Month: March 2019

Felicity Ward to lead the cast ofKill Climate Deniers
Pleasance Theatre, Carpenters Mews, North Road, London N7 9EF
Tuesday 4th – Friday 28th June 2019

Is it okay to upset and offend people with a hyperbolic title like this?
Does the end justify the means?

In her first UK theatre role, Felicity Ward will lead the cast of the European premiere of David Finnigan’s provocative and incendiary play Kill Climate Deniers. One of Australia’s hottest comics, Felicity Ward has taken the British comedy scene by storm. With critically acclaimed hit runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, London and beyond, she has also headlined Live from the BBC and appeared on Mock the Week, Russell Howard’s Good News and starred in The Inbetweeners Movie 2.

An action film wrapped in a TED talk, Kill Climate Deniers won the Griffin Playwriting Award ahead of its 2018 premiere in Sydney, Australia, where it provoked, enraged and delighted audiences and critics alike. On at the Pleasance this June, it is a bold new satire which blends fact and fiction as it explores in parallel a hostage situation teetering on the brink of calamity and what happened when Finnigan first tried to stage this play.

What would it take to actually stop climate change dead in its tracks? Science? Recycling? Experts? Or maybe: techno, guns and revolution? Environment Minister Gwen Malkin’s plan to stop climate change is rudely interrupted when a group of eco-terrorists storm Australia’s Parliament House during a Fleetwood Mac concert.

More than just a play about climate change and the end of civilisation as we know it, it’s about the power of echo chambers, about political division and allegiances, about a public increasingly distrustful and disinterested in experts. This is a play about failing to talk about the issues that matter most

Felicity Ward comments, I am absolutely delighted to be involved with Kill Climate Deniers. It’s the coolest play I’ve ever read and quite frankly what is not to love about the words: a self-aware post-modern comedy AND action play about climate change, politics, and media hysteria.

Writer David Finnigan comments, I wrote the first draft of this play back in 2014, and I really hoped it would be dated and irrelevant by now. The fact that more and more people are finding their way to it – including, excitingly, in the UK – is great, but also, a really bad sign. This play is saying: I’m scared, turn the volume all the way up, panic euphoria, hold hands tightly, let’s go.

Director Nic Connaughton adds, Last month schoolchildren went on strike across the country to protest about government inaction on climate change, in response climate change was debated in the main chamber of the House of Commons for the first time in two years. Only a handful of MPs attended. This play couldn’t be more timely. This is not a play about Australian politics; it is a play about how as a society we are failing to confront the realities of climate change. Kill Climate Deniers is a provocative and necessary satire that appeals to those on both sides of the debate to listen to one another, and to save the planet

PETERBOROUGH NEW THEATRE ANNOUNCES

ANNUAL PANTOMIME THE WIZARD OF OZ

There will be no place like Peterborough this Christmas as the newly relaunched New Theatre announces The Wizard of Oz as their pantomime spectacular running from 14 – 31 December with tickets on sale now.

Join Dorothy on a whirlwind adventure through the Emerald City as she and her loyal friends: the brainless but cheeky scarecrow, the cowardly lion, and the heartless (literally!) tap-dancing tin man, navigate through the magical Land of Oz in search of the mighty and mysterious wizard. With the Wicked Witch of the West determined to stop them by any means necessary, however, will the spirit of friendship triumph over evil?

With a star cast to be announced, the Wizard of Oz promises to be the biggest panto in town, a perfect treat for the whole family – expect lashings of audience participation, dazzling costumes and plenty of laughter with guaranteed to have you shouting, clapping, and singing along to a host of chart-topping hits!

The Wizard of Oz will be brought to the stage by Prime Pantomimes as part of their debut season. Prime Pantomimes is a dedicated pantomime production company founded by award-winning Selladoor Worldwide and Immersion Theatre Company. Both companies are passionate about pantomime and promise to create story-driven, localised, and highly interactive productions.

Prime Pantomimes producer James Tobias said: “We couldn’t be more delighted to be part of the inaugural season at the New Theatre Peterborough and are looking forward to bringing the wonderful story of Oz to life this Christmas in a spectacular show for all the family full of all of your favourite panto ingredients”

Click your heels together and book your tickets at www.newtheatre-peterborough.com  from just £12 – book before Easter Monday for an early bird offer of 10% off tickets.

