Month: September 2020

CHRISTMAS IS CANCELLED? OH NO, IT ISN’T! THE WORLD’S FIRST DRIVE-IN CHRISTMAS SHOW COMING DECEMBER 2020 Get into the festive spirit at a friendly social distanced Christmas performance at outdoor venues across the UK

CAR PARK PARTY lifted the country’s spirits this summer with the ONLY national tour of comedy, theatre and live music shows. After rave reviews from the public and press, they’re back this winter with CAR PARK PANTO, in partnership with the Birmingham Stage Company and Horrible Histories, to present HORRIBLE CHRISTMAS. Just when you thought your Christmas show had been cancelled, Horrible Histories comes to the rescue with their own unique take on the festive season.  HORRIBLE CHRISTMAS is the story of how Christmas came to be what it is today, enabling families across the UK to enter into the festive spirit in a safe, socially distanced manner, from the comfort of their own sleigh car!   *****  When Christmas comes under threat from a jolly man dressed in red, it’s up to one young boy to save the day – but can he save Christmas? From Victorian villains to Medieval monks, Puritan parties to Tudor treats, join us on a hair-raising adventure through the history of Christmas in the company of Charles Dickens, Oliver Cromwell, King Henry VIII and St Nicholas as they all join forces to save the festive season! It’s a celebration of Christmas in the most wonderful, funny and moving way you’ll ever see!  ***** After a truly unique summer performing at various sell-out CAR PARK THEATRE events, it was evident to Horrible Histories Actor/Manager Neal Foster (Birmingham Stage Company) that the audience for live theatre is huge even during this current time; “We were thrilled to be invited to take part in the run of Car Park Party events around the country and were overwhelmed by the response of the audience, who were clearly delighted and relieved to see actors live on stage again. I was totally surprised by just how well Car Park Theatre worked and loved the whole collective experience.”  With normal everyday life still somewhat far away, the cost of the pandemic is continuing to be felt and whilst we still have Christmas to look forward to, it’s going to feel very different without the family trip to the theatre.  Christmas is often the first time a child experiences live theatre and now with hundreds of shows, big and small, being cancelled throughout the land, families and children in particular are going to lose out on one the cornerstones of the festive period.  Horrible Histories will hopefully go some way to providing the laughter and cheer with this perfect story for the times in a car park near you this December.   Neal Foster continued; “We can’t wait to be back on stage in cities and towns that will be crying out for a Christmas show to entertain their families. As you’d expect from Horrible Histories, it’s not a traditional pantomime, but a journey through the story of Christmas in the company of the season’s most fabulous characters. It’s the perfect story for families this winter, as one young boy battles to save Christmas for the world, in this hilarious, joyous and moving celebration.” The team behind Car Park Theatre are passionate about live theatrical entertainment and, in a world where this has been put on pause, they have created the ultimate safe, social distancing solution to bring the festive cheer back into people’s lives and communities back together. There are limited tickets for each show priced at £45 per sleigh car (£2.50 booking fee applies). Grab the reigns and secure your space for the drive-in event of the season.  Tickets & T&C’s are available at carparkparty.com.  VENUES & DATES TBC  Birmingham Bristol Cardiff Chelmsford Edinburgh Exeter Glasgow Leeds Leicester Liverpool Manchester Northampton Nottingham Plymouth Newbury Reading Sheffield Southampton Web – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter

Philharmonia Orchestra announces full autumn programme of live streamed concerts and Philharmonia Sessions

• Four live-streamed concerts at London’s Southbank Centre, where the Philharmonia is Resident Orchestra, represents the Orchestra’s first performances on the Royal Festival Hall stage since 15 March 2020
   
• Paid-for live streamed concerts featuring Principal Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, Principal Conductor Designate Santtu-Matias Rouvali, conductors Elim Chan and Pablo Heras-Casado, violinists Nicola Benedetti and Sergey Khachatryan, and soprano Julia Bullock
   
• Additional BBC Radio 3 broadcast of concerts conducted by Rouvali (26 Oct) and Salonen (29 Oct) as a key part of the Southbank Centre’s Inside Out series
   
• New free-to-air Philharmonia Sessions, filmed and recorded at Battersea Arts Centre and premiered on YouTube, featuring conductors Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jakub Hrůša, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and Stephen Fry as narrator
   
• Newly programmed sessions follow tonight’s Philharmonia Session (17 September, 7pm, YouTube), featuring Nicola Benedetti performing The Lark Ascending and Paavo Järvi conducting Beethoven’s Symphony No.1
   
• Autumn programme follows exceptional success of the Philharmonia Sessions format this summer, with 100,000+ viewers from all over the world tuning in for performances designed specifically for online audiences

The Philharmonia Orchestra today announces its full programme for October and November 2020: six online performances in two strands, encompassing live-streamed concerts, pre-recorded performances and radio broadcasts, as the Orchestra continues to build out its new digital performance schedule.

