Author: FairyPoweredProductions

SMOLDERING NIGHT IN BUENOS AIRES PROMISED WITH 21^ST CENTURY TANGO SHOW

 

This spring audiences can take a trip to late night Buenos Aires with a seductive new dance show celebrating the art of Tango.  m¡longa or ‘tango dance party’, will be immersing Newcastle Theatre Royal in rhythm for two nights only, Fri 16 & Sat 17 June 2017.

 

m¡longa is the work of contemporary dancer and choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, the man behind Beyoncé’s breath-taking routine for the 2017 Grammy Awards. A Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist, Cherkaoui is internationally renowned for his ground-breaking productions and celebrated as one of the most original talents working in contemporary dance today.

 

Deeply rooted in Argentinean culture, tango has long captivated the world with its sexuality, power and beauty. Inspired by the late night tango scene in intimate bars across Buenos Aires (the street dance culture of Argentina that has influenced popular tango shows today such as Vincent & Flavia and TV’s Strictly Come Dancing), Cherkaoui draws on traditional influences and adds a contemporary twist. The result is a seductive and fascinating exploration of tango for the 21st century.

 

Combining a cast of 17 performers – ten Argentinean tango dancers, two contemporary dancers and five musicians – Cherkaoui brings his own unique choreographic style to the production.

 

m¡longa features music from Argentinean composer Fernando Marzan. He continues the legacy of the Marzan family as a line of extremely reputable and well-known musicians in Buenos Aires and some of his many recordings include the soundtracks of Evita, starring Madonna, and The Impostors, starring Oliver Platt and Stanley Tucci. For m¡longa, Cherkaoui reunites with long term collaborator, additional composer Szymon Brzóska. Video and set design is by Eugenio Szwarcer, costumes are by renowned fashion designer Tim Van Steenbergen, lighting is by Adam Carrée and sound by Gaston Briski.

 

Tango superstar Nélida Rodriguez de Aure is artistic consultant for the production. An accomplished tango teacher, some of Nélida’s most well-known students include stars of stage and screen Rita Moreno, Sharon Stone, Ivan Vasiliev, Anthony Quinn and Robert Duvall.

 

m¡longa is at Newcastle Theatre Royal for two nights only, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 June 2017, at 7.30pm. Tickets are from £16.  Tickets can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge) or book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Dementia friendly first for The Lowry with Gilbert and Sullivan classic.

Ahead of Dementia Awareness Week (14-20 May 2017) The Lowry are pleased to announce they will be presenting their first ever dementia friendly performance this Summer.

Regan De Wynter Williams Productions will present Sasha Regan’s all-male The Mikado Tue 25 – Sat 29 July at The Lowry, with a specially adapted dementia friendly performance on Wed 26 July, 2pm.

Dementia friendly performances were pioneered by West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Lowry is proud to be the first theatre to offer one in the North West.

Although not yet confirmed, adaptions to The Mikado for the dementia friendly performance can include things like looking at the pacing of the story, if there are quick plot developments they may look to slow things down and make more obvious references to changes in the story. There may also be a lot of repetition so that theatregoers are able to follow along with the story.

As a theatre The Lowry can make adaptions like keeping the lights up in the auditorium so that theatregoers are not in complete darkness; having an open door policy so that theatregoers can see all exits and are free to leave when they need to; having extra trained staff on hand to help out with individual’s needs.

The Lowry is committed to providing access to the arts and has a silver ‘attitude is everything’ award. The Salford arts centre regularly presents British Sign Language performances, Audio Described performances, Captioned performances and Relaxed performances. This work extends into the galleries with accessible gallery tours and relaxed family activity.

More information on access at The Lowry can be found on the website.

Following the highly successful all-male tours of H.M.S. Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance, Sasha Regan returns to Salford with the irresistible The Mikado – one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most famous operettas.

