Author: FairyPoweredProductions

SIX WEEK EXTENSION ANNOUNCED FOR THE UK PREMIERE OF C-o-n-t-a-c-t, WITH TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Aria Entertainment and WEF Productions have today announced a six-week extension for the UK premiere of C-o-n-t-a-c-t, the immersive outdoor performance featuring a captivating 3D sound design. Now playing until 22nd November 2020, the production is delighted to add St. Paul’s to the list of locations where the show can now be experienced.  

This unique and innovative production opened to 4* reviews from The Guardian and the i, with The Times calling it “a tantalising vision of a new kind of theatre for these difficult times.”

The production stars Charles Angiama (The Exonerated, Hope Mill Theatre; My Week with Marilyn),  Louis Bernard (Radieuse Vermine, Théâtre Montparnasse), Chloe Gentles (Beautiful – The Carol King Musical), Max Gold (Endeavour; Poldark), Richard Heap (Buried Child, National Theatre; The Summer Before Everything, Menagerie Theatre), Aoife Kennan (ITV’s Victoria; For Services Rendered, Jermyn Street Theatre), Katja Quist (Earthquakes In London, Bristol Old Vic) and Laura White (The Play That Goes Wrong, West End and UK Tour). The cast will alternate between three London locations; Tower Bridge, Greenwich and Clapham Common.

C-o-n-t-a-c-t brings together a creative team of international talent including Director Samuel Sené, Book by Eric Chantelauze, English adaptation by Quentin Bruno, Music and Sound Designer Cyril Barbessol and Associate Director Bronagh Lagan.

Originally created by Samuel Sené and Gabrielle Jourdain and premiering in France with French production company Musidrama over the summer in a world where social distancing became the ‘new normal’, this timely story of a moving and unexpected encounter explores the themes of mental health and anxiety through the eyes of Sarah as she is approached by someone she believes to be a stranger. She discovers that he can hear her thoughts but how? Who is this man? Dive into her mind in this unique sensory and immersive new show and experience theatre like never before.

The show runs for 50 minutes without an interval and audiences download the audio from the app which is a completely new piece of technology synchronizing the spectators and actors, allowing the show to play with theatrical concepts and a new form of dramaturgy. Audiences of no more than 15 per show will purchase their tickets online and will then receive a link to download the app which will provide the exact location.

Following the government’s announcement regarding the reduction of social gatherings to 6, it is understood that this doesn’t affect performances of C-O-N-T-A-C-T as the show complies with the safety & hygiene measures in place for businesses and the performing arts set out by the government. This pedestrian performance is an outdoor promenade experience for small groups of up to 15 and adheres to strict social distancing between audience members. It is also an audio experience which involves no direct speaking of any actor in the play. All audience members will be required to wear a face covering and observe social distancing measures. 

Tickets can be purchased via TodayTix or the C-o-n-t-a-c-t website.

Hope Mill Theatre confirms RENT will go ahead this year and it’s set to be the hottest ticket in town!

Hitting Manchester from Friday 30th October to Sunday 6th December 2020

Hope Mill Theatre has announced its hotly-anticipated revival of classic rock musical RENT will run to socially distanced audiences this autumn – with the 12-strong cast forming a ‘bubble’ for the duration of the show’s run in Manchester.

RENT, directed by Luke Sheppard, was due to play at the venue in July, but the run was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The venue has been working hard and keeping updated with new guidance being released regarding inside performances and after much careful consideration are excited to announce the production is scheduled to go ahead as planned.

Hope Mill Theatre will be operating with strict covid guidelines in place in line with the Government guidance for the performing arts.

This will include operating at 50% capacity per show with audience rows spaced 2 metres apart and a transparent safety screen separating bookings.

The venue will be clearly signposted with essential information and will put in place hand sanitising stations, extra toilets for patrons, staggered arrival times and temperature checks on arrival.

The theatre space will be fully sanitised before each performance and audiences will be asked to wear face coverings during the show or visors for those who are exempt.

In line with current guidelines the venue will not allow groups of more than 6 people per booking from different households and will be collecting audience details to comply with the NHS Test & Trace scheme.

All customers who have already booked for RENT have been contacted regarding their bookings with new information on any changes.

With some performances already sold out and many close to selling out the venue is urging audiences not delay and grab a ticket whilst they can.

The incredible cast that has been assembled will be announced very soon and is not to be missed!

Performers will be placed in one ‘bubble’ for the duration of the run in Manchester and receive covid testing.

William Whelton, Executive Director of Hope Mill Theatre, said: “The past few months have been a whirlwind of highs and lows for our venue. We have worked so hard to make RENT possible along with the support of the wider creative team, the cast and our own venue staff.

“We stated previously that we would  not proceed with the production if we couldn’t do it in a safe and secure way for everyone involved including our audiences. After a lot of investment in equipment and working alongside a health and safety officer we are more than confident that we can deliver not only an incredible production but one that is covid-secure and enjoyable for everyone involved.

“We want nothing more than to have our doors open once more and welcome back our loyal and supportive audiences, as well as supporting the industry that we love so much at a time that they need us the most. After all we must Measure in Love.”

