What To Watch at Theatre Royal Brighton this Autumn 2023
Theatre Royal Brighton is a hotspot for every Brighton Girl Theatre Fan, with a whole host of incredible shows passing through its doors over the years. It’s closed for the summer, whilst the beautiful Grade II listed building that houses the Theatre Royal is having some restoration work. But it’s coming back with a vibrant programme of shows in September!
We were so excited to read through the brand new season brochure this afternoon, that we knew we had to share it with you – plus some brilliant shows highlighted by the Theatre Royal Brighton team.
Theatre Royal Brighton’s Autumn Season will feature…
THE QUEENS OF SIX REIGN THIS CHRISTMAS
MUSICALS TO SUIT ALL TASTES: La Bamba, Blood Brothers, Greatest Days, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Sister Act
SPOOKY STORIES: 2:22 A Ghost Story, The Enfield Haunting, The Woman In Black
GRIPPING DRAMAS: 12 Angry Men, And Then There Were None
ICONIC COMEDIES: Drop The Dead Donkey, Cluedo 2 - The Next Chapter
WORLD CLASS COMEDIANS: Eddie Izzard (sold out), Jen Brister, Jenny Éclair, Simon Brodkin, Tig Notaro
FAMOUS FACES: Catherine Tate & David Threlfall (The Enfield Haunting) Joan Collins (Behind The Shoulder Pads)
SHOWS FOR ALL THE FAMILY: Horrible Christmas, Jurassic Live Christmas Special
CREATIVE LEARNING EVENTS FOR ALL AGES: Stories with Skip, Skips Family Workshop, Age is a Stage
La Bamba (19 - 23 Sep)
La Bamba is a vibrant new musical that combines Latin, R&B and timeless rock and pop to tell the feel-good story of a young girl with a big voice, big dreams and an even bigger heart. Starring Strictly Come Dancing champion Pasha Kovalev, The Wanted’s Siva Kaneswaran and introducing Inês Fernandez. Featuring breathtaking choreography from Strictly Come Dancing favourite Graziano Di Prima.
Bill Kenwright's legendary production of the international smash hit musical Blood Brothers returns to Brighton. Written by award-winning playwright Willy Russell, few musicals have been received with such acclaim. Considered 'one of the best musicals ever written' (Sunday Times) it tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks only to meet again with fateful consequences.
Jennifer Ellison (Brookside) stars with book by Tim Firth. Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical follows a group of five best friends in the 1990s who are obsessed with their favourite boy band. The girls reunite more than 20 years later with a plan to see their heartthrobs one last time in what could be the Greatest Days of their lives.
Winner of BEST NEW PLAY at the Whatsonstage Awards, this edge-of-your-seat, supernatural thriller stars Joe Absolom (A Confession, Doc Martin), Charlene Boyd (Mayflies, River City), Nathaniel Curtis (It’s A Sin, The Witcher) and Louisa Lytton (Eastenders, The Bill). Written by Danny Robins, creator of the hit BBC podcasts Uncanny and The Battersea Poltergeist, 2:22 A Ghost Story comes fresh from record-breaking seasons at five West End theatres with a host of acclaimed star performances.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (31 Oct - 11 Nov)
“Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is the musical I wish I had as a teen, and I am thrilled to see it receiving such critical acclaim and popularity now.” - Reviewed by our MK Girls
Funny, fabulous and feel good, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie returns to Brighton after a sold out run in 2021, featuring an all-star cast including West End sensation Ivano Turco as Jamie, EastEnders legend John Partridge as Hugo/Loco Chanelle, Dancing on Ice royalty Hayley Tamaddon as Miss Hedge, Coronation Street’s Shobna Gulati as Ray, musical theatre star Rebecca McKinnis as Margaret and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie veteran Talia Palamathanan as Pritti.
Catherine Tate (Doctor Who, Queen of Oz) and David Threlfall (Funny Woman, Shameless) star in the world premiere of major new play The Enfield Haunting by Paul Unwin (co-creator of the world’s longest running medical drama Casualty) immediately prior to a west end season. Based on a first-hand account, The Enfield Haunting is the true story of what happened when a dedicated single mother tried to protect her three children from something incomprehensible and deeply disturbing.
Reginald Rose’s gripping courtroom thriller brings the 1957 three-time Academy Award nominated film Twelve Angry Men, considered one of the great ‘must-sees’ of all time, to the stage. Starring Patrick Duffy (Dallas), Gray O’Brien (Coronation Street, Peak Practice), Tristan Gemmill (Coronation Street, Casualty), Michael Greco (EastEnders), Ben Nealon (Soldier Soldier) and Gary Webster (Minder, Family Affairs). A life in the balance. Twelve men. One verdict.
The crowning glory of Broadway, the West End and beyond, the international smash hit musical SIX makes its royal return to Brighton this Christmas, following its previous sell-out success! Double Tony Award winner for ‘Best Original Score’ and ‘Best Costume Design’, winner of the WhatsOnStage Award for ‘Best West End Show’ (2022 and 2023), plus a Gold-Disk winning album, this sell-out Tudor take-off has ‘an incredibly strong and powerful message’ (The Australian) and is ‘pure entertainment’ (New York Times). From Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an 80-minute celebration of 21st century girl power. These Queens may have green sleeves but their lipstick is rebellious red.
And here are their early 2024 plans (tickets on sale)…
And Then There Were None (6 - 13 Jan)
Don’t miss this brand-new production of the bestselling crime novel of all time, And Then There Were None, guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Directed by Lucy Bailey (Witness for the Prosecution, now in its 6th year in London), the cast of this gripping thriller includes Bob Barrett (Holby City), Andrew Lancel (Coronation Street) and David Yelland (Poirot, Foyle’s War and The Crown).
The Woman In Black (27 Feb - 2 Mar)
The legendary production of Susan Hill’s chilling ghost story The Woman In Black returns to Theatre Royal Brighton direct from London’s West End, after an incredible 33 year run at the Fortune Theatre. Starring Malcolm James as Arthur Kipps and Mark Hawkins as The Actor.
Drop The Dead Donkey (5 - 9 Mar)
Starring the original smash-hit TV series cast members Susannah Doyle, Robert Duncan, Ingrid Lacey, Neil Pearson, Jeff Rawle, Stephen Tompkinson and Victoria Wicks. The iconic BAFTA and EMMY award-winning comedy Drop The Dead Donkey is reimagined for the stage in this brand-new topical commentary on the cutthroat world of 24 hours news.
Sister Act (11 - 16 Mar)
Don’t miss this eagerly anticipated 2023 Olivier Award-nominated production of the Broadway and UK smash hit musical Sister Act. Featuring original music by Tony® and 8-time Oscar® award-winner Alan Menken (Disney’s Aladdin, Enchanted) and songs inspired by Motown, soul and disco, this heavenly musical is joyous and uplifting in equal measures. A musical sent from above, Sister Act is the brilliant, must-see show which raises the spirits and warms the soul time after time.
Cluedo 2 - The Next Chapter (19 - 23 Mar)
Following the huge success of the original play, Cluedo - the hilarious whodunit - is back on stage in 2024 with a New Chapter. Set in the swinging 1960s, Cluedo ‘2’, is a brand new tale, with a new house, new suspects, and a lot of new bodies!
Disclaimer: All content (except the intro) was provided by the lovely team at Theatre Royal Brighton. This article also includes affiliate links.