DarlingtonOS Strictly Lockdown

THEATRE COMPANY TO RAISE MONEY FOR NHS HEROES

A successful north east theatre group is producing a compilation CD of lockdown musical theatre classics to help support the National Health Service.

Darlington Operatic Society has announced plans to release a CD called “Strictly Lockdown” – comprising up to 18 musical theatre songs – with 50 per cent of the profits being donated to NHS charities.

All of the songs have been created by members singing from their spare bedrooms, under-stair cupboards, bathrooms and conservatories. The result will be more than 70 minutes of “virtual musical theatre magic”, with the CD going on sale in early July.

DOS spokesman Julian Cound said: “This is probably one of the most challenging projects the Society has faced – and that includes having to make Chitty Chitty Bang Bang fly.

“The idea of creating a compilation CD came fairly soon after the lockdown happened. It has taken many weeks of planning and organisation to get it to the stage we are at now.”

The process has involved choosing the right mix of songs, arranging backing tracks, and making sure the project meets all legal requirements.

“Getting 30 or so cast members to sing accurately when they are standing shoulder to shoulder is one thing, getting voices to match when they have been recorded completely independently from all corners of the North-East has been a huge technical challenge,” said Julian. “However, from hearing the first two tracks completed, I know we have absolutely nailed it.”

DOS had been due to stage Strictly Musicals 3 at Darlington Hippodrome Theatre from April 22 but, after months of rehearsals, the show had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the Society bounced back from the disappointment by creating a virtual choir to perform One Day More, from Les Miserables, on its Facebook page. That was followed by a virtual dance video to From Now On, taken from The Greatest Showman. Those two performances have been watched by more than 33,000 people.

As well as supporting the NHS, sales of Strictly Lockdown will also help DOS through a difficult period until it can resume staging its high quality shows at the Hippodrome.

The CD will be priced at £10 plus P&P and will be available to purchase through the DarlingtonOS website in early July.

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY ISSUES FURTHER RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY ISSUES FURTHER RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC

  • ALL FUTURE 2020 PLANNED PERFORMANCES POSTPONED
  • AMBITION TO REOPEN ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE THIS AUTUMN  FOR RESCHEDULED 2020 SPRING PERFORMANCES

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) today (Tuesday 2 June 2020) issued a further response to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Due to the continuing lockdown, alongside Government advice that social distancing will need to remain in place for some time, the Company has made the difficult decision to postpone all remaining planned performances of The Winter’s Tale and The Comedy of Errors and all other ticketed events scheduled to take place during the summer season, which was due to end on 3 October 2020. 

Planned performances in the autumn and winter have also been postponed or cancelled including:

  • The Wars of The Roses Part 1 and Part 2 – postponed from autumn 2020 until autumn 2021
  • The new family musical The Magician’s Elephant – postponed from winter 2020 until winter 2021
  • The First Encounters with Shakespeare tour of Twelfth Night – postponed until 2021
  • The RSC Barbican annual residency for 2020 – cancelled
  • Matilda The Musical will remain closed in line with other West End theatres
  • All other events cancelled, including RSC Summer School

The Company is currently actively exploring the possibility of re-opening the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (RST) in the autumn with new events and re-scheduled performances of The Winter’s Tale and The Comedy of Errors.  Both productions were due to open in the RST this spring and further details will be announced over the coming months.  The ability to stage the productions in the autumn is dependent on government advice on social distancing and whether it is financially viable for the Company to open its theatres and perform to audiences.

Whilst physically closed to audiences and visitors, the Company’s extensive online performance, event and education activity continues including:

  • Partnering with BBC Culture in Quarantine to bring six of the nation’s best-loved Shakespeare titles to audiences for free between now and September.
  • Free educational activities and resources for any young person in the country including #RSCHomeworkHelp and a partnership with BBC Bitesize Online.
  • Productions to view on Marquee TV, the on-demand streaming service for arts and culture and through BritBox.

More information can be found at https://www.rsc.org.uk/at-home-with-shakespeare

Gregory Doran, RSC Artistic Director and Catherine Mallyon, RSC Executive Director, said:

“These are the most difficult times for all theatres and arts venues, whether big or small.  It is incredibly sad to see our theatres and those of our partner theatres around the country closed at this time.  We continue to do everything we can to bring them back to life as soon as possible, so we can welcome back our audiences to share the experience of live theatre with them.  We can only do this when it is safe and when social distancing restrictions are lifted, making it financially viable for us to do so. Alongside our colleagues across the industry, we can and want to play a crucial role in the recovery of the country.

“We have had to terminate contracts and furlough 90% of employees, and we continue to explore every possibility to secure income from government schemes.  We are grateful for the government support to date and for the continuing generosity of our donors and audiences, and we are asking people to consider donating to give us the best possible chance of reopening. To secure the future of the RSC for everyone we need financial support until we can start earning our own income again as our reserves will not last indefinitely.

