A new play by Bryony Lavery, the world première of a theatre dance piece and a major festival are among the highlights of the spring and summer season at Leicester’s Curve.
Artistic director Paul Kerryson said, “As well as the previously announced Curve production of the musical Hairspray and the world première of a new musical adventure Water Babies, our season features a diverse and dynamic programme of comedy, drama, dance and musicals.
“We’re proud to be working with new partners to bring new work to Curve.
“New dance company The McOnie Company open our season in January with a world première, Drunk and we’re working with Frantic Assembly to bring Bryony Lavery’s The Believers to our Studio in March.”
Fiona Allan, Curve’s chief executive, added, “Supporting local talent continues to be absolutely central to Curve.
“We’re proud to present our inaugural Inside Out festival, dedicated to celebrating talent within our region, and curated by associate director Suba Das.
“For the first time we’re also presenting two community productions, Annie and Rent, featuring exceptional performers from across Leicester and Leicestershire.”
Drunk, “a wickedly delicious cocktail of theatre dance that will take you on an intoxicating journey through some of history’s greatest tipples, and the victims who fall prey to their mood-altering qualities”, plays in the Studio on Tuesday 28 January and Saturday 1 February.
Cirque Berserk which will be on its first nationwide tour and includes “the world’s most dangerous circus act” will visit Curve from 5 until 8 February.
Kali Theatre and Pentabus will present Sharmila Chauhan’s The Husbands in the Studio from 25 February until 1 March while on the main stage Paul Kerryson’s new production of Hairspray runs from 28 February until 5 April.
English Touring Opera will stage Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Benjamin Britten’s Paul Bunyan on 7 and 8 April; Dance Consortium will present Compagnie Käfig’s Boxe Boxe on 10 April; and Northern Ballet will return to Curve with Three Little Pigson 11 and 12 April.
Bryony Lavery’s The Believers, a co-production with Frantic Assembly and Theatre Royal Plymouth, premières in the Studio from 18 until 29 March.
Inside Out, Curve’s first major festival, will be held from 8 until 18 April. A range of shows, workshops and events will celebrate the work of the East Midlands leading theatre-makers and offer emerging talents an opportunity to develop their skills through partnerships with IdeasTap, the BBC Writersroom, The Actors Centre and more.
The world première of The Water Babies, inspired by Charles Kingsley’s novel, will be at Curve from 24 April until 17 May.
Birmingham Stage Company’s Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain tours to Curve from 20 until 24 May while in the Studio The Gruffalo is live on stage from 20 until 22 May and is followed by I, Malvolio, written and performed by Tim Crouch, on 23 and 24 May.
The stage version of Sebastian Faulks’s Birdsong visits Curve from 17 until 21 June.
Paul Kerryson will direct the two community productions, Annie from 26 July until 10 August and Rent on 31 July, 1, 4 and 7 August.
The full programme can be viewed on the Curve web site.