Author: FairyPoweredProductions

THE PHOENIX ARTS CLUB

Rising from the ashes like a … well you get the gist

Reopening on 1^st August with a Crowdfunder to secure the future of the venue and to support the arts community for the next 10 years

The West End’s legendary entertainment venue, The Phoenix Arts Club, is delighted to confirm that it will be one of the first theatre venues to reopen for live indoor socially distanced performances, which will take place from Saturday 1st August 2020 and from there on, will host events on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Cabaret shows will run at a reduced capacity for parties of between two and six people seated at socially distanced cabaret tables in the newly refurbished space. Table service will be provided throughout via The Phoenix Arts Club’s drinks ordering app. Ticket holders will be granted access to the venue from 6pm to allow guests to catch up with friends before enjoying the show. Shows will run for 90mins and will include an interval.

The venue has also put a huge amount of work into being COVID-19 secure: and have just received the “Good to Go” sign-off from Visit England. Guests will be able to access a walkthrough explainer video, available online from next week.

Ken Wright [Managing Director] of The Phoenix Arts Club says; “We are incredibly fortunate that cabaret is one of the genres of live entertainment that is able to return to indoor venues sooner than shows that require a large cast, or ensemble singing; meaning that  we are able to open our doors to public performances whilst adhering to social distance from August. However much as we are grateful that we can embrace the next phase of emerging from lockdown, we are still feeling the pain of the severe financial knock we have experienced, and that our performers have experienced.

“This is why, alongside the reopening, The Phoenix Arts Club is launching a crowdfunder campaign to enable us to become a CIC (community interest company); a special form of non-charitable limited company, which exists primarily to benefit a community and with a view to pursuing a social purpose, rather than to make a profit for shareholders. By doing this we will be able to build on our artistic programming (which already at pre-COVID stood at 600 shows a year), and to provide much-needed research and development to meet changing technology and performance space needs, so we can develop and continue vital community work. In order to achieve this we realistically need to raise £100,000.

And we’ve updated our logo; introducing a crest to reflect the fact that this campaign is designed to ensure that

The Phoenix Arts Club rises from the ashes – stronger than ever before”

For over four months, since the start of lockdown The Phoenix Arts Club has kept cabaret alive with its TV-quality virtual live streams, watchable for free through Facebook Live, Twitch, and on YouTube. The show has regularly seen audiences of over 25,000. Despite receiving no government funding or subsidy, it has continued to provide paid work to over one-hundred artists located across the globe throughout the COVID-19 pandemics. Behind the scenes, the Phoenix Arts Club Team have volunteered their time to assist performers in adapting to the digital shift, providing free video editing, home studio set-ups, and even covering the cost of broadband upgrades.

The Crowdfunder campaign is being launched specifically with a focus on the venue’s community work and the plan is to help cement the future of the venue so that it can support emerging and established artists for years to come.

With this funding, The Phoenix Arts Club can remain a vital springboard for up-and-coming musical theatre, comedy, cabaret, authors, and musicians alike. It will allow the venue to continue providing heavily discounted rental and marketing support for shows and rehearsals and expand its community outreach programme with the introduction of workshops, talks, showcases, and networking events. 

In return of donations, the Phoenix Arts Club will offer a number of rewards and experiences ranging from show jackets and jigsaw puzzles to a limited edition print by illustrator Mark Reeve, masterclasses and even an opportunity to record your own Musical Theatre Album with West End legend Greg Arrowsmith.

The Limited Edition print features famous faces who have frequented the venue over the years. The watermarked version is below.

Limited edition print L-R: Trevor Dion Nicholas, An Arctic Monkey, Danny DeVito, Laurence Olivier, Lady Gaga, David Dimbleby, Gurinder Chadha, Stan Lee, Star Wars DB8, Tim Minchin, Jennifer Lawrence, Sir Ian McKellen, Beverley Knight, Kiefer Sunderland, James Cordon, Karen Gillan, Martina Cole, Ed Sheeran, Mo Gilligan, Wayne Sleep, Kit Harington.

Crowdfunder link

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/the-phoenix-arts-club-10-year-survival-plan

Show information

THURSDAYS  Showreel live! 

https://www.designmynight.com/london/bars/central-london/phoenix-arts-club/showreel-live

FRIDAYS A Night in Soho hosted by international showgirl Ivy Paige and featuring the best of London’s cabaret.

https://www.designmynight.com/london/bars/central-london/phoenix-arts-club/a-night-in-soho-the-stars-of-london-cabaret

SATURDAYS The Saturday Supershow hosted by Pride’s Michael Twaits with Musical Director Sarah Bodalbhai and very special guests

https://www.designmynight.com/london/bars/central-london/phoenix-arts-club/the-saturday-supershow

THE WORLD PREMIERE OF

SLEEPLESS, A MUSICAL ROMANCE

STARRING JAY McGUINESS & KIMBERLEY WALSH

TRIALS ON-SITE COVID-19 TEST – RESULTS IN 30 MINUTES

FURTHER CASTING CONFIRMED

SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance, which announced last month it would begin socially distanced indoor performances at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre from 25 August, will begin using a new accurate COVID-19 test on cast, musicians, crew and theatre staff on a daily basis during rehearsals and during the run of the show. The test is called FRANKD (Fast, Reliable, Accurate, Nucleic-based Kit for Covid19 Diagnostic Detection). Testing will be carried out on-site, since the FRANKD technology does not require a laboratory. Tests results will be sent directly to crew, cast and staff phones via a secure app within an hour of a swab being taken.

Michael Rose and Damien Sanders, on behalf of Encore Theatre Productions, the producers of SLEEPLESS, said, “We are so excited to be leading the way for our industry and to be the first fully staged, indoor musical back up and running and we have been working around the clock to make it possible. Uppermost in our minds has been the safety of our cast and crew and this new fast and accurate technology from GeneMe allows us to lead the way once more with daily COVID testing of our cast and crew which can give everyone involved peace of mind and create a happy and safe working environment. This technology is currently being trialled by airports, government departments, sports teams and multinational companies in the UK and we are delighted to be the first to trial the system in the theatre and live event industry.”

The FRANKD test is a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT), which is recommended by the WHO for testing for SARS-CoV-2. FRANKD has been shown to have 100% specificity and 97% sensitivity for detecting SARS-CoV-2 according to independent laboratory tests. FRANKD is available for sales across the EU and UK and carries the CE IVD mark for a diagnostic test.

Scientifically speaking, FRANKD tests for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. A nasal or throat swab is used to sample potential viral material in the same way as standard RT-PCR testing. However, FRANKD uses Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) technology. This means the FRANKD testing process is much simpler than the RT-PCR process as no RNA purification is required. This means any viral material from the swab can be directly tested, saving both time and cost. It also means FRANKD does not need much of the technical laboratory equipment of the RT-PCR tests, so businesses can test on-site using a portable testing machine.

To streamline the process, tests can be securely assigned and results shared to people’s phones using a free ID app from Yoti, which is already producing digital ID cards for the NHS. The Yoti app is designed to protect people’s privacy, with the company unable to track people or share their data without their consent.

Carlos Candal, owner and CEO of Global Marketing Group (GMG) who put the GeneMe and Yoti teams together to bring this solution to market, said, “Having known about Yoti for some time, once I saw how they can work hand in hand with FRANKD to offer a solution for the Global Theatre industry, I’m thrilled that SLEEPLESS will be the first to use the technology to help get theatres up and running again safely.’’

Kasjan Szemiako, Chief Technical Officer of GeneMe and developer of FRANKD,said, “We expect GMG, Yoti & FRANKD will help create fast, effective testing and Safe Spaces all over the world. Many sectors, including healthcare, pharmacies, hotels, airports, theatres, factories and corporates and smaller businesses, all need accurate, fast, on-premises testing.”

Robin Tombs, Co-founder and CEO of Yoti,added, “We are delighted to be working closely with SLEEPLESS to ensure that fast, regular, easy testing can be completed on premises with the ability to add results to the Yoti app of the tested person.”

SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance, based on the original story and screenplay of the romcom classic Sleepless in Seattle, will premiere at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London on Tuesday 1 September 2020, with previews from 25 August. The limited season will run until Sunday 27 September 2020. Audiences will be socially distanced and the producers and venue will follow COVID-secure guidelines for cast, crew and audiences.

The producers are also holding a special NHS Gala, A Night for Sleepless Heroes, for NHS and Care workers on Thursday 27 August. Due to unprecedented demand, the performance is now full.

SLEEPLESS is a new musical with a book by Michael Burdette and music and lyrics by new British writers Robert Scott and Brendan Cull and will feature a 12-piece jazz orchestra.  It was originally due to begin performances on 24 March 2020, prior to the UK Government shutdown of theatres.

Joining the previously announced Jay McGuiness as Sam and Kimberley Walsh as Annie will be Daniel Casey as Walter, Harriet Thorpe as Eleanor, Tania Mathurin as Becky and Jake Sharp as Rob. Also in the cast are Charlie Bull, Colin Burnicle, Christie-Lee Crosson, Laura Darton, Leanne Garretty, Matt Holland, Ross McLaren, Gary Murphy, Dominique Planter, Annie Wensak and Benjamin Wong. Theo Collis, Mikey Colville, Jobe Hart and Jack Reynolds will share the role of Jonah. 

SLEEPLESS tells the heart-warming tale of Sam, who moves to Seattle with his ten year-old son, Jonah, following the tragic death of his wife.  When Jonah phones a radio show, Sam is forced to talk about his broken heart and sleepless nights live on air, and he suddenly finds himself one of the most sought after single men in America and a great news story for feisty journalist Annie on the opposite side of the country. Can Jonah bring the two together on the top deck of the Empire State Building?  A fresh and lively book alongside a brand-new musical score bring this most timeless of romantic comedies to life on stage.

