Month: November 2018

WWW.MOUSETRAPONTOUR.COM

Adam Spiegel and Stephen Waley-Cohen present
THE MOUSETRAP TOUR

• AGATHA CHRISTIE’S RECORD-BREAKING MURDER MYSTERY THE MOUSETRAP ANNOUNCES MAJOR NATIONAL TOUR FOR 2019 FEATURINGONLY FOOLS AND HORSES STAR GWYNETH STRONG AS MRS BOYLE
• OPENING AT GUILDFORD YVONNE ARNAUD IN JANUARY 2019, THE LEGENDARY WHODUNNIT IS EMBARKING ON AN EXTENSIVE TOUR OF THE UK WHILE CONTINUING ITS RECORD-BREAKING RUN IN THE WEST END
• GWYNETH STRONG WILL PERFORM FOR 24 WEEKS THROUGH TO AND INCLUDING NORWICH, JULY 2019. STAR CASTING WILL SOON BE ANNOUNCED FOR ALL FOLLOWING VENUES.
• FOR BOOKING INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT:WWW.MOUSETRAPONTOUR.COM

The Mousetrap, the legendary whodunnit from Queen of Crime, Dame Agatha Christie, today announces a major national tour opening in January 2019 starring Gwyneth Strong (Only Fools and Horses) as Mrs Boyle, directed by Gareth Armstrong.

This unstoppable West End hit has been delighting theatregoers for 67 years with its macabre murder mystery. Following a record-breaking 60th anniversary debut tour in 2012, this timeless thriller The Mousetrap returns by popular demand, opening at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre on 29 January 2019 launching an extensive new tour that will travel the length and breadth of the country giving audiences all across the UK the opportunity to discover theatre’s best kept secret.

Following Guildford, The Mousetrap will tour to Northampton Royal & Derngate, Sheffield Lyceum, Colchester Mercury, Southport Theatre, Sunderland Empire, High Wycombe Swan,Bromley Churchill, Cheltenham Everyman, Oxford Playhouse, Crewe Lyceum, Coventry Belgrade,Crawley Hawth, Darlington Hippodrome, Exeter Northcott, Salford Lowry, York Grand Opera House, Edinburgh Playhouse, Liverpool Empire, Southend Palace, Nottingham Theatre Royal,Bristol Hippodrome, Stoke Regent, Brighton Theatre Royal, Norwich Theatre Royal, Malvern Festival, Bournemouth Pavilion, Dartford Orchard, Eastbourne Devonshire Park and Cardiff New Theatre. Further venues to be announced.

Gwyneth Strong will perform as Mrs Boyle for 24 weeks through to Norwich, with further star casting to be announced. The cast also includes David Alcock (Mr Paravacini), Geoff Arnold (Detective Sgt. Trotter), Nick Biadon (Giles Ralston), Lewis Chandler (Christopher Wren), John Griffiths (Major Metcalf), Harriett Hare (Mollie Ralston) and Saskia Vaigncourt-Strallen (Miss Caswell).

Gwyneth Strong is best known for her role in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses in which she starred in the role of Cassandra. The role gained Gwyneth mainstream recognition and she appeared in the hit comedy show as well as several Christmas specials between 1989 and 2003. More recently, she joined the cast of EastEnders in the role of Geraldine Clough. Other television credits include The Great Train Robbery, Silent Witness, Casualty, Doctors and Murder in Suburbia. Gwyneth appeared in the UK tour of Our House, in which she played Kath Casey. Her stage credits also include Stand (Oxford Playhouse/Battersea Arts) Monkey Bars (Unicorn Theatre), A Round-Heeled Woman (Aldwych), When You Cure Me (Bush Theatre), Ancient Lights(Hampstead Theatre) and Care (Royal Court).

First seen in Nottingham in 1952 starring Richard Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim, The Mousetrap went on to become the world’s longest running stage production following its West End transfer to The Ambassadors in 1952 and St Martins in 1973 where it has played ever since, continuing a record-breaking run with over 27,500 performances in London so far. The beloved murder mystery returns to the road following the success of the first ever UK tour in 2012.

The Mousetrap continues its open-ended run at St. Martin’s Theatre, London.

