The Menier Chocolate Factory today announces that Jessica Martin joins Cassidy Janson and Julie Yammanee to complete the company for the revival of Jerry Herman’s JERRY’S GIRLS.

Directed by Hannah Chissick, the show will feature choreography by Matt Cole, set and costume design by Paul Farnsworth, lighting design by Philip Gladwell, musical supervision and arrangements by Sarah Travis, and an all-female band. This new production opens on 22 May, with previews from 18 May, and plays a strictly limited season until 29 June.

Lyn Paul withdrew from the production for personal reasons.

The Menier Chocolate Factory

JERRY’S GIRLS

Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman

Concepts by Larry Alford, Wayne Cilento and Jerry Herman

18 May – 29 June

Director: Hannah Chissick; Choreographer: Matt Cole; Set & Costume Designer: Paul Farnsworth; Lighting Designer: Philip Gladwell; Musical Supervisor and Orchestrator: Sarah Travis

JERRY’S GIRLS celebrates the life and legacy of legendary award-winning Broadway composer Jerry Herman.

Featuring songs from such timeless musicals as Hello, Dolly!, Mame, Mack and Mabel, Dear World and La Cage Aux Folles, JERRY’S GIRLS comes to the Menier Chocolate Factory for 6 weeks only.

JERRY’S GIRLS was created by Herman and collaborator Larry Alford in 1981, opened Off-Broadway to critical acclaim and resulted in a hit National Tour and a Tony-nominated run on Broadway, directed and choreographed by Wayne Cilento.

Jerry Herman’s list of awards and honours is seemingly endless – it includes multiple Tony, Grammy, Olivier and Drama Desk Awards, the Johnny Mercer Award, the Richard Rodgers Award, the Oscar Hammerstein Award and an entry into the Theatre Hall of Fame.

Cassidy Janson returns to the Chocolate Factory, having previously appeared in Candide and Tick, Tick…Boom!.  Her other theatre credits include Bare (The London Palladium), & Juliet (for which she won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical), playing Carole King in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre), Aldonza in Man of La Mancha (London Coliseum) Elphaba in Wicked (Apollo Victoria), Chess (London Coliseum), The Mousetrap (St Martin’s Theatre), Avenue Q (Gielgud Theatre) and Once (Tokyo).

Jessica Martin made her West End debut playing Sally Smith opposite Gary Wilmot in Me and My Girl (Adelphi Theatre) and has performed in over thirty musicals. Her other theatre credits include playing Mabel in Mack and Mabel (Piccadilly Theatre) and later playing Lotte in Mack and Mabel at Southwark Playhouse, Babes in Arms and The Card (Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park), The Wizard of Oz(Theatre Royal Plymouth and UK tour), South Pacific (Churchill Theatre and UK tour), Sweeney Todd (Bridewell Theatre), Sunset Boulevard (Comedy Theatre), Spamalot (UK tour), Sondheim at 80 (Royal Albert Hall), Elf the Musical (Dominion Theatre), Shirleymander (The Playground Theatre) Blitz! (The Union) and Menopause – The Musical 2 (UK & Ireland tour). For television, she played Mags, an intergalactic werewolf in the Seventh Doctor season of Doctor Who, later reprising the role on radio. She was also a regular voice actor on the iconic Spitting Image series as well as starring in Copy Cats and alongside Bobby Davro in his series Bobby Davro’s TV Weekly. At this time, she was a frequent guest on variety shows such as Sunday Night at the Palladium, Summertime Special and several Royal Variety Shows.

Julie Yammanee previously appeared at the Chocolate Factory in Spamilton. Her other theatre credits include Bonnie and Clyde (Garrick Theatre), Clueless (Churchill Theatre, Bromley), Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Hope Mill Theatre), Gatsby (Southwark Playhouse), Lazarus (King’s Cross Theatre), Here Lives Love (National Theatre), Carousel (Kilworth House Theatre), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (UK & international tour) and Avenue Q (UK tour).  Her film credits include Matilda and A Christmas Story Christmas.

