Category: Uncategorized

ASTON MERRYGOLD ANNOUNCED TO TAKE ROLE OF WILLARD IN UK TOUR OF FOOTLOOSE THE MUSICAL

Selladoor Worldwide are delighted to announce that Aston Merrygold will join the cast of Footloose the Musical to perform in the role of Willard in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Wimbledon from 25 July.

The critically acclaimed tour opened in February to rave reviews and continues to delight audiences across the UK.

“Let’s hear it for the boys and girls! – the cast of 80s crowd pleaser Footloose cast were a knockout” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Manchester Evening News

Aston Merrygold is best known for his incredible stage presence during his time with X Factor formed band JLS. He has gone on to sell out countless arena tours and has sold over 10 million records, including five Number 1 hits and numerous awards. Whilst the band took a seven year break, Aston made strides in his solo career appearing in the West End, on Strictly Come Dancing and releasing his platinum debut single ‘Get Stupid’ and more recently ‘Overboard’ and ‘Share a Coke’. JLS made their comeback last year and performed all over the UK and Ireland.

Alongside pursuing his musical ambitions, Aston has remained at the forefront of entertainment, becoming a judge on the Sky 1 talent show, Got to Dance. He was also unmasked as Robin in the Semi Finals of the 2020/2021 series of the Masked Singer UK and joined the cast of CBBC’s comedy drama, ‘Almost Never’, playing Jordan. Most recently, Aston was a panellist for the Masked Singer Live tour across the UK.

Aston said of joining Footloose:

“I’m delighted to be joining the phenomenal cast of Footloose.  Willard is a superb role and I’m really looking forward to the challenge of stepping into such a lovable, comedy part and performing on these amazing stages. Footloose is just the best night out and I guarantee if you come along you’ll leave with a spring in your step and a smile on your face. I’m so looking forward to working with this team and I can’t wait to see you all there.”

Additional casting remains including Darren Day as Reverend Moore with Lucy Munden (Ariel), Oonagh Cox (Rusty), Anna Westlake (Lulu) Alex Fobbester (Bickle) Ben Barrow (Wes) Ben Mabberley (Jeter) Geri Allen (Ethel) Holly Ashton (Vi), Jess Barker (Wendy-Jo) Joshua Hawkins (Ren) Samantha Richards (Urleen) Tom Mussell (Chuck) and Daniel Miles and Lucy Ireland as off-stage swings.

City boy Ren thinks life is bad enough when he’s forced to move to a rural backwater in America. But his world comes to a standstill when he arrives at Bomont to find dancing and rock music are banned. Taking matters into his own hands, soon Ren has all hell breaking loose and the whole town on its feet.

Based on the 1980s screen sensation which took the world by storm, Footloose The Musical sizzles with spirit, fun and the best in UK musical talent. With cutting edge modern choreography, you’ll enjoy classic 80s hits including Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise, Let’s Hear It For The Boy and of course the unforgettable title track Footloose.

Footloose The Musical is presented by Selladoor Productions, Runaway Entertainment and Jason Haigh Ellery with casting by Debbie O’Brien, direction by Racky Plews, with choreography from Matt Cole, musical supervision by Mark Crossland, design by Sara Perks with lighting design from Chris Davey and sound design from Chris Whybrow.

Everybody cut loose for a night of dazzling excitement music and dancing!

Tickets are on sale now – for full listings visit www.footloose-musical.com  follow on social media @FootlooseTour  #EverybodyCutLoose.

Theatre Royal Bath Productions presents

CAROLINE QUENTIN and ROSE QUENTIN in

MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION

by George Bernard Shaw
Directed by Anthony Banks

WhatisMrs Warren’s profession? 

Theatre Royal Bath Productions presents George Bernard Shaw’sMrs Warren’s Profession starring mother and daughter Caroline Quentin and Rose Quentin as Mrs Warren and her daughter Vivie. 

Directed by Anthony Banks, Mrs Warren’s Profession will open at the Theatre Royal Bath from 9 November 2022, before touring with venues and information on full cast to be announced.

Mrs Warren’s daughter Vivie has never really known much about her mother. A sensible young woman, she has enjoyed a comfortable upbringing, a Cambridge education, a generous monthly allowance and now has ambitions to go into Law. Is it conceivable that her privilege and respectability has been financed from the profits of the world’s oldest profession? How will Vivie react when she finds out the startling truth about her mother’s business empire and that freedom comes at an emotional price?

Shaw’s acid test of a mother-daughter relationship is one of his most witty and provocative plays. Written in 1894 but banned for thirty years by a Lord Chamberlain who found it “immoral and improper”, Mrs Warren’s Profession is a ripe attack on English hypocrisy and its “fashionable morality”

Twice winner of the British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Actress, Caroline Quentin’s many television roles have ranged from Men Behaving Badly, Kiss Me Kate and Jonathan Creek to Stephen Poliakoff’s Dancing on the Edge, and the 2020 season of Strictly Come Dancing. Her previous visits to Bath have included Relative Values with Patricia Hodge and Rory Bremner, which transferred to the West End.

Shortly after graduating in 2019, Rose Quentin starred in the horror movie York Witches Society, and recently created the role of Katrina Van Tassel on tour in the stage version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with Wendi Peters and Bill Ward.

Anthony Banks was Associate Director at the National Theatre from 2004 – 2014. His many directing credits include The Girl on the Train, Twilight Song, Gaslight, Strangers on a Train, After Miss Julie and My Cousin Rachel.

Presented by Theatre Royal Bath Productions, Mrs Warren’s Profession by George Bernard Shaw is Directed by Anthony Banks and Designed by David Woodhead.

Listings

Theatre Royal Bath Productions presents
CAROLINE QUENTIN and ROSE QUENTIN in
MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION
by George Bernard Shaw
Directed by Anthony Banks 

9 – 19 November 2022
Theatre Royal Bath 
theatreroyal.org.uk

Tour details to be announced

LIVERPOOL THEATRE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FANTASTIC PROGRAMME OF FRESH TALENT FOR 2022

Twelve new shows will entertain festival audiences over six days at Little LTF at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church

Event is a curtain-raiser to the main Liverpool Theatre Festival

Liverpool Theatre Festival has today revealed the exciting line-up of shows set to be premiered at Little LTF, its festival of new works when it returns to Liverpool City Centre next month.

The second annual Little LTF will be staged at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church from Tuesday 3 May to Sunday 8 May 2022.

The festival, a sister event to the main Liverpool Theatre Festival which returns this August for a third year, was founded by award-winning Liverpool theatre producer Bill Elms and is dedicated to nurturing up-and-coming talent and showcasing new works for the first time.

Last year the inaugural Little LTF attracted 1,200 festivalgoers.

Now 12 new productions will be premiered over six days in an intimate marquee setting at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church. Tickets go on sale today at 12pm.

The new productions were chosen from more than 30 entries by an experienced panel of industry professionals. Media and industry professionals will be invited to see the shows first-hand at the festival and accolades will also be given to outstanding productions in specific categories. 

The 2022 festival opens on Tuesday 3 May with Megan Hindley and Beth Amos’ murder-mystery comedy Not Drunk But Disorderly, followed on Wednesday 4 May with Grandmother, a heart-warming musical play by Asa Murphy.

It continues on Thursday 5 May with comedy Keeping Mum, written by Karl Voden,and Mark Heller’s drama Killing Mice, while on Friday 6 May festivalgoers can enjoy Paul Daley’s saucy, warm-hearted romantic comedy It Must Be Love, being brought to the stage by Pampas Plays, and get up close and personal with the star of Angie Waller and Claire Jones’ cabaret show An Evening With Nana Funk.

A busy weekend of shows opens on Saturday 7 May with Murder, Mayhem and Magic, a children’s show from Kate Allerston and A Place for Us CIC Theatre, followed by drama Around the World in 72 Days: The Story of Nellie Bly by writer Rebekah McLoughlin and presented by Crew of Patches Theatre Company, and Sh*t Faced Santa, an outrageous festive comedy by All Day Breakfast Theatre Company.

And the festival concludes on Sunday 8 May with writer and director Victoria Evaristo’s disability arts drama Just Aretha, Rebecca Casey and company’s musical theatre extravaganza Bigger Than Broadway, and powerful Hillsborough play 97+ by Tom Cain.

The selection panel was made up of LTF Festival Director Bill Elms; theatre director and producer James Baker; Francesca Peschier, Head of New Works at Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse; arts marketing professional Anthony Proctor; freelance arts consultant Sue Williams and national theatre booker David Fry. 

Producer and artistic director Bill, who recently won the title of Covid-19 Creative Response (Individual) at the Liverpool City Region Culture and Creativity Awards, said: “When we launched Little LTF last year, we were overwhelmed by the response both from creatives and from our audiences who flocked to see the fantastic range of new work staged at the Bombed-Out Church.

“That has continued this year with an incredibly high standard of submissions across the board. The ambition, creativity and talent on show means the panel has had a really tough time choosing just 12 shows to premiere at next month’s festival.

“I can’t wait to see them staged for the first time and I know our audiences are going to be just as inspired and entertained by what they see.”

Genres represented in the diverse and inclusive programme include cabaret, comedy, disability arts, drama, family entertainment, LGBTQ and musical theatre. 

Shows run between 50 minutes and 75 minutes (see individual show listings on the website), and there are no intervals. The festival will adhere to any Covid-19 guidelines required at the time. 

Tickets for all the shows go on sale from 12noon on Thursday 7 April at www.liverpooltheatrefestival.com

Little LTF is supported by The Granada Foundation, sponsored by Falconer Chester Hall architects and partners include Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatres, Epstein Theatre, St Luke’s Bombed Out Church and dBS Solutions.

Visit www.liverpooltheatrefestival.com for the latest news updates. 

Website:         www.liverpooltheatrefestival.com  

Facebook:       /liverpooltheatrefestival 

Twitter:           @lpoolTFestival 

Instagram:      liverpooltheatrefestival 

Hashtag:         #LTF

LITTLE LTF SHOW LISTINGS

LITTLE LTF – LIVERPOOL THEATRE FESTIVAL OF NEW WORKS

Tue 3 – Sun 8 May 2022

St Luke’s Bombed Out Church, Leece Street, Liverpool, L1 2TR

Tickets for all the shows go on sale from 12noon on Thursday 7 April at www.liverpooltheatrefestival.com

NOT DRUNK BUT DISORDERLY

Date: Tuesday, 3 May

Time: 8pm

Tickets: £14

GRANDMOTHER

Date: Wednesday, 4 May

Time: 8pm

Tickets: £14

KEEPING MUM

Date: Thursday, 5 May

Time: 6.30pm

Tickets: £14

KILLING MICE

Date: Thursday, 5 May

Time: 9pm

Tickets: £14

IT MUST BE LOVE

Date: Friday, 6 May

Time: 6.30pm

Tickets: £14

AN EVENING WITH NANA FUNK

Date: Friday, 6 May

Time: 9pm

Tickets: £14

MURDER, MAYHEM & MAGIC

Date: Saturday, 7 May

Time: 2.30pm

Tickets: £14 (child discount available)

AROUND THE WORLD IN 72 DAYS: THE STORY OF NELLIE BLY

Date: Saturday, 7 May

Time: 6.30pm

Tickets: £14

SH*T FACED SANTA

Date: Saturday, 7 May

Time: 9pm

Tickets: £14

JUST ARETHA

Date: Sunday, 2 7May

Time: 2pm

Tickets: £14

BIGGER THAN BROADWAY

Date: Sunday, 8 May

Time: 5pm

Tickets: £14

97+

Date: Sunday, 8 May

Time: 8pm

Tickets: £14

Instagram & Twitter: @LIFTMUSICALLDN | #LIFTLDN

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR LIFT AT SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE! 

·       X-Factor finalist Luke Friend leads the company of this iconic British musical. 

·       Direct from the UK Tour of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, West End star Hiba Elchikhe returns to Southwark Playhouse. Fellow West End star Kayleigh Mcknight joins Elchikhe.

·      With a continued passion for supporting graduates, Gartland Productions ensures three performers make their professional debut within the company of LIFT

Gartland Productions is thrilled to announce the cast of LIFT, opening at Southwark Playhouse on Friday 13^th May 2022.

Leading the company, X Factor finalist Luke Friend He/Him (Footloose, American Idiot) will play the role of Busker. He will be joined by West End star Hiba Elchikhe She/Her (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Fiver), playing the role of Secretary.

Direct from Westerburg High School, Kayleigh McKnight She/Her (Heathers, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) will play the role of the French teacher. Also returning to Southwark Playhouse, Jordan Broatch They/Them (Anyone Can Whistle) will play the role of Avatar, with Marco Titus He/Him (Mandela- A New Musical) playing the role ofBYT.

Making their professional debutCameron Collins He/Him will play the Ballet Dancer, Tamara Morgan She/Her will play the role of the Lap Dancer and Chrissie Bhima She/Her will play the role of Avatar.

Luke Friend, Busker, said “I’m absolutely delighted to be a part of the wonderful cast of LIFT! This show is going to be so intimate and unique. Being a songwriter and Busker myself for many years, I feel as though I completely and utterly relate to my character’s story and the message he is trying to bring across. I can’t wait to give everything to this role and perform at Southwark playhouse for the first time. This is a real treat for me.”

Hiba Elchikhe, Secretary, said “I am really looking forward to being a part of LIFT the musical with this incredible group of people. I can’t wait for you all to see it.”

Directed by Dean Johnson He/Him (Godspell, BKLYN, Dogfight) with Musical Direction and new arrangements by Sam Young He/Him (White Christmas, The Man in the Ceiling) and Choreography by Annie Southall She/Her (The Jungle Book, The Boyfriend), this brand-new production of LIFT, music and lyrics by Craig Adams and book by Ian Watson, will run at Southwark Playhouse from Friday 13^th May 2022 until Saturday 18^th June 2022.

Dean Johnson, Director of LIFT said “Since we first began the journey of our revival of LIFT, we knew casting would be integral to how we could present the show as a snapshot of London in 2022. We had the most sensational audition process and the UK is certainly not short of incredible and diverse talent, and this allowed us to find an incredible group of people that can bring this story to life in a fresh way. I really believe our cast demonstrates how exciting the talent pool is in our industry with a mixture of established and incredible artists alongside fresh new faces. I really think they are going to blow the roof off Southwark Playhouse as a collective group of artists!”

Developed by Perfect Pitch, LIFT is set in a London underground lift, in one man’s imagination, on its way to the surface during one minute. In the 54 seconds of the lift’s passage, we are taken on a much greater journey that reveals the people behind the masks they wear, the secrets they dare not speak, and the unrealised connections between them.

The creative team will include Andrew Exeter He/Him as production designer (High Fidelity, Hair in Concert, Jon + Jen), Associate Designer by Natalia Alvarez She/Her, Assistant Design by Xinyi Du She/Her, Assistant Direction by Eden Howes She/Her and casting by Pearson Casting.

Tickets are available now via Southwark Playhouse website.

 FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH – UNTIL 9th APRIL

 REVIEWED BY RACHEL FARRIER 

4****

This musical about the life of Carole King was written by Carole King herself (with collaborators) but rather than being a cringey ego trip, it is a sweetly honest account of both her professional and personal life, and how they were entirely intertwined for most of her life, for good and ill. The script has a definite flavour of New York sass and humour about it (King grew up in the city) which felt refreshing although the dialogue sections come very much in second place to the musical numbers and there were some fairly wooden exchanges throughout. However, as soon as a musical number or interlude was under way, the stage lit up with the tremendous musical talent of the performers – the cast ARE the band for the show.  

Molly-Grace Cutler as Carole produces an outstanding performance both vocally and on the piano (at the same time!), as well as occasionally playing the guitar and percussion. Her rendition of ‘It’s too late, baby’ was particularly spine-tingling, although she shone in every song that she performed. In fact, every cast member appeared to play several instruments and sing, and effortlessly glided between them throughout. With every song, everyone on stage was playing something if they weren’t dancing and this gave a wonderful energy to the entire show. Other stand out performances came from Seren Sandham-Davies as Cynthia Weil with an incredible voice and excellent comic timing, as well as Kevin Yates whose voice seriously impressive. Jos Slovick as Barry was excellent and deserves a special mention for managing to tune a guitar that had clearly lost its key, whilst in the middle of some fairly involved dialogue.  

As Carole King wrote for other groups and singers before becoming a solo artist in her own right, the appearance of The Shirelles, The Drifters and The Righteous Brothers (amongst others) singing songs she had written was a brilliant highlight – cast members fully inhabited the roles of the various band members and there were some fabulous shimmy-ing and sashay-ing dance routines.  

For me, the performers were let down by the set, which had a rather high school production vibe about it, and the fact that the wings of the set were open to audiences at either side was slightly distracting – although this is perhaps intentional to create the impression that the audience are ‘backstage’ with Carole and her fellow performers.   

Overall, this is a brilliant night out, and even if you aren’t a Carole King fan, you are likely to be swept along by the energy and talent of the performers on stage.  

New images of

JONATHAN BAILEY and

JOEL HARPER-JACKSON

in

By Mike Bartlett

At the Ambassadors Theatre

New photographs of Jonathan Bailey and Joel Harper-Jackson in Mike Bartlett’s razor sharp, and hilarious play C O C K have been released today (6 April 2022)

The photographs taken by Matt Crockett  alongside original production photographs taken by Brinkhoff/Moegenburg.

C O C K is running at the Ambassadors Theatre in London until Saturday 4 June 2022.

The Olivier Award-winning Jonathan Bailey, who plays John in the production, is currently starring in the Netflix blockbuster, Bridgerton.

The full cast of C O C K is:  Jonathan Bailey (John), Joel Harper-Jackson (M), Jade Anouka (W) and Phil Daniels (F).

The understudies are: Dominic Holmes (John and M), Jessica Whitehurst (W) and John Vernon (F).

The creative team for C O C K is:  Director Marianne Elliott, Designer Merle Hensel, Lighting Designer Paule Constable, Sound Designer Ian Dickinson, Composer Femi Temowo, Movement Director Annie-Lunette Deakin-Foster, Casting Director Charlotte Sutton, Vocal Coach Hazel Holder and Associate Director Chloe Christian.

C O C K is produced by Elliott & Harper Productions.

Royal & Derngate, Northampton – until 9th April 2022

Reviewed by Ely King

3***

Millions of people around the world will know the name Michael Flatley or the title Lord of The Dance, and for good reason.

Flatley is known for his unique adaptation of Irish/Line dancing, pushing the boundaries of the art-form and transforming an already impressive dance style into something truly phenomenal.

Whilst Flatley wasn’t at the performance in person, there was a large company of equally talented dancers ready to continue his legacy around the world.

Even without the physical presence of the legend, he appeared multiple times throughout the performance via the LCD screen on stage. The show opened and closed with compilations of worldwide Lord of The Dance shows, complete with voice overs and closeups of Flatley himself. He even had his own solo performance on screen at the end where he ‘battled’ duplications of himself to show that, yes, he’s still got it.

For each performance the lead dancers will change and rotate, presumably to split the up the insane workload. For this performance the leads were:

Lord of The Dance – Matthew Smith

Dark Lord – Declan Durning

Saoirse – Lauren Clarke

Morrighan – Cyra Taylor

The Spirit – Cassidy Ludwig

Lord of The Dance is the biggest selling dance show of all time, and it’s clear to see why.

The talent displayed onstage is second to none. If ratings purely went on performer’s talent, this production would get full marks.

The way they perform in perfect synchronicity is borderline overwhelming at how flawlessly the steps are executed.

The stage was laid out with a main dancing area and stairs up to a higher platform, all of which were framed by a large LCD screen that displayed the relevant background for each scene. There was minimal staging to allow for maximum dancing and it worked really well.

However, the show was let down in a few areas, none of which were the performers’ faults.

Whilst it was clear to see that the dancers were all having the time of their lives and truly enjoying themselves, the constant happy expressions (a typical dance rule) didn’t really sell the good vs evil narrative that was trying to be sold onstage.

Due to no props or backdrops, it really was down to the dancers, their costumes, the screen and the music to help portray the storyline.

The story itself was your typical good versus evil narrative, something simple but easy to display. The ‘good’ and ‘evil’ dance troupes also allowed for a variety of musical choices and dance styles to truly show off their talent.

The ‘good’ performances were led by Matthew and Lauren as The Lord and Saoirse, and were often performed to a flute heavy, ethereal, fairytale- like backing track.

Matthew as The Lord is a fantastic choice, his joyous charisma is infectious, it’s hard not to have fun when you have a proud dancer beaming onstage.

Whereas the ‘bad’ dance numbers were led by Declan and Cyra as The Dark Lord and Morrighan and had a much heaver and darker backing track of electric guitars and guttural drum solos synonymous to fight scenes in action movies.

In group performances, there was always something that made the leads stand out, from Saoirse’s pink bustier to The Spirits all-gold leotard, everything fit seamlessly and aided character development.

The best outfits in the entire show had to be the black and red outfits and the black and silver finale outfits.

The ‘bad guys’ looked like they were ready to step into a video game battle in their over-the-top costuming and it was amazing.

The WWE style ‘Lord of The Dance’ belt is a truly iconic piece of costume and was a really fun edition. It was also fantastic to see that The Lord had their initials on the back of their white jacket just like Michal Flatley does, showing that they’re truly carrying on his legacy.

One outfit choice that was a bit disappointing were the tearaways. At the risk of sounding like a prude, seeing the men shirtless and the women in bralettes did nothing to improve the show and just felt very weird and forced.

It didn’t make their dancing look better or more impressive.

On the contrary, it was much more impressive to see the billowing skirts as the women twirled and glided across the stage.

It got cheers from the drunk people in the crowd, so if that’s what was wanted, mission accomplished.

Speaking of drunk cheers, I feel sorry for ‘Tom’ as whoever was there to see him last night were shouting out constantly, even during women’s solo performances. It was cringey, annoying, and the fact they weren’t spoken to by ushers is a miracle.

Whilst the dancers onstage all undoubtedly deserve to be there, there is an incredible lack of diversity. Whilst it can be understood that certain physiques may be desired to aide synchronicity, a lot of the cast looked like cookie-cutter duplications of one another. It’s pretty disappointing when the only ‘diversity’ to celebrate in such a large cast is the fact a couple of the women were quite petite.

It’s 2022, there are no excuses for lack of representation onstage.

An unexpected, but welcome, addition to the show was the inclusion of a singer and live violinists.

All of which were incredibly talented and deserved their own time in the spotlight

During the finale, it was nice to see the cast all just having fun and messing around with each other when they weren’t in the spotlight, you can see the true friendship and camaraderie this company have that is detrimental to dance routines like this.

Festival Theatre, Malvern – until Saturday 9th April 2022

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

4.5****

Private Lives was originally written by Noel Coward in 1930 as a vehicle for him and his close friend Gertrude Lawrence. The plot revolves around Elyot and Amanda, long since divorced, finding themselves suddenly face to face on adjoining balconies in a hotel in Deauville, much to their astonishment since they are both there honeymooning with their new respective partners. The situation spirals out of control rather rapidly over cocktails and reminiscences…

Nigel Havers plays Elyot (the part Coward played in the original run) and he could not have been more perfect. Always an attractive leading man, he seems to get more suave and elegant with age, looking right at home in this high class setting. He showed an impressive range of emotions, including jealousy and anger bursting forth in the middle of a jocular exchange. And his facial expressions showed an accomplished comic talent. A stellar performance.

Patricia Hodge (playing Amanda), likewise, is known as being a stunning, high class lady and so was the perfect lead to accompany Havers. She matched him in every respect and way (range, comedic timing etc) making them a thoroughly believable couple. I was shocked how beautiful her singing voice was; having a mellifluous tone which left me wanting more.

As you would expect from Coward, the script is quick fire, cutting and very much of its time. It reminded me of Aldous Huxley’s Crome Yellow in its fascinatingly cynical way of thinking and somewhat archaic (to our modern ears) style of conversation. That’s not to detract from the piece, indeed it was a reason to rejoice in a bygone era that is sorely lost.

The timing of the entire cast, dovetailing each line with comedic exactitude, was highly impressive. The delivery felt natural though, which I’m sure is a testament to all the wonderful actors as much as Director Christopher Luscombe’s decisive input. The first time honeymooners (Natalie Walter playing Sibyl and Dugald Bruce-Lockhart playing Victor) were excellent too, with fantastic performances from the moment they appeared to the culmination of the play when they really shone through a rather surprising, though perhaps inevitable, ending.

A special mention goes to Music Supervisor Nigel Hess for the clever use of song to draw our two main protagonists together (both in the moment and also into their shared past). A genius move and one of the highlights of this wonderful production. Indeed, music makes quite an impact throughout the work, not only in presenting a number of Coward’s own contemporary pieces but also on record (but I won’t spoil that surprise with an elaboration).

Amanda’s flat in Paris, overlooking the Champs Elysees, had an expansive (and expensive looking) grandeur that was a joy to behold. Impressive scale and oppulance from Designer Simon Higlett.

A triumphant inaugural show from The Nigel Havers Theatre Company and one of many more to come I’m sure. An auspicious start and fantastic evening’s entertainment which I highly recommend.

NEW ADVENTURES AND THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

ANNOUNCE CASTING FOR THE

MULTI-AWARD WINNING DANCE THRILLER

FOR 14 PERFORMANCES ONLY

FROM 9-19 JUNE 2022

DIRECTED AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY

MATTHEW BOURNE

New Adventures and the Royal Albert Hall are delighted to announce casting for Matthew Bourne’s “THE CAR MAN” reimagined in a spectacular new staging for the Royal Albert Hall’s 150th Anniversary. “THE CAR MAN” will play 14 performances only at the iconic venue from Thursday 9 – Sunday 19 June 2022.

The multi award winning, dance-thriller based on Bizet’s beloved Carmen, “THE CAR MAN” will be completely reimagined for the gladiatorial arena of the Royal Albert Hall,

adding a frisson of danger as the dancers perform throughout the auditorium amid stage designs by Olivier and Tony award-winner Lez Brotherston.

Featuring an expanded company of 65 dancers and musicians, a live orchestra and epic new designs, this will be the first time New Adventures performs a full production at this historic and world-renowned venue. The event is one of the highlights of the Royal Albert Hall’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

The title role of ‘Luca, The Car Man’, will be played by Will Bozier and Richard Winsor. Will Bozier, playing ‘Luca; for the first time, was last seen as ‘The Swan/Stranger’ in “Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake” in 2018/20 and also stars in the recent film version. Most recently, he has been featured in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cinderella” at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.  Richard Winsor, also a former Lead Swan, has a history with “The Car Man” that goes back to his debut with New Adventures in 2001. He has played several roles within the production (including ‘Angelo’) and now returns in his debut as ‘Luca’. As well as playing a host of leading roles with New Adventures he was most recently seen as ‘Tony Manero’ at the Peacock Theatre in “Saturday Night Fever”.

The role of ‘Lana’ will be danced by Ashley Shaw and Zizi Strallen. Ashley Shaw has been a Principal performer with New Adventures since 2009 playing most of the leading roles in the repertory. She won a National Dance Award for her acclaimed portrayal as ‘Victoria Page’ in New Adventures “The Red Shoes” in 2018. Also returning to the role of ‘Lana’ is Zizi Strallen who won a National Dance Award for playing this role in 2016. Zizi is currently starring in the title role of “Mary Poppins” at The Prince Edward Theatre.

The role of ‘Angelo’ will be shared by Paris Fitzpatrick and Dominic North. Paris Fitzpatrick was most recently seen in Matthew Bourne’s newest work, “The Midnight Bell” and also created the role of ‘Romeo’ in New Adventures hit production of “Romeo and Juliet” in 2019. This will be his debut as ‘Angelo’. Dominic North, one of New Adventures most popular dancers for close to 20 years will return to the role of ‘Angelo’, a role that he also plays in the most recent film production. He was most recently seen as ‘Fritz’ in the hit production of Nutcracker!

‘Rita’, Lana’s older sister, will be performed by Kayla Collymore and Kate Lyons. Kayla Collymore will be making her Principal debut in the role of ‘Rita’ in “The Car Man”. Kayla featured in New Adventures world tour of “Swan Lake” and can currently be seen in a variety of roles in New Adventures Nutcracker! Kate Lyons returns to the role of ‘Rita’, having played her to great acclaim in the recent film version. Kate joined New Adventures in 2010 for “Cinderella” and has featured in most of the company’s repertory since that time, most recently in “The Midnight Bell’.

The role of ‘Dino’ Lana’s violent husband will be played by Alan Vincent. Alan Vincent is returning to the show in which he created the title role of ‘Luca, The Car Man’ at the shows premiere in 2000. This time he will be playing the role of ‘Dino’ following a stellar career with New Adventures that saw him play leading roles in pieces as diverse as “Play Without Words”, “Nutcracker!” and ‘The Swan’ in “Swan Lake”.

Joining them are: Jonathon Luke Baker (Franco); Benjamin Barlow Bazeley (Fabio); Alistair Beattie (Marcello); Stephanie Billers (Delores); Isaac Peter Bowry (Elio); Cordelia Braithwaite (Mercedes); Ben Brown (Ricardo); Reece Causton (Dirk); Jade Copas (Natalie); Harrison Dowzell (Rocco); Cameron Flynn (Roberto); Rose Goddard (Sophia); Glenn Graham (Bruno); Bryony Harrison (Frankie); Shoko Ito (Elisabetta); Monique Jonas (Bianca); Nicole Kabera (Gina); Kurumi Kamayachi (Silvana); Katrina Lyndon (Monica); Rory Macleod (Marco); Andrew Monaghan (Vito); Stephen Murray (Chad); Harry Ondrak-Wright (Lorenzo); Edwin Ray (Alberto); Danny Reubens (Hot Rod); Sam Salter (Raf); Gabrielle de Souza (Giulietta); Catrin Thomas (Claudia); Christopher Thomas (Ugo) and Bryony Wood (Elsa).

Full Daily Principal Casting for the Royal Albert Hall Season will be posted on Tuesday 10 May.

Matthew Bourne’s vivid storytelling combines with one of the most passionately dramatic scores ever written, with musical arrangements by Terry Davies featuring Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite (after Bizet’s Carmen), to create a dance event like no other.

The 19th Century Spanish cigarette factory becomes a greasy garage-diner in 1960s America where a small-town’s dreams are shattered by the arrival of a handsome stranger. Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into an unstoppable spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge.

“THE CAR MAN” is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne, with music by Terry Davies & Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite (after Bizet’s Carmen); designs by Lez Brotherston; lighting by Chris Davey and sound by Paul Groothius. 

For more information please visit: www.new-adventures.net

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IN PICTURES: leading theatre industry figures presented with 2022 Special Recognition Olivier Awards by HRH the Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House

Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 5 April), this year’s five Special Recognition Olivier Award recipients were presented with their awards by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, during an event at Clarence House celebrating their outstanding contributions to the theatre industry.

HRH the Duchess of Cornwall attended the Olivier Awards in 2019, and was recently appointed Royal Patron of the National Theatre.

Lisa Burger, Executive Director and Joint Chief Executive of the National Theatre who has been part of the theatre’s executive for the past 20 years, has been awarded for her role in expanding the theatre’s reach, forging partnerships UK-wide and playing a key part in the industry’s pandemic recovery through initiatives like NT At Home.

Designer Bob King receives an award for creating some of theatre’s most iconic and instantly recognisable visuals for hit shows in the West End over a 40-year career – including the artwork for Oliver!, Back To The Future, Frozen, Mary Poppins, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical and many more.

Gloria Louis is awarded for her trailblazing career, which began front of house at the Strand Theatre (now the Novello), progressed into theatre management and now to a role as the inclusion and diversity lead for Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, using her knowledge, passion and dedication to inspire young people from all backgrounds about theatre careers.

Also recognised is Susie Sainsbury, whose long-time philanthropy and support of the arts has made a significant difference to theatre in London and beyond. She founded The Backstage Trust to fund live arts projects and was also instrumental in the creation of the Theatre Artists Fund during the pandemic.

Influential theatre school founder Sylvia Young has been recognised for giving countless students opportunities to study performing arts and go on to prolific careers in theatre, film and TV, since she first started teaching in 1972.

Julian Bird, Chief Executive of Society of London Theatre and Executive Producer of the Olivier Awards, said:

‘The Special Recognition Olivier Awards shine a spotlight on inspirational individuals doing vital work, often behind the scenes, who have been a force for good and helped shape our industry in a wide range of ways. The five people we are honouring this year have all inspired generations of colleagues and theatre audiences, been pioneers in their fields and are hugely deserving of this long-due recognition. It is a privilege to celebrate their achievements as part of this year’s Olivier Awards.’

The Olivier Awards will take place on Sunday 10 April at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Jason Manford. This year will see sustainability take centre stage, with guests walking a ‘Green Carpet’ of real, reusable grass, and headline sponsor Mastercard pledging to plant a tree for every public ticket sold via Priceless.com.

The full list of nominations for the Olivier Awards 2022 with Mastercard is available here: https://officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards/year/olivier-awards-2022/

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