Grand New Winter Spring Season 2022 – On Tuesday 25 January, Blackpool Grand Theatre celebrated the launch of a New Season of shows with an incredible George Orwell’s Animal Farm theme to delight and amaze.

Special guests to the launch included actors Joe Pasquale and Sarah Earnshaw from UK Touring hit comedy Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em, finalist of Simon Cowell hit ITV show ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ Steve Royle, ‘EastEnders’ Cheryl Fergison, and ITV weather presenter Emma Jesson. Other guests included The Worshipful Mayors of Blackpool Cllr Amy Cross, Cllr Andrea Kay of Wyre, and Deputy Mayor Cllr Cheryl Little and Deputy Mayoress Cllr Sue Fazackerley MBE of Fylde, in addition to councillors Peter Hunter (Highfield), Alan Matthews (Tyldesley), Martin Mitchell (Layton), David O’Hara (Waterloo), Julie Sloman (Norbreck), Mark Smith (Talbot) and Kim Critchley (Hawes Side). Industry, funding, and hospitality guests from across the UK attended along with digital and print media partners.

Guests were welcomed to an Animal Farm experience on arrival including a farmyard entrance, milk cocktails by the masters of mixology Revolution Bar Blackpool and brilliant animal occupied seats.

Hosted by radio presenter Hayley Kay, with speeches from Grand Theatre CEO Ruth Eastwood, Chair of the operating company Anthony Stone, and incoming CEO Adam Knight, who will begin his tenure from early May.

Winter-Spring Season 2022

The event covered the new programme with highlights including James Wilton Dance – The Four Seasons.  James Wilton’s work is renowned, and he has created works for Scottish Dance Theatre, Konzert Theater Bern, Theater Münster, Opera Graz, Ballet Hagen and dance company Giessen.

Looking to children’s productions was Northern Ballet’s Pinocchio – an original retelling of the classic children’s story.  Pinocchio is a perfect opportunity for little ones to enjoy live ballet, music and theatre. With sell-out performances and a string of hugely successful CBeebies TV adaptations, Northern Ballet’s productions for children are not to be missed. Other productions included David Walliams’ hit Gangsta Granny, and for younger ones Milkshake! Live and Peppa Pig.

Quality Drama

Ruth Eastwood paid special mention to two great quality dramas with educational links, the first being Michael Murpugo’s Private Peaceful – set during World War I.  Private Peaceful charts eight hours in the life of Tommo, a young soldier at the Front, as he looks back over the formative events of his life: his father’s early death, his relationship with his loving mother and brothers, Big Joe and Charlie, and their beloved schoolfriend Molly.

Eastwood followed with George Orwell’s Animal Farm, 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. This brand-new production 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 Children’s Theatre Partnership, of which the Grand Theatre is a partner, creates bold and imaginative theatre for young people, engaging new audiences and aiming to inspire a life-long love of theatre.

Host Hayley Kay opened with how good it felt to be back in the theatre and touched on the struggle and heartache for the volume of people affected across the UK, many of them freelancers with little support.

She added, “There are 38,000 fewer freelancers working in creative occupations since the start of 2020. According to the Office for National Statistics, the arts and entertainment industry saw a 44.5% reduction in product, making it one of the sectors worst hit by the pandemic after accommodation and food. Twice as high as manufacturing and retail trade, with approximately 70% of workers in the arts and entertainment sector furloughed, the second-highest again after accommodation and food services. Thanks to the incredible support of public donations and in July 2020, UK Government, announcing a £1.5-billion rescue package for the UK’s arts, culture, and heritage industries.”

Echoing the words of Oliver Dowden (at the time, Secretary of State for Culture) who said ‘Our arts and culture are the soul of our nation. They make our country great and are the lynchpin of our world-beating and fast-growing creative industries. I understand the grave challenges the arts face and we must protect and preserve all we can for future generations.’

Anthony Stone, Chair of Blackpool Grand Theatre (Arts and Entertainments) Ltd, the operating company of the theatre, also mentioned the cultural importance of The Grand Theatre and that while new developments are great, and we want to be part of that, Blackpool has incredible cultural assets like The Grand, The Grundy Gallery Art Gallery, the Piers, the iconic Blackpool Tower, and the Winter Gardens. Blackpool Grand is committed to working positively with other cultural organisations in and around the town like LeftCoast, Electric Sunshine, and of course, Showtown, a new museum coming in 2023.

Adam Knight, incoming Chief Executive, talked about his passion for working with the local community and how he’d like to continue to expand on the great work of Eastwood’s developing partnerships and relationships.

Entertainment was provided by Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts dancers, the incredible singing talents of Shinaya Hunte and harpist, Maxine Mollin-Rose.

The New Season brochure can be viewed on the theatre website at www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/brochures, accessible options also available in large print and audio. Bookings can be made online at www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk or by calling the Box Office on 01253 290 190.

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