Aviva Studios, Manchester The late singer gets a thrilling tribute from a cast of 10 dancers in Sonya Taleh’s heartfelt show ‘I’m just a troubled soul who needs to scream into a mic now and then,” said Sinéad O’Connor. Troubles and screams both sing out in The Surge, an ode to her by American choreographer Sonya Tayeh. The singer, who died in 2023, attracted both worship and scorn in her lifetime. The Surge is an act of devotion – 10 women sit on pews, swaying, sliding and indeed surging around them. They leap up, circle and shudder as the songs possess them – moved and inspired, they might be dancing in tongues. Continue reading…
The Surge review – a wild and haunting wake for Sinéad O’Connor

By Rupert Blackwood
Investigative journalist based in Sheffield, focusing on technology's impact on society. Rupert specializes in cybercrime's effect on communities, from online fraud targeting elderly residents to cryptocurrency scams. His reporting examines social media manipulation, digital surveillance, and how criminal networks operate in cyberspace. With expertise in computer systems, he connects technical complexity with real-world consequences for ordinary people
