Month: January 2017

Ionesco/Dinner at the Smiths’

(an aburdist dinner party)

March 3rd – April 1st 2017, Latvian House in Queensway

 

This March, Mr and Mrs Smith invite you to an immersive, bilingual (French/English) theatrical experience, based on the works and words of celebrated absurdist playwright Eugène Ionesco. At this unusual dinner party, sat around a long table amongst the performers and glasses of French wine, you will be introduced to unexpected guests, have your senses played with and be made to eat your own words!

“Marianne Badrichani’s productions are unusual and fanciful” The Evening Standard

After sell-out performances in June 2016 as a commission from In TRANSIT Festival of Arts in association with the French Institute, the show is back by popular demand. This production, frantic, unpredictable and liberating, will make you dive into the absurdist world of Ionesco, from his reflection on the world to his most hilarious scenes (The Bald Soprano, The Lesson and others).

Marianne Badrichani and the Company have been successfully creating site specific and installation performances in unconventional spaces for the last ten years, including Blue Beard (Old Brompton Cemetery), La Peau de Chagrin (Holland Park), The Show in A Shop Window (Kensington Church St) and Square Bubble (Royal National Theatre Watch This Space in 2014).

“a lovely example of why immersive theatre is so accessible to new audiences” Big Idea (on Blue Beard)

Director Marianne Badrichani has been directing French plays in new translations for the last fifteen years, in association with Nathalie Berrebi Productions and the French Institute. Her latest show was the hit production Trois Ruptures/Three Splits, a new play by Remi De Vos presented at the Chelsea Theatre, at the Print Room in Notting Hill Gate, and in Beijing, China. Marianne was nominated “Français of the year” in 2008.

Ionesco/Dinner at the Smiths features a company of six performers: Edith Vernes, David Mildon, Lucy Russell, Sean Rees, Jorge Laguardia and Sharlit Dayzac.

 

• Natalie Casey joins previously announced Amanda Holden, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Tamzin Outhwaite and Nicola Stephenson in Richard Harris’s award-winning comedy.
  
  
• Vaudeville Theatre, London with performances from 1 March 2017.
   
• Tickets from £20 via www.steppingoutplay.com

Birmingham Repertory Theatre presents

UK PREMIÈRE

FULL CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR ONE LOVE: THE BOB MARLEY MUSICAL

• CAST INCLUDES MITCHELL BRUNINGS AND ALEXIA KHADIME
• OPENS AT BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE ON FRIDAY 10 MARCH AND RUNS UNTIL SATURDAY 8 APRIL

Full casting has been announced for One Love: The Bob Marley Musical which premieres at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in March.  Set across a dramatic period in the music legend’s life, this new production written and directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, tells the story of a man propelled from rising reggae star to global icon. With unprecedented access to the entire Bob Marley catalogue, the musical features Marley’s greatest songs performed live by the cast.

Mitchell Brunings will make his UK stage debut as Bob Marley alongside Alexia Khadime who will play Rita Marley. Alexia’s major West End roles include Nabulungi in The Book of Mormon (for which she won the 2014 What’s On Stage Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical), Eponine in Les Misérables, Elphaba in Wicked and Nala in The Lion King. Most recently she played the lead in Hackney Empire’s 2016 pantomime Sleeping Beauty. Her screen roles include London Road and Les Misérables.

Eric Kofi Abrefa (Labyrinth and Wildefire, Hampstead Theatre; The Glass Menagerie, Headlong; Humans, Channel 4) will play Bob’s closest friend, Pablo. Cat Simmons (Sweet Charity, Manchester Royal Exchange; Jane Wenham: The Witch of Walkern, Out of Joint; Oliver!, National Tour) will play Bob’s lover, Cindy Breakspeare.

Newtion Matthews (The Frontline, Shakespeare’s Globe; Dancing in the Streets, UK Tour) will play Bunny Wailer alongside Jacade Simpson (The Book of Mormon and The Scottsboro Boys, West End) who will play Peter Tosh.

