Previews from Wednesday 14 June

Lyric Hammersmith

A UK premiere of a thrilling courtroom drama by Ferdinand von Schirach, directed by Artistic Director Sean Holmes and designed by Olivier Award-winner Anna Fleischle.

Guilty. Not Guilty. You Decide.

Enter the courtroom. Hear the evidence. Make your judgement. A hijacked plane is heading towards a packed football stadium. Ignoring orders to the contrary a fighter pilot shoots the plane down killing 164 people to save 70,000. Put on trial and charged with murder, the fate of the pilot is in the audience’s hands.

A worldwide phenomenon that has been stirring debate across the globe and providing opposing results in different countries and cultures.

Emma Fielding plays Prosecuting Counsel Nelson, John Lightbody plays Christian Lauterbach, Forbes Masson plays Defence Counsel Biegler, Tanya Moodie plays the Presiding Judge, Shanaya Rafaat plays Franziska Meiser and Ashley Zhangazha plays the pilot on trial, Lars Koch.

www.lyric.co.uk | 020 8741 6850

HAIRSPRAY THE MUSICAL
UK TOUR
Directed by Paul Kerryson
Choreographed by Drew McOnie

www.hairsprayuktour.com / @HairsprayUKTour

• CAST ANNOUNCED FOR MAJOR UK TOUR OF SMASH-HIT MUSICALHAIRSPRAY
• AWARD-WINNING COMEDIAN NORMAN PACE TO STAR AS WILBUR TURNBLAD WITH MATT RIXON RETURNING AS EDNA
• RETURNING TO THE PRODUCTION, LAYTON WILLIAMS WILL PLAY THE ROLE OF SEAWEED ALONGSIDE MUSICAL THEATRE STAR BRENDA EDWARDS AS MOTORMOUTH MAYBELLE
• NEWCOMER REBECCA MENDOZA WILL MAKE HER PROFESSIONAL DEBUT AS TRACY TURNBLAD
• HAIRSPRAY WILL VISIT OVER 30+ LEADING VENUES ACROSS THE UK AND IRELAND OPENING AS THE HEADLINE SUMMER PRODUCTION AT CARDIFF’S MILLENNIUM CENTRE 

Norman Pace (ITV1’s The Hale and Pace Show) will play Wilbur Turnblad in the major UK tour of the smash hit musical Hairspray, opening at Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff this summer. He will be joined by Matt Rixon (The Ladykillers, Around the World in 80 Days) reprising his role as Edna Turnblad, musical theatre star Brenda Edwards (Chicago, We Will Rock You, The X Factor) returning as Motormouth Maybelle and Layton Williams (Bad Education, Rent) now starring as Seaweed. Gina Murray (Chicago and Full Monty) joins the cast as Velma Von Tussle with Jon Tsouras (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Crazy for You) once again playing Corny Collins; Edward Chitticks (On the Town, Mamma Mia) as Link Larkin; Aimee Moore as Amber Von Tussle; Annalise Liard-Bailey as Penny Pingleton and Monifa James as Little Inez.Rebecca Mendoza will make her professional debut as Tracy Turnblad.

Full cast includes: Lauren Concannon, Melissa Nettleford and Emily-Mae Walker as The Dynamites, Shay Barclay, Ben Darcy, George Hinson, Jordan Laviniere, Graham MacDuff, Lindsay McAllister, Tracey Penn and Freya Rowley.

Featuring the iconic music and lyrics by Academy Award, Tony and Emmy winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, this big, bold and beautiful production is choreographed by Olivier Award-winning Drew McOnie with direction from Paul Kerryson. This 37 week tour of the much loved musical based on the 1988 film follows the phenomenally successful 2016 UK tour which played to packed out houses and received public and critical acclaim across the country in 2015/16.

It’s Baltimore 1962, where Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, is on a mission to follow her dreams and dance her way onto national TV. Tracy’s audition makes her a local star and soon she is using her new-found fame to fight for equality, bagging local heartthrob Link Larkin along the way.

Hairspray is a musical based on the 1988 film of the same name which starred Divine and Ricki Lake by cult filmmaker John Waters. With music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Hairspray originally opened to rave reviews on Broadway in 2002 and subsequently won eight Tony Awards. The production opened in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007 and won four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical. Proving to be an international success, Hairspray has also opened in South Africa, Japan, South Korea, China and Dubai. Following the musical’s phenomenal success on stage, a film of the musical was released in 2007 which starred John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Marsden.

16 – 26 August 2017
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff 
Bute Pl, Cardiff Bay CF10 5AL
ON SALE NOW
Box Office: 029 2063 6400
http://www.wmc.org.uk/

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Park Theatre and Stop The War Coalition present

MARK RYLANCE & FRIENDS

TO INTERPRET MYTHS OF WAR

In support of Stop The War Coalition

Featuring the work of Howard Zinn, Erich Maria Remarque and more

Sunday 18^th June 2017 | Park Theatre

Mark Rylance, Kika Markham and other special friends are to present Myths of War: a series of dramatic readings that question why some wars have become sacrosanct in our collective consciousness. Asking if we can take a fresh view of history in order to end the wars of today, Mark Rylance brings to the London stage Howard Zinn’s seminal oration on the Three Holy Wars. Kika Markham reads from Erich Maria Remarque’s The Road Back. All proceeds from the readings will go to the Stop The War Coalition.

“Hope can only come if you have some historical perspective”

Howard Zinn

Howard Zinn was an American historian, playwright, and famed anti-war activist who wrote more than twenty books about the Civil Rights Movement, US labor history and the stupidity of war. Erich Maria Remarque was a German novelist and screen writer, famous amongst other things for the classic antiwar novel All Quiet on the Western Front about soldiers’ experiences of World War One.

Melli Marie, Creative Director of Park Theatre, said: “As a theatre, it is important for us to create the space for all conversations to take place, no matter how uncomfortable, controversial or unpopular. We believe that by bringing Howard’s work to light at Park Theatre we are giving our audience a chance to think about this global issue from a personal perspective.”

Lindsey German, Convenor of Stop the War, said: “Howard Zinn was a great writer and historian of the 20th century who spent his life opposing wars and the militarised societies that give rise to them. His body of work is a enduring reminder that it is ordinary people who suffer in wars. We face a choice between further wars, involving the use of ever more catastrophic weapons of mass destruction, which will cause untold misery to millions, or the creation of a society based on peace, justice and cooperation. The Stop the War Coalition is committed to campaigning to end these wars. We must do everything we can to end them.”

Mark Rylance has been an actor since 1976. He is best known for his artistic direction of Shakespeare’s Globe and for playing Rooster Byron in Jerusalem (Royal Court Theatre), Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall (BBC), the BFG in The BFG (Walt Disney Studios) and Colonel Abel in Bridge of Spies (20^th Century Fox).

Leeds Grand Theatre – 30 May to 8 July 2017.

Mamma Mia – here we go to Leeds for the first time ever.  Entering the theatre on the blue carpet the heat from the packed auditorium made us all feel as if we were really on a Greek Island.  And how can you fail to be entertained by a show that warns patrons of a nervous disposition that the show contains platform boots and white lycra.

The story – a captivating yet hilarious tale of family and friendship set on a Greek island is instantly enchanting whilst the iconic music and lyrics prove not just beautiful, but utterly relatable.  That’s mainly thanks to the brilliant Abba songs, well sung and cleverly used, not just shoehorned in – The Name of the Game becomes a father/daughter song, and Does Your Mother know is a high energy dance number with a lot of laughs.

On the day before her wedding to Sky (Phillip Ryan), it transpires that Sophie (Lucy May Barker) has invited all three of her potential fathers to watch her marry.  She shares the news with her best friends Ali (Fia Houston-Hamilton) and Lisa (Blaise Conlangelo) who are both appalled she read her mother’s diary and intrigued with what they find out.

