Month: August 2018

West End Stage celebrates its milestone 10,000th student

with a special visit from Marisha Wallace

star of multi-award winning West End musical Dreamgirls

West End Stage summer school celebrated reaching its milestone 10,000th student with a special visit from West End leading lady Marisha Wallace at the school’s rehearsal space in the theatre at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on 17 August.

The Broadway actress and singer, who shares the role of Effie White with Moya Angela and Karen Mav, in the multi-award winning musical Dreamgirls, was joined on stage by the school’s 10,000th student, 15 year-old Charlie Plumridge from Hereford, as well as its first ever student, Stuart Thompson from Durham, who is now 21 years old and studying at LAMDA having pursued his passion for performing.

In summer 2006, West End Stage began in a bid to become the UK’s leading theatre summer school. Its aim was, and still is, to ignite a global passion for theatre, uniting young people from all over the world. Throughout the week-long course led by West End stars, the students take part in in an exciting mix of drama, singing and dance classes, as well as enjoying an inspirational trip to a West End musical. The highlight of every student’s week is the chance to make their own West End debut at Her Majesty’s Theatre, the world-famous home of The Phantom of the Opera, in front of a huge audience of family, friends and industry professionals.

Mark Puddle, Founder and Chief Executive of West End Stage, said “I am absolutely delighted that Marisha could join us direct from the West End to celebrate the 10,000 students who have enjoyed once-in-a-lifetime opportunities at the summer school, making friends for life along the way. The course is going from strength to strength, thanks to the hard work and passion of our teachers, staff and supporters who work tirelessly to ensure a safe and exciting experience.”

To find out more about West End summer school, visit: https://www.westendstage.com

To find out more about Dreamgirls visit: https://dreamgirlswestend.com.  The musical, which opened in December 2016 to widespread critical acclaim, will give its final performance at the Savoy Theatre on Saturday 12 January 2019, completing a run of more than two years. Details for a forthcoming UK tour will be announced in due course. 

Freedom Tongues & Naiad Productions in association with Park Theatre present

Bullet Hole

By Gloria Williams

An exploration of the relationship between three Black, British born women who are survivors of Female Genital Mutilation

02 – 27 October 2018 | Park Theatre

‘So I finally got my gift. Gifts are meant to be opened, right?’

Freedom Tongues and Naiad Productions in association with Park Theatre are proud to present Bullet Hole by Gloria Williams, which is set to be performed at Park Theatre from 2^nd to 27^th October during Black History Month. Bullet Hole explores the relationship between three Black, British born women who are survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The piece explores the physical, mental and emotional effects this practice causes and shines a light on the institutions in Britain that can offer support. At its heart, Bullet Hole is a story of hope, love and human rights, played by an all-female cast.

Bullet Hole first premiered at the 2017 Camden Fringe Festival and later was nominated for the Alfred Fagon Audience Choice Award. Freedom Tongues and Naiad Productions are delighted to be working with Park Theatre to present this re-worked version of the script.

The play is directed by Lara Genovese (founder of Naiad Productions) and stars Gloria Williams (who also wrote the play), Doreene Blackstock and Anni Domingo.

What’s in a gift? Young Londoner Cleo was given her ‘gift’ at age seven – except that ‘gift’ left her with type 3 Female Genital Mutilation.

How can Cleo love her body, when she is further scarred by a brutal sexual assault at the hands of her husband? From this hideous act, Cleo resolves to go against her family’s wishes and seek reversal surgery. On her journey of healing, she meets Eve, a fellow FGM survivor who is instantly drawn to her…

Playwright and actress Gloria Williams said:

“I have always been passionate about exposing the issues affecting the black community. My first play ‘Monday’ explored child abuse in a Black British religious family.

I developed ‘Bullet Hole’ as I believed writing a play about Female Genital Mutilation was a good platform to condemn an old tradition which oppresses women. This brutal practice is still present in our current time, worldwide spread and is not spoken about enough. I hope that the production serves to raise awareness, using drama as a tool to educate audiences.

Black History Month is a time to shine a light on issues within the diaspora. However, ‘Bullet Hole’ is not just a celebration of Black arts, but a wake-up call for everyone to acknowledge society’s acts against human/women/children rights”.

Gloria is an alumni of the Royal Court Young Writers Group and Talawa Theatre Company Young Writers Group. She is also an accomplished actress and will be playing the role of Cleo. Theatre credits include: Mules (White Bear Theatre), Medea (The Rose Theatre), Monday – which she also wrote (Manhattan Repertory Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Samuel French Off Broadway Festival Lost One Act Play Festival: Winner of ‘Best Overall Production’), Elefant (Soho Theatre; Playwrights apprenticeship), No More the Wasted Breed (Collective Artists), and You Me BUM BUM Train (Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust prize)​.

Doreene Blackstock plays Eve. Doreene will be a regular at Park Theatre this season, as she is set to star in Distance just before Bullet Hole. Her theatre credits include: Much Ado About Nothing (The Globe), Roundelay (Southwark Playhouse), Cymbeline, Hamlet, Noughts & Crosses (RSC), Antigone, Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (Pilot Theatre Company), Holloway Jones (Synergy Theatre Project), The Container (Young Vic)and Leonora’s Dance (Black Theatre Co-operative).

