Month: June 2017

The Hen & Chickens Theatre – 30 May to 3 June.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

The London Underground, hell on earth to Londoners, and a wonder to tourists, has always been fertile ground for stories of loneliness, awkwardness and silliness. Tom Hartwell’s Contactless has all those things in glorious abundance. Hopefully Contactless will get a well-deserved longer run in the future – a true audience pleaser, full of recognisable situations.

The main narrative threads focus around three women – an ASLEF negotiator (Hannah Jay) who has to deal with Boris’s useless minions during strike negotiations; a station announcer (Jeryl Burgess) whose husband was the original “Mind The Gap” voice, and is struggling to adapt to modernisation at her station; and the Mancunian actress (Rosie Edwards) who gets the gig to be the new voice of the underground.

Sketches about life on the underground break up the storylines, riffing on priority seat etiquette, rush hour crushes, taking business calls and some fantastic station announcements. Stanton Cambridge’s meltdown when nobody will stand clear of the doors is just brilliant, the night train sketch is simple but inspired, and Adam Elliot proves that TfL’s “comedy” announcer shtick is much more entertaining when you’re sitting with a drink in your hand, rather than standing crushed between five sweaty businessmen on the platform.

Tom Hartwell’s writing is slick and funny, at its best in moments of excruciating awkwardness, and director Phil Croft keeps the rhythm of the play brisk. There are lots of laugh out loud moments, and some spectacular comedy gurning from Adam Elliot and Will Hartley, but Jeryl Burgess’s storyline is the beating heart of the play, making it more than a series of silly sketches and shaping it into a thoroughly British love letter to the tube.

• 
• DISNEY’S ALADDIN RELEASES REHEARSAL IMAGES OF NEW COMPANY AHEAD OF FIRST ANNIVERSARY AT THE PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE ON 15 JUNE
• NEW ALADDIN, MATTHEW CROKE, PREPARES TO MAKE HIS WEST END DEBUT AS A LEADING MAN ALONGSIDE JADE EWEN AND TREVOR DION NICHOLAS AS JASMINE AND GENIE

 

Ahead of its first anniversary at the Prince Edward Theatre, Disney’s Aladdin has released behind-the-scenes photography of the new company in rehearsals. Having opened to critical acclaim in London’s West End in June 2016, the hit musical based on the classic Academy Award®-winning animated film will celebrate its first birthday in the West End on 15 June 2017.

Matthew Croke joins the production in title role of Aladdin, marking his debut in a leading role in the West End, with his first performance on 5 June. Jade Ewen and Trevor Dion Nicholas continue in the roles of Jasmine and Genie respectively.

Now in its fourth record-breaking year on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre, Aladdin’s global presence has grown to six productions on four continents, and has been seen by more than 4 million people worldwide. The show opened at Tokyo’s Dentsu Shiki Theatre Umi in May 2015, had its European premiere in December 2015 at the Stage Theatre Neue Flora, Hamburg, began performances in August 2016 in Australia and launched its North American tour in Chicago in April 2017.

Aladdin features the timeless songs from the 1992 animated film as well as new music written by Tony®, Olivier© and eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Little Shop Of Horrors). With lyrics from Olivier Award and two-time Oscar® winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony and Olivier Award, three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida), and four-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), and a book by Beguelin, Aladdin is directed and choreographed by Tony and Olivier Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).

Tickets are now on sale for performances up to and including 2 December 2017 for individuals and 2 June 2018 for group bookings. For further details please visit www.aladdinthemusical.co.uk

The new Aladdin company welcomes Nick Cavaliere in the role of Iago, whilst current cast members Miles Barrow, Leon Craig and Daniel de Bourg step into the roles of Omar, Babkak and Kassim respectively.  Don Gallagher and Irvine Iqbal continue in their respective roles of Jafar and the Sultan.

The new cast also includes Chanelle Anthony, Danny Becker, Cindy Belliot, Filippo Coffano, Nolan Edwards, Sinead Kenny, Travis Kerry, Dann Kharsa, Tarisha Rommick, Joshua Steel, Monica Swayne, Damien Winchester and Niko Wirachman. Danny Becker, Travis Kerry andNiko Wirachman join the production after entering international open auditions.

The remaining cast comprises Arran Anzani-Jones, Albey Brookes, Lauren Chia, Bianca Cordice, Cavin Cornwall, Melanie Elizabeth, Kade Ferraiolo, Antony Hewitt, Mitch Leow, Oliver Lidert, Ian Oswald, Kyle Seeley, Sadie-Jean Shirley, Ricardo Spriggs, Kayleigh Thadaniand Jermaine Woods.

Aladdin is designed by Olivier and seven-time Tony-winning scenic designer Bob Crowley, five-time Tony-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, Olivier and two-time Tony-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes and sound designer Ken Travis. Casting is by Jill Green CDG.

The production team also includes illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer, hair designer Josh Marquette and makeup designer Milagros Medina-Cerdeira. The music team is headed by music supervisor and music director Michael Kosarin, who also created the vocal and incidental music arrangements, joined by orchestrator Danny Troob and dance music arranger Glen Kelly.

LIZZY WATTS PLAYS THE TITLE ROLE IN

THE NATIONAL THEATRE’S TOUR OF IBSEN’S MASTERPIECE

HEDDA GABLER

A NEW VERSION BY PATRICK MARBER

DIRECTED BY IVO VAN HOVE

UK Tour October 2017 – March 2018

 

The National Theatre has today announced that Lizzy Watts will take the title role of Hedda Gablerwhich, following a sold-out run at the National Theatre earlier this year, begins a UK tour on 2 October.  Beginning at Theatre Royal Plymouth, the tour will journey across the UK to Edinburgh, Leicester, Salford, Norwich, Hull, Aberdeen, Northampton, Glasgow, Wolverhampton, Woking, Nottingham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, York and Milton Keynes.

