Hull Truck Theatre are delighted to open their doors with an exciting new programme of socially-distanced shows as part of their Homecomings Season

Hull Truck Theatre will be safely welcoming audiences back to their Ferensway home with a summer programme of drama, music, comedy and family shows, following a year of closure.   Headlining the Homecomings Season are three powerful monologues focused on love, loss and identity. All three of the monologues will also be available online, both as live streams and on demand, ensuring all audiences continue to have access to great theatre.

The theatre have been working hard behind the scenes to introduce new measures to ensure that audiences feel safe, secure and comfortable in order to fully enjoy their visit. Measures include socially distanced seating, staggered arrival times, sanitisation and increased ventilation. For full details on the safety measures visit: keeping audiences safe.

The Trilogy of Monologues

The first of these three unique monologues will be The Greatest Play In The History of The World, starring BAFTA nominated Julie Hesmondhalgh (Coronation Street, Broadchurch), presented by Tara Finney productions in association with Hull Truck Theatre.

Playing from 7 – 12 June, it is a universal love story that celebrates the human race in all its glorious messiness, confusion and joy. This acclaimed one-woman show is a tour de force performance that won The Stage Edinburgh Award and was a 2018 Fringe sell-out show.

“It’s wonderful. I loved the play before, but it feels so unbelievably relevant now with its themes of loss, isolation, and connection. I think (hope) it’ll take on a new depth of meaning as we come out of lockdown, even though the play isn’t about the pandemic and

pre-dates it by years. It just feels like the perfect show to bring socially distanced audiences back into regional theatres.” Performer, Julie Hesmondhalgh

From 18 – 26 of June Hull Truck Theatre present the world premiere of Everything I Own, written by Daniel Ward (The Canary and the Crow, for which he won a Writer’s Guild Award), directed by Amanda Huxtable (Abigail’s Party, previously Artistic Associate and Change Maker at Hull Truck Theatre).

Errol lost his savvy, music-loving Dad to Covid last year. Listening to his old man’s Spotify playlist of reggae, ska and rare groove, Errol sorts through his possessions and celebrates the man who moved his family from Jamaica to Hull and grafted hard to give them a new start. 

Between tots of rum he remembers his Dad’s passion over the 1981 Brixton uprising and his certainty that change was round the corner. Errol’s own son is fighting in the Black Lives Matter movement, focusing his pain and anger into action.  

Errol is tired of the fight. What good does it do to unpick the scars that have taken generations upon generations to heal? Unless this is it - the moment when to be young, gifted and Black will be the moment to define history. 

“This is a beautiful play full of fun as well as loss and healing. It’s a play written for this moment and for our times.” Director, Amanda Huxtable

From 2 – 10 July, Hull Truck Theatre present a second world premiere, Hull & High Water, by Hull-born playwright Janet Plater (The Gaul) and directed by Associate Director Tom Saunders.

Frank Pinnock is on the run. As he hitches his way around Hull, each familiar landmark sparks a memory and the chance to crack a joke. Taking the kids to the Fair…playing for Hull KR at Wembley…standing on the pier with his wife Sylvie…but then the journey starts to take some twists and turns he’d rather forget.

When all the hopes, chances and broken dreams of past and present begin to blur, there’s only one thing Frank can be sure of – his city.  

Frank will be played by John Middleton, most recognised for playing vicar, Ashley Thomas in Emmerdale - who left the show in 2018 after 21 years in the role.

Something for the Little Ones

The first public performance following a year of closure will be a family-friendly offering, Tortoise & The Hare (29 May) presented by Hull Truck Theatre and the team behind the theatre’s popular Great Adventures in Storyland shows, based on the classic fable for ages 4+.

The Tortoise & The Hare love games. They play board games, sporty games, guessing games and even invent games. They are the best of friends and have lots of fun playing together… but only if Hare is winning!

Hare is a terrible loser and after losing yet another game to Tortoise, hatches a plan to play a game that Tortoise has no chance of winning… a Race!

Hilarious Comedy and Toe-Tapping Music

Jack To Reality (4 Jun), sees the return of multiple award-winning stand-up comedian and Hull local, Jack Gleadow, bringing some much-needed laughter to audiences. Taking his inspiration from the golden era of variety; Jack is the One-Man Stand-Up Variety Show with the use of sounds, stories, jokes and a scooter.

Returning to Hull Truck Theatre the following night is, Showstopper! The Improvised Musical (5 Jun) watch in awe as they create an entirely new musical right before your very eyes. Based on audience suggestions, they will create a show on the spot, which will have you singing the songs all the way home.

The Bluejays return with Rave On: The Rise of Rock & Roll (15 Jul) recreating note perfect renditions of the songs that changed the world forever. Featuring the greatest hits of the 1950’s, from the likes of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, Connie Francis, Eddie Cochran, Little Richard, Cliff Richard and many more.

Seann Walsh: Same Again (17 Jul) comes to Hull Truck Theatre to share the story of how he got here, from growing up in Brighton to gathering a slew of TV credits and glowing reviews and ultimately becoming a tabloid villain. The show mixes some of Seann's best loved routines with new candid stories from the last ten years.

World Class Musicians Assemble for Hull Jazz Festival

Uniquely talented and versatile vocalist Kate Peters'¯(22 Jul) performs classic arrangements from across'¯Ella Fitzgerald’s'¯career, recorded with the likes of Nelson Riddle, George Gershwin, Count Basie and Chick Webb.

Ready for An Intimate Evening with Snake Davis and Gareth Moulton (23 Jul)? Snake Davis,'¯one of the world’s most in-demand rock jazz and soul sax players,'¯teams up with long term cohort Gareth Moulton for an evening of gorgeous mellow pop, rock, jazz and soul.

Woke: Apphia Campbell & Meredith Yarborough (24 Jul) Against a powerful soundtrack of original music and traditional gospel and blues, two women, 42 years apart, become involved in the struggle for civil rights. From the creator of Black Is The Color Of My Voice.

The festival culminates with Tomorrow: A special evening for better times ahead (24 Jul) – with performances from The Broken Orchestra, Lyn Acton, Vicky Foster, Emily Render, Ruthie Scott, plus special guests and full 8-piece band. Celebrating Hull’s magnificent vocalists, presenting songs for a brighter future.'¯Looking through'¯different sets of eyes, live music and spoken word blends to create an atmospheric soundscape of hope. Commissioned by Hull Jazz Festival to welcome back live music in Hull.

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Mark Babych, Artistic Director of Hull Truck Theatre, says:

“We couldn’t be more thrilled at the prospect of opening our doors to the public once again. It has been a crazy year and we’re keen to inject some life back into the building through the transformative magic of theatre. It might not be as packed as some of our previous seasons, but it still has something for everyone and gives us hope for returning to some form of normality. Following the successful implementation of COVID-safe protocols, getting our seal of approval as part of ‘See It Safely’ and the copious amounts of planning we simply can’t wait to welcome you back.”