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< Back The LA SCHOOL OF DANCE proudly presents 'Memory Lane' ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 19 May 2022 The LA School of Dance would love you to join them to take a trip down ‘Memory Lane’ as they celebrate 20 years of the school. This dance show spectacular will feature pupils from the school showcasing their talents in ballet, tap, jazz and musical theatre. A great family show to be enjoyed by all. Our reasonably priced bar will be open before, during the interval and after the show. Free car park for customers and in easy walking distance of Altrincham and local tram and train stations. So what are you waiting for? BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

< Back Edith in the Dark ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 30 July 2019 Celebrated children's author Edith Nesbit (The Railway Children, Five Children and It) retreats to her dark attic writing room during one of her husband's tiresome parties. She is joined by her housekeeper and an unexpected handsome party guest, as midnight swiftly approaches. As the stories unfold it becomes clear that all is not what it seems, and someone in the attic is hiding a deadly secret. [gallery ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/i-L98nJdr-X4.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/i-4BQjNXR-X4.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/i-wFHSqzw-X4.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/i-CZjh5BW-X4.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/i-JhGvHsj-X4.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/i-3BBFPV5-X4.jpg|"] Production photos by Derek Stuart-Cole CAST Edith Nesbit - Kathryn Fennell Mr. Guasto - Peter Brassington Biddy Thricefold - Melanie Davy This season's productions in our Lauriston STUDIO have been sponsored by

< Back Teechers ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 29 July 2013 Fast-moving, inventive and highly entertaining, Teechers vigorously evokes life at a modern Comprehensive. Three fifth-formers, using the format of an end-of-term play, exuberantly sketch the new drama teacher's progress through two terms of recalcitrant classes, cynical colleagues and obstructive caretakers until he departs, disillusioned, for the safe waters of a private school. The play runs the whole gamut of emotions, climaxing with the last scene when the teenagers' despair emerges from beneath their youthful irreverence, giving a poignant edge to the comedy. Written for three actors to play some twenty characters. Teechers stretches the imagination of cast and audience alike. CAST Salty Barry Spencer Gail Laura Chandler (AWARD) Hobby Ros Greenwood Review from Sale & Altrincham Messanger by Rick Bowen Top marks for Teechers - Garrick's comedy of the year ALTRINCHAM Garrick's production of 'Teechers' is so good it wouldn't be out of place on a professional stage. What's more, it made me look again at a piece I'd previously dismissed as not being vintage John Godber, and I left the theatre in no doubt that this is an exceptional piece of work. Yes, there are plenty of laughs as unruly pupils torment their teachers and experience the growing pains most of us endured and can now laugh at. But the play has a lot to say about the failings of the education system - for the privileged kids it is a land of opportunity. For many, it's a holding centre for young people who have already been written off by a society who doesn't know what to do with them. Hence Salty's strangely moving speech near the end of the play. Worry not - despite this comedy's more serious strands running through the play you never, at any point, feel like you're being preached to. In terms of the direction, Stephanie Niland has got everything just right and she more than gets the best out of Barry Spencer, Ros Greenwood and Laura Chandler. As well as playing pupils Salty, Gail and Hobby, they play numerous other roles, displaying a versatility that can only be described as astounding. Star Rating ★★★★ Review of Teechers by Julia Taylor for remotegoat Versatile Cast play 30 parts Three talented thespians display versatility and humour in John Godber's play, Teechers, performing 30 parts between them. The main character is Mr Nixon, a stars in his eyes drama teacher who quickly becomes disillusioned with the large comprehensive school where he works and eventually leaves for pastures new. He has to confront problems not only with pupils such as Oggy, the bully, but also staff. There is a nasty deputy head, an overwhelming headmistress and a bad-tempered caretaker. The actors, Laura Chandler, Ros Greenwood and Barry Spencer also play school respectively, school leavers Hobby, Gail, and Salty. The three manage to give a hilarious version of Romeo and Juliet in about three minutes and the scene featuring the Christmas dance and Gail flirting in Mr Nixon's car also gets a lot of laughs. It's a miracle how by small changes of clothing the cast make each of their characters so easily identifiable and different. The feel of the 1980's is conveyed by pop music of the time and other give-aways such as smoking by teachers and pupils alike. I especially take to Laura's Mrs Parry, the eccentric head, Ros's Doug, the jobsworth Caretaker and Barry's Mr Nixon. NODA Review by Kevin Proctor Popular playwright and BAFTA winner John Godber uses a rundown comprehensive school as the setting for 'Teechers', similar to his earlier and more well-known play: 'Bouncers' this also relies on multiple characterisations from a small cast. It was clear that first time director Stephanie Niland had the vision of this play firmly in place and with the assistance of a dream cast was able to express her vision with stunning results. I imagine many directors would run a mile from this piece as this is a play which stands or falls on the amount of energy, passion and enthusiasm injected into it from its director. This was a drilled, inspiring and no less than a professional quality performance! First-class and diverse acting ability was on display, the standard within this production was overwhelming as we witnessed the highly energetic and talented cast of just three take on the immense twenty roles between them. The focus and capability of The 'Teecher' trio alone was astounding. Laura Chandler is fire on stage, she oozes charisma and delivered an exceptional performance with such direct energy, my favourites amongst many of her wonderful interpretations was as the cocky full-of-himself bully which contrasted - making the opposites of her characters even more hilarious with the head of drama/am dram enthusiast 'luvvy' putting on the Mikado. Ros Greenwood gave an incredibly expressive performance with facial expressions to rival Jim Carey, her portrayal as the caretaker was on the verge of genius - again - beautifully contrasting with the seductive gym coach. Finally, Barry Spencer gave both slapstick and warmth in his renditions, I've seen Barry in a few plays now and I'm in awe how he can translate exactly what he's thinking in an instant, a very likable character on stage. If anything was to let this production down slightly I would have to say that more attention could have been given to the technical side, the stage was not always lit to the best effect and sound cut offs were a tad harsh but this by no means put a damper on the production for me. Many congratulations on such an inspiring and exciting production!

< Back Toxic ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 23 June 2021 Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45. Toxic follows two best friends and the circumstances which have caused them to spiral. Andy discovers his husband has been having an affair. Stuck in a soul-crushing job, his lifejacket of love was the only thing keeping him afloat. His best friend James is a man’s man who uses gags to disguise his vulnerability. Will the toxic culture of silence and stoicism swallow them too? Or by opening the conversation, can they escape the clutch of their demons? Their lives are not the only lives at stake. Our reasonably priced bar will be open before, after and during the show. Free car park for customers and in easy walking distance of Altrincham and local tram and train stations. So what are you waiting for? BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

< Back Alty Fringe: Odyssey (with Junior) ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 24 October 2020 This performance comprises two separate musical acts: Odyssey supported by Junior Disco and soul superstars Odyssey will perform an intimate show at the Garrick filled with their biggest hits, including Use it Up & Wear it Out , Native New Yorker , Inside Out and the iconic disco anthem Going Back to My Roots . Odyssey will be joined by their special guest: R&B star Junior Giscombe. Junior was one of the first British R&B artists to be successful in America, with his 1982 hit Mama Used to Say . He will performing this live for you, alongside his other hits including the duet Another Step (Closer to You) - originally recorded with Kim Wilde. This show is part of the Alty Fringe 2021 - socially distanced and safe for all! The theatre has extensive COVID-19 safety measures in place, including a redesigned socially distanced auditorium, contactless tickets, regular deep cleans after each performance, timed entry slots, hand sanitiser stations around the theatre ... and much more. The Alty Fringe is proud to be appearing at the Altrincham Garrick from 12 March to 28 March 2021 . #altyfringe

< Back Pygmalion ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Abbott, Amy Armitage, Dorothy Blackhurst, Ernest Carter, Harold Clegg, Robina Fiddes, Kathleen Harris, Frank Lowe, May Mills, Beryl Snape, Joyce Snow, Marjorie Stockdale, Leslie Stott, Kenneth Sykes, Constance D Tomlinson, Doris (Dorrie)

< Back The Man in Grey ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Clark, Hetty Hunter, Mollie John, Laurie Pratt, Graham Ellis Warrington, Betty Wheelwright, Stewart

< Back Martin Toal Presents An Evening of Favourite Songs, Music and Dance ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 20 October 2021 LEADING UK TENOR MARTIN TOAL presents AN EVENING OF FAVOURITE SONGS, MUSIC & DANCE INCLUDING A ROUSING LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS FINALE Altrincham’s own international tenor Martin Toal and guests are delighted to be back at the Garrick theatre to perform another sell-out show of all your favourite songs, music and dance from the world of opera, musicals, and pop, including a flag waving Last Night of the Proms Finale! A top class vocalist and entertainer, Martin has sung for Her Majesty the Queen and at all the major UK sporting venues including Old Trafford & the Etihad in Manchester, and Twickenham & Wembley stadiums in London! Martin’s guest performers will include the ever-popular Lord of the Dance fiddle player Richard Sanderson, top UK crooner Russell Shaun and the June Rendell Academy of Dance. AN EVENING NOT TO BE MISSED SO BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT! “His beautiful voice and perfect expression sometimes brought tears to your eyes but just as you were feeling totally carried away with the romance of it all, he would switch to a foot-tapping rendition of La Donna e Mobile and instantly change your mood”. (Concert review by Julia Taylor) Our reasonably priced bar will be open before, during the interval and after the show. Free car park for customers and in easy walking distance of Altrincham and local tram and train stations. So what are you waiting for? BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

< Back The Warrior's Husband ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Bankes, Eric Beardmore, Francis R Bebie, Elizabeth Bergin, Thomas Brown, Sydney A Cherry, Helen Courtney, Donald Cummings, Amy Fenter, Joan M Gooby, Kathleen Green, Frank Hales, Leslie Hamilton, M Hartley, Joan Haycock, John Irving, Iris Mason, Ray Medcalf, Kathleen Pepper, Gertrude R Rourke, Norah J Squire, Winifred Stevens, Catherine Wood, Joan Wilkie, Jean

< Back Priscilla Queen of the Desert ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 30 May 2017 Take two drag queens, a transgender woman and a bus and you have the story of their race to get from Sydney to Alice Springs in time to perform their act at Lasseter's Hotel Casino Resort. Adventures occur along the way, including the bus breaking down and being repaired by a local mechanic which leads to an unexpected and warm relationship, and add as many disco tunes as possible. The result is Priscilla Queen of the Desrt which is an uplifting musical with the serious aspect of homosexuality and it's acceptance playing a major part in the show, especially as one of the drag queens is still married and is about to meet his 6 year old son for the first time. This production is proudly sponsored by Myerson Solicitors [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_8030-Small.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_8041-Small.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_8322-Small.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_8618-Small.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_7990-Small.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSC_7975-Small.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSCF6968-Small.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/DSCF7260-Small.jpg|"] Production Photographs by Vish Sharma CAST Tick/Mitzi - Todd Bennett Adam/Felicia - Rhys Nuttall Bernadette - Mark Butt Diva - Lara Hancox Diva - Lauren Whiteley Diva - Rachel Gerring Bob - Ivor Farley Cynthia - Claire Garrett Shirley - Caroline Knight Benji - Dylan Williams Marion - Sarah Reilly Miss Understanding - Brendan Cunningham Farrah/Young Bernadette - Jack Gibson Frank - Josh Crook Errol - Danny McCarrick Pastor/Barman - James Desmond Ensemble & Dancers Ceri Graves, Emma Lester, Stuart Angus, Tara Kitson, Katie Blackett, Hannah Cound, Sara Nelson, Danny McCarrick, James Desmond, Jack Gibson, Josh Crook, Dominic Smith, Maisie Marsden, Joshua Smith, Meg Dempster, Greg James, Jen Kirton, Patti Kirton, Charlie Lewis Review by Rick Bowen for Stagestruck DYNAMIC young director Joseph Meighan makes a welcome return to the stage with his and this theatre's best production to date. You simply must not miss this vocal and visual treat, packed full of outrageous humour and costumes so unashamedly camp your eyes could easily pop out when you see them. Inspired by a movie that I would certainly rank as a modern day classic it's the tale of two drag queens and a transgender woman who journey across Australia to perform their unique brand of cabaret. As you can imagine they encounter prejudice along the way - small town means small minds in too many places - and one of them faces the daunting prospect of being re-united with his young son. Beneath the laughter are serious messages about the need to look beyond our differences and live together in harmony. But no point in the evening do you feel preached to, thanks Stephen Elliott and Allan Scott's first class script. Some of the dialogue, the put downs in particular, are both priceless and brilliant. This brings me on to the performance of the three leads, Todd Bennett (Tick/Mitzi), Rhys Nuttall (Adam/Felicia) and Mark Butt, who is a revelation as the transsexual Bernadette. I really liked the way he played the scenes with Bob, the trio's unlikely knight in shining armour, a perfectly cast Ivor Farley. Todd Bennett also treats us to an inspired rendition of the timeless classic MacArthur Park, which came mighty close to bringing the house down. With a score that's sure to have Victor Meldrew tapping his feet and a musical director in the shape of none other than Mark Goggins, Altrincham Garrick has a huge hit on its hands. You simply must see this - at least twice. What a way to end a season. Star rating ★★★★★ Review by Nicky Lambert for North West End As I sat waiting for the show to begin tonight, I looked at the orchestra pit which is actually a huge hole in the stage of the Garrick and all I could think was "how on earth are they going to manage to navigate around that in heels?" This is an everyday(!) story of two drag queens, a transsexual and a pink bus...so not your run of the mill 'safe' musical and quite a brave choice as it's very risqu with some choice language at times. From the beginning of the overture with the accompanying lights and mirror ball, the audience is completely enveloped in kitsch, camp and even more camp until the end notes of the finale. My first "Bravery in Heels" award has to go to Brendan Cunningham as Miss Understanding ? His saucy looks and not so subtle innuendo was perfectly placed and at times, he reminded me of a half-crazed bird of paradise so what a great way to start the show. I literally held my breath as he walked backwards in heels right on the edge of the orchestra pit but I needn't have worried. The three main roles: Tick, Bernadette and Adam (Felicia) are larger than life, in fact they're great big, out-there characters so they cannot be underplayed and the casting of Todd Bennett (Tick), Rhys Nuttall (Adam) and Mark Butt (Bernadette) is inspired. Todd encompasses Tick's serious side but also camps it up royally, particularly during the 'McArthur Park' scene which earned its own round of applause. He also has a much better voice than Jason Donovan (who was cast as Tick in the West End and the national tour). Mark's version of Bernadette was everything that I love about this character. He gave her class, elegance and poise - and managed to deliver Bernadette's killer one liners with cut glass aplomb ("do I LOOK like a bus person?!") The rest are too rude to reproduce here but trust me, they're hilarious. Priscilla may be Queen of the Desert but Bernadette is Queen of the Put Down. And Rhys...oh my goodness...I don't think I'll be able to see him in anything else in the same light again...! I have to say that this was the best version of Adam/Felicia that I have ever seen. He completely inhabited the role and then some with his high energy performance - not to mention his fearlessness in being almost naked in front of the audience...then donning a very clingy dress and silver heels...then running round the stage in them. Oh and he can certainly work a basque! One of the stand out moments of the show is 'Sempre Libra' which Rhys performs on his own...it is an absolutely amazing showstopper. The Three Divas (Lara Hancox, Lauren Whiteley and Rachel Gerring) sounded fabulous and did a sterling and sparkling job. Another special mention must go to Claire Garrett who played Cynthia. All I'm saying is...ping pong balls. You'll just have to go and see it to find out. I must congratulate Dylan Williams (Benji) on his great accent and despite this being his first stage performance, I didn't see any sign of nerves at all. The ensemble scenes were quite amazing ? not only because every one of them was a fantastic and colourful spectacle to behold but because of the high quality of everyone's performance. There was a massive hole in the stage but everyone navigated around it perfectly without seeming to even have to look where they were placing their feet! I am lost in admiration. I really enjoyed the choreography of all these numbers and I feel I have to give a special mention to Stuart Angus, one of the ensemble, who absolutely nailed all the moves and had a smile that dazzled as much as the sequins. The costumes are breathtakingly fabulous and as for the lightning speed of the costume changes ? this is quite unbelievable, I can only imagine what the stress levels must be like backstage so a big well done to everyone involved! One of my favourite scenes comes at the end of part one and sees the company wearing the over the top wide legged trousers and huge wigs which have become the trademark of this show. It was performed outstandingly and the five stars that I have awarded could have come from that scene alone. The final scene at Ayres Rock is extremely powerful and uplifting and then we are hit with a dazzlingly colourful finale with some absolutely stunning costumes. Everyone involved in this show should be so proud. A huge well done must go to Joseph Meighan (Director) and Louise Pettitt (Choreographer) for doing such an outstanding job in what must be a very challenging space to work in (did I mention there's a huge hole in the stage!) 'Priscilla' is a story of triumphing over adversity and also has a message about acceptance but it's also just really good fun and a hysterical night out. This production more than does the original cult film justice. It's colourful, over the top and just downright fabulous. Do not miss this camper-than-a-row-of-tents, hilarious, dazzlingly brilliant spectacle. You'll never know unless you give it a go! Star rating ★★★★★ Five Fabulously Flamboyant Stars

< Back Love on the Dole ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 24 July 2013 Presented as a tribute to one of the Garrick founding members, Ronald Gow, whose adaptation of Walter Greenwood's classic won him many plaudits. Speaking as powerfully now as when it was first presented in 1931, Love on the Dole follows the struggles of Sally Hardcastle and her family during the great depression that grips the North. Struggling to make ends meet and with her family facing an uncertain future, she is faced with a decision that could ensure her family's survival, but at the inevitable price of her own happiness. Engaging, gripping and powerful. Northern drama at its very best. For those that would like to know more about Ronald Gow, please click here to view his Obituary from 1993. [gallery columns="5" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-A.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-D.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-E.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-B.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-C.jpg|"] [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-7.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-1.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-5.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-3.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Love-on-the-Dole-4.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-2.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-6.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Love-on-the-Dole-8.jpg|"] CAST LIST Sally Hardcastle - Laura Chandler Henry Hardcastle - Graham Simmonds Sarah Hardcastle - Janet Slade Larry Meath - Rhys Nuttall Harry Hardcastle - Ashley Ball Helen Hawkins - Jessica Brooks Mrs. Jike - Val Watkinson Mrs. Dorbell - Pat Williamson Mrs. Bull - Mags Johnson Sam Grundy - Nick Sample Charlie Doyle - Bill Platt Mrs. Doyle - Sylvia Hay Agitator - Trevor McKie Policeman - Peter Loizou Rag 'n Bone Man - Gabriel Walker Other Parts Played By Margaret Kenyon, Irene North, Zara Ahmed, Hannah Jenkins, Emily Stewart, Sue Richardson, and Other Members of the Cast. Prompts - Stella Sails & Jane Lewis ASM - Margaret Kenyon Review by Rick Bowen Love On The Dole launches Garrick centenary season in style Impressive - Laura Chandler as Sally Hardcastle ALTRINCHAM Garrick launches its centenary celebrations in style, with a memorable production of the heart warming and at times heartbreaking northern classic, Love On The Dole. Based on Walter Greenwood's novel set during the Great Depression, it has been expertly adapted for the stage by one of this theatre's founder members, Ronald Gow. The script and some exceptional performances make you care deeply about the characters as they struggle to survive on a poverty ridden Salford estate. All of them are disarmingly decent and you?ll find yourselves crossing your fingers for a happy ending. The younger characters still have hope, while the older ones largely seek solace in booze and the supernatural. One minute you're laughing out loud, the next you're moved and frustrated by the plight of people who wonder where the next meal is coming from. The best performances? Well, to be perfectly honest there aren't any weak ones. But I particularly liked Laura Chandler as the heroine of the piece, Sally Hardcastle, a formidable Lancashire lass who dreams of marrying her Larry, a young radical played by Rhys Nutall Chandler and Meath have a strong chemistry and this is replicated by the other lovers in the piece, Harry Hardcastle and Helen Hawkins, played to perfection by Ashley Ball and Jessica Brooks. Unfortunately I don?t have the space to mention everybody, as this production represents a high water mark for this theatre. Go and make the run a sell-out - they certainly deserve it. Star Rating ★★★★ ★ Love on the Dole by Julia Taylor (for remotegoat ) Idealistic Play about a Workless Family I've a soft spot for Ronald Gow, the writer of Love on the Dole adapted from a book by Walter Greenwood. He taught my father at the Boys Grammar School then called Altrincham High School, and encouraged him to play Shakespeare in a play about the bard. Ronald Gow was a founder member so it is fitting that his greatest work should be shown in the Garrick's centenary season. The play is about the struggles to make ends meet of Salford mill worker, Sally Hardcastle and her family who fight for a better life against all the odds during the great depression of the thirties. Sally, played movingly by Laura Chandler, bonds with political activist, Larry Meath (Rhys Nuttall). Her brother, Harry, (Ashley Ball) has his own love, Helen Hawkins (Jessica Brooks). Theirs is, literally, love on the dole. Larry is passionately idealistic. He sees only black and white and this is put over well by Rhys Nutall. It is this attitude that ultimately leads to his downfall. The writer illustrates how poverty can affect relationships and director Maureen Casket, ensures the sentiments of the time are conveyed realistically. Laura Chandler brings out the character of the feisty Sally steering her through dreams of a better life, to heartbreak and anger. Ultimately she makes a decision which ensures her family?s survival at the price of her own happiness. I am surprised how funny this production is. I had expected it to be unremitting gloom. But it isn't. There are lots of laughs. Most of them come from three old women who sit around the Hardcastle's kitchen table drinking gin. They remind me of Ena, Minnie and Martha in the early days of Coronation Street. Mrs Jike, Mrs Dorbell and Mrs Bull played by Val Watkinson, Pat Williamson and Mags Johnson are a hoot. The senior Hardcastles, Henry and Sarah, played by Graham Simmonds and Janet Slade, struggle to cope with their wayward adult children. Yet it is they who ultimately prove that love conquers all. This is one of the finest productions so far this season. Star Rating ★★★★★ Review from The Fiction Stroker Regular readers of this blog may remember that the last time I encountered Walter Greenwood's Love on the Dole I was less than enamored with it. I found Greenwood;s tale of the poverty stricken Hanky Park slums near Salford to be a bit wearing and in some cases downright irritating. It's been a while since my original delve into Greenwood's world though possibly time enough for me to have mellowed? It is Love on the Dole' s resonant themes that have made the story something of a modern classic. reenwood's story was a response to the crippling unemployment affecting the area and follows the Hardcastle family as they are pulled apart - sound familiar at all? Swap out Hanky Park for elsewhere in Manchester and the industrial way of life for call centres and you're not a million miles away from where we stand today. This version by the Altrincham Garrick is rather special. Not only is it part of their Centenary season, but is written by Ronald Gow, a founder member of the Garrick. Gow's adaptation was also notably turned into a film with both screen and stage versions taking the country by storm. With relatively few 'classic' Northern plays to choose from, Love on the Dole' has endured and stands as a fitting tribute to Gow's impact on the theatre landscape. Despite Gow's adaptation being written in 1934, it's lost surprisingly little of its punch eighty years on. Of note are Laura Chandler's Sally and Ashley Ball's Harry. Young and tempestuous, their anger is barely contained at Hanky Park's continued poverty. Both long for material possessions to subvert their working class position, much to the ire of proud father Henry (Graham Simmonds) wounding his pride - already an outdated notion in 1934 and positively archaic now. Simmonds performance is masterful, with a deep-seated vein of shame at accepting help buried among his irascible anger. The company provide much of the community feel - much of them passing each other in the street on Margaret Norris's superbly designed stage is straight out of classic Coronation Street. Modern audiences may well assume that the unholy triad of Mrs. Jike, Dorbell and Bull (Val Watkinson, Pat Williamson and Mags Johnson) are based on Ena Sharples, Minnie Caldwell and Martha Longhurst with their gossiping and general hi-jinx. Older audiences however will no doubt nod with how utterly authentic the ladies performances are. It's a smaller scale type of poverty than in Greenwood's book. Only one character really comes out the other side as a winner, for the rest there is no winning in Hanky Park - just surviving. This stage version sanitises this a little bit with more slapstick humour breaking up the grim outlook. In part it works, but Love on the Dole has an important tale to tell, no matter how grim the consequences. Maureen Casket's direction is at it's best when aping kitchen sink drama -''confrontational' scenes towards the end of the second Act are pitched nicely with some sharp intakes of breath from the audience. Time will tell for Love on the Dole whether or not we look back at it as a charmingly quaint reminder of a bygone age. For now though, it acts as a timely and still relevant discourse of life on the bread line. Looking past my feelings towards Greenwood's story, you have a solid, rudely stylish and confident production awaiting you at the Altrincham Garrick this week - a production that ironically enough is perhaps the most relevant of their Centenary season. Star Rating ★★★★ NODA Review by Kevin Proctor Even though this adapted novel was voted one of the 100 Best Plays of the Twentieth Century, 'Love on the Dole' is one of those works that we might have heard of or known from the 1941 film starring Deborah Kerr but are unlikely to have actually seen. It presents a timely reminder that however bad the current recession might be, double dip or not, it is a cakewalk compared to the Depression of the early 1930's, where the dole could be withdrawn leaving families to enter the workhouse or starve. The majority of the play is set in the cramped living space of the Hardcastle family home, we gradually see their possessions disappear throughout the play as they're (suggestively) pawned for the little they're worth. The Hardcastle's are from Salford's dire "Anky Park", who are working class and proud of it. The central figure is the strapping Sally Hardcastle, well played by Laura Chandler - in a role I wouldn't normally expect to see her portray which is always refreshing. Sally becomes the bedrock on which the household rely, her soul kept together by love for Rhys Nuttall's political agitator Larry Meath. I did find their relationship slightly difficult to believe as their connection didn't have the spark needed to drive the play, the two often stood holding and swinging their hands as they spoke to one another which conveyed more of a childlike/twee relationship than adoring love, however, both performances as individuals had vitality! Mirroring their courtship is that between Sally's younger brother Harry and his girlfriend Helen (Ashley Ball and Jessica Brooks). I very much enjoyed Ashley's performance and am pleased to see another new face in a Garrick drama, a competent young actor who certainly holds his own. Through the play, there is much to try this family. Indeed, they sometimes appeared to be wending their way through an early pilot for Coronation Street, not helped by some melodramatic plotting. Direction by Maureen Casket was sometimes hard to pin point, I was unsure whether she?d instructed some of the players pacing and fidgeting hands as it often didn't marry with what was going on. Sarah (the Mother), played by Janet Slade, is burdened by a trio of self-proclaimed friends who do a good imitation of a cackling coven of witches. The others suffer unemployment, pregnancy, delayed marriages, hunger, death and in the final reckoning, a fate much worse even than that, at the hands of the local backstreet bookmaker, Nick Sample as Sam Grundy. The set was an impressive, traditional design - though I, personally, think a more contemporary and up to date model would have rocketed this piece out of the dated category making the production furnished for an audience of today. At its best, Love on the Dole is a heart-rending family story that reminds us how lucky we are to be living in our own time. This slightly over fussy revival might have ensured that the play's impact had all of the power that must have been present for those who saw it when life really was like this (and it wowed around a million people in the year or so after it was first performed). Even so, much of the sheer desperation of these blighted Northerners still shone through. The final and most poignant moment in the play as Sarah and Henry are left alone was my highlight, how they shared a moment of hope and painted a positive picture of their future!

