Month: April 2018

HUNNY WHAT YA WAITIN’ FOR?

RECORD BREAKING

HEATHERS – THE MUSICAL

STARRING CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER

RELEASES EXTRA TICKETS!

 

OPENING AT THE OTHER PALACE

FOR A STRICTLY LIMITED RUN FROM 9 JUNE – 4 AUGUST 2018

The European premiere of HEATHERS – THE MUSICAL smashed The Other Palace box office records when it went on sale last week becoming the biggest on-sale in the history of The Other Palace. The musical premieres at The Other Palace on 9 June and runs for a limited 8-week season.

Due to the phenomenal demand, an additional performance and 1,000 extra seats are being released at 10am on Friday 20 April across all price bands, starting from £25. Further tickets will be released each Friday, so check social media and The Other Palace website for more details and your chance to snatch a ticket to the most popular musical this summer!

Following a rapturous response to its sell-out 2017 workshop, 80s cult classic HEATHERS – THE MUSICAL is back in class this summer with new songs, new material and new classmates. Produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor Mills, who produced the award winning CARRIE together in 2015.

Paul Taylor Mills said: ‘I’m absolutely thrilled that within a year of The Other Palace we have had a project that has gone from a workshop presentation to a fully realised production in the main house. We’re delighted that the appetite for the production has meant we have broken all our previous box office records. We’ve worked really hard to make sure that tickets are available across all price bands and urge people still trying to get tickets to keep an eye on our website and social media channels as we will let everyone know when more allocations of tickets at ALL prices become available.’

Based on one of the greatest teen films of all time, the 1988 classic starred Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. The award-winning writing team, Laurence O’Keefe (Legally Blonde, Bat Boy) and Kevin Murphy’s (Reefer Madness, Desperate Housewives), hit musical adaptation has enjoyed successful runs in Los Angeles and New York, and finally arrives in the UK for its European Premiere.

Accomplished musical theatre star, Carrie Hope Fletcher, will play Veronica Sawyer in this twisted tale of teen drama, friendship and deadly obsession. Fresh from winning the WhatsOnStage Award for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ for her stint as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family (UK Tour), Carrie previously played Éponine in Les Misérables in the West End for three years. She has also just released her debut album When the Curtain Falls.

 

Greetings, salutations. Welcome to Westerberg High, where popularity is so very a matter of life and death, and Veronica Sawyer is just another of the nobodies dreaming of a better day.

 

But when she’s unexpectedly taken under the wings of the three beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers, her dreams finally start to come true.

 

Until JD turns up, the mysterious teen rebel who teaches her that it might kill to be a nobody, but it’s murder being a somebody…

Heathers – The Musical features a sensational book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, with brand new material exclusively written for this production whilst the team are in London.  The musical is directed by acclaimed screen and stage director Andy Fickman with electrifying choreography by Gary Lloyd(Thriller Live, Carrie, 20^th Century Boy), design by David Shields (Chess, Ice Age Live, End of the Rainbow) Lighting by Ben Cracknell (Young Frankenstein, Annie, La Cage Aux Folles), Sound by Dan Samson (Evita, Cilla, Joseph) and casting by Will Burton (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Matilda, The Wild Party).

Tickets from £25 for more information please visit The Other Palace’s website.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW: www.theotherpalace.co.uk

Further cast and creative to be announced in due course.

LISTINGS

HEATHERS – THE MUSICAL

THE OTHER PALACE

09 JUNE – 04 AUGUST 2018

Performances:

Tuesday – Saturday at 7.30pm

Thursday & Saturday at 2.30pm

Sunday at 4.30pm

Ticket Prices: From £25

Address: 12 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JA

Box Office: 02070877900

Website: www.theotherpalace.co.uk

Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @TheOtherPalace

TOMMY GOES BACK TO THE BEGINNING!

