Month: July 2017

Vaudeville Theatre 4 July – 2 September.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

F Murray Abraham swaps his more sinister TV roles for this light and fluffy play about writing a play. Benjamin Rubin wrote one great play in his mid-20s, but has never been able to replicate his success, instead churning out screenplays as he dines out on his fading reputation. Strapped for cash, he agrees to take part in a mentorship programme, helping a young writer, hailed as the voice of his generation, with his second play. Unfortunately, Martin Wegner has an ego just as big as Rubin’s, and Rubin’s response to his play is not what he’d expected. Christopher Hampton’s translation of Daniel Kehlmann’s play has some lovely lyrical lines, and some laugh out loud moments, but it boils down to pretentious people talking pretentiously about life, art and theatre, with no character understanding anyone else, or their motivations. So, what hope does the audience have of making sense of it all? I just sat back and enjoyed the performances – the cast dynamics are excellent, with Daniel Weyman managing to make the petulant man-child Wegner almost likeable, and Jonathan Cullen showing Rudicek’s hero worship disintegrate into exasperation and downright hatred with minimal lines, both performing some fine physical comedy. Naomi Frederick as Gina Wegner is almost blank until the big confrontation, when she suddenly explodes into a fiery and feisty performance. F Murray Abraham just seems to be having a ball. Rubin is written ambiguously – is his dislike of Wegner fuelled by jealousy, lust for his wife, or simply a generational disdain? Abraham keeps the audience guessing in an impish and energetic performance – this is the definition of stage presence, you can’t tear your eyes away from the man, whether he’s clowning around after tasting cheap whisky, or trying out his best intellectually seductive lines on Gina.

The set is gorgeous, with blossom drifting slowly from the tree centre stage onto some truly awful sculptural garden furniture. The lighting is evocative of lazy days in the country, and the chirruping frogs, tweeting birds and buzzing insects in surround sound become hypnotic. (Although at first there were lots of annoyed glances around the auditorium from people trying to pinpoint the culprit and tut at them.)

The Mentor isn’t a great play, but it is a diverting and entertaining opportunity to see a truly great actor having a blast. F Murray Abraham’s wicked grin will make your day.

Whatever Guise Productions presents

Gin For Breakfast

By Jess Moore

At Tristan Bates Theatre
World Premiere Run
Thursday 28th September  – Saturday 21st October

The World Premiere of Gin For Breakfast, Jess Moore’s debut play, will open at the Tristan Bates Theatre on Thursday 28th September for a strictly limited four-week run, it was announced today by the show’s producer, Whatever Guise Productions.

The play follows childhood friends, Jen and Robbie, who are all grown-up now and galaxies away from where they imagined they would be. With their world-views set on a collision course, and their dreams imploding, Gin for Breakfast explores whether or not they can save themselves, and each other. And, when everything’s just star-stuff, does it matter?

Making his directorial debut is Ryan Gage whose acting credits include The Musketeers and The Hobbit series of films and, on stage, recently, The Miser, directed by Sean Foley. He is joined by Emmy-nominated Erica Hemminger, who will also make her London debut as lead designer. Miss Hemminger is Associate Designer to Derek McLane and has worked on Broadway productions and National and International Tours including Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

Jess Moore studied ‘Advances in Scriptwriting’ led by Stephen Jeffreys at RADA, and the Academy recently commissioned a short film version of her play, Bitter Lemon, which will be shown at the RADA Festival today, July 5th.

Tristan Bates Theatre showcases new writing and contemporary writing and is establishing its reputation as one of London’s most prestigious fringe venues.

The Production will partner with CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) on after-show talks and events around mental health.

The play opens on Thursday 28th September and runs until Saturday 21st October, with previews on the evenings of Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th, and a matinee performance on 28th September. Tickets are on sale at https://www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/whats-on/gin-for-breakfast.

July 18th – August 5th, White Bear Theatre

 

A modern day insom-com that focuses on sleep deprivation, existential angst, alternative realities… and sheep.

”London’s a fragile flower, she needs darkness to make her grow, not sunlight. When night falls, she blooms. All kinds of sh*t goes down on her watch”

It’s been twenty-one nights since Dexy last slept. It could be down to his choice of pillow. Duck Down. It could be down the heating in his flat. Nonexistent. Or it could be the fact his girlfriend’s missing, the police are scouring the streets and Dexy’s past is catching up with him.

