Birmingham Hippodrome partners with Rambert to present innovative new live streamed production
ROOMS
Birmingham Hippodrome have partnered with dance powerhouse Company, Rambert to host the streaming of an innovative new production, Rooms.
A premiere from Norwegian choreographer and theatre and film director Jo Strømgren, the production will be created specifically for the camera and will be performed and broadcast live, with a cinematographer and camera crew relaying the productions in real-time to audiences across the world from 8-10 April 2021. Tickets are on sale now at birminghamhippdrome.com.
Like catching miniature scenes through a train window, or cycling through the streets and peering into apartments, we all love to glimpse into other lives and the homes they’re lived out in. Rooms will involve 17 dancers, 36 scenes and100 characters. Rambert’s brilliant dancers invite audiences into wildly different worlds and surprising set-ups. People trying to live their lives, navigate dilemmas, swerve mishaps and survive their mini-dramas. Rooms is an ambitious dance-theatre-film that is performed live.
Rooms follows on from the success of Birmingham Hippodrome’s acclaimed stream of their co-production with Curve, The Color Purple – At Home and Rambert’s inaugural livestream commission of Draw From Within (Wim Vandekeybus).
Birmingham Hippodrome’s Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Fiona Allan said; “It was very easy to agree to partner with the innovative team at Rambert to bring this performance into the homes of our audiences. Personally, I’ve long been a fan of both Rambert and Jo Strømgren, plus Birmingham Hippodrome has a history of supporting and presenting the very best of international contemporary dance. I am quite sure that Rooms will be quite unlike any other streaming experience audiences have had this year- in a good way!
“This new announcement continues the Hippodrome’s strand of streamed performances, which have included so far The Color Purple- At Home in partnership with Curve, and forthcoming live broadcasts of UniSlam and TEDxYouth@Brum in partnership with DRPG Studios.”
Jo Strømgren combines the skills of a choreographer with those of a cinematographer and has won prestigious awards for his work as film director. Also an established playwright, his work spans over 150 productions performed in 64 countries.
Talking about Rooms, Jo Strømgren said; “Diversity is a bouquet of different colours and I love it, but I think the discussion has been limited to certain issues whereas diversity is so vast – diversity of age, diversity of social status, diversity of ethnicity, religion, politics. Rooms offers glimpses through the windows of different people’s lives, to create a kind of mosaic of the cityscape environment. Its like the unfinished narrative you create in your head as you pass by windows on a bike ride; you get to peek into people’s lives and you realise there is so much going on but you have no idea what is happening or why… I’d like to think that Rooms is funny as well as dark. I often set out with quite pessimistic ideas but somehow there’s always humour within the darkest of material”
Rambert have pledged its long-term commitment to the commissioning of new work for the small-screen with a series of other real-time livestream premieres planned for Spring, Summer and Autumn 2021. With its new Rambert Home Studio web platform, the Company is keen to use this moment to bring their work to a wider audience and offer a variety of ways for viewers to connect with the Company and its work.
Rooms will stream online on 8 Apr at 12pm, 9Apr at 8pm and 10 Apr at 8pm – for tickets and further information visit birminghamhippodrome.com.
Without Walls leads the way for cultural recovery, announcing its biggest Outdoor Arts programme to date
In the time of Covid, Outdoor Arts provide important opportunities to reinvigorate our cultural lives whilst supporting the creative economy. To lead the way, Without Walls has announced 21 new projects to receive support in 2021. This ambitious and exciting programme brings together up-and-coming companies, established street artists and those making their first foray into creating work for the public space.
This new outdoor art programme from Without Walls will bring audiences together in a safe way to share moments of global empathy and joy. From the epic and spectacular, to the intimate and emotional, the Without Walls 2021 commissions offer a timely moment to explore social justice, family relationships, environmentalism, identity, and much more. The programme includes the fourth large-scale outdoor alternative dance performance from Requardt & Rosenberg, Black Victorians from Jeanefer Jean-Charles which uses dance to tell the story of those whose stories were previously airbrushed from history, Hip Hop collective Far From The Norm who aim to empower marginalised young people under the artistic direction of awardwinning choreographer Botis Seva and Kaleider’s massive mural of faces drawn by robots!