Just married. Bored already. Hedda longs to be free…

This vital new version of Ibsen’s masterpiece by Olivier and Tony Award^®-winning playwright Patrick Marber (Closer, Three Days in the Country) directed by Ivo van Hove, one of the world’s most exciting directors.  Olivier and Tony Award^®-winning van Hove made his National Theatre debut withHedda Gabler, which opened in December 2016.  His acclaimed production of A View from the Bridge recently played to sold out houses in London and on Broadway and Obsession starring Jude Law is currently playing at The Barbican, London.  Van Hove’s next production for the NT will be the world premiere of Network based on the Oscar-winning film and featuring the UK stage debut of Bryan Cranston.

Lizzy Watts’ theatre credits include Strife at Chichester Festival Theatre, The Angry Brigade and Artefacts at The Bush, A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Globe, Blink for Nabokov and Wastedfor Paines Plough.  TV includes The Durrells and Midsomer Murders and plays Ivy Layton in BBC Radio 4’s Home Front.

Set and lighting design for Hedda Gabler is by Jan Versweyveld, with costume design by An D’Huys and sound by Tom Gibbons.  The Associate Directors are Jeff James and Rachel Lincoln..

Patrick Marber said:  ‘It has been a huge honour to work with the great Ivo van Hove on this version of Hedda Gabler at the National Theatre. I am thrilled that this tour will enable more people to see his incredible production.’

Further casting will be announced soon.

 

Hedda Gabler Tour

 

                                                                                                           

Theatre Royal Plymouth                                           2 – 7 Oct 2017

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh                                    17 – 21 Oct 2017

Curve, Leicester                                                        23 – 28 Oct 2017

The Lowry Salford                                                     31 Oct – 4 Nov 2017

Norwich Theatre Royal                                             7 – 11 Nov 2017

Hull New Theatre                                                       13 – 18 Nov 2017

His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen                               21 – 25 Nov 2017

Northampton Royal & Derngate                               28 Nov – 2 Dec 2017                                       .

Glasgow Theatre Royal                                             15- 20 Jan 2018

Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton                               23 – 27 Jan 2018

New Victoria, Woking                                               29 Jan – 3 Feb 2018

Nottingham Theatre Royal                                        5 – 10 Feb 2018

Newcastle Theatre Royal                                          13 – 17 Feb 2018

Grand Opera House, York                                         20 – 24 Feb 2018

Milton Keynes Theatre                                              27 Feb – 3 Mar 2018

A MONTH OF MAYHEM, MANFREDS AND MERRILL AT CITY VARIETIES MUSIC HALL

 

This month the world-famous City Varieties Music Hall is getting ready to welcome a host of comedy, music, kids’ shows and dramas to its small and perfectly formed stage.

Designed for young people the famous Horrible Histories started its life in books before becoming a very popular children’s TV programme. As it turned out, historical stories presented alongside clever, slapstick humour appealed to adults too with lovers of Blackadder and The Young Ones sneakily tuning in to CBBC.

Here it is brought to life by Birmingham Stage Company with The Best of Barmy Britain at City Varieties from 6^th to 8^th June. Audiences can expect to meet Queen Boudica, Henry VIII,  Guy Fawkes, Dick Turpin and Queen Victoria presented in true Horrible Histories style.

More Barmy Brits will take to the stage over the coming months including John Bishop, Jason Bynre, Jeremy Hardy, Andy Parsons and Simon Amstell – to name just a few.

Musically the intimate venue will welcome the legendary Merrill Osmond, The Manfreds, Sam Sweeny with his now-famous fiddle, Irish act Dominic Kirwan and Lisa Stanley and recently announced Hollywood actor Russell Crowe is to perform with his band in September.

There are talks from Eddie The Eagle Edwards, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and John Le Carre and live streaming from the National Theatre giving audiences the chance to see wonderful drama on stage in London, in Leeds.

“We are an amazing little venue,” says Nev Jopson, Marketing Manager. “We’ve been operating for over 100 years and still welcome class acts that come back to us because they love the theatre;  too; every comedian,  singer and speaker that plays here says how much they love it – how it’s like playing in their front room, how it gives them a different relationship with the audience.  We’re very proud of that.”

For full details of what’s on at City Varieties Music Hall visit

cityvarieties.co.uk or call 0113 243 08 08

• HIGHTIDE THEATRE TO RETURN TO ALDEBURGH 12 – 17 SEPTEMBER 2017
• THE FESTIVAL OF NEW WRITING IS SET TO COME TO LONDON’S WALTHAMSTOW FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN BRAND NEW TEMPORARY THEATRE SPACE 26 SEPTEMBER – 8 OCTOBER 2017
• TWO WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTIONS INCLUDE:
  • HEROINE AN EXPLORATION OF PATRIOTISM AND NATIVISM IN MODERN BRITAINBY NESSAH MUTHY
  • KANYE THE FIRST CHARTING A SECOND COMING OF THE GLOBAL ICON BY SAM STEINER
  • ALONGSIDE THE RETURN OF THERESA IKOKO’S AWARD WINNING GIRLS, THETALE OF THREE YOUNG FRIENDS WHO ARE KIDNAPPED IN NIGERIA
• FULL PROGRAMME INCLUDES THREE HEADLINE PLAYS, 12 COMEDY AND CABARET SHOWS, 2 HOURS OF TALKS, 11 PIECES FROM NEW WRITERS, SHOWS FOR SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES, A SITE SPECIFIC WORK AND STREET FOOD

