Month: January 2018

How To Survive A Post-Truth Apocalypse
UK Tour: February – June 2018

Following a sell-out performance at London’s Roundhouse, Francesca Beard’s one-woman show How To Survive A Post-Truth Apocalypse returns for an exciting UK tour. Beard mixes storytelling, verse, spoken word, audience interaction and a game of ‘Whose Lie Is It Anyway’ as she leads audiences on a journey to explore lies in all their forms and what it means to be human.

Returning to the stage after a ten-year absence, spoken word artist Beard brings us her first fulllength show about a stranger than fiction underworld of lies, fabrications and ‘facts’. Through a series of fabulous encounters, audiences will hear many lies from political spin, to polite half-truths, to the lies we live by: ‘Capitalism is a meritocracy’, ‘Grandma, I love this cardigan’ and ‘Yes, I have
read the terms and conditions’.

Beard is one of the most successful spoken word artists in the UK and has developed innovative work such as Chinese Whispers and Animal Olympics. Directed by Rob Watt, (Standby for Tape Back-Up, UK tour), How to Survive A Post-Truth Apocalypse explores our place in a new ‘posttruth’ world that’s had enough of experts, but not enough of Donald Trump. It asks: ‘What is the global cost of make-believe?’, ‘Are all humans liars?’ and ‘Can the truth set us free?’.

Beard comments, Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated by the blurred lines between imagination and reality. It’s the realisation of a dream, to make a show that explores the exhilarating risks and responsibilities of our most incredible super-power: story-telling. It feels vital to tour it at this surreal time, where our leaders spin fantasies of fear from fictional facts and the man with the hugest nuclear button lives in a cloudy consensus reality where climate change is a myth.  Spoken word is us, standing up and representing our truths, bearing witness to other, different realities. I hope that audiences leave this show feeling clarity about uncertainty and empowered to share the stories that make our world a kinder, stronger place.

Beard’s charisma and humour is so sparkling, and her ease and engagement with the audience [is] sogenuine (Exeunt).

This production is kindly supported by Arts Council England.

Performance Dates
19th February 451 City @ NST City
NST City, Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Above Bar Street,
Southampton, SO14 7DU

14th March MAC Birmingham
Cannon Hill Park, Queen’s Ride, Birmingham B12 9QH

17th March Rich Mix
35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

21st March Marlowe Studio
The Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS

17th – 19th May Battersea Arts Centre
Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TN

22nd May Norwich Arts Centre
51 St Benedict’s Street, Norwich NR2 4PG

1st June The Lighthouse, Poole
21 Kingland Road, Poole BH15 1UG

6th June ARC, Stockton Arts Centre
Dovecot Street, Stockton-on-Tees TS18 1LL

THEATRE FEST WEST RETURNS FOR SEVENTH YEAR CELEBRATING THEATRE ACROSS THE SOUTH WEST

 

Theatre Fest West returns from 9 to 24 February for a seventh year celebrating theatre across the South West. Salisbury Playhouse and Salisbury Arts Centre will once again join forces with The Pound Arts Centre, Corsham and Town Hall Arts, Trowbridge to present some of the most interesting companies from across the region.

Companies taking part in Theatre Fest West at Salisbury Playhouse this year include Exeter’s Scratchworks Theatre with Great Train Robbery (22 February), Dorset’s Stuff and Nonsense with The Gingerbread Man (13 and 14 February) and Bristol’s Theatre Ad Infinitum with No Kids (9 February).

There are theatre productions for young audiences at Salisbury Playhouse including The Gingerbread Manfrom Stuff and Nonsense which mixes live action with puppetry and music and Journey to the Impossible from Little Soldier (15 February) which is a coming-of-age quest featuring songs, cinematic storytelling and hip-hop dance.

Companies taking part in Theatre Fest West at Salisbury Arts Centre this year include Narhwal Ensemble with Whey Down South (14 February), INKBLOC Ensemble with Lego Beach (16 February) and Lady Strong’s Bonfire with Mummy Monster (23 February).

Productions taking place at partner venues include George and the Flight of the Imaginees from Brave Bold Drama (14 February at The Pound, Corsham) and Points of Echo from bgroup and Rural Arts Wiltshire (16 February, Town Hall Arts, Trowbridge).

The Festival opens with the South West Theatre Symposium at Salisbury Playhouse on Friday 9 February which will see Salisbury Playhouse come together with Theatre Bristol, Take Art and Activate along with a host of artists and industry professionals from across the South West to celebrate theatre-making in the region.

