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FIRST LOOK: For Rambert and Birmingham Hippodrome’s new production Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby

Rambert and Birmingham Hippodrome today (Thursday 17 February) release the first look trailer for Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, a dance theatre show written and adapted for the stage by Peaky Blinders’ creator Steven Knight and directed and choreographed by Rambert’s Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer. The 60 second trailer gives audiences a taster of what’s to come from Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby.

Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby will have a World Premiere at co-producing partner venue Birmingham Hippodrome on 27 September, running until 2 October, followed by a London Premiere at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre before embarking on a UK tour in 2023.

The new dance theatre production will feature the 20 permanent Rambert dance company on stage, and a live band playing specially commissioned music and is Rambert’s first collaboration of this kind

Through dance theatre Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby picks up the story of the Peaky Blinders at the end of World War One, following Tommy Shelby and Grace Burgess through their passionate love affair.  While Tommy is building his empire, Grace is operating as an undercover agent for Special Branch on a mission to get close to the heart of Tommy’s gang.   As the story unfolds, many hearts are broken.  Tommy and the Peaky Blinders fought together at Flanders and the show opens in the trenches. Bound by this experience, a very personal story unfolds as the Shelby family navigate the decisions that determine their fate and Tommy is intoxicated by the mysterious Grace.

Dazzling, athletic dance and stunning dramatisation with an iconic eclectic Peaky soundtrack from a live on-stage band.

Tickets are on sale now at birminghamhippodrome.com or can be booked by calling 0844 338  5000

(*calls cost 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge). 

Rambert Dance Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, is a Rambert production in association with Birmingham Hippodrome, co-produced with The Lowry, inspired by the television series Peaky Blinders created by Steven Knight, in association with Caryn Mandabach Productions. Peaky Blinders TM © Caryn Mandabach Productions 2022. licensed by Caryn Mandabach Productions.

LISTINGS INFORMATION – Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby

Birmingham Hippodrome

Dates: 27 September-2 October. Press night is on 28 September.

Booking Information: 0844 338 5000* / https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/

(*calls cost 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge). 

Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

Dates: 12 October-6 November

Booking Information: 0844 815 4865* / https://www.troubadourtheatres.com/wembley-park

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

Norwich Theatre Royal

Dates: 17 January-21 January 2023

Booking Information: 01603 630 000 / https://norwichtheatre.org/

Alhambra Theatre, Bradford

Dates: 25 January-28 January 2023

Booking Information: 01274 432000 / https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/venues/the-alhambra-theatre

Hull New Theatre

Dates: 31 January-4 February 2023

Booking Information: 01482 300 306 / https://www.hulltheatres.co.uk/

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

Dates: 7 February-11 February 2023

Booking Information: 02380 711811 / https://www.mayflower.org.uk/

Royal and Derngate, Northampton

Dates: 21 Feburuary-25 February 2023

Booking Information: 01604 624811 / https://www.royalandderngate.co.uk/

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Dates: 28 February-4 March 2023

Booking: 0131 529 6000 /www.capitaltheatres.com/

The Lowry, Salford

Dates: 14 March-18 March 2023

Booking: 0343 208 6000 / https://thelowry.com/

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

Dates: 21 March-25 March 2023

Booking: 02920 63 64 64 / https://www.wmc.org.uk/

Theatre Royal Plymouth

Dates: 28 March – 1st April 2023

Booking: 01752 267222 / https://theatreroyal.com/

Dawn French, the Queen of British comedy, returns to the stage this autumn with a brand new solo show, ‘Dawn French Is A Huge Twat’. Dawn will tour the UK from 15 September, opening at Peterborough’s New Theatre and then perform a further 19 shows across the country until 16 October. Tickets for all shows are on sale now from DawnFrenchOnTour.com.

The award-winning actor, best-selling novelist and all-round very funny lady is here to tell us more:

“This show is so named because unfortunately, it’s horribly accurate. There have been far too many times I have made stupid mistakes or misunderstood something vital or jumped the gun in a spectacular display of twattery. I thought I might tell some of these buttock clenching embarrassing stories to give the audience a peek behind the scenes of my work life…

Roll up! Book early to see the telly vicar lady be a total twat on stage, live in front of your very eyes. And ears.”

‘Dawn French Is A Huge Twat ’is written by Dawn French. The show is produced by PML & MGC and directed by Michael Grandage. Set and Costume Design by Lez Brotherston.