Adrian Irvine (King Lear and Romeo and Juliet, National Theatre) will play Jamaican Prime Minister, Michael Manley while Simeon Truby (War Horse, National Theatre international tour) will play Leader of the Opposition, Edward Seaga. Ricardo Coke-Thomas (The Book of Mormon and Shrek the Musical, West End; Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, National Theatre) will play Tony Welsh. Birmingham-born Thomas Vernal, a recent graduate from The Arden School of Theatre, will play Claudie Massop.

Delroy Brown, also from Birmingham, (King David: Man of Blood, Mercury Theatre Colchester; The Harder They Come, Theatre Royal Stratford East; Scott and Bailey, ITV) will play Bob’s manager, Don Taylor. Alex Robertson (Tomorrow I Was Always a Lion, Belarus Free Theatre; The Seagull, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) will play Chris Blackwell. Natey Jones (Doctor Faustus, Don Quixote and The Alchemist, all Royal Shakespeare Company/ Barbican) will play Don Letts.

Maria Omakinwa (Show Boat, Sheffield Crucible/ West End; The Bodyguard, West End) will play Judy Mowatt.  Shyko Amos returns to Birmingham Repertory Theatre (where she last performed in This Island) to play Marcia Griffiths.

The ensemble will include Taofique Folarin, Martina Isibor, Melissa James, Lemuel Knights,Tanisha Spring, Ellena Vincent and Marcquelle Ward.

Bob Marley’s words and music have brought joy and love to people around the world of all generations and across all cultures. One Love: The Bob Marley Musical is a spiritual and political journey which celebrates one of the world’s most influential artists of all time by bringing Marley’s inspirational music catalogue to the stage for the first time. This compelling original musical features Marley’s greatest songs performed live on stage, including – No Woman No Cry, Exodus, Jamming and many more.

One Love: The Bob Marley Musical will be designed by Ultz (who won the Best Set Design Olivier Award for Jerusalem) with musical supervision and arrangements by Phil Bateman and choreography by Coral Messam. Lighting design will be by Tim Lutkin (who won the Best Lighting Design Olivier Award for Chimerica), sound by Richard Brooker, projections by Duncan McLean, orchestrations by Simon Hale and musical direction by Sean Green.

Presented by Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

One Love: The Bob Marley Musical is presented with approval of and in co-operation with the Marley family and Tuff Gong Pictures L.P. and has been developed with the support of Blue Mountain Music.

 

Three Bears Productions and Grand Opera House York are delighted to announce that their 2017 pantomime will be…

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Friday 15 December 2017 – Sunday 7 January 2018

BOOK NOW FOR A BEAST OF A PANTOMIME AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE YORK

Grand Opera York are delighted to announce that Three Bears Productions will return next Christmas with another spectacular pantomime, with lots of surprises.  After a successful run with Aladdin last year the popular story of Beauty and The Beast is sure to be the Biggest and the Beast in Yorkshire.

‘Three Bears Productions are thrilled to hear that all panto box office records at the Grand Opera House York were broken this past Christmas with

the hit production of Aladdin. We are pleased to announce that a brand new production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST  with some very exciting special effects and fabulous sets and costumes will be this year’s sensational pantomime. A star cast will be announced shortly.’ Chris Moreno, Producer

‘We would like to thank all our customers for supporting us during our 2016 pantomime. It was fantastic to see our audiences marvel at the transformation scene and scream wildly at the 3D effects while wearing yellow glasses. This was our busiest pantomime yet. We are pleased to have The Three Bears returning later this year with their Beauty and the Beast pantomime. This pantomime title is a first for the Grand Opera House and we’re all looking forward to the cast announcement and the costumes.

The producer isn’t telling us about the special effects yet!’ Lizzie Richards, General Manager

 

Tickets from £15.75 from box office on 0844 871 3024 or online atwww.atgtickets.com/york

Schools and Family rates available.

