Theatres - Coming Soon - December 3 onwards

Nov 30 2009 by Michael Green, Chester Chronicle

COMING SOON

ALADDIN (Forum Studio Theatre, Hamilton Place, Chester, December 15-January 3)

TIP Top Productions return to traditional pantomime for this home-grown production written by Peter Swingler who has been creating pantos for more than 30 years. Visit www.tiptopproductions.co.uk or ring 01244 341296.

THE BIG ENORMOUS PRESENT (The Lowry, Salford Quays. January 9)

A MYSTERIOUS present has appeared in the playground. Who can it possibly be fore? What could be waiting inside? Find out in this exciting new play from Pied Piper Theatre Company. Suitable for ages 3-8. Visit www.thelowry.com or ring 0870 787 5793.

CINDERELLA (Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl, December 11-January 8)

A SPECTACULAR pantomime for all the family starring stage and screen veteran Amanda Barrie of Coronation Street fame as the Fairy Godmother, with Derek Moran as Buttons and Rebecca Trehearn as Cinders. Visit www.rhylpavilion.co.uk or ring 01745 330000.

CINDERELLA (The Brindley, High Street, Runcorn, December 11-January 10)

THE Brindley pantomime will once again be presented by the excellent New Pantomime Productions and will have the usual beautiful costumes and scenery plus some well known names who will present one of the best value pantomimes around, with lots of festive fun for all the family. Visit www.thebrindley.org.uk or ring 0151 907 8360.

THE GOLDEN PATHWAY ANNUAL (Forum Studio Theatre, Hamilton Place, Chester, February 16-19)

PUPILS from Theatretrain schools in Chester and Wrexham present a play by John Harding and John Burrows that is a series of connected sketches following the life of Michael Peters from the age of 2-23. It is a nostalgic look back at the period from the end of the Second World War to the 1960s but it is also much more than that. Visit www.tiptopproductions.co.uk or ring 01244 341296.

HOLD TIGHT IT’S 60S NIGHT (Forum Studio Theatre, Hamilton Place, Chester, March 18-27)

CINDERELLA revisited with the beehives, the minis, Dusty, Cilla and much more. Suburban England in the middle of the Swinging Sixties. Downtrodden teenager Ruby dreams of meeting her handsome prince, falls asleep and is suddenly whisked away to the arms of Rock Hard at the Plastic Palais de Dance. Visit www.tiptopproductions.co.uk or ring 01244 341296.

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (Bickerton Village Hall, December 12)

THEATRE in the Quarter have collected local people’s memories of Christmas during World War Two as the basis for Helen Newall’s new play featuring original music by Matt Baker and directed by former Gateway Theatre director Russ Tunney. The production will be performed by a company of four actors and community singers/musicians. Ring 01829 782392.

KAFKA’S DICK (Forum Studio Theatre, Hamilton Place, Chester, January 8-10)

AN AMATEUR production of Alan Bennett’s fast-paced comedy. In Prague 1919, Franz Kafka is a dying man and his best friend Max Brod promises to burn all his unpublished works after his death. In present day suburban England, a married couple is astonished when Max turns up on their doorstep - swiftly followed by Kafka himself! Visit www.tiptopproductions.co.uk or ring 01244 341296.

MARISKA CARNESKY’S MAGIC WAR (The Lowry, Salford Quays, December 17)

A SECRET society is in session. You are invited to a bizarre ritual where all is not as it seems. Enter Olivier Award-winning Marisa Carnesky’s strange and spectacular world of nightmarish tricks, thrilling visual illusions and dark humour, questioning our beliefs and survival strategies. Visit www.thelowry.com or ring 0870 111 2000.

THE ORIENTATIONS TRILOGY (Library Theatre, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, February 17-27)

RE-ORIENTATIONS is the third part of ground-breaking theatre company Border Crossings’ trilogy and is a visually stunning feast, tackling issues of gender, sexuality and performance in mythic and contemporary Asia. The trilogy is produced in association with the all-male company Yaksha Degula from Bangalore in India. Visit www.librarytheatre.com or ring 0161 236 7110.

OUR DAY OUT (Forum Studio Theatre, Hamilton Place, Chester, January 21-30)

AN AMATEUR production of Willy Russell’s hilarious but moving story of a bunch of under-privileged school children taken on a day out to Conwy Castle by their teachers. Visit www.tiptopproductions.co.uk or ring 01244 341296.

