Spring season of shows at Theatre Royal unveiled
The Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds has today (Tuesday, October 15) released details of the new spring season line-up with plenty of great shows on offer with something to suit everyone.
The first Theatre Royal production of the year, Shirley Valentine (Fri 31 Jan – Sat 15 Feb), gets the season underway. Shirley is a housewife, her best friend offers her a trip to Greece for two weeks and she secretly packs her bags, heading for the sun and a new world outlook. Keddy Sutton stars in this revival of Willy Russell’s heart-warming and vibrant comedy.
Later in the season, Oliver Twist (Thu 9 – Sat 11 Apr) – a reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic tale featuring original songs by David Lewington (Our Day Out).
There’s plenty of drama, in The Dame. Peter Duncan gives a ‘powerful and moving’ 5 star performance; Eclipse Theatre present The Gift, an outrageous play about imperialism; Dead Good is VAMOS Theatre’s brand new full-mask production; In Loyal Company is the incredible true story of a missing World War II soldier, written and performed by his great nephew; Northern Broadsides are back with Quality Street, J.M. Barrie’s delicious farce; in Harpy, National Treasure Su Pollard gives a razor-sharp bittersweet one-woman performance; Tilted Wig Productions present Lady Chatterley’s Lover, D H Lawrence’s sensual book that changed Britain; Out of Joint return with The Glee Club, the story of a musical revolution; and Oddsocks Productions present The Comedy of Errors, their chaotic production of William Shakespeare’s classic tale.
Laughter is guaranteed with all the comedy coming up. Griff Rhys Jones (pictured above) returns to the theatre with his brand-new stand-up show, All Over The Place; and John Shuttleworth’s Back … is giving him trouble when he returns to regale audiences with an evening of his classic songs; Mark Thomas uses his trademark style of story telling and stand-up in 50 Things About Us; the musical maestros of Showstopper! The Improvised Musical will conjure up two new brand-new and hilarious musicals based on audience suggestions (one musical each night) and for the first time at the Theatre Royal they will also present their children’s version, The Showstoppers’ Kids Show too; a joyous reimagining of classic P G Wodehouse characters sees three actors hurl themselves from role to role with Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense; Apollo Theatre Company present another radio classic on stage – Round The Horne; London Classic Theatre present Alan Ayckbourn’s comic masterpiece of social climbing in 1970s surburbia, Absurd Person Singular; Helen Wood’s one-woman quest to visit every property on their books The National Trust Fan Club arrives at (National Trust owned) Theatre Royal; Gavin Robertson presents a pair of shows: Bond An Unauthorised Parody explodes every cliché in the book(s) and Greg Byron Stand Up Poet who is funny, sardonic, witty, outraged or just plain silly; and New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich present a murderous musical romp with Burke & Hare.
Lovers of music have lots to look forward to with tributes to big name musicians such as Oh! What A Night (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons); A Celebration of Barbara Streisand; Buddy Holly and the Cricketers; and An Evening Without Kate Bush. Comedy string quartet Bowjangles presents a theatrical musical journey through myths and legends in Excalibow; movie musical lovers will get their chance to join the circus with Sing-A-Long-A The Greatest Showman; and in Total Pop Party modern day pop legends are celebrated with an introductory show for kids who are too young to go to the big concerts.
Once again we have plenty for dance aficionados, Ballet Theatre UK present Giselle, a haunting classic in its full glory set to the stunning music by Adolphe Adam; and Ballet Central will present their 2020 showcase, including a captivating and diverse repertoire created by internationally acclaimed choreographers.
As fundraisers for Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds a screening of The Personal History of David Copperfield, which was partially filmed in the auditorium of the theatre in 2018; the popular Golf Day is back, pitting teams of four against each other in competition at Stowmarket Golf Club; Bury St Edmunds Concert Band are back with A Night At The West End; The Pasadena Roof Orchestra will play swing, dance and hot jazz classics at Ickworth House, and Chris Ingham Trio and Joanna Eden play The Vaults with a Jazz Dinner at the Angel Hotel.
Families are in for a treat with plenty of fun coming to the stage: Protein presents The Little Prince; Immersion Theatre return with Rapunzel; Tall Stories Theatre are back with Room on the Broom; Get Lost & Found present Roald Dahl & The Imagination Seekers; Lyngo Theatre perform Jack & The Beanstalk; Mimika Theatre present their interweaved stories Small Worlds inside a magical canvas dome; and there will be science and silliness abound in Morgan & West: Unbelievable Science.
