Month: May 2015

THE ROYAL COURT LAUNCHES MARKET STALL AT TACHBROOK STREET MARKET, PIMLICO ON 28 MAY 2015

• The Royal Court Theatre joins Market Stall sellers at TACHBROOK STREET MARKET, Pimlico, every Thursday and Friday until the end of August.

 

• The Market Stall features PIMLICO PLAYGROUND: new journeying audio plays written by Royal Court writers; and ESPRESSO PLAYS: plays ‘made to order’ by a resident writer.

 

• The Royal Court Theatre in collaboration with Open Age present SW ONCE: a selection of rehearsed readings written over six introductory playwriting workshops.

The Royal Court Theatre supported by Bloomberg has set up a Market Stall at Tachbrook Street Market in Pimlico as part of its three year engagement with the area. Trading every Thursday and Friday between 10am – 3pm until the end of August the Market Stall hosts a range of events and is an arena to listen to suggestions from local residents on what they would like to see happen in the area.

Your local theatre is now even closer.

For the next three years we’re going to be camped on your doorstep, hanging out on your high street, hawking in your market and generally being a friendly neighbour.

Visitors to the Market Stall will have access to Pimlico Playground, new journeying audio plays written by Royal Court writers, and Espresso Plays, ‘made to order’ plays written by a resident writer.

Visitors have the opportunity to take part in miniature scriptwriting workshops and a chain-written community play, they will also have access to ticket flash sales for Royal Court productions and free copies of Royal Court plays to take home.

Commenting on the project Royal Court Artistic Associate, Ola Animashawun said:

 

“I am delighted to welcome with open arms the people of Pimlico to our Theatre Stall in Tachbrook Street Market. Providing the theatre with a great opportunity to engage with the community and offer something that is at once, novel, unique and creative, to invite interest and ignite curiosity. Simultaneously this will enable us to create the launch pad for our wider ambition of tapping into the creative energy, desires and ambitions of the people in Pimlico.”

 

The launch event will start from 12pm Thursday 28 May with a speech by artistic Associate of the Royal Court Ola Animashawun to celebrate the official opening of the Market Stall at 1pm.

SW Once (Part of South West Fest)
with Ola Animashawun
22 June 2015 2pm
St. James Theatre, Studio Space, 12 Palace Street, London SW1E 5JA
Free but places must be booked in advance

Local actors will be performing a selection of rehearsed readings, as part of this year’s South West Fest. The plays will be written during six introductory playwriting workshops. The workshops will be run by the Royal Court working with Open Age, an organisation that helps older people to develop new and stimulating interests.

To book email [email protected]

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The Espresso Plays
Every Thursday & Friday 10am – 2:45pm
Tachbrook Street Market

Written by a resident writter, the Espresso Plays are inspired by ideas suggested by Market Stall visitors.

Come and chat to our market stall playwrights and within 5 minutes a freshly brewed, personalised play will be written for you, all served in a takeaway coffee cup.

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Pimlico Playground
by Diana Nneka Atuona, Josh Azouz, Olivia Hirst, Sarah Kosar, Simon Longman and Nessah Muthy
directed by Ola Animashawun, Debbie Hannan and Chris Sonnex
Every last Thu & Fri of the month (28, 29 May, 25, 26 Jun, 30, 31 Jul, 27, 28 Aug)
10am – 2:45pm
Tachbrook Street Market

Short enough to experience on your lunch break, these six location-based audio plays by Royal Court writers will take you on an imaginative journey through your everyday surroundings, animating the space between Tachbrook St. Market and the playground.

Head to our market stall, grab an MP3 player and a map, and have a wander…

The original short plays were recorded by actors from Pimlico Academy and Mulberry Alumni Theatre group, both of which the theatre have been working with over the past year.

