Month: March 2019

RED RIDING HOOD AT CITY VARIETIES MUSIC HALL

“But Grandmother! What big ears you have,” said Little Red Riding Hood as she edged closer to the bed. “All the better to hear… the talented actor-musicians at the City Varieties Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto my dear,” replied the wolf.

City Varieties Music Hall is pleased to announce that Red Riding Hood will get the Rock ‘n’ Roll Pantomimetreatment for 2019.

Leeds audiences are invited to pick up their wicker baskets, throw on their red hooded capes and skip on down to the famous music hall for the now legendary festive treat that is a hit with children and adults alike.

“Our Rock ’n’ Roll Pantos have been extremely popular since they were first introduced in 2011,” says Ian Sime, General Manager at City Varieties. “They have grown year on year and have now become a Christmas tradition for families in Leeds and beyond. Red Riding Hood is a brand-new production from the enchanted pen of Peter Rowe and we are very excited to showcase it at The Varieties.”

A very different format to the traditional Christmas pantomime, Rock ’n’ Roll Pantomimes mix traditional elements of audience participation and corny gags with a jukebox full of classic rock anthems and chart-toppers – all performed live on stage by an ultra-talented cast of actor-musicians. Be sure to keep your wits about you though, or you may just get rocked by the legendary Boulder Battle!

“One of the secrets of its success lies with its cast of actor-musicians who waste no time in developing a great rapport with the audience in the intimate atmosphere of this historic old theatre. Full of audience participation you can cheer the goodies, hiss the baddie and shout until you are hoarse and that’s what pantomime is all about.” (YORKSHIRE EVENING POST – Aladdin, 2017).

Red Riding Hood the Rock ‘N’ Roll Pantomime is at City Varieties Music Hall from Friday 29 November 2019 to Sunday 12 January 2020. Tickets go on general sale on Monday 1 April 2019.

Tickets are priced from £14

(Prices include a 60p levy. Where applicable, a £1 charge for postage will also be payable.)

Book online at cityvarieties.co.uk or call Box Office on 0113 243 08 08.

THE NATIONAL THEATRE’S 18 VENUE UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF MACBETH SEES A TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF MORE THAN 132,000 PEOPLE, WITH 35% OF AUDIENCES BOOKING FOR THE FIRST TIME AND MORE THAN 700 SCHOOLS BOOKING A TOTAL OF 38,000 TICKETS

718 schools attended the tour, booking a total of 38,000 tickets

35% of total bookings were sold to first time bookers across 18 venues

Macbeth broke multiple records at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, with record attendance amongst young people and a total of 6,500 audience members attending the production during the week – the largest audience for a Shakespeare title in the theatre’s recorded history

As the 18 venue UK and Ireland tour of the National Theatre’s production of Macbeth, directed by Rufus Norris, draws to an end, the NT are delighted to announce the headline successes of the production. The tour saw a total attendance of 132,000 people, of which 38,000 were students from 718 individual schools. Nearly 35% of total bookings were sold to first time bookers across the touring venues.

The success of Macbeth on tour builds on the NT’s mission to make theatre for everyone, and to reach the widest possible audience, in a year which has seen a schools tour of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time visit 65 schools around the country, as well as tours of War Horse, This House, Hedda Gabler and LOVE.

Across the tour, audience development was a core aim, with bespoke support and subsidised tickets ensuring the production welcomed more young people and audiences new to drama.

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and The Lowry, Salford, are two of the venues participating in the NT’s Theatre Nation Partnerships programme, a three-year scheme to build local drama audiences. Both venues saw impressive attendance by new audiences, and over 400 students attended two conferences.

A wider Learning programme available throughout the country saw the NT provide training for over 200 teachers to help them explore Macbeth in their classrooms, and over 700 young people attended eight ‘Page to Stage’ events.

In Hull, the NT and Hull New Theatre worked with local community groups to create a new piece of street art inspired by the production, and with Absolutely Cultured and Back To Ours to build on the legacy of the City of Culture.

