Elf – A Christmas Spectacular starring David Essex and Martine McCutcheon

starring

DAVID ESSEX & MARTINE MCCUTCHEON
Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena: 14 – 16 December
Birmingham, Genting Arena: 20 – 24 December
Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena: 28 – 30 December

Tickets on-sale Friday 9 March at 9am

 

ELF, the hit West End and Broadway musical based on the Hollywood blockbuster movie starring Will Ferrell, is to be supersized into a Christmas spectacular which will tour the UK in December 2018. This extravaganza will play three major arenas this Christmas: Cardiff Motorpoint Arena, Birmingham Genting Arena and Nottingham Motorpoint Arena. Tickets go on-sale on Friday 9 March at 9am.

Starring pop legend David Essex as Buddy the Elf’s father, and Love Actually star and singer Martine McCutcheon as Buddy’s girlfriend, Jovie. Buddy the Elf will be played by comedy actor Tam Ryan, who counts Priscilla Presley amongst his past leading ladies. West End star Louise English will play Buddy’s stepmother. The cast also features Father Christmas and a line-up of 70 performers, including children from local Pauline Quirke Academy stage schools.

As well as being a hugely successful singer/songwriter, director and best-selling author, David Essex has starred as the lead in many musicals from Evita to War of the Worlds and is particularly excited to be taking on the role of Buddy’s grumpy and unwitting dad. David said: “I’m really looking forward to taking Elf on tour.  The big special effects that we have lined-up are incredible, including a giant sleigh which will fly across the arena, an indoor snow blizzard and lots of skating which all adds to this perfect Christmas story.”

Actress, singer and former EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon, added: “I’m absolutely delighted to be appearing in this wonderful show.  Elf is without doubt one of the all-time great Christmas movies, so I hope audiences in Cardiff, Birmingham and Nottingham will love this production just as much as the film!”

Tam Ryan, who will be stepping into the big floppy shoes of Will Ferrell, said: “It’s such an honour to play this hugely popular movie character. It feels like Christmas has come early, see you in December!”

The original stage version played to record breaking audiences in 2015/2016 at London’s Dominion Theatre and firmly established this heart-warming tale of Buddy the Elf leaving Santa at the North Pole to seek his real father in New York as a Christmas classic.  This new Christmas Spectacular production will feature a book written by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers and Hairspray) and an original score of great new songs.  The original staging will be enhanced with giant screens, showing both computer graphic backdrops and live action close-ups. The 5,000 seat arena layout will have a 70-foot wide stage and a 60-foot long thrust stage, with some scenes taking place around and above the audience.

Elf will be produced by WBP Ltd, the team behind last year’s Christmas spectacular Peter Pan, which played at Arena Birmingham and The SSE Arena, Wembley.

For tickets, visit the venue box office or theticketfactory.com

Tickets enquires:                     www.buddytheelf.co.uk
Facebook:                               www.facebook.com/biggestpanto

Twitter:                                  www.twitter.com/Biggest_Panto

 

THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED WORLD PREMIERE OF – TRIOPERAS – TURANDOT, BUTTERFLY & CARMEN – PAMELA TAN-NICHOLSON’S RADICAL NEW ADAPTATION OF THREE LEGENDARY OPERAS

COVENT GARDEN SOLOISTS PRODUCTIONS PRESENT 
 
THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED WORLD PREMIERE OF 
 
TRIOPERAS
TURANDOT, BUTTERFLY & CARMEN
 
PAMELA TAN-NICHOLSON’S RADICAL NEW ADAPTATION OF 
THREE LEGENDARY OPERAS
 
OFFERING A FRESH LOOK AT THEIR FORMIDABLE 
FEMALE PROTAGONISTS
 
OPENING AT THE PEACOCK THEATRE FROM 23 MAY – 1 JULY 2018
 
 
For the first time ever, three of the world’s most famous female-led operas have been dramatically revised with their stories told through the eyes of composer and interpreter, Pamela Tan–Nicholson, for the world premiere of TriOperas, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the UK’s women’s suffrage, Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day on 8th March. 
 
This radical new show, inspired by three of the best known female characters in opera, TurandotMadam Butterfly and Carmen, opens at the Peacock Theatre on 23 May, for a limited season until 1 July, with press night on 29 May 2018. 
 
TriOperas portrays the three women as reluctant heroines generations ahead of their time. Turandot is a cross-dressing daredevil warrior-princess, Madame Butterfly is an ambitious and proud Japanese geisha, and Carmen, the free-spirited Spanish gypsy party girl. This innovative production, which challenges conventional depictions of the female protagonists, features a glorious fusion of classical music, musical theatre, circus, martial arts and dance. 
 
Uniquely, TriOperas has been designed for all female cast members to rotate roles in the three operas. Nine multi-talented female performers from a variety of artistic disciplines and backgrounds feature in the production – Sianna BruceKeedie GreenSara HamiltonLucy KayMartina MennellSarah NaudiShoreina PereiraKatie Shalka and Chiarra Vinci
 
Each role has a distinct emotional journey and every actor faces different artistic, dramatic and technical challenges. Cast rotation is intended to keep portrayal of each role sharp, fresh and non-routine. This is especially important in opera where musical performance drives the story and emotions are expressed in a multitude of ways. This also ties in with Tan-Nicholson’s philosophy that every woman can identify, in one way or another, with each female character in TriOperas
 
In this challenging production, many of the roles are not gender-specific and male/female cast members interchange, understudy and double for each other. The performers require superb vocal skills to meet the demanding operatic repertoire, convincing dramatic authority over a range of extreme emotions, and physical discipline to perform a dazzling variety of dance and stunts.
 
Pamela Tan-Nicholson said, “What I have tried to achieve with TriOperas is to provoke a fresh understanding of these three eponymous women, and as well to push the boundaries of what opera is and can be for a 21st century audience – a contemporary, all-inclusive, all-action art form. Traditionally, the women in these operas are represented one-dimensionally – predictable and almost pantomime-like characterisations relying on sexist and racist stereotypes. Puccini and Bizet, male composers of the original operas, portrayed women as villains or victims, bitches or losers. In their era, men had little insight (or interest) either in women or in their unspoken emotions and ambitions behind the façade of society norms.
 
I am so pleased to finally announce the female cast taking on these challenging roles. The auditions were a long and grueling process, but we have certainly found the most inspiring and interesting group of performers I have come across in my career. Courage and grit mixed with femininity and grace are notions central to TriOperas underlying theme, and run through all three stories, and all nine women bring a unique combination of skills, which I am very excited to explore in the rehearsal process.” 
 
TriOperas, produced by the Covent Garden Soloists (CGS), merges opera singing with punk, rap, rock and hip-hop and an incredible display of acrobatics, kung-fu, puppetry, breakdancing, tap, ballet, salsa, Chinese lion wushu and parkour. Stories are brought to life by a stellar production team, including choreographers such as Royal Ballet Principal Steven McRae, Sadler’s Wells’ Breakin’ Convention Director Jonzi D, Masters Siow and Tang from Kun Seng Keng Lion and Dragon Dance Association (holders of 65 world titles and still counting), and music director Vasko Vassilev, the Royal Opera House’s concertmaster and creative producer. 
 
