Month: May 2016

Waterloo East Theatre 11 May – 8 June.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Trashy and triumphant, The Great American Trailer Park Musical is a must see.

Country and soft rock influenced songs, hysterical lyrics, choreography that includes every cheesy move you’ve ever seen on MTV – what more could you want? With an irreverent script, a plot that could well be from a daytime movie, and a cast of characters including every stereotype you can think of living in a trailer park, this show is simply a blast.

Jeannie (Jemma Alexander) and Norbert (Adam Vaughan) have a big wedding anniversary coming up and he wants to take her out to celebrate, the problem is, Jeannie hasn’t set foot outside their trailer in Armadillo Acres for 20 years. While Jeannie is trying to overcome her phobia, Pippi (Sabrina Aloueche) moves in next door, and begins to get very close to Norbert. But Pippi’s boyfriend Duke (Josh Dever) is coming to find her… and he’s high on magic markers!

The story is told by the Girls, Betty (Rosemary Ash), Pickles (Jodie Steele) and Lin – short for Linoleum “Cos My momma gave birth to me on the kitchen floor” (Michelle Bishop).

The entire cast are amazing – no weak links at all, with fantastic voices, lovely harmonies and superb comic timing. Ash, Steele and Bishop are a brilliant team, bouncing off each other and generating belly laugh after belly laugh. Jamie Alexander steals the show as Jeannie – rocking the bad wig and nightie whilst belting out heartfelt country tunes that feel familiar until you hear the ridiculous lyrics.

David Nehls’ music and lyrics are wonderful, with lots of catchy tunes you’ll be humming on the way home. Betty Kelso’s script is full of spectacular one-liners and the cheesy plot turns are predictable, but they’re meant to be. There’s even a dream sequence about a TV chat show that makes Jerry Springer’s guests look sane. This is mickey taking with love. The only thing missing was a guest appearance by Otis Lee Crenshaw.

This is a fabulously funny musical that you HAVE to see.

Leicester Square Theatre 16 – 21 May.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Words, Words, Words is a stunning piece, written and played brilliantly by Lowri Amies.

The death of her mother leaves Lowri without a script for her life. She can only express herself using lines from Shakespeare, and is unable to find her own words to express her grief.

Amies’ writing is beautifully crafted, interweaving Shakespearean speeches with her own despairing words, and finally linking the seven stages of man speech with the seven stages of grief. In some hands this could get a little pretentious, but she deftly weaves in references like Wallace and Gromit to illustrate some points, reminding the audience that this is the story of a modern life. There were lots of laughs of recognition from the audience as Amies spoke.

Amies’ exploration of grief and language is wonderful. Her face lights up as she talks about childhood memories with her beloved Grampy, and the expertly delivered lines from Macbeth, Hamlet, and many more, illustrate the torment Amies feels as she struggles to react in the way society expects. If you don’t phone your parents after seeing this, then you have a heart of stone.

Amies exudes passion and intelligence, and this deeply personal piece is well worth seeing.

BUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY

www.bucklandtheatreco.com / @BucklandTheatre

• BUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES CASTING FOR SOME GIRL(S) AT PARK THEATRE

• CHARLES DORFMAN WILL PLAY GUY ALONGSIDE ELLY CONDRON AS SAM, ROXANNE PALLETT AS TYLER AND CARLEY STENSON AS BOBBI

• SOME GIRL(S) BY NEIL LABUTE WILL PLAY FROM 14 JULY UNTIL 6 AUGUST

• TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT WWW.PARKTHEATRE.CO.UK
  

Following their debut production Miss Julie, Buckland Theatre Company has today announced casting for Some Girl(s). Written by multi Tony Award nominated Neil LaBute, Some Girl(s) will be Buckland’s first play in PARK90 at the Park Theatre, London which will be the company’s home in 2016. Some Girl(s) will play 14 July – 6 August with a press night on 19 July.