@_HighTide_ #HighTide2017 / www.facebook.com/HighTideTheatre
Instagram HighTideTheatre

Steven Atkinson, Artistic Director of HighTide Theatre has today announced the company’s plans for 2017. The Suffolk festival, which celebrated its 10^th anniversary in 2016, is set to continue its winning formula of finding, nurturing and showcasing the country’s best new playwrights at its home in Aldeburgh this September. This year the company will transfer the productions to East London’s Walthamstow in a brand new temporary theatre space in partnership with Waltham Forest Council. ‘The Mix’ will come to London’s Walthamstow Town Centre for 12 days following the Aldeburgh season, bringing an eclectic arts programme to an area of London which currently has no mid to large scale theatre spaces and where there are consequently relatively low levels of engagement with theatre. The diverse programmes in both locations will include three headline plays (two of which are world premieres) and a programme of comedy, cabaret, talks and music. The Festival in Aldeburgh will run 12 – 17 September with a Press Day on 16 September. The Walthamstow Festival will run 26 September – 8 October with Press Nights on 26 & 27 September.

HighTide Theatre have produced work from their Suffolk home for the last decade with significant input from their audience. They also have a strong record of transferring a large proportion of their productions to London and across the UK. This structure has allowed writers and their work to reach diverse audiences and gain maximum exposure to the industry.  The new format of presenting productions in both Aldeburgh and Walthamstow will allow HighTide Theatre to invest further in both playwrights and audiences. The company will be able to support developing writers, from identifying and commissioning them, developing their work with their core audience and then guaranteeing them a presentation elsewhere. Equally essential to the company’s plans is that the Festival allows HighTide Theatre to continue its work developing new audiences, in areas such as Walthamstow, where HighTide Theatre can use their ten years of experience to support Waltham Forest in their long-term plans for cultural development.

Steven Atkinson, Artistic Director of HighTide Theatre said: “This year we’re focused on what HighTide Theatre is renowned for: commissioning bold and timely plays from the best new writers. We look forward to developing and previewing these world premiere productions in our beautiful home of Aldeburgh, and then for the first time bringing the whole festival to Walthamstow, alongside showcasing work by local artists. This new producing model for HighTide Theatre of two festivals allows us to take risks and continue to develop our productions with the input of our audiences in Aldeburgh. And then our new partnership with Waltham Forest Council and the National Theatre enables us to bring our fully formed productions all together to Greater London, where they can be seen by a wider and diverse community who would like a greater cultural provision in their area.”

HighTide Theatre will present two world premiere productions in 2017, Heroine by Nessah Muthy (Host) directed by the Festival’s Artistic Director Steven Atkinson and comic dramaKanye The First by Sam Steiner (Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons) directed by HighTide Theatre Associate Director Andrew Twyman. A co-production with Theatre Clwyd, Muthy’s devastating exploration of patriotism and nativism in modern Britain follows young ex-soldier Grace as she struggles to reassimilate into society following a medical discharge from the army. Steiner’s first commissioned, and highly original, play will chart the second coming of global pop icon Kanye West. The play takes a timely look at identity and guilt in contemporary culture. Kanye The First is a co-production between HighTide Theatre and Paul Jellis in association with The Marlowe and The North Wall. Alongside these productions Theresa Ikoko’s Girls, joint winner of the George Devine Award (2016), the Alfred Fagon Award (2015), is set to return. Telling the tale of three young friends who are kidnapped in Nigeria, Ikoko wrote Girls to highlight the stories behind the headlines that quickly become yesterday’s news.Girls is a co-production between HighTide Theatre, Talawa Theatre Company and Martha Rose Wilson.

Lorna Lee, Head of Culture & Heritage, Waltham Forest Council said: “Waltham Forest Council is delighted to be partnering with HighTide Theatre for the first time this year.  Whilst the borough has a thriving cultural scene we do not have any bespoke theatres and a recent survey of residents showed that this was the cultural provision they felt was most lacking.  By bringing the Festival to Walthamstow Town Centre we are able to provide theatre right on residents’ doorsteps. Some of our talented local artists are included in the programme and a number of our young people will have the chance to gain first-hand experience of a professional theatre. We’re proud that our borough is home to one of the most diverse populations in the country and it’s of the utmost importance to us that our cultural programme reflects this diversity. We’re sure that the range of shows on offer will appeal to a wide cross-section of our residents. We also look forward to welcoming visitors from far and wide to experience Waltham Forest’s creative buzz.”

The Suffolk Festival has been a huge success over the last decade, premiering more than sixty productions by now major playwrights including Ella Hickson, Nick Payne and Jack Thorne. At the Festival in Aldeburgh there will be an ancillary programme of comedy, talks, music and plays. Productions will include Mobile by The Paperbirds, an intimate show that turns a caravan into a treasure trove for audiences of up to 8 at a time, a semi-staged reading of Sea Fret, a paean to her native Suffolk coastline by Tallulah Brown, Apphia Campbells’s Black is the Color of My Voice inspired by the life of Nina Simone, Fringe First winner Katie Bonna’scomic TED talk on the science of lying, All The Things I Lied About and internationally acclaimed singer, pianist and entertainer Joe Stilgoe will pay tribute to much-loved movies inSongs on Film. There will be a programme of comedy including Kieran Hodgson’s 2016 Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominated Maestro, as well as talks from actor Sheila Hancock and award-winning children’s writer Michael Morpurgo.

