Theatre - The Old Savoy - Home of The Deco Theatre

Apr

Deposit scheme to help our customers during current crisis

Tags: Northampton, The Deco, The Old Savoy, Theatre, what's on

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We hope you are all staying safe and well, and also remaining upbeat and positive. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we start returning to normality.

What is keeping us positive is some awesome entertainment for you to enjoy at The Old Savoy, home of The Deco Theatre later in the year. Take a look at the ‘what’s on’ section of this website – www.thedeco.co.uk/events/ – to see the variety of shows we have coming up, including those postponed and now rescheduled due to the current crisis.

We know things are a bit tight for many of us at the moment, so to help, we’re offering a deposit scheme to all shows – you pay just 25% of the fee when you book online for shows scheduled from August 1st.

The full payment will then be taken on July 1st. If you need an accessibility seat, please email admin@thedeco.co.uk with details of what show you want to book for, and telephone number and we’ll sort it.

Stay safe – and see you soon!

Mar

Update from Team Deco

Tags: COVID-19, Northampton, postponed shows, rescheduled dates, The Deco, Theatre

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We are working incredibly hard rescheduling shows that are having to be postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Where shows have been rescheduled, tickets will automatically be valid for these future performances. But we will be in touch with all ticket holders directly, to verify that, and – if required – detail the refund process if you cannot make the rescheduled date. So far only one show, Rapunzel, on April 18^th, has been cancelled, and the email you receive will detail the process of your refund.

As of today, March 19^th, the following shows have been effected by the current situation, and will no longer go ahead on the planned date;

20^th March – Seven Drunken Nights – postponed, date to be confirmed
21^st March – Dancing Schools UK – postponed date, to be confirmed
25th March – Old Time Music Hall, Cockney Knees up – postponed to 8^th July
26th March – Old Time Music Hall, Cockney Knees up – postponed to 9^th July
28^th March – Johnny Ball Wonder of Numbers – postponed to 15^th October
1^st April – Only Fools and Boycie – postponed to 5^th September
3^rd April – No 1 Elton – postponed, date to be confirmed
4^th April – Sound of Springsteen – postponed to 3^rd September
10^th April – Ben Hart – postponed to 26^th October
17^th April – Iain Stirling – postponed to 12^th March 2021
18^th April – Rapunzel – Cancelled
24^th April – Carpenters Gold – postponed, date to be confirmed
25^th April – Luther Vandross Celebration – postponed, date to be confirmed
8^th May – Walk Right Back – postponed, date to be confirmed

Due to the unprecedented level of enquiries we are currently dealing with, we request that you do not call our Box Office regarding any existing bookings.

For new bookings and enquiries, our Box Office can be contacted by telephone Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm, and all shows can be accessed online at www.thedeco.co.uk. During this period all booking fees have been removed. Unfortunately, an in-person service will not be available, therefore please do not try and visit the box office until further notice. We will notify you as soon as we are able to resume this service.

We wish to thank you for your understanding, patience and continued support during these challenging times, and will aim to keep you all regularly updated, as soon as information becomes available.

Take care and stay safe

Team DECO

Oct

Deco to the rescue, and children’s Christmas show will now go ahead!

Tags: Collar & Cuffs Co, Northampton, The Christmas Clock, The Christmas Clock Returns, The Deco, Theatre

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The Deco Theatre is delighted to be hosting the award-winning, multi-sensory musical theatre company, Collar & Cuffs Co, when they perform the all-new ‘The Christmas Clock Returns’ in The Glen Suite on Sunday, December 8th – and we’ve saved the day by doing so!

Their popular Christmas children’s show is normally hosted at Delapre Abbey, but an administrative mishap left them potentially them with no venue. When The Deco heard about the problem, we were only too pleased to make our room available so that the organisers, the parents, and most importantly the children, were not disappointed.

