Month: September 2020

BACK TO THE FUTURE THE MUSICAL

OPENS IN THE WEST END

AT THE ADELPHI THEATRE, LONDON

PREVIEWS FROM 14 MAY 2021

Producer Colin Ingram (Ghost – The Musical) and Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the creators of the Back To The Future film trilogy, are delighted to announce that  BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical will transfer to the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End following an out-of-town opening at Manchester Opera House in March 2020, where it was enthusiastically received by critics and the public alike. Previews will begin on 14 May.

Roger Bart and Olly Dobson will reprise the roles of ‘Dr Emmett Brown’ and ‘Marty McFly’ respectively. Also returning are Hugh Coles as ‘George McFly’, Rosanna Hyland as ‘Lorraine Baines’, Cedric Neal as ‘Goldie Wilson’, Aidan Cutler as ‘Biff Tannen’ and Courtney-Mae Briggs as ‘Jennifer Parker’. Further casting to be announced.

Christopher Lloyd, the original Doc Brown, said, “I’m delighted that Back to the Future The Musical will be up and running in London in mid-May. I’ve heard nothing but great things about the show’s run in Manchester, so I’m excited to finally see it for myself. I’ve already heard some of the new songs and met many of the cast members, particularly Roger Bart who plays Doc, so I’m confident the stage version will be exactly what our fans have been hoping for. And, Great Scott — I can’t wait to hear Doc Brown sing!”

Bob Gale said, “Bob Zemeckis and I are over the moon to finally be opening Back to the Future The Musical in the West End at the historic Adelphi Theatre, and we can’t wait for audiences to experience our show.  I promise, everyone will be delighted with how we’ve translated the movie to the stage.  We’ve got all your favourite songs from the movie, and over a dozen news ones, brought to life by an incredible cast, along with some groundbreaking stagecraft, which we firmly believe raises the bar for production design and illusion.  You will be convinced that the DeLorean really does go 88 miles per hour!  I personally cannot wait to get back to Back to the Future in such a fabulous venue!”

Colin Ingram said, “I’m delighted to announce today that Back To The Future will open next year at one of the foremost theatres in the West End. The response we received from audiences and critics in Manchester for this show was incredible – men and women, young and old, film fans and newbies were all blown away by this heartening, hilarious story set to multi-Grammy winners Silvestri and Ballard’s fantastic new songs, alongside the original classics from the movie. We made Hill Valley sing, dance and laugh and, as one audience member said, ‘This is the new standard of spectacle, I feel like people are going to be talking about this for a long time.’ When the West End reopens, we believe people will want to go back to the theatre, with Back to the Future… Great Scott Marty, just don’t set the DeLorean to March 2020!”

Based on the Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment film, BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical has a book by Bob Gale and new music and lyrics by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning Alan Silvestri and six-time Grammy Award-winning Glen Ballard, with additional songs from the film including The Power of Love and Johnny B. Goode.

BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical is directed by Tony Award-winning director John Rando (Urinetown, On The Town), alongside the multi Tony and Olivier Award-winning design team of Tim Hatley (set and costume design), lighting design by Tim Lutkin, lighting consultant Hugh Vanstone, Gareth Owen (sound) and Finn Ross (video), with choreography by Chris Bailey, musical supervision and arrangements by Nick Finlow and Illusions by Chris Fisher. Orchestrations are by Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook, with dance arrangements by David Chase. Casting is by David Grindrod Associates.

Back to the Future the movie was released in 1985, starring Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd as Dr Emmett Brown. The film grossed $360.6 million (£279 million) at the box office worldwide and the total box office for all three films in the Back to the Future franchise was $936.6 million (over $1.8 billion in today’s money).

Marty McFly is a rock ‘n’ roll teenager who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a time-travelling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr Emmett Brown.  But before he can return to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents fall in love in order to save his own existence.

BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical is produced by Colin Ingram, Donovan Mannato, Frankel/Viertel/Baruch/Routh Group, Gavin Kalin Productions, Hunter Arnold, Crush Music, CJ ENM, Playing Field, Teresa Tsai, Ivy Herman/Hallee Adelman, Ricardo Marques, Augury, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, in association with, Kimberly Magarro, Robert L. Hutt, Stage Entertainment, Glass Half Full Productions/ Neil Gooding Productions.

