New Season Celebrates 10 Years in Hull Truck's Ferensway Home

Hull Truck Theatre has announced its new season for Spring and Summer 2019, as it celebrates the 10th anniversary of its move to Ferensway.

Mark Babych, Artistic Director and Chief Executive at Hull Truck Theatre says: “We’re got some terrific productions lined up for audiences this season which really demonstrate the breadth and depth of our artistic programme. I am delighted to be reuniting with talented artists and companies as well as working with exciting new partners.

"The company’s anniversary of 10 years in its home on Ferensway is an opportunity for us to celebrate the talent and voices of local artists and young people, like TEN, where we have commissioned 10 ten-minute plays that will follow a journey of the last decade, all written by Hull writers and performed by our incredible young company. Through the offer of free tickets to those who haven’t attended since 2009 I hope that we can welcome new local audiences – this is YOUR theatre.”

Hull Truck Theatre Productions

Jack Lear (17 Jan – 2 Feb) will take our new season by storm – literally! This gritty reworking of Shakespeare’s King Lear tells the story of a wealthy trawlerman who is preparing to retire and hand over his hard-earned fleet to his feisty trio of daughters, Morgana, Freda and Victoria.

Following the huge success of Richard III at Hull Truck Theatre as part of Hull UK City of Culture 2017, and fresh from directing Two Noble Kinsmen at Shakespeare’s Globe, Barrie Rutter OBE returns to direct and play the title role in this Hull Truck Theatre production set on the River Humber, with live music by award winning English Folk Musician Eliza Carthy MBE.

Co-produced by Eclipse Theatre Company, Bristol Old Vic and Hull Truck Theatre, Princess and the Hustler (5-16 Mar) is the second national tour born from Revolution Mix – an Eclipse movement that is spearheading the largest ever delivery of New Black British stories. Written by Chinonyerem Odimba and directed by Dawn Walton, Princess and the Hustler revolves around 10-year-old Princess who plans to win the Weston-Super- Mare Beauty Contest. In 1963 Bristol as Black British Civil Rights walk onto the streets, Princess finds out what it really means to be black and beautiful.

The Hired Man (23 May – 15 June) is a Hull Truck Theatre and Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch co-production, in association with Oldham Coliseum Theatre. Set in Cumbria in 1898, this is the story of John and Emily, a young married couple who struggle to carve a living from the land. An epic and heroic tale of love, betrayal and loyalty, set against a backdrop of English country traditions being swept away as a new century faces the gathering storm of war.

Us Against Whatever (27 Mar – 3 Apr) will set fire to expectations of what a night at the theatre can be. Produced by Middle Child, the company behind 2017’s award-winning All We Ever Wanted Was Everything, in association with Hull Truck Theatre and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, this original cabaret follows Sara and Sheila as they search for somewhere to call home and something to believe in.

To celebrate the 10-year anniversary on Ferensway, they have commissioned 10 ten-minute plays written by Hull writers to be performed by a large cast of Hull Truck Theatre’s Young Company aged 14 to 18 (11 – 16 Mar). The plays cover a range of topics, from personal experiences to world-changing events in the last decade. They have also commissioned Paragon Dreams (23 Apr – 4 May), a kaleidoscopic one-woman show written and performed by homegrown creator and artist Hester Ullyart directed by our very own Artistic Director Mark Babych.

As part of the 10-year celebrations, they will be offering free tickets to local audiences that haven’t seen any productions at the venue since it opened in 2009.

Visiting drama will explore the complexity of human nature. A celebration of LGBTQ+ history, Let Me Look at You (17-18 Jan) blends solo theatre with stand-up to glorious effect. Narcissist In The Mirror (30 – 31 Jan) is an honest account of self-exploration as rip roaring as it is poignant and heartfelt.

Presented by John Godber Company and Theatre Royal Wakefield, the international smash hit comedy-drama Bouncers returns at Hull Truck Theatre (5 - 16 Feb): Lucky Eric, Judd, Les and Ralph are back and telling the tales of a Yorkshire nightclub.

Gypsy Queen (15 – 16 Feb) depicts the struggles faced by fighters ‘Gorgeous’ George O’Connell and Dane ‘The Pain’ Samson outside the ring, and on 26 February Luc Rutherford throws her own Political Party.

Great life challenges are dealt with in Sparkplug (21 – 22 Mar), where the central character Dave finds out that his partner Joanne is about to have someone else’s baby, and Glory (26 Mar), a production that follows former colossus Jim Glory dealing with his crumbled empire.

