Month: November 2018

Bristol Hippodrome until 24th November 2018

3.5****

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

One of ITV’s most successful and easily recognisable shows has been brought to the stage for their UK tour, and what a holiday you will be treated to!

Following Sophie and Ben, a married couple who are shipped off to the Solana after their stay in Altea goes awry, we see their disgust and anger at the Solana Staff, headed up by Joyce Temple-Savage. Jaqueline, Mateo, Liam, Sam, Kenneth and cabaret singer Asa are still in the Solana but have been alerted of holiday inspectors posing as a disgusted couple who are out to close down the hotel for good. The staff believe Sophie and Ben to be the inspectors, so go out of their way to ensure their holiday is perfect. Ben, befriends Jacquline, an old swinger who is only out for one thing! Whilst he tries to enjoy his holiday, his wife is wooed by Mateo ( Jake Canuso) who tries to use his charm to ensure the hotel stays afloat.

Having seen many episodes of Benidorm, it was a treat to be able to see the original cast excel on stage, where the characters truly belong. Kenneth and Liam (Tony Maudsley and Adam Gillen) were stand out, bringing their already larger than life characters to a stage where they could enhance their performances and play off the audiences fantastic reactions! The skimpy hot pants and camp jokes were exactly what the audience wanted! Together with Janine Duvitski as Jaqueline, they made an astonishing amount of double entendres that would put a pantomime to shame! Sherrie Houston and Jake Canuso as Joyce Temple-Savage and Mateo made us laugh and tantalised our minds with Mateo‘s shirtless scenes, fancy flamenco dancing and suggestive costume!

Derren Litten has brought a super show to the stage, with an easy to follow storyline, dance, song, frivolity and fun! Asa Elliott as the Cabaret singer of Neptunes Bar treated us to his fabulous voice at varying points of the show and Shelley Longworth as holiday rep Sam Wood soared through the auditorium with her exceptional voice for a finale that will put the heat back into this freezing winter, take you to Benidorm and make you sing dance and smile along! Not to be missed!

New Wimbledon Theatre, London – until Saturday 24 November 2018

Reviewed by Alexandra Sykes

4****

On a cold wet night in the middle of November what could be better than being transported back to the summer of 1963? Answer, absolutely nothing, it is actually the best way to spend your evening.

Subtitled as “the classic love story on stage” the musical tells the story of Frances ‘ Baby’ Houseman (Kira Malou) as she spends a family holiday at the Kellermans resort where she meets Johnny Castle (Michael O’Reilly) and has the time of her life.

With a soundtrack of 60’s songs interwoven into the story the only song that is actually sung in the show is (I’ve had) The Time Of My Life which was sung by Katie Eccles and Alex Wheeler, the other songs appear as instrumentals or are played on records or the radio.

The scenery is impressive, setting the scene in the dining room, the dance room or the iconic lake scene where Baby and Johnny practise their lift.

Although Malou’s American accent can be annoying at times this is easily forgotten thanks in part to O’Reilly’s impressive abs and in one scene, his very pert bottom which generated a lot of cheers from the female members of the audience.

A special mention should be given to Simone Covele who plays Penny, her dancing and flexibility are jaw dropping and she really manages to get the audience to be sympathetic to what happens to her.

In all it is a wonderful night out featuring the iconic line “I carried a watermelon” and the line everyone knows and said with Johnny “Nobody puts Baby in a corner” which lead to cheers and applause from the audience. With the iconic lift at the end of the show the audience held its breath as O’Reilly picked up Malou and cheered when they were in the position everyone knows from Dirty Dancing.

Francesca Moody Productions and Popcorn Group in association with Aspen
Fringe Festival and SEARED present:
Angry Alan
by Penelope Skinner
Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE
Tuesday 5th – Saturday 30th March 2019, 7pm

Following a smash-hit sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival, Penelope Skinner’s Fringe-First award winning play Angry Alan now transfers to Soho Theatre. This darkly comic play about masculinity in crisis is written and directed by multi-award-winning playwright Penelope Skinner (The Village Bike, Royal Court Theatre; Linda, Royal Court and Manhattan Theatre Club) and cocreated and performed by Donald Sage Mackay (True West, Vaudeville Theatre; Deep State, Fox TV; Linda, Manhattan Theatre Club).

Looking out over the country, this country, where I was born and raised, I wonder what’s going to become of us. Because this can’t be the future, can it? Everyone just… changing the rules?

