The Greatest Play, the Strangest Week. Julie Hesmondhalgh Delights in London.

Last week was a funny old week. Having bought tickets to see ‘The Greatest Play in the History of the World’ and begun to plan where we’d have pre(and post) theatre drinks in the West End, the festive cheer had begun to take it’s grip and I’d allowed myself to stop mentally grumbling at the fact Christmas had fully taken over London and we hadn’t even reached December. I was de-Scrooged. Midweek my two-year old niece Ivy had sent me a cute video of her saying “Hello Uncle Ste” for the first time, melting my heart, which reminded me to book my train tickets home to Manchester for the festive break. I was more than de-Scrooged, you could have wrapped me in tinsel and hung baubles from my ears and I wouldn’t have complained.

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Then on Friday, London became gripped by that all-too-familiar and all-too-regular chaos as sirens wailed through every street, news alerts set our phones beeping furiously, and hearts sank as we realised it’d happened again. Two people stabbed and killed near London Bridge. The attacker shot dead. Not. Again.

How quickly things can turn around. The actions of one man changed the mood of a whole city. One of the biggest cities in the world momentarily in a state of shock. There are two ways of looking at what happened next. London quickly went back to normal. People went back to work, tourists flooded the city’s attractions. Trains and buses continued on their journeys. London was London again. I worried that this had become too normal and people didn’t think much of what had just happened. But in reality, people just weren’t willing to let the terrorists win.

So on Saturday night, I, along with a few friends headed down to the Trafalgar Studios. It was a cold evening and London was HEAVING. The Christmas markets smelled delicious – and expensive – and my busker mate Wayne was singing Christmas songs to delighted crowds underneath Nelson’s column.

We took our seats in the small 90-seater theatre. Julie Hesmondhalgh, sipping from a mug, was welcoming people in with that trademark smile and warmth. Dawn French was in, chatting to Corrie writer Jonathan Harvey, as was actress Amanda Barrie who Julie greeted with a big hug (kicking myself that I didn’t get a photo of THAT reunion!).

The set was simple. There were a couple of what looked like bookshelves, but instead of books, shoe boxes filled the spaces, and in the middle of the stage, Julie had placed her mug on the floor and the lights dimmed.

“Voyager is NASA’s scientific programme involving two robotic probes…”

Not the start to the play I’d expected.

Then Julie, the narrator, comes to life.

“Preston Road is a busy road…” That’s more like it. The actor begins to describe where we were back on Earth. A pretty average road, in an average town, with pretty average people living in it. As we meet the various characters of Preston Road, footwear begins to make it’s way from the boxes and across the stage. This was no longer a one-woman play. The characters slowly come to life. But for some reason, time has stopped.

Julie’s infectious warmth, that strong Lancashire accent, and her smile fill the room. She looks you in the eye as she tells introduces you to each character, making you part of the performance. If you’re in that room you are probably familiar with Julie and her work, but this is a new level of intimacy and it’s wonderful. Joyful. Intense.

What follows is the stories, the lives, the loves and the regrets of these characters. 

But intermittently the arguable banality and normality of these people’s regular lives is peppered with interjections from another Julie whose voice fills the room, and whose words seem to be channelling Carl Sagan, the celebrated author physicist and astronomer. This is where the play is so emotive for me. Thinking about my week. I was at my happiest and most relaxed on Saturday afternoon eating a battered sausage from the local chippy and watching You’ve Been Framed. The day before, that terrible thing had happened at London Bridge. And now I was watching one of my favourite actors perform this amazing play and CARL SAGAN’s influence was booming across the room.

If you don’t know much about Carl Sagan he wrote “Pale Blue Dot – a Vision of the Human Future in Space”. It’s all about humanity, our significance in the cosmos and how we might venture into the dark unknown. I’m a big space geek so to learn that writer Ian Kershaw had incorporated his big, existential thinking into the play, which was effectively a love letter to his “favourite actor in the world” Julie, was the cherry on the cake.

Julie had recalled earlier in the week on TV how she’d dropped some hints to Ian about how there should be some obvious perks for an actor being married to a writer. And so, in his cellar at home, Ian began to write The Greatest Play in the History of the World, and he gave it to Julie as a Christmas present.

"Hello Uncle Ste"

I must admit there were points in the play, directed by Raz Shaw, where I was struggling to connect the worlds of the residents of Preston Road to the musings of Julie the narrator, Julie 2 and the musings of Carl Sagan. Not to mention the small matter of time standing still. But the play definitely got me thinking. About life, what makes me happy, what really IS out there, and what will I leave behind? And in the whole scheme of things – terror attacks, interstellar space travel, the climate emergency – does my little life matter? The answer is of course yes. Who else would write this, the greatest blog in the history of the world?!

