Rose Theatre Kingston

The Rose Theatre Kingston continues its noble tradition of programming Christmas shows based on the same stories as popular pantomimes, during pantomime season, except the show is definitely definitely not a pantomime, with a fresh spin on Cinderella from top playwright Chris Bush, co-written with the lesser-known Roni Neale. In it, 16-year-old Ella is spending Christmas at her dad’s house: chafing at her obnoxious step-family, she wishes she could be spirited away. Her prayers are seemingly answered as she’s transported to an idyllic fantasy kingdom – but is all as it seems? Bush did the Rose’s last Christmas show, a spin on Robin Hood with a deligtfully unsubtle anti-capitalist streak – imagine a bit of edge to this one too. 

Michael Sheen recently put his screen career on hold in order to lead and launch the new Welsh National Theatre. But fear not! The immuntable law of theatre physics that states everything good will end up in London at some point anyway continues to hold true as the Welsh National Theatre’s inaugural production heads to the Rose Kingston after three engagement in the motherland. Our Town is, of course, the revered metatheatrical drama by Thorton Wilder, which arrestingly details life and death in the small American town of Grover’s Corners, a strange and sometimes cosmic journey that goes from wilfully banal to chillingly otherworldly. Heading an all-Welsh cast, Sheen will play the show’s Stage Manager, our guide and occasional particpant in the strangeness that follows. The play is directed by Francesca Goodridge, with the great Russell T Davies as creative associate (what if anything this means we’re unsure but he’ll probably do something fun).