Preview: Customs House’s new season includes two world premieres

Customs House’s new season includes two world premieres

Peter Mitchell,  Andrew Finnigan & 

Ray Spencer launch Customs House new season

The Customs House in South Shields is delighted to announce news of its exciting forthcoming season of events.  From Strictly Come Dancing stars Pasha and Giovanni, music legend Tony Christie and One Woman Sex and the City - to Stuart Maconie telling his tale of retracing the steps of the Jarrow March, Seriously Dead starring Crissy Rock and Tommy Cannon as well as regular Jason Cook with his ever popular Comedy Club - there is sure to be something to please every taste.

The Customs House has also revealed details of a World Premiere that is launching there in August - the stage version of the iconic hit TV show When the Boat Comes In that has been turned into a play by Peter Mitchell, the son of the original writer James Mitchell.

Andrew Finnigan as Lecky in My Uncle Freddie

As well as this, organisers are thrilled to bring a comedy play based on the hit Radio 4 series, My Uncle Freddie to the stage for the first time, that will star local lad Andrew Finnigan alongside Pitmen Painters star Chris Connel.

To celebrate the centenary of the ending of the Great War, The Customs House has specially commissioned the first ever stage adaptation of the iconic television drama series, When The Boat Comes In that will run from 16 - 25 August.

The landmark and much loved series, created by writer and novelist James Mitchell, was the first mainstream TV drama to be set in the North East and at its peak achieved 15 million viewers, won national acclaim, and found a permanent place in the hearts of hundreds of thousands of northerners everywhere.

When The Boat Comes In has been generously supported by Colmans of South Shields.

Set in 1930s Jarrow My Uncle Freddie will run 17 – 21 July and follows the adventures of 10 year old Lecky and his family including his imaginative Uncle Freddie. Written by acclaimed writer and Customs house Academy Fellow Alex Ferguson, the play celebrates the human spirit, humour and community of the North East.

Chris Connel and Andrew Finnigan play Uncle Freddie and Lecky. Chris was in The Pitman Painters which had great success on Broadway and Andrew started his acting career at the Customs House Youth Theatre. His next job, written by Broken Biscuits writer Tom Wells, also toured and sold out at The Customs House. He now comes full circle, performing in his first Customs House Production.

Executive Director of The Customs House, Ray Spencer, says “I am truly thrilled to bring recently inducted Customs House Fellow, Alex Ferguson’s radio series My Uncle Freddie to the stage for the first time in July. And, if that’s not enough, hit TV show When the Boat Comes In is being turned into a play by Peter Mitchell, the son of original writer James Mitchell for its premiere in August.”