Month: April 2020

THE NATIONAL THEATRE ANNOUNCES NEW

DIGITAL PROGRAMMING FOR

NATIONAL THEATRE AT HOME

National Theatre Live recordings of Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatchand Antony & Cleopatra with Ralph Fiennes to be streamed on YouTube as part of National Theatre at Home

National Theatre at Home Quiz featuring quizmasters from the world of stage and screen

Six additional titles added to the National Theatre Collection providing teachers and students access to 30 titles in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing and ProQuest

The National Theatre has announced the next two productions that will be streamed live on YouTube every Thursday at 7PM BST via the National Theatre’s YouTube channel as part of National Theatre at Home; the new initiative to bring content to the public accessed from their homes during coronavirus.

Productions announced today include the NT Live broadcast of Danny Boyle’s production of Frankenstein filmed at the National Theatre in 2011. The production sees Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating the roles of Victor Frankenstein and his creation. The two versions will be shown across two nights: 30 April and 1 May.

Simon Godwin’s sell-out production of Shakespeare’s Antony & Cleopatra featuring the Evening Standard Theatre Award-winning performances by Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo as the famous lovers will be streamed on 7 May.

Both productions will be free to stream, premiering at 7.00PM BST and then available on demand for seven days. Further productions to be streamed as part of National Theatre at Home will be announced soon.

Today also sees the launch of the National Theatre at Home Quiz, to be played from home featuring familiar faces from the world of stage and screen as the quizmasters. Each quiz will include rounds of five questions on a wide variety of topics.

On the final Monday of each month people will be able join the virtual quiz directly from their homes via the NT’s YouTube channel and Facebook page live at 7pm. The first quiz will be on Monday 27 April with quizmasters Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Lenny Henry, Lesley Manville, and Sir Ian McKellen asking questions on topics including history, sport, nature, and of course, the National Theatre.  

National Theatre at Home launched in April in response to theatre and cinema closures due to the coronavirus pandemic. The first stream was the award-winning production of One Man Two Guvnors which received over 2.5 million views across the seven days it was available online.

Speaking about National Theatre at Home Rufus Norris Director and Joint Chief Executive of the National Theatre said “We’ve been completely overwhelmed by the response to National Theatre at Home since we launched at the start of April. We know that these are difficult and challenging times for many, and we hope that through this initiative we’re able to supply a weekly slice of entertainment for people to enjoy together, albeit digitally, when each production goes out at 7pm on Thursdays. We’re thrilled to be announcing the next two titles today, Frankenstein and Antony & Cleopatra which both feature award-winning performances and I’m sure will be enjoyed by all. We’re also pleased today to be launching the National Theatre at Home Quiz featuring some familiar faces posing the tricky questions. I’d like to thank all the artists and creatives who have continued to support us in being able to deliver this programme for free and also the public for tuning in every week and sharing their experiences of National Theatre at Home from right across the world.”

Access for students and teachers

The NT also confirmed a further six new productions will now be available for teachers and pupils to access at home via the National Theatre Collection in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing and ProQuest.

Students and teachers are now able to access the National Theatre Collection from home while schools and theatres are closed due to coronavirus. The Collection consists of high-quality recordings of 30 world-class productions drawing from 10 years of NT Live broadcasts, including productions from a range of renowned British theatres, and never before released recordings from the National Theatre’s Archive now available to students and teachers to access at home. The six new productions are:

• A Streetcar Named Desire (Young Vic) – an adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ timeless masterpiece directed by Benedict Andrews and starring Gillian Anderson, Ben Foster and Vanessa Kirby
• Cat on A Hot Tin Roof (Young Vic) – Sienna Miller stars alongside Jack O’Connell and Colm Meaney in Tennessee Williams’ searing, poetic story of a family’s fight for survival directed by Benedict Andrews
• Consent – Nina Raine’s powerful, painful, funny play which sifts the evidence from every side and puts justice herself in the dock
• Small Island – Andrea Levy’s Orange Prize-winning novel brought to life in an epic new theatre adaptation directed by Rufus Norris
• Translations – Brian Friel’s modern classic directed by Ian Rickson is a powerful account of nationhood, which sees the turbulent relationship between England and Ireland play out in one quiet community
• wonder.land – Alice for the online generation. A new musical created by Damon Albarn, Moira Buffini and Rufus Norris inspired by Lewis Carroll’s iconic story with stunning sets, costumes, video projection and lighting taking everyone on a journey to wonderland.

Teachers can sign up now to National Theatre Collection via

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/ntcollection

The National Theatre is currently closed to audiences and performances won’t resume before July. In coming weeks, there will be more opportunities for audiences to engage with the NT through its National Theatre at Home programme – further details to be announced.

The National Theatre – like theatres around the world – is facing a devastating impact from Coronavirus.  We are delivering NATIONAL THEATRE AT HOME free of charge. Should viewers wish to make a donation to support the National Theatre, we have launched a public appeal on our home page, nationaltheatre.org.uk, where visitors can find full details as to how to donate.

For more information on NATIONAL THEATRE AT HOME go to https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/at-home

AUDIENCES ACROSS THE GLOBE GET CREATIVE FOR SHAKESPEARE’S VIRTUAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Download the full #ShareYourShakespeare video here

View the full #ShareYourShakespeare video via You Tube here

In celebration of William Shakespeare’s 456^th birthday, the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has today unveiled the results of its largest ever digital celebration by audiences.

Launched in partnership with The Folger Shakespeare Library, the #ShareYourShakespeare campaign challenged audiences everywhere to share their love of Shakespeare in whatever way they chose, whether that be performing a speech, baking a cake, painting a picture, serenading a neighbour over the garden fence or teaching their dog to bark Macbeth.