RENT is a rock musical with music, lyrics, and book by Jonathan Larson and is loosely based on Puccini’s opera La Bohème. It tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists living, loving and working in Manhattan’s East Village, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

The show premiered off Broadway in 1996 before moving to Broadway later the same year. The show has been staged all over the world, including in the West End in 1998 and in 2005 was released as a motion picture. It features hit songs such as Rent, Without You, La Vie La Bohème and the iconic Seasons of Love.

RENT was originally produced in New York by New York Theatre Workshop and on Broadway by Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum, Allan S. Gordon and New York Theatre Workshop. Musical Arrangements by Steve Skinner, Music Supervision and Additional Arrangements by Tim Weil, Original Concept/Additional Lyrics Billy Aronson and Dramaturg Lynn Thomson.

Presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited.

Twitter: @Hopemilltheatr1

Facebook: Hope Mill Theatre

WISE CHILDREN ANNOUNCES FULL CAST OF ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS AND A LIVE BRISTOL AUDIENCE FOR THE FINAL PERFORMANCE OF THEIR ‘DIGITAL TOUR’

Wise Children, Bristol Old Vic and Plush Theatricals present

Romantics Anonymous

Book by Emma Rice, Lyrics by Christopher Dimond, Music by Michael Kooman

Based on the film Les Émotifs Anonymes written by Jean-Pierre Améris and Philippe Blasband

Directed by Emma Rice

Wise Children, Bristol Old Vic and Plush Theatricals today announce that Emma Rice’s critically acclaimed Romantics Anonymous will be performed live to a socially distanced audience for the final performance of their ‘digital tour’ on 27 September at Bristol Old Vic. This will conclude the company’s week of performances which sees the show streamed live across the UK and internationally from 22 – 26 September.  

Audience capacity will be limited in line with all current guidelines and extra measures will be put in place to keep audience and performers safe.

Reprising their roles, the full cast is Marc Antolin (Jean-René), Carly Bawden (Angélique), Me’sha Bryan (Suzanne/Mimi), Harry Hepple (Ludo/Remi), Laura Jane Matthewson (Young Woman), Sandra Marvin (Magda/Brigitte/Dr Maxim), Philip Cox (Father/Pierre/Receptionist), Gareth Snook (Mercier/Mumbler/Marini) and Omari Douglas (Salesman/Fred) joins the cast. 

Angélique is a gifted chocolate maker inhibited by social anxiety and Jean-René is the boss of a failing chocolate factory. When Angélique takes a job in Jean-René’s struggling factory, a fragile love affair unfolds. 
 
Funny, tender and painfully awkward, Romantics Anonymous is a delicious love story about breaking the mould and finding the courage to be happy.

Emma Rice today said “I cannot believe that, in less than a week Wise Children will be in a rehearsal room again and in less than 2, we will be performing our beloved Romantics Anonymous to an audience – live! The last weeks have been filled with scrupulous planning and careful preparations to ensure the safety of the cast and crew, but when we get onto that stage everything will change. Under the lights, for a few short hours, we will forget our fears and remember other essentials in life; imagination, celebration, story, community and song. Hand in virtual hand with our audience we will feel the joy and exhilaration of a collective experience; that sweet, delicious, much missed treat! And to think that we will have an actual Bristol audience watching in the flesh on our final night is almost too much excitement for a woman to bear. Joy upon joy, thrill upon thrill! Let the show go on!”

Tom Morris, Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic added, “Tickets for the streamed performances of Romantics Anonymous are flying out the door. Wise Children have shown once again that they are the company lead where the boldest theatre experimenters, artists and audiences alike, are sure to follow. This single “same room” performance is a gift from the company to their loyal and passionate audiences in Bristol and a wonderful opportunity for us at the theatre to begin a journey of welcoming you, the lifeblood of the theatre, which will roll out across the autumn.”

Emma Rice is the proud and excited Artistic Director of her new company, Wise Children. She adapted and directed the company’s first two productions, Angela Carter’s Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour) and Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers (Bristol Passenger Shed/UK tour). For the ENO she directed Orpheus in the Underworld. As Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe (2016/18), she directed Romantics Anonymous, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Little Matchgirl (and Other Happier Tales). For the previous 20 years, she worked for Kneehigh as an actor, director and Artistic Director. Her productions for Kneehigh include The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, Tristan & Yseult, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, The Wild Bride, The Red Shoes, The Wooden Frock, The Bacchae, Cymbeline (in association with RSC), A Matter of Life and Death (in association with National Theatre), Rapunzel (in association with Battersea Arts Centre), Brief Encounter (in association with David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers Productions), Don John (in association with the RSC and Bristol Old Vic), Wah! Wah! Girls (in association with Sadler’s Wells and Theatre Royal Stratford East for World Stages), and Steptoe and Son. Other work includes the West End production of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Oedipussy (Spymonkey), The Empress (RSC), and An Audience with Meow Meow (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). She was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre at the 2019 UK Theatre Awards.