“We’re absolutely delighted that The Deco has been able to step in and save the day, and can’t thank them enough” said Julia Collar, of Collar & Cuffs Co. “It was a genuine oversight, and the Delapre team feel really bad about what happened, but these things happen, it’s lovely that there’s a happy ending, and we can’t wait to be putting on our show at The Deco.”

‘The Christmas Clock Returns’ is a musical multisensory adventure about the excitement in the countdown to Christmas. Join the Spirits of Christmas exploring traditions of the festive season, and also discover lots of great tips for helping children cope with excitement and anticipation – a production suitable for children up to seven years old, and fully inclusive for special needs.

Said Julia: “It’s a very relaxed environment, with small audiences all inter-acting together and having fun, and we would love you to join us for one of the two performances we’ll be putting on at The Deco on December 8th.”

For more information, visit http://www.collarandcuffs.org/the-christmas-clock.html

Oct

The Deco at The Old Savoy! Iconic Town Centre landmark to be rebranded

Tags: Northampton, The Deco, The Old Savoy, Theatre

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The front of the iconic building that has been a fixture in Northampton town centre since 1936 is being rebranded.

What many people in the town still remember fondly as The Savoy is being relaunched as The Old Savoy, and visitors to shows at The Deco Theatre will be able to enter through the main doors from later this year.

As well as a facelift outside, visitors to the building will be able to celebrate the history and character inside the entertainment venue that opened as a ‘super-cinema’ 83 years ago, and famously hosted The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, among others, in the early 1960s.

The rebranding project is being driven by Northampton based Stage Right Productions, who have been running The Deco as an independent family-run enterprise since 2009, and host shows throughout the year, including sell-out Pantos each December. Stage Right will now be overseeing the running of the auditorium, and associated hires.

“We are absolutely thrilled by this opportunity to open up the front of this beautiful building to our audiences,” said Jill Roach, House Manager at The Deco. “That we are now in a position to do this is just so exciting.”

The Deco Theatre will retain its identity, but going forward will become ‘The Deco at the Old Savoy’, while plans for The Old Savoy will involve further development of the site as a creative arts and community hub for Northamptonshire.

“We feel that this is going to be a really popular development for Northampton Town Centre,” said Jill. “When we celebrated 80 years of the building in 2016 so many people spoke fondly about it, and shared lovely memories of days gone by, and this sentiment was echoed by visitors to our recent Heritage days.

“When we dropped hints about our plans, the response from visitors was not only very positive, but extremely enthusiastic, and we want this wonderful entertainment venue to stand proud and tall in the town as it did for many years.”

The building, owned by The Old Savoy CIC, opened to the public as The Savoy, a cinema and theatre, on May 2nd, 1936, before becoming the ABC Cinema in 1961, then taken over by Cannon in the 1980s, who ran it as a multiplex cinema until 1996, when it was allowed to become derelict.

The charity that acquired the lease in 2004 funded and restored the building under the guidance of English Heritage, with considerable donations from a local church. From then until recently it has operated as a hiring space for many agencies. Stage Right Productions will not only continue to operate the Deco theatre, but be further involved to help develop ‘The Old Savoy’ as a creative hub.

“When we open the famous front doors for the first time for a show, it will be the beginning of a new era for this fantastic building,” said Jill. “This is a wonderful opportunity, and it will take us to a new level in terms of what we can deliver, and offer to, our audiences – we are aiming to have everything in place in time for Panto in December.”

May

‘Fame’ opportunity beckons for youngsters taking part in The Deco’s Summer workshop!

Tags: Fame Jr, Northampton, Summer Workshop for youngsters, The Deco, Theatre

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The Deco Theatre is offering an amazing opportunity to youngsters between six and 17 years old during later this year, with the opportunity to take part in their Summer Holiday Youth Theatre Workshop in August.

The Workshop runs for a week from August 5^th, from 10am to 4pm each day, with the finale, on Saturday, August 10^th, when the youngsters will be performing the musical ‘Fame! Jr’ to a live audience at 2.30pm and 6.30pm.