The move to bring the Festival to the heart of Walthamstow will enable Waltham Forest Council and HighTide Theatre to showcase work of the highest quality on people’s doorsteps in an area where 55% of residents are classed within low cultural engagement segments, as well as enabling the borough to develop partnerships beneficial to the area’s cultural sector. Free and discounted tickets are available to those with a Waltham Forest postcode and HighTide Theatre will be working to help young people find routes into creative roles, in collaboration with local organisation Big Creative Training, hosting a traineeship and work experience placements. The full programme in Walthamstow will include a late night comedy and cabaret strand, a series of talks, a site-specific production, Mobile, and a strand of work showcasing and supporting local creative talent. The comedy line-up is set to include: Phil Wang, Suzi Ruffell, Dane Baptiste, Tez Ilyas and Jayde Adams. Cabaret and music artists include Joe Stilgoe who will performSongs on Film, The Beatbox Collective and an exclusive preview of new music from Arthur Darvill. Waltham Forest has a younger than average population with increasing numbers of families with young children moving to the area so there will be shows for pre-school children and for school groups. Family work includes Little Angel Theatre’s Me… about a tiny baby penguin, Shark in the Park! based on the books by Nick Sharratt (The Hairy Maclary Show) and Waltham Forest based BeBop Baby with DJ sets from Nostalgia 77 and friends to get your minis up and dancing. The festival will showcase a number of local companies and artists includingThe Vanishing Man co-written and performed by Walthamstow resident David Aula and director Simon Evans.

In a continuation of HighTide Theatre’s mission to develop new writers, this year the Festival will also showcase two preview productions in both locations before they go on to be developed as part of the 2018 Festival.  The debut commissions from Sophie Ellerby and Jon Barton are written under HighTide Theatre’s First Commissions scheme. Alongside the preview productions there will be a series of first play readings from HighTide Theatre First Commission writers, an annual programme working with six writers, paired with Associate Artists to develop ideas from conception to full production.

HighTide Theatre will be partnering with the National Theatre, in Walthamstow, and Snape Maltings, in Aldeburgh, to ticket and market the two festivals.

 

HighTide Theatre runs 12-17 September in Aldeburgh and 26 September – 8 October in Walthamstow.

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF HAIRSPRAY & MOTOWN THE MUSICAL & THE DIRECTOR OF THRILLER LIVE
PURPLE RAIN

A LIVE CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF PRINCE

NATIONAL TOUR – STARTS FEBRUARY 2018

DIRECTED BY GARY LLOYD

TWITTER: @PurpleRainUK / INSTAGRAM: @PurpleRainUK / FACEBOOK: @PurpleRainUK

#PurpleRainUK

Purple Rain is a spectacular new theatrical event celebrating the music of one of the world’s greatest pop artists, Prince. Directed by Gary Lloyd, director of hit production Thriller Live, Purple Rain will feature stunning choreography and will be an exhilarating journey through Prince’s entire career.  Presented by West End producers, Adam Spiegel and Mark Goucher, with Claire-Bridget Kenwright, Purple Rain will tour the UK from February 2018.

Prince revolutionised the music world with his inimitable funk and soul driven style. He exploded the boundaries of music and created some of the most iconic songs of the 20th century including Raspberry Beret, Kiss, When Doves Cry, Little Red Corvette, 1999, Purple Rain, Alphabet Street, U Got The Look and many more!

A 26-strong group of supremely talented musicians, singers and dancers will bring Prince’s music to life for an unforgettable evening that showcases his songwriting genius and pays homage to his imagination and showmanship. Purple Rain is a fitting, fresh and vibrant night of pure celebration.

Director Gary Lloyd said ‘Prince’s music and constant reinvention is legendary, so to get the opportunity to bring that and all his colourful characters to the theatrical stage is a dream. There is also a real appetite for live music shows that showcase the musicians as part of the performance. Prince was all about this. Prince was a consummate, theatrical artist, but in our show his music is the star. There will be so much for audiences to enjoy whether they’re fans of musical theatre, Prince, or both. Purple Rain is a fast-paced, music lover’s night out that will tease, surprise and excite audiences in the same way he did.’

Multi award-winning director and choreographer Gary Lloyd has earned critical acclaim for his many and varied productions including Thriller Live, Carrie – The Musical, 20th Century Boy – The Story of Marc Bolan, The Genius of Ray Charles, Flashmob and many more.

Casting, including star guests, and further tour dates will be announced in due course.

 

UK TOUR LISTINGS

1 – 10 February 2018
Churchill Theatre, Bromley
High St, Bromley BR1 1HA
Box Office: 020 3285 6000
https://churchilltheatre.co.uk
*Will go on sale on 5 June 2017 – check website for details

12 – 17 February 2018
Manchester Opera House
3 Quay St, Manchester, M3 3HP
Box Office: 0844 871 3018
www.atgtickets.com/manchester
*Will go on sale on 9 June 2017 – check website for details

19 – 24 February 2018
Theatre Royal Plymouth
Royal Parade, Plymouth PL1 2TR
Box Office: 01752 267222
www.theatreroyal.com
ON SALE SOON – check website for details

26 February – 3 March 2018
Everyman Theatre Cheltenham
7 – 10 Regent St, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Cheltenham GL50 1HQ
Box office: 01242 572573
www.everymantheatre.org.uk
*Will go on sale on w/c 3 July 2017 – check website for details

27 – 31 March
Birmingham Hippodrome
Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB
Box Office: 0844 338 5000
www.birminghamhippodrome.com
ON SALE SOON

16 – 21 April 2018
Winter Gardens Blackpool
97 Church St, Blackpool FY1 1HL
Box office: 0844 856 1111
www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk
*Will go on sale on 8 June 2017 – check website for details