Written by Garry Burnett and Made in Hull writer Rupert Creed, the sell-out multi-media show about

Hull rock legend Mick Ronson Turn and Face the Stage (25 Apr – 4 May) is returning at Hull Truck Theatre by popular demand. The production will feature a vivid stage design by Ed Ullyart, powerful film content by Anna Bean, and stunning lighting by Jason Addison.

Fly Half (17 May) renders the trials and tribulations of a rugby player from South Wales, Status (29 May) depicts the struggle of those who do not want their nationality, and Velvet (5 June) explores the abuse of power in the entertainment industry from a gay male perspective.

Award winning art clown Jamie Wood brings a trio of productions to Hull Truck Theatre this season: O No! (1 Mar) takes us on a psychedelic ride that combines avant-garde art, hippie culture, and a large dose of optimism, I am a Tree (11 May) is an invitation to face the shadows that growl on your insides and laugh big, and Beating McEnroe (28 June) shows Jamie ready to face his greatest opponent.

Productions from local societies

Hello Dolly (9-13 Apr), a NAPA production, follows mesmerising widow Dolly Levi’s transformation from a socialite to a matchmaker in 1890s New York.

State of the Arts Academy presents Little Shop of Horrors (14 – 18 May), a mysterious production about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood and flesh.

The Chameleon Players present The Winter’s Tale (18 – 22 June), One Off Productions return to Hull Truck Theatre with another family favourite, The Sound of Music (25 – 29 June), and Park Street Performing Arts Centre bring to Hull Truck Theatre The Wind in the Willows (24 – 27 July).

Shows for Children and Families

Back by popular demand, Great Adventures in Storyland will run one Saturday a month, with a second performance of each adventure on every show date.

Things will get a bit slimy at Hull Truck Theatre thanks to a squishy squelchy show for the very young. Slime (19 – 20 Feb), the funny and surreal story of a special friendship between a slug and a caterpillar, is brought to you by Hull Truck Theatre Supported Company The Herd.

‘Iggety Ziggety Zaggety Zoom!’ is the motto of the Olivier Award nominated show Room on the Broom (17 – 20 Apr) dedicated to children aged 3+ and their grown-ups.

On Saturday 8 June they will open the doors for a behind-the-scenes look. As part of Family Open Day 2019 visitors will be given the opportunity to explore behind the scenes, get involved in sound and lighting demonstrations and see how a show comes to life.

Prepare for a season of inspiring music, fascinating events, and delightful comedies!

An 8-piece band will perform The Sound of Springsteen (23 Feb), followed by one of the UK’s most popular live touring bands, Los Pacaminos (2 Mar), the internationally renowned Grimethorpe Colliery Band (20 Apr), and the dazzling La Voix (22 June). The 27th Summer edition of the well-established Hull Jazz Festival (19 - 20 July) will feature performances by Vimala Rowe, Juliet Roberts & Janette Mason, John Etheridge’s Sweet Chorus, Alina Bzhezhinska Inspiration Quartet, and the Steve Williamson Trio with Tomorrow’s Warriors StringTing.

Or why not travel back in time to the old days? Go on a musical journey through the incredible career of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons in Walk like a Man (1 Mar), celebrate Swing with Clare Teal and her Trio (21 Mar), take a step back into 1920s &’30s New York City in Swinging at the Cotton Club (20 June), and watch the incredible Elio Pace bringing Elvis Presley back to life (22 Mar).

Prepare to question reality as illusionist Luke Jermay showcases his phenomenal jaw dropping demonstrations of intuition, telepathy and prediction (20 Feb) and award-winning, internationally acclaimed experimental acrobatic circus company Barely Methodical Troupe present an explosive display of power-based acrobatics (21 – 22 Feb). Choreographed by Sharon Watson and Joss Arnott, Emergence (19 Mar) is a dazzling performance inspired by the idea of empowerment.

Explore the most inspirational and characterful creations in world architecture with Dan Cruickshank (25 Feb) and join David Starkey as he discusses the radically shifting marriage customs of the British monarchy (20 Mar).

The new season will include a wide range of comedy acts, such as Lee Nelson’s sensational stand-up show Serious Joker (23 Mar), the comic and thought-provoking show Where There’s Muck There’s Bras (11 Apr) performed by stand-up poet Kate Fox, or the modern jukebox musical We’ve Got Each Other (13 Apr). Hull Truck Theatre will also welcome The Noise Next Door, the U.K.’s premier improv comedy troupe who have taken the comedy world by storm (15 May), as well as Shappi Khorsandi’s brand new show packed full of sharp-tongued gags and cultural observation (21 June).