Durham’s Gala Theatre has announced its autumn season, running from September to December 2017. As well as theatre, the season contains the usual mix of music and comedy.
Theatre highlights are:
6 September
Engine Shed presents
Wisdom of a Fool
Written and performed by Jack Lane, with additional material by Martyn Bell
The story of comedian Norman Wisdom, which looks behind his well-known character to reveal a tough and lonely childhood.
9 September
Cranked Anvil presents
Cornered
By Jeff Brown
Wise Men Say
By Paul Dunn
A double bill of new football-related plays.
28 – 30 September
London Classic Theatre
Private Lives
By Noël Coward
Coward’s 1930 hit which he wrote in three days.
3 October
Next Up
Scratch performances of work in various stages of development.
13 October
Bonnie and the Bonnettes
Drag Me to Love
So imagine this. You are 14 years old and you are a drag queen. It’s golden stilettos, ripped fishnets, shoulder pads, and neon bobs. It’s expression. It’s glamour. It’s power. It’s Doncaster, 2009.
15 October (3:00)
Little Cog presents
Dust of the Street’s Shining
By Alison Carr
This is the story of Una (played by Jacqueline Phillips), who finds that her escape from a panic attack on a crowded bus leads her into a world she finds familiar but not quite in the way she knew. Told through a wild and wide-ranging monologue, she finds herself castaway in an urban limbo-land where her memories and imaginings rear-up like ghostly reflections from the rain-washed street.
23 October
English Touring Opera
Giulio Cesare (Part 1)
G F Handel
24 October
English Touring Opera
Giulio Cesare (Part 2)
G F Handel
5 November (1:30 & 4:00)
CBeebies presents
Mister Maker & the Shapes Live!
23 November – 6 January
Gala Theatre presents
Robinson Crusoe
Written and directed by Neil Armstrong and Paul Hedley
Various times
4 – 30 December
Gala Theatre presents
Mrs Claus’ Kitchen
With original music, puppetry and live performance, an interactive show for the under-5s.
Various times
8 December
The Suggestibles’ Impro Pantso
The annual totally improvised pantomime for one night only.
The Gala will also host some of the TakeOff children’s theatre festival productions: Twist (a radical retelling of Oliver Twist for age 13+) on 18 October; A Square World (for age 3 – 6) on 18 & 19 (various times); iPet (for age 2½+ years) on 19 & 20 (various times); Leaf (for age 0 – 3) on 19 to 21 (various times); The Party (for age 3 – 8) 19 (7:00) & 21 (4:00); Little Red Riding Hood (for age 3 – 8) 2 (at 1:30) and 21 (at 11:00).