LISTINGS

TOUR DATES

Tuesday 29 January – Saturday 2 February 2019
YVONNE ARNAUD, GUILDFORD
https://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk
Box office: 01483 44 00 00

Monday 4 – Saturday 9 February 2019
ROYAL & DERNGATE, NORTHAMPTON
www.royalandderngate.co.uk
01604 624811

Monday 11 – Saturday 16 February 2019
SHEFFIELD LYCEUM
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
0114 249 6000

Monday 18 – Saturday 23 February 2019
MERCURY THEATRE, COLCHESTER
www.mercurytheatre.co.uk
01206 573948

Monday 25 – Wednesday 27 February 2019
SOUTHPORT THEATRE AND CONVENTION CENTRE
www.atgtickets.com/venues/southport-theatre-and-convention-centre
0844 871 3021

Thursday 28 February – Saturday 2 March 2019
SUNDERLAND EMPIRE
www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire
0844 871 3022

Monday 4 – Saturday 9 March 2019
WYCOMBE SWAN THEATRE, HIGH WYCOMBE
https://wycombeswan.co.uk
01494 512 000

Tuesday 12 – Saturday 16 March 2019
CHURCHILL THEATRE, BROMLEY
https://churchilltheatre.co.uk
020 3285 6000

Monday 18 – Saturday 23 March 2019
EVERYMAN THEATRE, CHELTENHAM
www.everymantheatre.org.uk
01242 572573

Monday 25 – Saturday 30 March 2019
OXFORD PLAYHOUSE
www.oxfordplayhouse.com
01865 305305

Monday 1 – Saturday 6 April 2019
CREWE LYCEUM
https://crewelyceum.co.uk
01270 368 242

Monday 8 – Saturday 13 April 2019
BELGRADE THEATRE, COVENTRY
www.belgrade.co.uk
024 7655 3055

Monday 22 – Saturday 27 April 2019
HAWTH THEATRE, CRAWLEY
www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/The-Hawth
01293 553636

Monday 29 April – Saturday 4 May 2019
DARLINGTON HIPPODROME
www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
01325 405405

Monday 6 – Saturday 11 May 2019
NORTHCOTT THEATRE, EXETER
https://exeternorthcott.co.uk
01392 72 63 63

Monday 13 – Saturday 18 May 2019
LOWRY THEATRE, SALFORD
www.thelowry.com
0843 208 6000

Monday 20 – Saturday 25 May 2019
GRAND OPERA HOUSE, YORK
https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/grand-opera-house-york
0844 871 3024

Monday 27 – Wednesday 29 May 2019
EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse
0844 871 3014

Thursday 30 May – Saturday 1 June 2019
LIVERPOOL EMPIRE
www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire
0844 871 3017

Monday 3 – Saturday 8 June 2019 (on general sale 27 November)
SOUTHEND PALACE THEATRE
www.palacetheatresouthend.co.uk
01702 351135

Monday 17 – Saturday 22 June 2019
NOTTINGHAM THEATRE ROYAL
https://trch.co.uk
0115 989 5555

Monday 24 – Wednesday 26 June 2019
BRISTOL HIPPODROME
https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome/
0844 871 3012

Thursday 27 – Saturday 29 June 2019
STOKE REGENT THEATRE
https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre/
0844 871 7649

Monday 1 – Saturday 6 July 2019
BRIGHTON THEATRE ROYAL
https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton/
0844 871 7650

Monday 8 – Saturday 13 July 2019
NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL
www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk/
01603 630 000

Monday 15 – Saturday 20 July 2019
FESTIVAL THEATRE, MALVERN
https://www.malvern-theatres.co.uk/
01684 892 277

Monday 5 – Saturday 10 August 2019
BOURNEMOUTH PAVILION
http://www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk/
0844 576 3000

Monday 16 – Saturday 21 September
DARTFORD ORCHARD THEATRE
https://orchardtheatre.co.uk/
01322 220 000

Monday 23 – Saturday 28 September 2019
EASTBOURNE DEVONSHIRE PARK THEATRE
https://www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk/venue/devonshire-park-theatre
01323 412 000

Monday 30 September – Saturday 5 October 2019
NEW THEATRE, CARDIFF
www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk/
02920 878 889

FURTHER VENUES TO BE ANNOUNCED

West End:

THE MOUSETRAP
St Martin’s Theatre
West St, London WC2H 9NZ
www.the-mousetrap.co.uk
Box office 020 7836 1443

The Grand Union Orchestra announces its latest production: Uncharted Crossings

Shoreditch Town Hall, Sunday 9th December, 8pm

The backstory of the Windrush generation

• The event is the culmination of the Grand Union Orchestra’s Autumn/Winter programme supporting Black History Month in Hackney
• Featuring twenty internationally-acclaimed musicians and singers

The Grand Union Orchestra has announced its latest performance, Uncharted Crossings, which concludes its Autumn/Winter programme supporting Black British Music in Hackney. The programme aligns with Hackney Museum’s current exhibition on the same topic.

