Month: November 2018

Northern Ballet: 2019 Full Yorkshire Tour Details

Victoria | Mixed Programme | Cinderella | Dracula

*New dates announced*

 

Northern Ballet has announced full details of its upcoming performances in Yorkshire for the whole of 2019. The Company will commence its spring season with the world première of Cathy Marston’s Victoria in Leeds, followed by additional performances in Sheffield. Northern Ballet’s autumn season begins with a Mixed Programme, followed by visits to several Yorkshire venues with David Nixon’s Dracula and Cinderella; bringing the Company to the eve of its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2020.

 

Victoria

Victoria tells the astounding life story of Queen Victoria through the eyes of her youngest child and lifelong companion Beatrice. Travelling back in time from Victoria’s death bed, Beatrice relives her memories of her mother as a secluded widow before discovering her anew as she transcribes the Queen’s intimate diaries. Wife, mother, lover, Empress; Victoria presents the various, often conflicting faces of this emblematic monarch.

 

Choreographed by Cathy Marston to an original score by Philip Feeney, with sets and costumes designed by Steffen Aarfing, lighting by Alastair West and dramaturgy by Uzma Hameed.

 

Victoria premières in Leeds from 9 – 16 March 2019 with additional performances at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre from 19 – 23 March 2019.

 

Mixed Programme

Following the success of this year’s popular triple bill, Northern Ballet will perform a new Mixed Programme at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds from 4 – 7 September 2019. Details of the programme are to be announced.

 

Dracula

Emerging from his world of perpetual darkness, an unlikely romance blossoms between Count Dracula and the unbidding Mina. A creature who should inspire repulsion in every living thing but who has seduced countless generations, Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire lives on in this extraordinary ballet with a dramatic bite.

 

Choreographed by David Nixon OBE to a score featuring music by Alfred Schnittke, Sergei Rachmaninov, Arvo Pärt and Michael Daugherty, with sets designed by Ali Allen, lighting by Tim Mitchell and costumes by David Nixon OBE.

 

Dracula will be Northern Ballet’s first production to be performed at the newly reopened Leeds Playhouse from 29 October – 2 November 2019.

 

Cinderella

After a glorious summer day ends in tragedy, Cinderella begins a desolate new life of servitude.Devastated by the loss of her father, and excluded by her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella finds solace on the frozen lake where she first sets eyes on her Prince Charming. As her love for the Prince grows, a surprise encounter in the marketplace changes Cinderella’s destiny.

 

Choreographed by David Nixon OBE to an original score by Philip Feeney, with sets designed byDuncan Hayler, lighting by Tim Mitchell and costumes by David Nixon OBE.

 

Cinderella will be performed in Sheffield at the Lyceum Theatre from 24 – 28 September 2019 followed by performances at Hull New Theatre from 15 – 19 October 2019 and Leeds Grand Theatre from 17 December 2019 to 2 January 2020.

 

For further details and booking information visit northernballet.com/whatson

 

 

2019 Yorkshire Performance Listings

 

Victoria Leeds Grand Theatre (World Première) 9 – 16 March 2019 Box Office: 0844 848 2700* | leedsgrandtheatre.com	On sale now
Victoria Sheffield Lyceum Theatre 19 – 23 March 2019 Box Office: 0114 249 6000 | sheffieldtheatres.com	On sale now
Mixed Programme Leeds Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre 4 – 7 September 2019 Box Office: 0113 220 8008 | theatreleeds.com	On sale soon
Cinderella Sheffield Lyceum Theatre 24 – 28 September 2019 Box Office: 0114 249 6000* | sheffieldtheatres.com	On sale soon
Cinderella Hull New Theatre 15 – 19 October 2019 Box Office: 01482 300 306 | hulltheatres.co.uk	On sale now
Dracula Leeds Playhouse 29 October – 2 November 2019 Box Office: 0113 213 7700 | leedsplayhouse.org.uk	*newly announced*   On sale soon
Cinderella Leeds Grand Theatre 17 December 2019 – 2 January 2020 Box Office: 08448 848 2700* | leedsgrandtheatre.com	*newly announced*   On sale 4 December 2018

 

*Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

RICHMOND THEATRE KICKS OFF ITS 120^TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR WITH A BRAND NEW SEASON OF SHOWS!

Richmond Theatre announces its new December – March 2019 season kicking off with plenty of panto magic into a new year of exclusive special events, brand new children’s shows, stunning dance and critically acclaimed plays!

