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CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR DAMSEL PRODUCTIONS’ WORLD PREMIÈRE OF TABITHA MORTIBOY’S

THE AMBER TRAP

Damsel Productions presents

The World Première of

THE AMBER TRAP

By Tabitha Mortiboy

Theatre503

24 April – 18 May

Director: Hannah Hauer-King; Producer: Kitty Wordsworth; Designer: Jasmine Swan; Lighting Designer: Lucy Adams; Sound Designer: Annie May Fletcher

Damsel Productions today announces the casting for the world première of Tabitha Mortiboy’s The Amber Trap.Hannah Hauer-King directs Fanta Barrie (Hope), Misha Butler (Michael) and Olivia Rose Smith (Katie) with the role of Jo to be announced at a later date. The production opens on 29 Aprilat Theatre503, with previews from 24 April and runs until 18 May.

“Some bones are like ice. They’re weaker than you’d think.”

Katie and her girlfriend Hope work at their local corner shop, where the days pass in quiet, comfortable rhythms. For Katie, the little shop is a sanctuary. A place where she can hold onto Hope without anybody watching.  But when new employee Michael arrives, the sands start to shift and the air begins to thicken.

Producing their fifth UK première, female led theatre company Damsel Productions presents The Amber Trap, a chilling portrait of craving and control.

Tabitha Mortiboy began her writing career at Bristol Old Vic’s Open Sessions scheme. Her writing credits include Billy Through the Window (The Wardrobe Theatre/Edinburgh Fringe, Udderbelly), Beacons (Park Theatre) and Bare Skin on Briny Waters (Edinburgh Fringe).

Fanta Barrie plays Hope. Her theatre credits include The Cereal Café (The Other Palace) and Songlines(Assembly, Roxy).

Misha Butler plays Michael. His theatre credits include Jess and Joe Forever (Stephen Joseph Theatre) and The Winslow Boy (UK tour).

Olivia Rose Smith plays Katie. Her theatre credits include Conditionally (Soho Theatre) and Tiger Country (Hampstead Theatre).

Hannah Hauer-King is a London based theatre director; her work lies primarily in new writing, adaptation and narratives with female-drive and/or LGBTQ themes. Her theatre credits include The Funeral Director (Southwark Playhouse and UK tour 2019), Fabric. Fury (Soho Theatre), Grotty, Breathe (Bunker Theatre), Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again (RCSSD), Clay (Pleasance Theatre), Witt ‘n Camp (Edinburgh Fringe, Assembly Rooms), Dry Land (Jermyn Street Theatre), Hypernormal (Vaults Festival),and Dead Playwright (ORL Theatre). Associate credits include Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare’s Globe), Radiant Vermin (Soho Theatre) and Daytona (Theatre Royal Haymarket).

Please find images here – https://we.tl/t-23hkqd3bp0

Damsel Productions

Hannah Hauer-King and Kitty Wordsworth co-founded Damsel Productions in 2015 to place women’s voices centre stage. Damsel Productions hopes to be one cog in a larger and crucial movement addressing both the misrepresentation and under-representation of women in theatre. The idea is simple: to bring together women directors, producers, designers and all other creatives to breathe life into scripts exclusively written by women. Damsel Productions aim to provoke, inspire and entertain with true and honest representations of the female experience. Critically successful productions include the UK première of Ruby Rae Spiegel’s Dry Land (Jermyn Street Theatre), Izzy Tennyson’s Brute (Soho Theatre), Phoebe Eclair-Powell’s Fury (Soho Theatre), Izzy Tennyson’s Grotty (The Bunker) and Abi Zakarian’s Fabric (Soho Theatre & London community centre Tour). Damsel also recently produced London’s first ever all women directing festival Damsel Develops at The Bunker.