In true topsy –turvy fashion, Gilbert and Sullivan’s inherent humour and timeless tunefulness are married with Regan’s wicked sense of fun. This vibrant production successfully pokes playful fun at British politics and institutions. The crazy storyline takes us to 1950s England where a school camping trip is visiting the far away land of Titipu – a place where flirting is banned on pain of death and where tailors can become Lord High Executioners but cannot cut off another’s head, until they have cut off their own!
Listings Info
The Mikado
Dates: Tue 25 – Sat 29 July
Times: 7.30pm. Thu & Sat 2pm.
Dementia friendly performance: Wed 26 July, 2pm.
Tickets: £26.50 – £29.50. Conc £2 off.
Website

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR

“MAMMA MIA!”

AT LONDON’S NOVELLO THEATRE

FROM MONDAY 12 JUNE 2017

Joining the previously announced Sara Poyzer, Kate Graham, Jacqueline Braun, Richard Trinder, Alasdair Harvey, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart, Georgina Castle, Christopher Jordan-Marshall, Bobbie Little, Harriet Bunton, Damian Buhagiar, Nye Rees and Caroline Deverill in the global smash hit musicalMAMMA MIA! at London’s Novello Theatre from Monday 12 June 2017, will be Alishia-Marie Blake, Stuart Hickey, Mark Isherwood, Matt Jordan-Pidgeon, Tyler Kennington, Madeleine Leslay, Natasha O’Brien, Alice O’Hanlon, Alexanda O’Reilly, Adam Paul-Robertson, Oli Reynolds and Katy Stredder.  They will be joining Tabitha Camburn, Adam Clayton-Smith, Katy Day, Katy Hards, Jennifer Hepburn, Robert Knight, Stacey Leanne Mills and Robbie Scotcher, who are already in the Ensemble.

 

From West End to global phenomenon, MAMMA MIA! is Judy Craymer’s ingenious vision of staging the story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs with an enchanting tale of family and friendship unfolding on a Greek island paradise.  To date, it has been seen by over 60 million people in 50 productions in 16 different languages grossing more than $2 billion at the box office.  In 2011, it became the first Western musical ever to be staged in Mandarin in the People’s Republic of China. MAMMA MIA! is currently on its first ever UK Tour, receiving great critical and public acclaim.

 

MAMMA MIA! originally opened in London at the Prince Edward Theatre on 6 April 1999, before transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004.  The musical re-opened at the Novello Theatre in 2012, where it recently celebrated its London 18^th birthday on 6 April 2017. 

 

The London production of MAMMA MIA!  has been seen by nearly 8 million people, played over 7,500 performances and has broken box office records in all three of its London homes.  

 

Produced by Judy Craymer, MAMMA MIA! The Movie, starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, is the highest grossing live action musical film of all time.

 

With music & lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. The production is designed by Mark Thompson, with lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce & Bobby Aitken, and musical supervision, additional material & arrangements by Martin Koch.

 

MAMMA MIA! is produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East & Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

 

Novello Theatre

Aldwych

London WC2B 4LD

 

Ticket Prices: From £15.00

 

A £2.25 per ticket booking fee applies to tickets booked online, and a £2.75 per ticket booking fee applies to tickets booked by phone. No booking fee on tickets purchased in person at the Novello Theatre Box Office.

 

All prices include £1.25 restoration levy.

 

Early Bird Pricing – anyone booking four months or more in advance of the performance they are attending (Monday to Thursday performances only) will save £20 on Band A and Premium tickets, but only through Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, either online, in person at the theatre, or by calling the Novello Theatre Box Office.

 

Performance Times:

Monday – Saturday 7.45pm

Matinees – Thursday & Saturday 3.00pm*

*extra Tuesday matinees on 8 & 22 August, 24 October 2017 and 13 February 2018

 

Christmas 2017/18 Performance Schedule

 

Monday 25 December           NO PERFORMANCE

Tuesday 26 December          7.45pm

Wednesday 27 December     3.00pm and 7.45pm

Thursday 28 December         7.45pm

Friday 29 December              3.00pm and 7.45pm

Saturday 30 December         3.00pm and 7.45pm

Monday 1 January 2018        7.45pm

Tuesday 2 January                3.00pm and 7.45pm

Wednesday 3 January           7.45pm

Thursday 4 January               3.00pm and 7.45pm

Friday 5 January                    7.45pm

Saturday 6 January               3.00pm and 7.45pm

 

