Category: Uncategorized

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR TENNESSEE WILLIAMS’

CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF

A MADE AT CURVE, LIVERPOOL EVERYMAN & PLAYHOUSE AND ENGLISH TOURING THEATRE CO-PRODUCTION

Supported by grant funding from the Royal Theatrical Support Trust

Siena Kelly as Maggie
Oliver Johnstone as Brick
Teresa Banham as Big Mama
Peter Forbes as Big Daddy

Leicester’s Curve theatre, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and English Touring Theatre (ETT) have today revealed the full company for the upcoming co-production of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Anthony Almeida, which will open at Curve on 3 September, with a national press night on Wednesday 8 September, and then tour venues across England and Wales.

On a sweltering Mississippi night, the lies are as stifling as the heat.

Maggie has fought up from poverty, only to find herself in a passionless, burning marriage. Her husband Brick Pollitt, a former pro footballer, drinks to drown out the hurt he has bottled up inside.

When the entire Pollitt family meet for Big Daddy’s 65th birthday, the claws are out. As shattering truths threaten to spiral out of control, the family set out to protect themselves, and each other, from falling apart.

Following the success of Curve’s production of A Streetcar Named Desire, this bold new revival of Tennessee Williams’ lyrical Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece is a blazing portrayal of what it takes to survive in a society where we’re all desperate to feel free.

Siena Kelly, who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Award for her role in Channel 4’s Adult Material at this year’s BAFTAs,will play the role of Maggie, with Oliver Johnstone (All My Sons, Old Vic; SkyFall, Eon Productions) as her distant and troubled husband Brick. Teresa Banham (The Crown, Netflix; Robin Hood, BBC) will appear as Big Mama and Peter Forbes (Follies, National Theatre; Judy, Pathé) will play Big Daddy, the Pollitt family’s vivid patriarch.

Joining the cast as Gooper and his wife Mae are Sam Alexander (The Watsons, Chichester Festival Theatre) and Shanaya Rafaat (Jude, Hampstead Theatre). Suzette Llewellyn (EastEnders, BBC) will play Doctor Baugh, with Minal Patel (A Christmas Carol, Dominion Theatre) as Reverend Tooker.

The drama will open at Curve 3 – 18 September, before touring to Liverpool Playhouse 22 September – 2 October, Marlowe Theatre 6 – 9 October, The New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich 12 – 16 October, Theatr Clwyd 19 – 23 October, concluding at Mast Mayflower Studios Southampton 26 – 30 October.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is directed by Anthony Almeida, winner of the 2019 Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST) Sir Peter Hall Director Award. The production is also supported by grant funding from the RTST.

Speaking about the company, director Anthony Almeida said:

“Medea, Hamlet, Hedda Gabler – throughout stage history: a singular heavyweight part headlines our greatest plays. But in his typical swagger, Tennessee Williams tore up the rules: he wrote not just one, but four colossal, enigmatic roles. It’s going to be dynamite to witness these talented actors go head-to-head onstage. This entire cast are electric. I’m excited for us to begin rehearsals.”

Rosanna Vize will design the set for the production, with associate designs and costume designs from Sarah Mercadé. Joshua Gadsby will provide lighting designs, Giles Thomas will compose new music and create the sound design, and movement direction will come from Gemma Payne. The show is cast by Ginner Schiller and the production team is completed by Curve’s Birkbeck Trainee Director Jennifer Lane Baker as Assistant Director, Production Manager Sam Paterson, Company Stage Manager Helen Gaynor, Deputy Stage Manager Robyn Clogg and Assistant Stage Manager Zoe Leonard.

The roles of the Pollitt family children will be played by local young people at Leicester’s Curve, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and across the tour.

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said:

“We are thrilled our co-production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof will finally make it onto stages this autumn. Anthony Almeida is a director of outstanding talent and we are excited to welcome him to Leicester. Anthony has assembled an astonishing creative team and acting company, who we’re certain will thrill audiences across the tour.

“These are challenging times to produce theatre and we are indebted to our partners at English Touring Theatre, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, and Mark Hawes and Sir Geoffrey Cass at the Royal Theatrical Support Trust for their unyielding support and collaborative spirit, ensuring this ambitious production can go and can be shared with audiences across the country.”

Mark Da Vanzo, Chief Executive at Liverpool and Merseyside Theatres Trust, said:

“We’re delighted to be working with our friends at the Curve and English Touring Theatre to bring this wonderful, bold new revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to the Liverpool Playhouse. A particular highlight is that local young people will have the chance to be cast and act alongside a very distinguished and talented cast. It’s likely to be a sell-out tour so don’t miss this opportunity to see Tennessee Williams’ classic play”.

Richard Twyman, Artistic Director and Sophie Scull, Executive Producer at ETT said:

“We are extremely proud to be partnering with Leicester Curve and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse on this RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award winning production. This award provides a vital opportunity for an early career artist to make work for audiences nationally, in some of the UK’s most significant and dynamic theatre spaces, and never has that felt so essential. The RTST 2019 winner, Anthony Almeida, is a remarkably talented director and we’re so excited by the outstanding cast and creative team he’ll be working with. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is the first show ETT will be touring to (indoor) theatres since the pandemic began, and we can’t wait to share this beautiful piece with audiences in Leicester, Liverpool, Canterbury, Ipswich, North Wales and Southampton.”

Tickets for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof are on sale now. To find out more and book tickets, visit www.curveonline.co.uk

Pleasance National Partnerships Programme with Bristol Old Vic FERMENT. On demand from 9 – 30 August 2021

Reviewed by Aimee Liddington

4****

Do we create our own destiny or is our future decided by the circumstances we are born into? This monologue by Florence Espeut-Nickless forces us to ponder on this question.

In her semi-autobiographical account of a young girl from a council estate in rural Wiltshire, Espeut-Nickless brings a beautiful authenticity to the role. We meet Destiny as she is preparing for a big night out at Karma, her local nightclub. As the music plays and the drinks flow, the night takes a turn for the worse and we end up joining Destiny on her path to finding the love and support that has been lacking so far in her life.

It’s a story we have heard before but despite the predictability of the character’s bad decisions, it’s hard not to fall for her charm. Her life has been full of misfortune including absent parents, financial hardship and sexual abuse but there is a level of innocence to her story telling which makes her all the more endearing. As she repeatedly makes decisions that will inevitably end in pain, Destiny manages to keep the audience laughing even in her darkest hours. Espeut-Nickless cleverly makes references to stereotypes and well-known pop culture that the audience is sure to resonate with.

The stage is kept very bare with only a single chair and a handful of small props to accompany our actress in her one woman show. The clever sound and lighting adjustments by Joseff Harris and Jenny Roxburgh create shifts in ambiance that give the audience an insight into Destiny’s state of mind. The success of the performance is however, owed mostly, to Espeut-Nickless and her ability to command the stage.

This is a thought-provoking piece of political theatre peppered with moments of humour and a reminder that we can create our own destiny if we manage to find a bit of hope and faith.

Curve Theatre, Leicester and The Pleasance Theatre, London. On demand from 16 – 30 August 2021

Reviewed by Aimee Liddington

3***

Jo is ‘sort of a lesbian’ and she’s ‘sort of friends’ with Eva who is ‘sort of a liability’ – together they navigate the ups and downs of womanhood. When Jo becomes pregnant, she turns to Eva for support but Eva is going through her own dilemma. The two women support each other and in a story about sexuality and sexual health, we are reminded that family can be so much more than what it appears to be in a traditional sense.

Writer and producer, Holly Boyden covers some prominent difficulties for young women in this modern story set in the East Midlands. Although the audience is amused by the one-liners delivered by Eva, played by Lisa Ronkowski, her character also allows the audience to confront some serious topics such as abortion, STIs and infertility. Additionally, Jo, played by Gemma Kenny, brings some thought-provoking issues to the forefront concerning bisexuality and attitudes towards motherhood.

Holly Boyden herself, who played the role of Sheela, was successful in stepping in as extra characters such as the waitress in the restaurant scene and the doctor at the women’s clinic. I did, however, often feel confused by her presence when she stepped back into her role as the narrator. At times she seemed to need more confidence and could have delivered some of her lines with more conviction. I wonder whether this character would be better scaled back and if Boyden could work on the subtlety of the omnipresence of the narrator with director Natasha Kathi-Chandra.

The choice of staging was clever and Kenny, Ronkowski and Boyden worked well together to move the tables which were used to transform the stage from scene to scene. The lighting and sound, although very basic, seemed to work but during the filmed version there seemed to be a lot of background noise. At times, it wasn’t clear whether the noise was part of the production or was coming from elsewhere. This is of course something that would not have been an issue when viewing the play in person.

It Kind of Looks Like a Doughnut is an intriguing production which covers some very interesting and challenging topics with humour. The skeleton of a successful production is definitely there, the team just need to polish the finished article.

Trafalgar Theatre, London- until 2 January 2022

Reviewed by Liberty Noke

5*****

Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons as they rise from a small town in New Jersey to become best selling artists. The story is told in four parts or “seasons” with each member of the band getting the chance to narrate their story.

Featuring such recognisable classics as “Beggin” and “Can’t Take my Eyes Off You” and with complex and endearing characters it is clear to see why this musical has been so popular since its debut in 2004 and this performance was no different. The talented cast had pitch perfect vocals throughout and the choreography, while it may appear simple, perfectly matched the music and the period and was performed so immaculately, not once was any actor off beat.

Ben Joyce’s performance of Frankie Valli was incredible his vocals were stunning and he gave a fantastic portrayal of Frankie from start to finish. A remarkable West End debut. Tommy De Vito played by Benjamin Yates, despite his despicable acts was charming and you couldn’t help but quite like him. Adam Bailey played the character of Bob Gaudio, the song writing talent of the group. He brings such likeability to the character. Karl James Wilson plays Nick Massi who is often the voice of reason in the group. He added humour to the show in the blunt way he delivered some of his lines.

The staging was simple, grey in colour with a raised walkway along the back accessed by a staircase in either side to add layers to the stage. Act one ended with the Four Seasons facing away from the audience as if to a crowd allowing the audience to feel that they were backstage at a Four Seasons show. A fantastic and unusual way to close the first act that made the audience feel closer to the story.

Overall this was an energetic and upbeat performance that had the whole theatre on their feet. A sensational musical that is not to be missed.

KILN YOUNG COMPANY 16-18s PRESENT A NEW BEGINNING

Kiln Young Company 16-18s will be presenting a scratch production called A New Beginning on Kiln Theatre stage this evening at 7pm. The group of young people from Brent and North West London have been taking part in free sessions since May, supported by Director David Gilbert, Associate Director Basheba Baptiste and Writing Associate Sara Kosar, where they have been developing their writing, acting and directing skills culminating in tonight’s performance.

Many young people are participants who have taken part in Kiln Theatre projects before and some are new to the project. The first part of the course was online and focussed on writing skills, with in person sessions resuming in June at Kiln Theatre. 

With a focus on independent writing skills at the start of the project, and supporting young people’s own voices and ideas, the piece encompasses multiple short pieces in one night. Participants developed 6 short plays, and are directing and acting in each other’s work. One of the aims of the project is to support the development of young people’s creative Agency, to help them gain a range of theatre making skills to enable them to create their own work in the future.

Head of Creative Engagement, Jenny Batt said, As with the theatre industry and Brent borough, the Participants and the Creative Team have faced many challenges over the course of the project due to the pandemic. I’m completely inspired by the commitment to creativity that the young company have showed in this time, as well as their talent. It’s a total privilege to be working with the young people and amazing creative team on this scratch, which is the first Creative Engagement project to return to Kiln Theatre Stage since lockdown 2020. Come down.

Listings: A New Beginning

Tickets are free, and can be reserved via the website: https://kilntheatre.com/whats-on/a-new-beginning/

Kiln Theatre Young Company 16-18s

19 August 2021, 7pm

A NEW BEGINNING

Inspired by those moments that leave your perspective changed forever, A NEW BEGINNING journeys to 6 very different worlds to meet characters that are all trying to make sense of the circumstances they find themselves in.

Kiln Theatre Young Company have worked online and in person, through isolation and challenges and we are so proud to finally share their vision with you in a scratch production on Kiln Theatre stage.

MIRROR IMAGE

Written and directed by Maksymilian

Aver: Jyothi

Gabri: Terriesia

TOUGH LOVE

Written and directed by Sami

Guard: James

X: Lily

Dad: Chioma

OBSESSION

Written by Tempest

Directed by Jyothi

Akira: Maksymilian

Min-Jun/Dae: Tempest

DAYS

Written and directed by Lily

Performed by Chioma and Terriesia

THE DOOR  

Written by James, Josh and Rafael

Directed by Tempest

Tobias: Sami

James: James

Josh: Josh

MY MYSELF

Written and directed by Terriesia

Performed by Bathseba and Terriesia

CREATIVE TEAM 

Director David Gilbert, Associate Director Bashevba “Bashiie” Baptiste, Designer Roisin Martindale, Lighting Designer Lucía Sánchez, Sound Designer Joseff Harris, Writing Facilitator Sarah Kosar

For ages 12+

Soho Theatre – until 21 August 2021

4****

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Inspired by the incident at DSTRKT in 2015 when a group of women were turned away for being “too black”, Jessica L Hagan’s Queens of Sheba, directed by Jessica Kaliisa, is a blistering rollercoaster of emotion as four women share their stories of what it is to be a black woman in a world of misogynoir. The noises of recognition from the audience throughout the show, from men and women, say it all. After each story, their refrain is: They ask me where I am from! I say I am a mix of both racism and sexism. They lay equally on my skin, passed down unknowingly by my next of kin.

The amazingly talented cast – Tosin Alabi, Eshe Asante, Kokoma Kwaku and Elisha Robin – have performed the show many times, and their chemistry is electric. The sense of sisterhood as they share spoken word sections, comfort each other, make each other laugh, sing, or just sit in silence is palpable. The everyday racism and sexism they describe is instantly recognisable, from the first days at a new job and the attitude of white co-workers, to an awful first date with a white man who fetishizes “exotic” women. The cast slip into different characters effortlessly, with their caricatures of men, white and black, hilariously accurate. The section in the club as they portray a group of men hitting on women is hysterical and awful – you will cringe and cry with laughter at the same time. Whenever things look bleak, the women lose themselves in the songs of Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and Tina Turner – with stunning singing and harmonies. The show also tackles the women’s tricky relationship with modern black artists, lifted up the music but oppressed and brutalised by the lyrics.

Laying bare the realities and struggles of black women, but also celebrating the strength and sisterhood this creates, Queens of Sheba is an exhilarating show that will stay with you for a long time.

Pleasance Theatre – until 21 August 2021

4****

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Billed as part poetry, part stand-up, part gig, Moist, Moist, Moist is a charmingly chaotic show that you can’t help but love. After listening to me rave about the show, my friend told me it sounds like Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse Go Fishing – The Teenage Years. Which I suppose is quite accurate on the surface – two friends sharing surreal comic riffs, ridiculous skits and songs alongside deeply emotional explorations of life and love.

Chris White’s poetry about the queer experience and falling in love takes the sea metaphor and stretches it until it breaks with a knowing glee in the funniest parts of the performance. With a set that looks like the themed play area in a nursery (and looks like 30 children have run riot in it all day by the end of the show) – a paddling pool and inflatable fish take centre stage – and a panto-style singalong, there are moments when you’re not sure if anybody in the room knows what’ll happen next, but that is the joy of this performance.

Chris White and Hal Kelly are a great double act, with Kelly accompanying White’s “singing” live. White talks about growing up far from the sea and about first going to gay clubs, Grindr hook-ups, and relationships using the language of the ocean to describe the emotions and sensations of love and sex. While he lays the metaphors on thick in jokier sections there are some quieter sequences of poetry that capture the essence of love beautifully. After reeling the audience in with his irresistible charm, the revelations of the last 5 minutes hit hard, but White and Kelly end the show with hope and love – and an absurdly silly joke.

This fantastic, funny show only has a short run, so grab a ticket while you can before Chris and his paddling pool get back on the Exeter train.

Come What May

Full Casting Announced

For Major UK Theatre Tour from 15 September 2021

Come What May, a tribute to the greatest movie musicals of all time including Moulin Rouge, Rocketman, The Greatest Showman, A Star is Born and Burlesque, today announces full casting. The show, which stars Britain’s Got Talent winner Jai McDowall, will head out on a major national theatre tour this September, playing across the UK including at the Mercury Theatre Colchester, the Mayflower Theatre Southampton, the New Theatre Royal Lincoln and Buxton Opera House, where the show kicks off on 15 September.

Joining the previously announced Jai McDowall are: Celyn Cartwright, David Wyatt, Óscar Fonseca, Chloe Gatward, Emma Jane, Georgia McEnaney, Hannah Morcos, Stuart Rouse, Marco Venturini, and Reece Woodier.

Travel back in time as the children of the revolution take you into the sexy, disreputable and glamorous underworld of Paris at the Moulin Rouge.  Have a musical peep into the flamboyant world of Elton John, journey on into the imagination of the original showman P.T Barnum before heading to the bright lights of Los Angeles as well as the kitsch glamour of Sunset Boulevard’s Burlesque Lounge.  

The musical extravaganza is packed with timeless classics from Moulin Rouge including Come What May, Your Song, Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend, Roxanne and Lady Marmalade as well as hits from other iconic movie musicals from Come Alive, Saturday Night’s Alright and Shallow to Show Me How You Burlesque.

This all-singing, all-dancing show is an unforgettable combination of dreams, adventure and above all – love! 

Jai McDowall won the fifth season of Britain’s Got Talent, capturing the hearts of a nation with his powerhouse vocals, natural charm and versatile song interpretations.  Jai appeared at the 2011 Royal Variety Performance and has since toured the UK with his own show, as well as appearing in the theatre shows Mad About the Musicals and Les Musicals as well as in London at Live at Zedel.

Come What May is presented by Sweeney Entertainments and Sisco Productions. The show is created by Scott Garnham and Simon Schofield for Sisco Productions with choreography by Scott Coldwell and arrangements/musical Supervision by James Doughty.

Co-founded by Julie and Peter Sweeney, Sweeney Entertainments has been providing a wide repertoire of top-quality touring shows for theatre and corporate events for over fifteen years both in the UK and internationally and now boasts a repertoire of fourteen touring productions. 

Sisco Productions is a company of enthusiastic and ambitious theatre makers, led by Barricade Boys creators Scott Garnham and Simon Schofield, whose primary mission is to create and provide high quality live theatre to the widest possible audience.

www.comewhatmayshow.com

CONFIRMED DATES FOR 2021

(MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

15/09/2021 BUXTON OPERA HOUSE

16/09/2021 HOWDEN PARK CENTRE

17/09/2021 ELGIN TOWN HALL

18/09/2021 ALHAMBRA DUNFERMLINE

21/09/2021 OCTAGON THEATRE YEOVIL

25/09/2021 MERCURY THEATRE COLCHESTER

26/09/2021 MAYFLOWER THEATRE SOUTHAMPTON

04/10/2021 THE GROVE THEATRE DUNSTABLE  

07/10/2021 GAIETY THEATRE AYR

10/10/2021 QUEENS THEATRE HORNCHURCH

11/10/2021 WYVERN THEATRE SWINDON

12/10/2021 ROYAL SPA THEATRE LEAMINGTON

13/10/2021 NEW THEATRE ROYAL LINCOLN

16/10/2021 ASHCROFT THEATRE CROYDON

17/10/2021 TOWNGATE THEATRE BASILDON

21/10/2021 PLOWRIGHT THEATRE SCUNTHORPE

22/10/2021 EMPIRE THEATRE CONSETT

23/10/2021 THEATRE ROYAL WAKEFIELD

24/10/2021 HEXAGON READING

26/10/2021 THE STABLES WAVENDON

27/10/2021 THE BREWHOUSE TAUNTON

28/10/2021 BARNSTAPLE THEATRE

29/10/2021 SOUTHMILL ARTS CENTRE BISHOP STORTFORD

31/10/2021 PALACE THEATRE SOUTHEND

01/11/2021 CHELTENHAM TOWN HALL

04/11/2021 THEATRE ROYAL ST HELENS

05/11/2021 WATERSMEET THEATRE RICKMANSWORTH

10/11/2021 LEAS CLIFF HALL FOLKESTONE

12/11/2021 NORTHCOTT THEATRE EXETER

13/11/2021 BABBACOMBE THEATRE

18/11/2021 ASSEMBLY ROOMS TAMWORTH

• SHOWCASING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MUSICAL THEATRE TALENT: KATY LIPSON AND ADAM LENSON ANNOUNCE THE CHAMBER MUSICAL SESSIONS CONCERT AT THE GARRICK THEATRE IN THE WEST END ON MONDAY 4 OCTOBER TO CELEBRATE FIFTEEN OF THE MOST TALENTED NEW WRITING TEAMS IN THE UK
• LIPSON AND LENSON HAVE SELECTED TWO WINNERS, ‘EARTHA, EDDIE AND THE UPSIDE-DOWN TREE’ BY LEO MUNBY AND ANNABEL MUTALE REED AND ‘ECHOES’ BY FREYA SMITH AND JACK WILLIAMS OUT OF THE NEW COMMISSIONS FROM THE CHAMBER MUSICAL PROJECT WHICH WILL RECEIVE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORSHIP 
• AUDIENCES WILL BE TREATED TO AN EXCLUSIVE FIRST-LISTEN OF ORIGINAL SONGS FROM THE NEW SHOWS THAT ARE BEING WRITTEN
• THE WRITERS WILL BE JOINED BY SOME OF THE WEST END’S FAMILIAR AND NEW FACES AND A HOUSE BAND TO SHARE AN EVENING OF UNEXPECTED, EXHILARATING AND EXTRAORDINARY NEW MUSICAL THEATRE

A concert to celebrate the Chamber Musical Project will take place on Monday 4th October at 7:30pm at the Garrick Theatre in the West End. The Chamber Musical Sessions concert will invite audiences to join the selected fifteen writing teams from across the UK to hear an array of new songs from the chamber musicals that they are writing. This concert celebration of the Aria-ALP Chamber Musical Project will give audiences a chance to hear extracts from all of the longlisted shows and get to know a new generation of musical theatre artists. The writers will be joined by some of the West End’s biggest stars, new faces and a house band to share an evening of unexpected, exhilarating and extraordinary new musical theatre.

The two newly commissioned shows which have been selected as the winners by the Aria-ALP Chamber Musical Project for further development, mentorship and financial support are:

EARTHA, EDDIE, AND THE UPSIDE-DOWN TREE

by Leo Munby & Annabel Mutale Reed
A contemporary fairy tale about wishing for love in a world of missed connections.

ECHOES

by Freya Smith & Jack Williams

A new musical about a queer relationship told from two perspectives, in two parts. Agnes and Bea meet unexpectedly and become entangled in a web of lies and deception while falling in love. Two complex, flawed and relatable young women explore themselves and each other in this new piece which examines themes including sexuality, class and the unreliability of memory.

The concert will also include work from the writers Christina Bloom (Detached), Cordelia O’Driscoll (Bitter/Sweet), Emelie Odukwe and Lily Vincent-Frankland (At The Centre),  Guy Woolf and Isla Van Tricht (How To Save The World), Tommy Antonio and Robert Casey (Harder Baby), Hilmi Jaidin (Clickbait), Jen Green and Caroline Wigmore (Elizabeth Holmes: How to bleed dry in Silicon Valley), Michelle Payne & Craig Webb (Enthusiastically, Yes!), Natalie Pound, Sam Young and Sam Hoppen (Thanks I’m Cured), Jonathan O’Neill and Isaac Savage (Letting Go), Poppy Burton-Morgan and Robin Simões da Silva (Treehouse), Sarah-Louise Young, Richard Link and Paul Chronnell (Escape Room) and Eden Tredwell (Open Mic 1803).

The commissioning fund was set up as a response to the lack of established British chamber musicals within mainstream publishing and licensing houses and would like to help support UK-based writers in creating content which in the long term could fill these gaps.

Both companies are hugely committed to new musical theatre, evidenced by Aria’s FROM PAGE TO STAGE festival and full-time literary department, and Lenson’s regular SIGNAL concerts. There were over 200 entries for this opportunity with each writing team submitting a pitch and a sample of previous work.

Katy Lipson said:

“We are incredibly proud to have launched a new musical theatre writing award over the last year and to be presenting a night showcasing 15 submissions for that award on top of the set for the much-loved American chamber musical THE LAST 5 YEARS. We are hugely committed to the future of New British Chamber Musicals and cannot wait to see this award grow.”

