With a lot of exciting up-and-coming studios taking their work on tour, the Key looks like it is on to a winner as it develops its drama audience.
There’s award-winners, Shakespeare, a comedy immortalised by the Two Ronnies 50 years ago and work from Peterborough’s own Revellers and Playgoers to look forward to.
Here’s the line up:
THE PHANTOM RASPBERRY BLOWER OF OLD LONDON TOWN September 13 In Victorian England, a rotten, raspberry blower is claiming the lives of the upper-classes. The dark alleyways and moonlit graveyards of London are alive with the repetitive dins of the Phantom. Immortalised by The Two Ronnies, this Jack the Ripper parody is raspberry-jam-packed with Spike Milligan’s and Ronnie Barker’s love of surreal absurdism, clever puns, near-the-knuckle ribaldry, quick-fire jokes and famous wordplay. Celebrating the 50th anniversary since its original broadcast in 1976, this newly adapted stage play brings the Phantom back to life like never before.
Romeo and Juliet September 16 and 17 The Duke’s Theatre Company presents Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a bold reimagining of the iconic tragedy directed by Joseph Pitcher. Blending dynamic staging, evocative sound, and the enduring power of Shakespeare’s verse, this retelling illuminates the passion, peril, and youthful intensity at the play’s core.
Mr Jones – An Aberfan Story by Liam Holmes September 22-26 On the morning of 21 October 1966, after days of heavy rain, 150,000 tonnes of coal waste engulfed the village of Aberfan, killing 144 people including 116 children at Pantglas Junior School. Rather than dramatise the disaster itself, Liam Holmes chose to focus on its emotional and social aftermath – using drama, spoken word, verbatim and soundscapes to tell a complex story. Through reflective conversations between two fictional characters, Stephen and Angharad, the play explores contrasting opinions on loss, resilience and national pride, and confronts the reality of collective grief.
Queenagers! September 23 (Studio) All hail the queen of cabaret events – a show comprising stand up, music and monologues that explores the high, lows, rage and hilarity of the menopause – and the uplifting freedom and positivity it can bring in the right company! Based on Jennifer Kennedy’s award winning Facebook blog Is It Just Me and her sell-out Edinburgh stand up show Menopausal Mayhem.
The Highwayman by John Godber September 28-30 A new thrilling theatrical romantic adventure from the writer of ‘Bouncers’ and ‘Do I Love You?’ History has never felt so modern, theft never more attractive.
Fire Fire October 7 (Studio) Today Eddie is holding a memorial for his brother at a country park close to their homes on a council estate. Today is also the day Paige decides to close the road to this countryside sanctuary in a protest about climate action. Naturally, when the pair meet sparks fly, insults are traded in a fiery exchange. Fire Fire is an exciting, moving drama about people taking big risks to protest, people who love to hate them, and how some people discover they have a deeper purpose in common.
Matt – Expanding the Conversation Tour October 9 A powerful and deeply human theatre production based on the real-life experiences of writer, director and lead actor Peter Dewar. Raw, intimate and emotionally honest, Matt explores depression, anxiety, addiction and the silent battles many people carry behind closed doors.
The Void October 21 and 22 A chilling sci-fi horror created for the stage – a decaying future of desperate humans, all-seeing AI, and memories of a distant, dangerous past. Combining powerful illusions, atmospheric projections and a creeping sense of dread, this story asks… what are you afraid of?
Peterborough Playgoers: The Girl Next Door October 21-24 Placing wartime and lock-down life side by side, Alan Ayckbourn’s 85th play is a touching, tender and of course, funny, reflection on the ability of love to rise above adversity and reach across the years. Veteran actor Rob Hathaway, stuck at home during the summer of 2020 with only his sensible older sister for company, has little to do but relive his glory days. One day he spots a stranger hanging out the washing in the adjoining garden – but the neighbours haven’t been around for months. So who is the mysterious girl next door, and why is she wearing 1940’s clothing?
Peterborough Revellers present: Terry Pratchett’s The Hogfather October 28-31(Studio) The Hogfather is missing and, frankly, Death creeping down your chimney with a chilling, “HO, HO, HO!” just doesn’t seem quite right. To cap it all, the Tooth Fairy is in mortal jeopardy and the very essence of belief is under threat. Can Susan, governess extraordinaire (and, incidentally, Death’s granddaughter), save the day while there is still a day to save?
Woodhill November 7 and 8 Three men at Woodhill prison are dead. Their families demand answers. This is a call to arms about the crisis facing prisons. Gut punching choreography and unflinching beats shine a light on the hidden story of HMP Woodhill. Lyrically told in their own words, three families investigate what happened to their boys. What they discover is so haunting, it turns their world upside down.
The Disappearing Man November 17-21 Returning to a once-glittering seaside town, washed-up magician Bazza Cadabra is ready for a final comeback, determined to reclaim the spotlight and prove he’s still got what it takes 20 years on. But every trick has a price. This comeback isn’t just about applause. At the heart of Bazza’s ambition is something far more fragile, his bond with his son.
Tickets from www.keytheatre-peterborough.com
