Author: FairyPoweredProductions

Revolutionary production Mr. Adam to make
its UK premiere at The O2 in 2021
indigo at The O2, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0DX
Friday 19th – Sunday 21st March 2021

Coming to the O2 this March for its UK premiere, Mr. Adam is a dynamically modern multi-arts cross-media extravaganza. The work of Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins has been transformed into a narrative piece by Kairat Kulbaev, Marat Bisengaliev, Vasily Barkhatov, and The Almaty Symphony Orchestra, who have combined digital design with powerful performance for a classical concert like no other!

The production integrates innovative Black Trax technology to enable real-time tracking of 14 frames onstage so that compelling projections are layered with seamless choreography and symphonic performance to create a revolutionary approach to presenting classical music. This live digital experience sees sixteen musicians perform live alongside pre-filmed scenes of the orchestra artists as well as actors, vloggers, ballet dancers, and children

The production immerses the audience in the life of one man, an everyman: Mr. Adam. Taking place across sixteen episodes, the show tells a touching and hilarious story of birth, life, love, war and death to explore the power of humanity, community, and dreams. The incredible eclectic music by Sir Karl Jenkins is saturated with nomadic folk sound and national Kazakh musical instruments to give a unique charm and originality to Mr. Adam’s life

Mr. Adam soloist for the Almaty Symphony Orchestra, Marat Bisengaliev comments, I’m really honoured to be part of this unique show – the brainchild of my dear friend and crazy dreamer, Kairat Kulbayev. This show has all the ingredients to become a success story: beautiful music by the most popular modern composer Karl Jenkins, the genius of the show creator Vasily Barkhatov, and our young, talented musicians who were carefully cherry-picked for this show

The Almaty Symphony Orchestra brought together talented musicians unafraid of
experimenting, exploring new horizons and features in their work. This unique team integrates high-end modern technologies with virtuoso performance to create truly spectacular shows for audiences both new and familiar with classical music.

National Theatre adapts programmes to support theatre in schools across the UK

 

The National Theatre is delighted to announce that its adapted nationwide programmes for schools and young people will recommence this Autumn. Committed to providing opportunities for all young people to create and take part in theatre, content will be delivered digitally and flexibly throughout 2020/2021, with safety measures in place for all planned physical activity, and include:

• The annual youth theatre festival Connections will bring together talented young theatre-makers of tomorrow with some of the UK’s most exciting contemporary writers to produce and stage ten new plays. This year, workshops and mentoring will take place digitally, with the aim to stage performances at 30 partner theatres across the UK in Spring 2021. Applications are open now and will close on 3^rd October. For more information and to apply, click here.
• Students can write their own play with support from professional playwrights on the New Views playwriting programme, the NT’s annual playwriting programme and competition for 14-19-year olds. Shortlisted plays will be performed at the National Theatre in July 2021. Applications are open until early October and more information can be found here.
• Let’s Play aims to transform drama and theatre-making in primary schools, supporting teachers to embed creativity across the curriculum. The flexible programme provides teachers with a toolkit for pupils to create short performances that will be shared digitally. The cost of participating in Let’s Play has been significantly reduced for this academic year and schools can sign up now here.
• Free access at home for UK state school students and teachers to the National Theatre Collection has been extended for the next academic year in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing, giving students access to 30 high-quality productions with supporting educational resources. For more information and to sign up for access visit the NT website.

Alice King-Farlow, Director of Learning at the National Theatre said,

“As we begin to resume activity at the National Theatre, our commitment to creating opportunities for young people to make and participate in theatre remains at the forefront of our mission. We want to support schools and young people to return to active theatre making in a way that’s safe and manageable in a constantly changing context, and we will continue to consult closely with schools and with the theatres we partner with across the country. We want to provide access to cultural opportunities and ensure the voices of young people are heard as theatres begin to reopen. Our adapted learning programmes offer a space to create and make, to explore contemporary issues and shape debate, and we are excited to discover new ways to collaborate with young people and schools nationwide over the next few months.”

Tickets for Tonight at the London Coliseum are on sale now and are available to purchase from www.tonightatthelondoncoliseum.com

The seven intimate acoustic concerts, performed and filmed at the London Coliseum, will be streamed from 18 September –  23 October with musical theatre artists – Sharon D. Clarke, Kerry Ellis, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Cassidy Janson, Ramin Karimloo and Sharon Sexton & Rob Fowler. One of the seven concerts will be a performance of a new British musical, After You, written by Alex Parker and Katie Lam and starring Alexia Khadime and Bradley Jaden. The Creative Supervisor for the concerts is Annabel Mutale Reed.

