What’s on at the theatre in Northampton this April

Get a Pi-ece of the action!

New versions of classic shows, a special anniversary for Northampton’s G&S Society and one gag after another with funny folks showing out all over.
Sammy Jones leads you through April’s theatre business…

Universally acclaimed in theatreland, Life of Pi comes to the Derngate stage (April 2-6) with amazing visuals and world-class puppetry for your eyes to devour.
After an epic storm in the Pacific Ocean, Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger. The story of a true journey of endurance and hope.

There is more drama on the high seas with Moby Dick (April 5-13) at The Royal ready to make a splash.

In search of fortune and adventure, a humble schoolmaster boards a whaling ship due to sail East off Cape Cod, only to find a Captain hell-bent on revenge – on the whale that lost him his leg, and there begins the quest for Moby Dick.

Simple8 promises to conjure the spirit of the original Herman Melville classic with wooden planks, tattered sheets and rousing sea shanties, as they ingeniously bring the hunt for the most famous whale to life. Besides, if they used water, they’d spend all week mopping up!

Funny man Justin Moorhouse invites you to Stretch & think (April 7, Filmhouse Screen 2) in a show that might contain ‘yoga, getting older, Madonna, shoplifters, labradoodles, middle-aged cyclists, the menopause, running, hating football fans but loving football… and Captain Tom’ and that’s not the half of it.

Tommy Tiernan (April 10, Derngate) invites you to take a pew while he delivers Tommedian, a madcap parade of characters, memories and ridiculous flights of fancy.’

Northampton promoters The Comedy Crate and Milton Keynes’ Comedy Cow have teamed up to prevent a mega show, with mega talents – and they don’t come much better than Omid Djalili, right?

Joining the stand-up ace who also graces the big screen in hits like The Mummy, Gladiator and Notting Hill will be Marcus Brigstocke and Josie Long. Boothby Graffoe is your MC for this night of face-aching fun.

Still got space for more funny business? Then you’ve come to the right place with Julian Clary visiting the Derngate (April 17) with his show, Fistful of Clary, which definitely isn’t a double-entendre.

“Yes, it has a Western theme,” he confirmed, “It was only a matter of time before I eased myself into some chaps.” Now will you look at this mucky pup (top right) – and we do hope that sausage is plant based!

Ed Gamble is coming to town with Hot Diggity Dog (April 18), and the promise that he has ‘minced a load of meat (thoughts), piped it into a casing (show) and it’s coming to a bun (venue) near you.’ On this occasion, that’ll be the Derngate.

Last year Lloyd Griffith hit up arenas as tour support for Jack Whitehall and now he’s taking on The Royal (April 23) with Baroque and Roll. When not raising the laughs with stories of his impending midlife crisis he might sing for you too.

Shrek the Musical (April 23-27) promises ogre-sized fun, dragons, a Princess in peril and that talking Donkey. Now, how about a performance of King Arthur (April 25-27, Royal)?

Camelot is in trouble. King Arthur knows that if he doesn’t turn things around, this civilisation will be forgotten, and be known as nothing more than a rather dull time in British history. A comedy for all ages that takes you back through the ages.

That’s Politainment! declares Rosie Holt (April 28, Royal), and then Punt And Dennis (April 30, The Royal) arrive. It’s the first time they’ve been on tour in a decade, and they are getting back to what they do best; ‘Sitting in traffic jams wondering if a different route would have been better, and then in the evening, presenting their new live show.’

Across town at The Old Savoy, panto returns for Easter with Robin Hood his Merry Men battling to outwit the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham (April 10), and Mark Jones, recently on the Savoy stage as Buttons in Cinderella, is back with his new family show, On Your Marks (April 14). Silly songs, funny voices and spontaneous flights of fancy will all feature.

Last up, Northampton Gilbert & Sullivan Group celebrates its 70th year by giving you a new production of The Mikado – which was the group’s first ever production all those decades ago.

Book tickets:
Royal & Derngate: royalandderngate.co.uk
The Old Savoy: theoldsavoy.co.uk