Month: November 2017

JOE MCELDERRY TO SWITCH ON NEWCASTLE’S CITY CENTRE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

We are proud to announce that chart topping star of stage and theatre, Joe McElderry, will be switching on Newcastle’s City Centre Christmas Lights on Tuesday 14th November at Grey’s Monument.

The former X Factor winner will join Cllr Linda Wright, Lord Mayor of Newcastle and Steve and Karen, presenters of the Breakfast Show on Metro Radio as they press the button to illuminate the city to mark the countdown towards Christmas.

Joe McElderry will also be starring as ‘Joseph’ in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat at Metro Arena in Newcastle from 19-31 December: www.metroradioarena.co.uk

Joe of South Shields, said: “I am so excited to be coming home to switch the Christmas lights on in my home city ahead of performing in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Newcastle Metro Radio Arena this Christmas.

“I’ve had an incredible year touring the country with the cast of Joseph and coming back to Newcastle to perform and switch on the Christmas Lights is the icing on the cake for 2017. The Geordie crowds are always so welcoming, friendly and get into the partying spirit. I’m looking forward to seeing some old friends but at the same time performing in front of new audiences. I couldn’t think of a better place to kick off the Christmas season but back at home in the North East. I can’t wait to see you all.”

Joe will be entertaining an expected 5,000 strong crowd at the base of Grey’s Monument for an hour of festive songs, entertainment and on-stage games. Steve and Karen will host the festive merriment with the switch-on line up also including Sam Lavery (X Factor 2016) and members from the cast of Sleeping Beauty (Gateshead Stadium panto).

An estimated 20,000 festive lights will illuminate parts of the City including areas of Northumberland Street; Blackett Street; Percy Street; Grey Street; Grainger Street; Nelson Street; Newgate Street; Neville Street; and the Quayside. This year there will be an extra special light to look out for, a 4-metre tall Teddy Bear!

The night of fun and entertainment will also carry a serious message as the event is teaming up with The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) – to help the national charity raise the profile of its invaluable work in cities like Newcastle.

Councillor Kim McGuinness, Newcastle City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Communities, said: “It’s great news to have Joe McElderry joining in the fun and helping to celebrate the countdown towards Christmas. The atmosphere in Newcastle is always magical with the beautiful city being illuminated with thousands of lights. It just adds to the whole city centre experience that greets residents, shoppers and visitors to Newcastle.”

The Newcastle City Centre Christmas Lights Switch-on will take place on Tuesday 14th November and will start at 5.30pm with the lights being switched on at approximately 6.30pm. The event is free, and everyone is welcome to attend, people are advised to get down early to secure the best vantage point. No wristbands are required.

It might be advisable to use public transport [Metro or the Bus network] to get to and from the City Centre as the Christmas shopping season is well and truly in full swing.

#NewcastleChristmasLights

 

White Wolf Theatre, freeFall Theatre and Jethro Compton Productions

in association with Worthing Theatres and Park Theatre present
WHITE FANG

 

13^th December 2017 –13^th January 2018| Park Theatre

 

Casting has been announced for the London premiere of White Fang, inspired by the classic novel by Jack London, which concludes Park Theatre’s 2017 season. Written and directed by Jethro Compton (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Park Theatre), the production features vivid puppetry and original music in this story of an outcast and her lone wolf. 

 

Set in 1898, Canada, White Fang tells the story of a young girl who is rescued by an old huntsman after her tribe is massacred, and her subsequent acclimation into an unknown society. Torn from centuries of tradition, struggling to find her path in the world, she soon discovers hope in the friendship of an abandoned wolf – swiftly learning the customs of her ancestors, becoming skilled in the ways of the wild. But when the time comes, will these skills be enough to survive? With the help of a lone wolf she must reconcile who she once was and who she now is.

 

White Fang will feature Mariska Ariya, Robert G. Slade, Bebe Sanders, Paul Albertson, Jonathan Mathewsand Danny Mahoney in the cast.

 

White Fang had its world premiere at the freeFall Theatre in Florida, USA, right in the midst of the chaos from Hurricane Irma in October, which left the theatre completely unusable. In order to open the show as planned, the production team purpose built a brand new pop-up space so the show could go on.

 

Jethro Compton (writer & director) began his theatre career in 2008 as the Producer and Co-Artistic Director of Belt Up Theatre, company in residence at York Theatre Royal. In 2010 he established Jethro Compton Productions to develop his own work as a writer, director, and producer. To date, he has directed all the company’s productions, including The Bunker Trilogy and The Capone Trilogy, and his own writing, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Frontier Trilogy, Sirenia, and White Fang.