TOMMY STEELE

RETURNS TO THE LONDON COLISEUM 60 YEARS AFTER HIS DEBUT

THE GLENN MILLER SHOW

FOR SEVEN CELEBRATORY WEEKS

Friday 6 July to Saturday 18 August 2018

As his legion of fans already know, Tommy Steele – Britain’s first Rock and Roll Star – made his legitimate debut in 1958 starring in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, which enjoyed a sold out run at the London Coliseum. What they probably don’t know is that the inspiration for Tommy’s extraordinary career was an American band leader whose music Tommy had worshipped from the moment he first heard it in his early teens…

And so, 60 years on, TOMMY STEELE returns to THE LONDON COLISEUM to salute his idol GLENN MILLER in a new musical celebration.

Glenn Miller was the best selling recording artist in the world from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known big bands. In those four years he scored 23 number-one hits – more than Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

Tommy Steele landed his first UK number-one with Singing the Blues in January 1957, reaching the top spot before Elvis, the same year he filmed The Tommy Steele Story, one of Britain’s great rock ‘n’ roll movies.

His career has included over twenty hit singles, twelve hit musical movies – including Finian’s Rainbow, The Happiest Millionaire, and of course Half A Sixpence – and countless award winning stage musicals such as Half A Sixpence, Hans Andersen and Singin’ in the Rain. Tommy starred in the musical Scrooge, which enjoyed two successful runs at the London Palladium, and made him the theatre’s all-time record breaking performer, having headlined more performances than any other star in its history.

The Glenn Miller Show features the journey the legendary big band leader took to find his unique sound, and his subsequent fame and untimely death. With the authentic sounds of In the Mood, Moonlight Serenade, Little Brown Jug, Pennsylvania 6-5000, Tuxedo Junction, Chattanooga Choo Choo, and many more era-defining favourites. It is produced by Bill Kenwright with choreography by Olivier Award Winner Bill Deamer and direction by Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright.

Tommy said “I am and always will be one of Glenn Miller’s biggest fans. That sound, that wonderful sound, and his search for it, is one of the most inspiring stories I know. So, I’m returning to the Coliseum to say two thank yous!!”

LISTINGS

On Sale: Priority Booking for ENO Patrons, Young Patrons and Friends from Thursday 19 April 2018.

        Booking for General Public opens Monday 23 April 2018.

 

Dates: 6 July to 18 August 2018.

 

Performances: Tuesday to Saturday evenings at 7.30pm, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3pm.

Prices: Tickets start from £18 (plus booking fee)*

 

Address: London Coliseum, St Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4ES

Box Office: 020 7845 9300 | [email protected]

Website: https://londoncoliseum.org/

Facebook/

Twitter/Instagram: @BKLProductions

KILLIAN DONNELLY

TO PLAY

‘JEAN VALJEAN’

IN THE FORTHCOMING UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF

CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S ACCLAIMED

BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF

“LES MISÉRABLES”

FURTHER DATES ALSO ANNOUNCED

BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME – 2 APRIL – 11 MAY 2019

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE – 14 MAY – 8 JUNE 2019

NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL – 15 AUGUST – 5 OCTOBER 2019

 

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that Killian Donnelly will play ‘Jean Valjean’ in the forthcoming UK and Ireland tour of the Boublil and Schönberg musical “LES MISÉRABLES”.

Further dates for the tour are also announced today. Opening at Curve Leicester for an already sold out season from Saturday 3 – Saturday 24 November 2018 (press night 14 November 2018 ), before playing the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin (5 December 2018 – 12 January 2019), Festival Theatre Edinburgh (22 January – 16 February 2019) and Manchester Palace Theatre (19 February – 30 March 2019) the show will also play Birmingham Hippodrome (2 April – 11 May 2019), Milton Keynes Theatre (14 May – 8 June 2019)and Newcastle Theatre Royal (15 August – 5 October 2019). On sale dates and details below with further dates to be announced.