Currently booking to 3 March 2018

The performance lasts 2 hours and 35 minutes (including a 15-minute interval)

Box Office: 0844 482 5115

http://www.mamma-mia.com/

http://www.facebook.com/mammamiamusical

http://twitter.com/MammaMiaMusical 

WILTON’S MUSIC HALL, THE WORLD’S OLDEST SURVIVING GRAND MUSIC HALL, TO BE ADDED TO GOOGLE’S DIGITAL ARCHIVES

• The first music hall and one of only seven London theatres to get an online Google archive
• Users around the world can now take a virtual tour of the iconic venue using Google Expeditions

Today Wilton’s Music Hall is proud to launch their digital archive in partnership with Google Arts and Culture, giving unprecedented access to the legendary Grand Music Hall’s heritage through its collections and via a new virtual reality tour.

Years of renovation, building repair and conservation at the multi-arts venue in the East End have unearthed the full extent of Wilton’s fascinating history both as a building and a cornerstone of the Music Hall genre. Now, partnering with Google Arts and Culture, Wilton’s Music Hall is proud to be able to share these remarkable resources for the very first time. The new digital archive allows online visitors to explore first-hand documents that trace the history of Wilton’s – from Victorian Music Hall, to Methodist Mission, through years of dereliction and campaigning to its hard-won rebirth as the much-loved venue it is today.

Items can be seen in high definition, allowing visitors to identify hidden details in photographs and drawings, whilst preserving the fragile originals. The prize possession, a sketch drawn in the hall in 1871, can now be explored in minute detail – the faces of the audience, the fashions of the times, and numerous other insights yet to be discovered.

Using Google Expeditions, another unique feature of Google’s digital archive, online visitors can also take a virtual reality tour of Wilton’s with access to the building via an app designed for students and teachers. With online questions and remote access to the venue, this takes Wilton’s and its history into classrooms around the world.

Other fascinating additions to the online archive include brand new Street View images, giving online visitors the chance to visit hidden parts of Wilton’s Music Hall not accessible to the public. An online exhibition documents 50 years of campaigning, charting the deteriorating condition of the building before the epic campaign that brought it back from the brink, saving Wilton’s for future generations.

Access to the online archive can be found here

Sonia Friedman Productions presents
Edward Albee’s
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Directed by James Macdonald

• 5 star hit production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? enters final weeks at the Harold Pinter Theatre

• Strictly limited West End run starring Imelda Staunton, Conleth Hill, Imogen Poots and Luke Treadaway must come to an end on 27th May

• Albee’s landmark play will be broadcast to cinemas as part of National Theatre Live on 18th May

Twitter: @WhosAfraidLDN
Facebook: /WhosAfraidOfVirginiaWoolfLDN
#Whosafraidofvirginiawoolf?
Website: www.whosafraidofvirginiawoolf.co.uk
Audiences now have just three weeks left to see the critically acclaimed West End production of multi-Tony and Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The play stars Imelda Staunton as Martha, Conleth Hill as George, Imogen Poots as Honey and Luke Treadaway as Nick.

Directed by James Macdonald, this production of Albee’s landmark play runs at the Harold Pinter Theatre until the strictly limited season ends on Saturday 27th May 2017. Over 100 tickets for every performance have been made available to buy at £15.

There will also be a live broadcast of the play to cinemas throughout the UK and beyond as part of National Theatre Live. The broadcast will take place on 18th May at 7.30pm. Tickets are now on sale, visit your local cinema website for details.

In the early hours of the morning on the campus of an American college, Martha, much to her husband George’s displeasure, has invited the new professor Nick and his wife Honey to their home for some after-party drinks. As the alcohol flows and dawn approaches, the young couple are drawn into George and Martha’s toxic games until the evening reaches its climax in a moment of devastating truth-telling.

The production is directed by James Macdonald and designed by Tom Pye. Lighting is by Charles Balfour with sound and music by Adam Cork.

