Month: March 2021

Creative teams, principal cast and orchestra partners
announced for Nevill Holt Opera outdoor summer
festival
Nevill Holt Opera, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 8EG
4th, 5th, 7th, 8th and 10th August 2021 (La traviata)
19th, 21st, 22nd, 24th and 25th August 2021 (Don Giovanni)

Shadwell Opera’s Music Director Finnegan Downie Dear (First Prize Winner at the Mahler
Conducting Competition 2020) and Nevill Holt Opera’s own Artistic Director Nicholas Chalmers will conduct Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Verdi’s La traviata this August in NHO’s bold new outdoor festival.

The glorious music of La traviata will be brought to life by orchestral partner Manchester Camerata who were due to work with Nevill Holt Opera for the first time in 2020. La traviata will be directed by Jamie Manton (Eugene Onegin, Buxton International Festival; UK Premiere of The Day After, ENO; Olivier Award nominated Paul Bunyan, ENO), designed by Camilla Clarke (Paul Bunyan and Trial by Jury, ENO; The Afflicted, groupwork) and conducted by Nicholas Chalmers. The production will showcase a cast of fantastic young British-trained singers with three former Jette Parker Young Artists reuniting for this tale of tragic love; Susana Gaspar will be the beautiful courtesan Violetta Valéry, Luis Gomes performs as Alfredo Germont and Michel de Souza sings Giorgio Germont. They are joined by a chorus of NHO Young Artists – exceptional singers at the start of their careers.

Don Giovanni is the much anticipated third opera in Nevill Holt Opera’s Mozart – Da Ponte cycle. Conducted by Shadwell’s Music Director Finnegan Downie Dear, it will be performed by Shadwell:Ensemble, a newly-formed group founded on the principles of inclusivity, education, player empowerment and a commitment to open door rehearsals. They will perform alongside a cast of outstanding young singers in a new production directed by Shadwell’s Artistic Director and rising star Jack Furness and designed by Alex Berry (Make Joy, Fortnum & Mason, 2021; The Rape of Lucretia, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). The creative team is completed by Jenny Ogilvie as Movement Director.

Seán Boylan, winner of Garsington Opera’s Helen Clark Award, will perform the dangerous title character. He will be joined by Dingle Yandell as Il Commendatore, Aoife Miskelly as the vengeful Donna Elvira, Nicholas Crawley as the servant Leporello, Joshua Owen Mills as Don Ottavio and Olivia Warburton as Zerlina.

For this summer festival, Nevill Holt Opera will build an outdoor stage and seating enabling each performance to play to a socially distanced audience of up to 650 people. At the same time, Nevill Holt Opera has worked to make its pricing more affordable, with tickets starting from just £35 and free for under-18s. Three seating zones will enable audiences to choose to relax on picnic blankets or beat the weather in a covered grandstand.

The stage set-up will frame the sensational valley views from Nevill Holt, and to celebrate NHO’s location in Leicestershire and the East Midlands. The outdoor stage will highlight the breath-taking views and enable visitors to truly immerse themselves in the landscaped gardens adorned with outstanding British sculpture.

NHO is an independent charity and festival run by its board, Artistic Director, Nicholas Chalmers, and Managing Director, Annie Lydford. More than 55% of its income is generated from ticket sales, 25% from fundraising and membership, 10% from other activity such as catering, merchandise and theatre hire, and 10% through an annual grant from the David Ross Foundation. NHO has received vital support this year from the Cultural Recovery Fund and from the Garfield Weston Foundation, both of which have played a crucial role in the organisation’s ability to mount a festival this summer.

CHESHIRE-BASED BROTHERS UNVEIL NORTH WEST LIVE EVENT VENUE

AHEAD OF LOCKDOWN LIFT

Opening programme at The Bowdon Rooms in Cheshire features Sir Lenny Henry, Sir Ranulph Fiennes,

Brian Blessed, The Christians, Space and Brian McFadden

New website live at www.thebowdonrooms.co.uk

A new live event venue for the North West has been launched – and is ready to welcome audiences and visitors this Summer as soon as lockdown restrictions have been lifted.

The Bowdon Rooms in Altrincham, Cheshire, was already established on the live entertainment circuit. But since being taken over by new owners 12 months ago, like many other venues it has remained closed to the public.

The team seized the opportunity and embarked on an extensive refurbishment – and now the Grade II Listed venue is set to further establish itself as a real asset within the region’s live event scene.

The venue’s opening programme for Summer 2021 is brimming with high-profile entertainers from music, comedy and dance.

At the helm of The Bowdon Rooms are Cheshire-based brothers Anthony and Edward Prophet, who took over the venue in March 2020 just two weeks before the first Covid-19 national lockdown.

