As the curtain goes up and the lights come on, theatregoers in Norwich are getting excited to see some incredible live performances this year. From West End hit musicals and brand-new theatrical adaptions to comedies and dance extravaganzas, let Norwich theatres entertain you this year! Read on for a roundup of just some of the fantastic shows we recommend grabbing tickets for.
February
Exhilarating crime thriller Wish You Were Dead comes to Norwich Theatre Royal with a world premier stage adaption (20 – 25 February).
When Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and Cleo Morey take their first holiday as a couple, they’re hoping to spend some time together away from their dark worlds of murder and the mortuary. But their dream escape soon turns out to be the holiday from hell…
Adapted exclusively for the stage, Wish You Were Dead is the latest thrilling instalment of the Grace Series – the most successful modern day crime stage franchise, since Agatha Christie.
And the legendary songs of Bob Dylan are reimagined like you’ve never heard them before in Girl From The North Country (28 February – 04 March). It’s 1934 in the heartland of America and we meet a group of wayward souls who cross paths in a time-weathered guesthouse. Standing at a turning point in their lives, they realize nothing is quite as it seems. But as they search for a future, and hide from the past, they find themselves facing unspoken truths about the present. If you love shows like Come From Away and The Color Purple – you will love this!
March
Direct from the West End to Norwich Theatre Royal, the Olivier Award nominated smash hit show, The Tiger Who Came to Tea returns on tour (02 March – 04 March), a musical play adapted and directed by David Wood based on the book by Judith Kerr.
The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see is a big, stripy tiger standing at the door!
Join the tea-guzzling tiger in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos. Expect to be surprised!
And gather la familia to sing your heart out with the screening of Sing-a-Long-a Encanto (05 March), the brand-new smash hit musical film of 2021 about the extraordinary Family Madrigal with song lyrics on screen, so everyone can join in the magic! A live host will teach you some dance moves, help you create some magic and show you how to use your free props bag!
Outrageous new musical The Cher Show tells the story of icon Cher’s rise to fame, flying in the face of convention at every turn (07 – 11 March). You’ll be spinning in the aisles to the sounds of Cher’s biggest hits in this joyous party musical fit for the Queen of pop, sparkling with her signature wit and style.
The incredible Gecko’s ensemble of international devising performers deliver a hypnotically beautiful performance in Kin (14 – 16 March), a provocative story of desperation and compassion, and a family’s journey from Yemen to Palestine to escape persecution and find a better life in 1932.
Plus, come join the adventure as Shrek and Donkey go on their noble quest in Shrek the Musical (26 – 30 March), a musical extravaganza promising fun for all ages, featuring original songs and songs from the 2001 film.
And a Charles Dickens classic is retold in An Unexpected Twist (28 March – 01 April), following Shona, a girl who is studying Oliver Twist in her class and, much like Oliver himself, is finding it hard to keep out of trouble at her new school!
April
From the peaceful pleasures of Ratty’s beloved riverbank to the fearful frights and wicked weasels of the Wild Wood, join Mole and Ratty on their marvellous adventures, along with gruff old Badger and magnificent Mr. Toad in Wind in the Willows at Stage Two (04 April).
Also in April, the timeless tale of good versus evil is turned upside-down in Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty: a Gothic Romance (04 – 08 April), complete with magical fairies and vampires and featuring sumptuous Edwardian era costumes and sets as well as an unforgettable Tchaikovsky score.
Starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Kevin Clifton, together with a cast of over 20 world-class performers, Strictly Ballroom the Musical, a glittering dance extravaganza based on the award-winning world-wide film phenomenon will be foxtrotting its way to Norwich (10 – 15 April).
And escape to a world of pure imagination with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (19 – 29 April), based on the iconic story by Roald Dahl. This spectacular stage show follows the hit West End and Broadway productions to combine the memorable songs from the original 1970’s motion picture such as ‘The Candy Man’ and ‘Pure Imagination’, with all-new numbers from the multi award-winning songwriters of Hairspray. A real sweet treat!
May
The moving story of the passengers on board the HMS Titanic is retold with unforgettable music and lyrics in Titanic the Musical (01 May – 06 May), a stirring production focusing on the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the ship’s passengers who each boarded the ship with stories and personal aspirations of their own. This stunning production celebrates the 10th anniversary of the show’s London premiere where it won sweeping critical acclaim across the board.
At Stage Two, The Wish Gatherer (29 May) tells the story of Lola, a young girl struggling to adjust to a post-pandemic world, her parent’s recent divorce and the climate crisis. One day, she sets out on a journey to meet the magical Wish Gatherer in a story of beauty, loss, revolution, and new beginnings (age recommendation 7-11).
Looking ahead to the rest of 2023…
There’s even more fantastic live shows coming to Norwich stages in the summer! The black comedy rock musical based on the eponymous 1988 film, Heathers The Musical comes to Norwich Theatre Royal in June as part of its national tour following two smash hit West End seasons, and The SpongeBob Musical is set to make a splash with audiences young and old as the must-see musical of 2023 in July.
Plus, you won’t want to miss the breath-taking new theatrical adaption of The Life of Pi, an epic journey of endurance and hope, and one boy’s fight to survive whilst stranded on a lifeboat at sea with a 450-pound Bengal tiger. The stunning stage production has won every major play award including 5 Oliviers and is coming to Norwich in September.
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