NATIONAL THEATRE WALES’ ILIAD

a89b9209266bcc2d_orgNATIONAL THEATRE WALES’ ILIAD

Monday 17 August 2015

  • REHEARSALS START TODAY
  • LOCAL TEENAGERS TO PLAY THE GREEK GODS
  • EPIC STORYTELLING FOR THE AGE OF THE BOX-SET
  • 21 SEP – 3 OCT 2015, INCLUDING ONE OVERNIGHT MARATHON PERFORMANCE

REHEARSALS START TODAY FOR THIS NEW STAGING OF CHRISTOPHER LOGUE’S EPIC POEM WAR MUSIC, DIRECTED BY MIKE PEARSON & MIKE BROOKES.

A cast of ten will play the Greeks and Trojans, alongside local Llanelli teenagers as the unruly Greek gods – impulsive, vengeful, sex-mad and status-obsessed.

Tickets are now on sale. The production will be four parts, performed individually on weeknights, and in two marathon performances – one all day, and one overnight. The production will be performed in the Ffwrnes theatre in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire (21 SEP – 3 OCT 2015)

“In the beginning there was no Beginning,
And in the end, no End…”

Cast: Claire Cage, Rosa Casado, Daniel Hawksford, Ffion Jones, Richard Huw Morgan, Guy Lewis, Richard Lynch, John Rowley, Melanie Walters and Llion Williams

Teenage gods: Jacob Brown, Connor Charles, Madison Ellery, Scott Gutteridge, Lucy Havard, Harry Lynn, Ella Peel, Carmen Smith, Joseph Stockton and Maddison Eve Thomas

Renowned theatre-makers Mike Pearson and Mike Brookes, celebrated for their recent, large-scale interpretations of Aeschylus’ The Persians and Shakespeare’s and Brecht’s Coriolan/us with National Theatre Wales, will bring their trademark vision to this multimedia staging of Christopher Logue’s filmic poem War Music, derived from Homer’s account of the last years of the Trojan War.

The audience will be cast into a world both ancient and modern, a world created by a group of eminent Welsh actors, a troupe of teenage gods, a stage shaped around them, and vast cinematic landscapes. Each of the four parts can be viewed individually, while bolder audience members can choose to see all four in one of two marathon performances – either all day or overnight.

Classic Greek, epic storytelling meets box-set theatre.

The cast will include six narrators (Claire Cage, Daniel Hawksford, Guy Lewis, Richard Lynch, Melanie Walters and Llion Williams), four constructors who will reshape the set throughout the performances and 10 local teenagers as the gods.

Mike Brookes is an award-winning artist, director and designer. He co-founded the performance collective Pearson/Brookes with Mike Pearson in 1997. Since 2005, his collaborative art work with Spanish artist Rosa Casado has produced live art and gallery works across a range of media; their work together having been widely commissioned and presented across Europe, Asia, Australasia, South America, and USA. Other collaborators include Quarantine and Untitled Projects. In 2007, he was appointed Research Fellow within Aberystwyth University.

Mike Pearson trained as an archaeologist. He was a member of R.A.T. Theatre (1972–73) and an artistic director of Cardiff Laboratory Theatre (1973–80) and Brith Gof (1981–97). He currently makes performance as a solo artist; with Mike Brookes in Pearson/Brookes and for National Theatre Wales. Mike is author of Theatre/Archaeology (2001); In Comes I: Performance, Memory and Landscape (2006);Site-Specific Performance (2010); The Mickery Theater: An Imperfect Archaeology (2011); and Marking Time: Performance, Archaeology and the City (2013). He was Professor of Performance Studies, Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, Aberystwyth University (1999-2014).

Christopher Logue was a poet, screenwriter, actor and playwright. Born in Portsmouth in 1926 he served briefly in the Black Watch during and immediately after the Second World War, before spending sixteen months in a military prison. In 1952 he went to Paris where he worked on Merlin, the magazine which published Beckett. He funded his own poetry by writing pornography under the name Count Palmiro Vicarion. Back in London in the ’60s he wrote plays for the Royal Court, scripts for Ken Russell, including Savage Messiah and songs for Peter Cook’s Establishment Club. He acted in several films, including Russell’s The Devils and went to prison again in 1961 with Bertrand Russell and others for his support of CND. On his release he began his ‘True Stories’ column for Private Eye. He was responsible for some of the first poetry posters and was a life-long advocate of performance verse. In 1959 he recorded Red Bird, with the musician and composer Tony Kinsey, a combination of jazz with Logue’s versions of poems by Pablo Neruda. His retelling of the Iliad, begun in 1959 and published in several volumes which came to be known collectively as War Music, is his best-known work. He had no Greek and based his work on literal translations, many provided by Donald Carne-Ross, who commissioned the first part of War Music for the Third Programme (Radio Three). He recorded and performed it often, notably with Alan Howard. War Music remained incomplete at his death, in 2011.

Full listings information:

ILIAD
National Theatre Wales in association with Ffwrnes
A theatrical staging of Christopher Logue’s War Music
Directed by Mike Pearson & Mike Brookes
Composer: John Hardy Music
Costume Designer: Simon Banham
Sound Designer: Mike Beer
Cinematographer: Luke Jacobs and Like an Egg Productions
Assistant Director: Julia Thomas
Dates: 21 September-3 October 2015
Venue: The Ffwrnes, Park Street, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, SA15 3YE

Iliad is in four parts: Iliad: Kings, Iliad: The Husbands, Iliad: Red/Cold, Iliad: War Music
The running time for all four parts is approx. 2hrs each
The four parts can be seen separately, or in one of two marathon performances.

Performance schedule

Mon 21 Sept, 7.30pm: Iliad: Kings
Tue 22 Sept, 7.30pm: Iliad: The Husbands
Wed 23 Sept, 7.30pm: Iliad: Red/Cold
Thurs 24 Sept, 7.30pm: Iliad: War Music

Sat 26 Sept: all-day marathon
(Iliad: Kings at 10.30am, Iliad: The Husbands at 1.30pm, Iliad: Red/Cold at 5pm and Iliad: War Music at 8pm)

Mon 28 Sept, 7.30pm: Iliad: Kings
Tue 29 Sept, 7.30pm: Iliad: The Husbands
Wed 30 Sept, 7.30pm: Iliad: Red/Cold
Thurs 1Oct, 7.30pm: Iliad: War Music

Sat 3 Oct: all-night marathon
(Iliad: Kings at 6.30pm, Iliad: The Husbands at 9.30pm, Iliad: Red/Cold at 1am on Sun 4 Oct and Iliad: War Music at 4am)

Box Office
Online: www.nationaltheatrewales.org/iliad
By phone: 029 2037 1689

Ticket Prices
Single performance (each): £20 (£15 conc)
4 x single performances: £70 (£50 conc)
Marathon performance: £60 (£45 conc)
Local adult (within Carms): £10*
Local under-25 (inc. schools and colleges within Carms): £7.50*
* single performances only

Schools Ticket prices:
Single performance: £10
Marathon performance: £40

For more information about Iliad, go to:
www.nationaltheatrewales.org/iliad

Follow Iliad on Twitter:
#ntwiliad
@ntwtweets

  

For more information about National Theatre Wales or any of its forthcoming shows, contact
Press & PR Manager Catrin Rogers: 029 20 353 070 / 07540 686 725 /[email protected]

Cast announced for London Premiere of See What I Wanna See

CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

THE LONDON PREMIERE OF

SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE

by Michael John LaChiusa

 

AT JERMYN STREET THEATRE

FROM TUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER TO SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2015

See What I Wanna See - artwork (1) 

 

Casting is announced today for Michael John LaChiusa’s Off-Broadway hit See What I Wanna See, which will receive its London Premiere in a limited 4-week run at Jermyn Street Theatre from Tuesday 8 September to Saturday 3 October, with a press night on Friday 11 September, 7.30pm.

The cast features Jonathan Butterell as The Janitor/The Priest, Marc Elliott as The Thief/A Reporter, Cassie Comptonas Kesa/The Wife/An Actress, Mark Goldthorp as Morito/The Husband/A CPA and Sarah Ingram as The Medium/Aunt Monica.

Jonathan Butterell is a director and choreographer. He choreographed the original production of See What I Wanna Seeat New York’s Public Theater, and directed the premieres of Michael John LaChiusa’s other works Giant and Tres Nińas. Choreography credits include Company, Into The Woods and Nine at the Donmar Warehouse and Assassins, Fiddler on the Roof and Light in the Piazza on Broadway. He has also choreographed several films including Finding Neverland. Jonathan trained as an actor and dancer, and is returning to the stage after more than 20 years.

 

Marc ElliottMarc Elliott is best known for playing Syed Masood in EastEnders, a role he played for three years. Other television credits include Midsomer Murders (ITV), Holby City (BBC) and The Bill (ITV). His stage credits include Urinetown (St. James and Apollo Theatres), City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse) and The History Boys (National Theatre).