Now the vaccination programme has been rolled out and the Government has announced a roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions, the Prophet brothers are now delighted to formally announce the relaunch of The Bowdon Rooms and their exciting plans for 2021 and beyond.

The Bowdon Rooms’ opening programme already includes red carpet gala dinners with Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Sir Lenny Henry and Brian Blessed; and an in conversation evening with Shaun Ryder.

Live music performances already include Big Country, Brian McFadden, Heatwave, James Taylor Quartet, Odyssey, Space, The Blow Monkeys, The Christians, The Manfreds, The Real Thing, The Three Degrees, and Toploader.

The full programme is available online at the venue’s new website – www.thebowdonrooms.co.uk where visitors can also sign up to receive the latest news and announcements direct through a newsletter. A new dedicated booking website has also been launched at www.bowdontickets.co.uk

Dating back to 1903, The Bowdon Rooms boasts striking Edwardian architecture and authentic character. With more than 125 years of history, charm and grandeur, the venue also offers four conference and event spaces to accommodate groups – from the intimate lounge area to the impressive ballroom. The Bowdon Rooms is also a fully licensed wedding venue.

Running alongside the vast live events programme and conference offering, The Bowdon Rooms will continue its strong community presence hosting a range of classes including pilates, yoga, acting, dance, singing, and a choir for people with dementia.

Anthony and Edward Prophet bring a wealth of events, production and hospitality experience to lead a creatively strong team at The Bowdon Rooms.

Anthony’s background is predominantly in events and hospitality, having worked across the UK and internationally on a range of large events. He was based in Dubai for almost a decade, with career highlights including working alongside Phil Collins and Shakira, and launching world-class motorsport events throughout the Middle East and North Africa region.

Anthony commented: “Like many live event venues, it’s been a very challenging 12 months. Within days of taking over the lease, we found ourselves under the constraints of the first national lockdown – not the start we had envisaged. However, instead of productions taking place on the stage, we took the opportunity to be productive behind the scenes to ensure we are ready to welcome guests back to The Bowdon Rooms once it’s safe and we are allowed to do so.

“Our mission is to realise the full and true potential of The Bowdon Rooms, appreciate its history and character, and showcase just how special the venue really is. We have refurbished all public spaces and completed a technical upgrade of the stage, sound and lighting equipment – making the venue one of the most technically advanced in the area. Having being born and raised locally, we are proud to further grow our roots and give something back to our local community.”

Edward is a trained actor in musical theatre and has worked in the hospitality industry across the world. His passion for live performance led Edward to start producing musicals in 2020, and he was nominated for two best musical productions in the Off West End Awards – scooping an award for his production of The Last Five Years in association with Aria Entertainment.

Edward added: “We are thrilled and delighted to announce this exciting new-look venue for the local community, Altrincham, and the North West. We’ve not yet opened our doors in this time of the ‘new normal’, yet after lots of hard work we’re most definitely on the live event radar, already attracting high-profile performers and national touring shows. We are ushering in a new era of events at The Bowdon Rooms – and we look forward to welcoming visitors very soon.”

Programme highlights include An Intimate Evening black tie gala dinner featuring stars of stage and screen. First of their kind in the area, places are limited to just 200 tickets and the red carpet event includes a champagne reception, three-course dinner, audience Q&A, live entertainment, charity auction, and an exclusive photo opportunity with the evening’s special guest. Special guests already include Sir Lenny Henry, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, and Brian Blessed.

Another unique event is Allo Allo! Audiences will experience their own first-hand experience of the hit television comedy featuring some of the original TV cast. The show includes dinner of French cuisine, replica sets, audience Q&A, and iconic scenes will be recreated.

The Bowdon Rooms neighbours Saint Mary’s Church in the parish of Bowdon, which is featured in the Doomsday Book.

Famous faces who have previously tread The Bowdon Rooms’ boards include Rowan Atkinson and Victoria Wood.

Rowan Atkinson famously made his first public performance as Mr Bean on stage at The Bowdon Rooms following performances at the Edinburgh Fringe. Victoria Wood enjoyed performing there so much in the 1980s, that the venue was chosen as the backdrop for her directorial film debut of That Day We Sang starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton in 2014.

For the latest news and updates visit www.thebowdonrooms.co.uk

FOLLOW THE BOWDON ROOMS

Website:                                 www.thebowdonrooms.co.uk

Facebook:                               www.facebook.com/thebowdonrooms

Twitter:                                   www.twitter.com/TheBowdonRooms

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VENUE INFORMATION

THE BOWDON ROOMS

The Firs, Bowdon

Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2TQ

www.thebowdonrooms.co.uk
0161 926 8992

BOX OFFICE

www.bowdontickets.co.uk

0345 208 1836 

• UK PREMIERE OF NEW EPISODIC MURDER MYSTERY MUSICAL A KILLER PARTY TO BE STREAMED IN 9 EPISODES DIGITALLY ON-DEMAND FROM 19 APRIL – 16 MAY 2021 ON STREAM.THEATRE. TICKETS ON SALE NOW.
   
