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FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED

FOR

DOLLY PARTON’S

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL

Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton, Book by Patricia Resnick

and Directed by Jeff Calhoun

Based on the 20^th Century Fox Picture

BONNIE LANGFORD

JOINS

LOUISE REDKNAPP, AMBER DAVIES, NATALIE McQUEEN

AND BRIAN CONLEY

AT THE SAVOY THEATRE FOR STRICTLY LIMITED SEASON

28 JANUARY – 31 AUGUST 2019

Dolly Parton is delighted to announce full casting for 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL at the Savoy Theatre, London for a strictly limited season from 28 January – 31 August 2019. Bonnie Langford will play ‘Roz Keith’, joining the previously announced Louise Redknapp as ‘Violet Newstead’, Amber Davies as ‘Judy Bernly’, Natalie McQueen as ‘Doralee Rhodes’ and Brian Conley as ‘Franklin Hart’.

The cast also includes Victoria Anderson, Alexander Bartles, Ashley Campbell, Simon Campbell, Rhiane Drummond, Demmileigh Foster, Llandyll Gove, Lucinda Lawrence, Jenny Legg, Christopher Jordan Marshall, Natasha Mould, Sean Needham, Jon Reynolds,  James Royden-Lyley, Giles Surridge, Sasha Wareham and Emily Woodford.

Bonnie Langford was most recently seen as ‘Carmel Kazemi’ in “EastEnders” for which she won a 2015 British Soap Award. She can currently be seen as ‘Dorothy Brock’ in 42^nd Street” at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Her other West End credits include the original cast of “Cats”, “Me and My Girl”, “Sweet Charity”, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “Spamalot”. She played ‘Roxie Hart’ in “Chicago” at both the Adelphi and Cambridge theatres as well as on Broadway. Her touring credits include “Fosse”, “Guys and Dolls” and “9 to 5 The Musical”. She appeared in the 2006 series of ITV1’s “Dancing On Ice”, skating her way to the final and returning for the All Stars season in 2014.

Louise Redknapp most recently starred as ‘Sally Bowles’ in the national tour of “Cabaret”. In 2016 she reached the final of “Strictly Come Dancing”. As a musician Louise has sold millions of records. She was a member of the band Eternal before embarking on a highly successful solo career, with her first live shows in 15 years selling out all over the UK.  Amber Davies graduated in 2016 with a Diploma in Musical Theatre from the Urdang Academy. Her credits whilst training include “Bring It On”, “My Favourite Year” and “Memphis”. Last year, Amber was the winner of the hit ITV reality series “Love Island”. Natalie McQueen is currently appearing in the West End as ‘Lauren’ in “Kinky Boots” at the Adelphi Theatre. Her other credits include “Murder Ballad” at the Arts Theatre, “Wicked” at the Apollo Victoria and “Les Misérables” at the Palace Theatre. Natalie has also appeared in the UK and Ireland tour of “Wonderland”. Brian Conley’s many West End credits include ‘Edna Turnblad’ in “Hairspray” at the Shaftesbury Theatre, ‘Caractacus Potts’ in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” at the London Palladium, the title role in “Jolson” at the Victoria Palace and ‘Bill’ in “Me and My Girl” at the Adelphi Theatre. His touring credits include the title role in “Barnum” and ‘Fagin’ in “Oliver!”. Brian’s TV credits include “An Audience with Brian Conley”, “The Grimleys” and “The Brian Conley Show”, all for ITV.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL features a book by Patricia Resnick, the legendary film’s original screenwriter, and an original Oscar, Grammy and Tony award-nominated score by country legend and pop icon Dolly Parton. It tells the story of Doralee, Violet and Judy – three workmates pushed to boiling point by their sexist and egotistical boss. Concocting a plan to kidnap and turn the tables on their despicable supervisor, will the girls manage to reform their office – or will events unravel when the CEO pays an unexpected visit? Inspired by the cult film this hilarious new West End production is about teaming up, standing up and taking care of business!