Lisa Burger, Executive Director of the National Theatre said: “We’re so pleased to have welcomed so many new audiences to our production of Macbeth over the past six months. Working alongside the venues we’ve ensured that no stone has been left unturned in our mission to reach the widest possible audience and to encourage attendance for drama around the country. We’re delighted that young audiences, in particular, have received this play with such enthusiasm. We look forward to further growing our national audiences when A Taste of Honey tours in the autumn.”

Future National Theatre tours include Home, I’m Darling at Theatre Royal, Bath (16 –20 April), The Lowry, Salford (23 – 27 April) and Theatr Clwyd, Mold (30 April – 4 May), and A Taste of Honey which will visit The Lowry, Salford from 13 – 21 September, with a press night on Friday 20 September. The tour will also visit the Kings Theatre, Edinburgh (24 – 28 September); the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (1 – 5 October); Richmond Theatre (7 – 12 October); Grand Opera House,Belfast (15 – 19 October); Leicester Curve (22 – 26 October); Theatre Royal, Bath (28 October – 2 November); Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton (5 – 9 November); and the Norwich Theatre Royal (12 – 16 November).

Macbeth was produced on tour by the NT. Macbeth on tour in partnership with Lloyds Bank Private Banking. Supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England’s cross-border touring programme, The Thompson Family Charitable Trust and The Royal National Theatre Foundation.

Sheffield Lyceum – until Saturday 30th March 2019

Reviewed by Charleigh Christmas

5*****

Having listened to Green Day’s songs and albums, and already being a fan, I was particularly excited to go see this show. I can tell you it didn’t disappoint.

Built around Green Day’s American Idiot album, the story follows 3 men on a journey of self-discovery, while changing dreams, life, and a lot of drugs get in the way.

The bulk of the story was told through song and this drove the story forward, with a few scenes being dialogue only.

I thought the cast were brilliant. The commitment from each and every one of them was superb, there was no embarrassment or holding back, you felt like they put 110% into the performance.

I really felt an emotional connection to the characters. The cast are too many to name every one of them, but a couple of stand outs for me were Tom Milner, who played “Johnny”, Luke Friend “St Jimmy” and Samuel Pope “Will”. Tom Milner’s commitment to the show was evident, as he had to perform some gruelling scenes and did so with what seemed like ease. I feel Samuel Pope added some lightness to the scenes, and had really good comic timing. Luke Friend brought the raw energy and animalism to the role of “St Jimmy” that was equally disturbing and brilliant.

The choreography was amazing, and again the cast put 100% into the dance routines. Obviously I thought the songs were amazing, and I think that having the band on stage through the play was also a really great decision. They were as much part of the production as the rest of the cast.

I think the set was extraordinary, it drew me in from the start and I love how the story was able to progress across three different locations on one stage.

The ending for me was the climax to a brilliant show, the cast received a very much deserved standing ovation as they came on for their final song.

Brilliantly cast and superbly directed, I would definitely recommend this show!

Darlington Hippodrome – until 30 March 2019

3***

Tilted Wig Productions bring Oscar Wilde’s most notorious works to Darlington this week.  When originally written, the book shocked with its hedonistic and homoerotic themes. The scandal of which sent the author to jail.

In parts this is more 50 Shades, especially with one scene in the second act, when Dorian (Gavin Fowler) and Henry (Jonathan Wrather) party in a self gratifying, decadent manner.

We start the tale with Dorian being painted by Basil Hallward (Daniel Goode), Basil is in love with Dorian, he feels he can only paint when young Dorian is with him and then he produces his best work.  At a sitting, Henry meets Dorian and begins to lead him astray.

Dorian meets actress Sybil Vane (Kate Dobson) and falls in love with her, asking her to marry him after watching her perform for a few weeks.  She calls him Prince Charming and agrees to marry him. Sybil loses her ability to act the more she falls in love and Dorian only wants the perfect actress and breaks the engagement.  Heartbroken Sybil kills herself. The shock of her death sends Dorian further into the underworld of indulgence, immorality and depravity.

Whilst Wilde’s story has the premise that Gray’s portrait ages and shows his rotten and twisted soul whilst Gray himself stay eternally young.  In this version we never see a painting, instead it’s glass in a frame which starts off clear but ages and dulls with scratches and breaks as the play progresses.

