Roll up, roll up! York Theatre Royal’s Spring/Summer Season has arrived

Some of the greatest shows on earth are coming to York Theatre Royal for the Spring/Summer Season as the building hosts a big top bonanza. Back by popular demand, the theatre will be restaging it’s Jules Verne inspired family show, but this time, even more spectacular: Around the World in 80 Days-ish (18 July – 03 August).

Join our raggle-taggle band of circus performers as they embark on their most daring feat yet – to perform the story of Phileas Fogg and his thrilling race across the globe. But wait? Who is this Nellie Bly biting at his heels? Will an actual, real-life woman win this race? 

Around the World in 80 Days was performed in green spaces around the York in the summer of 2021, and was taken on a national tour by Tilted Wig in 2023, after rehearsing and opening at York Theatre Royal.  

York Theatre Royal’s Creative Director, Juliet Forster, who has adapted and will direct the show, said “I’m really looking forward to revisiting this extremely fun story and bringing the delights of the circus to families this summer. We are extremely proud of this show, which is why we are bringing it back. This time we have the luxury of being in one building for three weeks, so you can expect some extra theatre magic.” 

Alongside the production, the theatre will be running a pre-show circus school for 5–11-year-olds and there will be circus themed performances on the recently redesigned and accessible patio. 

The season will begin with York Theatre Royal’s new co-production with York-based company Pilot Theatre and Northern Stage, A Song for Ella Grey (20-24 February). A retelling of a timeless myth, full of music, sound and storytelling. This is followed by Emma Rice’s Blue Beard (27 February – 09 March), another York Theatre Royal co-production, with Wise Children, Birmingham Rep, HOME Manchester and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh. Expect Emma Rice’s signature brand of theatrical wonder, brought to this most beguiling and disturbing of tales. 

Paul Crewes, York Theatre Royal Chief Executive, said “I’m delighted that with Around the World in 80 Days-ish, A Song for Ella Grey and Blue Beard, the theatre continues to invest in producing. This is something we plan to build up in the months and years to come as we continue to adapt to the post-covid landscape. We’ve also got some incredible companies visiting us this season, and I look forward to giving them all a warm welcome.” 

The Everyman Theatre Company are bringing Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (09-13 April) which has its own circus flavour, with legendary clown Tweedy starring as Bottom, and Jeremy Stockwell as Puck. 

English Touring Opera return with two Main House productions; Stravinsky’s The Rakes Progress (19 April) and Puccini’s Manon Lescaut (20 April). They will also present an opera for kids in the Studio. The Great Stink (20 April) visits Victorian London with a fun filled show about poo! 

Also returning are Tilted Wig with timeless comedy The School for Scandal (23-27 April). Joseph Marcell will lead the cast, who is probably best-known for his role as Geoffrey the Butler in the six seasons of the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. His prolific stage credits include Hamlet at the Young Vic with Cush Jumbo, Kathy Burke’s Lady Windermere’s Fan, extensive work with Shakespeare’s Globe including the titular role in King Lear, as well as seasons at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He also previously starred in Alone in Berlin, a 2020 York Theatre Royal co-production.  

Ockham’s Razor are coming to York with Tess (08-11 May) a groundbreaking adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles, weaving Hardy’s words with the extreme physicality of circus performance. 

Once again York Theatre Royal will be taken over by students from York St John University for a weeklong festival (13-18 May). The TakeOver programme includes a mixture of devised student work and shows from local and national companies. Highlights include Out of Character Theatre Company with Jack Thorne’s Afterlife, an evening of readings from acclaimed writer Hollie McNish, comedy in Locomotive for Murder: The Improvised Whodunnint and a dance triple bill from VERVE. 

Cabaret superstar Velma Celli returns for a night of songs from the shows in Show Queen (23 May) and Rush Theatre Company return with The King of Reggae (24-25 May) a musical celebration of the life and times of Bob Marley. Olivier Award-winning Showstopper! The Improvised Musical is returning with two nights of improvised comedy inspired by musical theatre (29-30 May) as well as a family friendly matinee (30 May). 

Moby Dick (06-08 June) is a fast and vibrant reimagining of Melville’s classic, featuring sea shanties played live on stage. The internationally acclaimed West End and Broadway hit, The Kite Runner (18-22 June), is a haunting tale of friendship spanning cultures and continents. 

Renowned dance companies Phoenix Dance Theatre and Ballet Black will return this season. Phoenix Dance Theatre present Belonging: Loss. Legacy. Love. (03-04 May), a powerfully visceral triple bill exploring the nuances of human experience. Ballet Black present double bill Heroes (28 June) exploring the meaning of life and the complexity of humanity, heroism and self-acceptance. 

Local company York Opera are back on the Main Stage earlier than usual, with another Gilbert and Sullivan classic, The Sorcerer (03-06 July) after the success of Verdi’s Macbeth (2023) and HMS Pinafore (2022).  

Family friendly shows in the season include the previously announced There’s A Monster in Your Show (26-28 March) and Northern Ballet’s Tortoise and the Hare (02-03 April). Later in the season there’s fun to be had with Amazing Animals (01 June), a show celebrating all creatures great and small, and Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book (13-15 June) adapted from the best-selling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. 

The Main House will also be hosting a number of fundraising events including Dinners on Stage (19-20 March), an exclusive and unique experience with some special quests to be announced, The Sound of Movies (11 June), a night of exceptional screen music from the York Theatre Royal Choir, and Best of Brass (29 June), celebrating 20 years of the Shepherd Group Band Organisation. 

Tickets go on sale to all York Theatre Royal Members at 1pm 31 January, and on general sale to the public at 1pm 05 February.