Olivier and Tony Award-winning producer David Pughand Zoe Curnow, Executive Director of the Minack Theatre, are delighted to announce that the acclaimed 40th anniversary production of Willy Russell’s EDUCATING RITA will play the Minack Theatre, Cornwall this August. The production was on a UK Tour when the Government closed theatres, but is now able to open at this beautiful outdoor theatre with social distancing. Performances will begin on Tuesday 18 August and the season will run until Saturday 29 August. The production stars Stephen Tompkinson as Frank and Jessica Johnson as Rita and is directed by Max Roberts.
David Pugh explained his decision to stage the production outdoors for two weeks: “I am a producer, so I should produce. The idea of playing Educating Rita at the Minack Theatre is not only exciting but also a step towards re-opening all of our theatres. I do worry about the rain but when I mentioned this to Willy Russell, he said ‘Don’t worry, I’ll just add a line. Rita can say: There’s a leak in your ceiling, Frank.’”
Zoe Curnow added, “We are delighted to be able to reawaken the Minack from its lockdown sleep and put the soul back into our theatre with live performances. Having sadly had to postpone our previously scheduled 2020 season, we are delighted to be forging new friendships with producers like David and are really excited to welcome Willy Russell and Stephen and Jessica to our beautiful theatre. Our fingers are crossed that the sun shines on us for the remainder of the summer.”
EDUCATING RITA tells the story of married hairdresser Rita, who enrols on an Open University course to expand her horizons, and her encounters with university tutor Frank. Frank is a frustrated poet, brilliant academic and dedicated drinker, who is less than enthusiastic about teaching Rita. However, Frank soon finds that his passion for literature is reignited by Rita, whose technical ability for the subject is limited by her lack of education, but whose enthusiasm Frank finds refreshing. The two soon realise how much they have to learn from each other.
Stephen Tompkinson and Jessica Johnson said of playing the Minack Theatre, “On March 16, we thought that was it, that we were never to perform in our favourite play ever again. Now, we are beyond excited to be doing Educating Rita one more time at the Minack, the stunning open air theatre in Cornwall.”
EDUCATING RITA was originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and played at the Warehouse Theatre, London in 1980, starring Julie Walters and Mark Kingston. Julie Walters reprised her role in the BAFTA, Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning film opposite Michael Caine.
Born in Liverpool in 1947, Willy Russell left school at 15 and became a women’s hairdresser and part-time singer/songwriter before returning to education to retrain as a teacher. Russell’s other writing credits include the Olivier Award-winning musical Blood Brothers, and the hugely successful play Shirley Valentine, which won the Olivier Awards for Best New Comedy and Best New Actress, and a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play. The play was adapted for film and nominated for a host of BAFTA and Academy Awards. Willy Russell continues to be one of the most celebrated writers of his generation with works constantly in production throughout the world as well as in the UK.
Stephen Tompkinson’s television credits include ITV’s Torvill & Dean, BBC’s The Split, five series of DCI Banks, four series of Trollied, seven series of Wild at Heart, six series of Drop the Dead Donkey (British Comedy Award Winner for Best TV Comedy Actor) and three series of Ballykissangel, and his films include Phil in Brassed Off. His theatre work includes Spamalot, Rattle of a Simple Man and Arsenic and Old Lace in the West End, Cloaca and A Christmas Carol (Old Vic), Art and Tartuffe (National Tours).
Jessica Johnson’s theatre credits include Call Me Mary Poppins, Goth Weekend, Kings and Queens, Each Piece and Anti-Gravity at the Live Theatre, Newcastle. She previously played Rita in Rebecca Frecknall’s 2017 production of Educating Rita at the Gala Theatre, Durham. Her television credits include Wire In The Blood (ITV), Coronation Street (ITV) and Cuckoo (Channel 4).
Max Roberts is Emeritus Artistic Director of Newcastle’s Live Theatre. Under his direction, the Live Theatre has become one of the country’s most successful theatre companies with an outstanding reputation for developing new work. His Olivier Award-nominated production of Lee Hall’s Cooking With Elvis transferred to the West End’s Whitehall Theatre (now Trafalgar Studios) before touring nationally. He also directed The Pitman Painters, which transferred to the National Theatre and won Best Play at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards before opening on Broadway.
EDUCATING RITA has set and costume designs by Patrick Connellan, lighting design by Drummond Orr and sound design by David Flynn.
EDUCATING RITA is produced by David Pugh and is a Theatre by the Lake production..
THE PRODUCTION WILL NOW OPEN IN APRIL 2021 AT THE NEW THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE,
FOLLOWING AN EXTENSIVE 2-YEAR REFURBISHMENT
Disney Theatrical Productions today announces casting for Frozen – joining the previously announced Samantha Barks (Elsa) and Stephanie McKeon (Anna) are Obioma Ugoala (Kristoff), Craig Gallivan (Olaf), Oliver Ormson (Hans), Richard Frame (Weselton), and alternating the role of Sven, Mikayla Jade and Ashley Birchall; with Jeremy Batt, Cameron Burt, Lauren Chia, Laura Emmitt, Emily-Mae (Bulda), Danielle Fiamanya, Hannah Fairclough, Matt Gillett, Joe Griffiths-Brown, Emily Lane, Justin-Lee Jones, Jason Leigh Winter, Jacob Maynard, Leisha Mollyneaux, Gabriel Mokake (King Agnarr), Sarah O’Connor, Jemma Revell, Jacqui Sanchez (Queen Iduna), Jak Skelly (Oaken/Bishop), Jake Small, Isabel Snaas, Joshua St. Clair (Pabbie), Monica Swayne, and Anna Woodside. With music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and book by Jennifer Lee, Frozen is directed by Michael Grandage.
