SMASH HIT MUSICAL HAIRSPRAY ANNOUNCES MAJOR UK TOUR FROM AUGUST 2017

HAIRSPRAY
UK TOUR

www.hairsprayuktour.com / @HairsprayUKTour

  • FOLLOWING THE PHENOMENAL SUCCESS OF THE 2015/16 UK TOUR OF SMASH HIT MUSICAL HAIRSPRAY HAS ANNOUNCED ANOTHER MAJOR TOUR FROM AUGUST 2017
  • HAIRSPRAY WILL VISIT OVER 30+ LEADING VENUES ACROSS THE UK AND IRELAND OPENING AS THE HEADLINE SUMMER PRODUCTION AT CARDIFF’S MILLENNIUM CENTRE
  • STAR CASTING TO BE ANNOUNCED

Today, producer Mark Goucher has confirmed that following the phenomenal success of the recent UK tour, the smash hit production of Hairspray will embark on a further major tour opening on 16 August 2017 at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. The big, bold and beautiful production of this much loved musical comedy will visit more than 30 venues across the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland until early summer 2018. Star casting will be announced in due course.

Producer Mark Goucher said: “I am incredibly proud of this production of Hairspray and thrilled that it will be travelling the country again. The universal appeal of this heart-warming show has continued to delight us all, with families and musical theatre lovers alike packing out theatres night after night.”

Featuring the iconic music and lyrics by Academy Award, Tony and Emmy winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the production will tour to Cardiff, Dartford, Dublin, Blackpool, Sunderland, Glasgow, Birmingham, Leicester, Buxton, Belfast, Aylesbury, Carlisle, Bradford, Guildford, Plymouth, Southampton, Sheffield, Aberdeen, Nottingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Inverness, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Liverpool, Hull, Llandudno, Canterbury and Southend.

Hairspray is directed by Paul Kerryson, with choreography by Drew McOnie.

It’s Baltimore 1962, where Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, is on a mission to follow her dreams and dance her way onto national TV. Tracy’s audition makes her a local star and soon she is using her new-found fame to fight for equality, bagging local heartthrob Link Larkin along the way.

Hairspray is a musical based on the 1988 film of the same name which starred Divine and Ricki Lake by cult filmmaker John Waters. With music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, Hairspray originally opened to rave reviews on Broadway in 2002 and subsequently won eight Tony Awards. The production opened in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007 and won four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical. Proving to be an international success, Hairspray has also opened in South Africa, Japan, South Korea, China and Dubai. Following the musical’s phenomenal success on stage, a film of the musical was released in 2007 which starred John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Marsden.

Arrows & Traps Shakespeare Rep – Twelfth Night and Othello Review

Upstairs at the Gatehouse 1 – 19 November.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Take it from me, if the sign says “Arrows & Traps Theatre Company presents…” you are in for a theatrical treat. With a fantastic track record of innovative Shakespeare productions, this repertory season presents Twelfth Night and Othello, two very different plays, but both dealing with the chaos of falling in love.

The same set is used for each production, and director Ross McGregor has made the most of The Gatehouse’s wide stage, with specific areas – a garden, a bedroom and a third versatile space for town/fight scenes. This means that scenes and speeches can be intercut seamlessly by a lighting change, rather than characters exiting and entering, and maintains the narrative pace effectively.

Twelfth Night sees shipwrecked Viola landing in Illyria, thinking her twin, Sebastian, has drowned. Disguising herself as Cesario, she goes to Duke Orsino’s court and becomes his agent in his romantic pursuit of Olivia. But Olivia falls in love with Cesario, who in turn loves Orsino. Meanwhile, Olivia’s uncle and his friends plot the downfall of priggish Malvolio, Olivia’s steward, by convincing him that Olivia is in love with him.

Shakespeare’s bawdy comedy is given a deliciously earthy treatment, with the lustful longings of the characters played with relish by the cast. Making Antonio (Spencer Lee Osborne) and Sebastian’s (Alex Stevens) relationship sexual brings a fresh angle to the play, giving Sebastian a more mercenary and less heroic outlook than usual, and both actors bring a subtle sensitivity to their roles. Pearce Sampson’s foppish Orsino moons amusingly after Olivia, but his attraction towards Cesario culminates in abruptly ending wrestling matches that are delightfully played by Sampson and Pippa Caddick – a fantastically feisty performance toying with body language and gender expectations. Cornelia Baumann’s Olivia just needs to get laid in a great comic performance, and Adam Elliott manages to gain the audiences sympathy as uptight Malvolio – making him not just a social climber, but showing true feelings towards Olivia. Tom Telford and David Grace, as Sir Toby and Sir Andrew make a great comic duo, with definite shades of Laurel and Hardy, ably assisted by Elle Banstead-Salim as Maria. These three actors excel in physical comedy, and steal every scene they’re in. Lloyd Warbey gives Feste, the fool who hides his wisdom behind dreadful wordplay, just the right hint of world weary cynicism, and is devastatingly good revealing his unrequited love for Maria by singing songs by The Proclaimers and The Police. The musical theme that repeats throughout the play is haunting and Pascal Magdrier’s arrangements of modern and Shakespearean songs around the melody is clever and engaging.

Full of deft and daft comedy and engagingly performed, this production manages to breathe new life into Twelfth Night, allowing the company to bring their comedic talent to the fore. Fantastic.

Othello isn’t quite such a barrel of laughs. Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army marries Desdemona, who is disowned by her family. The promotion of Cassio puts Iago’s nose out of joint and, already convinced that Othello has bedded his own wife, he plots Othello’s downfall and the murder of Cassio.

To be honest, I always thought Othello was a huge prat with sociopathic tendencies, but Spencer Lee Osborne gives the character a hugely sympathetic vulnerability. This Othello, confident and self-assured in military matters, cannot seem to believe that someone like Desdemona could ever really want him. His gullibility and suggestibility under the onslaught of Iago’s lies are completely credible as you watch Osborne’s quivering lip and fidgeting fingers. This is a true man-child that just doesn’t know how to cope with a strong woman, making his sudden violent outbursts even more shocking. Pearce Sampson gives Iago a Northern charm, but quickly allows the audience glimpses of his bitter and malicious mind. His asides to the audience come as the other actors freeze, which is most effective during the attack on Cassio. Pippa Caddick’s Desdemona is flirty and assertive, and she handles Desdemona’s growing confusion and disbelief convincingly without histrionics. Cornelia Baumann’s Emilia is largely silent, finding her voice and strength as the deception unfolds in a wonderfully nuanced performance. As Cassio, Adam Elliott is true officer material, and the moment he shares with Osborne in the final scene just took my breath away.

The fights are balletic rather than realistic, and the climatic sequence of movement involving the whole cast as Othello strangles Desdemona, while not quite reaching the emotional intensity of the company’s portrayal of the death of Macbeth earlier this year, is wistfully magical and almost cinematic.

Any company that can make me tell my friends to go and see Othello – my least favourite Shakespeare play – must be something special. I bored my friends silly raving about this production!

The Glen Miller Story Review

REVIEW: THE GLENN MILLER STORY (Sunderland Empire) ★★★★

November 6, 2016 

For: West End Wilma 

https://www.westendwilma.com/review-glenn-miller-story-sunderland-empire/

glenn-miller

Tommy Steele made his stage debut at Sunderland Empire on 5th November 1956, a month before his 20th birthday. So it seems fitting he should celebrate his 60 years in the business performing at the Empire in the Glenn Miller Story.

It’s a difficult review to write because all the single elements of the show are individually good. The production is lovely, Bill Kenwright and Bob Thompson’s direction is excellent. The performers are fabulous, the singing and dancing sublime. The music is timelessly classic and the live band playing on stage are phenomenal. Steele is of course a legend and his voice his as powerful as ever it was but he is an old man and it’s much more than a suspension of belief to get past the fact a soon to be octogenarian is playing Glenn Miller from the ages of 24 up to his untimely death aged 40.

It looks wrong in the first act when he is falling in love with his wife-to-be, Helen, played on press night by the vocally exquisite Jessica Ellen. To me it felt like a pensioner and his carer rather than young lovers and it might have been better to have a younger actor in the early scenes. Ashley Knight, who acts as Miller’s good friend Chummy Macgregor, is also an older man, which evens up – or compounds – the age discrepancies.

The opening number, Without You, a duet with Tommy and Knight sets the tone for this show,
which is full of high octane energy with the big show stoppers, including, Sing Sing Sing, Chattanooga Choo Choo, St Louis Blues March, Get Happy and the finale of Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree, I’ve Got A Gal From Kalamazoo and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy where the enthusiastic audience were invited to sing-a-long and happily obliged.

