Author: FairyPoweredProductions

David King for Modern Millie Ltd presents

BROADWAY’S MULTI AWARD WINNING MUSICAL COMEDY

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE

2018 UK TOUR

CORONATION STREET, EMMERDALE AND DANCING ON ICE STAR HAYLEY TAMADDON IS MILLIE

MUSICAL THEATRE ACTOR LUCAS RUSH RETURNS AS MRS MEERS

Following a hugely successful tour in Spring 2017, award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie will tour the UK again in 2018 opening at Richmond Theatre on Tuesday 27 March .

Hayley Tamaddon takes on the title role of Millie Dilmount, a Kansas girl determined to make it big in New York City.

Hayley is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Del Dingle in Emmerdale and Andrea Beckett in Coronation Street and for winning the fifth series of ITV1’s Dancing on Ice. Other television credits include Accused, Shameless, Waterloo Road, Where the Heart Is and The Royal. Her musical theatre roles include Roxie Hart in Chicago (UK Tour), The Lady of the Lake in Spamalot (UK tour), Janet in The Rocky Horror Show (UK Tour), Frenchie in Grease (UK Tour), Diana Morales in A Chorus Line (Sheffield Theatres), Trish in Boogie Nights (UK Tour), Carmen in Fame (UK Tour), Laura in Boyband (West End) and Lisa in Mamma Mia (West End). She has also starred in the UK tour of The Vagina Monologues and in John Godber’s play Muddy Cows (Stephen Joseph, Scarborough).

Lucas Rush returns as the evil proprietor of the Hotel Priscilla Mrs Meers, a role he made his own during the 2017 tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie.  Lucas’s other theatre credits include: St Jimmy/Resident Director in American Idiot (The Arts Theatre & UK Tour, for which he received A WhatsOnStage Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical); Emcee in Cabaret (Arts Theatre Aberdeen); Edmund in Mark Rylance’s Sonnet Walks (The Globe); Hubert Rosenberg in Shitfaced showtime (The Old Red Lion Theatre); Tony in Saturday Night Fever (RCCL and USA); Roger in Grease (Piccadilly Theatre); Duane Jones in Bloodbath (Edinburgh Festival); Rebel Leader in We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre); Joe Vegas in Fame (UK Tour); Benadick in Much Ado About Nothing (Italian Theatre Tour); Mickey in Blood Brothers (The Manoel Theatre Malta); Robin in The Merry Wives Of Windsor (RSC Barbican Theatre) and Gavrouche in Les Miserables (Palace Theatre) Television and Film credits include: Rowan Neville in Walking on the Moon (ITV Film, Directed by Peter Kosminsky); Apostle in Jesus Christ Superstar Arena Spectacular (Universal Pictures, Directed by Lawrence Connor) and James in the award winning short film The Definition of Lonely (Directed by Leon Lopez).

The cast is completed by Michael Colbourne (Jimmy Smith), Richard Meek (Trevor Graydon), Nicola Blackman (Muzzy van Hossmere), Lisa Bridge (Miss Dorothy), Guy Salim (Ching Ho), Patrick Jeremy (Bun Foo), Natalie Spriggs (Miss Flannery), Laura Ellis, Annie Guy, Emma Lloyd, Millie O’Connell, Patrick George, Scott Norton and Tom Summers.

Winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie is based on the 1967 Academy Award-winning film. Taking you back to the height of the Jazz Age in 1920s New York City, when ‘moderns’ including a flapper named Millie Dillmount, were bobbing their hair, raising their hemlines, entering the workforce and rewriting the rules of love.

From explosive tap numbers to a ‘Fred and Ginger’ dance routine on a window ledge, and featuring hit songs including Gimme Gimme and Not for the Life of Me, Thoroughly Modern Millie is a brilliantly funny and entertaining show for all the family.

Tickets for Thoroughly Modern Millie are on sale now.

