Eleanor Lloyd Productions and Rebecca Stafford Productions present
Witness for the Prosecution By Agatha Christie
THE RETURN OF AGATHA CHRISTIE’S ‘WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION’AT LONDON COUNTY HALL IS DELAYED UNTIL 14 SEPTEMBER 2021
Photo credit : Sheila Burnett
The reopening of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall has been delayed until 14 September 2021. The production was due to reopen on 3 August.
Producers Eleanor Lloyd and Rebecca Stafford said:
“We are absolutely gutted that we have to delay the re-opening of Agatha Christie’s ‘Witness for the Prosecution’ at London County Hall until 14 September.
Unfortunately, the combined effects of continued uncertainty around a return to full capacity in theatres, no provision of cancellation insurance, and the delayed delivery of our promised Cultural Recovery Fund grant are such that we cannot afford to proceed with the rehearsals as planned. We have not taken this decision lightly. It leaves 51 people waiting to resume their jobs. For us as Producers the cost of remaining closed is significant and will increase as furlough and business rates relief are reduced from July.
We are sorry for our wonderful and loyal audience who stood ready to support our return in August. We urge you, please re-book into the new dates from 14th September and come and celebrate with us as soon as we are able to declare ’THE COURT IS NOW (RE)OPEN’. “
Since opening to critical acclaim in 2017 Witness for the Prosecution has captured the imagination of thousands who have been gripped by the case of Leonard Vole, accused of murder in cold blood. Director Lucy Bailey, whose current projects include Oleanna, (currently touring the UK and soon to open in the West End) and the upcoming production of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (Royal and Derngate/ UK tour), thrillingly places the audience in the thick of the action, as Agatha Christie’s enthralling tale of justice, passion and betrayal unfolds around them.
Leonard Vole is accused of murdering a widow to inherit her wealth. The stakes are high. Will he be able to convince the jury of his innocence and escape the hangman’s noose?
The twists and turns of the case are played out in a spectacular courtroom setting inside the iconic London County Hall as prosecution battles defence and witnesses take the stand to give their shocking testimonies. The production received Best Revival nominations at the 2018 Olivier and WhatsOnStage Awards.
Witness for the Prosecution is booking through to 20 March 2022. Tickets are on sale at www.witnesscountyhall.com. Casting is to be announced soon.
Witness for the Prosecution is designed by William Dudley, with lighting by Chris Davey, sound design by Mic Pool and casting by Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG.
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, the hit musical based on the classic DreamWorks Animation film, is proud to confirm the complete cast, orchestra and company of 154 who will lead “the huge popular hit” (LBC) back into London’s Dominion Theatre in 16 days, in accordance with UK Government Step 3 protocols (socially distanced audiences), as previously announced.
“Brought to life in truly epic fashion” (Daily Mirror), the Grammy® Award nominated musicalwill resume performances on Thursday 1 July 2021 with tickets currently on sale until Saturday 8 January 2022.Performances between Thursday 1 July and Saturday 4 September 2021 will operate with socially distanced audiences throughout the venue and, thereafter, in accordance with Step 4 protocols (full capacity but in compliance with UK Government public health guidance). Should all current restrictions be lifted earlier, the production will revert to full capacity as soon as practicably possible. Tickets are available now via www.ThePrinceofEgyptMusical.com
Joining the previously announced Clive Rowe (Jethro), will be new ensemble cast members Catherine Cornwall (a 2019 Bird College graduate), Daniel Luiz (a 2021 Mountview graduate) and Samuel Sarpong-Broni (a 2020 Royal College of Music graduate). All three will be making their West End debuts.
