Author: FairyPoweredProductions

Full Cast for YOUNG MARX

 

Nancy Carroll (Jenny von Westphalen), Laura Elphinstone (Nym), Eben Figueiredo (Schramm), Nicholas Burns (Willich), Tony Jayawardena (Gert “Doc” Schmidt), Miltos Yerolemou (Barthélemy), Duncan Wisbey(Fleece/Darwin), Scott Karim (Grabiner/ Singe), Alana Ramsey (Mrs Mullett), Sophie Russell (Librarian),Fode Simbo (Peter), William Troughton (Constable Crimp) and Joseph Wilkins (Sergeant Savage) join the previously announced Rory Kinnear (Marx) and Oliver Chris (Engels) in the world premiere of Young Marx, a new comedy by Richard Bean and Clive Coleman, directed by Nicholas Hytner.

Reuniting the creative team behind the smash hit One Man, Two Guvnors, Young Marx, the opening production at The Bridge, runs from 18 October (opening night Thursday 26 October) until 31 December 2017.  Designs are by Mark Thompson with music by Grant Olding, lighting by Mark Henderson and sound by Paul Arditti.

1850, and Europe’s most feared terrorist is hiding in Dean Street, Soho. Broke, restless and horny, the thirty-two-year-old revolutionary is a frothing combination of intellectual brilliance, invective, satiric wit, and child-like emotional illiteracy.  Creditors, spies, rival revolutionary factions and prospective seducers of his beautiful wife all circle like vultures. His writing blocked, his marriage dying, his friend Engels in despair at his wasted genius, his only hope is a job on the railway. But there’s still no one in the capital who can show you a better night on the piss than Karl Heinrich Marx.

 

Young Marx will be broadcast on National Theatre Live on 7 December 2017.

London Theatre Company’s new Bridge Theatre is situated on the river by Tower Bridge and City Hall. Tickets are priced from £15 to £65 with a limited number of premium seats available.   A special allocation of £15 seats will be held for Young Bridge, a free scheme for those under 26.  The Bridge auditorium is a collaboration between Haworth Tompkins, LTC and Tait Stage Technologies – winner of two Queen’s Awards for Export. It is made of precision-engineered steel with oak finishes in a modular construction – a first of its kind – which also incorporates the air conditioning, house lights, power and data.

Listings Information

Address:                                  The Bridge Theatre, One Tower Bridge, London SE1 2SD

Box Office:                              0843 208 1846 or boxoffice@bridgetheatre.co.uk

Access:                                    0333 320 0051 or access@bridgetheatre.co.uk

Website:                                  www.bridgetheatre.co.uk

Twitter:                                    @_bridgetheatre

Instagram:                                _bridgetheatre

Facebook:                                facebook.com/bridgetheatrelondon

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 19 August 2017.  Reviewed by Jo Gordon & Harry Gordon 

4****

Stomp has been banging out the beats, delighting audiences globally now for 26 years. Five STOMP companies perform across the world keeping hardware stores in business having used up 20,000 drumsticks, 40,000 brooms, 60,000 boxes of matches, 30,000 bins and 35,000 litres of black paint!

Harry (a sensory seeker who thinks loud noise could only be improved by making it louder!) and I love to tap our pens, drum a table, bang a pot and generally annoy the rest of the family with our constant noise, so we knew this was going to hit the spot for us. The set resembles something from a scrapyard. The show starts nice and quiet with a lone man and a broom making gentle sweeping noises, more and more cast members join him and the fun begins! A multitude of rhythms are beaten out on an array of everyday junkyard finds like metal sinks, ribbed pipes, shopping trolleys (the supermarket will no longer be a dull visit for us), basket balls, plastic oil drums, buckets ….. the list is endless!

There is a very clever moment where the lights are down and we are given a quieter musical moment using flip top petrol lighters, following the flames along and back again. Despite there being no dialect there is still plenty of comedy suitable for all ages and plenty of audience participation.  As the show nears the end the theatre fills with a crescendo of noise beaten out on dustbins, dustbin lids and oil drums with energetic cast members flinging themselves around like Olympian gymnasts!  It was at this point I had to hold Harry’s wheelchair down as he flung himself side to side with the beat, using his legs as drums and enjoying the fact you could feel the noise resonate through your body …. sensory seeking most defiantly accomplished!

