Category: News

Derby LIVE and Little Wolf Entertainment’s 2024 panto Cinderella has been nominated in two categories at the UK Pantomime Association’s annual awards. Mina Anwar, who played the Fairy Godmother, is up for the Carmen Silvera award for best magical being, while Morgan Brind and Roddy Peters are nominated as best sisters. Cinderella was Derby’s highest-grossing panto as well… Continue reading Derby’s Cinderella up for two panto awards

Six actors are needed for the première of a play which has taken 20 years to write: Rachel Tobin’s The Last Free Rave. Tobin is also directing the play about the Castlemorton Rave. What started out in 1992 as a small, free festival for travellers not only went down in history as the biggest illegal rave… Continue reading Illegal rave play dances into Malvern

Freema Agyeman and Nick Blood will play Beatrice and Benedick in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of the romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing at Stratford in April 2025. Agyeman made her RSC debut as Olivia in Twelfth Night in 2024. In the same year, she played the nurse in Romeo and Juliet at London’s Duke of York Theatre. Blood will… Continue reading Freema and Nick team up for RSC’s Much Ado

Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre’s Chief Executive Stephen Freeman has resigned after a report into the controversial cancellation of last year’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Steph O’Driscoll amid allegations of censorship found “significant systemic organisational and leadership failures rather than the deliberate suppression of political content”. The independent report, from people make it work, said… Continue reading Exchange chief leaves after report finds “leadership failures” over show cancellation

Leicester theatre Curve is to stage Indigo, an “uplifting and heart-warming” new musical, in its studio theatre in summer 2025. Produced by Sing Out, Louise! Productions in association with Curve, Indigo is a story of three generations of women navigating their need to reach one another. Exploring themes of living with Alzheimer’s, autism and synaesthesia, the musical’s run… Continue reading Musical to have UK première at Curve

James Graham’s play Punch which had its première at Nottingham Playhouse in 2024 will go to Broadway in autumn 2025. The Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) will present the Broadway première at the Samuel J Friedman Theatre. It will be directed by Nottingham Playhouse artistic director Adam Penford who will make his Broadway and American directorial debut. Penford… Continue reading James Graham play to punch its weight on Broadway

Liverpool’s Theatre in the Rough’s Leadership Lab provides skills development and mentoring for aspiring arts leaders under 25 years old living in the Liverpool region. Workshops will cover artistic vision, project management, fundraising, marketing and career planning in the creative sector. Participants will receive a £300 budget and a £150 seed commission to launch a mini arts… Continue reading Leadership Lab for young arts leaders

Improbable Theatre’s annual three-day event Devoted & Disgruntled, posing questions about theatre and the arts, will be at the Warehouse in Leeds 16–18 March. Now in its eighteenth year—though this is the first in-person event in five years due to COVID-19—D&D is aimed at “anyone who is passionate about the arts, from audiences to artists, CEOs… Continue reading Devoted & Disgruntled of Leeds

Stage and screen actress Julie Hesmondhalgh is to bring her intimate, autobiographical show to support the Octagon in Bolton and Live Theatre in Newcastle. Julie starred as Hayley Cropper in ITV’s Coronation Street for 16 years, as well as Happy Valley (BBC), Broadchurch (ITV), Doctor Who (BBC) and, most recently, ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office. These I Love is described as, “a hymn… Continue reading Julie’s one-woman show at Bolton and Newcastle

Burnley Youth Theatre welcomed 100 alumni, current and past staff, board members and friends to celebrate its 50th anniversary. It included an exhibition showing magic moments of the organisation’s history, from touring projects to famous visitors and digital screens which hold more than 800 photos from BYT’s archive. A highlight of the evening saw Sir… Continue reading Burnley theatre group’s golden night