Nottingham Playhouse has unveiled the lineup for its Autumn/Winter season – here’s what you should see…
Assassins is the next show in the Nottingham Playhouse’s exciting lineup over the next couple of months. Created by musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim, the Tony Award-winning show takes a satirical dive into why individuals reach for a gun when they feel their voice can’t be heard, focusing on the assassins of the United States’ Presidents, successful or not. Directed by Bill Buckhurst, who earned himself universal acclaim for his production of Sweet Charity, Assassins runs from October 30 through to November 16.
Feeling festive? The Playhouse has two Christmas shows this year that promise plenty of laughs and Christmas fun for all. The first is Sleeping Beauty. Written and directed by Kenneth Alan Taylor, the pantomime follows a kingdom sent into a cursed sleep after Sleeping Beauty pricks her finger on a spinning wheel owned by bad fairy Maleficent. Will her friends be able to give the kingdom its happily ever after? You’ll have to find out yourself. The show runs from November 22 till January 11 in the new year.
The second show the Playhouse is putting on throughout the festive season is Pinocchio. In this new production based on a familiar classic, Geppetto, a poor wood carver carves a puppet out of a talking log and teaches him to be a good boy. Unable to stay away from mischief, Pinocchio sets off on an exciting adventure, with the dream of being a real boy filling his head. Perfect for those aged 3 -7, Pinocchio runs from December 11 until January 4.
After garnering great success at the Playhouse in 2018, Holes returns to the Nottingham as a part of its national tour for seven performances only. Based on the beloved novel and Hollywood blockbuster, Holes is an inventive and creative stage show depicting the life of Stanley Yelnats, a boy born into a family cursed with bad luck. When he’s accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he’s sent to a labour camp to dig holes as punishment. But behind the back-breaking work, the Warden is hiding something – can Stanley and his new friends work out what it is? Holes runs from February 5 to 8 and is not one to be missed.
Finally, running from March 27 until April 11, the professional premiere of Private Peaceful graces Nottingham Playhouse’s stage. Adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s award-winning book by Simon Reade, the show focuses on Tommo and Charlie Peaceful, two fiercely loyal brothers who face a tough childhood after the death of their father. They pull each other through, until they fall for the same girl. And then the Great War comes. Now, we join Private Tommo Peaceful in the trenches on what may be the last night of his life. Openly known as Michael Morpurgo’s favourite of his own works, the new ensemble version of the story tells the story of a country lad fighting a war he doesn’t understand for people he cannot respect.
The Nottingham Playhouse has been one of the UK’s leading producing theatres since its foundation and this season promises to continue maintain their reputation as a pinnacle of the theatre community. For more information on the shows, head to their website.
By Robbie Nichols
Feature image credit: Visit Nottinghamshire