Durham City’s Gala Theatre will start the new year with a packed programme of fun and thrilling events for all ages.
From sell-out stand-ups and big-name musicians to award winning theatre productions and exciting children’s adventures, the spring season includes something for audiences of all tastes.
Robin Byers, manager of the theatre, said: “Announcing a new season at Gala is always an exciting time. Gala is such a great venue for comedy, so we’re pleased to be presenting one of our strongest ever comedy line-ups. But whatever your taste, there will be plenty to look forward to at Gala in 2020, and our audiences will always be assured of a warm welcome.”
Strengthening its reputation as a first-class comedy venue, Gala has pulled out all the stops with a line-up littered with hilarious household names and Edinburgh Fringe favourites.
Monthly Comedy Store and Funny Bones comedy clubs will showcase some of the touring circuit’s best talent, whilst a host of headline shows includes smart but silly Phil Wang on Saturday 22 February, songwriter/funnyman Rich Hall on Friday 21 February, and comedy whirlwind Russell Kane, whose The Fast and the Curious tour, extended due to phenomenal demand, comes to Gala on Saturday 7 March.
Mock the Week regular, Andy Parsons, has also extended his latest tour, Healing the Nation, which will hit the stage on Saturday 21 March and audiences can catch Hench, by 8 out of 10 Cats writer, Jessica Fostekew on Friday 20 March.
Following his last smash-hit UK tour Tom Stade introduces a brand-new show, delivered with his irrepressible sense of mischief, on Thursday 27 February, whilst Mark Thomas discusses money, history, songs, gongs, wigs, unicorns and more in 50 Things About Us on Thursday 19 March. Rounding off a string of shows guaranteed to lift your spirits, Jen Brister will take an irreverent look at the often-controversial subject of ‘privilege’ on Friday 27 March.
Music lovers will be spoilt too, with a stellar selection of live performances to choose from. Direct from the West End, The Chicago Blues Brothers and their 11-piece band present a brand new all singing, all dancing hit parade of the greatest movie anthems of all time on Sunday 26 January. Rock ‘n’ roll fans can relive a host of classic hits with the high energy Rolling Stones Story on Friday 7 February and the excitement continues with the world’s busiest swing and jive band, Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalists The Jive Aces and their Big Beat Revue, on Sunday 16 February.
And the music offering doesn’t end there. The internationally renowned BBC Big Band host an evening of world-class big band music inspired by the likes of Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorsey on Wednesday 4 March, and award-winning jazz vocalist and Radio 2 presenter Clare Teal celebrates 100 years of pop music on Friday 14 February.
Gala welcomes extraordinary Irish singer Cara Dillon who sings a collection of beautiful and moving songs on Thursday 26 March and Britain’s most popular soprano Lesley Garrett will entertain in an evening of song, reminiscences and chat on Saturday 4 April.
As always, there’s lots of fun in store for families, from Morgan and West’s captivating chemistry, phenomenal physics, and bonkers biology science extravaganza Unbelievable Science! on Sunday 15 February, to a magical production of Julia Donaldson’s Zog on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March.
There’s also a purrfect treat for families who are looking forward to the star-studded Christmas TV animation of The Tiger who Came to Tea. The smash hit stage adaptation, based on the bestselling book by Judith Kerr, springs into Gala on Saturday 29 February and Sunday 1 March.
Finally, theatre lovers will not be disappointed with shows such as the Teesside-based Miss Crispy 1988, which follows the journey of five north east ladies through the depths of love, compassion and adversity, on Friday 17 January, and comedy thriller Crimes, Camera, Action which will whisk audiences to the golden-era of Hollywood with a sensational cast of four taking on multiple roles on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 April.
There’s even a visit from a national treasure, with Su Pollard set to give a one-woman tour-de-force performance in razor-sharp and bittersweet dark drama Harpy on Wednesday 15 April.
A wide variety of live screenings will also bring the best of the UK’s theatre performances direct to Gala’s cinema, from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s King John on Wednesday 29 April, to the National Theatre’s inventive new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac, starring James McAvoy, on 20 February. Kinky Boots The Musical, will also strut onto the big screen, from London’s Adelphi Theatre, on Tuesday 4 and Sunday 9 February.
Tickets for all shows are available to book in person from the Gala’s box office, by telephone by calling 03000 266 600 or online at www.galadurham.co.uk