Website: BackToTheFutureMusical.com   

Twitter: @BTTFmusical

Instagram: @BTTFmusical      

LISTINGS INFORMATION

BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical

From 14 May 2021

Adelphi Theatre

Strand

Covent Garden

London WC2R 0NS

Performances: Mondays, Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7.30pm, Wednesday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm, Sundays at 3pm (N.B. no performances on Tuesdays except 18 May, 25 May & 1 June 2021 at 7.30pm)*

*31 May & 30 August – 2.30pm performance (no 7.30pm performance)

Tickets: from £19.55

Please book via the website: BackToTheFutureMusical.com – no booking fees  

Book with confidence. For maximised flexibility customers can exchange their ticket free of charge up to at least 24 hours prior to the event.

Current booking period to 26 September 2021

A Marvellous Party

Unique Digital Transatlantic Celebration marking the centenary of Noël Coward’s

West End Debut and featuring  a host of West End & Broadway stars

LAUNCHES BROADWAY ON DEMAND’S NEW DIGITAL VENUE STREAM.THEATRE

TO BENEFIT ACTING FOR OTHERS (UK) AND THE ACTORS FUND (US)

SUNDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2020

7.30PM BST/2:30PM EST

The Noël Coward Foundation today announces A MARVELLOUS PARTY, a transatlantic, star-studded collection of performances celebrating the continuing legacy of Noël Coward and coinciding with the 100^th anniversary of his West End debut as a 19-year-old playwright.

This unique celebration features words and music by Noël Coward, performed by Kate Burton, Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, Montego Glover, Derek Jacobi, Josh James, Cush Jumbo, Robert Lindsay, Kristine Nielsen, Bebe Neuwirth, Julian Ovenden, Patricia Routledge, Kate Royal, Emma Thompson, Giles Terera, Indira Varma and Lia Williams.

All the performers have either self-recorded at home or been filmed on location under COVID-19 regulations.

A MARVELLOUS PARTY will be the first of its kind to utilise Broadway on Demand’snew digital venue, www.stream.theatre, whichlaunches this month. Viewers can visit the web address (UK viewers www.stream.theatre / US viewers www.broadwayondemand.com) and register for free in advance to watch the show on Sunday 20September at 7:30PM BST/2.30pm EST and will be available on demand on both sites for 14 days.

A MARVELLOUS PARTY will also be presented on the official Noël Coward You Tube channel. 

Funds raised via A MARVELLOUS PARTY will provide support to theatre workers on both sides of the Atlantic affected by the pandemic and will benefit Acting For Others (UK) and The Actors Fund (USA).

To donate to ACTING FOR OTHERS please go to: 

www.justgiving.com/campaign/amarvellousparty

 To donate to THE ACTORS FUND please go to 

 actorsfund.org/MarvelousParty

Alan Brodie, Chair of the Noël Coward Foundation said:

“Noël Coward, a man of the theatre and one of the first transatlantic theatre celebrities, used his celebrity status to assist others. He galvanised his famous friends into raising considerable sums for charitable causes on both sides of the Atlantic and was also a Founder Member of The Combined Theatrical Charities, the predecessor organisation to Acting For Others.

Noël would have been very distressed by the shutdowns of the West End, Broadway and theatres across the world resulting in hardship for so many. It is therefore imperative, on Noël’s behalf, to help those in need by collaborating with Acting For Others in the UK and the Actors Fund in the US demonstrating just how much his influence and legacy lives on 100 years from that first play. The performers have given their services for free and we are most grateful to them for offering their time and their talent to this important cause”.

AGAINST ALL ODDS 

THEATRE ROYAL WINDSOR WILL CELEBRATE ITS 82ND YEAR OF PANTOMIME! 

