Month: March 2021

THE HOAX

A BRAND-NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

WRITTEN BY PEEP SHOW’S PAUL CLAYTON

TO BE PUBLISHED ON 1 APRIL 2021

You can choose your friends…..but what happens when your friends choose you?

The Hoax is the second thriller from actor, director and novelist Paul Clayton (best known for his appearances as ‘Ian Chapman’ in five series of the award-winning Channel 4 comedy Peep Show and as ‘Graham’ in two series of the BAFTA winning comedy Him and Her, and the Torchwood audio adventures from Big Finish Productions.) Funny, terrifying and a real page-turner, The Hoax puts a whole new slant on psychological thrillers, and will be published by 2QT Books on 1 April 2021, available to purchase as an e-book and paperback via Amazon, and all online bookstores. It is currently available to pre-order here.

Meet Frankie Baxter. She’s trying to make ends meet and keep the boat afloat for her three kids. She’s harassed, sometimes impatient, but she’s a fabulous mum. So imagine her distress when Henry, her youngest child, goes missing…

Henry returns safely accompanied by a stranger, Cora, a fairy godmother who starts to change the Baxter family’s lives in the best of ways. So why do things suddenly start going wrong? Is Cora fulfilling their dreams – or is she the start of a nightmare?

Clayton’s first novel, The Punishment, was published in 2019 and has garnered huge critical acclaim from readers:

“I LOVED this book. It’s funny, dark, sexy and sharp as a knife. A brilliant story with three intricately woven strands that keep you hooked all the way through. Definitely recommend!”

“A fast-paced page turner full of twists & turns, wit & theatricality” 

Clayton’s other credits include Coronation Street, Hollyoaks and Holby City as well as This is Alan Partridge, Doctor Who, The Crown, Vera, Wolf. He is a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. His previous books are So You Want to Be A Corporate Actor? and The Working Actor and he is a regular columnist in The Stage. He is also a proud patron of Grimm and Co, the children’s literacy charity, based in his hometown of Rotherham.  

Paul Clayton said, “Stories are so important to all of us, and have been really key during the strange times we find ourselves in. All I want to do is to keep people turning the pages.”

http://paulclayton.biz

Inaugural line-up for hybrid live and streamed
EA Festival at Hedingham Castle announced
Saturday 31st July – Sunday 1st August, 10am – 10pm
Hedingham Castle, Castle Hedingham, Halstead, Essex CO9 3DJ

A brand-new festival in East Anglia showcasing creative leaders in arts and culture, EA Festival will feature both local luminaries and internationally recognised stars. In order to launch this ambitious two-day event during the extraordinary conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Festival is the first to launch a hybrid event format in order to adapt to Government guidelines. In-person and livestream tickets will be available for all events; in addition, should the need arise, in-person tickets will be converted to virtual ones to accommodate social distancing or even Lockdown.

With a line-up including Susie Dent, John Lloyd, Arizona Muse, Evelyn Glennie and Rosey Chan, EA Festival is a showcase of incredible talent across many disciplines. It seeks to invigorate the cultural scene in East Anglia by presenting exciting regional creatives alongside exceptional speakers and artists from the rest of the UK and beyond.

Joanne Ooi, Founder and Artistic Director of EA Festival, comments, COVID-19 created a once-ina-lifetime opportunity to launch a new festival. We have pioneered a new festival business model by introducing unprecedented flexibility into live event production and will livestream the event – from the first year and permanently – and so, even if government restrictions entirely prohibit live audiences or require social distancing, we can guarantee that the show will go on.

Located in the heart of East Anglia, and now over 900-years old, Hedingham Castle is the best preserved Norman keep in the United Kingdom. The unique fairy tale Keep dominates its lush parkland setting and is complemented by the elegant Georgian mansion nearby. All festival events will take place in the permanent, enclosed, all-weather marquee attached to the mansion, approximately 300m from the Keep.

The Keep will host a curated marketplace and exhibition featuring brands, merchants and artists from the region. These will be announced soon. EA Festival is supported by The Good Luck Club, a video and podcast series featuring world-beating entrepreneurs, and Bulbeck Foundry, a regional purveyor of traditional decorative lead planters.

TALKS AND EVENTS
With programming that spans culture, art and industry, EA Festival’s Talks will spur discussion about key issues dominating today’s society.

Renowned lexicographer, author and Countdown’s resident word expert, Susie Dent will share her observations about how language has changed over the past twenty years, her predictions about how future generations will use English, and just what her favourite words are.

The UK’s most celebrated comedy producer, John Lloyd, responsible for national treasures like Blackadder, Spitting Image and QI, will be talking about everything but comedy. He will tackle the central importance of curiosity, why there’s no difference between culture with a big or little “c”, and how he banished boredom a long time ago.

Arizona Muse may be best known as a supermodel, having graced the covers of over 40 international Vogue titles, but now she has taken on the commitment to minimise the environmental impact of the fashion industry. She will be appearing in conversation with Christina Dean, the founder of the NGO Redress and the R Collective, a social impact and
fashion brand, and one of the industry’s biggest thought leaders in reducing waste in the fashion industry. They will share where and how the fashion industry can mitigate climate change – not just in raw inputs but by overhauling legacy business models and fashion culture.

Former Director of both the Royal Academy of Arts and National Gallery and one of the world’s top art historians, Charles Saumarez Smith will explore the evolution of art museums over the past century and how the art-going experience has fundamentally changed. COVID-19 revealed the weaknesses of museums’ traditional business models, which rely heavily on ticket sales. What can they do to futureproof their revenues and bolster public loyalty?

Rowan Pelling, founder of The Amorist and former editor of The Erotic Review, knows about desire and is ready to talk about sex. She will be discussing the impact of the pandemic on passion and the intrinsic ways in which technology is changing how we understand, communicate, and feel love; and how that affects relationships.

The Poetry Pharmacist, William Sieghart, will talk about the healing power of poetry and why he set up National Poetry Day and the Forward Prizes for Poetry. He will also read from his latest anthology, The Poetry Pharmacy Returns: More Prescriptions for Courage, Healing and Hope.

Also appearing will be: Josh Berry, Mike Figgis, Dr. Gavin Francis, Louise Gray, Amanda Geitner, Julia Devonshire, Sally Shaw, Roman Kosyakov, Luke Wright and Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa.

MUSIC
After invigorating and entertaining discussions of the world we live in and how society can continue to grow for the better, there is no better way to send off the day than with game changing musical performance. Both evenings will culminate in a vibrant and powerful evening concert.

Evelyn Glennie and Rosey Chan will appear together to explore their love of collaboration. The session will open with a talk and musical demonstration by legendary Grammy Award-winning percussionist, Glennie, explaining how to truly listen. Then Chan, a Steinway pianist and contemporary classical composer, will perform in her signature mode of improvisation, drawing on diverse musical influences while gauging the mood of her audience. The two of them will finally come together in conversation about their careers and why listening remains at the centre of their music.

The East Anglia Showcase is the crowning event of the EA Festival. With Talvin Singh, Nik Void and TAWIAH, this adventurous tripleheader concert is emblematic of the Festival’s approach, providing a smorgasbord of cultural talent which defies easy, obvious classification. Singh, the world’s best-known tabla player, will be bookended by the percussive experimental synth of Nik Void and the astonishing pop vocal talent of TAWIAH. Though their musical styles are wildly disparate, what unites them is their defining musical excellence placing them at the vanguard of their respective genres.

LISTINGS UPDATE FOR ONLINE VENUE stream.theatre

stream.theatre has added over 100 exclusive performances to its upcoming line-up including gripping drama, stunning musicals and concerts with your favourite performers. 

For musical fans, the much anticipated IN PIECES, a brand new musical by Joey Contreras and starring Jordan Luke Gage and Danielle Steers, premieres in April. Also making its premiere is SUPERYOU the new musical penned by Lourds Lane, filmed in drive-in style concert. They follow the previously announced digital premiere of BKLYN. 

There is plenty of drama too. The Irish Repertory Theatre, ’New York’s finest Off-Broadway theatre’ (The Wall Street Journal) has created a stunning digital season of work which joins April/May. To celebrate Samuel Beckett’s birthday, ON BECKETT, starring Bill Irwin, starts the season, followed by Eugene O’Neill’s A TOUCH OF THE POET, Conor McPherson’s THE WEIR and Geraldine Hughes’ BELFAST BLUES. April also sees the premiere of CAN WE TALK ABOUT IT a collection of monologue performances tackling a range of important issues. They join the previously announced digital drama premieres of CRUISE, starring Jack Holden, and SCARAMOUCHE JONES starring Shane Richie. 

There are a host of exciting concerts now on sale too, including LIVE IN LONDON filmed last year at the Hippodrome Casino, the acclaimed FRANKIE’S GUYS, a second instalment of the Tyne theatre’s WAITING IN THE WINGS and the much anticipated returns of ROLES WE’LL NEVER PLAY and LEAVE A LIGHT ON.

Last week, stream.theatre also announced EPISODES a new area of the site for new series and documentaries, including brand new masterclasses with ELAINE PAIGE, PAINES PLOUGH, OTI MABUSE and more. 

FULL LISTINGS UPDATE:

WEST END MUSICAL DRIVE IN  ( 12-14, 19-21 March 2021)

The first of its kind in the UK, West End Musical Drive In is a much-loved and unique series of immersive concerts, which last year provided many performers with their first live opportunity to perform during the pandemic. Thousands of fans took to their cars to support and celebrate the magic of musical theatre and now, through streaming, more people can experience these amazing events and relish in the electric festival atmosphere from the comfort of your home.

12-14 March at 7pm nightly
Trevor Dion Nicholas, Hiba Elchikhe, Matthew Croke and Shanay Holmes
Run Time: 1 hour 35 minutes (approx.)

19-21 March at 7pm nightly
Lucie Jones, Jon Robyns, Kelly Agbowu and Shanay Holmes
Run Time: 1 hour 50 minutes (approx.)

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (EXTENDED 25 March – 11 April 2021)

EXTENDED DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND! 

This enchanting new British musical explores the extraordinary world of a sorcerer and his rebellious daughter, as she discovers the explosive possibilities of her newfound magical powers.

Against the backdrop of the Northern Lights, a small town has been pushed to the brink of collapse in a bid for progress and prosperity. To rescue Midgard from certain destruction, father and daughter must heal their relationship and work together. This gripping family-friendly story sees brooms coming to life and love blossoming anew.

Acclaimed musical theatre writers Richard Hough and Ben Morales Frost have created this gender-swapped twist on the timeless poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which also inspired the Dukas symphony that memorably featured in the Disney film Fantasia.

Directed by Charlotte Westenra (The Wicker Husband, Watermill), the cast of ten includes Dawn Hope (Follies, National Theatre), David Thaxton (Olivier Award for Passion, Donmar Warehouse) and the professional debut of London School of Musical Theatre graduate Mary Moore in the title role.

This production was filmed at Southwark Playhouse in January 2021 and is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

Run Time : 2 Hours plus an interval (approx)

Ticket Price : £15.00 plus £3.00 transaction fee

LIVE IN LONDON from the HIPPODROME CASINO (26-28 March, 2-4, 9-11, 16-18 April 2021)

The Live in London series of concerts produced by Fourth Wall Live at the Hippodrome Casino London is now available to stream. The series, which includes musical theatre stars, musicians and comedians, was recorded live from the casino’s theatre with live audiences.  

The streaming season is comprised of 12 concerts from the following artists: Aaron Sidwell, Anna-Jane Casey, Courtney Stapleton & Eloise Davies, Julie Atherton, Kim Ismay, Rock of Ages UK Tour Cast Reunion, Ryan Molloy, Sarah O’Connor, Shappi Khorsandi, Sooz Kempner & Richard Thomas, Vocal Xtr3me and Yury Revich.

Can We Talk About It? (1-8 April 2021)

Can We Talk About It is an exploration of human thoughts, feelings, memories, relationships and experiences. This touching collection of monologue performances comes face-to-face and tackles with such issues as mental health, bereavement, love, motherhood, sexuality and friendship.

At times, melancholy and moving; at others, light-hearted and hilariously reflective…but always honest. A poignant digital production that creates an intimate and up-close actor-audience experience.

Starring: Janice Connolly, Emily Jane Brooks, Chris Gilbey-Smith, Tom Browning, Sam Beckett Jr, Danielle Boughey, Laura Hopwood, Julien Carrouché, Harry Sheasby & Jaye Fordham

Waiting in the Wings Returns (9 April 2021)

Back by popular demand, a host of West End Stars present an exciting evening of Musical Theatre Favourites direct to your living room LIVE from The Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle.

Star casting to be announced!  

Super You (9 -11 April 2021)

SuperYou an empowering women-driven rock musical by Lourds Lane, was the first theatrical production to perform live in NYC during the pandemic of 2020. One month after the show was supposed to have opened at the Daryl Roth Theater in NYC, but was forced to shut down due to the pandemic, SuperYou staged safe, socially-distanced shows on pick-up trucks at a drive-in in Amenia, New York. 

Join us to enjoy the full SuperYou concert production and behind-the-scenes footage of this historic event, featuring performances by Kennedy Caughell (Beautiful), LaVon FIsher WIlson (Chicago), Molly Tynes (Pippin), Brie Cassil (The Marvelous Wonderettes), and writer/composer, Lourds Lane. 

LEAVE A LIGHT ON (15 March – 24 April 2021) 

A host of West End Stars performing from their house, to yours! This is your chance to relive 71 of these intimate concerts for their encore. 

Filmed during the first lockdown in 2020, these shows are of the Leave A Light On concert series, previously streamed last year produced by Lambert Jackson and The Theatre Café, which aims not only to provide financial support for the performers involved, but also provide entertainment for people in self-isolation and lockdowns across the world.

Run Time : Each concert runs between 45 and 60 minutes (approx.)

ADVENTUROUS (16-28 March 2021)

AN ONLINE DATING COMEDY

Ros is looking for romance. Richard needs a new companion. They’re a match! But the year is 2020, and dating isn’t simple. From glitchy Zoom introductions, to their socially distanced first date in an actual restaurant, Adventurous follows the twists and turns of Ros and Richard’s relationship as they negotiate technology, treachery…and tortoises.

Filmed in lockdown, this is the premiere of actor Ian Hallard’s debut play. Both comic and touching, Adventurous tells the unexpected story of two single souls with an unstable connection. It reunites Hallard with Olivier Award-winner Sara Crowe following their many double-acts in Tonight at 8.30. This online only production is a heartwarming and hilarious treat…

Run Time : 60 Mins (approx.)

ROLES WE’LL NEVER PLAY (19-21 March 2021)

Following on from two successful years of concerts in London, Tom Duern presents Roles We’ll Never Play, recorded live during its sell out run at the Apollo Theatre, in the heart of London’s West End in December 2020. Returning to Stream.Theatre by popular demand, now you have one more chance to see this critically acclaimed production from the comfort of your own home!  

Roles We’ll Never Play will see performers singing songs outside of their casting brackets for one night only… There are NO limits! Featuring an exceptional cast of over 25 performers and a live band, expect big performances and show stopping vocals. 

The concert is directed by Sasha Regan with Musical Direction by Flynn Sturgeon and hosted by Carl Mullaney. The concert is produced by Tom Duern. 

Please note, the show contains some strong language.

Run Time : 2hr 30min (including a 20 minute interval)

BKLYN (22 March – 4 April 2021)

Written by Mark Schoenfeld & Barri McPherson, BKLYN – The Musical is a story within a story. On the outside you have a troupe of incredibly talented street performers who are sharing a story from their lives… Then there is the story they tell – the story of a young girl who comes to the U.S. to find the father she never knew. Together these stories create a show that is both touching and inspiring – a real urban fairytale.

The BKLYN cast for this online production includes Emma Kingston as Brooklyn, who has previously starred in Evita and In The Heights. Jamie Muscato plays Taylor, last in Heathers at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, with Waitress’ Marisha Wallace as Paradice. Sejal Keshwala will play Faith, with Newtion Matthews as the Street Singer.

Produced by Lambert Jackson Productions and filmed at Ugly Duck, London Bridge this brand new virtual production will stream for 10 scheduled performances (see times below) before being available to view On Demand from 29th March.

Run Time : 2 Hours (approx.)

SCARAMOUCHE JONES (22 March – 11 April 2021)

Much-loved and multi-talented stage and screen actor Shane Richie (EastEnders; The Entertainer; One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; I’m a Celebrity- Get Me Out of Here!)  will take on the role of the titular tragic clown in the digital revival of Justin Butcher’s absorbing solo show, Scaramouche Jones. This is the latest production from Ginger Quiff Media – the OnCom award-winning team behind the acclaimed revivals of Martin Sherman’s Rose starring Dame Maureen Lipman, and Little Wars (The Guardian and New York Times top picks) featuring Juliet Stevenson and Linda Bassett

Directed by Olivier Award-nominee Ian Talbot (The Pirates of Penzance, Regents Park Open Air Theatre; The Mousetrap, West End), this bizarre, comic, and heartfelt piece tells of a clown unmasked. Butcher’s magical storytelling bursts with exoticism and lyrical prose as Scaramouche finds himself caught in the riptides of a cruel and changing world.

This powerful one-man drama recounts an epic and mesmerising tale of a life shaped by extraordinary misfortunes, from the shores of Trinidad to England by way of slave ships, Italian royalty, and Croatian concentration camps. A witness to pivotal moments of the 20th century, Scaramouche finds himself at the dawn of a new millennium, marking his own centenary and preparing for death.

Run Time  – 2 Hours including interval (approx.)

All Male G&S: Pirates of Penzance (29 March – 5 April 2021)

Filmed live at the Palace Theatre, London in December 2020.

Sasha Regan’s All Male Company of pirates and their winsome lasses are set to bring audiences one night of joy and laughter  with their inventive new take on Gilbert & Sullivan’s much loved THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE.  Features a shipshape cast singing songs including: “I am a Pirate King”; “Oh, happy day, with joyous glee” and “A rollicking band of pirates we”.  They are sure to raise the roof off the Palace Theatre!

Expect plenty of onboard japes from the swashbuckling crew who are braving the high seas with rum and hand-sanitisers to bring you a socially distanced, Covid-secure show. A much-needed escape for families and friends who are looking for some festive spirit to banish lockdown blues.

The production was first staged at The Union Theatre in the heart of Southwark over a decade ago where it was a runaway success winning Best Off-West End Production at The WhatsOnStage Awards in 2009.  Pirates transferred to Wilton’s Music Hall for a 6-week run and on to The Rose Theatre, Kingston before the All Male Company set sail on a tour of Australia culminating in a month-long run at Cate Blanchett’s prestigious Sydney Theatre. There was a subsequent UK Tour in 2015 and another critically acclaimed run at the beautiful Wilton’s Music Hall last year.

Frankie’s Guys (7-9 April 2021)

Voted the UK’s best tribute in 2020, this award-winning celebration of Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons proudly features eight of London’s leading men. From hit shows such as Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You, Joseph, Chicago and many more they unite for a one-off performance like you’ve never seen before. 

Paying a charismatic tribute to Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons and their undeniable legacy; Frankie’s Guys are back (sanitiser in hand) ready to bring you their first live show of 2021, and ‘Oh What A Night’ it is set to be. Recreating the smooth sounds of the 1960s with their amazing live band, the guys take you on a journey down memory lane with unrivalled vocals, slick moves and side-splitting comedy. Get ready to sing-along to timeless classics, such as ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘Sherry’, ‘Walk Like A Man’, ‘Bye Bye Baby’, ‘Beggin’ and many more.

You’ll be dancing in your dining room before you know it!

The Ceremony (5 – 11 April 2021)

A ‘work in progress’ one act comedy play written by and starring Catherine Tyldesley. 

Canal Street. Manchester. 

Donna Dium, Life Coach and Self-taught Shamaness, together with her long suffering assistant Ada, prepares to welcome you to a very special occasion – The Ceremony. Following a string of appearances on daytime chat shows and armed with fifty quid’s worth of Ayahuasca from Bury Market, the scene is set for Donna to make her first ever attempt to contact the spirit world.. What could possibly go wrong? The evening soon derails into chaos, tears and laughter, as her oblivious guests purge themselves of their hidden ghosts. 

Not only her foray as a playwright, Coronation Street and Scarborough star, Catherine Tyldesley will also lead the all-star cast made up of British TV Veteran Sue Johnston (The Royle Family, Brookside, Coronation Street), Paula Lane (Coronation Street), Samantha Giles (Emmerdale, Where The Heart Is), Stephen Rahman-Hughes (Emmerdale, Eastenders) and winner of the BBC’s I’d Do Anything, West End leading lady, Jodie Prenger.  This brand new work in progress comedy is filmed on an empty stage at the Leeds City Varieties Music Hall with all proceeds from this production donated to Acting for Others, Theatre Artists Fund & Leeds Heritage Theatres. 

Run time approx 40 minutes. 

This production contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children).

In Pieces (23 – 28 April 2021)

Our love lives are constantly in pieces. Shifting in and out of feeling fully complete. But you never know how a single spark one day can unlock a new you, so we make a choice at the crossroad, we say yes to the coffee date, and wherever that leads, we learn to embrace the journey. Could it be another New York love story? 

The cast includes Jordan Luke Gage as Grey, currently starring in & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre. He’ll be reunited with fellow Bat Out Of Hell co-stars Danielle Steers as River and Amy Di Bartolomeo as Alex.Casting is completed by Kyle Birch as Austyn, Hiba Elchikhe as Sam, Ross Harmon as Charlie, Beccy Lane as Jael and Luke Street as Hunter.

Directed by Louis Rayneau, Choreographed by Rachel Sargent, Musical Direction by Edward Court, Videography by Fabio Santos & Sound Design by Zachary Woodman.

The Irish Repertory Theatre Season: On Beckett (12 – 18 April 2021)

Two years ago, Irwin took to the Irish Rep stage to premiere On Beckett, his award-winning meditation on Samuel Beckett’s works and language. Since then, COVID-19 has upended daily life worldwide. In this time of anxiety and loss, Irwin revisits the words of Beckett to bring us On Beckett / In Screen, a new meditation filmed for our current times.

“New York’s finest Off-Broadway theatre” – Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal, 2019. Founded by Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O’Reilly in 1988, Irish Repertory Theatre opened its doors with Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars. In 1995, Irish Rep found its home at 132 W 22nd Street, on three floors of a former warehouse. In its more than 31 seasons, Irish Repertory Theatre has presented over 190 productions and worked with more than 500 company members. Irish Rep has continued to be a home for Irish and Irish-American theatre-makers, theatre audiences, and excellence in theatre. 

The Irish Repertory Theatre Season: A Touch of The Poet (19-25 April)

Proud and tempestuous Irish immigrant Cornelius Melody (Con) owns a run-down inn and tavern near Boston in 1828. Laden with debt, Con clings to his tenuous identity as a landed gentleman and war hero. When his daughter falls in love with a wealthy American, Con’s pride drives him to an explosive reckoning with his true place in the New World.

“New York’s finest Off-Broadway theatre” – Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal, 2019. Founded by Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O’Reilly in 1988, Irish Repertory Theatre opened its doors with Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars. In 1995, Irish Rep found its home at 132 W 22nd Street, on three floors of a former warehouse. In its more than 31 seasons, Irish Repertory Theatre has presented over 190 productions and worked with more than 500 company members. Irish Rep has continued to be a home for Irish and Irish-American theatre-makers, theatre audiences, and excellence in theatre. 

The Irish Repertory Theatre Season: The Weir (3-9 May)

In a country pub in Ireland, newcomer Valerie arrives and becomes spellbound by stories told by the bachelors who drink there. With the wind whistling outside, and a whiff of sexual tension in the air, what starts out as blarney darkens as the tales drift into the realm of the supernatural. Then, Valerie reveals a startling story of her own…

“New York’s finest Off-Broadway theatre” – Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal, 2019. Founded by Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O’Reilly in 1988, Irish Repertory Theatre opened its doors with Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars. In 1995, Irish Rep found its home at 132 W 22nd Street, on three floors of a former warehouse. In its more than 31 seasons, Irish Repertory Theatre has presented over 190 productions and worked with more than 500 company members. Irish Rep has continued to be a home for Irish and Irish-American theatre-makers, theatre audiences, and excellence in theatre. 

The Irish Repertory Theatre Season: Belfast Blues (10-17 May)

Passionate, riveting, and often humorous, Belfast Blues is a tapestry of autobiographical stories from Geraldine Hughes’ childhood coming of age in The Troubles, Belfast. These stories bear insightful witness to the many faces of “trying to live a normal life” amidst the violence and longstanding conflict between Catholics and Protestants.

“New York’s finest Off-Broadway theatre” – Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal, 2019. Founded by Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O’Reilly in 1988, Irish Repertory Theatre opened its doors with Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars. In 1995, Irish Rep found its home at 132 W 22nd Street, on three floors of a former warehouse. In its more than 31 seasons, Irish Repertory Theatre has presented over 190 productions and worked with more than 500 company members. Irish Rep has continued to be a home for Irish and Irish-American theatre-makers, theatre audiences, and excellence in theatre. 

CRUISE (15 – 25 April 2021)

CRUISE is the true story of what should have been Michael Spencer’s last night on Earth.

When Michael is diagnosed with HIV in 1984, he’s told he’ll have four years to live – at most. So, with the clock ticking, he and his partner, Dave, decide to sell their house, flog the car, spend everything they have and party like it’s the last days of Rome. When Dave dies two years later, Michael doubles down on his hedonistic ways, spending what little he has left and drowning himself in drink and drugs.

On the last night of his four year countdown – the 29th February, 1988 – Michael decides to go out with a bang. He puts on his favourite jacket, heads for Soho, and embarks on a long night of farewells. He says his goodbyes to friends, enemies and strangers; old haunts, dive bars, cafes, clubs and pubs; his brothers, sisters, allies and exes. He dances, sings, and says yes to everything and everyone. Then, with all his affairs taken care of, Michael promptly… survives.

Michael got lucky, and he goes on to live to a ripe old age. Michael has been given the gift of life; but what kind of life can he now live?

Based on a true story and centred on one night in Soho, CRUISE is a celebration of queer culture; a kaleidoscopic musical and spoken word tribute to the veterans of the AIDs crisis; an urgent piece of theatre, with an irresistible 80s soundtrack, which will make you laugh, make you cry, and which inspires us all to live every day as if it’s our last.

Run Time : 90 mins (approx.)

ON DEMAND CHILDREN’S THEATRE:
Pongo’s Party (On demand through to 31 March 2021)

You are invited to…  PONGO’S PARTY! The children’s show now streaming online, featuring the voice of children’s TV favourite Justin Fletcher as Pongo the Pig! Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hft7-Dwp8WI&t=1s “Today is the day that Pongo the Pig has been waiting for – that’s right, it’s his birthday!   He’s been dropping hints to his friends all year, so is looking forward to a fantastic party… but the trouble is, nobody seems to remember! Molly-Moo the Cow is making a mess baking, Sheena the Sheep is rehearsing with her band, and Marty MacDonald is in the middle of decorating – whatever can they be up to?   And as if that wasn’t bad enough, it looks as though someone is taking Pongo’s birthday presents too – whoever can it be?”   

Dress in your best party clothes and help make Pongo’s Party a day to remember, by joining in a show full of fun, songs and laughter!”  With a colourful farmyard and host of loveable puppet characters, Pongo’s Party is a family show particularly suitable for 2 – 7 year olds.  Songs include: The Hokey Cokey, Wheels On The Bus, Pat-A-Cake, I Am The Music Man, Old MacDonald Had A Farm,  Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and more!  

ON DEMAND CHILDREN’S THEATRE:
The Velveteen Rabbit (On demand through to 31 March 2021)

A boy awakens to discover a Velveteen Rabbit among his gifts. Adored at first, then cast to the toy box, the Rabbit is snubbed by the other toys for being old-fashioned. Over time, a friendship blossoms. The Rabbit learns what it means to be loved by the Boy – and the smiles and tears that come from being “real”. 

ON DEMAND CHILDREN’S THEATRE:
GRIMMZ Fairy Tales (On demand through to 31 March 2021)

Jay and Will Grimmz, the hip-hop fable story dance-pop sensation, have come back home to the city where they grew up to give a concert. The brothers put a modern spin on valuable life lessons in Snow White and the Seven Shawties, Down with Rapunzel, Hanzel & Gretel: Lost in the Hood, and their brand new release based on Rumpelstiltskin. 

ORANGE TREE THEATRE ANNOUNCES PLAY TITLES AND FULL CASTING FOR INSIDE

Orange Tree Theatre today announces the play titles and full cast for Inside – the first instalment of Inside/Outside, a collection of world premiere short plays by emerging and established writers. Anna Himali Howard directs Samantha Spiro (Diana) in Guidesky and I by Deborah Bruce, Ishia Bennison (Meg) and Jessica Murrain (Samia) in When the Daffodils by Joel Tan, and Fisayo Akinade (Jay) and Sasha Winslow (Callisto) in Ursa Major by Joe White. Inside will be performed and livestreamed from the Orange Tree Theatre’s auditorium, 25-27 March.

Inside looks at the lives of three women forgotten by the world, but not by themselves. Outside will be streamed live 15 – 17 April, with further information and casting to be announced.

The Inside/Outside series is curated by OT Literary Associate Guy Jones.Inside/Outside is part of OT On Screen, the Orange Tree Theatre’s digital project launched in January 2020 with Maya Arad Yasur’s play Amsterdam, watched by over 25,000 people worldwide. The productions, filmed in collaboration with The Umbrella Rooms, mark the company’s first live-streamed project, and the first live performances at the Orange Tree Theatre since lockdown began on 16 March 2020.

The six world premiere plays will be published in a collection by Nick Hern Books on 25 March – pre-order available from their website. Bookers for the livestream will receive an exclusive half-price offer on the published collection.

All rehearsals and filming will be conducted in a Covid secure environment in line with current government guidelines.

With thanks to the Hayburn Trust, and to DCMS and Arts Council England for support through the Culture Recovery Fund.

GUIDESKY AND I

by Deborah Bruce

Being scammed on the internet is just the start of an isolating experience for Diana as she has to confront a threatening world.

Deborah Bruce’s theatre credits include The House They Grew Up In (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Distance (Sheffield Theatres/Orange Tree Theatre – finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize), Joanne (Latitude Festival/Soho Theatre), The Light (Live Theatre), Same (National Theatre) and Godchild (Hampstead Theatre). As a director, her credits include Pride and Prejudice (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre).

Samantha Spiro plays Diana. Her previous theatre credits include Lady Windermere’s Fan, Di and Viv and Rose (Vaudeville Theatre), The House They Grew Up In, Funny Girl (Chichester Festival Theatre), Guys and Dolls (Phoenix Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Noel Coward Theatre), Kafka’s Dick (Theatre Royal Bath), Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare’s Globe), Filumena (Almeida Theatre), Company, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It (Sheffield Theatres), Chicken Soup with Barley (for which she was nominated for the Evening Standard Theatre Award and WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actress), The Family Plays (Royal Court), Hello Dolly! (for which she won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical), Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Lady Be Good, Macbeth, The Boys from Syracuse (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Twelfth Night (Donmar Warehouse at Wyndham’s Theatre); Two Thousand Years, Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick (National Theatre), A Little Night Music (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Bedroom Farce (Aldwych Theatre, UK tour), Merrily We Roll Along (Donmar Warehouse – for which she won the Olivier Award and WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actress in a Musical), Jumpers (Birmingham Rep), and Roots (Watford Palace Theatre). Her television credits include Ridley Road, Sex Education, Call the Midwife, Semi-Detached, Porters, Doc Martin, Tracey Breaks the News, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, Plebs, Tracey Ullman’s Show, London Spy, The Wrong Mans, Bad Education, Psychobitches, Little Cracker: Rainy Days and Mondays, Grandma’s House, Rock & Chips, After You’ve Gone, Coupling, MIT: Murder Investigation Team, Cold Feet, and TV Go Home. For film, her credits include Me Before You, Tomorrow La Scala!, From Hell, and Beyond Bedlam.

WHEN THE DAFFODILS

by Joel Tan

Meg is alone in her flat, relying on the care and kindness of Samia. She’s had enough of her four walls and wants to escape, but the world outside has rules of its own.

Joel Tan is a Singaporean playwright based in London. His credits include Love in the Time of the Ancients (Shortlisted for the 2019 Papatango Prize), Tango (Pangdemonium Theatre – nominated for Life Theatre Award’s Best Original Script), Café (The Twenty-Something Theatre Festival), The Actors Tour (international tour), Mosaic (M1 Festival) and The Way We Go (Checkpoint Theatre). He is part of 503 Five, Theatre503’s residency scheme and an associate artist with Chinese Arts Now and Singapore’s Checkpoint Theatre

Ishia Bennison plays Meg. Her previous credits for Orange Tree Theatre include Once We Were Mothers, Strange Orchestra, Mother Courage, and Squat and Edward and Anna. Other theatre credits include Missing People (Kani, National Theatre, Tokyo/Leeds Playhouse), Romeo and Juliet, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Candide, Our Private Life, A New Way to Please You, Sejanus, Speaking Like Magpies, Cymbeline, Measure for Measure (RSC), Goats, Told From the Inside (Royal Court), Half Life (Ustinov, Bath), A Mad World My Masters (RSC/ETT), Julius Caesar (Donmar Warehouse), The Canterbury Tales, Samson Agonistes, Antony and Cleopatra, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Richard III (Northern Broadsides), A Couple of Poor Polish Speaking Romanians (Soho Theatre), Bites (Bush Theatre), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Manchester Library Theatre), Arabian Nights (Young Vic), and Medea (Monstrous Regiment). Her television includes Happy Valley, New Tricks, Last Tango in Halifax, Little Howard’s Big Question, True Dare Kiss, Hollyoaks in the City, At Home with the Braithwaites, Burnside, and EastEnders.

Jessica Murrain plays Samia. Her previous theatre credits include Macbeth (Shakespeare’s Globe), Peter Pan (National Theatre/Troubadour White City), A Christmas Carol (RSC), King Lear (Duke of York Theatre), The Wind in the Willows (Sherman Theatre), Skate Hard Turn Left (The Pack/BAC), DIGS (Theatre With Legs/Camden People’s Theatre/Pleasance Edinburgh), Messiah (Bristol Old Vic), The Long Trick (Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol/VAULT Festival), and A Christmas Treasure Island (Hull Truck). Her television credits include Doctors, and Soulmates, and for film Romeo and Juliet.

URSA MAJOR

by Joe White

Two strangers learn that they can help one another move forwards in Joe White’s Ursa Major.

Joe White’s debut play Mayfly premièred at the Orange Tree in 2018, for which he won Most Promising New Playwright at the OffWestEnd Awards and was nominated for Best New Writer at The Stage Awards. He has written work for The Old Vic, Lyric Hammersmith, Bush Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Birmingham REP and BBC Radio 3. In 2014, he was selected for the BBC Writersroom 10 and won the Channel 4 Playwriting Award. In 2015, he was the Writer in Residence at Pentabus Theatre Company, and in 2017, he was selected for the Orange Tree Writers Collective and the Old Vic 12. In 2019, he was selected for the BBC TV Drama Writers Programme, through which he is developing a pilot with STV. He is currently under commission with Sheffield Theatres, Audible and Carnival Films.

Fisayo Akinade plays Jay in Ursa Major. His previous theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet, The Antipodes, Antony and Cleopatra, The Barber Shop Chronicles (National Theatre), Shipwreck (Almeida), The Way of the World, Saint Joan, The Vote (Donmar Warehouse), Pigs and Dogs, The Crossing Plays (Royal Court), The Tempest (Shakespeare’s Globe), Barbarians (Young Vic), As You Like It (New Wolsey, Ipswich), Refugee Boy, Waiting for Godot (Leeds Playhouse), and Neighbours (HighTide). His television credits include Martin’s Close, Silent Witness, A Very English Scandal, In the Dark, A Midsummer Night’s Ordinary Lies, Cucumber, Banana, and Fresh Meat, and for film The Personal History of David Copperfield, The Girl with All the Gifts, and The Isle.

Sasha Winslow plays Callisto in Ursa Major. As a teacher and director, she has worked with the Young Vic Neighborhood Theatre, the RebElders of Southwark Playhouse and is an active member of Cardboard Citizens. Her acting credits include Here For Life.

Anna Himali Howard directs. Her previous theatre credits include I Wanna Be Yours (Paines Plough/Bush Theatre), A Small Place (Gate Theatre), Albatross (RWCMD/Paines Plough/Gate Theatre). As a theatremaker, her credits include Jane Anger (Yard Theatre Live Drafts), Mahabharat/a (Camden People’s Theatre), and The Beanfield (New Diorama Theatre, national tour). Howard was Associate Director on Fleabag (Drywrite/Soho Theatre international tour), was Paines Plough’s Trainee Director in 2016 and is an alumnus of the Birmingham REP Foundry. She was recently a Staff Director at the National Theatre.

Shankho Chaudhuri is Designer, with Lighting Design by Jessica Hung Han Yun, Sound Designer and Composer: Anna Clock, and Casting by Sarah Murray.

Orange Tree Theatre  

Listings

1 Clarence Street, Richmond, TW9 2SA

INSIDE/OUTSIDE

Box Office: 020 8940 3633

orangetreetheatre.co.uk

Inside:                  Thursday 25 – Saturday 27 March 2021

Outside:              Thursday 15 – Saturday 17 April 2021

Performance Times: 7.30pm (Evenings) & 2.30pm (Saturday Matinees)

Tickets: from £10 on sale now

Audio described performances

Inside:                  26 March at 7.30pm

Outside:               16 April at 7.30pm

Captioned performances
Inside:                  27 March at 2.30pm
Outside:               17 April at 2.30pm

ABOUT THE ORANGE TREE THEATRE

The Orange Tree (OT) is an award-winning, independent theatre. Recognised as a powerhouse that creates high-quality productions of new and rediscovered plays, entertaining 70,000 people across the UK every year. Since March 2020, the OT has been in hibernation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. An independent theatre and registered charity that relies on ticket income, closure poses significant risk to the OT.

The OT’s home in Richmond, South West London, is an intimate theatre with the audience seated all around the stage: watching a performance here is truly a unique experience. We believe in the power of dramatic stories to entertain, thrill and challenge us; plays that enrich our lives by enhancing our understanding of ourselves and each other.

As a registered charity (266128) sitting at the heart of its community, we work with 10,000 people in Richmond and beyond through participatory theatre projects for people of all ages and abilities.

The Orange Tree Theatre’s mission is to enable audiences to experience the next generation of theatre talent, experiment with ground-breaking new drama and explore the plays from the past that inspire the theatre-makers of the present. 

Artistic Director Paul Miller           

Executive Director Hanna Streeter

Website orangetreetheatre.co.uk | Email [email protected]

Twitter @OrangeTreeThtr | Facebook/Instagram OrangeTreeTheatre

Thomas Hopkins & Michael Quinn for Ginger Quiff Media, Amy Hart, Guy Chapman,
and Bailey Harris-Kelly with Stream.Theatre
Shane Richie to star in digital revival of
Scaramouche Jones or the Seven White Masks
Streaming: Friday 26th March – Sunday 11th April 2021

Much-loved and multi-talented stage and screen actor Shane Richie (EastEnders; The
Entertainer; One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here) will take on the role of the titular tragic clown in the digital revival of Justin Butcher’s absorbing solo show, Scaramouche Jones. Filmed in a London theatre, and available to stream on Stream.Theatre from Friday 26th March to Sunday 11th April, this is the latest production from Ginger Quiff Media – the OnCom award-winning team behind the acclaimed revivals of Martin Sherman’s Rose starring Dame Maureen Lipman, and Little Wars (The Guardian and New York Times top picks) featuring Juliet Stevenson and Linda Bassett.

Richie swaps the I’m A Celeb Welsh castle for the digital stage, taking on the role made famous by the late great Pete Postlethwaite. Directed by Olivier Award-nominee Ian Talbot (The Pirates of Penzance, Regents Park Open Air Theatre; The Mousetrap, West End), this bizarre, comic, and heartfelt piece tells of a clown unmasked. Butcher’s magical storytelling bursts with exoticism and lyrical prose as Scaramouche finds himself caught in the riptides of a cruel and changing world.

This powerful one-man drama recounts an epic and mesmerising tale of a life shaped by extraordinary misfortunes, from the shores of Trinidad to England by way of slave ships, Italian royalty, and Croatian concentration camps. A witness to pivotal moments of the 20th century, Scaramouche finds himself at the dawn of a new millennium, marking his own centenary and preparing for death.

Shane Richie comments, I am honoured to walk in the footsteps of the legendary actor Pete Postlethwaite and take on the role of Scaramouche Jones in Justin Butcher’s amazing play.

Thomas Hopkins and Michael Quinn of Ginger Quiff Media add, We’re thrilled to continue to expand our digital portfolio, with what we consider to be one of the greatest British plays. It’s exciting to be working with Shane to bring the character of Scaramouche Jones to life on stage and straight into your living rooms.

Photo credit Bonnie Britain

LOCKDOWN ANGELS HONOURED AT THIS YEAR’S WHATSONSTAGE AWARDS

As a reflection of our times, 21^st Annual WhatsOnStage Awards were not only live streamed from The Turbine Theatre this evening, but, in this unique ceremony, a select group were honoured as Angels, following nominations from the public. As a thank you for all their love and support during lockdown, the 21 Angels will receive a complimentary night at the theatre when live performances are able to resume.

From midwives to Sainsbury’s staff, and from Nightingale volunteers to amateur dramatic managers, these people have been a beacon of hope and light throughout the pandemic. Whether they reached out offering jobs to those whose income was completely cut off as the curtain came down on theatre, or launched events like Broadway Bingo or Fizz and Quiz Nights, these angels kept spirits high throughout the tough months of last year. Receiving this well-deserved title and prize were David Ashford, Elaine and Graeme Blackmore, Dave Chalfin, Steph Canning, Lynn Darcy, Lucie Devine, Amanda Dunford, Denis Fuller, Kate Golledge, Andrea Grey, Leontine Hass, Philip Joel, Charlie Kristensen, Yvette McDonnald, Scarlett Maltman, Charlie Morrison, Alun and Esther Williams, Corrine Priest, Kristie Winsen, Alex Young, Rita Zeta-Jones (aka Jessica Boshier)

Presented by Jodie Prenger and Tom Read Wilson, featuring Amy Hart and Oscar Conlon-Morrey, the evening saw performances from musical theatre stars representing shows that were cut short in 2020, or are due to open in the coming years. This included Cedric Neil performing “Gotta Start Somewhere” from Back to the Future the Musical and Ivano Turco performing “Only You, Lonely You” from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s brand-new West End musical Cinderella.

Sita McIntosh, Chief Operating Officer of WhatsOnStage, said this evening, “We were overwhelmed by the sheer number of entrants – each of which told a unique story of solidarity, hope, love and camaraderie during a year that few could have ever foreseen. The “Angels” prizes were set up to reward those from all walks of life and, with nurses, teachers, supermarket staff and more among those on this final list, we’ve hopefully captured what makes our audiences truly special. Here’s to getting our country’s beloved venues safely back in action so we can all share the magic of live performance once more!”

The full list of Angels is below:

David Ashford

A true theatre angel who has invested in new shows to get them off the ground (and then buying tickets) as well as sponsoring 2020 graduates to enable them to finish their studies.

Elaine and Graeme Blackmore

Set up a free community online stand-up event (Whole Lotta Comedy) in their local area to bring people together and keep them entertained during the pandemic.

Dane Chalfin

A voice coach who set up online six-week courses for West End and touring professionals during the pandemic as a lifeline for out of work performers, one of whom described them as a “life-raft during these dark times”.

Steph Channing

As a Customer Experience Manager for Sainsbury’s in Sydenham she reached out via Twitter to the theatre community and offered temporary work, employing over 100 theatre workers at their most desperate time when all of their income dried up overnight.

Lynn Darcy

An amazing midwife nominated for her kindness and compassion by the mother she assisted when her daughter was sadly born sleeping.

Lucie Devine

During the first lockdown Lucie created Broadway Bingo – a free online event designed to bring the musical theatre crowd together and raise money for various charities too.

Amanda Dunford

Nominated by her husband for her dedication to her family, friends and students during the pandemic – always happy to go the extra mile to help others.

Denis Fuller

Denis is 62 and has been the premises manager of an Am Dram company for over 30 years. Despite being high-risk himself, he and his wife have worked tirelessly during the pandemic to keep the society going, checking in with members (especially those that live alone) and making sure that everyone is OK.

Kate Golledge

Kate created an online group for emerging directors in Lockdown One to learn from each other and chat to one another, and 12 months on they are still together. It was said of her “she is extremely generous with her time and mentorship”.

Andrea Grey

During the pandemic Andrea has continued to champion the work of Curve in Leicester through sponsorship. This enabled the theatre to engage three Community Ambassadors to provide free tickets to ethnically diverse and working class individuals and groups who had never attended a Curve production before.

Leontine Hass

Leontine has helped her performing arts students by providing online learning and industry talks and put together a Kander & Ebb revue cast recording to keep them engaged and connected during the pandemic.

Philip Joel

Despite his own struggles during the pandemic, Philip has kept the whole theatre community laughing and raised spirits, always available for a one-to-one chat and advice to help performers struggling to cope.

Charlie Kristensen

Charlie has been described as a ray of light for his anti-bullying campaign “Cheer Up Charlie” that aims to raise awareness and give people the support and confidence to deal with bullying in their lives, particularly young people who are mocked for their musical theatre dreams.

Yvette McDonnald

Throughout the pandemic Yvette organised Fizz & Quiz nights, sessions focused on self-care, resilience and well-being, cake-baking masterclasses and even an online Carol service. One of her nominators said, “These events have helped me to relax, laugh and even learn a new skill”.

Scarlett Maltman

Scarlett is a NHS Nightingale volunteer who organised affordable counselling for hundreds of performers during the pandemic who needed help and support to cope with the loss of work, income and confidence.

Charlie Morrison

Charlie is the founder of the West End Musical Choir and when COVID hit she made sure that the choir kept singing all year by moving rehearsals online and keeping everyone connected during lockdown which provided much needed sanity for many, especially those living alone.

Corrine Priest

Despite suffering abuse and harassment herself in a London tube station, Corrine has been a beacon of light during the pandemic with her uplifting and refreshing posts on social media urging everyone to stay strong and positive.

Alun and Esther Williams

Alun and Esther from Future Automation in Bedford have been described as the “most supportive, loyal and generous theatre-goers imaginable”. When no public funding was forthcoming they made a very generous donation to their local theatre with the promise of more if needed.

Kristie Winsen

Kristie has created a monthly at-home musical theatre concert that is broadcast over Zoom called “Uplift” with the aim of showcasing uplifting showtunes performed by singers all over the world. Despite the work and expense of putting these concerts together they have always been free enabling as many people as possible to enjoy them.

Alex Young

Alex set up the Corona Day Plays Theatre Company where anyone can join and take part in a fun reading of a different script each week. The group has grown from around 20 people at the beginning to over 300 helping people to make new friends, stay connected and have some fun!

Rita Zeta-Jones (aka Jessica Boshier)

Described by one nominator as “hands down, my favourite London night in” Round to Rita’s became the weekly highlight for many people during Lockdown for her singalong musicals and cabarets on Instagram Live keeping people entertained and their spirits up

Streaming on YouTube and Instagram

5*****

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Black Apron Entertainment and English Touring Theatre’s Children’s Children manages to say more in 15 minutes about the reality of Black life in the UK than many full-length films.

Directed by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu and Rikki Beadle-Blair and filmed at The Prince of Peckham, the five short films see five characters working or drinking in the pub perform monologues. It is not until the final credits that the dates the pieces were written is revealed, and the realisation that they cover 170 years of Black British history is a hammer blow. All the monologues feel current and relevant today, providing a wakeup call to how little has changed.

Amber James, who also performs Little Brown Girl, has curated the five monologues, each of which has its own style and rhythm, but are all beautifully written and sensitively performed by Kayla Meikle, Amber James, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr, Sule Rimi and Khai Shaw. The attitudes towards Black women in Britain are explored and the strength of Black women is celebrated. The failures of integration are skewered in Apparently – the least theatrical, but none the less devastating monologue performed by Gershwyn Eustache Jnr, and the inequalities and systematic racism of British society are laid bare before the most modern piece – a rallying cry that A Change Must Come.

Flawlessly curated, directed and performed, Children’s Children is stunning – unflinchingly delivering a stark message of inequality but also celebrating strength and resilience. Unmissable.

Children’s Children and a making of film are available to watch here:

www.instagram.com/englishtouringtheatre

www.youtube.com/user/ETTonYT

Streaming online 12 – 14 March – Book via https://treasonthemusical.com/

4****

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

This slick concert version of Treason is a tantalising taste of what is to come in a full musical production in 2021/22.

While Guy Fawkes is the most familiar name in English folklore around the gunpowder plot, Treason concentrates on four other members of the conspiracy, Robert Catesby, Thomas Percy, Tom Winter and John Wright, only introducing Fawkes as a non-speaking character as they draw in more men to carry out the plot. The oppression of Catholics under Elizabeth I meant that there were great hopes of a fairer future under James, who promised much but continued persecuting Catholics when he took the throne, leading the men into a desperate act of rebellion. Treason explores the pressures and tensions between love of God, love between husband and wife, and love of charismatic leaders with great passion.

Any new musical about historical rebellion will draw comparisons with Hamilton and Les Mis, but Treason’s creators have their own confident vision. Daniel Boys is a hoot as King James, and although the first few bars of his number make you think of Hamilton’s George, James is a very different petulant king, although both roles serve as light relief amongst the serious politics. The mournful folk airs that are mostly sung by the female characters are hauntingly beautiful, and sung exquisitely by Rebecca LaChance, Sharon Rose and Lucie Jones. Blind faith, sung by Lucie Jones and Bradley Jaden as Martha and Thomas Percy is a heart-breaking duet. The plotters songs are rousing with fabulous driving beats and soaring harmonies from Cedric Neal, Waylon Jacobs, Emmanuel Kojo, Oliver Tompsett and Bradley Jaden, with Oliver Tompsett on fire as Catesby, especially singing The Cold Hard Ground, which reveals the grief and anger behind his actions. The rousing finale will definitely bring an entire auditorium to their feet.

The concert is only 50 minutes, and in this production, songs are linked by a spoken verse narration from Debris Stevenson, who is phenomenal. Some of the rhymes are a little tortured in the first part of the show, but Stevenson makes Ricky Allan and Kieran Lynn’s writing fizz and sparkle as the momentum builds. An expanded version of the show would bring some necessary further characters and character expansion, especially for Martha, but it would be exciting to keep the narrator’s fire pivotal as well.

As a concert, Treason packs a powerful punch – I can’t wait to see how it develops into a full-scale musical. An exciting prospect that will surely bring the house down.

Queen & Ben Elton’s
Smash Hit Musical

WE WILL ROCK YOU

Sheffield City Hall

Monday 29 August – Saturday 3 September 2022

Queen & Ben Elton’s smash hit musical ‘We Will Rock You’ is coming to Sheffield City Hall for 8 performances 29 August to 3 September 2022 – tickets on general sale 10am Friday 19 March 2021 from www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk.

With 24 of Queen’s biggest hits and Ben Elton’s hilarious futuristic comedy writing combined, comes a show that boasts the scale and spectacle that marked the band’s legendary live performances. This global phenomenon will continue to be one of the most spectacular touring musicals.

‘We Will Rock You’ has seen unprecedented success in theatres and arenas all around the world since it began in 2002. The show has received continuous rave reviews and standing ovations in every town and city it has visited, and will be ready to pick up exactly where it left off when the new UK tour begins in 2022 with over 16 million theatergoers in 19 countries being thrilled by this awe-inspiring production.

“This show is all about legend,” says Ben Elton. “We take the legend of Queen and create our own fantastical story of young kids battling the mighty corporations who want to suppress their individuality and their love of music. They need a hero who can help them in their struggle, and we have two – the dreamer Galileo and the sassy rock chick Scaramouche. Guess who ends up winning?”

Expect your favourite Queen songs including ‘We Are The Champions’, ‘Another One Bites The Dust’, ‘We Will Rock You’, and, of course, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Says Brian May: “The amazing bonus is that Ben’s script subtly works as a metaphor too. People definitely come out of the theatre feeling that in a strange way they now know us, Queen, and our struggle, our journey. This is a stunning state-of-the art new-look production of WWRY – but of course the original story is now more relevant than ever. We’re confident WWRY fans will love revisiting the world’s first true Rock Theatrical, and a whole new generation will now discover the VIBE!”

Tickets for the 8 performances of We Will Rock You at the Sheffield City Hall 29 August until 3 September 2022 go on general sale 10am Friday 19 March 2021 from www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk. 

DAVID IAN

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

BARRY AND FRAN WEISSLER
ANNOUNCE STAR CASTING FOR THE FORTHCOMING TOUR OF

THE INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL SENSATION

FAYE BROOKES TO STAR AS ‘ROXIE HART’,

SINITTA AS ‘MAMA MORTON’ AND

DIVINA DE CAMPO AS ‘MARY SUNSHINE’

WITH

DJALENGA SCOTT AS ‘VELMA KELLY’

AND JOEL MONTAGUE AS ‘AMOS HART’

David Ian in association with Barry and Fran Weissler are delighted to announce star casting for the 2021/2022 UK tour of the international musical sensation CHICAGO.

Fresh from her success on Dancing on Ice, Coronation Street’s Faye Brookes will play ‘Roxie Hart’. Returning to the stage for the first time in over 20 years will be international recording artist and pop star Sinitta as ‘Mama Morton’. They are joined by the outrageous and super talented RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Divina De Campo who will make her musical theatre debut as ‘Mary Sunshine’. Leading West End stars Djalenga Scott and Joel Montague will play the roles of ‘Velma Kelly’ and ‘Amos Hart’. The role of ‘Billy Flynn’ will be announced soon. 

The cast will also include Ishmail Aaron, Michelle Andrews, Delycia Belgrave, Joel Benjamin, Tanisha-Mae Brown, Callum Fitzgerald, Emily Goodenough, Billy Hardy, Aaron Jenkins, Liam Marcellino, Theo Reece, Hollie Jane Stephens and Harrison Wilde. 

Following recent government announcements, the producers of the show are currently finalising the dates for the 2021/2022 tour with a scheduled opening for September 2021. Full tour dates will be announced soon. Existing ticket holders will be contacted directly as soon as possible. The production would like to thank all customers and really appreciate their patience during this time.

Faye Brookes (Roxie Hart) has recently reached the final of this year’s series of ITV’s Dancing On Ice. She is best known for her role as Kate Connor in ITV’s Coronation Street, for which she won a National Television Award. Her theatre credits include Princess Fiona in Shrek and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, both on national tour, Ann/Edna in That Day We Sang directed by Victoria Wood at Manchester’s Royal Exchange, Liesl in The Sound of Music at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Frenchy in Grease at the West End’s Piccadilly Theatre. Faye’s other TV credits include Agnes Franklin in Our Girl and Helena in Atlantis, both for the BBC.

Sinitta (Mama Morton) is an international recording artist having released 15 hit pop records including So Macho, Toyboy and Cross My Broken Heart. No stranger to the stage, she has appeared in the West End productions of Cats, Little Shop of Horrors, Hair, Smokey Joe’s Café and as the female lead in Mutiny! Since the mid-00s Sinitta has remained in the spotlight becoming a mentor to young emerging talent as Simon Cowell’s right-hand woman on The X Factor.

Divina De Campo (Mary Sunshine) is a seasoned British drag queen and singer who was recently crowned runner up on the first Series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Known for her high soprano and four -octave range, Divina has been featured on ITV’s The Voice and the BBC’s All Together Now.  

Djalenga Scott (Velma Kelly) West End credits include Lily St Regis in Annie at the Piccadilly Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the New London and Chicago at the Adelphi, Cambridge and Garrick Theatres. Her other credits include Anita in the national tour of West Side Story, Rizzo in Grease at Curve Leicester, Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show and Carmen in Fame, both on European tours, the US tour of Batman Live and Bombalurina in Cats at Kilworth House. Djalenga’s screen credits include Scarlett/Esme in Trapped for the BBC and Alexandra in the film I Give It A Year.

Joel Montague (Amos Hart) most recently appeared as Ogie in the West End production of Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre and Mendel in Falsettos at The Other Palace. His many other West End credits include School of Rock at the New London Theatre, Funny Girl at the Savoy Theatre and Menier Chocolate Factory, Urinetown at the Apollo and St James Theatres and Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace. His UK touring credits include Fat Friends The Musical, Sister Act The Musical, and Eddie and Dr. Scott in The Rocky Horror Show. He also played Gangster 2 in Kiss Me, Kate at the Sheffield Crucible and Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls at the Theatre Marigny in Paris. 

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

Created by the musical theatre talents of John Kander, Fred Ebb and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, CHICAGO’s sexy, sassy score includes the show-stopping songs “Razzle Dazzle”, “Cell Block Tango”, and “All That Jazz”.  Winner of six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and a Grammy, CHICAGO is the longest running American musical in Broadway and West End history.

Since it opened in New York in 1996, CHICAGO has played in 36 countries worldwide, and been performed in English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Italian, French, Danish, Japanese and Korean.  Worldwide it has been seen by an estimated 33 million people, grossed over $1.7 billion and played over 32,500 performances.

CHICAGO, which is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.  The 1996 Broadway revival of CHICAGO was choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse, directed by Walter Bobbie, and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler.