Northern Stage: getting back into gear

Published: 15 June 2021
Reporter: Peter Lathan

Natalie Ibu in the Northern Stage auditorium Credit: Christopher Owens

Northern Stage has announced how it will gradually work up to opening its doors to audiences. In May, it gave details of how, throughout June, it would be producing free Neighbourhood Events across the region, in Consett, Durham, Gateshead, Heaton, Hexham, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Shields, Stockton and Sunderland.

The next stage, just announced, will see two pop-up venues in Newcastle city centre and Byker in July and August. In July, Northern Stage and English Touring Theatre will present Trailer Story, a pop-up venue in the city centre which will offer audiences a free taster of the kinds of shows they can expect to see at Northern Stage when it reopens. Details of the programme are coming soon.

“We want to provide a safe and joyful space to come together and celebrate the return of live arts, and the immense diversity and talent of our country's artists,” ETT’s Artistic Director Richard Twyman and Executive Producer Sophie Scull explained. “We hope to make Trailer Story a platform for national and local theatre-makers, performance artists and musicians to share their work with audiences outdoors—empowering communities and celebrating imagination.”

From 12 to 15 August, Paines Plough’s Roundabout comes to Byker as part of Northern Stage’s ongoing work with the local community and its programme will open 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 will also include Roundabout’s first ever musical, Black Love by Chinonyerem Odimba, Really Big and Really Loud by Phoebe Eclair-Powell, Hungry, a new play about food, love, class and grief by Chris Bush, Drag Me to Love by North East drag cabaret trio Bonnie & the Bonnettes and a rehearsed reading of Curious Monkey's HERE by Lindsay Rodden. Set in Byker, HERE is about finding sanctuary in the unlikeliest of places and was originally due to open at Northern Stage in March 2020.

Completing the programme are What’s In the Box?—a make-up-your-own-adventure show for families from impro company The Suggestibles, and Byker Best Summer Ever, a free summer activity programme developed with and for young people. Free tickets for all Roundabout shows will be available for local residents via community partners.

The theatre opens its doors to audiences on 25 August with Housewarming, new Artistic Director and CEO Natalie Ibu’s debut season with shows including Free School Meals (25–28 August) written by Luca Rutherford with music by rapper Kay Greyson, a Northern Stage co-production with Unfolding Theatre, which has been co-created with children; the return of the Young‘uns’ critically acclaimed tale of a working class hero, The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff (7–18 September); gobscure’s provoked to madness by the brutality of wealth (1 October); Tales from the Smog, written and performed by Scott Turnbull (4–6 October); a new production of Jim Cartwright’s Road (8–30 October) in its 35th year, directed by Natalie Ibu; The Three Bears by Kitchen Zoo (25 October–13 November); a new adaptation of magical family favourite The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (27 November–31 December), written by Laura Lindow and directed by Maria Crocker; plus other new work from home-grown theatre-makers who are Northern Stage Associates, BEYOND and NORTH supported artists.

“The pandemic has affected us all in different ways,” said Natalie Ibu, “but the one thing that cuts across all our experiences is the sense of isolation and disconnection. To me, theatre is about stories that help us make sense of ourselves, each other and the world. Theatre can help us to process trauma, collectively, so live theatre is essential as we make our way into recovery. Our job is to stand with our community and make space for that to happen, which is why we can’t wait to meet audiences and artists in their local neighbourhoods this summer before welcoming everyone back to ours with a Housewarming programme where all are welcome. I have been met with such warmth in the region and I’m thrilled to be able to return the favour, throwing a season long party with some incredible local female artists breathing life back into our auditoria.”

Unfolding Theatre Artistic Director Annie Rigby will direct Free School Meals in a co-production with Northern Stage. “We’re so proud to be co-producing the show that will welcome audiences back to Northern Stage,” she said. “Bringing people together is what Unfolding Theatre is all about. It's especially exciting to be reopening the theatre with a show made with children. Free School Meals puts children in charge. Audiences will be welcomed into a restaurant run by children—taking them on a journey that reflects on power, inequality and hope for change.”

Earlier this year, Northern Stage worked with Vici Wreford-Sinnott from disabled-led theatre company Little Cog to make its programme as accessible as possible, including captions, audio description, BSL at live events, content warnings and relaxed approaches to the programme and time frames for workshops.

As well as continuing to make its work more accessible, Northern Stage will continue to offer digital access to its shows. Northern Stage at Home allow people to watch Northern Stage productions at a time or place that better suits them. There will also be a number of socially distanced performances across the season for audiences who would prefer some space, even if social distancing is no longer legally required.

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