Month: September 2015

WHAT’S THE SCOOP?

Theatre Cloud brings back successful Young Reporters Scheme for the third time to report on Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World at Darlington Civic Theatre.

TheatreCloud.com (www.theatrecloud.com), the interactive digital hub celebrating top-quality UK touring theatre, is launching its third national search for budding young arts journalists.

After successful campaigns centered around two historically set stories – Pat Barker’s World War I-set Regeneration and Arthur Miller’s 1950’s Brooklyn-based A View from the Bridge – Theatre Cloud’s Young Reporters Scheme returns to cover “the future”: Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, set in the year 2540.

Huxley’s ground-breaking dystopian novel bursts into life on stage in a world premiere, first-ever stage adaptation by award-winning playwright Dawn King, directed by Royal & Derngate, Northampton artistic director James Dacre, with original music by post-fun Brit-pop band These New Puritans.

This ‘Brave New World’ has no family, religion or war. Lust and pleasure have replaced love and art. People are safe, healthy and not afraid of death. They get what they want, and they never want what they can’t have. Everyone is happy now. When this stability is threatened, a young woman learns the pain of love as a young man gives into it.

As part of its new Young Reporters Scheme, TheatreCloud is recruiting would-be journalists, aged 17-30 years old, to report on the production’s run at Darlington Civic Theatre from Tuesday 10 to Saturday 14 November.

In the week that Brave New World hits Darlington, Young Reporters will not only see the show, they’ll be granted special access at the Civic Theatre to carry out a variety of Brave New World media assignments, including: interviews with the cast and related experts, video blogs, audience vox pops, crew diaries and backstage tour reports. All articles will be published, with bylines, on TheatreCloud.com.

Theatre Cloud’s Young Reporters Scheme is approved as part of the Arts Council-funded national Arts Award. Participation will prove invaluable for those gaining experience and credits while working towards their bronze, silver or gold level Arts Award.

To apply for scheme consideration, young people should tell Theatre Cloud in no more than 250 words, why they would like to be a Theatre Cloud young reporter, plus give one story idea around Brave New World at their local theatre, along with their name, age, address, twitter handle and contact details to [email protected]. Please note that this is unpaid work experience however a contribution towards expenses will be provided. Deadline for applications: Monday 26th October 2015

Brave New World is produced by the Touring Consortium Theatre Company and co-produced by Northampton Royal & Derngate Theatre.

ON TOUR WITH GILBERT & SULLIVAN

The National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company brings three classic Savoy Operas to Darlington Civic Theatre from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 September.

The National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company has embarked on its first major national tour with three brand new productions from Britain’s most famous theatrical partnership. It is the most ambitious professional light opera company tour since the late 1970’s and features three of the best known Gilbert and Sullivan works – The Mikado, The Gondoliers and HMS Pinafore.

Audiences will enjoy the wit and magic of Gilbert and Sullivan performed by many of the country’s leading exponents of the world famous Savoy operas – artistes renowned for their work in these quintessentially British masterpieces.

This year’s programme is directed by John Savournin, recently described as one of the finest G&S actor/directors of the present day. He has assembled an outstanding cast of G&S specialists which includes the experience of Richard Gauntlett, Bruce Graham, Oliver White, and Sylvia Clarke, working alongside the stars of tomorrow including Claire Lees, Amy J Payne, Elinor Moran, Robin Bailey and Kevin Greenlaw. The thirty five strong cast will be supported by the highly acclaimed National Festival Orchestra and the company’s resident conductor, David Steadman.

Ian Smith, Chairman and founder of the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company is proud and excited of its achievements and growing reputation. “What we offer our audiences are the best Gilbert & Sullivan productions they will see; they are faithful to the original foundations laid down by Gilbert himself; high quality acting and singing; young, enthusiastic and talented chorus; colourful costumes and sets and a fantastic orchestra. And the great thing is these are not just our words but the endorsement of national and regional press, theatre managers and, equally important, theatre goers.”

The Mikado – Tuesday 15 & Wednesday 16 September, 7.30pm

HMS Pinafore – Thursday 17 September, 2pm & 7.30pm

The Gondoliers – Friday 18 September, 7.30pm & Saturday 19 September 2.30pm & 7.30pm Tickets* are £19 to £32

*All ticket prices include a £1 restoration levy.

