Month: October 2022

NATIONAL THEATRE ANNOUNCES UPCOMING PROGRAMMING INCLUDING THREE NEW PRODUCTIONS, SHAKESPEARE IN SCHOOLS AND A US TOUR

– Simon Stone makes his National Theatre debut in the Lyttelton theatre with his new play Phaedra, with a cast that includes Janet McTeer (Ozark), Assaad Bouab (Call My Agent) and Mackenzie Davis (Station Eleven)

– Award-winning musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge has its London premiere in the Olivier theatre, directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director Robert Hastie

– Romeo and Julie, a new play by Gary Owen and a co-production with Sherman Theatre, opens in the Dorfman theatre in February with Callum Scott Howells (It’s a Sin) and Rosie Sheehy (King John, RSC) in the title roles

– Full cast announced to join Fay Ripley in Kerry Jackson, a new play by April De Angelis, playing in the Dorfman theatre from November

– Hamlet for younger audiences, originally directed by Tinuke Craig and adapted by Jude Christian, returns to the Dorfman theatre in March and will embark on a six-week tour to state schools across England

– Emma Rice’s Wuthering Heights, a co-production with Wise Children, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal, in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, will run at St Ann’s Warehouse in New York this October before touring the US

Simon Stone (Yerma, Young Vic) makes his National Theatre debut in the Lyttelton theatre in February, directing his striking new play Phaedra after Euripides, Seneca and Racine. After years of fierce focus on her political career, Phaedra turns her attention to her personal life. The reappearance of her stepson shakes the foundations of her house and the beliefs that have underpinned her power. As buried lust and loneliness surge to the surface, Phaedra’s actions threaten to destroy everything she has built. Janet McTeer (Ozark) takes the title role alongside Assaad Bouab (Call My Agent) and Mackenzie Davis (Station Eleven) who both make their UK stage debuts.

Set design is by Chloe Lamford, costume designer and associate set designer is Mel Page, lighting designer is James Farncombe, composer and sound designer is Stefan Gregory and associate director is Nimmo Ismail.

Standing at the Sky’s Edge, a co-production with Sheffield Theatres in association with Various Productions, will transfer to the Olivier theatre in February 2023 as it makes its London premiere following a return to the Crucible Theatre this winter. A love letter to Sheffield and ode to the iconic Park Hill Estate, Standing at the Sky’s Edge charts the hopes and dreams of three generations over the course of six tumultuous decades. Directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director, Robert Hastie, featuring songs by Richard Hawley and with book by Chris Bush, it is a heartfelt exploration of the power of community and what it is we call home.

The cast includes Darragh Cowley, Ahmed Hamad, Samuel Jordan, Bobbie Little, Robert Lonsdale, David McKechnie, Maimuna Memon, Baker Mukasa, Alastair Natkiel, Faith Omole, Adam Price, Nicola Sloane, Jake Small, Deborah Tracey, Rachael Wooding and Alex Young.

Set and costume designer is Ben Stones, with choreography by Lynne Page, music supervisor, arranger and orchestrator is Tom Deering, lighting design by Mark Henderson, sound design by Bobby Aitken, wigs, hair & make-up design by Cynthia De La Rosa, music director is John Rutledge, the associate choreographer is Thomas Herron, assistant music director is Ehsaan Shivarani, staff directors are Thomas Herron and Elin Schofield and casting by Stuart Burt CDG.

Romeo and Julie, a new play by Gary Owen and a co-production with Sherman Theatre, opens in the Dorfman theatre in February. Two Welsh teens raised a few streets apart – but from entirely different worlds – crash into first love and are knocked off their feet. But at the crossroads to the rest of their lives, Julie’s family fears the worst in a world of unequal opportunity. Following their critically acclaimed productions Iphigenia in Splott and Killology, director Rachel O’Riordan reunites with Gary Owen to deliver his new play inspired by Romeo and Juliet. The cast includes Catrin Aaron, Paul Brennen, Anita Reynolds, Callum Scott Howells and Rosie Sheehy.

Set and costume designer is Hayley Grindle, with lighting design by Jack Knowles, sound design by Gregory Clarke and staff director is Kwame Owusu.

Tickets for Phaedra, Standing at the Sky’s Edge and Romeo and Julie go on sale to the public on Thursday 20 October.

In the Dorfman theatre from November, Indhu Rubasingham will direct the previously announced world premiere of April De Angelis‘ biting new comedy, Kerry Jackson. Fay Ripley plays Kerry, owner of a new restaurant in fashionable Walthamstow. Wearing her working-class roots as a badge of honour, Kerry navigates the local characters in a bid to make the tapas restaurant a success – without losing herself in the process. Madeline Appiah, Michael Fox, Michael Gould, Kitty Hawthorne and Gavin Spokes complete the company.

Set and costume design is by Richard Kent, lighting design by Oliver Fenwick, composer and sound design by Nicola T Chang, movement director is Lucy Hind and casting director is Juliet Horsley CDG.

An energetic retelling of Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedy, Hamlet will return to the Dorfman theatre in March and as part of a tour to 5,000 pupils in state schools in six areas including Knowsley, Lincolnshire and Essex. Introducing young audiences to the world of Shakespeare, this version is adapted for audiences aged 8–12 years old by Jude Christian (Dick Whittington, National Theatre) and originally directed by Tinuke Craig (The Colour Purple, Vassa). The revival will be directed by Ellie Hurt. Last year Hamlet was watched by over 5,600 pupils from 50 schools across England. Education packages to support teaching of the production are available for primary schools and include workshops, training and teacher resources.  

Set and costumes designs by Frankie Bradshaw with lighting designed by Paul Knott. Sound is designed by Clark Henry-Brown and Dom Coyote. Music is composed and directed by Dom Coyote and the fight director is Jeremy Barlow.

National Theatre nationwide

Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane is touring the UK and Ireland from December, direct from the West End, visiting 29 towns and cities for a total of 40 weeks. Directed by Katy Rudd (Camp Siegfried, Eureka Day) and adapted by Joel Horwood (Skins, I Want My Hat Back), the first major stage adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s work is a thrilling adventure of fantasy, myth and friendship, which blends magic with memory in a tour-de-force of storytelling that takes audiences on an epic journey to a childhood once forgotten and the darkness that lurks at the very edge of it.

Returning to his childhood home, a man finds himself standing beside the pond of the old Sussex farmhouse where he used to play. He’s transported to his 12th birthday when his remarkable friend Lettie claimed it wasn’t a pond, but an ocean – a place where everything is possible…

Plunged into a magical world, their survival depends on their ability to reckon with ancient forces that threaten to destroy everything around them.

Featuring an ensemble cast of 17, the tour will open at The Lowry in Salford where it will play over Christmas (12 December 2022–7 January 2023), before visiting a further 28 venues up to September 2023. Casting is to be announced. Check oceanonstage.com for full touring schedule and to book tickets.

Bill Kenwright presents a Theatr Clwyd and National Theatre production of Home, I’m Darling. This new production begins an extensive national tour opening at Theatre Royal Windsor on 25 January 2023, with further venues to be announced.

Starring BAFTA award winner Jessica Ransom (Doc Martin, Armstrong and Miller, Horrible Histories) as Judy, this sparkling, thought-provoking comedy by Laura Wade (Posh, The Riot Club) is about one woman’s quest to be the perfect 1950s housewife. Further casting to be announced.  

