Royal & Derngate, Northampton – until 5 March 2022
Reviewed by Ely King
4****
If you’re looking for a night of light-hearted fun, this is the show for you.
For this performance, the cast were two people down, including puppeteer Aya Nakamura, so the performing actors were a crew of only five.
These five were Niall Ashdown, Ruth Bratt, Adam Courting, Janet Etuk and Josie Lawrence.
Advertised as ‘theatre as live as it gets’, I’d say this musical truly lives up to that claim.
As inferred, this musical is entirely improvised and lead by words and phrases given by you, the audience, meaning that there is an entirely new show every single night.
So why not go see it a few times?
The prompts given to the crowd were as follows:
– An area by your home that is meaningful to you
– A word that, when you say, makes you happy
– If you were writing a book, what would be the gripping first sentence?
The crowd didn’t disappoint and gave the answers ‘A Lake, because it has water, and is away from the hustle and bustle of life’ then ‘chocolate’ as the happy word, before ending on ‘the house is on fire, and this time it wasn’t my fault’.
After not even two minutes of contemplation, the crew were straight into it, with Josie Lawrence launching into a storyline featuring a lake that the rest of the cast were quick to join in with, grabbing props and adding harmonies as if they all had one shared thought.
Having seen The Showstoppers! On the West End, also featuring Ruth Bratt, I had a rough idea of what to expect from The Improbable Musical yet still, it undoubtedly impressed.
Improbable are icons in the improvised theatre scene and have captivated audiences across the world with their unrivalled improv skills.
With Ruth also being featured in other improv shows, it was no surprise that she was a standout actor in this performance, effortlessly flicking between age ranges and accents on a split second’s notice without any hesitation.
Though Ruth was the star of the show, every actor has their own merits and worked perfectly in tandem with each other. What any actor may have lacked in conventional vocal skills, they more than made up for in acting skills and comedic value.
It was particularly enjoyable to see performers add to the storyline and name characters in such a ridiculous manner to try and trip each other up. One instance including naming a child’s adult friend Andrew… if you know, you know. Some cast members almost broke character at that, but it just made it all the more fun.
The musicians in the company are also extremely talented, finding the perfect rhythm and timing to play along with the actors, never mind the fact they got pulled into storylines, some played as many as three instruments so had to choose which instrument was best too.
As quite a lot of their humour includes euphemisms or jabs at the news, it would definitely be recommended for over 13’s, as any younger might miss some of the jokes and wonder why all the adults are laughing. Though, if this isn’t a problem then go ahead!
From using teapots to represent ducks to using binbags to represent water, these performers are true geniuses and masters at thinking on the spot – we could all do with a bit of their imagination.
Far Gone is one-man show, written and performed by John Rwothomack, who was nearly kidnapped from his home in Northern Uganda by Joseph Kony’s rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army. The 1980’s were a time of great trouble and turmoil in Uganda and through his abduction of hundreds of thousands of child soldiers and religious extremism, Joseph Kony managed to seize power in the northern region of Acholiland and still remains at large today.
From the minute the audience enters the studio, they are charmed by the innocence of a squeaky voiced boy called Okumu who asks them to come on a journey with him. Very quickly, the audience is also introduced to the character of the commander who requires them to answer when he speaks to them and throughout the play cues are given to which the audience must answer as a chorus. The entire experience is mesmerising– for 60 minutes you are with Okumu and you join him as you feel his joy and naivety turn to despair and desperation.
The immense talent of Rwothomack is a sight to behold – with a bare stage, minimal costume and only a handful of props, Rwothomack still manages to transport the audience to Okumu’s world and paints an imaginary set in thin air. Through the use of every muscle in his body he is able to change character in a matter of seconds and each portrayal is more believable than the last. The fight scenes are the most breath taking and special mention should also go to the director, Mojisola Elufowoju and the movement directors, Akeim Toussaint Buck and Lilac Yosiphon. Without their careful consideration of each snapshot of each scene, the picture would not have been so clear to the minds eye.
Lee Affen, the music and sound designer, should also be congratulated for his perfect use of sound to match Rwothomack’s movements. Particularly in the scene where the commander is loading a gun – there is no physical gun to be seen on stage but the magazine is loaded and the shots are fired with real credibility.
