Month: May 2021

Sadiq Khan announces the ‘biggest domestic tourism campaign the capital has ever seen’, as he’s signed in for second term as London Mayor

• During speech at the iconic Shakespeare’s Globe, Sadiq confirms focus on ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’ as he begins second term as Mayor
• Mayor launches new ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign to attract domestic visitors to our city and bring central London’s economy back to life
• The campaign and events programme backed by industry to kick-start London’s economy will bring together the capital’s world-leading hospitality, culture, nightlife and retail venues to promote all London has to offer  

Sadiq Khan will this morning formally sign in for a second term as Mayor of London on stage at the iconic Shakespeare’s Globe, as he announces plans for the biggest domestic tourism campaign the capital has ever seen to help London’s economy get back on its feet as COVID restrictions are eased. He will be joined at the Globe by award-winning British actor and director Adrian Lester.  

In his speech this morning Sadiq will confirm that a top priority for his second term as Mayor will be ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’, standing up for the Londoners who lost their jobs during the pandemic and helping to skill up Londoners to get back into work.  Sadiq will also confirm that as well as focusing on the urgent task of London’s recovery and the need to invest in skills and jobs, he will continue to prioritise the long-standing issues that matter most to Londoners – safer streets, more affordable housing and action to tackle air pollution and the climate emergency.   

An immediate priority for the Mayor will be his new ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign launching today, which is being created in partnership with the city’s hospitality, culture, and retail industries. The flagship campaign to encourage Londoners and visitors back into central London will include a programme of one-off special events created in partnership with London’s best-known cultural institutions and tourism attractions. It will kick off later this month with the capital’s famous chefs, foodies and hospitality venues coming together to promote and celebrate London’s world-class food offer.

There will be new exciting public art installations to attract people back into London from this month. David Hockney, one of the UK’s most influential living artists, has redesigned TfL’s iconic roundel ‘Hockney Circus’ in a special artwork as part of a takeover of Piccadilly Circus Station starting today. Turning central London into a huge outdoor art gallery, award winning London designer Yinka Ilori is leading on ‘Asphalt Art’, a series of major new temporary streetscape commissions in central London and the City of London, in partnership with the London Design Festival and Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative.

There will also be a transformation of road crossings and street furniture in the West End, with a partnership between Royal Academy artists and the Heart of London Business Alliance Art of London programme. And multi-award-winning artist and designer Es Devlin will plant a living forest at Somerset House for this year’s London Design Biennale.

Alongside the excitement of the delayed UEFA Euro 2020, a season of summer family fun will make London a great choice for a staycation. From Alice in Wonderland at the V&A and Fantastic Beasts at the Natural History to the Royal Opera House ‘Unlocked’ taking over the Covent Garden piazza. ‘London Lates’ over the summer months will see extended opening across museums, galleries and cultural and grassroots music venues. Shakespeare’s Globe for example will stage ‘Midnight Matinees’ with performances starting at 11.59pm, and an invitation to get back to the big screen will see outdoor film screenings curated by BAFTA and the British Film Institute.

The Autumn will welcome back major creative festivals, such as London Fashion Week, Frieze London, the London Design Festival, and the 65th BFI London Film Festival, before the return of major events and attractions over the winter.

There will be further exciting announcements across the year to showcase London’s world class nightlife, cultural attractions and hospitality businesses as well as the city’s grassroots venues and how creative freelancers, artists and performers will be at the heart of the programme as it continues to develop.

The Mayor has allocated £6M to directly support the new campaign, in addition to industry contributing over £1m in funding and value-in-kind. The campaign will include a major advertising push supported by London & Partners and TfL, alongside new content on the Visit London website outlining all the campaign has to offer to Londoners and visitors to the capital. It will include a new TfL campaign launching next month, involving TV and poster advertising, that will encourage people to rediscover London by public transport.

To ensure London re-opens safely the capital’s venues are doing a huge amount of work to ensure they follow COVID guidance – including new queuing systems, staggered arrival times, and a variety of social distancing measures. The Mayor continues to urge Londoners to show caution and follow the rules when out and about, wearing a face covering in shops and other indoor venues, carrying hand sanitiser, and keeping to social distancing. He continues to urge Londoners to take up the vaccine as soon as they are offered it. 

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It’s an honour to have been re-elected with a huge mandate as Mayor of the city I love – the greatest city in the world. The work begins anew today to refresh and reignite our city and to kick-start our economy as London continues to reopen.  This includes making jobs, jobs, jobs a top priority and banging the drum for London to attract the jobs, tourism and investment our city needs. 

“Today I am at the iconic Shakespeare’s Globe to launch ‘Let’s Do London’ – the biggest domestic tourism campaign London has ever seen to champion our businesses, cultural institutions and attractions that have suffered so much during the pandemic. This is about getting the message out to Londoners and people across the country that our capital stands ready to entertain, inspire and enthral once again.        

“Our new campaign is bringing together many of the capital’s leading organisations and venues to offer an unparalleled experience for anyone visiting the capital throughout the year.  With restrictions on international travel likely to continue this year, Londoners and visitors from the UK have a unique opportunity to experience all the capital has to offer without the queues. In doing so you’ll be providing vital support for our world-leading venues as they start to re-open and need our help more than ever.

“My mission over the next three years is to put the dark days of the pandemic behind us and to deliver a better and brighter future for London – creating a fairer, greener and more prosperous city, where everyone gets the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential.  As well as focusing on the urgent task of London’s recovery and investing in jobs and skills, I promise to continue putting everything I have into tackling the long-standing issues that matter most to Londoners, including making our streets safer, building more affordable homes and tackling the twin emergencies of air pollution and climate change.”

British actor and director Adrian Lester CBE, said: “This has been the toughest year in decades for our incredible cultural and creative sectors but I’m certain that London’s theatres, music venues and cultural attractions will be vital to London’s economic recovery from Covid-19 this year.

“It is exciting to see the Mayor and so many of the capital’s venues come together to put on a truly wonderful programme of events and activities that should encourage people back into London in large numbers. 

“As creative artists we depend enormously on our fans and the visitors who want to see us perform. I have no doubt that at the heart of London’s recovery this year will be people flocking back to our cultural venues”

Neil Constable, CEO of Shakespeare’s Globe, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sadiq Khan to be signed in for his second term as Mayor of London and to launch this vital ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign to encourage the successful reopening of venues, hospitality and leisure activities.

“We at the Globe are eager to see domestic tourists return to our theatres and our bar and restaurant The Swan. With shows, talks, educational activities, tours, a shop, and food and drink, we have so much to offer visitors returning to the capital. From 19 May we reopen with A Midsummer Night’s Dream and we look forward to welcoming audiences in safely to enjoy the thrill of live theatre at last “

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With restrictions on international travel likely to continue over the coming months, attracting domestic tourists back to the capital – whether for day trips or overnight stays – will be vital for supporting London’s economy as COVID restrictions are lifted.  The ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign will continue throughout the year urging non-Londoners to consider the capital for mini-breaks where they might have once automatically booked the countryside or headed for the coast.

London’s economy has always relied on huge levels of both domestic and international tourism – but that has virtually dried up due to the pandemic. City Hall analysis of forecasts by VisitBritain showed that consumer spending in central London by overseas tourists was £7.4 billion lower throughout 2020, while domestic tourists will have spent £3.5 billion less.

Shakespeare’s Globe, where the Mayor is today being signed in and launching his new campaign, will reopen with A Midsummer Night’s Dream on 19 May, and has confirmed that it will be continuing to run its wide range of education activities as well as the return of its ever-popular ‘Midnight Matinee’ performances starting at 11.59pm. The original Shakespeare’s Globe itself was closed for long periods during pandemics in the 16^th and 17^th centuries but survived. It was reborn as a symbol of our city’s resilience and remains an important cultural landmark for people across the world.

Partners who are coming together to support the ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign include: Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), BAFTA, BFI, Barbican, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Capital & Counties, City of London Corporation, Central London Alliance, Discover South Kensington, English National Opera, Exhibition Road Cultural Group, Film London, Frieze London, Grosvenor Estates, Heart of London Business Alliance, Heathrow Airport, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Historic Royal Palaces, London Councils, London Design Festival, London First, London Fashion Week, London Symphony Orchestra, London Tourism Cooperative, London Tourism Recovery Board, Marriott International,  Merlin Entertainments, Museum of London, National Gallery, National Theatre, Natural History Museum, New West End Company, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Photo London, PPHE Hotel Group, Roundhouse, Royal Academy of Arts, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Opera House, Royal Parks, Sadler’s Wells, Science Museum, Shaftesbury, Shakespeare’s Globe, Society of London Theatre, Southbank Centre, Tate, The Crown Estate, V&A, Visit Greenwich, Westminster Council, Whitbread, UKHospitality, ZSL London Zoo.

More details about some of the exciting events planned in London throughout the year can also be found on the Visit London webpage – www.visitlondon.com/letsdolondon

Bernard Donoghue, Director Association of Leading Visitor Attractions & Co-Chair, London Tourism Recovery Board, said: “London’s visitor economy has been hit hard over the last year and we’ve all missed our theatres, museums, galleries, performances venues and heritage properties. Without them London has just felt less ‘Londony’. But this Summer we can reclaim, rediscover and fall back in love with these special places. They will all be contributing to a Summer and a year like no other when the visitor experience will be phenomenal, the welcome never warmer and the importance of London’s attractions, culture and tourism economy never better appreciated.

“We thank the Mayor, his team and partners for all they have done in working with us to help London recover better. Let’s Do London.”

CEO of UKHospitality, Kate Nicholls, said: “It is incredibly encouraging that the Mayor has wasted no time after his re-election to make tourism a clear and immediate priority. The ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign is a shot in the arm to help revive the capital’s ravaged visitor economy.

“With such limited international travel, the immediate priority is to remind Britons that one of the world’s top tourist destinations is on their doorstep. We look forward to working with the Mayor and his office to revive employment, hospitality and tourism in London.”

Jace Tyrrell, Chief Executive at New West End Company representing Bond Street, Oxford Street, Regent Street and Mayfair said: “With international travel still uncertain and domestic lockdown restrictions lifting further over this month and next, London and UK visitors will be able to enjoy the very best of the capital, without all the overseas tourists, with its truly remarkable retail, leisure, hospitality and cultural offering – a summer like no other.

“The Let’s Do London campaign celebrates London as a destination in itself and will help attract our much missed customers to the capital. In the West End alone, we are home to utterly brilliant hotels, galleries, flagship stores, Christmas light displays and art installations; so our big, bold unambiguous ask is come and support the West End as one in ten Londoners jobs depend on it.” ‎

Merlin’s UK Marketing Director & Chair of the London Recovery Board Marketing Directors Group Sara Holt, said: “Merlin has been involved with the Mayor’s “Let’s Do London’ campaign from the beginning and is focused on enticing overnight domestic tourists from outside the capital.

“This campaign is critical to helping attract visitors back to our amazing city. Research has found that for every £1m invested in advertising outside London, 1,200 jobs are secured in London.”

Yinka Ilori, artist and designer, said: “Super excited to be part of the Asphalt Art project and really looking forward to creating something magical that brings people from around the world together.”

Es Devlin, artist, designer and Artistic Director for London Design Biennale, said: “When I was first shown around Somerset House many years ago, I discovered that the Enlightenment principles on which the building was conceived, specifically forbade the introduction of trees into the courtyard. Of course, the first thing we wanted to do when considering this year’s Biennale was to counter this attitude of human dominance over nature, by allowing a forest to overtake the entire courtyard. In literature forests are often places of transformation: the forest of Arden in Shakespeare, the enchanted forests of the Brothers Grimm. The UN Global Goals offer us clear ways to engage and alter our behaviour and it is our hope that an interaction with the Goals in the forest will be transformative.”

Kate Garvey, Forest for Change Executive Producer and Co-founder of Project Everyone, said: “Forest for Change, Global Goals Pavilion at the London Design Biennale will be one of the first large scale public events to be held in the city since the start of the pandemic. London has a pivotal role to play as we look to a new future – it is recognised around the world as a beacon for creativity, innovation, and diversity. As one of the world’s leading global cities, I can think of no better home for the biggest ever UK Global Goals activation than London.”

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Seasonal breakdown of the ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign:

SPRING:

Kicking off this month with a focus on promoting London’s global food offer and new world class public art installations transforming some of London’s most well-known locations.

·        London Eats: with many of the capital’s famous chefs, foodies and hospitality venues coming together to promote and celebrate London’s diverse food and drink venues in new ways.

·        David Hockney, one of the UK’s most influential living artists, has redesigned TfL’s iconic roundel. ‘Hockney Circus’ is a very special artwork as part of takeover of Piccadilly Circus Station and Piccadilly Lights with the Circa project, celebrating the arrival of Spring in the run up to his exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts.

·        Royal Academy artists Yinka Shonibare CBE (RA), Michael Armitage, Farshid Moussavi OBE (RA), Vanessa Jackson RA and Isaac Julien CBE (RA) will also transform road crossings and street furniture in the west end. In a partnership with the Heart of London Business Alliance Art of London programme.

·        Turning central London into a huge outdoor art gallery, award winning London designer, Yinka Ilori will lead major new temporary streetscape commissions in central London Westminster and the City of London, in partnership with the London Design Festival and Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative.

·        Multi-award-winning artist and designer Es Devlin is planting a living forest at Somerset House for her Forest of Change project as this year’s artistic director of the London Design Biennale.
 

SUMMER FUN

A season of summer family fun, for young and old. Rediscover London through great outdoor events and at famous tourist destinations, opening up the city or families to explore. Highlights include:

• The summer of 2021 will see a celebration of sport in London, with the UK capital hosting eight games in UEFA Euro 2020, including the semi-finals and the final at Wembley. This June will also see the return of The Championships, Wimbledon, and a brand-new cricket competition (The Hundred), followed by the Rugby League World Cup and Virgin Money London Marathon later this year.
• ROH Unlocked will see the Royal Opera House out and about, taking over Covent Garden with performances, participation and installations (10-11 July 2021)
• Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser is an immersive theatrical show for all ages at the V&A will open on 22 May.
• Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature Exhibition at the Natural History Museum reveals how the wonders of the natural world have inspired myths and magical creatures for generations, from 17 May.
• West End Live in Trafalgar Square and Kids Week and will showcase the best of the West End as theatre roars back to life.
• A number of London theatres will be welcoming back audiences from 17 May with social distancing, and more to reopen from 21 June. From new plays to long-running favourites, there is a huge variety of musical theatre, plays, dance and opera returning to the stage later in the year.
• Organised by the London Tourism Cooperative the London Festival of Hope will bring a true celebration of life with an art and photography contest, competitions for all the family including an amateur ‘bake-off’, community activations, giant inflatables taking over London’s skyline and a series of outdoor live music concerts that will reimagine the performance space.
• Breakin’ Convention, the world’s biggest festival of hip hop dance, is back at Sadler’s Wells for its 18th year (3 – 4 July 2021)
• Roman Weekend Takeover at the British Museum in August where families will be able to enjoy a Roman Encampment on the front lawns and meet the Emperor Nero himself.
• You can even learn to be a knight at the Tower of London’s ‘Knight School: The Show’ (29 May to 6 June 2021)
• Play Streets – London Play, the capital’s leading charity for children’s play, will be opening up central London for families and transforming streets with play
• A large-scale free activity for families at Tate Modern throughout the school summer holidays
• Southbank Centre welcomes audiences back with their Summer Reunion programme – 15 consecutive weekends of free outdoor activity from 21 May including music, poetry and visual art as well as indoor performances of ballet, literature, contemporary and classical music starting with the Chineke! Orchestra on 28 May in the Royal Festival Hall.
• London’s leading festival of free outdoor theatre and performing arts, Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, returns on 27 August until 11 September 2021
• Mayfair Sculpture Trail –  galleries from across this renowned art district present sculptures beyond their walls, with visitors being able to enjoy artworks showcased across Bond Street, Berkeley Square and within Grosvenor Square (2 – 27 June 2021)

SUMMER LATES

·        Over the summer months museums, galleries, cultural venues and attractions like London Zoo will open late. New collaborations will celebrate London’s film and music, working with London’s grassroot venues, LGBTQ+ venues and night clubs.

·        An invitation to get back to the big screen will see outdoor film screenings curated by BAFTA and the London Film Festival.

·        ‘Midnight Matinees’ at Shakespeare’s Globe with performances starting at 11.59pm and special adults-only Twilight Tickets at London Zoo in July are just a few of the great things in store

·        Art Night will happen across central London in June and July. The Proms will be back at the Royal Albert Hall and BMW Classics, a free outdoor concert in central London, by the world-renowned London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle.

AUTUMN

London’s Autumn season will see the crown jewels of London’s creativity return.

·        London Fashion Week will burst back onto the catwalks.

·        The 19th London Design Festival will take place across the city from 18-26 September 2021.

·        Frieze London returns to Regent’s Park with the best of international contemporary art by emerging and established artists, alongside a dynamic programme of newly commissioned artworks, films and talks – (13–17 October, 2021)

·        Photo London brings the finest international photograph to Somerset House between 9–12 September 2021

·        65th BFI London Film Festival runs from 6 to 17 October 2021 with a selection of the best in world cinema, showing audiences a wide array of films, representing a variety of languages, genres and filmmaking styles

WINTER: Lights

• Finally in the lead up to the festive period, magical lighting will brighten central London supporting the critical pre and post-Christmas ‘golden period’ for London’s culture, hospitality and retail businesses

In their 49^th year of touring, Mikron Theatre Company present

A Dog’s Tale

A new play by Poppy Hollman

Director: Rachel Gee

Composer and Musical Director: Rebekah Hughes

Designer: Celia Perkins

Cast: Rachel Benson, Thomas Cotran, James McLean, and Elizabeth Robin

Also

Mikron Theatre double bill of A Dog’s Tale and Atalanta Forever

Wednesday 14 July at 3pm – Lawrence Batley Theatre

A Dog’s Tale at 3pm and Atalanta Forever at 7pm

Touring: 5 June – 19 September 2021

 Mikron Theatre, in their 49^th year of touring, are celebrating (wo)man’s best friend this season when they stage the premiere of Poppy Hollman’s new musical comedy caper A Dog’s Tale, which looks at canines past and present and the enduring bond between people and their dogs.

You would be FURgiven for thinking that Mikron is just another run of the mill theatre company, but you would be BARKING up the wrong tree. 2020 will see them LEAD you on a unique journey. It is a PAWsome show you will not be able to TERRIER yourself away from.

A Dog’s Tale will kick off its tour at The Holbeck in Leeds on Saturday 5 June and then tour nationally by canal, river, and road until 19 September.

Linda and her wayward rescue dog Gary are pursued by security through the halls and history of Crufts, accused of a terrible crime.

When Charles Cruft, the ‘Greatest Showman in Dogdom’, held his first show in 1891, he had a sense that dog ownership and breeding was about to become big.