Leeds Playhouse – until 30th March 2019

Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

5*****

Following their success of Romeo and Juliet which was played in the Playhouse two years ago Shakespeare’s Hamlet is brought on stage during their exciting Pop-Up season. Amy Leach (who directed Romeo and Juliet) directs Hamlet, a modern contemporary retelling of the classic tragedy, and it stars Tessa Parr (who starred as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet) in the lead role.

It is about a young woman who returns from university to only find out her father, the King of Denmark, is dead and her mother, Gertrude (Jo Mousley), very soon after remarried her uncle, Claudius (Joe Alessi). Hamlet’s grief turns to anger when she finds out through the ghost of her father (Robert Pickavance) that her uncle murdered him and she seeks revenge.

Hamlet is certainly the tragedy of all Shakespeare’s tragedies and looks in detail how the tragedy affects all the characters and the impact it has on the families and the community. This production allows a thorough exploration of the characters amid the strong emerging themes of greed, power, revenge and ultimately murder and death. Mental health and distress play a big part and they are defining factors particularly among Hamlet as she is declared “mad” by her family. It also affects Ophelia (Simona Bitmate) who struggles with the events that affected their relationship between her and Hamlet.

The play tragically ends with an all-out fencing fight between Hamlet and Laertes (Dan Parr) which immediately changes the future of Denmark and the play also creatively underlines the political struggles with the other neighbouring kingdoms.

Hayley Grindle’s dark stunning staging is ambient, atmospheric and it represents the mood and spirit of Hamlet particularly with its strong themes. The space is versatile and creatively well used and every inch is certainly not wasted and symmetries well with Joshua Carr’s dimmed but effective lighting.

Parr plays this unique re-gendering role and crucially adds a fresh dimension to Hamlet. The re-gendering of Hamlet offers artists and creators opportunities to re-address the tragedy’s well known themes and how they and also its characters can relate to the world today particularly with regards to gender, sexuality and equality. This production had reignited the imagination of many that Hamlet can be a play for the 21st Century as much as when it was first written.

Parr is absolutely outstanding as Hamlet and articulately portrays this troubled character on stage and she is supported by the rest of an amazing cast including the Pop-Up season’s ensemble and young actors from the Playhouse’s youth programmes. An outstanding play from beginning to end and a big thanks to the cast and also to Leach and her talented creative team. Certainly a must see production and is on at the Playhouse until the end of March.

THE NATIONAL THEATRE’S 2019 RIVER STAGE LINE UP ANNOUNCED: THE GLORY, SHUBBAK FESTIVAL, NATIONAL PARK CITY FESTIVAL AND FRANTIC ASSEMBLY

The National Theatre today announces the creative partners for the 2019 River Stage Festival. The annual festival on London’s South Bank runs throughout the summer with leading arts and performance companies celebrating the best of British and International culture, drag artists and London’s green and blue spaces, including the River Thames. The line-up is as follows:

• The Glory (5-7 July)

East London’s cabaret mecca and drag pub The Glory celebrate Pride at the NT with a tour-de-force weekend of back-to-back shows and parties, including the best of their sensational drag queen contest LIPSYNC1000, plus their drag king battle Man Up.

• Shubbak Festival (12-14 July)

Mixing family activities with bands, spoken word and DJ sets, Shubbak presented in partnership with Amal – a Saïd Foundation programme – brings the best of the Arab cultural scene to the River Stage.

• National Park City Festival (19-21 July)

A line-up dedicated to all things green and wild in celebration of London becoming the world’s first National Park City.

• Frantic Assembly (26-28 July)

Celebrating their 25th Birthday Frantic Assembly kick off celebrations at the River Stage with DJ’s, live music, movement workshops, performances and much more.

• National Theatre takeover (2-4 August).

A joyful party weekend to close the River Stage festival 2019. The National Theatre will throw open its doors and let the creativity spill out bringing you the very best in family theatre, dance, music and more.

Rufus Norris, Director of the National Theatre, says: “River Stage has become synonymous with London’s summer festival scene: a month long celebration of the arts on the banks of the River Thames that welcomes revellers, the culturally curious and families to come and experience an abundance of talented performers and artists for free. This year, we are thrilled to once again partner with The Glory, partners new to River Stage Shubbak Festival, National Park City Festival and Frantic Assembly, as well as curating our own National Theatre take-over for the final weekend.”