In 2017, UNESCO granted official patronage to the fully staged theatrical version of TriOperas. The project encompasses a complementary onsite exhibition supported by the V&A Museum and the Royal Opera House, TriOperas – Women Power World Opera, which will be running at the Peacock Theatre during TriOperas’ run from 23 May – 1 July. 
 
The BRIT School enjoys the support of TriOperas, which is providing opportunities for students from different Departments of Study (Music, Musical Theatre, Dance and Technical Production) to gain access to practical training in the production. Students will be working with TriOperas mentors in pre-production, curating and rehearsals leading up to the opening of the exhibition and show in May.

Cast Changes Announced for MISS SAIGON UK Tour

CAST CHANGES FOR

CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S

EPIC PRODUCTION OF

BOUBLIL AND SCHÖNBERG’S LEGENDARY MUSICAL

FROM MONDAY 30 APRIL

ELANA MARTIN WILL PLAY ‘ELLEN’

AND AICELLE SANTOS WILL PLAY ‘GIGI’

Cameron Mackintosh today announced that from Monday 30 April Elana Martin will play ‘Ellen’ and Aicelle Santos will play ‘Gigi’ in the current UK tour of his acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical MISS SAIGON. They join Red Concepción as ‘The Engineer’, Sooha Kim as ‘Kim’, Ashley Gilmour as ‘Chris’, Ryan O’Gorman as ‘John’ and Gerald Santos as ‘Thuy’. At certain performances ‘The Engineer’ is played by Christian Rey Marbella, and ‘Kim’ is played by Joreen Bautista.

Also new to the cast from 30 April will be Iroy Abesamis, Jonathon Bentley, Devine Cresswell, Ross Lee Fowkes, Yukina Hasebe, Rob Herron, Jade Ma, Samuel Nicholas, Pierce Rogan, Louis Stockil, Joaquin Pedro Valdes, Brad Veitch, Gabriella Williams, Zheng Xi Yong and Sian Yeo,

Elana Martin’s West End credits include “Travesties” at the Apollo Theatre and “Merrily We Roll Along” at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Her other credits include the UK tours of “39 Steps” and “Scrooge”.

Aicelle Santos is a recording and concert artist in the Philippines appearing in many concerts as both a solo performer and one third of the successful trio ‘La Diva’. As an actress, her theatre credits include “Katy”, “Rak Of Aegis” for which she won a Best Actress in a Musical award and “Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag” for which she won a Best Featured Actress in a Musical award.

Red Concepción’s many theatre credits in his native Philippines include ‘Adam/Felicia’ in “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” for which he won the ALIW Award and Gawah Buhay Award, ‘Tommy’ in “The Normal Heart” and ‘Alan Strang’ in “Equus” as well as the musicals “West Side Story” and “Hairspray”.

Sooha Kim made her professional debut in this recent production of “Miss Saigon” at the Prince Edward Theatre where she covered the role of ‘Kim’ before going on to play the role in the Japanese production. Her credits whilst training in Korea include ‘Maureen’ in “Rent” and ‘Carmen’ in “Fame”.

Ashley Gilmour also appeared in “Miss Saigon” at the Prince Edward Theatre. His most recent credits include playing ‘Link Larkin’ in the national tour of “Hairspray”.

Ryan O’Gorman played the role of ‘Tom Collins’ in the 20th Anniversary UK Tour of “Rent”.  His other theatre credits include “Les Misérables”, at the Queen’s Theatre, “The Phantom of the Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre, “Billy Elliot” at the Victoria Palace Theatre and the UK tour of “Oliver!”.

Gerald Santos was the youngest ever winner of the biggest singing contest in the Philippines, Pinoy Pop Superstar. He has released five studio albums and has won numerous awards including winning twice Best Male Concert performer at the prestigious ALIW Awards.

From 30 April the full cast will be Iroy Abesamis, David Allwood, Joreen Bautista, Jonathon Bentley,  Red Concepción, Vinny Coyle,  Devine Cresswell, Kristine Diaz, Aynrand Ferrer, Ross Lee Fowkes, Ashley Gilmour, Seng Henk Goh,  Yukina Hasebe, Rob Herron, Sooha Kim, David Kar-Hing Lee, Amanda Lindgren, Winchester Lopez,  Jade Ma, Christian Rey Marbella, Elana Martin, Thao Nguyen, Samuel Nicholas, Ryan O’Gorman, Youngjoo Park, Pierce Rogan, Aicelle Santos, Gerald Santos, Louis Stockil, Eloisa Amalia Tan, Gavin Tsang, Joaquin Pedro Valdes, Brad Veitch, Amadeus Williams, Gabriella Williams, Sian Yeo,  Zheng Xi Yong and Gerald Zarcilla.

Last year, this production of MISS SAIGON opened on Broadway where it played to nightly ovations and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The New Yorker called it a “Dynamite Broadway revival”. When the smash-hit run of this production opened in London in May 2014 to record-breaking advance sales and critical acclaim, Dominic Cavendish in The Daily Telegraph wrote, “This thrilling new production spills out beyond the theatre and speaks directly to the times we live in”. The show swept the board at the 2015 Whatsonstage.com awards winning a record breaking nine awards, the most awards ever won by a single show in the 15-year history of the awards including: Best West End Show and Best Revival of a Musical.

 

MISS SAIGON tells the story of the last days of the Vietnam War, 17 year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he’s fathered a son.

MISS SAIGON has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, adapted from original French lyrics by Alain Boublil, with additional lyrics by Michael Mahler. The new production is directed by Laurence Connor with musical staging by Bob Avian and additional choreography by Geoffrey Garratt.  Production design is by Totie Driver and Matt Kinley based on an original concept by Adrian Vaux; costume design by Andreane Neofitou; lighting design by Bruno Poet; projections by Luke Halls; sound design by Mick Potter; and orchestrations by William David Brohn.

Since its London premiere in 1989, Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s legendary musical MISS SAIGON has become one of the most successful musicals in history.  The original Broadway production of MISS SAIGON opened on April 11, 1991 with what was the largest advance sale in Broadway history ($37 million).  The show went on to play for nearly ten years and 4,063 performances seen by more than 5.9 million people. MISS SAIGON has been performed in 28 countries, over 300 cities in 15 different languages, has won over 40 awards including 2 Olivier Awards, 3 Tony Awards, and 4 Drama Desk Awards and been seen by over 35 million people worldwide.

MISS SAIGON UK TOUR 2018/2019

www.miss-saigon.com

WEDNESDAY 21 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 17 MARCH 2018

MAYFLOWER THEATRE, SOUTHAMPTON

www.mayflower.org.uk – 02380 711811

WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH – SATURDAY 12 MAY 2018

MANCHESTER PALACE THEATRE

www.atgtickets.com/venues/palace-theatre-manchester  0844 871 3019

WEDNESDAY 16 MAY – SATURDAY 23 JUNE 2018

THE BRISTOL HIPPODROME

www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome  0844 871 3012

WEDNESDAY 4 JULY – SATURDAY 4 AUGUST 2018

THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH

www.theatreroyal.com  01752 267222 

WEDNESDAY 15 AUGUST – SATURDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2018

NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL

www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk    01603 63 00 00

WEDNESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 20 OCTOBER 2018

BRADFORD ALHAMBRA

www.bradford-theatres.co.uk 01274 432 000

WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 17 NOVEMBER

SUNDERLAND EMPIRE

www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire  0844 871 3022

WEDNESDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2018 – SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2019

THEATRE 11, ZURICH

www.musical.ch/de/theater11zuerich

Hilda and Virginia Review

Jermyn Street Theatre – until 3 March.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

Maureen Duffy’s double-bill explores pivotal moments in the lives of two inspirational women, separated by centuries.

