Month: May 2019

ZOË WANAMAKER AND ZRINKA CVITEŠIĆ

IN WORLD PREMIERE OF NANCY HARRIS’

T W O    L A D I E S

DIRECTED BY NICHOLAS HYTNER

Zoë Wanamaker and Zrinka Cvitešić will play Hélène and Sophia respectively in Two Ladies, a new play by Nancy Harris to be directed by Nicholas Hytner at the Bridge Theatre. Two Ladieswill preview from 14 September 2019 with opening night on 25 September.  This strictly limited 6-week run will conclude on 26 October 2019.  Tickets will go on sale at 10am today for priority members with public booking opening on 5 June 2019 at 10am.

As their husbands clash over an international crisis, the first ladies of France and America find themselves alone together in a side room.  Friends, or enemies? When the stakes are so high, can they trust each other?   Can they trust their husbands? 

Set and costume designs are by Anna Fleischle withlighting by Johanna Town and sound byGeorge Dennis.  Final casting will be announced shortly.

Zoë Wanamaker was last on stage as Meg in Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party at the Harold Pinter Theatre.  She has had a much-celebrated career working for the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court Theatre and the Donmar Warehouse as well as in the West End and on Broadway.  Her many television credits include My Family, Poirot and Mr Selfridge as well as Killing Eve, Britannia and Girlfriends.  Her many film credits include My Week with Marilyn, It’s a Wonderful Afterlife, Wilde and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.  As well as being the recipient of numerous awards and nominations, Wanamaker was appointed a CBE for her services to Drama.

Croatian born Zrinka Cvitešić was last on stage in London playing ‘Girl’ in the UK premiere of Oncefor which she received the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.  As a member of the Croatian National Theatre her roles have included Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Natasha Rostova in War and Peace, Gwendoline in The Importance of Being Ernest, Irina in Three Sisters and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.  Her television credits include Capital and London Spy.  Her film credits include On the Path for which she was the first Croatian actress to win the Shooting Star Award at the Berlin Film Festival and a nomination for European Film Academy Award for Best Actress, My Beautiful Countryfor which she won the Bernhard Wicki Award (German Award for Culture) and What Is a Man Without a Moustache for which she won Sarajevo Film Festival Award for Best Actress. In 2017 she was honoured with a Medal of Honour by the President of Croatia.

Playwright Nancy Harris was born in Dublin.  Her plays include The Beacon, No Romance, Our New Girl, Love in a Glass Jar, Baddies: The Musical, Journey to X, The Kreutzer Sonata and an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Red Shoes.  Harris received The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and The Stewart Parker Award for her debut full-length play No Romance in 2012.  She was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Award.  She has also written for radio and television and was nominated for a BAFTA as a Breakthrough Talent in 2014 for her writing on the Channel 4 seriesDates.

Nicholas Hytner co-founded the London Theatre Company with Nick Starr.  He was Director of the National Theatre from 2003 to 2015, where the productions he directed included The History Boys, Hamlet, One Man, Two Guvnors, and Othello.  His films include The Madness of George III, The Lady in the Van and The History Boys.  Hisbook Balancing Acts is published by Jonathan Cape. For the Bridge, Hytner has directed Young Marx, Julius Caesar, Allelujah! and Alys, Always.  His forthcoming immersive production ofA Midsummer Night’s Dreamopens next month.

CHRISTMAS 2019 AT THE BRIDGE

T H E   L I O N,  T H E   W I T C H   A N D   T H E   W A R D R O B E

FOR 12 WEEKS ONLY

The London Theatre Company by special arrangement with Elliott & Harper Productions andCatherine Schreiber, presents the much-celebrated Leeds Playhouse production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for 12 weeks over the 2019/20 festive season at the Bridge. Based on the novel by C. S. Lewis and directed by Sally Cookson, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will have its first performance on 9 November 2019 with opening night on 18 November and will run until 2 February 2020. Tickets will go on sale at 10am today for priority members with public booking opening on 5 June 2019 at 10am.  Full details of the performance schedule, including Sundays, are available on the Bridge website.  Casting will be announced at a later date.

Step through the wardrobe this Winter into the magical kingdom of Narnia for the most mystical of adventures in a faraway land.  Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and say hello to a talking Faun, an unforgettable Lion and the coldest, cruellest White Witch.