It’s clear there’s a lot of affection for Steele, the production’s celebratory tone loosely allowing him to be 75 per cent Tommy and 25 per cent Glenn, while around him is placed an array of dancers who capture the 40s in mesmeric style.

When Glenn eventually found ‘the sound’ he had been searching for and the band he formed hit the stage with In The Mood one can fully appreciate the huge appeal the band commanded in the 1930s and into the early 1940s and today still, the glorious music with its unique formula is enjoyed by Miller aficionados globally. It is so very sad that the talented Miller died, in his musical prime. On that fateful night of 15 December 1944 , the plane he boarded to Paris went missing over the Channel.

However, the legacy he left the world is priceless and the audience had come not to dwell on inter-generational love but rather to enjoy the belting tunes Glenn turned out before his early demise. In The Mood, Pennsylvania 6-5000, Little Brown Jug, they’re all here, with Steele bobbing away at the front as the bandsman who saw his dreams come true.

First Look: BAT OUT OF HELL – THE MUSICAL, London Launch

The London Launch of BAT OUT OF HELL – THE MUSICAL which took place on St Martin’s Lane outside the London Coliseum last night, followed by a drinks reception at the Courtrooms at Browns. The launch was hosted by radio presenters Claire Sturgess from Absolute Radio and Paul Anthony from Planet Rock with speeches from Producer Michael Cohl and Meat Loaf, followed by an exclusive performance from the cast, led by rising star Andrew Polec.

The world premiere of Jim Steinman’s BAT OUT OF HELL – THE MUSICAL will take place at the London Coliseum, opening on Tuesday 20 June 2017, following previews from 5 June, for a limited season until 22 July 2017.  This follows previews at Manchester Opera House from 17 February to 8 April 2017. The show has a book by Jim Steinman with early writing by Stuart Beattie, music and lyrics by Jim Steinman and direction by Jay Scheib.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03: Meat Loaf poses for a portrait at the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meat Loaf
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Meat Loaf poses for a portrait at the launch for Jim Steinman’s ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’ at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meat Loaf

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03:  Michael Cohl speaks to the crowd at the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Cohl

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03:  Michael Cohl speaks to the crowd at the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Cohl
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Michael Cohl speaks to the crowd at the launch for Jim Steinman’s ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’ at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Cohl

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03:  Meat Loaf speaks to the crowd at the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meat Loaf
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Meat Loaf speaks to the crowd at the launch for Jim Steinman’s ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’ at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meat Loaf

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03:  Meat Loaf speaks to the crowd at the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meat Loaf
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Meat Loaf speaks to the crowd at the launch for Jim Steinman’s ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’ at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meat Loaf

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03:  Meat Loaf with lead actor Andrew Polec (R) speaks to the media during the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meat Loaf
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Meat Loaf with lead actor Andrew Polec (R) speaks to the media during the launch for Jim Steinman’s ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’ at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Meat Loaf

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03:  Andrew Polec performs as Strat at the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Polec
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Andrew Polec performs as Strat at the launch for Jim Steinman’s ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’ at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Polec

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03:  Andrew Polec performs as Strat at the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Polec
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Andrew Polec performs as Strat at the launch for Jim Steinman’s ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’ at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Polec

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03:  Andrew Polec performs as Strat at the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Polec
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Andrew Polec performs as Strat at the launch for Jim Steinman’s ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’ at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Polec

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03:  Andrew Polec performs as Strat alongside Christina Bennington as Raven at the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Polec; Christina Bennington
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Andrew Polec performs as Strat alongside Christina Bennington as Raven at the launch for Jim Steinman’s ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’ at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Polec; Christina Bennington

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03:  Andrew Polec performs as Strat (C) alongside the cast at the launch for Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out of Hell The Musical' at the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England.  (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Polec
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 03: Andrew Polec performs as Strat (C) alongside the cast at the launch for Jim Steinman’s ‘Bat Out of Hell The Musical’ at the London Coliseum on St Martin’s Lane on November 3, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andrew Polec

SHEENA EASTON TO MAKE WEST END DEBUT IN 42ND STREET

GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING ARTIST SHEENA EASTON

TO MAKE WEST END DEBUT IN

42ND STREET

CAST INCLUDES TOM LISTER, CLARE HALSE,

JASNA IVIR & NORMAN BOWMAN

 

PREVIEWS FROM MONDAY 20 MARCH 2017 AT THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE

 

sheena-easton-low-resSheena Easton – the Grammy Award winning artist who has sold over 20 million records around the world – is to make her West End debut in the forthcoming production of 42nd Street.

