Alison Spittle to tour Soup and premiere Christmas play, Glacier
Alison Spittle has announced a 2024 tour, just as her second play is about to debut.
The London-based Irish comic will perform Soup, the stand-up show about her complex PTSD which she launched at this year's Edinburgh Fringe, at a series of 25 dates next year, starting at the Forest Arts Theatre in New Milton on 18th January and including a four-night stint at the Soho Theatre.
Meanwhile, her first Christmas play, Glacier, receives its world premiere at Oxford's Old Fire Station on 4th December and runs until the 23rd. Starring Debra Baker (Liam Williams - Ladhood, Sliced), Emma Lau (Lagging) and Sophie Steer (Chickens), it follows three women on Christmas Day, all separately seeking solace at the tranquil Lake Foxleighmere.
Lucy thinks it's the perfect place for a good scream. Jools thinks it's the perfect place to escape her family, just for an hour. Dawn thinks it's the perfect place to become invisible. When all three create an unofficial tradition of swimming at the same place on Christmas Day every year, each character's troubles bubble to the surface and friendships develop.
"Never have I thought about Christmas so much all year round!" said Spittle. "I finished this play in a heatwave. With our director Madelaine Moore, our fantastic cast and the team at the Old Fire Station, I hope this play will make a splash. I am excited to see the new swimming groups pop up and the buzz around Oxford, it will be wonderful to see this play with a crowd. This show is an ode to the joyous, unkind and generally dull parts of adult friendships, especially around the festive season."
The comic's first play, Starlet, about a mismatched couple on an awkward date, debuted at the Dublin Fringe in 2019 and attracted a five star review from The Sunday Times.
Spittle has now finished her BBC podcast Wheel Of Misfortune, about humiliating incidents in listeners' lives that she began with Fern Brady, but more recently co-hosted with former pop star Kerry Katona.
However, she told the Irish Times that she is returning with another podcast next year and is developing a new show for the Edinburgh Fringe.
"I think I'm gonna call it Tits," she said. "Unless someone tells me not to, which might happen. So yeah - there's loads to look forward to."
Tour dates
Thursday 18 January: New Milton, Forest Arts
Friday 19, January: Fareham, Ashcroft Arts Centre
Saturday 27, January: Salford, The Lowry
Wednesday 7, February: Birmingham, The Glee Club
Saturday 17, February: Guildford, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Friday 23, February: Leicester, Firebug
Saturday 24, February: Norwich, Norwich Theatre
Thursday 29, February: Banbury, The Mill Arts Centre
Thursday 7, March: Winchester, The Arc
Sunday 10, March: Belfast, Limelight 2
Saturday 16, March: Hull, Hull Truck Studio
Sunday 17, March: Newcastle, The Stand
Wed 20 - Saturday 23, March: London, Soho Theatre
Thursday 28, March: Luton, The Hat Factory
Thursday 4, April: Bath, Rondo Theatre
Friday 5, April: Great Torrington, The Plough Arts Centre
Saturday 6, April: Bristol, Wardrobe Theatre
Friday 19, April: York, Pocklington Arts Centre
Saturday 20, April: Staffordshire, Foxlowe Arts Centre
Thursday 25, April: Glasgow, The Stand
Friday 26, April: Edinburgh, Monkey Barrel
Wednesday 8, May: Brighton, Komedia