WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT ANNOUNCES NEW CAST FOR UK TOUR
We’re going on tour! We’re going to see a Bear Hunt What a beautiful Play! We’re not scared….
Full casting is announced for the smash-hit production of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, opening in London at artsdepot, North Finchley on Friday 13 October ahead of a UK tour, including a Christmas season at The Lowry, Salford. Benedict Hastings (Boy), Tim Hibberd (Dad) and Ben Hills (Dog/Musician) return to the show; they are joined by Neha Eapen (Girl) and Ross McKenna (Understudy/ASM).
Sally Cookson’s hugely inventive production set to Benji Bower’s lively musical score is a mischievous celebration of play, utilising everyday objects and materials to capture the imagination and propel audiences into the world of Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s much loved picture book.
Music, laughter, rhymes, rhythms and repetitions together with puppetry, paint, water and mud – not to mention a bear – we’re not scared! – make this fun-filled adventure the perfect theatrical outing for all young families.
Join our intrepid family of adventurers and their musical dog as they wade through the swishy swashy grass, the splishy splashy river and the thick oozy squelchy mud, in search of a bear. Expect plenty of interaction and a few surprises along the way.
Michael Rosen says of the live theatre show: ”This production of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt takes everyone on the journey – not under, not over, oh no – through it! – in a funny, exuberant and loving way. It’s a show full of laughter, music, silliness and thrills that I promise you will excite and delight all young children. This is a must-go show.”
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is presented by Kenny Wax Family Entertainment and is created by the critically acclaimed production team including director Sally Cookson, composer Benji Bower, designer Katie Sykes, lighting designer Tony Simpson, sound designer Jason Barnes and associate director and puppet designer Marc Parrett.
Neha Eapen plays Girl. Her theatre credits include Lottie in The Not so Grimm Twins (Wrongsemble), and Fairy Godmother in Cinderella (for PHA/Leeds Carriageworks), for which she won the Best Newcomer Award at The Pantomime Awards 2023.
Benedict Hastings returns to the company to play Boy. His theatrical credits include Stel & Wes Fight the Flood (Norwich Puppet Theatre), Frankenstein (Blackeyed Theatre), Zog (Freckle Productions), Sitting by Katherine Parkinson (Take Two Theatricals), We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and What the Ladybird Heard (Kenny Wax Family Entertainment), 3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down (Finborough Theatre), Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies (RSC), The Mermaid of Zennor (Moon on a Stick) and Being Human (Belgrade Theatre). Over the COVID-19 crisis, Benedict co-created Doorstep Puppet Theatre, bringing shadow puppet shows including The Little Mermaid Finds Her Voice, ROAR-punzel – Rapunzel, but with Dinosaurs and Who Killed Mr Punch? to households across London. Most recently, Benedict starred in the Olivier Award-winning Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show, playing Duggee and Narrator.
Tim Hibberd returns to play Dad. His theatrical credits include The Snail and the Whale and Mr. Benn (Tall Stories), Paddington and Charlotte’s Web (Polka Theatre), and Peasouper and Dusty Fruit (Rejects Revenge). His TV credits include Mr Fen in Topsy and Tim and Vincent Van Coconut in Art Attack.
Ben Hills returns to play Dog/Musician. He has worked as a singer with ITV, BBC and Fremantle on shows including BBC’s I Can See Your Voice and ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent. He has toured as a professional musician since 2018, working on London’s West End and internationally.
Ross McKenna joins the company as Understudy/ASM. His theatrical credits include Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Erasmus Theatre), Luca in San Domino (Tristan Bates Theatre) and Smashed (Collingwood Learning). His credits whilst training include Brendan Behan in The Hostage, Gabriel Conroy in The Dead, Francis Fryer in Calamity Jane and Florizel in The Winter’s Tale.
Seven-time BAFTA Award winner STEVE COOGAN to lead
first ever adaptation of the legendary film-maker’s work
Co-adapted by BAFTA and Emmy Award winner
ARMANDO IANNUCCI
and co-adapted and directed by Olivier Award winner
SEAN FOLEY
Performances begin at Noël Coward Theatre, London
on 8 October 2024
Steve Coogan will lead the first ever adaption of Stanley Kubrick’s iconic work, as the world premiere stage production of Kubrick’s timeless classic Dr. Strangelove prepares to open in the West End in Autumn 2024.
Coogan, one of the UK’s most acclaimed actors whose remarkable career includes seven BAFTA Awards, will play multiple roles in the production set to begin performances on Tuesday 8 October 2024 at Noël Coward Theatre, London for a strictly limited season through until Saturday 21 December 2024.
This jet-black comedy masterpiece, about a rogue U.S. General who triggers a nuclear crisis, is brought to the stage by acclaimed,BAFTA and Emmy Award winner Armando Iannucci and Olivier Award winner Sean Foley in an explosively funny satire of mutually assured destruction. Sean Foley will also direct.
Tickets are on-sale tomorrow, Wednesday 27 September. Please visit www.DrStrangelove.com
Steve Coogan said: “The idea of putting Dr Strangelove on stage is daunting. A huge responsibility. It’s also an exciting challenge, an opportunity to bring this timeless classic to a new audience. Knowing that I will be part of a creative team led by Sean Foley and Armando Iannucci means I will be working with the best people. Sean is a master of stage comedy and Armando and I started working with each other over 30 years ago. We made some memorable comedy together so it’s great to be collaborating with him once again.”
Sean Foley added: “I’m thrilled and excited to finally be able to say that one of our very finest actor-comedians, the amazingly talented Steve Coogan, is to play the lead in our world premiere stage version of Dr Strangelove. Across stand up, sitcom, tv, and film, and in both comic and dramatic roles, Steve has excelled being able to make people belly laugh even while they wince – sensing the maladroit, the madness, and the menace in his extraordinary characters… I can think of no better actor to convey the ’nightmare comedy’ of Strangelove.”
Armando Iannucci said:“It’s a tale of our time and it needs one of the most amazing talents of our time to tell it: I’ve seen Steve Coogan close-up for many years now, and can tell you that no-one gets right under the skin of a character the way he does. There’s a total focus on how each character would speak and move and even think, added to which is an instinctive comic timing and dramatic charisma that’s second to none. He’s able to get huge audiences to connect with the vulnerabilities and fine details of each character he brings to life. We’re all so delighted he’ll be bringing these amazing gifts to the stage for the hugely contrasting roles in ‘Dr Strangelove’ and I for one can’t wait to see Steve make them his own. It’s going to be a thrill for all of us.”
Steve Coogan was born and raised in Manchester where he trained as an actor at the Manchester Polytechnic School of Theatre. Shortly after Drama School, Steve landed his first job as an impersonator and comic on the satirical TV series Spitting Image.
In 1992 Coogan won the Perrier Award for his show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Whilst appearing on various shows on BBC Radio 4, the iconic British institution that is Alan Partridge was born. The character moved from radio to TV and over the years has picked up a number of BAFTAs and British Comedy Awards. Coogan has taken the character on three nationwide sell out tours. Mid Morning Matters aired on Sky Atlantic in February 2016 to critical acclaim and was followed by a mockumentary special, Scissored Isle for Sky for which he won a BAFTA for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme.