As ever, Theatre Royal is proud to play host to local companies: Irving Stage Company present their versions of classic musical Chicago and Agatha Christie’s Murder On The Nile; BSEAODS are back with Annie; The Platinum Dance Academy present their Spring Show 2020; Finborough Prep School are staging Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr; Bury Theatre Workshop present rollicking comedy Tom Jones; and Hazelwood Dance are back with a new showcase performance.
Tickets go on general sale on Saturday, October 26, at 10am. There is a seven-day pre-sale period for Theatre Royal members starting Saturday, October 19, at 10am, Friends Memberships start at £47 per year and in addition to accessing the presale you’ll make savings on tickets. To find out more about Theatre Royal memberships visit www.theatreroyal.org/support-us
Booking is simple, just visit www.theatreroyal.org and log in to book online, call the Box Office on 01284 769505, or stop by and say hello in person.
FULL LISTING
JANUARY/FEBRUARY
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical (Fri 24 & Sat 25 Jan)
The Showstopper Kids Show (Sat 25 Jan)
Shirley Valentine (Fri 31 Jan – Sat 15 Feb) – Sat 15 Feb, 2pm Touch Tour, 3pm Audio Described and Captioned Performance
Lunchtime Concert: Gabriella Dall’Olio (Thu 13 Feb)
The Little Prince (Tue 18 Feb)
The Dame (Wed 19 & Thu 20 Feb)
Oh! What A Night (Fri 21 Feb)
Rapunzel (Sat 22 & Sun 23 Feb)
Jeeves & Wooster In Perfect Nonsense (Mon 24 – Wed 26 Feb)
The Gift (Thu 27 – Sat 29 Feb)
MARCH
Griff Rhys Jones: All Over The Place (Sun 1 Mar)
Dead Good (Tue 3 Mar)
In Loyal Company (Wed 4 Mar)
Streisand. The Music. The Lady. The Legend. (Thu 5 Mar)
Bowjangles Presents Excalibow (Fri 6 Mar)
Sing-a-Long-a: The Greatest Showman (Sat 7 Mar)
Quality Street (Tue 10 – Sat 14 Mar) – Sat 14 Mar, 3pm – 2pm Touch Tour, 3pm Audio Described and Captioned Performance
Lunchtime Concert: Gypsy Carnival (Thu 12 Mar)
Bury Concert Band A Night At The West End (Sun 15 Mar)
Harpy (Wed 18 Mar)
Room On The Broom (Thu 19 – Sun 22 Mar)
Round The Horne (Mon 23 & Tue 24 Mar)
Giselle (Wed 25 & Thu 26 Mar)
John Shuttleworth’s Back (Fri 27 Mar)
Buddy Holly and The Cricketers (Sat 28 Mar)
APRIL
Chicago (Tue 31 Mar – Sat 4 Apr)
Lunchtime Concert: The Mirlitons Flute Choir (Thu 2 Apr)
Golf Day at Stowmarket Golf Club (Thu 9 Apr)
Oliver Twist (Thu 9 – Sat 11 Apr)
Lady Chatterley’s Lover (Tue 14 – Sat 18 Apr)
Mark Thomas: Fifty Things About Us (Sun 19 Apr)
The Glee Club (Tue 21 – Sat 25 Apr)
Absurd Person Singular (Tue 28 Apr – Sat 2 May)
MAY
Platinum Dance Academy (Sun 3 May)
The Little Mermaid Jr (Wed 6 – Fri 8 May)
Annie (Tue 12 – Sat 16 May)
Lunchtime Concert: Yalda Davis & James Recknell (Thu 14 May)
The National Trust Fan Club (Tue 19 May)
Ballet Central (Wed 20 & Thu 21 May)
Bond An Unauthorised Parody (Fri 22 May)
Roald Dahl & The Imagination Seekers (Sat 23 May)
Greg Byron Stand Up Poet (Sat 23 May)
Jack & The Beanstalk (Tue 26 May)
Total Pop Party (Wed 27 May)
Small Worlds (Thu 28 May)
Morgan & West: Unbelievable Science (Fri 29 May)
JUNE
Burke & Hare (Tue 2 – Sat 6 Jun)
The Comedy of Errors (Thu 11 – Sat 13 Jun)
Tom Jones (Wed 17 – Sat 20 Jun)
Lunchtime Concert: A Postcard From London’s Crouch End (Thu 18 Jun)
An Evening Without Kate Bush (Sun 21 Jun)
Beyond Walls Festival (Mon 22 – Sat 27 Jun)
JULY