SPRING SEASON 2019 SET TO
BLOOM WITH HEADLINE SHOWS
Brian Blessed, Brendan Cole, Jason Manford, Avenue Q,
The Noise Next Door, Nick Sharratt, and English Touring Opera
now confirmed to join programme for 2019
Storyhouse in Chester continues to blossom as more fantastic shows are confirmed for its spring season 2019.
Headline musicals, comedy, dance, drama and opera are set to wow audiences in the new year.
Actor Brian Blessed, dancer Brendan Cole, comedian Jason Manford, Avenue Q, comedy improv group The Noise Next Door, writer and illustrator Nick Sharratt, and English Touring Opera have all been announced today (Thursday 25 October) for the spring season.
The announcement sees the new shows join an already strong programme including Annie, Ghost – The Musical, Wise Children, Collabro, Dara O’Briain, Comedy About A Bank Robbery, Moscow City Ballet, Julian Clary, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat, BalletBoyz, and Zog.
The season gets off to a fun start with The Comedy About a Bank Robbery from Tuesday 29 January to Saturday 2 February. Following the phenomenal sell-out success of their multi award-winning The Play That Goes Wrong, Mischief Theatre return to Storyhouse with their latest West End smash hit, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery. Audiences can look forward toOcean’s Eleven meets the Marx Brothers in this dynamite new comedy.
Fans of musicals will be spoilt for choice this spring with four headline shows not to be missed – Avenue Q, Ghost – The Musical, Annie, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Avenue Q comes to town between Monday 25 February and Saturday 2 March. This Tony Award-winning musical tells the charming tale of the loveable characters on a downtown New York street, trying to make sense of life’s burning issues with mischief, bad behaviour and political incorrectness. Hilarious and cheeky, with a cast of 11 hugely talented performers and puppets, Avenue Q is a musical like no other.
Ghost – The Musical is based on the blockbuster 1990 film starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. This moving stage production will pull on the heartstrings during its run from Tuesday 5 March to Saturday 9 March. As well as classic songs featured in the movie including The Righteous Brothers’ iconic Unchained Melody, the musical includes songs co-written by Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart.
With memorable songs and heartwarming message, Annie runs from Monday 25 March to Saturday 30 March. The West End smash hit stars actress Anita Dobson (EastEnders, Wicked, Chicago) in the role of Miss Hannigan, and includes unforgettable songs Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street, and Tomorrow.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat retells the Biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers, and the coat of many colours – as well as iconic songs Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door To Me. The show runs from Tuesday 16 April to Saturday 20 April.
Direct from the West End, visionary director Emma Rice presents the new theatrical production of novelist Angela Carter’s Wise Children at Storyhouse from Tuesday 19 March to Saturday 23 March. The carnivalesque tale of the tangled fortunes of two theatrical families is packed with pairs of twins, mistaken identities, scandal, music and mischief – and is inspired by Shakespeare’s greatest comedies.
Storyhouse continues to attract comedy giants, who will have you laughing your way through the new season.
An Evening with Brian Blessed is on Wednesday 6 February, when the actor brings his larger than life show to the stage for one night only. Jason Manford returns to Storyhouse for two nights with his Muddle Class show on Wednesday 13 February and Thursday 14 February.
Risqué comedian Julian Clary brings his hilarious new show, Born To Mince, to Storyhouse on Sunday 31 March – not to be missed. Dara O’Briain is the Voice of Reason for three nights from Monday 1 April to Wednesday 3 April.
There is a double bill for The Noise Next Door, the UK’s premier improv comedy troupe who have taken the comedy world by storm. They come to Storyhouse on Wednesday 20 February with two performances; new family show The Noise Next Door At Sea at 2pm, featuring mermaids, magic, sea-shanties and swords in a show audiences will treasure.
The Noise Next Door return later that day at 8pm with a brand new full-length adult show called Remix. Edinburgh Fringe Festival veterans, they are one of the country’s most sought after comedy club headliners with their quick wit and distinctive brand of off-the-cuff comedy. Taking audience suggestions, the cheeky and charming quartet, transform them into fantastically funny scenes and songs in the blink of an eye with a perfect blend of ludicrous characters, witty one-liners, epic stories, and explosive physicality.
Highlights for dance enthusiasts include return visits to Storyhouse for Strictly Come Dancing’s Brendan Cole and BalletBoyz.
Moscow City Ballet perform at Storyhouse for the very first time this spring, presenting two shows over three dates. The company perform The Nutcracker on Thursday 21 February and Friday 22 February, followed by Sleeping Beauty on Saturday 23 February.
Brendan Cole is back with new stage production Show Man on Sunday 24 February. The very first winner of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing is joined by an amazing team of professional dancers, singers and a live band. The show promises an evening of beautiful ballroom magic and high energy Latin passion, all brought together by the charismatic Brendan Cole himself.
BalletBoyz are back with two brand new works, Them & Us, both set to original scores by world-class composers. A first for BalletBoyz, Them is the choreographic debut of the company dancers, under the direction of Artistic Directors Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, and set to a score by emerging composer Charlotte Harding. Us, from Tony Award-winner Christopher Wheeldon, takes its inspiration from his achingly beautiful and critically acclaimed duet which featured in the company’s last show, Fourteen Days. BalletBoyzperform on Thursday 4 April.
