Month: March 2021

Chiswick Playhouse reopens with mini festival Chiswick Playhouse Recharged
Chiswick Playhouse, 2 Bath Road, London W4 1LW
Monday 17th May – Sunday 27th June 2021

Chiswick Playhouse will mark its reopening with a socially distanced festival of magic, musicals, comedy and more! There will be premieres, hilarious stand-up and dreamy music with artists including star of stage and screen, Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey; Lovejoy); comedy legend, Andy Parsons (Mock the Week); and comedian and TV personality, Judi Love (Loose Women)

The festival kicks off with A Night at the West End, starring Scott Sutcliffe (Wicked) and Claudia Kariuki (Priscilla Queen of the Desert). This feel-good concert will celebrate the best of musical theatre with irresistible songs from hit shows such as Little Shop of Horrors, Dreamgirls, Wicked and Les Misérables

The festival will include Bare Bones, a new series of play readings. Actors will perform thrilling plays with no set, costumes or lighting – just the text, the performance, and the audience. Plays include Single Black Female by Lisa B. Thompson, The Woodcutters Tale by Orlando Wells, The Gin Game by D.L. Coburn plus a new version of Tom Sharpe’s Wilt, adapted by David Spicer.

Chiswick Playhouse favourites, Scenaria will present two nostalgic and powerful musical productions at Chiswick Playhouse Recharged. The Soprano Behind the Screen: The Untold Story of Marni Nixon is based on the life of Hollywood’s secret soprano, Marni Nixon: the singing voice behind the scenes for Audrey Hepburn, Natalie Wood and Deborah Kerr. This musical biography tells her story through tales and songs from the silver screen including My Fair Lady, West Side Story and The King & I; as well as hits from operas and more recent Broadway shows too.

Scenaria will also premiere a brand-new song cycle, Another Life. Oscar Hammerstein, Mary Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, Adam Guettel, and Jason Robert Brown have defined musical theatre history. A truly unstoppable force, they inspired and mentored each other, they broke down barriers and ultimately created masterpieces of composition. Another Life is a musical love story, told through the stunning compositions of these iconic Broadway composers, with songs from Company, The Light in the Piazza, Hot Spot, The Bridges of Maddison County, Sunday In the Park with George, and many more.

There is even an opportunity to spend evenings with leading lights of broadcasting as Phyllis Logan, star of Downtown Abbey; familiar face of Loose Women, Judi Love; and BBC Broadcaster, Torin Douglas, all take to the stage.

The festival will also see comedy, magic shows, music and more! Andy Parsons is Healing the Nation as he tickles funny bones across the country, making a stop in Chiswick in June. On a mission to find the perfect candidate for happily-ever-after, Meat Cute follows one young woman as she navigates life, love and eviction! Could it be Magic? will return to Chiswick Playhouse bringing its signature mix of mind-melting magic and bonkers character comedy. The unmissable weekend staple, Sunday Soul, will come back to West London with a brand new series of incredible music talent

Wayne Glover-Stuart, Producer at Chiswick Playhouse, comments, Opening our doors and
switching on the lights has been on hold for far too long therefore I am delighted to be able to welcome back audiences old and new to Chiswick Playhouse. Recharged Festival offers a variety of incredible artforms, and has allowed us to reopen safely and socially distanced. Working with such talented creatives across the festival has been an honour.

LUCY EATON, STAR OF BBC1’S ‘STAGED’ LAUNCHES NEW THEATRE PODCAST ‘HEAR ME OUT’.

THE FIRST FOUR EPISODES WITH GUESTS MARK BONNAR, DENISE GOUGH, ADRIAN LESTER AND CLAIRE SKINNER ARE AVAILABLE TO LISTEN TO NOW ON ALL MAJOR STREAMING PLATFORMS.

NEW EPISODES WILL BE RELEASED EVERY TUESDAY FROM 30 MARCH WITH GUESTS INCLUDING BRENDAN COYLE, FREDDIE FOX, PATRICIA HODGE, MADDY HILL AND GILES TERERA

Hear Me Out is abrand-new podcast from actor and producer Lucy Eaton, most recently seen on TV screens starring alongside David Tennant, Michael Sheen, and her brother Simon Evans in BBC1’s Staged.  The first four episodes are now available to listen to with guests Mark Bonnar, Denise Gough, Adrian Lester, and Claire Skinner. A new episode will then be released each Tuesday from 30 March onwards with future guests including Brendan Coyle, Freddie Fox, Patricia Hodge, Maddy Hill, and Giles Terera.  Hear Me Out is available to listen to on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor.com, and all major streaming platforms.  Filmed clips from the episodes can also be found on YouTube @PodHearMeOut.

Hear Me Out puts the audience back in the stalls or, closer still, the rehearsal room. Creeping further into 2021, many have endured twelve months without a curtain going up. This new podcast invites theatre-loving audiences to re-connect with theatre-makers in a unique celebration of language and performance.

Hosted by Lucy Eaton, Hear Me Out is the insider chat that audiences would love to have, with the stars of some of the country’s finest productions. The format is simple: Lucy asks ‘What is your favourite speech?’’ From the brilliance of the language to the personal anecdotes behind the choice, it’s part Desert Island Discs, part literary analysis and part post-show chat in the theatre bar. Behind the world’s most beautiful words are tales of fake-blood-in-the-eye, audience interruptions and corset-bruises.

Kicking off the first series hear Claire Skinner discuss Moonlight by Harold Pinter, Adrian Lester on Cost of Living by Martyna Majok, Denise Gough on People, Places and Things by Duncan Macmillan, and Mark Bonnar on Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

Lucy’s first podcast ‘The Thing About That’, co-hosted with Rebecca Bright and Hermione Allen, explored the challenging everyday expectations of modern life.  The first series tackled the weird and wonderful world of modern weddings, weaving together personal experiences and thought-provoking discussion with tips and tricks of how to navigate age-old, and sometimes outdated, traditions. 

Lucy Eaton said:  
“It’s obviously been a tough year for everyone in the theatre industry. As any actor will tell you, our job is so much more than the sum of its (occasional) pay-checks.  However, in late autumn of last year I made a surprising revelation: the thing I was really missing with every fibre of my body wasn’t actually being in a theatre, it was being in a rehearsal room. I missed coming together with fellow actors and creatives, sitting around a table and doing a deep-dive into a play; I missed bonding over tea and biscuits in the green room and talking of past shows, ones you were in and ones you saw; I missed watching and observing people I admired, as they figured out how to crack a tough role. 

It occurred to me that this most treasured of times is something that most theatre lovers never get to experience and that, even if I couldn’t put us all in a rehearsal room yet, I could simulate the next best thing: I could rope in some pretty stupendous actors to talk about their processes and memories with reference to one particular speech, their favourite speech. And that’s how ‘Hear Me Out’ was born.  Every single conversation has been thrilling and informative beyond my wildest expectations and I hope they prove the same for my listeners.”

Claire Skinner said
”Lucy’s podcast is relaxed and inquisitive and not unlike those lovely moments in rehearsal rooms that we are all missing so much right now.”

Mark Bonnar said:
“I think ‘Hear Me Out’ will bring something entirely new and novel to the podcast landscape; not just for those of us who love and dearly miss theatre, but also for those who are curious to have an insight into the way we work and what we love about our job.”

Lucy Eaton most recently starred alongside David Tennant and Michael Sheen in BBC1’s Staged.  The second series premiered on Hulu in the US last week.  Lucy’s theatre credits include The Duchess of Malfi (Old Vic), A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Trafalgar Studios), The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui (Donmar Warehouse) and Khadija is 18 (Finborough Theatre).  Other TV credits include being a guest lead in Netflix US’ Murder Maps.  Alongside her acting, Lucy runs Go People, a production company specialising in uplifting escapism on an intimate scale. Previous credits include: the UK premiere of US smash hit Almost, Maine by John Cariani; Daisy Pulls it Off dir. Paulette Randall MBE; and the joyful 7-actor A Midsummer Night’s Dream dir. Simon Evans. She is also Founding Director of Revels in Hand, an internationally renowned luxury events service that offers world class theatre productions in clients’ private homes. Revels in Hand has been featured in Tatler, The Guardian, Forbes, The Telegraph and Vogue.

CHANNING TATUM’S MAGIC MIKE

LAUNCHES SPECTACULAR NEW  ARENA TOUR

TO OPEN MAY 2022

TICKETS ON SALE FROM 09:00 TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY 24 MARCH

Magic Mike The Arena Tour will open in May 2022.  With more dancers, bigger numbers and more spectacle than ever before, this will be the first time a live performance of Magic Mike has ever been staged outside of an intimate, cabaret-style space.  The Arena Tour will open in Belfast on 6 May, followed by Glasgow, Aberdeen, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Nottingham, Birmingham, Manchester and finishing in Liverpool.

Following two hugely successful films starring Channing Tatum and the hit Live show at the Theatre at the Hippodrome Casino in London, the show’s producers and creative team felt it was time to develop a new Magic Mike production to bring to people in other parts of the UK to celebrate the rebirth of live entertainment.

Magic Mike Live Co-Director Alison Faulk said, “This is not Magic Mike Live with more seats. Our arena tour is something totally different. After a year of isolation and frustration, we want to give women something that makes them feel alive again… a sort of celebratory revival that makes them want to stand on their chairs, dance with their friends and feel connected to each other. The show is a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of togetherness, sexuality and freedom that only an arena can hold. We want our guys to give our fans the best night of their lives with a party they’ll never forget.”

Conceived by Channing Tatum and co-directed by Channing Tatum and Alison Faulk, Magic Mike Live, which has already wowed over 200,000 people in London alone and almost 750,000 worldwide, is a large-scale, live production show based on the hit films Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL, which opened at The Theatre at the Hippodrome Casino in London’s Leicester Square in November 2018. Magic Mike Live will be resuming its successful London run on 21 May 2021.

Magic Mike The Arena Tour is a new project that builds on the dance, spectacle and fun of the much-loved films and London show. It will be a complete evening of unparalleled entertainment for guests aged 18 and up. A group of extraordinary artists from around the world will perform a sultry dance and acrobatic spectacular on an incredible scale. Sexy dance routines intertwined with one-of-a-kind acts, will be presented by a diverse cast of performers from around the world.  The Arena Tour will feature an elaborate series of stages and runways spanning the length of the arena floor, punctuated by massive screens, incredible visual effects, a live DJ, and of course some of the hottest, most talented male dancers in the world. It’s a celebration of fun and freedom that will blow the roof off the arena. 

Magic Mike The Arena Tour will be directed by Magic Mike Live co-director Alison Faulk, with choreography by Alison Faulk and co-direction and choreography by Teresa Espinosa and Luke Broadlick. The scenic design is by Rob Bissinger and Anita LaScala (Arda Studio), with costume design by Marina Toybina, lighting design by Philip Gladwell and video design by Luke Halls. The musical supervisor and composer is Jack Rayner, with sound design by Nick Kourtides.  Dreya Weber is the aerial choreographer & aerial apparatus designer. Vincent Marini is Executive Producing.

Magic Mike Live has become an international sensation since opening in Las Vegas in April 2017.  In addition to breaking box office records and performing to sold-out audiences in Las Vegas and London, the show premiered in Berlin in 2020 and the Australia national tour opened in Sydney in December 2020.

Magic Mike The Arena Tour is produced by Channing Tatum, Steven Soderbergh, Reid Carolin, Greg Jacobs, Peter Kiernan and Nick Wechsler in association with Vincent Marini and presented by David Ian Productions and Phil McIntyre Entertainments.

Website:  www.MagicMikeArenaTour.com

Twitter:  @MagicMikeArena

Facebook:  @MagicMikeArenaTour

Instagram:  @MagicMikeArenaTour

Running Time: approximately 90 minutes (no interval)

TOUR SCHEDULE         

6 May                                    The SSE Arena Belfast                                            www.ssearenabelfast.com                                               

9 May                                    The SSE Hydro Glasgow                                               www.thessehydro.com    

12 May                                  P&J Live Aberdeen                                                        www.pandjlive.com

17 May                                  Leeds First Direct Arena                                               www.firstdirectarena.com

19 May                                  Sheffield Arena                                                              www.sheffieldarena.co.uk                                               

23 May                                  Utilita Arena Newcastle                                               www.utilitaarena.co.uk    

25 May                                  Motorpoint Arena Nottingham                                  www.motorpointarenanottingham.com

30 May                                  Utilita Arena Birmingham                                            www.utilitaarenabham.co.uk                                               

2 June                                    AO Arena Manchester                                                  ao-arena.com

6 June                                    M&S Bank Arena Liverpool                                         www.mandsbankarena.com                                               

On the 31^st Anniversary of the film’s release…

THE RECORD-BREAKING BOX OFFICE

SMASH HIT

IS BACK!

RETURNING TO THE WEST END THIS SUMMER
IN ITS NEW HOME THE SAVOY THEATRE

STARRING AIMIE ATKINSON AND DANNY MAC

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY BRYAN ADAMS AND JIM VALLANCE

BOOK BY GARRY MARSHALL AND J.F. LAWTON

DIRECTED AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY DOUBLE

TONY AWARD WINNER JERRY MITCHELL

★★★★

“AS GLITZY AND GLAM AS THE MOVIE.

GO SEE IT NOW, YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED!”

THE SUN

PERFORMANCES BEGIN 8 JULY 2021

TICKETS ON SALE WEDNESDAY 24 MARCH AT 10.00AM

After breaking advance box office records at the Piccadilly Theatre when it opened in February 2020, the smash hit feel-good PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL returns to the West End this Summer in its new home the Savoy Theatre, with performances from 8 July 2021.

On behalf of all the producers, Paula Wagner said today “Our London production of Pretty Woman: The Musical had just opened when the world changed and our cherished theatres were forced to close due to the pandemic. When we opened in the West End a year ago we had broken advance box-office records at the Piccadilly and were playing to sold out houses. With so many ticket holders eager to see this show about love and resilience, we knew we would bring back Pretty Woman when the time was safe and right. With the move to our new home, the Savoy Theatre, we are able to return to share our joy with many more people. We look forward to everyone being together soon and giving our audiences the chance to come and enjoy the ultimate fun night out we all deserve right now.”

Customers who had already booked to see the show will be contacted directly first about their existing booking and do not need to contact the Box Office directly themselves. General booking opens on Wednesday 24 March at 10.00am with tickets on sale for performances until 12 December 2021 and Group Bookings on sale until June 2022. PrettyWomanTheMusical.com

The show will star Aimie Atkinson as ‘Vivian Ward’ and Danny Mac as ‘Edward Lewis’. They are joined by are Rachael Wooding as ‘Kit De Luca’, Bob Harms as ‘Happy Man/Mr Thompson’, Neil McDermott as ‘Philip Stuckey’ and Mark Holden as ‘James Morse’. Further casting will be announced soon.

Aimie Atkinson (Vivian Ward) was in the original West End cast of the hit musical Six at the Arts Theatre and was nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance. Her other credits include Daniela in In the Heights at King’s Cross Theatre, Serena in Legally Blonde at Kilworth House and Chloe in Never Forget – The Take That Musical and Luisa in Zorro The Musical, both on national tour. Aimie is also the winner of the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Voice of Musical Theatre Award.  

Danny Mac (Edward Lewis) appeared as Bob Wallace in White Christmas at the Dominion Theatre in the West End. His many other theatre credits include Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard and Nino in Amelie, both on national tour, Gabey in On The Town at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and the West End productions of Wicked and Legally Blonde. Danny captured the nation’s hearts and received overwhelming support during his incredible time on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing, making it all the way to the final.

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL features original music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, a book by Garry Marshall and the film’s screenwriter J.F. Lawton, it is directed and choreographed by the two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell.

Featured in the musical is Roy Orbison and Bill Dee’s international smash hit song ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ which inspired one of the most beloved romantic comedy films of all time. PRETTY WOMAN the film (produced by Arnon Milchan – New Regency Productions) was an international smash hit when it was released in 1990.

Atlantic Records’ PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL (ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDING) is produced by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance and is now available on all DSP’s.