Due to the ongoing impact throughout the theatre industry of Covid-19, Disney’s Frozen will open in the West End on 14 April 2021, with previews from 2 April, and is now booking until 24 October 2021. All patrons with pre-existing bookings will automatically be transferred to a new performance date with the same seats, and notified in due course via email, with the company working through bookings chronologically. If the new date is not suitable, at this point patrons will have the opportunity to request an alternative date or a refund.
Michael Grandage said today, “We’re thrilled to announce casting for Frozen – an incredibly talented group of people who will be creating the London premiere at the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane next spring. As theatres start to open their doors again, we look forward to celebrating the spectacle of this beloved story with audiences everywhere”.
Frozen – produced by Disney Theatrical Productions under the direction of Thomas Schumacher – opened on Broadway in March 2018 to box office records, and three Tony Award® nominations including for Best Musical. In addition to the opening in London, the musical recently embarked on a North American tour, and new productions will open in Australia, Japan, and Hamburg within the next year.
Frozen was released in cinemas in 2013, winning multiple awards, including two Academy Awards® for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Let It Go”), the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film and the BAFTA for Best Animated Film. It was written and directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, withmusic and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Frozen 2, which debuted in November 2019, had the biggest-ever opening for an animated film worldwide and is the highest grossing animated film of all time.
In the first booking period, Frozen has scheduled the following access performances – Signed Performance (11 July 13.00 matinee), Relaxed Performance (25 July 12.30 matinee), Audio Described Performance (15 August 13.00 matinee) and Captioned Performance (22 August at 17.30).
Samantha Barks plays Elsa. For theatre, her work includes Chess (Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall / Tokyo International Forum Hall), Pretty Woman (Chicago and Broadway), The Last Five Years (St James Theatre), Amelie (Berkley Rep), City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse), Chicago (Hollywood Bowl), Oliver! (UK tour), Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre), and Cabaret (Birmingham Rep). She was one of the participants on the BBC series I’d Do Anything. For film, her credits include Chocolate Cake, For Love or Money, Bitter Harvest, The Revenger, Interlude in Prague, The Devil’s Harvest, The Christmas Candle and as Eponine in Les Misérables (recipient of Empire Award for Best Female Newcomer; and nomination for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture). She also reprised her performance as Eponine for Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary.
Stephanie McKeon plays Anna. For theatre, her work includes Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre), Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (Gate Theatre, Dublin), Close to You: Bacharach Reimagined (Criterion Theatre and Menier Chocolate Factory), and The Commitments (Palace Theatre). Her screen work includes, for television, Fair City – as series regular Aisling O’Brien; and as the voice of Asuka in the Netflix English-dubbed version of the critically acclaimed Japanese Anime series/films Neon Genesis: Evangelion.
Obioma Ugoala plays Kristoff. For theatre, his work includes The Lost Love Speakeasy (The Lost Estate), Much Ado About Nothing (New English Shakespeare Company), Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre), Motown (Shaftesbury Theatre), Henry V, The Mouse and His Child (RSC), Holy Warriors, Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Jungle Book, Crime and Punishment (Glasgow Citizens Theatre) and The Physicists (Donmar Warehouse). For television, Miracle Workers: Dark Ages; and for film, Beauty and the Beast.
Craig Gallivan plays Olaf. For theatre his work includes School of Rock (New London Theatre), Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace Theatre), Crime and Punishment (National Theatre), Days of Significance (RSC), The Long, The Short and The Tall (Sheffield Theatres), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Oliver! (UK tours). For television, his work includes Stella (as series regular Luke), Torchwood, Footballer’s Wives (as series regular Callum Watson) and Care; and for film, The Edge of Love.
Oliver Ormson plays Hans. For theatre, his work includes Back to the Future The Musical (Opera House Manchester), High Fidelity (Turbine Theatre), Cats (Kilworth House), Nerds, Protagonists (The Other Palace), The Addams Family (UK and international tours), The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales Theatre), Sopranos vs Tenors (European tour), and Hairspray (Aberystwyth Arts Centre). Television includes West Side Story (Reef Television/BBC Symphony Orchestra).
Richard Frame plays Weselton. For theatre, his work includes The Lion King (as Timon from 2013 to 2018, Lyceum Theatre), Blue Remembered Hills (Theatre on the Fly), Pocket Comedy (UK tour), Richard III, The Comedy of Errors (The Watermill Theatre), London Assurance (National Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice (Propeller), Absolute Beginners (Lyric Hammersmith), Promises, Promises (Sheffield Theatres), Love’s Labour’s Lost and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). For television, his work includes Outnumbered, The Hollow Crown – Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Family Affairs (as series regular Damian), Wire in the Blood, Hearts and Bones, and Hope and Glory; and for film London Road.
Mikayla Jade makes her professional stage and West End debut playing Sven. Originally from Australia, she is an actress and stuntwoman. For film, her work includes Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, The Old Guard and Wonder Woman 1984.
Ashley Birchall plays Sven. For theatre, his work includes Joseph and the Amazing TechnicolorDreamcoat, Oklahoma! (Kilworth House), Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre), Pet Shop Boys: Inner Sanctum (Royal Opera House), Tommy (Greenwich Theatre), Starlight Express (Germany), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre). For film, his work includes Mary Poppins Returns.
Groups 9 to 19* Stalls & Royal Circle £49.50, Grand Circle £39.50
Groups 20+* Stalls & Royal Circle £45, Grand Circle £35
*Valid on Wednesday and Thursday 7pm performances and Thursday 2.30pm matinees subject to availability. Excludes school holidays and other blackout dates that may apply.
Education Groups 10+ † Stalls & Royal Circle £29.50 | Grand Circle £22.50
Plus one free teacher ticket for every ten paid tickets
Valid on Wednesday & Thursday 7pm and Thursday 2.30pm performances subject to availability. Excludes school holidays and other blackout dates that may apply. Minimum group size is 10. Education rate valid for groups up to Year 11.
PREVIEW PERFORMANCES:
Friday 2 April at 19.30
Saturday 3 April at 19.30
Sunday 4 April at 17.30
Tuesday 6 April at 19.30
Wednesday 7 April at 19.30
Thursday 8 April at 19.30
Friday 9 April at 19.30
Saturday 10 April at 14.30 and 19.30
Sunday 11 April at 13.00
Tuesday 13 April at 19.30
PERFORMANCES FROM Thursday 15 April evening performance (NB no matinee on 15 April):
A new hub for Mothers Who Make will come to Northamptonshire led by Carbon Theatre’s Courtenay Johnson and storyteller Jo Blake, with the support of Royal & Derngate and The Core at Corby Cube with start-up funding from the Avon Fund, Northamptonshire Community Foundation. Mothers Who Make is a growing national initiative which offers a monthly peer support group for mothers who are artists and makers, in any discipline and at any stage in their creative paths.
The first sessions will take place on Zoom, prioritising the safety of artists and their family. Operating a Pay What You Can system, these sessions look to be as open and inclusive as possible, connecting a network of artists and mothers to strengthen the creative roots of Northamptonshire. The sessions create a supportive space to explore how being a mother and an artist can enrich both experiences as much as looking at the challenges they can hold.
Every kind of maker is welcome: professional and/or passionate, full-time, part-time, freelance; writers, painters, performers, producers, musicians, bakers, crafters, architects, historians, wherever creativity flourishes. Every kind of mother is welcome too: biological, adoptive, step, surrogate, mother figures, foster, LGBTQ+, bereaved, grand, great grand, future, to be… Children are encouraged to attend as well and are integrated into the meeting. These group sessions are about recognising the dual roles of mother and artist and they are given equal value within all their events.
The initiative grew from founder, Matilda Leyser’s understanding of the experiences and challenges specific to being both a mother and an artist. She noticed many parallels between the two roles: both are concerned with creativity and play, both require stamina, patience, sensitivity, both keep her up at night. But she was struck by the cultural assumption that the two were incompatible, that one would always end up compromised. Mothers Who Make challenges this. Born in London six years ago, now the peer support group meetings take place in almost thirty different regions across the UK and overseas.
Mother, producer with Carbon Theatre and Northampton Hub co-founder, Courtenay Johnson comments, I can’t wait to start this hub in Northamptonshire and meet more local creative mothers. I’m a freelance arts producer and mum to my 2½ year old daughter. Taking on the dual roles of ‘mother’ and ‘maker’ is such a challenge, especially when you are breaking down notionsof old-fashioned professionalism or gender roles. I have a baby in this meeting, so what? I’m an unmarried single mother – shock horror. Having a group of mother-makers, creative womxn who understand a part of what your life is like and support you 100% is hugely valuable.
Mother, storyteller, dancer and Northampton Hub co-founder, Jo Blake adds, Isolation has always been an issue for mothers with young children. And in these challenging times, where isolation is enforced to protect us all, and we are witnessing such devastation to the cultural sector, it is even more important that those of us who are mothers who make reach out and stay connected. We intend these gatherings to provide a virtual space for reconnection, support and inspiration to women in the area.
Jo Gordon, Chief Executive of Northamptonshire Arts Management Trust, comments, I’m thrilled that Royal & Derngate and The Core are able to support Mothers Who Make. As a mum of two boys myself, I’m so aware that it is the most invigorating and sometimes the most isolating job in the world. Mothers Who Make is a safe and supportive space for mums of kids of all ages to come together, in this case with a fundamental connection – that of being an artist, or a maker – a skillset and identity that can often be put on hold in the early days of motherhood. While we can’t wait to welcome the groups to our buildings when it is safe to do so, the launch of Mothers Who Make online is an exciting moment for Northamptonshire.
ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY CONFIRMS RESCHEDULED PROGRAMME FOR WINTER 2021
PUBLIC BOOKING RE-OPENS WEDNESDAY 12 AUG AT 10AM
Previously announced productions include:
New family musical, The Magician’s Elephant, by Nancy Harris and Marc Teitler based on the international, best-selling novel by Kate DiCamillo, directed by Sarah Tipple
The Wars of the Roses, directed by Owen Horsley with Gregory Doran, an epic staging of all three parts of Henry VI across two unforgettable performances telling the enthralling story of the brutal struggle for the English crown.
Shakespeare for Everyone; First Encounters with Shakespeare: Twelfth Night directed by Robin Belfield.
Ambition to re-open in Winter 2020 with re-scheduled performances of The Winter’s Tale and The Comedy of Errors
The Royal Shakespeare company has today confirmed full performance dates for its previously scheduled productions of The Magician’s Elephant and The Wars of The Roses Part 1 and 2 which will now take place in Winter 2021.
The productions, which were originally due to run from October 2020 – Jan 2021, were postponed due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, which included the temporary cancellation of all RSC performances, events and other activities.
The Company fully intends to re-open the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (RST) with new events and re-scheduled performances of The Winter’s Tale and The Comedy of Errors as soon as that proves possible. Both productions were in rehearsal and due to open in the RST this spring. Further details will be announced soon, but this remains dependent on government advice on social distancing and on whether it is financially viable for the Company to perform to audiences inside our theatres. The RSC very much hopes for positive news in the coming weeks on the reopening roadmap and on the distribution of the extremely welcome £1.57bn government rescue package for arts and culture.
Gregory Doran, Artistic Director, said: ‘While we continue to explore every opportunity to open our Stratford buildings as soon as we possibly can, ideally later this year, I am pleased to share this hopeful news of the confirmed schedule for our Winter 2021 season. Since first closing our doors back in March, we have continued to do everything we possibly can to support our audiences through lockdown and to engage and entertain our communities across the UK and beyond. Of course, nothing can or should replace the live theatre experience, which continues to be much missed by audiences everywhere. Alongside our colleagues across the industry, we can and want to play a crucial role in the recovery of the country, knowing how valuable the arts are to our collective wellbeing, whether giving strength in difficult times, helping us to tell our own stories or simply lifting the spirits for a few hours. We very much look forward to welcoming audiences back to our buildings and to share this live experience with them.
Commenting on the programme, Gregory added: “Every time the RSC mounts Shakespeare’s early history plays, they strike a powerful chord. If you want to understand the dangerous world we live in, with its divisive politics, the rise of demagoguery and the threat of despotism, then you need look no further than The War of the Roses Part 1 and 2. This ferociously vivid account of the brutal struggle for the English Crown will without doubt strike different resonances deep in its audiences’ consciousness today. I’m thrilled to be working alongside Owen Horsley once more, who I last worked with on the RSC’s King and Country cycle, to bring this dynamic story of power and corruption, saints and psychopaths, of then and now, to life afresh in a newly configured Swan auditorium in 2021.
“Meanwhile in the RST, we continue to platform the most exciting voices of today with the premiere of our new family musical, The Magician’s Elephant. Sarah Tipple will direct, who was my invaluable Associate Director on last year’s much-loved production of The Boy in the Dress, The beautifully crafted storytelling of Kate DiCamillo’s novel combined with Nancy Harris and Marc Teitler’s idiosyncratic ear for music and lyrics are the perfect marriage for this darkly comic fairytale which, at its heart, is a celebration of human imagination and the miracle of surviving adversity.”
Flexible Bookings, Exchanges and Refunds:
For bookings made throughout 2020 for future performances, audiences can book their tickets with confidence knowing that if they are unable to attend a performance for any reason, they can exchange their tickets up to 2 hours before the performance or event start time, at no extra cost.
Tickets can be exchanged for another performance with seats at the same price or for an RSC Gift Voucher which can be used as part or full payment against future ticket purchases or memberships, ether online, in person or over the telephone. RSC Gift Vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
Unless a performance is cancelled, tickets cannot be refunded once a purchase has been made.
This policy is for performances in Stratford-upon-Avon only and for Matilda The Musical at the Cambridge Theatre in London. Terms and conditions for performances outside of Stratford-upon-Avon may vary. Similarly, the above service is not available if you book your tickets through a ticket agent or for tickets for non-RSC productions.
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
The world stage premiere of The Magician’s Elephant, a new musical adaptation by Nancy Harris (book/lyrics) and Marc Teitler (music/lyrics) of prize-winning children’s author Kate DiCamillo’s novel, builds on a successful tradition of new work created by the RSC for family audiences at Christmas.
The Magician’s Elephant tells the story of orphan Peter Augustus Duchenne, who lives a frugal life in the lonely town of Baltese. Then one day, a magician conjures an elephant from the sky. The animal’s appearance sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that it changes Baltese forever. Peter is catapulted into the quest of his life, overturning everything he ever thought he knew, and discovering that happiness can come from the most unexpected places.
This new adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s heart-breaking and darkly magical children’s book by Nancy Harris (book/lyrics) and Marc Teitler (music/lyrics) will be directed by Sarah Tipple, Associate Director to Gregory Doran on The Boy in the Dress based on the novel by David Walliams. The production will feature design by Colin Richmond whose previous RSC credits include Wendy and Peter Pan and Vice Versa, with lighting by Oliver Fenwick.
