A different spin on Christmas at Live Theatre
Live Theatre will be marking the end of its bumper 50th birthday year with festive offerings that are a world away from the usual panto and fairytale, placing new work front and centre. There is radical new writing on the main stage with Three Acts of Love, co-created children’s work Wintry Tales: Snow Covered Maps and Mountainous Mayhem in the studio and a brand new mini-play with a Geordie Santa in the cosy Undercroft.
Opening the yuletide offering on Thursday 30 November is the much anticipated Three Acts of Love written by three female playwrights Laura Lindow, Naomi Obeng and Vici Wreford-Sinnott. Starring Imogen Stubbs, Laila Zaidi and Rebecca Glendenning-Laycock with live music by Jane Dent AKA Me Lost Me, this three-part production takes a deep dive into the word love, exploring how this complex emotion survives and thrives in different communities, real and online. For the first time in Live Theatre’s history, each performance will be captioned for audiences who are D/Deaf or hard of hearing. Throughout the production, audiences will be encouraged to participate in their own act of love by donating quality ladies wear to a clothing drive in support of charity Smartworks.
Live Theatre’s stocking full of family treats kicks off on Saturday 2 December with Santa at Live Theatre. It’s been a busy old year for Santa. People’s wishes keep getting bigger and stranger. Santa is feeling a little flustered, his beard’s getting in a twist and sometimes he just dreams of hopping on a reindeer and moving to Ibiza. But with the help of little ones, he might just be convinced to stay and make everything feel magical once again. Children can pop a wish in Santa’s post box and enjoy this enchanting experience on weekends from Saturday 1 to Saturday 23 December at 2.45pm and 4pm.
The irreverent Wintry Tales: Snow Covered Maps and Mountainous Mayhem from Saturday 9 – Saturday 23 December will take audiences on a trip to a mysterious snowy land full of fantastical stories featuring a Geordie witch, goblin gold, a mythical cat that only appears once every 100 years, a hercu-flea and a pirate that can shapeshift into a pug! Written by celebrated disabled writer Lisette Auton, from ideas submitted by children from Caedmon Community School, Percy Hedley School, Southwick Community Primary School and Westgate Hill Primary Academy, this is proper new writing for kids by kids. Bringing the characters to life will be local favourites, Maya Torres and Hannah Walker. The perfect alternative to panto, with showings at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 6pm. Wintry Tales: Snow Covered Maps and Mountainous Mayhem is priced £12 adults and £8 for children and Santa at Live Theatre is £10 for children with accompanying adults free. Tickets are going faster than Santa’s sleigh, with many performances already sold out, so bookers are advised to bag their tickets now! As a Christmas bonus, bookers for both Wintry Tales and Santa at Live Theatre can save 20%.
For those stumped for gifting ideas, why not give the gift of theatre to friends and family. Live Theatre Gift vouchers can be redeemed against tickets for upcoming productions and events or items in the online shop. Friends Membership offers a super range of benefits including invitations to exclusive events, 2 for 1 ticket offers and priority booking - starting at just £5 per month this is a unique and special gift for the theatre lover in your life.
With all-female casts and writing teams for Wintry Tales and Three Acts of Love, plus a renewed emphasis on access, these final shows are a sign of what’s to come for the Newcastle Quayside venue.
For more information on Live Theatre’s Christmas season and to book tickets go to www.live.org.uk or call Box Office on (0191) 232 1232.