Hannah Chissick returns to the Menier to direct – she previously directed Pack of Lies for the company. Her most recent work includes Eugenius (Turbine Theatre – Best Director, The Offies), Treason the Musical (West End and Alexandra Palace Theatre), The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair (NYMT), Mother Courage and Her Children and the UK professional première of the musical Side Show (Southwark Playhouse), Down the Dock Road (Liverpool Royal Court), for the NYMT – Brass (Hackney Empire) and Sunday in the Park With George (The Other Palace), Rags, Amour (Royal Academy of Music), Marry Me a Little (St James Studio) and Teechers (John Godber Theatre Company). She was Assistant Director to Matthew Warchus on the play Art in London and New York and was Associate Director on his acclaimed production of Boeing Boeing, directing casts in London, on Broadway and in Melbourne. In 2003, she became the youngest women to become an Artistic Director in the UK, when Harrogate Theatre appointed her at the age of 25. Other credits include the critically-acclaimed revival of Side by Side by Sondheim (The Venue, London), Abigail’s Party (Northcott Theatre Exeter), a tour of Grumpy Old Women Live, the world première of Horrid Henry – Live (tour and West End), and the world premiere of Pushing Up Poppies (Theatre503).

Matt Cole returns to the Menier, where he previously worked on Fiddler on the Roof (and its transfer to the Playhouse; Olivier Award nomination for Best Choreography). His recent credits include Police Cops (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Roman Holiday (Bath Theatre Royal), Newsies (Director and Choreographer – Olivier Award and WhatsOnStage Award for Best Choreography), Identical (Nottingham Playhouse), Fisherman’s Friends, The Night Pirates (UK tours), Taboo (in concert at the Palladium Theatre London), Berlin Berlin (Germany), Lovesick (Theatre J, Washington DC), Parade, The Beautiful Game (NYMT), Oklahoma! (Chichester Festival Theatre), Amour (Charing Cross Theatre), Flashdance, Footloose, Little Shop of Horrors (UK and international tours), The Sweet Smell of Success (Royal Academy of Music), and The Producers (China and Asian Tour).

Sarah Travis won a Tony and Drama Desk Award for her Orchestrations on The Watermill Theatre Production of Sweeney Todd – directed by John Doyle, which transferred to Trafalgar Studios and the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, Broadway. Her theatre credits include Grease (Dominion Theatre, Curve and UK tour), 101 Dalmatians (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), The Late Toy Show (Dublin), The Magician’s Elephant (Orchestrator – RSC), Talent (Sheffield Theatres), West Side Story (Curve – Music Supervisor only), Curtains, Sister Act, Fiddler on the Roof, Chess (UK tours), Miss Littlewood (RSC), Sweet Charity, A Little Night Music (The Watermill Theatre), An Officer And A Gentleman (UK Tour – Music Supervisor only), Legally Blonde (Curve), The Hired Man (NYMT), The A to Z of Mrs P (Southwark Playhouse), Jungle Book (Glasgow Citizens Theatre), Dear World (Charing Cross Theatre), Copacabana, Spend Spend Spend (Winner 2009 Regional Theatre Award for Best Musical), and Sunset Boulevard (Comedy Theatre). As a composer her work for theatre and radio includes Extraordinary Women, The Lost Toy’s Big Adventure, The Secret Garden, The Marriage of Figaro, A Star Danced, The Last Fattybottypuss in The World, Tales My Lover Told Me and A Womb with a View.

JERRY’S GIRLS  is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. 

www.concordtheatricals.co.uk

LISTINGS INFORMATION

MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY

53 Southwark St, London SE1 1RU

POWER OF SAIL

Until 12 May

JERRY’S GIRLS

18 May – 29 June

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

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

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

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

www.menierchocolatefactory.com

Twitter: @MenChocFactory

Instagram: @menierchocolatefactory

JANE McDONALD    JULIAN CLARY

PAUL ZERDIN     NIGEL HAVERS
MARISHA WALLACE

ROB MADGE     TOSH WANOGHO-MAUD 

and 

CHARLIE STEMP

TO HEADLINE

Performances begin 7 December at The London Palladium

London, Monday 22 April: Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes has today announced the title and cast for The London Palladium Pantomime which returns to the West End for a ninth year, with a brand-new production of Robin Hood.

Starring national treasure Jane McDonald as Maid Marion and Palladium panto royalty Julian Clary as Robin Hood, this spectacular show also sees the return of favourites Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Charlie Stemp and Rob Madge, alongside West End stars Marisha Wallace and Tosh Wanogho-Maud who make their Palladium panto debut. 

From the creative team behind the last eight years of panto, expect a West End spectacle to remember, with stunning sets and costumes, rip-roaring comedy and incredible special effects, Robin Hood will have you merrily riding off into the night.

Robin Hood will run from Saturday 7 December 2024 – Sunday 12 January 2025 at the world-famous London Palladium. Priority booking opens at 10am on Thursday 25 April 2024 (sign up at www.palladiumpantomime.com) with public booking opening at 10am on Friday 26 April 2024.

Back for a ninth magnificent season, The London Palladium pantomime returns for a spellbinding journey to the enchanting depths of Sherwood Forest.

Jane McDonald, who will be making her Palladium Panto debut in Robin Hood playing Maid Marion, said:

“I am thrilled to be making my debut in the iconic London Palladium panto, one of the highlights of the theatrical year. Julian and I are already falling in love off-stage, and we can’t wait to bring this to Maid Marion and Robin Hood come Christmas!”

Michael Harrison, Producer and Director of all nine London Palladium pantomimes said:

“One of the highlights of my year is bringing together our magnificent London Palladium panto cast and preparing to stage our much-loved Christmas spectacular at London’s home of variety. I’m absolutely thrilled that Robin and Marion, two of the greatest lovers in history will be played by the wonderful Jane McDonald and Palladium royalty Julian Clary. This is a love story like no other bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘Robin Hood’s Camp’.

Alongside announcing today’s cast, planning is well underway to create the spectacle on stage that we know our Palladium Panto audiences have come to expect, including some of the most jaw-dropping special effects ever seen in the West End, giving the Palladium Pantomime a totally new dimension.”

Julian Clary, Nigel Havers and Paul Zerdin have starred in pantomimes at The London Palladium since the 2016 production of Cinderella. Charlie Stemp makes a welcome return having last performed in the Palladium Panto in Pantoland in 2020 and before that Dick Whittington in 2017 and Snow White in 2018. Rob Madge made a triumphant Palladium Panto debut in 2022’s Jack and the Beanstalk and returned last year with Peter Pan.

Harrison’s production has set designs by Mark Walters and costume designs by Hugh Durrant created especially for The London Palladium, choreography by Karen Bruce, visual special effects by The Twins FX, lighting designs by Ben Cracknell, sound designs by Matt Peploe for Gareth Owen Soundand composition and orchestrations by Gary Hind.

Robin Hoodis produced and directed by Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes.As a producer in the West End his credits include Sunset Boulevard, The Little Big Things, Crazy For You, The Wizard of Oz, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Drifters Girl and Gypsy, as well as the forthcoming productions of Starlight Express and Hello, Dolly!

Crossroads Pantomimes is the world’s biggest pantomime producer and part of Crossroads Live, a global leader in the production of musical theatre and immersive entertainment experiences.

ROBIN HOOD | LISTINGS INFORMATION 

The London Palladium

Argyll Street

London

W1F 7TF

Cast

Jane McDonald   Maid Marion

Julian Clary   Robin Hood

Paul Zerdin   Will Scarlet

Nigel Havers   Friar Tuck

Marisha Wallace  The Sheriff of Nottingham

Charlie Stemp   Alan-A-Dale 

Rob Madge   The Spirit of Sherwood

Tosh Wanogho-Maud  Little John

Further cast to be confirmed

Dates

Saturday 7 December 2024 – Sunday 12 January 2025

Performances

Times vary, see www.palladiumpantomime.com for details

Tickets

Tickets from £20 – no booking fees

Website

www.palladiumpantomime.com

Social Media

Twitter:   @PalladiumPanto   

Facebook:   PalladiumPanto

Instagram:    palladiumpanto

Crossroads Pantomimes

With a glittering array of star names headlining spectacular, lavish productions, Crossroads Pantomimes is the world’s biggest pantomime producer. With renowned creative teams, talented casts and musicians, and passionate production teams, the company create pantomimes which are at the heart of family entertainment across the UK. As part of Crossroads Live, the company works under the leadership of Michael Harrison and is chaired by David Ian.

The London Palladium has been the capital’s majestic home of variety for over a century, and to this day it continues to delight and surprise audiences with its rich tapestry of acts. We’ve welcomed a staggering selection of greats from Bob Hope and Louis Armstrong to the Two Ronnies, Bruce Forsyth and Cliff Richard. This proud tradition has continued since the theatre joined the LW Theatres family in 2000, hosting recent headliners as diverse as Bob Dylan, Madonna, Coldplay, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Ocean and Dita Von Teese. An annual pantomime made a return to The London Palladium in 2016.

King’s Head Theatre, London – until 5 May 2024

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

5*****

Awkward Productions’ Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story is the gift that keeps on giving. Camp, chaotic and absolutely hilarious, this show delivers the unexpected (sometimes even for the performers themselves).

Diana deigns to share her story with the audience at the King’s Head, direct from heaven. And we get the WHOLE story, from conception to royal death plots. Written and performed brilliantly by Linus Karp, this Diana has all the familiar mannerisms, phrases and iconic outfits, and the already absurd story of royal life becomes wonderfully unhinged and ridiculous as Diana takes matters into her own hands.

We are reminded of Diana’s bona fides as a humanitarian, queer icon and Princess of Hearts by on and offstage cameos from audience members playing teachers, corgis… and landmines… The genius of involving the audience creates a new experience every time you see the show – on press night, Diana was lucky to have the hottest parents ever – and the intuition and charm of co-director Joseph Martin watching the audience file in and then picking victims has paid off each time I’ve been.

Video appearances from Geri “I am the Queen” Allen, counting down her reign as she plots against Diana, and Zina Badran as God add even more fabulous nonsense to the proceedings, while Charles is a cardboard cutout very subtly de-aged. The demonic voice of Camilla promises silliness, but nothing can prepare you for Joseph Martin’s rough handling of the Camilla puppet as it jumps on anything with a pulse within reach – completely bonkers.

Karp and Martin have created one of the best shows out there. Mad as a box of frogs and a wonderful evening of communal joy and side-splitting silliness, Diana is simply brilliant entertainment … whatever entertainment means.

Arts Theatre, London – booking until 29 September 2024

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

5*****

The Choir of Man continues its joyous run in the West End as an exciting new cast takes over the barstools, ensuring the fun isn’t stopping any time soon.

With a functioning bar on stage to serve preshow beers (and some during the performance if you are lucky), The Arts Theatre is the perfect venue to turn into The Jungle pub, with its wonky, sometimes sticky, flooring and ancient seats always giving charming giant pub theatre vibes. The concept is simple – 9 men singing in a pub with monologues in between each musical number. But the song choices (from Adele and Sia to Queen via the Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Ben Norris’s writing gives the show a huge heart. Perfectly capturing the camaraderie, earned trust, honesty and occasional idiocy of a group of male friends, the show touches on loss, relationships, men’s mental health and community with Sam Ebenezer’s poet linking songs and introducing the pub’s regulars with heartfelt and funny words. Celebrating the community and shelter of pubs and mourning the loss of those amazing places where 90-year-olds and teenagers mix and share shaggy dog stories with a bar food menu that runs to peanuts and crisps, the audience cannot help but be caught up in the sense of belonging and togetherness emanating from the stage.