DAWN FRENCH IS A HUGE TWAT – 2022 UK TOUR DATES

15 September Peterborough New Theatre

16 September Oxford New Theatre

17 September Leicester De Montfort Hall

18 September Stoke on Trent Victoria Hall

22 September Sheffield City Hall

23 September Blackburn King George’s Hall

24 September Bradford St Georges Hall

25 September Northampton Royal & Derngate

29 September Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

30 September Portsmouth Guildhall

01 October Cambridge Corn Exchange

02 October Southend Cliffs Pavilion

06 October Plymouth Pavilion

07 October Torquay Princess Theatre

08 October Basingstoke The Anvil

09 October Coventry Warwick Arts Centre

13 October Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre

14 October Eastbourne Congress Theatre

15 October Woking New Victoria Theatre

16 October Ipswich Regent Theatre

Listings Information:

Website: DawnFrenchOnTour.com

Twitter: @Dawn_French

Instagram: @DawnRFrench

Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – until Sat 19th Feb 2022

Reviewed by Steph Lott

3***

A mysterious elegant butler greets a group of strangers invited to Boddy Manor one dark and stormy evening. Upon arrival, they are given aliases – Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs Peacock, Reverend Green, Mrs. White and Colonel Mustard – and are told not to reveal who they really are. They have all received the same mysterious invitation from Lord Boddy and they all have something to hide. The guests are given six items – a revolver, lead pipe, piece of rope, candlestick, spanner, and a dagger. Could these be murder weapons?

So begins Cluedo, the stage adaptation of the popular board game, written by Sandy Rustin and directed by Mark Bell, director of the award-winning The Play That Goes Wrong and A Comedy About A Bank Robbery.

This is a slick fast-paced slapstick comedy with the jokes, plenty of physical comedy and laughs coming thick and fast. Mystery, hysteria and murder follows as the inhabitants and visitors to Boddy Manor are picked off in a variety of ways and the audience try and work out which of the characters we know and love to suspect, has done it. Was it Colonel Mustard in the drawing room with the lead pipe? Or Mrs White in the library with the dagger?

I was intrigued how they would create the plot for a murder mystery out of a board game where participants guess “whodunnit”. I didn’t know there had been a film before based on the Hasbro boardgame called Clue starring Tim Curry. It’s an excellent silly show that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but which works really well and is performed immaculately. There are lots of laughs and the cast delivers the show with excellent timing and pace.

Considerable ingenuity has clearly gone into the design (David Farley) of the sets and the lighting (Warren Letton). I really enjoyed the use of the stage and set to allow for all of the familiar rooms to appear in the main entrance hall, complete with secret passages and concealing paintings. The use of the space and the actors themselves as stagehands gives the show a sense of organised chaos and a rapid smooth flow of action; this should be no surprise in a Mark Bell production.

Although the star of the show with top billing is Michelle Collins (who does give a splendid performance as Miss Scarlett), the standout performance for me is the elegant and sinister butler Wadsworth, played by Jean-Luke Worell with great aplomb and style. Laura KIrman as the French maid whose accent kept slipping was very funny as his sidekick. Tom Babbage as the hapless Reverend Green got thunderous applause in one scene where a chandelier falls in slow motion towards him; he really does have a gift for physical comedy. A special shout out must also go to Liam Horrigan, who, in the performance I saw, appeared so many times in different characters it was hard to keep up!

I thoroughly enjoyed this slapstick spoof of a murder mystery and didn’t manage to work out whodunnit. Defintely worth going to see.

Hampstead Theatre, London – until 12th March 2022

Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith

3***

The Forest is like a piece of paper that has been repeatedly folded and unfolded. No matter how hard you try, you can never fold it exactly the same, and the lines start to distort, changing the integrity of the paper itself.

Written by acclaimed French author Florian Zeller, translated by his collaborator Christopher Hampton, and directed by Jonathan Kent, The Forest is a tense exploration of infidelity, morals, and consequences of one’s actions. From early on in the play, you begin to realise that you may not quite have a handle on what is fantasy and what is reality after all. There is no guessing where the story will go.

The plot centres on a successful surgeon who begins to split in two as a result of guilt, infidelity, and murder. Man 1 is performed by Toby Stephens, Man 2 by Paul McGann; two fragmented sides to one character. As the story unfolds, folds, and unfolds once again, there are small changes in the characters and storyline. The play opens on Man 1 (Stephens) and his quietly supportive wife (Gina Mckee) comforting their daughter who has been cheated on by a boyfriend. The scene then flips to a room above where Man 2 (McGann) is in bed with the girlfriend (Angel Coulby). She wants what he will not give and give up. It is here where we see the beginnings of a spiral which will eventually lead to tragedy. The rest of the cast including Finbar Lynch as a surreal and sinister nightmarish figure (possibly the man’s conscience), provide a strong throughline when things begin to go awry. Gina McKee as the doting and supportive yet knowing wife brings an eerie stillness and quiet that is gradually amplified until the end when a crushing silence raises the hairs on your arms.

The atmospheric soundscape created by Isobel Waller-Bridge of a familiar monotone rumble of bad things to come, coupled with dramatic lighting designed by Hugh Vanstone creates a foreboding and sometimes startling backdrop for the action. Every element of this slick production was beautifully conceived and executed. The intimate and clever staging, created by Anna Fleischle consists of three rooms; the floral bedsit of the mistress, the living room the man shares with his wife, and a generic office that seems to be a space for therapy, some dodgy dealings, and friendly chats about infidelity and what an absolute nightmare it is. With every change of the retelling of the story, bouquets of flowers gradually take over the stage, reflecting the complete psychological breakdown of the main character. The final scenes see the flowers grotesquely spilling out of cupboards.

You don’t come away from this play with a cosy feeling that the story has been wrapped up in a little parcel. There is no ending, rather an unsettling pause that stays with you for hours after.

Theatre Royal, Nottingham – until 19th February 2022

Reviewed by Boo Wakefield

3***

In 1987 Fatal Attraction, the film, was a shocking, erotic thriller that put “bunny boiler” into our everyday language. Could this new stage production of the same story, albeit with the original ending and not the Hollywood version, still be as shocking, erotic and thrilling? Not quite.

For those of you who don’t know the original story, Dan is a stressed lawyer who is being pressured into moving out of New York by his wife, Beth, to live near her mother, a move he does not want. Whilst Beth is away house-hunting, Dan meets Alex in a bar and she seduces him. The one-night stand becomes two ending with the unhinged Alex cutting her wrists in an attempt to make Dan stay with her. Dan is then bombarded with endless calls and texts from Alex who stalks him at every opportunity. Eventually Dan is forced to confess to Beth when Alex kidnaps their daughter. This is made all the more hurtful for Beth as Dan has to confess that Alex is pregnant when Beth is desperate for another child.

Dearden and director Loveday Ingram have tried to pull Fatal Attraction into 2022 by using Facetime and texts between Dan and Beth but the use of the original script leaves it back in the 80s. References to “hot-blooded heterosexual American males” and that it’s ok for men to have affairs because “that’s how they are” make a confusing message in today’s world.

The clever use of projected images (Mogzi) on the L-shaped staging, the minimal props which were seamlessly moved on and off stage by the cast who were still in character whilst doing so, and the lighting (Jack Knowles) and sound (Carolyn Downing) all helped to tell the story and set the scenes effectively.

Individually, Kym Marsh (Alex Forrest) and Oliver Farnworth (Dan Gallagher) were believable in the two main characters. Marsh’s portrayal of the seductress spiralling into a mentally unbalanced state was convincing and disturbing. Farnworth, who was on stage almost from start to finish as well as narrating the gaps that needed filling, was admirable and energetic which is what this production needs. But the erotic, passionate connection they should have had was just not there, leaving the intimate scenes felling staged and choreographed.

It was obvious that the audience knew the story well as any reference to the “bunny” caused a stir even before it appeared on stage. It was still as shocking as ever.

Susie Amy who was to play Beth was replaced by understudy Emma Laird Criag for this performance.

New Wimbledon Theatre, London – until Saturday 19th February 2022

Reviewed by Amber Mills

5*****

WOW! This show was magnificent!

The energy from the whole cast was through the roof! I became lost in the action, and everything felt real. Every character in this show has a very bold personality that shone through to me as an audience member. For a person who’s never seen ‘The Addams Family’ before I understood the story line and believed these characters throughout.

I’ve never been to a show where the ensemble dancers are consistently full out throughout the performance. When each of them came onto that stage every movement was together, it was dynamic, meaningful, and full out with feeling. Each of their character’s personalities shone through which made this performance more chilling and powerful to watch.

The make-up and costumes last night were immaculate and very professional. The set on stage was impeccably detailed and was seamless when transforming scenes. There were some very clever set choices, which included the ensemble dancers. This for me had an added effect on that particular scene.

I also thought that the lighting design and smoke/haze for this show were simple but haunting and added a chilling effect when watching.

Even though every member of the cast was outstanding I feel that 3 people stood out to me. One of them was Dickon Gough who played ‘Lurch’. Every movement that he performed, he committed to with purpose. He’s a very understated character throughout the show but I feel he’s one of the most talented because to portray that scatty, unspoken but loyal character takes great skill. Every member of the audience laughed when he came on stage and personally I think he’s a terrific actor.

