An Evening of Dance and Conversation with SERGEI POLUNIN at The London Palladium – 7.30 PM, FRIDAY 15 OCTOBER 2021

AN EVENING OF DANCE AND CONVERSATION WITH SERGEI POLUNIN
7.30 PM FRIDAY 15 OCTOBER 2021 AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM

©Albert Watson

Join world-renowned iconic ballet dancer, actor and artist SERGEI POLUNIN at a one-night-only unique appearance: an unmissable evening of intimate conversation and UK premieres of new solos live on-stage at London’s Palladium theatre, to celebrate the publication of his autobiography FREE: A LIFE IN IMAGES AND WORDS (teNeues Publishing, 2021, www.teNeues.com).

Sergei Polunin is widely acknowledged as one of the most prodigious, mesmerising and charismatic talents of his generation. Now he tells his extraordinary life story for the first time in person. This very special night will include Sergei’s own inimitable insight into his life: his childhood in Ukraine as well as the beginning of his dance training in Kiev; his journey to the UK to study at the Royal Ballet School in his teens; and his dazzling rise to become one of the most talked-about and prodigiously talented dancers of his generation and youngest ever Royal Ballet principal. He will take us behind the scenes through a career that has also spanned fashion and film to share the emotional highs and lows of his journey towards artistic maturity and mastery; and reveal exclusive news about his forthcoming projects on both stage and screen.

And Sergei will be performing live on-stage the UK premieres of two brand-new virtuoso solos:
BOLERO: a dazzling new interpretation of Ravel’s masterpiece.Music: Ravel : Choreography: Ross Freddie Ray : Video design: Teun Van der Zalm
PARADISO: from the three-part “Dante Metanoia” dedicated to Dante’s 700 anniversary and premiered at the Ravenna Festival in September.Music: Kirill Richter : Choreography: Jiri Bubenicek : Set design: Otto Bubenicek  

Listings information/ticket sales:
The London Palladium, 8 Argyll Street, London W1F 7TF

Friday 15 October 2021 at 7.30 pm

Booking opens 10.00 am, Thursday 2 September 2021

Tickets from £20* [*plus booking fee]

Box Office: +44 (0) 20 7087 7747 Online booking: lwtheatres.co.uk

Poluninink.co.uk

Thelondonpalladium.co.uk

Salomé Review

Southwark Playhouse -until 11 September 2021

4****

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

After a successful 2019 run at Greenwich, Lazarus Theatre bring Oscar Wilde’s Salomé to Southwark. The constraints of a smaller space and proximity of the audience make this a less bloody show, but the intimacy of the space and some judicious rewriting by director Ricky Dukes creates a more focussed, stylised production of Wilde’s scandalous take on the story of Salomé demanding the head of John the Baptist (Jokanaan) as payment for dancing for her stepfather Herod.

Sorcha Corcoran’s elegant traverse design has a golden catwalk that serves as a terrace and banquet table in the tetrarch’s palace. Ben Jacobs’ lighting design and Will Thompson’s sound design create an increasingly unhinged tension and work brilliantly to switch focus from the terrace to Jokanaan’s cistern prison. Prince Plockley’s Jokanaan is a formidable presence even as he stalks around the stage in silence. The prophet Jokanaan and the two guards (George Ray-Turner and Omi Mantri) make good use of Wilde’s flowery and repetitive language while it is punctuated by modern expletives from the morally bankrupt royal family. Dukes once again switches the gender of Salomé, with Fred Thomas spellbinding as the prince who uses his beauty to get everything he wants, but it is clear that Jamie O’Neil’s hedonistic Herod would desire Salomé regardless of gender, as an extension of his need to own the most beautiful treasures of the world.

The dance of the seven veils becomes two gloves and a ballgown, which Herod just happens to have prepared, and sees more movement from Herod than Salomé. What begins as a predatory prowl becomes an uncomfortably farcical chase that has the audience laughing and squirming in equal measure. Fred Thomas is intense and beguiling as Salomé, and Pauline Babula is wonderful as Herodias, portraying her hatred for her husband with brilliant physicality. Jamie O’Neill handles Herod’s switching moods masterfully, with comedic and emotive moments equally impressive.