Home, I’m Darling received its world premiere at Theatr Clwyd in 2018, before playing at the National Theatre and then transferring to the Duke of York’s Theatre in the West End, winning the 2019 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. This production reunites the entire original creative team, led by Theatr Clwyd Artistic Director and Co-Director Designate of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Tamara Harvey. It is co-directed by Hannah Noone, with design by Olivier Award winner Anna Fleischle, lighting by Lucy Carter, sound design by Tom Gibbons and choreography by Charlotte Broom.

National Theatre in the West End

A co-production with Neal Street Productions, The Lehman Trilogy is returning to London’s West End, playing at the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 24 January to 20 May 2023 for a strictly limited season. The Lehman Trilogy won a total of five 2022 Tony Awards – including Best Play and Best Director – making it the most awarded play on Broadway this season.

Written by Stefano Massini and adapted by Ben Power, the story of a family and a company that changed the world is directed by Sam Mendes. The Lehman Trilogy features a cast of three playing the Lehman brothers, their sons, and grandsons, in an extraordinary feat of storytelling told in three parts on a single evening.

The Tony Award-winning set design is by Es Devlin, with costume design by Katrina Lindsay, video design by Luke Halls, and Tony Award-winning lighting design by Jon Clark. Composition and sound design are by Nick Powell, the co-sound designer is Dominic Bilkey, with music direction by Candida Caldicot and movement by Polly Bennett. The West End director is Zoé Ford Burnett. Casting is by Jessica Ronane CDG CSA. Casting is to be announced. Tickets, including information about assisted performances, can be booked via thelehmantrilogy.com
 

International

Emma Rice returns with Wise Children’s Wuthering Heights, adapted from Emily Brontë’s legendary novel. Interspersed with music, dance, passion and hope, Emma Rice catapults Brontë’s brooding love story into an intoxicating revenge tragedy for our time. A co-production with Wise Children, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal, in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

This production will run at St Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn, New York from 14 October to 6 November 2022, before continuing to tour the US; playing at Berkeley Rep, California 18 November–2 January 2023, Wallis Annenberg, California 11–22 January 2023 and Chicago Shakespeare Theater 25 January–28 February 2023, with further dates and venues soon to be announced.
 

National Theatre Digital

Coming next on National Theatre Live is riotous summer comedy, Jack Absolute Flies Again, co-written by Richard Bean (One Man, Two Guvnors) and Oliver Chris (Orsino in the National Theatre production of Twelfth Night), based on Sheridan’s The Rivals. Emily Burns (The Comeback) directs this spectacularly entertaining new version of the play, with the cast including Caroline Quentin (Jonathan Creek), Laurie Davidson (Guilty Party), Natalie Simpson (Three Sisters) and Kelvin Fletcher (Emmerdale), available in cinemas worldwide from 6 October. 

Anton Chekhov’s classic tale of love and loneliness, The Seagull, is broadcast to cinemas in this uniquely modernised new adaptation by Anya Reiss for The Jamie Lloyd Company. Featuring Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) in her West End debut, the full company includes Jason Barnett, Robert Glenister, Tom Rhys Harries, Mika Onyx Johnson, Gerald Kyd, Daniel Monks, Sara Powell, Indira Varma and Sophie Wu. Jamie Lloyd directs following his Olivier Award-winning production of Cyrano de Bergerac. Captured live on stage in London’s West End, The Seagull is set for release in cinemas around the globe from 3 November.  

In the new year, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, directed by Lyndsey Turner (Hamlet) with set design by Tony Award-winner Es Devlin (The Lehman Trilogy), is broadcast to cinemas. This captivating parable of power includes Erin Doherty (The Crown) as Abigail Williams and Brendan Cowell (Yerma) as John Proctor and will be released in the UK and Ireland from 26 January and internationally from 2 March. 

Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedy, Othello, comes to cinema screens in an extraordinary new production directed by Clint Dyer (Death of England: Parts 1, 2 and 3). Giles Terera (Hamilton) is Othello, Rosy McEwen (The Alienist) is Desdemona and Paul Hilton (The Inheritance) plays Iago. Broadcast to cinemas in the UK and Ireland from 23 February and internationally from 27 April.

On our streaming platform, National Theatre at Home, new productions available from 11 October include recent National Theatre Live broadcasts, The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage, a gripping adaptation of Philip Pullman’s prequel to His Dark Materials trilogy, adapted by Bryony Lavery for the Bridge Theatre. Audiences in the UK can also watch the National Theatre’s 2011 production of Frankenstein adapted by Nick Dear, based on the novel by Mary Shelley, and directed by Danny Boyle. There are two versions of this production available, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller sharing the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature.

KRISTINA LOVE

JOINS WEST END CAST OF

T I N A – T H E   T I N A   T U R N E R   M U S I C A L

AS SHOW EXENDS BOOKING TO 3 SEPTEMBER 2023

The hit production TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL today (4 October 2022) announces that Kristina Love will join the West End production to share the title role with Elesha Paul Moses from 12 October 2022. Love joins the Company having previously played the title role in Hamburg to great critical acclaim. TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL continues at the Aldwych Theatre and has recently extended booking to 3 September 2023. Caleb Roberts continues as Ike Turner.

Kristina Love said: “I am so excited and humbled to revisit such a wonderful role, having previously played Tina in the Hamburg production. After having met her on my birthday in 2018, performing with her and receiving her blessing at the Hamburg opening, I count it a great honour to be entrusted with performing her life story. I am grateful to be continuing my Tina journey at the same time as making my West End debut, and I can’t wait to join such an amazing and talented cast at the Aldwych Theatre.” 

The critically acclaimed production of TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL which is based on the life of legendary artist Tina Turner and produced in association with Tina Turner herself, received its world premiere in April 2018 in London and subsequently broke all Box Office records at the Aldwych Theatre. The Broadway production recently completed its run and as well as the West End, the show is currently playing across Europe in Utrecht and Madrid, with a North American Tour recently launched. The production will open in Stuttgart in March next year and Australia in May.

Discover the heart and soul behind the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll at TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, the undeniable mega hit in London’s West End. Set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits, experience Tina Turner’s triumphant story live on stage as this exhilarating celebration reveals the woman that dared to dream fiercely, shatter barriers, and conquer the world—against all odds.

Kristina Love was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and raised in Houston Texas. At the age of two, she began singing gospel in her church and at the age of eleven her family moved to Houston Texas where she began studying classical music. She received a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Performance from the University of Oklahoma, and upon graduation, relocated to Germany where she has had the privilege of working in the ensembles of Dirty Dancing, Rocky the Musical, Sister Act, Disney’s Aladdin and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Her breakout role came when she played the title role in the first non-English version of TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL in Hamburg Germany.

Elesha Paul Moses has had a career in the music industry for over 25 years. She was mentored by Matthew Knowles, as well as Will.I.Am and Tom Jones while appearing on The Voice. She has written and performed with the likes of house production duo Ku De Ta, superstar Lionel Richie and industry steadfast Nicky Graham and has backed Andy Abraham on his Eurovision performance. She recently led the two touring shows Whitney: Queen Of The Night and Tina: What’s Love Got To Do With It and has completed a successful tour in Denmark. 

