Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton

This classic Victorian thriller tells the powerful story of a young woman psychologically dominated by her husband. While Jack Manningham is out on the town each night his wife Bella stays at home but begins to think she is losing her mind. She cannot explain the mysterious disappearance of familiar objects, the footsteps overhead and the flickering gaslight..

Performance Dates: 9th - 16th February 2008
Director: Ruth Miller

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Red Wine and Canvas

Red Wine and Canvas is a thought provoking, moving and sometimes funny play exploring art, love, life, passion and hate.

In a gallery somewhere in England an assortment of characters gather for an exhibition. From the bizarre to the sublime, from the lost to the ludicrous, we discover their hidden secrets as we scrape away the veneer from the canvas.

Unspoken thoughts, ill-considered words, and an atmosphere of majestic pretence ... or is it "Art"? Deep beneath the extrovert exterior, there's an introvert trying to stay in.

Click here for the Mouthpiece Website

Performance Date: 5th April
Mouthpiece Theatre Company

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The Blue Room by David Hare

A sensation in London and on Broadway, The Blue Room depicts a daisy chain of ten sexual encounters between five women and five men all portrayed by one actor and one actress.

Hare has adapted Arthur Schnitzler's original play La Ronde and moved the action from turn of the century Vienna to modern London to witty and provocative effect.

Cathryn Bowler and exciting newcomer Alex Rogers are directed by John Ruscoe.

Performance Dates: 6th - 13th September 2008
Director: John Ruscoe

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Beauty and The Beast by Laurence Boswell

West End director Laurence Boswell gifts the Criterion with his own version of one of the world's most enchanting fables, Beauty and the Beast. It is the story of a young girl's journey of discovery towards the understanding of passion, imagination and love in the glorious palace of the Beast.

Described by Boswell as a 'fairy-tale thriller', his production is rooted in the world of eighteenth- century France. Beauty and the Beast is a heart-warming, beautiful and bewitching family show suitable for anyone aged seven and over.

He was first inspired to write Beauty and the Beast by his own children. "I wanted to find a way to show my children what I do - to show them how engaging and vital theatre can be. So I read five or six classic children's stories to my daughter Lottie, who was seven at the time, and asked her which she liked best. 'Beauty and the Beast' was her unequivocal reply. Why? Because, she said, it featured a girl in the leading role and wasn't all about boys fighting!"

Peter Bagley will be directing a cast of 15 including some new faces to the Criterion. Darren Scott has written a brand new score for this ingenious show and will also be performing the music with an ensemble of musicians live on stage.

Peter said "This production will be using many forms of skills from mime, puppetry, singing and of course acting!"

We hope that by opening early (Thursday 23rd October) instead of our usual Saturday we will be able to offer more theatregoers the opportunity to indulge in a really good family show.

Performance Dates: 23rd October - 1st November 2008
Director: Peter Bagley

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Blue Remembered Hills by Dennis Potter

Blue Remembered Hills is a remarkable play. Why is this? First of all the characters are 7 year old children; and second, these children are all playing adults. Which means a glorious chance for actors to tackle a once-in-a-lifetime part. How many adult actors have the chance to create a 7 year old child? All his emotions, the awareness of her constricted, boundless world, the uninhibited shyness, the frustration and protection of adult authority, the exploration of unknown territory, the intensity of wanting everything immediately NOW!

"a comic and tragic look at the friendships, loyalties and unthinking cruelties of childhood." - Manchester Evening News

"both funny and poignant in portraying a more innocent, yet in some ways more brutal, time." The Stage

Performance Dates: 12th - 15th November 2008
Director: Geoff Bennett

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The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged)

Shakespeare may be turning in his grave, but the show that's become a cult classic contains all 37 plays (plus sonnets) in just 97 minutes. As the comedies aren't anywhere near as funny as the tragedies, all sixteen have been condensed into 'Four Weddings and a Transvestite', the history plays are transformed into a game of football, Othello is performed in rap and Titus Andronicus becomes a TV cookery programme. For the finale, Hamlet is staged first as a psychological exploration of Hamlet's Ego and Ophelia's Id, then performed in a matter of minutes and, for the finale, performed backwards. For lovers of Shakespeare everywhere.

Performance Dates: 6th - 13th December 2008
Director: Bill Butler