I got home and thought about the play and how I would write about it. I fell asleep listening to Carl Sagan on YouTube. At around 4am, I think I was already awake, but I definitely was after a huge boom echoed across the city and my whole building shook. Windows rattled. An earthquake, I thought. Then I remembered the events of Friday and thought it could have been a bomb. I ran to the roof. No smoke, no mushroom cloud in the distance. Phew.

I checked Twitter and it turned out to have been a sonic boom from an RAF jet that had pursued an unresponsive airliner. I nodded back off to sleep thinking what a strange old week it had been in my little part of this pale blue dot.

The Greatest Play in the History of the World is a simple, touching yet profound piece of work, and you should go see it.

I am on Twitter: @StevieDawson 

The Greatest Play in the History of the World is at the Trafalgar Studios until January 4, 2020. Book HERE.

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Breakfast at Annies – restaurant review and Jennie McAlpine interview

The weekend before last found me in Manchester; and before embarking excitedly upon the Coronation Street tour, I could think of nowhere better to start my Sunday than Annies.

Annies is the tearoom and restaurant owned by Jennie McAlpine (who we know and love as Fiz) with her partner Chris Farr and her Dad, Tom. I arrived there in desperate need of a decent breakfast after attending a wedding the night before. And that is exactly what I got.

Living in London, I’m used to paying over a tenner for breakie and still feeling hungry afterwards, so I fired off my order for “The Big Breakfast” (at £9.95) without a second thought. Alas, my eyes proved bigger than my stomach before almost popping out of my head when the food arrived.

Seriously – the plates weren't round – they were oval. And on mine sat two eggs, two rashers of bacon, two sausages, black pudding, hash brown, beans, tomato AND four slices of thick toast. It was absolutely delicious and soaked the booze up a treat.

Generally, the prices at Annies are very reasonable and my breakfast was excellent value for money. It was cooked to perfection. The mushrooms in particular were seasoned beautifully. But the rave reviews since Annies opened eighteen months ago are not just for the food. It is the whole experience.

Upon arrival, diners can expect to be greeted by enthusiastic and friendly staff who clearly love working there. The Manager, Richard Wisdom, will enthusiastically recount the history of the building, which sits in Manchester’s iconic Royal Exchange underneath the famous theatre. He also tells a brilliant anecdote about delivering food to ‘Sally Webster’ one night before turning round to see ‘Sophie Webster’ at another table. It sounds like a scene in The Bistro!

Annies is much larger than you might think from outside. The décor is wonderfully ornate – regal, almost. In the restaurant downstairs, think Parisian red curtains with top hats on the walls and a piano in the corner from which live music emanates of a Friday evening. It exudes a strong cabaret vibe, which is exactly the idea. The tearoom upstairs is cosier, and immaculately wallpapered in floral prints. Even the toilet is tastefully decorated; the sure sign of a classy establishment.

A miniature Rovers Return housed in a glass cabinet is the only piece of Corrie memorabilia on display. However, a living, breathing link to Coronation Street exists in Jennie McAlpine who can often be seen keeping an eye on things and amiably chatting away to customers. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Jennie and Chris who were very happy to talk to the Coronation Street Blog.

Previously Annies had been the Conservatory, a swanky cellar bar, which was subsequently renamed but had run into disrepair by the time it closed in the 90s. It lay derelict before they took the venture on. Annies is now stunning inside and out. A great deal of work has gone into this and both Jennie and Chris are delighted with how things are going.

Much of the original design has remained in place, retaining a classic feel. According to Jennie, they “wanted it to feel like it hadn’t just been done. It was never the idea to put a modern twist on the building”. Most of the chairs are therefore originals that have been reupholstered. And very comfy they are too!

Annies is located in St Ann’s Square, an area of Manchester famous for its markets. In times gone by, cotton would be traded at the Royal Exchange, often referred to as ‘Annie’s Market’. “It’s in keeping with the history”, enthuses Jennie.

But the name ‘Annies’ is about more than that; it is also the spirit of the place, evoking as it does a sense of home. Lots of people have told Jennie and Chris “they had an Auntie Annie or their Mum is Annie”. The aim, Jennie explains, is for customers “to feel at home, not like a stranger”. I can safely say this has been achieved.

Described by many as a ‘hidden gem’ or an ‘oasis of calm’, Annies is in the middle of Manchester, yet Jennie notes that “people say it doesn’t quite feel like they’re in the city centre … it feels a bit of an escape.” Chris tells how mothers will come in with their buggies for some tea and tranquillity following a stressful trip round the shops. When they sit down, “you can see it lift off them and they just feel relaxed”.