 

Mariska Ariya (Lyzbet Scott) trained at Sylvia Young Theatre School and the BRIT School of Performing Arts and Technology. Her credits include: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (Warner Brothers), Slumdog Millionaire (Film 4) and Desi DNA (BBC).

 

Robert G. Slade’s stage credits include: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Park Theatre, Jethro Compton Productions), It’s a Wonderful Life (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre), Pack of Lies (Bill Kenwright Ltd), The Price, (Compass Theatre), Fully Committed (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre Warehouse), The Hot Zone (Kitchen Conspirators) and Much Ado About Nothing (Manitoba Theatre Centre)

 

Bebe Sanders graduated The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 2013. Her theatre credits include: Lucy Light (Theatre N16), Twelfth Night (The Orange Tree Theatre), 3 Winters (The National Theatre), Underground (59E59 Theatres NYC), The Bunker Trilogy (International Tour) and The Frontier Trilogy (Rabenhov Theatre Vienna). Her TV and film credits include: The Best of Men (BBC).

 

After graduating from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Paul Albertson became a leading actor for the Glasgow Citizens Theatre. His additional credits include: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Park Theatre), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (King’s Theatre, Edinburgh), The Rover (Hampton Court), Betrayal (Byre Theatre), The People Next Door (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Damages (Theatre Royal Stratford East) and Carver (Arcola Theatre). His screen credits include Extras (BBC) and Sherlock (BBC).

 

Jonathan Mathews has toured internationally with Jethro Compton Productions in both The Bunker Trilogyand The Frontier Trilogy, including the latter’s UK premiere. Other credits include Alice’s Adventures Underground (Waterloo Vaults), Much Ado About Nothing (New Wimbledon Theatre), and The D-List(Edinburgh Fringe Festival).

 

Danny Mahoney trained at LAMDA. His theatre credits include: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (West End), Other Desert Cities (The Old Vic), Black Tie (Vienna’s English Theatre), Fallujah (Cockpit Theatre) and A View From The Bridge (Broadway Studio Theatre). His film credits include: Florence Foster Jenkins, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Olive Green.

 

​www.parktheatre.co.uk

Box office: 020 7870 6876*

LISTINGS

WHITE FANG

Venue: PARK90, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, N4 3JP

Dates: 13 December 2017 – 13 January 2018

Press night: Thursday 14 December, 7:00pm

Age guidance: 12 +

Performances: Tue – Sat Evenings 7.45pm, Thu & Sat Matinees 3.15pm

Prices: Previews £14.50, Standard £18, Concessions £16.50, Child (under 16) £13, Young Patrons £10 (13-20 Dec), Groups: buy 10 tickets get the 11^th free

Parents & Babies performance: Wed 3 Jan 13.00. Tickets £15: Babes in arms under 1 go free.
Booking: www.parktheatre.co.uk / 020 7870 6876

*10% telephone booking fee, capped at £2.50 per ticket.

BBC LOOK NORTH HOSTS SET A ‘SWEET’ CHILDREN IN NEED CHALLENGE BY FAT FRIENDS THE MUSICAL

BBC Look North hosts, Harry Gration and Amy Garcia, have been tasked by Fat Friends The Musical and Leeds Grand Theatre to make 1,500 doughnuts for their charity gala event taking place on Thursday 14^thNovember in aid of Children in Need.

Leeds Grand Theatre and Kay Mellor, Writer and Director of Fat Friends The Musical which opens at the theatre tomorrow, and keen supporter of the UK-wide charity, have challenged the TV stars to make enough doughnuts for every audience member as the sweet treats have become synonymous with Fat Friends The Musical.

Mellor said: “I am aware of the fundraising efforts of Harry and Amy and I am thrilled that we have been able to arrange a charity gala night to coincide with their challenge-a-day fundraising efforts for Children in Need.

“Working with Leeds Grand Theatre, we will be ‘bucket shaking’ at every Fat Friends performance from Monday 13^th to Saturday 18^th November. I am hoping that our audience will give generously to a very worthwhile cause.”

Harry and Amy will cook-up the doughy delights throughout the day, for Amy, Pudsey Bear and a host of Children in Need volunteers to hand them out at the star-studded red-carpet event later that day. Harry and Amy’s fundraising efforts will culminate on Friday 19^th November when the BBC airs its annual appeal show. All bucket donations raised by the theatre/show will go to the charity.

