News

The arts pages have been preoccupied by despondent talks of cuts recently, but we are delighted to be defying the gloom with a packed, varied and inspiring programme for the winter and spring, including our strongest, fullest Christmas season yet. We have well-known titles and freshly-minted work, shows for young and old, conventional work sitting alongside the madly experimental, and a massive array of form and style, from Shakespeare to new writing and from circus to magic. Tuck in and enjoy!

The festive season will soon be upon us and there really is something for everyone, from our magical family Christmas show, The Adventures of Pinocchio, to a mind-bending new illusion show from local magician Peter Clifford. Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory return for their 12th spring season with their first English history, the wonderful Richard II and one of Shakespeare’s most hilarious comedies, The Comedy of Errors: anyone who saw Andrew Hilton’s hysterical and magical 2010 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be eagerly looking forward to this. And throughout the season on Sunday nights we play host to some of the country’s best stand-up comics – Arthur Smith visits us for the first time whilst the likes of Richard Herring and Milton Jones make very welcome returns. Our ever-expanding and enormously popular programme for families continues with delightful shows this spring from hilarious Stuff & Nonsense and Angel Heart, to name a couple.

Meanwhile, our baby sister venue The Brewery is coming into its own with a reliably diverse programme featuring the best new work from local companies and those slightly further afield. Highlights include Splice Productions’ witty take on Dylan Thomas’ wonderful Under Milk Wood, a new offering from the superbly comic Publick Transport and a revival of Julian Armitstead’s tremendous play After the Accident, directed by Caroline Hunt.

One of the hidden gems of the season nestles between the end of the Christmas season and the start of the Shakespeare. Love Letters Straight from Your Heart is a beautiful piece of theatre – half wedding, half request show – that places the audience at the heart of the performance. If you see anything half as special in the year ahead then it’ll have been a good one. But capacity is strictly limited so do book as soon as you can.

Have a browse and see what takes your fancy in the New Year. We look forward to seeing you here!

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