With the outdoor sector most likely to be leading the way in cultural recovery, this programme shows the power and resilience of Outdoor Arts to invigorate communities back together in towns, cities and rural areas. The works in the 2021 programme will appear at festivals including Brighton Festival, Norfolk & Norwich Festival, City Encounters by Wiltshire Creative, Timber Festival, Just So Festival, Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF), Ensemble Festival, Hat Fair and more.
Physical theatre and dance have a strong presence in the programme this year as artists explore ideas of connection and support. Bonded is Alleyne Dance’s ambitious new dance production exploring the construct of human dependency. Performed by twin sisters, Kristina and Sade, the work uses abstract narrative, West African dance aesthetics and language, as well as circus skills and impressive athleticism. Also exploring relationships is IRMÃ-sisters from DamaeDance which portrays an intricate journey of conflict and vulnerability, tenderness and anger, misunderstanding and support. This powerful yet attentive duet aspires to be a celebration of women’s strength and complexity. Good Youtes Walk from Far from the Norm is a chaotic and frenzied Hip Hop dance theatre work that explores how divided we are as a nation. It unravels how young adults are trying to address this divide by creating a unity and empathy which transcends race, class, gender and geography.
Also using dance, MayFly explores how our survival is inextricably linked to our environment; Kapow Dance Circus Theatre harnesses the power of water on a bespoke set which fires choreographed jets into the air where two women dodge, play, dance. The climate crisis is also addressed by a trio of clowns in astounding costumes in MEarth Mothers. Through dance, physical comedy, music, and shamanic ritual, Beady Eye asks why we are wrecking the world and what we’re going to do about it? Black Victorians is a dynamic dance piece inspired by the discovery of hundreds of portraits of Black people in England during the Victorian era. Through movement, text and music, it gives voice and body to the characters in the portraits. Continuing the theme of ‘invisible people’, Altered States’ The Invisible Man takes inspiration from H. G. Wells’ famous novel to raise awareness of issues including d/Deafness, homelessness and aging.
Future Cargo is an alternative dance show from Requardt & Rosenberg which bridges grand visual spectacle and an intimate fly-on-the-wall experience. Audiences experience a sci-fi world carried on a shipping container fitted with a travelator while listening in through binaural headphones
Advances in digital tech are continuing to reveal new ways for audiences to engage with art and culture. Using sound to create immersive audio experiences in outdoor environments, The Hidden Music of Trees forms compositions harvested entirely from plant, tree and fungi biodata, Augmented Reality (AR) and binaural (3D) sound. In this exciting work, Jason Singh seeks to celebrate a deeper awareness of the natural world around us. Using digital technology, Up My Street is an immersive promenade performance/installation from The Cultural Assembly. This augmented and virtual reality performance arts trail brings neglected high streets to life. Blurring the boundaries of reality, audiences are guided on a journey across their city through a combination of spoken word and both real-life and digital performers, all viewed with mobile devices. The Lost Opera allows audiences to use their phones to play along with the performance, even as Ashley Peevor and Nikki Watson present an unusual spectacle as three huge bewildering beasts twist themselves through the cityscape, ready to perform a unique musical composition.
Taking the recognisable form of an arrivals and departures board, Arrivals + Departures from Yara El-Sherbini and Davina Drummond is a public artwork about birth, death and the journey in-between. They invite audiences to share names of people who have arrived and departed as a way to acknowledge, celebrate and commemorate in this time of COVID-19, climate crisis and social upheaval. Emergency Exit Arts with leading artist and poet Robert Montgomery will present Recovery Poems – a light-based installation looking at the impact of Covid on our society. Also part of the programme is Robot Selfie; at a time when we are distanced from each other, Kaleider’s wall-drawing robots create a massive mural of strangers to bring us together in unity.
