More shows announced for Liverpool Theatre Festival 2022

Liverpool Theatre Festival returns in five weeks for its third consecutive year – and it’s back boasting its biggest programme yet bursting with talent, exciting new shows, and plenty of music, glamour, and comedy.

Organisers have announced the next round of shows, which showcases a strong variety and cabaret theme for the 2022 event. The announcement also coincides with the festival’s lead sponsor and partner confirmed. 

The line-up currently features 14 shows on sale, including three hugely popular shows which continually wow Edinburgh Festival Fringe audiences – they are coming direct to Liverpool for the very first time.

Liverpool Theatre Festival 2022 will take place at outdoors within the walls of the historic St Luke’s Bombed Out Church in Liverpool city centre between Wednesday 31 August and Sunday 11 September 2022.

The programme for the Autumn event features comedy, drama, musicals, drag, family shows, and opera.

Credit: David Munn

Now added to the programme are I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical; Fear And Misery Of The Third Reich; Not Drunk But Disorderly; Holy Moly Cabaret; The Wind In The Willows; and Venus Rising.

Organisers are delighted to add three shows which all won rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. I Wish My Life Were Like A Musicalopens the festival on Wednesday 31 August; while Julie Madly Deeply and Looking For Me Friend – The Music Of Victoria Wood close the event on Sunday 11 September. They will come direct from the Scottish capital to debut at Liverpool Theatre Festival.

While Drunk But Not Disorderly returns after its successful premiere at Little LTF (Liverpool Theatre Festival Of New Works) earlier this year – organisers have now invited the production to be part of the main event. It joins the previously announced 97+ – A Drama Based On The 1989 Hillsborough Disaster, which also premiered at Little LTF and is now included in the main programme.

Also, celebrated Liverpool writer Ian Salmon (Girls Don’t Play Guitars, The Comeback Special, and Those Two Weeks) is back with a brand new version of one of his first successful plays. Venus Rising is a very modern love story about loss, regret, the decisions we make, and finding out what we actually need.

Liverpool Theatre Festival is also launching a brand new night featuring the finest and quirkiest cabaret acts from across the region including comedy, burlesque, music, and circus. Holy Moly Cabaret is hosted by the super talented Nana Funk and stars include Liverpool’s very own glamour queen, Millie Dollar.

Liverpool Theatre Festival 2022 also includes Laughterhouse Comedy; Ma Joyce’s Tales From The Parlour; Opera Beneath The Stars; Dame Fanny & The Starlets – A Family Friendly Drag Show; Drag Me To Church – Dragstravaganza; Julie Madly Deeply; and Looking For Me Friend – The Music Of Victoria Wood.

The full programme will be announced shortly.

The multi award-winning festival continues to grow in popularity and standing in the performing arts industry, and this week organisers have announced the lead sponsor Victor Welsh Media & Entertainment Law and lead partner Fostering Solutions who are supporting this year’s event.

Victor Welsh Media & Entertainment Law is a boutique legal firm geared up to meet the specific needs of those working in the creative industries including music, theatre, film, television, publishing, games design, or other creative ventures. They advise on matters relating to copyright, intellectual property, contracts and agreements, disputes, and new and start-up media businesses.

Fostering Solutions are keen to get involved in the local community and spread the word about fostering. Based on Smithdown Road in Liverpool, the team will be present at Liverpool Theatre Festival at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church to share their message – every day, two children in Liverpool go into care and need foster care. Fostering Solutions recently launched its first ever TV advert to appeal for foster carers.

Ticket Quarter is also on-board as an event sponsor. Ticket Quarter provides a full range of ticketing services for clients throughout the UK. Building on the strength and experience of managing M&S Bank Arena Liverpool and Exhibition Centre Liverpool box offices, they are experts when it comes to powering events and audiences for promoters, venues, and organisers. Services include a fully customised and integrated ticketing website to enhance the customer experience, and branded ticket hotline.

Liverpool Theatre Festival 2022 partners also include The Epstein Theatre, dBS Solutions, and Bills Elms Associates.

Liverpool-based children’s charity KIND is this year’s official charity partner, which includes bucket collections at show performances.Liverpool Theatre Festival 2022 is dedicated to the memory of Baby Michael James who would have been celebrating his 21st Birthday this September.

Liverpool Theatre Festival was created by Liverpool theatre producer Bill Elms, who has worked in the theatre industry for more than 30 years. Theatres and live entertainment venues were ordered to close immediately under the Government’s first national Covid-19 lockdown guidelines in March 2020.

It was Bill’s mission to reinvigorate and boost the city’s live performance and creative arts sector, offering a lifeline when it was needed most.Liverpool Theatre Festival was created in a matter of weeks. Its inaugural staging won praise from audiences and critics alike, as well as winning many awards along the way.

Producer and artistic director Bill Elms commented:

“In just five weeks we’ll be welcoming Liverpool Theatre Festival back to St Luke’s Bombed Out Church for its third consecutive year – and what will be our biggest ever festival. The event has firmly established itself with creatives and performers and has won many festivalgoer fans since it was launched in Autumn 2020. It’s been welcomed with open arms across the region and we continue to strive to give everyone diverse choice, quality live entertainment, and real value for money.

Bill Elms

“The shows announced so far showcase a strong variety and cabaret theme – something to give us all a lift, the perfect tonic, and what we all really need right now. We’re thrilled to programme three shows which have already wowed Edinburgh Fringe Festival audiences, as well as bringing back two shows from Little LTF earlier this year which really made their mark. We’ve still got more shows to announce so watch this space.”

Liverpool Theatre Festival is committed to supporting local artists, creatives, and theatre companies. During the two events in 2021, a total of 30 local and regional diverse theatrical productions were staged – resulting in almost 200 performers, musicians and creatives involved and working as the pandemic continued.

Visit the Liverpool Theatre Festival website here for updates and info.