Home

HOPE ARIA ANNOUNCE 2019 SEASON AT

HOPE MILL THEATRE, MANCHESTER –

A NEW VERSION OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ MUSICAL RAGS,

TRACIE BENNETT STARRING IN FIRST UK REVIVAL OF MAME

& A NEW MUSICAL IN TIME FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON

Katy Lipson of Aria Entertainment and Joseph Houston and William Whelton of Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester are delighted to announce Hope Aria Productions’ 2019 Season.  The Season will open on 2 March with the UK premiere of a new version of the Stephen Schwartz musical RAGS.  From 27 September, Tracie Bennett will star in the title role in Jerry Herman’s much loved musical MAME, and the season will be completed by a new musical, THE ASTONISHING TIMES OF TIMOTHY CRATCHIT, from 22 November.

RAGS is a heart-warming and powerful musical with book by Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof), lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and music by Charles Strouse (Annie), which tells the story of Russian immigrant Rebecca, who, with her son David, travels to America in search of a better life. Rebecca must decide what matters more to her – staying true to her roots or adopting a new cultural identity in an attempt to ‘fit in’.  This will be the UK premiere of this new version of the musical and will be directed by Bronagh Lagan (Little Women, Putting It Together, Promises Promises). RAGS is presented by arrangement with MTI Europe and is produced in association with Matthew Hopton of Knockhardy Productions.

Stephen Schwartz said, “I’m delighted that Katy Lipson and Hope Mill Theatre will be presenting our newly revised version of Rags in its first production. The show feels more timely than it ever has been, and my co-authors and I are enthusiastic about all the improvements we have made and excited to be sharing the show with the Manchester audience.”

MAME, a classic 1960’s musical, with book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, has not been seen in the UK since the original West End production in 1969 starring Ginger Rogers. Set in New York City and spanning the Great Depression and World War II, the musical focuses on eccentric bohemian Mame Dennis, played in this new revival by two-time Olivier Award winner, six-time Olivier Award nominee and Tony Award nominee, Tracie Bennett (Follies, Mrs Henderson Presents, End Of The Rainbow, La Cage Aux Folles, Hairspray, Les Misérables, High Society, She Loves Me in London’s West End, and, on television, Making Out, Joking Apart, Next of Kin, Coronation Street, Scott & Bailey and a regular role in the new ITV drama The Bay).

The madcap life of Mame Dennis and her intellectual, arty clique is disrupted when her deceased brother’s 10 year-old son Patrick is entrusted to her care. Rather than bow to convention, Mame introduces the boy to her free-wheeling lifestyle, instilling in him her favourite credo, “Life is a banquet, and most poor sons-of-bitches are starving to death.” Mame loses her fortune in the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and tries her hand at a number of jobs with comically disastrous results, but perseveres with good humour and an irrepressible sense of style, before marrying the Southern aristocrat and plantation owner, Beuregard Jackson Pickett Burnside.  Director Nick Winston (Director and Choreographer of The Royal Variety Performance at The London Palladium, hosted by Miranda Hart (ITV); Choreographer for Sondheim at 80 starring Judi Dench at The Royal Albert Hall (BBC);Shakespeare Live! From the RSC, which received a BAFTA nomination for Live Entertainment (BBC);Waiting For Godot at The Lincoln Centre, New York) will steer the audience through the unusual and rollercoaster life of Mame and her friends and family.  MAME is presented by arrangement with Tams Witmark.

THE ASTONISHING TIMES OF TIMOTHY CRATCHIT is a new musical with book by Allan Knee (the writer of Hope Aria’s 2017 hit musical, Little Women), and music and lyrics by newcomer Andre Catrini. It tells the tale of a young man who sets out to find his place in an expanding and volatile world. Inspired by the characters of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, the story follows the plight of young Tim from the home of his benefactor, Ebenezer Scrooge, to the theatrical madness of the great comic, Giuseppe Grimaldi.  The new musical will be directed by Jonathan O’Boyle (Hair, This House,Pippin, Rain Man, Aspects of Love) and produced in association with Jana Robbins, Craig Haffner and Sherry Wright.

Katy Lipson said, “We are extremely excited to enter our third year as a producing venue with three incredible musicals, which we hope will cement us as a leading regional theatre in the UK landscape. It’s a huge honour to present the newly developed RAGS, working hand in hand with Stephen Schwartz, as well as welcoming back the works of Allan Knee to the Hope Mill and to have Tracie Bennett performing in our venue is a huge privilege.”

