Spring at the Theatres

Compiled by Adam Ford

It may seem like we are still in the grip of Winter, but the local theatres have announced details of their Spring programmes. There are some very interesting sounding plays coming up, and tickets may go quickly, so get booking as soon as possible.

At the Playhouse, Brendan Behan's The Quare Fellow opens the season with a classic tale of life in a Dublin prison. Directed by Kathy Burke, it will be in Liverpool from 12th to 21st February. Abigail's Party - Mike Leigh's hit comedy - brings back memories (pleasant or otherwise) of Demis Roussos and cheesy pineapple chunks between 1st and 6th of March. A Noel Coward double bill - Still Life and The Astonished Heart, has a long run, from 19th March to 10th April. Finally, Mother Courage and Her Children, considered by many to be one of Berthold Brecht's most important works, is performed between 20th and 24th April.

The Everyman also has a strong and varied programme. From Calderon de la Barca's tale of crime and punishment, The Mayor of Zalamea (13th Feb to 6th March) to Benji Reid and Felix Cross' hip-hop musical Slamdunk (23rd to 27th March), the programme must come close to achieving Artistic Director Gemma Bodinetz's ambition to provide "something for everyone who is passionate about theatre". There is also a version of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (30th March to 3rd April), amongst many other productions.

At the Unity there are productions almost every week - throughout the whole of the Spring season - although each one typically only lasts for a couple of days. Eve Ensler's widely acclaimed Vagina Monologues is performed for one day only on 3rd February. The Man Who Cracked is a fable about ambition and Cold War paranoia makes an appearance from 24th to 28th February. The Riot Group's Pugilist Specialist dissects the American military's pursuit of evil (or 'evil-doers', depending on your viewpoint), on 12th and 13th March. And on 6th April, The Humanity Carpet promises to tackle issues such as "third world debt and first world corruption" through a variety of artistic forms.for full details of all productions.

Visit: www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk and www.everymanplayhouse.com