Caleb Roberts studied at The Brit School and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2017. He made his professional debut playing The King of France opposite Sir Ian McKellen in King Lear at Chichester Festival Theatre and in the West End. His other theatre credits include Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre for which he won a Black British Theatre Award; I Think We Are Alone for Frantic Assembly, She Ventures and He Wins for the Young Vic Theatre and Richard III for Headlong. His television and film credits include Stephen Frears’ A Very English Scandal and Petrichor.

Paula Kay plays Tina’s mother Zelma Bullock, Charis Alexandra playsTina’s sister Alline Bullock,George Jennings plays Tina’s Manager Roger Davies, Irene Myrtle Forrester plays Tina’s Grandmother, Kelly Hampson plays Ike and Tina’s manager Rhonda Graam, Gregory Haney plays Tina’s father Richard Bullock, Cordell Mosteller plays Tina’s first love Raymond Hill, Chris Grahamson plays Record Producer Phil Spector and Lyricist Terry Britten and Joseph Richardson plays record company Marketing Manager Erwin Bach.

Ensemble members are Megan Armstrong and Vanessa Dumatey, Thomas Sutcliffe who plays Carpenter, Turrell Barrett-Wallace who plays Tina’s son Ronnie and Joey James plays Tina’s son Craig, the Ikettes are played by Karis Anderson, Marie Finlayson and Natorii Illidge and swingsare Lauren Allan, Richard Appiah-Sarpong, Joshua Da Costa, Miles Anthony Daley, Amber Sylvia Edwards, Livvy Evans, Imogen Rose Hart, Jaz Robinson, Brad Veitch, Saran Webb and Samuel J Weir.

The children’s cast currently comprises Isabella Francis, nine years old from Bromley, Tia Roche, twelve years old from Bedfordshire and Maya Parks, eleven years old from Bromley, who share the role of Young Anna Mae; Cece Somolu, ten years old from Richmond, Kizzy Murrell, eleven years old from Surrey and Eden Butcher, ten years old from Barking, share the role of Young Alline; Spencer Salami, nine years old from Lambeth, Jhobe Duncan, nine years old from Waltham Forest, and Cohen March, eight years old from Lambeth, share the role of Young Craig.

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd and written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is choreographed by Anthony van Laast, with set and costume designs by Mark Thompson, musical supervision by Nicholas Skilbeck, lighting by Bruno Poet,sound by Nevin Steinberg, projection design by Jeff Sugg and orchestrations by Ethan Popp. 

TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL is produced in the West End by Stage Entertainment, Joop van den Ende and Tali Pelman, in association with Tina Turner.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Theatre:                             Aldwych Theatre, Aldwych, London WC2B 4DF

Dates:                                Currently playing to 3 September 2023

Performances:Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm, Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm and Sunday at 3pm

Box Office:                         0845 200 7981

Website:                            www.tinathemusical.com

Facebook:                          TinaTheMusical

Twitter:                              TinaTheMusical

Instagram:                          TinaTheMusical

CRUCIBLE

A Sheffield Theatres and National Theatre co-production
In Association With Various Productions

SHEFFIELD THEATRES ANNOUNCE CAST FOR THE RETURN OF
STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE

By Chris Bush
Music and Lyrics Richard Hawley
Director Robert Hastie
Designer Ben Stones
Choreographer Lynne Page

Sat 10 Dec 2022 – Sat 21 Jan 2023

Sheffield Theatres’ award-winning musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge, a co-production with the National Theatre in association with Various Productions, returns to the Crucible this Christmas ahead of its transfer to the Olivier theatre in February 2023.

Returning to the Crucible, having performed in Standing at the Sky’s Edge in 2019 are: Darragh Cowley, Robert Lonsdale, Maimuna Memon, Alastair Natkiel, Faith Omole, Deborah Tracey, Rachael Wooding and Alex Young.

Joining the production are: Ahmed Hamad, Samuel Jordan, Bobbie Little, David McKechnie, Baker Mukasa, Adam Price, Nicola Sloane and Jake Small.

Poppy wants to escape her old life. Joy and Jimmy want to spend the rest of their lives together. Rose and Harry want the new life they’ve been promised.

Winner of the Best Musical Production at the UK Theatre Awards and the 2020 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre, Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a celebration of strength and solidarity across six decades, set to the irresistible sounds of Richard Hawley.

Written by Chris Bush (ROCK / PAPER / SCISSORS) and directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director, Robert Hastie (Guys and Dolls), the production is a love letter to Sheffield and ode to the iconic Park Hill Estate. Captivating audiences during its sell-out 2019 debut, Standing at the Sky’s Edge makes its return to the Crucible stage this Christmas, before transferring to the Olivier theatre in London in February 2023.

Tickets for Standing at the Sky’s Edge are on sale now. Tickets can be booked through the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0114 249 6000 or at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

FUN-FILLED FESTIVE PROGRAMME COMES TO ALLY PALLY THIS WINTER

• This Christmas, swap the north pole for north London and head up the hill for a fun-filled festive season for all the family!
  
   
• A jam-packed programme runs from 28 November until 15 January 2023 including Bugsy Malone, Santa’s Grotto, festive Skate Sessions and the Cazoo World Darts Championships!
  
   
• Full information and tickets via www.alexandrapalace.com/christmas/

Alexandra Palace is all set for a festive spectacular kicking off this November with activities on offer for all ages including ice skating, theatre, pantomime and Santa’s Grotto, plus the world famous darts!

Enter the Palace’s beautiful Victorian Theatre and be transported to New York 1929, a city full of mobsters, showgirls and dreamers. That’s right, splurge guns at the ready because Bugsy Malone The Musical (3 Dec-15 Jan) is coming to town! Packed with instantly recognisable songs from Oscar-winner Paul Williams including My Name is Tallulah, You Give A Little Love and Fat Sam’s Grand Slam, this fun-filled and riotous musical comedy offers the perfect festive treat for all the family.

As you make your way to the theatre, festive lights, decorations, and carol singing will transform our East Court. Here you will find our Santa’s Grotto (2-23 Dec) where children can meet, receive a gift from and have their photos taken with the big man in red.

Skating is a year-round activity at Ally Pally, but the ice rink feels particularly merry at Christmas time and gives an opportunity for a full-on festive day out. Book onto one of our Christmas Skate Sessions or Christmas Club de Fromage Discos and enjoy whizzing around the rink to your favourite Christmas tunes, followed by a mulled wine, Baileys hot chocolate, and mince pie in our festive East Court Café.

Our beloved annual pantomime on ice is back and this year Ally Pally Amateur Productions presents a magical re-telling of the story of Rapunzel (5-12 December) by the Brothers Grimm put on by a cast of home-grown talent of all ages and Disney on Ice professionals.

On the west side of the Palace we welcome back the raucous Cazoo World Darts Championships (15 Dec-3 Jan) for the 29th staging of this prestigious event. Although tickets are well and truly sold out, we couldn’t talk about Christmas without mentioning the darts and look forward to another star-studded field and some ridiculous fancy dress!

We’re delighted to say that Christmas at Ally Pally has something for everyone. Make a day of it, make a night of it, make a day and night of it, Ally Pally looks forward to welcoming you back for a Christmas celebration to remember.

www.alexandrapalace.com/christmas/

RSC REVEALS CHILDREN CAST IN “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”, INCLUDING THE ICONIC ROLE OF TINY TIM

The Royal Shakespeare Company has revealed the names of the children who will appear alongside Adrian Edmondson (who plays Scrooge) in its forthcoming production of Dickens’ classic festive tale, A Christmas Carol.  The roles the children play include the iconic part of Tiny Tim, which will be shared by four young actors.