This critically acclaimed production reunites director Sally Cookson with designer Rae Smith, writer in the room Adam Peck, movement director Dan Canham, lighting designer Bruno Poet, sound designer Ian Dickinson and music by Benji Bower all of whomoriginally brought the show to life in 2017 breaking box office records at Leeds Playhouse.

Written by C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the first book published inThe Chronicles of Narnia in 1950 and went on to become one of the most popular children’s books of all time, still regularly topping reader votes on the best books for children nearly 70 years later.The Chronicles of Narnia – The Magician’s Nephew, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair and The Last Battle – are classics of children’s literature, having enchanted generations of young readers, with over 100 million copies sold worldwide in over 70 countries and 59 different languages.  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and The Chronicles of Narnia are published by HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Sally Cookson’s most recent production was the Olivier award-winning A Monster Calls at the Old Vic. She is an Associate Artist at Bristol Old Vic where her productions include Jane Eyre and Peter Pan   which were also seen at the National Theatre and on tour, Sleeping Beauty, Treasure Island, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Strange Case, Pericles, Pains of Youth and The Visit.  Her work in the West End includes La Strada, Hetty Feather and Bearhunt.  Her numerous collaborations with Travelling Light Theatre include Strictly Balti by Saikat Ahammed, The Ugly Duckling based on Hans Christian Andersen, Shadowplay, Cloudland based on the book by John Burningham, Lenny by Francis Monty, Bob the Man on the Moon based on the book by Simon Bartram.  

Rae Smith received multiple design awards including the Olivier and Tony Awards for War Horseat the National Theatre and on tour internationally.Her theatre credits include the forthcomingThe Night of the Iguana at the Noël Coward Theatre as well as Rosmersholm at the Duke of York’s Theatre, Girl From the North Country at the Old Vic, the Public Theater in New York and on Broadway, Translations at the National Theatre and Barbershop Chronicles at the National Theatre, the Roundhouse, Brooklyn Academy of Music and on UK tour, The Goat at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, This House at the Garrick Theatre and on UK tour, Nightfall at the Bridge Theatre andRusalka at Glyndebourne.  Other theatre credits include Wonder.Land and The Light Princess for the National Theatre and The Tempest and Prince of the Pagodas for Birmingham Royal Ballet.  Smith is the recipient of The Rootstein Hopkins Fellowship which extends boundaries between the live performing arts and drawing. 

Director Marianne Elliott and Producer Chris Harper founded Elliott & Harper Productions in 2016.  Their multi award-winning production of Company recently completed its run at the Gielgud Theatre and their current co-production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is playing to great critical acclaim and sell-out houses at the Young Vic Theatre. 

Catherine Schreiber is a two-time Tony and Olivier Award-winning international Producer and Broadway Global Producer of the Year 2017.  Current Broadway productions include Network, Pretty Woman and The Play That Goes Wrong.  In 2014 Schreiber brought the award-winning musical The Scottsboro Boys to London, winning the Critics Circle Award and Evening Standard Award for Best Musical.

Leeds Playhouse was established almost 50 years ago. It’s a cultural hub, a place where people gather to tell and share stories and to engage in world class theatre. Currently undergoing a £15.8 million capital redevelopment, Leeds Playhouse is due to reopen in October 2019, with a new city-facing entrance, improved access into and around the building and a new studio theatre.

BROADWAY TRANSFER FOR LAURA LINNEY IN

M Y   N A M E   I S   L U C Y   B A R T O N

It has been recently announced that Laura Linney will reprise the title role in Richard Eyre’sproduction of My Name is Lucy Barton at the Manhattan Theatre Club marking the London Theatre Company’s first Broadway transfer.  Adapted by Rona Munro from Elizabeth Strout’sPulitzer Prize-winningnovel, My Name is Lucy Barton will begin its Broadway run on 6 January 2020 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.  Following its world premiere at the Bridge in 2018, Linney returned earlier this year for a second sell-out run.

