What’s on this Spring at Shakespeare North Playhouse

Fri 15 Mar, 2024

The days are getting longer, the weather warmer and...is that the sun?! Take a look at what's happening at Shakespeare North Playhouse this Spring!

THE COCKPIT THEATRE

Richard, My Richard

13-30th March

With an explosion of tarmac, Leicester City Car park erupts and Richard III crashes from his lost tomb to meet the character who has ruined his reputation: History – the record keeper who doesn’t always have their mind on the task.

Philippa Gregory’s Richard, My Richard is a passionate, tender portrait of man in his time, surrounded by the women who determine his fate.Funny, poignant and underpinned by the facts of the past, Richard’s secrets may have died with him, here he rises up to tell us the story, his story, History.

With The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen novels from the same writer, the debut of the new stage play will be one for the History books for sure!

 

Twelfth Night

7-29th June

Headlining the Cockpit Stage this summer, the brilliantly bold Not Too Tame return with an electrifying production of Twelfth Night, starring Les Dennis as Malvolio.

The company that brought you ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ return with their unique brand of high octane theatre in a hilarious yet heart-breaking tale of unrequited love.

Inspired by the world of the music industry, Not Too Tame are turning it up to 11 for their production of ‘Twelfth Night or What You Will’. Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identities gets an injection of riffs, ruffs and riotous partying.

An Audience with Phil Jones

Friday 5^th April

Leader of Afraid of Mice, Up and Running and solo since 2010, Phil Jones is a genuine Liverpool legend. An outstanding multi-instrumentalist, Phil has played every live room in the city, except ours!

Justin Moorhouse: Stretch and think

6^th April

Justin is back: still funny, yet middle aged…

A brand new show that may contain: Yoga, getting  older, Madonna, shoplifters, Labradoodles, middle-aged cyclists, The Menopause, running, hating football fans but loving football, not drinking, funerals, is Tapas a rip off?, Captain Tom, Droylsden, the environment, self-improvement, ruining a sexual position, electric car charging spots used by doggers, nursery graduation, horses, Stig look-a-likes, home cooked food in places that aren’t your own home, the odd advantages of fundamental religions, the gym, shop door etiquette. And he’s got a new suit. Come, it’ll be fun.

Shakespeare’s Craft: An evening with Ben Crystal

26^th April

To begin our weekend of Shakespeare’s birthday celebrations, take an evening to time-travel with our very own Shakespearean Dr Who.

Expanding on his renowned TEDx talk, our Associate Artist of Shakespeare North comes to the Cockpit Theatre to explore Shakespeare’s Craft.

Find out what it was like being an actor 400 years ago, and why modern theatres like the Shakespeare North Playhouse are so exciting (and look so much bigger on the inside). Hear the accent of Shakespeare’s time – as well as the humour that comes with it, and discover – once and for all – exactly how Will Shakespeare became an overnight success…

There will be a Q&A at the end, and Ben will be signing copies of his books before and after the talk.

Becoming Othello

27^th April

A personal, poignant and powerful story of perseverance, tragedy, triumph—and ultimately unconditional love.

What the Critics Say:

Byrd’s life as a single mother and as an artist provide her with the grounding and depth necessary to inhabit Othello, but it is the willing bravery to share her unseen truths that most resonates with her audiences.

The School for Scandal

30 April- 4^th May

GOSSIP NEVER GOES OUT OF FASHION. Sir Peter Teazle believes his young wife is sleeping with someone else. She isn’t. But she’s starting to think if her husband believes it, she may as well give it a go. After all, if you’re going to cause a scandal, you might as well enjoy it…

Deliciously naughty and outrageously silly, this timeless comedy is a masterclass in social satire and the art of gossip. Reimagined into the 20^th century and featuring an unforgettable cast of larger-than-life characters, each armed with a lacerating wit, The School for Scandal is one of the greatest comedies ever written.

Collaborator: A work in progress by Daniel Kitson

15-17^th May

I dislike audience participation.  I think It’s creatively bankrupt, ethically questionable and if I see it mentioned in the blurb for a show, I will not attend due to moral objections and/or personal discomfort.

Anyway.

I’ve written something about that and it’s got just over 200 parts.

So…

Collaborator was conceived specifically to be performed in the round and is re-written a bit for each particular venue.  This will be something between the 4th and 7th staging and maybe the eighth rewrite and, I have to say, it’s getting quite good.

 

THE STUDIO

BUCKLED

21-23rd March

Ruby doesn’t think she has a problem, Maggie’s almost six months into recovery, then there’s Callum…

Family, friendship and booze

Drinking to remember

And drinking to forget

Written and directed by Helen Jeffery, this new piece dives deep into the drinking culture of contemporary Britain as it asks the question: How do you navigate sobriety in a world that revolves around drink?

Double Bill: Regina Monologues/ S.P.A.C.E

25th March

A double-bill of laughter and tears. Two plays by women, with women, for women.

