Page 19 - 366091 LP246228 NE Volume Magazine (170mm x 245mm 52pp) September 2022

STAGE
Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre welcomes the North East premier of critically acclaimed Welsh Playwright Alan Harris’ hit play, ‘Sugar Baby’. Its original runs were first produced by Dirty Protest as part of the Wales in Edinburgh project with the support of Chapter, Wales Arts International, the Arts Council of Wales, and the British Council Wales and was initially performed at Paines Plough Roundabout at Summer Hall in Edinburgh as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017. The following year, it had another successful performance run at Soho Theatre. Now in 2022, Alan Harris is working alongside director Natasha Haws to bring a newly worked production of his much-loved performance piece. Sugar Baby is a one-man comedy drama focused on the life and times of the protagonist, Marc. Marc is a small-time drug dealer in the city of Cardiff. And when your profession is within the illegal contraband industry, it can be somewhat difficult to live up to your family’s expectations. As a result of this, Marc tends to spend his time avoiding his mother, trying to disguise his cannabis plants as tomato crops with a few fake props and also trying to bail out his old man who is in trouble with none other than local loan shark Oggy who he owes £6,000. However, one day, our leading man just happens to meet the lovely Lisa, a woman he hasn’t met in years. But unfortunately for Marc, his life only gets messier when Lisa re-enters. As audiences will find out upon reuniting, Lisa finds herself wanting Marc. But Lisa has herself an admirer too, who just so happens to be Oggy. In amongst all of this, Marc’s desire is just to survive the day. Filled with the comedy capers of petty criminals and small-time drug dealers, along with those in the community around them, you will be guaranteed lots of laughs, as well as a few socio-political comments dropped in for good measure, as you follow along on Marc’s chaotic journey of life. Having received great praise and acclaim for the show in the past, it is guaranteed that the return of the production in 2022 will be just as popular. With a run of multiple shows from September 20th to October 8th, there are plenty of opportunities for audiences to experience this theatrical tour de force. GEORGINA SHINE
Visit: alphabettitheatre.co.uk
STAGE
While the world outside may be turning from summer to autumn, all of the joys of spring will be alive and well at Middlesbrough’s Town Hall thanks to the arrival of ‘Spring Awakening’ by New Wave productions. Bringing with it all of the gloriously angsty trials and tribulations of growing up, this world-renowned rock musical also has an incredible Broadway score that fuses the themes of morality, sexuality and good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. Having won eight Tony Awards including the Best Musical award, it’s not hard to see how this show has become such a hit with audiences across the globe. As New Wave makes the show their own with their daring new adaptation, audiences will not be disappointed as they follow along on this journey of adolescence to adulthood. The performance invites you in and encourages you to celebrate rebellion whilst navigating the path of teenage self-discovery as you see that less is more. GEORGINA SHINE
Tickets: £12.50 Advance | Visit: middlesbroughtownhall.co.uk
stand-up beltway. While an evening with Richardson might not be destined to descend fully into anything Hicks-ian, a full serving of which might be likely to discomfit audiences this large, this, in fact, plays interestingly to Richardson’s strengths. Delivered in his distinctive, reassuring Lancastrian tone, his regularly and brilliantly odd takes on life are often masking compassionate, thought-provoking insights if we peer beyond the surface, and tend to be deployed with the air of dismay, detachment and reluctance which has superbly crafted him a comedic persona, especially in the social, collaborative environment of panel shows and radio. MICHAEL JOHNSON
Tickets: £27.15 Advance | Visit: stocktonglobe.co.uk
SPRING AWAKENING
AT MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL
SUGAR BABY
AT ALPHABETTI THEATRE, NEWCASTLE
CULTURE // NE VOLUME MAGAZINE // 19