Live theatre returns to Malvern Theatres
Malvern Theatres will reopen this autumn with a short season of its own productions, featuring Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads and Peter Terson’s Mooney and his Caravans.
The announcement marks an exciting new chapter for Malvern Theatres as they create new work to fill the cultural void left by the Covid disaster. The works will be the first live theatre performed since the theatre closed its doors owing to Covid.
A new one-man version of Doctor Faustus completes the autumn line-up.
Chief Executive Nic Lloyd said: “At Malvern Theatres, we are doing all we can to help the arts industry survive this crisis.
“Creating new productions in a safe way is an expression of optimism for our audiences; they have supported us through this disaster and, going ahead, we intend to thrive and return to support our community as we always have. We also want to offer hope to other theatres that the show can and will go on.
“Until we can reopen fully, our Covid-19 Emergency Appeal is ongoing as financially the theatre is not yet out of danger.”
Malvern Theatres’ Covid-19 Emergency Appeal has now reached £175,000 and Mr Lloyd hopes it will hit £200,000 before the end of the year.
“We have been overwhelmed by the support that our campaign has received,” he continued.
“None of us knows what the future of theatre will look like following this pandemic and we are doing everything we can to ensure Malvern Theatres is at the forefront as it always has been.
“We would like to thank everyone for their support and ask that, if you haven’t already and you can manage it, please visit our website and donate now – no matter the amount. Every penny we receive today will help protect tomorrow.”
Talking Heads became one of the talking points of lockdown after a star-studded new adaptation broke the television tedium of reruns and received rave reviews.
Malvern Theatres will stage A Chip in the Sugar and Her Big Chance (performed by Martin Freeman and Jodie Comer respectively in the recent television version).
Mooney and His Caravans is a bittersweet drama about an inadequate young couple victimised by the owner of a caravan site.
Mooney and his Caravans will be on stage in the Festival Theatre on 15-19 September, Doctor Faustus on 22-26 September, and Talking Heads on 13-17 October. All performances are subject to government Covid restrictions; please visit malvern-theatres.co.uk for more details. Donations to the theatre’s Covid appeal can also be made online.