Killian Donnelly is currently playing the role of ‘Jean Valjean’ in the West End production of “Les Misérables”, where his final performance will be Saturday 9 June 2018. Prior to his run in “Les Misérables”, he played the role of ‘Charlie Price’ in “Kinky Boots” on Broadway, a role he originated at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End in 2015, for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award. His other theatre credits include: ‘Jackie Day’ in “Donegal”, a new play by Frank McGuinness, at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin and ‘Huey’ in the original London cast of “Memphis” at the Shaftesbury Theatre for which he was also nominated for an Olivier Award.  He created the role of ‘Deco’ in “The Commitments” at the Palace Theatre and has also played ‘Tony’ in “Billy Elliot” at the Victoria Palace Theatre as well as’ Raoul’ in “The Phantom of the Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre. He first joined the company of “Les Misérables” in 2008, going onto play the role of ‘Enjolras’ from 2009 to 2011. In 2010, he played the role of ‘Courfeyrac’ in the “25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables” at The O2 Arena and also played the role of ‘Combeferre’ in the multi-award-winning film of the show, released in 2012.

Cameron Mackintosh said, “When I announced the first UK tour of Les Miserables for ten years, I was really delighted that Killian said to me that he would like to continue playing Jean Valjean.  No stranger to the original production, having played both Enjolras and Valjean with enormous success, his passionate take on the role will be even greater in the thrilling staging of my new production which has proved to be a worldwide success all over again. He is the first Irishman to play the role since Colm Wilkinson in the original and I’m delighted that from advance bookings, this new tour looks set to be sold out before we open”.

Since Cameron Mackintosh first conceived this new production of “Les Misérables” to celebrate the shows 25^th anniversary in 2009, it has taken the world by storm. Modern audiences have embraced this production as Les Mis for the 21^st century as it plays to packed houses all over the world in many languages. It also inspired the hugely successful movie version starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne. This brilliant new staging has scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, and has been seen in North America, South America, Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia, Spain, France, Manila, Singapore, Dubai and Broadway.

Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, Boublil and Schönberg’s magnificent score of “LES MISÉRABLES”includes the songs, “I Dreamed a Dream”, “On My Own”, “Stars”, “Bring Him Home”, “Do You Hear the People Sing?”, “One Day More”, “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”, “Master Of The House” and many more.  Seen by over 120 million people worldwide in 45 countries and in 22 languages, “LES MISÉRABLES” is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals.

Cameron Mackintosh’s production of “LES MISÉRABLES” is written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, additional material by James Fenton and original adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. The original “LES MISÉRABLES” orchestrations are by John Cameron with new orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke and additional orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe and Stephen Brooker. The production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell, designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo with costumes by Andreane Neofitou and additional costumes by Christine Rowland, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Mick Potter, musical staging by Michael Ashcroft and Geoffrey Garratt, projections by Fifty-Nine Productions and music supervision by Stephen Brooker and Graham Hurman.

LES MISÉRABLES UK AND IRELAND TOUR 2018/2019

lesmis.com

SATURDAY 3 – SATURDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2018

CURVE, LEICESTER

curveonline.co.uk – 0116 242 3595

SOLD OUT

WEDNESDAY 5 DECEMBER 2018 – SATURDAY 12 JANUARY 2019

BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN

bordgaisenergytheatre.ie – +353 (1) 677 7999

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 22 JANUARY – SATURDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2019

FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH

capitaltheatres.com – 0131 529 6000

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 30 MARCH 2019

MANCHESTER PALACE THEATRE

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

ON SALE 5 JUNE 2018

TUESDAY 2 APRIL – SATURDAY 11 MAY 2019

BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME
birminghamhippodrome.com – 0844 338 5000

ON SALE 21 JUNE 2018

TUESDAY 14 MAY – SATURDAY 8 JUNE 2019
MILTON KEYNES THEATRE
atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre – 0844 871 7652

ON SALE 21 JUNE 2018

THURSDAY 15 AUGUST – SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER 2019

NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL

theatreroyal.co.uk – 0844 11 21 21

ON SALE 21 JUNE 2018

 

FURTHER DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED

Presented by Think and Hit
Cockamamy
The Hope Theatre, 207 Upper Street, London, N1 1RL
Tuesday 12th June – Saturday 30th June 2018

Following sell-out runs at the Camden Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe 2017, where it won the Lustrum Award for Outstanding Play, the heart-warming Cockamamy will come to The Hope Theatre this summer. This razor-sharp play examines companionship and the reality of living with dementia