23 – 28 April 2018
Edinburgh Playhouse
18-22 Greenside Ln, Edinburgh EH1 3AA
Box office: 0844 871 3014
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse/
*Will go on sale on 14 June 2017 – check website for details

7 – 12 May 2018
New Wimbledon Theatre
93 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1QG
Box office: 0844 871 7646
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre/
ON SALE SOON

14 – 19 May 2018
Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru \ Wales Millennium Centre
Bute Pl, Cardiff Bay CF10 5AL
Box office: 029 2063 6464
www.wmc.org.uk
*Will go on sale on 7 August 2017 – check website for details

21 – 26 May 2018
Grand Opera House, Belfast
2-4 Great Victoria St, Belfast BT2 7HR
www.goh.co.uk
ON SALE SOON

11 – 16 June 2018
Hull New Theatre
Kingston Square, Hull HU1 3HF
Box office: 01482 300 306
www.hulltheatres.co.uk
*Will go on sale on 9 June 2017 – check website for details

16 – 21 July 2018
Regent Theatre Ipswich
3 St. Helen’s St, Ipswich IP4 1HE
Box office: 01473 433100
www.ipswichregent.com
ON SALE SOON – check website for details

FURTHER TOUR DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED.

MORE INFO HERE: purplerainonstage.com

BraveNewWorlds and Ovalhouse present Trinity

as part of Ovalhouse’s Summer Season 2017

Offsite event: Asylum, Caroline Garden’s Chapel, London SE15 2SQ

Monday 19th – Tuesday 27th June 2017

Ovalhouse, together with BraveNewWorlds present TRINITY – a visually stunning, design-led performance staged in a derelict gothic chapel in Peckham’s Asylum. Transporting audiences to another world, this offsite event explores the aesthetics of gender and female iconography in society’s visual culture, from pagan and religious artefacts to pop culture’s bedroom selfies.

TRINITY questions the ethics and politics involved in the representation, mutation and transformation of the female form in our collective visual consciousness. Creating a highly visceral visual landscape with an immersive sound experience that explores otherness, this production features sound by Demetrio Castellucci and light by Darren Johnston.

By continuing to present challenging and inspirational theatre that speaks to a world beyond the mainstream, Ovalhouse acts as a vital home for boundary-pushing art, artists and audiences with an eye on the future. The fantastic Summer Season 2017 at Ovalhouse continues as follows:

The Believers are But Brothers – Edinburgh preview

(12th – 15th July, 7.30pm)

We live in a time where old orders are collapsing and tech savvy and extremist groups rip through twentieth century political certainties. Amidst this, a generation of young men find themselves burning with resentment. This crisis of masculinity leads them into an online world of fantasy, violence and reality. Writer and theatre maker Javaad Alipoor spent time in this digital realm, exploring the blurry and complex world of extremists, spies, journalists and fantasists. This bold one-man show weaves together their stories

An Injury

(18th – 22nd July, 7.30pm) – press night Wednesday 19th July

After their award-winning collaboration on Heads Up, writer Kieran Hurley (Beats, Hitch) and director Alex Swift (How to Win Against History, Mess) team up once again to create a thrilling new play about violence, love, the distance between us, and the harm we do to each other. Morvern wants to get up and walk away from this desk. Danny wants to write something revolutionary. Joe wants to protect what good we still have left. And then there’s Isma. We don’t know much about Isma. We know she’s twelve. We know she speaks only Arabic. We know she’s here. And we know she’s watching. Here, in this room, four speakers pick through the fragments of four shattered lives.

I am a Tree – Edinburgh preview

(27th – 29th July, 7.30pm)

Writer Jamie Wood presents a show like no other. A show that is something else entirely. A dance party with ghosts, in a forest, in a theatre. A hopping ritual. An invitation to drink deep: to face the shadows that growl on your insides and laugh big. Hold on tight!

As with every Ovalhouse season, the Summer programme also include two exciting new works-indevelopment, a chance to see raw new ideas that might develop into a bigger piece, or might be a way to explore an idea. The new FiRST BiTES are:

WHITE

(20th – 22nd July, 7.45pm)

Koko Brown considers the concept of mixed-race privilege as she tries to connect clashing cultures and explore what it means to be mixed in contemporary Britain. A show about identity which blends spoken-word with live vocal looping and asks ‘What are you when you are always the other?’

Juliet and Romeo’s work in progress

(25th – 26th July, 7.30pm)

Ben Duke’s Lost Dog will be sharing something of their as yet unstarted and definitely still unfinished version of Shakespeare’s deeply pessimistic teenage love story. A humorous and heartfelt investigation into love, loss and longevity.

FURTHER CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

BENEDICT ANDREWS’ YOUNG VIC PRODUCTION OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS’

C A T   O N   A   H O T   T I N   R O O F

OPENING IN THE WEST END JULY 2017

 

Lisa Palfry (Big Mama), Hayley Squires (Mae) and Brian Gleeson (Gooper) with Richard Hansel (Doctor) and Michael J Shannon (Reverend) join the previously announced Sienna Miller (Maggie), Jack O’Connell (Brick) and Colm Meaney (Big Daddy) for the Young Vicproduction of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof directed by Benedict Andrews.   The younger members of the Company will be announced at a later date.

 

The twelve-week run in the West End at the Apollo Theatre begins previews on 13 July 2017 with press night on 24 July. The last performance is 7 October 2017.  Set designs are by Magda Williwith costume designs by Alice Babidge, lighting by Jon Clark and sound design by Gareth Fry. Music is by award-wining composer and musician Jed Kurzel.

The truth hurts. On a steamy night in Mississippi, a Southern family gather at their cotton plantation to celebrate Big Daddy’s birthday.  The scorching heat is almost as oppressive as the lies they tell.  Brick and Maggie dance round the secrets and sexual tensions that threaten to destroy their marriage. With the future of the family at stake, which version of the truth is real – and which will win out?

 

Lisa Palfrey’s theatre credits include Junkyard for Headlong, Much Ado About Nothing for Theatre Clwyd, The Seagull for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, The Kitchen Sink for the Bush Theatre, Red Bud, Ingredient X and Under The Blue Sky all for the Royal Court Theatre, Festen and The Iceman Cometh both for the Almeida Theatre and Cardiff East and Under Milk Wood both for the National Theatre.  Her film credits include Pride, The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, House of America, Under Milk Wood and Guest House Paradiso.  Her television credits include Hinterland, The Line of Duty, Green Hollow, Casualty, and Family Tree.

 

Hayley Squires’ theatre credits include The Pitchfork Disney at Shoreditch Town Hall and As Good a Time as Any at The Print Room.  For the role of Katie in Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or winning I, Daniel Blake she won the British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer, the Evening Standard British Film award for Best Supporting Actress and also received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress.  Her other credits include Giantland, Away, Polar Bear, A Royal Night Out and Blood Cells.  Her television credits include The Miniaturist, Collateral, Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, The Commuter, Murder, Southcliffe, Complicit and Call The Midwife.

 

Brian Gleeson was most recently seen on stage in The Weir at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh.  His other theatre credits include The Walworth Farce at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin and the Donmar Warehouse production of The Night Alive, which also ran at the Atlantic Theatre in New York.  His film credits include Assassin’s Creed, The Flag, Tiger Raid, History’s Future, Standby, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Stay, Snow White and The Huntsman.  His television work includes the lead role of Jimmy Mahon in the RTÉ series Rebellion, Quirke and Stonemouth.  His  film work due for release this year includes Steven Soderbergh’s feature film Logan Lucky, Darren Aronofsky’s Mother!, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread.

 

Richard Hansell’s more recent theatre credits include Lazarus at the King’s Cross Theatre, the Young Vic’s production of A View From the Bridge which transferred to the West End and then to Broadway and Macbeth at the Trafalgar Studios.  His other theatre credits include Tonight at 8.30for Chichester Festival Theatre, The Madness of King George III at the Apollo Theatre, The Bridge Project at the Old Vic and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Troilus and Cressida for Shakespeare’s Globe, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, School for Scandal and Hamlet all for English Touring Theatre and A Patriot For Me and Two Gentlemen of Verona for the Royal Shakespeare Company.  His television credits include And Then There Were None, Downton Abbey, Spooks, The Royal, Miracle Landing on The Hudson and E=MC2, and on film his credits include Shine, The Wolfman and Hamlet.

 

Michael J Shannon’s theatre credits include The Dining Room and The Glass Menagerie, both at Greenwich Theatre, Artichoke for the Tricycle Theatre, Totally Foxed at the Theatre Royal Bath,The Price at the Leicester Haymarket, The End of the World at Nuffield, Southampton,  A Thousand Clowns at the Palace, Watford and A Delicate Balance at the Nottingham Playhouse.  His television credits include We’ll Meet Again, Boston Legal and Brothers & Sisters.

 

For this Young Vic production, there are seats available at £10 for under 25s for each performance booked through the Young Vic Box Office.  Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is the Young Vic’s first production to debut in the West End and is presented by the Young Vic and The Young Ones.  Previously the Young Vic have transferred A View from a Bridge, Golem, Romeo and Juliet, The Scottsboro Boys, Simply Heavenly, Tintin and A Doll’s House.

 

Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer prize winning play received its world premiere in 1955 on Broadway with Barbara Bel Geddes and Ben Gazzara as Maggie and Brick.  The UK premiere, directed by Peter Hall, opened at the Comedy Theatre in 1958 with Kim Stanley and Paul Massie.  The 1958 Academy Award nominated film starred Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman.

Finn den Hertog is Assistant Director. He previously worked with Benedict Andrews on A Streetcar Named Desire.

Natalie Denton is Jerwood Assistant Director, supported through the Jerwood Assistant Directors Program at the Young Vic.

The Young Vic produces new plays, classics, forgotten works, musicals and opera. It co-produces and tours widely in the UK and internationally while keeping deep roots in its neighbourhood. It frequently transfers shows to London’s West End and invites local people to take part at its home in Waterloo. In 2016 the Young Vic became London’s first Theatre of Sanctuary. Recent productions include Simon Stone’s multi award-winning new version of Lorca’sYerma which returns to the Young Vic with Billie Piper reprising her performance in July, the premiere of Charlene James’ multi-award-winning play Cuttin’ It and Ivo van Hove’s multi award-winning production of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge (West End & Broadway transfers), as well as Horizons, a season of work exploring the lives of refugees.  David Lan is Artistic Director, Lucy Woollatt is Executive Director.  www.youngvic.org

 

About the Jerwood Assistant Director Program The Jerwood Assistant Director Program at the Young Vic supports directors in the early stages of their careers by providing a vital opportunity to obtain professional on-the-job development.  The programme is supported by Jerwood Charitable Foundation and was set up in 2010 to give emerging talent the chance to work alongside some of the most talented and experienced directors in the world.  The partnership was set up in 2010 to give emerging talent the chance to work alongside some of the most talented and experienced directors in the world.

