Gina McKee returns to the Newcastle stage this October – but not in the 90s NE drama that made her famous

Peterlee-born BAFTA-winning actor Gina McKee is returning to the Newcastle stage this autumn – but not in the 1990s drama that first made her a household name.

McKee shot to fame in the much-loved TV serial Our Friends in the North, playing solicitor-turned-MP Mary Cox and winning a BAFTA for best actress in 1997. As the drama returns to Newcastle’s Theatre Royal (15-24 October 2026) to mark its 30th anniversary, it will feature an entirely new cast of young talent.

Instead, McKee will be lending her distinctive voice to Newcastle dance theatre company balletLORENT’s new production Hansel & Gretel and the Witch, which premieres at Northern Stage on 29 October 2026 before touring nationally in 2027.

Growing up in Easington and Sunderland, McKee is returning to the region, bringing her well-known voice to balletLORENT’s playful reimagining of the classic fairytale, which features a brand-new ending written by frequent collaborator and former poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

McKee joins an impressive line-up of narrators who have previously brought balletLORENT’s fairytale productions to life, including Joanna Lumley, Sarah Parish and Lindsay Duncan. She will lead audiences through a world filled with a sugar-glass house in the woods, an “all-you-can-eat” merry-go-round, a regenerating witch – and even two giant chickens.

The production, which is suitable for ages 5+, brings together a strong creative team, including Doctor Who composer Murray Gold, costume designer Nasir Mazhar, who has worked with Lady Gaga, and balletLORENT artistic director Liv Lorent MBE.

McKee pre-recorded her narration earlier this month under the direction of the show’s dramaturg Ben Crompton. A fellow actor and comedian, Crompton’s credits include Ideal with Johnny Vegas and Pramface, but he is perhaps best known for playing Dolorous Edd in Game of Thrones.

After appearing in Our Friends in the North, McKee has gone on to build an extensive career across stage and screen, with television credits including The Forsyte Saga, Line of Duty, Bodyguard, The Borgias and Catherine the Great. Her film work includes Notting Hill, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread and My Policeman.

She is also a familiar face on the stage, most recently appearing in the West End transfer of The Years, for which she received an Olivier Award nomination. She previously starred in the National Theatre’s acclaimed Dear England, also earning an Olivier nomination.

McKee has recently completed filming Apple TV+ series The Wanted Man, created by George Kay and scheduled for release in autumn 2026.

Hansel & Gretel and the Witch plays at Northern Stage 29 October–1 November 2026. Tickets are available here.