L O N D O N   T H E A T R E   C O M P A N Y

TO OPEN SECOND THEATRE IN KING’S CROSS

The London Theatre Company and King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership earlier this month announced their joint venture for a brand-new theatre in King’s Cross to open in Winter 2021/22. The new 600-seat flexible auditorium will be based on the award-winning Bridge Theatre which opened in October 2017.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Address:                           Bridge Theatre, 3 Potters Fields Park, London, SE1 2SG

Box Office:                        0333 320 0051 or [email protected]

Access:                            0333 320 0051 or [email protected]

Website:                           www.bridgetheatre.co.uk

Twitter:                            @_bridgetheatre

Instagram:                        _bridgetheatre

Facebook:                         facebook.com/bridgetheatrelondon

Park Theatre presents a special fundraising run of the World Premiere of

WHODUNNIT [UNREHEARSED]

Adam Hills, Jason Manford, Neil Morrissey,

Clarke Peters & Sandi Toksvig

join production

Now also featuring the voice of Miriam Margolyes

New cast join the previously announced:

Gillian Anderson, John Bishop, Jim Broadbent,

Judi Dench, Ronan Keating, Damian Lewis,

Joanna Lumley, Ian McKellen, Catherine Tate,

Tim Vine & others

New Trailer Available Here

15 – 27 July 2019 | Park Theatre

Further performers have been revealed for Park Theatre’s World Premiere murder mystery Whodunnit [Unrehearsed], as Adam Hills, Jason Manford, Neil Morrissey, Clarke Peters and Sandi Toksvig – with the voice of Miriam Margolyes – join the stellar list of participants.Every night, a different guest performer will step onstage to join the rehearsed ensemble of a scripted murder mystery play, having attended no rehearsals, read no script, nor received any direction. Armed only with a hidden earpiece to receive instructions, they will endeavour to solve the crime in real time.

An isolated manor, a storm brewing and a stranger at the door. The clichés flow as freely as the suspicious liquor in the library, but this murder mystery spoof has one hell of a twist.

Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] not only features the voices of previously announced Ian McKellen and Judi Dench, but also a different celebrity in each performance stepping in as the Inspector, without any rehearsal and without ever having seen the script. Gargantuan guests already slated to appear at Park Theatre include Clive Anderson, Gillian Anderson, John Bishop, Gyles Brandreth, Marcus Brigstocke, Jim Broadbent, Ronan Keating, Damian Lewis, Maureen Lipman, Joanna Lumley, Meera Syal, Catherine Tate, Tim Vine and Ruby Wax. All will have their lines fed to them live on stage via an earpiece as they attempt to crack the case, avoid the furniture and stagger their way to justice.

The play will be narrated by the voices of Ian McKellen, Judi Dench and Miriam Margolyes.

All guest actors are kindly donating their time to support this special fundraising run, so every penny raised will go towards keeping Park Theatre inclusive and accessible for all. The line up is subject to last minute change, and audiences will only discover which VIP stars in each performance when they appear onstage.

Artistic Director, Jez Bond, said: “We’re very fortunate that the leading actors in our country understand the power and importance of smaller scale theatres and the challenges they face. Performing across the run are a mixture of those who’ve supported us since the building was a hard-hat site and those who’ve come to know us more recently. I am grateful to everyone who has donated their time to help raise vital funds by performing this show – and am thrilled they’re so up for it!”

www.parktheatre.co.uk

Box office: 020 7870 6876*

PARK THEATRE LISTING

WHODUNNIT [UNREHEARSED]

Venue: Park200, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, N4 3JP

Dates: 15 July – 27 July 2019 at Park Theatre

Age guidance: 12+

Performances: Mon – Sat Evenings 7.30pm, Thu & Sat Matinees 3pm

Prices: Standard £44 – £85, standing room £10 (released at 10am daily)
Booking: www.parktheatre.co.uk / 020 7870 6876

*10% telephone booking fee, capped at £2.50 per ticket.

FIRST MAJOR STAGE PRODUCTION OF

LOUIS DE BERNIÈRES’ BEST-SELLING NOVEL

CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN

TRANSFERS TO

HAROLD PINTER THEATRE

FROM 4 JULY TO 31 AUGUST

GALA NIGHT 10 JULY

The first major stage production of Louis de Bernières’ best-selling novel, CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN will transfer to the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End from 4 July to 31 August following rave reviews and a hugely successful UK tour. There will be a gala opening night on 10 July.

CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN stars Alex Mugnaioni as Captain Antonio Corelli, Madison Clare as Pelagia, Joseph Long as Dr Iannis, Ryan Donaldson as Carlo, Ashley Gayle as Mandras and Fred Fergus as Francesco. Completing the cast are Graeme Dalling as Soldier, Eliot Giuralarocca as Priest, Luisa Guerreiro as Goat, Kezrena James as Lemoni, Eve Polycarpou as Drosoula, John Sandeman as Soldier, Stewart Scudamore as Velisarios, Kate Spencer as Günter and Elizabeth Mary Williams as Psipsina.