WEBSITE | TWITTER

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE

Book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan

New Music by Jeanine Tesori


New Lyrics by Dick Scanlan

Original Story and Screenplay by Richard Morris for the Universal Pictures Film

Presented by arrangement with

Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited

Director and Choreographer Racky Plews

Musical Director Rob Wicks

Executive Producer David King

Casting Director Sue Talbert

Executive Director Graham King

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE – 2018 UK TOUR DATES

Tuesday 27 – Saturday 31 March                                               Box Office: 0844 871 7651

Richmond Theatre                                                                           Website: www.atgtickets.com/richmond

Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 April                                                        Box Office: 01323 412000 ON SALE SOON

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne                                     Website: www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk

Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 April                                                   Box Office: 0844 871 3022

Sunderland Empire                                                                          Website: www.atgtickets.com/sunderland

Tuesday 1 – Saturday 5 May                                                        Box Office: 0844 871 3020

Oxford New Theatre                                                                       Website: www.atgtickets.com

Tuesday 8 – Saturday 12 May                                                     Box Office: 0844 871 3023

The Princess Theatre, Torquay                                                   Website: www.atgtickets.com/torquay

Tuesday 15 – Saturday 19 May                                                   Box Office: 01202 280000 ON SALE SOON

Poole Lighthouse                                                                             Website: www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 May                                                   Box Office: 0844 871 7649

Regent Theatre , Stoke on Trent                                                Website: www.atgtickets.com/stoke

Tuesday 29 May – Saturday 2 June                                           Box Office: 01225 448844

Theatre Royal, Bath                                                                         Website: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 June                                                       Box Office: 01274 432000

Bradford Alhambra                                                                          Website: www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

Monday 11 – Saturday 16 June                                                  Box Office: 01325 486555

Darlington Hippodrome                                                                Website: www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk

Tuesday 19 – Saturday 23 June                                                  Box Office: 01702 351135

Cliffs Pavilion, Southend                                                                               Website: www.southendtheatres.org.uk

Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 June                                                  Box Office: 01902 429212

Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton                                                Website: www.grandtheatre.co.uk

Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 July                                                    Box Office: 01903 206206

Worthing Pavilion                                                                            Website: www.worthingtheatres.co.uk

Tuesday 31 July – Saturday 5 August                                        Box Office: 01534 511115

Jersey Opera House                                                                        Website: www.jerseyoperahouse.co.uk

MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED

The Pleasance bring a Vanishing Elephant and a Globe of Death to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The return of Mr. Swallow and circus-theatre spectacular Cirque Berserk! are amongst the latest shows to be announced in the Pleasance’s ever-growing festival programme, along with a host of Fringe favourites on sale from 1st March.

An hour of magic, music and elephants awaits in one of the most hotly anticipated highlights of the Pleasance’s 2018 programme as Nick Mohammed’s alter-ego Mr. Swallow returns in Mr. Swallow and the Vanishing Elephant. “After much speculation, I have finally (temporarily) replaced Mr. Goldsworth and Jonathan with an actual real-life elephant called Hayley. God help us all!” (Mr. Swallow).

The show marks Mr. Swallow’s first treading of the boards since the smash-hit runs of Mr. Swallow: Houdini at the 2016 Fringe and at Soho Theatre in 2017, with Nick Mohammed recently racking up credits in the BBC / Netflix series Collateral, Ridley Scott’s The Martian, Bridget Jones’s Baby, Ab Fab The Movie, The Sense of an Ending and Disney’s Christopher Robin.

At glittering West End venue Pleasance at EICC, Britain’s biggest theatre-circus spectacular Cirque Beserk! makes its eagerly anticipated Edinburgh Fringe debut. Combining contemporary cirque-style artistry with adrenaline-fuelled stunt action, the show features an astoundingly talented international troupe of over thirty acrobats, aerialists, dancers, drummers and daredevil stuntmen. Among the jaw-dropping action is the world’s most hair-raising circus act – the legendary motorcycle ‘Globe of Death’.

At the Pleasance Grand, familiar favourites make a welcome return. After storming into America and being seen by 51 million people online, Comedy Award winning TAPE FACE premieres brand new The TAPE FACE Show. Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Tim Key arrives back at Pleasance with Megadate – a brand new 70 minute show, blending poeticals, talking, standing, spotlights, cables, Kronenburg, foot-stamping and old school wistfulness. And Paul Merton’s Impro Chums – including Suki Webster, Richard Vranch, Lee Simpson and Mike McShane – play ten shows only from 9th – 18th August.