The Regina Monologues– A modern take on the wives of Henry VIII – explores six women married to one man through their experiences of Love, Sex, Marriage, Childbirth, Motherhood and Divorce. Funny. Poignant and explicit.

Followed by S.P.A.C.E. where menopausal Crazy is lost in chaos and trying to declutter her life. Soon her alter-ego Sanity arrives to help but will they ever find harmony and the space to breathe?

Richard III (ish)

30th March

It’s only Shakespeare, how hard can it be?

The Loons are here to perform their new musical take on Shakespeare’s classic tragedy of power and betrayal – only the van with all the actors, the set and the script seems to have broken down in the middle of nowhere, so it’s up to a well-meaning Stagehand to grab a guitar and do the whole show themselves…

Cream-faced Loons are back with their sell-out blend of music, madness and mischief in this one-person re-telling of one of Shakespeare’s most popular tragedies – expect silliness, Shakespeare(ish) and oh yeah, audience you may need to get involved!

Fat Chance

2nd April

“I’m not saying I’m not beautiful. I’m saying I’m fat AND beautiful”

Meet Rachel – a 20-something actress from Boro whose funny, celebratory and politically powerful one-woman play explores her true-life experience of weight gain from size 8 to 18. From audition nerves and throwaway comments to literally breaking a leg, this unconventional play is for:

Anyone who felt like they had to shrink themselves.

Anyone who’s put on or lost weight.

Anyone who feels like they don’t fit.

Replica

4-6th April

Imaginarium Young Actors Company presents a brand-new National Theatre Connections Play ‘Replica’ by Titus Halder.

What was meant to be a fun, school trip to the museum, brings back problems and questions for these troubled teens. When being popular is seen as the most important thing in their lives, how does the new kid cope when rumours circulate doubting his own human existence.

Behold Ye Ramblers

9- 10th April

From the voices of ramblers and campaigners to the songs and poetry inspired by past and current struggles.

Behold Ye Ramblers is a new play about The Clarion newspaper and the organisations formed by its readership, including the famous rambling clubs, like Sheffield’s Clarion Ramblers, the Clarion Cyclists and Clarion Vans.

An Evening with Dross

26-27th April

Join Liverpool’s Art House witch and drag shapeshifter Dross for an evening of dark, queerly decadent cabaret, storytelling and physical comedy in our Studio!

Dross’ signature blend of biography and fantasy will weave together a multimedia patchwork of drag, lip-sync, film and music to create a dazzling, intimate performance that encourages us all to live with a little more glamour…

See you there darlings!

No Coward Soul

26 June

In the midst of a painfully amicable divorce, one woman strives to survive alone.

Why must everything be so difficult?

“…she cleverly and wittily explores what she perceives society is throwing at her…”

 

WORKSHOPS, TOURS AND MORE

Elizabethan Portrait Sketching

15th March

Inspired by the images of significant figures from Prescot’s history in our embroidered banner, join us for a relaxed session sketching pen portraits of live sitters from Speke Hall, costumed in an Elizabethan period style.

Drawing materials will be provided and no experience is required.

Baby Bards

19 March- 30^th July

Join our Learning & Engagement Team for a Baby Bards early years story and language session for pre school children aged 18 months to 4 years old.

Introducing story, letters and phonics through readings and fun activities, your little ones will be Bards in no time.

Each child attending should be accompanied by an adult – adults and children will need their own ticket.

Please note: There is no longer a transaction fee for this event.

For those of you interested and have attended, why not join our new Facebook community: Budding Bards! Get creative with your Buddings Bards and be inspired by Shakespeare: Baby Bards Facebook Group

Shakespeare North Life Drawing

23-29th June

Join us for bi-weekly life drawing sessions in spaces across the venue.

Each session will have a nude model to draw from in a variety of poses. The sessions are suitable for beginners as well as more experienced artists.

Materials and support will be provided for those who need it, but you are also welcome to bring your own sketchbooks and dry materials to the sessions (i.e., pencils, pens, graphite, charcoal in pencil form).

DATES AND SPACES:

Sat 9 Mar – Exhibition Gallery

Sat 23 Mar – Exhibition Gallery

Sat 6 Apr – Exhibition Gallery

Sat 20 Apr – Exhibition Gallery

Sat 4 May – Exhibition Gallery

Sat 18 May – Exhibition Gallery

Sat 1 Jun – Exhibition Gallery

Sat 15 Jun – Exhibition Gallery

Sat 29 Jun – Exhibition Gallery

Design A Show! Theatre Design Workshop

Tuesday 2^nd April

Ever wondered what it would be like to design your very own show?

Join us in this family workshop where we will explore various elements of designing theatre, from initial concept, to staging, props, set and costume.

Working together as a family, you will leave with a full creative vision and mini model stage designed and created by you!