• WITH BOOK BY FOUR-TIME EMMY AWARD-WINNER RACHEL AXLER AND KAIT KERRIGAN, LYRICS BY NATHAN TYSEN AND MUSIC BY GRAMMY AWARD-WINNER JASON HOWLAND, EACH EPISODE IS FILMED INSIDE THE PERFORMERS’ HOME AND CAN BE PURCHASED AS ONE PACKAGE FOR £25 OR INDIVIDUALLY AT £2.99 PER EPISODE.
   
• THIS RIOTOUS MUSICAL WHODUNIT IS PRODUCED BY KATY LIPSON FOR ARIA ENTERTAINMENT, TANISHA SPRING FOR BLUE MAHOE PRODUCTIONS AND ILAI SZPIEZAK. 
   
• SUSPECTS TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY

The UK premiere of A Killer Party will be released as a series of 9 episodes to watch on-demand, at home or on the go, bringing the very best of British stage and screen directly into your living room.  This side-splitting new musical, fueled by a contemporary pop score, will be available to watch on stream.theatre from 19 April – 16 May. A Killer Party was a hit in the US last year, where it was written and developed in response to the closure of theatres. Filmed entirely in each artist’s home, viewers are invited to experience the joy of theatre in an entirely new way.  Suspects for the UK premiere to be announced soon.

The show has been adapted for UK audiences and will be directed by Benji Sperring (The Toxic Avenger, Night of the Living Dead – Live!, An Act of God and Shock Treatment) with a Book by Rachel Axler (four-time Emmy award-winner as a writer on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” and supervising producer on“Veep”) and Kait Kerrigan, Music by Jason Howland (Grammy Award winner for Best Musical Theatre album of “BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical”,  Broadway musical “Little Women”) and lyrics by Nathan Tysen. The show is produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment, Tanisha Spring for Blue Mahoe Productions and Ilai Szpiezak.

When Varthur McArthur, failed West End actor and current artistic director of Blackpool’s smallest regional theatre calls a read-through for his latest murder mystery play, the cast of local actors arrive at the party with anything but theatre on their minds. But when Varthur ends up face down in his soup (a gluten-free cheese bisque), it’s up to Traffic-Police-Officer-turned-Detective Justine Case to piece together what happened. If only the ensemble of suspects would stop singing…

Director Benji Sperring said: “The world has never needed fun, joy and laughter quite like it does at the moment, and A Killer Party provides this in abundance – a delight of a show, with incredible performers and a world-renowned writing team – couldn’t be better timed to remind people of the joy, whimsy, and healing power of theatre that we can look forward to returning to very soon.”

Producer Katy Lipson said: “As soon as I heard the score for ‘A Killer Party’ and learnt about its episodic nature, I wanted to be part of creating its UK premiere. We have all had to evolve the way we make theatre right now and the idea of involving a brilliant cast and creating this in such a non-traditional way really attracted me to the piece.”

Producer Tanisha Spring said: “While we were talking about creative ways to bring work and joy to an industry that had effectively been closed down, Jason (Howland) came up with the concept of ‘A Killer Party’, A murder mystery musical. Seeing our peer’s livelihoods and dreams stripped away, Jason went away and using all of the limited resources available created something new, intelligent, exciting and utterly hilarious.  From that conversation and with the strength of that purpose I knew I couldn’t just watch but had to be involved.  I am now proud and excited to collaborate with Aria Entertainment and Ilai Szpiezak to bring our version of this ridiculously funny, & catchy show to screens across the UK. A brand-new take on something that’s been missing for what feels like a long time.”

Producer Ilia Szpiezak said: “Finding a new piece of theatre created especially for a world in lockdown brings both new challenges as well as a new way for audiences to enjoy entertainment in a different way. I’m extremely delighted to bring this production to the UK and put together the very best of British Theatre in a new medium to enjoy. All that, topped up with a stunning, modern and classy pop-infused soundtrack, makes it a unique project to be involved with.” 

Birmingham Hippodrome partners with Rambert
to present innovative new live streamed production

ROOMS

Birmingham Hippodrome have partnered with dance powerhouse Company, Rambert to host the streaming of an innovative new production, Rooms.

A premiere from Norwegian choreographer and theatre and film director Jo Strømgren, the production will be created specifically for the camera and will be performed and broadcast live, with a cinematographer and camera crew relaying the productions in real-time to audiences across the world from 8-10 April 2021. Tickets are on sale now at birminghamhippdrome.com.

