Former Cabinet minister turned broadcaster Michael Portillo is bringing his life story to Reading as part of a major nationwide theatre tour.
Titled The Michael Portillo Show, the live production visits The Hexagon on Thursday, 4 March, with the performance getting under way at 7.30pm.
The son of a Spanish Civil War refugee, Portillo rose to the upper tiers of British politics, serving in Margaret Thatcher’s government and later launching a bid for the leadership of the Conservative Party.
His defeat in the 1997 General Election became one of the most memorable moments in modern UK political history. And instead of becoming a talking head on the likes of NewsNight and Channel 4 News, he instead has flourished in a second career in television and radio.
Since leaving frontline politics, he has become a fixture on British screens, sparring with Diane Abbott and Andrew Neil on late-night political shows before fronting long-running documentary series charting great railway journeys across the globe.
In the stage show, Portillo traces his path from his family roots to his international travels across Spain, the United States, and India.
Audiences can expect first-hand accounts of working alongside Margaret Thatcher, candid thoughts on the nature of political power, his early ventures into television, and the historical tales unearthed along railway lines worldwide.
For theatregoers who cannot wait until March to catch the show in Reading, Michael Portillo makes several stops across the wider region during the tour’s autumn run.
He visits The Anvil in Basingstoke on Tuesday, 27 October, with tickets priced at £38, £43, £53, and £63 via www.anvilarts.org.uk/events/an-evening-with-michael-portillo.
The following night, Wednesday, 28 October, he heads to G Live in Guildford, where tickets range from £37.00 to £68.74 (£37.00, £42.74, £47.99, £58.24, and £68.74), available at https://trafalgartickets.com/g-live-guildford/en-GB/event/other/an-evening-with-michael-portillo-tickets.
On Thursday, 29 October, the tour moves to the New Theatre Oxford, with ticket prices starting at £36.74 and running through £42.46, £48.20, £59.68, £71.16, up to £154.38, bookable through www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-michael-portillo-show/new-theatre-oxford/.
When is Michael Portillo coming to Reading, and how can I get tickets?
The Michael Portillo Show comes to The Hexagon, Queens Walk, Reading, RG1 7QF, on Thursday, 4 March, with the performance starting at 7.30pm.
Balcony seating ranges from £33.49 to £45.49, while stalls and arena tickets are priced between £45.49 and £53.49, including a £3.50 commission fee. One free personal assistant ticket is available for eligible customers.
Bookings can be made online via Reading Arts at https://whatsonreading.com or by calling the box office on 0118 960 6060.
National tour details are also available at www.fane.co.uk/michael-portillo.
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