Hope Aria Productions was created in 2016, when Joseph Houston and William Whelton of Hope Mill Theatre joined forces with Katy Lipson of Aria Entertainment to spearhead the venue as a home for new musicals, musical premieres and musical revivals. Katy is now Producing Artistic Director for all in-house musicals. Hope Aria productions since 2016 include Parade, Hair, the European premiere ofYank!, Pippin, the European premiere of Little Women, the world premiere of Toyboy Diaries, Spring Awakening, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love, new British chamber musical The Return of the Soldier, and Stephen Sondheim’s Putting It Together. London transfers include Yank! at Charing Cross Theatre, Pippin at Southwark Playhouse and Hair at The Vaults, which won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off West End Production.  2019 will see a major UK Tour of Hair and the London transfer ofAspects of Love to Southwark Playhouse.  In 2018, Hope Mill Theatre won The Stage Award for Fringe Theatre of the Year.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Hope Mill Theatre

Hope Mill
113 Pollard Street
Manchester
M4 7JA

Box Office:  0333 012 4963

hopemilltheatre.co.uk

www.facebook.com/HopeMillTheatre/

@hopemilltheatr1 / @HopeAria2019

www.instagram.com/hopemilltheatre/

Rags

2 March – 6 April 2019

Press Night: 7 March 2019

Tickets: £18 – £28 (Previews £16) Premium tickets available

Tue-Sat 7.30pm, Wed & Sat 2.30pm, Sun 3pm

Mame

27 September – 9 November 2019

Press Night: 3 October 2019

Tickets: £21 – £29 (Previews £16) Premium tickets available

Tue-Sat 7.30pm, Wed & Sat 2.30pm, Sun 3pm

The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit

22 November – 29 December 2019

Press Night: 27 November 2019

Tickets: £18 – £28 (Previews £16) Family and Premium tickets available

Tue-Sat 7.30pm, Wed & Sat 2.30pm, Sun 3pm (2.30pm only on 24 December, no performances 25 & 26 December)

Royal & Derngate announces Ibsen’s Ghostsin a new version by Mike Poulton as part ofMade in Northampton 2019 season 

• World premiere of Mike Poulton’s new adaptation ofIbsen’s masterpiece Ghosts to open in Northampton in April
• Directed by Lucy Bailey and starring Penny Downie and Pierro Niel-Mee
• Other forthcoming Made in Northampton productions include premieres of Our Lady of Kibeho, The Remains of the Day and Two Trains Running, alongside Richard III
• @RoyalDerngate / #MadeInNorthampton / #GhostsThePlay

Artistic Director of Northampton’s Royal & Derngate, James Dacre today announced that the venue will stage the world premiere of a brand new version by Mike Poulton of Henrik Ibsen’s masterpieceGhosts in April 2019, directed by Lucy Bailey, starring Penny Downie and Pierro Niel-Mee.

With Tony nominations for Fortune’s Fool and adaptations of Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies, Mike Poulton’s acclaimed plays also include Imperium for the Royal Shakespeare Company and A Tale of Two Cities for Royal & Derngate. At the Northampton venue, Lucy Bailey previously directed Gaslightand Love from a Stranger (nominated for the UK Theatre Best Touring Production Award in 2018). Her Olivier Award-nominated production of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution is still going strong at London County Hall over a year after first opening.

A shattering story of the consequences of secrets and lies, Ibsen’s Ghosts is a damning comment on the morality and hypocrisy of 19th century life and this searing new version asks if much has changed since it was written over 100 years ago.

Constrained for years by societal expectations, widow Helen Alving is determined to escape the ghosts of her past but when her son Osvald returns home it is clear that some legacies are impossible to avoid. With secrets kept and lies told, the ghosts of her husband’s actions demand bigger sacrifices now than ever before.

Helen will be played by Penny Downie, whose extensive stage and television credits include Hamletin the West End and ITV’s Downton Abbey. Taking the role of Osvald is Pierro Niel-Mee, whose credits include Shakespeare in Love (UK tour) and Imperium, Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies(Royal Shakespeare Company).

