Preview: Close Enough to Touch at Arts Centre, Washington

 Powerful new drama explores secrets, sex… and toilets

Close Enough to Touch

Arts Centre, Washington

Thursday 29 October 2026

Leeds-based Red Ladder Theatre Company and Hull’s Silent Uproar have joined forces to produce a powerful new play from an exciting and original voice in northern theatre.

Close Enough to Touch, a one-person drama about secrets, sex…and toilets written by new playwright Henry Roberts, will go on tour to venues across the North of England and down to the Midlands this autumn, visiting Washington in October.

What happens when our deepest urges are shrouded in shame? What happens when we can’t articulate our desires, even to ourselves? Close Enough to Touch follows a man who has a girlfriend … and a secret.

In this gripping, intimate drama, audiences are taken into the mysterious and taboo world of cruising – anonymous sex in public places. As our nameless character’s secret builds, so does his shame. The play swings between passion, pathos and humour as we watch a young man struggle to find pleasure, acceptance and, crucially, the language to express himself.

Playwright Henry Roberts, whose script was longlisted in the RSC 37 Plays Project said: “I'm thrilled to be working with Red Ladder and Silent Uproar on Close Enough to Touch. I wrote the play because I wanted to explore the ambiguous sides of our desires – the kinds of desire that aren't easy to categorise or label, that may be contradictory to who we feel we are as people.

Playwright Henry Roberts

“From day one the entire team has championed the play and supported me to make it the best it can be. I can't wait for people to see it.”

Red Ladder Theatre Company’s artistic director, Cheryl Martin, who is directing the play, said: “New writing is at the heart of what Red Ladder has been doing for nearly 60 years. That’s why we’re so excited to be working with a writer as gifted as Henry and a play as good as this.

“Henry is a brilliant new northern voice in the world of theatre, and his powerful script tells the kind of story you don’t come across every day. As a director, I’m spoilt for choice with Close Enough to Touch because it offers so many possibilities – exploring them is going to be a real pleasure.”

Alex Mitchell, Silent Uproar’s artistic director, said: “Close Enough to Touch is messy, filthy, funny and heartfelt, a show about relationships, cruising and the shame we can feel when desire, particularly queer desire, doesn’t fit neatly into the life we’ve built for ourselves.  It asks what happens when that shame, or our own cowardice, grows because we don’t have the words to say what we really want. Henry’s play is humorous, challenging and painfully human. It’s exactly the kind of work Silent Uproar exists to champion.”

Yorkshire-born actor Stefan Race, who trained at ALRA (Academy of Live & Recorded Arts), will star in the show. Director, Cheryl Martin, said: “We were lucky enough to have several excellent actors to choose from, but Stefan was the standout, matching the character so closely – even at audition – it hardly seemed like acting. It was as if Stefan was the character and understood the script so well.”

Red Ladder, set up in 1968 against a backdrop of civil unrest and anti-war protests, has a rich history of creative collaborations, having previously worked on co-productions with the likes of Leeds Playhouse, Liverpool’s Royal Court and Theatre Direct, in Toronto.

Established in 2013, Silent Uproar has built up an impressive reputation for identifying and championing extraordinary talent.

Recommended age rating 16+

• Directed by Cheryl Martin
• Written by Henry Roberts
• Dramaturg – Alex Mitchell

Running time 70 minutes, no interval

Content warning: sexual description and strong language.

#closeenoughtotouch

Tickets: https://www.sunderlandculture.org.uk/whats-on/close-enough-to-touch/

News: NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL LAUNCHES VISION 2037 CONSULTATION TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF CULTURE IN THE NORTH EAST

NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL LAUNCHES VISION 2037 CONSULTATION TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF CULTURE IN THE NORTH EAST

Newcastle Theatre Royal is inviting people from across the North East to help shape its next chapter as it launches Vision 2037, a major public consultation ahead of the theatre's bicentenary in 2037.

Launching on 14 October 2026, the consultation will engage audiences, communities, artists, partners, supporters and staff in a conversation about the role Newcastle Theatre Royal can play in the cultural life of the region over the next decade and beyond. The consultation will run until December 2026, with findings and next steps shared in Spring 2027 during the theatre's 190th anniversary year.

Under the banner "Our Time. Our Friends. Our Future.", Vision 2037 recognises a period of growing cultural confidence and ambition across the North East while acknowledging the need for greater investment and infrastructure to help the region fulfil its potential.

