Live Theatre has announced a transformative new season of produced work, rooted deeply in the North East’s radical history while tackling contemporary environmental crimes and landmark cultural anniversaries. The upcoming program is defined by female-centered world premieres and a historic collaboration that scales new writing for the region's largest stages.
Radical Roots and Sharp Comedies
The season launches on 14 May with Shelagh Stephenson’s Astell and Woolf. Directed by Karen Traynor, this absurdist comedy stages a fictional afterlife meeting between Newcastle’s first feminist, Mary Astell, and the legendary Virginia Woolf.
The momentum continues into the summer with the Unearthed Festival, which returns in July with a specific focus on female, non-binary, and trans talent. Come September, the theater moves into darker territory with All At Sea, a black comedy by Alison Carr. Inspired by the infamous "canoe couple" insurance fraud, this co-production with Stephen Joseph Theatre explores a husband’s faked death with razor-sharp wit.
A Landmark Partnership: "Our Friends in the North"
In a "game-changing" move for the city's arts scene, October marks the first time Live Theatre will produce a play specifically for the Newcastle Theatre Royal. Written by Jack McNamara and based on Peter Flannery’s iconic screenplays, Our Friends in the North 1979-84 brings the Thatcher years to the stage, marking 30 years since the original series captivated the nation.
Environmental Crime and Global Voices
Looking ahead to Spring 2027, the season will conclude with the highly anticipated world premiere of The Most Famous Tree In The World. Written by Rory Mullarkey, the play digs into the emotional fallout and environmental complexity surrounding the 2023 felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.
The year is further bolstered by:
Anniversary Readings: Celebrating 30 years of Stones in His Pockets and the 70th birthday of Richard Bean.
Diverse Voices: A mini-season in November highlighting American playwrights like Suzan-Lori Parks and Annie Baker.
Community Impact: Marking a decade of the "Live Tales" creative writing program for local schoolchildren.
Artistic Director Jack McNamara noted, "Every piece of work on offer feels like a labour of love... excited by the breadth of brilliant and deeply North East talent."
