What is the theatre without a bit of drama? The theatre thrives on drama, tragedy and daring plot moves that can have you gripped. If you are a lover of all things dramatic, you are in for a treat. A collection of thrilling shows coming to our stages.
Glitch | Playhouse | Tue 3 Mar
The True Story of the Post Office Scandal. Pam Stubbs (originally from East Anglia) has been the sub-postmistress of Barkham Post Office for over twenty years, respected and loved by the community. But when unexplained discrepancies start appearing in her accounts, Pam soon finds herself at the heart of the biggest miscarriage of justice in English legal history.
The drama factor: Blending the tension of a true-crime thriller with a deeply human story. This show is unforgettable, look at courage in the face of corruption.
Hamlet | Royal | Tue 10 – Sat 14 Mar
The Royal Shakespeare Company returns to Norwich with a ‘must-see’ (Guardian) new production of Hamlet.
Hamlet’s mother has married his uncle, and at a less than decent interval since the death of his father. As he pulls at the threads of his not-so-happy new family, Hamlet unravels a web of deceit and immorality that leads to the ultimate crisis of conscience.
The drama factor: RSC reimagines the classic tragedy, sinking into the depths of madness and power.
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift | Royal | Tue 17 – Sat 21 Mar
When well-loved spinster Emily Simpson is found dead in the picturesque village of Badger’s Drift, her friend Lucy Bellringer refuses to accept it was an accident. DCI Tom Barnaby and Sergeant Gavin Troy are called in to investigate, uncovering a world of hidden passions, long-buried secrets and deadly rivalries.
With eccentric villagers, shocking twists and an unforgettable reveal, The Killings at Badger’s Drift is a classic whodunnit that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Bringing to life the wit, charm and chilling suspense of the beloved TV series and original series of books, this gripping and thrilling new show is set to delight audiences.
The drama factor: Bringing to life the wit, charm and chilling suspense of the beloved TV series, this gripping and thrilling will have you on the edge of the seat..
Lovett | Stage Two | Sat 21 Mar
Newly widowed Mrs Lovett needs to find a way to survive. Using skills learned from a whaler father, a courtesan mother and a butcher husband, Eleanor “recalibrates” her life – and her relationship with God. An origin story set before her infamous partnership with Sweeney Todd, we discover what would later lead her to become a pie maker.
The drama factor: The origin story you didn’t know you needed, this is so deliciously filling it is hard to resist.
1984 | Playhouse | Mon 23 Mar
Award-winning Box Tale Soup presents a stunning new adaptation of Orwell’s dystopian classic.
The year is 1984, perhaps – it is impossible to tell for certain. We are being watched, Big Brother is everywhere, truth changes daily, and everyone conforms. But for Winston Smith, insignificant cog in the Party’s vast machine, this half-life is not enough. He dreams of freedom, but is he the only one? Dreams can be deadly when rebellion begins with a thought.
The drama factor: Slick storytelling combined with Box Tale Soup’s unique puppetry becomes a striking metaphor for Orwell’s chilling vision of power and control.
Voice Of My Own | Stage Two | Sat 4 Apr
Voice Of My Own tells the inspiring true story of Daniel Jillings, the Lowestoft D/deaf teenager who campaigned for the British Sign Language GCSE. From the Suffolk coast to the steps of Parliament, Daniel’s remarkable story is one of courage, resilience and the power of youth to create change.
Join Eastern Angles for this true local story packed full of playful humour, dazzling visuals and thrilling original music and movement.
The drama factor: A story about self-discovery and advocacy, this play is all about finding your voice and standing up for what is right.
Death on the Nile | Royal | Tue 5 – Sat 9 May
On board a luxurious cruise under the heat of the Egyptian sun, a couple’s idyllic honeymoon is cut short by a brutal murder. As secrets that have been buried in the sands of time finally resurface, can the world-famous detective, Hercule Poirot, untangle the web of lies and solve another crime?
The drama factor: A death in the theatre? How dramatic! Agatha Christie’s makes this mystery the perfect theatrical thrill.
To Kill A Mockingbird | Royal | Tue 28 Apr – Sat 2 May
Successful lawyer, Atticus Finch, encourages kindness and empathy in his children, but is pushed to the limits of these qualities himself when he resolves to uncover the truth in a town that seems determined to hide it. Set in 1934 Alabama, To Kill a Mockingbird was inspired by novelist Harper Lee’s own childhood and has sold more than 45 million copies worldwide. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature and was long at the top of the banned book lists.
The drama factor: This ultimate courtroom drama will have you gripped.
Fawlty Towers | Royal | Tue 9 – Sat 13 Jun
50 years since it first graced our TV screens, Fawlty Towers is now a brand-new stage play adapted by comedy legend John Cleese and directed by Caroline Jay Ranger. Fresh from a SOLD-OUT West End season! This laugh-out-loud production was universally acclaimed by every London and national critic, selling out every single performance during its record-breaking West End run.
The drama factor: The greatest sitcom Fawlty Towers on stage need we say more!
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold | Royal | Tue 16 Jun – Sat 20 Jun
British intelligence officer Alec Leamas is weary, hardened, and ready to come in from the cold. But when Control, the Chief of the Circus, presents one final mission—dangerous, deceptive, and deeply personal—Leamas agrees to stay in the game. Dispatched into enemy territory, he finds his convictions tested and his defences breached by Liz Gold, a quietly defiant librarian whose compassion threatens to thaw his frostbitten heart. And what of veteran spymaster George Smiley? What is his role in the operation?
The drama factor: John Le Carré’s modern spy genre is brought to the stage full of thrills, deception and moral compromise that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
For more information, please call the Box Office on 01603 630 000 or visit norwichtheatre.org.
