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Everyone Has A Thing… for DRAMA! There are a whole host of dramas on show at The Grand Theatre in the coming months. From the gentle intrigue of Father Brown: Murderer in the Mirror to the captivating and emotional Private Peaceful, there are plays for anyone and everyone to enjoy (of all ages).
Ultimately, getting a play from the page to the stage is a monumental achievement. It’s a big team effort and writers, actors, stage managers, directors, musicians and many more all need to be on the top of their game if they want to keep an audience engaged with the story they’re telling.
It is interesting to look at how these plays came to be, how they were inspired and written, and how they have developed over time. Below we’ve highlighted some of the dramas that you’ll be able to see at The Grand Theatre and delved into how they were created.
Catch Me If You Can is a play by American writers Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert. The story of the play was inspired by a French play by writer, actor and film director Robert Thomas.
Before we get too far we’d best point out that this Catch Me If You Can is not the same as the Speilberg film Catch Me If You Can starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo Dicaprio that many of you may have seen. This isn’t the tale of a conman on the run from the FBI.
Instead, Weinstock and Gilbert’s Catch Me If You Can is about the disappearance of a newly married woman in the remote Catskill mountains. When a woman arrives claiming to be the missing woman and the husband accuses her of being an imposter, the events of the story kick into gear.
There are similarities between the two stories. Each poses the question: “To what lengths is a person prepared to go?”, and as an audience member you’re always kept on the edge of your seat, wondering what’s going to happen next and who you should keep a close eye on.
The play was co-authored by Weinstock and Gilbert in the 1960s. Jack Weinstock, who died in 1969 – only a few years after the play premiered on Broadway at the Morosco Theatre, was an American author and playwright best known for writing the hit musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Tryin
Alongside Weinstock for both How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Catch Me If You Can was Willie Gilbert. Born William Gomberg in Cleveland, Ohio, Gilbert’s talent first emerged as a humour writer for the Glenville High School Torch on which he worked alongside future playwright Jerome Lawrence and the creators of Superman – Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
After he graduated from High School, Gilbert worked extensively in television for children’s programs Howdy Doody and Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. In the 1970s, Gilbert returned to children’s television, writing for beloved shows like Yogi Bear and Scooby-Doo.
This stage production starts Dallas legend Patrick Duffy, Linda Purl (Homeland) and Gray O’Brien. Directed by Bob Tomson.
Together, Weinstock and Gilbert were a formidable writing duo and they won a Tony Award for their musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. A few years later they continued their writing success with Catch Me If You Can which had 111 performances during 1965. While the play did not go on to receive the awards garnered by their first collaboration, it is still an expertly crafted drama with intrigue and twists throughout.
Book now for American writers Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert’s Catch Me If You Can (Mon 7 Mar – Sat 12 Mar)
Father Brown is the invention of acclaimed English novelist G.K. Chesterton. From 1910 to 1936 Chesterton wrote a total of 53 short stories featuring the fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective.
What makes Father Brown different from other fictional amatuer detectives is his keen understanding of human nature and his parochial wit, which derives from G.K. Chesterton’s own incredible intellect. Chesterton loosely based the character of Father Brown on the Rt Rev. Msgr. John O’Connor – a parish priest in Bradford.
Over the years the character of Father Brown has been played by Alec Guinnes, Kenneth More, Walter Connoly and most recently by Mark Williams, who is known for his work on The Fast Show and in the Harry Potter films as Arthur Weasley. Williams’s turn as Father Brown began in 2013 when the BBC launched a Father Brown TV show, which is responsible for the character’s widespread popularity today.
The show, which follows Father Brown as he solves crimes around the fictional village of Kembleford, is in its ninth series and has a dedicated base of fans up and down the country. If you are a fan of the TV show, then Father Brown: Murderer in The Mirror will be right up your street. The tone and feel of the detective period television show and the wit of the original G.K. Chesterton short stories is ably replicated here in this gently humorous and engaging murder mystery play.