Another slick and arresting production from Lazarus – get a ticket while you can.

DAME PENELOPE KEITH TO STAR IN 2022 UK TOUR OF NEW PLAY ‘TWO CIGARETTES IN THE DARK’

Jonathan Church Theatre Productions and Cambridge Arts Theatre present

TWO CIGARETTES IN THE DARK


DAME PENELOPE KEITH TO STAR IN 2022 UK TOUR OF NEW PLAY TWO CIGARETTES IN THE DARK  BY STEPHEN WYATT

DIRECTED BY ALAN STRACHAN, DESIGNED BY SIMON HIGLETT, PRODUCED BY JONATHAN CHURCH THEATRE PRODUCTIONS AND CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE, THIS BITTER-SWEET COMEDY WILL BEGIN PERFORMANCES AT CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE ON 17 FEBRUARY 2022 AND TOUR TO CAMBRIDGE, GUILDFORD, CARDIFF, RICHMOND, BRIGHTON, BATH AND MALVERN
 

IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD HERE 

Stage and screen actress Dame Penelope Keith will collaborate once again with director Alan Strachan and designer Simon Higlett for Two Cigarettes in the Dark, a brand new play by Stephen Wyatt, produced by Jonathan Church Theatre Productions and Cambridge Arts Theatre.

Bright, witty, and fiercely independent, Isabel is not ready to let go just yet. 

In a series of encounters with an old friend and her two sons, by turns funny, startling and poignant, home truths are exchanged, and her past begins to emerge.  As Isabel confronts her own hidden regrets and family secrets, we learn what hides below the surface of this proud mother, wife, and friend. Finally, Isabel is able to make peace with her life and say goodbye.

This bittersweet comedy will tour next year to Chichester Festival Theatre (17 – 26 February), Cambridge Arts Theatre (3 March – 12 March), Yvonne Arnaud TheatreGuildford (14 – 19 March), New Theatre, Cardiff (22 – 26 March), Richmond Theatre (28 March – 2 April), Theatre Royal Brighton (4 – 9 April), Theatre Royal Bath (19 – 23 April) and Malvern Theatres (25 – 30 April).  Press Night will be on Friday 4 March at Cambridge Arts Theatre.  More casting is to be announced in due course.

Dame Penelope Keith said: “Following this difficult period for regional theatres I am delighted to be bringing this new play to a group of theatres and audiences who have been important to me over the years.  When I read Stephen’s touching and amusing play which has at its centre a (rare to find) role for an actress of a certain age, I knew immediately I wanted to play the part and bring this play to audiences across the country.”  

Dame Penelope Keith is renowned for her many acclaimed roles on stage and screen, most notably in the iconic British sitcoms The Good Life and To The Manor Born.  Her recent theatre credits include The Chalk GardenMrs Pat, The Way of the World and Entertaining Angels (all Chichester Festival Theatre).  Her most recent television appearances include Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages and Penelope Keith’s Coastal Villages on Channel 4.  She was appointed Dame Commander of the British Empire in the new year honours 2014.

Julia Donaldson’s Stick Man returns for Autumn Tour, West End run and Festive Seasons

Freckle Productions present

STICK MAN

From the book by Julia Donaldson with illustrations by Axel Scheffler

The smash-hit stage adaptation returns for an Autumn Tour

and Festive Seasons

in London, Salford, Birmingham and Chichester

Freckle Productions are delighted to announce that Stick Man, based on the book by Julia Donaldson with illustrations by Axel Scheffler, will return to the stage this Autumn and Winter with more dates than you can shake a stick at!

Stick Man leaves the family tree this weekend to embark on a 3-month UK Tour, opening at The Capitol Theatre, Horsham on Saturday 4 September. 

Then on Saturday 23 October, Stick Man returns to Leicester Square Theatre for its 10th annual West End season, playing for 10 weeks until Monday 3 January.

And finally, Stick Man will play three more Festive Seasons, coming to The Lowry, Salford from Tuesday 30 November to Sunday 9 January 2022, the Minerva Theatre, Chichester from Friday 10 to Friday 24 December, and Birmingham Town Hall from Sunday 26 December to Sunday 9 January 2022.