The campaign has, so far, attracted over 1000 submissions from audiences around the world including community theatre-makers, amateur companies, schools, families and working actors with entries received from as far as the USA, Russia, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

Notable entries received as part of #ShareYourShakespeare include:

• Romeo and Juliet – An emoji love story
• Lockdown Macbeth – a micro-animated tragedy…featuring baked bean-tin castle and cacti ‘Burnham Wood’
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream performed by George the Cat
• Lego Shakespeare featuring ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by The Kings School, Devon and The Tempest by Finlay Aldridge (age 11)
• A family ‘zoom’ chat with King Lear, Goneril and Regan
• Oeuf-philia and Hamlegg – Creative egg crafts from across the cannon
• Romeo and Juliet meets U2 – A musical rendition of the Prologue set to guitar
• A photograph of HRH The Prince of Wales, President of the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing the role of Macbeth, age 17
• A Shakespearean/Star Wars mash up from The Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust
• All The World’s A Stage…for women too written by Harriet Walter and William Shakespeare
• The Tempest re-imagined as a graphic novel
• An A to Z of Shakespeare…in Scrabble
• The Great Shakespeare Bake Off – Featuring Lady Macbeth’s ‘out damn spot’ biscuits, cookie-cutter Romeo and Juliet and a drowned Ophelia…immortalized in icing!

A selection of the most creative, surprising and inspiring contributions have been collated digitally in a shared celebration of Shakespeare, which can be viewed at the RSC’s website (rsc.org.uk) and You Tube channel.

The #ShareYourShakespeare campaign launched online with a specially-recorded performance of ‘The Seven Ages of Man’ speech by Doctor Who and Broadchurch star David Tennant, who last appeared at the RSC in Gregory Doran’s 2013 production of Richard III. Joining David for the video broadcast were Associate Artists Charlotte Arrowsmith, David Bradley, Stephen Boxer and Paapa Essiedu, who played the title role of Hamlet in Simon Godwin’s 2016 production for the RSC (soon to be broadcast on the BBC). Other RSC alumni and Associate Artists who took part included Fleabag star Ray Fearon, award-winning British stage and film actresses Jane Lapotaire and Katy Stephens and David Threlfall, star of the RSC’s 2016 production of Don Quixote and the long-running Channel 4 TV series Shameless.

New contributors to the campaign include British stage, film and television actress Adjoah Andoh, writer, actor and political activist John Kani (Kunene and the King, 2019) and RSC Associate Artist Harriet Walter, who can currently be found starring in the hit BBC TV series Killing Eve.

Gregory Doran, Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the creativity and resourcefulness of those who have contributed to the Share Your Shakespeare campaign so far.

“Whether re-creating Romeo and Juliet in lego, reciting Hamlet to your cat or re-enacting the Battle of Agincourt in the back garden, we’re thrilled to see so many embracing their inner creativity in quarantine through their shared love of Shakespeare.

“Shakespeare himself was no stranger to self-isolation. When he was just starting as a playwright in London, the theatres were commanded to close, at which point Shakespeare wrote two magnificent narrative poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. Then again, when the Globe was told to haul down its flag and bolt its doors again in 1609, he published his collection of 154 sonnets.

“For those of us trying to be as creative as possible in lockdown, Shakespeare’s example is a little intimidating. Nevertheless, we can all play our part, big or small, in coming together to celebrate and connect with each other on Shakespeare’s 456^th birthday.

“And as we celebrate, please consider giving a birthday present of a donation to our home learning programme. Every gift will help young people continue to learn, and be inspired by Shakespeare, now as they work from home and, in the future when our theatres reopen. These home learning resources include live lessons, activities and videos and are part of a far-reaching education programme that sees over 500,000 young people every year experience first-hand the extraordinary power of Shakespeare’s language.”

The campaign will continue over the coming weeks. Those who would like to contribute are asked to film or photograph their Shakespeare in any way and upload it to Instagram, Twitter or Youtube, tagging @theRSC and using the hashtag #ShareYourShakespeare. The RSC will continue to share any entries via social media throughout the month of May 2020.

The Royal Shakespeare Company is a charity and our mission is to transform lives through amazing experiences of Shakespeare and great theatre. To make a gift to the RSC, visit https://www.rsc.org.uk/support/make-a-donation/

THEATRE TOGETHER ANNOUNCE FULL PROGRAMME FOR

ALL THE WEB’S A STAGE

Theatre Together, a new collective of over 100 artists and professionals, today announce the full programme for All the Web’s a Stagean online fundraising event featuring a variety of live performances that will be streamed tomorrow, Thursday 23 April from midday to midnight. Audiences will be able to watch the event free on www.theatretogether.co.uk and are invited to donate in support of the performing arts and those who work in the industry.

Highlights include Stephen Fry reading Michael Rosen’s These are the Hands ahead of Clap for Carers at 8pm; songs from Musical Theatre stars including Joanne Clifton, Louise Dearman, Kerry Ellis, David Hunter, and Marisha Wallace; Don Warrington opens the event reading Shakespeare’s All the World’s a Stage monologue; a live Q&A with Danny Mac; poetry from Jade Anouka and Luke Wright; comedy from Ivo Graham and The Yes Queens, a multi-location dance choreographed by Chris Whittaker and closing the event is Evangeline Dickson reading a new monologue, All the Web’s a Stage.

In addition, throughout the week there will be a series of events across Theatre Together’s social media platforms including special performances on Instagram live – details to be announced via Twitter and an auction with the opportunity to bid for exclusive prizes including the company of NOTFLIX performing a personalised musical based on the winners chosen film and performed at a venue of their choice, a three-course dinner for two and overnight stay at a Classic Lodges hotel, a beautiful architectural drawing of the National Theatre and two season tickets for Park Theatre. For more information and to bid please visit www.theatretogether.co.uk/auction.

The funds raised will go towards Acting for Others and Help Musicians to support those in the arts facing hardship now as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as to The Golsoncott Foundation, supporting individuals or organisations who have been impacted by the crisis to return with a piece of work once the industry begins to recover.  To donate please visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/theatre-together

Paul-Ryan Carberry, co-producer of All the Web’s a Stage, said today, “The overnight closure of the performing arts industry – while necessary and important for all of our safety – has meant that thousands of our colleagues are without an income for the foreseeable future. We refuse to stand by whilst so many of our peers are going through hardship and so we’re delighted to be supporting three excellent charities: Acting for Others, Help Musicians and The Golsoncott Foundation, as they help those in need during this time and beyond. We’ve got a huge mix of entertainment planned – from musical theatre to comedy to dance and everything in between and we are really excited to share with you such an eclectic programme of work. At this critical time we ask you to please join our community on the day and support our industry by donating whatever you can. If this crisis has taught us anything, it is that stories and their tellers are intrinsically connected to our shared humanity, stories, no matter the distance, bring us together. The arts will come back swinging after all this is done – but we need your help now to make that happen. Join us on Thursday.”

FULL PROGRAMME

CURTAIN UP – 12pm – 2pm

Hosted by Al & Roddy (12pm – 1pm) and Yassmin Abdel-Magied (1pm – 2pm)

Don Warrington reads All the World’s a Stage monologue from Shakespeare’s As You Like It

Joanne Clifton sings Nobody Does it Like Me from Seesaw

Jess Fostekew performs stand up

Oliver Lansley (Les Enfants Terribles) reads extract from The Terrible Infants

Rebecca Gilliland Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra and Viva La Vida by Coldplay

Robert Rhodes reads an original poem

Cleve September sings Words Fail from Dear Evan Hansen and All I Ever Wanted from The Prince of Egypt

Shona Babayemi reads extract from her original play Blue Zone

Tamaryn Payne reads extract from Letters To The Earth

MATINEE – 2pm – 4pm

Hosted byToby Marlow (2pm – 3pm) and Jon Brittain (3pm – 4pm)

Noah Thomas sings You Don’t Even Know It and The Wall in My Head from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, and Ordinary People by John Legend and will.i.am

Luke McCall sings Music of the Night from The Phantom of the Opera, Bring Him Home from Les Miserables and Anthem from Chess

Evie Rose-Lane sings Defying Gravity from Wicked, Holding out for a Hero from Footloose and Tomorrow from Annie

Abandoman perform original improvised comedy with audience participation

Gemma Barnett reprises her Offie Award winning role from A Hundred Words for Snow a new monologue, A message from Rory, written specially for the event by Tatty Hennessy

The Yes Queens perform improvised comedy based on audience suggestions

Kerry Ellis sings Your Song by Elton John

THE HALF – 4pm – 6pm

Hosted by Danny Mac – with Live Q&A (4pm – 5pm) and Ivo Graham (5pm – 6pm)

Vocal Xtr3m3 performs You’re the Voice by John Farnham, a TOTO medley and a Journey medley

Daisy Wood-Davis sings Natural Woman, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow and Beautiful from Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

Oliver Savile sings What Say You Meg from The Last Ship and Larger than Life from My Favourite Year

Ella Dacres performs This Sunday, written by Jade Anouka

Jade Anouka performs her original poem Herstory

How Could I?, a multi-location dance choreographed by Chris Whittaker and performed by Michael Afemare, Ben Anderson, Lila Anderson, Simon Anthony, Sian Brown, Nathan Coyne, Marcus Foreman, Mia Graves, Joshua Lay, Claire Lander, Georgie Leckey, Ellis Linford-Pill, Naoimh Morgan, Renee Ocran, Jordan Oliver, Suzy Owen, Amy Oxley, Charise Renouf, Clancy Ryan, Jacqui Sanchez, Adam Scott, Catriona Scott, Hannah Taylor, Christopher Tendai, Christie Whiteley and Magnetic Movement

Kwami Odoom performs an extract fromAnton Chekhov’s The Bear

Louise Dearman sings Songbird by Eva Cassidy

George Readshaw performs Shakespeare’s sonnets 29 and 30

Cast of Fat Rascal Theatre’sUnfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula The Sea Witch perform a medley from the show

Tom Brace performs isolation themed magic show

TWO SHOW DAY – 6pm – 8pm

Hosted by Oscar Conlon-Morrey (6pm – 7pm) and Crystal (7pm – 8pm)

David Hunter sings She Used to be Mine from Waitress and original songs The Farm Song and Hurt

Marisha Wallace sings And I am Telling You from Dreamgirls, I Know Where I’ve Been from Hairspray and a Whitney Houston Medley

Sadie Clark performs an extract from her play Algorithms

Alice Merivale sings Hard to Be the Bard from Something Rotten! and an original monologue To Wee or Not to Wee

Tom Milner sings Waving through a Window from Dear Evan Hansen and Wake Me Up When September Ends from American Idiot

Laura Pick sings a musical theatre medley including songs from Wicked, Hairspray, Billy Elliot, The Lion King and Les Miserables

Daniel York-Loh performs an extract from Shakespeare’s Richard II and an original poem, Wuhan

Amy Vicary Smith performs an extract from Belonging by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm

Stephen Fry reads Michael Rosen’s These are the Hands, as the nation turns to #ClapForCarers

THIRD ACT – 8pm – 10pm

Hosted by Michael Auger and Sooz Kempner (9pm – 10pm)

Caroline Kay performs original music Can’t Get My Love and Always You and Smile by Charlie Chaplin.

Dylan Wynford performs original music Hopeless, Sweat Patches and Cigars

Vikki Stone performs original music Zoological Society and Southbound

Luke Wright performs a new original poem, Boxing Baroness

Bryony Reynolds performs an abridged version of Reclaim the Night by Charlene James

Maimuna Memon performs original music Angry Song, Sitting in my Bed and Wild Lion, and Samson by Regina Spektor

Ray Strasser-King reads Mercutio’s Queen Mab speech from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

Luke Rollason performs a clowning routine

Ben Scheck performs monologue Go Back Home by Steven Kavuma

CURTAIN CALL – 10pm – 12am

Hosted by Martin Joseph (10pm – 11pm) and Sinead Wall (11pm – 12am)

Cordelia O’Driscoll performs original music Invisible and Robot Called Robert and Me

Alin Balascan reads Shakespeare’s sonnets 27 and 28

James McDermott performs poetry from his book, Manatomy

Finn Anderson performs original songs The Wee Hours, A Dancer Stole My Heart and The Garden

Carmel Clavin performs an extract from her show The Marvellous Mechanical Musical Maiden

Daisy Chute and Rebecca Brewer perform extract from Coven – The Musical

Lucie Pohl performs Stand Up Quarantine: How to be Funny When No One’s Laughing

Evangeline Dickson reads All the Web’s a Stage, a new monologue to close the event

‘Theatre Means Business’ website launched to help industry prepare for post-lockdown fightback

Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre have created TheatreMeansBusiness.info, an online platform highlighting a range of live and recorded webinars to equip the theatre industry with the tools to begin rebuilding after the COVID-19 lockdown ends.

