Julie Hesmondhalgh, Natalie Gavin, Jesse Jones and Tessa Parr are to perform in the world premiere of There Are No Beginnings, a Leeds Playhouse production by Yorkshire writer Charley Miles. 
Directed by Amy Leach (Hamlet, Road, Romeo & Juliet, Leeds Playhouse), There Are No Beginnings will be the first production in the Bramall Rock Void, an intimate new theatre space created as part of the Playhouse’s capital redevelopment.   

Leeds Playhouse Associate Director Amy Leach said: “Opening the Bramall Rock Void with There Are No Beginnings is a thrilling celebration of local talent. Charley Miles’ relationship began with us a number of years ago through our Furnace programme including being our Channel 4 Writer in Residence in 2017, during which she was inspired to write about what it was like to be a woman in Leeds at the time of so-called Yorkshire Ripper. She interviewed participants from our Older People’s programme and many of their stories have fed in to the narrative, creating an important and empowering story. It’s amazing to be starting the season with a production that is so rooted in the city, highlighting incredible female resilience and solidarity. The production lends itself beautifully to the Bramall Rock Void and I am honoured to be directing it with this stellar cast.”


There Are No Beginnings follows the lives of four women living in Leeds across the five years when Peter Sutcliffe dominated news headlines. The play highlights female fear, strength and survival, exploring women’s experiences during the late 1970s and shining a light on solidarity and activism born from the time, particularly the Reclaim the Night movement.


The role of June will be played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, who makes her Leeds Playhouse debut. Julie is best known for her multi-award winning role as Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, and her powerful performance alongside Olivia Colman and David Tennant in Broadchurch, both ITV. She’s joined by Otley raised Tessa Parr as Sharon, whose definitive portrayal of Hamlet at Leeds Playhouse wowed critics back in March this year. Huddersfield born Natalie Gavin joins the cast, fresh from roles on Channel 4 in Ackley Bridge and on the BBC in Line of Duty and Gentleman Jack. Newcomer Jesse Jones from Bradford completes the cast as Fiona, graduating from East 15 Acting Schoolin 2018.


There Are No Beginnings will be supported by a programme of work exploring the real-life impact of the stories explored in the play. The Playhouse is hosting a series of post-show discussions to celebrate and amplify the work happening to support women in the city.


Integrated audio description will feature as part of every performance. The Playhouse will also host its first ever Parent & Baby Performance, allowing parents to enjoy a relaxed version of the play alongside their infants (under a year old).


There Are No Beginnings, Bramall Rock Void
Friday 11 October – Saturday 2 November, Press Night Wednesday 16 October
Box office 0113 213 7700. Book online leedsplayhouse.org.uk


MORE ABOUT LEEDS PLAYHOUSE... 

Leeds Playhouse opened nearly 50 years ago. It is a cultural hub, a place where people gather to tell and share stories and to engage in world class theatre. The Playhouse makes work which is pioneering and relevant, seeking out the best companies and artists to create inspirational theatre in the heart of Yorkshire. From large scale spectacles to intimate performance, the Playhouse develops and makes work for the stage, found spaces, touring, schools and community venues. As dedicated collaborators, Leeds Playhouse works regularly with other organisations from across the UK, and some of the most distinctive and original voices in theatre today. Through their Artistic Development programme Furnace, they develop work with established practitioners and find, nurture and support new voices. They cultivate artists by providing creative space for writers, directors, companies and individual theatre-makers to refine their practice at any stage of their career. The Playhouse’s sector-leading Creative Engagement team works with over 10,000 people aged 0 - 95 every year through a range of weekly workshops and exciting creative projects using theatre to open up possibilities, reaching out to refugee communities, young people, students, older people and people with learning disabilities. At the Playhouse there is always a way to get involved.  




Leeds Playhouse’s Autumn/Winter 2019 season will take place back in the redeveloped theatre following a £15.8 million transformation. The new building will include improved access to and around the theatre, a new city-facing entrance and the addition of a new studio theatre, the Bramall Rock Void. The full season consists of: OPEN WEEKEND (11 – 13 October), where visitors are given the opportunity to explore and rediscover the newly transformed theatre at the heart of Quarry Hill through a series of free events; LUNG Theatre return with award-winning TROJAN HORSE (3 – 5 October); Charley Miles’ pertinent new drama THERE ARE NO BEGINNINGS opens the Bramall Rock Void (11 October – 2 November); the club night run and for adults with learning disabilities BEAUTIFUL OCTOPUS CLUB (14 October) takes place in the building for the very first time; co-production of Hanif Kureishi’s MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDERETTE (23 – 27 October) plays in the Courtyard theatre; Leeds Playhouse Youth Theatre present INFLUENCE (31 October – 2 November) at Leeds City College; FURNACE FESTIVAL 2019 returns showcasing a weekend of works in progress (13 – 16 November); Inua Ellams’ critically acclaimed BARBER SHOP CHRONICLES returns (20 – 23 November); celebrating 80 years since the iconic film THE WIZARD OF OZ  (20 November – 25 January) is the Playhouse’s Christmas spectacular; Leeds Playhouse presents THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (30 November – 28 December); the The Egg and The Travelling Light present SNOW MOUSE (10 – 21 December), and the Playhouse proudly celebrates 10 years of Relaxed Performances this Christmas-time, pioneered at Leeds Playhouse and now adopted as standard practice in theatres worldwide.

Leeds audiences are encouraged to get their ‘rock’ on as the award-winning musical Rock of Ages makes its first ever visit to Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 29 July to Saturday 3 August 2019 
Now a global smash with hit seasons on Broadway, London’s West End and Las Vegas, and a star-studded Hollywood movie version starring (amongst others) Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Tom Cruise, Rock of Ages is an LA love story lavished with over 25 classic rock anthems, including The Final Countdown, I Want To Know What Love Is and We Built This City.
Starring in the lead role of Stacee Jaxx is boyband Blue member Antony Costa (Mon 29 Jul – Thu 1 Aug) and Strictly Come Dancing champion Kevin Clifton (Fri 2 – Sat 3 Aug). Kevin Kennedy (Coronation Street, Fat Friends The Musical), Zoe Birkett (Pop Idol) and Jodie Steele (Heathers The Musical) also star in the ultimate 80s rock ‘n’ roll musical.
Antony Costa and Blue have had three number one albums, previous theatre credits include the role of Mickey Johnstone in the West End production of Blood Brothers and the UK tour of Save The Last Dance For Me. Most recently he played the role of Roger Meadows in the UK tour of A Judgement in Stone.
Kevin Clifton is an international Ballroom and Latin dancer having won numerous titles across the world, including the Britain Latin Championships four times. He is best known as a Pro Dancer on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, and having reached the final in four consecutive series, was finally crowned Strictly champion in 2018 with television presenter and journalist Stacey Dooley. Kevin made his musical theatre debut in Dirty Dancing the Musical at the Aldwych Theatre in London’s West End before going on to become a principle dancer for the Burn The Floor Dance Company, performing in the show’s record breaking Broadway run, in London’s West End and across the world. Kevin also toured nationwide with Karen Clifton in 2017 and 2018 in their theatre showKevin and Karen Dance. 
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Warning: contains serious rock ‘n’ roll debauchery!

Rock of Ages is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 29 July to Saturday 3 August.
Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call Box Office on 0844 848 2700