Nottingham Playhouse smashed all previous box-office records in 2017 with its biggest-ever selling theatre production, Stephen Lowe’s Touched, its annual review reveals.
Two Nottingham actors featured in the wartime drama, BAFTA television award winner Vicky McClure who was appearing in her first professional theatrical production and Aisling Loftus, a rising star who had been seen on the small screen in Mr Selfridge and War and Peace.
The Playhouse also “reached new people and forged stronger connections in the theatrical community” through co-productions with Northern Stage, Nuffield Southampton, West Yorkshire Playhouse, ajtc and New Perspectives Theatre Company.
A co-production with associate artists Fifth Word, Jane Upton’s All The Little Lights and Tony Barrett’s Tony’s Last Tape both went on tour. Tony’s Last Tape was selected to represent the city at a Nottingham in Parliament day. Philip Bretherton recreated his performance as Tony Benn to an audience that included several MPs and the Benn family.
The theatre’s fundraising efforts continued during 2016-17, with its SHINE appeal flying past its £54,000 target thanks largely to the Playhouse’s panto audiences. It meant that seven new youth theatres for children aged between 8 and 16 could be started across the city and county.
The review is available at the Nottingham Playhouse web site.