The play in question was written by John Goodrum who is an actor, director, playwright and founder of the Rumpus Theatre Company, based in Derbyshire County, England. Goodrum has spun his own tale involving the mild-mannered priest Father Brown who always seems to be in the right place at the right time.
This particular Father Brown tale begins when a famous actor is found dead just before the opening of his latest West End production. Father Brown (played by John Lyons (hugely familiar to audiences from his 17 years as DS George Toolan, David Jason’s sidekick in A Touch of Frost)) is invited by the leading actor to watch the dress rehearsal and sees at once in the shattered dressing room mirror that all is not as it seems.
It is on Father Brown to sift through the many suspects and uncover the murderer. As with all Father Brown stories there is plenty of fun to be had watching the humble amateur detective use his intuition to solve the crimes.
Book now for TV detective Father Brown: Murderer in The Mirror (Tue 22 Mar – Sat 26 Mar)
You will have probably heard of George Orwell’s satirical novella Animal Farm. The biting allegory has been adapted for the big and small screen many times over the years. Today it is also a hit stage production thanks to the adaptation by, and under the direction of, Robert Icke.
The world-famous fable, which can be enjoyed by children as well as adults, is all about the story of a revolution and its aftermath. The original book tells the story of a group of farm animals who decide to stage an uprising against their human farmer. They want to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy, but they soon learn that their task is more difficult than it first seemed.
According to Orwell, the fable reflects the lead-up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and how this eventually developed into the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union. Despite these heavy themes the story was written in a way that was digestible and engaging for children, and in its adaptation for the stage by Robert Icke this original spirit of accessibility and excellent storytelling is retained.
Animal Farm is directed by Robert Icke, whose version of 1984 (co-adapted and directed with Duncan Macmillan) was a smash-hit in the West End and on Broadway. The brand new production appearing at The Grand Theatre features puppetry by Toby Olié (whose credits include War Horse, Running Wild and Goodnight Mister Tom) and is designed by four-time Olivier Award-winner Bunny Christie.
The stage production, which is co-produced by the Children’s Theatre Partnership with an 11+ age rating, is bleak and thoughtful. The puppetry and the subject matter is akin to War Horse, which will be familiar to many play-goers. And as Liam O’Dell stated in his review of this 2022 production of Animal Farm, “If you think about the final sentences of Orwell’s classic allegory on communism, about it being impossible to distinguish between the rebellious animals and man, then the use of puppetry is not only practical, but marvelously fitting.”
Animal Farm continues to captivate audiences today in part thanks to the tremendous adaptation work by Robert Icke. An award-winning writer and theatre director, Robert Icke has been referred to as “the great hope of British theatre”. Still only thirty-five, Icke has managed to make a name for himself with plays like The Wild Duck (2018) and The Doctor (2019). And with Animal Farm he has accomplished a great feat of adaptation and direction that has become must-see theatre.
Book now for George Orwell’s satirical novella Animal Farm (Tue 19 Apr – Sat 23 Apr)
Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful was adapted into a play in 2004 by Simon Reade. The story follows a soldier called Thomas “Tommo” Peaceful, who is reminiscing about his life from the trenches of World War I in France. In Morpurgo’s novel for older children, each chapter of the book draws the reader closer and closer to the present until the story eventually turns to present tense. The general themes of the book are about the tragedy and futility of war and these themes are also depicted in Simon Reade’s play of the same name.
Morpurgo, author of War Horse, and The Butterfly Lion, has called Private Peaceful his favourite work. And this thrilling ensemble retelling by Simon Reade, directed by Elle While, is testament to the quality of the original and its exploration of universal themes of loss, ineptitude and bravery.
Some of you may have read Private Peaceful at school, where it has often been assigned to young readers in English Literature classes since it was published in 2003. Alternatively, you may have seen the 2012 film adaptation directed by Pat O’Connor and starring Jack O’Connell (Skins, Unbroken, Starred Up) and George MacKay (1917, Captain Fantastic, Munich: The Edge of War). The film, which also marks the final released performance of Richard Griffiths, is a faithful adaptation of Morpugo’s work that garnered favourable reviews on release.