In this extraordinary world of heroic hounds, pampered pedigrees and naughty nobblers, does Gary have what it takes to win the day?

A Dog’s Tale is directed by Rachel Gee, designed by Celia Perkins, music composed and directed by Rebekah Hughes. The cast will feature Rachel Benson (Redcoats, Mikron Theatre), Thomas Cotran (Loserville, Union Theatre), James McLean (Much Ado About Nothing, Northern Broadsides) and Elizabeth Robin (The Little Mermaid, Everyman Theatre, Liverpool).

Why a play about dogs? Why not? Mikron tells the stories of the people behind the big events in history and the things that are close to our hearts. A great story, cracking songs and versatile quartet of actor musicians will guide audiences through the halls and history of Crufts.

Playwright and cat lover Poppy Hollman said about her new play:

I have written over twenty characters to be played by only four actors, but I know they will enjoy the challenge of bringing it to life! I was picked to write the play after participating in Mikron’s 2018 Writer’s Scheme: it is my first professional commission. It has been a delight to work for Mikron, a company whose creativity and ethos I love. I cannot wait to see them work their magic on ‘A Dog’s Tale’.

I spent two fascinating days at Crufts last year, eavesdropping on competitors and trying to work out which dog would win in each competition (success rate: zero). People were very friendly and frank in sharing their suspicions about judging bias. ‘Well, you know, that dog will win because it’s Scottish and so is the judge!’ (it did win). My impression of Crufts was that whilst dog participation was on an exclusive basis, a huge variety of humankind was in evidence, on two legs or four wheels. Testament perhaps to the huge importance of dogs to many different people in their roles as pets, medical assistance dogs, working dogs and more. It is also true to the founding principles of Charles Cruft, who charged only a penny so that everyone could enter their best friend.

Director Rachel Gee added:

“A Dog’s Tale is my first directing job with Mikron and it’s the ideal show for me as a dog owner. We cannot wait to welcome audiences (and their dogs) to shows up and down the country. Dog lover or not, this is the perfect night out for fun, laughter and wonderful songs.”

The atmosphere at most Mikron performances is disarmingly informal, but do not mistake informality for simplicity – in its laidback way, it is an ambitious undertaking, and dogs are welcome at most Mikron venues.

In 2021, Mikron Theatre Company will embark on their 49th year of touring.  Based in the village of Marsden, at the foot of the Yorkshire Pennines, Mikron Theatre Company are like no other. For starters, they tour for most of the year on board a vintage narrowboat, secondly, they put on their shows in places that other theatre companies would not dream of; a play about growing-your-own shown in allotments, a play about bees performed next to hives, a play about chips to audiences in a fish and chips restaurant, as well as plays about hostelling in YHA Youth hostels and the RNLI at several Lifeboat stations around the UK.

A Dog’s Tale will be touring nationally from 5 June – 19 September 2021 alongside the previously announced new play by Amanda Whittington Atalanta Forever.

For further information on A Dog’s Tale please visit https://mikron.org.uk/shows/a-dogs-tale

LINZI HATELEY

THE ORIGINAL, OLIVIER AWARD NOMINATED NARRATOR OF JOSEPH, JOINS THE PRODUCTION AT SPECIAL PERFORMANCES AS THE SMASH HIT SENSATION RETURNS TO THE LONDON PALLADIUM

Previously announced ALEXANDRA BURKE to also play

the Narrator – Linzi to play the role at special performances

Casting reunites Linzi with JASON DONOVAN, who returns

in the role of Pharaoh

JAC YARROW will wear the Dreamcoat again

100% capacity audiences planned following Government’s Road Map

Performances begin Thursday 1 July 2021

Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are delighted to announce today that Linzi Hateley – who starred in the original London Palladium production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – will make a sensational return to the musical in this summer’s strictly limited season at the iconic theatre.

Linzi – who was nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance as the Narrator, and starred alongside Jason Donovan in the title role – will perform as in the role at special performances, in the new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s legendary musical.

The production will begin performances on Thursday 1 July and will be one of the highlights in the return of theatre to the UK cultural landscape.

Alexandra Burke will play The Narrator for the other performances this summer in the celebrated musical. Her many West End credits include the lead roles in The Bodyguard, Sister Act, Chess and Chicago. Alexandra first rose to fame winning The X-Factor in 2008, and has since gone on to sell over 5 million records.

Jason Donovan will return in the role of Pharaoh. He was originally in the show when he made his defining stage performance as the title character of Joseph in the 1990s, in a sold-out 18-month run which produced a No.1 single and best-selling soundtrack album. Jason raised the roof of the London Palladium in 2019 as Pharaoh, who rocks ‘Song of the King’ in the iconic musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Jac Yarrow caused a sensation when he made his professional stage debut playing Joseph, following in the footsteps of a line of stars who have previously played the title character. His portrayal of Joseph won him unanimous acclaim and an Olivier Award nomination, with his rendition of ‘Close Every Door To Me’ regularly stopping the show with standing ovations.

The production will begin live performances on Thursday 1 July, with Linzi Hateley’s first performance on Saturday 17^th July after the proposed “Step Four” in the Government’s roadmap to easing restrictions, and therefore is planning to accommodate full-capacity audiences in accordance with the intended lifting of all limits on social contact.

Michael Harrison said: “This dream just keeps getting better. It was special enough to announce Alexandra Burke recently as the Narrator, but to now have the added bonus of Linzi playing the role at special performances – and to reunite her with Jason Donovan again at the London Palladium –  turns Joseph into a dream ticket. The combination of nostalgia for the original Palladium production, coupled with the excitement of our new critically acclaimed version, means we all have a summer to look forward to.”

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat enjoyed a completely sold out season in 2019. Audiences and critics were unanimous in their acclaim for the legendary musical – the first major collaboration by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber – as it returned to the London Palladium.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will be directed by Laurence Connor. Laurence’s credits include the acclaimed London production of School of Rock and the Tony-Award nominated production on Broadway, the recent London productions of Miss Saigon and Chess, the international arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and he is also the Co-Director of the new version of Les Misérables which has enjoyed worldwide success including Broadway, UK and US tours. He is the director of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new production of Cinderella, which also opens this July at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.

Laurence will be joined on the creative team by Choreographer JoAnn M Hunter (who has 20 Broadway shows to her credit, including School of Rock and On A Clear Day You Can See Forever), the award-winning Morgan Large who will design the set and costumes, Lighting Designer Ben Cracknell and Sound Designer Gareth Owen.

Released as a concept album in 1969,the stage version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has become one of the world’s most belovedfamily musicals. The multi-award-winning show, which began life as a small-scale school concert, has been performed hundreds of thousands of times including multiple runs in the West End and on Broadway, international number one tours, and productions in over 80 countries as far afield as Austria and Zimbabwe and from Israel to Peru! The show features songs that have gone on to become pop and musical theatre standards, including Any Dream Will Do, Close Every Door To Me, Jacob and Sons, There’s One More Angel In Heaven and Go Go Go Joseph.

Told entirely through song with the help of the Narrator, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat follows the story of Jacob’s favourite son Joseph and his eleven brothers. After being sold into hardship by the brothers, he ingratiates himself with Egyptian noble Potiphar, but ends up in jail after refusing the advances of Potiphar’s wife. While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon finds himself in front of the mighty but troubled showman, the Pharaoh. As Joseph strives to resolve Egypt’s famine, he becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man and eventually reunites with his family.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is produced by Michael Harrison.

New musical adaptation of the infamous
Lady Chatterley’s Lover comes to the West End
Friday 18th – Saturday 19th June 2021

The new musical adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s infamous literary classic, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, will come to the West End for a strictly limited run this summer. Crafted by composer John Robinson (Behind the Iron Mask, Duchess Theatre; Closer to the Sun, Harold Pinter Theatre), this world premiere at Shaftesbury Theatre will reenergise Lawrence’s sensation for a new audience.

This world premiere adaptation will be filmed to stream later in the year before future live performances.

The impassioned tale of female agency and Lady Chatterley’s pursuit of a life more than halflived changed the literary landscape of Britain. Banned as scandalous erotica when first published and subject of a watershed obscenity trial, Lawrence’s text caused outrage not just because of the expletives and explicit sexual relationship, but because it presented a physical relationship that traversed social class divides. This intense and fiery classic will find new frenzied power in its translation to the stage.

Lady Chatterley’s Lover is directed by the award-winning Sasha Regan (Blondel, Union Theatre; The Last Five Years, St. James Theatre) with original libretto by Phil Willmott (Once Upon a Time At the Adelphi; Relativity: The Einstein Musical), and production design by Andrew Exeter (High Fidelity, Turbine Theatre; Scaramouche Jones, Stream.Theatre).

Composer John Robinson comments, I am thrilled to be back in the West End with my latest musical – it’s a project very close to my heart given my own roots in D.H. Lawrence country and I hope to give due justice to both the ground-breaking novel as well as the area in which it is set. By recording the show for streaming later this year we’re also guaranteeing it a fabulous future life to ensure more audiences can enjoy the work.

ONE OF THE UK’S BEST-LOVED ENTERTAINERS

OF STAGE AND SCREEN

LES DENNIS

TO STAR IN THE ROLE OF WILBUR TURNBLAD IN

He will join Olivier Award-winning MICHAEL BALL

who returns to his legendary role of Edna Turnblad.

LIZZIE BEA to perform the iconic role of Tracy Turnblad, MARISHA WALLACE stars as Motormouth, RITA SIMONS as Velma Von Tussle and

JONNY AMIES as Link Larkin

Hairspray to begin performances Monday 21^st June 2021 | London Coliseum

Entertainment legend Les Dennis is to join the huge-hearted new production of Hairspray the Musical which is set to play a limited season at the magnificent London Coliseum from Monday 21^st June – Wednesday 29^th September 2021

As a comedian, impressionist, game show host, reality TV star, soap, screen and stage actor, Les Dennis’ showbiz career has spanned 50 years. Now, he is to return to the West End in the multi-award-winning smash hit musical as Wilbur Turnblad having previously performed the role on tour. He stars alongside Michael Ball, who returns to his legendary, Olivier Award–winning role of Edna Turnblad.

Les replaces Paul Merton in the role of Wilbur. Following the delay to the production because of the pandemic, Paul is unfortunately not able to join the company due to long-standing scheduling commitments.

Lizzie Bea will star in the iconic role of Tracy Turnblad. Lizzie’s credits include a UK Tour of Kinky Boots and a performance in the world premiere production of Becoming Nancy in Atlanta (Alliance Theatre).

Acclaimed West End star Marisha Wallace will take the role of Motormouth. Marisha won rave reviews when she took over from Amber Riley in the smash hit Dreamgirls (Savoy Theatre), and also starred in the original West End cast of Waitress (Adelphi Theatre).

Her spine-tingling lockdown recording of a gospel-inspired version of the Strouse and Charnin track ‘Tomorrow’ was originally released in support of struggling theatre professionals – but its message of hope in troubling times proved a tonic for the nation. Following BBC Radio 2 airplay and the track reaching Number 2 in the Download Charts, Wallace was subsequently signed by Decca where the release of her debut album (Tomorrow) saw powerhouse performances follow on Strictly Come Dancing and the Royal Variety Performance.

Rita Simons (Eastenders’ Roxy Mitchell) and Jonny Amies (Granchester on ITV; Sex Education on Netflix/Eleven Film) will also join the cast as Velma Von Tussle and Link Larkin respectively.

Liverpool born Les Dennis came to prominence as a comedian in the 1970s after honing his craft on the northern Working Men’s Club circuit and turning pro after a winning set on New Faces. He became a stalwart of Saturday Night TV in the 80s and 90s, starring in TV comedies including The Russ Abbot Show and The Les Dennis Laughter Show performing sketches and impressions, and most famously as the host of Family Fortunes between 1987 and 2002 on ITV.

In recent years Les has enjoyed a busy career as an actor, starring with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and in numerous hit plays and musicals in the West End and on tour, as well as playing a regular role for two years on Coronation Street.

Despite the pandemic, Les has kept busy, filming a travel series for Channel 5, a guest lead in the Jimmy McGovern drama Moving On and a starring role in the Christmas Special of Birds of a Feather. He is excited to be able to return to the stage in 2021. .

The full company includes Georgia Anderson, Kimani Arthur, Dermot Canavan, Lori Haley Fox, Mari McGinlay, Ashley Samuels, Michael Vinsen and Imogen Bailey, Pearce Barron, Jordan Benjamin, Joel Cooper, Luke George, Christopher Gopaul, Bradley Judge, Winny Herbert, Lily Laight, Madeleine Lawton, Holly Liburd, Will Luckett, Mireia Mambo, Kody Mortimer, Robyn Rose, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, Amy West and Natalie Woods.

Baltimore, 1962. Tracy Turnblad is a big girl with big hair and big dreams. Can she make it on the local TV dance show, win the heart of teen heartthrob Link Larkin and bring everyone together – whatever their colour, size or hairdo? Well if you want a change, you’ve really got to shake things up!

With the original award-winning creative team of director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell, and featuring the infectiously feel-good songs ‘Good Morning, Baltimore’, ‘Big, Blonde and Beautiful’ and ‘You Can’t Stop the Beat’, this inspirational, fun-loving and fabulously uplifting musical sensation is back and bigger than ever.

The original New York production of Hairspray won three Tony Awards, including Best New Musical, whilst the original West End production won four Olivier Awards, also including Best New Musical, as well giving Michael Ball one of his two Olivier Awards for Best Actor in a Musical.

Hairspray is produced by Adam Spiegel Productions & Fiery Angel.

LIKE THERE’S NO TOMORROW

CLIMATE CHANGE PLAY COMMISSIONED BY THE NATIONAL THEATRE IN 2020 AND CREATED BY COVENTRY YOUNG PEOPLE PERFORMED ALL OVER THE UK FOR THE CITY OF CULTURE YEAR

STREAMING FROM THE BELGRADE THEATRE
FROM 19 MAY – 13 JUNE

In 2020, in recognition of the Belgrade Theatre’s ground breaking co-creation Theatre in Education practices, and as part of Coventry’s City of Culture Year,  the National Theatre commissioned the Belgrade’s Young Company to create a piece of theatre about Climate Change as part of its NT Connections Programme.  This was the first play to be commissioned from, and co-created by, young people rather than adult professional playwrights.

The words and ideas of Coventry’s Young People on this key issue are now being amplified around the country through the NT Connections Festival 2021, in which 20 different youth groups from Plymouth to Falkirk are staging the play in various formats, both live and digital.  

As part of the festival, Like There’s No Tomorrow returns to the Belgrade with a brand new digital version from the Belgrade Young Company, which will be available to view online  here from Weds 19 May until Sun 13 June. Tickets are free, with an optional donation to support the Belgrade. 10% of all the online donations will also go to support the vital work of the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.

There are strange cracks appearing in the land on the other side of the world, turning habitats into wastelands and creating a new wave of climate refugees. But no one’s worrying about that here – where a mayoral candidate is promising more, more, more. It’s what the people want. Apart from Maru that is, who can’t breathe.

LIKE THERE’S NO TOMORROW is a work that has emerged from Belgrade’s leading participatory work and pioneering co-creation process adopting aspects of Theatre in Education – first pioneered by the theatre in 1965. 

The Belgrade will be hosting the region’s NT Connections Festival this June as a West Midlands partner organisation. Due to ongoing coronavirus restrictions, the usual in-person format of the festival has been adapted, with two of the three participating youth companies having use of the B2 stage in the venue to film their productions. An online festival will take place on Friday 4 and Sat 5 June, showcasing the work of all participating youth companies – along with their own Youth Theatre’s digital rendering of Like There’s No Tomorrow – and will invite the young people to connect, discuss and celebrate their work and process in post-show forums.

Justine Themen one of the Belgrade’s three Co-Artistic directors, who co-created and directed the original stage version of Like There’s No Tomorrow with Claire Procter in 2020, said, “We chose to make a piece about climate change because it is the urgent issue of our time – and what better way to have impact than to be reaching and inspiring young people across the country.  We are so delighted that the play has been chosen for performance by 20 youth groups from Plymouth to Falkirk and is also being performed by one of our own youth theatres.  The play was co-created with our 2020 Young Company, a group of young people aged 13 to 26 showing particular flare for theatre making and an interest in climate change.  They were involved at every stage of the process from the exploration of the subject matter to shaping the narrative to improvising the dialogue – a true reflection of the Belgrade’s collaborative process for making participatory theatre, building on its strong history of Theatre in Education practises.  As a result, the play is a rich reflection of young peoples thoughts and ideas about the crisis that the world finds itself in – plenty of fear, but also plenty of hope.  We hope the show helps people to understand the urgent need for global thinking and systemic change and to think about how they can contribute.”

Lindsay Butler, Director of Marketing and Fundraising for the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, said, “Warwickshire Wildlife Trust are delighted to have been chosen by Belgrade Theatre Coventry to receive a donation from the screening of ‘Like There’s No Tomorrow”. The production shines a spotlight on the failure of people to live in harmony with nature, and the consequences of this imbalance. Globally we are facing some of the biggest interconnecting threats to our natural world, namely the ecological crisis and the climate crisis, made worse by the disconnection of people with nature.  Warwickshire Wildlife Trust have launched a £3million Nature Recovery Fund Appeal to buy land of low wildlife value, improve this land by restoring lost habitats and reconnect people with nature at a scale we have not done before. Any donations made to ‘Like There’s No Tomorrow’ will help us to take local action in response to the global problems facing our natural world. To learn more about our appeal visit https://www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/appeal.”

COMPANIES ANNOUNCED TO BE SUPPORTED BY LAUNCHPAD

THE WATERMILL THEATRE AND WILDCARD’S

NEW ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The Watermill Theatre and Associate Company Wildcard are pleased to announce details of the four companies that will be supported this year by LAUNCHPAD, a new artist development programme, that will provide mentorship, professional support and free rehearsal space as well as a cash investment of up to £2,000 to put towards developing a new piece of work.

The four successful companies are: Power Play Productions (telling women’s stories of social injustice, using theatre, activism, and visual art), Produced Moon (creating work at the intersection between theatre and technology, making interactive work for the digital age), Chuchu Ngwagu Productions (an independent black-led theatrical and live entertainment production company based in London) and FlawBored (an emerging company made up of three 2020 Central Graduates creating socially provocative devised work with creative access at its core).

The successful companies will have the opportunity to undertake a week of research and development with free rehearsal space at Wildcard Studios in central London or at The Watermill Theatre near Newbury between May and June 2021.

Through LAUNCHPAD, The Watermill and Wildcard teams will provide support before and after the development week, offering dramaturgical and artistic guidance where required. Producing support and networking opportunities will also be key components of the programme, helping companies to establish future opportunities and an onward life for their new pieces of work.