Music comes in the genres of classical and opera. Collabro have gone to become the world’s most successful musical theatre group after wowing Britain’s Got Talent judges and audiences. The group’s Road To The Royal Albert Hall Tour comes to Storyhouse on Monday 11 February.
English Touring Opera return to present a season of Kings and Queens in the battle for love, loyalty and power. The double bill of Verdi’s Macbeth on Friday 15 March and Mozart’s Idomeneo on Saturday 16 March both feature a large chorus and live orchestra.
Macbeth will be King. But Royalty comes at a price. The cost of power is betrayal, murder and revenge. Idomeneo remains one of Mozart’s greatest ‘opera seria’ (serious operas). It explores Royalty, high ideals and deep emotions.
Highlights for youngsters include acclaimed children’s writer and illustrator Nick Sharrattbrings his Right Royal Drawalong show to Storyhouse on Saturday 16 February. Nick will be showing audiences how to sketch their favourite characters and top tips to create creatures including dragons and unicorns. Nick has illustrated close to 260 books including Tracy Beaker, and this is a chance to see a master at work.
This is followed by the story of young dragon Zog, who flies into Storyhouse from Friday 5 April to Sunday 7 April, as part of its world premiere stage adaptation, based on the book by Julia Donaldson with illustrations by Axel Scheffler. Large in size and keen in nature, Zog is so eager to win a golden star at Madam Dragon’s school, where dragons learn all the things that dragons need to know – with plenty of adventures along the way. Zog promises to be roaring fun for all ages.
Storyhouse Artistic Director Alex Clifton said: “We’re only just half-way through our fantastic autumn season 2018 – and we’re already excited about the calibre and diverse programme we have to look forward to next Spring. The season is bursting with music, dance and comedy – it promises to be a colourful season, exactly what spring is all about.”
Tickets for all spring season shows at Storyhouse are now on sale. Storyhouse has a dynamic pricing policy on the majority of shows, ensuring the earlier you book your tickets, guarantees the best seats at the lowest price.
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Twitter: @StoryhouseLive
LISTING INFORMATION
STORYHOUSE SPRING SEASON 2019
THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY
Dates: Tuesday 29 January – Saturday 2 February 2019
Times: Tuesday – Saturday 7.30pm / Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm
AN EVENING WITH BRIAN BLESSED
Date: Wednesday 6 February 2019
Time: 7.30pm
COLLABRO
Date: Monday 11 February 2019
Time: 7.30pm
JASON MANFORD: MUDDLE CLASS
Dates: Wednesday 13 February – Thursday 14 February 2019
Time: 7.30pm
NICK SHARRATT’S RIGHT ROYAL DRAWALONG
Date: Saturday 16 February 2019
Time: 2pm
THE NOISE NEXT DOOR: AT SEA
Date: Wednesday 20 February 2019
Time: 2pm
THE NOISE NEXT DOOR: REMIX
Date: Wednesday 20 February 2019
Time: 8pm
MOSCOW CITY BALLET: THE NUTCRACKER
Dates: Thursday 21 February – Friday 22 February 2019
Time: 7.30pm
MOSCOW CITY BALLET: SLEEPING BEAUTY
Date: Saturday 23 February 2019
Times: 3pm & 7.30pm
BRENDAN COLE LIVE: SHOW MAN
Date: Sunday 24 February 2019
Times: 2.30pm & 7.30pm
AVENUE Q
Dates: Monday 25 February – Saturday 2 March 2019
Times: Monday – Saturday 7.30pm / Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm
GHOST – THE MUSICAL
Dates: Tuesday 5 March – Saturday 9 March 2019
Times: Tuesday – Saturday 7.30pm / Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm
ENGLISH TOURING OPERA: MACBETH AND IDOMENEO
Dates: Friday 15 March 2019 – Macbeth / Saturday 16 March 2019 – Idomeneo
Time: 7.30pm
WISE CHILDREN
Dates: Tuesday 19 March – Saturday 23 March 2019
Times: Tuesday – Saturday 7.30pm / Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm
ANNIE
Dates: Monday 25 March – Saturday 30 March 2019
Times: Monday – Saturday 7.30pm / Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm
JULIAN CLARY: BORN TO MINCE
Date: Sunday 31 March 2019
Time: 7.30pm
DARA O BRIAIN: VOICE OF REASON
Dates: Monday 1 April – Wednesday 3 April 2019
Time: 8pm
BALLETBOYZ: THEM & US
Date: Thursday 4 April 2019
Time: 7.30pm
ZOG:
Dates: Friday 5 April – Sunday 7 April 2019
Times: Friday 4.30pm / Saturday 11am, 2pm & 4pm / Sunday 11am & 2pm
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
Dates: Tuesday 16 April – Saturday 20 April 2019
Times: Tuesday – Thursday 7.30pm / Wednesday & Thursday 2.30pm / Friday 5pm / Saturday 2pm & 5pm / Friday & Saturday 8pm
STORYHOUSE
Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR
HOW TO BOOK
By Phone: Call 01244 409 113
In person: Visit the Ticket Kiosks at Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR