Event type: Theatre

Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse, the critically lauded one-woman show by ArtsGroupie about Liverpudlian icon Kitty Wilkinson, makes a triumphant return to the Shakespeare North Playhouse after delighting audiences in the Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden in 2022.

The show, directed by Margaret Connell, and written by John Maguire, has been touring since 2018, and follows the ‘‘against all odds” story of how a working-class Victorian girl fought the cholera epidemic and became a community champion. 

This intricate story, told with humour and kindness, brings Kitty Wilkinson’s St. George’s Hall statue to life on stage. Be immersed in Kitty’s world and celebrate a true female hero of the North. 

Actress Samantha Alton’s turn as the famous heroine has cemented her as a theatrical tour de force, and one of Liverpool City Regions finest players. 

A powerful one-woman performance transporting you back to 1830s Liverpool to tell the story of Irish immigrant Kitty Wilkinson, whose pioneering approach to public hygiene helped stem the city’s 1832 cholera epidemic. 

A lone performer tells the story of the future of the audience; what’s going to happen to them in the decades, centuries, millennia after the end of this show.

It’s the story of a baby born in a lighthouse, of someone on fire in the middle of the desert, of two lovers reunited in a flooded city, of a spaceship on the edge of a black hole. Everything has already been decided. This is the story of the end.

From the makers of Five Encounters on a Site Called Craigslist and The Accident Did Not Take Place comes an act of communal storytelling. A hopeful, hopeless prophecy for earth and humankind. A story of us, our future, of paradise and how we get there in the end.

All the glitz and hitz of Eurovision… This energetic, visual and funny show has been created with 150 people living in care homes and features their voices reflecting on the early days of Eurovision.

They also speak of the values upon which the contest was founded – love, peace, harmony and hope.

Embarking on a two week tour to 20 care homes, the performances at Unity are for people living with Parkinson’s, Dementia, Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases, and their loved ones.

The show features a brand new song bu Luke Thomas & Dora Colquhoun, featuring the voices of 100 care home residents who have helped write the lyrics.

Performed by three actors known to many at Unity (Maria Paul, Leila Chebbi and Cameron McKendrick), the show is directed by Tmesis’ Elinor Randle and designed by Stephanie O’Hara. Conceived and produced by Peter Ward for Nwoko Arts.

A reckless reappraisal of the life of former Ugly Rumours front man and Britain’s first pop Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The story of how one man went from peace-loving, long-haired hippy and would-be pop star to warmongering multimillionaire in just a couple of decades. Throw in a stellar cast of larger-than-life characters – Cherie Blair, Princess Diana, John Prescott, Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell, Osama bin Laden, George W Bush, Saddam Hussein and Gordon Brown – it’s Yes, Minister meets The Rocky Horror Show! and a musical like no other.

A hilarious musical tragedy of political intrigue, religion, power, and romance; this rip-roaring new musical by Harry Hill and Steve Brown received critical acclaim following a sold-out run at the Park Theatre in London.

The legendary production of Susan Hill’s chilling ghost story The Woman In Black returns to Liverpool this Christmas, direct from London’s West End, after an incredible 33 year run at the Fortune Theatre.

The Woman in Black brilliantly delivers atmosphere, illusion and horror! Experience the thrill and excitement of this critically-acclaimed international theatre event that has been seen by over 7 million people worldwide, and continues to delight and terrify audiences of all generations.

Obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the spectre of a Woman in Black, Arthur Kipps engages a sceptical young actor to help him tell his terrifying story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul.

“Guaranteed to chill the blood.”
Evening Standard

Performance times:

Afternoons at 1:30pm – Thu 7, Thu 14, Thu 21, Thu 28, Fri 29
Afternoons at 2:00pm – Sat 9, Sat 16, Sat 23 Sat 30
Evenings at 7:30pm – Tue 5, Wed 6, Thu 7, Fri 8, Sat 9, Mon 11, Tue 12, Wed 13, Thu 14, Fri 15, Sat 16, Mon 18, Thu 19, Wed 20, Thu 21, Fri 22, Sat 23, Wed 27, Thu 28, Fri 29, Sat 30

Miranda Rose Hall’s darkly funny, life-affirming show directed by Nathan Powell is a bold experiment in eco theatre-making. Co-produced by the Barbican and Headlong.

“The difference between death and extinction is this: death is to cease to exist. Extinction is to extinguish. I think of death as individual. Extinction is collective.” Naomi is part of a theatre company who have made a play especially for you, those living through extinction, but the actors haven’t shown up yet. In the meantime, Naomi has a plan.

This innovative one woman show takes us on a life-changing journey to confront the urgent ecological disaster that is unfolding around us. Part ritual, part battle cry, and powered by bicycles, this fiercely feminist off-grid production is a moving exploration of what it means to be human in an era of man-made extinction.

Sharing learning from Europe and Katie Mitchell, Headlong present an innovative touring model, the first of its kind in the UK, which sees a play tour, while the people do not.

The Barbican hosts the beginning of this journey wherein each city a blueprint of the show will be uniquely brought to life by a different team of theatre makers in each venue. It forms part of a ground-breaking international experiment in reimagining theatre in a climate crisis.

Headlong will partner with and stage the play at Belgrade Theatre Coventry, New Vic Stoke, Theatre Royal Plymouth, York Theatre Royal, and Shakespeare North. Further venues, casting and creative teams to be announced shortly.

Barefaced Comedy is back for a laugh-out-loud evening of stand up, hosted by comedian Freddy Quinne.

Forget about what’s going on outside and join them for a hilarious evening. They have three dates for you to book with the headliners Justin Moorhouse, Dan Nightingale & Matt Bragg to make sure you have the most fun possible!