Month: March 2022

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR 101 DALMATIANS

KATE FLEETWOOD PLAYS CRUELLA DE VIL

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre have today announced full casting for their forthcoming production of 101 Dalmatians (12 Jul – 28 Aug), a newly commissioned musical written by Douglas Hodge (music and lyrics) and Johnny McKnight (book), from a stage adaptation by Zinnie Harris. Based on the book by Dodie Smith, leading the cast as the iconic villain Cruella de Vil is Olivier and Tony Award nominee Kate Fleetwood.

Dalmatians Pongo and Perdi are puppeteered by Danny Collins (Pongo Voice), Emma Lucia (Perdi Voice), Yana Penrose (Perdi Head) and Ben Thompson (Pongo Head).

Also joining the cast are: Jamil Abbasi (Ensemble), Stuart Angell (Captain Head), George Bukhari (Jasper), Sonya Cullingford (Ensemble), Jade Davies (Swing), Karen Fishwick (Danielle), Joseph Fletcher (Ensemble), Taofique Folarin (Swing), Courtney George (Ensemble), Tash Holway (Swing and Dance Captain), CJ Johnson (Ensemble), Kody Mortimer (Ensemble), Simon Oskarsson (Swing), Tom Peters (Captain Voice), Eric Stroud (Dominic), Jonny Weldon (Casper), and Grace Wylde (Madam Doué).

Director Timothy Sheader said:

“We are incredibly excited to finally bring 101 Dalmatians to our stage after postponing the production twice due to the pandemic. I think audiences are going to love reconnecting with this favourite story outside in Regent’s Park; the original home of Pongo and Perdi. The brand new script and music are both packed with fun and joy and I am delighted that Kate Fleetwood’s filming schedule for The Wheel of Time allows us the opportunity to work with her on creating that all time baddie, Cruella de Vil.”

101 Dalmatians is created by: Shanaé Chisholm (Casting Assistant), Josie Daxter (Associate Director),   Jill Green CDG (Casting Director), Tash Holway (Associate Choreographer), Barbara Houseman (Voice and Text & Season Associate Director), Howard Hudson (Lighting Designer), Maia Kirkman-Richards (Assistant Puppet Director), Nick Lidster for Autograph (Sound Designer), Katrina Lindsay (Costume Designer), Ingrid Mackinnon (Season Associate: Intimacy Support), Tarek Merchant (Musical Director), Verity Naughton and Nick Hockaday for Verity Naughton Casting (Children’s Casting Directors), Toby Olié (Puppetry Designer and Director), Colin Richmond (Set Designer), Timothy Sheader (Director), Liam Steel (Choreographer) and Sarah Travis (Musical Supervisor and Orchestrator).

The Open Air Theatre is working with Mousetrap Theatre Projects to create a relaxed performance of 101 Dalmatians on Sunday 14 August (2.15pm). Relaxed performances are designed to provide those with learning disabilities, those who are on the autism spectrum or have other sensory and communication needs who would benefit from a more relaxed environment, the opportunity to experience the production.

Kate Fleetwood currently plays the leading role of Liandrin Guirale in Amazon Prime’s The Wheel of Time. Her previous stage roles include: Lady Macbeth (Chichester Festival/Gielgud/ BAM/Broadway) for which she was nominated for a Tony Award, Medea (Almeida) and Goneril in King Lear (National Theatre). She also appeared in Absolute Hell and Ugly Lies the Bone (National Theatre), Bug (Found111) and Life is a Dream (Donmar Warehouse), for which she received a WhatsOnStage Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Kate received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for London Road (National Theatre), and she also played Tracy Lord in High Society (Old Vic).

