A View to a Miller

Directed by David Thacker, who had a close working relationship with the writer in his years as artistic director at the Young Vic in London, A View from the Bridge was his first experience of Miller, having watched Bob Charlton’s production of the same play in York, many years before.

Eddie Carbone lives with his wife and niece in a tight-knit American-Italian neighbourhood in 1950s Brooklyn. He welcomes his wife’s cousins into their cramped apartment, but finds himself battling inner demons in a personal struggle that could tear his family apart.

The production sees the return of Octagon favourites, actor and award-winning director Colin Connor, above right, and Tristan Brooke, playing Eddie and cousin Rudolpho respectively.

It runs from next Thursday to February 14.

Box office: 01204 520661 or www.octagonbolton.co.uk

Eight productions including drama, comedy, and a family show feature in Manchester’s annual Re:play festival celebrating new theatre from next week.

A specially-built pop-up theatre in a city office block has been laid on by HOME, the organisation formed by the merger of Manchester’s Library Theatre Company and Cornerhouse.

Re:play Festival 2015 runs from January 12-24, at Number One First Street, and, in its ninth year, gives audiences a second chance to see the best, most innovative and most talked-about productions from Manchester and Salford’s thriving fringe scene.

The productions are:

JB Shorts: Four 15-minute short plays written, performed, and directed by some of the city’s leading writers, actors, and directors.

War Stories: A collaboration by two writers from opposite sides of the world, set in the First World War, presented by 24:7 Theatre Arts in association with Benedict Power.

The Dumb Waiter: A new version of the classic Harold Pinter play, presented by Ransack Theatre.

Spur of the Moment: A drama by Anya Reiss about a 12-year-old girl on the verge of womanhood, growing up in a dysfunctional family, presented by ALRA (North).

Colder Than Here: Where nobody can ignore that Myra is dying, but in the meantime life goes on. A tragi-comedy presented by What A Little Bird Told Me Theatre.

Tuesday at Tesco’s: In which the central character, Pauline, used to be Paul and as far as her father is concerned, still is, presented by Tangled Web.

An Evening of Filth and Despair: A one-woman comedy show by Jenny May Morgan. Erotica author Pamela DeMenthe invites an audience to hear her story and presents her latest ‘masterpiece’ Sticky Digits.

The Tongue Twister: A show for all the family about a land where rhyming is banned. Recommended for anyone aged seven upwards, presented by Tangled Web.

Re:play has always featured comedy and this year Manchester stand-up Justin Moorhouse will host the Re:play Breakthrough Comedian of the Year, featuring five emerging fringe comedians.

Box office: 0161 200 1500 or www.homemcr.org