Maria Marten, Last Quiz Night, Mr Men Little Miss, Chloe and the Colour Catcher
The Ballad of Maria Marten (previously Polstead) – tour starts 11 February
The Ballad of Maria Marten presents the true and murderous tale of Maria Marten and the Red Barn Murder, told entirely from her point of view.
This spine-tingling real-life murder mystery in 1827 Suffolk has Maria Marten awaiting her lover in the red barn. A year later, her body is found there, hidden in a grain sack, triggering a manhunt.
Elizabeth Crarer plays Maria. She is joined by Susanna Jennings, Suzanne Ahmet, Emma Denly, Jessica Dives and Sarah Goddard.
Previously presented under the title Polstead, the play is written by Beth Flintoff and directed by Hal Chambers with Ivan Cutting.
The Ballad Of Maria Marten is produced by regional touring theatre company Eastern Angles and Matthew Linley Creative Projects in association with the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough.
The show visits Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarborough, New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich and New Vic Newcastle-under-Lyme.
The Last Quiz Night on Earth – tour starts 11 February
The Last Quiz Night on Earth is an immersive, pre-apocalyptic comedy. An asteroid is heading your way; what you would do? Head to your local pub for a quiz of course!
But landlady Kathy and quizmaster Rav are not prepared for the unexpected guests that turn up out of the blue.
Meriel Scholfield plays Kathy; her credits include Coronation Street, Last Tango in Halifax, Holby City and Doctors. Shaban Dar plays Quizmaster Rav. Dar's stage credits include I Believe in Unicorns, Peggin Out and Brink. They are joined by Chris Jack and Amy Drake. Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder directs.
Written by Alison Carr with a vision of having the audiences as part of the show, everyone is involved through the quiz.
The Last Quiz Night on Earth is presented by award-winning Box of Tricks with associate producer Max Emmerson.
The comedy tours to urban and rural venues including theatres, community arts centres and pubs, visiting The Welcome Inn Salford (in association with The Lowry), The Holbeck Slung Low Leeds, Arts Out West Kirkgate (various venues), Hope Mill Theatre Manchester, Spot On Lancashire (various venues), Bank Top Tavern (in association with Oldham Coliseum & Live@Thelibrary), Black Country Touring (various venues), Pocklington Arts Centre, Northwich Memorial Court, Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarborough, Highlights North (various venues), The Burntwood Pub Buckley (in association with Theatr Clwyd), Cheshire Rural Touring Arts (various venues), The Two Tubs Bury, Radcliffe Market, Ramsbottom Civic Hall and The Dukes Lancaster.
Mr Men Little Miss On Stage – tour starts 14 February
The tour of Mr Men & Little Miss On Stage plays on into 2020.
Adapted from the children’s book series by Roger Hargreaves, which has worldwide sales of 250 million, the show features Mr Bump, Little Miss Sunshine, Mr Tickle, Little Miss Inventor and many others.
The cast of four—Richard Lounds, Ashton Owen, Emily Vinnicombe and Em Watkins—play 16 characters telling stories through music and puppets.
The show is written by James Corrigan and directed by Christa Harris. Puppet design is by Paul Jomain and puppet direction is by Nigel Plaskitt.
Mr Men Little Miss On Stage is presented by Selladoor Family and Rockefeller Productions. The show visits Artsdepot London, Buxton Opera House, Floral Pavilion Theatre, Medway Glassbox Theatre, Margate Theatre Royal, Blackpool Pavilion, Wakefield Theatre Royal, Gainsborough Trinity Arts Centre, Dukes Lancaster, Doncaster Cast, Tamworth Assembly Rooms, Taunton Brewhouse Theatre, Harrow Arts Centre London, Chipping Norton Theatre, The Brindley Theatre, Bolton Albert Halls, The Kenneth More Theatre and Chesham Elgiva Theatre.
Chloe and the Colour Catcher – tour starts 15 February
Children's show Chloe and the Colour Catcher is the story of young Chloe who lives in a grey world but dreams in colour. Full of curiosity and fighting spirit, she takes on the Colour Catcher in a battle for diversity, freedom and imagination.
First seen in 2018 at Bristol Old Vic, the show is devised by the original company and written and directed by Ad Infinitum's Nir Paldi, and is the company's first full-length show for children.
The cast is made up of Charlotte Dubery, Peter Edwards, Brian Hargreaves and Hanora Kamen, and the composer and musical director is Brian Hargreaves.
Chloe and the Colour Catcher is presented by Ad Infinitum and Bristol Old Vic. The tour starts at Lyric Hammersmith then visits North Wall Oxford, Nottingham Lakeside Arts, Exeter Phoenix, Nordon Farm Maidenhead, Corn Exchange Newbury, The Library Theatre Luton (for Luton Feb Fest), The Garage Norwich, Theatr Clwyd, Cambridge Junction, Arts at Stowe and The Civic Barnsley.