It isn’t long before audiences can set sail for this year’s swashbuckling spectacular, PETER PAN, in Richmond Theatre’s second pantomime staged by Qdos Entertainment. Starring Robert Lindsay in his pantomime debut as the dastardly villain Captain Hook, comedy impressionist and Britain’s Got Talent finalist, Jon Clegg as Mr Smee, West End star Rachel Stanley (Officer and A Gentlemen, Scrooge The Musical, Legally Blonde) as the Magical Mermaid, and Harry Francis (Book of Mormon, A Chorus Line, Fiddler on the Roof) as the boy who never grew up, Peter Pan. Press are invited to attend for review on Thursday 13^th December at7pm.

The first in a series of special event shows produced exclusively for Richmond Theatre audiences by Theatre Director Brendan Riding, GO!GO!GO! WITH RUSTY FIRMIN tells the true story of the SAS’s incredible rescue mission during the Iranian Embassy Siege in 1980. Rusty Firmin served 26 years in the British Army, 15 of which in B Squadron, 22 SAS. Audiences will get an unparalleled insight into his SAS career, SAS selection and a detailed account of the mission, which propelled the secretive 22 SAS onto the world stage. The evening will also be in support of Pilgrim Bandits, a charity which was established by a small group of Special Forces veterans in 2007 with the sole aim of using their unique training and experience to help and inspire injured personnel to live life to the full.

The MOSCOW CITY BALLET return to Richmond with two magnificent shows, SWAN LAKE and SLEEPING BEAUTY, each presented in classic Russian style with a full orchestra. Using Tchaikovsky’s haunting and beautiful score, these enchanting stories are brought exquisitely to life by Russia’s best dancers along with beautiful sets and stunning costumes.

Based on Paula Hawkins’ best-selling novel, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN pulls into Richmond for a brand new stage adaptation starring Samantha Womack (Eastenders, Game On, The Kingsman film series) and Oliver Farnworth (Coronation Street, Hollyoaks). When Rachel suddenly learns that the woman she’s been secretly watching has suddenly disappeared, she finds herself as a witness and even a suspect in a thrilling mystery in which she will face bigger revelations than she ever could have anticipated.

New comedy, TRIAL BY LAUGHTER is based on the real life events of bookseller, publisher and satirist, William Hone who stood trial in 1817 for ‘impious blasphemy and seditious libel’ however the only crime he had committed was to be funny! Following critical acclaim for their play, The Wipers Times, Trial By Laughter looks set to be another successful and sharp comedy from writers Ian Hislop and Nick Newman.

Presented by London Classic Theatre, the award-winning play MY MOTHER SAID I NEVER SHOULD details the lives of four women through the 20^th century using a kaleidoscopic time structure, it focuses on pinnacle moments of each woman’s lives in a poignant, bittersweet story about love, jealousy and the price of freedom. Written in 1985 by Charlotte Keatley, it has become the most widely commonly performed work by a female playwright in the world, a true classic.

 

In one of the most successful comedies of all time, Nigel Havers (Downton Abbey, Chariots of Fire), Denis Lawson (Bleak House, New Tricks) and Stephen Tompkinson (The Split, Wild at Heart, Ballykissangel) come together in ART, a dazzling study of friendship, prejudice and tolerance. Written by Yasmina Reza, Art has taken both Broadway and the West End by storm having won Olivier, Tony® and Moliére awards.

 

Following the recent success of mystery thriller, The Case of the Frightened Lady, Bill Kenright Productions return with THE LADY VANISHES based on Alfred Hitchcock’s much-loved film. Starring Emmy Award-winning actress Juliet Mills (Wild at Heart), Max Caulfield (Dynasty), Lorna Fitzgerald (Eastenders), Matt Barber (Downton Abbey), Robert Duncan (Drop Dead The Donkey), Philip Lowrie (Coronation Street) and Ben Nealon (Soldier Soldier), audiences won’t have far to look for another compelling production of a classic whodunit.

Direct from the West End and following rave reviews, WISE CHILDREN is a big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and pain featuring show girls, Shakespeare, sex and scandal, mischief and mistaken identity – and butterflies by the thousand! Emma Rice (Romantics Anonymous, Tristan & Yseult, The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk and Brief Encounter) launches her new theatre company of the same name and in their first production, brings her unique, musical and exuberantly impish vision to Angela Carter’s great last novel.

