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Park Theatre presents: 

Park Bench 

Moving from the small screen to live on stage, a new play examines how we readjust to in-person interaction, and how old flames and old habits die hard 

Written by Tori Allen-Martin 

Directed by Christa Harris (Act 1) | Sarah Henley & Timothy O’Hara (Act 2) 

Act 1(Digital): 22 June – 14 Aug  

Act 2 (Live): Park Theatre, 4 – 14 August 

‘Gifted with impeccable comic timing and a stage presence that makes it hard to take your eyes off her’ 

WhatsOnStage (about Tori Allen-Martin)  

Twitter: @ParkTheatre | facebook: ParkTheatreLondon | Instagram: ParkTheatreLondon | www.parktheatre.co.uk  

In direct parallel with what audiences are experiencing now, Park Theatre reopens with a drama that shifts from the digital sphere to the live stage. Commissioned for this specific moment in time, it asks questions about how lockdown has changed the way we communicate and the relationships we have , and whether these changes are here to stay. Park Bench shows a knotty, complicated relationship that has over time shifted between friend to lover, from claustrophobic closeness to deafening silences. After more than a year apart and months of isolation, Liv and Theo reconnect online – only to find that the frank conversation they need have with each other is too big for the small screen. Has a year of sitting with their feelings made them any better at expressing them?  

Liv and Theo used to be each other’s ride-or-die but that was back then…  After more than a year of distance from their situationship, it’s time to talk – so they reconnect online.  What happened to being mates? How’s his new life working out? Why did she just vanish? Will meeting up in person on ‘their’ park bench reignite an old flame or finally put out the flickering embers of feelings?  

Tori Allen-Martin said, “It’s so rare that a theatre lets you run wild and write the show you feel you need to write or maybe even more than that, the play that you feel you need to see. Especially when you’re a woman of colour from humble beginnings. That’s what I’ve tried to do with Park Bench, write a sensitive play about human connection, that encompasses a lot of the feelings we’ve all experienced during this time, without this being a play ABOUT the pandemic. It’s about being human and being vulnerable and maybe most of all it’s about deciding to choose yourself. I’ve always found Park Theatre such an exciting venue at the heart of its vibrant and diverse community and to be trusted to open the doors back up after a sad and dark hiatus with a brand new play, is such a gift and not something I take lightly. It’s testament to what a forward thinking and vital building Park Theatre is that they’d make a bold decision like this where they prioritise a newer and underrepresented voice.” 

Writer and performer Tori Allen-Martin’s work as a writer for theatre includes The Hardest One (The Other Palace) and musicals Streets (The Cockpit, Hackney Empire and The Vaults) and Another Way (The Cockpit). She was named as one of the BBC’S New Talent Hotlist in 2017 and more recently was selected for ITV’s 50/50 scheme. She also worked on Flack Season Two (Oli Lansley/Hat Trick Productions) and has work currently in development with Duchess Street Productions, Sky, Kilimanjaro Productions, Mammoth Productions and Park Theatre. Tori is also an associate artist at Chiswick Playhouse.  

Park Theatre presents exceptional theatre in the heart of Finsbury Park, boasting two world-class performance spaces: Park200 for predominantly larger scale productions by established talent, and Park90, a flexible studio space, for emerging artists. In eight years, it has enjoyed eight West End transfers (including Daytona starring Maureen Lipman, The Boys in the Band starring Mark Gatiss, Pressure starring David Haig and The Life I Lead starring Miles Jupp), two National Theatre transfers, twenty-five national tours, four Olivier Award nominations, has won Offie Awards for Best New Play and Best Foodie Experience and won a Theatre of the Year award from The Stage. Park Theatre are grateful to all those who have donated to the Park Life fund, supporting the venue through the pandemic.  

Park Bench has been commissioned by Park Theatre with support from the Culture Recovery Fund. Park Theatre will be reopening in line with government and UKTheatre guidelines, making sure audiences can See It Safely.  Please visit the Park Theatre website for Covid-19 safety guidelines. 

50 mins | Suitable for ages 16+ 

Trigger warning: contains themes of an adult nature and discussions around mental health that some may find upsetting. Contact Park Theatre for more information. 

Company information 

Directed by Christa Harris (Act 1: Digital) Sarah Henley & Timothy O’Hara (Act 2: Live)    

Written by Tori Allen-Martin

Cast 

Tori Allen-Martin, Tim Bowie 

Listings information 

22 – 14 Aug (Act 1: Online) | 4 – 14 Aug (Act 2: Live) 

Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP  

Act One: Online | Free 

Act Two: Mon, Tues, Weds, Fri 7pm & 8.30pm | Thurs & Sat matinees 3pm & evening 7.30 | £10 – £7.50 

Captioned 12 Aug 7.30pm  

www.parktheatre.co.uk | 020 7870 6876*  

*No booking fee online. Telephone booking fee applies.  

Presented by Park Theatre with the support of Arts Council England  

BLINK DANCE THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS:

‘DRIVE THRU’

A NEW IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

Premiering today –  BLINK DANCE THEATRE present a new immersive multi-sensory dance and theatre experience at Redbridge Drama Centre , WAC Arts and The Albany.  ‘DRIVE THRU’ is written, co-directed and performed by artists with learning disabilities and is aimed at neurodiverse adults.

From the comfort of their own minibus audience members will be transported into another world through dance, theatre and music in this fantasy-based experience.

Set to bespoke beats, everyday soundscapes and a contemporary hip hop and electronica musical score

the audience finds themselves in a gritty urban carpark. A group of people are fed up of planet earth, as they discover their minibus can fly as it passes through blue and purple clouds. They meet some mysterious larger than life, strange yet friendly magical creatures including Handy Mandy – a non-binary mysterious guru, The Eye Hero’s – a cheeky duo with eyes on stalks that can see everything and Noseasaurus Rex- the cold blooded slime ball on the search for his next meal, who will guide them to a magic lamp. Their adventure takes them through a tornado, coloured foam and soothing water jets but will the people decide to live with the creatures in their magical world or return back down to earth…the choice is theirs. 

Vicki Hawkins Co Director at BLINK Says:

“It is so important for us to create theatre by and for our neurodiverse community, DRIVE THRU draws on our collaborative team’s personal experiences which we know will chime with our audiences in this multi-sensory ride of dance drama and music”

“At BLINK we embrace difference as a catalyst for creativity and aim to excite our audiences by creating a greater understanding of the artistic potential in every person.  It’s our vision to create work which dissolves barriers encouraging a world without labels and reaches new diverse audiences whilst offering professional development and employment for disabled and diverse artists”

” We’re always working hard to support oppressed groups and DRIVE THRU is no different. 80% of the artists in the performance are Black and POC. 50% are disabled; including 2 emerging learning disabled artists for which this will be their first professional performance”

“It is perfect timing for us take DRIVE THRU out on the road –  lockdown has been hard on everyone, not least  for those with profound and multiple learning disabilities where is has been extremely difficult to access the arts ‘taking it online’ wasn’t necessarily a viable option for many”

“This commission is also an important part of our collective healing , to rebuild our self esteem as artists and reconnect as a group through sharing our collective experiences of the past year together.  Inevitably this will include reflection on Black Lives Matter”

Francis Majekodunmi Co Director and neurodiverse dancer shares some of his first ideas for the theme:

“Sometimes on Earth it feels dangerous and like there is violence to us, I want to fly above the clouds and be transported to a new world with fantasy creatures. I want there to be a spinning black tornado part, because that is how I have felt inside this year”

“People have been locked indoors having no fun, they are falling through the net. No one is making sure they are ok and enjoying their life, so we will”.

BLINK are an original, inspiring group of neurodiverse artists who perform and collaborate with an equal voice through their engaging and sometimes radical interdisciplinary work. Their aim is to lead innovative projects that are accessible to everyone. Specialising in profound and multiple learning disability (PMLD) and autism, they devise performance based sensory projects with disabled participants in a variety of settings. Founded in 2013, hosting a number of workshops, classes, seminars and residencies, and with appearances at festivals across the UK, BLINK first toured with Facefront Inclusive Theatre in 2016 in with ‘IT’S MY MOVE’  Followed by BLINK’s sell-out tour of  debut show ‘FOUR CORNERS’ in 2018. With new production ‘GIRL MEETS BOY’ paused in 2020 Due to Covid.

DRIVE THRU is written, Co-Directed and performed by Vicki Hawkins and Francis Majekodunmi; With original music from BLINK Co-Director Delson Weekes and Sound Artistry from Bulbet (aka Mathew Hawkins); Set and Costume design by Kat Heath; Additional performers and artistic support workers include Abdul Sabir, Siobhan Wedgeworh, Charlene Low and Charles Oni.  DRIVE THRU is made possible with support from and ACE G4A, Heart of Glass, Hammersmith United Charities, Disability Action Emergency Fund, London Catalyst, Wac Arts, Redbridge Drama Centre and The Albany.

To find out more about BLINK and their projects visit www.blinkdancetheatre.org

The National Theatre adds five new productions to streaming platform
National Theatre at Home

The National Theatre has today announced the latest productions to be made available on its National Theatre at Home streaming platform. Launching today, Michaela Coel’s Chewing Gum Dreams, the Young Vic’s A View from the Bridge directed by Ivo van Hove with Mark Strong and Nicola Walker, and Rufus Norris’ production of Everyman with Chiwetel Ejiofor will be available for all audiences worldwide to stream. Danny Boyle’s production of Frankenstein and Sonia Friedman Productions’ Hamlet with Benedict Cumberbatch will also be available for audiences outside the UK and Ireland.

The National Theatre productions of Medea with Helen McCrory and The Comedy of Errors with Lenny Henry are now streaming on the platform with audio-description.   

Chewing Gum Dreams is the semi-autobiographical, one-woman play written and performed by Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You). The production was filmed for the National Theatre Archive in April 2014 and this is the first time this recording has been released for the public to stream. The play went on to become a television series on E4 in 2015, for which Coel would win two BAFTAs.

The Young Vic’s 2014 production of A View from the Bridge saw visionary Ivo Van Hove direct Mark Strong and Nicola Walker in Arthur Miller’s dark and passionate play. The critically acclaimed production won three Olivier Awards and transferred to the West End and Broadway. National Theatre Live filmed the production in the West End in 2015 and it becomes available on demand for the first time today.

Everyman, a new adaptation by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy from the 15^th century morality play, was directed by Rufus Norris in 2015 in his first production as Director of the National Theatre and filmed live in the Olivier theatre with Chiwetel Ejiofor as Everyman.

For audiences outside of the UK and Ireland, Danny Boyle’s 2011 production of Frankenstein from the Olivier stage is available from today. Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch jointly won the Olivier Best Actor Award for alternately playing the roles of the creature and Victor Frankenstein. Both versions will be available on the platform to stream. Also Sonia Friedman Productions’ Hamlet with Benedict Cumberbatch, directed by NT Associate Lyndsey Turner, will be available for audiences outside the UK and Ireland. In 2015, the production was the fastest selling ticket in theatre history. Last month Amazon Prime Video made these two productions available exclusively to subscribers in the UK and Ireland as part of a collaboration with the National Theatre which also included Fleabag and Ian McKellen on Stage.

Emma Keith, Director of Digital Media at the National Theatre, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to make more of these impactful and enchanting productions available for audiences around the world to enjoy. I’m delighted to be able to showcase some important productions in our recent theatre history, such as Michaela Coel’s Chewing Gum Dreams which went onto become the BAFTA-winning television series, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Hamlet which was the fastest selling ticket in history, Chiwetel Ejiofor commanding the Olivier stage in Rufus Norris’ first production as National Theatre Director and Ivo van Hove’s seminal A View from the Bridge at the Young Vic… This is a very exciting month of titles on National Theatre at Home! I’m thrilled that we also have 15 productions available with audio-description to support blind and partially sighted audiences, as well as captions for every production. As we now reach seven months of the streaming platform, with new productions added monthly, it’s brilliant to see such a varied range of curated titles so there’s truly something for everybody to enjoy.”

New productions are added each month and National Theatre at Home now has 26 productions to stream on the platform available at any time, including Angels in America Parts One and Two with Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane and Russell Tovey, Medea with Helen McCrory and Michaela Coel, Mosquitoes with Olivia Colman and Olivia Williams, Phèdre with Helen Mirren, the Young Vic’s Yerma with Billie Piper and Othello with Adrian Lester.    

All productions on National Theatre at Home are available with captions. Medea and A Comedy of Errors will now also be available with audio-description to support blind and partially sighted audiences worldwide. There are 15 National Theatre at Home titles available with audio-description.

National Theatre at Home is available at ntathome.com, with single titles available from £5.99 – £8.99, a monthly subscription for £9.99 or a yearly subscription for £99.99. 

Bloomberg Philanthropies is Headline Sponsor of National Theatre at Home.

National Theatre at Home is also supported by The Linbury Trust. 

#NationalTheatreatHome       

Chewing Gum Dreams  

Meet Tracey Gordon. Friendship, sex, UK garage, school, teachers, periods, emergency contraception, raves, tampons, white boys, God, money. Friendship.  

 The more she learns about the world the less she understands. Michaela Coel plays Tracey in this one-woman play that recalls the last days of innocence before adulthood.  

Written and performed by Michaela Coel, directed by Nadia Fall with lighting design by Jamie Spirito and sound design by Mike Walker.   

Originally developed with The Yard Theatre in association with the Bush Theatre, it received critical acclaim at the National Theatre in 2014 playing in the Temporary theatre, which opened on the South Bank between 2013 – 2016 during the refurbishment of the Dorfman theatre. The play went on to become a television series on E4 in 2015, for which Coel would win the BAFTA for Best Comedy Performance and BAFTA for Breakthrough Talent for her writing.  

This is a recording from the National Theatre Archive from the production in the National Theatre’s Temporary theatre in 2014. This is the first time this Archive recording has been released for the public to stream. 

 Available worldwide until at least 12 July 2022.   

 

A View from the Bridge

In Brooklyn, Eddie Carbone welcomes his Sicilian cousins to the land of freedom. But when one of them falls for his beautiful niece, they discover that freedom comes at a price.

Eddie’s jealous mistrust exposes a deep, unspeakable secret – one that drives him to commit the ultimate betrayal.

Ivo Van Hove directs Mark Strong and Nicola Walker in Arthur Miller’s dark and passionate play.

The cast also includes Emun Elliott as Marco, Phoebe Fox as Catherine, Michael Gould as Alfieri, Richard Hansell as Louis, Luke Norris as Rodolpho and Pádraig Lynch as Officer.

Direction by Ivo van Hove, design & light by Jan Versweyveld, costumes by An D’Huys, sound by Tom Gibbons, dramaturgy by Bart Van den Eynde, UK casting by Julia Horan CDG, US casting by Jim Carnahan, associate direction by Jeff James, associate design by James Turner, associate lighting design by Nicki Brown and associate sound design by Alex Twiselton.

This Young Vic production was filmed live at the Wyndham’s Theatre in March 2015.

Available worldwide until at least 12 July 2022.  

Everyman

Chiwetel Ejiofor is Everyman in a new adaptation by Carol Ann Duffy, directed by Rufus Norris.

Everyman is successful, popular and riding high.

When Death comes calling, he is forced to abandon his hedonistic life and embark on a frantic search to find a friend that will speak in his defence. But with Death close behind, his time is running out.

Filmed in the Olivier theatre in 2015, this is a National Theatre production.

The cast includes Sharon D Clarke, Paul Bullion, Adam Burton, Michelle Butterfly, Kate Duchene, Dermot Crowley, Amy Griffiths, Nick Holder, Nicholas Karimi, Joshua Lacey, Penny Layden, Coral Messam, Amanda Minihan, Itxaso Moreno, Ira Mandela Siobhan, Kiruna Stamell, Clemmie Sveaas, Phillip Martin Brown, Jeshaiah Murray, Tumo Reetsang, Joshua Tikare and Stephen Aintree.

Directed by Rufus Norris, with choreography and movement direction by Javier De Frutos, set design by Ian MacNeil, costume design by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Paul Anderson, video design by Tal Rosner, music by William Lyons, sound design by Paul Arditti and music production by Dominic Betmead.

Available worldwide until at least 12 July 2022.   

Frankenstein
 

Filmed live in 2011 from the Olivier stage of the National Theatre in London, this thrilling production, directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle sold out at the National Theatre and became an international sensation in cinemas around the world.
 

Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch jointly won the Olivier Best Actor Award for alternately playing the roles of the creature and Victor Frankenstein. Naomie Harris plays Elizabeth, the fiancé of Victor Frankenstein.

Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel was adapted for the stage by Nick Dear.

Childlike in his innocence but grotesque in form, Frankenstein’s bewildered creature is cast out into a hostile universe by his horror-struck maker. Meeting with cruelty wherever he goes, the increasingly desperate and vengeful Creature determines to track down his creator and strike a terrifying deal.

The cast also includes Ella Smith, John Killoran, Steven Elliott, Lizzie Winkler, Karl Johnson, Daniel Millar, Jared Richard, George Harris, Martin Chamberlain, Daniel Ings, Mark Armstrong, John Stahl, Andreea Padurariu, John Killoran, Josie Daxter and William Nye.

Frankenstein is directed by Danny Boyle, with set design by Mark Tidesley, costume design by Suttirat Anne Larlarb, lighting design by Bruno Poet, music and sound score by Underworld, movement direction by Toby Sedgwick, fight direction by Kate Waters, music associate is Alex Baranowski and sound design by Underworld and Ed Clarke.

Available to audiences outside the UK and Ireland until at least 12 July 2022.  In June, Amazon Prime Video made this production available exclusively to subscribers in the UK and Ireland as part of a collaboration with the National Theatre.

Hamlet
 

BAFTA winner Benedict Cumberbatch plays Hamlet with Ciarán Hinds as Claudius, Sian Brooke as Ophelia, Anastasia Hille as Gertrude and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Laertes in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, filmed live at the Barbican. 

In 2015, this production was the fastest selling ticket in theatre history with all 100,000 tickets selling out in minutes.

As a country arms itself for war, a family tears itself apart. Forced to avenge his father’s death but paralysed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state.

The cast also includes Leo Bill, Karl Johnson, Jim Norton, Barry Aird, Eddie Arnold, Nigel Carrington, Ruairi Conaghan, Rudi Dharmalingam, Colin Haigh, Paul Ham, Diveen Henry, Amaka Okafor, Dan Parr, Jan Shepherd, Morag Siller, Matthew Steer, Sergo Vares and Dwane Walcott.

Directed by National Theatre Associate Lyndsey Turner, set designs are by Es Devlin with costume designs by Katrina Lindsay, video by Luke Halls, lighting by Jane Cox, music by Jon Hopkins, sound by Christopher Shutt, movement by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and fights by Bret Yount.

Presented by Sonia Friedman Productions and filmed live in 2015 from the Barbican Theatre. 

Available to audiences outside the UK and Ireland until at least 12 July 2022.  In June, Amazon Prime Video made this production available exclusively to subscribers in the UK and Ireland as part of a collaboration with the National Theatre.

RSC ROOFTOP RESTAURANT REOPENS

THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S ROOFTOP RESTAURANT REOPENS TODAY TO COINCIDE WITH THE FIRST PREVIEW OF THE COMEDY OF ERRORS AT THE NEWLY BUILT LYDIA & MANFRED GORVY GARDEN THEATRE

NEW SEASONAL SUMMER MENU FEATURES LOCAL SUPPLIERS INCLUDING WORCESTER PRODUCE AND AUBREY ALLEN BUTCHERS

VIEW MENU

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) Rooftop Restaurant reopens today with the launch of a new summer menu. The popular restaurant which boasts spectacular views over the Bancroft Gardens and River Avon opens to coincide with the first performance of The Comedy of Errors, which previews from tonight in the newly constructed Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre, situated in the Swan Theatre Gardens.

In line with government guidelines, the restaurant in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre will reopen its doors with a reduced menu, available from Tuesday – Sunday.

The new summer menu, designed by Head Chef, Matthew Jennings, features a wealth of locally sourced ingredients from suppliers based in Stratford-upon-Avon and the surrounding area, including the popular Worcester produce and Aubrey Allen butchers.

Starters include Italian Burrata with Heirloom tomatoes, red onion, capers, basil, focaccia croutons with salsa Verde, or pressed honey glazed ham hock terrine, piccalilli, melba toast with apricot puree. Main courses range from ricotta cheese, lemon and soft herb strozzapreti pasta, edamame beans, asparagus, roasted red peppers and artichokes or Bang Bang chicken – crispy battered tempura chicken fillet, sweet chilli and satay dressing, toasted sesame seeds, pancetta, herb croutons, gem lettuce with coriander. The meal can be rounded off with Strawberry Cranachan – crushed strawberries, whipped mascarpone cream, honey and oat crumble or Belgian chocolate millionaire’s shortcake served with salted caramel sauce and honeycomb. A children’s menu is available for under 12s or alternatively many dishes are available in half portions. The Company also offers an array of gluten free dishes.

RSC Rooftop Restaurant Head Chef, Matthew Jennings, said: “I am truly delighted to reopen the Rooftop Restaurant to patrons coming to visit the theatre as we welcome our guests back to the RSC. I am excited to launch our brand-new summer menu, continuing to showcase the very best of locally sourced ingredients from Stratford-upon-Avon and the surrounding areas.”

In addition to the pre-theatre menu, the Rooftop Restaurant has introduced the RSC picnic bag, which can be pre-ordered and collected from the RST colonnade. The picnic bag includes a homemade pasta salad, a fresh fruit pot, lemon cake, homemade sausage roll, a packet of crisps, a can of still water plus a choice of red or white wine.

The Riverside Cafe is also open as a take-away service from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am, serving hot and cold drinks, homemade cakes, sandwiches, snacks and ice creams. 

The Swan Cafe and Susie’s Cafe Bar in The Other Place will both remain closed until further notice.

Birmingham Repertory Theatre presents
 

The COVID-19 Variations: A Piano Drama

A unique Theatrical Event at The REP to open its 50th Anniversary Season.

By Alison Jackson and Richard Thomas

Directed by Sean Foley

Friday 27 August at 6pm and 8.30pm

Saturday 28 August at 2.30pm and 7.30pm 

Priority booking on sale on Friday 9th July, general booking on sale on Tuesday 13th July from https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on 

Alison Jackson, BAFTA and multi-Award winning contemporary artist, and Richard Thomas, Birmingham born Artistic Associate of The REP and Olivier Award winning composer and lyricist, together with acclaimed, New York based, concert pianist Philip Edward Fisher have collaborated to create a special theatrical event to mark the re-opening season of The REP in it’s 50th year on Centenary Square. 

Directed by REP Artistic Director, double Olivier Award winner Sean Foley, The Covid-19 Variations: A Piano Drama is a playfully provocative one-off piece of event theatre – an outrageously funny film and concert in one. An inadvertently powerful and always entertaining take on the last 18 months, The Covid-19 Variations stars everyone from Donald Trump to Elton John, from Kanye West to the Royal Family – because everyone has lived through Covid.

Inspired by having had Covid – twice! – Richard Thomas’s ‘piano drama’ is a Gershwinesque 23 minute riff on the experience of being in the grip of the disease du jour. He wrote the piece for Birmingham born and raised Philip Fisher who was extremely ill with Covid in New York in the first days of lockdown. Philip recovered and played the piece in an empty auditorium on Long Island… A recording of his performance found its way to Alison Jackson, and she in turn was inspired to create 19 short films for each of the Covid-19 Variations, drawn from her world of fake news, alternative facts, and celebrity lookalikes, and commemorating life in the time of Covid.  

Performed live on a concert grand by Philip Edward Fisher, The Covid-19 Variations: A Piano Drama will mark the opening of the theatre for it’s Autumn Season.

Richard Thomas’s Covid-19 Variations was originally commissioned by the Guggenheim Museum New York. Alison Jackson’s film has been specially created for this event.

Each performance will be followed by an ‘In Conversation’ discussion with Alison Jackson, Richard Thomas and Philip Edward Fisher, talking with Rep Artistic Director Sean Foley and the audience.

Booking Information
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Centenary Square, Broad St, Birmingham B1 2EP

Friday 27 August at 6pm and 8.30pm
Saturday 28 August at 2.30pm and 7.30pm 

Ticket prices: £17.50 (price includes a drink)
Tickets are on sale now from https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on
Box Office number 0121 236 4455

OLIVER AWARD-WINNING MISCHIEF ANNOUNCE FULL CASTING FORINAUGURAL UK TOUR OF GROAN UPS
UK TOUR: 12 Aug 2021 – 5 Mar 2022

Olivier award-winning comedy favourites, Mischief, today announce full casting for their very first UK tour of Groan Ups. The touring cast presents: Daniel Abbott (Archie), Jamie Birkett (Chemise, Miss Murray), Matt Cavendish (Simon), Killian Macardle (Paul, Mr White), Yolanda Ovide (Moon), Dharmesh Patel (Spencer), Lauren Samuels (Katie), with understudies Paul Brown and Holly Sumpton.

Groan Ups will open at Theatre Royal Bath on 12 August 2021 before touring to Salford, Chester, Sheffield, Oxford, Guildford, Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Cardiff, Cambridge, Glasgow, Dartford, Wolverhampton, Norwich, Brighton, Nottingham, Southampton, Aylesbury and Coventry until 5 March 2022. Tickets are on sale.

Something a little different from Mischief, Groan Ups is a comedy all about growing up. Following an unruly classroom of six year-olds as they journey through anarchic teenage life, through to adulthood, this comedy asks the real questions – do we choose who we become? Is the story of our lives already written? Do we ever really grow up? 
Groan Ups premiered in the West End at the Vaudeville Theatre in September 2019 and also featured on the Royal Variety Performance in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. 

Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, Groan Ups is directed by Kirsty Patrick Ward with Set Design by Fly Davis, Costume Design by Roberto Surace, Sound Design and Composition by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite and Lighting Design by Christopher Nairne. Associate Director is Katie-Ann McDonough. Produced by Kenny Wax Ltd and Stage Presence Ltd.

Mischief’s other West End successes include The Play That Goes Wrong, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, Magic Goes Wrong and Mischief Movie Night.Groan Ups is one of three Mischief shows heading out on tour this summer: The Play That Goes Wrong opens its fourth UK tour today and Magic Goes Wrong opens its first UK tour on the 20 July. In addition to their stage work, Mischief’s hugely successful six-part TV Series, The Goes Wrong Show, aired in the UK on BBC ONE and on Amazon Prime Video in the US, Canada and Australia. The show received a 2020 TV Choice Award nomination for Best Comedy and has recently been nominated in the Comedy category at the 2021 National Television Awards. Series two is currently in production. 

Yvonne Arnaud – until 17 July 2021

Reviewed by Heather Chalkley

5*****

Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of this classic book, successfully delivers all the spine tingling drama created by author Susan Hill. The Woman in Black is cult reading and as a result the audience is filled with people of all generations, including a lot of young people.

Robert Goodale’s (Old Kipps) development of his character leads you smoothly into transitions, punctuated with humour. The drama and trepidation Antony Eden (The Actor) delivers is a master class in wordsmithery. The interplay of characters is a delight, creating a play within a play. Both Goodale and Eden create moments of suspense with not much more than a wicker trunk and a couple of chairs. None of which has meaning without the dramatic, shadowy appearance of The Woman in Black herself.

The sound and lighting play a vital part in the illusion of a creepy old grand house on the end of a desolate causeway. The creative team strike a great balance between theatrical and believable.

Although a well told story, this does not prevent the director Robert Herford from scaring the bejeebers out of the audience. A chilling tale well executed.

Theatres gear up for reopening following 19 July Roadmap announcement

Following today’s official Government confirmation that remaining Covid restrictions will be lifted from 19 July in England, we look forward to being able to welcome full audiences back into our theatres. 

Fiona Allan, President of UK Theatre, said:

‘We are relieved to hear that theatres in England can open from 19 July. This will hopefully be a turning point on the road to recovery and longer-term financial viability for our world-leading sector. We recognise that for theatres in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland their date for full reopening is still some way off, however – and that this frustrating lack of consistency makes planning UK-wide tours extremely difficult.’

As throughout the pandemic, the safety and confidence of our audiences and staff remains paramount. Theatres will continue to use our industry-wide See it Safely protocols, which have been updated and reissued following the changes in Government guidance for live events. The majority of Covid safety measures will remain, including a strong recommendation of the use of face coverings, as advised by the Government.

Julian Bird, Chief Executive of SOLT and UK Theatre, said:

‘The thousands of people who have already come back to the theatre since 17 May have been overwhelmingly positive about their experience and how safe and comfortable they felt. As we increase capacity, we want to ensure that this positive audience sentiment remains. For this reason, we hope audience members show respect for fellow theatregoers and staff by continuing to wear face coverings when coming into our venues and moving around them.’

The following measures will remain from 19 July:

• Enhanced cleaning
• Hand sanitiser stations
• Wearing of face coverings strongly encouraged, especially while moving around inside the venue
• Modified routes around the building to avoid overcrowding
• Recommendation that theatregoers bring minimal possessions
• Contactless ticketing, possible staggered arrival times and security checks
• Restricted Stage Door activities post-show
• ‘Book with Confidence, Exchange with Ease’ pledge allowing exchanges up to 24 hours ahead of a performance if a ticket holder cannot attend due to Covid

The following measures will cease from 19 July:

• Socially distanced auditorium seating (although some productions may continue to offer some or all of their performances as socially distanced over the summer)
• Restrictions on booking party size and limitations to households or bubbles
• Compulsory temperature checks before entering the venue (although some venues may still require these – information will be available on individual venue websites)
• Compulsory check-in via the NHS app before entering the venue

Having received the go-ahead to fully reopen, theatre producers are committed to staging top quality live entertainment and creating thousands of jobs.

Eleanor Lloyd, President of SOLT, said:

‘Producers want to get our industry back on its feet, creating employment and entertaining audiences across the country – but we are doing so under debilitating self-isolation rules and still without the protection of cancellation insurance. This is not a sustainable situation, especially as the safety net of the Culture Recovery Fund continues to leave many productions ineligible for support.’

The theatre industry still needs Government assurance and support on the following issues in order to be able to sustain the reopening and rebuild successfully.

• Provision of a Government-backed theatre insurance scheme to mitigate financial risks around future Covid-related show postponements and cancellations
• An alternative to automatic self-isolation for casts and crew after contact with a positive Covid case, allowing workers to test themselves out of isolation rather than potentially shutting down an entire production
• Clarity and efficiency around distribution of the remaining Culture Recovery Fund money, and recognition of the difficulties – particularly for commercial theatre businesses – in accessing support 

Following the government’s confirmation that Step 4 of lockdown easing will go ahead in England on Monday 19^th July, Theatres Trust director Jon Morgan has commented:

Today’s confirmation that Step 4 of the reopening roadmap will go ahead on 19 July is welcome news for theatres in England, who will no longer face capacity caps and social distancing requirements. This will enable theatres to welcome back full audiences, producing shows that are financially viable and to provide more work for the sector’s precious freelance workforce.

We know that theatres will do everything in their power to continue to ensure they provide a safe environment for their audiences.

While it is good news for England, theatres in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are still subject to tighter restrictions. A consistent approach is important both for the sake of struggling theatres in those nations and the impact on the viability of UK-wide tours, which are a vital part of the theatre landscape.

Belgrade Theatre announces further details of its Autumn / Winter 2021 Season

The Belgrade Theatre is delighted announce its full Autumn / Winter 2021 Season, running from Weds 1 September through to Sat 5 March 2022, with an eclectic programme of drama, music and entertainment.

As part of the venue’s work for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021, highlights include the world premiere of This Little Relic by Karla Marie Sweet, a metaplay about producing Ira Aldridge’s The Black Doctor, directed by one of the Belgrade’s three Co-Artistic Directors for 2021, Justine Themen, as part of the BBC’s Contains Strong Language Festival; the world premiere of Kerbs in association with Graeae Theatre Company; and the world premiere of SeaView, a unique digital project in partnership with Strictly Arts based on an original idea by Corey Campbell, one of the Belgrade’s other Co-Artistic Directors for 2021.

The Belgrade’s Autumn Season is completed by a variety of previously announced shows including Dirty Dancing, The Play That Goes Wrong, A Christmas Carol starring Harry Potter and Game of Thrones actor David Bradley, and the brand-new musical The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency, co-produced with Cardboard Citizens for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021.

The Autumn season launches at the Belgrade with a series of one night music acts. The musical theatre concert show Masters of the House takes to the Main Stage on Fri 3 Sept, followed by the Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers tribute act Islands in the Stream on Weds 8 Sept.

From Thurs 28 Aug – Sun 26 Sept, the Belgrade plays host to a variety of events as part of BBC’s Contains Strong Language – the biggest poetry and performance festival of new writing. Featured in this line up is This Little Relic by Karla Marie Sweet, a metaplay about producing Ira Aldridge’s The Black Doctor. Directed by the Belgrade’s own Co-Artistic Director for 2021, Justine Themen, This Little Relic will perform to a live audience on Fri 24 Sept and will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 at a later date. All events in Contains Strong Language are free to attend.

This Little Relic then continues to run in the Belgrade’s B2 auditorium from Weds 29 Sept – Sat 2 Oct.

Start your engines… The Drag Ball comes to Coventry on Tues 21 Sept, starring the Queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 2. Winner Lawrence Chaney is joined by fan favourites Veronica Green, Joe Black, Tia Kofi, Sister Sister, Astinna Mandella, and RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 star Elliott with 2 Ts.

Live music events continue with RUSH, a celebration of Reggae music and the Windrush generation, on Sat 25 Sept, An Evening Withotut Kate Bush on Fri 15 Oct, Fascinating Aida – starring Dillie Keane, Adèle Anderson and Liza Pulman – on Fri 29 Oct and 80s Mania on Sat 30 Oct.

The Why? Event takes place on Fri 8 Oct, an exploration of why people stay in domestic abuse relationships. Delivered in a creative and unique way using dramatisations, spoken word and dance, it features special guest speakers Janika Cartwright and Naomi Donald.

Mandala Theatre Company in association with Oxford Playhouse present Though This Be Madness from Weds 20 – Fri 22 Oct. The new play written by Avaes Mohammad and directed by Yasmin Sidhwa unravels what is happening to young people in relation to education, exclusion, gang grooming and too often, a pipeline to prison.

Sing-a-Long-a also makes a welcome return to Coventry with family favourites Grease and The Greatest Showman on Sat 23 Oct. Come along in fancy dress and sing your heart out to the iconic songs of these beloved films.

On Thurs 28 Oct, Voices of Legends brings the glitz, glamour and music of Bollywood to Coventry for one night only, starring award-winning singer and entertainer, Navin Kundra.

The Unremarkable Death of Marilyn Monroe arrives in Coventry on Weds 3 Nov. Written and directed by Elton Townend Jones and performed by Lizzie Wort, the life of the immoral Marilyn Monroe is unravelled. Be taken back through the memories of her closest relationships, leading us in real time to the very moment of her death.

Award-winning HIV+ theatre-maker Nathaniel Hall (It’s a Sin) and Dibby Theatre present First Time on Sat 6 Nov. The hit autobiographical show explores what it’s like growing up HIV positive in a negative world.

On Weds 10 Nov, the Belgrade hosts the world premiere of SeaView, their digital project for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 in partnership with Strictly Arts Theatre Company. The ground-breaking family drama with a supernatural element follows two sides of one family, as they struggle to escape the often brutal reality of their lives. SeaView is based on an original idea by Corey Campbell, one of the Belgrade’s Co-Artistic Directors for 2021. The first three episodes of the six-part series will be screened at the Belgrade every day from Thurs 11 – Sat 13 Nov.

Following their annual pantomime (this year it’s Beauty and the Beast – oh, yes it is!), 2022 kicks off with a series of one night music and drama events. The Circus of Horrors returns with a new show celebrating their 25^th anniversary on Thurs 20 Jan, followed by Roy Orbison and the Traveling Wilburys Experience on Fri 21 Jan and The Magic of Motown on Sat 22 Jan.

On Thurs 27 Jan, Here’s What She Said To Me takes to their B2 stage for one night only. Written by Oladipo Agboluaje from an idea conceived by Moji Elufowoju, the story of what it is to be a daughter and a mother is a kaleidoscope of music, ritual, poetry and movement.

Come What May, a tribute to Moulin Rouge and a fantastic range of other movie musicals plays on the Main Stage on Thurs 27 Jan, followed by Whitney – Queen of the Night on Fri 29 Jan and You Win Again, a musical celebration of the Bee Gees on Sat 29 Jan.

Agatha Christie’s classic crime novel And Then There Were None arrives on the Belgrade’s Main Stage from Mon 7 – Sat 12 Feb. Directed by Lucy Bailey, the story follows ten stranger who are lured to a solitary mansion off the coast of Devon. When a storm cuts them off from the mainland, the true reason for their presence on the island becomes horribly clear.

From Weds 9 – Sat 12 Feb, queer playwright Tom Wright brings the premiere of his hard-hitting and hilarious new play, I Ain’t Dumb, to his hometown of Coventry. A tough inner-city school, proud of its inclusivity, suddenly explodes in a rapidly escalating culture war.

A brand-new stage adaptation of Dan Brown’s best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code arrives at the Belgrade from Tues 22 – Sat 26 Feb. Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel and directed by Luke Sheppard, experience the international phenomenon live on stage for the very first time.

The Belgrade has teamed up with Graeae Theatre Company to present the world premiere of Kerbs as part of Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. From Sat 26 Feb – Sat 5 March, Michael Southan’s play tells the story of Lucy and David, whose much-needed holiday is plagued by problems including broken toilets, patronising staff and Lucy’s constantly interfering mum.

From Mon 28 Feb – Sat 5 March, multi-award winning Mischief Theatre return once more to the Belgrade with Groan Ups. Follow an unruly classroom of six year olds on their journey through anarchic high school teenagers to the challenges of adulthood.

With a My Belgrade Subscription package, audiences can save 15% when you book for 3 or 4 shows and a massive 25% when you book 5 or more participating shows. All shows in their Autumn Season apart from Beauty and the Beast are included in the My Belgrade Subscription package.

Tickets are on sale to Gold and above Members from Mon 12 July. Tickets will be on sale to Bronze and Silver Members from Mon 19 July, and on general sale from Mon 26 July. Become a My Belgrade Member today from as little as £30 to get priority access to all of these shows