We're bringing Our Friends In The North to the stage to celebrate 30 years of the BBC show
Iconic BBC television drama Our Friends in the North will be adapted for the stage in a brand-new production this year.
Conceived by Live Theatre to be premiered at Newcastle Theatre Royal later this year, the announcement of the run coincides with the 30th anniversary of the original broadcast of the multi-award-winning television series.
The show, which stars Christopher Eccleston and current James Bond actor Daniel Craig, follows four Newcastle-based friends as they navigate life through the second half of the 20th century.
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With a timeline spanning three decades, the series followed four friends from Newcastle - Tosker, Geordie, Nicky and Mary - as they navigated their lives against the backdrop of post-war Britain and the rise of Thatcherism.
This new stage adaptation, Our Friends in the North 1979–84, turns a spotlight on those Thatcher years of the original narrative - a period which hit the North East particularly hard.
The show, which was written by Peter Flannery, aired in 1996.
Live Theatre’s Artistic Director Jack McNamara said: “Our Friends in the North is one of the great national sagas of our time and as the 30th anniversary approached we knew we had to bring it home to where these characters and stories came from.
“We reached out to Peter about bringing his iconic work back to life for audiences here in the North East and he was as enthusiastic as we were. It has been inspiring working with him on this iconic material and to feel the renewed force of these stories in the context of where we are today.”
Our Friends in the North will be performed at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal from Thursday, October 15 until Saturday, October 24. Tickets can be bought through the theatre’s website.
Live Theatre’s Executive Director Jacqui Kell added: “This production represents exactly the kind of ambitious, collaborative work we want to be making in and for the North East.
“Live Theatre’s focus on new writing, combined with Jamie Eastlake’s experience of producing work, makes this partnership with Newcastle Theatre Royal possible.
“Bringing Our Friends in the North to the Theatre Royal stage through this co-production allows us to realise it at a scale worthy of its legacy, while reaching new audiences for this iconic story.”