Autumn Season 2017
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Blood Brothers | Spamalot | Stewart Lee | & much more
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Welcome After a successful opening season of our own productions, we are thrilled to welcome visiting companies from across the globe for a season of music, laughter, dance and drama. Laugh your way through the new season with Joel Dommett, Jenny Eclair, Rich Hall, Stewart Lee and Jon Richardson – comedy talent at its finest. Classic musical Blood Brothers starring Lyn Paul lines up alongside the foot-tapping Footloose with Maureen Nolan. Take a trip back to the swinging Sixties with Small Faces inspired Mod musical All Or Nothing; and folk singer Kate Rusby promises a special show. Laughter and music combine with Monty Python’s Spamalot! and comic opera company Opera Della Luna’s Tales Of Offenbach. If dance is more your forte, don’t miss physical theatre production Cockfight by The Farm; world-class footwork from Tangomotion; and all-male dance company BalletBoyz. Physical drama comes from Frantic Assembly’s Things I Know To Be True. See you at Storyhouse! Alex Clifton, Storyhouse Artistic Director
Key partners:
Sponsored by:
Funded by:
Principal Sponsor:
Supported by:
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Footloose 5 – 9 September 7.30pm (plus 2:30pm on 6 and 9 September) Tickets from £20.50*
Kick off your Sunday shoes and cut loose as the explosive rock ‘n’ roll musical sensation Footloose bursts on to the Storyhouse stage in a remastered show sure to get your toes tapping. Based on the 1980s hit film that took the world by storm, Footloose the musical sizzles with the same spirit of youth, rebellion and romance.
“A roaring success!” The Yorkshire Times
Enjoy the best in UK musical talent, cuttingedge choreography and classic hits including Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise, Let’s Hear it for the Boy and of course the unforgettable title track Footloose.
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*Transactions are subject to a £1.50 booking fee per ticket
Starring Maureen Nolan as Vi Moore. @StoryhouseLive
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Jon Richardson Old Man Tour 19 September
7.30pm
Tickets from £22*
The British Comedy Award nominee and star of 8 Out Of 10 Cats is embarking on a nationwide tour to complain about the state of the world and offer no solutions. Come and see what Jon can do with words when he has more than thirty seconds.
“A skilfully executed show where an impish Mr Misery picks the scabs of life.” Evening Standard
Joel Dommett 26 September
8pm
Tickets from £20*
After a whirlwind year, finishing runner up with his highly memorable performance on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, Joel is back on the road, playing to thousands of new fans with his biggest tour to date!
“Young, sharp and clever!” The Sunday Times
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*Transactions are subject to a £1.50 booking fee per ticket
Tales of Offenbach Two crazy Offenbach operas in one unforgettable evening. By Opera Della Luna
22 – 23 September 7.30pm Tickets from £20.50*
Croquefor, or The Last of the Paladins Croquefer has imprisoned the daughter of his rival: Mousse-a-Mort, with whom he has been at war for 23 years. Despite having lost most of his body parts, including his tongue, Moussea-Mort is determined to fight one last battle to save his daughter. L’ile de Tulipatan King Cacatois is unaware that his son and heir, Alexis, is in fact his daughter. Knowing how desperate he was for a son, doctors concealed the child’s sex. Coincidentally, the Field Marshall’s wife also lied about their daughter, who is in fact, a boy. How extraordinary it would be if these two children were to meet and fall in love.
“It is rare to see artistic means matched so perfectly to dramatic ends, and even rarer for it to be this much fun.” The Spectator Sung in English in a new version by Jeff Clarke
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All or Nothing 27 – 30 September 7.30pm (plus 2:30pm on 30 September) Tickets from £16.50*
In 1964, a new phenomenon exploded onto the dingy British streets. It was the essence of all that was cool. It was Mod. Mods stuck two fingers up at the class-ridden society and its dull redundant culture. They were workingclass free spirits. This quintessentially British ‘Mod’ Musical celebrates the unique sound of the iconic ‘60s Mod band, The Small Faces.
“Raucous vitality and the hits you’d hope for!” The Telegraph
Featuring the music of The Small Faces, including an arsenal of brilliant hits like Whatcha Gonna Do About It, Lazy Sunday, Tin Soldier, Sha La La La Lee, Itchycoo Park and of course All Or Nothing.