Adaptation is a tricky business. However, it hasn’t seemed too difficult for dramatist, director and producer Simon Reade who adapted Private Peaceful into a play only a couple years after the release of the book. Reade, who also adapted Pride and Prejudice in 2009, has been Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic and Literary Manager of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).
With his adaptation of Private Peaceful Reade has managed to tell the story of the Peaceful brothers, Tommo and Charlie, with great sensitivity and drama. Against the epic backdrop of WW1, audiences watch as the 18-year-old Private Tommo Peaceful journeys through his most cherished memories and tells his story of courage, devotion, family and friendship. It is a timeless tale that manages to capture an array of human emotions with simple storytelling and sensitive direction.
To learn exactly how the whole production came together, and what Private Peaceful looks like on stage, check out Simon Reade’s piece in The Guardian, “How I adapted Private Peaceful for the stage and screen – in pictures”.
Book now for Michael Morpurgo’s favourite work Private Peaceful (Mon 2 May – Sat 7 May)
If you would prefer something a little less dramatic and a bit more comedic, why not see Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, an adaptation of the classic 70s British sitcom of the same name. The play version, directed by the award-winning Guy Unsworth, is based on the TV comedy by Ray Allen, and is filled to the brim with exactly the same kind of good-natured humour and gags.
The original Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, broadcast on BBC1, was created and written by Raymond Allen and starred Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice. It came 22nd on a national poll of Britain’s Best Sitcom and was noteworthy for its catchphrases and outlandish stunt work.
The series was first broadcast in 1973 and ran for two seasons, including two Christmas specials in 1974 and 1975. Then after a three-year absence, it returned for a third series in 1978. Then fans had to wait quite a while for anything more from the Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em crew, who returned in 2016 for a one-off special. During its heyday the show was a smash hit, regularly garnering 25-million viewers.
The accident-prone Frank Spencer and his tolerant wife Betty are the driving force of the series and the stage adaptation. The show followed the pair as Frank struggled to hold down a job and inevitably got mixed up in various shenanigans.
The stage adaptation, written and directed by Guy Unsworth, began a UK tour at the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon in February 2018 and starred Joe Pasquale as Frank Spencer, with Sarah Earnshaw as Betty and Susie Blake as Mrs Fisher. The return of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em would not have been possible without Guy Unsworth.
After finishing his studies of Industrial Economics at the University of Nottingham, Guy Unsworth decided to pursue a career in the arts instead. After training at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and following this mentored a number of notable writers and directors including Christopher Luscombe, Iqbal Khan, Lucy Bailey and Hannah Chissick. He has gone on to work on a number of musicals and play revivals from the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) to the West End.
Most recently he has been heavily involved with the adaptation of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, a show that has received 50 four and five-star reviews. Clearly, with Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em Unsworth has achieved success in lending his talent to create a feel-good night out, washed down with lashings of nostalgia.
When performing at Blackpool’s Grand, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em will star Joe Pasquale (New Faces, I’m a Celebrity, Spamalot, The Producers).
Book now for 70s British sitcom Some Mother Do ‘Ave ‘Em (Tue 10 May – Sat 14 May)
In Dead Lies, crime novelist Hilary Bonner has created a fast-paced, political thriller that dives deep into the world of murder, mayhem, sex and scandal.
Hilary Bonner made her name as a No.1 Best Selling Crime Novelist after many years on Fleet Street as a full-time journalist. Born in 1949, Bonner was educated at the town’s Edgehill College before leaving school at 17 to participate in the Daily Mirror Training Scheme. Following her trainee role here, she got her first job in Fleet Street aged 20, and began her deep dive into the world of journalism.
After a few years in the lower rungs, Bonner went on to become the show business editor of three national newspapers, The Sun, The Mail on Sunday, and Daily Mirror. It was during this time that she started forming the idea of becoming a full-time author, and in 1993 she left Fleet Street to pursue her writing dreams.