On Wednesday 22nd August, Jayde Adams and Kiri Pritchard-McLean host the comedy world’s celebration of all things West End in the triumphant return of Amusical, as comedians perform their favourite songs from the musicals. Plus, The Tartan Ribbon Comedy Benefit returns to the Grand on Tuesday 14th August with another top line-up of some of the finest names in comedy. The Pleasance will once again be supporting the work of Waverley Care, Scotland’s leading HIV and Hepatitis C charity, with the proceeds of these two one-off, sure to sell-out spectaculars being donated to their important services.

After being cluster-bombed with yoghurt on Taskmaster, half-killed on The Island and selling out all previous shows from 2014-17, Mark Watson presents his new show The Infinite Show at Pleasance Forth at 7pm. In Bunker Two – which last year played host to Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer winner Natalie Palamides – rising star Catherine Bohart will debut her first solo hour Immaculate after appearing as part of the Pleasance Comedy Reserve in 2017.

The first acts in the much beloved Cabaret Bar venue have also been announced: former ’80s pop star turned vicar and broadcaster Reverend Richard Coles (seen recently on Strictly Come Dancing) joins the Pleasance line-up for an hour of candid chat with special guests, and lunchtime compilation show Best of Edinburgh Showcase Show features a daily-changing line-up of the best and brightest comedians.

Elsewhere at the Pleasance Dome, TV magician Ben Hanlin – seen on Tricked, Celebrity Juice and Live at The Palladium to name a few – takes to the KingDome stage with new show 50. Also coming to the stage at Pleasance at EICC is the wickedly subversive Scots comedian Craig Hill, who promises an hour of “Balls-out” comedy in C’mon the Lads!

An entire festival in itself, the Pleasance’s programme offers some of the biggest names in entertainment, with much-loved returning acts and exciting newcomers over three sites. These newly announced shows join an exciting line-up already revealed in February, which included Reginald D Hunter, Colin Cloud and Showstoppers! The Improvised Musical.

With over 200 shows still to be announced, including comedy, theatre, circus, magic, dance, kid’s shows and much more still to come, alongside support for some of the most innovative newcomers through artist development strand Pleasance Futures, there’s surely no better place to be this August.

Latest casting for Festival 2018 at Chichester Festival Theatre

Patricia Hodge, Matt Lucas and Tracy-Ann Oberman join the company

Further lead casting is announced today for Festival 2018 at Chichester Festival Theatre. Matt Lucas makes his Chichester debut as Bill Snibson, the Cockney barrow boy who discovers he’s an Earl, in Daniel Evans’s new production of ME AND MY GIRL. Tracy-Ann Oberman returns to the Festival Theatre as Monica in Noel Coward’s PRESENT LAUGHTER; while Patricia Hodge also makes a welcome return as Margrethe Bohr in Michael Frayn’s COPENHAGEN. Public booking for all Festival productions opens this Saturday, 3 March.

Daniel Evans, Chichester’s Artistic Director, says: ‘We’re really delighted to welcome such excellent actors to Chichester this summer. Our audiences will be familiar with Tracy-Ann Oberman from our production of Fiddler On The Roof  last summer and Patricia Hodge from Travels With My Aunt in the 2016 season. It’s also wonderful to be able to introduce our audiences to faces that are new to West Sussex and I’m particularly excited to be directing Matt Lucas in Me and My Girl.

‘The musical is rooted firmly in the British music hall tradition and the part of Bill Snibson, our working class hero, requires an actor with funny bones, effortless wit and an innate charm.  Matt has these in spades. I can’t wait to see how his unique, inventive comedic talent lights up our main stage this summer at CFT.’

Patricia Hodge joins Charles Edwards and Paul Jesson in Michael Frayn’s award-winning three-hander, COPENHAGEN (17 August – 22 September). Her most recent Chichester appearance was in Travels with My Aunt (2016); her many television credits include Miranda and Downton Abbey. Her extensive West End and UK theatre work includes Frayn’s Noises Off, Summerfolk and Money (Olivier Award) at the National Theatre.