Ghosts can be seen at Royal & Derngate from Friday 19 April till Saturday 11 May, with a national press night on Wednesday 24 April. #GhostsThePlay

Made in Northampton

James Dacre, Artistic Director, said: “This season we will premiere work by Tony, Nobel, Pulitzer and Olivier prize-winning writers that will transport our audiences from 1880s Norway to 1980s Rwanda and pre-war Oxfordshire to post-war Pittsburgh. At a time where our worldview is proving to be increasingly divided, these powerful, humane stories all explore the corrosive power of prejudice and the complex nature of belief.”

Ghosts joins a Made in Northampton season that continues in January with the UK premiere of Olivier Award winner Katori Hall’s spectacular play Our Lady of Kibeho. The play tells the astonishing true story of three Rwandan schoolgirls and the haunting events that forever changed their school, their community and their country. Directed by James Dacre, with stirring live music by Orlando Gough, the play features a large professional cast, including Michelle Asante, Ery Nzaramba and Gabrielle Brooks, supplemented by Royal & Derngate’s Community Ensemble. #OurLadyThePlay

2017 Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro’s masterpiece The Remains of the Day will be breathtakingly re-imagined for the stage, in an adaptation by one of Britain’s most exciting young playwrights, Barney Norris (Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright), directed byChristopher Haydon (The Caretaker). This story of memory, regret and undeclared love receives its world premiere at Royal & Derngate in February before touring nationwide in a co-production with Out of Joint. #RemainsTour19

In May, Tom Mothersdale stars as the iconic villain in a revelatory new production of Shakespeare’s famous East Midlands tale Richard III, a co-production by Headlong, Alexandra Palace and Bristol Old Vic with Oxford Playhouse. This frighteningly relevant tale of deceit, manipulation and violence is brought to life by director John Haidar (Headlong Associate Artist). #RichardIII2019

In September, Royal & Derngate stages Two Trains Running, American playwright August Wilson’s vivid portrait of everyday lives in the shadow of a defining moment in American history. Set in Pittsburgh, 1969, the play sees the regulars of Memphis Lee’s restaurant struggling to cope with the turbulence of a world that is changing rapidly around them. When Two Trains Running premiered on Broadway in 1992, it won Tony, Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel awards and was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Directed by the 2018 winner of the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award,Nancy Medina this co-production with English Touring Theatre will tour the UK after opening at Northampton. #TwoTrains2019

Further Made in Northampton 2019 productions will be announced next year.

Made in Northampton is sponsored locally by Michael Jones Jeweller.

For more information about any of these productions, visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk. Shows can be booked online or by calling Box Office on 01604 624811.

SIX the musical returns to The Lowry for Christmas 2019. SIX Tues 3rd Dec 2019 – Sun 5th Jan 2020 Tickets onsale today (Fri 7 December 2018)

SIX the musical will return to The Lowry next year for a five week Christmas run. Tickets go onsale today (Friday 7 December 2018).   Henry VIII six wives of have taken The Lowry by storm this Christmas and will return in 2019 to retell their stories in ‘SIX,’ a 75minute celebration of 21st century sisterly sass-itude.   From Tudor queens to pop princesses, ‘SIX’ is a 75 minute celebration of sisterly sass-itude remixing 500 years of her-storical heartbreak   ‘SIX’ is currently at The Lowry until Sun 16 December 2018 and has already earned a clutch of 5-star reviews.   Powered by an all-female band and with songs including ‘Ex-Wives,’ ‘Haus of Holbein’ and ‘Don’t Lose Ur Head,’ this high-octane pop concert musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss is widely tipped to be one of the most exciting new West End shows of 2018.   Directed by Lucy Moss & Jamie Armitage. Choreographer Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. Set Design: Emma Bailey. Costume Design: Gabriella Slade. Lighting Design: Tim Deiling. Sound Design: Paul Gatehouse. Musical Supervisor: Joe Beighton. Orchestrations Tom Curran.   ‘SIX’ is a co-production between Kenny Wax and Global Musicals. George Stiles Executive Producer. Casting for Christmas 2019 to be confirmed. Listings Information  SIX the musical  Dates: Tues 3rd Dec 2019 – Sun 5th Jan 2020 Times: Sun – 5pm & 8pm. Mon 23 Dec – 5pm. Tue 3, 10 & 17 Dec – 8pm. Tue 31 Dec – 2pm & 5pm. Wed 4, 11 & 18 Dec – 8pm. Thu 5, 12 & 19 Dec – 6pm & 8.30pm. Thu 26 Dec & 2 Jan – 5pm & 8pm. Fri – 8pm. Sat – 5pm & 8pm. Tickets: £23.50 – £39.50 Website

Patrick Kennedy Phenomenological Theatre presents

RICHARD FOREMAN AT FIFTY

A LONDON SEASON OF 3 PLAYS BY RICHARD FOREMAN TO CELEBRATE THE 50^THANNIVERSARY OF THE ONTOLOGICAL-HYSTERIC THEATER

Patrick Kennedy Phenomenological Theatre today announces FOREMAN AT FIFTY, a yearlong project at the New Wimbledon Theatre celebrating American avant garde theatre pioneer Richard Foreman’s 50^thanniversary as a theatre maker.