Although I was there for breakfast, Jennie tells me people can “come in and have anything from a cup of tea and a piece of cake to a full three course dinner”. Chris points out that afternoon tea is popular, especially with champers. I imagine they’ve done a roaring trade of late with Corrie fans travelling to Manchester for the tour.

It’s not just Corrie fans who frequent Annies, mind; they have a long line of regular customers and first-time visitors. You never know; some might not have even heard of Weatherfield! Annies prides itself on a warm welcome and heart-warming traditional British cuisine and “hopefully people want to come back”, says Jennie.

There is a definite Lancastrian emphasis, as ‘Lancashire Rarebit’ sits alongside ‘Annie’s Hotpot’ on the menu. The latter is, of course, a nod to Betty but as Jennie points out, hotpot is “a very traditional dish in this area”. It is therefore natural that a traditional restaurant in Manchester would provide it.

At Annies, the classic lamb and vegetable dish is topped with crunchy sliced potatoes and served with homemade red cabbage. But Jennie “would never dare say it’s anywhere near as good as Betty’s hotpot… we don’t have the secret ingredient!” As well as traditional local fare, national favourites such as cottage pie, fish and chips and sirloin steak are offered up, and traditional roasts on a Sunday.

The ‘Fizz Bomb’ intrigues me; an ice cream pudding covered in chocolate and containing popping candy… hence the fizz. “It’s nothing to do with anything else”, winks Jennie. Those kinds of dessert are often known as ‘bombs’ or have ‘fizz’ in the title somewhere but the link to our beloved Fiz is a nice touch.

Jennie is at Annies as often as possible and genuinely enjoys meeting customers - “that’s the best bit about it”, she says. While quick to praise Chris for the hard work he puts in, and the “great team” around them, Jennie is not afraid to muck in herself. “I’ve been known to carry a tray – I served a cup of tea yesterday – I made a big meal of it and I wanted a round of applause afterwards but I did do it”, says Jennie self-effacingly.

She only serves sparingly because Jennie considers herself “the clumsiest person ever”. Chris confesses to feeling slightly uneasy whenever he sees Jennie limbering up to carry something. But despite denigrating her own waitressing skills, Jennie worked in cafes and restaurants before becoming an actress and would practice by carrying things around the house. I praise this dedication to her craft and without missing a beat she quips, “Always rehearsing!”

On Friday nights, “cabaret kind of songs” are performed around the piano. Jennie generally only sings “for charity or when pushed”. One such occasion was New Year’s Eve when she was persuaded to get up and perform, fittingly, the song “Cabaret”. “My musical taste is the same as my taste in décor and my taste in teacups”, laughs Jennie, “nothing (made) after about 1950”.

Annies really is a terrific place and I will make a point of popping in whenever I am in Manchester. Anyone going on the Corrie tour must seek this place out. But if you can’t get to Annies, you can now bring Annies to you! Annies has just launched a range of products to buy online as well as in store. The online shop launched earlier this week and is looking great. Check it out here.

Jennie explains that it is all about “bottling” their products so that “people can take a bit of Annies home with them”. And those who can’t make it to Manchester can “have a little bit of (Annies) at home”. The range includes Annies jam, pickles, tea, biscuits, sweets and cakes. It’ll certainly make it easier to find Chrimbo prezzies for Corrie-loving relatives.

It’s an exciting time at Annies. Jennie and Chris joke that they’ve “not quite discovered how to send a hotpot through the post yet” but “there will be a way”. I suggest a moped for deliveries but as Chris rightly points out, a bicycle with a basket on the front would be more appropriate. “Good idea”, says Jennie… “We’ll start that Monday”.

Jennie and Chris are so passionate about what they are doing at Annies; that I wouldn’t bet against takeaway hotpots coming on stream before the year is out. But there are plenty of delicious, yet more transportable products, available in the meantime. I look forward to buying some in.

Suffice to say, the Coronation Street tour was fantastic. And if it weren’t for having to catch a train back to THAT LONDON, a return visit to Annies for tea would have rounded off the weekend perfectly. It really is that good.

Be sure to look out for my next blog in which I will report on what Jennie had to say about Coronation Street and the many other interests that occupy her time, not to mention her feelings on impending motherhood.




By Martin Leay
Twitter: @mpleay


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Coronation Street and "that London"

In honour of my imminent return home to London this week after an interesting four months in Scotland (long story) I thought I'd take a look at Coronation Street's relationship with that London over the past fifty-odd years.