With more than one suicide, seduction and murder this is a still quite a moralistic play even with today’s liberal attitudes.

In Darlington until Saturday and on tour around the UK, this is definitely one to see if you are a fan of Wilde

Leapin’ Lizards!
Annie is coming to Bradford
Starring Anita Dobson as ‘Miss Hannigan’
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
Monday 22 – Saturday 27 April 2019

Audio Described performance: Wed 24 April, 2pm, Signed performance: Thu 25 April, 7.30pm,
Captioned performance: Fri 26 April, 7.30pm
Call the Box Office on 01274 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk

Michael Harrison and David Ian’s smash hit production of the musical ANNIE comes to the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford from Monday 22 to Saturday 27 April 2019.

Joining the previously announced Anita Dobson who stars as Miss Hannigan will be Alex Bourne as Oliver Warbucks, Richard Meek as Rooster, Jenny Gayner as Lily and Carolyn Maitland as Grace Farrell. The title role of Annie is shared by Faye Katsande, Ava Smith and Freya Yates. They are joined by three teams of young performers who play the girls in Miss Hannigan’s orphanage.

Completing the cast will be Michael Anderson, Thomas Audibert, Andy Barke, Caroline Bateson, Daisy Boyles, Blaise Colangelo, Gary Davis, Ashleigh Graham, George Rae, Anne Smith, India Thornton, Matt Trevorrow, Amy West and Samuel Wilson Freeman.

As Angie Watts in EastEnders, Anita Dobson created one of the most popular characters in television winning numerous awards. Her West End theatre credits include Madame Morrible in Wicked, Mama Morton in Chicago, Mrs Meers in Thoroughly Modern Mille, Chris in Calendar Girls, Joan Crawford in Bette and Joan and Nancy in Frozen at the National Theatre for which she was nominated for an Olivier, Evening Standard and London Critics Award. Her film credits include London Road.

Alex Bourne reprises his performance as Oliver Warbucks after playing the role in this production of Annie in the West End, Toronto and on the 2015/16 tour. His many other West End credits include Danny in Grease, The Beast in Beauty and the Beast, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Khashoggi in We Will Rock You and Fred/Petruchio in Kiss Me, Kate for which he received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. His other credits include Daryl Van Horne in The Witches of Eastwick and the Watermill Theatre, for which he received a TMA nomination for Best Actor, Sam Michael in the national tour of Mamma Mia! and Lex Hogan in Eugenius! at the Other Palace.

Richard Meek’s many credits include Trevor Graydon in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Brad, Eddie and Dr Scott in The Rocky Horror Show and Sir Galahad in Spamalot, all on national tour. He has also appeared as Leo Bloom in the international tour of The Producers as well as Dustin and Greaseball in the 25th anniversary cast of Starlight Express in Bochum, Germany

Jenny Gayner’s West End credits include Miss Wilson in the original cast of The Girls at the Phoenix Theatre, Hunyak in Chicago at the Adelphi, Cambridge and Garrick theatres and Spamalot at the Palace Theatre. Jenny has also appeared as Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain and Brooke Windham in Legally Blonde, both at Kilworth House.

Carolyn Maitland reprises her performance as Grace Farrell after playing the role in this production of Annie in Toronto. Her West End credits include Ellen in Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre, Marian in The Woman in White at the Charing Cross Theatre and Groundhog Day and Kiss Me, Kate, both at the Old Vic. Her other credits include Molly in the national tour of Ghost and Kathy Seldon in Singin’ in the Rain at Kilworth House.

Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Determined to find her real parents, her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search…

With its award-winning book and score, this stunning new production includes the unforgettable songs It’s the Hard Knock Life, Easy Street, I Don’t Need Anything But You and Tomorrow.

Annie has Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Martin Charnin and a Book by Thomas Meehan. Directed by Nikolai Foster with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound design by Richard Brooker, Annie is produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian.

Please call the Box Office on 01274 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk for more information

STAGE ONE LAUNCHES FIRST EVER UK/US PRODUCER EXCHANGE

Theatre producers’ charity Stage One has announced a new programme, the Stage One & Columbia University Exchange, and is seeking applications from producers.

