Spring at Northern Stage

Newcastle’s Northern Stage has announced its spring season which runs from January to June 2019.

The first in-house production, co-produced with Birmingham Rep and directed by the Rep’s Artistic Director Roxana Silbert, will be UK stage première of Khaled Hosseini’s international best-selling novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, adapted for the stage by Ursula Rani Sarma.

“A Thousand Splendid Suns is a rare glimpse into 30 years of contemporary Afghan history,” said Silbert. “Ursula Rani Sarma’s emotionally stirring adaptation effortlessly weaves the extraordinary story of two radiant women who struggle to survive the terrifying political situation they find themselves in. The result is an inspiring, enlightening and magical theatrical experience.”

“This play is about the immense strength and endurance of women and how they can survive tremendous suffering to keep those they love alive,” added Sarma. “It is also about how even in the darkest of times and places, love can grow and sustain the human spirit beyond all pain and hardship. It’s about friendship and loyalty, courage and selflessness, grief and violence.”

It runs from 30 May to 15 June 2019.

Also in-house is the latest production from the Northern Stage Young Company who follow up the success of Where Do We Stand? with their new production Where Do We Belong? which runs from 24 to 26 April.

Among a plethora of visiting productions are:

• 27 February – 9 March
  Wonderland
  By Beth Steel and directed by Adam Penford, Nottingham Playhouse’s Artistic Director.

  The play, which takes a 360° look at the events leading up to and during the miners’ strike, premièred at Hampstead Theatre in 2014 and was revived earlier this year in Nottingham.

• 12 – 16 February
  Jack Lear
  By Bennison and directed by Barrie Rutter for Hull Truck

  A reworking of King Lear set on the Humber as wealthy trawlerman Jack Lear is preparing to retire and hand over his hard-earned fleet to his feisty trio of daughters.

• 5 – 9 March
  Trainspotting
  By Irvine Welsh, adapted by Harry Gibson

  James Seabright presents the King's Head Theatre and In Your Face Theatre production.

  WARNING: Contains nudity, strong language, sex, violence, drug / needle use, and lots of mess. May induce claustrophobia.

• 8 – 13 April
  Rain Man
  Presented by Bill Kenwright and based on the Oscar-winning film

  This will be the première production in a new series under the Classic Screen to Stage Company banner.

• 25 – 27 April
  Chekhov’s First Play
  A Dead Centre and Battersea Arts Centre co-production

  During the turmoil of the Russian Revolution in 1917, Maria Chekhov, Anton’s sister, placed many of her late brother’s manuscripts and papers in a safety deposit box in Moscow.

  In 1921, Soviet scholars opened the box and discovered a play. The title page was missing. The play they found has too many characters, too many themes, too much action. All in all, it’s generally dismissed as unstageable. Like life.

• 30 April – 4 May
  Equus
  By Peter Shaffer
  Produced by English Touring Theatre and directed by Ned Bennett

  This new production opens at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in February prior to a national tour.

• 7 – 11 May
  Noughts and Crosses
  Sabrina Mahfouz’s new adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s novel for young adults
  Produced by Pilot Theatre and directed by Artistic Director Esther Richardson

  Told from the perspectives of the two teenagers, Noughts & Crosses is a love story set in a volatile, racially segregated society and explores the themes of love, revolution and what it means to grow up in a divided world.

Among a larger than normal number of shows for children this season are:

• Princess Charming (23 February) explores gender stereotypes in a questioning way for children aged 7+.
• Dr Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat (27 – 31 March) is aimed aged 4+.
• Northern Ballet presents live ballet, music and theatre for children aged 3+ in Puss in Boots (18 April).
• Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen, What the Moon Saw (21-23 February) is a new dance and circus performance for ages 3+.
• We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (6-9 February) comes from the West End, for children for aged 3+.
• Showstopper! Kids Show (23 February) turn kids’ ideas into musical adventures in this comedy improv show for kids aged 6+.
• The Isle of Brimsker (29-30 April) is a new multi-sensory story for young people aged 13+ from Frozen Light, specialists in making theatre for audiences with profound and multiple learning disabilities.
• Kitchen Zoo follows up its production of The Owl and the Pussycat with The Tin Foil Astronaut (28 May – 1 June), a space adventure for children aged 3 to 7 years.

Dance shows this season are:

• BalletBoyz: Them & Us (22-23 March) features two brand new works set to original scores.
• Proceso Eterno (6 April) from female flamenco dancer Patricia Guerrero.
• Northern Ballet: Mixed Programme (16-18 April) features three new works by three young choreographers.
• Abbott Dance Theatre returns with Deeds Not Words (21 May), a dance theatre piece commemorating women’s suffrage in the UK.