The spacious venue means that there will be no physical contact between the staff and audience at any time and that social distance measures can be strictly obeyed.  Audiences will be temperature checked on entering the building and will be requested to wear face masks. All food and beverage orders will be contactless to minimise exposure, hand sanitiser will be available at multiple locations, and all areas of the venue will be thoroughly deep cleaned after each performance.

As well as Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre being a new and spacious theatre, there is ample parking available at Wembley Stadium, which costs only £1 if you are a theatre ticket holder. 

SLEEPLESS will be directed by Morgan Young (White Christmas, Elf, Big), with set design by Morgan Large, costume design by Sue Simmerling, lighting by Ken Billington, video design by Ian William Galloway, sound design by Simon Biddulph, orchestrations and arrangements by Larry Blank, musical supervision by Stuart Morley, musical direction by Chris Walker, orchestra management by Sylvia Addison for Music Solutions, wig and hair design by Richard Mawbey and casting by Sarah Bird CDG and Michael Donovan CSA.

The world premiere of SLEEPLESS will be presented by Michael Rose, Encore Theatre Productions Ltd, David Shor and Marc Toberoff.  General Manager will be David Pearson.

For further details, please visit www.sleeplessthemusical.com.

Facebook: @SleeplessLDN

Instagram: @SleeplessLDN

Twitter: @SleeplessLDN

LISTINGS

SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance

25 August – 27 September 2020

Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

3 Fulton Rd

Wembley Park

London HA9 0SP

Booking until 27 September 2020

Box Office: [email protected]

Performances:

Tuesday – Saturday at 7.45pm*

Saturday and Sunday at 3pm

*The performances on 1 September will begin at 7.00pm

Tickets: from £15

Running Time:  2 hours including interval

Age guidance: Recommended for ages 5+

People within the same household and/or social bubble may buy up to four tickets together.  All tickets will be allocated by the box office.  Please note that, up to two hours before the performance, people may exchange their tickets, should a member of their party fall ill.

Parking at Wembley Stadium will cost only £1 per car when the ticket is validated through the box office on the day of the performance.

RESCHEDULED DATES FOR THE FIRST EVER UK AND IRELAND TOUR OFTHE SMASH HIT MUSICAL

NOW OPENING AT
THE ALHAMBRA THEATRE, BRADFORD
ON 1st MAY 2021

The hit musical Waitress, presented by Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian, has rescheduled its first ever UK and Ireland tour and will now open at The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, on 1 May 2021. Full casting to be announced soon. waitressthemusical.co.uk

Waitress is based on the 2007 movie written by Adrienne Shelley. Music and lyrics are written by GRAMMY award-winning, singer-songwriter sensation Sara Bareilles, who appeared on the Graham Norton TV show, performing the hit song from the show She Used To Be Mine. With a book by Jessie Nelson, direction by Tony-award winner Diane Paulus and choreography by Lorin Latarro, Waitress has garnered multiple awards and nominations in both America and the UK, receiving acclaim from both audiences and critics alike.

Waitress opened on Broadway on 24th April 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it ran until 5th January 2020. Waitress celebrated its official opening night at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End on 7 March 2019. The North American tour of Waitress is currently on hold due to COVID-19. Waitress is set to open in Australia, Holland and Japan.

Waitress tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker in a small town, who dreams of a way out of her loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a new life, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes to happiness. But Jenna must find the courage and strength within herself to rebuild her life. This beautiful musical celebrates friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.

Book by Jessie Nelson
Music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winner Sara Bareilles
Based upon the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelley
Directed by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus

Waitress was originally produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and Norton & Elayne Herrick. The tour is produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian Productions.

Further venue and on-sale details can be found below.

LISTINGS
WAITRESS UK & IRELAND TOUR

Saturday 1 May – Saturday 8 May 2021
The Alhambra Theatre
Morley St, Bradford BD7 1AJ
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Tuesday 11 May – Saturday 15 May 2021
Birmingham Hippodrome
Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB
Public on sale: 11AM Thursday 23 July

Monday 17 May – Saturday 22 May 2021
Ipswich Regent Theatre
3 St. Helen’s St, Ipswich IP4 1HE
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Tuesday 25 May – Saturday 29 May 2021
Mayflower Theatre
22-26 Commercial Rd, Southampton SO15 1GE
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Monday 31 May – Saturday 5 June 2021
Liverpool Empire
Lime St, Liverpool L1 1JE
Public on sale: 10AM Thursday 30 July

Monday 7 June – Saturday 12 June 2021
New Victoria Theatre
The Ambassadors, The Peacocks Centre, Woking GU21 6GQ
Public on sale: 10AM Thursday 30 July

Monday 14 June – Saturday 19 June 2021
Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
Theatre Square, Nottingham NG1 5ND
Public on sale: 10AM Friday 31 July

