<img src='' title='Event Category: Drama' alt='' id='templ_icon_' width='' height='' /> Event Category: Drama

The King Stone

A haunted love story

By Charlotte East | Directed by Hannah Stone

“I reckon you’re Jupiter and I’m Saturn, and every now again you over take my orbit and we have this amazing conjunction”

The misty hills of the Derbyshire moors. Nine stones stand in a circle. A tenth looms higher up the hill – The King Stone.

Bonded in their search for a mysterious figure said to wander the Peaks, Kristen and Phil meet nearly every Sunday at The Nine Ladies stone circle. Throughout Scouts and school and the growing pains of adulthood, the mismatched pair are forever in each other’s orbit. But as secrets are revealed their bond begins to fray and the figure they’ve been searching for waits within the shadows. Growing up in a town where ‘Man-Up’ is deemed a term of endearment, can this star-crossed pair remain connected and break free of others’ expectations?

“Beautifully real and human- you can see both what pulled them together and pushed them apart” (Audience member)

Every night in New Delhi, Uday Kumar (UK) answers panicked calls at the Goldmine Crypto GB Helpline, all while growing his YouTube channel with glossy snapshots of the British life he dreams of living.

Determined to make it a reality, he will stop at nothing, until the day he boards his first-ever flight to England.

What follows is Dial 1 for UK, Mohit Mathur’s one-man debut, exploring the harsh realities faced by undocumented migrant workers.

A sharp, heartfelt story of high hopes humbled in Hounslow that asks: what happens to the dreamers who simply disappear?

Hauntings – performed by Gerard Logan Directed by GARETH ARMSTRONG – Music by SIMON SLATER Hauntings is an evening of three tales of the supernatural from two of the world’s greatest writers of ghost stories, E.F. Benson and M.R. James.

Age recommendation 11+

BACK BY HUGE DEMAND

England, 1953.

Renowned American parapsychologist Doctor Roy Earle, famous for discrediting hauntings and exposing fake mediums, is invited to attend a seance in England’s most haunted building, Blaine Manor.

But his arrival at the manor has awoken something horrific. As a raging storm closes off Blaine Manor from the outside world, Earle and the others find that what is waiting there is not nearly as horrific as what has entered with him…

‘A horror masterclass from one of our best and busiest writers.’ The Salford Star

‘O’Byrne has a knack for the classic ghost story.’  The Manchester Theatre Awards

Written & Directed by Joe O’Byrne

Age restriction: 16+ (Adult content)

It’s another great Stafford Players production.

In this lively, contemporary dark comedy, Judy and her estate agent husband Johnny indulge their love of all things 50s, from clothes to jiving, by fully embracing a nostalgic 50s lifestyle and all the expense that entails.

Judy is a stay-at-home housewife who decants her internet grocery shopping into 50s containers at her formica table. She does not let the dust settle on her carefully sourced 50s furnishings and has learned to cook the lightest of chocolate chiffon cakes.

There are no children, so what exactly does Judy do all day wonders her feminist mother, Sylvia?

The couple’s passion for the 50s is shared by their friends, Fran and Marcus – up to a point. Johnny’s boss, Alex, is not convinced.

What does Johnny really think, and is Judy really as happy as she would have everyone believe?”

BREAKING: Claire Louise Amias wins the Hamilton Deane Award for her performance in ‘Haunted Shadows: The Gothic Tales of Edith Nesbit’.

An expert at chilling the spine and curdling the blood, Edith Nesbit relates three of her best Gothic tales while recalling her own childhood terrors.

In The Shadow, a repressed housekeeper encounters an abominable entity, while in The Pavilion the shadow of a long-dead necromancer envelops a social gathering. Finally, a deranged young woman harbours a deadly secret in a rediscovered story called A Strange Experience.

Following the success of The Masks of Aphra Behn, Claire Louise Amias returns to Stafford Gatehouse in this gripping insight into the darker side of Edith Nesbit, author of The Railway Children. Renowned horror expert Jonathan Rigby directs this chilling one-woman show.

Age guidance 12+

Mark Gatiss: “E. Nesbit was far more than just the creator of The Railway Children. In this beguiling one-woman show, Claire Louise Amias takes us into the dark heart of the legendary writer’s ghost stories – unexpected, wonderfully weird and with a very particular Edwardian atmosphere.”

★★★★ West End Best Friend

‘A dazzling display of versatility … a must-see.’

★★★★ Reviews Hub
‘Frightening … Amias plays Nesbit brilliantly.’

