Category Archives: Tour news

Shrek the Musical – UK Tour

RETURNING TO A SWAMP NEAR YOU

BY POPULAR DEMAND

 
NEW NATIONWIDE TOUR OPENS IN EDINBURGH IN DECEMBER 2017

PRIORITY BOOKING NOW OPEN

GENERAL BOOKING OPENS FRIDAY 24 FEBRUARY AT 10AM

https://youtu.be/ERPPwJmlTUM

Producers of SHREK THE MUSICAL® are delighted to announce that, following the unprecedented success of the first ever UK and Ireland Tour, the larger-than-life production will be returning to a swamp near you. Opening at the Edinburgh Playhouse for the Christmas 2017/18 season from 12 December 2017 to 7 January 2018, the production will then tour to Manchester, Sunderland, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Northampton, Stoke and Blackpool, with further venues to be announced.

Nigel Harman will return as director, having made his directorial debut on SHREK THE MUSICAL’s first UK and Ireland Tour. Best known for his television and stage work, Nigel Harman originated the role of Lord Farquaad in the West End production, winning the Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Television credits include heart-throb Dennis Rickman in EastEnders, villainous valet Mr Green in Downton Abbey and Bradley in Sky’s Mount Pleasant, which aired its sixth series in Autumn 2016. Notable stage appearances include Jamie Lloyd’s production of Three Days of Rain alongside James McAvoy, Privates on Parade at the Donmar Warehouse and A Chorus of Disapproval, directed by Trevor Nunn.   

Nigel Harman says:

‘I had so much fun directing the original UK & Ireland Tour that I jumped at the chance to work on it again. Shrek the Musical has created pivotal moments in my career – firstly winning an Olivier and then my directorial debut. It’s certainly become one of the classic family musicals of all time and I’m really proud to be a part of it’.

SHREK THE MUSICAL® is based on the story and characters from William Steig’s book Shrek! and the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks Animations feature film. Originally directed in the West End by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford, the production has book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Jeanine Tesori with multi award-winning set and costume design by Tim Hatley.

Join our unlikely hero Shrek and his loyal steed Donkey as they embark on a quest to rescue the beautiful (if slightly temperamental) Princess Fiona from a fire-breathing, love-sick dragon. Add the diminutive Lord Farquaad, a gang of fairytale misfits and a biscuit with attitude, and you’ve got the biggest, brightest musical comedy around! Featuring all new songs as well as cult Shrek anthem I’m a Believer, SHREK THE MUSICAL brings over 100 much-loved fairytale characters, plus a 14 foot dragon, to life in an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza.

SHREK THE MUSICAL® was seen by nearly 800,000 people on its first highly acclaimed UK and Ireland tour in 2014, visiting 25 major venues over 20 months. The production was first staged in the UK at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2011. Since opening on Broadway in 2008 SHREK THE MUSICAL®  has toured to nearly 150 cities in the USA and Canada, with productions having also played in Spain, Poland, France, Malaysia, China, Brazil, Italy, Denmark, The Netherlands, Estonia, Israel and Turkey.

The UK and Ireland tour of the original DreamWorks Production will be presented by Neal Street Productions, Playful Productions, Ron Kastner, Saracen Films, Tulchin/Bartner Productions, Gavin Kalin, Glass Half Full Productions/Just For Laughs Theatricals, Lee Menzies and Mark Cartwright.

 

Photography by Helen Maybanks

from the smash hit UK 2015 Tour 

 

 


TOUR DETAILS

 

Tuesday 12 December 2017 – Sunday 7 January 2018
EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh
0844 871 3014

Tuesday 16 January – Sunday 28 January 2018
PALACE THEATRE, MANCHESTER
www.atgtickets.com/manchester
0844 871 3019 

Wednesday 31 January – Sunday 11 February 2018
SUNDERLAND EMPIRE THEATRE
www.atgtickets.com/sunderland
0844 871 3022

Wednesday 14 February – Sunday 25 February 2018
NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM
www.atgtickets.com/birmingham
0844 871 3011

Wednesday 28 February – Sunday 11 March 2018
HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE, ABERDEEN
www.boxofficeaberdeen.com
01224 641 122
(General on sale Tuesday 28 February)

Wednesday 14 March – Sunday 25 March, 2018
ROYAL & DERNGATE, NORTHAMPTON
www.royalandderngate.co.uk
01604 624 811

Wednesday 2 May – Sunday 13 May 2018
REGENT THEATRE, STOKE
www.atgtickets.com/stoke
0844 871 7649

Tuesday 15 May – Sunday 27 May 2018
BLACKPOOL WINTER GARDENS THEATRE
www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk
01253 625 252

 

FURTHER TOUR DATES AND CASTING DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN DUE COURSE

 

www.shrekthemusical.co.uk

 

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Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday

SARAH & DUCK’S BIG TOP BIRTHDAY

The enchanting world of CBeebies’ hit animated series Sarah & Duck will be brought to life on stage for the first time this Spring. Featuring a host of wonderful characters from the BAFTA Award-winning show, embarking on a brand new adventure, Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday will play at Polka Theatre from Thursday 6 April to Sunday 14 May 2017, with a UK Tour launching from Eastbourne Hippodrome on Monday 29 May 2017.

Join Sarah and Duck, along with all their favourite friends including The Ribbon Sisters, The Shallots, John and Flamingo and Umbrella, as they plan a circus-themed birthday party for Scarf Lady in their garden. But when the weather turns windy and the big top is blown away, will Sarah and Duck be able to save the day? Told through a fantastic blend of inventive puppetry, charming storytelling and toe-tapping music, Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday will take families and children on a magical theatrical adventure.

Following the gentle adventures of a wide-eyed, 7-year-old girl and her feathered best friend, Sarah & Duck has been a huge hit since its debut in 2013, winning a BAFTA for ‘Best Pre-School Animation’ in 2014 and regularly appearing in CBeebies’ Top Ten programmes for viewers aged 4-15. Now in its third series, it is shown in over 100 counties around the world.

Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday is written by Peter Glanville, artistic director of Polka Theatre. It is directed by Roman Stefanski with set and puppet design by Laura McEwen. It is presented by MEI Theatrical in association with Polka Theatre. Sarah & Duck is a Karrot Entertainment production for CBeebies UK and BBC Worldwide.

 

www.sarahandduck.com


TOUR SCHEDULE

 

SARAH & DUCK’S BIG TOP BIRTHDAY

Recommended for children aged 3-6.

 

Saturday 1 – Sunday 2 April 2017

WELLINGBOROUGH, The Castle

Box Office www.castletheatre.co.uk

01933 270 007

 

Thursday 6 April – Sunday 14 May 2017

LONDON, POLKA THEATRE

Box Office www.polkatheatre.com

020 8543 4888

 

Monday 29 May 2017

EASTBOURNE Hippodrome

Box Office www.royalhippodrome.com

01323 80 20 20

 

Tuesday 30 May 2017

KETTERING, The Lighthouse

Box Office www.lighthousetheatre.co.uk

01536 414141

 

Wednesday 31 May 2017

PORTSMOUTH, Theatre Royal

Box Office www.newtheatreroyal.com

023 9264 9000

 

Friday 2 June 2017

SWANSEA, Taliesin Arts Centre

Box Office www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk

01792 602060

 

Saturday 3 June 2017

LEAMINGTON SPA, Royal Spa Centre

Box Office www.warwickdc.gov.uk/royalspacentre

01926 334418

 

Sunday 4 June 2017

STANTONBURY Theatre

Box Office www.stantonburytheatre.co.uk

01908 324466

 

Thursday 8 – Friday 9 June 2017

REDBRIDGE Drama Centre

Box Office www.redbridgedramacentre.co.uk

0208 708 8803

 

Saturday 10 June 2017

BROMSGROVE, The Artrix

Box Office www.artrix.co.uk

01527 577330

 

 

Sunday 11 – Monday 12 June 2017

NOTTINGHAM Playhouse

Box Office www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk

0115 941 9419

 

Thursday 15 June 2017

LUTON Library Theatre

Box Office www.lutonculture.com/luton-library-theatre

01582 878100

 

Friday 16 June 2017

BISHOPS STORTFORD, Rhodes Arts Complex

Box Office www.rhodesbishopsstortford.org.uk

01279 710 200

 

Saturday 17 June 2017

HERTFORD Theatre

Box Office www.hertfordtheatre.com

01992 531500

 

Sunday 18 – Tuesday 20 June 2017

BIRMINGHAM, MAC

Box Office www.macbirmingham.co.uk

0121 446 3232

 

Friday 23 June 2017

KIRKCALDY, Adam Smith Theatre

Box Office www.onfife.com

01592 583302

 

Saturday 24 June 2017

HOWDEN Park Centre

Box Office www.howdenparkcentre.co.uk

01506 777666

 

Sunday 25 June 2017

FALKIRK Town Hall

Box Office www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org

01324 506850

 

Monday 26 June 2017

DUMFRIES, Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust

Box Office www.peterpanmoatbrae.org

 

Tuesday 27 June 2017

DARLINGTON Majestic Theatre

Box Office www.majestic-theatre.co.uk

01325 482848

 

 

Thursday 29 June 2017

WINCHESTER Theatre Royal

Box Office www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk

01962 840440

 

Friday 30 June 2017

MILTON KEYNES Theatre

Box Office www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

0844 871 7652

 

Saturday 1 July 2017

BRIDGWATER, McMillan Theatre

Box Office www.mcmillantheatre.com

01278 556677

 

Sunday 2 July 2017

WANTAGE, The Beacon

Box Office www.beaconwantage.co.uk

01235 763456

 

Monday 3 July 2017

SHOREHAM-BY-SEA, Ropetackle Arts Centre

Box Office www.ropetacklecentre.co.uk

01273 464440

 

Tuesday 4 July 2017

LETCHWORTH, Broadway Theatre

Box Office www.broadway-letchworth.com

01462 681088

 

Wednesday 5 July 2017

CHESTERFIELD Pomegranate

Box Office www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk

01246 345 222

 

Saturday 8 July 2017

LINCOLN New Theatre Royal

Box Office www.newtheatreroyallincoln.co.uk

01522 519999

 

Sunday 9 July 2017

MIDDLESBROUGH Theatre

Box Office www.middlesbroughtheatre.co.uk | 01642 81 51 81