Roger thinks the world’s gone mad. He hates his job, his ex-wife torments him and to top it all, his girlfriend just discovered feminism. Roger’s about to lose his shit. Until he discovers Angry Alan: online activist and ‘voice of reason’…

In 2016, in the wake of Trump’s election, Penelope Skinner was inspired to write a play about the anger which is dominating today’s political landscape. In doing so she stumbled across the Men’s Right’s Movement and, along with American actor Donald Sage Mackay, began creating Angry Alan, a story about Roger, an ordinary American man being radicalised online by an extremist movement. Angry Alan explores how any extreme political viewpoint can take root in
someone’s consciousness if they are vulnerable to it and how those who propagate such views may not be all that they seem.

Mackay is superb, and Skinner (who also directs) keeps it both simple and observant. She doesn’t seem to judge Roger at all – just to make us see more clearly the dangers of the kind of warped self-realisation he is encouraged by online forums to feel. It is a fierce, clear warning of what is going on, and it is utterly terrifying (What’s On Stage).

Angry Alan is a ruthlessly funny, timely and powerful play by one of the UK’s most significant feminist playwrights

Penelope Skinner and Donald Sage Mackay comment, We were delighted with the response to Angry Alan in Edinburgh and are so pleased to be coming to the Soho Theatre. Soho feels like the perfect home for this piece. And in this fraught and polarised political climate, we are grateful for the opportunity to keep telling this story.

 

Full casting announced for the premiere of Sabrina Mahfouz’s new stage adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses

 

Pilot Theatre, in co-production with Derby Theatre, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Mercury Theatre, Colchester and York Theatre Royal are delighted to announce full casting for the premiere of Sabrina Mahfouz’snew adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s critically acclaimed young adult novel of first love in a dangerous fictional dystopia – Noughts & Crosses.

 

As previously announced Noughts & Crosses’ exciting cast will be led by Heather Agyepong and Billy Harris playing the roles of Sephy and Callum. Heather Agyepong’s theatre credits include Girls (Talawa Theatre, High Tide & Martha Rose Wilson Productions); So Many Reasons (Fuel Theatre & Ovalhouse Theatre) and Sankara (Next Up Talent; National Theatre Studio). Heather is an acclaimed visual artist, actor and maker. Earlier this year she was nominated for the 2018 South Bank Sky Arts Breakthrough Award. Billy Harris’ theatre credits include Boots On The Ground (Tangled Feet) and 13 (Tobacco Factory Theatre).

Joining Heather and Billy will be Doreene Blackstock (Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare’s Globe; Cymbeline and Hamlet, RSC ) as Jasmine; Jack Condon (East, King’s Head Theatre and Last Man Standing, Theatre N16) as Jude, Daniel Copeland ( Invincible, Orange Tree Theatre and The Jungle Book, Leeds Playhouse) as Ryan; Lisa Howard (They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay, Northern Broadsides and Flood, Slung Low and Hull City of Culture 2017) as Meggie; Chris Jack (Brighton Rock, Pilot Theatre and York Theatre Royal and Our Town, Royal Exchange Manchester) as Kamal and Kimisha Lewis (Last Dream (on earth), National Theatre of Scotland and Send: A game of textual tennis, Lyric Hammersmith) as Minerva. All actors will also play ensemble roles.

Told from the perspectives of the two teenagers, Noughts & Crosses is a captivating love story set in a volatile, racially segregated society and explores the powerful themes of love, revolution and what it means to grow up in a divided world.

Sabrina Mahfouz’s new adaptation is based on Malorie Blackman’s first book in the Noughts & Crosses series for young adults, which has won the Red House Children’s Book Award and the Fantastic Fiction Award among other accolades. A BBC adaptation of Noughts & Crosses is due to be screened in 2019 and the fifth novel in the Noughts & Crosses sequence, Crossfire, will be published by Penguin Random House Children’s in summer 2019.

Directed by Pilot Theatre’s Artistic Director Esther Richardson (Brighton Rock) and designed by Simon Kenny (Sweeney Todd, Barrow Street Theatre and off-Broadway; Holes, Nottingham Playhouse and Black Man Walking, eclipse/Royal Exchange Manchester), Noughts & Crosses will be the first co-production between Pilot Theatre, Derby Theatre, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Mercury Theatre, Colchester and York Theatre Royal who have recently formed a new partnership to develop theatre for younger audiences. The companies will commission and co-produce an original mid-scale production each year from 2019-2022, which will play in all the consortium venues as well as touring nationally.

Noughts & Crosses will open at Derby Theatre from the 1-16 February 2019 and will then embark on a tour to Theatr Clwyd, Mold; The Lowry, Salford; Mercury Theatre Colchester; Bristol Old Vic; Brighton Theatre Royal; Belgrade Theatre Coventry; York Theatre Royal; Theatre Royal Stratford East and Northern Stage.