Charles Dorfman (Guy) will star alongside Elly Condron (Sam), Carley Stenson (Bobbi) andRoxanne Pallett (Tyler) with casting for Lindsay to be announced in due course. Some Girl(s)will be directed Gary Condes with set and costume by PJ McEvoy, lighting design by Joe Price, Sound Design by Andy Hinton and casting by Anne Vosser. Tickets are on sale now atwww.parktheatre.co.uk.

Guy is desperate to clear his conscience before he gets married to his beautiful bride to be. Sohe sets off on a psychological and physical journey across America, to make amends with four old flames. With a blend of honesty, humour and heart, this riveting, and ultimately liberating, dark comedy is a perfect parable of modern relationships.

Elly Condron will play Sam. Elly trained at Drama Centre London and graduated in 2013, her subsequent theatre credits include Jane Eyre (National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic), Spokesong(Finborough Theatre), Titus Andronicus (Smooth Faced Gentlemen, Greenwich Theatre) andMacbeth (Rift Theatre, site-specific). On screen, Elly has appeared in Wasp for which she won best actress at the Filmout San Diego film festival and in Eastenders.

Charles Dorfman will play Guy. Charles studied Theatre at Trinity College Dublin and the Beverly Hills Playhouse in Los Angeles, Theatre Credits include Miss Julie (Etcetera Theatre),Taking Steps, Dangerous Corner, and Wuthering Heights (all Manor Pavilion Sidmouth). On screen Charles has appeared in Myrtle (dir. James Alexandrou), The Show (dir. James Alexandrou) and Present (dir. Joe Ballerini).

Roxanne Pallett will play Tyler. Roxanne’s previous stage credits include Rock Around The Clock(UK Tour), The Vagina Monologues, Ladies Day (both Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool), Satin ‘n’ Steel (Oldham Coliseum), The Rocky Horror Show (UK Tour) and On The Piste (UK Tour).Roxanne played Jo Stiles in ITV1’s Emmerdale and her further TV credits include Waterloo Road,Casualty, and Crime Stories. Roxanne has also appeared in films such as It’s A Lot, Devil’s Tower, The Violators, Wrong Turn 6 and Habit.

Carley Stenson will play Bobbi. Carley’s previous theatre credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (UK Tour), Spamalot (Playhouse Theatre), Shrek The Musical (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), [Title of Show] (Edinburgh Assembly), Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre), Aida (Opera House, Manchester), Grease (Palace Theatre, Manchester) and Remembering Diana (Her Majesty’s Theatre). Carley is also well-known for her long running role as Steph Cunningham inHollyoaks and has also appeared in Holby City and Suspects.

In advance of Some Girl(s), Buckland Theatre Company will also hold a series of free readings examining the compelling work of Neil LaBute. Beginning with Reasons To Be Pretty on 13 June at Henry Wood House, Buckland will also present The Shape of Things, Fat Pig and This Is How It Goes.

Buckland Theatre Company was founded by Artistic Director Charles Dorfman. Miss Julie at Etcetera Theatre was the company’s debut production in their 2016 season of classic and modern texts. Following Some Girl(s) in Park90 at the Park Theatre, Buckland Theatre Company will stage LUV by Murray Schisgal which will run from 8 December until 7 January.

Sonia Friedman Productions and Eleanor Lloyd Productions
present the Headlong, Nottingham Playhouse and Almeida Theatre production of
1984
By George Orwell
A new adaptation created by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan

Previous company of 1984 at Playhouse Theatre. Credit Manuel Harlan.

@1984ThePlay
#1984play

• Casting announced for summer season at Playhouse Theatre
• Rehearsals have started with an entirely new cast for third West End run
• 1984 returns to the Playhouse Theatre from 14 June – 3 September 2016
• 101 seats for every performance will be available for £19.84

An entirely new cast has started rehearsals for Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan’s adaptation of 1984. The cast for the hit West End production of George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece will be: Rosie Ede, Andrew Gower, Joshua Higgott, Richard Katz, Anthony O’Donnell, Daniel Rabin, Catrin Stewart and Angus Wright alongside Eve Benioff Salama, Cleopatra Dickens,Amber Fernee and India Fowler who will alternate the role of Child.

