The Grand Theatre in Blackpool has revealed its new season programme, featuring drama from The Royal Shakespeare Company, English Touring Theatre and Shakespeare’s Globe, dance from Rugby World Cup ceremony choreographer James Wilton and a unique Hip Hop Festival direct from Sadler’s Wells London.
Eternal Love is a thought-provoking play based on the true story of doomed lovers Abelard and Heloise and presented by English Touring Theatre and Shakespeare’s Globe.
Brassed Off takes to The Grand’s stage in April, which features live music from a brass band and stars John McArdle (Brookside, Firm Friends, Waterloo Road).
Black Coffee, direct from London’s West End, stars Robert Powell as the famous detective Poirot. For comedy drama lovers, there’s the Olivier Award-winning Morecambe or Joe Orton’s black comedy Entertaining Mr Sloane.
The Grand also has a range of ballet and opera productions, including a trio of ballet masterpieces performed by The Russian State Ballet and Orchestra of Siberia; Giselle, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.
The Grand also welcomes the return of Ellen Kent with the opera La Bohème, Ballet Theatre UK with The Little Mermaid and Northern Ballet with Three Little Pigs for children.
The Grand enters its second year of Arts Council National Portfolio status, with an emphasis this season on brand new dance works. The internationally acclaimed Hofesh Schechter opens the season with his hotly-anticipated piece Sun, followed by a Dancing Partners triple bill, which includes work by Norrdans, Company Chameleon and Thomas Noone Dance Company.
Later in the season, Fabulous Beast Theatre presents Rite of Spring and Petruska, the graduate dance company 12 Degrees North returns with its new triple bill and finally James Wilton stages his brand new work Last Man Standing.
One of the most exciting highlights at the venue is Breakin’ Convention..., an all-inclusive Hip Hop festival direct from Sadler’s Wells London, featuring international Hip Hop dance companies Ill-Abilities, Ukweli Roach and Wanted Posse, as well as three local hand-picked dance crews.
The theatre will also again play a major part in Blackpool’s annual Showzam! Festival, with the song, dance and fun-filled Barney Live-The Let’s Go Tour, the dysfunctional and darkly funny Meet the Hogwallops and the ultimate musical night out Sing-a-Long-a-Grease.
In February, the Grand presents The Royal Shakespeare Company with its First Encounter production of The Taming of The Shrew. This is coming to the theatre as part of The Grand’s three-year involvement in the RSC’s Learning and Performance Network. It uses a distilled version of the original text to create a first experience of Shakespeare for all ages.