The New Wolsey Theatre announces its 2025 Spring Season including its first international collaboration, Noises Off, and celebrates a successful year of audiences and community outreach

23 Oct 2024 News, Press Release

The New Wolsey Theatre, Suffolk’s go-to venue for the richest variety of theatre, has unveiled a diverse Spring 2025 programme, which goes on general sale on Saturday 2 November, including the announcement of a European theatre partnership for the venue’s next major co-production.

Next year, for the first time, the New Wolsey Theatre is collaborating internationally, with a major new production of Michael Frayn’s legendary comedy Noises off, co-produced by New Wolsey Theatre, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg and Theatre By The Lake. With a run in Ipswich from 1-24 May, this wildly hilarious, fast-paced comedy takes you behind the curtain of a chaotic touring theatre company desperately trying to maintain their composure and regain any shred of credibility. This comedy classic will also play dates in Cumbria and Luxembourg, reinforcing the New Wolsey Theatre’s reputation in the UK and abroad.

Celebrating creativity from closer to home, Feel Me, presented by The Paper Birds and New Wolsey Theatre, returns to Ipswich on 28 and 29 January. Previously performed as a work in development, this interactive show made with, and for, young people asks – via audience members’ mobile phones – who and what they care about from the stories unfolding live on stage. The Paper Birds, who are part of the New Wolsey Theatre’s inaugural Associate Artists programme, are an Essex-based devising theatre company, with a social and political agenda.

Dramatic delights kick off the season with the classic Pride & Prejudice presented by Guildford Shakespeare Theatre Company, an epic non-verbal show Last Rites presented by Ad Infinitum Productions, Alan Ayckbourn’s emotionally charged Just Between Ourselves presented by London Classic Theatre, the return of the New Wolsey Theatre, Vamos Theatre and London International Mime Festival’s hit co-production Boy on the Roof, the inspirational Driftwood presented by ThickSkin and Pentabus, Middle Ground Theatre Company’s Scottish farce Dial M for Mayhem the heartwarming Spitfire Girls presented by Tilted Wig and MAST Mayflower Studios.

Top musical theatre entertainment follows, with John Barr playing Lionel Bart in It’s A Fine Life presented by My Little Eye Entertainment Company and a chance to catch the new 90s indie musical How Soon is Now? presented by Box of Tricks Theatre Company.

June heralds in a string of hit comedies, with Adam Blanshay Productions and Park Theatre’s hilarious drama about a family-run Korean store in Kim’s Convenience, the return of New Wolsey Theatre favourites Le Navet Bete and Barbican Theatre presenting Treasure Island and further laughter from A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception from Shoddy Theatre.

A whole host of one-night music, comedy, drama and family shows is, as always, studded throughout the season too.

As 2024 draws to a close, the New Wolsey Theatre celebrates welcoming over 82,000 visitors to more than 300 performances this year, and reaching an additional 2,000 people through livestreams. The venue has connected with over 95 schools and more than 7,000 students, and is proud of its commitment to making theatre affordable and accessible. Through the Creative Communities Programme, offering workshops, school tours, NHS and Jobcentre Plus collaborations, free community events and support for local groups, it has reached over 5,000 people. The New Wolsey Theatre firmly believes in the transformative power of storytelling and creativity, and its community impact has been recognised with Suffolk Business of the Year and Positive Impact in the Community awards at the 2024 EADT Business Awards, as well as a ‘Highly Commended’ award at BBC Suffolk Make a Difference Awards 2024 and a Silver Carbon Charter Award.

Chief Executive/Artistic Director of the New Wolsey Theatre Douglas Rintoul said: “It’s a testament to the entire team here at the New Wolsey Theatre that our impact locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally continues to grow and gain recognition from both the public and the media. We are seeing our audiences return to pre-pandemic levels, alongside many new faces. This programme is a true reflection of our success and ambitions.”

The Spring 2025 Brochure can be read here: https://tinyurl.com/3ueatndp and copies are available from the theatre. Book online for the New Wolsey Theatre’s Spring Season 2025 shows at wolseytheatre.co.uk, or call the Box Office on 01473 295900. Tickets go on general sale on Saturday 2 November at 10am with opportunities for members, schools, season ticket holders and groups to take advantage of advance priority booking.

The season will include Relaxed/Dementia-friendly, Captioned and BSL interpreted performances, as well as a Touch Tour for Noises Off. The New Wolsey Theatre intends to announce details of additional access services for Noises Off in due course.