In A Nightingale in Bloomsbury Square, Virginia Woolf has written letters to her sister and husband before she ends her life. Her decision made, Virginia (Sarah Crowden) talks directly to the audience, recalling fragmentary memories and attempting to understand her life and failed relationships, wondering what Freud would make of her situation. Duffy’s Virginia re-imagines her youth with her family as a Greek tragedy and a nursery rhyme. Her love for her sister Vanessa shines through as she attributes their deeply opposing attitudes to sex and physical passion to childhood abuse. Verity Johnson’s set, with shelves crammed with books and mementos, is utilised imaginatively, especially as she pushes books to the ground to represent the deaths of her family. This image continues as Virginia talks about her books as her children, describing their births with tenderness and pride. Duffy’s language is lyrical and stimulating, but unfortunately Sarah Crowden’s occasionally faltering grasp of her lines, especially when trying to remember whether she was talking about Virginia, Vanessa and Vita broke the rhythm and momentum of the piece. This was only the second night of a very short run, so there won’t be much opportunity for her to settle into the roles, which is a pity, as the passages when Crowden hit her stride showed the great potential of the play. Director Natasha Rickman keeps Crowden moving around the stage, and Crowden excels working with the minimal props in Virginia’s lighter moments.

The second play, The Choice, tells the story of Saint Hilda of Whitby in 664. When the king chooses Roman Christianity over Celtic Christianity, Hilda must decide whether to stay in Whitby and continue her work or leave for Iona. Hilda’s unshakeable faith and devotion are clear as she asks God for a sign. Even though Hilda is baring her soul, this play feels less personal and exposing than the first, as Hilda is addressing God, not the audience, and the set and direction is much more static. Crowden copes better remembering the lines for this shorter play, bringing blunt humour to this no-nonsense character.

The two plays make an intriguing double-bill, with Duffy creating two extraordinary women seeking answers for reasons that are polar opposites. With more rehearsal time and more polished direction in the second act, these women could have the production they deserve.

Timothy Watson, Tessa Peake-Jones and Aden Gillett lead cast of Terence Rattigan’s The Winslow Boy

Timothy Watson, Tessa Peake-Jones and Aden Gillett lead cast of Terence Rattigan’s The Winslow Boy

At The Lowry Mon 9 – Sat 14 April

Timothy Watson, best known for his role as the villainous Rob Titchener in BBC Radio 4’s long-running dramatic favourite The Archers, leads the cast of The Winslow Boy running at The Lowry from Mon 9 – Sat 14 April.

Timothy is joined by 
Tessa Peake-Jones (BBC 1’s Only Fools and Horses, ITV’s Grantchester) as Grace Winslow and Aden Gillett (BBC 1’s The House of Elliot) as Arthur Winslow.  

Misha Butler makes his stage debut in this production as Ronnie Winslow. Dorothea Myer-Bennett appears as Ronnie’s spirited sister, Catherine and Theo Bamber his brother, Dickie. The cast is completed by Soo Drouet as the Winslow’s Maid, Violet and Sarah Lambie who appears as reporter Miss Barnes. 

The play is directed by Olivier Award-nominated 
Rachel Kavanaughwhose recent credits include A Christmas Carol (Royal Shakespeare Company), Oklahoma! (BBC Proms, Royal Albert Hall), Half a Sixpence (Noel Coward Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre).

Timothy Watson captured the collective hatred of the nation as Rob Titchener in The Archers who, in Radio 4’s controversial slow-burning storyline, revealed himself to be not the charming and capable man he purported to be on his arrival in Ambridge but a manipulative bully who coercively controlled his partner, Helen. The storyline not only permeated the UK’s cultural fabric, but came during a period in which new UK Legislation was introduced protecting people from Controlling or Coercive Behaviour in an Intimate or Family Relationship. The charity Women’s Aid noted during the final year of the two and a half year plot that a 20% increase in calls to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline was observed which was noted, in part, to be a reflection of the ‘Archers’ effect.’
On stage Timothy has appeared regularly in London and the West End (The Beaux’ Stratagem, National Theatre, An Inspector Calls, Garrick, The Woman in Black, Fortune), toured the length and breadth of the country countless times, and acted in over fifty productions in repertory and other theatres. He has made numerous appearances on TV and film, including series regular Mr Perez, Maitre d’ of the Palm Court Restaurant in Mr Selfridge.


Timothy has always been particularly fond of radio drama. He first appeared in The Daughters of Venice, in the early 1990s. Since then he has been heard in many an afternoon play or classic serial. A particular favourite was playing Damon Wildeve in The Return of The Native for Rosemary Watts. Timothy is also a busy voice-over artist. He has narrated nearly a hundred documentaries, has lent his voice to a wide range of advertising and has recorded multiple voices in over thirty video games. He voiced both James Bond and Auric Goldfinger for the Bond ‘Legends’ game, released in 2012.


Having been expelled from the Royal Navy College for stealing a five-shilling postal order, young cadet Ronnie Winslow’s entire family are pulled apart by the repercussions of this charge. Set against the values of 1910 Edwardian London, the Winslow family fight to clear his name or face social ostracism as the case becomes a national scandal. Based on a real-life event, The Winslow Boy is a courageous and often delicately humorous window into the class and political hypocrisy of the time. This highly-charged moral drama will have audiences gripped by the heart-tugging decisions faced by each of The Winslow Family. Where will their sacrifices leave them and what is really at stake? 


The 1946 play became one of Rattigan’s best known and most loved works. The Winslow Boy has enjoyed several high-profile revivals, both in the West End and on Broadway. It was turned into a feature film in 1948, directed by Anthony Asquith, and again in 1999 by David Mamet. The play won the Ellen Terry Award for Best New Play and, on its US premiere at the Empire Theatre in October 1947, received the New York Critics’ Circle Award for Best Foreign Play.

Mark Goucher once again presents a classic drama straight from seasons at the Chichester Festival Theatre and Birmingham Rep. The Winslow Boy follows acclaimed productions of The Kings Speech and Single Spies (the latter also directed by Rachel Kavanaugh).

SHAKESPEARE IN THE SQUARES ANNOUNCES 2018 PRODUCTION OF AS YOU LIKE IT, TOURING TO LONDON SQUARES AND PARKS THIS SUMMER

SHAKESPEARE IN THE SQUARES ANNOUNCES 2018 PRODUCTION OF

AS YOU LIKE IT, TOURING TO LONDON SQUARES AND PARKS THIS SUMMER

 

As You Like It

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Tatty Hennessy

 

Tour: 20 June – 13 July

Shakespeare in the Squares today announces its 2018 production of As You Like It, directed by Tatty Hennessy, which tours to London’s squares and parks from 20 June to 13 July, with a press night at Arundel and Ladbroke Gardens on 26 June. Opening up London’s glorious private squares and gardens to magical performances for Londoners and family audiences, Shakespeare in the Squares’ third production follows the company’s successful productions of Much Ado About Nothing in summer 2016 and Romeo and Juliet in summer 2017, which were performed to sell-out audiences. The tour of As You Like It will visit twice as many locations as the inaugural Shakespeare in the Squares tour in 2016.

