The Wiz trailer – Hope Mill Theatre

Hope Mill Theatre has today released a trailer for the forthcoming production of The Wiz

The video was created by The Umbrella Rooms. The video shows Cherelle Wiliams (Dorothy) and Hope Mill Theatre ‘going green’ as they prepare to be transported to Oz this Christmas

LISTINGS INFORMATION
Hope Mill Theatre in association with
Ameena Hamid Productions presents

The Wiz: The Super Soul
Musical “Wonderful
Wizard of Oz”

Music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls
Book by William F. Brown
Based on The Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum
Original Orchestrations
by Harold Wheeler

24 November 2021 –
16 January 2022

Hope Mill Theatre
Hope Mill
113 Pollard Street
Manchester M4 7JA

7.30pm, matinees Saturday and Sunday

Box Office: 0161 275 9141
(Tuesday – Friday 12pm-6:30pm)
online

https://hopemilltheatre.co.uk/whats-on
Twitter: @Hopemilltheatr1
Facebook: Hope Mill Theatre
www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Review

The Yvonne Arnaud – until 23 October 2021

Reviewed by Heather Chalkley

2**

How many ways can you prevent people from leaving a solitary village set by an eerie swamp? The inhabitants of Sleepy Hollow have dark secrets they do not want outsiders to know about. Anyone who visits is unlikely to leave, alive or dead. That is until Ichabod Crane (Sam Jackson) arrives, with the purpose to reveal the truth that underlies their macabre history. Will he survive? Will his logic outwit the legend and witchcraft that the village is steeped in?

So many questions to keep you engaged in this new iteration of an ancient legend.  Although the actors apply their craft with commitment and skill,  you are left sometimes confused and not clear by the script. At times the dialect is spoken at speed which takes concentration to follow. Your attention can wane when the sometimes high pitched dialogue of Widow Papenfuss (Wendi Peters) accosts your ears. I was left cold, not with fright but with boredom.

A good attempt to bring a new slant to the ancient legend. However, the script needs clarity to bring the audience with them.

Chicago Review

Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham – until Saturday 23 October 2021

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

3***

Manipulation, murder and mayhem, Chicago is a murky parable of injustice. A musical extravaganza, Chicago transports you to the decadent 1920s where on the surface it seems a world away from the one, we live in, however, the paparazzi frenzy, corruption and the courting of the press is as relevant today as it will ever be.

Can the housewife/nightclub dancer, who has murdered her lover, escape hanging with the help of a super slick lawyer and avoid the rivalry of her other cellmates who are just as publicity hungry? The music, the story, the nail-biting conclusion all makes for a rip-roaring ride.

As we walked into the theatre, we were greeted on stage with a spot lit bowler hat on a chair. The audience’s excitement grew. Unfortunately, this production did not live up to expectations. It had timing issues, both in landing the lyrical jokes but also in the dance numbers, which make up such a huge part of Chicago, causing the show to lose some of its sass and finesse. There were also occasions when accents were dropped, all of which caused jarring and jolted us out of the world of Chicago.

This aside there were some outstanding performances from most of the cast and the live band, who were on stage throughout, brought the theatre to life. The Band played the audience out and had and an incredible vibe about them. We were dancing down the aisles, singing and clapping, in a covid friendly manner of course.

Joel Montague, who played the cuckold husband Amos Hart, superbly, was an absolute treat. Combining humour and pathos, he blew us away with his performance of Mr Cellophane.

All in all, the elements to make this an excellent production of Chicago are there. I feel with a bit more cohesion it would be amazing. Nailing the dance numbers, landing the jokes, and holding the accents would elevate this show to where it ought to be

Further Tour Dates For Private Lives Starring Nigel Havers & Patricia Hodge

FURTHER DATES ADDED FOR

THE NIGEL HAVERS THEATRE COMPANY’S

INAUGURAL PRODUCTION OF

NOEL COWARD’S CLASSIC COMEDY

PRIVATE LIVES

STARRING PATRICIA HODGE & NIGEL HAVERS

NOW TOURING THROUGH TO 23 APRIL 2022

Following breaking box office records in Bath, Richmond, Chichester and Cambridge, Theatre Royal Bath Productions and Moss Empires are delighted to announce further tour dates for The Nigel Havers Theatre Company production of Noel Coward’s gloriously entertaining PRIVATE LIVES.  This will be the inaugural show for The Nigel Havers Theatre Company, which will be touring the country with a wonderful line-up of theatrical gems.  The UK Tour of PRIVATE LIVES will begin at Theatre Royal Bath on 28 October 2021 and go through to 23 April 2022, finishing at the Theatre Royal Nottingham.

The production stars Olivier Award-winning Patricia Hodge, one of the country’s most loved actresses, as Amanda and Nigel Havers, ever suave and thoroughly charming, as Elyot, the role taken by Noël Coward himself in the original production in 1930.  Astonishingly, it is the first time Nigel Havers has appeared in a Coward play on stage.  Dugald Bruce-Lockhart plays Victor, Natalie Walter Sibyl and Aïcha Kossoko Louise.

Coward’s dazzling comic masterpiece is both a scintillatingly witty and scathingly vitriolic study of the rich and reckless in love.  Elyot and Amanda, who were once married, find themselves in adjoining rooms in the same hotel on the French coast, both on honeymoon with their new partners. Their initial horror quickly evaporates and soon they’re sharing cocktails and a romantic serenade. 

Patricia Hodge’s many theatre credits include A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Trafalgar Studios), Copenhagen (Chichester Festival Theatre), Travels With My Aunt (Minerva, Chichester), Relative Values (Harold Pinter), Calendar Girls (Noel Coward Theatre), The Country Wife (Theatre Royal Haymarket), His Dark Materials (National), Noises Off (National), Money (National, for which she won the Olivier for Best Supporting Actress) and A Little Night Music (National).  Her recent television credits include Ursula Thorpe in A Very English Scandal (BBC), Mrs Pelham in Downton Abbey (ITV) and Penny in Miranda (BBC).

