Author: FairyPoweredProductions

Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield – until 21 March 2020

Reviewed by Ian Johnson

4****

World premiere by award winning playwright Chloë Moss

This new play which is 90 minutes straight through is a genuine heart warming and heart wrenching story of a family which spans four decades in front of the audience and takes us from present day backwards through their lives.

This story of two sisters Connie and Ursula played brilliantly by Lucy Ellinson and Helena Lymbery, along with Silas Carson as Connies husband Adrian the cast is completed by Lucas Button as their ‘son” Jack.

We are shown how explosive the marriage of Connie and Adrian is, how Jack is trying to fit in and the vulnerability of Ursula.

The cast are excellent in all their respective roles. I have to say how much admiration I have for both Lucy and Helena who played Connie and Ursula with such believability I was so involved in their lives together.

The first impression is of a lone garden bench on an astro turfed stage/park surrounded by different sized glass cabinets. These are well used throughout the 90 minutes.

We are introduced to Connie who sits waiting on the bench but we are not told who shes waiting for or why (we do find out at the end of the play). While she is there we are transported backwards through the years of her life, introduced to her family and her painful memories of two sisters growing up and growing apart. She has to retrace her life through forty years of caring for others, keeping secrets and being loyal to everyone.

We learn a lot about the lives of Connie and Ursula and the special bond the two sisters have together from being young girls growing up throughout their adult lives to the present day. We are shown the problems, troubles and struggles that they go through.

Life hasnt been plain sailing for Ursula with all the problems shes had to face, but having the love and support of Connie has helped her through life.

We are shown how theve gone from a close bond years ago to being virtual strangers in the present day. Secrets are revealed and hopefully a happy outcome could be the result of the revelation.

This is a case of nurture competing with nature.

This is a Sheffield Theatres, Paines Plough and Soho Theatre production.

Writer Chloë Moss, directed by Charlotte Bennett, designer Rosie Elnile and lighting designer Zoe Spurr.

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford – until 7 March 2020

Reviewed by Becky Doyle

3***

A fantastic cast and one who carried out the storyline brilliantly. Tessa Peake-Jones and Tony Gardner in particular did not disappoint, and Wendi Peters was a surprise when she sang, who knew she had such a voice?! Unfortunately for me, the story itself did not live up to expectations and I was left feeling maybe I’d missed something. I’d had in my mind, real belly laugh, fall off my chair kind of humor and that just isn’t what it was. However, others in the audience were and that leads me to think that maybe there was a generational gap.

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the show, it just didn’t meet my expectations. The set was laid out fantastically, and the change in scenery was one of the best parts of the show where Wendi Peters displayed her fabulous vocal abilities, as well as the comical interaction with the actors of the show.

I did enjoy the occasional audience interaction, that you can get form a smaller theatre, where the actors reacted to the audience’s claps, sniggers and cooing. All of the cast looked like there were thoroughly enjoying their parts and the characters they brought to life.

Overall, the show was enjoyable, and the second half was much more entertaining than the first. But, I do think I would recommended it to a slightly more mature audience as they seemed to have the most enjoyment from the show on the night.

The Leeds Playhouse – until 21 March 2020 

Reviewed by Sally Richmond

5*****

“Come my dears” and enter into the extraordinary world of Oliver Twist; where you’ll find yourself in the underbelly of Victorian London – in the streets of crime and dark adventure.  Presenting one of Dickens’ most famous stories; the fabulous Leeds Playhouse is hosting a most unique and thrilling production this week – brutal,  brave and brilliant scene after scene. If you thought Bryony Lavery’s adaptation was going to be typical of the usual ‘Oliver’ (a sweet-cherry- pie- cheeky-chappie singalong), then think again – this is so much better – it’s raw and real! 

Hardship, abuse and deprivation are at the core of Oliver Twist and through Amy Leach’s smart and skillful direction and impressive dramaturg from Jenny Sealey, nothing but the true themes (warts and all) of what Dickens fought to expose materialise on stage.  It’s hard to watch at times but that’s what makes this production so compelling and unique; as it cuts to the heart of the issues and lays them bare, stripped of any coziness that we so wrongly often associate with Dickens. 