 

Easton, who remains the only artist in history to have top five records on five major Billboard charts, will perform the iconic role of ‘Dorothy Brock’ in this new production of 42nd Street, the dazzling and romantic homage to the world of musical theatre.

 

The role of ‘Julian Marsh’ will be performed by Tom Lister, who played ‘Carl King’ in Emmerdale for 8 years and has recently been starring as ‘Wild Bill Hickok’ in the UK Tour of Calamity Jane. Clare Halse, who most recently appeared in the acclaimed production of Gypsy as ‘Marjorie May’ at the Savoy Theatre, will play ‘Peggy Sawyer’.

 

42nd Street will play the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane from Monday 20 March 2017, with a press night onTuesday 4 April 2017 at 7:00pm. The production will be directed by the show’s co-author Mark Bramble(whose other hit shows include Barnum, Treasure Island, The Three Musketeers The Grand Tour) and director of many award-winning previous productions of 42nd Street on Broadway and around the world.

 

42nd STREET is the song and dance, American dream fable of Broadway and includes some of the greatest songs ever written, such as ‘We’re In The Money’, ‘Lullaby of Broadway’, ‘Shuffle Off To Buffalo’, ‘Dames’, ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’, and ‘42nd Street’.

 

42nd Street arrives in London with an all-singing, high-kicking cast of over 50, ready to explode on to the West End’s biggest stage. The confirmed cast are:

 

Jasna Ivir, who will play ‘Maggie Jones’, Norman Bowman as ‘Pat Denning’, Stuart Neal as ‘Billy Lawlor’,Graeme Henderson as ‘Andy Lee’, Christopher Howell as ‘Bert Barry’, Bruce Montague as ‘Abner Dillon’,Mark McKerracher as ‘Mac/Doc/Thug’ and Emma Caffrey as ‘Annie’.

 

The ensemble comprise Clare Rickard, Victoria Hay, Leah Harris, Jasmine Kerr, Millie O’Connell, Katy Riches,Gabrielle Lewis Dodson, Daisy Steere, Karli Vale, Sophie Camble, Christina Shand, Courtney George, Zoe Rogers, Jessica Keable, Sara Bispham, Lisa Dent, Katharine Pearson, Kirsty Fuller, Rebecca Herszenhorn, Charlene Ford, Dylan Mason, Philip Bertioli, Luke George, Ronan Burns, Eddie Myles, Ryan Gover, Sam Murphy, Freddie Clements, Zac Watts, Greg Bernstein, Kristen Gaetz, Charlotte Anne Steen, Gabrielle Cocca, Kate Ivory Jordan, Josh Andrews, Martin McCarthy.

 

42nd Street is presented in London by Michael Linnit and Michael Grade together with The Global Group of Companies for Gate Ventures with Executive Producer Johnny Hon.

 

La Cage Aux Folles at the New Wimbledon Theatre

BOYS WILL BE BOYS…BUT NOT ALWAYS!

JOHN PARTRIDGE AND ADRIAN ZMED

STAR IN FIRST EVER UK TOUR OF

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

* A SPECTACULAR NEW PRODUCTION –

Bill Kenwright presents the much loved musical LA CAGE AUX FOLLES with JOHN PARTRIDGE as ‘Albin’ and ADRIAN ZMED as ‘Georges’, on its first ever nationwide tour coming to New Wimbledon Theatre from 14-18 March 2017.

John Partridge will play the iconic role of ‘Albin’, who moonlights as star drag act Zaza at the infamous La Cage aux Folles nightclub. Partridge’s extensive theatre credits include the West End productions of A Chorus Line at the London Palladium, Cats, Starlight Express and Chicago. He is also well known for playing the loveable Christian Clarke in BBC’s EastEnders and as a judge on TV’s Over The Rainbow.

Adrian Zmed will play ‘Georges’, partner of Albin and owner of the nightclub. Zmed co-starred with William Shatner as ‘Officer Vince Romano’ in the 70’s hit TV show T.J. Hooker, which ran for 90 episodes over 5 years, and for playing ‘Johnny Nogerelli’ in the cult classic film Grease 2. This will be his first stage appearance in the UK although he is no stranger to Broadway musicals having previously led the casts of Grease, no fewer than 3 times, Falsettos and Blood Brothers.

Written by Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman, and based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret, La Cage Aux Folles follows the story of Georges, the manager of a Saint Tropez nightclub, and his partner, Albin, a drag artiste and the club’s star attraction. They live an idyllic existence in the south of France but behind the curtains of this sparkling extravaganza, all may be about to change when Georges’ son Jean-Michel announces his engagement to the daughter of a notorious right-wing politician determined to close down the local colourful night-life. Drama and hilarity ensue when a meeting of the parents forces them to cover up their vibrant lifestyle. Will Albin be able to play the role of his life to ensure that Jean-Michel can marry his love?

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES is a multi-award winning musical. The original Broadway production became an instant smash hit when it opened in 1983. It received nine nominations for Tony Awards and won six, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. The success of the musical spawned a London Palladium production and several international runs. The 2004 Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival, and the 2008 London revival garnered the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.

Setting out on its first ever UK tour, this brand new production is produced by Bill Kenwright, directed by Martin Connor, choreographed by Olivier Award Winning Bill Deamer, designed by Gary McCann, Sound by Dan Samson (the team responsible for the sumptuous current hit, The Sound of Music), and musical direction by Mark Crossland. This lavishly funny tale of unconditional love and family values, will leave you feeling the need to celebrate that life’s not worth a damn ‘till you can say I am what I am.’

This show-stopping score includes The Best of Times, Song on the Sand and the iconic I Am What I Am, which has been recorded by musical legends Gloria Gaynor, Shirley Bassey and Tony Bennett.

The production tours the UK from 5th January 2017, opening at the New Theatre Oxford.

Dates currently on sale at www.kenwright.com. Further casting and dates to be announced.

BILL KENWRIGHT PRESENTS A NEW PRODUCTION OF

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

MUSIC & LYRICS BY JERRY HERMAN BOOK BY HARVEY FIERSTEIN

Further details announced for “Ferris & Milnes – Christmas Cracker”, including one-minute Christmas teaser trailer

FURTHER DETAILS ANNOUNCED FOR

“FERRIS & MILNES – CHRISTMAS CRACKER”

AT THE AMBASSADORS THEATRE ON 13 DECEMBER 2016

  • Olivier Award winning director and choreographer Bill Deamer to be Production Consultant
  • Arts Ed Musical Theatre to perform as musical ensemble
  • Sneak preview teaser trailer released on YouTube of brand new Christmas medley

Olivier Award winning director and choreographer Bill Deamer will lead the production team of musical theatre comedy double act Ferris & Milnes’ debut West End debut show “Ferris & Milnes – Christmas Cracker” at the Ambassadors Theatre on Tuesday 13 December 2016.  

As Production Consultant, Bill will oversee the show which will also feature twelve students from Arts Educational School, London, forming a musical ensemble. Sound design will be provided by Adrian Cobey, currently Head of Sound at the West End production of Les Miserables with lighting design by Paul J Need.

The musical programme will include an exciting and eclectic blend ranging from much-loved choral works such as John Rutter’s “Angels’ Carol” and Adolphe Adam’s “O Holy Night!” through to golden show tunes from Irving Berlin, favourites of Elton John, with Christmas classics and seasonal standards presented in unique Ferris and Milnes style.

Fans of Ferris & Milnes will be delighted to hear that they will be following up on their popular musical mash-ups “33 Sondheim Numbers In 5 Minutes” and “31 West End Musicals in Under 10 Minutes” by bringing “The Entire Score of West Side Story In 8 Minutes” to the West End stage.

Not only that, but Ferris & Milnes will be performing a NEW very special medley jam-packed with as many festive hits as you can imagine! A one-minute teaser trailer of the medley is now live on YouTube (https://youtu.be/GExG-zFDL5I).

The fun-packed Christmas extravaganza is sure to delight the whole family. Audiences can expect the unexpected, as well as the Christmas favourites they know and love, in a heart-warming, foot-tapping seasonal shindig.

Tickets are now on sale priced £17.50 – £32.50 (booking fees may apply). Book online:https://www.theambassadorstheatre.co.uk, via telephone: 020 7395 5405, or in person at the Box Office.