The “utterly stand-out cast” (What’sOnStage) of 46 will be Luke Brady (Moses), Liam Tamne (Ramses), Christine Allado (Tzipporah), Alexia Khadime (Miriam), Joe Dixon (Seti), Debbie Kurup (Tuya), Clive Rowe* (Jethro), Mercedesz Csampai (Yocheved), Adam Pearce (Hotep), Tanisha Spring** (Nefertari), Silas Wyatt-Barke (Aaron), Simbi Akande, Casey Al-Shaqsy, Joe Atkinson, Danny Becker, Felipe Bejarano, Pàje Campbell, Catherine Cornwall, Adam Filipe, Soophia Foroughi, Natalie Green, Jack Harrison-Cooper, Kalene Jeans, Christian Knight, Jessica Lee, Oliver Lidert, Daniel Luiz, Jay Marsh, Scott Maurice, Carly Miles, Alice Readie, Samuel Sarpong-Broni, Christopher Short, Molly Smith, Ricardo Walker, Danny Williams, Niko Wirachman and Sasha Woodward together with young performers Cian Eagle-Service, Maiya Eastmond, Jersey Blu Georgia, Taylor Jenkins, Mia Lakha, George Menezes Cutts, Iman Pabani and Vishal Soni. *Clive Rowe appears until 16 Oct 2021 / **Tanisha Spring appears until 18 Sept 2021
The orchestra will be Dave Rose (Musical Director); Mark Collins (Associate Musical Director, Keyboards); Nina Foster/Fiona McCapra (job share), Sonya Fairbairn, Penny Ainscow, Sebastian Rudnicki (Violins); Fiona Davies (Viola); Magda Pietraszewska (Cello); Rory Dempsey (Bass); Rupert Widdows (Woodwind); Tony Cross (Trumpet, Flugelhorn); Duncan Fuller, David McQueen (Horns); John Gregson (Guitars); Murdoch MacDonald (Percussion) and Dan Ellis (Drums).
The Stage Management team will be Anthony Field (Company Stage Manager); Dominique Pierre-Louis (Stage Manager); Ryan Quelch (Deputy Stage Manager); Nuri Chang, Charlotte Johnson (Assistant Stage Managers/Book Cover); Simon Humphris, Chrissie Huxford and Tracey Farrell (Assistant Stage Managers), who, together with a further 84 backstage staff, complete the production’s huge cast, orchestra and company of 154.
Producers DreamWorks Theatricals, Michael McCabe and Neil Laidlaw said in a joint statement:
“On behalf of our authors, creative team and co-producers, we are proud to welcome back our exceptional company of 154 individuals and to once again deliver live performances of this epic theatrical re-imagining of the classic DreamWorks Animation film. While initial performances will be in front of socially distanced audiences, we, as one of the West End’s biggest shows and employers, will need a Government-backed insurance scheme against future COVID-related shutdowns and to move to full capacity at the earliest possible opportunity. In the meantime, we look forward to audiences returning from 1 July to the comfort and COVID-secure environment of the Dominion Theatre.”
“This lavish stage adaptation” (The Guardian) of the classic DreamWorks Animation film features a cast and orchestra of more than 60 artists and Stephen Schwartz’s acclaimed score includes his Academy Award®-winning song When You Believe, which was a global hit for Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, and the “spine-tingling” (Time Out) Deliver Us. The Original Cast Recording, released by Ghostlight Records, received a 2021 Grammy® Award nomination for `Best Musical Theatre Album’.
Journey through the wonders of Ancient Egypt as two young men, raised together as brothers in a kingdom of privilege, find themselves suddenly divided by a secret past. One must rule as Pharaoh, the other must rise up and free his true people; both face a destiny that will change history forever.
The Prince of Egypt has music and lyrics by multi-Grammy® and Academy Award®-winner Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell), a book by Philip LaZebnik (Mulan, Pocahontas) and features 10 new songs written by Stephen Schwartz together with 5 of his beloved songs from the DreamWorks Animation film (When You Believe, Deliver Us, All I Ever Wanted, Through Heaven’s Eyes and The Plagues).
The Prince of Egypt is directed by Scott Schwartz with choreography by Sean Cheesman;set designs by KevinDepinet; costume designs by Ann Hould-Ward; lighting design by Mike Billings; sound design by Gareth Owen; projection designs by Jon Driscoll; illusions by Chris Fisher; wigs, hair and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates; orchestrations by August Eriksmoen; musical supervision and arrangements by Dominick Amendum; musical direction by Dave Rose; casting by Jim Arnold CDG and children’s casting by Verity Naughton CDG.
The Prince of Egypt is produced by DreamWorks Theatricals (a division of Universal Theatrical Group), Michael McCabe and Neil Laidlaw together with John Gore, Tom Smedes and Peter Stern, Ramin Sabi, The Araca Group, James L. Nederlander and Michael Park.
A milestone in cinematic achievement, the classic DreamWorks Animation film has been captivating audiences across the world for more than two decades. It has been hailed as “one of the greatest animated films of all time” (Evening Standard) and “a stunning film” (The Guardian).
Following today’s Government announcement of a delay to Roadmap Stage 4, SOLT & UK Theatre Chief Executive Julian Bird has released the following statement:
‘The proposed four-week delay to full reopening of live entertainment venues will have serious implications for many theatres and performing companies around the country.
‘This delay not only impacts productions and theatres preparing to open in the next few weeks, but also shows currently running socially distanced, which had planned to increase their capacity – and producers making the difficult decision whether to start rehearsals for shows due to open in late July or August, with thousands of jobs hanging in the balance.
‘Particularly at risk are large-scale commercial productions, which have received little or no Cultural Recovery Fund support and cannot survive under social distancing.
‘We urge Government to consider greater support for affected theatre organisations, by offering a tailored insurance scheme, allocating the remainder of the Cultural Recovery Fund, and extending full furlough and the Business Rates holiday.
‘Once theatres are given the go-ahead to fully return, we will continue to implement industry-wide ‘See It Safely’ measures including enhanced cleaning, one-way systems, contactless ticketing and security, and the wearing of masks if required.
‘The safety of theatre audiences and staff is our top priority, and we want everyone to be confident to return to full houses on the basis of the latest scientific data. We need Government to confirm as soon as possible that restrictions will be lifted by 19 July – a clear, irreversible reopening date will boost audience confidence at a time when it is vital theatre fans support the industry they love.’
ETT (English Touring Theatre), today announces Trailer Story –a travelling outdoor performance space touring across the UK presenting national and local artistic programming and community events, finding a safe, joyous, and locally focused way to bring people together in public spaces to celebrate theatre. The project is inspired by ETT’s origins as Century Theatre, who toured the UK in a pop-up space, and will tour to Newcastle and Keswick in July and August 2021, in partnership with Northern Stage and Theatre by the Lake.
Trailer Story will present weekend-long programmes of events, performances and community happenings across the UK, beginning with a residency in Newcastle city centre 30 July – 1 August, with support from NE1 Ltd, and Crow Park in Keswick 5-8 August, with support from the National Trust. Performances will be housed in a touring truck, usually used to tour production sets around the country, but reimagined as a space for artists and audiences to meet, built with sustainability at its core and allowing for socially-distanced performances.
Richard Twyman and Sophie Scull today said “Trailer Story sits at the heart of our plans for 2021. It’s a project that harnesses ETT’s rich history, transformed and re-invented for the present day. Our touring truck is inspired by the company’s origins – when Century Theatre toured to towns and cities in a fleet of trucks converted into a performance space called ‘The Blue Box’ – but responds to the impact of the pandemic on our communities. We want to provide a safe and joyful space to come together and celebrate live arts, and the immense diversity and talent of our country’s artists. We hope to make Trailer Story an annual platform for national and local theatre-makers, performance artists and musicians to share their work with audiences outdoors – empowering communities and celebrating imagination.
ETT celebrate the nation’s diversity, resilience and community spirit with an exciting range of programming that travels with the truck. Trailer Story also offers a platform for local artists in each area to take over the space, making the festival unique to each location. Programming and full list of artists involved to be announced.
Trailer Story is designed by Jon Bausor with Tina Torbey
In recent months, ETT have also releasedChildren’s Children – a series of five monologues, curated by Amber James, exploring the interaction of the past with the present, and celebrating Black history, and That Podcast– a twelve part magazine-style podcast series that tells the story of a nation and a world in rapid transition. For further information, visit https://ett.org.uk/
ETT (English Touring Theatre) are a UK based international touring company. We create theatre of outstanding quality, imagination and ambition; work which interrogates and celebrates contemporary England and reflects the diversity of our nation. Staging a balance of new and classic work, we make theatre that is imaginative, responsive and alive: sparking dialogue and fostering connectivity. We are proud to tour shows that reach the widest possible range of audiences across the UK and beyond, engaging in a national and global conversation. ETT won the UK Theatre Awards Best Touring Production in 2014, 2015, 2016 and Best Play Revival in 2019.
