Community Post Type: News

Shared Reading charity The Reader has unveiled a new programme of open-air theatre for summer 2025, featuring Jane Austen, Shakespearean favourites, Gilbert and Sullivan and a fun family show.

Five performances will be staged outdoors in one of the city’s hidden historic gems – the art-deco style Garden Theatre in Liverpool’s Calderstones Park following its restoration by the charity and reopening in 2019. Built in 1947 it has hosted everything from performing dogs and ventriloquists to opera and award ceremonies.

The Reader has also announced a special family-friendly indoor Easter production of Alice in Wonderland with two showings in the Grade II listed Mansion House Theatre Room on Monday 21 April at 11.50am and 2.45pm.

Liverpool’s Bookworm Players, who mesmerised children with their lovely interactive Christmas show, Cinderella: The Mice’s Tale, will be back with an enchanting and bonkers adaptation based on Lewis Carroll’s classic story.

Family audiences will be asked to guide Alice to safety after she has fallen down a rabbit hole into Wonderland, with help from The Mad Hatter, The Caterpillar, Scouse Cat and playing cards.

The summer season of theatre begins on Thursday 10 July at 7pm with Shakespeare’s hilarious and lyrical romantic comedy Twelfth Night. Award-winning touring theatre company The Lord Chamberlain’s Men are returning with this hugely popular play as the Bard first envisioned it – in the open air, with an all-male cast and Elizabethan-era costumes, music and dance. Expect an evening of romantic confusion, mistaken identity, practical jokes and riotous disorder.

On Friday 1 August at 6.30pm The Handlebards are back in Calderstones Park for a bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing.

This four-strong troupe of actors will be bringing to life two parallel love stories. There will be music and manic costume changes a plenty.

The season continues with two performances by another award-winning outdoor theatre company, Illyria, also back in the Mansion House Garden. Their first show will be Gilbert and Sullivan’s timeless comic opera HMS Pinafore, on Thursday 21 August at 7pm.

Sharp dialogue and catchy tunes will be key features of this production which tells the story of captain’s daughter Josephine, who loves Ralph, a common sailor. Her father insists she marries First Lord of the Admiralty Sir Joseph Porter – but must class always get in the way of love?

Illyria’s second visit to Calderstones will be to celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th birthday in sparkling style with Pride and Prejudice on Sunday 3 August at 7pm.

Lizzy Bennet finds disdainful Mr Darcy detestable – or does she? Can she see beyond his pride, and can he overcome her prejudice to consider a possible future together?

The season ends with two performances of Pan and the Eternal Wreck by family theatre company and festival favourites The Fabularium on Wednesday 13 August, 11.30am and 2.45pm

The actors, whose Reynard the Fox was a big hit last summer, return with a seafaring adventure where two mariners, from two ancient cultures aboard two storm-riddled shipwrecks, are thrown together to navigate their way through the pandemonium to safe passage.

Mary Crotty, Engagement Manager for The Reader in Calderstones Park, Liverpool, said: “We are truly excited to be welcoming back six theatre companies to perform at The Mansion House this Easter and for our summer 2025 season.

“Calderstones really is the perfect setting – there is no other outdoor-theatre venue like it! From children’s theatre to Jane Austen and Shakespeare, we invite all the members of our community to come together. We are very lucky to work with such talented theatre makers whose performances enhance our core programme of Shared Reading.

“As a national charity championing Shared Reading based in the heart of Liverpool’s Calderstones Park, we believe passionately in the power of literature, great plays and live performance to inspire creativity, ignite the imagination and to change lives for the better.”

Audiences will be invited to bring along a picnic blanket or deckchair, feast on freshly made pizzas and grazing boxes and sip drinks from the fully stocked bar under the summer sky. Guests are advised to dress for the weather. Deckchairs are also available to book.

Two free Page to Stage workshops will be running for Twelfth Night and Pride and Prejudice just before the show starts. These extra special Shared Reading sessions will explore a few key extracts from the text.

Tickets are available for public booking from Monday 17 February here: thereader.org.uk/theatre2025

Priority Booking is now open for Calderstones Members who can save 10% on tickets, plus the first 20 members to book will receive a free glass of fizz. If you are already a Calderstones Member, simply log into your account to apply your discounts. Or, join today to enjoy a year of benefits and discounts.

 

Smithdown Festival  is back to celebrate its 10th Birthday with another unforgettable few days in Liverpool.