Also making up the company, as understudies: Ingrid Schiller, Gerard Gilroy and Thom Petty.

Following a sell-out international tour, the critically and publicly acclaimed production of 1984will return to the Playhouse Theatre in London’s West End this summer. George Orwell’s canonical work, adapted by Olivier Award-winner Robert Icke and Olivier Award-nominee Duncan Macmillan, will preview from 14 June 2016, with the press night on 28 June 2016.

Now seen by over a quarter of a million people, this Headlong, Nottingham Playhouse and Almeida Theatre production premiered at Nottingham Playhouse in September 2013. Since opening, 1984 has played to packed houses at the Almeida Theatre, as well as throughout its two West End runs and in performances across the globe during national and international tours.

April, 1984.13:00. Comrade 6079, Winston Smith, thinks a thought, starts a diary and falls in love. But Big Brother is always watching.

The definitive book of the 20th century is re-examined in a radical, award-winning adaptation exploring surveillance, identity and why Orwell’s vision of the future is as relevant now as ever.

1984 is directed by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan with Daniel Raggett, set and costume is designed by Chloe Lamford, with lighting designed by Natasha Chivers, sound designed by Tom Gibbons and video designed by Tim Reid.

George Orwell’s 1984, published in 1949, is one of the most influential novels in recent history, with its chilling depiction of perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance and incessant public mind-control.  Its ideas have become our ideas, and Orwell’s fiction is often said to be our reality.

Rosie Ede (Mrs Parsons) previously appeared in When We Are Married and Side by Side by Sondheim (both Bristol Old Vic), Crime At Blossoms (Brewhouse Theatre Taunton), Aladdin(Greenwich Theatre), The Bacchae and Blood Wedding (both for Royal & Derngate Northampton). Ede’s television and film credits include Doc Martin (Sky), My Family (BBC), Peak Practice (Carlton), Call The Midwife (BBC) and Finding Neverland (Miramax).

Andrew Gower (Winston) will make his West End debut in 1984, his previous stage work includes The Conquest of the South Pole (Rose Kingston) and Terror Tales (Hampstead Theatre). Gower is best known for his roles as Dr Andrew Mullery in Monroe, Gilbert in The Village and further on screen appearances in Outlander and Capital.

Joshua Higgott (Syme) has previously been directed by Robert Icke in Oresteia (Almeida/ West End), The Alchemist (Liverpool Everyman) and Romeo and Juliet (ADC Theatre). Higgott’s other theatre work includes Shakespeare in Love (West End), Regeneration (Royal & Derngate Theatre), Birdsong (UK Tour), Twelfth Night (Cambridge Arts Theatre), Two Gentlemen of Verona (US Tour/ ADC Theatre) and Julius Caesar (European Tour/ ADC Theatre). His film credits include The Machine (Red & Black Films), which won Best UK Feature at the Raindance Film Festival in 2013.

Richard Katz (Charrington) has been an integral member of both the Royal Shakespeare Company and Complicité. He has performed in and devised many shows for these companies including Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors and The Winter’s Tale, andThe Master and Margarita, Measure for Measure and The Noise of Time respectively. Katz’s other numerous theatre credits include Richard II and Nell Gwynn (both Shakespeare’s Globe),War Horse (National Theatre), Faustus (Royal & Derngate Northampton) and The Hanging Man(Improbable). His work for television includes The Honourable Woman, Privates, Blessed (all BBC), The Passion (BBC/HBO) and Black Books (both Channel4).