Philharmonia Sessions

The Philharmonia Sessions – a series of critically acclaimed free, pre-recorded digital performances, conceived and created especially for an online audience – will continue with two new releases, following three films this summer that have reached six-figure audiences in the UK and around the world, and drawn critical acclaim.

The next Philharmonia Sessions feature Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting Beethoven’s ballet score, The Creatures of Prometheus (24 November), in a dramatic format filmed at Battersea Arts Centre with Stephen Fry narrating a new script by Gerard McBurney. The project is adapted from the programme that Salonen would have opened with for the Philharmonia’s 2020/21 London Season.

Jakub Hrůša and cellist Alisa Weilerstein follow on 5 November, in an all-Dvořák programme featuring his Rondo and Silent Woods for cello and orchestra. Both Philharmonia Sessions will be premiered, free-to-view, on the Philharmonia’s YouTube channel.

Live from Royal Festival Hall

In October the Philharmonia Orchestra will perform on the Royal Festival Hall stage for the first time since 15 March 2020, in the first of four live-streamed concerts as part of the Southbank Centre’s autumn Inside Out series.

Featuring artists including conductors Esa-Pekka Salonen, Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Elim Chan and Pablo Heras-Casado, soprano Julia Bullock and violinists Sergey Khachatryan and Nicola Benedetti, the four concerts will also be the Orchestra’s first paid-for, ticketed performances since before the COVID-19 lockdown. The live concerts will be streamed directly by the Philharmonia in the UK and via IDAGIO’s Global Concert Hall outside the UK.

Principal Conductor Designate Santtu-Matias Rouvali opens the series on 26 October with a programme of American music: Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring; Steve Reich’s Music for Pieces of Wood (with Rouvali as one of the five percussionists); Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks and Dances in the Canebrakes by Florence Price (1887-1953), an African-American composer whose works have been rediscovered in the last few years, as profiled by Alex Ross in the New Yorker.

Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts Britten’s Les Illuminations (with soprano Julia Bullock) and Ravel’s Mother Goose (complete ballet) for the second concert on 29 October. Both Rouvali and Salonen’s concerts will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 alongside the audio-visual live stream.

On 12 November Elim Chan, who would have conducted the Philharmonia at Edinburgh International Festival this summer, leads a programme including Jessie Montgomery’s Strum and Sergey Khachatryan performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. In the final concert on 30 November, Nicola Benedetti returns in an all-Beethoven programme with conductor Pablo Heras-Casado, performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and the Second Symphony as part of Beethoven 250 celebrations.

About the Philharmonia’s programme

Although the Philharmonia cannot yet perform for live audiences with this phase of activity, the Orchestra has begun to perform to socially-distanced audiences this autumn, at Garsington Opera’s production of Beethoven’s Fidelio, and plans are being developed for performances for live audiences at venues across the UK.

Alexander Van Ingen, Chief Executive of the Philharmonia, said: “We are thrilled with the success of our online Philharmonia Sessions series, and excited to announce a strong programme of concerts for the autumn. We are proud to have been the first UK symphony orchestra to create exceptional digital content this summer, freely available to an international audience, and now the first UK orchestra to return to live opera performance in partnership with Garsington Opera. Thanks to the generosity of the Philharmonia family of supporters, we have been able to weather the storm and continue to present superb performances for an audience across the country, and I am immensely grateful to our players for their dedication and brilliance as we adapt to new ways of presenting great music and continue to develop our performances across the UK.”

Access to the arts is a fundamental right. As such, the Philharmonia’s autumn season provides a mix of both free and ticketed online concerts so that everyone can experience the joy of classical music. The Philharmonia Sessions are free and for everyone, streamed via the Philharmonia’s YouTube channel. The Live from Royal Festival Hall series is ticketed with digital seats available for as little as £9.

This programme, along with the Orchestra’s ability to plan with ambition for the future is only made possible thanks to the vital support of Friends and Donors. During both the Philharmonia Sessions and Live from Royal Festival Hall series, the Philharmonia will ask those that can to make a donation in support of the Orchestra’s work and national reach.