Matt Lucas will lead the cast of the uproarious musical comedy ME AND MY GIRL (2 July – 25 August) alongside Caroline Quentin, who plays the Duchess. Known to a television audience of millions for the smash hit TV series Little Britain, his theatre work includes the role of Thenardier in Les Misérables in the West End. His recent screen credits include Doctor Who, Alice in Wonderland, Paddington and Bridesmaids.

Tracy-Ann Oberman will play Monica in Coward’s glittering comedy PRESENT LAUGHTER (20 April – 12 May), joining Rufus Hound as Gary Essendine. She played Golde in the hit production of Fiddler On The Roof at Chichester last summer; her stage credits also include Boeing-Boeing and Stepping Out in the West End, while extensive TV work includes New Tricks, EastEnders and Friday Night Dinner.

Public booking opens:

Saturday 3 March (online only)

Tuesday 6 March (phone and in person)

cft.org.uk

Box Office 01243 781312

Tickets from £10

Prologue: £5 tickets for 16 – 25s

10,000 £5 tickets are available for 16 to 25 year-olds for all productions throughout Festival 2017; sign up for free at cft.org.uk/prologue.  Members also have access to a range of exclusive events.

Twitter @ChichesterFT 

Facebook ChichesterFestivalTheatre

Instagram ChichesterFT

YouTube ChichesterTheatre

#Festival2018

Darlington Hippodrome – until 3 March 2018.  Reviewed by Andy Bramfitt

5*****

Braving the awful weather, we trekked off, through the snow and frozen roads, and made for the latest incarnation of David Walliams’ darkly funny sense of humour, and boy were we glad we did. Awful Auntie is a brilliant piece of classic storytelling, very reminiscent of Roald Dahl, and, using some pretty unique set design, brings an almost animated feel of special effects which really brings the pages and illustrations to life.

The story is one of young Stella Saxby (the wonderful Georgina Leonidas), who, after recovering from a tragic car accident in which her parents are both killed, realises that her Auntie Alberta (the scarily familiar Timothy Speyer) is not the benevolent soul she purports to be. Aided by a ghostly chimney sweep Soot (Ashley Cousins) she sets to to try and unravel the lies Auntie has been feeding her and to protect her inheritance of the family mansion.

This has all the hallmarks of a David Walliams story – it is packed with over-the-top characterisations, threat, dark humour and no shortage of action, with a morale undertale which never risks overpowering the story but is still sat, ever present on the shoulder of the fun. Georgina runs the story, everything is told through her and she manages to keep the energy levels high and the feeling of peril constant, making for riveting viewing. Ashley Cousins, is very reminiscent of a young Tommy Steele (a la Half a Sixpence) – whether this was by design or just a reflection of Ashley’s own persona is up for debate but what is unquestioned is that he creates a loveable sidekick, aide and confidante and gives the kids in the audience a hero to root for.

Of course, the titular Auntie deserves special mention – deliciously eccentric and obsessively self centred, Timothy Speyer would give Mr Walliams a run for his money in his portrayal and is very familiar, especially to fans of Little Britain.

Additional comic slapstick is provided by Gibbon – the loony butler and house-servant who seems to be constantly in a world of his own, while the house trained Mountain Owl Wagner (and his handler Roberta Bellekom) create the twist needed to underpin the ‘good will win’ out’ finale.

The set design by Jacqueline Trousdale is ingenious; simplistic in appearance yet clearly the product of hundreds of hours of design, planning and creation. She has managed to portray 4 floors of a sprawling manor house, the grounds, the garage and the roof tops all in front of your eyes and yet totally immersive.

As said, it was a snowy day, most kids had been off school and as such the atmosphere before the show began was of excitement and an excess of energy, not usually the ingredients for having a young audience sit still and concentrate, but from the first scene onward there was a hushed concentration which never waived – always the sign of a great story and brilliant story telling.

If you have any children who may be getting a bit stir crazy from having to stay in and watch the weather, then this would be a perfect way to escape the cold and snow – just be careful if they have Aunties of their own as you may find them making comparisons.

Cast Theatre, Doncaster – 27th February 2018.  Reviewed by Sophie Dodworth

5*****

Cast Theatre in Doncaster is a suitable venue for this production; modern, fresh, clean and inviting, just like the superb eighty minute performance that you receive from Gecko. Gecko is an award winning, internationally acclaimed, physical theatre company, led by Artistic Director Amit Lahav. Amit is clearly a man of many talents, as the theatre that he produces will blow you away.