Nigel Havers’s television credits include Roger in Finding Alice (ITV) and General Ransom in All Creatures Great & Small (Channel 5).  Other recent television credits include Lewis Archer in Coronation Street (Granada), Stanley Keen in Benidorm (ITV) and Lord Hepworth in Downton Abbey (ITV).  Theatre includes Serge in the UK Tour and West End productions of Art, Algernon Moncrieff in the UK Tour of The Importance of Being Earnest and Maxim de Wynter in the UK Tour of Rebecca.  His film credits include playing David Niven in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Hofstadter in Paradise Lost, Dr Rawlins in Empire of the Sun and Lord Andrew Lindsay in Chariots of Fire.

Dugald Bruce-Lockhart most recently appeared as Michael Gove in The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson at Park Theatre.  He has also played David Cameron in The Three Lions (St James Theatre and Edinburgh Festival), for which he was nominated for Best Actor in The Stage Awards.  Other theatre credits include Bill Austin in Mamma Mia! (Novello), David Hart in Wonderland (Hampstead), Richard Hannay in The 39 Steps (UK Tour) and, for Ed Hall’s Propeller Theatre Company, he has played the title role in Henry V, Antipholus of Syracuse in Comedy of Errors and Ratcliffe in Richard III.

Natalie Walter’s most recent theatre credits include Pack of Lies (Menier Chocolate Factory), Jerusalem (Watermill Theatre), Smash (Menier Chocolate Factory), 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (Bush), 39 Steps (Criterion), Hay Fever (Chichester Festival Theatre) and, for the RSC, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Love’s Labour’s Lost.  Natalie was a regular performer in the CBBC series Horrible Histories.

Aïcha Kossoko’s most recent theatre credits include playing Alia Aminu in Josie Rourke’s production of The Vote at the Donmar Warehouse, Antony & Cleopatra at Chichester Festival Theatre and Liverpool Playhouse, The Taming of the Shrew for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Welcome To Thebes and The Observer at the National Theatre and La Dispute at the Abbey Theatre Dublin.  Recent films include The Fever and Claude Chabrol’s La comédie du pouvoir.  Television credits include SkinsIn DeepCoronation StreetCasualtyEastEnders and Kingmakers. She played Lady Detective and BBC Radio 4’s dramatization of The Number One Ladies Detective Agency.

PRIVATE LIVES will be directed by Christopher Luscombe, with set and costume designs by Simon Higlett, lighting design by Mark Jonathan, music by Nigel Hess, sound design by Jeremy Dunn, fight direction by Malcolm Ranson and casting by Sarah Bird.

The Nigel Havers Theatre Company’s PRIVATE LIVES is produced by Theatre Royal Bath Productions and Moss Empires.

Facebook:  nigelhaverstheatrecompany

Twitter:  nigelhaversco

TOUR SCHEDULE

2021

Theatre Royal Bath

28 October – 6 November

01225 448844

theatreroyal.org.uk

Richmond Theatre

9 – 13 November

0844 871 7651*

atgtickets.com/Richmond

Chichester Festival Theatre

16 – 20 November

01243 781312

cft.org.uk

Cambridge Arts Theatre

22 – 27 November

01223 503333

cambridgeartstheatre.com

2022

Canterbury Marlowe Theatre

17 – 22 January

01227 787787

marlowetheatre.com

Hall for Cornwall

25 – 29 January

01872 262466

hallforcornwall.co.uk 

Cheltenham Everyman Theatre

1 – 5 February

01242 572 573 

everymantheatre.org.uk

Torquay Princess

8 – 12 February

0844 871 7615*

atgtickets.com/princess-theatre-torquay

The Lowry

14 – 19 February

0343 208 6000

thelowry.com

Sheffield Lyceum

21 – 26 February

0114 249 6000

sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Oxford Playhouse

28 February – 5 March

01865 305305

oxfordplayhouse.com

Poole Lighthouse

14 – 19 March

01202 280000

lighthousepoole.co.uk

Guildford Yvonne Arnaud

21 – 26 March

01483 44 00 00

yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Norwich Theatre Royal

28 March – 2 April

01603 630 000

norwichtheatre.org

Theatre Royal Brighton

11 – 16 April

0844 871 7615*

atgtickets.com/brighton

Nottingham Theatre Royal

18 – 23 April

0115 989 5555

trch.co.uk

Booking fees may apply. *Calls to 0844 numbers cost up to 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY ANNOUNCES SPRING 2022 ACTIVITY

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY ANNOUNCES SPRING 2022 ACTIVITY

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) today released details of its Spring 2022 activity including Shakespeare returning to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage and the announcement of a ground-breaking national new writing project. The Company re-affirmed its commitment to co-create theatre online, onstage and in classrooms as part of a nationwide Royal Shakespeare Community, working with over 200 Associate Schools and 12 regional theatre partners.

Shakespeare returns to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre with a much-loved romantic comedy and two state-of the nation plays.

  • Michael Balogun and Akiya Henry play Benedick and Beatrice in a new production of Much Ado About Nothing directed by Roy Alexander Weise.  Roy makes his RSC debut following the phenomenal success of Nine Night, Master Harold and the Boys (NT) and The Mountaintop. His production will be a futuristic take on humanity’s capacity for change, and for love.
  • Gregory Doran and Owen Horsley direct Henry VI: Rebellion followed by Wars of the Roses directed by Owen Horsley in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre with a fresh new take on Henry VI Parts 2 & 3. The plays tell the story of a nation in crisis and recovery sharply resonant with our times today.

Extraordinary theatre experiences co-created in partnership with the RSC’s nationwide network of 200 Associate Schools, 12 regional theatre partners and their local communities.