Fat Friends The Musical, which is set in Leeds, is based on Kay Mellor’s award-winning TV drama Fat Friends and has been produced by Joshua Andrews and Adam Spiegel, with original music and songs composed by Nick Lloyd Webber. It boasts an all-star cast of Jodie Prenger, Sam Bailey, Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff, Natalie Anderson, Natasha Hamilton and Kevin Kennedy, and will run at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 7^thNovember to Saturday 2^nd December. A limited number of tickets are still available for the charity gala event on Tuesday 14^th November.

Fat Friends The Musical is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 7^th Nov to Saturday 2^nd Dec 2017

Tickets are priced from £20 (RV) to £50

(prices include a £3 booking fee. Postage charge £1 where applicable)

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

DAVID THAXTON RETURNS TO PLAY ‘JAVERT’ IN

 

“LES MISÉRABLES”

AT THE QUEEN’S THEATRE

 

FROM MONDAY 22 JANUARY 2018

 

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that from Monday 22 January 2018, David Thaxton will return to the cast of “LES MISÉRABLES” at the Queen’s Theatre in the role of ‘Javert’.

David Thaxton previously played ‘Javert’ in 2014, and has also played the role of ‘Enjolras’ in “Les Misérables” at the Queen’s Theatre. His additional theatre credits include ‘Giorgio’ in “Passion” at the Donmar Warehouse, for which he won an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, ‘Pilate’ in “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Regent’s Park Theatre, ‘Raoul’ in “Love Never Dies” at the Adelphi and ‘Major John Howard’ in “Only The Brave” at Wales Millennium Centre.

David will join Olivier Award nominee Killian Donnelly as ‘Jean Valjean’, Carley Stenson as ‘Fantine’, Steven Meo as ‘Thénardier’, Karis Jack as ‘Eponine’, Jacqueline Tate as ‘Madame Thénardier”, Hyoie O’Grady as ‘Enjolras’, Paul Wilkins as ‘Marius’ and Charlotte Kennedy as ‘Cosette’.

From 22 January 2018 the full company will be: Emma Barr; Adam Bayjou; Oliver Brenin; Ciarán Bowling; Hugo Chiarella; Andy Conaghan; Killian Donnelly; Alice Ellen Wright; Sophie-May Feek; Hyoie O’Grady; Catherine Hannay; Antony Hansen; Holly-Anne Hull; James Hume; Karis Jack; Ciaran Joyce; Charlotte Kennedy; Katie Kerr; Rebecca Lafferty; Jo Loxton; John Lumsden; Anna McGarahan; Steven Meo; Jonny Purchase; Lauren Soley; Carley Stenson; Jacqueline Tate; Shaq Taylor; George Tebbutt; David Thaxton; Lee Van Geleen; Danny Whitehead and Paul Wilkins.

Killian Donnelly most recently played the role of ‘Charlie Price’ in “Kinky Boots” on Broadway, a role he originated at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End in 2015, for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award. His other theatre credits include: ‘Jackie Day’ in “Donegal”, a new play by Frank McGuinness, at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin and ‘Huey’ in the original London cast of “Memphis” at the Shaftesbury Theatre for which he was also nominated for an Olivier Award.  He created the role of ‘Deco’ in “The Commitments” at the Palace Theatre and has also played ‘Tony’ in “Billy Elliot” at the Victoria Palace Theatre as well as ’Raoul’ in “The Phantom of the Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre. He first joined the company of “Les Misérables” in 2008, going onto play the role of ‘Enjolras’ from 2009 to 2011. In 2010, he played the role of ‘Courfeyrac’ in the “25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables” at The O2 Arena and also played the role of ‘Combeferre’ in the multi-award-winning film of the show, released in 2012.

Carley Stenson’s West End credits include ‘Elle Woods’ in “Legally Blonde”, ‘Princess Fiona’ in “Shrek The Musical” and ‘Lady of the Lake’ in “Spamalot”. Carley also starred as ‘Christine Colgate’ in the tour of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”. She is probably best known for playing the regular role of ‘Steph Cunningham’ in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, for which she was nominated for several awards during her 10 years with the show.

Steven Meo’s previous theatre credits include “Pride & Prejudice” at The Regents Park Open Air Theatre and on UK tour; “The Taming of the Shrew”, “Boeing Boeing”, “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog” all for Theatre Clwyd; “The Distance” for Sheffield Crucible/Orange Tree Theatre and “Flesh and Blood” for Hampstead Theatre and on tour.

