Marylebone Theatre unveils Spring 2024 season with drama, dance and spoken word

Marylebone Theatre has announced a vibrant Spring 2024 season, showcasing an eclectic mix of drama, dance and spoken word.

The season promises a blend of contemporary adaptations, poignant tales, and innovative dance performances, solidifying Marylebone Theatre’s status as a hub of cross-cultural artistic expression.

Highlights of the new season include The Dream of a Ridiculous Man (21 March – 20 April), a contemporary adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s work by Laurence Boswell, a multiple Olivier Award-winning director. This Russian Christmas Carol-like story delves into themes of environmentalism, nationalism, and human impact with humour and depth.

Nicolas Kent, known for his Olivier Award-winning work, directs The Most Precious of Goods (22 January – 3 February), a tender Holocaust-era fairytale adapted from Jean-Claude Grumberg’s novella. The production stars Allan Corduner and cellist Gemma Rosefield.

For one night only, on 19 February, Mark Farrelly presents Jarman, a moving portrayal of artist Derek Jarman, followed by a Q&A with gay rights activist Peter Tatchell.

Highlighting its commitment to spoken word, the theatre will host Sir Ben Okri and Charlotte Jarvis’s Revolution Earth, a multidisciplinary work responding to ecological challenges. Additionally, poets Alice and Peter Oswald present Poetry as Speech on 11 February, exploring the oral tradition of verse.

The theatre’s musical offerings include a special fundraiser, A Couple of Swells, on 19 January, hosted by Liza Pulman and Joe Stilgoe, with guests like Alistair McGowan.

Patsy Rodenburg OBE, a leading voice coach, establishes Marylebone Theatre as her UK base, offering courses and conferences throughout 2024.

In a first for the theatre, the dance programme features KVN Dance Company’s contemporary reimagining of Coppelia (24 – 27 April) and Weft and Warp: an Evening of Contemporary Ballet (22 – 23 June) by Marika Brussel and Aaron Thao, including performances of By a Thread and Iago v. Othello.

Artistic Director of Marylebone Theatre Alexander Gifford said: “It is just over a year since we opened the Marylebone Theatre. I am pleased that, in that time, we have attracted tens of thousands of people to the building, garnered awards and five-star reviews, and recently had the quality of our work compared by The Guardian to the National Theatre.

“The centrepiece of our new season is a stunning adaptation of a Russian short story, which cuts to the heart of humanity’s current political, ecological and spiritual struggles with both poignancy and humour.

“Alongside it, we will welcome an array of high-calibre artists in the genres of music, dance and poetry, including three brilliant male-female duos: Alice and Peter Oswald, Ben Okri and Charlotte Jarvis, and Joe Stilgoe and Liza Pulman. Joe and Liza are kindly presenting a celebrity fundraiser, which will kick off 2024 in fine style!”

For more information and tickets, visit marylebonetheatre.com