Not only is this interpretation of Oliver Twist ingenious in its delivery but it’s the first Playhouse-led Ramps on The Moon production – who feature a large company in which deaf and disabled artists are integrated with non-disabled.  Each actor characterised their part perfectly with superb stage personas. Sign language was actually more or less banned in 1880 as human speech was seen as ‘the greatest gift from the almighty’.  The idea that unless you could talk, you wouldn’t be able to take the sacraments makes it even more poignant that the actors in Oliver Twist tell the story in the language of BSL.  This scandalous signing denial adds a fresh and new rich layer to the tale, which the two Brownlow characters (Rose – Katie Erich and Mr Brownlow – Jack Lord)  bring to light through Rose being told to stop signing by her father. 

Playing the title role, Broolyn Melvin, portrayed the waif Oliver with a beautiful fragility. When the pauper howls and yelps in pain (both of the physical and mental kind) the lump in your throat might distract you from the tightness of your heartstrings. In contrast, totally commanding the stage with star presence was Fagin, ‘Mrs Fagin’ to be precise and she would definitely have any ‘Mr Fagin’ under her Matriarchal thumb.  Like an off-duty Vivienne Westwood, donning a high puffed sleeved red velvet couture gown and pink spiky hair, Caroline Parker MBE portrayed the wicked ‘guardian’ with a sinister sweetness veiling a hard as acrylic nails centre. Simply spectacular in every way! Fagin’s only match was Bill Sikes (Stephen Collins) who was so dark and sinister, brooding and menacing with a psychopathic air that brought chills to the audience as soon as he entered the stage.

Other flawless performances were Nancy (Clare-Louise English) and her sidekick Little Luna (Rebekah Hill).  This tragic duo showed the audience the gentle vulnerability of working girls trapped by exhaustion and fear.  Their realistic portrayals demonstrated the heart wrenching life many poor Victorian women / children led. The harsh reality of the grooming and abuse that took (takes) place, when after a night of ‘working the streets’, is when Little Luna says she ‘feels cold inside’ and so is then plied with gin to warm her up ready for the next shift. 

Nadeem Islam played the ‘Artful’ one with a mischiehievous and an impish edge, making the audience laugh and smile in all the right places. Accompanying Mr Dodger were an ensemble of young apprentices of the criminal kind and all of the gang put maximum effort into every scene giving authentic characterisation with no overplaying at any point.  Comedy genius moments came in the form of Mrs Thingummy (Steph Lacey) and Mr Bumble (Benjamin Wilson) who gave us laughs a plenty with their unashamedly greedy behaviour and childish romance.

This Oliver Twist  isn’t like a large slice of apple pie with a huge dollop of custard: comforting, warming, familiar but it’s the retelling of a story at its most powerful: it forces you to feel, think and ask the very essential question: “When things were different?” – ‘were’ being the operative word here.  In the closing scene the cast re-enter wearing modern day jackets as noises of street cars zoom by. It leaves one pondering the issues highlighted and surely that’s what any great play should do and what Charles Dickens most definitely intended for his readers.

Hull New Theatre – until 21 March 2020

Reviewed by Catherine McWilliams

5*****

Mediterranean blue shimmered on the backdrop, the band struck up with a medley of Abba tunes and the packed audience at Hull New Theatre started to tap their feet, nod their heads and quietly sing along as they settled back in their seats for a cracking night at the theatre.

From the start it is clear that this is going to be a superlative performance as Sophie (Emma Mullen) sings “I have a Dream” as she posts her letters. The sets are so simple but so wonderfully effective the white and blues evoking the feel of a Greek island, the lighting adding that shimmer of the Mediterranean.

Mamma Mia! is a romantic comedy set on a small Greek island. Sophie (Emma Mullen) is trying to find the father she has never known as she is about to get married and has invited three possible fathers to her wedding. This brings her mother Donna Sheridan (Sharon Sexton) face to face with her past , as she has to deal with the repercussions. Mamma Mia! has a very strong and highly talented cast with a lovely mix of all the youngsters who are Sophie’s friends and the older cast members who are Donna’s friends.

Whilst Mamma Mia! uses the music of Abba it is not a jukebox musical, the songs are carefully placed to meet the emotion needed. Tempos may be slowed down to ensure that the words and feelings are very clear. There is the full range of joy, sadness, regret and even bitterness here.

Sharon Sexton is simply stunning as Donna Sheridan, totally believable from start to finish and her voice is sublime. Her rendition of “The Winner Takes it All” had it all, power, regret, hurt, anger, loss and those notes she reached – unbelievable. This had just followed the emotional “Slipping Through My Fingers”, when every mother and daughter in the theatre must have been holding their breath. But she also conveys the sheer joy of life as she performs “Super Trouper” with her friends Tanya (Helen Anker) and Rosie (Nicky Swift).

One of the joys of Mamma Mia! is the interaction between the characters and the friendships, Helen Anker (Tanya) and Nicky Swift (Rosie) were perfect as they cheered up their friend and had fun together.

The three fathers hit the spot beautifully, Rob Fowler as Sam Carmichael was just right as he tried to get his head around what was happening and tried to get Donna to listen to him. Daniel Crowder (Harry Bright) was a treat as he came out of his shell and began to have some fun, “Our Last Summer” is one of my favourite songs and I loved his performance of it. Jamie Kenna (Bill Austin) was great and “Take a Chance on Me” performed with Nicky Swift (Rosie) was a highlight of the show.

Emma Mullen made a beautifully sweet Sophie, with a superb singing voice and (to those of us who are older) had that annoying arrogance of knowing she knew everything at 20 to perfection! Her relationship with Sky (Toby Miles) was lovely.

This is a highly talented all singing, all dancing cast who really do justice to the story and the songs. The ensemble singing and dancing was superb, the quirky “Under Attack” was brilliant. Their vivacity and joy of life fills the theatre and this joy is carried out of the theatre by the audience.

This is not the film, this is so much better than the film, this is live performance. The music from the wonderful band (Musical Director Mark MacDonald) fills the auditorium and you can literally feel it in your bones, the raw emotion oozes off the stage, whether it is joy or regret, sheer joy will fill your heart, this is an experience that you will feel with all your senses (I swear I could smell the ouzo as they partied!!). To paraphrase an Abba song “Thank you for the music, the songs you’re singing, thanks for all the joy you’re bringing”

This is one not to miss, grab yourself a ticket – and enjoy!

Barbican Theatre, London – until 7 March 2020

Reviewed by Antonia Hebbert

5*****

Multiple murders, dubious desires, a head in a box, and misuse of corpses – welcome to Thomas Middleton’s 1606 revenge drama. And benvenuto to this co-production by Cheek by Jowl and Piccolo Theatre of Milan, which is all in Italian (translation by Stefano Massini). It is much less daunting than you might think – the English text is shown in surtitles above the stage, and the stylised design and sharp characterisation make it gripping. As does the somewhat colourful plot…

The central character Vindice (meaning ‘revenger’) wants to avenge the death of his fiance, who was poisoned by an elderly duke. Vindice gets his opening when the duke’s oldest son employs him to help seduce a girl who turns out to be Vindice’s sister. The duke’s numerous sons and stepsons are jostling to succeed him, and his illegitimate son is having an affair with the duchess. Once the duke is dead, the scheming and counterscheming brothers turn on each other, and what with one thing and another, the bodycount by the end is quite high. The characters then all leap back into life to leave the stage as they began – in a dancing procession to a tune that will stick in your head, and also drills home the message that greed, corruption, ambition and revenge itself are a merry-go-round that goes on and on.

As Middleton gave his characters names such as Supervacuo and Ambitioso, it looks very much as though he was sending up revenge drama as well as revelling in its extremes. That’s the way it’s played in this production – it’s bright and funny as well as extremely gory. There is a particularly gruesome murder scene, involving a poisoned death’s head as seduction bait, and an excruciatingly comical tea-party, in which Vindice tests his mother’s moral fibre and much bread-and-jam is eaten. The set (designer Nick Ormerod) is a series of doors (blood red, naturally) which open to reveal huge back projections – a stained glass window, Renaissance paintings, and sometimes black-and-white film footage of the events on stage, which has a rather eerie effect.

