SpongeBob SquarePants

3 February 2009 - 8 February

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre

The Sponge Who Could Fly – A New Musical
Take a look at what's surfacing on stage at Hackney Empire: direct
from the hit television show.... SpongeBob SquarePants - The Sponge
Who Could Fly! Join SpongeBob, Patrick and their zany Bikini Bottom
pals in a new musical as SpongeBob embarks on his dream to fly with
the jellyfish.

Will he take flight, or will his dream come crashing down to the
ocean floor? It's a tale too exciting to be kept undersea! So dive
into the UK stage premiere of the exciting musical about dreams,
friendship and soaring to new heights, SpongeBob SquarePants - the
Sponge Who Could Fly!

Price(s): £25, £20, £15. U18s 50% off all tickets. Family Ticket £70

Tuesday 3 – Thursday 5 Feb 7.00pm
Friday 6 & Saturday 7 Feb 7.30pm
Saturday 7 February 4:30 pm
Sunday 8 February 11:00 am & 2.00pm

Ashley J & TJ Acting Up

Friday 30 January / Saturday 31 January / Sunday 8 February / Sunday
15 February / Sunday 22 February
8.00pm
Venue: Hackney Empire Studio Theatre
Price: £8

After taking the 291 show by storm Ashley J (EastEnders, Locked In,
Trouble TV's Bump n Grind) and Tee-J (BBC's Kerching!, ch4 and MTV's
Dubplate Drama, The Bill) present ACTing Up! an improvised comedy
game show where you the audience decide what happens! See the young
performers of today create comical scenes from your suggestions
LIVE! Plus guess performers.

RSC - Othello
10 February 2009 - 14 February 2009

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre

Price(s): £22, £19, £16.50, £15.50, £5 tickets for 16 - 25 - must be
purchased from 10am on the day of the performance.

The RSC returns to the Hackney Empire with Othello following last
year's acclaimed Noughts and Crosses. Taking the title role is
Patrice Naiambana, who recently appeared in the Royal Shakespeare
Company's acclaimed Histories Cycle. Natalia Tena, best known for
her role as Tonks in the Harry Potter films, makes her RSC debut to
play Desdemona, whilst Michael Gould, whose recent credits include
Women of Troy and Attempts on her Life for the National Theatre,
rejoins the Company to play Iago.

Othello is an African general working for the Venetian State. When
he and Desdemona, a senator's daughter, fall in love, they marry
secretly knowing their union will not be approved. Their love should
signal a celebration of difference, the triumph of love over
prejudice and intolerance. Instead it is destroyed by jealousy. A
story of its time and for our time, full of terror and beauty,
Othello is urgent, gripping and radical.

Othello is directed by Kathryn Hunter, whose work as a director
includes Everyman for the RSC, Pericles and The Comedy of Errors
(Globe Theatre), Mr Puntila and his man Matti (Almeida, Albery and
Traverse Theatre) and Glory of Living by Rebecca Gilman for the
Royal Court. Katherine is also a former associate member of
Complicite, with whom she won an Olivier Award for her performance
in The Visit.

Audio Described Performance and Touch Tour - Sat 14 Feb, 2.30pm
Captioned Performance Wed 11 Feb, 7.30pm

Participation Events:
Othello nights – Sat 7 Feb 10am – 4.30pm. A one day workshop
exploring the themes of Othello in a modern day context led by urban
arts collective Punch. 8-15yrs. FREE Book at the Box Office
Post-Show Talk Back - Fri 13 Feb. Put your questions to the Acting
Company and members of the Creative Team - Approx 40min. FREE
Education - For information on Teacher INSET, workshops for KS4 and
KS5 students attending a performance, or
Tuesday 10 February 2009 7:30 pm
Wednesday 11 February 2009 7:30 pm
Thursday 12 February 2009 7:30 pm
Friday 13 February 2009 7:30 pm
Saturday 14 February 2:30 pm
Saturday 14 February 7:30pm

To Have and to Honk
Friday 13 February & Saturday 14 February
8:00 pm
Venue: Hackney Empire Studio Theatre

Price(s): £12.50. Concs: £10.50

In The Honk Project's brand new show, To Have and to Honk, four
musicians are on their way to a wedding. But, in true Honk form, the
journey doesn't quite go according to plan…

With their special blend of amiable chaos and hilarious physical
theatre, The Honk Project will have you laughing until you cry, even
as you thrill to the musical delights on offer.

Come along for an hour, laugh and listen, and enjoy a unique and
honkingly good show – a joy for audiences of all ages.

(Suitable for EVERYONE, from 5 years and upwards!)

Eyes Down, Pens Ready
Friday 13 February & Saturday 14 February 2009
9.30pm
Venue: Hackney Empire Studio Theatre

Price(s): £12.50, Concs: £2 off

Broken Leg Theatre presents a hilarious observatory comedy based in
a pub in a northern Lincolnshire town. From internet dating to free
parties, Eyes Down, Pens Ready encapsulates what it is to live in a
small town and how the smallest of things become the biggest of
deals when mates get together over a few pints.

`With dialogue good enough for a prime time sitcom, delivered to
explosive laughter from the audience, this is a production that
could run and run.' Latest 7, Brighton.

It's the night of the weekly pub quiz and tonight the stakes are
high with a possible £500 cash prize. Four friends slog it out
against locals, as the quiz, headed up by Karaoke Dave puts these
friendships to the test as old rivalries and loves lost rise to the
surface.

Get Eyes Down, Pens Ready and The Honk Project for just £10 each
when booked at the same time!

Anansi and The Magic Mirror
19 February – 7 March

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre

The naughty spider-man is brought to life in a fun-packed family
show by the famous Talawa Theatre Company. Bring all your peeps to
laugh and learn from Anansi's antics! Starring Kat as Anansi
Anansi, the cheeky little spider-man, is up to his tricks again. But
this time he has bitten off more than he can chew. A little bit of
harmless fun lands him in a whole world of trouble when he takes a
magic mirror from Nana Susu's magic shop.

Talawa Theatre Company weaves together storytelling, dance, music,
song and a lot of laughter to bring to life Anansi and the vivid
animal characters that inhabit his world.
Preview tickets just £10! 19 - 21 Feb
Family Ticket: for every full paying adult, a child goes 1/2 price!
Price(s): £10 Previews. Premium (All shows Fri, Sat, Sun): £11,
£15.50, U16: £9.50. Standard (all shows weekdays): £9, £13.50, U16:
£7.50.

Hackney Empire Theatre
291 Mare Street
London E8 1EJ
Box Office 020 8985 2424
www.hackneyempire.co.uk