James Meteyard, Artistic Director for Wildcard, said, “It’s been an incredible process meeting so many talented companies through LAUNCHPAD. We’re really excited by the four organisations we’ll be supporting over the next year. The diverse range of artistic approaches and company objectives is very inspiring to see and has reminded me of the extraordinary breadth of our industry. As the programme is intended to be bespoke, and designed around the needs of each company, it really is starting to feel like the beginning of a journey for all of us and already the conversations are extremely exciting. I have every faith that these organisations have an extremely bright future ahead of them and I’m so pleased that Wildcard and The Watermill are able to support the projects and companies to help take the next step in their respective journeys.”

Abigail Pickard Price, Associate Director (New Work and Artist Development) for The Watermill, said, “The Watermill and Wildcard are thrilled to be joining forces with these four brilliant companies to assist them in the creation of new work and see them through the next stage of their company’s development. As we emerge out of this impossible time for theatre the energy, innovation and ambition that we have seen from huge numbers of emerging companies through the LaunchPad application process has served to demonstrate what an exciting future there is for theatre. 

NEW ADVENTURES ANNOUNCE

CYGNET SCHOOL

A BRAND-NEW DANCE TRAINING PROGRAMME

FOR YOUNG PEOPLE,

RESIDENT AT THE MARLOWE THEATRE

AT THE MARLOWE THEATRE

New Adventures today announced its brand-new training programme, Cygnet School, principally funded by The Dorfman Foundation. The programme will be resident at The Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury for the next three years.

Cygnet School is a dance training programme for young people predominantly from backgrounds with limited access to arts provision and has been developed as part of New Adventures commitment to increase diversity in the sector and provide equity of opportunity. This programme fills a fundamental gap between young people participating at a grass roots level through their engagement work and those who progress onto vocational training.  Believing that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not, they are committed to changing this through the launch of Cygnet School.

The first cohort of 12 young dancers aged 12 – 24 from across the country will take part in an annual programme of monthly workshops and holiday residencies at The Marlowe Theatre launching in July 2021. Cygnet School will harness raw potential, enabling participants to develop a breadth of creative performance skills and a passion for dance to equip them with a range of skills and training to progress into the second year of Cygnet School training or onwards. This might be through other New Adventures pathways including Swan School or other creative opportunities and vocational training across the dance sector.

Participants have been identified through New Adventures’ wider participation work including Sadler’s Wells Curtain Raiser, 2020 (residency and response piece to New Adventures’ production of The Red Shoes), Civil Blood, 2019 (performance partnership with Dance United Yorkshire and Studio 3 Arts, London), Romeo and Juliet auditions, 2019 (engaging 80 of the finest emerging artists aged 16-19 alongside professional dancers over 13 UK cities)  and Dancers in Residence, 2018 (entire school performance programme with William Patten Primary School).

New Adventures and The Marlowe are passionate about diversifying the dance landscape and removing barriers for those who typically struggle to access opportunities in the arts, from limited training opportunities at a young age to prohibitive associated costs. Given the detrimental impact the pandemic is having on opportunities to progress within the arts, they are more committed than ever to inspiring and providing clear pathways for young people to grow and succeed, regardless of background or circumstance.

New Adventures is thrilled and very grateful to receive support from The Dorfman Foundation as Cygnet School’s principal funder. This inaugural year marks the first in a three year commitment from the Foundation, enabling sustained growth and development of the programme. This partnership is established through a shared commitment to providing opportunity for young people to access the arts which the Foundation so resolutely represents.

Sir Lloyd and Lady Dorfman said today “We are pleased to support New Adventures’ Cygnet School programme as part of our joint commitment to providing opportunities for young people to access pathways into the arts. New Adventures’ mission to seek out and nurture those who don’t have the same opportunities as others strongly aligns with our own.  We are excited to see the impact of this work, not only on the young people who participate, but its ripple effect in helping to diversify the sector as a whole.”

New Adventures is an Associate company at The Marlowe and this new three-year programme will see both organisations build on previous collaborations which have included; the Romeo And Juliet local cast (2019), Cinderella Curtain Raiser (2018) and Lord of the Flies (2014).

Cygnet School forms part of The Marlowe’s mission to inspire young people to make and experience theatre, especially in areas of low cultural engagement.  The first year of the residency is supported by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP Ltd) as part of Catalyst For Culture, a Marlowe-led initiative to widen access to the performing arts across the South East.

Matthew Bourne said today “This past year has highlighted an ever more urgent need to address the lack of accessible opportunities to enter the arts. New Adventures is passionate about diversifying the industry and celebrating talent from across a broad spectrum of backgrounds.  The launch of Cygnet School is an important cornerstone in our commitment to increasing diverse representation within the arts. We are sincerely grateful to The Dorfman Foundation for their support and encouragement of this pioneering programme, and to The Marlowe Theatre for welcoming Cygnet School to their building.”

Deborah Shaw, Chief Executive of The Marlowe Theatre said today “We are delighted to be working in partnership with New Adventures on this project and we are very much looking forward to welcoming the first Cygnet School cohort to our theatre in July.  We are passionate about levelling up access to the performing arts and the impact of the pandemic over the last year has made this more important than ever.”

New Adventures is a National Portfolio Organisation supported using public funds from Arts Council England.

THE OLIVIER AWARD WINNING COMEDY THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONGANNOUNCES FULL CASTINGFOR YET ANOTHER CALAMITOUS UK TOUR

The Play That Goes Wrong, the Olivier Award-winning box office hit, today announces full casting for its 2021 UK Tour. The touring cast presents: Tom Babbage (Max), Tom Bulpett (Chris), Seán Carey (Jonathan), Leonard Cook (Robert), Edward Howells (Dennis), April Hughes (Sandra), Laura Kirman (Annie), Gabriel Paul (Trevor), with understudies: Katie Hitchcock, Damien James, Edi De Melo and Aisha Numah.

Following three previously sold out tours, the production will open on Tuesday 13 July 2021 at Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury where it first premiered in 2014, before visiting Cheltenham, Bath, Salford, Nottingham, Eastbourne, Dartford, York, Woking, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Brighton and Aylesbury. Further dates soon to be announced.

Winning multiple awards including the 2015 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy and a Tony Award for the Broadway transfer, The Play That Goes Wrong is now in its seventh year in the West End and has become a global phenomenon with productions in over 35 countries and across 6 continents. The show’s success is a testament to the hard work and determination of a group of drama school graduates who became friends, set up a company under the name ‘Mischief’ and created an extraordinary body of work. The Play That Goes Wrong shows no signs of slowing down since its first performance at a London fringe venue with only four paying customers. Since then, it has played to an audience of over two million worldwide.

