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York Theatre Royal – Saturday 23rd April 2022

Review by Zoe Giles

5*****

To be honest I really didn’t think I would enjoy this show having: no script, no theme, no idea of songs etc. How wrong could I have been, we absolutely LOVED it. The evening starts with the audience shouting out ideas which are then voted on, and the loudest cheer is the main “Theme” for the evening with the other ideas fed in, our winner was a party hosted by Boris Johnson, with the addition of a bouncy castle and a holiday let in Matlock.

Next, we were asked to come up with a name for our play, the clear winner was “you’ve let us all downing street”

The final part of our improvised play was to which musicals we would like our play to be set, the audience came up with Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent, Annie get your Gun and Hamilton.

And, we were off on our adventure for the evening with the skills of these amazing improvisation actors who from the first moment had us in stitches and I knew we were in for a treat, there is no fancy set design just basic props set against a black background with red highlights and because the actors are so good, they didn’t need anything fancy to make us believe what they were doing we were so mesmerised by their performances nothing else was needed.

And so, we found ourselves at a “meeting” at Downing Street where cheese and wine were being served and the fun and games really started as they made up a script ,then a song to the suggested musicals, and time just raced by as the actors took on different roles and characters while feeding off each other and taking a lead from each other which was so impressive it was hard to believe that this was all being made up right before us. During the interval we were asked to tweet ideas for how the second act should begin and so we were treated to a march on downing street to the musical Les Misérables and with the sound of music a very close second, we were then treated to the

Vontrap children singing the Bing Bong song, which for me was the highlight of the evening you had to be there!

It’s no wonder they have been awarded an Oliver award and been invited back for a 13th year to the Edinburgh fringe festival, if you get the chance to see this show, I would strongly recommend you do I can’t obviously tell you what it will be about or the theme but what I can say is you’ll have a great time!!!!!

 FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH – UNTIL 23rd  APRIL

 REVIEWED BY RACHEL FARRIER 

5*****

This is a visually stunning ballet production of the classic early twentieth century novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, staged by Northern Ballet and choreographed by David Nixon. I was intrigued (and perhaps a little sceptical) to see how the novel would translate into this format, but this production does it magnificently. 

The score, by Sir Richard Rodney Bennett and performed here by the Northern Ballet Sinfonia, is achingly beautiful and brilliantly incorporates the tone and style that we now associate with the 1920s. This is mirrored by the incorporation of ballroom dances (such as the Charleston) into the already stunning ballet choreography, and gorgeous costumes which convey the decadence of the monied classes of that era. 

The beautiful and clever set design and lighting underpin the production, in particular the use of large ‘windows’ across the stage which enable flashbacks and memories of the main characters to be conveyed, as well as creating an effective inside/outside.

The entire ensemble impressed with energy and accuracy, but the performances in particular from Saeka Sharai as Daisy Buchanan and Riku Ito as Jay Gatsby are simply outstanding, in particular the scenes in which they dance alone together. There is skill and precision to their performance of the beautiful choreography, but also some impressive acting – the audience feels the full range of emotions along with the characters as they swing from joyous and passionate to anxious and tragic. Harris Beattie also delivers a stand out performance as garage mechanic George Wilson – he conveys the frustration and heartbreak of his character with a rare physicality and energy. There is something spell binding about a seemingly stereotypical macho character dancing across the stage with a tender violence, using a tyre as a graceful prop. 

Whether you are a ballet aficionado or not, this is a captivating ballet with an outstanding ensemble, which will both entertain and move you.

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL

A Made at Curve production directed by Nikolai Foster

Billy Elliot to be performed by

Leo Hollingsworth, Alfie Napolitano, Samuel Newby and Jaden Shentall-Lee

Sally-Ann Triplett as Mrs. Wilkinson

Joe Caffrey as Jackie Elliot

Luke Baker as Tony Elliot

Jessica Daley as Dead Mum

Curve has announced the cast and creative team for its upcoming Made at Curve production of Billy Elliot the Musical.

The first new UK production is directed by Nikolai Foster (A Chorus Line, Sunset Boulevard – At Home, West Side Story) and will run at the Leicester theatre for six weeks only from Thursday 7 July to Sunday 14 August. Press night will take place on Thursday 14 July.

The titular role of Billy Elliot, the miner’s son with a passion for ballet, will be performed by Leo Hollingsworth from Nottinghamshire, Alfie Napolitano from Northamptonshire, Samuel Newby from Hertfordshire and Jaden Shentall-Lee, whose family live in Leicestershire.

Billy’s dance teacher Mrs. Wilkinson will be played by West End and Broadway legend Sally Ann Triplett, whose iconic roles include Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes (National Theatre and Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and Young Phyllis in Follies (Shaftesbury Theatre), as well as Martha in the recent Made at Curve UK tour of White Christmas.