“Ferris & Milnes – Christmas Cracker” is produced by The Cahoots Theatre Company Ltd.

 

Recently playing to sold-out houses at the St. James Studio, Ferris & Milnes mark their debut West End show after thrilling crowds at West End LIVE in Trafalgar Square, The Tower of London, Lytham Festival’s West End Proms, and in Stephen Sondheim’s 85th Birthday Gala at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. They have been described as “Hilarious” (The Telegraph) and “The most exciting musical theatre double act to be discovered in years” (West End Frame).

 

Dominic Ferris and Martin Milnes are a unique combination. Dominic is a pianist extraordinaire, regularly showcasing his skills touring the world as one half of The Piano Brothers – his Steinway & Sons accredited piano duo. Martin has ‘two voices’ – excelling as both a tenor and in his acclaimed falsetto register, having diversely crossed the musical worlds between West End and opera. Together, Dominic and Martin combine comedy, music and vocals in a dynamic cocktail of explosive Broadway glamour and fun.

 

For more information about Ferris & Milnes visit: www.ferrisandmilnes.com. Follow Ferris & Milnes on Twitter @ferrisandmilnes and on Facebook www.facebook.com/ferrisandmilnes.

 

LISTINGS

“Ferris & Milnes – Christmas Cracker”

The Ambassadors Theatre, West Street, London, WC2H 9ND

Nearest tube station: Leicester Square

Tuesday 13 December 2016: 7.30pm

Running time: 2 hours 30 mins approx. (including interval)

Tickets: £17.50 – £32.50; transaction fees apply to online and telephone bookings

Online bookings: https://www.theambassadorstheatre.co.uk

Telephone bookings: 020 7395 5405

Full Cast & Creatives for Jim Steinman’s Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical

265bd8f9e-07d0-1cad-4c8c760d9aa6bf7eTHE WORLD PREMIERE OF

JIM STEINMAN’S 

BAT OUT OF HELL – THE MUSICAL

EXPLODES ON STAGE AT THE LONDON COLISEUM ON 5 JUNE 2017

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED

BOX OFFICE ON SALE TO GENERAL PUBLIC FROM 5PM TODAY

WITH MEAT LOAF INTRODUCING ANDREW POLEC AND THE CAST IN A LIVE PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE LONDON COLISEUM ON 

ST MARTIN’S LANE

 

The world premiere of the long-awaited Jim Steinman’s Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical will take place in London’s West End at the London Coliseum, opening on Tuesday 20 June 2017, following previews from 5 June, for a limited season until 22 July 2017. This follows previews at Manchester Opera House from 17 February to 8 April 2017.

bat-out-of-hell-the-musical%2c-andrew-polec-christina-bennington%2c-credit-specular-1As with many great works of art, the genesis of the Bat Out Of Hell album occurred across a number of years. One of the songs was written while Steinman was an undergraduate at Amherst College in the late 1960s. In the 1970s,Steinman wrote a theatrical musical that was presented in workshop in Washington D.C. in 1974 and featured many of the songs that would ultimately appear on the Bat Out Of Hell album, which was released in 1977.

Bat Out Of Hell became one of the best-selling albums in history, selling over 50 million copies worldwide. 16 years later, Steinman scored again with Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell, which contained the massive hit I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)

For the stage musical, the legendary and award-winning Jim Steinman has incorporated iconic songs from the Bat Out Of Hell albums, including You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth, Bat Out Of Hell, I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) and Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad, as well as two previously unreleased songs, What Part of My Body Hurts the Most and Not Allowed to Love.

Jim Steinman’s Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical is a romantic adventure about rebellious youth and passionate love, set against the backdrop of a post-cataclysmic city adrift from the mainland. Strat, the forever young leader of The Lost, has fallen for Raven, daughter of Falco, the tyrannical, ruler of Obsidian.