Northern Stage is a place to laugh, discover, challenge and learn – a place to think and rethink. Backed up by industry-leading facilities and a dash of Geordie genius, we reach beyond the ordinary, every time. A theatre where ideas meet and futures change, every year thousands come to create and share unique live experiences – it’s so much more than a night out. Northern Stage believes in the social, emotional and political power of theatre to challenge the status quo. A spirit of rebellion runs through all our work and we champion boldness and accessibility. northernstage.co.uk
ABOUT THEATRE BY THE LAKE
Theatre by the Lake, hailed by The Independent as ‘the most beautifully located and friendly theatre in Britain’, opened in 1999. It is a short stroll from Derwentwater on the edge of Keswick, amid the magnificent western fells of the Lake District, which now enjoys UNESCO World Heritage status.
The Theatre has two stages, a 400-seat Main House and 100-seat Studio, and presents up to nine of its own productions throughout the year as well as hosting a variety of festivals and visiting companies, playing to over 120,000 people per year. Led by Artistic Director Liz Stevenson and Executive Director James Cobbold, Theatre by the Lake is the only Arts Council funded producing theatre in Cumbria, generating a further £2.5m through sales and fundraising each year to support work onstage and the provision of inspiring community engagement programmes for people of all ages.
Theatre by the Lake closed in March 2020 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, but continue to provide a programme of digital and outdoor events until their proposed reopening in Autumn 2021.
Theatre by the Lake (as Cumbria Theatre Trust) is a registered charity, number 516673
25th ANNIVERSARY PRODUCTION OF STONES IN HIS POCKETS TO DEBUT AS PART OF BARN THEATRE’S 2021 REOPENING SEASON
THE REVIVAL PRODUCTION OF MARIE JONES’ OLIVIER AWARD-WINNING TRAGICOMEDY WILL RUN FROM 27 JULY – 22 AUGUST 2021
THE SEASON ALSO FEATURES ANACTOR-MUSICIAN ADAPTATION OF DAVID COPPERFIELD AND A FESTIVE PRODUCTION OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM PRESENT: CINDERELLA
PRIORITY BOOKING IS ON SALE FROM 11AM ON 14 JUNE WITH GENERAL SALE FROM 12PM ON 18 JUNE 2021
The Barn Theatre in Cirencester have today announced their full 2021 Reopening Season, which includes the 25th anniversary production of Marie Jones’ Olivier award-winning tragicomedy Stones in His Pockets (27 July – 22 August) and the world premiere of Simon Reade’s actor-musician adaptation of David Copperfield (28 September – 6 November) with the Christmas spectacle The Brothers Grimm Present: Cinderella running over the festive season from 16 November 2020 – 2 January 2021.
The season will also see An Elephant in the Garden return to the Barn from 31 August – 11 September following its award-nominated digital run earlier this year as well as the previously announced run of the Olivier Award-winning comedy Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense (15 June – 10 July), which opens this week in Cirencester following its run at The Theatre Chipping Norton.
The theatre has also announced today that following the success of their inaugural outdoor theatre festival in 2020, BarnFest will return to the Cotswolds this Summer.
This expands the Barn’s outdoor offerings for the year which also includes the announced The Barn at Notgrove event, from 21-22 August, which will see the theatre team up with theatre company Scoot Theatre to take over the grounds of the Manor House at the Notgrove Estate for a weekend of outdoor Shakespeare performances.
The Barn at Notgrove, in association with Scoot Theatrewill feature performances of Scoot Theatre’s family-friendly, sixty-minute productions of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies A Midsummer Night’s Dream at 5pm (21 August) and 2pm (22 August) and The Comedy of Errors at 5pm (21 August) and 2pm (22 August).
Tickets for the 2021 reopening season are available for priority booking from 14 June at 11am, with general sale from 18 June at 12pm. Tickets for Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense and The Barn at Notgrove in association with Scoot Theatre are now on general sale at barntheatre.org.uk
Cast and creatives for the 2021 productions and further information on BarnFest will be announced in due course.
Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense
The Theatre Chipping Norton and Barn Theatre’s 2020 production of the Goodale Brothers’ Olivier Award-winning comedy Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense returns to the Cotswold venues to mark the 140th anniversary of the author P.G. Wodehouse’s birth. The production runs at the Barn Theatre from 15 June – 10 July 2021.
In this joyous reimagining of the classic P.G. Wodehouse characters, three actors hurl themselves from role to role as they race to tell the story of Bertie’s own farcical adventures.
The production, directed by The Theatre Chipping Norton’s Artistic Director John Terry, sees the return of the production’s original cast with Andrew Ashford (The Full Monty, The Ladykillers) as Jeeves, Matthew Cavendish (The Play That Goes Wrong, A Comedy About A Bank Robbery) as Bertie Wooster and Andrew Cullum (For King and Country, The Crown) as Seppings.
The production also features original music composed by Eamonn O’Dwyer, design by Alex Marker, lighting design by Christopher Nairne, sound design by Harry Smith and movement direction by Bronya Deutsch.
Stones in His Pockets
The Barn’s Summer production will be new 25th anniversary production of Marie Jones’ Olivier Award-winning tragicomedy, Stones in His Pockets, running from 27 July – 22 August 2021.
Directed by Matthew McElhinney, son of the playwright and the play’s original director Ian McElhinney, this new production promises to bring an authentic rediscovery of the worldwide phenomenon, which has won numerous awards including both the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best New Comedy, as well as three Tony nominations on Broadway.
McElhinney said of the production, ‘Stones in his Pockets,’ began life in small community halls and regional venues in Ireland before going on to run for four years on the West End and then Broadway, winning two Olivier Awards and several Tony nominations and has now been translated into over 30 languages. A dream come true; but as a consequence of its success, throughout its many iterations it slowly began to drift away from its original essence and into the more farcical, the pantomime and the Irish with a capital O. This production, on the year of its 25th anniversary, is an opportunity, for us, to reclaim the story.
An Elephant in the Garden
Following its OnComm nominated digital run earlier this year, An Elephant in the Garden will return to the Barn Theatre from 31 August – 11 September.
Simon Reade’s adaptation of the Michael Morpurgo children’s novel follows Lizzie, her mother – and an elephant from the zoo in 1945 Dresden, Germany, as they flee the Allied fire-bombing in the endgame of the Second World War.
The play is adapted and directed by Simon Reade and performed by Alison Reid. The production features design by Max Johns, lighting design by Matthew Graham, costumes by Elizabeth De-Tisi, sound design by Jason Barnes, radio voices by Chris Bianchi and juggling by Rod Laver.
David Copperfield
The world debut production of Simon Reade’s actor-musician adaptation of David Copperfield will run in the Cotswolds from 28 September – 6 November.
In this new dramatisation Copperfield is joined by a pair of quicksilver character actor/musicians to tell his rite-of-passage story of a young man full of hope, learning about life from an eccentric cast of characters on his journey into adulthood.
Modern and dazzling with an eclectic look and feel this fun, uplifting and (to use a very Dickensian word) perspicacious production is the perfect fit for our own unbelievable times.
The Brothers Grimm Present: Cinderella
The Barn’s 2021 season will end with the world premiere of Alan Pollocks’s new play The Brothers Grimm Present: Cinderella, based on the classic fairy tale. The production, which will run over the festive period from 20 November 2020 – 2 January 2021, will be the third play by Pollock to debut over the festive period at the theatre with A Christmas Carol and Peter Pan debuting in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Wilhelm and Jakob are the ultimate odd couple. They are The Brothers Grimm. It’s late and the brothers are at each other’s throats… As the brothers fight, a young girl appears. As she begins to speak we are launched into a tale of kindness, cruelty, music and magic, slippers, pumpkins and wolves. Blending song, illusion, performance and puppetry, The Brothers Grimm Present: Cinderella, is Cinderella as you have always known it.
New opportunities for directors supported by the Victoria Wood Foundation
Theatre charity the JMK Trust today announces that, through the generous funding of the Victoria Wood Foundation, it is launching vital new opportunities for theatre directors.
Hosted at northern venues Manchester Royal Exchange and Northern Stage, Newcastle, and part of its National Programme, two new bursaries will see the recipients work alongside, and receive mentorship from Roy Alexander Weise MBE and Maria Crocker, both previous beneficiaries of the JMK Trust.
Stephen Fewell, Chair of the JMK Trust, commented, “Many will know that Victoria Wood’s own career journey, and her uniquely precise grip on the rhythms of British humour, led her eventually to direct her own work. Just as she worked so skilfully to make the very most of each opportunity that led her there, we hope these new bursaries in her memory provide similar chances for talent to be inspired and recognised. As her comic voice endures, we hope they’ll attract people of all varieties to make themselves heard in positions of creative leadership.”
In addition, the Trustees of the JMK Trust today launch a 6-month mentoring scheme for 24 theatre directors around the country, generously funded by the Noël Coward Foundation. As the industry returns to life, this gives access to monthly one-to-one sessions with a mentor and the opportunity to meet and work with fellow mentees. This aims to build a cohort of peers and a supportive learning opportunity for directors as we emerge from the pandemic and the devastating impact it has had on the theatre industry. The mentors are directors Nik Partridge, Piers Black, Atri Banerjee, and Nel Crouch.
ROYAL EXCHANGE MANCHESTER BURSARY
The bursary at the Royal Exchange Manchester enables a director to assist Roy Alexander Weise on a new production of Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop this autumn. Roy Alexander Weise MBE is joint Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange and won the JMK Award 2016 with The Mountaintop, which ran at the Young Vic in October-November 2016, before touring the UK in 2018.
Roy’s other theatre credits include: BR’ER COTTON (Theatre 503) and NINE NIGHT (National Theatre), HERETIC VOICES (Arcola Theatre); JEKYLL AND HYDE (National Youth Theatre); DEAD DON’T FLOSS (National Theatre); THE UGLY ONE (Park Theatre, Buckland Theatre Company); THE DARK (Fuel & Ovalhouse); ZERO FOR THE YOUNG DUDES (Young & Talented in association with NT Connections); PRIMETIME (Royal Court, Jerwood Theatre); and STONE FACE (Finborough Theatre). At the start of 2020, Roy was awarded an MBE for his services to drama.
Roy says “I am delighted to be working with The JMK Trust as we look for a new Assistant Director for my upcoming production of THE MOUNTAINTOP at the Royal Exchange Theatre.
As a recipient of the Award, I’ve seen first-hand the incredible opportunities that the Trust provides for those who wouldn’t usually get the chance to work in Theatre, as well as the knock on effect it has on the entire cast and creative teams. They supported me as Director of THE MOUNTAINTOP at The Young Vic in 2016 and its national tour back in 2018, so it’s great to come back full circle, and work with them again as I direct a new version of the play – my first production as Joint Artistic Director here in Manchester.
Both The JMK Trust and The Victoria Wood Foundation have been extremely supportive of the Royal Exchange Theatre and we look forward to working with them as we rebuild and get back to making theatre for our communities.”
NORTHERN STAGE BURSARY
The bursary at Northern Stage is for an associate director to work with Maria Crocker on her production of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, opening November 2021. Maria Crocker was herself the first recipient of a JMK assistant director bursary at Northern Stage in 2014, and she is one of the Director Practitioners running JMK’s National Programme. Maria is a Headlong Origins associate artist and runner up for the Sir Peter Hall RTST Directors Award 2019. Her work in theatre as director includes ASSASSINS at Mountview, LITTLE BITS OF LIGHT (workshop) at National Theatre Studio/ARC Stockton; PRONOUN at ALRA; GROWTH at Northern Stage; BRIAN LOOKS LIKE ALAN RICKMAN at York Theatre Royal Studio; and FOUND at Alnwick Playhouse. Her work as associate director includes LOCAL HERO, for The Edinburgh Lyceum; HADESTOWN for The National Theatre; MEEK for Headlong and Birmingham Rep; GODS ARE FALLEN AND ALL SAFETY GONE for Greyscale (International tour); THE GAMBLERS for Greyscale and Dundee Rep.
Maria says, “I’m thrilled to be working with a JMK associate director on this magical Christmas production, in my home town of Newcastle. The JMK has played a big part in my directing journey to this point, and I know first hand how important these opportunities are for directors, particularly those wanting to work on a larger scale outside of London.”
Theatres Trust director Jon Morgan has responded to the four week delay to Step 4 of the government’s roadmap to easing lockdown:
Today’s news of a four week delay to Step 4 of the reopening roadmap is wholly understandable given the rise in infection numbers and the Delta variant. However, it will be difficult for theatres who were depending on being able to reopen at full capacity and will already have committed considerable resources in preparation without the safety net of a theatre sector insurance scheme.
Although many theatres have temporarily reopened with reduced audiences, continuing to operate at significantly reduced capacity is economically unsustainable. Other venues that were planning to reopen when full audiences were permitted may be forced to cancel shows. It is vital that the additional £408m allocated to the Culture Recovery Fund in the Budget is distributed quickly and targeted to those organisations most impacted by this setback.
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – until 12 June 2021
Reviewed by Liberty Noke
5*****
This reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved novel is unlike any other. Had you asked me yesterday if 2 actors and a cushion could play all the roles required to tell this story I would have thought you mad but this rather mad play was a showstopper. The play was written during lockdown to abide by all covid restrictions so lights were on timers, no crew was required and there was no interval. Sara Crowe and Stefan Bednarczyk played a married couple who had written the play in lockdown and were performing alone. They used hats, props and costumes to show when they were changing characters and occasionally placed a prop on a cushion to play a third part. The stage featured a piano and various props for making sound effects stage right and otherwise resembled a dressing room with racks of costumes along the back as well as a screen.
The entire show was hilarious, the audience never stopped laughing. Siobhan Basset, played by Sara Crowe, was very much running the show and her husband Michael, played by Stefan Bednarczyk, seemed eager to please her. He had collection of props to provide sound effects to the show but often broke or lost them so made the wrong sound often to the amusement of the audience. The couple had great chemistry and occasionally broke character to check in with each other adding to the comedy. Such a play with only 2 actors playing many parts could be easily confusing but the performers were so talented giving each character distinct mannerisms to tell them apart and they both pulled off convincing Yorkshire and American accents to help with this.
A major part of the comedy was a laptop used to display slides to aid the story telling. Siobhan used it upside down and the slides shown were drawings on paper with cartoon dogs or supermarket logos on the side to show that they play had been written in lockdown. This, along with the way the two actors would prompt each other and occasionally stop to fix their costume or have a gin and tonic made the play seem new and under-rehearsed but this was all part of the hilarity and made the play the massive success that it was. Overall a hilarious show that had the audience laughing from start to finish and many of them on their feet at the end. I would very much recommend it
TO STAR IN MATTHEW MORRISON’S EXPLOSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA BULLYING DRAMA
How far would you go for revenge?
Presented by The Soho Poly in association with Brickdust
KING’S HEAD THEATRE – MONDAY 12th – SATURDAY 17th JULY 2021
DANCE premiered as an online lockdown drama in 2020 and was a chosen ‘pick’ on The Guardian’s Hottest Front-Row Seats and featured on BBC’s Culture in Quarantine site.
A staged production runs for one week as part of the King’s Head Theatre’s PLAYMILL festival of new writing.
Christopher Harper (ITV’s Coronation Street; Apollo 13: The Dark Side of the Moon, Original Theatre Online, Dial M For Murder, UK Tour) and Saffron Coomber (CBBC’s Tracy Beaker Returns; BBC 1’s Small Axe, Emilia (Vaudeville Theatre) play father and daughter in this two-hander about identity, bullying and family ties in the digital age.
Matthew Morrison’s DANCE made its online debut in the summer of 2020, produced by The Soho Poly – the pioneer of lunchtime theatre in the 1970s and 80s – as their first new play in over 30 years. Now, the Charlotte Peters directed play, which follows a father and daughter’s surprising story, is set to make its ‘IRL’ appearance as part of the King’s Head Theatre’s annual festival of new-writing, Playmill, where it runs from Monday 12th to Saturday 17th July.
Kemi’s being bullied and it’s getting out of control. Everything her dad does to help only makes it worse. But when Kemi is humiliatingly thrust into the limelight, the pair concoct a dark revenge that might just go viral. DANCE is a captivating, funny and unpredictable story that explores the impact of social media on mental health and how online bullying impacts young people in today’s society.
Saffron Coomber stars as Kemi. Saffron has worked extensively on screen. One of her first major roles was Sapphire Fox in Tracy Beaker Returns (CBBC) in which she starred for three years. Recent TV appearances include Strike: Lethal White and Steve McQueen’s acclaimed drama, Small Axe, both for the BBC. She made her West End debut in the transfer of Emilia to the Vaudeville Theatre where she earned a nomination for Best West End Debut at The Stage Debut Awards 2019 for her portrayal as Emilia 1. On Friday 11th June Saffron will appear in A Cold Supper Behind Harrods by David Morley. The star-studded play reading – for the Original Theatre Company in association with Perfectly Normal Productions – will be streamed live on stage from the Oxford Playhouse and stars David Jason, Stephanie Cole and Anton Lesser.