Line-up

Friday 18 September: SHARON D CLARKE

Friday 25 September: CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER

Friday 2 October: CASSIDY JANSON

Saturday 3 October: AFTER YOU – A NEW MUSICAL

Friday 9 October: KERRY ELLIS

Friday 16 October: SHARON SEXTON & ROB FOWLER

Friday 23 October: RAMIN KARIMLOO

All tickets will cost £15 with a portion of each ticket sold going to the ENO Contingency Fund, a charity that is committed to bringing opera to as many people as possible.

Tonight at the London Coliseum is produced by Jack Maple and Brian Zeilinger, on behalf of Take Two Theatricals, in association with Jamie Chapman Dixon and John-Webb Carter on behalf of Carter Dixon Productions.

SOCIALLY DISTANCED AUTUMN / WINTER SEASON ANNOUNCED FOR

THE WATERMILL THEATRE

BLOODSHOT – A ONE MAN THRILLER STARRING SIMON SLATER

LONE FLYER – REVIVAL OF TWO HANDER ABOUT THE LIFE OF AMY JOHNSON

A NEW FESTIVE PRODUCTION OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL
 AS THE JUNGLE BOOK MOVES TO 2021

PERFORMANCES FROM 22 SEPTEMBER

PRIORITY BOOKING TO FRIENDS OF THE WATERMILL FROM 10 SEPTEMBER
GENERAL ON SALE FROM 14 SEPTEMBER

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 – further to the recent announcement of stage 4 of the government’s roadmap towards re-opening theatres, enabling socially distanced indoor performances – the theatre will present an autumn reopening season of work featuring shows with smaller cast sizes, reduced capacity inside the auditorium and socially distanced seating.

CLASSIC STORIES, CREATIVELY TOLD…

BLOODSHOT – a tantalizing film noir inspired thriller starring Simon Slater, written by Douglas Post and directed by Patrick Sandford – returns to the Watermill nearly a decade after its first critically acclaimed run there in 2011. BLOODSHOT will play from Tuesday 22 September to Saturday 17 October 

LONE FLYER – THE LAST FLIGHT OF AMY JOHNSON will also be revived at the Watermill, after its original production in 2001. Directed by Watermill Associate Lucy Betts, Ade Morris’ powerful play about one of the most inspirational women of the twentieth century will play from Wednesday 21 October to Saturday 21 November

Whilst the 2020 Christmas production of THE JUNGLE BOOK has been postponed, with performances rescheduled to 18 November – 31 December 2021, audiences will be able to enjoy a new festive production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Danielle Pearson and directed by Georgie Staight. The production will be performed by two actor musicians and will play from Thursday 26 November 2020 to Saturday 3 January 2021

Paul Hart said, “After a hugely successful, outdoor summer season we’re delighted to announce plans for reopening our indoor space this autumn. I think what we’ve all missed is the opportunity to share stories – something that’s always been pretty magical in The Watermill’s beautiful auditorium. We return to two fantastic pieces of writing from Douglas Post and Ade Morris, as well as commissioning a new version of perennial classic A Christmas Carol from our playwright-in-residence Danielle Pearson. I’m also thrilled that we have Georgie Staight and Lucy Betts making their directorial debuts for us. We genuinely can’t wait to open our doors again and welcome audiences back to the theatre.”

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 in the theatre at any one time. The auditorium has been reconfigured to allow for social distancing between audience members. Seating bubbles will be able to accommodate groups of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, with all seats in a bubble purchased in one transaction. Social distancing between bubbles will be observed in the auditorium. Audience members will be required to wear face masks. There are hand sanitiser stations, a one-way system for accessing the toilets and signage to indicate routes and procedures. To enhance audience safety, a fogging machine will be used to regularly sanitise all public areas at The Watermill, and to avoid recirculating air in the auditorium, the theatre will be heated before audience members arrive and then fresh air will be continuously fed through the theatre during performances.

The Watermill Theatre will be operating in accordance with government guidance at the time of the performance and will be constantly reviewing and adapting to the government’s guidelines. In the event that a show is unable to go ahead i.e. because of a local lockdown for example, patrons will be contacted as soon as possible via email or phone and offered a transfer or a refund for their tickets.