The cast all play instruments throughout the show, accompanying the amazing band above the bar – Jacob Evans, Jack Hartigan, Darius Luke Thompson and Sam Tookey. Everyone onstage is introduced as stereotypes: the Beast, the Bore, the Handyman, but each has a musical number to shine and let their character break through. The section about what home means to different people gives Ebenezer a chance to introduce each cast member by name and share a little something about their lives and manages to be melancholy and uplifting at the same time. Jack Blume’s musical arrangements are phenomenal, and Freddie Huddleston’s choreography is still seamless. The cast’s voices are all gorgeous, and blend beautifully. Welsh wonder Sam Ebenezer takes over as Poet after a fantastic run as swing, while Adam Bayjou (the Hard Man), Michele Maria Benvenuto (Maestro), Ben Goffe (Handyman), Luke Conner Hall (Romantic) and Mark Irwin (Barman) continue to amaze in roles that they have made their own. Olugbenga Adelekan (Bore), Rob Godfrey (Beast) and Sam Pope (Joker) join the cast and are the perfect fit, clowning around as if they have been in the roles for years. The Choir of Man family has strength in depth, and the company swings are incredibly talented. On gala night, Seán Keany played the Hardman brilliantly (he also impressed as a hilarious Poet a few weeks ago), and if you ever get the chance to see Niall Woodson, Richard Lock and Alex James Ellison, you are in for a treat. Whoever is performing, the camaraderie and joy that fills the auditorium makes for an unforgettable show.

The Mill at Sonning, Reading – until 1st June 2024

Reviewed by Marcia Spiers

4****

Directed by Sally Hughes this amusing but emotional play by Tim Firth is based on a true story and much-acclaimed 2003 film which had an all-star cast. Set in Yorkshire, it follows the antics of a group of women who belong to a local Women’s Institute. When one loses her beloved husband to leukaemia, she and her best friend decide to raise funds for the local hospital by creating a calendar featuring themselves in tastefully chosen nude poses. As expected, not all in the upstanding community are supportive of the idea but as time evolves, the group achieve celebrity status both locally and around the world.

Elizabeth Elvin gives a solid performance as Marie the haughty leader of the WI. The main cast – Rachel Fielding as Chris, the ballsy ambitious friend of Annie played by Natalie Ogle who admirably depicted the emotions associated with a close bereavement. I particularly liked the performances from Sarah Whitlock as Jessie who has some brilliant lines which made everyone chuckle and Ciara Johnson as Ruth the downtrodden wife who grows throughout the events that take place. Debbie Arnold as Cora the rebel with insecurities and Basienka Blake as Celia provides the glamour. Finally, Dawn Perllman as Brenda Hulse and Lady Cravenshire, distinct parts executed well.

I must credit the men here! Andrew Ryan in the role of John Clark, Annie’s husband who quickly deteriorates after his diagnosis. One could feel the emotion within his performance. Steven Pinder gives a sound performance as the Chris’s husband struggling with a business that is failing and without the support of his wife feels very much alone.

Oscar Cleaver makes his debut as initially reluctant Lawrence the photographer and then in contrast the jack the lad advertising producer Liam. I really liked the way he played Lawrence. Kitty Harris also plays two parts as Elaine and then Heather the young blond bimbo from the local spa where she shines.

Clever use of set and props enabled us to feel the open spaces of the Yorkshire Dales and a local village hall much like mine. The photography scene was well orchestrated, and costumes varied. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this play. It certainly made the audience laugh aloud at times and yet the sadness behind the story was much conveyed.

Park Theatre, London – until 16th May 2024

Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith

4****

About to turn 30, Brooke has a job she doesn’t particularly like, a relationship in the bin, and her mum is on at her about fixing the damp patch on the ceiling and finding a suitable life partner. Written and performed by Sadie Clark, Algorithms is a frankly delightful and truthful portrayal of the life and times of someone trying to live their best bisexual city life in their late 20s/early 30s.

In this hour and a bit long on woman show directed by Madelaine Moore, we meet Brooke. She’s grappling with the complexities of modern life while working for an online dating app called Slide Hustle, and after breaking up with her partner, she is asked to test out the app for an investment pitch. Algorithms govern all online activities including dating, so why not use that to your advantage. Make a spreadsheet, play the game, find a partner. It’s not so easy though. Like so many people these days, Brooke spends a lot of time online – texting, scrolling, and swiping. A call and response where the wait for the response is often long and anxiety inducing. What this show does so beautifully is show the loneliness of a life that is lived online, and the search for finding out who you are in a world where the possibilities are endless.

This production has heart and hilarity in huge supply,and the misadventures are all intensely relatable. Clark is absolutely fantastic in the role, switching characters and keeping pace easily. The staging is simple but effective. Lighting design by Jennifer Rose and sound design by Nicola Chang are beautifully synchronised. They work together to define location changes and tonal shifts, complementing the writing perfectly.