Jim Steinman’s previous musicals include his collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber on Whistle Down the Wind, including the hit single released by Boyzone, No Matter What, and the musical Tanz der Vampire, which has been running for 20 years and has been presented in Vienna, Stuttgart, Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, Budapest, Warsaw, St Petersburg and Tokyo.

bat-out-of-hell-the-musical%2c-christina-bennington-andrew-polec%2c-credit-specular-3Directed by award-winning theatre and opera director Jay Scheib, the cast of Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical will be led by newcomer Andrew Polec as Strat and Christina Bennington as Raven, with Rob Fowler as Falco and Sharon Sexton as Sloane. Also starring will be Aran MacRae as Tink, Danielle Steers as Zahara, Dom Hartley-Harris as Jagwire, Giovanni Spano as Ledoux and Patrick Sullivan as Blake. Also in the cast will be Jemma Alexander, Emily Benjamin, Stuart Boother, Georgia Carling, Natalie Chua, Jonathan Cordin, Amy Di Bartolomeo, Jordan Lee Davies, Olly Dobson, Hannah Ducharme, Phoebe Hart, Rosalind James, Michael Naylor, Eve Norris, Tim Oxbrow, Andrew Patrick-Walker, Benjamin Purkiss, Anthony Selwyn, Courtney Stapleton and Ruben Van keer. 

Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical has book by Jim Steinman and Stuart Beattie, music and lyrics by Jim Steinman, direction by Jay Scheib, choreography by Emma Portner, with musical arrangements and supervision by Michael Reed, set design by Jon Bausor, costume design by Meentje Nielsen, video design by Finn Ross, lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe, sound design by Gareth Owen, orchestration by Steve Sidwell, casting by David Grindrod Associates and musical direction by Robert Emery.

bat-out-of-hell-the-musical%2c-christina-bennington-andrew-polec%2c-credit-specular-2Jim Steinman’s Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical is produced by David Sonenberg, Michael Cohl, Randy Lennox, Tony Smith, and produced in association with Bat Out of Hell Holding Limited.

Website:  www.BatOutOfHellMusical.com

Twitter & Facebook:  @BatTheMusical

 

LISTINGS INFORMATION

17 February – 8 April 2017

Opera House Manchester

3 Quay Street

Manchester

M3 3HP

Performances:  Mon-Sat at 7.30pm, Thurs & Sat at 2.30pm (no matinee on Sat 18 February)

Tickets:  from £17.50

Box Office:  0844 871 3018 (subject to booking/transaction fees)

5 June – 22 July 2017

London Coliseum

St Martin’s Lane

London

WC2N 4ES

Performances:  Mon-Sat at 7.30pm, Thurs & Sat at 2.30pm (7pm on Tue 20 June; no matinee on Thurs 8 June; extra 2.30pm matinee on Tue 22 August)

Tickets:  from £15.00

Box Office:  020 7845 9300

An immersive Christmas Carol at Above the Arts Theatre this holiday season

Hartshorn – Hook Productions and The Flanagan Collective present:

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
December 12th – December 31st 2016, Above the Arts Theatre

Hartshorn – Hook Productions and The Flanagan Collective team up for the sixth year running to present a rousing rendition of this timeless classic, served over a two-course Christmas feast. A heart-warming, foot-stomping immersive production, created by writer Alexander Wright and director Tom Bellerby. This seasonal show is presented in partnership with The Big Issue Foundation.

**** “The whole experience is as merry and magical as Christmas itself” The Stage

A tale of ghouls, ghosts and – with your help – barrels of festive cheer. We join Marley over a sumptuous two course feast, and some potent potion to keep off the winter chill. Through parlour games, Christmas songs and a little spirited trickery, we must warm the heart of the bah-humbugging miser, everyone’s favourite festive misanthrope, Scrooge. A show about Christmas spirit, caring for those we love, and having a damn good knees up couldn’t be a more perfect way to warm a cold winter’s evening.

“If you feel you’ve had your fill of A Christmas Carol, think again” York Press

Catering comes from chef Danny Jack, and his project The Humble Kitchen. The full two-course sharing feast includes all the trimmings for the perfect Christmas dinner (with hot beef mince pies and a pumpkin, kale and goats cheese vegetarian option), alongside a late license bar. (Special dietary requests are gladly catered for and should be advised at least 48 hours in advance of the performance by email to [email protected])

“A Christmas miracle (…) enthralling, captivating, laugh-out-loud theatre” Yorkshire Times

Hartshorn – Hook Productions is a London-based producer of theatre and live events, best known for American Idiot (West End Premiere, associate producer), Urinetown (associate producer) and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (starring Julie Atherton and Simon Lipkin, 2015). Regular collaborators The Flanagan Collective are based in Yorkshire, and typically create work in non-traditional performances spaces. They are best-known for The Great Gatsby (Theatre Deli, York Theatre Royal), Beulah, BABYLON, Some Small Love Story and the nationwide Little Festival of Everything.

Paul McGann UK Tour Debut in Moira Buffini Play

gabriel-posterPaul McGann makes his 

UK Theatre Tour debut

in Moira Buffini’s 

GABRIEL 

UK Tour Opens March 2017

Theatre6 is delighted to announce the UK Tour of Gabriel, which opens in London at Richmond Theatre on Tuesday 28 March 2017, with a national press night on Friday 31 March 2017. 

Starring Paul McGann (Withnail and IDoctor Who and The Monocled Mutineer) and written by Moira Buffini (HandbaggedWonder.land), this electric drama is directed by award-winning Kate McGregor and produced by Theatre6, co-producers of the award-winning, West End smash hit The Scottsboro Boys.

The story of Gabriel is based in 1943 Nazi-occupied Guernsey. Widow and mother Jeanne does whatever it takes to keep her adolescent daughter Estelle and daughter-in-law Lily safe on an island filled with danger and fear. Her toughest test arrives in the form of the terrifying Commander Von Pfunz, whose romantic advances may be the only way to keep her family alive. But tensions intensify when a mysterious young man is washed ashore with no memory of who he is. Fluent in German and English, is he an RAF pilot, an SS interrogator, a local boy with amnesia or a saviour sent from heaven? The stakes are high and getting it wrong means certain death. 

 

COLLISION coming soon to ITV1. Douglas Henshall Kate Ashfield Paul McGann and Phil Davis lead a prestigious cast in Collision a compelling new drama serial, created by Anthony Horowitz for ITV1. This tense thought provoking drama made by Greenlit Rights tells the story of a major road accident and a group of people who have never met but who all share one devastating moment that will change their lives.  The five part serial is a modern epic tale which explores how fragile our lives are. It focuses on how fate and the feeling of immortality behind the wheel play a part in our lives where events are not always in our control.   Amid the tangle of twisted metal and emotional turmoil wrought by the tragedy of a crash of this scale are the stories of the victims and the impact of the accident on their families friends and colleagues. As the terrible task of investigating the cause of the carnage begins a series of revelations emerge from Government cover up and smuggling to disturbing secrets and murder. Pictured : (Paul McGann) Richard Reeves. This photograph is (C) ITV Plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk.  This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Plc Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itvpictures.com For further information please contact: patrick.smith@itv.com

Paul McGann, who established his name in the iconic cult film Withnail and I, returns to the stage for his first UK Tour. As well as numerous TV and film credits, including the TV series Hornblower, Luther and the film Alien3, Paul’s theatre credits include Helen at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, Butley in London’s West End and Mourning Becomes Electraat the National Theatre. Paul will play the role of Von Pfunz.

 

Robin Morrissey will play the title role of Gabriel. His previous theatre credits include The Government Inspector(Birmingham Rep & UK Tour), Sex and the Three Day Week (Liverpool Playhouse), Juno and the Paycock (Bristol Old Vic) and Twelfth Night (Liverpool Everyman). Television credits include Holby City (BBC) and Doctors (BBC).

 

Sarah Schoenbeck will be playing Lily. Sarah’s theatre credits include The Breadwinner and The Man Who Pays the Piper (Orange Tree Theatre) and Sam Wanamaker Festival (Shakespeare’s Globe). Sarah’s television credits include Doctors (BBC) and the regular role of Lizzie Baker in 4 O’Clock Club (CBBC).

 

Venice van Someren will be playing the role of Estelle. Venice recently graduated from drama school. Since graduating, theatre credits include Thérèse Raquin (Southwark Playhouse) and Jodie in Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down (Theatre N16). This is Venice’s debut UK Tour. 

Gabriel is directed by Kate McGregor. Kate is Artistic Director of award-winning Theatre6 and winner of the Noel Coward Trainee Director Bursary at the Salisbury Playhouse. Her credits include Kinetics (UK Tour), Grace: A Youth Musical (New Wimbledon Theatre), Honest (UK Tour) Moments (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Water Engine / Mr Happiness (Old Vic Tunnels, Time Out Award nominated), The Ripple Effect (Richmond Theatre – London 2012 Festival), Never Any Fruit (Pleasance Theatre Studio), The Double (White Bear Theatre).