Appearances Matter in Norwich

The Norwich Playhouse, now boasting a new-look foyer and bar, has two shows coming up which are linked by the issue of physical attractiveness. The first is the musical version of The Full Monty which relocates the story to Buffalo in the United States and makes our six heroes into unemployed steel workers. The Threshold Theatre Company production runs from Tuesday 26 to Saturday 30 May, nightly at 7.30pm and with a Saturday matinée at 2.30pm.

That’s followed on Tuesday 2 June by the Norwich Theatre Royal Actors Company. The play which they are staging this time is The Ugly One, the 2008 London hit satire byon modern obsessions with appearance and the role that cosmetic surgery plays in the quest for physical perfection. The play is by Marius von Mayenburg in a translation by Maja Zade and runs until 6 June at 8pm each night..

Operating Theatre Company bring Alex Jones’ I’m a Minger for a matinée performance only on 9 June. It comes straight from the Latitude Festival in Suffolk and tackles teenage issues about bullying, self-harm and suicide. Black Ram Theatre Company, which is an East Anglian-based touring ensemble, offers Dale Wasserman’s adaptation of the Ken Kesey novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest., probably best known for its film version. It’s at 7.30pm on 9 and 10 September.