Completing the cast is Anni Domingo, who is from Sierra Leone, Freetown, where the play is set. Anni plays the role of Winnie. Her theatre credits include Gone With The Wind (Drury Lane), Blood Wedding (National Theatre), The Crucible (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Yerma and The Children’s Hour (both Manchester Royal Exchange), Tartuffe and Suddenly Last Summer (both Theatre Clywd Mold) and No Boys Cricket Club (Theatre Royal, Stratford East).

Naiad Productions will also be hosting an ANTI FMG portrait exhibition (Sept to Nov) in Park Theatre’s foyer, which will include pictures of survivors, activists, volunteers and industry members who support the cause. Additionally, there will be two performances followed by Q&A sessions with Charity and NHS lead representatives (10^th and 18^th of October).

STAGE TRAFFIC PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS

THE EUROPEAN PREMIERE OF KEN URBAN’S ARRESTING NEW DRAMA

A GUIDE FOR THE HOMESICK

STARRING DOUGLAS BOOTH & CLIFFORD SAMUEL

DIRECTED BY JONATHAN O’BOYLE

RUNNING AT TRAFALGAR STUDIOS FROM 16 OCTOBER – 24 NOVEMBER

A powerful new play by the award-winning American writer Ken Urban, A Guide for the Homesick will make its European debut at Trafalgar Studios Two from 16 October – 24 November, with press night on 18 October 2018. This gripping thriller will star Douglas Booth (Jupiter Ascending, Speech and Debate) and Clifford Samuel (McMafia, The Events) and is directed by Jonathan O’Boyle.

A tender and bittersweet play about conscience and connection.

Teddy is searching for a friend for the night. Jeremy is searching for a beer. Worlds apart and miles away from home, two strangers, consumed by their own secrets, find each other in a hotel room in Amsterdam.

Can you confess your greatest fear to a stranger?

A Guide for the Homesick has designs by Jason Denvir, lighting by Nic Farman, sound by Max Perryment and is produced by Stage Traffic Productions.

Douglas Booth (Jeremy) most recently starred on stage in Speech and Debate (Trafalgar Studios). His screen credits include: The Dirt (Focus Features); Mary Shelley (BFI); The Limehouse Golem (Number 9 Films); Loving Vincent (Break Thru Productions); Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Cross Creek Pictures); And Then There Was None (BBC/Lifetime); Jupiter Ascending (Warner Bros.); The Riot Club(Film4); Noah (Paramount); Romeo & Juliet (Echo Lake Entertainment); Worried About The Boy (BBC);Christopher and His Kind (BBC); Great Expectations (BBC); LOL (Double Feature Films); The Pillars of the Earth (Tandem); and  From Time to Time (Ealing Studios).

Clifford Samuel’s (Teddy) stage credits include: Boudica (Shakespeare’s Globe); Don’t Sleep There Are Snakes (Park Theatre); The Events (Young Vic); SYP (Soho Theatre); The Lightening Child(Shakespeare’s Globe); Obama the Mamba (Curve Leicester, The Lowry); The Girl in the Yellow Dress(Theatre 503); Mother Courage (National Theatre); Statement of Regret (National Theatre); The Changeling (Barbican); Julius Caesar (Royal Shakespeare Company); and Two Gentlemen of Verona(Royal Shakespeare Company). His screen credits include: McMafia (BBC/AMC); Holby City (BBC);Lock-In (Papercut Productions); Looking for Jacob (Iron Box Films) and Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll(Damian Jones).

Ken Urban’s (Playwright) plays include: The Remains, Sense of an Ending, The Correspondent, A Future Perfect, The Awake and The Happy Sad. His plays have been produced in New York by Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, The Amoralists Theater Company, 59E59 Theatres, The Summer Play Festival at The Public and Studio 42. His work has also been produced at Theatre503 in London, First Floor Theater in Chicago and SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston. He has developed new plays at Playwrights Horizons, Huntington Theater Company, Theatre @ Boston Court, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Donmar Warehouse (London) and The Civilians R&D Group. Recent productions include:  A Guide for the Homesick (Huntington Theatre Company, Boston); Nibbler (Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, New York) and The Remains (Studio Theatre, Washington DC). Awards include: The Weissberger Playwriting Award, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, Huntington Theater Playwriting Fellowship, MacDowell Colony Fellowships, Headlands Artist Residency, Djerassi Artist Residency, Dramatist Guild Fellowship and Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Fellowship. Ken is a Resident Playwright at New Dramatists and an Affiliated Writer at the Playwrights’ Center. He wrote the screenplay for feature-film adaptation of The Happy Sad, which screened internationally at over 25 film festivals, and is now available on iTunes, Hulu and Amazon. His TV pilot The Art of Listeningwas optioned by ITV Studios and David Oyelowo’s production company Yoruba Saxon.

