OPENING on Thursday 12th September is Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic An Enemy of the People – a play about contemporary environmental issues and crises of the public good.

When Dr Teresa Stockmann discovers the town’s famous spa waters are poisoned, she expects to be congratulated for drawing attention to the fact and averting an environmental catastrophe. Instead, her brother – who also happens to be the local mayor – accuses her of threatening the town’s livelihood. As public and media opinion divides, the community splits into factions. Who can be trusted and who are deemed to be ‘enemies of the people’? Yvette Huddleston, the play’s director, describes the play as “a powerful, multi-layered drama that is given a contemporary spin in this modern-day adaptation. While Ibsen’s original play was written over a hundred years ago, the themes it deals with – the corrupting influence of power, how commercial gain can trump morality, humankind's damaging effect on the environment and the importance of protecting the truth and freedom of speech – remain timely and pressing. As well as tackling those thorny issues, the play also explores family dynamics, passion, ambition and personal integrity.” This timely and gripping play runs until 21st September.

This season’s poetry and literature course is a combined ten-week course starting on Thursday 5th September. The literature element of the course tackles the work of French novelist Marcel Proust and attempts to remove the intimidation factor that his writing can sometimes present. The course offers a friendly, supportive and encouraging environment in which to delve into his work. The poetry section of the course concerns ‘place’ – a subject that has long fascinated poets. Pastoral, landscape, cityscape, nature – a host of locations have inspired poets to contemplate the relationship between humans and the places we inhabit. The course features poetry from the Romantics to the 21st Century, from Wordsworth to Armitage. The course tutor is Dr Robert Hemmings who has been teaching, researching and writing about literature and culture for more than twenty-five years. He is passionate about lifelong learning and is delighted to have this opportunity to read and discuss poetry and literature at Ilkley Playhouse.

The first of our two fringe productions of the Autumn/Winter season is Sam Steiner’s 2015 play Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons which will be performed in the Wildman Studio from 26th to 28th September. Imagine a world in which you’re only allowed to speak 140 words a day. This play imagines exactly that, when, living in a parallel version of present-day society, couple Oliver and Bernadette are forced to restrict their daily utterances under a so-called Quietude Bill. Those in soured relationships might welcome such curbed communication, but for Oliver and Bernadette, who met before the law is passed and whose jobs as a songwriter and lawyer respectively revolve around words, it is a major imposition that puts their romance to the test. Sam Steiner’s playful romantic comedy drama, originally performed at Warwick Arts Theatre and then at the Edinburgh Festival in 2015, recently transferred to the West End and offers a magnetic and moving look into the importance of what we say, how we say it and what happens when we can’t say anything at all.

Popular Celtic folk trio band Roisin Ban return to Ilkley Playhouse on Friday 1st November for an evening of lively, Celtic folk music and song. Playing a mix of traditional Irish and Scottish folk songs and tunes, this accomplished band is well-respected on the UK folk scene.

Our first Stagefright Comedy Club of the season takes place on Saturday 2nd November. The event will be frontlined by Mick Ferry who is renowned as a fine purveyor of surrealism and voted best UK Stand-Up in a national poll of his peers. Mick has starred in The Comedy Store for Comedy Central, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Edinburgh Comedy Fest, The World Stands Up aswell as the Ken Loach film Looking for Eric. Joining him will be comedian Karl Porter – a fantastic natural born gagster from the North-West England. A ‘Lad of the Year’ nominee, you can’t but help love his cheeky and unique self-deprecation, laced with tall tales and hilarious observations. Stevie Cairns will also be performing, described as having ‘an immediately likeable stage presence, delivering inventive storytelling material and memorable punchlines’. Joining them will be Andy Ellis, described as ‘one of the best new acts around’ (Micky P Kerr – Britain’s Got Talent Finalist). The event will be compered by Anthony J Brown.

On Friday 22nd November a group of five of the finest musicians around today make their debut performance at Ilkley Playhouse. Stony Jazz are purveyors of songs from the Great American Songbook. Their set includes instantly recognisable songs from swing to blues and ballads to Latin, which are performed with style, energy and entertainment.

To book tickets for all our plays and events visit www.ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk or contact Ilkley Playhouse box office on 01943 609539.