 

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton –  until 21 Jan 2017.  Reviewed by Sharon MacDonald-Armitage

1940’s Buenos Aires sizzles to life at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre which welcomes Bill Kenwright’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musicalEvita.  Having originally opened in London’s West End in 1978 and over the years toured and returned to London a couple more times and toured yet again it is always a concern as to how fresh yet another dusted off tour might be. However, there are no obvious concerns with this current production.

Evita tells the rags to riches story of how Eva Peron an actress who caught the eye of and married Juan Peron the Argentinian President. Told often through the narration of Che (Gian Marco) who gives a solid performance in the role, we are taken through a journey of classic Webber tunes including the memorable “Oh What a Circus”, sang by Marco himself and “Another Suitcase in Another Hall”, beautifully delivered by Sarah O’Connor, but it is “Don’t Cry for me Argentina” which the audience wait patiently for. They are not disappointed. Emma Hatton is stupendous as Evita, her vocals are crisp, clear and perfect, her performance breath taking. She absolutely sparkles as she steps onto the balcony to deliver the iconic song. It is such a shame that there isn’t a clear moment for the audience to show their appreciation as there is no clear break after the song in which to do so. This was rectified however, with the ebullient applause for Hatton at curtain call.

Kevin Stephen-Jones has a beautiful voice and is convincing as a man totally in love with his wife. There are poignant and moving moments with a clear connection between him and Hatton making their character’s relationship believable.

With Latin choreography by Bill Deamer and a simple but dramatic set design by Matthew Wright there is an intense feel to the show.

The audience clearly enjoyed themselves something that was evident by the number of them singing the songs as they left the auditorium.  If you have not seen Evita before then do take a trip to the Mayflower Theatre before it moves on and if you have seen it before, still go as this show is fresh and an enjoyable evening out.

 

LEEDS GRAND THEATRE TO HOST WORLD PREMIERE OF FAT FRIENDS THE MUSICAL

Leeds’ own writer, director and producer Kay Mellor has made her hit TV series Fat Friends into a brand new stage musical – and it is set to premiere in the very city from where the story shot to fame.

Fat Friends – The Musical – written and directed by multi award-winning Kay Mellor with a score of original music by Nicholas Lloyd Webber and a lead role for Jodie Prenger – will stage its world premiere at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday November 7^th 2017 for four weeks only.

Kay Mellor says: “I’m absolutely thrilled for the premier of Fat Friends The Musical to be held at Leeds Grand Theatre. Not only is Leeds my home town, but it’s where I set the television series and the stage musical. I love Leeds with a passion and the people of Leeds inspire me every day, so it fills me with pride to know that the musical will be seen by the people of Leeds first.”

The brand new production sees the nation’s favourite group of dieters reunited at the Headingley branch ofSuper Slimmers. The foodie friends are put through their Zumba paces by the lovelorn Lauren; Kelly is desperate to get into her dream wedding dress; Alan wants his wife back; Betty wants to win Slimmer of the Year and Super Slimmer founder, Julia Fleshman, wants the world to buy into her business.

“About once or twice a week I get asked if Fat Friends is going to come back on the television,” continues Kay.

“I’m always flattered that people loved the characters and premise and I thought there could be a musical using those characters and looking at weight – it’s such a topical subject matter, more so today than ever.”

Fat Friends hit British television screens in October 2000 and followed the lives of a group of overweight friends as they struggled with the absurdities of modern dieting. Running for five years on ITV, the show starred Alison Steadman, Sheridan Smith and Lisa Riley and launched the careers of James Corden andRuth Jones.

Jodie Prenger said, “I am over the moon to be starring in Kay Mellor’s Fat Friends – The Musical! I have been a huge fan of Kay’s for so long – she is the most brilliant writer, director and just one hell of a lovely lady that you could ever wish to work with. I loved Fat Friends when it was such a successful TV series so to see some of those characters come to life on stage is a joy, and I am honoured to be playing the wonderful Kelly. And what a thrill for us to premiere the show at the Leeds Grand. Knowing all the creatives involved, I am sure it’s going to be a big (fat?) hit there and around the country! I can’t wait.”

