We’ve been well treated when it comes to magnificent shows for the past few months. It doesn’t seem to be slowing down either, given this wonderful list of fantastic shows new and old hitting the stage this April. The Girl on the Train @ The Lowry Monday 1st – Saturday 6th April The fantastic film and even better book can now be found performed on the stage. This gripping and tense new play will have you on the edge of your seat throughout. Buy Tickets   Green Day's American Idiot @ Palace Theatre Tuesday 2nd - Saturday 6th April You'll have to be quick to catch American Idiot before it leaves the Palace but if you manage to slip in there you'll catch this 2x Tony award winner in all of its glory. The story of three boyhood friends, each searching for meaning in a post 9/11 world, this thrilling musical features the music of Green Day (obviously) and is a proper riot. Buy Tickets   Hair the Musical @ Palace Theatre Monday 8th – Saturday 13th April The Grammy award-winning score with all the hits that once you hear them, you can’t get out of your head ever again such as ‘Let the Sun Shine’ and ‘Aquarius’, comes to Manchester for a short run. Buy Tickets   Kingdom @ HOME Tuesday 9th - Saturday 13th April Part of the excellent ¡Viva! Festival at HOME, Kingdom is a theatre production presented by Señor Serrano and is an irreverent cocktail, mixing bananas, consumerism, virile choreographies, commercials, punk rock, King Kong, supermarkets, growth, confusion, expansion, multinationals, shortages, coups d’état, trap music, and very macho men in an endless party. Using video cameras, scale models, video projection and live music, Kingdom continues to develop the idea of cinema-in-real-time. Using the character of King Kong and footage from the original and remakes, Kingdom brings the history of capitalism and bananas together, in a way that has never been told before. Wow. Buy Tickets   Blood Brothers @ The Lowry Tuesday 9th - Saturday 13th April The legendary tale of twin brothers that are split apart at birth, growing up on different sides of town and not knowing the other exists, only to meet again in adulthood and what unfolds is extraordinary. You only have five days to watch this amazing play, so don’t miss out. Buy Tickets   Rita Sue and Bob Too @ The Lowry Tuesday 9th - Saturday 13th April It seems everyone had a VHS copy of Rita, Sure & Bob Too in their house in the 90's and now this tale of a couple of young girls banging a married bloke in his car in the moors is returning to the stage. Andrea Dunbar's 1982 semi-autobiographical play is a vivid portrait of girls caught between brutal childhood and an unpromising future, hungry for adult adventure. Buy Tickets   Ghost the Musical @ Palace Theatre Tuesday 16th - Saturday 20th April One of cinemas all-time hits, Ghost takes to the stage in musical form. Yes, you will hear that famous one (Unchained Melody) but sadly the late Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg will not be in attendance. Buy Tickets   Die, Mommy, Die! @ The Kings Arms Tuesday 16th - Sunday 21st April This UK premiere of the Off-Broadway smash hit is heading to Salford before going down to London - so you'd best be appreciative. Written by Charles Busch, Die, Mommie, Die! takes place in 60's Hollywood and follows aging star Angela Arden and her dysfunctional life. This production stars Alex Reid - that geezer who was married to Katie Price for a bit. Buy Tickets   Closer @ Hope Mill Theatre Tuesday 16th - Saturday 27th April Funny and emotional tale of lies, affairs and seduction, because as Natalie Portman said in the film, lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off, but it’s better if you do (or something like that). Buy Tickets   Dirty Dancing @ Palace Theatre Monday 22nd - Saturday 27th April I told you that you’d be spoilt for choice this month, especially when it comes to much-loved films that are now even better stage shows. Dirty Dancing is one of those. Just don’t try and attempt the lift whilst in the audience, no matter how much it compels you to get up and dance to ‘Time of My Life’. Leave that to Baby and the pros. Buy Tickets   Home, I'm Darling Tuesday 23rd - Saturday 27th April Following a sold-out run at the National Theatre, Laura Wade's award winning comedy heads to The Lowry this month for a short run. Katherine Parkinson reprises her role as Judy - a woman who's quest it is to become the perfect 1950's housewife. Buy Tickets   The King and I @ Opera House Friday 26th - Saturday 11th May I won’t lie, this is hands down one of my favourite musicals ever and I wish it was more acceptable to listen to ‘Whistle a Happy Tune’ on a more regular basis. Catch Mrs Anna and the King of Siam in action this April. Buy Tickets