Monday 21 June – Saturday 26 June 2021
King’s Theatre
297 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4JN
Public on sale: 10AM Thursday 30 July

Tuesday 29 June – Saturday 3 July 2021
Bristol Hippodrome
St Augustine’s Parade, Bristol BS1 4UZ
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Monday 5 July – Saturday 10 July 2021
Theatre Royal Plymouth
Royal Parade, Plymouth PL1 2TR
Public on sale: 10AM Tuesday 25 August

Monday 12 July – Saturday 17 July 2021
New Theatre Oxford
24-26 George St, Oxford OX1 2AG
Public on sale: 10AM Thursday 30 July

Monday 9 August – Saturday 14 August 2021
Wales Millennium Centre
Bute Pl, Cardiff CF10 5AL
Public on sale: ON SALE SOON

Monday 23 August – Saturday 28 August 2021
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Lichfield St, Wolverhampton WV1 1DE
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Tuesday 31 August – Saturday 4 September 2021
Leeds Grand Theatre
46 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NU
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Tuesday 7 September – Saturday 11 September 2021
Cliffs Pavilion
Station Road, Southend on Sea, Essex SS0 7RA
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Monday 13 September – Saturday 18 September 2021
Norwich Theatre Royal
Theatre St, Norwich NR2 1RL
Public on sale: 10AM Wednesday 12 August

Monday 20 September – Saturday 25 September 2021
The Hawth
Hawth Ave, Crawley RH10 6YZ
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Monday 4 October – Saturday 9 October 2021
Milton Keynes Theatre
500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ
Public on sale: 10AM Thursday 30 July

Monday 11 October – Saturday 16 October 2021
New Wimbledon Theatre
93 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1QG
Public on sale: 10AM Thursday 30 July

Monday 18 October – Saturday 23 October 2021
Congress Theatre Eastbourne
Compton St, Eastbourne BN21 4BP
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Monday 25 October – Saturday 30 October 2021
Sunderland Empire
4-5 High St W, Sunderland SR1 3EX
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Monday 1 November – Saturday 6 November 2021
Theatre Royal Brighton
New Rd, Brighton BN1 1SD
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Monday 8 November – Saturday 20 November 2021
Manchester Opera House
3 Quay St, Manchester M3 3HP
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Tuesday 23 November – Saturday 27 November 2021
His Majesty’s Theatre
Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen AB25 1GL
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Monday 29 November – Saturday 5 December 2021
Regent Theatre
Piccadilly, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 1AP
Public on sale: 10AM Thursday 30 July

Monday 10 January – Saturday 15 January 2022
Royal & Derngate
19-21 Guildhall Rd, Northampton NN1 1DP
Public on sale: 10AM Friday 31 July

Tuesday 18 January – Saturday 22 January 2022
Edinburgh Playhouse
18-22 Greenside Pl, Edinburgh EH1 3AA
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Monday 24 January – Saturday 29 January 2022
Leicester Curve
60 Rutland St, Leicester LE1 1SB
Public on sale: ON SALE SOON

Monday 31 January – Saturday 5 February 2022
Hull New Theatre
Kingston Square, Hull HU1 3HF
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Monday 21 February – Saturday 26 February 2022
Churchill Theatre
High St, Bromley BR1 1HA
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Tuesday 1 March – Saturday 5 March 2022
Grand Opera House
2-4 Great Victoria St, Belfast BT2 7HR
Public on sale: ON SALE SOON

Tuesday 8 March – Saturday 12 March 2022
Newcastle Theatre Royal
100 Grey St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6BR
Public on sale: ON SALE SOON

Monday 14 March – Saturday 19 March 2022
Princess Theatre
Torbay Rd, Torquay TQ2 5EZ
Public on sale: 10AM Thursday 30 July

Monday 28 March – Saturday 2 April 2022
Venue Cymru
The Promenade, Penrhyn Cres, Llandudno LL30 1BB
Public on sale: BOOK NOW

Further dates to be announced soon.

Gigglemug Theatre have just announced their latest work in progress show Scouts! The Musical, a family-friendly, immersive comedy musical in collaboration with The Scouts. The production, written by Sam Cochrane & David Fallon, will be led by a cast of actor-musicians and has been selected for BEAM 2020, the UK’s leading industry showcase of new musical theatre.

They have released the song ‘Home’ from their performance at The Great Indoors Weekender, the UK’s biggest digital summer camp, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/YqH527v4JsU

Gigglemug Theatre’s debut comedy musical was the Edinburgh Fringe hit Timpson: The Musical, based on and sponsored by the shop Timpson, which won The Stage Edinburgh Award in 2018 and was described by the BBC as “Bonkers but brilliant!”. The full production has been made available to watch on YouTube and can be streamed here: https://youtu.be/LfzOOWCi8Ag

Due to delays resulting from the global impact of COVID-19, Moulin Rouge! The Musical will now begin performances at the Piccadilly Theatre, London in Autumn 2021.