Created by SOLT, UK Theatre and partner organisations and hosted by experts in their field, the webinars will cover topics currently front-of-mind to many theatre industry professionals, including business interruption planning, audience development for recovery, and professional and personal resilience.

Sebastian Cater, Head of UK Theatre & Workforce Development, said:

‘Our members are having to take some tough decisions about their organisations at present, and we wanted to help them and the wider sector by creating this website. We’ve curated these webinars to provide the resources and support our workforce needs to plan for the future. We are extremely grateful to all the consultants and agencies we are working with on this project, many of whom have donated their time to help the industry as it rebuilds itself.’

The webinars have been designed to appeal to a range of experience levels. Most do not require SOLT or UK Theatre membership to join, as the aim is to provide advice and support to as many offstage industry professionals as possible – whether someone is working from home on business planning, furloughed and needing inspiration, or new to the industry and wanting professional development.

To make them more accessible, many of the webinars will be free of charge – with some SOLT and UK Theatre sessions giving the option to make a contribution, to be split between the two organisations and the invited speaker. Some partner webinars may have a cost attached.

TheatreMeansBusiness.info has been created by SOLT and UK Theatre’s digital team over the past three weeks as a direct response to the extraordinary events of recent times. More webinars will be programmed in the coming weeks based on feedback and suggestions from the theatre sector.

Full information about each webinar can be found on theatremeansbusiness.info on the webinar event pages. 

TheatreMeansBusiness.info

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The Philharmonia Orchestra announces governance restructure

• Creation of a single unified charity to govern the Orchestra through merger of Philharmonia Ltd and the Philharmonia Trust
• The Philharmonia’s self-governance model, which is retained with player majority on the Board, is enhanced through incoming expertise from the Philharmonia Trust
• The Philharmonia is delighted to welcome Lord King of Lothbury, who will become Chair of the newly constituted merged Board of Trustees during the summer of 2020
• New Development Board, chaired by Board member Julia Zilberman, will work with the Philharmonia’s Development team to focus on both near- and longer-term strategic fundraising
• Newly announced Chief Executive Alexander Van Ingen will report to the Board and work closely with the Chair and President as the leaders of the organisation

The Philharmonia Orchestra today announces a major restructuring of its governance model, implementing a plan that has been developed over the last two years, following a substantive governance review and consultation with Members of the Orchestra and Trustees of the Philharmonia Trust. Philharmonia Ltd (the orchestra) and the Philharmonia Trust (the charity which holds the Philharmonia’s endowments) have agreed to merge, following overwhelming ratification by members of both bodies. The changes went into effect on midnight on 31 March 2020. The result is a unified, streamlined structure which enhances the self-governance model that has defined the Orchestra since it became owned by its player members in 1964. Philharmonia Members will represent a majority of the newly constituted Board, and the elected leader from the player group will now become the President of the Philharmonia. The position of Chair will be held by a non-player. The Chair, President and Chief Executive will be at the core of the Orchestra’s leadership. From summer 2020, Philharmonia Ltd will be chaired by Lord King of Lothbury, Governor of the Bank of England from 2003 to 2013. Lord King said: “I am deeply honoured to be asked to serve as Chair of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Despite present uncertainties, the future of the Orchestra is bright. With a new management team and a new Principal Conductor I am confident that the Orchestra will scale even greater musical heights.
“It will be a daunting task to follow Saul Nathan, and I am very pleased that he has agreed to continue until circumstances permit us all to return to something closer to normal.”
Saul Nathan, Chair of the Philharmonia Trust and inaugural Chair of the Board commented: “In partnership with the players, over the last two years we have designed a bespoke model which marries the best elements of self-governance and stewardship. Together with the formation of a new Development Board, these changes will create enduring opportunities for alignment, resilience, diversity and innovation. I want to thank Michael Fuller, Interim Managing Director, and Victoria Irish for their ceaseless endeavour in achieving this excellent outcome.”Victoria Irish, 1st violin and the first member of the Orchestra to take up the President role, said: “A piece of history is being made with the largest structural change in the Philharmonia for over 55 years. I am genuinely proud of, and excited by, the steps we have taken to allow us to preserve our identity as a self-governing orchestra while significantly strengthening our model. I am very excited and pleased to be taking on the new role of player President.”JuliaZilberman, Board member, said: “A newly formed Development Board will work closely to support the Development Department to build on strategies for operational and tactical engagement with major donors, corporations, Trusts and Foundations. Bringing the two charities together will allow for an integrated approach to fundraising with singular clarity and purpose.” From September 2020, the management of the Philharmonia will be led by Alexander Van Ingen, who joins the Orchestra as Chief Executive from Cambridge-based period-instrument orchestra, the Academy of Ancient Music, where he has been Chief Executive since 2017. Prior to that he was an Executive Producer and A&R lead at Decca Classics for five years, working with artists including Daniel Barenboim, Nicola Benedetti, Janine Jansen and Leonidas Kavakos. Alexander Van Ingen said: “I am delighted to welcome Lord King as the Philharmonia’s new Chair, bringing with him a wealth of expertise and experience. I’m very pleased to be joining the Philharmonia within a newly aligned, strong structure; and working with an exciting, dynamic new Principal Conductor Designate in Santtu-Matias Rouvali. The challenges of the coronavirus outbreak demonstrate just how important the Philharmonia’s sector-leading digital innovation programmes are: these, along with the Philharmonia’s national footprint, make it a symphony orchestra for the 21st Century.” The Philharmonia Orchestra is committed to using these governance and leadership changes as a springboard to strengthen its long-term financial and artistic sustainability, and increase the diversity of its board of trustees, membership and workforce. Joyce Wilson, London Area Director, Arts Council England, said: “We are pleased that the Philharmonia Orchestra has completed the merger successfully and look forward to working productively with the new board, chair and CEO.”

