Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical Review

Mayflower Theatre Southampton – until 18 January 2020

Reviewed by Jo Gordon

5*****

Based on the 1994 cult classic film, the stage adaption of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert feels as relevant today as it it did two and a half decades ago and this tour is proving to be a big hit with theatre goers nationwide.

Jobbing Drag Queen Tick/Mitzi (Joe McFadden) receives a phone call from his estranged wife to say that their son would like to meet him. She suggests he travels to her Casino in Alice Springs to perform a show and he agrees. He gathers together two old friends to join him convincing them to get the gang together one last time, the elegantly refined Bernadette (Miles Western) and the loud, sassy and proud Adam/Felicia (Nick Hayes). An old banger of a bus is purchased that is christened Priscilla and their adventures across the Australian desert begins.  Their friendship is tested on the way as they discover more about each other including secret wife and discover that the outback can not be as welcoming to them as the city. The trio experience everything from bigotry to finding a soul mate but with plenty of humour and glam along the way they finally reach their destination and Tick can reveal the real reason the the trip. Scared that his son will not accept his lifestyle he doesn’t want him to see the show but he secretly watches it and has a differing opinion to what Tick expects. Could this be the beginning of a new chapter for the trio?

The show is a non stop spectacle of shimmying tasselled, bejewelled, feathered show numbers that include popular well loved tunes to get the audience. The comical timing is perfect and the sharp sassy humour had the whole theatre roaring with laughter….with the ginger biscuit story nearing me to an asthma attack. The passing characters and ensemble are equally if not more energetic in their numbers and support the main characters perfectly and do things with ping pong balls that made me grateful I was sat a few rows back!

The set design works well turning the stage into everything from dodgy bars to Ayres Rock and everything in-between.

The costumes are outstanding and everything I dream about for wearing to the office and nipping into Sainsbury’s, with more sequins than you could shake your short shorts at. Please can someone tell me where I can get my hands on one of the sparkly creations from the Go West number !

A really uplifting production where the whole audience appeared to be much happier on the way out than they did on the way in. A little glittery relief in rather grey times.

WALTER & LENNY at the Ustinov Studio

Extraordinary friendship between West Side Story creator
and the 
Dean of Chichester Cathedral is brought to life on stage

WALTER & LENNY

Devised and performed by Peter McEnery

Based on The Leonard Bernstein Letters edited by Nigel Simeone

Ustinov Studio, Saturday 25 January

Renowned film and stage actor Peter McEnery stars in this celebration of one of the most unlikely and extraordinary friendships of the twentieth century in WALTER & LENNY.

Dean Walter Hussey was Dean of Chichester Cathedral, and a prolific patron of the arts, when in 1963, he speculatively wrote to one of the twentieth century’s most influential composers and conductors, Leonard Bernstein, composer of West Side Story, Candide, On The Town and Wonderful Town, amongst many other orchestral and choral works. Hussey was requesting a composition for an upcoming choir festival. Not only was his request granted, but the ensuing correspondence sparked an extraordinary and lifelong friendship, producing the masterpiece, Chichester Psalms, one of the most performed works in the choral repertoire today.

‘For my very favourite dean, dear Walter, with fondest wishes, Lenny’

The original letters, collated in The Leonard Bernstein Letters by Nigel Simeone, have been adapted, staged and performed by renowned film and stage actor Peter McEnery who plays the roles of both men in this tour-de-force performances.

Peter McEnery’s distinguished stage career has featured many leading roles for the Royal Shakespeare Company, of which he was a founding member, including the title role in Pericles, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and several characters in the highly acclaimed production of Nicholas Nickleby. He also played the surgeon Treves in the National Theatre’s 1980 production of The Elephant Man.

“A wonderful, touching and insightful play … Peter McEnery’s tour-de-force performance as both my father Leonard Bernstein, and Dean Walter Hussey manages to deftly capture both men’s characters without resorting to impersonation” Alexander Bernstein

WALTER & LENNY is at the Ustinov Studio on Saturday 25 January at 8pm. Tickets are on sale now from the Box Office on 01225 448844 or online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk/ustinov

The Sound of Music

Wednesday 22 – Saturday 25 January 2020
THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Following their 2019 sell-out success with My Fair Lady, next week local amateur dramatic group Cambridge Operatic Society (CaOS) revive the beloved musical The Sound of Music, in a sparkling new production.