Michael Kooman (music) and Christopher Dimond (lyrics) are an Emmy-nominated writing team for the stage and screen. They currently serve as songwriters for Vampirina, an animated musical TV series on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior, reaching over 100 million viewers in 115 countries. Their theatre credits include The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes (Village Theater), Orphie & The Book of Heroes (The Kennedy Center), The Enlightenment of Percival Von Schmootz (Adirondack Theatre Festival), Judge Jackie: Disorder in the Court (Pittsburgh CLO), Dani Girl (Exit, Pursued by a Bear), Golden Gate (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Homemade Fusion (Ambassadors Theatre/Edinburgh Festival Fringe) and Junior Claus (Orlando Repertory Theatre). Kooman and Dimond have received the Fred Ebb Award, a Jonathan Larson Grant, the ASCAP Foundation Mary Rodgers/Lorenz Hart Award, the Samuel French Next Step Award, the Burton Lane Award and the Harold Adamson Award.

Marc Antolin plays Jean-René. His previous theatre credits include Camelot (Watermill Theatre), Hedda Gabler (Sherman Theatre), Cry Havoc (Park Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors – for which he received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical, Into the Woods, Hello Dolly! (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Twelfth Night (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Kneehigh), Peter Pan (National Theatre), The Trial (Young Vic), Taken at Midnight (Theatre Royal Haymarket/ Chichester Festival Theatre), Amadeus, Singin’ in the Rain, The Music Man (Chichester Festival Theatre), From Here to Eternity (Shaftsbury Theatre), Matilda (RSC/Cambridge Theatre), Billy Liar (UK tour) and Imagine This (New London Theatre). His television credits include Keeping Faith; and for film his credits include London Road and Love Actually.

Carly Bawden plays Angélique. Her previous theatre credits include Ghost Quartet (Boulevard Theatre), Sylvia, Natives (The Old Vic), Twelfth Night (Shakespeare’s Globe), wonder.land (National Theatre), McQueen (Haymarket Theatre), Assassins, Pippin (Menier Chocolate Factory), Dead Dog in a Suitcase, Tristan & Yseult (Kneehigh), My Fair Lady (Sheffield Theatres), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (The Threesixty Theatre), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Kneehigh/Curve Leicester /Gielgud Theatre), Sleeping Beauty (Wakefield Theatre), Vice (Arcola Theatre), Whistle Down the Wind (UK tour), Evita (UK tour – Nominated for TMA Award for Best Supporting Actress 2009); and for television, Call the Midwife and Close to the Enemy.

Me’sha Bryan plays Suzanne/Mimi. Her previous theatre credits include Caroline, or Change (Playhouse Theatre/Hampstead Theatre/Chichester Festival Theatre), As You Like It, Porgy and Bess (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Desire Under the Elms (Sheffield Theatres), Sister Act – A Divine Musical Comedy (National Concert Hall, Dublin), The Lion King (UK tour), Been So Long (Young Vic), Moziz The Musical (Hackney Empire), Ragtime (Piccadilly Theatre), The Wizard of Oz (Birmingham Rep) and The Little Shop of Horrors (West Yorkshire Playhouse). Her television credits include Doctors, Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators. Her film credits include The Witches 2021.

Omari Douglas playsSalesman/Fred. His previous credits include Wise Children, High Society (The Old Vic), Rush (King’s Head Theatre), Peter Pan, Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Five Guys Named Moe (Marble Arch Theatre), Tristan & Yseult (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Life (Southwark Playhouse), Annie Get Your Gun (Sheffield Crucible) and Hairspray (Leicester Curve).

Harry Hepple plays Ludo/Remi. His previous theatre credits include Rutherford and Son, Follies, A Taste of Honey, Burnt by the Sun (National Theatre), Hot Mess, The Daughter-in-Law (Arcola Theatre), Wonderland (Nottingham Playhouse), Into the Woods, Pippin (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Saints (Nuffield Southampton Theatres), The Lightning Child, Macbeth (Shakespeare’s Globe), Privates on Parade (Noël Coward Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ragtime (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Donmar Warehouse), Jump (UK tour), Been So Long (Young Vic), I Caught Crabs in Walberswick (Bush Theatre,) and Alaska (Royal Court Theatre). His television credits Moving On, Boy Meets Girl, Hustle and Misfits; and for film, Peterloo, Stan and Ollie and Criminal.

Laura Jane Matthewson plays Young Woman/ Self-help tape/ Swing. Her previous theatre credits includeOrpheus Descending(Theatr Clywd/Menier Chocolate Factory), Harriet Martineau Dreams of Dancing (Live Theatre), The World Goes ‘Round (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Beyond The Fence (Arts Theatre), Dogfight (Southwark Playhouse – Winner of Evening Standard Award 2014 for Best Emerging Talent), Daisy Pulls It Off (Hever Festival), and After The Tone (Bridewell Theatre). Her television credits include Press, Vera and Dark Angel.

Sandra Marvin plays Magda/Brigitte/Dr Maxim.Her previous theatre credits includeWaitress (Adelphi Theatre), Committee, City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse), Stepping Out(Vaudeville Theatre), Showboat (Sheffield Theatres/New London Theatre), Chicago (UK tour/Curve Theatre), Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre/UK tour), A Fairytale of New York, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ragtime (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Cool Hands Luke (Aldwych Theatre), The New Yorkers (Sadler’s Wells Theatre), Porgy and Bess (Savoy Theatre), Momo (Greenwich Theatre) and A Rake’s Progress (Royal Opera House). Her television credits include as series regular Jessie Grant in Emmerdale.