Author Louis de Bernières said of the transfer, “I am delighted that this production of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is moving to the West End. The play is faithful to my story, movingly told, and the direction and acting are superb.  It deserves a long run.”

CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN is directed by Olivier and Tony Award nominee Melly Still and has been adapted by Evening Standard Award-winner and Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominee Rona Munro. 2019 marks 25 years since the book was first published.

The play is currently playing Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 29 May to 15 June, King’s Theatre Edinburgh from 18 to 22 June and Glasgow Theatre Royal from 25 to 29 June.

CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN is an epic love story set on the Greek island of Cephalonia. It follows the lives of Dr Iannis, his beautiful, strong-willed daughter Pelagia and the Italian Captain Antonio Corelli, during the Italian and German occupation of the island in World War II. For CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN, Louis de Bernières won the 1995 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize – Overall Winner for Best Book, the 1995 Lannan Literary Award for Fiction and the 1994 Sunday Express Book of the Year. In 2001, the novel was adapted into a film starring Nicolas Cage and Penélope Cruz.

CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN has set and costume designs by Mayou Trikerioti, lighting design by Malcolm Rippeth, sound design by Jon Nicholls, projection design by Dom Baker for OD Vision and music composed by Harry Blake.

CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN is produced by Neil Laidlaw, Church & State Productions, Rose Theatre Kingston and Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Website: CaptainCorellisMandolin.com

Twitter.com/corellionstage / @CorelliOnStage

Facebook.com/corellionstage

TOUR SCHEDULE 2019

29 May – 15 June                     Birmingham Repertory Theatre                 0121 236 4455.

                                                 www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

18 – 22 June                             King’s Theatre Edinburgh0131 529 6000

                                                 www.capitaltheatres.com

25 – 29 June                             Theatre Royal, Glasgow                           0844 871 7647

                                                 www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-glasgow

WEST END LISTINGS INFORMATION

Harold Pinter Theatre

Panton Street

London

SW1Y 4DN

4 July – 31 August

Ticket prices: from £15.00

Performance Times:

Monday – Saturday 7.30pm

Matinees – Thursday & Saturday 2.30pm

Box Office: 0844 871 7622

Website: www.atgtickets.com/venues/harold-pinter-theatre

Scarcroft Allotments York, Tuesday 28th May 2019.

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

5*****

Mikron Theatre are on the road, canal and river again. Four actors performing two plays around the country, as they have done for years. This is the groups 48th year of touring. They perform in the unlikeliest of places, I watched this one outside in the cold at Scarcroft Allotments in York, though it was cold the rain just about stayed away. I have previously seen shows in a Youth Hostel and an RNLI lifeboat station.

Written by Nick Ahad, Redocats is the story about “Auntie Lynne” (Rachel Benson), a Redcoat who is retiring after 50 years, and her final swan song. She has performed the same end of season show for years, telling the story of Billy Butlin and the history of her beloved Butlins. Her friends and colleagues surprise her by changing the script and including themselves in the performance, much to her shock, especially with Destiny (Elizabeth Robin), from the Ents team wanting to film everything and put it all out there on social media. They have such different ideas, tradition against what’s current now, the instant hit, and can’t agree on anything. Barry (Christopher Arkeston) is Lynne’s right hand man, he lives and breathes Butlins. He has loved Butlins since he first visited as a child, with Lynne giving him his first badge. He just wants to give Auntie Lynne the send off she deserves, as does Terence (Joshua Considine), the old Butlin’s technician who has a huge soft spot for Lynne.

As the history of Butlins is told, the four actors take on differing roles, Arkeston playing Billy Butlin, Robin as Marlene Dietrich and more. We hear the Butlin story from the 1930’s until the 1980’s, warts and all. All four take on different roles, with new accents and looks, using various props, musical instruments and costumes to tell the story. They are all very versatile with their musical abilities, playing violins, guitars, ukuleles, and the cello, as well as acting and singing. It always amazes me how much talent there is around and how well Mikron Theatre taps into it.

The Butlin story did resonate with me, I have visited several of their holiday parks over the years, it was a treat when I was a child. I have also taken my children there, but not for quite a few years. Afterwards I couldn’t help but want to go back, even my, soon to be 21-year-old son remarked that the show made him want to holiday there again. Who knows, might take a trip down memory lane.