The subject matter of this play is undoubtedly heart wrenching but Rwothomack still manages to include humour and it really is true that he takes the audience on a journey with him. From start to finish you cannot help but be possessed by the story and performance. Far Gone is an educational, emotional and entertaining experience and I’d recommend it in a heartbeat.
I’d like to end with the following poignant quote from ‘The Night Wanderers: Uganda’s Children and the Lord’s Resistance Army’ by Wojciech Jagielski: “The youngest ones are best suited to it, like him, eight…nine years old, not more. They are already independent and strong enough to understand and do what they are told. And at the same time, they are still too young to tell the difference between good and evil.”
Rwothomack has written this play for the lost children of Joseph Kony’s regime and asks for anyone who is moved by the narrative to support the work of the Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN) who are committed to supporting the thousands of people affected by the unrest in northern Uganda.
The highly anticipated Leeds Playhouse production of Macbeth is staged at the Playhouse’s Quarry Theatre. Directed by Amy Leach, the Shakespeare tragedy explores the how power can be obtained at cost along with exploring the physical, mentally, emotional, and psychological impacts.
Hayley Grindle’s staging is unique where the use of space is the main emphasis. The staging does have a dark structural feel with the metal scaffolding with a retractable ramp where the narrative takes place centrally. The space is used innovatively and creatively where movements of the characters are maximised. The costumes are traditional however the production has a contemporary twist particularly with the simplified dialogues, though not compromising the integrity of the text.
Supernatural is one the main themes in Macbeth and the atmospheric stage presence connects to this particularly and the characters of the three witches, played by Charlotte Arrowsmith, Karina Jones and Ashleigh Wilder, add essence to this. The use of obscured and key lighting, particularly representing the murderous activities and the soundscapes are well used and add suspense to this tragedy’s plots.
The Leeds Playhouse has a proud record making their productions inclusively accessible. Macbeth is no exception as this production includes integrated audio description and aural storytelling which ensures inclusivity for all audience members particularly from the blind, visually impaired and deaf communities.
Excellent portrayals from the cast particularly the ones from Tachia Newell as Macbeth and Jessica Baglow as Lady Macbeth and performances from Arrowsmith and Adam Bassett who both are proactive in the BSL arts and theatre communities.
It is nice to see an almost full audience where many are returning to the theatre and reconnecting with it after the Pandemic. It is encouraging to see school groups in the audience whose studies of Macbeth are crucial for their English Literature knowledge and learning.
“What’s done cannot be undone” and what is done is an excellent and unmissable production and performance from both the cast and creative team. Everyone can draw something from Macbeth whether by text or stage.
BOOK ONLINE AT WATERMILL.ORG.UK OR VIA THE BOX OFFICE ON 01635 46044
Full casting and creative team have been announced for OUR MAN IN HAVANA, the world premiere musical adaptation of Graham Greene’s iconic novel, opening at Newbury’s The Watermill on Thursday 7 April – Saturday 21 May, with a press night on Monday 11 April.
A roller coaster comedy full of colourful characters and uplifting Cuban inspired songs, this new musical is based on Graham Greene’s iconic novel that cleverly satirises the fine line between truth and lies. The production was originally programmed as part of The Watermill’s Spring 2020 season but had to be postponed by the pandemic, and now Artistic Director Paul Hart, Executive Director Claire Murray and the whole team are thrilled to welcome the show to The Watermill for a new run of the show this spring.
‘And all around them, the night comes alive with the music of Havana…’
It’s 1958 and Havana is on the brink of revolution. All day and night, the streets are filled with dancing and the shadows are filled with criminals. In the midst of the warm tropical air, an English vacuum cleaner salesman lives a quiet life running a modest business, raising his teenage daughter Milly and collecting miniature whisky bottles.
Just as Milly’s love of shopping reaches new heights, James Wormold receives an offer from the British Secret Intelligence Service that is too good to refuse. What Wormold lacks in sleuthing experience, he makes up for with imagination. Nothing stays quiet for long in Havana and his life is soon turned upside down when the fictional events of his intelligence reports start to come true!
Nigel Lister (The Secret Adversary – The Watermill and Footloose – UK tour) will play ‘James Wormold’, Daniella Agredo Piper (Electrolyte – The Watermill, The Secret Garden – Barn Theatre) will play ‘Milly Wormold’, Paula James (Beauty and the Beast – Rose Theatre, Gin Craze! – Royal & Derngate) will play ‘Beatrice / Maria’, Alvaro Flores (ClubMex – Hope Mill Theatre, Time of Our Lies – Park Theatre) will play ‘Segura / Hawthorne / Marco’, Adam Keast (The Sound of Fury – Liverpool Everyman/Playhouse, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice – Bolton Octagon) will play ‘Hasselbacher/Chief’ and Antonio Sanchez (Mamma Mia! – Sala Joaquin Turina; Seville, Beauty and the Beast: The Musical – Asociacion de Teatro La Ribera; Seville) will be the Onstage Musical Director.
Directed by Watermill Associate Director Abigail Pickard Price, designed by Kat Heath, with Eliane Correa and Ben Morales Frost as co-orchestrators, OUR MAN IN HAVANA has music & lyrics by Ben Morales Frost, book by Richard Hough, sound design by Adam Fisher, lighting design by Robbie Butler and choreography by Andrea Pelaez, with Chris Cuming as Associate Choreographer.The Stage Management team consists of Rose Burston (DSM), Natalie Toney and Fern Bamber (ASMs) with Katie Crump on ASM placement.
Richard Hough said, “The greatest honour of my career, the acme of my story so far, is being given the chance to transpose the finest writer of the 20th century from the printed page to the Watermill stage. Graham Greene has been an inspiration to me since I first read Our Man in Havana at university, a thousand years ago. The thought of bringing his world to life, of planting my feet in the soil of a little bit of Greeneland, makes me happier than I can say, and quite frankly, more excited than is seemly. To be working with such a superb company and crew is a privilege, and to do it in Newbury a pleasure.”
Ben Morales Frost said, “It was an irresistible challenge: a story half set in 1950s Havana, half in London; a father-daughter relationship wrapped up in a tale of intrigue and international espionage; a cast of 6 who have to act, sing, dance, play instruments, and still operate a vacuum cleaner convincingly…
Working with Eliane to create authentic Cuban orchestrations has been a real treat, and has helped us create a gloriously jarring contrast to the buttoned-up atmosphere of England in the mid-20th Century. We hope you enjoy the result.”
Abbigail Pickard Price said,“The heat and heart of Cuba perhaps feels somewhat far away from the rolling hills of Bagnor but on first reading of Ben and Rich’s new telling of Graham Greene’s Our Man in Havana I felt immediately transported. I have loved getting to delve further into this as the team has come together; seeing the brilliantly bright snapshot of Havana that Designer Kat Heath is creating and hearing Eliane and Ben’s Cuban orchestrations. I look forward to joining this wonderful team in rehearsals and hope that the audiences of Newbury will enjoy being transported across the globe and back in time to the world of Our Man in Havana as much as I did the first time I set eyes on this script.”
The Watermill continues to follow measures to control the risk of Covid-19 and to ensure the safety and confidence of its audience members, staff, actors and creative teams. The wearing of face coverings continues to be requested in the auditorium. Enhanced cleaning procedures, including regular fogging of the auditorium, and an efficient ventilation system supplying conditioned and filtered fresh air also remain in place.
To help audience members to book with confidence, The Watermill are operating a flexible booking policy. In the event that their booking is affected by Covid-19, audience members will be offered a ticket exchange, account credit or refund.
York Theatre Royal – until Saturday 5th March 2022
Reviewed by Michelle Richardson
3***
The Bone Sparrow is a 2016 novel by Australian writer Zana Fraillon. It is a powerful story set in an Australian detention centre and is about friendship, cruelty, and resilience. S Shakthidharan has adapted this stage production for Pilot Theatre.
Subhi (Yaamin Chowdhury) is a member of the Rohingya people of Myanmar. He was the first child to be born in the permanent detention centre, after his Maa (Kiran L Dadlani) fled persecution, with his big sister Queenie (Siobhan Athwal). He has known nothing else, only guards and fences, in his short life. His lifelines are his drawings, his imagination, a belief that someday his world will be a different place and his rubber duck. Chowdhury brings Subhi to life with his innocence and ability to escape into his own world.
