Event type: Theatre

Of Mice and Men

OF MICE AND MEN

by John Steinbeck.

Adapted by Nigel Miles-Thomas.

Presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International

Set against the harsh backdrop of the Great Depression, Of Mice and Men is the story of George and Lennie, two friends with a simple dream: to own a farm and live off the fat of the land.

There are times, though, when sharpwitted George feels the burden of looking after Lennie, while gentle giant Lennie doesn’t realise his own strength… As they drift from job to job, trouble’s never far away, and before long it’s time to move on again.

When the pair get work in Soledad, California, however, the dream looks set to become a reality. But a tragic turn of events threatens to destroy George and Lennie’s friendship and leaves George faced with an impossible choice…

 

Starring;

Nigel Miles-Thomas

Michael Roy Andrew

Directed by Larry Lamb

Bright Places

Join Carbon Theatre for the UK tour of Bright Places, Rae Mainwaring’s stunning debut play about living with MS.

I was 23 when it came crashing into my life; without warning, when everything was going so well, just when I was really, really happy… 

A three-woman, one-woman show about Multiple Sclerosis, MS for short, not to be confused with M&S or S&M. 

With 90s pop, a costume box and a whole heap of glitter, Bright Places is a darkly funny and deeply honest autobiographical story about growing up in the shadow of chronic illness. 

 

This award-winning play is written by Rae Mainwaring and directed by Tessa Walker. 

Presented by Carbon Theatre supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. The play was originally commissioned by Birmingham Rep in 2020, with generous support from the Barry Jackson Trust. Proudly working with charity partner, Shift.ms: the digital community for people with MS.  

 

 

Content Expectations: The production contains swearing, strobes and flashing lights. Many references to illness (specifically MS) to medical procedures and to disability and ableism as well as moments of distress and upset.

WoWFEST: Jimmy Rose: a radio play in a theatrical setting

Pariah Productions presents Jimmy Rose, written and directed by Tom Hall, produced for One Hour Theatre Company, by Victor Merriman.

Jimmy Rose is presented as a radio play in a theatrical setting, offering WoWFest audiences a unique collective listening experience.

At a tender age Herman Melville experienced a reversal of fortune upon the sudden death of his father, a man of apparently substantial means.  The family was suddenly confronted with a mountain of debt and the ruin of all their immediate expectations. Perhaps this turn of fate prompted the many critiques of American capitalism which appear both as themes and traces in his body of work.

“Jimmy Rose”, draws on Melville’s short story of the same name, set in old New York before the Civil War, and foregrounding a glamorous bachelor plutocrat who has attained an Olympian stature in the city. Everybody knows Jimmy Rose, the great and the good seek to dine at his table, where he dispenses wit, bonhomie, and business advice.

Yet when quite literally his ship(s) fail to come in, this paragon of American success falls from that Paradise from whose heights he once projected ultimate authority and influence.  It is an honour to present “Jimmy Rose” under WoWFEST 2026’s theme, New World Disorder, not least because of the origins of contemporary upheavals in a febrile world-financial system forged in nineteenth-century urban America. – Tom Hall, Dublin. May 2026

Jimmy Rose is Tom Hall’s fifth play for WoWFest, his Bartleby: A Tale of Wall Street featuring in the online festival (2021), Anything for a Laugh (2024), I Live Alone and My Own Free Voice (double bill, 2025). Tom was born in Vermont, USA, and has lived in Ireland since 1995, following periods in Mexico, where he began writing. Jimmy Rose develops the production values of previous plays, which featured solo performers, David Llewelyn (2021), Victor Merriman (2024 and 2025a), and Jane Hogarth (2025b), respectively. Tom assembled a cast of well-established Irish actors to record the play at Les Keye’s Arad Studios, Dublin. Brendan Conroy, who is known to Liverpool audiences for his lead role in Lizzie Nunnery’s Intemperance (Capital of Culture production, Everyman Theatre), plays Jimmy Rose.