Running from Friday 2nd May to Bank Holiday Monday 5th May 2025, this event gives local up and coming acts a great opportunity to perform to full crowds alongside great stablished artists.

Stretching all the way down to R and H Wines on Allerton Road, this year’s birthday celebration promises to be one of the best yet. Any businesses in the area are asked to e-mail smithdownfestival@gmail.com to get involved.

The full programme of events will be announced soon but expect a mixture of fresh local talent as well as favourites from years gone by. It’s not just music on the agenda, as there will be cinema, art and photo exhibitions, spoken word and loads more happening – including a family fun area with live wrestling too!

Although it is free entry, each venue will be taking donations for The Whitechapel Centre – a charity which the event has supported since day one.

For more information on line up and venues follow their Facebook and Instagram posts.

 

A popular landmark on Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock has moved to a temporary new home in 2025.

The (approx.) 5 tonnes HMS Conway anchor, part of Maritime Museum’s collection, was lifted today from its current position on the quaysides in front of the museum, opposite Canning Dock, and transferred to near the north steps of Museum of Liverpool, Mann Island.

HMS Conway, a two-decker vessel, lent by the Royal Navy to the Mercantile Marine Service Association, was moored on the Mersey from 1876, as a school ship and the site for thousands of cadets to be trained.

The ship was anchored on the Mersey for many years before being moved to North Wales during the Second World War. Following the loss of the ship (wrecked in the Menai Strait) in 1953, the Admiralty pattern anchor was recovered and kept by the parade ground at the ‘Stone Frigate’ in Plas Newydd, Anglesey. The anchor, along with other relics, were later donated to the museum in 1980 by the Conway Club – a group made up of former cadets.

In the almost 40 years the anchor has been on display outside Maritime Museum it has become a popular meeting place and photo backdrop for the millions of visitors who visit the historic waterfront location.

The temporary move of the anchor will enable access for the redevelopment of both Maritime Museum and International Slavery Museum.

Both museums closed to the public on 5 January 2025 for essential repairs and maintenance works ahead of a major redevelopment project, subject to funding. Find out more: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/waterfront-transformation

Whether you’re looking to explore cultural heritage, unleash your creativity, or dive into the wonders of nature and space, National Museums Liverpool’s diverse programme of events promises to engage and inspire visitors of all ages.

Lunar New Year 

Lunar New Year celebrations begin with Lady Lever Art Gallery’s annual celebration (Saturday February 15) of the gallery’s astonishing Chinese collections and Wirral’s Chinese community.

Festivities include fascinating talks about the Lunar New Year and the legend of the Zodiac Race with BBC Merseyside’s Billy Hui, Chinese Ney Year Card Craft Workshops and beautiful dances in traditional dress from the Wirral Chinese Cultural Association dance group.

At the waterfront, Museum of Liverpool will host Little Lion Dance Workshops (Saturday February 15) with China Spirit UK! Grab the family and join the team as they explain the history and tradition of the Chinese Lion while children learn how to work the life size puppets and learn the rhythm on the traditional Lion Dance drum.

LGBTQ+ History Month 

February also marks the start of LGBTQ+ History Month, where Museum of Liverpool will host a variety of exhibitions, workshops and events that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

Running until July, The Holly Johnson Story explores Holly’s creative genius and marks the 40th anniversary release of Frankie Goes to Hollywood album, ‘Welcome to the Pleasuredome’. This exhibition charts Holly’s early personal life and career, from a young musician to an internationally renowned, openly gay star, living in the public eye. Dealing with the price of fame, coping with an HIV+ diagnosis and unwanted negative press, whilst going it alone as a monumental LGBTQ+ icon.

Discover more about one of Liverpool’s most celebrated and iconic LGBTQ+ musicians by booking on to The Holly Johnson Story curator tours hosted by our expert exhibition curators.

A lot of Holly Johnson’s work has used, played with, and celebrated queer codes that would have been recognisable to LGBTQ+ people but not always to everyone. You can learn more about this by heading to Queer Codes: Polari and Hidden ‘Gay Language’ Workshop (Saturday February 23) where participants will actively take part in creating pieces using Polari, considering why Holly and countless others in the past had to use hidden meaning and think about what those gestures, languages, and images look like today.

Unleash your creativity by visiting “Queer Sew and Sew” Embroidery workshop (Saturday 15 February). Whether you’re a needlework novice or an embroidery enthusiast, this fun and inclusive workshop is the perfect place to express yourself and make new friends.