Kate’s television credits include: Victoria, War and Peace, The People Next Door, The Widower, Brave New World and Fate: The Winx Club Saga. Her film credits include: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Negotiator, London Road, Philomena, Les Misérables and Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s 90^th Anniversary season also includes the musical Legally Blonde     (13 May – 2 July) directed by Lucy Moss, co-writer and co-director of Six the Musical, and – in a second commission from the theatre in 2022 – Antigone (3 – 24 September) by Barber Shop Chronicles writer Inua Ellams after Sophocles, directed by Max Webster and co-directed by Jo Tyabji.

SIMON RUSSELL BEALE TO PLAY

J O H N   G A B R I E L   B O R K M A N

IN A NEW VERSION OF IBSEN’S CLASSIC BY LUCINDA COXON

Simon Russell Beale will play the title role in Henrik Ibsen’s John Gabriel Borkman in a new version by Lucinda Coxon at the Bridge Theatre.  Directed by Nicholas Hytner with set designs by Anna Fleischle and costume designs by Liam Bunster, John Gabriel Borkman will have its first performance on 24 September 2022 with opening night on 29 September 2022 with the run concluding on 26 November 2022.  Booking opens today at 10am for Bridge Priority members and public booking is from 10am on 22 March 2022.  Further casting and the full creative team will be announced shortly.

John Gabriel Borkman, once an illustrious entrepreneur, has been brought low by a prison sentence for fraud. As he paces alone in an upstairs room, bankrupt and disgraced, he is obsessed by dreams of his comeback. Downstairs, his estranged wife plots the restoration of the family name. When her sister arrives unannounced, she triggers a desperate showdown with the past.

Simon Russell Beale (John Gabriel Borkman) was last at the Bridge in A Christmas Carol and Bach & Sons, both also directed by Nicholas Hytner. His previous theatre credits include The Lehman Trilogy at National Theatre, in the West End and on Broadway. His other collaborations with Hytner include The Alchemist, Much Ado About Nothing, Major Barbara, Collaborators, London Assurance and Timon of Athens, all at the National Theatre. As well as being the recipient of multiple theatre awards, in 2003 he was made a CBE for his services to the Arts and in 2019 he was made a Knight Batchelor.

Lucinda Coxon previously collaborated with Nicholas Hytner at The Bridge on the world premiere of Alys, Always. Her other theatre writing credits include Herding Cats, Happy Now, The Eternal Not, Nostalgia, The Shoemaker’s Wife, Vesuvius, Wishbones, Three Graces, The Ice Palace and Waiting at the Water’s Edge. Her screen writing credits include the award-winning The Danish Girl starring Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander, The Little Stranger starring Domhnall Gleeson and Ruth Wilson, The Crimson Petal and The White starring Romola Garai for the BBC, Wild Target starring Emily Blunt and The Heart of Me starring Paul Bettany and Helena Bonham-Carter.

For the Bridge Theatre Nicholas Hytner has directed Young Marx, Julius Caesar, Allelujah!, Alys, Always, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Two Ladies, Beat the Devil, The Shrine, Bed Among the Lentils, A Christmas Carol, Bach & Sons and The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage. This month he directs Ralph Fiennes in David Hare’s Straight Line Crazy also at The Bridge and in June he will direct Alex Jennings in Stephen Beresford’s The Southbury Child at Chichester Festival Theatre and The Bridge. Previously he was Director of the National Theatre from 2003 to 2015.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Address:                            Bridge Theatre, 3 Potters Fields Park, London, SE1 2SG

Box Office:                         0333 320 0051 or [email protected]

Access:                              0333 320 0051 or [email protected]

Website:                            www.bridgetheatre.co.uk

Twitter:                              @_bridgetheatre

Instagram:                          _bridgetheatre

Facebook:                           facebook.com/bridgetheatrelondon

THE NEW WOLSEY THEATRE IPSWICH AND QUEEN’S THEATRE HORNCHURCH TO

CO-PRODUCE FIRST UK REVIVAL & REGIONAL PREMIERE OF

KINKY BOOTS

THE MUSICAL

MARKING 10 YEARS SINCE THE

MUSICAL’S DEBUT

NEW WOLSEY THEATRE, IPSWICH:  1 – 24 SEPTEMBER

QUEEN’S THEATRE HORNCHURCH: 28 SEPTEMBER – 22 OCTOBER

The New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich and Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch have today announced that they will be co-producing the first UK revival and regional premiere of the Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical Kinky Boots. The production will also mark 10 years since the musical’s debut at Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre in 2012.