The production will run from Thursday 14 October 2021 to Saturday 1 January 2022.
Nancy Harris and Marc Teitler said: ”We were hugely excited by the epic world Kate DiCamillo created in The Magician’s Elephant – its fluid, unexpected leaps, larger-than-life characters and darkly comic, fairy tale quality immediately suggested a highly musical and visual approach to the story-telling. And while we’re thrilled at the prospect of creating a mesmerising theatrical experience for RSC audiences, it’s the emotional truth and compassion at the heart of the story that really resonates with us and is what makes it an urgent and hopeful one for our time.”
Kate DiCamillo said: “The story of The Magician’s Elephant began, for me, with a vision of a magician on a stage conjuring an elephant — a real elephant — by mistake. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but that image of the two of them together on a stage haunted me. Imagine, then, how thrilled I am to have the brilliant Royal Shakespeare Company make that image that haunted me come to life on a stage. I wrote The Magician’s Elephant during a dark time, personally, and it seemed miraculous to me that the story could lead me through grief and to the other side of it — to love and forgiveness. I hope and believe with all of myself that this production will inspire those same feelings of love, forgiveness (and joy) in audiences.”
Swan Theatre
As the Royal Shakespeare Company continues its journey through the complete canon of Shakespeare’s work, Owen Horsley directs The Wars of the Roses with RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran, an epic event staging Henry VI Parts 1, 2 and 3 in two performances to tell the vivid and enthralling story of the brutal struggle for the English crown.
The three Henry VI plays will be presented by one company of actors across two performances in a newly configured Swan Theatre from Friday 24 September to Saturday 1 January 2022.
The Swan Theatre auditorium will have an exciting new format for the staging of The Wars of the Roses with new grandstand seating and 100 standing arena spaces to give audiences the opportunity to immerse themselves in the action. Seating in Galleries 1 and 2 will remain unchanged. The story will conclude with Richard III, further details to be announced.
This epic journey through The Wars of the Roses will see Gregory Doran re-unite with director Owen Horsley, whose most recent productions for the RSC include a new adaptation of David Edgar’s post-war masterpiece Maydays in 2018 and a visually striking adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Salome in 2017. Owen last worked alongside Gregory between 2013-2015 as Associate Director on the critically acclaimed King and Country cycle featuring Richard II, Henry IV Parts I and II and Henry V.
The Wars of the Roses will be designed by RSC Director of Design Stephen Brimson Lewis. He will be joined by Costume Designer Hannah Clark, whose recent credits for the RSC include Justin Audibert’s 2019 gender-flipped production of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. RSC Associate Artist Paul Englishby returns to compose the music with fights by Rachel Bown-Williams & Ruth Cooper-Brown.
On tour – Shakespeare for Everyone
For over a decade the RSC has been taking First Encounters productions – edited versions of the plays performed using Shakespeare’s original language – on the road into the heart of communities and they have been enjoyed by over 100,000 people to date. The work is rooted in a long-term commitment to different regions around the country made possible through deep partnerships with schools and theatres, providing pathways for young people, teachers, artists and schools to develop their skills and knowledge.
Building on the success of The Merchant of Venice in 2019, the RSC First Encounters with Shakespeare series returns with a new production of Twelfth Night directed and edited by Robin Belfield in September 2021.
The production will open in local schools before embarking upon a seven-week tour of partner schools and regional theatres across England.
This production will be created in collaboration with Creative Associates drawn from Regional Theatre Partners, our Associate Schools and our Youth Advisory Board, enabling young people to experience Shakespeare for the first time, not simply as audience members but as theatre makers too. The voices of the young people we work with is a key part of the process, with Robin Belfield and the creative team responding to their ideas, opinions and creativity. From the way the production addresses key themes that strike a chord with young lives, to the way we create the production with a determination to be as environmentally responsible as possible.
Continuing our commitment to make Shakespeare for everyone continues, all performances of Twelfth Night be ‘relaxed friendly’ performances offering a welcoming, safe environment for everyone to encounter Shakespeare for the first time.
RSC Director of Education, Jacqui O’Hanlon, said “Our national partnerships with schools and theatres are at the heart of our mission to make Shakespeare’s work with, by and for everyone. This production of Twelfth Night will take our work into communities across the country, inviting them to participate in the making of the play as well as experiencing live performance itself. We know this work creates the kinds of memories that last a life-time for children, their families and teachers. At a time when arts experiences are in jeopardy, we are looking forward to making this work in creative collaboration with children, teachers and artists across the country.”
Listings Information
ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE
Kate DiCamillo’s
The Magician’s Elephant
A new musical by Nancy Harris and Marc Teitler
Book and Lyrics by Nancy Harris
Music and Lyrics by Marc Teitler
Thur 14 Oct 2021 – Sat 1 Jan 2022
“Magic is always impossible. That’s what makes it magic.”
Baltese is a town where nothing extraordinary ever happens. Recovering from a recent war, it is a lonely place, where young Peter lives a frugal life. Then one day, a magician conjures an elephant from the sky, whose appearance sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that it changes Baltese forever. Peter is catapulted into the quest of his life, overturning everything he ever thought he knew, and discovering that happiness can come from the most unexpected places.
This brand-new musical for all the family reminds us that even the impossible can be possible when we open our eyes and hearts to those around us
Director Sarah Tipple
Designer Colin Richmond
Lighting Oliver Fenwick
SWAN THEATRE
The Wars of the Roses Part 1 and Part 2
Henry VI Parts 1, 2 and 3 told in two parts
William Shakespeare
Fri 24 Sept – Sat 1 Jan 2022
The glorious Henry V is dead.
The new King is weak, manipulated by those on his own side and threatened with civil war by those in opposition. As the factions fight for power, England descends from decency into barbarism as all around the crown seek to seize it for their personal gain.
Filled with passion, politics and revenge, The Wars of the Roses is the ultimate saga. Experience the thrill of rebellion, the brutality of battle, the tension of intrigue and ambition without boundaries, as Shakespeare hurls you headlong through one of the most turbulent periods of English history.
The Wars of the Roses is supported by RSC Production Circle Members The Hitz Foundation and Marcia Whitaker.
THURSFORD CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR POSTPONES SHOW UNTIL 2021
BRAND NEW THURSFORD’S ENCHANTED JOURNEY OF LIGHT WILL OFFER A FESTIVE ALTERNATIVE FROM NOVEMBER 2020
Due to the continued uncertainty around when theatres can reopen and live performance can once again be staged, it has become necessary for Thursford Christmas Spectacular to postpone until 2021.
Thursford Christmas Spectacular has entertained more than 6 million visitors of all ages from across the globe since opening its first Christmas Eve performance over 40 years ago, becoming one of Europe’s biggest seasonal shows. The award-winning production, which would normally run annually from early November, employs around 360 dancers, singers, musicians, variety acts, technicians, wardrobe teams, ushers, caterers and production staff each year.
Whilst obviously unavoidable, it is with great sadness that this year will be the first since opening its doors in 1977, that the show has been unable to happen.
Ticket holders for the 2020 production will be contacted by the bookings and reservations team or their point of purchase by mid-August 2020, offering the option of an automatic seat transfer to a new date in 2021 or to arrange refund.
With the Thursford Christmas Spectacular show on pause for 2020, and whilst Santa is in ICE-olation at the North pole until Christmas Eve and therefore unable to greet children and grandchildren at the end of Santa’s Magical Journey, an enchanting new festive celebration will light up Thursford as an alternative Christmas treat.
Thursford’s Enchanted Journey of Light will be a magical walk-through experience for all ages running from 19 November 2020 until 3 January 2021. An all-new indoor Wonderland Trail: a maze of steam engines, fairy-tale characters and an immersive experience of light and sound including one of the UK’s biggest kinetic light displays, will lead to a 4-acre Lantern Light Extravaganza: a beautiful, breath-taking outdoor installation of luminous sculptures, from a fantasy forest of jungle animals to the wilds of the North Pole.
Tickets for Thursford’s Enchanted Journey of Light will be £15 each (free for under 3 years), with time slots allocated from 3pm daily via the Thursford Box Office www.thursford.com or 01328 878477.
John Cushing OBE, CEO, Founder, Producer and Director of Thursford Christmas Spectacular, said:
“This has been a heart-breaking time for me and my team at Thursford as it has been for so many. We have watched and waited, hoping for news and direction as to the implications for mass gatherings and live performances, which, in these uncertain times, remain unclarified at this time.
We have spent the last few months working tirelessly towards the Christmas Spectacular show, hoping to continue our normal year’s schedule through to the autumn. However, following many hours discussing ways to achieve this, considering restrictions and safety measures, and with the concern for due care of our audience, cast and production team always being foremost in our minds, we felt that our only option was to postpone the show for this year.
Whilst we allow the cancellation of the Christmas Spectacular this year to sink in, we are delighted to welcome in the Enchanted Journey of Light as a magical festive alternative. The beautiful collection of lanterns, will light up Thursford and brighten our hearts. We hope that visitors from far and wide will come and walk the Wonderful Trail with us and in doing so, continue to support the local community, hotels, B&Bs, rental properties and hospitality venues throughout Norfolk.
Christmas is a special time of hope, joy, sharing and caring, and after a year filled with uncertainty and loss it is more important than ever that we celebrate all that we are thankful for. We look forward to seeing Christmas Spectacular audiences return in 2021 and hope that many will also visit our Enchanted Journey of Light this year.”
A RADA Festival commission in association with HOME Manchester My Darling Christopher Homemakers, HOME Available online from Thursday 16th July
Created as part of a wider theatre project in association with RADA, the short film My Darling Christopher will be shared as part of HOME Manchester’s Homemakers Festival. My Darling Christopher has been written, cast, shot and edited all during lockdown by Hot Coals Theatre, who create visual theatre accessible to both hearing and d/Deaf audiences in a shared experience.
My Darling Christopher is based on the true story of Clive, a young boy who lost his sight and hearing due to Meningitis complications. His father Christopher is serving in the Navy when he receives a heartfelt letter from his wife, Dorothy. At the outbreak of World War Two, Clive is 15 years old and attending Goring School, after evacuation from Margate School for the Deaf.
English, British Sign Language and Visual Vernacular weave together to tell the shocking story of a war plane crashing to the ground just metres from Clive’s classroom. The piece will use a unique theatrical language that is highly visual and inclusive. This mixture of forms creates an intricate form of storytelling using forms in innovative ways.