No festival would be complete without an exciting food and drinks offer, and River Stage will be no different. Set alongside the backdrop of the National Theatre will be: Wine Box, Melt Ice Cream, The Cheese Iron, Campfire Pizza, The Otherstudy and Apothecary.

The complete line-up of acts, artists and performers will be announced at a later date.

DIRECTOR AND THEATRE-MAKER BETH SHOULER

TO JOIN CURVE AS NEW WORK ASSOCIATE

Curve is pleased to announce director, writer, theatre-maker and producer Beth Shouler will join Curve in the newly created position of New Work Associate.

Beth will lead on the delivery of Curve’s New Work projects including plays, musicals, dance and digital, alongside leading artist development, championing local talent and diversity, and developing both artists and audiences for the future.

Originally from Nottingham and having showcased new work previously at Curve as one of the theatre’s Breakthrough artists, Beth specialises in developing writing and work by and for young people and creating new work and platforms for artists to present their work. Beth has also worked with large groups of young people and community companies offering early-career artists support to develop their craft. Beth will continue this as New Work Associate and will also support the delivery of programmes and participatory projects for schools and young people across the East Midlands.

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said:

“Beth will be a phenomenal addition to our team. The number of Made at Curve productions, new work and ambitions around young people and our communities continues to grow in scale and ambition; Beth’s passion, vision for New Work at Curve and commitment to artists goes to the heart of all of this work. Developing local artists, writers, new musicals and telling local stories is paramount at Curve and we look forward to Beth furthering this work, challenging and inspiring us all.”

Beth has worked as a director and facilitator with various companies and organisations including: Kiln Theatre, The Almeida, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Nottingham Playhouse, Derby Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre, Synergy Theatre, Index on Censorship, Theatre West, The Bike Shed Theatre, John Whiting Award, New Perspectives, Theatre Writing Partnerships, ACT2, NEAT 11, Junk Shop Theatre, Arsenal Football Club and the European Theatre Convention. 

She was resident Staff Director for two years at Theatre Royal Plymouth and was the Young Company Director at the Tricycle Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre and Nottingham Arts Theatre. Beth was the recipient of the In Good Companymid-career commission, co-founded The Party Somewhere Else Collective and set up the Junk Shop Theatre, which she runs with Loreto Murray. She was also a member of development company Toast who produce Plymouth Fringe Festival and is Royal Court Writers Group alumni.

Commenting on her new role, Beth Shouler said:

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Curve team and championing new work within the building, Leicester and the wider region. The East Midlands is becoming one of the most exciting places to be an artist at the moment and it is real privilege to support artists, create opportunities for work to be made locally, and find ways to grow the theatre-making ecology more broadly. I’m originally from the area and was a Breakthrough Artist at Curve, so I’m especially delighted to nurture East Midlands voices as well as engage with brilliant new work, whether that’s by communities, young people, professional companies or individual creatives. Curve make brilliant shows and it’s an incredibly friendly building, I’m really looking forward to being part of the organisation and joining such a talented team.”

To find out more about Curve, visit www.curveonline.co.uk

Reimagining Yeadon Town Hall

Yeadon Town Hall Community Interest Company (CIC) officially takes over the iconic 140-year-old building from Leeds City Council from 1st April 2019.

The new management team has exciting plans for the regeneration. This includes full refurbishment and modernisation throughout the building and providing a new entertainment programme, including producing and curating a variety of shows and events to serve the wider community

With the help of Key Fund, a Sheffield-based social enterprise investment company, and a significant contribution from Leeds City Council Heritage Fund, Yeadon Town Hall CIC has been able to secure the funding needed to begin making the improvements.

Works will include carrying out major redecoration throughout the building – including replacing flooring and curtains, refurbishing the
kitchen and bathroom facilities and revamping the bar area to provide a
larger and more welcoming space for patrons to enjoy a pre-show drink.

Practical considerations include refurbishing the 90-year-old heating system and improving the main auditorium by increasing the stage depth, introducing new stage rigging equipment and adding professional stage flooring. There are also plans to create additional dressing rooms and backstage areas, a new accessible reception desk and Box Office that will be open during the day and before events, and a VIP lounge bar to
provide a luxurious area for VIP guests to enjoy.