Jonatan O’Boyle’s (Director) director credits include: Rain Man (UK Tour); Aspects of Love (Hope Mill Theatre); This House (Headlong/UK Tour, co-directed with Jeremy Herrin); Rasheeda Speaking (Trafalgar Studios. Off West End Award nomination for Best Director); Pippin (Southwark Playhouse/Hope Mill Theatre. Off West End Award nomination for Best Director); Hair (The Vaults – winner of the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off-West End Production 2018); Dear Brutus (Southwark Playhouse); Four Play (Off West End Award nomination for Best Director), Sense of an Ending, Water Under the Board (Theatre503); The Surplus, All The Ways To Say Goodbye (Young Vic); The Verb, To Love, Made In Britain (Old Red Lion Theatre); Bash Latterday Plays (Trafalgar Studios); King Lear, Broken Glass (Central School of Speech and Drama); Season’s Greetings (Arts Educational Schools); The Monster Bride (Tristan Bates Theatre). His Associate Director credits include: An American In Paris (Dominion Theatre); The Judas Kiss (Brooklyn Academy of Music/Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto); Mack and Mabel (Chichester Festival Theatre/UK Tour); Bull (Sheffield Crucible/Young Vic/59E59); The Scottsboro Boys (Young Vic).

Stage Traffic Productions is a dynamic new UK/US theatre production company founded by Eilene Davidson and Michael Yale. Based in London, but looking at inspiration from around the globe, it is committed to creating productions with a strong emphasis on contemporary storytelling that truly resonates with modern audiences. The company’s last production, the debut play by comedian Katy Brand 3Women, enjoyed a hugely successful run at Trafalgar Studios opening in May 2018 and starred Anita Dobson, Debbie Chazen and Maisie Richardson-Sellers. Other past productions include Late Company, which also ran at Trafalgar Studios in 2017, was met with universal critical acclaim and made the shortlist for Best New Production of a Play at this year’s Broadway World Awards and the company’s inaugural production, the world premiere of new musical This Little Life of Mine, which ran at the Park Theatre in 2016. The show was nominated for many awards, including Best New Musical Production – OffWestEnd Awards and Best Musical, Best Director and Best Actress – Broadway World Awards. Eilene and Michael first met as actors 18 years ago and since then both have worked additionally in the role of writer, director and producer, both in the States and the UK. 

Eilene Davidson’s (Producer) recently produced plays and award nominated work includes: This Little Life of Mine (Park Theatre); Late Company (Trafalgar Studios); 3Women (Trafalgar Studios) and A Guide for the Homesick (Trafalgar Studios), as part of Stage Traffic Productions. As an independent producer, her recent credits include: A Lie of the Mind (Southwark Playhouse); Insignificance(Langham, NYC); WarPaint (Nederland Theatre, NYC); Apologia (Trafalgar Studios); Grinning Man(Trafalgar Studios); Paperdolls (Mosaic Theatre, Washington DC); Monogamy (Park Theatre/UK Tour);Consent (Pinter Theatre, London); Dusty (UK Tour) and Misty (Trafalgar Studios).

LISTINGS

A GUIDE FOR THE HOMESICK

BY KEN URBAN

TRAFALGAR STUDIOS 2

MONDAY 16 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2018

Running Time: 80 Minutes – No Interval

Performances:

Monday – Saturday evenings at 7.45pm

Thursday & Saturday matinees at 3pm

Ticket Prices: £25-£35

Address: Trafalgar Studios 2, 14 Whitehall, Westminster, SW1A 2DY

Box Office: 0844 871 7632

Website: www.stagetraffic.com

    www.trafalgarentertainment.com

THE INHERITANCE
By Matthew Lopez

Directed by Stephen Daldry | Designed by Bob Crowley

• WEST END REHEARSALS BEGIN FOR MATTHEW LOPEZ’S MAJOR NEW PLAY, WHICH HAS PREVIEW PERFORMANCES FROM 21 SEPTEMBER 2018AT THE NOËL COWARD THEATRE.

• DIRECTED BY STEPHEN DALDRY, A LARGE ENSEMBLE CAST IS CONFIRMED FOR THE WEST END AND INCLUDES ANDREW BURNAP, JOHN BENJAMIN HICKEY, PAUL HILTON, SAMUEL H. LEVINE, KYLE SOLLER AND VANESSA REDGRAVE.

Rehearsals are now under way for the highly anticipated West End engagement of The Inheritance, the new play by Matthew Lopez. Sonia Friedman, Tom Kirdahy and Hunter Arnold proudly present the Young Vic production for a strictly limited season in the West End, with previews at the Noël Coward Theatre from Friday 21st September and opening performances on Saturday 13th October.

Directed by multi Olivier Award winner Stephen Daldry, this landmark production held its world premiere at the Young Vic Theatre earlier this year where it ran for a sold out engagement and opened to huge acclaim, with critics recognising Matthew Lopez’s play as a modern classic, and one of the most important plays for many years.

The large ensemble cast of The Inheritance at the Noël Coward Theatre is now confirmed and will include: Hugo Bolton, Robert Boulter, Andrew Burnap, Hubert Burton, John Benjamin Hickey, Paul Hilton, Samuel H. Levine, Syrus Lowe, Michael Marcus, Vanessa Redgrave, Jack Riddiford, Kyle Soller and Michael Walters.

A generation after the peak of the AIDs crisis, what is it like to be a young gay man in New York? How many words are there now for pain and for love? Matthew Lopez’s major new two-part play explores profound themes through the turbulent and often hilarious experiences of a group of young, ambitious New Yorkers.  What is the legacy left to them by previous generations? What do they owe the future and each other?

Spanning generations and many interlinking lives, The Inheritance brilliantly transposes EM Forster’s novel ‘Howards End’ to 21st century New York.

Matthew Lopez’s new play is directed by Stephen Daldry with set and costumes by Bob Crowley, lighting by Jon Clark, sound by Paul Arditti & Christopher Reid, music by Paul Englishby, UK Casting by Julia Horan CDG and US Casting by Jordan Thaler CSA & Heidi Griffiths CSA.

David Lan, who programmed the original production as Artistic Director of the Young Vic, is Executive Producer for the West End production.

Andrew Burnap, John Benjamin Hickey and Samuel H. Levine are appearing with the permission of UK Equity, incorporating the Variety Artistes’ Federation, pursuant to an exchange programme between American Equity and UK Equity.

LISTINGS

The Inheritance is produced by Tom Kirdahy, Sonia Friedman Productions and Hunter Arnold

Co-producers: Elizabeth Dewberry and Ali Ahmet Kocabiyik , 1001 Nights Productions, Greg Berlanti, Rupert Gavin, Robert Greenblatt, Marguerite Hoffman, Mark Lee, Peter May, Oliver Roth, Scott Rudin, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Bruno Wang, Richard Winkler, Bruce Cohen/Scott M. Delman.

the Young Vic production of

THE INHERITANCE
By Matthew Lopez
Director Stephen Daldry
Design Bob Crowley
Lighting Jon Clark
Sound Paul Arditti & Christopher Reid
Music Paul Englishby
UK Casting Julia Horan CDG
US Casting Jordan Thaler CSA & Heidi Griffiths CSA

Executive Producer David Lan

Noël Coward Theatre
St Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4AU

First performance: Friday 21 September 2018
Opening Night: Saturday 13 October 2018

Final Performance: Saturday 19 January 2019

Monday to Saturday at 7.15pm
Wednesday & Saturday matinee performances at 1.15pm

For full Part 1 and Part 2 performance schedule see HERE

Audio Described Performance:

Part 1: 22 November 2018

Part 2: 23 November 2018      

Captioned Performance:

Part 1: 08 November 2018

Part 2: 09 November 2018      

Website: InheritancePlay.com
Box Office: 0844 482 5140 Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge
Group Bookings: 0844 482 5100
Access Bookings: 0844 482 5165

Prices from £15

InheritancePlay.com

Twitter: @InheritancePlay

Facebook: /inheritanceplay

Instagram: @InheritancePlay

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR

THE MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY’S MAJOR REVIVAL OF

HUGH WHITEMORE’S PACK OF LIES

PACK OF LIES

By Hugh Whitemore

Direction: Hannah Chissick; Set and Costume Design: Paul Farnsworth

Lighting Design: Paul Anderson; Sound Designer: Jonathan Everett

With Spamilton: An American Parody currently running at the theatre, the Menier Chocolate Factorytoday announces full casting for their major revival of Hugh Whitemore’s Pack of Lies. Hannah Chissick directs Jasper Britton as (Stewart), Sia Dauda (Sally), Alasdair Harvey (Peter Kroger), Chris Larkin (Bob Jackson), Macy Nyman (Julie Jackson), Tracy-Ann Oberman (Helen Kroger), Natalie Walter (Thelma) and Finty Williams (Barbara Jackson). The production opens on 1 October, with previews from 20 September, and runs until 17 November.

The Jacksons are a nice middle aged English couple. Their best friends are the Krogers, their Canadian neighbours. All is blissful in their world until a detective from Scotland Yard asks to use their house as an observation station to foil a Soviet spy ring operating in the area. They are really put to the test when the detective asks them to help set a trap. Should they betray their friends… Or their country?

Hugh Whitemore adapted Pack of Lies from his Act of Betrayal which was part of the Play for Todaytelevision series. Inspired by a real-life events, the story is based on Bill and Ruth Search and their teenage daughter Gay Search (who later became a television presenter and journalist), who find themselves at the centre of the investigations into the Portland Soviet spy ring. This new production is the first London revival since it premièred at the Lyric Theatre in 1983 with real life husband and wife Judi Dench and Michael Williams – Dench received an Olivier Award for her performance.

Jasper Britton returns to the Menier Chocolate Factory to play Stewart – he previously appeared in Little Shop of Horrors. His theatre work includes Jerusalem (The Watermill Theatre), Scrooge, What the Butler Saw (Curve, Leicester), The Blinding Light (Jermyn Street Theatre), The Libertine (Theatre Royal Bath and Theatre Royal Haymarket), Richard II, Henry IV, The Jew of Malta, Marat/Sade (RSC), Race, Private Lives (Hampstead Theatre), The Last Cigarette (Chichester Festival Theatre and West End), Oedipus (National Theatre), Plague Over England (Finborough Theatre) and Rhinoceros (Royal Court Theatre). His television work includes Garrow’s Law, The Royal, Semi Detached, My Dad’s the Prime Minister and Murder in Mind; and for film, Rise of the Foot Soldiers 2, Blood, Anonymous, Morris: A Life with Bells On, Black Beard, Nostradamus and The New World.