Today she is best known as a crime novelist that specialises in meaty, psychological thrillers. Nearly all of Bonner’s novels are inspired by real-life events and she draws extensively on her career in journalism to create remarkable characters and craft nail-biting story arcs.
Directed by Joe Harmston (The Lover and The Collection), the cast includes Holby City actor Jeremy Edwards who plays would be Prime Minister Peter George alongside Alicia Charles (Coronation Street) who plays Kate Compton, Press Secretary to Peter George, Portia Booroff (Doctors) as Peter’s devoted wife Jo George, and Claire Dyson (Made In Italy), as ex-supermodel Stephanie Jones. Making his UK tour debut is George Verghis in the role of campaign manager James Gillen.
Dead Lies follows Peter George, a politician who promises a new kind of politics and is welcomed as a messiah by the British public. The story revolves around the discovery of a shocking secret and follows a host of characters as their lives unravel. It is a roller-coaster ride of a play that is packed with twists and turns until the very last scene.
Book now for No.1 Best Selling Crime Writer’s Dead Lies (Tue 17 May – Sat 21 May)
Last but certainly not least, The Mousetrap. The murder mystery play by Agatha Christie is the longest-running West End show in history and has been performed there more than 27,500 times since it first opened in 1952. The play is full of suspense, humour and the subtle sense that something’s not quite right and it has been keeping theatres full for decades. This is mostly down to the masterful writing of the world’s best-selling author of all time, Agatha Christie.
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie was an English writer born in 1890. During her lengthy career she wrote 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections. Many of you will know her two most famous characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She based many of her stories around these two fictional detectives. Their mystery adventures continue to occupy our television screens and bookshelves to this day.
The Mousetrap celebrates 70-Years.
Christie was born in Torquay, Devon to a wealthy family and was home-schooled for most of her childhood. Her entry to the world of writing was not easy. Her work was rejected six consecutive times before she finally made a hit with The Mysterious Affair at Styles, featuring detective Hercule Poirot. She married Archibald Christie in 1914 and they had one child together before divorcing in 1928.
Many of her novels and short stories feature poisons and exotic locations. She likely picked up her knowledge of poison while she served in hospital dispensaries in both World Wars. Her marriage to archaeologist Max Mallowan in 1930, who took her on many digs to the Middle East, helped her to acquire first-hand knowledge of his profession and experience a world outside Europe.
According to Index Translationum, she is the most-translated individual author of all time. And in 2013, she was voted the best crime writer by the 600 professional novelists that belong to the esteemed Crime Writers’ Association.
The Mousetrap is one of Christie’s crowning achievements. The play follows a group of seven strangers who find themselves snowed in at a stately countryside guesthouse. A murder has occurred and when a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover that a killer is in their midst! One by one, the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts. Which one is the murderer? Who will be their next victim?
It is a thrilling and enjoyable ride even if you know how the story ends thanks to Christie’s timeless characters and wonderful writing. This most recent production at The Grand Theatre will bring this classic to life with fantastic performances, a stellar set and creative direction that does justice to Christie’s marvellous and mysterious tale.
The Mousetrap returns to Blackpool Grand Theatre in 2023!
Follow our fantastic Agatha Christie Infographic – Decoding Agatha!
Book now for the 70th-anniversary tour of The Mousetrap (Mon 19 Jun – Sat 24 Jun)
All of these plays are the result of tireless collaboration and creativity. From the intrigue of Catch Me If You Can to the message of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, from the mystery of The Mousetrap to the twist and turns of Dead Lies, there is something for everyone in this fascinating set of dramas.
Whether you are drawn to a particular play because of the actors, the set, the writers or the story, each play has plenty of outstanding entertainment to offer. To learn more about what’s on at the Blackpool Grand Theatre (click here) or call the box office on 01253 290 190 (Opening Times).
The multi award-winning musical DEAR EVAN HANSEN will make a very welcome stop at Blackpool Grand Theatre in 2025!…
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