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL has scenic design by David Rockwell, costumes by Tom Rogers from the original Broadway designs by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and Philip S. Rosenberg, sound design by John Shivers, hair design by Josh Marquette, and music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Will Van Dyke. 101 Productions, Ltd are the Global General Management Consultant.

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL had its world premiere at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre in March 2018 before transferring to Broadway where it ran at the Nederlander Theatre. The German production opened in Hamburg at the Stage Theater an der Elbe in September 2019 to rave reviews. A US tour of the show will open this Autumn.

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Paula Wagner, Nice Productions, LPO, New Regency Productions, Gavin Kalin Productions, Kilimanjaro Theatricals/Joshua Andrews, Hunter Arnold, Caiola Productions & Co., Roy Furman, Edward Walson, deRoy Kierstead and Stage Entertainment.

We are excited to open in July, but this is subject to the government allowing indoor performances to begin by then with sufficient notice, understanding what restrictions on social distancing and audience number caps are imposed, the public health status, and the availability of insurance cover either from the market or more likely from a government indemnity scheme.

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THE BARN THEATRE ANNOUNCES TWO DIGITAL MICHAEL MORPURGO CLASSICS COMING THIS SPRING

• RETURN OF THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF PRIVATE PEACEFUL 

• AN ELEPHANT IN THE GARDEN COMES TO THE DIGITAL STAGE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME 

• THE TWO WARTIME INSPIRED PRODUCTIONS HAVE EDUCATIONAL PACKS AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLS

• FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY, BUY ONE PERFORMANCE AND GET THE OTHER HALF PRICE. OFFER RUNNING FROM 22^ND MARCH    TO 28^TH MARCH.

An Elephant in the Garden (2 – 18 April) 

Following its 2020 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania performances and successful UK Tours from 2014-2019 – including runs at Bristol Old Vic and Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe – Poonamallee Productions brings their admired production of Michael Morpurgo’s An Elephant in the Garden to the digital stage for the very first time in collaboration with the Barn Theatre. 

Set against the backdrop of the 1945 Dresden bombings, this adaptation by long-time Michael Morpurgo collaborator Simon Reade brings Morpurgo’s vivid, moving story to life performed by Alison Reid. The production, which will run over the Easter holidays from 2-18 April, follows Lizzie, her mother – and an elephant from the zoo known as Marlene as they flee the Allied fire-bombing in the endgame of the Second World War.  

An Elephant in the Garden is adapted and directed by Simon Reade. 

Private Peaceful (19 April – 2 May) 

Based on the best-selling novel by War Horse author Michael Morpurgo, Private Peaceful tells the story of Private Tommo Peaceful, who looks back on his Devon upbringing, his romance with childhood sweetheart, Molly and the terrible events that saw him taken from this idyllic setting and into the horrors of war. 

BoxLess Theatre’s two-hander staging of Private Peaceful first opened as part of the Barn Theatre’s outdoor theatre festival, BarnFest, in August 2020. It then transferred to the Barn Theatre’s main auditorium in September, reopening the theatre for the first time since the first National Lockdown.  

Following the run in Cirencester, the production transferred to the play’s original home, the Bristol Old Vic, for a successful run and marked the first production to reintroduce the original ending from the acclaimed novel to the stage adaptation. 

Private Peaceful was scheduled to transfer to the West End in November 2020, however due to the second National Lockdown this run will now be an international digital run. The Barn Theatre are thrilled to be able to present the production to audiences that missed out on this opportunity.  

Private Tommo is played by Emily Costello, the first female performer to play Tommo professionally in a performance that was described by Michael Morpurgo as “extraordinary.” James Demaine plays Charlie and various other roles. 

Private Peaceful originally produced at the Barn Theatre with co-producers MZG Theatre Productions is adapted by Simon Reade and directed by Alexander Knott. Zöe Grain is associate director and movement director with composition by James Demaine. Sound design is by Harry Smith and lighting design by Sam Rowcliffe-Tanner. 

The Barn Theatre are thrilled to be partnering with the Belgrade Theatre, Exeter Northcott Theatre, and Lawrence Batley Theatre on these digital productions. 