The three plays Pain(t) (1974), Lava (1989) and Zomboid! (2006) cover unique periods in Foreman’s idiosyncratic career as he developed his complex, cerebral and deeply beautiful work on stage. New Wimbledon Theatre’s Time and Leisure Studio (previously New Wimbledon Studio) will become home to these works in March, July and December. Each production will be accompanied by a specially curated exhibition displaying Foreman’s notebooks, designs and production photography.

Critically acclaimed avant garde auteur Patrick Kennedy said, “I’m delighted to bring three extraordinary and enigmatic works to the UK for the first time. Since 2014 my company has introduced Foreman to the UK theatre scene for the first time allowing audiences to experience his remarkable and celebrated genius. It’s particularly rewarding to have Richard Foreman’s personal approval for this season and I look forward to bringing the works to life in what has become our unofficial home at the New Wimbledon Theatre.”

Richard Foreman has been leading the theatrical avant-garde in the USA and throughout the world since 1968, when he founded the Ontological-Hysteric Theater in New York City. He has written, directed and designed more than fifty of his own plays both in NYC and abroad. He has received numerous OBIE awards, a Lifetime Achievement in the Theater Award from the National Endowment for the Arts and a MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellowship amongst other notable citations. His new collection of plays PLAYS FOR THE PUBLIC will be published in January.

Tickets will be priced at £15 full price with a £12.50 concession available as well as a season ticket allowing audiences to see all shows for £40.

Website: www.foremanatfifty.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/phenomenologicaltheatre

Twitter: www.twitter.com/pktheatreuk @pktheatreuk

LISTINGS

Time & Leisure Studio, New Wimbledon Theatre

Dates: Pain(t) 11-16 March 2019; Lava 1-6 July 2019; Zomboid! 2-7 December 2019

Press night: Pain(t) 11 March 2019; Lava 1 July 2019; Zomboid! 2 December 2019 7.45pm

Tickets: £15 full price, £12.50 concession, £40 season ticket

Box Office: 0844 871 7646 | www.atgtickets.com   

SOMNIUM: A DANCER’S DREAM

STARRING NEIL AND KATYA JONES

SOMNIUM: A Dancer’s Dream, the explosive dance show starring World Latin Showdance Champions and Strictly professionals Neil and Katya Jones comes to Sadler’s Wells in London for a limited season from 20 – 22 June 2019.

SADLER’S WELLS 20 – 22 JUNE 2019S

Directed and choreographed by Neil Jones, SOMNIUM: A Dancer’s Dream tells the story of a boy from Britain and a girl from Russia who met, fell in love and overcame the odds to become dance stars. Starring real life couple Neil and Katya Jones and a company of dancers, the show features vivid storytelling and sensational Latin and ballroom choreography to produce a dance show like no other. It also depicts a complicated modern love story, exploring how the path of love doesn’t always run smoothly. SOMNIUM was originally created for Lichfield Festival and has been re-worked for this London run.

Born on a British Army camp in Germany, Neil is a creative and innovative choreographer as well as dancer.  Katya was born in St Petersburg, Russia and started dancing at the age of 6. In 2008 she formed a partnership with Neil and they went on to marry in 2013 before becoming World Champions.

Neil and Katya said “We are really excited to announce that we will be performing our show SOMNIUM: A Dancer’s Dream at Sadler’s Wells in June 2019. We all know that life and love is not perfect and as much we would like to say our journey together has been, you will be able to see first hand the real struggles of our life together on the road to becoming World Champions”S

Sadler’s Wells

Listings Information

Rosebery Avenue

London

EC1R 4TN

Thursday 20 – Saturday 22 June at 7.30pm, Saturday matinee at 2pm.