TOUR DATES

1-16 February 2019 –Derby Theatre

Box Office: 01332 593939 / www.derbytheatre.co.uk

19-23 February – Theatr Clwyd

Box Office: 01325 701521 / www.theatrclwyd.com

26 February-2 March –The Lowry, Salford

Box Office: 0843 208 6000 [http://%20www.thelowry.com/events]/ www.thelowry.com              

5- 9 March -Mercury Theatre Colchester

Box Office: 01206 573948 /www.mercurytheatre.co.uk  

12 – 16 March – Bristol Old Vic

Box Office: 0117 9877877 / www.bristololdvic.org.uk  

19-23 March – Brighton Theatre Royal

Box Office: 08448717650 https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton/

26-30 March – Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

Box Office: 02476553055 / www.belgrade.co.uk   

2-6 April – York Theatre Royal

Box Office: 01904 623568 / www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

24 April – 4 May -Theatre Royal Stratford East

Box Office: 020 8534 0310 / www.stratfordeast.com

7-11 May -Northern Stage

Box Office: 0191 2305151 / www.northernstage.co.uk

A West End Christmas 2018 – A magical night at The Actors Church, Covent Garden.

The Make A Difference Trust has been restoring the spirit of Christmas Since 2003, with casts and stars of West End shows coming together to be a part of A West End Christmas. With carols, Christmas songs and readings, Christmas is celebrated in true West End style. Once again this year we will be returning to the beautiful surroundings of St Paul’s (The Actors) Church in Covent Garden on Sunday 2^nd December 2018 at 7.30pm

Hosted by Richard Sheldon, the MAD 12 piece band, choirs and tap dancers will be joined by members of the West End companies of Disney’s The Lion King, Disney’s Aladdin, Mythic the Musical, Heathers, The Phantom of the Opera, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Six. Liz Connelly, Adrien Hansel, Maria Kesselman, Kerry Ellis, Eve Polycarpou, Michael Hobbs, Jane Milligan and Hannah Grace Lawson along with other special guests will be bringing their own unique styles to make sure that, as always, it is an evening of pure joy!

 

Melanie Tranter the Chair of The Make A Difference Trust, said: “Christmas is a time for tapping our toes, raising a glass and making merry. But it is also a time for charity and for reflection.  We are delighted that so many people from the West End Community are coming together on this special evening to raise funds for HIV/AIDS.”

The Make A Difference Trust is a UK based charity with a vision of a world free from HIV and AIDS. Building on the legacy of 30 years of fundraising by the Theatre industry, they continue to make the vision a reality having distributed over £1.6million in grants to support individuals experiencing hardship across the UK as well as over £1.5million to support projects with their UK and international partners. For further information about the Make A Difference Trust please visit  www.madtrust.org.uk

Tickets for this amazing show are priced from £35.00 and are available from

https://www.madtrust.org.uk/events/a-west-end-christmas/

Press contact and further information: David Pearson, d.pearson@madtrust.org.uk

LISTINGS INFO

A WEST END CHRISTMAS 2018

Sunday 2^nd DECEMBER 2018

Time: 7.30pm

Venue: St Paul’s (The Actors) Church, Bedford St, London, WC2E 9ED

Tickets: £45.00 £40.00, £35.00 (Booking fees apply) Ticket includes complimentary wine and & mince pies.

http://actorschurch.org/event/?show=10&id=873595117

WISE CHILDREN ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL UK TOUR DATE

Wise Children and The Old Vic present

The world première of

WISE CHILDREN

By Angela Carter

Adapted and directed by Emma Rice

Co-produced by the Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Oxford Playhouse and York Theatre Royal

Wise Children today announces an additional date for the UK tour of Emma Rice’s adaptation of Wise Children by Angela Carter. The production will now visit Richmond Theatre in addition to Oxford Playhouse, where the tour opened last week, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, HOME Manchester, York Theatre Royal and Storyhouse Chester before completing its run at Belgrade Theatre Coventry on 6 April.

‘Let’s have all the skeletons out of the closet, today, of all days!’ It’s 23 April, Shakespeare’s birthday.

In Brixton, Nora and Dora Chance – twin chorus girls born and bred south of the river – are celebrating their 75th birthday. Over the river in Chelsea, their father and greatest actor of his generation Melchior Hazard turns 100 on the same day. As does his twin brother Peregrine. If, in fact, he’s still alive. And if, in truth, Melchior is their real father after all…

A big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope. Expect show girls and Shakespeare, sex and scandal, music, mischief and mistaken identity – and butterflies by the thousand. Emma Rice brings her unique, exuberantly impish vision to Angela Carter’s great last novel, Wise Children, launching her new theatre company of the same name.