Theatre Royal Windsor presents 

Cinderella

• WINDSOR’S TRADITIONAL PANTOMIME TO GO AHEAD WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING
• BRITT EKLAND, MOVIE LEGEND AND STAR OF THE REAL MARIGOLD HOTEL JOINS THE LEGENDARY FUNNY FOX, BASIL BRUSH IN WHAT PROMISES TO BE THE MOST
• MAGICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR!
• EXTRA WEEK OF PERFORMANCES ADDED TO MAKE SURE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE GET TO SEE PANTO THIS YEAR
• WINDSOR FAVOURITES KEVIN CRUISE & STEVEN BLAKELEY, RETURN FOR THEIR 11th and 12th HILARIOUS APPEARANCE IN THE ANNUAL WINDSOR PANTOMIME
• WRITTEN BY STEVEN BLAKELEY & DIRECTED BY CAROLE TODD

“Fast-paced, funny and packed with laughter, it has audiences leaving the auditorium with massive grins on their faces.” Wokingham Paper

“It could not fail to be just the greatest pantomime I have ever attended.” Marlow FM

Grab your tickets to the most magical ball of them all!

In what has been the most challenging of times for theatres across the globe, Theatre Royal Windsor is delighted to announce that we will be going ahead with our traditional annual Pantomime, and CINDERELLA shall go to the ball this Christmas!

Theatre Royal Windsor’s Co-Directors Anne-Marie & Jon Woodley said: “After such a difficult year for all of us, we have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support of our Audiences and are thrilled to be able to repay their kindness by finding a way to present our much-loved Pantomime. It goes without saying, that the safety of our audiences, staff and performers is paramount and we will be following government advice at all times ensuring your enjoyment and peace of mind! Roll on Cinderella!”

With social distanced seating in place to ensure the safety of our audiences, this will limit the usual number of seats available. Theatre Royal Windsor believe Pantomime is such an important and beloved family tradition, and in a year where so many families might miss out, we are adding an additional week of performances so as many people as possible can come and experience that Panto magic!

Featuring Theatre Royal Windsor’s traditional pantomime comedy capers, with a sprinkle of fairy dust, dazzling dancers, colourful costumes and a glittering star cast featuring Movie Legend and star of The Real Marigold Hotel Britt Ekland and not forgetting the little fox with the big laugh … Basil Brush! 

Joining Britt and Basil are Windsor favourites, calamitous comedian Kevin Cruise and dotty Dame Steven Blakeley in their 11th year in Panto together at Theatre Royal Windsor.

About the cast 

BRITT EKLAND 

FAIRY GOODNIGHT 

Britt is probably best known for playing legendary Bond Girl Mary Goodnight in The Man with the Golden Gun alongside Roger Moore. She has also starred in many other iconic movies including The Wicker Man, Get Carter and The Night They Raided Minsky’s amongst others. 

On television Britt can be seen as herself in the latest season of BAFTA nominated series The Real Marigold Hotel.

On stage, Britt’s most recent role was that of Mrs Pleasant in Bill Kenwright’s 2020 UK Touring production of The Cat and The Canary, where Britt received rave reviews for her performance. Britt is thrilled to be back for Cinderella this year, making it her third Windsor Pantomime.

BASIL BRUSH BARON 

HARDUP OF FROGMORE HALL 

Basil Brush came into being in 1962 and celebrated the 50th anniversary of the start of his Basil Brush Show in 2018. 

His humour is able to cross the generations with audiences of all ages captivated by his live shows and TV appearances. He is as popular today as he has ever been bringing chaos, humour and in his own lovable way, a small bit of anarchy to any situation. 

Panto is a favourite time of year for Basil – he is a firm favourite at Theatre Royal Windsor having starred in many Pantos here! Britain’s most lovable fox looks forward to causing mayhem wherever he goes and always an opportunity to include a BOOM! BOOM!

STEVEN BLAKELEY 

WRITER & LAVITIA HARDUP 

Last year Steven Blakeley celebrated his 11th anniversary of appearing in Pantomime at Theatre Royal Windsor and is delighted to be back for his 12th year for Cinderella. 

Steven has written and directed several of Windsor’s pantomimes. Steven is a popular face on television, having appeared in four series of ITV’s long-running drama Heartbeat as PC Geoff Younger (a role which earned him a nomination at the National Television Awards). 

