October Drama at the Guildhall Theatre

Guildhall Theatre Interior Image

Wed 18 Sep 2013

We are delighted to present a thrilling October of drama at the Guildhall Theatre. This intimate Grade II listed building is the perfect setting for murder mystery, comedy and even a chilling ghost story.

Our drama season kicks off with a comedy play by Nick Lane, the man behind last year’s Me And Me Dad called Royal Flush (Tue 1 Oct) with Rich Seam Theatre and starring Matthew Booth.

It’s a play of two parts: the first is set in 1882 when, after years of inspiration and innovation, Thomas Crapper is given the commission to provide toilets for Queen Victoria. In an old people’s home 130 years later, toilet cleaner Joe has the job of a lifetime on his hands as he gets all the lavs ready for a Diamond Jubilee royal visit. Full of wit and pathos this comedy will leave you uplifted and all the more wiser about the smallest room in the house.

Tickets are £13.25, concessions available.

Reform Theatre are firm favourites with Derby audiences and they return to the Guildhall Theatre with an award-winning play by David BownStand (Wed 9 Oct). This is a comedy about football, lads, girls and Saturday nights out. 

Hurling chants and insults, Phil and Kev wonder why they turn up week after week for United's tedious football games. Meanwhile, down the pub, Janet and Laura put themselves through a similar process of self-doubt as they flirt with the men propping up the bar. When the four come together for a Saturday night out, the result is surprising and shocking.

Winner of The Sunday Times Playwriting Award, David Bown’s tragic – comedy of manners (or lack of) is an unmissable theatrical experience.

Tickets are £14.50, concessions and group rates available.

Soldiers’ Wives (Thu 10 Oct), a play by Sarah Daniels and starring Casualty’s Catherine Shipton comes to Guildhall Theatre from its 2012 success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Based on real interviews conducted with wives of serving military men, Soldier’s Wives is the story of five women living on an army base, dealing with the constant tension of waiting for their partners to return to them unharmed from active duty in Afghanistan. Funny, heartfelt and compelling, Solders’ Wives weaves together five real accounts of the daily unease, hope and despair experienced by the wives of servicemen on active duty.

Described by the Daily Telegraph as ‘a quietly assured tour de force’, Catherine Shipton plays all five women. Catherine is best known for creating the iconic and hugely popular role of Lisa ‘Duffy’ Duffin in the BBC's award-winning drama Casualty; a role she played for almost 20 years.

Tickets are £13, concessions available.

Rumpus Theatre Company who are renowned for their striking special effects return to Derby with a popular double-bill Sherlock Holmes – A Study in Fear (Fri 11 Oct) and Joseph Conrad’s spine-chiller The Ghost Ship (Sat 12 Oct).

Sherlock Holmes – A Study in Fear is described as the world's most famous detective in the world's most thrilling case which is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic novel – The Final Problem. The world’s most notorious villain, Professor James Moriarty, has shown his hand and he and Sherlock Holmes lock horns in deadly combat, which leads to a breath-taking showdown at the tumultuous Reichenbach Falls.

The second in their double-bill is the spookily atmospheric sea story by Joseph ConradThe Ghost Ship. His tongue loosened by liquor in the cosy corner of a seaside inn, Conrad tells his daughter Bea and her fiancé Joe the spine-chilling tale of a storm-battered ship and of the ghost of a fearful sailor, a ghost who comes to haunt all their dreams!

Tickets are £14.25, concessions, groups and school rates available.

And finally, our October season of drama is ended with the thrilling retun of Badapple Theatre Company with their nostalgic and heartwarming comedy Eddie and the Gold Tops (Tue 22 Oct) about a milkman who hits the bigtime with his catchy tunes and cheeky personality.

Written and directed by Kate Bramley, with original songs and music by Jez Lowe. It’s the 1960’s and every village in England has a band determined to hit the big time. Eddie inherited the family milk round from his father, and has fulfilled his deathbed promise to never miss a delivery for the good people of the village. But suddenly he's becoming a pop superstar, quite by accident! His songs are heading up the charts, so get ready Eddie, go! You’re heading for the high life, with the fabulous Gold Tops behind you. But when things take a churn for the worse, will you get back for the morning milk?

Tickets are £13, concessions available.

And if you want to see as much of this fantatsic drama as possible (as we are sure you will) then why not take advantage of our LIVEsaver offer. All of these events are part of the offer and if you book 4 or more you save 20%, 3 events and you save 15% and 2  events you save 10%. Book online or through the Box Office and the discount will be automatically applied to your basket - it's that easy!