Victor Merriman is Emeritus Professor in Drama at Edge Hill University, and a founder-director of One Hour Theatre Company.

Date: Tuesday 19th MayTime: 17.30 – 18.30 (doors open 5.15pm)Venue: Quaker Meeting House, School Lane, Liverpool (Beside Bluecoat Arts Centre)Tickets: £5

 

Woodhill

7:30pm

‘I DANCE IN THE HORROR OF GRIEF.’

Three men at Woodhill prison are dead. Their families demand answers. This is a call to arms about the crisis facing prisons.

Gut punching choreography and unflinching beats shine a light on the hidden story of HMP Woodhill. Lyrically told in their own words, three families investigate what happened to their boys. What they discover is so haunting, it turns their world upside down.

Pushing the form of documentary theatre and dance, Woodhill is an explosive true story by multi-award-winning LUNG and originally developed with The North Wall.

★★★★??

“Campaigning theatre is reimagined with astonishing force”
The Guardian

★★★★??

“Impressive and rare”
WhatsOnStage

★★★★??

“Essential viewing”
BroadwayWorld

★★★★??

“a dazzling show that does justice to injustice”

Evening Standard

With thanks to:

Arts Council England, the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain New Play Commission Scheme

WoWFEST: Children’s Storytelling at the Palm House

Join Writing on the Wall this half term for a lively and inspiring morning led by much-loved children’s writers and performers Claire Weetman, Jude Lennon and Patrick Graham. This vibrant event will spark young imaginations, celebrate cultural heritage, and introduce children to the magic and power of stories brought to life aloud.

Through captivating tales and creative expression, young listeners will be inspired not only to listen but to dream up adventures of their own. Perfect for families looking for an enriching half-term activity, this joyful gathering celebrates community, creativity and the rich oral traditions of storytelling in one of Liverpool’s most beautiful venues.

Visual artist and storyteller Claire Weetman has worked with communities and schools in the North of England for over 20 years producing works including Giants Blankets and Dreams of Wonder, a community painting, the size of two tennis courts on the site of a former coal mine in St Helens; Constellations of Kindness, a series of sculptural installations in schools and community venues about stars, storytelling and the power of working together; and Walking Together/Walking Apart a gift box of cards created with women during lockdown that shared ways of supporting each other and standing up for our freedoms.

Jude Lennon is an award-winning children’s author and former Head of Early Years who now runs Little Lamb Tales, delivering storytelling sessions in schools, libraries and festivals. She has published over 20 books for children, spanning picture books, chapter books and educational titles, often exploring themes of mindfulness, inclusion and road safety. Crowned Disney Winnie the Pooh Laureate for the North West in 2014 and a recipient of the Points of Light Award for services to literacy, Jude is a passionate advocate for reading and creativity, serving as a Patron of Reading and supporting aspiring writers through workshops and mentoring.

Patrick Graham is a Liverpool-born poet, writer and performer and the creative force behind Black Out Productions. A familiar voice on Merseyside stages, he has performed at venues including the Liverpool Everyman and Unity Theatre, blending poetry, storytelling and history with powerful presence. His workshops span creative writing, drama and explorations of local and global Black history, reflecting his deep commitment to education and community empowerment. Patrick is also a member of the Liverpool Black History Research Group and brings a background in youth and community work, as well as immigration advice and advocacy. His latest book, The Golden Water and the Enchanted Forest, continues his dedication to storytelling that inspires imagination while carrying cultural depth and meaning.

Date: Wednesday 27th MayTime: 11-12:30Venue: The Palm House, Sefton Park, Liverpool, Merseyside L17 1APFree event

Susie Dent: Word Perfect

A brand-new tour of the joys of the English language with ‘Britain’s best-loved wordsmith’.