At a time when the Orchestra cannot play live for audiences in its residency venues across the UK, supporters’ donations will keep the Philharmonia playing and secure the future of the Orchestra. For more information on how to support the Philharmonia please visit the website or contact [email protected].

SCOTT FOLAN AND

BROADWAY PODCAST NETWORK’S

RED SOLO CUP CONCERT

STARS MIRACLE CHANCE, JAMES HAMEED, BLAKE PATRICK ANDERSON AND MORE FROM

THE WEST END CAST OF BE MORE CHILL

NEW YORK, NY; September 16, 2020: Scott Folan andBroadway Podcast Network are pleased to announce the exclusive RED SOLO CUP CONCERT, reuniting most of the London cast of BE MORE CHILL (sort of) LIVE on Saturday, September 26, 2020 at 9:00 pm BST (4:00 pm EST). Hosted by London’s Jeremy Heere, Scott Folan, the concert will welcome Miracle Chance, James Hameed, Blake Patrick Anderson and special guests. Tickets range from $7.50-$9.99 and are available at bpn.fm/bemorechill.

The cast of Be More Chill in London began their run in mid-February of this year, only to have their show closed after a few weeks of performances. Only getting a chance to explore this wonderful show for a short time, and only getting to meet a select few members of the fanbase, the cast wanted another chance to get together (if socially-distanced) and share some art, in a semi-live way.

Folan remarks, “I thought this would be a nice way to reunite my cast members in celebration of the joy that Be More Chill brings to us all.”

Blake Patrick Anderson (Michael Mell), Miracle Chance (Christine Canigula), Eloise Davies (Brooke Lohst), Christopher Fry (Mr. Heere/Mr. Reyes) James Hameed (Rich Goranski), Eve Norris (Swing), Miles Paloma (Jake Dillinger), and more will be participating in a live chat and will be sharing performances of either their favorite numbers from the show (re-imagined) or a sentimental song they wanted to have their fans enjoy. Moderated by London’s Jeremy Heere, Scott Folan, this is an event all Be More Chill fans will not want to miss.

Tickets range from $7.50-$9.99 and are available at bpn.fm/bemorechill.

Website: https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/

SCOTT FOLAN is a 20 year old Singer-Songwriter and actor from North London. Scott began his acting career at the age of 12 and since then he has appeared on both stage and screen, as well as maintaining his love and passion for writing and performing his own music. He just released his most recent single ‘Photographs and Memories’ on all major platforms and is excited to share more of his music in the future.

BROADWAY PODCAST NETWORK (BPN) is the premiere digital destination for everyone, everywhere who loves theatre and the performing arts.

Broadway Podcast Network is all about creating an engaging, immersive, user-friendly experience where theatre stories of all kinds can be easily found, shared, and enjoyed. Part original programming, part hub for the podcasts you know and love, Broadway Podcast Network is building the perfect hub that includes tremendously talented content creators, all-star hosts, producers, writers, industry leaders, and storytellers of all kinds. With a vast range of theatre-related programming, Broadway Podcast Network podcasts offer something for everyone, may they be interested in starring on stage, working behind-the-scenes, or just enjoying theater from the best seats in the house. The content on Broadway Podcast Network offers audiences behind-the-curtain access to the creative process, advice on everything from how to break into the business to how to audition, theatre history, candid interviews with your favorite stars, and so much more. Broadway Podcast Network’s audience includes theatre professionals and industry leaders, theatre students, up-and-coming artists, and theatre fans from all over the world. www.BroadwayPodcastNetwork.com  fb: @BroadwayPodcastNetwork/ inst: @broadwaypodcastnetwork/ tw: @BwayPodNetwork yt: @broadwaypodcastnetwork

DARE DEVIL RIDES TO JARAMA

NEW AUDIO DIGITAL RELEASE

DOWNLOAD HERE FROM MONDAY 21^st SEPT

Townsend Theatre Productions are delighted to announce a digital audio release of their critically acclaimed play Neil Gore ‘Dare Devil Rides To Jarama’.  Based on the experiences of The International Brigades during The Spanish Civil War; ‘ Released as a four part play on Monday 24^th September, with episodes lasting between 16 and 30 minutes, downloads will cost £6.00 for all four episodes.

REVIEWS FROM THE 2016 LIVE PRODUCTION

“Dare Devil Rides To Jarama’ is quite simply the best political theatre produced for a long, long time” 

The Morning Star *****

“Dare Devil Rides To Jarama’ is outstanding entertainment” London Theatre1 *****

Reviews Hub ****

The Good Review ****

London City ****

Theatre Reviews ****

‘Dare Devil Rides To Jarama’ brings to life the powerful political and economic forces engulfing 1930s Europe and the reasons why so many ordinary people made the extraordinary choice to leave their family, friends and home to defend the Spanish Republic.