The unique programme offers 10 producers a grant to fly to New York in September 2019 and attend a week-long course facilitated by Columbia University and Stage One. The Producers studying at Columbia University will then fly to London for a week-long programme on the model in the UK in January 2020.

The course is designed for Stage One producers who have produced a number of shows at a mid-large scale and are looking for the next step in their career. Producers taking part in the scheme will get the chance to learn how the producing model works in the US and build networks of commercial contacts on Broadway.

Joseph Smith, Chief Executive of Stage One, said:

‘Stage One is thrilled to be launching the Producer Exchange in partnership with Columbia University to enable aspiring commercial theatre producers to create stronger ties with their counterparts in New York.  Theatre is all about collaboration and in an increasingly competitive and at times insular world we need to look across borders to discover the exciting creative and commercial ideas of the future.’

DISNEY’S THE LION KING ANNOUNCES NEXT
DEDICATED RELAXED PERFORMANCE
Special performance to be held on Sunday 02 June 2019 at
London’s Lyceum Theatre

Disney’s hit West End musical THE LION KING has today announced that it will hold a dedicated Relaxed Performance on Sunday 2nd June 2019 at 1:30pm. Tickets are now on sale.

Disney’s THE LION KING is committed to creating a friendly and inclusive audience experience at the Lyceum Theatre, London. Having hosted its fifth Autism-Friendly Performance in London in June 2018, the landmark musical is delighted to be presenting a Relaxed Performance for 2019. Relaxed performances are specially adapted to be accessible to a wide range of audiences such as those with autism, those with a learning disability or anyone with a sensory predisposition, with extra trained staff on hand and dedicated quiet areas inside the theatre should anyone need to leave their seat. All patrons who feel this performance might suit their specific needs are warmly encouraged to attend.

Audience members can find out more information and purchase tickets at https://thelionking.co.uk/relaxedperformances/. Tickets are sold at a specially reduced rate and can be selected on a virtual map of the auditorium.

Disney’s award-winning musical THE LION KING is now in its 19th triumphant year at London’s Lyceum Theatre. Since the UK premiere in London on Tuesday 19th October 1999, THE LION KING has entertained over 15 million theatregoers and remains the West End’s best-selling stage production. It is currently the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.

York Inspirational Kids Fashion Show

Grand Opera House York

Saturday 30 March 2019 at 2.30pm

A fun afternoon with disabled children & young people and their families who will take you on a journey of creativity, colour and inclusion. Be ready to smile. Fundraising for Stimul8 – to build a leisure and training facility for disabled children and young people in York.

Having a disabled child of her own, Ruth Thompson realises the difficulties faced by many families when trying to access mainstream activities. Her 14 year old daughter was born with a virus called Cytomegalovirus (CMV), which caused to her to have a stroke, attacked her optic nerve causing her to be born blind, though she now has a little bit of vision, severe epilepsy and learning difficulties. As Georgina has grown up Ruth became aware of more and more gaps in provision for play and development. Despite having the vision for Stimul8 7 years ago, with the help of her business partner Jo Rodwell the pair have resurrected the plans and begun fundraising to build a state of the art facility providing nursery care for very complex needs children, fully adapted play centre and NVQ/ training hub plus some paid work for disabled children and young people.

Ruth says ‘As Georgina has grown I’ve become more and more aware of the gaps in provision and just knew I needed to do something about it. With Jo’s help we know this is going to make a difference to so many families.’

Ruth also runs York Inspirational Kids, a support group for families who have a disabled child. They decided to get involved with York Fashion Week to show fashion designers, retailers and others involved within the fashion industry that disabled children also want to be fashionable but need a few adaptations to be made to help them access everyday clothing. Items such as adjustable clothing, adapted fastenings such as magnets or Velcro, fashionable shoes with Velcro fastenings in adult sizes and seamless clothing to accommodate sensory issues.

