“It starts with a secret, but this one’s different, this one’s mine.”
Award winning Artistic Director of Graeae, Jenny Sealey has spent a lifetime championing stories by Deaf and disabled artists. Now she takes to the stage to tell her own story. Unravelling the past and facing the future, Self-Raising is a blisteringly honest, laugh-out-loud one-woman show about growing up deaf in a family with secrets.
Event type: Theatre
Wonder Boy
Olivier Award-winner Sally Cookson (A Monster Calls) directs the critically acclaimed Bristol Old Vic production of WONDER BOY by Ross Willis, a heart-warming and inspiring story about the power of communication.
Sonny is twelve. Living with a stammer, he’s finding his way in a world ruled by vicious vowels, confusing consonants, and let’s not forget the biggest beast of them all – small talk.
Sonny’s only friend is Captain Chatter, a comic book hero of his own creation, but in the real-world language is power and Sonny must find a way to be heard. When cast in the school production of Hamlet by the Headteacher, he finds the real heroes are closer than he thinks.
Packed with playful humour, dazzling visuals and thrilling original music this innovative production includes live creative captioning on stage throughout.
Winner of the 2023 Writers’ Guild Award for Best Play.
★★★★★
“It’s some kind of wonderful”
Guardian
Stranger Things – The Musical
Tune in, children of the 80s! Join us in the upside-down for this award-winning, smash hit new parody musical; Stranger Sings!
Straight from off-Broadway, to a UK premiere 3-month sell-out run in London, we’re now thrilled to announce the UK nationwide Theatre Tour of Stranger Sings! This award-winning sci-fi spoof is a wild, irreverent twist on the hit Netflix series – in all its hair-raising, blockbuster glory.
Take a trip with your favourite gang on a night of indulgent pop culture references, heavy synth, poor parenting, dancing demogorgons and maybe – just maybe – you might find justice for Barb along the way.
Let the incredible original writing of Jonathan Hogue subvert the genre with this fearless parody, where there are too many mullets, a generous helping of fairy lights, and the 80s finally embraces feminism.
So, hop(per) on your bike and grab your transmitter radio (don’t forget your inhaler); because saving your friends is the answer to this never ending story.
No mouthbreathers allowed.
Books, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Hogue
Produced by The Vaults
Directed by Ellis Kerkhoven
Assistant Directed by Madeleine MacMahon
Musical Supervision by Adam Gerber.
Choreographed by Lucinda Lawrence
Costume Design by Ellie Farrow
Bright Sparks R&D sharing
Following funding from ACE they are holding a 20 minute sharing event for Bright Sparks R&D at the Unity Theatre on Friday 19 January, at 7.30pm. This will be followed by a short Q&A.
The scenes in development explore themes around lifelong friendships and the significance of adolescence on our identity.
Starring Eithne Browne, Sarah Howes-Dixon and Robyn Moore, with director Margaret Connell and writer Catherine Leen.
Dirty Dusting
Gladys, Olive and Elsie are three vintage style cleaning ladies who, threatened with redundancy, chance on an unconventional way of earning some extra cash.
A wrong number requiring a Sex Chat Line rings into the office and gives them a great idea… Why not start their own Sex Chat Line?! After all, their identity won’t be revealed on the telephone! Providing they can keep this a secret from Dave, their boss…they could be onto a winner! What could possibly go wrong???
Written by Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood, this production is directed by Leah Bell who injects this hilarious play with a fresh and lively approach coupled with her own unique comedic style.
The Full Monty – The Play by Sim...
There are no heroes in Simon Beaufoy’s heartfelt play, just a group of lads trying to regain their dignity and pride.
This fast and funny play is still very much of our time, as again we are hit by a cost-of-living crisis. Gaz and his mates are down on their luck and feel they have been thrown on the scrap heap, but they are determined to fight back and bare a little more than they ever thought they would have to.
There are additional matinee shows 17 and 20 January, 2.30pm.
WetTheTea and Slylarks Christmas Show
Join the team for a jolly good time at the WetTheTea and Slylarks Christmas Show! This festive extravaganza will be held at the West Kirby Arts Centre in beautiful West Kirby, Wirral, UK.
Get ready to be dazzled by incredible performances and heartwarming Christmas cheer. Their talented artists will take the stage to entertain you with their captivating acts. From music and dance to tune sets and singsongs, there’s something for everyone.
Bring your loved ones along and make unforgettable memories this holiday season. The West Kirby Arts Centre is the perfect venue for this delightful event, located in the picturesque Brookfield Gardens.
Don’t miss out on this festive celebration! Get your tickets now and let them sprinkle some Christmas magic into your life.
Stocking Fillers
Following the success of last year’s show, Stocking Fillers is back with another seven brand new ten-minute festive plays!
A merry mix of comedy and drama, the Stocking Fillers will make you laugh and cry. They might even make you sing and shout. You’ll feel all Christmassy from your head to your mistle-toes.
These short plays have been written by members of the Royal Court’s writing groups and each evening professional actors will bring them to life before your very eyes. With seven different shows to choose from there is something for everyone.
So get yourself down to the Royal Court grotto this Christmas and enjoy the show. You’ll be shouting out for myrrh!
Shows confirmed:
Jacqui Dunne – Christmas Delivery
Liam Gillies – Donkey Show
Janine Hammond – The Half Angel
Michael Hartless – Mother of Jesus
Ste Mc – The Face of Christmas
Stewart McDonald – Christmas is for Kids
David Sindall – Last Christmas
Cast: Charity Bedu-Addo, Charlie De’Ath, Jamie Peacock and Angela Simms
Directed by Nicole Behan
Designed by Jen Baron
Lighting and Sound Design Phil Dickinson
Tough Old Bird
From Nana Funk, the great-great-grandmother of good times, comes a heartfelt musical journey of exploration, inspired by real life events.
Tough Old Bird explores how women are viewed in society as they have the absolute gall to get older! Have you ever noticed those adverts promising to ‘defy the effects of ageing’? Ooh Nana hates them.
What about when we get old? Where’s the instruction manual? Who deems what is ‘acceptable behaviour’? What happens when your voice isn’t listened to, or you become slowly invisible?
Rob in the Club
Meet Rob, Little Joanne, Marian and Marian’s mate in their story where The Sheriff of Knotty Ash has upped the taxi prices and nobody can go clubbing anymore. Will Rob and his team of Merry Movers save the day for the clubbers of Liverpool this Christmas?
Unity Theatre is RAWD Liverpool’s home. Through weekly workshops, RAWD Liveprool in association with Unity Theatre provides a safe and challenging space for disabled people to create, develop and showcase their work.
RAWD aspires to explore new and innovative ways to turn up disabled voices in the arts as a whole, with fun, inclusivity and empowerment at its heart.