Mark the start of Summer at Hull Truck Theatre this May!

Discover the very best of entertainment at Hull Truck Theatre this month with an exciting programme, celebrating Britain’s best artists, imaginative family and community shows, incredible music and a variety of film.

If you are searching for a fun night out, Hull Truck Theatre is the place to be! Billed as one of the top ten attractions at Glastonbury Festival 2023, The Very Best of Tommy Cooper (Saturday 2 May) is a one-man show of hilarious comedy. The Britpop Show With Marc Burrows (Friday 8 May) will mark 30 years since the iconic Blur v. Oasis chart war. Pick your side and get ready for a show that will present part stand-up, part rock ‘n’ roll party. Doomsday is no laughing matter but Alfie Moore: Acopalypse Now (Saturday 9 May) certainly is. In his brand-new tour show former Humberside police office, Fair Cop’ Alfie has the very funny antidote to the breakdown of law and order. If that isn’t enough detective work and you still want more…Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote (Wednesday 20 May) is a unique and hilarious night out that features games, prizes and audience participation.

Celebrating ‘Tell a story month’ and following on the theme of puzzle solving, Hull Truck Theatre’s A Great Detective Adventure (Saturday 23 – Wednesday 27 May) is a wonderful May Half Term activity. This adventure features an arts and crafts session followed by an interactive play that uses whatever you have made. Designed for children aged 3-6 years old and their families. All shows across the run will have the same story and themes, packed with laughter, creativity and fun.

Dinosaurs have sparked the imagination of kids and adults alike and for the first time ever, the world-renowned Natural History Museum has teamed up with Mark Thompson Productions to take you on a dinosaur adventure like no other with Dinosaurs Live (Saturday 2 May). Get ready to journey together to the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and watch the life-like dinosaurs come alive right on stage!

Do you love nothing more than a good musical theatre show? For fans of Wicked, &Juliet and Chess, West End star Cassidy Janson (Tuesday 19 May) has appeared in all three and can now be seen at Hull Truck Theatre as she honours the music of icon Carole King, who she played for two years in ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. With her breathtaking vocals and live band, you can expect to hear hits including Natural Woman, You’ve Got a Friend, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow and many more. A stunning evening not to be missed!

Local Amateur groups will also be performing two contrasting musical shows in May. Tech It Seriously are excited to perform Avenue Q (Wednesday 13 – Saturday 16 May) with the laugh-out-loud, Award-winning musical that’s like Sesame Street… but strictly for adults! With a cast of unforgettable puppet and human characters, Avenue Q tackles all the big grown-up questions: finding a job, paying the rent, falling in love – and discovering your purpose in life. Packed with outrageous humour, catchy songs, and more than a touch of heart, this is a show that’s as warm and wise as it is wildly inappropriate. Northern Academy of Performing Arts will present Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical (Wednesday 27 – Saturday 30 May). Based on the Robert Louis Stevenson classic, this gothic thriller features a dramatic pop-rock score that explores the gripping story of one man’s struggle against the darkness within. This Broadway epic features unforgettable numbers such as "This Is the Moment," "Someone Like You," and "Dangerous Game."

This Day Dawning: A Celebration of the Life and Poetry of Maurice Rutherford (Saturday 9 May) will celebrate his life over the course of six collections of poetry and two collections of prose. Performed by a wonderful cast including: Barrie Rutter OBE…Actor-Manager, Director, Eliza Carthy MBE…Folk singer/ songwriter, musician, Dean Wilson….the charmer, the poet from Withernsea, and Martin Barrass….Actor. This Day Dawning” is not intended as an In Memoriam event but rather a joyful occasion with poetry, music, laughter and song. “I was born on Albert Avenue in 1922 and that’s about all there is to it.”

Adults of any age can join First Thursday Theatre Club (Thursday 7 May). The first Thursday of every month, Hull Truck Theatre welcomes people of all ages and levels of experience, offering a chance to learn, discuss, and be creative together. This month, join Hull Truck Theatre’s Drama Worker, Sophie Huckstep, for an explorative workshop that uncovers the connection between body, voice, and imagination.

Sophie Huckstep, Drama Worker at Hull Truck Theatre, said

“Our First Thursday Theatre Club is for anyone aged 18+ with an interest in theatre. The sessions always explore something different and it's always great to be in a room with lots of others exploring the same topic or interest. A great way to bring people together and try something new.”

Back by popular demand….Hull Truck Theatre are proud to bring back their Introduction To courses. Introduction To…Playwriting with Lydia Marchant and Introduction To…Acting Shakespeare with Laura Elsworthy (Tuesday 5 May – Tuesday 16 June) will take place separately on Tuesdays at 6.30pm until 8.30pm.

Lydia Marchant is a writer for stage, screen and audio. She was one of eight writers selected for the BBC’s Writers Academy 19/20 led by John Yorke. She’s since written for Holby City and Casualty, and is a regular writer on EastEnders. She also has original work in development with RoughCut TV. Her debut full-length play MUMSY, about parenthood on a 0-hour contract, was produced by Hull Truck Theatre in 2023 and is published by Nick Hern Books. Lydia will introduce participants to the wonderful world of playwrighting… including, how drama is structured, the best approach to developing dialogue and characters and how to create a compelling plotline which is suitable for the stage.

Laura Elsworthy is an actor from Hull who has worked in the industry for the past 15 years. Most recently she appeared in Road at the Royal Exchange Manchester. Her Shakespeare credits include; Macbeth (directed by Kenneth Branagh), Taming of the Shrew (RSC), As You Like It (RSC), Romeo and Juliet (Hull Truck Theatre) and Lady Macbeth for ETT. Laura will explore with you, how Shakespeare’s language works on the page and in the body. Through voice work, character exploration, and ensemble exercises, you’ll learn techniques used by professional actors to approach verse, unlock meaning, and let emotion drive the text.

The cost of each course is £90. We are committed to the idea that finances shouldn’t be a barrier to participation, please get in touch if you would like to discuss reduced prices or bursary places. Please contact engagement@hulltruck.co.uk to discuss.

Hull Truck Screen will present another month of film with a variety of screenings. First up, Hull Independent Cinema will present All That’s Left of You (12A) (Wednesday 6 May), spanning seven decades, this epic drama traces the hopes and heartaches of one uprooted family, revealing not only the scars of displacement, but the unbreakable spirit of survival. Now with Low Availability, Final Pill (18+) (Friday 8 May) is set almost entirely within a single apartment, and a claustrophobic chamber thriller about control, betrayal, and what people do to each other when the world tells them it's over. Exhbition on Screen returns with an exciting new addition from the blockbuster transatlantic exhibition from Tate Britain and MFA Houston Frida Kahlo (Tuesday 19 May. Everyone knows her face, but who was the woman behind the bright colours, the big brows and the floral crowns? Take a journey through the life of a true icon, discover her art, and uncover the true story of her rebellious, passionate and turbulent life. Last but not least, NT Live: The Playboy of The Western World (Encore Screening) (Thursday 28 May) is a darkly funny tale full to the brim with secrets. Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) joins Éanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) and Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls) in John Millington Synge’s riveting play of youth and self-discovery.

To book tickets for any of the shows, screenings, events or workshops at Hull Truck Theatre throughout May 2025, please visit: www.hulltruck.co.uk  or contact the Box Office: 01482 323638.