Sia Dauda plays Sally. Her theatre work includes Flashdance (UK tour), We Will Rock You, The Gift(RCCL) and Sleeping Beauty (Northampton).

Alasdair Harvey returns to the Menier to play Peter Kroger – he previously appeared in Forbidden Broadway and Sunday in the Park with George (also Wyndham’s Theatre). His other theatre work includes Mamma Mia! (Novello Theatre), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Come Dancing(Theatre Royal Stratford East), Side by Side by Sondheim (The Venue Leicester Square) and Guys and Dolls (Royal Lyceum Edinburgh). For television, his work includes Taggart, The Bill (as semi-regular Bruce Malcolm), River City (as series regular Ewan Patterson) and Birds of a Feather.

Chris Larkin plays Bob Jackson. His theatre credits include Again (Trafalgar Studios), Stevie (Chichester Festival Theatre, Hampstead Theatre), Noises Off (The Old Vic), Yes, Prime Minister (Apollo Theatre), The Whisky Taster (Bush Theatre), The Lady from Dubuque (Haymarket Theatre), His Dark Materials(National Theatre), When We Are Married (Chichester Festival Theatre, Savoy Theatre) and A Taste of Honey (Theatre Clwyd). Television credits include Next of Kin, Father Brown, Black Sails, The Coroner, Churchill’s Secret, Coalition, Yes Prime Minister, Shackleton and Roger Roger; and for film, Valkyrie, Heroes and Villians, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Tea with Mussolini, Jane Eyre and Angels and Insects.

Macy Nyman plays Julie Jackson. Her theatre work includes The Stepmother (Minerva Theatre), Posh(Pleasance Theatre), Peter Pan (Northcott Theatre Exeter) and The BFG (Octagon Theatre Bolton). For television, her works incudes The Coroner and Poirot: Hallowe’en Party; and for film, Run Fatboy Run and Foster.

Tracy-Ann Oberman plays Helen Kroger. For theatre, her work includes Present Laughter, Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre), Stepping Out (Vaudeville Theatre and UK tour), McQueen(Theatre Royal Haymarket and St James Theatre), God Child, Old Money, On the Rocks (Hampstead Theatre), Earthquakes in London (National Theatre and UK tour) and Boeing Boeing (Comedy Theatre). For television her work includes Friday Night Dinner (series regular Aunty Val), New Tricks(as semi-regular Fiona Kennedy), Crims, Siblings, Father Brown, Give Out Girls, Toast of London, Best of Men, Monroe, Waterloo Road, Mistresses and EastEnders (series regular Chrissie Watts); and for film, Where’s Anne Frank, The Casanova Variations, Hector and the Search for Happiness, Filth, Wall, Girl Number 9 and The Infidel.

Natalie Walter returns to the Menier to play Thelma – she previously appeared in Smash. For theatre her work includes Jerusalem (The Watermill Theatre), A Little Hotel on the Side (Theatre Royal Bath), Lingua Franca (Finborough Theatre), 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (Bush Theatre), Hay Fever(Chichester Festival Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love’s Labour’s Lost (RSC), Whipping It Up(UK tour), Habeas Corpus (Donmar Warehouse) and Piano/Forte (Royal Court Theatre). Her television work includes Family Tree, Above Suspicion, Jonathan Creek, Doctor Who and Babes in the Wood; and for film, The Wedding Video, Cockneys vs Zombies, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Lady Godiva, The Honey Trap and Remember Me.

Finty Williams plays Barbara Jackson. Her theatre work includes The Divide (The Old Vic), Blithe Spirit (The Mill at Sonning), Dinner with Friends (Park Theatre), The Vote (Donmar Warehouse – also More4), The Armour (Defibrillator Theatre), The Lightning Child, Macbeth, Bedlam (Shakespeare’s Globe), Luise Miller (Donmar Warehouse) and Twelfth Night (National Theatre). Her television work includes Doc Martin, The Cranford Chronicles, Born and Bred and Tales From the Crypt; and for film, Six Minutes to Midnight, We Can Be Heroes, Delicious, The Good Night, Ladies in Lavender, Gosford Park, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Secret Rapture and Mrs Brown.

Hugh Whitemore (1936 – 2018) began his writing career in British television (contributing to The Wednesday Play, Armchair Theatre and Play for Today) and twice received Writers’ Guild Awards. Film credits include The Return of the Soldier (an adaptation of the novel by Rebecca West), Mel Brooks’ production of 84 Charing Cross Road, Utz, (an adaptation of Bruce Chatwin’s novel) and Franco Zeffirelli’s Jane Eyre. His other stage plays include Stevie, Breaking the Code, The Best of Friends, It’s Ralph, A Letter of Resignation, Disposing of the Body, God Only Knows and a new version of Pirandello’s As You Desire Me. These plays have been translated into many languages and produced throughout the world. His work has twice been named Best Single TV drama by the UK Broadcasting Press Guild, he has received the Scripter Award in Hollywood (for 84 Charing Cross Road), the Script Prize at the 1998 Monte Carlo Festival (for his adaptation of A Dance to the Music of Time) and a special Communications Award from the American Mathematical Society (for Breaking the Code). He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and an Honorary Fellow of King’s College, London.

