New season release January - April 08
Art and Entertainment at The Lowry, Salford Quays
January – April 2008
The Lowry steps into Spring with a spring in its step as our spectacular season of international entertainment features an exceptionally exciting programme of Dance and Drama…
We’ve two of the hottest dance tickets of all time – Matthew Bourne’s hilarious Nutcracker! and the explosive rhythms of British-originated world-wide hit show, Stomp.
From China, we’re privileged to stage the first North West visit by the Beijing Modern Dance Company, a unique group at the forefront of contemporary Chinese dance. From Canada, we’ve got the fantastic La La La Human Steps, redefining dance as we know it, and from Ireland, there’s the pretty fabulous Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre, with a dance drama and 11 fantastic international performers.
And there’s more…a showcase gala for legendary ballerina Sylvie Guillem and Russell Maliphant; Birmingham Royal Ballet’s wonderfully spectacular Swan Lake, and return visits by the exquisite Richard Alston Dance Company and the highly acclaimed and hugely popular NDT1.
Our season of Drama is pretty much unmissable too. Nigel Havers leads the cast of another brilliantly witty hit by Alan Bennett, Single Spies. The National Theatre return, with the rave-reviewed Rafta Rafta, by East Is East author Ayub Khan-Din based on Bill Naughton’s Northern comedy classic, All In Good Time. Also returning is the multi-award-winning Donmar Warehouse, this time with their brand new production of Arthur Miller’s The Man Who Had All The Luck.
One of the hottest drama tickets must be the five star reviewed, gymnastically jaw-dropping production of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis from the Lyric Hammersmith and Iceland’s Vesturport Theatre. We also see the return of the unique talents of Cheek By Jowl and the Chekhov International Festival in a brilliant staging of Boris Godunov, featuring some of Russia’s greatest actors.
Plus…an epic production of all our yesterdays saga, Our Friends In The North and the post-West End revival of Michael Frayn’s classic reunion comedy, Donkeys’ Years.
Our Comedy line-up of highly diverse laughter-makers is headed by Dave Spikey, Omid Djalili, Dara O Briain and Jason Byrne. Among the, so far, lesser known but definite tips for the top, is If.Comedy Best Newcomer Josie Long.
The big Family attraction for all ages has to be The Snowman, the classic tale that will melt all hearts. Plus, we also have the first live stage version of CBeebies favourite, LazyTown. Also look out for Comedy Club 4 Kids as well as Shakespeare 4 Kids’ exciting versions of Hamlet and The Tempest. We’re also excited to welcome Pop-Up Theatre with their interactive, TV game-show inspired production, Britain’s Next Top Family.
Our Music programme could hardly be more varied. It ranges from an evening with the legendary Dionne Warwick, to the extraordinary Boy George, Jethro Tull, the re-invented Swingle Singers and on to rock and roll icon Bill Wyman. Pushing out the boundaries further, the inspirational power of the Soweto Gospel Choir should raise the roof and if they don’t manage it, the stunning Yamato Drummers most certainly will.
For fans of Musicals there is a great new revival of Hello, Dolly! and we’ve an Operetta, in the sparkling form of the highly-praised Opera della Luna’s fashionably updated Gilbert and Sullivan favourite, The Mikado.
Opera North are bringing their weird and wonderful family opera, The Adventures of Pinocchio as well as Puccini’s mega-weepie, Madama Butterfly, plus their astonishing, award-winning, absolutely must-see, Peter Grimes, with the original creative team and cast.
Over in The Galleries, the must-sees include Lowry Favourites, and a retrospective of photographs by Salford artist Harold Riley. With Exploding Paintings
we also take an in-depth look at 3 Lowry paintings – from totally new viewpoints. In our foyers look out for Spacecadets Greenhouse display of giant inflatable plants and flowers. We’re also staging a Shakespeare Youth Festival, a National Youth Theatre showcase and many other community events. It’s another four months packed with the very best of live entertainment and visual art.
Posted on Friday, 09 November 2007 under Press Theatre Press