This utterly charming and brutally honest portrayal of modern queer life is a relatable must for anyone who grew up watching early 2000s rom coms and frankly expecting more from life and themselves. Turns out we all know the words to Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield, and maybe that is where we should all be looking for the connection we seek.

Cabaret star Dr Adam Perchard and composer Richard Thomas 
will bring their epic queer song cycle

Interview With The Vamp 
to Soho Theatre, London, from 10-13 July 2024

The international cabaret star and lyricist Dr Adam Perchard and the award-winning composer Richard Thomas are thrilled to be performing their show Interview With The Vamp at Soho Theatre, London, from Wednesday 10 – Saturday 13 July 2024. Hilarious, macabre, surreal, and touching, this is cabaret at its funniest and most full of heart.

Dr Adam Perchard (cabaret star, comedian, poet, and occasional fortune-teller to the international elite) is an old vamp with one hell of a backstory – and Richard Thomas (Olivier Award-winning composer of Jerry Springer the Opera) is here to get the scoop! Featuring dazzling original music by Richard, witty and moving lyrics by Adam, vocal fireworks, and rampant repartee, sit back and let this iconic duo take you on a whirlwind tour of the doctor’s brain.  

By turns joyful, dark, and extremely silly, the interview covers everything from hyper-realistic cakes to how to negotiate a nervous breakdown in Darlington, from giant bugs to finding love at an orgy – and it reveals what’s really going through your university lecturer’s brain when they’re teaching you Romantic poetry. With an Olivier Award-winning composer asking the questions and an international singing star giving the answers, this is an interview like you’ve never seen – or heard. 

Singer and writer Dr Adam Perchard first met composer Richard Thomas when playing The First Time Voter – and later Boris Johnson – in his hit show Jonny Woo’s All-Star Brexit Cabaret (Hackney Empire, Edinburgh Fringe, London Coliseum, Soho Theatre). Though the two have often performed together, Interview with The Vamp is their first time writing together. The show played a sell-out premiere performance at Crazy Coqs in 2024, and is back by popular demand.

Richard Thomas (Jerry Springer the Opera, Made in Dagenham, Black Sabbath – The Ballet, and Tracey Ullman Show BBC1/HBO) is an Olivier Award-winning composer and lyricist.  His work has been performed all over the world from Carnegie Hall, National Theatre, Royal Opera House, Sydney Opera House, to the West End and every Gay Pride on the planet.  

Richard said: “The show is completely unique.  Adam’s stories and lyrics jump very easily from the eccentric to the macabre and the grotesque to the humane. What’s more, Adam’s virtuoso voice is like a very rich truffle full of mischief, delight and a little bit of pain.” 

Dr Adam Perchard is a mainstay of cabaret stages across Europe and the US and an icon of the East London queer scene. They have performed at the National Theatre, London Coliseum, Soho Theatre, Hackney Empire, and on Channel 4, and last year their solo show Bathtime for Britain toured major theatres across the UK. An escaped academic as well as a trained opera singer, they have also published widely in the fields of postcolonial literature and eighteenth-century studies. 

Adam said: “Making and performing this show with Richard has been one of the highlights of my career. He’s an extraordinary composer – he just seems to haemorrhage thunderous, dazzling music – and a brilliant theatre-maker. I think we’ve found something really new and special with this show, with song and spoken word and storytelling melting fluidly one into another.”

Tickets for Interview With The Vamp are now on sale: https://sohotheatre.com/events/richard-thomas-and-dr-adam-perchard-interview-with-the-vamp/#performances. 

LISTINGS

Show: Interview With The Vamp

Venue: Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE 
Date & time: Wednesday 10 – Saturday 13 July 2024 at 7.30pm

Box Office: Tickets from £16 https://sohotheatre.com/events/richard-thomas-and-dr-adam-perchard-interview-with-the-vamp/#performances

Running time: 60 minutes

Age recommendation: 16+

Access information: https://sohotheatre.com/dean-street/accessible-performances/

Category: cabaret / music 

NATIONAL THEATRE ANNOUNCES FIRST MAJOR STAGE ADAPTATION OF THE BELOVED NOVEL BALLET SHOES THIS FESTIVE SEASON

The National Theatre today announces the first major stage adaptation of Noel Streatfeild’s best-selling book Ballet Shoes by Kendall Feaver (The Almighty Sometimes) which will run in the Olivier theatre from 23 November 2024. This festive family show will be directed by Katy Rudd,who returns to the National Theatre following her acclaimed production of The Ocean at the End of the Lane. 