Michael, Billy’s best friend will be performed by Bobby Donald, Lucas Haywood, Ethan Shimwell and Leicester’s Prem Masani, who will make his stage debut in the production.

All hailing from the East Midlands, Pearl Ball, Caitlin Cole, Lola Johnstone and Ellie Copping – who returns to Curve’s stage having previously appeared as Susan Waverly in the 2018 Made at Curve production of White Christmas – will share the role of Debbie, Mrs. Wilkinson’s daughter.

Joe Caffrey, who previously performed in the West End production of Billy Elliot the Musical, will join the cast as Billy’s Dad Jackie, while Broadway and West End sensation Rachel Izen will play Billy’s Grandma Edna. Luke Baker (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, the Made at Curve UK tour of Grease) will play Billy’s older brother Tony and Jessica Daley (recently seen in Made at Curve productions of White Christmas and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber) will play Billy’s Dead Mum.

The adult company will be completed by Craig Armstrong as George, Minal Patel as Big Davey, Cameron Johnson as Mr. Braithwaite, Micky Cochrane as Scab, Robin Paley Yorke as Lesley, Christopher Wright as Mr. Wilkinson, Michael Lin as Pit Supervisor, Jonathan Dryden Taylor as Posh Dad, Tori McDougall as Clipboard Woman, Louie Wood as Glaswegian Dancer, and Steph Asamoah and Anna Rossa as community members.

The young company of ballet dancers and boxers, most of which are Midlands-based or have local family connections, will feature Willow Adamson, Maddie Seren Ashley, Oliver Back, Aneeka Kaur Bains, Ella-Rose Blackburn Price, Harvey Clarridge, Lily Corkill, Miley Dalton, Matisse Didier, Isabelle Francis, Ethan Galeotti, Rahul Gandabhai, Isla Granville, Uzziah Gray, Orlaith Rae Hunt, Ava Rose Johnson, Ava Mia Komisarczuk, Kyrelle Lammy, Lienna-Jean Langdon, Tahlia Maddox, Lorcan Murphy, Nesisa Mhindu, Hayden Polanco, Sophie Pirie, Gopal Thacker and Mirabelle Varakantam.

The Made at Curve production of Billy Elliot the Musical will by choreographed by Lucy Hind, with Musical Supervisor and Musical Director George Dyer. The set will be designed by Michael Taylor with costumes designed by Edd Lindley. Also joining the creative team are Lighting Designer and Curve Associate Ben Cracknell, Sound Designer Adam Fisher, Props Supervisor Lizzie Frankl, RYTDS Resident Assistant Director Lilac Yosiphon, Birkbeck Trainee Director Thyrza Abrahams, Associate Choreographer James Berkery, Dialect Coach Elspeth Morrison, Fight Director Kev McCurdy and Head Chaperone Helen ‘H’ Mclaren-Frost.

Children’s casting is managed by Jo Hawes, with adult casting led by Curve Associate Kay Magson CDG.

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said:

“We are beyond excited to share our extraordinary cast for Lee Hall and Elton John’s astonishing musical Billy Elliot, ensuring this summer in Leicester is truly memorable.

“Billy Elliot is a musical filled with incredible characters, epic ideas and at its heart, the story of a young boy who has the passion and courage to dance down a different path from the one prescribed for him. We are thrilled to be working with our four Billys – Alfie, Leo, Jaden and Sam – and the entire young company – all hugely talented, brimming with energy and representing the very best young talent in the UK today.

“And leading the entire company, theatre legend Sally Ann Triplett takes on the role of the inspirational teacher we all need in our lives, Mrs. Wilkinson. Joining Sally, we are proud to welcome a first-class company to Curve, totally 55 performers! This is by far the most ambitious show we have staged at Curve and there is no better time to present this musical which recognises the value of culture in our society, the importance of expressing your truest self and gives a voice to the courageous working-class communities who are depicted in Lee Hall’s astonishing play. All beautifully framed by Elton John’s electrifying score.”

Based on Stephen Daldry’s BAFTA-winning 2000 film starring Jamie Bell and Julie Walters, Billy Elliot the Musical features music from Elton John and book and lyrics by Lee Hall. The musical first premiered at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre in 2005 and went on to win a host of international awards, including four Olivier Awards and ten Tony Awards.

It’s the mid 80s. Thatcher is at her most powerful. Men mine and boys box. Until, in a small town in County Durham, a young boy falls in love with ballet.

Set amidst the increasingly bitter 1984/85 miners’ strike, Billy Elliot the Musical is a tale of determination, acceptance and daring to be different. In a close-knit community where family and tradition means everything, can Billy forge a new destiny and follow his passion?

Based on Stephen Daldry’s acclaimed 2000 film, with music by Elton John and book and lyrics by Lee Hall, this electrifying musical features incredible songs such as Solidarity, The Letter, He Could Be a Star and the show-stopping Electricity.

Tickets for Billy Elliot the Musical at Curve be purchased on Curve’s website www.curveonline.co.uk, over the phone by calling 0116 242 3595 or in-person at Curve’s Box Office.

Billy Elliot the Musical is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International: www.mtishows.co.uk 

THE MORMONS ARE COMING TO NEWCASTLE!

The Book of Mormon, Broadway’s smash-hit musical written by Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Robert Lopez, is coming to Newcastle Theatre Royal for a three week run Wed 15 Jun – Sat 9 Jul 2022.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the creators of the Emmy and Peabody award-winning television show, South Park, which has run for more than 20 seasons and the feature films South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and Team America: World Police.

Robert Lopez co-created the Broadway musical Avenue Q and co-wrote the songs for Disney’s Frozen and Coco. He is one of only fifteen artists to win all four major entertainment awards – Emmy®, Grammy®, Oscar® and Tony® Awards.

The Book of Mormon follows a pair of Mormon boys sent on a mission to a place that’s a long way from their home in Salt Lake City.

Since making its world premiere in March 2011 at New York’s Eugene O’Neill Theatre, where it won nine Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, The Book of Mormon has been performed on three continents and won over thirty international awards. The musical has smashed long-standing box office records in New York, London, Melbourne, Sydney and cities across the U.S.

The London production opened in February 2013, winning four Olivier Awards® including Best New Musical, and breaking the record for the highest single day of sales in West End history. It has sold out every one of its 2735 performances to date at the Prince of Wales Theatre.

Book, Music and Lyrics are by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. Directed by Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker, The Book of Mormon has choreography by Casey Nicholaw, set design by Scott Pask, costume design by Ann Roth, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt, sound design by Brian Ronan, orchestrations by Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus and music supervision and vocal arrangements by Stephen Oremus.

The Book of Mormon is produced by Anne Garefino, Scott Rudin, Important Musicals and Sonia Friedman Productions.

The Book of Mormon plays at Newcastle Theatre Royal Wed 15 Jun – Sat 9 Jul 2022. Tickets are priced at £17.50 and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 0191 232 7010.

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR POLITICAL THRILLER BRITANNICUS, ON FROM 26 MAY TO 25 JUNE

• It’s a Sin’s Nathaniel Curtis to star in the title role of Britannicus with William Robinson as Nero, Sirine Saba as Agrippina, Hanna Khogali as Albine, Helena Lymbery as Burrhus, Nigel Barrett as Narcissus and Shyvonne Ahhmad as Junia      

• Jean Racine’s Roman tragedy is translated and adapted by Timberlake Wertenbaker and directed by the award-winning Atri Banerjee

• Britannicus runs at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from 26 May to 25 June, with opening night on 01 June. Tickets at www.lyric.co.uk

Full casting is announced today for Jean Racine’s Roman tragedy Britannicus, translated and adapted by Timberlake Wertenbaker and directed by award-winning director Atri Banerjee,in a thrilling, new production exploring monarchy, succession, dictatorship and depravity, set in modern day Rome. Britannicus runs at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from 26 May to 25 June 2022, with opening night for press on 01 June.

The production features Shyvonne Ahhmad, seen asAsh Majee in UKTV series Annika, as Junia; Nigel Barrett,from the award-winning Edinburgh Festival hit Pops,plays Narcissus; Nathaniel Curtis, best known for playing Ash Mukherjee in the hit Channel 4 series It’s A Sin, in the title role of Britannicus; Hanna Khogali, seen in Paines Plough’s You Bury Me,is Albine; Helena Lymbery,recently seen in Measure for Measure at Shakespeare’s Globe, plays Burrhus; Sirine Saba, who was recently seen as the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare’s Globe, plays their mother Agrippina; and William Robinson, direct from Bacon at Finborough Theatre, as Emperor Nero.

Jean Racine’s tragedy is translated and adapted by Timberlake Wertenbaker, the Olivier and New York Drama Critics Award winning writer of Our Country’s Good. This enthralling adaptation of Britannicus marks the first major London production in 10 years and is directed by Atri Banerjee, winner of The Stage Debut Award for Best Director and recently named in their list of top theatremakers to look out for in 2022.

Atri Banerjee, Director, said: “I’m so thrilled to be directing this new production of Britannicus and to be working with brilliant collaborators across cast and creative team to bring Racine’s epic political thriller to life. From antiquity to the present day, we’ve always felt the corrosive effects of unchecked authoritarianism. Right now, we feel them in war in Ukraine; election in France; parties in our very own seats of power as the country is ravaged by pandemic. Britannicus dramatises the point when a “good” leader turns bad and so has never felt more relevant. Racine drew upon the political landscape of 17th century France to tell a story of 1st century Rome: in it, we see 21st century Britain.

Britannicus makes the political personal and the personal political. It’s an honour to work with the legendary Timberlake Wertenbaker on her bold, muscular adaptation. I’m so excited by the vision and scope of our production, and I have no doubt that audiences will be gripped by what we have in store for them.”

