Susan Lindsay

22nd October 2015

LOUISE JAMESON WILL STAR IN THE 2016 UK TOUR OF AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE MOUSETRAP

LOUISE JAMESON WILL STAR IN THE 2016 UK TOUR OF AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE MOUSETRAP

THE RECORD-BREAKING 60TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR CONTINUES WITH ITS FIRST 2016 ENGAGEMENT AT NOTTINGHAM THEATRE ROYAL ON 19 JANUARY

Louise Jameson (Doctor Who, EastEnders, Doc Martin) will star as Mrs Boyle in the record-breaking 60th anniversary tour of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap from January 2016. The beloved murder mystery will begin the 2016 leg of its tour at Nottingham Theatre Royal on 19 January before visiting more than 25 further venues across the UK. Further casting will be announced in due course.

Louise Jameson is best well-known for her long-running roles as Leela, a companion of Tom Baker’s Doctor in Doctor Who, Susan Young in Bergerac¸ Eleanor Glasson in Doc Martin, and Rosa di Marco in EastEnders. In addition to Louise’s illustrious roles on screen, she has also appeared on stage in Love, Loss and What I Wore (The Mill, Sonning), Noises Off (Mercury Theatre), Gutted (Theatre Royal, Stratford East) and Oedipus (The Liverpool Everyman & Nottingham Playhouse).

Louise said: “I thought about doing something special for my 65th birthday in 2016. Just how did I get to be 65? The same way The Mousetrap has run for nearly that length of time I suppose, just second by second time has ticked away we’ve both lasted this long, and so we’ll be celebrating together. That’s quite special.”

The production, which originally opened at Nottingham Theatre Royal in 1952 starring the late Richard Attenborough and his wife Sheila Sim before embarking on its current record-breaking West End run, continues its journey across the breadth of the country, visiting towns and cities including Brighton, Reading, Darlington, Grimsby, York, Portsmouth, Cheltenham, Stoke, Woking, Leicester, Liverpool, Harrogate, Shrewsbury, Dartford, Yeovil, Hereford, Derby, Kings Lynn, Salisbury, Manchester, Aylesbury, Torquay, Llandudno, Jersey and Bristol.

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap has been the world’s longest running stage production at its London home since breaking the record in 1958 and recently celebrated its 26,000th performance. The 60th Anniversary – and first ever – UK tour of this beloved murder mystery is approaching 1000 performances and has now been seen by nearly 1 million people, having broken box office records in many of its tour venues.

Mousetrap Productions has also licensed 60 productions of The Mousetrap worldwide to mark the 60th year, and many of these have also broken records, from Cape Town to Philadelphia, Singapore to Sydney. During this period, the world’s longest running show will have been seen in every continent with professional productions in Australia, China, Korea, Turkey, South Africa, Russia, Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Poland, Spain, Scandinavia, Venezuela, and across the United States and Canada.

The Mousetrap continues its open-ended run at St. Martin’s Theatre, London. The UK tour is currently booking until August 2016.

www.mousetrapontour.com

Louise Jameson’s final appearance in The Mousetrap will be 30 July 2016 at Venue Cymru Llandudno. Casting for the rest of the tour will be announced in due course.

2015 TOUR DATES

19 – 24 October
Mercury Theatre, Colchester
www.mercurytheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01206 573 948

26 – 31 October
The Town House, Hamilton
www.sllcboxoffice.co.uk
Box Office: 01698 452 122

2 – 7 November
Buxton Opera House
www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk
Box Office: 0845 127 2190

9 – 14 November
Coventry Belgrade
www.belgrade.co.uk
Box Office: 024 7655 3055

16 – 21 November
Alhambra Theatre Dunfermline
www.alhambradunfermline.com
Box Office: 01383 740 384

23 – 28 November
Chichester Festival Theatre
www.cft.org.uk
Box Office: 01243 781312

2016 TOUR DATES

19 – 23 January
Theatre Royal Nottingham
www.trch.co.uk
Box Office: 0115 989 5555