World Museum 

Running (or buzzing) at World Museum until May 2025, Bees: A Story of Survival is an immersive exhibition that brings together art and science to explore one of nature’s most incredible creatures – the bee. Journey into the fascinating world of bees in ways that have never been experienced before. A soundscape connects you to a live beehive, constantly changing in response to the activity of the colony. Discover the wonder of these tiny creatures through interactives, sculpture, projection and light and even better, kids under 11 go free.

Ever wanted to know what it takes to look after all the amazing animals in the World Museum aquarium? Why not book onto a Behind the Scenes Guided Aquarium Tours for a deep dive look at our back of house facilities to see how we look after the animals in our care.

Cuerpos del Tiempo (Bodies of Time) is a new collaborative project in partnership with Luma Creations, the leading Latin American Cultural organisation in the north of England and is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund. This initiative will engage Latin American communities across the North West of England to help reshape the interpretation of the museum’s Latin American collections for display in 2025-2026.

To celebrate the beginning of this exciting partnership, World Museum will host a launch event (Saturday 15 February) featuring a series of talks, dance and live music performances, craft workshops and a chance to speak to the curators of the Global Collections as well as the Luma Creations team.

Blast off to space with one of World Museum’s Planetarium shows– a dream come true for stargazers! Whether you’re a budding astronomer or simply want to marvel at the incredible universe we call home, this programme of planetarium shows has something for the whole family.

Open to the public Wednesday- Sunday The Clore Natural History Exploration Space offers the chance to get up and close with some of our incredible collections.

Walker Art Gallery 

Conversations is an ambitious exhibition that brings together work by around 40 leading Black women and non-binary artists who are transforming contemporary British art today. This exhibition asks poignant questions about the present and aims to provide a moment of celebration and joy centred around artists working in the UK. Conversations includes paintings, sculpture and video from the last ten years, with many works selected for display by the artist themselves.

Stitching Souls: Threads of Silence is an installation by British Trinidadian artist Karen McLean and comprises of 132 heads created with authentic African fabrics using traditional quilting techniques. Made in partnership with a community of sewers in the artist’s home city of Birmingham, the work honours and memorialises the enslaved African people who lost their lives in the Zong Massacre (1781).

Get creative and with craft and create sessions at Walker. Join the team of creative Facilitators this summer holidays in on ’make and take’ family craft session.

With an incredible lineup of events, workshops, and exhibitions, February at National Museums Liverpool is set to be a month of celebration, education, and inspiration.

Head to their website to find out more: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/

Please note that both the International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum closed ahead of an incredible redevelopment project and scheduled to reopen in 2028.

The 2025 programme for the Floral Pavilion has something for everyone, whether it’s comedy, drama, or music – the theatre will be hosting it this year.

The coming months will see stars from across the entertainment world appearing at the New Brighton theatre, and just announced will be an “out of this world” show with British astronaut Tim Peake bringing his amazing show Astronauts later in the year.

The new brochure is a great way to see what’s coming up and plan which performances to book well in advance.

Floral Pavilion Venue Manager Pauline Campbell said: “The spring season is packed with so many fantastic shows, and whether you are looking for the memorable Mother’s Day gift, or the perfect Valentines night out or just a great night out with friends and loved ones, we have something for you at the Floral Pavilion.”

Among the shows coming soon is the Olivier Award-winning comedy Pride & Prejudice* (Sort Of) – the hilarious re-imagining of Austen’s classic, direct from the West End.

Or brought to the stage the tangled love story of the cult classic movie by Wallasey director Alan Clarke with Rita Sue & Bob Too! And this month the Floral hosts the world premiere of Under The Mersey Moon, the inspiring new musical which tells the heart-warming story of one man’s determination to follow his dream and the enduring power of love, home and family, a performance which also features local radio legend Billy Butler and his wife Lesley.

Laughter is guaranteed with comedians such as Ben Elton, Al Murray, and An Evening Shared With Jasper Carrott & Alistair McGowan and for music fans, we’re welcoming back favourites including world-class artists Newton Faulkner and Curtis Stigers.

For football fans both red and a blue there’s the chance to hear glorious tales as the theatre welcomes nights with LFC Legends and Everton Legends.

Bringing stories from further afield, Simon Reeve with his show To The Ends Of The Earth will be packed with inspiration from around the globe.

And for younger guests there is Fireman Sam, Bing Live!, The Little Mermaid and Dinosaur World Live, which are sure to keep them entertained.