Emma Rice, said today, “Wise Children is a love letter to theatre, and in particular to the glorious traditions of music hall, pantomime and cabaret. The Richmond Theatre is a perfect addition to the tour! With its glittering chandelier, gilt edged proscenium arch and sumptuous red velvet seats, it’s exactly the kind of theatre our show’s heroines, the Chance Sisters, would have performed in night after night. After a joyful start at The Old Vic, we’re thrilled to be taking our heart warming show to audiences across the country. Bringing it back to Richmond, London and the banks of the Thames is the cherry on the top of our inaugural tour!’

 

Wise Children

Tour Listings

 

Oxford Playhouse

Until Saturday 17 November

www.oxfordplayhouse.com

Box Office: 01865 305305

Cambridge Arts Theatre

Tuesday 20 November – Saturday 24 November

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

Box Office: 01223 503333

2019

Bristol Old Vic

Weds 23 January – Saturday 9 February

www.bristololdvic.org.uk

Box Office: 0117 987 7877

HOME Manchester

Tuesday 26 February – Saturday 2 March

www.homemcr.org

0161 200 1500

York Theatre Royal

Tuesday 5 March – Saturday 16 March

www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

Box Office: 01904 623568

Richmond Theatre

Tuesday 26 March – Saturday 30 March

www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre/

Box Office: 0844 871 7651

Storyhouse Chester

Tuesday 19 – Saturday 23 March

www.storyhouse.com/

Box Office: 01244 409 113

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

Tuesday 2 – Saturday 6 April

www.belgrade.co.uk

Box Office: 024 7655 3055

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – until 24th November 2018

Reviewed by Antonia Hebbert

3***

A grumpy, tormented detective with a crumpled look investigates the gruesome murders of teenage girls. Sometimes crime fiction feels like your oldest jumper – familiar, comfortable and rather revolting. And like your old jumper, it may be baggy in places, with surprising twists.

Ian Rankin published his first Rebus detective novel in 1987, and there have been lots more books and TV adaptations since then. This is the first Rebus stage play, written by Rankin with playwright Rona Munro. By now Rebus (a convincingly weary Charles Lawson) is old and tired. An odd meeting with a girl on his tenement staircase leaves him haunted by unsolved mysteries of two decades ago. He is retired, but a procedural shortcut he took in the past (whacking a crook on the head with a plank) may be about to jeopardise an important murder investigation. Cathy Tyson plays the determined former colleague who is trying to get the truth out of him. With her capable manner, she gives us a sense that Rebus and his ways are out of date. There is much talk of DNA evidence. She also points out that murders of teenage girls are rather rare, which makes you wonder why this is yet another crime plot involving young female victims. Eleanor House and Dani Heron are the accusing ghosts of murders past; Neil McKinven plays almost everyone else, which is sometimes confusing. Characters from past and present overlap and emerge out of the shadows in Ti Green’s dark, sparse set (atmospherically lit by Chahine Yavroyan and Simon Bond). It is beautiful and elegant, like an abstract painting, but doesn’t have the feel of Edinburgh’s murky underside that Rebus fans might expect.

There is a change of pace in the second half, as Rebus faces his arch-foe ‘Big Ger’ Cafferty, played by a splendidly villainous John Stahl. This is all a bit more fun, as Cafferty savours his expensive wine and lofty views, not quite but nearly saying ‘mwah ha ha, now I have you in my power.’ And then there’s the twist which rather niftily picks up the loose threads and brings them together in a surprising way. Clever stuff, but not utterly compelling.

ALEXANDRA PALACE TO CELEBRATE THE REOPENING OF EAST COURT
AND THEATRE ON 1^ST DECEMBER FOLLOWING £27MILLION RESTORATION

• NEW SEASON MARKS FIRST PUBLIC PERFORMANCES IN 80 YEARS AT ALEXANDRA PALACE THEATRE
• BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED EAST COURT TO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
• ALLY PALLY’S FIRST EVER CHRISTMAS CARNIVAL TO RUN 1^ST – 16^THDECEMBER
• OPENING WEEKEND WILL HOST FREE EVENTS THROUGHOUT EAST WING INCLUDING FAMILY PROMS WITH BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA, BBC SINGERS AND HARINGEY MUSIC SERVICE
• RESTORATION SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL LOTTERY AND HARINGEY COUNCIL

Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust (APPCT) will reopen its Theatre and East Court on 1^stDecember 2018 with a series of events that encapsulates the vision for the venue. The reopening follows the completion of the three-year East Wing Restoration Project. In December, visitors can experience an eclectic arts programme in the sensitively restored Alexandra Palace Theatre whilst the East Court creates an open and accessible space in the complex to welcome visitors throughout the year.

