Direct from London’s West End!
Olivier-nominated Best New Play
‘CRUISE’
written and performed by Jack Holden
directed by Bronagh Lagan
will get its regional premiere at HOME, Manchester
20 July – 12 August, 2023
Set in 1980’S Soho, ‘CRUISE’ was the first new play to premiere in the West End when theatres re-opened after the Covid pandemic in May 2021.
Now writer and performer Jack Holden (‘Ten Per Cent’, Amazon Prime Video; ‘War Horse’, National Theatre), and his co-star John Patrick Elliott (The Litle Unsaid), who mixes and performs live an original electronic soundtrack during the show, will bring their stunning West End production to HOME, Manchester from 20 July – 12 August, 2023.
Winning critical acclaim and a coveted Olivier Award nomination for Best New Play, a feature film of ‘CRUISE’ is also currently in development.
Inspired by a true story Jack was told while volunteering for Switchboard, the LGBTQ+ listening and advice phone line, ‘CRUISE’ brings vividly to life 1980’s Soho in a kaleidoscopic musical celebration of queer culture with an uplifting soundtrack.
Jack Holden and John Patrick Elliott said today: “We’re so excited to bring ‘CRUISE’ to HOME Manchester for a limited run this Summer! In 2021, we reopened the West End with a bang, returning for another sell-out run in Summer 2022. Audiences were in desperate need of a release – a reason to come together, to laugh, to cry and to have a little dance – and ‘CRUISE’ gave them just that. HOME is the perfect next stop for our loud, proud, hilarious and heartbreaking show. We can’t wait to get back on stage, make one hell of a noise, and take Manchester back to the 1980s!”
February 29, 1988. Soho, London. ‘CRUISE’ is the true story of what should have been Michael Spencer’s last night on Earth. When Michael is diagnosed with HIV in 1984, he’s told he’ll have four years to live – at most. So, with the clock ticking, he and his partner, Dave, decide to sell their house, flog the car, spend everything they have and party like it’s the last days of Rome. When Dave dies two years later, Michael doubles down on his hedonistic ways, spending what little he has left and drowning himself in drink and drugs.
On the last night of his four-year countdown – the 29 February, 1988 – Michael decides to go out with a bang. He puts on his favourite jacket, heads for Soho, and embarks on a long night of farewells. He says his goodbyes to friends, enemies and strangers; old haunts, dive bars, cafes, clubs and pubs; his brothers, sisters, allies and exes. He dances, sings, and says yes to everything and everyone. Then, with all his affairs taken care of, Michael promptly… survives. Michael got lucky, and he goes on to live to a ripe old age. Michael has been given the gift of life; but what kind of life can he now live?
Creative team:
Bronagh Lagan (Director), Nik Corrall (Set & Costume Designer), Stufish Entertainment Architects (Set & Projection Designer), Prema Mehta (Lighting Designer), Max Pappenheim (Co-Sound Designer), Sarah Golding (Movement Director), Chris Matanlé for Aria Entertainment (General Manager and Assistant Producer), Playing Field (Co-Producer), HOME (Producer), Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment (Producer).
Initial development supported by Help Musicians Fusion Fund and Shoreditch Town Hall.
‘CRUISE’ was originally produced in the West End by Aria Entertainment and Lambert Jackson.
Jack Holden – Writer & Performer
Jack trained as an actor at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He then went straight on to play the lead role of Albert Narracott in the National Theatre’s internationally award-winning production of ‘War Horse’. Since then, Jack has worked at theatres across the country including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Nottingham Playhouse, Leicester Curve, Theatre Royal Bath, Bristol Old Vic, The Yard, the Almeida, the Hampstead Theatre and in the West End. Notable roles include Beverly Goodway in James Graham’s ‘Ink’, Captain Greville in Alan Bennett’s ‘The Madness of George III’, and Lysander in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at the RSC.
On screen, Jack was most recently seen as perky assistant Kevin in Amazon Prime Video’s ‘Ten Percent’, written by John Morton, and alongside Sean Bean and Nicola Walker in Stefan Golazsewski’s ‘Marriage’ for BBC One. Jack has also appeared in British independent films ‘The Levelling’ and ‘Journey’s End’, and in various shows for BBC, ITV and Channel 4. Jack took part in the RoyalCourt Young Writers Programme in 2013.
‘CRUISE’ marked Jack’s debut as a writer. The show opened to rave reviews – ‘A tour de force, the toast of the town’ – ***** The Telegraph – at the Duchess Theatre in London’s West End in May 2021. It was nominated for the Oliver Award for Best New Play 2022. A feature film of ‘Cruise’ is currently in development. The play text is published by Methuen Drama. ‘Cruise’ returned to the Apollo Theatre in August 2022 to further critical acclaim.
For screen, Jack is under commission to Fremantle, Emanata Studios, Endor, Genial Productions, Independent Entertainment and Michael Grandage Company, and is also co-lead writer on a new drama series in development at Channel 4. He is currently developing several new stage shows, including ‘Rave’, a musical play, and ‘Kenrex’, a true crime thriller. Jack has produced award-winning short films and theatre through his company, Watersmeet Productions. ‘Blood Out of a Stone’ (2018), premiered at BFI Flare and won the Best Director award at New Renaissance London; ‘The Rev’ (2021) was funded by Film London and premiered at London Film Festival 2021; ‘Under The Blue’ is currently in post-production.
John Patrick Elliott, Composer, Sound Designer & Performer
John is an award-winning composer, music producer and songwriter from West Yorkshire. He studied theatre at Manchester University before becoming a full-time touring musician and spending the past decade on the road in the UK and Europe, playing major festivals and releasing records with his alt-folk-electronic band The Little Unsaid.
John won the Stage Debut Award for Best Composer, Lyricist or Book Writer for his original score for ‘CRUISE’, which he performed live on stage for both West End runs in 2021 and 2022. In 2017 he was awarded the Steve Reid InNOVAtion Award for boundary-pushing music creators by a panel of music industry professionals including Gilles Peterson, Four Tet and Floating Points. Recently John has been composing more for the stage and screen and is currently working on several upcoming theatre projects.
Bronagh Lagan – Director
Originally from Northern Ireland, Bronagh has directed around the world, working on classical texts, musicals and new writing. She is passionate about directing new writing, particularly from under-represented communities.
Bronagh’s Olivier nominated production of ‘CRUISE’ by Jack Holden was the first new play to open the West End after the pandemic. CRUISE’ returned to the West End last year for a sold out run at the Apollo Theatre. She also directed a film version of the show in Shoreditch Town Hall’s Ditch which won an ONCOMM award for Best Recorded Show
Bronagh’s production of ‘Rags’, the musical by Charles Strouse and Stephen Schwartz at the Park Theatre received nine Off-West End Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Production. Bronagh worked closely with Stephen Schwartz in reimagining the script for an actor-musician production and curated a cast album of her production of ‘Rags’ which is available on iTunes and Spotify.
Bronagh directed the world premiere of ‘Broken Wings’, the musical first performed at Theatre Royal Haymarket and then at Dubai Opera House and now is on a Middle Eastern Tour. Last year, she directed new Persian musical ‘RUMI’ at the ENO starring Ramin Karimloo; the UK regional touring production of ‘The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’ starring Christina Bianco; and the European premiere of ‘Little Women – The Musical’, which is available on Broadway HD. Bronagh recently directed the world premier of ‘A-Typical Rainbow’ which was nominated for a Visionary Arts Award and ‘Animal’ by Jon Bradfield which recently ended a sell-out run at the Park Theatre and has received 5 Off West End nominations. www.bronaghlagan.com @bronaghlagan
Aria Entertainment – Producer
Aria Entertainment was founded in 2012 by award winning Producer Katy Lipson. In 10 years, she has produced over 80 productions in the West End, Off-West End and across the UK. Her most recent credits include the World Premiere of ‘Brokeback Mountain’ at @sohoplace, ‘Cruise’, which received an Olivier nomination for Best New Play and is now being developed as a film after two sell-out runs at the Duchess Theatre and Apollo Theatre, and the critically acclaimed transfer of ‘The Last Five Years’ to the West End. She is also a producer of several major UK tours including ‘The Osmonds’, ‘The Cher Show’, ‘Hair’,’ The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’ and ‘The Addams Family’. Several of these productions have since been produced internationally, including ‘The Addams Family’ (Singapore), ‘Hair’ (Germany) and upcoming runs of ‘The Last Five Years’, ‘Zorro’ and ‘Broken Wings’ around the world.
For several years, Katy was the Producing Artistic Director of the renowned Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester, creating and producing productions, many of which transferred to London. During her tenure she worked with Stephen Schwartz on creating a re-imagined version of ‘Rags’ and presented the first production of Jerry Herman’s ‘Mame’ in the UK for over 50 years.
In 2017, Lipson was awarded the Best Producer award by the Off-West End Awards and in 2019 was nominated for International Producer of the Year by the League of Professional Theatre Women in New York. She is a recipient of the Stage One Bursary and Start Up Award and works as a mentor on their Bursary and Bridge the Gap programmes. In 2018 she was included in “The Stage 100” list and in 2019 and 2020 for her work at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester and again in 2021 for her work as a solo producer. Lipson is at the forefront of new musical development in the UK, having set up the From Page to Stage festival to support new musicals at all difference stages of development. In 6 years, From Page to Stage has given a platform to over 100 new musicals; many of which have gone on to have full productions and be licensed worldwide. It is a keen passion of hers to cultivate new musicals that can have a long-lasting legacy in the West End, on Broadway and all around the world. Twitter: @ariaents
HOME – Producer
HOME is Manchester’s centre for international contemporary culture. Since opening in May 2015, HOME has welcomed over four million visitors to its two theatres, five cinemas, art gallery, book shop and restaurants. HOME works with international and UK artists to produce extraordinary theatrical experiences, producing an exciting mix of thought-provoking drama, dance, and festivals, with a strong focus on international work, new commissions and artist development. HOME’s ambition is to push the boundaries of form and technology, to experiment, have fun, take risks and share great new art with the widest possible audience. The patrons of HOME are Danny Boyle, actress Suranne Jones, playwright and poet Jackie Kay CBE, artists Rosa Barba and Phil Collins, filmmaker Asif Kapadia, and actress and author Meera Syal CBE. www.homemcr.org | @HOME_mcr | Facebook HOMEmcr
LISTINGS INFO
ARIA ENTERTAINMENT and HOME
present
CRUISE
Written By and Starring Jack Holden
Music And Sound Design
by John Patrick Elliott
Director Bronagh Lagan
20 July -12 August, 2023
HOME
2 Tony Wilson Place
Manchester
M15 4FN
Box 0ffice:
0161 200 1500
Age guidance: 16+
parental discretion advised / adult themes
Ticket Prices:
£12.50-£35
Social Media:
Twitter:
CruiseThePlay
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Facebook:
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Instagram:
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