He meets a girl from outside his “cage”, Jimmie (Mary Roubos), a local, who has somehow found a hole in the fencing. They both relish their meetings, Jimmie bringing along her mother’s notebook full of tales for Subhi to read out loud to her, as she is unable to read them herself. All is not well inside the camp with tempers flaring from the unjust treatment the detainees are experiencing. Eli (Elmi Rashid Elmi) and Queenie are the main antagonists, fighting against the system, rioting and risking themselves in order to be heard.
Visually this piece is quite striking, the metal racking moving to depict the confines of the camp, Shubi’s drawings are depicted on a screen at the back of the stage, large heads incorporated in the story of Oto and Anka. Not too sure about the duck puppet, but it did create a much-needed chuckle and respite.
I found that I struggled with the storytelling, and at 2 hours and 50 minutes long, including interval, this was a test for my attention span. It needed to be tighter and half an hour shorter, especially as it is meant to be appealing to a teenage audience.
It is a tale of friendship and resilience, and it does have an important message that resonates, especially now in these trying times. With the atrocities that are happening in Ukraine, and all the displaced people that are fighting for survival. Surely there must be a better system in place globally, than what is effectively a prison? How can it be right for a human being to be locked up for so long, and to be treated so terribly, due to where they were born?
Dave Moutrey, CEO of HOME and Director of Culture for Manchester City Council, appointed as Theatres Trust Chair
Theatres Trust, the national public advisory body for theatres, is pleased to announce that Dave Moutrey has been appointed as its new Chair by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Dave Moutrey is Director and Chief Executive of HOME, a purpose built multi art form venue, having conceived and led both the merger of Cornerhouse and Library Theatre Company and the £25m capital project to create HOME. Since 2018 he has also been Director of Culture for Manchester City Council where he is responsible for advising the council on policy and strategy for culture.
Dave Moutrey says, Theatres Trust has a crucial role to play in helping to protect our heritage and advise on the design of new performance spaces to make sure that these important assets continue to serve their vital role at the heart of our communities and cultures. I am therefore delighted and honoured to be joining the organisation as Chair and to work with the trustees and team as we navigate the challenges and opportunities presented across the UK.
Four Trustees have also been appointed to Theatres Trust Board: James Dacre, Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate Theatres in Northampton; Suba Das, Creative Director Designate of Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatres and current Artistic Director and Chief Executive of HighTide; Stephanie Hall, a barrister specialising in town and country planning at Kings Chambers and Lucy Osborne, set and costume designer and co-founder of studio three sixty.
Theatres Trust Director Jon Morgan says, I am delighted that Dave Moutrey will take up the reigns as Theatres Trust’s Chair, as his wealth of experience leading HOME and advising Manchester City Council will be invaluable to our work making the case for theatres. I am also looking forward to working with the other new Trustees, who bring an extraordinary array of skills and expertise that will complement and strengthen our existing Board.
All appointments are for a three year term, beginning on 21 February 2022.
“Emotionally epic entertainment from Emma Rice” The Times
Wise Children today announce that Liam Tamne joins the company as Heathcliff for the world première production of Emily Brontë’sWuthering Heights on 15 March, completing the run at the National ahead of the UK tour. Adapted and directed by Emma Rice, the show is a co-production with the National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal.
★★★★★
““a wildly imaginative, exhilarating piece of theatre” Daily Mail
Tamne joins Lucy McCormick as Cathy, and Sam Archer (Lockwood/Edgar Linton), Nandi Bhebhe (The Leader of the Moor), Mirabelle Gremaud (Zillah), Stephanie Hockley (Ensemble), TJ Holmes (Robert), Craig Johnson (Mr Earnshaw/Dr Kenneth), Jordan Laviniere (John), Katy Owen (Isabella Linton/Linton Heathcliff), Tama Phethean (Hindley Earnshaw/Hareton Earnshaw) and Witney White (Frances Earnshaw/Young Cathy), with music performed by Sid Goldsmith, Nadine Lee and Renell Shaw.
★★★★
“a bold and ingenious production” Guardian
After completing performances at the National Theatre on 19 March, the production tours to Hall for Cornwall; Norwich Theatre Royal; The Lowry, Salford; Sunderland Empire; Brighton Festival; Kings Theatre Edinburgh; and Eden Court, Inverness.
The Yorkshire moors tell an epic story of love, revenge and redemption.