KEVIN CRUISE 

BUTTONS 

Kevin Cruise is an award-winning regular on the UK comedy, cabaret, holiday park and theatre circuit, created by entertainer Martin Cabble-Reid. 

Martin is also Mr Martin in The Basil Brush Show which toured the UK and performed a sell-out run at Edinburgh fringe in 2019. 

Martin is the founder of the Kevin Cruise Foundation providing theatre tickets and workshops to disadvantaged children within the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead. He’s also the founder of Ramble Happy, encouraging fitness through walking, mindfulness & the great outdoors.

2020 marks Martin’s 11th Pantomime season at Theatre Royal Windsor.

The cast will be completed by a team of incredibly talented performers who join Windsor’s Cinderella panto family this year! 

We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be our most magical panto ever!

RUN AT IT SHOUTING ANNOUNCES ONLINE REHEARSED READING OF HAROLD PINTER’S THE DWARFS

IN AID OF THE NIA PROJECT

Run At It Shouting today announces a live online rehearsed reading of Harold Pinter’s The Dwarfs adapted by Kerry Lee Crabbe in aid of The NIA Project – a Hackney-based charity committed to delivering cutting edge service to end violence against women and children – taking place via Zoom on 25 September at 7pm. Harry Burton directs Charlie MacGechan (Mark), Stacy Martin (Virginia), Lewis Rainer (Pete) and Ossian Perret (Len). Tickets will be available via: runatitshouting.co.ukat £15

Adapted from Harold Pinter’s only novel, The Dwarfs follows three old school friends, Mark, Pete and Len who knock about the streets, pubs and cafes of East London arguing the toss about art, life and love. The fourth member of their tight-knit group is Virginia, a young teacher. As autumn draws in, each of the friends finds their perception of one another and themselves irrevocably changed.

Kerry Lee Crabbe’s adaptation of The Dwarfs was originally developed at the National Theatre Studio. It was screened on BBC Four in October 2002, receiving its stage première at the Tricycle Theatre in April 2003.

Harold Pinter (1930 – 2008) is the author of 29 plays including The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming and Ashes to Ashes, and 20 screenplays including The Servant, Accident, The Go-Between and The French Lieutenant’s Woman. He has directed productions in London, New York, Paris and Palermo. His work as an actor includes No Man’s Land at the Almeida, The Hothouse at the Comedy Theatre, The Collection at the Donmar Warehouse and the film Mansfield Park. He is the author of Various Voices – Prose, Poetry, Politics 1948-1998. In 2003 Pinter was made a Companion of Honour for Services to Literature, and in 2005 was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Kerry Lee Crabbe’s playwrighting credits include The Burn (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), The Last Romantic (Wimbledon Theatre) and Rough Magic (New End Theatre). His screenwriting credits for film include Innocent Lies, The Playboys and Memoirs of a Survivor; and for television his credits include The Last Romantic.

Charlie MacGechan plays Mark. His film credits include We Die Young, The Girl From The Song and Deus.

Stacy Martin plays Virginia. Her film credits include Casanova, Last Love, The Night House, High-Rise, Tale of Tales, Jouers (Treat Me Like Fire), All The Money In The World, The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun, The Childhood of a Leader, An Evening Hour, Vox Lux and Nymphomaniac. Her new film Amants is about to open at the Venice Film Festival.

Lewis Rainer plays Pete. His theatre credits include Angus, Thongs and Even More Snogging (West Yorkshire Playhouse); and for television his credits include Grange Hill, Dani’s House, Death Come To Pemberley, Endeavour, After Louise, The Crash. His film credits include Flyspy, A Hologram For The King, And Then I Was French and The Girl From The Song.

Ossian Perret plays Len. His television credits include The Witcher, The First Team, The Last Kingdom and Sanctuary.

