What's on in the North East

Published: 17 February 2019
Reporter: Peter Lathan

What the Moon Saw (Northern Stage)
Mary's Hand (Queen's Hall, Hexham)
My Mother Said I Never Should (Middlesbrough Theatre)

Newcastle’s Theatre Royal remains dark because of the cancellation of the tour of Doctor Doolittle.

Luca Rutherford’s Political Party, an ARC Stockton Production co-commissioned by the Albany, Camden People’s Theatre, Northern Stage and Unity Theatre, comes to Stage 3 at Northern Stage on Tuesday. Then from Thursday to Saturday (various times) in Stage 2 2Faced Dance presents What The Moon Saw, a journey through the night, a new dance and circus performance for little ones and their families, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen. Finally on Saturday the Showstoppers present two shows, The Showstoppers’ Kids Show at 2:15 and Showstopper! The Improvised Musical at 7:30.

Approaching Empty continues at Live Theatre until Saturday.

At the Tyne Theatre and Opera House on Saturday (1:00 and 4:00) and Sunday (10:00 and 1:00), Cbeebies favourite Bing Live! comes to Newcastle.

Bacon Knees and Sausage Fingers continues at Alphabetti Theatre until Saturday at 7:30. Following the show from Tuesday to Thursday, it’s The Twisting Ducks React To…Bacon Knees & Sausage Fingers and on Friday, Open Heart Theatre presents the February edition of its impro show Let Us Make It Up To You.

Mad Etiquette bring two shows to Gosforth Civic Theatre in Newcastle on Thursday. At 11:00 and 2:00, they present kids’ show Captain Cauliflower and Marvin the Mischievous Moose and at 7:30, they present The Establishment: Fool Britannia, their adults’ show about Britain’s worst school. There are more details in our news story of 21st January.

War Horse continues at Sunderland Empire until Saturday.

On Friday at Arts Centre Washington, TurnAround Dance Theatre presents The Thief, the Fox & the Phoenix, a show for children which combines aerial circus, dance, live singing and storytelling.

A new show for the under-10s, Arbuthnot and Pals’ Detective Agency which stars three panto favourites Arbuthnot, Puddles the Dog and Cutlet the sheep, comes to the Customs House in South Shields from Tuesday to Friday at 11:00 (except Tuesday) and 2:00.

At the Queen’s Hall in Hexham on Friday, mezzo-soprano Clare McCaldin plays Bloody Mary, reflecting on her life: her royal family, her faith, her marriage, her desperate desire for a child and her blackened name, in Mary’s Hand.

On Monday at 11:30 and 2:30, The Panto Company presents The Little Mermaid at Playhouse Whitley Bay.

At Billingham Forum this week, Tom Rolfe Productions present Sleeping Beauty from Tuesday to Thursday (various times) and then on Friday at Saturday at 7:30, their adult panto Big Dick Whittington and his Little Pussy.

At ARC Stockton on Wednesday, Nearly There Yet presents Home Sweet Home in which Kaveh Rahnama, part Iranian, part Welsh, explores home and belonging. Then, on Friday and Saturday at 11:30 and 2:30 for children of 3 to 8 years old, Filskit Theatre presents Stella, the story of Stella, a star engineer who, from her home on the Moon, keeps the stars shining bright for when we need them most, to make a wish or find our way back home. But down on Earth things are changing…

At Middlesbrough Theatre on Tuesday (7:00) and Wednesday (2:00 and 7:00), Oddsocks presents Robin Hood and the Revolting Peasants. Then on Thursday at 7:30, London Classic Theatre presents My Mother Said I Never Should. Finally on Sunday at 2:00, Story Pocket Theatre presents David Baddiel's children’s show ANiMALCOLM the Musical, the story of a school trip like no other.

Rain Man comes to Darlington Hippodrome from Monday to Saturday.

Engine House Theatre brings Grandad's Island (for ages 4 to 8) to The Hullabaloo in Darlington from Thursday to Saturday (various times). Syd’s favourite person in the whole wide world is Grandad; Grandad’s favourite person is Syd. And they set off on an adventure together…

Untold Dance Theatre presents Women-Wise in which an intergenerational cast of seven women share stories of finding confidence through comedic and thought provoking dance theatre at Harrogate Theatre on Thursday. In The Studio on the same evening, Off the Middle performs In Other Words, a love story which explores the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and the transformative power of music in our lives. On Friday, also in The Studio, Wild is new piece of theatre about how we might be using the wrong language when we talk about birth—part riot, part disco, part rite of passage. Finally on Saturday, Tmesis Theatre presents Beyond Belief: what would happen if you could live forever? If you could bring someone back to life by resurrecting their digital soul?

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