OVER FORTY YOUNG AND ELDERS COMPANY MEMBERS AGED 14 – 82 CREATE SHOW INSPIRED BY THE WAY MUSIC CONNECTS US

A Royal Exchange Theatre World Premiere 

CONNECT FEST

Created by the Elders Company and Young Company
Director: Nickie Miles-Wildin
Writer: Testament 

11 May – 15 May 2020 – episodes released daily at 11.00am 

The Royal Exchange Theatre’s resident Young Company and Elders Company were about to head into rehearsals for their annual inter-generational show when the Government announced its lockdown measures. It was quickly decided that the ‘show would go on’ and that the Company would find a new structure for their story and new ways to rehearse together. Because of the unique way the show is now being made, it has opened-up opportunities for over twice the amount of people who were originally involved. Over forty participants aged between 14 and 82yrs have come together to make a brand-new piece of work reinvigorated by a desire to stay connected.

Carmen Fyfe Paulo – Royal Exchange Theatre, Young Company Member said,
‘With all of the craziness going on in the world right now and everyone being on lockdown, I think it’s awesome that we’re still doing this Intergen Project! We’re managing to stay connected with a huge range of people who all have different stories to tell, and we’re navigating theses weird coronavirus times together in a fun, creative way.’

The result is CONNECT FEST a pioneering new show directed by Nickie Miles-Wildin and written by award-winning rapper, beatboxer and theatre-maker Testament. Created by the Company CONNECT FEST is inspired by the way in which music can transport, uplift and create incredible connections, from singing together at school or in a choir to the energy and power of a massive music festival like Glastonbury. CONNECT FEST is a theatre show, a music festival and a soap-opera rolled into one and will be made up of five individual online episodes. The first episode will be aired on 11 May at 11.00am on the Royal Exchange Theatre website with new episodes released at the same time daily.

Director Nickie Miles-Wildin said…
‘We had always planned to make a piece of interactive work about the feeling of music, the impact it can have on our lives at different times. Then lockdown happened. What became apparent was how music is used to connect people – choirs singing over Zoom, music on balconies across Italy, Spain and here in the UK communities coming together to clap, bang pots and pans for the NHS. Over Zoom we have had the opportunity to be together and create new work. From listening to various songs to developing characters and devising scenes, Testament has created a wonderful thread of stories each with connection at their heart: an 80s band wanting to reform, a family Zoom that doesn’t go according to plan and a long-lost love being found over the internet. At a time when we are all socially distanced our wonderful Inter-gen Company make us feel more connected than before.’

The stage is set and the soundchecks are happening, but the music hasn’t started yet. Five different groups of people, with different passions, tastes and different favourite bands are making their way to the festival. All heading in the same direction with one goal in mind – to make it to the gig on-time, to meet new people, listen to music they’ve never heard before and make memories that will last forever.

Testament added…
‘My work is all about connecting to others – politically spiritually, and socially. Music is one of those connectors that can transcend our backgrounds, social environment, present difficulties and perhaps even time itself. Working online is new for most of us but has given us a chance to see how theatre and music can work across digital platforms. Given the current self-quarantine that much of the world is under, even the process of making the show together has brought the very thing the show celebrates – a sense that we are not alone.’

Following on from the success of past intergenerational productions ADIEU and THE SPACE BETWEEN US the Royal Exchange Young and Elders Companies will collaborate in a uniquely inventive way to create an original piece of online work that celebrates the importance of staying connected.

CONNECT FEST is created with Associate Director: Hannah Sands, with sound and video support by the Young Company Makers and with special thanks to Alexandra Faye Braithwaite and Annie May Fletcher for their sound design and composition.

 
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NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HULL, ANNOUNCES MAJOR THREE-YEAR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT MELT ON EARTH DAY

• MELT WILL FEATURE AN INITIAL CAST OF 200 RESPONDING TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS FOR A PROGRAMME OF DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL DRAMATISATIONS CULMINATING IN A LARGE-SCALE OUTDOOR PROMENADE PIECE WITH A 1000-STRONG CAST TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS COASTAL SITES IN THE EAST OF ENGLAND.

• THE PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER NYT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PAUL ROSEBY AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE FREEDOM THEATRE OF PALESTINE ZOE LAFFERTY, DIRECTOR AND PUNCHDRUNK ASSOCIATE ARTIST JOEL SCOTT, AND A COLLECTIVE OF YOUNG WRITERS INCLUDING 16-YEAR-OLD WRITER FREYA HANNAN-MILLS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF HULL.
   
• REHEARSALS WILL START DIGITALLY IN MAY 2020 AND A DIGITAL SHARING OF THE WORK WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED ON 20 JUNE 2020 THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR AND SUMMER SOLSTICE IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE. FURTHER DATES FOR ONLINE RELEASES AND OUTDOOR PROCESSIONS TO BE ANNOUNCED.
   
• FURTHER WRITERS WILL BE COMMISSIONED FROM ON-GOING ONLINE YOUTH-CURATED EVENTS, INCLUDING RUSH ON 3 MAY, SHOWCASING SOME OF BRITAIN’S BEST YOUNG ARTISTS OF COLOUR, CURATED BY NYT MEMBER SHAKIRA NEWTON.

On Earth Day, the National Youth Theatre (NYT) in partnership with the University of Hull announces MELT, a major new three-year project exploring climate change and culminating in an outdoor processional piece with a cast of 1000 young people.

In light of current restrictions on movement, MELT will begin interactive digital research and development sessions and group rehearsals in May 2020 via video conferencing with an initial cast of 200. These sessions will inform a series of physical and digital dramatisations focusing on the flooding of coastal areas caused by climate change and will be released over the course of the next three years. On 20 June 2020, the longest day of the year and Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, a digital sharing of work created by members during the research and development phase will be live-streamed via www.nyt.org.uk/melt, and will include an invitation to young people from across the UK to join the creative conversation in response to the climate crisis. The programme finale will see a large-scale processional outdoor piece travel through cities and sites on the East Coast of England in 2021/22 to highlight the climate emergency. Dates and locations will be announced in due course.