Harry Burton’s credits as a theatre director includes The Leisure Society, Out There On Fried Meat Ridge Road, The Dumb Waiter (Trafalgar Studios), Casualties, Positive (Park Theatre), The Room (Royal Court Theatre), I Found My Horn (Chichester Festival Theatre/Hampstead Theatre/Trafalgar Studios), Where I Come From (Kentucky Rep), Barking in Essex (Wyndham’s Theatre), Blue On Blue (Tristan Bates Theatre) and The Dog Walker (Jermyn Street Theatre). He has also directed two films for Channel 4, acclaimed documentary Working With Pinter, and a drama titled Thinspiration

Revolutionary production Mr. Adam to make
its UK premiere at The O2 in 2021
indigo at The O2, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0DX
Friday 19th – Sunday 21st March 2021

Coming to the O2 this March for its UK premiere, Mr. Adam is a dynamically modern multi-arts cross-media extravaganza. The work of Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins has been transformed into a narrative piece by Kairat Kulbaev, Marat Bisengaliev, Vasily Barkhatov, and The Almaty Symphony Orchestra, who have combined digital design with powerful performance for a classical concert like no other!

The production integrates innovative Black Trax technology to enable real-time tracking of 14 frames onstage so that compelling projections are layered with seamless choreography and symphonic performance to create a revolutionary approach to presenting classical music. This live digital experience sees sixteen musicians perform live alongside pre-filmed scenes of the orchestra artists as well as actors, vloggers, ballet dancers, and children

The production immerses the audience in the life of one man, an everyman: Mr. Adam. Taking place across sixteen episodes, the show tells a touching and hilarious story of birth, life, love, war and death to explore the power of humanity, community, and dreams. The incredible eclectic music by Sir Karl Jenkins is saturated with nomadic folk sound and national Kazakh musical instruments to give a unique charm and originality to Mr. Adam’s life

Mr. Adam soloist for the Almaty Symphony Orchestra, Marat Bisengaliev comments, I’m really honoured to be part of this unique show – the brainchild of my dear friend and crazy dreamer, Kairat Kulbayev. This show has all the ingredients to become a success story: beautiful music by the most popular modern composer Karl Jenkins, the genius of the show creator Vasily Barkhatov, and our young, talented musicians who were carefully cherry-picked for this show

The Almaty Symphony Orchestra brought together talented musicians unafraid of
experimenting, exploring new horizons and features in their work. This unique team integrates high-end modern technologies with virtuoso performance to create truly spectacular shows for audiences both new and familiar with classical music.

National Theatre adapts programmes to support theatre in schools across the UK

 

The National Theatre is delighted to announce that its adapted nationwide programmes for schools and young people will recommence this Autumn. Committed to providing opportunities for all young people to create and take part in theatre, content will be delivered digitally and flexibly throughout 2020/2021, with safety measures in place for all planned physical activity, and include:

• The annual youth theatre festival Connections will bring together talented young theatre-makers of tomorrow with some of the UK’s most exciting contemporary writers to produce and stage ten new plays. This year, workshops and mentoring will take place digitally, with the aim to stage performances at 30 partner theatres across the UK in Spring 2021. Applications are open now and will close on 3^rd October. For more information and to apply, click here.
• Students can write their own play with support from professional playwrights on the New Views playwriting programme, the NT’s annual playwriting programme and competition for 14-19-year olds. Shortlisted plays will be performed at the National Theatre in July 2021. Applications are open until early October and more information can be found here.
• Let’s Play aims to transform drama and theatre-making in primary schools, supporting teachers to embed creativity across the curriculum. The flexible programme provides teachers with a toolkit for pupils to create short performances that will be shared digitally. The cost of participating in Let’s Play has been significantly reduced for this academic year and schools can sign up now here.
• Free access at home for UK state school students and teachers to the National Theatre Collection has been extended for the next academic year in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing, giving students access to 30 high-quality productions with supporting educational resources. For more information and to sign up for access visit the NT website.

Alice King-Farlow, Director of Learning at the National Theatre said,

“As we begin to resume activity at the National Theatre, our commitment to creating opportunities for young people to make and participate in theatre remains at the forefront of our mission. We want to support schools and young people to return to active theatre making in a way that’s safe and manageable in a constantly changing context, and we will continue to consult closely with schools and with the theatres we partner with across the country. We want to provide access to cultural opportunities and ensure the voices of young people are heard as theatres begin to reopen. Our adapted learning programmes offer a space to create and make, to explore contemporary issues and shape debate, and we are excited to discover new ways to collaborate with young people and schools nationwide over the next few months.”

