CityLife

The Lowry: Summer season 2010

The Mermaid Princess

The Lowry’s tenth anniversary celebrations steps up a gear this summer with a programme of eclectic events including musicals, hard-hitting drama and family shows.

Some of the shows heading to the venue include musical blockbusters Les Miserables and Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; stage versions of TV favourites Coronation Street and Columbo; cutting-edge studio drama; new dance and opera; and an action-packed two-day birthday bash for children and families.

After its smash-hit run at the Palace earlier this year Cameron Mackintosh’s 25th anniversary production of Les Miserables is at The Lowry for the very first time, running from August 10-21, while biblical behemoth Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat blesses the venue from July 5-10.

Less traditional but no less impressive are powerfully political Seventies reggae classic The Harder They Come, running from June 22-26, which happens to be the same week as Britain’s Got Bhangra, the tale of a washed-up British bhangra star with dreams of returning to the top.

Before the boy who wouldn’t grow up flies into Salford, however, two TV shows that just won’t die transfer to the stage, including the world premiere of 50 Years Of Coronation Street Abridged – Live! (August 12-21).

This riotous romp through the history of the nation’s favourite street features a script by Corrie’s own writing team.

The second TV revisit of the season sees former A-Team and Battlestar Galactica actor Dirk Benedict don a brown raincoat to play cult TV detective Columbo in Middleground Theatre Company’s stage adaptation of Columbo’s first case Prescription: Murder (June 7-12).

It might be hard to imagine but Chaucer has been popular for centuries longer than either Corrie or Columbo and May 18-22 sees Northern Broadsides and the New Vic Theatre’s adaptation of The Canterbury Tales, an energetic production of this enduring study of the best and worst of human nature.

Lowry Partner Companies Opera North and Birmingham Royal Ballet both return in June.

Opera North are staging Puccini’s classic La Bohème (June 16 and 18).

There’s also Dvořák’s hauntingly beautiful tale of water nymph Rusalka (June 17), plus a brand new production of Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda (June 19), a tale of intrigue, passion and the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen Of Scots.

Lively combination

Birmingham Royal Ballet brings its sumptuous production of Romeo And Juliet, which combines Kenneth MacMillan’s romantic choreography with Sergei Prokofiev’s sweeping score. It’s on from June 30-July 3.

Throughout the May to September season, the venue’s studio space plays host to an impressive array of new writing and innovative theatre.

Highlights include Kolective Theatre UK’s adaptation of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, (May 5-8), a powerful multimedia production combining speech, live music and video.

The Identity Project from the Wellcome Trust presents Interior Traces arrives on May 14.

Les Enfants Terribles’ Ernest And The Pale Moon (May 24) is a story of obsession and murder inspired by the works of Edgar Allen Poe and Alfred Hitchcock.

The weekend of June 5-6 sees The Lowry become a playground for children big and small as the Big Family 10th Birthday Party takes over the building with a combination of ticketed and free events.

Highlights of the party include Teatro Kismet’s captivating production The Mermaid Princess (June 2-5); LaLaLuna’s lively combination of circus, theatre and film (June 5); and BreakThru Film, Se-Ma-For Studio and Suzie Templeton’s glorious animation of Peter And The Wolf (June 6), played on the big screen with live accompaniment from the Manchester Camerata.

The triumphant return of Peppa Pig’s Party comes to the Lyric Theatre on May 19 and 20.

The Lowry has also somewhat broken with normal practice by letting us know about some of the highlights from their September to December season, including the north west premiere of Alan Bennett’s wonderful new play The Habit Of Art.

Direct from The National Theatre, it will be running from September 5 to October 9.

Awakenings, a world-premiere piece from Rambert Dance Company, runs September 22-24.

Bill Kenwright’s production of the musical Evita runs from September 6-18; and street-dance show Blaze will be burning down the house on October 1 and 2.

More musical treats are on their way at Christmas, with the stunning scenery, swashbuckling sword fights and fearless flying of Peter Pan (December 11-January 1, 2011).

Last but by no means least, they’ll be hosting the Library Theatre’s sumptuous production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol from December 3-January, 2011.

Tickets go on sale for all shows on March 8, 2010.