For older theatre fans and literature lovers (including GCSE students), we’ve got a new adaptation of The Scottish Play, Macbeth. And if young people are inspired to tread the boards themselves, StageEd Theatre School over the Easter holidays is the perfect place to start!

Find out more about what’s coming to the Floral Pavilion in their new summer brochure packed with incredible shows, or log on to the Floral Pavilion website.

Street theatre, behind the scenes tours, live music, VIP passes and discount offers have already been unveiled as part of Must-See Month, a celebration of Liverpool’s arts and culture launching this month. Organised by Liverpool BID Company, Must See Month runs from 17 February to 17 March and is designed to encourage people to try something new in the city’s cultural sector this winter.

The first wave of events include;

Explore the history of Liverpool’s theatres with Arts Groupie with a series of special walking tours. Beginning at The Bluecoat and finishing at the Lights Up on Liverpool Theatre Exhibition at Central Library the tour will last around one hour

Experience live music in the stunning setting of Liverpool Cathedral with regular live music performances in the Lady Chapel

An exclusive behind the scenes look and conversation with artist Faith Bebbington as her restored artwork, Flee & Survive is readied for unveiling on Hope Street

Tour Renaissance Recovered at the Walker Art Gallery led by a tour guide who will delve into the stories and history of beloved treasures and masterpieces and the gallery

Two for One tickets at The Beatles Story for VIP Pass Members and a special discount for visitors

25% off for several concerts and events at Liverpool’s Royal Philharmonic Hall including better Man and the Family Concert

Unleash your creativity with Sip & Paint Kahlo at Revoluciòn de Cuba. Create an artwork with a paintbrush in one hand and a glass of prosecco in the other

Step behind the curtain at Liverpool’s Royal Court and enjoy a heritage tour

See the city like a tourist with 20% off City and Beatles tours with Liverpool City Tours

Discover the hidden Liverpool history of the Irish Famine with a guided walking tour

Katie Bentley is Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications at Liverpool BID Company.

“Liverpool has an incredibly vibrant arts and cultural sector, with visitors reaching 1.8m in 2023 and returning to pre-pandemic levels. There are 27 arts and cultural organisations supported by Liverpool City Council, including major galleries, theatres, and festivals. There is also a wealth of independent arts activity going on with live music, walking tours and more that are part of the fabric of our city. At Liverpool BID we support arts and culture throughout the year with the Arts & Culture Fund, Liverpool Sculpture prize and more because not only is it a crucial part of our visitor economy, but it is also a huge part of our character and life here. For anyone whose New Year’s Resolution was to explore more of the city this year and try something new, then Must-See Month provides the perfect inspiration.”

The full programme will go live on the Liverpool BID’s website and offers can be downloaded now at https://mustseemonth.com/

With 2025 marking one hundred years since the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts and the birth of Art Deco, the iconic design movement that defined an era and continues to captivate audiences with its elegance and modernity.

To celebrate the Art Deco Society UK is proud to present a unique series of events over the course of a weekend that will honour the glamour, innovation, and enduring legacy of Art Deco.

Taking place mainly at the Crowne Plaza John Lennon Airport, a Grade II* listed Art Deco Hotel, the event will offer a mix of talks, tours, dance classes, vintage automobiles and aircraft, cocktail hour, ball and an afternoon tea.

This venue is of particular interest to Art Deco lovers because this was the site of Speke Airport which offered scheduled flights courtesy of Imperial Airways. An increase in air travel meant that by the 1930s the existing farm and barns which made up the aerodrome were due for replacement.  The magnificent new terminal was designed by Edward Bloomfield and was one of the first buildings to be created specifically for air transport, as such it is a very fitting venue for our celebrations!

Highlights of the Celebrations Include:

• Tours of vintage planes, provided by the Speke Aerodrome Heritage Group and the opportunity to book a 15 minute ‘flight’ in one of the vintage planes in a flight simulator.
• Author event with Simon Pollock, popular Art Deco instagrammer @londonsuburbia and author of the recently published I Love Suburbia and Fiona Veitch Smith, author of Golden Age inspired mysteries series
• An illustrated talk on Port Sunlight by local guide Peter Coyler
• City tours of Liverpool locations including the Municipal Hotel, Adelphi Hotel and Masonic Lodge
• Cocktail Hour and a Centenary Ball with a delicious three course meal and entertainment provided by local chanteuse Hattie Bee and the magnificent Brandyn Shaw and his Rhythm Makers
• Attendees in full period outfits, displays of vintage planes and cars, vintage DJs and 1930s dance lessons,

Quotes:
Lucy Jane Santos, Chair of the ADSUK “We cannot wait to showcase and celebrate the timeless allure of Art Deco. Whether you’re a devoted enthusiast or simply curious about this iconic period, we welcome everyone with an eye for the style to join us. Our goal is to encourage people to delve deeper into the UK’s rich Art Deco heritage and we cannot think of anywhere better to do that than in Liverpool.”

