Starting with a return of 10cc mainstay Graham Gouldman, this time without his cohorts, Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre is all set to leap into Autumn with a bang! Gouldman formed Heart Full of Songs six years ago, purely for the pleasure of playing his songs in the simplest form possible – acoustically. Now Liverpool audiences can hear him do just that, with his appearance at the Epstein on October 3.
American ‘comedian, magician, psychopath’ Jerry Sadowitz pays a visit to the theatre on Friday October 5. Meanwhile former Never Mind the Buzzcocks chairman Simon Amstell is embarking on his fifth UK tour, What Is This, which promises to be a deeply personal, funny exploration of beauty, intimacy, freedom, sex and love. See him on November 2.
Gok Wan – Naked and Baring All, on November 15, sees the TV fashion guru revealing all about his life, fromhumble beginnings on a Leicester council estate, to becoming one of the country’s most recognised faces. And award-winning Jason Byrne returns to the Epstein on November 23 with his hilarious new show The Man With Three Brains. The fastest thinking comic around will not only trip himself up, but probably you too.
Music lovers are in for a treat this season with the Epstein’s musical offering which has something for everyone – from Darkside Performing the Pink Floyd Show on October 7 and My Leonard Cohen, a tribute to the great singer-songwriter from October 13-15, to Wannabe – the Spice Girls Story (October 19).
There are also tributes to the late great Marc Bolan, 40 years after his death, with a visit from T.Rextasy onNovember 16, while the next evening the music of Swedish superstars Abba is celebrated in Gimmie Abba.
There are also a host of original artists making a date with the Epstein during the Autumn. You won’t want to miss The Pies + Mark Roberts on October 20. Liverpool’s legendary graffiti band will play a rare live set at the Epstein following up on the release of their Best of Pies album. And they will be supported by the world’s greatest streaker, Mark Roberts, doing a stand-up spot.
Liverpool favourite Joe Longthorne appears at the theatre on November 3 in a show that was originally due to take place at the end of May. He will appear with his sensational live band and a special guest artist. And 80s singer Hazel O’Connor brings her big vocals to Liverpool on November 21, performing all the hits from her first three albums including Breaking Glass.
It’s a hard knock life for LHK Youth Theatre which presents Annie the Musical from November 10-12, while The Heath Perform and LIPA 4:19 present a special schools edition of the iconic musical Les Miserables on November 18-19.
Young audiences are at the heart of much of the Epstein’s Autumn programme.
Along with magic and science, young theatregoers are invited to click their heels and follow the yellow brick road to make a date for the hugely popular The Wizard of Oz, starring EastEnders’ Cheryl Fergison as the Wicked Witch of the West, which comes to the theatre for three days from October 27-29.
Little ones will love The Night Pirates on November 4-5. Adapted from the best-selling children’s book by Peter Harris and Deborah Allwright, it tells the tale of a group of little girl pirates who descend on a young boy called Tom at bedtime. Eager to join the pirate adventure, Tom uses his house as a pirate ship and sets sail to retrieve stolen treasure from Captain Patch and the bumbling grown-up pirates.
Finally, this year’s fantastic festive show sees a return for the boy who never grew up. Families are invited to fly away on a flight of fancy and fun with Peter Pan. The show features 90s Boyband star Dane Bowers as Peter Pan’s arch nemesis Captain Hook, 2016 Britain’s Got Talent contestant Lewis Pryor flying across the stage as the titular Peter, and Radio City 2’s Claire Simmowho will be adding lots of glitz and sparkle as Tinkerbell.
Theatre manager, Rebekah Pichilingi, said: “Yet again we’ve put together a brilliant line-up of shows for ourautumn/winter season, with something to appeal to everyone, whatever your taste or budget, from comedy to family entertainment, and drama to some great musical tributes and original artists. The team and I are confident we will be welcoming you back once more to this delightful theatre in the heart of Liverpool.”
10CC’s Graham Gouldman & Heart Full of Songs
Date: Tuesday October 3
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £27
Jerry Sadowicz – Comedian, Magician, Psychopath!
Date: Thursday October 5
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £22.50
Darkside Performing the Pink Floyd Show
Date: Saturday October 7
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £18
Jamie Somers & Friends
Date: Sunday October 8
Time: 2pm
Tickets: £15
My Leonard Cohen
Date: Friday 13 – Sunday October 15
Time: 8pm (Friday), 1.30pm and 8pm (Saturday), 6pm (Sunday)
Tickets: From £16
Wannabe – The Spice Girls Show
Date: Thursday October 19
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £19.50. Concessions £17.50.
The Pies + Mark Roberts
Date: Friday October 20
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £16
Brainiac Live
Date: Thursday October 26
Time: 2pm
Tickets: £15 (£13 concessions)
The Wizard of Oz
Date: Friday 27 – Sunday October 29
Time: 6pm (Friday), 10.30am, 1pm and 6pm (Saturday), 12noon and 4pm (Sunday).
Tickets: From £13
Simon Amstell: What Is This?
Date: Thursday November 2
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £24
Joe Longthorne
Date: Friday November 3
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £23.50
The Night Pirates
Date: Saturday 4 – Sunday November 5
Time: 1.30pm (Saturday), 11am and 2pm (Sunday)
Tickets: £13.50. Family ticket £46.
Annie – The Musical
Date: Friday 10 – Sunday November 12
Time: 7pm (Friday), 1.30pm and 6pm (Saturday), 2pm (Sunday)
Tickets: £16.50. Concessions £14.50.
Gok Wan – Naked and Baring All
Date: Wednesday November 15
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £26
T.Rextasy
Date: Thursday November 16
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £20
Gimmie Abba
Date: Friday November 17
Time: 1.30pm (Saturday), 11am and 2pm (Sunday)
Tickets: £19.50. Concessions £17.50.
The Heath Perform/Lipa 4:19 ‘Les Miserables’
Date: Saturday 18 – Sunday November 19
Time: 7pm (Saturday), 2pm and 7pm (Sunday)
Tickets: £15/£13.
Hazel O’Connor
Date: Tuesday November 21
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £26
Jason Byrne – The Man With Three Brains
Date: Thursday November 23
Time: 8pm
Tickets: £20.50
The Dreamboys
Date: Friday November 24
Time: 3pm and 7pm
Tickets: £23.50. VIP tickets £28.50
Jack and the Beanstalk
Date: Saturday December 2
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £16
Peter Pan
Date: Friday 8 December – Monday January 1
Time: start times vary
Tickets: From £10-£63
To book tickets please call 0844 888 4411* or go online at www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk * or in person at The Epstein Theatre Box Office from 2pm – 6pm Monday – Thursday and 12pm-6pm Friday – Saturday.
*Subject to booking fee. All prices include a £1 per ticket venue restoration levy
For more details check out www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk and join our mailing list. Follow us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/EpsteinTheatre and twitter @EpsteinTheatre.