The new production, which will be directed by Tim Jackson, will run at New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich from 1 – 24 September and Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 28 September – 22 October.

Based on the Miramax motion picture, the musical adaptation features a Tony-Award nominated book by Harvey Fierstein and Tony and Grammy award-winning music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper.

Charlie Price has reluctantly inherited a struggling shoe business from his ‎dad, which he’s desperate to save. He unexpectedly bumps into a larger than life drag queen Lola, who’s looking for some sturdy stilettos. They think they’ve nothing in common, but as the unlikely pair ruffle a few feathers, designing some fabulous footwear for the factory floor, perhaps they do…

The new production sees Tim Jackson reunite with the two theatres, having previously choregraphed their celebrated revival of Made in Dagenham. Tim Jackson has also previously worked with the New Wolsey Theatre as director and dramaturg of The Stage Debut Award-winning co-production of The Season (Royal and Derngate, New Wolsey).

Tim Jackson is staging the upcoming 2022 Olivier Awards Ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall and will choreograph Merrily We Roll Along, directed by Maria Friedman andstarring Daniel Radcliffe, at New York Theater Workshop later this year.  

Tim Jackson said of the new production, “I’m thrilled to be directing the first UK revival of this fabulous musical. It’s a show that’s got it all: big laughs, a banging pop score and an uplifting story about community, identity and embracing ourselves and each other. Ten years since it took the world by storm, I’m relishing the opportunity to re-explore Kinky Boots in a brand-new production for a new generation. The piece remains as potent as ever, and I cannot wait to join audiences in celebrating our beautiful kaleidoscope of a world.”

Mathew Russell, Executive Director of Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch said, “We’re thrilled to be working with the New Wolsey Theatre again, after a string of brilliant co-productions, including our acclaimed actor musician versions of Made in Dagenham and Once, which we were able to tour together too. We’re equally excited that QTH’s new Creative Associate, Tim Jackson, will be directing, and know that he and the team will do a great job of making a fresh, warm hearted, sassy and gloriously working class take on this hit show, which we’re sure audiences are going to adore”

Douglas Rintoul,Incoming Chief Executive of New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich said “I can’t think of a better way to mark the start of my new role at the New Wolsey Theatre than with this very special regional premiere. Made by my favourite theatres, and directed by a supremely talented director, Kinky Boots is going to be a smart and gloriously uplifting night out.”

Cast and full creative team will be announced at a later date. There will be British Sign Language, Audio Described and Captioned performances available at both theatres.

GARY BARLOW’S

A DIFFERENT STAGE

TO OPEN AT THE DUKE OF YORK’S THEATRE IN LONDON’S WEST END 

TICKETS ON SALE 10AM WEDNESDAY 23 MARCH HERE

adifferentstage.show

*****A story that deserves to be told and it’s delivered beautifully…A brave and beautiful retelling of his whole life story…A seriously emotional experience – Manchester Evening News

Acclaimed singer, songwriter, composer and producer, Gary Barlow is bringing his theatrical one man stage show, A Different Stage, to London’s West End, with a string of dates announced today. He will perform at The Duke of York’s Theatre from 30 August to 18 September, with tickets on sale Wednesday 23 March at 10am from adifferentstage.show.

To date, Gary has performed sold out performances of A Different Stageat The Brindley in Runcorn, Cheshire and the Lowry Quays Theatre in Salford. He’s currently performing another sold out run at The Playhouse in Liverpool before he heads to Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre from 22 March. Limited tickets are available for select dates in Edinburgh from adifferentstage.show.