25 – 30 January
Theatre Royal Brighton
On sale 7 July
www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton
Box Office: 0844 871 7627

1 – 6 February
The Hexagon, Reading
www.readingarts.com/thehexagon
Box Office: 0118 960 6060

8 – 13 February
Darlington Civic Theatre
www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk
Box Office: 01325 486555

15 – 20 February
Grimsby Auditorium
www.grimsbyauditorium.org.uk
Box Office: 0844 871 3016

22 – 27 February
York Grand Opera House
www.atgtickets.com/venues/grand-opera-house-york
Box Office: 0844 871 3024

29 February – 5 March
Lighthouse Poole
www.lighthousepoole.co.uk
Box Office: 0844 406 8666

7 – 12 March
Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield
www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk
Box Office: 01246 345 222

14 – 19 March
New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
www.newtheatreroyal.com
Box Office: 02392 843 979

21 – 26 March
Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
ON SALE SOON
www.everymantheatre.org.uk
Box Office: 01242 572573

4 – 9 April
The Lichfield Garrick Theatre
www.lichfieldgarrick.com
Box Office: 01543 412121

11 – 13 April
The Regent Theatre, Stoke
www.atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre
Box Office: 0844 871 7649

14 – 16 April
New Victoria Theatre, Woking
www.atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre
Box Office: 0844 871 7649

18 – 20 April
De Montfort Hall, Leicester
www.demontforthall.co.uk
Box Office: 0116 233 3111

21 – 23 April
Liverpool Empire
www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire
Box Office: 0151 702 7320

25 – 30 April
Embassy Theatre, Skegness
www.embassytheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 0845 674 0505

2 – 7 May
Harrogate Theatre
www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01423 502 116

9 – 14 May
Severn Theatre, Shrewsbury
ON SALE SOON
www.theatresevern.co.uk
Box Office: 01743 281281

16 – 21 May
The Orchard Theatre, Dartford
www.orchardtheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01322 220 000

23 – 28 May
Octagon Theatre, Yeovil
www.octagon-theatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01935 422 884

30 May – 4 June
The Courtyard, Hereford
www.courtyard.org.uk
Box Office: 01432 340 555

6 – 11 June
Derby Theatre
www.derbytheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01332 59 39 39

13 – 18 June
Kings Lynn Corn Exchange
www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk
Box Office: 01553 764864

20 – 25 June
Salisbury Playhouse
ON SALE SOON
www.salisburyplayhouse.com
Box Office: 01722 320 333

27 June – 2 July
Opera House Manchester
www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester
Box Office: 0844 871 3018

4 – 9 July
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/venues/aylesbury-waterside-theatre
Box Office: 0844 871 7607

18 – 23 July
Princess Theatre Torquay
www.atgtickets.com/venues/princess-theatre-torquay
Box Office: 0844 871 3023

25 – 30 July
Venue Cymru Llandudno
www.venuecymru.co.uk
Box Office: 01492 872000

1 – 6 August
Jersey Opera House
www.jerseyoperahouse.co.uk
Box Office: 01534 511 115

8 – 13 August
Bristol Hippodrome
www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome
Box Office: 0844 871 3012

22nd October 2015

Parkinson Interviews Gary Barlow & Tim Firth

YORKSHIRE’S OWN MICHAEL PARKINSON INTERVIEWS GARY BARLOW & TIM FIRTH

AHEAD OF WORLD PREMIERE OF THEIR NEW MUSICAL IN LEEDS

Yorkshire Broadcaster, journalist and author Michael Parkinson met with Gary Barlow and Tim Firth this week to talk to them about their new joint venture The Girls. The Girls is a brand new musical based on the hugely successful stage play and film The Calendar Girls (both written by Tim Firth) that tell the story of a group of ordinary women from Yorkshire who did something extraordinary and took the world by storm.

The musical makes its world premiere in the heart of Yorkshire at Leeds Grand Theatre from Saturday November 14^th to Saturday December 12^th this year.

Tickets are on sale now priced from £10 to £45.

Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call box office on 0844 848 2700.