The Pimlico Playground plays include:

Untitled by Diana Nneka Atuona
Bike by Josh Azouz
Hopscotch by Olivia Hirst
Big Body Tiny Head by Sarah Kosar
Bricks by Simon Longman
Brides by Nessah Muthy

Running time 30m

Pimlico Playground writers’ biographies:

Diana Nneka Atuona’s credits for the Royal Court include Liberian Girl. As well as winning the Alfred Fagon Award for Playwriting, Liberian Girl was long listed for both the Verity Bargate and the Bruntwood Prize. It was staged at the Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. The summit was hosted by William Hague MP and Special Envoy to the UN, Angelina Jolie. Diana attended the Royal Court’s Peckham Writers Group, as part of Theatre Local. She is currently on commission with the Old Vic Theatre.

Josh Azouz’s Theatre includes The Mikvah Project (The Yard); Bar-Mitzvah Boy (OvalHouse); Sink or Shpin (Bannatyne’s Health Club/Boom Cycle London). As director, theatre includes: The Man Who Almost Killed Himself (Summerhall/BBC iplayer/Odeon release); Spur of the Moment (ALRA North/Home’s Replay Festival); On Dis Ting (OvalHouse); Gargantua (Library Theatre); No! Mr Lawrence! (The Lowry); Harissa(Tricycle) Europe (Contact).

Olivia Hirst’s theatre includes Goodstock and Play for September (Lost Watch); The Longley Viking Museum (Soho); Baby’s Gone (Performance Academy Newcastle College). She is a Writer and Co Artistic Director of Lost Watch Theatre Company.

For the Royal Court Sarah Kosar theatre includes: Spaghetti Ocean (Live Lunch). Other theatre includes Hot Dog (Descent/The Last Refuge/Thinking Cap). Short plays include Runt (Oxford School of Drama/Soho), Ice Cream (Little Pieces of Gold/Southwark), Fox (Descent/Little Pieces of Gold/Southwark),Pineapple and other short plays (Outlines/Old Red Lion), Gynotime (Orange Tea/Amsterdam). Radio includes Hashtag (Roundhouse Radio/Theatre Centre). 

Simon Longman’s theatre includes Milked (Pentabus); Why I Don’t Like the Sea and Popcorn (Arcola). He was a member of the Royal Court Young Writer’s Group in 2013 and is currently under commission for the Royal Court.

For the Royal Court Nessah Muthy’s theatre includes: Beastie (Live Lunch), Gastronauts, Hungry (Lost in Theatre, Open Court). Other theatre includes: This is not a Slog (OvalHouse); IED (HighTide Festival);Sucker (Old Vic New Voices); Sex with Robots & other Devices (Cloakroom); Nazma (Kali); Freya & Mr Mushroom (The Building Site/Southwark).

 

Berwick Kaler’s 37th panto to be staged in 1000 seat theatre at the National Railway Museum

Berwick Kaler’s 37th writing and starring role in Dick Whittington (and his Meerkat) will take place at the 1000 seat purpose built theatre at the National Railway Museum this Christmas. The theatre has been named The Signal Box Theatre. York Theatre Royal have announced the news after recent discoveries at the historic theatre site on St Leonards Place have led to a delay to the major refurbishment of the auditorium and stage.

The tight 27 week schedule always had a back-up plan, and archaeologists and builders are working extended hours to complete necessary work. Over the last few weeks the archaeological finds under the stage and in the auditorium have been staggering and bigger than previously predicted.

It was previously thought that the Victorians destroyed the foundations of St Leonard’s Hospital (one of the largest and most important hospitals in medieval England) when building the theatre on the site. Last week these foundations have been uncovered. They are still intact and located underneath the stalls. This is an important find of great significance to the city.

The City of York archaeologist has confirmed further excavation is needed. York Archaeological Trust are therefore continuing the required excavation on this unprecedented find. A longer time-frame has now been set to excavate an area of the stalls floor. Architects, De Matos Ryan, are now working on ideas for incorporating the archaeology into the new design of the theatre.

Ben Reeves, Chief Archaeologist on the site said

It is amazing that, considering all the alterations to the theatre since 1764, so much of the medieval hospital has survived under the stalls and elsewhere within the building. The remains are an exciting and important discovery for both archaeologists and the public, offering an opportunity to investigate and understand more about one of the City’s most fascinating and little understood sites.

The in-house panto production team usually begin work on set design and special effects in April and therefore a decision needed to be made to ensure the show is as spectacular as panto-goers expect. By making the decision now it means the set designers can start planning for the new space and the UK’s longest running dame, Berwick Kaler can start writing the script knowing that the environment will be different.

It will be York’s one and only opportunity to see the master of Panto take the well-loved formula, and apply it to this brand new space. After 36 years performing on the York Theatre Royal stage Berwick acknowledged it will be a challenge but said he is raring to go:

Artistic Director Damian Cruden has gone to great lengths to try and get rid of me but his latest effort is quite ingenious. However the laugh is on him because I have found a substitute theatre just a couple of hundred yards away from my beloved Theatre Royal – the one thousand seat NRM’s Signal Box Theatre. So while Cruden is looking for his ancestors below ground, me and ‘me bairns’ will be enjoying Dick Whittington and his Meerkat which promises to be a one-off hilarious and unique experience.

Located at the National Railway Museum, the Signal Box Theatre is a 1000 seat, heated, semi-permanent, purpose built auditorium. This venue, shipped from Toronto, is also hosting the York Theatre Royal, National Railway Museum and Pilot Theatre production In Fog and Falling Snow with George Costigan in the lead role, and the award-winning The Railway Children. The theatre is also delighted to announce that joining The Railway Children team, which includes Martin Barrass as Mr Perks, will be Berwick Kaler as the Old Gentleman.

He continued

The reason I have taken on this classic cameo role is to annoy Damian Cruden who wanted a professional actor to play the part. Even before rehearsals begin I have a shock for Cruden – I’ve already learnt my LINE!

The theatre sits the audience on two sides of a platform (traverse) and with only 10 rows from

front to back, every seat gets a brilliant view of the action and means panto fans will be closer to the cast than ever before. Martin Barrass, Suzy Cooper and David Leonard have all confirmed they will once again be joining the York panto family and are looking forward to an extraordinary panto season.

A similar structure is currently being used at Kings Cross, London where York Theatre Royal’s The Railway Children is currently running. This show opened in December 2014 and has been very warm over the winter months. The theatre will be insulated using a bespoke fabric that will help to keep the space cool during the summer and warm over the winter months. It has an integrated foyer where audiences will be able to purchase drinks at the bar, sweets, programmes, ice creams, cakes and nibbles. There will be space to wait inside and an enchanted entrance way will be created especially for the show. Paul Kirkman, Chief Executive at the National Railway Museum said

We can’t wait to welcome scores of dedicated panto fans to our amazing new addition to our site, the Signal Box Theatre, this Christmas. We’re currently working with the theatre to put together a truly magical festive day out for all the family.  With free entry to our museum, audiences will also be able to steep themselves in the spirit of Christmas past through a collection spanning more than 300 years of social history. With all this to enjoy under one roof, plus lots of available car parking, and some die-hard panto aficionados amongst our own staff, it will certainly be the season to be jolly here at the National Railway Museum.

13500 people have already bought tickets to the popular production. All will receive a personally addressed letter explaining the situation and being asked to trust Box Office staff to ensure they are transferred to a seat of the same value and quality in the Signal Box Theatre.

Liz Wilson, Chief Executive of York Theatre Royal said

Our audience are one of the most loyal I have known and I ask them to bear with us during this period of change. Our official name is ‘York Citizens Theatre Trust’ and we take our role of serving the people of York very seriously. York wouldn’t be York without its annual panto and I’m pleased to confirm Berwick and the panto family are all excited about the new location.

Whilst capacity has increased by moving location, other costs have also risen. Running a temporary theatre space means there are new overheads to consider, and York Theatre Royal will also need to continue to pay for the extension of work at its regular site. The panto run will also be shortened from 7 to 6 weeks, to cope with the extra capacity per performance, and also to ensure the re-opening of the theatre’s auditorium for early Spring productions. Prior to this the theatre’s café and bar area, which has also undergone a major transformation, will open in the new year.

The original closure period gave building landlords York Conservation Trust a limited opportunity to carry out much needed work to the external fabric of the building. Now the extension to development work gives further opportunity to complete work to additional areas not included in the original plans, such as the dressing rooms. Philip Thake, Chief Executive of the trust, said

Recent discoveries by York Archaeological Trust further confirm the importance of this historic site, and our responsibility to look after the Grade II listed building. Whilst we understand the delay will come as a surprise for theatre-goers we are also pleased that the archaeological work can continue, and that this allows us to make further improvements to the building for York Theatre Royal staff and to ensure its sustainability into the future.

Meanwhile, at the Signal Box Theatre, the infamous Last Night of Panto, in which the crew get their own back on cast, will also be moved to a Sunday evening with increased capacity. Dick Whittington (and his Meerkat) will therefore run from Thursday 10 December 2015 – Sunday 24 January 2016. People who already have tickets are being asked to please be patient and wait for their new tickets before contacting the theatre. Those yet to book should note that the show will not be on sale for several days until all bookers have been transferred. Visit www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk for more information.

DISNEY AND CAMERON MACKINTOSH

ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE

THE NEW NATIONAL TOUR OF

THEIR INTERNATIONAL SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC HIT MUSICAL

 

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh are delighted to announce that their multi award-winning musical Mary Poppins is coming to Newcastle Theatre Royal from Thu 8 Sept – Sat 29 Oct 2016 as part of a tour of the UK and Ireland.

 

Following his recent successes with Barnum and Oliver! at the Newcastle Theatre Royal, Cameron Mackintosh is returning with yet another favourite in Mary Poppins. He said: “It’s hard to believe that it is already 11 years since Mary Poppins first landed on the London stage.  My goodness……time flies even faster than our beloved Nanny!  I’m delighted to bring this wonderful musical to Newcastle after spreading its magic around the world.  Since we originally staged the production we have found even more magical ways to stage this timeless tale and I’m sure you will find our new Mary practically perfect in every way”.

 

The magical story of the world’s favourite Nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane has been triumphantly and spectacularly brought to the stage with dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs. The stage version of Mary Poppins is brilliantly adapted from the wonderful stories by PL Travers and the beloved Walt Disney film.

 

The stage production of Mary Poppins is co-created by Cameron Mackintosh and has a book by Oscar-winning screenwriter andDownton Abbey creator, Julian Fellowes. It has a timeless score by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman including the songs Jolly Holiday, Step in Time, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Feed the Birds with new songs and additional music and lyrics by the Olivier award-winning British team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. The producer for Disney Theatrical Productions is Thomas Schumacher.

 

The internationally renowned and multi award-winning creative team assembled for Mary Poppins is led by stage and film director Richard Eyre. Co-direction and choreography is by Matthew Bourne, with co-choreography by Stephen Mear. Set and costume design is by Bob Crowley with lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Paul Groothuis and orchestrations by William David Brohn. The National Tour of Mary Poppins is directed by Anthony Lyn and choreographed by Geoffrey Garratt with musical supervision by Stephen Brooker.
The stage production of Mary Poppins originally opened in 2004 and ran in the West End for three years and over 1,250 performances. During this time it won the Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreography and Best Set Design as well as the Evening Standard Award for Best Set Design and the Variety Club Award for Best Musical. The Broadway production ran for over six years where it won the Tony Award for Best Set Design. The show has subsequently toured Australia, New Zealand, the U.S, the UK, has been seen by over 11 million people and is currently breaking box office records in Vienna.

 

Mary Poppins appears at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Thur 8 Sept – Sat 29 Oct 2016. Public and online booking opens onSaturday 30 May. Become a Friend of the Theatre Royal and you can book from Tuesday 26 May.  To become a Friend, visit:www.theatreroyal.co.uk or call 08448 11 21 21.

Tickets from £22.50 (save 50p per ticket by booking online). Tickets can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 or select your own seat and book online (from 30 May) at www.theatreroyal.co.uk.

 

 

 

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE – LIVE!

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, please keep your head firmly on your shoulders and your arms and legs inside the ride at all times as Ministry of Science Live explodes onto the Darlington Civic Theatre stage on Saturday 6 June.

This is not your ordinary science show – it comes jam packed with fun, laughter and plenty of amazing science and history which includes a fully operational hovercraft, massive cannons with lots of bangs, a push bike that makes the best smoothie ever and look out for Darth Vader playing with plasma!

Investigating the inventors and engineers who have shaped the modern world we live in, the audience experience everything from liquid nitrogen flowers to hydrogen bottle rockets, Buzz Aldrin to Virgin Galactic, cat food tins to hovercraft and methane to the invention of the battery. Expect loud explosions and more!

Ministry of Science Live is a fully engaging interactive experience that explores energy and engineering using brilliantly designed demonstrations and historical references as a narrative. Combining stimulating live entertainment with the world of education the show’s primary aim is to inspire and educate young people through the medium of live theatre.

Ministry of Science Live was launched at Northern Ireland’s CultureTech festival in 2014 where it played to critical acclaim to over 7,500 people in a week. Since then the show has been to the United Arab Emirates before arriving back in the UK for 60 date national theatre tour. Produced by Mark Thompson with creative credits including Writer and Director of Brainiac Live, which made its West End debut in 2013, and national tours of Science Museum Live, Guinness World Records OA Science Live, Science Museum Live – The Highlights Show and BBC Hidden World Live!

Ministry of Science Live is at Darlington Civic Theatre on Saturday 6 June. Tickets are £14.50 for adults and £12.50 for children

To book contact the Box Office on 01325 486 555 or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

Go West & Nik Kershaw Together in Concert

with special guest T’Pau

GRAND OPERA HOUSE YORK

Saturday 14 November at 7:30pm

The 80s are back as three critically acclaimed legends of the era join forces in this major new UK tour. Celebrating their 30th anniversary, Go West together in concert with Nik Kershaw and very special guest Carol Decker fromT’Pau are united for one night only at the Grand Opera House York.

With millions of albums sales and iconic hits such as We Close Our Eyes, Call Me, King Of Wishful Thinking, Wouldn’t It Be Good, The Riddle, I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Heart and Soul and the classic China in Your Hand, this authentic eighties triple header is not to be missed.

Tickets: £29.50 & £31.50

Box Office: 0844 871 3024

Online Booking: www.atgtickets.com/york

 

TRIBUTE TO DIRTY DANCING SOUNDTRACK

ANNOUNCES 5TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR & FULL CAST

GRAND OPERA HOUSE YORK

Saturday 10 October 2015

Stage Acts Entertainment’s smash hit tribute to one of the greatest movie soundtracks of all time, An Evening of Dirty Dancing: The Tribute Show this year reaches a milestone achievement. Celebrating 5 years of touring across the UK and internationally, and having visited over 100 theatres, the fully choreographed highly interactive celebration of the music from the iconic movie will embark upon the Hey Baby 5th Anniversary Tour in February

and continue through 2015.

