Spring at The Dukes is Quality

The Dukes has today announced its spring 2020 season of theatre, comedy, dance and spoken word.

Northern Broadsides return to the Lancaster venue with regency rom-com Quality Street, written by Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie, from Tuesday March 3 to Saturday 7.

Aristocratic buffoonery abounds with Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, as P.G. Wodehouse’s classic characters are recreated on The Dukes stage from Thursday March 26 to Saturday 28.

For families, a Cbeebies favourite comes alive in Sarah and Duck’s Big Top Birthday, with an enchanting blend of puppetry, storytelling and music, promising a magical adventure for all to enjoy on Friday March 13.

Actor and Dukes’ Honorary Patron Christine Mackie’s semi-autobiographical one-woman play Best Girl tells the story of a veteran’s child on her way to change her life from Thursday April 9 to Saturday 11.

Plus, The Dukes iconic ‘Play in the Park’ returns after a year’s hiatus with Alice in Wonderland, running throughout the summer from Tuesday July 7 to Saturday August 22.

Karen O’Neill, Director of The Dukes, said: “We’re thrilled to announce a packed and diverse programme of live performance for spring that we know will delight and excite audiences.

“Whether you’re looking for outstanding theatre, contemporary performances, spectacular dance, family entertainment or laugh out loud comedy, we’re sure you’ll have plenty of reasons to discover The Dukes in 2020.”

Comedy-drama Ladies That Bus gives audiences the chance to experience a day in the life of the Route 555 bus from Lancaster to Keswick, featuring heart-warming and hilarious tales of journeys taken, and not taken from Thursday 6 February to Saturday 8.

North West based HIV+ theatre maker Nathaniel Hall will perform his hilarious and heart-breaking autobiographical solo show First Time about growing up positive in a negative world on Tuesday February 18 and Wednesday 19.

The Lancaster venue will also host a month of dance in April with Northern Ballet offering families a chance to enjoy Little Red Riding Hood on Friday 17, Big Up North bringing together the best of emerging North West dance talent on Saturday 25 and James Wilton Dance’s epic The Storm on Wednesday 29.

Paul O’Donnell invites audiences to join him in creating an almost entirely imagined jukebox musical featuring the music of Bon Jovi in the hilarious We’ve Got Each Other on Saturday April 4.

Everyone’s favourite characters will be leaping off the page and onto the stage on Friday April 10 and Saturday 11 in Mr Men and Little Miss on Stage, as Happyland bursts into life in a show told through puppetry and music.

The multi-award-winning New Old Friends are back with another instalment of their comedy-crime thrillers series, this time in the golden-era of Hollywood with Crimes, Camera, Action on Thursday May 14 and Friday 15.

Comedy highlights include Flo & Joan: Before the Screaming Starts (February 20), Sofie Hagen: The Bumswing (March 7), Daliso Chaponda: Blah Blah Blacklist (March 14), Jen Brister: Under Priviledge (May 15) and Josie Long: Tender (June 13).

Other family highlights include Wolf! (February 21), Puss in Boots (March 28), Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers (May 1 & 2), Comedy Club 4 Kids (May 23) and Mischief and Mystery in Moominvalley (May 30).

To book tickets for any of the new season events, ring The Dukes box office on 01524 598500 or visit www.dukes-lancaster.org