Philip Cox plays Father/Pierre/Receptionist.His previous theatre credits include Romantics Anonymous, Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Mousetrap (St Martin’s Theatre), Cinderella (Theatre Royal Bury St. Edmunds), The Daughter of the Regiment (Iford Arts), Robin Hood, Mother Goose (Watford Palace Theatre), The Go-Between (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Oliver! (Madinat Theatre, Dubai), Aspects of Love (UK tour), Hard Times (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Doctor (National Theatre), Sweeney Todd (Theatr Clwyd/UK tour), Paradise (Nottingham Playhouse) and Les Misérables (Palace Theatre). For television, his credits include The Armada; and for film Oklahoma!

Gareth Snook plays Mercier/Mumbler/Marini. His previous theatre credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Wise Children (Old Vic/UK tour), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare’s Globe), Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre), A Pacifists Guide to the War on Cancer (National Theatre), Casa Valentina (Southwark Playhouse), Company (Donmar Warehouse/Albery Theatre), Assassins (Noël Coward Theatre/Donmar Warehouse), Made in Dagenham, Sunset Boulevard (Adelphi Theatre), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Aspects of Love (Prince of Wales Theatre), Les Miserables (Palace Theatre), Cats (New London Theatre), The Rink (Cambridge Theatre), The Hired Man (London Astoria), Guys and Dolls (Prince of Wales Theatre), Girlfriends (Playhouse Theatre), Closer Than Ever (Jermyn Street Theatre/Criterion Theatre/Vaudeville Theatre), My Fair Lady (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), The Full Monty and Martin Guerre (UK tours). His television credits include That Uncertain Feeling, Ten Glorious Years, Company and French and Saunders; and for film, Paddington 2, and Les Miserables.

Tickets for the performance on 27 September go on-sale on 14 September at 2pm.  bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/romantics-anonymous-live

Tickets for the live-streamed digital tour can be found here: www.wisechildrendigital.com

ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS  

LISTINGS

DIGITAL TOUR SCHEDULE

SCOTLAND & THE NORTH:

Tuesday 22 September, 7.30pm

Eden Court Highlands

Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

York Theatre Royal

HOME Manchester

The Lowry Salford

Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse

Storyhouse Chester

The Festival Theatre

Perth Theatre at Horsecross Arts

Theatre By The Lake

THE MIDLANDS:

Wednesday 23 September, 7.30pm

Derby Theatre

Theatre Royal Nottingham

Belgrade Theatre Coventry

Royal & Derngate

Oxford Playhouse

Curve Theatre Leicester

WALES & THE SOUTH WEST:

Thursday 24 September, 7.30pm

Bristol Old Vic

Exeter Northcott

Theatre Royal Plymouth

Theatre Royal Bath

Lighthouse Poole

Theatr Clwyd

LONDON & THE SOUTH EAST:

Friday 25 September, 7.30pm

Brighton Dome & Brighton Festval

Norwich Theatre Royal

Marlowe Theatre Canterbury

The Old Vic

USA:

Saturday 26 September, 9pm BST / 1pm PST / 4pm EST

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, LA

Berkeley Rep

Shakespeare Theatre Co, Washington DC

Spoleto Festival, Charleston

St Ann’s Warehouse, NYC

Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Turbine Theatre – 8 September 2020

Reviewed by Adam Craddock

4****

When I got invited to review at the Turbine Theatre’s “Turbine on the Jetty” festival I jumped at the chance once again. I feel like this series of shows is so important for supporting our artists and trying to kick start our industry as quickly as we can, and the latest offering put up was exceptional. “The Final Countdown” – an 80’s rock and pop spectacular featuring music from artists including Toto, Bon Jovi, Cyndi Lauper and many more was an absolute jam packed hour of precise harmonies, wailing rock falsettos and some of the best solos and duets of the era.

The show opened with the cast coming through the audience as with last weeks show at the festival and right from the off set the bar at an incredible height. Emma Hatton’s performance of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” was brilliant, with her sharing a striking vocal doppelgänger to Ms Lauper that I had never realised before. The high notes that for anyone else would be a struggle came flying out with little to no effort. Truly impressive. The duet between Luke Walsh and Shekinah McFarlane was epic. Both were able to vocally match each other and give some absolute welly to an intense duet. Walsh in particular stood out with his seemingly never ending range. The group numbers were brilliant too, with harmonised versions of Africa and Living on a Prayer being performed to a very high standard indeed. The absolute highlight of the night for me though came nearer the end with the duet “Total Eclipse of the Heart” between Jodie Beth Meyer and Andrew Patrick Walker. The two shared a wonderful chemistry on stage and blended beautifully in the close harmony at the end. Walker sounded like he had been ripped straight off the track with his vocal and was absolutely incredible, while Meyer’s performance had a wonderful tenderness to it. Bravo to both of you! 

All in all the show was brilliant and my only negative draw would be that at times the music and vocals from the speakers were just a bit too quiet. Being an outside performance you’re always going to face this issue of balancing and given that they were pop songs it did help to hear them if you knew them already, but there were times when this did distract me as I was trying to hear what was being sung from my seat half way to the back (no fault of the cast though, this was a purely technical problem in my honest opinion). But this did not take away from an exceptional night and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I would definitely recommend going to see these wonderful performers do their thing again if they ever decide to bring this show back. 