Hannah Chissick directs. Her most recent work includes Mother Courage and Her Children and the UK professional première of the musical Side Show (Southwark Playhouse), Down the Dock Road(Liverpool Royal Court), both for the NYMT – Brass (Hackney Empire) and Sunday in the Park With George (The Other Palace), Rags and Amour (Royal Academy of Music), Marry Me a Little (St James Studio) and Teechers (John Godber Theatre Company). She was Assistant Director to Matthew Warchus on the play Art in London and New York and was Associate Director on his acclaimed production of Boeing Boeing, directing casts in London, on Broadway and in Melbourne. In 2003, she became the youngest women to become an Artistic Director in the UK, when Harrogate Theatre appointed her at the age of 25. Other credits include the critically-acclaimed revival of Side by Side by Sondheim (The Venue, London), Abigail’s Party (Northcott Theatre Exeter), Teechers (Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke), a tour of Grumpy Old Women Live, the world première of Horrid Henry – Live(tour and West End), and the world premiere of Pushing Up Poppies (Theatre503).

Listings Information                                                                                                                Pack of Lies

Venue:                              Menier Chocolate Factory

Address:                           53 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1RU

Press performance:        1 October at 8pm

Dates:                               20 September – 1 October

Times:                             For the performance schedule, please see the website

Box Office:                       020 7378 1713 (£2.50 transaction fee per booking)

Website:                           www.menierchocolatefactory.com (£1.50 transaction fee per booking)

Tickets:                              Prices vary, as below from discounted preview tickets to premier seats. With the emphasis on ‘the sooner you book, the better the price’:

Prices from £32.50

A meal deal ticket includes a 2-course meal from the pre-theatre menu in the Menier Restaurant as well as the theatre ticket.

www.menierchocolatefactory.com

Twitter: @MenChocFactory

Alex Edelman wins prestigious
Herald Angel Award

Today Alex Edelman was awarded a Herald Angel Award for his new show. After receiving a Barry Award nomination at the Adelaide, Just for Us comes to the Pleasance after Alex’s two year break from the Edinburgh Fringe.

Just for Us ricochets from Edelman’s ADHD, a surprising encounter with Prince William at the BAFTAs, his newly-minted Olympian brother, what being “brave” means in this political climate, and a gorilla that can do sign language. But at its centre is the astonishing and unfortunately timely encounter when, after a strong anti-Semitic strain of online abuse was directed at Edelman in January 2018, he decided to covertly attend a meeting of those same anti-Semites. The result was an explosive confrontation.

In her five star review of Alex Edelman’s show Just For Us for The Herald, Gayle Anderson notes, It’s a confident, carefully-crafted and brilliantly delivered set. If this was music it would definitely be jazz. Rhythmic and hip, you’re never sure where it’s taking you but you know you’ll like it.

Director of Pleasance, Anthony Alderson comments, This morning saw another amazing Pleasance show honoured with a Herald Angel Award. Edinburgh Comedy Award winner, Alex Edelman is in Edinburgh garnering much attention and acclaim with his third solo show. This fantastic young comedian is at the top of his game and we couldn’t be happier that The Herald have recognised him in this exciting way.

Since their inception in 1996, The Herald Angel Awards have been an integral part of the Edinburgh Festival scene, celebrating and rewarding the diverse range of talent from the various festivals including the Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Jazz & Blues Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Alex Edelman’s debut, Millennial, won the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer – the first show by an American to do in more than fifteen years. The follow-up, Everything Handed to You, sold out its entire Edinburgh run and was the second best reviewed of any comedy show at the Festival. It was also filmed in its entirety for a special called Live from the BBC, which is currently available on Netflix.

Alex Edelman: Just for Us performs at Cabaret Bar, Pleasance Courtyard until Sunday 26 August at 20:00.

Regents Park Open Air Theatre – until 9 September

Reviewed by Lottie Davis-Browne

5*****

Growing up in the early 1980s my first introduction to dinosaurs was friendly cartoon character – the aptly named “Denver – The Last Dinosaur”. It wasn’t until the 1993 movie “Jurassic Park” that I was able to see a more realistic dinosaur to truly appreciate these prehistoric beasts in their full glory, however growing up with two sisters my interest in dinosaurs was somewhat extinct before it even started.

Flash forward to the present day to a sunny Friday afternoon when I had the pleasure of attending Dinosaur World Live – an interactive touring production, in London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, with a dinosaur obsessed three year old boy.

With advances in puppetry in live theatre (thanks to a certain War Horse!) I was expecting great things – and I certainly wasn’t disappointed!

This final venue of the tour is set against the stage set for the current production of “Little Shop of Horrors”, Dinosaur World Live opens with Miranda (Elizabeth Mary Williams) introducing herself to the audience, engaging with the young audience from the second she enters the stage, telling us how her parents met in prehistoric times – “the early 1990’s” whilst working at the National History Museum together and that her first experience of meeting a dinosaur was as a young child whilst out picking blackberries. She explains how she ended up washed up on an island without her parents – using a large wooden toy boat which is passed into the audience how Miranda explains how she came to live on an island with dinosaurs.

