There ain’t no party like Abigail’s Party – even though we never actually go there! This Mike Leigh play holds a well-deserved place in the annals of British comedy theatre and 40 years on it still works exceedingly well with audiences.

Discounting a trip to the panto, can you remember your first visit to the theatre? Mine was to see Peter Pan in Liverpool when I was about 11. For a new generation of Blackpool theatregoers, the answer to that question is Romeo and Juliet at the Grand – and performed by the RSC, no less. What a great way for the Grand to celebrate its 125th birthday!

One of the most successful shows to come out of Ireland, Spirit of the Dance is visiting Preston tonight as part of their UK tour which has seen them travel the world playing to audiences worldwide. Aware of the popularity of Riverdance where this takes inspiration expectations are high.

Circus of Horrors is currently on tour with its 25th anniversary show. The company have appeared on many TV shows and were even semi-finalist on Britain’s got Talent 2011. The show is advertised as not family friendly or for the faint hearted.

Lipstick on Your Collar is one of a plethora of nostalgic revival, (take me back to the good ole days) tours currently doing the rounds in the UK. A dizzying array of numbers will be laid out before us, played and sung by a live band, with numbers all from the 50's and 60's, from the likes of Connie Francis, Buddy Holly , The Beatles and the Everly Brothers.

It’s my first initiation of Beyond the Barricade tonight. The well-loved show is celebrating 20 years of productions on stages across the world, so they must have a winning formula. The songs from many loved musicals from Broadway and the West End are performed with a live band.

Back when I were a lass and we had to stand up and cross the room to change the channel on’t telly, it weren’t Christmas without The Wizard of Oz appearing somewhere in the festive schedules.

Derelict is a team of artists and producers based in Preston, Lancashire last show of the year is no ‘wallflower.’ It’s the brainchild of Kate O’ Donnell, a transgender Artistic Director and actress, who has brought her own private world to the stage for all to see whilst challenging perceptions. Tonight she’ll see if the audience is worth their salt and can keep up with her and the transgender community in 2018.

It’s sad that there were so few people in the audience for this performance of Dirty Dancing. The seats were more than half empty and I do feel as though it affected the atmosphere, although of course it did not affect the passion and energy of those on stage and by the final number you could have been forgiven for thinking that they were playing to a packed house.

Accompanied by a national programme of events to see what effects our health for better or for worse, Clod Ensemble is much more than a pretty dance show.

From gender neutral costumes: skirts for the men too, to an atmospheric trip hop background music this is a whole new genre defining moment in the world of dance.

Blackpool is world famous for its illuminations, Tower, beaches and Golden Mile but it has much more for visitors – and earlier this year Visit Blackpool launched #theBside, an initiative to showcase some of the resort’s more off the wall offerings.