New Wave Of Comedy And Dance Shows Added To Storyhouse Autumn Season

Chester's new Storyhouse is thrilled to announce a further four new shows to its already impressive line-up for the inaugural Autumn 2017 season.

The £37million cultural complex, which is located in the heart of the historic Chester city centre, opened to acclaim earlier this month when it threw its doors open to the public.

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.

Following a successful launch, Storyhouse is delighted to reveal more big names in comedy, dance, drama and musicals are heading to the venue during 2017.

Comedians Joel Dommett, Jenny Eclair and Rich Hall, and physical theatre production Cockfight have been added to the inaugural Autumn Season.

Due to popular demand, award-winning comedian and actor Joel Dommett is extending his tour for a third time - and now includes a date at Storyhouse on Tuesday 26 September.

Joel Dommett: LIVE is a must for fans, who are promised unbelievable stories, confetti cannons - and even a musical number. Joel burst onto the comedy scene in 2007 and quickly established himself as one of the most exciting comedians on the circuit.

Dommett has become a regular on national television, including being the runner-up in I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 2017 (ITV); a regular panellist on Sky 1's Bring The Noise alongside Nicole Scherzinger; presenting Live In Chelsea, the live E4 aftershow to the hit TV series Made In Chelsea; and starring in Impractical Jokers.

Following a complete sell-out tour, professional grumpy old woman Jenny Eclair extends her hit tour into Autumn and Winter 2017 and 2018, and brings her smash hit show How To Be A Middle Aged Woman (Without Going Insane) to Storyhouse on Thursday 19 October.

Jenny is a Splash survivor, amateur soup maker, and novice knitter. She is younger than Madonna but eats crisps and likes wine. Semi -bearded and suffering from outbreaks of gout and hysteria, Eclair puts middle age under the microscope and decides whether to laugh, cry or buy a dachshund. You are most welcome to join her, just button your cardi up properly and wipe that lipstick off your teeth.

Known for being grouchy, deadpan and a comedy genius, American Rich Hall has also chosen to bring his latest stand-up show to Storyhouse on Saturday 21 October. Join Rich and his virtuoso musical mates for a frankly gratuitous mash-up of the very best of comedy and music. Rich's regular band of talented urchins will join him on stage.

Rich Hall is the star of the critically acclaimed BBC4 documentaries Rich Hall's Californian Stars; Rich Hall's You Can Go To Hell, I'm Going To Texas; Rich Hall's Inventing the Indian; Rich Hall's Presidential Grudge Match; and most recently Rich Hall's Countrier Than You. He also wrote and starred in a four-part series for BBC Radio 4 in November 2016 called Rich Hall's (US Election) Breakdown.

Meanwhile dance aficionados won't want to miss Cockfight by The Farm, presented by Performing Lines & NORPA (Australia) and Dance Touring Partnership on Saturday 7 October. Cockfight explores the power play between men, the frailty of the ageing body, and questions culture's desperate desire for achievement.

Two blokes in an office. One older, one younger - but each body pushed to its limits. A cross between The Office and an Australian style cage-fight, this game of comical one-upmanship builds to a moment of impact where everything is suspended. A flash of bared teeth, the desperation of needing to prove yourself versus the need to hold on to what you've got.

Skilfully enacting a full-throttle mash-up of extreme physical risk-taking, graceful movement and slow-mo fight sequences, Cockfight is a darkly humorous and surprisingly tender piece of dance theatre by The Farm, with long-time collaborators Joshua Thomson and Gavin Webber reassess who is in charge.

Dates announced for Joel Dommett, Jenny Eclair, Rich Hall and Cockfight join an already diverse Autumn programme at Storyhouse, packed with international drama, stand-up comedy, musicals, dance and opera - all heading to this thriving city centre cultural hub.

Alongside Cockfight, dance lovers will want to make a date for Wednesday 18 October when hit show Tangomotion, featuring world-class tango dancers and live music from the quartet Tango Siempre, appears on the main stage. Then later in the month on Monday 30 October the acclaimed all-male dance company BalletBoyz perform their new work.

Comedians coming to Chester this Autumn include 8 of 10 Cats does Countdown regular Jon Richardson on Tuesday 19 September, while Stewart Lee brings his new show Content Provider to the city on Tuesday 3 October. Tickets are already selling fast.

The 2017 Autumn season is set to prove popular with musical fans, from sounds of the Sixties to iconic show tunes, there really is something for everyone.

Smash hit Footloose, based on the 1984 movie, officially opens the Autumn season in the three-tier 800-seat auditorium from Tuesday 5 September to Saturday 9 September starring Maureen Nolan. While Willy Russell's legendary Blood Brothers, starring Lyn Paul as Mrs Johnstone, can be seen the following month from Monday 9 October to Saturday 14 October. And music and laughter combine when Spamalot! - inspired by the classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail - comes to Storyhouse from Tuesday 31 October to Saturday 4 November.

The music of Sixties band the Small Faces inspire All Or Nothing running from Wednesday 27 September to Saturday 30 September. This quintessential 'Mod musical', features songs including Lazy Sunday, Itchycoo Park and, of course the title song All Or Nothing.

Completing the Autumn line-up are comic opera company Opera Della Luna with Tales Of Offenbach on Friday 22 September and Saturday 23 September; folk singing star Kate Rusby performs at Storyhouse for one night only on Friday 20 October; Brassed Off is a play which tells the story of the miners' strike through the travails of a colliery brass band from Tuesday 24 October to Saturday 28 October; and Frantic Assemby's physical drama Things I Know To Be True runs from Tuesday 7 November to Saturday 11 November.

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.

Storyhouse Chief Executive Andrew Bentley commented: "The response to Storyhouse has already been tremendous with over 10,000 visits during our opening weekend. We are very excited to share the new dates from comedians Joel Dommett, Jenny Eclair and Rich Hall, and physical production Cockfight - which are all exciting additions to our very first Autumn Season, alongside excellent musicals including Blood Brothers and Spamalot. It's going to be wonderful few months and we are welcoming new and returning audiences to the magnificent Storyhouse."

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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