The East Wing Restoration Project would not have been possible without the support of the National Lottery and Haringey Council. The East Wing Restoration is £27million project – the £18.8 million National Lottery grant was one of their biggest ever for a heritage project.

On the 1^st and 2^nd December, Alexandra Palace will open its doors to the public with a weekend of free events and celebrations as it begins its Christmas Carnival. On 1^st December, the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers will return to the Alexandra Palace Theatre, following their performances as part of the BBC Proms, to curate a day of music and interaction. Families will be able to perform and rehearse with the renowned orchestra and performers – creating a new Christmas piece. The performance will be recorded and broadcast on BBC Radio 3 over Christmas. Open to ages 7-plus and all abilities are welcome. Registration via christmas.alexandrapalace.com is required.

On 2nd December, Haringey Music Service will be inviting its choirs, made up of young people from across the borough, to rehearse and perform in the Theatre throughout the day. This will be followed by a free finale performance from Haringey Music Service’s Symphony Orchestra.

Ally Pally Christmas Carnival will run from the 1st until the 16th December.  Throughout the period, the Palace will host performances from local choirs, free workshops run by the Palace’s Creative Learning Team, a Christmas market curated by the Crouch End Market and Muswell Hill Creatives, funfair and street food. The events will run alongside ticketed attractions including a Santa’s Grotto, film screenings with Luna Cinema and the Palace’s ever-popular Ice Rink and Pantomime on Ice. The full programme can be found at christmas.alexandrapalace.com.

Last month saw the announcement of Alexandra Palace’s first theatrical co-production with Headlong and Bristol Old Vic, Richard III will open in March 2019. The current programme includes performances from legendary club Ronnie Scott’s, Dylan Moran, Gareth Malone and the BBC’s long-running “Friday Night is Music Night”. Further events will be announced soon.

Louise Stewart, Chief Executive of APPCT, said: “This December, people from London and beyond will be able to explore this incredible space that has been hidden from the public. The Christmas Carnival is a great opportunity to celebrate the hard work that has gone into completing this immense project, but also give people a chance to experience the work of the Charity and our Creative Learning Programme. We would like to thank the HLF, Haringey Council and the countless individuals, trusts and businesses who have supported this project and helped make the reopening a reality.”

Stuart Hobley, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund, London said: “Alexandra Palace is one of North London’s best-loved landmarks and has played an era-defining role in popular culture, from the birth of television to the Pink Floyd-headlined 14 Hour Technicolour Dream.  The beautifully-restored theatre and East Court will build on this unique legacy, and is only possible thanks to money raised by National Lottery players”.

Opening Weekend Schedule

Saturday 1 Dec
Christmas Family Orchestra & Chorus: 10:00 – 18:00
Performance at 19:00  

Join members of the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers for a very special Christmas Family Orchestra and Chorus workshop at the newly refurbished Victorian Theatre at Alexandra Palace! Professional BBC musicians and singers will work with you to create your own Christmas inspired soundscape.

The BBC will be recording this event for future broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

Registration at bbc.in/2F6boIs

Sunday 2 Dec
Haringey Music Service activity: 14:00 – 16:00

Including performances from the Haringey Youth Music Service Orchestra and other ensembles.

About Alexandra Palace Theatre

Originally opened in 1875, Alexandra Palace Theatre was a home for spectacle and delight, where audiences were entertained by pantomime, opera, drama, ballet and music hall. A marvel of Victorian engineering, it was home to some of the most advanced stage machinery and mechanics of the age, allowing performers to disappear, reappear and fly through the air.

From those grand beginnings, it went on to be used as a chapel during World War One, a cinema and the theatrical testing ground of stage icon Gracie Fields before being closed to the public and used as a BBC prop store and workshop.

Following a multi-million pound restoration project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fud and Haringey Council, Alexandra Palace Theatre will reopen in December 2018 with a mixed programme of drama, music, comedy and family shows.

Alexandra Palace is surrounded by 196 acres of Grade II listed parkland and offers unprecedented views of the city. The multi-award winning destination maintains its original enterprising spirit by hosting an eclectic mix of live music, sport, cultural and leisure events throughout the year.

Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust is the body responsible for maintaining and repairing the charitable assets of Alexandra Park and Palace as a place of public resort and recreation, forever, by Act of Parliament. The Charity aims to restore the iconic assets to create a successful and sustainable asset for all. For further information about the Park and Palace and the work of the Trust visit www.alexandrapalace.com

About The East Court

The East Wing’s reopening will herald a new chapter for Alexandra Palace, creating a new ways for the public to interact with the building and its unique history. The East Court of the Palace, which was originally dubbed the “Cabinet of Curiosity”, will provide a new communal space for the Palace and its community; from the Creative Learning Zone to exhibitions and events, plus space to relax with a coffee and refreshments.