Adapted by David Edgar, the show runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon between 26 October 2022 – 1 January 2023.

The role of Tiny Tim will be shared by Jasiri Brown (aged 9), Gracie Coates (aged 7), Jasper Dance (aged 11), and Alexander Joseph (aged 11).

Jasiri, who has a limb difference, is a successful model, and has previously taken part in several modelling campaigns, TV work and commercials. A Christmas Carol is his professional debut as a child actor.  His interests are playing football, video games, reading and playing basketball. 

Gracie, who has Cerebral Palsy, is making her professional theatre debut. She loves to perform and was previously in a Lego commercial to celebrate International Day of The Girl.

Jasper, who has lower limb differences and mobility problems, loves drama, swimming, cooking, table tennis and is always singing. A Christmas Carol is his professional debut.

Alexander, who has juvenile arthritis and other medical conditions, loves music producing, singing, acting and dancing. Last year he performed in The Wonderful at Theatre Peckham.

Rachel Kavanaugh, the director of A Christmas Carol, said: “Alexander, Gracie, Jasiri and Jasper all bring something exceptional and joyous to the role of Tim Cratchit through their own unique experience and talent. It is a privilege to work with them, along with all the children in the show. And great fun!”

The children’s cast also includes:

Benjamin Kuehl, Joseph Kuehl and Alastair Ngwenya share the roles of Peter Cratchit, Doctor’s Boy, Schoolboy, Tinder and Miner.

Aiden Cole, William Derbyshire and Joey Unitt share the roles of Joe Cratchit, Boy Scrooge, Henry, Master Clippy, Second Fezziwig child and Ignorance.

Aashirya Budathoki, Emilia Danks Smith and Serena Ram share the roles of Christmas Future, Miss Kwiff, Schoolboy, Victoria, Caroller and First Fezziwig child.

Bella Avi, Geneva Kaur Mann and Evangeline Parker share the role of Susan Cratchit, Charlotte, Schoolboy, Want and Fred’s daughter.

A Christmas Carol is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis with lighting by Tim Mitchell. Music is by Catherine Jayes, Sound Design by Fergus O’Hare with Movement by Georgina Lamb.

LISTINGS INFORMATION: 

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

By Charles Dickens, adapted by David Edgar 

Wednesday 26 Oct 2022 – Sunday 1 Jan 2023

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 6BB

RSC Box Office: 01789 331111 www.rsc.org.uk

Twitter / Instagram: @TheRSC

#AChristmasCarol

The RSC is supported using public funding by Arts Council England 

The work of the RSC is supported by the Culture Recovery Fund

The RSC is generously supported by RSC America

Headline Sponsor of A Christmas Carol – Pragnell

TikTok £10 Tickets for 14-25s sponsored by TikTok 

The work of the RSC Literary Department is generously supported by The Drue and H.J. Heinz II Charitable Trust 

The RSC Acting Companies are generously supported by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation and The Kovner Foundation

TWELVE PERFORMANCES ONLY OF NEW MUSICAL

S A V I N G   G R A C E

AT THE RIVERSIDE STUDIOS

Producers Barney Wragg, Liz Murdoch, Xavier Marchand, Mark Crowdy and Craig Ferguson are delighted to invite audiences to anintimate first run of the new musical Saving Grace which will have twelve performances only at theRiverside Studios from Tuesday 22 November – Sunday 4 December 2022. Tickets for the show are from £30 and are released for sale today, 4 October 2022. 

With book by April De Angelis and music and lyrics by KT Tunstall, Saving Grace will be directed by Laurence Connor. Musical supervision and arrangements are by John Rigby with set and costume designs by Laura Hopkins, lighting by Bruno Poet, sound by Richard Brooker, orchestrations by KT Tunstall and John Rigby and casting by David Grindrod for Grindrod Burton Casting. Casting will be announced in due course. The production is based upon the original Sky film Saving Grace, written by Craig Ferguson and Mark Crowdy, based on a story by Mark Crowdy.

Grace’s new joint venture makes the most of her skills as a gardener but stepping into the underworld was never part of the bargain. The sudden death of her husband leaves Grace alone and on the verge of bankruptcy. But can an unlikely friendship and a surprising idea for a business save the day? Discover how Grace reaches new “highs” in this hilarious and heart-warming adventure.

Saving Grace was originally released in 2000 as the British comedy film starring Brenda Blethyn and Craig Ferguson, was directed by Nigel Cole and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where it won the World Cinema Audience Award. After the success of the film, two prequels were made which were eventually developed into the hit ITV series Doc Martin.

Barney Wragg said: “It’s great to be working with Laurence again, the last time we worked together was on School of Rock on Broadway. As part of the development for School of Rock, we presented an early version of the show to live audiences at the Gramercy Theatre. This allowed the creative team to see a real audience reaction to the piece and allowed us to tweak and improve the work before we began the formal previews and opening at the Winter Garden. We’re excited to present Saving Grace at Riverside this November in the same vein. We are inviting audiences to have a first look at what goes into the creation of a new musical. It is a chance for them not only to see and enjoy Saving Grace, but to respond to the show and help our team improve and develop the piece. We are very much looking forward to the run at the Riverside Studios and sharing the next stage of our Saving Grace journey.”

KT Tunstall burst onto the music scene with her 2004 multi-platinum debut Eye to the Telescope which spawned the global hits “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” and “Suddenly I See” establishing her as a performer as well as a Songwriter, with an ability for balancing introspective folk and propulsive rock. In the last few years, the Grammy-nominated Scottish Musician has expanded on these musical selves by focusing on a trilogy of records, where each album zeroes in on a single concept: soul, body and mind. The first, 2016’s KIN, was the soul record, 2018’s WAXwas the body record, and the new NUTis the mind record. Saving Grace will be Tunstall’s first project for the theatre.

April De Angelis is an acclaimed playwright who has worked in stage, radio and television. Her work includes My Brilliant Friend (Rose Theatre Kingston and National Theatre), The Village (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Frankenstein (Royal Exchange Theatre), Jumpy (starring Tamsin Greig, Royal Court and Duke of York’s Theatre, West End, Melbourne and Sydney), an adaptation of Wuthering Heights (Birmingham Rep), Wild East (Royal Court), A Laughing Matter (Out of Joint at National Theatre), A Warwickshire Testimony (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Positive Hour (Out of Joint at Hampstead Theatre), Playhouse Creatures (Sphinx Theatre Company at the Haymarket Theatre, at the Old Vic Theatre and at Chichester Festival Theatre), The Life and Times of Fanny Hill (The Old Fire Station Oxford and Bristol Old Vic). Other work includes the opera libretti Flight (Glyndebourne) and the Silent Twins (Almeida Theatre). Her television credits include Aristophanes (C4) and she has written extensively for radio including an acclaimed adaptation of Peyton Place (BBC Radio). Her original musical Gin Craze opened at Theatre Royal Northampton to rave reviews in July 2021 and will be revived in 2022/2023. She is currently under commission to Hampstead Theatre, Glyndebourne and Fiction House. Her new play Kerry Jackson will premiere at the National Theatre later this year.