 

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL is written by Patricia Resnick, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. It is directed by Jeff Calhoun, choreography by Lisa Stevens, design by Tom Rogers, lighting design by Howard Hudson, musical supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Mark Crossland, musical direction by Andrew Hilton and casting by Victoria Roe.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL Original Broadcast Cast Recording is planned for re-release via Dolly Records/Sony Music.

Based on the 20^th Century Fox Picture. Originally produced on Broadway by Robert Greenblatt, April 2009.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group and Selladoor Worldwide with Gavin Kalin Productions, Glass Half Full Productions, Showtime Theatre Productions, Hartshorn – Hook Productions and Kilimanjaro Live.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL

Savoy Theatre, Savoy Court, London, WC2R 0ET

Limited season – 28 January – 31 August 2019

Box Office: 0844 871 7687

Performances: Monday – Saturday 7.30pm, Wednesday and Saturday 2.30pm

Website: 9to5themusical.co.uk

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Twitter: @9to5MusicalUK

YouTube: 9 to 5 The Musical

Manchester panto transforming lives through participation –  It’s Behind You, The Edge Theatre’s Christmas show performed by a company of adults who are homeless  

An Edge production in association with The Booth Centre

It’s Behind You 

13- 15 December 2018. 

 

As panto season gets into full swing across the country, The Edge Theatre – a unique award-winning arts space based in Chorlton, Manchester – is preparing to stage a pantomime with a difference. 

IT’S BEHIND YOU is performed by a company of adults who are homeless. In addition to providing an entertaining night out, the theatre’s alternative Christmas panto offering is credited with transforming lives through the opportunity to participate in high quality art.

 

Created in association with The Booth Centre, the pantomime is directed by Janine Waters, co-founder and artistic director of The Edge, Manchester’s award-winning theatre for participation. IT’S BEHIND YOU is performed by a company of 15 individuals from varying backgrounds aged from 21 to 70s, who are all either currently homeless or at risk of homelessness. This is the third year that The Edge is staging its annual pantomime and many of the company are returning – these include Danny Marlow (21), who says:

 

“I found myself homeless two years ago while at university – I fell in with a bad crowd, and lost everything. I slept rough on doorsteps, in tents and under bridges. It felt awful, it was lonely – I had nobody and nothing. Eventually I knew I needed to make a change and I visited The Booth Centre for some help. From there, I became involved in the weekly drama sessions with Janine Waters. The sessions gave me the chance to forget my problems, concentrate on something I’m good at, and the chance to be someone else. My confidence has really improved. I’ve got a bounce back in my step and a smile on my face, it feels like I’ve found myself again. I’m in accommodation now, and working towards getting myself sorted.”

 

The opportunity to take part in IT’S BEHIND YOU makes a real impact in transforming lives, creating self-confidence and being an outlet for change – leading to positive experiences that can help counter negative behaviours and risks associated with being a vulnerable adult in a situation of homelessness.

 

Janine Waters, artistic director of The Edge says,

 

“It is such a privilege to be part of this unique theatre company, who work extremely hard to produce high quality, entertaining theatre despite the adversity that they face in other areas of their lives. We work hard, but we have so much fun – you wouldn’t believe the joy in the rehearsal room. People who may have slept rough the night before turn up ready to work, fully committed to each other, to the professional singers and creative team, and to achieving something that they can be proud of. The benefits are huge and life changing.

 

Many of our actors do not have contact with their families and tell us that the theatre company at The Edge has become their family. We work together, we support each other, we take individual and collective responsibility. Working in partnership with the Booth Centre means that together, we are able to provide a holistic approach to improving people’s situations. Of course housing, access to health care and employment are vital, but in order to address some of the issues that might have made people homeless in the first place, so too are the skills developed by being part of The Edge’s theatre company.  The skills that will then help people stay in their new accommodation and employment.

 

People have learnt to read because they want to learn their lines and follow the script. Theatre helps people develop their emotional literacy and empathy, conflict resolution and anger management. People who have been the victims of abuse and exploitation (which many vulnerable people sleeping on our streets have) can carry anger with them throughout their lives.  Our theatre company puts a great deal of emphasis on developing the communication skills that bring about a peaceful end to a situation of conflict. And theatre gives us access to stories and stories help us imagine a better life for ourselves; they help us to see alternative narratives to the ones we’ve found ourselves in and to re-write our stories if we don’t like them.

