Mercury Theatre Announces Season For 2022-23 Led By Summer Production Of ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Learn more about the full lineup here!

By: May. 17, 2022
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Mercury Theatre Announces Season For 2022-23 Led By Summer Production Of ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Mercury Theatre, led by Executive Director, Steve Mannix and Executive Producer, Tracey Childs, today announce their forthcoming season into 2023.

At the centrepiece of the new season are Mercury Productions' summer spectacle of Alice in Wonderland, adapted for the stage by Olivier Award-winning playwright Mike Kenny; and the previously announced dark new comedy, Good Luck, Studio, running 30 September - 15 October in a co-production with Wiltshire Creative and Mischief, the company behind The Play that Goes Wrong.

Mercury's Christmas productions include their annual pantomime, Beauty and the Beauty, directed by Olivier Award-winning Donnchadh O'Briain and playing from 26 November - 15 January; and Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company's production of Pinocchio for younger audiences, in the Mercury Studio.

Steve Mannix, Executive Director, said today, "We are going from strength to strength as we continue to harness the potential of our eco-friendly building having completed our £11.8m refurbishment last year. Against all the odds and the challenges of the last two years for us all, our work has continued to expand. We are now able to programme exciting new work in our Studio year-round and grow our education and participatory programme in new dedicated spaces. We are thrilled to be able to co-produce with new partners like Mischief for the world premiere of Good Luck, Studio while also supporting new emerging artists and locally based creatives in the East. It's an exciting time to welcome you to Mercury - they say, 'build it and they will come' and you have - look forward to seeing you soon!"

Ryan McBryde, Creative Director, also commented, "This season we have worked hard to present a selection of world-class theatre experiences that will electrify, transform and enrich the lives of our audiences. We're in the business of telling stories and this season's shows combine inspiring tales which bring some much-needed joie de vivre, with plays that provocatively question the society we live in. Our Mercury Productions are unashamedly mainstream, with an all-singing, all-dancing version of Shakespeare's farce, The Comedy of Errors; a fun for all the family Alice In Wonderland, and the world première of a brand new comedy from Mischief. In the studio our Mercury Originals have a strong East of England focus, championing the unique perspective of our region through three powerful new voices. At the Mercury, we are fired up with a renewed sense of the power theatre has to connect people with stories that enable us to empathise with one another and have a great night out!"

Mercury Theatre's Lates - a series of events hosted in their Café Bar on Saturday nights, has expanded due to popular demand, and includes the free monthly LGBTQ+ Cocktail Cabaret night led by the King and Queen of Colchester, Cyro and Flick. The Mercury's Taking Part programme of workshops for adults and children in the local community has expanded to include dance classes, crafternoons and fitness classes. The Mercury has also widened their Connects programme with masterclasses and Q&As for arts professionals to meet and delve into the Mercury's productions, alongside Mercury Reads, which supports new writers, providing a platform to share new work.

The programme for young people continues to grow with Mercury Young Company (MYC) expanding to include MYC Digital, which offers weekly sessions exploring storytelling through the latest digital technologies, such as coding, VR performance and video game design. Plus, Mercury Theatre continues its work to engage new young audiences with its Holiday Club, Theatre Camp, Digital Summer School and Party Nights for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Priority on-sale is open from Tuesday 17 May at 10am; with general on-sale from 24 May at 10am.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

By Lewis Carroll

Adapted by Mike Kenny with music by IVAN SCOTT

Director: Emma Earle; Designer: Anisha Fields; Movement Director: Dan Canham

29 July - 14 August 2022

Press night: Wednesday 3 August at 7:30pm

Alice is under a lot of pressure. She's anxiously about to sit an exam, when she accidentally falls down a rabbit hole and plunges into the magical world of Wonderland. There, she encounters some of the strangest and most peculiar creatures she's ever met, including a very bossy White Rabbit, a Cheshire Cat who can't stop grinning and a Mad Hatter who's, well, mad!

Can Alice defeat the formidable Queen of Hearts and get back home in time to finish her test?

Olivier Award-winning playwright Mike Kenny has reimagined Lewis Carroll's beloved classic for the stage. This promises to be an evening of mirth, music and mayhem - fun for all the family!

Mercury Theatre and Wiltshire Creative present the world première of the Mischief production

By arrangement with Kenny Wax Ltd and Stage Presence Ltd

GOOD LUCK, STUDIO

Written by Henry Shields; Directed by Henry Lewis

30 September - 15 October 2022

Press Night: Wednesday 5 October at 7:30

It's the final night of recording Wibble the Dragon. The show is massively over budget and under written. With one hour left to film, 16 pages to go, and an audience of screaming children getting more and more impatient, the cast and crew know big cuddly heads are going to roll.

The last thing anyone needs is a failed actor showing up with a sinister vendetta and his own dragon costume. In this kid's TV show, more than just careers will die.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Written by Andrew Pollard; Directed by DONNCHADH O'BRIAIN

Designer: Jasmine Swan; Lighting Designer: Ben Ormerod; Musical Director: Paul Herbert; Choreographer: Simon Hardwick

26 November 2022 - 25 January 2023

Press night: Saturday 3 December at 2pm or 7pm

The mysterious Beast imprisons beautiful Belle in his enchanted castle. Can she escape with the help of her family and melt Beast's icy heart before it's too late? Will Cupid's plan work before the last rose petal falls? It's a tale as old as time and a panto that will be unmissable for the whole family. Discover what it takes for true love to conquer all and whether love is all you really need?

Leading our talented cast in this delicious treat are pantomime royalty, Antony Stuart Hicks and Dale Superville.

PINOCCHIO

Written by Sarah Middleton; Directed by HANNAH STONE

7 - 31 December 2022

Press night: Saturday 10 December at 11am or 1:15pm

When Pinocchio discovers that he's a puppet and not a human, he sets off on an exciting adventure with his trusty sidekick Cricket to find the magic potion that will transform him into a real boy. As he travels the land in search of the potion, Pinocchio meets a whole host of larger-than-life characters. The only trouble is that each teeny-tiny lie he tells makes his wooden nose grow longer! And before he knows it, Pinocchio's on the run from a fairground master who wants to throw him onto the woodpile. Filled with music, dancing and interaction, this retelling of the classic tale is packed with fun and surprises.

Will he become a real boy? Or can Pinocchio - and the world around him - learn to accept this puppet boy for who he really is? Perfect for ages 3-8, enter Pinocchio's magic world and make lasting memories with your little ones this Christmas.



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