Starring Louise Coulthard (The Importance of Being Earnest, UK Tour; Doctors, BBC; House and Garden, The Watermill Theatre) as a granddaughter-turned-carer alongside Mary Rutherford (Midsummer Night’s Dream, RSC; Metamorphosis, London & National Theatre) as her grandmother, Cockamamy explores dementia and the effect it has on the immediate family

Perfectly scripted by Louise Coulthard who cared for her grandmother whilst she was living with dementia, this play explores the incredible bond between a grandparent and grandchild. Far from a sentimental portrayal of decline, Cockamamy is an honest, funny, and insightful exploration of the realities of living with this degenerative disease

Focusing on the experiences of two strong women and a family powerless against disease, this play uses the comedy that arises from tragedy to sensitively portray the struggles families around the world face, with one in six people expected to develop dementia according to The Alzheimer’s Society

Director, Rebecca Loudon comments, having lived with my Grandma while she had vascular dementia, Cockamamy resonates with me on multiple levels. The play tackles head on the silent feelings of guilt and failure often experienced by people living with the disease, while also celebrating the unique connection between a woman and her granddaughter. I believe Louise’s story acts as a valuable social tool by shining a light on one of the biggest causes of death to the elderly in the UK, while also demystifying the older generation to the young in a time where we are outweighed by an ageing population

A beautifully written portrayal of the effect of dementia […] a compelling, emotive and powerful piece of theatre (Broadway Baby).

York Theatre Royal until Saturday 21st April 2018

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

4.5****

The Importance of Being Earnest, the classic comedy by the great Oscar Wilde, returns to York thanks to the The Original Theatre Company.

The tale revolves around two gentlemen who at various times during the show, pretend to be someone else, Ernest, in order to woo the girls of their dreams. What follows is a humorous web of lies that unravels before our eyes.

Algernon Monicrieff (Thomas Howes) is a bit of a buffoon, a member of the upper wealthy class, living a life of total bachelorhood, frivolous and self absorbed. He has created an imaginary friend Bunbury in order to escape and use as an excuse to decline unwanted invitations. His friend, Ernest, who is really Jack Worthing (Peter Sandys-Clarke), is the respectable land owner, who has an estate in the country, but he leads a deceptive life in town, a bit of a rouge, but desperate to marry Gwendolen Fairfax (Hannah Louise Howell) Algernon’s cousin. Unfortunately for him he must convince her mother, the fearsome Lady Bracknell (Gwen Taylor), that he is worthy and comes from the right stock, easier said than done as we get to find out.

Once back at his country house we meet Cecily Cardew (Louise Coulthard), Worthing’s ward, who after hearing tales of his younger brother, Ernest, who is really Jack in his town persona, fancies herself in love with. Enter Algernon, deciding to take it upon himself to become Ernest and propose to Cecily. It all sounds so very bizarre and I suppose it is, but watching it on the stage it makes complete sense and is at times hilarious.

The whole cast were a real credit to the show, but Howes portrayal of Algernon was brilliant, full of physicality, flamboyance and foppish charm, complimented by Sandys-Clarke’s more understated, but still superb, Jack. I must also mention Susan Penhaligon and Geoff Aymer as Miss Prism and Rev Chasuble. Their flirting and her swigging out of a hip flask were memorable moments, such comedy.

The show was split up into 3 acts with 2 intervals, allowing for set changes, from Algernon’s flat, to Jack’s country house and then finally the library inside his house. During the first act we could even smell smoke from the cigarettes they were smoking, I do not miss those days I can tell you, but it was effective and helped the scene.

I have never seen this play before but would definitely go again. First performed in 1895, it is great to see that it can still engage an audience today. Full of energy, wit and charm, it kept me thoroughly entertained for the whole show, laughter aplenty,  I left the theatre with a huge smile on my face.

• Ground-breaking initiative will introduce children to a diverse range of theatre careers
• Inspiring the Future of Theatre aims to foster relationships between schools and theatres
• Drive to recruit 1000 theatre industry ambassadors to go into schools
• Campaign launch on 11 July, with nationwide #InspiringFutureTheatre campaign to celebrate theatres’ existing educational and career work

UK Theatre and Society of London Theatre (SOLT) today unveil full details of a wide-reaching new industry initiative in partnership with Inspiring the Future, part of the charity Education and Employers.

