What’s on at the theatre in Milton Keynes this September

Lots of variety, funnies and music for you in this month’s selection of theatre choices, which comes by Royal appointment, with lots of conspiracy discussion and a deadly school visit. Pulse’s Sammy Jones explains more…

If you want a show bursting with colour and filled with sensational songs, Hairspray (Sept 2-7) is this month’s choice at Milton Keynes Theatre.

Just like the press bumf will tell you, it’s a big, bold and beautiful musical, just the same as the 80’s film which came first.
Taking the reins as Edna Turnblad is Neil Hurst, who some of you will recognise from his time on the Corrie cobbles.

Brenda Edwards was a smash hit in the show when she starred as Motormouth Maybelle, directed by Paul Kerryson. This time around the Loose Woman and stage star will be flexing her talent behind the curtain – sharing directing duties with Kerryson.

Tracy Turnblad has big hair, big dreams and a big heart, and she wants to dance her way onto national TV and right into the heart of teen idol Link Larkin.

When she becomes a local star, she uses her newfound fame to fight for liberation, tolerance, and interracial unity in Baltimore. But can she win equality – and Link’s heart – without denting her ’do?

At Wavendon Community Centre this month, MK’s Third Age Players present Secrets, Scandals and Gossip (Sept 6-8), bringing the past forward to the present day in a show that is royally entertaining.

Here’s the gist: Henry VIII is looking for a sixth wife, but Catherine Parr is less than enthusiastic at the prospect of marrying the leering old fart, and anyway, she’s already in love with Sir Thomas Seymour. What will it take for her to avoid the chopping block?

A couple of centuries later, King George III is fed up with constantly shoring up the finances of his spoilt son, Prince George. The Prince comes up with a plan to marry into money, but when Princess Caroline of Brunswick arrives in England, things do not go to plan…
The high octane, black comedy, rock musical Heathers is back at MK Theatre (Sept 10-14). The new school year is about to begin at Westerberg High; where popularity is so very a matter of life and death, and Veronica Sawyer is just another of the nobodies dreaming of a better day.

But when she’s unexpectedly taken under the wings of the three beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers, her dreams of popularity finally start to come true.

That is until JD turns up, the mysterious teen rebel who teaches her that it might kill to be a nobody, but it’s murder being a somebody…
Super smart and funny in equal measure, Dom Joly gifted us with the smash-hit prankster show Trigger Happy TV. What a joy that was.
He’s also cheered up our screens and stages appearing on everything from I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and Celebrity Hunted, through to The Rocky Horror Show.

Then there’s his work as a director, producer and celebrated author. Oh, and he’s made videos for artists including Blur and Ian Brown, and is a columnist who has penned for nigh on all the major national titles.

For his most recent book, Dom travelled the globe looking into some of the strangest conspiracy theories out there, and now he’s coming to MK as part of an extensive UK tour, to tell us what he thinks.

He’ll be sharing the stage with conspiracy theorist, Dr Julian Northcote to defend the alternative view. Whether you be a cynic, believer or undecided, you’ll get plenty to tickle the brain matter from a night in the company of these two.

“Expect the unexpected, verbal fireworks, public protests, unexpected knowledge and a lot of laughs…” Dom teases.
The Conspiracy Tour visits The Stables on September 23.

At Stantonbury Theatre, The Very Best of Tommy Cooper (Just Like That!) will play out on September 27. The one-man show delivers a peek into the unique and must missed talent of the man in the fez, and features his best one-liners, dazzling wordplay and celebrated tricks – who remembers delights like Spoon/Jar?

Past reviews suggest that this production, just like the man it pays homage to, will be fez-tastic!

To book tickets: The Stables: stables.org
Stantonbury Theatre: stantonburytheatre.co.uk
MK Theatre: atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
Wavendon Community Centre: ticketsource.co.uk/MKThirdAgePlayers