SPRING/SUMMER 2015 Box Office 01392 493493
www.exeternorthcott.co.uk 1
stand out from the crowd...
01392 458 800 www.brownejacobson.com
Proud sponsors of Exeter Northcott Theatre
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WELCOME The productions you can read about in this brochure embrace hundreds of years of theatre, musical theatre opera and dance. We are delighted to welcome Shakespeare’s Globe to Exeter for the first time with ROMEO & JULIET as well as Filter Theatre with their contemporary MACBETH; English Touring Opera return with LA BOHEME, THE SIEGE OF CALAIS & THE WILD MAN OF THE WEST INDIES, new writing pioneers, Out of Joint bring us CROUCH, TOUCH, PAUSE ENGAGE, their powerful new play by Robin Soanes based on the life of Gareth Thomas, the first openly gay rugby player. We have Sasha Regan’s fabulous all male PIRATES OF PENZANCE, the national tour of Alan Bennett’s THE HISTORY BOYS and a new ghost story MIST IN THE MIRROR by the author of the smash hit Woman in Black and realized by Oldham Coliseum and award winning visual theatre company imitating the dog. Other highlights include a residency and performance from internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer, Shobana Jeyasingh, Tanya Myers’ ground breaking new show about dementia, INSIDE OUT OF MIND and for the young at heart, Theatre Alibi’s I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS and the National Theatre production of THE CAT IN THE HAT. 2015 sees the Exeter Northcott become an Arts Council National Portfolio organization. We look forward to working with our partners old and new, not least our new annual sponsors Browne Jacobson, some of whose partners are pictured opposite, and from our position at the heart of Exeter University we look forward to playing an exciting part in the vibrant performance and cultural life of Exeter. Lastly, we hope you enjoy Matt Austin’s atmospheric photos of our technical team who were persuaded to take centre stage for this season’s brochure concept. I look forward to welcoming you to the Exeter Northcott Theatre soon. On behalf of the trustees and staff. Paul Jepson Acting Executive Director
GENERAL BOOKING OPENS: Thu 4 December 2014
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ENJOY TAKE A SEAT
AN EVENING OF MURDER WITH DR LUCY WORSLEY Sat 17 January 7.30pm
An illustrated tour through the dark story of our fascination with murder, with Dr Lucy Worsley, BBC TV presenter, renowned historian and Chief Curator at the charity Historic Royal Palaces. She’ll not only examine some notorious crimes and criminals, but also explain how murder became a form of middle-class entertainment through novels, plays, paintings, and the press. Starting with an horrific early nineteenth-century serialkiller in the East End of London, she’ll end with the tame drawing room dramas of Agatha Christie. www.lucyworsley.com Tickets: £18 Concs: £2 off Age: 14yrs+ Running Time: 1hr 30 mins
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Dance in Devon and Exeter Northcott Theatre present
WATCH THIS SPACE Thu 22 January 7.30pm
Watch This Space is your opportunity to see what professional dance makers in Devon and the South West are creating right now. Share your thoughts and ideas with the choreographers in a Q&A after the show. Please join us for a celebration of local talent and show your support for the exceptional work being produced on your doorstep. Tickets: £8 Concs: £2 off Students: £3
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Dancer - Maddy Shimwell. Photo: Kevin Clifford.
Celebrating our shared commitment to dance development in Devon, Dance in Devon and Exeter Northcott Theatre are delighted to come together to present this platform for emerging dance artists from our region.
SUPPORT YOUR STUDENT COMPANY Exeter University Footlights Society presents
EVITA SHE SEDUCED A NATION Lyrics by Tim Rice Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Originally Directed by Harold Prince
Wed 28 – Sat 31 January 7.30pm Sat matinee 2.30pm This captivating story follows the rise and fall of a nation’s hero. Based on the life of Argentine actress and political leader Eva Perón, who rose from nothing to become one of the most famous political figures in the country’s history. Evita features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice and is one of their most successful musicals. The show had an incredible run in the West End and on Broadway and has recently finished a successful UK Tour. This is a student production by Footlights, the University of Exeter’s longest running Musical Theatre society. The society produces musicals of a professional standard and last year brought the fantastic sell out show West Side Story to the Exeter Northcott. An Amateur production by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd.
www.facebook.com/exeteruniversityfootlights
Tickets: A £16.50 B £15 C £12.50 D £11 Concs: £1.50 off (Registered Disabled, Students, 60+, U16) Age: PG for U13s, contains strong language Running Time: 2hrs 35mins
THE THINKING DRINKERS GUIDE TO THE LEGENDS OF LIQUOR By Tom Sandham & Ben McFarland
Thu 5 February 8pm Alcohol: One minute a soul mate, the next a psychopath; it can be both creative muse and pesky mischief-maker. Slide onto the bar stool of discovery and enjoy several free deluxe drinks as the Thinking Drinkers explore the liquid lives of history’s most extraordinary elbow-benders. Alexander the Great, Humphrey Bogart, Dorothy Parker, Frank Sinatra and Winston Churchill star in this brand new show from award-winning drinks experts whose ‘Guide to Alcohol’ has sold-out at the Fringe and at London’s Soho Theatre for three years running. www.thinkingdrinkers.com “For serious and not so serious devotees of legal recreational consumables, the ‘Thinking Drinkers Guide to Alcohol’ is your bible” DAN AYKROYD “Impressive….Downright Hilarious” WEST END WHINGERS
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Tickets: £16 Age: STRICTLY 18 and over Running Time: 60mins
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BEYOND THE BARRICADE Fri 6 & Sat 7 February 7.30pm The UK’s leading and longest running musical theatre concert, Beyond the Barricade makes a long overdue first appearance at Exeter Northcott Theatre, with a sensational new show for 2015. This exciting concert re-creates original West End/Broadway musical hit songs with amazing authenticity and features a cast of past principal performers from the West End production of Les Miserables, and the 25th Anniversary Concert at the 02 Arena. Beyond the Barricade recently celebrated an amazing fifteen years on the road which has taken the show all over the world and its repertoire includes many of the best loved musicals that have made it the UK’s most popular concert of its kind, including Miss Saigon, Wicked, Phantom Of The Opera, West Side Story, We Will Rock You, Blood Brothers, The Jersey Boys and many more hit musical productions, climaxing with a spectacular finale from, of course, Les Miserables! Don’t miss the Musicals Event of the Year! beyondthebarricade.com
Tickets: £20 Age: 7yrs+ Running time: 2hrs 20mins
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“This production deserves to be labelled ‘special’.” THE STAGE “fight to get a ticket for this dazzling show!” WHATSONSTAGE “An evening of musical paradise” WHATSONNORTHEAST
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Theatre Alibi present
I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS
from the book by Michael Morpurgo Adapted by Daniel Jamieson
Thu 12 – Sun 15 February Schools’ matinees Thu 1.30pm & Fri 10.30am Sat & Sun 11.30am & 2.30pm Tomas didn’t like books or stories. Stories were just for “Little Snotties”. He was happier clambering in the mountains like a goat or tobogganing with his Dad. That was until the Unicorn Lady came to town and reeled him in with her irresistible magic tales. But then disaster struck and put everything that mattered most in Tomas’s life in terrible danger… I Believe in Unicorns is a spellbinding and moving story by one of our greatest storytellers. Theatre Alibi last worked with Michael Morpurgo on Why the Whales Came which ran in the West End to great critical acclaim. www.theatrealibi.co.uk
Tickets: £12 Family Ticket: £33 for 3 + up to 3 more tickets £11 each Schools: £8 for groups 10+ Age: 6 – 12 yrs Running time: 60mins Meet the Company after the show: Fri 10.30am & Sat 2.30pm Assisted Performances: Audio Described Sat 14 Feb 2.30pm with Touch Tour at 1.30pm
“Adapted and played quite beautifully... a sheer joy!” MICHAEL MORPURGO “An evening of thrilling theatre” THE GUARDIAN on Why the Whales Came
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Hosted by Mervyn Bedford Sun 11 January & Sun 15 March 2pm Enjoy music in a family-friendly atmosphere, featuring a wide range of musicians and music. earwormsexeter.blogspot.co.uk
