Paines Plough brings its portable theatre-in-the-round to Harbottle Park in Newcastle’s Byker as the culmination of Northern Stage’s Out on the Toon summer season of outdoor events in the lead up to reopening its doors to the public on 25 August.
Opening with Welcome to Byker, a live version of Northern Stage Young Company’s Byker Audio Stories inspired by people living on the Byker Wall estate, the programme also includes:
- Roundabout’s first ever musical, Black Love by Chinonyerem Odimba (Princess and The Hustler, Medea);
- Really Big and Really Loud by award-winning family playwright Phoebe Eclair-Powell (Fury, Epic Love and Pop Songs);
- Hungry, a new play about food, love, class and grief by Chris Bush (Steel, The Changing Room);
- Drag Me to Love by North East drag cabaret trio Bonnie & the Bonnettes;
- A rehearsed reading of Curious Monkey's HERE by Lindsay Rodden—set in Byker, it’s about finding sanctuary in the unlikeliest of places and was originally due to open at Northern Stage in March 2020;
- What’s In the Box?—a make-up-your-own-adventure show for families from impro company The Suggestibles;
- Byker Best Summer Ever—a free summer activity programme developed with and for young people.
Full details of times, dates and ticket prices can be found on the Northern Stage web site.