Dazzling and sequin-studded, Kiss Me Quickstep is a play about the world of ballroom dance, taking us behind the fixed smiles and fake tan to look at the real lives of those for whom ballroom dancing is everything.

Justin and Jodie have finally made it to the national ballroom-dancing championships in Blackpool – via the motorway hard shoulder. Luka's come all the way from Russia. Nancy's been training for this since she was three. Lee and Samantha arrive on a wave of success.

But what if your dance-floor dreams are turning into a nightmare? How do you stop dancing to other people's tunes? What can you do if your partner's secret could cost you the crown? And, even when the whole world's at your feet, it only takes one false step...

Amanda Whittington's Kiss Me Quickstep premiered at New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, in 2016, in a co-production between the New Vic and Oldham Coliseum Theatre.

'The combination of Amanda Whittington – a writer with an uncommon knack for intelligent, accessible drama – and the gladiatorial arena of sequins and tailcoats is a match made in ballroom heaven'

'A joy from start to finish…[an] entertaining mix of comedy, drama and delightful dancing'

Amanda Whittington is one of the most widely performed playwrights in the UK. Her plays include Be My Baby (Soho Theatre, 1998), Satin ’n’ Steel (Nottingham Playhouse, 2005), Ladies' Day (Hull Truck, 2005) and its sequel Ladies Down Under (Hull Truck, 2007), The Thrill of Love (New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, 2013) and Kiss Me Quickstep (New Vic Theatre, 2016). She has adapted Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, My Judy Garland Life and Tipping the Velvet for the stage. She writes regularly for BBC Radio 4, contributing to the Woman's Hour serial and Afternoon Play slots. Her stage plays have also become a popular choice for amateur, community and school productions across the country.