Adam Lenson said:

“We have been aware of how few opportunities there are for writers to be supported as they develop new musicals and it has been so wonderful to collaborate with Katy to create a little more space for the UK’s writing talent. We hope other theatres and producers will follow our lead and commission and stage more new musical theatre. We are so excited to see what Annabel, Leo, Jack and Freya create and can’t wait to celebrate them and the other longlisted writers in the West End in October.

Tickets are £10-25 and are available now www.nimaxtheatres.com

www.aria-entertainment.com // www.alpmusicals.com // @AriaEnts // @ALPMusicals

The Wardrobe Ensemble’s The Theatre on
the Downs in Bristol announces more shows
The Theatre on the Downs, Breaking Bread, The Downs, Stoke Road, BS9 1FG
Tuesday 10th August – Saturday 2nd October 2021

More shows have been announced to join The Wardrobe Ensemble’s 10th anniversary celebration: The Theatre on the Downs, an ambitious new theatre festival running from August to October. Don’t miss out on this exciting new venue in Bristol and its eclectic and unmissable selection of family and theatre shows that are now on-sale!

Drag queen and party princess Topsie Redfern is getting back to her roots with Topsie Redfern’s Crystal Balls, an exploration of queer acceptance, Crystal Balls and her personal journey from WestEnd Star to drag artist. Shane Warne In Knowle: Stage Reading is a hilarious staged reading of a brilliant new play about men, cricket and the power of Australian legends. An unforgettable onewoman play about the 20th Century African American experience, Woke by Apphia Campbell tells the story of two women from different decades involved in the struggle for civil rights. Supported by The Wardrobe Ensemble and Tobacco Factory Theatres, Ad Infinitum’s latest work-in-progress, Beautiful Evil Things is a breathtaking adventure about one woman who unearths the epic stories of powerful Greek legends.

Stop Trying to be Fantastic by Molly Naylor is a funny and lyrical spoken-word show about suffering, saviour-complex, self-acceptance, and a magpie who refuses to quit. Sing, dance and cry in the bittersweet gig theatre show, Hero & Leander, Or, I Love You But Everything’s Under Water, as six multi-instrumentalists tell an epic seaside tale through songs encompassing folk, indie, sea shanties and choral music. Jonesy and Single Sex are a frank and powerful double bill presented by Bristol School of Acting first-year students tackling gender roles, toxic masculinity and being a teenager in today’s society.

Running until the end of August will be The Wardrobe Ensemble’s WINNERS. In their own inimitable style, this exciting new show explores capitalism and tracks the shift of labour in the history of food from farming to fast food. Directed by Jesse Jones (Death Drop, West End) and Helena Middleton (Education, Education, Education, West End), WINNERS is a rollicking and fantastical look at manipulation, monopoly and money, capitalism and currency.

This is the perfect festival for all the family with brilliant works by leading children’s companies. Two, Four, Six, Eight is a funny and charming journey into the world of numbers for 3 – 8 year olds and their families by Shoofly Theatre, from Bristol theatre-makers Craig Edwards and Katie Sykes. Deep in the woods on the big oak tree, lives a little squirrel with big ideas; Silly Squirrel is perfect for under-5s. The Great Big Story Mix Up is a live and interactive improvised storytelling show which puts the audience at the centre of the action. Science Adventures: The Power Pickle is a fantastical show that explores the wonders of science for ages 5+. With puppetry, poetry and song, TooRaLooRum explores the importance of imagination and how bravery can come from even the smallest of places

The Wardrobe Ensemble comments, We are thrilled to announce more shows to The Theatre on the Downs! It has been a wild ride so far but we are excited to continue to delight audiences with our extraordinary programme of theatre shows. Come and see us and have a drink!

The Theatre on the Downs is kindly supported by The Wardrobe Theatre, Arts Council England, Backstage Trust and WECA. Ticketing in association with Bristol Old Vic.

Please note, The Wardrobe Ensemble is a producing theatre company, running The Theatre on the Downs; The Wardrobe Theatre is a venue in Old Market. The two organisations are good friends and have produced several shows together including The Great Gatsby and The Seekers Trilogy, but they are separate organisations