Matthew Ives who was playing Matador Ancestor has an exceptional stage presence. When all the ‘dead’ characters emerge at the start of Act 1, my eyes were drawn to him straight away for his bold character choices. For me, he took me on a journey and lured me into the magic.

Sario Solomon who played Ring Master Ancestor had exceptional facial expressions. For me, his dance ability shone through and every time there was a dance number he was very good at telling the story through his use of movement.

I loved the quirky choreography, as it just fitted the show perfectly and portrayed the message.

Overall this is a fun-filled, family production that is not to be missed.

NEW ADVENTURES ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF

MATTHEW BOURNE’S GOTHIC ROMANCE

“SLEEPING BEAUTY”

10^th ANNIVERSARY PRODUCTION

OPENING ON 12 NOVEMBER 2022

AT THE THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH

WITH A SEVEN WEEK CHRISTMAS SEASON

AT SADLER’S WELLS FROM 29 NOVEMBER 2022

DEVISED, DIRECTED AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY

MATTHEW BOURNE

MUSIC BY TCHAIKOVSKY

New Adventures is delighted to announce the return of Matthew Bourne’s gothic romance “SLEEPING BEAUTY”.

The UK tour opens at the Theatre Royal Plymouth on Saturday 12 November 2022 and runs until 19 November before visiting, The Lowry, Salford from 22 November to 26 November; ahead of a seven-week Christmas season at Sadler’s Wells, London from Tuesday 29 November to Sunday 15 January 2023. Further tour dates for 2023 and casting to be announced shortly.

Matthew Bourne’s “SLEEPING BEAUTY” reawakens in 2022, celebrating 10 years since its premiere at Sadlers Wells, when it became the fastest selling production in the company’s history.

Now established as a firm favourite in the New Adventures repertoire, the award-winning “SLEEPING BEAUTY” has enchanted international audiences throughout the UK and across the globe.

Matthew Bourne said today:

“Ten years ago, I fulfilled a long-held ambition to complete the trilogy of Tchaikovsky ballets following my Nutcracker! in 1992 and Swan Lake in 1995. It’s no secret that this particular ballet was a daunting task and one that I approached with trepidation. It did, however, turn out to be a richly rewarding experience with the entire creative team on glorious form and, in my opinion, it remains one of New Adventures greatest achievements. I look forward to new generations of dancers rising to the varied challenges of this much-loved production and bringing its magic back to audiences throughout the UK” 

Enter a wondrous world of magical fairies and vampires, where the timeless tale of good vs evil is turned upside-down, creating a supernatural love story that even the passage of time itself cannot hinder. Will Princess Aurora ever find her true love again?

With an unforgettable score by Tchaikovsky, sumptuous sets and costumes, evocative lighting and masterly storytelling, the beloved fairy tale is brought to life by the uniquely talented New Adventures company. Get ready to be transported in time from the halcyon days of the late Edwardian era through to the modern day in this dazzling gothic romance.

“SLEEPING BEAUTY” is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne working with his regular collaborators and New Adventures Associate Artists; Lez Brotherston (Set and Costumes), Paule Constable (Lighting) and Paul Groothuis (Sound Design).

Following the success of their collaboration for Nutcracker! New Adventures are thrilled to be continuing their partnership with Fortnum & Mason for Sleeping Beauty.

THE LOWRY, SALFORD – UNTIL 17 FEBRUARY 2022

REVIEWED BY ANGELOS SPANTIDEAS

3***

Private Lives takes on the love between two people that even though they have separated remains silently and quietly like an ember that at the right moment can become a raging fire that turns their lives upside down. Surely, as a concept it has been attempted numerous times but it still remains a timeless and massively entertaining idea, perfect for a romantic comedy for the big and small screen and even more igniting on stage.

The first Act starts with two couples on their honeymoon in adjacent hotel rooms that communicate easily through the balconies. A honeymoon very quickly interrupted as Amanda (Patricia Hodge) and Elyot (Nigel Havers) leave their spouses Victor (Dugald Bruce-Lockhart) and Sibyl (Natalie Walter), respectively, and elope to Amanda’s flat in Paris, to relieve their reignited love for each other. In the first half we see the relationship the two have with their spouses, but we also witness the passion that they still have for one another which explains why they would practically destroy their social status to relieve their love, hopefully more successfully this time.

The second Act finds the couple in Amanda’s gorgeously designed and thought to the last detail by the designer Simon Higlett, with the two realising that the reasons why they initially separated are still there, with the two jumping between passionate expressions of love to passionate fighting, that slowly escalate. The cherry on top is Victor and Sibyl, whom they are still married to show up at the flat and create a hilarious dynamic with back and forth bickering and teasing among all the characters.

This show is a definite comedy, designed with clever jokes, eloquent remarks that expand from plain insults and pauses that create an organically funny atmosphere. Although originally written for a younger couple, Patricia Hodge and Nigel Havers do an incredible job showing that love and passion do not have an expiration date and it was actually refreshing to see a more mature couple on stage behaving like lovestruck teenagers. That in combination with some clever jokes about indigestion or a pulled muscle accentuate the very talented rendition of the two roles and does not feel as reductive or superficial but rather authentic. Nevertheless, as the difficulty with bringing older plays to contemporary stages, the show does fall into some stereotypical depictions in terms of gender and race that occasionally hold it back from keeping up with today’s standards which can be slightly disappointing for an otherwise very beautifully thought out play.

Overall, Private Lives brings some very beautiful and certainly hilarious moments on stage, and is a definite choice for a night of amusing predicaments and romance with a cast that brings the characters to life

Seven Dials Theatre – until 19th March 2022

Reviewed by Emily Cliff

4****

Making its European debut at the cosy setting of the Seven Dials theatre hidden away in Soho, Steve is a charming and comedic production. A post-theatre kid dreamland, following the lives of a friendship group gripping onto their youth with an iron fist and refusing to acknowledge the fact that they’re growing old.

The stage set-up of this play is fantastic, a series of conversations over the span of a year in different restaurants cafes and classic new york apartments. Audience members can even be a part of the immersive set themselves with tables and chairs set up on stage. Simple images and videos were projected onto blank poster frames and basic furniture was used in such a way that each set felt completely different to the last whilst only changing one or two things.

The story itself follows the crumbling relationship and midlife crisis of couple Steven (David Ames) and Stephen (Joe Aaron) and how their friends deal with sex, open relationships and the devastating diagnosis of their dear friend Carrie (Jenna Russell). Filled with beautiful tributes through both music and staging to the late and great Stephen Sondheim, this play is a comforting escape for anyone who has used theatre as a means to escape before now. The characters all share a love for all things musical and broadway related and each of their eclectic personalities shine throughout the whole play.

Life is generally hard, and no matter what stage of life you’re in there will always be some new struggle or hurdle to get over. Steve takes this philosophy and wears it on its sleeve. Each of the characters is obviously going through some sort of midlife crisis however the story doesn’t take anything away from the characters. It is balanced in a beautifully chaotic mess that imitates the beauty of their lives and each complex storyline that followed.

Overall Steve was funny, sad and openly honest in all of the right places. Incredibly self-aware the touching story on navigating life, relationships and death in your forties is memorable and so beautifully, brutally honest and something that will stick with the viewer hours after watching.

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR

BRAND NEW BRITISH VEGAN MUSICAL – LITTLE SAUSAGE!

“But… don’t you miss bacon?”

Producer Tanya Truman is thrilled to announce the cast for Little Sausage; a new musical is coming to The Other Palace Studio in March 2022. Tickets for Little Sausage are on sale now!

Dan Bravo (he/him) will play Isaac, Owen Clayton (he/they) will play Junior / Dave / Ensemble and Joanna Clarke (she/her) will play Cassie / Elliot / Ensemble.

Tanya Truman, the producer of Little Sausage, said, “Coming from a performing background myself, I know how difficult it can be to get noticed for projects. As a producer, I am passionate about working with incredibly talented people. I work hard with my creative team to look at fresh talent instead of selective based on where they may have trained, what credits they have, or how many Instagram followers they have.

With Little Sausage being verbatim and 100% based on live interviews of people’s experiences with veganism, it was essential to find actors who were excellent multi rollers to embody these people as authentically as possible.”

Directed by Annabelle Hollingdale (From Here, Spring Awakening), Little Sausage is a new verbatim musical about the nation’s most controversial Sausage. It uses the real words of ‘real’ men to explore toxic masculinity, plant-based dating, and the game-changing Gregg’s vegan sausage roll.

Little Sausage is a new verbatim musical about the relationship between veganism and masculinity.  

Annabelle Hollingdale, director of Little Sausage, said, “Little Sausage is as zany as it is sincere and evocative as it is entertaining. As a director, I am most drawn to text seated in naturalism, and it doesn’t get more naturalistic than real words spoken by real people. As a vegan, I find this musical painfully and comically Indicative of conversions I have had and heard first hand, and I’m thrilled to be able to invite an audience to share in this.”

With music and lyrics by Joshua Fowley and book Deborah Vogt, Little Sausage follows a Yorkshire lad and how his relationship with friends and family changes during his journey from cheese addict to animal activist!

Tickets are available now via The Other Palace website.