A Different Stage, which Gary Barlow created with his long-time friend and collaborator, Tim Firth, is an intimate evening with Gary, as he recounts, with humour, some tears and unflinching honesty, his life story. Of course, along the way, there will be some music, but some of which will be a surprise to many.

Gary said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed performing ‘A Different Stage’ at venues across the country for the past few months. Bringing it to London is a dream come true and The Duke of York’s Theatre is the perfect setting for this story.”

Gary Barlow is one of Britain’s most successful songwriters and record producers. As part of the group Take That, he has won eight BRIT Awards and sold over 45 million records. Aside from his achievements with Take That, he has also co-written and produced music for other renowned artists including Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir Elton John and Robbie Williams.

In more recent years, Gary has also turned his attention to the world of theatre, composing the score for the hugely successful production of Finding Neverland, working alongside Tim Firth on Calendar Girls The Musical, and collaborating with Tim and his Take That bandmates on The Band, a record-breaking stage musical currently being adapted into a feature film.

A Different Stage is directed by Tim Firth, with design by Es Devlin, lighting by Bruno Poet and sound design by Gareth Tucker.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

30 August – 18 September 2022

Duke of York’s Theatre

St Martin’s Lane

London WC2N 4BG

Performances: Tuesday – Saturday at 7.30pm and Sunday at 2.30pm

Tickets: from £35

Box Office: adifferentstage.show

Meet the West End stars of tomorrow!

Three sets of twins who are starring in Identical,

the new musical adaptation of The Parent Trap

After a five-year casting search and multiple auditions across the UK, three sets of talented identical twins are about to become Britain’s latest musical theatre stars. The trio of twins will be starring in Identical, the new musical adaptation of Erich Kästner’s novel ‘The Parent Trap’ directed by Olivier & Tony award-winning director Sir Trevor Nunn and produced by Kenny Wax whose current hits include ‘SIX the musical’ and ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’. 

They say you should never work with children or animals but this summer Olivier and Tony award-winning director Sir Trevor Nunn will be doing both, with three sets of identical twins! Kyla and Nicole Fox, aged 12, from County Armagh, Northern Ireland, Emme and Eden Patrick, 12 from Waltham Abbey and Sienna and Savannah Robinson, 12 from Bromley, are the youngsters playing Lottie and Lisa in the world premiere of Identical, a new musical destined for the West End.

Identical is based on the novel ‘The Parent Trap’ by Erich Kästner, which inspired hugely successful Disney films featuring Hayley Mills in 1961 and Lindsay Lohan in 1998.

It will open at Nottingham Playhouse from 26 July – 14 August, then transfers to The Lowry from Fri 19 August – Sat 3 September 2022. Future dates will be announced.

Identical tells the story of Lottie and Lisa, twin girls separated at birth, reunited by chance at a summer camp 10 years later. In an attempt to re-join their divorced parents, they decide to swap identities.

It has Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, (the multi award-winning writers of the Olivier award-winning National Theatre hit ‘Honk!’, who also created a new score for the international smash-hit Cameron Mackintosh/Disney production of ‘Mary Poppins’) with a Book by Stuart Paterson.

Identical is co-produced by Nottingham Playhouse and Kenny Wax Ltd (producer of the new global musical phenomenon ‘SIX’ and the ‘Goes Wrong’ shows) and directed by Olivier and Tony award-winning Sir Trevor Nunn (responsible for some of the greatest hits in the world, including ‘Les Misérables’, ‘Starlight Express’, ‘Cats’ and ‘Sunset Boulevard’).

Producer Kenny Wax says:

“Identical is a story about the reuniting of twins separated shortly after birth and the healing of a family which has been fractured. The narrative offers a powerful message for the world right now and under the directorial genius of Sir Trevor Nunn, I have no doubt that Identical will be regarded as one of the great musicals of its generation…..providing that we can consistently cast incredibly talented identical twins!”