Laurence Connor’s directing credits include Cinderella (Gillian Lynne Theatre); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (The London Palladium); Chess (English National Opera); Unmasked (The Other Palace); Miss Saigon (Broadway, West End, US tours, UK tours, Australia, Japan, Korea, Austria); School of Rock (Broadway, West End, US tour, UK tour, Australia, China and Korea); Les Misérables (West End, Broadway, US tours, UK tours, Australia, Japan, Korea and Spain); Jesus Christ Superstar (UK and Australian arena tour); The Phantom of the Opera (UK and US tours) and Oliver! (UK tour). He directed the 25th anniversary concert of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall and the 25^th anniversary concert of Les Misérables at the O2 in London, both of which were simultaneously broadcast in cinemas worldwide and subsequently released on DVD. His other DVD credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (world arena tour) and Miss Saigon (Prince Edward Theatre).  

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Theatre:                             Riverside Studios, 101 Queen Caroline St, London W6 9BN

Dates:                                22 November – 4 December 2022

Performances:Tuesday – Saturday at 7.30pm, Sundays at 2pm

Box Office:                         020 8237 1010

Website:                            savinggracethemusical.com

Facebook:                           SavingGraceMusical

Twitter:                              @savinggrace_uk

Instagram:                          @savinggrace_uk

EGGS-TRA! EGGS-TRA!

AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP PRODUCTIONS
PROUDLY PRESENT
A UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF
MOTHER GOOSE

THE NATION’S PANTOMIME

STARRING
IAN McKELLEN, JOHN BISHOP,
MEL GIEDROYC

WRITTEN BY JONATHAN HARVEY
DIRECTED BY CAL McCRYSTAL

OPENING AT THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON ON 3 DECEMBER 2022
BEFORE A SEASON IN THE WEST END AT
THE DUKE OF YORK’S THEATRE

FROM 15 DECEMBER 2022 TO 29 JANUARY 2023

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Ambassador Theatre Group Productions are delighted to announce a UK and Ireland Tour of the pantomime MOTHER GOOSE. The first of its kind to tour the country and play all the way to Easter! www.mothergooseshow.co.uk

Starring Ian McKellen as Mother Goose, John Bishop as Vic Goose and Mel Giedroyc as the Goose, the show will play at the Theatre Royal Brighton from 3 – 11 December 2022, before a season at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London’s West End (15 December 2022 – 29 January 2023). It will then play Chichester Festival Theatre (7 – 11 February 2023), Sheffield Lyceum (14 – 18 February 2023), Wolverhampton Grand (22 – 26 February 2023), Liverpool Empire (28 February – 4 March 2023), Oxford New Theatre (7 – 11 March 2023), Bord Gais Energy Theatre Dublin (22 – 26 March 2023), and Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff (28 March – 1 April 2023) with further venues to be announced soon.

This very special pantomime is written by Jonathan Harvey (Coronation Street, Gimme Gimme Gimme) and directed by award-winning director Cal McCrystal. Set and Costume design is by Liz Ascroft, Choreography by Lizzi Gee, Lighting design by Prema Mehta, Sound design by Ben Harrison andPuppet Design and Creation by Chris Barlow. Casting is by Anne Vosser and the Production Manager is Ben Arkell.

The show will also star Oscar Conlon-Morrey as Jack, Simbi Akande as Jill, Sharon Ballard as Evil Fairy Malignia and Karen Mavundukure as Good Fairy Encanta. The cast also includes Adam Brown, Gabriel Fleary, Richard Leeming and Genevieve Nicole. Further casting to be announced soon.

Mother Goose (McKellen) and her husband Vic (Bishop) run an Animal Sanctuary for waifs and strays and live a wholesome life inside an abandoned Debenhams. But when a goose (Giedroyc) flies in, will fame and fortune get the better of them?! Will Ma’s feathers be seriously ruffled? Will Pa tell everyone to get stuffed?! And is their fair life about to turn fowl? Get ready for fairies with hefty vocal chords, puppets with tap dance qualifications and impeccably constructed mayhem that will quack up the whole family. This hilarious family-friendly mother of all pantos is the ultimate theatrical feast full of fun, farce and more than a couple of surprises that will make you honk out loud.

Mother Goose is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Gavin Kalin Productions, Hunter Arnold, Seaview, Wessex Grove, Richard Winkler & Dawn Smalberg, Caiola Productions and George Waud for Groove International.

The Londoner is the official hotel partner of Mother Goose.

For further press information please contact Simon Raw, Emily Webb, Daniel O’Carroll on

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected] or 020 3829 0930

MOTHER GOOSE – LISTINGS 2022/23

www.mothergooseshow.co.uk

For show information follow

www.twitter.com/mothergooseshow

www.facebook.com/mothergooseshow

www.instagram.com/mothergooseshow

www.tiktok.com/mothergooseshow

Saturday 3 December – Sunday 11 December 2022

Brighton Theatre Royal

www.atgtickets.com/theatre-royal-brighton

Thursday 15 December 2022 – Sunday 29 January 2023

London, Duke of York’s Theatre

www.atgtickets.com/duke-of-yorks-theatre

Tuesday 7 February – Saturday 11 February 2023

Chichester Festival Theatre

www.cft.org.uk

Tuesday 14 February – Saturday 18 February 2023

Sheffield Lyceum

www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Wednesday 22 February – Sunday 26 February 2023

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

www.grandtheatre.co.uk

Tuesday 28 February – Saturday 4 March 2023

Liverpool Empire

www.atgtickets.com/liverpool-empire

Tuesday 7 March – Saturday 11 March 2023

Oxford, New Theatre

www.atgtickets.com/new-theatre-oxford

Wednesday 22 March – Sunday 26 March 2023

Dublin, Bord GáisEnergy Theatre

www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

Tuesday 28 March – Saturday 1 April 2023

Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre

www.wmc.org.uk

FURTHER VENUES TO BE ANNOUNCED

Theatr Clwyd, Yr Wyddgrug – until Saturday 15th October 2022

Reviewed by Julie Noller

4****

Enid Blyton wrote The Famous Five series of books about her mystery solving family of young teens in a post war Britain, that’s over 60 years ago! They were my introduction to crime novels from an early age, a joy of reading that spans over 40 years. Enid Blyton is an institution as British as Afternoon Tea; it would take an extremely brave team to not only bring her work to the stage but to totally refresh it with a modern twist.

A collaboration between Chichester Festival Theatre and Theatr Clwyd brings a fresh vibe that sees writer Elinor Cook and Director Tamara Harvey concentrate on family relationships and climate crisis as opposed to spies.

On entering the theatre to make our way to our seats I was delighted to see the stage used as a warm up set with puppet hares, light up model tents, cottage and a derelict castle. I’ve got to say I was in awe of the musicians, Elisa Boyd, Claire Shaw and Benedict Wood; the ease and warmth in which they played drew you into the stage as a front cover of a book can call to you.

The simple stage set up was perfect it allowed your imagination to flow, adding details to the story unfolding before your eyes. Every now and then the lighting would shift and allow you to see the band at work behind the scenes a gentle nod to how a film changes pace or altering storylines and plot twists develop.