In a crumbling house full of dinosaur bones and fossils, three adopted sisters – Pauline, Petrova and Posy – are learning who they are and what they want to be. Under the watchful eyes and guidance of their guardian Sylvia, Nana, and some unlikely lodgers, they fight to pursue their individual passions. Can they forge a future, keep their family together, and even learn a dance or two along the way?

Director of the National Theatre Rufus Norris said:

‘After the success of The Witches last Christmas, I am thrilled the National Theatre will stage Noel Streatfeild’s novel Ballet Shoes, with Kendall Feaver’s adaptation injecting new energy and life into the beloved story. Combined with Katy Rudd’s theatrical vision, developed with the National Theatre’s exceptional New Work Department, I couldn’t be more excited for audiences to experience this classic story as an ambitious new theatre event.’

Directed by Katy Rudd with set design by Frankie Bradshaw, costume design by Samuel Wyer, choreography by Ellen Kane, composition by Asaf Zohar, lighting design by Paule Constable, sound design by Ian Dickinson and casting by Bryony Jarvis-Taylor. 

Casting to be announced.

Ballet Shoes will play in the Olivier theatre from 23 November 2024, with the press performance on 5 December 2024. Recommended for ages 7+.

Tickets are on sale to the public from Thursday 2 May,nationaltheatre.org.uk

The Pantomime Awards 2024 will take place on Tuesday 18 June
at G Live in Guildford offering increased audience capacity 
for this year’s star-studded celebration of pantomime

The UK Pantomime Association has announced that The Pantomime Awards 2024 will take place on Tuesday 18 June 2024 at 7pm at G Live in Guildford.

The ceremony’s move from the West End to the major theatre and entertainment venue, which will have cabaret-style seating for the event, is a marker of the UK Pantomime Association’s commitment to celebrating regional theatre. It will also offer complete accessibility and significantly increased seating capacity following last year’s sell-out event, meaning a greater number of theatre industry professionals and theatregoers can attend.

Tickets for The Pantomime Awards 2024, which will feature live performances, celebrity presenters and the winners announcements, will go on sale on 2 May 2024 through G Live’s Box Office: https://trafalgartickets.com/g-live-guildford/.

During the 2023-24 pantomime season, the third year in which the Awards have taken place, the UK Pantomime Association’s 70 judges had their biggest year ever, collectively visiting 259 venues to see over 728 performances, far and wide across the United Kingdom. The nominees shortlist will be announced on 2 May 2024.

Simon Sladen, Chair of the UK Pantomime Association said: “We can’t wait to welcome everyone to The Pantomime Awards at G Live in Guildford as we celebrate pantomime excellence across the 2023-2024 season. The UK Pantomime Association is proud to champion regional theatre and acknowledge the important role it plays in the UK’s wider performance ecology. We’ve outgrown the West End, so get ready for an even bigger Awards Ceremony in June!”

Founded in 2021, the UK Pantomime Association is a charity that explores, shares and celebrates pantomime by investigating the genre’s rich past, engaging with contemporary practice and inspiring the future. The Pantomime Awards recognize excellence across 19 categories comprising onstage roles such as Best Dame and Best Villain to creative positions such as Best Costume Design, Best Script and Best Choreography. The Special Awards, which celebrate productions representing the values that the Association seeks to promote, as well as an award for Outstanding Achievement, are also to be announced at the ceremony, in addition to three Best Pantomime awards for productions with capacities of 500 seats, 500 to 900 seats and those with more than 900 seats.

The Pantomime Awards 2023 in association with Butlin’s for the pantomime season 2022/23 took place at a star-studded ceremony. Amongst the winners were Ian McKellen, Su Pollard, Joyce Branagh, Cast, Doncaster, Theatre Royal Stratford East, and Vernon Kay. In 2022, winners included Duncan Burt and Nic Gibney, Vikki Stone, Morgan Brind, Rolan Bell, Alexandra Burke, Nigel Ellacott and Joe Tracini. 