Rather than developing a long-term strategy behind closed doors, Newcastle Theatre Royal is inviting people to help shape its direction from the outset. As an independent charity that receives no regular public funding, Newcastle Theatre Royal relies on the support, participation and engagement of audiences, communities, donors, partners and supporters across the region. Vision 2037 reflects the theatre's commitment to ensuring those voices help shape its future direction.

Marianne Locatori, Chief Executive of Newcastle Theatre Royal, said: "As we look towards our 200th anniversary in 2037, we have a unique opportunity to think boldly about the future. Vision 2037 is an invitation to audiences, communities, artists, partners and supporters to help shape the next chapter of Newcastle Theatre Royal and its role in the cultural life of our city and region. We want to hear a wide range of perspectives as we begin this important conversation together."

The consultation will explore how Newcastle Theatre Royal can champion creativity and local talent, care for its historic home, widen access to theatre, and strengthen its contribution to the social, cultural and economic life of the North East. Nick Swales OBE DL, Chair of the Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust Board, said: "The North East is entering an exciting new chapter, and culture has an important role to play in shaping that future. Newcastle Theatre Royal has been at the heart of our region for generations, and this consultation is an opportunity for people to help shape its contribution to the cultural, social and economic life of the North East for years to come."

The insights gathered will help shape the organisation's long-term vision as it approaches its bicentenary in 2037. The consultation forms part of a wider ambition to ensure Newcastle Theatre Royal remains relevant, accessible and impactful for generations to come.

Helen Costello, Chief Operating Officer of Newcastle Theatre Royal, explained: "The decisions we make now won't just affect the people who come through our doors today. We continue to benefit from choices made nearly 200 years ago by people who believed Newcastle deserved a great theatre. We are the beneficiaries of their vision. Through Vision 2037, we have a similar opportunity to make choices today that will create opportunities for future generations long after we're gone."

People can take part in the consultation from 14 October 2026 via Vision 2037: Shape Our Next Chapter | Newcastle Theatre Royal, with opportunities to contribute online and through a programme of engagement activity taking place across the region throughout October, November and December.

REVIEW: Mrs Doubtfire at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Mrs Doubtfire

Newcastle Theatre Royal 

Until Sunday 11 October 2026 and touring

This slick musical adaptation of the iconic family movie cleverly captures the spirit of the original and delivers lots of laughs and a string of impressive musical numbers in a thoroughly enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

The 1993 film, Mrs Doubtfire, was based on the novel Madame Doubtfire by English author,  Anne Fine. It contained supporting turns from Sally Field, Harvey Fierstein and Pierce Brosnan. Nevertheless, it is most fondly remembered for the star performance of the much-missed Robin Williams as the frenetic voice actor who masquerades as an elderly Scottish nanny in order to stay close to his children after his divorce.

There are various challenges presented by bringing this story to the stage and I venture to suggest it probably wouldn’t have worked as a straight play. The logistics of managing the transformations from a lean thirty-something male to a well-upholstered elderly female are the first challenge. The second, and perhaps greater, challenge is to fill Robin Williams’ shoes as Daniel Hillard.

The first of these is met here by the judicious use of musical numbers providing the necessary hiatus to allow for the metamorphosis, though the transformations seen live on stage are also impressively speedy and slick. The second challenge is met by the casting of Gabriel Vick, a hugely talented and engaging impressionist, actor and singer. His performance is not an impression of Williams, though he must of course nod to the iconic voice of the Scottish nanny. He makes the role his own, showcasing a formidable range of voices and a lightning delivery.

The jokes come thick and fast, achieving genuine hilarity at times. The script by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell seems designed to give him his head on the comedy front and he seizes the opportunity. Vick created the role in the West End and has toured it for some time, so he has total mastery of it. At times, he even breaks the fourth wall to make local gags and even to bring in the audience in a pantomime fashion. Purists might bridle at this, but it is so genuinely funny that the Newcastle audience adored it.

The beneficent impact of Mrs Doubtfire on the troubled family and Daniel’s realisation of his answerability for the marriage breakdown are effectively detailed, with Kara Lily Hayworth working hard to flesh out the somewhat thankless role of Daniel’s wife. The inevitable unravelling of the deception is nicely handled as Daniel tries to have two separate dinners in the same restaurant at the same time, one as himself and one as Doubtfire. That we see it coming does nothing to lessen its entertainment value, played out against Rhianne Alleyne’s hilarious pastiche of a flamenco singer, lamenting her lover’s deception.

Ryan Pigeon, as Daniel’s brother, Frank and Jairus McClanahanan as his outrageous husband Andre, comprising his hair and make-up team, transcend stereotypes and deliver some of the funniest moments. The children, led by Aaliya Mai’s intelligent performance as Lydia, also do a great job.