Both digital productions have educational packs available for schools. These educational packs are £100 plus VAT. For more information please contact [email protected]. 

Tickets are available at just £13.50 each, or for a limited time offer of £20 for both, running from 22^nd March – 28^th March. If a ticket for either show is bought within this time, the customer will receive a code to discount the purchase of a ticket for the other production. Tickets can be purchased at barntheatre.org.uk/barn-at-home. 

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR NEW DIGITAL PRODUCTION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

GURJEET SINGH, TOM DIXON, MINA ANWAR, NIKKI PATEL, ZOE IQBAL AND MORE TO STAR IN THE LAWRENCE BATLEY THEATRE AND THE DUKES’ CO-PRODUCTION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

The Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield, and The Dukes, Lancaster, announce the full cast and creative team for their upcoming digital co-production of The Importance of Being Earnest. Based on the play by Oscar Wilde, the production is written by writer/broadcaster Yasmeen Khan (EastEnders).

The full cast is Gurjeet Singh (Ackley Bridge, Wuthering Heights) who will play the title role of Earnest/Jamil, Tom Dixon (Twelfth Night, Romeo & Juliet) as Algy, Mina Anwar (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, The Thin Blue Line) as Ms Begum, Nikki Patel (Trojan Horse, Coronation Street) as Gul, Zoe Iqbal (Finding Fatimah, Ackley Bridge) as Safina and Melanie Marshall (Jane Eyre) as Miss Prism

With appearances from finalist of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Divina De Campo as herself, star of stage and screen Paul Chahidi as international film director Steve Merriman, award-winning actor, comedian and writer Hugh Dennis as Tony, actress Harriet Thorpe as Algy’s agent Alison and comedian Sindhu Vee as daytime TV presenter, Libby.

The production will be directed by Mina Anwar who will also play the role of Ms Begum, with costume & set design by Holly Pigott, sound design by Dave Bintley, lighting design by Douglas Kuhrt and assistant direction from Eleri Jones and Olivia Race.

This brand-new adaptation will run from Monday 19 April until Tuesday 4 May and transposes the original narrative of Wilde’s classic comedy to the cobbles and stone walls of the north. The updated narrative follows the story of struggling actor Jamil and rom-com star Algy, who come together in the pursuit of love, being true to yourself and Nando’s.

Mina Anwar, director and star of The Importance of Being Earnest comments: “I’m delighted to be directing and acting in this brilliant adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ by Yasmeen Khan. This is my homage to the perfect hybrid of theatre and television, the studio sitcom. Set in the acting world, Yasmeen has blended the wit, the farce and the fabulous characters of Wilde’s original with a hilarious, contemporary and distinctively Northern flavour. To tell this story we have brought together an extraordinary team of theatre and film makers. We cannot wait to share it with the world”

The Importance of Being Earnest has been captured on location at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield and The Dukes in Lancaster, and is set to push the theatrical form by combining traditional theatrical techniques with film and radio play.

Tickets are available internationally from importanceofbeingearnest.com with audience members receiving a link at the point of booking which will activate at 00:01 GMT on their booked performance date for a 48-hour period.

DISNEY’S THE LION KING SETS DATE FOR WEST END RETURN

The Walt Disney Company UK and Ireland has today announced that London’s landmark musical, DISNEY’S THE LION KING will reopen in the West End on 29th July 2021. THE LION KING returns to the Lyceum Theatre, its London home for more than two decades, where the production has been seen by over 16 million people. 

Tickets will go on sale at noon on Wednesday 31st March at www.thelionking.co.uk and patrons can sign up for access to a pre-sale from 10am, Monday 29th March. 

Since the premiere of Julie Taymor’s internationally celebrated stage adaptation on Broadway in 1997, THE LION KING has entertained more than 100 million theatregoers in 25 productions worldwide. When the show closed its doors on Sunday 15th March 2020 it was the West End’s best-selling stage production and the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.  

The London cast of over 50 actors, singers and dancers are thrilled to return to the Lyceum  stage. Shaun Escoffery who plays Mufasa said: “We are so excited to finally have a date that we will be able to perform for audiences again. At THE LION KING we have always considered ourselves to be one big family, and to be coming back together after being separated for so long will be a truly happy moment. We cannot wait to be back on stage. When the opening bars of Circle of Life play out, I don’t believe there will be a dry eye anywhere in the theatre.” 

Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher, THE LION KING has made theatrical history with six productions worldwide running 15 or more years.  The musical uses breathtaking masks and puppetry to create pure theatrical magic. At its heart is the powerful and moving story of Simba – the epic adventure of his journey from wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pridelands. 

Plans to reopen THE LION KING at the Lyceum Theatre on 29 July 2021 have been made in accordance with the Government’s latest directives, are therefore subject to change and are made on the understanding that social distancing guidelines will be withdrawn to allow full capacity audiences. The live entertainment industry continues to seek support for contingency insurance to be made available in the event of any further unscheduled closures as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Disney’s THE LION KING

Lyceum Theatre21 Wellington Street, London WC2E 7RQ 

Ticket information

Disney pre-sale:  Monday 22nd March 2021 

Performances at The Lyceum Theatre, London are on sale from 31st March 2021

Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.thelionking.co.uk / 0800 912 6971

Booking until 3rd  April 2022 for individuals and 22nd October 2022 for groups 

Performance information

Reopening performance: Thursday 29th July 2021

Streaming until 11 April – book via shoreditchtownhall.com

4****

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

A fun and frantic audio adventure, Curse of the Crackles! is a sure-fire family hit. Deliciously daft and striking the right balance between bum and fart jokes for the kids and dad jokes for the adults.

Accompanied by an activity pack with a DIY eye mask for children to make, the show can be listened to on multiple devices in one household, although watching your children opening doors, participating in a car chase and dancing around may be entertaining enough for some adults.

Ben and Max Ringham’s sound design immerses the listener in a crazy world where the mischievous Crackles have muddled up all the sounds and Riff the most excellentist puppy needs our help on her quest to fix things. It’s like a CBBC version of Blindness, with pirates, gangsters and a jail break thrown into the mix. Writer Bea Roberts and director Ed Stambollouian have pitched the story at 7 to 11-year-olds, although the absurdity of the mild jeopardy ensures the show is not too disturbing for younger children as well.

Norah Lopez Holden and Sam Swann voice all the ridiculous characters ranging from the Queen to a swarm of bees with great energy and make it easy for the listener to embrace the madness and join in when Riff asks for help opening jars and doors – she doesn’t have thumbs!

The running time of 45 minutes flies by as Riff hurtles from one outlandish situation to another searching for a way to get her squeaky bone to make the right sound again and ends with a party that will have the grumpiest dad dancing along.

Barn Theatre at Home – until 31 March – book via https://www.pictureofdoriangray.com/

5*****

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Oscar Wilde’s classic has been modernised with scintillating style by Henry Filloux-Bennett and Tamara Harvey. Building on the success of What a Carve Up! they have managed to finesse their storytelling even more to create this digital fable about the stark differences between online image and reality.

Gray is already dead when the story begins, with Stephen Fry’s interviewer trying to find answers explaining his death from those remaining that were close to him – Joanna Lumley as Lady Narborough and his best friend Harry Wotton (Alfred Enoch). Alongside these interviews, YouTube, TikTok and FaceTime clips show the pivotal interactions between the characters. Director Tamara Harvey uses all these elements effortlessly to create a seamless film that lets the narrative flow with a driving energy. Dorian Gray (Fionn Whitehead) is a student from a privileged background, but during the first lockdown he is stuck in his student accommodation and begins a gentle vlog about books with a handful of followers. When lockdown ends and Lady Narborough throws a birthday party for Dorian under the guise of a fundraising event, his life changes as he meets Sybil Vane (Emma McDonald) and is offered a gift by Basil Hallward (Russell Tovey) – a software designer in this version. Instead of a painting, Dorian is given a filter that makes his online image perfect and attract followers. The unique social problems experienced over the last year, the dangers of only finding affirmation and contact from online likes and followers which can change in an instant to vicious trolling is the perfect modern background for Filloux-Bennett’s versions of Wilde’s characters.