Mark Turnbull, director of CaOS’ My Fair Lady, returns to lead a multi-talented local cast in what is arguably the world’s favourite musical. The creative team also includes Musical Director Lucas Elkin and choreographer Kathie Pugh.

‘One of the most memorable shows to come to the Arts Theatre in recent years’
CAMBRIDGE EDITION (on My Fair Lady 2019)

Austria, 1938. Join the free-spirited, life-loving Maria as she leaves Salzburg’s nunnery Nonnberg Abbey to tutor the seven von Trapp children. Teaching them how to sing becomes the catalyst for a new way of life for the children and for their strict father, the widowed Captain von Trapp, to understand what is truly important in life.

With characters as joyful and fresh as mountain air, and featuring much loved songs such as DoRe-Mi, My Favourite Things and How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, you’ll never forget The Sound of Music!

‘Brilliant sets, wonderful orchestra, lovely dancing, what’s really not to adore about this gorgeous production of a classic from 1950s American musical theatre’
CAMBRIDGE CRITIQUE (on My Fair Lady 2019)

CaOS are an award-winning amateur musical theatre company established in 1910. CaOS have staged an annual production on the Arts Theatre stage for many years, recent examples include My Fair Lady, Annie, Sister Act, Oklahoma! and Oliver!.

The Sound of Music is a stage musical composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, based on the story ‘The Trapp Family Singers’ by Maria von Trapp which was originally published in 1949. The original Broadway production opened in 1959 and won 6 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

In 1965 the musical was adapted and released globally as an American musical film, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film won a host of awards, including 5 Academy Awards, 2 Golden Globes. The film is now listed with BFI as one of the greatest American movies of all time, as well as the fourth greatest movie musical.

The Marlowe Society’s Othello

Wednesday 29 January – Saturday 1 February
OTHELLO By William Shakespeare

Cambridge University’s prestigious drama group The Marlowe Society return to Cambridge Arts Theatre with a gripping new adaptation of Shakespeare’s great tragedy of jealousy, Othello.

Othello has married Desdemona in secret. Iago has a vendetta to attend to. Before long, all three are caught in a web of lies and deceit that threatens to destroy them and everyone they love.

Founded in 1907, The Marlowe Society is one of Cambridge University’s oldest drama societies, boasting an illustrious alumni. Previous members include Trevor Nunn, Sir Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson and Peter Hall. The Marlowe Society perform annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre, recent productions include Much Ado About Nothing (2019), Romeo & Juliet (2018) and Edward II (2017).

Othello is directed by John Haidar, who most recently directed Headlong’s production of Richard III in 2019 within his residency as Associate Director of Headlong Theatre. Haidar’s credits also include The Plough and the Stars at the National Theatre, I See You at Royal Court and ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore and Antony and Cleopatra at Shakespeare’s Globe.

TRANSPORTER at the egg theatre

TRB egg

 
An inspiring journey across continents and years at the egg theatre

TRANSPORTER

Friday 24 & Saturday 25 January

Writer and performer Catherine Dyson visits the egg theatre with TRANSPORTER, the remarkable story of thirteen year old Maya, a girl who is always on the move, on a never-ending search for the last safe place on Earth.

Together with Maya, we go on a journey across continents and years, down city streets, through deserts, over oceans, asking questions that echo through history. Transporter is a bold, spellbinding show, born out of a belief in the power of words to transport. Just one performer in an empty space, and an audience. An act of shared imagination. A kind of magic that happens when you simply listen to a story.