Like catching miniature scenes through a train window, or cycling through the streets and peering into apartments, we all love to glimpse into other lives and the homes they’re lived out in. Rooms will involve 17 dancers, 36 scenes and100 characters. Rambert’s brilliant dancers invite audiences into wildly different worlds and surprising set-ups. People trying to live their lives, navigate dilemmas, swerve mishaps and survive their mini-dramas. Rooms is an ambitious dance-theatre-film that is performed live.

Rooms follows on from the success of Birmingham Hippodrome’s acclaimed stream of their co-production with Curve, The Color Purple – At Home and Rambert’s inaugural livestream commission of Draw From Within (Wim Vandekeybus).

Birmingham Hippodrome’s  Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Fiona Allan said; “It was very easy to agree to partner with the innovative team at Rambert to bring this performance into the homes of our audiences. Personally, I’ve long been a fan of both Rambert and Jo Strømgren, plus Birmingham Hippodrome has a history of supporting and presenting the very best of international contemporary dance. I am quite sure that Rooms will be quite unlike any other streaming experience audiences have had this year- in a good way!

“This new announcement continues the Hippodrome’s strand of streamed performances, which have included so far The Color Purple- At Home in partnership with Curve, and forthcoming live broadcasts of UniSlam and TEDxYouth@Brum in partnership with DRPG Studios.”

Jo Strømgren combines the skills of a choreographer with those of a cinematographer and has won prestigious awards for his work as film director. Also an established playwright, his work spans over 150 productions performed in 64 countries.

Talking about Rooms, Jo Strømgren said; “Diversity is a bouquet of different colours and I love it, but I think the discussion has been limited to certain issues whereas diversity is so vast – diversity of age, diversity of social status, diversity of ethnicity, religion, politics. Rooms offers glimpses through the windows of different people’s lives, to create a kind of mosaic of the cityscape environment. Its like the unfinished narrative you create in your head as you pass by windows on a bike ride; you get to peek into people’s lives and you realise there is so much going on but you have no idea what is happening or why… I’d like to think that Rooms is funny as well as dark. I often set out with quite pessimistic ideas but somehow there’s always humour within the darkest of material”

Rambert have pledged its long-term commitment to the commissioning of new work for the small-screen with a series of other real-time livestream premieres planned for Spring, Summer and Autumn 2021. With its new Rambert Home Studio web platform, the Company is keen to use this moment to bring their work to a wider audience and offer a variety of ways for viewers to connect with the Company and its work.

Rooms will stream online on 8 Apr at 12pm, 9 Apr at 8pm and 10 Apr at 8pm – for tickets and further information visit birminghamhippodrome.com.

Without Walls leads the way for cultural recovery,
announcing its biggest Outdoor Arts programme to date

In the time of Covid, Outdoor Arts provide important opportunities to reinvigorate our cultural lives whilst supporting the creative economy. To lead the way, Without Walls has announced 21 new projects to receive support in 2021. This ambitious and exciting programme brings together up-and-coming companies, established street artists and those making their first foray into creating work for the public space.

This new outdoor art programme from Without Walls will bring audiences together in a safe way to share moments of global empathy and joy. From the epic and spectacular, to the intimate and emotional, the Without Walls 2021 commissions offer a timely moment to explore social justice, family relationships, environmentalism, identity, and much more. The programme includes the fourth large-scale outdoor alternative dance performance from Requardt & Rosenberg, Black Victorians from Jeanefer Jean-Charles which uses dance to tell the story of those whose stories were previously airbrushed from history, Hip Hop collective Far From The Norm who aim to empower marginalised young people under the artistic direction of awardwinning choreographer Botis Seva and Kaleider’s massive mural of faces drawn by robots!

With the outdoor sector most likely to be leading the way in cultural recovery, this programme shows the power and resilience of Outdoor Arts to invigorate communities back together in towns, cities and rural areas. The works in the 2021 programme will appear at festivals including Brighton Festival, Norfolk & Norwich Festival, City Encounters by Wiltshire Creative, Timber Festival, Just So Festival, Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF), Ensemble Festival, Hat Fair and more.

Physical theatre and dance have a strong presence in the programme this year as artists explore ideas of connection and support. Bonded is Alleyne Dance’s ambitious new dance production exploring the construct of human dependency. Performed by twin sisters, Kristina and Sade, the work uses abstract narrative, West African dance aesthetics and language, as well as circus skills and impressive athleticism. Also exploring relationships is IRMÃ-sisters from DamaeDance which portrays an intricate journey of conflict and vulnerability, tenderness and anger, misunderstanding and support. This powerful yet attentive duet aspires to be a celebration of women’s strength and complexity. Good Youtes Walk from Far from the Norm is a chaotic and frenzied Hip Hop dance theatre work that explores how divided we are as a nation. It unravels how young adults are trying to address this divide by creating a unity and empathy which transcends race, class, gender and geography.

