Welcome to LipService Theatre!

New for 2025, Funny Stuff

New show for 2025. "Funny Stuff", written and performed by Sue Ryding

LipService Theatre was created by comedy duo Sue Ryding and the late Maggie Fox. During a 40 year career together they created 22 original comedies for the theatre, won multiple awards, plus a series on Radio 4 and many TV appearances.

"The Laurel and Hardy of literary deconstruction" The Guardian

"In terms of comic inventiveness they are unstoppable force" Time Out

To commemorate 40 years of LipService, Sue will write a new show, "Funny Stuff". In 2022 her comedy partner Maggie Fox died and Sue was left with a shipping container full of stage props, costumes, wigs, hats, shoes, sheep, you name it. This show looks at all the “stuff” we accumulate, hoard and hate to let go. In this humorous and creative response to grief, Sue struggles to part with a life sized stuffed sheep, a badger onesie, some ruby slippers, a sinking bog, Charlotte Bronte’s knickers and a host of soft toys. Touring anecdotes are combined with archive footage from LipService shows. We follow the stories of things Sue has already given away, the wicker horse that appeared every night in an improvised panto, the vintage suitcases turned into a sculpture in Stockport, the crazy Chief Exec of the Tall Ships Festival who dresses up as a fish! Not all the items will be making it back up the loft ladder, so the audience is invited to take something home. Sue is aiming to end up with “the right stuff”, a small selection that captures the essence of LipService Theatre to go into a national theatre collection. Help Sue on her journey of letting go.

Touring Spring/Autumn 2025

To coincide with the launch of the LipService Theatre digital archive at Manchester Central Library

 

Chateau Ghoul “Most Haunted” event – watch online

To celebrate the life of comedy legend Maggie Fox, LipService  present a digital version of the Chateau Ghoul stage show. Chateau Ghoul Encore Une Fois  combines filmed footage from the live stage show, plus archive LipService clips. So lots of Maggie to enjoy on film. With a special introduction by Gwenda Hughes, who interviews Sue Ryding and Mark Chatterton. Plus a special guest appearance from LipService favourite Darren Southworth. Darren is reprising his role of Dean from Desperate to be Doris. Dean is now caretaker at Chateau Ghoul, but possessed by the spirit of Judy Garland! Watch here

The Bronte sisters in quarantine

Mrs Gaskell’s online book club

Our mission

LipService create original comedies from a distinctly female perspective. We have won many awards, most recently the Stage Door Foundation Award for Excellence.

LipService Theatre is delighted to be an Associate Artist at Salford University.

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LipService Upcoming Shows

  • The Chateau Ghoul "Most Haunted" Event
  • Encore Une Fois
  • Watch here on You Tube
  • Audio Described version here
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  • Lip Service - A Life of Laughter
  • Watch for free on our YouTube channel here
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  • Funny Stuff
  • Friday 7th February
  • The Heron Theatre
  • Milnthorpe, Cumbria
  • Book tickets
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  • Funny Stuff
  • Thursday 13th Feb
  • The Met, Bury
  • Tickets not yet on sale
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  • Funny Stuff
  • Tuesday 18th Feb
  • CAST in Doncaster
  • Tickets not yet on sale
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  • Funny Stuff
  • Wednesday 19th February
  • Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
  • Tickets not yet on sale
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  • Funny Stuff
  • Thursday 27th February
  • The Edge, Chorlton
  • Tickets not yet on sale
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  • Funny Stuff
  • 28th Feb/1st March
  • Harrogate Theatre
  • Tickets not yet on sale
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  • Funny Stuff
  • March 7th
  • Hull Truck Godber Studio
  • Tickets on sale from November
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  • Funny Stuff
  • March 13th
  • New Adelphi Studio
  • Salford University
  • Tickets not yet on sale
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  • More dates to follow in October including
  • Oldham, Pocklington, Cropredy & Sale

Audio Description introduction for the Chateau Ghoul “Most Haunted” event

LipService – A Life of Laughter