Leeds Playhouse has announced a vibrant autumn season, with shows across its three spaces as well as comedy and music
The theatre’s Bramall Rock Void studio theatre will enjoy its biggest season since opening six years ago, with 11 shows.
The Playhouse joins forces in September with leading theatre companies Headlong, Lyric Hammersmith and Nottingham Playhouse for a new staging of Lorraine Hansberry’s drama A Raisin in the Sun (Courtyard Theatre, September 13-28) directed by Tinuke Craig, whose previous work includes Jitney and The Color Purple. The Leeds opening is ahead of a UK tour visiting the co-producing theatres and Oxford Playhouse.
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is set to make a return to its home in the Playhouse’s Quarry Theatre (November 18-January 25), and will feature incredible puppets, while for younger audiences there’s a magical Christmas with Mr Snow (Courtyard Theatre, November 30-January 4). Writer Robert Alan Evans and director Amy Leach previously teamed up for the highly popular The Night Before Christmas in 2019. Mr Snow tells the show of Blessyou, a child who lives at the North Pole with a polar explorer dad and best friend Beartie.
Reigning Strictly champion Ellie Leach will be waltzing into the Quarry theatre for the world premiere tour of Cluedo 2 (September 3-7), while Sebastian Faulks’ epic story of love and loss, Birdsong, returns to Leeds (September 17-21) to mark the international best-selling novel’s 30th anniversary.
And get ready for the music of Desmond Dekker, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Millie Small and many more in the narrated musical RUSH: A Joyous Jamaican Journey (September 24-25), narrated and written by John Simmit and featuring ska, rock-steady, calypso, gospel, lovers rock, dancehall and reggae music, played live by the JA Reggae Band to tell the story of the Windrush generation and reggae’s influence on the world of music.
Pilot Theatre returns with an adaptation of Manjeet Mann’s acclaimed novel Run Rebel (October 22-26). The production (for audiences 11 and over) combines physical theatre, visuals and a talented ensemble cast for its story of revolution, empowerment and courage.
Red Ladder Theatre Company presents Sanctuary (November 5-6), a new musical that asks: do we want safety and freedom for only ourselves, or for everyone?
Feel Me (November 20-21) is a new, interactive theatre show from The Paper Birds, a UK leader in devised verbatim theatre. It asks - via your mobile phone - who and what you care about from the stories unfolding on stage in front of you.
Leeds Playhouse’s Bramall Rock Void studio space will continue to play a role in supporting diverse artists making work that is small in scale but big on ambition.
They include: Nana Funk’s musical cabaret, inspired by real life events (September 6-7); Follow the Signs by Fuse Theatre and Soho Theatre, a deaf-led, fully-integrated BSL hip-hop gig theatre show (September 12-14); Leeds based theatre company Tutti Frutti in The Glass Slippers, a new adaptation of Cinderella by three-time BAFTA-nominated writer Emma Reeves (October 26); Danesha by Box Of Tricks, an exploration of Black culture, queer love and finding yourself (October 10-12).
Also in the mix are 2022 Bruntwood Prize-winner Nathan Queeley-Dennis’ debut play Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz, which explores Black masculinity through Beyonce lyrics, techno raves and the intimate relationship between a man and his barber (October 23-25), and
The Watch House (November 8-9) from Olivier award-winners Papatango; a funny, thrilling adaptation for over-10s of Carnegie Medal-winner Robert Westall’s classic ghost story.
“For the new season we are continuing our mission to create a vibrant and exciting programme that has something for everyone,” said Playhouse artistic director and CEO, James Brining.
“As always our ambition is to be as relevant to as many different people as we can, encouraging debate, bringing people together and forging a shared space. We listen to our audiences and welcome more and more people into our theatre spaces every year to take part in Playhouse activities, using the building as a hub for the city for meetings, events, and social get-togethers.”