Ensconced in his third floor flat, over the course of an evening Dexy attempts to cast his mind back and fit the relevant pieces together, but as the blare of the sirens gets louder and night turns to morning the lines between dreams and reality and rational thinking and insanity become ever more blurred.

As if this wasn’t enough, Dexy is visited by three very different people during the night.

Ciaran Lonsdale stars as Dexy (World Mad, Soho Theatre; Glamour Girl, Maltings Arts Theatre; The Santa Suicides Web Series), with James Groom as Leo (Simon Stephen’s Christmas, White Bear Theatre; Robert Dudley Earl in the Channel 5 drama Elizabeth), Niamh Watson as Margot (Amber in Dreamless Sleep, Arts Theatre; Still I See My Baby, Sky or the Bird) and Bruce Kitchener as Vic (Frank in Snapshot, Hope Theatre; Four Thieves Vinegar, Baron’s Court Theatre).

Over the past ten years David Cantor has written for television and the stage and worked on a variety of shows including three of the BBC’s most successful sitcoms, My Family, Two Pints Of Lager & A Packet Of Crisps, and The Green Green Grass. David also wrote the dark comedy Noddyland, which was entered into Channel 4’s Comedy Blap season last year and has contributed to sketch shows including BBC’s That Mitchell & Webb Look, children’s programmes such as CITV’s My Phone Genie and CBBC’s Fit while supplying material for the anarchic game show Shooting Stars. Away from television, David has previously written two stage plays. Stopping Distance had a full cast read through at the Old Vic and is currently in development at The Park Theatre, while I Play For Me was performed at the White Bear in Kennington in 2015.

 

Jungle Book street-dance spectacular bursts into Salford.

Tue 29 Aug – Sat 2 Sept

Award-winning Metta Theatre will present their smash hit production of Jungle Book at The Lowry Tue 29 August – Sat 2 Sept.

Fresh from an international tour Metta Theatre has collaborated with artistic directors Poppy Burton-Morgan and William Reynolds on a new version ofJungle Book using street dance, circus and spoken word.

Metta Theatre pride themselves on their powerful visual storytelling and exploration of multicultural stories often from a female perspective. In Jungle Book they follow Mowgli on her search for identity and belonging – vulnerable, isolated and trying to find her place in an alien environment. The story transcends boundaries and resonates with audiences young and old, urban and rural.

Poppy Burton-Morgan’s radical re-imagining of Kipling’s much loved classic sees Jungle Book transposed to a contemporary urban jungle of skateboarding wolves, street dancing monkeys, a beat-loving bin man Baloo and graffiti artist Bagheera. With choreography from acclaimed hip hop artist Kendra J Horsburgh,  known for her work with Nicole Sherzinger, Peter Andre, Kenneth Branagh, Tini Tempah, Anna Straker, JUNGLE, Incognito, Dynamo and Melanie C.

Composer Filipe Gomes has created a beat-driven score using real world sounds of the city. Add to this designer William Reynolds’ trademark minimalism and an urban jungle is created – a stark forest of streetlamps disguising circus equipment on which these recognisably human animals cavort and contort themselves. The show uses street dance and circus to explore the search for identity and belonging in contemporary multicultural Britain.

Award-winning Metta Theatre are prolific theatre makers and masters of storytelling who combine circus, new writing and physical theatre forms to make challenging and richly layered work. Previous work using the multi-dimensionality of circus to unlock narratives includes Blown Away (2016 UK tour) and their adaptation of The King of Tiny Things (an award-winning circus show which toured nationally in 2015 to major venues and festivals (“effortlessly charming” – Exeunt). Recent new writing includes Mouthful at London’s Trafalgar Studios in September 2015 (Critics’ Choice, The Times), a response to the global food crisis from six of the world’s leading dramatists in partnership with six world-renowned scientists. Metta Theatre are supported by Arts Council England’s Strategic Touring Fund.

LISTINGS INFORMATION
Jungle Book
Dates: Tue 29 Aug – Sat 2 Sept
Times: 7pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 2.30pm
Tickets: £20.50. Conc £4 off. Family ticket £68.
Age Guidance: 8+ (younger children will be admitted)
Website

King’s Head Theatre to stage brand new version of Puccini’s Tosca

The King’s Head Theatre is thrilled to announce they will be staging a radical reimagining of the classic opera Tosca from 27 September – 28 October.