Tickets for Tonight at the London Coliseum are on sale now and are available to purchase from www.tonightatthelondoncoliseum.com

The seven intimate acoustic concerts, performed and filmed at the London Coliseum, will be streamed from 18 September –  23 October with musical theatre artists – Sharon D. Clarke, Kerry Ellis, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Cassidy Janson, Ramin Karimloo and Sharon Sexton & Rob Fowler. One of the seven concerts will be a performance of a new British musical, After You, written by Alex Parker and Katie Lam and starring Alexia Khadime and Bradley Jaden. The Creative Supervisor for the concerts is Annabel Mutale Reed.

Line-up

Friday 18 September: SHARON D CLARKE

Friday 25 September: CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER

Friday 2 October: CASSIDY JANSON

Saturday 3 October: AFTER YOU – A NEW MUSICAL

Friday 9 October: KERRY ELLIS

Friday 16 October: SHARON SEXTON & ROB FOWLER

Friday 23 October: RAMIN KARIMLOO

All tickets will cost £15 with a portion of each ticket sold going to the ENO Contingency Fund, a charity that is committed to bringing opera to as many people as possible.

Tonight at the London Coliseum is produced by Jack Maple and Brian Zeilinger, on behalf of Take Two Theatricals, in association with Jamie Chapman Dixon and John-Webb Carter on behalf of Carter Dixon Productions.

SOCIALLY DISTANCED AUTUMN / WINTER SEASON ANNOUNCED FOR

THE WATERMILL THEATRE

BLOODSHOT – A ONE MAN THRILLER STARRING SIMON SLATER

LONE FLYER – REVIVAL OF TWO HANDER ABOUT THE LIFE OF AMY JOHNSON

A NEW FESTIVE PRODUCTION OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL
 AS THE JUNGLE BOOK MOVES TO 2021

PERFORMANCES FROM 22 SEPTEMBER

PRIORITY BOOKING TO FRIENDS OF THE WATERMILL FROM 10 SEPTEMBER
GENERAL ON SALE FROM 14 SEPTEMBER

BOOK ONLINE AT WATERMILL.ORG.UK OR VIA THE BOX OFFICE ON 01635 46044

Artistic Director Paul Hart and the team at Newbury’s The Watermill Theatre are thrilled to announce that – further to the recent announcement of stage 4 of the government’s roadmap towards re-opening theatres, enabling socially distanced indoor performances – the theatre will present an autumn reopening season of work featuring shows with smaller cast sizes, reduced capacity inside the auditorium and socially distanced seating.

CLASSIC STORIES, CREATIVELY TOLD…

BLOODSHOT – a tantalizing film noir inspired thriller starring Simon Slater, written by Douglas Post and directed by Patrick Sandford – returns to the Watermill nearly a decade after its first critically acclaimed run there in 2011. BLOODSHOT will play from Tuesday 22 September to Saturday 17 October 

LONE FLYER – THE LAST FLIGHT OF AMY JOHNSON will also be revived at the Watermill, after its original production in 2001. Directed by Watermill Associate Lucy Betts, Ade Morris’ powerful play about one of the most inspirational women of the twentieth century will play from Wednesday 21 October to Saturday 21 November

Whilst the 2020 Christmas production of THE JUNGLE BOOK has been postponed, with performances rescheduled to 18 November – 31 December 2021, audiences will be able to enjoy a new festive production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Danielle Pearson and directed by Georgie Staight. The production will be performed by two actor musicians and will play from Thursday 26 November 2020 to Saturday 3 January 2021

Paul Hart said, “After a hugely successful, outdoor summer season we’re delighted to announce plans for reopening our indoor space this autumn. I think what we’ve all missed is the opportunity to share stories – something that’s always been pretty magical in The Watermill’s beautiful auditorium. We return to two fantastic pieces of writing from Douglas Post and Ade Morris, as well as commissioning a new version of perennial classic A Christmas Carol from our playwright-in-residence Danielle Pearson. I’m also thrilled that we have Georgie Staight and Lucy Betts making their directorial debuts for us. We genuinely can’t wait to open our doors again and welcome audiences back to the theatre.”

