The Rose Theatre has announced its summer season - featuring three in house productions as its centrepiece.
This season’s line-up from April to October includes family-friendly plays and comedies.
Kicking things off is the world premier of Hetty Feather, the stage adaptation of the best-selling novel by Kingston-based author Jacqueline Wilson, which opens on April 5.
Later in April comes Brian Friel’s critically acclaimed Translations, a “play about a clash of cultures and a love that dares to cross the border” in rural Ireland in 1833.
Completing the Rose Theatre’s home-grown work is Single Spies by Alan Bennett which puts together two spy stories including An Englishman Abroad about the spy Guy Burgess in a Moscow theatre.
Rose chief executive Robert O’Dowd said: “The productions announced today follow on from the launch of our new strategy at the end of last year.
“The plays we are now programming and producing are delivering against that strategy – presenting more engaging and entertaining works.
“The response so far from our friends and patrons has been extremely positive; we look forward to building new and larger audiences.”
The Gruffalo
Children's shows include the return of Tall Stories and The Gruffalo, while Virginia McKenna will narrate a special performance of Paddington Bear’s first concert as part of the Teddy Bears’ Picnic, where children will be able to bring their teddies along to listen to classical music.
Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans and Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs will also entertain little ones this season.
For all the family is a touring play about everything that could possibly go wrong, going wrong. The Play That Goes Wrong, a 1920’s murder mystery is the winner of the What’s on Stage best new comedy award and will include a Kingston dog with a walk-on part.
The Northern Broadsides company will put on new drama, An August Bank Holiday Lark and the bawdy comedy, She Stoops to Conquer, will hit the stage in September.
Phoebe Thomas and Jacqueline Wilson at the launch of Hetty Feather
Shakespeare still has a place at the Rose with an operatic Romeo and Juliet being put on by the Riverside Opera, and the Globe Theatre bringing A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The Rose Youth Theatre alongside Rose Players will also put on Much Ado About Nothing.
The Rose will also continue to host the Let Me In festival, International Youth Arts Festival and A Festival of Stories.
Entertainment personalities such as Des O’Connor, Jennifer Saunders and Brian Blessed will also be popping into the theatre for a one-night only experience with Kingston audiences.
For full details on all shows at the Rose visit rosetheatrekingston.org.
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