Rescued from the Liverpool docks as a child, Heathcliff is adopted by the Earnshaws and taken to live at Wuthering Heights. He finds a kindred spirit in Catherine Earnshaw and a fierce love ignites. When forced apart, a brutal chain of events is unleashed.
Shot through with music, dance, passion and hope, Emma Rice transforms Emily Brontë’s masterpiece into a powerful and uniquely theatrical experience. Lucy McCormick leads the company of performers and musicians in this intoxicating revenge tragedy for our time.
“I am Heathcliff! Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
With composition by Ian Ross; set and costume design by Vicki Mortimer; sound and video by Simon Baker; lighting design by Jai Morjaria; movement and choreography by Etta Murfitt.
Sam Archer returns to the company to play Lockwood/Edgar Linton – he previously appeared in Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour).His other theatre credits include An Ideal Husband (Vaudeville Theatre/Oscar Wilde Season), Wonderland (National Theatre/Châtelet Theatre, Paris), La Bohème (Royal Albert Hall), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), and The Red Shoes, Lord of the Flies, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Edward Scissorhands (Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Company).
Nandi Bhebhe returns to the company to play The Leader of the Moor – she recently appeared in Bagdad Cafe (The Old Vic). Her theatre credits include A Monster Calls (The Old Vic), Fela! (National Theatre/Al Hirschfeld Theatre), Season in the Congo (Young Vic), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, 946 The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips (Shakespeare’s Globe), Boy Breaking Glass (Sadler’s Wells), The Tin Drum (Bristol Old Vic), Ubu! A Singalong Satire (Shoreditch Town Hall).
Mirabelle Gremaud returns to the company as Zillah – she previously appeared in Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour) and Malory Towers (Bristol Passenger Shed/UK tour). Her theatre credits as an actress/dancer and contortionist includeLe Conte des Contes (Théâtre Kléber-Mélau), Peter Pan (Birmingham Rep), Swan Lake (The Lost Estate), Acrojou (Roundhouse), Falling (Complicité), and her solo show Sombre Sloughing (UK and European tour).
Stephanie Hockley returns to the company – she previously appeared in Malory Towers. Her other theatre credits include Robin Hood (Watermill Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Storyhouse), The Show Must Go On (St Luke’s Bombed Out Church), Return to the Forbidden Planet (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Robin Hood the Rock n’ Roll Panto, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel (Liverpool Everyman), Julius Caesar, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Storyhouse, Chester) and Sleeping Beauty (Mercury Theatre Colchester).
TJ Holmes plays Robert. His theatre credits include One Man, Two Guvnors (UK tour), The Hired Man, Love, Lies and Lust (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), Mother Courage (Leeds Playhouse), Two Gentleman of Verona (Shakespeare’s Globe/Liverpool Everyman), La Strada (The Other Palace), Hansel and Gretel (Kneehigh), The BFG, I Was A Rat (Birmingham Rep), The Jungle Book, The Threepenny Opera (UK tour), Spend Spend Spend!, Some Like It Hotter (The Watermill Theatre), As You Like It (Curve), Cider with Rosie, Merchant of Venice (Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds) and What To Do When You Find A Dinosaur (Oxford Playhouse).
Craig Johnson plays Mr Earnshaw/Dr Kenneth. His theatre credits include The Lighthouse Keeper’sLunch, The Railway Children and The Secret Garden (Minack Theatre), Alaska, One Darke Night (UK tours), The Sea Show, Skillywidden, Stones and Bones, Curious Creatures, Tales from the Trees, Myths and Monsters, The Christmassy Christmas Show, Shivers and Shadows, Universarama! (Squashbox Theatre UK tours), Tristan & Yseult, Cymbeline, Don John, A Matter of Life and Death and The Bacchae (Kneehigh).
Jordan Laviniere plays John. His theatre credits include All That (King’s Head Theatre), Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Apollo Theatre), Bugsy Malone (Lyric Hammersmith), The Life (The English Theatre, Frankfurt) and We Will Rock You (European tour).
Lucy McCormick plays Catherine. Her previous theatre credits include Life: LIVE! (Battersea Arts Centre), Triple Threat and Post Popular (Edinburgh Fringe Festival/Soho Theatre/UK and international tours), Roller Diner, First Love is the Revolution (Soho Theatre), Dear Elizabeth, Effigies of Wickedness (Gate Theatre), Collective Rage (Southwark Playhouse), Cinderella (Oxford Playhouse), The Naked Truth (UK tour), Splat! (Barbican), and The House of Bernada Alba (Tristan Bates Theatre). Her television credits include This Time with Alan Partridge; and for film, Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, and Uncle David 2.
Katy Owen returns to the company to play Isabella Linton/Linton Heathcliff – she previously appeared in Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour). Her other theatre credits include UBU Karaoke!, Rebecca (Kneehigh), The Little Matchgirl and Other Happier Tales (Bristol Old Vic/Shakespeare’s Globe/UK tour), Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe), 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tipps (Kneehigh/Shakespeare’s Globe/UK tour), The World of Work, The Night Before Christmas (Chapter Arts Centre), Apparitions of Spirits with the Forsythe Sisters (Gaggle Babble), Maudie’s Rooms, Plum – and Me, Will!, Cinders (Sherman Theatre), Ill Met by Moonlight (Wales Millennium Centre), The Tempest (Theatr Iolo) and The Moon Dragon & The Wounded Angel (Theatr Gwent). Her television credits include The Story of Tracy Beaker.
Tama Phethean plays Hindley Earnshaw/Hareton Earnshaw. His theatre credits include The Great Christmas Feast (The Lost Estate), Man Muck (Etcetera Theatre) and Night of the Living Dead Live (Pleasance Theatre).
Liam Tamne plays Heathcliff. His theatre work includes The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre – Grammy nomination for Original Cast Recording), Bonnie and Clyde (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), The Light in the Piazza (Royal Festival Hall/LA Opera), Spamilton (Menier Chocolate Factory), Mack and Mabel (concert – Hackney Empire), Working (Southwark Playhouse), The Rocky Horror Show (UK tour), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre), Departure Lounge — the Musical (Perfect Pitch), HAIR (Gielgud Theatre), Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre) and Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre). For television, his work includes Doctors.
Witney White plays Frances Earnshaw/Young Cathy. Her theatre credits include Five Plays Project: Irreconcilable Differences (Young Vic), Light Falls (Royal Exchange Theatre), A Christmas Carol, Sylvia, A Monster Calls (The Old Vic), NOF*CKSGIVEN (Vault Festival), Room (Theatre Royal Stratford East/Dundee Rep/Abbey Theatre), wonder.land (National Theatre), Dusty (Charing Cross Theatre) and Loserville (West Yorkshire Playhouse). For television, her credits include Cleaning Up.
Emma Rice is the proud and excited Artistic Director of her company, Wise Children. She adapted and directed the company’s Bagdad Cafe (The Old Vic), Angela Carter’s Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour) and Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers (Bristol Passenger Shed/UK tour). For the ENO she directed Orpheus in the Underworld. As Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe (2016/18), she directed Romantics Anonymous, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Little Matchgirl (and Other Happier Tales). For the previous 20 years, she worked for Kneehigh as an actor, director and Artistic Director. Her productions for Kneehigh include The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, Tristan & Yseult, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, The Wild Bride, The Red Shoes, The Wooden Frock, The Bacchae, Cymbeline (in association with RSC), A Matter of Life and Death (in association with National Theatre), Rapunzel (in association with Battersea Arts Centre), Brief Encounter (in association with David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers Productions), Don John (in association with the RSC and Bristol Old Vic), Wah! Wah! Girls (in association with Sadler’s Wells and Theatre Royal Stratford East for World Stages), and Steptoe and Son. Other work includes the West End production of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Oedipussy (Spymonkey), The Empress (RSC), and An Audience with Meow Meow (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). In 2019 Rice received the UK Theatre Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre.
CHRISTOPHER HARPER TO PLAY ROBERT LANGDON ALONGSIDE DANNY JOHN-JULES
& HANNAH ROSE CATON
IN WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION
Coronation Street star Chris Harper joins the tour of Dan Brown’s best-selling thriller, The Da Vinci Code to play Robert Langdon alongside Danny John-Jules as Sir Leigh Teabing, Hannah Rose Caton as Sophie Neveu and Joshua Lacey as Silas.This World Premiere production which visits Richmond Theatre from 2-7 May 2022 is directed by Luke Sheppard, who also directed the award-winning West End musical & Juliet.