For £155 – and £100 for siblings – youngsters taking part in the Workshop will spend a week learning, rehearsing and then performing two shows on the Saturday. The fee includes a DVD of the show, and two free tickets for one of the live performances; extra tickets cost £10.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for children from six to 17 to take part in a youth drama and dance project, in an actual theatre and performing on stage before a live audience at the end of the project,” said Jill Roach, House Manager at The Deco Theatre.

“This project has been incredibly successful since we started doing it a few years ago, with the finished product each time phenomenal, and we’re really excited to be doing it again this year.”

All participants are welcome to audition for main parts of the show. Those auditions will be held on Sunday, May 19^th, from 10am to 1pm, and the following day, on Monday, May 20th from 5pm to 8pm. Call backs will be on Saturday 8th June from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.

‘Fame! Jr.’ is set during the last years of the “Fame School,” New York City’s celebrated High School for the Performing Arts on 46th Street (1980-1984). The musical follows the bittersweet but inspiring story of a diverse group of students as they commit to four years of gruelling artistic and academic work in order to achieve their dream of “hitting the heights” and putting their “name in lights.” But it’s not always plain sailing!

Please call The Deco theatre on 01604 491005 for a registration/audition pack or email us at hello@thedeco.co.uk.

Apr

Legendary US singer-songwriter stopping off at The Deco during his latest UK tour

Tags: Dean Friedman, July, live music, The Deco, Theatre

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Dean Friedman has been hailed as one of the greatest songwriters of his generation. And visitors to Northampton’s Deco Theatre will find out why when he performs live on Thursday, July 16^th.

The Deco is one of 37 venues the American legend has included on his annual tour of the UK.

Friedman, from New Jersey, was elevated to international stardom in the late 1970s and early 80s, when his hit singles included Lucky Star, Lydia and Ariel, among others. He has written and recorded successful albums over four decades, and continues to perform all over the world.

But it is for the UK that he has a special soft-spot: he has had more success in the singles’ charts in this country than anywhere else in the world. “I put that down to boring business and politics,” he said. “If the songs receive air-play they will have success, it’s just a matter of getting on the playlists, but the thing is, I’ve been an independent for most of the last four decades so it’s difficult to compete.

“But my songs are successful in spite of that – I wrote a song called McDonald’s Girl which was banned (by the BBC) because of the reference to the fast food chain in its chorus,” he said. “That was then, but later on McDonald’s used it in an advertising campaign, and Barenaked Ladies had a hit with it.

Friedman, now 63, is not just an immensely talented musician, singer and songwriter, he is also an accomplished entertainer, who thrives on inter-action with his audience during his shows.

He said: “I do believe that engaging an audience face to face – standing in the same room, breathing the same air – is the most profound and richest mode of communication that we’ve got, or will ever have.”

During his concert at The Deco, Friedman will be performing solo, on guitar and keyboard, featuring songs from throughout his four-decade career, including familiar, radio hits and fan favourites, drawn from his eight studio albums.

“I love coming to England, it’s always a pleasure playing to an appreciative audience, and it’s why I come over every year,” he said.

For more information, and tickets, go to www.thedeco.co.uk/event/dean-friedman/ or call The Deco Box Office on 01604 491005.

Apr

‘Sinnerman’ the funny man! Star of The Chase is bringing his comedy show to The Deco in June

Tags: Comedy, Northampton, Paul Sinha, stand-up, The Deco, Theatre

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TV quiz star and acclaimed comedian Paul Sinha is bringing his stand-up comedy show to Northampton’s Deco Theatre in June.

Paul, a qualified medical doctor, and now famous as one of the stars of the popular ITV quiz show The Chase, is coming to The Deco on Wednesday, June 5^th. Paul is the headline act on a night of comedy that includes three talented support comedians, Chris Kent, Josh Pugh and Rich Wilson.