Two fantastic children’s shows head to Richmond for the perfect spring treat for schools and families. Based on the classic children’s book series by David McKee, ELMER THE PATCHWORK ELEPHANT celebrates its 30th birthday in 2019 with a brand new show featuring a menagerie of 21 loveable puppets telling the tale of an elephant that stands out. Also, from the award-winning producers of Horrible Histories and Gangsta Granny comes the world premiere of TOM GATES LIVE ON STAGE in an exciting and hilarious adventure based on the original creation by Liz Pichon.

From adventurers to actors, we have an abundance of special events coming up including, DR ALICE ROBERTS: DIGGING INTO BRITAIN’S PAST, HANCOCK’S HALF HOUR, IAN MCKELLEN ON STAGE WITH TOLKIEN, SHAKESPEARE OTHERS AND YOU, AN EVENING WITH KEN HOM, STRICTLY ANN WIDDICOMBE – AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH, ADAM KAY – THIS IS GOING TO HURT,BEN FOGLE – ADVENTURES IN THE WILDERNESS and TRUST FAST HEALTH WITH DR MICHAEL MOSLEY.

 

Some classic music acts return to Richmond with BEYOND THE BARRICADE, THAT’LL BE THE DAY, THE COUNTERFEIT STONES, THE CARPENTERS STORY and SEVEN DRUNK NIGHTS THE STORY OF THE DUBLINERS plus the brand new show HELLO AGAIN…NEIL DIAMOND.

 

Richmond Theatre is dedicated to making sure people of all ages and abilities can take part in theatre and the arts, and our Creative Learning Department has various workshops and courses that are inclusive and fun for all! For further information regarding workshops and creative learning bookings, please contact [email protected].

WEST END SMASH HIT

THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY

ANNOUNCES NEW CAST AND 2019 EXTENSION

 

Created by Mischief Theatre

Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields

Mischief Theatre today announces new cast members and 2019 extension for the critically acclaimed and Olivier Award nominated The Comedy About A Bank Robbery. Due to continued high demand, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery announces an extension of their run until 3 November 2019, as they approach their third year on the West End.     

 

Joining the cast from 18 December 2018 are Julia Frith (Caprice Freeboys), Liam Jeavons (Mitch Ruscitti), Jack Whittle (Sam Monaghan) and Jean-Luke Worrell (Warren Slax).

From 15 January 2019 Gareth Tempest and Emily Stott take over the roles of Mitch Ruscitti and Caprice Freeboys to complete the company.

Continuing their roles are Samson Ajewole (Cooper), Jenna Augen (Ruth Monaghan), Jack Baldwin (Officer Randal Shuck), Leonard Cook (Robin Freeboys) and literally completing the cast is Chris Leask (Everyone Else). The understudies are Charlotte Duffy, Rhiann Francis, George Hannigan, Gracie Lai, Dale Mathurin, Kieran Mortell, Finlay Paul, Ashley Tucker, Ross Virgo and Eddy Westbury.

‘The Comedy About A Bank Robbery is one of the flat-out funniest pieces of theatre I’ve ever seen.’  Dominic Maxwell – The Times ★★★★★

Mischief Theatre’s smash-and-grab hit The Comedy About A Bank Robbery is a fast, fabulous comedy caper and the funniest show in the West End!

Summer 1958. Minneapolis City Bank has been entrusted with a priceless diamond. An escaped convict is dead set on pocketing the gem with the help of his screwball sidekick, trickster girlfriend… and the maintenance man. With mistaken identities, love triangles and hidden agendas, even the most reputable can’t be trusted. In a town where everyone’s a crook, who will end up bagging the jewel?

Book now for this dynamite comedy. It would be criminal to miss it!

Samson Ajewole plays Officer Cooper. Previous theatre credits include Damn Yankees (The Landor Theatre), The Life (English Theatre, Frankfurt) and La Cage Aux Folles (UK tour).

Jenna Augen plays Ruth Monaghan. Previous theatre credits include The Knowledge (Charing Cross Theatre), The Witches (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Bad Jews (Arts Theatre, St. James Theatre and Theatre Royal, Bath), The Way of the World (Chichester Festival Theatre), and Chicken Soup With Barley (Royal Court Theatre). Her work for television includes Episodes, The Night Watch and Penelope in the Treehouse.

