What's on in the North East

Published: 24 February 2019
Reporter: Peter Lathan

Wonderland (Northern Stage) Credit: Darren Bell
Trump the Musical (Alphabetti) Credit: Heather Isobel
Four Go Wild in Wellies (Gosforth Civic)
Old Boy (Queen's Hall, Hexham)
The Death Show (The Witham, Barnard Castle)

Rebus: Long Shadows (the casting of the main character has changed since this review was written) comes to Newcastle Theatre Royal from Monday to Saturday.

At Northern Stage on Tuesday (Stage 3), Two Tonne Theatre presents The Netherlands, a play about being the parent of a child with a learning disability in an often unhelpful world. Then from Wednesday until 9 March, Nottingham Playhouse and Northern Stage present the Nottingham Playhouse production of Wonderland, which looks at the events leading up to and during the miner’s strike. Also on Wednesday, Playing Up are back in Stage 3 with their ninth night of new writing from the North East, PU9.

At Alphabetti from Tuesday to Friday, Blowfish Theatre present Trump the Musical. Then on Friday at 9:30 in the upstairs rehearsal room (unfortunately not wheelchair accessible), Mr Shindig Reacts to… Trump the Musical. Then on Saturday there follows An Evening of Mystery with Michael Grist & Karl Scott.

At Gosforth Civic Theatre on Monday (11:00 and 4:00), Indepen-Dance4 presents Four Go Wild in Wellies, a whimsical adventure featuring bobble hats, scarves, tents that have a life of their own and, of course, lots of fun in wellies.

On Sunday at the Cumberland Arms in Byker, there are three shows by opera singer Melanie Gall, presented by CaroleW productions. At 2:30, it’s Opera Mouse, an introduction to opera for children; at 4:00, it's A Stitch in Time: A Knitting Cabaret, featuring the very nearly lost knitting songs of World Wars I & II; and finally at 7:00, Piaf and Brel: The Impossible Cabaret revives the lives, loves and songs of Edit Piaf and Jacques Brel.

On Tuesday at 6:00, Dance City’s Artistic Director Anthony Baker introduces the new season’s programme (refreshments from 5:30).

The Circus of Horrors comes to Sunderland Empire on Wednesday, and then, from Thursday to Saturday, The Mousetrap returns.

On Thursday at the Queen's Hall in Hexham, Where There's Muck There's Bras is a show about the real Northern Powerhouse, Northern Women—the sung and the unsung. Stand-up poet and Radio 4 regular Kate Fox asks who gets remembered and why (and why not). Then on Friday, Old Boy is a brand new show about the unique bond between real-life grandfathers and grandsons that explores male family relationships and the legacy that is passed down through generations.

At Durham’s Gala Theatre on Tuesday and Wednesday, New Old Friends presents Crimes on the Nile, a comedy thriller, and on Thursday, The Letter Room presents No Miracles Here.

At The Witham in Barnard Castle on Wednesday, it’s The Death Show, which invites audiences to take time out to celebrate their own mortality. To laugh, cry, stick two fingers up at the grim reaper and discover why talking about death is ultimately life affirming.

Milkshake Live! comes to Billingham Forum on Sunday at 12:00 and 3:30.

From Wednesday to Saturday, less is MORE and Middlesbrough Theatre present Waiting for Gateaux at Middlesbrough Theatre.

From Tuesday to Saturday at Darlington Hippodrome, Nick Hancock stars in Octopus Soup, a new farce.

At The Hullabaloo in Darlington but presented by Darlington Hippodrome, there are two shows for adults this week. On Thursday at 8:00, based on the classic BBC sitcom by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and performed by David Benson and Jack Lane, The Dad's Army Radio Show features three episodes, Mum's Army, The Deadly Attachment and Round And Round Went The Great Big Wheel. Then Kate Fox brings Where There’s Muck There’s Bras to the venue, also at 8:00.

Howard Coggins knows nothing about science. Stu Mcloughlin knows even less. Which is why they are presenting Giants of Science at the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond on Friday.

On Monday and Tuesday at 2:00 and 5:00, Horrible Histories brings Barmy Britain, fresh from the Apollo Theatre in the West End last summer, to Harrogate Theatre. Then on Thursday at 11:00, 2:00 and 4:00, Freckle Productions presents Zog, based on the children’s book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

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