Spark Your Imagination This Summer at Hull Truck Theatre

Grow Festival 2025 continues into July by presenting a vibrant mix of new and contemporary theatre, workshops, sharing sessions, and networking events for local artists and audiences alike. It’s a great opportunity to see new performances, provide feedback on works in progress, and connect with creatives living locally.

Can We Be Friends? Rehearsed Reading (Friday 4 July) explores motherhood, family and where we find our ‘village’ in a world that tells us there’s a right and wrong way to have a family. Developed with the support of The Foyle Foundation, writer Hannah Scorer asks, “When it all falls apart will we sink or swim?” Tickets are free.

Bonding (Monday 7 July) is written and performed by Cyril Blake and directed by Matthew Parker. This sell-out hit from the Edinburgh Fringe takes audiences on a journey through 60 years of Bond. Stephen has always wanted to be James Bond. He's got a tux, a fancy watch and he shakes everything he drinks. But is this a good idea? Bond is a misogynist dinosaur, right? Find out if the character of Stephen can fulfil his father's idea of masculinity without becoming toxic.

This Damp Won't Burn: Rehearsed Reading (Thursday 10 July) is a musical love story set against the backdrop of The New Adelphi Club, a legendary venue in Hull that has hosted some of the most exciting up-and-coming music artists for the past 40 years. Written by Josh Overton and supported by The Foyle Foundation, the show follows Sammy and Meera, a couple whose lives intertwine with the club’s history, spanning four decades of love, loss, and unforgettable music. Expect brilliant bands, hilarious tales, and a whole lot of heart. Tickets are free.

There will also be a final chance to attend a FREE Grow Artist Development session on Wednesday 2 July. Story and Plot will see Associate Director, Tom Saunders present an introductory session focusing on the difference between story and plot. Are you a writer looking to be inspired? Learn new ways to think differently about your approach to structuring your work. The session will be made up of a mixture of writing exercises and discussion. Bring a pen and notepad to the session. There are now a limited number of places remaining, so don’t delay in securing your place.

Join Hull Truck Theatre in supporting children across Hull as schools come together to share their work created with The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), celebrating William Shakespeare’s, The Tempest (Tuesday 1 – Thursday 3 July). Discover if they favour revenge or forgiveness in this feuding family drama.

Paul Ainsworth, the RSC's Young Theatre Maker Developer said:

"This year there are 25 Playmaking Festivals taking place across England as part of the annual celebration of all the work that happens through our Associate Schools Programme with schools and theatres. We can't wait to see the performance at Hull Truck as they explore The Tempest and what teachers and young people bring to Shakespeare's work. We're looking forward to cheering them on as they take to the stage in front of all their peers, friends and family."

From one sharing to another, The Countdown: Summer Sharing (Friday 4 – Saturday 5 July) is a chance to join Hull Truck Theatre’s Youth Theatre for an unforgettable night of drama, action and suspense. The clock is ticking, and time is running out…. dun dun dunnnn.

For families looking for action packed theatre experiences over the summer holidays – we’ve got you covered! Science Museum Live (Tuesday, 22 July) promises an exciting, curiosity-sparking experience for all ages. And for fans of Pontypandy’s favourite firefighter, Fireman Sam Live: The Great Camping Adventure (Thursday, 24 July) will bring another thrilling rescue mission to the stage. Having previously staged Little Shop of Horrors, Les Misérables, and Oliver! Hull's own State of the Arts Academy return to Hull Truck Theatre with the regional premiere of Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Wednesday 9 – Saturday 12 July). Rare Productions will also bring to the stage the all-time classic musical Annie! (Thursday 17 - Saturday 19 July), another family favourite with a great soundtrack and fabulous characters. Please note, both musical theatre performances will be performed by amateur companies.

From musicals to music, Snake Davis Band - Classic Sax Solos Tour (Friday 25 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.

From the cotton plantations of the Deep South to blockbuster film soundtracks - big bands have survived everything from financial depressions, world wars, pop-mania, and technological advances. Time After Time (Saturday 26 July) shines a spotlight on jazz's most iconic names and will bring you all the way to the big band music of 2025.

Highly acclaimed and celebrated singer/piano-player, Elio Pace (Wednesday 23 July) is back on stage with his show My Songbook, My Life. He will be performing his own brilliant and eclectic songs and some of his favourite covers with his sensational 9-piece band. Don’t miss this soulful and sumptuous night of live music at its very best!

Hull Truck Screen is back with a variety of film, presented by Hull Independent Cinema.  First up will be Castration Movie Anthology i. Traps (18) (Saturday 12 July) a labyrinthine post-modern epic about gender. The Stimming Pool (Thursday 17 July) is a unique film exploring a world shaped by neurodiverse perspectives. Good One (Saturday 19 July) invites audiences to join 17-year-old Sam embarks on a three-day backpacking trip in the Catskills with her dad, Chris and his oldest friend, Matt. Finishing off the month, A New Kind of Wilderness (12A) (Saturday 26 July) is for anyone who wants to (re)discover the power of family and think about different ways of striding this Earth.

Finally, Gillian Anderson (Sex Education, The Fall), Vanessa Kirby (The Crown), and Ben Foster (Lone Survivor) lead the cast in Tennessee Williams’ timeless masterpiece, A Streetcar Named Desire (Friday 25 July). Audiences can watch the live run of the critically acclaimed Young Vic Theatre performance, presented on Hull Truck Screen by National Theatre Live.

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