It’s played in modern dress – all those brothers are wearing natty suits, but are very distinct characters thanks to their riveting physical acting and Declan Donnellan’s inventive direction. Fausto Cabra plays Vindice with tremendous energy; Pia Lanciotti does a notable double turn as both seductive duchess and the pious mother who is tempted to pimp her own daughter. The Italian is gorgeous to listen to, and quite soon you feel as if you really are understanding the words even if you’re actually reading them above the stage.

CHARLIE CONDOU, KAMARI ROMEO AND KIM TATUM STAR IN UK PREMIERE OF STRAIGHT WHITE MEN BY YOUNG JEAN LEE

Directed by Steven Kunis
Produced by David Adkin and Panorama Productions

Southwark Playhouse, The Little, 27 May to 20 June

STRAIGHT WHITE MEN by Korean American playwright Young Jean Lee is a hilarious and revealing play about the most unoppressed of this world’s peoples. 

They are feared, envied, occasionally attacked and derided. But pitied?  When personal identity is essential and privilege is a problem, what is a straight white man to do?   

Young Jean Lee – called ‘hands down, the most adventurous playwright of her generation’ by the New York Times – is a playwright whose work revels in subverting stereotypes.   STRAIGHT WHITE MEN takes place over the Christmas holidays, when three brothers assemble at the family home, to celebrate the season with their widowed father.  The youngest, Drew, is an award-winning fiction writer. The middle boy, Jake is a hotshot banker, but the oldest, Matt, PLAYED BY Charlie Condou, is burdened by student debt and an unexplained failure to thrive.

Games are played.   Chinese food is ordered.  Brotherly pranks and trashtalk distract them from the issue that threatens to ruin the testosterone-fuelled, boys-will-be-boys celebration.  In this raucous, surprising and fearless work, Lee takes an outside look at the traditional father/son narrative, shedding new light on that theatrical storyline we have come to know all too well. 

But, and here is the twist, the people in charge of proceedings are neither white, nor straight, nor male…

Charlie Condou is an actor, columnist and LGBTQ+ rights activist best known for playing Marcus Dent in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street and Ben Sherwood in the BBC hospital drama Holby City. Theatre credits include: The Crucible (Sell A Door), Next Fall (Southwark Playhouse), Dying for It (The Almeida Theatre), The Changeling (Southwark Playhouse), Shopping & F***ing (No 1. Tour), Cracked (Hampstead Theatre) and After The Rain (Gate Theatre).

TV credits include: ‘Holby City’, ‘Unforgotten’, ‘Apocalype Slough’, ‘Coronation Street’, ‘The Impressionists’ and ‘Nathan Barley’ amongst others.Film credits include: ‘Good’, ‘Fred Claus’, ‘Charlotte Gray’, ‘Dead Babies’, ‘Sideswipe’, ‘Judge Dredd’, ’La Bas’ and ‘To Kill A Priest’.

Charlie says: “I’m really pleased to be working on the fantastic “Straight White Men”. I feel like masculinity is in a bit of a crisis at the moment and this play explores the effects of white male privilege in a beautifully delicate way”.

Also in the cast are Kamari Romeo and Kim Tatum. Kamari Romeo has worked extensively in immersive and experimental theatre. He made his screen debut in ‘Silent Witness’this year and his recent theatre credits include: Summer In London (Theatre Royal Stratford East), The Bear/The Proposal (Young Vic) and Elemental (Bush Theatre). Kim Tatum is the director and founder of Mzz Kimberley’s Life, highlighting trans performers. Her recent theatre credits include: Closets The Musical (Hope Mill Theatre) and Summer in London (Theatre Royal Stratford East). She has also appeared in EastEnders and Cold Feet. She is a regular on the main stage for London Gay Pride and is Patron of CliniQ.

Young Jean Lee has been hailed as ‘one of the best experimental playwrights in America’ by Time Out New York. She has written and directed nine shows in New York and has toured her work to over thirty cities around the world. Lee is currently under commission from Plan B/Paramount Pictures, Lincoln Center Theater, Playwrights Horizons, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Lee is the recipient of two OBIE Awards, the Festival Prize of the Zürcher Theater Spektakel, a 2010 Prize in Literature from the American Academy of Arts & Letters, a 2011 Guggenheim Fellowship and a Doris Duke Award.

