Ballroom Dancing Play KISS ME QUICKSTEP Comes To Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough

The New Vic Theatre and Oldham Coliseum Theatre's world-premiere production of Kiss Me Quickstep, the new play by Amanda Whittington, comes to the Stephen Joseph Theatre later this month, running March 29-April 2. Directed by New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins, this piece looks at the real lives behind the fixed smiles and fake tan of the world of ballroom dance.

By the writer of New Vic hit The Thrill of Love, the theatre-in-the-round's most recent London transfer, Kiss Me Quickstep is the first new work from Amanda Whittington since winning the BBC Audio Drama Award for 2016. It's currently playing at the New Vic Theatre, and will travel to the Oldham Coliseum following its Scarborough run.

Justin and Jodie have finally made it to Blackpool's national championships - via the motorway hard shoulder. Luka's come all the way from Russia. Nancy's been training for this since she was three. Lee and Samantha arrive on a wave of success. But what if your dancefloor dreams are turning into a nightmare? How do you stop dancing to other people's tunes? What can you do if your partner's secret could cost you the crown? And, even when the whole world's at your feet, it only takes one false step...

Described as Britain's "most consistently popular female dramatist" by the Guardian, Amanda Whittington's plays include Be My Baby (Soho Theatre), Ladies' Day and its sequel Ladies Down Under (Hull Truck/UK tours). Her work is regularly studied for both GCSE and A-Level, and she often writes for BBC Radio 4, contributing to the Woman's Hour serial and Afternoon Play slots.

This production is directed by Theresa Heskins, whose adaptation of Dracula was recently named by The Observer as one of the top ten shows of 2015.

Kiss Me Quickstep's cast includes Amy Barnes (After the Dance, National Theatre); Matt Crosby (The Marat/Sade, Old Vic Theatre); Hannah Edwards (Inherit the Wind, I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire!, New Vic Theatre); Jack Lord (Mist in the Mirror, Oldham Coliseum/national tour); Abigail Moore (Safe House, Metro-Boulot-Dodo and Wired Aerial UK tour); Isaac Stanmore (Robin Hood & Marian, Dracula, New Vic Theatre); Ed White (Guys and Dolls, Chicago, Dirty Dancing, Legally Blonde and Elf, West End).

Kiss Me Quickstep will see also see a community cast of dancers from Scarborough's Kate Buchan Social Dancing school and the SJT Youth Theatre appear alongside the professional cast, and features a voiceover from BBC Strictly Come Dancing favourite Alison Hammond.

Tickets for Kiss Me Quickstep are priced from £10 to £24.50 and are available by telephoning the SJT Box Office on 01723 370541 or online at www.sjt.uk.com

Watch a behind the scenes video:

Photographs: Andrew Billington

To post a comment, you must register and login.