Building on SOLT and UK Theatre’s recent Workforce Review, Inspiring the Future of Theatre will aim to showcase the range of careers available in theatre to young people, and encourage and strengthen connections between schools and their local theatres.

Theatre and the performing arts are part of the creative industries, which are worth £92bn, and are growing at twice the rate of the economy. UK Theatre and SOLT believe that if the sector is to continue to thrive, it must draw on the talent base, and build audiences, from all areas of society.

To achieve this ambitious project, SOLT, UK Theatre and Education and Employers are launching a drive to recruit industry ambassadors who will be matched with schools across the UK, taking part in events to lay the groundwork for young people to make informed and ambitious career decisions.

SOLT President Kenny Wax started the call for ambassadors at this year’s Olivier Awards on 8 April:

‘Our goal is to sign up 1000 Ambassadors from across the industry, to include technicians, designers, actors, creatives and administrators – with particular emphasis on roles behind the curtain – to commit to visit a local school once a year to talk about what they do – to open the eyes of children and inspire them to consider a role in the theatre.’

Inspiring the Future of Theatre will be officially launched on 11 July with events at schools around the country. As part of a broader celebration of the fantastic educational and careers work already taking place in the theatre industry, theatres will be encouraged to use the social media hashtag #InspiringFutureTheatre on 11 July to promote their own work towards closing skills gaps and broadening access to arts and cultural education.

The campaign will continue throughout the year with Ambassadors matched to activities and events at local schools.

Cassie Chadderton, Head of UK Theatre, said:

‘Part of UK Theatre and SOLT’s core mission is to engage as many people as possible, and from all areas of our society, as audiences and in the theatre workforce. We believe that reaching people at school age will help shape their understanding of theatre and encourage the next generation of theatre audiences and workers. We’re excited to partner with Education and Employers on Inspiring the Future of Theatre.’

Nick Chambers, CEO of Education and Employers, said:

‘We are delighted to be working with UK Theatre and SOLT to excite and motivate young people about the huge range of careers available in the theatre industry. Through Inspiring the Future’s national online platform, experienced professionals who have agreed to give up their time on voluntary basis can easily be connected to primary and secondary schools and colleges to chat informally to young people about what inspired them to follow a career in the theatre industry and how the educational route they chose helped them to achieve it.’

Further details of the campaign, the ambassador recruitment drive and the 11 July press launch event will be announced soon.

 

#InspiringFutureTheatre / @UK_Theatre / @SOLTNews / uktheatre.org / solt.co.uk /

#InspiringTheFuture / @InspiringTF / @Edu_Employers / educationandemployers.org /inspiringthefuture.org

Phoenix Theatre – until 6 October (Cuba Gooding Jr. appears until 30 June)

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

There isn’t much that’s new in this latest production of perennial favourite Chicago, with the original direction and choreography from the 1997 production being recreated and no major changes to the design. But then, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

The antics of fame-hungry female murderers and their slippery lawyer as they compete to grab headlines to feed the voracious and ghoulish fascination of the public still has a sharp satirical edge, and this is Kander and Ebb at their very best, with a score that is simply sublime, packed with familiar iconic numbers. The orchestra take centre stage, where they truly belong, receiving some of the loudest cheers of the night for their energetic Entr’acte performance.

The main talking point of this production is the audacious stunt casting of Cuba Gooding Jr. An Oscar winner he may be, but can he actually sing? Well… he just about gets away with it, but I’m not sure if his voice will last until June. His untrained voice is passable, but he is often gasping for breath by the end of a line. A fact that the production seems to have acknowledged with some funny interactions between Gooding Jr. and the ensemble. It doesn’t really matter though, as the man oozes charisma and makes Billy Flynn as likeable as he is mercenary. And he CAN dance.

It doesn’t help poor Cuba that he is surrounded by a trio of ridiculously talented women. Josefina Gabrielle is a gutsy and snarling Velma and Ruthie Henshall is a surprisingly mellow Mama Morton. Sarah Soetaert’s Roxie is a fantastic mix of cold hard ambition and goofy screwball ditziness, and the three nail their vocals with style and swagger.

