By Grace Hatchell- Venturing Into Hull
Spring starts with a punch line at Hull Truck Theatre
Well now, Hull Truck Theatre has sent a rather lively bundle of letters into my satchel this week, and I must say March is looking wonderfully busy up in Hull. If you like your evenings filled with laughter, drama, a dash of mystery and the occasional mischievous musical number, then the Ferensway venue seems determined to keep audiences well entertained as the season turns.
Spring begins with plenty of comedy in the air. Hull favourite Kevin Precious returns to host Hull Truck Theatre’s Comedy Graduates Showcase on Tuesday 3 March, where graduates of the theatre’s 2026 stand-up comedy course will bravely step up to the microphone to perform their very first five-minute sets in front of a live audience. It’s always a little thrilling watching new comedians take those first steps.
Kevin himself says the course once again proves that Hull and the surrounding areas have no shortage of people ready to make us laugh. And if you enjoy Kevin’s style, he’ll be back later in the week with his own show, The Reluctant Teacher on Thursday 5 March. In it, he looks back on his former life as a teacher. Apparently he quite liked the teaching bit… it was all the other paperwork and nonsense that eventually drove him away.
The comedy continues with some familiar faces too. Crissy Rock, known to many from Benidorm and I’m A Celebrity, brings her brand new show An Evening With Crissy Rock to Hull Truck on Wednesday 4 March. Political wit meets cricket statistics when Andy Zaltzman arrives with The Zaltgeist on Saturday 7 March, blending audience interaction with a little help from modern technology. And one of the warmest voices in stand-up, Sara Pascoe, heads to Hull on Thursday 26 March with her show I Am A Strange Gloop.
Meanwhile, fans of big club comedy can look forward to Chuckl.Hull with Russell Kane on Saturday 14 March, promising a night packed with Kane’s famously quick-fire observations alongside a strong supporting line-up.
It isn’t just comedy keeping the theatre buzzing though. Drama lovers can step into a world of intrigue with The Grand Babylon Hotel running from Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 March. This rollicking comedy thriller brings glamour, chaos and a host of characters to life with just a cast of five performers playing many roles.
For something with a darker edge, The Makings of a Murderer – The Undercover Detective arrives on Friday 27 March. Former Scotland Yard undercover officer Peter Bleksley takes audiences behind the scenes of real investigations, sharing stories from the criminal underworld and his years solving murders.
Another powerful piece of theatre comes with Glitch – The True Story of the Post Office Scandal on Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 March. Presented by Rabble Theatre, the show explores one of the most shocking miscarriages of justice in British legal history through the experiences of Post Mistress Pam and her colleagues.
Music also takes centre stage with In The Air Tonight on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 March. This brand-new jukebox musical features fresh arrangements of familiar songs and invites audiences into the world of the Victoria Inn, a place where regulars gather to share stories and perhaps the occasional heartache.
Families are well looked after too. Young audiences aged three and above can join the adventure when Tall Stories brings Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s beloved tale The Gruffalo’s Child to life from Friday 20 to Saturday 21 March.
The theatre also presents Pied Piper on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 March, a lively re-imagining of the classic medieval story featuring beatboxers, musicians and plenty of musical wizardry. It’s recommended for audiences aged six and above.
For younger adventurers, A Great Easter Adventure runs from Saturday 28 to Tuesday 31 March. Children aged three to six can enjoy arts and crafts activities followed by a playful interactive show built around their creations.
Hull Truck’s Youth Theatre groups will also be taking to the stage throughout the month. Beyond the Fairytale appears on Tuesday 17 and Tuesday 24 March, exploring what might happen to some of our favourite fairytale characters beyond the stories we already know.
The Ring of Choice will be performed by Hull Truck Theatre Young Company and Seniors on Friday 20 and Saturday 28 March, taking audiences from medieval battles and tyrants to the modern world of smartphones and social media.
Meanwhile, the Junior Youth Theatre presents Big Small Lost Found Things on Saturday 21 March, a creative journey through imagination.
Film fans are not forgotten either thanks to the Hull Screen programme in the Godber Studio. Shakespeare’s Othello will be screened on Wednesday 4 March through Trafalgar Releasing, exploring themes of jealousy, manipulation and toxic masculinity.
Hull Independent Cinema will also present The History of Sound (15) on Wednesday 11 March, telling the story of a shared love of folk music that leads to a secret romantic relationship.
The theatre also invites audiences to join its First Thursday Theatre Club on Thursday 5 March, where Drama Worker Joe Beckett will guide participants through Theatre History: Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre, offering a practical and thoughtful exploration of one of Europe’s most influential theatrical minds.
From stand-up comedy and gripping drama to imaginative family shows and thoughtful cinema, Hull Truck Theatre seems determined to keep the city entertained throughout March.
And if you ask me, it’s exactly the sort of programme that proves spring in Hull starts not with flowers… but with a very good punchline.
Listings
Hull Truck Theatre’s Comedy Graduates Showcase
Date: Tuesday 3 March
Tickets: £8 (Low Availability)
Othello (Screening)
Date: Wednesday 4 March
Tickets: £16 | Concessions £2 off
Recommended Age: 12+ with parental supervision
An Evening with Crissy Rock
Date: Wednesday 4 March
Tickets: £24
Recommended Age: 16+
First Thursday Theatre Club – Theatre History: Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre
Date: Thursday 5 March
Tickets: £7.50
Kevin Precious: The Reluctant Teacher
Date: Thursday 5 March
Tickets: £15 | Concessions £2 off
Recommended Age: 14+
In The Air Tonight
Dates: Friday 6 – Saturday 7 March
Tickets: £15 | Concessions £2 off
Recommended Age: 14+
Andy Zaltzman: The Zaltgeist
Date: Saturday 7 March
Tickets: £21.50 (Low Availability)
Recommended Age: 14+
The Grand Babylon Hotel
Dates: Tuesday 10 – Friday 13 March
Tickets: £24 – £18 | Concessions £3 off
Recommended Age: 12+
The History of Sound (15)
Date: Wednesday 11 March
Tickets: £5 | HIC Members £4
Age Rating: 15
Chuckl. Hull with Russell Kane
Date: Saturday 14 March
Tickets: £26 (Low Availability)
Recommended Age: 14+
Beyond The Fairytale…
Dates: Tuesday 17 – Tuesday 24 March
Tickets: £6.50
Glitch – The True Story of the Post Office Scandal
Dates: Tuesday 17 – Wednesday 18 March
Tickets: £24 – £18 | Concessions £3 off
Recommended Age: 14+
The Gruffalo’s Child
Dates: Friday 20 – Saturday 21 March
Adults: £16.50 | Child: £14.50
Family & Friends Offer: £58
Recommended Age: 3+
The Ring of Choice
Dates: Friday 20 – Saturday 28 March
Tickets: £10 | Concessions £2 off
Big Small Lost Found Things
Date: Saturday 21 March
Tickets: £7
Pied Piper
Dates: Tuesday 24 – Wednesday 25 March
Tickets: Adults £15 | Child £13
Recommended Age: 6+
Sara Pascoe: I Am A Strange Gloop
Date: Thursday 26 March
Tickets: £27.50 | Concessions £4 off (Low Availability)
Recommended Age: 14+
The Makings of a Murderer – The Undercover Detective
Date: Friday 27 March
Tickets: £31.50 (Low Availability)
Recommended Age: 16+
A Great Easter Adventure
Dates: Saturday 28 – Tuesday 31 March
Tickets: £7.50 per child
For adventurers aged 3 – 6 years
Box Office
Hull Truck Theatre
50 Ferensway
Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
HU2 8LB
01482 323638
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