Carmen Pavlovic, CEO of Global Creatures and producer of Moulin Rouge! The Musical said of the change, “Whilst we’re disappointed to be opening a little later than originally planned, we are committed to bringing Moulin Rouge! The Musical to London and look forward to being part of a revived West End.”

Full season details will be announced in due course.

The REP announces Summer Schools for 7-18 year olds
Birmingham Repertory Theatre to host both socially-distant workshops in the building and digital online sessions

Birmingham Repertory Theatre has announced that they will be hosting two Summer Schools this August; Theatre Making (3-7 Aug) for those aged 13-18 and Spy School (10-14 Aug) for ages 7-12. Both sets of five-day workshops have the option for in-person tuition and interaction in The REP’s rehearsal rooms under COVID-safe conditions or online digital classes.

Both programmes of online classes have also been made available to West Midlands Virtual Schools’ Connect & Create programme featuring specially selected arts and cultural activity for children & young people in care. A limited number of bursary places for the in-person sessions have been made available to support access for people facing financial barriers for both Theatre Making and Spy School. These bursaries have been made possible thanks to generous individual donations to The REP.

Each Summer School will have a strictly limited number of participants for the workshops held within The REP’s rehearsal rooms with social distancing observed at all times. Each participant will be assigned a marked 4m² space, cleaning staff will attend to hotspots like door handles and toilet flushes after every use and First aiders will be equipped with PPE to ensure safe assistance can be provided in the event of any health issues. The drop off and collection of participants will also be carefully co-ordinated to ensure social distancing is retained from start to finish.

Online sessions will include bespoke pre-recorded versions of physical classes plus links to downloadable documents and files for home use.

Alex Summers, Director of Creative Learning at The REP said; “We are over the moon to be able to get back into The REP’s rehearsal rooms and make use of our theatre once again this summer. It feels right that young people from Birmingham will be some of the first to step back into the theatre space and continue creative work within our four walls. The newly created digital versions of our sessions also mean that more young people than ever can join us for these exciting week-long workshops.

“I’m also extremely pleased to continue our partnership with West Midlands Virtual Schools to bring our industry-leading work to children & young people in care across our region, and to provide bursary places allowing young people from all backgrounds to access the work of The REP.”

Theatre Making for those aged 13-18 will explore devising, movement, puppetry, monologues and audition techniques. Spy School for children aged 7-12 is an immersive theatre adventure where young people take on the role of spies to complete training, discover clues and uncover mysteries. Both Summer Schools can be booked online at birmingham-rep.co.uk.

As a registered charity, The REP relies on the generosity of donors and sponsors. For more information on how you can help The REP’s development of work with young people visit birmingham-rep.co.uk/support-us.

SUMMER OF OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES ANNOUNCED FROM

THE WATERMILL THEATRE

A BRAND-NEW COMEDY VERSION OF
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

CONCERT PERFORMANCE OF LERNER AND LOEWE’S
CAMELOT

PERFORMANCES FROM 29 JULY – 29 AUGUST – GENERAL ON SALE FROM 23 JULY

PRIORITY BOOKING TO FRIENDS OF THE WATERMILL FROM 22 JULY

BOOK ONLINE AT WATERMILL.ORG.UK OR VIA THE BOX OFFICE ON 01635 46044

Artistic Director Paul Hart and the team at Newbury’s The Watermill Theatre are thrilled to announce that, due to the progress with the government’s phased roadmap towards theatres re-opening to the public, they are now in a position to present a summer season of work outdoors. Audiences from far and wide will be able to enjoy two new shows from socially distanced tables, seating up to 4 people maximum, in the idyllic setting of The Watermill’s glorious gardens. A two-course pre-show dinner from the restaurant will be available to enjoy from 5.30pm, with evening shows starting at 7.30pm (Monday to Saturday), and cream teas available after matinée performances (Thursday and Saturday).

The first show will be a new three hander comedy version of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic Sherlock Holmes tale, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, devised by the company, with evening performances from 29 July – 8 August. This will be followed by a concert version of Lerner and Loewe’s CAMELOT, including actor-musicians, with evening performances from 17 – 29 August.

To ensure the safety of all, strict social distancing measures have been implemented, and this includes significantly reducing the number of audience members that can be welcomed onsite at any one time. There will be twenty tables available for each performance, which can each seat a maximum of four people from one party only. Tables are unreserved, and audiences will be able to select a table on arrival. Each table will be in its own 2msq area with space between neighbouring tables and aisles. Seats will be uncovered, and performances will go ahead whatever the weather. There will be hand sanitiser stations, a one-way system for accessing the toilets and signage to indicate routes and procedures. There will also be free onsite parking in the main car park.

The cast for THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES is Victoria Blunt (previous credits at The Watermill: Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth), Rosalind Lailey (A Mini Summer Night’s Dream at the Watermill, The Railway Children, York Theatre Royal), and James Mack (previous credits at The Watermill: The Rivals, Journey’s End and Macbeth).