There’s instantly a relaxed atmosphere from the moment the story starts, with children being picked out to help at various points in the fifty-some minute production. The audience are shown a dinosaur egg which is getting ready to hatch and encouraged to shout Miranda if they spot any signs of movement from it.

Soon Miranda is introducing us to several dinosaurs – so cleverly pupeteered that even the older audience members are quickly mesmerised by what appears to be actual real live dinosaurs! The attention to detail is outstanding – you can actually see the scales in their skin and the several different colours which are captured in the sunlight beautifully.

There’s baby Tamora – a young female Tyrannosaurus who loves to play with a ball and squeaky dogs toys! Her favourite foods are chicken – and other dinosaurs! She lives on the island with her mum, Titus. “Tyrannosaurus” comes from the Greek word meaning “Tyrant Lizard” whilst “Rex” is the Latin word for King.

We also met (amongst several other dinosaurs) Gertrude – a Giraffatitan (meaning “giant giraffe”) who ways up to 43 tons (five times as heavy as a T-Rex) and the colourful Juliet – a Segnosaurus (meaning “slow lizard).

Throughout the story, Miranda gives the audience lots of simple facts about each dinosaurs, from what they like to eat, how their bodies are structured and where they originate from. There’s plenty of audience interaction aimed at the hundreds of dino-enthusiatic children. The show is both visually stunning and educational. A rip-ROARing success of a production!

The fifty-some minute production (no interval) seemed to be over so quickly (in the best possible sense) but with the chance to meet the dinosaurs up close and personal afterwards made this an utterly ROAR-some day for the whole family.

Whilst every other theatre production has a strict no-photography policy, the audience were encouraged at the beginning to take as many photos as they liked – and to share them on social media (@dinoworldlive on Twitter and Instagram), to which of course I took hundreds and eagerly added my own (Instagram) the following day when I had slept off the excitement of having met these prehistoric creatures in the flesh.

For tickets and information for the rest of the tour, please see dinosaurworldlive.com and follow on social media (@dinoworldlive).

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR WORLD STAGE PREMIÈRE OF HIGH RIDIN’

Em-Lou Productions and King’s Head Theatre present the world première of

High Ridin’

By James Hogan

Directed by Peter Darney

King’s Head Theatre
4 September – 22 September 2018

Em-Lou Productions today announces full casting of world première of James Hogan’s High Ridin’ at the King’s Head Theatre. Peter Darney directs Linda Beckett (Ivy), Tom Michael Blyth (Stan) and Chicho Tche (Ronnie). The production opens at the King’s Head Theatre on Thursday 6 September with previews from Tuesday 4 September and runs until Saturday 22 September.

“What did you do with the drugs?”

“Dumped’em in a field.”

“Are you serious? The cows are jumpin’ over the Moon, Mars and fuckin’ Jupiter!”

Teenager Ronnie hitchhikes North to search for a job and a new start. Ex-bouncer Stan, just out of prison, gives him a lift. But not where Ronnie thought he was going.

Instead, Stan speeds off the motorway to a deserted house on the moors. But neither Ronnie nor Stan get what they were looking for…

An unlikely love story of two men who don’t live likely lives.

James Hogan’s plays include Peacefully in his Sleep (Gate Theatre), The Guest Room (Not the RSC Festival/Old Red Lion), Venetian Gold (Official Edinburgh Festival/Kings Head Theatre) and Ivy & Joan (The Print Room/Jermyn Street Theatre).

Linda Beckett plays Ivy. Her theatre credits include Blithe Spirit (The Brewhouse Theatre & Arts Centre), The Playboy of the Western World, She Stoops to Conquer (UK tour), Breezeblock Park (Derby Theatre), It’s a Madhouse, A Taste of Honey, Cloud Nine, Our Day Out (Everyman Theatre Liverpool) and The Secret Diary ofAdrian Mole, (Phoenix Arts Theatre/Wyndham’s Theatre). Her television credits include Play for Today, First of the Summer Wine; and for film, High Hopes and Secrets and Lies.

Tom Michael Blyth plays Stan. His theatre credits include Significant Other Inc (The Pensive Federation), The Mighty Oak Conqueror (One Festival), Hard Times (Oldham Coliseum Theatre) which he was nominated a Manchester Theatre Award, The Father (West End/UK tour) and The Duchess of Malfi (New Diorama Theatre).

Chicho Tche plays Ronnie. Love’s Labour’s Lost (RSC/Brighton Fringe) and Ninis Hair Salon (New Wimbledon Theatre); and for television he plays series regular Nick in School Hacks.

Peter Darney directs and writes. His credits include multi award winning 5 Guys Chillin’ which he wrote and directed (King’s Head Theatre/Soho Playhouse, New York, which won Edinburgh Festivals Best LGBT Play 2016 and the Doric Wilson Intercultural Dialogue Award at the Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival – published by Oberon Books), The Drag (Arcola Theatre), The Revengers Tragedy, Edward II, Arden of Faversham (The Rose Playhouse), Pinocchio (Sutton Theatres), Signal Failure (Soho Playhouse, New York/Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Frank Sent Me (King’s Head Theatre/Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Theatre503), Githa (St James Theatre/York Theatre Royal), Tom’s Midnight Garden (Orchard Deane Garden Theatre), 6 Degree’s (Soho Theatre), Frank Sent Me (Soho Theatre, Best Play 2012 Writer’s Avenue) and Beautiful Thing (Battersea Arts Centre).

High Ridin

Listings

King’s Head Theatre

115 Upper Street, N1 1QN
Box office: 0207 226 8561

www.kingsheadtheatre.com/

Performances:

Tuesday 4 September – Saturday 22 September 2018

Tickets: £16 – £26

Previews: £11

BAT OUT OF HELL – THE MUSICAL

ANNOUNCES JORDAN LUKE GAGE

AS THE NEW STRAT

Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical is excited to announce Jordan Luke Gage will be taking on the lead role of Strat from 3 September.

Gage made his West End debut as Hoffman in the show, whilst also performing as an alternate Strat to Andrew Polec.

Gage commented on taking on the role: 

“I’m overwhelmed to be taking over the iconic role of Strat in Bat Out Of Hell. Being part of this incredible show and company has been a life-changing experience for me and I have learned so much from working with the extraordinary talent that is Andrew Polec. I want to thank everyone at Bat out of Hell for giving me this opportunity and to thank Andrew for his support and friendship. He has been an outstanding Strat, a deserved winner of the Joe Allen Best West End Debut Award and an inspiration. I wish him love and every success on his journey. I’m so excited to get started! I feel honoured and humbled to be given the chance to sing Jim Steinman and Meatloaf’s stunning score and to work with the wonderful people who make up the Bat family; the company, the production and creative teams, the crew and, of course, the fans. Rock and Roll dreams DO come true!”

Simon Gordon who performs as Esquivel in the show will continue to be the alternate Strat.

Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical wowed critics and public alike when it played limited seasons at Manchester Opera House, London Coliseum and Toronto’s Ed Mirvish Theatre in 2017, and has been seen by over 650,000 people to date. It began previews at its latest home the legendary Dominion Theatre on Monday 2 April, with a gala performance on 19 April 2018. It is now booking through to 5 January 2019.

Andrew Polec’s final show starring as Strat in Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical at The Dominion, London will be on Saturday 1 September.  Tickets are available here:

https://batoutofhellmusical.com/london/tickets-london/ 

More exciting news about Andrew will be announced very shortly.

Bat Out Of Hell became one of the best-selling albums in history, selling over 50 million copies worldwide.  16 years later, Steinman scored again with Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell, which contained the massive hit I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That).

For the stage musical, the legendary and award-winning Jim Steinman has incorporated iconic songs from the Bat Out Of Hell albums, including You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth, Bat Out Of Hell, I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) and Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad, as well as two previously unreleased songs, What Part of My Body Hurts the Most and Not Allowed to Love.

Jim Steinman’s Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical is a romantic adventure about rebellious youth and passionate love, set against the backdrop of a post-cataclysmic city adrift from the mainland.  Strat, the forever young leader of The Lost, has fallen for Raven, daughter of Falco, the tyrannical, ruler of Obsidian.  It scooped the ‘Evening Standard Radio 2 Audience Award’ for Best Musical in 2017.

Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical has book, music and lyrics by Jim Steinman, direction by Jay Scheib, choreography by Emma Portner, with musical supervision and additional arrangements by Michael Reed, set design by Jon Bausor, costume design by Jon Bausor and Meentje Nielsen, video design by Finn Ross, lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe, sound design by Gareth Owen, orchestration by Steve Sidwell, casting by David Grindrod CDG, fight direction by Stuart Boother and musical direction by Robert Emery.

Jim Steinman’s Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical is produced by David Sonenberg, Michael Cohl, Randy Lennox & Tony Smith.

Website:  www.BatOutOfHellMusical.com

Twitter & Facebook:  @BatTheMusical

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Jim Steinman’s Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical

Dominion Theatre

268-269 Tottenham Court Road

London W1T 7AQ

Performances:  Mon-Sat at 7.30pm, Wed & Sat matinee at 2.30pm (N.B.  Performances will be at 2.00pm & 8.00pm on Saturday 8 September)

Tickets:  from £15.00

Box Office:  0845 200 7982

Current Booking Period:  to 5 January 2019

Running Time:  2 hours 40 minutes (including interval)

Christmas 2018/19 Performance Schedule

Mon 17 December – 7.30pm

Tue 18 December – 7.30pm

Wed 19 December – 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Thurs 20 December – 7.30pm

Fri 21 December – 7.30pm

Sat 22 December – 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Mon 24 December – No Show

Tue 25 December – No Show

Wed 26 December – 7.30pm

Thurs 27 December – 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Fri 28 December – 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Sat 29 December – 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Mon 31 December – 7.00pm

Tues 1 January – 7.30pm

Wed 2 January – 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Thurs 3 January – 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Fri 4 January – 7.30pm

Sat 5 January – 2.30pm & 7.30pm