In 2019 Alan returned to BBC One in This Time With Alan Partridge to rave reviews and was nominated for Best Comedy Programme at the Broadcast Awards. This Time With Alan Partridge was back on our screens in 2021 for series 2. Alan has been the subject matter of two books I Alan Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan released in 2011 and Alan Partridge: Nomad released in October 2016. In 2021 Coogan launched From The Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast for Audible which was nominated for a British Podcast Award.
Recent TV appearances include The Reckoning and Chivalry in 2022 and Stephen in 2021. Previously Coogan starred in Saxondale in 2006, Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2007, The Simpsons in 2012, Happyish in 2015 and four seasons of The Trip with Rob Brydon including the latest instalment, The Trip to Greece. Coogan won the BAFTA for Best Male Comedy Performance in 2011 for his performance in the first series.
For his work across TV and film, Coogan has won seven BAFTA Awards and seven British Comedy Awards. He was nominated for a BAFTA Film Award for Best Actor for his role in the critically acclaimed Stan & Ollie, starring opposite John C. Reilly and he was awarded The Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy in 2019.
In addition to The Trip series, which was released theatrically in a number of territories, Coogan has collaborated with filmmaker Michael Winterbottom on four feature films: 24 Hour Party People; A Cock and Bull Story; Look of Love and, most recently, Greed, co-starring Isla Fisher.
His recent screen work includes The Lost King in 2022 as well as the critically acclaimed Philomena, co-starring Judi Dench which he co-wrote with Jeff Pope and produced under his Baby Cow production label. Philomena won the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in addition to being nominated for Outstanding British Film and Best Film. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.
His other film credits include The Dinner; Mindhorn; Rules Don’t Apply; The Parole Officer; Night at the Museum; Tropic Thunder; In the Loop; Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa; The Secret Life of Pets; Irreplaceable You; Minions and Despicable 2 and 3.
In 1999 Coogan set up Baby Cow Productions. Baby Cow have produced many successful and award-winning programmes including The Witchfinder; Chivalry; Alan Partridge; The Mighty Boosh; The Trip; Gavin & Stacey; Zapped; Uncle; Red Dwarf; Sensitive Skin; Camping; Moone Boy; Starlings and Hunderby.
Dr. Strangelove is produced by Patrick Myles and David Luff, in association with Tulchin Bartner Productions and Playful Productions. Jonathan Cameron is the Executive Producer for the Stanley Kubrick Estate.
LEGENDARY GUITARIST, TONY IOMMI MADE A SPECIAL GUEST STAR APPEARANCE AT THE OPENING NIGHT OF BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET’S BLACK SABBATH – THE BALLET
SHARON OSBOURNE, GEEZER BUTLER, ROBERT PLANT AND BEV BEVAN WALK THE PURPLE CARPET AT GALA OPENING
FIRST-LOOK PRODUCTION SHOTS RELEASED FOR WORLD PREMIERE
Birmingham Royal Ballet has today released first-look production shots from their sold-out world premiere production of Black Sabbath – The Ballet which continues performances at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 30 September.
Credit: Johan Persson/
The Company were joined on opening night by legendary Black Sabbath guitarist, Tony Iommi for a special curtain call performance. Guests on the purple carpet at the opening night included Sharon Osbourne, Black Sabbath drummer Geezer Butler, Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, ELO’s Bev Bevan and BRB Director, Carlos Acosta.
Following performances in Black Sabbath’s hometown of Birmingham, Black Sabbath – The Ballet then tours to Plymouth Theatre Royal 12-14 October and London’s Sadler’s Wells – 18-21 October. Tickets for all performances are sold-out, check the theatre website regularly for returns. Over 60% of tickets in Birmingham have been sold to audiences who have never attended a ballet before.
A full-length, three-act, Ballet Now commission, this brand-new work brings together a host of international creatives including lead Swedish choreographer Pontus Lidburg, Cuban designer Alexandre Arrechea, Tony Award winning composer Christopher Austin with additional choreographers Raúl Reinoso and Cassi Abranches and composers Marko Nyberg and Sun Keting. Richard Thomas is dramaturg for the project and lighting design is by Kieron Johnson. Capsule Director Lisa Meyer is Metal Curator. See full biographies for the creative team in notes.
The 8 Black Sabbath tracks featured in the production are:Paranoid (Paranoid, 1970); Ironman (Paranoid, 1970); War Pigs (Paranoid, 1970); Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath, 1970); Solitude (Master of Reality, 1971); Orchid (Master of Reality, 1971); Laguna Sunrise (Vol 4, 1972) and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, 1973). The music will be re-orchestrated for the Royal Ballet Sinfonia with new compositions inspired by Black Sabbath also performed live by the orchestra. On the stage guitars and drums will be integrated into the performance.
Black Sabbath – The Ballet is the second Birmingham-focussed commission from Carlos Acosta. The first, City of a Thousand Trades which looked at the city’s industrial heritage and multicultural communities, premiered in 2021.
The idea of a Black Sabbath ballet has been on Carlos Acosta’s mind since he first arrived in Birmingham at the start of 2020, just before the pandemic hit. Black Sabbath played their first ever gig in The Crown pub just a stone’s throw from Birmingham Royal Ballet’s base on Thorp Street. The pub was recently saved from demolition and is deemed a heritage site by fans.
Tom Fletcher’s interactive adventures for big imaginations are leaping from page to stage, as the beloved ‘Who’s in Your Book?’ series, makes its debut as a brand-new musical show.
Full casting is announced today for ‘There’s a Monster in Your Show, which will premiere at the Watford Palace Theatre on 12 October, before heading off to more than 50 further venues around the UK! The latest info can be found at www.monsterinyourshow.com
The cast will feature actor/puppeteers Charlie Daniels (Hey Duggee, Sarah and Duck’s Big Top Birthday and His Dark Materials (BBC), Josh Macrow (The Furchester Hotel Live, Sarah and Duck’s Big Top Birthday), Ben Murrell (In The Night Garden Live, Twirlywoos Live, Very Hungry Caterpillar, Elmer and the Patchwork Elephant, Goosebumps Alive’ (The Vaults London), Ashton Owen (Twirlywoos Live, Smartest Giant in Town, Mr Men) and Gil Sidaway (The Happy Prince, Newbies).
A high-energy 50-minute adventure featuring lively original music, this show is the perfect introduction to live theatre.
Expect plenty of playful fun for your littlest ones as their favourite characters come to life in a show that is packed with interactive moments to enjoy together.
A group of performers are preparing to start their show, but quickly discover they are not alone on stage. Little Monster wants to be part of the fun too! With an invitation to his friends, Dragon, Alien and Unicorn to join him, you can expect comedy and chaos as they help to create a magical show, learning about the joy of books and friendship along the way.
There’s a Monster in Your Show… and he can’t wait to meet you!
