New Pitmen Tour Cast
The cast has been announced for the new national tour of Lee Hall’s The Pitmen Painters, produced by Live Theatre, the National Theatre and Bill Kenwright.
Joe Caffrey, the only remaining member of the last tour cast, plays Harry Wilson, Suzy Cooper is Heather Sutherland, Philip Correia Oliver Kilbourn, Catherine Dryden Susan Parks, Louis Hilyer Robert Lyon, Riley Jones Ben Nicholson/Young Lad, Nicholas Lumley George Brown and Donald McBride Jimmy Floyd.
The tour opens at the Theatre Royal, Windsor, on 11th March, and goes on to
| 18 - 23 March 2013 | Clwyd Theatre, Mold |
| 25 - 30 March 2013 | Festival Theatre, Malvern |
| 1 - 6 April 2013 | Southend Palace, Southend |
| 8 - 13 April 2013 | Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield |
| 15 - 20 April 2013 | Alhambra Theatre, Bradford |
| 22 - 27 April 2013 | Arts Theatre, Cambridge |
| 29 Apr - 4 May | 29 Apr - 4 May |
| 6 - 10 May | Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford |
| 13 - 18 May | King’s Theatre, Edinburgh |
| 20 – 25 May | Severn Theatre, Shrewsbury |
| 27 May - 1 June | Derby Theatre |
| 3 - 8 June | Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield |
| 10 - 15 June | Curve, Leicester |
| 17 - 22 June | Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe |
| 24 - 29 June | Theatre Royal, Brighton |
| 1 - 6 July | Theatre Royal. Newcastle |
| 8 - 13 July | Civic Theatre, Darlington |
| 15 - 20 July | Harrogate Theatre |
| 22 - 27 July | Hall for Cornwall, Truro |
| 29 Jul - 3 August | Oxford Playhouse |
| 19 - 24 August | Grand Theatre, Swansea |
Testing Times Cast Announced
The cast has been announced for Testing Times, the new play by occasional BTG reviewer Steve Burbridge.
Based on Burbridge’s interviews conducted with HIV+ young men from around the region, the play explores the life-changing impact of being diagnosed HIV+ from the perspective of a young gay man, his partner and his mother.
Christopher Strain (One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest; East; Riot) stars as Dominic, whilst James Hedley (The Man with the Donkey; Keep Calm and Carry On; The Hobbit) takes on the role of Chris, Dominic’s partner, and Angela Szalay (Calendar Girls: The Selkie; Waiting for Gateaux) plays Brenda, Dominic’s no-nonsense mother.
Testing Times will play at The Trent House 1, Leazes Lane, Newcastle, from 22nd to 27th April.
What’s on in the Region
- Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo come to Newcastle’s Theatre Royal on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday by Spirit of the Dance. During the day from Friday to Sunday Tall Stories presents The Gruffalo's Child.
- From Thursday to Saturday balletLORENT brings Rapunzel to Northern Stage, while on Friday Carol Ann Duffy, who wrote the scenario for Rapunzel, presents An Evening with the Poet Laureate.
- Nassim Soleimanpour’s White Rabbit, Red Rabbit opens at Live Theatre on Thursday and runs until 17th March. A different actor performs the piece each night, only seeing the script as they step onto the stage. There is a full list of all the performers here.
- The Rocky Horror Show comes to Sunderland Empire from Monday to Saturday.
- On Thursday Alaska comes to Arts Centre Washington.
- Strangeface Theatre Company presents The Amazing Adventures of Pinocchio at The Maltings in Berwick on Thursday (age 5+).
- M6 Theatre Company presents Mavis Sparkle for age 5+ at Durham’s Gala Theatre on Wednesday. Both performances are sold out.
- From Wednesday to Sunday Peter Pan visits Billingham Forum.
- On Wednesday Apples and Snakes and Rowan McCabe present Articulate: Read Our Lips at ARCT Stockton. It is followed on Friday and Saturday by children’s show (4+) The Dreams of Philomina.
- On Monday at 1pm Red Riding Hood comes to the Middlebrough Theatre, followed on Saturday at 7.30 by The Burlesque Show.
- Darlington Civic Theatre presents Gilbert and Sullivan Abridged on Tuesday, followed by the Moscow State Circus on Friday and Saturday.
- On Monday folk and hip-hop dance extravaganza The Lock-In comes to Harrogate Theatre. David Wood’s Spot’s Birthday Party runs on Wednesday and Thursday and from Thursday to Saturday it’s the turn of The Watery Journey of Nereus Pike performed by Laura Mugridge and Tom Adams.