RIVERSIDE STUDIOS ANNOUNCES 2020 CHRISTMAS SEASON
Interim Creative Director, Rachel Tackley today announces Riverside Studios’ 2020 Christmas season. Highlights include award-winning actor and comedian Eddie Izzard’s solo show; a preview of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. The full programme commences on 2 December and runs until 24 December.
Further highlights includes the Live At Riverside residency from New Frame Productions who will present a variety of diverse theatrical events, including the UK première of The Christmas Drag Roast 2020 with stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK: Divina De Campo, Blu Hydrangea, Sum Ting Wong, Crystal and hosted by Baga Chipz.
The Live At Riverside line-up also presents Ferris and Milnes – Christmas Cracker,which sees the popular double act perform festive favourites in addition to their classic mashups from seminal West End and Broadway shows. Shazia Mirza alsohosts Funny Women – Live Stand Up with comedians Jayde Adams, Jen Brister and Felicity Ward.
Additionally, the brightest stars of the West End, including The Prince of Egypt’s Christine Allado, Follies’ Norma Atallah andHamilton’s Sharon Rose perform songs from iconic festive family favourites in Christmas at the Movies. The week-long run features music presented by a twelve piece orchestra from movies including Home Alone, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Love Actually, The Polar Express and The Preacher’s Wife and is directed by Omar F. Okai with musical direction by Chris Poon. New Frame Productions will presents further seasonal highlights, with more details to be announced. Finally, completing the season is the previously announced family favourite Dear Santa Live, directed by Tim Wallers and adapted for the stage by beloved children’s writer Rod Campbell.
Interim Creative Director, Rachel Tackley today said, “It has been such a joy to work with all the outstanding artists and producers who have worked tirelessly to put this programme together and I am so thrilled to be able to announce our first ever Christmas Season in our glorious new building. Come December, we want to be able to offer audiences an opportunity to forget their worries and come and have a great time.”
Tony Lankester, Interim Executive Director,said today, “From children’s shows to comedy to musical theatre or drag our alternate Christmas season promises to be the light at the end of the tunnel. This has been a challenging year for so many, and we hope that a morning, afternoon or evening at Riverside will offer entertainment, escape and ultimately joy!”
Alongside live performance, Riverside’s cinema offering will continue through December, including a range of independent, arthouse films, classics and special one-off events. From 2 December, the Bar and Kitchen will be offering fantastic food alongside some Christmas specials, with the venue’s legendary mulled wine taking centre stage.
Social distancing measures will be in operation at Riverside Studios, with audiences being seated in households. All patrons, unless they have a known medical condition, will be required to wear a face covering at the venue. In case of cancellation, Riverside Studios will offer tickets holders a full refund. For full details on the measures implemented to ensure audience safety and wellbeing, please visit: www.riversidestudios.co.uk
GREAT EXPECTATIONS BY CHARLES DICKENS PERFORMED BY EDDIE IZZARD
21 – 23 December 2020
A tale of convicts, mystery, friendship, rivalry, unrequited love, revenge and redemption.
Actor, comedian – Eddie’s career spans both of these with record-breaking comedy tours and critically acclaimed film, TV and theatre performances. But few know that it was acting that was Eddie’s first love. This preview show offers the chance to see Eddie as he follows in Dickens’ footsteps with his solo live performance of the master storyteller’s much-loved classic.
Eddie Izzard is one of the most celebrated actors and comedians of his generation. His performance in Dress to Kill earned him a New York Drama Desk Award and two Emmy Awards. Izzard has also achieved great success with his comedy stand up shows. Izzard made his West End stage debut in 1993 in his one-man show Live at the Ambassadors, in which he received an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement. Live at the Ambassadors was followed by a succession of critically-acclaimed shows including Unrepeatable, Definite Article, Glorious, Dress to Kill, Circle, Sexie and Stripped and Force Majeure – which played in over 30 countries. His stage credits include The Cryptogram, 900 Oneonta (Ambassadors Theatre), Edward II (Haymarket Theatre), and A Day In The Death of Joe Egg (Comedy Theatre/ American Airlines Theatre). For TV, Izzard’s credits include Powers, Hannibal, The Riches, Castles In The Sky, Treasure Island and Lost Christmas, and for film credits include Victoria and Abdul, Valkyrie, Ocean’s Thirteen and Ocean’s Twelve, Across the Universe, Mystery Men, Shadow of the Vampire, and The Cat’s Meow.
On March 20, 2016, Izzard completed 27 marathons in 27 days in South Africa as a tribute to Nelson Mandela and raised over £2.6 million ($3.3 million) for Sport Relief, a charity that helps improve the lives of people in impoverished countries. In 2009, Izzard ran 43 marathons in 51 days through England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland for charity and helped raise £1.8 million ($2.7 million) for Sport Relief. In January 2020 Eddie ran the first part of his ‘Make Humanity Great Again’ journey, an epic charity challenge running through 29 European capital cities over 29 non-stop gruelling days.