  • Henry VI: Rebellion; RSC Actors to perform alongside 96 members of the Royal Shakespeare Community including young performers from the RSC’s Next Generation Act young company, adults from RSC Shakespeare Nation participation programme and emerging professional performers.
  • 37 Plays – an ambitious project to get the nation writing to create a new ‘Complete Works’. Working with the Company’s 12 regional theatre partners across the country, 37 Plays will invite new works by and for the nation celebrating the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s first folio.
  • First Encounters with Shakespeare: Twelfth Night chosen and created in collaboration with the RSC’s Associate Schools and regional theatre partners and guided by the concerns of young people. Touring communities nationwide in 2022.

Championing every child’s right to an arts-rich education

RSC research with children and young people tells us that an education that includes arts and cultural subjects teaches critical thinking and increases emotional resilience.

We deliberately work in long-term partnership with schools and communities in under-served areas in a way that unlocks potential, levels the playing field and opens up what Shakespeare and his plays can mean for the next generation.

  • 450 young Shakespeare Ambassadors recruited – working with RSC Youth Advisory Board members at a regional and national level to develop arts rich schools and communities
  • Free and on demand for schools; Michael Morpurgo’s Tales from Shakespeare; including four new titles King Lear, Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, Henry V & free school broadcast of Much Ado About Nothing announced.

Erica Whyman, Acting Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, said:

“As we look beyond the pandemic with renewed confidence, we are clear what the Royal Shakespeare Company stands for. We play an important role in the UK’s creative and economic recovery, but we can only do that because we make theatre with an amazing range of young people and adults up and down the country.  

This coming Spring is a celebration of working in collaboration, with our brilliant world-class artists, regional theatre partners, our nationwide network of Associate Schools, our Youth Advisory Board, and all the audiences we serve.

I have long admired Roy Alexander Weise and we look forward very much to his fresh take on the redemptive Much Ado About Nothing. Then we continue our journey through the canon with a double-bill of Henry VI Rebellion and Wars of the Roses, Shakespeare’s most audacious state-of-the-nation plays, created in a ground-breaking collaboration with young people and adults.

This commitment to making theatre with the nation is even more vividly expressed in 37 Plays – the most ambitious, public writing project in the Company’s history. After this last eighteen months, we all have a story to tell, and working together with our resilient theatre partners up and down the country we will set out to encourage everyone to find their voice. And we begin to look forward to 2023 when we will celebrate two remarkable collections of plays, Shakespeare’s First Folio, and the comedies, tragedies and histories of our time”

Catherine Mallyon, RSC Executive Director added:

‘As we continue our recovery from the pandemic, and face head on the challenges that have arisen as a result, we look forward with optimism as we continue to create extraordinary experiences for and with people in Stratford-upon-Avon, in theatres and local communities around the country, in London and online.

‘We know that audiences hold our Swan Theatre in deep affection, and we are taking the opportunity of this moment of phased reopening to undertake some essential capital works during 2022 to the theatre. We need to stabilise the ceiling, ensure compliance of key equipment, and improve the environmental impact of the electrical infrastructure. We also hope to increase physical accessibility and refresh seating to improve audience comfort and will undertake this work during the spring and summer of 2022’.

‘We are very grateful to be able to look to the future thanks to the loan from the Culture Recovery Fund, the funding of Arts Council England and the generous support of thousands of donors and our sponsors. It is very much the start of our recovery and, as we make ambitious plans for 2022 and beyond, the support of our funders and partners for this work is vital and appreciated.’ 

THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE

Much Ado About Nothing

Michael Balogun and Akiya Henry will take up the roles of sparring lovers Benedick and Beatrice in a futuristic take on Much Ado About Nothing running in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from 4 February to 12 March 2022.

Much Ado About Nothing will be directed by Roy Alexander Weise, award-winning Director and joint Artistic Director of the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre.  He will make his RSC debut following productions at The National Theatre, The Bush Theatre, Bristol, Tobacco Factory, Theatre503, The Arcola, The Young Vic, Finborough and in the West End.

As a Director, Roy’s previous works include Master Harold and the Boys for The National Theatre, and the multi award-winning Nine Night which later transferred to the West End and was the first transfer of its kind to be written by a British black female playwright. Roy’s 2016 production of The Mountaintop by Katori Hall saw him awarded the prestigious James Menzies-Kitchin Young Director Award.

Roy was made joint Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange Theatre in 2019 alongside Bryony Shanahan and was awarded an MBE for services to drama in 2020.

The production will feature Set Design by Jemima Robinson, Lighting Design by Azusa Ono, Sound Design by Claire Windsor and Dramaturgy by Anthony Simpson-Pike.

Costume Design is by Melissa Simon-Hartman; London-born artist, couture fashion designer, and owner of Simon-Hartman London, whose West African inspired designs recently featured in the videos for ‘Mood 4 Eva’ and ‘My Power’ as part of Beyonce’s 2020 visual album: Black Is King.

Melissa’s previous collaborations include designing award-winning costumes for the Notting Hill Carnival with her label Legion Mas, producing costumes for music videos which include Stefflon Don’s ‘Can’t Let You Go and Burna Boy & Wizkid’s ‘Ginger’ and designing outfits for the London premiere of the movie, ‘I AM BOLT’ in 2016.

The production will also feature an original score by Nigerian-born British guitarist and MOBO award-nominated musician Femi Temowo whose past collaborators include Amy Winehouse, Dee Dee BridgewaterThe Roots and Soweto Kinch.

Roy Alexander Weise said:

Shakespeare was all too aware of the creative potential that came with setting his plays in imagined worlds…or at least worlds unfamiliar to his audience at the time. Far off landscapes like Antium, Ephesus, Syria, Venice and Verona were as far removed from the world of 16th century England as the future feels to us today, providing Shakespeare with the perfect canvas on which to paint. Living in a 21st Century global society, our world is much smaller and more connected, which is why I wanted to explore what a futuristic vision of society might look like; what has the potential to be different, what potential is there for change, and equally what fundamental aspects of the human condition remain unchanged?”

Henry VI: Rebellion and Wars of the Roses

Following their previous collaboration on the King & Country cycle of plays and having most recently working together to co-direct the Henry VI Part One: Open Rehearsal Project, Gregory Doran and Owen Horsley reunite to continue their journey through the Henry plays with Henry VI: Rebellion (directed by Gregory Doran and Owen Horsley), followed by Wars of the Roses (directed by Owen Horsley) running in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from Fri 1 April to Sat 4 June 2022.

This epic journey through The Wars of the Roses tells the vivid and enthralling story of the brutal struggle for the English crown.

Originally titled The First Part of the Contention betwixt the two famous houses of York and Lancaster and labelled Henry VI: Part Two when first published, Henry VI: Rebellion hurtles through one of the most turbulent periods in English history, asking the question: can the people ever really decide their own future?

This fresh new take on Henry VI: Part Two will see a professional cast of 26 work alongside 96 members of the Royal Shakespeare Community including young performers from the RSC’s Next Generation Act company and adults from RSC Shakespeare Nation participation programme.

The production, which runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from Friday 1 April to Saturday 28 May, will feature participants from six Shakespeare Nation adult community groups, working with RSC theatre partners from The Grand Theatre Blackpool, Hall for Cornwall Truro, Theatre Royal & Concert Hall Nottingham, Norwich Theatre, The Alhambra Theatre Bradford, and The Marlowe Theatre Canterbury.

They will be joined on stage by members of Next Generation Act, a unique talent development programme made up of 25 young people aged between 13 and 18 from the RSC’s nationwide network of 222 Associate Schools.

Inspired by Henry VI Part Three, Director Owen Horsley will present the dramatic conclusion to Shakespeare’s three-part Henry VI saga, Wars of the Roses from 11 April to 4 June 2022

In this thrilling climax to The Wars of the Roses, the tussle for the English crown escalates to the battlefield and the families of Lancaster and York drench their brutal conflict in sweat and blood. As power is shunted back and forth, there is deceit, betrayal and murder at every turn. The scene is set for the final chapter as we get our first glimpse of the villainous Duke of Gloucester – soon to become Richard III. 

Henry VI: Rebellion and Wars of the Roses will feature Set Design by Stephen Brimson Lewis. He will be joined by Costume Designer Hannah Clark, whose recent credits for the RSC include Justin Audibert’s 2019 gender-flipped production of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the ShrewLighting Design is by Matt Daw and Sound Design by Steven Atkinson. RSC Associate Artist Paul Englishby returns to compose the music with fights by Rachel Bown-Williams & Ruth Cooper-Brown.  

Royal Shakespeare Theatre productions are sponsored by Darwin Escapes.

Owen Horsley said:

The Henry VI plays are rarely seen on stage and that is most probably because of the pure scale and ambition of the young writer who penned them. Both Henry VI Parts Two and Three are record holders in their own right; Part Two containing the largest number of characters and Part Three featuring the greatest number of battles in any Shakespeare play. Throughout Henry VI we see a seismic shift from a chivalric code of honour to a dog-eat-dog world were only the most politically canny will survive’.

‘It feels very modern in its immediacy and paints a vivid and brutal picture of an individualistic world that is hell bent on power. Like the young Shakespeare’s Henry plays, this will be an epic collaboration in every sense; working with Next Generation Act young company and Shakespeare Nation adult community groups from across the UK to give voice to the people of England and their growing desire to rebel, whilst also engaging with new drama graduates who have had their own voices temporarily silenced by the pandemic”.

37 PLAYS – AN INVITATION TO THE NATION

Launching in January 2022 in collaboration with theatres across the country, 37 Plays will bring together diverse voices from across the UK in one of the most ambitious new writing and creative projects in the Company’s history.

Inspired by the scope and timeless relevance of Shakespeare’s plays, capturing the stories of a nation in an extraordinary historical moment, 37 Plays will invite children, young people, and adults, including established emerging and first-time writers to write the comedies, tragedies, and untold histories of our time.

The project will run through 2022 and will culminate in an online and in-person festival in 2023 marking the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio.

From five-act plays to short-form monologues, plays performed on stage, or on the streets, to new and emerging formats, 37 Plays will explore who we are as a society and inspire meaningful conversation about what the future of dramatic writing might look and feel like, on and off our stages.

Working with the Learning and Creative teams of partner theatres across the UK, 37 Plays will include an open call to anyone wishing to contribute with the simple brief of creating a piece of drama that can make people smile, cry, tell untold stories or the history of our time with further details to be confirmed in January 2022.

Regional and national panels will be created to read, long list and short list submissions. The shortlisted 37 Plays will be collated and published with the aim of the selected plays being produced and performed in 2023.

Erica Whyman, Acting Artistic Director of the RSC said ‘One of the many reasons that Shakespeare’s plays continue to endure is down to his ability to write about his own time in ways that still mean something to us today. Despite the centuries that have passed, we still recognise something of ourselves in his writings. Now, more than ever, there are new and urgent stories to tell about who we think we are and who might become. We know that as a nation we have a lot to say, and with 37 Plays we have the opportunity to surface those stories whether comic, tragic, historical, supernatural, real or imagined, unearthing new voices for different platforms whether that’s on our stages, on our streets, in schools, online or in new locations and spaces we haven’t explored yet’

RSC IN LONDON AND ON TOUR

The RSC is committed to creating extraordinary theatre experiences inspired by Shakespeare’s plays in Stratford-upon-Avon, in London, around the country and online.

After re-opening to audiences in Autumn 2021 for its ten-year anniversary, bookings for Matilda The Musical are currently available at The Cambridge Theatre through to 29 May 2022 for individuals and 16 December 2022 for groups and schools. The production was originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, having premiered at the RSC’s Stratford-upon-Avon home in 2010 before transferring to the West End in October 2011.

The previously announced world premiere production of Hilary Mantel’s The Mirror and the Light continues its run at London’s Gielgud Theatre with booking now extended until 23 January 2022 by popular demand. Co-produced by Playful Productions and the Royal Shakespeare Company, the play is the third and final instalment in the Wolf Hall trilogy and was adapted by Hilary Mantel and Ben Miles for the West End stage.