There are that many sides to this performance, truly multi-faceted. The performance takes you on an emotive journey focusing on relationships, marriage, divorce and all other aspects of relationships that we find ourselves in. The Wedding is essentially a contemporary dance piece, dressing the stage in the luscious language of captivating movement.

We meet many different characters, introduced on to the stage in an almost birth-like entrance, down a slide on to a pile of childrens teddies and toys, symbolising the embryonic stages of a personal story beginning. You are then take though the stages of the individuals lives, through their working lives in the busy office environment, meeting the one you fall in love with, through nights out clubbing with friends, through marriage and then divorce. You witness domestic altercations between couples and this is acted with such gust that at times, you almost feel like you are intruding.

The performance is so relevant to our world right now, right up to speed and embraces all the issues and diversities that we encounter within our lives. The majority of the show has dialog in languages other than our native tongue, so you have no idea what is being said but you almost don’t need to, as it is all so well directed and the scenes are self explanatory. Music from all different cultures and countries fills the auditorium, always leaving you wondering what style will come next.

The cast are an accomplished fantastic team, clearly equipped for this type of movement theatre, all with healthy experience and strong training.

Stand out moments must include the homeless man, living (and also entering the stage) out of a suitcase with his wife and friend, entertaining the crowds for ‘Euros’. He has the crowd in stitches and I am sure that at that point there weren’t many people in the audience without smiles on their faces. And the finale, my word, what a finale that is, the entire cast on their portable chairs with table lamps over their heads, singing for the first time, along with stamps, slaps and claps. The scene makes you wish they had sung before and will leave you wanting to stay in your seat for more. The long standing ovation at the end was well deserved and a true reflection of an impeccable performance.

If contemporary theatre is your thing then you must get to see this performance. A piece that will have you leaving the theatre with that fire lit inside of you.

David King for Summer Holiday Theatre Ltd presents

VETERAN ENTERTAINER BOBBY CRUSH

JOINS THE 2018 UK TOUR OF

BRAND NEW STAGE MUSICAL

SUMMER HOLIDAY

Brand new stage musical Summer Holiday is set to tour the UK from May 2018, with the famous red double-decker bus making its first stop at the Liverpool Empire on Tuesday 8^th May.

Based on the iconic 1960’s film of the same name, starring Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Summer Holiday will include all of the number one hits from the movie, plus some additional Cliff Richard classics.

Joining previously announced singer-songwriter Ray Quinn is 70s legend Bobby Crush, who will be playing the role of Jerry for the first eight weeks of the UK tour.

Few entertainers can claim to have had as varied a career as Bobby Crush. Famous in the UK for 45 years primarily as a pianist, but also as a songwriter, actor, broadcaster and television presenter,Bobby rose to fame after six winning appearances on Opportunity Knocks (ITV). West End successes include three seasons at the London Palladium alongside Jack Jones, Vic Damone and Dame Julie Andrews. He also spent a year with Max Bygraves in SwingalongaMax at the Victoria Palace and was chosen to appear for Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother at The Royal Variety Performance. Bobby has also appeared in four musicals starring as Dr. Frank N. Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, Vernon Gersch in They’re Playing Our Song, L.M. in Pump Boys and Dinettes and Billy Flynn in Chicago at top theatres around the United Kingdom. Bobby’s debut album ‘Bobby Crush’ reached the UK top 20, and he plays the role of Pharaoh on Pickwick’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. TV credits include two series of Sounds Like Music (ITV) as the show’s host, and most recently, Bobby has been playing Billy Sparkle in the popular TV comedy Benidorm (ITV). In April Bobby will be seen on a major new series for ITV called Last Laugh in Vegas, which documents Bobby’s American debut alongside 7 other legendary British acts and their adventure to star in a Las Vegas show.

Summer Holiday tells the story of Don and his fellow London Transport mechanics as they journey together in a red double-decker bus through Paris, the Alps, Italy and Greece. Along the way they pick up a girl singing group and a young American pop star who is on the run from her domineering mother!

