New outdoor venues and reopening season announced at Northern Stafe
Photo credit: Christopher Owens
Northern Stage have today announced their reopening season programme, which celebrates connection and community.
Free events in local neighbourhoods across the North East throughout June will be followed by two new pop-up venues in July and August, before reopening the theatre from 25 August with a ‘Housewarming’ programme that opens with a new Unfolding Theatre show co-created with children, and includes the first production Artistic Director Natalie Ibu will direct for Northern Stage.
‘Housewarming’ is Natalie Ibu’s debut season in the building. Audiences and artists will be welcomed back into the theatre with a programme that reflects diverse stories and communities. ‘Housewarming’ celebrates local freelance artists, independent companies and Northern Stage’s own team coming together to make work in the North East, about the North East, with North East artists, for North East audiences, with productions that reach beyond the ordinary, and where nobody is left behind.
Shows include Free School Meals from 25-28 August, a co-production with Unfolding Theatre, co-created with children; the return of the Young‘uns’ critically acclaimed tale of a working class hero, The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff from 7-18 September; a new production of Jim Cartwright’s Road from 8-30 October) in its 35th year, directed by Natalie Ibu; and a new adaptation of magical family favourite The Sorcerer’s Apprentice from 27 November - 31 December), written by Laura Lindow and directed by Maria Crocker.
Ibu said: “The pandemic has affected us all in different ways but the one thing that cuts across all our experiences is the sense of isolation and disconnection. To me, theatre is about stories that help us make sense of ourselves, each other and the world. Theatre can help us to process trauma, collectively, so live theatre is essential as we make our way into recovery. Our job is to stand with our community and make space for that to happen, which is why we can’t wait to meet audiences and artists in their local neighbourhoods this sum mer before welcoming everyone back to ours with a Housewarming programme where all are welcome. I have been met with such warmth in the region and I’m thrilled to be able to return the favour, throwing a season long party with some incredible local female artists breathing life back into our auditoria.”
Before reopening the building, Northern Stage is inviting people to get Out on the Toon, starting with free outdoor events to reconnect artists and audiences in their local neighbourhoods throughout June.
From 12-15 August, Paines Plough’s Roundabout comes to Byker as part of Northern Stage’s ongoing work with the local community. Opening with Welcome to Byker - a live version of Northern Stage Young Company’s Byker Audio Stories inspired by people living on the Byker Wall estate, the programme will also include Roundabout’s first ever musical, Black Love by Chinonyerem Odimba; Really Big and Really Loud by award-winning family playwright Phoebe Eclair-Powell; Hungry - a new play about food, love, class and grief by Chris Bush; Drag Me to Love by North East drag cabaret trio Bonnie & the Bonnettes; a rehearsed reading of Curious Monkey's HERE by Lindsay Rodden - set in Byker, it’s about finding sanctuary in the unlikeliest of places and was originally due to open at Northern Stage in March 2020; What’s In the Box? - a make up your own adventure show for families from improv company The Suggestibles; and Byker Best Summer Ever - a free summer activity programme developed with and for young people. Free tickets for all Roundabout shows will be available for local residents via community partners.
Tickets for shows go on general sale from 1 July, with pre-sale tickets available to Northern Stage members and supporters from 24 June. For more details and full listings, please click here.