Sue Fletcher and Martin Neild, founders of Shakespeare in the Squares, said, “For the third summer tour of Shakespeare in the Squares, we are delighted to be working again with director Tatty Hennessy to stage one of Shakespeare’s best loved comedies. As You Like It could be tailor-made for the beautiful outdoor spaces we are performing in across London, which lend themselves so perfectly to being reimagined as the Forest of Arden.”

Founded by Sue Fletcher and Martin Neild in 2016, Shakespeare in the Squares is a not-for-profit touring theatre company that stages a Shakespeare play across London squares every summer. The productions are tailored to the individual garden squares, and the company works with the garden committees and other local organisations to create a unique community celebration around the play. The company aims to provide a showcase for talented young theatre practitioners and to introduce audiences to the stars of the future. 

Shakespeare in the Squares’ new production of As You Like It, Shakespeare’s enchanting comedy of love, desire and mistaken identity, is set in 1970, the year of the first Glastonbury Festival. As Shakespeare’s characters flee from the rigidity of the court to the Forest of Arden, audiences too can exchange the conformity of city life for a pastoral utopia where hippies and freethinkers meet to dance, love and put the world to rights.

Tatty Hennessy is an award-winning playwright, dramaturg and director. She returns to direct As You Like It for Shakespeare in the Squares following her production of Romeo and Juliet last year.

Hennessy is currently the Baylis Assistant Director at the Old Vic, where she is assisting on Max Webster’s production of Fanny & Alexander. Her previous directing credits include her own adaptation of The Snow Queen (Theatre N16), a revival of her first play All That Lives (Ovalhouse Theatre) and Acorn (The Courtyard Theatre). As a writer, she won the Heretic Voices competition in 2017 with her play A Hundred Words for Snow, which received an acclaimed production at the Arcola Theatre in early 2018.

 

 

 

Schedule for Summer 2018 (further venues to be announced shortly)

 

All performances at 7pm unless stated

 

Wednesday 20 June                        Leinster Square, W2

Thursday 21 June                            St James’s Gardens, W11

Friday 22 June                                   Norland Square, W11

Saturday 23 June                            Queen’s Park, NW6

Tuesday 26 June                               Arundel and Ladbroke Gardens, W11 (press night – nearest tube stations are Ladbroke Grove and Holland Park)

Saturday 30 June                             Little Wormwood Scrubs Park, W10

Tuesday 3 July                                   St James’s Square, SW1

Wednesday 4 July                            Connaught Square, W2

Thursday 5 July                                 Bedford Square, WC1 (part of the Bedford Square Festival)

Friday 6 July                                       The Crescent Garden, W9

Saturday 7 July                                  St Peter’s Square, W6

Sunday 8 July                                     The Courtyard at le Gothique, Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, Wandsworth, SW18 (3pm matinee)

Tuesday 10 July                                 The Courtyard at le Gothique, Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, Wandsworth, SW18

Wednesday 11 July                          Ladbroke Square, W11

Thursday 12 July                               Cleveland Square, W2

 

http://www.shakespeareinthesquares.co.uk/

Twitter: @shakessquares

Facebook: shakespeareinthesquares

NEW CHILDREN’S CAST AND ONLINE LOTTERY ANNOUNCED FOR THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S MATILDA THE MUSICAL

 

  • NEW CHILDREN’S CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S MATILDA THE MUSICAL 
  • SARA MUNDAY AND OLIVIA WELLS JOIN LILY-MAE EVANS AND SAVANNAH READ IN THE TITLE ROLE FROM 13 MARCH 2018
  • BRAND NEW ONLINE LOTTERY LAUNCHES ON MONDAY 5 MARCH 2018  WITH BAND A TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR £25 AT EVERY PERFORMANCE
  • CURRENTLY IN ITS SEVENTH YEAR IN THE WEST END AND NOW BOOKING UNTIL 10 FEBRUARY 2019, THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL’S UK & IRELAND TOUR STARTS ON MONDAY 5 MARCH AT LEICESTER CURVE 
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s West End production of Matilda The Musical has announced that Sara Munday and Olivia Wells will join Lily-Mae Evans and Savannah Read in the title role of Matilda from 13 March 2018. Seen by over 7.7 million people across more than 60 cities worldwide, the multi award-winning production is now playing its seventh year in London, booking at the Cambridge Theatre until 10 February 2019.
Also announced today is Matilda The Musical’s first ever online ticket lottery which will begin on Monday 5 March. The online rolling lottery offers the chance to purchase two Band A seats at £25 each for every performance. The lottery can be entered at any time for all performances in a two-week period and lucky winners will be notified 3 to 5 days in advance of being given a 24 hour window to book their tickets online.
In addition to the new ticket lottery, there will continue to be sixteen £5 tickets held for 16-25 year olds at every performance which are available to purchase in person from 10am on the day of each performance at the Cambridge Theatre Box Office.
Winner of 86 major international awards, including 16 for Best Musical, the hit show is now the longest running production to play at the Cambridge Theatre and is one of the top twenty longest running musicals in the West End having now welcomed over 3 million audiences members.
The RSC’s Matilda The Musical UK and Ireland tour will have its first performance on Monday 5 March at Leicester Curve, where it will play until 24 March before touring to Dublin Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (4 – 28 April 2018), Sunderland Empire (8 May – 2 June 2018), Milton Keynes Theatre (5 – 30 June 2018), Birmingham Hippodrome (3 July – 8 September 2018), Manchester Palace (18 September – 24 November 2018) and Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre (4 December – 12 January 2019).
The other young performers announced today join the London company in the three teams who play the roles of Bruce, Lavender, Amanda and the rest of the pupils at Crunchem Hall and are as follows: Isabella AleppoBobby BeynonJacob BlandMia ByersImogen DarwenDarmani EbojiAsher EzequielDaniel Etim Finnemore,  Ashirah Foster NoticeRuben Garcia,Mikey ImpiazziTaziva-Faye KatsandeJackson LaingSadie Victoria LimMadison LocksColby MulgrewJack Riley and Sam Winser.
Omar Cain-FrancisLucy CheesmanLiberty GreigLauren HensonVaidile Jonikas,Mia McLoughlin and Martin Soosaipillai will continue in the roles of Bruce, Lavender, Amanda and the pupils at Crunchem Hall.
The show’s forthcoming child cast change will see Lily-Mae, Sara, Savannah and Olivia join the current adult cast which includes David Shannon as Miss Trunchbull, Gina Beck as Miss Honey, and Tom Edden and Marianne Benedict as Mr and Mrs Wormwood.
The full adult cast includes Keisha Amponsa BansonRichard AstburyGina BeckMarianne BenedictDavid BirchTom EddenMaria GracianoKarina HindPeter HoustonKatie LeeVicki Lee TaylorKris ManuelBryan MottramTom MuggeridgeEmma Robotham-HuntDavid ShannonSimon ShortenBiancha SzynalCallum Train and Robert Tregoning.
Matilda The Musical is written by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, and direction by Matthew Warchus. The production is designed by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker and the special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve.
Inspired by the incomparable Roald Dahl’s beloved book, Matilda The Musical was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and premiered at the RSC’s Stratford-upon-Avon home in November 2010, before transferring to London’s West End in October 2011, where it opened to rave reviews. The New York production of Matilda The Musical opened in April 2013 at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre and was celebrated on 10 “Top Ten” lists for 2013, including TIME Magazine’s #1 Show of the Year.
Matilda The Musical has now been seen by more than 7.7 million people worldwide, having played in over 60 cities with more than 5500 performances in the West End, on Broadway, across North America and in Australia and New Zealand.
Matilda The Musical swept the board at the 2012 Olivier Awards, with a record-breaking seven awards, and won four Tony Awards and a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater for the four girls sharing the title role on Broadway.
The Australian and New Zealand production won a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Musical in 2015, and played sold-out seasons in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Auckland. The show broke further records in July 2016 by winning all 13 Helpmann Awards for which it was nominated.Matilda The Musical will have its first non-English language production at the LG Arts Centre in Seoul, South Korea from September 2018 until February 2019.
Matilda The Musical is produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company with André Ptaszynski and Denise Wood as Executive Producers. The production was developed with the support of Jeanie O’Hare and the RSC Literary Department.
LISTINGS INFORMATION
MATILDA THE MUSICAL
Cambridge Theatre, Earlham Street, WC2H 9HU
Booking until 10 February 2019
Tuesdays 7pm
Wednesday – Saturday 7:30pm
Wednesday & Saturday 2:30pm
Sundays 3pm
Box Office: Cambridge Theatre 020 7087 7745 / RSC Ticket Hotline 01789 403493
No booking fee.