 

Achieving personal goals and being publicly rewarded for it can change the way you feel about yourself in quite a profound way. Raising self-esteem is an essential component in improving life chances. Taking part in these productions is an incredibly powerful tool to help people begin to see themselves in a new and positive light. You just have to sit in the audience and watch them perform and you’ll see what I mean.”

 

 Homelessness in Manchester has risen 41% in the past two years. CEO of the Booth Centre, Amanda Croome MBE, says of the work, “Drama has a transforming effect….many members of the group have moved onto employment, to take up education and training courses, or have entered detox, as a direct result of the boost they have got from working with The Edge”

 

Tickets for It’s Behind You are now on sale. The recommended age is 16+. For more information please visit:http://www.edgetheatre.co.uk

A NEW PRODUCTION OF THE ICONIC MUSICAL RETURNS TO THE LONDON PALLADIUM

FOR A STRICTLY LIMITED RUN

Casting for the role of Joseph to be announced at a later date

 

Performances will begin Wednesday 26 June 2019

Michael Harrison and The Really Useful Group are pleased to announce that Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the first major musical collaboration by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, is to be re-imagined in a brand new production at the iconic London Palladium next summer.

Opening on Wednesday 26 June, the new production will have an entirely new creative team to be announced soon. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will play a strictly limited 11 week summer season through until Sunday 8 September 2019. Tickets go on General Sale on Friday 7 December.

Released as a concept album in 1969, the stage version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has become one of the worlds most beloved family 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 Dreamcoat follows 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.

One of stages most sought after roles, stars who have previously played the title character include Jason Donovan, Phillip Schofield, Lee Mead, Joe McElderry and Donny Osmond.

 

 

For further information, please see www.josephthemusical.com

SEASON INFORMATION

London Palladium

8 Argyll Street

London

W1F 7LA

Performance Dates

Wednesday 26 June – Sunday 8 September 2019

Performance Times

Mon – Sat: 7.30pm

Matinees vary during weektime and weekends across the season, please check the website

Tickets

On General Sale from 10AM Friday 7 December 2018

From £20 (Previews from £10). Pay no booking fees at www.josephthemusical.com

 

For further information, please see www.josephthemusical.com

WHAT’S THE FUZZ ALL ABOUT

AVENUE Q UK 2019 TOUR CAST ANNOUNCED

Guess Q’s back! The naughtiest puppets in town will be coming to a venue near you as comedy musical Avenue Q returns next year to tour the UK with all of your favourite fuzzy friends, opening at Portsmouth Kings Theatre 25 January 2019.

Following five years in the West End, sell-out runs worldwide and smash hit tours in 2014, 2015 and 2016 (packed with mischief, bad behaviour and political incorrectness!) Tony Award-winning Musical, created by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez ,Co-creator of Book of Mormon and writer of the songs for Disney’s Frozen, is an irresistibly charming tale of the loveable characters on a downtown New York street trying to make sense of life’s burning issues.

Cast announced today includes Megan Armstrong, Jasmine Beel, Ellis Dackombe, Chloe Gentles, Nicholas Mclean, Robbie Noonan, Saori Oda, Cecily Redman, Lawrence Smith, Oliver Stanley and Tom Steedon

Meet Princeton, a bright-eyed graduate who comes to New York City with big dreams and a tiny bank account. Brian the out-of-work comedian and his therapist fiancée Christmas Eve; Nicky the good-hearted slacker and his closet gay Republican roommate Rod, an Internet ‘sexpert’ called Trekkie Monster, Lucy the Sl*t (the name says it all!) and a very cute kindergarten teacher named Kate Monster. Featuring hysterically funny songs including The Internet is for Porn and Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist, Avenue Q is a hilarious musical with a warm (and very fuzzy) heart.