Tom Fletcher said, “I’m so excited to see ‘There’s a Monster In Your Book,’ come to life on stage! Theatre is such an important way to introduce children to the arts and ‘There’s a Monster In Your Show’ is the perfect first theatre trip for pre-schoolers and their families. I’m so looking forward to seeing their reactions first-hand.”
The production is presented by MEI Theatrical, the team who have brought some of the world’s best loved family brands to the stage including Twirlywoos Live, Sarah & Duck and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show.
There’s a Monster in Your Show is adapted for the stage by Zoe Bourn (Thomas & Friends, Fireman Sam, Mr Men Little Miss). A keen advocate of children’s literacy and the accessibility of story books, she is thrilled to be part of the creative team introducing this debut show to fans of Tom’s book series. The show has design by Laura McEwen (Oh, No George!, The Singing Mermaid and Twirlywoos Live) and puppets created by Keith Frederick (Twirlywoos, Jack V Giant, Dog’s Don’t Do Ballet). Katie Haygarth is Associate Director.
New music will be composed by Tom Fletcher and Barrie Bignold.
The show is directed by Miranda Larson who adapted Tom Fletcher’s The Christmasaurus and the YouTube phenomena Little Baby Bum for the stage. Other UK theatre credits include the current tours of Milkshake Monkey’s Musical and Fireman Sam Saves The Circus. Puppet direction is by Roman Stefanski, associate director at Polka Theatre (Sarah & Duck and Twirlywoos).
The Who’s in Your Book? picture-book series by Tom Fletcher and Greg Abbot is published by Puffin.
There’s a Monster in Your Show is produced on stage by Millennium Entertainment International.
DISNEY’S THE LION KING BRINGS OVER 150,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS TO BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME AS THE UK TOUR DRAWS TO A CLOSE
Disney’s THE LION KING UK & Ireland Tour ended its phenomenal 11-week run at Birmingham Hippodrome on Saturday 16 September having performed to over 150,000 audience members. The sold-out show followed a hugely successful season of Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST last year and combined the productions have brought over 200,000 audience members through Birmingham Hippodrome’s doors. Disney’s ALADDIN will fly into the venue in October 2024 as part of its first tour of the UK and Ireland.
The date marks the end of the last UK season of this touring production of the iconic musical which opened at Bristol Hippodrome in September 2019. It is only the second ever UK Tour of the show to take place since it opened in London’s West End in 1999. The production will play at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin from Saturday 28 September to Saturday 11 November.
The internationally acclaimed production opened in Birmingham on Thursday 6 July, hosting 86 performances, including 7 access performances and a soldout Relaxed Performance for those with sensory needs.
Jon Gilchrist, Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer at Birmingham Hippodrome said; “It’s been fantastic to have Disney’s THE LION KING with us in Birmingham over the past 11 weeks. Our mission is to provide that ‘goosebumps’ feeling through memorable and extraordinary experiences, and this certainly has been an extraordinary production. The reaction from our audiences has been really special and I’m thrilled that we have reached over 150, 000 people from across the region.”
Andrew Lovett, Chair, West Midlands Tourism & Hospitality Advisory Board, said: “The West Midlands’ cultural scene continues to be one of the region’s great success stories, providing a stage for countless emerging and established stars and performances, and contributing positively to our quality of life.
“Birmingham Hippodrome’s summer season is always a particular highlight of the West Midlands’ annual festivals and events calendar, with eagerly anticipated shows like The Lion King attracting huge audiences across their run. Major productions such as these provide a significant boost to the West Midlands’ wider hospitality scene – with bars, restaurants, hotels and transport hubs packed with theatregoers, supporting the region’s £14.1 billion visitor economy.”
In the production’s final week of the UK Tour, Birmingham Hippodrome hosted the culmination of this year’s Circle of Life Awards on Wednesday 13 September, a nationwide project run by the Disney’s The Lion King designed to empower students to create their own social action project to benefit their community. Schools from Coventry, Lincoln, Cheshire, Birmingham and Burton met the company and watched the musical whilst receiving their award for projects which covered a variety of themes that focus on improving their community.
The story of The Lion King leaps into life using spectacular masks, puppets and costumes to tell the story of Simba’s epic adventures, as he struggles with the responsibilities of adulthood and becoming king.
Credit: Johan Persson
Julie Taymor’s internationally celebrated stage adaptation of THE LION KING opened on Broadway in 1997 and 25 global productions in nine different languages have been created since then (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese). THE LION KING is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher.
Since the UK premiere in 1999, THE LION KING London has entertained more than 18 million theatregoers and is the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.
The stunning artistry of the production is the work of a team of designers which drew on diverse cultural influences to recreate the rich colours and vast expanses of the African savanna in this daring and inspiring reinvention of one of the most successful animated feature films of all time.
Julie Taymor, one of the world’s most innovative directors, brought a vast array of disciplines to THE LION KING, including extensive experience staging epic theatre and opera productions, exploring classic myths through ritualised puppetry, mask, and movement. The Lion King was the first musical Taymor directed in the commercial theatre and she made Broadway history by becoming the first woman to win the Tony Award® for Best Director of a Musical.
The Broadway show’s full creative team, which won five Tony Awards® for its work on THE LION KING, reunited in 1999 to recreate the show in London. Julie Taymor and Michael Curry created hundreds of masks and puppets.
Scenic design is by British designer Richard Hudson and lighting is by Donald Holder. Costume design is by Julie Taymor, and choreography by Garth Fagan. The book was adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated feature and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the screenplay.
The original score from the animated film was expanded for the stage and now features 15 musical numbers. As well as writing completely new songs, South African composer Lebo M created an evocative blend of African rhythms and chorales, with additional material by Julie Taymor and Mark Mancina.
Elton John and Tim Rice have added three new numbers to the five that they wrote for the award-winning score of the animated film. The resulting sound of THE LION KING is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, including the Academy Award®-winning Can You Feel The Love Tonight and the haunting Shadowland.
THE LION KING concludes its UK & Ireland Tour at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre from 28 September – 11 November 2023 before heading to Theater 11 Zurich from 23 November 2023. For more information and tickets visit thelionking.co.uk.
Stars of stage and screen will pay tribute to Battle of Britain pilots in the royal charity gala Stars in Salute! The intimate evening of words and music will take place in the presence of HRH Prince Michael of Kent GVCO at The Royal Air Force Club in Mayfair on Sunday 8thOctober at 7.30pm.
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, the theatrical event will also mark 20 years of patronage by His Royal Highness.
The cast will include veteran broadcaster Michael Aspel (This Is Your Life), Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), stars of Midsomer Murders Annette Badland and Neil Dudgeon, Neil Pearson (Drop the Dead Donkey),and EastEnders legend Pam St Clement.
They will be joined by Tyler Butterworth (The Darling Buds of May), Janet Dibley (EastEnders), Bruce Graham (Follies), Tom Hopcroft (The Comedy About A Bank Robbery), plus a video contribution from Sue Holderness (Only Fools and Horses).
Further casting is yet to be announced.
Stars in Salute! is devised and directed by Martin Milnes with Musical Direction by Mehran James McCullough. The royal gala is produced by Tom Miller and Martin Milnes with BBMT Hon Secretary Patrick Tootal and Event Organiser Janet Tootal, who will speak about the work of the charity.
Patrick Tootal commented, ‘Stars in Salute! will be a unique entertainment; our incredible cast bringing to life unforgettable stories of heroism and bravery from the Battle of Britain. We are most grateful to these artistes, who are friends both old and new to the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust. All proceeds from Stars in Salute! will help us continue our vital work in raising awareness of the Battle for future generations.’
Only 100 seats are available for this one-night only exclusive tribute to The Few; honouring their legacy in songs, scenes, poems and personal memories. Stars in Salute! will be presented in one act, followed by a post-show reception. All stars appear subject to availability. Tickets, priced £150, can be purchased from the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust on 01732 870 809.
LAMBERT JACKSON BY AGREEMENT WITH CAA AND HYPHENATE CREATIVE PRESENTS
DARREN CRISS – IN CONCERT
ONE NIGHT ONLY
AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM ON SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2023
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS STARKID’S LAUREN LOPEZ & JOEY RICHTER
Fresh from a hugely successful tour of Australia and the US, Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics Choice and Screen Actors Guild Award-Winner Darren Criss will make his West End debut at the iconic London Palladium for a special one night only concert on October 15th.
Criss will perform the hits of his career with his own four-piece band and special guests, Starkid’s Lauren Lopez and Joey Richter.
Musical fans get ready – this is a night you’ll never forget.
Darren Criss is a multi-award-winning actor, singer, and songwriter. Darren is best known for his portrayal of Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Oustanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, and for his leading role of Blaine Anderson in Glee.
He rose to prominence as a founding member of StarKid Productions, a theatre production company based in Chicago, playing the role of Harry Potter in, and co-writing music and lyrics for, their musical production of A Very Potter Musical.
A talented, multi-hyphenate artist, Darren has released a critically acclaimed EP, Human, and made his Broadway Debut replacing Daniel Radcliffe in the revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and his feature film debut in the comedy Girl Most Likely with Kristen Wiig, Annette Bening and Matt Dillon. Other screen credits include Royalties, Muppets Haunted Mansion, and Hollywood. He also performed at the 57th Presidential Inauguration for President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Second Lady Jill Biden.
Darren is also an advocate for LGBT rights and is the recipient of Variety’s Power of Youth Philanthropy Award for his contributions to the Trevor Project.
BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE 22 March – 06 April 2024
LYRIC HAMMERSMITH
19 April – 18 May 2024
Simon Friend Entertainment is today delighted to announce that in partnership with co-producers Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Birmingham Rep and Nottingham Playhouse, the World Premiere stage adaptation of Minority Report will be presentednext spring.Based on Philip K. Dick’s 1956 near-future novella made globally famous by Steven Spielberg’s 2002 blockbuster movie, this timely presentation is adapted for the stage by David Haig (My Boy Jack, Pressure) and reunites Simon Friend Entertainment with director Max Webster (Life of Pi, Henry V and the forthcoming production of Macbeth starring David Tennant, Donmar Warehouse),whose multi-award-winning production of Life of Pi has captivated audiences both sides of the Atlantic.
Opening at the Nottingham Playhouse, where it plays from 16 Feb – 9 March 2023,Minority Report then tours to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre (22 March – 6 April 2023) before concluding it’s run at London’s Lyric Hammersmith from 19th April – 18 May 2023.
This incredible theatrical experience will use innovative technology to create a world at the borders of science fiction and reality and, unlike the novella and Hollywood film, this innovative new production relocates the action to London, with the central character (most famously played by Tom Cruise) as a leading female neuroscientist, Dame Julia Anderton.
In 2050, neuroscientist Dame Julia Anderton is about to launch the next phase of her pioneering Pre-Crime programme, detaining people for crimes before they are committed. But when Julia is accused of pre-murder, she’s in a race against time to save herself from her own system.
This thrilling adaptation of Phillip K Dick’s iconic story challenges our beliefs about justice and free will in a real-time chase through London of the future.
Producer Simon Friend says of today’s announcement: “I’m delighted to announce the world premiere stage version of Minority Report, based on Philip K. Dick’s short story, adapted by David Haig. We commissioned this project several years ago, but with its prescient central theme of personal technological surveillance, it has only become more alarmingly relevant to the world in which we live, despite the original story having been written in 1956. I’m also excited to reunite with director Max Webster, after the continued success of our production of Life of Pi, to create another entertaining, ambitious, and thought-provoking piece of theatre, and to partner with some of the country’s best producing theatres in Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, and Lyric Hammersmith.”
Writer David Haig, who adapts the production for the stage continues: “It’s been the most exciting challenge of my career: to write a futuristic thriller for the stage, based on one of the greatest sci-fi stories ever told.”
Director Max Webster adds “I’m really pleased to be directing Minority Report – a story so many people know and love – but which, in David Haig’s thrilling retelling, suddenly becomes a chillingly relevant thriller about law, justice and the power of technology to predict the future.”
The wider creative team comprises; Production Designer Jon Bausor; Video Designer Tal Rosner; Lighting Designer Jessica Hung Han Yun; Composer and Sound Designer Nicola T. Chang; Movement Director Lucy Hind Casting Director Lotte Hines CDG. Full casting to be announced.
David Haig (Writer) is an Olivier award-winning actor and FIPA award-winning writer. His writing credits include: My Boy Jack which opened at Hampstead Theatre in 1997 and subsequently toured in 2004; The Good Samaritan (Hampstead Theatre, 2000) and Pressure (a co-production by Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Chichester Festival Theatre) which was nominated for Best New Play at the 2014 UK Theatre Awards. The play was revived in 2018. It toured the country, ran at the Park Theatre in Finsbury Park for 2 months, and then transferred to the West End for a sold-out run at the Ambassador’s Theatre. Pressure enjoyed its North American premiere at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto in 2023.
In 2007, David adapted My Boy Jack for screen, produced by Ecosse Films and ITV. The adaptation, which starred David alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Carey Mulligan and Kim Cattrall, won Best Screenplay at the International Festival of Audiovisual Programs (FIPA) in 2008.
David is currently working on a new play: Magic, a commission by Nicholas Hytner for the Bridge Theatre. He is also developing a film version of Pressure with Working Title and Studio Canal.
Max Webster (Director) is the Associate Director at The Donmar Warehouse. As Director, theatre credits include: Life of Pi (Broadway, West End & currently on a UK Tour – Winner of 5 Tony and Olivier Awards); Henry V (Donmar Warehouse); Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax (Old Vic Theatre/San Diego Old Globe/Minneapolis Children’s Theatre); Antigone, Twelfth Night, As You Like It (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); The Jungle Book (Fiery Angel); Fanny and Alexander, Cover My Tracks (Old Vic Theatre); The Twits (Curve Theatre Leicester); The Winter’s Tale (The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh); The Sea of Fertility, Mary Stuart (Parco Productions Tokyo); Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe); Shostakovich’s Hamlet (City of London Sinfonia); Orlando, To Kill a Mockingbird, My Young and Foolish Heart (Royal Exchange Manchester); James and the Giant Peach, My Generation (Leeds Playhouse); Carnival Under the Rainbow, Feast Kakulu (Hilton Festival, South Africa) and Caucasian Chalk Circle (Aarohan Theatre, Kathmandu).
