Autumn in Lancaster has a fabulous line-up of shows and performances to take your fancy from the Dukes, Lancaster Grand Theatre and Lancaster Arts. We have rounded up some of the best-looking shows that our writers are interested in this month.
Howls of Delight for Sherlock Holmes Mystery
A chilling new adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved gothic classic The Hound of the Baskervilles is coming to The Dukes from 6th-9th November.
The spooky moors of Victorian England set the stage as Charles Baskerville is found dead and a terrifying beast rumoured to stalk the moors around the remote Baskerville mansion, Sherlock Holmes sends Doctor Watson to investigate.
But when Watson finds himself surrounded by dense fog and a community steeped in folklore, legend and rumour, the line between reality and myth begins to blur.
The Hound of the Baskervilles, which is recommended for anyone aged 12 plus, is presented by Northern Stage, following the sell-out success of their production of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds.
Not Today’s Yesterday: A Political Conversation
‘Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past’. − George Orwell
Not Today’s Yesterday is an International collaboration between UK award-winning artist Seeta Patel and Australian choreographer Lina Limosani on 7th November. This work blends techniques from Bharatanatyam, contemporary dance & theatre to create a poetic narrative that has the beauty & disquiet of a Grimm’s fairy-tale. It is a one-woman show which subversively co-opts whitewashing against itself.
Not Today’s Yesterday offers audiences a chance to engage in one of the most important geopolitical conversations of this decade. What is cultural identity versus perceived identity; what is one person’s version of the past compare with another’s; how does the view of history affect the view of a culture and how does the disinformation affect progress and understanding?
Everything is Fine with Jonny and The Baptists
Jonny & The Baptists return to The Dukes in Lancaster with their new show Love Lancaster and Hate Bastards on Friday 8 November.
In their four previous nationwide tours, multi-award nominated musical-comedy-satirists Jonny and the Baptists have accurately predicted every single major political disaster. The rise of the far-right; the division of Britain; the destruction of the welfare state; our children needing to rise up to avoid total climate annihilation.
The duo are sick of being so accurate about terrible things, so their new show is about how everything is going to be fine.
This is a show about love, friendship and trying to fix the rhetoric that has divided Britain.
Return of The Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame’s wild tale about the thrill-seeking, lovable menace Mr. Toad comes to life in a brand new West End musical with a book by Oscar-winning screenwriter and “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes and Olivier Award-winning composers and lyricists George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.
From the 12th-16th November, this riotous comedy follows the impulsive Mr Toad whose insatiable need for speed lands him in serious trouble. With his beloved home under threat for the notorious Chief Weasel and his gang of sinister Wild Wooders, Toad must attempt a daring escape leading to a series of misadventures and a heroic battle to recapture Toad Hall.
Star-Crossed Lovers Dance onto The Dukes Stage
Having dazzled audiences with a sparkling ballet adaptation of Cinderella in 2018, the award-winning Ballet Cymru return to The Dukes this November with a dynamic ballet production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet on November 16th.
As a company that pushes the boundaries of classical ballet, the Welsh troupe are known for their twists on the traditional. Romeo & Juliet follows suit as it fuses Sergei Prokofiev’s iconic classical score with extraordinary video projections and dramatic choreography, courtesy of Creative Wales Award-winning choreographer, Darius James OBE.
Audiences can also expect exquisite costuming, passionate duets and compelling fight scenes as the company recreate Shakespeare’s tragic romance of two young lovers caught in an age-old feud.
Dispatches on the Red Dress
Dispatches on the Red Dress is performed by Rowan Rheingans who is the winner of a Fringe First in Edinburgh 2019 and was also nominated for: ‘Best of Edinburgh’ and ‘Filipa Braganca’ awards.
Dispatches on the Red Dress is an intimate and courageous new live show by BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winning songwriter, Rowan Rheingans.
Adventurous new writing meets the warmth of a folk gig in this heartfelt and personal one-woman show, performed on 8th November, uniquely weaving immersive storytelling with live fiddle, banjo and genre-melding original songs.
Unravelling the joy and pain from a story of her grandmother’s youth in 1940’s Germany, Rowan celebrates small acts of resistance and boldly asks a troubling question for our times: can hope for our future be found in the very darkest pockets of our history?
No Body is Safe in Spine-tingling New Show
Inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s hair-raising horror story, spooky dystopian thriller The Body Snatcher steals its way onto The Dukes’ stage on 13th November.
Merging mystery, morality and music, including live performances of songs by David Bowie and The Clash, and shot through with humour, this entertaining new adaptation from theatre company Thunder Road brings Stevenson’s Burke-and-Hare-inspired tale into the 21st century.
As post-Brexit Britain fights a mysterious disease, a young scientist arrives in the remote town of Inglenook to scenes of devastation. Dealing with his own demons, he takes it upon himself to try and save the country – but he needs dead bodies to do the work and they seem to be appearing in his laboratory.
The show is Thunder Road’s fifth co-production with Harrogate Theatre, a seven-year-long association that has resulted in critically-acclaimed productions, including Hyde, based on Stevenson’s story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
An Evening with Jasper Carrot and Alistair McGowan
Comedy legends Jasper Carrott and Alistair McGowan split the bill and your sides with a night of comedy stand up and impressions.
Drawing on their wealth of experience they present a show of pure laughter and entertainment that is not to be missed.
When the pair first teamed up last year for a one-off festival appearance it proved a match made in comedy heaven and the chance to work together again was simply too good to miss. Splitting the evening between them, the mix of Jasper’s inimitable stand-up and Alistair’s peerless impressions is a terrific experience for the audience and the artists alike.
Don’t miss this chance to see the godfather of British comedy Jasper Carrott and Britain’s leading comedy impressionist at the top of their game, having a blast and delighting audiences in their unique ways on 5th and 6th of December.
For more information on these and more upcoming shows at the Dukes, Lancaster Grand and Lancaster Arts, visit their websites: https://dukes-lancaster.org/ https://lancastergrand.co.uk/ https://www.lancasterarts.org/