Catherine Dyson adds “Maya is a kind of ‘every’ girl in many ways. She is an ordinary girl, who could be any school-girl.  So she has just arrived in what is the city of Newport and starts telling the story of her life and then it unfolds into a magic realist story, and we set up at the beginning that she is eternally 13 and as she tells her story, it opens out across decades and continents. The piece is about migration to a certain extent, although I never set out to write a piece about refugees or migration, I wanted to write about being 13 and being not in control of your life, and to write about safety and family and home and what that means when you’re 13.”

Transporter was written in Newport and uses conversations with teenagers and young people to create a tale of universal resonance and timeless resonance. Theatr Iolo is an award winning theatre company that has been at the forefront of productions for children and young audiences for the last thity years. Recent collaborations with the egg include the international hit I Wish I Was A Mountain, and Muckers. Theatr Iolo’s productions and workshops have been enjoyed by babies, children, teenagers, adults and teachers across Wales, the UK and internationally.

TRANSPORTER is at the egg theatre on Friday 24 & Saturday 25 January. Tickets are on sale now from the egg reception on 01225 823409 or online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Open Auditions Announced for BRING IT ON THE MUSICAL

SELLADOOR WORLDWIDE

ANNOUNCE

OPEN AUDITIONS

FOR

BRING IT ON THE MUSICAL

SEEKING PERFORMERS WITHOUT AGENT REPRESENTATION

WITH EXCELLENT DANCE

AND STRONG ACROBATIC SKILLS

ON

WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY 2020

Selladoor Worldwide today announced that they will be holding open auditions for the upcoming UK Tour of BRING IT ON THE MUSICAL. Open auditions will be held on Wednesday 22 January between 10.00am and 6.00pm at The Place, 17 Duke’s Road, London WC1H 9PY. Anyone wishing to audition must book a space via the following link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/selladoor-worldwide-29039748181

The producers are looking for all-round performers from all backgrounds who may have non-traditional skill sets with a focus on cheerleading and acrobatics/gymnastics. All performers must have an excellent base in street dance and urban techniques with strong vocal ability. The producers are especially looking for performers who do not have agent representation and might not usually get the opportunity to be seen via traditional casting avenues. Whilst artists of all ethnicities will be considered for the production, it is a requirement of the show for the majority of the company to reflect a range of BAME backgrounds.

Performers with agent representation who feel they have the skillset required are encouraged to ask their agents to submit them for audition via the Spotlight Breakdown currently live.

Following the open auditions on 22 January, recalls will be held on 24 January in Deptford. All performers will receive an answer on the day or via email notifying them of the outcome of their audition. These auditions will be filmed for archival and promotional use. Artists must be available for rehearsals from April 2020 to then join the show until December 2020 inclusive. All applicants must be over 18 and have a valid UK/EU passport or have the full working visa for the duration of the contract before applying.

BRING IT ON THE MUSICAL takes audiences on a high-flying, energy fuelled journey which tackles friendship, jealousy, betrayal and forgiveness – wrapped up in explosive choreography and tricks.

Cheer-royalty and newly crowned Squad Captain, Campbell, should be embarking on her most cheertastic senior year at Truman High School. But when she’s forced to move to the neighbouring hard-knock Jackson High, Campbell fears her life is over.  But an unlikely friendship catapults Campbell back into contention with a powerhouse squad and the fire to achieve the impossible.

BRING IT ON THE MUSICAL is produced by Selladoor Productions, has a libretto by Jeff Whitty, a score by Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda lyrics by Amanda Green and Lin-Manuel MirandaBRING IT ON THE MUSICAL is inspired by the motion picture Bring It On written by Jessica Bendinger. Performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited.

New trailer released for 3D cinematic experience about legendary dancer and choreographer Merce Cunningham

NEW TRAILER RELEASED FOR 3D CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE ABOUT LEGENDARY DANCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER MERCE CUNNINGHAM

‘CUNNINGHAM’ TO BE RELEASED IN CINEMAS ACROSS THE UK AND IRELAND FROM 13 MARCH 2020

A brand-new trailer has today been released for CUNNINGHAM, a 3D cinematic experience about legendary American choreographer Merce Cunningham. The film comes shortly after the Merce Cunningham centenary in 2019 and is set to be released by Dogwoof in cinemas across the UK and Ireland from 13 March 2020. The brand-new trailer can be viewed here.

