Granite Noir 2024 leads villainously entertaining line-up of shows announced by Aberdeen Performing Arts

A tantalising trio of criminally good productions have been unveiled by Aberdeen Performing Arts as the first shows in the line-up for Aberdeen’s crime writing festival Granite Noir for 2024, alongside a string of hit shows bound for the North East next year.

Legendary actor David Suchet will come to the Music Hall for one night only on February 20 with Poirot and More, serving as a perfect precursor to the festival which will take place from February 22-25 and feature the fascinating ‘The Makings of a Murderer’ at the Music Hall on February 22 alongside a week-long run of Twelve Angry Men at His Majesty’s Theatre from February 20-24. Further announcements for Granite Noir will be made soon.

Today’s announcement also includes further exciting productions heading for His Majesty’s Theatre, the Music Hall and the Lemon Tree. Continuing the villainous theme, Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch will be sailing in to Aberdeen from March 12-16, while Calendar Girls the Musical will lift spirits from February 13-17 and Sing-a-long-a Matilda the Musical brings the feelgood factor on February 10.

The next instalment of Rona Munro’s renowned James plays, James V: Katherine will visit the Lemon Tree from April 30 to May 1, while the much-loved Aberdeen Student Show returns to His Majesty’s Theatre from April 24 to April 27 with Mounthoolin Rouge. Young theatre-goers will be thrilled by Peppa Pigs’s Fun Day Out, which will come to His Majesty’s from July 17 to July 18.

Aberdeen Performing Arts Director of Programming and Creative Projects, Ben Torrie, said: “This is a wickedly entertaining line up of new shows, from the gritty to the glamorous, and from the cream of local talent to world famous names. We can’t wait to bring the living legend that is David Suchet to the Music Hall in February, and for the fascinating and insightful The Makings of a Murderer and the brilliant Twelve Angry Men warming us up nicely for Granite Noir 2024.

“The gloriously fun Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula will be a hugely entertaining twist on a Disney classic, while the student show is always a highlight in our programme.

We’re delighted that Rona Munro’s James V will be bringing the very best of Scottish theatre to the Lemon Tree and the wonderfully heartwarming Calendar Girls is not to be missed.

“There will be further announcements coming soon for Granite Noir, so watch this space!”

David Suchet will visit the Music Hall with Poirot and more: A Retrospective. Audiences will have the chance to experience a rare opportunity with one of the world’s most celebrated and fascinating actors of our time.

Meet the actor behind the detective and the many faces he’s portrayed on stage and screen over a career spanning five decades. Discover why David Suchet is renowned for not only becoming the role, but also taking on the personalities of some of television, film and theatre’s most fascinating characters. A retrospective look at David’s career will have you witness some of his most beloved performances in a new and intimate light.

True crime fans, and those with a curious mind, can explore the cases, the circumstances and the detective’s perspective on what really went on, the early warning signs and the clues behind The Makings of a Murderer with Detective David Swindle.

What makes a serial killer tick? What are the tell-tale signs? What really goes on behind the scenes?

Learn about the biggest British serial killers of all time – including Jack the Ripper, Peter Tobin, Harold Shipman, Peter Sutcliffe and ‘Killer Couples’ – Fred and Rose West and The Moors Murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.

With more than 34 years as a senior detective, David shares his unique insight into the minds of the murderers, the famous cases that were never solved, and how the murderer got away with it – from someone on the inside.

Twelve Angry Men will visit His Majesty’s Theatre from February 20-24. Twelve jurors have murder on their minds and a life in their hands as they decide the fate of a young delinquent accused of killing his father. But what appears to be an open and shut case soon becomes a dilemma for the twelve, as their prejudices and preconceived ideas about the accused, the trial and each other turn the tables every which way, until the nail-biting climax.

Critically acclaimed musical parody Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch comes to Aberdeen in March. Cruella told her side, and Maleficent’s had her moment, and now the legendary sea witch is ready to spill in this tell-all tale of sex, sorcery and suckers – a laugh-a-minute dive through Ursula’s backstory filled with a filthy pop soundtrack, much loved characters as you’ve never seen them before and enough (eco-friendly) glitter to keep you sparkling all the way home.

Following the death of a much-loved husband, Calendar Girls follows a group of ordinary women in a small Yorkshire Women’s Institute who are prompted to do an extraordinary thing and set about creating a nude calendar to raise money for charity.

But upturning preconceptions is a dangerous business and none of the women are prepared for the emotional and personal ramifications they will face as the fabulous and funny calendar brings each woman unexpectedly into flower.

The story of the Calendar Girls launched a global phenomenon: a million copycat calendars, a record-breaking movie, stage play and now a musical written by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth which coined the term “craughing” – the act of crying and laughing at the same time!

With unforgettable songs, every performance continues to add to the millions already raised for Blood Cancer UK and prove that there is no such thing as an ordinary woman.

The award-winning Aberdeen student show is back with Mounthoolin Rouge. Gregor McEwan moves to the bricht lichts o’ Aberdeen to start at Nescol. His new digs overlook the cooncil’s latest attempt to win back public favour – the Mounthoolin Rouge! A brand new club on the Mounthooly roundabout. It’s nae lang afore he and his pals are immersed in the mesmerising spectacle (and undeniable chaos) o’ the club and the folk who work there, in a bid to save it from closure. Will they save I’day? Of course they will, Come Fit May!

Tickets for all of these shows go on sale on to Friends of Aberdeen Performing Arts on Thursday, October 5 and on general sale on Friday, October 6 from www.aberdeenperformingarts.com, phone (01224) 641122 or visit the box office at His Majesty’s Theatre or the Music Hall.