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*Transactions are subject to a £1.50 booking fee per ticket
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THE MUSICAL FOR ALL TIME ‘BRINGS THE AUDIENCE CHEERING TO ITS FEET AND ROARING APPROVAL’ THE DAILY MAIL
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SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
SUNDAY EXPRESS
‘DAZZLING’
‘TERRIFIC’
Blood Brothers 9 – 14 October 7.30pm (plus 2:30pm on 11 and 14 September) Tickets from £20.50*
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The legendary Blood Brothers tells the captivating tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences. Lyn Paul, who rose to fame as a member of New Seekers, returns to the iconic role she has played many times in the West End.
“A triumphant evening... unmissable and unbeatable”
Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as the multi-award winning Blood Brothers. Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that. The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.
The Spectator
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*Transactions are subject to a £1.50 booking fee per ticket
‘EXHILARATING...
ONE OF THE BEST MUSICALS EVER WRITTEN’ SUNDAY TIMES
BILL KENWRIGHT PRESENTS
THEIR LIVES WERE WORLDS APART...
...THEIR DESTINY JOINED THEM TOGETHER
BEST MUSICAL A L L M A J O R AWA R D S
LYN PAUL returns from her West End run ‘THE DEFINITIVE MRS JOHNSTONE’ MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS @StoryhouseLive
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Stewart Lee Content Provider 3 October
7.30pm
Tickets from £24.50*
After four years writing and performing his TV show Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, Content Provider is Stewart’s first brand new full-length show since the award-winning Carpet Remnant World. Don’t miss one of the UK’s most popular comedians at Storyhouse this Autumn season.
“Venomously funny” Evening Standard
Cockfight 7 October
7.30pm
Tickets from £16.50*
Cockfight explores the power play between men, the frailty of the ageing body and questions culture’s desperate desire for achievement. Without each other these two performers have nothing left to fight for.
“Speedy, strong and fearless!” Ballet.co.uk
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*Transactions are subject to a £1.50 booking fee per ticket
Tangomotion 18 October
7.30pm
Tickets from £16.50*
From virtuoso displays of traditional tango dance to the exquisite sounds of 1930s’ Buenos Aires and the powerful Nuevo Tango music of Astor Piazzolla, Tangomotion is a breathtaking journey into the heart of Tango Argentino. Featuring four of the world’s leading tango dancers with live music from company Tango Siempre.
“Intense, epic and beautiful!” Independent on Sunday
Jenny Eclair 19 October
8pm
Tickets from £19*
Professional grumpy old woman, amateur soup maker, and novice knitter, Jenny Eclair is younger than Madonna, eats crisps and likes wine. Eclair puts middle age under the microscope and decides whether to laugh, cry or buy a dachshund! You are welcome to join her.
“She’s a master at what she does.” North West End
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Kate Rusby 20 October
7.30pm
Tickets from £25*
Of all the stars in folk music’s wondrous firmament few shine as brightly as Yorkshire’s Kate Rusby. A career which spans across 25 years in music showcases her as one of the finest interpreters of traditional folk songs and one of our most emotive original songwriters.
“She has moved folk forward while remaining true to tradition” The Sunday Times
Rich Hall 21 October
8pm
Tickets from £18.50*
Join Rich and his virtuoso musical mates for a frankly gratuitous mash-up of the very best of comedy and music. Performing will be Rich’s regular band of talented yet chronically unemployable urchins. The floor will reek of liquor and spent dreams.
“One of the most gratifying and (yes) joyous experiences to be had on the comedy circuit!” The Independent
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*Transactions are subject to a £1.50 booking fee per ticket
BalletBoyz 30 October 7.30pm Tickets from £16.50*
Since its formation in 2001, BalletBoyz have sought to excite, enlighten, and expand dance audiences, and this brand new tour will be no exception. Bringing together composers, artists, designers, filmmakers, and photographers, BalletBoyz aims to integrate a wide range of artistic elements in every performance.
“Dance at its most riveting and fearless” The Independent
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Spamalot Selladoor presents the Mercury Theatre Colchester’s production of Spamalot.
