The Hesmondhalghs - beloved actress Julie and her talented actress niece Rosa - take over May in the season announced by Storyhouse in Chester.
In a return to live shows expected to be allowed from May 17, Rosa Hesmondhalgh’s one-woman show Madame Ovary - based on her own battle with ovarian cancer at the age of 23 – appears at Storyhouse from May 21-23. That is followed by former Coronation Street star Julie’s performance in her husband Ian Kershaw’s much-admired play The Greatest Play in the History of the World from May 23-26.
Madame Ovary charts Rosa’s experience at the start of 2018, when she was planning wholesale changes in her New Year resolutions and found out about her advanced cancer before she had a chance to act on them. The life-affirming show won its author five-star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe and was described as “breathtakingly sad – and intensely funny”.
Julie Hesmondhalgh’s acclaimed one-woman show tells the story of the world spinning to a halt one night, the only life visible being two neighbours, facing each other across their street, navigating through the nuances of life, the possibilities of science and the meaning of love as they speculate on what has happened
Elsewhere in the season you can see Rambert2 on June 8-9. The group’s 11 young dancers bring their ability and creativity to the city for two nights in a feast of modern dance.
Also featured are Regency japesters Austentatious, who return to the theatre on November 11 as part of a tour marking the group’s 10th anniversary, for a funny evening of improvised comedy storytelling – inspired by Jane Austen and based on nothing more than a title suggested by the audience.
The full season – which also features Mark Radcliffe, music duo The Breath, Chester opera group Belle Voci and others – can be seen here
Storyhouse Artistic Director Alex Clifton said: “There’s a real sense of joy, being able to fill Storyhouse with fantastic live performance again.”
Tickets are on sale now for Storyhouse Members, and public booking starts on April 9.