The Spanish Civil War was fought 1936 to 1939. Republicans loyal to the left-leaning Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic, aligned with anarchists, communist and syndicalists took to arms against a revolt by the hard-right Nationalists, a group made up Falangists, monarchists, conservatives and Catholics, led by a military group of which General Francisco Franco was at the forefront.

The political climate at the time meant that the war was a complex one, and was considered a class struggle, a war of religion, a struggle between dictatorship and republican democracy, and between fascism and communism.

When Spaniards rose up to resist General Franco’s military rebellion, it was an inspiration to millions of people across the world. The heroic struggle of the Spanish people alerted the rest of the world to the threat of fascism.  

The play commemorates and celebrates the contribution and sacrifice of the volunteer International Brigades from all over the world, including two and a half thousand from Britain and Ireland, who recognised that the defence of Spanish democracy against fascism was their fight too. Many of the volunteers crossed the Pyrenees to help the Spanish Republic, convinced that this evil had to be stopped to prevent a wider European war. 

Compelling and humorous, Dare Devil Rides To Jarama centres on the contrasting true lives of International Brigaders Clem Beckett and Christopher Caudwell. Beckett, a Lancashire blacksmith and famous star of the speedway track, and Caudwell, a renowned writer, poet and philosopher, were killed together at Jarama in February 1937, having become friends as members of the British Battalion’s machine-gun company. 

Through their stories, the play sheds light on the political and social world of the 1930s and all that inspired and confronted the Brigaders on their journeys to Spain. It captures the raw passions and emotions of the Spanish Civil War – idealism to despair, hope to anger, determination to fear – through powerful storytelling, stirring song and poetry.

MICHAEL MORPURGO TO HOST AUTHOR TALK AT RIVERSIDE STUDIOS

Riverside Studios today announces an evening with bestselling author Michael Morpurgo as part of their author Q&A series for Key Stage 2 children, Storystock. Taking place on 23 September at 5pm, Morpurgo will read extracts and discuss his book new book Boy Giant: Son of Gulliver which has just been published on paperback by HarperCollins. Storystock is part of Riverside Studios’ Dive In Programme which encourages accessibility of the arts, creativity and well-being in the community.

A stunning new story of hope, humanity and high-seas adventure for children and adults everywhere Boy Giant: Son of Gulliver is thrilling adventure inspired by the classic story of Gulliver’s Travels from the multi-million copy bestselling author of War Horse, Private Peaceful and Kensuke’s Kingdom.

“We were the truth of our own story. Me, and the two tiny people on my shoulder, in the middle of the sea…”

War has forced Omar and his mother to leave their home in Afghanistan and venture across the sea to Europe. When their boat sinks, and Omar finds himself alone, with no hope of rescue, it seems as if his story has come to an end.

But it is only just beginning.

Because in the end, a little hope makes a big difference…

This is a gripping modern narrative of rescue and refuge, from a writer at the height of his powers. A book about breaking down walls, at a time when many are trying to build them. And a timeless reminder of humanity’s infinite capacity for good… even when those humans are very small indeed.

The event is suitable for ages 7+. To ensure safety standards are met, spaces are limited for all on-site activities, please book ahead at www.riversidestudios.co.uk

An imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse co-production

DR BLOOD’S OLD TRAVELLING SHOW

Written and Directed by Andrew Quick and Pete Brooks

Projection and Video Design by Simon Wainwright

Design by Laura Hopkins

Lighting Design by Andrew Crofts

Music by James Hamilton

Models by Matthew Tully

Roll up, roll up, for a slice of twilight theatre that you will never forget… no matter how hard you try! Welcome to Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show.

Fresh from the success of their critically acclaimed stage recreation of George A. Romero’s classic zombie movie Night of the Living Dead ™- Remix, imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse are set to join forces once again to stage the première of the raucous and deliciously dark new tale – Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show. This show will play as part of Leeds Playhouse’s reopening season of work which is designed to safely reintroduce audiences to the live theatre experience,  showcasing the vibrancy and resilience of the artists and venues creating work within the Leeds City Region.