After playing to 30,000 people at The Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre in Stratford this Summer, Phillip Breen’s critically acclaimed The Comedy of Errors will tour to Nottingham, Canterbury and Bradford, concluding at London’s Barbican theatre from 16 Nov to 31 Dec 2021.

This will be followed by the return of the RSC First Encounters with Shakespeare series in 2022 with a new production of Twelfth Night, edited and directed by Robin Belfield.

For over a decade the RSC has taken First Encounters productions – edited versions of the plays performed using Shakespeare’s original language – on the road into the heart of communities. They have been enjoyed by over 100,000 people to date and are an important part of the RSC’s work which is rooted in a long-term commitment to different regions around the country. Through deep partnerships with schools and theatres across England, RSC activity provides pathways for young people, teachers, artists and schools to develop their skills and knowledge.

Twelfth Night will be co-created with the RSC’s Associate Regional Theatres and Associate Schools, enabling young people to experience Shakespeare for the first time, not simply as audience members but as theatre makers.

Director Robin Belfield said: “Making theatre is an act of community and so emerging from challenges and isolation brought about by the Covid pandemic, I’m looking forward to making this show in partnership with other theatre makers and young people from various communities around the country. Twelfth Night seems the ideal play too, one that starts with separation and loss and ends with reunion and joy.

Working with the RSC’s Associate Schools, it’s clear that the climate crisis is a priority for young people, so I’m excited to see how I can work with the RSC and its partners to create and tour this show in the most environmentally conscious way possible.”

The First Encounters with Shakespeare series will tour to theatre and communities nationwide in Autumn 2022 including Birmingham, Cumbria, Blackpool, Newcastle, York, Bradford, Hull, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham, and Suffolk.

All performances of Twelfth Night will be chilled performances offering a welcoming, safe environment for everyone to encounter Shakespeare for the first time. Performance dates and tour locations to be announced.

RSC IN SCHOOLS, ONLINE AND IN COMMUNITIES

The Royal Shakespeare Company works with people of all ages – in classrooms, on stages and online and incorporates 1,000 schools, 1,500 adults and over half a million young people across the nation as part of the Royal Shakespeare Community.

The RSC supported young people and teachers throughout the pandemic through its online resources including RSC Homework Help including Associate Artists David Tennant and Adjoa Andoh, online Shakespeare Learning Zone, downloadable Teachers Packs, Live Lessons and BBC Bitesize Shakespeare lessons.

Not only has the UK seen reductions in opportunities to access the arts, but existing inequalities have been widened across society leading to conversations about how the Royal Shakespeare Company and its partners can work to redress them.

The RSC continues to address these urgent challenges, using Shakespeare’s work and RSC ways of working in rehearsals to;

  • Unlock potential in young people by developing life, language and theatre skills, building self-confidence and enhancing life chances.
  • Level the playing field …not all children and adults have equal access to Shakespeare and the arts and we work to change that.
  • Ask Why Shakespeare? Explore and challenge what Shakespeare means to us and the people we work with.

RSC Director of Learning and National Partnerships, Jacqui O’Hanlon said;

‘All young people deserve an arts-rich education. We know this develops the life chances of children, contributes to their wellbeing, develops skills and behaviours that mean they do better at school, enhances employability and creates engaged citizens who make a positive contribution to their communities and society.

We have so much evidence as an arts sector about the ways in which arts rich schools and arts learning unlocks potential and reveals new ways to see ourselves, others and the world around us.  All young people and schools should have access to artists and resources that support learning outcomes for children and develop pathways for their future, equipping them to go out and thrive in today’s world’.

RSC Learning is offering a wide range of resources and activities for teachers and learners, many free to use, including online performances and videos, workshops and professional development opportunities.

Certificate in Teaching Shakespeare – develops teachers’ skills knowledge and confidence in using RSC rehearsal-room approaches in the classroom and professional development days led by RSC artists at a venue of choice. Courses can be created for teachers from Early Years to Key Stage 5 and can cover any Shakespeare play. 

Clore Learning Centre online workshops – enabling any school anywhere in the UK to book a workshop with RSC Artists to explore the contemporary relevance of Shakespeare’s plays to the world today with workshops on Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet or The Tempest available throughout November and December 2021.

On-demand schools’ broadcast – the RSC’s 2016 production of The Tempest is now open for school registrations. This will be followed by a broadcast of Much Ado About Nothing which will be available in Spring 2022.

Tales from Shakespeare with Michael Morpurgo – after launching in January 2021, the RSC’s weekly series returns in Spring 2022 with four new tales from celebrated children’s author Michael Morpurgo, featuring readings by members of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Recordings of King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet and Henry V will be released weekly from 14 January and will be available on demand to schools for three months.

Shakespeare Learning Zone – the award-winning website contains an informative and interactive catalogue of games, videos, galleries and key learning resources, giving students the chance to find more about each play or revise ones they know well. The newest additions will be The Comedy of Errors and As You Like It, including specially commissioned films of actors in rehearsals and in performance.  Is there a number of users stat to add here?

REHEARSAL IMAGES HAVE BEEN RELEASED TODAY OF THE NEW PRODUCTION OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL STARRING NICHOLAS FARRELL AND MARK GATISS

Eleanor Lloyd Productions and Eilene Davidson Productions present the Nottingham Playhouse production of…
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
A GHOST STORY

By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Mark Gatiss
Directed by Adam Penford

  • REHEARSAL IMAGES HAVE BEEN RELEASED TODAY OF THE NEW PRODUCTION OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL STARRING NICHOLAS FARRELL AND MARK GATISS.
  • THE PRODUCTION RUNS AT NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE FROM 29 OCTOBER – 20 NOVEMBER 2021 PRIOR TO A CHRISTMAS RUN AT ALEXANDRA PALACE FROM 26 NOVEMBER – 9 JANUARY 2022
  • TICKETS FOR BOTH VENUES ARE ON SALE NOW

Rehearsal images have been released today for Mark Gatiss’ brand-new adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol directed by Adam Penford. Originally scheduled to open in 2020 the production will premiere at Nottingham Playhouse on 29 October, ahead of its London premiere at Alexandra Palace on 26 November.

