Preview: The Girl on the Train at Newcastle People's Theatre

The Girl on the Train 

Newcastle People's Theatre

Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 July 2026

A missing woman. A tangled web of secrets. One unforgettable journey. The People's Theatre brings Paula Hawkins' global bestseller The Girl on the Train to its Heaton stage this July, in a sharp psychological thriller that promises to keep audiences guessing right to the final moment.

Rachel (Kate Plass) longs for a different life. Escaping her own unhappiness, she becomes captivated by the perfect couple she glimpses each day from her train window — happy, successful, deeply in love. Or so it seems. When the woman suddenly vanishes, Rachel is drawn into a gripping mystery that starts to blur the line between truth and imagination, and as suspicion mounts and hidden lives are exposed, she finds herself at the centre of a shocking investigation.

Adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel from Hawkins' novel and the DreamWorks film, the production is packed with suspense, intrigue and unexpected twists, as obsession, deception and desire collide. Step aboard — but be warned, nothing is as it seems.

The production is directed by Sam Sanford, with Kate Plass leading the cast as Rachel Watson, alongside Sam Hinton as Tom Watson, Ellie Adamson as Anna Watson, Tom Kelly as Scott Hipwell, Mark Buckley as DI Gaskill, Callum Mawston as Kamal Abdic and Lauren Urmson as Megan Hipwell.

The Girl on the Train runs at the People's Theatre, Stephenson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 5QF, from Tuesday 14th to Saturday 18th July 2026, with performances at 7.30pm. Tickets are £16.50/£14.

Tickets: available from the People's Theatre Box Office on 0191 265 5020 (option 2) or online at www.peoplestheatre.co.uk

This amateur production of The Girl on the Train, based on the bestselling novel by Paula Hawkins and the DreamWorks film, is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd.

Preview: Annie at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Annie, the Smash Hit Musical, Comes to Newcastle Theatre Royal

Annie

Newcastle Theatre Royal 

Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 August 2026

Producers Michael Harrison and David Ian have announced that their smash hit production of Annie will pull into Newcastle Theatre Royal this August as part of its tour of the UK and Ireland, with Claire Sweeney starring as Miss Hannigan.

Set in 1930s New York during the Great Depression, the show follows brave young Annie, forced to endure a miserable life at Miss Hannigan's orphanage. Her luck changes when she's chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with billionaire Oliver Warbucks — but spiteful Miss Hannigan has other plans, and hatches a scheme to derail Annie's search for her true family.

This Tony award-winning production features one of musical theatre's best-loved scores, including It's the Hard Knock Life, Easy Street, I Don't Need Anything But You and Tomorrow.

Annie has music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and a book by Thomas Meehan. It is directed by Curve's Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound design by Richard Brooker. The production is produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian, and this tour is licensed by Music Theatre International (MTI).

Photos: Paul Coltas

Tickets: www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/annie-2

Box Office: 0191 232 7010

Evenings: 7.30pm

Matinees: Wednesday & Thursday 2pm, Saturday 2.30pm

Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, including interval

Please note the production contains strobes, smoke and haze, and confetti bursts on stage

An Audio Described and Captioned performance, with pre-show Touch Tour, takes place on Saturday 8th August at 2.30pm

Tickets start from £23, with prices varying by performance.

Preview: Lee Kyle: I Shot A Man In Chinos, Just To Watch Him Die, But I Did Not Shoot The Deputy (I Did Shoot The Deputy) at Newcastle Stand

Lee Kyle: I Shot A Man In Chinos, Just To Watch Him Die, But I Did Not Shoot The Deputy (I Did Shoot The Deputy) at Newcastle Stand

Newcastle Stand Comedy Club, 

Monday 20th July 2026

South Shields comedian Lee Kyle is heading back to The Stand this month with a show that comes with one of the longest titles on the circuit and, by his own account, not many answers. 

After selling out Tyne Theatre in both 2024 and 2025, Kyle is deliberately going smaller and rougher round the edges for I Shot A Man In Chinos, Just To Watch Him Die, But I Did Not Shoot The Deputy (I Did Shoot The Deputy). Where his recent Tyne Theatre shows leaned into storytelling and carried something of a message, this one sees him step back from that and return to straight stand up. Kyle has decided that current events call for comedians to have something to say, tried to find his own take, and concluded that he doesn't really have one.

