Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre Announces Shows For Spring/Summer 2020

The Stephen Joseph Theatre has announced a spring/summer season of in-house and visiting productions for 2020, alongside its annual Christmas show.

The theatre's in-house team will this year present:

Just Between Ourselves, written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn (Thursday 18 June to Saturday 3 October)

Dennis's thinks he's a master at DIY, and a perfect husband. He's actually neither of those things. When he decides to sell his car, Neil turns up as a potential buyer: he wants it for his wife, Pam's, birthday.

The two couples become unlikely friends, aided and abetted by Dennis's meddling live-in mother, Marjorie. It's a collision course...

Generally regarded as one of Alan Ayckbourn's darkest and most brilliant comedies, Just Between Ourselves is, of course, 'the one with the car'. Set in a garage and a garden over four successive birthdays, Just Between Ourselves is a classic dissection of man's inadvertent inhumanity to woman, and this is a rare opportunity to see it directed by the author himself.

The Ladykillers, by Graham Linehan, from the motion picture screenplay by William Rose, by special arrangement with StudioCanal and Fiery Angel Ltd, London, directed by Paul Robinson (Wednesday 9 July to Saturday 15 August)

The sweetest of sweet little old ladies, alone at home but for a parrot with a mystery illness - and both of them at the mercy of a ruthless gang of criminal misfits who'll stop at nothing to get what they want. Surely there can only be one possible outcome...

Graham (Father Ted, Black Books, The IT Crowd, Count Arthur Strong, Motherland) Linehan's stage adaptation of the legendary 1955 Ealing comedy is an hilarious version of one of the greatest British films ever.

Our production is directed by Paul Robinson who'll bring to it the same stylish madcap humour that made his production of The 39 Steps such a huge hit in 2018.

The Ladykillers is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk

Truth Will Out, written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn (Thursday 20 August to Saturday 3 October)

Everyone has secrets. Certainly former shop steward George, his right-wing MP daughter Janet, investigative journalist Peggy, and senior civil servant Sefton, do.

And all it's going to take is one tech-savvy teenager with a mind of his own and time on his hands to bring their worlds tumbling down - and maybe everyone else's along with them. A storm is brewing...

Truth Will Out is an up-to-the-minute satire on family, relationships, politics and the state of the nation from the pen of one of our greatest modern moralists, Alan Ayckbourn. His 84th full-length play, it follows hot on the heels of last summer's Birthdays Past, Birthdays Present, which was lauded by the critics.

The Snow Queen, adapted by Nick Lane from the story by Han Christian Andersen, music and lyrics by Simon Slater, directed by Paul Robinson (3 to 30 December)

For the fifth year in a row, the team that brought you off-the-wall Christmas adaptations of Pinocchio, A Christmas Carol, Alice in Wonderland and Treasure Island will present their totally unique and idiosyncratic take on a great work of literature - this is The Snow Queen as you've never seen it before!

The SJT productions are the highlights of a busy season that also includes visiting productions:

The Canary and the Crow (7 & 8 May): Middle Child's grime and hip-hop-inspired gig theatre show about the journey of a working class black kid accepted to a prestigious grammar school.

Where There's Muck There's Bras (7 May): Performed by stand-up poet Kate Fox, a comical and thought-provoking show about the real Northern Powerhouse, Northern Women - the sung and the unsung!

Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers (9 May): A thrilling story told through performance, games and creative play that explores Roald Dahl's extraordinary stories, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG and The Twits.

Quality Street (12-16 May): Laurie Sansom's Northern Broadsides directorial debut, this rare revival of Peter Pan author JM Barrie's delicious farce was so well known in its day, it named the UK's most popular chocolates, made in Halifax since 1936.

Alistair McGowan: The Piano Show (21 May): The classical concert you've always wanted to see - a unique mix of classic comedy and classical music from impressionist and comedian Alistair McGowan.

It's Miss Hope Springs (23 May): Join the self-confessed 'blonde bombsite' as she plays the piano and sings mind-bogglingly catchy numbers from her all-original self-penned repertoire.

Tony Skingle: Elvis - the '68 Comeback (24 May): Tony Skingle is one of the UK's best Elvis tribute acts. He's based in Scarborough, but performs all over the world.

Sexy Lamp (26 May): Ever been treated like an inanimate object? Kate has. Somewhere between the comedy of Victoria Wood, the comfort of going for a drink with your best mate, and the high drama of Hamlet (it's nothing like Hamlet).

The Great Race! (29 & 30 May): The Anglo-Japanese theatre company A Thousand Cranes presents the thrilling story of how the Eastern Zodiac calendar was created - the perfect show for children in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics.

Treasure (3 June): Forged Line Dance Company presents a fearless and physical dance performance exploring our innate human fascination with our seas and coastlines.

Chores (20 June): Two brothers must hurry to clean their room before their mum comes back. What could possibly go wrong? A circus-comedy for the whole family, all the way from Australia!

Morgan & West: Unbelievable Science (19 September): Morgan & West present captivating chemistry, phenomenal physics and bonkers biology in this fun-for-all-the-family science extravaganza!

Tickets for all the shows are priced from £10, and will go on sale from Friday 13 March (with priority booking for the theatre's membership scheme, The Circle, from Friday 6 March) and can be booked at the box office on 01723 370541 or via the website: www.sjt.uk.com