The cast also includes: Basienka Blake (Vernet), Alasdair Buchan (Remy) Alpha Kargbo (Fache), Leigh Lothian (Collet), Andrew Lewis (Saunière) and Debra Michaels (Sister Sandrine/Marie).
Producer Simon Friend said: “We have a truly stellar cast and creative team bringing The Da Vinci Code to life on stage for the first time, and with Dan Brown’s full endorsement of the show and the talented director Luke Sheppard at the helm, we’re confident that we’ll please devoted fans as well as newcomers to this magnificent story.”
‘Dan Brown’s epic thriller has been read by millions worldwide, and seen by millions worldwide on the big screen, and we are all looking forward to taking our brand new stage version to audiences all over the UK.’
Dan Brown said: “I am thrilled that The Da Vinci Code is being adapted for the stage, and excited to see the unique potential of live theatre enhance this story. The team making the production has been faithful to the book, but will also bring something new for the audience, in what is certain to be a gripping, fast-paced stage thriller and a thoroughly entertaining show.”
Christopher Harper’sprevious theatre credits include:Dial M For Murder; Apollo 13: The Dark Side of the Moon, Birdsong; Dance; Strangers on a Train; Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe); Slipping (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough); The Wind in the Willows,Man of the Moment and Private Fears in Public Places (Royal & Derngate); I Know How I Feel About Eve (Hampstead Downstairs); The Night Before Christmas; The Village Bike (Sheffield Crucible Studio); Our Country’s Good and Journey’s End; Persuasion, After Miss Julie and People at Sea (Salisbury Playhouse); Saturn Returns; Light Shining in Buckinghamshire and Lie of the Land; See How They Run, Separate Tables and Volpone (Royal Exchange); Adam Bede and Strange Orchestra (Orange Tree Theatre); Tabloid Caligula (Arcola and Brits off Broadway) and Twelfth Night. His films include:The War Below, Patiala House, Rules of the Game and Charlie. On television he played the high profile character ofNathan Curtis inCoronation Street, and appeared in Holby City, Endeavour, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, Doctors, Upstairs Downstairs, The Bill, Heartbeat, The Roman Mysteries, Rosemary and Thyme, Life on Mars and Housewife 49 with Victoria Wood. Chris also produced and voiced the award-winning charity animation The Mouse.
Danny John-Jules is probably best known for his role as Cat in Red Dwarf and has appeared in every episode of the 13 series. He also made the character of Dwayne Myers in BBC’s hit series, Death inParadise, his own. Danny has also appeared in many other film and TV roles across his 40 year career as an actor.Danny has appeared in Barnum at the London Palladium, Cats at the New London Theatre and Time at the Dominion Theatre. He created the role of ‘Rocky 1’ in Starlight Express at the Apollo, Victoria, and was Dink in the first West End production of Carmen Jones at the Old Vic Theatre for director Simon Callow and musical director Henry Lewis.
Hannah Rose Caton makes her UK theatre debut in The Da Vinci Code. Hannah is based both in London and New York and is a recent graduate of The Juilliard School’s Drama Division. Her theatre credits (off Broadway and in theatres across the US) include: Mrs. Christie at Vermont Theatre Festival, An Octoroon for Chautauqua Theatre Company and Hay Fever for West Fulton Theatre.
Her TV and films include: The Falling, Last Knights and Wizards vs Aliens.
The Da Vinci Code is described as follows: The curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered, and alongside his body are a series of baffling codes. Follow the pulse-racing journey as Professor Robert Langdon and fellow cryptologist Sophie Neveu, attempt to solve the riddles, leading to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci and beyond, deep into the vault of history. In a breathless race through the streets of Europe, Langdon and Neveu must decipher the labyrinthine code before a shocking historical secret is lost forever.
The Da Vinci Code is adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff (Flowers For Mrs Harris, Birdsong) and Duncan Abel (The Girl on the Train). Director Luke Sheppard, who most recently directed the acclaimed new West End musical, & Juliet and What’s New Pussycat at Birmingham Rep is joined on the creative team by Set and Costume Designer David Woodhead, Video Designer Andrzej Goulding, Composition and Sound Design team, Ben and Max Ringham, Lighting Designer Lizzie Powell and Casting Director Stuart Burt CDG.