Jo says ‘at the end of the day they’re just children who want to have fun and dress like their peers. If they need wider legs to help go over splints, higher waists or longer tee shirts to enable wheelchair users not to get cold then it really shouldn’t be too much to ask. Just getting a wheelchair into some of the stores can be impossible. This fashion show will highlight these children’s fashion needs and will showcase what some retailers are doing to accommodate them. We are so grateful that the Grand Opera House also thought this was a priority too and is enabling us to put on this show. ‘

The aim of the show is to raise awareness, encourage inclusivity as well as raising funds to build Stimul8.

Tickets on sale from Friday 1 February at 10am

Ticket Price: Adults £5, Children £2

Box office: 0844 871 3024

Online: www.atgticketrs.com/york

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh – until 30 March 2019

Reviewed by James Knight

2**

Rachel Watson (Samantha Womack) is a mess. Alcoholic and depressed, unable to live the life of which she had dreamed with her now ex-husband Tom (Adam Jackson-Smith), she watches the people she can see from her train journeys and imagines who they are, who they could be, and what it might be like to live as them. In particular, she focuses on Megan and Scott Hipwell (Kirsty Oswald and Oliver Farnworth), or as she imagines them, Jess and Jason. Of course, surely nothing could come of the fact that they live just a few doors down from Rachel’s ex and his new family? So when Megan goes missing, and Rachel has gaps in her memory, the stage is set for an intimate thriller.

The Girl on the Train was a stunning success as a book and film, and so, naturally, producers wanted to turn it into a theatrical production. The end product is, like Rachel’s memory, lacking in clarity. Apart from some clever uses of light and projection, and strong performances from the supporting characters of D.I. Gaskill (John Dougall) and Anna Watson (Lowenna Melrose), the term ‘thriller’ cannot truly be applied to the lack of enthusiasm in almost any other aspect. The stakes simply do not feel high enough. Without the use of multiple points of view from the book, and the visual language of the film, the stage version suffers. Not that the book is un-stageable, far from it, but the determinedness to present the events as naturalistically as possible means that when the more stylistic interpretations of Rachel’s memories and drunken stupors are shown, it comes across as forced and jarring.

The lack of effort is particularly frustrating as actors speak words and step to their marks to deliver them, with little thought or intention. Little is done to convince the audience to care for Rachel’s predicament and too many scenes just devolve into shouting clunky and cliched dialogue. The second half is a marked improvement on the first, as events and revelations come to light, but by then it is difficult to stay engaged.

The original production at the West Yorkshire Playhouse was slated critically, and it seems little has been done to improve on what was not working.

HULL NEW THEATRE, HULL – UNTIL SATURDAY 30TH MARCH.

REVIEWED BY DAWN BENNETT

5*****

Moving into a new house should be a happy time but Peter James’ The House on Cold Hill (adapted for stage by Shaun Mckenna} proves it can be as far away from happy as possible!

Set in in the modern day, in an 800-year-old country house, we meet the family Ollie Harcourt (Joe McFadden), his wife Caro (played brilliantly by understudy Hannah Lindsey) and teenage daughter Jade (Persephone Swales-Dawson).

They move into the house (which has been strangely standing empty for 40 years) and start renovating with the help of builder Phil (Leon Stewart) and this is when the fun starts, the electrics go awry, pipes groan, doors bang shut or slowly open and all this can seem to be explained logically…or can it?

Chris (Charlie Clements), is the IT “geek” from the village who is brought in by Ollie to help with his web design business and sort out the Wi-Fi. His transformation from mild mannered IT man to ghost hunter is brilliantly written and acted.

The history of the house starts to unravel and we learn about the previous residents with some scary scenes that were made the people around me jumpy! The tension gets broken by the slightly dotty cleaner Annie (Tricia Deighton) who’s lines, and talent for mediumship make you laugh one minute and gasp with shock the next.

Fortinbras the Vicar (Padraig Lynch) offers some more history of the house, some more of what had happened to its residents and a blessing with some very interesting results!

Along with O’Hare (Simon Balcon) we are treated to excellent acting from all the cast, the characters are very believable, particularly Joes character Ollie who is the gel that holds the family together.

Everything from the set to set to the special effects was very well done.

A dark atmospheric production full of tension and humour and if you like Peter James’ books, and ghost stories in general, I would highly recommend you go and see it.

If you want to know the ending…well that would be telling!!