For more information, visit: https://pantomimeassociation.co.uk.

SH!T-FACED SHAKESPEARE®

TO REVIVE INAUGURAL PRODUCTION OF

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

RUNNING AT LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE FROM 10 JULY – 7 SEPTEMBER 2024

FOLLOWED BY A UK TOUR

https://www.shitfacedshows.com/a-midsummer-nights-dream

Sh!t-faced Shakespeare® has announced that, to mark their eighth year of residency at London’s Leicester Square Theatre, they will revive their inaugural production at the venue, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

14 years ago, Sh!t-faced Shakespeare® set out on the world’s longest bar crawl and have been staggering from theatre to theatre ever since. From Edinburgh to Australia, Boston to Southend, this bunch of irreverent drama queens have been shaking up The Bard, performing to sell-out crowds and most importantly, making people roar with laughter ever since.

The revival production, which sees a rotating drunken cast member attempt to perform Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, will run at the Leicester Square Theatre from 10 July – 7 September 2024.

This year, Sh!t-faced Shakespeare® are pouring their legendary cock-eyed chaos into the Bard-shaped vessel that is A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Think drunken donkeys, fandangled fairies and mullered mechanicals… it’s hard to imagine anything more magical, right?

Each night, a rotating cast member will get seriously Shakespeareanly sloshed and attempt to perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream as you have never seen before. Making for a different show every night, nobody (not even the cast) knows in which direction the show will stumble. Come and get fuddled in the forest with us!

Following the production’s run in London, the show will tour the UK visiting Princes Hall, Aldershot (26 September), Stratford Play House, Stratford-upon-Avon (27 September), Palace Theatre, Southend (1 October), Wyvern Theatre, Swindon (2 October), Blackburn Empire Theatre (3 October), Storyhouse, Chester (4 October), The Albany Theatre, Coventry (5 October), Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne (8 October), Shanklin Theatre, Isle of Wight (9 October), The Capitol, Horsham (10 October), Corn Exchange, Ipswich (11 October), The Exchange, Twickenham (12 October), Lichfield Garrick (15 October), Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield (16 October), Middlesborough Theatre (17 October), Scarborough Spa (18 October), The Exchange, Twickenham (19 October), Lyceum Theatre, Crewe (23 October), Lincoln Arts Centre (24 October), Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle (25 October), The Cresset, Peterborough (26 October), Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil (30 October), The Haymarket, Basingstoke (31 October), Farnham Maltings (1 November), New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth (2 November), Norwich Theatre Playhouse (3 November), Komedia, Bath (5 November), Royal & Derngate, Northampton (6-7 November), Chelmsford Theatre (12 November), Exeter Corn Exchange (13 November), Taunton Brewhouse (14 November) and The Kenton Theatre, Henley (15 November).

Stacey Norris, producer and director said, “Since 2016, Leicester Square Theatre has been the proud host of Sh!t-faced Shakespeare® much to the disbelief of both ourselves and the discerning critics of London’s theatre circuit. Surprisingly, we’ve yet to receive an eviction notice and we’ve grown so accustomed to the venue that the bar stools bear the unmistakable imprint of our collective derrières. This year, we’re thrilled to revive our inaugural production at the theatre: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring a brand-new cast of characters, fresh scenes, and rejuvenated livers. Join us as we embark on another inebriated adventure in the enchanted forest!”

The production was originally directed and adapted by Lewis Ironside, with the new production being directed by Stacey Norris, produced by Johanna Rigg, Stacey Norris and Beth-Louise Priestley for Leicester Square Theatre, dance choreography by Beth-Louise Priestley, fight choreography by Robbie Capaldi, lighting design by Tom Williams, set design by Nicola Jones, costume design by Lorna Jean Costumes, photography by Andrew AB Photography, marketing by Tom McGregor, PR by ANRPR, finance by Fiona Hennessey and based on an original concept by Rev. Lewis Ironside and Cpt. Chris Snelson.