What would a mystery be without trap doors and tunnels they were great to see on stage, equally what would a mystery be without a villain one who appears in a cloak which felt like watching a Scooby Doo cartoon then in the final scenes appears in a James Bond-esq white suit, I felt this was a gentle touch of brilliance by the Design team led by Lucy Osborne.

You do wonder how the combination of Enid Blyton and Musical is actually going to work but it really does, at just over 2 hours it really packs in the songs which at times leave you breathless. Each character has their time in the limelight, quite often with muscial’s certain characters shy away from singing after all we are not all made to raise the roof but each and every song works really well adding dimensions and pushing the story along with lines being able to be plucked out by the audience ‘lashings of ginger beer’ being one that really struck me.

With a modern retake comes a modern feel and it works extremely well to hi-light how well each character is written, there is a depth to each that I would never have considered, perhaps without sounding too negative they weren’t the characters I remember but challenging your preconceptions isn’t a bad thing. This musical takes each individual and assesses how they interact with each other, how a family bond can work in terms of friendship.

I haven’t mentioned specific characters there is Ailsa Dallin who received the biggest cheer or perhaps her character Timmy the dog did, her pupperteering is fantastic, she appeared to know Timmy inside out I believed I was looking at a dog with his quirky sniffing and wagging tail. Maria Goodman delivers a great performance of wayward teen George aka Georgina a tomboy at heart rebelling against her attention neglective Father Quentin (David Ricardo-Pearce) Lara Denning brings us the maternal softer side of family life as Fanny with her joy of cooking and secret book writing, twisting at the end with a book published quite possibly saving the family home, that’s girl power. Our three siblings chucked into poor Georges life whilst seeking adventure (who doesn’t love adventure?) Jullian (Dewi Wykes) Dick (Louis Suc) and Anne (Isabelle Methven) each ticks certain personality criteria. Jullian who wasn’t quite as strong and forthright as my memory recalls but is a 14 year old growing up with the weight of his family resting on his shoulders for he is the eldest pushed to act accordingly and yet quite possibly the most vulnerable. Dick quite easily the most fun sibling always hungry always playing jokes and getting into scrapes; dare I say middle child syndrome? Anne I remember being quiet but intelligent the one to suggest but on stage she struggled to be heard. Being the youngest and a girl, yes times have changed I struggled to move beyond that and I believe this production did too for a time having her arguing with her brothers instead of being the peacekeeper. I’m glad to see Anne brought back into the fold with her illustrating her Aunt Fannys book. There are only 2 other characters but they are quite important to the plot. Sam Harrison is Bobby a sort of one size fits all character, he is funny, camp and quirky and quite possibly the character to cross all the decades. He is helpful, imformative and yet kidnapper all in one. Kibong Tanji is Roweena a dastardly villian who I very almostly hissed at – ok I booed inside. She has the most amazing voice reaching those high pitches easily.

All in all The Famous Five is a great introduction to the genre of mystery drama. It even answers the age old question of why are they The Famous Five to find out you’ll have to go see it.

MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY ANNOUNCES FULL CASTING FOR THE WORLD PREMIÈRE OF

TERRY JOHNSON’S THE SEX PARTY

PUBLIC BOOKING OPENS AT 10AM TODAY

The Menier Chocolate Factory today announces the full casting for the world première of Terry Johnson’s The Sex Party – Johnson directs Will Barton (Tim), Amanda Donohoe (Magdalena), Lisa Dwan (Gilly), John Hopkins (Jake), Timothy Hutton (Jeff), Jason Merrells (Alex), Pooya Mohseni (Lucy), Molly Osborne (Hetty) and Kelly Price (Camilla).

The production opens on 15 November, with previews from 4 November, and runs until 7 January 2023.

The world première of

THE SEX PARTY

Written and Directed by Terry Johnson

4 November 2022 – 7 January 2023

Cast: Will Barton (Tim), Amanda Donohoe (Magdalena), Lisa Dwan (Gilly), John Hopkins (Jake), Timothy Hutton (Jeff), Jason Merrells (Alex), Pooya Mohseni (Lucy), Molly Osborne (Hetty) and Kelly Price (Camilla)

Designer: Tim Shortall;Lighting: Ben Ormerod; Sound: John Leonard

Four couples gather in a suburban London home for an evening of wine, cheese, and more intimate pleasures. Some are curious, some are more familiar, and one is rather unexpected. Thus a promising evening is poised to go beyond anyone’s expectations.

The world première of this play by Terry Johnson similarly promises to surprise, perhaps shock, and most certainly entertain!

Will Barton plays Tim. His theatre work includes The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson (Park Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe), The Libertine (Theatre Royal Bath, Theatre Royal Haymarket), Toast (Park Theatre, UK tour and 59E59 Theatres, New York), Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Joking Apart (Nottingham Playhouse and Salisbury Playhouse), The Boy on the Swing (Arcola Theatre), The Bowmans (The Watermill Theatre), and Festen (Almeida Theatre tour). For television, his work includes A Confession, There She Goes, Vanity Fair, Theresa Vs Boris: The Battle to be PM, Switch, New Tricks, How Do You Want Me and Barking; and for film, Official Secrets, Ilkley, The Theory of Everything, City Slacker, and Oscar and Lucinda.

Amanda Donohoe plays Magdalena. Her theatre credits include Star Quality (UK tour), Teeth ‘n’ Smiles (Sheffield Theatres), Hedda Gabler, Miss Julie, The Admirable Crichton, Great Expectations (Royal Exchange Theatre), The Graduate, HRH (West End), and Uncle Vanya (Broadway – Outer Critics’ Circle Award for Best Broadway Debut by an Actress). For television, her work includes

LA Law – as series regular Cara Jean ‘C.J.’ Lamb (Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini Series or Motion Picture for Television), Emmerdale – as series regular Natasha Wylde, Bad Girls – as series regular Lou Stoke, Toast of London, Pramface, Air Force One is Down, Murder City, Lucky Day, In the Beginning, Bob Martin, Frasier, Ally McBeal, Deep Secrets, The Thorn Birds, Murder Most Horrid, A Woman’s Guide to Adultery, Briefest Encounter, Shame, Hidden Room, Laughter of God, An Affair of the Mind, and Game Set and Match; and for film, Castaway, The Lair of the White Worm, The Rainbow, The Madness of King George, The Princess Switch, Blue Iguana, The Swing of It, Trafficker, The Calling, Starship Trooper 3, Wild About Harry, Circus, Writer’s Block, Liar Liar, One Night Standard, The Substitute, Dark Obsession and Paper Mask (Variety Club of Great Britain Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture).  

Lisa Dwan plays Gilly. Her theatre work includes Happy Days (Riverside Studios), The Love and The Collection (Shakespeare Theatre Company, Lansburg), No’s Knife (The Old Vic), Shining City (Irish Repertory Theatre, New York), Not I/Footfall (Royal Court Theatre, Old Vic, UK tour), Illusions (Bush Theatre), Goran Bregovic: Margot, Diary of an Unhappy Queen (Barbican), Beside the Sea (South Bank Centre), Not I (South Bank Centrem Enniskillen International Beckett Festival, Battersea Arts Centre), Whiskey in the Jar (Soho Theatre), The Importance of Being Earnest, Silence (Town Hall Theatre Company), History of the World at 3am (Andrews Lane Theatre), An Bacchae (Taibhdhearc Theatre) and The Old Law, As You Like It (Nun’s Island Theatre). For television, her work includes Bloodlands, Pale Sister, Top Boy – as series regular Lizzie, Trust, Rock Rivals, Fair City, The Big Bow Wow, Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog and The Morbegs; and for film, Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain, The Tailor of Panama, The Ones, Moving Target, Oliver Twist and Lord Lucan.