Directed and written by imitating the dog’s co-artistic directors Andrew Quick and Pete Brooks,  Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show will open outside Leeds Playhouse on Playhouse Square from the 7-8 October and will then tour till 24 October.

imitating the dog bring all their theatrical and technical acumen to this unique outdoor live theatre experience. Their innovative story telling skills will create this dark tale of mischief and immorality, drawing on classic horror movies and the traditions of carnival and medicine shows. Set in a mythical ‘North’ and made for these strange times of lockdown, Dr Blood and his motley crew tell a tale of the price paid for pursuing ambition, hypocrisy, and greed.

imitating the dog co-director Andrew Quick said:

“It’s a strange time to be making a new show but we are really looking forward to meeting the new challenges of creating work in the present conditions. We felt it was important to keep going and create a piece that was not only magical and entertaining but will abide by social distancing guidance and be COVID 19 safe. It will be a challenge to make but it is a hugely entertaining production that is scary in parts but also full of fun, with some deep and dark themes running through it.  We’ll be using screen and camera technologies for which we are known and I just can’t wait to share with audiences and venues like Leeds Playhouse that have supported us over the last decade and for us all to come together and experience all the joys of live theatre outdoors.”

Leeds Playhouse Artistic Director James Brining said:

“We are working together with all our theatre partners to make sure that everyone who is coming back to watching live theatre does so in a safe environment. It is fantastic to see artists and theatre companies who throughout this time have grabbed the opportunity to create new work and explore different ways to entertain an audience. We are thrilled to be working once again with imitating the dog who are constantly looking at new ways to create theatre and, in this case, will showcase the beautiful new space on Playhouse Square.”

The production’s creative team will feature design by Laura Hopkins (Black Watch and Peter Pan, National Theatre of Scotland, The Divide, Edinburgh International Festival and The Old Vic), projection and video design by Simon Wainwright (Night of the Living Dead ™- Remix, imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse and The Kid Stays in the Picture, Royal Court), lighting by Andrew Crofts (Night of the Living Dead ™- Remix, imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse and Trash Cuisine, Belarus Free Theatre and The Young Vic); original music composed by James Hamilton andmodels by Matthew Tully. Casting will be announced over the next couple of weeks.

imitating the dog have been making ground-breaking work for theatres and other spaces for 20 years. Their work, which fuses live performance with digital technology, has been seen by hundreds of thousands of people in venues, outdoor festivals, and events across the world. Past productions have included Hotel Methuselah, A Farewell to Arms, Heart of Darkness and most recently their co-production with Leeds Playhouse –Night of the Living Dead ™- Remix.    

Leeds Playhouse is one of the UK’s leading producing theatres; a cultural hub, a place where people gather to tell and share stories and to engage in world class theatre. It makes work which is pioneering and relevant, seeking out the best companies and artists to create inspirational theatre in the heart of Yorkshire.

Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show willpremiere on Playhouse Square from 7-8 October and will then tour to The Courtyard, Piece Hall, Halifax (9-10 October), The Lowry, Salford (17 October), Lancaster Square, Lancaster Arts and Dukes Lancaster (20 -21 October) and Belgrade Square, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry (23-24 October) with other dates to be announced.

In line with current government guidelines, audiences will have a limited capacity with social distancing in place. Tickets are on sale to Leeds Playhouse’s Patrons and Playhouse Pass holders for Leeds Playhouse at 9am on Wednesday 16 September and on general sale at 9am on Thursday 17 September. Tickets for the tour will be on sale throughout the week.

All ticket proceeds from the tour will go to support the tour venues during the lockdown.

SIGNAL FIRES

• IN A UK FIRST, TOURING THEATRE COMPANIES ARE JOINING FORCES THIS AUTUMN TO TOUR A SINGLE IDEA ACROSS THE UK AT A TIME WHEN PHYSICAL TOURING IS IMPOSSIBLE

• TAKING INSPIRATION FROM AN ORIGINAL FORM OF THEATRE – STORYTELLING BY FIRELIGHT – THESE LEADING COMPANIES ARE COMING TOGETHER TO UNEARTH THE PAST, UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT AND REIMAGINE THE FUTURE

• EVENTS WILL BE PRESENTED LIVE AND VIRTUALLY TO AUDIENCES ACROSS ALL FOUR NATIONS

• SIGNAL FIRES WILL BE LIT IN A CELEBRATION OF TOURING THEATRE AND AS A WARNING OF THE THREAT STILL FACING THE INDUSTRY

• DOZENS OF THEATRE COMPANIES  ARE INVOLVED INCLUDING ENGLISH TOURING THEATRE, FUEL, GRAEAE, HEADLONG, KNEEHIGH, NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE OF GREAT BRITAIN, PAINES PLOUGH, PENTABUS, FEN IN ASSOCIATION WITH OUT OF JOINT, SLUNG LOW, AND YELLOW EARTH THEATRE

• LOCATIONS TO INCLUDE BELFAST, BRADFORD, LIVERPOOL, MANCHESTER, SHROPSHIRE, YORKSHIRE, LONDON, ESSEX, LEEDS, BRISTOL, PLYMOUTH, CORNWALL

The UK’s leading touring theatre companies are uniting this autumn to present Signal Fires, a nationwide project inspired by one of the original forms of theatre – storytelling around a fire.