Expect the usual mix of big ideas and surprise set pieces that regular audiences at The Stand have come to expect from him, even if he can't quite promise what shape the evening will actually take.

Kyle is well known on the North East circuit for his quick-witted crowd work and compering, skills honed from years of hosting lively Saturday night club gigs and performing family stand up. His full-length shows are where he tends to be at his best, blending storytelling with a steady stream of punchlines and his own skewed outlook, and it's that reputation that has also made him an increasingly sought-after director of other comedians' stand up shows.

North East Theatre Guide readers will already know Kyle well: we reviewed him on his 2018 UK tour date at the Chillingham Arms in Newcastle, and have followed him across several other shows over the years, including his Edinburgh Fringe run and past festive outings. Full details of our earlier coverage of Lee Kyle can be found below.

Read our previous Lee Kyle coverage:

• Review: Cinderella and the Beanstalk (2019)
• Disclosure: Unlike Other Shows We Had To... (2018)
• Review: Lee Kyle at Newcastle (2018)
• Ed Fringe Review: Lee Kyle, Kicking... (2018)

Speaking ahead of the show, Kyle said:   "I'm really excited to be back at The Stand, which is a haven of unusual comedy and can't wait to throw these ideas at the metaphorical wall. Or a real wall if the mood takes me. This show won't be for everyone and that is actually quite a refreshing thing to say."

Tickets from: https://www.thestand.co.uk/performance/21323/lee-kyle-i-shot-a-man-in-chinos-just-to-watch-him-die-but-i-did-not-shoot-the-deputy-i-did-shoot-the-deputy/20260720/newcastle

News: Cast announced for Our Friends in the North (1979-84) at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Cast announced for Our Friends in the North (1979-84) at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Live Theatre, Eastlake Productions and Newcastle Theatre Royal have announced the cast for Our Friends in the North (1979-84), a new stage adaptation of Peter Flannery's landmark BBC drama. The production marks the first major co-production between the three organisations and will run at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Thursday 15 to Saturday 24 October 2026.

The stage version does not attempt to cover the full span of the original nine-part television series. Instead, it focuses on two defining years, 1979 and 1984, using them to examine how political and social change is felt in the everyday lives of four friends from Newcastle. In 1979, as Britain approaches a new political era, the friends' paths begin to separate. Nicky moves into parliamentary politics, Tosker becomes caught up in a life-changing romance, and Geordie is drawn further into the city's criminal underworld. By 1984, the miners' strike has taken hold of the national conversation, putting pressure on communities and relationships across the country and forcing each character to face difficult decisions about loyalty, identity and survival.

The production is directed by Jack McNamara, Artistic Director of Live Theatre, and adapted with the involvement of original writer Peter Flannery.

Ryan Nolan takes on the role of Nicky, an ambitious and idealistic would-be politician who is drawn into the realities of power. Nolan is a graduate of Newcastle Theatre Royal's Project A, having trained there in 2017. His film credits include 1917 and How to Build a Girl, and his television work spans Becoming Elizabeth, The Power of Parker and The Left Behind. He will next be seen in Amazon Prime's Kill Jackie and in Saviour for ITV. His stage credits include The Bounds, Hyem, Road, One Off and Father Unknown. Speaking about the production, Nolan said the writing and scale still feel ambitious to him, and that he is glad to be performing Flannery's words again while working once more with director Jack McNamara.

Scott Turnbull plays Geordie, a former soldier whose life becomes increasingly shaped by his involvement in Newcastle's criminal underworld. Turnbull trained at Stockton Riverside College and LIPA and won The Journal's North East Actor of the Year in 2011. His theatre work includes productions at Northern Stage, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Nottingham Playhouse and the Old Vic, along with several solo shows performed in Stockton and Edinburgh. His screen credits include Byker Grove, Vera and Blue Jean.

Jack Robertson takes on Tosker, a self-made entrepreneur whose fortunes shift with the changing economic landscape of the 1980s. Robertson is a BAFTA-nominated writer and actor raised in Whitley Bay. He writes and performs with the sketch group Metroland, whose Edinburgh Fringe debut transferred to Soho Theatre, and he wrote and starred in the BBC short Where It Ends, which was nominated for Best Short Form at the 2024 BAFTA Awards. His recent stage credits include Gerry and Sewell, which transferred from Live Theatre to Newcastle Theatre Royal and on to London's West End, and Champion by Ishy Din at Live Theatre.