Olivier award-winner Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, The League of Gentlemen, Doctor Who) stars as Jacob Marley in his own retelling of Dickens’ classic winter ghost story alongside Nicholas Farrell (Chariots of Fire, The Crown, The Iron Lady and 37 Days) as Scrooge; James Backway (Holes, The Taming of the Shrew, War Horse) as Fred; Angelina Chudi (Dear Elizabeth, Patricia Gets Ready (for a date with the man that used to hit her)) as Caroline; Jo Eaton-Kent (The Watch, Don’t Forget the Driver, Carousel) as the Ghost of Christmas Past; Zak Ford-Williams as Tiny Tim; Aoife Gaston (Barbarians, Love & Information) as Belle; Christopher Godwin (Amadeus, This House, The Dig) as the Narrator; Edward Harrison (Wolf Hall, Bring up the Bodies, Holes, Skellig) as Bob Cratchit; Sarah Ridgeway (HALO, Fury, The Captive Queen) as Mrs Cratchit and; Joe Shire (Witness for the Prosecution, The Island) as Ghost of Christmas Present. Filled with Dickensian, spine-tingling special effects, prepare to be frightened and delighted in equal measure as you enter the supernatural Victorian world of A Christmas Carol.

It’s a cold Christmas Eve and mean-spirited miser Ebenezer Scrooge (Nicholas Farrell) has an unexpected visit from the spirit of his former business partner Jacob Marley (Mark Gatiss). Bound in chains as punishment for a lifetime of greed, the unearthly figure explains it isn’t too late for Scrooge to change his miserly ways in order to escape the same fate, but first he’ll have to face three more eerie encounters…

A Christmas Carol is the latest collaboration between Gatiss and Penford following Nottingham Playhouse’s award-winning production of The Madness of George III in 2018. The production is designed by Paul Wills, lighting design by Philip Gladwell, sound design by Ella Wahlström, video design by Nina Dunn, movement direction by Georgina Lamb, composition by Tingying Dong, Sam Stevenson is the casting director, Matthew Forbes is the puppet director, Tom Atwood is the music director and Jasmine Teo is the associate director.

A Christmas Carol will open first at Nottingham Playhouse directed by its Artistic Director Adam Penford. Nottingham Playhouse is dedicated to making bold and thrilling world-class theatre in the heart of Nottingham and was named Regional Theatre of the Year in The Stage Awards 2019.

Over Christmas the production will transfer to Alexandra Palace. Originally built in 1875, the Alexandra Palace Theatre has been reawakened and its Victorian features have been restored, making it the perfect backdrop to experience this landmark production.

Love and Other Acts of Violence Review

Donmar Warehouse – until 27 November 2021

4****

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

The Donmar Warehouse reopens in style with this disturbingly hypnotic play by Cordelia Lynn exploring the repeating cycles of violence in history, politics, and personal relationships.

Deceptively beginning in a similar style to Constellations, with unlinked scenes from a burgeoning relationship played out in quick succession, Lynn’s play soon begins to reveal its true colours as pressures build on the couple. The scene transitions are occasionally marked by recorded descriptions of the feelings of the lovers – whether this is a reference to his poetry or to the events being played over and over throughout the ages is left to the audience to decide.

The couple, unnamed and credited as Him (Tom Mothersdale) and Her (Abigail Weinstock) meet at a party in her flat. While he spouts trite student activist catchphrases at her, in a tirade that veers between intimidation, creepiness and childish need, her reactions are hilarious as she tries to placate and extract herself from his presence. Eventually he relaxes and an almost real conversation begins. She is a Jewish physicist working at the University, and he is a student of Polish descent who writes poetry, later teaching history at the same university. The country remains unnamed but could be any Western state as his protests against the government and their actions are discussed. The rise of fascism in the country is at first seen through silly things as they make jokes about the flags they must fly by law, but the crackdown against immigrants and individuals and groups who do not fit in with the state’s ideology soon becomes terrifying.

The upheaval of norms from these political events is mirrored by the turbulent relationship of the couple, who talk and talk, but never seem to understand each other. They find out that their great-grandparents were both from Lemberg, but as he is Polish and she a Jew, it is best if they don’t explore the connection further. The charm and schoolboy enthusiasm for social justice of the man cannot mask his narcissism and gaslighting of his lover, and when they run out of words, physical violence soon follows. The characters reveal their true selves rarely and in guarded snippets, but these sections are glorious and devastating. After sitting through an extraordinary piece of mansplaining about how they should have a child, her explanation of her unwillingness is a bold and bare comparison of her belly to the mass graves of the Holocaust and Pogroms that still doesn’t pierce his egotism. His description of a protest where he was part of a murderous mob is shockingly real, and both actors are phenomenal in these scenes. Astonishingly, this is Weinstock’s professional debut, her naturalistic expressions and physicality is a revelation. Mothersdale also impresses as the ever more unsympathetic Him, and the chemistry between the two is magnetic.

Director Elayce Ismail doesn’t need any major effects during the first part of the play, as the pair’s performances on Basia Binkowska’s bare wooden floor are enough to grip. The final half hour sees a hidden set revealed that takes the action back to Lemberg in 1918 as the Ukrainians retreat and the Poles take over the town and carry out a Pogrom on the Jews. Here we see Weinstock play her great-grandmother, Baba and the wonderful Richard Katz play her father. As the Poles advance, he refuses to leave, having been moved on so many times, insisting that they just need to sit it out. As glass shatters and the sound of running feet become louder outside, he comforts her with the story of how he wooed her mother, and these charming moments explain so much of Her actions and fears in the modern scenes. Of course, the Polish soldier who comes to their home is His great- grandfather, and the interplay between them disturbingly echoes pivotal moments in the modern relationship. After such a quiet, minimalistic portrayal of the modern world, the busy, frantic horror of the Pogrom feels like it belongs in a different production at first, but the connections and ripples through history break through, reminding us that the quiet insidious rise of violent ideology is equally horrifying.