Opera credits include: La Bohème (Göteborgsoperan, Sweden); The Merry Widow (English National Opera) and Owen Wingrave (British Youth Opera).
Upcoming work Includes Macbeth (Donmar Warehouse, Starring David Tennant).
One of the most celebrated authors of the last century, Philip K. Dick was published in the Library of America in 2007 and has received literary recognition unprecedented for a contemporary science fiction writer. His more than 40 novels and 125 short stories have been translated into 25 languages. Dick’s works have been the basis for blockbuster movies such as the Ridley Scott directed, BLADE RUNNER (1982) and Denis Villeneuve directed BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017), as well as two versions of TOTAL RECALL (1990) and (2012) and ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (2011).
Founded in 2007, Electric Shepherd Productions is dedicated to the stewardship and adaptation of the Philip K. Dick library and is owned and operated by daughter of the author, Isa Dick Hackett. ESP’s most recent projects include the Emmy Award-winning television series The Man in the High Castle, based on Philip K. Dick’s Hugo Award-winning novel of the same name, and Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, an anthology show based on different short stories, with Ronald D. Moore, Michael Dinner, Bryan Cranston, and Sony Pictures TV. Current projects include a feature film based on Philip K. Dick’s novel Vulcan’s Hammer, which ESP is producing alongside New Republic and director Francis Lawrence.
LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THEATRE ANNOUNCES SPRING/SUMMER 2024 SEASON
The UK premiere of the critically acclaimed musical FANGIRLS in a brand new production,written and composed by Australian playwright Yve Blake, directed by Paige Rattray in a co-production with Sonia Friedman Productions.
Max Webster (Life of Pi) directs David Haig’s Minority Reportin a co-production with Nottingham Playhouse and Birmingham Rep and in association with Simon Friend Entertainment, and by arrangement with Electric Shepherd Productions.
Alice Childress’ seminal play Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White, directed by Monique Touko(School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play).
The world premiere of The Promise, a brand new production by award-winning Deafinitely Theatre, co-written by Deafinitely Theatre’s Artistic Director Paula Garfield and Melissa Mostyn for deaf and hearing audiences which will run in the Studio in a co-production with Deafinitely Theatre and Birmingham Rep.
The Lyric continues its ticket accessibility pledge with up to 2,500 free tickets available for those who live and work in the Lyric’s home Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham through ‘Free First Night’ and £5 tickets to all Main House shows for Young Lyric members, applicable to anyone under 25 living in West London.
The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre today announces its Spring/Summer 2024 Season, opening April 2024 withMinority Report. The sci-fi thriller based on the short story by Philip K. Dick reunites director Max Webster and Simon Friend Entertainment for the first time since the success of the five-time Olivier Award-winning Life of Pi. Minority Report plays at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from 19 April – 18 May 2024 following runs at Nottingham Playhouse and Birmingham Rep.
Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White, written by Alice Childress and directed by Monique Touko will play from 31 May – 29 June. Touko returns to the Lyric following the sell-out success of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play. Set in 1918 in South Carolina,Alice Childress’ 1962 play is about interracial love and the brutalising effect of anti-miscegenation laws. The Promise, co-produced with Deafinitely Theatre and Birmingham Rep, an award-winning deaf-led theatre company in the UK, producing bilingual theatre in British Sign Language and Spoken English plays in the Lyric’s Studio from 30 April – 11 May. The Promise touches on deaf family life and the impact untreated dementia can have in the deaf community.
FANGIRLS, written and composed by Yve Blake and directed by Paige Rattray, will close the season in a six week run from 13 July – 24 August. The multi-award-winning Australian pop musical phenomenon makes its UK premiere in a brand-new production co-produced with Sonia Friedman Productions. Edna is in love with Harry. But she’s a 14-year-old misfit and he’s a singer in the biggest boyband in the world.FANGIRLSis the embodiment of the rush of first love; aneffervescent, adrenaline-fuelled, electrifying night out.
Tickets go on sale from 6.00am GMT onWednesday 27 September atwww.lyric.co.uk
Artistic Director & CEO of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Rachel O’Riordan said: “The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre is a local theatre with a national impact and we are proud to produce groundbreaking stories for audiences in West London and beyond. We are excited to share our new season with you. Step into our beautiful Frank Matcham auditorium – your portal from where you can explore the past, present and future.
Alongside Nottingham Playhouse and Birmingham Rep, we are delighted to announce David Haig’s starkly relevant adaptation of Minority Report, based on the short story by Philip K. Dick. Unlike the novella and Hollywood film, this innovative new production re-lenses the central character (most famously played by Tom Cruise) as a leading female neuroscientist, Dame Julia Anderton. Under the direction of Max Webster, whose stage version of Life of Pi has transfixed audiences across the world, this intrepid new version of Minority Report will be an unmissable theatrical experience.
We are excited to present The Promise, a brand new co-production with Birmingham Rep by award-winning Deafinitely Theatre, playing in our Studio. This extraordinary play written by Paula Garfield and Melissa Mostyn touches on deaf family life and the impact that untreated dementia can have in the deaf community.
Continuing our season with big and bold stories that celebrate female perspectives, is Alice Childress’ extraordinary play, Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White. Set in 1918 —during World War I and the Spanish flu, Childress takes an unflinching look at interracial love, intolerance and alienation. We couldn’t be happier to welcome back Monique Touko after her incredible direction of the smash hit comedy, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play.
Our season of female-led stories concludes with the UK premiere of Yve Blake’s extraordinary musical FANGIRLS, in a brand new production directed by Paige Rattray making her UK debut; this ambitious Australian musical is co-produced with Sonia Friedman Productions. Being a fan, that heady rush of passionate adoration and the feeling of connection to an artist, is something everyone can relate to and we hope to welcome audiences across generations for this exhilarating experience which sees our gorgeous auditorium transform into a joyous pop concert.”
We cannot wait to take our audiences on this thrilling journey of big, bold storytelling at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre; a place to find connection, stretch your imagination and to share truly unforgettable nights at the theatre.”
MINORITY REPORT A Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse and Birmingham Rep co-production In association with Simon Friend Entertainment By arrangement with Electric Shepherd Productions Written by David Haig Directed by Max Webster Friday 19 April – Saturday 18 May 2024
Production Designer Jon Bausor; Video Designer: Tal Rosner; Lighting Designer Jessica Hung Han Yun; Composer and Sound Designer Nicola T. Chang; Movement Director Lucy Hind Casting Director Lotte Hines CDG.
In 2050, neuroscientist Dame Julia Anderton is about to launch the next phase of her pioneering Pre-Crime programme, detaining people for crimes before they are committed. But when Julia is accused of pre-murder, she’s in a race against time to save herself from her own system.
This thrilling adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s iconic story challenges our beliefs about justice and freewill in a real-time chase through London of the future.
Minority Report sees award-winning director Max Webster reunited with the producers of the globally successful stage version of Life of Pi (‘It will make you believe in theatre. A triumph’ The Sunday Times). This incredible theatrical experience will use innovative technology to create a world at the borders of science fiction and reality.
David Haig (Writer) is an Olivier Award-winning actor and FIPA Award-winning writer. His writing credits include: My Boy Jack which opened at Hampstead Theatre in 1997 and subsequently toured in 2004; The Good Samaritan (Hampstead Theatre, 2000) and Pressure (a co-production by Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Chichester Festival Theatre) which was nominated for Best New Play at the 2014 UK Theatre Awards. The play was revived in 2018. It toured the country, ran at the Park Theatre in Finsbury Park for 2 months, and then transferred to the West End for a sold out run at the Ambassador’s Theatre. Pressure enjoyed its North American premiere at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto in 2023.
In 2007, David adapted My Boy Jack for screen, produced by Ecosse Films and ITV. The adaptation, which starred David alongside Daniel Radcliffe, Carey Mulligan and Kim Cattrall, won Best Screenplay at the International Festival of Audiovisual Programs (FIPA) in 2008.
David is currently working on a new play: Magic, a commission by Nicholas Hytner for the Bridge Theatre. He is also developing a film version of Pressure with Working Title and Studio Canal. Max Webster (Director) is the Associate Director at The Donmar Warehouse. As Director, theatre credits include: Life of Pi (Broadway, West End & currently on a UK Tour – Winner of 5 Tony and Olivier Awards); Henry V (Donmar Warehouse); Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax (Old Vic Theatre/San Diego Old Globe/Minneapolis Children’s Theatre); Antigone, Twelfth Night, As You Like It (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); The Jungle Book (Fiery Angel); Fanny and Alexander, Cover My Tracks (Old Vic Theatre); The Twits (Curve Theatre Leicester); The Winter’s Tale (The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh); The Sea of Fertility, Mary Stuart (Parco Productions Tokyo); Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe); Shostakovich’s Hamlet (City of London Sinfonia); Orlando, To Kill a Mockingbird, My Young and Foolish Heart (Royal Exchange Manchester); James and the Giant Peach, My Generation (Leeds Playhouse); Carnival Under the Rainbow, Feast Kakulu (Hilton Festival, South Africa) and Caucasian Chalk Circle (Aarohan Theatre, Kathmandu).
Opera credits include: La Bohème (Göteborgsoperan, Sweden); The Merry Widow (English National Opera) and Owen Wingrave (British Youth Opera).
Upcoming work includes Macbeth (Donmar Warehouse, Starring David Tennant).
One of the most celebrated authors of the last century, Philip K. Dick was published in the Library of America in 2007 and has received literary recognition unprecedented for a contemporary science fiction writer. His more than 40 novels and 125 short stories have been translated into 25 languages. Dick’s works have been the basis for blockbuster movies such as the Ridley Scott directed, BLADE RUNNER (1982) and Denis Villeneuve directed BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017), as well as two versions of TOTAL RECALL (1990) and (2012) and ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (2011).
Founded in 2007, Electric Shepherd Productions is dedicated to the stewardship and adaptation of the Philip K. Dick library and is owned and operated by daughter of the author, Isa Dick Hackett. ESP’s most recent projects include the Emmy Award-winning television series The Man in the High Castle, based on Philip K. Dick’s Hugo Award-winning novel of the same name, and Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, an anthology show based on different short stories, with Ronald D. Moore, Michael Dinner, Bryan Cranston, and Sony Pictures TV. Current projects include a feature film based on Philip K. Dick’s novel Vulcan’s Hammer, which ESP is producing alongside New Republic and director Francis Lawrence.
WEDDING BAND A Love/Hate Story in Black and White By Alice Childress Directed by Monique Touko Friday 31 May – Saturday 29 June 2024
Set in the deep south of the USA in 1918 when interracial marriage was illegal, Julia, a black seamstress, and Herman, a white baker, are defying all odds with their secret love. They face vicious judgement not just by society but also their closest friends and family. As they finally begin to believe their dreams for a future together are possible, Herman becomes a victim of the Spanish flu. Determined to save him, Julia is faced with decisions that will change her life.
Award-winning American playwright Alice Childress’ Wedding Band is a searing and powerful masterpiece which offers a stark reflection of the reality she was writing in during the Civil Rights era. It explores themes of race and class, questioning the devastating impact of unjust laws on ordinary human lives.
This moving and emotive drama will be directed by Monique Touko following her smash-hit success School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play at the Lyric.
“Stunningly, immediately real… Childress excels at writing archetypal characters who aren’t bound by cliché.” – Seattle Times
“A great deal of compassion…” – New York Times
“An unforgettable piece of theatre.” – Seattle Weekly
Alice Childress (Writer), born in 1916 and raised during the Harlem Renaissance under the watchful eye of her beloved maternal grandmother, Childress grew up to become first an actress and then a playwright and novelist. A founding member of the American Negro Theatre, she wrote her first play, Florence, in 1949. The script was written in one night on a dare from close friend and actor Sidney Poitier, who had told Alice that he didn’t think a great play could be written overnight. She proved him wrong, and the play was produced off-Broadway in 1950.
In 1952 Childress became the first African-American woman to see her play (Gold Through The Trees) professionally produced in New York. In 1955, Childress’ play Trouble In Mind was a critical and popular success from the beginning of its run off-Broadway at the Greenwich Mews Theatre. The play immediately drew interest from producers for a Broadway transfer. In an ironic twist echoing the tribulations of the characters in the play itself, the producers wanted changes to the script to make it more palatable to a commercial audience. Childress refused to compromise her artistic vision, and the play didn’t open on Broadway. If it had, at that time Childress would have been the first African-American woman playwright to have a play on Broadway. Trouble In Mind received a well-reviewed off-Broadway revival in 1998 by the Negro Ensemble Company and has since been produced by Yale Repertory Theatre, Centerstage, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Arena Stage. Trouble In Mind, directed by Charles Randolph Wright, produced by the Roundabout Theatre Company, opened on Broadway in November 2021.
Childress is perhaps best known today for A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ But A Sandwich, her 1973 novel about a 13-year-old black boy addicted to heroin, which was subsequently made into a movie in 1978. Other plays written by Childress include Just A Little Simple (1950), Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story In Black And White (1966) and Gullah (1984).
Alice Childress died in New York in 1994. Throughout her career, she examined the true meaning of being black, and especially of being black and female. As Childress herself once said, “I concentrate on portraying have-nots in a have society.”
Monique Touko (Director) is a London based multidisciplinary artist working in theatre, radio, TV and film. Following the success of critically-acclaimed and sold-out hit School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, Monique returns to the Lyric to direct Alice Childress’ seminal play Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White.
Recipient of 2022 Stage Debut Award for Best Director for MALINDADZIMU, her directing training includes Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme at Royal Exchange Manchester. At the Young Vic, her training has involved the Intro to Directing course led by Sacha Weres, Boris Karloff Trainee Assistant Directors Programme and the Jerwood Assistant Director Scheme. In 2022, Monique was selected to take part in the National Theatre’s annual Directing Course. Her assisting credits include Wishlist by Katherine Soper, directed by Matthew Xia at Royal Exchange Manchester and Royal Court, HighTides’ touring production of Kanye The First by Sam Steiner directed by Andrew Twyman, Yellowman by Dael Orlandersmith directed by Nancy Medina at Young Vic, China Plate’s On the Exhale by Martin Zimmerman directed by Christopher Haydon at Traverse Theatre, Cock by Mike Bartlett directed by Kate Hewitt at Chichester Festival Theatre, Shakespeare’s Richard II directed by Lynette Linton and Adjoa Andoh at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Ibsen’s Rosmersholm adapted by Duncan Macmillan, directed by Ian Rickson at Duke of York Theatre and Lorca’s Blood Wedding adapted by Marina Carr, directed by Yael Farber at Young Vic.
Monique’s skill set includes Facilitation, Devising, International Work, New Writing, Script Reading, Drama School Shows and Projects, Training Actors and Working with Young People.
She is also part of The Ubunifu Space – A definitive guide to music and culture from the youth of Africa and the diaspora – the Ubunifu way. Monique is project manager for the Space and regular member of the UK reaction team on the YouTube channel which has a global following of 320K+ subscribers and over 50 million views.
FANGIRLS A Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Sonia Friedman Productions co-production Book, Music and Lyrics by Yve Blake Directed by Paige Rattray Saturday 13 July – Saturday 24 August 2024
Production Designer David Fleischer; Choreographer Ebony Williams; Video Designer Ash J Woodward; Lighting Designer Jessica Hung Han Yun; Sound Designer Tony Gayle; Vocal Arranger and Orchestrator Zara Stanton; Music Producer David Muratore; Associate Choreographer Alex Sarmiento; Associate Musical Director Laurence Stannard.
Get ready for an unmissable show that pulses with the soaring adrenaline of a first crush and feels like the best pop concert you’ve never been to…
Meet Edna: she’s 14, she’s a misfit, and she’s in love with Harry. There’s just one problem: Harry’s in the world’s biggest boy band, has 38 million fans, and doesn’t know she exists. When Harry’s band announces a tour stop in Edna’s hometown of Sydney, Australia, she knows this is her destiny – her one chance to meet him. But how on EARTH will she get Harry’s attention?! And exactly how far is she prepared to go in the name of love?
If you think this is just a story about loving a boy band… think again. FANGIRLS is a thrilling and subversive musical comedy about the danger of underestimating teenage girls. After multiple sell-out runs across Australia, including the Sydney Opera House, this brand new production of the multi-award winning, pop musical phenomenon FANGIRLS is about to take the UK by storm.
★★★★★ “This pop musical will probably change your life” – Time Out Australia ★★★★★ “Believe the hype. The FANGIRLS phenomenon is real!” – Limelight ★★★★½ “FANGIRLS is sure to become an iconic hit” – ArtsHub ★★★★ “A love letter to feeling so much you just have to scream” – Guardian Australia
Rachel O’Riordan, Artistic Director & CEO of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre said: “FANGIRLS will be a riotous night at the theatre and we couldn’t be more thrilled to co-produce the UK premiere with Sonia Friedman Productions. Our beautiful auditorium will transcend into one of the best pop concerts you’ve ever been to. The Lyric was built for musicals like FANGIRLS which is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime euphoric experience across West London and beyond.”
Sonia Friedman, co-producer of FANGIRLS said: “I have had the privilege of collaborating with the extraordinarily gifted Yve Blake since I first heard about the incredible success of FANGIRLS in Australia. It has been an inspirational, wonderfully energising journey thus far, and I am delighted to be working with the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre to bring this new production to London. Helmed once again by the brilliant Paige Rattray, this funny and life-affirming pop musical is an ode to love.”
Alongside the premiere of FANGIRLS, the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre will also be launching the FANGIRLS FANCLUB to give a limited number of members a very special VIP experience. This one-off membership will unlock a suite of exclusive benefits including tickets to the FANCLUB Convention performance and party on 24 July 2024, tickets to an ‘Inside the Rehearsal Room’ party, Goody Bag with signed merchandise and FANGIRLS FANZINE for sneak peeks. To find out more visit https://lyric.co.uk/support-us/individuals/ Yve Blake (Writer) is a playwright, screenwriter, and songwriter, born and raised on Gadigal land. She’s best known for writing the Book, Music and Lyrics for the musical FANGIRLS, which has been awarded the 2019 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Mainstage Musical, the 2019 Matilda Award for Best Musical or Cabaret, the 2020 AWGIE award for Music Theatre, the 2021 Green Room award for New Australian Writing for Musical Theatre, and also scored an ARIA nomination for Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album. After premiering at Belvoir and Queensland Theatre in 2019, FANGIRLS returned in 2021 for a national tour, and returned by demand in 2022 at the Sydney Opera House. Yve is an alumna of the Royal Court Writers’ Programme, and was the inaugural recipient of the ATYP Rebel Wilson Theatre-maker Scholarship. She is also a 2024 Women in Music Australia Soho House Fellow, and has been a visiting artist at Princeton University. In London, Yve has developed and presented her own work at Soho Theatre, Southbank Centre, Old Vic New Voices, the National Theatre Studio and The Barbican. Her 2019 TEDxSydney talk about Fangirls has been promoted to an official TED talk on TED.com, where it has been viewed more than 1.4 million times. She is currently developing a screen adaptation of Fangirls with Fremantle, a movie musical for Mark Gordon Productions, a new original musical, and various other projects. For more info, head to yveblake.co.
Paige Rattray (Director) is a director and Resident Artist at Sydney Theatre Company. She is currently its Director of New Work and Artistic Development, following her role as its Associate Director. She was previously the Associate Artistic Director at Queensland Theatre (2017-2018) and was chosen as Sydney Theatre Company’s Richard Wherrett Fellow for a consecutive two years (2015/ 2016).
Paige’s directing credits for theatre include: Triple X (Queensland Theatre and STC); Do Not Go Gentle…, The Lifespan Of A Fact, Blithe Spirit, Death Of A Salesman, Deep Blue Sea, The Beauty Queen Of Leenane (winning a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Main Stage Director) and How To Rule The World (all at STC); Hedda, Scenes From A Marriage and Switzerland (all at Queensland Theatre); Black Is The New White (STC and on National Tour); and FANGIRLS (Belvoir Street Theatre, Queensland Theatre, Sydney Opera House and on National Tour). FANGIRLS won the 2019 Sydney Theatre Awards Best Mainstage Musical Award and the Matilda Award for Best Musical or Cabaret, as well as Paige being nominated for Best Director. Paige was also Production Dramaturg on STC’s The Picture Of Dorian Gray coming soon to London’s West End.
For screen, Paige is attached to co-direct a feature film for Fremantle Media Australia, as well as co-creating and directing a TV series based on a hit play. Paige recently worked as co-creator and Senior Producer on the 3-part current affairs programme The Whole Table in collaboration with SBS/NITV and STC.
COMING TO THE STUDIO:
The Promise Deafinitely Theatre, Birmingham Rep and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre present Written by Paula Garfield and Melissa Mostyn Directed by Paula Garfield Tuesday 30 April – Saturday 11 May 2024
Rita is really confused.
She can’t understand why the deaf education system she’s tirelessly championed throughout her teaching career is getting worse and worse, or why there is only one care home in the whole of England that looks after people in her language. On the Isle of Wight.
She’s also confused about where her family is, and why she can’t remember where the milk goes…
This striking world première from the nationally acclaimed British theatre company Deafinitely Theatre (The Vagina Monologues, Everyday and 4.48 Psychosis) is inspired by the extraordinary experiences of deaf people living with dementia.
Written by Paula Garfield and Melissa Mostyn, The Promise is directed by Paula Garfield in the company’s renowned highly visual style combining British Sign Language and English.
Paula Garfield (Writer & Director) is the Artistic Director of Deafinitely Theatre. An actor, director and field creative leader, Paula has worked on a variety of television, film and theatre projects over the past twenty years. In 2002, she established Deafinitely Theatre with Steven Webb and Kate Furby after becoming frustrated at the barriers that deaf actors and directors face across the arts and media industry.
Paula has produced and directed many plays and worked extensively in TV, including Channel Four’s Learn Sign Language, Four Fingers and a Thumb, BBC’s Hands Up and Casualty, plus appearances in every series of the BBC’s deaf drama, Switch. Her previous productions for Deafinitely Theatre are many and include: Tanika’s Journey (Southwark Playhouse), Grounded (Park Theatre), and a national tour of the family show, Something Else. Paula has directed two productions at Shakespeare’s Globe: Love’s Labour’s Lost as part of Deafinitely’s 10th anniversary celebrations, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Paula’s 2017 production of Contractions for Deafinitely Theatre won The Off West End Theatre Award (Offie) for ‘Best Production’, and her production of 4.48 Psychosis at New Diorama Theatre in 2019 was shortlisted for Best Director by Broadway World UK.
Paula was also awarded the Tonic Award for her work at Deafinitely Theatre.
Through the coronavirus pandemic, Deafinitiely Theatre provided 26 creative bursaries to support the development of freelance deaf artists. Throughout lockdown, Paula directed the five Deafinitely Digital films that made up the Talking Hands series, a collaboration with Paines Plough, as well as writing Everyday, Deafinitely Theatre’s 20th anniversary production, which premiered at New Diorama Theatre before embarking on a national tour in 2022. Everyday was nominated for The Off West End Theatre Award for Best Accessible Production.
In 2023, Paula is directing a one night performance of The Vagina Monologues, raising money for Deafinitely Women’s ongoing work to support deaf and deafblind survivors of domestic violence. She is also working with The Pied Piper Company on a new touring family show, Can Bears Ski? as well as Deafinitely Theatre’s next full production, The Promise; a story about a deaf mother living with dementia.
Melissa Mostyn (Writer) is a writer, blogger, arts practitioner and mum-of-two. She has a passion for freedom of creative expression, which drives her diverse love of the arts and media, taking in visual art, theatre, film, journalism, books and TV. She often explores themes of communication, disability/deafness and human relationships in her work. Originally a fashion journalist, she now writes about parenting, the arts, disability and deaf issues, and over the years has contributed to Vogue, Esquire, The Observer, The Independent, BLOOM, New Zealand Style, The Huffington Post, British Deaf News and Disability Arts Online, among many others.
YOUNG LYRIC RESPONSE PROJECTS: For each of our Main House shows, Young Lyric delivers free response projects that thematically link to each production giving young people aged 11-25 who live or study in one of the 10 West London boroughs (Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond upon Thames, Wandsworth and Westminster) the opportunity to express themselves in the arts and further develop their creative skills.
This Spring/Summer 2024 season, in response to Minority Report, Young Lyric will create a complementary digital education resource pack exploring Max Webster’s approach to staging this production, David Haig’s adaptation and the digital innovation of this production including interviews from members of the creative team and drama educators. In response to Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White, Young Lyric will deliver a performance project exploring the societal repercussions of whom we choose to love and why. This project will culminate in a performance sharing at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.
In response to FANGIRLS, Young Lyric will deliver a performance project exploring the notion and movement of fandom. The project will incorporate song, lyrics, movement and music. This project will culminate in a performance sharing at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.
Theatre Royal Stratford East – until 7th October 2023
Reviewed by Ben Jolly
4****
Celebrating its thirtieth anniversary since the play was first performed, Beautiful Thing has returned to the London stage, this time around at the charismatic Theatre Royal Stratford East; and a celebration it is.
Jonathan Harvey’s play is quite simply a beautiful thing. Set in a council estate in South East London’s Thamesmead, we are introduced to a group of wonderfully rounded, complex and loveable characters who are dealing with the struggles and woes that come with everyday life living in a council estate in the early ‘90s.
Our main protagonists are the two teenage boys, Ste and Jamie, who are brilliantly and tenderly performed by Raphael Akuwudike and Rilwan Abiola Owokoniran. They are neighbours and in an estate like this one, everyone knows each other’s business. While both are struggling with their own demons in the real world, they find themselves in a situation that quickly leads to a romantic partnership. In a time and place where this play is set, things could get at best messy and at worst, violently dangerous and while the more obvious route as a writer would be to show us this version, Harvey has opted to tell a story of strength, love and having the nerve to face one’s own demons head on.
This is more than just a “gay play”. With its clever wit, killer one-liners and at times farcical humour, Harvey is able to touch upon a multitude of heavy subjects without overbearing us with their weight; from financial struggles, domestic abuse to the UK’s schooling and class systems, this tribe of relatives, friends and frenemies power through with love and humour being their ultimate weapon. On page, this play has a perfect balance and on stage, it is only escalated with the laugh out loud one-liners and physical comedy, thanks to Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge, Shvorne Marks and Scarlett Rayner who round off the cast with wonderfully delivered performances.
It’s incredibly interesting to witness this play thirty years after it was written – it’s a minefield of niche 90s references and if it had been written today, I would be more critical of this device but knowing that it was penned in the then present-day it feels more like a nostalgic time capsule from days gone by. What’s more interesting, however, is Harvey’s choice to write such a warm and positive piece regarding homosexuality in a time when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was at its peak; I am sure that this was a conscious decision at the time, and it still pays off to this day.
With shrewd direction by Anthony Simpson-Pike and effective set design by Rosie Elnile, this production is set to move onto Leeds Playhouse and HOME Manchester after the run at Stratford East. I can’t help but think that the subliminal northern humour and rhythms that season this play will transfer exceptionally with the audiences up north too. Harvey hails from Liverpool and while this piece is set in South East London, you can’t help but notice the northern tongue throughout his use of language.
At thirty years old, Harvey’s Beautiful Thing has aged extremely well and I predict that it will continue to many years from now. It is unfortunate that while the world has moved on so much for the better, the themes explored in this piece are still so relevant today. However, what continues to stand out with this play is that love and laughs are of paramount importance as ever.