Homemakers is a series of new commissions inviting artists to create new works at home, for an audience who are also at home. These fully funded commissions offer groundbreaking artists a chance to challenge the definition of “live performance”.
Jo Sargeant and Clare-Louise English, Hot Coals Theatre comment, This commission has offered us an exciting opportunity to work in a new medium and experiment with language, combining English, BSL and the visual storytelling language, Visual Vernacular, in a way we’ve not seen or done before. It gives us the unique chance to put the spotlight on a Deaf person’s wartime experience and tell their story.
My Darling Christopher is an exploration as part of a larger project to create a full theatre production entitled A New Way of Life. This wider production exploring Clive’s story has been put on hold due to lockdown measures. Hot Coals Theatre will also be releasing a documentary alongside My Darling Christopher exploring its creation process.
HELEN MIRREN TO APPEAR IN GREENWICH THEATRE’S ONLINE PREMIERE
Oscar winner and Greenwich Theatre patron Dame Helen Mirren is set to support the venue’s debut online production – a new version of Steven Berkoff’s The Secret Love Life of Ophelia – with a special guest appearance.
Written as an exchange of letters between the young Shakespearean lovers Hamlet and Ophelia, Berkoff’s play parallels the events of Shakespeare’s play but gives a new insight into the way that their relationship develops, from first meeting to tragic end. The politics and intrigue of his father’s murder, his mother’s disloyalty in marrying his uncle and all of the dramatic events that follow are referenced, but as a backdrop to the secret relationship unfolding between the two young lovers.
Berkoff also grants Ophelia the kind of voice absent from Shakespeare’s play. Berkoff’s Ophelia is anything but a passive onlooker to Hamlet’s story. Rather, she drives much of the action, her confidence and determination serving as the encouragement that Hamlet needs to challenge his uncle and the social strictures of the court.
Originally conceived as a piece for two actors on stage, Greenwich Theatre has secured Berkoff’s endorsement to reimagine the letters as video messages for this contemporary production, and director James Haddrell has brought together a cast of 39 young, emerging or marginalised actors to each perform one of the letters. Concluding the piece, it has now been confirmed that Helen Mirren will make a special appearance as Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother.
A member of the National Youth Theatre in the 1960s, Mirren was invited to join the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1965 after her performance as Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra. This online production has been designed to offer that same early exposure to a new company of performers.
Greenwich Theatre’s artistic director James Haddrell said, “it is well known that theatres are fighting for their survival following the worldwide impact of COVID-19. Established actors, creative teams, stage management, crew and venue staff are all waiting to discover when their next job will come along. However, there are also thousands of young professional actors who are now graduating from drama school with no potential employment in sight, and thousands more who are routinely overlooked for roles like Ophelia and Hamlet because of long-held expectations about how a piece of Shakespeare should be cast. We are delighted to be able to kick-start so many careers and give access to these major roles to performers who may not have had the opportunity to play a leading Shakespearean character. I could not be more delighted that our patron, Helen Mirren, has agreed to support this production. This will inevitably increase the audience for the piece, and the more people who see these young actors at work the better – from agents and casting directors who can open up routes to employment, to the audiences that they have all worked for years to be able to entertain.”
The Secret Love Life Of Ophelia is the latest event in Greenwich Connects, Greenwich Theatre’s ambitious online programme launched within days of the COVID-19 UK theatre closures. Supported by Arts Council England and the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the programme has included streamed shows from the theatre archives, weekly industry advice sessions, writer and actor challenges and the online version of the Greenwich Children’s Theatre Festival.
The Secret Love Life Of Ophelia will premiere on Greenwich Theatre’s YouTube channel on Friday 31 July at 7.30pm, and will remain available to watch for free until Friday 14 August
THEATRE SUPPORT FUND + REACHES HUGE MILESTONE WITH ‘THE SHOW MUST GO ON!’ INITIATIVE AS IT RAISES £250,000
FOR CHARITIES:
ACTING FOR OTHERS
THE FLEABAG SUPPORT FUND
NHS COVID-19 URGENT APPEAL
After phenomenal public demand for ‘The Show Must Go On!’ t-shirts, Theatre Support Fund + has reached an incredible milestone by raising a huge quarter of a million pounds for Acting For Others, The Fleabag Support Fund and NHS COVID-19 Urgent Appeal.
Theatre Support Fund + was set up eight weeks ago by theatre industry workers Chris Marcus and Damien Stanton who wanted to form an initiative to help individual workers who are now out of work due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. They created and designed ‘The Show Must Go On!’ t-shirt, the design of which is an amalgamation of the world-famous artwork of 16 of the biggest musicals in the West End. Since Theatre Support Fund’s inception the team have received 20,000 orders and have shipped to 63 countries across the globe. The orders are being packed daily by a small team of volunteers from within the West End theatre community. All profits from merchandise sold goes to Acting for Others, Fleabag Support Fund and the NHS Covid-19 Urgent Appeal.
Chris and Damien said today, ‘We are incredibly overwhelmed with the generosity and support people have given to the theatre industry and with the government announcing arts funding last week, it is all moving in a very positive direction. However there are still individuals out there that need our help and we will continue to unite and work together to raise monies for these charities to help all of those that have been affected from the pandemic until the theatre industry is up and running again’.