MELT is led by NYT Artistic Director Paul Roseby as Creative Director, working with Zoe Lafferty, Associate Director of The Freedom Theatre, Palestine and Joel Scott, Artistic Director at Goat and Monkey and Associate Artist with Punchdrunk. They are joined by award-winning 16-year-old writer Freya Hannan-Mills, who is the first of a collective of young writers to be commissioned from NYT’s on-going online youth-curated events during lockdown, which include RUSH a showcase for Britain’s best young artists of colour curated by Shakira Newton on 3 May (www.nyt.org.uk/rush). Hannan-Mills successfully auditioned for the NYT in 2019 as part of the free Auditions Access Fund, supported by Patron and alumnus Hugh Bonneville.

MELT will be created in collaboration with leading climate scientists from the University of Hull’s Energy and Environment Institute, alongside experts in human geography, and other specialisms who will work with creative talent from the National Youth Theatre over the coming months to help bring the show to life. The University is committed to help combat climate change and its impacts through research, education and by mobilising the power of communities. It brings together world-leading flood and flood resilience specialists within the Energy and Environment Institute helping society adapt to climate change, the collaborative power of Aura addressing the causes of climate change through innovation in offshore wind and low carbon technologies with a rich heritage and expertise in the humanities and creative arts.

MELT is the fourth major environmental work at NYT in the last decade, following S’warm which saw hundreds of young actors swarm iconic London sites in 2010, SLICK in response to plastic in our oceans at Sheffield’s Park Hill Estate in 2011 and FLOOD in partnership with Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation in 2018. 

Paul Roseby OBE said: “I hate to be the voice of doom at a time when we’re all stuck in the world of Zoom and isolation but we can not let our creative hearts and minds ignore the critical issue that is the Climate Crisis. A year on from Extinction Rebellion and its resulting awareness and division, MELT will seek to galvanize hundreds of Britain’s best young creative voices from across the UK to animate a series of stories founded in scientific fact but told in imaginative bold.  Equally important, is how MELT is being designed with thanks to our collaboration with the University of Hull to drive positive social and environmental change. This unique partnership will focus not only on the impact of rapid melting polar ice caps and the consequences of increased flooding and famine, but also on how to directly inspire and connect young people to long term careers in sustainable local industries in and around the East Coast of England.”

Associate Director Zoe Lafferty said: “As the devastating effects of the climate crisis destroys people’s lives across the world, young people are leading the fight for the right to life. It is an honour to collaborate with the National Youth Theatre and their young artists across Britain, and through culture demand that younger generations not only have a right to a future but reimagine a world with equality and justice at its core.”

Louise Smith, Director of Aura, University of Hull: “Now more than ever before, we need to work together to transform the way we live and work, to find solutions to the challenges brought about by climate change. Through the University of Hull’s Aura partnership in the Humber, we are shaping the future of offshore wind and low carbon energy through collaboration and innovation. We are delighted to be partnering with NYT in Melt. Through this creative approach we want to inspire the brightest, creative young minds to join a new green energy industry; to be part of a smart, skilled, diverse workforce – helping us to make brilliant ideas come to life, to bring the region together to shape a sustainable future for all the community.”

Professor Dan Parsons, Director of the Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull “With a focus on the challenges associated with climate change, the priorities and aims of the Energy and Environment Institute at the University of Hull chime very closely with the objectives of the production. The aims of MELT, in communicating the impacts of climate change and sea-level rise, very closely align with the University of Hull vision that seeks a brighter, fairer, carbon neutral future for our global society – alongside our target of becoming the first net zero university campus in Europe.”

GEMMA ARTERTON, ERIN DOHERTY, LENNIE JAMES, RORY KINNEAR, ALEX LAWTHER,  ALISON STEADMAN AND MEERA SYAL TO STAR IN HEADLONG AND CENTURY FILMS’ UNPRECEDENTED: THEATRE FROM A STATE OF ISOLATION

• PATRICIA ALLISON, ARTHUR DARVILL, MONICA DOLAN, JULIAN BARRATT, SUE JOHNSTON, ARCHIE MADEKWE, JAMES NORTON, ABRAHAM POPOOLA, KIRUNA STAMELL, RHASHAN STONE, FENELLA WOOLGAR AND OLIVIA WILLIAMS HAVE ALSO BEEN CAST

• UNPRECEDENTED WILL FEATURE WORLD PREMIERES OF OVER 10 NEW SHORT, DIGITAL PLAYS FROM CELEBRATED PLAYWRIGHTS, WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, REHEARSED AND PERFORMED IN ISOLATION

• CREATING NEW WORK FOR THE PROJECT ARE CELEBRATED PLAYWRIGHTS APRIL DE ANGELIS, JOSH AZOUZ, DEBORAH BRUCE, JOHN DONNELLY, JAMES GRAHAM, CHARLENE JAMES, MATILDA IBINI, JASMINE LEE-JONES, DUNCAN MACMILLAN, ANNA MALONEY, NATHANIEL MARTELLO-WHITE, CHLOË MOSS, PRASANNA PUWANARAJAH AND TIM PRICE  

• NED BENNETT, TINUKE CRAIG, BLANCHE MCINTYRE, DEBBIE HANNAN, CAITLIN MCLEOD, JEREMY HERRIN, OLA INCE , BRIAN HILL AND HOLLY RACE ROUGHAN ARE AMONG THE DIRECTORS WORKING ON THE PROJECT

• UNPRECEDENTED: THEATRE FROM A STATE OF ISOLATION WILL BE BROADCAST BY THE BBC IN MAY AS PART OF BBC ARTS’ CULTURE IN QUARANTINE INITIATIVE

Headlong and Century Films have today announced a cast of over 50 UK actors taking part in Unprecedented: Theatre from the State of Isolation. A series of new digital plays written in response to the current Covid-19 Pandemic, Unprecedented will be broadcast across the nation during lockdown as part of BBC Arts’ Culture in Quarantine initiative.