The East Court will also be a home to a new interactive installation that will tell the story of the Palace’s role in development of leisure and entertainment in Britain. From exhibitions, music hall and theatre through to the advent of television and the development of the live music industry – Alexandra Palace has played a pivotal role and continues to be at the forefront of innovation.

NEW ADVENTURES

ANNOUNCES THE FULL CAST FOR

WORLD PREMIERE

OF97 YOUNG DANCERS MAKE THEIR DEBUTS WITH NEW ADVENTURES

UK TOUR OPENS 13 MAY 2019

New Adventures is delighted to announce full casting for the world premiere of Matthew Bourne’s “ROMEO AND JULIET” opening at Curve, Leicester on Monday 13 May 2019, as part of a UK tour to 13 venues including a four-week summer season at Sadler’s Wells from Wednesday 7 August to Saturday 31 August 2019. Full tour schedule below.

Matthew Bourne’s “ROMEO AND JULIET” is a passionate and contemporary re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic love story. Bursting with youth, vitality and Matthew Bourne’s trademark storytelling, Britain’s brightest young dance talent join the New Adventures company for this World Premiere production.

As part of New Adventures’ ambition to support the next generation of on-stage talent “ROMEO AND JULIET” will feature the finest emerging male and female dancers from around the UK. The search began in April 2018 with a call-out for young dancers currently in training aged between 16 and 19. Attracting over 1000 applications and following a UK-wide audition tour, Young Cast members will perform at each venue alongside the New Adventures company.

Matthew Bourne said today “New Adventures’ “Romeo and Juliet” will be a celebration of youthful energy, talent and creativity both on and off-stage and, uniquely, in all aspects of Choreography, Design and Music through the appointment of a series of “Young Associate Artists”.   As we enter our fourth decade as a company I’m finding the development of young talent ever more important and fulfilling. Our new company of “Romeo and Juliet” features a staggering 97 young dancers making their debuts with us; some are joining us as part of their third year of training, others have come through our Company initiatives such as “Swan School”, “A Summer Adventure” and of course, our production of “Lord of the Flies” which inspired so many young men to seek careers in dance. This time we have focused on nurturing young male and female dancers, and I have been overwhelmed by the talent that we have had to choose from throughout the UK. I’m particularly happy to be working alongside my Young Associate Choreographer, Arielle Smith, an exceptional young dancemaker of great maturity and vision. In turn, after 30 years as a professional choreographer, I look forward to being refreshed and inspired by what this team of young artists will bring to Shakespeare’s classic tale of tragic conflict and young love”. 

As previously announced the title roles of ‘Romeo’ and ‘Juliet’ will be played by six New Adventures rising stars and two exciting new dancers making their professional debuts.

Creating the role of Juliet will be Cordelia Braithwaite, currently performing as ‘Cinderella’ on the international tour; Seren Williams, who joined New Adventures in 2016 with Matthew Bourne’s award-winning production of “The Red Shoes” and Bryony Harrison who is making her debut with New Adventures on tour with Matthew Bourne’s legendary production of “Swan Lake”

 

The role of Romeo will be created by Andrew Monaghan, currently ‘The Pilot’ in “Cinderella”, Paris Fitzpatrick who is playing the ‘Angel’ in “Cinderella” and João Carolino who joined the company in 2017 with “Early Adventures”

Making their professional debuts with the company are Harrison Dowzell, as ‘Romeo’, who auditioned for the Young Cast in Nottingham, and Bryony Wood, as ‘Juliet’, discovered during the Young Cast auditions in Southampton. Both are in their graduate years at Performers College and Tring Park School for the Performing Arts respectively.

They are joined by leading New Adventures artists, Madelaine Brennan, Daisy May Kemp, DannyReubens and Daniel Wright who will create the “adult” world of “Romeo and Juliet”.

Ben Brown, Reece Causton, Jackson Fisch, Kate Lyons, Stephen Murray and Mark Samaraswho will come to this production direct from our USA Tour of Matthew Bourne’s “Cinderella”.

 

In addition there are sixteen young artists making their debut with New Adventures: Natasha Chu, Gaby Conn, Monique Jonas, Sharol Mackenzie, Hannah Mason, Asher Rosenheim, Catrin Thomas, Chris Thomas and Roisin Whelan; along with Benjamin Derham from Canterbury,Cameron Flynn from Aberdeen and Billy Scott from Plymouth who all performed in the Young Cast in the acclaimed New Adventures production of “Lord of the Flies” in 2014; and Alexander Fadayiroat Central School of Ballet, Jana Baldovino at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and Stanley Duventru-Huret at Urdang Academy who are completing their third year of dance training while on tour with “ROMEO AND JULIET”.