Anthony O’Donnell’s (Parsons) rich career boasts an impressive range of work at the National Theatre includes The Captain of Kopenick, The Shaughraun, Bartholomew Fair, Ghetto, The Miser, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Under the Milk Wood, The Way of the World, The London Cuckolds and President of an Empty Room. He has also worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Donmar Warehouse.

Daniel Rabin (Martin) has worked extensively with Shakespeare’s Globe, appearing in Pericles, The Winter’s Tale, King John, Tis Pity She’s a Whore, Anthony and Cleopatra and Holy Warriors. Other stage work includes Oedipus (Nottingham Playhouse/Spoleto Festival),Ignorance (Hampstead Theatre) and Blue Remembered Hills (Chichester Festival Theatre).  His television credits include Game of Thrones (HBO), The Royals (E!) and Holby City (BBC).

Catrin Stewart (Julia) returns to work with Headlong, having played Juliet in Romeo and Juliet(UK Tour), directed by Robert Icke. Recent stage credits include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Clywd Theatre Cymru), The Jew of Malta and Love’s Sacrifice (both Royal Shakespeare Company), The Cherry Orchard (Young Vic) and Mametz (National Theatre Wales). On screen Stewart is known for the recurrent role of Jenny Flint in Doctor Who (BBC), Emma Morris in Stella (Sky) and appearing in Misfits (Channel 4).

Angus Wright (O’Brien) previously worked with Robert Icke in Oresteia (Almeida/ West End).Wright’s vast body of theatre work includes The Cherry Orchard (Young Vic), in Twelfth Night/ Richard III (Globe Theatre/ West End/ Broadway), Privates on Parade (West End), The Master and Margarita (Old Vic), The Cat in the Hat (Young Vic/ National Theatre) and The Seagull, A Dream Play and Three Sisters (all National Theatre).  For television, he recently played Angus in Peep Show (Channel4) and further credits include Jekyll and Hyde (ITV), and Being Human, Waking the Dead and Hotel Babylon (BBC). His film credits include Jack Ryan (Paramount),Maleficent (Disney) and The Iron Lady (Pathé/ Film4).

GWEN TAYLOR

TO STAR IN THE NATIONAL TOUR OF

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

“NIGHT MUST FALL”

BY EMLYN WILLIAMS

NATIONAL PRESS NIGHT ON WEDNESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 2016

The Original Theatre Company and Salisbury Playhouse in association with Eastbourne Theatres will present the national tour of Emlyn Williams’s psychological thriller, NIGHT MUST FALL, directed by Luke Sheppard and starring Gwen Taylor as Mrs Bramson.  The tour will begin at Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne on 19 August, with a National press night on Wednesday 7 September at Salisbury Playhouse.

Gwen Taylor is best known for playing the title role in the ITV sitcom Barbara, as well as Anne Foster in Coronation Street, Peggy Armstrong in Heartbeat, Rita Simcock in A Bit of A Do, for which she was nominated for a BAFTA TV Best Actress Award, and Amy in Duty Free.  Her film appearances include The Lady in the Van and Monty Python’s Life of Brian.  Gwen is currently playing Daisy Worthen in Driving Miss Daisy at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre.  Other theatre credits include Calendar Girls (UK Tour), the title role in the national tour of Shirley Valentine, Top Girls (Royal Court and New York), and Gertrude in Sir Peter Hall’s production of Hamlet (London’s Gielgud Theatre and national tour).

Joining Gwen Taylor as Inspector Belsize will be Daragh O’Malley, best known for his role as Patrick Harper in the long-running television series Sharpe.  After a 12-year absence from the stage, O’Malley returned to the British stage in 2012, playing Father Jack in the Original Theatre Company’s production of Dancing at Lughnasa.  In 2014, he played Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Manchester’s Royal Exchange, for which he was nominated for an MTA Best Actor Award and The Stage selected his performance as one of the Top Five Performances in UK Theatre in 2014.  