Corrie's relationship with London makes me immediately think of a great episode of the Street from way back in 1978. Gail Potter and Suzie Birchall, sacked by Mike Baldwin and fed up with their dreary back street lives, made grand plans to do a bunk to the bright lights of old London town. Their neighbours down Coronation Street were shocked and stunned that the two girls would even consider it. The likes of Alf Roberts, Elsie Tanner and Bet Lynch talked in hushed tones about London being the ruination of many a young Weatherfield lass while Annie Walker preened and tutted, asking Kenneth Barlow to talk some sense into them.



What I love about this old episode is just what a time capsule it is. As a child of the 80s I struggled to understand how people in Manchester could possibly speak of London like it was a far off land full of tricksters and vagabonds. It was almost as if Suzie Birchall was like Frodo Baggins in Lord of the Rings! While appearing a tad daft now, it did portray a simpler life when many people were born, lived and died in the same spot and didn't desperately lust after things they knew deep down they'd never have. Anyway in the end Suzie, frustrated at Gail's indecision, did a moonlight flit on her own, only to return a short time later.


Of course London also gave us one of Corrie's most iconic characters: the much missed Michael Vernon Baldwin. I wonder what Mike would make of his old empire today? It must have been a risky move to introduce Johnny Briggs as the cockney wheeler dealer Baldwin back in 1976. He was certainly different! While it did nothing to bridge the north/south divide, he did end up stopping on for 30 years so he must have had a soft spot for those cobbles. 

Another strong memory for me was when London featured in a wonderful episode from 1995.  That superb Corrie character Alf Roberts was receiving a gong from Her Majesty and social climber Audrey couldn't wait to hit Buckingham Palace in her expensive new outfit. Unfortunately events conspired against poor old Aud as dastardly Don Brennan dumped her somewhere on the M1 so she missed her chance to meet the Queen. Fortunately Betty Williams was able to stand in with Alf. Audrey's face through the Palace railings was priceless!





We saw London featured most recently when Sean visited Violet and Dylan and caught up with old flame Marcus Dent. That was a weird episode for me. I don't know about you, but I sometimes struggle when Coronation Street comes from anywhere other than Weatherfield. It doesn't matter if it's London, Malta or Paris, it just doesn't always work when I see my favourite characters further afield. 


Anyway, even when our favourite soap comes from London or features characters from the south, it still has to go a long way before it's as depressing as that London soap...what's it called again?? 

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The 'London Calling' Montage

Here's the montage from Corrie's Easter Special, with The Clash song, London Calling, which played as Sean, Marcus and Dylan enjoyed their day out in London.

That London

What a fantastic little treat tonights episode was, so much drama packed into thirty minutes, was great seeing Violet, Jamie, Marcus and Todd back on Corrie.

I especially loved the London montage, as I worried that it would end up focusing too much on scenes in each location, but the montage did the trick.

These episodes left the doors wide open to quite a few returns, but seemed to close a door on Jamie Baldwin's future in the show. Corrie should definitely do more episodes like this, it makes the show and Weatherfield seem a little more realistic

Spring Spoilers for Coronation Street

ITV.com has posted a preview of the upcoming Coronation Street Spring storylines. There looks to be a good mix of comedy and drama coming up, with Sylvia meeting the factory girls, and the Barlow's erotic pottery class adventures!

There's also a small look at the upcoming London special and the following Blackpool special. One thing I'm wondering though, where have I seen the pottery class teacher before?

On location vacations: London & Blackpool

Corrie's gone a little crazy with the on-location filming today, with film crews sighted at Blackpool's North Pier and also another crew in London! See the pics at AAP ONE [Blackpool] and Rex Features [Dahn Sarf aka London aka EastEnders land]

Filming in London was for the Easter special, which reintroduces Violet, Jamie, Marcus, Dylan and Todd. Filming in Blackpool was for an upcoming storyline, featuring a Barlow kid going missing.

Easter Special correction

Digital Spy's soaps guru, Daniel Kilkelly said on his Twitter that the Easter special will in fact be 30 minutes long not one hour as first reported. The press release originally said it was one hour long but was later edited.

Corrie heads to London for Easter special

ITV.com has confirmed Corrie is going to have an hour long Easter special, which heralds the return of *takes deep breath* Marcus, Jamie, Violet, Todd and Dylan. Sean will be seen heading down to London to see Dylan, where he bumps into his old flame, Marcus.

Todd however will be heading north to see Eileen, with his new boyfriend, what will he think of life in Weatherfield, after living in London for so long?

I'm really looking forward to these episodes, it's quite rare for Coronation Street to do episodes such as these, as they're usually saved for DVD specials. Will be good to see a Baldwin again too!