We have just announced a bumper line-up of new shows for our three venues – Theatre Royal, Playhouse and Stage Two. From West End musical smash hits, world-class dance, hilarious comedy and powerful local stories, you will want to get your diaries out to plan an amazing trip to the theatre.
Speaking about the new shows going on sale, Stephen Crocker, Chief Executive & Creative Director of Norwich Theatre, said:
“The magic of theatre is built on shared experiences; moments that connect us with an endless array of stories and awe-inspiring creativity. This season of work is all about the magic of those shared moments, whether through epic musicals, timeless drama, acclaimed opera, world-class comedy, dazzling dance or family fun.
“As we look to the season ahead, we will always be indebted to all those who support us. Thank you for your unparalleled support. This season is for you, and I very much hope you enjoy it.”
We will be home to some of the very best musicals to have played both the West End and Broadway, including smash-hit Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where you will be transported to a world of pure imagination. The show heads to Norwich Theatre Royal between 19 – 29 April 2023 and will feature memorable songs from the iconic 1970s film and a host of new numbers. This sensational musical is choc-full of fantastical treats to dazzle your senses. Also heading to the Norwich Theatre Royal stage is the double Olivier Award-winning Girl from the North Country (28 February – 4 March 2023), with a powerful re-imagination of Bob Dylan’s legendary songs for a heart-breaking and universal story about family and love. At Norwich Theatre Playhouse, don’t miss the opportunity to see The Lion between 22 & 23 July 2022, a one-man folk musical straight off the Broadway stage, and the utterly joyous musical story of creative discovery My Son’s a Queer (But What Can I Do?) on 2 & 3 September 2022.
Our dance programme has gone from strength to strength over recent years and this season welcomes back some much-loved partners, including Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, who return with Sleeping Beauty. This beautiful production allows you to enter a wondrous world of magical fairies and vampires for a timeless tale of good vs evil and leaps on Norwich Theatre Royal’s stage between 4 – 8 April 2023. After its sell-out success in Norwich and on tour around the UK last year, another chance to see our own production of Carlos Acosta’s On Before, before we takes the show on tour in Europe this summer. This sees Carlos return to dance on the Norwich Theatre Royal stage (29 & 30 July 2022) and pays homage to his late mother.
Also on offer is exciting work by Joseph Toonga, recently appointed Emerging Choreographer at The Royal Ballet, who brings Born to Exist to Norwich Theatre Playhouse on 10 October 2022. This hip hop dance production tells the stories and experiences of females of colour.
To make you laugh, we have some of the very best comedians coming up this season, including Henning Wehn at Norwich Theatre Royal on 12 March 2023 and award-winning Jamali Maddix (9 September 2022), Isy Suttie (18 October 2022) and Joanne McNally (25 September 2022) at Norwich Theatre Playhouse.
This November (15 – 19 November 2022), Glyndebourne, one of the world’s finest and most celebrated opera houses, steps onto the Norwich Theatre Royal Stage with three fabulous operas. For one week only, you can see The Marriage of Figaro, Michael Grandage’s five-star production of Mozart’s greatest comedy, La Bohème, Glyndebourne’s first new La bohème in over 20 years and Mozart’s Requiem, featuring the splendid Glyndebourne Chorus. If that hasn’t got your opera fix, Glyndebourne is showcasing Glass Human, a newly commissioned chamber opera composed by Samantha Fernando, at Norwich Theatre Stage Two. Listen as three isolated voices find their way towards each other, journeying from emotional and social fragmentation to connection and meaning.
As well as playing host to national and international acts, Norwich Theatre takes enormous pride in producing work that tells stories from and for the local community. This season is no different with shows such as Tamed, a dark comedy by local company FLIGHT presented as part of the organisation’s newly launched Artist Development programme, and James McDermott’s Time and Tide, which Norwich Theatre will take on a tour across Norfolk and Suffolk.
We are also excited to announce Family Festival. Featuring a host of activities from craftivism to digital art-making, silly storytelling to family sing-alongs, please come along to experience the magic of creativity.
To book, call the Norwich Theatre Box Office on 01603 630000 or visit norwichtheatre.org