Nottingham Playhouse’s Executive Director Stephanie Sirr commented:

“We can’t wait to create this show. It’s particularly exciting to give kids from our community the chance to work alongside world class professionals and to take part in the premiere of a newly commissioned musical.”

Stiles and Drewe said:

“It’s been a delight to adapt Erich Kästner’s hauntingly beautiful and timeless tale of two identical twins separated as babies, and their wily determination to stitch their family back together. It’s a story packed with wonderful humour and characters which makes it a great canvas to become a musical and retell for a 21st-century audience.”

Nottingham Theatre Royal – 16th March 2022

Reviewed by Louise Ford

5*****

Not everything is black or white when it comes to curses…

Last night’s performance was introduced by Richard Mantle (General Director of Opera North), he gave a moving speech about the  importance of the Arts in the time of struggle and war. He read out a message which referenced not only the current conflict in The Ukraine but also the Opera North Ensemble which includes singers from both Ukraine and Russia. The whole audience stood for the  Ukrainian National Anthem. It was a moving start to a wonderful night of Opera.

I went to last night’s performance with my daughter who hasn’t seen any live opera performances before, although she and her sister were sent off to sleep by various arias and musical pieces when they were little, so she is no stranger to the music. By way of preparation I sent her a synopsis of Verdi’s Rigoletto. Whilst she was looking forward to seeing the production she had some reservations about the subject matter.  It is difficult to reconcile the storyline (based on Victor Hugo’s Le Roi s’amuse) with today’s moral code about  rights and sexual abuse. 

Taking this last point first this production ( directed by Femi Elufowoju jnr) takes the central theme of the opera, Rigoletto a hunchbacked court jester who keeps his daughter (Gilda) hidden away to protect her from philandering 16th century aristocrats. And casts Rigoletto as a black man with a vulnerable daughter who he hides away to protect her from the Duke  and a bunch of entitled white men who cannot be trusted around women. The dynamic between Rigoletto ( Eric Greene (absolutely fantastic ) and Gilda (Jasmine Habersham) is superb. The roles are played with tenderness and strength and just the right amount of vulnerability and torment.

The opera is made up of three acts and has four main scenes. The sets and costume design (Rae Smith) are an interesting mixture of modern day scenes with an added pinch of exotic colour and glamour, along with traditional agbada and dashiki for Count Monterone (Sir Willard White) and Marullo (Themba Mvula). On the whole the sets are not too distracting from the action although the scene with the life sized zebra and the closing scene with the wrecked car  and pop up tent still has me puzzled. Having said that the singing is wonderful, Roman Arendt makes a great sneering and leering Duke and Sir Willard White (Count Monterone) whose strong presence and curse is crucial to the way the story unfolds for Rigoletto, has a powerful stage presence.The conductor at last night’s performance was Garry Walker. It was a full house in Nottingham last night and the audience really enjoyed the performance with several standing ovations which seemed to take the company by surprise!

THEATR CLWYD TO RECEIVE £22 MILLION IN CAPITAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT REDEVLOPMENT OF THE THEATRE

Theatr Clwyd has today confirmed it will receive up to £22m from the Welsh Government in additional capital funding to support the ambitious redevelopment of the theatre. The transformative redevelopment will deliver a much-improved visitor experience and enhanced income-generating facilities within a greener, more efficient, and welcoming building.

Attracting over 200,000 paying visitors annually, Theatr Clwyd is the biggest producing theatre in Wales, known for world class theatre productions and having a significant social, cultural and economic impact in North-East Wales. This redevelopment will allow Theatr Clwyd to continue to produce world-class art that can thrive and ensure that social action is rooted for generations to come.

Theatr Clwyd’s Executive Director, Liam Evans-Ford, and Artistic Director, Tamara Harvey, are working with Flintshire County Council, Arts Council of Wales and acclaimed architects Haworth Tompkins on the redevelopment.

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden, said: “Theatr Clwyd has an international and national reputation for excellence and is a key part of Wales’ cultural infrastructure. Through its innovative services and partnerships Theatr Clwyd brings considerable social, cultural and economic benefits to Wales, particularly the local communities in north east Wales. We look forward to working with the team on delivering such an exciting and innovate project.”

With an industry-leading zero carbon target and dedicated theatre-making, learning, family and wellbeing spaces, including on-site scenic construction for the first time, the project will bean exemplar of 21st century cultural space.

Liam Evans-Ford, Executive Director at Theatr Clwyd, said: “The confirmation of Welsh Government’s investment towards the essential redevelopment of Theatr Clwyd, alongside the previously confirmed investment from Flintshire County Council and the Arts Council of Wales, is a significant statement about how the arts, and its social and economic impact, is viewed in Wales, a nation fast becoming one of the best in the world at supporting its cultural sectors. This funding will unlock further private investment and enable us to deliver something that our local communities, our theatre makers, our audiences, our region, and our nation can be proud of, a world class producing theatre in North Wales that will now have facilities to match the standard of work on our stages.”

Flintshire County Council’s Chief Executive, Neal Cockerton, said:This is a really welcome announcement by Welsh Government and will allow us and the Theatr to move forward with its exciting plans for refurbishment and development. This is a dynamic period in the theatre’s history – the future is looking bright with the theatre continuing as a vital and vibrant arts centre at the heart of our community.

Minister for North Wales, Lesley Griffiths, said: “Investing in our theatres and committing to Theatr Clwyd is an important element of our Programme for Government.  This announcement today recognises Theatr Clwyd’s high standing and cultural significance not only in North Wales itself but further afield too. It is a valuable asset to the region.”

Phil George, Chair, Arts Council of Wales, said: “This crucial investment from Welsh Government recognises the impact of the arts in community life, in the wellbeing of citizens and in economic development. Theatr Clwyd richly demonstrates that impact through its high-quality and eye-catching productions, its community outreach and its work in areas like Arts and Dementia and youth justice. This redevelopment will further energise all that work and be a major benefit to the people of north-east Wales. The Arts Council of Wales is proud to support it.”

Throughout the building work Theatr Clwyd will remain open with work expected to be completed by 2024.

Our website: www.theatrclwyd.com

Twitter: @ClwydTweets                Facebook: TheatrClwyd                 Instagram: Theatr Clwyd

Patrick’s Day Made Extra Special

International screen and stage star Patrick Duffy had a double reason to celebrate recently as he marked St Patrick’s Day and his birthday.

To celebrate, his partner and co-star Linda Purl presented him with a cake made by one of the Hippodrome staff after today’s matinee performance of Catch Me If You Can. In addition, the audience sang happy birthday, and staff members gave his dressing room a birthday makeover. It was a celebration fit for a Hollywood star!

Catch Me If You Can is running at Darlington Hippodrome until this Saturday, with the last performance at 7:30pm. Alongside Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl, Gray O’Brien stars in this gripping drama filled with twists and turns that have had audiences guessing until the last minute.

Set in the remote Catskill Mountains, Inspector Levine is called to investigate the disappearance of the newly married Elizabeth Corban. In a bizarre development a woman arrives at the house claiming to be the missing Elizabeth but, instead of celebrating the reunion, her husband accuses her of being an imposter…

Booking information

www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk

Box office: 01325 405405

New Theatre, Peterborough – until Saturday 19th March 2022

Reviewed by Boo Wakefield

4****

For anyone whose formative years were in the 1980s, Footloose had a huge impact. The very catchy soundtrack rather blurs the memory of the story-line and with this in mind, it would be interesting to see how the film transferred to the stage at New Theatre, Peterborough.