Karis Jack’s theatre credits include “The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin” at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East & Belgrade Theatre, Coventry; “Baddies: The Musical” at the Unicorn Theatre’ “Hairspray” at Curve, Leicester and on UK tour; “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Salisbury Playhouse and Mercury Theatre, Colchester; and “Urinetown: The Musical” at the Apollo Theatre and St James Theatre.

Jacqueline Tate’s previous theatre credits include: “Allegro” at the Southwark Playhouse; “Avenue Q” at the Wyndham’s Theatre, Gielgud Theatre and national tour; “South Pacific” at The Barbican Theatre and UK tour; “The Phantom of The Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre and “My Fair Lady” and “Evita” on international tour.

 

Hyoie O’Grady is making his professional and West End debut in “Les Misérables”.

 

Paul Wilkins has previously played the role of ‘Marius’ in “Les Misérables” in Manila, Singapore and Dubai. He made his West End debut in “Les Misérables” in 2015.

Charlotte Kennedy made her West End debut in “Les Misérables” in 2015.  She has also appeared in “Elaine Paige in Concert” at the Royal Albert Hall.

Tickets for “LES MISÉRABLES” are priced £12.50 – £80.00

Currently booking until Saturday 20 October 2018

Box Office: 0844 482 5160

Performances: Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm

Matinees – Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm

www.lesmis.com

Squire Lane Theatrical presents:

Acclaimed National Theatre return to Hull New Theatre

Company brings Hedda Gabler to venue following sold-out run in London

Following a sold-out run at the National Theatre in London, the acclaimed company will bring a tour of its bold production of Hedda Gabler to Hull New Theatre next week.

Just married. Bored already. Hedda longs to be free…

Hedda and Tesman have just returned from their honeymoon and the relationship is already in trouble. Trapped but determined, Hedda tries to control those around her, only to see her own world unravel.

Adapted by Olivier Award-winning playwright Patrick Marber (Closer, Three Days in the Country) and directed by Olivier and Tony Award-winner Ivo van Hove (A View from the Bridge), who made his National Theatre debut with this bold and modern new production.

Lizzy Watts plays the title role of the free-spirited Hedda Gabler, one the greatest dramatic parts in theatre and regarded as the female Hamlet.

Marber said: “It has been a huge honour to work with the great Ivo van Hove on this version of Hedda Gabler at the National Theatre. I am thrilled that this tour will enable more people to see his incredible production.”

The visit by National Theatre follows their five-star reviewed production of Jane Eyre in September which was the first touring show to be performed at Hull New Theatre following its £16m refurbishment.

It continues the venue’s incredible autumn/winter season of world-class drama, dance and opera and unmissable musicals including the new production, Son of Preacher Man, and the West End and Broadway hit Beautiful, the Carole King Musical.

Tickets for Hedda Gabler at Hull New Theatre from Monday, November 13 to Saturday, November 18 are from £15 plus £1.50 per ticket booking fee with concessions available.

Book over the telephone by calling 01482 300 306 or online by visiting www.hulltheatres.co.uk or via this link. Tickets can also be booked in person at the Hull New Theatre or Hull City Hall box offices.

Deafinitely Theatre & New Diorama Theatre present

CONTRACTIONS

By Mike Bartlett

Director: Paula Garfield; Designer: Paul Burgess; Sound Designer: Chris Bartholomew

Cast: Fifi Garfield (The Manager), Abigail Poulton (Emma)

ND2 (New Diorama Theatre),

1-29 November 2017

Artistic Director of Deafinitely Theatre, Paula Garfield, today announces a new, site-specific production of Mike Bartlett’s play Contractions as the company marks its 15th anniversary. A co-production with New Diorama Theatre and staged on a disused trading floor at New Diorama’s ND2, it will be Deafinitely Theatre’s first site-specific show. Garfield directs Fifi Garfield and Abigail Poulton in the production which opens at New Diorama’s ND2 on 8 November, with previews from 1 November, and runs until 29 November.

Deafinitely Theatre is the UK’s only professional deaf-led theatre company, creating bilingual productions of classic and contemporary plays for deaf and hearing audiences that combine the visual storytelling of British Sign Language with the immediacy of spoken English.

‘It’s very important that you stay healthy.

That the environment you work in is safe.

That you feel comfortable, and secure.

That you feel balanced, safe, and in control.’