Sam Neale plays Mary, whose loyalty and resilience are tested as the lives of her friends move in different directions. Neale is an actor and award-winning writer from Newcastle upon Tyne. Her theatre credits include Last Seen Bensham Road, Iris and The Girls from Poppy Field Close, and her screen work includes Vera, Holby City and Wolfblood. She won the Live Theatre Playwriting Bursary Award in 2019 for her play Last Seen Bensham Road, and later received a Channel 4 commission to develop a pilot script into a six-part drama series.

The wider company brings together performers from across the North East, combining established names with emerging talent. Meena Al-Nawrasy is a Kurdish actor, singer and writer born and raised in Newcastle, whose theatre credits include Geet Northern Show, Reverb and Pease Puddin' Sandwiches. Christopher Connel has worked as an actor for almost thirty-five years, with theatre credits including The Pitman Painters, Close the Coal House Door and Wet House, alongside television work on George Gently, Coronation Street and Byker Grove. 

Jane Holman's theatre credits include Lush Life and Cabaret for Live Theatre, along with Tyne and Close the Coalhouse Door, and her television work includes Vera, Inspector George Gently and Billy Elliot. Leo James is known for playing Noah "Bird" Wallis in The Dumping Ground across five series, and recently appeared in Manhunt at the Royal Court and in the feature film The Brook. Cooper McDonough trained at Newcastle College and Northern Stage's North Actor Training Programme, graduating in 2019, with recent credits including All Change, Beyond the Wall and Fold Me a Paper Man. 

Jude Nelson is an actor and singer from County Durham who trained with the National Youth Theatre and Project A, with credits including The Sunderland Story and Book of Crow. Robert Punchard, a member of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, makes his Live Theatre and Newcastle Theatre Royal debut with this production, having recently appeared in Fine Lines at Live Theatre and Big Ange with Eastlake Productions.

Jack McNamara said the casting process drew hundreds of people from across the region and described the standard as remarkable. He added that the resulting company ranges from established actors to a member of Live Theatre's Youth Theatre, and said he was looking forward to bringing the production to Newcastle Theatre Royal's stage.

Our Friends in the North was first broadcast in 1996 and followed four friends from Newcastle across three decades of post-war Britain. It became one of the defining British television dramas of its era and was widely recognised for its portrayal of politics and personal responsibility. Its original cast included Daniel Craig, Christopher Eccleston, Gina McKee and Mark Strong.

Marianne Locatori, Chief Executive of Newcastle Theatre Royal, said the production reflects exactly the kind of ambitious work the venue wants to support, describing it as rooted in the North East and continuing to speak to audiences today. Jamie Eastlake, Executive Producer of Eastlake Productions, said the region has considerable talent and stories to tell, and that the show brings those strengths together in a way that could encourage further large-scale storytelling from the North East. The production brings together Live Theatre's experience in new writing, Eastlake Productions' independent producing work and Newcastle Theatre Royal's large-scale production capacity.

Tickets:

Our Friends in the North (1979-84) runs at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Thursday 15 to Saturday 24 October 2026. Tickets are available from www.theatreroyal.co.uk or by calling the Theatre Royal Box Office on 0191 232 7010. 

REVIEW: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold at Newcastle Theatre Royal

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 July 2026

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold arrives at Newcastle's Theatre Royal for a single week, bringing John le Carré's landmark Cold War thriller to the stage for the very first time. 

Set against the grim backdrop of a divided Berlin not long after the Wall went up, the story follows a weary British intelligence officer summoned back for one last, murky assignment on behalf of "the Circus." What begins as a mission of professional duty soon becomes tangled with unexpected human connection, moral ambiguity, and the kind of double-dealing that le Carré made his trademark. Rather than the glamour of a Bond-style spy caper, this is espionage stripped down to its cold, grey, morally compromised core and so audiences should expect atmosphere and tension over action-hero thrills. 

Published in 1963, le Carré's novel was a genre-defining sensation that helped launch him from intelligence officer to full-time author, and it remains one of Time magazine's all-time 100 novels. Remarkably, despite dozens of screen adaptations across his body of work, no le Carré novel had ever been staged until now. Le Carré himself was famously resistant to the idea. This production, adapted by David Eldridge (known for Beginning and Middle) and directed by Jeremy Herrin (People, Places & Things, A Mirror), originated at Chichester Festival Theatre before transferring to a sold-out West End run at @sohoplace. Notably, Eldridge's adaptation expands the role of spymaster George Smiley well beyond his relatively peripheral part in the novel, giving him a more central presence in the intrigue. The current tour, a co-production between The Ink Factory and Second Half Productions, has been travelling to more than twenty UK venues since March, with Newcastle among its stops before the run concludes later this summer.