It’s Paul’s second visit to The Deco – he was star performer on a comedy night at the theatre in August 2013, when he went down a storm with the audience.

“Paul was hilarious when he was here five and a half years ago, and we’re delighted to be welcoming him back,” said The Deco’s House Manager, Jill Roach. “Paul is obviously a very clever man, and in the top 50 of the world’s best quizzers, a status he proves worthy of regularly on The Chase.

“But he is also an extremely talented stand-up performer who now travels all over the country, and indeed the world, entertaining audiences, and with a fantastic support cast that he brings with him, we’re looking forward to another great night of stand-up comedy at its very best!”

For tickets to see Paul Sinha – known to his fans on The Chase as ‘The Sinnerman’, and reknown for the white suits he wears on the show – perform his stand-up comedy routine, and his support act of talented comedians, call The Deco box office on 01604 491005, or book online: https://www.theoldsavoy.co.uk/event/paul-sinah/.

Mar

Top class fun for the children at The Deco…

Tags: children, family entertainment, Panto, The Deco, Theatre

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There’s great children’s entertainment at The Deco still to come this year: from Pinocchio to Pongo’s Party, and the best in Panto, with ‘Beauty and the Beast’ this Easter Holiday to ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ at Christmas. You won’t beat The Deco for fantastic children’s entertainment, and fun for all the family.

Elmer the Patchwork Elephant gets a spring season of children’s fun underway on March 28^th, a fantastic show featuring 21 lovable puppets. Then, from one lovable character to another, as the iconic Basil Brush is among the stars of our Easter Panto, which also features Atomic Kitten’s Kerry Katona, and X-Factor finalist now CBBC presenter Lauren Platt. ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is on at The Deco over two days, on the afternoon of April 10^th, and the evening of the following day, April 11^th.

Two days later, it’s children’s party time at The Deco. You are all invited to join us for Pongo’s Party, hosted by Marty McDonald. But will Pongo’s friends – including Molly Moo the cow, Sheena the sheep, and Sally the scarecrow – remember to be there. We’re sure they will. But what we DO know that the Easter Bunny has promised to make an appearance!

The Amazing Adventures of Pinocchio comes to the Deco on May 12^th – it’s a brand new, musical adaption of a much-loved classic tale, brought to you by Immersion Theatre, and packed with lots of new songs, audience participation, and plenty of laughter, too.

Then, later in the year, Marty McDonald and friends are back in town for Half-Term fun on October 28th, this time celebrating the arrival of a Toy Machine at the farm. What could possibly go wrong! There’s more awesome Half-Term fun that week with The Snow Queen, on October 30^th, a wonderful new adaptation of the Hans Christian Anderson classic that inspired Frozen, and brought to life by actors-musicians, illusion and puppets.

All that, and another top-class Christmas Panto with ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ between December 6^th and 28th, and even more: join us on December 13^th for a brand new show coming to The Deco: Santa’s Christmas Countdown – not just great entertainment, but every child leaves with a present from Santa himself!

The Deco. Children’s entertainment of the highest quality in 2019.

Feb

Here’s to you Mrs Robinson – ‘The Graduate’ is being performed as a stage play at The Deco in May!

Tags: Northampton, The Deco, The Graduate, Theatre, White Cobra Productions

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It was a cult novel, one of the iconic films of the 1960s, and more recently it has become an acclaimed stage play.

And ‘The Graduate’ – made famous by the film starring Ann Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman in 1967, and featuring the Simon and Garfunkel hit song ‘Mrs Robinson’ – is being performed on stage at Northampton’s Deco Theatre this May.

The theatre is teaming up with the award-winning White Cobra Productions, with three performances between Thursday, May 16th, to Saturday, May 18th.

“White Cobra did some outstanding productions at The Deco last year, and we are delighted to welcome them back,” said Jill Roach, House Manager of the Deco Theatre. “Having loved the film, I’m really excited about seeing The Graduate performed on stage, and I have no doubt that White Cobra will deliver another top class production for our audiences.”