Are your employers concerned about your welfare? Do they have a duty of care? Emma thinks so, but when she begins a relationship with colleague Darren her Manager suggests she might be in breach of contract. A series of bizarre meetings follow, during which the consequences of Emma’s actions take on a disturbing quality… A dark comedy about faceless corporations, nameless management and the boundaries between work and play.

Deafinitely Theatre’s Contractions, is the first professional revival of the play in London since its debut at the Royal Court Theatre in 2008.

Mike Bartlett’s plays for the theatre include: Wild (Hampstead Theatre); Game (Almeida), King Charles III (Almeida Theatre/Wyndham’s Theatre/Music Box Theatre, New York), An Intervention (Paines Plough/Watford), Bull (Sheffield Theatres/Off Broadway/Young Vic), Medea (Headlong/Glasgow Citizens/Watford/Warwick), Chariots of Fire (Hampstead Theatre/Gielgud Theatre), 13 (National Theatre), Decade (co-writer Headlong), Earthquakes in London (Headlong, National Theatre), Love,Love,Love (Paines Plough / Plymouth Theatre Royal/Royal Court/Roundabout Theatre Company, New York), Cock, Contractions, My Child (Royal Court Theatre), Artefacts (Bush Theatre/ Nabokov). Plays for the radio: King Charles III, Cock, Heart, The Core, Family Man, Love Contract (BBC Radio 4), The Steps, Not Talking (BBC Radio 3). As Director: Medea (Headlong /Glasgow Citizens/ Watford/Warwick), Honest (Theatre Royal Northampton). His television includes:

King Charles III (Drama Republic/BBC), Doctor Foster (Drama Republic/BBC), The Town (Big Talk Productions). At the 2015 Olivier Awards King Charles III won Best New Play and Bull won Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. Love,Love,Love won Best New Play in the 2011 Theatre Awards UK and Cock won an Olivier Award in 2010 for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre.

Fifi Garfield plays The Manager. Her previous work with Deafinitely Theatre includes A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe). Her first professional role was in London Bubble directed by Adrian Jackson, which toured the UK. Since then she has appeared in over twenty productions on stage and screen, including presenting on See Hear and performing in Switch, both for the BBC. In addition to her acting career, she works freelance within creative media, translating from English to BSL (British Sign Language), directing, filming and editing.

Abigail Poulton plays Emma. Her first professional production was with the Walking Theatre Company in the site-specific piece When Twilight Falls, The Magic Begins. Her other previous credits include Peter Pan (Alban Arena) and Bel-Ami (Charing Cross Theatre).

Paula Garfield directs. For Deafinitely Theatre she has directed Two Chairs, Motherland, Children of a Greater God, Playing God, Double Sentence and Gold Dust. She also devised and directed The Boy and the Statue for Deafinitely at the Tricycle Theatre and on a London schools’ tour. Garfield has directed two productions at Shakespeare’s Globe – Love Labour’s Lost, for the Globe to Globe Festival as part of Deafinitely’s 10th anniversary, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her other directing work includes Tanika’s Journey (Southwark Playhouse) Grounded (Park Theatre).

An actor, director, workshop leader and organiser, Garfield has worked on a variety of television, film and theatre projects over the past fifteen years. In 2002 she established Deafinitely Theatre with Steven Webb and Kate Furby after becoming frustrated at the barriers that deaf actors and directors face across the arts and media. She has produced and directed many plays and worked extensively in TV, including Channel Four’s Learn Sign Language, Four Fingers and a Thumb, BBC’s Hands Up and Casualty, plus appearances in every series of the BBC’s deaf drama, Switch.

New Diorama Theatre is a pioneering venue in the heart of London dedicated to providing a home for theatre ensembles, both emerging and established, from across the UK. Since opening in 2010, New Diorama has welcomed well over 120,000 audience members and has developed productions that have toured both nationally and internationally. Having received two prestigious Peter Brook Awards for their programme, New Diorama were also the recipients of the 2013/14 Les Enfants Terribles Prize and Artistic and Executive Director David Byrne was awarded the OffWestEnd Award for Best Artistic Director in 2014.

Supported by a strong community programme New Diorama were Mayor of Camden’s Official Charity in 2012/13 and are proud of their work with Access, being the only non-government funded studio theatres to offer access performances throughout their whole season. In 2017 New Diorama also opened what is thought to be Central London’s biggest affordable rehearsal space, ND2, in partnership with British Land. New Diorama Theatre was also the recipient of the prestigious Peter Brook ‘Empty Space’ Award in 2016 as a “vital creative hub for established and emerging theatre companies” and was named Best Fringe Theatre at the 2017 Stage Awards.

