HIT musicals, comedy legends, Tv adventurers and stars of rock, folk, soul and pop are all lighting up Bradford Theatres’ autumn season of live entertainment. Here’s what’s coming up:
ALHAMBRA:
* Greatest Days: Relight your fire with this new production of Take That’s official musical. Featuring more than 15 Take That hits, alongside a heart-warming story from Tim Firth, it follows five boy band obsessed best friends in the 1990s, who reunite over 20 years later to see their heartthrobs one last time. Former Brookside actress Jennifer Ellison stars in the musical. The UK tour coincides with the release of the movie version, starring Aisling Bea and Jayde Adams.
* Sister Act: When disco diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a murder she’s placed into hiding in the one place
she shouldn’t be found - a convent. Encouraged to help the struggling choir, she helps the nuns find their true voices, and rediscovers her own. Stars Lesley Joseph.
* The Rocky Horror Show: Squeaky clean college kids Brad and Janet take shelter from a storm in a creepy mansion, home to charismatic Dr Frank‘n’Furter and his Time Warp...
* Shrek the Musical: Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks film, the musical comedy stars former Strictly Come Dancing champ Joanne Clifton as Princess Fiona.
* Blood Brothers: Willy Russell’s legendary play with music is the moving tale of twin boys separated at birth - while Eddie grows up in middle-class comfort, with private school and a “bike with both wheels”, Mickey drifts from childhood poverty into unemployment. Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End - one of only three musicals to achieve the milestone.
* Jesus Christ Superstar: Mesmerising new production of the global phenomenon, which won the 2017 Olivier Award
for Best Musical Revival. With music and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, the rock musical is set during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ, seen through the eyes of Judas. The rousing score includes I Don’t Know How to Love Him and Superstar.
* The Drifters Girl: Packed with hits including Saturday Night At The Movies and Save The Last Dance For Me, this is the remarkable story of The Drifters and the woman who made them - from the highs of hit records to the lows of legal battles and personal tragedy. Faye Treadwell is the manager who refused to give up on the group she loved. She was, and always will be, The Drifters Girl.
* Dirty Dancing: Return of the hugely popular musical based on the hit movie about Baby and Johnny, two fierce young spirits who come together in the summer of their lives. The score includes Hungry Eyes, Do You Love Me? and the show-stopper (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life - with THAT lift.
* The Full Monty: Glusburn Oscar-winner Simon Beaufoy’s heartfelt play about a group of unemployed blokes trying to regain some pride. Gaz and his mates feel like they’re on the scrap heap but, determined to fight back, bare more than they ever thought they would in the show of their lives. A major new tour celebrates the 25th anniversary of the hit film.
* Life of Pi: After an epic storm in the Pacific Ocean, 16-year-old Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them. Who will survive? Based on the bestselling novel, this West End and Broadway spectacle is an epic journey of endurance and hope.
*Ailey 2: Spirit and energy of the finest early-career dance talent in the United States merges with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding and emerging choreographers. Returning to the UK, Ailey 2 brings an exciting repertory which includes Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece, Revelations.
* Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet: Thrilling re-telling of Shakespeare’s timeless story of the madness of first love.
* The Sooty Show: 75th Birthday Spectacular: Join Guiseley’s finest with pals Sweep and Soo, planning a special birthday party - but nothing goes to plan.
* Wicked: Flying back to Bradford in 2024, the smash hit musical is a beguiling backstory to characters from The Wizard of Oz. The unlikely friendship between popular Glinda and Elphaba, a girl with green skin, leads to them becoming the Good and Wicked Witches of the West.
* Cinderella: As revealed in the T&A this week, Strictly Come Dancing finalist and Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite and Emmerdale star Samantha Giles join Billy Pearce in the Alhambra panto. With Billy as Buttons, John as Dandini and Samantha as the Wicked Stepmother, the show will be packed with slapstick fun and special effects.
ST GEORGE’S HALL:
There’s plenty for music fans, not least Bradford rockers Terrorvision, celebrating their 30th anniversary. Other highlights include: Alexander O’Neal: Time to Say Goodbye, Farewell Tour; The Spirit of Smokie; The Overtones; Some Guys Have All The Luck: The Rod Stewart Story; Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells; The Stylistics Greatest Hits Tour; Symphony Orchestra of India; Daniel O’Donnell; In the Name of Love: The Diana Ross Story ; Last Days of Disco; National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine; Francis Rossi: Tunes and Chat; Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band Christmas Concert and Kate Rusby at Christmas.
There’s comedy from Jimmy Carr; Frankie Boyle, Sarah Millican; Phil Wang; Fascinating Aida; Aggers and Bumble; and Bridesmaids of Britain, billed as the ‘hen do of the year’- in a caravan! It all turns a bit spooky with Do You Believe in Ghosts? and Most Haunted Live! and there are tales of global adventures from Sir Ranulph Fiennes; Steve Backshall and Simon Reeve.
On Sunday, September 10 St George’s Hall opens its doors for 170th Birthday Bash, allowing visitors to look around, go backstage and on stage and find out about the incredible history of this busy performing venue.
KING’S HALL, ILKLEY:
There’s comedy from Dr John Cooper Clarke; Rich Hall, Tommy Cannon, Ed Byrne and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Baga Chipz, and music from Steeleye Span, Queen tribute Radio Gaga and Rave On featuring the Bluejays. Also at King’s Hall is An Evening with Michael Portillo and An Evening with Bradley Wiggins.
* Call (01274) 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk
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