The full programme of events is available at www.salisburyplayhouse.com.

Theatre Fest West is generously supported by Frank and Elizabeth Brenan.

Tickets are on sale now. For Salisbury Playhouse visit www.salisburyplayhouse.com or call 01722 320333. For Salisbury Arts Centre visit www.salisburyartscentre.co.uk or call 01722 321744. For Pound Arts visit www.poundarts.org.uk or call 01249 701628. For Town Hall Arts, Trowbridge visit www.townhallarts.co.uk or call 01225 774306.

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

ALL OR NOTHING – THE MOD MUSICAL

BASED ON THE STORY OF THE SMALL FACES

AT ARTS THEATRE, LONDON

FOR STRICTLY LIMITED WEST END SEASON

FROM 6 FEBRUARY TO 11 MARCH 2018

 

Full casting is announced for the West End season of the critically acclaimed ALL OR NOTHING – THE MOD MUSICAL, based on the story of the Small Faces.  Joining the previously announced Carol Harrison as Kay Marriott and Chris Simmons as Steve Marriott, will be Samuel Pope as Young Steve Marriott, Stefan Edwards as Kenney Jones, Stanton Wright as Ronnie Lane, Alexander Gold as Ian McLagan, Edward Elgood as Jimmy Winston, Karis Anderson as P.P. Arnold and Russell Floyd as Don Arden.  Also in the cast are Daniel Beales, Alfie Harrison-Foreman, Dani Acors and Emily Daniels.  David Shute and Danielle Johnson will play Steve Marriott and Kay Marriott at certain performances.  ALL OR NOTHING’s limited season will run at the Arts Theatre, London from 6 February to 11 March, with a press night on Thursday 8 February.

 

Written and directed by the award-winning actress Carol Harrison, ALL OR NOTHING is the story of four charismatic young kids from East London with humour, attitude, passion and, above all, talent.  They became the Small Faces and were rocketed into the big time, only to discover the path to success is paved with exploitation, betrayal and, ultimately, tragedy. 

 

In 1965, a new phenomenon erupted out of London’s East End.  It was the essence of all that was cool.  It was Mod.  ALL OR NOTHING follows the rise and demise of the Small Faces, the band who encapsulated all that was Mod – a unique blend of taste and testosterone, clothes-obsessed and street-wise – but most of all, a dedication to rhythm ‘n’ blues.  The musical celebrates the unique sound of this iconic Mod band, with all the Small Faces’ hits, including Whatcha Gonna Do About It,Tin Soldier, Lazy Sunday, Here Comes the Nice, Itchycoo Park and, of course, All or Nothing.

 

Carol Harrison is probably best known for her role as Louise Raymond in EastEnders.  Other television roles include seven years as Gloria in Brushstrokes, Loretta opposite Ray Winstone in Get Back, and Dorothy in two series of London’s Burning.  Carol’s theatre work includes Michael Rudman’s production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman at the National, Ripen Our Darkness at the Royal Court, Alan Parker’s production of Alfie at the Liverpool Playhouse and Lee Hall’s Cooking with Elvis at the Lyceum Theatre, Crewe.  She was also a founder member of Half Moon Theatre in London’s East End.  Her film credits include The Elephant Man, Quadrophenia and Human Traffic.

 

Chris Simmons is probably best known for playing the role of DC Mickey Webb for over twelve years in the long running ITV series The Bill.  He has also appeared in EastEnders as Mark Garland and in the Tracy Beaker spin-off CBBC show, The Dumping Ground.  Chris’s theatre credits includeAlan Ayckbourn’s Absent Friends (Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage), Entertaining Strangers (Lyric Hammersmith), Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (tour), Iago in Othello (tour) and Epicoene (Tristan Bates Theatre).

 

Samuel Pope is making his West End debut.  He trained at the University of Manchester and the Royal Academy of Music and has since played Bob Cratchit in the UK tour of A Christmas Carol and Lon Smith in Meet Me in St Louis at the Landor Theatre.

 

Stefan Edwards previously appeared in the Arts Theatre in American Justice and was in The Mousetrap at St Martin’s Theatre in London’s West End.  He was part of the London 2012 Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies directed by Danny Boyle and Kim Gavin.

