Stroud Theatre Festival returns on Friday.
The popular event returns from September 10 to 12, with 20 theatre performances across six different venues from serious dramas, comedies, puppetry, children’s shows, new works, and historical dramas.
These come from a mix of local and national companies. Local companies include the Everyman who has collaborated with the festival to create The Anthony Monologues – a series of short monologues which will be performed on the streets of Stroud on Saturday and at the new venue for this festival St Laurence’s Church. Also in St Laurence’s Cotswold Players present Well, That Was Different! – two new short surreal plays from local writer Philip Douch. Radical Stroud led by Stuart Butler with guest performances from Jonny Fluffypunk and John Bassett brings the remarkable story of radical 18th-century figure John Thelwall deemed to be the most dangerous man in England.
There will be a variety of children’s shows including leading London-based puppetry company String Theatre who bring the Insect Circus using beautifully crafted marionettes to Lansdown Hall and Gallery. Jonny Fluffypunk returns with The End of the Pier Show and Genevieve Robinson will be presenting Stories of Inspirational Women both at the Museum in the Park.
For comedy there is a usual rich bag with Rose Wadham presenting Yoga Teacher Ate My Pet at Weven and Spaniel in the Works new comic rant Bertie Bassett is 50 Something and Sad. Our Star Theatre from Hereford bring Sherlock’s Excellent Adventure and Box of Frogs from Birmingham to bring their own hilarious brand of improvised comedy. Stroud-based comedy group Severn Wonders will return with a new sketch show Fruit Salad.
There are also works which cross the comedy/ drama line such as Miserus from Devon-based i.e. Theatre which retells Greek myths in a new and lively way and Attention Seeker from Brighton-based That’s Enough Drama which tells the story of a disillusioned joke writer.
Serious dramas include a premiere from Hexagon Theatre Company of Circus of Desertion which includes a performance from local poet Adam Horovitz, Cheltenham based Dramestics bring a poignant performance looking at families and dementia in From Age To Age and LouDeemy Productions from Birmingham return with their powerful exploration of Dissociative Identity Disorder What Myra DID.
The Alt Book Club which will later be at Cheltenham Literary Festival will include comedians, performers, and others showcasing in a comical and silly way their favourite or most hated books. Ken Wood and The Mixers return with their party atmosphere performance Amazing Stories of Blues and Soul.
Tickets for the festival have been kept at only £6 for each one-hour show and there is the Stroudie Special which offers 6 shows for the price of 5. Tickets are available now from the website www.stroudtheatrefestival.co.uk
Stroud Theatre Festival has been gratefully supported by the Arts Council and is working in partnership with the Everyman, Stroud District Council, and the Museum in the Park.
