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Just announced, to finish off an already exciting 2008 programme at Blackpool's Grand Theatre, are the smash hit 60s musical Shout! starring Claire Sweeney and Su Pollard, the hilarious Waiting for Gateaux, the outrageous 4 Poofs and A Piano, Phoenix Dance, the emotive and unforgettable war drama All Quiet on The Western Front and the 25th anniversary production of classic comedy 'Allo 'Allo starring Vicki Michelle.
Add to that a one off date from up and coming comedian Jason Manford, beehived singing sensation Mari Wilson, The Animals and Spencer Davis, the welcome return of crazy piano duo Katzenjammer and musicals spectacular Beyond The Barricade and there really is something for everyone!
Enjoy a feast of fun with the uproarious Waiting for Gateaux from Monday 30th June to Saturday 5th July. Mo-tivators is the worst health and fitness club in the country. Run from a small hall in the middle of nowhere by Maureen a 'big-boned' fifty-something widow, it only attracts clientele who have nothing better to do. It's really just an excuse to meet friends, chat and eat cake. Then Sophie, a researcher for a reality TV programme, comes to check out the club and a snowstorm arrives bringing with it revelations which will change all their lives forever in this fantastic comedy about friendship, frostbite and French fries. Cast to be announced. Tickets from £12.50.
Just announced! The wonderfully funny Sue Hodge ('Allo 'Allo) is to join madcap duo Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball in the fabulous farce Big Bad Mouse from Monday 21st July to Saturday 26th July. In the orders office of Chunkibix Ltd it is Mr Price-Hargreaves who gives the orders and Mr Bloome who obeys them. Until, that is, Mr Bloome is accused of chasing a young girl across Wandsworth Common making him the hero of every woman in the office, not least Miss Spencer. Prepare to be surprised – no two performances are the same! Rocky on Tommy! Tickets from £13.
Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once… The 25th anniversary production of the smash hit continental comedy 'Allo 'Allo hits the Grand from Tuesday 9th September to Saturday 13th September. Meet René, the most wanted man in occupied France -women want his body, the Resistance wants his brain and the Nazis want his sausage! This stunning new stage production follows the crazy and comical adventures of René - a hapless café owner in war-torn occupied France, as he and his wife Edith struggle to keep for themselves a priceless portrait stolen by the Nazis and hidden in a sausage in their cellar. Starring original TV cast member Vicki Michelle and Jeffrey Holland (Hi-De-Hi) book early - this glorious new show is guaranteed to leave you helpless with laughter. Tickets from £12.
Swing back to the sensational 60s with Claire Sweeney (Brookside, Loose Women, Chicago) and the one and only Su Pollard (Hi-De-Hi) in the ultimate family feelgood musical Shout! from Monday 29th September to Saturday 4th October. Twist and shout your way around swinging London with our 'fab five' as they discover the fashion, freedom, fun and music that inspired original girl power. Shimmy and shake to the infectious, soulful songs that made Petula Clark, Cilla Black, Lulu and Dusty Springfield legendary singers in this uplifting new musical. Whether you're an original baby boomer or born in the 90s, Shout! is a celebration of an era everyone wishes they could have experienced – and now you can! Ready, steady, go! Book now for the grooviest party in town! Tickets from £12.
The Batanaimarimba Band is back! Get ready for the infectious rhythms of African Music Night on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th October as the Grand welcomes back Wedzi and the World Muzik Makers from South Africa courtesy of Blackpool Music Service. Using a variety of traditional instruments such as the marimba (large wooden xylophones), the mbira, the hosho (traditional gourd shakers) and the ngoma (drums), the Batanaimarimba Band promotes understanding, develop skills and communicate ideas through different rhythms, movements and other art forms. You won't be able to keep still!
Make a date with the outrageously funny 4 Poofs and a Piano on Monday 3rd November. Best known as the house band on BBC1's hugely successful Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, 4 Poofs and a Piano are more hairdresser than barbershop and are one of the wittiest and genuinely talented cabaret acts on the scene. Their reputation is founded on a distinctive array of vocal techniques and audacious harmonies, which combine to produce individual and quirky interpretations of standard ballads, show tunes, chart hits, and classics as well as their own original material. Tickets £14.50.
Bring on the beehive! Mari Wilson is back in Blackpool on Tuesday 4th November. Forget Amy Winehouse, marvellous Mari is the first lady of sensational 60s style with a voice to match. Since her smash hit Just What I Always Wanted in 1982, Mari has performed around the world with her take on the sounds of jazz, musical theatre and the 1960s. Since the 1990s she has toured extensively with her jazz quartet, playing alongside the likes of Stan Getz, BB King and Ray Charles. Tickets £16.50.
The Animals & Friends set the Grand on fire on Friday 7th November as they blast through their formidable list of hits, including Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place and of course, the multi-million selling anthem House of the Rising Sun. Very special guest Spencer Davis also joins them to perform his incredible catalogue of unforgettable chart hits from Gimme Some Lovin' and Keep on Running to Somebody Help Me and many more. Don't miss two of the most influential forerunners of British rock, rhythm & blues together live on stage. Tickets £18.50.
Hilarious new stand up talent Jason Manford makes his debut at the Grand on Saturday 8th November. A true master of observational comedy with a warm and engaging rapport with the audience, Jason is loved by Johnny Vegas and Peter Kay and recently scooped the North West Comedian of the Year award. Remember, you saw him here first! Tickets £15.
The UK's leading musical theatre concert, Beyond The Barricade, returns to the Grand Theatre with its sensational 2008 production on Sunday 9th November, recreating the songs, music and sound of the world's most popular musicals. This talented cast of past principal performers from Les Misérables and the West End perform songs from Miss Saigon, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, We Will Rock You, Chicago, Blood Brothers and many more major hits shows. This fabulous production also includes songs from the 'new shows' on the block – including Wicked, Spamalot and Billy Elliott, climaxing with a spectacular finale from, of course, Les Misérables! Don't miss the musicals event of the year! Tickets £20.
Unforgettably recounting the utter cruelty of war from the perspective of a nineteen-year-old soldier, All Quiet on the Western Front explodes into the Grand from Monday 10th November to Saturday 15th November. Paul Baumer is a butterfly collector – a dreamer abruptly cast into one of the greatest nightmares in history. That he endures at all is down to the deep bonds of comradeship forged in the trenches. All Quiet on the Western Front is a universal anthem to the strength of the human spirit. Based upon the famous novel by Erich Maria Remarque, this faithful and theatrically inventive new adaptation brings the soul of a soldier to the stage. Tickets from £9.50.
The world's favourite piano duo are back with a brand new show on Sunday 23rd November! Join Katzenjammer for an unforgettable night of the world's greatest music and utter nonsense, with special appearances by The Simpsons, an international piano-playing footballer, and a Hoover! Once again, Katzenjammer will amaze with their own infectious blend of spectacular piano gymnastics and cheeky songs - all bound together with their quirky charisma. As always, their interweaving and colliding hands will be captured and projected on to the large screen. Unmissable! Tickets £12.50.
The Grand continues its mission to bring the very best in contemporary dance to the region with the welcome return of Phoenix Dance Theatre on Thursday 27th and Friday 28th November. The talented Leeds-based company will bring exciting and dramatic new works that will challenge and engage the audience in a rich and evocative programme from Artistic Director Javier de Frutos. Tickets £14. -- www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk
Posted June 3rd, 2008 by ruzik_tuzik