Directed by Alla Kovgan, the film follows Merce’s artistic evolution over three decades of risk and discovery between 1944–1972, from early years as a struggling dancer in postwar New York to his emergence as one of the most visionary and influential choreographers in the world. Misunderstood and rejected by the dance world of his time, Merce persevered against all odds and developed a new dance technique and a new way of thinking about making dance performances in collaboration with composer John Cage and visual artist Robert Rauschenberg.

Rooted in both imaginary realms and actual life experiences, the film features excerpts from Cunningham’s works, re-imagined for 3D cinema at interior and exterior locations. The precise choreography of the camera will allow viewers to “step inside the dance”; and the archival materials (16mm/35mm footage, audio, and photographs) evoke the charged atmosphere of the time, while Merce’s own diagrams and drawings provide insight into his creative process. 3D technology weaves all the elements together, creating a moving and visceral journey through Merce’s world.

The full creative team on the film is made up of Alla Kovgan (Director & Writer), Jennifer Goggins (Director of Choreography, US), Robert Swintson (Supervising Director of Choreography, US), Joséphine Derobe (Director of Stereography, France), Mko Malkhasyan (Director of Photography, Us/Armenia), Hauschka (Volker Bertelmann) (Composer, Germany) and Mieke Ulfig (Archival Sequences Designer, Germany).

Merce Cunningham (1919-2009) was a world-renowned choreographer unequaled for innovation in both the 20th and 21st centuries. Merce persevered against all odds and developed a new dance technique and a new way of thinking in collaboration with seminal visual artists and composers such as John Cage (who was also his life partner), Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Frank Stella, and Andy Warhol. The Merce Cunningham Dance Company was founded in 1953 and disbanded in 2011 after Merce’s death. Throughout his seventy-year career, Merce choreographed more than 180 dances and over 700 “Events,” which combined excerpts from diverse works in novel contexts. Known for his experimentation with “chance operations,” he also worked with the cutting-edge technologies of his time —including film, video, TV, computer programming, and motion capture—to explore his work in different contexts. Merce’s story, commitment to innovation, and ideas continue to influence generations of artists and choreographers worldwide.

Born in Moscow, Alla Kovgan has divided her time between Europe and the US working with dance and film collaborations on screen, VR and in theatre. She also brings a strong record as a documentary writer/editor. Her film NORA has received 30 awards in every genre and was broadcast worldwide. She co-wrote/edited the Emmy-nominated TRACES OF THE TRADE (Sundance, PBS), MOVEMENT REVOLUTION AFRICA (ZDF/ARTE) and edited MY PERESTROIKA (Sundance, PBS). Her first VR piece with Finnish music duo Puhti DEVIL’S LUNGS won Grand Prix at the Vienna Shorts Festival, which made her an artist-in-residence at Vienna’s Museum Quarter 21 in 2019.

Jennifer Goggans, a Kentucky native, holds a BFA from SUNY Purchase and performed as a member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company for 12 years. She was the Assistant to the Director of Choreography during the company’s final Legacy Tour. She has taught Cunningham Technique® classes and staged his works across the globe, notably, the Paris Opera Ballet, the Lyon Opera Ballet, the Bayerisches Staatsballet, L.A. Dance Project, the Stephen Petronio Company and the Juilliard School. Goggans has performed with the Louisville Ballet, MOMIX, Chantal Yzermans, and Christopher Williams and has appeared as a guest artist with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. She also studied fashion design at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology and has created costumes for Tere O’Connor and RoseAnne Spradlin. Currently, she is also the Program Coordinator for the Merce Cunningham Trust.