PARKINSON MEETS BARLOW AND FIRTH, THE CREATORS OF “THE GIRLS”

When it comes to writing popular songs Gary Barlow has few equals – 50 million records sold and still counting. His mate Tim Firth is a childhood friend who hit the jackpot when he wrote the film and the play of The Calendar Girls. For the past two years they have been collaborating on a musical version of that inspiring story of the 12 members of the Rylstone & District Women’s Institute in Yorkshire who took off their clothes to produce an alternative calendar in memory of a friend, which became a worldwide sensation and made a shed load of money for cancer research.

The show opens in Leeds in November which maybe explains why Gary and Tim seem in a hurry. If they set our lunch to music it would be a quick step.

Tim’s original idea was to collaborate on an album of ‘blowsy, witty, big songs for English Divas.’ Gary who has penned hits for Shirley Bassey and film was interested.

At this stage, the idea of turning Calendar Girls into a musical was far from Tim’s mind, indeed he thought that after the play and the film there was little a musical adaptation could add to the story.

But then Tim began to think that perhaps these series of songs ‘Could become special moments that you achieve in a musical that you can’t achieve in a play, where the character actually sits and inhabits their own thoughts and we share those thoughts, deep thoughts.’ Moreover, he began to think, these songs could be married with the story of Calendar Girls. And so the idea of Calendar Girls the Musical was born.

The dynamic of Tim and Gary’s collaboration was unusual. Tim would send Gary a line indicating a facet of the woman’s character such as ‘So I’ve had some work done’, or a title such as ‘Mrs Conventional’, or an anthem to Yorkshire, and Gary would set about writing a 3– minute song about that.

Tim would then take all the songs that Gary produced and mix and match them – a verse here, a chorus there, to create new compositions to fit the story of the piece.

The result is a musical score that is a patchwork quilt of songs that incorporate different bits of different songs as well as both of Tim’s and Gary’s lyrics.

For Tim, though, the additional challenge was to make the musical a fresh take on the original story. It couldn’t just be the story of the play with a few songs in it, but a completely different take on the same theme.

Tim calls it a Village Green Musical in that it is as much about the life and the people living in a small town as it is about the extraordinary story that took place in it.

Yet, although, in Tim’s estimation, he’s changed 90% of the story, the essential honesty must remain because ‘every so often the daughter and son of John – the cancer victim who inspired the calendar – turn up and its always a kicker, and you think yeah that’s someone’s dad you’re dealing with here, it’s not just a character in your musical, this is a living issue for those people.’

They took the production to Burnsall Village Hall, the place where the story began, for a weekend of concert performances with the cast reading off book.

For Tim, this was a necessary and important process. Firstly, because he wanted the local community, and in particular the ladies themselves, to get a first look at the intended production, and secondly, because he wanted the honest Northern feedback from a real audience that he wouldn’t get in a sterile rehearsal room.

This and the project in general, has been a real eye opener for Gary in particular. It has allowed him to address what he does as a songwriter in a number of ways.

He has spent most of his career writing songs and then in his words, ‘dressing them up to make them sound better.’ For these performances the songs had to stand up to being played in a village hall on a piano and guitar which made him think about how he writes songs in a way his career in pop never did.

He also had the novel experience of revisiting his songs and re-working them as the piece developed in rehearsal.

He is by nature a writer of hit records and yet he knew above all that the songs must in style and tempo serve the narrative of the script first. He believes there are 2 or 3 songs that people will be singing as they leave the theatre. For him the ‘complete luxury of living with these songs, rethinking them, re-branding them, changing the tempo, it’s been so beautiful to watch it and I do believe we’ve now got the best versions of our songs.’

The play will open in Leeds just before Christmas and Manchester just after, before hopefully transferring to the West End. I’ll be there.

