First Line-Up Of Storyhouse Shows Announced For Spring 2018

Storyhouse can reveal the first shows in its Spring Season 2018 - with headline names in comedy, opera and dance all making a date with the Chester venue.

The £37million cultural complex, which is located in the heart of the historic Chester city centre, opened to acclaim in May.

Opening the Spring season is Motionhouse's incredible new multi-media show Charge, a unique collaboration between art and science. Coming to Storyhouse on Tuesday 6 February the show sees six performers use dance and acrobatics to delve deep in to the human body, telling the important story of energy in our lives.

Under the direction of Marina Medvetskaya, Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet has won plaudits across Russia, Scandinavia, the United States and now, the UK. This acclaimed company makes its debut at Storyhouse from 16 to 18 February with two fantastic ballets. Giselle is one of the few 19th century romantic ballets to survive intact, the quintessential story of unrequited love. Swan Lake is Tchaikovsky's masterpiece, a tragic tale of love and betrayal with an instantly recognisable score.

TV favourite Sarah Millican is bringing her one woman stand-up show Control Enthusiast to the stage. Funny, frank and unapologetically filthy, Control Enthusiast explores the TV comedienne's need for control in what promises to be a side splittingly funny show coming to Storyhouse on Thursday 22 February.

More stand-up comes in the form of David Baddiel's Olivier Award-nominated My Family: Not the Sitcom on Friday 23 February. A show about memory, ageing, infidelity, dysfunctional relatives, moral policing on social media and gay cats.

Strictly Come Dancing's Brendan Cole is joined by his sensational guest dancers and band on Saturday 17 March to wow audiences in his latest spectacular Latin and ballroom production, All Night Long. Expect live music, stunning special effects and Brendan's own dazzling choreography and charm to make this an unforgettable night.

And music lovers are in for a treat when the English Touring Opera brings works by Mozart and Puccini to Storyhouse.

An energetic new production of Mozart's classic comedy The Marriage of Figaro will be staged on 20 March. During the course of one eventful day, Figaro and Susanna must overcome every obstacle put in their way by Count Almaviva and his cronies before they can finally be united as man and wife.

On the following evening meanwhile, the Storyhouse audience can enjoy a pair of one-act operas by Puccini. Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi could hardly be more different: one is a moody romance ending in a grotesque murder on a barge in Paris, and the other is a sparkling comedy about a family inheritance in Florence. First performed in 2011 to great critical acclaim, this double bill shows Puccini at his finest as a master of the theatre that speaks to the heart.

Storyhouse Chief Executive Andrew Bentley commented: "The past few months have been incredible; we've had a great reception here in Chester and our programme is going from strength to strength. We can't wait to enter our second year with a fantastic line up that I know audiences will love."

Created in the shell of the Grade II Listed Art Deco Odeon cinema building and a new glass, steel and brick extension - the venue is already becoming a firm favourite with Chester residents and visitors alike, with thousands flocking to the Hunter Street venue to take a look inside for themselves.

The Spring 2018 season announcement follows big names added to the forthcoming Autumn season which includes shows from comedians Jon Richardson, Joel Dommett, Jenny Eclair and Rich Hall; dance performances from Cockfight, Tangomotion and BalletBoyz; and musicals Footloose, Blood Brothers, Spamalot! and All Or Nothing.

The Autumn programme follows a season of homegrown productions in the auditorium which includes The Beggar's Opera, Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Julius Caesar.

Tickets for all Autumn Season 2017 shows are now on sale. Please check individual shows for ticket prices. Storyhouse has a dynamic pricing policy on the majority of shows, ensuring that the earlier you book your tickets, we guarantee you of the cheapest and best seats available.

Visit www.storyhouse.com or telephone 0844 815 7202 for more details.

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