CityLife

New Buxton season revealed

WELSH BEAUTY: Katherine Jenkins

BUXTON Opera House has just annnounced its autumn season, including the latest from LipService, the return of Horrible Histories, a special appearance by Katherine Jenkins and an impressive Fringe season, including the MEN Theatre Award-winning The Judgement Of Mr Jenkins.

From Thursday, September 4 until September 6, there's an exclusive production of Willy Russell's classic comedy drama Educating Rita, while The Reduced Shakespeare Company bring their unique take on the Bible to the theatre on September 9.

Katy Setterfield stars as as The One And Only Dusty Springfield on September 10 before CBeebies take to the stage from September 14-15 and, by contrast, George Bernard Shaw's satirical 1930s comedy The Millionairess is brought to life by Michael Friend Productions on September 17 and 18.

The rest of the month features Buxton Musical Society's Grand Opera Gala, as well as Hull Truck's sequel to Ladies Day, Ladies Down Under, from 22-24.

Thursday, September 25 sees the return 'by popular demand' of That'll Be The Day, while there's an evening of ballet classics, including excerpts from Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, from Russian Classical Ballet on Saturday, 27th.

You can Sing-a-Long-a Sound Of Music on Sunday, 28th or join Steve Steinman and Toyah Willcox at Vampires Rock on Monday, 29th.

An Evening on the West Side on Tuesday, 30th is a celebration of the music of Leonard Bernstein, including excerpts from West Side Story.

Image Musical Theatre's production of Oscar Wilde's classic tale The Selfish Giant comes to the theatre on October 5 at 2pm and the following day sees an opportunity to catch the latest production from the loveable LipService.

Tony & Twizzle - The Glory Years finds the daring duo of Maggie Fox and Sue Ryding regaling the audience with tales from the fabulous, four-decade showbiz career of celebrity couple Anthony Chalmers & Isobel 'Twizzle' Trilling.

The show features clips from their famous films and stage appearances, including Whistle Down Your Blouse, Wednesday Night And Thursday Morning and, of course, the infamous 1974 Christmas Special!

Joan Littlewood's classic musical satire Oh, What A Lovely War! is recreated by Blackeyed Theatre (October 9-11) before Ellen Kent brings the classic opera La Boheme on Sunday, October 12.

Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist from Love & Madness is on the following Monday while Theatr Mwldan & Mappa Mundi present their own Welsh take on The Canterbury Tales on Friday and Saturday.

Birmingham Stage Company bring their hugely enjoyable adaptations of two of Terry Deary's Horrible Histories, namely the Terrible Tudors and the Vile Victorians to life from October 21-25 and you can expect fireworks on stage as Dillie Keane stars in Geraldine Aron's play My Brilliant Divorce on November 5.

Just a couple of days later the Buxton Festival Fringe launches its 30th birthday celebrations with a showcase of past and present award-winning Fringe performersn on November 7.

Meanwhile, the Fringe season coninues at the Paupers Pit and the Old Clubhouse.

Just some of the shows on offer include Alan Bennett's Talking Heads (September 11-13), Gogol's Madman from Little Earthquake on September 19-20; Pretty Witty Nell, a one-woman show about Nell Gwynn (September 26-7); and Picasso's Women (October 2-4). A likely highlight is the new expanded version of Ross Andrews' The Judgment Of Mr Jenkins, running from October 9-11.

Look out too for A to Z 2008. Running from October 20-November 2, this is Buxton's third, and biggest yet, festival for children, teenagers and schools. Mid Wales Opera present The Tales of Hoffmann on November 8 and a few days later English Touring Opera are in town with La Tragedie de Carmen (November 17) and Rusalka (November 18), while Northern Broadsides' new adaptation of Dario Fo's celebrated political farce Accidental Death of an Anarchist on November 21-22.

Sunday, November 23 sees a very special Gala Fundraising Evening with Katherine Jenkins (left), in aid of the Buxton Opera House Children's Theatre Appeal. Any remaining tickets will be on sale to the general public from Tuesday.

Opera House box office 0845 127 2190.