Hattie Bee, vintage singer “Liverpool as a city has such a rich history, it’s a busy city, but when you look up at the buildings around you, you see the art deco splendour, be it the Bullring, The Philharmonic, even waking down Bold Street you see glimmers of that beautiful past. You can see why films such as Florence Foster Jenkins and Fantastic Beasts were filmed in our city, because of the beautiful Art Deco Architecture.  I’m so proud to be bringing the premier ADSUK Art Deco Centenary Celebrations to Liverpool and can’t wait to show everyone what our beautiful city has to offer.”

Event Details:

• What: ADSUK Art Deco Centenary Celebrations
• When: 29^th and 30^th March 2025
• Where: Multiple locations, but mainly at Crowne Plaza Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Speke Aerodrome, Liverpool, L24 8QD
• Tickets/Registration: Tickets can be purchased from Ticketsource https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/art-deco-society-uk Hotel accommodation is not included and would need to be booked separately

Liverpool Theatre School is joining forces with Middlesex University to deliver a dance degree, which will be taught by industry professionals in both Liverpool and London. The new BA Hons degree programme starts with Liverpool Theatre School’s Level 5 or Level 6 Diploma in Dance before students go to Middlesex University in London for a final year of training to gain the BA Hons degree.

As part of the collaboration, Liverpool Theatre School students who gain a Diploma in Dance Level 5, or Level 6, will automatically be accepted for degree study on the Dance programme at Middlesex University, with their professional training counting towards BA (hons). The dance degree is open to new students applying for Liverpool Theatre School, as well as those who are currently training at the centre of excellence.

The degree programme at Middlesex University, which is designed to improve opportunities for talented young performers to enter the industry, will complement the range of specialist dance and musical theatre training courses already provided at Liverpool Theatre School, with auditions taking place in the coming months.

“The unique delivery model of this new dance degree means young performers can begin full-time professional training at Liverpool Theatre School from the age of 16, and potentially graduate with BA (hons) in dance from Middlesex University by the time they are 19 years old. A head start like this could be a huge advantage for anyone who is serious about a career in dance,” said Maxine Ellis, Principal at Liverpool Theatre School.

She added: “We’re incredibly excited to be joining forces with Middlesex University as we work together to help make undergraduate dance programmes, as well as opportunities to train in London, more accessible to young performers with talent, particularly those facing barriers of cost and location. I’m confident our degree students will welcome the seamless transition from Liverpool Theatre School to Middlesex University as they reap the benefits of training in two thriving creative cities.”

Claire Farmer, Interim Director of Programmes – Dance, at Middlesex University, said: “We are excited to embark on this partnership with Liverpool Theatre School and welcome diploma students into our thriving creative industries community. With a strong focus on industry and collaboration, Middlesex aims to develop dance artists for a wide range of roles in the creative industries. We look forward to seeing where their training at Liverpool Theatre School will take them as they further develop their creative identity and exciting future prospects with us.”

Liverpool Theatre School, whose patrons include Wayne Sleep OBE and Anita Dobson, is committed to improving access to high level professional training for all talented young performers, including those from working class and marginalised backgrounds. The performing arts school offers a range of scholarships and bursaries, such as the Dance and Drama Awards (DaDAs) and the Sir Ken Dodd Scholarship, to help support students facing financial barriers. The Liverpool-based college became the first to axe audition fees in 2018 in a bid to encourage a more diverse range of students to apply, with many drama schools following suit.

Liverpool Theatre School’s former students and graduates have gone on to enjoy successful careers in the industry, whether dancing professionally, working as choreographers or performing in hit shows such as Mamma Mia!, Frozen, SIX, Starlight Express, Blood Brothers and Wicked. Middlesex Dance graduates have gone on to JV2, Boy Blue Entertainment, established their own dance companies, produce award winning dance films and to further postgraduate study in choreography, physiotherapy, dance science and creative practice.

Follow Liverpool Theatre School on Instagram and Facebook and Middlesex Dance on Instagram to keep up with the latest news.

To find out more about the new degree course and for details on how to apply, please visit liverpooltheatreschool.co.uk.