Also in the cast are Alasdair Buchan as Hubert, Anne Odeke as Nurse Libby, Mandi Symonds as Mrs Terence and Melissa Vaughan as Dora.  Further casting to be announced.

Director Luke Sheppard most recently directed the Olivier Award-winning production of In the Heights (King’s Cross Theatre and Southwark Playhouse), for which he was nominated for Best Director at the Whatsonstage Awards.  His other directing credits include Stig of the Dump (UK Tour), Casa Valentina (Southwark Playhouse), The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Age 13 ¾ (Curve, Leicester) and the forthcoming European premiere of Peter and the Starcatcher (Royal & Derngate, Northampton).  Luke is the Associate Director of Matilda (Stratford-Upon-Avon, West End, Broadway).

Luke Sheppard said, “It’s a privilege to direct this extraordinary play just over eighty years since the first performance.  It’s a gripping murder mystery with delightfully dark characters.  I’m looking forward to audiences around the country discovering all the chills and thrills this rarely produced classic holds in store.”

When charming, smooth-talking Dan arrives at old Mrs Bramson’s remote woodland home, he soon ingratiates his way into her life and that of her niece, Olivia.  But when a local woman goes missing and is later found murdered, Olivia begins to suspect her aunt’s new private assistant.  She resolves to find out the truth.

Emlyn Williams wrote NIGHT MUST FALL in 1935 and played the lead role in the first stage production.  The play was noted for its exploration of the killer’s complex psychological state, a step forward for its genre.  Robert Montgomery starred in the film version in 1937 and Albert Finney in the 1964 re-make.

Alastair Whatley, Artistic Director of The Original Theatre Company, said, “We are delighted to be working with Salisbury Playhouse and Eastbourne Theatres to present this major revival of Emlyn Williams’s wickedly good thriller, NIGHT MUST FALL.  We could not be more pleased to be welcoming a first class creative team led by director Luke Sheppard, furthering our ambition to produce the highest quality regional theatre and sharing it with our venue partners and audiences across the United Kingdom.”

Gareth Machin, Artistic Director of Salisbury Playhouse, said, “Salisbury Playhouse is delighted to be co-producing with Original Theatre Company, ensuring our work and our outstanding production values are seen and celebrated by an ever wider audience.  As ever, we are thrilled to be working with some of the most exciting young creative talents in the UK who we know will breathe new life into this fine psychological thriller.”

NIGHT MUST FALL will be designed by David Woodhead, with sound and music by Harry Blake and lighting by Howard Hudson.  The national tour is produced by Alastair Whatley and Tom Hackney for The Original Theatre Company and Sebastian Warrack for Salisbury Playhouse, in association with Eastbourne Theatres.

Website: www.originaltheatre.com

Facebook: TheOriginalTheatre 

Twitter: @OriginalTheatre

 

Age guidance 12+

 

TOUR SCHEDULE

19 August – 3 September         Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne          on sale now

                                               www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk                      01323 412000

 

6 – 24 September                    Salisbury Playhouse                                     on sale 20 May                                                                       

                                               www.salisburyplayhouse.com                         01722 320333

 

28 September – 1 October        The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry                     on sale now

www.belgrade.co.uk                                      024 7655 3055

 

17 – 22 October                       New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich                       on sale now

                                              www.wolseytheatre.co.uk                                01473 295900

 

1 – 5 November                       Palace Theatre, Southend                            on sale 1 June

                                               www.palacetheatresouthend.co.uk                 01702 351135

 

8 – 12 November                     Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham                    on sale 1 June

                                               www.everymantheatre.org.uk                         01242 572573

 

15 – 19 November                   York Theatre Royal                                       on sale soon                                                                

                                              www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk                            01904 623568