For more information and tickets visit www.whosafraidofvirginiawoolf.co.uk

DISNEY’S ‘THE LION KING’
WELCOMES NEW CAST MEMBERS

INCLUDES JANIQUE CHARLES AS ‘NALA’
AND GARY JORDAN AS ‘ZAZU’

Today, the London production of THE LION KING welcomes 11 new cast members, includingJanique Charles, Gary Jordan and Dominique Planter who take over the principal roles of ‘Nala’, ‘Zazu’ and ‘Shenzi’ respectively. Now in its 18th triumphant year, over 14 million people have seen Disney’s award-winning musical at the Lyceum Theatre.

THE LION KING marks Janique Charles’ West End debut. Born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago, Janique moved to London to join the UK touring cast of THE LION KING in 2013. A rising star, she has travelled extensively and brings her experiences to her role as Nala. She joined the London production of THE LION KING in May 2016 as part of the ensemble cast, but she now steps up to play the principal role of Nala.

Gary Jordan has performed in London’s West End in Grease (Victoria Palace), Anyone Can Whistle (Savoy) and in the UK tours of High Society and Playdays Live. Gary is also a pianist and musical director.

Dominique Planter has been a swing in the THE LION KING since 2016, this marks her West End debut in a principal role.

THE LION KING also welcomes new cast members from The Philippines, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Brazil and the UK: Lila Anderson, Owen Chaponda, Deborah Dada, Debôrah Godchaser, Brian James Leys, Nathan Louis-Fernand, Nonhlanhla Makthathini, Rutendo Mushonga, Luciano Santos Souza and Karlene Wray.

They join a uniquely international company, which already includes performers from 11 countries around the world. The company is led by George Asprey as Scar, Shaun Escoffery as Mufasa, Brown Lindiwe Mkhize as Rafiki, Richard Frame as Timon, Keith Bookman as Pumbaa,Nick Afoa as Simba, David Blake as Banzai and Mark McGee as Ed.

Disney’s award-winning musical THE LION KING is now in its 18th triumphant year at London’s Lyceum Theatre. Since the UK premiere in London on Tuesday 19th October 1999, THE LION KING has entertained over 14 million theatregoers and remains the West End’s best-selling stage production. It is currently the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time. Tickets are currently on sale until 25th May 2018 for Groups.

Julie Taymor’s internationally-celebrated stage adaptation of Disney’s beloved animation film premiered on Broadway in 1997 and has now been seen by more than 90 million people across six continents. Ten productions are running concurrently around the globe. In addition to the record-breaking production in London and New York, THE LION KING can currently be seen in Hamburg, Madrid, Scheveningen (The Netherlands), Shanghai, Tokyo, Sapporo, Mexico City and across North America.

THE LION KING is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.

 

Press & Listings Information
Disney’s THE LION KING
Lyceum Theatre
21 Wellington Street, London WC2E 7RQ
Box Office number: 0844 871 3000
www.thelionking.co.uk
THE LION KING plays Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm with matinee performances on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2.30pm.
There is no performance on a Monday evening.

Bill Bailey Announces

A brand new live tour for 2018

Coming to Newcastle City Hall Fri 2 Feb 2018

Bill Bailey today announced his new tour Larks in Transit  is a compendium of travelers’ tales and the general shenanigans of twenty years as a travelling comedian. With musical virtuosity, surreal tangents and trademark intelligence, Bill Bailey tackles politics, philosophy and the pursuit of happiness. Plus, he fashions a symphony from a ringtone, tells the real story of Old McDonald, and a re-imagines the Stars and Stripes.

 

Tickets will go on general sale this Friday 12 May 2017 at 10am from www.theatreroyal.co.uk or by calling the Box Office on 0844 811 21 21.

 

Bill Bailey plays Newcastle City Hall on Friday 2 February 2018. Tickets are £31.50 and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge).

 

Scamp Theatre and Watford Palace Theatre present

The Scarecrows’ Wedding

Based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Director Eva Sampson

Designer James Button

Composer and Lyricist Darren Clark

Lighting Designer Elanor Higgins

West Yorkshire Playhouse, Courtyard Theatre

Tuesday 30 May – Saturday 3 June 2017

 

Straight from London’s West End, this truly heart-warming adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s bestselling book is bursting at the seams with Scamp Theatre’s inimitable style (Stick Man, Tiddler & Other Terrific Tales) and promises wit, drama, and wedding bells as you’re invited to Harry O’Hay (played by Halifax, West Yorkshire actor Sam Heron) and Betty O’Barley’s glorious wedding day.

Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay are excellent scarecrows (they scare a lot of crows). Harry loves Betty, and Betty loves Harry, so they decide to get married and Harry sets off to search for their wedding day essentials including a dress of feathers, a bunch of flowers and a necklace made from shells

However, when the farmer notices he is missing a scarecrow, he replaces Harry with the devilishly smooth but dangerous Reginald Rake. Dashing, daring and ever so cool, can Reginald persuade Betty that he is the scarecrow for her? Will Harry make it back in the nick of time before Reginald ruins their special day?

Director Eva Sampson said:

“I’m delighted that The Scarecrows’ Wedding will be heading out on tour again this year. It’s a great opportunity to bring the show to new audiences and share Harry and Betty’s epic love story!”

Age guide 3+

The Majestic Theatre on Bondgate in Darlington is under new management and is going from strength to strength – filling the void left when the old Art’s Centre was closed.  One night shows for families and adults alike are filling the diary.  The Bondgate Players have adopted the Majestic as their new home and are performing Allo Allo on stage from 8 June.  The theatre also continues to showcase the talented students on the Performing Arts course from the college – and their end of year show is High School Musical from 30 June.

Today, however, we were reviewing the gorgeous new Majestic Bistro.  The food has been designed around it’s theatrical settings in the heart of the Theatre it sits in, with luxurious lighting, ambient music, stunning bars and its 1920’s Modern Art Deco interior.

Armed with my hard to please sons – one of whom is training to be a chef and the other who is gluten free we went off to investigate.  The menu, which you might call modern British, features small, often complex dishes.

For our starter we shared the Whole Baked Studded Camembert and Antipasti Vegetables with warm bread and tomato chutney.  With an extra portion of gluten free bread.  The cheese was beautiful and creamy and the bread tasted like it was fresh from the oven.  The antipasti vegetables were perfectly pickled without being acidic.  The portion happily fed the three of us with filling us too full so we could still enjoy the main course.

The mains were served with a nice gap from the starter aiding digestion.  We had a chance to enjoy a drink from the well stocked bar and have a chat as the music played in the background.

My boys each had a burger.  My youngest had the 8oz Classical Steak Mince Burger and my oldest the 8oz Steak Mince Chilli and Blue Cheese Burger – both served with chunky chips and whole grain house salad.  Perfectly portioned meals without over-facing the diner. My choice was the Braised Lamb Shank, Bubbly Cabbage, Creamy Pomme Purée and Red Wine Jus.  A stunningly beautiful meal mixed the luxurious with the humble all working harmoniously together.  Nothing was put on the plate haphazardly; all the ingredients have equal billing.  If we can agree that food is fundamentally about flavour, it’s all here on one plate.  With my son declaring that his burger was the best he had ever tasted.

Dessert followed and once again we were presented with food that was beautiful to look at and to taste.  I chose the Chocolate Brownie without cream or ice cream.  Son number 2 the Hot Chocolate Fudge Cake with Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream and son number 1 had a mixture of the Madagascan Ice Cream and Honeycomb Ice Cream.  It was the nicest dessert I had tasted in a long time, my sons were equally as complimentary about their desserts the chocolate fudge cake and brownie,were suitably rich without being sickly. As a chocolate fan I was in food heaven.

The Majestic is a quietly ambitious bistro that deserves the acclaim that should be coming its way, bringing a new style of unpretentious fine dining to foodies.  The staff didn’t hover around our table constantly but was efficient and knowledgeable on the food we ordered. One of the chefs came out and presented some dishes to our table and was detailed in his descriptions.

The relaxed unpretentious feel of this place together with the tremendous skill at work in the kitchen means this place doesn’t need to talk up its credentials. And what’s more it is oh so stunningly priced.  My first visit gives every inkling that if Mattie, Ellis and the talented team continue in this vein, The Majestic Bistro could well emulate the heady heights of its nearby counterparts.

To book for shows or the Bistro contact the team on Tel: 01325 482848

http://www.majestic-theatre.co.uk/