RIVERSIDE STUDIOS ANNOUNCES RETURN TO THE BUILDING FOR THE DIVE IN PROGRAMME

Riverside Studios today announces that their vibrant community programme Dive In will return to the building following its move online during lockdown. As part of the Dive In Membership, residents across the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham can enjoy free or heavily discounted yoga classes, storytelling sessions for pre-school and primary age children, film clubs and dance sessions aimed at encouraging creativity and well-being in the area for all ages.

Highlights today announced include Storystock, a fully interactive story-time for pre-schoolers every Friday morning. Storystock will also host one-off author events for Key Stage 2 children which commences this week on 10 September with the author Natasha Farrant who will discuss the inspiration behind her new book Voyage of the Sparrowhaw. The Dive In programme also includesFilm Club which begins on 28 September with a discussion of Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Tenet, also announced today Film Club will host a Q&A with Astronaut director Shelagh McLeod on 26 October. Film Clubs will also be regularly led by one of Riverside Studios’ DIVE IN Associates and local charities who will programme films and Q&A’s that spotlight marginalised or overlooked groups.

Further Dive In activities includes Riverside Rhymes presented by DanceWest, which encourages the development of literacy, phonetics and inspired storytelling through movement, music and play for children under 4 years old, and this week the Dive In programme also welcomes Yoga For All back into the building, supported by The Lumi Foundation who work to make yoga classes easy and accessible.

Rachel Tackley, Riverside’s Artistic Director said, “We are finally opening up the building to the community following months of virtual and distanced participation. We can’t wait to welcome our neighbours inside encouraging them to connect with each other, and to learn through play and creativity.”

To ensure safety standards are met, spaces are limited for all on-site activities. Please book ahead at www.riversidestudios.co.uk

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TRACY-ANN OBERMAN, JANIE DEE, TYRONE HUNTLEY AND MORE JOIN LINEUP FOR BARD FROM THE BARN SERIES THREE

• THE THIRD SERIES OF THE RE-IMAGINED SHAKESPEARE SERIES WILL ALSO FEATURE PERFORMANCES BY LUCY BENJAMIN, SAMUEL BARNETT, SERAPHINA BEH & LORNA FITZGERALD

• THE THIRD AND FINAL SERIES WILL AIR ON WEEKDAYS ON THE BARN THEATRE’S YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK CHANNELS

The Barn Theatre and Aaron Sidwell have announced the cast and creatives for the third and final series of their re-imagined Shakespeare series, Bard From The Barn.

The digital theatre series will return for a five-week series which reimagines William Shakespeare’s work to a modern-day setting.

The new episodes will see West End and television stars such as Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, After Life), Janie Dee (Follies, A Little Night Music), Lucy Benjamin (EastEnders, Hairspray)and Tyrone Huntley (Jesus Christ Superstar, Dreamgirls) perform re-imagined takes on Shakespeare’s iconic characters set within the realm of modern day lockdown.

The third series, which is co-produced by the Barn Theatre and Aaron Sidwell, will air on the Barn Theatre’s Facebook and YouTube channels every weekday at 7:30pm from Monday 14^th September. Series 1 & 2 are now available to stream for free on the theatre’s YouTube channel.

The full cast of Bard From The Barn Series 3 is: Tricia Adele-Turner (Dear Evan Hansen), Samuel Barnett (The History Boys, Twenty Twelve ), Seraphina Beh (EastEnders, Quiz), Lucy Benjamin (EastEnders), Ryan Bennett (Jersey Boys, Daddy Long Legs), Tom Chapman (Twelfth Night, King John), Janie Dee (Follies, A Little Night Music), Lorna Fitzgerald (EastEnders), Sam Harrison (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera), Matt Houlihan (Uncle Vanya, Macbeth), Tyrone Huntley (Jesus Christ Superstar, Dreamgirls), Max Hutchinson (The Woman in Black, The 39 Steps), Cora Kirk (A Monster Calls, Emilia), Abigail Matthews (The Butterfly Lion), Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, After Life), Alex Phelps (Twelfth Night, Hamet), Matt Ray Brown (Henry V, The Inheritance), Aaron Sidwell (Wicked, EastEnders), Adam Sopp (Henry V, Grange Hill), Annabel Terry (Swallows and Amazons, Macbeth), Maanuv Thiara (Approaching Empty, Hamlet), Sarah Waddell (Henry V, Hand to God), Jasper William Cartwright (The Butterfly Lion, War Horse), Emma Williams (Half A Sixpence, Mrs Henderson Presents) and Alex Young (Follies, Me and My Girl).

The directorial team for the new series consists of: Derek Anderson, Vivi Bayliss, Bill Buckhurst, Hal Chambers, Paul Clayton, Benjamin Collins, Robert Forknall, Victoria Gimby, Francesca Goodridge, Bryn Holding, Annabelle Hollingdale, Tyrone Huntley, Sam Peter Jackson, Scott Le Crass, Max Lindsey, Alex Miller, Annabel Mutale Reed, Jim O’Donnell, Joseph O’Malley, Vivian Parry and Aaron Sidwell

The Barn Theatre’s Artistic Director Iwan Lewis has said on the return of the series,“I’m incredibly proud of everything this phenomenal creative team have achieved with this series. It has been a huge collaborative effort that none of us thought would be possible when we began the process. We promise that Season 3 provides everything that fans of Bard From The Barn will love.”

Aaron Sidwell said of the series’ return: “I’m over the moon with the response Bard From The Barn has received in Series 1 and 2. Our aim was to prove how accessible this material can still be and it’s been wonderful to see how we’ve pulled that off.

Series 3 has been all about giving Bard From The Barn the send-off it deserves. We have some of the industry’s biggest and brightest actors and directors exploring Shakespeare’s characters and bringing you them as they would be in today’s world”.

The series, based on an original concept by Aaron Sidwell and Hal Chambers, is production managed by Emma Smith with Benjamin Collins as Lead Editor and sound design by Harry Smith.

Series Three’s editorial team consists of Derek Anderson, Paul Clayton, Benjamin Collins, Ben Evans, Bryn Holding, Max Lindsey, Sam Peter Jackson and Jasper William Cartwright.

The Barn Theatre have also announced that they will be re-opening for live indoor theatre performances with the transfer of BoxLess Theatre, Barn Theatre & Take Two Theatricals’ production of Private Peaceful from 10 – 27 September. The transfer follows the sell-out run of the play, which is based on internationally best-selling author Michael Morpurgo’s best-selling novel of the same name, at the Barn Theatre’s first outdoor theatre festival BarnFest this Summer.

British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT), The Hollywood Film Chorale, The Pinewood Singers, Ten Two Six Music Group and West End musical performers form a 90 strong transatlantic virtual choir to record an original song to raise much needed funds for theatre workers in the UK and the US

‘IMAGINE A WORLD THAT DIDN’T SING’ IS A LOVE LETTER TO MUSICAL THEATRE. A VIDEO RECORDING OF THE SONG WILL BE AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON ALL MAJOR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS FROM TODAY (8/9/2020) WITH DONATION LINKS TO THEATRE ARTISTS FUND, MUSICARES AND THE BYMT ACCESS TO THE ARTS CAMPAIGN.

TO HEAR THE SONG ON YOUTUBE CLICK HERE

The song was written by award winning LA based composer Alexander Rudd and UK based writer/lyricist John Nicholson. What started out as a small project to encourage and support a group of BYMT members during lockdown grew exponentially

John Nicholson said;

“When we put the call out to professional singers to collaborate, the response to both the appeal and to the song was overwhelming and humbling. The 15 BYMT members have ended up singing alongside Grammy award winners and some of the highest profile movie recording artists in the industry.”

Jon Bromwich, Executive Producer of BYMT (of which Ed Sheeran is both a Patron and alumnus) said;

“As well as helping amplify the message about the cliff edge still facing theatre workers here and, in the US, this was a fantastic opportunity for BYMT members.

We also very much hope it will help raise funds for our Access To The Arts Campaign – designed to help ensure that financial hardship should not be an obstacle for young people of all backgrounds one day joining the next generation of musical theatre performers.”

Many of the professional singers who have contributed to this recording are recording artists in their own right. Between them, singing credits include numerous Disney films (Frozen), numerous Hollywood blockbusters (La La Land), songs and albums with Billy Eilish, Pharrell Williams, Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Leonard Cohen, Miley Cyrus, Sheryl Crow and Allison Krauss (to name but a few)

The song is taken from a musical, recently penned by Nicholson and Rudd for BYMT which Luke Sheppard (& Juliet) directed in 2018. It wittily references many of the long running musicals that have been put on hold since March and asks a simple rhetorical question – imagine a world that didn’t sing. The song has been endorsed by Lord Lloyd Webber

Charity information and links –

The Theatre Artists Fund has been set up to provide emergency support for theatre workers and freelancers across the UK. It is for theatre professionals who are in need of urgent and critical financial support due to the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the theatre sector. The Fund was initially made possible by a generous donation from Netflix and is now also supported by Arts Council England and generous private donors. Funding link here: The Theatre Artists Fund

BYMT is a charity; an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation and a National Youth Music Organisation, that maintains a pipeline of talent for the industry and improves access for underrepresented groups – working in areas of social and economic deprivation, offering free/subsidised audition places and bursaries to enable young people from low income households to take part in BYMT theatre productions and summer camps. Funding link here: BYMT

MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares’ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly influence the health and welfare of the music community. Funding link here: MusiCares

Donations to the charities linked with this song can be made below the YouTube video which can be found by typing Imagine A World That Didn’t Sing. The twitter and Instagram account is @imagineaworld20 (or use the hashtag #imagineaworldsong)

BIG TELLY THEATRE PRESENTS

Macbeth

Live. Virtual. Immersive.

Adapted and directed by Zoe Seaton

14th – 31st October

Headlining the Belfast International Arts Festival from 14th to 17th October.

Virtual transfer to Oxford as a co-production with Creation Theatre until 31st October

Tradition requires that a ‘ghost-light’ be left on while the theatre is dark, to ward off restless ghosts and protect its magic from harm.

The lights are off, but the magic is not gone.

A closed theatre is a perfect playground for mischievous spirits intent on wreaking havoc.

Three witches usher, stage manage and execute the tragedy of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, two innocents trapped in a Truman-esque reality which is both virtual and brutal.

This October, Big Telly Theatre Companyinvites audiences to draw their curtains tight, turn off the lights and enter the realm of the witching hour for an up close and personal theatrical reboot of one of Shakespeare’s most well-known plays.

Directed by the theatre company’s founder Zoe Seaton, this atmospheric Macbeth is a timeless blood-soaked tale of murder, lust and power, in a world where reality and illusion are hard to tell apart; a hinterland of hype where fate is twisted, control is remote, and comfort is in entirely another zone.

The world premiere of this fully immersive digital theatrical production will open at the 58^th edition of the Belfast International Arts Festival (BIAF), Ireland’s leading contemporary international arts festival and the highlight of this year’s virtual programme. The show, which has been specifically produced for this socially distanced world, will be performed live on screen for four nights before transferring to Creation Theatre’s platform as a co-production until 31^st October.  A special midnight show will be performed on the 30^th October, the night before All Hallow’s Eve.

Zoe Seaton, who has directed four successful lockdown productions since April 2020, including the critically acclaimed The Tempest – Live, plans to create a heightened sense of suspense and tension for this special production.

She says: “Think of the witches like spyware – a form of malicious behaviour gathering information and infiltrating the system. The show is going to be loaded with technology aimed at playing tricks on the mind, eyes and ears of the spectator. I want them to feel privy to every dilemma and dark corner of this classic text but we also want to be playful and have fun with the characteristics of digital theatre –  garbled audio, inexplicable dropouts, fake locations, special effects – the unpredictability of the internet – exactly what is live and what is not – like in horror films when there seems to be a power cut – what if your connection hasn’t been lost – what if it’s been taken? Constantly shifting between the dark and the light, between horror and comedy.”

The atmospheric Celtic inspired soundtrack has been composed byGarth McConaghie (THE LYRIC THEATRE, BELFAST, NEW VICTORY THEATRE, BROADWAY, NEW YORK, with set and costume design by Ryan Dawson Laight (CHICHESTER THEATRE FESTIVAL, GARY CLARKE COMPANY, DENADA DANCE THEATRE, V&A). Martin Collett, Senior Programme Director at Channel 4 News, is collaborating on the production with Big Telly Theatre as creative consultant, exploring special effects and vision mixing technology to enhance the visual impact of the show. 

Macbeth features a five strong cast which includes Nicky Harley (GAME OF THRONES, HBO),  Lucia McAnespie (THE NATIONAL, TRAFALGAR STUDIOS, LYRIC THEATRE, FINBOROUGH THEATRE, SOHO THEATRE), Dennis Herdman (AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS – TOUR, RSC, REGENT’S PARK, SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE, RSC, NEW VIC THEATRE), Aonghus Og McAnally (PENNY DREADFUL, Showtime, John Boorman’s The TIGER’S TAIL, The BARBICAN) andDharmesh Patel (RSC, SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE).

The show runs for 21 performances across three weeks during the month of October.

Praise for Zoe Seaton’s work  – The Tempest – Live

4 Stars “Magical…The stuff dreams are made on.”  The Guardian

“Magical and awakens our imagination” Front Row, BBC Radio 4

Best Theatre to Watch List Time Out New York

“Messy but in a good way” Lyn Gardner

“You genuinely feel part of a shared experience” Rev Stan

“Leaving us heart-warmed and smiling” A Younger Theatre

Cast

Nicky Harley                                      Lady Macbeth

Dennis Herdman                                 Macbeth         

Aonghus Og McAnally                      Witch, King Duncan, Macduff

Lucia McAnespie                               Witch, Lady Macduff, Malcolm

Dharmesh Patel                                   Witch/Banquo

Creative team

Director and adaptor                           Zoe Seaton

Set/Costume Designer                        Ryan Dawson Laight

Creative Consultant                            Martin Collett

Composer/Sound Designer                 Garth McConaghie

Production Manager                           Giles Stoakley

Technical Stage Manager                   Sinead Owens

Listings:

Ticket: £20 per device

For Ages 14+

14 – 17 October online at the BIAF – Wed – Sat 7pm (Fri & Sat additional 9.30pm show)

Booking link until 17 Oct https://belfastinternationalartsfestival.ticketsolve.com/shows/873621379

17– 31 Oct – online at Creation Theatre. For detailed showtimes go to www.creationtheatre.co.uk. Box office – 01865 766266

               #Macbeth2020 @BigTellyNI @BelfastFestival @Creationtheatre

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We’re back!

#KHTOnline returns next week with both familiar favourites and some brand new sessions and opportunities. As we move forwards, our schedule will feature one session per week working on a four-week alternating rota. 

Still streaming live on Facebook and Instagram at 1pm. Still 30 minutes. Still for free, and still for everyone. Take a look at our new programme… 

Week 1 – Behind the Scenes 

Our doors may currently be closed, but a reduced, remote staff team are still working hard ‘behind the scenes’. Once a month, we will bringing you an update on all things King’s Head Theatre: what we’ve been up to, future plans and announcing further information on upcoming #KHTOnline sessions. Our first Behind the Scenes session will air this Thursday, 10/09, with King’s Head Executive Director Fiona English.

Week 2 – Book Club 

When #KHTOnline first began back in March, we hosted a few Book Club sessions on plays such as Hedda Gabler, Top Girls, Lungs and The Pillowman. We’ve decided to bring Book Club back but hand the reins over to our amazing Trainee Resident Directors. Each month, they’ll present their ideas and responses to a text, discuss its critical reception and past productions and pitch their exciting artistic vision for the script. 

Week 3 – Spotlight On

Our ‘Spotlight On’ company sessions are back! Previously, trailblazing companies such as Nouveau Riche, Graeae, Burn Bright and Papatango have joined us for thirty minutes to discuss their work, aims and upcoming projects and answer your questions. More information on who will be taking the hot seat in September next week. 

Week 4 – Skills Session 

From photography to sound design, festival programming and directing, our Skills Sessions truly cover and represent all aspects of the theatre industry. They have revealed what an abundance of variety and talent our community has and so we will continue to bring these voices to you. Find out who will be joining us this month very soon. 

KHTConnected

KHTConnected is our brand new Facebook community. A small, focused and supportive network for creatives to come together and share ideas and work they are developing. We want to continue to enable discussions, encourage partnerships and provide opportunities to create new work. Let’s keep building and supporting our community. Let’s stay connected.

STEPS – WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS TOUR

with very special guest Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Three years after they staged the UK’s most successful comeback of the decade, enduring pop legends Steps – aka Claire, Faye, H, Lee and Lisa – return once again with their new album, What The Future Holds, to be released on November 27th 2020 and the sure-to-be epic, What The Future Holds 2021 Tour, starting in Sheffield at the FlyDSA Arena on November 2nd 2021.

Kicking off a flurry of exciting news, the five-piece premiere their first single What The Future Holds tomorrow on Zoe Ball’s Radio 2 Breakfast show. Next week, their tour will go on general sale from Friday 18th September 2020 at 10am from aegpresents.co.uk/steps, with an advance pre-sale for fans who pre-order the album from the Steps superstore. Those fans will receive an exclusive access code for the fan tour presale on 15th September. Steps will be joined on tour by the brilliant Sophie Ellis-Bextor as special guest.

Fans will be able to stream and download the brand-new single What The Future Holds after the global premiere on Radio 2, where it will be available on all digital platforms. Built around a typically Steps-esque bittersweet refrain of “one foot in the past and one foot in the future”, the album’s thundering, gloriously dramatic title track was penned by pop queen Sia and is the perfect statement for a band who have taken a wave of nostalgia and alchemised it into an album full of future anthems.

Their sixth studio album, What The Future Holds, will be released on November 27th via BMG, and will be available on all digital platforms plus CD, Vinyl (including a limited edition transparent pink edition) and Cassette. A must for all Steps memorabilia collectors, the album will also be available as part of a Cassette Collection featuring five separate transparent pink solo cassettes with an intro from each band member, all in a special collector’s box.

Their most ambitious album to date, What The Future Holds showcases the big melodic choruses of their top-tier bangers but also brings back the harmony-laden ballads and some atmospheric mid-tempos. What the Future Holds is the best distillation of Steps so far; an album that shows both a deeper shade of blue and a brighter future. Their 6th album sees them reunite with writers such as Fiona Bevan (One Direction, Lewis Capaldi), Ina Wroldsen (Shakira, Britney Spears) and Karl Twigg (who worked on their first three albums) plus experiment with songs written by the likes of Greg Kurstin (Adele, Beyonce), Hannah Robinson (Kylie) and new pop shape-shifters such as Gracey and MNEK.

Speaking of the album and tour, Steps add:

“We will never forget the past with Steps, it’s what made us, but we’ve got to look to the future too. We were so thrilled that the last album was a success and it gave us a new lease of life. Performing live has always been our favourite part of being in Steps – we had the most fun of our career on the last tour and we’re already planning for the next one to be our biggest spectacle yet. We’re also thrilled to have Sophie Ellis-Bextor as our special guest on the What The Future Holds 2021 Tour – her catalogue is full of floor-fillers and she knows how to get any party started. We are so excited for everyone to hear this new album and to come join us on tour.”

Launching during the halcyon days of pop in 1997 with their line-dancing classic 5,6,7,8, Brit award winners Steps set about re-turfing the music landscape via 14 UK top 10 singles and three multi-platinum albums in three years including #1’s Tragedy and Stomp. Fast forward twenty years, the band returned with the mighty Tears On The Dancefloor, which hit #1 on the physical and iTunes album charts and went Gold within a matter of weeks, becoming the second biggest-selling independent album of 2017 behind Stormzy. Their subsequent ‘Party On The Dancefloor’ tour saw the band sell out twenty-two arenas. 23 years on from their debut, 2020 sees them return with What The Future Holds.

Steps with very special guest Sophie Ellis-Bextor will be opening up their UK at the FlyDSA Arena in Sheffield on Tuesday 2^nd November 2021 – tickets go on general sale at 10am on Friday 18^th September 2020