BALLETBOYZ LAUNCHES MOOVBANK, A BESPOKE DIGITAL PLATFORM HELPING TEACHERS DELIVER DANCE TO STUDENTS AGED 7 – 18

• FILMED IN CLASS WITH THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED BALLETBOYZ DANCERS, MOOVBANK FEATURES FILMED LESSONS, PERFORMANCE CLIPS AND INTERVIEWS
• LIVE STREAMED MASTERCLASSES WILL TAKE PLACE FROM THE BALLETBOYZ STUDIO

The internationally celebrated dance company BalletBoyz have launched MoovBank, a brand new site housing filmed lessons, interviews and rehearsal footage to support specialist and non-specialist teachers deliver dance at Key Stages 2, 3 and 4 to students aged 7 – 18.  The free and premium content has been specifically created to aid the teaching of dance as part of the national curriculum, from lesson inspiration to full lesson plans for PE teachers required to deliver dance with little experience or background in the genre. The bespoke content is also available for teachers delivering BTEC, GCSE and A Level Dance. MoovBank will launch in July, ready for use in schools from September 2016.

Filmed in class with dancers from the Company the digital lessons will enable teachers to deliver a selection of creative and choreographic tasks to their groups with a focus on Creativity at KS2, Contact Work at KS3 and Choreography at KS4.   Lessons offer clear, detailed breakdowns of each movement task plus demos, teaching tips and inspiration clips. Each filmed lesson is also accompanied by a detailed lesson plan with learning outcomes, cross curricula links and suggestions for differentiation; all designed to make planning and delivery simple and straight forward.

The lessons are designed to increase physical activity and creativity, as well as help pupils build trust, work together as a team and problem solve through movement.  Teachers and pupils will be able to watch demonstrations performed by the Company, alongside inspirational clips of their stage performances whilst gaining access to behind the scenes rehearsal footage and interviews with choreographers.  Lessons will be accompanied by a selection of contextual videos that introduce the Company dancers and BalletBoyz Artistic Directors, Michael Nunn OBE and William Trevitt OBE. MoovBank will also feature a regular schedule of live streamed events from the Company’s studio in Kingston including masterclasses with the dancers, studio rehearsals and teacher Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities.

‘The provision for dance at Allerton High school was quite poor as we are lacking specialist dance teachers. Moovbank has enabled non-specialists to deliver a high quality scheme of work with confidence’ Janet Sammon, Allerton High School Leeds

“My year 9 drama students absolutely loved the lesson and produced some really brilliant stuff… It knocked my socks off how good they were and how enthusiastic and confident they were with the moves” Karen Lambert, Isca College Exeter

The Key Stage 2 resource features 5 filmed lessons that guide teachers and students through a selection of creative tasks to generate new and unique movement that can then be assembled to form a short piece.  These lessons are themed, based on the City, technology, the sea, jungle and desert with cross-curricula links to geography and technology.  The fun, engaging lessons have been tested with a class of year 8 and 9 year olds with successful results.

The Key Stage 3 resource focuses on Contact work and guides teachers and students through a series of tasks to develop contact work with the floor and a partner.  Tasks include lifting, counterbalance and travelling floor based movement with clear links to and examples of the Company’s repertoire. Students also have the opportunity to assemble tasks learned to create their own short piece of choreography. This resource develops team work, trust, problem solving, the ability to work independently and in pairs and promotes healthy and safe physical contact between both male and female pupils.

The Key Stage 4 resource focuses on the development of dancers and artists at BTEC, GCSE, A level and even first year undergraduate students.  Lessons guide students through a wide range of choreographic and improvisation based tasks and techniques to help generate, develop and structure movement. BalletBoyz repertoire and insightful interviews with leading choreographers are referenced for context and advice.

www.moovbank.com

Twitter: @Moovbank1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moovbank/

https://instagram.com/balletboyz
@BalletBoyz / @BBdancerscourse

www.balletboyz.com

A SENSATIONAL NEW SONG AND DANCE PRODUCTION “THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT” WITH VERY SPECIAL GUEST STARS, THE UK’S NUMBER ONE VOCAL HARMONY GROUP THE OVERTONES TO VISIT NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL

TUESDAY 5 JULY – SATURDAY 9 JULY.

