A North East arts venue has announced its autumn programme.

Sunderland Culture has announced what will feature in Arts Centre Washington’s (ACW) jam-packed programme over the next few weeks.

The season is set to kick off with the comedy play Occupational Hazard, a show in which comedy, clowning and choreography collide.

Occupational HazardOccupational Hazard (Image: SUNDERLAND CULTURE)

The show records a day in the life of Becky and Linda, air hostesses at ACCAirways – and while there are plenty of laughs, the show also explores the topic of consent as a female in the service industry. Occupational Hazard is on at the venue on Thursday, September 12 and is suitable for those 14 and over. Tickets cost £10 (£8 concessions and £6 for students).

A tragedy follows comedy when Shakespeare’s Othello arrives at ACW on Thursday, October 3, in a dazzling new production from Elysium TC. Tickets range from £6 to £10.

OthelloOthello (Image: SUNDERLAND CULTURE)

The following month, three classic ghost stories will be told live on-stage during Nightmares (Thursday, November 28). The show features three spine-tingling tales – The Judge’s House by Bram Stoker, The Kit-Bag by Algernon Blackwood and John Charrington’s Wedding by E Nesbit. The show is suitable for those aged over 14 and tickets start at £6 for students.

Ghosts also feature in another highlight of ACW’s theatrical autumn programme – Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol will be staged at the venue on Thursday, December 12. Tickets cost £15 (concessions £13).

A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol (Image: SUNDERLAND CULTURE)

Earlier in December the family Christmas show Tinsel (Tuesday, December 3 to Saturday, December 7) will bring original live music, playful puppetry and feelgood storytelling to ACW. This raucous festive show from Wrongsemble and Gala Durham is about a bauble who wants to be on top of the Christmas tree. School and group rates are available, and family tickets, which admit four, cost £37.

Meanwhile, ACW’s autumn music programme features a Swing Band Dance Night with The Bright Street Band (Saturday, October 5), with tickets costing £12.

The previous Saturday (October 5), sees one of the UK’s top Queen tribute bands. Queen UK are headed by the highly talented singer and musician Billy West who has over 30 years’ experience working as the legendary Freddie Mercury. Tickets cost £15.

Throughout the autumn, ACW will continue to host its Friday Folk Gathering on the first Friday of each month between 1pm and 4pm.

ACW’s autumn film programme will also be in full swing, kicking off with Wednesday matinees (Wicked Little Letters, The Colour Purple, The Taste of Things and The Holiday) a Halloween double bill (The Exorcist and Hereditary) and special screenings for parents and babies under two (Mean Girls and Lisa Frankenstein).

In addition, the Sunderland Film Club - Wearside’s documentary-focused community cinema - is presenting four films: Summer of Soul (Thursday, August 22); Mayor (Thursday, September 19); Much Ado About Dying (Thursday, October 24) and The Work (Thursday, November 21). Tickets for each showing cost £5. 

Most read:

Get more from The Northern Echo with a Premium Plus digital subscription from as little as only £1.50 a week.

ACW will screen two Heritage Reels – talks alongside archive films and heritage-themed documentaries, with tickets costing £4. The first is A Passion for Vaux (Wednesday, September 11) which tells the story of the demise of Sunderland’s iconic brewery after 162 years of brewing tradition.

A second Heritage Reel, In the Veins: Coal Communities, will be screened at ACW on Tuesday, November 5. This new film looks at the rich history of mining in the region and its connection with communities across the North East.

Matt Blyth, culture and heritage officer at Sunderland Culture, said: “We’ve worked hard to ensure we have something for everyone in our autumn programme.”

For more information on the programme, or to book tickets, visit: www.artscentrewashington.co.uk