Sunderland’s Royalty Theatre is celebrating its 100th anniversary next year and their programme over the next few months has mouth-watering productions galore.

The above pic is an artist’s illustration of The Royalty Theatre’s opening party in 1925, when flappers mingled with slim moustached men (it might also be illustrative of Noel Coward’s ‘Private Lives’, which the theatre is staging next February). But over the past century, The Royalty has become a local institution with their in-house productions going down a storm with generation after generation. And, naturally, they’re not resting on their laurels. In December they have their ever-popular panto and this year Cinderella will once again be swooping into glass-slippered action (6-22 December). These productions are always enormous fun for all the family and their year’s showstopper has been penned by the theatre’s very own Jamie Lowes. Looking into 2025, what better way to kick off that all-important centenary year with the aforementioned Private Lives (18-22 February). Noel Coward’s evergreen comedy of manners – featuring honeymooners trading witty barbs – continues to sparkle like just poured champagne. Looking further ahead, the theatre also has the 2025 Sunderland & Durham One-Act Festival (5-8 March) and Shelagh Stephenson’s poignant and painfully funny comedy The Memory of Water (22-26 April). GM

Full listings and ticket details: royaltytheatre.co.uk