Set pieces like the transformation song, Make Me A Woman, are glitzy and effective, with Lorin Lataro’s snappy choreography delivered with great panache by this talented and hardworking ensemble.

Underpinned by a superb band, under the direction of Iestyn Griffiths, Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick’s songs are effective, if not particularly memorable. Overall, the show is consistently funny, slick, inventive and entertaining. It also packs a punch emotionally, leaving the audience with a warm glow of satisfaction, that made for a deserved standing ovation on press night. 

Review: Jonathan Cash

Photos:  Matt Crockett

Tickets:

https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/mrs-doubtfire/

REVIEW: Dirty Dancing at Sunderland Empire

Dirty Dancing

Sunderland Empire

Until Saturday 26 September 2026

Few films are as universally loved as Dirty Dancing, and it is therefore no surprise that the popular stage show has cha-cha’ed back into Sunderland this week. Featuring a soundtrack inspired by the 80s film and filled with more high kicks than a Strictly extravaganza, the show allows audiences an opportunity to relive the beloved film.

Led by Charlie Varlet (Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman) and Joel Benjamin (Johnny Castle), the show features all of the aspects and moments of the film that an audience expects. There’s dancing, she still carries a watermelon and we’re still not allowing anyone to put Baby in the corner. The show is light, comic and moves at pace, running at just over 2 hours including an interval. Varlet is charming as Baby, paying homage to Jennifer Grey’s original quirks without feeling like it’s pure mimicry.

Benjamin is, to the obvious delight of the audience, fairly ripped, and great attention has been paid to ensuring that the audience regularly see plenty of muscles. At times, it feels like it may be bordering on excessive – was a shirtless scene entirely necessary? – but where Benjamin comes into his own is his dancing ability, particularly in his routines with Ellie Fergusson (Penny Johnson). Their pairs routines are nothing short of breath-taking, filled with kicks, flicks and tricks. There are moments where Fergusson, and many of the ensemble dancers, seem to be pushing their bodies beyond what is humanly possible, creating dance scenes that are impossible to tear your eyes from.  It is absolutely the dancing which elevates this show to something which stands alone as its own piece of work, for which choreographer Austin Wilks should surely take a great deal of credit.

The show sits somewhere between a musical and a loving retelling of the classic story on stage. Whilst music is used and performed throughout the play, the principal cast largely focus on bringing the story to life through dance and drama, leaving the singing in the (admittedly very capable) hands of Mimi Rodrigues-Alves (Elizabeth) and Asher Forth (Billy Kostecki). The inclusion of a small band on stage throughout key musical numbers really lifts the musical elements of the show, and does create a much more intimate feeling despite the show’s significant scale. Admittedly, the instrumental version of She’s Like The Wind felt like a bit of a painful tease to the audience. Memorably recorded by Patrick Swayze for the original film, the swelling of the band did feel that we may be about to be treated to a rare moment of music from the principal cast. Alas, it was not to be, cue collective sigh from the audience.

Admittedly, it isn’t a show that you will be humming for the next week, but that is not its purpose. The show is a heartfelt and loyal recreation of the film. There are no shocks, no surprises, and it serves up that warm feeling that you get from watching something that you know really well, and that’s something that we all need from time to time. It’s funny, entertaining and allows you to sit back and relax, and quite frankly that sounds like a perfect night out to me.

Review: Hannah Daglish

Tickets:

Tickets are on sale now via ATG Tickets' Sunderland box office site (a transaction fee may apply to online bookings). LINK

 

REVIEW: The Anastasia File at Newcastle Theatre Royal

The Anastasia File 

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Saturday 19 September 2026

For anyone with a passing interest in twentieth-century mystery, the story of Anna Anderson, or Mrs Anna Manahan, as she became, remains one of history's great "what ifs". Did she die with the rest of the Romanovs in that Ekaterinburg cellar in 1918, or did she somehow survive to be fished, half-drowned, from a Berlin canal two years later, carrying fragments of memory that only a Grand Duchess could possess? Royce Ryton's *The Anastasia File* sets out the case for both sides and, admirably, refuses to hand the audience a verdict, a decision that feels true to the real mystery, even if it makes for a slightly frustrating night in the stalls.

The programme notes date the play to 1953, though a little digging suggests it actually belongs closer to the late 1970s, an origin that, frankly, makes more sense of what unfolds on stage. This is a play built from an older dramatic toolkit: a two-hander conversation between the Inspector and Mrs Manahan, followed by a scene in which the Inspector reconvenes with a colleague to mull over what's just been said and, in the process, deliver another slab of exposition to the audience. Rinse and repeat. It's a structure that was probably already looking a touch old-fashioned decades ago, and in 2026 it does show its age. There's a ponderousness to some of the exposition-heavy stretches, particularly in the first half, where the piece seems more interested in laying out the historical record than in building dramatic momentum.

That said, there is a genuinely interesting device at its heart: Simon Shepherd plays both the original Inspector and, in a later section that pushes the action on into the 1980s, his son - a neat way of extending the timeline and letting the play gesture towards the ongoing, decades-spanning nature of the real case. It's a shame, then, that the production doesn't push this modernising instinct further. The DNA evidence that eventually resolved the Anderson/Manahan question in the real world, and which would have given the play's closing arguments a sharper, more contemporary edge, goes unmentioned, leaving the drama to close on ambiguity that the history books have since settled - though I'm not sure how advanced dna was back at the time the play was written. Whether that's a deliberate choice to preserve the mystery for dramatic purposes, or simply a text that hasn't quite caught up with the facts, is hard to say. It does the play no harm to be scrupulously fair to the story of Mrs Manahan's uncertain origins, but it will nag at anyone in the audience who knows how the tale ends.

None of this is a criticism of the performances, which are the real reason to see this production. Jenny Seagrove is superb as Mrs Manahan, navigating a role that demands she be by turns fragile, imperious, evasive and utterly convinced of her own identity, often within the same scene, without ever tipping into caricature. It's a performance built on stillness and control as much as outburst, and it's easy to see why she's returned to the part. Simon Shepherd is an equally assured scene partner, giving the Inspector (and later his son) a dogged, decent scepticism that never curdles into cruelty; the two of them carry enormous amounts of dialogue between them, and do so with a naturalism that papers over some of the script's creakier joins. Ashley D. Gayle and Rosie Thomson bring welcome variety in a string of smaller roles, providing the shifts in tone and pace that the two leads' extended exchanges occasionally need.

Roy Marsden's direction is unfussy, trusting the material and the cast rather than reaching for visual flourish, which suits a play that is, at heart, a battle of words and wills rather than of spectacle. The design, likewise, keeps things simple, letting the performances do the heavy lifting.

*The Anastasia File* is an intriguing evening, and one that respects its audience enough to let them draw their own conclusions about a mystery that captivated the world for the best part of a century. But it's also, at times, a wordy and demanding one - a play more comfortable telling than showing, that leans hard on its two leads to keep an old-fashioned structure feeling alive. Seagrove and Shepherd are more than equal to the task, and their performances alone make this worth seeking out. Just don't expect the play itself to have moved on quite as far as the story it's telling.

Review: Stephen Oliver

Tickets:

https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/the-anastasia-file/

REVIEW: North East Film Orchestra – Hollywood Adventure at Durham Gala

Hollywood Adventure

Durham Gala Theatre 

Until Friday 11 September 2026

Now a regular feature at the Gala, North East Film Orchestra is comprised of 68 of the finest musicians in the region, under the baton of multi-talented musician and showman, Lewis Wilkinson. Here they present a choice programme of the best music from classic adventure movies in a captivating evening’s entertainment.

When I say that the North East Film Orchestra is led by Bradley Creswick, internationally renowned violinist and Leader Emeritus of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, you will perhaps understand the calibre of musicians that make up this stunning ensemble.

Lewis Wilkinson, the Music Director, is a prolific and versatile artist, conducting various ensembles of different types throughout the region, as well as being a multi-talented performer in his own right. His carefully curated selections and his detailed and exuberant conducting style have helped the Orchestra to showcase both their technical prowess and the sheer beauty and emotive power of great film music.

It is fair to say that most of us take film music for granted, except in movie musicals. But, as violinist and music psychologist, Kelly Jakubowski, reminded us in a brief but fascinating talk, so much would be lost in terms of tension, emotion and dramatic power, without it.

All the pieces in this programme stand on their own as first rate orchestral music but they also conjure for us memories of the classic films in which they featured. From Erich Korngold’s rousing score for the 1938 swashbuckler, ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ and Maurice Jarre’s sweeping overture to ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ to the exhilarating fun of John Williams’ score for ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, the evening provided multiple delights.

Other highlights included Dave Tomson’s haunting performance of Ennio Morricone’s ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ from ‘The Mission’ and Elizabeth Woods soaring soprano solo in Hans Zimmer’s ‘Now We Are Free’ from ‘Gladiator.’ Jeremy Harbottle also gave us a jaunty and engaging cello solo, conjuring the swagger, or perhaps stagger, of Jack Sparrow in Klaus Badelt’s terrific score for ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ They even made time for a personal favourite of mine from Michael Giachino’s lilting and emotive score for Pixar’s ‘Up.’