Avenue Q first opened Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre in 2003, before transferring to Broadway later that year where it won three Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. In 2006 it transferred to the West End where it ran for five years before touring the UK. It has appeared in more than ten countries all over the world.

Avenue Q is produced by Selladoor Worldwide (producers of Footloose, Little Shop of Horrors, Flashdance –  The Musical and Fame –  The Musical), Showtime Theatre Productions and in association with Richard Darbourne Limited – Avenue Q is directed and choreographed by Cressida Carré, designed by Richard Evans, Lighting Designed by Charlie Morgan Jones and Sound Designed by Chris Bogg.  Puppets are designed by Paul Jomain of Q Puppets with Puppet Coaching by Nigel Plaskitt.

Hilarious, cheeky and uproariously entertaining, with a cast of 11 hugely talented performers and puppets, Avenue Q is the musical like no other.

So don’t let your life suck – book your tickets today! (Suitable for audiences 14+)

 

LISTINGS

25 Jan – 02 Feb           Kings Theatre Portsmouth  – www.kingsportsmouth.co.uk  – 023 9282 8282

04  – 09 Feb                 Wimbledon New Theatre – www.atgtickets.com/wimbledon – *

11 – 16 Feb                  New Alexandra – Birmingham –  www.atgtickets.com/birmingham    – 0844 871 3011 *

25 Feb – 02 Mar         Chester Storyhouse – www.storyhouse.com – 01244 409 113

11 – 16 Mar                Basildon Towngate –  www.towngatetheatre.co.uk   – 01268 205 300

18 – 23 Mar                Derby Theatre –  www.derbytheatre.co.uk   – 01332 59 39 39

25 – 30 Mar                Bradford Alhambra –  www.bradford-theatres.co.uk   – 01274 432000

01 – 06 Apr                  Marlowe Theatre Canterbury –  www.marlowetheatre.com   – 01227 787787

08 – 13 Apr                  Wirral Floral Pavillion – www.floralpavilion.com  – 0151 116 0000

15 – 20 Apr                  Cheltenham Everyman  – www.everymantheatre.org.uk  – 01242 572573

22 – 27 Apr                  Reading Hexagon – www.readingarts.com/hexagon/ – 0118 960 6060

29 Apr – 04 May         Ipswich Regent Theatre –  www.ipswichregent.com   –  01473 433100

06 – 11 May                Dunstable Grove Theatre – www.grovetheatre.co.uk –   01582 60 20 80

13 – 18 May                Gaiety Theatre Dublin – www.gaietytheatre.ie – 0818 719 388

20 – 25 May                Leicester Haymarket – www.haytheatre.com  – 0116 296 1236

27 May – 01 Jun          Edinburgh Kings Theatre – www.capitaltheatres.com –  0131 529 6000

03 –  08 Jun                 Brighton Theatre Royal –  http://www.atgtickets.com/brighton   – 0844 871 7650 *

10 – 15 Jun                  Wolverhampton Grand – www.grandtheatre.co.uk –  01902 42 92 12

17 – 22 Jun                  Cardiff New Theatre – www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk    – 0292 087 8889

24 – 29 Jun                  Glasgow Kings Theatre www.atgtickets.com/glasgow  – 0844 871 7648 *  

15 – 20 Jul                   Nottingham Theatre Royal – www.trch.co.uk – 0115 989 5555

29 Jul – 03 Aug            Sheffield Lyceum www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk  0114 249 6000

07- 10 Aug                   Belfast Waterfront Theatre – www.waterfront.co.uk –  +44 (0)28 9033 4455

                       

* Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge.

 

Find us on Facebook/Instagram and Twitter @AQUKTOUR #WhatTheFuzz #AvenueQUK

York Theatre Royal – 28 November 2018

Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

4****

The Story of Marie Lloyd came to the York Theatre Royal as a fundraiser with the Olivier nominated Elisabeth Mansfield taking the only role in the show. Marie Lloyd is known as the Queen of Music Hall, if you’re over a certain age I’m sure you will know her songs and her witty performance style. We the audience watch as Mansfield unpacks her life alongside music through her years. The fundraiser for York Theatre Royal is to help with the youth theatre and various community projects through the city of York.