Sophie’s mother Donna (Helen Hobson) is unsurprisingly shocked to discover her three past lovers – Harry (Jamie Hogarth), Bill (Christopher Hollis) and Sam (Jon Boydon) – in her taverna, the day before the wedding of the daughter they didn’t know existed.  She shares her anger, fear and confusion with best friends and band mates Rosie (Gillian Hardie) and Tanya (Emma Clifford)

This show is full of strong women and the strong relationships they have:  Mother and Daughter is covered through the tear inspiring song Slipping Through My Fingers, and friendship via Dancing Queen.  Hobson’s rendition of Winner Takes It All is a gut wrenching, emotional powerhouse of a performance which deserved the applause it received

The set is simple but versatile with only a few moves turning it from beach bar, church, taverna and bedroom. The lighting is various shades of blue to represent the sun and sea and day and night.

Its a camp, boisterous, cheesy and exuberant show, filled with laughter and moments of great poignancy but by the end of the show the audience was up on its feet, singing and dancing to the encore version of Dancing Queen and Waterloo, whilst confetti was launched over the audience.   With an array of sequined lycra, platform boots, ABBA melodies and an infectious story – this is a production that pulls out all the stops.

In Leeds until 8 July and on tour around the UK – grab your daughter, grab yours friends or go alone and make friends there – one of the best nights out you’ll have this year

BAFTA-nominated BBC TV sitcom
‘Waiting for God’ takes to the stage.

Waiting for God delighted TV audiences across five primetime BBC series in the 1990s. The all-new stage version is penned by the sitcom’s creator Michael Aitkens and ends its UK tour at The Lowry Mon 3 – Sat 8 July.

All the favourite characters from the original series of Waiting for God are re-imagined for 2017, starring Jeffrey Holland as Tom Ballard and Nichola McAuliffe as Diana Trent.

Facing the challenges that come with growing old disgracefully in the era of the silver surfer. Battle-axe extraordinaire Diana Trent conspires with new resident Tom Ballard to give the conniving manager his comeuppance with unexpectedly heart-warming results at Bayview Retirement Home.

When asked if he thinks social attitudes have changed since writing Waiting for God for TV Micheal Aitkens said;

“Yes, I think our views on age have changed quite dramatically in the 27 years since the series was first onscreen, When I was growing up, my parents’ generation retired at 65, put their feet up for five years and then died. But now we just keep rocking on. I have this theory that a lot of us have linked our lives to Mick Jagger’s.  So long as Mick can keep getting out there, so long as Keith doesn’t fold up, we’re okay. It’s the Jagger Syndrome: if Mick goes, a lot of us will follow the next week.

“The play is set in 2017 not the Nineties, Diana uses a laptop and there are smartphones but I think the main change is in how the audience perceives the characters. Back then, the idea that older people should think and behave like Diana and Tom may have seemed outrageous. Now they’re more of the norm and hopefully the audience will identify with that.”

The cast will also feature Joanna Bending as Sarah Chase, David Benson as Geoffrey Ballard, Peter Cadden as Dennis Sparrow, Samuel Collings as Harvey Baines and Emily Pithon as Jane Edwards as well as Corinna Marlowe and Anna Westlake.

Waiting for God is produced by James Seabright, an Olivier Award winning theatrical producer and general manager. The new stage production is directed Tony Award winning David Grindley.

Listings
Waiting for God
Date: Mon 3 – Sat 8 July
Times: 7.30pm. Wed & Sat 2.30pm.
Tickets: £28.50 – £33.50. Conc £3 off (Selected performances only)
Website

Sheffield Arena – Monday 29th May 2017.  Reviewed by Mary Swithenbank Walton

This was my first live Take That gig and they didn’t disappoint.

The central stage gave an all round view of the visual displays of the stunning special effects and the boys.  Wherever you are sitting you get a good view.  The boys made full use of the whole area of the stage.  

It really was a great show, very theatrical as always.  There was so much to see and I didn’t know where to look.  The show was full of surprises throughout.  The carousel effect was stunning and magical and brought a tear to my eyes.

Although there is an advantage standing around the stage area as fans get to see Gary, Howard and Mark close up and a good view of their bottoms, however, to fully appreciate the show and effects it is better to be higher up and view from a distance.

There was a mix of songs old and new, the usual favourites. Their performance was faultless.  I’m not too keen of Gary as a blonde though!

I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprises by saying too much but if you are going to a gig you are in for a treat.  I didn’t want it to end and can’t wait to see them again. ENJOY!!

Random Thoughts Limited in association with Park Theatre presents
the World Premiere of

THE VIEW FROM NOWHERE

27 June – 22 July 2017
PARK90

The new PARK90 season opens with the world premiere of a highly topical drama involving a scientific controversy, The View From Nowhere, presented by the same creative team behind the critically acclaimed Warehouse of Dreams at Lion and Unicorn Theatre. Written by Chuck Anderson and directed by Dan Phillips, The View From Nowhere stars Nina Toussaint-White, Mensah Bediako, Math Sams and Emma Mulkern.

Prez is a brilliant biochemist. His experiments show a leading herbicide is carcinogenic. He has an existential fight against entrenched interests on his hands – not helped by the fact that he dresses like David Bowie, and carries a chip on his shoulder as big as the sink estate he grew up on. In his heart he knows he’s right, but can he prove it?

The plot turns on the scientific fact that eight out of ten of us have minute traces of a potentially dangerous herbicide in our urine. This echoes concerns about glyphosate, an ingredient in Roundup, the leading weedkiller marketed by Monsanto, which is vital to worldwide food production. The European Commission is now considering scientific evidence on whether it is a carcinogenic agent. That decision is anticipated before the end of this year.

Nina Toussaint-White plays Rona. Best known for roles in EastEnders, Switch and Emmerdale, Nina’s stage credits include The Libertine (Theatre Royal Bath and Haymarket), The Etienne Sisters (Theatre Royal Stratford East – Nominated for Best Performance in a Musical at the UK Theatre Awards 2016) and Race (Hampstead Theatre). Other television credits include Gameface, Uncle, Holby City and Death in Paradise.

Mensah Bediako plays Prez. A veteran of the stage, his extensive theatre credits include The Bodyguard (UK tour), One Man Two Guvnors (National Theatre and UK tour), Fast Cuts and Snap Shots (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Harder They Come (Barbican), Floyd Collins (Southwark Playhouse) and Tobias and the Angel (Young Vic). Television and film credits include Chasing Shadows, Mr Mzuza, Popular Unrest and The Real Kathy Hayden.

Emma Mulkern plays Sandy Jones. Theatre credits include Rough Music (Pint Sized Plays), Courting Drama (Theatre Renegade) and The Cause (ACS Random). Television credits include American Monster.

Math Sams plays Dr Tom Pennington. Theatre credits include Chimerica (Harold Pinter Theatre), Jane Eyre (Birmingham Old Rep), Being Nice (Derby Studio), Old Bag (Theatre 503), Do Worms Have Hearts? (Old Red Lion), Buried Child (Upstairs at the Gatehouse) and The Seagull (Cockpit). Television and film credits include Suicide Platoon, The Truth, Turbulence and For the Fallen

Writer and Producer Chuck Anderson has had his TV plays produced by CBS Television and MGM-TV, Hollywood. In the UK, he has authored fiction and non-fiction books. In 2014, his play, Warehouse of Dreams, about running a UNHCR camp for Syrian refugees, won enthusiastic reviews at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre.

Director Dan Phillips’ credits include the Welsh premiere of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the new musical Something Something Lazarus at The King’s Head Theatre, The Lonely Walk Home in Manchester and April in Paris in Germany.

Set design is by May Jennifer Davies, Costume design is by Dan Street, Lighting design is by Chris Howells and the musical composer is Simon Arrowsmith.

www.parktheatre.co.uk

Box office: 020 7870 6876*

ERASURE

Newcastle City Hall Sun 4 Feb 2018

We are delighted to announce that Erasure will return to Newcastle City Hall next year.

It’s hard to think of another songwriting partnership as golden as that of Erasure. For 32 years, without a break or break-up, Andy Bell and Vince Clarke have mined a rich seam of creativity that has led to chart-conquering singles, a string of immaculate albums, a BRIT, an Ivor Novello Award and now World Be Gone, their seventeenth studio album.

It sees the duo enter their fourth decade with renewed creative charge. Instead of the heady, euphoric dance music of their 2014 album The Violet Flame, on World Be Gone the mood is thoughtful, reflective and reminiscent of 1995’s lush, experimental album Erasure.

Erasure’s buoyant grooves have often contained allusions to serious subject matter, but on their new album, World Be Gone they explicitly confront dark forces, while continuing to celebrate love’s light. ‘Lousy Sum of Nothing’ is a heartbreaking ballad for our post-truth age, with a sublime, sky-scraping chorus.

Since releasing their first single in 1985, Erasure have sold more than 25 million albums worldwide. Their 30th anniversary celebrations saw them deliver a Top 10 collection of singles, a 13-disc career-spanning box set and vinyl editions of their entire back catalogue. Since then, they’ve been busier than ever. In addition to recording World Be Gone, in 2016 Vince Clarke set up his own label, Very Records, releasing 2Square, his collaboration with Paul Hartnoll, and the Reed & Caroline debut, Buchla & Singing. Andy Bell continued to explore the character of Torsten through the critically acclaimed theatrical production Torsten The Beautiful Libertine and an album of the same name. A remix album, further detailing this “polysexual semi-immortal” character was released in 2016. Bell’s solo debut album, Electric Blue, has been remastered and repackaged for release in 2017.

Erasure plays Newcastle City Hall on Sun 4 Feb 2018.  Tickets on sale Fri 2 Jun from 10am and are £43.00 and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge).

Jack Studio Theatre 24 May – 3 June.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Tom Green’s new play tells the story of Tom Molineaux, who was born a slave in America. 200 years ago, fighting and beating all challengers, he won his freedom, (and a shed load of money) and travelled to England to fight. Trained in England by another ex-slave, Bill Richmond, Molineaux was soon facing the champion, Tom Cribb.

Nathan Medina is wonderful as Molineaux, full of righteous indignation and fury as he realises that the English will do anything to prevent a foreigner, and a black foreigner at that, from being their champion. The huge interest in the sport, and the money changing hands as the odds changed at the end of each round is clearly portrayed, even in this two-hander; and the brutality of bare knuckle boxing is described in eloquent, and strangely poetic detail by celebrated writer Pierce Egan – portrayed here as a charming chancer with a weakness for drink and gambling by Brendan O’Rourke. There is lots of talk of claret being spilled, and injuries that will make you wince, but no actual fighting. Instead Medina shadowboxes with artfully archaic poses and style, pirouetting and lurching around the ring in an exhaustingly physical performance. As he rants about being the best – images of legends like Ali and Frasier spring to mind.

His rise, and consequent fall into alcoholism, consumption and an early, lonely death in Ireland is punctuated by clips of modern boxers talking about their sport, heroes, and emotions after a bout. This felt a little intrusive at first, but pays off massively when they describe how it feels to lose, as Medina sits dejected in his corner.

The language is wonderfully lyrical and Green lays bare the prejudices that are still faced today, and the hypocrisy of the press and their complicit readers without preaching. Kate Bannister’s direction is crisp and ensures the focus is on the two committed actors, keeping the audience’s attention until Egan’s final guilt-ridden speech.

Full of fury and humanity, this beautifully crafted play is well worth seeing whether you love or loathe boxing. A fine tribute to an extraordinary man.