2023
CRUCIBLE THEATRE
- The Good Person of Szechwan: A new production marking the 80th anniversary of Bertolt Brecht’s
popular play commissioned by ETT and co-produced by Sheffield Theatres, ETT and Lyric Hammersmith
Theatre. This new version by writer Nina Segal is directed by Sheffield Theatres RTYDS Associate Artistic Director
Anthony Lau (Anna Karenina).
Saturday 11 March - Saturday 1 April 2023
PLAYHOUSE
- Birds and Bees: Produced by Sheffield Theatres and Theatre Centre, this brand-new play by Charlie Josephine, about the real-world consequences of virtual life and going viral, will be directed by Rob Watt (Human Nurture).
Wednesday 25 January - Saturday 11 February 2023
2022
CRUCIBLE THEATRE
- The Contingency Plan: On the Beach
and Resilience, the extraordinary climate change double bill by Steve Waters will now be staged at Sheffield’s Crucible theatre this Autumn. The plays, directed by Caroline Steinbeis and Chelsea Walker, were originally scheduled for March and postponed due to the effect of the rise in Omicron at the beginning of the year.
Friday 14 October and Saturday 5 November 2022
PLAYHOUSE
- How a City Can Save the World: Celebrating 10 years of Sheffield People’s Theatre with a new play developed with Stockroom, Sheffield Theatres’ intergenerational theatre company for anyone aged 12+ will be directed by Tess Seddon. Five strangers get into a lift in Sheffield, and when the doors open, they find themselves in 2116 in the very different city of 'Sheffuld'.
Wednesday 3 – Saturday 6 August 2022 at 7.00pm
- Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo and Franco Rame, adapted by comedy writer Tom Basden will be directed byDaniel Raggett and starsDaniel Rigby (Black Mirror) as The Maniac.
Friday 23 September - Saturday 15 October 2022
They join other productions announced in the 2022 50th Anniversary season including ROCK / PAPER / SCISSORS by Chris Bush (Thursday 16 June - Saturday 2 July 2022, Crucible, Lyceum and PlayhouseTheatres), Much Ado About Nothing (Friday 9 - Saturday 24 September 2022, Crucible Theatre and touring) and Standing at the Sky’s Edge by Richard Hawley and Chris Bush (Saturday 10 December 2022 - Saturday 21 January 2023, Crucible Theatre).
Robert Hastie, Artistic Directorof Sheffield Theatres, said:
“Our 50th year is all about putting bold work on our stages, telling important stories from Sheffield and beyond, and sharing in the unique opportunities and atmosphere that only live theatre can give us. And we’re only just halfway through this birthday year. We are about to open our centrepiece productions: ROCK / PAPER / SCISSORS, written by the inimitable Chris Bush. The three plays are alternate visions of the future and a witty and heartfelt exploration of how the past can help or hinder our fates.
Today we’re adding more shows to our anniversary season. The first is Birds and Bees, in co-production with Theatre Centre - the team behind the brilliant Human Nurture, which had a huge impact in the Playhouse and in local schools at the beginning of the year. Birds and Bees is anew play by Charlie Josephine, directed by Rob Watt, andexplores the real-life consequences of the virtual world.
Then into spring, we’re staging The Good Person of Szechwan, adapted by Nina Segal. Marking the 80th anniversary of Bertolt Brecht’s popular play, we are very excited to be co-producing this story of moral compass with ETT and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, also commissioned by ETT. Following his epic retelling of Anna Karenina, Sheffield Theatres RTYDS AssociateArtisticDirector Anthony Lau directs this play performed by a company of actors predominantly of East Asian heritage.
We also celebrate 10 years of Sheffield People’s Theatre this year. Our intergenerational theatre company has teamed up with writing powerhouse Stockroom, who together will find out: How A City Can Save the World.
These shows join our previously announced autumn season. I’ll be directing Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, which we co-produce with the ground-breaking Ramps On The Moon, before the production heads out on tour to bring joy and inclusivity to stages across the UK.
Steve Waters’ The Contingency Plan, made up of On the Beach
and Resilience, will run in the Crucible from October when Caroline Steinbeis and Chelsea Walker bring these fearless, funny, frightening plays to the stage.
The autumn continues with Dario Fo’s 20th century classic Accidental Death of An Anarchist in the Playhouse, which is adapted by award-winning stage and screen comedy writer Tom Basden. Playing The Maniac is Daniel Rigby, who we are delighted to welcome back to Sheffield Theatres after his razor sharp performances in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Frost/Nixon.
And we end 2022 with the triumphant return of Standing at the Sky’s Edge. This home-grown musical by Chris Bush and Richard Hawley is co-produced with Various Productions and the National Theatre, and we’re thrilled that following its run in the Crucible for Christmas, it will play at the National’s Olivier Theatre in 2023.”
Dan Bates, Chief Executive of Sheffield Theatres, said:
“At this halfway point of our 50th birthday year we are approaching twelve months since reopening the Crucible after the pandemic, and it is truly fabulous to be working across all three theatres once again. I am hugely excited about the next set of shows we have in store. We’re so grateful to all the people who supported us over the past few years and, with the variety of top shows we have on offer, it’s our way of celebrating and saying thank you. We can’t wait to welcome even more people through our doors to experience more magical nights out.