Leading the production is Ralf Little, best known to television audiences for The Royle Family, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and Death in Paradise, who takes on the weary, hardened lead role of Alec Leamas — a part inevitably measured against Richard Burton's take in the 1965 film. Opposite him, Gráinne Dromgoole plays Liz Gold, the idealistic young librarian whose compassion complicates Leamas's mission, in a performance which feels more fully fleshed out here than in the source novel. Whilst her views, expressed with passion, are at odds with a 2026 perspective, it fits in with the period that the play is set. Dromgoole ensures the naivety of her character is not  at odds with the knowing gaming by the other characters.

Tony Turner brings a quietly understated intensity to George Smiley, the enigmatic spymaster pulling strings from the "shadows", while Nicholas Murchie plays Control, the head of the Circus, and Peter Losasso portrays Hans-Dieter Mundt, the ruthless East German intelligence chief at the centre of the operation. The wider ensemble rounds out le Carré's web of agents, interrogators, and officials on both sides of the Iron Curtain, supported by a production design built around Max Jones's stark map-of-Europe set, Azusa Ono's shadow-laden lighting. To be honest Paul Englishby's noir-tinged score was at such a subtle volume level, it was barely audible (at one point I thought it was someone's muffled phone!).

Ralf Little presents the weary spy faithfully, you feel for the character who just simply wants to come out of the cold and move on. Between him and Nicholas Murchie and Tony Turner, there is a lot of exposition to deliver. Coupled with a set that rarely comprises of more than tables and chairs, it does give the vibe - and I mean this as high praise - as a modern day Shakespearean tragedy. If, as a member of the audience, you have the patience to digest the information then you are rewarded with a fully fleshed out tale. The attention to detail continues with the costumes, which feel authentic and the sound design (Elizabeth Purnell) that captures the echo of the court room.

The play is a fascinating look at recent history and it shows the power of theatre as a way presenting both a story and the emotions that go with it. Perhaps more of John Le Carré's work will find it sway onto the stage now?

Review: Stephen Oliver

Photos: Johan Persson

Tickets:

https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/spy-who-came-in-from-the-cold/

Please note the show carries a 12+ guidance, with strong language, period-appropriate derogatory language, and depictions of violence including gunshots.

Preview: Cluedo! at South Shields Pier Pavilion

Whodunnit heads to South Shields as Westovians close season with Cluedo!

Cluedo!
South Shields Pier Pavilion
Wednesday 8 - Sunday 12 July 2026.

The Westovian Theatre Society will round off their season with a five-show run of Cluedo!, bringing Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum and the rest of the game's suspects to the Pier Pavilion stage.

Rehearsal Photos courtesy of Westovians Theatre Society

Written by Sandy Rustin, Hunter Foster and Mark Bell, and based on the original screenplay by Jonathan Lynn, the play adapts the classic Hasbro board game for the stage. The action is set at Boddy Manor, where a dinner party hosted by the enigmatic Mr Boddy takes a dark turn. Unknown to Reverend Green, Colonel Mustard and the other guests, their host has been blackmailing each of them, setting the scene for a night of comedy, farce and murder.

The production features a cast of 11, including several members making their stage debuts. Sarah Richardson takes on the role of Miss Scarlett. "I am delighted and terrified to be playing Miss Scarlett," she said. "I was really shocked when I got the part, but everybody has been so lovely and welcomed me into the Westovian family. I can't wait to share the fun and passion we've had preparing the show with the people of Shields."

Also in the cast are father and daughter Gavin and Beth O'Doherty, playing Wadsworth the butler and Mrs Peacock respectively. "To be on stage is an honour in itself, but to be sharing the stage with my amazingly talented daughter Beth is something that I'm incredibly proud of," said Gavin, adding, "Mind you, if she fluffs any lines, she's disowned!"

The Westovians enjoyed considerable success last season, winning seven NODA awards at the amateur dramatics regional awards in October. Cluedo! is directed by Hannah Potter, whose previous production, Fallen Angels, won the district award for Best Drama and was shortlisted for the Councillor's Award, which covers the whole of the NODA North region.