This production is made by possible by the generous support of:

Arts Council England, Autograph Sound Recording, Diorama Arts Centre, Edwardian Hotels London, Foyle Foundation, The London Community Foundation and Cockayne – Grants for the Arts, The Noël Coward Foundation, White Light Ltd, The Worshipful Company of Grocers. Marketing supported by JHI Marketing.

Website: www.deafinitelytheatre.co.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/deafinitelytheatre

Twitter: www.twitter.com/DeafinitelyT

LISTINGS 

CONTRACTIONS

1-29 November 2017

ND2 (New Diorama Theatre)

1 Triton Square

Regent’s Place

NW1 3HG

Box office: 0207 383 9034

www.newdiorama.com

Performances:

Tues – Sat 8pm

Saturday matinees 4pm

Tickets:

£14.50 (£12.50 conc)

All preview tickets: £12.50

 

The Courtyard Theatre  – until 18 November.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

JN Maskelyne’s conviction that the spiritualists and mediums that were so popular in the Victorian era were fakes and fraudsters led to his becoming one of the most famous stage magicians of all time (and inventor of the pay toilet).

Writer Jarek Adams takes us from the very beginning of his career through to his death in a magical and entertaining production. We first see JN (Andrew Thorn) railing against the tricks of the Davenport brothers in their spiritualist demonstrations. JN convinces his friend George Cooke (Dave Short) to join him in demonstrating that everything the Davenports create can be done without any help from the spirits, using only stage magic. Their act is a success and soon Maskelyne is answering challenges and fighting court cases to debunk the spiritualist’s methods. Throughout all this, the shadow of family legend and rumours hovers over JN, with tales of a mysterious gentleman in black and a deal to obtain supernatural powers for the family complicating his claims of the non-existence of the supernatural. Adams personifies this myth with the mysterious gentleman constantly on stage watching JN. After Cook’s death, JN’s convictions seem to waver, with him constantly talking to George as his son Nevil (Josh Harper) proves to be sadly lacking in stage craft and JN becomes reliant on fellow magician David Devant for the success of his company.

The relationship between JN and George is beautifully written, with Short excelling in the frustrated but compliant friend struggling to keep JN’s ego in check. In the second act, Harper’s quiet and intense Nevil makes JN seem much more of a caricature without George’s influence, and Thorn’s reactions to Nevil reading the insults thrown at him are a joy to watch. As JN ages and events come to a head, his true feelings about the spirit world become more and more confused, and Adams makes no attempt to clear this up, which feels right as approaching death can make the strongest person search for any way out.

It is the relationships that make this play enchanting, showing the flawed Maskelyne at his best and worst with those he loved. The numerous magic tricks thrown in between scenes or carried out during long monologues are simple and pure – the lack of pyrotechnics making some of them even more mind-boggling than modern tricks. This is a magical gem of a show.

Leicester Square Theatre – until 7 January.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Stick Man is brought to life in seriously silly style by Scamp Theatre. This is the production’s seventh Christmas in the West End, a mark of true quality.

As with all of Donaldson’s wonderful picture books, the story is simple with a repetitive refrain. Stick Man and his Lady Love live happily with their three children in their family tree. One morning Stick Man goes for a jog and his troubles begin. He meets a dog who wants to play fetch, a karate kicking girl who wants to play Poohsticks, a swan who wants to build a nest, people who use him as a bat and a flagpole, and eventually ends up as firewood. Luckily a Christmas visitor arrives to help Stick Man get home.

The cast of three is energetic with fantastic physical comedy skills. Sam Heron is Stick Man, Lara Cowin plays most of the other characters from the story, and musician Alex Tosh plays the remaining characters.

The jaunty music and songs are repetitive, in keeping with the source material, and there’s even a scene where the audience is asked to recap the story (which they did with gusto). There is plenty of visual comedy for the very youngest children, and lots of asides that go straight over the children’s heads to keep the adults chuckling as well. At one point, there is a free for all with a giant beach ball being thrown around the theatre by screaming children, but the cast reined it back in brilliantly, bringing the audience back to the story with consummate skill. The jeopardy when Stick Man was collected for the fire was greeted with oohs and ahhs from most of the audience, but a few younger children buried their heads in their parents’ chests and needed a little reassurance. Of course, the appearance of Santa soon made them forget all about their worries.

This is a charming, inventive and slick production – Stick Man is fantastic festive fun for all the family.