Laughter is the name of the game this week as Lighthouse Poole announces the return of two old favourites in the latest round of new shows to go on sale.
Faulty Towers – The Dining Experience (Beacon Café, Thu 11 – Sun 14 Sept) is a smash hit that has been splitting the sides (metaphorically, of course) of diners since 1997. Expect surprises galore throughout the evening from Manuel, Sybil and Basil himself, as these much-loved characters greet, seat and serve guests while everything seems to be going wrong. Complete with a three-course meal including a soup starter, a main course and dessert, the action happens around you in true Faulty style.
Every bit as popular, Round the Horne (Fri 7 Nov) is now in its fifth touring production as the classic radio comedy show rides again with its infamous movie spoofs and hilarious regular characters such as Julian and Sandy, Rambling Syd Rumpo and J Peasemold Gruntfuttock. A genuine cultural phenomenon, Round the Horne regularly drew up to 15 million listeners and made stars of Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick and Betty Marsden. Created with the blessing and support of the estates of the show’s writers, Barry Took and Marty Feldman, director Tim Astley has curated a selection of the greatest sketches and songs from its 67 original episodes.
On sale this week at Lighthouse:
André Rieu’s 75th Birthday Celebration: The Dream Continues (cert TBC)
Saturday 12 April, 7pm, Cinema
The King of the Waltz invites us to a boat party with him and his beloved Johann Strauss Orchestra as they sail through his hometown of Maastricht.
A Squash & a Squeeze
Tuesday 27, Wednesday 28, Thursday 29 May, 3.30pm (Tues, Wed), 10.30am (Wed, Thurs), 1.30pm (Wed, Thurs), Theatre
A musical adaptation of the best-selling book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler in which a little old lady who lives all by herself in her cosy cottage brings in a flappy, scratchy, greedy, noisy crowd of farmyard animals for company. A heartwarming and hilarious adventure, full of beautiful puppets and enchanting songs.
Penguin Cafe
Sunday 1 June, 7.45pm, Theatre
Arthur Jeffes, who founded Penguin Cafe in 2009 with a disparate group of musicians, including members of Suede and Gorillaz, performs his late father Simon’s legacy of Penguin Cafe Orchestra music with other, original compositions.
Namvula
Friday 6 June, 8pm, Sherling Studio
Namvula is a singer and songwriter whose artistic journey is an exploration of cultural intersections and heartfelt storytelling. Her music reflects the nuances and complexities of her mixed Zambian and Scottish heritage, and a restlessness born of her diasporic upbringing, creating evocative soundscapes that ring of jazz and folk, spiced with an African soul.
The Salts
Saturday 5 July, 8pm, Sherling Studio
Fronted by two-wime BBC Young Folk finalist Lee Collinson, The Salts play a mesmerising mix of full speed, foot-stomping traditional and original shanties. Doing for shanties what the Pogues did for folk, they create one of the most exciting and energetic folk concepts of recent times.
Faulty Towers – The Dining Experience
Thursday 11, Friday 12, Saturday 13, Sunday 14 September, 7pm (Thurs-Sat), 1pm (Sat, Sun), Beacon Café
Step into the show in our Beacon Café, where dinner and internationally-acclaimed theatre combine to immerse you in the comedy magic of Basil, Sybil and Manuel for two hours of hilarious antics.
Some Guys Have All the Luck – The Rod Stewart Story
Friday 12 September, 7.45pm, Theatre
Celebrating Sir Rod’s 80th birthday of Sir Rod Stewart, Some Guys Have All The Luck brings to the stage an incredible live concert of music by one of the UK’s most influential icons. Direct from the West End and endorsed by Rod’s own family, it’s a musical journey that spans six decades.
Crooners
Friday 26 September, 7.45pm, Theatre
Superbly original, utterly hilarious and thoroughly entertaining, Crooners is the original comedy music show combining hilarious one liners, laugh out loud silliness and a splendiferous injection of Big Band swing. Featuring their outrageous Big Band, watch them weave their way through an impressive back catalogue of hits, including Come Fly With Me, Fly Me to the Moon, Mack the Knife, and many more…
Round the Horne: 60th Anniversary Tour
Friday 7 November, 7.45pm, Theatre
Fans of classic comedy will be in their as the legendary radio comedy show, Round the Horne comes back to life in a new, exciting production. Now in its fifth UK tour, this production transports the audience back to the late 1960s and the anarchic, boisterous atmosphere of the BBC’s Paris Theatre during the recordings of the programme that defined the genre for decades to come, complete with a live band and live sound effects.
Tickets go on pre-sale to Lighthouse Best & Great Friends on Friday 24 January, and to Lighthouse Good Friends on Tuesday 28 January before going on general sale from Friday 31 January at https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk.
For details of Lighthouse Friends visit https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/support-lighthouse/.