PETER PAN (Empire Theatre, Lime Street, Liverpool, December 11-January 3)

THE Empire has secured the services of a true TV legend as The Fonz himself, Henry Winkler, takes the starring role of Captain Hook in this typically lavish panto which also stars Natasha Hamilton from Atomic Kitten as Peter Pan and Les Dennis as the dame. Visit www.liverpoolempire.org.uk or ring 0844 847 2525.

PETER PAN (Lifestyle Centre, Winsford, December 14-29)

HIGH-flying pantomime with all your favourite characters from the JM Barrie classic plus songs, laughter and excitement in a magical adventure for all the family. Visit www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk or ring 01606 867539.

A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, January 27-February 20 2010)

LORRAINE Hansberry’s play was the first written by a black woman to be produced on Broadway, winning the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for best play of 1959. Lena’s life on Chicago’s Southside has always been about staying alive with “a pinch of dignity”. Now the insurance money from her husband’s death is coming through, her family sees the chance to make their dreams come true. But when those dreams conflict, it becomes harder than ever to retain that dignity. Visit www.royalexchange.co.uk or ring 0161 833 9833.

RE:PLAY FESTIVAL 2010 (Library Theatre, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, January 26-February 6)

FIRMLY established as the primary platform for theatre companies to present the best productions first seen in smaller venues in manchester and Salford to a wider audience. Details of the programme will be available on the Library website. Visit www.librarytheatre.com or ring 0161 236 7110.

SALT (Royal Exchange Theatre Studio, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, February 3-20 2010)

WORLD premiere of Fiona Peek’s sparkling and seductive play, one of four winners of the Bruntwood Playwriting Competition. Though Amy and Simon have the money and children that life has so far denied Nick and Rachel, a friendship forged years ago remains constant. When they find the cash to enable their friends to hold on to their dreams, a simple act of charity brings everything bubbling to the surface. Visit www.royalexchange.co.uk or ring 0161 833 9833.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (Venue Cymru, Llandudno, December 14-January 3)

STRICTLY Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has been snapped up for the starring role as The Wicked Queen in this lavish family panto. Joining him will be UK Eurovision finalist Mark Evans as The Prince, Gemma James as Snow White and Venue Cymru favourite John Evans as Muddles. Visit www.venuecymru.co.uk or ring 01492 872000.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, Wirral, December 19-January 10)

AFTER last year’s record-breaking production of Sleeping Beauty, this year Snow White takes centre stage in this traditional family pantomime starring Pete Price as Muddles, Roy Brandon as Nurse Glucose and, as the recorded image and voice of the Magic Mirror, Ken Dodd! Ring 0151 666 0000 or visit www.floralpavilion.com.

THE SNOW WHITE MASQUERADE BALL (The Lowry, Salford Quays, December 12)

DRESSED in fabulous 18th century costumes, dreamers invite you to their masquerade for an evening of song, dance, puppetry, poetry, film and dramatic vignettes. Part musical and part masked ball. Visit www.thelowry.com or ring 0870 111 2000.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Palace Theatre, Oxford Street, Manchester, December 14-January 16)

A REAL coup for the Palace Theatre sees Connie Fisher herself return to her role she sensationally made her own on national TV and the West End stage in this classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. The production also features TV and stage star Michael Praed as Captain Von Trapp and, direct from the West End show, Maggie Preece as Mother Abbess. Ring 0844 847 2484 or visit www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk.

SPACESHIP ‘87 (Royal Exchange Theatre Studio, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, December 16-January 2)

1987: the year of shell suits, casio keyboards and the great storm. A little girl’s bedroom has been turned into a spaceship - a place to dream about astronauts, aliens and asteroids. But there is a storm raging, both through her family and outside, a storm which threatens to destroy everything. This is a flourescent voyage exploring the power of the imagination, accompanied by a classic 1980s soundtrack. Visit www.royalexchange.co.uk or ring 0161 833 9833.

A WARNING TO THE CURIOUS (The Lowry, Salford Quays, December 20)

NUNKIE Theatre Company return to The Lowry with teo more classic MR James ghost stories. In The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral, a murderous cleric falls prey to an ancient curse while A Warning to the Curious sees a young archaeologist haunted and hunted by the guardian of an ancient treasure. Visit www.thelowry.com or ring 0870 111 2000.