Paris. August, 1944. As the Second World War rages on, lovers Tosca and Cavaradossi give refuge to a political prisoner and find themselves ensnared in the machinations of the tyrannical head of the Paris Gestapo, Scarpia. As Charles De Gaulle’s liberation movement advances and US troops tighten their net around the Nazi occupiers, everything Tosca holds dear is about to be torn apart.

A searing thriller of power and passion, this modern retelling takes the timeless tale and reimagines it at the heart of the twentieth century’s defining conflict. With stirring melodies and a brand-new libretto in English by Becca Marriott and Adam Spreadbury-Maher, performed in the intimate surroundings of the King’s Head Theatre, this is Tosca as you’ve never seen it before.

The King’s Head Theatre have firmly established themselves as one of the foremost producers of accessible, small scale opera, and this new version of Tosca marks the third opera production at the venuethis year following original retellings of Madam Butterfly and The Magic Flute. Several members of the creative team from 2016’s critically acclaimed La bohème are returning to work on Tosca, including Adam Spreadbury-Maher as Director, Panaretos Kyriatzidis as Musical Director and Becky-Dee Trevenen as Designer.

Adam Spreadbury-Maher, Artistic Director of the King’s Head Theatre, says “‘I’ve always wanted to play out Tosca against the epic, romantic and devastating backdrop of Paris in the Second World War. It’s the ultimate ideological conflict, and a pertinent setting for Puccini’s masterpiece. It’s fantastic to be working with the team from La bohème on this brand-new production. We’re going all out for our final opera of 2017 with this dazzling period piece, which I hope will be captivating, provocative and unexpected to seasoned opera veterans and newcomers alike.”

Praise for La bohème at the King’s Head Theatre:

★★★★ –  ‘powerful and compelling’ – The Times

★★★★ – ‘tackles La bohème in typically quixotic King’s Head style’ – Michael Church (of The Independent)

★★★★ – ‘dramatically taut, musically satisfying’

★★★★ – ‘A knowing, witty and clever reinterpretation’ – Islington Gazette

The Bunker Theatre and Alfred Taylor-Gaunt present
Eyes Closed, Ears Covered
The Bunker, 53A Southwark Street London SE1 1RU
Wednesday 6th September – Saturday 30th September 2017

How far would you go to relive a memory, if that memory was all you had to live for?

Eyes Closed, Ears Covered by Alex Gwyther’s (Our Friends, The Enemy) tells the brutal and heartfelt story of two teenage boys as they head to Brighton with a daring plan to relive a special day from four years ago. The world premiere of this darkly funny and painfully tender play will be directed by 2015 What’s On Stage award winner, Derek Anderson (Sweeney Todd, Twickenham Theatre)

One in five children in the UK have been exposed to domestic violence. Eyes Closed, Ears Covered explores the repercussions of traumatic events at home and the direct effects these can have on mental health. EastEnders’ star Danny-Boy Hatchard, Joe Idris-Roberts (Forty Years On, Chichester Festival Theatre) and Phoebe Thomas (Hetty Feather, Vaudeville Theatre, The Rose Theatre Kingston and UK Tour), will form the original cast of this gripping thriller.

Danny-Boy Hatchard comments, Having had previous experience venturing into the mind of someone who struggles with mental health, I have gained a compassionate understanding into how such a condition can have a dramatic impact on an individual’s life. Eyes Closed, Ears Covered explores more of the same, but this time with a direct association to domestic violence, particularly in children. I believe as artists we can always afford to bring more awareness to such an important topic, and this show does just that.

Woking 1986. Monday morning. Seb and Aaron have been planning this day for weeks. They’ve written their sick notes. They’ve skimped, saved, scraped and stolen the money where they can. They’re actually doing it. They’re bunking the day off school.

The poignant play was conceived after playwright Alex Gwyther witnessed two young boys playing truant; the seed of an idea was sewn and Gwyther researched child trauma and psychology to help understand the mindsets of those who had experienced harrowing ordeals. Eyes Closed, Ears Covered aims to raise awareness of the growing scale of domestic violence against women and children and explores the failure of a child’s mind to process their past.

