Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate Jesse Jones has confirmed details of the remaining 2024 season.
Following the emergency closure of the building due to the discovery of RAAC and the ensuing works to make things safe again, with the building earlier this month back in business, Jones is delighted to reveal a rich and diverse programme of work that demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to supporting local artists as well as offering a broad and exciting range of work in both of the spaces.
The Made In Northampton programming strand will see co-producing partnerships with new writing giant Paines Plough, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with a new production called My Mother’s Funeral: The Show. Alongside this Royal & Derngate will partner with the Rose Theatre in Kingston, Bristol Old Vic and Malvern Theatres on a new stage adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s international best-selling novel Never Let Me Go.
At Christmas, Made In Northampton is proud to present a new world premiere production of a stage adaptation of Janet and Allan Ahlberg’s family favourite The Jolly Christmas Postman for audiences of all ages.
Jesse Jones, Artistic Director:
“As I enter the final weeks of rehearsal for Moby Dick, it is exciting to look ahead to our co-productions with Paines Plough and the Rose Theatre, who we will collaborate with to stage new and vital productions for our Northampton audiences. I am also delighted that we will be bringing Janet and Allan Ahlberg’s beautiful seasonal classic The Jolly Christmas Postman to life for younger audiences.”
Royal & Derngate presents alongside its produced work an array of the very best touring work in the UK.
Holly Gladwell, Deputy CEO (Programming and Producing), who has co-curated the full season with Jones, said: “What makes Royal & Derngate particularly special is being able to create seasons of work that platform our own original Made In Northampton work, while also bringing some of the best touring shows and companies to our Northampton audiences. We’re particularly excited this season to be able to welcome West End hits such as Bonnie and Clyde, the brilliant Birmingham Royal Ballet’s BRB2, and a new musical Our Little Hour celebrating local hero Walter Tull.”
The visiting programme ranges from blockbuster musicals like Sister Act and Dear Evan Hansen, as well as internationally renowned companies like the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Touring theatrical favourites like Pride and Prejudice* (* Sort Of) feature with comedy favourites like Sarah Millican and Ben Elton and there are musical treats from the likes of Beverley Knight and Jools Holland.
Royal & Derngate is also committed to a programme of work supporting both local artists and community and education groups for whom artistic provision is so vital in these challenging times. This is epitomised in the Generate Programme the centrepiece of which is GenFest, a weeklong festival of brand new work by artists from the region.
Jesse Jones, Artistic Director added: “Since my arrival at Royal & Derngate eight months ago, I’ve enjoyed the time spent with artists in helping to think about the role we can play in their development and I look forward to building on these programmes even further in the seasons ahead.”
PROGRAMME DETAILS CAN BE SEEN ON THE NEXT PAGE…
