CURVE 2020 SEASON LAUNCH
It is always exciting to attend Curve’s season launch
because as well as all the shows we already know from the catalogue there are
always surprises from Nikolai Foster and Chris Stafford, the artistic
powerhouses behind Curve. It is also an opportunity to learn about the more fringe activities that
happen in this flagship building. More and more Curve is forging co-producing
relationships with other regional theatres which results in some incredibly
interesting projects finding their way onto Leicester’s premier theatre’s
stages.
I have already written in The Western Park Gazette about
some of the upcoming productions but tonight we saw a whole lot more juicy
titbits coming up.
For the third time a new production of
Hairspray is returning to Curve this year. The big news of the night was that a
European premiere of Roman Holiday is kicking off at Curve this summer. Also
big news is that the new version of Sister Act starring Brenda Edwards drops in
in April before heading off back to the West End.
Of course Curve has a reputation for hosting all sorts of
festivals. Leicester Comedy Festival is the big one for February with the
always popular Spark Festival, new productions especially aimed at toddlers
running in the same month. DMU Pride, now firmly established at Curve, takes us
into March with LGB themed productions. Curve continues its avowed intent to
nurture new talent with a season of productions by the Curve Young Theatre
group from March to May. Of especial interest is a production of Cat On A Hot
Tin Roof directed by Royal Theatrical Support Trust Sir Peter Hall Director
Award winner Anthony Almeida this summer.
Not only is the schedule bustling with home grown
productions but Leicester gets to see all sorts of mainstream touring shows
like Once, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Phantom of the Opera.
Details of all of these productions plus loads more can be found
on the website