Luke Sheppard said: “Cracking The Da Vinci Code open for the stage reveals an epic thriller steeped in theatrical potential, rich in suspense and surprising at every turn. Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel’s brilliant adaptation leaps off the page and demands us to push the limits of our imagination, creating a production that champions dynamic theatrical storytelling and places the audience up close in the heat of this gripping mystery.”
Cameron Mackintosh has invited many of Stephen Sondheim’s old friends to join him in celebrating his extraordinary talents and legacy at the theatre which was recently gloriously rebuilt in Sondheim’s honor. The all-star cast for OLD FRIENDS so far includes Michael Ball, Petula Clark, Judi Dench, Daniel Evans, Bonnie Langford, Adrian Lester, Damian Lewis, Julia Mckenzie, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Paige, Clive Rowe, Imelda Staunton and Hannah Waddingham. They will be joined by a featured company of West End stars, currently being finalised.
The evening, which takes place for one night only on 3 May 2022 at 8pm, will be staged by Matthew Bourne and Maria Friedman with choreography by Stephen Mear and a 26-piece orchestra conducted by Alfonso Casado Trigo.
Patrons can sign up for priority booking at sondheimoldfriends.com. Tickets will go on sale on 15 March to DMT Plus members at 11am, the Priority List at 12noon with Public Booking opening at 1pm.
Cameron Mackintosh said: “It is impossible to overstate the influence and contribution Stephen Sondheim has made to Musical Theatre, both personally and professionally. He was as great a teacher as he was an incomparable writer and the Little Things that he did for so many people forged legions of friendships throughout his long life. I was lucky enough to be Steve’s friend and occasional collaborator for over 45 years since I first produced Side By Side By Sondheim and the Wyndham’s Theatre in 1976. It was a friendship full of laughter, gossip and glorious insightful camaraderie.
Steve was so prolific and profound as a writer that it’s impossible to put together a definitive list of his greatest songs, as everyone has their own favourites, so our choice of songs will purely reflect the joy and love I have for one of the greatest Broadway Babies of all time.”
All profits from the evening will go to the Stephen Sondheim Foundation, which the legendary composer and lyricist established under his Will to receive future income from his copyrights and intellectual property, with the proceeds to be used principally for the support of playwrights, composers, and lyricists in the early stages of their careers to assist in the development and advancement of their work, as well as for sustaining other aspects of the musical theatre craft and arts education.
Until the Stephen Sondheim Foundation has completed the process of its formation, the proceeds derived from this event will be held in trust by The Mackintosh Foundation (registered charity number: 327751) on its behalf.
OPERA HOUSE, MANCHESTER – UNTIL SATURDAY 5TH MARCH 2022
REVIEWED BY MIA BOWEN
5*****
Footloose is a 1998 musical based on the screen sensation starring Kevin Bacon. When the film was released in 1984, it became the highest crossing February release in US film history. The soundtrack album knocked Michael Jackson’s Thriller off the number one spot and went to top album charts all over the world. I caught up with the current UK Touring stage production when it touched down at the Opera House. This adaptation is pure fun, full of passion and energy, containing pop rock hits like ‘Almost paradise’, ‘Let’s hear it for the boy’, ‘Holding out for a hero’ and ‘Footloose’.
The musical tells the story of city boy Ren McCormack (Joshua Hawkins) and his mother Ethel (Geri Allen) who has moved to the small town of Bomont in the rural Southwest. At school Ren befriends Willard (Jake Quickenden) and learns that the town council has banned dancing and rock music within the town boundary. Ren shakes things up by falling in love with Ariel (Lucy Munden), the daughter of Rev Moore (Darren Day), the main influence behind the ban. As well as teenage angst, Footloose is all about fun and the carefree nature of being a teen, which of course is never fully appreciated at the time.
It wouldn’t be Footloose without spectacular stage dancing and Matt Cole deserves a special mention as his choreography did not disappoint, it was demanding but stunningly executed. Every time a choreographed musical number ended the audience broke out in a booming applause and loud cheers. This response was also due to the cast giving the whole production an air of exhilaration, not only did they act, sing, dance and move sets around, they played multiple instruments whilst on roller skates!
Footloose is a solid piece of toe tapping entertainment, literally bringing a cheering audience to their feet