Musical theatre stalwart Julian Essex-Spurrier will return to lead the production having played a number of iconic leading roles including Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever, Rocky in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Riff in West Side Story and Rusty in Starlight Express. He will be joined by Aimie Atkinson, winner of the BBC Radio 2 Voice of Musical Theatre who returns to the production for a third season having recently played the leading roles of Penny inCarnaby Street The Musical and Chloe in the Take That musical, Never Forget.  The cast also includes Christina Cuttell, Jamie Leigh Nelson, Alisha Dee-Flintham, Andy Rees, Ross Russell and Joseph Stribley.

An Evening of Dirty Dancing: The Tribute Show is directed by Paul Spicer with choreography by Leanne Harwood and pays homage to the greatest movie soundtrack of all time.  A high energy emotional roller-coaster with breathtaking choreography and buckets of nostalgia including the classic songs: Big Girls Don’t Cry, Hey Baby, Wipeout, Do You Love Me, Hungry Eyes and the Oscar-winning (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.

 

Paul Spicer said “The atmosphere is always electric. We totally encourage our audiences to get out of their seats and immerse themselves in the summer of ’63. People leave the theatre on a real high. I’ve seen someone burst into tears of happiness! This is a multiaward winning soundtrack steeped in nostalgia. I challenge anyone to come along andnot have a fantastic time.”

Please note this production is not affiliated with Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage in the West End or on tour in the UK or worldwide.

 

“A thoroughly entertaining, visually stunning extravaganza” – The Public Reviews

“All singing, all dancing, highly watchable entertaining” – The Stage

 

Tickets: £18.00, £19.00, £22.00

Box Office: 0844 871 3024

Online Booking: www.atgtickets.com/york

 

www.aneveningofdirtydancing.com

Twitter – @HeyBabyUKTour

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AnEveningofDirtyDancing

King Charles III

A future history play by Mike Bartlett
Directed by Rupert Goold

Robert Powell will take on the role of King Charles in the Almeida Theatre’s Olivier Award-winning production of King Charles III, which will embark on a UK tour this autumn following sell-out runs at both the Almeida Theatre and in the West End.

King Charles III previews at Birmingham Repertory Theatre from Friday 4 September. The full tour schedule will be announced shortly.

The Queen is dead: after a lifetime of waiting, the prince ascends the throne.  A future of power.  But how to rule?

Mike Bartlett’s play explores the people underneath the crowns, the unwritten rules of our democracy, and the conscience of Britain’s most famous family.

Directed by the Almeida Theatre’s artistic director Rupert Goold with Whitney Mosery, King Charles III is designed by Tom Scutt, music composed by Jocelyn Pook, with lighting by Jon Clark and sound by Paul Arditti.

King Charles III is co-produced by Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Almeida Theatre.

Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 May, McQueen had 2 press night performances and after parties at St. James Theatre. Principal cast members Stephen Wight, Dianna Agron, Tracy-Ann Oberman, David Shaw-Parker and Laura Rees were joined by a host of special guests including the family of the late great Alexander McQueen.

This year’s summer season at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre kicks off with Peter Pan which runs until 14 June with opening night for press on 21 May

George Llewelyn Davies, killed in action in WW1, was one of the children who inspired this iconic character. Remembering him, and a generation of lost boys, Timothy Sheader and Liam Steelrediscover J. M. Barrie’s original stage play. Alongside Hiran Abeysekera in the title role is David Birrell as Captain Hook, Beverly Rudd as Smee and George Bukhari as Nibs. Flying scheme created byWired Aerial Theatre.

Hiran Abeysekera takes off as Peter Pan using a series of wires and bungee ropes: “When you’re flying high up there” says Hiran, “it’s the most amazing feeling. But you are constantly reminded that you’re not a bird, you’re just a human. My life is totally in the hands of the counter weight, and they’re all solid – they’re brilliant guys! They have to know what the rhythm of the scene is, what the rhythm of my character is, I have to feel them as well. It’s not me flying, it’s them flying me and we have to understand each other’s bodies and rhythms to make it work. It’s quite minutely specific. But it’s really thrilling. You feel like a superhero for a bit, a little jump can take you 30 feet up in the air!”