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

Rock. Paper. Scissorhands

Looking for a little post-Crimbo lift? How about some inspired asian culture, a ‘cutting-edge’ dance delivery, a new production that is simply kick ass-pirational and the multi-talented Miles Jupp. Sammy Jones has the lowdown of what’s on at the theatre this month…

Let’s be honest, January is the most miserable time of the year; you go from tinsel and cheer to month long drear. The weather is woeful, payday takes forever to arrive, and taking down the decorations just makes everything seem even more gloomy.

If only there was a way to hang on to a little of the festive fun. But wait, there is; go see Cinderella at MK Theatre.

Nothing, and we mean nothing, will stop Brian Conley and the panto clan from lifting your spirits.

The Fairy Godmother of all Pantos also has the best Ugly Sisters around; Claudia and Tess bagged a prestigious gong to say as much!
Performances continue until January 14.

A night filled with beauty and wisdom, courage and hope is the promise at the theatre (Jan 17 & 18) when Shen Yun invites you to experience China before communism on an extraordinary journey through the country’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture.

Classic dance, enchanting live orchestral music, authentic costumes and interactive backdrops combine for an exquisite night, but don’t take our word for it, take that of Strictly’s head judge, Shirley Ballas.

“I’ve never seen anything quite so beautifully choreographed in my entire life,” she declared.

A new stage show visits for a four-day stay (Jan 24-27) and Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World is being sold as a ‘kick ass-pirational stage show’ based on the children’s book by Suffragette relative Kate Pankhurst.

From explorers to artists, scientists to secret agents, this work has plenty of characters and songs that pack a popstar punch. Inquisitive heroine Jade will meet wonder women including Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Mary Seacole, Marie Curie and Emmeline Pankhurst.

Things will get a bit snippy at the end of the month (Jan 30 – Feb 3) with Matthew Bourne’s interpretation of Edward Scissorhands.
The razor-sharp production is based on Tim Burton’s classic film of an incomplete boy left alone in a strange new world with scissors for hands.

Will the community see past his curious appearance to his gentleness?
The role made famous by Johnny Depp on the big screen will be played by a leading mover from New Adventures, Bourne’s dance-theatre company which premiered the work in 2005.

This current tour is the first time on stage at UK theatres for nine years. It will be beyond beautiful.

Over at The Stables, Miles Jupp will play to a sure to be capacity crowd when he brings On I Bang to the Wavendon venue (Jan 25).
The hugely successful fella has a wealth of TV and film credits to his name, and is every bit as accomplished in theatre land and on radio.

His last tour wrapped up at The London Palladium in 2017, and then? He appeared in The Full Monty, delightful Sunday night staple for many (including us) The Durrells, made an award winning radio series and put out a novel.

Despite the dampers of Covid, Miles was all smiles, until a brain seizure changed everything. A tumour the size of a cherry tomato was discovered and major neurosurgery followed.

“I was filming the ITV series Trigger Point, I’d just finished my scene. Ludicrously my character, a radio host, is speaking and then a bomb goes off roughly when it felt like a bomb had gone off in my own head,” Miles said, recalling the moment the seizure happened, “Luckily I was in a work environment which meant there was a medic on the set so they wrestled me into the appropriate position. It was only a day’s work, but taking that job might have saved my life.”

This new show is a tale about surprise, fear, luck, love and qualified practitioners, but On I Bang is funny too.

“It’s a story told in a stand-up style,” Miles explained, “I promise you there are lots of jokes. It’s not me moaning about unsatisfactory customer experience or something I’ve noticed about luggage. Hopefully it’s a pure piece of storytelling, with a beginning, a middle and an end.”