The talented company handle the Ann Reinking choreography with sizzling energy, a sea of gyrating hips, kicks and flicks that is mesmerising and moody. The staging is deceptively simple, with Velma and the girls’ wowing the audience using only wooden chairs in Cell Block Tango. Other standout numbers include We Both Reached for the Gun (showcasing Gooding Jr. and Soetaert’s comedy chops brilliantly), Mr Cellophane (Paul Rider winning the audience’s hearts as pathetically loyal Amos) and Hot Honey Rag, using Fosse’s original choreography.

It’s fantastic to have Chicago back in the West End, and this slick and sexy production is still a guaranteed crowd pleaser full of fierce razzle dazzle.

Darlington Hippodrome – until 28 April 2018

5*****

The latest production from Darlington Operatic Society brings us Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical. This show saw a West End revival in 2016 and is a popular amateur production, despite the challenges of staging such a flamboyant musical. However, it remains big, bold and brash as ever.

Most people will know the film. Tick, a Sydney drag queen, accepts a gig in Alice Springs, partly to see his wife Marion (Beth Hopper) and young son Benji (Matthew Scott and Jamie Collict sharing the role). He takes along for the ride fellow drag ‘artiste’ Adam (AKA Felicia) and the maturely transsexual Bernadette. They head off on their road trip on an old bus named ‘Priscilla’. On the way they discover new friends, homophobia, and the truth about themselves.

The show is a two-hour mix up of extravagant performances, fabulous outfits, risqué jokes and clichés. Each scene is punctuated by a bunch of toe-tapping disco classics, such as Go West, Hot Stuff and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, with high energy dance moves from the full ensemble.  Sometimes the routines and costumes get quite surreal and don’t really fit the story, but that didn’t seem to matter to this audience. This is as much about costumes as content.

The male trio of ‘leading ladies’ do a great job and are all very well cast. Nicholas Fletcher-Holmes as Tick has a beautiful voice and is able to come across as strong but also sensitive when required. Julian Cound plays Bernadette beautifully and again is strong but clearly finds his feminine side, with a powerful vocal range. Luke Oldfield is stunning as Adam/Felicia. Vocally very good. All three do an amazing job in high heels and extravagant costumes and look very comfortable moving around. They work well together, producing some genuinely tender moments in among the crude jokes and bitchy one-liners.

Keeping the whole show flowing are the three divas, played by the talented Rhiannon Walker, Jenny Poole and Tori McDougall who has stunning and powerful vocals which should be heard in the West End. They accompany most of the performances with backing vocals, do-wops, lots of choreography and some excellent solo numbers too.  

As the tantalising trio wend their way to their destination, they encounter and endure all manner of unexpected obstacles and experiences along the way, including emotional and mechanical breakdowns, homophobic incidents, a Thai bride with a unique skill involving ping-pong balls, and the rekindling of a very strong old flame whose burning passion for a certain lady has never been extinguished

The rest of the ensemble cast do an excellent job of taking on a myriad of roles – one minute disco dancing in sequins, the next dressed as country singers doing line dancing. It is a fast-paced show and, as already mentioned, the costumes do take over. There is a huge cast, so a lot of people for such a small space, and they all do well. I saw no uncertainty or accidental crashes on stage – given this was opening night that’s always a bonus. Some stand out more than others but they all work well together.

Huge amounts of praise to Choreographer, Martin Knight. To take on men in heels, in huge head pieces, flapping costumes and full-on dance routines for over twenty songs is a massive achievement. Overall the whole cast keep pace really well. It is the glitz and glamour that wins over in the end, with a fabulous finale number from the whole company that has the entire audience on their feet.

Priscilla owes as much to each and every member of the impressive ensemble cast as she does to the leading ladies. The music, choreography and terrifically sharp one-liners are flawlessly tight and perfectly-timed, the extravagant costumes suitably spectacular, the overall vibe uproariously, gloriously exhilarating, while the entire production is infused with humanity and bonhomie at every turn.  One of my favourite shows, this production by DOS is the best thing I have seen them perform