Press night: Thursday 20 June at 7.30pm

Tickets: £18, £24, £34, £45, £55

www.sadlerswells.com / 020 7863 8000

Meet and Greet with Neil and Katya (available from Monday 10 December)

Cost: £45

Restrictions: only available with the purchase of a top price seat

Times: Thursday/Friday 4.30-5.30pm and Saturday between performances (Quantity: 40 per session)

MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE ANNOUNCES CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD IS TO STAR IN NEXT YEAR’S FAB-U-LOUS PANTOMIME – SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS!

Hot off the heels of Cinderella opening at the Manchester Opera House this Saturday 8 December, Manchester Opera House is delighted to announce that next year’s pantomime will be the enchanting fairy-tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, starring the judge we all love to hate, Craig Revel Horwood as the ultimate Wicked Queen.

Packed with all of the traditional pantomime ingredients that Opera House audiences have come to expect, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be spectacularly brought to life with an abundance of jaw-dropping dance, side-splitting comedy, sensational special effects and plenty of festive magic.

Fresh from the ballroom, Craig Revel Horwood will dazzle in an array of stunning costumes and show Manchester his real mettle as he tries to outwit the fair Snow White and prove to the world that he is the fairest of them all!

Craig is a well-known face on television in the UK and now all over the world, as a judge on all 16 series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing. In 2013, Craig wrote and directed a brand-new show, Strictly Confidential that toured the UK starring familiar faces from Strictly Come Dancing. He has directed and choreographed theStrictly Come Dancing live tour for the last six years, as well as appearing as a judge.

He recently returned to his roots as a performer in musical theatre, starring as Miss Hannigan in the West End production of Annie. Craig also choreographed and directed the recent UK tour of Sister Act starring Alexandra Burke, directed and choreographed the new Dusty Springfield musical Son of a Preacher Man, which toured the UK, and choreographed the feature film Paddington 2. His new book In Strictest Confidence has recently been published, and he can currently be seen in cinemas starring in the film Nativity Rocks.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will once again be produced by Qdos Entertainment, the world’s biggest pantomime producer, continuing their partnership with Manchester Opera House following this year’s upcoming production of Cinderella from 8 December – 30 December 2018.

Michael Harrison, managing director of Qdos Entertainment’s pantomime division, said: “I’m thrilled that we have managed to secure Craig to lead our Opera House pantomime next year. As the Strictly Come Dancing judge that everyone loves to hate, I’m sure that Manchester audiences, young and old, will enjoy booing and hissing our fab-u-lous Wicked Queen!”

Sheena Wrigley, Theatre Director at the Palace Theatre and Opera House Manchester, said “We’re absolutely delighted that Qdos Entertainment are coming back to us for a third year on the run, bringing their stunning sets, costumes, and impressive special effects to dazzle and entertain the whole family. It’s very exciting to present yet another high-quality production to our audiences and Craig Revel Horwood is the perfect choice for such a villainous role.”

Further casting will be announced next year.Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the fairest pantomime of them all, plays at the Opera House from 8^th – 30^thDecember with tickets from £12. For more information, or to book, visit www.atgtickets.com/Manchester.

LISTINGS

Friday 6^th December – Sunday 29^th December 2019

Opera House, Manchester – www.atgtickets.com/Manchester
Tickets from £12.

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR FOLLIES

★★★★★

The Arts Desk, Broadway World,

City A.M., Culture Whisper, Daily Express, Daily Telegraph,

Financial Times, The Guardian, Independent, Metro, Musical Theatre Review,

The Observer, Radio Times, The Stage, The Sunday Times, Time Out, The Upcoming

WINNER: 2018 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival and Best Costume Design

FOLLIES

Book by James Goldman

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Directed by Dominic Cooke

Olivier Theatre

Previews from 12 February, booking until 6 April 2019

After a sold-out run, Follies returns to the NT in 2019. Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical includes such classic songs as ‘Broadway Baby’, ‘I’m Still Here’ and ‘Losing My Mind’. Featuring a cast of 40 and an orchestra of 21, Follies is directed by Dominic Cooke. Tracie Bennett, Janie Deeand Peter Forbes return to reprise their roles, with Alexander Hanson and Joanna Riding joining the cast as Ben and Sally.