31 October – 4 November 7.30pm (plus 2.30pm on 1 and 4 November) Tickets from £20.50*
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Lovingly ripped off from the hugely successful 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot is a riotous comedy full of misfit knights, killer rabbits, dancing nuns and ferocious Frenchmen.
“Spamalot proves that the British sense of humour is alive and well”
We join King Arthur as he travels around the land gathering his Knights of the Round Table. This band of hapless adventurers is then tasked with a divine mission to locate the illusive Holy Grail – with uproarious consequences. The Telegraph With comic tunes including Brave Sir Robin, We’re Knights of the Round Table and perennial favourite Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Spamalot audiences are sure to be dancing in the aisles.
01244 409 113
*Transactions are subject to a £1.50 booking fee per ticket
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Things I Know To Be True A Frantic Assembly and State Theatre Company South Australia production
7 – 11 November 7.30pm (plus 2.30pm on 8 and 11 November) Tickets from £16.50*
As beautifully touching as it is funny and bold, Things I Know To Be True tells the story of a family and marriage through the eyes of four grown siblings struggling to define themselves beyond their parents’ love and expectations.
“An intricate, inventive study of family life. Genuinely beautiful.”
Parents Bob and Fran have worked their fingers to the bone and with their four children grown and ready to fly the nest it might be time to relax and enjoy the roses. But the changing seasons bring home some shattering truths. Evening Standard Featuring Frantic Assembly’s celebrated physicality, Things I Know To Be True is a complex and intense study of the mechanics of a family that is both poetic and brutally frank.
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*Transactions are subject to a £1.50 booking fee per ticket
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‘A thing of beauty. Exquisitely observed. An absolute gem.’ Daily Telegraph
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Book now for the magical Christmas experience of the year
1 December – 14 January Times vary – check online for details Adults: £26 Aged Under 26: £19.50
Storyhouse celebrates its first Christmas with the world’s first ever stage adaptation of Enid Blyton’s beloved book The Secret Seven, brought to you by the team behind the critically acclaimed productions The Wind in The Willows, Alice in Wonderland and Stig of the Dump. In this, their first ever adventure, The Secret Seven are on the trail of strange clues which lead them, in disguise, through the snow, to the old house, and a mystery… Directed by Storyhouse’s Artistic Director Alex Clifton
Chester Literature Festival 12 - 19 November
Featuring a weekend of events curated by guest director Hollie McNish plus 8 days of author talks, workshops, poetry and performance. To find out more and book visit storyhouse.com
New shows announced for 2018!
Motionhouse
Saint Petersburg Classic
Charge
Ballet: Giselle
6 Feburary
7.30pm
Tickets from £16.50*
16 Feburary
7.30pm
Tickets from £20.50*
Motionhouse bring their incredible new multi-media show Charge, a unique collaboration between art and science.
Giselle is one of the few 19th century Romantic ballets to survive intact, the quintessential story of unrequited love.
Saint Petersburg Classic
Sarah Millican
Ballet: Swan Lake
Control Enthusiast
17 – 18 Feburary
2.30pm (7.30pm Sat)
Tickets from £20.50*
Swan Lake is Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, a tragic tale of love and betrayal with an instantly recognisable score.
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22 Feburary
8pm
Tickets from £29*
The hilarious award-winning comedian comes to Storyhouse for one night only.
*Transactions are subject to a £1.50 booking fee per ticket
David Baddiel My Family
Brendan Cole
Not The Sitcom
All Night Long
23 Feburary
7:30pm
Tickets from £27*
17 March
7.30pm
Tickets from £19*
Following a sold out run at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory, The Olivier-nominated oneman show comes to Storyhouse.
Expect live music, stunning special effects and Brendan’s own dazzling choreography and charm to make this an unforgettable night.
English Touring Opera
English Touring Opera
The Marriage Of Figaro
Puccini Il Tabarro & Gianni Schicchi
20 March
7.30pm
Tickets from £19.50*
An energetic new production of one of the world’s most beloved operas, Mozart’s classic comedy.
21 March
7.30pm
Tickets from £19.50*
First performed in 2011 to great critical acclaim, this double bill shows Puccini at his finest as a master of the theatre that speaks to the heart.
