A great season at Royal & Derngate for autumn and beyond

Through the autumn to Christmas and beyond, Royal & Derngate brings a diverse programme of drama, musicals, comedy, music, dance and family entertainment to Northampton, including dramas And Then There Were None and I, Daniel Blake, musicals Shrek and Greatest Days, and family pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs..

The theatre’s current Made in Northampton season concludes in September with a gripping new production of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, directed by Lucy Bailey (Gaslight, Witness for the Prosecution), which takes to the Derngate stage in celebration of the auditorium’s 40th anniversary, before embarking on a major national tour. More largescale drama comes to Derngate auditorium in the New Year, with tours of West End hits including 2.22: A Ghost Story, The Mousetrap and Life of Pi.

There is a great variety of drama touring to the Royal stage this autumn, including week long runs of I, Daniel Blake, a stage adaptation of the award-winning and moving Ken Loach film of the same name, and Torben Betts’ thrilling new ghost story Murder in the Dark, starring Tom Chambers. There are also plenty of plays coming for more limited runs including the 60th anniversary tour of the satirical classic Oh What a Lovely War, hilarious quick-fire comedy Crimes on Centre Court from New Old Friends and new comedy drama about Northern Soul, Do I Love You?, from hit playwright John Godber. Northamptonshire theatre company White Cobra also bring two productions, Lilies on the Land, telling the story of the World War II Land Girls and, inspired by the well-loved film, It’s A Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Play. Plays in the more intimate Underground Studio include Rise of the Empress and The Mistake.

There is a bumper crop of musicals touring to Northampton this autumn, including the smash hit Take That musical Greatest Days, a new tour of Shrek The Musical, and the international sensation SIX. Looking ahead to next year Everybody’s Talking About Jamie returns in May, with tickets just going on sale now for Sister Act in June and Pretty Woman The Musical in September. Also this autumn, local group Northampton Musical Theatre Company present the uplifting musical, Kinky Boots.

Dance lovers can look forward to Britain’s most successful dance-group Diversity bringing their brand new family show Supernova to Northampton in October, while Varna International Ballet return early next year with three classic ballets, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.

A jam-packed comedy line-up includes gigs in Derngate auditorium by Tim Vine, Phil Wang, John Robins and Jimeoin, with performances on the Royal stage from Jordan Gray, Axel Blake, Kae Kurd, Rosie Jones, Bridget Christie, Reginald D Hunter, Suzi Ruffell and local comedian Andrew Bird, to name but a few. Comedy coming to Underground includes Markus Birdman, Pierre Novellie and Nabil Abdulrashid, along with regular Screaming Blue Murder Comedy Club nights.

Comedy ventriloquist, and America’s Got Talent winner, Paul Zerdin brings his new show Puppetman, while top comedy magican Pete Firman returns with TrikTok. There’s more magic to come from Britain’s Got Talent finalist Magical Bones and Morgan & West’s Massive Magic Show for Kids! Mixing comedy and music, Britain’s raciest and sassiest musical cabaret trio, Fascinating Aida, bring their 40th anniversary tour to Northampton.

Royal & Derngate continues its exciting new orchestral season, with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra performing Brahms Symphony No.4, followed by two more concerts from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra this autumn, and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in January. Other musical highlights include performances by the Queen of British Soul, Beverley Knight, the ever popular Jools Holland and celebrated folk singer Cara Dillon, along with two more events in the NC Jazz series.

Highlights of this season’s family entertainment will of course be the theatre’s spectacular Christmas pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, starring Strictly winner Ore Oduba, Coronation Street’s Wendi Peters and panto legend Bob Golding, with the delightful stage adaptation of Stick Man also enjoying a festive run in the Royal auditorium. Events this autumn for the very youngest audiences include Wow! Said The Owl and an opera for 0 to 2 year olds, You Are the Sun. Family shows to look forward to in the new year include Zog and the Flying Doctors, King Arthur and Bluey’s Big Play.

Other events this autumn include appearances from award-winning raconteur Gyles Brandreth, adventurer and documentary maker Simon Reeve, and Danny Robins, creator of Radio 4 podcast Uncanny (and writer of 2.22 A Ghost Story). Football legend Harry Redknapp regales audiences with stories about his career, while the UK’s top sporting podcast World Cup Party: The Good, the Bad and the Rugby takes to the stage for a live show. In addition, Two Mr Ps in a Podcast Live shares some of the best stories from the classroom in the ultimate show and tell lesson.

In November, Royal & Derngate’s artist support programme Generate proudly presents its fifth GenFest, a festival dedicated to supporting emerging and established theatre makers from across the region, with a programme of scratch performances, discussions and networking events.

Last but not least, the theatre hosts the 40 Years of Derngate Gala Dinner, an evening of music, entertainment and shared memories, all in aid of the Derngate 40 fundraising campaign.

For more information about any of these events, call Box Office on 01604 624811, or visit the theatre’s website, www.royalandderngate.co.uk. For shows newly on sale with the brochure, members enjoy priority booking until Thursday 13 July when those shows go on general sale.

Information about creative activities and projects, including youth theatre classes, can be found in the Get Involved section of the website.

The Made in Northampton season is generously sponsored by Michael Jones Jewellers.