The Follies 2019 cast includes Julie Armstrong (Christine Donovan), Lindsay Atherton (Young Carlotta), Josephine Barstow (Heidi Schiller from mid-April until the end of the run), Rosanna Bates(Young Emily), Jeremy Batt (Young Theodore), Tracie Bennett (Carlotta Campion), Billy Boyle(Theodore Whitman), Kaye Brown (Ensemble), Janie Dee (Phyllis Rogers Stone), Anouska Eaton(Young Deedee), Liz Ewing (Ensemble), Vanessa Fisher (Young Stella), Caroline Fitzgerald(Sandra Crane), Geraldine Fitzgerald (Solange LaFitte), Peter Forbes (Buddy Plummer), Bruce Graham (Roscoe), Adrian Grove (Sam Deems), Alexander Hanson (Ben Stone), Alyn Hawke(Ensemble), Harry Hepple (Young Buddy), Aimee Hodnett (Young Sandra), Dawn Hope (Stella Deems), Liz Izen (Deedee West), Jasmine Kerr (Ensemble), Alison Langer (Young Heidi), Felicity Lott (Heidi Schiller from 22 February until mid-April), Sarah-Marie Maxwell (Young Solange), Ian McIntosh (Young Ben), Ian McLarnon (Ensemble), Claire Moore (Hattie Walker), Tom Partridge(Ensemble), Gary Raymond (Dimitri Weismann), Michael Remick (Ensemble), Rohan Richards(Kevin), Joanna Riding (Sally Durant Plummer), Lisa Ritchie (Young Hattie), Myra Sands (Emily Whitman), Gemma Sutton (Young Sally), Monica Swayne (Young Christine), Christine Tucker(Young Phyllis) and Liam Wrate (Chorus/Swing).

Follies is designed by Vicki Mortimer, with choreography by Bill Deamer, musical supervision byNicholas Skilbeck, orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, additional orchestrations by Josh Clayton, musical director Nigel Lilley, lighting design by Paule Constable and sound designer by Paul Groothuis.

Click here to watch Tracie Bennett’s performance of ‘I’m Still Here’ from Follies at the 2018 Olivier Awards ceremony, captured live at the Royal Albert Hall:

Supported by the Follies production syndicate.

Exclusive crystal provider for Follies

Talks and Events

A Short History of Stephen Sondheim’s work – 26 February, 6pm

Developing Musical Theatre (in partnership with the Genesis Foundation) – 7 March, 6pm

Making Follies: Wigs, Hair and Makeup – 14 March, 6pm

Follies actors in conversation –  15 March, 3pm

The Making of Follies – 19 March, 10am

Making Follies – costumes and headdresses – 25 March, 6pm

Designing Follies with Vicki Mortimer – 29 March, 5pm  

Wilton Music Hall – until 5 January 2019

Reviewed by Heather Chalkley

5*****

The magical setting of the 19th Century Wilton Music Hall creates the scene as soon as you walk through the grand entrance. A wonderful Edwardian fantasy tale of good overcoming evil is woven, using a delicious blend of lighting, puppetry, music and costume.

The three child characters were at the centre of the story. Theo Ancient as Kay captured the spirit of adventure, maintaining an earnest performance throughout. In the same way Safiyya Ingar as Mariah gives her character youthful tom boyish energy and brings plenty of humour to the piece, waving her pistols and swashbuckling! Samuel Simmonds as Peter is the essence of a public school boy dweeb, sad and funny all at once. You forget they are grown ups really! The supporting cast playing multiple parts seamlessly sewed the story together. With larger than life Nigel Betts as both Cole Hawlings and Abner Brown, he truly brought ancient magic and modern hope alive in this traditional winter’s tale.

Thanks to The Creative Team, their adventure was embellished with the liquid movements of skilful puppetry giving it a magical aura. I particularly loved the Phoenix. Alongside this was the quirky use of old wooden wardrobes to create entrances and exits, hiding places and prison cells, height and depth. They were particularly effective during the chase scenes and rampant scrobbling!

It’s great to find a traditional Yuletide tale with grown up shades of dark and light, that laid the foundations for tales like Northern Lights and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Piers Torday has done a great job adapting John Masefields Novel, encouraging us all to seek these books out and have a read. A proper Christmasy family production.

Theatre Royal Haymarket, London – until 12 January

5*****

Take That appeared on stage last night in support of the Evening Standard’s Christmas AIDSfree appeal when they host a special gala performance of their musical.

The Theatre Royal Haymarket was transformed when all of the seats in the stalls were removed to make way for dinner tables.