‘Stick Man lives in the family tree
With his Stick Lady Love
and their stick children three…’

What starts off as a morning jog becomes quite the misadventure for Stick Man: a dog wants to play fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him, and he even ends up on a fire! How will Stick Man ever get back to the family tree in time for Christmas? This delightful adaptation from Freckle Productions, the team behind Zog and Tiddler and other Terrific Tales, features a trio of top actors and is packed full of puppetry, songs, live music and funky moves.

Stick Man is adapted from the book by Julia Donaldson, the multi award-winning author of some of the world’s best loved children’s books including The Gruffalo and Zog. Julia is best known for her popular rhyming stories for children, especially those illustrated by Axel Scheffler, which have sold over 75 million copies and have been published in over 100 languages.

Stick Man is a perennial bestseller and has been translated into 23 languages. In 2015, Magic Light Pictures premiered the animated film of Stick Man with an all-star cast including Martin Freeman, Jennifer Saunders and Hugh Bonneville. The film was the 4th most-viewed 2015 Christmas Day TV programme in the UK, and the book went to number one in the children’s chart. In 2018 Stick Man celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Stick Man is directed by Mark Kane with original direction by Sally Cookson (A Monster Calls, Old Vic Theatre), design by Katie Sykes (Jane Eyre, National Theatre), lighting by Elanor Higgins (Private Peaceful, UK Tour) and music by Benji Bower (A Monster Calls, Old Vic Theatre).

The cast for the Autumn Tour and the Chichester and Birmingham seasons features Tyler Ephraim as Stick Man, Clair Gleave as Stick Lady Love and Lawrence Cole as Actor-Musician. The cast for Leicester Square Theatre features Richard Chalk-Iles as Stick Man, Safeena Ladha as Stick Lady Love and Elliott Rennie as Actor-Musician. The cast for The Lowry, Salford features Jordan Louis-Fernand as Stick Man, Alice Imelda as Stick Lady Love and Jonathan Ainscough as Actor-Musician.

Running time: 55 minutes

Suitable for all ages.

www.StickManLive.com

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Rosemary Ashe & Richard Gibson star in Irving Berlin’s Call Me Madam

Rosemary Ashe & Richard Gibson star in Irving Berlin’s Call Me Madam

Olivier Award nominee Rosemary Ashe and ‘Allo ‘Allo!‘s Richard Gibson headline a rare revival of Irving Berlin’s 1950 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Call Me Madam, which runs for a limited season at London’s Upstairs at the Gatehouse from 9 September to 10 October 2021, with a press night on 14 September.

The new production returns director Mark Giesser to Upstairs at the Gatehouse after his recent smash hits with two other rarely-seen Broadway musicals: Strike Up the Band and Once Upon a Mattress.

In Call Me Madam, a comedy about love and diplomacy, Sally Adams (Rosemary Ashe) is the unconventional ‘queen of Washington society’ who is appointed US ambassador to the tiny Grand Duchy of Lichtenburg. She’s intent on refusing to shore up that country’s finances with American money.

That is, until she meets Cosmo Constantine (Richard Gibson), the Lichtenburg foreign minister, and finds his charms irresistible. Political chaos ensues, not helped by the budding romance between Sally’s aide, Kenneth, and Princess Maria, heiress to the Lichtenburg throne.

Irving Berlin’s score for Call Me Madam features the hit songs ‘It’s a Lovely Day Today’ and ‘You’re Just in Love’. And Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse’s book sparkles with political satire as pertinent today as it was when President Harry Truman ran the White House.

Can anyone’s career and romantic ambitions survive?

Ashe and Gibson are joined by Offie nominee Beth Burrows (Luck Be a Lady, White Bear Theatre; Once Upon a Mattress, Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Daniel Breakwell (Big Girls Don’t Cry, UK Tour), Kevin Walsh (Guys and Dolls, Prince of Wales Theatre), Zoë Ann Bown (Funny Girl, UK Tour and Sky Arts), Andrew Wheaton (Me and My Girl, Adelphi Theatre), Chrissie Perkins (Evita, Phoenix Theatre) and Georgie Faith (The Little Mermaid, UK Tour).