The improvement work will respect and preserve the building’s heritage. The landmark clock tower and its clock faces will be restored, in addition to major repair work to the roof, exterior walls and the stunning stained glass windows. The original double height Victorian ceilings and stained glass windows in the bar area will be revealed, creating an entirely unique space. Care will also be taken to ensure decoration throughout the building complements the historical architecture, providing a characterful ambiance with a nod to Yeadon Town Hall’s impressive heritage

Jamie Hudson, Director of Yeadon Town Hall CIC, says: “The local community is as passionate as we are about preserving the Town Hall and ensuring it is fit for purpose for many years to come. The refurbishment will take a lot of time, money and dedication but we hope to have the building restored to its former glory by the end of 2020. In the meantime, wherever possible the building will continue to be functional, providing quality entertainment from across the UK.”

For over a century the Town Hall has been standing proud in the centre of Yeadon. It has previously been used as a public baths, council chambers, library, school rooms, cinema and a concert hall. In recent years, since its 1998 refurbishment, Yeadon Town Hall has been predominantly used as the theatre and arts venues we all know and love today. Many of its other rooms function as space available to hire for the local community. The current mix of tenants include a pre-school, writers’ groups and amateur theatre societies.

The new takeover will continue to serve the local community, providing quality space in the heart of the town for groups and businesses to hire.
The predominant focus, however, will continue to be the events showcased in the main auditorium. Yeadon Town Hall CIC has already planned a variety of one-night entertainment shows, ranging from tribute nights to classical concerts

The highlight of this year’s programme will be shows produced by Yeadon Town Hall – a feature that is only anticipated to grow and become more prominent over the forthcoming years. The Town Hall will aim to produce and tour original shows, as well as welcoming other production companies. Original 2019 shows produced by Yeadon Town Hall and resident theatre company Futurist Productions include A Night at the Musicals in July, Mr Montgomery’s Circus Spectacular in August and of course the annual Christmas Spectacular coming up in December, which is fast becoming a highlight for many people in the run-up to Christmas. Yeadon Town Hall will also introduce the world premiere of The Carole King Songbook from 13th-15th June, before the show embarks on a countrywide tour throughout 2019/20

Jamie continues: “Our programme of events includes something for everyone. Families will enjoy our musical cabaret show, A Night at the Musicals and of course our Circus Spectacular is ideal entertainment for those looking for fun activities during the summer holidays. We’re also catering for music fans and classical concert-goers, and have many exciting plans on the horizon including the introduction of Yeadon Town Hall cinema screenings and regular comedy nights. Watch this space!”

The group are hoping to raise an additional £100,000 to contribute to the improvements, that will ensure the building continues to be utilised and enjoyed by the wider community for many years to come. From sponsoring a plaque on the Town Hall’s Wall of Fame to larger corporate sponsorship opportunities, Yeadon Town Hall CIC welcome any level of contribution from the community. It also hopes both regular and new visitors to Yeadon Town Hall will support upcoming events at the venue.

For more information on the restoration and to find out what’s on at Yeadon Town Hall, visit www.yeadontownhall.co.uk or contact Box Office on 0333 666 33 66.

Above The Stag presents:

Goodbye Norma Jeane

The untold tale from the Golden Age of Hollywood

Written by Liam Burke
Directed by Robert McWhir

16^th March – 7^th April

Tuesday – Saturday 7:15pm, Sunday 5pm

ABOVE THE STAG THEATRE

72 Albert Embankment London, SE1 7TP

“A show you float away from, romanced by a moment in time that would never live again but for the imaginations of such talented artists.” AussieTheatre.com

“…moving, funny and simply brilliant”Theatre Press (AUS)

It’s the early morning hours of August 5, 1962 and, with a gay pool party playing out in his backyard, Hollywood choreographer Jack Cole wakes to devastating news…

The death of Marilyn Monroe.

Norma Jeane’s suicide signalled the death of glamorous Hollywood’s innocence and the fizzling out of Cole’s own prestige. We join him – the now-unknown architect behind many of Golden Age Hollywood’s most iconic leading ladies and largely uncredited father of theatrical jazz dance – on this tragic morning.

Visited by legends of the hour Lana Turner, Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth and his former assistant Gwen Verdon, rather than grieve, Cole obsesses over memories of how hard Norma Jeane was to work with. As audiences watch him slowly accept reality and graciously say farewell, they are treated to an intimate and untold true story, and an insightful glimpse behind the glitz of showbiz, into the life of a figure who made it tick.

