dressed., Metamorphosis, Kourtney Kardashian, Peril At Sea, ZOG, updates on Mockingbird and Doctor Dolittle
dressed. – tour starts 25 February
dressed. premièred at last year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe where it won a Scotsman Fringe First.
This story about reclaiming one’s body after being stripped at gunpoint, female friendship and the healing power of clothes has been created by four school friends Josie Dale-Jones, Lydia Higginson, Nobahar Mahdavi and Olivia Norris with dramaturgy by Laurence Cook.
Based on true events, the play uses storytelling, live sewing, music by Nobahar (Imogen) Mahdavi and Alex Paton, dance and clowning to turn a traumatic experience into something "beautiful and resilient".
dressed. is presented by ThisEgg in collaboration with Made My Wardrobe. It visits Battersea Arts Centre London, Tron Theatre Glasgow, Shoreditch Town Hall London, Traverse Theatre Edinburgh, Tobacco Factory Theatres Bristol, The Garage Norwich (as part of Norfolk & Norwich Festival) and HOME Manchester. Trigger warning: this show explores themes of rape and sexual assault which some audience members may find distressing.
Metamorphosis – tour starts 26 February
Franz Kafka’s classic story of a man who transforms into a beetle is presented in a new adaptation using its modern setting to look at themes of mental health and pressures on families to care for a person who is in some way debilitated.
The transformation is depicted in "ultra-realistic" detail using state-of-the-art makeup and prosthetics designed by Sarah Luscombe.
The cast is made up of Ellie Ekers, Luke Hardwell, Mike Harley, Liz Hume and Adam Lloyd-James who also directs with Matilda Dickinson. The fight directors are Russell Eccleston and Tiffany Rhodes and music is by Pasha Finn.
Metamorphosis is presented by Bath-based Beyond The Horizon with Old Rep Theatre. The show opens at The Old Rep Theatre Birmingham then visits Lincoln Drill Hall, Merlin Theatre Frome, Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre, Library Theatre Luton, Exeter Phoenix, Strode College Somerset and Theatre Royal Winchester.
Kourtney Kardashian – tour starts 27 February
Commissioned by Spain's Festival de Clasicos, Kourtney Kardashian uses opera to look at high art, celebrity and reality.
The show is written by Sammy Metcalfe, with iara Solano, Rebeca Matellán and Nhung Dang and performed in English by iara Solano and Nhung Dang. The mezzo-Soprano is Lucy Metcalfe and the bass is played by Stephen Metcalfe.
Kourtney Kardashian is presented by Spanish performance company Sleepwalk Collective.
The show will have its première at London's Battersea Arts Centre then visits Axis Arts Centre Crewe and HOME Manchester.
Peril At Sea – tour starts 27 February
Peril at Sea is an intimate show focussing story telling exploring maritime history, social history and seafaring and using the stories which have come from people who live by the coast.
A cast of three, Andrew Forbes, Káitlin A Feeney and Alex Scott Fairley, is directed by Nicola Pollard.
The show is presented by Kent based Up The Road Theatre
Peril at Sea visits Square Tower Portsmouth, Quay Arts Newport, Lighthouse Sherling Studio Poole, Leaf Hall Community Arts Centre Eastbourne, Alexander Centre Faversham, LV21 Gravesend, Astor Theatre Deal, Sarah Thorne Theatre Broadstairs, Space88 London, Royal Manor Theatre Portland, St Ives Guildhall Cornwall, Perranporth Memorial Hall Cornwall, West Kirby Arts Centre Wirral, The Bureau Centre for the Arts Blackburn, Isaac Dixon Boat House Lytham St Annes, Distington Community Centre Cumbria, Loweswater Village Hall Cumbria, Pioneer Sailing Trust Brightlingsea, Fisher Theatre Bungay, The Seagull Lowestoft and Wells Maltings Wells-next-the-Sea.
ZOG – tour starts 28 February
The world première of the stage adaptation of ZOG takes place at Rose Theatre Kingston prior to a tour.
Based on the book by Julia Donaldson with illustrations by Axel Scheffler the adaptation is by Kneehigh founder and artistic director Mike Shepherd who also directs.
This show for young children has an original folk score by award-winning actor and singer-songwriter Johnny Flynn.
ZOG is presented by Freckle Productions and Rose Theatre Kingston. After playing Rose Theatre Kingston the friendly dragon visits Harrogate Theatre, The Sands Centre Carlisle, The Stables Milton Keynes, Wycombe Swan High Wycombe, Ipswich Regent Theatre, Gala Theatre Durham, Sheffield City Hall, Storyhouse Chester, Guildford G Live, Swindon Wyvern Theatre, Cambridge Corn Exchange, Alban Arena St Albans, Birmingham Town Hall, Hull City Hall, St David’s Hall Cardiff, Dartford Orchard Theatre, Theatre Severn Shrewsbury, Tyne Theatre Newcastle, Darlington Hippodrome, The Core Corby, Warwick Arts Centre, Nottingham Concert Hall, Basingstoke Haymarket, Oxford Playhouse, Malvern Theatres, The Lowry Salford, The Radlett Centre, Northampton Royal & Derngate, Belfast Waterfront, Demontfort Hall Leicester, Eden Court Inverness, His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen, Hexagon Theatre Reading, Swansea Grand Theatre and St George’s Hall Bradford.
To Kill A Mockingbird – cancellation
The UK and Ireland tour of To Kill A Mockingbird has had to be cancelled by producers Jonathan Church Productions, Curve Theatre Leicester and Regent’s Park Theatre.
The production had been licenced by Dramatic Publishing Company but an exclusivity claim has been brought by Scott Rudin's company, Atticus Limited Liability Company, claiming worldwide exclusivity in the professional stage rights of To Kill A Mockingbird.
Christopher Sergel's adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel has been previously staged in the UK including by the Touring Consortium Theatre Company in 2011, Royal Exchange Manchester and Regent’s Park Theatre both in 2013 and Octagon Theatre Bolton in 2016.
The UK and Ireland tour producers and venues say they have acted in good faith at all times.
Atticus Limited Liability Company have been unwilling to consider any compromises and proposed to issue legal proceedings if the tour were not cancelled with immediate effect.
Doctor Dolittle – closure
Music & Lyrics Productions has closed its touring production of Doctor Dolittle.
The tour of UK and Ireland was to have run until November but lower than anticipated advance ticket sales have forced its early end.
The company has produced a number of large-scale tours but Doctor Dolittle failed to garner the same degree of public support as previous shows.
Check web sites for information regarding post–show Q&As, captioned, signed and relaxed performances, the use of smoke / haze and flashing lights, and age suitability. At the time of going to press, some dates may not yet be on sale.