The ethos of The Bunker is all about nurturing a performance environment in which audiences can stay after the show to enjoy events, discussions and drinks in the auditorium. Alongside Eyes Closed, Ears Covered, there will be post-show events for every performance including dance responses, spoken word responses, music, director and producer panels. Details of the post-show events will be announced shortly.

 

The new cast of MAMMA MIA! who began performances on 12 June 2017 at London’s Novello Theatre. MAMMA MIA!’s current booking is until 3 March 2018.

The new cast includes Sara Poyzer as Donna, Georgina Castle as Sophie, Kate Graham as Tanya, Jacqueline Braun as Rosie, Richard Trinder as Sam, Alasdair Harvey as Harry, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart as Bill and Christopher Jordan-Marshall as Sky.

MAMMA MIA! is Judy Craymer’s ingenious vision of staging the story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs with an enchanting tale of family and friendship unfolding on a Greek island paradise. The London production of MAMMA MIA! has been seen by nearly 8 million people, played over 7,500 performances and has broken box office records in all three of its London homes. With music & lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. MAMMA MIA! is produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East & Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal – press release attached.

SINGING SENSATION JOE BACK ON HOME TURF FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY

 

North East heartthrob and singing sensation Joe McElderry is bringing his brand new show Saturday Night at the Movies Live!to Newcastle Theatre Royal for one night only on Sun 30 July 2017.

 

The 26-year old South Shields born pop superstar, who secured the hearts of the nation in 2009 when he won ITV’s The X factor, is currently celebrating the release of his fifth studio album Saturday Nights at the Movies.  The show will feature tracks from the album -iconic songs from stage and screen and also brand new tracks including Joe’s new hit single, Gloria written by acclaimed songwriter and 10CC frontman, Graham Gouldman.

 

Joe will be joined on stage by special guests, X Factor’s Lloyd Daniels and Any Dream Will Do runners up Keith Jack and Ben James-Ellis who have all featured in Bill Kenwright’s production of Joseph and the Technicolor® Dreamcoat.

 

Joe is probably one of the most loved young singers in the country as well as a Number 1 and platinum selling artist with four top 20 albums under his belt, two of which reached the UK top three.  His debut single The Climb went to the top of the charts and was nominated for the Best British Single BRIT award in 2010.

 

His first album in five years, Saturday Night At The Movies is inspired by Joe’s love for film and theatre, and features newly orchestrated recordings of iconic hits such as Can’t Help Falling in Love from Elvis Presley’s Blue Hawaii, Time Of My Life from Dirty Dancing and the inevitable Any Dream Will Do from Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, in which Joe is currently starring.

 

Joe says: “My new album is a snapshot of where I am today and I am excited about the opportunity to share some of my favourite music with my fans. I hope people will join me as I continue on this musical journey!”

 

Saturday Night At The Movies Live! will feature these iconic movie hits, along with some exciting additions, all cooed in Joe’s heartfelt and warming vocals, making listeners fall in love with these all-time classics all over again.

 

Saturday Night At The Movies Live! is at Newcastle Theatre Royal for one night only on Sunday 30 July  2017 at 7.30pm. Tickets from £17.50.  Tickets can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge) or book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk

FIRST LOOK AT WILL YOUNG

AND LOUISE REDKNAPP

IN

RUFUS NORRIS’ ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF KANDER AND EBB’S MUSICAL MASTERPIECE

CABARET

FIRST LOOK photos of WILL YOUNG as the Emcee and LOUISE REDKNAPP as Sally Bowles have today been released, ahead of the UK tour of CABARET this autumn, opening at the New Wimbledon Theatre on Thursday 21 September 2017 and playing theatres in Blackpool, Malvern, Cardiff, Leeds, Milton Keynes, Salford, Edinburgh, Bromley, Dublin and Brighton.

Internationally renowned singer/songwriter, Will Young, reprises his Olivier Award-nominated performance as the enigmatic Emcee alongside musician and presenter Louise Redknapp, who makes her stage debut as Sally Bowles in Rufus Norri’ multi-award winning production of CABARET.  

 

Ever since winning the inaugural series of Pop Idol in 2001, WILL YOUNG has been one of the UK’s most popular and successful music artists. He holds the record for the fastest selling debut single in British chart history, and has enjoyed a phenomenal career in music with four No1 albums, as well as acting alongside Dame Judi Dench in the film Mrs Henderson Presents. Will made his West End debut in Cabaret and will be reprising his award winning performance.

