Sheffield stages History Boys revival & Firth’s new Family musical

Artistic director Daniel Evans has announced his new season at Sheffield Theatres, with highlights including a new play from Mike Bartlett, revivals of DH Lawrence’s The Daughter-in-Law and Alan Bennett’s History Boys and  premiere of Tim Firth’s new musical This Is My Family.

The new productions follow the previously announced My Fair Lady (12 December-26 January, Crucible), starring Dominic West as Professor Higgins and Carly Bawden as Eliza Doolittle, and The Full Monty (2-23 February, Lyceum), adapted by original screenwriter Simon Beaufoy; both are directed by Evans.

Running concurrently with The Full Monty, in the Studio, will be the premiere of Mike Bartlett‘s new play Bull, billed as “a razor sharp play about office politics; or playground bullying – depending which side you’re on”. Directed by Clare Lizzimore, it runs from 11 to 23 February 2013 (previews from 6 February).

In the Crucible, DH Lawrence’s The Daughter-in-Law is revived by director Paul Miller (Democracy) from 4 to 23 March (previews from 27 February). Set in a Derbyshire mining town, the play concerns the turbulent early stages of a miner’s marriage – as bonds between his new spouse and mother are stretched to breaking point.

The production will star Lynda Barron, whose recent credits include When We Were Married (West End) and Rookery Nook (Menier Chocolate Factory), as Mrs Gascoigne and Claire Price (The Power of Yes, Mary Stuart) as Minnie.

It’s followed in the Crucible by a major revival of Alan Bennett‘s award-winning play The History Boys, directed by Michael Longhurst (Constellations) and running from 22 May to 8 June (previews from 16 May).

Set in a Sheffield Grammar school in the 1980s, The History Boys questions the
purpose and means of education. In a school where the headmaster cares
only about exam results, a bunch of excitable sixth-form boys go about
their pursuit of the important things: sex, sport and a university
place.

Rounding off the new season is the premiere of This is My Family, a new musical comedy by Tim Firth (Calendar Girls) and directed by Evans.

Running from 24 June to 20 July (previews from 20 June), the show centres on a teenager who enters a writing competition to win a holiday for her dysfunctional family. Is there any place on earth she could take them that might make a difference?

This is My Family will star: Bill Champion (Steve), Janie Dee (Yvonne), Evelyn Hoskins (Nicky), Terence Keeley (Matt), Rachel Lumberg (Sian) and Sian Phillips (May).

Daniel Evans said: “I feel honoured to be able to collaborate with two of the most popular writers of our time, Tim Firth and Simon Beaufoy, both of whom seem able to make us laugh and cry in equal measure.”