Steven Kunis is Greek-American director for theatre and opera, currently based in London. He is the founding artistic director of Panorama Productions, a new company committed to international collaboration through the arts of theatre and music. His credits include: Refugee Orchestra Project UK Launch (LSO St Luke’s); Afterglow (Waterloo East Theatre); #Mr Simon Said (Tristan Bates Theatre) and The Demon (Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston). Steven has received several recognitions for his theatrical work, including a nomination for Best Director at the Off West End Theatre Awards.

Choreography is by Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster whose recent work includes: 

The Bee in Me by Ronald Schimmelpfennig dir. by Rachel Bagshaw; You Stupid Darkness by Sam Steiner dir. James Grieve at Southwark Playhouse; The Last Noel by Chris Bush dir. by Jonathan Humphries; Pavilion by Emily White dir. by Tamara Harvey at Theatr Clwyd and Chiaroscuro by Jackie Kay dir. by Lynette Linton at The Bush.

Set and costume design is by Suzu Sakai. Recent productions include: Bakersfield Mist (New Century Theater); Metamorphoses (Smith College); Alexander’s Feast (Harvard Early Music Society); The Imperial Express (Beijing Millennium Monument) and productions at the Fresh Fruits Festival and the Thespis Theater Festival. 

Lighting Design is by Jose Tevar who has recently designed The High Table and Chiaroscuro (The Bush Theatre). Other work includes productions for National Dance Company Wales, Middle Child and Lost in Translation Circus.

Casting is by Lucy Casson. Further casting will be announced shortly.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London, SE1 6BD

Dates: 27 May to 20 June

Performance Schedule:

Monday – Saturday 20:00, matinees Tuesdays and Saturdays at 15:30

Previews from Wednesday 27 May

Ticket info:

£14 previews / £22 standard / £18 concessions / £7-£12 PAYG members

Bookings:www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

FORTUNATELY WITH FI & JANE

LIVE AT STORYHOUSE THIS SPRING

Experience smash-hit podcast with live performance

Make a date on Wednesday 25 March 2020

Smash-hit BBC Radio 4 podcast Fortunately comes to Storyhouse this Spring for a live performance from the broadcasters behind the show.

Broadcasters Jane Garvey and Fi Glover’s smash-hit podcast has a loyal cult following owing to its frank, razor sharp style and wit.

Now fans can enjoy the experience first-hand with Fortunately…With Fi And Jane: Live – the live show spin-off experience they no one knew they wanted, until now.

Fortunately…With Fi And Jane: Live comes to Storyhouse for one night only on Wednesday 25 March 2020. Tickets are on sale now.

Each week, Jane and Fi share musings on their lives, from pet deaths and garden hose repairs, to the trouble with HRT patches. It was once described as “surprisingly successful” by a BBC middle management figure in ankle-swinging chinos.

With 238 years of broadcasting experience between them, Fi and Jane guarantee you an evening of behind-the-scenes revelations and inconsequential, but strangely compelling, chat about living some of their lives behind the microphone.

The indistinguishable pair will be joined by a very special guest at each venue, and together they promise to take mid-life by its elasticated waist and give it a brisk going over with a stiff brush.

At a time of uncertainty, what you need is the wisdom and experience of two women who haven’t got a clue what’s happening either. If they can find their way to the theatre, it promises to be an evening of mildly entertaining stuff.

Please note: This event may be recorded for archival and promotional purposes.

Tickets for Fortunately…With Fi And Jane: Live are priced from £26.50. Each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee.

LISTING INFORMATION

FORTUNATELY…WITH FI AND JANE: LIVE

Wednesday 25 March 2020

Tickets from £26.50 – each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee

STORYHOUSE

Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR

HOW TO BOOK

Online:            Visit www.storyhouse.com

By Phone:       Call 01244 409 113

In person:       Visit the Ticket Kiosks at Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR

Website:         www.storyhouse.com

Facebook:       www.facebook.com/storyhouselive/

Twitter:           @StoryhouseLive

Finn Anderson announced as ‘The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer’ 

Musical Theatre Network, Mercury Musical Developments, The Lowry, & Hope Mill Theatre are delighted to announce that Finn Anderson will be The Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer for a co-hosted residency at The Lowry and Hope Mill Theatre, commencing April 2020.

Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network run the Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer scheme, which is made possible by funding from the Cameron Mackintosh Foundation. Through this scheme musical theatre composers are paired with a theatre venue (or in this case two, co-hosting the residency), and given the opportunity to be involved in a range of work which could include underscoring plays, setting text to music or creating their own new work. Recent venues have included the Royal Shakespeare Company, Dundee Rep, Lyric Hammersmith, Leeds Playhouse, Curve, and New Wolsey Theatre. Finn Anderson is the second of five placements that MTN and MMD will be facilitating over 2018-21. 

Claire Symonds, Senior Producer: Artist Development at The Lowry, said:  “We are excited to be working with Finn Anderson through this new partnership. The Lowry is delighted to come together with Hope Mill Theatre to support a Cameron Macintosh Resident Composer and it demonstrates the spirit of collaboration and innovation that we hold dear in Greater Manchester. With Hope Mill Theatre’s flair for producing and reimagining musicals and our passion for artist development and new British musical theatre, we look forward to offering Finn an extraordinary opportunity to develop.” 

Finn Anderson is a Scottish musical theatre writer, composer and singer-songwriter working throughout the UK and internationally. 

Anderson has co-created four award-nominated musicals as a composer, lyricist and bookwriter. Musical theatre work includes Islander (Paines Plough Roundabout/Southwark Playhouse, Musical Theatre Review ‘Best Musical’ Winner), City of Dreams (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland/American Music Theatre Project), Come Hell or High Water (Citizens Theatre), Streets (Hackney Empire/The Cockpit, ‘Best New Musial’ nominee, Off West End Awards), Alba (Edinburgh Fringe, MTN Award nominee), Wolf (Tristan Bates). Finn is currently developing The Bow Maker in collaboration with acclaimed Brazilian folk musician Siba. Supported by National Theatre of Scotland, Dundee Rep and British Council, The Bow Maker was presented at BEAM 2018. He was a finalist in the Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Prize 2019, and is currently undertaking a writing residency at the American Music Theatre Project in Chicago. 

Music for theatre and performance includes A Christmas Carol (Barn Theatre), Catch Me (Upswing), A Night To Remember, One More Sleep ’til Christmas (Citizens Theatre), Look Up, Moonfall (Hikapee Circus Theatre/Jacksons Lane), Jellyfish (Intrepid/International Youth Arts Festival), Buckets, The Birds and Southside Stories (Citizens Young Co/Chrysalis Festival), Fandom and Now or Never (BYMT), Forbidden (Scottish Youth Theatre), Cat Loud’s Big Night In (Edinburgh Fringe/UK Tour), The Iguanodon Queen (Bush Theatre), Slingshot (Park Theatre), Foreplay (The Cockpit).

Finn’s debut full-length album ‘Until The Light’ was released in June 2019. He has worked with some of the country’s top folk and jazz musicians, and toured throughout the UK and USA. He is part of LGBT+ Scottish folk music collective Bogha-Frois, performing at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for Celtic Connections Festival 2019 and 2020.

Finn Anderson, Composer, said: “I feel so privileged to have been selected for this year’s Cameron Mackintosh Resident Composer Scheme, and to work with two of Manchester’s most vibrant venues over the next year on a diverse range of projects and opportunities. It is such an exciting time for new musicals in the UK and both of these venues show a strong commitment to the art form, so I’m certain I’ll learn a huge amount during my time as Resident Composer and will leave with new skills, networks and understanding of how to progress in my musical theatre career. I am very grateful to The Lowry, Hope Mill Theatre, Mercury Musial Developments and Musical Theatre Network for this fantastic opportunity and for their confidence in my work.”  

Adam Blanshay Productions and Nicolas Talar present
The Birmingham Repertory Theatre Production of

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

BY MATTHEW DELAPORTE & ALEXANDRE DE LA PATELLIÈRE
ADAPTED & DIRECTED BY JEREMY SAMS

• WHAT’S IN A NAME? ANNOUNCES FULL UK TOUR CAST AHEAD OF OPENING IN BIRMINGHAM

• EMMA CARTER JOINS JOE THOMAS, BO PORAJ, LOUISE MARWOOD AND ALEX GAUMOND TO STAR IN THE FEROCIOUS COMEDY, ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY JEREMY SAMS

• INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE PRODUCTION OPENS AT THE ALEXANDRA THEATRE ON 11 MARCH 2020, THEN VISITS LEICESTER, BATH, POOLE, BRADFORD, BRIGHTON AND BROMLEY

Adam Blanshay Productions is pleased to announce that Emma Carter (Temple) will complete the cast of the UK Tour of international hit comedy What’s In A Name?, adapted and directed by Jeremy Sams from the award-winning French film and stage sensation, Le Prènom, by Matthew Delaporte and Alexandre de La Patellière.

