Image: The Monocle
Thursday 17 February: 7.30pm (doors open 7pm) Tickets: Tickets: £12, £10 (benefit concession & students) Age guidance: 14+
A newly created piece by Rendez-Vous dance is inspired by the secretly notorious 1930s Parisian lesbian club Le Monocle. The Monocle will be performed by six outstanding dancers. Conceived as a fun night out, The Monocle will re-shape our theatre into a club where audiences can participate in a highly virtuosic evening mixing dance and live music.
Be our guest at The Monocle! In here the air is thick, warm and wavy with secrets and sensuality. Women laugh loudly, drink the night away and dance in each other’s arms.
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Friday 18 & Saturday 19 February: 7.30pm Tickets: £20 Age guidance: 11+
by Robert Louis Stevenson Adapted for the stage by Nick Lane Doctor Henry Jekyll is a good man. Successful within his field and respected by his peers, he’s close to a neurological discovery that will change the face of medical science forever. However, his methods are less than ethical, and when a close friend and colleague threatens to expose and destroy his work, Jekyll is forced to experiment on himself, whereupon something goes very wrong…or very right. And suddenly Jekyll has a new friend, the brutal Edward Hyde.
This thrilling adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s dark psychological fantasy immerses you in the myth and mystery of 19th century London’s fog-bound streets where love, betrayal and murder lurk at every twist and turn.
“One of the most innovative, audacious companies working in contemporary English theatre.” The Stage
Wednesday 2 March: 7.30pm Tickets: £15 Age guidance: 12+
Written by Philip Correia Directed by Anna Girvan
Following the sell-out success of The War of the Worlds and The Hound of the Baskervilles, Northern Stage presents an electrifying new production adapted from H.G. Wells’ science fiction classic, featuring a new take on one of the most iconic characters in horror fiction.
Exploring themes of exploitation, identity and establishment power and corruption, The Invisible Man questions who is really invisible in Britain 2022?
Thursday 17 March: 7.30pm Tickets: £15 Age guidance: 14+
A trivial comedy for serious people.
Mistaken identity and romance collide with cucumber sandwiches and a handbag in Oscar Wilde’s much-loved comedy of manners.
Jack loves Gwendolen. Algernon loves Cecily; though both of them are engaged to the roguish Ernest - much to the disapproval of the formidable Lady Bracknell. Unfortunately, Ernest doesn’t actually exist, and when his true identity is revealed being earnest takes on a whole new meaning.
Following sell-out runs of their previous productions, The Twelve Pound Look and A Doll’s House, HangFire embark on their first national tour with a revival of their fast-paced and hilarious adaptation of Wilde’s famous comic masterpiece.
Tuesday 22 March: 7.30pm Tickets: £10, £7.50 (students) Age guidance: 12+
A scintillating evening of the lost knitting songs of WWI and WWII. Feel free to bring your knitting (or crochet), and stitch along to these funny, poignant, toe-tapping, needle-clicking tunes.
During the two World Wars, millions of women knit for the soldiers. Popular music often reflected the trends of the time, and mere days after the first bullet was fired, dozens of knitting-themed songs started to appear. These songs ranged from ballads (heartfelt and sentimental), to propaganda songs (usually marches, to encourage the sentiment that knitting was a home front type of soldiering), to novelty tunes (a humorous, tongue-in-cheek look at the wartime knitting craze). After the wars these songs were essentially lost, and this concert is the first time that many of them have been performed in 70 years.
Monday 28 March: 7.30pm Tickets: £16 Age guidance: 14+
Written by Ed Waugh Directed by Russell Floyd Starring Lauren Waine Having scored theatre gold with their collaborations on Hadaway Harry, Carrying David and The Great Joe Wilson, writer Ed Waugh and director Russell Floyd team up again to bring to life the incredible story of WW1 women's football - with a Northumberland aspect. In 1916 women flooded into munitions factories and saved the war effort. Despite dangerous jobs and long hours, these heroic "munitionettes" played football to fundraise for wartime charities.
Dozens of teams were formed in the region - playing in front of crowds of up to 22,000! Bella Reay, with 133 goals in 30 matches, was the Alan Shearer of her day. Wor Bella is the story of Blyth Spartans Ladies' remarkable munitionettes' cup victory in 1918, as seen through the eyes of Bella (Lauren Waine). A Northumberland triumph!
Saturday 9 April: 7.30pm Tickets: £16.50 Age guidance: 12+
The multi-award-winning New Old Friends are touring once again with the latest hilarious show in their hugely popular Crimes… series of comedy thrillers. Crimes, Camera, Action whisks the audience to golden-era Hollywood and introduces a new lead detective, a world-weary, hard-boiled private-eye in the mould of Humphrey Bogart: meet Stan Shakespeare.
The case? A screen starlet is stabbed on set. It sets in motion a typically fast-paced and hilarious chain of events that sees a cast of four exceptional comic actors take on multiple roles, sometimes within the same scene. Expect the usual New Old Friends mix of great theatrical set pieces, the quickest of quick changes, lightning-fast wordplay and a thrilling plot driving the action at breakneck pace.
“A non-stop bonanza of wit.” British Theatre Guide “Crammed to the gills with knife-sharp visual gags and murderously bad puns.” The Financial Times
Thursday 14 April: 7.30pm Tickets: £12, £10 (benefit concession & students) Age guidance: 12+
James Wilton Dance, one of Europe’s most in demand dance companies, presents The Four Seasons.
Using Max Richter’s recomposed version of Vivaldi’s seminal work The Four Seasons James Wilton Dance has created a work of immense physicality, driving energy and sweeping beauty. The work features the companies signature blend of capoeira, acrobatics, martial arts and classical dance, alongside stunning stage and costume designs.
This abstract, yet honestly human choreography relates each of the four seasons of the musical composition to the four stages of the universe, creating a kaleidoscopic visual feast for audiences that is not to be missed.
Saturday 7 May: 7.30pm Tickets: £10, £7.50 (students) Age guidance: 12+
An explosive new show with live music from award-winning rap storyteller Jack Dean; a raucous rebellious gig theatre show about a forgotten part of British history and one of England’s forgotten revolutionaries.
Jeremiah tells the incredible true story of the much-misunderstood Luddite rebellion – a movement that spanned the whole of northern England and had more British soldiers fighting it than Napoleon. Ever thought about a House of Lords debate staged as a rap battle?
Accompanied by a cellist, violinist and guitarist fusing hip hop beats with cinematic orchestration, the story is told through the lens of the life of Jeremiah Brandreth, the instigator of the Luddites’ final stand and the last man in British history to be beheaded by axe for high treason.
"Impressive poetic, musical and narrative skills… undoubtedly a performer with an exciting career ahead of him." EXEUNT
"Artists like rap storyteller Jack Dean make us excited about what they might do next.” The Guardian
* Available at in person or over the phone only. There are limited free tickets for each show, early booking recommended.
Thursday 2 June: 7.30pm Tickets: £5 Age guidance:
Queen’s Hall are delighted to be supporting the first public reading of Prick Him and I Bleed (working title): a new verbatim play in development by Susan Betts.
The play uses the real words, taken from interviews with over 30 people, ages 18 to 79, to explore the complex and lifelong relationship of being a sibling to someone with complex needs. The play reveals the good, the bad, and the funny stories of family life through the voice of the siblings.
The script in hand reading will be directed by award winning director, and Co-Artist Director of Lung Theatre, Matt Woodhead.
After the reading, there will be an informal Q&A. By putting their questions and observations to the writer, director and actors, the audience will be supporting the future development of the play. Susan hopes that the piece can go on to be produced, bringing this silent perspective to a wider audience.