Timberlake Wertenbaker, Translator and Adaptor, said: “I was actually translating Racine’s Phedre when I caught a production of Britannicus in Paris. I hadn’t known the play well before and I was stunned by its analysis of ambition and the corruption of power. I was intrigued by the complex and changeable relationships between the characters, something Racine does brilliantly.  It’s a very political play and seems to speak to times of political turmoil.”

Rachel O’Riordan, Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Atri Banerjee to direct on our main stage at the Lyric as part of our continuing 2022 season. His extraordinary vision and talent willno doubt elevate another essential work from the always impressive Timberlake Wertenbaker. Britannicus is a historical story of political power and self-interest yet proves ever more poignant today.”

‘Tyranny always promises good things.’ Power and succession are in the very bones of Rome. Agrippina – desperate to cling onto power – has ensured her son, Nero, is the Roman Emperor, in place of his half-brother and the rightful heir, Britannicus. But the corridors of power and Nero’s own obsession turn a once virtuous ruler into an oppressive tyrant. This noble tragedy explores monarchy, dictatorship and depravity.

Britannicus is written by Jean Racine, translated and adapted by Timberlake Wertenbaker, directed by Atri Banerjee, set and costume design by Rosanna Vize, lighting design by Lee Curran, composition and sound design by Jasmin Kent Rodgman, movement direction by Jennifer Jackson and casting by Nadine Rennie CDG.

REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE’S MOREoutdoor SUMMER 2022 EVENTS ANNOUNCED

·       COMEDIANS DANIEL KITSON, GAVIN OSBORN and TIM KEY CONFIRMED

·       BERK’S NEST and CANNED LAUGHTER PRESENT TWO COMEDY FUNDRAISERS IN SUPPORT OF THE TRUSSELL TRUST

·       BATTERSEA ARTS CENTRE and BAC BEATBOX ACADEMY PRESENT FRANKENSTEIN: HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER

·       SPECIAL EVENTS INCLUDE AUSTENTATIOUS and LE GATEAU CHOCOLAT

·       THE LUNA CINEMA PRESENT OUTDOOR SCREENINGS OF STAR WARS: EPISODE IV – A NEW HOPE and SPIELBERG’S WEST SIDE STORY

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre have today announced MOREoutdoor events as part of their 90^th anniversary season.

Daniel Kitson returns to the stage for the first time in two years with three gigs (Sunday 19 June, 24 July, 21 August). Performing with or near Gavin Osborn, it’s entirely unclear what the “thing” is they’ll be doing. It may involve them both being on stage at the same time, winking at each other, giggling or taking turns to do a nice little dance for everyone. Lovely.

Following sold-out gigs in 2020 and 2021, Berk’s Nest and Canned Laughter present two all-star comedy fundraisers in support of The Trussell Trust’s London food banks (Sunday 12 June). Suzi Ruffell hosts a 5pm early show, which also includes Sukh Ojla and Brett Goldstein, with Chloe Petts hosting an 8.30pm late show, featuring Ria Lina and Kerry Godliman. Full lines-ups to be announced in due course.

Tim Key (Alan Partridge, The Witchfinder) brings his 5-star show Mulberry to the Open Air Theatre (Sunday 19 June), with ruminations about the great indoors and a bit of stamping around. Oh, and a velour tracksuit, continental lagers and some “poetry”.

Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel, is the award-winning smash-hit comedy – as seen in the West End and heard on Radio 4. Inspired entirely by a title from the audience, a new Jane Austen novel will be performed in period costume with live musical accompaniment. Swooning guaranteed (Sunday 31 July).

From Battersea Arts Centre the BAC Beatbox Academy present Frankenstein: How To Make A Monster (Monday 8 August). Part electrifying gig, part thrilling theatre this powerful and poetic show pushes the power of the human voice to its expressive, musical and rhythmic limits. Reimagining a world of modern monsters and taking musical inspirations from Pachelbel to The Prodigy, Frankenstein will leave you asking: Who are the monsters we fear? Who created them? And how the hell did they just do that with their voices?

Le Gateau Chocolat makes his Open Air Theatre debut with his delicious Raw Cacao (Sunday 14 August). Sitting at the profound intersection of William Shakespeare and Maya Angelou, Raw Cacao is an exploration of intimacy; an invitation into the most hallowed of spaces – the chamber where one transitions from performer to person, asking “who are we when no one is watching?” Lurching from pop to opera via folk song, musical theatre, disco and more, this is a mixtape of who Gateau was, who Gateau is, and who Gateau hopes to become.

An annual Open Air Theatre favourite, The Luna Cinema present two incredible outdoor cinema events, both classics in their own right. With the night sky the backdrop to the galactic civil war, experience George Lucas’s Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (Sunday 26 June) in a 45^th anniversary screening, followed by Steven Spielberg’s multi-award-winning new take on West Side Story (Sunday 18 September). With an epic score featuring ‘America’, ‘Maria’, ‘Tonight’ and ‘Somewhere’, this phenomenal movie musical is one not to miss in the glorious surroundings of a Royal Park.

Priority booking opens 11am, Friday 22 April 2022

Public booking opens 11am, Thursday 28 April 2022

For more information about Priority Booking, visit openairtheatre.com/join

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s 90^th Anniversary season also includes Legally Blonde (13 May – 2 July) directed by Lucy Moss and 101 Dalmatians (12 Jul – 28 Aug), a newly commissioned musical written by Douglas Hodge (music and lyrics) and Johnny McKnight (book), from a stage adaptation by Zinnie Harris, based on the book by Dodie Smith. In a second commission from the theatre in 2022, Antigone (3 – 24 September) by Barber Shop Chronicles writer Inua Ellams after Sophocles, is directed by Max Webster and co-directed by Jo Tyabji.

GREGORY DORAN TO STEP DOWN AS RSC ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) announced that Gregory Doran will step down as Artistic Director from today after 35 years with the Company including the last ten years as Artistic Director. Gregory will begin rehearsals next week for Richard III with Arthur Hughes in the title role and will remain with the Company as Artistic Director Emeritus until the end of 2023. 

As Artistic Director Emeritus Gregory will lead specific projects and direct a production in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre as part of the celebration of Shakespeare’s First Folio in 2023, this will be his 50^th production for the RSC. Gregory will also deliver ongoing training for artists on voice and verse throughout the year.

The search for the new Artistic Director will be conducted by the Non-Executive Board and details for applicants and the process will be available HERE from Friday 29 April. Erica Whyman, who has been Acting Artistic Director since September 2021, will continue this role during the search.

Gregory was announced as Artistic Director in September 2012 and his first production as Artistic Director opened in September 2013 when he reunited with David Tennant, directing him in the title role of Richard II in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The acclaimed production transferred to the Barbican Theatre, London and was the first RSC production to be seen live in cinemas around the world.

Speaking about his decision Gregory said:

‘It has been a real privilege to be a part of the amazing team leading this great Company for this last decade of challenge and achievement. And to work through the entire canon of plays in Shakespeare’s First Folio in time for its 400th anniversary next year. We have made many strides in making our theatre more inclusive, accessible, diverse and accountable, but there is always more to do and I wish whoever succeeds me joy in continuing that work. I am honoured to have been granted the title of Artistic Director Emeritus until the end of 2023’.

Gregory has led the Company through the journey of Shakespeare’s canon throughout his decade as Artistic Director. As well as being performed live on stage, the productions have been screened in cinemas worldwide and shared free with schools across the UK as well as extensive accompanying resources. He championed the Company’s nationwide activity working alongside 12 Partner Theatres and their communities including a strong network of Associate Schools.

In his 2018 production of Troilus and Cressida he collaborated with virtuoso percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie. The production boasted the RSC’s first equally gender-balanced cast in a Shakespeare play on the main stage, and the first disabled actor to play a leading Shakespeare role for the Company with deaf actor Charlotte Arrowsmith as Cassandra. 

Gregory has directed Measure For Measure (2019), the revival of his celebrated puppet Masque Venus and Adonis (2017) and King Lear with Antony Sher in the title role (2016).  He led the Company’s digital innovation with a ground-breaking production of The Tempest with Simon Russell Beale created with Intel and in association with Imaginarium Studios.  Henry V (2015), Henry IV Parts I & II which went on an international tour to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong prior to a month-long residency at New York’s Brooklyn Academy of Music, joined by Richard II.

In 2016 Gregory directed Shakespeare Live! broadcast on the BBC and which marked the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.  Many RSC alumni joined the line-up including Ian McKellen, David Tennant, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Patrick Stewart and Paapa Essiedu alongside the Company’s President HRH The Prince of Wales. The performance was nominated for a 2017 BAFTA for Best Live Event.

Other productions include the world stage premiere of David Walliams’ The Boy in the Dress in 2019, Death of A Salesman with Harriet Walter and Antony Sher, and The Witch of Edmonton with Eileen Atkins in the title role.

In June 2012 Gregory received the Sam Wanamaker Award from Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, an annual award that recognises and celebrates work which has increased the understanding and enjoyment of Shakespeare. He delivered the 2016 Richard Dimbleby Lecture, which was broadcast on 16 March 2016 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death

Gregory nurtured new voices across all RSC activity and during his leadership The Other Place re-opened, under the direction of Erica Whyman, as a hub for new writing.  The iconic RSC Costume Workshop was redeveloped and restored re-opening in 2021, an example of the craftmanship that exists and is at the core of the RSC.

Gregory led the Company through the Covid-19 pandemic alongside Executive Director, Catherine Mallyon.  Work during this time of theatre closure included co-directing the streamed open rehearsal project of Henry VI Part I alongside Owen Horsley and in-conversation streamed events for Talking Shakespeare with many RSC alumni including Ian McKellen, Harriet Walter, Patrick Stewart, Paterson Joseph and Adjoa Andoh. The Winter’s Tale was reimagined for the screen, filmed in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and broadcast on BBC Four, then on iPlayer, and The Comedy of Errors performed outdoors in the specially created Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre.

Shriti Vadera, RSC Chair added:

‘Greg’s unparalleled knowledge of Shakespeare’s plays has created many memorable productions on our stages over a 35-year span that marks an extraordinary contribution to the RSC, not least as Artistic Director in the last 10 years. He has generously supported many artists at all stages of their careers and has championed young people’s learning and literacy through our unique School and Learning programmes. 

‘Along with Catherine Mallyon and Erica Whyman, he has recently steered the Company through the most difficult of times ensuring that we continued to support our audiences and the communities we work with and are now emerging from the pandemic with resilience. I am delighted that Greg will continue to work with the RSC as Artistic Director Emeritus throughout 2023, the 400th Anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio. On behalf of the Board and the many stakeholders of the RSC, I would like to express our deep gratitude to Greg’.

Catherine Mallyon, RSC Executive Director further added:
‘Much will be said about Greg’s extraordinary artistic contribution to the RSC, so I want to focus on the personal. Greg is the most wonderful colleague. The humanity we see shining through Greg’s work on stage is also what we experience every day. From a kind word to an incisive intervention, Greg has always taken the time to see us all as individuals. It has been a joy and an inspiration to work alongside Greg and I thank him with all my heart for being such a generous and supportive professional partner’.

West End superstars unite to launch Musical Con –
the UK’s first ever musical theatre fan convention
Saturday 22nd – Sunday 23rd October 2022
ExCel London, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1XL

Brand new for 2022, thousands of musical theatre fans and enthusiasts will come together under one roof for the first time for a weekend-long celebration of musicals at the iconic ExCeL London.

Ambassadors for the event are West End superstars Aimie Atkinson, Kerry Ellis, Alice Fearn, Ben Forster, Jodie Steele, Trevor Dion Nicholas, Omari Douglas, Shanay Holmes, Jenna Russell and Layton Williams. Kerry Ellis says, It’s such a fantastic idea. I don’t know why it hasn’t been done before.

Over 30 special guests have also been announced, including musical theatre supergroup SVN (Millie O’Connell, Natalie May Paris, Grace Mouat, Alexia McIntosh, Jarneia Richard-Noel, Maiya Quansah-Breed), Kelly Agbowu, Jocasta Almgill, Luke Bayer, Nikki Bentley, Lauren Byrne, Maddison Bullyment, Tarinn Callender, Lauren Drew, Hiba Elchikhe, Emma Hatton, Sophie Isaacs, Cassidy Janson, Aisha Jawando, Idriss Kargbo, Emma Kingston, Bobby Little, Carl Mann, Jason Pennycooke, Laura Pick, Karl Queensborough, Jon Robyns, Sharon Rose, Charlie Stemp, Ivano Turco, Michael Xavier & Mitch Zhangazha. Many more special guests will be announced throughout the year. Ben Forster says, This is our chance to say thank you to everyone who has ever bought a ticket to see us in a show.

Over the weekend, fans will have the opportunity to meet the stars, celebrate the shows, and learn from the pros as never before. And it won’t just be the stars taking centre stage – everyone is invited to join in with an epic cosplay competition, fan meetups, musical lip-sync battles and show sing-alongs. Ambassador Layton Williams says, This is from us. For the fans. It’s a place you can come, be fabulous, be free, and be yourself.

The convention will be every musical theatre fan’s fantasy. The Main Stage will be where fans enjoy unique performances, surprise cast reunions, interviews, Q&As, discussion panels and show spotlights. At Stage Door they can get up close and personal with their stage faves with meet and greets and photo and autograph opportunities. Theatreland will host interactive show experiences, a marketplace full of stalls selling fandom merch and memorabilia, shops selling musical theatre clothing and accessories, and even a musical theatre themed café. In the Backstage area, enthusiasts will enjoy an extensive selection of musical theatre workshops, masterclasses, and talks run by the cast and creatives of the shows. They can learn about getting into musical theatre and network with schools and colleges. There is even a competition to find the UK’s next musical theatre star with a chance to perform on the main stage!

A full programming schedule will be announced prior to the convention. Alice Fearn says, There will be so much to see. So much to do. It’s going to be great!

West End Musical Productions (West End Musical Drive In, West End Musical Celebration) organise Musical Con with the support of the Society of London Theatre (SOLT).

Emma De Souza, Head of Marketing and Communications for SOLT, says: ‘We are delighted to support this incredible convention which we look forward to becoming a staple of the West End’s annual events calendar, celebrating our world-leading theatre industry and its devoted audience.’

Jenna Russell says, Let’s celebrate the joy that is musical theatre!

James L. Nederlander, Jamie Wilson, Hunter Arnold, Crossroads Live, Playful Productions and The English National Opera
present
the Lincoln Center Theater production of

LERNER & LOEWE’S
MY FAIR LADY
Book and Lyrics by ALAN JAY LERNER
Music by FREDERICK LOEWE
Directed by BARTLETT SHER

www.myfairladymusical.co.uk
@MyFairLadyUK

• NEW IMAGES OF AMARA OKEREKE AS ELIZA DOOLITTLE AND HARRY HADDEN-PATON AS HENRY HIGGINS ARE RELEASED TODAY.
   
• A BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEO FROM THE PHOTOSHOOT HAS ALSO BEEN RELEASED.
   
• DIRECTED BY BARTLETT SHER, THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AND MULTI AWARD WINNING PRODUCTION FEATURES A CAST OF 32 AND A BAND OF 36 MUSICIANS FROM THE ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA’S AWARD-WINNING ORCHESTRA PLAYING FREDERICK LOEWE’S RAVISHING SCORE
   
• FIRST PREVIEW ON 7 MAY AND OFFICIAL OPENING ON 18 MAY
   
• TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FOR THE STRICTLY LIMITED SEASON AT THE LONDON COLISEUM UNTIL 27 AUGUST FROM WWW.MYFAIRLADYMUSICAL.CO.UK 

New images of Amara Okereke as Eliza Dootlitte and Harry Hadden-Paton as Henry Higgins have been released today along with a behind the scenes video captured at the photoshoot. Amara and Harry star in Bartlett Sher’s critically acclaimedand multi award-winning production of Lerner & Loewe’s much loved My Fair Lady which will transfer to the London Coliseum for a limited summer engagement in what will be the first major West End revival of the show for 21 years. The season comes as part of the ongoing celebrated tradition of summer musicals at the London Coliseum. The perfect way to celebrate London’s theatre scene as it blossoms once more after the pandemic. Performances begin on 7 May 2022 with an opening night on 18 May 2022

Tickets are on sale now from www.myfairladymusical.co.uk

Directed by Bartlett Sher, this sublime production, which premiered in the spring of 2018 at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, was the winner of the Tony Award for Best Costume Design,  5 Outer Critics’ Circle Awards including Best Musical Revival, the Drama League Award for Outstanding Musical Revival, and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical Revival and Costume Design. The London production will feature 36 musicians from the English National Opera’s award-winning Orchestra playing Frederick Loewe’s ravishing score making it the largest orchestra in the West End.

My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady”. But who is really being transformed?

With a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, MY FAIR LADYboasts a score including the classic songs “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “Get Me to the Church on Time,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” “On the Street Where You Live,” “The Rain in Spain,” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face.” 

“Thrilling! Glorious and better than it ever was! A marvellous and transformative revival.”
New York Times

Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture Pygmalion, Lerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY premiered on Broadway in March 1956, winning 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and becoming the longest-running musical in Broadway history at the time. Following this success, the production transferred to London in 1958, where it played in the West End for five and a half years. 

MY FAIR LADY has seen many notable revivals and adaptations, including the acclaimed 1964 film starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison, which won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Most recently on the London stage, Cameron Mackintosh’s 2001 revival at Theatre Royal Drury Lane won three Olivier Awards, and later toured across the UK and Ireland in 2005.

James L. Nederlander, Jamie Wilson, Hunter Arnold, Crossroads Live, Playful Productions and the English National Opera present the Lincoln Center Theater production ofLerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY. Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe, sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber, lighting by Donald Holder, sound by Marc Salzberg, hair & wigs by Tom Watson, musical direction by Gareth Valentine, musical supervision by Ted Sperling, choreography by Christopher Gattelli, directed by Bartlett Sher.

UK TOUR DATES FOR NEW SHOW WHICH SHINES

SPOTLIGHT ON ‘QUIET BEATLE’ GEORGE

Daniel Taylor takes acclaimed Something About George – The George Harrison Story on the road ahead of Edinburgh Fringe

A new music show highlighting the incredible talent of the late Beatle George Harrison is set to embark on tour dates across the UK after being premiered in Liverpool.

Something About George – The George Harrison Story, which pays tribute to the man dubbed the “quiet Beatle”, was met with acclaim by both audiences and critics when it closed the Liverpool Theatre Festival last September.

Now West End performer and musician Daniel Taylor is set to take the show on the road on a seven-date tour this summer ahead of a two-week residency at the Edinburgh Fringe.

It will be performed as a one-man, one-act festival version for one week at the Assembly Festival Gardens in Coventry, UK City of Culture and then at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it will be at the Assembly Festival for two weeks.

And a new full two-hour show, with visuals, soundscape and set design will be performed at the other venues – with Danny Taylor joined by three other top musicians to create a fab four band.

The tour opens at The Haymarket Basingstoke on Thursday 9 June before moving on to The Beggar’s Theatre Millom (11 June), St Helens Theatre Royal (16 June), Epstein Theatre Liverpool (18-19 June), Coventry Assembly Festival Garden (21, 23 and 25 June), The Mill Arts Centre Banbury (30 June) and King’s Hall Ilkley (8 July). It will then perform at the atmospheric The Bijou in Edinburgh from 4-18 August.

And the 2022 dates will be followed by an even more extensive tour which is planned for 2023.

Featuring beautiful songs like My Sweet Lord, Something, and Handle With Care, Something About George showcases Harrison’s incredible solo material and music from rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys which was made up of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. And any show celebrating one of the Fab Four just has to include a few classics from The Beatles. From heartbreak to hedonism and song writing to success, Something About George celebrates a life that was anything but quiet.

This remarkable tale comes from the creators of the critically acclaimed production Something About Simon – The Paul Simon Story, which was a smash hit when it was premiered at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre in 2018. The show went on to triumph at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019, where it was chosen for a residency at the Fringe Encore Series at the SoHo Playhouse in New York City, where it playedsix sell-out performances. The show was also part of the programme at the inaugural Liverpool Theatre Festival in 2020.

Something About George stars Liverpool-born West End performer and musician Daniel Taylor telling the story of George Harrison.

Daniel is an award-winning actor, producer, and director. He trained at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He has also produced, directed, and performed as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet (both for the Epstein Theatre, Liverpool).

He has previously played John Lennon in the award-winning Lennon Through A Glass Onion; Sammy in Blood Brothers; and appeared at the very first Liverpool Theatre Festival in his show, The Very Best Of Tommy Cooper.

Daniel Taylor said: “We had a fantastic response when we premiered Something About George in Liverpool last autumn, and now I’m thrilled to be able to share George Harrison’s incredible story with audiences in Edinburgh and right across the country.

“After all his achievements, George is still one of the most underrated songwriters that has ever lived, and this is a perfect chance to celebrate and shine a spotlight on his musical genius.”

Something About George iswritten by Jon Fellowes, who co-produces show alongside Liverpool-born singer songwriter Gary Edward Jones and theatre producer Bill Elms. Collectively, the trio are Something About Productions, the creative team behind the hugely successful Something About Simon – The Paul Simon Story.

Something About George is not a tribute show as we know it. It is one musician authentically honouring the music of another, utilising all the tools at his disposal.

Co-producer Gary Edward Jones added: “It’s now 20 years since George Harrison passed away – but his remarkable story and timeless music lives on.

“We feel privileged to be able to highlight the legacy he left behind. We’re excited to share this journey with audiences on this inaugural UK tour and are sure they will leave the show knowing more about George and his incredible life.”

Website:         www.somethingaboutproductions.com

Facebook:       /somethingaboutproductions

Instagram:      /somethingaboutproductions

Twitter:           @SomeAboutProds

SOMETHING ABOUT GEORGE LISTINGS

The Haymarket, Basingstoke

DATE: Thursday 9 June 2022

TIME: 7.30pm

PRICE: £25 (includes booking fee)

01256 844244

www.anvilarts.org.uk

The Beggar’s Theatre, Millom

DATE: Saturday 11 June 2022

TIME: 8pm

PRICE: £22

01229 775677

www.beggarstheatre.com

St Helens Theatre Royal

DATE: Thursday 16June 2022

TIME: 7.30pm

PRICE: £25/£23 concessions

01744 756000

www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com

Epstein Theatre, Liverpool

DATE: Saturday 18 June-Sunday 19 June 2022

TIME: 7.30pm

PRICE: Stalls £26/circle £24

0844 888 9991

www.epsteintheatre.co.uk

Assembly Festival Garden, Coventry

DATE: Tuesday 21, Thursday 23 and Saturday 25 June 2022

TIME: 7.30pm

PRICE: £13.50/£12.50 concessions (21,23 June) £15/£14 concessions (25 June)

0131 623 3033

www.assemblyfestivalgarden.com

The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury

DATE: Thursday 30June 2022

TIME: 7.30pm

PRICE: £20

01295 279002

www.themillartscentre.co.uk

King’s Hall, Ilkley

DATE: Friday 8 July 2022

TIME: 7.30pm

PRICE: £27 (includes booking fee)

01274 432000

www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/venues/kings-hall-ilkley

The Bijou, Assembly Festival, Edinburgh

DATE: Thursday 4-Thursday 18 August 2022

TIME: 2.30pm

PRICE: From £9.50

0131 623 3033

www.assemblyfestival.com

Tickets on sale on Thursday 5th May.