Also using dance, MayFly explores how our survival is inextricably linked to our environment; Kapow Dance Circus Theatre harnesses the power of water on a bespoke set which fires choreographed jets into the air where two women dodge, play, dance. The climate crisis is also addressed by a trio of clowns in astounding costumes in MEarth Mothers. Through dance, physical comedy, music, and shamanic ritual, Beady Eye asks why we are wrecking the world and what we’re going to do about it? Black Victorians is a dynamic dance piece inspired by the discovery of hundreds of portraits of Black people in England during the Victorian era. Through movement, text and music, it gives voice and body to the characters in the portraits. Continuing the theme of ‘invisible people’, Altered States’ The Invisible Man takes inspiration from H. G. Wells’ famous novel to raise awareness of issues including d/Deafness, homelessness and aging.

Future Cargo is an alternative dance show from Requardt & Rosenberg which bridges grand visual spectacle and an intimate fly-on-the-wall experience. Audiences experience a sci-fi world carried on a shipping container fitted with a travelator while listening in through binaural headphones

Advances in digital tech are continuing to reveal new ways for audiences to engage with art and culture. Using sound to create immersive audio experiences in outdoor environments, The Hidden Music of Trees forms compositions harvested entirely from plant, tree and fungi biodata, Augmented Reality (AR) and binaural (3D) sound. In this exciting work, Jason Singh seeks to celebrate a deeper awareness of the natural world around us. Using digital technology, Up My Street is an immersive promenade performance/installation from The Cultural Assembly. This augmented and virtual reality performance arts trail brings neglected high streets to life. Blurring the boundaries of reality, audiences are guided on a journey across their city through a combination of spoken word and both real-life and digital performers, all viewed with mobile devices. The Lost Opera allows audiences to use their phones to play along with the performance, even as Ashley Peevor and Nikki Watson present an unusual spectacle as three huge bewildering beasts twist themselves through the cityscape, ready to perform a unique musical composition.

Taking the recognisable form of an arrivals and departures board, Arrivals + Departures from Yara El-Sherbini and Davina Drummond is a public artwork about birth, death and the journey in-between. They invite audiences to share names of people who have arrived and departed as a way to acknowledge, celebrate and commemorate in this time of COVID-19, climate crisis and social upheaval. Emergency Exit Arts with leading artist and poet Robert Montgomery will present Recovery Poems – a light-based installation looking at the impact of Covid on our society. Also part of the programme is Robot Selfie; at a time when we are distanced from each other, Kaleider’s wall-drawing robots create a massive mural of strangers to bring us together in unity.

Food is an important way to bring communities together and many of us have an increased
focus on healthy eating after so much time at home. TOAST is Pif-Paf’s ambitious beautiful, growing, communal celebration of food, song, story, dance and fire performed on, and around, their ever-moving mobile kitchen cart. It includes a mixture of songs, stories and recipes from musicians and cooks all around the world. Join LAStheatre for The Rascally Diner, which gently explores food provenance, sustainability, and healthy eating in a silly, song-filled, riotous performance that is perfect for children aged 5+. A feast of food fusion and storytelling across geography and generations, Do What yah Mama told yah! is an immersive and vibrant comedy circus show. International contemporary circus artist Blaze and touring circus chef and performer Fatina’s plate-spinning, food-juggling, fire-blazing show brings the family kitchen and recipes from across the globe to life

Strong Enough from Strong Lady Productions also uses circus to create a powerfully optimistic show. Using circus physicality, comedy and feats-of strength, it celebrates stories of finding strength in unexpected places; in these difficult times, it is a powerful declaration that we are ‘strong enough’. Simple Cypher is an exciting young company featuring graduates from the National Centre for Circus Arts. Their new show Roll Play sees three performers blur the boundaries between Hip Hop and circus by using intricate moves and agility to give a captivating, cheeky and effortlessly cool performance. Exploring themes of life, loss, surrender and acceptance comes Why?, an aerial duet performed using climbing harnesses and abseil lines. The performers flip the stage floor through 90 degrees for a ‘vertical dance’ so they’re actually dancing on the wall! Breaking the boundaries of physicality, What Happened to You? uses three raggedy puppets and real-life stories to promote the importance of access and inclusion. Nikki Charlesworth explores our preconceptions about disability in a playful way that is fun for the whole family.