Robert Swinston joined the Merce Cunningham Dance Company (MCDC) in 1980 and became Assistant to Merce Cunningham in 1992. Following Cunningham’s death in 2009, he was named Director of Choreography and a Trustee of the Merce Cunningham Trust. He oversaw the MCDC, the Repertory Understudy Group, and the Cunningham Educational Outreach Program until the closure of the MCDC in 2011. Swinston reconstructed many Cunningham dances for the MCDC and staged his works worldwide – for Boston Ballet, White Oak Dance Project, New York City Ballet, and the Paris Opera Ballet. In 2003, Swinston received a Bessie Award for his performance in the revival of Cunningham’s How to Pass, Kick, Fall, & Run. Since 2013, he has acted as the Artistic Director of the Centre National de Danse Contemporaine in Angers, France and formed a new company that has 8 Cunningham dances in its repertoire, and performed numerous Cunningham Events. His tenure at the CNDC will expire in June 2020, and he is dedicated to continuing sharing the Cunningham legacy throughout the world.

Louise Redknapp and Brian Conley Return to 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL in the West End

LOUISE REDKNAPP AND BRIAN CONLEY

RETURN TO

DOLLY PARTON’S

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL

Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton, Book by Patricia Resnick

and Directed by Jeff Calhoun

Based on the 20th Century Fox Picture

AT THE SAVOY THEATRE FROM FEBRUARY 2020

Dolly Parton is delighted to announce that Louise Redknapp and Brian Conley will return to play Violet Newstead and Franklin Hart Jnr respectively in 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL at The Savoy Theatre from February 2020.

Louise Redknapp will return to the show on Monday 10 February 2020 and play the role of Violet until the show ends its West End run on 23 May (excluding 12 – 28 March). Caroline Sheen, who is currently playing the role of Violet Newstead, will play her final performance on Saturday 8 February 2020.

Brian Conley will return to the show on Monday 2 March 2020. David Hasselhoff, who is currently playing the role of Franklin Hart Jnr, will play his final performance on Saturday 8 February 2020. Between Monday 10 – Saturday 29 February, the role of Franklin Hart Jnr will be played by Sean Needham. Sean played the role on the recent UK tour of the show.

Louise and Brian will join Chelsea Halfpenny as Judy Bernly, Natalie McQueen as Doralee Rhodes and Bonnie Langford as Roz Keith.

The cast of 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL is completed by Victoria Anderson, Alexander Bartles, Stephanie Chandos, Conor Crown, Alexander Day, Rhiane Drummond, Demmileigh Foster, Ross Lee Fowkes, Molly-May Gardiner, Llandyll Gove,  Ben Irish, Jenny Legg, Sean Needham, Jon Reynolds, Ricardo Spriggs, Antoine Thomas-Sturge, Sasha Wareham and Emily Woodford.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL opened in the West End in February 2019, where Dolly Parton attended the premiere and joined the cast on stage at the finale. The musical features a book by Patricia Resnick, the legendary film’s original screenwriter, and an original Oscar, Grammy and Tony award-nominated score by multi Grammy Award winner, country legend and pop icon Dolly Parton.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL tells the story of Doralee, Violet and Judy – three workmates pushed to boiling point by their sexist and egotistical boss. Concocting a plan to kidnap and turn the tables on their despicable supervisor, will the women manage to reform their office – or will events unravel when the CEO pays an unexpected visit? Inspired by the cult film this hilarious new West End production is about teaming up, standing up and taking care of business!

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL is written by Patricia Resnick, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. It is directed by Jeff Calhoun, choreography by Lisa Stevens, design by Tom Rogers, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Poti Martin, video design by Nina Dunn, original arrangements by Stephen Oremus & Alex Lacamoire, original Broadway orchestrations by Bruce Coughlin, musical supervisor, reductions & extra arrangements by Mark Crossland, musical direction by Andrew Hilton and casting by Victoria Roe and Anne Vosser.

Based on the 20th Century Fox Picture. Originally produced on Broadway by Robert Greenblatt, April 2009.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Selladoor Worldwide and Gavin Kalin Productions with Benjamin Lowy Productions, Glass Half Full Productions, Showtime Theatre Productions, Hartshorn – Hook Productions, Harmonia Holdings and Kilimanjaro Live.

Oi Frog & Friends! Aylesbury Waterside Theatre 13 – 15 Feb

Oi FROG & FRIENDS! LEAPS INTO AYLESBURY WATERSIDE THEATRE THIS FEBRUARY

DIRECT FROM THE WEST END!