In addition to the full time cast above we will be joined by 6 young cast members (82 in total) at each venue making their debut with New Adventures:

At Curve, Leicester: Cerise Bedder, Austin Bladon, Megan Ferguson, Christian Knight and Alexander Love.

At Alhambra Theatre, Bradford: Pattarapong Chomchan, Zac Crowe, Bethany Curry, Yvette Levine, Hollie Smith and Tom Sutton.

At Royal & Derngate, Northampton: Matthew Brion, Jamie Blackadder, Edwin Cheng, Alanah Corbridge, Elise Ward and Karishma Young.

At Theatre Royal Plymouth: James Knott, Jamel Maarfi, Maea Morgan, Samuel Parham, Ella Roberts and Jessica Tarrant.

 

At The Lowry, Salford: Katie Agarwal, Georgia Collier, Orla Collier, Brandon Hunter, Patrick King and Kayde-Samuél Wright.

At Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff: Rachel Brookes-Brent, Llewelyn Brown, Berwyn Cooper, Atlanta Hatch and Francesca Rees.

At Sadler’s Wells, London, Cast One:  Tanisha Addicott, Dan Baines, Emily Galvin, Ashton Hall, Hannah Kremer and Janacek Wood.

At Sadler’s Wells, London, Cast Two: Matt Cotton, Alexandra De Le Bastide, Hannah Joseph, Matthew Rawcliffe, Cleo Rose and Thomas Walton.

At Norwich Theatre Royal: Joe Barbrook, Chandi Brading, Freya Brown, Isis Clunie, Amonik Melaco and Jack Richardson.

At Birmingham Hippodrome: Lewis Baker: Órla Baxendale, India-Rose Cox, Savannah Ffrench, Alexander Love and Enrique Ngbokota.

At Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury: Matthew Amos, Eleanor McGrath, Charlie Mellor, Casper Mott, Rossana Samele and Holly Saw.

 

At Mayflower Theatre, Southampton: Dillon Berry, Samuel Dilkes, Bethany Hunt, Isabelle Evans, Arianne Morgan and Jago Mottart.

 

At Theatre Royal, Nottingham: Austin Bladon, Megan Ferguson, Alistair Fernie, Victoria Keal, Jaimie Tank and Sua Tsubokura-Aguiriano.

At Theatre Royal, Newcastle: Louis Baxter, Sam Carruthers, Kayleigh Oborka–Letman, Lisa Robinson, Andrew Scott and Chloe Shutt

 

New Adventures is committed to finding and developing diverse young talent from across the UK. Since “Lord of the Flies” in 2014 New Adventures has been supporting young dancers from this production on their journey into training and professional work.  The company have delivered various initiatives, including Swan School, two week-long intensives designed to prepare graduate level dancers for the audition process.

Continuing New Adventures’ commitment to developing off-stage talent we have recruited a team of Young Associate Artists to work alongside the Artistic team in the creation of this world premiere production. Arielle Smith joins as Young Associate Choreographer; Elin Steele as Young Associate Set & Costume Designer and Ali Hunter as Young Associate Lighting Designer.

 

“ROMEO AND JULIET” is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne, collaborating with his entire New Adventures Associate Artistic team; Etta Murfitt, Associate Artistic Director, set and costume design by Lez Brotherston; lighting by Paule Constable; sound by Paul Groothuis; and new orchestrations of the Prokofiev score by Terry Davies, played live at every venue by The New Adventures Orchestra conducted by Brett Morris.

For more information please visit: www.new-adventures.net

Facebook /MBNewAdventures    Twitter @New_Adventures     Instagram @MBNewAdventures

 

LISTINGS

ROMEO AND JULIET TOUR DATES 2019

MONDAY 13 MAY – SATURDAY 18 MAY

CURVE, LEICESTER – www.curveonline.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 22 MAY – SATURDAY 25 MAY

ALHAMBRA THEATRE, BRADFORD – www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 28 MAY – SATURDAY 1 JUNE

ROYAL & DERNGATE, NORTHAMPTON – www.royalandderngate.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 4 JUNE – SATURDAY 8 JUNE

THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH – www.theatreroyal.com

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 11 JUNE – SATURDAY 15 JUNE

THE LOWRY, SALFORD – www.thelowry.com

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 18 JUNE – SATURDAY 22 JUNE

WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE, CARDIFF – www.wmc.org.uk