This was a small intimate production, as all their shows are, full of comedy and also reflection. I really do have a soft spot for Mikron Theatre, I always look forward to their shows and this did not disappoint, it is more than glamorous grannies and knobbly knees, even on a cold damp evening.

I look forward to, hopefully, getting the chance to see their other show, All Hands on Deck.

The Calendar Girls plant a legacy of sunflowers at

Birmingham’s Winterbourne House & Gardens

This week, Birmingham’s beautiful Winterbourne House and Gardens welcomed the cast of Tim Firth and Gary Barlow’s Calendar Girls The Musical for a very special spot of gardening.

Stars of the show, including Lesley Joseph and Lisa Maxwell, met with gardeners and custodians of the historic house to plant seven sunflowers in the garden, each labelled with the name of the cast member who planted it.

Sunflowers are a synonymous icon and symbol of the Calendar Girls story. Calendar Girls The Musical is inspired by the true story of a group of ladies, who decide to appear nude for a Women’s Institute calendar in order to raise funds to buy a settee for their local hospital, in memory of one of their husbands, and have to date raised almost £5million for Bloodwise. This musical comedy shows life in their Yorkshire village, how it happened, the effect on husbands, sons and daughters, and how a group of ordinary ladies achieved something extraordinary.

Visiting the gardens were the cast who play the inspiring group of women on stage; Lesley Joseph (Birds of a Feather) as Jessie, Sarah Jane Buckley (Blood Brothers and Hollyoaks) as Annie, Sue Devaney (Dinnerladies, Casualty, Coronation Street, Mamma Mia!) as Cora, Julia Hills (Broadchurch, The Archers) as Ruth, Judy Holt (Cold Feet, Scott & Bailey) as Marie and Lisa Maxwell (Loose Women, Hollyoaks, The Bill) as Celia and Rebecca Storm (Evita, Les Miserables, Chess) as Chris.

Winterbourne House is a rare surviving example of an early 20th century suburban villa and garden. The house was built in 1903 for John and Margaret Nettlefold, of Guest, Keen & Nettlefold. The garden is a 7 acre oasis located just minutes from Birmingham city centre and home to over 6000 different plant species.

Calendar Girls The Musical continues at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 8 June 2019, for tickets visit birminghamhippodrome.com or call 0844 338 5000 (4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge). 

For more information of Winterbourne House visit winterbourne.org.uk.

Mayflower Theatre Southampton – until 8th June 2019.

Reviewed by Leanne Caplis

5*****

Based on the award-winning film The Bodyguard returns once again to the Mayflower in Southampton with the stage production where it runs until the 8th June.

Alexander Burke, who plays the spoilt singer Rachel Marron, entered the music scene with her number one single Hallelujah and from then has gone on become a chart-topping sensation. She is no stranger to the stage having previously performed as Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act and played Rachel Marron in the West End Production of The Bodyguard.

Rachel Marron is a pop diva who is being stalked (Phil Atkinson). A bodyguard, Frank Farmer, (Benoît Marechal) is hired by her management team and from Rachel’s initial reluctance a strong bond soon forms between them, her sister (Micha Richardson) and her son Fletcher.

The production is packed full of some of the best-selling and well-known songs of all times including I will Always Love You, Run to You and Queen of the Night. The excellent stage and lighting make it feel like you are at one of Burke’s own concerts when she belts out her numbers; her voice is out of this world.

The show opening certainly grabs the attention of the audience and from the very first moment it is hard to take your eyes away from the stage. The use of slow-motion scenes to emphasise danger works well and the cast act these areas out well. The Stalker certainly leaves some members of the audience weak at the knees and you don’t miss the gasps and giggles as he appears, bare chested, on stage.

Not unsurprisingly the star of the show is Alexander Burke. A pin drop can be heard in the audience when she performas and she really is the Queen of the Night. However, a special mention needs to go to Micha Richardson who plays the part of Rachel’s sister Nicki. Her voice is stunning, and her solo pieces are pitch perfect.

It is hard to find anything wrong with this show. If I had to I would say some of the American accents are questionable and some of the comedy moments make it a bit panto-like. However, these very small negatives do not detract from a first-class production.

After the emotional last song, I Will Always Love You, which moved me to tears there is an up-beat curtain call of I Wanna Dance with Somebody. The audience who were already on their feet from the standing ovation got to dance and sing along as the whole cast performed this song.

A world class show with a world class singer. You will experience every emotion during this production and it really should not be missed. If I could give this production more stars I would – I urge you to book before it is too late.