Jack Baldwin plays Officer Shuck. Previous theatre credits include The Play That Goes Wrong (Duchess Theatre), Hamlet (Park Theatre), The Time of Your Life (Finborough Theatre), The Sessions (Royal Albert Hall), The Exquisite Corpse (Southwark Playhouse), Twelfth Night, As You Like It (Cockpit Theatre), Dare Me to the Desert (King’s Head Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Shakespeare Conspiracy (Chelsea Theatre), To the Green Fields Beyond, Titus Andronicus (Linbury Studio), Messiah (Bunker Theatre) and 10x10x10 (Pleasance Theatre).

Leonard Cook plays Robin Freeboys. Previous credits include The Play That Goes Wrong (Duchess Theatre).

Julia Firth plays Caprice Freeboys. Her theatre credits include Sam Wanamaker Festival (Shakespeare’s Globe) and Ties of Blood: The Brontes (Paprika Festival).

Liam Jeavons plays Mitch Ruscitti. His theatre credits include Where You Frum and Accidental Brummie (Birmingham Rep), The 39 Steps (Lyric Theatre), Primetime and Gala Night (The Royal Court).

Chris Leask plays Everyone Else. Previous theatre credits include I Need To Vent (The Vaults Festival), The Play That Goes Wrong (Duchess Theatre), Peter Pan Goes Wrong (Apollo Theatre and UK tour), Love Your Soldiers(Sheffield Theatres), Staunch (Arcola Theatre and Theatre503), Just for Fun: Totally Random (Camden People’s Playhouse) and Same Time Next Week (Edinburgh Festival).

Emily Stott plays Caprice Freeboys. Her theatre credits include Glitter Punch (VAULT Festival), The Kitchen Sink (Oldham Coliseum), Inside Pussy Riot (Les Enfants Terribles), The Picture of Dorian Gray (The Watermill Theatre), Takeover (The Bunker) and Thirteen (Southwark Playhouse).

Jack Whittle plays Sam Monaghan this marks his professional stage debut.

Jean-Luke Worrell plays Warren Slax. His theatre credits include Cinderella (Greenwich Theatre) and Robinson Crusoe (Chipping Norton Theatre).

Mischief Theatre

Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields met at The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). All core members of Mischief Theatre, they worked in comedy together for several years before starting out as a writing team. The company’s first production was The Play That Goes Wrong (winner – Best New Comedy – Olivier Awards and WhatsOnStage Awards). The show began on the London and Edinburgh fringe before touring the UK. It then opened in the West End in September 2014 where it is still running. It is also playing on Broadway and heading out on a US tour in 2018. Peter Pan Goes Wrong was the trio’s second production, opening in November 2014 for a UK tour before a hugely successful West End season in Christmas 2015. Mischief Theatre recently adapted the script of Peter Pan Goes Wrong for the BBC, which was filmed with the original West End cast and broadcast on New Year’s Eve 2016. They were invited back to wreak more havoc at the BBC in 2017 with A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong on BBC1. The Comedy About A Bank Robbery marks the company’s third writing project and earned them another Olivier Nomination.

Kenny Wax Ltd

Kenny Wax Ltd produced the multi-award-winning The Play That Goes Wrong, currently in the West End, on Broadway and on a US tour. Kenny Wax’s second collaboration with Mischief Theatre, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, played the West End twice and is now touring Australia and New Zealand. Kenny Wax presented the world première of Top Hat, winning three Olivier Awards including ‘Best New Musical’, with 1995’s Once on This Island winning the same award. The new British musical SIX completed a sold out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and again at the Arts Theatre in the West End, where it will be returning for an open-ended run in January after a short UK tour. The Company is also renowned for producing some of the best family theatre including We’re Going On A Bear Hunt; Tall Stories’ The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child and Room on the Broom;plus the stage adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather. Christmas 2018 will see the opening of a new stage adaptation of Jill Murphy’s The Worst Witch, co-produced by Royal & Derngate Northampton. Kenny Wax is the current President of the Society of London Theatre.

