Our Friends in the North: The Thatcher Years Opens at Newcastle Theatre Royal
A new stage version of Peter Flannery's Our Friends in the North is running at Theatre Royal in Newcastle upon Tyne until Saturday 24 October 2026. The production runs for two hours and covers the years 1979 to 1984, with a focus on the Thatcher years.
The show is a co-production, meaning three organisations share the making and staging of it. Live Theatre, Eastlake Productions and Newcastle Theatre Royal are the partners. Eastlake Productions describes it as an adaptation of Flannery's play and TV series, and Flannery wrote the new version. Jack McNamara directed it.
The cast includes Ryan Nolan as Nicky, Sam Neale as Mary and Jack Robertson as Tosker. Scott Turnbull plays Geordie Peacock, and Jude Nelson plays both Elaine and Claudia Seabrook. Trevor Fox, who was in the original television cast, returns as the narrator and as Felix Hutchinson.
Evening performances start at 7.30pm. Matinees begin at 2pm on most days, and the Saturday matinee starts at 2.30pm, according to the theatre's listing. The show opened on Thursday 15 October.
Reviewing the production for WhatsOnStage, the critic describes an opening that places the audience in 1970s Newcastle through sepia tones and nostalgic nods, just as the city meets the changes of the Thatcher era. The same review criticises the use of stylised slow motion and spotlights, heavy explanation in the dialogue, and uneven pacing.
Live Theatre, the company that first developed the production, is one of the partners behind the project. This gives the Newcastle run its local roots.
For Newcastle audiences, the run is a chance to see a story set in their own city staged in a theatre on their own doorstep. The run is short, ten days in all, so anyone wanting a seat will need to book soon. Evening and matinee times vary across the week, so check the listing before travelling.