 

LOUISE REDKNAPP rose to fame as a member of the girl group Eternal. She left the band to carve out a successful solo career achieving an impressive twelve Top 20 singles, including the hits Naked and Stuck in the Middle and selling over 5 million records with 5 albums. Since then she has rarely left our television screens and most recently wowed the nation with her dancing skills finishing ‘runner up’ in the 2016 series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing.

 

CABARET features show-stopping choreography, dazzling costumes and some of the most iconic songs in musical theatre including ‘Money Makes The World Go Round’, ‘Two Ladies’ ‘Maybe This Time’ and of course ‘Cabaret’. The production turns Weimar Berlin of 1931 into a sassy, sizzling haven of decadence, and at its dark heart is the legendary and notorious Emcee, who performs nightly at the infamous Kit Kat Klub.

 

Since its Broadway premiere in 1966 and the famous movie version with Liza Minnelli and Oscar winner Joel Grey, CABARET has won a staggering number of stage and screen awards including 8 Oscar’s, 7 BAFTA’s and 13 Tony’s. Norris’ production has enjoyed two smash hit West End runs and has picked up 2 Olivier Awards.

 

Rufus Norris is Director of the National Theatre and a multi-award winning theatre and opera director. For the National Theatre, he has directed The Threepenny Opera, wonder.land, Everyman, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, The Amen Corner, Table, London Road (Critics Circle Award), Death and the King’s Horseman, Market Boy. Other theatre includes Vernon God Little (Young Vic), Les Liasons Dangerouses (Broadway – five Tony Award nominations), Festen (West End and Broadway) The Country Girl (Apollo) and Afore Night Came at the Young Vic (Evening Standard Award). Film credits include London Road and Broken.

 

Choreography is by the Olivier Award-winning Javier De Frutos. In 1990, he formed The Javier De Frutos Dance Company. His work includes The Hypochondriac Bird and Affliction of Loneliness. Recently he joined forces with Sadler’s Wells and The Pet Shop Boys to create a brand new dance work based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story, The Most Incredible Thing.

 

Cabaret will play at the New Wimbledon Theatre, Blackpool Opera House, Malvern Festival Theatre, Cardiff New Theatre, Leeds Grand Theatre, Milton Keynes Theatre, The Lowry in Salford, Edinburgh Playhouse, Churchill Theatre Bromley, Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and Brighton Theatre Royal.

 

BILL KENWRIGHT PRESENTS

Book by JOE MASTEROFF Music by JOHN KANDER Lyrics by FREDD EBB

Based on the play by JOHN VAN DRUTEN and Stories by CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD

 

CABARET – TOUR DATES 2017

Thursday 21 – 30 September                                                            Box Office: 0844 871 7646

New Wimbledon Theatre                                                         Website: ATGTICKETS.COM/Wimbledon

Tuesday 3 – 7 October                                                                Box Office: 0844 856 1111

Blackpool Opera House                                                            Website: wgbpl.co.uk

Tuesday 10 – 14 October                                                       Box Office: 01684 892277

Malvern Festival Theatre                                                      Website: malvern-theatres.co.uk

Tuesday 17 – 21 October                                                       Box Office: 029 2087 8889

Cardiff New Theatre                                                              Website: newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

Tuesday 24 – 28 October                                                       Box Office:  0844 848 2700

Leeds Grand Theatre                                                             Website: leedsgrandtheatre.com

 

Tuesday 31 October – 4 November                                      Box Office: 0844 871 7652

Milton Keynes Theatre                                                             Website: ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes           

 

Tuesday 7 – 11 November                                                     Box Office: 0843 208 6000

Salford Quays, The Lowry                                                         Website: thelowry.com

 

Tuesday 14 – 18 November                                                   Box Office:  0844 871 3014

Edinburgh Playhouse                                                          Website: ATGTICKETS.COM/Edinburgh

 

Tuesday 21 – 25 November                                                   Box Office: 020 3285 6000

Churchill Theatre Bromley                                                       Website: churchilltheatre.co.uk

Tuesday 28 Nov – 2 December                                              Box Office: 00353 1 677 7999

Dublin, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre                                        Website: www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

 

Tuesday 5 – 9 December                                                       Box Office:  0844 871 7650

Brighton Theatre Royal                                                            Website: ATGTICKETS.COM/Brighton

Further dates to be confirmed