“We’re in the process of rescheduling our 2020 Winter Season, moving it from this year to 2021, whilst hoping there may be a possibility of reopening this autumn in Stratford-upon-Avon in some form.  This would ideally be with our delayed summer schedule.  Sadly, moving our Summer Season means we have had to take the difficult decision to cancel our Barbican residency this autumn. We are sorry to be unable to share our work with London audiences in 2020 and look forward to returning to the Barbican with some exciting plans for our season there in 2021.

“Since we closed our doors, we have received support through messages and donations from the public, our audiences and supporters. We thank everybody for those messages of support. We are also grateful for the commitment and understanding of our staff, most of whom cannot be at work now.  The hunger for the arts during the crisis is there for all to see.  Theatre and the arts give strength to people in difficult times, they lift the spirits and bring a sense of community, which is desperately needed right now.  We are determined to be back with live performances, and we are looking forward to when that time comes.”

Ticket buyers will be contacted directly by RSC Box Office staff in performance date order rotation to discuss their donation, (to Keep Your RSC), refund and exchange options.  Customers will be contacted no later than during the week they were due to visit and are asked to not contact the Box Office at this time.

The Luna Drive-In Cinema to start in July!

BUCKLE UP AS THE UK’S LEADING OPEN-AIR CINEMA LAUNCHES A NEW DRIVE-IN SEASON FOR SUMMER 2020 – TICKETS ON SALE NOW

The Luna Cinema announces a brand-new season today, offering film fans the opportunity to watch new and classic movies in a nostalgic, socially distanced, drive-in setting.  With remote order and delivery of food and drink, and state-of-the-art sound and visuals, using the UK’s highest definition outdoor screens and a brand-new in car digital sound solution, it promises to be the ultimate drive-in cinema experience. 

Over the past 12 years, The Luna Cinema has established itself as the market leader in the UK’s open air and pop up cinema industry.  Now, in the era of social distancing, the company announces an exciting new venture, The Luna Drive-In Cinema launching this summer at sites across the country, including Warwick CastleBlenheim Palace, the Allianz Park stadium in London and Knebworth House, with more venues to be added soon. Fusing the nostalgia of classic American drive-in with up to date films and state-of-the-art sound and visuals, for those itching to return to the cinema this summer after months of home movie nights in, it’s the perfect way to return to the big screen in a safe and socially distanced way. 

Kicking off this July, venues will hold between 150 and 500 cars per screening and will utilise both the highest definition outdoor LED screens and Luna’s traditional digital projection cinema solution across the various sites.  Allianz Park and Warwick Castle will present two screenings each night from Monday to Thursdays. On Fridays and at the weekends, there will be three screenings starting in the afternoon with a film for all ages, followed by evening showings against the backdrop of the setting summer sun. Knebworth House and Blenheim Palace will host a single screening each evening, 7 nights a week. It’s the perfect night out for those dreaming of a bit of lockdown escapism! 

Bringing drive-in into the 21st century, the Luna team has spent the last few months working to develop a bespoke sound system, the only one of its kind in the UK, that means each car has its own personal wireless speaker so viewers can hear the film in amazing cinematic quality digital sound, without any distractions. The introduction of this technology will mean there will be no need to have the car radio running and risk draining the battery. There will also be a fantastic selection of food and drink items available either as a pre-order with tickets, or ordered from the car on the night using a smart phone, with staff speedily delivering orders on roller skates and scooters!

Film fans are in for a treat with the amazing line-up of big screen hits. From award-wining new releases like RocketmanJoker, Knives Out and the new live-action remake of Aladdin, musical favourites such as Grease and La La Land to cult classics like Pretty Woman and Dirty Dancing. There’s something for everyone to enjoy! 

George Wood, founder of The Luna Cinema, said: “Since 2008, when we first started putting on outdoor cinema events, I’ve been asked countless times ‘why not expand into drive-in screenings?’. My answer was always that they lacked the sociable, communal quality of open-air screenings, as the audience were cocooned in their cars.  We were also unsure of the quality of the sound experience when running through an FM frequency into the car radio.  Fast forward to the era we are currently living in, when social distancing is the “new normal”, and drive in with its immediate separation from other audience goers, is the perfect solution to get people back to the big screen! Not only that but we are confident we have cracked the sound with an incredible in car wireless solution.  We’ve managed to make every aspect of the event fully compliant with social distancing regulations, from the way they tickets are scanned through to the provision of food and drink, audiences can attend our drive in screenings with confidence, and return to one of the things we’ve all been missing most in lockdown – enjoying a great film on a giant screen under the stars. We plan to commence open air cinema screenings as soon as it is safe to do so, when the official advice allows, but in the meantime, we can’t wait to welcome audiences for a fantastic drive in cinema experience.”        

To see the full programme, book tickets and for more information visit www.lunadriveincinema.com

Cast Recording from leo&hyde’s GUY: A New Musical

leo&hyde release debut EP, GUY


  • A pop musical inspired by Years and Years, CHVRCHES and Lewis Capaldi
  • Released after 2 UK tours, GUY is equally at home on stage and on Spotify
  • A beautiful gay love story, about online dating, catfishing and self-confidence

GUY is a musical about the dating lives of gay men in their 20s in modern-day Manchester. Combining electronic, pop and musical theatre, GUY is Queer As Folk meets Bridget Jones with a catfishing musical twist. GUY includes 12 heart-pounding electronic pop anthems and witty, heartfelt story about modern dating through a diverse cross-section of gay men. 

