Lancaster’s Grand Theatre lives up to its name with a busy September to kickstart its autumn season.
It starts on September 4, courtesy of the county’s own Heritage Opera Company, with a gala concert of favourite operatic music, accompanied on grand piano, and including a selection from Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Bizet, Gershwin and more.
The following two nights there’s anew comedy play based on Les Dawson's comic TV characters Cissie and Ada.
Written by playwright Graham Warrener in collaboration with original Cissie and Ada scriptwriter Terry Ravenscroft, Cissie and Ada revisits the story and the culture behind the as well as bringing Dawson and sidekick Roy Barraclough's genius back to life.
Two former Coronation Street favourites Eric Potts (Diggory) and Steven Arnold (Ashley) join Steve Nallon (famous for his Mrs Thatcher impersonation live and on seminal satirical TV show Spitting Image) and actress Natasha Magigi, directed by John Jackson Almond.
Saturday September 7 sees The Real Thing marking 40 years of UK soul with the three original vocalists serving up hits like "You To Me Are Everything", "Can’t Get By Without You", "Can You Feel the Force?", "Whenever You Want My Love" and "You'll Never Know What You're Missing".
From September 10 to 14 there’s a production of musical theatre hit show Grease, followed on the Sunday by top TV ventriloquist Nina Conti with her Dolly Mixtures show. The star of Live at the Apollo, QI, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and HBO’s Family Tree introduces her daughter, her handyman, her gran, her oldest friend—and a stray dog.
Elkie Brooks, one of the theatre’s patrons, will be taking to the stage again on September 18.
On Friday of that week, Jay Diggins, a singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist from Scorton, near Garstang, who plays alternative folk / rock music launches his debut album Searching at the venue. It has been co-produced and contributed to by legendary record producer John Parish.
Jay and his band are supported by special guests Greenheart and Sun Giant.
On Saturday September 21, French Can Can is a stage spectacular that celebrates the elegance of Paris and the high kicking glamour of the city’s most famous dance routine.
The following night one of the country’s top impressionists, Alistair McGowan, goes back to his stand-up roots for a new two-hour show.
On Tuesday September 24, Celebrity Cook-Off Live sees two well-known TV celebrity chefs go head to head live in a competition to win the day’s best dish. Each member of the audience will also be given a recipe book for the show.
The following night sees a considerable coup for the Grand with acclaimed writer and comedian Stewart Lee with a warm-up show for his forthcoming 2014 TV series.
On Friday morning September 27, Lunchbox Theatre Compnay presents The Runaway Apprentice.
It’s an interactive drama based on true accounts of the Cotton Mill children of the Industrial Revolution aimed at Key Stage Two and Year 7 pupils.
Rounding off a busy month, Sid's Show! from Cbeebies features Sid Sloane, the popular star from the TV show, live on stage in a fun-filled adventure for families with children aged three to seven, and Back To The Movies a theatre production of music from timeless classic blockbuster movies.