His intense developing relationship with Sybil distances him from Harry and Basil, but their attraction to him, and his power over them (which Dorian seems to have always been aware of) never fades. Sybil is introduced singing a song that has a spellbinding effect, and her TikTok videos performing Shakespeare, poetry and iconic film scenes make you want to see much more of Emma McDonald – her final devastating scene – her note to Dorian – is simply stunning. Dorian’s cruelty and abandonment of Sybil when she needs him most is horrifyingly believable as his only concern is what it means for him and you realise that their relationship had all the warning signs of abuse.

Dorian’s spiral into depravity is related by Harry and Lady Narborough as rumours they have heard, but the disfiguring effect on his body is portrayed graphically. As we hear tales of drug and sexual abuse, and his seemingly responsible stance of never going out unmasked, the warm ethereal glow of his online videos and his soft-spoken approach sugar coat the increasingly dangerous and violent words in his renamed Aesthetics over Ethics vlog. Meanwhile, Basil has started a YouTube channel warning of the dangers of social media with the warmth, sincerity and vapidity of the Tory party’s 3-word slogans.

The cast are all at the top of their game, with Joanna Lumley having a ball as the IT illiterate Lady Narborough but managing to portray the character’s underlying creepy obsession with Dorian through simple shrugs and sighs. Fionn Whitehead’s sensitive performance keeps Gray a tragic figure – his cruelty and excesses always have the terror of being ignored and forgotten bubbling underneath. Alfred Enoch steals the show as the louche Harry – claiming Wilde aphorisms as his own and balancing the arrogance and love for Dorian beautifully.

This digital Dorian Gray is a true wonder – a brilliant update of Wilde that will leave you questioning your own online habits.

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FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY BARN THEATRE PREMIERES NEW SONG CYCLE WITH A LIVE ‘ONE-SHOT’ DIGITAL CONCERT 

• LIVE SONG CYCLE WILL BE A ONE-SHOT STREAM AT BARN THEATRE 
• THE BARN’S MOST AMBITIOUS LIVE STREAM TO DATE WILL AIR FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY ON 1^ST APRIL AT 6:30PM 
• THE PROJECT MARKS MATTHEW HARVEY’S FIRST COLLABORATION WITH THE BARN THEATRE 

The Barn Theatre are proud to premier a new British song cycle with an exciting and ambitious digital twist. Now Or Never is a song cycle written by associate artist Matthew Harvey, which follows 7 people as they each take a defiant act of positivity in what could be their last week on Earth. 

The project marks the first collaboration between The Barn Theatre and Matthew Harvey, who created the song cycle with the intention of writing about individual responses to a global adversity without writing specifically about the pandemic. 

Matthew Harvey said “What’s been really inspiring to me, and probably the driving force behind Now or Never is the amount of good that has been happening in spite of the pandemic, especially within the theatrical community. I’ve watched countless streamed productions and even a handful of in-person ones that have been defiantly thrown together with love, from a community that have really struggled throughout the pandemic, but are still doing what they love, wherever and whenever they can. So, I wanted to write a song cycle that was all about hope in the face of catastrophe.” 

Also attached to the project is The Barn Theatre’s Ryan Carter, who has developed what can only be described as, The Barn’s most ambitious live stream to date. The innovative digital spin presents the work as a non-stop, one-shot, song cycle, with one camera navigating the entire building, featuring 7 characters by moving between 7 spaces. 

Ryan Carter said “What I love about working for the Barn is that I’m able to create without worrying about whether the team will be able to make it work. I could pitch a 40-minute, one-shot, live vocals, 7 spaces, no stop-and-starts, no cuts live stream, and not sweat one bit about whether we’d pull it off. I’m also absolutely thrilled to have been trusted with the creative vision of this piece’s premier. The song cycle has a real future ahead of it, so it’s not lost on me that I get to look after its first iteration.” 

Now Or Never is written by Matthew Harvey with creative direction by Ryan Carter. Freddie Tapner acts as Musical Supervisor. Full Casting and Creative team will be announced shortly.   

Tickets for Now or Never are available now for £10. The concert will be streamed LIVE on Thursday 1^st April at 6:30pm. Tickets can be purchased at barntheatre.org.uk/barn-at-home.