Iceni News New Stage Show

Photo by Manuel Harlan

First it was a multi-awardwinning novel and then it became a blockbuster film.

Now Holes is an inventive and creative new stage show bringing a thrilling and offbeat family comedy adventure to audiences at Norwich Theatre Royal from April 15-18.

It tells the story of Stanley Yelnats who can’t catch a break. He was born into a family cursed with bad luck, so it comes as no surprise when he finds himself accused of a crime he didn’t commit.

Sent to a labour camp as punishment, he is tasked with digging one hole, five foot wide by five foot deep, every day. He’s told it is to build ‘character’. But the tyrannical Warden is definitely hiding something and Stanley and his fellow inmates have to deal with her demands, her two cronies, plus the fearsome rattlesnakes and yellow-spotted lizards as they try to unearth what’s really going on.

The show is perfect for adults and children aged eight and up. A Nottingham Playhouse production, it is brought to Norwich by The Children’s Theatre Partnership (CTP), of which Norwich Theatre Royal is a partner.

It is directed by Adam Penford who has been artistic director at Nottingham Playhouse since 2016. Adam’s directing credits include The

Madness of George III at Nottingham Playhouse, Boys in the Band at the Vaudeville Theatre and Committee at the Donmar Warehouse.

Holes was written by Louis Sachar and won the 1998 U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature and the 1999 Newbery Medal for the year's most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Mr Sachar also wrote the screenplay for the 2003 film adaptation.

CTP recently announced the support of Arts Council England for three years from 2020 to 2022, with Holes being the first production in a three-year plan to present bold, ambitious and imaginative theatre for the UK stage and young people in local communities.

Originally a partnership between Fiery Angel and Chichester Festival Theatre, CTP now works with a network of venues across the UK in Northampton, Nottingham, Coventry, Newcastle, Plymouth, Liverpool, High Wycombe, Wolverhampton, Canterbury and, of course, Norwich.

Director of Fiery Angel Edward Snape, who hails from Norwich and is a former student of Taverham High School, said: “We are thrilled to be collaborating with all of these venues to build new audiences within their local communities and we are truly grateful to ACE for their support in aiding CTP to continue its

Photo by Manuel Harlan Photo by Manuel Harlan

legacy of creating great theatre for a young and diverse audience.”

Since 2010, CTP has successfully produced and toured five shows and brought two to the West End, reaching over 500,000 people. Previous CTP productions, which have all toured to Norwich, include the Olivier Award-winning Goodnight Mr Tom which enjoyed a successful West End run and three UK tours, a West End and UK touring production of Swallows and Amazons, a UK tour of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, and UK tours of Michael Morpurgo’s Running Wild and The Jungle Book.

Amy Vaughan, Director, of Touring at Arts Council England, said: "This is a significant investment for Arts Council England through our National Lottery Project Grants programme and we look forward to seeing how the project reaches a broader range of young people to support wider engagement in the arts."

Show Information: Holes, Wednesday 15 to Saturday 18 April, 2020. Thu-Sat matinees 2pm. Evenings 7pm. Tickets £10-£24.50. Discounts for Friends, Under 18s, over 60s and Groups.

For more info or to BOOK ONLINE www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk