THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE AT LEEDS GRAND THEATRE NEXT WEEK

STARRING

STRICTLY COME DANCING’S JOANNE CLIFTON

Award winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie is set to tap its way into Leeds Grand Theatre next week for one week only.

World Ballroom Showdance Champion and Professional Dancer Joanne Clifton will take on the title role of Millie Dillmount, a Kansas girl determined to make it big in New York City.

Joanne’s credits include Face the Music, Burn the Floor, Strictly Live Tour and Marilyn Monroe in Norma Jean Musical.

Winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie is based on the 1967 Academy Award-winning film. Taking audiences back to the height of the Jazz Age in 1920s New York City, when ‘moderns’ – including a flapper named Millie – were bobbing their hair, raising their hemlines, entering the workforce and rewriting the rules of love.

Joining Joanne on stage is musical theatre actor Lucas Rush who takes the role of Mrs Meers, the evil proprietor of the Hotel Priscilla.

From explosive tap numbers to a ‘Fred and Ginger’ dance routine on a window ledge, and featuring hit songs including Gimme Gimme and Not for the Life of Me Thoroughly Modern Millieis a brilliantly funny and entertaining show for all the family.

Thoroughly Modern Millie is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 17th to Saturday 22^nd April

Tickets are priced from £22.50 to £41.50

Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call Box Office on 0844 848 2700

Two fairy tales, a tango dance party,
a love story and a reunion in
The Lowry’s season of Dance this May

The Lowry, home of Dance in the North West, will present work from five of the worlds acclaimed dance companies this May. The line-up includes renowned Arthur Pita & HeadSpaceDance, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Ana Morales Flamenco Company, Cas Public, Jasmin Vardimon.

Award-winning Director and Choreographer Arthur Pita, in collaboration with HeadSpaceDance, presents Stepmother/ Stepfather (Tue 9 May). A wickedly gruesome, darkly surreal double bill of dark dance where distorted familiar characters from Snow White to Hansel and Gretel are pursued by a force of monstrous and abusive stepmothers.

In Reunión (Fri 12 May), Ana Morales Flamenco Company teams up with guest artist David Coria- forging a partnership of two of the most celebrated and exciting flamenco performers dancing on world stages today. Both extraordinary dancers hail from the cradle of flamenco, Seville, where this unique form of dance, music and life was born in the streets to become one of the most celebrated forms of folk art worldwide.

Dance Consortium and celebrated contemporary dancer and choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui open their UK tour of m¡longa (Tue 16 & Wed 17 May), a Sadler’s Wells production that is a seductive and fascinating exploration of tango for the 21st century.

Symphonie Dramatique (Tue 23 May) is a humorous look at the mythical couple of Romeo and Juliet. Cas Public’s adaptation is geared to audiences aged 10+. It draws from William Shakespeare’s romantic masterpiece to evoke notions of seduction, desire, unchained passion, and death.

Directed and choreographed by award winning choreographer Jasmin Vardimon, Pinocchio (Sat 27 & Sun 28 May) ends its world premiere UK tour at The Lowry. This adaptation of the classic fairy tale is based on the original book by Collodi and is performed by Jasmin Vardimon’s multi-talented dancers.

Sonia Friedman Productions, Scott Landis Productions, Chocolate Factory Productions, Dante Di Loreto

and

Michael Harrison

present The Menier Chocolate Factory production of

DARIUS CAMPBELL JOINS SHERIDAN SMITH IN

FUNNY GIRL AT EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE

««««« ‘Sheridan Smith is the greatest star by far.’

Daily Telegraph

««««« ‘Michael Mayer’s exhilarating embrace of a production.’ The Independent

FUNNY GIRL

Music by Jule Styne        Lyrics by Bob Merrill

Book by Isobel Lennart from an original story by Miss Lennart

Revised Book by Harvey Fierstein

Director: Michael Mayer; Choreographer: Lynne Page Set Designer: Michael Pavelka

Costume Designer: Matthew Wright; Lighting Designer: Mark Henderson

Sound Designer: Richard Brooker; Musical Supervisor and arrangements: Alan Williams

Orchestrations: Chris Walker; Tour Director: Richard Fitch

Darius Campbell will play Nick Arnstein opposite Sheridan Smith as Fanny Brice for performances at Edinburgh Playhouse (18 – 22 April) as part of the nationwide Funny Girl tour. They are joined by Nigel Barber (Florenz Ziegfeld), Zoë Ann Bown (Mrs. Meeker), Martin Callaghan (Mr. Keeney), Jennifer Harding (Emma), Rachel Izen (Mrs Brice), Joshua Lay (Eddie) and Myra Sands (Mrs. Strakosh); with Rhianne Alleyne, Kit Benjamin, Lloyd Davies, Flora Dawson, Joseph Dockree, Abigayle Honeywill, Brontë Lavine, David Mcintosh, Peter Nash, Gillian Parkhouse, Tom Partridge, Nova Skipp, Alexandra Waite-Roberts, Sam Wingfield and Alexandra Wright.

‘An unforgettable star turn.’ The Times

‘Smith is hilarious, glorious, touching. With a performance that is all-singing, all dancing, all-joking and, somehow, all-soul too.’ The Times

««««« ‘Don’t believe this five-star hype? Go see for yourselves… if you can get in.’

Daily Telegraph

Funny Girl brought global fame to Barbra Streisand 50 years ago and boasts some of the most iconic songs in film and theatre history, including People and Don’t Rain On My Parade. This ‘iconic, legendary, laugh-out-loud’ (The Times) musical tells the story of Fanny Brice, whose vocal talents and comedic ability see her rise from Brooklyn music hall singer to Broadway star.

‘A winningly exuberant performance. The most brilliant comic actress at work today.’

Sunday Times

‘Michael Mayer’s vivacious production has wit, charm and energy, sparkly choreography, and a strong, ebullient cast.’ Financial Times

Sheridan Smith reprises her smash hit performance in the role of Fanny Brice. Her other theatre work includes A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Michael Grandage Company at the Noel Coward Theatre), Hedda Gabler (Old Vic), Flare Path (Theatre Royal Haymarket – Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress, Evening Standard Theatre Award and Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress), Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre – Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical), Tinderbox (Bush Theatre), The People are Friendly (Royal Court) and Into the Woods (Donmar Warehouse). For television, her credits include The Moorside Project, Blackwork, The C Word, Cilla, The Widower, The 7.39, Dates, Mr Stink, Mrs Biggs (BAFTA Award for Best Actress), Accused, Scapegoat, Little Crackers, Jonathan Creek, Gavin & Stacey, Larkrise to Candleford, Grown Ups, Love Soup, Two Pints of Larger and a Packet of Crisps, The Royle Family and Wives and Daughters; and for film, The Huntsman, Powder Room, Quartet, Tower Block and Hysteria.

Following runs at the Menier and in the West End, Darius Campbell returns to play Nick Arnstein. His theatre work includes in the West End, Chicago, Guys and Dolls, Gone with the Wind, and From Here to Eternity; Carmen (Europe and 02) and The History of the Big Bands (tour). Also a recording artist, his first single Colourblind went to #1 in the UK singles chart.

Director Michael Mayer’s West End credits include Spring Awakening (Lyric Hammersmith and Novello Theatre) and Thoroughly Modern Millie (Shaftesbury Theatre). For Broadway his work includes Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Tony Award nomination for Best Director), On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, American Idiot (Drama Desk Award for Best Director of a Musical), Spring Awakening (Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Drama Desk Award for Best Direction of a Musical) and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Drama Desk Award nomination for Best Direction of a Musical).  For television, his work includes Smash and Alpha House, and for film his credits include A Home at the End of the World, Flicka and currently in post-production, Chekhov’s The Seagull.  He made his Metropolitan Opera debut with a celebrated new production of Rigoletto.

Listings:

Edinburgh Playhouse

Box Office: 18 – 22 April

0844 871 3014

www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh

Twitter: @FunnyGirl_UK                Facebook: /FunnyGirlUK               Instagram: @FunnyGirlUK

The Mentor stars Academy Award-winner F. Murray Abraham as Benjamin Rubin, Daniel Weyman as Martin Wegner, Naomi Frederick as Gina Wegner and Jonathan Cullen as Erwin Rudicek.

Directed by Ustinov Studio’s Artistic Director Laurence Boswell and translated by Christopher Hampton, this marks the first time a Kehlmann play has been performed outside of Germany.

In a dilapidated art nouveau villa, somewhere in the German countryside, two massive egos are set on a collision course in this perceptive and compelling comedy about art and artists and the legacy of fame.

F. Murray Abraham won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Salieri in Miloš Forman’s masterpiece Amadeus. His numerous other screen credits include Homeland, Mighty Aphrodite, Scarface, Finding Forrester, Star Trek: Insurrection, The Name of the Rose, The Good Wife, Inside Llewyn Davis and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Theatre credits include It’s Only A Play, Othello, Richard III and Uncle Vanya, for which he was awarded an Obie Award for Best Actor.

Daniel Weyman’s previous credits for Theatre Royal Bath include Kafka’s Dick and King Lear. Additional theatre credits include Sideways (St James Theatre), 4000 Days (Park Theatre) andThe Crucible (Bristol Old Vic). Television and film credits include Great Expectations, Foyle’s War and Silent Witness.

Naomi Frederick’s theatre credits include Hobson’s Choice (Theatre Royal Bath and West End),The Heresy of Love, Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It (Shakespeare’s Globe) and The Winslow Boy (Old Vic).

Jonathan Cullen starred in the Ustinov Studio’s production of Trouble in Mind. Additional theatre credits include Enemy of the People (Chichester Festival Theatre), Doctor Faustus(Shakespeare’s Globe) and Love the Sinner (National Theatre).

Daniel Kehlmann is a German-language author whose novel Measuring the World, sold three million copies in Germany alone and has been translated into more than 40 languages.

Christopher Hampton previously translated Florian Zeller’s play The Father for the Ustinov Studio, launching its international success. He won an Academy Award for the adaptation of his own play, Dangerous Liaisons.

Laurence Boswell is an Olivier Award-winner, Artistic Director of the Ustinov Studio and an Associate Artist of the RSC. His recent productions include A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Theatre Royal’s Main House, and Trouble in the Mind, The Mother, Intimate Apparel and The Spanish Golden Age Season in the Ustinov Studio.

LISTINGS

Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath, Sawclose, Bath, BA1 1ET
Box Office: 01225 448844
Website: www.theatreroyal.org.uk/ustinov 
Facebook: TheatreRoyalBath
Twitter: @TheatreRBath | @UstinovStudio

The Mentor
By Daniel Kehlmann
Translated by Christopher Hampton
Directed by Laurence Boswell
Dates: Thursday 6 April – Saturday 6 May 2017
Press Night: Thursday 13 April, 7pm
Performance schedule: Mon – Sat 7.45pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 2.30pm
(No matinee Thursday 6 April)
Tickets: £19.50 / £14.50 discounts (Preview Perfs and Mondays, all seats £12)
Post show Discussion: Thursday 20th April, after evening performance

Out of Spite Theatre and Eastlake Productions presents

This Is Not Culturally Significant.

The Bunker, 53A Southwark Street London SE1 1RU

Monday 15th May – Saturday 3rd June 2017

Following a highly successful run at VAULT Festival, where it was awarded ‘Show of the Week’, Out of Spite Theatre presents the transfer of the critically acclaimed, Edinburgh Fringe sell-out, This Is Not Culturally Significant

Written, directed and performed by Adam Scott-Rowley (Anna; Macbeth; Lady Anna: All at Sea, Park Theatre and National Tour), This Is Not Culturally Significant. is a brutally intense, darkly comic one-man show that reveals the bizarre, compulsive and eccentric nature of humanity. This thunderous, high energy piece of theatre combines dark clowning and deeply grotesque buffoon to create a sharp political comment on contemporary society.

Performed entirely nude, Scott-Rowley has created a show for thrill-seekers, putting himself in an eye-opening state of vulnerability. It is both uncomfortable to watch and mesmeric, leaving audiences’ emotions balancing on a knife edge. From a mendacious Spiritualist Lecturer to a despondent American Porn Star on the brink of her retirement, over 10 characters take the audience on a journey from emotional despair to helpless laughter.

Adam Scott-Rowley comments, I am utterly thrilled to be bringing This Is Not Culturally Significant. to The Bunker Theatre after a successful run at VAULT Festival. An old repurposed underground car-park is the perfect setting for the ‘gallery of grotesques’ who make up the show.

This Is Not Culturally Significant. probes the relevance of theatre as an art form and pokes through the fourth wall to mock its audience. It is darkly comic; a play with a twisted sense of humour that dares its audience to laugh. (West End Wilma)

This Is Not Culturally Significant. is not just a surreal and hilarious piece; this is political theatre at its best. (London Box Office)

Exchange Theatre presents:

JACK ELLIS, KARINA JONES & OLIVER MELLOR

STAR IN THE 2017 NATIONAL TOUR OF

FREDERICK KNOTT’S THRILLER

“WAIT UNTIL DARK”

NATIONAL PRESS NIGHT TUESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2017

The Original Theatre Company is delighted to present the national tour and a major revival of Frederick Knott’s gripping thriller, WAIT UNTIL DARK, directed by Alastair Whatley and starring Jack Ellis as Mike, Karina Jones as Susy and Oliver Mellor as Sam Henderson. The tour will begin at Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne on 24 August 2017, with a national press night on Tuesday 5 September 2017 in Richmond. Further casting is to be announced.

Set amidst the social turbulence of 1960s London, the play follows the story of Susy, a blind woman who, left alone in her apartment, becomes the victim of an elaborate scam hatched by a group of conmen. Susy is left to fend for herself, and eventually finds a way to turn the tables on the conmen and give them a taste of life in the dark.

Frederick Knott, best known for writing Dial M For Murder, wrote WAIT UNTIL DARK in 1966. Audrey Hepburn starred as Susy in the 1967 film adaptation, for which she was nominated for both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress. The film is often ranked as one of the top 100 scariest films of all time.

Jack Ellis is best known for starring as Jim Fenner in ITV drama Bad Girls and played regular Harry Mason in Coronation Street from 2007 to 2008. His extensive TV roles include Vera (ITV 1), New Tricks (BBC 1) and regular Robert Ashford in Where the Heart Is (ITV 1). Jack’s theatre credits include Warden Stammas in the UK tour of Shawshank Redemption, Hastings in Richard IIIat The Old  Vic and Horatio in Hamlet, Orsino in Twelfth Night & P.R Deltoid in A Clockwork Orange, all for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Karina Jones has an extensive range of theatre, TV and radio credits to her name and is an international aerial circus performer and trained belly dancer! Karina has worked with National Theatre of Wales, The Roundhouse Camden, the Half Moon, Citizens Theatre Glasgow, the Tron, Frantic Assembly, Soho Theatre, Graeae and Paines Plough, and her credits include Soloparentpals.com (BBC Radio 4), The Vagina Monologues (Graeae) and Thomasina in Crystal Clear (Lowry Theatre), for which she was nominated for a Manchester Theatre Award.

Karina has a degenerative sight condition and is visually impaired. She is associate director of Invisible Flash Theatre Company and works as a visually impaired access consultant for many companies, including Graeae and Ramps on the Moon. She was part of the 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony team. Karina recently belly danced for the world’s press outside 10 Downing Street to highlight disability rights issues.

Oliver Mellor is best known for playing the role of Dr Matt Carter in Coronation Street from 2010 to 2013. Oliver also played Walter MacMurray in Father Brown (BBC 1) and Julian Woodley in Midsomer Murders (ITV 1). He has toured the UK playing Tony Wendice in Frederick Knott’s Dial M For Murder, James Herriot in All Creatures Great & Small and Edward Raynor in Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee.

WAIT UNTIL DARK will be designed by David Woodhead, with lighting by Chris Withers, sound and music by Giles Thomas, fight coordination by Rc-Annie and casting by Ellie Collyer Bristow. The national tour is produced by Tom Hackney for The Original Theatre Company.

Website: www.originaltheatre.com

Facebook: TheOriginalTheatre 

Twitter: @OriginalTheatre

2017 TOUR SCHEDULE

24 August – 2 September        Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne        01323 412000

                                                www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk                        On sale soon

5 – 9 September                      Richmond Theatre                                         0844 871 7651           

                                                www.atgtickets.com/richmond                          On sale soon

12 – 16 September                  Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham                   01242 572573

                                                 www.everymantheatre.org.uk                          On sale

25 – 30 September                  Salisbury Playhouse                                      01722 320333                                                                                                                     www.salisburyplayhouse.com                          On sale 13 May          

3 – 7 October                           Exeter Northcott Theatre                              01392 726 363

                                                 www.exeternorthcott.co.uk                              On sale

10 – 14 October                       Lichfield Garrick Theatre                             01543 412121

                                                 www.lichfieldgarrick.com                                 On sale 1 May

24 – 28 October                      Malvern Festival Theatre                              01684 892277

                                                www.malvern-theatres.co.uk                            On sale soon

31 October – 4 November       Palace Theatre, Southend                            01702 351135

                                                www.palacetheatresouthend.co.uk                  On sale

6 – 11 November                     New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich                      01473 295900

                                                www.wolseytheatre.co.uk                                On sale 15 April

14 – 18 November                   New Theatre, Cardiff                                     029 2087 8889           

                                                www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk                           On sale soon

20 – 25 November                   York Theatre Royal                                        01904 623568                                                                                                                     www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk                            On sale soon

28 November – 2 December    Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford                           01483 440000
www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk                               On sale soon

• THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY ANNOUNCES UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF MATILDA THE MUSICAL FROM MARCH 2018 – AUGUST 2019
• LAUNCHING AT LEICESTER CURVE ON 5 MARCH 2018, THE RSC’S MATILDA THE MUSICALWILL VISIT DUBLIN, SUNDERLAND, MILTON KEYNES, BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER AND CARDIFF. FURTHER DATES AND LOCATIONS TO BE ANNOUNCED IN DUE COURSE
• THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTION WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY IN THE WEST END AS WELL AS ITS TOURS IN AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND NORTH AMERICA

Today, the Royal Shakespeare Company announces that its multi award-winning production of Matilda The Musical will embark on a UK and Ireland tour in 2018-2019.

Winner of 85 international awards, including 16 for Best Musical, the RSC’s touring production of Matilda The Musical will open at Leicester Curve, playing from 5 – 24 March 2018, followed by Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre (4 April – 28 April), Sunderland Empire (8 May – 2 June), Milton Keynes Theatre (5 June – 30 June), Birmingham Hippodrome (3 July – 8 September), Manchester Palace (18 September – 24 November) and Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre (4 December – 12 January 2019).

Tickets for Leicester, Dublin, Sunderland, Milton Keynes, Manchester and Cardiff will go on sale to the public on 26 April following a priority booking period between 19 and 25 April. Tickets for Birmingham go on sale on 9 May, after a priority booking from 25 April to 8 May. Further dates and venues are to be announced in due course. The West End production continues at the Cambridge Theatre, currently booking until 17 December 2017.

The production will be accompanied in each location by a new education programme to engage young people, inspired by Matilda The Musical. From a travelling library of stories led by Mrs Phelps, to whole school takeovers of Matilda, the RSC aims to reach over 15,000 children, in collaboration with touring theatre partners. Further details to be announced.

Dennis Kelly, (book) said:

“It’s been a long time coming but I’m delighted that we get to take Matilda around the UK and to Ireland. We have some fantastic theatres in this country and in Ireland, supported by smart, engaged audiences and we can’t wait to bring this crazy, messy, anarchic explosion of a show to them.”

Tim Minchin (music and lyrics) said:

“I – like millions of others – feel like Dahl is in my blood, because I grew up with his books. So to have contributed to a piece of work that brings one of his most famous stories to life is one of my life’s great joys. I’m utterly thrilled that audiences in cities all across the UK and Ireland will now share and be part of Matilda’s story.”

Catherine Mallyon, RSC Executive Director said:

“We are thrilled our home-grown miracle, which started life after a seven year gestation in Stratford-upon-Avon, has grown into a bit of a global phenomenon. Following Matilda’s successful run on Broadway, our current tours around North America, Australia and New Zealand, and continuing into our sixth year at the Cambridge Theatre in London’s West End, it is fantastic that we can share Matilda with audiences around the UK and in Ireland. In collaboration with our touring partners we will also deliver a programme of ground-breaking interactive education projects to enable young people to emulate Matilda, sharing the extraordinary power of story-telling and the boundless creativity of their imaginations.”

Now in its sixth year in London’s West End, Matilda The Musical is the longest running production at the Cambridge Theatre where it continues to play to packed houses.

With book by Dennis Kelly, original songs by Tim Minchin and direction by Matthew Warchus,Matilda The Musical is the story of an extraordinary little girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.

Inspired by the incomparable Roald Dahl’s beloved book, Matilda The Musical was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and premiered at the RSC’s The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in November 2010, before transferring to London’s West End in October 2011, where it opened to rave reviews.

The New York production of Matilda The Musical opened in April 2013 at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre and was celebrated on 10 “Top Ten” lists for 2013, including TIME Magazine’s #1 Show of the Year.

Matilda The Musical has been seen by more than 6.5 million people worldwide. Having swept the board at the 2012 Olivier Awards, with a record-breaking seven awards, and winning four Tony Awards and a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater for the four girls sharing the title role on Broadway, Matilda The Musical has now played in 50 cities worldwide and continues to delight audiences in London, Australia and on tour around North America.

After winning a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Musical in 2015, the Australian production played a sold-out season at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre. In July 2016, the production broke further records by winning all 13 Helpmann Awards for which it was nominated. The tour continues in Perth and Adelaide and will premiere in New Zealand at The Civic in Auckland in August 2017 for a strictly limited season.

Matilda The Musical is produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company with André Ptaszynski and Denise Wood as Executive Producers. The production was developed with the support of Jeanie O’Hare and the RSC Literary Department.

Matilda The Musical is written by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, and direction by Matthew Warchus. The production is designed by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker and the special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve.

TOUR LISTINGS

Leicester Curve
Monday 5 – Saturday 24 March 2018
Box Office: 0116 242 3595
www.curveonline.co.uk

Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre
Wednesday 4 – Saturday 28 April 2018
Box Office: +353 (1) 677 7999
www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

Sunderland Empire Theatre
Tuesday 8 May – Saturday 2 June 2018
Box Office: 0844 871 3022*
www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire

Milton Keynes Theatre
Tuesday 5 – Saturday 30 June 2018
Box Office: 0844 871 7652*
www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre

Birmingham Hippodrome
Tuesday 3 July – Saturday 8 September 2018
Box Office: 0844 338 5000**
www.birminghamhippodrome.com

Manchester Palace Theatre
Tuesday 18 September – Saturday 24 November 2018
Box Office: 0844 871 3019*
www.atgtickets.com/venues/palace-theatre-manchester

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff / Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru
Tuesday 4 December 2018 – Saturday 12 January 2019
Box Office: 029 2063 6464
www.wmc.org.uk

* Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge.
** Calls cost 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

www.matildathemusical.com
#matildaontour

WEST END LISTING

MATILDA THE MUSICAL
Cambridge Theatre, Earlham Street, WC2H 9HU
Booking until 17 December 2017
Tuesdays 7pm
Wednesday – Saturday 7:30pm
Wednesday & Saturday 2:30pm
Sundays 3pm

Box Office: Cambridge Theatre* 0844 412 4652 / RSC Ticket Hotline 01789 403493
No booking fee. *Calls cost 7p per min plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

Twitter: @MatildaMusical
Facebook: @MatildaTheMusical
Instagram: @MatildaTheMusical

York Theatre Royal – 8 April 2017.  Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

Tosca is an Italian opera written by Puccini and first performed in 1900.  The tragedy focuses on an artist Cavaradossi (Alexander James Edwards) and his lover, a performer, Tosca (Laura Mitchell).  Set in the late 18th century the opera has a beautiful charm and an aesthetic appeal. In the first act we are in a church with a statue of the Madonna with candles lighting her face up.  Part of a double-bill that is touring across the UK by an appropriately  named company ‘English Touring Opera’ their other show Patience was being performed the night before.

The Company came to York  for the Friday and Saturday.

Now I must admit I preferred Tosca much more than Patience. With it being sung in Italian and its plot it had a much more dramatic flare.  I found myself getting involved into the story as it has a strong conflict that could break up a love.  As far as the singing went it was much stronger between the main actors who boasted their powerful voices and brought the romance and story to life.

Whilst the performance had English subtitles you could understand what was happening without since the physical aspects of their acting played such a major role in the performance. What the subtitles did do however was create the lighter moments in the script possible for an English audience, with Tosca wanting to change the eyes on a painting.  The material was very good at making these comic moments in the tragedy to make their relationship much more believable and true.  Mitchell who plays Tosca had the most stunning voice and every time she hit a powerful note it gave me goosebumps. And at the end – let’s just say that I cried.

Go and see this opera, I cannot stress how good this show is and how it will make you feel.  It is the prime of what a good piece of theatre, let alone an opera, should be. The orchestra and cast are one of the best I’ve seen when it comes to coherence and fluidity as they worked together to create this amazing piece of art which I can label as perfection.  Go and see this Opera!

York Theatre Royal – 7 April 2017.  Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

Patience is an English Opera by the renowned and historical figureheads Gilbert and Sullivan, the performance can be described as an aesthetic opera. English Touring Opera is taking this show as part of a double bill with Tosca. It came to York over the weekend and had one performance at the York Theatre Royal.

The Opera was set in 1881 and follows the poet Reginald Bunthorne (Bradley Davis) and a milkmaid Patience (Luci Briginshaw), while he can have any woman we want as he is deeply loved by all around him he chooses to love the simple milkmaid, who claims she can never love someone as she had never done before. The story is very easy to watch and had a lot of lighter moments so you don’t have to get to involved; so you can sit back and appreciate the gayness, as they like to say.

As far as the acting, and equally singing goes, I loved pretty much all of it, all the singing was such a pleasure to watch, you could get lost is some of their voices as they were so mesmerising.  One of the best aspects was the ensemble of maidens and dragoons who gave the performance a great comical aspect and their vocals as a group fill the whole theatre and gave a powerful moment one stage.  I loved the dragoons wackiness with each other as they were a bit foolish and a far as the maidens go let’s just say lovesick could never be so funny to watch.

The stage had a simple touch to it but as it was an extravagant performance it was graced with these arches with statues behind them that brought this beauty to the performance. Another thing that I loved about the visual aspect was the costumes as they were amazing to look at especially on the poets and maidens.

Now you can never go to the opera without talking about the orchestra, which I have to say it, they were superb and blew me away.  Conducted by Timothy Burke, who ensured that the cast and orchestra stayed in time and worked together. I loved the music and everyone performed amazingly.  As far as lyrics go as well they were one of the strongest points of the Opera and the prime point of this is when the Lady Jane (Valerie Reid) sung about her figure and age.

If you have never been to the opera, go and see this show as it’s easy to get into with its English language and light story, if you’re a seasoned operatic viewer go and see this show as it something you will enjoy. It had such a simple and pleasant story that you will leave feeling bliss and entertained. If you’re afraid that you may feel going to the opera is a chore, it’s not, it is an experience that I am glad to say “I’ll go and see it again and again”