Nicholas Lloyd Webber added, ‘It’s been such a treat to collaborate with Kay on Fat Friends. The musical world of the show is bright, fresh, catchy and poppy, with tenderness as well as music to move to. My hope is that I’ve written some songs that are at once accessible yet original with as big a heart as the wonderful piece Kay has written.”

Kay concludes:  “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to work with Nick Lloyd Webber who absolutely gets my characters and world. The musical is funny and sad with a big story and some meaty and memorable songs; together I think we’ve created something rather unique.” 

 

Fat Friends – The Musical makes its premiere at Leeds Grand Theatre

from Tuesday 7^th November to Saturday 2^nd December

 

Tickets go on sale to Priority Members on Wednesday 18^th January and on General Sale Wednesday 25^thJanuary priced from £21 to £50

 

Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call Box Office on 0844 848 2700

The UK’s best-selling children’s paperback of 2016,

AWFUL AUNTIE

comes to Richmond Theatre 2 November 2017

The Birmingham Stage Company are delighted to announce that the world premiere of David Walliams’ Awful Auntie, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, will open at The Capitol Theatre in Horsham on 20 September prior to an eighteen-month UK tour.

It follows the BSC’s record-breaking tour of David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny which recently finished a sell-out fifty-week tour of the UK. The show will begin a new tour from 15 February before it transfers to the West End for a summer season at The Garrick from 26 July to 3 September.

David Walliams said today: “The Birmingham Stage Company’s Gangsta Granny is truly brilliant, so I’m hugely excited that they’re now bringing Awful Auntie to the stage. It promises to be a thrilling show and a total hoot – Wagnar and I can’t wait to see it!”

Awful Auntie was published in September 2014 and went to No.1 in the children’s book chart for seven weeks. The paperback was published in February 2016 and has sold 212,000 copies, making it the best-selling children’s paperback of the year. Combined sales of the hardback and paperback have reached 950,000 copies. It has helped to make Walliams one of the country’s best-selling children’s authors, with four of his books charting in the 2016 children’s top ten. They have also been translated into over 50 languages, bringing worldwide sales to 16.7 million.

Walliams began his publishing career at Harper Collins in 2008 with his debut novel The Boy in the Dress. Since then he has written nine more books plus five picture books. Three of his books have won National Children’s Book Awards.

Awful Auntie tells the story of Stella, who when she set off to visit London with her parents had no idea her life was in danger. Waking up from a coma three months later, only her Aunt Alberta can tell Stella what has happened. But not everything Aunt Alberta tells her turns out to be true and Stella quickly discovers she’s in for the fight of her life against her very own awful Auntie. David Williams’ amazing tale of frights, fights and friendship features a very old car, a very large owl and a very small ghost.

Awful Auntie will mark the Birmingham Stage Company’s 25th anniversary. Starting life at The Old Rep Theatre in Birmingham, the company’s productions now visit Australia, Hong Kong, Dubai and Singapore. For twelve years they have produced all the Horrible Histories stage shows which now regularly feature in the West End. Their sixth anniversary at The Garrick this summer will feature More Best of Barmy Britain.

Families around the country will not want to miss Awful Auntie, which promises to be awfully thrilling fun for everyone over 5! Starting in September the tour will visit: Horsham Capitol, Glasgow Theatre Royal, Stoke Regent Theatre, Oxford new Theatre, Shrewsbury Theatre Severn, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Richmond Theatre, Milton Keynes Theatre, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre and Newtown Theatr Hafren. All theatres open booking today except Cambridge which will be on sale soon.

Twitter @_AwfulAuntie

ROCK OF AGES

 

Grand Opera House York

Friday 7 – Saturday 15 April

The legendary Rock of Ages returns to the Grand Opera House in a brand new production, courtesy of York Stage Musicals, the hit producers of Ghost, Hairspray and Sister Act!