Uncharted Crossings will tell the backstory of the Windrush generation, of a journey that began over five hundred years ago on the shores of West Africa, with millions transported to Brazil, Cuba, the Caribbean and southern USA in the transatlantic slave trade.

Grand Union Orchestra composer Tony Haynes leads twenty internationally-acclaimed musicians and singers – soaring voices, roaring brass, fiery jazz solos, hypnotic drums – in celebrating the music and contribution of the African heritage diaspora to British culture today.

The Grand Union Orchestra is a pioneer and leading advocate of cross-cultural music-making in the UK. Described as ‘making cultural diversity an art-form’, for over 30 years it has been bringing together singers and instrumentalists from all over the world – many of them first generation migrants themselves – to create spectacular music.

Among the performers appearing in Uncharted Crossings are great jazz players such as South African trumpeter Claude Deppa and saxophonist Tony Kofi, singers Jumoké Fashola and Jonathan André, and an all-star drum section led by Francis Fuster, the late Hugh Masekela’s percussionist.

Tony Haynes says: “Exploring what lies behind the Windrush story with such great musicians is set to be our most powerful show yet, honouring the remarkable legacy and profound influence of Black music and its history.”

He writes all about the project here: https://tonyhaynesmusic.wordpress.com

Uncharted Crossings will be performed at Shoreditch Town Hall on Sunday 9th December at 8pm. Tickets at £16 / £12 concessions are available via:
Web: https://shoreditchtownhall.com/whats-on/grand-union-orchestra-uncharted-crossings
Phone: 020 7739 6176

The Leeds Library – Until Saturday 17th November 2018

Reviewed By Dawn Smallwood

5*****

Written by Emma Adams and directed by Tess Seddon, The Things We Wouldn’t Otherwise Find premieres at The Leeds Library. The Leeds Library was founded in 1768 and is one of the oldest subscription libraries in the country. This library is celebrating 250 years of its existence and what couldn’t be more fitting is for this beautiful library to host this exciting play.

Amid the uncertainty of the libraries’ future and the prominence of the internet and information technology, the play explores how libraries are a place for many, past and present, and how they can be secured in the future. The Leeds Library’s reading room is a fitting space for this two cast play to explore those purposes.

Each of the themes is structured with “chapters” of a book which explore and discuss how “libraries are the past and are the spirit of the present”. Relationships, challenged perceptions, different forms of learning and creativity, community cohesion and issues including social isolation, and value of books are explored, challenged, discussed and analysed.

Sinead Parker and David Judge put on a stellar performance that brings Adams’ unique style of writing alive and they play a multiple of roles that are a contrast to each other and alights the library’s reading room and its walled books. It is felt certainly that libraries today are very important places to many people as concluded that “libraries are a million of things to millions of people”.

Adams writes convincingly and beautifully The Things We Wouldn’t Otherwise Find which brings up multitude of emotions concerning libraries and the emphasis on no prescriptive way to view libraries. It is evident today to see how libraries are evolving, being made more accessible, community focused, and meeting the demands and needs of the 21st Century. A must see play and this production will certainly celebrate and achieve a wider audience when it tours libraries across Leeds. Library lovers will have the opportunity to celebrate such and be reassured that library will have things otherwise wouldn’t be found.

The Union Theatre – until 24th Nov

Reviewed by Elizabeth J Smith

5*****
Benjamin Till has written a poignant piece following the true stories of the young men and woman of Leeds, between 28 Jul 1914 – 11 Nov 1918, the years of World War one.

All the men are members of the local amateur brass band and decide en masse to join the fight for King and Country. The women are left behind to carry on the jobs, in the munitions factory, traditionally done by the men. The ladies decide a great way to keep the home fires burning for their boys is to resurrect the brass band so they can greet the boys when they eventually come home. It is a story of love, courage, loss and deceit. It tells the tale of how the officers treated the
men in their charge. Of how a family is ripped apart because a young lad of 15 lies about his age and joins the furore, only to be shot for cowardice. The young newly weds who discover they are expecting their first child but the husband is shot on the frontline and his wife dies from complications to her health from working in the munitions factory. How gay man couldn’t stand together hand in hand without the threat of prison.