A great show for all the family, a bunch of noise turned into something amazing.

Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield – until 19 August 2017

4****

Our House is a simple moralistic tale based around the songs of Madness.  Its full of fun and this mainly young but talented company breathe life and fun into Tim Firth’s script.

On his 16th birthday, Jo Casey has to make a simple choice – run away or stay and face the consequences.  We then follow Jo through his adult life to see how his choices at 16 shaped his adult life.  With good Joe forever in an angelic white tracksuit and bad Joe in the black suit, red shirt combo of the devil.

The production is guided by two very strong leads. As Joe Casey, Jason Kajdi has a real presence and energy, while also bringing some lovely facial expressions for the more emotional scenes. Sophie Matthew, playing his love interest, Sarah, has the strongest singing voice of the principals, particularly letting rip in ‘N.W.5’.

Deena Payne is woefully underused in her role as Kath Casey, Joe’s mum. However Callum McArdle as his deceased father, urging Joe not to make the mistakes he did, shines throughout.  His Elvis is to be seen to be believed!

George Sampson as Reecey, constantly trying to make Joe into a criminal, shows he’s as good a singer and actor has he is a dancer and wow, can he dance as the finale shows.

Billy Roberts as Emmo, Will Haswell as Lewis, Etisyai Philip as Billie and Jessica Niles as Angie are the best friends of Sarah and Joe and help to carry the narrative with huge stage presence.

Firth cleverly weaves together the stories told by the original songs to deliver an affecting tale, including the joyous sense of community in Our House, the bitter-sweetness at the heart of It Must Be Love, a fun Driving In My Car, delivered while riding a 1950s banger, and a daft House of Fun dance sequence that lived up to that song’s silliness.  Even the biggest “Nutty Boys” fan can’t helped to be charmed by how well the story fits the music of Madness.  The choreography by Fabian Aloise is fun and energetic and respects the distinctive moves made originally by the band.  

A massive special mention must go out to the lightening quick changes made by Kajdi as he went from good Joe to bad in the space of seconds – kudos to whoever was back there helping him, you did a fabulous job.

It’s a smart and emotional piece directed with real energy and excitement, touching on subjects including love, poverty, parenthood, and how communities are pulled apart for profit.  Emotional, exhausting and full of fun – you can’t fail to leave with a smile on your face

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Sweet Venues, Apex Hotel – until 28 August

5**** (because I can’t give 10)

I love musical theatre and I covered the Queens of Henry VIII as part of my History degree so I knew I would love this show – and I did.

With the tag line “Divorced … Beheaded … Live”, SiX tells the story of the unfortunate wives of Henry VIII now reformed as a girl group, embarking on a world tour.   

Performed by students of the Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society, this original new musical, co-written by Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow, delivers a completely unforgettable history lesson. Jamie Armitage’s choreography sees the Queens dance in both Tudor and modern day style and they are supported by a live band.  The costumes by Agnes Cameron are a modern twist of each Queens individuality and Jack Parham’s set is striking in its understatement

The Queens all compete to be the group’s lead by singing a song to show why they all suffered the most at the hands of their husband.  Catherine of Aragon (Megan Gilbert) tells us how she was thrown over after 24 years of marriage because Henry was bored.  Anne Boleyn (Ashleigh Weir) is sassy and manipulative but entertaining.  Jane Seymore (Holly Musgrave) is heart wrenchingly sad when she tells us she never had the chance to see her son grow up.  Anna of Cleeves (Matilda Wickham) was divorced because she wasn’t considered to be as beautiful as her portrait but now lives a happy quiet life of luxury.  Katherine Howard (Annabel Marlow) sings how her youth and immaturity caused her to be little more than a plaything beheaded when Henry became bored with her and Catherine Parr (Shimali de Silva) told how she loved someone else but once Henry decided he wanted her, she had to give up her man and marry him instead.

With styles of music from Adele, Ariana Grande, German techno, Beyonce and more the songs were both historically accurate and lyrically poignant, whilst completely different – giving each Queen the individuality and character she deserved.

This was the ultimate in girl power with a thoroughly deserved standing ovation at the end.  The lyrics are catchy and I’m still humming along to the show now.  I desperately hope there is a soundtrack CD to accompany the production because I would be playing it all the time.  This is a musical that deserves more than a month long run at the Fringe – this, unlike the wives, deserves a very long life

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Sweet Venues, Apex Hotel – until 28 August

5*****

On our journey up the Royal Mile we were handed a flyer in the shape of a TARDIS advertising the show. My son was immediately interested, being a massive Whovian and so we got tickets and attended the show all within the space of half an hour – and what a fabulous decision we had made.

Improvisation is always a risk, there must be a level of trust with the actors in order for it all to work and thankfully Any Suggestions Doctor worked extremely well.  The team of Doctors consisted of Lewis Dunn, Harry Whittaker, James Gamblin, Charles Deane, Matthew Stallworthy and Louise Jones.  We cheered to chose the Doctor of the day and Louise won

The audience were asked to make suggestions to where the story was set with Russia and the Jungle winning.  The name of the story was drawn from a hat from suggestions made by the audience whilst in the queue to get in.  The random title was “The new Doctor is Stalin”

With music from Alex, the titles began, the TARDIS whirled across the stage and we were there.  The Doctor was in disguise as Miss Smith a History teacher who spent a lot of time in her “stationery cupboard”.  School boy Brian (Gamblin) got dragged along on an adventure when he needed to know about Soviet Russia for a test set by Mr Johnson (Whittaker).  Meanwhile in the Congo, Jeffrey (Dunn) and Trevor (Whittaker) had crash landed their plane, the only two survivors, on the way to Magaluf.  They were found in the jungle by Boris (Deane) who took them back to the camp as hostages where they were guarded by The Nightguard (Stallworthy).  After Jeffrey escapes and goes down the gold mine he lets out a hideous scream and Trevor panics.  

The Doctor is found by Boris who mistakes her for Stalin, taking her and Brian back to the camp where they learn from Trevor about Jeffrey.  The Nightguard is revealed to be a robot who is trying to destroy the gold mine to destroy all the gold under orders from the Cybermen.

The Doctor, of course, saves the day; Brian passes his History test and all ends well.  And all of this was thought up in the space of minutes.

You of course will see a totally different show and you will be as thoroughly entertained as we were.  Well worth a visit if you like Doctor Who and comedy.

London Irish Centre – until 25 August.  Reviewed by Sabrina Fancy

3***

Ever wonder what attending a real life beauty pageant feels like? Enter the comedy based on a beauty pageant aptly called- Pageant.

This musical spoof is set in the US where 6 contestants compete for the chance to be crowned as ‘ Miss Glamouresse’ (A prominent cosmetics company).

Set in the US the contestants consists include Miss Deep South, Miss West Coast, Miss Great Plains, Miss Bible Belt, Miss Texas and Miss Industrial Northeast. The contestants embody the biggest clichés and stereotypes of the areas they represent, which can be quite amusing at times! However, many of the jokes are difficult to get, unless you are quite familiar with the cultures of the various US states.

What is different about Pageant is the fact that the entire cast is played by males, and very convincingly as well!

The smarmy host and contestants of the pageant play their role with gusto and songs pepper the show as it goes through the various traditional pageant rituals, starting with the talent portion.

This section showcased each contestant (one right after another) various talents. Some of the talents were rather bizarre as opposed to amusing, including an odd puppet show, a ventriloquist and a dated interpretative dance. It dragged on and would have been far more enjoyable had it been shorter or the contests were all on stage at the same time performing almost simultaneously.

This continues with evening gown portion where the costumes are brilliant and over the top and there is lots of glitter and glam and followed by the swimsuit along with their spokes model abilities.

There is a lot of audience participation, as members from the audience are selected as the ‘judges’ and has the final say on the winner. While I have never attended a pageant, the show made me feel that I was at a real one because of glamour!

