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- Northern Theatre News #2
Northern Theatre News #2
Anthony Cawood
July 15, 2025
Welcome, to the all new Northern Theatre News!
Here we are the awkward second album issue!
Not really ;-) and thanks to everyone that has subscribed so far, and please feel free to share the newsletter with all your theatre loving friends.
Lots of positive feedback on the first issue, but if anyone has anything they’d like to see in future, or not see in future, just let me know.
Enjoy!
News roundup
Hope Mill Theatre and the Lowry are set to stage the first UK non-replica production of Disney’s High School Musical, marking two decades since the film’s original release. It will run at the Lowry in Salford from 21 August to 13 September 2026. The venue’s Lyric Theatre will be reconfigured for the production, with an immersive basketball court setting that includes on-stage seating and an extended playing space. Members tickets are already on sale, with general on sale from 18th July!
York Theatre Royal has announced a series of events in November that explore and merge performance and cinema, including and evening with the UK’s leading film critic - Mark Kermode.
Subscriber giveaway
£50 montlhy prize giveaway
Each month, starting August, we’ll be giving away a £50 Theatre Token to one lucky subscriber, these are usable in over 250 venues around the UK, including a bunch of our Northern venues… and all you have to do is subscribe to be in with a chance of winning!
What’s on over the next few weeks
North East
Sunderland’s Empire has the stunning touring production of Hamilton, running until 26th July.
Newcastle’s Theatre Royal has the incredibly funny Book of Mormon 22nd July - 9th August.
The Gala in Durham has one for the kids, based on the original book A Squash and a Squeeze with the first time its live on stage, running 25th to 27th July.
The Live Theatre in Newcastle has Mark Thomas teaming up with writer Ed Edwards again to star in Ordinary Decent Criminal, running 23rd to 26th July.
Billingham’s Forum Theatre has an adaptation of the classic film, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on from 24th to 26th July
North West
Blackpool’s Winter Gardens has the alway fabulous Chicago 21st - 26th July
Liverpool’s Empire has Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat this week, 15th - 20th July.
Liverpool’s Royal Court is staging The Legend of Rooney’s Ring, the ultimate scouse sword and sorcery tale that is packed with magic, romance, original songs and stupid gags. Running 18th July to 23rd August.
Chester’s Storyhouse are running an open air experience with a brand new adapatation of Sherlock Holmes! Running 18th July to 31st August.
(They also have Pride & Prejudice coming, but I’ll save that for the next issue!)
Manchester Royal Exchange has Liberation on until 26th July, a new and powerful drama that explores the activism that liberated Africa.
The Lowry, in Salford, have a Mod Bellet with an adaptation of Quadrophenia running 15th - 19th July.
Blackburn’s Empire has the always awesome Legally Blonde, 24th - 27th July
Yorkshire
The beloved adaptation of the Railway Children is being staged on the very tracks they used in the film and the show begins when you board a vintage steam train!
Leeds Grand have Darren Brown arriving 22nd - 26th July…
Leeds Heritage Theatres has a cracking production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from their fantatstic Youth Theatre on at City Varieties Music Hall 24th to 27th July.
Leeds Playhouse have Through It All Together, an inspring show deaaling with demntia through the lens of being a Leeds Utd fan last few days now as it finishes on 19th July!
York Theatre Royal has social history for you in their own production of ‘His Last Report’ which looks at the life and legacy of Seebohm Rowntree. 22nd July - 3rd August.
Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough has the new production of Pride & Prejudice running until 26th July.
It’s just a step to the right… into Hull New Theatre for a slice of Rocky Horror running from 14th - 19th July.
I don’t want to ignore any of the amazing venues we have in the North, so I’ve created an index of all the venues I could find and have included it in the newsletter’s associated website - just look at the header or footer on the website and you’ll see ‘Theatre’ and a drop-down menu.
Let me know if I’ve missed any!
Theatre competitions
A quick roundup of competitions that involve our Theatres, or in general where there’s something good for you. All are free to enter and run by 3rd parties (not me!), and I will keep them in each newsletter whilst the entry date is still valid.
£250 Theatre Tokens via Sainsbury’s (end 30th July)
£50 Theatre Tokens via Culture Calling (ends 7th August)
Fawlty Towers Dining Experience tickets via What’s on TV (ends 7th August)
Something a little different… the Phoenix Theatre in Blyth are running a Playwriting competition, so if you’ve always fancied seeing your work performed then check out The Phoenix Theatre Playwriting Competition
Theatre spotlight
I’ll look at one of our great Northern Theatres each week and give a little more info on the theatre and its rich history.
This week, by pure coincidence, we have another Grand… this time the one in Blackpool.
Grand Theatre - Blackpool       | In 1887 the local impresario known as the 'People's Showman' Thomas Sergenson, bought a row of old cottages and shops planning to open a theatre. His plans took a turn though when the Opera House opened just a year later. Sergenson didn’t return to his idea until five years later, then with £20,000 and plans from celebrated architect Frank Matcham, he finally set his dream in motion. The result? A stunning venue built with Matcham’s revolutionary cantilevered balconies (no support pillars to block your view) and an opulent Baroque-style corner frontage crowned by a stunning copper dome, all built in just nine months! The Grand opened in 1894 with a sell-out production of Hamlet. A sucession of the day’s stars followed, with the likes of Sarah Bernhardt and Lily Langtry gracing the stage. The theatre was sold by Sergenson in 1909 to the Blackpool Tower Company, who would own it for the next 60 years, until they are bought by EMI. The theatre is Grade II listed in 1971, preventing its demolition, a real prospect at the time as the theatre was struggling and ultimately closed in 1972. Public outcry and local campaigning saw the theatre re-open in 1977, but as a Bingo Hall! But that wasn’t the end of the Grand’s story as a theatre, not by a long shot. With fund raising and council support, the Grand was bought from EMI by the newly formed Blackpool Grand Theatre Trust and re-opened as a live theatre in 1981. In 1988, a five-year restoration began, adding a new 80-seat studio space and, over the decades, more access and front-of-house improvements followed. There’s an amazing 3D VR tour of theatre available online so you can see what it’s like inside now. Or if you want to see it for yourself, check out their What’s On for one of their Heritage Tours Now boasting over a 1000 seats the Grand celebrated its 130th year in 2024 no doubt, with many more to come. Check out the Youtube video of their amazing animated timeline, and try this great Youtube video for a condensed overview of their history. |
That’s it for this week
Would love to know what you think of this, our very first edition, what we can do to make it better next time and what else you’d like to see in the newsletter.
Thanks for reading and subscribing, and please spread the news.