Hope Mill Theatre announces Spring Awakening and Aspects of Love revivals in new season
Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre has announced its first three in-house productions for 2018, including new revivals of Broadway classic Spring Awakening and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love.
Winner of eight Tony Awards and four Olivier Awards, Spring Awakening follows a group of teenagers in late 19th century Germany, coming to terms with their own sexuality. It is based on Frank Wedekind's 1891 play of the same name. The show will be directed by Luke Sheppard, most recently responsible for the five-star Secret Diary of Adrian Mole at the Menier Chocolate Factory. The show, which has book and lyrics by Steven Sater, and music by Duncan Sheik runs from 19 March to 3 May.
A new revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects of Love, based on the novella by David Garnett, will run from 5 July to 8 August. The show opened in the West End in 1989, going on to earn six Tony Award nominations the following year. It follows the romantic life of actress Rose Vibert, and contains the iconic song "Love Changes Everything". This new version will be directed by Jonathan O'Boyle, whose production of Hair at the same venue recently transferred to London's Vaults.
The ToyBoy Diaries, a new musical with book by Simon Warne, music and lyrics by Andy Collyer, will open the Hope Mill's 2018 season from 18 January to 10 February. Based on the best-selling memoirs of Wendy Salisbury, the piece examines the dating lives of middle-aged individuals. The show will be directed by Tania Azevedo.
The venue has signed up for an Equity Fringe agreement, the first location in Manchester to do so, to guarantee that actors and stage managers are paid within Equity guidelines.
Producer and co-artistic director Katy Lipson said: "I have enjoyed working with the theatre on taking our shows to new commercial levels in London and am delighted to announce the first three shows of our 2018 season. The ToyBoy Diaries was workshopped and developed in our annual From Page To Stage festival."
The Hope Mill will transfer its recent production of Pippin into London's Southwark Playhouse early next year, after a run at the venue this summer. It will open its newest production, the European premiere of Little Women, this week.