This tale reiterates the futilities of war but also reminds of the incredible sacrifices our ancestors made to keep this country free.

The Union Theatre provides an intimate setting with a definite feeling of darkness. Creating the atmosphere of a Victorian factory and desolation of the trenches.

The music is supplied by a solo pianist, expertly played by Henry Brennan, musical director and some cast members with their brass instruments.

The set is expertly manoeuvred creating the different scenes and when the boys go over top there is a sense of despair.

All the performers created wholesome rounded characters, some with things to hide. The songs provided some great moments of true emotion. With note to “Shone with the sun”, Kelsie-Rae Marshall, “I make the shells”, Emma Harrold and “no man’s land” Sam Kipling.

The playing of the last post by Lawrence Smith brings a lump to the throat and a tear to the eye.

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and left knowing that as the sun went down I would remember those brave young men and woman who I owe my society freedoms to today.

Award-winning Ballet Cymru brings new

Christmas ballet to Leeds

Ballet Cymru

A Child’s Christmas, Poems and Tiger Eggs by Dylan Thomas

Thursday 29 November

Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds

theatreleeds.com

Making their Leeds debut, the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre will host the award-winning Welshdance company Ballet Cymru as they perform a brand new ballet, narrated by Welsh icon Cerys Matthews, on 29 November 2018 for one night only.

Nominated for Best Independent Company at the 2017 National Dance Awards, and winners of the Best Dance Production at the 2017 Wales Theatre Awards, Ballet Cymru presents this sparkling and refreshing ballet inspired by the Dylan Thomas classic A Child’s Christmas In Wales, a well-loved piece of literature renowned worldwide from Wales’ best-known author.

Featuring choreography by Creative Wales Award winner Darius James and Amy Doughty, Ballet Cymru brings to life this timeless story using a unique blend of classical technique, storytelling and visual projections. With music by Cerys Matthews of Catatonia and Mason Neely, audiences are invited to step into the imagination of a genius and follow the Company on a journey full of snow, cats and dramatic dance, suitable for all ages to enjoy together.

Darius James, Artistic Director of Ballet Cymru, says: ‘We are delighted to be bringing a little bit of Wales to Leeds and can’t wait to share the genius of Dylan Thomas’.

Tickets for Ballet Cymru at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds are on sale now and can be booked online at theatreleeds.com or by calling the Box Office on 0113 220 8008. Tickets are priced at £13.50.

York Theatre Royal until 10th November 2018.

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

5*****

Directed by York Theatre Royal’s Associate Director, Juliet Forster, Sense and Sensibility is the first of several shows from the summer season at Theatre by the Lake to be playing at York. Four plays, ten actors over twelve days.

Sense and Sensibility sees the entire company performing this fresh, comical adaptation of the Austen classic, by Jessica Swale.

Things look bleak for the Dashwood widow and girls when they are cheated out of their inheritance, by her step-son and daughter in law, forced out of their home with little money or prospects. Finding a roof over their heads in Devonshire, the arrival of a dashing stranger promises to change their fortunes forever. But as the saying goes, best laid plans of mice and men, nothing runs smoothly in this tale of love and marriage.

Elinor, played by the very expressive Sarah Kempton is the serious sister, the sensible one, whilst Marianne, played with such passion by Alice Imelda, is more impetuous, artistic and romantic. Both ladies play their romantic leads perfectly and we can feel their angst when their would be relationships flounder. Their younger sister Margaret, played wonderfully childlike by Lydea Perkins, is very much a tomboy, energetic and a bit wild.

The three suitors who create such turmoil within the Dashwood sisters’ lives are, the cad Willoughby, Oliver Mott; shy and awkward, but loveable, Edward, Toby Vaughan; and the reserved smitten Colonel Brandon.

Christine Entwisle is brilliant as the deplorable Fanny Dashwood, callousness running through her veins, before morphing into the over the top, and extremely excitable, Mrs Jennings. Her comic timing and interactions with Sir John, James Duke, were hilarious, both extremely funny.

The whole cast, including Karen Ascoe and Theo Fraser Steele, do an absolutely amazing job, some taking on numerous roles seamlessly with such ease. In a blink of an eye they can be one character and then have taken on a new completely different, but truly believable role.

I thought I would struggle with the 3 hour running time, but that was certainly not the case, it was so engaging that the time flew by. This production was a joy to watch, one for everyone, not just Austen fans. I am so looking forward to catching their other pieces coming up over the next few days and can only hope they are as good as this, which I have no doubt they will be.

