Month: August 2022

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The Space on North Bridge (Fife Theatre), Venue 36 – until 13 August 2022

3***

This 45 minute show from the Woolly Sheep Company certainly packs a lot in. And whilst Rob Wilson’s script eventually answers a lot of questions, it does raise a lot too.

Sammy Wise (Robin Herron) is a painter, he is approached by Petra (Charlotte Fenton) to speak about his paintings. He is reluctant to talk about one – The Serated Edge, but Petra belligerently keeps at him until he eventually reveals its mysteries.

The story is conveyed along with excerpts from interviews including Beatrice Shilling, a celebrated aeronautical engineer and amateur racer during the second world war; Admiral Jim Stockdale, who was the most senior naval officer captured in Vietnam and Welsh warbler Tom Jones. There is also music moving it along too and leaving clues which are revealed at the end of the tale.

Its an interesting story, but you need to be quick because the company are only in Scotland until Saturday

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose (Doonstairs), Venue 24 – until 21 August 2022

5*****

Theatre Fideri Fidera present this new twist on the classic tale of William Tell written by Colin Grainger. This is a show aimed at children, but even us bigger kids enjoyed it.

Natasha Grainger stars as Wilhelmina Tell the daughter of William, who is currently locked away in the deepest, darkest dungeons of Baron Boris von Bummelkrachenhofer (Jack Faires). In order to rescue her father, Wilhelmina disguises herself as the brave knight, Will von Pumpernickel and challenges the Baron to a joust. Astride her donkey Rosina, Will must save the day.

Along the way, Will catches the eye of the Baron’s daughter Edeltraut (also played by Faires) who bares a striking resemblance to her father.

With the help of the audience, Will rescues her father and Edeltraut and they all return to the family farm with Rosina and the Baron’s stallion Prinz, where they all live happily ever after.

The horse and donkey are a triumph, dressed up bikes by Mike Patterson and a simple but effective set by Paul Harrison.

This is a lovely feel good tale for children, with multiple life lessons that girls can do anything, its okay for Edeltraut to fall in love with Wilhelmina and that good will always conquer evil. Take your children along to the Gilded Balloon to enjoy this sweet story

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR THE

SELL OUT ALMEIDA THEATRE PRODUCTION

OF MULTI AWARD-WINNING DIRECTOR

ROBERT ICKE’S

THE DOCTOR

WRITTEN BY ROBERT ICKE

VERY FREELY ADAPTED FROM PROFESSOR BERNHARDI BY ARTHUR SCHNITZLER

TOURING FOR THREE WEEKS IN BRIGHTON, BATH AND RICHMOND

BEFORE A WEST END RUN AT THE DUKE OF YORK’S 

FROM 29 SEPTEMBER – 11 DECEMBER 2022

★★★★★

The Guardian, The Telegraph, Financial Times, The Sunday Times, WhatsOnStage

★★★★

The Times, Evening Standard, The Observer, Independent, The Stage, Metro

Joining the previously announced, Juliet Stevenson, and returning to the production are Christopher Osikanlu Colquhoun (The Lion King), Mariah Louca (Best Of Enemies), Daniel Rabin (King Lear), Naomi Wirthner (An Evening At The Talkhouse) and Hannah Ledwidge on drums.

New cast members include Doña Croll (The Heresy of Love), Juliet Garricks (100 Paintings), Preeya Kalidas (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), John Mackay (Oresteia), Matilda Tucker (The Snow Queen) and Sabrina Wu. 

The Doctor, by Robert Icke, very freely adapted from Professor Bernhardi by Arthur Schnitzler, has been critically lauded since it opened at the Almeida in August 2019, with Juliet Stevenson in the title role. This is their third collaboration together to transfer to the West End, previous ones being Mary Stuart in 2018 and Oresteia in 2015.

The play headlined the Adelaide Festival in 2020, before it was due to transfer to the West End. This was delayed until 2022 due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

In a divisive time, in a divided nation, a society takes sides.

The latest smash-hit by “Britain’s best director” (Telegraph) is a “provocative, wonderfully upsetting” (Independent) whirlwind of gender, race and questions about identity, “one of the peaks of the theatrical year” (Guardian) and a “devastating play for today” (Financial Times). 