SHEFFIELD THEATRES ANNOUNCES NEW SEASON CULMINATING IN A CELEBRATION OF SHEFFIELD

SHEFFIELD THEATRES ANNOUNCES NEW SHOWS CULMINATING IN A CELEBRATION OF SHEFFIELD
 
Today, Sheffield Theatres announces its new season of exciting shows to take place throughout 2018 and into 2019: including new plays, sensational musicals, traditional dramas and shows that put Sheffield centre stage
To start the season in the Crucible, Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director Robert Hastie will direct a fresh production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Brimming with musicality, Dan Gillespie Sellswill be returning to Sheffield Theatres following his work on Everybody’s Talking About Jamie to compose a brand new and exciting score. This tale of desperate lovers, squabbling supernaturals and a hapless troupe of amateur actors is Shakespeare’s most celebrated comedy and runs from Friday 28 September 2018 – Saturday 20 October 2018.
 
This year’s Crucible Christmas musical will be Kiss Me, Kate; from the Golden Age of musicals, this riotous, romantic musical comedy will be directed by Paul Foster (Annie Get Your Gun). It’s opening night for feuding divorcees Fred and Lilli as they star in The Taming of the Shrew, but as the curtain rises, gambling, gangsters and mistaken identity conspire to create chaos. Featuring some of Cole Porter’s finest music, including: So In LoveBrush Up Your Shakespeare and Too Darn HotKiss Me, Kate runs from Friday 7 December 2018 – Saturday 12 January 2019. Also running over Christmas is Peter Pan, a co-production with Evolution Pantomimes running in the Lyceum Theatre from Friday 7 December 2018 – Sunday 6 January 2019 and will once again star Damian Williams, returning for his 11th year as the Dame.
 
2019 in the Crucible will open with Githa Sowerby’s celebrated classic, Rutherford and Son, directed by Sheffield Theatres Associate Director, Caroline Steinbeis. Rutherford is overbearing, dogmatic and disappointed, with three grown children and not one qualified to take over the family-owned glassworks. Set in the Industrial North in 1912, this is a story about how the women in the family come out from under Rutherford’s shadow and prove themselves equally worthy of inheriting his legacy and will run from Friday 8 February – Saturday 23 February 2019.
 
Finally, Robert Hastie will close the season by directing the World Première of Standing at the Sky’s Edge. A brand new musical written by Michael Wynne, featuring music and lyrics by Sheffield’s very own Richard Hawley. In 1961, the first residents of Park Hill were given the keys to their new homes, and Standing at the Sky’s Edge tells their story over the next 50 years, in a heart-swelling, heart-breaking love song to Sheffield. This will run in the Crucible from Friday 15 March – Saturday 6 April 2019.
 
In the Studio, the season opens with  Inherited Cities – a co-production between Third Angel and Sheffield Theatres. During its lifetime, Sheffield has been inherited over and over again and soon it will be time for you to pass it on to the young people of the city – Inherited Cities asks you to see the city through their eyes and runs from Thursday 26 – Saturday 28 July. Next is the World Première production of Steel. Running from 13 September – 6 October 2018Steel is a witty new play by Sheffield playwright Chris Bush and directed by Rebecca Frecknall, which explores the last three decades of women within the Labour party, asking what’s changed and what still must. Later in the year, the World Première of Close Quarters – written by Kate Bowen – will run from Thursday 25 October – Saturday 10 November 2018. A co-production between Sheffield Theatres and Out of Joint, Close Quarters is a taut thriller about the first generation of British women in close combat roles and looks at gender politics in the world’s most dangerous workplace and will be directed by Out of Joint’s Artistic Director, Kate Wasserberg. Finally, the Studio season will end with debbie tucker green’s hang, which will be directed by Taio Lawson, who joined Sheffield Theatres this year as Resident Assistant Director the part of the Regional Theatres Young Director Scheme. This provocative and haunting play about what happens when the victim of crime has power over the fate of the criminal will run from Thursday 21 February – Saturday 9 March 2019.
 
In the Lyceum this season we welcome Ken Dodd on Saturday 7 July and Thriller Live again returns from Monday 16 – Saturday 21 July. Prepare for a barrel of laughs as Showstopper! – The Improvised Musical comes to Sheffield hot from its acclaimed West End run on Wednesday 25 July. Explore the magical world of Tellytubbyland as Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La La and Po star in Tellytubbies Live from Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 July. Be blown away by the phenomenal Flashdance – starringStrictly Come Dancing’s Joanne Clifton – from Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 August. Explore the kaleidoscopic colours of India straight from a sell-out London season in the smash-hit Bollywood musical, Taj Express, from Thursday 20 – Saturday 22 September. Children’s favourite The Gruffalo’s Child will delight little ones from Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 September. The BAFTA award winning Cilla, telling the story of the late Cilla Black, visits Sheffield from Tuesday 2 – Saturday 6 October. Audiences can enjoy the iconic tunes featured in Fame from Tuesday 9 – Saturday 13 October. Following huge demand, Take That’s sensational musical, The Band, returns from Tuesday 16 – Saturday 20 October. Northern Ballet will return to present The Three Musketeers, choreographed by David Nixon, from Wednesday 24 – Saturday 27 October. Before it heads to the West End, catch The Messiah – starring Hugh Dennis and Lesley Garrett – fromMonday 5 – Saturday 10 November. The National Theatre bring a new production of Macbeth byWilliam Shakespeare from Wednesday 21 – Saturday 24 November. Finally, prepare to rock out as the explosive Rock of Ages returns, from Monday 26 November – Saturday 1 December.
 