A two-hander, the play features Tim English as Cole, and a myriad of female demigoddesses including Lana Turner, Norma Jeane, Martha Graham, Ann Miller, Gwen Verdon, Jane Russell, Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth all convincingly embodied by a single actress, Rachel Stanley.

Featuring Cole’s original choreography from as early as his 1938 club act (at New York’s Rainbow Room), famous routines such as Gwen Verdon’s Egyptian Dance from the 1951 movie ‘David and Bathsheba’ and thrilling, never-seen choreography, ‘Goodbye Norma Jeane’ is an extensively researched and thoughtful ode to one of dance’s under-acknowledged heroes. Its first run, under original name ‘Good-bye Miss Monroe’, was nominated for a Matilda Award in 2014 which was followed by a sold-out season in Melbourne, Australia.

Line-up announced for My White Best Friend and Other Letters Left Unsaid
The Bunker, 53A Southwark Street London SE1 1RU
Monday 18th – Saturday 23rd March 2019

The full line-up of performers for the week-long festival of letters, My White Best Friend and Other Letters Left Unsaid, has been announced. Could you put your white best friend on stage and remind them that they’re part of the problem? Taking to the stage across the week to blindread the letters are Phoebe Fox (A View from the Bridge, Broadway and West End; The Acid Test, Royal Court Theatre), Ben Bailey Smith (David Brent: Life on the Road, BBC Films; as Doc Brown: Live at the Apollo, BBC) and The Bunker’s own Artistic Director, Chris Sonnex.

The exciting line-up also includes George MacKay (Pride, Pathé; Sunshine on Leith, BFI), Nick Holder (The Threepenny Opera, National Theatre; Everyman, National Theatre), Cherelle Skeete (Fun Home, Young Vic; Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Palace Theatre), Danny Lee Wynter (The Maids, Manchester HOME; Cell Mates, Hampstead Theatre), Shvorne Marks (A Profoundly Affectionate…, Royal Court Theatre; House, Clean Break) and Ria Zmitrowicz (Three Girls, BBC; X,
Royal Court Theatre). These join the previously announced Inès de Clercq (Broadchurch, ITV; Jerusalem, Channel 4), Rosie Day (Watership Down, BBC; Outlander, STARZ), Tom Moutchi (Famalam, BBC; Twitstorm, Park Theatre) and Zainab Hasan (Tamburlaine, RSC; Shakespeare Trilogy, Donmar Warehouse).

Originally part of Black Lives Black Words, De-Lahay’s provocative act of letter writing engages with racial tensions, microaggressions and emotional labour. How do you start the conversation with someone you love about how their beliefs, their unthinking actions, their politics undermine, hurt, erase you? Writer Rachel De-Lahay and director Milli Bhatia have commissioned eleven writers to pen letters that say the unsaid to the people that matter most.

Inspired by the original piece, every night new letters will be given to performers to read for the first time onstage. Some of the most exciting voices in the UK have joined De-Lahay and Bhatia to put pen to paper to tackle the most uncomfortable and thorny issues in today’s society with work from Zia Ahmed, Travis Alabanza, Fatimah Ashgar, Nathan Bryon, Matilda Ibini, Jammz, Iman Qureshi, Anya Reiss, Nina Segal and Tolani Shoneye.

Each night’s line-up will be shared on the day through The Bunker’s social media. The performances will be followed by a DJ set in The Bunker with audiences invited to stay and enjoy the space until late.

Rachel De-Lahay comments, These are some of my favourite writers, who we asked to face some of their biggest fears and gripes about the world today. What we have now is a collection of brave and fearless essays of all the things most people tend to shy away from thinking let alone saying. And we’re going to shoot them out into the ether – for one night only – our very own Snapchat or Insta story of theatre

Fighter by Libby Liburd
Stratford Circus Arts Centre, Theatre Square, London E15 1BX
Thursday 25th – Saturday 27th April 2019
I thought about giving up. But then I remembered who was watching.

Inspired by the pioneering British female boxers who fought for their right to fight, Fighter is a raucously visceral show, combining theatre and live boxing, that packs a real punch. Featuring a cast of genuine young boxers, this show blurs boundaries in an unexplored style that will leave you on the edge of your ringside seat!