Mark Giesser has written, produced and directed numerous Equity Off-West End and Off-Broadway shows. His writing work includes satirical drama (Good Morning, Alamo!) and comedy (Code of the West and How To Build a Better Tulip), and he has directed myriad productions such as the UK premiere of Alan Alda‘s drama Radiance, and the 60th-anniversary revival of the original stage play of Gigi. His other recent credits include Sirens of the Silver Screen and The Lady With a Dog.

Call Me Madam runs from 9 September to 10 October 2021 at London’s Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate, London N6 4BD, with performances Tuesdays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, Sundays at 4pm. Tickets are priced £15-24. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE!

Pod @ Alphabetti Theatre

Coracle

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

World Premiere

POD

Brand new production about family dynamics, grief, secrets and forgiveness set to uplift, move and amuse North-East audiences opens 31st August & runs till 18th September

Following the success of Down to Zero by Lizi Patch (Best North-East Fringe 2019), and Overdue by Arabella Arnott (Best At Fringe 2017), theatre company Coracle present Pod – their fifth major collaboration with Alphabetti Theatre; a witty and heartfelt new play from 31st of August until 18th September 2021 at Alphabetti Theatre.

Pod tells the story of Rose, her sister Daisy, her husband Dan and mum Iris, spending the weekend away together in a camping pod celebrating the birthday of their Dad Geoff, who is no longer with them. As the family gather in a cramped camping pod for this celebration of life, love and loss, family secrets are revealed, unfinished business spills out and they reconnect in unexpected ways.

Pod is a relatable story beautifully told about family dynamics, grief, secrets and forgiveness that will uplift, move and amuse. It’s about real people coming together after a difficult time, speaking their truth, moving on and seeing a brighter collective future.

Director Matt Jamie shared: “We’re very excited to be back at Alphabetti and to bring this play finally to audiences after it was postponed in 2020. It’s a hugely relevant, entertaining and funny piece, that depicts human relationships, honesty and moving on – what a better time for that, than now!?”

Pod is the opening show, 31st of August until 18th September 2021 of Alphabetti Theatre’s new season. After an extremely challenging 18 months for the theatre sector, it is wonderful that theatres are opening and audiences will have the opportunity to experience and enjoy live performances like Pod once again. It’s also a welcome return for many theatre creatives and actors to get back to in-person working and paid performing.

Theatre maker, practitioner and actor David Raynor added: “I’m really excited to be playing the part of Dan, in this heart-warming, funny, family drama; it is a touching slice of life. Pod has a great team of North East talent behind it and it’s brilliant to be working with this cast, crew and fellow creatives. Really looking forward to performing in an actual theatre space to a live audience too! It’s been a while!”

In addition to the stage play, Coracle have created some free audio dramas for audiences and listeners everywhere; written in response to the themes of Pod – Two are live now and can be found via the PLAYSTREAM tab on Coracle website (link in Bio) or search “Playstream” wherever you get your podcasts.

Pod is at Alphabetti Theatre from Tuesday 31st August to Saturday 18 September 2021, 7:30pm (excluding Sundays & Mondays) plus 1pm Saturday matinees. Wednesday 8th September, 7.30pm is a captioned

Pod is the opening show, 31st of August until 18th September 2021 of Alphabetti Theatre’s new season. After an extremely challenging 18 months for the theatre sector, it is wonderful that theatres are opening and audiences will have the opportunity to experience and enjoy live performances like Pod once again. It’s also a welcome return for many theatre creatives and actors to get back to in-person working and paid performing.

Theatre maker, practitioner and actor David Raynor added: “I’m really excited to be playing the part of Dan, in this heart-warming, funny, family drama; it is a touching slice of life. Pod has a great team of North East talent behind it and it’s brilliant to be working with this cast, crew and fellow creatives. Really looking forward to performing in an actual theatre space to a live audience too! It’s been a while!”