Across the season, the Studio is set to host an extensive range of touring productions, including:Bridget Christie – What Now? (Monday 4 – Tuesday 5 June), Superposition (Wednesday 6 June), On Behalf of the People (Thursday 14 June), You’ve Changed (Friday 15 – Saturday 16 June), and, finally, the critically acclaimed Believers Are But Brothers, directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Associate Director, Javaad Alipoor (Monday 16 – Saturday 21 July).
 
Sheffield Theatres is also delighted to announce that it is expanding its IGNITE scheme – which offers free theatre tickets to those studying Drama or Performing Arts at school or college – to now include those studying English, and to include those at University anywhere within South Yorkshire. For more information, please call the Sheffield Theatres Box Office.
 
Tickets for all new season productions will go on sale to Centre Stage Members – who enjoy exclusive discounts and priority booking – on Saturday March 10. General booking will open on Saturday 24 March at 10.00am

SHEFFIELD THEATRES ANNOUNCES 2018-19 SEASON

SHEFFIELD THEATRES ANNOUNCES 2018-19 SEASON

 

Highlights of the season include:

 

·      Three world premières: Standing at the Sky’s Edge by Michael Wynne, with music and lyrics by Richard Hawley, Steel by Chris Bush and Close Quarters by Kate Bowen

 

·      A new production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Robert Hastie with music by Dan Gillespie Sells

 

·      Paul Foster’s return to Sheffield Theatres to direct this year’s Christmas musical Kiss Me, Kate

 

Robert Hastie today announces Sheffield Theatres’ new season, his third as Artistic Director. The season brings another brand new British musical to the Crucible stage, presenting world premières of bold and political new plays, and the celebrated Christmas musical at the Crucible Theatre.

The season begins with the world première of Sheffield born playwright Chris Bush’s play Steeldirected by Rebecca Frecknall. Exploring the role of women in the Labour party over the last three decades, it asks what’s changed and what still must? This is followed by Robert Hastie’s new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Crucible with music by Dan Gillespie Sells who returns to Sheffield Theatres following the smash hit Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, and a second world première with Close Quarters by Kate Bowen – a taut thriller about the first generation of British women in close combat roles and looks at gender politics in the world’s most dangerous workforce. This co-production with Out of Joint is directed by Kate Wasserberg, and is her first new play since taking over as the company’s Artistic Director.

Paul Foster returns to Sheffield Theatres to direct this year’s Christmas musical Kiss Me, Kate by Sam and Bella Spewack with music and lyrics by Cole Porter following the success of Annie Get Your Gun.

 

2019 begins with Sheffield Theatres Associate Director Caroline Steinbeis’s production of Rutherford and SonGitha Sowerby’s celebrated classic about the struggle for supremacy, legacy and deciding one’s own destiny. This is followed by debbie tucker green’s hang directed by Taio Lawson, who joined Sheffield Theatres this year as Resident Assistant Director the part of the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme.

The season is completed by the world première of Standing at the Sky’s Edge by BAFTA and Olivier Award-winning Michael Wynne, with music and lyrics by the internationally acclaimed musician Richard Hawley. The production, directed by Hastie, tells the story of the first residents of Sheffield’s iconic Park Hill in a heart-swelling, heart-breaking love song to the city.

The new musical follows the success of the Sheffield Theatres production Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in 2017. The West End transfer recently extended its booking period to October 2018 and received three awards at the WhatsOnStage Awards – Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.

Robert Hastie said today, “Our new season is deeply rooted in Sheffield and culminates in an exciting new musical about the iconic Park Hill estate which overlooks the theatre. I am thrilled to be directing Standing at the Sky’s Edge and to be working with Michael Wynne and Sheffield legend Richard Hawley. Together they have created a musical with a strong Sheffield heart and I can’t wait to bring it to the Crucible stage.

My passion for new writing and our commitment to supporting emerging artists and redressing the gender balance across our work is at the forefront of this season. We are delighted to welcome back Sheffield-born Chris Bush with her new play Steel, directed by Rebecca Frecknall; a timely piece exploring the role of women in Labour politics over the last three decades. This is followed by another world première, Kate Bowen’s Close Quarters, a thrilling debut play about the first generation of British female soldiers on the front line, directed by Kate Wasserberg as her first new play as Artistic Director of Out of Joint, with whom we’re delighted to be co-producing. And finally in the Studio, Taio Lawson, who joined Sheffield Theatres this year as the Regional Theatres Young Director Scheme Assistant Director, will direct debbie tucker green’s provocative play, hang.

In the Crucible, I am excited to open the season with a fresh take on A Midsummer Night’s Dream with music by Dan Gillespie Sells, and for our Associate Director Caroline Steinbeis to revive Githa Sowerby’s celebrated classic Rutherford and Son. At Christmas, we welcome Paul Foster back to Sheffield to direct a glorious show from the golden age of musical theatre, Kiss Me, Kate.”

 
Twitter: @crucibletheatre @SheffieldLyceum

STUDIO

A Sheffield Theatres Production

World Première

STEEL

By Chris Bush

 

13 September – 6 October 2018

Director: Rebecca Frecknall; Designer: Madeleine Girling

‘I am the Labour Party candidate. Now ask me why.’

 

‘Why?’

 

‘Because I am the best damn person for the job.’

 

The top candidate without question, Vanessa was made to be Mayor. Thirty years prior, Josie just wants things to change and seeks a seat on the local council. This witty new play by Chris Bush explores the last three decades of women in politics, asking what’s changed and what still must.

Chris Bush is a Sheffield-born playwright, lyricist and theatre-maker. She was previously a resident artist for Sheffield Theatres, where her previous credits include What We Wished For, A Dream and The Sheffield Mysteries. Her upcoming work includes The Assassination of Katie Hopkins (Theatre Clwyd), Pericles (National Theatre) and The Changing Room (NT Connections 2018). Other work includes A Declaration from the People (National Theatre), Larksong (New Vic Theatre), Cards on the Table (Royal Exchange Manchester), ODD (Royal & Derngate concert performance), Sleight & Hand (Summerhall and BBC Arts), TONY! The Blair Musical (York Theatre Royal and UK tour), Poking the Bear (Theatre503) and Wolf (National Theatre Studio reading).

Rebecca Frecknall directs. As director, her credits include Summer and Smoke (Almeida Theatre), Educating Rita (Durham Gala), JulieWhat Are They Like? and Idomeneus (Northern Stage), You, Me, and Everything Else (Soho Theatre and UK tour), Aftermath (Royal & Derngate), A Streetcar Named Desire Parallel Production (Young Vic), Something Cloudy, Something Clear (Greenwich Theatre) and Bassett (New Diorama). As Associate Director, her credits include Ink (Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre) and James and the Giant Peach (Northern Stage). Frecknall received a Jerwood Assistant Director Bursary to train at the Young Vic and was the 2012 recipient of the National Theatre Studio’s Resident Director Bursary. In 2015 she won the acclaimed Regional Theatres Young Directors Scheme Bursary and was Resident Director at Northern Stage for 18 months.