< Back A Tender Thing ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 13 August 2013 Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet re-imagined as a love story for an older generation. In Ben Power's new version of the world famous love story, written for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare's language resonates through the story of an older couple whose lifetime of love comes under threat. A Tender Thing is an elegiac yet ultimately hopeful account of the human capacity for love.

< Back Love Never Dies (Theatre Screening) ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 31 August 2020 This sequel to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s blockbuster musical finds Christine and Raoul a decade or so later invited to sing once more, at a theatre in Coney Island. Among the extraordinary characters lurks someone all too familiar. This presentation was filmed live on stage in Melbourne, and is presented to you as-live. It is packed with soaring melodies, ravishing sets, and many unexpected twists ... This screening will (as always) be introduced by Barry Purves with informed trivia, anecdotes and some background of the production. The bar will be open before and after the show. Come and join us in a friendly, informal and Covid-19 safe atmosphere, to take advantage of sensational screening facilities as well as our low prices and free car park.

< Back A Day by the Sea ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Eddison, Elinor Eddison, Toby Frost, Kenneth Pratt, Graham Ellis Sykes, Constance D Talbot, Ernest K Wilson, George E Wilson, Pamela

< Back The Shop at Sly Corner ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Abbott, Amy Butler, Eileen Cavanagh, Cliff Howat, Robert (Bob) A Peebles, George Royse, Mary W Wilson, George E

< Back Thirty Minutes in a Street ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Alexander, Tom Bailey, Phyllis Billcliff, Lillian Bond, George F Brennand, Dulcie Johnson, Elsie Jones, Noel F Kewell, H Medcalf, Barbara Mitchell, Winifred Pye, George H Roberts, Eunice Rourke, Norah J Settle, Minnie Shaw, A Keble Shepherd, J E Whiting, G

< Back A Midsummer Night's Dream (ish) ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 25 March 2022 The Loons are here to perform their new musical take on Shakespeare's classic magical comedy - only the van with all the actors, the set and the script seems to have broken down in the middle of nowhere, so it's up to a well-meaning stage hand to grab a guitar and do the whole show themselves....It's only Shakespeare, how hard can it be? Cream-faced Loons are back with their sell-out blend of music, madness and mischief in this one-person re-telling of Shakespeare's most popular play - expect silliness, Shakespeare(ish) and oh yeah, audience you may need to get involved! "Anyone who dares to say Shakespeare is boring should watch this show as it has humour by the bucket load!" - North West End **** Suitable for ages 7+ Run Time 1hr Website: www.creamfacedloons.co.uk Our reasonably priced bar will be open before and after the show. Free car park for customers and in easy walking distance of Altrincham and local tram and train stations. So what are you waiting for? BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

< Back Things I Know to be True ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 29 June 2018 A BEAUTIFULLY TOUCHING, FUNNY AND BOLD PLAY... NOT TO BE MISSED Andrew Bovell has written about how families can struggle to love and how also members of even the strongest of families can easily hurt those who are the closest to them. The play poses these questions - "What do generations owe to each other?" "Can the 'sacrifice now live later' ethos of our parents ever find a happy meeting point with the 'live now' approach of the millennials? Most of all this play looks at the tightness of ties that bind families and how we must face our parents? imperfections as a part of facing our own. The Garrick is delighted to be staging this beautiful play and bringing it alive for our audiences to absorb and enjoy. This Production is proudly sponsored by [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC_9359.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC_9568.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC_9596.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC_8609.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC_8807.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC_8934.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC_9284.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC_9291.jpg|"] Production Photographs by Vish Sharma CAST Bob - Charlie Tomlinson Fran - Brigid Hemingway Pip - Holly Boland Mark - Alexander Mike Thompson Ben - Anthony Morris Rosie - Megan Relph Rehearsal Photographs [gallery columns="6" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_2827-Medium-e1554794401718.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_2820-Medium.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_2857-Medium.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_2871-Medium.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_2851-Medium.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_2869-Medium-e1554794440943.jpg|"] Director's Note: Many congratulations to actor Anthony Morris who ran the Manchester Marathon in just over 4 hours then came on to rehearsals for Things I Know To Be True - only to be chased round and then thrown to the floor by his Father in the play Charlie Tomlinson. What a Star - Anthony we are all so proud of you! Review by Rick Bowen for Stagestruck THE words “family strife” take on a whole new meaning in this modern day classic, Altrincham Garrick’s production of the season. Andrew Bovell writes in a way that’s sure to affect those who see this piece very deply. Bovell’s writing is thoughtful, thought provoking, touching and warmly funny and the cast give performances of a professional standard, thanks to expert direction from Carole Carr. Poor Rosie (Megan Relph) returns home early from a backpacking trip to Europe after having her heart broken by a Spanish confidence trickster and who would blame here if she packed her bags and did a runner to escape the unfolding turmoil in her family home. It’s a home presided over by her doting but suffocating dad Bob, played by the always watchable Charlie Tomlinson and her mum Fran, one of the most fascinating female characters I’ve ever encountered in contemporary theatre, brilliantly portrayed here by Brigid Hemmingway. Bob is a dethroned patriarch and Fran is a woman who speaks her mind, but nothing can prepare them for the shocks that come courtesy of their other three grown up kids, Pip, Mark and Ben. This piece , while it shouldn’t be dismissed as an angst fest is hard on the emotions at times but it makes you feel like you’re actually living. Add a gorgeous set from Juliet Jones, some equally lovely and tender music and you have the complete theatre package. Hopefully the remaining seats will be snapped up because productions as good as this deserve packed houses. Go and send the box office phones into meltdown, for this is flawlessly brilliant. Star rating ★★★ ★★

< Back The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 31 March 2021 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ THIS IS A SOCIALLY DISTANCED SHOW. PLEASE ADHERE TO THE GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES WITH REGARDS TO THE WEARING OF MASKS AND GROUP BOOKINGS, IN PLACE AT THE DATE OF THE PRODUCTION. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Every Shakespeare play in just 100 minutes! Yes, that's right! All 37 plays in just 100 minutes! An irreverent, fast-paced romp through the Bard’s plays, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) " was London’s longest-running comedy having clocked a very palpable nine years in London’s West End at the Criterion Theatre! Join these ridiculous folk in tights as they weave their wicked way through all of Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories and Tragedies in one wild ride that will leave you breathless and helpless with laughter. Download the programme for the week's performance. Rehearsal Photographs taken by Barry Purves [gallery size="medium" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Complete-Works-1-scaled.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Complete-Works-2-scaled.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Complete-Works-3-scaled.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Complete-works-4-scaled.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Complete-Works-6-scaled.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Complete-Works-7-scaled.jpg|"] For lovers of Theatre and Shakespeare everywhere! “What cheek! What nerve! What sheer, heavenly, unadulterated fun!” - Sunday Express. Running Time: 100 Minutes (No Interval) This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited

< Back To Have the Honour ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 1 July 2014 CAST Griffiths, Peggy

< Back Romeo and Juliette ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Alexander, Tom Astles, F Billcliff, Arthur Bullivant, R A Courtney, Donald Coventry, Betty Cummings, Amy Davenport, Alfred Duncan, E D Hall, Margaret Harrison, Noel Hartley, Robert Haycock, John Hughes, Geoffrey Jackson, June James, Barbara Johnson, Eric W Justice, Margery Landon, Henry Lunt, Noel M Matthews, Walter R Osborne, Edgar Roberts, E Royse, Mary W Smith, A W Swale, Joan Talbot, Ernest A Thompson, P

< Back Outward Bound ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 1 July 2014 CAST Blackburn, Lydia Brierley, Norman Briggs, Harry Hill, Arthur P Lowe, Edgar M Nixon, Walter S Smith, Bertram E Stone, Suzanne

< Back Penny Wise ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Bateman, G C Blackburn, Lydia Brown, Sydney A Iredale, Emmie Pye, George H Spencer, Ralph Waddington, R R Walton, Mary

< Back Rats Tales ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 9 June 2015 Lauriston Studio 15-18 year olds Directed by Becky Taylor-Sharman & Jenny Dixon Group 1 Tuesday 23rd and Wed 24th June at 7:00pm Group 2 Friday 26th & Saturday 27th June at 7:00pm

< Back All My Sons ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 16 December 2013 Written in 1947, just after the end of World War 2, this play brought Miller his first major success. The setting is the unremarkable backyard in a comfortable ordinary American suburb. Joe Keller, now retired from running his factory, which had been given over to the production of airplane parts during the war, is an especially popular figure and the Keller's home is a drop-in for all the neighbours. But Joe harbours a half-forgotten secret and his son Chris cannot forgive but must expose the wartime profiteering. A searing drama of conflict between father and son. CAST Martin Oldfield as Joe Keller - SAM Best Actor Award 2006 Carole Carr as Kate Keller John Keen as Chris Keller Duncan Battman as George Deever Graham Simmonds as Dr Jim Bayliss David Leathlean as Frank Lubey Paula Keen as Lydia Lubey Natalie Horne as Ann Deever Ruth O'Hara as Sue Bayliss Daniel Waxman as Bert

< Back Last of the Red Hot Lovers ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 27 July 2013 Barney, who has been married to an irreproachable wife for twenty-three years, feels the urge to join the sexual revolution before it is too late. Taking advantage of the fact that his mother's flat is unoccupied two days a week he invites three women to his lair in succession. With no experience of adultery he fails on each occasion. As the play ends he is telephoning his wife - to meet him that afternoon in his mother's apartment. CAST Barney Cashman -?Malcolm Cooper Elaine Nevazio -?Lise Nivern-Banks Bobbi Michele -?Emma Frances Toms Jeanette Fisher - Margaret Leslie [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Last-of-the-Red-Hot-Lovers-1.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Last-of-the-Red-Hot-Lovers-2.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Last-of-the-Red-Hot-Lovers-5-.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Last-of-the-Red-Hot-Lovers-4.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Last-of-the-Red-Hot-Lovers-6.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Last-of-the-Red-Hot-Lovers-3.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Last-of-the-Red-Hot-Lovers-7.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Last-of-the-Red-Hot-Lovers-8.jpg|"] [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/11859603105_84ee234b0f_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/11859608555_3c6d9318f4_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/11859609445_57694c814b_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/11859611975_848e50b11b_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/11859892103_601b81028d_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/11859892583_801987665b_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/11860044204_621857ed6f_z.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/11860420256_847f0fb99d_z.jpg|"]

< Back The Tent ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Dean, Ken Edge, Eunice Gillespie, Robert Healey, Tim Lightowler, Ronnie R Royle, Dudley

< Back NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE - The Crucible ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 31 August 2022 A witch hunt is beginning in Arthur Miller’s captivating parable of power with Erin Doherty (The Crown) and Brendan Cowell (Yerma). Raised to be seen but not heard, a group of young women in Salem suddenly find their words have an almighty power. As a climate of fear, vendetta and accusation spreads through the community, no one is safe from trial. Lyndsey Turner (Hamlet) directs this contemporary new staging, designed by Tony Award-winner Es Devlin (The Lehman Trilogy). Captured live from the Olivier stage at the National Theatre.

< Back Andante Live - Blowin' in the Wind ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 17 July 2019 THIS PRODUCTION IS IN OUR STUDIO VENUE Join us as we take you back to the era of PEACE , PROTEST & LOVE with uniquely arranged classic songs such as “Mr Tambourine Man’, ‘Imagine’, ‘The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down’, ‘Big Yellow Taxi’, ‘The Sound of Silence’, ‘All you need is Love’ and many more. Andante Live presents “Blowin’ in the Wind” Combining the vocal harmonies of Vee Sweeney and Mark Rowson, 16 instruments between them and outstanding musicianship, they perform an uplifting and inspiring show to give you a fabulous evening of unforgettable music.

< Back Pride (2014 film) ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 29 September 2020 In 1984, Thatcher’s Britain was heading towards the miners’ strike. A particular Welsh village inadvertently find themselves playing host to a colourful - very colourful - group heading to Gay Pride in London. Out of the inevitable clashes rises an unlikely alliance. This is a real "stand up and be counted" feel-good movie from 2014. This screening will (as always) be introduced by Barry Purves with informed trivia, anecdotes and some background of the production. The bar will be open before and after the show. Come and join us in a friendly, informal and Covid-19 safe atmosphere, to take advantage of sensational screening facilities as well as our low prices and free car park.

< Back GAPA Term 3 - Group 3 (Call Box office 0161 928 1677 to BOOK) ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 22 March 2023 GAPA – Garrick Academy of Performing Arts TERM 3 Enrolement: 22nd April 2023 – 8th July 2023 10 week term - Saturday Class Not including: 27/05/2023 & 03/06/2023 Group 3 - 9am to 11am for students aged 14 - 18 years The Garrick Academy of Performing Arts runs classes for ages 5 to 18 on Saturday and is the place to be if you love acting, singing or dancing. IMPORTANT - Please do not sign up to this class if your child does not fall within this age bracket. If you are enroling more than one student, please ensure the correct Group is selected for each child. Due to limited spaces, if you select the incorrect group we cannot guarantee your child a place at GAPA this term. Existing GAPA students will have priority booking and a place secured for them for a period of 2 weeks until Thursday 6th April. Following which any remaining spaces in all 7 Groups will be made available to our waiting list. Enrolement will be available to new students after 20th April.

< Back Trevor Eve (Postponed) ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 8 February 2020 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Closure Update In line with Government instructions we are classed as a non-essential business and no member of staff is able to continue working at the theatre until Government restrictions ease. Please be assured that the vast majority of events have been postponed and not cancelled so therefore all tickets remain valid. Once we are able to operate again we will be in touch with you with details of the rescheduled dates. You can then transfer your current tickets to the new date, however if you are unable to transfer to the new date or don’t wish to have your ticket transferred to another production you will be given a full refund. You will not lose any money. This is an unprecedented event for our venue, and we thank you for your continued support and loyalty. Best wishes Your Garrick Playhouse Team. Trevor Eve is one of Britain’s greatest actors. The two-time Olivier Award Winner became a household name as BBC TV detective Shoestring and has enjoyed an enormously successful stage, TV and film career. More recently, his work as Detective Superintendent Peter Boyd in BBC’s Waking The Dead has dazzled. Trevor’s debut novel, Lomita For Ever, was published last year and in a rare stage appearance he will reflect on the critically-acclaimed noir thriller. Joined by his wife, the actress Sharon Maughan, he will also reflect on a glittering career that has included working with Sir Laurence Olivier and performing for The Queen. Trevor will sign copies of Lomita For Ever and there will be readings, conversation and audience questions. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Closure Update Following the official government notification issued on Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th March 2020, which stipulates that people should avoid public buildings, including theatres, we regret to announce that Altrincham Garrick Playhouse will close from today to help slow the spread of Coronavirus and to protect our patrons, staff and volunteers. All public performances will cease/be postponed from Wednesday 18th March 2020 and we hope to be able to present this seasons remaining productions at a future date. We will be in touch regarding options available to you for credit notes or transfers to other future performances, but as you will appreciate, we will prioritise the performances closest to today then be in touch with customers who have tickets booked for future shows as the length of closure becomes clearer. Please bear with us – we will contact customers on an ongoing basis. Our customer service team will be very busy so please do not email or telephone regarding your booking, you will hear from us in due course. This is an unprecedented event for our venue, and we thank you for your continued support and loyalty. Best wishes Your Garrick Playhouse Team.

< Back Murder On The Nile ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 16 December 2013 Set in Agatha Christie time on a luxurious, traditional Nile steamer we are once again caught up in tangled motives, hidden agendas and crime... Who is the perpetrator? And will you, the audience, solve the mystery before the passengers? A must for all Agatha Christie lovers.

< Back Quartet ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 7 February 2014 Cecily, Reggie and Wilfred are in a home for retired opera singers. Jean, who used to be married to Reggie, arrives at the home in time for a concert to celebrate Verdi's Birthday. She is still acting like a diva and refuses to sing. But the show must go on. CAST Cecily Robson Alison Davis Reginald Paget David Reynolds Wilfred Bond Tony Broughton Jean Norton Maureen Casket Sale & Altrincham Messenger's review by Rick Bowen Growing Old in Style When I was a child, I can remember my grandad saying 'don?t grow old, Rick' and while 'Quartet' isn't, in many ways, the most positive advert for the ageing process, it's also an uplifting play that offers a great deal of hope. Hope for people who society deems to have nothing left to offer, hope for people who are branded as being past their sell by date. They say laughter is the best medicine but it's a large dose of opera that gives the four ageing characters a new lease of life in Ronald Harwood's funny and moving play. An intellectual banquet, 'Quartet' is currently playing at Altrincham Garrick and it should be a hit with theatregoers desperate for something to get their teeth into. The characters are strong and distinctive and Harwood even manages to offer us vivid portraits of characters we never see. Now that is quite a gift and he does it without putting too much flesh on their bones. We're in a posh but soulless retirement home and opera singers Cecily, Reg, Wilfred and Jean feel their lives have lost their purpose and they are, in effect, twiddling their thumbs in God's waiiting room. Cecily's memory is going, Reg, who seems to be the most able of the four, is prone to spontaneous, child like tantrums, Wilfred is the living embodiment of one of those old fashioned, saucy seaside postcards and Jean is an ageing prima donna who expects everyone to kow-tow to her every need. They get they chance to perform again or, as the incurably randy Wilfred puts it, "to be young again." Cue the lump in my throat. Director Barry Purves is a lover of opera and his unbridled affection currently comes out in a production that has obviously been nurtured with tender, loving care. But you don't have to share his passion to enjoy a play that makes you think about the way society dismisses and dumps its elderly. This isn't an exclusive play - it's there for all of us to enjoy. Excellent performances and Purves's set, characteristically creative, deserves a round of applause in itself.

< Back Rear Window (1954 film) ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 29 September 2020 Hitchcock’s edge-of-your-seat masterpiece turns the viewer into a voyeur, witnessing terrible events that they can only watch and are unable to stop. James Stewart and Grace Kelly star in the thriller that truly cranks up the tension. This screening will (as always) be introduced by Barry Purves with informed trivia, anecdotes and some background of the production. The bar will be open before and after the show. Come and join us in a friendly, informal and Covid-19 safe atmosphere, to take advantage of sensational screening facilities as well as our low prices and free car park.

< Back BALL & BOE: Back Together (Theatrical Screening) ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 26 July 2021 The ultimate musical duo, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe are ‘Back Together’ and set to delight cinema audiences with the final show of their UK tour at the O2 Arena. Hot on the heels of their star turns in the West End’s phenomenally successful staged concert of Les Misérables, Ball and Boe’s sensational voices and irresistible chemistry will undoubtedly light up the big screen. The superstar pair will take on their favourite musical theatre, pop and rock tracks, including songs from The Lion King, Les Misérables, The Greatest Showman and The Phantom of the Opera as well as a brilliantly arranged 'Queen Medley'. Our reasonably priced bar will be open before, during the interval and after the show. Free car park for customers and in easy walking distance of Altrincham and local tram and train stations. So what are you waiting for? BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

< Back Vaudevilles ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 10 February 2014 Chekhov wasn't all doom and gloom! The Garrick is proud to present four of his early and hilarious short plays, 'The Bear', 'The Evils of Tobacco', 'Swan Song' and 'The Proposal'. Chekhov himself dubbed these four early one-acts, "vaudevilles". Written for their earning potential at a time when the playwright's family was struggling financially, each of the plays deals with a subject that Chekhov would continue to explore in his later, more famous plays: love, in all its manifestations, glory and complication! Translated by Michael Frayn ('Noises Off', 'Copenhagen'), the plays are witty and brilliantly constructed examples of Chekhov's ability to observe, dissect and ultimately pity human folly. CAST The Evils of Tobacco Nyukhin - Nick Johnson The Bear Popova - Paula Keen Smirnov - Jon White Luka - Richard Sails The Proposal Stepan Stepanich (Chubukov) - Graham Simmonds Natalya Stepanovna - Sarah Roberts Ivan Vasilyevich (Lomov) - Ian Fensome Swan Song Svetlovidov - Richard Sails Nikita Ivanich - Graham Simmonds ASM/Prompt - Ken Currah [gallery columns="6" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/vaudevillesa.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/vaudevillesb.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/vaudevillesc.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/vaudevillese.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/vaudevillesd.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/vaudevillesf.jpg|"] Photographer: Martin Oldfield

< Back Appointment in Eden ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Eaton, Margo Gorna, Christina Greir, Alma Hamblin, Phyllis Jones, Sulaned Ramsbottom, Elsie Sonley, Betty Winning, Joyce

< Back The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992 film) ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 1 January 1970 When The Great Gonzo plays Charles Dickens, Kermit the Frog plays Bob Cratchit and Statler (and Waldorf) play Jacob (and Robert) Marley, you know you're in for a unique interpretation of this Christmas classic. Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Sam Eagle join in, and there are even cameo appearances from Beaker and the Swedish Chef. Michael Caine gives a bravura performance as Scrooge in this lovely film ... and shines against even the combined talents of the Muppets ! This funny and heart-warming film is a must-see, particularly for those who've never (shock horror !) seen a Muppet film before. This screening will (as always) be introduced by Barry Purves with informed trivia, anecdotes and some background of the production. Come and join us in a friendly, informal and Covid-19 safe atmosphere, to take advantage of sensational screening facilities as well as our low prices and free car park.

< Back Blue Stockings By Jessica Swale ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 18 May 2022 “They say you don’t have the capacity to be scholars. So read everything. Learn everything. Know the philosophers, and then think for yourselves. ” A moving, comical and eye-opening story of four young women fighting for education and self-determination against the larger backdrop of women's suffrage. 1896. Girton College, Cambridge, the first college in Britain to admit women. The Girton girls study ferociously and match their male peers grade for grade. Yet, when the men graduate, the women leave with nothing but the stigma of being a 'blue stocking ' - an unnatural, educated woman. They are denied degrees and go home unqualified and unmarriable. In Jessica Swale's play, Blue Stockings , Tess Moffat and her fellow first years are determined to win the right to graduate. But little do they anticipate the hurdles in their way: the distractions of love, the cruelty of the class divide or the strength of the opposition, who will do anything to stop them. The play follows them over one tumultuous academic year, in their fight to change the future of education. Blue Stockings received its professional premiere at Shakespeare's Globe, London, in August 2013. Age Guidance: 12+ Production shots taken by Martin Ogden [gallery columns="2" size="large" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BSa-scaled.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BSh-scaled.jpg|"] [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BSe-scaled.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BSi-scaled.jpg|"] [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BSd-scaled.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BSg-scaled.jpg|"] [gallery columns="2" size="large" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BSb-scaled.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/BSc-scaled.jpg|"] 5 STAR REVIEW - Rick Bowen at Stagestruck IT’S hard to believe it nowadays, but it wasn’t until 1948 that Cambridge University finally allowed female students to graduate. And this in a country that likes to set itself up as a bastion of decency and fair play. This compelling subject forms the basis of Jessica Swale’s brilliant piece of work - the best production to grace the Garrick stage in 2022. I really liked the way Swale tells the compelling story of four women, academically as able as their male peers, battle against the dismissive attitudes of their male peers and academics who wield all the power at the famous university. An evening of man bashing this most definitely is not but there were occasions when I felt ashamed of my gender. Blue Stockings is set in 1896, more than a century before terms like ‘sexism’ had become part of the vernacular and I really like the way in which Pippa Lane, Bronte James, Madeleine Healey and Olivia Brindley bring their characters so vividly and engagingly to life. You’ll find yourself quietly rooting for their characters, Tess, Celia, Carolyn and Maeve, a tribute to their considerable acting ability and the skills of Sue Mowat, who makes her debut at Altrincham Garrick as director of a production packed with performances of a professional standard. It feels wrong to single out individual performances because there aren’t any weak links in this cast. But I did really enjoy Nick Sample as Banks and Sam Evans as the disarmingly decent Ralph Mayhew. Add some gentle and captivating original music by Mark Goggins and you have a perfect evening’s theatre that’s simply far too good too miss. As for me. I would quite willingly, watch this again. Highly recommended. Until October 8. Star rating - ***** North West End Uk Review - Paul Wilcox very year, during the first week of October, thousands of fresh-faced young people flock to our major cities marking the start of the university year. That this annual migration forms a rite of passage for both men AND women, is largely due to the efforts of ‘Blue Stockings’, pioneers in the rights for women’s education and equality of opportunity during the nineteenth century. In this 2013 play, writer Jessica Swale focuses on the 1896 fight by women at Girton College, Cambridge to gain the right to graduate alongside their male peers in the face of hostile opposition from faculty, fellow students and society at large. We see the prejudice and misogyny that women in education faced through the eyes of four new ‘Girton Girls’, Tess (Pippa Lane), Celia (Bronte James), Carolyn (Madeleine Healey) and Maeve (Olivia Brindley), an early encounter with renowned psychiatrist Dr Maudsley (Sean Duvall) setting the tone for the universities dismissive and patronising disapproval of their presence. They are supported in their endeavours by Mistress of Girton College, Elizabeth Welsh (Ros Greenwood) and Miss Blake (Kathryn Worthington) whilst being adamantly opposed by the rest of the University and the wider (male) student body. The battle lines are drawn, with a vote on whether to confer degree status on the women forming the dramatic climax of the plot. The Garrick always manages to unearth young talent to bring its productions to life and this one is no exception, with consistently high levels of performance across the piece. Lane brings out the frustrated curiosity of Tess well, her curious mind extending well beyond the boundaries of the limited syllabus set by her hidebound male examiners, whilst Healey finds the humour and light in bohemian Carolyn with precision and dextrous physicality. James acts as the glue for the group in both character and performance, and we feel the pain of Maeve when she is forced to give up her studies due to events beyond her control. Brindley is excellently understated as the shy Maeve, a character I would like to have seen developed more and a timely reminder that class and money were as impenetrable a barrier to progress as sex. Miss Welsh and Miss Blake provide the embodiment of the wildly varying attitudes to female emancipation during the period, even amongst women themselves. The evolutionary approach of Welsh juxtaposed with the more strident and revolutionary suffragette beliefs of Blake, reflecting the differences as to how best to progress the cause. Worthington is particularly noteworthy as Blake, prepared to sacrifice her entire career to ensure future women could benefit from graduation and the clever ending subverts the expectations of the audience for a happy resolution. The writing was strongest when dealing with the politics and issues of nascent feminism and the second act descended into a more prosaic romantic drama involving a love triangle of Tess, Ralph (Sam Evans) and Will (Callum Johnson) which, though well performed, did not hold my interest. It was left to Lloyd (Tom Broughton) to provide a clear distillation of the prevailing misogynistic attitude, his cruel argument dismissing the hopes and future ambitions of Tess, being the second half highlight. Overall, a strong production with excellent central performances, shedding light on an inspirational group of women who stood up to prevailing orthodoxy and eventually triumphed. Playing until Saturday 8th October, https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/shows/blue-stockings/ Reviewer: Paul Wilcox Reviewed: 3rd October 2022 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Free Car Parking. Cosy Bar. Great Prices. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

< Back Oleanna ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 10 February 2014 What starts out as a seemingly ordinary meeting between a University professor and a student becomes an intense fight for survival in a world where no one is right and everyone has too much to lose. One small office becomes a battleground between the sexes where a hidden war we refuse to acknowledge threatens to destroy all the participants. Considered one of the finest playwrights of contemporary theatre, David Mamet uses his prodigious talent to deconstruct and rethink the most controversial and frustrating issues of our time. Bristling with his trademark high-energy dialogue, cutting wit and uncanny insight in the human condition, ?Oleanna? shatters the myths and accepted truths of sexual harassment and political correctness. CAST Simon Royce as John Rosi Hunter as Carol ASM - Janet Slade [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/oleannaa-1.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/oleannad.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/oleannab-1.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/oleannac-1.jpg|"] Photographer: Martin Oldfield Photographer: Martin Oldfield

< Back English Touring Opera Live on Stage - Performance 3 ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 20 October 2020 LYRIC SOLITUDE - performance 3 of 4 English Touring Opera are thrilled to return to live performance this Autumn, with a programme focusing on the voice of the individual in isolation, on the power of song, and of poetry - with responses to that power in dance, image and drama.  The Garrick is delighted to host ETO's 4 separate performances over this weekend. Saturday's evening programme comprises the following: Songs and Proverbs of William Blake (Britten) Romances on British Poetry (Shostakovich) The Poet’s Echo (Britten) Tel Jour, Telle Nuit (Poulenc) Total duration 60 minutes Songs and Proverbs of William Blake (Britten) The visionary poet and painter William Blake inspired many composers, none more effectively than Benjamin Britten. This cycle, drawing a blazing picture of the innocence and injustice Blake saw around him, is staged by John Savournin, with Cardiff Singer of the World 2019 finalist, Julien van Mellaerts, accompanied by Ella O’Neill. Romances on British Poetry (Shostakovich) Dimitri Shostakovich’s brooding, passionate settings of Robert Burns, Shakespeare and Raleigh conceal the composer’s deep feelings about life, caught as he was on the anvil of 1942, hammered by clashing totalitarian armies. Edward Hawkins (bass) is the voice of the man who awaits the reasonless midnight call of his killer, in a world in which beauty is crushed as soon as it is found. Accompanied by Sergey Rybin. The Poet's Echo (Britten) Written in Armenia for the Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya, Britten’s careful, astonishing setting of the Russian poet Pushkin are rarely performed. ‘Who hears the poet? Who is listening to my song?’ as poet and composer. Directed by James Conway, Jenny Stafford is the soloist in this haunting work, sung in the original Russian, accompanied by Sergey Rybin. Tel Jour, Telle Nuit (Poulenc) Poulenc’s affinity with the poet Paul Éluard (one of the founders of the Surrealism movement) is made crystal clear in the nine separate, but musically interconnected, melodies of Tel Jour, Telle Nuit . This was a watershed work for Poulenc and is his most celebrated song-cycle, giving voice to the quiet radiance, the humility and grandeur, the rapture, the terror, the profound humanity and compassion of this great poet. Baritone, Julien Van Mellaerts and pianist Sergey Rybin partner in James Conway’s staging. The bar will be open before and after the show. Come and join us in a friendly, informal and Covid-19 safe atmosphere, to witness this unique fusion of music, dance, image and drama ... as well as to avail yourself of our low bar prices and free car park ! ETO's Lyric Solitude at the Garrick We are hosting 4 performances from English Touring Opera over the weekend: Friday 20 November at 19:30: Tippett, Britten and Shostakovich Saturday 21 November at 15:00: La Voix Humaine , by Poulenc Saturday 21 November at 19:30: more from Britten, Shostakovich and Poulenc (this performance) Sunday 22 November at 15:00: Two short operas, by Poulenc and Argento (includes La Voix Humaine ) Note: apart from La Voix Humaine being performed twice, all other pieces are being performed just once only.

< Back The Railway Children ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 14 August 2013 Since its first appearance in 1906, Edith Nesbit's The Railway Children has become a classic which has been read and loved by successive generations of children the world over, as well as delighting cinema and TV audiences. Now its appeal is widened still further with this adventurous yet sensitive stage adaptation by Dave Simpson. Set in and around a country railway station at the turn of the century, the plight of the Railway Children grappling with their new environment is imaginatively brought to life for a modern audience whilst losing nothing of the original spirit of humour, adventure and the final triumph of good over evil. CAST Roberta Christina Preece Phyllis Alice Preece Peter John Elliot Mother Julie Cunningham Perks Bill Platt Mrs. Perks Victoria Johnson Old Gentleman Geoff Noar Doctor Forrest Mark Edgar Mr. Szezepansky Mark Rowlands John Tom Burns Alfred Alfie Robinson Bert Ben Hanley Edith Sian Smith Emma Tabitha Hughes Jim Chris Mawson Other parts played by Brian Tickle, Margaret Kenyon Julie Broadbent, Chris Wetherill Stuart Slade [gallery columns="7" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11r.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11m.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11k.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11i.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11c.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11p.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11h.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11n.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11l.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11d.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11e.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11g.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11a.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/play11b.jpg|"]

< Back Simon and Garfunkel Through The Years ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 23 March 2022 Critically-acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest tribute shows, Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years continues to delight audiences across the globe. Featuring stunning vocal harmonies from world-class musicians, this spectacular concert transports you on a journey through the epic songs and history of the much-loved Simon and Garfunkel. “One of the greatest tribute shows anywhere in the world” Stuart Cameron, BBC and ITV Broadcaster The show is a celebration of the unprecedented rise to fame of two boys from Queens, New York, who went on to become the most successful folk-rock duo of the 1960s, selling 38 million albums in the US alone, and receiving 10 Grammy Awards. In 1981, they performed to over half a million people in their hometown of New York, and in 1990 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Collectively known as Bookends, Dan Haynes and Pete Richards have been fronting Simon & Garfunkel Through the Years since its creation in 2011. Much like their idols, they became friends at school and could not resist singing together from a tender age. Alongside stops in London’s West End, the show has toured extensively around the UK, Europe, United States and Australia, attracting packed houses night after night. With consecutive sell-out runs since 2014 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, they are championed as "one of the best vocal groups touring today", whose sounds are ‘’simply breathtaking’’. Featuring all the major hits such as The Sound of Silence, Mrs Robinson, The Boxer and the iconic Bridge Over Troubled, don’t miss out on this phenomenal show. “A real masterpiece” BBC Radio “One of the greatest tribute shows anywhere in the world” Stuart Cameron, BBC and ITV Broadcaster www.simonandgarfunkelthroughtheyears.com Our reasonably priced bar will be open before, during the interval and after the show. Free car park for customers and in easy walking distance of Altrincham and local tram and train stations. So what are you waiting for? BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

< Back Things We Do For Love ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 14 August 2013 A wondrous mix of domestic and sexual comedy by the master playwright. This recipe of conflicting characters turns tears to laughter in a raw, painful uproarious evening's entertainment. This memorably bruising comedy is complete with a most ingenious set.

< Back A Story, a Pie and a Pint ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 13 August 2013 In the Bar! Enjoy an evening of stories penned by Duncan Battman to delight and enthral you. In the company of Garrick storytellers, sit and relax in the Garrick bar as we bend your ear over a pie and a pint. Ticket includes... a pie and a pint!

< Back Pieces of Pinter ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 10 February 2014 Harold Pinter has delighted and disturbed us for more than fifty years. Always thrillingly original, his status as the greatest English writer of the age was confirmed when in 2005 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. How best to honour a man with a vision so powerful he has his own adjective, 'Pinteresque'? In celebration of his work, the Garrick is proud to present a collection of Pinter?s early and very rarely performed sketches and short plays followed by his poignant and haunting masterpiece, ?A Kind of Alaska?. CAST Tracy Burns Geoff Holman Kate Picker Beverley Stuart-Cole Bryn Thomas ASM Adam Gonet [gallery columns="4" ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/pintera.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/pinterb.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/pinterc.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/pinterd.jpg|"]

< Back The Madness of George III ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 9 June 2015 Alan Bennett's award winning play is a terrific mix of terror, comedy and tragedy. This is the true story of a king's perceived eccentric behaviour and declining mental state and equally declining relationship with his son and heir which threatens the institution of the monarchy itself. Political intrigues and attempts to reverse the state of the king's insanity desperately try to fend off the Princes's attempts to seize the throne. The insatiable fascination with the royal family and their domestic problems continues to the present day. The original National Theatre production was so successful both in London and New York, that it was also made into an enduringly popular film. Alan Bennett is one of the worlds best loved playwrights whose many credits include The History Boys, The Lady in the Van ?and Talking Heads. [gallery ids="https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5776.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5650.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5577.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5544.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5424.jpg|,https://www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DSC_5867.jpg|" orderby="rand"] CAST Nick Sample - King George Sarat Broughton - Queen Charlotte Peter Brassington - George, Prince of Wales Tom Oliver - Frederick, Duke of York Megan Royle - Lady Pembroke/Margaret Nicholson Steven Finney - William Pitt Steve Williamson - Lord Thurlow, the Lord Chancellor Ewan Henderson - Dundas Dan Lockett - Charles Fox Simon Liversidge - Richard Brinsley Sheridan Martin Oldfield - Dr Willis Dave Midgley - Sir George Baker Dave Richardson - Dr Richard Warren Bryan Higgins - Sir Lucas Pepys/Sir Boothby Skrymshir Anthony Morris - Fitzroy Lewis Kirk - Greville Leon McKenna - Papandiek Alex Hewitt - Fortnum/Ramsden Chris Simmons - Braun RICK BOWEN'S Review NickSample's performance in The Madness of George III represents a high water mark for both Altrincham Garrick but for amateur theatre in general. We share ever second of the monarch's mental and physical torment as he embarks on a heart breaking battle against an illness that mystifies both the medics, his family and his courtiers. But he's also a master of the put down and Sample is equally accomplished when it comes to putting across the lighter elements of Alan Bennett's sublime script. I also like the way this superb play humanises the royals an there are some touching, tender scenes to enjoy between King George and Queen Charlotte, so well played by Sarat Broughton. They come across as, shock horror, real people, warts and all. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a dry and highbrow piece of theatre. There are plenty of laughs to be had at the expense of the establishment and the king's outbursts of irreverence. The most difficult scenes involve a medical treatment that verges on sadism, scenes that, even after watching the film version starring the mighty Nigel Hawthorne, make my stomach turn over. Director Celia Bonner has a major triumph on here hands here. Steven Finney impresses yet again and I really liked Peter Brassington as the scheming stuffed shirt, George, Prince of Wales. The ever watchable Martin Oldfield is perfect in the role of Dr Francis Willis. It would be a travesty if The Madness of George III doesn't play to packed houses and anyone who refuses to go should be sent to the Tower. Star Rating ★★★★★ MESSENGER REVIEW - by Julia Taylor The Madness of George III is too good to be missed. Like old King Coal, George III is a merry old soul affectionately calling his wife, delightfully played by Sarat Broughton, Mrs King. That is until he contracts Porphyria which slowly drives him mad. It all happens at Altrincham Garrick Playhouse in Celia Bonner's unforgettable production of Alan Bennett's play - one of their best. In their eighteenth century ignorance, doctors inflict ineffective and tortuous remedies upon the poor King. Yet he is sane when he loses the American colonies , an event which concerns him so much he won?t talk about it. There is a scheming opposition party plot to make vain George, the eldest of many children, Prince Regent. Nick Sample's performance is one that will go down in the Garrick's history as special. Indeed, he shows true genius. He makes the monarch his own, illustrating the King's pleasant side as well as reacting with heart rending shrieks to the terror and pain inflicted on him after slowly going mad. It means being burnt, purged and laced in a straight jacket by his tormenting doctors. In outstanding dramatic moments, he stutters, mutters obscenities, swears, talks incessantly, and falls to the ground, groaning. The only doctor with common sense is Dr Francis Willis, played in another exceptional performance, by Garrick veteran, Martin Oldfield. Others worthy of mention are Peter Brassington as son, George, Steven Finney as William Pitt, and Meg Royle as Lady Pembroke who gently rebuffs the King's lustful advances. The elaborate eighteenth century costumes, themed in black and white, are a credit to Mike Shaw and his team. Star Rating ★★★★★

< Back Arms and the Man ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 12 August 2019 Bonson, John P Hankins, J Matthews, Marion Thwaite Maud, Harry Monkhouse, Mary H Smith, J B Stevens, Kate

< Back Bowdon Prep School Presents: 'Shrek The Musical JR.' ˂ Previous Production Next Production ˃ to 9 June 2023 You are invited to enjoy the adventure of Shrek and Donkey, performed by year 5 and 6 pupils of Bowdon Preparatory School! Beauty is in the eye of the ogre in Shrek The Musical JR., based on the Oscar - winning DreamWorks Animation film and fantastic Broadway musical. It's a big bright beautiful world; as everyone's favourite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance. Part romance and part twisted fairy tale, Shrek JR. is an irreverently fun show with a powerful message for the whole family. Once upon a time, in a far away swamp, there lived an ogre named Shrek. One day, Shrek finds his swamp invaded by banished fairytale misfits who have been cast off by Lord Farquaad, a tiny terror with big ambitions. When Shrek sets off with a wisecracking donkey to confront Farquaad, he's handed a task — if he rescues feisty princess Fiona, his swamp will be righted. Shrek tries to win Fiona’s love and vanquish Lord Farquaad, but a fairytale wouldn't be complete without a few twistsand turns along the way. Please note : Under 5's are free but they will still require a ticket. Our reasonably priced bar will be open before, during the interval and after the show. Free car park for customers and in easy walking distance of Altrincham and local tram and train stations. So what are you waiting for? BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!