The show picks up after the interval, especially with the physical fitness routine but sadly, it’s not enough to save this ageing production. While the concept of the show is a good one, it falls short- not due to the performances which were stellar- but by the actual material which was dated and felt a bit flat as there was not nearly enough bitchiness or drama that you would expect.

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED MUSICAL ‘IN GAY COMPANY’ MAKES WEST END DEBUT

In Gay Company, the stylish musical revue by Fred Silver, makes its West End debut at the Jermyn Street Theatre later this month for a limited run.

First opened off Broadway in 1974, the original production was nominated for “Best Score” by the New York Drama Critic Circle in 1975. It combines witty cabaret songs and inventive musical numbers, referencing many musical styles as diverse as Broadway, Jazz, Grand Opera, Sondheim and even a gay Gregorian chant!

The musical tells the story of four gay men and a straight woman and their experiences of life in 1960s and 1970s. At a time when same sex relationships had to be hidden for fear of recrimination, In Gay Company exposes the secret language and private relationships that became established between gay men meeting together, be they firemen, monks, ballet dancers, or simply as strangers meeting in a late-night bar.

Amongst these four men is one single lonely lady, who keeps thinking she has found her perfect match — a man so sensitive, so charming and bright… but in the end he turns out to be… well there is only one word for it… Gay!

Directed by Darren Royston, Musical Direction by Tom Wakeley and produced by Tom Wakeley and Philip Noel, the new production stars Matthew Boyd, Kelly Burke, James Hodgson, David Pendlebury and Gary Tushaw.

The show runs from Wednesday 16th to Friday 18th August 7:30pm – Saturday 19th matinee only at 5:00pm.

Musical Director Tom Wakeley said: “It is a true labour of love to bring In Gay Company to the West End stage. As we celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act it is a perfect time to look back on life in a very different age!”

For tickets please click here: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/jermynstreettheatre/list.aspx?tagref=137

Or call the Jermyn Street Theatre Box Office: 020 7287 2875.

Box office opening hours:

 1.00pm-9.00pm (Mon/Fri)

              1.00pm – 9.00pm Saturday
1.00pm – 7.00pm Sunday (if there is a performance)

There is a 24 hour answerphone available at all other times.

Tickets are £20.00 (£17.00 concessions).

ACCLAIMED MUSICAL CRAZY FOR YOU HEADS TO NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL AS PART OF NATIONWIDE TOUR

 

TV and stage favourites Tom Chambers, Caroline Flack and Charlotte Wakefield are to star in the national tour of Crazy for You which plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Tue 12 – Sat 16 Sep ’17.

High energy, high kicking and gloriously glamorous, Crazy for You is the ultimate feel-good musical with a fabulous score from the Gershwin brothers’ songbook. Mistaken identities, plot twists, heartbreak, happiness and a wealth of memorable tunes, including I Got Rhythm, They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Nice Work If You Can Get It and Embraceable You, all feature in this exhilarating celebration of the great Broadway musicals.

Tom Chambers will play the role of ‘Bobby’.  Tom created the role of ‘Jerry Travers’ in the West End musical Top Hat, for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. His other stage credits include a recent UK tour of Private Lives and White Christmas in the West End. Tom’s TV credits include the BBC dramas Holby City and Waterloo Road. He also won the 6^th season of Strictly Come Dancing in 2008.

Fellow dance floor champion Caroline Flack will make her stage debut as ‘Irene’.  The 2014 Strictly Come Dancing winner can currently be seen hosting ITV’s Love Island and her previous presenting credits include I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here NOW! and The Xtra Factor. She has also presented The X Factor. Prior to presenting, Caroline trained in musical theatre.

West End star Charlotte Wakefield returns to Newcastle Theatre Royal and as ‘Polly’. She last appeared as ‘Laurey’ in Oklahoma! in 2015 and made her West End debut as ‘Wendla’ in Spring Awakening, for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award. She played ‘Maria’ in the critically acclaimed production of The Sound of Music at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre receiving nominations for Best Actress in a Musical at both the Evening Standard and Olivier Awards. Her other theatre credits include ‘Sophie’ in Mamma Mia! in the West End and ‘Truly Scrumptious’ in the national tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

High energy, high kicking and gloriously glamorous, Crazy for You is the ultimate feel-good musical with a fabulous score from the Gershwin brothers’ songbook. Mistaken identities, plot twists, heartbreak, happiness and a wealth of memorable tunes, including I Got Rhythm, They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Nice Work If You Can Get It and Embraceable You, all feature in this exhilarating celebration of the great Broadway musicals.