Presented at a time when it is not possible to physically tour, 45North, Arcade, Beyond Face, Big Telly, Boundless, Eastern Angles, English Touring Theatre, Fen in association with Out of Joint, Fio in association with Tara Arts Fuel, Graeae, Headlong, Hightide, Kestrel Theatre Company, Kneehigh, Macha Productions, National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, New Perspectives, Pentabus, Pilot, Paines Plough, SBC Theatre, Scottish International Storytelling Festival, Slung Low, Spare Tyre, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men and Yellow Earth Theatre (with more to be announced) are uniting for the first time, to collectively tour a single idea throughout October and into November.

Each company will self-produce an evening of work – a signal fire – at a different location across the UK  in celebration of our fundamental need to tell stories, in order to help make sense of the world around us and reimagine the future. Presented outdoors in front of socially-distanced live audiences, or digitally for those who are shielding or currently unable to travel, every signal fire will incorporate a different form of physical fire, ranging from large-scale bonfires to candles, virtual fires to campfires, and BBQ’s to mobile phone lights. Working with hundreds of UK freelancers each company’s fire will be different from the last, spanning different disciplines reflecting the breadth and diversity of the touring circuit.

In light of the current crisis, the signal fires will create beacons across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland warning of the threat the industry continues to face while celebrating the extraordinary vibrancy of touring theatre and the freelancers they engage. Stretching across four nations, this festival of fires will connect audiences, freelance artists and touring companies together in a communal, national act of storytelling.

The health and safety of audiences, artists, creative teams and staff alike is of the upmost importance. All companies involved in the project will implement COVID secure measures to ensure that their full process, from rehearsal to performance, is in line with the current government guidelines, following strict hygiene protocols and allowing for social distancing.

Holly Race Roughan, Associate Artistic Director of Headlong said:

‘Signal Fires is an unprecedented project born out of unprecedented times. It has been incredibly inspiring and humbling to connect with so many different touring theatre companies. To be reminded of the sheer breadth and diversity of the UK touring ecology, the audiences we engage, and crucially what we now stand on the brink of losing. Touring theatre companies are vital for sharing stories across communities, so we can learn from each-other and reimagine a future together. Signal Fires demonstrates the power of collaboration and the need to embrace both innovation and new ways of working if we are to weather the challenging months ahead.’

Richard Twyman, CEO and Artistic Director of English Touring Theatre said:

‘When the theatres first closed, a group of touring companies came together to support each other; sharing ideas, learning and resources. A collective of companies determined to keep making work, serving audiences and engaging artists. Signal Fires was born from these conversations. As we all seek to make sense of what we’re living through and what comes next, we look to our storytellers to guide us forward. Each fire on its own is a small-scale coming together, but collectively, lit up across the UK, they represent a national act of storytelling. A chance to connect: to celebrate imagination and empathy in this time of isolation and uncertainty.’

Signal Fires will run from October to November at various locations across the UK. Further details will be announced shortly.

Le Gateau Chocolat, Neil Hamburger and Gemma Whelan to make guest appearances in The Boss of It All  The streaming of the Lars von Trier adaptation stars Josie Lawrence in the title role  Neil Hamburger, Gemma Whelan, Gerry Howell, Natalie Palamides, Anuvab Pal and Le Gateau Chocolat will make guest appearances in the final scene  Streamed by Soho Theatre for five performances from 18th – 20th September

“Sharp and smart” **** The Stage 

@NPtheatre | www.newperspectives.co.uk | @sohotheatre | sohotheatre.com 

Acclaimed comedians and performers from around the world have been confirmed to join the cast of Lars von Trier’s The Boss of It All when it livestreams 18^th – 20^th. The film has been adapted for Zoom, updating the office comedy to a work from home set up, by New Perspectives Artistic Director Jack McNamara based on his previous stage version. For every performance a different special guest will Zoom in live from their homes, ranging from London, Los Angeles and Mumbai, to play the enigmatic Icelandic boss Finnur in the final scene. 