Based on the bestselling series of picture books by Kes Gray and Jim Field

Adapted for the stage by Emma Earle, Zoe Squire, Luke Bateman and Richy Hughes

A Kenny Wax Family Entertainment Production

Are you sitting comfortably?

Cats sit on mats, hares sit on chairs, mules sit on stools, gophers sit on sofas and frogs sit on logs

Join FROG, DOG and CAT live on stage in Oi Frog & Friends! at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from Thu 13 – Sat 15 Feb, as the show tours the UK direct from a smash‐hit West End season.

It’s a new day at Sittingbottom School and FROG is looking for a place to sit, but CAT has other ideas and DOG is doing as he’s told. Little do any of them know that chaos is coming… who knew there were so many rhyming rules and what will happen when FROG is in charge? Oi Frog & Friends!, the critically acclaimed 55‐minute action‐packed play with songs, puppets, laughs and, of course, rhymes comes to town this spring!

Oi Frog & Friends! is created for the stage by Emma Earle, Zoe Squire, Luke Bateman and Richy Hughes, bringing together Kes Gray and Jim Field’s bestselling and award‐winning series of picture books Oi Frog!, Oi Dog!, Oi Cat! and Oi Duck‐Billed Platypus!, published by Hachette Children’s Group, into one fun‐filled musical production.

The cast line‐up for the 2020 UK tour is Darren Seed as DOG, Lucy Tuck as CAT, Robin Hemmings as FROG and Simon Yadoo as CHEETAH, with Rebecca Ayres as Understudy/ASM.

Hailed as one of the most successful picture books of the decade with more than one million copies sold to date, Author Kes Gray says of the show, “The stage show has taken the Oi characters to places I could never have imagined. The fun, the artistry and the sheer theatrical genius of this production really is something to behold!

Illustrator Jim Field says, “Seeing the characters brought to life from our series of Oi books was both surreal and incredible. Oi Frog & Friends! bounces along with non‐stop energy, amazing puppets, funny songs, shouty rhymes, and a squirty elephant trunk. It’s brilliantly bonkers!

Oi Frog & Friends! is an ideal introduction to theatre and the perfect entertainment for schools, groups and families with children aged 3+. Tickets are on sale from Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Box Office and can be booked by calling 0844 871 7607 (bkg fee applies. calls cost up to 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge) or visiting atgtickets.com/aylesbury (bkg fee).

Curve (Leicester) New Productions Announced For 2020

TRIO OF MADE AT CURVE PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCED

UK premiere of

ROMAN HOLIDAY

15 Jul – 1 Aug

Tennessee Williams’s

CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF

11 – 26 Sep

Aakash Odedra Company and Bagri Foundation

SAMSARA

20 – 21 Oct

A trio of new Made at Curve productions for 2020 have been revealed, with an enchanting musical, classic drama and brand new dance piece set to take to the theatre’s stages.

The announcements were made by Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster at Curve’s Season Preview event last night, where audiences enjoyed exclusive discussions and performances at the theatre.

Speaking about Curve’s plans for 2020 productions, Chris Stafford and Nikolai Foster said:

“Diversity and eclecticism sit at the heart of our theatre and city and we are excited to present a new slate of projects stretching across 2020.

“Alongside our already announced shows, we are thrilled to announce the return of Associate Artist Aakash Odedra with a brand new Curve co-commission, Samsara. And it’s made all the more exciting by Aakash’s collaboration with Chinese artist Hu Shenyuan.

“Musicals continue to play a huge part in our journey and Kirsten Guenther & Paul Blake’s adaptation of Roman Holiday will bring Italian chic, the great songs of Cole Porter and a bit of la dolce vita to our stage this summer.

“It’s been a joy working with Royal Theatrical Support Trust, colleagues at English Touring Theatre, Rose Theatre Kingston and Alexandra Palace and we are delighted to be working with rising star director Anthony Almeida on his bold reimagining of Williams’s magnificent play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.”