Single mum Lee is a fighter. She’s used to fighting the world, alone. No one’s in her corner, she’s down but not out – yet. Then she steps into Tommy’s Gym and everything changes: plunged into the world of boxing, Lee’s fight really begins. What happens when all you can do is grit your teeth and keep moving forward?

Capitalising on the Olympic legacy of ‘firsts’ whereby women were allowed to fight competitively in boxing bouts, which were introduced for the first time in 2012, Fighter is pertinent to seeing how both arts and sports can empower women and young people

Exploring ideas around overcoming adversity, Fighter inherently celebrates women’s resourcefulness and courage. It also questions perceptions of masculinity and femininity, more explicitly the perception of the role of boxing as a violent sport ‘against womankind’ and ‘not for a mother’. Fighter draws on the genuine legacy of the professional female boxers of the late 90s who faced discrimination, sexism and court cases in order to be allowed to fight. It was argued that women shouldn’t be allowed to box on the basis that pre-menstrual tension made women ‘unstable’. At the vanguard of professional women’s boxing, Cathy Brown’s biggest fight was dealing with sexism outside the ring, and her first-hand experiences are why she has chosen to become an ambassador for Fighter. Having become the second woman in the UK to receive a professional boxing license in 1998, she now works with passion and determination to promote equality for women in sport, while helping others using the positive combination of boxing and therapy.

Fresh off the back of acclaimed show Muvvahood, writer/performer Libby Liburd and director Julie Addy present this piece of powerhouse theatre, using their trademark mix of hard-hitting facts, humour and lived experience. Having fought in the ring herself, it is Liburd’s own experience that lends such authenticity to the piece.

The production of Fighter will feature young boxers selected from Fight for Peace’s Newham Academy. The young boxers will re-create an authentic boxing gym environment, where they will practice boxing training drills onstage. While giving young boxers a chance to participate in a professional theatre production, audiences are equally being given a unique and exciting opportunity of experiencing an authentic gym environment, and in doing so encouraging the next generation of theatre goers.

In 2016, Libby Liburd’s show Muvvahood, offered a free onsite creche to parents attending the performance at Stratford Circus Arts Centre; this was one of the first performances ever to offer the service. Liburd is delighted to continue this legacy by offering a free creche at the matinee performance of Fighter on Saturday 27th April.

Fighter is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. It is produced with support from Stratford Circus Arts Centre and Fight for Peace. Additional funders are The Lake House Charitable Foundation and Arts Award Access Fund.

The Lowry, Salford- until Saturday 9 March 2019.

Reviewed by Joseph Everton.

4****

The Lowry theatre, an angular and futuristic venue, seemingly crash landed near the water of Salford Quays like a spaceship returned from outer space, is colourfully lit with strips of purple and splashes of blue which reflect across the water. Almost as though they had the Lowry in mind, Opera North’s first production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute for over ten years was made to sparkle and seemed to draw inspiration from its host. Although a classic from 1791, the production was launched in 21st Century theatre using some stunning lighting and almost extra terrestrial projections which took an already excellent set and brought it to life. Was this stage or cinema?

Director James Brinning’s ambitious reimagining of the original brought a modern twist to the story, opening at a dinner party, with party goers set near the back of the stage and a young girl in bed near the audience. Was she dreaming? I wasn’t really sure, but she was plunged into a world of fantasy, the intricacies of which are challenging to explain. However, there were three all action, Kill Bill inspired ladies played by Lorna James, Helen Evora and Amy J Payne, who slaughtered a monster with swords/ light sabers; soprano, Vuvu Mpofu as Pamina; a talented queen, Samantha Hay; an impressive prince and tenor, Kang Wang, who delivered a perfect vocal; and Papageno who, played by Gavan Ring, delivered a performance which was the highlight of the evening, full of fun and energy.

The first act was playful, lively and blew apart all stuffy opera stereotypes. The stage was always full of colour and movement and over an hour of fun passed in a flash. The story developed nicely, introducing the cult leader and spiteful Sarastro, played with a hint of malice by the run-down John Savournin, who battled on admirably even though struggling with a cold.

The second act was slower and the plot a little confusing but that hardly seemed to matter. The Magic Flute was a feast for the eyes and ears, with Jeremy Sam’s English version of Schikaneder’s libretto making the performance all the more funny and accessible. I was thoroughly entertained.