Ticket proceeds from the black-tie event, which marked the opening night of The Band in the West End, were expected to raise thousands for the AIDSfree appeal with the Elton John Aids Foundation.

But for press night there was no trace of the party.  Instead the giant TV, showing pages from Ceefax, entertained the audience as the auditorium began to fill up.

Words can not really say just how good this show is.  Written by Tim Firth and co produced by David Pugh, Dafydd Rogers, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams – The Band is the newest jukebox musical to hit the stage.  

The show’s story revolves around five teenagers who adore “The Band” and win tickets to a concert of their heroes. The second act sees a reunion of four of the women 25 years later. Firth’s writing is very carefully observed and makes us laugh, cringe, cry and cheer for the women who this musical is really about. The teenagers were superb and took me right back to the days when I too adored a pop star and made promises I was so sure I would keep.

Whilst some “jukebox” musicals have songs shoehorned in and very little in the way of story, The Band is different.  The music of Take That is secondary to the piece, it doesn’t drive the show and its fits perfectly into the story.  Firth has woven a tight script around a simple premise of schoolgirl crushes and the pains of love and loss across a narrative that spans over 25 years.  The simplicity of which means that we can really connect with the characters

It would feel wrong to single out one member of the cast for praise as they were all outstanding, all playing their parts superbly.  The younger group of friends Faye Christall (Rachel), Debbie (Rachelle Diedericks), Heather (Katy Clayton), Claire (Sarah Kate Howarth) and Zoe (Lauren Jacobs) show great chemistry on stage together.  The older group of Rachel Lumberg, Emily Joyce, Alison Fitzjohn and Jayne McKenna are fierce, funny and wonderful. The casting is superb with the scenes in which they appear together showing how similar they all are. Back For Good sung by the teenagers to their adult selves was particularly moving.  It takes no imagination to believe they could be a younger and older version of the same person.  For these are real people, totally identifiable. And you will sit looking at your 16 year old self and recognising the 40 plus year old woman you have become

The Band (AJ Bentley, Nick Carsberg, Curtis T Johns, Yazdan Qafouri, Sario Solomon) won their roles on the BBC show “Let it Shine” where they competed for the roles.  The band are lyrically outstanding, adding depth and meaning to Gary Barlow’s lyrics, giving a resonance to the scene’s in which they appear.

The cast is completed by the comedic Martin Miller as Rachel’s long term partner and Andy Williams who is hilarious as several different cameo characters and billed as Every Dave in the programme. There are no weak links in this cast. It could have been incredibly cheesy and sentimental but they manage to keep it grounded and real whilst also being entertaining and slightly mad at times! So well directed ~ slick and sharp! Very well done indeed!

This is the perfect feel good musical, for the 40+ generation especially – I hope it continues its West End run and keep on touring around the country.  Go and see it for yourself but take tissues

Churchill Theatre – until 30 December 2018

Review by Elizabeth J Smith

4****

We all know the story of Cinderella and when performed as a pantomime there are certain ‘givens’ that we expect. Beautiful Cinderella, handsome prince charming, two ugly sisters and lots of laughs along the way.

The Churchill and Qdos Production don’t fail on any of these. With much hilarity from the start with references to the local area and the local people. Funny comments on todays news. Packed full of the expected skits and the timeless catch phrases that had the audience shouting out “oh no you didn’t”, booing the villains of the piece and arring with sympathy for the love forlorn Buttons.

Lesley Joseph plays the fairy godmother, pulling on references to her well known Essex character of Dorien, “Birds of a Feather”. She doesn’t possess the greatest of singing voices but her fairy godmother anthem was super.

Phil Reid, Buttons, had the audience in his hand and responded quickly to any heckles. When he brings two men from the audience to join him on stage, his expert ventriloquism make for a side splitting spectacle. Well done those unsuspecting stars.

Charlotte Haines, is the beautiful Cinderella and oozes sweetness. James Darch, handsome Prince Charming is just that, with a few sneaky thigh slaps in timely panto fashion. Gary Watson steals many a scene with his camp portrayal of Dandini.

Graham Hoadly and Jack Land Noble give a commanding performance of the grotesque, man eating duo, the ugly sisters, Claudia and Tess. With some of the fastest costume changes.

The energy with which the main characters perform “if I were not upon the stage” made this pantomime staple fresh as the first time you see it performed. Hilarious. The scenery, costumes and lights make for a magical evening for all ages to enjoy and the uniqueness of panto can go forth for another year.