Stanton Wright’s theatre credits include Take Me Here by the Dishwasher at the Barbican, actor/puppeteer in This Moose Belongs to Me and Jackie and the Baboon (Unicorn and Orange Tree Theatres), Florence in Florence Loves You for Theatre503, Devil in The Glorious Damnation of Eddie Small (Union Theatre/Bedlam Theatre) and Renaissance Body (RSC/British Museum).

 

Alexander Gold began his career marketing for former Radio 1 DJ Gary Davies and then joined the publishers of The Word and Mixmag.  At the same time, he performed all over the world with acts as diverse as 1977 punk legends the Boys (Joey Ramone’s favourite band) to the United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra, with whom he spent a month at Dollywood, as a guest of Dolly Parton.  He played Clash drummer Topper Headon opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers’s Joe Strummer in the filmLondon Town.

 

Edward Elgood last appeared at the Arts Theatre in Richard III.  His other theatre credits include King Charles III (Wyndham’s), the UK tour of The Mousetrap (No.1 Tour); Mucedorus (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse), The Maids (The Cockpit) and The Lady of Pleasure (Shakespeare’s Globe – Sam Wanamaker Festival).

 

Karis Anderson is a member of girl band, Stooshe.  They broke on to the UK music scene in 2012 with the release of their single Love Me, featuring American rapper Travie McCoy.  They have gone on to have four Top 20 hits, were nominated for the BBC Sound Poll, and toured with J-Lo and Nicki Minaj.  Their single Black Heart spent over 16 weeks in the UK charts and was nominated for Best British Single at the 2013 Brit Awards.  All or Nothing marks Karis’s West End stage debut.

 

Russell Floyd will be known to many for his regular roles as Michael Rose in EastEnders and DC Ken Drummond in The Bill.  His theatre credits include Sir Courtly Nice (RSC), Going to a Party(National Theatre), Fit and Proper People (Soho Theatre) and Forget Me Not (Bush Theatre).

 

The show is endorsed and supported by many of those who feature in its story, including singer P.P. Arnold and Steve Marriott’s daughter, Mollie Marriott, who is the show’s vocal coach and creative consultant.

 

ALL OR NOTHING – THE MOD MUSICAL is directed by Carol Harrison, with musical supervision by Pat Davey.  ALL OR NOTHING – THE MOD MUSICAL is produced in the West End by Rock ‘n’ Roll Productions.

 

A 29-track cast recording, as well as a limited edition 15-track blue vinyl LP, is available now from the show website, www.allornothingmusical.com, and will also be available from the Arts Theatre during the show’s run.

 

 

LISTINGS INFORMATION

 

ALL OR NOTHING – THE MOD MUSICAL

 

6 February – 11 March 2018

 

Arts Theatre

6-7 Great Newport St

London WC2H 7JB

 

Performances:  Tue – Sat 7.30pm*, Thurs, Sat and Sun matinees 3pm (*Thursday 8 Feb 7pm)

Running Time:  2 hours, 35 mins, including interval

Tickets:  From £19.50

Box Office:  020 7836 8463

 

N.B.  Contains strong language

 

www.allornothingmusical.com

@AONTheMusical

Presented by Time Productions
Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate Village, London N6 4BD
Wednesday 7th – Saturday 24th March 2018

You’ve been away almost two years. I haven’t seen you, I haven’t hardly heard from you… I’m your wife.

Ian Grant’s new play explores how our acts reverberate down the generations. Inspired by a true event in 1918 and an unresolved family memory, After the Ball is a gripping ensemble piece, spanning sixty years, about desire, personal responsibility and the devastating repercussions of human conflict.

London, 1914. As the Great War breaks out in Europe, Blanche and William meet at a dance and marry. They share a political passion for peace, but William enlists to fight in Belgium. Amidst the horrors of the battlefield, he finds love with another woman, while Blanche is left at home with their baby

Exploring love and betrayal during the war, After the Ball tears open the scars created by horror and guilt, and lays bare the lasting effect of war on the women of this family for generations to come.

Directed by Nadia Papachronopoulou (Unrivalled Landscape ★★★★ Time Out – Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond) and produced by Time Productions (Tiny Dynamite ★★★★ The Upcoming – Old Red Lion Theatre), After the Ball was shortlisted for the Terence Rattigan Society New Play Award 2017.