Leeds Playhouse – until Saturday 10th November 2018

Reviewed By Dawn Smallwood

5*****

Partition, a radio based drama, premiered in 2017 and marked the 70th anniversary of the division of India and the formation of Pakistan. Written by Nick Ahad, a radio presenter, the production returns to the Leeds Playhouse’s Pop-Up Theatre and tells the story of a British Asian couple and the partition of India. This is a significant piece of history which is not as widely known and a painful but an important one to be shared. The partition had an impact on the Indian Sub Continent then and today with generations from families who had been torn apart following it and the ongoing issues.

Partition is set with radio microphones lining up at the front and also at some seated props and one of the stage managers (Lucy Bradford) is on stage to assist the cast who recite their parts. Partition is introduced with a radio news broadcast (from Luke Walker) about the partition of India itself and a cast of four perform singular and multiple roles and the audience is introduced to the couple; Saima (Mez Galaria), a Muslim, and Ranjit (Sushil Chudasama), a Sikh, who are planning their wedding. The horrors of the partition and the religious divisions that it brought are never far away when Saima’s mother, Amina (Balvinder Sopal), painfully recalls the train journey she and some of her family had to take to then the newly formed Pakistan. Ranjit’s grandfather, Rajpal (Chudasama), is unable to share until now his painful story.

The drama has a gradual build up with touches of humour and personality and before it is time for both Saima and Ranjit to get married, the fateful stories by their family members have been fully shared with the audience. This includes the social and religious divisions and the impact it had not just in India and Pakistan but across both Asian communities worldwide particularly towards intermarriages. The poignancy to what had happened has certainly brought hate, divisions and pessimism among many however there is a hope of love, unity and optimism as shown in this drama.

Partition is sensitively and thoughtfully written and well put together. The partition of India is such an important and significant story to be shared especially as it hasn’t been thoroughly well known until now. The audience has an opportunity to get both a social and political insight into both countries, past and present, and the relationships this country have with India and Pakistan. It is very painful but it is a story that needs to be told particularly with its fateful journeys of millions affected however there are hopes for the future of community cohesion and unity.

The cast and creative team, under the direction of Stefan Escreet, have put together a poignant but an excellent production and the story will now be shared far and wide on stage and crucially in schools. Afterwards a short question and answer session is hosted on stage which gives the cast and creative team opportunities to share their involvement and insight into Partition. It makes one appreciate Partition even more and how important the story should transpire further beyond the stage.

Hull New Theatre – until 10th November 2018

Reviewed by Catherine McWilliams

4****

Bill Kenwright’s production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita is a sumptuous affair, full of exquisite costumes, stunning scenery and soaring music. The audience at Hull New Theatre last night was thoroughly spoiled by the spectacle of this show.

This production of Evita feels very fresh and it is hard to believe that Evita had its first stage production in 1978. The production starts in a cinema in 1952 when the death of Eva Peron is announced and we then see her funeral at which Che (Glenn Carter) starts to take us back to the 1930’s when Eva is just starting out. We then follow her rise to fame and subsequent death.

Che is the narrator throughout the musical and Glenn Carter does a superb job as the storyteller, with a tinge of scorn to his story telling and contempt for the tale he is telling. His version of High Flying Adored was particularly heart felt.

Lucy O’Byrne is a powerful and believable Evita. Her portrayal of Evita in her illness was outstanding and totally believable, I felt her pain. Her quiet and pained delivery of Don’t Cry For Me Argentina was spine tingling. Mike Sterling as Peron is the perfect foil for Evita.

The music throughout was superb and huge credit needs to go to the Musical Director Anthony Gabriele and his very talented musicians. The music together with the scenery and the very effective lighting added wonderfully to the experience, I particularly enjoyed the smoky atmosphere of the Tango Club and Oscar Balmaseda’s wonderfully smarmy tango singer Magaldi.

Unfortunately there were some niggles with the sound as when the songs required layers of music from the principals and the chorus, it was often very difficult to hear the principals, particularly it seemed the end of words. The changing of scenery was also not quite as smooth as it should have been at times, I really don’t expect to see a member of the stage staff disappearing off the stage in a production of this calibre. I have to admit to also being a little upset that when taking their encore none of the cast directed applause to the musicians.

Niggles apart, this is a high quality production that would grace any West End stage, a feast for the eyes and the ears.