The production has designs by Hildegard Bechtler, lighting by Natasha Chivers, sound and composition by Tom Gibbons and casting by Julia Horan CDG.

3800 STALLS TICKETS – PRICED AT JUST £25 will be available across the run exclusively for NHS employees and blue light workers (which includes emergency services, those who work in the social care sector and the armed forces). These tickets are available via the official box office ATG Tickets (just select the ‘NHS/Blue Light’ option whilst booking, and present one ID per transaction when you arrive).

The Doctor is produced by The Ambassador Theatre Group & Almeida Theatre, Gavin Kalin Productions, Wessex Grove, Dawn Smalberg & Richard Winkler

Runaway Entertainment presents

2:22 – A GHOST STORY

The hit play by Danny Robins

Directed by Matthew Dunster

@222AGhostStory #222AGhostStory 

• 2.22 – A GHOST STORY ANNOUNCES THE FOURTH CAST FOR ITS EXTENDED RUN AT THE CRITERION THEATRE 
   
• TAMSIN CARROLL WILL PLAY LAUREN, FELIX SCOTT WILL PLAY SAM, LAURA WHITMORE WILL PLAY JENNY AND MATT WILLIS WILL PLAY BEN
   
• THE CURRENT CAST AT THE CRITERION THEATRE WILL PERFORM UNTIL 4 SEPTEMBER 2022 WITH THE NEW CAST TAKING OVER FROM 6 SEPTEMBER – 8 JANUARY
   
• TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FROM WWW.222AGHOSTSTORY.COM

Producer Runaway Entertainment is delighted to announce casting news for the extended West End run of Danny Robins’ edge-of-your-seat, supernatural thriller 2:22 – A Ghost Story. The extension follows two record breaking runs at the Noel Coward and Gielgud Theatres and a hugely successful run with the current cast at the Criterion Theatre, plus three Olivier Nominations including Best New Play, and winning the Best New Play category in the Whatsonstage awards.

Tamsin Carroll will play the role of Lauren. Tamsin said: “As a self confessed scaredy-cat, I’m so glad to have Matt, Felix and Laura to band together with on this supernatural adventure.”

Felix Scott will play the role of Sam.  Felix said: “I am thrilled to be joining the cast of 2:22 A Ghost Story. It is incredibly exciting to be part of this brilliant production.”

Making her West End debut Laura Whitmore will play Jenny. Laura said: “I’m so excited to be making my West End debut playing Jenny in the next production of 2:22. Theatre has always been my first love and I can’t wait to get back on stage. I am a huge fan of the previous productions and delighted to be getting stuck in with rehearsals and working alongside such a hugely talented cast and team.”

Matt Willis will play Ben. Matt said: “I am beyond excited to be a part of this incredible show. I saw the production last year and absolutely loved it.  I can’t wait for people to come and watch!”

Matthew Dunster said: “This is our 4th West End cast. We have already done over 100 performances at the Criterion and over a year in the West End in total. These are the shows you dream of being involved in. To reach, entertain and frighten as many people as we have feels very special. The show constantly evolves; each brilliant cast teaches us new things about Danny’s play and surprises our audiences, many of whom come again and again to experience the new life of the play. I’m so excited to be working with Isabel Marr, my Co-Director to realise this fourth version of the show that finally gives us the opportunity to scare the s**t out of people on Halloween.”

The production began its life last summer at the Noel Coward Theatre starring Lily Allen, Julia Chan, Hadley Fraser and Jake Wood. It then transferred to the Gielgud Theatre for 10 weeks from 4 December 2021. The production there, starring Stephanie Beatriz, James Buckley, Elliot Cowan and Giovanna Fletcher, completed its run on 12 February 2022. The current cast at the Criterion Theatre features Tom Felton as Sam, Mandip Gill as Jenny, Beatriz Romilly as Lauren and Sam Swainsbury as Ben. The US premiere of 2:22 A Ghost Story will be at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles where it will run from 29 October to 4 December 2022.

2.22 – A Ghost Story is written by award-winning writer Danny Robins, creator of the hit BBC podcast The Battersea Poltergeist and it is directed by Matthew Dunster. Intriguing, funny and scary, it takes audiences into one adrenaline-fueled night where secrets will emerge and ghosts may appear….What do you believe? And do you dare to discover the truth?

“There’s something in our house. I hear it every night, at the same time.”

Jenny believes her new home is haunted, but her husband Sam isn’t having any of it. They argue with their first dinner guests, old friend Lauren and her new partner Ben. Can the dead really walk again? Belief and scepticism clash, but something feels strange and frightening, and that something is getting closer, so they are going to stay up… until 2.22am… and then they will know.

Danny Robins said “I love the fact that, like Doctor Who, we keep regenerating and we have some truly thrilling performers here. How exciting is it to be looking forward to Laura Whitmore’s stage debut? And Matt Willis has more than proved himself to be a brilliant, explosive actor in recent years. Felix and Tamsin make up our foursome – both absolutely epic talents. I have a feeling this is going to be a particularly spine-tingling incarnation of my play, so, if you haven’t seen it already, come! If you have, come again!!! There’s no better time than the Autumn for a ghost story as the nights draw in… so come down to the Criterion and enjoy the ultimate spooky night out! We can’t wait to unleash this new cast on you…”

2:22 – A Ghost Story features set design by Anna Fleischle, costume design by Cindy Lin, lighting design by Lucy Carter, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph Sound, co-direction by Isabel Marr, casting by Jessica Ronane CDG and illusions by Chris Fisher.

2:22 – A Ghost Story is produced by Tristan Baker and Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Isobel David and Kater Gordon. 

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Underbelly George Square (Udderbelly), Venue 300 – until August 29th 2022

5*****

When you enter the Udderbelly, it feels like you are suddenly back in your Nan’s best room, there is a chair, a cabinet (my Nan called her’s a sideboard) and a chest of drawers. Photo’s adorn the cabinet of a child who is clearly loved and adored by their family.

And then Rob Madge enters, dressed in their homemade Tinkerbell outfit complete with wings, we have a confetti filled song of welcome.

There is a video player and Rob takes us back to their childhood and the homemade video’s of when they wrote, produced, directed and starred in Disney parades in their, and other members of their family’s, home. There is no doubt Rob was a flamboyant child and their parents went with it, encouraging their talent, enrolling them in Stagecoach which helped them on their way to being a child star in Mary Poppins and Les Miserables amongst others. But Rob wanted to dress up at school and would rather be in the dressing up corner at break time than outside with the other children, who didn’t understand them and so beat them up. A particularly insensitive teacher suggested that if they dressed up less they might make more friends and for a while their spark was snuffed out.

Thankfully, with lots of love and a family who would clearly do anything for them, their light began to burn bright again.

There is a lot of honesty in this production, Rob tells us all about their first crush on the star of the play about the Pied Piper at Stagecoach, about wanting to be Belle after his dad bought him the Beast outfit and about finding their way.

This coming of age biopic is truly a thing of beauty, its life affirming and will leave you crying like a baby. Quite frankly the entire show needs to be shown in schools to educate both the children and the teachers. Children aren’t their to be squeezed into genders and pre-formed assumptions, they are there to be to singular, glorious individuals like Rob and should be applauded as such.

If you only see one show at the Fringe this year – this is the one you must see.

Fingers crossed it tours

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond), Venue 33 – until 28 August 2022

5*****

After his success at the Disasters in Magic Charity Fundraiser, the Mind Mangler (Henry Lewis) returns with his new show.

With help from the audience including Brian (Jonathan Sayer) who had never met the Mind Mangler before, the show included guessing deep dark secrets, predictions, and tricks.

Lewis rattled off his performance with just a touch of magic but this a show that “goes wrong” and it goes wrong in such a clever way. And the Mind Mangler soon goes from pompous to irate as the tricks go wrong and things begin to fall apart.

Ben Hart, also performing his own show at the Fringe, acted as magic consultant to the show, you know that its going to be good.

There is a lot of heart and poignant moments in the midst of the hilarity and its an hour show that flies by far too quickly. Hopefully the Mind Mangler will return again, with another show very soon, and I can’t wait to see it when he does

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Pleasance at EICC, Venue 150 – until 28 August 2022

5*****

I tell everyone that I saw The Play That Goes Wrong in room above a pub, with the cast outnumbering the audience. And a few years ago at the Fringe, I saw Lights, Camera, Improvise which has now evolved into Mischief Movie Night.