In 2014, the Program was expanded to include an international dimension, and this continues in 2017. The Program draws upon the vast expertise of our theatre colleagues across the world and will for the fourth time offer a professional practice visit to the seven Jerwood Assistant Directors. Travelling as a group to a major European theatre capital they will have the opportunity to see work and develop relationships with international practitioners with a view to generating new ideas and future collaborations.

The Jerwood Assistant Director Program has become a successful springboard. Past participants include: Sam Pritchard, who assisted Carrie Cracknell on A Doll’s House, appointed International Associate at the Royal Court. He will direct Pygmalion for Headlong in 2017; Craig Gilbert, who assisted Natalie Abrahami on Ah, Wilderness!, appointed New Works Associate at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse and Kate Hewitt, who assisted Sacha Wares on Wild Swans, winner of the inaugural Royal Theatrical Support Trust Director Award in 2016.  In the Young Vic 2017 season, Jerwood Assistant Directors will have worked on Young Vic productions including: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, See Me Now, Life of Galileo and Wings.

Jerwood Charitable Foundation is dedicated to imaginative and responsible revenue funding of the arts, supporting artists to develop and grow at important stages in their careers. The aim of its funding is to allow artists and arts organisations to thrive; to continue to develop their skills, imagination and creativity with integrity. It works with artists across art forms, from dance and theatre to literature, music and the visual arts. For more information visitwww.jerwoodcharitablefoundation.org

 

LISTINGS INFORMATION  

 

Theatre:                  Apollo Theatre, 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7ES

Dates:                    13 July – 7 October 2017

Press Night:             Monday 24 July 2017 at 7pm

Performances:          Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm, Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm

Prices:                    in previews Monday – Thursday £10-£55, Friday & Saturday £10-£57

From 25 July 2017 Monday – Thursday £10-£65, Friday & Saturday £10-£67

Box Office:                Apollo 0330 333 4809

                             Young Vic 020 7922 2922

Website:                 www.youngvicwestend.com

Twitter/Instagram:    @youngvictheatre

Facebook:               youngvictheatre

ELAINE PAIGE, ASHLEY BANJO & DIVERSITY, GARY WILMOT AND CHARLIE STEMP

JOIN JULIAN CLARY, PAUL ZERDIN AND NIGEL HAVERS IN

D I C K   W H I T T I N G T O N

FOR STRICTLY LIMITED FIVE WEEK FESTIVE SEASON RUN

AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM

Elaine Paige (Queen Rat), Ashley Banjo and Diversity (The Sultan and his Entourage), Gary Wilmott (Sarah the Cook) and Charlie Stemp (Dick Whittington) will join the previously announced Julian Clary (Spirit of the Bells), Paul Zerdin (Idle Jack) and Nigel Havers (Captain Nigel) in the line-up for Qdos Entertainment’s London Palladium production of Dick Whittington. Final casting will be announced at a later date.  Dick Whittington will run at the London Palladium for five weeks only over the festive season from Saturday 9 December 2017 to Sunday 14 January 2018, with press night on Wednesday 13 December 2017 at 7pm.

Multiple award-winning actor, recording artist, producer and broadcaster Elaine Paige will play Queen Rat.  She has previously starred in more West End and Broadway musicals than anyone else of her generation – Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, Billy, Evita, Cats, Chess, Anything Goes, Piaf, Sunset Boulevard, The King & I, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Drowsy Chaperone and Follies. In addition, she was part of the Sir Peter Hall Company for The Misanthrope and Where There’s A Will.  Her BBC Radio 2 programme, Elaine Paige on Sunday, is broadcast weekly to over 2.5 million listeners.  She continues her extensive live work with a series of UK concerts in October and November of this year.  As a recording artist, she has released 22 solo albums as well as featuring on multiple cast albums.  Paige was made an OBE in 1995.

Ashley Banjo is a dancer, choreographer and creative director. He is the founder and leader of dance group Diversity who won the third series of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent in 2009.  Aside from the group’s achievements Banjo has since been a judge on all 5 series of Sky 1’s Got To Dance, has had 4 of his own series on Sky 1 and has co-hosted BBC 1’s Can’t Touch This.  He now judges on ITV’s new primetime show Dance Dance Dance. 

 

Innovative dance group Diversity took the nation by storm when they won the third series of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent in 2009. The group have since gone on to achieve worldwide success and have just completed their 7th sell out UK tour Genesis. The group also have countless television performances to their name including 2 primetime ITV shows, Diversity Liveand Diversity Presents Steal The Show.

Gary Wilmot’s multiple theatre credits include Big The Musical for the Theatre Royal Plymouth,Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre and on UK tour, The Pajama Game at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium, Copacabana at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Carmen Jones at the Old Vic, Pirates of Penzance for Regent’s Park Theatre and Me and My Girl at the Aldephi Theatre.  His many UK tour credits include End of the Rainbow, Oklahoma!, Oliver!, Chicago and From Hackney to Hollywood.  Later this month Wilmot will open at the London Palladium playing Badger in The Wind in the Willows. 

Award-winning Charlie Stemp is currently playing the lead role in Half a Sixpence at the Noel Coward Theatre, a role he first performed at Chichester Festival Theatre, which has garnered him both great critical and audience acclaim.  His previous theatre credits include Wicked at the Apollo Victoria and the international tour of Mamma Mia!

 

Dick Whittington is produced by Nick Thomas and Michael Harrison for Qdos Entertainment, the team behind last year’s twice Olivier-nominated London Palladium production of Cinderella, which broke box office records for the highest grossing week in West End theatre history. Dick Whittington is written by Alan McHugh, directed by Michael Harrison, choreographed by Karen Bruce with musical supervision and orchestrations by Gary Hind, lighting by Ben Cracknell, set designs by Ian Westbrook, 3D Creations, costumes byHugh Durrant, visual special effects by The Twins FX, projection design by Duncan McLeanand sound design by Gareth Owen.

