Sunderland Stages, which aims to bring new and exciting theatre to often unexpected locations in the city, has announced its autumn programme.
23 September at 11:30, 1:30 and 3:00
Zest Theatre presents
First Person
A free drop-in show in The Bridges shopping centre
Two players enter the labyrinth of a virtual world and compete for the ultimate prize: happiness. Made especially for public spaces and influenced by video games, First Person is fusion of fast paced narrative, physical theatre and silent disco technology.
Suitable for all ages. Running time: 30 minutes.
6 October
Open Clasp and Live Theatre present
Rattle Snake
Royalty Theatre
Open Clasp’s follow up to Key Change is a two woman show tackling the issue of coercive controlling domestic abuse. (Read our preview feature on the play.)
Suitable for age 13+.
12 October
The Toll
The Peacock
Raconteur poet Luke Wright tours the flat-roofed pubs and half-bought couches of Brexit Britain. He struggles with doubt, duty and a score of half-cut nights spent shouting impotently at Question Time. With support from NE Door-to-Door Poet, Rowan McCabe.
18 October
A Zest Theatre and Half Moon co-production
What Once Was Ours
Sunderland College Bede Campus
An immersive new show for young people about identity and belonging. Created against the background of Brexit, this production explores how politics and national values impact on the complex lives of one family.
Age 12+. Contains occasional strong language.
23 October at 2:00
Handbendi Brúðuleikhús (Iceland) presents
Tröll
Miss Tina’s, Beaumont Street, Southwick
For 17 million years the trolls have lived peacefully on their quiet island. But now the humans have come. Will these very different beings be able to live together? An puppetry version of an Icelandic folk tale told through the eyes of a little girl and her unusual friend in the mountains.
Suitable for ages 3yrs+ and families.
Part of TakeOff Festival 2017 and suitable for age 3+.
Sunderland Stages and Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
Half Term Curiosities
Featuring The Crochet Brothers
A day (11:00 to 3:00) of fun activities and curiosities, featuring The Crochet Brothers, L Prang and Boston, with their crochet beards and three wheeler trike. The’ll have stories to tell and there’ll be a curiosities trail and beard making.
There will be three Crochet Brothers walkabout performances during the day.
Suitable for all ages.
2 November
Stupid
By Sian Armstrong
Arts Centre Washington
Stupid’s world has been turned upside down. Everything is broken. She has a theory, a theory to fix it – relatively speaking. Come and join her in a quest to find the answers, solve the problems, to look out at the world as it really is – perhaps then we can find some perspective.
8 November at 5:00 and 8:00
fanSHEN
Disaster Party
The Peacock
You are cordially invited to the party of the year, at the exclusive residence of Texan oil tycoon Dame Esmerelda Malone where, along with fourteen other players, you will be given everything you need to become a guest at a party to remember. There are drinks and dinner and some dramatic developments that nobody had anticipated. How will your character respond? You decide…
Sunderland Stages and Arts Centre Washington present
Canny Carnival
A festival of arts for age 0 – 5
Arts Centre Washington
There’s Strollercoaster, an immersive stimulating experience; the Bare Toed Dance company who combine movement, play, dance, trapeze and music creating a magical interactive experience; live music from Tiny Tweeties; theatre dress up and creative play with Theatre Tots
and proper canny crafty activities with award winning ARTventures.
15 November
Kelly Abbott Dance Theatre
Launch Day
Sunderland College Bede Campus
In collaboration with visual artist Alexander Millar, Launch Day celebrates the industrial history of our North East shipyard communities.
26 November
Middle Child
I Hate Alone
The Peacock
The world has cheated Chloe and Danielle their whole lives. Every time something has gone wrong, every time something has been taken away, someone else has been behind it. Righteous indignation turns violent as two best friends take aim at the world driven along by a riotous soundtrack.
2 December at 11:00 and 2:00
Half Moon with a Wrongsemble Production present
Three
The National Glass Centre
Three wishes, three witches, three sisters, three pigs, three bears, three musketeers...Three singing actors weave together famous tales, featuring the elusive number three. The flamboyant players burst from their wagon of forgotten fables to re-tell the stories of Rumpelstiltskin, Goldilocks and Grimms’ Three Wanderers as never before.
For age 3 – 8.