Feel Upbeat and Uplifted This Summer with Hull Truck Theatre

Guts! The Musical (Saturday 29 June – Saturday 6 July), is a community production presented by Hull Truck Theatre and Hull Maritime. After opening last week to packed out audiences, it continues in this first week of July, with the story of the Hull Fish Packers, by writer, Maureen Lennon and directed by Tom Saunders.

Join Hull Truck Theatre in celebrating this upbeat and uplifting tale about justice, the power of female friendship, and …fish…with a whole load of hilarity and musical joy thrown in for good measure. Based on a true story, watch as the whole community come together to present this highly entertaining farcical drama. Think Made in Dagenham meets Barbie (The Movie).

Andrew Clark, Community Cast Member in Guts! The Musical, said:

“I’m a Professor of Cardiology but in Guts! The Musical I am playing the character of Mr. Fish. I decided to take part because I wanted the challenge of being in a musical and singing in public. It’s been a hoot! And joyful to be a part of a larger enterprise that is nothing to do with work.”

Jayne Oliver, Community Cast Member in Guts! The Musical said:

“I’m a Teaching Assistant but in Guts! The Musical I am playing the role of Eileen. I wanted to take part in the production as I was a professional singer up until having children 15 years ago. I wanted to perform again but to do something that I had never done before. The support that we have for each other is truly amazing! I’ve learned how much dedication is needed to put on a musical, and how every role is important.”

As well as Guts! The Musical, Hull Truck Theatre has plenty for Musical Theatre fans to enjoy this July as SJ ARTS Dance & Theatre School will host a celebration of some of the best loved songs from musical theatre with Mad About Musicals (Sunday 14 July), as well as An Evening with Schwartz and Menken (Saturday 20 July), presented by One Off productions, so whether it be Matilda, Wicked, Sister Act or more…be sure to come along and see if they are performing one of your favourites.

For those musical fans of the more classic era, Hull Truck Theatre invite you to saddle up and consider yourself at home as Northern Academy of Performing Arts returns to Hull Truck Theatre with their production of the iconic Doris Day musical Calamity Jane (Wed 17 - Sat 20 July), and Hull's own State of the Arts Academy presents OLIVER! (Wed 24 - Sat 27 July), by special arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh.

From musicals to music, The Snake Davis Trio (Saturday 27 July), returns with Snake Davis himself, one of the most in-demand rock jazz and soul sax players in the world, widely known for his solos on tracks such as Lisa Stansfield's “Change”, M-Peoples “Search For A Hero” and “Moving On Up” and Take That's “A Million Love Songs”. He has played and recorded with artists ranging from James Brown to Tina Turner to Paul McCartney, The Eurhythmics to Amy Winehouse. Expect beautiful music, fascinating tales, and banter.

July’s programme has plenty to keep children of varying ages entertained this summer. Firstly, by welcoming children from across the city to work together to share the story of William Shakespeare’s classic love story: Romeo and Juliet (Wednesday 10 July). The RSC Playmaking Festival is presented by Hull Truck Theatre and St Mary’s College with the aim of enhancing school children’s experiences of Shakespeare.

Youth Theatre Summer Sharing: Monsters (Saturday 13 July) is performed by Hull Truck Youth Theatre members aged 7-18 and will give audiences a chance to show their support, while gaining a new perspective on monsters.

Hull Truck Theatre are offering two Play In A Week opportunities, where children aged 11-14 (Monday 29th July to Friday 2nd August 2024, 9am – 3.30pm every day at Hull Truck Theatre), and children aged 14-18 (Monday 29th July to Friday 2nd August 2024, 9am – 3.30pm every day at Hull Truck Theatre). Both age groups will develop children’s skills as a theatre maker, create interesting characters and dialogue, and where they will learn key skills of acting, finishing the week by performing their brand-new play to an audience of parents, families and friends!

If you have any questions, please contact the Hull Truck Theatre Creative Learning team on engagement@hulltruck.co.uk or call them on 01482 488209.

For adult creatives looking for inspiration, Playwrights Flashmob (Tuesday 2 July) between 11am and 2pm, is a chance for anyone to join local playwrights Tom Wells & Maureen Lennon, where local writers are invited to come together to feel inspired, to talk about what you are working on, and cook up ideas for a better future...all while having a complimentary tea or coffee.

No booking required, just simply join us in the ground floor foyer of Hull Truck Theatre. Bring your laptop, notebook or however you write and feel free to use to space to write or to chat to other writers. It’s an informal event so you can come at any time.

Mark Babych, Artistic Director and Joint CEO, Hull Truck Theatre, said:

"We’re thrilled to be supporting this brilliant new venture here at Hull Truck Theatre and around the UK. Hull is a city packed full of new writing talent there’s a huge amount going on here and we’re delighted that two of the city’s brightest writing talents in Tom Wells and Maureen Lennon will be hosting this event here at the theatre on Tuesday. Now more than ever we need a diversity of new voices to shine to illuminate fresh new perspectives on this ever-changing world and we are proud to support our colleagues around the UK as they embark on this great project."

Hull Truck Screen is back with a variety of film, presented by Hull Independent Cinema.  First up will be Io Capitano (15) (Friday 19 July), telling the story of Seydou and Moussa, two Senegalese teenagers who leave Dakar to travel to Europe where they believe opportunities await.

Daniel Gordon’s feature documentary Strike: An Uncivil War (Tuesday 23 July) tells the story of the Battle of Orgreave, the most violent confrontation between Miners and Police during the 1984/85 Miners’ Strike in Great Britain. The film is followed by a 23-minute recorded Q&A with director Daniel Gordon, Chris Peace and Kate Flannery of the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign and former Miners Kevin Horne and Ian Mitchell.

Torn between the unconditional love for her family and her own aspirations in life, Elaha (Friday 26 July) investigates the possibility of hymen reconstruction to cover up the fact that she is no longer a virgin. Milena Aboyan’s feature debut is a compelling character portrait and feminist journey of identity and self- discovery.

Written by Tim Price and directed by Rufus Norris (Small Island), Nye (Encore Screening) (Wednesday 24 July), is an epic new Welsh fantasia broadcast live from the National Theatre.

Michael Sheen plays Nye Bevan in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and created the NHS.

Confronted with death, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life; from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill.

‘A valiant and valuable affirmation of the NHS’ - Telegraph

For more information about Hull Truck Theatre and to buy tickets for any of the shows and opportunities taking place in July, please visit: www.hulltruck.co.uk