Renaming and Revival: Lake District Theatre pays tribute to comedy legend Victoria Wood
The Old Laundry theatre in the picturesque Lake District is set to undergo a name change in honour of beloved comedian and playwright Victoria Wood, who passed away ten years ago. The venue, run by her friends Charlotte Scott and Roger Glossop, will now be known as the Victoria Wood Theatre from next year.
This anniversary marks an exciting new chapter for the theatre, which has a rich history of showcasing the work of this iconic talent. Wood was a trustee at the theatre in Bowness-on-Windermere, where she performed numerous times and even directed a revival of her play Talent in 2008. Her connection to the venue dates back to the late 1970s when Scott and Glossop worked with her on the premiere of Talent at the Sheffield Crucible.
In celebration of Wood's legacy, The Victoria Wood Theatre will stage a brand-new musical, Fourteen Again, featuring some of her most popular songs from Lucky Bag. The book has been written by Tom MacRae, who previously collaborated with Wood on his 2015 TV adaptation of Fungus the Bogeyman.
The musical is set to premiere in May and will also feature a special gala night on what would have been Wood's birthday, May 19th. This marks an important milestone for the theatre as it becomes one of the country's few playhouses named after a female creative – a testament to Wood's enduring impact on the world of comedy.
To commemorate her legacy, The Victoria Wood Theatre will also host its annual playwriting prize dedicated to comedy, which was first launched in 2022. The inaugural award, supported by BBC Comedy, went to Eugene O'Hare for his play Portugal last year.
The renaming and new productions mark a fitting tribute to the enduring spirit of Victoria Wood, whose work continues to entertain and inspire audiences to this day.
The Old Laundry theatre in the picturesque Lake District is set to undergo a name change in honour of beloved comedian and playwright Victoria Wood, who passed away ten years ago. The venue, run by her friends Charlotte Scott and Roger Glossop, will now be known as the Victoria Wood Theatre from next year.
This anniversary marks an exciting new chapter for the theatre, which has a rich history of showcasing the work of this iconic talent. Wood was a trustee at the theatre in Bowness-on-Windermere, where she performed numerous times and even directed a revival of her play Talent in 2008. Her connection to the venue dates back to the late 1970s when Scott and Glossop worked with her on the premiere of Talent at the Sheffield Crucible.
In celebration of Wood's legacy, The Victoria Wood Theatre will stage a brand-new musical, Fourteen Again, featuring some of her most popular songs from Lucky Bag. The book has been written by Tom MacRae, who previously collaborated with Wood on his 2015 TV adaptation of Fungus the Bogeyman.
The musical is set to premiere in May and will also feature a special gala night on what would have been Wood's birthday, May 19th. This marks an important milestone for the theatre as it becomes one of the country's few playhouses named after a female creative – a testament to Wood's enduring impact on the world of comedy.
To commemorate her legacy, The Victoria Wood Theatre will also host its annual playwriting prize dedicated to comedy, which was first launched in 2022. The inaugural award, supported by BBC Comedy, went to Eugene O'Hare for his play Portugal last year.
The renaming and new productions mark a fitting tribute to the enduring spirit of Victoria Wood, whose work continues to entertain and inspire audiences to this day.
! Renaming The Old Laundry theatre after Victoria Wood is an amazing way to celebrate her legacy. It's like they're saying 'we get it, she was a comedy genius' 
. I love that they're bringing back some of her popular songs in the new musical Fourteen Again, it's going to be so much fun! 
And hosting a playwriting prize dedicated to comedy is a great way to keep her spirit alive and inspire new talent. It's like the theatre is saying 'we're not done celebrating Victoria Wood yet' 
. Can't wait to see the gala night on May 19th, that's going to be epic! 
. This is literally the best news ever, and I'm so excited to see what the future holds for The Victoria Wood Theatre 
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! it's amazing how her legacy lives on through this theatre and her music 
. and to think she was a trustee at this very theatre in Bowness-on-Windermere 
! it's like they're bringing back part of her spirit through this whole project 
. i'll def be checking out the premiere and gala night 
!
The theatre's annual income is projected to grow by 15% next year, thanks to the new musical and other tributes. 
I mean, who wouldn't want to watch a brand-new musical featuring some of Victoria Wood's iconic songs? 
The theatre's Facebook page has gained over 10,000 new followers in just one week - that's some serious engagement, right? 
. also a playwriting prize is such a great idea, so many talented comedians deserve recognition 