Following a successful reopening of their cinema back in August, Lancaster arts organisation The Dukes have announced that audiences will be able to enjoy the return of live performance at their venue this autumn.
The season of live theatre and comedy will be housed in Moor Space, The Dukes’ second site on Moor Lane, beginning with a hop back on board the hilarious and heart-warming comedy-drama Ladies That Bus from Tuesday September 29th – Thursday October 1st.
Inspired by the passengers, travels and tales of the Route 555 bus between Lancaster and Keswick, and originally borne out of a collaborative project between The Dukes, Kendal’s Brewery Arts Centre and Theatre by the Lake, the popular play made its debut at The Dukes in February this year to critical acclaim.
Audiences will also be able to enjoy two family shows, with the practically purrfect Puss in Boots, starring CBeebies’ Patrick Lynch, on Saturday October 24th and fun puppetry show Ugg ‘n’ Ogg and the World’s First Dogg on Thursday October 29th.
There is also an off-site collaboration with Lancaster Arts, as they bring theatre company imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse’s co-production of Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show to Lancaster University on October 20th and 21st. (Tickets for this show will be sold by Lancaster Arts.)
Tickets are on sale now for the Moor Space performances, with advanced booking required online or by phoning The Dukes Box Office on 01524 598500. As the café-bar remains closed, bookers can also pre-order refreshments when purchasing a ticket.
As with the reopening of their cinema, The Dukes have introduced safety measures and made a few adjustments in order to welcome audiences back. These include socially distanced seating plans and sanitiser stations, while masks are also a requirement. Bookers are encouraged to visit www.dukeslancaster.org to find out more.
This new season is a positive step forward in welcoming back theatre-lovers, particularly to Moor Space which is just a few doors away from The Dukes’ main building. The second site was transformed into a multi-functional performance venue in late 2019 and showcased award-winning theatre at the start of 2020.
The Dukes’ Director, Karen O’Neill said: “The Dukes is so happy to be bringing live theatre back to Lancaster this autumn. Our team have been working incredibly hard to make our venue a COVID secure space and after the success of our cinema reopening in August the next part of the journey was to find a way to bring back theatre.
“We’ve transformed our Moor Space into a social distanced theatre, the measures are in place and we’re thrilled that the first performance is the glorious return of Ladies that Bus – a love-letter to the local area.
“Our community, funders and partners have supported us so much during this difficult time and we cannot thank them enough. The situation is still hugely financially challenging, but it’s important that we start to navigate this new reality. Culture is at the heart of life in Lancaster.”
Tickets for Ladies That Bus are priced at £9 – £13, while tickets for Puss in Boots and Ugg n Ogg and The World’s First Dogg are £8. For further information on The Dukes live programme, cinema listings and safety measures, visit www.dukeslancaster.org