To date, GUY has toured the UK, to 22 venues, over 30 dates and audiences of thousands, including to Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre, Birmingham’s Old Rep and London’s Turbine Theatre. In a review, British Theatre wrote: “leo&hyde have the ear of today and speak directly to the heart… they could be writing for the pop industry.”

leo&hyde is a multi-award-winning pop musical duo based in Manchester. Started in 2016 by Cumbrian composer Stephen Hyde and Mancunian writer Leo Mercer, they write pop songs and build electronic soundworlds to tell stories about technology and modern life. The Hollywood Reporter praised their first show, The Marriage of Kim K, as “fizzling with inspired ideas… a dazzling technical achievement”.

WEST END STARS ANNOUNCED FOR ELLIOT DAVIS VIRTUAL CONCERT

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WEST END STARS ANNOUNCED FOR ELLIOT DAVIS VIRTUAL CONCERT

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  • AARON LEE LAMBERT, AIMIE ATKINSON, LUCIE JONES & JAMES BOURNE FORM PART OF THE LINE UP FOR A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION OF THE LOSERVILLE COMPOSER ELLIOT DAVIS
  • THE CONCERT IS THE THIRD OF THE BARN PRESENTS: SERIESWHICH CELEBRATES THE MUSIC OF BRITISH MUSICAL THEATRE COMPOSERS.
  • PREVIOUS CONCERTS CELEBRATING DANIEL & LAURA CURTIS AND FINN ANDERSON ARE AVAILABLE ON THE BARN THEATRE’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

The Barn Theatre has announced that Busted and Son of Dork co-founder James Bourne will join an all-star West End line up for their third virtual concert, The Barn Theatre Presents: The Music of Elliot Davis, which will celebrate the work of Loserville composer Elliot Davis.

The concert, which will be hosted by Barn Theatre producer Jamie Chapman Dixon, is the third edition of the Barn Theatre in Cirencester’s virtual concert series, The Barn Presents, which celebrates the work of British musical theatre composers.

The virtual celebration will feature performances of songs from many of Elliot Davis’ musicals including the Olivier Award nominated musical LoservilleOut There and Best Friends and Butterflies.

The concert line up consists of: Olivier Award-nominee Aimie Atkinson (SixPretty Woman), Luke Bayer (Everybody’s Talking About JamieSoho Cinders), Tsemaye Bob-Egbe (TinaBeautiful), Busted and Son of Dork singer James Bourne (co-writer of Loserville and Out There), The X Factor and Eurovision star Lucie Jones (Waitress, Les Misérables), Aaron Lee Lambert (HamiltonSunset Boulevard), Sam Lupton (Avenue QWicked), 2020 musical theatre graduate Jordan McMahon (Bard From The Barn), Jamie Muscato (HeathersSpring Awakening), Aaron Sidwell (EastEnders, Wicked) and Jos Slovick (1917Spring Awakening).

Busted star James Bourne is a long-time collaborator of Elliot Davis having worked together in creating the musicals LoservilleWhat I Go To School For – The Busted Musical and Out There.

Aaron Sidwell, who is currently co-producing and starring in the Barn Theatre’s online series Bard From The Barn, starred in the West End production and concert reunion of Davis’ musical Loserville and Luke Bayer and Jos Slovick have performed in London productions of the Stiles & Drewe musical Soho Cinders, for which Elliot Davis co-wrote the book for.

The concert, which is released on the Barn Theatre’s Facebook and YouTube channels on 6th June 2020 at 7:30pm BST, will see Elliot Davis chat with Barn Theatre producer Jamie Chapman Dixon about his career so far, the creation process behind his songs and special appearances from some of the performers to discuss their experience rehearsing and recording from home.

Elliot Davis is the fourth British musical theatre composer to be celebrated as part of the series, with previous virtual concerts celebrating the music of Welsh married award-winning composers Daniel and Laura Curtis and Scottish award-winning composer Finn Anderson, who was recently announced as The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer from April 2020.

The Barn Presents: The Music of Daniel and Laura Curtis, featuring performances by Jon Jon BrionesAlice FearnNadim NaamanOliver Savile and many more can be watched here: https://youtu.be/kJZVqGeazEg

The Barn Presents: The Music of Finn Anderson, featuring performances by Christina BiancoJoanne CliftonMatt HenryDanielle Hope and many more can be watched here: https://youtu.be/1sVYFEyJ7Vs

The series forms part of the Barn Theatre’s Behind The Barn Door live streaming service. Set up in March, when the theatre had to temporarily close following government guidance, the service includes a full recording of the Barn Theatre’s critically-acclaimed 2019 Built by Barn production of William Shakespeare’s Henry V, directed by Hal Chambers and starring Aaron Sidwell (EastEndersWicked) and Lauren Samuels (Bend It Like BeckhamWe Will Rock You).

The Barn Theatre (registered charity no. 1174253) have launched their SAVE OUR BARN campaign, via their website and social media platforms, to ensure the Barn Theatre’s survival.