The ferocious comedy has garnered critical acclaim from across the country since first embarking in the autumn earlier this year, with praise in particular for the cast who will be returning in the new year; Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners, Fresh Meat), Bo Poraj (Miranda, Musketeers),Louise Marwood (Emmerdale) and Alex Gaumond (Company, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Matilda).

What’s In A Name? hilariously captures a particularly awkward family dinner party. The witty and razor-sharpproduction will return to Birmingham, where audiences will have a second opportunity to catch the play after it first opened at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 2017. The extended tour kicks off again at The Alexandra Theatre in March 2020 and will then visit Leicester, Bath, Poole, Bradford, Brighton and Bromley. 

Father-to-be Vincent and his partner Anna are invited to dinner by his sister Elizabeth and her husband, Peter. They are joined by childhood friend Carl for a mature and sophisticated gathering.

The meal is lovingly prepared, and wine carefully selected. The friends are prepared for the usual humorous exchanges they’ve come to expect.

But tonight, a startling revelation about the name chosen for Vincent’s and Anna’s expected child becomes the catalyst for a destructive argument which spirals hysterically out of control. Tonight no one is holding back! Egos, childish resentment and unspoken feelings are relentlessly and hilariously exposed for the first time.

What’s In A Name? is written byMatthew Delaporte and Alexandre De La Patellière with adaptation, translation and direction by Jeremy Sams. Set design is by Francis O’Connor and lighting design is by Rick Fisher.

For tickets and more information please visit: whatsinanameplay.com

T: @WhatNamePlay | F: /WhatsInANamePlay| #WhatsInAName

The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
11 – 14 March
0870 607 7533 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/the-alexandra-theatre-birmingham/

Curve Studio, Leicester
16 – 21 March
0116 242 3595 | www.curveonline.co.uk/

Theatre Royal Bath
23 – 28 March
01225 448844 | www.theatreroyal.org.uk/

Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts
31 March – 4 April
01202 280000 | www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/

The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
7 – 11 April
0 1274 432000 | www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/venues/the-alhambra-theatre

Theatre Royal Brighton
15 – 18 April
0844 871 7650 | www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton/

Churchill Theatre, Bromley
21 – 25 April
020 3285 6000 | churchilltheatre.co.uk/

Chiswick Playhouse name three
exciting patrons and new producer
Chiswick Playhouse, 2 Bath Road, London W4 1LW

Wayne Glover-Stuart has been named as the new producer at Chiswick Playhouse. Having trained at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he has since worked as a Creative Producer at the BBC, General Manager at Tramshed and the Artistic Lead at Shaw Theatre. He joins Chiswick Playhouse after its relaunch in late 2019 with the aim of fulfilling the big ambitions of this small space.

Glover-Stuart comments, I am privileged and honoured to join a small but mighty theatre at such an exciting time as it embarks on a new chapter. I am excited to lead Chiswick Playhouse as a local theatre, producing outstanding work of all genres, and become the breeding ground for the next generation of top creatives.

Mark Perry, Executive Director of Chiswick Playhouse, comments, As part of our rebrand and relaunch, we’re delighted to bring Wayne on board. He brings with him a great track record in producing and programming but also, crucially, how we can bring a West End experience to a local theatre. With Wayne joining, and our new patrons, we now have a great team in place to work on an exciting future for the Chiswick Playhouse.

Three exciting patrons will also support the ongoing work of Chiswick Playhouse. They are Torin Douglas who was the BBC’s media correspondent for 24 years, actor Kevin McNally who is perhaps best known for portraying Joshamee Gibbs in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, and BAFTA Award-winning Phyllis Logan who graced our screens as Mrs Hughes in the much loved Downton Abbey.