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How to book Online: storyhouse.com By phone: 01244 409 113 In person: at Storyhouse Address: Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR Company no 05541255 Charity no 1121007
Access: FREE Essential Companion tickets for those with a disability or access requirements. Visit storyhouse.com/booking for more information
Mon - Sat 8am - 11pm Sun 9.30am - 11pm Bank holidays 9.30am - 11pm
Please note: Exclusions and limited availability may apply. Proof of ID, with a valid expiry date, may be required with discounted or concessionary tickets. Transactions are Discounts & Concessions £10 Standby Tickets subject to a £1.50 booking fee per ticket Selected shows only (see website for details) Wherever possible, a limited number of £10 tickets will be available from 10am the day of the performance, and can only be booked in person at Storyhouse.
Access Anyone who requires a companion – including guide dogs – to accompany them to events at Storyhouse can bring a personal assistant at no charge. See booking info above or book online by joining our Access Register. To join the Access Register, please contact Andrew Reece (01244 409 113 / andrew.reece@storyhouse.com), who can also answer any queries, concerns or feedback regarding your visit to Storyhouse. The whole building is accessible via a lift, with wheelchair access to all areas. Wheelchair spaces are available in the Theatre (at Stalls, Circle and Gallery levels), Studio and Cinema
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Assistance Dogs welcome Ramp access at ground floor levels The café and bar areas are on the ground floor, and are accessible with no stairs Accessible toilets are available on every floor with a Changing Place toilet on the ground floor Baby changing facilities are provided in all accessible toilets Low level counter at the café Portable induction loop Large format print available on request Disabled parking and drop-offs The nearest car park is Market which has 8 disabled spaces – 200 metres from nearest exit There is free on street parking /car park for blue badge holders on Hamilton Place and Goss Street (4 hours max) – c.300 metres away The best place for drop-offs is Northgate Street – 20 metres away
Eat
Drink
Whether it’s a freshly-made lunch, a pretheatre meal, a snack whilst you’re working or a drink to take into the cinema or theatre; Storyhouse has a wide range of eat-in and take away options.
Storyhouse’s bars – The Kitchen on the ground floor and the Garret Bar in the copper box – are open until 11pm every night.
The Kitchen is Chester’s newest and most exciting restaurant, serving fresh, vibrant food from the Eastern Mediterranean. It’s open from 8am for breakfast, through lunch to 8pm for evening meals, every day of the week.
You can grab take-away fresh food and drink to enjoy in the cafe, library, cinema and theatre, and drinks bought in Storyhouse can be safely taken into both the theatre and cinema to enjoy during the show or film.
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STOP PRESS – NOW ON SALE!
THE NEW MUSICAL FOR ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART TUESDAY 6 MARCH – SATURDAY 10 MARCH TUES – SAT 7.30PM | WED, THU & SAT MAT 2.30PM
BASED ON THE HIT TELEVISION SERIES BILL KENWRIGHT & LAURIE MANSFIELD PRESENT
BAFTA AWARD WINNING
JEFF POPE’S
THE MUSICAL THE SPECTACULAR RISE OF ONE OF BRITAIN’S BEST-LOVED ENTERTAINERS OF ALL TIME
It’s an introduction by a young John Lennon to music mogul Brian Epstein that changes Priscilla White’s life forever. By the age of just 25 she would be known as singer and TV Star Cilla Black, Number One selling artist and at the fore-front of the Brit-Pop music scene. The musical score is the ultimate soundtrack to the 60’s including Cilla’s greatest hits Anyone Who Had a Heart, Alfie and Something Tells Me, Twist and Shout by the Beatles, California Dreamin by The Mamas and The Papas and many more. DIRECTED BY
BILL KENWRIGHT AND BOB TOMSON ROBERT WILLIS
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER DESIGN
GARY McCANN
SOUND
DAN SAMSON
Photograph: Rex Features
CILLA - THE MUSICAL is the spectacular and heart-warming musical adaptation of the critically acclaimed hit ITV television series by Bafta-Award winner, Jeff Pope. It tells the extraordinary story of the ordinary girl from Liverpool whose teenage dreams of stardom lead her to becoming one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers of all time.