The Lawrence Batley Theatre has today announced its autumn season featuring world premieres from Gary Clarke and its annual Community Production
The Huddersfield theatre will open its autumn season with a brand-new commission by award-winning choreographer Gary Clarke titled Chronicles. This world premiere work will combine live dance, projection, music and spoken word – using the building’s facade as the backdrop for the multi-art form experience which will take audiences through the decades unearthing the rich histories and untold stories of the theatre’s iconic 200-year-old building. Chronicles will premiere on Wed 1 September for a limited five performance run.
British musical comedy duo Frisky & Mannish will kick off the theatre’s first indoor production of its season with two live performances in September and later return with Lawrence Batley Theatre digital commission PopCorn, which sees the duo draw on pop-culture film references combined with their distinctive comedic music style in a world premiere digital extravaganza available to stream 1 – 14 November.
The 24 Hour Plays is back in the UK after a 10-year hiatus, with six writers, six directors, six producers and 24 actors from all corners of the UK coming together in Huddersfield to write, rehearse, stage and perform six brand new short plays to a live audience on Sat 2 October. The participants have received mentoring from leading industry voices including Olivier award-winning actress Sheila Atim MBE; In The Heights producer Paul Taylor-Mills; critically acclaimed playwright Amanda Whittington; Fleabag producer Francesca Moody; and Artistic Director of Northern Broadsides, Laurie Sansom.
The theatre’s annual community production hits the Main House with an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth written and directed by Olivia Race (Front Room Productions). The show will bring together over 90 members of the community from across the Kirklees district for three performances from Thu 7 – Sat 9 October.
A host of touring productions will visit the theatre including: Fascinating Aida (Tue 28 September), LUNG Theatre’s Who Cares (Tue 12 October), Proper Job Theatre’s The Trial (Tue 26-Wed 27 October) and Nobody by Motionhouse (Tue 25 January).
Families with young children can enjoy, Spontaneous Potter Kidz (Sun 26 September), The Tiger Who Came to Tea (Tue 19 – Wed 20 October) and The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Mon 1 November).
Those looking for some light-hearted fun can enjoy a wealth of comedy performances kicking off with Sindhu Vee’s Alphabet (Sat 11 September), monthly instalments of Comedy Cellar bosting line-ups including; Daliso Chaponda, Lost Voice Guy and Karen Bayley, and, voice of Love Island Iain Stirling brings Failing Upwards to the theatre (Thu 28 October).
For its festive offering the Lawrence Batley Theatre will not only produce its annual pantomime which this year is Robin Hood, but also premiere its one-elf show Alfie the Elf’s Christmas Rescue created for children aged four to 11.
Henry Filloux-Bennett, CEO & Artistic Director of the Lawrence Batley Theatre comments; “We are utterly thrilled to be welcoming audiences back for live indoor performances for the first time in almost a year. Our autumn season is bigger and better than ever, with our refreshed auditorium playing host to a series of world premieres and touring productions – as well as our digital channels offering original online shows for those to enjoy from home.”
The autumn season will see the Lawrence Batley Theatre programme its first full season of work in almost 18 months and its first live indoor performances since October 2020. Tickets are now on sale at thelbt.org.