"This show has been so much fun to direct," said Potter. "It's very fast paced and energetic, and I have loved creating the world of Boddy Manor with the set design, tech and music. We have had a whole team of volunteers working tirelessly backstage to pull everything together, and although big shows like this do come with challenges, everyone has really come together to get this production to where it needs to be."

She added: "The whole cast have done brilliantly in bringing their characters to life, working together well both on and off stage. I couldn't have asked for a better team. They have taken onboard my vision and direction, and created a show they should be so proud of."

With a set featuring rotating doors, sliding flats and a trap door, the production runs from Wednesday 8th to Sunday 12th July, with a 1pm matinee on the final day. The theatre will also be open on Saturday afternoon for South Shields' Parade Day celebrations, with the cast on hand to meet audiences and the Green Room bar open for drinks.

Show: Cluedo!
Location: Pier Pavilion, South Shields
Dates: Wednesday 8th July to Sunday 12th July. Evening shows 7.30pm, Sunday matinee 1pm
Tickets: £15, available online at www.ticketsource.com/westovians/cluedo, or in person at Sanddancer Clothing and The Word
Suitable for: All ages
Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes, including interval
Access: The theatre is fully wheelchair accessible, with an accessible toilet and designated wheelchair spaces in the auditorium.

REVIEW: Fawlty Towers: The Play at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Fawlty Towers: The Play,

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Saturday 4 July 2026 

In a world where TV streaming services pop out new series on a daily basis, it is amazing to believe that a show that ran for just two seasons in the 1970s can still have such a hold on the British public. And yet, Fawlty Towers still has a very special place in our hearts. More than 50 years on from the series’ initial broadcast, Basil and Sybil are entertaining audiences once more, but this time, on stage rather than on the small screen.

After a successful West End run, the play, itself written by series creator and star John Cleese, is now on tour around the UK. The play runs through John Cleese’s three favourite episodes of the show, tied together neatly in a 2 hour bundle (including interval). The script is carefully crafted to weave the episodes together in a way that feels natural, but still delivers the moments that the crowd expect, dancing neatly between visits from the hotel inspectors, the exasperating Mrs Richards and, of course, the Germans. 

With a show so beloved, how exactly does one go about stepping into the shoes of John Cleese, or late greats Prunella Scales and Andrew Sachs? Impossible, surely? And yet they do, and they do it brilliantly. Danny Bayne is exceptional at Basil, serving a masterclass in diction and comedic timing, whilst Mia Austen’s (Sybil Fawlty) shrill cries of “Basil!” brought waves of nostalgic laughter from the audience. The back and forth between Mr and Mrs Fawlty is, as always, a source of endless hilarity, and an opportunity to enjoy many of the sitcom’s greatest lines. Whilst the Fawltys may have not been laughing - at least not at the same time - their bickering certainly makes the audience laugh over and over again.

Hemi Yeroham, having originated the role on the West End, brings the beloved Manuel back to life with genuine flair. His voice perfectly captures Manuel's Catalonian musicality, and he throws himself wholeheartedly into every element of physical comedy. Jemma Churchill’s Mrs Richards is splendidly irritating, and the hearing aid conversations will bring a smile to anyone who has ever had to have that exact conversation with a family member. The entire cast were note-perfect, winding the clock back and reminding us just why the country loves Fawlty Towers so much.  

Whilst many 50 year old sitcoms would feel rusty on 21st century stages, Fawlty Towers manages to balance nostalgia, wit and sublime comedic timing to create an excellent show. For those who have seen every episode countless times, or for those who (like myself) admittedly “know nothing”, it is a wonderful piece of theatre, that somehow manages to make 50 year old jokes feel fresh. Cleese has since revealed that he is also working on a sequel, adapting several other episodes of the show, to hit stages after the conclusion of the UK tour. Having enjoyed this one so much, I’ll be booking my seat for the sequel as soon as possible.

 

Review: Hannah Daglish

Tickets:

https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/fawlty-towers/

REVIEW: Operation Mincemeat at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Operation Mincemeat

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Saturday 27 June 2026

Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical brought its first-ever UK tour to Newcastle Theatre Royal this week. The production, written and composed by the SpitLip collective (Dobby Cow, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts), is a comedic spy musical rooted in one of the Second World War's most audacious deception operations. Newcastle audiences have been gifted a rare opportunity to see a show that has spent years building one of the most devoted fanbases in contemporary musical theatre, and this touring cast rises to the occasion with considerable skill and heart.

