Starring former Brookside and Coronation Street actor Sue Jenkins and directed by former Bolton Octagon artistic director Vicky Featherstone, Birkenhead-born writer Michael Wynne's new play Cuckoo is a highlight of the new season at Liverpool Everyman (September 6-23).
Created in partnership with the Royal Court Theatre, London, Cuckoo is dark comedy which has Jenkins as a family matriarch.
Michael Wynne said: “Cuckoo follows three generations as they try to live their lives in what can feel like difficult and crazy times. They’re dealing with financial insecurity, economic decline, all-pervasive technology and the potential impact of climate change - among other things.
"This might sound quite heavy, but fundamentally it’s a comedy about a family trying to get on with their lives and each other.”
At sister theatre Liverpool Playhouse during the summer is Alice in Wonderland (July 4-22), featuring original music by Olivier award-winner Vikki Stone.
She saidi: “Liverpool is a city of music so it feels like the perfect place to debut a new, feelgood pop musical. This Alice in Wonderland takes inspiration from everything from disco to grime and pop to punk with everything in-between.” High Times and Dirty Monsters, led by associate companies 20 Stories High and Graeae in association with Leeds 2023, opens at the Everyman (October 9-14) before a national tour. This unique, hip-hop show with deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists shares what it is to be young and disabled in 2023.
Director Keith Saha said: “Fusing the expertise from our four companies has presented such an exciting opportunity to create a production that is as accessible as it possibly can be. The skill and energy of the team and the stories being told make for an unforgettable night out.” The iconic Everyman rock ‘n’ roll panto is back for 2023 with Cinderella (November 17- January 20). The summer months also see two festivals at the Everyman, as Physical Fest opens its bi-annual international physical theatre festival with Tmesis Theatre's Sealskin (June 29-July 1), combining its trademark playfulness and skilled physicality in a story of betrayal, power and loss.
Young Everyman Playhouse's (YEP) Directors' Festival is also back, with six short plays showcasing the talents of this year’s YEP directors group (July 11-29). The Playhouse Studio also continues to be a space for development and experiment as the home of new work from the Liverpool City Region. The visiting programme at the Playhouse includes I, Daniel Blake (September 19-23); Harry's Hill's comedy musical TONY! The Tony Blair Rock Opera (October 10-14) and Frantic Assembly's Metamorphosis, adapted by Lemn Sissay (October 17-21). The legendary production of Susan Hill’s chilling ghost story The Woman in Black also returns for a festive residency (December 5-30). Creative director Suba Das said: “I’m excited by the programme to take us to the end of what has already been a phenomenal Eurovision year for Liverpool. Music and joy are a huge part of the mix. Together with visiting shows across five performance spaces in our two buildings it’s a season that continues our commitment to bold and brilliant theatre."
Full info and tickets here