Tickets: £4.50, £3 children over 2 years Age: families with primary-aged children and their siblings Running Time: 60mins
SUPPORT YOUR STUDENT COMPANY Exeter University Theatre Company presents
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST Directed by Devon Cairns and Lucy Green
Wed 18 – Sat 21 February 7.30pm Tyrannical Nurse Ratched rules the roost at Oregon State Psychiatric Hospital. However, when Randle P. McMurphy, a free-spirited, revolutionary con-man arrives on the ward; the carefully crafted sterile and repressive atmosphere is warped. An ugly and explosive power struggle ensues, engulfing Ratched and McMurphy and leaving the other residents thoroughly shaken to the core... Based on the Ken Kesey classic, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest explores the lives of those whom society has disregarded and questions who really governs their future. www.eutco.co.uk Tickets: A & B £14 C & D £12 Concs: £8 (Registered Disabled, Students, 60+) Schools: £6 groups 10+ 10
Age: 14yrs+ contains strong language, adult themes, strobe lighting and haze Running Time: 2hrs 10mins
Avalon Promotions present
RICHARD HERRING – LORD OF THE DANCE SETTEE Sun 22 February 7.30pm After covering weighty issues like death, love, religion and spam javelins, “The King of Edinburgh” (THE LIST) returns with a show about daftness, being uncool and bouncing joyously on the sofa. www.richardherring.com “Dependably funny” CHORTLE Tickets: £16 Age: TBC Running Time: TBC
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FASCINATING AÏDA: CHARM OFFENSIVE Sun 8 March 7.30pm Dillie Keane, Adele Anderson and Liza Pulman continue to celebrate over 30 years of Fascinating Aïda with their terrific show Charm Offensive. Expect topical new songs hot off the press, plus some outrageous favourites as Fascinating Aïda continue to grow old disgracefully! www.fascinatingaida.co.uk “Hilarious” THE TELEGRAPH Tickets: £20.50 Age: 14yrs+ Running Time: 2hrs 10mins Mick Perrin Worldwide presents
SIMON AMSTELL - TO BE FREE Sun 15 March 8pm With intense vulnerability and troubling honesty, Amstell explores freedom, joy, love, death, adventure, art, peace, sex, regret, success, eating, suffering, dreaming, healing, forgiving and other areas. www.simonamstell.co.uk “An endearing mixture of offhanded candour and sharp wit.” THE NEW YORK TIMES Tickets: £22 Concs: £3 off Age: 15yrs+ Running Time: TBC u GROUPS Avalon Promotions present
RETURN OF THE GRUMPY OLD WOMEN FIFTY SHADES OF BEIGE Sun 26 April 7.30pm Returning after a critically acclaimed, total sell-out spring 2014 tour the Grumpies are back to knock some sense into the nation. Perrier Award-winning comedian, writer and original star of Grumpy Old Women Jenny Eclair will be joined by fellow recruits Susie Blake (Mrs Brown’s Boys BBC One, Coronation Street, ITV1) and actress and singer Kate Robbins (Where The Heart Is ITV1, Casualty BBC One) in this brand spanking new show. www.grumpyoldwomenlive.com “Expect a party” THE TIMES Tickets: £23.50 Age: TBC Running Time: TBC u GROUPS
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Oldham Coliseum Theatre and imitating the dog present
THE MIST IN THE MIRROR Adapted by Ian Kershaw from the novel by Susan Hill Directed by Kevin Shaw Designed by Barney George Video Design by Simon Wainwright, imitating the dog
Tue 24 – Sat 28 February 7.30pm Thu Schools’ matinee 1.30pm Sat matinee 2.30pm Oldham Coliseum Theatre and imitating the dog return following their hugely entertaining 2012 collaboration Hound of the Baskervilles. Adapted from the novel by Susan Hill author of The Woman in Black, this tense and atmospheric new production is an otherworldly mystery that leaves a terrifying eeriness suspended in the air. A ghostly chill falls over the Exeter Northcott Theatre this winter with a traveller’s strange tale of threats from beyond the grave. The Mist in the Mirror is a gothic fireside story which the audience is invited to eavesdrop on. Visual theatre innovators imitating the dog will once again be on hand to create an unnerving ethereal atmosphere before the show even begins and an unsettling feeling that might just follow you home at the end of the night too… www.coliseum.org.uk www.imitatingthedog.co.uk
Tickets: A £24.50 B £21.50 C £19 D £16.50 Sat matinee: £16.50 Concs: £2 off Schools: £9 for groups 10+ Student Standby: £8 Age: 12yrs+ Running Time: 2hrs 20mins Post Show Talks: Thu 1.30pm & Wed 7.30pm
Praise for Hound of the Baskervilles: “Not to be missed on any account” THE STAGE “The whole thing is both brilliant and often beautiful” OLDHAM CHRONICLE
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Filter
A Filter Theatre and Tobacco Factory Theatres production
By William Shakespeare Created by Filter 14
A Filter Theatre and Tobacco Factory Theatres production
MACBETH By William Shakespeare Created by Filter Composer Tom Haines
Mon 2 – Sat 7 March 7.30pm Schools’ matinee Thu 1.30pm Sat matinee 2.30pm “Whence is that knocking? How is it with me, when every noise appals me?” A demarcated area on stage. Three weird sisters operate a strange collection of electronic musical apparatus. Macbeth is invited in to play. Playful, kaleidoscopic and horrific, Filter’s radical version of Macbeth fuses Shakespeare’s corrosive, psychological thriller about ambition, power, witchcraft and sanity with innovative sound and music to take you on a strange, funny and scintillating journey to the epicentre of the “heat-oppressed brain”. Filter’s irreverent and contemporary recreations of the classics – Caucasian Chalk Circle, Three Sisters, Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream – have gone down a storm in the UK and the World in the past few years. www.filtertheatre.com www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com
Tickets: A £22.50 B £19.50 C £17 D £14.50 Matinee: £14.50 Concs: £2 off Schools: £8.50 for groups 10+ Student Standby: £8 Age: 14yrs+ Running Time: 1hr 45mins (no interval) Post Show Talk: Thu 1.30pm & 7.30pm Assisted Performances: BSL Interpreted and Audio Described Sat 7 March 2.30pm
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“For newcomers to Shakespeare, I can’t think of a better introduction… it’s a celebration: mad, wild, loving and hilarious” SUNDAY TIMES on Twelfth Night “Work that dazzles the eye, enchants the ear, and stimulates both the mind and heart” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH on Filter
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SUPPORT YOUR STUDENT COMPANY Exeter University Gilbert & Sullivan Society presents
HMS PINAFORE Wed 11 – Sat 14 March 7.30pm Sat matinee 2.30pm
When our tale starts, the crew of the HMS Pinafore eagerly await the arrival of the First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir Joseph Porter. Captain Corcoran is especially nervous about the visit, as he knows that Sir Joseph is keen on his daughter Josephine’s affections, and hopes the two will marry. Unfortunately for Sir Joseph, someone else on board is also after Josephine’s heart; but as he is only a humble sailor, he cannot hope to marry a lass so far above his station…can he? A satirical tale of love and class, HMS Pinafore is one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most famous works. Our fantastic cast and orchestra will have you laughing out loud and whistling the www.anthosarts.com tunes for days afterwards. So come and feast your eyes and ears on the musical, nautical delight that is HMS Pinafore! www.facebook.com/eugns Tickets: A £16 B £14 C £12 D £10 Concs: £2 off Schools: £6 for groups 10+ Age: 8yrs+ Running Time: 2hrs 5mins
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“Professional, funny, enjoyable, and dare I say it, pitch perfect” EXPOSE on Pirates of Penzance
Anthos Arts presents
THE POPPY PROJECT Sun 22 March 6pm Charming, witty and reminiscent, The Poppy Project is an amalgamation of traditional texts and newly devised Physical Theatre pieces that pay tribute to local community. www.anthosarts.com @AnthosArts #thepoppyproject Tickets: £9 Students: £7 Cons: £5 for benefit recipients, registered disabled, patrons aged 60+, U16s, those participating in the Arts Award and Groups 10+ Age: all ages welcome Running Time: 2hrs 45mins (including two intervals) 16
www.anthosarts.com www.anthosarts.com
Lette How Do You Judge Twel
THE THE POPPY POPPY PROJECT PROJECT
Charming, witty and rem Project is an amalgamation and newly devised Phy that pay tribute
Sunday Letters22nd home Mar Letters home Box o How Do You Judge ora email Book? boxoffice@ex How Do You Judge a Book? Twelfth Night @anthos-ar Twelfth Night Charming, witty and reminiscent, The Poppy Charming, and reminiscent, The Poppy Project is an witty amalgamation of traditional texts Project is an amalgamation of traditional texts and newly devised Physical Theatre pieces and newly Physical Theatre pieces thatdevised pay tribute to local community. that pay tribute to local community.
Sunday 22nd March 2015 Sunday 22nd March 2015 Box office 01392493493 Box office 01392493493 or email boxoffice@exeternorthcott.co.uk
or email boxoffice@exeternorthcott.co.uk “Anthos is not just #thepoppyproject another @anthos-arts @anthos-arts #thepoppyproject community theatre company, but one that encourages initiative, self-belief, and ultimately, pioneers where few have dared to venture.” CAIUS NICHOLAS – Anthos Arts Guild Representative
Meeting Ground Theatre Company and Nottingham Lakeside Arts present
INSIDE OUT OF MIND Written and directed by Tanya Myers Designed by Nettie Scriven
Tues 17 & Fri 20 March 7.30pm NHS Matinees: Wed 10am & 2.30pm; Thu & Fri 2.30pm Welcome to the ward with no name – a theatre of magical, medical realism. A fusion of love stories, crisscrossing time and space, where walls turn into forests; thunder to gunfire, books to birds, with untold stories kept under their wings. Darkly comic and offering glimpses of a mysterious world, this insightful play enters into the experience of dementia care. Touching minds and hearts, nurses and patients search for love, rhyme and reason on the ward with no name. Based on rigorous participant observation in dementia wards, Inside Out of Mind builds bridges between art and science, old and young, carers and cared for. Tickets: £15 Age: 14yrs+ Running Time: 2hrs Post Show Talk: Tues 17 March Assisted Performances: BSL Interpreted Performance Fri 20 March “Compelling performances from a strong cast powerfully invoke understanding of just how important it is to see people with dementia as individuals with rich life experience. Everyone should see this deeply moving play.” AUDIENCE MEMBER on seeing the production in 2013
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RICHARD ALSTON DANCE COMPANY Tues 24 & Wed 25 March 7.30pm Proudly celebrating its twentieth year, Richard Alston Dance Company returns to Exeter Northcott Theatre with a knock-out new programme showcasing Alston’s superbly skilled choreography. Richard Alston’s brand new piece, NOMADIC, connects Romanian gypsy music and electronic sound, exploring deeper the world of his hugely popular Gypsy Mixture. BURNING, Martin Lawrance’s latest piece, is inspired by the Dante Sonata of Franz Liszt, played live on stage. It’s an intensely dramatic dance, immediately greeted with rapture by critics and audiences alike. In his classic OVERDRIVE, Alston takes up the pulsating rhythm of modern Californian composer Terry Riley’s music and runs with it to the wire. www.richardalstondance.com
“So what does it take to have the audience cheering full-throated approval? The Richard Alston Dance Company, that’s what” THE HERALD on the premiere of Burning, Edinburgh “Utterly exhilarating” SUNDAY TIMES
Tickets: A £20.50 B £17.50 C £14.50 D £12.50 Concs: £2 off Schools: £8.50 for groups 10+ Student Standby: £8 Age: 10yrs+ Running Time: 1hr 35mins (includes 2 intervals) Post Show Talk: Tues 24 March
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tre presents
Vamos Thea
Thu 26 – Sat 28 March 7.30pm Vamos Theatre return to Exeter Northcott Theatre with their heart-warming wartime full-mask show Nursing Lives. When Flo, a feisty seventy-something, learns that the hospital she trained at during the Second World War is being demolished, she decides to take one last look – and stop the bulldozers in their tracks. Her illicit visit becomes a personal celebration of friendship, courage, adventure and romance… This full-mask theatre production is alive with visual inventiveness, evocative music and song, physical theatre and 1940s dance sequences, as it celebrates nurses at work and play during the years of World War II. www.vamostheatre.co.uk
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“An affecting, heartfelt production that’s funny and touching in turn. The magic of Rachael Savage’s production is that it creates such a vivid world without voice and words.” THE GUARDIAN “the most hilarious night out, with a gag a minute. It is a must see for all nurses and doctors.” SANDIE MANN, LOCAL NURSES LEAGUE, LINCOLN Tickets: £13.50 Concs: £2 off Schools: £8.50 for groups 10+ Student Standby: £8 Age: 12yrs+ 19 Running Time: 1hr 50mins Post Show Talk: Fri 27 March
Nursing Lives is supported by Arts Council England, Sanctuary Care and Worcestershire County Council.
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SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL COMPANY Exeter Musical Society presents
MUSIC BY ALAN MENKEN
LYRICS BY GLENN SLATER BOOK BY CHERI STEINKELLNER & BILL STEINKELLNER Additional Book Material DOUGLAS CARTER BEANE
Based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture “Sister Act” written by Joseph Howard
Mon 30 March – Sat 4 April 7.30pm Fri & Sat matinees 2.30pm Following on from its 110th anniversary celebrations, this Easter Exeter Musical Society begins a new era with the ‘divine musical comedy’ Sister Act. Based on its namesake 1992 movie, Sister Act tells the story of Deloris Van Cartier, an aspiring disco diva trying to make her way to the top in 1970’s Philadelphia. TEDx_NorthcottProg_20141126_Layout 1 26/11/2014 17:24 Deloris falls in love with Curtis Shank, a gangster. However, when she sees him commit a murder, the police put her in a witness protection scheme and send her to a convent. Deloris finds her calling with the choir. Her glamorous lifestyle and general ‘fabulousness’ keep you rooting for her every step of the way. Modern Broadway ballads make way for rousing all-cast production numbers in the infectious score from eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken.
TEDx_NorthcottProg_20141126_Layout 1 26/11/2014 17:24 Page 1 www.exetermusicalsociety.com
“who needs to go to London these days when we have such a talented group as the Exeter Music Society?” EXPRESS AND ECHO Tickets: A £20 B £18 C £16 D £14 Monday evening, Fri & Sat matinee: £13 Age: ’Sister Act is a family friendly musical all the way’ BROADWAY.COM
Running Time: 2hrs 20mins
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Fri 24 April 2015 A day conference Fri 24 April 2015
TAKING THE LONG VIEW
A day conference
“Thanks @T for inspiri “Thanks @TEDxExeter yesterday This day of inspiring talks will take the long view. for inspiring day warming r fromtalks the will past, and to the future, yesterday. A heartThisLearning day of inspiring take thelooking long view. desire & a warming reflection of live speakers and TED video will combine to spark Learning from the past, and looking to the future, make posi desire & actions that live speakers and TEDand video will combine to spark deep thought discussion. make positive changes to people’s deep thought and discussion. to people’s lives.” See TEDxExeter.com for more announcements “@TEDxExe See TEDxExeter.com for more announcements “@TEDxExeter a perfect pr perfect programme of Tickets: Tickets: £50 £50 philanthro philanthropy, politics, Limited Concessions: £25 Limited Concessions: £25 parenting, poles, parenting, Includes refreshments and a sustainably sourced lunchsourced lunch prosthetics, Postman prosthetic Includes refreshments and a sustainably Pat & p-p-p-poetry.” Registration from 8.30am. Event runsEvent from 9.25am to 5pm Pat & p-pRegistration from 8.30am. runs from 9.25am to 5pm
TAKING THE LONG VIEW
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Sun 5 April 5pm & 8pm They’ve skewered history, the Bible and the world’s most celebrated playwright, now the Reduced Shakespeare Company tackles the subject it was born to reduce. Tickets to The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) are far more affordable than tickets to an amusement park, but you’ll come away with the same feeling of nausea and motion sickness. From the high-brow to the low and everything in-between, the bad boys of abridgment leave no joke untold as they deconstruct the entire history of comedy in 90 rollicking minutes. www.reducedshakespeare.com
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“Comic Gold” METRO “The Reduced Shakespeare Company have not lost their touch - or their remarkable energy.” THE STAGE
Tickets: £16 Concs: £2 off Age: 12yrs+. There is a strobe effect used in this performance. Running Time: 2hrs 21
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Middle Ground Theatre Company Ltd presents
THE BUSINESS OF MURDER BY RICHARD HARRIS Directed by Michael Lunney
Mon 6 – Sat 11 April 7.30pm Thu & Sat Matinees 2.30pm Middle Ground Theatre Company is delighted to present The Business of Murder, the acclaimed psychological thriller from the pen of Richard Harris (The Sweeney, A Touch Of Frost,The Avengers) which enjoyed a successful 9-year run in the West End. Stone, a humourless and dour man, invites Dee, a television playwright, over to his flat on the premise of discussing a script. Once there, she is surprised when superintendent Hallett, the man with whom she is having an affair, also arrives for an entirely different reason. But nothing is as it seems, and as the plot twists and turns the motive of their host Stone gradually becomes clear. They are all, it would seem, in the same business... The Business of Murder. Starring Robert Gwilym, known by millions for his role as Dr Max Gallagher in Casualty, alongside Paul Opacic (a regular as Steve Marchant in Emmerdale, Mark Waddle in Bad Girls and Carl Costello in Hollyoaks), and Joanna Higson, who played Maxine Donnelly for 2 series of Shameless and is currently appearing as Vicky Hall in BBC TV’s WPC56. www.middlegroundtheatre.co.uk Tickets: A £27 B £24.50 C £22.50 D £18.50 Matinees: £18.50 Concs: £2 off Student Standby: £8 Age: 12yrs+ Running Time: TBC