Get ready to back comb your hair, dig out that ra-ra skirt and prepare to air-guitar the evening away. This hilarious 80s themed musical features legendary 80s songs including Don’t Stop Believin’, We Built This City, The Final Countdown, Wanted Dead or Alive, Here I Go Again, Can’t Fight This Feeling and I Want To Know What Love Is – all performed live.

Starring Conor Mellor (Hairspray The Musical), Lauren Sheriston (Emmerdale, ITV’s Eternal Law, Ghost The Musical) & Adam Tomlinson (BBC Radio York)

So – grab your ticket now and be ready to Hit Me With Your Best Shot as you attend what can only be described as the most Rock-tastic theatrical party of the Year!

A triumph in every way YORK PRESS

Once again York Stage Musicals have not been afraid to set themselves a challenge, embraced ambition and delivered a result that is nothing less than a heart wrenching spectacle NOUSE

Reviews from previous productions

Tickets from £10 from box office on 0844 871 3024 or book online at www.atgtickets.com/york

WARNING: This show contains scenes of full frontal Rock Debauchery!!

Sheffield Theatres have added to their 2017 line-up with the announcement of a host of exciting new shows at the Lyceum and Studio Theatres, including Matthew Bourne’s mesmerizing production of The Red Shoes and music from Sheffield’s Everly Pregnant Brothers. Tickets for the productions go on sale to Sheffield Theatres’ Centre Stage Members on Saturday 21 January and to the general public on Saturday 28 January.

 

A beloved fairytale and Academy Award-winning movie, The Red Shoes has seduced audiences and inspired generations of dancers with its tale of obsession, possession and one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world. Matthew Bourne’s acclaimed production comes to the Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 30 May – Saturday 3 June, following a sell-out eight week season at Sadler’s Wells. The Red Shoes is sure to dazzle your senses and break your heart.

Fresh from their recent chart success, Everly Pregnant Brothers present Electric Gravyland at the Lyceum Theatre on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 July.  This new show features tracks from their brand new album, along with usual crowd classics and stadium uke anthems.

Shaun Williamson (EastEnders, Extras, One Man Two Guv’nors) returns to the Lyceum stage inRay Cooney’s hilarious comedy Out Of Order (Wednesday 14 – Saturday 17 June). When a Government Junior Minister plans to spend the evening with one of the Opposition’s typists in the Westminster Hotel, things go disastrously wrong – beginning with the discovery of a body. This hilarious Olivier Award-winning farce also stars Sue Holderness (Only Fools & Horses, Green Green Grass); Andrew Hall (Butterflies, Coronation Street); Susie Amy (Footballers’ Wives) andJames Holmes (Miranda).

Take the family on an exciting and enchanting musical adventure with Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom from Wednesday 5 – Thursday 6 July. Packed full of games, songs and laughter, this beautiful story of elves, princesses and childhood innocence will delight fans of the BAFTA award-winning TV programme.

 

Looking further ahead, the Christmas season begins at the Lyceum with Nativity! The Musical(Wednesday 22 – Sunday 26 November).  Every child in every school has one Christmas wish, to star in a Nativity. Join teacher Mr Maddens and his crazy assistant Mr Poppy as they struggle with hilarious children, unruly animals and a whole lot of sparkle and shine to make everyone’s Christmas wish come true. Based on the festive film, of the same name, Nativity! The Musical promises feel-good fun for all.

 

The Studio Theatre plays host to comedy from Reginald D Hunter on Friday 17 March, with a preview gig for his highly anticipated new show Some People V. Reginald D Hunter and multi award-winning Tony Law, with a brand new show of inimitable surreal comedy-art, Tony Law: A Law Undo His-elf What Welcome on Thursday 18 May.  Don’t miss the chance to see two comedyfavourites in these intimate Studio gigs.

 

The new shows go on sale to Sheffield Theatres’ Centre Stage Members on Saturday 21 January at 10.00am and to the general public on Saturday 28 January.  For more details about Centre Stage membership or to book tickets call the Box Office on 0114 249 6000 or visit sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.