CURTAINS UP FOR RICHMOND THEATRE
HISTORIC ARTS VENUE REOPENS FROM 25 SEPTEMBER 2021
After 559 days, the curtain of the Frank Matcham’s beautiful Richmond Theatre will rise again for the first time on Saturday 25 September 2021 with high quality programming and excellent community events that audiences will love.
It only felt right to have the community of Richmond have the honour of reopening the theatre. Performing for the first time since the venue closure is Richmond’s own Instant Opera with their special Grand Opera Gala performance,featuring superb local performers accompanied by the Instant Opera Orchestra conducted by Oliver Till and hosted by Daniel Wain. Made up of much loved arias, ensembles and grand choruses by Mozart, Verdi, Bizet and Tchaikovsky, the evening is unmissable for local opera fans.
On Sunday 26 September, we invite friends and new visitors of the venue to come and experience the magic of Richmond Theatre from a whole new perspective. We’ll be throwing our doors open for audiences to explore backstage areas normally not accessible to the public and discover the history of the venue. There will be opportunities to take centre stage or learn technical skills used to make your favourite stories come alive onstage. There will be activities for all ages, just waiting to be discovered.
Our opening week continues with Adam Kay – This Is Going to Hurt (Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor) on Wednesday 29 September. The ex-NHS worker released a new book, Dear NHS, last year to raise money for NHS charities, and his generosity continues as he has kindly donated tickets to Kingston Hospital for this performance.
The reopening celebration comes to a crescendo, with the first week long production of the reopening season – Dirty Dancing. Filled with all best-loved moments from the movie, live on stage with breath-taking dancing and incredible music including Hungry Eyes, Do you Love Me? and the unforgettable (I’ve Had) The Time of my Life.
The remainder of the reopening season brings Richmond audiences the best in live entertainment. Julian Clary and Matthew Kelly star in The Dresser, the hilarious portrait of life as an aging actors assistant in October, then Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles, sees Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson unravel the mystery of the Baskerville family. For fans of Noël Coward, Nigel Havers and Patricia Hodge star in the three-act comedy of manners Private Lives in November, followed by Rufus Houndin The Good Life, based on the hit television series. Children will be entertained by the new 3D technology in Horrible Histories – Barmy Britain, and the festive season will finally feel a bit more normal as panto returns, this year with Cinderella.
There is comedy from Milton Jones and Nina Conti, music from Blake and musical comedy from The Horne Section. Real life stories from David Suchet and Andrew Cotter, quick thinking from Showstopper! The Improvised Musical and a sea of facts from There’s No Such Thing as a Fish. For full listings for Richmond Theatre, please click here.