Customers with bookings for The Jungle Book will be contacted by the theatre’s box office to arrange alternative dates for audience members to attend in 2021. The theatre kindly asks that customers do not call the box office directly at this time, a member of the team will be in touch with all customers as soon as possible.

The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) has commented on media reports that the Government is working on a plan to reopen theatres

Commenting on the Government’s plans to reopen venues, the Incorporated Society of Musicians’ Chief Executive, Deborah Annetts, said:

‘It is encouraging to hear that the government has responded to the ISM’s relentless campaigning by announcing its intention to safely reopen theatres and other live performance venues without social distancing from 1st November. Many of our members are in despair, having had no work since March, and this news is therefore a welcome step for ensuring that venues can make a sustainable income and for freelance musicians to start earning a living through live performance.

‘However, unlike other industries, the reopening of venues and live performances cannot happen overnight. In fact planning for the Christmas shows, often the most profitable time of year, began much earlier in the year and many venues have already announced their cancellation. While concerts typically take less time to prepare, this should still be a key consideration for the government. That is precisely why we need a tailored financial support scheme for freelancers, who are the lifeblood of the performing arts, until venues can fully reopen. We urge the government to work with the ISM and other industry leaders so that we can make this proposal a success and see a return to incredible experiences for audiences, and prevent the devastation of our world leading sector.’

Turbine Theatre – until 5 September 2020

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

William Shakespeare has been performing for small groups around the country this Summer, and the Turbine Theatre gave a larger audience the chance to see the bard in action as part of the On The Jetty season.

Victoria Baumgartner has written a charming and very human version of Shakespeare, played here by Emma Nihill, stuck in quarantine in London in 1605, and suffering from writer’s block. Weaving in modern lockdown themes and events with the plague of Jacobian London works a treat, with Will’s inability to bake an edible sourdough loaf a constant worry. The rivalry with Ben Jonson – who Will is convinced has managed to write numerous plays whilst Will has been speaking to the audience – is hilarious, and makes Will’s struggle for inspiration even funnier.

Having decided on the title “King Leonardo, His Three Daughters, and their Dog” the audience is taken on a whistle stop tour of different themes and styles as Will riffs on what a good play (and, more importantly, a financially successful play) should include. Watching Nihil crack up at her own “jokes” in the dog comedy scene from Two Gentlemen of Verona is knowingly cringe worthy and sweet at the same time, but once the comedy is out of the way, magic, witches, battles, kings and intrigue are explored with Nihill slipping seamlessly into scenes from Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Richard II, Henry V and Hamlet. Shakespeare’s personal life is also explored, with lots of throwaway lines and titbits that will thrill any Shakespeare fans.

Emma Nihill had the audience in the palm of her hand, and we could have sat and watched another hour of this unique and joyous celebration of creativity. A treat for theatre lovers, and a production that surely has a bright future introducing Shakespeare in schools?

London locations – until 11 October 2020

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Set adrift in the ocean of indifference and ineptitude of government guidelines, theatres and producers are finding creative solutions to stage shows, and this socially-distanced production is a wonderful way to experience an intriguing and uplifting play.

Meeting at various locations around London, the audience are guided patiently through the use of the show’s app on their phones (easy enough even for technophobes like me) and, headphones in place, wait for the action to begin. The random thoughts of a passer-by appear in your headphones, and we follow the actor as Sarah complains of neck and chest pains, and tries to remember the next line in the song that’s stuck in her head. A man approaches her and what at first appears to be a creepy pickup attempt turns into a beautifully cathartic intervention by her guardian angel, Raphael. As Raphael gently guides Sarah through her past and she is forced to confront the grief and loss behind her shrinking from emotional and physical contact, Sarah’s movements become larger and more free, resulting in lots of double takes from people walking along the river bank. The sight of a group of people staring intently at a silent couple must be very strange – the characters are voiced by Aoife Kennan and Richard Heap, so the actors have the tricky job of conveying the story visually as we listen. At the Monument show, Laura White and Max Gold did this effortlessly.

After a successful run in France, the story resonates strongly with the strange mood of the “new normal”. Sarah’s self-imposed isolation and her tentative steps towards making and enjoying emotional contact are portrayed with sensitivity and hope. Created and directed by Samuel Senè, and adapted into English by Quentin Bruno, the play is short, but packs an emotional punch. I was at a 7.30 performance, and as the sun set, the lights on the Thames and the stunning backdrop of Tower Bridge, London Bridge and the Shard added an extra layer of wonder to this gem of a play

Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: @UncleVanyaPlay 

www.unclevanyaplay.com  

 A Sonia Friedman Productions/Angelica Films co-production 

In association with BBC

UNCLE VANYA 
By Anton Chekhov 

In a new adaptation by Conor McPherson 

Directed by Ian Rickson 

SONIA FRIEDMAN PRODUCTIONS’ CELEBRATED UNCLE VANYA, DIRECTED BY OLIVIER-NOMINATED IAN RICKSON, HAS BEEN FILMED ON STAGE AT THE HAROLD PINTER THEATRE FOR A THEATRICAL RELEASE IN CINEMAS AHEAD OF BROADCAST ON THE BBC

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ALMOST ALL THE ORIGINAL CAST RETURN WITH ROGER ALLAM REPLACING CIARÁN HINDS IN THE ROLE OF PROFESSOR SEREBRYAKOV

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​THE CAST, CREATIVE TEAM AND FILM CREW HAVE COMBINED TO CREATE A RAVISHING NEW FILM VERSION OF THE PRODUCTION

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THE FIRST UK STAGE PRODUCTION CLOSED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC TO HAVE BEEN FILMED AND PRODUCED FOR SCREEN

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TRANSMISSION DATE FOR THE BBC ALONG WITH FURTHER DISTRIBUTION DETAILS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON

When the country went into lockdown in March and theatres were forced to close, Ian Rickson’s acclaimed production of Uncle Vanya was in the final weeks of its scheduled, sold-out run. The production had received Olivier nominations for Toby Jones (Best Actor Award), Ian Rickson (Best Director Award), Bruno Poet (Best Lighting Design Award) and Rae Smith (Best Set Design Award). Despite the entire team’s best efforts and wishes, the live production will not be able to return. However…

Sonia Friedman Productions today is delighted to announce that Ian Rickson’s highly acclaimed production of Conor McPherson’s new adaptation of Uncle Vanya has been filmed on stage at the Harold Pinter Theatre in partnership with Angelica Films. The new film version of the production will be shown in cinemas ahead of broadcast on the BBC (date tbc) with further distribution details to be announced soon. This makes it the first UK stage production closed by the Coronavirus pandemic to have been filmed and produced for the screen.

Sonia Friedman Productions and the BBC have partnered with Angelica Films to create a sumptuous re-interpretation of Ian Rickson’s stage production. Marrying the intimacy of film with the electricity of live performance, the team has made this far more than simply a film of the play.

Directed for screen by Ross MacGibbon, the film reunites nearly all of the original cast of the production that was in its final weeks when the country went into lockdown in March and theatres were forced to close. Only Ciarán Hinds was unavailable and his role has now been taken by Roger Allam (A Number, Endeavour, The Moderate Soprano, The Thick of It).

“Sonia Friedman (SFP) and Sally Angel (Angelica Films) said: “Collaborating on filming Ian Rickson’s extraordinary production of Uncle Vanya has been a wonderful and inspiring experience. Despite all the challenges involved in filming this production (with no social distancing on screen), the results are testament to a brilliant and dedicated cast and crew led by Ian himself alongside Ross MacGibbon. It is such a privilege that we are able to bring this beautiful production to a wider audience after its run was cut so brutally short by the Covid-19 pandemic in March. We would also like to thank SFP’s loyal coproducers who have so generously allowed us to pursue this vision for the filmed production and enabled it to become a reality”.

The filming took place under strict Covid-19 secure, independently drawn up protocols, with the cast self-isolating and undergoing regular tests and the crew in masks, PPE and socially distancing throughout the process.

As live performances are unable to resume, if you are a current ticket holder, you do not need to do anything as your point of purchase will be in contact to arrange a credit note or refund, but we encourage you to sign up to hear when Uncle Vanya will be shown in cinemas and broadcast on the BBC.

Toby Jones (The Detectorists, The Birthday Party, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Richard Armitage (The Hobbit, The Stranger), Rosalind Eleazar (The Personal History of David Copperfield, Deep Water, The Starry Messenger), Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education, Downstate), Anna Calder-Marshall (LOVE, Evening at the Talk House, Male of the Species), Dearbhla Molloy (The Ferryman, Dancing at Lughnasa, Juno and the Paycock), Peter Wight (The Birthday Party, Hamlet, The Red Lion) and Roger Allam (A Number, Endeavour, The Moderate Soprano, The Thick of It), all star in McPherson’s witty and timely adaptation of Chekhov’s classic.

