A great season ahead at Royal & Derngate for summer and beyond, including The Commitments, Wuthering Heights and Birmingham Royal Ballet

As the Derngate auditorium celebrates its 40th anniversary, the theatre’s latest brochure is now landing with customers, packed with events for this summer and highlights for autumn and next spring.

The theatre’s Made in Northampton season continues on the Royal stage with a fresh new take on Emily Bronte’s infamous love story Wuthering Heights, reimagined by acclaimed theatre company Inspector Sands, followed in September by a gripping new production of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, directed by Lucy Bailey (Gaslight, Love from a Stranger), which takes to the Derngate stage before embarking on a major national tour. This season will also see the launch of Who Cares 2032, an interactive digital experience, with narration, film, audio and integrated BSL and audio description, developed by Hydrocracker with DeafConnect, with the involvement of members of the local community.

Visiting drama productions this summer include Northern Broadside’s production of J M Barrie’s regency comedy, Quality Street, directed by Royal & Derngate’s former Artistic Director Laurie Sansom, the joyous comedy The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, based on the best-selling novel that inspired the hit film, and Rifco Theatre Company’s comic family drama Happy Birthday Sunita.

Exciting new dramas going on sale for the autumn include Original Theatre Company’s production of Torben Betts’ Murder in the Dark, and for 2024, the 70th anniversary tour of The Mousetrap and West End smash hits 2:22 A Ghost Story and Life of Pi.

While there is still the chance to catch the sensational musical Jersey Boys this March, there is also a bumper crop of musicals touring to Northampton throughout the rest of the year, starting in April with The Commitments, adapted by Roddy Doyle from his iconic novel and packed with soul classics, while the autumn brings the official Take That musical Greatest Days, a new tour of Shrek The Musical, and the smash hit SIX, with Everybody’s Talking About Jamie set to return in Spring 2024.

The rising stars of Birmingham Royal Ballet launch the inaugural tour of BRB2, with Carlos Acosta’s Classical Selection, as part of an exciting new partnership with Royal & Derngate, while fans of Strictly Come Dancing can look forward to visits from Anton Du Beke, Johannes Radebe, and Nadiya and Kai.

Royal & Derngate launches a new orchestral season, starting this summer with Sinfonia Viva performing Beethoven’s Symphony No.3 “Eroica”, with further performances throughout the year by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Other musical highlights include the National Youth Jazz Orchestra featuring Tommy Blaize, lead singer of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing band, performing the music of Ray Charles, and concerts by Midge Ure, Mike and the Mechanics and The Proclaimers.

The comedy line-up includes gigs in Derngate auditorium by Jimmy Carr, Jasper Carrott and Alastair McGowan, with Tom Houghton performing in the Royal, and Emmanuel Sonubi and Lucy Porter in Underground.

This May Royal & Derngate collaborates with BBC Radio Northampton again to present Headfest ’23, a festival of talks, workshops and comedy, promoting positive mental health and wellbeing, which will include performances by comedians Simon Brodkin, Hal Cruttenden, Joe Tracini and Richard Hardisty, and the presenters of the High Performance podcast, Jake Humphrey and Professor Damian Hughes.

Other events this summer include appearances by wildlife presenter Gordon Buchanan, adventurer Ben Fogle, cultural satirist Fran Lebowitz, best-selling author Kate Mosse, royal historian Tracy Borman and journalist and TV presenter Stacey Dooley. Jonathan Agnew and Glenn McGrath present Test Match Special Live – The Ashes and Dick & Dom revive their hit TV show Da Bungalow live on stage.

Family shows coming up include children’s favourites such as The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Zog and Twirlywoos Live, and a beautiful new adaptation of The Wind in the Willows. There will also be chances for intrepid young explorers to experience Dinosaur World Live and Dragons and Mythical Beasts. Looking ahead to Christmas, tickets are already on sale for this year’s pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Derngate auditorium, with Stick Man taking the festive slot on the Royal stage.

Showcasing home-grown talent, Royal & Derngate’s Youth Theatre and Young Company present The Big Top Murders and The Actors Company stage The Three Musketeers, while Royal & Derngate Community Choir perform Windrush 75, a poignant new piece celebrating the positive impact of Windrush in the county and nationally. This autumn Northampton Musical Theatre Company will present Kinky Boots The Musical.

For more information about any of these events, call Box Office on 01604 624811, or visit the theatre’s website, www.royalandderngate.co.uk. Information about creative activities and projects, including youth theatre classes, can be found in the Get Involved section of the website.

The Made in Northampton season is sponsored by Michael Jones Jewellers.