Crazy for You plays at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tue 12 until Sat 16 Sep ’17 with evening performances at 7.30pm and matinees on Wed & Thu 2pm and Sat 2.30pm. Tickets from £17.50 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

FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL BOOGIES INTO SHEFFIELD THIS SUMMER

 

The smash hit production, Footloose: The Musical comes to the Lyceum Theatre stage from Tuesday 29 August – Saturday 2 September.

Based on the 1984 film starring Kevin Bacon, Footloose: The Musical tells the story of city boy Ren, who moves to a rural backwater in America where dancing is banned. All hell breaks loose when Ren gets the whole town up on its feet dancing. Featuring classic ‘80’s hits including Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise, Let’s Hear it for the Boy and of course the unforgettable Footloose, the production is bursting with dazzling dancing and electrifying music.

 

The cast features Maureen Nolan as Vi Moore, best known for performing with her sisters as The Nolans, before going on to a hugely successful career in musical theatre, most notably as Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers. Joining Maureen are Joshua Dowen (Cool Rider) as Ren McCormack, the role immortalized on screen by Kevin Bacon, Hannah Price (reprising her performance from the 2016 tour), Reuven Gershon (Let It Be), Lindsay Goodhand (Crazy for You), Laura Sillett (Grease), Connor Going (The Pirates of Penzance), Emma Fraser (The Vaudevillians), Gracie Lai (Avenue Q), Laurence Libor (American Idiot), Tomas Wolstenhome (Once), Alex Marshall (Buddy), Dominic Gee Burch, Luke Dowling, Grace Lancaster, Jamie Ross and Lauren Storer.

 

Footloose: The Musical is at the Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 29 August – Saturday 2 September. Tickets are priced from £17.00 and can be purchased by calling the Box Office on 0114 249 6000 or by visiting sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

 

IS DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE

THREE CONCERT-STYLE WORKSHOP PEFORMANCES OF

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S MUSICAL

STARLIGHT EXPRESS  

ON THURSDAY 14, FRIDAY 15 AND

SATURDAY 16 SEPTEMBER AT 7.30PM

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 11 AUGUST AT 12.00NOON

The Other Palace is delighted announce three concert-style workshop performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical STARLIGHT EXPRESS, in The Theatre at The Other Palace on Thursday 14 , Friday 15 and Saturday 16 September at 7.30pm. All tickets are priced £25 and go on sale at 12.00noon on Friday 11 August. Tickets are only available from The Other Palace Box Office, online at theotherpalace.co.uk or by calling 020 7087 7900.

Members of the original creative team of STARLIGHT EXPRESS will collaborate again, along with a group of carefully chosen actors and musicians to explore the piece. Focussing on the score and lyrics, and working for a week before the public showings, Andrew and the team will continue to work on the show in the daytime before evening performances, responding to audience reaction and feedback as they navigate the exciting process of revisiting this classic work.

STARLIGHT EXPRESS originally opened in the West End in 1984 where it ran for over 7000 performances, and continues to run in a purpose built venue in Bochum, Germany where more than 15 million people have seen it. The Bochum production celebrates its 30^th anniversary next year.

The Other Palace opened in February 2017 as a new home for musical theatre. The Other Palace workshops are a great way to utilise what The Other Palace is all about; a place to discover, develop, explore and reimagine work, whether that be new or existing and established pieces.

www.rawpr.co.uk      Twitter @RawPRTweets     Instagram @RawPRTheatre

LISTINGS

STARLIGHT EXPRESS

Tickets: £25

Online: www.theotherpalace.co.uk

Phone: 020 7087 7900

In person:  Box Office is open from 10.00am-6.30pm on show days and 10.00am – 6.00pm on non-show days.  Sundays and Bank Holidays may vary.

Address: 12 Palace St, Westminster, London SW1E 5JA