To ensure the safety of all, strict social distancing measures have been implemented, and this includes significantly reducing the number of audience members that can be welcomed in the theatre at any one time. The auditorium has been reconfigured to allow for social distancing between audience members. Seating bubbles will be able to accommodate groups of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, with all seats in a bubble purchased in one transaction. Social distancing between bubbles will be observed in the auditorium. Audience members will be required to wear face masks. There are hand sanitiser stations, a one-way system for accessing the toilets and signage to indicate routes and procedures. To enhance audience safety, a fogging machine will be used to regularly sanitise all public areas at The Watermill, and to avoid recirculating air in the auditorium, the theatre will be heated before audience members arrive and then fresh air will be continuously fed through the theatre during performances.

The Watermill Theatre will be operating in accordance with government guidance at the time of the performance and will be constantly reviewing and adapting to the government’s guidelines. In the event that a show is unable to go ahead i.e. because of a local lockdown for example, patrons will be contacted as soon as possible via email or phone and offered a transfer or a refund for their tickets.

Customers with bookings for The Jungle Book will be contacted by the theatre’s box office to arrange alternative dates for audience members to attend in 2021. The theatre kindly asks that customers do not call the box office directly at this time, a member of the team will be in touch with all customers as soon as possible.

The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) has commented on media reports that the Government is working on a plan to reopen theatres

Commenting on the Government’s plans to reopen venues, the Incorporated Society of Musicians’ Chief Executive, Deborah Annetts, said:

‘It is encouraging to hear that the government has responded to the ISM’s relentless campaigning by announcing its intention to safely reopen theatres and other live performance venues without social distancing from 1st November. Many of our members are in despair, having had no work since March, and this news is therefore a welcome step for ensuring that venues can make a sustainable income and for freelance musicians to start earning a living through live performance.

‘However, unlike other industries, the reopening of venues and live performances cannot happen overnight. In fact planning for the Christmas shows, often the most profitable time of year, began much earlier in the year and many venues have already announced their cancellation. While concerts typically take less time to prepare, this should still be a key consideration for the government. That is precisely why we need a tailored financial support scheme for freelancers, who are the lifeblood of the performing arts, until venues can fully reopen. We urge the government to work with the ISM and other industry leaders so that we can make this proposal a success and see a return to incredible experiences for audiences, and prevent the devastation of our world leading sector.’

Turbine Theatre – until 5 September 2020

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

William Shakespeare has been performing for small groups around the country this Summer, and the Turbine Theatre gave a larger audience the chance to see the bard in action as part of the On The Jetty season.

Victoria Baumgartner has written a charming and very human version of Shakespeare, played here by Emma Nihill, stuck in quarantine in London in 1605, and suffering from writer’s block. Weaving in modern lockdown themes and events with the plague of Jacobian London works a treat, with Will’s inability to bake an edible sourdough loaf a constant worry. The rivalry with Ben Jonson – who Will is convinced has managed to write numerous plays whilst Will has been speaking to the audience – is hilarious, and makes Will’s struggle for inspiration even funnier.

Having decided on the title “King Leonardo, His Three Daughters, and their Dog” the audience is taken on a whistle stop tour of different themes and styles as Will riffs on what a good play (and, more importantly, a financially successful play) should include. Watching Nihil crack up at her own “jokes” in the dog comedy scene from Two Gentlemen of Verona is knowingly cringe worthy and sweet at the same time, but once the comedy is out of the way, magic, witches, battles, kings and intrigue are explored with Nihill slipping seamlessly into scenes from Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Richard II, Henry V and Hamlet. Shakespeare’s personal life is also explored, with lots of throwaway lines and titbits that will thrill any Shakespeare fans.

Emma Nihill had the audience in the palm of her hand, and we could have sat and watched another hour of this unique and joyous celebration of creativity. A treat for theatre lovers, and a production that surely has a bright future introducing Shakespeare in schools?