The play features the (fictional) Cornley Drama Society who are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, ‘The Murder at Haversham Manor’, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong … does! As the accident prone thesps battle against all the odds to reach their final curtain call, hilarious results ensue!

Mischief’s other West End successes include Peter Pan Goes Wrong, A Comedy About A Bank Robbery, Groan Ups, Mischief Movie Night and Magic Goes Wrong. Their hugely successful six-part TV Series, The Goes Wrong Show, aired in the UK on BBC ONE and on Amazon Prime Video in the US, Canada and Australia. The show received a 2020 TV Choice Award nomination for Best Comedy and a second series commission for a 2020 Christmas special, The Nativity. Series two is currently in production.

The Play That Goes Wrong is co-written by Mischief company members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields. The tour is directed by Sean Turner, originally directed by Mark Bell, with set designs by Nigel Hook, costumes by Roberto Surace, lighting by Ric Mountjoy and sound design by Andrew Johnson. Resident Director Hannah Sharkey. The Play That Goes Wrong is produced by Kenny Wax Ltd and Stage Presence Ltd. Mischief’s tours are produced by Kenny Wax Ltd and Stage Presence Ltd.

Listings Information:

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG
UK TOUR 2021 

NOW BOOKING
Tue 13 – Sun 18 Jul CANTERBURY Marlowe TheatreThe Friars, Canterbury Kent CT1 2AS

BOX OFFICE 01227 787787 | marlowetheatre.com

Tue 20 Jul – Sun 1 Aug CHELTENHAM Everyman Theatre Regent Street, Cheltenham GL50 1HQ

BOX OFFICE 01242 572 573 | everymantheatre.org.uk

Tue 3 – Sat 7 Aug BATH Theatre Royal Sawclose Bath, BA1 1ET

BOX OFFICE 01225 448844 | theatreroyal.org.uk

Tue 17 – Sun 22 Aug SALFORD The Lowry The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays M50 3AZ 

BOX OFFICE 0343 208 6000 | thelowry.com

Tue 24 – Sat 28 Aug NOTTINGHAM Theatre Royal Theatre Square, Nottingham NG1 5ND 

BOX OFFICE 0115 989 5555 | trch.co.uk

Mon 30 Aug – Sat 4 Sep EASTBOURNE Congress Theatre Carlisle Rd, Eastbourne BN21 4JR

BOX OFFICE 01323 412 000 | eastbournetheatres.co.uk

Tue 21 – Sun 26 Sep DARTFORD Orchard Theatre Home Gardens, Dartford DA1 1ED

ON SALE SOON

Tue 28 Sep – Sun 3 Oct YORK Grand Opera House Cumberland Street, York YO1 9SW

ON SALE SOON

Tue 5 – Sat 9 Oct WOKING New Victoria Theatre The Ambassadors, The Peacocks Centre, Woking GU21 6GQ 

ON SALE SOON

Tue 26 – Sat 30 Oct BIRMINGHAM Hippodrome Hurst Street, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB

BOX OFFICE 0844 338 5000* | birminghamhippodrome.com

Tue 2 – Sun 7 Nov EDINBURGH King’s Theatre 2 Leven St, Edinburgh EH3 9LQ

BOX OFFICE 0131 529 6000 | capitaltheatres.com

Mon 15 – Sat 20 Nov BRIGHTON Theatre Royal New Road, Brighton, BN1 1SD

ON SALE SOON

Mon 22 – Sat 27 Nov AYLESBURY Waterside Theatre Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP20 1UG 

ON SALE SOON

*calls cost 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.
theplaythatgoeswrong.com @playgoeswrong

• THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S MATILDA THE MUSICAL WILL REOPEN AT THE CAMBRIDGE THEATRE ON THURSDAY 16 SEPTEMBER WITH TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY 10 MAY AT 10AM FROM WWW.MATILDATHEMUSICAL.COM

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s West End production of Matilda The Musical has announced that it will return to the Cambridge Theatre from 16 September 2021. Seen by more than 10 million people across more than 90 cities worldwide, this autumn marks 10 years since the multi-award-winning show opened in the West End. Matilda The Musical is now booking through to 13 February 2022. For further information visit www.matildathemusical.com.

Catherine Mallyon, RSC Executive Director said:

“It is fantastic to see London’s West End re-opening and for our company, freelance colleagues, and creative team to be back at the Cambridge Theatre, preparing for performances in the autumn. We all know how challenging the past year has been, and that makes this moment even more special and important. We will not only celebrate 10 brilliant years of Matilda The Musical in the West End but also that our audiences can join us once again to experience the power of live theatre.”   

Adapted from Roald Dahl’s much loved 1988 book and commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the musical premiered at the RSC’s Stratford-upon-Avon home in 2010, before transferring to the West End in October 2011, where it opened to rave reviews.

A tonic for audiences of all ages and widely considered to be one of the most iconic British musicals of the last decade, this anarchic production about a strong and determined heroine with a vivid imagination has won 99 international awards including 24 for Best Musical. Having welcomed almost 4 million audience members in London, Matilda The Musical is the 6th longest-running show in the West End and the 16th longest-running musical in West End history.

With the upcoming film adaptation from the same core creative team as the theatre production (direction by Matthew Warchus, adapted for the screen by Dennis Kelly, with the music and lyrics of Tim Minchin), Dahl’s themes of bravery and standing up for what you believe in will continue to inspire young audiences all over the world. Produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title, Jon Finn, and Luke Kelly of The Roald Dahl Story Company, Sony Pictures/TriStar Pictures will release the film theatrically in the UK and Netflix will release the film in the rest of the world.

Matilda The Musical swept the board at the 2012 Olivier Awards, with a record-breaking seven awards, and won four Tony Awards and a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater for the four girls sharing the title role on Broadway. It has since toured North America, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland, South Africa and China and played its first non-English language production in Seoul, South Korea in 2018/19.

Written by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, and direction by Matthew Warchus, the production is designed by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker and the special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve.

Matilda The Musical is the story of an extraordinary little girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. Full casting for the production will be announced in due course.

Matilda The Musical is produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company with Denise Wood and Griselda Yorke as Executive Producers. André Ptaszynski passed away in July 2020 and is much missed by all his colleagues at Matilda The Musical and the RSC. The production was developed with the support of Jeanie O’Hare and the RSC Literary Department.