The journey of Operation Mincemeat from fringe curiosity to global phenomenon is one of the more unlikely stories in recent British theatre. It began life as a small-scale production at the New Diorama Theatre in London in 2019, performed on a shoestring budget for audiences of no more than 77 people. Word spread quickly, and sold-out runs at Southwark Playhouse and Riverside Studios followed before the show transferred to the Fortune Theatre in the West End in May 2023. It missed out on appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe as they planned to do it in 2020, and we all know what happened that year. Since then it has accumulated an Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four Tony Award nominations on Broadway, and a string of five-star reviews that have made it, by some measures, the best-reviewed show in West End history. This first UK tour marks the next chapter for a production that has proven, over and again, that its appeal stretches well beyond the London theatre bubble.

The story the musical tells is, on its face, almost too strange to be true. It is 1943, and the Allied Forces are attempting to plan an invasion of southern Europe without alerting Nazi Germany to their precise intentions. The solution devised by British intelligence is startling: to dress the body of a recently deceased man as a Royal Marines officer, plant false documents on his person, and allow him to wash ashore in neutral Spain in the hope that the Germans will intercept the papers and be deceived about where the invasion is headed. Within the first twenty minutes, the audience is introduced to this premise through sharp comic exposition, meeting the real-life figures of Charles Cholmondeley and Ewen Montagu, the intelligence officers tasked with making the scheme work. The show makes clear from the outset that it intends to play the absurdity of the situation for maximum comedic effect, while also acknowledging the genuine human cost of war. A young Ian Fleming also appears early on, adding a knowing layer of spy-fiction self-awareness that sets the tone beautifully.

The touring cast carries this material with real assurance. Seán Carey as Charles Cholmondeley and Holly Sumpton as Ewen Montagu anchor the show with a fine comic rapport, their contrasting energies complementing each other throughout. Carey brings a physical comedy and warmth to Cholmondeley that makes him immediately likeable, while Sumpton's Montagu carries a quietly exasperated wit that earns consistent laughs without ever straining for them. Both performers demonstrate the kind of comedic timing that can only come from genuine confidence in the material and a clear understanding of their characters.

Christian Andrews and Jamie-Rose Monk contribute notably across multiple roles, both actors embodying the show's ensemble spirit with commitment and versatility. Andrews in particular displays an ease with the show's more farcical moments, navigating rapid character switches with precision. Charlotte Hanna-Williams, making her professional debut in this production, holds her own with impressive composure, and it is genuinely exciting to see a performer of her evident talent at such an early stage of her career. The cast as a whole manage the not inconsiderable challenge of making the audience laugh while also persuading them to genuinely care about the outcome of a plan most will already know the ending of (especially if they've seen the movie).

The true story at the heart of the show turns out to be thoroughly entertaining material for a musical, and SpitLip's songs do an excellent job of driving the plot forward without ever allowing the pace to slacken. Numbers arrive at precisely the right moments to clarify relationships, establish stakes, or simply celebrate the sheer improbability of what is unfolding on stage. The writing is sharp and consistently funny, but it also respects the intelligence of its audience, trusting them to hold the emotional and historical threads together even as the comedy escalates. The result is a show that moves quickly and purposefully, never outstaying its welcome and never losing sight of why the story matters.

The second act sees the production's lighting design (Mark Henderson) go up a gear during the number Das Ubermensch, a sequence performed from the German perspective. The lighting here shifts the visual palette of the entire show, deploying dramatic colour as the back of the stage wall lights up, and a heightened theatricality that signals clearly to the audience that the stakes have risen. The contrast with the warmer, more cluttered look of the British intelligence office scenes earlier in the evening is well-judged and effective. Couple this with the tight direction (Robert Hastie) and choreography (Jenny Arnold) and this show moved up a gear in the second act. No wonder the cast got a well deserved standing ovation at the end, and yes, even I was on my feet for this one. The live band, under the musical direction of Sam Sommerfield, deserves a mention. The musicianship throughout is tight and attentive, supporting the cast with a sound that is full without overwhelming the lyrics, and responsive to the shifting tones the show demands from scene to scene. It was a small disappointment that the band remained out of sight for the duration of the performance, tucked away where the audience could hear but not see them. Their visibility at curtain call, when they received a warm and well-deserved round of applause, was a reminder of the craft that had been quietly underpinning everything all evening. Audiences who appreciate live musicianship in musical theatre will want to know it is in very good hands here.

Operation Mincemeat is a show that rewards an audience willing to meet it on its own terms, and this production makes that a very easy thing to do. It is witty, genuinely moving in places, and performed with the kind of collective energy that suggests a company who believe in what they are making. Having seen it this week, I would gladly see it again, and would encourage anyone in the North East who has not yet taken the opportunity to do so before the run closes on Saturday. It is precisely the sort of show that reminds you why we love live theatre.

Review: Stephen Oliver

Photos: Matt Crockett

Tickets:

Operation Mincemeat plays Newcastle Theatre Royal in June 2026. Tickets can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 0191 232 7010.

REVIEW: This Is Rambert at Newcastle Theatre Royal

This Is Rambert

Newcastle Theatre Royal 

Until Wednesday 17 June 2026 and touring

Celebrating their centenary, Rambert has brought an exciting and hugely entertaining trilogy of short pieces to demonstrate beyond a doubt that they remain at the forefront of British dance and are going into the next 100 years with their customary innovation and brilliance.

Rambert in Hop(e)storm by (LA)HORDE
Photo: Hugo Glendinning

Rambert was Britain’s first dance company, formed in 1926 by the eponymous Polish dancer as the Marie Rambert Dancers and becoming Ballet Rambert in 1935. Despite having a commitment to new choreography and experimentation, they nonetheless focused on classical repertoire until 1966, touring the world and reinforcing their reputation for excellence. 

In 1966, they took a brave step into exclusively contemporary dance, and they have been pushing the boundaries ever since. Their combination of technical brilliance and groundbreaking choreography makes every Rambert tour an eagerly anticipated event for dance lovers everywhere. 

Rambert in Hop(e)storm by (LA)HORDE
Photo: Hugo Glendinning

Still, any company celebrating their centenary might be expected to present a retrospective programme, to show where they have come from. Well, any company but Rambert. This programme of three short pieces, none of which is more than a year old, is clearly demonstrating, not where they have been, but where they are going. And it is a cause for celebration, showing they are clearly set for another hundred years.

The first piece in this selection is called In Crimson, created by Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber. In front of a red curtain on an otherwise bare stage, and accompanied by an onstage pianist, seven dancers explore passion.  They show both inner torment and exhilaration in some extraordinarily inventive solo dances and outer lives through constantly interchanging and evolving duos, trios and intertwining ensemble sections.  The choreography is surprising and thrilling, pushing this stellar company to the limits of what the human body can do. It captivates from beginning to end, set against an eclectic score ranging from Bizet to a new composition by Yonatan Daskal and the song ‘La Solitude’ by French chanteuse, Barbara, seductively sung here by dancer Naya Lovell. 

Rambert In Crimson
Dancer Hannah Hernandez
Photo: Camilla Greenwell 

The second piece, Hop(e) Storm was created by Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer and Arthur Harel, in collaboration with the Rambert Dancers and with Jacquelyn Elder, to music by Pierre Aviat. It is a breathtaking combination of Lindy Hop, the 1920s Harlem dance craze that was the basis of all swing dance, and rave. This unlikely combination works surprisingly well to make the idioms of a dance medium as old as the company itself feel thoroughly contemporary. The dancers whirl, jump and bring in hip-hop elements leading to a thrilling ensemble finale.

The second half of the programme consists of one piece, Gallery of Consequence, choreographed and directed by Emma Evelein to a hugely diverse soundscape by Raven Bush, and backed by innovative video design by AMIANGELIKA.  It explores the human experience of being in that unique and soulless environment, the airport. It incorporates hip-hop techniques of locking and popping, and the clever slowing down and speeding up of the action to focus on individuals undergoing isolation, struggle and even despair.  

Rambert - Gallery of Consequence
Photo: Yiling Zhao

With humour and the inventiveness that characterises the whole evening, individual characters and the programmed interactions we would all recognise are deftly conjured up on a mostly bare stage. Appropriately, the audience is left feeling both exhilarated and relieved for the dancers as they finally embark on their flight to who knows where.

Rambert - Gallery of Consequence
Photo: Yiling Zhao

Altogether, Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer has curated a memorable and hugely entertaining evening that showcases the exceptional physicality, technical virtuosity and impressive versatility of Rambert’s dancers. Here’s to the next hundred years! 

Review: Jonathan Cash

Tickets: 

https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/this-is-rambert/