Crucible

A Sheffield Theatres Production

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

By William Shakespeare

28 September – 20 October 2018

Director: Robert Hastie; Composer: Dan Gillespie Sells

The course of true love never did run smooth.”

Desperate lovers, squabbling supernaturals and a hapless troupe of amateur actors get tangled in this joyous tale of enchantment and transformation.

Full of magic and mayhem, this is Shakespeare’s most celebrated comedy, reimagined by Artistic Director, Robert Hastie, in a fresh production brimming with musicality.

Robert Hastie’s recent productions as Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres include The York Realist (co-production with the Donmar Warehouse), The Wizard of OzOf Kith and Kin (co-production with Bush Theatre) and Julius Caesar. Previous directing credits include Breaking the Code (Royal Exchange Manchester), Henry V (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Theatr Clwyd). As an Associate Director of the Donmar Warehouse, his work includes My Night with Reg by Kevin Elyot (Donmar Warehouse/West End – Best Newcomer nomination at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards, and Best Revival nomination at the Olivier Awards) and Splendour by Abi Morgan. His other directing credits include Carthage and Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun (Finborough Theatre), Sunburst (Holborn Grange Hotel), Sixty-Six Books (Bush Theatre) and A Breakfast of Eels (Print Room).

Dan Gillespie Sells returns to Sheffield Theatres following the critically acclaimed musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, for which he composed the music, which transferred to the West End in 2017. The production received three WhatsOnStage awards and two UK Theatre awards, including Best New Musical at both, and Gillespie Sells won Best Composer at The Stage Debut Awards. He is best known for being the lead vocalist and principal songwriter in The Feeling. Their debut album, Twelve Stops and Home sold over a million copies, whilst their second album, Join With Us reached the No. 1 spot in the UK Charts. The band’s fifth album was released in March 2016. His other theatre credits include The Bad, The Sad, and The Broken Hearted (Soho Theatre and The Steve Allen Theatre Los Angeles – currently being developed as a series in America), 3WithD (London Coliseum and Stuttgart Ballet, a collaboration with Javier De Frutos and Ed Watson), and for television, the theme music to BBC’s Beautiful People. Gillespie Sells was the recipient of the 2015 Stonewall Award for Entertainer of the Decade for his work in the LGBT community and the 2007 Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year.

 

STUDIO

A Sheffield Theatres and Out of Joint Co-Production

World Première

CLOSE QUARTERS

By Kate Bowen

25 October – 10 November 2018

Director: Kate Wasserberg

 

“Round my way, the boys would drive to the top of the car park – they’d drive to the edge full speed. I wanted to get involved. They said oh aye Sarah, no bother – if you sit on Gerro’s knee, he’ll hold you nice and tight. Well, I thought to myself, that sounds like a full breach of health and safety regulations.”

So I joined the army.

I drive the car now lads. And get paid to do it.

Kate Bowen’s taut thriller about the first generation of British women in close combat roles looks at gender politics in the world’s most dangerous workplace.

 

Kate Bowen’s taut thriller features the first generation of British women in close combat roles.

Privates Finlay and Cormack – holed up on a military base in the heat; waiting, frustrated. Then a new arrival creates new problems. Captain Sands – she’s interrogated hostile men the world over. But you never stop having to prove yourself.

Kate Bowen’s debut play Shutter Speed was developed and workshopped by the National Theatre of Scotland/Dundee Rep company in 2011. Her other writing includes Super Sunday, a Five Minute Theatre piece for National Theatre Scotland, the audio play The Prize Fighter (part of the Traverse 50 programme at the Traverse Theatre), and The Lawyers for Play, Pie and a Pint’s Three Minute Theatre project in Glasgow. Bowen was winner of the Playwright’s Studio Scotland New Writer’s Award in 2012, awarded a place on the Channel 4 Playwright’s Scheme Bursary to work with Out of Joint throughout 2017, and last year given a place on the National Theatre of Scotland’s Starter for Ten scheme to develop a new project, Stunt.

Kate Wasserberg is Artistic Director of Out of Joint for whom she has directed Rita, Sue and Bob, Too (Bolton Octagon, Royal Court Theatre and tour). She was the founding Artistic Director of The Other Room in Cardiff, where her directing credits included The Dying of Today, Play/Silence, Sand and Seanmhair. Her other directing credits include The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Glengarry Glen Ross, Roots, Gaslight, The Glass Menagerie and A History of Falling Things (as Associate Director for Theatre Clwyd), All My Sons and Insignificance (Theatre Clwyd), The Barnbow Canaries (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Ten Weeks (Paines Plough), The Knowledge (Dirty Protest at the Royal Court Theatre) and Last Christmas (Edinburgh Festival).

CRUCIBLE

A Sheffield Theatres Production

KISS ME, KATE

Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter

Book by Sam and Bella Spewack

7 December 2018 – 12 January 2019

Director: Paul Foster; Designer: Janet Bird; Musical Director: James McKeon;

Lighting Designer: Howard Hudson; Casting Director: Will Burton CDG

From the Golden Age, a riotous, romantic musical comedy to make your heart soar. It’s opening night for feuding divorcees Fred and Lilli as they star in The Taming of the Shrew. But as the curtain rises, gambling, gangsters and mistaken identity conspire to create chaos.

Paul Foster directs this lavish and sensational celebration of theatre featuring some of Cole Porter’s finest songs: So In LoveBrush Up Your Shakespeare and Too Darn Hot.

Paul Foster returns to Sheffield Theatres where he previously directed Annie Get Your Gun. His other theatre credits include The Light Princess and Sweet Charity (Cadogan Hall), A Little Night Music and Laurel and Hardy (The Watermill Theatre), Tell Me on a Sunday (The Watermill Theatre and UK tour) Bette Midler and Me (St James Theatre), Flora the Red Menace (Edinburgh Festival), Bells are RingingDarling of the Day, Crimes of the Heart (Union Theatre), A State Affair (MTA), Cowardy Custard (Yvonne Arnaud and UK tour), The Vagina Monologues (UK tour) and Little One (Royal Court Young Writers Festival). His radio credits include Britannicus.

 

CRUCIBLE

A Sheffield Theatres Production

RUTHERFORD AND SON

By Githa Sowerby

8 – 23 February 2019

 

Director: Caroline Steinbeis

“No one’s any right to be what father is – never questioned, never answered back”

 

1912, the Industrial North

Rutherford is overbearing, dogmatic and disappointed. With three grown children and not one qualified to take over his family-owned glassworks, he rules his household with tyranny and disdain. Janet, John and Richard have dreams of their own but none can break free.

Mary is different. Married into the family and with ambitions for her son, she’ll untangle the ties that bind. Caroline Steinbeis directs Githa Sowerby’s celebrated classic about the struggle for supremacy, legacy and deciding one’s own destiny.

Githa Sowerby (1876 – 1970) was a British playwright whose first play Rutherford and Son was originally performed in 1912. Published under her initials GK Sowerby, it was assumed the writer was a man, until the press discovered her identity and Sowerby became an overnight celebrity and feminist icon as Rutherford and Son transferred into the West End. Her other plays included Before Breakfast, A Man and Some Women, Sheila, The Stepmother and The Policeman’s Whistle.