The orchestra has a wonderful feel of expert musicians all attuned to each other and the music, delivering a strong sense of the joy of performing, which quickly communicates itself to the audience. I do not wish to spoil the surprise for Friday’s audience so I will only say, make sure your applause is strong enough to trigger the unexpected delight of the encore.

The North East has many jewels in its musical crown to rival the best in the country. I’m thinking of ensembles like Royal Northern Sinfonia and The Strictly Smokin’ Big Band, among others. The North East Film Orchestra is a welcome and worthy addition to this illustrious group.

The Orchestra returns to the Gala on 21 and 22 May 2027 with an evening of Hollywood Musicals. I strongly recommend booking ahead as they are likely to sell out quickly. I know I won’t miss it.

Review: Jonathan Cash

Tickets:

Tickets available from: Hollywood Musicals

 

 

REVIEW: Lord of the Dance of the Sunderland Empire

Lord of the Dance

Sunderland Empire

Until Saturday 12 September 2026 and touring

First mounted thirty years ago, Lord of the Dance is still a dazzling display of Irish dance and a sprinkling of other Celtic folk traditions, delivered by a hugely talented and hardworking company. Though the flimsy plot that is interpolated, only half-committed to by some of the cast, and the unexpected video presence of the show’s creator, Michael Flatley, seem to add little to the evening, it remains a rousing crowd-pleaser.    

With the appearance of Riverdance on the Eurovision Song Contest in Ireland in 1994, the world became suddenly aware of the exciting choreographer and dazzling Irish dancer, Michael Flatley. This was Irish dance on steroids, freed from some of its constraints and woven into a bewitching and truly exciting entertainment that marked its dramatic crossover into mainstream entertainment. It became a successful stage show, with the addition of elements of other dance styles. When Flatley parted company from Riverdance, he created Lord of the Dance as a showcase for his talents, combined with a polished supporting company.  That show is now thirty years old. Flatley, of course, is no longer dancing in the show but he still has total artistic control.

The show is really an extravaganza of Irish dance, with musical interludes provided by a singer and a pair of virtuoso string players. The softer elements of the medium are contrasted with the resonating taps, kicks and heel clicks that characterise Irish dance for most people. There is, however, a flimsy storyline running through, whereby some bad guys in black seek to dethrone the titular Lord (Lucas Lawton) while two contrasting females compete for his attention. This is laced through the dance set pieces by a charming elfin figure in a sparkly gold costume, looking like a cross between a pixie and a Balinese temple dancer.

Lucas Lawton heads up the cast in Flatley’s role, mirroring almost exactly his expansive, strutting persona. He is clearly an exceptional dancer, though he pays only minimal attention to the acted elements of the plotline, notably an unconvincing fight scene with his nemesis, the Dark Lord (Joe Howarth).  But, in all honesty, it is really all about the dancing and this company of 40 terrific dancers deliver that with great panache.

The supporting female dancers, the Lord’s partner, Saoirse (Katie Coates), and Morrighan (Erin McPolin), the dark-haired temptress, are technically stunning and persuasive in their roles. The Dark Lord is committed to his role as pantomime villain, as well as an exciting dancer. Gerard Fahy’s sensational music runs throughout and underpins the dancing brilliantly.  

This is a hugely entertaining evening. I have, however, a couple of points that slightly niggled. With a video at the beginning focused on Flatley and the show’s inception, plus a deal of portentous posing in monk-like robes, the show took over 5 minutes to really get started. Also, just before the end, a video is interposed showing 3 images of Michael Flatley, presumably from 20 years ago, competing to show off his technical brilliance. Though that brilliance is undoubted, it seemed an odd inclusion in a live show, as if he was saying, ‘Sure, these guys are good but look how amazing I used to be.’  I’m probably being churlish and, no doubt, hard core fans would have been delighted to see the man himself. After all, it is still, resolutely, his show and one that brought the Sunderland audience rousingly to their feet.

As an aside, I must apologise for the lack of namechecks. The company didn’t provide a programme or a cast list, so I am somewhat at a loss.

Review: Jonathan Cash

Tickets:

Tickets are available from our affiliate ATG Tickets - LINK

Preview: RED at Seaton Delaval Arts Centre

 A brand new musical revue celebrating redheaded stars of stage and screen is visiting Northumberland on its first UK Tour.

RED

Seaton Delaval Arts Centre 

Friday 18 September 2026 

International cabaret siren Amber Topaz brings a brand new, classy, sassy, fabulous musical revue that celebrates redheaded musical theatre stars of stage and screen. ‘RED’ is the ultimate celebration of the most iconic sirens of theatre, from the golden era of Hollywood and Broadway via the West End with a touch of Vegas. Amber embodies flame haired trailblazers such as Rita Hayworth, Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters, Shirley McLaine, Gwen Verdon and many more. The show is packed full of show-stopping numbers amongst lesser known gems.

Yorkshire born Amber Topaz has worked her unique magic around the globe on the cabaret and burlesque scene, headlining theatre shows nationally and internationally including ‘Showzam’ at the historic Blackpool Tower Ballroom, The Indigo O2 London and Leeds City Varieties.

As a musical theatre performer she has performed in Les Misérables at the Palace Theatre in London. She originated the role of Maggie/Miss Nightingale in Miss Nightingale the Musical, Leicester Square Theatre and No1 national tour, and originated the role of Virgina Otis opposite Ron Moody in the No1 national tour of The Canterville Ghost. Amber has created a number of solo shows which toured many festivals including Edinburgh Fringe, Fringe World Australia, Aukland and New Zealand Fringe.

This show won her 'Best Cabaret' at the United Solo Festival New York 2018, where she was invited back as one of the 'Best of the Best' at the 10 year anniversary of the festival in 2019. Director and Choreographer Nikki Woollaston was delighted to join Amber in creating RED and in fact worked with one of the redheads celebrated in the show - Bernadette Peters recently, where she was associate director on Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends in London’s Westend and Broadway. Nikki is the current resident director worldwide arena tour of Les Misérables.

Tickets: 

The show comes to the Seaton Delaval Arts Centre on Friday 18th September 2026 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at www.seatondelavalartscentre.com or via the Box Office on 0191 237 5460.

Cast Announced for Beauty and the Beast at Darlington Hippodrome

 

The North East’s own Matt Baker to lead the cast of Beauty And The Beast, Darlington Hippodrome’s 2026 Panto

with the return of Josh Benson and Jamie Jones

 

Josh Benson, Matt Baker, Jamie Jones

Darlington Hippodrome and Crossroads Pantomimes have today, Monday 18 May, announced that their annual pantomime, Beauty and the Beast, will star TV favourite Matt Baker. Matt will star as Jack, Belle’s brother, from Friday 11 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.

Joining Matt will be returning Darlington panto favourites Josh Benson as Silly Billy and Jamie Jones as Mrs Potty.

 

Matt Baker

Matt Baker is best known as a presenter of Countryfile on BBC One and Matt Baker: Our Farm in the Dales on Channel 4. Previously, he has presented The One Show, Blue Peter and was a finalist on Strictly Come Dancing. He has been seen on stage as Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. 

On returning to panto after four years, Matt Baker said: “I’m thrilled to be back in panto, working with Crossroads Pantomimes again to bring the magic of Beauty and the Beast to the beautiful Darlington Hippodrome and wonderful North East audiences.”

Jamie Jones

Beauty and the Beast is produced by the World’s biggest pantomime producer, Crossroads Pantomimes, whose Chief Executive Michael Harrison said: “I am so pleased that Matt will be leading the cast of our Darlington Hippodrome panto this year. As well as being a familiar face on screen, Matt’s charisma, charm and North East roots make him the perfect casting for our sensational Darlington show. Joined by Darlo favourites Josh and Jamie, I know audiences will be in for something truly special this Christmas.”

Councillor Libby McCollum, cabinet member for local services at Darlington Borough Council said: “Darlington Hippodrome always draws in the crowds with a spectacular star-studded panto and I’m thrilled that Matt Baker is joining the cast this year. With the return of Darlington favourites Josh and Jaimie, I’ve no doubt audiences are going to love what promises to be a truly fantastic show.”

Josh Benson

In this classic tale Belle, longing for a better life, is taken prisoner in a cursed castle ruled by a fearsome Beast. Inside, she discovers enchanted servants under a powerful spell. As time runs out, Belle must learn to see beyond the Beast’s appearance and find love - or risk losing everything to the curse forever.

Tickets:

Beauty and the Beast will play at Darlington Hippodrome from Friday 11 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. For full details or to book visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01325 405405

News: Cast announced for Northern Stage's Othello

Cast announced for Northern Stage's Othello

Northern Stage has confirmed the full cast and creative team for a new production of Othello, directed by Anthony Almeida, ahead of its opening in Newcastle next month.

The production is a co-production between Northern Stage, HOME Manchester and the Citizens Theatre, in association with Royal & Derngate. It will run at Northern Stage from 11 to 26 September 2026,  before transferring to a UK tour.