ON SALE 26 NOVEMBER 2018

WEDNESDAY 7 AUGUST – SATURDAY 31 AUGUST (PRESS NIGHTS 9 AUGUST & 23 AUGUST)

SADLER’S WELLS, LONDON – www.sadlerswells.com

ON SALE NOW

 

TUESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 7 SEPTEMBER

NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL – www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

ON SALE SPRING 2019

 

TUESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 14 SEPTEMBER

BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME – www.birminghamhippodrome.com

ON SALE 3 DECEMBER 2018

 

TUESDAY 17 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 21 SEPTEMBER

MARLOWE THEATRE, CANTERBURY – www.marlowetheatre.com

ON SALE SOON

 

TUESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 28 SEPTEMBER

MAYFLOWER THEATRE, SOUTHAMPTON – www.mayflower.org.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 1 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER

THEATRE ROYAL, NOTTINGHAM – www.trch.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 9 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER

THEATRE ROYAL, NEWCASTLE – www.theatreroyal.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

 

Please note: Alexander Love will perform in both Birmingham and Leicester. Austin Bladon and Megan Ferguson will perform in both Leicester and Nottingham.

PLAYSTART: AN INITIATIVE BY THE MONO BOX TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PLAYWRIGHTS

• NEW WRITING NIGHT AND FUNDRAISER ANNOUNCED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE MONO BOX
• PLAYSTART WILL TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY 28TH NOVEMBER
• THE MONO BOX WAS SET UP IN 2013 TO SUPPORT EMERGING ACTING TALENT
• TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT THEMONOBOX.CO.UK/PLAYSTART

The Mono Box announces PLAYSTART: on 28 November 2018.  With patrons including Sir Derek Jacobi, Vanessa Kirby and Joseph Marcell tickets VIP and general access tickets are now on sale.

Over the last 10 weeks The Mono Box has curated and mentored 5 new playwrights, 5 directors and 16 actors, showing their commitment to support young theatre makers. Mentors include playwrights Tristan Bernays, Lisa Carroll, Arinze Kene, Hannah Khalil, Rory Mullarkey and director Ned Bennett.

Join The Mono Box for an evening sharing of these 5 short plays and help raise money for the continued personal, professional and social development of young artists. As PLAYSTART received over 700 applications for just 26 places, they need your help to support this pool of British talent.

THE PLAYS:

The Interview 
By Graeme Brookes
Directed by Emma Baggott
A panel of three interviewers are meeting with one of many applicants to see if they’re ‘working class enough’ to obtain support from their elite organisation. In trying to offer their support, the expert panel slowly lose control with their own reality. What starts with honest intentions turns into a grotesque grilling.THE INTERVIEW is an absurd comedy written with a biting political edge that will make you laugh, wince, cringe and scream! 

Papa 
By Sid Sagar
Directed by Sam Hardie
PAPA explores the troubled relationship between a father and a daughter. It questions notions of parenting, failure and masculinity, and asks whether we can ever truly overcome our past mistakes. 

NSA
By Charles Entsie
Directed by Imogen Wyatt Corner
SA is about the conflict between doing what it takes to survive in the present, when also trying to secure something for your future.

LA MERDE 
By Roberta Livingston
Directed by Fiona Kingwill
La Merde follows the journey of Chrissy, a black student who is obsessed with make-up. She aspires to be as successful as her idol Allegra Aldridge, a YouTube beauty sensation. But as she delves into the growing beast that is the YouTube world she soon discovers the cracks that are hidden within it.

Godfrey 
By Aisling Towl
Directed by Roberta Zuric
GODFREY is a short play set in an ‘up and coming’/ gentrified South London restaurant. It follows four people; Simone, Jason, Carys and Godfrey, through one working day, honing in on the kind of seemingly mundane conversations that expose the parts of ourselves we try desperately to hide. 

A playtext of the plays will be launched by Oberon at the event.

The evening is sponsored by Hallgarten & Novum Wines and will present food from pOrX and The Indians Next Door Street Food. Expect live music and raffle with prizes including VIP access to Royal Academy, Curtain Call membership and designer gifts.

LISTINGS

DATE: 
Wednesday 28th November

LOCATION: 
The Biscuit Factory,
Block F Warehouse,
100 Clements Road,
SE16 4DG
(Nearest station: Bermondsey)

TIME: 
Doors 6.30pm
7pm – 10pm

GENERAL ADMISSION:
£12

VIP TICKETS: 
Includes drink reception, food and a gift.
£50

To buy tickets:https://www.themonobox.co.uk/playstart
To donate to The Mono Box: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/supportthemonobox