KATYA JONES TO STAR IN PETERBOROUGH NEW THEATRE PANTOMIME

THE WIZARD OF OZ

Peterborough New Theatre announces Strictly Come Dancing Winner Katya Jones will lead this year’s pantomime spectacular – The Wizard of Oz – in her pantomime debut as Glinda the Good Witch – 14 – 31 December*

TV Favourite Katya Jones joined the Strictly team as a professional dancer in 2016 taking the glitterball trophy home as the winner in 2017 with celebrity dance partner Joe McFadden. Her first appearance on Strictly, partnered with Ed Balls, saw her nominated for a BAFTA in the Must-See TV Moment category for their Gangnam Style Salsa.

Prior to joining the smash-hit BBC show Strictly Come Dancing, the World Latin Champion and partner Neil Jones won the World Amateur Latin Championships a total of three times before turning professional in 2013. In 2015, they became the World Professional Latin Showdance Champions and their show Sominium is soon to open, a dance show with her partner Neil Jones at Sadlers Wells.  The Wizard of Oz will be Katya’s pantomime debut.

Katya says:

“I’m doing my first ever Pantomime! The Wizard of Oz will be a first for me and the Prime Pantomime production so I think we’re a little over excited! I’ll be swapping my dancing shoes for a pair of wings as Glinda and I can’t wait to bring some sparkle to Peterborough New Theatre. “

“Panto Is a wonderful experience for the whole family. It’s full of magic and joy! So if you love celebrating winter festivities as much as I do, then I will be seeing you there!”

The Wizard of Oz promises to be the biggest panto in town and is being created specifically for a local audience. A perfect treat for the whole family with all of your favourite panto ingredients. Expect lashings of audience participation, dazzling costumes and plenty of laughter, guaranteed to have you shouting, clapping, and singing along to a host of chart-topping hits.

You can Join Katya as Glinda helps Dorothy on a whirlwind adventure through the Emerald City as she and her loyal friends: the brainless but cheeky scarecrow, the cowardly lion, and the heartless (literally!) tap-dancing tin man, navigate through the magical Land of Oz in search of the mighty and mysterious wizard. With the Wicked Witch of the West determined to stop them by any means necessary, however, will the spirit of friendship triumph over evil?

The Wizard of Oz will be brought to the stage by Prime Pantomimes as part of their debut season. Prime Pantomimes is a dedicated pantomime production company founded by award-winning Selladoor Worldwide and Immersion Theatre Company and will be Directed and Written By James Tobias with choreography from Philip Joel.

Tickets are on sale now so click your heels together and book your tickets at www.newtheatre-peterborough.com  – There’ll be no place like Peterborough this Christmas! 

*please note Katya Jones will not be performing in either show on Saturday 14 December

Darlington Hippodrome – 28 May 2019

5*****

Steve Steinman brings his Meatloaf tribute show, Anything for Love, to Darlington tonight – only the second night of the brand new tour.  Steinman appeared as Meatloaf on the ITV show Stars in Their Eyes back in 1983 and has toured the world ever since.  Firstly in the Meatloaf Story and more recently with the cult hit Vampires Rock.  

Joining Steinman on this tour is Lorraine Crosby who was the female vocalist on the 1993 Meatloaf hit I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).   

Steinman is a showman with the audience loving both his vocals and his cheeky banter.  Now Meatloaf no longer tours, Steinman is probably the closest you will ever get to the real thing as he powers through the iconic albums of Bat Out of Hell, Bat II and Bat III.  Surrounded by his incredible band Henry Bird, Zoe Parr, exquisit pianist Andrew Preston, Damien Sweeting, and Pete the fabulous drummer.  And backing singers Victoria Hawley, Emily Clarke and Trixabelle Bold. All aided by the John Evans on male backing vocals. It was lovely to see Evans dressed normally, instead of the normal bodysuit from Vampires Rock, and Evans definitely rocks the dad dancing moves.

Meatloaf and long time collaborator Jim Steinman, are well known for their lengthy songs with Paradise by the Dashboard Light once holding the record for longest song at 8 minutes 55 and I’d Do Anything for Love at just under 12 minutes.  But this show still manages to pack in 19 songs. Including solo’s by Crosbie of the Bonnie Tyler classics Holding Out for a Hero and Total Eclipse of the Heart and the Celine Dion hit Its All Coming Back to me Now and her version of Good Girls go to Heaven

The lighting is outstanding, creating a very visual show and the sound fills the auditorium.  There are even fireworks at the end.

On tour around the UK, this is a show not to be missed

Birmingham Hippodrome urges Pride-goers to get on their feet!

Birmingham Hippodrome was ‘proud’ once again to be a part of the UK’s biggest two-day LGBTQ Pride festival that attracted a record number of 100,000 people lining the streets. This year the theatre brought some Latin flavour to the parade on Saturday 25 May with a themed float from Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s smash-hit musical On Your Feet!

The theatre’s colourful float blasted popular hits from the musical such as Rhythm is Gonna to Get You,Conga and Get On Your Feet, while energetic performances from dancers entertained crowds. The Broadway and West End production of On Your Feet! is the inspiring true love story of Emilio and Gloria and charts their journey from its origins in Cuba, onto the streets of Miami and finally to international superstardom. The show hits the Hippodrome stage on Tuesday 3 September and runs until Saturday 7 September. 

Laura Smith, Head of Communications commented “It was amazing to once again take part in Birmingham Pride and celebrate the event’s incredible atmosphere with thousands of people across our city. Last year we brought Lola’s Angels from Kinky Boots which was a real crowd-pleaser and this year was no different with the phenomenal dance moves and hits from On Your Feet! Pride takes place on our doorstep so it is great to support our neighbours and get our staff and shows in the party!”

To find out more about Birmingham Hippodrome, visit: www.birminghamhippodrome.com

 

Barn Theatre, Cirencester – until 22 June 2019

Reviewed by Catherine Françoise

5*****

It’s always a pleasure to visit the Barn Theatre in Cirencester, always guaranteed to see high quality, intelligent, innovative theatre whatever genre. Artistic Director Iwan Lewis and his fantastic creative team have created something very special here in just over a year, justifiably winning The Stage, Fringe Theatre of the Year 2019. Their 2019 season continues with bold choices and surprises and they can certainly never be accused of simply ‘playing safe, particularly in choosing to produce Shakespeare’s Henry V with a cast of just 8! Director Hal Chambers boldly chooses to place the young, recently crowned King of England in a contemporary setting with large screen projections making sure the audience are in no doubt of place or situation. Fast-paced, full of energy and creativity, his brilliant 8 strong cast play more than 40 roles inventively and quite brilliantly. A stark bare scaffolded stage set is transformed throughout by Sam Rowcliffe-Tanner’s clever lighting and strobe effects supported by evocative atmospheric original music written by Harry Smith.

Aaron Sidwell is a charismatic Henry, taking us on a journey from a young man reluctant to bear the responsibility of monarchy, partying and drinking in an attempt to distract from the weight of this inevitability. We, and he, discover that he is in fact focused and fearless once committed to a course of action. Once Henry has resolved to conquer France, he pursues his goal relentlessly to the end. He finishes the play as a brilliant leader and orator, a King fully committed to his position and the responsibilities of Kingship. The journey raises questions about nationality, nationalism, pride, character, resolve and determination.

Christos Dante’s exciting choreographed fight scenes propel the audience into the heat of the battles of Harfleaur and Agincourt and Kate Webster’s Movement Direction, particularly during the battle scenes, is dramatic and brilliant. Lauren Samuels is a modern Princess Katharine with plenty of spirit and an authentic French accent, though even with a Queen of France (played by Sarah Waddel) rather than a King, offering her daughter to Henry as a gift after war slightly jars in a contemporary setting. They make the best of it but it’s not fully credible. C’est la vie. I very much enjoyed and appreciated the myriad of supporting roles played by the whole cast Aaron Sidwell, Adam Sopp, Alicia Charles, Elin Phillips, Jonathan Woolf and Matt Ray Brown, Lauren Samuels and Sarah Waddell, all playing quite different characters to their main roles ~ character transformations sometimes happening within seconds. And all very different and authentic ~ Highly commendable indeed.

Where the Barn have triumphed with this production is that although contemporary, it is still very much ‘Shakespeare’ so unlikely to alienate those who love the traditional historical setting. I hope schools take advantage of this superb opportunity to see Shakespeare in a contemporary, relevant, exciting light ~ I can’t imagine school students (or indeed anyone!) leaving after seeing this production of Henry V, with anything other than a desire to see more ‘exciting’ Shakespeare! Lucky them and lucky us ~ Get your tickets which you can!