Turbine Theatre spring 2020 season announced

The Turbine Theatre 2020 spring season will include Kathy Burke directing Amy Booth-Steel's Edinburgh Festival transfer #HonestAmy, a production of The Importance of Being Earnest and the previously announced MTFest UK, it was revealed today.

Opening the season will be Burlesque'd Live!, which will run on three evenings from 30 January to 1 February. Ashley Luke Lloyd will direct and choreograph a group of West End showgirls including Kelsey Beth Crossley (Emmerdale) and Charlotte Gooch (Top Hat).

Actor Alexis Gregory will bring his one-person show Riot Act back to London after playing in such venues as the Arcola Theatre, the King's Head Theatre and the Duchess Theatre in the West End. Directed by Rikki Beadle-Blair, Riot Act will run on 16 February and explore the LGBT rights movement over 60 years of queer history.

The Barn Theatre brings its production of The Importance of Being Earnest to The Turbine Theatre from 18 to 29 February. This production reimagines the classic Oscar Wilde play with two men playing every single character and marks The Barn's London debut.

Original play Warped Sacrifice will play at the venue on 31 March, a show that takes place in a dystopian city where everything is dictated by money and everyone is obsessed with perfection.

Guy, a new musical that looks at the prejudices within the gay community from leoe&hyde, the creators of The Marriage of Kim K, will play in Battersea from 4 to 7 March, while Identity is a new show from CTC Company. The 50-minute production that examines society's negative perceptions on an individual persona. It will run from 10 to 14 March.

Other shows include the Westminster Cathedral Choir School's new musical version of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The season also plays host to the previously announced return of Paul Taylor-Mills' MTFestUK, which runs at the theatre from 3 to 15 February. As a celebration of new musical theatre from around the world, the festival's full line-up and cast will be announced in January.

The Turbine Theatre has also announced a partnership with Industry Minds who will be running a variety of seminars and events at the theatre throughout the year. The seminars will run monthly at the theatre in order to provide more help and support for those in the arts, including creatives, students and families. The Industry Minds Awards will run at the venue in September 2020, along with Artist Showcases and Live Podcast events throughout the year.

Artistic director Paul Taylor-Mills commented: "I'm delighted that our spring 2020 season is a celebration of new and emerging talent. This is one of the most important strands of our vision and integral part of the future of The Turbine and indeed the theatre landscape in London and beyond.

"We've got an eclectic line up which includes the award winning #HonestAmy which celebrated a sell out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year, directed by Kathy Burke. Alongside this, we've carefully curated a programme which features a number of visiting companies including contemporary dance, burlesque and a new production of The Importance of Being Earnest from the powerhouse that is The Barn Theatre.

"A special Merry Christmas and thanks must be extended to everyone that has supported us over the past few months. It's been an incredible first couple of months and we couldn't have done it without your support."