Footloose is set in 1980 in a back of beyond town called Bomont and is based around a real story from the 1860s. After a tragic accident where four teenagers died, the Reverend Shaw Moore (Darren Day), who lost his son, insisted that no more dancing should be allowed in the town. After his father walks out, Ren McCormack (Joshua Hawkins) is forced to move to Bomont from Chicago with his mother to live with his uncle. Ren is a lively teenager who loves to dance so can’t believe that he is not allowed to. He makes friends with Willard Hewitt (Jake Quickenden) and Ren falls for the Reverend’s daughter, Ariel (Lucy Munden). Ren then decides that its time the dance ban should end.

Joshua Hawkins plays Ren with endless energy and enthusiasm which is slightly overshadowed by Quickenden’s comic portrayal of the rather goofy Willard who has no idea how to dance. His lumbersome movements and incredulous facial expressions along with the awkward on-stage relationship with Rusty (Oonagh Cox) were definite highlights. His timing was spotless, his vocals strong and note perfect, and he hit the mark with his accent. The image of him ripping off his dungarees to reveal tight gold hot pants will be hard to leave behind!

Although Day’s Reverend never stopped being the grieving but proud father, some of the bitterness he must have felt to have forced the ‘no dancing’ ban on the community was not there. Holly Ashton, playing his wife, came across as the forgotten soul in the story and sang beautifully particularly in “Can You Find It In Your Heart”.

Lucy Munden is playing Ariel Moore in her professional debut which she played with enormous confidence.

Throughout the performance the whole cast is fully included in every scene, from singing and dancing to playing most of the instruments whilst on stage, and moving the sets. Their enjoyment in this production is clear to see through their well-choreographed dance routines and chorus singing. And although the sets (Sara Perks) were clever, there were occasions where the dancers looked cramped and could have benefited from more space. The spots from the lighting were also a bit hit and miss.

Footloose has kept all the well-known songs – “Let’s Hear It For The Boy”, “Holding Out For A Hero” and of course “Footloose” which provided the toe-tapping, sing-a-long moments for the predominantly female audience. The story-line is remains overshadowed by the many songs for an entertaining evening. And those gold shorts………!

Carrie Askew <7/03/2022 11:10



BRAND NEW SHOWS ON SALE FOR THE LYCEUM
AND STUDIO THEATRES

Sheffield Theatres today announces a number of new shows heading to the Lyceum theatre, including returns of highly-anticipated favourites such as Jersey Boys and Rocky Horror Show.

In the Lyceum, Mischief Theatre’s multi-award-winning international smash-hit comedy The Play That Goes Wrong returns to Sheffield following its previous sell-out success, from Monday 11 – Saturday 16 July. The Cornley Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does! As the accident-prone thesps battle on against all the odds to reach their final curtain call, hilarious results ensue!

Northern Ballet’s The Little Mermaid graces the Lyceum stage from Thursday 22 – Saturday 24 September. When a young mermaid is finally allowed her first glimpse of life beyond the ocean, she is enthralled by what she sees. From breath-taking underwater scenes to vibrant life on land, rediscover Hans Christian Andersen’s original fairy-tale performed by Northern Ballet’s world-class dancers with Celtic-inspired music played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia.

Bugsy Malone runs from Tuesday 27 September – Saturday 1 October. Prohibition era, New York. A city full of mobsters, showgirl and dreamers. Rival gangster bosses Fat Sam and Dandy Dan are at loggerheads. Enter Bugsy Malone, a penniless one-time boxer and all-round nice guy, thrust not-so-willingly into the gangster limelight. Alan Parker’s world-famous movie, which launched the careers of Jodie Foster and Scott Baio, becomes an unforgettable theatrical experience in this revival of the universally acclaimed Lyric Hammersmith Theatre production.

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of),a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story, runs from Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 November. Men, money and microphones will be fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation, where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance. It’s the 1800s. It’s party time. Let the ruthless matchmaking begin.

Girl from the North Country plays from Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 January. It’s 1934 in the heartland of America and we meet a group of wayward souls who cross paths in a time-weathered guesthouse. Standing at a turning point in their lives, they realize nothing is what it seems. But as they search for a future, and hide from the past, they find themselves facing unspoken truths about the present. Featuring music and lyrics by Bob Dylan.