Food is an important way to bring communities together and many of us have an increased focus on healthy eating after so much time at home. TOAST is Pif-Paf’s ambitious beautiful, growing, communal celebration of food, song, story, dance and fire performed on, and around, their ever-moving mobile kitchen cart. It includes a mixture of songs, stories and recipes from musicians and cooks all around the world. Join LAStheatre for The Rascally Diner, which gently explores food provenance, sustainability, and healthy eating in a silly, song-filled, riotous performance that is perfect for children aged 5+. A feast of food fusion and storytelling across geography and generations, Do What yah Mama told yah! is an immersive and vibrant comedy circus show. International contemporary circus artist Blaze and touring circus chef and performer Fatina’s plate-spinning, food-juggling, fire-blazing show brings the family kitchen and recipes from across the globe to life
Strong Enough from Strong Lady Productions also uses circus to create a powerfully optimistic show. Using circus physicality, comedy and feats-of strength, it celebrates stories of finding strength in unexpected places; in these difficult times, it is a powerful declaration that we are ‘strong enough’. Simple Cypher is an exciting young company featuring graduates from the National Centre for Circus Arts. Their new show Roll Play sees three performers blur the boundaries between Hip Hop and circus by using intricate moves and agility to give a captivating, cheeky and effortlessly cool performance. Exploring themes of life, loss, surrender and acceptance comes Why?, an aerial duet performed using climbing harnesses and abseil lines. The performers flip the stage floor through 90 degrees for a ‘vertical dance’ so they’re actually dancing on the wall! Breaking the boundaries of physicality, What Happened to You? uses three raggedy puppets and real-life stories to promote the importance of access and inclusion. Nikki Charlesworth explores our preconceptions about disability in a playful way that is fun for the whole family.
Outdoor work has never been more important as the entire arts industry seeks to rebuild confidence in audiences wanting to attend events. Having recently welcomed several new partners to its network, Without Walls is more committed than ever to collaborate with the very best artists and companies and bring fantastic outdoor arts to people across the UK.
ACCLAIMED WRITER, ACTOR AND MUSICIAN NICK CAVE JOINS THE CAST OF DREAM
Dream – live, online performance leads the way in future audience experience
Performance: Friday 12 March – Saturday 20 March 2021
Booking: dream.online –Lobby opens Mon 8 Mar #DreamOnline21
Acclaimed musician, writer, film score composer and occasional actor, Nick Cave joins the cast of Dream (12 – 20 March 2021), a live online production created in collaboration between the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Manchester International Festival (MIF), Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF) and Philharmonia Orchestra.
Pre-recorded during lockdown, Nick Cave is the Voice of the Forest – a strange and beautiful character we never see but who is all around us. Audiences are invited to illuminate flowers, trees and streams in a virtual midsummer forest. Entering the forest at dusk the audience are invited to interact with a cast of seven actors. Guided by the forest itself, they must explore and regrow the forest before dawn.
Nick Cave has been performing music for more than forty years and is best known as the songwriter and lead singer of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, his latest album, ‘Carnage’, written and recorded with Warren Ellis was released in February 2021. Cave’s body of work also covers a wider range of media and modes of expression including film score composition and writing of novels. His Red Hand Files website have seen Cave exploring deeper and more direct relationships with his fans.
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), in collaboration with Manchester International Festival (MIF), Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF) and Philharmonia Orchestra will stage a live performance of Dream using motion capture as the culmination of a major piece of cutting-edge research and development (R&D). The pioneering collaboration explores how audiences could experience live performance in the future in addition to a regular visit to a performance venue.
Dream was due to open in Spring 2020 as an in person and online live performance and has been recreated during the pandemic for online audiences whilst theatres remain closed. The project is one of four Audience of the Future Demonstrator projects, supported by the government Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund which is delivered by UK Research and Innovation.
Dream is inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and gives a unique opportunity for audiences to directly influence the live performance from wherever they are in the world. Audiences will experience a new performance environment easily accessed on their mobile, desktop or tablet via the dream.online website. The performance uses the latest gaming and theatre technology together with an interactive symphonic score that responds to the actors’ movement during the show.
The live performance is set in a virtual midsummer forest. Under the shadow of gathering clouds at dusk, lit by the glimmer of fireflies, Puck acts as the guide. Audiences are invited to explore the forest from the canopy of the trees to the roots, meet the sprites, Cobweb, Mustardseed, Peaseblossom and Moth, and take an extraordinary journey into the eye of a cataclysmic storm. Together with Puck they must regrow the forest before the dawn. When day breaks, the spell breaks.
The 50-minute online event will be a shared experience between remote audience members and the seven actors who play Puck and the sprites. Audiences can choose to buy a £10 ticket to take part and at key points in the play directly influence the world of the actors, or to view the performance for free. The ten Dream performances are scheduled so that audiences across the world can join the event.
ST HELENS ANNOUNCE ALL-NEW GOLDILOCKS SPECTACULAR AS CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME 2021
PRODUCERS REGAL ENTERTAINMENTS PROMISE
AUDIENCES ‘THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH’
St Helens Theatre Royal has today announced (Thursday 4 March) that an all-new spectacular production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears will be its Christmas pantomime 2021.
The annual panto family show has become a firm favourite with St Helens audiences, making it a real highlight of the festive season year after year.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears will run at St Helens Theatre Royal from Friday 10 December 2021 through to Sunday 9 January 2022. Tickets are on sale now.
Producers Regal Entertainments are delighted to bring the exciting story of Goldilocks, her three furry friends, and all the fun of the circus to the St Helens stage this Christmastime.An all-star cast will be announced soon.
Goldilocks, with the help of the Three Bears, tries to save her Big Top from a rival circus owner. The brand new magical show promises family fun, unbelievable circus tricks, and madcap comedy capers.
The show also promises high production values, stunning costumes, laugh out loud comedy, a smash-hit selection of chart hits to sing and dance along to – all highlights which regular Regal Entertainments’ audiences forward to experiencing.
Theatregoers are advised that Goldilocks had previously been announced as the Easter half-term pantomime, however due to Government guidelines still being in place, it is not possible to go ahead. However, an Easter pantomime will be available to stream online and details will be announced shortly. Customers who have already booked tickets will be contacted direct.
Theatre Manager Chantelle Nolan commented: “With the vaccination programme rolling out at a fantastic pace and the Government roadmap revealed, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. Everyone is craving live theatre and escapism – and there’s nothing quite like a pantomime to bring out your inner child.
“We are desperate to bring pantomime back to the St Helens Stage after having last year’s Christmas panto run cut short. We’ve all missed out on making so many special memories – so let’s make Christmas 2021 one to remember. We have an incredibly fun, exciting and magical show in store for audiences, and we cannot wait to see the auditorium filled with joy and laughter – just as it should be.”
St Helens Theatre Royal will ensure that any Government guidelines still required in December will be in place to ensure the safety of theatregoers, venue staff, cast and crew.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears will run at St Helens Theatre Royal from Friday 10 December 2021 through to Sunday 9 January 2022. Tickets are on sale now starting from £16.
Tickets can be booked over the phoneor in person at the box office between 10am and 5pm, from Monday to Friday.Tickets can also be purchased online. For more information please visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com
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Book in person at the Theatre Royal Box Office, Corporation Street, St. Helens, Merseyside WA10 1LQ (Mon – Fri 10am – 5pm). Alternatively, call 01744 756 000 or log on to: www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com.
With every purchase of this stunning bouquet M&S Sparks customers can save 50% off selected tickets to see MAMMA MIA! when the musical returns to London’s West End this summer!
Introducing the first MAMMA MIA! bouquet, brought to you in exclusive partnership with the hit West End musical. Created in time for Mother’s Day, this stunning limited-edition MAMMA MIA! Bouquet (£40) encapsulates the colours of a Grecian summer, comprising blue hydrangea, white Avalanche roses, white astrantia and pink lisianthus. ALL M&S bouquets come with free delivery (including on Mother’s Day) and this stunning pastel bouquet is available to pre-order now for delivery from 9 March.
We’re all getting ready to become Dancing Queens again in the summer and this bouquet also comes with a very special Sparks offer. To celebrate this smash-hit musical’s reopening, Sparks customers can save 50% on selected tickets when they purchase the bouquet and be one of the first to see the show when it reopens this summer at the Novello Theatre in London.* Customers simply need to be logged into their Sparks account online and an exclusive Sparks booking link will be sent via email after purchase.
With this amazing Mother’s Day gift, customers can look forward to the ultimate feel-good musical, unfolding to the storytelling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs. Since premiering in London in 1999, MAMMA MIA! has been viewed live on stage by 65 million people across the globe and has been turned into two record-breaking movies – MAMMA MIA! The Movie and MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again.
Another beautiful £15 MAMMA MIA! bouquet will be launched in M&S stores on 11 March – the Sparks offer will also apply and customers simply scan their Sparks card at M&S till points.
Strictly’s Aljaž & Janette perform a new digital dance spectacular, Remembering the Oscars Streaming worldwide: Saturday 27th March – Saturday 17th April 2021
Strictly Come Dancing duo Aljaž Škorjanec and Janette Manrara will star in a new digital adaptation of their never-before-seen dance spectacular, Remembering the Oscars. Celebrating the greatest award-winning songs, films, and dance routines from the Golden Age of Hollywood to Disney family favourites, the pair are rolling out the red carpet for a breath-taking premiere production, filmed especially for streaming. The show will be available to stream online for a strictly limited season from Saturday 27th March to Saturday 17th April.
Aljaž & Janette will be joined by an incredible ensemble of some of the UK’s best dancers and singers, performing on a specially constructed stage, backed with a huge LED screen showcasing newly filmed content. Featuring a dazzling array of bespoke and original musical arrangements from classic films such as Dirty Dancing, Mary Poppins, Flashdance, Cabaret, The Wizard of Oz, The Lion King, La La Land, Singing In The Rain, Frozen, and many more, it’s an unmissable show for the whole family.
Intercut with commentaries from Aljaž & Janette, as well as an additional bolt-on, featuring behind-the-scenes content, the performance provides a personal insight into the creation of the show and its routines. From song selection and influences, to their thinking behind the creative content, get caught up in the magic as the pair create a spellbinding and toe-tapping production.
The digital production of Remembering The Oscars follows the news that the UK touring version has been postponed until March 2022 due to the continuing uncertainty regarding the reopening of venues currently closed across the country as part of the nationwide effort to combat the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Aljaž and Janette said, We feel awful having to postpone our Remembering the Oscars tour for a second time due to the pandemic, but we are delighted to have been given the opportunity to film some of the highlights from the show. We were devastated that another year would go by without sharing what we truly believe is our best show to date. Hopefully this will give our audience and fans a taster of what is to come next year. We love and miss you, and hope you enjoy the show!
Many of the postponed tour’s venues, including Birmingham Symphony Hall, Newcastle’s Theatre Royal and Northampton’s Derngate Theatre, have come together to help promote the stream across the UK. The show’s co-producers Steven Howard for The TCB Group and David Shepherd, jointly commented, The support we have from our friends in the regions is invaluable. While venues remain closed, they are working with us to promote this very special streamed performance of Remembering The Oscars to their respective audiences. We all know how important local venues are to the cultural fabric of the UK, so we hope this goes someway to supplement the public’s craving for live performance.
All purchased streaming tickets come with a free digital 32-page programme packed with exclusive photos, interviews, Oscar trivia and much more. Options to upgrade include a postshow pass to an “In conversation with Aljaž & Janette” led by ITV’s Richard Arnold, as well as an exclusive 30 minute Behind-the-Scenes film, featuring additional footage with access to the dressing rooms, rehearsals & backstage of Remembering the Oscars.
National Theatre,in partnership with Cast,launches new podcast series Stories To Get Us Through created by the people of Doncaster
Launching today, Stories To Get Us Through is a new podcast series featuring stories written and performed by the people of Doncaster, inspired by real life events and created during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 18 short stories are a collection of personal anecdotes, snapshot memories and poetry, and have been created by people from different backgrounds who came together as part of the National Theatre’s Public Acts programme. The series consists of five episodes which explore different themes including imagination, change, fear, friendship and heroes. Muhammed shares memories of his best friend from Gambia and how their lives have intertwined, teenagers Aaron and Beth share their hopes and fears for the future, and Lynn tells the story of finding contentment in her own company.
Stories To Get Us Through is a community performance project through the National Theatre’s Public Acts programme to create extraordinary acts of theatre and community, delivered in partnership with Cast in Doncaster with support from Right Up Our Street. Six community organisations across Doncaster, B.Friend, Conversation Club, Edlington Community Organisation, LGBTQ Youth, Cast Youth Theatre and darts, have been taking part in the programme and following the postponement of The Caucasian Chalk Circle in summer 2020, are continuing to take part in creative projects remotely. Participants developed their stories remotely, on Zoom, over the phone, and through postal packs with creative writing activities, and recorded the stories at home with professional audio recording equipment.