In addition to the stage play, Coracle have created some free audio dramas for audiences and listeners everywhere; written in response to the themes of Pod – Two are live now and can be found via the PLAYSTREAM tab on Coracle website or search “Playstream” wherever you get your podcasts.

Pod is at Alphabetti Theatre from Tuesday 31st August to Saturday 18 September 2021, 7:30pm (excluding Sundays & Mondays) plus 1pm Saturday matinees. Wednesday 8th September, 7.30pm is a captioned performance and Wednesday 15th September, 7.30pm is an audio described performance; all Saturday matinees will be relaxed.

Pod is presented by Coracle in association with Alphabetti Theatre, supported by Arts Council England.

Tickets are now available from www.coracleproductions.com and are Pay What You Feel.

Dracula: The Bloody Truth

Le Navet Bete in association with Exeter Northcott Theatre Present

Dracula: The Bloody Truth

York Theatre Royal, 24 & 25 September

Award-winning kings of comedy Le Navet Bete bring their critically acclaimed, five-star smash hit show Dracula: The Bloody Truth to York Theatre Royal on 24 & 25 September.

Since premiering at the Exeter Northcott on April Fool’s Day 2017 the show has been seen by thousands across all four corners of the UK. In 2018 It was published by Nick Hern Books and licensed worldwide, propelling this Devon-born show to Boston, Canada, New Zealand and beyond… and now to York.

Audiences in this “family friendly show” will be taken on a journey across Europe from the dark and sinister Transylvanian mountains to the awkwardly charming seaside town of Whitby. They’ll join esteemed Professor Abraham Van Helsing and his three idiotic actors as they frantically try to expose the truth behind Bram Stoker’s infamous novel and warn audiences about the real dangers of vampires.

Dracula: The Bloody Truth is Le Navet Bete’s third collaboration with one of UK theatre’s most exciting comedy writers and directors John Nicholson. John is Co-Artistic Director of Peepolykus and has previously worked with the likes of Rik Mayall, Nina Conti and Paul Merton as well as regularly writing for TV and radio. 

Mixing slapstick with carefully crafted comedy and a healthy dose of things going wrong, Dracula: The Bloody Truth promises to have the vampires back in the ground and audiences flying high.

Writer and director John Nicholson said of Le Navet Bete: “ Le Navet Bete are a young company to be treasured. They are dedicated and committed to producing comic work that takes risks. They are committed to pushing themselves to explore new territory. Combined with this, they have a winning appeal that acts like a magnet for audiences of all ages. Dracula: The Bloody Truth is no exception.”

“Best new comedy” – Broadway World  | “Unashamedly silly” – Reviews Hub | “Gloriously daft” – Stagetalk magazine

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Dracula: The Bloody Truth

York Theatre Royal

24 & 25 September

Evenings 7.30pm

Sat matinee 2.30pm

Box office 01904 623568 | yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

Pleasance Theatre Trust still presents incredible Edinburgh programme amidst post-pandemic turbulence

Pleasance Theatre Trust still presents
incredible Edinburgh programme
amidst post-pandemic turbulence

The Pleasance Theatre Trust returned to its Edinburgh home this summer, thanks to the unwavering support of its audiences, to present a defiant programme of exciting newcomers, thought-provoking artists and much-loved Fringe stalwarts. With 662 performances of 82 shows in four live venues and online, the programme was enjoyed by just over 36,000 ticket holders. This is in comparison to 5,534 performances of 277 productions in 2019 when Pleasance welcomed over 560,000 festival goers through its doors. Whilst 2021’s festival has included sellout runs and acclaimed socially distanced performances, the total box office for this year’s festival will represent just 6.5% of the Pleasance’s 2019 tickets and revenue.

Neil Hanna Photography www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

Notwithstanding a smaller festival, the Pleasance’s commitment to supporting innovative emerging artists through their development schemes is paramount. £20,000 was invested in Screen 9, recipient of Pleasance’s Charlie Hartill Theatre Reserve, and Patricia Gets Ready (for a date with the man that used to hit her) – the inaugural recipient of the Charlie Hartill Development Fund for Artists of Colour which was heralded by the Guardian as a 5 star knock out and described as having “tremendous emotional range, drawing us ever deeper into the dark heart of a play, written from the author’s experience, that sings with truth and is powered by political rage”. Although the Pleasance was unable to host its family-friendly hub the Kidzone, the venue still funded experiences for young festival-goers with over £4,500 of support provided to children’s shows Roald Dahl’s The Twits, Meet Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking and Community Clay Time.