This hit – filled musical features many of 1960’s biggest songs including In the Country, Summer Holiday, Travellin’ Light, Bachelor Boy, Move It, Living Doll, The Young Ones and On the Beach.

Tickets for Summer Holiday are on sale now. Further casting to be announced in due course.

WEBSITE| TWITTER

SUMMER HOLIDAY

Stage Adaptation by Michael Gyngell and Mark Haddigan

Based on the film SUMMER HOLIDAY, Directed by Peter Yates

Screenplay by Ronald Cass and Peter Myers

By special arrangement with StudioCanal

Orchestrations by Keith Strachan

Presented by arrangement with

Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited

On behalf of Josef Weinberger Limited

Executive Producer

David King

Director and Choreographer

Racky Plews

SUMMER HOLIDAY – 2018 UK TOUR DATES

Tuesday 8 – Saturday 12 May                                                     Box Office: 0844 871 3017

Liverpool Empire                                                                              Website: www.atgtickets.com/liverpool

Tuesday 15 – Saturday 19 May                                                   Box Office: 0844 871 7652

Milton Keynes Theatre                                                                  Website: www.atgticket.com/miltonkeynes

Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 May                                                   Box Office: 0844 871 7645

New Victoria Theatre, Woking                                                    Website: www.atgtickets.com/woking

Tuesday 29 May – Saturday 2 June                                           Box Office: 0844 871 3024

Grand Opera House, York                                                             Website: www.atgtickets.com/york

Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 June                                                       Box Office: 020 3285 6000

Churchill Theatre, Bromley                                                          Website: www.churchilltheatre.co.uk

Tuesday 12 – Saturday 16 June                                                  Box Office:  0844 871 3011

New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham                                      Website: www.atgtickets.com/birmingham

Tuesday 19 – Saturday 23 June                                                  Box Office: 0844 871 3014

Edinburgh Playhouse                                                                     Website: www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh

Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 June                                                  Box Office: 01752 267222

Theatre Royal, Plymouth                                                              Website: www.theatreroyal.com

Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 July                                                    Box Office: 0844 871 7650

Theatre Royal, Brighton                                                                 Website: www.atgtickets.com/brighton

Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 July                                                    Box Office: 0844 856 1111

Blackpool Winter Gardens                                                           Website: www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk

Tuesday 30 July – Saturday 4 August                                        Box Office: 0844 848 2700

Leeds Grand Theatre                                                                      Website: www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 August                                              Box Office: 029 2063 6464

Wales Millennium Centre                                                             Website: www.wmc.org

Tuesday 22 – Saturday 27 August                                               Box Office: 01702 351135

Cliffs Pavilion, Southend                                                                Website: www.southendtheatres.org.uk

Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 September                                          Box Office: 01322 220000

Orchard Theatre, Dartford                                                           Website: www.orchardtheatre.co.uk

Tuesday 11 – Saturday 15 September                                     Box Office: 01244 409113

Chester Storyhouse                                                                        Website: www.storyhouse.com

Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 September                                     Box Office: 0844 871 7646 ON SALE SOON

New Wimbledon Theatre                                                             Website: www.atgticket.com/wimbledon

Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 September                                     Box Office: 01325 405405 ON SALE SOON

Darlington Hippodrome                                                                Website: www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk

Tuesday 2 – Saturday 6 October                                                Box Office: 0844 871 7649 ON SALE SOON

Regent Theatre, Stoke                                                                   Website: www.atgtickets.com/stoke

Tuesday 23 – Saturday 27 October                                           Box Office: 0844 871 7607 ON SALE SOON

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre                                                     Website www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury

Tuesday 30 October – Saturday 3 November                       Box Office: 0844 871 7647 ON SALE SOON

Kings Theatre, Glasgow                                                                 Website: www.atgtickets.com/glasgow

FURTHER DATES FOR 2018 AND 2019 TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON

STAR STUDDED COMEDY GALA COMES TO STORYHOUSE THIS SUNDAY

Some of the best names in live stand-up will be at Storyhouse Chester this Sunday, 4 Mar in the hilarious Our RITA’s Comedy Gala.

Promising a fantastic evening of entertainment, the amazing star-studded line-up includes headline performances from Mock the Week star James Acaster and Xtra Factor presenter Matt Richardson.