Director Nadia Papachronopoulou comments, I am really passionate about presenting the female perspective and championing theatre that has strong female characters that are complicated, flawed and layered. What drew me to After the Ball is the effect war has on women. The protagonist of the play, Blanche, goes through so much pain during the First World War, yet still remains the rock of the family. I am fascinated by her strength and resilience to keep the family unit together, even when the war shatters her world

Highgate playwright Ian Grant’s previous work includes Stella Europa (Hen and Chickens Theatre) and the libretto Thomas Boleyn (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford). Grant co-founded Time Productions after a successful 40 year career in publishing.

CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR BARNEY NORRIS’S

N I G H T F A L L

 

Laurie Sansom will direct Ophelia Lovibond (Lou), Ukweli Roach (Pete) and Sion Daniel Young (Ryan) in the world premiere of Barney Norris’s Nightfall running at the Bridge Theatre from 28 April – 3 June 2018, with press night on 8 May 2018. Final casting will be announced shortly.

On a farm outside Winchester, Ryan struggles to make a living off the land. His sister Lou has returned home after the death of their father to support Jenny, their formidable mother. Not so long ago, when a neighbour’s Labrador strayed onto the farm, their dad reached for his shotgun. Now, when Lou’s boyfriend Pete reappears, flush with money from his job at an oil refinery, Jenny fights to hold her children to the life she planned for them.

 

Ophelia Lovibond is best known on television for playing Izzy Gould in the BBC’s W1A and was last on stage in Richard Eyre’s production of The Stepmother at Chichester Festival Theatre.  Her other theatre credits include The Libertine at the Theatre Royal Haymarket and The Effect for Sheffield Theatres.  Her other television credits include Hooten & the Lady, Elementary, Inside No 9, Mr Sloane and Nathan Barley.  Her films include Tommy’s Honor, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Man Up, Guardians of the Galaxy, A Single Shot, Gozo, Mr Popper’s Penguins, No Strings Attached, 4.3.2.1, Chatroom, London Boulevard, Nowhere Boy, Shadows in the Sun and Oliver Twist.

Ukweli Roach’s theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet and Helen, both for Shakespeare’s Globe and 5, 6, 7, 8 for the Royal Court.  His television credits include Humans, Hard Sun, Blindspot, The Royals, Grantchester and Silk.  His film credits include Streetdance 3D, One Day and Venus and the Son.

 

Sion Daniel Young’s theatre credits include Killology for the Royal Court, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and War Horse for the National Theatre, Mametz and The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning for the National Theatre Wales, The Welsh Boy for Theatre Royal, Bath, and Llwyth for the Sherman Theatre.  His television credits include Commoners, Hinterland, Our World War,Casualty and Gwaith Cartref. On film his credits include Another Me, Private Peaceful and Daisy Chain.

Upon graduating from university, Barney Norris founded Up In Arms Theatre Company, of which he is the co-Artistic Director. His first play Visitors ran at the Arcola Theatre before transferring to the Bush Theatre, winning him the 2014 Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright. His other full-length plays areEventide, Echo’s End and While We’re Here. Norris is the author of a bestselling novel, Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain, and a book on theatre: To Bodies Gone: The Theatre of Peter Gill.  His second novel, Turning For Home, was published this month.

As Chief Executive/Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Scotland Laurie Sansom directed Rona Munro’s The James Plays which were co-presented by the Edinburgh International Festival and the National Theatre of Great Britain and toured the world. Sansom was previously Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate, Northampton, where he directed the UK premiers of Tennessee Williams’ Spring Storm and Eugene O’Neill’s Beyond The Horizon and The Festival of Chaos for London 2012. He was also Alan Ayckbourn’s Associate Director at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough.

LISTINGS

 

Address:                                   Bridge Theatre, 3 Potters Fields Park, London, SE1 2SG

Box Office:                               0843 208 1846 or [email protected] (7p/minute plus standard network rate)

Tickets are priced from £15 to £65 with a limited number of premium seats available. A special allocation of £15 seats are held for Young Bridge, a free scheme for those under 26.

