Spring Season at Milton Keynes Theatre...and beyond!

Take a look at the great shows that are coming to MK Theatre...

Kicking off the spring season – or rather leaping, gloriously, into it, romance was never quite so Gothic or evocative as Matthew Bourne’s dazzling production of Sleeping Beauty.

Boogie beauties return to MKT, ready to give you the ride of your life, as Jason Donovan and the cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert hop aboard the party bus again, back by overwhelming popular demand.

There’s more smash hit musical entertainment later in the season when the razzle-dazzle, double–trouble cell block chicks of Chicago hit town while you can really let your hair down as the feel-good factor gets a mighty boost with the award-winning musical, Hairspray. 

And finally, rounding off an amazing season of smash-hit musicals, comes award-winning show, The Bodyguard starring Alexandra Burke.

Theatre wouldn't be quite so entertaining without a certain amount of mystery and suspense. Hailed as ‘the theatrical event of our generation’ the National Theatre’s production of An Inspector Calls is every dinner party host’s nightmare while, if it’s mind-boggling bafflement you hanker after, you can’t get more provocative than Derren Brown Miracle. 

In any theatre season programme there should be something for everyone – whatever age you are!

The world premiere of the stage production of David Walliams’ best-selling story for children, Gangsta Granny, is brought to the stage by the acclaimed producers of Horrible Histories and then, barely three weeks later there’s another treat for kids when the Chichester Festival Theatre’s enchanting and award-winning production of Goodnight Mister Tom arrives.

 And to introduce even the very smallest member of the family to dance Northern Ballet present a delightful child-friendly performance of Tortoise & the Hare.

There’s nowt as queer as folk…and definitely nowt as queer as Henry Horatio Hobson, the anti-hero of Harold Brighouse’s comedy drama, Hobson’s Choice starring Martin Shaw which comes to MKT in advance of a transfer to the West End.

With a return visit from the wonderful Welsh National Opera, who bring a trio of works charting the life and loves and losses of one of opera’s most enduring creations, Figaro, and the legendary family favourite, Swan Lake, performed by Northern Ballet the spring season at Milton Keynes Theatre is going to be a sparkling start to the new year!

A glimpse of what’s coming to Milton Keynes Theatre this summer reveals the fantasmagorical musical Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang, cheeky irreverence from the Avenue Q puppets, summer holiday romance in Save the Last Dance for Me and one for ALL the family, Annie.   A whole raft of show-stopping numbers make Guys and Dolls one of the great Broadway musicals, while Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, starring X Factor winner Joe McElderry, is always a must-see for the kids. 

With the Rocky Horror Show to look forward to – get out those basques and stockings fellas – and an all new production of Sister Act coming in the autumn, entertainment has never been so... entertaining!

Tickets are on sale now!  Book at Milton Keynes Theatre Box Office, call 0844 871 7652 (bkg fee) or visit www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes (bkg fee)

Aladdin Milton Keynes Theatre

4th December 2015 - 10th January 2016

I love this time of year– it's about all the little details that you want to get just right..and a traditional Christmas panto just hits the spot!

You have to take the good with the bad (it goes hand in hand at Christmas) decorating the tree and seeing it light up for the first time (or not if the bulbs have gone?) struggling through the hordes of crowds in the shops to buy those special gifts for your loved ones…and never being able to find the end of the sellotape? I'm happy that these are my only struggles...

But it's all worth while when you share this special time of year with family and friends.  I feel blessed that I can.

My Christmas's are about bad jokes, plenty of pigs in blankets and spending time with the family - however nothing says Christmas quite like an age old traditional pantomime.

Aladdin has swept into Milton Keynes Theatre on his magic carpet and brought Hollywood royalty with him!

The one and only Priscilla Presley (yes!?) is here in Milton Keynes!!  The petite figure that is larger than life is the Genie of the Lamp (oh no she's not...oh yes she is!!)

Add brilliant Gary Wilmot as Widow Twankey, Wayne Sleep as the Genie of the Ring and the gorgeous Ben Adams as Aladdin - it's a hit from start to finish.

Kev Orkian as Wishee Washee was so hilarious, entertaining the adults without the children knowing just what we were all laughing about (which does make it even funnier!)

All in all Aladdin is a great, family festive production, packed with loads of fun! I guarantee you will be laughing and the kids will be wowed by it too.  

A Christmas panto appeals to all age groups, and it is so true! I sat next to the youngest audience member ever, 13 week old Cleo and she was spellbound! You will need to buy a ticket and go along to see it for yourselves!

With fantastic sparkling sets, well known music and bags of energy, you won’t be able to resist booing when the baddy Abanazar come on to stage! 

Aladdin will give you a real "feel good factor" that you will take away with you...it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It’s brilliant fun, I loved it from start to finish – don’t miss this, it's not just fab-u-lous it's genie -us! 

It’s a Christmas must see!

Enjoy – Merry Christmas...

Lily B X

The Shawshank Redemption

Milton Keynes Theatre 16th November - 21st November 2015

The Shawshank Redemption started its life as a short novel by Stephen King, became an Oscar nominated film and now a play adapted by Owen O'Neil and Dave Johns.

In 1947 Portland, Maine banker Andy Dufresne (Ian Kelsy) is convicted of brutally murdering his wife and her lover and is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences to be served at the notorious Shawshank State Penitentiary.

Andy soon realises that no one can survive alone and strikes up an unlikely friendship with the prison "fixer", Ellis Red Redding (Patrick Robinson) who is also serving a life sentence for murder.

Andy asks for nothing more than a rock hammer for his "hobby" and later a large picture of Rita Hayworth - items that seemed to help him cope with his brutal attacks from the "Bull Queer" gang called the "Sisters" and their leader Bogs (Kevin Mathurin).

One day Andy overhears the brutal captain of the guards, Hadley (Joe Reisig) complaining about being taxed on an inheritance and offers to help him legally shelter the money.  Warden Stammers (Owen O'Neil) hears of Andy's talents and reassigns him to the prison library to assist elderly inmate "Brooksie".

This new job is a front for Andy to help all of the prison staff with their financial matters, however, for Warden Stammers the help is a little more.  Stammer's is laundering money that is being illegally gained from prison labour for public work, all under an alias.

A new inmate arrives at Shawshank and Andy takes him under his wing, helping him with gaining some qualifications.  Andy hears that the new inmate has information that would clear his name and make him a free man, but Warden Stammers has other ideas and kills the youngster to keep Andy Dufresne as his "financial advisor."

Dufresne secretly working hard over so many years - chipping away with the little rock hammer...a roll call reveals that Andy is not in his cell. 

Stammers rips down the picture of Rita Hayworth to find a hole, just large enough for a man to wriggle down through the sewage pipework.  Andy Defresne crawls the length of five football pitches in excrement to freedom, taking with him the ledger containing the details of the money laundering...

After serving forty years Red finally gets parole and as the two had discussed, heads to a beach in Mexico, where he is reunited with his friend, Andy Dufresne.

This is truly an amazing production.

Ian Kelsey and Patrick Robinson were outstanding in their roles - they deserved their standing ovation, as did all of the cast.  The audience were captivated by the action on the stage.

The Shawshank Redemption is a cracking good story and it is not lost at all in this adaptation.  The set and lighting produces just the right dank, grimy and chilling backdrop for the cruel drama to unfold.

This is unmissable!

Lily B X

Brilliant shows that you have missed at Milton Keynes Theatre...










The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Milton Keynes Theatre

This wonderful show picked up seven Olivier awards in London and five Tonys on Broadway and rightly so. 

This National Theatre production, based on the award-winning novel by Mark Haddon, is one of those shows that make live theatre such a very special experience.







The Glen Miller Story - Milton Keynes Theatre

Tommy Steele has been a household name for more than fifty years. 

As a song and dance man, no-one else comes anywhere near his talent and the affection in which he’s held. Glenn Miller was the great star of the big band sound. 

Combine the two and immerse them in the true story of Miller’s mysterious disappearance in 1944 and you’ve got The Glenn Miller Story, a new show to get you In The Mood.

English National Ballet - Lest We Forget

Milton Keynes Theatre

20th October 2015

2014 marked the centenary of the Great War.  Families in much of the Western world were torn apart by its unprecedented horror - though soon, for the worst reasons, it would have to renamed the First World War.

Young men eagerly responded to the call of their national leaders to enlist and defend their country and homes, while their mothers, wives, lovers and sisters flocked into the support services and armaments industry. 

Millions died in many countries, millions were blighted or bereaved - the world's grief was as overwhelming as the relief of survival or the ecstasy of victory.

Lest We Forget features three works expressing the experiences of those who fought the war, and those who stayed behind.

No Man's Land (Liam Scarlett), Second Breath (Russell Maliphant) and Dust (Akram Khan) - this compelling and extremely emotional work brings together superb design and evocative scores.

Scarlett, Maliphant and Khan, three of the most sought-after choreographers working today, have created dance works full of unforgettable and haunting images.

The whole company of dancers were sublime, their expression and emotion was captivating - a very memorable production from the ENB.

Lily B x

King Charles III - Milton Keynes Theatre

12 - 17 October 2015

Mike Bartlett's ingenious future history of the Windsors is a theatre must see.  Director Rupert Goold with Whitney Mosery has been described as producing "a brave piece of work" and I totally agree, it is very deserving of its must see status.

It is written and performed in a very Shakespearean style, with the dialog delivered in prose (which was unanticipated)  It is staged against a minimalist backdrop...bare brick wall and a few candles.

The language lends a musically to the speech laden scenes and a ghost of Diana adds to the Shakespearean tragedy style

The idea of a play about our monarchy serves up images very different to the gripping story of the Windsors.  Following the death of Queen Elizabeth after a reign of 70 years (putting us in 2022)  It tells the tale of Charles who has waited in the wings more than any other Prince of Wales in history.

It is both funny and deeply serious as it speculates on the future history of our monarchy.

Charles has a point to be made, to prove he is not just a puppet to be manipulated by our government - he has a voice and he wants it to be heard.

The cast is superb across the board with Robert Powell, although not attempting to impersonate Charles, does employ his hand movements and stiffness to give a sense of the would-be King.

Richard Glaves as Harry adds an air of levity to the proceedings with Ben Righton as the dutiful son William and Jennifer Bryden as a very surprisingly powerful and determined Kate.

The play reveals the difficulties for the monarchy in this age, although is not irreverent in its treatment of the royal family but is balanced in its approach to the issues surrounding the Windsors.

It leaves the audience with much to consider, it is thought provoking and powerful.


Lily B x