“Nothing to prove here” Emily Hughes repeats to a rapt audience in the first monologue of Our Stories. The audience have laughed, empathised and are now quietly frightened in ‘Early Doors’ by Jimmy Fairhurst and Louise Haggerty. Hughes’ statement holds true for her character and sets the scene for the rest of the evening, where each performer is utterly captivating and at ease on stage. They assert their roles in character and as the audience relax, honestly, have nothing to prove. Performed in Hope Street Theatre’s Studio 4, the space is intimate, and the talent is remarkable.

On a cold, rainy Friday night, I braved my way to the charming Little Theatre in Birkenhead, the home of the Carlton Players, to step back in time to the '70s and witness the play adaptation of the uproarious and occasionally un-PC world of 'Some Mothers Do Ave ‘em.' Featuring the sweet, childlike, and accident-prone Frank and his patient, loving wife, Betty, the performance served as a delightful and cozy theatrical comfort blanket.

Mikyla Jane Durkan covers a lot of ground in her one woman show Dirty Old Town. With only sketch-show esque props she is alone on the stage at Hope Street Theatre yet has her audience chuckling along with ease. Written and performed by Durkan, she plays Marigold lately in a series of sketches ranging from the side-splitting, to a little random with some unexpected curveballs throughout.