It’s a simple premise, the audience shout out suggestions and the incredibly talented performers act out the film under the guidance (and direction) of Oscar (Jonathan Sayer).

The night we attended we witnessed a zombie horror musical set in a hairdressers. The onstage musicians provided the tune for the opening number “Snip Snip” and off we went. Stopping along the way for rewinds, directors cuts and explanations and Chicken Nuggets

This was one hour of total, surreal hilarity and you are guaranteed to see a different show every night. You’d be foolish to miss it

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Pleasance Courtyard (Below), Venue 300 – until 27 August 2022

5*****

As you enter the venue, Charlie Russell stands happily at the door, introducing herself and making us, the audience, feel very welcome. A founding member of Mischief, you enter expecting the comedy the group are famous for. But this is different.

After being told as a child she couldn’t please everyone, this is her attempt to do just that. To prove we have been pleased we are issued with stickers and we must put them on when we are happy.

And so it begins, asking various members of the audience what will please them and then proceeding to make them happy. A particular hi-light for me was her “impression” of Ronan Keating.

But then the attempts to please take a dark turn and suddenly, on stage, the bright and happy woman is now a sad, frightened girl. Because its not that she wants to please everyone, she wanted to please someone. She wants to be liked and importantly she wants, needs, to like herself. At the end of the show, I just wanted to scoop her up in a massive hug and tell her everything will be okay and she is enough. But this is something she needs to discover for herself. I just hope, more than anything this show helps her to realise that.

Nottingham Theatre Royal – until 13 August 2022

Reviewed by Louise Ford

3***

Everyone loves a good murder!

The final offering for this year’s Summer Classic Thriller Series, at the Theatre Royal is a psychological thriller by Emlyn Williams. It was written in 1935 and has been made into two films. The first in 1937 had an impressive cast and received a host of nominations and awards.

The setting, as with all good mysteries, is a country cottage set in a dark wood. There is a feeling of ennui and all of the characters appear to be waiting for something to happen. Life is dull and no one is really who they seem. The play opens with a dramatic lighting effect and a voice over intoning a verdict. The curtains open to reveal a very domestic scene. Complete with a red leather chesterfield. Whilst at first sight it would appear to be the traditional setting for a who-dunnit, we know from the outset who committed the crime. It is not a who-dunnit with a sleuth or amateur detective, it is rather an exploration of the characters and the people trapped in the play.

The sitting room belongs to Mrs Bramson (Karen Henson) an elderly hypochondriac who appears to be wheelchair bound. She is fussy and bad tempered and doesn’t have a good word for anyone until Dan (David Osmond) comes on the scene. Also trapped in the house is Mrs Bramson’s niece Olivia (Sarah Wynne Kordas) and their regular lunch time guest and Olivia’s suitor Hubert (Andrew Ryan). Hubert offers Olivia a way of escaping her dismal lot, by marrying him. Unfortunately he is too dull and boring for his proposal to have any appeal. Although rather surprisingly he did make a joke once! Olivia writes poetry as a means of escape but she is drawn to the charismatic and chameleon like character of Dan. What lengths is she prepared to go to, to get his attention?

The household is run by two domestics. The cook Mrs Terence (Susan Earnshaw) all bustle and gossip, with a good line in backchat, and Dora (Juliette Strobel) the maid of all works. Dora is distracted and accident prone and it becomes clear that she has a dark secret. As a result of her confession Mrs Bramson agrees to have it out with Dora’s young man, Dan. Rather to everyone’s surprise Dan charms Mrs Bramson and soon he has her eating, her chocolates, out of his hands

The tension mounts in the house when Inspector Belsize (Jeremy Lloyd Thomas), from the yard comes to call. He announces that a young woman has gone missing and his force are combing the woods looking for her body. From this point the tension starts to mount and some of the characters start to fall apart. The tension and build up is managed very well. It is occasionally balanced by some flashes of humour and sarcastic comments. The ending as Dan starts to unravel and commits  another murder is inevitable. It is well played and leaves the audience feeling sorry for him although they are not quite sure why.