Love and Other Acts of Violence is a glorious return for The Donmar – the phenomenal cast dazzle in this dark and disturbing play

Our War Review

Jack Studio Theatre – until 23 October 2021

3***

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

The horrors of WW1 have been fair game for historians and film makers for many years, but the mythologising of WW2, which began as propaganda to remind the UK that right was on OUR side, and for many decades we were bombarded with films, books and documentaries about our heroes and their heroic deeds is still ongoing in many quarters, with no mention of morally dubious actions and blatant whitewashing of the narrative, making it appear that the war was won by brave white men and their chirpy lower-class troops. While in the 1980s, TV characters like Uncle Albert and his constant stories about the war were figures of fun, now that the people who recall those dark days are becoming fewer and fewer the myth of WW2 and Blitz Spirit is being used more and more by some press and politicians to diminish, abuse and alienate those who do not fit into their ideology. This makes productions like Imole Theatre Company’s Our War vital – reminding us of and celebrating the Black African and Caribbean men and women who fought and contributed to the war effort.

Andrew Ashaye has written a sometimes-lyrical play which begins with a grandmother being asked if any Black people fought in the war and develops at a leisurely pace, circling and repeating, as the old lady’s memories and stories are portrayed. Director Debo Oluwatuminu’s approach gives the play the feel of sitting on the knee of the elderly narrator while she reminisces but means that some sections lose momentum.

The recruitment drive in Nigeria, insisting that the men should fight for the Mother Counrty, is full of colonial hypocrisy and empty promises, with Ed Petrie spouting the banal slogans with the right amount of officious pomposity, but Tommy (Tobi Olutayo) and Christian (Beko Wood) still join up for very different reasons – Tommy is from a rich family and wants to fly planes, and Christian sees it as the only way he can earn enough to provide for his mother. Their experiences in the military seem to contrast at first, but Tommy’s joy for flying that has made him accept or ignore inequalities soon disappears when he is injured and reality hits. Christian’s explanation of the way that the army views and treats the Black troops is much more honest and visceral, with Hamish Somers’ capturing the incredulity of his white colleague who had never questioned or thought about his own inherent racism before. Olayinka (Lola Oteh-Cole) is a nurse who has come to London and faces the prejudice of civilians every day. Even as she and a Black doctor help victims of a bombing in Deptford, people question their skills and motives, and there is a stark reminder that the air raid shelters were segregated, with Olayinka being turned away and told to go to the Coloured Shelter. Beko Wood impresses as the tragic Christian and Lola Oteh-Cole is wonderful as the determined Olayinka, showing her softer side during her courtship with Tommy. Tommy’s shift from cocky pilot to a broken man with no purpose is handled nicely without melodrama by Tobi Olutayo.

Our War is a heartfelt and hard-hitting production with scenes that will make your blood boil, but the presence of the older women characters throughout the play creates a calm, almost soothing storytelling effect that channels that anger to educate and inspire.

Poleroid Theatre celebrate 10th anniversary and support Fleabag Support Fund

Poleroid Theatre celebrate 10th anniversary with
‘10 years in development’ charity event
Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD
Sunday 21st November 2021, 7.30pm

Celebrating their 10th anniversary, the multi-award winning new writing company Poleroid Theatre are presenting a one-off charity event showcasing the hottest new talent, in aid of the Fleabag Support Fund. The evening will reignite the experimental, eclectic, supportive spirit of Poleroid’s first new writing nights; some of the UK’s most celebrated young theatre makers and Poleroid alumni will join up with a selection of new graduate talent for a joyful night of short work premieres and a look back at Poleroid’s last 10 years.

Featuring new writing from Royal Court Pinter Commission winner Brad Birch (Black Mountain, The Brink), Olivier Award nominee Ella Road (The Phlebotomist), BAFTA nominated Essex stage and screenwriter Kenny Emson (Terrorism, Plastic), rising talent and resident Mercury Theatre playwright Ava Pickett, award winning theatre and screenwriter Camilla Whitehill (Where Do Little Birds Go?, Mr Incredible), BIFA nominated writer & director of BBC’s Ladhood Jonathan Schey (The Entertainer with Toby Jones), Funny Women Award Winner Kathryn Bond, award winning Daniella Isaacs (Hear Me Raw, Mush & Me), sketch duo Omar & Lee, and more to be announced.

The event is curated by Artistic Director and actor Molly Roberts (Old Vic 12/Pressure – West End) and director Bethany Pitts (Spine – Soho Theatre, Fringe First Award Winner).

Poleroid Theatre’s Artistic Director Molly Roberts comments, I am so utterly delighted to be joined by such a generous group of rising & celebrated talent to mark Poleroid reaching 10 years old. For it to be in aid of a charity that supports emerging freelancers feels even more fitting. It is incredibly special to be able to take an evening to reconnect with the amazing community of emerging artists we’ve met over the years and look back at the projects, opportunities & space Poleroid has strived to give them. But more importantly we’ll be looking to the future, and celebrating our post-Lockdown togetherness by making some brand new work, in Poleroid’s true
fun, collaborative, energised spirit! I think we all deserve a party that’s for sure.

Over the last 10 years, Poleroid, led by Molly Roberts, have provided support for exceptional emerging and mid-career artists to develop their skills through innovative new writing events, productions & development opportunities. Their notable productions include Plastic by Kenneth Emson at the Old Red Lion & Mercury Theatre (Top Theatre Pick in The Stage & TimeOut, OffWestEnd Theatre Award Finalist), This Must Be The Place by Brad Birch and Kenneth Emson at Latitude/Vault (Vault Show Of The Year Award), Free Fall by Vinay Patel at Pleasance (nominated for 3 OffWestEnd Theatre Awards), The Allotment by Andrew Thompson at Live
Theatre, and Write It: Mic It – an acclaimed multi-discipline performance event which has given opportunities to over 300 artists and been hosted at the Paines Plough Roundabout, numerous festivals and cities across the UK. In 2020, as a response to Covid-19, they launched Poleroid: Play In, a pilot series of sell out online seminars connecting entry level artists with the UK’s hottest theatre makers

All profits from the event will go to the Fleabag Support Fund, providing support to freelancers working in theatre, comedy and cabaret.

SIMON LIPKIN JOINS DAN SKINNER IN THE WORLD PREMIÈRE OF BRIAN & ROGER – A HIGHLY OFFENSIVE PLAY, OPENING THE MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY’S NEW SPACE – THE MIXING ROOM

SIMON LIPKIN JOINS DAN SKINNER IN THE WORLD PREMIÈRE OF

BRIAN & ROGER – A HIGHLY OFFENSIVE PLAY,

OPENING THE MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY’S NEW SPACE – THE MIXING ROOM

With the critically acclaimed Tony Award-winning Indecent currently playing on the main stage, the Menier Chocolate Factory today announces that Simon Lipkin joins Dan Skinner in Brian & Roger – A Highly Offensive Play inspired by Skinner and Harry Peacock’s hit podcast Brian & Roger. Artistic Director of the Menier David Babani directs the production which previews from 22 October. The production opens the company’s new smaller studio space, The Mixing Room, runs until 18 December. Lipkin replaces Peacock who has withdrawn from the production on medical advice.

Harry Peacock said today, “I’m enormously grateful to Simon for stepping in at such short notice to enable the run of Brian & Roger to go ahead as planned at the Menier. Stepping back from the show was an incredibly difficult decision, but ultimately the right one for my health and the production, and I can’t wait to enjoy the show from the comfort of the auditorium. There may however be action if he’s better than me…”

David Babani added, “Harry and Dan have created an incredibly funny, rude, genius podcast, and have brought all of that to the stage. It’s with Harry’s blessing that we welcome Simon back to the Menier to join Dan and bring this piece to life on the stage, and we’ll continue to have Harry’s support and brilliance as we move forward to production.”

Simon Lipkin commented, “Can you please go away. I’m trying to learn my lines.”

THE MIXING ROOM

The Menier Chocolate Factory presents

The world première of

BRIAN & ROGER – A Highly Offensive Play

Written by Harry Peacock and Dan Skinner

Director: David Babani; Set and Costume Design: Robert Jones;Video Design: Timothy Bird

Lighting Design: Paul Anderson; Sound Design: Gregory Clarke

22 October – 18 December

Brian and Roger met at a support group for recently divorced men. Roger was attending because he was genuinely grieving the loss of his marriage. Brian was instructed to attend by his solicitor if he wanted to dodge paying alimony. Roger is in need of guidance and support, which Brian willingly supplies. Both are starting again. Both are finding it hard. One of them is nice.

Described as ‘Best British comedy happening right now’ (Daily Telegraph), the original podcast Brian & Roger was written and performed by Harry Peacock and Dan Skinner. It was produced by Marc Haynes and Joel Morris for Great Big Owl.  

Simon Lipkin returns to the Menier, having previously appeared in Assassins. His other theatre work includes Ghost Stories (Lyric Hammersmith and Ambassadors Theatre), All in a Row, As You Like It (Southwark Playhouse), Nativity! The Musical, Spamalot, The Wedding Singer (UK tours), The Wind in the Willows, Honeymoon in Vegas, I Can’t Sing (London Palladium), Whisper House (The Other Palace), Guys and Dolls (Phoenix Theatre), Oliver! (Grange Park Opera), Miss Atomic Bomb (St James Theatre), The Lorax (The Old Vic), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Above the Arts), Rock of Ages (Shaftesbury Theatre), Alice in Wonderland (Nuffield Southampton), A Christmas Carol (Arts Theatre), Austentatious (Landor Theatre), and Avenue Q (Noël Coward Theatre). For television, his work includes Doctor Who and The Amazing World of Gumball; and for film, Show Dogs, Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s my Donkey?!, and Nativity Rocks!.

Harry Peacock’s theatre credits include Henry IV (Parts 1&2), His Dark Materials, Cyrano de Bergerac (National Theatre), Macbeth (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Low Road, Chicken Soup with Barley (Royal Court Theatre), The Ladykillers (Gielgud Theatre), The Cherry Orchard (Birmingham Rep Theatre), As You Like It (Sheffield Crucible). His previous television credits include Toast of LondonStar Stories, The Kennedys, Kingdom; and for film, Gulliver’s Travels, Far from the Madding Crowd, Cinderella the Musical and Judas.  

Dan Skinner often appears as comedy character Angelos Epithemiou and is a member of the British five-man sketch troupe Dutch Elm Conservatoire. His theatre credits include Angelos Epithemiou: Live at the O2 (Soho Theatre), Angelos and Barry: A Matter of Life and Death (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2018), The Warp (Wol Wontok) and Dutch Elm Conservatoire (Soho Theatre/Latchmere Theatre). His previous television credits include The Angelos Epithemiou Show, My Family, Friday Night Dinner, Tracey Ullman’s Show, Katy Brand’s Big Ass Show and Not Going Out; and for film, The Spy Who Dumped Me, Swallows and Amazons, and Horrible Histories. 

Age recommendation 16+

LISTINGS INFORMATION

MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY

53 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1RU

INDECENT

Until 27 November

BRIAN & ROGER

22 October – 18 December

HABEAS CORPUS

3 December 2021 – 26 February 2022

Box Office:                         020 7378 1713 (£2.50 transaction fee per booking)

Website:             www.menierchocolatefactory.com (£1.50 transaction fee per booking)

Tickets:                               Prices vary, as below from discounted preview tickets to premier seats. With the emphasis on ‘the sooner you book, the better the price’:

Please note at this time the restaurant is unable to open due to circumstances beyond the company’s control.

www.menierchocolatefactory.com

Twitter: @MenChocFactory

Instagram: @menierchocolatefactory