90s pop star KAVANA and Hollyoaks favourite GEMMA MERNA star in the very best yuletide party in town with festive cheer, glitter, magic and sparkle… and all your favourite Christmas songs!
Derek Nicol and Paul Walden in association with Hal Carter Organisation present
So This Is Christmas!
GRAND OPERA HOUSE YORK
Thursday 26 November at 7:30pm
Nineties pop star Kavana and glamorous actress Gemma Merna are to star in So This Is Christmas, aseasonal
spectacular for all the family, featuring a collection of festive favourites that are guaranteed to make even the most dedicated Scrooge Wish It Could be Christmas Every Day!
Kavana, with his unique combination of Northern charm and soulful vocals, and Gemma, best known for her award-winning comedy performance as Carmel McQueen in C4’s Hollyoaks, a role she played for eight years, will be supported by a talented cast of singers and dancers and a live on-stage band.
So This Is Christmas will feature two hours of seasonal classics, including White Christmas, Let It Snow, The
Christmas Song, Jingle Bell Rock, Last Christmas, Merry Christmas Everybody, All I Want For Christmas Is You and Fairytale of New York.
A 16-date UK tour will open in York on Thursday 26 November. Full tour list below.
Gemma said: I LOVE Christmas! My favourite Christmas song has to be Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland. I put on a Christmas CD last week and was doing the dishes singing along! When I was in Hollyoaks we always had 2 weeks off from filming over Christmas and New Year so my husband Ian and I went away – usually to America, Vegas or New York. My favourite place at Christmas has to be New York: the trees, the lights, they really go to town. Just like in the movies! We are currently doing major renovations on our Liverpool home so we won’t be dressing the house but last year I splashed out and had two trees professionally decorated. One was upstairs where there is a window to the street and it looked amazing. This year I’m looking forward to touring all over with this show -Manchester is going to be a blast as it is the hometown of both Kavana and me. Everyone we know is coming along that night – it will be a massive party night!”
Kavana adds: “My favourite Christmas track is Fairytale of New York. Christmas for me is a great family affair – everyone together, sisters and cousins, the lot. Very Shameless! Dinner is not served until very late in the day!” In 1997, after being discovered by Nigel Martin Smith, manager of Take That, Kavana left his job at McDonalds and spent a year writing his debut album, before being signed to Virgin Records in the very same week as The Spice Girls. His breakthrough hit I Can Make You Feel Good made the Top 10, and was quickly followed by an award of Best Male Artist at the Smash Hits Poll Winners beating Gary Barlow and Peter Andre. His follow up albumInstinct went on to selling excess of half a million copies in South East Asia. In 2014 he took part in TV’s The Big Reunion as part of supergroup‘5th Story’ which proved a massive success and led to a sold out nationwide arena tour.
Manchester born actress Gemma Merna is best known for her role as Carmel McQueen in Hollyoaks. Since first appearing in 2006, Gemma has been nominated for numerous awards including the National Television Awards for ‘Best Female Soap Actress’. In 2007 Gemma won the coveted British Soap Award for ‘Best Comedy Performance’. Gemma left Hollyoaks in late 2014 in some of the most dramatic scenes a British soap had ever screened, leaving the nation mourning her character’s loss. Gemma trained at the prestigious Manchester School Of Acting with Mark Hudson– which led to her landing the role in Hollyoaks. Growing up Gemma attended a number of theatre workshops and groups in her home town of Manchester, as well as appearing in a number of productions. Gemma is a TV favourite, having appeared in shows including Family Fortunes, Celebrity Juice, Big Brothers Bit On The Side &Britain’s Got More Talent. In 2014 Gemma appeared on the TV 1 prime time showSplash where she faced her fears of the water after receiving guidance by Olympian Tom Daley.
Tickets: From £16
Box Office: 0844 871 3024
Online Booking: www.atgtickets.com/york
TOUR DATES
YORK – Grand Opera House
Thursday 26 November
ST ALBANS – Alban Arena
Friday 27 November
WOKING – New Victoria Theatre
Saturday 28 November
TORQUAY – Princess Theatre
Sunday 29 November
MANCHESTER – Palace Theatre
Tuesday 1 December
BASINGSTOKE – Anvil Arts
Wednesday 2 December
NORTHAMPTON – Royal & Derngate
Friday 4 December
OXFORD – New Theatre
Sunday 6 December
CHELTENHAM – Town Hall
Tuesday 8 December
EDINBURGH – Playhouse
Thursday10 December
DUNDEE – Caird Hall
Friday 11 December
BIRMINGHAM – Town Hall
Wednesday 16 December
CROYDON – Fairfield Halls
Thursday 17 December
FOLKESTONE – Leas Cliff
Saturday 19 December
EASTBOURNE – Congress Theatre
Tuesday 22 December
GATESHEAD – Sage
Sunday 27 December