Casting for CAMELOT will be announced shortly.

Paul Hart said, “I’m so thrilled we’re able to bring you a summer season from our gorgeous gardens. The back lawn becomes Dartmoor in a bold and bonkers production of The Hound of the Baskervilles and I couldn’t think of anywhere more sublime to present Lerner and Loewe’s stunning score than ‘here in Camelot!’

I’m immensely proud of the team who have worked day and night to make this happen. I’ve been moved by theatres up and down the country working their socks off to create inspired work and community projects in impossible circumstances and I’m so looking forward to us conjuring some joy this summer. Come and join us for great theatre, al fresco dining, chilled rosé and the perfect location as the sun sets over the river- what could be more magical and frankly we all deserve it! And hopefully the rain will hold off…”

THE AWARD-WINNING IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE TO OPEN THIS CHRISTMAS  

THE FIRST MAJOR THEATRICAL EVENT

CONFIRMED TO OPEN AS PLANNED

DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF COVID-19

“The best pre-Christmas day out ever!” SIR ELTON JOHN

“So magical” DAVID BECKHAM

“Great Production” SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY

LaplandUK, the multi award-winning production company, has used its renowned creativity to adapt to the challenges presented by Covid-19 and will open as planned this Christmas with tickets going on sale on Monday 27 July. Creators, Mike and Alison Battle are passionate about ensuring that their magical world, which celebrates and honours childhood through original storytelling and memory making experiences, will not be cancelled despite these unprecedented times.

Described as“The Rolls Royce of Christmas experiences” (Mumsnet founder – Carrie Longton), Lapland, the immersive showis an original adaptation of the Father Christmas story and the secret world of the elves, brought to life through a four-hour interactive immersive experience. LaplandUK has won numerous awards including Little London Best Family Day Out for two consecutive years, Mishcon de Reya Fastest Growing 100 UK Companies 2016 and the NatWest Family Business Entrepreneur of the Year London and the South East 2018.

The LaplandUK team set themselves the challenge of not only introducing measures* to keep everyone Covid safe, but also to enhance the show for visiting families.   

LaplandUK’s purpose to ‘Honour Childhood Together’ inspired a redesign so families will now enjoy all aspects of the experience together in their individual ‘family bubbles’. As a temporary and unique production, the company is well placed to redesign the immersive ‘Lapland’ show as it builds its world from scratch every year. 

The 2020 season will run from 14 November – 24 December, with tickets on sale from Monday 27 July. 

Mike and Alison Battle, Co-Founders &Producers of ‘Lapland’, said, “As we all know 2020 has been a year like no other and when faced with the unprecedented challenge of COVID- 19, we took the decision early on to do everything in our power to keep our magical doors open! 

At LaplandUK we never forget that childhood is fleeting and that each child will only experience Christmas once in their life at a given age and we believe that’s something worth fighting for! It has been an extraordinarily tough year for everyone so it feels like there’s never been a better time to ‘honour childhood together’. To quote our Head of the Toy Factory – Whittle the elf, “Let’s make Christmas 2020 our most magical Elf-tastic year ever!”

“ONCE MORE UNTO THE BEACH, DEAR FRIENDS”

Blackpool residents channel spirit of Shakespeare’s Henry V in stirring new theatre piece inspired by the hopes and fears of communities leaving lockdown for the first time.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

As the nation prepares to take its first, tentative steps out of lockdown, the Royal Shakespeare Company has been working with the Grand Theatre to reach vulnerable groups in Blackpool and across the UK to explore their hopes and fears about re-emerging into a newly altered world.

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Learning and National Partnerships team have been working in collaboration with Blackpool Grand Theatre and with local community groups including Liberty Church, Better Start, Friends of Stanley Park and the Landlord and Hoteliers Group, to deliver weekly zoom community gatherings in which participants are tasked with creating a version of Henry V’s great battle speech, ‘Once more unto the breach, dear friends’.

The initiative, which forms one part of the RSC’s Shakespeare Nation adult-participation work, is aimed at vulnerable groups, many of whom are older, living in isolation or with underlying health conditions. Working in partnership with Blackpool Grand Theatre and RSC Voice practitioners, these creative sessions have been to set up to explore the participants hopes and fears about returning to the world, post-lockdown and to offer a call to arms to communities up and down the country who face similar challenges as a result of the pandemic.

Other community projects currently underway with the Grand Theatre in Blackpool include weekly Live Storytime Sessions delivered by the RSC actors Georgia Landers, Zoe Lambert and Amanda Hadingue in collaboration with Better Start targeting the children of key workers with young families in the local area, Dial A Sonnet conference calls to vulnerable adults living alone and without internet access, in which RSC actors call in to share one of Shakespeare’s well-known verses accompanied by a friendly chat and Do-it-yourself Shakespeare films featuring a beginners guide to performing Shakespeare’s plays in your own home.