Directed by Mark Bell with Nancy Zamit for Mischief Theatre; Designer: David Farley Costume Designer: Roberto Surace; Lighting Designer: David Howe Sound Design: Jon Fiber for JollyGoodTunes; Musical Director and Arranger: Joey Hickman; Associate Director: Kirsty Patrick Ward; Resident Director Katie Ann McDonough;Associate Lighting Designer: Matt Leventhall

 

 

The Comedy About A Bank Robbery

Listings

Criterion Theatre, 218-223 Piccadilly, Piccadilly Circus, London, W1V 9LB

 

Box Office: 0844 815 6131

www.bankrobberycomedy.com

Twitter: @BankRobberyPlay

Facebook: BankRobberyComedy

PERFORMANCE TIMES

Tuesday to Saturday evenings at 7:30pm

Saturday matinee at 2:30pm, Sunday matinee at 3pm and Sunday evening at 7pm

TICKET PRICES

Sunday evening – Thursday:

£49.50, £39.50, £35.00, £29.50, £25, £20, £15, £10

Premium Seats £69.50

Friday – Sunday Matinee:

£52.50, £42.50, £38.00, £32.50, £28, £23, £18, £10

Premium Seats £72.50

 

AGE

11+

Blue Elephant Theatre – 21st November

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Ella&co explore our relationship with social media in a fast-paced and very funny dance piece that entertains, educates and enlightens audiences of all ages.

The company, Eva Escrich, Ella Fleetwood, Julia Jordan and Amy Morvell all grew up alongside social media and gamin, but for those of us who remember mobile phones the size of a house brick, a handy Millennial dictionary is included to help with more arcane seeming sketches.

With sound designer Adrien Hollocou’s music from familiar games and channels, the piece is performed as if on a screen, with the dancers moving between sketches as if they have been swiped, and twitchy jumps when the notification alert sounds. Ella Fleetwood’s inspired choreography sees the company posing and preening, with the obligatory pouts of celebrities and influencers, through beauty and fitness routines and tiny dog walking. Inane commentaries about outfits and ridiculous tips for achieving a better life are interspersed between the dances. Scarily, some of these are taken from actual channels. There are nods to The Sims, Tinder and many more that may have passed an old Facebooker like me by.

The influence that social media has on young people is laid bare, alongside the shallow interactions online that can be mistaken for a real connection. The disconnect between real life and your online interactions is portrayed beautifully in a scene that begins with a girl posting about the death of her grandmother and her feelings of loss. As online friends awkwardly “like” the post and don’t follow up, one person actually engages, and the dancers manage to imbue the moment when they reach through the screen and engage physically and emotionally with a wonderful sense of love and compassion. A glorious moment of humanity amongst the artificial world we can sometimes get lost in. The need for posts to be liked, and the possible damage to self-esteem and mental health when they are not is also touched on in a quietly upsetting sketch that we never see the end of, for, like every sketch in the show, it gets interrupted by a swipe and a notification alert that is all too familiar to anyone watching a teenager on their device. Are our attention spans really that short? Can’t we wait for something to run to its conclusion before seeing what’s new?

The teacher in me sees the amazing potential for #nofilter as a brilliant stimulus for discussion and reflection on social media, relationships and mental health in schools. #nofilter is a fantastically entertaining piece, performed brilliantly, that makes you laugh, squirm and think in equal measure.

Jack Studio Theatre – until 1 December

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Just how far would you go to get your dream home?

First Knight Theatre’s production of Philip Ridley’s Radiant Vermin takes that question to unbelievable extremes in this dark, dark comedy. Jill (Laura Janes) and Ollie (Matthew John Wright) are an ordinary couple expecting their first child. Stuck in a flat on a notorious estate, the sudden offer of a dream home is one they can’t turn down. When they see the rundown area and see the state of their new home, they are certain that it is a practical joke. The arrival of the mysterious and all-knowing Miss Dee (Emma Sweeney – full of calmly malevolent menace – think Satan’s Supernanny), convinces them that it is the right choice, with Ollie putting aside his nagging doubts and suspicion for the sake of their baby.

The government scheme they sign up for gives them a free house and removals, but they must renovate the house themselves. When the couple discover the quick and easy way to magically renovate each room, they are horrified, but soon convince themselves that their dream home is worth it. They even develop more efficient methods for stress-free and humane renovation as their homeless renovators become less and less human to them.