Access:                                    0333 320 0051 or [email protected]

Website:                                   www.bridgetheatre.co.uk

Twitter:                                    @_bridgetheatre

Instagram:                               _bridgetheatre

Facebook:                                facebook.com/bridgetheatrelondon

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL
TO EMBARK ON MAJOR UK AND IRELAND TOUR

OPENING AT THE

BIRMINGHAM ALEXANDRA THEATRE

ON 11 OCTOBER 2018

 

Motown the Musical will embark on a major UK and Ireland tour opening at the Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre on 11 October 2018 where it will play until 3 November 2018 before visiting Leeds Grand Theatre (6 – 17 November 2018), Edinburgh Playhouse (20 November – 8 December 2018), Bristol Hippodrome (10 January – 2 February 2019), Bord Gais Energy Theatre Dublin (5 – 23 February 2019), Manchester Opera House (26 February – 23 March 2019) and Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff (26-March – 6 April 2019). Further dates and casting to be announced soon.

The London production of Motown the Musical continues to play to standing ovations at the Shaftesbury Theatre where it is about to enter its third year and is currently booking until 5 January 2019.

With music and lyrics from the Motown catalogue and book by Motown founder Berry Gordy, Charles Randolph-Wright’s production features a live orchestra playing 50 Motown tracks including Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I’ll Be There, Dancing In The Street, Stop! In The Name Of Love, My Girl and I Heard It through the Grapevine and tells the story behind the classic hits.

Berry Gordy said today, “The UK has always been the gateway for Motown to the rest of the world.  While the west end production still continues to perform to great audiences, I’m thrilled that we are taking a second production of Motown the Musical to the rest of the UK.”

With just $800 borrowed from his family, Motown founder Berry Gordy, goes from featherweight boxer to heavyweight music mogul, discovering and launching the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and many more.  Motown the Musical uncovers the true story of the legendary record label that changed music history and created the soundtrack of a generation.  

Tony nominated Motown the Musical received its world premiere in April 2013 in New York and recouped its $18 million investment by the end of 2014.  The first US National Tour opened to critical acclaim in Spring 2014 in Chicago, grossing $20 million dollars during its standing room only sixteen-week run, and continues to play to packed houses across America.

Motown the Musical has music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Ethan Popp, co-orchestrations and additional arrangements by Bryan Cook, dance arrangements by Zane Mark.  Choreography is by Patricia Wilcox and Warren Adams, scenic design by David Korins, costumes by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design  by Peter Hylenski, video by Daniel Brodie and Wig design by Charles Lapointe. Motown the Musical is produced in the UK by Kevin McCollum, Doug Morris, Adam Spiegel and Berry Gordy.

Berry Gordy is the founder of Motown, the enterprise that nurtured the careers of, amongst others, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles,​ Diana Ross and The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Four Tops, ​Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5 and more​. Gordy is also a songwriter, producer, director, boxer, innovative entrepreneur, teacher and visionary.  Actively involved in the Civil Rights movement, he also released the recorded speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  His films include Mahogany and Lady Sings the Blues, which received five Academy Award nominations. He has been inducted​ into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received ​a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, the Rhythm and Blues Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame Pioneer Award, the Grammy Salute To Industry Icon’s President’s Merit Award and was honoured by President Barack Obama with a Salute to Motown evening at the White House. Berry Gordy’s unparalleled contribution to music and popular culture is chronicled in his autobiography, To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories of Motown.

The original Broadway cast recording of Motown the Musical is available via Motown Records, a label of UMG Recordings – www.classicmotown.com

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL – UK and Ireland tour 2018/2019

11 OCTOBER – 3 NOVEMBER 2018

BIRMINGHAM NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE

ATGTICKETS.COM/Birmingham – 0844 871 3011

ON SALE 1 FEBRUARY 2018

6 – 17 NOVEMBER 2018

LEEDS GRAND THEATRE

leedsgrandtheatre.com – 0844 848 2700

ON SALE 24 JANUARY 2018

20 NOVEMBER – 8 DECEMBER 2018

EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE

ATGTICKETS.COM/Edinburgh – 0844 871 3014

ON SALE 1 FEBRUARY 2018

10 JANUARY – 2 FEBRUARY 2019

BRISTOL HIPPODROME

ATGTICKETS.COM/Bristol – 0844 871 3012

ON SALE SOON

5 – 23 FEBRUARY 2019

BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE DUBLIN

bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

ON SALE SOON

26 FEBRUARY – 23 MARCH 2019

MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE

ATGTICKETS.COM/Manchester – 0844

ON SALE SOON

26 MARCH – 6 APRIL 2019

WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE, CARDIFF

wmc.org.uk – 02920 63 64 64

ON SALE SOON

ANDREW HUGHES JOINS ENGLISH TOURING THEATRE AS A PRODUCER

 

English Touring Theatre today announces that Andrew Hughes joins the company as a Producer, having previously been Assistant to the Artistic Director at the Young Vic Theatre.