Elsewhere in the UK, RSC Voice Practitioner Michael Corbridge has been working with long-term RSC partner, The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury to deliver a series of fun, interactive video voice workshops which use theatrical voice techniques to help inspire people to get used to using their voices again in a post-lockdown world. With an emphasis on fun and wellbeing, these interactive sessions offer a ‘Joe Wicks-style workout for the voice’ suitable for all ages yet particularly suited to those who have been living alone or in isolation over the past three months.

In Bradford, the RSC has been working in partnership with it’s Shakespeare Nation Champions at Liberty Arts Yorkshire, a thriving, community arts hub in the heart of Shipley, to produce over 200 Theatre Boxes filled with practical materials and resources to help families to stay creative at home. The boxes have been distributed to local families at risk including low income households and to those with limited access to the internet.

Shakespeare Nation is an adult participation project, funded through a £492,300 grant from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, which aims to reach out to communities around the country who would not normally engage with theatre or Shakespeare.

Deputy Artistic Director, Erica Whyman, said: “The Royal Shakespeare Company is a national theatre company, funded by people from all over England, and we believe Shakespeare belongs to everyone.

Not everyone thinks his plays are going to be for them but our experience, has been that if you can excite someone about Shakespeare and get them speaking his words and making sense of his ideas they often feel that suddenly they can do anything. The plays express feelings we all have, they tell stories about the universal experiences of life – love, death, ambition, excitement, disagreement, hope, so they can make us feel connected to one another. 

His wonderful words are part of all of our history, they help us explain ourselves, maybe especially at times of extreme change, which is why its so important to give voice to communities up and down the UK as they attempt to navigate this unprecedented moment in our shared history”.

Celine Wyatt is Head of Programmes and Learning at Blackpool Grand, said; “We are really proud to of all our Shakespeare Champions. They have met regularly throughout Lockdown to work with local Director Jo Cleasby, RSC actors and artists. Together they have created a new film, “Once More Unto The Beach,” where they share their experiences of Lockdown through Shakespeare’s powerful stories. The Grand may be closed for a while but the life of the theatre carries on, the words of Shakespeare uplift us and through this partnership we are connected.”

Launched in 2019, following the nationwide tour of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2018 production of Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare Nation aims to reach out to communities around the country who would not normally think theatre and Shakespeare are for them. The ambition is to reach more than 3,000 adults via co-productions, workshops with RSC actors and directors, and subsidised tickets and theatre coach trips to generate new audiences and ambassadors for Shakespeare and theatre in their communities.

Previous Shakespeare Nation projects include working with vulnerable adults in Blackpool to create their own version of Romeo and Juliet. Directed by Jo Cleasby, ‘A Grand Romance’ premiered at the Blackpool Grand Theatre in June 2019, with some of the performance taking place on Blackpool’s iconic promenade. The production mixed extracts from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with personal stories of love and romance in Blackpool and featured volunteers from Blackpool’s LGBTQ community, Liberty Church, hoteliers, Better Start parents and a community choir.

This was followed by an original performance of Capulets and Candyfloss by Nottingham People’s Choir, a Shakespeare-inspired story of love, loss and life-performed for an audience of friends and family and backed by singers from Nottingham Voice Collective. The show was set against the backdrop of the Nottingham Goose Fair and was facilitated through funding from the Institute of Mental Health.

In Norwich, refugee communities, asylum seekers and isolated migrant communities joined forces with members of Evolve, a weekly support group open to 11-25 year olds who are transgender, intersex, genderqueer and gender-questioning young people and students and staff from the University of East Anglia to create a new work inspired by their own links to  THE themes of Romeo and Juliet.  Working with practitioners from Norwich Theatre Royal and the RSC, ‘Palm to Palm’ premiered at Norwich Theatre Royal in November 2019 and was inspired by the personal journeys of participants as they navigate an unfamiliar world filled with new colours, new freedoms and new loves.

RSC Learning and National Partnerships provides opportunities for young people and adults to learn about, participate in and make performances of Shakespeare’s work in classrooms and communities across the nation.  Our aim is to harness the transformative power of making theatre together to help build life-long relationships with live theatre and Shakespeare’s plays.

The RSC is committed to forming lasting partnerships with regional theatres, community groups and schools. Together we create pathways for teachers, students, adults, and artists to develop their talents and skills; build leadership capacities; and become ambassadors for Shakespeare, theatre, and arts in their communities.  

The RSC’s work with national partners includes: a 261 strong Associate Schools network run in collaboration with 11 long-term partner theatres, free Schools’ Broadcasts and Live Lessons, 750 young Shakespeare Ambassadors, Youth Advisory Board, Shakespeare Nation (adult participation programme), Next Generation (a talent development programme for young people from backgrounds currently under-represented in our workforce) and small and large scale touring. 

