Forget April Showers and join Hull Truck Theatre as they are literally sing in the rain, presenting an exciting programme of work for April.
Rent (Wednesday 30 March – Saturday 2 April) starts off this month with inspiring themes about falling in love, finding your voice, and living for today. Bite My Thumb Theatre present this amateur dramatic company production where audiences will be reminded that theatre at its best can be exuberant, passionate and joyous. Jonathan Larson’s musical Rent follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive at the end of the millennium.
Private Peaceful (Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 April) set against the epic backdrop of WW1, we join 18-year-old Private Tommo Peace in the trenches as he takes us on a journey through his most cherished memories and tells his story of courage, devotion, family, and friendship. Award-winning Private Peaceful was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, won the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Blue Peter Book Award. Acknowledged by Michael Morpurgo (War Horse, The Butterfly Lion) as his favourite work, this thrilling new ensemble retelling by Simon Reade, directed by Elle While, explores the lengths a young soldier will go to, to fight for what is right.
Adam Rowe: Imperious (Friday 8 April) is Adam Rowe’s latest stand-up comedy tour. Rowe (Have a Word Podcast, Live at the Apollo & Roast Battle)has developed a reputation as one of the most exciting comics on the planet, with his brutally honest, opinionated stand-up and his phenomenal ad-libbing ability making each of his performances unique, gloriously unpredictable and, most importantly, hilarious.
Singing In The Rain (Wednesday 13 – Saturday 16 April) takes us back to the glamour of the 1920’s Hollywood era. The Northern Academy of Performing Arts is excited to return to Hull Truck Theatre with their interpretation of one of the world’s most celebrated and beloved movie musicals. The show features a glorious MGM score, including the hit songs Good Morning, Make ‘em Laugh, Moses Supposes and the legendary title number, Singin’ in the Rain.
Far Gone (Thursday 14 April) is a profoundly moving story of a young boy’s journey from childhood innocence to child soldier. Seen through the eyes of those that love him and those that betray him, Okumu’s experience strikes straight at the heart through a powerful one-man performance. Written and performed by John Rwothomach we hear the story of a village attacked by Joseph Kony’s Lords Resistance Army (LRA), Okumu and his brother are captured, and their lives are forever changed.
John Rwothomach, Writer and Performer said:
“It is a piece about captivity, freedom being taken away from an innocent little boy, his journey from his innocence turning into a killing machine and that transformation following that. The inspiration for Far Gone comes from my own personal experience of when I was just 8 years old, being nearly kidnapped by the same rebel group that is referenced in the play – The Lords Resistance Army (LRA), something that has stuck with me is that I could have been a LRA Soldier but instead I am telling stories about them. Although we just follow this one little boy, we are looking at a wider effect in community, in Uganda and the whole world.”
The fabulous Strictly Come Dancing stars Ian Waite & Vincent Simone: Act Two (Wednesday 20 April), promise another wonderful evening of old school variety – dance, comedy and song! With beautiful costumes, gorgeous lighting and world class routines the boys will be joined by their stunning dance partners and a world class singer. If you enjoyed The Ballroom Boys, then make sure you don’t miss the hilarious dancing duo when they bring you…ACT TWO!
John Shuttleworth’s Back (Thursday 21 April) is a ludicrously compelling night out with this fictional singer-songwriter and radio presenter, created in 1986 and performed by English comedy actor and musician Graham Fellows. Shuttleworth is from Walkley in Sheffield, South Yorkshire and his music talents are usually expressed through his PSS portable keyboard and include ‘Pigeons in Flight’ a song that Shuttleworth attempted to have selected for the Eurovision Song Contest. Expect fantastic new ditties written during lockdown, including ‘Stay at Home and Protect the VHS’.
Expect explosive thrills, chemical spills and a risk assessment that gives their stage manager chills, all backed up by the daring duo’s trademark wit, charm and detailed knowledge of the scientific method Morgan & West Unbelievable Science (Friday 22 April), will present captivating chemistry, phenomenal physics, and bonkers biology in this fun for all the family science extravaganza! Magicians and genuine, bona fide, legitimately qualified scientists will bring their love of enlightenment to the stage.