NEW FRAME PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS: LIVE AT RIVERSIDE
New Frame Productions presents the UK Première
THE CHRISTMAS DRAG ROAST 2020
4 & 5 December 2020
The UK’s very first Christmas Drag Roast featuring RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestants Divina De Campo, Blu Hydrangea, Crystal and Sum Ting Wong premieres at Riverside Studios this December hosted by Baga Chipz!
The Christmas library is officially open for these Queens to throw almighty shade at one another in the most dramatic, iconic and hilarious drag roasts ever witnessed.
Don’t miss this evening of mayhem as they tear off their cracker crowns and light the figgy pudding with their flaming tongues, during what promises to be a phenomenal night of entertainment. They will roast each other better than your Grandma roasts the Christmas turkey!
Meet & Greets will take place after each performance in a separate space and will be socially distanced.
Recommended Age: 16+
New Frame Productions presents
FUNNY WOMEN: LIVE STAND UP!
11 December 2020
Escape your living room for an evening of laughter and joy with some of the UK’s funniest female comedians.
Hosted by the hilarious Shazia Mirza and starring Jayde Adams, Jen Brister and Felicity Ward, these funny women are sure to offer one of the most raucous nights out you have had in a very… very long time!
New Frame Productions presents
FERRIS AND MILNES – CHRISTMAS CRACKER
12 & 13 December 2020
Dominic Ferris and Martin Milnes are a unique combination. Dominic is a pianist extraordinaire; Martin has ‘two voices’. Together they combine comedy, music and vocals in a dynamic cocktail of explosive West End glamour and fun! They couldn’t possibly be planning madcap musical mayhem, merriment and mirth for Riverside Studios … or could they…?
Expect the unexpected, plus all the Christmas favourites you know and love, in this heart-warming, foot-tapping seasonal shindig. Further special guests to be announced.
Ferris and Milnes made their debut at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in Stephen Sondheim’s 85th Birthday Gala, performing their signature mash-up medley ’33 Sondheim Numbers In 5 Minutes’. Their debut West End show played at Ambassadors Theatre, and they perform annually at West End LIVE in Trafalgar Square. Ferris and Milnes’ Gershwin mash-up premièred at the Rose Theater, Lincoln Center, New York. Earlier this year they created We’ll Meet Again, a morale-boosting music film dedicated to the theatre industry featuring the late Dame Vera Lynn and many West End stars.
New Frame Productions presents
CHRISTMAS AT THE MOVIES
Directed by Omar F. Okai & Musical Direction by Chris Poon
16 – 20 December 2020
The biggest and brightest stars from London’s West End, including Christine Allado, Norma Atallah and Sharon Rose come together with an incredible live orchestra to celebrate the festive season. With music from some of the most iconic Christmas films ever made, including Home Alone, The Holiday, The Preacher’s Wife, Love Actually, The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Polar Express this special evening is sure to delight everyone, even the Grinches and Scrooges out there.
This unique and stunning celebration stars West End royalty and features a glorious twelve-piece orchestra in one of the most joyous and heart-warming shows this Christmas.
Christine Allado’s theatre credits include The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre), Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre), In The Heights (King’s Cross Theatre) and Sweet Charity (Royal Exchange Theatre).
Norma Atallah’s theatre credits include Follies (National Theatre), Les Misérables (Barbican/Palace Theatre/Queen’s Theatre), Cats (London Palladium), Chicago (Curve Theatre), Pirates of Penzance (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Oklahoma! (Palace Theatre), Evita (Prince Edward Theatre); and for film credits include Beauty and the Beast and Mamma Mia!
Sharon Rose’s theatre credits include Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre), Caroline or Change (Chichester Festival Theatre/Playhouse Theatre), Motown The Musical (Shaftesbury Theatre) and Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre). Sharon will appear in the upcoming Netflix film Jingle Jangle.
Omar F. Okai is the award-winning director and choreographer of over sixty plays and musicals, produced internationally. He is the co-director and Founder of the Black British Theatre Awards and Artistic Director of The Okai Collier Company. He recently directed The Last Five Years (Minack Theatre), Annie and Peter Pan (Shanghai, China).
Chris Poon’s theatre credits include Rent, The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit (Hope Mill Theatre), Legend Trippers (The Other Palace), In the Heights (Bridewell Theatre), Timpson: The Musical (King’s Head Theatre) and Nice Work If You Can Get It (Upstairs at the Gatehouse).
RIVERSIDE STUDIOS LISTINGS
Riverside Studios, 101 Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9BN
Box Office: 020 8237 1010 / www.riversidestudios.co.uk
Monday – Sunday, 9am – 4pm
SEASON AT A GLANCE
Norwell Lapley Productions present
DEAR SANTA LIVE
2 – 24 December 2020
GREAT EXPECTATIONS BY CHARLES DICKENS PERFORMED BY EDDIE IZZARD
21 – 23 December 2020
NEW FRAME PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS: LIVE AT RIVERSIDE
THE CHRISTMAS DRAG ROAST
4 & 5 December 2020
FUNNY WOMEN: LIVE STAND UP!
11 December 2020
FERRIS & MILNES – CHRISTMAS CRACKER
12 & 13 December 2020
CHRISTMAS AT THE MOVIES
16 – 20 December 2020