The opening performance on 18^th September will feature international cabaret sensation, Le Gateau Chocolat, followed by Indian comedian Anuvab Pal and America’s $1 Funnyman Neil Hamburger on the 19^th at 4pm and 8pm respectively. Game of Thrones star Gemma Whelan will be performing alongside her husband, comedian Gerry Howell, for the 4pm show the 20^th, and finally the evening show that day will feature Los Angeles based clown and comedian Natalie Palamides (Nate). 

They join an already stellar cast including Josie Lawrence, Jamie De Courcey, Ross Armstrong, Rachel Summers, David Alade, Angela Bain and Japanese comedian Yuriko Kotani. 

Artistic Director Jack McNamara said, “We wanted to give our live audiences a real treat with a special guest who appeared just for them. These are some of the most inventive, beautifully off-the-wall people in contemporary comedy and performance and it is a serious thrill to have them on board with this production. They will each add such a distinctive flavor to the show they appear in, making each performance a one of a kind for the audience.  I cannot wait to see my own script pulled in a wholly unexpected directions by each guest!”  

The office comedy drama was originally presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2013 to widespread critical acclaim before transferring to Soho Theatre. In 2020 the office setting has now become a remote working set up, with the action taking place via a series of Zoom meetings. 

For years the boss of an IT company has tricked his staff into believing he is simply another co-worker. So when he needs a ‘real’ boss to help close the deal of a lifetime, he hires an actor to play the role. What could possibly go wrong? Marking one of Lars von Trier’s rare forays into comedy, this distinctive and eccentric exploration of office politics has been rewritten for the stage by Jack McNamara following its hit premiere seven years ago. The play has since been performed around the world 

New Perspectives is an East Midlands based company with over 40 years’ experience of touring high-quality productions to venues of all sizes across the UK, from mid-scale theatres to village halls.  With a strong rural core, they create productions to fit spaces of any size in order to bring new work that is unexpected and thought-provoking to a wide range of audiences. Since 2012, New Perspectives has been led by Artistic Director Jack McNamara whose productions include The Boss of It All by Lars von Trier (Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh and Soho Theatre), The Lovesong of Alfred J Hitchcock by David Rudkin (Brits off Broadway, New York and UK tour), Darkness, Darkness (Nottingham Playhouse co-production) and the Stage Award winning The Fishermen by Gbolohan Obisesan (Trafalgar Studios, Assembly George Square Studios and UK Tour). Their podcast series PlacePrints is currently available, and their postcard drama Love From Cleethorpes is available again from October. 

Soho Theatre is London’s most vibrant producer for new theatre, comedy and cabaret. We pursue creative excellence, harnessing an artistic spirit that is based in our new writing roots, the radical ethos of the fringe and the traditions of punk culture and queer performance. We champion voices that challenge from outside of the mainstream, and sometimes from within it too. We value entertainment, accessibility and enjoy a good show. We are a registered charity and social enterprise and our audiences are diverse in age, background and outlook. 

Ordinarily our work plays to live audiences of 250,000 audiences a year in our Dean Street venue, at the Edinburgh Fringe and beyond. Since our temporary closure due to Covid-19 we have re-launched our online platform Soho Theatre On Demand, which hosted the phenomenally successful live recording of Fleabag. We are also working towards the opening of an exciting second venue, a “local theatre with a national profile” in Walthamstow, currently slated to open in 2022. 

Soho Theatre’s board is chaired by Dame Heather Rabbatts DBE and the company is led by Executive Director Mark Godfrey and Creative Director David Luff.  

sohotheatre.com | sohotheatreondemand.com | @sohotheatre 

Company Inforrmation 

Director Jack McNamara                                  Design Consultant Lily Arnold 

Digital Consultancy TECH:SQUAD                  Digital Producer Darius Powell           

Technical Delivery Officer Adam Crowther       Stage Manager Oran O’Neill 

Cast 

Kristina Josie Lawrence            Ravn Ross Armstrong 

PA David Alade                         Gorm Angela Bain                                Lise Rachel Summers    

Mette Yuriko Kotani                   Spencer Jamie de Courcey                   The Voice Tone Haldrup Lorenzen 

Listings information  

18 – 20 September 

Friday 18 September at 8pm 

Saturday 19 September at 4pm and 8pm 

Sunday 20 September at 4pm and 8pm 

Tickets from £8 – £15  | sohotheatre.com 

A New Perspectives and Soho Theatre co-production in association with Derby QUAD. Presented by arrangement with Nordiska ApS, Copenhagen. New Perspectives is supported using public funding from Arts Council England, Lottery Funded. 