 Following on from her hit show ‘The Secret Life of Words’, Susie Dent is back with a brand-new collection of facts and stories from the wonderful world of words. Have you ever wondered whether there’s a word for going to the fridge for the umpteenth time in search of something new? Or puzzled over the reason why a group of crows is called a ‘murder’, while owls form a ‘parliament’? Is teen slang actually designed to make us tear our hair out? And just how many words do we need for being drunk?  

  With the help of funny, insightful, and head-scratching examples, Susie will entertain and educate us with her pick of language’s greatest hits. Word Perfect will remind us just how unpredictable, wayward, and utterly magical our mother tongue can be. 

A Radical Re-Imagining | Unity Heritage Project

This May and June, through a multi-faceted heritage project, we will celebrate our building’s unique history—first as a synagogue and later as a home for political and grassroots theatre.

Join us for a series of events that delve into our rich heritage and history.

This project has been made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. What’s on?

Exhibition |  A Radical Reimagining: the history of Merseyside Unity Theatre, 1937-1987Thursday 14 May to Sunday 28 June

Step into the past at this exhibition featuring archives from the Unity Theatre collection.

Mount Pleasant Campus Library, 29 Maryland St, Liverpool L1 9DE. Opening hours Monday to Friday 8:45am-7pm, Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.

Exhibition Launch EventThursday 21 May, 4:30-6:30pm

Join us for an evening of celebration to mark the official opening of the Merseyside Unity Theatre archive exhibition, with pop up performances!

Common/Wealth Theatre Company DO IT YOURSELF: Making Political TheatreFriday 29th May John Foster Drama Studio, Hope Street, L1 9BY

10-12.30: Workshop – Doing it Yourself

This workshop will offer a brief introduction to a range of practical exercises to enable you to work with others to create political theatre and make social change. The exercises will give you an insight into Common/Wealth, how we make original theatre about the here and now, and with people who may not have been part of any theatre-making process before.

Suitable for people new to theatre, experienced theatre makers, activists and community organisers.

Age guidance: 16+

2-3.30: Talk including Q&A

We’ll share our DIY origins, how we’ve made shows along the way and why making political theatre is critical and urgent now more than ever.

About Common/ Wealth Common/Wealth is a political theatre company based in Bradford and Cardiff, UK.  We make radical, high-quality documentary theatre and other public events that are site-specific, experimental and push form – relevant, artistic work addressing social injustices and concerns of our times, in partnership with the people who are most affected by inequity.

Archive Open DaysThursday 4 June – Friday 5 June, 10-12pm and 1-3pm

Have you ever visited an archive before? Join us at our open day sessions to view some of the original papers created and collected by Merseyside Unity Theatre. Explore rare scripts, programmes, photographs and songbooks, and meet the Project Archivist to learn more about how unique historical records are being preserved for future generations.

Special Collections and Archives, Mount Pleasant Campus Library, Liverpool John Moores University, 29 Maryland St, Liverpool L1 9DE

Political Songs Workshop| Sing, March, Protest with Patrick DineenSaturday 23rd May | Unity 2-5pm

Come along and experience the political songs that the Unity Theatre would have performed,

written and experienced over the years from the Spanish Civil War to the 1960s.

From rousing marching songs through to sophisticated cabaret. Listen and sing the wit and irony, dark humour of songs that speak of injustice and corruption.

Patrick Dineen is a composer and lyricist. He has written many scores for theatre and political

cabaret over the years and has had a long standing relationship with The Unity Theatre. His work as a composer includes tv, film, dance, cabaret and directing his own music-theatre shows.

LIV:DOX presents “Orwell: 2+2=5” (2026, dir. Raoul Peck)Saturday 23rd May | 6pm

“Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5” is a dense, urgent, and unapologetically blunt documentary that offers a chillingly relevant examination of totalitarianism’s enduring appeal and the societal conditions that enable it.

Screening presented by LIV:DOX (Liverpool Documentary Club), a project fueled by Imagine Futures CIC.