Outdoor work has never been more important as the entire arts industry seeks to rebuild confidence in audiences wanting to attend events. Having recently welcomed several new partners to its network, Without Walls is more committed than ever to collaborate with the very best artists and companies and bring fantastic outdoor arts to people across the UK.

ACCLAIMED WRITER, ACTOR AND MUSICIAN NICK CAVE JOINS THE CAST OF DREAM

Dream – live, online performance leads the way in future audience experience

Performance: Friday 12 March – Saturday 20 March 2021

Booking: dream.online – Lobby opens Mon 8 Mar  #DreamOnline21

Acclaimed musician, writer, film score composer and occasional actor, Nick Cave joins the cast of Dream (12 – 20 March 2021), a live online production created in collaboration between the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Manchester International Festival (MIF), Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF) and Philharmonia Orchestra.

Pre-recorded during lockdown, Nick Cave is the Voice of the Forest – a strange and beautiful character we never see but who is all around us. Audiences are invited to illuminate flowers, trees and streams in a virtual midsummer forest. Entering the forest at dusk the audience are invited to interact with a cast of seven actors. Guided by the forest itself, they must explore and regrow the forest before dawn.

Nick Cave has been performing music for more than forty years and is best known as the songwriter and lead singer of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, his latest album, ‘Carnage’, written and recorded with Warren Ellis was released in February 2021. Cave’s body of work also covers a wider range of media and modes of expression including film score composition and writing of novels. His Red Hand Files website have seen Cave exploring deeper and more direct relationships with his fans.

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), in collaboration with Manchester International Festival (MIF), Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF) and Philharmonia Orchestra will stage a live performance of Dream using motion capture as the culmination of a major piece of cutting-edge research and development (R&D).  The pioneering collaboration explores how audiences could experience live performance in the future in addition to a regular visit to a performance venue.

Dream was due to open in Spring 2020 as an in person and online live performance and has been recreated during the pandemic for online audiences whilst theatres remain closed. The project is one of four Audience of the Future Demonstrator projects, supported by the government Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund which is delivered by UK Research and Innovation. 

Dream is inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and gives a unique opportunity for audiences to directly influence the live performance from wherever they are in the world. Audiences will experience a new performance environment easily accessed on their mobile, desktop or tablet via the dream.online website. The performance uses the latest gaming and theatre technology together with an interactive symphonic score that responds to the actors’ movement during the show.

The live performance is set in a virtual midsummer forest. Under the shadow of gathering clouds at dusk, lit by the glimmer of fireflies, Puck acts as the guide. Audiences are invited to explore the forest from the canopy of the trees to the roots, meet the sprites, Cobweb, Mustardseed, Peaseblossom and Moth, and take an extraordinary journey into the eye of a cataclysmic storm. Together with Puck they must regrow the forest before the dawn.  When day breaks, the spell breaks.

The 50-minute online event will be a shared experience between remote audience members and the seven actors who play Puck and the sprites. Audiences can choose to buy a £10 ticket to take part and at key points in the play directly influence the world of the actors, or to view the performance for free. The ten Dream performances are scheduled so that audiences across the world can join the event.

For further information, visit https://www.rsc.org.uk/press/releases/live-performance-and-gaming-technology-come-together-to-explore-the-future-for-audiences-and-live-theatre

DREAM – A live, online performance set in a virtual midsummer forest.

Cast and creatives:

Robin McNicholas – Director

Pippa Hill – Script Creation 

Robin Mc Nicholas & Pippa Hill – Narrative 

Esa-Pekka Salonen – Music Director & Composer

Jesper Nordin – Composer, Interactivity Designer and Creative Advisor, Music

Sarah Perry – Movement Director 

Maggie Bain (Cobweb), Phoebe Hyder (Understudy Puck and Mustardseed), Durassie Kiangangu (Moth), Jamie Morgan (Peaseblossom), Loren O’Dair (Mustardseed), EM Williams (Puck ), Edmund Wood (rehearsal assistant, Understudy Moth, Cobweb & Peaseblossom).

ST HELENS ANNOUNCE ALL-NEW GOLDILOCKS SPECTACULAR AS CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME 2021

PRODUCERS REGAL ENTERTAINMENTS PROMISE

AUDIENCES ‘THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH’

St Helens Theatre Royal has today announced (Thursday 4 March) that an all-new spectacular production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears will be its Christmas pantomime 2021.

The annual panto family show has become a firm favourite with St Helens audiences, making it a real highlight of the festive season year after year.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears will run at St Helens Theatre Royal from Friday 10 December 2021 through to Sunday 9 January 2022. Tickets are on sale now.

Producers Regal Entertainments are delighted to bring the exciting story of Goldilocks, her three furry friends, and all the fun of the circus to the St Helens stage this Christmastime.An all-star cast will be announced soon.