James Blakey, Associate Director of Public Acts said, “Stories To Get Us Through is a time capsule of the moment our Public Acts Doncaster community convened around a digital campfire in lockdown to tell their stories to each other and the world. Stories have the power to make us feel as though we’re together, even when we are apart and we can’t wait to share them with you. Despite the challenges and restrictions lockdown posed, we came together as a community to deliver this project and we look forward to when we can create live participatory performances together again”.
Participant Samsaid, “I was sceptical at first as I didn’t have a single story in mind that would instil inspiration or start a conversation. But then it occurred to me that there is something I can say, I can talk proudly and push the negative voices down. In sharing stories, we are sharing lives and it is that which gets us through, it’s that you should hold on for. You can learn so much from listening to a person’s story”.
Stories To Get Us Through is a community performance project delivered in partnership with National Theatre’s Public Acts, Cast and Right Up Our Street, made possible by Arts Council England’s Strategic Touring Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Mr & Mrs A Mosawi and Wates Foundation.
Theatres Trust director Jon Morgan responds to the 2021 Budget and comments on how it affects the arts:
Theatres Trust welcomes not only the Chancellor’s announcement of additional funding for the arts, but also his recognition for the important role culture will play in the country’s social and economic recovery. £408m is a significant increase, more than quarter on top of the initial £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund. This is much needed as the pandemic’s impacts have continued longer than originally anticipated and it is unlikely that many theatres will be able to reopen viably before fuller audiences are permitted from 21 June at the earliest.
The extension of the Job Retention Scheme until the end of September is also welcome news for theatres. Together with the Culture Recovery Fund, this scheme has kept theatres afloat during the turbulence of the past year. This will provide a welcome cushion to further protect theatres until they can return to viable operation.
Theatres have continued to play active roles in their communities throughout the pandemic, whether providing digital entertainment and creative inspiration or acting as food banks or vaccine centres. As the country begins to recover, theatres can make a major contribution, promoting wellbeing and a sense of place, animating the high street and contributing significantly to the wider economy, and today’s support shows that this valuable role is recognised.
We welcome the additional funding for the devolved nations and would hope that this budget will be allocated to the arts. With no reopening dates announced yet in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, theatres in these nations need further financial security.
As the national charity that champions theatres in communities and supports community groups to save their local theatre, Theatres Trust is pleased to see the new Community Ownership Fund and are interested to hear more details. There are already hundreds of small community theatres across the country that are real assets to their local areas and are an important part of the theatre ecology. Any programme that supports more communities to own and run their local theatre is to be welcomed and should be flexible enough to support both purchase and repair works alongside vital skills development to equip voluntary groups to successfully restore and operate the buildings.
A host of top performers and theatre makers have lent their support to a campaign for the Theatre Artists Fund, in the lead-up to the 16 March anniversary of UK theatres closing due to the pandemic.
Stars including Michaela Coel, Eddie Redmayne, Maxine Peake, Harriet Walter and Ruth Madeley are revealing their ‘turning point’ – a moment in their career when they were almost forced to give up but received a vital helping hand – to encourage public donations for the Theatre Artists Fund, which provides emergency financial aid to struggling freelance theatre workers. The latest video, from Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson, has been released today.
On 16 March, they will be joined by more famous faces, theatre lovers and people across the industry sharing selfies in support, using the hashtags #16March, #TheatreArtistsFund and #FirstInLastOut – referencing the fact that theatre workers were first into lockdown and will be among the last to return.
Despite the provisional timetable offered by the Government roadmap, thousands in the theatre industry have been unemployed for a year, and will continue to face months of career uncertainty and financial instability. Freelancers, who make up an estimated 70% of the sector, have largely been overlooked by Government support schemes. Many are in urgent need of financial aid to pay bills and put food on the table.
The Theatre Artists Fund was set up in July 2020 by director Sam Mendes, the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre. It has since given out £5.5m across 5,359 individual grants, made possible by donations from a range of organisations and individuals. Most recently, previous benefactor the Backstage Trust has made a substantial new contribution.
The demand for emergency aid is still so high, however, that the Fund must raise at least £750,000 a month, with every penny going directly to those in need. Public donations are more crucial than ever to keep the Fund going.
Texts cost £5, £10 or £20 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you’d like to give £5, £10 or £20 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text THEATREFUNDNOINFO 5, 10 or 20 to 70470.
Magic Mike Live will be returning to its London home of The Theatre at the Hippodrome Casino on Friday 21 May 2021. Patrons will experience a revamped production featuring new songs and new dance sequences in a Covid-secure environment with a socially distanced audience.
“The team behind Magic Mike Live has been enthusiastically planning the show’s return to the London stage,” said Executive Producer Vincent Marini. “We have been working to develop a show that prioritises the safety of our employees and guests but also manages to be as fun, electric and unexpected as ever. While it has been a creative challenge to make changes to the show we all love so much, we believe that the finished product, which has already been successfully launched in Sydney, will bring a great deal of joy to London at a time when it is sorely needed. We’re going to make the show’s return to the Hippodrome – after 14 long months away – absolutely epic.”
As part of Magic Mike Live’s return to the London stage, the show has a new “Too Good To Be True” ticketing policy, which gives patrons unprecedented booking flexibility. “We wanted our guests to know that they can book with confidence knowing they will never lose the value of their ticket,” continued Marini. “If they cannot attend the show for any reason, even on the day of the performance, all they need to do is contact us and we’ll rebook them or give them a refund… no questions asked.”
From 21 May 2021, all tickets will be priced at £79.00 and £96.00 and will include complimentary Prosecco during the show for the first 10 weeks only, until 1 August 2021. Patrons are encouraged to book early to get the best seats. New VIP packages are also available at the time of booking that allow guests to extend their stay and take advantage of everything the Hippodrome Casino has to offer.
Conceived and co-directed by Channing Tatum, Magic Mike Live, which has already wowed over 200,000 people in London alone and almost 750,000 worldwide, is a large-scale, live production show based on the hit films Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL, which opened at The Theatre at the Hippodrome Casino in London’s Leicester Square in November 2018.
From the bespoke entrance off Cranbourn Street, to the specially curated lounge and bar experience, to the cast of world-class performers, Magic Mike Live is a complete evening of unparalleled entertainment for guests aged 18 and up. Audience members enter Magic Mike’s mythical club and marvel as a group of extraordinary artists from around the world perform a 360-degree dance and acrobatic spectacular in front of, behind, and above them. Sexy dance routines intertwined with one-of-a-kind acts, are presented by a diverse cast of performers from around the world.
Magic Mike Live in London is co-directed by Channing Tatum and Alison Faulk, with Luke Broadlick as associate director, and choreography by Alison Faulk, Teresa Espinosa and Luke Broadlick.The Executive Producer is Vincent Marini with General Management by David Ian Productions. The production designer is Rachel O’Toole, with scenic design by Rob Bissinger and Anita LaScala (Arda Studio), costume design by Marina Toybina, lighting design by Philip Gladwell and video design by Luke Halls. Musical supervisor is Jack Rayner, with sound design by Nick Kourtides. Dreya Weber is aerial choreographer & aerial apparatus designer.
Magic Mike Live has become an international sensation since opening in Las Vegas in April 2017. In addition to breaking box office records and performing to sold-out audiences in Las Vegas and London, the show premiered in Berlin in 2020 and the Australia national tour opened in Sydney in December 2020.
Magic Mike Live is produced in London by Channing Tatum, Reid Carolin, Greg Jacobs, Peter Kiernan, Steven Soderbergh, Nick Wechsler and United Talent Agency in association with Warner Bros., Vincent Marini, The Hippodrome Casino, Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, TSG Entertainment & Ashley DeSimone, Richard Winkler and The Creative House.
Ticket Prices: £79 & £96, with free Prosecco with every ticket*
Current Booking Period: 21 May – 29 December 2021**
*The Prosecco offer is for the booking period 21 May to 1 August 2021 and includes up to one bottle per person. The Hippodrome reserves the right to refuse service to anyone who appears intoxicated.
**Those patrons with tickets to an earlier performance will be contacted by their point of purchase with exchange options.
Running Time: approximately 90 minutes (no interval)
Covid Safety: Channing and the entire creative team have developed a plan to make sure the show is not only more fun than it’s ever been, but also safe for the cast, crew and the audience. To ensure they are able to provide a comfortable and safe experience for everyone, there are a few things they need ticket holders to do and know ahead of their visit. Please visit the website for more information: www.magicmikelondon.co.uk
Magic Mike Live guests must be at least 18 years to attend – appropriate photo ID will be requested on arrival at the venue – begambleaware.org