Andrew began his career as Producing Assistant with Punchdrunk, originally appointed through the inaugural year of the DCMS Jerwood Creative Bursaries programme, and went on to work with international touring company Blind Summit, independent Producer Vicky Graham and multi-disciplinary arts organisation Siobhan Davies Dance. As an independent Producer he most recently developed and produced Ross & Rachel by Olivier nominee James Fritz, which enjoyed a critically acclaimed, award-winning run at the Edinburgh Festival, a New York transfer and two subsequent UK tours.

Andrew Hughes said, “I’m so looking forward to joining Richard, Sophie and the whole ETT team during this exciting new chapter in the company’s history. Meeting diverse audiences across the country and beyond with thrilling, bold and challenging theatre feels more important as ever in an increasingly divided and politically complex 2018 UK.”

Richard Twyman, Artistic Director of English Touring Theatre said, “We’re delighted that Andrew will be joining the team at ETT. He brings with him a breadth of experience in some of the country’s leading companies whilst also being an exciting producer in his own right. As we celebrate ETT’s 25 year commitment to touring, Andrew’s energy and expertise will be invaluable.”

ENGLISH TOURING THEATRE

English Touring Theatre is one of the UK’s most successful and influential touring companies, winning the UK Theatre Awards Best Touring Production in 2014, 2015 & 2016. The company works with leading artists to stage an eclectic mix of new and classic work for audiences throughout the UK and overseas; theatre that is thrilling, popular and engaged in the contemporary world. At the heart of everything ETT does is the passionately held belief that everyone, wherever they are in the country, deserves to have access to the very best theatre. In 2017 ETT toured to 40 venues throughout the UK. The company’s co-production of Othello, with Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, ran at Wilton’s Music Hall May 2017, Sam Holcroft’s Rules for Living toured in Autumn 2017 and Conor McPherson’s The Weir continues its nationwide tour this year.

 

 

 

CINDERELLA WILL BE STEPS ABOVE THE REST

LEE LATCHFORD-EVANS ANNOUNCED AS PRINCE CHARMING IN ST HELENS THEATRE ROYAL EASTER PANTO

Boot-scoot on down to St Helens Theatre Royal this Easter as Regal Entertainments are egg-static to announce that Steps pop-group member Lee Latchford-Evans will play the role of Prince Charming in their panto, Cinderella.

Guaranteed to be Steps above the rest, the show will be on stage from Saturday 24th March – Sunday 15th April, and tickets are on sale now.

Best known as one fifth of pop-phenomenon Steps, Lee has and still is achieving incredible success with the Brit award-winning band, selling in excess of 20 million records worldwide with famous hits such as Stomp, It’s the Way You Make Me Feel, 5,6,7,8 and recent iTunes Number 1 single Scared Of The Dark. The band recently released their fifth studio album, Tears on the Dancefloor last April which also hit Number 1 on the UK iTunes chart and has since gone Gold.  Steps recently completed their Party on the Dancefloor UK tour selling out 22 arenas across the UK and Ireland.

No stranger to panto, Lee has starred in Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast among others.

The star has also appeared on the St Helens Theatre Royal stage as love lothario Bob, in Regal Entertainments’ 2015 production of Rita, Sue and Bob Too! Other stage productions include Bill Kenwright’s All Creatures Great and Small, and the West End production of Grease the Musical.

Lee said: “I’m really excited to be back performing at St Helens Theatre Royal. I received such a warm welcome from audiences when I was there in 2015 in Rita, Sue and Bob Too! This time I’m playing Prince Charming, I absolutely love pantomime it’s a great fun way to give the audience some escapism and the atmosphere is always incredible. 

“What makes it that little bit more special, being from Ellesmere Port, it’s like performing to a home-town crowd. I cannot wait! I’ll be seeing you at Easter, St Helens!”

Chantelle Nolan, Theatre Manager added: “I am delighted to announce Lee Latchford-Evans is playing the role of Prince Charming in our magical Easter panto this year. We can’t wait to hear his fantastic voice, and see some of those classic dance moves he’s been showing off on tour this last year!”

The rest of the show’s STEP-tacular all-star cast will be announced in the coming weeks, so Lee will soon know who will be playing his Dancing Queen at the Grand Ball.

