It's not so long ago that the Royal and Derngate theatres re-opened after their 18-month closure and multi-million pound refit. Now they have to get bums back on the seats. They're hoping this new season will do just that. The elaborate Victorian Royal Theatre is where the home grown productions are staged. The Royal's artistic director Laurie Sansom won critical acclaim in October for his directorial debut in Northampton, the musical Follies. In January, he directs Shakespeare's comedy about mistaken identity and unrequited love, Twelfth Night. This play has partly been chosen because Twelfth Night opened the Royal first time around, in 1884. Twelfth Night will star two former soap actors, Paul Fox (Coronation Street and The Royal) and Lucy Speed (EastEnders). It's quite apt then, that the same actors will also appear in the next show at the Royal Theatre, Soap. For that they'll be joined by another EastEnders actor, Mark Bannerman (otherwise known as Gianni Di Marco). Cliff hangers | | Steven Seagal is coming to the Derngate |
Soap is a new comedy written by Sarah Woods and, as the name suggests, it pokes fun at the world of TV soap operas. It's packed with cliff hanger moments and knowing looks that are the mainstay of the TV soaps. The play follows Lorna, the barmaid of the pub in Arthur Street, who falls through a wormhole in space to find herself mixing with Thorn, a hunky surfer dude from Crystal Bay. The Royal's 'Love and Madness Season' continues in May with the Restoration comedy The Way of the World. The cast includes Anna Chancellor (Duck Face from Four Weddings and a Funeral). Touring shows coming to the Royal include the thriller Vertigo and a comedy called The Price. Destination DerngateOver at the Derngate, the highlights include the Hollywood actor Stephen Seagal who will be performing with his band, Thunderbox (13 February). Veteran performers coming to the Derngate include The Drifters (15 March), Petula Clark (22 April) and Chas 'n' Dave (30 January).  | | The Australian Dance Theatre |
For dance lovers there's the Australian Dance Theatre (10 March) and Moscow City Ballet (26 February to 3 March). If you enjoy the big musicals, you'll have yet another chance to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (19 - 24 March). Following its West End run, Cole Porter's High Society is coming to town (23 - 28 April). Later in the year, Fame The Musical returns (28 May to 2 June) and Cats is guaranteed to be a big draw when it rolls into town (3 - 21 July). Children's shows include Tracy Beaker Gets Real (6 - 10 February), Basil Brush: The Fox Factor (12 February) and Make Way For Noddy and Friends (13 - 15 April). I bet you don't want to even think about Christmas 2007 yet, but the staff at the Royal and Derngate already are. The Derngate panto will be Cinderella (no stars have been named yet); whilst over at the Royal the Christmas show will be 101 Dalmations. Highlights• Twelfth Night - Royal Theatre - 26 January to 17 February
• Chas 'n' Dave - Derngate - 30 January
• Tracy Beaker Gets Real - Derngate - 6 to 10 February
• Basil Brush: The Fox Factor - 12 February
• Steven Seagal and Thunderbox - Derngate - 13 February
• Vertigo - Royal Theatre - 22 to 24 February
• Moscow City Ballet - Derngate - 26 February to 3 March
• Soap - Royal Theatre - 2 to 24 March
• Australian Dance Theatre - Derngate - 10 March
• The Drifters - Derngate - 15 March
• The Price - Royal Theatre - 17 to 21 April
• Joseph - Derngate - 19 to 24 March.
• Noddy - Derngate - 13 to 15 April
• Petula Clark - Derngate - 22 April
• High Society - Derngate - 23 to 28 April
• The Way Of The World - Royal Theatre - 27 April to 19 May
• Fame - Derngate - 28 May to 2 June
• Cats - Derngate - 3 to 21 July
• 101 Dalmations - Royal Theatre - 4 December 2007 to 12 January 2008
• Cinderella - Derngate - dates to be announced For full details of the entire programme for the Royal & Derngate, please see their official website. Royal & Derngate >
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