Sheffield Theatres Associate Director Caroline Steinbeis directs, following her upcoming regional première production of Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information in the current season. She was the recipient of the 2009 JMK Award and was previously on attachment at the National Theatre and in 2008 completed the Director’s Course at the NT Studio. She was International Associate at the Royal Court under Dominic Cooke, developing and directing workshops and new plays from all over the world. Her previous credits include Edward II (Arts Theatre, Cambridge), The Tempest(Royal & Derngate), The Crucible and Brilliant Adventures (Royal Exchange Manchester), We Want You to Watch (National Theatre), The Broken Heart (Shakespeare’s Globe), Show 6 of Secret Theatre(Lyric Hammersmith), Talk Show, Mint and A Time to Reap (Royal Court Theatre), Earthquakes in London (National Theatre as Associate, and the UK tour director), Fatherland (Gate Theatre and Radical Jung Festival, Munich) and Mad Forest (BAC for which she won the 2009 JMK Award).

STUDIO

A Sheffield Theatres Production

hang

By debbie tucker green

 

21 February – 9 March 2019

Director: Taio Lawson

“You want to know my decision.”

 

A woman makes a choice. The tables have turned. The victim of crime has power over the fate of the criminal. Olivier and Bafta Award-winning debbie tucker green’s provocative and haunting play.

 

debbie tucker green is a writer-director and works across theatre, television and film. Her theatre credits include a profoundly affectionate passionate devotion to someone (-noun)hangtruth and reconciliation and random (Royal Court), nut (National Theatre) and generations (Young Vic). The film version of random, which she adapted from her stage play and directed for Channel 4, won the BAFTA for Best Single Drama in 2012. Debbie’s first feature film Second Coming won the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2015 Big Screen Award and was BAFTA nominated. She has written and directed several radio plays including an adaptation of Assata Shakur’s biography Assata Shakur – the FBI’s Most Wanted Woman, as well as original work including, lament – winner of a gold ARIAS award, gone and freefall.

Taio Lawson directs. He is Resident Assistant Director at Sheffield Theatres (part of the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme), where he has assisted on Desire Under The Elms, The Wizard of Oz and Frost/Nixon. His directing credits include How to Make Love to a Muslim Without Freaking Out (Rehearsed Reading, Bush Theatre), Face in a Jar (St Paul’s Furzedown Church and Rhoda McGaw Theatre), What We Are and 90’s Kid (ETC Theatre), Gutted ‘n’ Battered (UK and international tour) and Sexy Buff Ting (Cockpit Theatre). Other Assistant Director credits include Life of Galileoand Sizwe Banzi Is Dead (Young Vic), OIL and They Drink It in the Congo (Almeida Thetare), Octagon (Arcola Theatre) and Perseverance Drive (Bush Theatre)

 

CRUCIBLE

A Sheffield Theatres Production

World Première

STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE

Music and Lyrics by Richard Hawley

Book by Michael Wynne

From an original idea by Matthew Dunster

15 March – 6 April

Director: Robert Hastie; Designer: Ben Stones; Movement Director: Lynne Page

“Tonight the streets are ours”

 

In 1961, the first residents of Park Hill were given the keys to their new homes. With music by Richard Hawley, Standing at the Sky’s Edge tells their story over the next 50 years, in a heart-swelling, heart-breaking love song to Sheffield.

Richard Hawley is synonymous with his native city of Sheffield. Richard has released eight studio albums over the last 16 years with two being nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. He is also a Brit nominee and received a South Bank award in 2007. Over the years Richard has become as well known for his guitar playing as his singing and has dueted with Tom Jones, Nancy Sinatra and Shirley Bassey, whilst also having played with Arctic Monkeys, Elbow, Paul Weller, Manic Street Preachers and Pulp, the band he played guitar with for a number of years. Best known for his mix of classic songwriting, soothing vocal and northern grit realism, Richard is something of a unique artist in British popular music; being able to cross boundaries from one musical style to another whilst keeping intact his own strong identity.

Michael Wynne’s plays include The Priory (Olivier Award for Best New Comedy), The People are Friendly, The Knocky (The Meyer Whitworth Prize), The Red Flag and Friday Night Sex (Royal Court), Sell Out (Time Out Award for Best Off-West End Production) and Dirty Wonderland (Frantic Assembly), The Boy Who Left Home (Actors Touring Company UK tour), Tits/Teeth (Soho Theatre), Canvas (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Hope Place (Liverpool Everyman). His television credits include Substance, Where the Heart Is, Grafters, Reach for the Moon, As If, U Get Me, Eyes Down, Sugar Rush, Mayo, Little Crackers, Lapland and Being Eileen. His film includes My Summer of Love (BAFTA for Best British Film, Evening Standard Film Award for Best Screenplay, The Michael Powell Award for Best British Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Joint Winner of the Directors Guild Award for Best British Film) and radio includes The Knocky.

Robert Hastie directs.

Sheffield Theatres

Listings

Crucible Lyceum Studio 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 1DA                              

Box Office 0114 249 6000  Mon – Sat 10.00am to 8.00pm

On non-performance days the Box Office closes at 6.00pm.

www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

 

Sheffield Theatres:

 

 

FROST/NIXON

Until 17 March

 

THE YORK REALIST

27 March – 7 April

OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD

Sat 12 – Sat 19 May

 

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST

7 June – 23 June 

 

LOVE AND INFORMATION

28 June – 14 Jul

 

SONGS FROM THE SEVEN HILLS

18 July – 21 July

 

STEEL

13 September – 6 October 2018

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

27 September – 20 October 2018

 

CLOSE QUARTERS

25 October – 10 November 2018

 

KISS ME, KATE

7 December 2018 – 12 January 2019

 

RUTHERFORD AND SON

7 – 23 February 2019

 

HANG

21 February – 9 March 2019

 

STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE

14 March – 6 April

 

West End:

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE

Apollo Theatre

Booking until 6 October 2018

DARLINGTON HIPPODROME TO WELCOME A SPOONFUL OF SHERMAN

DARLINGTON HIPPODROME TO WELCOME A SPOONFUL OF SHERMAN

An all-new musical stage show for the entire family, featuring the songs of the Oscar-winning Sherman brothers, is coming to Darlington Hippodrome from Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 March.

The double Oscar-winning Sherman Brothers – Richard M Sherman & Robert B Sherman remain one of the most formidable songwriting teams in family entertainment history. From 1964 onwards their unparalleled partnership produced music, songs and scores for dozens of films, particularly many of Disney’s best loved titles including Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs & Broomsticks, Charlotte’s Web, and The Aristocats. The highly prolific brothers were the sons of the great Al Sherman who wrote songs for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and many singers of the golden American Songbook period of the 1930s-1950s.

Robert J Sherman, son of Robert B. Sherman and a successful composer in his own right brings the utterly compelling story of one family’s century-long, award-winning musical journey to Darlington. Three generations of Sherman songwriters are brought to life in this delightful show.

Featuring a highly talented cast led by Olivier-nominated Sophie-Louise Dann the show includes all-time favourites such as A Spoonful of Sugar; I Wanna Be Like You; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers; Jolly Holiday; Chim-Chim-Cher-Ee and many more.

A Spoonful of Sherman is at Darlington Hippodrome from Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 March.

For more information or to book contact the box office on 01325 405405 or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk