Theatre Royal Plymouth announces spring programme
This spring Theatre Royal Plymouth welcomes the best of musicals, drama, dance and opera to the South West. Musical favourites such as highly anticipated Sunny Afternoon and the first UK tour of Mamma Mia!. Hofesh Shechter brings an explosive new creation to Plymouth audiences for just two preview performances only prior to its world premiere in Paris.
Critically acclaimed plays such as Robert Le Page’s Far Side of the Moon and National Theatre’s production of Jayne Eyre take to the stage this spring. The Lyric stage will also hold the world premiere of Sleepless, a production in association with Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Theatre Royal Plymouth continues to strengthen and grow its reputation for producing with The Here and This and Now, a Theatre Royal Plymouth production directed by Artistic Director Simon Stokes.
The Lyric
Mamma Mia!
17 January – 25 February 2017
The first ever Mamma Mia! UK Tour will come to Theatre Royal Plymouth. To date, it has been seen by more than 60 million people in 49 productions in 16 different languages. Mamma Mia! The Movie is the highest worldwide grossing live-action musical film of all time.
Room on the Broom
Monday 27 Feb - 01 March 2017
Join the Witch and her cat on their mission to defeat the dragon in Tall Stories’ magical, musical adaptation of the classic picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Songs, laughs and scary fun for children and up and their grown-ups, in the Olivier-nominated show that’s toured Britain and the world!
Danza Contemporánea de Cuba
Fri 3 & Sat 4 March
Last seen in the UK in 2012, Cuba’s vibrant flagship contemporary dance company will present an exciting programme choreographed by some of today’s most sought-after choreographic names. For more than five decades Danza Contemporánea de Cuba’s hybrid and hothouse dance blend of African-Caribbean rhythms, jazzy American modernism and influences from classical European ballet has been evoking the sensual heart of the Cuban spirit through vigorous and highly physical contemporary dance.
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Cinderella
Wednesday 08 - Saturday 11 Mar
David Bintley’s enchanting fairytale is a glorious celebration of ballet, with breathtaking designs by John Macfarlane, designer of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s famous Nutcracker. Praised by audiences and critics alike, Cinderella is a sure-fire mix of wonderful dance, spectacular scenery, and a cast of characters that include mice, lizards and even a dancing frog, that captures every imagination.
Far Side of the Moon
Thursday 16 – Saturday 18 March
This production from Robert Le Page will be performed in only three UK cities, offering a unique opportunity for audiences outside of London to experience this unparalleled work.
Far Side of the Moon tells the story of two estranged brothers brought together by their mother’s death: Phillipe, an introvert philosopher, looking to the stars for meaning in the universe, and his successful brother, Andre, who takes a much more pragmatic view on interplanetary mysteries.
Sleepless
Saturday 01 - Saturday 15 April
Don’t miss Sleepless, the world premiere of the enchanting new romantic musical comedy based on the original story and screenplay of the movie classic Sleepless in Seattle. Bursting with heart and humour, Sleepless adds a fresh and lively book alongside a brand-new musical score to bring this most timeless of romantic comedies to life on stage.
Welsh National Opera
Tuesday 18 –Saturday 22 April
This spring WNO presents a season of heart-wrenching stories of love and loss. Be transported to bohemian Paris for Puccini’s evocative La bohème, or discover how Eastern and Western cultures collide with tragic consequences with his poignant classic Madam Butterfly. This Puccini doubleheader is joined by Frank Martin’s Le Vin herbé based on the same story as Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde.
The Commitments
Monday 24 – Saturday 29 April
Thirty years since The Commitments first burst from the pages of Roddy Doyle’s best-selling novel, the world's hardest working soul band will be going on a seven month UK tour. The Commitments tells the story of Jimmy Rabbitte, a young working class music fan, who shapes an unlikely bunch of amateur musicians into an amazing live act.
Jayne Eyre
Monday 1 – Saturday 6 May
This innovative re-imagining of Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece is a collaboration between the National Theatre and Bristol Old Vic and is directed by Sally Cookson. This bold and dynamic production uncovers one woman’s fight for freedom and fulfilment on her own terms.
Sunny Afternoon
Tuesday 09 - Saturday 13 May
Step into swinging 60s Britain and discover how The Kinks found their definitive sound that rocked a nation and influenced generations. Featuring the iconic hits You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset, Dedicated Follower of Fashion, All Day and All of the Night, Lola, Sunny Afternoon and many more.
Running Wild
Tuesday 16 – Saturday 20 May
Based on a true story Michael Morpurgo’s novel is brought to life in this award-winning production. Originally produced by Regent’s Park Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre, this epic production, complete with spectacular life-size puppets, tells an emotional and moving story of love, loss and loyalty and of living for the moment.
That’ll Be The Day
Sunday 7 May 2017
After an incredible three decades of touring, the UK’s No.1 Rock & Roll variety production That’ll Be The Day returns with another brand new show! This year’s production features a fresh new line-up of sensational classic gold hits, spanning the 50’s right through to the 70’s & 80’s.
Hofesh Shechter
Previewing on Thursday 1 & Friday 2 June
An exciting opportunity to see brand new work by Hofesh Shechter at one of just two previews ahead of the World Premiere in Paris. In this new full-length evening in a score which he composes for a group of spirited and eclectic instrumentalists who play on stage alongside his tribe of world class dancers.
The Drum
Home
Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 January
Exploring a new and unknown world, Home immerses audiences with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD) in a multi-sensory story of discovery. Home is the latest bold and exciting production from Frozen Light.
Spillikin
Tuesday 31 January – Saturday 4 February
The Theatre Royal Plymouth is delighted to welcome this Cornwall-based new writing company to The Drum for the first time. Prepare to have your heart broken by this five-star sell-out Edinburgh show from Pipeline Theatre featuring a state-of-the-art robot as a full cast member.
Be Brave and Leave For the Unknown
Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 February
The award winning and critically acclaimed RedCape Theatre return with their new show Be Brave and Leave for the Unknown - a story of love, loss and courage told through the hands of a piano player and the lens of a photographer. Inspired by true stories of ordinary people in extraordinary situations, RedCape’s exhilarating new show explores the nature of bravery both epic and domestic, large and small.
The Thing That Came From Over There!
Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 February
The Thing That Came From Over There is a fast-paced rollicking ride, mixing paranoia, suspense and hilariously gruesome deaths. Join three daring actors as they play over 15 roles in 85 minutes of shocks, spine tingling silliness, and blood curdling terror. With comedy and thrills galore, the show features visual gags, verbal wit, giant puppetry, and even a little bit of live music.
Tank
Tuesday 21 – Saturday 25 February
Inspired by the Dolphin House experiments, Breach's Fringe First winning Tank rips the story apart to explore the violence of language, the power of culture, and what happens when you inject a cetacean with LSD. In 1965, a researcher lived with a dolphin for ten weeks to try and teach him to speak English. It was part of a NASA-funded research project into human-animal communication.
Infinity Pool
Tuesday 28 February – Saturday 4 March
Multi-award winning South West writer Bea Roberts tells a tender and truthful comedy like no other, using projectors, party rings and PowerPoint.
Emails unopened, cup-a-soup undrunk, a secret in the stock room; Emma Barnicott pines for a world beyond her Plymouth trading estate. When she meets a man online, Emma must decide if the chance of a fantastic love is worth trading for an imperfect life.
The Here and This and Now
Thursday 9 – Saturday 25 March
Introducing a bold new Theatre Royal Plymouth production from the Plymouth writer of Forever House that asks ‘is happiness ever more than a state of mind?’
In a faded country house hotel, a group of medical reps attend an office away day. Potential office romances aside, it’s strictly business-as-usual: endless team-building exercises, an over-ambitious boss and the wrong sort of biscuits. But as the day wears on, the reps have more questions than answers: Does any of their work make a difference? What exactly are they selling? And who’s getting promoted to the Woking office? Little do they know that change is swiftly coming and they’re asking all the wrong questions…
WAIL
Tuesday 28 March – Saturday 1 April
Why do whales sing? Why do humans wail? Last year, Little Bulb Theatre embarked on a quest to discover the answers to these perplexing questions and more. Now, they share their findings in an aquatic cabaret of songs, science and soundscapes with chances to win cheap prizes galore! There will even be a surprise special guest who only has limited time away from their ocean home!
The Star Seekers
Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 April
The Wardrobe Ensemble on a journey through the stars where you take the steering wheel. Inspired by a childhood wonder of the universe, The Wardrobe Ensemble have created a unique theatre experience for children; a show that passes on our awe for the limitless majesty of galaxies, the solar system, shooting stars and planets to the next generation.
Sammy and the Snow Leopard
Tuesday 11 – Saturday 15 April
Sammy is nine years old and likes animals. No… he LOVES animals. The problem is his Mum won’t let him have any pets. But when his best friend Hokey Pokey tells him about the ‘Adopt a Snow Leopard’ programme, Sammy reckons he’s found a way to have a pet that doesn’t actually come to the house. Perfect! But then Sammy gets an unexpected gift – and finds himself on an adventure that quickly spirals out of control…
All The Little Lights
Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 April
Poignant, moving and darkly funny, this award-winning new play tells the searing story of three girls slipping through the cracks in society, desperately searching for friendship, family and themselves. In a world where nobody wants you, what would you do to survive?
Written with support from the charity Safe and Sound.
National Theatre Connections
Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 April
Each year the National Theatre commission ten new plays for young people to perform, bringing together some of the most exciting writers with the theatre-makers of tomorrow. With 29 local festivals taking place across the country, Connections is an unforgettable feast of theatre made by and for young people.
Eat The Poor
Tuesday 2 – Saturday 6 May
Whatever your politics, Jonny & the Baptists think it's worth talking about. A riotously funny epic about friendship, inequality and betrayal from the multi-award-nominated musical comedians. Setting out to explore the gap between rich and poor, Jonny & the Baptists’ lives turn upside down when Jonny betrays Paddy for financial gain. As Jonny enjoys the highlife with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jerry Hall, Paddy falls into homelessness and despair.
Jonny & the Baptists return to Plymouth following the successful End is Nigh.
The Lab
Mixed Grill
Monday 6 & Tuesday 7 March
Using food as a metaphor for the strength in diversity, Mixed Grill explores the beauty of mixing different ingredients, neatly weaving in a journey of culture, integration and friendship. Enjoy heart-warming stories and the delicious aromas of proper Caribbean cooking in Beyond Face’s debut performance at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. Beyond Face is a new performance company based in Plymouth championing and supporting Black and Minority Ethnic artists and BAME young people.
PlayLAB
Wednesday 12 – Saturday 15 April
Four brand new and entirely unique pieces of work created for PlayLAB featuring the Young Company, The People’s Company and Our Space. Via PlayLAB, Theatre Royal Plymouth aims to offer more opportunities for directors and theatre makers and, in this festival of short plays, Theatre Royal Plymouth will be supporting up and coming artists to make bold new work that matters to them. Theatre Royal Plymouth aims to enable people from all walks of life to make work and be heard.
The Gallery
21G@50
Tuesday 17 January - Saturday 11 March
The 21 Group of Artists 50th Anniversary Exhibition, and launch of 50th Anniversary book.
The 21 Group makes a welcome return to the Gallery at Theatre Royal Plymouth. Founded 50 years ago in Totnes, it consists of 21 members, all of whom are professional or semi-professional painters and printmakers, producing both figurative and non-figurative work.
Robert Manners
Under Construction Forever (Part III)
Thursday 16 March - Saturday 10 June
Influenced by a long term fascination in marine objects, Robert Manners exhibition continues his work with different sized panels, or boxes, that are painted and assembled into larger ‘paintings’. He is also showing a variety of accompanying work that investigates these themes.
Tickets are on sale to the general public from Wednesday 16th November and can be booked online at www.theatreroyal.com from 10am or by calling the Theatre Royal Plymouth Box Office from 10am on 01752 267222 or in person at the Box Office from 10.30am