FULL CASTING CONFIRMED FOR THE

WORLD PREMIERE STAGE ADAPTATION OF

Simon Friend Entertainment is today delighted to announce the full cast for Deborah Moggach’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which opens at Richmond Theatre on Monday 5^th  September 2022.

Joining the previously announced celebrated stars of stage and screen, Hayley Mills (Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, Whistle Down the Wind) whostars as Evelyn, Paul Nicholas (Jesus Christ Superstar, BBC 1’s Just Good Friends, Eastenders) who plays Douglas and Rula Lenska (ITV’s Rock Follies, Coronation Street, Channel 4’sCelebrity Big Brother) who performs as Madge in this feel-good tale of love and adventure, today’s announcement confirms casting through to Saturday 11^th February 2023.

Tiran Aakel  (The Kite Runner, UK and Dubai Tour; Umm Kalthoum and The Golden Era, Dubai Opera House) performs as Mr Gupta, Richenda Carey (Calendar Girls, West End/UK Tour; BBC 1’s Monarch of the Glen) as Dorothy, Rekha John-Cheriyan as Mrs Kapoor (Kerbs, Tomb Raider, Dream Horse); Andy de la Tour (Plenty, Notting Hill) as Norman; Shila Iqbal (East Is East, Octagon Theatre; Eaten by Lions); as Sahani, Kerena Jagpal (Mismatch and Twitch, Birmingham Rep; Circle Game, Southwalk Playhouse) as Kamila, Harmage Singh Kalirai (Mischief Night,  A Very British Coup) as Jimmy, Sally Knyvette (ITV’s Emmerdale; BBC 1’s Blake’s 7); as Jean, Nishad More (King Lear, Royal Shakespeare Company) as Sonny Kapoor, Marlene Sidaway (ITV’s Coronation Street, BBC 1’s Pride and Prejudice) as Muriel; Anant Varman (who makes his professional UK stage debut with The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Mohan and Adam Morris (Dial M for Murder and The Messiah, UK Tours); and Julie Wood (Brave New World, Harrogate Theatre) who join the company as male and female understudies.

Deborah Moggach adapts her bestselling novel 2004’s These Foolish Things for the stage, it previously having inspired the BAFTA and Golden Globe-nominated film. Directed by Lucy Bailey (Oleanna, UK Tour & West End); Gaslight, UK Tour; Witness for the Prosecution, London’s County Hall) the rest of the creative team comprises Costume and Set Designer, Colin Richmond; Lighting Designer, Oli Fenwick; Sound Designer, Mic Pool; Composer, Kuljit Bhamra; Casting Director, Ginny Schiller CDG; Associate Director, Breman Rajkumar; Movement Director, Lucy Hind; Costume Supervisor, Chris Cahill; Production Manager, Digby Robinson;Props Supervisor, Lizzie Frankl and Associate Props Supervisor, Zoe Wilson.

Based on the Sunday Times bestseller which inspired one of this century’s most treasured films, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel takes us on a journey to India with an eclectic group of British retirees as they embark on a new life. The luxury residence is far from the opulence they were promised, but as their lives begin to intertwine and they embrace the vibrancy of modern-day India, they are charmed in unexpected and life-changing ways. 

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a joyous, feel-good comedy about taking risks, finding love, and embracing second chances, even in the most surprising of places.

The film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (directed by John Madden) saw its UK theatrical release in 2012. Within two weeks of its cinematic distribution, the film had topped the UK Box Office and went on to become a hit internationally performing as one of the highest-grossing films of 2012 in Australia and New Zealand in addition to the United Kingdom.

The interwoven stories of the film’s stellar ensemble, which included Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilson, Tom Wilkinson, Celie Imrie, and Ronald Pickup – with Dev Patel as the put-upon owner of a past-its-best hotel for ‘the elderly and beautiful’ – shone a light on issues such as the outsourcing of care and NHS treatments, the complexity of family relationships around the world, love, compassion, and companionship in our twilight years.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is produced by Simon Friend, Jenny King, Trafalgar Entertainment, and Gavin Kalin.

Get ready for the journey of a lifetime.

www.marigoldshow.com