www.damselproductions.co.uk

@DamselProd

#503AmberTrap

THEATRE503

Theatre503 is the award-winning home of new writers and a launchpad for the artists who bring their words to life. They stage the work of more debut and emerging writers than any other venue in the country, 161 in the last year alone. They passionately believe the most important element in a writer’s development is to see their work developed through to a full production on stage, performed to the highest professional standard in front of an audience. Since 2006 Theatre503 has an astonishing record of launching the next generation of exceptional playwrights. These include Katori Hall, Vinay Patel, Jon Brittain, Anna Jordan, Milly Thomas, Alice Birch, Andrew Thompson, Brad Birch, Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm and Tom Morton-Smith.

www.theatre503.com

@Theatre503

facebook.com/Theatre503

Noel Coward Theatre, London – until 11th May 2019

Reviewed by Serena Norgren

4****

The inevitable hype surrounding this remake of the 1950 film of the same name starring Bette Davis and Anne Baxter as well as Mary Orr’s original play The Wisdom of Eve, with the added attraction of Gillian Anderson and Lily James meant that expectations were running high for this eagerly anticipated play.

All About Eve is the story of Broadway star, Margo Channing (Gillian Anderson) whose fame is starting to diminish as she reaches her 40th birthday. She hires a super fan, a young and very beautiful girl, Eve (Lily James), as her assistant. Eve inserts herself into Margo’s life, first becoming indispensable, then her understudy and ultimately usurping her completely. This is a tale of ambition and desire for fame as Eve inveigles herself into the life of an increasingly insecure Margo. Gillian Anderson portrays testy vulnerability in a similar and equally convincing style as she did as Blanche Dubois in Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar named Desire at the Young Vic. Combining fragility with a haughty sang-froid, Anderson plays Margo’s impending demise with great nuance although it is perhaps hard to really imagine her as a fading star. Lily James, as Eve, does a fine effort in combining sweet innocence and sly ambition, with more innocence and slightly less convincing ruthlessness.

However, this production is taken to the level that it achieves through the skilled performances of some of the other actors. Monica Dolan as Margo’s friend Karen who introduces her to Eve and then colludes in a joke that results in her sabotaging Margo’s career is striking. Then there is the manipulative and power-hungry theatre critic, Addison DeWitt, played with steely smoothness by Stanley Townsend who helps finesse Eve into Margo’s part. His caramel tones belie the almost psychopathic ambitions of perhaps a failed actor. Rashan Stone as Karen’s husband, Lloyd Richards, does a great hapless yet malleable writer underscoring how the power of a star (or celebrity in current parlance) can wield and control. Julian Ovenden is equally splendid as neurotic director and Margo’s younger lover, Bill Sampson, trying to convince her in an increasingly unconvincing way that her star is not waning.

The play was adapted and is directed by Ivo van Hove. Van Hove brought the concept of using live filming to our stages in his award-winning adaptation of Network. Using the same sophisticated technology, there are scenes in closed boxes upstage streamed onto a huge TV while actors sit at tables in a restaurant at the front of the stage. This gives both a sense of claustrophobia and discombobulation. Margo’s fear of aging is masterfully managed as she looks at herself in a mirror on an empty stage while she ages on the giant TV screen above her head. Occasionally, one has to remember to focus on the actors and not what is going on the TV but the feeling of menace and angst is unavoidable. PJ Harvey provides a sound track that adds to the melancholy.

Overall, this production pretty much meets the hype: fine performances and the use of multi-media make it definitely worth a visit and its themes resonate in our celebrity obsessed culture. Well worth a visit.

Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield – until Saturday 23 March 2019

Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

5*****

Two hundred years ago this year Queen Victoria was born and Northern Ballet is paying a tribute to the legendary Queen and an incredible woman. A co-production with The National Ballet of Canada, Cathy Marston is commissioned to develop this exciting new production which is currently world premiering.

Marston, supported by a talented creative team, brings to life stories of one of the longest serving monarchs. The production is set to Queen Victoria’s diaries about her life and unlike some adaptations it doesn’t focus on a specific period during her reign. There is so much content from her life that could be used creatively for many interpretations. Marston however chooses the option for the story to be told through the eyes of Beatrice, her youngest daughter, and also the exploration of the complex relationship between her and the Queen.

An older Beatrice (Pippa Moore) narrates from selected diary entries and delves into the past of her mother and Queen (Abigail Prudames) which begin with her secluded latter years and her close friendship with John Brown (Mlindi Kulashe). She also learns that the grief stricken Queen forbade her to marry. A pained Beatrice turns to pages to more bittersweet memories when she permissively marries Liko (Sean Bates) albeit the conditions set by the Queen but it ends in tragic circumstances. At the end of Act One bitterness and anger reigns over Beatrice on the how strong her mother’s influences and similarities are and the impact it has on her.

In the Second Act Beatrice looks at an earlier diary and learns of a younger Victoria (Mariana Rodrigues) who has a lonely upbringing until she becomes Queen. Beatrice then reads about the intimate and passionate relationship between her mother and father, Prince Albert (Joseph Taylor), and alongside their ambitious rule and visionary ideals. The demands and stresses of the Prince’s workload ultimately leads to his death and the Queen grieves and takes her youngest daughter, younger herself (Miki Akuta), into widowhood. The story concludes with Beatrice coming to terms and making peace with her mother’s memory. On recollection there are similar parallels between herself and her mother.

Northern Ballet is very passionate about storytelling and it’s evident with their strong interpretation of Victoria through dance and movements. Set to Philip Feeney’s incredible musical score, under the baton of Daniel Parkinson, the company emotively interpret the story with their silhouette and intricate moves. Prudames and Taylor’s portrayals of Victoria and Albert are excellent and they accurately express their deep passionate love they have for one another. Moore as the Older Princess Beatrice movingly narrates the emotions and circumstances of Queen Victoria, ranging from her unrequited love to her deep mourning. She interprets coherently the love, the pain and the respect she has for her mother and her determination to understand.

Steffen Aarfings’s dark and sombre staging reflects the complexity of Queen Victoria’s life and its bright colourful interpretations of the power she has over the world. This is all set to Alastair West’s lighting which bodes well with the moods of the story. Uzma Hameed’s enriching input to the drama and relevant themes don’t go unnoticed. Victoria is definitely a ballet for a Queen and one can’t imagine a better way to pay this tribute to a legend.

Sunderland Empire – until Saturday  23 March 2019

5*****

Not even a technical fault, causing the curtain to go down for a few minutes, could spoil the joy that is Calendar Girls on its first night in Sunderland.

With the current cast almost at the end of their run, there are no signs of tiredness.  The show is still as fresh as when I first saw it back in August. Although the cast have very much grown into their roles, giving nuisances and depth to their portrayals.

No one could have predicted 20 years ago what the members of the Rylstone and District WI would achieve – doing a nude calendar to raise funds to hopefully buy a sofa, resulted in raising over five million.  With a film, a play and now a musical all helping to boost the coppers of this fund.

Written by Tim Firth with music and lyrics by Gary Barlow, we follow the story of Annie (Anna Jane Casey) whose husband John (Phil Corbitt) is diagnosed and then dies of leukemia.  Her friend Chris (Rebecca Storm) comes up with the idea of doing a tasteful nude calendar to raise funds and the fellow members of the WI – Cora (Karen Dunbar), Ruth (Sara Crowe), Jessie (Pauline Daniels) and Celia (Denise Welch) – slowly come round to her mad idea.  However WI Chair Marie (Nikki Gerrard stepping in for Fern Brittain) is against the idea but come around in the end.

The second act builds up to the big shoot becoming a means of overcoming issues such as grief, age or physical self-consciousness.  The shoot and the nudity are handled with warmth and charm, with a joy that brings huge cheers from the audience at every flash (from the camera!). The women bare their bodies in a hugely empowering way proving whatever size, shape or age – everyone is beautiful.

Robert Jones set design manages to resemble a church hall complete with an old school piano and wooden chairs; a hospital waiting room with uncomfortable seating, and a village green all surrounded by the backdrop of Yorkshire’s rolling hills, its simplicity allows you to focus on the most important part of the play – the characters – and to concentrate on the relationships between the women. Barlow’s music is always catchy and the musical arrangements are a joy to listen to and Firth proves, yet again, just how insightful his incredible writing is.

This show is about celebrating the strength and beauty of women, especially in their last phase “their most glorious”.  One of the most beautiful musicals around, this is made especially poignant by being a true story. Make sure you have an endless supply of tissues because by the end there won’t be a dry eye in the house

THE BEST-SELLING NOVEL, THE OSCAR-WINNING FILM,

AND NOW THE SPINE-TINGLING NEW STAGE PRODUCTION

BILL KENWRIGHT PRESENTS

THE EXORCIST

DIRECTED BY SEAN MATHIAS

DIRECT FROM THE WEST END

INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS

A PLAY BY JOHN PIELMEIER BASED ON THE NOVEL BY WILLIAM PETER BLATTY

MARKING 45 YEARS SINCE ITS UK CINEMA RELEASE,

AT A THEATRE NEAR YOU FROM 2 SEPTEMBER

★★★★

‘A grand polished blockbuster. Visually miraculous. It is a thrill to watch’
Metro

★★★★
‘A storming version of The Exorcist’ 
Daily Mail

★★★★
‘It sends shivers down the spine’
           Daily Telegraph

Bill Kenwright presents the nationwide tour of the spine-tingling live production of The Exorcist,based on the best-selling novel by William Peter Blatty.Inspired by true events, this devilishly thrilling tale has been adapted for stage by John Pielmeier and directed by Sean Mathias (Waiting for Godot, No Man’s Land), featuring the voice of Ian McKellen as the Demon.

When the medical profession fails to provide answers to young Regan’s strange symptoms, her desperate mother Chris turns to a local priest for help. But before Father Damien can tackle what’s before him, he must overcome his own shaken beliefs, as this fight is for more than just one girl’s soul…

William Friedkin’s 1973 Academy Award-winning film adaption of The Exorcist, thrilled audiences across the globe and gained a huge cult following. Now, 45 years after the films release, fans of the film and theatre alike get to experience a visually astounding, intelligent and haunting theatrical experience.

Opening at the Theatre Royal Windsor on 2 September 2019, the production will then visit Glasgow,Wimbledon, Stoke, Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Manchester, Dublin, Edinburgh, Inverness,Aberdeen , with further dates and star casting to be announced soon.

‘Motown The Musical’
Heads for the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
A celebration of the music that transcends the generations
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
Tuesday 9 – Saturday 20 April 2019
Tickets: £54.50 – £19.50 (concs and group discounts available)
Call the Box Office on 01274 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk
*All prices shown include booking fees but are subject to postage charge if applicable.
Bradford Theatres usual terms and conditions apply

Discover the story behind Motown, the personal relationships, the professional struggles, and, of course, the music – as Motown The Musical heads for the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford, for a two-week run.

Uncovering the true story of the legendary record label that changed music history and created the soundtrack of a generation, Motown The Musical features a live orchestra playing 52 tracks including Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I’ll Be There, Dancing In The Street, Stop! In The Name Of Love, My Girl, and I Heard It through the Grapevine.

A dynamic cast, show-stopping choreography, and breath-taking costumes bring to life the rags-to-riches story of Berry Gordy, the creation of the Motown record label, his relationship with Diana Ross, and how he copes when the hits begin to dry up. With 50 slick dance
routines, and performances of 52 Motown songs, the cast don 200 costumes (the quickest costume change takes just 24 seconds) and 100 different wigs!

Berry Gordy founded the Motown label in 1959 with just $800 borrowed from his family and went on to launch the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and many more.

Producer Charles Randolph-Wright said:
“I love that the show appeals to every age – each audience member finds some aspect of this show that resonates with them. The show is infectious, and the UK truly knows and loves this music.”

The cast for the UK and Ireland tour includes Edward Baruwa who plays the leading role of ‘Berry Gordy’, Karis Anderson as ‘Diana Ross’, Nathan Lewis as ‘Smokey Robinson’ and Shak Gabbidon-Williams as ‘Marvin Gaye’.

JAC YARROW

ANNOUNCED IN THE ICONIC LEAD ROLE IN

Role of Joseph to mark Jac’s professional stage debut

Performances begin Thursday 27 June 2019

Today Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are thrilled to announce that Jac Yarrow will take the lead role in the new production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the world famous London Palladium.

Jac – who will be making his professional stage debut in the iconic role – will star alongside Jason Donovan and Sheridan Smith, who have previously been announced as Pharaoh and The Narrator respectively.

Joseph is one of stage’s most sought after roles, and Jac will be following the footsteps of a line of stars who have previously played the title character, including Jason himself.

Jac created a sensation at the beginning of the year when he starred in the production of Disney’s Newsies at the Arts Educational School. Jac, who is 21 and from Cardiff, took the role of Jack Kelly and gave a breath-taking performance, marking himself out as an outstanding talent in the new generation of theatre stars and creating huge excitement in anticipation of embarking upon a professional stage career

Jac commented: “I can’t quite believe it. Here I am, 21 years old, still at Drama School and come June I’ll be standing centre stage at the prestigious London Palladium, singing the iconic music and lyrics of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. My dream came true.”

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will play a strictly limited 11-week season from Thursday 27 June

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will be directed by Laurence Connor (School of Rock Miss Saigon). Laurence will be joined on the creative team by Choreographer JoAnn M Hunter, Morgan Large who will design the set and costumes, Lighting Designer Ben Cracknell and Sound Designer Gareth Owen.

Released as a concept album in 1969,the stage version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has become one of the world’s most belovedfamily musicals. The multi-award-winning show, which began life as a small-scale school concert, has been performed hundreds of thousands of times including multiple runs in the West End and on Broadway, international number one tours, and productions in over 80 countries as far afield as Austria and Zimbabwe and from Israel to Peru! The show features songs that have gone on to become pop and musical theatre standards, including Any Dream Will Do, Close Every Door To Me, Jacob and Sons, There’s One More Angel In Heaven and Go Go Go Joseph.

Told entirely through song with the help of the Narrator, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoatfollows the story of Jacob’s favourite son Joseph and his eleven brothers. After being sold into slavery by the brothers, he ingratiates himself with Egyptian noble Potiphar, but ends up in jail after refusing the advances of Potiphar’s wife. While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon finds himself in front of the mighty but troubled showman, the Pharaoh. As Joseph strives to resolve Egypt’s famine, he becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man and eventually reunites with his family.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is produced by Michael Harrison.

For further information, please see www.josephthemusical.com

ANNOUNCES THE NEXT
CAST ALBUM KARAOKE NIGHT ON 10 APRIL

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

The next Waitress London Cast Album Karaoke Night will be held on Wednesday 10 April, hosts to be announced. Audience members can sign up before the show for the chance to sing one minute of any song from Waitress – live on stage at the Adelphi and accompanied by the show’s musical director Katharine Woolley.

Waitress celebrated its official opening night on 7 March and the Tony-nominated musical bySara Bareilles is now booking to 19 October.

Waitress opened on 24 April 2016 at Broadway’s Brooks Atkinson Theater. Based on the 2007 motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly, Waitress is the first Broadway and West End musical in history to have four women in the four top creative team spots, featuring original music and lyrics by 7-time Grammy®​ ​nominee Sara Bareilles (“Love Song”, “Brave”), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (​I Am Sam​), direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (​Pippin​, ​Finding Neverland​) and choreography by Lorin Latarro. The production is currently touring the US and has also announced it will have its Australian premiere in 2020 at the Sydney Lyric Theatre.

Waitress stars Katharine McPhee as Jenna,  Jack McBrayer as Ogie, Marisha Wallace as Becky, Laura Baldwin as Dawn, Peter Hannah as Earl, David Hunter as Dr. Pomatter andShaun Prendergast as Old Joe.

The full company includes Kelly Agbowu, Laura Baldwin, Piers Bate, Nicole Raquel Dennis, Michael Hamway, Peter Hannah, David Hunter, Stephen Leask, Jack McBrayer, Chris McGuigan, Katharine McPhee, Olivia Moore, Nathaniel Morrison, Sarah O’Connor, Leanne Pinder, Shaun Prendergast, Charlotte Riby, Marisha Wallaceand Mark Willshire.

Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and rocky marriage. Pouring her heart into her pies, she crafts desserts that mirror her topsy-turvy life such as “​The Key (Lime) to Happiness Pie” and “Betrayed By My Eggs Pie.” When a baking contest in a nearby county — and a satisfying run-in with someone new — show Jenna a chance at a fresh start, she must find the courage to seize it. Change is on the menu, as long as Jenna can write her own perfectly personal recipe for happiness.

On its Broadway opening, Waitress was nominated for four Outer Critics’ Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical; two Drama League Award Nominations, including Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical; six Drama Desk Nominations, including Outstanding Musical; and four Tony Award Nominations, including Best Musical.

Mikron Theatre Company present the premier of

ALL HANDS ON DECK: A TALE OF TWO WRENS

A new play by Vashti Maclachlan

Directed by Marianne McNamara

Designed by Celia Perkins

Composer & Lyricist: Kieran Buckeridge

Musical director: Rebekah Hughes

Cast:Christopher Arkeston, Elizabeth Robin, Joshua Cosidine and Rachel Benson

Touring: 13 Apr to 19 October 2019

Following their hugely successful touring productions of Get Well Soon and Revolting Women, the award winning Mikron Theatre are set to pays tribute to all the wartime women who pushed the door to opportunity firmly open in Vashti Maclachlan’s (Revolting Women, Mikron Theatre) new play All Hands On Deck: A Tale of Two Wrens.

New WRNS recruits Ginger and Lily, are looking for wartime adventure. Lily wants to serve on dry land, but Ginger is desperate to serve at sea – and the sailors can’t believe their luck! 

Full of dots, dashes, semaphore and song, Ginger and Lily find themselves in uncharted waters on a journey they’ll never forget.

The new play will start its national tour at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield on the 13 April and then tour around the UK by road and river until the 19 October.

All Hands On Deck: A Tale of Two Wrens is directed by Mikron Theatre’s Artistic Director Marianne McNamara , designed by Celia Perkins, music composed and lyrics by Kieran Buckeridge with the music directed by Rebekah Hughes. The cast will feature Christopher Arkeston, Elizabeth Robin, Joshua Cosidine and Rachel Benson.

Playwright and former Mikron actor, Vashti Maclachlan, who penned last year’s ‘Revolting Women’ has had a great time steering the ship on All Hands On Deck. “It’s been a pleasure to write again for Mikron in its 48^th year and an honour to shine a spotlight on the tireless women who gave their all to shape a Women’s Royal Navy Service fit for the future.”  “I love Mikron’s theatrical style, lively and accessible, often with a social conscience. You laugh a lot at a Mikron play,

Director Marianne McNamara added:

Marianne McNamara, Mikron’s Artistic Director and Director of this show, explains why the Wrens show means a lot to many Mikron followers:

“I’ve always been interested in the Wrens. They’ve been suggested as an interesting subject matter by a number of audience members who were related to Wrens. There are plenty plays about the war but not that many that explore women’s contributions to the war. It’s been fascinating to research their story and to celebrate their endeavours.”    

In 2019, Mikron Theatre Company will embark on their 48th year of touring.  Based in the village of Marsden, at the foot of the Yorkshire Pennines, Mikron Theatre Company The company are like no other. For starters, they tour for most of the year on board a vintage narrowboat, secondly, they put on their shows in places that other theatre companies wouldn’t dream of; a play about growing-your-own shown in allotments, a play about bees performed next to hives, a play about chips to audiences in a fish and chips restaurant, as well as plays about hostelling in YHA Youth hostels and the RNLI at several Lifeboat stations around the UK.

All Hands On Deck: A Tale of Two Wrens, will be touring nationally in the Summer alongside Nick Ahad’s new play about Butlins – Redcoats.