 

Nick Thomas is the founder and Chairman of Qdos Entertainment Group.  The business that he started in 1982 is now one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe.  Aside from the company’s credentials in pantomime, it is the UK’s second largest regional theatre and concert hall operator, and employs 1,800 full time staff.

Michael Harrison has previously produced over 100 pantomimes for Qdos Entertainment where he is also Managing Director.  He has directed 12 consecutive pantomimes at Newcastle Theatre Royal and 7 productions at Birmingham Hippodrome and as a producer in the West End his credits include Gypsy, The Bodyguard and Annie as well as the forthcoming production of Mel Brooks’Young Frankenstein.

As the world’s biggest pantomime producer, over the past 35 years Qdos Entertainment has established itself as one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe. Over the past three decades the pantomime giant has staged 684 pantomimes and this season expects over two million people will see one of its shows.

The London Palladium, owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatres Group, is a venue to which all performers aspire and has hosted more annual Royal Variety Performances than any other theatre. It recently returned to its variety roots and is taking its rightful place as one of the most popular venues for leading musicians, performers, comedians and now Pantomime which returned last December after an absence of nearly 30 years. www.reallyusefultheatres.co.uk

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Theatre:                           London Palladium, Argyll St, London W1F 7TF

Dates:                              9 December 2017 – 14 January 2018

Press night:                       13 December 2017 at 7pm

Box Office:                        0844 874 0667 (no booking fee)

All ticket prices include a £1.25 Theatre Restoration Levy

Performances:                   Saturday 9 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 10 December 2017 1pm & 5pm, Tuesday 12 December 2017 7.30pm, Wednesday 13 December 2017 2.30pm & 7pm (Press Night), Thursday 14 December 2017 7.30pm, Friday 15 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Saturday 16 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 17 December 2017 1pm & 5pm, Tuesday 19 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Wednesday 20 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Thursday 21 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Friday 22 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Saturday 23 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 24 December 2017 11am & 4pm, Tuesday 26 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Wednesday 27 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Thursday 28 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Friday 29 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Saturday 30 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 31 December 2017 11am & 4pm, Tuesday 2 January 2018 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Wednesday 3 January 2018 7.30pm, Thursday 4 January 2018 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Friday 5 January 2018 7.30pm, Saturday 6 January 2018 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 7 January 2018 1pm & 5pm, Tuesday 9 January 2018 7.30pm, Wednesday 10 January 2018 7.30pm, Thursday 11 January 2018 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Friday 12 January 2018 7.30pm, Saturday 13 January 2018 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 14 January 2018 1pm & 5pm

Website:                           www.DickWhittingtonPalladium.com

Twitter:                            @DWhittingtonLDN

Park Theatre 31st May -1st July.  Reviewed By Jessica Brady 

The Park Theatre is a trendy modern venue with a great atmosphere and most definitely the right place for a new play! Twitstorm, by Chris England, is a look into how social media dictates many aspects of our life and how it can have disastrous consequences in the wrong hands.

Guy Manton (Played by Jason Merrells) is a very successful TV show host, he has a stunning house, a beautiful wife, Bex (Played by Claire Goose) and a young son, the perfect set up. With his career on the rise with a potential move across the pond to America with his show things couldn’t be any better and with over 500000 twitter followers he has no worries about it being a success. Guy however, doesn’t control his twitter but instead leaves it to the writer of the show and best friend Neil (Played by Justin Edwards) who comes up with clever quips and updates to keep Guys fans interested. Neil and Guy work from the comfort of Guy’s home while Bex is writing her novels and sponsoring children in Africa. Unexpectedly, Ike (Played by Tom Moutchi) one of the very children they sponsored but lost touch with years ago, turns up at their door now an adult claiming that he had travelled to find them as they are the only ‘family’ he has left much to Guy’s dismay. Bex listens to the harrowing story of Ike’s family being slaughtered and the long journey he took based on photograph of their house and takes him in. To celebrate the end of the series of his show, Guy hosts a bbq for all the crew on the recommendation of his agent Rupert (Played by Chris England), this doesn’t end well for Guy as he makes a shocking remark that involves Ike and Ike posts it on Guy’s twitter as it was ‘only a joke’.

This of course escalates into a huge scandal where Guy is accused of being a racist and is being bashed all over social media putting his career in jeopardy.

Despite the above description, England’s Twitstorm is a comedy and a hilarious one at that! The eventful moments that this show holds had me laughing out loud due to the sheer comedy of errors Guy finds himself in. This is a fantastically written, modern play with excellent characters that we can all relate to in one way or another and the script it oozing with witty one liners and uncomfortable moments where you want the ground to swallow you up but in a good way.

Each performance is incredibly strong and seamless and not a single beat of the comedy timing needed in a show like this is dropped. Merrells and Goose have such presence on stage, great chemistry and lead this cast brilliantly. Special mention must go to Ben Kavanagh who plays Daniel Priest he is such a naturally talented actor and I loved his character storming in heels around the stage!

The set was also really impressive with a modern open plan kitchen and living room, made to feel very inviting and spacious and with lots of top of the range furnishings. Also there were tweets being projected throughout which made you feel very much a part of the mayhem that was happening, a great touch.

Overall Twitstorm was a triumph and laugh out loud funny! You will love this fantastic play and characters so much you may just want to go home and tweet about them! Catch Twitstorm and The Park theatre #Itshilarious