For more information about RSC Education and the work it does nationwide, please visit www.rsc.org.uk/education

The Royal Shakespeare Company is a charity and our mission is to transform lives through amazing experiences of Shakespeare and great theatre. To make a gift to the RSC, visit https://www.rsc.org.uk/support/make-a-donation/

Pitlochry Festival Theatre to première A Love Letter to Scotland 

A new series of digital works written by an exciting lineup of British playwrights

 Starting on August 7, Pitlochry Festival Theatre will launch not one, but four months of online premières, as part of its three-year Shades of Tay project, reimagined at the start of lockdown with immediacy for these challenging times.

The series of new digitals works – titled A Love Letter to Scotland and written by an exciting lineup of British playwrights and poets including Timberlake Wertenbaker,  Jo Clifford, Hannah Khalil, Peter Arnott, Abi Zakarian  and Chinonyerem Odimba, and brought to life by the theatre’s 2020 Summer Season ensemble – will form a vital part of the theatre’s tri-daily, digital series #PFTLightHopeJoy, which launched just before lockdown began, and created to respond to the uncertain and isolating world in which we now find ourselves.

Inspired by the River Tay and its surrounding landscape – including Scotland’s multi-award-winning, world-renowned outdoor extravaganza, The Enchanted Forest, with whom these commissions are in partnership – the works will be performed as audio dramas, podcasts, short films. The cast will also perform the short workslater in a live festival after the Theatre reopens.

The first piece will launch on Friday 7 August with Douglas Maxwell’s new work, Beautiful Boy and will then continue weekly until late November, with new works to look forward to from Timberlake Wertenbaker, Stephen Greenhorn, Peter Arnott, Jo Clifford, Abi Zakarian, Hannah Khalil, Chinonyerem Odimba, Daniel Bye, Oliver Emanuel, Hannah Lavery, Jenny Lindsay, Martin McCormick, Linda McLean, Michael O’Neill, Frances Poet, Dan Rebellato, Ellie Stewart and Morna Young.

More new works will appear online throughout December from Deborah McAndrew, Bert Clark, Sally Reid, Lesley Hart and May Sumbwanyambe.

Each piece will be performed by one of Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s 2020 Summer Season cast, including Kirsty Stuart and Richard Standing, whom Pitlochry Theatre fans would have seen in the hugely-acclaimed production of Brian Friel’s Faith Healer last Autumn; as well as Barbara Hockaday,and Rachael McAllister, who both made their debut in 2019.

Speaking about the project, Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director, Elizabeth Newman, said: “The writing that has been produced by this extraordinary group of writers has been simply incredible. The writers have approached the task with their own personal verve and, therefore, each piece is unique, rich, powerful and offers up the identity of the individual’s voice too. Amy and I worked with the Ensemble to produce the recordings and then I went on to work with Nick Trueman (from Pitlochry Festival Theatre)  and artist Russell Beard to create the companion films. This was a joy for us to create for audiences. “

Renowned playwright, Timberlake Wertenbaker explained: “An enchanted forest and a long river moving through Scotland, it’s already a kind of dream. But the notion of writing something with a forest and a river feels like a magic key in itself.

We need enchantment at the moment: we are living through a time that feels like a curse. And we know that curses and evil spells are most often lifted by a magic word or by a phrase: something we need to learn, or something known all along but need to remember. Language can break the shackles of the spell, or at the very least, light our way out. “

Hannah Khalil told us:

“When Elizabeth Newman, Artistic Director of Pitlochry, asked me if I would write a little piece, I jumped at the chance: it was perfect timing. We were just in lockdown and the news was scary – I had had two plays cancelled. So, I was feeling pretty blue and to have an opportunity to escape into an imaginative world and pretend I was in Scotland – in the countryside where I would love to be – it was really magical.”

When commissioned to write, Jo Clifford described her inspiration:

“I normally live in Leith; I live in the middle of an urban landscape, and I can’t believe I’m here, out in the countryside, where I’ve ended up being isolated. What luck, how astonishing! It reminds me of living close to the sea, of a time that I spent often visiting a house that was just by the banks of the River Tay, the other side of the river from Dundee. And how enormous the volume of water was there: how impressive, how frightening it was. And I think that’s what my play is going to be about… the power of nature that has suddenly put us in this situation; it’s reminded us that nature is stronger than we are – that we do belong to the natural world. And that we also belong to each other.”

All the new works will be captioned, free to access and share, and intended as gifts to those isolated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and those who feel isolated from Theatre in general.

The commissioned work for Shades of Tay is not limited to writing, with plans for bio-sculpting, a water installation, song-writing – including Tay Songs by Ball Boy, and She-Town Ballad by Lila Clements and Tarek Merchant – and for children, Ligach and the Salmon, a story by Lynda Radley, and a Beaver Ballad, written and performed by renowned playwright and sound designer, Isobel McArthur and MJ McCarthy.

All Shades of Tay commissions will première on Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s online platforms, including YouTube: https://bit.ly/PFT_YouTube where all videos from the #PFTLightHopeJoy series can be followed.