Ridley skewers consumerism and social hypocrisy with sublime skill and the cast bring his fine script to life with amazing energy. Staged as the couple’s confession/explanation of their actions, Wright and Janes act out the major events of the past 18 months in front of a white screen. There are no props and no scenery. The two actors must carry the show on their own, which they do with consummate ease. As mild-mannered Ollie turns into a killing machine, Wright keeps the character’s neediness and inherent sweetness to the forefront, even as he commits heinous acts for his family. Janes give a fantastically layered performance as Jill – sweet and god-fearing one minute, then manipulating Ollie by stating that they are doing all of this for their baby (who’s obviously flicking through designer catalogues in the womb). Jill’s speech where she swerves from insisting she lives by her Christian values when thinking about the homeless to spouting hate and bile about them being lazy, useless vermin is judged brilliantly and feels as if you’re witnessing a rant down the pub. The garden party scene is flat-out hilarious, with Janes and Wright portraying the multiple characters in the increasingly fast-paced chaos without a slip. Each of the characters is clearly defined and the audience is left in exhausted awe of the duo’s talent.

Radiant Vermin is a deliciously dark comedy staged with impeccable timing around the Black Friday hysteria. The only thing you really need to buy this week is a ticket.

The Speigeltent @ Festival Square, Edinburgh – Until 5^th January 2019

Reviewed by James Knight

5*****

In a soft light, a Christmas tree is solemnly decorated in reverent fashion, until Bernie Dieter, in feather-trimmed black catsuit and studded heels, steps up, kicks the presents out the way and declares La Clique Noel – Part Deux open. She’s not here for genteel fireside entertainment. ‘This is not a fucking panto!’ she cries, and deftly instructs the audience in how best to show our appreciation for the evening’s acts.

And what acts they are. As Bernie’s hellraiser disappears into the shadows of the Spiegeltent, we’re treated to a glorious mix of music, circus, burlesque and magic. Supplying an almost constant backdrop of sound is Dannie Bourne and the La Clique Palais Orkestra, six musicians of an incredible calibre. Kelly Wolfgramm’s smooth vocals are a delight, and Eamon McNelis’ virtuoso solo trumpet was an easy standout.

The rest of the performers appear onstage one by one, and each display their talents with a confidence and ease that is sexy, outrageous and often envious. Florian Brooks’ besuited club juggler had the audience spellbound, almost afraid to blink or make a noise in case they missed a single slick motion. Heather Holliday’s sword swallowing and fire-breathing act was equally at ease in teasing the audience with effortlessness, class and a flirtatious sense of humour. Paul Zenon’s cheeky-chappie magician stuck a card in a walnut in a room filled with mirrors – a self-described magician’s worst nightmare. Burlesque artist Mosh drew every eye in the auditorium (and no doubt a bit of shuffling in seats from some viewers) and while swinging over the heads of the audience, acrobat Stephen Williams got the front row wet. Ahem.

All of this held together beautifully by the maestro of mayhem Bernie Dieter, who made sure that everyone felt welcome and included in this marvellous cabaret. Sensitive enough to ensure it won’t upset those with more delicate natures, but risqué enough to get the pulses racing, La Clique Noel Part Deux is funny, sexy, and has enough charisma to power the Christmas lights all year round.

Neil Laidlaw and Jason Haigh-Ellery present

 

The Steamie – at the SSE HYDRO

        – bigger, better, steamier!

 

Written and Directed

by Tony Roper

Songs by David Anderson

 

SUNDAY 29 DECEMBER 2019, 6.00pm

MONDAY 30 DECEMBER 2019, 7.30pm

TUESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2019, 1.00pm & 5.30pm

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 30 NOVEMBER 10AM

Sign up at thesteamieplay.com

 

Neil Laidlaw and Jason Haigh Ellery are proud to announce very special performances of The Steamie at The SSE Hydro next Hogmanay, 2019 which sees Tony Roper’s play which Scotland has taken to its heart with a bigger cast, bigger sets and more songs and music than ever before.

In a spectacular new production designed specifically for the SSE Hydro, a new cast – to be announced – bring a scaled up Steamie to entertain audiences with its humour, pathos and grit as the ladies play out their Hogmanay traditions in the Wash House.

In what will be an unforgettable night, the audience joins the ladies of the Glasgow wash house, as they get their washing done before the Hogmanay bells. Dolly, Magrit, Doreen and Mrs Culfeathers laugh, cry and sing their way through the last day of the year – with a little help from the not so handy Andy.

The Steamie is a Scottish theatrical classic; an ode to the hard working women of the 1950’s and to a bygone Glasgow. The young Doreen envisions a new future, while Mrs Culfeathers looks back to the past – the play is a snapshot of a society, of a time and a cross section of strong women, all rolled into Roper’s hilarious comedy.