THE HOPE THEATRE TO COMMISSION

HOPE AT HOME

OFF WEST END VENUE SECURES FUNDING

FOR NEW DIGITAL PROJECT

5 FILMS. 5 PREMIERES. 5 STORIES.

The Hope Theatre in Islingtonhas secured funding from City Bridge Trust as part of a funding bid from the London Community Response Fund for a new digital project this autumn.

Hope at Home is a 5-part online series of 15-minute monologues each exploring a single fascinating slice of life set at home. The commissioning process, which launches in September, will see 25-30 artists brought on board to create the films. Casting and artistic team callouts will be advertised both on Spotlight and The Hope’s social media platforms. The monologues will be launched via the theatre’s digital channels on 25 November, with each film premiering for one week for free as ‘pay what you want’ to encourage access and donations to help secure the future of the critically acclaimed pub theatre. The project will finish with a Christmas special in December. 

Kennedy Bloomer, the Artistic Director of the theatre since January 2020 says, “we are delighted to launch Hope at Home – in these uncertain times, we’re looking forward to getting creative, providing arts employment and making audiences smile again. This is a really exciting project and being able to launch them digitally will allow us to be more accessible than ever.

The Hope Theatre fast became a critically acclaimed venue on London’s Off West End after opening only six years ago. The pub theatre won a double Best Actor award for Bart Lambert and Jack Reitman in its production of Thrill Me: The Leopold and Loeb Story at the OffWestEnd awards shortly before closing in early March 2020.

Since closure, the theatre has launched #HopeOnline – a series of digital workshops including a Q&A with Peaky Blinders co-producer Chris Ballantyne, a Creative Mindfulness Masterclass with the Different Womxn Project founded by Ariane Barnes, and Be Heard – a monologue writing competition for 11-25 year olds supported by the Arsenal Foundation.

The Hope Theatre, Islington has been supported by a grant from the Arts Council Emergency Response Fund to help the venue survive during the Covid-19 crisis. This grant was made possible by the National Lottery and its players.

Although The Hope Theatre doesn’t receive regular public subsidy, it was the first Off West End venue to open with a house agreement with Equity, the UK’s largest performers union, to ensure a legal wage for all actors, stage managers and box office staff working at the theatre. As an intimate 50-seat pub theatre, The Hope has a small team made up of Artistic Director Kennedy Bloomer, Associate Director Toby Hampton and Technical Manager Daniel Johnson.

To support The Hope Theatre head to: https://www.thehopetheatre.com/support-us/.

The Hope Theatre

207 Upper Street, London, N1 1RL

www.thehopetheatre.com

Twitter:  @thehopetheatre

Facebook: /thehopetheatre

Instagram: /thehopetheatre

Big heArt Busk

Powered by Showcatcher.com

A call out to performers and artist around the country to bring some life back to the world of live entertainment

starts 02 October 2020

Showcatcher.com today announces Big heArt Busk, an initiative which will see performers from all around the country busking in socially distanced spaces from Friday 02 October.

The project was conceived by producer William Burdett-Coutts and Kim Acland and has received early support from major figures in the UK arts, Stephen Fry and Brian Cox. 

Big heArt Busk is an opportunity for artists and entertainers around the UK to get out and celebrate live performance anywhere and everywhere they can, remind the public of the importance of live performance, and, importantly solicit financial support.

Since most artists are freelance, they have not had any support or income through this very difficult time. This is the first call out to all artists and entertainers to get their acts together and ready to start busking from Friday 02 October.

After months of almost no live performances the challenge is to bring productions back to life for all to enjoy in safe open air spaces, parks, theatre foyers and any other accessible setting which allows for a socially distanced audience. Given the limitation on numbers this may restrict how a performances can take place, but even if “buskers” can only play to a limited audience they can record their ‘busk’ on their phone and upload it to Showcatcher.com to reach a larger audience online.

William Burdett-Coutts said “We are announcing the Big heArt Busk today to give the artists and performers time to rehearse before 02 October. We hope the country’s performers get such a good response form the public that they will continue busking until they go are able to get back to work on stage as normal.”

Supporter of the initiative, Brian Cox said “Artists have been so restricted this past few months, they need to be able to flex their muscles no matter they are a stand-up, a dancer, an actor or a trick cyclist, they need to express and practice and the Big heArt Busk gives them that opportunity and I wholly support it as will those performers to take part.”

Another supporter, Stephen Fry, said“This is a great idea. Naturally, I’m in favour of anything that might help energise, renew and revivify the performing arts.”