Event type: Theatre

Prior to London’s West End.

1927. Constance is a very unhappy woman. “Nonsense” says her mother “she eats well, sleeps well, dresses well and she’s losing weight. No woman can be unhappy in those circumstances.” Constance is the perfect wife and mother, and her husband is as devoted to her as he is to his mistress, who just happens to be her best friend.

Adapted by Olivier Award-winner Laura Wade (Home, I’m Darling; TV’s Rivals) from Somerset Maugham’s glittering comedy, originally opened in Stratford upon Avon to marvellous reviews and sold every seat.

Directed by Co-Artistic Director of the RSC Tamara Harvey, this sparkling new version will star Kara Tointon (TV’s Mr Selfridge and Winner of Strictly Come Dancing) and features original music composed by multi award-winning jazz artist Jamie Cullum.

David Pugh and Cunard present The Royal Shakespeare Company production.

7:30 & 3:00pm With their mistress away, two male maids plunge into their darkest fantasies, in a twisted game, simmering with sexual tension, unravelling questions of modern slavery, gender identity, and power. The result is an absurd world where boundaries between reality and performance dissolve.

Directed by Elinor Randle, this production will fuse opera, spectacle and movement in a lavish set designed by Ashley Shairp. Samuel Perez Duran and Cameron McKendrick star as the maids, with Jane Hogarth reprising her celebrated role as the Mistress from the 1992 staging.

Bringing stalwarts of Liverpool’s theatre scene together from the last 40 years, this is the former Artistic Director’s final foray into making art at Unity Theatre.

Themes of oppression, isolation, and incarceration will be explored through a participatory programme with Afloat, a company of refugees and asylum seekers led by Phoebe McSweeney.

Workshops with care-home residents will create handmade flowers, displayed in the Unity foyer. Translation by David Rudkin. Produced by That Theatre Group.

 

Conteh by Aron Julius

10 years old and fighting out of a club in Kirkby. 19 years old and winning gold at the Commonwealth Games. 24 years old and becoming the light heavyweight champion of the World. But that’s only half the story.

In the 1970s and 80s, John Conteh was one of the best-known people in the city. He lived the highest of high lives and wrung every ounce of pleasure from his sporting success. A friend to many, perhaps too many, and some were quick to take advantage.

Aron Julius (Boys From The Blackstuff) has written and stars in this incredible blow by blow drama about the life of one of Liverpool’s sporting greats. A mix of sporting and personal highs and lows, you will understand him like never before.

Conteh. Knock out.

Writer and star Aron Julius says, “I wanted to write ‘CONTEH’ because I’ve always loved boxing, not just as a sport but where character, resilience, and struggle are under the microscope. John Conteh’s story, though too often overshadowed by controversy, struck me as one that deserved to be remembered, celebrated, and honoured for the greatness he achieved both inside and outside the ring. Writing ‘CONTEH’ became my way of making sure his legacy isn’t forgotten. At the same time, it was a chance for me to create my own work as an actor- something personal, challenging, and rooted in a story I truly believe in.”

Written by Aron Julius

Directed by Mark Womack

News for Fight Fans and Boxing Aficionados 

The inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 for Elite men and women are taking place in Liverpool from 4–14 September 2025, click the link below for more information and to book tickets World Boxing Championships 

Opening the evening is Chile’s electrifying La Charawilla, the musical persona of Daniela Sepúlveda, whose radical blend of ancestral Chilean folk traditions and punk-infused energy promises to captivate.

Eating Myself is a bold, sensory celebration of identity, food, and culture. The show is a deeply personal solo performance by Peruvian theatre-maker Pepa Duarte. A multisensory experience that will stir your emotions, challenge perceptions, and leave both your heart and appetite full.

“I’m going out wi’ the tide, old wench,
I came in on the flood;
an’ the sea is streaked wi’ silver,
an’ the sun is red wi’ blood.”

The East Norfolk coast. 1770.

Man Billy, a solitary young fisherman, lives with his domineering mother, Widow Pruttock. Two things govern their life: the herring harvest and their devotion to God.

Into this cold and isolated life comes Sheldis, a singer with supernatural gifts. As Billy’s obsession with her grows, his mother –   believing her son bewitched – will do anything to break the spell.

Filled with sea shanties, dances, hymns and folk songs, SALT is a fierce tale of faith, jealousy and demonic passion.

This performance is set in the round and seating will be allocated on arrival.

Great Yarmouth’s Contemporary Ritual Theatre makes vital and arresting plays, creating a visceral new form of theatre which places ritual – ancient and modern – at the heart of their practice. Blending folklore, movement and mask work, and using only a rope on the ground for a stage, CRT unites audiences and performers in a single, unforgettable ritual.

Age 12+ – a scene of sexual assault.

Reviews

“Extraordinary… If Shakespeare, Ken Loach and Nick Cave went on a day trip to Great Yarmouth, SALT could be the result.” ★★★★ – The Reviews Hub

“An excellent debut…thoroughly enjoyable…The actors strived to create a jarring sense of dread and pulled it off wonderfully.” ★★★★ -Eastern Daily Press
“This enthralling tale is magically brought to life…Beau Hopkins’s writing and the wonderful performance from the cast will leave you breathless. Devilishly good!” – Harbour Radio