Cult-favourite Rocky Horror Show runs from Monday 23 – Saturday 28 January. Follow squeaky-clean sweethearts Brad and Janet on an adventure they’ll never forget, with the scandalous Frank’n’Furter, rippling Rocky and vivacious Magenta. Get ready for a night of fun, frolics and frivolity in this thrilling production of Richard O’Brien’s classic original script, with timeless classics, including Sweet Transvestite, Damn it Janet, and of course, the pelvic-thrusting Time Warp, Rocky Horror Show is a non-stop party!

Fisherman’s Friends The Musical plays from Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11February. When a group of Cornish fisherman came together to sing the traditional sea shanties they’d sung for generations, they hoped to raise a few quid for charity. Nobody, least of all them, expected the story to end on the Pyramid stage of Glastonbury… Fisherman’s Friends is a brand-new musical based on the true story of the Cornish singing sensations, and the hit 2019 film.

Jersey Boys returns for a two-week run from Tuesday 21 February – Saturday 4 March. They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story — a story that has made them an international sensation all over again.

In the Studio theatre, Under the Stars, a creative arts charity for people with learning difficulties and/or autism, present two shows from Tuesday 31 May – Wednesday 1 June.

These Hill Are Ours then plays on Saturday 4 June. Do you ever want to run away from it all? Daniel Bye and Boff Whalley’s did exactly that: they ran a series of routes from the centre of a city to the top of the peak overlooking that city. But what are we really running from? In story and in song, These Hills Are Ours is the story of what they found out on those journeys.

What Happened To You plays on Saturday 9 July. Follow Little Red, Bo and Noodles, three raggedy puppets, who just like their puppeteers, are trying to get through the day but ahead of them lies a mountain of challenges. Through humour and creativity they overcome their impassable surroundings. What Happened to You? exposes the preconceptions disabled people face in a playful and humorous way, and showcases the endless opportunities out there once barriers, of all kinds, are removed. 

In an attempt to find clues for how to overpower uncertainty, circus Strong Lady Charmaine presents Power on Thursday 14 July. Expect a mix of storytelling, circus, comedy and a voice-over soundtrack of people revealing their strength and struggle in their own words. Uncover stories, choice, change, resilience and determination – and marvel at the extraordinary strength of ‘ordinary’ people.

The Bonbons Cabaret: On The Road runs from Friday 15 – Saturday 16 July. Be a drag, be a queen, get out the shoes that were made for walking, for tonight we are going to do it our way! Step through the doors and who knows who you will meet. A glitter-fuelled, foot stomping, pant wetting cabaret riot! A safe environment that champions dangerous, queer and alternative performance work from the north east and beyond.

as british as a watermelon plays on Thursday 21 July. ‘My name is mandla. It means power. I gave it to myself.’ mandla rae has a selective memory and they are scrambling to piece together their life. as british as a watermelon questions what it means to belong through exploring mandla’s fragmented asylum and migration memories. mandla weaves poetry and storytelling together with destruction and colourful chaos.

In the Crucible, Human,a story about the small moments that shape us, runs from Wednesday 18 – Thursday 19 May. This new live show by Extraordinary Bodies is a poetic record of our time. It is based on real-life stories from the company and performers and told through circus, music and film. Human is BSL interpreted, captioned and audio described. All performances are relaxed.

Jarvis Cocker is In Conversation: Good Pop, Bad Pop on Monday 30 May, also in the Crucible. Join legendary musician and broadcaster Jarvis Cocker live in conversation to celebrate the publication of his highly anticipated new book Good Pop, Bad Pop.

Tickets for all new shows go on sale to Centre Stage Members on Saturday 26 March at 10am, then on general sale on Saturday 2 April at 10am. More information about all upcoming shows can be found at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk. Tickets can be booked through the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0114 249 6000 or at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.