Sandra Mangan, Author at Blackpool Social Club

29 Nov

Preview: Peter Pan at the Grand Theatre

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance, Visual Arts & Exhibitions

Sandra Mangan dodges the custard pies to chat with the cast of Peter Pan, who are bringing the panto spirit to the Grand Theatre this Christmas. It's almost panto time again – oh yes it is! And to prove my point, Peter Pan opens at the Grand Theatre here in Blackpool on Friday, December 6th. The favourite children's story by J M Barrie about the boy who never grows up has been transformed into a rip roaring, laugh a minute show by Martin Dodd for UK Productions. And the cast list is impressive too. Tom Lister (Emmerdale's Carl King) is Captain Hook,…

06 Sep

Preview: St Anne’s Music and Arts Festival

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsLocal News

Last September, St Annes hosted its first ever Music and Arts Festival which consisted of three event-packed days packed. Now, the festival is back - and it's bigger than ever. Running from Friday, September 6 to Saturday, September 14, there is a busy and eclectic programme of outdoor and indoor events planned and many of them are free. The festival came about when the St Annes Town Council, and other local groups such as HALSA (Holiday Association of Lytham St Annes) and the Chamber of Trade, were trying to think of ways to attract more people to the town. Last year's event proved…

05 Sep

Design Blackpool’s New Pop-Up Library

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitions

Are you a promising designer or artist? Then Blackpool Library Service would love to take a page out of your book. Always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to promote all the different services that libraries provide within the community, they want a pop up library to use at events across Blackpool - and need someone to come up with a great design. The pop up library has to look good, but also needs to be practical and dependable and easy to pop up and down. Blackpool Library Service's Reader Development Manager, Clancy Mason, explained: "We're aiming to get out…

02 Sep

Panto in the Park

Sandra Mangan1 CommentTheatre, Dance & Performance

The sun was shining as children and their parents, strolling pensioners and people walking their dogs enjoyed a late August walk in Stanley Park. There was a whiff of Christmas in the air and everyone was smiling. Woah! Rewind that previous sentence. No, I haven't been at the cooking sherry - there really was a whiff of Christmas in the air at the Stanley Park bandstand this week, as the Grand Theatre hosted its annual Panto in the Park launch. Unlike last year, the weather gods smiled on the organisers - and the sun certainly brought out the crowds, who clapped…

28 Aug

Illuminations Switch-On: Unscripted exit for Irish rockers

Sandra Mangan2 CommentsLocal News, Music & Gigs

Headline act, The Script, has been forced to pull out of Friday's Blackpool Illuminations concert. The Irish rockers took the difficult decision because of a family matter. In a statement, the band’s management said: “It is with deepest regret that The Script have had to cancel the Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On concert due to a sudden serious family illness.” They also cancelled tomorrow night's show at Leeds Academy. Natalie Wyatt, Managing Director of Marketing Blackpool, said: “We are deeply saddened that The Script have been forced to cancel their Blackpool Illuminations gig but we totally understand and appreciate that personal family matters…

28 Aug

Tribute to Reginald Dixon

Sandra Mangan4 CommentsMusic & Gigs

It might be hard for today's internet savvy, Facebook obsessed, One Direction followers to understand, but Blackpool was once home to a superstar who was loved the world over. His name is Reginald Dixon, and during his 50 year career he was up there with the recording greats, Victor Silvester and Bing Crosby. Reginald is most famous for being the Tower Ballroom organist, and his BBC radio broadcasts from the venue in the 1930s went out as often as five times a week. It's no wonder the public voted him most popular organist in a national newspaper poll, where he…

26 Aug

A Grand Panto Launch

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

It's panto time again! "Oh no it isn't," I hear you cry. Well actually, you're right - because, to be more accurate, it's panto LAUNCH time again. Wednesday 28 August is the date for your diary, and Stanley Park bandstand is the venue as the Grand Theatre launches its 2013 panto - Peter Pan. Like those tempting pressies under the Christmas tree, the cast is still under wraps, though we can pass on a few tantalising clues. Taking the stage in this popular tale of the boy who never grew up are a top Emmerdale soap star, a favourite from…

23 Aug

Preview: Charabanc Launch Weekend

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsLocal News

Find shopping boring? Tired of living in a world of identikit high streets, all-the-same chain stores and corporate clones? Never fear - Charabanc is here! This unique store promises to offer a breath of fresh air to the world of retail therapy – and best of all, it's right here in Blackpool. You'll find Charabanc set in the side of Blackpool's iconic Winter Gardens, at 1 Olympia Buildings in Coronation Street. Admire the smart new frontage, then step right inside and be spoilt for choice. Charabanc is Blackpool’s newest handmade boutique gift emporium, and it will be selling everything from hand crafted…

17 Aug

Preview: The Dead Good Poetry Show

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitions

There's not enough poetry on the radio - but all that is about to change tonight, when Fylde Coast Radio launch the first in a series of programmes called The Dead Good Poetry Show, presented by Ashley Lister - himself a member of the Dead Good Poets. The Lancashire Dead Good Poets’ Society comprises wordsmiths from across the Fylde coast, including award winning performance poets, acclaimed story tellers, published authors, English language lecturers, creative writing tutors and professional reviewers. They meet once a month at No 5 Cafe in Blackpool to host an open mic event, encouraging amateur writers at…