Set in California in the 1960s, Benjamin Braddock is a confused young man. Having just graduated, he finds himself uncertain about his future, disconnected from his purpose, and increasingly alienated from the upper-class, suburban, “plastic” world of his parents.

Fighting panic and boredom, he is deeply conflicted but ultimately willing when Mrs. Robinson, the unhappily married, alcoholic, and charismatic wife of his father’s business partner, lures him into an affair. But Benjamin’s life becomes complicated when he falls in love with Elaine, Mrs Robinson’s upbeat daughter.

The stage adaptation of The Graduate is a dark comedy, full of rapid-fire dialogue between fascinating and horrifying characters, while exploring family dysfunction, parental expectations, crumbling marriages, and the naive, yet disillusioned, dichotomy of youth.

“As well as being a great film, The Graduate lends itself brilliantly to the stage,” said Richard Jordan, of White Cobra Productions. “It’s up there with other movies which have worked so well as theatre pieces, such as The Full Monty and Billy Elliott, and we can’t wait to bring it to the Deco stage in Northampton.”

To book tickets: https://www.theoldsavoy.co.uk/event/the-graduate/ or call 01604 491005.

Aug

A rich mixture of great Deco entertainment already lined up for 2019

Tags: Comedy, Deco, Entertainment, Northampton, Panto, Theatre, Tributes

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Comedy, Panto, tributes, nostalgia, a traditional Irish knees-up, and some more Forbidden Nights – The Deco Theatre already has a packed programme of top class entertainment lined up for 2019, with lots more to follow.

The comedy comes from the fantastic Lost Voice Guy, otherwise known as Lee Ridley, who wowed the nation earlier this year when he was an extremely popular winner of the ITV talent show ‘Britain’s Got Talent’.

Lee brings his touring show – described by critics as “laugh-out loud funny” – to The Deco on Saturday, February 9, one of two great shows that month. A week before, on February 2, The Deco goes all nostalgic for the music of the 1980s, with the hit-show ‘80’s Mania’, that is stopping off in Northampton during a UK tour earning much acclaim.

Another acclaimed kicks off the New Year programme at The Deco, with a celebration of legendary singer Whitney Houston, in the acclaimed show ‘Whitney, Queen of the Night’ on Saturday, January 19; a stunning production that has earned standing ovations wherever it has played, and does total justice to the late, great singer.

In March another singing legend is celebrated at The Deco – The Girl From Tiger Bay, on Friday, March 22nd, is an awesome, and fitting tribute to the great Dame Shirley Bassey. Joanne Copeland has been performing as Dame Shirley since 2002, and has so far taken her show to 25 countries, and her show takes you on a journey through 65 years of Shirley Bassey’s amazing career.

There are two more fantastic tribute nights in April, honouring the music of Madonna on Friday, April 19 in the show ‘Material Girl’, then celebrating the rhythm and blues legend Luther Vandross a week later, on April 26 in the touring show ‘Luther’.

Returning to The Deco by popular demand on March 1 is Forbidden Nights, a show that always attracts 5-star ratings, and which has twice played out to packed houses during previous visits to the Northampton theatre.

Also in March, a great Irish party on Friday the 29^th – yet another highly acclaimed production comes to The Deco, with ‘Seven Drunken Nights – the story of The Dubliners’. This is another show that has thrilled audiences nationwide, including London’s West End, and is guaranteed to be an awesome knees-up for all.

And completing a fantastic first four months of 2019 is The Deco’s Easter Panto Spectacular, Beauty and the Beast, over two days on April 10^th and 11^th. This is the fourth year The Deco team have put on a Spring Panto, which has proved highly popular with local families looking for Easter entertainment.

For details about all Deco shows, visit the website at www.thedeco.co.uk, or call 01604 491005.

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