Only Fools in Northampton? It’ll be Bonnet de douche, mate!

A Lovely Jubbly time is ahead for June in theatre-land, with the arrival of the Trotter family, but that’s not all – there are visits from some of our best-loved comedians, and the chance to take a role in a reimagining of an Oscar Wilde classic.
Pulse’s Sammy Jones guides you through the upcoming treats…

It seems like we’ve been waiting forever, but the wait is almost over – the Reliant Regal is ready to splutter its way onto the Derngate stage (June 2-7) signalling the arrival of the stage version of the nation’s finest ever sitcom, Only Fools and Horses.

This is pedigree, and then some – with a script delivered by John Sullivan’s son and comedy maestro Paul Whitehouse, music by Chas & Dave, and a cast of class, unlike Del Boy’s many scams, this show could never fail.

The yuppie invasion of London is in full swing, and in Peckham, love is in the air as Del sets out to find his soul mate, Rodney and Cassandra prepare to say ‘I do’, Trigger is preparing for a date, and even Grandad is looking to get his piles sorted… that’s a kind of self-love, right?
A show that only an absolute plonker would risk missing.

If you are set to grab a glass of something nice to sip during the show, come see us – we’ve got some half price cracked ice that’ll chill that G&T. Come to think of it, we’ve got some TVs, Deep Freeze and David Bowie LPs, as well. Find us during the interval, and we’ll see you right.
We caught this when the motor parked up in Milton Keynes recently, and it was an absolute blast.

The D-Day Darlings (June 3, Royal) come to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, and having fixed the foot he broke earlier this year, Britain’s Got Talent winner Viggo Venn is now in a position to put it forward again. He’ll be at the Royal on June 4.

Julia Donaldson’s book The Smeds and The Smoos comes off the page and onto the stage (June 5-7, Royal). A perfect way for youngsters to enjoy the magic of theatre for the first time, this is a joyful tale of star-crossed aliens.

‘Music, laughs and interplanetary adventures for everyone aged 3 and up.’ Nice work.
There will be Jokes, Jokes, Jokes when Jenny Eclair (June 8, Royal) delivers her brand new autobiographical show based on her book by the same name. Punk poetry, animal impressions and baritone nursery rhyme singing may all be on the menu…

Completely chaotic and completely Wilde – that’s how… Earnest? (June 9) has been teased, and this version of The Importance of Being Earnest could even see you in the fold as a last minute star of the show.

Russell Kane is still Hyperactive (June 12, Derngate) and his set comes with a warning that you’ll need to wear strong underwear. We’re just sharing the message.

Lord What Fools These Mortals Be (June 16, Derngate) is a brand new piece of work based on the comedic scenes from some of the Bard’s best loved plays, and Silhouette Youth, Northampton Academy, Kingsthorpe Secondary and Manor Secondary are responsible. Support local talent, people.

The King’s Speech (June 19-21, Royal) is based on the Academy Award-winning film, of course, so no further explanation necessary for that one, and Guenther Steiner (June 21, Derngate) will entertain with an all-areas-access conversation spanning a decade inside Formula 1.
The Former Haas F1 team principal will also be back on July 7 for more of the same. Buckle up.

Over at The Old Savoy, Tom Gates’ Epic Stage Show (June 14) will bring alive the illustrations and the music that have seen the brand become a smash hit around the world.

There are two performances – choose from midday, or 3.30pm and it’s an hour long delivery, no break.