Breaking the Class Ceiling | A Live Exploration of Working Class Artistry Saturday 30th May | 3-4.30pm

Join us for an unflinching, live panel discussion that bridges the gap between Unity’s 1930s ‘Workers’ Theatre’ roots and Liverpool’s contemporary creative scene.

In an era where the ‘class ceiling’ remains a challenging barrier in the arts, how do creatives and radical makers keep momentum? We bring together five Liverpool working-class artists to discuss the politics of the stage, the power of heritage, and the future of working-class storytelling.

Following our headline panel discussion, we’re offering a space for working-class creatives to test new ideas, political rants, or works in progress.

Radical Scratch Open Mic 5-6.30pmYOUNG RADICAL THEATRE MAKERSUnity Theatre, 4,5 & 6th June6–6.30pm, 6.45–7.15pm  (& Sat matinee 1.15-1.45)

Step into the future with our Young Radical Theatre Makers as they take the stage in a bold, high-energy ensemble performance, this new generation of artists amplifies the voices of today to ask the urgent questions of tomorrow, a call to listen, to reflect, and to imagine what comes next.

Divided by the ensemble. Directed by Grace Gallagher and Mariana Pires

STAGE LEFTThursday 4th- Saturday 6th June | 7.30pm (& Sat matinee 2pm)

Created in-house at the Unity, this new performance dives into the theatre’s bold and rebellious past. From its roots as Merseyside Left Theatre in the 1930s to the vibrant creative home we inhabit today, A Radical Reimagining brings decades of radical storytelling roaring back to life.

Through dynamic performance, powerful voices, and striking moments from the past, we celebrate a legacy of theatre made for the people. Expect a journey through protest, passion, and creativity, a reminder that this stage has always belonged to those with something to say. 

Radical Joy Cabaret

Join us for a riotous evening to find celebration even in the darkest of times.

Joy can be a radical act of resistance in this time of austerity. Come along to find out how we can use joy to mobilise and fight back.

Performed by Collective Encounters’ Adult Theatre for Social Change group, the cabaret will weave a story of radical joy through songs, sketches and scenes, and will reflect on the world through the lens of our assets, not our deficits.

The Brink, Parr Street, L1 4JN: Saturday 23 May, 7pm

Tickets: pay what you can

Some Guys Have All The Luck: The Rod Stewart Story

Celebrating 10 years of swagger, showmanship and jam-packed energy – Some Guys Have All The Luck – The Rod Stewart Story is back for 2027! 

 Direct from the West End and officially endorsed by Rod Stewart’s own family, this electrifying live concert charts an unforgettable six-decade journey from humble beginnings to global superstardom. Fronted by the talented Paul Metcalfe, the show delivers Rod’s unmistakable sound with a sensational live band, authentic costumes and high-octane vocals that brings every era to life. 

 Audiences will be on their feet dancing to smash-hits including ‘Maggie May’, ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy’, ‘Baby Jane’, ‘Sailing’, ‘The First Cut Is The Deepest’, ‘Tonight’s The Night’, ‘Have I Told You Lately That I Love You’ and many more.   

Don’t miss your chance to relive the soundtrack of a generation in an unforgettable night of rock ‘n’ roll perfection.   

Unmissable. Unstoppable. Utterly iconic.  

 

Rita, Sue & Bob Too

The return of the sell-out stage version of the 80s cult classic

Get ready… Rita, Sue & Bob Too is back – bigger, bolder and funnier than ever. 

Following rave reviews and sold out runs, this outrageous comedy returns to the stage by popular demand. Packed with sharp wit, unforgettable characters and laugh-out-loud moments, it’s no wonder audiences and critics alike are calling it “Superb!” and “Roaringly hilarious.” 

Set in 1980s Yorkshire, this unapologetically cheeky story follows two teenagers and their tangled relationship with a married man – delivering a riotous night of comedy that’s as bold today as it was when it first shocked audiences. 

Not to be missed. Strictly 18+.