 

From the producers of the smash-hit show Puttin’ On The Ritz comes the dazzling song and dance extravaganzaThat’s Entertainment!  Britain’s favourite vocal harmony group, The Overtones will be joining the tour as they hit the stage at Newcastle Theatre Royal.

 

The much loved vocal group The Overtones have achieved sell-out tours, sold over 1,000,000 albums and have just celebrated their fifth consecutive top 10 album.

 

That’s Entertainment celebrates the biggest hits of the 40’s and 50’s including music by Lerner and Loewe, Rodgers and Hammerstein, as well as Irving Berlin and Cole Porter.

 

With glorious costumes, sumptuous music, stunning dance routines and an award-winning cast of singers and dancers, this is guaranteed to wow the audience and keep their toes-tapping!  That’s Entertainment! Is feel good entertainment at its best for all the family.

 

That’s Entertainment! is produced by David King for Spirit Productions Worldwide Ltd.

 

That’s Entertainment! plays at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tuesday 5 July – Saturday 9 July. Tickets are from £19.50 and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge).

Civic Theatre, Darlington – 16 to 21 May.  Reviewed by Audrey McConnell
The Last Tango with Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, excellent show with fantastic dancing.

The perceptive but very touching storyline told through dance through the memories of the older Vincent played by Teddy Kempner, looking back on his life, from their first meeting in the 30’s through pre and post – war Britain, falling in love, wedding, Christmases, birth of their children and finally the last tango.

Vincent and Flavia have such a rapport as a couple who are exciting to watch, their dance moves are precise and perfectly in unison synchronised and sensual. Their acting shows emotion and passion through facial expressions and movements without the need for speech

The dances are exciting and enchanting, how can these fantastic dancers manage their routine without losing their footing?  When Flavia floats onto the stage for the first time the audience gasped and her union with Vincent in the dances had the audience spellbound.

Vincent and Flavia are supported by a fantastic troupe of dancers who’s energy is outstanding, how they manage some of the very fast numbers without losing their footing is a wonder. The live band and singers did a sterling job through a variety of song genre. When the cast went on stage to perform jive Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy I’m sure many wanted to join in.

The finale was spellbinding a beautiful Rumba followed by the Argentine Tango which was breath-taking

The curtain came down to a standing ovation from a very enthusiastic audience. Lets hope that this is not the last time we see these two on the stage.

Theatre N16 9 – 18 May.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Frank Sumatra is basically Paddington Bear on steroids. Just imagine a kleptomaniac, chain smoking, web surfing, beer swilling Paddington, transformed into a 14 stone orang-utan.

Bev ( Hannah Walker) and Keith (Pip Chamberlain) are a nice middle class Geordie couple who are trying for a baby. This is put on hold when Frank suddenly appears on their doorstep. They realise that he is the cute baby orang-utan they sponsored years ago, who has come to live with them (he has google maps on his iPad – don’t ask) because his home has been burned down by loggers.

Bev and Keith take him in and soon find themselves suffering through all the worst parts of parenthood – coping with an orang-utan who at first acts like a stroppy toddler, and soon develops into a terrifyingly unmanageable teenage nightmare.

Performed as a live radio show, with Dean Logan as the hapless sound effects guy, and Frank, Mike Yeaman’s sharp script is full of absurd situations, Sinatra and laugh out loud moments. Chamberlain and Walker are fantastic as the unlucky couple, and Logan’s facial expressions as he produces the effects are wonderful. His Speak And Spell voice is quite possibly the most annoying sound on the planet, and makes Chamberlain’s frustrations even funnier.

Playing as part of Wandsworth Fringe Festival, Frank Sumatra is a play well worth seeing – even if you’ll only give one of those adopt a baby animal gifts to your worst enemies from now on.