Partnerships are always key to the Pleasance’s presence in Edinburgh, but particularly in this challenging year. The iconic Pleasance Courtyard was able to reopen with the support of the Edinburgh University Students’ Association, whilst vital funding from the Scottish Government enabled its new outdoor performance space to come to life. Work also continued with the Edinburgh International Conference Centre which saw one of the city’s largest performance hubs run side-by-side with its biggest vaccination centre. The Pleasance’s online programme was supported through the launch of the Pleasance Player with online platform LIVR and an exciting new collaboration with the Academy of Music and Theatre Arts (AMATA) at Falmouth University, saw nine new shows broadcast live online from Cornwall as part of The Edinburgh Fringe Digital Showcase. And that wasn’t all – Eugene was supported by John Ellerman Foundation, along with four other productions in the London and online season which also played online. The William Syson Foundation supported new Scottish artists, including LANDING and Look, No Hands.

Neil Hanna Photography www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

Anthony Alderson, Director of the Pleasance, said, We couldn’t have mounted any festival this year without the hundreds of people who supported our Crowdfunder in 2020 – we are forever grateful to them. Only eight weeks before the festival was due to start did we get the go ahead from the Scottish Government and some extremely welcome support from Event Scotland, which enabled us to create a distanced, safe and covered outdoor space at the Pleasance Courtyard. In many ways it has felt a little like festivals of old, with a small number of venues and a special programme of handpicked shows. With a desire to present as much of a festival as we could, we also took our Fringe programme on tour with a full line-up of shows at the Pleasance in London and a sizable number online, including nine live streamed productions in partnership with Falmouth University. The programme may be smaller than ever, but its heart and soul is as gigantic as ever.

The Pleasance continued to work in partnership with HIV and Hepatitis C charity Waverley Care for the 29th year to raise awareness and funds for their vital services, which have been severely affected during the pandemic. Approximately £3,000 has been raised for this important charity, with the Pleasance donating 100% of its share of ticket revenue from its online programme alongside proceeds from the one-off spectacular Tartan Ribbon Comedy Benefit and text donations. With festival donations having topped £65,000 at the 2019 Fringe, the Pleasance continue to encourage audiences to show their support beyond August.

Neil Hanna Photography www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

The Pleasance’s operation was only made possible through the efforts of its dedicated festival team, which was scaled back from some 220 people in 2019 to just 28.

Normally the Pleasance would complete a Fringe with a dazzling trophy cabinet but with few of those taking place this year, the Pleasance still celebrates the achievements of artists and venues at the 2021 festival. The Pleasance continues to rebuild from the devastating effects of the pandemic and work towards the return of a sustainable Fringe in 2022.

Love Beyond the Zoo Review

BBC Arts and New Creatives. BBC4 RADIO XTRA Friday 10th September 2021: 6:30, 13:30, 20:30 and 01:30. On demand from 10th September on BBC SOUNDS.

Reviewed by Aimee Liddington.

4****

Have you ever fallen in love with an animal? He has. In his first piece since winning the Papatango New Writing Prize, Tom Powell stuns us with this enchanting love story between a man and an elephant. ‘That sounds a bit odd’ – I hear you say. I thought the same at first but I was compelled to find out more and I’m glad I did.

The tale begins with their first encounter at the zoo but after escaping in a violent stampede and starting their life together in Shrewsbury, the man and the elephant begin to grow further and further apart. This surreal and unconventional love story is strange and fantastical; it takes us back to childhood bedtime stories but doesn’t shy away from prompting us to think about life’s big questions.

Powell should be applauded for this spectacular piece of writing. He has used a variety of poetic techniques such as repetition, rhyming and a dazzling array of similes and metaphors which bring the story alive for us in our own minds. His outstanding writing is accompanied by the simple but effective sound effects of Madison Willing (Composer and Sound designer) which help in bringing this recording into the three dimensional.

