PRESS RELEASE
Spring & Summer Theatre Seasons 2003 at the Dukes
For Spring 2003, a break with tradition as the Dukes presents Educating Rita by Willy Russell and Oleanna by David Mamet, both to be staged in the studio in repertoire. Without doubt, these two fine plays can be enjoyed independently in their own right but by presenting them in repertoire audiences will be able to watch them both and appreciate the fascinating comparisons. There is also the opportunity to see them in one evening!
The plays will be performed from 14th February – 29th March. Both plays are about a university lecturer and a female pupil, but that is where the similarities end! Written a decade apart and on either side of the Atlantic, Educating Rita and Oleanna explore student/teacher relationships – but on a another level they are about how men and women interact and how this is greatly influenced by changes in society.
The open-air production in Williamson Park, Lancaster, this year is Grimm Tales adapted by Carol Ann Duffy.
The Dukes Cinema continues growing from strength to strength and changes in programming will allow more flexibility in the choice of films screened.
There are many touring shows coming to the Dukes including; Top class theatre companies, The Kosh, Theatre Alibi, comedian John Shuttleworth and a series of family – friendly shows including Why the Whales Came, which is based on the best-selling book by author Michael Morpurgo.
Educating Rita and Oleanna
Set in the early 1980s, Educating Rita is a story about a Liverpool hairdresser’s quest to understand literature so she can talk about things that matter. It is about the clash of cultures between her tutor, Frank and herself. As the story develops, they learn from one another. For Rita, studying is a journey of self- realisation and for Frank, there are lessons he still has to learn about himself. Winner of many best comedy awards, Educating Rita is one of the most popular plays of the last twenty years.
Oleanna is set in America on a college campus in the early 1990s. Student Carol visits her tutor John to express her concerns about failing her course but John’s reaction is unexpected and leaves Carol confused and embarrassed. The position of power begins to shift from John to Carol during a violent verbal exchange. They go to it with hand-to-hand combat that amounts to a primal battle for power. David Mamet’s trademark dialogue is highly distilled and this play is considered his most controversial as the confrontation becomes an arena for male-female power struggle that threatens both their careers.
Grimm Tales
Grimm Tales adapted by Carol Ann Duffy,
4th July - 9th August, WilliamsonPark, Lancaster
This year the Dukes presents the remarkable stories of the Brothers Grimm. Well known and well-loved by children and adults alike, the tales have been told for hundreds of years and their magic, appeal and fascination still continue to enchant readers and listeners to this day.
Tales told will include Hansel and Gretel, The Golden Goose and Ashputtel (better known as Cinderella).
These ancient narratives are brought to the leafy, woodland setting of Williamson Park where the Dukes will bring them imaginatively alive – expect to be transported to the woodcutter’s cottage, the witch’s house made of gingerbread, the Prince’s feast and to be spellbound by the magical stories and extraordinary characters.
Collected and published by the Brothers in the early 1800s, the stories were based on the folk tales told by German peasants, passed down though the generations via word of mouth, from mother to child.
The Grimm tales are a celebration of imagination – theatre’s most magical property. See them in the best setting possible – in the open air, as the twilight turns into night, in Williamson Park, Lancaster.
Visiting shows
Singalong a Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Saturday 11th January
The extremely popular phenomenon of singing along with original films follows on from the enormously successful Sing-a-Long a Sound of Music with Sing-a-long a Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat . With Donny Osmond as Joseph, David Attenborough as Jacob and Joan Collins as Potiphar’s wife, Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice’s most successful musical is brought to the screen. Equally as lively and equally as musical, Joseph promises the same highly enjoyable and amazing night out. Full-screen technicolour, complete with subtitles so that the whole audience can sing along! The fun-filled evening starts with a vocal warm up led by the evening’s host, who also explains the “magic moments pack” which contains various props to be used a strategic points throughout the film! Don’t forget you can take a drink in from the Dukes bar to lubricate those vocal cords!
The Kosh in Twentieth Century Girls Saturday 18th January
The Kosh is a London based international touring company with a unique style of physical theatre and in the last 20 years they have performed in 26 different countries, their productions have won international awards in dance, theatre and film. Twentieth Century Girls is a story of love from the 40s to present times. Set against a sound design of instrumental jazz, sampled speech, advertising and poetry, the narrative is conveyed physically. This is a visually rich, engaging and disarmingly simple performance.
St Martins Third Year Drama Students present:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare Tuesday 21st – Saturday 25th January
This production has a 1980s feel and includes an all- singing, all- dancing cast starring the infamous Mechanicals band. It is a lively, innovative performance designed to inspire and delight.
St Martins Modular Studies Students present:
Top Girls by Caryl Churchill Tuesday 28th January – Saturday 1st February
This seminal play, written at the start of Margaret Thatcher’s term of office as Prime Minister, raises questions about families and the price paid by women for success. Does the “glass ceiling” still exist or is it an illusion? The debate continues….
Trestle Theatre: Island Friday 4th April
A silent comedy about true-life tragedy, told using masks, live music and a large traffic island. It is a gentle and poetic look at the isolation prevalent in people’s lives at the start of the 21st century. Wild fantasy and grim reality merge to find some meaning in the final expansive moments in the constricted life of Mildred Thomas who used to live down the road from you, on the left past the phone box….
Theatre Sans Frontieres: El Sombrero de Tres Picos Wednesday 9th April
El Sombrero de Tres Picos by Pedro de Alarcón is a rollicking farce set in nineteenth century Spain - the inspiration for Manuel de Falla's ballet The Three Cornered Hat. A sleepy Andalusian village, a comic duo of donkeys dozing in the heat…the pompous local magistrate, El Corregidor, is on the prowl - the beautiful Miller's wife, Frasquita, his prey. Will she succumb to his lustful advances? Can Lucas, her husband, trust her to be faithful? Nothing is quite what it seems, as wives and clothing are swapped with abandon in this satirical classic of love, lust and rural infidelity, which also inspired last year’s Dukes park production.
Performed in Spanish, in Théâtre Sans Frontières' acclaimed physical, visual style, El Sombrero de Tres Picos is suitable for audiences aged 15 and upwards.
Theatre Alibi: Why the Whales Came Wednesday 16th – Thusday 17th April
A show for 8 – 13 year-olds, their families and friends. Why the Whales Came tells the story of two young friends, Gracie and Daniel who live in a small community on the remote island of Bryher in the Scilly Isles. They become involved in the mystery of a haunted island called Samson. The story is held between the natural, animal and human worlds. It shows the need to work together and of young people who are brave and resourceful in overcoming the terrors they face and ends with recognition that real and positive change is possible.
Based on the best-selling book by author Michael Morpurgo, Why the Whales Came is a gripping adventure story that is action-packed, includes exciting visuals and live music.
Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson Saturday 26th April
From the highly successful team that brought you the stage adaptation of The Lost Continent comes the next instalment of Bill Bryson’s travel diaries Notes from a Small Island. Steve Steen performs this first national tour of Notes from a Small Island. Steve is probably best known for being a member of The Comedy Store and a regular on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, but has also appeared on many comedies such as Have I Got News For You, Wogan, Blackadder the Third and Red Dwarf.
Action Transport: Dumisani’s Drum Saturday 3rd May
A co-production between Action Transport and a theatre company based in Soweto. This is Action Transport’s first international production and it celebrates the culture of Soweto through music, puppetry and stories. Suitable for children 5 – 8 years old and their families.
Horse and Bamboo Theatre: Company of Angels, The Story of Charlotte Salomon Saturday 10th May
Horse and Bamboo is the leading mask-and –puppet theatre company in the UK. Founded in 1978 they have built an unrivalled track record for creating original and accessible new work. Their show is based on Charlotte Salomon who was a German Jew put to death at the age of 26 in Birkenau concentration camp. She produced 765 paintings providing the most penetrating visual record of life under the Nazi regime. With the aid of Charlotte’s notes detailing music and narrative to accompany her paintings, Horse and Bamboo incorporate physical theatre, mask, music and puppetry to bring her paintings alive. For adults and young people over 12 years.
Men in Coats: a little less Conversation, a little more action Saturday 17th May
Exploding into the comedy world, the winners of the Hackney Empire Best New Act 2001 have become the most talked about comedians of 2002 – they present a totally original comedy experience. They have been described as “engagingly daft”, “visual comedy of the highest order”, “a sheer delight” and “breath taking” – don’t miss this hilarious show.
John Shuttleworth: Pillock of the Community Saturday 24th May
Graham Fellows returns to the Dukes with his most popular comedic creation, John Shuttleworth in Pillock of the Community. “You never know who’s watching you” warns the ex-security guard. You do now though – it’s John himself! In this brand new show John has set up a security camera pointing at the audience in case of rowdiness, as well as other vulnerable areas including the stage door, “who knows, I might have a visitor” John hints. Expect hilarious songs old and new, plus inimitable advice on how to survive as a “Pillock of the Community”. Plus special guest Brian Appleton. This will be an hilarious night for Graham Fellows and John Shuttleworth fans alike.
Broads with Swords Tuesday 27th or Wed 28th May (tba)
Award winning actor, writer and international RSC fight director, Renny Krupinski directs a unique all-female cast with exceptional fighting skills! Whether you are a Shakespeare buff or not, play “Spot the Quote” when Macbeth’s three witches’ spells backfire concurrently with an Internet malfunction – Lady Macbeth decides she’s going to be the greatest and only tragic heroine in Shakespeare and decides to play dirty. But Scamvix (escapee from a Playstation game) arrives on the scene along with Lara Croft and two worlds collide and sword led mayhem ensues! A success at the Edinburgh Festival, see this amazing show at the Dukes.
Ends 29.11.02