MICHAEL PARKINSON

20th October 2015

The Killing of Sister George opens Nov 4th

October 29th – November 21st 2015

London Theatre Workshop

Press Night: November 4th 2015, 7.45pm

First produced in 1965, The Killing of Sister George is a controversial, poignant and darkly funny exploration of emotional dependence and the gap between public perception and private reality. Originally most famous for its undertones of domestic abuse and then-illegal lesbian relationships, Artful Theatre’s 50th Anniversary production now focuses on the ‘behind-the-scenes’ world at the BBC where perception is everything. Recent revelations surrounding Jimmy Saville and national news stories about Jeremy Clarkson’s antics and the sacking of Tom Jones bring this sharply into focus. Was this iconic play an unwitting glimpse into the tawdry, sordid media world of the 1960s as it really was? – AND – Has anything really changed?

The death of a popular soap character is a regular occurrence in 2015, however way back in 1954 when the character of Grace Archer was killed off in a stable fire in the BBC radio serial The Archers there was a national outcry and a healthy boost in the radio drama’s audience figures. Frank Marcus wrote The Killing of Sister George around a very similar scenario for the stage in 1965, which became his most famous play.

The Killing of Sister George was first produced by Ann Pinnington in 1965 – who now produces Roaring Trade at the Park Theatre, which opens on Oct 3rd, starring Nick Moran and her grandson Tim George. She first worked with producer Justin Savage on The King’s Speech, who now produces The Killing of Sister George at London Theatre Workshop.

Cast

Janet Amsden (Madame Xenia)

Sioned Jones (‘Sister George’)

Briony Rawle (‘Childie’)

Sarah Shelton (Mrs Mercy Croft)

Performance Dates

October 29th 2015 – November 21st 2015

Tuesday – Saturday, 7.45pm

Matinees Saturday and Sunday at 3pm

Running Time 2 hrs

Venue

London Theatre Workshop, 65 New Kings Road, London SW6 4SG

Ticket Price £15 (£12 concessions)

Box Office London Theatre Workshop (live.advancedticketing.co.uk)

Links Website (londontheatreworkshop.co.uk)

20th October 201520th October 2015

LORD OF THE FLIES EXPLODES ONTO THE LYCEUM STAGE NEXT MONTH

LORD OF THE FLIES EXPLODES ONTO THE LYCEUM STAGE NEXT MONTH

Regent’s Park Theatre’s critically-acclaimed production of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies comes to the Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 November as part of a major UK tour. The production marks the return of Regent’s Park Theatre to Sheffield following their smash hit production of To Kill a Mockingbird earlier this year.

After a group of schoolboys survive a catastrophic plane crash, what starts as a classic desert island adventure quickly descends into a struggle for survival in a darkly sinister world of superstition and immorality. William Golding’s 20^th century classic explodes onto the stage in this remarkable production direct from London’s award-winning Regent’s Park Theatre.

First published in 1954, Lord of the Flies was William Golding’s debut novel. His other works includeFree Fall, The Spire, Rites of Passage (Booker Prize winner), The Paper Men and Fire Down Below.In 1983 Golding was awarded The Nobel Prize in Literature.

Don’t miss this acclaimed production of William Golding’s 20^th century classic when it explodes onto the Lyceum stage in this gripping adaptation.

Lord of the Flies is at the Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 November. Tickets can be purchased from Sheffield Theatres’ Box Office in-person, by phone on 0114 249 6000 or online at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/ and are priced from £15.00 – £28.00 (a transaction fee of £1.50 (£1.00 online) applies to all bookings made at the Box Office, excluding cash), and discounts are available.

20th October 2015

Black Lives, Black Words at the Bush Theatre

Artistic Directors of the Future (ADF)

Black Lives, Black Words

Tuesday 27 October, 7.30pm

Bush Theatre

Artistic Directors of the Future (ADF) present Black Lives, Black Words, a presentation of eight fifteen-minute play readings from eight black British playwrights in the city of London. This play series is tied in with a shared project initiated by the award -winning American playwright Reginald Edmund, who produced the USA premiere in Chicago in July 2015. Black Lives, Black Words aims to explore the black diaspora experiences in some of the largest multicultural cities in the world, Chicago, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Baltimore and London to investigate the question‘Do black lives matter today?’

Staged in two of the largest multicultural cities in the world, both with a history of race rioting, damaging reports in the media and institutionalised racism, the second event in the series aims to shed light on how issues such as these have impacted those who understand, live and work in these communities and most importantly, what can be done to resolve these issues. ADF hopes that by providing a safe space for many voices to be heard it will empower others to engage in the discussion and encourage a collaborative approach to change. The plays aim to address contemporary political, socio-economical and cultural transatlantic black experiences allowing for creative critical appraisal.

Black Lives, Black Words opened on 28th July at the Greenhouse Theatre, Chicago establishing a dialogue within the community and local press including the New City Stage newspaper. The conversation is now being transferred to the Bush Theatre in London coordinated by Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway, Director of the Artistic Directors of the Future initiative of which all of the directors featured are associates. This event will subsequently be followed by a selection of Black Lives, Black Words plays touring to theatres in Baltimore, Cleveland, Minneapolis and Washington DC.

Black Lives, Black Words in London includes the following playwrights: Oladipo Agboluaje, Gbolahan Obisesan, Firdos Ali, Max K, Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, Trish Cooke, I.K Ssebandeke and Theresa Ikoko.

About ADF

Supported by the Young Vic Theatre and Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme the ADF initiative was set up in 2014 and currently has a core membership of over 50 BAME directors and a growing mailing list of 200 BAME directors. So far, ADF has gained the support from Royal Court Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Lyric Hammersmith, Unicorn Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Bush Theatre, Red Room and Tamasha Theatre Company in addition to the Young Vic Theatre. Individuals who support this initiative include Madani Younis, Kwame Kwei-Armah, and Topher Campbell.

Listings information

Black Lives, Black Words

Tue 27 October 2015

Bush Theatre, 7 Uxbridge Road, London W12 8LJ

7.30pm – 10pm | Free

20th October 2015

DEVOTED & DISGRUNTLED 11 TO TAKE PLACE IN BIRMINGHAM

IMPROBABLE ANNOUNCES DEVOTED & DISGRUNTLED 11 TO TAKE PLACE IN BIRMINGHAM

First time this influential annual event will happen outside of London

Desire to be a truly national event

Greater accessibility for regional participants

After a decade in London, Improbable’s Devoted & Disgruntled (D&D) annual event will take place at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Arising from a desire to be more national, available and accessible to people from across the UK, the idea to relocate has been under consideration since the hugely successful D&D Road Show in 2012.

Of the move, Artistic Director Phelim McDermott said “We are very excited about the opportunities that this change of venue opens up. We believe it will grow the D&D community and enrich the conversations that take place. We will of course continue working to make our Open Space events as accessible as possible because diversity is at the heart of this international conversation. For me, this year’s event being at The REP is an exhilarating new chapter in the story of D&D.”

Artistic Director Lee Simpson added “I think it’s fantastic that D&D is headed to Birmingham. I’m sure it will widen and diversify the work that gets done. At the same time we’re aware that London-based D&D devotees might be a bit disgruntled. We haven’t forgotten you, and we’d love to see London regulars at The REP. Improbable is working to connect with networks that will help make staying in Birmingham more affordable for you, and we also have our satellite events throughout the year, most of which will be in and around the capital. I hope we can have a conversation with anyone who does feel disappointed so between us we can find more ways to open more space in more places.”

The REP’s Artistic Director Roxana Silbert added: “We could not be happier about being the first regional venue to host Improbable’s annual January D&D. Although we know that it is the people who make it what it is, not the place, we see this as an important decision for those who may not have been able to engage with the event in previous years. D&D has a national impact already and I hope the move to the REP can make that even greater and more meaningful.”

Devoted & Disgruntled is a conference with a difference. It has become an essential and highly anticipated part of the theatre world’s annual calendar with a growing community and an ongoing dialogue. Themed D&D sessions take place throughout the year to focus on specific issues and art forms but the annual conference is singular and unique in its limitless agenda and because engagement and outcomes are entirely managed by attendees.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Devoted & Disgruntled 11
The Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2EP.
Dates & Times: Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 January 2016, 10:30 – 19:00; Sunday 10 January 2016, Monday 11 January 2016, 10:30 – 15:00.
Costs: If you book by midnight on 30 November 2015, full price tickets are £24. After this date full price tickets are £26. Concessions are £13 whenever you book.
Booking: https://www.tickettailor.com/buy-tickets/34395/3985/

19th October 2015

People, Places and Things to transfer to the West End

The National Theatre’s production of People, Places and Things will transfer to Wyndham’s theatre from March next year.

Duncan Macmillan’s new play opened at the Dorfman Theatre in September to excellent reviews, which heralded a stand-out turn from Denise Gough.

Gough will reprise her role as Emma, an actress whose life has been turned upside down by drink and drug addiction.

People, Places and Things is the latest collaboration between theatre company Headlong and the National Theatre, followingEarthquakes in London and The Effect.

The show, which is directed by Jeremy Herrin, is playing at the National until 4 November and tickets for the West End run go on sale from 22 October.

People, Places and Things opens at Wyndham’s on 15 March and has a press night on 23 March.

19th October 2015

Wilton’s Music Hall has its pantomime debut with Roy Hudd’s Dick Whittington

Dick Whittington and his trusty cat Tommy return to the heart of London from 1st to 31st December 2015 in the beautifully restored Wilton’s Music Hall.

The oldest surviving grand music hall anywhere in the world, Wilton’s Music Hall will be staging its first traditional family pantomime. Dick will be treading the golden streets of London looking to make his fortune and of course there are dames, baddies, romance, danger and evil rats a-plenty in toe.

For veteran comedian, actor, writer and broadcaster Roy Hudd, it was love at first sight. Having spent decades writing, directing and performing in pantomime, Roy Hudd fell in love with Wilton’s and has written this special version of Dick Whittington especially for the venue itself. The story will take the audience on a magical voyage from London’s docks to a far-off Sultan’s Palace and back.

Roy, an authority on the history of musical hall entertainment, said: “Together with music hall, pantomime is Britain’s great contribution to the world of popular entertainment. To be part of a true family show in the oldest music hall in Europe is a dream come true.”

Directing is Roy’s wife, Debbie Flitcroft, who readily admits that she’s learnt everything she knows about pantomime from her other half whom she met whilst working on her first ever pantomime at The Theatre Royal Nottingham. This will be her 14th year directing pantomime, but her first guiding her old man. Debbie has hand-picked a stellar cast of season panto performers including; Simon Burbage, Gareth Davies, Nicole Davis , Steven Hardcastle, Amelia Rose Morgan , Ian Parkin & Josh Tevendale. Like Roy, Debbie is bowled over to be working with such a terrific cast at the magical venue that is Wilton’s Music Hall.

The spectacular Dick Whittington will be a delight for all the family this Christmas. So if you’re looking for an alternative to busy high street crowds and want that traditional tingly Christmas feeling, come on down to Wilton’s; get cosy and warm the cockles of your heart, enjoy a tiddly wink or warm cup of mulled wine, gorgeous mince pies and mouth-watering food from Bliss Catering. The sheer magical beauty of Wilton’s music hall will truly encapsulate the festive season.

Ticket Information
1-31 December 2015
Matinee show start-time: 2pm
Evening show start-time: 7pm

19th October 2015

Disney’s The Lion King Musical celebrates 16th birthday in London

The West End production of Disney’s The Lion King celebrates its 16th birthday today.

The multi award-winning musical opened at London’s Lyceum Theatre on 19th October 1999 and has since been seen by over twelve million people. It is the fourth longest-running musical currently playing in the West End, behind Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera and Mamma Mia!, and the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.

The Lion King is the powerful and moving story of Simba – the epic adventure of his journey from wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pridelands.

Once the Lion Prince Simba is born, his evil uncle Scar is relegated to second in line to the throne. Scar plots to kill both Simba and his father, King Mufasa, before proclaiming himself King. Simba however, survives the plot. He is however, led to believe that his father died because of him and so he decides to flee the kingdom.