 The production ran at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 14th January 2020 with an Opening Night on Thursday 23rd January 2020.  

In the heat of summer, Sonya (Aimee Lou Wood) and her Uncle Vanya (Toby Jones) while away their days on a crumbling estate deep in the countryside, visited occasionally only by the local doctor Astrov (Richard Armitage). 

However, when Sonya’s father Professor Serebryakov (Roger Allam) suddenly returns with his restless, alluring, new wife Yelena (Rosalind Eleazar) declaring his intention to sell the house, the polite facades crumble and long repressed feelings start to emerge with devastating consequences. 

Olivier Award-winner Conor McPherson’s stunning new adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece, Uncle Vanya, is a portrayal of life at the turn of the 20th century, full of tumultuous frustration, dark humour and hidden passions. 

Uncle Vanya is the eleventh collaboration between Ian Rickson and Sonia Friedman Productions, with previous productions including Rosmersholm, Jerusalem, The River, Betrayal and The Children’s Hour.  

The stage production of Uncle Vanya was designed by Rae Smith, with lighting by Bruno Poet, music by Stephen Warbeck, sound by Ian Dickinson and casting by Amy Ball CDG.  

The original production was presented by Sonia Friedman Productions, Gavin Kalin Productions, Rupert Gavin, Patrick Gracey/Scott M. Delman, 1001 Nights Productions, Tulchin Bartner Productions in association with Len Blavatnik, Eilene Davidson Productions, Louise & Brad Edgerton.

Transmission date and further distribution details will be announced soon.

LAMBERT JACKSON ANNOUNCES LIVE PERFORMANCES OF JASON ROBERT BROWN’S SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM

Lambert Jackson Productions today announces live performances of Jason Robert Brown’s Songs For A New World at The London Palladium on 11 October. Séimí Campbell directs David Hunter (Waitress), Rachel John (Hamilton), Cedric Neal (Motown) and Rachel Tucker (Come From Away) for two performances only in a return for musical theatre to West End.

“It’s about one moment. It’s about hitting the wall and having to make a choice… or take a stand… or turn around and go back.”

Written by Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown and sitting between musical and song cycle, this moving collection of powerful songs examines life, love, and the choices that we make as it transports audiences through time and space.

Lambert Jackson Productions staged a virtual performance of Songs For a New World during lockdown, in association with The Other Palace, as part of a commitment to provide work paid work for performers during the pandemic. They also staged a successful virtual concert series – Leave a Light On, as well as several one-off concerts.

Jamie Lambert and Eliza Jackson said today, “It’s a total joy to announce a return to live performance with the first musical to return to the West End – Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World for just two performances. To be able to share in the power of collective experience with these incredible performers and an audience together again for the first time in over six months reminds us why our industry is so vital.”

As The London Palladium welcomes back its first audiences since closure in March 2020, and in line with current Government guidance, this event will be hosted under social distancing, with venue-wide safety mitigations, including the wearing of face coverings. Full information about safety measures and requirements will be sent to ticket holders ahead of the event.

Jason Robert Brown is a three-time Tony Award winning composer and lyricist. His theatre credits include 13, The Bridges of Madison County, The Last Five Years – which was also adapted into a film in 2015 starring Anna Kendrick, Parade – which won a Tony Award for Best Score, Honeymoon in Vegas and Urban Cowboy – which he co-wrote with Jeff Blumenkrantz.

David Hunter plays Man 2. He appeared in Lambert Jackson’s Leave a Light On, and in concert with Lucie Jones during lockdown. His theatre credits include Waitress, Kinky Boots (Adelphi Theatre), Once (Phoenix Theatre), One Man, Two Guvnors (National Theatre, Adelphi Theatre and UK tour), Tommy (Prince Edward Theatre), Seussical (Arts Theatre), The Hired Man (Curve Leicester and Mercury Theatre Colchester) and Pub and Spinach (Royal Exchange Theatre). For television, he was a participant in ITV’s Superstar – the search to find the lead for the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. For film, he appeared in Nativity 3.

Rachel John plays Woman 1.Her theatre credits include Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre), The Color Purple – In Concert (Cadogan Hall), The Bodyguard (Dominion Theatre/UK tour), Memphis (Shaftesbury Theatre), Rent (UK tour), We Will Rock You, Sister Act (London Palladium) and The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre/international tour).

Cedric Neal plays Man 1. His theatre credits include Back To The Future (Manchester Opera House), The View Upstairs (Soho Theatre), Stagger Lee, Death of a Salesman (Dallas Theater Center), Porgy and Bess (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), and Dreamgirls (Signature Theatre). His credits for television include Friday Night Lights and The Good Guys.

Rachel Tucker plays Woman 2. Her theatre credits include Come From Away (Phoenix Theatre), Wicked (Apollo Victoria/The Gershwin Theater), Communicating Doors (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Last Ship (Neil Simon Theatre), Farragut North (Southwark Playhouse), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Dusty (Leicester Square Theatre), The Wizard of Oz, To Be Sure, Merry Christmas Betty Ford (Belfast Lyric Theatre), Tonight’s The Night, Tommy and The Full Monty (UK tour).

Séimí Campbell directs. His previous credits include My Son Pinocchio (Southwark Playhouse). As an assistant director his credits include Come From Away (Phoenix Theatre) and Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); and as resident director credits include Amour (Charing Cross Theatre), Cereal Café (The Other Palace) and Sweeney Todd (Shoreditch Town Hall).

Twitter: @LJProds

Instagram: @lambertjacksonproductions

Facebook: Lambert Jackson Productions

ABOUT LAMBERT JACKSON PRODUCTIONS

Lambert Jackson Productions is a production company dedicated to producing musical theatre shows and stunning performances. Founded by Jamie Lambert (CEO) and Eliza Jackson (Creative Director), the company made its debut at Cadogan Hall in August 2018 with There’s Nothin’ Like a Dame – 100 Years of Women in Musical Theatre, and has since received two Broadway World Award nominations. Their various productions have received critical acclaim, including Main Men of Musicals, West End Women, Love at the Musicals, multiple Favourites series at The Other Palace, The Throwaways, Ramin Karimloo and The Broadgrass Band, and Doctor Zhivago. They are currently planning their hotly-anticipated production The Secret Garden plus a concert series at The Adelphi Theatre including superstars John Owen-Jones and Samantha Barks.  Over the last six months, Lambert Jackson created the UK’s biggest online concert series, Leave a Light On, designed to provide income for actors during the Covid-19 lockdown, as well as leading the way with their virtual productions of musicals The Last Five Years and Songs For A New World.

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD 

The London Palladium

8 Argyll St, Soho, London W1F 7TF

www.lwtheatres.co.uk

For access bookings, please contact: [email protected]

Tickets: £28 – £42

THEATRE ROYAL BATH CELEBRATES ITS REOPENING THIS AUTUMN WITH ‘THE WELCOME BACK SEASON’ OF PLAYS

BETRAYAL BY HAROLD PINTER WILL BE DIRECTED BY JONATHAN CHURCH AND PLAY FROM 14 OCTOBER TO 31 OCTOBER.

COPENHAGEN BY MICHAEL FRAYN WILL BE DIRECTED BY POLLY FINDLAY AND PLAY FROM 4 NOVEMBER TO 21 NOVEMBER.

OLEANNA BY DAVID MAMET WILL BE DIRECTED BY NICOLE CHARLES AND PLAY FROM 25 NOVEMBER TO 12 DECEMBER.

WITH REDUCED CAPACITY TO ALLOW FOR A SOCIALLY DISTANCED AUDIENCE, TICKETS WILL GO ON SALE FOR PRIORITY BOOKINGS FROM 10AM ON FRIDAY 4 SEPTEMBER AND FOR GENERAL BOOKINGS FROM 10AM ON FRIDAY 11 SEPTEMBER VIA THEATREROYAL.ORG.UK.

FURTHER COVID-SECURE MEASURES WILL INCLUDE MANDATORY FACE COVERINGS, HAND SANTITISER UNITS, THERMAL TEMPERATURE CHECKS, STAGGERED ARRIVALS AND DEDICATED ENTRY POINTS.

Theatre Royal Bath is delighted to announce that the main house will be reopening this Autumn with a collection of three modern classics.

The Welcome Back Season of plays will open with Harold Pinter’s masterpiece Betrayal directed by Jonathan Church from 14 October to 31 October, followed by Michael Frayn’s award-winning Copenhagen, directed by Polly Findlay from 4 November to 21 November, and lastly include David Mamet’s provocative drama Oleanna directed by Nicole Charles which will run from 25 November to 12 December.

Following all government guidance and in consultation with health and safety advisors RB Health and Safety Solutions the capacity of the theatre has been reduced by more than half from 888 to 375, to allow for socially distanced seating. Further covid-secure measures will include mandatory face coverings (unless exempt), hand sanitiser units, thermal temperature checks, dedicated entry points, staggered arrivals and audience flow, fresh air circulation and enhanced cleaning.

Tickets for The Welcome Back Season will go on sale at 10am on Friday 4 September 2020 for priority bookers and from 10am on Friday 11 September for general bookings via www.theatreroyal.org.uk or 01225 448844.

Casting has yet to be confirmed for the season.

BETRAYAL
By Harold Pinter
Directed by Jonathan Church

Pinter’s peerless masterpiece about adultery amongst the literary classes, opens as Emma and Jerry meet for a drink, two years after their seven-year affair has ended. Emma has recently discovered that her husband, and Jerry’s best friend, Robert, has been betraying her for years and has retaliated by spilling the beans on their own affair.

As secrets and lies unravel, time spools backwards scene by scene to the party where the first sparks of passion are ignited, placing the audience in the tantalising position of knowing more about what is happening than the protagonists do.

Tender, moving and widely considered to be Pinter’s most accessible work, this devastating dissection of a love triangle, presents a compelling portrait of both the relationship between the lovers and the competitiveness of male friendships.

Harold Pinter was one of Britain’s most influential dramatists, with a career that spanned 50 years. His plays include The Birthday Party, The Caretaker and The Homecoming.

Jonathan Church is Artistic Director of the Theatre Royal Bath Summer Season where his directing credits include In Praise of Love, The Price (which transferred to the West End), An Ideal Husband, Racing Demon and The Lady in the Van. He was previously Artistic Director for the Salisbury Playhouse (1995-99), Birmingham Rep (2001-05) and Chichester Festival Theatre (2006-16). His directing credits also include West End productions of Singin’ in the Rain, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, and Taken at Midnight. He received a CBE for Services to Theatre in 2015.

COPENHAGEN
By Michael Frayn
Directed by Polly Findley

Michael Frayn’s multi award-winning masterwork is a dazzling exploration of two brilliant minds and their motives.

In Nazi-occupied Copenhagen, in 1941, a clandestine encounter is known to have taken place between two Nobel Prize winning physicists, Dane Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, a German. The men were old friends and long-term colleagues, but now found themselves on opposite sides of the divide.

Under the watchful eye of Bohr’s wife, Margrethe, Frayn speculates on the debates which might have taken place; an exchange of transformative ideas which had huge implications for both the Nazis and the Allies, and for our world today.

This totally absorbing historical detective story, conjured from a smattering of scientific facts, is a daring, fascinating and stimulating drama that enjoyed a hugely acclaimed run at the National Theatre before transferring to the West End and Broadway and winning the 2000 Tony Award for Best Play.

Michael Frayn is a journalist and writer, whose diverse range of plays includes Noises Off, Donkey’s Years and Benefactors.

Polly Findley was the winner of the Kitchin Trust’s Young Theatre Director award in 2007. Credits include Beginning (National Theatre and West End), The Merchant of Venice (Royal Shakespeare Company and Oscar and Jim (HighTide Festival).

OLEANNA
By David Mamet
Directed by Nicole Charles

When David Mamet’s Oleanna opened nearly thirty years ago, it caused uproar amongst audiences from New York to London. Set on an American campus, a seemingly innocuous conversation between a college professor and his female student warps into a nightmare which threatens to destroy them both, when she files a claim of sexual harassment against him. With its take on the corrosive excesses of political correctness and exploration of the use and abuse of language, this is the ultimate drama of pupil power and student revenge.

Addressing issues which are strikingly current, this will be a fascinating opportunity to see this landmark play from the perspective of our #MeToo era.

David Mamet is one of the most distinctive voices in stage and film writing today. His multi award-winning plays include Glengarry Glen Ross, Speed-the-Plow and American Buffalo.

Nicole Charles’ work has been staged at the Young Vic, The Bush Theatre, National Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre, and Theatre Royal Haymarket. Recent credits include acclaimed productions of Emilia, Sing Yer Heart Out For The Lads, and The Merry Wives of Windsor which was broadcast live to cinemas from Shakespeare’s Globe. She was a finalist in the Young Vic’s Genesis Future Director Awards 2018.