Cinderella tells the story of a beautiful girl who is reduced to a life of servitude by her 2 ugly step-sisters, but that will all change when an invitation to a grand ball at the palace arrives.

With a bit of magic and some help from her friend Buttons, Cinderella is transformed in to the belle of the ball. But what will happen at the stroke of midnight?

Enchanted pumpkins, glass slippers, a sparkling fairy-tale carriage and lots of fun to entertain the whole family, be sure to book tickets early. It would be a tragedy to miss it.

Cinderella runs from Saturday 24th March – Sunday 15th April and tickets are on sale now!

For more information, please visit: www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com

Like us on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/St-Helens-Theatre-Royal

Follow us on Twitter: @TheatreRoyalStH

LISTING DETAILS

Regal Entertainments Ltd Present: Cinderella

Dates: Sat 24 Mar – Sun 15 Apr

Times: Various

Tickets: From £13*

*All prices are inclusive of a £1 per seat transaction fee. On-line bookings are subject to an additional 50p per seat on-line processing fee.

THEATRE ROYAL BOOKING DETAILS

 

Book in person at the Theatre Royal Box Office, Corporation Street, St. Helens, Merseyside WA10 1LQ (Mon–Sat 10am–5pm). Alternatively, call 01744 756 000 or log on to: www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com.

Alula Cyr: Hyena
UK Tour: Thursday 1st March – Tuesday 24th April 2018

Marrying precision and poignancy, Alula Cyr’s debut production celebrates female strength with awe-inspiring acrobatics and synchronised displays of sisterhood. Hyena is an exciting whirlwind of women, wheels, circus, dance and song. Here, the world’s first all-female Cyr wheel trio unveil inventive and previously untried forms of expression using the Cyr.

Hyena is a unique and profound experience that illuminates the thrill of physical ritual. Fiona, Jess and Lil trained in gymnastics, dance and music before studying together at the National Centre for Circus Arts from where they graduated in 2015 with a combined mission to bring more femalecentric circus to the UK.

Including never-before-seen set pieces such as the ‘Cyr Ball’ – a ball created with all the wheels to form a sphere in and around which the trio perform – Hyena is the boisterous and playful culmination of three years’ research into pioneering new ways of working with one of circus’s fastest evolving disciplines.

Co-creator Lil Rice explains, Hyena is a show about womanhood – it’s about beauty, power and the thin line we walk between being a human and a wild animal. We wanted to make a show that would inspire everyone, particularly women and girls, to find their voices and stand together.

The title Hyena references the matriarchal social system of brown spotted hyenas, which offered the company a reference point for the fierce and complex friendships formed between women that are explored in the show. Patterns of conflict and resolution draw from the trio’s own tribal solidarity.

Hyena screams girl power at the top of its lungs and, coincidentally, represents and embodies the essence of womanhood. A strong show that empowers and inspires (Miro Magazine).

Throughout the tour, Alula will be running workshops in partnership with each of the venues, aimed at inspiring young females to create socially aware work.

Hyena is supported by Arts Council England, Jacksons Lane, The National Centre for Circus Arts and SeaChange Arts and Produced by Alula Cyr.

Tour Dates
1st March Circomedia, Bristol, 7.30pm
St Paul’s Church, Portland Square, Bristol, BS2 8SJ

3rd March Deda, Derby, 7.30pm
Chapel Street, Derby, DE1 3GU

4th March Brighton TOM, Brighton, 7pm
The Old Market, 11a Upper Market Street, Hove, BN3 1AS

7th March Folkestone Quarterhouse, Folkestone, 7.30pm
Quarterhouse, Mill Bay, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 1BN

9th March Newbury Corn Exchange, Newbury, 7.45pm
Corn Exchange Newbury, Market Place, Newbury, RG14 5BD

21st March Harlow Playhouse, Harlow, 7.30pm
Playhouse Square, Harlow, CM20 1LS

23rd March Junction Goole, Goole, 7pm
Paradise Place, Goole, East Riding Yorkshire, DN14 5DL

24th March Barnsley Civic, Barnsley, 7.30pm
The Civic, Hanson Street, Barnsley, S70 2HZ

12th & 13th April The Albany, Deptford, 7.30pm, as part of Circusfest
Douglas Way, London SE8 4AG

24th April Forum Theatre, Malvern Theatre, Malvern, 7.45pm
Grange Road, Malvern, WR14 3HB