John Hopkins returns to the Menier to play Jake – he previously appeared in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ – The Musical. His theatre work includes The Boys in the Band (Park Theatre and Vaudeville Theatre), Ross (Chichester Festival Theatre), Ben Hur (Tricycle Theatre), Holy Warriors (Shakespeare’s Globe), Private Lives (Edinburgh Lyceum), A Mad World My Masters, Titus Andronicus, Candide, Antony and Cleopatra, The Tempest, Venus and Adonis, King John, Julius Caesar, Love In A Wood (all RSC), Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (Sheffield Crucible), The Deep Blue Sea (Chichester Festival Theatre) and The 39 Steps (Criterion Theatre). For television, his work includes Poldark, Endeavour, The Lodge, Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, Catastrophe, Dancing On The Edge, Hacks, Secret Diary Of A Call Girl, Merlin, Identity, Wire In The Blood, Robin Hood, The Path to 9/11, Nicholas Nickleby, Love In A Cold Climate, and two series as Detective Sergeant Scott in Midsomer Murders; and for film, The Face Of An Angel, Alice In Wonderland, The Experiment and The Pool.

Timothy Hutton plays Jeff.  Hutton started his career winning an Academy Award and Golden Globe award for his performance in Robert Redford’s Ordinary People. His other film credits include John Schlesinger’s The Falcon & The Snowman; Harold Becker’s Taps; Alan Rudolph’s Made in Heaven; Fred Schepisi’s Iceman; Sidney Lumet’s Daniel and Q&A; Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer; Robert De Niro’s The Good Shepherd; John Krasinski’s directorial debut, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men; Bill Condon’s Kinsey; John Sayle’s Sunshine State; Ted Demme’s Beautiful Girls; also Beautiful Boy, Serious Moonlight,  Lymelife, Off the Black, Secret Window, The General’s Daughter; and, most recently Julie Taymor’s The Glorias.On stage, as a member of New York’s Circle Repertory, he originated the lead role in the Broadway production of Craig Lucas’ Prelude to a Kiss and also starred in Babylon Gardens directed by Joe Mantello. He additionally appeared in the Los Angeles stage production of The Oldest Living Graduate, a role he later reprised for a live broadcast on NBC television. He also directed Nicole Burdette’s Busted for the New York-based theatre company Naked Angels. On television, he appeared in the critically acclaimed The Haunting of Hill House for Netflix and Jack Ryan for Amazon.  Prior to that he starred in American Crime, for which he received an Emmy nomination.  Other television credits include Nero Wolfe (for which he also served as executive producer, director and music supervisor), A Long Way Home (Golden Globe nomination) and Mr & Mrs Loving (which he developed and produced). Behind the camera, he has directed a number of music videos, including “Drive” by the Cars, “Not Enough Love” by Don Henley and the Neil Young concert film Freedom.  He also directed Grandpa’s Ghost, an episode of Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories based on a story he wrote. His feature film directing debut, Digging to China, starring Kevin Bacon, premièred at the Sundance Film Festival to standing ovations.

Jason Merrells plays Alex. His theatre work includes How The Other Half Loves (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Five Finger Exercise (Coronet Theatre), Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors (RSC),

A Christmas Carol (Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple), Uncle Vanya (HOME), Twitstorm (Park Theatre),   Twelve Angry Men (UK tour), The Pleasureman (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow), Chekhov (National Theatre Studio) and Saved (Bolton Octagon (Manchester Evening News Saward for Best Actor in a Supporting Role). His television work includes Happy Valley, Finding Alice, I Knew Jesus, Agatha Raisin – as series regular Sir Charles Fraith, Legends of Tomorrow, Safe House, Death in Paradise, Emmerdale – as series regular Declan Macey, Lark Rise to Candleford, Waterloo Road – as series regular Jack Rimmer, The Hitch, Cutting It – as series regular Gavin Ferraday, and Clocking Off; and for film, The Jealous God, Do Not Disturb and A Small Obsession.

Pooya Mohseni plays Lucy. She is an award-winning Iranian American actor, writer, filmmaker and transgender activist. She recently appeared in the world premiere of the Lucille Lortel-winning play English (Atlantic Theater Company). Her other stage performances include Hamlet (Play On Shakespeare Festival), Comedy of Errors (Play On Shakespeare Festival), One Woman (United Solo), She,He,Me (National Queer Theater), Our Town (Pride Plays), Galatea (The WP Project), The Good Muslim (EST), White Snake (Baltimore Center Stage), an audible production of Chonburi Hotel & The Butterfly Club (Williamstown Theater Festival). Her film and television credits include Law & Order: SVU, Big Dogs, Falling Water, Madam Secretary, Terrifier and See You Then, streaming on all digitalplatforms.

Molly Osborne returns to the Menier Chocolate Factory to play Hetty. She previously appeared in Indecent and Fiddler on the Roof (also Playhouse Theatre). Her television work includes Call the Midwife.

Kelly Price returns to the Menier to play Camilla. She previously appeared in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ – The Musical and A Little Night Music (also Garrick Theatre – Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical). Her other theatre work includes The Woman in White (Palace Theatre), Mamma Mia (Prince Edward Theatre), It’s a Wonderful Life (Avalon), Guys and Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre), Desperately Seeking Susan (Novello Theatre), Chicago (Cambridge Theatre), The Misanthrope (Comedy Theatre), Zack, That Day We Sang, Little Shop of Horrors (Royal Exchange Manchester), Stepping Out (Salisbury Playhouse), Boeing Boeing, Company (Sheffield Crucible), Perchance to Dream (Finborough Theatre), One Man Two Guvnors (National Theatre tour), All the Angels: Handel and the First Messiah (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre), Aspects of Love, Passion (Hope Mill Theatre), Othello (ETT), Peter Pan (Troubadour Theatre), and What’s New Pussycat? (Birmingham Rep). Her television work includes Granchester, The English Game, Endeavour, Waterloo Road, Accused – Helen’s Story, Massive and Kombat Opera; and for film, The Sense of An Ending and A Bunch of Amateurs.

As a playwright, Terry Johnson’s work includes Dead Funny, Prism and Ken (Hampstead Theatre), Insignificance, Cries from the Mammal House, Hysteria (Olivier Award for Best Comedy), Piano/Forte, Hitchcock Blonde (Royal Court Theatre), The Graduate (West End and Broadway), Mrs Henderson Presents (West End and Toronto), Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick (Olivier Award for Best Comedy) and The London Cuckolds (National Theatre). His directing credits include La Cage aux Folles (Menier, West End and Broadway; Tony Awards for Best Director of a Musical and Best Revival of a Musical; Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival and Critics’ Circle Best Musical Award); Rookery Nook (Menier);  Oh! What a Lovely War, Fings Ain’t What They Used T’Be (Theatre Royal Stratford East; marking the 50th Anniversary of Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop), The Libertine (West End and Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago) and Dumb Show (Royal Court Theatre). West End and Broadway directing credits also include The Duck House, End of the Rainbow, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Rain Man, Whipping It Up, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Entertaining Mr Sloane and Elton John’s Glasses. His work for television includes Not Only But Always (Channel 4, which won five International Award nominations, Best Film at Banff and the Best Actor Bafta for Rhys Ifans), The Man Who Lost His Head (ITV), Cor, Blimey! (ITV) and The Bite for the BBC and ABC Australia. Nicholas Roeg’s film of Insignificance was the official British Entry at Cannes in 1985. His plays have won him  the Playwright of the Year Award 1995, Critics’ Circle Best New Play Award 1995, The League of American Theatres and Producers Best Touring Play Awards 2001, plus two Evening Standard Theatre Awards, two Writers Guild Best Play Awards, Time Out Best Play Award, the Mayer-Whitworth Award and the John Whiting Award. 