Written by celebrated playwrights and curated by Headlong, Century Films and BBC Arts, Unprecedented explores our rapidly evolving world, responding to how our understanding and experiences of community, education, work, relationships, family, culture, climate and capitalism are evolving on an unprecedented scale. The series will ask how we got here and what the enduring legacy of this historic episode might be.

The cast for Unprecedented includes;

Sadia Ahmed

Kae Alexander (Deep State; Fleabag),

Esh Alladi (Ordinary Love; A Confession),

Patricia Allison (Sex Education),

Gemma Arterton (Summerland; Their Finest),

Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh; Flowers)

Paul Chahidi (This Country; The Death of Stalin),

Ines De Clercq (Broadchurch),

Risteárd Cooper (Quiz; Delicious),

Arthur Darvill (Doctor Who; Broadchurch),

Natalie Dew (Sandylands; Peter Rabbit),

Erin Doherty (The Crown; Junkyard)

Monica Dolan (Official Secrets; W1A),

Michael Elwyn (Stella; Coronation Street),

Denise Gough (People, Places and Things; Angels in America),

Frances Grey (Ordeal by Innocence; Home Fires),

Kathryn Hunter (Timon of Athens; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix),

Saoirse-Monica Jackson (Derry Girls),

Geraldine James (Back To Life; 45 Years),

Lennie James (The Walking Dead; Save Me),

Sue Johnston (The Royle Family; Downton Abbey), 

Rory Keenan (Long Day’s Journey into Night; Versailles),

Lisa Kerr (Top Girls),

Rory Kinnear (Years and Years; Brexit: The Uncivil War),

Laurie Kynaston (The Son; How to Build a Girl),

Alex Lawther (The End of the F***ing World; Howards End),

Archie Madekwe (See; Midsommar),

Anna Madeley (Deadwater Fell; Patrick Melrose), 

Marcello Magni (Fragments; Arlecchino),

Lucianne McEvoy (Crocodile Fever; Ulster American),

Jodie McNee (Faustus: That Damned Woman; Britannia),

Cecilia Noble (Nine Night; Downstate),

James Norton (Happy Valley; The Trial of Christine Keeler),

Enyi Okoronkwo (Noises Off; Giri/Haji),

Abraham Popoola (Party Time; Julius Caesar), 

Boadicea Ricketts (Bartholomew Fair),

Golda Rosheuvel (Lady Macbeth; A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer),

Sid Sagar (White Teeth; The Starry Messenger),

Rochenda Sandall (Line of Duty; Pomona), 

Gyuri Sarossy (The Absence of War; The Two Noble Kinsmen), 

Kiruna Stamell (The New Pope; Cyrano de Bergerac),

Rebekah Staton (Raised by Wolves; Home),

Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey; Care),

Rhashan Stone (Keeping Faith; All About Eve),

Meera Syal (Noises Off; The Kumars at No. 42)

Stuart Thompson (A Taste of Honey), 

Amy Trigg (The Taming of the Shrew; Measure For Measure), 

Dickon Tyrell (Labour of Love; Anatomy of a Suicide),

Olivia Williams (Tartuffe; Counterpart),

Gabby Wong (Rogue One; Troilus and Cressida)

Fenella Woolgar (Handbagged; Call the Midwife) and

Sargon Yelda (Strike; Anthony and Cleopatra).

They will join the previously announced directors and playwrights working on the project. 

Using digital conferencing technology to rehearse and film each play, these intimate new works will give an immediate insight into this extraordinary communal experience. Unprecedented: Theatre from a State of Isolation will be broadcast by the BBC as part of the BBC Arts’ Culture in Quarantine initiative and made available to stream online from May.

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR THE SHOW MUST GO ONLINE LIVESTREAMED READING OF TITUS ANDRONICUS

The Show Must Go Online today announce the full cast for their upcoming livestreamed reading of William Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus. Rob Myles directs Tiffany Abercrombie (Lavinia), Clark Alexander (Martius/Attendant), Jack Baldwin (Lucius), Michael Bertenshaw (Titus Andronicus), Mark Holden (Aaron), Khuyen Le (Bassianus), Wayne Lee (Saturninus), Joanna Lucas (Quintus/ Third Goth), Tricia Mancuso Parks (Tamora), Emily Millwood (Young Lucius), Shamiso Mushambi (Aemilius), Matthew Rhodes (Chiron), Charles Sloboda-Bolton (Demetrius), and Julia Walker Wyson (Marcus Andronicus). The ensemble consists of Toni Benedetti-Martin, Natalie Harper, Ross Martin, and Sophie Max, with Mark Hammersley and Tamara Ritthaler as swings.

To celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday alongside the livestreamed reading, The Show Must Go Online is also producing online guides for viewers to dress up like the characters from the show at home, make a themed cocktail, or bake a macabre pasty to eat along with Tamora and the rest in the final banquet. For more information on the party theme, please visit Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and set a reminder for the show using the bell icon on YouTube. 

The livestreamed reading of Titus Andronicus can be watched live on Wednesday 22 April at 7pm BST here. Previous readings from the series are also available here.

Members of the cast have previously performed at the RSC, Shakespeare’s Globe, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Nebraska Shakespeare, and previous credits include Pretty Woman (Piccadilly Theatre), The Play That Goes Wrong (Duchess Theatre), and The Comedy About A Bank Robbery (Criterion Theatre).

#ShowMustGoOnline

#ConnectedAndCreative

CONTENT WARNING: Contains violence and scenes that may be upsetting – not suitable for children; contains potentially distressing content including mutilation, racism and references to sexual violence.

FULL SCHEDULE

All performances will be streamed live from 7pm BST on Wednesdays.

