Festive fun flies into Live Theatre as talented cast announced for family show Where Do All The Kittiwakes Go At Christmas?

A cracking cast has been announced for Live Theatre’s new festive tale, Where Do All The Kittiwakes Go At Christmas? Flying into the Quayside theatre from Tuesday 9 to Sunday 21 December. Bringing the feathered friends to life will be Newcastle-born performer Shannon McLean alongside Live Theatre favourite Malcolm Shields.

This delicious new wintry play is sure to have all the family squawking with laughter as it answers the question, where do those cheeky seabirds go when Christmas comes and there aren’t any fish and chips left to steal?

Actor and Theatre school owner Shannon McLean makes her Live Theatre debut in this alternative Christmas play. Her credits include Cinderella in A Crackin’ Cinderella Story (Webster’s Theatre), Mother for an Hour (feature film), Blue Jean (BBC Films) and The Wizard of Oz (Tron Theatre). 

Joining her is actor, dancer and choreographer Malcolm Shields. Notable theatre credits include Present (Live Theatre, Alphabetti Theatre), One Off  (Live Theatre), Floorboards and Trolley Boy (Alphabetti Theatre), Cinderella (Citizen’s Theatre) and When The Boat Comes In (Customs House). His choreography has been featured in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Six Characters Looking For An Author, and Couldn’t Care Less. On screen, Malcolm has appeared in Outlander, We Hunt Together, and Taggart. His film work includes I Daniel Blake and Young Adam.

Writer and director Jack McNamara said: “I’m totally thrilled to work with these two brilliant actors who between them, will play a variety of outrageous birds from around the world (plus an alien and a plastic bag, in a tale that takes on one of the biggest existential questions of our time: where do all those birds head off to at Christmas? Our little production is dedicated to the Slender Billed Curlew, declared officially extinct in 2024, but who might just make a spectral appearance on our stage this year.”

The cheeky Kittiwakes will start the story in shivery Newcastle but in no time will be flying around the world, meeting all kinds of outrageous friends and maybe even learning the secret to a long and happy life.

Where Do All The Kittiwakes Go At Christmas? plays at Tuesday 9 to Sunday 21 December. Tickets are available here.