“This is a production that skips past the nostalgia to find the irony in society’s dreams in past times.” – Thom Dibden, The Stage

Writer and director, Tony Roper said: “Ever since I saw Still Game at the Hydro I’ve been hoping to take The Steamie there. Set on Hogmanay, it’ll be particularly special presenting it at this time of year. The laughter, tears and wonderful grit of the women touches audiences and makes it a favourite night out. We’re working up the songs and the staging of it to fill the arena. All the characters and stories you love with a whole lot of extras – it’s going to be stupendously spectacular.”

Tony Roper is a Scottish actor, comedian, writer, playwright and director who first wrote The Steamie in 1987 and directed the 25th anniversary production in 2012. As an actor his first major role was in Scotch and Rye and he is most recognizable as Jamesie Cotter from Rab C Nesbitt.

Tony’s other plays include Paddies Market, a conceptual sequel to The Steamie, and Rikki and Me, a play about the comedy actor Rikki Fulton. He has written two novels based on Rikki Fulton’s character Rev I.M Jolly. His autobiography I’ll No Tell You Again, was published in 2014. He will appearing in Cinderella at the Kings Theatre Glasgow this Christmas as one of the Ugly Sisters.

This is the fourth time Neil Laidlaw has produced a tour of The Steamie, first in 2009 and then the 25th Anniversary Tour in 2012 and its 30th Anniversary Tour in 2017. Originally from Burntisland, Neil is now based in London’s West End. Recent successes include co-producing the award winning Oslo at the Pinter Theatre in the West End and the new British musical The Grinning Man at Trafalgar Studios.  He has just announced the first UK tour of a brand new stage adaptation of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin premiering in April of 2019.

Neil has said that “The Steamie is one of the greatest Scottish plays which has captured the hearts of many across Scotland. I hope we are setting a new tradition presenting it at Hogmanay, when it is set. I am extremely proud to have had the opportunity to be associated with it in the past and am very excited to be taking it to the SSE Hydro in a brand new version which we are all working on like crazy”

 

THE STEAMIE AT THE SSE HYDRO

SUNDAY 29 DECEMBER 2019 – 6.00pm

MONDAY 30 DECEMBER 2019 – 7.30pm

TUESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2019 – 1.00pm & 5.30pm

 

Tickets on sale on Friday 30 November at 10am

https://www.thessehydro.com/events

Box office: 0844 395 4000

GOLDEN WEDNESDAY AT THE HIPPODROME

Forget Black Friday, Darlington Hippodrome is holding its very own Golden Wednesday with ticket offers on a selection of upcoming shows.

There’s no need to hurtle down to your nearest megastore to fight for an over-sized TV to get the full experience of Black Friday – for just one day you can snap up some fabulous deals on a selection of Darlington Hippodrome shows on Golden Wednesday, 28 November.

There are great deals to be had for the festive family pantomime Aladdin (December 8 to January 6), the beautiful ballet Giselle (Thursday 24 January), the week-long smash hit Simon & Garfunkel Story (Tuesday 29 January to Saturday 2 February), children’s favourite Tom Gates Live on Stage (Wednesday 6 to Saturday 9 March), Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray (Tuesday 26 to Saturday 30 March), Walk Right Back – the story of the Everly Brothers (Tuesday 16 April) and Seven Drunken Nights (Wednesday 15 May) – the ultimate party celebrating Irish music and humour.

Each show has a different deal attached to it, and there are limited numbers of tickets available with each deal, so be sure to book as soon as you can, simply quote GOLDEN when booking. These offers are only available when booking on Wednesday 28 November.

For information or to book call the box office on 01325 405405 or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk

Tilted Wig Productions, Malvern Theatres and Churchill Theatre Bromley

present a brand-new UK Tour of Oscar Wilde’s

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY

THU 7 – SAT 9 MARCH 2019

CHURCHILL THEATRE BROMLEY

Tilted Wig Productions are proud to present an exciting and bold new production of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. Co-produced with Malvern Theatres and the Churchill Theatre Bromley, it will premiere at the Churchill Theatre from Thu 7 – Sat 9 March 2019 before going on a national tour in the spring.

Tilted Wig is delighted to announce that Jonathan Wrather will be joining the cast, taking the part of Lord Henry Wotton. Jonathan is best known to audiences for recently playing the controversial Pierce Harris in ITV’s Emmerdale for two years. Other notable TV credits include Joe Carter in Coronation Street, Silent Witness and Casualty. He also has extensive stage and film credits. The cast also includes Daniel Goode (Basil) and Kate Dobson (Sybil) with further casting to be announced.