22 April 2020	Titus Andronicus (1591–1592)
29 April 2020	Richard III (1592–1593)
06 May 2020	The Comedy of Errors (1594)
13 May 2020	Love’s Labour’s Lost (1594–1595)
20 May 2020	“Love’s Labour’s Won”
27 May 2020	Richard II (1595)
03 June 2020	Romeo and Juliet (1595)
10 June 2020	A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1595)
17 June 2020	King John (1596)
24 June 2020	The Merchant of Venice (1596–1597)
01 July 2020	Henry IV, Part 1 (1596–1597)
08 July 2020	The Merry Wives of Windsor (1597)
15 July 2020	Henry IV, Part 2 (1597–1598)
22 July 2020	Much Ado About Nothing (1598–1599)
29 July 2020	Henry V (1599)
05 August 2020	Julius Caesar (1599)
12 August 2020	As You Like It (1599–1600)
19 August 2020	Hamlet (1599–1601)
26 August 2020	Twelfth Night (1601)
02 September 2020	Troilus and Cressida (1600–1602)
09 September 2020	Measure for Measure (1603–1604)
16 September 2020	Othello (1603–1604)
23 September 2020	All’s Well That Ends Well (1604–1605)
30 September 2020	King Lear (1605–1606)
07 October 2020	Timon of Athens (1605–1606)
14 October 2020	Macbeth (1606)
21 October 2020	Antony and Cleopatra (1606)
28 October 2020	Coriolanus (1608)
04 November 2020	The Winter’s Tale (1609–1611)
11 November 2020	Cymbeline (1610)
18 November 2020	The Tempest (1610–1611)
25 November 2020	Henry VIII (1612–1613)

CAMERON MACKINTOSH IN ASSOCIATION WITH

UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT CONTENT GROUP PRESENTS

L E S   M I S É R A B L E S   –  T H E   S T A G E D   C O N C E R T

STARRING MICHAEL BALL, ALFIE BOE, MATT LUCAS AND CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER

FILMED AT THE GIELGUD IN THE WEST END

IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

IN THE UK AND AUSTRALIA AND WILL RAISE FUNDS FOR

ACTING FOR OTHERS, THE MUSICIANS UNION CORONAVIRUS HARDSHIP FUND

AND CAPTAIN TOM MOORE’S NHS FUND

THE MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION MAKES £100,000 DONATION

TO START THE FUNDRAISING

Cameron Mackintosh today (19 April 2020) announces the planned debut of the hugely successful Les Misérables –The Staged Concert on digital download in the UK and Australia, which will also raise much needed funds for performers, musicians and the NHS.  For every digital download, available from Monday 20 April 2020 RRP £9.99, The Mackintosh Foundation will separately donate £5.00 to be shared amongst the charity Acting for Others, the Musicians Union Coronavirus Hardship Fund and Captain Tom Moore’s Walk for the NHS fund.  In addition, Mackintosh has launched the fundraising today by donating £100,000 from his Foundation.  Anyone who purchases the download will also have the opportunity to donate.  

www.lesmis.com/concert

Cameron Mackintosh said: “I am delighted that UPHE Content Group is releasing Les Misérables –The Staged Concert as a digital download at this time of crisis as it also allows my Foundation to help raise much needed funds for particular charities that are under such pressure at the moment.  Alongside the concert we will also be releasing a specially created mini documentary “Bringing it Home” which includes footage of the stars at their homes talking about their experiences both of live theatre and the show plus never seen before backstage footage that wonderfully captures the humour, camaraderie and thrill of performing to live audiences in these hauntingly beautiful and exciting historic buildings. In these extraordinary times we hope that fans and everyone who loves the theatre will be reminded of how special a theatrical experience can be, going to the very heart of our British culture, which make our nation so special and unique.  I am exceptionally proud of everyone involved in the making of the Concert and very much hope my Foundation will be able to help a raise a considerable amount of money for these deserving charities.”

The spectacular sell-out staging of this legendary concert, with a company of over 65, ran last year at the intimate Gielgud Theatre while the home of Les Misérables at the re-named Sondheim Theatre was undergoing major refurbishments in time for a thrillingly acclaimed re-opening that took place in December last year.  Plans are in place for Les Misérables to re-open in the West End in the Autumn once the Government lockdown has ended and the social distancing regulations relaxed, continuing its world record-breaking 35 year run.

The cast for the concert stars Michael Ball as Javert, Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, Matt Lucas as Thénardier, Carrie Hope Fletcher as Fantine, Rob Houchen as Marius, Bradley Jaden as Enjolras, Katy Secombe as Madame Thénardier, Shan Ako as Éponine, Lily Kerhoas as Cosette andJohn Owen-Jones who also played Jean Valjean a certain performances.  The Company also includes Rosanna Bates, Adam Bayjou, Ciarán Bowling, Oliver Brenin, Earl Carpenter, Vinny Coyle, Samantha Dorsey, Tamsin Dowsett, Nicola Espallardo, Celia Graham, Holly-Anne Hull, Oliver Jackson, Christopher Jacobsen, Gavin James, Will Jennings, Ciaran Joyce, Katie Kerr, Sarah Lark, Joanna Loxton, Craig Mather, Stephen Matthews, James Nicholson, Rosa O’Reilly, Claire Parrish, Sophie Reeves, Grainne Renihan, Leo Roberts, Niall Sheehy, Raymond Walsh, Gemma Wardle and Andrew York. 

Les Misérables‘’ legendary score includes numerous classics including 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 many more. 

Les Misérables, produced on stage and screen by Cameron Mackintosh, is conceived 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 with additional material by James Fenton and adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.

Headquartered in London, UPHE Content Group is a repertoire centre of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, acquiring and producing multi-genre entertainment for distribution across theatrical, home entertainment, television and digital platforms on a worldwide basis.  UPHE Content Group is part of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG).

UFEG is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies.

The Mackintosh Foundation was formed in 1988.  The objects of the Foundation are to advance the education of the public both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the arts and in particular the performing arts of music drama and the theatre in all their forms; to assist in the relief of hardship or distress and to relieve sickness and to protect and preserve the health of all persons; to promote the conservation protection, enhancement in the United Kingdom of nature, buildings of architectural scientific historic or public interest.  Such other charitable objects in the United Kingdom with particular regard to the theatre, children, the poor, the sick and the homeless.