Michael Ball
Since the charities inception they have also gathered a fantastic celebrity following which includes Michael Ball, Samantha Bond, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Alan Carr, Dame Judi Dench, Todrick Hall, Amanda Holden, Derick Jacobi, Myleene Klass, Kiera Knightly, Beverley Knight, Patti LuPone, Sarah Parish, Melanie Sykes and Denise Welch amongst others.
Pheobe Waller-Bridge who is the figurehead for The Fleabag Fund said today “These shirts must go on!” A massive thank you to Theatre Support Fund for supporting Fleabag Support Fund and other wonderful charities with this incredible range of merchandise’.
The shirt design is an amalgamation of the world-famous artwork of 16 of the biggest musicals in the West End. Shows included on the design are & Juliet, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Everyone’s Talking about Jamie, Hamilton, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Matilda The Musical, Six The Musical, Tina, The Tina Turner Musical, The Book of Mormon, The Prince of Egypt, The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.
In addition to the t-shirt, merchandise now includes a re-useable face covering, notebook, mug, badge and tote bag. All profits from merchandise sold goes to Acting for Others , Fleabag Support Fund and the NHS Covid-19 Urgent Appeal. All of ‘The Show Must Go On!’ merchandise continues to be available via the website www.theatresupportfund.co.uk.
The government will be releasing more news shortly regarding the reopening of theatres and I’d like to share a statement from Jon Morgan, director of Theatres Trust in response.
Jon Morgan comments:
Guidance for reopening of theatres
Alongside the very welcome and much-needed package of government support for the culture sector announced earlier this week, the publication of the performing arts guidance today will give a further degree of clarity to theatres. The publication of details for Stage 3 will allow theatres to move to outdoor performances from 11 July. However, it is disappointing that the guidelines have been published without a ‘not before’ date for Stage 4 and the all-important Stage 5 – the point when theatres will be able to open fully and welcome back audiences without social distancing. For the majority, it means continued delay and uncertainty as to when they will be able to reopen fully and for some, this delay may mean they never reopen.
We appreciate the difficulty in setting a date for Stage 5 as it will always be conditional on circumstances such as the R rate remaining low, further safety tests being conducted and the safety of staff, creatives and audiences must be a priority. But without even an indicative date it is difficult for theatres to plan ahead – and for many theatres this uncertainty will be devastating.
With the furlough scheme ending in October, many theatres will be left in a precarious situation and there is the risk of more theatres being forced to make redundancies or closing permanently. The performing arts will be the last sector to be able to reopen viably and it is therefore critical that the government’s rescue package prioritises theatres across the UK who will be most affected by the delayed reopening.
Planning system changes
Theatres Trust welcomes today’s news of revisions to the planning system, which will help prevent vacant theatres from being demolished or irreversibly changed for other uses. We have been campaigning to strengthen protections for theatre buildings in the planning system and we are pleased that the government has responded to our proposal so positively. The Covid-19 lockdown has rendered otherwise vibrant theatres vulnerable to permanent closure and we have already seen four operators go into liquidation, leaving their theatres empty. These measures will help ensure these vital community assets are protected during the current crisis and can be revived to serve their local communities once again.
It is with great sadness that, as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Birmingham Repertory Theatre has entered a period of redundancy consultations.
Since 16 March 2020, The REP has effectively been unable to trade. As the theatre generates 80% of its income from selling tickets and associated revenue streams, the ongoing loss of earned income is unsustainable.
Despite the very welcome news earlier this week of the Government’s support package for the cultural sector, and Arts Council England’s emergency funds that partially mitigate our current losses, the reality for The REP is that we simply do not know when we will be able to re-open our doors and welcome audiences back into our building to enjoy live theatre again in a way that is safe for the public and financially viable for the theatre.
Therefore, in order to ensure the survival of The REP during this time of great uncertainty, cost saving measures including redundancy proposals are being considered which may impact up to 40% of roles.
Birmingham Repertory Theatre is the oldest building-based theatre company in the UK and the Second City’s only producing theatre.
Executive Director Rachael Thomas, and Artistic Director Sean Foley, commented “Our role as custodians of this much-loved theatre, with its historic legacy, is to ensure that it survives the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after the new measures are taken into account, we believe that survival is threatened if we do not act now. We could still be facing many months of being unable to trade and must therefore take action to mitigate the loss of income by reducing our costs.
“Whilst we are prioritising our work in creative learning, community engagement, and our wider civic mission during this time, this re-organisation will protect the DNA of The REP as a producing theatre.
“We are incredibly proud of the way our staff have responded to the COVID-19 crisis and want to thank them for their fortitude and spirit at this most difficult of times. We recognise and applaud all those that have volunteered – or are volunteering – in our community to support the NHS or those who are vulnerable in our society.
“We are confident that The REP will be able to continue to make a key contribution to the civic and cultural renaissance of Birmingham over the next few years. We intend to return – when trading conditions permit – and play our full part in the cultural life of this great city and the nation, including the Company’s 50th anniversary in its current home on Centenary Square in Autumn ’21 and The Commonwealth Games ’22.”
