Harris classic Steps Out at Coliseum

Richard Harris’ toe-tapping comedy follows the interactions between the many different characters of the local weekly tap dancing class and it’s become a regular on the North West theatre scene, following a recent tour starring Eastenders‘ Jessie Wallace. 

The upbeat Stepping Out is a heart-warming and timelessly funny tale about an amateur dance troupe who are invited to perform at a charity gala. The only problem is…they can’t dance. With the prospect of dancing in front of a real audience looming, the talentless troupe begin to crack under the pressure, and each start to reveal a little something of their personal lives, and what brought them to the class.

Stepping Out was inspired Richard Harris’ late wife who suggested he accompany her to a dance class she had joined seeing the great potential for a play. Instead of making the play about the teaching, Harris focused on the different relationships the individuals had with each other in the class.

Starting his career writing for television with credits including The Avengers, The Sweeney, and The Saint, Harris is an accomplished playwright. His recent theatre credits include The Business of Murder, Outside Edge, Surviving Spike, based on the book about Spike Milligan by Norma Farnes, and Visiting Hour which was performed at the National Theatre, with Michael Gambon directing.

The cast includes Kate Coogan playing snotty Vera and Catherine Kinsella both of whom appeared in On the Piste (2009). Catherine – who plays shy Andy – recently received a Manchester Evening News Theatre Award Nomination for Actress in a Supporting Role in The Memory of Water (2010). Nicola Bolton has also appeared at the Coliseum before in How the Other Half Loves (2007). She’ll be stepping into the shoes of dance teacher Mavis.

Ruth Alexander-Rubin who played Lisa in Coronation Street and has starred in Waterloo Road and Boy Meets Girl plays the fierce Mrs Fraser. Susie Fenwick plays wheeler dealer Maxine – a far cry from her previous role as Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music (London Palladium, 2008).
 
The rest of the cast include Tania Mathurin (Rose), Emma Matthews (Slyvia), Ben Stock (Geoffrey), Vicki Lee Taylor (Dorothy) and Stephanie Trott (Lynne).

Stepping Out runs at the Coliseum from 10 March – 2 April.