Sheffield Theatres Announces Upcoming Season Feat. Krapp's LAST TAPE, ANYTHING GOES & More

As the critically acclaimed Brian Friel season comes to a close at Sheffield Theatres, with Translations beginning its national tour, and The Full Monty currently in the West End, Artistic Director Daniel Evans announces the company's new season.

From Wednesday 25 June - Saturday 19 July, Associate Director Richard Wilson will make his Sheffield stage debut in Krapp's Last Tape, directed by Polly Findlay (A Taste of Honey). In a second collaboration with English Touring Theatre, Sheffield Theatres will produce Shakespeare's touching comedy of mischief, madness and infatuation, Twelfth Night (Thu 18 September - Sat 18 October), which Jonathan Munby (Company) will return to Sheffield Theatres to direct. Following performances at the Crucible, the production embarks on a national tour.

For the company's Christmas show, Evans will direct Cole Porter's uplifting masterpiece of song, dance and romance, Anything Goes (Fri 28 November - Saturday 17 January); and his critically acclaimed production of This Is My Family returns to the Lyceum Theatre from Thursday 9 - Saturday 18 October, before taking to the road on tour.

These will join the previously announced Kes - Jonathan Watkins' dance-theatre adaptation of Barry Hines' novel that has been invited to be part of The Yorkshire Festival, and which opens on Thursday 27 March; Jonathan Humphreys' major revival of Boeing Boeing (Thu 15 May - Sat 7 June); and local playwright Chris Bush's The Sheffield Mysteries (Tue 15 - Sat 19 July) which sees Evans direct Sheffield People's Theatre on the Crucible stage.

Artistic Director Daniel Evans said today, 'I'm delighted to announce our autumn season, particularly as it combines two strands of work of which we are incredibly proud: classical theatre and musical theatre. I'm especially pleased that we are able to remount Tim Firth's This Is My Family in the Lyceum after its award-winning run in the Studio last year. It's also a mark of the company's confidence that there will be two productions touring the country: Twelfth Night (with ETT) and This Is My Family. It's wonderful to be able to take the work we make in Sheffield to a wider audience across the UK.'

In the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield Theatres welcomes an exciting new season of touring work, beginning with Brassed Off (Wednesday 7 - Saturday 10 May). A funny and heart-warming drama, Brassed Off features rousing live music and stars John McArdle (Brookside, Prime Suspect). The National Theatre's award-winning comedy, One Man, Two Guvnors then takes to the stage from Wednesday 14 - Saturday 24 May. Seen by over one million people worldwide, this internationally acclaimed smash-hit is a glorious celebration of British comedy - a unique, laugh-out-loud mix of satire, songs, slapstick and glittering one-liners.

Fans of musical theatre can look forward to a great selection of smash-hit shows at the Lyceum this summer. Tonight's the Night (Tuesday 27 - Saturday 31 May), written by Ben Elton and inspired by the songs of Rod Stewart, is a sensational musical comedy and features 25 classic Rod Stewart hits including Maggie May, Sailing and Do Ya Think I'm Sexy. Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story (Monday 9 - Saturday 14 June) offers audiences two terrific hours of his greatest hits, including the timeless classics That'll Be The Day, Peggy Sue, Oh Boy, Rave On and Everyday, before Beatlemania arrives in Sheffield with Let It Be. On stage from Monday 23 - Saturday 28 June, this show is jam-packed with over 20 of The Beatles' greatest hits and follows the band's meteoric rise from their humble beginnings in Liverpool's Cavern Club, through to the dizzy heights of fame.

Following international critical acclaim, a sell-out London season and a record-breaking UK tour, West Side Story comes to the Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 1 - Saturday 12 July. Based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet this show is packed with unforgettable songs including Maria, Tonight, Somewhere, America and I Feel Pretty.

For comedy fans, Dawn French launches her first ever solo national tour at the Lyceum Theatre from Thursday 5 - Sunday 8 June. In 30 Million Minutes, directed by ex-Sheffield Theatres Artistic Director Michael Grandage, Dawn takes audiences through the various lessons life has taught her, with, in her own words, 'a few funnies thrown in'.

After 28 years apart, Last Of The Duty Free (Monday 16 - Saturday 21 June) reunites the original cast of one of the UK's best loved romantic sitcoms. Keith Barron, Gwen Taylor and Neil Stacy are joined by Carrol Toyle (BBC's Life Without George) for one last fling in the sun!

In the Studio Theatre this season, Eclipse Theatre Company returns with the Tony Award nominated play Sizwe Banzi is Dead (Tuesday 20 - Saturday 24 May) following a sell-out run at the Young Vic in London. Set in 1972 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, this momentous play exposes the struggle for freedom and identity in apartheid-era South Africa. Audiences can also catch I Wish I Was Lonely (Sat 31 May), a new interactive show investigating how much of ourselves we have given up to the new gods in our pockets and The Love Project (Monday 2 June), created from interviews with a varied and colourful cross section of people on the subject of love.

For families and young people there's the world première of Jacqueline Wilson's Hetty Feather Live On Stage! (Tuesday 17 - Saturday 21 June). With live music, circus skills and a huge heart, Hetty Feather is a terrific adventure story - the perfect treat for all aged 7 and up.

Meanwhile, Sheffield Children's Festival brings June D Gill School of Theatre Dance performing Chitty (Friday 27 - Saturday 28 June) and High Storrs School with Grease - School Edition (Friday 4 July) to the Crucible.

The new season goes on sale to Centre Stage Members on Saturday 15 March and to the public on Saturday 22 March from 10.00am. For more details and to book tickets, call the Box Office on 0114 249 6000 or visit sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

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