As we look back at the amazing work of our 50th season so far, we’re looking forward to the bold and brilliant work our future holds.”
GUEST PRODUCTIONS
In addition to the new work produced by Sheffield Theatres, a number of new touring productions come to the Lyceum and Playhouse in the next season:
Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch comes to the Lyceum theatre from Wednesday 5 - Thursday 6 October. Disney villain. Octo-woman. Plus-size icon. Take the plunge as Ursula reveals what really happened under the sea in this critically-acclaimed, not-for-kids hit parody musical.
RUSH, A Joyous Jamaican Journey plays on Friday 7- Saturday 8 October. Narrated by comedian John Simmit and featuring ska, rock steady, calypso, gospel, lovers rock, dancehall and Reggae played live by the JA Reggae Band, follow the story of Reggae music and the Windrush Generation and hear how this music took the world by storm.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea comes to the Lyceum from Monday 7 - Wednesday 9 November. Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos. Direct from the West End, this Olivier Award-nominated smash hit show is based on the well-loved book by Judith Kerr.
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical then plays for one night only on Friday 11 November.
A writer of musicals is on a deadline and needs help. The audience shout out suggestions of a setting, musical styles and the title of the show and the Showstopper team – cast and band – will then weave together a brand new musical with the pizzazz of a Broadway show!
STOS present their amateur production of Sunshine on Leith from Tuesday 15 - Saturday 19 November.Set to a backdrop of timeless hits from The Proclaimers, this vibrant and energetic show will be sure to get you walking ‘500 miles’ to see it, as it is produced for the first time in Sheffield by STOS Theatre Company.
In to the new year, Deathdrop: Back in the Habit runs from Tuesday 10 - Saturday 14 January.A gaggle of fabulous nuns are trapped in their convent, with a serial slayer slashing their way through the sisters. As the clues are unearthed by Sis Marple, you’ll be laughing in the pews as the hilarious, fierce, all-drag killer comedy comes to its thrilling and uproarious conclusion.
An Inspector Calls at the Lyceum from Tuesday 2 - Saturday 6 May. When Inspector Goole arrives unexpectedly at the prosperous Birling family home, their peaceful dinner party is shattered by his investigations into the death of a young woman. His startling revelations shake the very foundations of their lives and challenge us all to examine our consciences.
The National Theatre’s major new stage adaptation of The Ocean at the End of the Lane runs from Tuesday 9 - Saturday 20 May 2023. This thrilling adventure of fantasy, myth and friendship blends magic with memory in a tour-de-force of storytelling that takes audiences on an epic journey to a childhood once forgotten and the darkness that lurks at the very edge of it. From the imagination of Neil Gaiman, best-selling author of Coraline, Good Omens and The Sandman.
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap embarks on its 70th anniversary tour, coming to the Lyceum from Tuesday 30 May - Saturday 3 June. As news spreads of a murder in London, a group of seven strangers find themselves snowed in at a remote countryside guesthouse. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that a killer is in their midst! Which one is the murderer? Who will be their next victim? Can you solve this world-famous mystery for yourself?
Over in the Playhouse, I am [not] Kanye West plays on Tuesday 25 October. Tash is a simple girl. She’s Black. She’s Queer. She’s a woman. A vibrant, powerful, and hilarious solo show written and performed by Natasha Brown.
Set in a dystopian England, Quiet Rebels plays on Friday 28 October and tells stories of white working-class women who crossed the colour line to marry men of the Windrush generation.
The MP, Aunty Mandy and Me, a bittersweet tale of political campaigns, sexual consent and steam trains, set in a small northern village five miles from the nearest gay, is on at the Playhouse on Tuesday 1 November.
Jarman plays on Thursday 3 November. Extraordinary artist Derek Jarman is brought back to life in this vibrant new solo play written and performed by Mark Farrelly (Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope).
James Rowland (Team Viking, A Hundred Different Words for Love) returns to the Playhouse with his latest show
Learning to Fly on Thursday 10 November. A new show featuring his captivating mix of theatre, comedy and music.
HMDT Music present Jina and the STEM Sisters from Thursday 17 - Saturday 19 November. Join lost budding scientist Jina on her adventure home, empowered by some of history’s super-STEM women.
Unnatural Cycles: A Ghost Story plays on Wednesday 30 November. An exploration of infertility, faith and bearing the weight of generational trauma.
Jack Frost and the Search for Winter is this year’s festive Playhouse production for younger audiences, running from Tuesday 13 - Saturday 31 December. When temperatures drop and cold snaps come, that means only one thing: Jack Frost is here! Join tutti frutti for this enchanting new play by poet and playwright Joseph Coelho
with important environmental themes, a touch of wintery fun and original live music.
Tickets for 2022 Sheffield Theatres productions are on sale now.
Tickets for Birds and Bees, The Good Person of Szechwan and all newly-announced guest showsare on sale to Centre Stage Members at 10am on Saturday 25 June 2022 and on general sale at 10am on Saturday 2 July 2022.
Accessible performances are available on the majority of productions. Tickets can be booked through the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0114 249 6000 or online.