Cassie ComptonCassie Compton’s West End credits include Nessarose in Wicked, Elizabeth in Dirty Dancing and Eponine in Les Misérables, with other recent credits including Jean in American Psycho at the Almeida Theatre. Cassie was a finalist in the 2004 series of X Factor, with recent television work including Call the Midwife (BBC), Mr. Selfridge (ITV) and Casualty(BBC).

Mark Goldthorp’s West End credits include Matilda, Avenue Q, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Woman in White and Les Misérables. Other recent credits include Jekyll and Hyde (Union Theatre), Into the Woods (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and I love You Because (Landor Theatre). Television credits include Skins (Channel 4) and My Family (BBC).

 

Sarah Ingram’s many West End credits include Oklahoma!, South Pacific, Martin Guerre, Inherit The Wind, Flashdance, Imagine This, Murderous Instincts and Napoleon. Other recent credits include Sweeney Todd (Twickenham Theatre), Road Show (Menier Chocolate Factory), Taboo (Brixton Clubhouse) and Annie (West Yorkshire Playhouse).

 

See What I Wanna See is a vibrant and provocative new musical that explores the nature of truth, and how it is altered by perspective. From medieval Japan where two lovers seek to escape a doomed relationship, to modern day New York where a priest is wrestling with his faith, See What I Wanna See weaves together three remarkable stories of lust, greed, murder, faith and redemption, where truth and lies have become entangled. Michael John LaChiusa’s beautiful and unexpected music blends a plethora of influences from jazz and salsa to classical and pop into a fluid, cinematic score. See What I Wanna See is a fiercely intelligent, heartfelt piece of theatre that calls into question; how pure can the truth ever be?

See What I Wanna See was named one of the Best Musicals of 2005 by New York Magazine, and was nominated for nine Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical. It premiered at New York’s Public Theater in 2005 where it starred Idina Menzel in her first role following her Tony Award-winning performance originating the role of Elphaba in Wicked.

Michael John LaChiusa is a composer, lyricist and librettist, whose shows include The Wild PartyHello AgainMarie Christine and GiantMichael was nominated for four Tony Awards in 2000 for his score and book for both Marie Christineand The Wild Party.

 

See What I Wanna See is based on three short stories by acclaimed Japanese writer Ryunosuke Akutagawa. It will be directed by Adam Lenson, who recently directed the 20th Anniversary revival of Songs For A New World at St. James Theatre starring Cynthia Erivo, Damian Humbley, Dean John-Wilson and Jenna Russell. Adam also created the sell-out concert series West End Recast at the Phoenix and Duke of York’s Theatres and was associate director on the Olivier award winning west end production of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along.

See What I Wanna See is written by Michael John LaChiusa, based on short stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa as translated by Takashi Kojima. It is directed by Adam Lenson with musical direction by Richard Bates and set and costume design by Simon Anthony Wells. It is produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment in association with Jermyn Street Theatre, presented by special arrangement with R&H Theatricals Europe.

Twitter @SWIWS2015

 

LISTINGS

 

TUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2015

JERMYN STREET THEATRE

16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6ST

Previews: Tuesday 8 – Thursday 10 September (All tickets £15)

Performances: Tuesday – Saturday 7.30pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees 3.30pm, extra matinee Thursday 1 October

Press Night: Friday 11 September, 7.30pm

Tickets: £20-25 (Previews £15)

Box Office: www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk | 020 7287 2875

ON SALE NOW

McQUEEN TO TRANSFER TO THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET FROM 22 AUGUST TO 7 NOVEMBER

newsMcQUEEN, which received its world premiere in May at St. James Theatre, where it broke box office records, will transfer to London’s West End, opening at the Theatre Royal Haymarket on Thursday 27 August, following previews from 22 August, for a strictly limited season until 7 November.

Written by James Phillips and directed by John Caird, the production stars award-winning actor Stephen Wight in the title role. Janet McQueen, one of Lee Alexander McQueen’s sisters, said of the play and the production at St. James Theatre, “It was as though the play and Stephen’s performance brought Lee back to me again.  I felt as though he was real again for me.” Gary McQueen, Lee’s nephew, added, “It does really hit something in your heart.”

Joining Stephen in the West End run will be Carly Bawden in the role of Dahlia. The role was originated by Dianna Agron who is not participating in the transfer due to filming commitments. Reprising their roles as Isabella Blow and Arabella will be Tracy-Ann Oberman and Laura Rees respectively. Michael Bertenshaw will be joining the cast as Mr Hitchcock. Also in the cast will be Harry Alexander, Sophie Apollonia, Amber Doyle, George Hill, Eloise Hymas, Amelia Jackson, Rachel Louisa Maybank, Jessica Buckby and Andrei Teodor Iliescu.

For the transfer to the West End, scenes have been rewritten and an interval has been added. James Phillips said, “I’m so delighted to have McQueen in the West End, and to take this opportunity to refine some things from the original production. For me, it’s also thrilling that we’re going into the Theatre Royal Haymarket, as it was in this theatre that I had my first ever professional job, a few months after leaving college.  I was a peasant – a silent role! – in Miss Julie starring Christopher Eccleston, Aisling O’Sullivan and Maxine Peake that Thelma Holt produced.  It really is one of the most beautiful theatres I’ve ever been in.”

McQUEEN is a journey into the visionary imagination and dream world of Alexander McQueen, fashion’s greatest contemporary artist.  Set on a single London night, it is more than a bio-play. It is stepping into the fairy story landscape of McQueen’s mind, the landscape seen in his immortal shows, where with a dress an urchin can become an Amazon, where beauty might just help us survive the night.  A girl has watched McQueen‘s Mayfair house for eleven consecutive days. Tonight she climbs down from her watching tree and breaks into his house, to steal a dress, to become someone special. He catches her, but, instead of calling the police, they embark together on a journey through London and into his heart.

Lee Alexander McQueen died on 11 February 2010 aged 40. Born in Lewisham and raised in Stratford, East London, at 16 he served an apprenticeship with Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard. Later, he studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and his graduation collection was bought in its entirety by influential fashion stylist Isabella Blow. He was appointed head designer at Givenchy in 1996, where he remained until 2001. He founded his own Alexander McQueen label, and the Gucci Group acquired 51% of his company in 2000, with McQueen serving as Creative Director. McQueen achieved the title British Designer of the Year four times between 1996 and 2003, and was also awarded the CBE and named International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers in 2003. New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art hosted a posthumous exhibition of McQueen’s work in 2011 titled Savage Beauty. The exhibition is currently being shown at the V&A until 2 August.

Stephen Wight was named Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard Awards for his performances in Michael Grandage’s production of Don Juan in Soho and Samuel West’s production of Dealer’s Choice. Other theatre includes Nicholas Hytner’s production of The Habit of Art at the National and Sean Foley’s production of The Ladykillers in the West End. On television, he has played Simon in Bluestone 42 (BBC 3), Sam in The Paradise (BBC 1), Mitch in Threesome (Comedy Central), Fletcher in Sherlock and Charles in the BBC mini-series Fingersmith. His films include Wilderness, Highlander: The Source, Weekender with Jack O’Connell, Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Zawe Ashton and Ashes with Jim Sturgess and Ray Winstone.

Carly Bawden’s theatre credits include Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory), Dead Dog in a Suitcase, Tristan & Yseult and The Beggars Opera for Kneehigh, My Fair Lady with Dominic West (Sheffield Crucible), Pippin (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Leicester Curve and Gielgud Theatre), and the tours of Whistle Down the Wind and Evita, for which she was nominated for TMA Award for Best Supporting Actress 2009.

Tracy-Ann Oberman played Chrissie in EastEnders, Yvonne Hartman in Doctor Who, Lizzie Clapham in Monroe, Aunty Val in Friday Night Dinner, Mrs Purchase in Toast of London and Diana in the film Filth starring James McAvoy and Jamie Bell. In theatre, she has acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company and at the National, including playing opposite Kenneth Branagh in Edmond.

Laura Rees’s theatre credits include Ophelia in Ninagawa’s Hamlet at the Barbican, Christopher Luscombe’s Comedy of Errors, Lucy Bailey’s Titus Andronicus and Kathryn Hunter’s Pericles at Shakespeare’s Globe, and Rupert Gould’s Macbeth and Philip Franks’s Twelfth Night at Chichester.

Michael Bertenshaw’s recent theatre credits include The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew, All’s Well That Ends Well and Anne Boleyn, all for Shakespeare’s Globe. His many television credits include playing Ralph Miliband in the documentary drama Miliband of Brothers, two three-part thrillers Murderland and Oktober, and regular appearances in the drama series Seaforth and in the children’s drama series C.A.B..

James Phillips’s first staged play, The Little Fir Tree, was commissioned by and performed, under his direction, at the Sheffield Crucible in 2004. He wrote and directed The Rubinstein Kiss at Hampstead Theatre in 2005. His most recent plays were Hidden in the Sand, which opened at the Trafalgar Studios in 2013, and City Stories, which was staged at the St. James

Theatre Studio during the run of McQueen.

John Caird is an Honorary Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, where his work includes over 20 productions of classic and new plays including co-productions with Trevor Nunn of Nicholas Nickleby, Peter Pan and Les Misérables. His National Theatre productions include Hamlet and Humble Boy, both with Simon Russell Beale, Stanley with Antony Sher, and his own new version of Bernstein’s Candide for which he won a Laurence Olivier Award.

McQUEEN has production design by David Farley, choreography by Christopher Marney, video design by Tim Bird, lighting design by David Howe, sound design by John Leonard, wigs designed by Linda McKnight and casting by Kate Plantin CDG & Jayne Collins CDG.

McQUEEN is produced at the Theatre Royal Haymarket by Robert Mackintosh, AMIR Ltd, Hilary A. Williams, Deborah Negri, with Julian Stoneman as executive producer, for and on behalf of McQ Productions Ltd.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

22 August to 7 November 2015

Theatre Royal Haymarket

18 Suffolk Street

London SW1Y 4HT

Box Office: 020 7930 8800

Performances: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm* (no performance on Monday 31 August), Thursdays and Saturdays at 3.00pm**

*7.00pm on Thursday 27 August

**No 3.00pm performances on Saturday 22 and Thursday 27 August

Ticket Prices: £15£65 (including booking fees); Premium Seats £85; Previews: £15 – £45

Running Time: 2 hours, including interval

Website: www.mcqueentheplay.com

Facebook: facebook.com/McQueenThePlay

Twitter: @McQueenThePlay

 

*We have had to cancel some of the preview performances.  Of the cancelled previews, the producers of McQueen have said, “With all the changes that were being made to the production for the transfer to the Theatre Royal Haymarket, we needed a longer technical rehearsal period than we’d originally allowed in the schedule and, in order to be totally ready to present the production in front of an audience, we took the difficult decision to cancel the first few previews.  The first preview performance will now be on the evening of Saturday 22 August.” *

MEET THE KHANS IN EAST IS EAST THIS SEPTEMBER

image002 (2)

Following a critically-acclaimed West End run, classic British comedy East is East comes to the Lyceum Theatre from Monday 7 – Saturday 12 September, as part of a limited UK tour, starring Father Ted actress Pauline McLynn.

East is East TOUR-903 lower resPakistani chip shop owner George Khan – “Genghis” to his kids – is determined to give his children a strict Muslim upbringing in 1970s Salford. Household tension reaches breaking point as their selfless English mother, Ella, gets caught in the cross fire – her loyalties divided between her marriage and the free will of her children.

Ayub Khan Din’s semi-autobiographical account of British Asian life in the 1970s and the clash of cultures within a multi-cultural family growing up in the north is a delightful slice of real life drama – with the funny bits left in.   A hugely successful film based on the play was released in 1999 and received many accolades including the BAFTA for Best British Film.

 

East is East TOUR-474 lower res 2Last seen at Sheffield Theatres in Happy Days, Pauline McLynn plays Ella Khan.  The British Comedy award-winning actress and author best known for her iconic role as Mrs Doyle in Father Ted also appearedas Libby Croker in Shameless and Yvonne Cotton in EastEndersPauline is joined by a company of the finest British acting talent including Ashley Kumar (Todd Taylor, EastEnders), Assad Tamar (Cucumber) and Sally Bankes (Coronation Street).

This modern classic promises to be unmissable as it makes its long awaited return to the stage.

Age guidance 12 years +

East is East is at the Lyceum Theatre from Monday 7 – Saturday 12 September.  Tickets can be purchased from Sheffield Theatres’ Box Office in-person, by phone on 0114 249 6000 or online at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk and are priced from £14.00 – £29.00 (a transaction fee of £1.50 (£1.00 online) applies to all bookings made at the Box Office, excluding cash), and discounts are available.

 

Sheffield Theatres Listings:

Crucible Lyceum Studio 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 1DA             
Box Office 0114 249 6000 –
Mon – Sat 10.00am to 8.00pm
A transaction fee of £1.50 (£1.00 online) applies to all bookings made at the Box Office (excluding cash).
On non-performance days the Box Office closes at 6.00pm.
sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
Twitter: @crucibletheatre @SheffieldLyceum

Instagram: sheffieldtheatres

East is East

Lyceum Theatre

Mon 7 Sep – Sat 12 Sep

Tickets £14.00- £29.00

Concessions available

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S SWAN THEATRE PRODUCTIONS OF LOVE FOR LOVE AND QUEEN ANNE

LOVE FOR LOVE
By William Congreve
Directed by Selina Cadell
Swan Theatre:
28 October 2015 – 22 January 2016
Press night: Wednesday 4 November, 7pm

QUEEN ANNE
A new play by Helen Edmundson
Directed by Natalie Abrahami
Swan Theatre:
19 November 2015 – 23 January 2016
Press night: Thursday 26 November, 7pm

Full casting is announced for the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Congreve’s Love for Loveand Helen Edmundson’s new play Queen Anne, both playing in repertory in the Swan Theatre this Winter.

Love for Love is a glorious Restoration comedy, where love for love is stronger than love for money. This will be the first production of this play by the RSC and is directed by Selina Cadell who makes her RSC directorial debut. Playing the main character of Valentine, who finds himself at a standstill faced with his father’s displeasure and financial difficulties, is Tom Turner. Best known for playing Nate in Hollyoaks, Tom is also part of the comedy threesome ‘The Grandees’; his other credits include TV series Pat & Cabbage. Playing his father Sir Sampson Legend is Nicholas Le Prevost, who returns to the RSC having previously played Benedick in the 2002 production Much Ado About Nothing. More recently he appeared in Man & Superman (National Theatre).

As previously announced, the title role of Queen Anne is played by Jodhi May, whose credits include The Other Boleyn Girl, Polar Bears (Donmar Warehouse) and the recent series of Game of Thrones. Joining her as Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough is Natascha McElhone, who is most well-known for the films The Truman Show and Solaris. Playing her husband John Churchill is Robert Cavanah, who recently appeared in Emmerdale in the recurring role of Ian. His recent theatre credits include Men Should Weep (National Theatre) and Macbeth (Octagon Theatre, Bolton).

The full cast for Love for Love includes: Daisy Ashford (Nurse); Jonathan Broadbent (Tattle); Robert Cavanah (Scandal); Jonathan Christie (Servant); Daniel Easton (Ben Legend); Michael Fenton Stevens(Buckram); Hermione Gulliford (Mrs Foresight); Nicholas Le Prevost (Sir Sampson Legend); Justine Mitchell (Angelica); Hywel Morgan (Trapland); Carl Prekopp (Jeremy); Jenny Rainsford (Miss Prue);Elliott Ross (Servant); Michael Thomas (Old Foresight); Anna Tierney (Jenny); Tom Turner (Valentine Legend); Ragevan Vasan (Robin) and Zoe Waites (Mrs Frail).

The full cast for Queen Anne includes: Daisy Ashford (Lady Clarendon); Jonathan Broadbent (Robert Harley); Robert Cavanah (John Churchill); Jonathan Christie (Arthur Maynwearing); Daniel Easton(Colonel Masham); Michael Fenton Stevens (Dr John Radcliffe); Richard Hope (Sidney Godolphin); Jodhi May (Queen Anne); Natascha McElhone (Sarah Churchill); Hywel Morgan (Prince George of Denmark);Beth Park (Abigail Hill); Carl Prekopp (Defoe/William III); Jenny Rainsford (Jezebel/Lady-in-Waiting);Elliott Ross (Jack Churchill); Anna Tierney (Lady Somerset); Tom Turner (Jonathan Swift) and Ragevan Vasan (Groom).

Love for Love set design is by Tom Piper with costume design by Rosalind Ebbutt, lighting by Vince Herbert. The music is composed by Eliza Thompson with sound by Claire Windsor. Movement is byStuart Sweeting.

Queen Anne is designed by Hannah Clark with lighting by Charles Balfour. The music and sound is byBen and Max Ringham. Movement is by Ann Yee and video by Will Duke.

To book tickets call 01789 403493 or online at www.rsc.org.uk

The RSC Ensemble is generously supported by THE GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION and THE KOVNER FOUNDATION

The RSC Literary Department is generously supported by THE DRUE HEINZ TRUST

Queen Anne is presented with the generous support of RSC Board Member Miranda Curtis

BP £5 tickets and BP Shakespeare Pass for 16-25s
The BP £5 tickets and BP Shakespeare Pass for 16 – 25 year olds gives access to £5 tickets for all RSC productions whether we are performing in Stratford-upon-Avon, London or on tour. The pass enables 16-25 year olds to see five shows in Stratford-upon-Avon for £20 – the cheapest way to enjoy shows at the RSC. Tickets can be booked in advance on the phone, online or in person with some available for sale on the day of the performance.  The scheme is supported by Project Partner, BP.

The Royal Shakespeare Company creates theatre at its best, made in Stratford-upon-Avon and shared around the world.

Everyone at the RSC – from actors to armourers, musicians to technicians – plays a part in creating the world you see on stage. All our productions begin life at our Stratford workshops and theatres and we bring them to the widest possible audience through our touring, residencies, live broadcasts and online activity. So wherever you experience the RSC, you experience work made in Shakespeare’s home town.

We encourage everyone to enjoy a lifelong relationship with Shakespeare and live theatre.  We produce an inspirational artistic programme each year, setting Shakespeare in context, alongside the work of his contemporaries and today’s writers.  We have trained generations of the very best theatre makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future. We reach 450,000 children and young people annually through our education work across the UK, transforming their experiences in the classroom, in performance and online.

Registered charity no. 212481 www.rsc.org.uk

 

Bye Bye Birdie Review

Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre, Walthamstow  – 11 August – 4 September. Reviewed by Claire Roderick

I arrived at this fantastic venue full of excitement about a revival of a show that was new to me. My mood was enhanced by the prices at the bar – no need to take out a loan to buy a round this far from the West End! The theatre is above the pub, and after the audience and the band took their places the performing area is about the size of my grandmother’s front room. Intimate – I was going to enjoy this.

Then the show started, and halfway through the first number my heart sunk. I suddenly realised that I HAD watched this musical before – the 1990s TV version – and I may have begun to twitch a little remembering the horror.

But this didn’t last for long. Tonight I saw how the show SHOULD be performed, and would like to thank All Star Productions and the cast for curing me of my Birdiephobia. The NHS should issue tickets on prescription to any other victims forced to sit through that dreaded DVD.

The plot centres around Rosie, in love with hopeless mama’s boy Albert and their plan to make enough money to leave the music industry by staging a farewell kiss between their recently drafted rock star client, Conrad Birdie, and a fan before he leaves for his army training. The lucky girl is Kim from Sweet Apple, Ohio, but she’s just been pinned by Hugo. Things are complicated further by Albert’s domineering mother, Kim’s family and a horde of teenage fangirls. In 1960 the satire was sharper than today, in our age of social media and self promotion, but the laughs are still big and the Ed Sullivan show section, when even the adults get star struck, is wonderful.

Liberty Buckland’s Rose is full of contradictions – strong and feisty, but oh so weak when it comes to Albert. Buckland has a belter of a voice and a huge future. Ryan Forde Iosco has the difficult job of making Albert likeable. In other hands (the unmentionable DVD) Albert can be a whiny little loser, but Iosco has the right balance of hangdog looks and frustration that keep you rooting for him. He doesn’t overplay the comedy and the audience erupted when Albert takes control of his life. His voice isn’t the strongest, but he conveys the emotion expertly.

Abigail Matthews as Kim is sweet and funny, with a delightfully pure voice. Conrad Birdie (Zac Hamilton) just has to look hot until near the end of the first act, when we finally get to see what all the fuss is about. Great voice and great hips! The best lines of the show go to Jayne Ashley as Mae Patterson – using pet names as a weapon – and Harry Hart as Harry MacAfee – his reactions to Kim’s escapades are hysterical; like a cross between Lou Costello and the Incredible Hulk.

The whole cast work together to create a fantastic 50s world of frothy silliness, but the fangirls steal the show with their shrill hysteria and lovely harmonies.

Strouse and Adams’ songs are jolly rather than memorable, the exceptions being “Put on a happy face” and “Kids”, but this production does great things with the material. Special mention to choreographer Anthony Whiteman for creating such frenetic routines in so tiny a space, although I was glad I wasn’t sitting in the front row at times.

This is a fantastic production and a fun family night out.

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR VINCENT AND FLAVIA’S LAST TANGO TOUR

Vincent and Flavia - The Last Tango - UK Tour opening September 2015 - credit Hugo GlendinningBritain’s best-loved dance due perform together in theatres for the very last time

Fresh from their sell-out hit shows Midnight Tango and Dance ’Til Dawn, Strictly superstars Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace have created their most poignant production yet as they prepare to dance in their final ever theatre show. The Last Tango opens in September 2015 ahead of a 32 week theatre tour.

Twenty years of dancing together has seen them become Strictly Come Dancing favourites, World Argentine Tango Champions, and create and star in their own Olivier Award nominated West End productions – but now, as the nation’s favourite dancers prepare to take on new projects, it is time for Vincent and Flavia to say goodbye to audiences across the UK in a brand new, thrilling live performance.

Flavia said; “We have had such a fantastic time creating and dancing in Midnight Tango and Dance ’Til Dawn. It’s an incredible experience to perform live in front of our wonderful audience night after night, but all good things must come to an end, so we’re creating our final ever theatre show. It’s going to be intimate, emotional and full of our award-winning Argentine tango. The Last Tango is going to celebrate our best work and most beautiful dance moves before we finally say farewell to theatre.”

Vincent “The last few years have been intense – we’ve loved it. It may be our final theatre tour but we’re going to go out with a bang! This is going to be our best show yet!”

Vincent and Flavia will be joined on stage by Teddy Kempner, Matthew Gent, Callum Clack, Diana Girbau, Rebecca Herszenhorn, Aaron James, Rebecca Lisewski, Jemima Loddy, Ian Oswald and Grant Thresh.

Don’t miss your last ever chance to see this dynamic duo do what they do best live – in an intimate, passionate and explosive experience. It’s time for The Last Tango.

The Last Tango is directed by Olivier Award winning choreographer and director Karen Bruce and produced by Adam Spiegel Productions (The Producers, Dance ‘Til Dawn, Midnight Tango, Love Me Tender, The Mousetrap on Tour).

West End to use paperless ticketing for the first time…

Theatre app Todaytix is to introduce paperless tickets to the West End for the first time.

In a partnership with the Adelphi Theatre and the venue’s owner Really Useful Theatres, people using Todaytix to buy tickets will be able to use a mobile barcode for entry at the theatre.

The service marks the first time that digital tickets will have been used in the West End.

The technology will be available for the forthcoming production of Kinky Boots, which begins its run at the Adelphi on August 21.

Todaytix has also confirmed that it intends to roll out the service to other West End theatres over the next 12 to 24 months.

The ticketing app, which originated on Broadway in 2013, launched in the UK in June this year, aiming to make the West End “more accessible than ever”.

The Park Theatre in north London uses paperless ticketing, and Ticketmaster has also used the technology for music events. However, this will mark the first time that paperless ticketing has been used in the commercial West End.

Todaytix’s Brian Fenty and Merritt Baer said the new service would make going to the theatre easier than ever.

First look at cast of Jane Eyre in rehearsals

-34446Sally Cookson’s re-imagining of Charlotte Brontë’s novel was first staged by the Bristol Old Vic last year, when the story was performed over two evenings. The production, which opens at the National Theatre on 8 September, will now be presented as a single performance.madeleine-worrall-jane-98638

Press materials state: “Almost 170 years on, Charlotte Brontë’s story of the trailblazing Jane is as inspiring as ever. This bold and dynamic production uncovers one woman’s fight for freedom and fulfilment on her own sally-cookson-director-and-cast-98633terms.”

Jane Eyre opens at the Lyttleton Theatre on 8 September.craig-edwards-pilot-felix-hayes-rochester-laura-elphinstone-98627

John Heffernan and Anna Maxwell Martin star in Young Vic Macbeth

98644John Heffernan will play the title role in the upcoming Young Vic production of Macbeth, opposite Anna Maxwell Martin as Lady Macbeth.

Directed by Carrie Cracknell and Lucy Guerin, the production runs from 26 November 2015 to 16 January 2016 before transferring to Birmingham REP and HOME in Manchester.

Heffernan recently starred in the RSC’s Oppenheimer, while other credits include Edward II (National Theatre) and the BBC series Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.

Anna Maxwell Martin’s recent stage credits include King Lear at the National, Di and Viv and Rose at Hampstead Theatre and Measure for Measure at the Almeida.

The cast of Macbeth will also include: Mark Ebulue, Thomasin Gulgeç, Ira Siobhan Mandela, Ana Beatriz Meireles, Prasanna Puwanarajah and Clemmie Sveaas.

Also announced today, Romola Garai will play Isabella alongside Paul Ready as Angelo and Zubin Varla as the Duke in Joe Hill-Gibbins’ production of Measure for Measure (1 October to 14 November 2015).

The cast also includes Hammed Animashaun (Elbow/Provost), Tom Edden (Pompey), Ivanno Jeremiah (Claudio), John Mackay (Lucio), Sarah Malin (Escalus), Natalie Simpson (Juliet), Cath Whitefield (Mariana) and Matthew Wynn (Barnardine).

Emily Barclay and Sam Troughton will play an estranged couple in Marguerite Duras’ play La Musica, which is revived by Jeff James in the Maria studio from 24 September to 17 October.

And Rikki Henry’s production of Creditors by August Strindberg, in an adaptation by David Greig, will feature Jolyon Coy as Tekla, Tom Rhys Harries as Adolph and Gyuri Sarossy as Gustav.

Henry won the Genesis Future Directors Award for 2015. The play runs from 9 to 19 September in the Clare studio.