“The best stage thriller for years” SUNDAY MIRROR
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Shakespeare’s Globe presents
ROMEO & JULIET BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Thu 16 – Sat 18 April 7.30pm Fri Schools’ matinee 1.30pm; Sat matinee 2.30pm Award-winning Shakespeare’s Globe from London comes to Exeter Northcott Theatre. A violent street brawl between their rival families is the prelude to Romeo’s first encounter with Juliet. Despite this, and the fact Juliet has been promised to another, they fall in love. But any plans for their future happiness are cruelly destroyed by renewed violence between their families and tragedy begins to unfold. A small troupe of travelling players takes to the road with Shakespeare’s classic tale of star-crossed lovers. Performed on an Elizabethan-style stage, this stripped-down version breathes new life into one of the greatest of all love stories. www.shakespearesglobe.com
Tickets: A £24.50 B £21.50 C £19 D £16.50 Sat matinee: £16.50 all seats Concs: £2 off Schools: £9 for groups 10+ Student Standby: £8 Age: All ages Running Time: 2hrs 30mins Post Show Talk: Fri 17 April 7.30pm
“Triumphant” LIVERPOOL ECHO on King Lear 2014 “Fabulous” DC METRO on King Lear 2014 WHAT’S ON STAGE on Much Ado About Nothing 2014 “Summer is all the sweeter for a Shakespeare road trip.” DAILY TELEGRAPH “Ingenious… charming” DAILY MAIL on As You Like It 2012
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“Superb...delightful” DAILY TELEGRAPH on As You Like It 2012
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Dr Seuss’s
Wed 15 April 1.30pm & 3pm From the moment his tall, red and white striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that The Cat in the Hat is the funniest, most mischievous cat they have ever met. With the trickiest of tricks and craziest of ideas, he turns a rainy afternoon into an amazing adventure. But what will mum find when she gets home? Based on the much loved book by Dr Seuss, The Cat in the Hat is a lively and engaging first theatre experience for young children aged 3+. Expect towering hats, mischief and an imagination recharge! Tickets: £13 Family Ticket: £36 for 3 + up to 3 more tickets £12 each Age: 3-4yrs Running Time: 45mins
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“Triumphs as the maestro of mischief” THE STAGE “A sharp, vibrant and deliciously daft story told beautifully and perfectly for children... brimming with energy and childish laughs.” BROADWAY BABY
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Play originally produced by the National Theatre of Great Britain. Adapted and originally directed by Katie Mitchell. Presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York
SHOBANA JEYASINGH DANCE BAYADÈRE – THE NINTH LIFE Tues 12 & Wed 13 May 7.30pm Shobana Jeyasingh Dance return to Exeter with a radical re-imagining of the celebrated ballet, La Bayadère, for the 21st century. Moving between fact and fantasy, the original story is interwoven with the first ever visit of Indian dancers to Europe in 1838. The many-layered narrative presents a fresh new vision of dance that belongs to both India and Europe and features originally commissioned music by Gabriel Prokofiev, the Londonbased composer, producer and DJ. Expect a visually stunning performance packed with visceral energy and choreographic virtuosity from an international cast of exceptional dancers.
Commissioned by Studio Programme, The Royal Ballet www.shobanajeyasingh.co.uk Tickets: A £20.50 B £17.50 C £14.50 D £12.50 Concs: £2 off Schools: £8.50 for groups 10+ Student Standby: £8 Running Time: 60mins Post Show Talk: Tues 12 May
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For details of CREATIVE DANCE WORKSHOPS and TEACHER’S TWILIGHT see page 43.
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Greatest hits and hidden gems sung in the original language
LA BOHÈME // PUCCINI Tues 28, Thu 30 April & Fri 1 May 7.30pm
La bohème is a tale of young love, starting on Christmas Eve in a Paris garret. On this festive night Mimì and Rodolfo draw close, before poverty and ill-health force them apart. With some of the most memorable music in opera, ETO’s new Italian-language production lifts every spirit and breaks every heart. Running Times: 2hrs 10mins
THE SIEGE OF CALAIS // DONIZETTI Wed 29 April 7.30pm The Siege of Calais (L’assedio di Calais) enjoyed its first ever UK professional tour with ETO in 2013, when it was acclaimed as one of the company’s greatest achievements. Constructed of bel canto arias and ensembles of extraordinary quality, it tells the story of the citizens of Calais who offer up their lives to save their city from the besieging English army. Proud, fierce, exhilarating – this is history on stage, in thrilling music. Running Times: 2hrs
THE WILD MAN OF THE WEST INDIES // DONIZETTI Sat 2 May 7.30pm The Wild Man of the West Indies (Il furioso all’isola di San Domingo) is an extraordinary opera which vanished after initial success. Based on an episode in Don Quixote, it’s a love story of Shakespearean depth, set on a Caribbean island. A rare feast for lovers of bel canto (beautiful singing), and a rare adventure for lovers of theatre. Running Times: 2hrs 30mins
All operas are sung in Italian, with English surtitles. www.englishtouringopera.org.uk Tickets: A 33 B £30 C £24 D £19 Concs: £2 off Student Standby: £8 Pre Show Talks: 6.30pm Wed 29 April, Fri 1 May & Sat 2 May (Venues TBC)
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Out of Joint, National Theatre Wales & Arcola Theatre with Sherman Cymru present
CROUCH, TOUCH, PAUSE, ENGAGE by Robin Soans directed by Max Stafford-Clark Designer Angela Davies Tues 5 – Sat 9 May 7.30pm Sat matinee 2.30pm
“I was doing something nobody had done before, and if you’re the first to do something, you have to be prepared to take the sh*t for it.” On the eve of one of the most important games of his career, Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas received a warning: The Sun newspaper was going to “out” him as gay. This is the story of two Welsh names bruised, but not beaten, by media speculation: Gareth Thomas, 100 caps for Wales, now the world’s most prominent gay sportsman; and his hometown, Bridgend, itself a victim of intrusion following the deaths of several young residents. Working with Gareth himself, and young people in Bridgend, two of the UK’s most exciting theatre companies – Out of Joint and National Theatre Wales – have teamed up to tell a great story about sport, politics, secrets, life and learning to be yourself. www.outofjoint.co.uk Tickets: A £24.50 B £21.50 C £19 D £16.50 Sat Matinee: £16.50 Concs: £2 off Schools: £9 for groups 10+ Student Standby: £8 Age: This production includes some swearing and sensitive material Running Time: TBC Post Show Talk: Tues 5 May “The mighty Out of Joint” TIME OUT 2014
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“National Theatre Wales reinvents the language of theatre every time it puts on a show” DAILY TELEGRAPH
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BALLET BLACK Tues 19 & Wed 20 May 7.30pm Ballet Black presents A Triple Bill featuring Mark Bruce’s The Second Coming Following acclaimed performances in 2014, Cassa Pancho’s company of black and Asian classically trained dancers returns with a stunning new programme. Founded in 2001, Ballet Black has achieved great success and garnered numerous awards, including the 2012 Critics’ Circle National Dance Award for best Independent Company, and a further nomination for 2014. The Company is delighted to present a triple bill of exciting works by Kit Holder (Birmingham Royal Ballet) and Will Tuckett (Royal Ballet). Award-winning choreographer Mark Bruce makes the Company’s newest narrative ballet, The Second Coming; inspired by Yeats’ poem of the same name and also the obscure ambiguities of Grimm’s fairy-tales, Bruce presents a hybrid fairy-tale filled with beauty and darkness, irony and humour and the content of the human heart. www.balletblack.co.uk
“The company have never looked better” THE INDEPENDENT “Ballet Black is a company absolutely everybody must see” DANCE EUROPE
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Dancers Christopher Renfurm and Kanika Carr. Photo: Bill Cooper
Tickets: A £20.50 B £17.50 C £14.50 D £12.50 Concs: £2 off Schools: £8.50 for groups 10+ Student Standby: £8 Age: 5yrs+ Running Time: 1hr 30mins Post Show Talk: Tues 19 May
A FANTASTICK SHOW FOR ALL BRANCHES OF THE FAMILY TREE!
SUNDAY EXPRESS
WHAT’S ON STAGE
THE TIMES
DAILY MAIL
From the book by Julia Donaldson, Illustrated by Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo
“Scamp Theatre send shivers down my spine... I love their production of Stick Man and so do the audiences” JULIA DONALDSON, author and former Children’s Laureate
Sat 23 & Sun 24 May Sat 2pm; Sun 11am & 2pm
Tickets: £13 Family Ticket: £36 for 3 + up to 3 more tickets £12 each Age: 3yrs+ Running Time: 55mins
Following a smash hit West End season, Scamp Theatre’s delightful adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s hugely popular children’s book Stick Man is coming to Exeter Northcott Theatre! Touching, funny and utterly original, this award-winning production features a trio of top actors and is packed full of puppetry, songs, live music and funky moves. Guarantees more fun than you can shake a stick at! www.scamptheatre.com
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Sell A Door Theatre presents
THE HISTORY BOYS By Alan Bennett Directed by Kate Saxon Designed by Libby Watson
Tues 26 – Sat 30 May 7.30pm Thu & Sat matinees 2.30pm Called “one of the finest plays Alan Bennett has ever written” by the Daily Telegraph, The History Boys opened at the National Theatre in 2004 to rave reviews and a sell-out run and went on to become one of their biggest ever hits, winning over 30 major awards including the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best New Play. In a recent national survey this comic masterpiece was voted the nation’s favourite play. Set in the 1980’s, The History Boys is the story of a group of bright, funny and unruly sixth-formers in pursuit of sex, sport and a place at university. Their maverick English teacher is at odds with the young and shrewd supply teacher, whilst their headmaster is obsessed with results and league tables. Staffroom rivalry and the anarchy of adolescence overflow, provoking insistent questions about history and how you teach it. Their A Levels may be over, but their true education is only just beginning. This brand new production from the producers of Avenue Q UK Tour, Spring Awakening UK Tour and Seussical West End is an hilariously funny and exceptionally moving play about the true purpose of education. This national treasure has proved to be the perfect night at the theatre. Alan Bennett has been a household name for more than forty years. His numerous plays include Enjoy, The Madness of George III, Single Spies, Talking Heads and The Lady in the Van. “Pass it on boys ... that’s the game I wanted you to learn ... pass it on” www.historyboysuk.com
@HistoryBoysTour
Tickets: A £35 B & C £33 D £29 Matinees: A £29 B & C £27 D £25 Concs: £2 off (Tue - Thu eves & matinees). Student Standby: £8 Age: TBC Running Time: 2hrs 30mins Assisted Performances: BSL Interpreted and Audio Described Sat 30 May 2.30pm
“Blissfully funny… In short, a superb, life-enhancing play.” THE GUARDIAN
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WINNER OF THE BEST OFF-WEST END SHOW Whatsonstage.com Awards 2010
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Regan De Wynter presents
Sasha Regan’s All Male
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
By W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan Tues 2 – Sat 6 June 7.30pm Sat Matinee 2.30pm
We are delighted to welcome Sasha Regan’s all male company back to Exeter, following their much lauded debut visit in 2014 with the inventive and fun-filled HMS Pinafore. For their return visit, the company present the award winning and exquisitely funny new take on the much-loved classic Pirates of Penzance. The show was a huge critical and popular hit during its London run and proved just as successful in Australia when it landed in Cate Blanchett’s Sydney Theatre. The tale of a child apprenticed to a band of tender hearted, orphaned pirates was an immediate triumph for Gilbert and Sullivan and remains their most popular and successful work. www.regandewynter.com “As brilliant and heretical as Matthew Bourne’s vision of Swan Lake… It hits that perfect tone between silliness and sentimentality that this delightful operetta warrants. Pure Joy” WHAT’S ON STAGE
Tickets: A £22.50 B £19.50 C £17 D £14.50 Matinee: £14.50 Concs: £2 off Student Standby: £8 Age: 7yrs+ Running Time: 2hrs Post Show Talk: Wed 3 June
“The lovable spirit of D’Oyly Carte is everywhere…how on earth does a man sing such accurate coloratura, so high and with so little apparent effort… the evening is full of delights.” THE INDEPENDENT “Riotously inventive…should leave you grinning like a Jolly Roger” DAILY TELEGRAPH “Magnificent” THE TIMES
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“A Swashbuckling Tour de Force” CANBERRA TIMES
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John Sanders Photography
The University of Exeter Drama Department presents
Hazel Johnson
EXHIBITIONS
RAW PLATFORM FOR EMERGING THEATRE MAKERS
January – July 2015
Thu 11 & Fri 12 June 7.30pm Sat 13 June 2.30pm & 7.30pm
PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES: Making the Ordinary Extraordinary Exeter Camera Club Visual Arts Group 5 January – 28 February (The View & The Gallery)
Drama students who are about to graduate present a range of brand new pieces of work, inspired by their research and practice during their degree at the University of Exeter, which they would like to reach a wider audience. The actors, directors, playwrights, dancers, choreographers and live artists emerging from the drama department often go on to form their own companies. There will be an opportunity for you to give them feedback to help them with their work. More details will be revealed on our website and at www.rawplatform.com nearer the time 38
THE FOURTH WALL 2015: Leon Cauchois, Nina Kleinzeller, Maria Rose, Tom Stevenson, Tanya Todd, Phill Wyatt 5 January – 28 February (The Bar)
DEVON ARTIST NETWORK 2 March – 2 May THREEFOLD: Hazel Johnson / Margaret Johnson / Vicky Thrower 4 May – 4 July For more information about these exhibitions, please visit our website: www.exeternorthcott.co.uk/events For enquiries about the exhibition programme please email info@exeternorthcott.co.uk Nina Kleinzeller
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL COMPANY FOLLOWING LAST YEAR’S SELL-OUT RUN OF LES MISERABLES! Stage by Stage presents
GREASE Tues 23 - Sat 27 June 7pm Wed Schools’ matinee 1.30pm; Sat matinee 2pm GREASE is the word – the UK’s favourite musical comes roaring into the Northcott this Summer! Slip on your blue suede shoes, pull up your bobby-socks and take a trip to a simpler time, when high school romances and heart-breaks were accompanied by a king-size soda pop! Featuring such unforgettable songs from the hit movie as Summer Nights, Hopelessly Devoted To You, Greased Lightnin’ and many more, this is the show to get you dancing in the aisles. Following the spectacular sell-out success of Les Miserables in 2014, Stage by Stage returns with another high-energy explosion, featuring a cast of 50 and a rock ‘n roll band live on stage! Exeter’s own performing arts training centre has built a formidable reputation with such Northcott shows as Annie, West Side Story and Beauty & the Beast - now it’s time to join Danny and Sandy for the biggest musical party of the year!
Throw your mittens around your kittens, - you were born to hand-jive! www.stagebystage.co.uk
Tickets: A+B £15 C £12.50 D £11 Concs: £2 off Age: 6yrs+ Running Time: 2hrs 20mins
EXETER NORTHCOTT THEATRE IS ALSO SELLING TICKETS FOR: AMADEUS ORCHESTRA Conductor: Philip Mackenzie Bath Minerva Choir, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, Bournemouth Symphony Youth Chorus & Bournemouth University Chamber Choir
MAHLER: Symphony No. 8 (Symphony of a thousand) Mahler’s Symphony No.8, widely known as the Symphony of a Thousand because of the colossal forces employed (large orchestra, off-stage brass, organ, two adult choirs and a children’s choir) is coming to Exeter Cathedral for the first time in many years. This performance follows Amadeus Orchestra’s and Bournemouth Symphony Chorus’ highly successful pairing for a performance of Mahler’s second symphony in Exeter in 2013. “One of the finest orchestras of its kind in the world” BBC RADIO 4 Tickets: £35, £30, £25, £20 (concessions available)
Box Office: 01392 493 493 www.exeternorthcott.co.uk
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Photo: Alastair Merrill
Fri 24 July 2015 7.30pm EXETER CATHEDRAL
BOURNEMOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2014/15 The 2014/15 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Season in Exeter continues with a wide range of programmes and artists, from Principal Conductor Kirill Karabits at Exeter Cathedral to the heroic world of Hollywood. Monday 22 December LAST NIGHT OF THE CHRISTMAS PROMS Let It Go, Sleigh Ride, Chestnuts Roasting and many more seasonal favourites.
Thursday 19 February HEROES & SUPERHEROES II Superman, Gladiator, The Great Escape, Robin Hood, Star Wars, Schindler’s List and many more.
Friday 2 January NEW YEAR JOHANN STRAUSS GALA The waltzes, polkas and marches of Johann Strauss as they should be heard – with the power of a full symphony orchestra! Thomas Rösner, Elizabeth Watts
Friday 13 March Brahms Liebeslieder Walzer Mozart Sinfonia Concertante K.364 Beethoven Symphony No.7 Nicholas McGegan, Veronika Eberle, Antoine Tamestit
Thursday 22 January Elgar Cockaigne Overture Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.1 Vaughan Williams Symphony No.2 “London” Andrew Litton, Alexei Volodin
Thursday 16 April Khachaturian Adagio from Spartacus Khachaturian Violin Concerto Dvořák Symphony No.7 Aleksandar Marković, Nikita Boriso-Glebsky
Friday 6 February Sibelius Spring Song Grieg Piano Concerto Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances Joshua Weilerstein, Alessandro Taverna
Saturday 9 May Exeter Cathedral FAURÉ REQUIEM and works by Gabrieli and Stravinsky Kirill Karabits, Exeter Festival Chorus
For full concert details visit bsolive.com. Generous series discounts are available. All concerts start at 7.30pm. All concerts take place at the Great Hall, Exeter University, except Saturday 9 May, which takes place at Exeter Cathedral. Exeter Northcott Theatre Box Office: 01392 493493 www.exeternorthcott.co.uk
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bsolive.com
h& seuproes erheroes
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SPIRES CAFÉ
Open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm* On performance days: Mon - Fri 10am - late. Sat & Sun: 2hrs before show starts - late. Sundays: light refreshments only, unless pre-booked with Spires in advance of your visit. * (subject to seasonal changes)
Our popular Spires Café Bar welcomes customers with a range of well-loved quality meals. Menus offer weekday light lunches, show menu, family show menu and chef’s specials. Our foods are locally sourced or homemade and made fresh to order (gluten free or vegan on request). Spires Café Bar menus can be viewed at www.exeternorthcott.co.uk.
Dining before the show? Due to popular demand Spires Café Bar operate a table service and bookings policy prior to many performances. It is never too early to book so why not book a table when you book your tickets! Theatre-goers can park on campus from 5pm and your dining experience can begin as early as 5.30pm, with the table yours until the show begins. To avoid disappointment we strongly advise you to book in advance of your visit, on busy evenings Spires Café Bar suspend walk-in service, offering a cake and coffee service to those without bookings. For all bookings and enquiries, please email spiresofexeter@yahoo.co.uk or tel 07855 459 361. A fair trade coffee menu, range of teas, cakes and desserts are also available to compliment your meal. Spires accept card payments for all purchases over £5.
Celebrating with us? Children’s birthday parties, group bookings, hot buffets and canapé menus can also be booked and provided to suit any occasion – contact us for more information.
BAR
Open Mon – Fri: 12pm – 2pm On performance nights: 2 ¼ hrs before the show starts. Weekends: 2 ¼ hrs before the show starts (1hr for family shows) Exeter Northcott Theatre runs a fully licensed bar to compliment Spires Café that supports local suppliers, with a dozen wines from Regency Wines of Exeter, bottled beers from Otter and Exeter breweries, and a stunning range of juices by Frobishers of Exeter and Luscombes of Buckfastleigh. Avoid queues and enhance your visit by ordering your interval drinks in advance, and remember that you can take cold drinks into the auditorium – just ask the bar staff for a plastic glass. 41
ENGAGE TRY CENTRE STAGE
Our ENGAGE programme offers all ages and abilities the chance to develop a greater understanding of our presented programme.
TALKS Most visits to the theatre by professional companies include the opportunity to meet the artist after the show or hear more about the production before it. Look out for the TALK symbol on the show pages and check our website as more get added through the season.
SCHOOLS & COLLEGES We are keen to develop PARTNERSHIPS with teachers, schools and colleges so that you and your students can benefit from the many learning and social opportunities arising from attending and taking part in theatre and creative activities. Visit our website to find out about our bespoke Schools Partnership Programme, Discovery Tours, CPD for Teachers and Workshop opportunities.
U.DANCE 2015 SW REGIONAL PLATFORM – SUN 19 APRIL FROM 10.30AM. OPEN PERFORMANCE 6.30PM
Dance in Devon presents the South West Regional U.Dance Platform on behalf of Youth Dance England, in partnership with Pavilion Dance South West. Around 150 young people from youth dance groups all over the South West will come together to share in a special day of dance activities, including a Careers Roadshow. At 6.30pm they will perform their own dance pieces for an independent panel who will choose 3 groups to go forward to the national U.Dance showcase in Plymouth in July.
DANCE WORKSHOPS – SAT 9 & SUN 10 MAY
Dance in Devon launch a brand new youth dance group for Exeter with a very special weekend of creative dance workshops led by professional dancers from Shobana Jeyasingh Dance. Be one of the first to join our new dance group, learn new skills and make new friends. For more details on how to take part visit www.danceindevon.org.uk Tel. 01803 868116. There will also be a special twilight session for teachers and dance leaders to work with SJD on Mon 11 May.
ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES This season we will be offering Audio Description for Theatre Alibi’s I Believe in Unicorns, Filter Theatre’s Macbeth and Alan Bennett’s The History Boys. We will also be offering BSL Interpretation for Macbeth, Inside Out of Mind and The History Boys - please contact the Box Office to book tickets for these shows.
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ENCORE HELP US GIVE YOU MORE
You’re probably familiar with ‘encore’ as a call for “more!” from an enthusiastic audience and that’s a big part of ENCORE, our fundraising campaign. Exeter has enjoyed a vibrant, exciting theatre for almost 50 years and we’re still at the heart of your city’s cultural life. Now, we want to give you more! We launched our ENCORE Campaign in the summer of 2013 at a glittering evening that explored the theatre’s history and costume collection and celebrated us achieving charitable status. Coming to events like this is just one of the many ways you can get involved and support the Exeter Northcott Theatre while having fun. This Christmas we are holding a very special Charity Command Performance where stars from the theatre’s past and present will come together to raise funds for the ENCORE campaign. Whether it goes towards paying for a workshop or repainting a dressing room, your generous help will play a vital part in the theatre’s daily life.
HELP US GIVE YOU MORE There are lots of ways you can help us. To get really involved and find out first about our special events you might enjoy being an ENCORE Member, details are on the insert in this brochure. We’d love to hear from you whether you’re considering leaving a legacy to benefit future generations or giving your valuable time as a volunteer. Look out for lots more opportunities to get involved on our website or during your next visit.
Charity Command Performance
ENCORE BUSINESS CLUB Our ENCORE BUSINESS CLUB is a new way for your business to get more from Exeter Northcott Theatre. More profile. More enjoyment. More advantage. This season we’re delighted to welcome our sponsors Browne Jacobson and our first Business Club Member – Brightsea Print Group. We work closely with our members to put together a bespoke business package that works for them. To find out more about the ENCORE BUSINESS CLUB, please contact Leo on the contact details below.
NAME A SEAT During the refurbishment of the theatre in 2007, we offered the opportunity to name the seats in our auditorium, to thank the generous donors who helped to fund the theatre’s much-needed redevelopment. With many of the seats in the auditorium still unnamed, and so many generous supporters helping our theatre look forward to the future, we wanted to reopen the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy on our theatre seats. If you want to leave your own legacy or commemorate a fellow theatre lover, please do contact us by emailing Leo using the details below. To find out more about all the ways you can get involved check out our website www.exeternorthcott.co.uk or contact Leo Springate on 01392 223999, encore@exeternorthcott.co.uk 45
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ACCESS
We’d like your visit to the Exeter Northcott Theatre to be as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. If you require any assistance please inform the Box Office on 01392 493493 in advance of your visit. Though not essential, you are advised to book in advance so that we can readily provide any assistance. There is level access to the theatre via our front entrance on Stocker Road and via our rear entrance on The Queen’s Drive. The upper levels of the theatre and the auditorium are accessed by a lift. Disabled patrons may also bring a companion FREE of charge. Wheelchair Spaces: the main auditorium has 6 wheelchair spaces on Row G, indicated with a circle symbol on the seating plan above. Toilets: there is level access from Row G to an accessible toilet. Parking: There are 3 parking spaces for blue badge holders on The Queens Drive, to the rear of the theatre, 10 spaces in Car Park C and 5 spaces at Northcote House ((see Parking Map on page 49). Assisted Hearing Facilities: we have an enhanced hearing system that improves the experience for hearing-impaired theatregoers by transmitting enhanced audio to visitors’ hearing aids, or specially provided headphones. Equipment for both must be collected from the stewards’ counter prior to the show. Guide / Hearing Dogs are always welcome: if you wish to take your dog into the performance, please let us know when booking so that we can arrange an adjacent seat. Alternatively, dogs can be cared for by a member of staff. Assisted Performances: wherever possible we endeavour to provide BSL interpreted, audio described or captioned performances - see the diary on pages 51-53 for details.
A large print brochure is available on request from the Box Office. 46
BOOKING INFORMATION HOW TO BOOK YOUR TICKETS BY PHONE: 01392 493 493. Speak to our Box Office staff from 10am - 6pm* Monday - Saturday ONLINE: www.exeternorthcott.co.uk Choose your seats online 24 hours a day
your tickets for an alternative performance of the same production (subject to availability) up to 24 hours before the performance starts or credit your theatre account in full. Credits are valid for two years from the date of issue. Alternatively we are happy to try and re-sell your tickets but cannot guarantee this. If they are re-sold you will be refunded, less a handling charge of £2 per ticket. Original tickets must be returned to the Box Office in order to benefit from this service. RUNNING TIMES: these include intervals (unless otherwise stated) and should be used as an approximate guide only.
EMAIL: boxoffice@exeternorthcott.co.uk POST: Exeter Northcott Theatre Box Office, FREEPOST EX695, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4ZZ IN PERSON: Exeter Northcott Box Office, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QB Open Mon-Sat 10am - 6pm* and 1 hour before the performance on Sundays. * On performance days the Box Office is open until 8pm. Exeter Visitors Information & Tickets Dix’s Field, Exeter EX1 1GF Open Monday to Saturday 9am - 5pm (excluding agency tickets)
HOW TO PAY FOR YOUR TICKETS You can pay for your tickets using Credit cards, Debit Cards, Cash or Cheque. PAYING BY CARD: we accept most major cards (excluding American Express and Electron). PAYING BY CHEQUE: please make cheques payable to Exeter Northcott Theatre and post to the FREEPOST address above. BOOKING FEE: all transactions are subject to a £2 booking fee. However, we no longer charge for posting tickets or credit card processing. The booking fee does not apply to cash purchases or purchases under £10. All ticket prices shown include a £1 ENCORE FUND Fee which goes towards the cost of operating and maintaining the Exeter Northcott Theatre. RESERVATIONS: you can reserve your tickets for up to 5 days or until midday on the day of the performance, whichever is the sooner. EXCHANGES & RETURNS: For Exeter Northcott Theatre promotions we will be pleased to exchange
GET MORE FROM YOUR VISIT WHEN THESE SYMBOLS ARE DISPLAYED ON SHOW PAGES uMULTIBUY – spoilt for choice? See more and save money with our MULTIBUY DISCOUNTS – book 3 shows and SAVE 15% or book 4 shows or more to SAVE 25% when tickets are purchased in a single transaction.
uFAMILY – family ticket offer available. Check age guidelines for suitability.
uGROUPS – groups of 10+ get 11th ticket FREE. uTALK – FREE pre or post show talks or events accompany some performances. CONCESSIONS: where concessions are advertised, discounted prices are available on price bands B, C & D for benefit recipients, registered disabled, patrons aged 60+, students and under 26s, unless stated otherwise on the event page. Only one concession applies unless otherwise stated. STUDENT STANDBYS: standbys must be bought in person and are available to students in full time education, are subject to availability, and must be purchased on the day of the performance up to one hour before the advertised performance start time. SCHOOLS, COLLEGES & YOUTH GROUPS: reduced price tickets available as shown. One teacher FREE with every 10 students. GIFT VOUCHERS: you can buy Exeter Northcott Theatre Gift Vouchers and National Theatre Tokens from our Box Office. They can be used to buy tickets for all Exeter Northcott events. Exeter Northcott Theatre’s Terms and Conditions of Sale are available from the Box Office or online at www.exeternorthcott.co.uk 47
GETTING HERE IS EASY Situated at the heart of the University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus, the Exeter Northcott Theatre is easier to get to than you might think, with good public transport links and plenty of FREE parking a short distance from the theatre. N
Getting home by bus The D bus leaves the bus stop opposite the front entrance of the theatre on North Park Road at 21mins and 51mins past the hour after 6pm and continues until 11.51pm (Mon - Sat) and 11.10pm (Sundays) to the city centre, ready for you to connect to other city centre late night services. For more information about this bus service, including updates to timetabling, please call 01392 427711 or visit www.stagecoachbus.com.
Getting here by train From Exeter St Davids Station, take the 1km walk up the hill to the University Campus. Alternatively, taxis are available from both Exeter St David’s and Exeter Central railway stations. For more information on train services call 08457 48 49 50 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Getting here on foot or by bike
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We’d like to encourage those who are able to walk or cycle to the Theatre to do so whenever they can. There are several cycle paths and lanes in and around the Theatre and university campus to ensure the safety of cyclists and there is a cycle shelter to the left of the theatre’s front entrance.
Getting here by car All car parking is free on campus after 6pm Mon - Fri, and all day on Saturdays and Sundays. All restrictions on parking are lifted for visitors during these times, but please be aware that car parks are pay and display at all other times.
Getting here by bus The D and H buses run from Exeter City Centre direct to our theatre 7 days a week including Bank Holidays. However we recommend you catch the D bus if you are travelling from the city centre as the route is more direct. The last D services from the city centre to Exeter Northcott for evening shows Monday to Saturday are at 6.30pm (for 7pm shows), 7pm (for 7.30pm shows) and 7.30pm (for 8pm shows). Sunday D services start at 9am, then 9.30am and then at 55 and 25mins past the hour until 11.10pm.
D Route Digby - Pynes Hill - Broadfields - St Lukes - City Centre - University
H Route St Davids Station - City Centre - RD&E Hospital 48
Vehicle Routes and Parking The nearest car parks to the theatre are Car Parks C & D, located only a few minutes walk away, and Theatre patrons may park from 5pm if displaying a voucher which the Box Office will issue with your tickets on request. Please note the shuttle bus service no longer operates for theatre performances as there is now ample parking within a short distance.
Car Park C, is located next to the INTO Academic Centre at the top of Stocker Road. Entrance to the car park is on North Park Road, opposite the bus stop.
Car Park D is located at the end of North Park Road and is just a five minute walk from the theatre. This is a permit holder only car park Mon – Fri until 6pm, but please check with the box office if attending a weekday daytime performance.
Stocker Road is open to pedestrians and cyclists only. Vehicles should enter the campus from Prince of Wales Road via Streatham Drive and then The Queen’s Drive, before joining North Park Road and then Rennes Drive (please see map below). The biggest demand for parking at Streatham Campus is expected to be between 9am and 6pm from Monday to Friday during the
University term. For this reason we now only schedule schools matinee performances during term time and advise customers to travel to the theatre by coach for these performances. This map will help you find the car parks. For up to date information about planning your visit please contact the Box Office on 01392 493 493, visit our website or check the information we send you with your tickets.
N
CAR K B PAR
CAR K A PAR
RENN
All University car parks and designated parking spaces are available to visitors free of charge after 6pm and at weekends.
ROA
D
CAR K D PAR
CAR PARK C
5
7 I
NO A C C E SS
3
S T O C K ER
6
TH AM
FWW ALAELSERD S RD
2
’S DR
EA
Theatre patrons may park from 5pm – ask the Box Office for a voucher to display.
R D
UEEN THE Q
STR
9
PARK
H NORT
ES DR
8
4
PPRR INI N C
DR
EO
FOW F AWLA ESL E RSD
RD
PP R
RIIN NCCE EOOF
CE
N
D SERSDR WLAEL FA FW I NCCEEOO PPRRIN
EW N O
RT
H
UNIVERSITY MAIN ENTRANCE
RO AD
B31
200m
Car park Bus stop Pedestrian route One-way system No vehicle access Cycle path
I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Exeter Northcott Theatre Northcote House Great Hall Queen’s Building Peter Chalk Centre The Forum INTO Building Sports Park Reed Hall
83
approx. scale
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GO TOGETHER CLUB Do you love theatre but don’t like going alone? Have you recently moved to the area and want to meet others who love theatre? Why not join our GO TOGETHER CLUB! Best of all – it’s FREE TO JOIN! When you come to a production you will be welcomed by one of our team, and have the opportunity to meet other members over coffee, a drink or even supper before the show. Some generous group members have even offered to pick people up from the car parks if needed. We’ve reserved B Band seats in the theatre auditorium for the following theatre shows in our spring and summer season: Beyond the Barricade – Fri 6 Feb Mist in the Mirror – Wed 25 Feb Nursing Lives – Thu 26 March The Business of Murder – Wed 8 April Shakespeare Globe’s Romeo & Juliet – Thu 16 April English Touring Opera’s La Bohème – Thu 30 April The History Boys – Wed 27 May There is no extra charge – all you have to do is contact the Box Office on 01392 493 493 and ask for a ‘Go Together Ticket’ for a show of your choice and one of our volunteers will be in touch to finalise details for your visit. Why not give it a try and Go Together! 50
SPRING/SUMMER 2015 DIARY January
Sun 11
Earworms
Sat 17
An Evening of Murder with Dr Lucy Worsley
Thu 22
Watch This Space
7.30pm
Wed 28
Evita
7.30pm
Thu 29
Evita
7.30pm
Fri 30
Evita
7.30pm
Sat 31
Evita
7.30pm
2pm
2.30pm
7.30pm Post Show Talk
Febuary Thu 5
The Thinking Drinkers Guide
8pm
Fri 6
Beyond the Barricade
7.30pm
Sat 7
Beyond the Barricade
7.30pm
Thu 12
I Believe in Unicorns
1.30pm*
Fri 13
I Believe in Unicorns
10.30am*
Sat 14
I Believe in Unicorns
11.30am
Sun 15
I Believe in Unicorns
11.30pm
Wed 18
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
7.30pm
Thu 19
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
7.30pm
Fri 20
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
7.30pm
Sat 21
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
7.30pm
Sun 22
Richard Herring
7.30pm
Tue 24
The Mist in the Mirror
7.30pm
Wed 25
The Mist in the Mirror
7.30pm
Post Show Talk
Thu 26
The Mist in the Mirror
7.30pm
Post Show Talk
Fri 27
The Mist in the Mirror
7.30pm
Sat 28
The Mist in the Mirror
7.30pm
1.30pm*
2.30pm
2.30pm‡
Audio Described
2.30pm
March Mon 2
Macbeth
7.30pm
Tue 3
Macbeth
7.30pm
Wed 4
Macbeth
7.30pm
Thu 5
Macbeth
7.30pm
Fri 6
Macbeth
7.30pm
Sat 7
Macbeth
7.30pm†‡
Sun 8
Fascinating Aida: Charm Offensive
7.30pm
Wed 11
HMS Pinafore
7.30pm
Thu 12
HMS Pinafore
7.30pm
1.30pm*
Post Show Talks
BSL / Audio Described
Fri 13
HMS Pinafore
7.30pm
Sat 14
HMS Pinafore
2.30pm
7.30pm
Sun 15
Earworms
2pm
Sun 15
Simon Amstell
8pm
Tue 17
Inside Out of Mind
7.30pm
Wed 18
Inside Out of Mind
2.30pm**
Thu 19
Inside Out of Mind
2.30pm**
Fri 20
Inside Out of Mind
2.30pm** 7.30pm†
Sun 22
The Poppy Project
6pm
Tue 24
Richard Alston Dance Company
7.30pm
Wed 25
Richard Alston Dance Company
7.30pm
Thu 26
Nursing Lives
7.30pm
Fri 27
Nursing Lives
7.30pm
Sat 28
Nursing Lives
7.30pm
Mon 30
Sister Act
7.30pm
Tue 31
Sister Act
7.30pm
10am**
Post Show Talk
BSL
Post Show Talk
Post Show Talk
April Wed 1
Sister Act
Thu 2
Sister Act
7.30pm
Fri 3
Sister Act
2.30pm
7.30pm
Sat 4
Sister Act
2.30pm
Sun 5
The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) 5pm
8pm
Mon 6
The Business of Murder
7.30pm
Tue 7
The Business of Murder
7.30pm
Wed 8
The Business of Murder
7.30pm
Thu 9
The Business of Murder
2.30pm
7.30pm
Fri 10
The Business of Murder
7.30pm
Sat 11
The Business of Murder
2.30pm
7.30pm
Wed 15
The Cat in the Hat
1.30pm
3pm
Thu 16
Romeo & Juliet
7.30pm
Fri 17
Romeo & Juliet
1.30pm*
7.30pm
Sat 18
Romeo & Juliet
2.30pm
7.30pm
Sun 19
U.Dance Platform
Fri 24
TEDx Exeter
Sun 26
Return of the Grumpy Old Women
Tue 28
ETO: La Bohème
7.30pm
Wed 29
ETO: The Siege of Calais
7.30pm
Thu 30
ETO: La Bohème
7.30pm
7.30pm
7.30pm
Post Show Talk 7.30pm
6.30pm
7.30pm
Pre Show Talk (Venue TBC)
May Fri 1
ETO: La Bohème
7.30pm
Pre Show Talk (Venue TBC)
Sat 2
ETO: The Wild Man of the West Indies
7.30pm
Pre Show Talk (Venue TBC)
Tue 5
Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage
7.30pm
Post Show Talk
Wed 6
Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage
7.30pm
Thu 7
Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage
7.30pm
Fri 8
Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage
7.30pm
Sat 9
Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage
7.30pm
Tue 12
Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company
7.30pm
Wed 13
Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company
7.30pm
Tue 19
Ballet Black
7.30pm
Wed 20
Ballet Black
7.30pm
Sat 23
Stick Man
2pm
Sun 24
Stick Man
11am
Tue 26
The History Boys
Wed 27
The History Boys
7.30pm
Thu 28
The History Boys
7.30pm
Fri 29
The History Boys
Sat 30
The History Boys
7.30pm
7.30pm
2.30pm†‡ 7.30pm
BSL / Audio Described
June Tue 2
The Pirates of Penzance
7.30pm
Wed 3
The Pirates of Penzance
7.30pm
Thu 4
The Pirates of Penzance
7.30pm
Thu 4
The Pirates of Penzance
7.30pm
Fri 5
The Pirates of Penzance
7.30pm
Sat 6
The Pirates of Penzance
7.30pm
Thu 11
RAW Platform for Emerging Theatre Makers
7.30pm
Fri 12
RAW Platform for Emerging Theatre Makers
7.30pm
Sat 13
RAW Platform for Emerging Theatre Makers 2.30pm
7.30pm
Tue 23
Grease
7pm
Wed 24
Grease
7pm
Thu 25
Grease
7pm
Fri 26
Grease
7pm
Sat 27
Grease
7pm
1.30pm*
2pm
* = Schools’ matinee
** = NHS matinee
†=
‡=
BSL Interpreted
2.30pm
Audio Described
All information contained in this brochure was correct at the time of printing, however Exeter Northcott Theatre reserves the right to make changes to the programme where necessary.
Concept Photography: Matt Austin
2pm
Post Show Talk
Design & Print: Brightsea Print Group – www.brightsea.co.uk
2.30pm
Post Show Talk
ENJOY ENGAGE ENCORE Exeter Northcott Theatre | Stocker Road | Exeter | EX4 4QB
Box Office: 01392 493493 | Admin: 01392 223999 info@exeternorthcott.co.uk | www.exeternorthcott.co.uk Exeter Northcott Theatre Company Registered Charity No. 1151620 | Company Reg. No. 8393145
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