Bumper Blyton (Friday 22 April) Set in the style of the Nation’s favourite author, Enid Blyton. Come and delight in lashings of ginger beer, grab a cheeky tongue sandwich or wrap your lips round a nice spotted dick! Cast yourself back to your childhood in a show that’s utterly unique and spontaneous with this satirical take on childhood favourite books like The Famous Five and Mallory Towers. A cast of the UK’s best-known and award-winning improvisers (as seen in; Austentatious, Showstoppers! and TV’s Doctor Who) invent an hilarious improvised adventure live on the hoof based on audience suggestions. Performed in vintage costume with music and songs, the show offers an hilarious tongue-in-cheek homage. It’s Enid Blyton… For grown-ups!
Ever evolving, ever-changing, Rich Hall’s Hoedown Deluxe (Saturday 23 April) combines keen acerbic stand-up comedy with spit and sawdust alt-country lyricism. Rich has a legion of followers from his acclaimed BBC4 documentaries (most recently Rich Hall’s Red Menace), Radio 4 series Election Breakdown and appearances on QI and Have I Got News For You. But the Hoedown will be a whole different experience with gut-busting, rib-tickling and toe-tapping entertainment.
The Paradis Files (Tuesday 26 April) This new chamber Opera, composed by Errollyn Wallen CBE and directed by Jenny Sealey is set around the extraordinary blind musician Maria-Theresia von Paradis – Pianist, composer, touring musician; this pupil of Salieri and friend (and alleged lover) of Mozart has captivated Europe with her own sensational talent. They call her The Blind Enchantress, yet behind this dazzling success story there are darker forces at work. Some of those closest to Maria-Theresia are looking to profit from her blindness. Others are looking to ‘cure’ her – whatever it takes.
All performances will creatively integrate BSL, captioning and audio description. Commissioned by The Stables for IF: Milton Keynes International Festival, this is a Graeae Theatre Company Production in partnership with BBC Concert Orchestra and Curve Theatre.
Armed with only a baguette and his questionable steed, join hot-headed d’Artagnan as he travels to Paris to become a Musketeer. Will things go to plan? It’s unlikely! The Three Musketeers (Thursday 28 – Saturday 30 April) features hilarious heroics, raucous romances and some bonkers fun with BMX bikes. From the award-winning Le Navet Bete, creators of the smash-hit show Dracula: The Bloody Truth, comes a comedy adventure that will have you rolling with laughter from here to the French countryside! Performed with just a cast of four in their own inimitable style, the company take on 40 characters, 50 different outfits and 112 costume changes as Alexandre Dumas’ 700-page
historical classic is condensed in to two hours of mayhem and madness.
Al Dunn, co-artistic director of Le Navet Bete said:
“This is a Musketeers unlike any other. It has all the elements of an epic story that we have turned inside out and put our chaotic comic spin on to make sure the show bursts off the stage – literally! We’ve got the best creative team we’ve had to date behind us on this so expect big laughs, unexpected characters and a night at the theatre you’ll never forget”.
Riot Act (Friday 29 April) is a wild ride through six decades of queer history. A verbatim show, created entirely, word for word, out of interviews with three key-players in the history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement; Michael Anthony Nozzi; a survivor of the Stonewall Riots, Lavina Co-op; an alternative ‘70s drag artist, and Paul Burston; ‘90s London HIV/AIDS activist. Provocative, powerful, and pulling no punches, it promises to be a riot.
Hull Truck Theatre’s popular Great Adventures (Saturday 30 April) continues to encourage children aged 3-6 and their families to get creative. The Adventures feature an arts & crafts session followed by an interactive performance where the children’s craft items come to life as part of the interactive play and offers a wonderful first theatre experience for young children.
All tickets are available at www.hulltruck.co.uk.