The stage musical is based on Disney’s 1994 animated film of the same name and made its world premiere on Broadway in 1997, following a short run at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Director Julie Taymor’s reimagined story features a book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi and Hans Zimmer’s original film score, along with Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Tim Rice and additional songs by Julie Taymor, Mark Mancina and Lebo M, who also produced the choral arrangements. It also has Choreography by Garth Fagan, Scenic Design by Richard Hudson, Lighting Design by Donald Holder, Mask and Puppet Co-Design by Michael Curry and Julie Taymor, Costume Design by Julie Taymor, Hair and Make-Up Design by Michael Ward, Sound Design by Steve Canyon Kennedy and Musical Supervision by Clement Ishmael. It is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions.

The musical features actors in in animal costumes and incorporates the use of puppetry.

The Lion King won six Tony Awards on Broadway, including Best Musical, and the West End production went on to be nominated for eight Lawrence Oliver Awards, winning Best Theatre Choreographer and Best Costume Design. The musical is a global hit and has now been seen by over 75 million people across six continents, having played in such places as Hamburg, Madrid, Tokyo, Paris, Sydney, and many more. The first ever UK tour of the show was launched in 2012.

The West End production overtook Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera last year as the most successful musical of all time, grossing $6.2 million worldwide. In January 2015, Disney released licensed 30-minute and 70-minute school versions of The Lion King for primary and secondary schools.

The current West End cast stars Jonathan Andrew Hume as Simba. The principal line-up also features Ava Brennan as Nala, George Asprey as Scar, Shaun Escoffery as Mufasa, Brown Lindiwe Mkhize as Rafiki, Howard Gossington as Zazu, Richard Frame as Timon, Keith Bookman as Pumbaa, and Nadine Higgin, David Blake and Mark McGee as hyenas Shenzi, Banzai and Ed. The role of Young Simba is shared by Geoffrey Berrisford, Kai Kennan-Felix, Taylor Keenan-Felix and Amir Wilson. The role of Young Nala is shared by India Brown, Indie Gjesdal, Amma Ris, and Kira Spencer Brown.

The Lion King remains one of the best loved West End musicals ever as it enters its record-breaking 17th year in London. Happy 16th birthday to The Lion King! Here’s to many more years to come…

The Lion King
Lyceum Theatre
21 Wellington Street
London, WC2E 7RQ
Evenings: Tuesday to Saturday 7.30pm
Matinees: Wednesday, Saturday amd Sunday 2.30pm
Running Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Age Restrictions: The Lion King is recommended for children aged 6 and over. Under 3s will not be admitted.

19th October 2015

WICKED musical welcomes 7 millionth theatregoer

WICKED, the West End musical that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, welcomed its 7 millionth visitor on Saturday 17th October 2015. Andrew Bell attended the performance with his wife Katie Bell and enjoyed a back stage visit with the cast after the performance.

Wicked is now in its 10th year and around the world, Wicked has been seen by nearly 50 million people in 13 countries and won over 100 international awards. The original Broadway production remains “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster” (The New York Times) after 12 years at the Gershwin Theatre. Wicked won the much coveted 2015 Olivier Audience Award.

Wicked stars: Emma Hatton (Elphaba), Savannah Stevenson (Glinda), Oliver Savile (Fiyero), Liza Sadovy (Madame Morrible), Tom McGowan (The Wizard), Sean Kearns (Doctor Dillamond), Daniel Hope (Boq), Katie Rowley Jones (Nessarose), Natalie Andreou (Standby for Elphaba) and Carina Gillespie (Standby for Glinda).

Based on the international best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire that ingeniously re-imagined the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wicked has music and lyrics by multi Grammy and Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman, musical staging by Wayne Cilento and is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner and Olivier Award nominee Joe Mantello. Wicked is based on the novel ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’ by Gregory Maguire.

Wicked is produced by: Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Executive Producer (UK): Michael McCabe.
Wicked Musical London
Apollo Victoria Theatre
17 Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG
Running Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Age Restrictions: Recommended for ages 7 and over (children under 4 not admitted).
Show Opened: 27th September 2006
Evenings: Monday to Saturday 7.30pm
Matinees: Wednesday and Saturday 2.30pm