Theatres - Still Showing - February 11 onwards

Feb 11 2010 by Michael Green, Chester Chronicle

STILL SHOWING

AND A NIGHTINGALE SANG (New Vic Theatre, Etruria Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, January 29-February 20)

A TEAM of TV talents are swapping soaps for Spam sandwiches for this wartime comedy. Katherine Dow Blyton of Hollyoaks is joining forces with Eastenders director Sarah Punshon for CP Taylor’s play, filled with musical favourites from the 40s. In World War Two Newcastle upon Tyne, the Stotts are an eccentric family waging personal battles against the terrifying backdrop of war. Amid the air raid sirens and fears of poison gas, Mam makes Spam sandwiches, Dad makes his own entertainment, Grandpa mourns his dead whippet, and daughters Joyce and Helen discover the joy and heartbreak of first love. Ring 01782 717962 or visit www.newvictheatre.org.uk.

CALENDAR GIRLS (The Lowry, Salford Quays, February 9-20)

FOLLOWING two sell-out weeks at The Lowry, Calendar Girls has become the fastest selling tour ever and has triumphed in the West End. Now it’s back for one final season starring Lynda Bellingham, Gemma Atkinson, Judith Barker, Letitia Dean, Jan Harvey and Hannah Waterman. A group of ordinary women do something extraordinary and spark a global phenomenon when they persuade one another to pose for a charity calendar with a difference! Visit www.thelowry.com or ring 0870 111 2000.

DANCING IN THE STREETS (Empire Theatre, Lime Street, Liverpool, February 8-13)

A CELEBRATION of 50 years of Motown with a company that dynamically recreates the energy, style and music of the stars of the Motown stable including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, The Four Topes and The Temptations. Visit www.liverpoolempire.org.uk or ring 0844 847 2525.

THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (The Brindley, High Street, Runcorn, February 9-13)

ANNE, 13,Šand her family went into hiding in Amsterdam in 1942 to escape the Nazi persecution of the Jewish community. The play shows the tensions within the family, the trauma of their confinement, the heartbreak of loss - and the triumph of the spirit. Visit www.thebrindley.org.uk or ring 0151 907 8360.

GHOST STORIES (Playhouse Theatre, Williamson Square, Liverpool, February 4-20)

A TRULY terrifying theatrical experience written and directed by Jeremy Dyson of The League of Gentlemen fame and Andy Nyman, who co-created Derren Brown’s TV and stage shows. This is a spectacular 80 minute ride that will chill and thrill in equal measure. Not suitable for anyone under the age of 15 or of a nervous disposition. Visit www.everymanplayhouse.com or ring 0151 709 4776.

LES MISERABLES (Palace Theatre, Oxford Street, Manchester, January 19-February 13)

CAMERON Mackintosh present this 25th anniversary production of the world’s longest running musical. Heading an impressive cast is Broadway and West End star John Owen Jones as Jean Valjean, Earl Carpenter as Javert and Pop Idol winner Gareth Gates as Marius. The legendary score includes I Dreamed A Dream, Master of the House and Do You Hear The People Sing. Ring 0844 847 2484 or visit www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk.

A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, January 27-February 20)

LORRAINE Hansberry’s play was the first written by a black woman to be produced on Broadway, winning the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for best play of 1959. Lena’s life on Chicago’s Southside has always been about staying alive with “a pinch of dignity”. Now the insurance money from her husband’s death is coming through, her family sees the chance to make their dreams come true. But when those dreams conflict, it becomes harder than ever to retain that dignity. Visit www.royalexchange.co.uk or ring 0161 833 9833.

SALT (Royal Exchange Theatre Studio, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, February 3-20)

WORLD premiere of Fiona Peek’s sparkling and seductive play, one of four winners of the Bruntwood Playwriting Competition. Though Amy and Simon have the money and children that life has so far denied Nick and Rachel, a friendship forged years ago remains constant. When they find the cash to enable their friends to hold on to their dreams, a simple act of charity brings everything bubbling to the surface. Visit www.royalexchange.co.uk or ring 0161 833 9833.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (Anthony Hopkins Theatre, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, February 4-27)

ONE of the greatest modern classics, this is the powerful story - based on the book by Harper Lee - of a fight for racial justice in a community divided and ruled by prejudice and discrimination. In Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s, momentous events unfold through the eyes of eight-year-old Scout Finch who lives in a close-knit neighbourhood with older brother Jem and lawyer father Atticus. Visit www.clwyd-theatr-cymru.co.uk or ring 0845 330 3565.