Last night I headed to the Marlowe Theatre for their Summer Season Launch Event. As much as I adore travelling across the country for theatre, the Marlowe has a very special place in my heart as my local venue for the past 10 years and I am always very excited to hear about their new shows, projects and outreach programmes. In a year with so many exciting UK tour announcements, it was bound to be an exhilarating evening, with never-before-seen touring productions making the theatre’s Summer Season brochure. Predominantly covering musicals, plays and dance productions on my website, here is a rundown of what you can expect from the theatre with their new season.
Musicals
In what was my most anticipated category of the night, new touring musicals ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ and ‘Tina: The Tina Turner Musical’ were announced. I didn’t get the chance to see the former in the West End, but hearing ‘You Will Be Found’ through the theatre’s sound system again gave me goosebumps. It will be arriving in Canterbury in February 2025. Furthermore, I recently had the opportunity to see Tina in London, which is quite possibly my favourite jukebox musical of all time. Direct from the West End, the musical about the life and career of the legendary artist Tina Turner will play in Kent for a week and a half in October 2025.
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical West End review
There will also be the return of some favourites, including a new production of ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ starring Wicked’s original West End Fiyero Adam Garcia (April 2025) and the London Palladium production of ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ (January 2025). I was fortunate enough to see the latter in summer 2021 from the front row and it did not disappoint.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat review
Dramas
October 2024 is the month of dramas, with the return of the captivating National Theatre production of ‘War Horse’ and a new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ with direction by Lucy Bailey. As part of the event we were actually treated to a fascinating talk by puppetry designer and director Jimmy Grimes, who was part of the original creative team for War Horse. This time he was here representing ‘101 Dalmatians’, which was previously announced for July 2024 in the musicals category.
Dance
New Adventures are back with ‘Swan Lake’, marking the 30th anniversary of Sir Matthew Bourne’s original production. Recently describing Edward Scissorhands as a ‘visual masterpiece’, I am thrilled that the dance company is on the theatre’s schedule again for 2025. Northern Ballet are bringing their version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ to the Marlowe stage this October and Carlos Acosta’s new take on The Nutcracker (‘Nutcracker in Havana’) will be here in November. Lastly, Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice will return next March with ‘The Last Dance’ and fellow dancers Karen Hauer and Gorka Márquez are teaming up for a joint tour.
The Marlowe Sessions
This summer audiences can enjoy Christopher Marlowe’s complete collection of plays live on screen in ‘The Marlowe Sessions’. Across a handful of dates in August, there will be screenings of the filmed productions in the Studio venue, which star Dominic West, Talulah Riley and Alan Cox. Utilising new filming and audio technology, this project cinematises Marlowe’s work and makes it immersive.
How to book
The newly announced shows will be on sale via the Marlowe Theatre’s website very soon and you can find out the specific dates that Marlowe members and the general public can book under the new listings. In addition to the genres mentioned, there are also lots of comedians and musical acts coming soon for limited runs. For a full list of the productions currently on sale and the upcoming shows, head to the theatre’s website. Audiences have so much to look forward to with the Summer Season.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
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