LISTINGS INFORMATION 

MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY

53 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1RU

THE SEX PARTY

4 November 2022 – 7 January 2023

Evening performances at 7.30pm, matinees at 3pm

ALEX EDELMAN – JUST FOR US

11 January – 26 February

Evening performances at 8pm, matinees at 3pm

MARJORIE PRIME

9 March – 6 May

Evening performances at 8pm, matinees at 3pm

Box Office:                         020 7378 1713 (£2.50 transaction fee per booking)

Website:                             www.menierchocolatefactory.com (£1.50 transaction fee per booking)

Tickets:                               Prices vary, as below from discounted preview tickets to premier seats. With the emphasis on ‘the sooner you book, the better the price’:

Please note at this time the restaurant is unable to open due to circumstances beyond the company’s control.

www.menierchocolatefactory.com

Twitter: @MenChocFactory

Instagram: @menierchocolatefactory

New West End cast and a new booking period for the hit musical SIX

A new quintet of cast members will soon become the newest wives of Henry VIII in hit West End musical, SIX, as the show extends its run at the Vaudeville Theatre with tickets now on sale up to October 2023.

Joining the principal line-up are Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky as Catherine of Aragon, Baylie Carson as Anne Boleyn and Koko Basigara as Katherine Howard with Monique Ashe-Palmer as Alternate Aragon/Cleves and Leah Vassell as Alternate Seymour/Parr.  

The new cast met together for the first time earlier this month, swapping the stage for boards of a different kind, playing the immersive challenge attraction of the much-loved Hasbro boardgame Monopoly Lifesized. Located in the heart of London, Monopoly Lifesized, is an immersive, on-your-feet version of the world’s favourite family board game, with real-life characters of the legendary board game tokens as their guides.

The new cast members’ first performance will be on Tuesday 18 October when they join current cast members Claudia Kariuki, Dionne Ward-Anderson and Roxanne Couch as Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves and Catherine Parr respectively.

Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky (Catherine of Aragon) made her professional debut in ‘The Book of Mormon’ at the Prince of Wales Theatre and appeared in ‘Bat Out of Hell’ at the Dominion Theatre. She starred as Rizzo in the UK Tour of ‘Grease’ and most recently played Alline Bullock in ‘Tina: The Tina Turner Musical’ at the Aldwych.  

Baylie Carson (Anne Boleyn) trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts before making their professional debut in ‘Dusty’, with further roles in ‘Bring it On’, ‘Lazarus’ and ‘The Boy From Oz’. Baylie joins SIX direct from the Australian tour of Alanis Morissette musical, ‘Jagged Little Pill’.  

Koko Basigara (Katherine Howard) joins the company from recently appearing as Lorraine in the revival of ‘Jersey Boys’. She has also appeared in the West End productions of ‘Beautiful – the Carole King Musical’, ‘Les Misérables’ and appeared in the live-action Disney films ‘Aladdin’ and ‘Beauty & the Beast’.  

Monique Ashe-Palmer made her West End debut in ‘Waitress’ at the Adelphi Theatre and joins SIX from its most recent UK Tour.

Having recently graduated from Arts Ed, Leah Vassell also appeared in ‘West Side Story’ at the 70th Annual Ljubljana Festival.  

Claudia Kariuki and Dionne Ward-Anderson continue their roles as Jane Seymour and Anna of Cleves, with Roxanne Couch joining the principal line-up as Catherine Parr having previously appeared regularly as Alternate Jane Seymour and Catherine Parr. Danielle Rose (Alternate Boleyn/Howard) and Super Swings Rachel Rawlinson and Esme Rothero also continue their roles.  

Since joining SIX the current West End cast have appeared on Dancing on Ice, the Women in Film and Television Awards and This Morning, collected the award for Best West End Show at the 2022 WhatsonStage Awards and appeared in the television broadcast of Party at the Palace as part of the late HRH Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.  

The current cast will continue their roles at the Vaudeville Theatre, playing their final performances on Sunday 16 October, with the new cast beginning performances from Tuesday 18 October, with the show booking until Sunday 29 October 2023.  

In addition to its usual performance schedule, the new booking period includes various access performances, and another Sing-along performance on Sunday 14 May 2023.

Since its debut outing at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017, SIX has solidified its global reputation as a musical theatre phenomenon. In addition to the West End production, the show is currently touring across the UK, Australia and New Zealand, with two concurrent productions travelling across North America. The show also continues on Broadway, where it won 2 Tony Awards, 4 Drama Desk Awards, and 3 Outer Critics Circle Awards including Outstanding New Musical earlier this year.  

In June 2022, producers of SIX reunited the original West End cast and the production played three open-air performances at Hampton Court Palace in front of a total audience of 10,000 people, with the production also being recorded at the Vaudeville Theatre for a future release date.  

The global success of the show’s score also continues, having amassed over 500 million streams and 3 billion views on TikTok, with the Original Studio Cast Recording achieving Gold status, and a Broadway album, recorded live on their opening night.

SIX is co-directed by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage, featuring choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. The design team includes Emma Bailey (Set Design), Gabriella Slade (Costume Design), Tim Deiling (Lighting Design) and Paul Gatehouse (Sound Design). The score features orchestrations by Tom Curran with music supervision and vocal arrangements by Joe Beighton. Casting for SIX is by Pearson Casting.

SIX is produced by Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes and George Stiles.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

SIX

Vaudeville Theatre,
404 Strand, London WC2R 0NH

New booking period to Sunday 29 October 2023

Performance Information

Tuesday 8pm
Wednesday 8pm
Thursday 5.30pm and 8.30pm
Friday 8pm
Saturday 4pm and 8pm
Sunday 4pm and 7pm

Duration: 80 mins with no interval

Age Recommendation: 10+

Booking Information

Tickets: From £19.50

All tickets include a £1.50 Restoration Levy
No booking fee if booked in person at the Box Office

Box Office: 0330 333 4814

www.nimaxtheatres.com

Sing-along Performances: Sunday 25 September 2022 – 7pm
Sunday 14 May 2023 – 7pm

Access Performances:

Audio Described
Sunday 13 November – 7pm Thursday 6 April 2023 – 5.30pm Saturday 12 August – 4pm

Captioned
Sunday 20 November – 7pm Sunday 16 April 2023 – 7pm Sunday 20 August 2023 – 4pm

BSL
Sunday 27 November – 4pm Sunday 9 April 2023 – 4pm Thursday 17 August – 5.30pm

Online:
@sixthemusical across all platforms

www.sixthemusical.com