Key Openings in the South-East This Fortnight

OPENING 2 November. A Murder Has Been Arranged by Emlyn Williams at the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch]. This is a revival of the actor-playwright’s first great success and, appropriately, takes place on stage in a theatre. A birthday party is in progress, but there are some uninvited guests. Not to mention ghosts. The Queen’s artistic director Bob Carlton directs with designs by Chris Howcroft. The run continues until 21 November.

OPENING 3 November. She Stoops to Conquer at the Civic Theatre, Chelmsford. This new staging of Goldsmith’s comedy is a touring production from the Welsh-based Mappa Mundi Company and can also be seen at the Seckford Theatre, Woodbridge on 11 November and at the Theatre Royal, Winchester between 19 and 20 November.

OPENING 3 November.A Daughter’s A Daughter was written by Agatha Christie under her pen-name of May Westmacott and originally staged in 1954. This new Agatha Christie Theatre Company presentation is the first full-scale production since the première and is a psychological rather than detective drama. It takes place in the aftermath of the Second World War with a mother and her daughter both trying different paths to possible happiness after heartbreak. The run ends on 14 November.

OPENING 9 November (with previews from 5 November). Nora – A Doll’s House is the Ingmar Bergman stage adaptation of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. It strips the drama down to focus more directly on Nora herself and her struggle for her personal identity – the separation of this from her roles as wife, mother and friend – and runs until 21 November.
(p>
OPENING 10 November (with a preview on 9 November). Shakers . by John Godber and Jane Thornton at the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds. This is a new touring production from the Hull Truck Theatre Company and focuses on four waitresses in a cocktail bar, their customers and the lives for which they secretly hanker. Godber directs and you can see it in Suffolk until 14 November.

OPENING 10 November is a stage adaptation by Simon Reade of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice> at the Arts Theatre, Cambridge. The cast of the Theatre Royal, Bath production is led by Susan Hampshire as Mrs Bennet, so eager to find husbands for her five daughters that she nearly wrecks their chances of happiness. It’s directed by Toby Frow and also runs until 14 November.