Frankenstein, Samuel Beckett , the story of a Northern Quarter favourite restaurant and Maxine Peake are among the shows that you can expect to see next year at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre announces details of its 2018 season.
The season opens with one of the world’s most famous stories, Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN.
This brand-new version adapted by April De Angelis and directed by Royal Exchange Associate Artistic Director Matthew Xia raises important questions of identity, responsibility and ambition in modern-day Britain, 200 years after the novel was originally published.
This evocative 2018 version, with Shane Zaza, runs from 9 March – 7 April in the Theatre.
Michael Boyd, former Artistic Director of the RSC, makes his Royal Exchange debut with the THE CHERRY ORCHARD, in a new translation by Rory Mullarkey, who returns to the Exchange following his critically acclaimed CANNIBALS.
This co-production with Bristol Old Vic is the first time that Michael has directed a play by the literary love of his life Anton Chekhov, and runs in the Theatre from 19 April – 19 May.
HAPPY DAYS, Samuel Beckett’s profoundly beautiful theatrical poem, reunites the successful creative team of Exchange Artistic Director, Sarah Frankcom, and Associate Artist, Maxine Peake once more in our unique space.
Maxine Peake takes on the role of everywoman Winnie, in this surreal and celebratory must-see masterpiece. The production runs in the Theatre from 25 May – 23 June.
Meanwhile a brand-new stage play by Maxine Peake, her first for the Royal Exchange, QUEENS OF THE COAL AGE follows four ordinary women down the Parkside Colliery pit as they make a stand for each other and their way of life.
This true story is directed by Bryony Shanahan, who makes her main-stage debut with this sharp and witty play about ordinary women and extraordinary action.
This co-production with the New Vic Theatre runs from 28 June – 21 July.
MOUNTAINS: THE DREAMS OF LILY KWOK is a new adaptation of Helen Tse’s family memoir – the astonishing story of the women behind the famous Manchester restaurant, Sweet Mandarin.
Writer In-Sook Chappell and director Jennifer Tang chart the journeys of two generations of remarkable women from the streets of Hong Kong to Manchester’s Northern Quarter. This co-production with Yellow Earth and Black Theatre Live runs in the Studio from 22 March – 7 April before beginning a UK tour.
Associate Artists RashDash take over the Studio with their passionate and energetic response to Anton Chekhov’s classic THREE SISTERS.
What are you expecting? A period drama with surprises? Why do we keep telling this story? This thrilling response to a much-loved classic runs in the Studio from 3 – 19 May before touring.
The theatre’s award-winning Young Company present MIXTAPE – a home-made compilation of music recorded in a specific order and made for a specific person.
MIXTAPE is a new kind of musical, part gig, part play and part party all in a harmonious ode to our fine city.
This vibrant new musical, directed by Matt Hassall, explores what it means to live in Manchester today and what it means to make a place your home.
The production will perform in the Studio from 11 – 14 April before touring across Greater Manchester.
The Royal Exchange Theatre Studio continues to be a hot-bed of research as the Theatre develops original new work with supported artists, its resident Young Company & Elders Company, and cultural partners from across Manchester and visiting companies from across the UK.
Artistic Director Sarah Frankcom said …
“The Royal Exchange family of artists continues to grow and that’s exciting. This season we develop work that celebrates the creative ambition of these brilliant artists, and we support writers and directors, actors and theatre makers to challenge themselves to make work at scale for a passionate audience.
“The stories this season are about ordinary people, our family, friends and neighbours, and the lengths they go to find themselves in an increasingly complex world. Our in-the-round space brings audience members into the middle of these stories, making the ordinary seem extraordinary and creating a space for reflection, celebration and conversation – it is this that makes theatre so important today, and why the theatre we are making should always reflect the here and now.”