★★★★ London Theatre 1
‘Deliciously creepy … Highly recommended.’

‘Beautifully written and acted play. I was moved to tears.’

‘Last week I saw a dead man… A man I saw die’

Following 4 and 5 star reviews in Edinburgh and at London’s Park Theatre, this enthralling and timely solo play his Stafford hard on October 29.

Michigan. Present day. Jimmy Vandenburg, ex-Ford factory car worker, works alone in his garage servicing the classic American cars of his youth. He is the man ‘born down in a dead man’s town’, the antihero of the Bruce Springsteen anthem, trying to survive in the economic wasteland of the rust belt.

A decorated Vietnam war veteran, Jimmy felt his service for his country was ignored after he came home. Trump’s call to ‘Make America Great Again’ appeals to Jimmy’s disillusionment.

But his new-found politics drives a wedge between him and his wife and daughter until a chance visit by the son of a fallen comrade makes him doubt his convictions and leads to a profound emotional reconciliation.

This multi-layered, often humorous and intensely moving solo play by award-winning actor-playwright Richard Vergette is a timely exploration of what drives populist politics and how they seduce the disillusioned and the disaffected.

In recent years populist parties have gained huge support in democracies across the world. Born In The USA bravely challenges assumptions about populist politics to show how they seduce the marginalised and the disaffected. Trump’s re-election has increased bitter political divisions, making the play even more topical and pertinent.

Edinburgh Fringe Review

‘Gripping piece of theatre that should be experienced by all generations…a compelling, heart-wrenching tale.’ ★★★★★ One4Review

Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe
Highly Recommended ★★★★

‘The Trumpian MAGA slogan is stripped to shreds in this play set in the Michigan rustbelt as a war veteran realises that such empty phrases hide the real truth.’
The List ★★★★

‘… engrossing one man show …a compelling play … Vergette’s acting was wonderful … genuinely moving. A brilliant performance … This play deserves an hour of your time. Recommended.’
North West End UK ★★★★

‘… compelling … a clever piece of storytelling which resists the temptation to lead the audience towards one-dimensional empathy or opprobrium …’
BroadwayBaby.com ★★★★

‘… an ending that is both devastating and uplifting. A highly recommended production that resonates today.’
EdinburghGuide.com ★★★★

‘… complex themes are handled with aplomb … if you’re looking for a nuanced look at American politics this Fringe, look no further.’
Entertainment-now.com ★★★★

Join Puzzles Productions for their musical debut!

A family of 5 from Independence Missouri set off on the hilarious yet dangerous journey to Oregon.

After the father buys a wagon with a “floor window” and “octagon wheels” they set off rolling down the trail in all the wrong ways. That’s why you never trust a fast-talking general store guy!

Between the grandpa who won a war with lobsters, the daughter who gets on her mothers nerves constantly, a son who will eat anything, the overly enthusiastic father and the mother who has to deal with all of this.

They will face all sorts of challenges such as snakes, dysentery and worst of all…. The infamous Bandit King!

This funny, thought provoking and interactive musical was originally written by Starkid and will be performed by Puzzles Productions and friends!

The perfect show for Shakespeare lovers and sceptics alike!

Journey to medieval Scotland for this perfect introduction into Shakespeare for audiences young and old. Just Macbeth!i’s by far the stupidest version of Shakespeare’s great big gory tragedy you might ever see.

Our story follows school-aged Andy, Danny and Lisa as they prepare their homework presentation: an extract featuring the three witches.

On reciting their lines and concocting their potion, they are transported back to medieval Scotland!

Exploring the themes and story of Macbeth through the eyes of our three hapless heroes, this hilarious and irreverent take on Shakespeare’s classic tragedy will have the audience in stitches!

Joyce Grenfell was one of the greatest female entertainers of the twentieth century, loved the world over for her hilarious and beautifully observed monologues and songs, as well as numerous film, television and radio appearances.

Her legacy continued through the work of Victoria Wood, who cited her as being a great influence, as well as an array of female comedians including Miranda Hart.

First conceived in honour of her centenary year and playing to sell-out audiences at the Edinburgh Festival, this revue has been delighting audiences ever since.

In this gem of nostalgia, which recreates the setting of one of Joyce’s stage shows, Cheryl Knight ‘absolutely captures her spirit’ (Everything Theatre). Woven between the well-known songs and monologues are some of her more delicate and poignant pieces, as well as some rare and exclusive material.

Truly a labour of love, this show brings back to life an extraordinary entertainer.