JAYMI HENSLEY TALKS JOSEPH

The Union J star is making his musical theatre dream come true in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Darlington Hippodrome from Tuesday 21 to Saturday 25 May. Here he talks candidly about donning that famous coat of many colours.

What is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat about?

It’s based on a biblical story about Joseph the dreamer. He has 11 brothers, but he’s his father’s favourite and his Dad gives him a coloured dreamcoat as a gift. His brothers get very jealous and hatch a plan to kill him, but instead he gets taken to Egypt as a slave and is sent to prison. Fate is on Joseph’s side however and despite trying times, he eventually becomes the prince of Egypt.

Joseph has got something special. It has all these markers that made me think of my life. I had people, not brothers, but contemporaries at school, who told me I couldn’t be what I wanted to be. I’m a dreamer; I wanted to be a star. I also had something that made me different; being a gay man and finding out at a young age.

I always had my head in the clouds, but I was always sure of who I was and I never let what anyone said deter me. That’s how I approached Joseph, with the message that as long as you stand by who you are, eventually the rest of the world will see how wonderful you are too.

Is that what drew you to the role?

It just felt right. Theatre was always my first love. I always envisioned myself on stage every day. But life took a different turn.

I believe in the universe giving you signs and the tools you need to make things happen. I did panto with Jimmy Osmond, who’s done Joseph, and then I met Joe McElderry, who’d also played Joseph. All these signs were there. It was so bizarre. It just felt like I need to do this. And I’ve never felt like I’m more in the right place at the right time than I do right now.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is 50 years old this year. How do you think this show has stood the test of time?

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice are the best. They wrote this musical at university! The songs are timeless. I think that is the one word to use. You have songs here that, in 2019, don’t have to be modernised. We’re not changing anything at all. That’s testament to how well written they are. I know how dated the music I released in the last seven years is already, just listening to the charts!

How did it feel to put on theatre’s most famous coat for the first time on stage?

At my opening night in Windsor, that moment was when I got an out-of-body, hairs on the back of your neck moment. I had goosebumps everywhere and was rushing with emotion. This is just such an amazing show to be a part of. I’m honoured that they’re letting me take the torch.

What’s most exciting about touring the show?

What I love about a touring show is people are so grateful that you’re coming to see them, that you’re doing the leg work. People really appreciate that.

I’m really looking forward to going to places I’ve never been before and finding new audiences. I love being on the road. Although I’ve been a pop star for the last seven years, being on stage is the thing I’ve done the least. It was all about being on TV or in a studio. The stage is what I love. I love being live in front of an audience, so to do it 10 times a week, I couldn’t be happier.

What is it that makes live performance so special?

It’s the seeing sweat on someone’s face, the passion and the being in the room with them. You can’t beat that. Especially singing, you can’t beat live music and hearing that passion come from someone’s voice. As a performer, you have to impress there and then; there’s no rerun, it’s now or never. That added pressure is what makes theatre so amazing.

At the start of 2019, you announced Union J were splitting for now. How do you look back on your time with that band?

I have the fondest memories of that project, even when things were tough for us. You need to have those moments to give you a sense of how much it means to you. I’ll be forever grateful to that band for giving me what it’s given me and the joy we’ve had over the years. In my adult life I’ve only done what I love. Very few people can say that. I would never take that for granted.

People might think it a little self-indulgent, but I watch back our YouTube videos and listen to our music. I’m very proud of what we achieved as, initially, three young kids who set out to do something and made it happen. We were all so determined.

One day, hopefully, we can get back together and do a reunion and be together at a different time in life when it’s right again. As much as we were a band, we are individual people and we have individual passions, hopes and aspirations. In every good relationship you have to let the other person flourish.

What can audiences expect from a trip to see Joseph?

It’s a real feel good musical. The music’s fun, it’s bright and colourful, and we have the most amazing, talented cast. The world at the moment is so depressing; I think everybody should come for a couple of hours of detachment from reality, and have a fun, uplifting time.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat runs at Darlington Hippodrome from Tuesday 21 to Saturday 25 May.

For more information or to book call 01325 405405 or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk