head canal link, the piece explores the dynamic relationship between water, light, and human interaction. Through a grid of programmable lights embedded beneath the water’s surface, the installation mimics the gentle glow and movement of bioluminescent algae, creating an illuminated current that shifts in colour and intensity.

The central sculptural element, a human hand, serves as a symbolic trigger, sparking a physical disturbance that activates the bioluminescent light in response to human touch, emphasising connection and interaction between people and their environment. Within Water invites viewers to experience the vibrance, layers, and fluidity of light as it dances through water, blending natural phenomena with innovative technology. The installation celebrates water’s role as a driving force in Liverpool’s identity while engaging themes of transformation and community.

Location: Pier Head, Liverpool, Merseyside, L3 1HT (South End Canal Basin)

River of Light 2025
24 October – 2 November, 5-9pm
Liverpool Waterfront
FREE

For more information about River of Light Liverpool 2024 visit visitliverpool.com/riveroflight.

Milap’s INDIKA festival is returning to Liverpool this October with a 15-day celebration of Indian music, dance and culture. The expansive range of events are taking place across the entire Liverpool City Region, as Milap strives to bring Indian culture to an even bigger audience.

Coinciding with their 40 year anniversary, the 2025 INDIKA festival “feels especially meaningful, as a celebration of how far we’ve come and a statement of where we’re headed” (Alok Nayak – Artistic Director of Milap). As one of Europe’s largest festivals of Indian classical arts, INDIKA has a varied programme which will allow audiences to not only watch and listen to performances, but feel them too, through multi-sensory experiences from both internationally renowned and British talent.

The programme will include captivating events that span across India’s diverse cultural traditions, such as traditional and contemporary dance and music, yoga, poetry, storytelling, talks, workshops, films, and more to inspire and connect with audiences.

Here’s some highlights coming up at this year’s festival.

The Tapi Project – Downstairs at the Everyman (22 October)

A continuous revival and retelling of stories and themes that make up modern India – held together by their compelling songwriting and compositions. Influences from the worlds of jazz, funk, folk and rock – filtered through the Indian subcontinent – all combine to create their unique and genre-defying sound.

Dancing The Divine  – Unity Theatre (23 October)

Dancing the Divine by acclaimed Kathak artist Sanjukta Sinha comes to Unity Theatre on Thursday 23 October. This intimate solo performance takes inspiration from the figure of Krishna, exploring themes of love, longing and devotion through movement and stillness. Rather than retelling myths, Sinha invites audiences into a personal, meditative journey where presence, absence and the search for the divine unfold on stage.

Rohan Roy Collective – Philharmonic Hall Music Room (24 October)

Taking place in The Music Room at Philharmonic Hall, acclaimed violinist Rohan Roy leads the collective in a bold fusion of Indian classical and contemporary sound. Joined by Giuliano Modarelli on guitar, Domenico Angrano on bass, and Harkiret Singh Bahra playing the table. This promises fusion at its finest as they combine Indian classical ragas with jazz, groove, and global sounds. 

The Stringmasters – The Tung Auditorium (25 October)

After being brought together by Milap in 2013, Anil Srinivasan, an award winning Indian pianist, and Dr Jayanthi Kumaresh, a virtuoso of the Saraswathi Veena have come together and created a remarkable blend of Western and Carnatic classical traditions. 

A Carnatic Quartet- A Concert for Children and Families -Philharmonic Hall Music Room (29 October)

Also taking place in The Music Room at Philharmonic Hall is an exciting opportunity to introduce a new generation to the magic of South Indian classical music. Designed just for families, the Carnatic Quartet have created a high-energy interactive performance perfect for curious young minds. Comprised of Shreya Devnath (Violin), Mylai M Karthikeyan (Nadhaswaram), Praveen Sparsh (Mridangam), and Adyar G Silambarasan (Thavil), the quartet create melodies that open up a world of wonder.

Sarathy Korwar – Future Yard (29 October)

One of the most original and compelling voices in the UK Jazz scene. Sarathy Korwar – globally acclaimed percussionist, composer and producer – is set to present music from his upcoming album ‘There Is Beauty, There Already’. Expect a striking, percussion-led exploration of rhythm, voice and electronics. With South Asian temple procession rhythms and contemporary minimalism, this is futuristic folk at its finest.

Resonance – Strings Across Borders – The Tung Auditorium (31 October)

A captivating concert taking place in the Tung Auditorium is Resonance – Strings Across Borders, made up of the duo of acclaimed sarod maestro Dr Pandit Ranajit Sengupta and distinguished sitarist Ashim Chowdhury and also the versatile and virtuosic German guitarist André Krengel. Accompanying the musicians is the esteemed Kousic Sen on tabla. It’ll be an evening where you can experience a fusion of musical traditions, where Indian music meets contemporary guitar and where tradition meets innovation. 

INDIKA festival will take place across Liverpool from the 17th-31st of October, with Diwali on the 20th of October featuring as the centrepiece of the festival. Full of exciting events and experiences, this multi-arts festival has something for everyone to explore and enjoy.

INDIKA Festival 2025
17-31 October
Various venues
More information can be found on Milap’s website.

By Grace Stokoe

Liverpool’s creative scene is ever-evolving, and The Studio Beyond is a testament to that. 

Following their success with The Studio Below, Sharon Colpman and her team  launched their second venue in March this year. Upgrading to a more central  location on Wood Street, The Studio Beyond boasts a 50 seater theatre space, rehearsal room, podcast suite and bar, as well as their on-site Red Book Casting Agency, run by Sinead Renaye. 

Colpman, Co-Founder of The Studio Beyond and Make it Write Productions, explains, “if you stay still it doesn’t work, we have to keep moving forward”. Having started out as a science teacher, Colpman realised she was something of a wordsmith when asked to write a play for her village’s millennium celebration, working alongside Forest Forge Theatre Company. Moving to Liverpool, she was keen to showcase her plays locally, resulting in the birth of Make It Write Productions.

Co-founded with James Gaskin, Make it Write is a community interest company (CIC) supporting writers, actors, directors and the like to take their work to the next level. Now, with both studios at their disposal, Colpman’s dedicated team are not only using the spaces to mentor, but have stepped up as one of the city’s most affordable venues, without sacrificing professionalism or high quality tech. She presents The Studio Beyond as “a great place to experiment. Blake is really good with people who haven’t done a tech run before – he can see their vision, paint a  picture of the night in his head and just make it happen!”

Al Donohoe from The Atom Improv describes it as “a conveniently priced fringe venue that young theatre makers have been lacking in the city centre.” Atom’s fortnightly Harold Night and monthly improv jam both take place there, providing a safe space for improv lovers old and new to get up on stage. 

Toeing the line of theatre and stand up, Donohoe and twoprov partner, Mike Burton, hope to give their audience “a sense of alternative comedy, proving how  great improv can be”. Rejecting the working man’s club style of humour in favour of something more unpredictable, they build their shows around the crowd, asking audience members to share their own hilarious stories as prompts. 

With roughly 90% of their spectators being return customers, the joy and loyalty within Liverpool’s improv scene is clear to see. “Sometimes people will quote our own show back to us, which is funny,” says Donohoe, “they’re very supportive, fun and willing to get involved”.

The Atom Improv took it one step further as students returned to the city this September, kicking off the academic year with a Freshers Week Extravaganza. With show tickets starting from just £3, The Studio Beyond consistently ensures that the arts are accessible on a budget, meaning you can spend a little and laugh a lot!

Notably, the venue’s commitment to inclusivity goes much further than finance. Creative spaces are often seen as a safe haven for the LGBT+ community, and The Studio Beyond is no exception. Abbie Caskie, co-founder of Bunny Boiler Productions, produced They’re Just Roommates back in July, as part of Grin Theatre’s Pride Double Bill – a night built for queer joy. Drawn to the venue through word of mouth within Liverpool’s creative community, her experience working with them was positive from first rehearsal right through to curtain. 

Caskie wrote and directed her “modern day lesbian adaptation of Pride and Prejudice” as a celebration of queer relationships. Representing a lesbian love story without questioning sexuality, her show attracted likeminded audience members of all ages. Describing the team as “supportive and engaged with the show”, she felt they were “all collaborating to make the night a success”. Now, having successfully trialed her work as a 30 minute piece, the theatre-maker hopes to develop it into a full length show. “The point is to be inclusive and we will welcome you,” expresses Colpman. Regretfully, the building is not currently  accessible, due to its listed status. 

As committed as they are to their work at The Studio Beyond, the team prove to be talented creatives themselves. Theatre Manager, Molly Farquhar, recently  returned from Edinburgh Fringe Festival with a five star review from The Scotsman. Her award winning show, Hairy B*stard, previewed at the venue before heading off to The Fringe. 

Hairy B*stard – a show about self love, self loathing, and how expensive razors are – is a semi-autobiographical show based around Farquhar’s experience with PCOS and hirsutism. Having previewed at The Studio Beyond, she had a full house to work with. “Hearing people laugh, cry and connect was wonderful,” she reflects. 

Farquhar describes her workplace as “a welcoming, warm space that provided me with a platform to tell my story. As a working class creative, I strongly believe in championing local voices and giving them a chance to shine. Without places like  Beyond, this just wouldn’t happen.” Enabling her to test new sections of the show and work on audience interaction, the preview was vital in preparing her for Edinburgh Fringe.

It’s never a dull day as part of The Studio Beyond’s team, getting stuck in and wearing many hats. Farquhar loves to mentor, teach and network with local artists on top of her managerial duties. She adds, “every single one of us works our socks off to make sure we can provide a community space for creatives. We’re approachable, problem solvers, and most importantly – we care.”

Colpman shares her hopes to open The Studio Beyond’s hidden roof terrace ready for summer 2026, as well as investing in air conditioning for the hot-yoga-studio turned-theatre. With Liverpool Fringe 2025 just around the corner, they will debut as a Fringe venue for local practitioners, along with hosting the official awards evening on 12 October. “Having that live experience is something that’s dying out, to come here and have connection with real live people,” she highlights. 

Other upcoming shows include their Fringe Bangs Film Festival and Studio Beyond The Grave open mic this October, followed by Christmas festivities, Weird Fest, Queer Words and much more in store for 2026. “We all share boundless energy and passion for the arts,” says Colpman, “some nights we crawl to the kebab house because we’re so tired, but seeing happy faces after you’ve been running  around behind the scenes makes you realise why you’re doing it”. 

For further information on The Studio Beyond, visit studiobelow.co.uk or  follow @studio_below_and_beyond on Instagram.

By John Maguire

In this latest instalment of Buried Treasure, John Maguire of ArtsGroupie CIC uncovers the hidden riddles and remarkable treasures within Liverpool Central Library, with the coded granite walkway leading to one of the world’s most extraordinary books.

As you enter the path to Liverpool’s Central Library, on the ground, there is a list of great examples of storytelling—an impressive 79-foot-long walkway, detailing popular titles from books and films.

It reminds me a bit of Madonna’s shout-out to the fabulous age of Hollywood in the song Vogue. Here, we find a list of timeless classics, ranging from local authors, such as Educating Rita (Willy Russell) and The Cruel Sea (Nicholas Monsarrat), to National titles, including Charlotte’s Web (E. B. White) and Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier).

You notice, amidst this, “wordy welcome” that several red letters are standing out within the granite walkway as you trail into the library. A bit of a riddle! In fact, the red letters spell out a coded message.

It is fitting that we are faced with such a challenge when entering the reading space. Not many people know that a man by the name of Arthur Wynne was a Liverpool-born inventor who came up with something still popular now. The first ever crossword puzzle was published in the New York World newspaper on December 21, 1913.

At first, it was known as a “Word-Cross Puzzle,” and not the shape we know today, for this initial one was diamond-shaped, featured a hollow centre, and had the word “Fun” already filled in. This puzzle, created for the “Fun” section, became a widespread phenomenon, though the term “crossword” only emerged later due to a typesetting error.

The puzzle was an immediate success, becoming so popular that other newspapers quickly began to publish their own versions. The popularity of Wynne’s creation led to the publication of the first crossword puzzle book by Simon & Schuster in 1924. 

So, what do the red letters in this Word puzzle on William Brown Street mean – if you collect them as you make your way into the library, they read Cyclops In The Wood.

You can find the said Cyclops In The Wood, that is the OAK room (wood), next to the Hornby Library, just off the Picton reading room. Inside, you will have to search for the mythical beast, which is in fact a book titled The Genus Crocus by George Maw (1886), situated amongst the bookshelves.

Keeping a watchful eye on a piece of absolute treasure, the magnificent Birds of America by John James Audubon (1827- 38). 435 life-sized prints celebrated for artistic and ornithological accuracy. The depictions of birds are majestic. It is displayed open, and the dimensions when open are 3 feet 4 inches high by 4 feet 6 inches wide by about 5 inches deep. It looks like it has been taken from a giant’s bookcase. Each page of the book is illustrated with a hand coloured image of a type of bird. They catalogue and display American birds, some of which are extinct. His work in this book indicates he was an incredible artist who created one of the most scientific explorations of birds. In 2018, a copy of The Birds of America was officially sold for $9.65 million (£7, 161 197.44).

It has to be noted that Audubon is a controversial figure with accusations of plagiarism and criticism of his involvement in the slave trade. In 1905, a non-profit environmental organisation was founded in his name, dedicated to bird conservation and habitat preservation. The organisation is the largest and oldest ecological organisation in the world, advancing the education and advocacy of policies to protect birds and their environment. It has not shied away from the murkier elements of their namesake and addresses his white supremacist views and ethical failings on their website with an insightful essay –  The Myth of John James Audubon.

The people of Liverpool own this book in Liverpool Central Library, the taxpayers of our City, a public treasure on display every day. There is a magical energy in the air when you enter the room surrounded by the bookcases and with the cyclops guarding close by. When I visit this space, I always think about writer Roald Dahl and his words: “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it”.

Once a week, the book has its page turned so you can see a new bird in its glass nest (The book is encased in a bulletproof glass case). I like to view this tomb as much as I can, to try and spot a different bird; one day, I hope to have seen them all. So far, my favourite has to be The Flamingo. I have seen this a few times, and the last time, as I stared closely with my face pressed up against the glass, I am sure the creature pecked its beak on the side as if to say hello.