Rose Theatre To Reopen With Socially Distanced Performances

Today, Rose Theatre has announced it will re-open for an autumn 'Return to the Rose Season' of live performances from 28th October. This news comes exactly six months on from its enforced closure. All performances will adhere to robust risk mitigation processes and will comply with the government's current COVID-19 secure guidelines.

The 'Return to the Rose Season' will feature a selection of socially distanced productions for audiences of all ages including: the 40th anniversary production of Willy Russell's Educating Rita starring Stephen Tompkinson and Jessica Johnson playing from 28th October - 14th November; Live at the Rose with Russell Kane on 1st November; the award-winning production of Apphia Campbell's WOKE from 16th - 18th November; and a festive family offering of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's Stick Man from 10th December - 3rd January 2021. More shows will be announced soon.

Christopher Haydon, Artistic Director at the Rose said:

"To begin to see the light at the end of this long, dark tunnel is a welcome relief. While the pandemic has had a devastating impact on the Rose and on our community in Kingston upon Thames, I'm delighted that we have been able to secure a series of entertaining and provocative work. I am also looking forward to my first full season of original productions, which will come next year. During these six months, our relentlessly adaptable staff have embodied the resilience of the Rose. Our reopening is a testament to them and the support we continue to receive from our audiences."

After a successful, online summer term, all Rose Participate activities will resume in person from this weekend. This includes all Rose Youth Theatre classes for 5-18-year olds as well as Rose Players, the popular adult acting course which takes place on Monday evenings at the theatre.

The Rose's front of house seating areas, including the Rose Café, will remain closed until further notice, however pre-ordered refreshments can be purchased via the Rose food and beverage app.

EDUCATING RITA | 28th October - 14th November

Written by Willy Russell and starring Stephen Tompkinson as Frank and introducing Jessica Johnson as Rita, this production is directed by Max Roberts of Live Theatre.

When married hairdresser Rita enrols on a university course to expand her horizons, little does she realise where the journey will take her. Her tutor Frank is a frustrated poet, brilliant academic and dedicated drunk who's less than enthusiastic about taking Rita on but when these two people come together they soon realise how much they have to teach each other.

This hilarious and heart-warming comedy won the Olivier Award when it was produced in London's West End by the RSC and was adapted into the multi award-winning film which starred Julie Walters and Michael Caine.

LIVE AT THE ROSE WITH Russell Kane | 1st November

Join us for the first of a brand-new series of live comedy at the Rose, featuring the very best of line-ups with some of your favourite stars.

Commended as 'one of the quickest, most stimulating stand-ups in the land' (The Times), comedy superstar Russell Kane headlines. The line-up also features Malaysian stand-up and content creator, Nigel Ng and the evening will be hosted by star of Live at the Apollo and Radio 4's The News Quiz, Angela Barnes.

An Edinburgh Comedy Award winner, Russell Kane was the host of BBC Three's Live at the Electric and is now best known for his smash-hit BBC Sounds podcast Evil Genius. His recent The Fast and the Curious tour played to sell-out audiences around the country.

Last year, Nigel Ng was nominated for the Edinburgh Best Newcomer Award, and in July this year, he went viral globally with his portrayal of Uncle Roger, a middle-aged Asian uncle reviewing an egg fried rice video. He has now amassed over 35 million views on his YouTube channel. He made his TV debut in 2018 on Comedy Central's Stand Up Central, shortly followed by Comedy Central's Roast Battle and BBC Two's Mock the Week.

Your host for the evening is the fantastic Angela Barnes, star of Live at the Apollo and Radio 4's The News Quiz. After a career in health and social care, Angela took the plunge and embarked on her life-long dream to be a comedian. Within a couple of years, she'd won the 2011 BBC New Comedy Award. She's now the host of Radio 4 Extra's Newsjack.

WOKE | 16th - 18th November

Written by Apphia Campbell and Meredith Yarbrough, this award-winning production is a new story about the 20th Century African American experience.

The play follows two women's fight for civil rights. One is notorious Black Panther Assata Shakur; the other, a present-day university student enrolling as the Ferguson riots begin.

Set against a powerful soundtrack of original music and traditional gospel and blues sung live, the two women challenge the American justice system, become criminalised through political activism, and ultimately are faced with the same choice: stay and fight, or flee?

Woke won the coveted Scotsman Fringe First Award for its premiere season, and was highly commended by the judges of the Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award.

STICK MAN | 10th December - 3rd January 2021

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's much-loved Stick Man is back on stage at the Rose this Christmas!

What starts off as a morning jog becomes quite the misadventure for Stick Man: a dog wants to play fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him, and he even ends up on a fire! How will Stick Man ever get back to the family tree in time for Christmas?

This delightful adaptation from Freckle Productions, the team behind Zog, Tiddler and other Terrific Tales, and Tabby McTat features a trio of top actors and is packed full of puppetry, songs, live music and funky moves.

The Stick Man Family are so happy to be back on stage and back in the family tree. We will be following all the latest government advice to make Stick Man as safe as possible and as enjoyable as ever.