Almeida's staging reframes Shakespeare's tragedy as a study of assimilation, relocating the action to Britain in the early 1980s. Set against the backdrop of the Falklands War, the production finds Cyprus reimagined as an isolated military outpost, where professionalism, appearance and belonging carry significant weight. The production explores how love, loyalty, race, class, gender and power are shaped by the everyday performances that allow people to belong, or leave them isolated.

Speaking about the production, Almeida said: "I don't think Othello is really a play about jealousy. Jealousy is the symptom. The tragedy begins much earlier - in the tiny acts of adaptation, restraint and performance we all make in order to belong. I realised Shakespeare hadn't written a play about jealousy at all. He'd written a play about behaviour. Once we began looking through that lens, everything changed.

Setting the play in Britain during the early 1980s wasn't about making Shakespeare contemporary. It was about finding a society where appearance, professionalism and belonging carry enormous weight. I became less interested in public politics than private intimacy; less interested in certainty than perception. Four hundred years after Shakespeare wrote it, the questions at the heart of the play still feel astonishingly urgent. They're questions about who we become when we believe we have to perform in order to be accepted - and what happens when those performances finally collapse."

The cast

Dwane Walcott takes on the title role of Othello. Walcott is a stage and screen actor whose recent theatre credits include Hot Wing King, ANNA and Damned by Despair (National Theatre); A Streetcar Named Desire (Almeida/West End/BAM Theatre, NYC); Machinal (Almeida); Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare's Globe); Moonlight/Night School (Harold Pinter); One Night in Miami and Coriolanus (Donmar Warehouse); Henry V (Regent's Park); The Iphigenia Quartet (Gate Theatre); Hamlet (Barbican); The Twits (Royal Court); Titus Andronicus, A Mad World, My Masters and Candide (RSC); Romeo and Juliet (Stafford Shakespeare Festival); Torque (Bush Theatre); and The Fiddler & Life on the Stairs (Faith Drama Productions). His television credits include Saviour (ITV), Believe Me (ITV), A Town Called Malice (Sky Max), Enterprise (BBC), Into the Badlands (AMC), Our Girl (BBC), Doctors (BBC) and Tut (Spike). On film, he has appeared in The Thing with Feathers and Mindhorn (Scott Free/BBC Film).

Dwane Walcott
Photo: Ivan Weiss

Maanuv Thiara joins Walcott as Iago. Thiara most recently starred in the third series of ITV's Trigger Point, having been made a series regular in the second series. He also featured in Sky's Under Salt Marsh, Ben Wheatley's Generation Z for Channel 4, and Apple's Prime Target, directed by Brady Hood. Before that, he co-led Jed Mercurio's ITV drama DI Ray alongside Parminder Nagra, for which he was nominated for a Best Actor RTS Award. Other credits include Will Sharpe's Landscapers for Sky and HBO, Apple's Ted Lasso with Jason Sudeikis, Sky's Brassic, BBC Two's The Boy With The Top Knot (directed by Lyndsey Miller), and series five of Jed Mercurio's Line of Duty. In theatre, Thiara most recently appeared in John Morton's Eclipse at Chichester. Before this, he starred in the Olivier Award-winning Boys on the Verge of Tears at the Soho Theatre, Guards at the Taj at the Orange Tree, and Vinay Patel's adaptation of The Cherry Orchard at the Yard. He has also featured in Indhu Rubasingham's production of The Father and the Assassin at the National Theatre, in the West End transfer of Hamlet alongside Andrew Scott, and in A Passage to India at the Park Theatre, directed by Sebastian Armesto. Other credits include Trojan Horse, winner of an Edinburgh Fringe First and the Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award in 2018, The Funeral Director at Southwark Playhouse, and Approaching Empty at the Kiln Theatre. Thiara also voices Daddy Rhino in the animated television series Peppa Pig.

Maanuv Thiara

Phoebe Smyth makes her professional theatre debut as Desdemona. A recent graduate of LAMDA, Smyth is a founding member of Mycelium Theatre Company, with whom she co-devised and performed A Microscopic Odyssey at Theatre503 and the Golden Goose Theatre. Mycelium has since been invited to perform at the Theatre Networking Talents Festival in Romania and the Pleasance Courtyard at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Smyth has also starred in Frayed, a short film nominated at the Independent Shorts Awards. Her theatre work while training includes Romeo & Juliet, Liolà, and 1972: The Future of Sex and New Labour.

Rebecca Banatvala plays Emilia. Her theatre credits include Summerfolk (National Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing (Royal Shakespeare Company); Northanger Abbey (Orange Tree); Autumn (Park Theatre); I Fcked You in My Spaceship* (The Vaults); The Island (Cervantes Theatre); Sap (Edinburgh Fringe & Soho Theatre); Habibti (Maybe She's Born with It) (Lyric Hammersmith); Rotterdam (Hartshorn Hook, UK Tour); The Three Musketeers (The Dukes, Lancaster); Mary Stuart (Embassy Theatre); and Mrs Puntila and Her Man Matti (Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh). Her television credits include EastEnders, Vigil and The Syndicate (BBC), Emmerdale (ITV) and Love, Death and Robots (Netflix). On film, she has appeared in Prima Facie, which premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and The Princess Switch 3. Her radio credits include Snares (BBC Radio 4).

Grace Hodgett Young plays Bianca. A graduate of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, her credits include Punch (UK tour), Sunset Boulevard (Savoy Theatre/St James Theatre), Eurydice in Hadestown (Lyric Theatre), and What It Feels Like For A Girl (BBC/Hera Pictures). Hodgett Young won The Stage's 2024 Debut Award for Best Performer in a Musical and the 2024 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Professional Debut, both for her performance as Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard, a role for which she also received a 2024 Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.

Chris Garner plays Brabantio. His screen credits include Coronation Street, In From The Side, The Children Act, The Hunt for Raoul Moat, Emmerdale, Mistresses, The Royal, Medics, Casualty, Rich Tea and Sympathy, Made in Heaven, and EastEnders. His theatre credits include Macbeth Alone (National Tour); Calendar Girls (Frinton); War Horse (National Theatre); The School for Scandal (Bristol TF); The Country Girls and Antony and Cleopatra (Chichester); King Lear (Leeds Playhouse); 1984 (Northern Broadsides); Black Heart of Petty Malice (Soho, London); Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme (Hampstead Theatre); and Henry VI Part 3 (RSC National and International tour). His radio work includes Home Front III, War of the Worlds, Windscale, Abel's Law, The Radetsky March, If Not Now, When?, Hiawatha, Dear Little Burney, In a Summer Season, Going Clear and My Uncle Freddie.

Chris Garner

Will Stanton makes his professional theatre debut as Cassio. Trained at LAMDA, Stanton's recent work has focused on screen, including an upcoming Disney+ production. Originally from London and now based in Newcastle, Stanton enjoys exploring the outdoors, keeping active, and describes himself as passionate about storytelling in all its forms. Reflecting on the role, he said returning to Shakespeare has been both a rewarding challenge and a reminder of why he first fell in love with acting.

Will Stanton

Matthieu Sys completes the cast as Roderigo. Sys was selected from an open casting call of more than 200 actors. He trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York, and joined the US theatre company Sponsored by Nobody before becoming a long-standing member of the internationally acclaimed theatre company Ontroerend Goed, with whom he has toured extensively worldwide. He also appeared in 300 el x 50 el x 30 el by Silver Lion-winning theatre company FC Bergman. His screen credits include leading roles in the acclaimed Belgian series In Flanders Fields and Amigos, appearances in both the Belgian and UK versions of Professor T, and the feature film The Pod Generation.

The creative team

The production's creative team is completed by designer Natasha Jenkins, sound designer Matthew Tuckey, lighting designer Sinead McKenna, video designer Erin Guan, movement/fight/intimacy director Giaele Mattioli, production manager Suzie Normand, costume supervisor Sara Mackenzie, and casting director Karishma Balani.

This marks director Anthony Almeida's first Shakespeare production. Recognised for bold reinterpretations of classic texts, Almeida's opera work has received international acclaim, with Heroïne for Opéra national de Lorraine named among Le Monde's productions of the year and praised by leading European critics, including Opernwelt. He is the only director to have received both the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award and the European Opera Director Prize, and has been nominated for the International Opera Awards' Rising Star Award and The Stage Debut Awards' Best Director. He has previously served as Resident Director at both the Almeida Theatre and the Royal Opera House.

The tour

Following its run at Northern Stage, the production continues on tour to:

• HOME, Manchester: 30 September – 10 October
• Royal & Derngate, Northampton: 13 – 17 October
• Theatre Clwyd: 20 – 24 October
• Citizens Theatre, Glasgow: 27 October – 7 November
• Derby Theatre: 10 – 14 November
• New Theatre, Peterborough: 17 – 20 November

Ticket details

Othello runs at Northern Stage from 11 to 26 September, with a press night on 16 September at 6.00pm. Tickets can be booked through the Northern Stage box office on 0191 230 5151 or online at www.northernstage.co.uk.