The play, based on the classic novel, celebrates Wilde’s wonderful language and will appeal to audiences old and new. It is adapted and directed by Séan Aydon and designed by Sarah Beaton. Featuring Wilde’s famous wit and a stellar cast, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat right up until the final scenes of the play – providing a really entertaining night out for all.

In a society obsessed with youth and beauty, Dorian is given the chance to keep his looks forever. But at what cost…? The Picture of Dorian Gray is the story of a cultured, wealthy, and beautiful young man’s downfall through moral corruption and seduction. Dorian, who, fearing that his good looks would fade as he grows old, wishes that a portrait painted of him could bear the burden of the ageing process, leaving him forever young and resulting in disastrous consequences!

Katherine Senior of Tilted Wig Productions says: ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray will be the 21st show that Matthew and I have taken out on the road. We produced 19 shows for Creative Cow over its 10 years in existence and now, under the banner of Tilted Wig Productions, The Picture of Dorian Gray will be our second production, following on from the success of Great Expectations last year. We hope audiences will enjoy our classic re -telling of this famous novel as it still has such resonance with our modern day lives and with its utter timelessness should feel bang up to date.’

She continues; ‘We have a great tour lined up with some fantastic venues. Another first is to be producing this show with Churchill Theatre in Bromley, alongside Malvern Theatres, with whom we produced Great Expectations with last year. We are thrilled to be working with these two theatres and welcoming our guest star Jonathan Wrather, to bring this timeless thriller to the regions’.

 

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Churchill Theatre, Bromley

Thu 7 – Sat 9 March 2019

BOOK NOW

Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley, BR1 1HA

churchilltheatre.co.uk

Ticket Office: 020 3285 6000 [email protected]

STARS TURN OUT TO CELEBRATE LEEDS GRAND THEATRE’S 140^THBIRTHDAY

Stars of stage and screen were amongst many esteemed guests that attended a red-carpet event on Wednesday 21 November to celebrate Leeds Grand Theatre’s 140^th birthday in collaboration with hit West End and Broadway musical, Jersey Boys.

Oh What A Night! saw Kay Mellor, Sam Bailey, Ellie and Izzie Warner (Gogglebox), Emmerdale cast members, the Original Calendar Girls and Yorkshire and England cricketer Jack Leaning (amongst others) show their support for the Grand Old Lady of Leeds. Invited guests from local businesses, funders, councillors and colleagues from the cultural sector were also in attendance.

Guests were treated to pre and post show drinks (attended by the cast and crew), and a performance of the award-winning musical. Chris Blythe, CEO, and Paul Scholey, Chair of the Board, gave speeches thanking people for their continued support before Ian Sime, General Manger, led guests in a rendition of Happy Birthday followed by the cutting of the cake.

Kay Mellor said: “As ever, a fantastic evening at the fabulous Grand Theatre in my home town.”

Leeds Grand Theatre provides a home for performances of all types, including its resident companies Opera North and Northern Ballet. Since its Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council supported ‘transformation’ in 2006, the theatre has hosted the best of the West End and other touring productions, including large musicals, drama from the National Theatre, comedians and music. The theatre provided a venue for the world premieres of Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s, The Girls (2015), and Fat Friends The Musical (2017) penned by Mellor.

Stars that have graced the famous stage including Julie Andrews, Ken Dodd, Bruce Forsyth, Elton John, Peter Kay, Morecambe and Wise, Laurence Olivier, Cliff Richard and Tommy Steele. In more recent years, The Grand has welcomed Fern Britton, Dara O’Briain, Jake Bugg, Andrew Flintoff, Nigel Havers, Jane McDonald and Sting.

Oh What A Night! was one of many events to take place to mark the special occasion. A popup exhibition of images and ‘fun facts’ in Victoria Quarter on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 November and an afternoon tea for past and present staff have also taken place.

 

Patrons of Leeds Grand are being encouraged to share their stories on social media tagging @grandtheatreLS1and using the hashtag #LeedsGrandAt140 or by emailing [email protected]. The best stories will be shared on The Grand’s social platforms.

 

“We should all be so very proud of the Grand Theatre, right through the country, the world and of course here in Yorkshire.” Dickie Bird OBE