James Acaster is one of the UK’s finest and award-winning stand-up comedians who audiences will know from his countless appearances on Mock the Week, as well as Live From The BBC, Live At The Apollo and Would I Lie To You?

Joining James is TV presenter, broadcaster and all round funny man Matt Richardson. The star presented the 2013 series of The Xtra Factor with Caroline Flack and has also appeared as a guest on Celebrity Juice and Comedy Central’s Drunk History. In 2016 he became the drive time presenter on DAB radio station Virgin Radio UK.

The full line-up also includes sets form support acts Lou Conran (Sarah Millican – Tour Support) and Mrs Barbara Nice (Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights).

Keeping the audience on their toes, the host for the evening will be MC Danny McLoughlin who has previously supported Sarah Millican, Sean Lock and Micky Flannigan on their recent tours.

Do not miss this sensational line-up, be sure to get on down to Our RITA’s at Storyhouse for a night guaranteed to make audiences roll in the aisles with laughter!

The line-up may be subject to change.

Suitable for ages 16+

LISTING INFORMATION

Our RITA’s Comedy Gala

Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR

Date: Sunday 4 March

Time: 8pm

Tickets: £17.50 (plus £1.50 per ticket booking fee)

HOW TO BOOK

Online:            Visit www.storyhouse.com

By Phone:       Call 01244 409113

In person:       Visit the Ticket Kiosks at Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR

Visit Chester Visitor Information Centre

LONDON THEATRE ATTENDANCES TOP 15,000,000 FOR THE FIRST TIME

Society of London Theatre (SOLT) has announced that 2017 was a record year for the capital’s theatre industry with attendances topping 15,000,000 for the first time since the organisation began collecting audience data in 1986. Box office revenues also exceeded £700,000,000.

The record year for London theatre was driven by a strong performance in the first two quarters but also noticeable for a fall in both attendance and revenue in the final quarter of 2017.

2017 highlights:

· Attendances of 15,094,573 (up 5.35% compared to 2016)

· Gross revenue of £705,006,928, (up 9.35% compared to 2016)

· Average ticket price paid £46.71

· Sales generated VAT receipts for the Treasury of £117,501,155

· 77.5% of available seats filled (up 0.8% compared to 2016)

Kenny Wax, President of the Society of London Theatre, said:

“The box office figures are a testament to the creative strength of London theatre and cements the city’s status as the world’s theatre capital. The industry has many reasons to celebrate but must remain cautious as we look ahead to the rest of 2018. It is heartening to have seen growth in audiences for both plays and musicals, however, the year is a tale of two halves with the industry operating in a tougher climate in the final two quarters.”

2017: Attendances and Revenue by Genre (with percentage comparisons to 2016):

Musicals: Attendance 8,744,590 (+8%). Revenue £436,611,108 (+9%)

Plays: Attendance 4,468,105 (+7%). Revenue £176,436,089 (+16%)

Other (Opera, Dance, Performance, Entertainment): Attendance 1,881,878 (-7%). Revenue £91,959,731 (+1%)

Where’s Jason?

Hull New Theatre launches search for missing Doll.

Fans of 90s boyband Take That are being invited to join the search for missing Jason as Hull New Theatre launches a new social media initiative ahead of the arrival of smash hit musical The Band, next week.

Paying homage to teen magazine photo stories of decades past, The Dolls, which launches on the theatre’s Facebook page at 8pm tonight (Wednesday 28 February 2018), sees Take That’s action figures descend on the city in a bid to locate Jason who has somehow become separated from the rest of the pack and Five To Five.

As The Dolls take in the sights and sounds of the city, regular viewers will be treated to clues as to Jason’s whereabouts and encouraged to contact the theatre to help them locate him. Their efforts will not be in vein however, as one lucky person will be selected at random from all the correct answers to receive a pair of tickets to the opening night of the show in Hull on Tuesday 6 March.

A number of local firms have embraced the idea, willingly inviting The Dolls into their businesses and helping with their quest, but you’ll need to keep checking Facebook to see exactly who.

Book for The Band at the Hull City Hall box office, call 01482 300 306 or visit our new website www.hulltheatres.co.uk to book online