Goldilocks, with the help of the Three Bears, tries to save her Big Top from a rival circus owner. The brand new magical show promises family fun, unbelievable circus tricks, and madcap comedy capers.

The show also promises high production values, stunning costumes, laugh out loud comedy, a smash-hit selection of chart hits to sing and dance along to – all highlights which regular Regal Entertainments’ audiences forward to experiencing.

Theatregoers are advised that Goldilocks had previously been announced as the Easter half-term pantomime, however due to Government guidelines still being in place, it is not possible to go ahead. However, an Easter pantomime will be available to stream online and details will be announced shortly. Customers who have already booked tickets will be contacted direct.

Theatre Manager Chantelle Nolan commented: “With the vaccination programme rolling out at a fantastic pace and the Government roadmap revealed, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. Everyone is craving live theatre and escapism – and there’s nothing quite like a pantomime to bring out your inner child.

“We are desperate to bring pantomime back to the St Helens Stage after having last year’s Christmas panto run cut short. We’ve all missed out on making so many special memories – so let’s make Christmas 2021 one to remember. We have an incredibly fun, exciting and magical show in store for audiences, and we cannot wait to see the auditorium filled with joy and laughter – just as it should be.”

St Helens Theatre Royal will ensure that any Government guidelines still required in December will be in place to ensure the safety of theatregoers, venue staff, cast and crew.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears will run at St Helens Theatre Royal from Friday 10 December 2021 through to Sunday 9 January 2022. Tickets are on sale now starting from £16.

Tickets can be booked over the phoneor in person at the box office between 10am and 5pm, from Monday to Friday.Tickets can also be purchased online. For more information please visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com

Follow St Helens Theatre Royal on social media channels:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/St-Helens-Theatre-Royal

Twitter: @TheatreRoyalStH

Instagram: @TheatreRoyalStH

LISTING DETAILS

Regal Entertainments Ltd Present: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Dates: Friday 10 December 2021 – Sunday 9 January 2022

Tickets: From £16*

*All prices are inclusive of a £1 per seat booking fee. Online bookings are subject to an additional 50p per seat online processing fee.

THEATRE ROYAL BOOKING DETAILS

Book in person at the Theatre Royal Box Office, Corporation Street, St. Helens, Merseyside WA10 1LQ (Mon – Fri 10am – 5pm). Alternatively, call 01744 756 000 or log on to: www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com.

M&S LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE

SHOWSTOPPING BOUQUET

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

THE SMASH-HIT MUSICAL MAMMA MIA!

With every purchase of this stunning bouquet M&S Sparks customers can save 50% off selected tickets to see MAMMA MIA! when the musical returns to London’s West End this summer!

Introducing the first MAMMA MIA! bouquet, brought to you in exclusive partnership with the hit West End musical. Created in time for Mother’s Day, this stunning limited-edition MAMMA MIA! Bouquet (£40) encapsulates the colours of a Grecian summer, comprising blue hydrangea, white Avalanche roses, white astrantia and pink lisianthus. ALL M&S bouquets come with free delivery (including on Mother’s Day) and this stunning pastel bouquet is available to pre-order now for delivery from 9 March.

We’re all getting ready to become Dancing Queens again in the summer and this bouquet also comes with a very special Sparks offer. To celebrate this smash-hit musical’s reopening, Sparks customers can save 50% on selected tickets when they purchase the bouquet and be one of the first to see the show when it reopens this summer at the Novello Theatre in London.* Customers simply need to be logged into their Sparks account online and an exclusive Sparks booking link will be sent via email after purchase.

With this amazing Mother’s Day gift, customers can look forward to the ultimate feel-good musical, unfolding to the storytelling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs. Since premiering in London in 1999, MAMMA MIA! has been viewed live on stage by 65 million people across the globe and has been turned into two record-breaking movies – MAMMA MIA! The Movie and MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again.

Another beautiful £15 MAMMA MIA! bouquet will be launched in M&S stores on 11 March – the Sparks offer will also apply and customers simply scan their Sparks card at M&S till points.

Strictly’s Aljaž & Janette perform a new digital
dance spectacular, Remembering the Oscars
Streaming worldwide: Saturday 27th March – Saturday 17th April 2021

Strictly Come Dancing duo Aljaž Škorjanec and Janette Manrara will star in a new digital adaptation of their never-before-seen dance spectacular, Remembering the Oscars. Celebrating the greatest award-winning songs, films, and dance routines from the Golden Age of Hollywood to Disney family favourites, the pair are rolling out the red carpet for a breath-taking premiere production, filmed especially for streaming. The show will be available to stream online for a strictly limited season from Saturday 27th March to Saturday 17th April.