To book contact the Box Office on 01325 486 555 or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

X Factor star Joe McElderry is to don the dazzling coat of many colours as he takes the title role of Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The production will embark on a UK tour in 2016 with tour dates and venues to be announced.

Joe McElderry won The X Factor in 2009 and subsequently had a number one single with “The Climb”. He has since released four UK albums, won ITV’s Popstar to Operastar and appeared in a one-off West End gala performance as the lead in The Who’s Tommy.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the UK’s longest running musical. Retelling the biblical story about Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colours, the show includes songs such as “Jacob and Sons”, “Close Every Door” and “Any Dream Will Do”.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is presented by Bill Kenwright and the Really Useful Group and features lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Sonia Friedman Productions presents

JIM BROADBENT as Scrooge in
A Christmas Carol

By PATRICK BARLOW
Inspired by Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas story
Directed by PHELIM MCDERMOTT

Noël Coward Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, London
First performance: Monday 30 November
Final performance: Saturday 30 January

Academy Award-winning actor Jim Broadbent makes his long-awaited return to the stage to play Scrooge in a new version of A Christmas Carol adapted by Patrick Barlow from Charles Dickens’ classic story of greed, grief, ghoulish ghosts and eleventh-hour redemption.

From Scrooge and Tiny Tim to Bob Cratchit and Mrs. Fezziwig, Patrick Barlow’s imaginative adaptation of A Christmas Carol will bring some of Dickens’ most memorable characters to life at the Noël Coward Theatre this winter. Jim Broadbent will be joined by an exciting group of performers, to be announced shortly.

Coming together to create this innovative new work are some of our most loved and mischievous maverick theatre-makers. The play is written by Patrick Barlow (who also wrote the huge, long-running hit The 39 Steps) with whom Jim Broadbent performed for many years in Barlow’s cult comedy troupe The National Theatre of Brent. A Christmas Carol is directed by Olivier award-winning Phelim McDermott, Artistic Director of Improbable, one of Britain’s most inventive theatre companies, who is responsible for the iconic production Shockheaded Peter. McDermott also directed Theatre of Blood at the National Theatre in which Broadbent last appeared on stage. Joining them is the critically-acclaimed designer Tom Pye (The Testament of Mary, The Death of Klinghoffer, The Low Road) andToby Sedgwick (War Horse, The 39 Steps) as Director of Movement, Peter Mumford will design the lighting and Gareth Fry will design sound.

A Christmas Carol and The Mackintosh Foundation are proud to be supporting St Martin-in-the-Fields’ Christmas Appeal by donating 50 pence for each ticket purchased. The appeal raises money to assist homeless people with shelter, food, help and advice. Customers, as part of the purchasing process, will be asked if they would also like to donate 50 pence with each ticket purchased. Registered charity no 1156305/261359.

Listings:

Performances:

Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm (Wednesday 9 December at 7pm)
Matinee performances on Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm

No matinee on Wednesday 2 December or Wednesday 9 December
Additional matinee on Friday 11 December at 2.30pm

Noël Coward Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, London
First performance: Monday 30 November 2015
Final performance: Saturday 30 January 2016
Press Night: Wednesday 9 December 2015, 7pm

Christmas Schedule:

Monday 21 December at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Tuesday 22 December at 7.30pm
Wednesday 23 December at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Thursday 24 December at 2.30pm
Friday 25 December NO SHOW
Saturday 26 December NO SHOW
Monday 28 December at 7.30pm
Tuesday 29 December at 7.30pm
Wednesday 30 December at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Thursday 31 December at 2.30pm
Friday 1 January at 7.30pm
Saturday 2 January at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Tickets:

From Saturday 30 November to Tuesday 8 December:
£10, £25, £35 and £50

From Wednesday 9 December to Saturday 30 January:
£20, £35, £45 and £60

Front row £10 day seats available for every performance throughout the run. Available to buy in person from the Box Office from 10.30am, limited to two tickets per person.

Website: www.achristmascaroltheplay.com
Box Office: 0844 482 5140
All tickets are subject to a booking fee and restoration levy

St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Appeal 2015
A Christmas Carol and The Mackintosh Foundation are proud to be supporting St Martin-in-the-Fields’ Christmas Appeal by donating 50 pence for each ticket purchased. Customers, as part of the purchasing process, will be asked if they would also like to donate 50 pence with each ticket purchased. Registered charity no 1156305/261359.

BOOK NOW