Christopher Harper stars as Richard. During lockdown, Christopher has been seen in two celebrated productions performing as Capt. Jim Lovell in Apollo 13: The Dark Side of the Moon and Levi in Birdsong, both for Original Theatre Online. His extensive stage credits include UK tours of Dial M For Murder (Simon Friend Productions); Strangers on a Train (ATG); a season of Sir Alan Ayckbourn plays at The Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton (directed by Ayckbourn himself) and Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe. On-screen, Harper has appeared in British dramas including The Suspicions of Mr Whicher; Upstairs Downstairs; Life on Mars and most notably as playing Clifford Last, son of Victoria Wood’s character Nella Last in the multiple BAFTA award-winning ITV movie Housewife, 49. As Nathan Curtis, he featured in Coronation Street’s high profile teenage grooming and exploitation storyline and has helped raise awareness of child sex abuse through charity work and as patron for the charity Voicing CSA, which helps adult survivors of child sexual abuse to speak out.
Written by Matthew Morrison whose plays have included Through the Night, a Papatango award runner-up, produced at the Finborough Theatre; Inside Out, produced at the HighTide festival; The Shelter, commission by LAMDA and produced at The Riverside Studios. His recent play, The Bounds, was shortlisted for the Theatre503 playwriting award and chosen by the Arcola for its Playwrought scheme.
Directed by Charlotte Peters whose most recent work includes Billy and Me, starring Jon Culshaw, part of Barnes’ People, Torben Betts’ Apollo 13: The Dark Side of the Moon starring Chris Harper, Michael Salami & Tom Chambers, and the hit, 5-star production of Sebastian Faulks and Rachel Wagstaff’s Birdsong Online, all for Original Theatre Company. Charlotte is Associate Director on the National Theatre’s War Horse and Stephen Daldry’s An Inspector Calls and other theatre work includes How Love Is Spelt at Southwark Playhouse starring Michelle Collins and Nigel Boyle, Normality starring Dan Buckley and Pippa Evans at The Other Palace and Caste starring Paul Bradley and Susan Penhaligon at the Finborough Theatre. Charlotte’s short film Reasons by Duncan Moore will be released later this year for the BFI. She is directing a live-streamed interactive production of Peter Pan this Christmas following the success of Cinderella last year which reached an audience of over 100,000.
In 1972 the Soho Theatre (founded in 1968 and now based on London’s Dean Street) moved to a basement on Riding House Street owned by the Polytechnic of Central London (now University of Westminster). Here it became known as the Soho Poly and, for twenty years, it was to have a hugely important role on the fringe and alternative theatre scene.
Hanif Kureishi, Caryl Churchill, Timberlake Wertenbaker, Nigel Hawthorne and Simon Callow are just some of those who passed through its doors.
The Soho Poly was a pioneer of ‘lunchtime theatre’, which was part of an attempt to make theatre more inclusive by bringing arts and culture into the heart of the ordinary working day. Lunchtime theatre also offered opportunities to many artists who found themselves excluded from mainstream theatre. Sadly, the Riding House basement was abandoned in 1990, but there is now a major fundraising project underway to fully restore and revive it and DANCE is its first venture.
DANCE has been made possible by the generous support of the Schools of Law and Humanities at the University of Westminster. See here for the fundraising campaign to restore the historic Soho Poly venue: http://www.westminster.ac.uk/soho-poly
The Soho Poly has also just received 88K of funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a schools’ outreach project championing diversity and inclusion in the arts.
Brickdust’s work includes Chloë Moss’ How Love Is Spelt at Southwark Playhouse starring Larner Wallace Taylor, Michelle Collins and Nigel Boyle, and Bury The Dead, directed by Rafaella Marcus, at the Finborough. During Lockdown, Brickdust collaborated with Coronavirus Theatre Club to release Lucy Nichol’s short, Oranges and Lemons to an audience of over 5,000 people.
Age guidance: 15+ (contains strong language and adult themes) l Running time: 55 mins