Saffron Coomber is also worth a mention for her reading of the part of the elephant. Coomber portrays the change in the character well and plays with how we feel about her from one minute to the next. The character has been very cleverly crafted and although we start off feeling sorry for the elephant, we certainly don’t finish the story feeling that way. The way in which Coomber portrays the elephant’s new found cockiness and sass with just her voice is impressive.

Indulge in your inner child and open up your imagination to unlikely possibilities with ‘Love Beyond the Zoo’ – it’s not just a fictional story but also a fable which makes us question what it really means to be free.

BARN THEATRE ANNOUNCES FULL CAST & CREATIVE TEAM FOR DAVID COPPERFIELD

BARN THEATRE ANNOUNCES FULL CAST & CREATIVE TEAM FOR DAVID COPPERFIELD

Phillip Olagoke, Rosalind Ford & Reuben Greeph
  • THE ACTOR-MUSICIAN ADAPTATION OF THE CHARLES DICKENS CLASSIC RUNS IN CIRENCESTER FROM 28 SEPTEMBER – 30 OCTOBER
  • THE WORLD PREMIERE OF SIMON READE’S NEW ADAPTATION WILL BE DIRECTED BY ALEXANDER KNOTT & ZÖE GRAIN AND FEATURE ORIGINAL MUSIC BY CHRIS LARNER & DESIGN BY TARA USHER

The Barn Theatre in Cirencester have today announced the full cast and creative team for the world premiere production of David Copperfield,which runs from 28 September – 30 October.

David Copperfield, which has the full title of The Personal History, Adventure, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield, The Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account), is a three-hander, actor-musician play with music, based on the Charles Dickens classic of the same name.

The rite-of-passage story, which Charles Dickens confessed was the “favourite child” of all his works, follows a young man full of hope, learning about life from an eccentric cast of characters on his journey into adulthood.

In this new actor-musician dramatisation by frequent Barn Theatre collaborator Simon Reade (Private Peaceful, An Elephant in the Garden) with original music by Chris Larner (An Instinct for Kindness, The Barber of Seville), Copperfield is joined by a pair of actor-musicians who take the audience on a vibrant, colourful, magical, journey of musical discovery from the world of toy theatre to the world of David Copperfield.

Simon Reade will reunite with directorial team Alexander Knott Zöe Grain from BoxLess Theatre, who were behind the critically acclaimed 2020 production of his Private Peaceful stage adaptation.

2020 Royal Central School of Speech & Drama graduate Phillip Olagoke (Farewell Leicester Square) will play the title role of David Copperfield with Rosalind Ford (Gin Craze, Once) as Mr Micawber, Agnes, Little Em’ly (& 17 more) and Reuben Greeph (Little Miss Sunshine, Six) as Uriah Heep, Betsey Trotwood, Mr Peggotty (& 17 more).

Reade said of his adaptation, Charles Dickens had an unrequited love affair with the theatre. An occasional dramatist and amateur actor, his novels were influenced by – and in turn influenced the Victorian theatre of his day.

David Copperfield is also Dickens’ most overtly autobiographical novel (it can be no coincidence that Charles Dickens’s initials are inverted to become David Copperfield’s initials), a proto-auto-fiction that is, unusually for him, written in the first person, by a narrator eager to recall his life in the moment while resisting the painful benefit of hindsight – and the foreboding of foresight of what is already known.

The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield will be playful and theatrical and dramatic. Like David Copperfield’s life. Like Dickens’s life. Like life. It could not be a more perspicacious narrative for our own unbelievable times.”

The Barn Theatre production, in association with BoxLess Theatre, will also feature design by Tara Usher (Little Baby Jesus, Queen of the Mist) with musical direction by Francesca Fenech,AV design by Charles Flint, lighting design by Sam Rowcliffe-Tanner (Stones in His Pockets, Private Peaceful) and sound design by Harry Smith (The Picture of Dorian Gray, Private Peaceful).

Tickets are now on sale from £11.50, with family ticket deals available for all the Barn’s upcoming 2021 productions, at barntheatre.org.uk.