From 15 Jul – 1 Aug, Curve will create a brand new UK premiere production of musical Roman Holiday, based on the 1953 film starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. Directed by Nikolai Foster (West Side Story, White Christmas), the musical will feature songs from American Composer Cole Porter including Easy to Love, Just One Of Those Things and Night and Day.

Roman Holiday’s book is written by Kirsten Guenther and Paul Blake. Blake’s previous work includes the book for White Christmas. Speaking about this announcement he said:

“I, Paramount and the Cole Porter Estate are so honored that the UK premiere of Roman Holiday will be at the Curve Theatre in Leicester and that it will be directed by Nikolai Foster. Years ago I co-wrote Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and this Christmas I got to see first-hand the loving care and joy Nikolai’s direction brought to that show. I’m sure Roman Holiday is in the hands of one of England’s best directors and theatres – I couldn’t be happier.”

Adapted from the Oscar-winning film, Roman Holiday is a whirlwind 24-hour adventure of romance, European old-world glamour and royal charm, as a privileged princess escapes her diplomatic dinners and duties whilst on a tour of Europe. 

A chance encounter with an American reporter sends the royal rebel on a scooter ride through Rome. Whilst Princess Anne enjoys her first taste of freedom – his first thought is a career-changing tabloid scoop at the Princess’s expense. 

This Made at Curve musical captures the golden age of Hollywood on stage, as the Princess and her not-so-Prince Charming experience la dolce vita in one magical and unforgettable day. 

It was also announced that Anthony Almeida, winner of the 2019 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award, will direct a production of Tennessee Williams’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with set and costume design by Rosanna Vize (Hedda Gabler, Sherman Theatre). A Made at Curve, Rose Theatre Kingston, English Touring Theatre (ETT) and Alexandra Palace co-production supported by grant funding from the Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST), the drama will run at Curve 11 – 26 Sep. The production will then visit Alexandra Palace and Rose Theatre Kingston ahead of a UK tour.

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, 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.

This bold new revival of Tennessee Williams’s 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.

Curve is also co-commissioning a new major dance collaboration from Curve Associate Artist Aakash Odedra and Hu Shenyuan, two of the greatest champions of culturally-specific dance forms from their respective countries of origin, India and China. The international tour of Samsara from the Aakash Odedra Company and Bagri Foundation, co-commissioned with Birmingham Hippodrome, begins in Melbourne, Australia this March and comes to Curve 20 – 21 Oct.

Enter the world of Samsara and journey through the vast histories, philosophies and cultures of China and India.

Created and performed by Curve Associate Artist Aakash Odedra (UK/India) and Hu Shenyuan (China), Samsara merges mythological storytelling with personal anecdotes. The piece is inspired by the 16th century classic Chinese novel Journey to the West which depicts the epic journey of a monk’s travels through China and India in search of original Buddhist scripture.

Samsara is a touching story of cultural exchange, drawing upon ballet, Chinese folk, kathak and contemporary dance.

Anand Bhatt, Aakash Odedra Company’s producer, says:

“When two exceptional dancers like Aakash and Hu make a decision to work together, it really feels like you had the best day in the office. This very special project exemplifies the creative case for diversity. Aakash and Hu will work with exceptional collaborators and we are very excited by the range of international and home partners and supporters engaging with us. In particular support from London-based Bagri Foundation has enabled us to work with exceptional artistic collaborators and given us technical resources we would not otherwise have had. Our other partners in England include Arts Council England, Curve in Leicester (always special as it is where we started and we are based in the City); Birmingham Hippodrome (Aakash’s original home town) and the Royal Ballet in London.”

Curve also revealed that its hit Made at Curve production of Hairspray would be returning on 20 – 29 Aug to open a new UK tour.

Tickets for all shows go on sale to Curve Friends and Supporters Tue 14 Jan, Members Wed 15 Jan, Groups Fri 17 Jan and on general sale on 21 Jan, all at 12pm.

For more information and to book, visit www.curveonline.co.uk. Alternatively, call 0116 242 3595 or visit Curve’s Box Office.