As January draws to a close, pantos and Christmas shows are a distant memory, and theatre audiences are looking to make use of the brighter nights.
No one who follows theatre needs reminding how tough times are for stages across the country at the moment – a combination of everything from lingering post-Covid anxiety to the rise of streaming, the cost-of-living crisis and stretched public funding make it harder than ever to put on ambitious pieces which find an audience.
Luckily, Dundonians have the Rep, bringing first-class original work to their doorstep.
So here are our top picks for spring theatre at Dundee Rep:
1. Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll & Hyde
What: A new touring run of the classic tale of a man who turns into someone else when the sun goes down, adapted by Gary McNair (whose hits include the Dundee-set McGonagall’s Chronicles and the Billy Connolly tribute Dear Billy).
Who: Forbes Masson (The High Life, Shetland) delivers a sinister and darkly amusing performance across 75 minutes in this one-man, two-persona play.
When: February 7-10 2024.
How much: Tickets start at £22.50.
2. Oh What a Lovely War!
What: This satirical anti-war musical theatre piece is celebrating its 60th anniversary on stage, still bringing into focus the folly and tragedy of the First World War.
Who: Originally done by Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop, this version has been adapted by Blackeyed Theatre.
When: February 14-17 2024.
How much: Tickets start at £21.50.
3. Sunset Song
What: A flagship adaptation of Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s classical Scots novel by playwright Morna Young.
Who: The Rep’s own ensemble.
When: April 13 – May 4 2024.
How much: Tickets start at £15.
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