The Hope Theatre Reveals Lineup For Winter Season

The Hope Theatre has shared details of its Winter season, running from the end of November until March. Consisting of premieres of new writing and comedy, the season includes the return of a number of writers who have made work at the venue over the past two years.

Phil Bartlett, artistic director of the Hope, said: 'The intimacy of the Hope makes it a wonderful space for theatre-makers who are excited by the possibility of performing for an audience close enough to see the whites of their eyes. It's fantastic that amongst the bold and brilliant productions debuting at the theatre this season, we're seeing the return of some familiar faces who know exactly how to tell an entrancing tale on a winter's night.'

The season opens with Moth (28th November - 2nd December), a new speculative science fiction play about particle physics, string, time and love. When Meredith Latimer reappears out of the blue, eight years after the world ended, it rips a hole through the lives of the people he's left behind.

Returning to The Hope this December following the success of last year's 100 Paintings, Jack Stacey has teamed up with fellow Mischief Theatre performer Matthew Howell to create Spy Movie: The Play! (5th - 23rd December), a hilarious love letter to spy films, the movie business and fringe theatre. Brimming with laughs, thrills, and poorly executed commando rolls, the production runs for the three weeks leading up to Christmas.

Premiering in January, Our 1972 (3rd - 6th January) is a political romance that pays tribute to the LGBTQ+ trailblazers of the 1970s. Students Andrew and Benjamin wrestle with their realities and ideologies at the turning point of Queer British politics. Written by Josh Maughan, this is the third play to open at The Hope from Springbok Productions.

Gangsta Baby (9th - 27th January) tells the story of a male sex worker whose life is plunged into turmoil when his father returns home. From debuting writer and performer Cameron Raasdal-Munro, and director Rikki Beadle-Blair MBE, Gangsta Baby explores class, environmental issues, and how being shunned by a parent can develop into internalised homophobia.

In The God-Bomb (30th January - 3rd February), introverted scientist David finds himself incapable of moving on from the past and so develops an invention with which to bring his recently deceased girlfriend, Faith, back among the living. A dark tale about religion and experimentation, The God-Bomb is a new horror play that blurs the line between Frankenstein and the monster.

Also at The Hope in February, The Gentleman of Shalott (6th - 17th February) is a queer, dystopian adaptation of Tennyson's poem 'The Lady of Shalott'. Telling the story of a man isolated in a tower, who uses hook-up apps to escape his anxiety, the play questions: If we can't meet anyone in real life, who do we pretend to be and what lives do we pretend to lead?

Closing the Winter season is the premiere of Stitches (20th February - 9th March), a witty and insightful examination of one person's existence through the lens of their best friend - a teddy bear. Writer and performer Jonathan Blakeley, in conjunction with Alzheimer's Society and The University of Stirling Dementia Services Development Centre, will be running a series of storytelling and creative therapy workshops throughout the run.

The Winter Season also sees the continuation of the theatre's long-running Sunday-Monday programme, which provides emerging theatre-makers with a low-risk opportunity to present their work professionally. Two-night runs in the Winter season include Definitely Louise (19th and 20th November); Nosebleeds (10th & 11th December); News From Vauxhall (25th and 26th February); The Death of Odysseus (3rd and 4th March); and a four-night run of Hang the Dog (14th - 22nd January).

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