Ten of the Best - your guide to what to see around Notts in the month ahead
From classic ballet to thrills aplenty, there’s much to enjoy
1 Swan Lake, January 12 and Tuesday January 13, 7.30pm and The Nutcracker, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, Wednesday January 14, 2pm and 7.30pm
Beloved ballet classics Swan Lake and The Nutcracker will take to the stage at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham this month – courtesy of a renowned dance company. Founded in 1947 and renowned for its award-winning soloists and acclaimed corps de ballet, Varna International Ballet has been delighting audiences for decades at home in Bulgaria and abroad. Led by artistic director Daniela Dimova, the company presents much-loved classics to charm audiences who are new to ballet and ballet connoisseurs alike. The performances are accompanied by live music from the Varna International Ballet Orchestra, led by Azat Maxutov, music director and chief conductor.
Often considered the greatest romantic ballet of all time, Swan Lake is brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s haunting and unforgettable score, with choreography by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Sergey Bobrov and Natalia Matus-Marchuk. The compelling tale of tragic romance spans from the impressive splendour of the Palace ballroom to the moon-lit lake where swans glide in perfect formation. The Nutcracker begins as night falls on Christmas Eve. When midnight strikes, theatregoers are swept away to a fairytale world where nothing is quite as it seems: toy dolls spring to life, the Mouse King and his army battle with the Nutcracker Prince and audience members travel through the Land of Snow to an enchanted place where the magic really begins. The spellbinding ballet features Tchaikovsky’s timeless score.
Visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.
2 Sleeping Beauty, Nottingham Playhouse, until Saturday January 17
Outraged at not being invited to the Princess’s party, the evil Maleficent casts a spell that sends the Princess and her whole kingdom into a deep sleep, when she pricks her finger on an enchanted spinning wheel. As they snooze, a tangled forest springs up around them. Only one thing can break the curse – the magic of true love. Enter our Prince, who must battle through the thorns, and work with the Princess to defeat the wicked fairy. The magical extravaganza is packed with Notts talent, with much-loved dame John Elkington as Nelly the Nanny. Visit nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk or call 0115 941 9419 to book.
3 Jack and The Beanstalk, Majestic Theatre, Retford, until Sunday January 11
It’s a giant of a pantomime, promising outrageous antics and heartwarming fun. Visit majesticretford.org to book.
4 Aladdin, Mansfield Palace Theatre, Saturday January 17 to Sunday January 18 and Tuesday January 20 to Sunday January 25
Westfield Folkhouse presents the most magical of pantomimes. Aladdin lives a poor but happy life with his mother, Widow Twankey, who runs the local laundry. However, everything changes with the arrival of a mysterious stranger who claims to have magical powers and to be Aladdin’s uncle. He promises Aladdin fame and fortune if he will only help locate a long-lost lamp. Aladdin accepts without hesitation, but it soon becomes clear his uncle is not what he claims to be. Aladdin’s life is further complicated as he falls in love with the beautiful Princess Jasmine, much to the anger of her mother, the Empress, who banishes him from Peking. However, as with all pantomimes, despite many twists and turns, everything ends happily ever after.
The traditional family pantomime has something for all ages, including dancing, singing, comedy and audience participation. Visit mansfieldpalace.co.uk or call 01623 463133 to book.
5 Single White Female, Theatre Royal, Nottingham, Tuesday January 20 to Saturday January 24
Actor, TV presenter and singer Kym Marsh (Coronation Street, Waterloo Road, Abigail’s Party) stars alongside actor, TV presenter and chef Lisa Faulkner (Missing You, The Girl Before, Holby City), who returns to the stage for the first time in 21 years, in this bold and modern reimagining of the hit 1992 film and bestselling book by John Lutz. Allie is a recently divorced mum, balancing being a single parent with the launch of her tech company. When she decides to advertise for a lodger to help make ends meet, the delightful Hedy offers her a lifeline. But as their lives intertwine, boundaries blur and a seemingly perfect arrangement begins to unravel with chilling consequences.
Full of dark humour and sharp and suspenseful storytelling, this new play updates the original story to the age of social media and all that it brings, in a tale of ambition, obsession and the desperate need for belonging in an isolated world. Visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.
6 Day Fever, The Palais, Nottingham, Saturday January 24
Forget feeling like those clubbing days are over. Day Fever is a joyous celebration where people from all walks of life come together in the daytime to dance, laugh, and relive the magic of those late nights out. The idea comes from Nottingham actress Vicky McClure, filmmaker and broadcaster Jonny Owen and Jon McClure, frontman of Reverend & The Makers, and celebrates fun, freedom and fabulous tunes. Visit thepalais.co.uk to book.
7 Beat the Streets, various venues, Nottingham, Sunday January 25
Nottingham’s resurgent music scene will be showcased at a festival this month – and all for a good cause. The annual Beat The Streets festival takes place in various venues across the city and raises money for the charity Framework, which aims to end homelessness across the county. Among the acts taking part are dark post-punk band Bloodworm, Bored Marsh, up-and-coming singer-songwriter Dring, Marvin’s Revenge with their dark, grungy soundscapes and Nottingham’s very own R’n’B princess Saffron Gray. Visit www.alttickets.com/beat-the-streets-tickets to book.
8 Chuckl. Retford with Simon Brodkin, Majestic Theatre, Retford, Friday January 30
The popular stand-up night returns. Headliner Simon Brodkin is best known in his guise as Lee Nelson, the notorious prankster. Also on the bill are Nina Gilligan, Harry Stachini and Jay Neale. Visit majesticretford.org to book.
9 Whistle Stop Opera: The Marriage of Figaro, Dress Circle Foyer, Theatre Royal, Nottingham, Saturday January 10, 1pm and 6pm
Enjoy Mozart’s playful opera – in 45 minutes. Figaro and Susanna are getting married, but trouble is on the horizon. Their boss Count Almaviva is out to bed the bride, the lovesick pageboy Cherubino keeps landing himself in hot water and, to top it all off, if Figaro cannot repay his debt to Marcellina, he’ll have to marry her instead. With four professional opera singers and an accordionist, take a whistle-stop tour through the comic twists and glorious music of one of the world’s most popular operas. Visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.
10 The Upbeat Beatles, Majestic Theatre, Retford, Saturday January 24
Known for their sheer joy and energy, the band will take music lovers on a journey through the earth-shattering sounds of the Fab Four. Expect the likes of She Loves You, Hey Jude, Let It Be, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields Forever, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and many more. The show takes you through the Fab Four’s long and winding road from the early Cavern days through Beatlemania to Sgt Pepper to Abbey Road. Visit majesticretford.org to book.