Aljaž & Janette will be joined by an incredible ensemble of some of the UK’s best dancers and singers, performing on a specially constructed stage, backed with a huge LED screen showcasing newly filmed content. Featuring a dazzling array of bespoke and original musical arrangements from classic films such as Dirty Dancing, Mary Poppins, Flashdance, Cabaret, The Wizard of Oz, The Lion King, La La Land, Singing In The Rain, Frozen, and many more, it’s an unmissable show for the whole family.

Intercut with commentaries from Aljaž & Janette, as well as an additional bolt-on, featuring behind-the-scenes content, the performance provides a personal insight into the creation of the show and its routines. From song selection and influences, to their thinking behind the creative content, get caught up in the magic as the pair create a spellbinding and toe-tapping production.

The digital production of Remembering The Oscars follows the news that the UK touring version has been postponed until March 2022 due to the continuing uncertainty regarding the reopening of venues currently closed across the country as part of the nationwide effort to combat the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Aljaž and Janette said, We feel awful having to postpone our Remembering the Oscars tour for a second time due to the pandemic, but we are delighted to have been given the opportunity to film some of the highlights from the show. We were devastated that another year would go by without sharing what we truly believe is our best show to date. Hopefully this will give our audience and fans a taster of what is to come next year. We love and miss you, and hope you enjoy the show!

Many of the postponed tour’s venues, including Birmingham Symphony Hall, Newcastle’s Theatre Royal and Northampton’s Derngate Theatre, have come together to help promote the stream across the UK. The show’s co-producers Steven Howard for The TCB Group and David Shepherd, jointly commented, The support we have from our friends in the regions is invaluable. While venues remain closed, they are working with us to promote this very special streamed performance of Remembering The Oscars to their respective audiences. We all know how important local venues are to the cultural fabric of the UK, so we hope this goes someway to supplement the public’s craving for live performance.

All purchased streaming tickets come with a free digital 32-page programme packed with exclusive photos, interviews, Oscar trivia and much more. Options to upgrade include a postshow pass to an “In conversation with Aljaž & Janette” led by ITV’s Richard Arnold, as well as an exclusive 30 minute Behind-the-Scenes film, featuring additional footage with access to the dressing rooms, rehearsals & backstage of Remembering the Oscars.

National Theatre,in partnership with Cast,launches new podcast series Stories To Get Us Through created by the people of Doncaster 

Launching today, Stories To Get Us Through is a new podcast series featuring stories written and performed by the people of Doncaster, inspired by real life events and created during the Covid-19 pandemic.  

The 18 short stories are a collection of personal anecdotes, snapshot memories and poetry, and have been created by people from different backgrounds who came together as part of the National Theatre’s Public Acts programme. The series consists of five episodes which explore different themes including imagination, change, fear, friendship and heroes. Muhammed shares memories of his best friend from Gambia and how their lives have intertwined, teenagers Aaron and Beth share their hopes and fears for the future, and Lynn tells the story of finding contentment in her own company.  

Stories To Get Us Through is a community performance project through the National Theatre’s Public Acts programme to create extraordinary acts of theatre and community, delivered in partnership with Cast in Doncaster with support from Right Up Our Street. Six community organisations across Doncaster, B.Friend, Conversation Club, Edlington Community Organisation, LGBTQ Youth, Cast Youth Theatre and darts, have been taking part in the programme and following the postponement of The Caucasian Chalk Circle in summer 2020, are continuing to take part in creative projects remotely. Participants developed their stories remotely, on Zoom, over the phone, and through postal packs with creative writing activities, and recorded the stories at home with professional audio recording equipment.  

James Blakey, Associate Director of Public Acts said, “Stories To Get Us Through is a time capsule of the moment our Public Acts Doncaster community convened around a digital campfire in lockdown to tell their stories to each other and the world. Stories have the power to make us feel as though we’re together, even when we are apart and we can’t wait to share them with you. Despite the challenges and restrictions lockdown posed, we came together as a community to deliver this project and we look forward to when we can create live participatory performances together again”.

Participant Samsaid, “I was sceptical at first as I didn’t have a single story in mind that would instil inspiration or start a conversation. But then it occurred to me that there is something I can say, I can talk proudly and push the negative voices down. In sharing stories, we are sharing lives and it is that which gets us through, it’s that you should hold on for. You can learn so much from listening to a person’s story”. 

Stories To Get Us Through can be listened to on www.publicactsdoncaster.com/stories-to-get-us-through and is also available on all podcast platforms.  

Stories To Get Us Through is a community performance project delivered in partnership with National Theatre’s Public Acts, Cast and Right Up Our Street, made possible by Arts Council England’s Strategic Touring Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Mr & Mrs A Mosawi and Wates Foundation.