Northampton regenerates Tennessee Williams’s play

Published: 19 July 2014
Reporter: Steve Orme

Regeneration, the first in-house production of the autumn at Northampton's Royal and Derngate

The world première of the stage adaptation of World War I novel Regeneration and a new staging of Tennessee Williams’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof are among the highlights of the autumn season at Northampton’s Royal and Derngate.

The Made in Northampton season starts with Nicholas Wright’s adaptation of Pat Barker’s Regeneration, marking the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. It forms the centrepiece of a range of cultural events in collaboration with Northampton Museum and Art Gallery to commemorate the town’s contribution to the war.

Nicholas Wright’s work includes an adaptation of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, which played at the National Theatre in 2004. A Birmingham REP and West Yorkshire Playhouse co-production toured in 2009.

Former Royal and Derngate associate director Simon Goodwin directs Regeneration, a co-production with the Touring Consortium Theatre Company. It runs in Northampton from Friday 29 August until Saturday 20 September before touring nationwide.

Royal and Derngate's artistic director James Dacre takes the helm for the next production, a new staging of Tennessee Williams's Pulitzer Prize-winning Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.

Award-winning band White Lies provides an original score and Mariah Gale, fresh from roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, will play Maggie.

A co-production with Newcastle's Northern Stage and Manchester's Royal Exchange, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof can be seen in Northampton from Wednesday 1 October until Saturday 18 October.

Royal and Derngate will welcome some of the best touring drama and musicals. New Jersey Nights, which celebrates the music of Frank Valli and the Four Seasons, visits Northampton from 15 until 20 September and is followed by the National Theatre production One Man, Two Guvnors, with Shaun Williamson and Emma Barton from 22 until 27 September.

Richard Alston Dance Company returns with Alston’s latest work Rejoice in the Lamb on 30 September and 1 October.

Tim Firth, who penned Calendar Girls has come up with a new musical, This Is My Family, touring to Northampton from 21 until 25 October.

On Monday 3 November, Simon Callow will perform on the Royal stage The Man Jesus while Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens will return with their tribute to Morecambe and Wise, Eric And Little Ern, on Saturday 8 November.

The Woman in Black should grip Royal audiences from 10 until 15 November while in the same week The Full Monty will have nothing to hide in Derngate.

Michael Palin arrives in Northampton on Sunday 5 October with his new show, Travelling To Work, while the following day An Evening With Sir Roger Moore will feature the legendary film star chatting about his life and career.

At Christmas, Ella Hickson’s world première of Merlin takes to the Royal stage from Wednesday 26 November until Sunday 4 January while Joe Pasquale is the headline act in Peter Pan which runs in Derngate from Friday 5 December until Sunday 4 January.

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