Mansfield takes us on a journey filled with laughs and good times, however we are treated to moments in the play where more serious issues are handled, this is done perfectly and at times you are put into a silence with the huge contrast throughout the play. Being a one-woman show all of the performance is on Mansfield, with a lot of lines to learn and music to work with I am impressed as can see why she was nominated for an Olivier, a mastery of the role and the stage. Although being a one-woman show there was someone playing the piano on stage a lovely touch to the performance, it really brought the music hall aspect to life and if the music was on track it would of felt dead, so I’m pleased.

The stage was simple and classical nothing fancy, no stage tricks, just a stage with a piano and a area filled with costumes table and a chair, costume changes were done on stage in character which made a few audience members laugh as the flirt outs character made humour in the moment. The way the show is presented is almost noted in the show itself, when the character talks about how a stage should just have a performer on and nothing else.

The only thing to note about the performance is you really need to be the target audience to fully get the show, which is above 60 at the least, which I am not. I didn’t understand anything to begin with, I grew to appreciate the show as it went on, and after the show, when the show started I was dreading what I was about to watch, even for the first few minutes but the play explored her life in a way we can understand the life of Marie Lloyd. The older people were singing along having a good time. Mansfield shows everyone what it means to be a quality performer

Park Theatre and Breaking Productions present the World Premiere of
ROSENBAUM’S

RESCUE

9 January – 9 February 2019| Park Theatre

 

Casting has been announced for Rosenbaum’s Rescue, the World Premiere play exploring the true story of how over 7,000 Danish Jews managed to escape the Nazi occupation in 1943. Starring Olivier Award-winner David Bamber, Neil McCaul, Dorothea Myer-Bennett and Julia Swift, the production unearths new accounts behind one of history’s most compelling mysteries. Directed by Kate Fahy and written by A. Bodin Saphir.

October, 1943. Seven and a half thousand Jews flee Denmark in fishermen’s boats, crossing the water to Sweden and to safety from the occupying Nazi regime. To some, a miracle rescue of biblical proportions. To others, the question remains: how did thousands of Jews slip through the grasp of the most powerful war machine ever assembled?

 

Hanukkah, 2001. At a remote home on the snowy Danish coast, it’s time for two old friends to bury the hatchet. Lars and Abraham have not seen eye to eye for decades, but old tensions refuse to thaw as Lars’ relentless pursuit of the truth concerning the flight of Danish Jews during WWII challenges Abraham’s faith, patience and memories. And when an old secret surfaces and threatens the very foundation of their relationship, fact starts to blur with fiction.

 

Playwright A. Bodin Saphir said:

 

“ ‘Rosenbaum’s Rescue’ is inspired by my grandparents’ story of escape from Nazi occupied Denmark. Although he rarely talked about it, my grandfather was witness to a moment in history that contemporary historians now believe to be an important piece in the puzzle to understand why the ‘rescue’ of the Danish Jews was so successful and who was responsible for its success.

Armed with a perspective and information unavailable to their predecessors, a new generation of Danish historians are re-examining that ‘Miracle Rescue’ and their conclusions have proven shocking. This play is a testament to the evolution of that narrative from a black and white fairytale to a more complex, and in many ways, a more profound truth of a thousand greys. And although my grandfather found it difficult to speak of that time, I feel that now his story has finally been heard.”

 

Olivier Award-winning actor David Bamber plays Abraham. David’s stage credits include: Communicating Doors (Menier Chocolate Factory), Harvey (UK Tour/Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Glee Club (Bush & Duchess Theatre), Three Birds Alighting on a Field (Royal Court Theatre), Search & Destroy, Byrthrite, Billy Karate, My Night with Reg (Best Actor Olivier Award 1995 – Royal Court), Betty Blue Eyes (Novello Theatre) and The Oresteia, The Long Way Round, Hamlet, Racing Demon, Wind in the Willows, Troilus and Cressida, Merchant of Venice & Honk (National Theatre). His recent screen credits include: The Darkest Hour, Borg Vs McEnroe, Mad to be Normal, Queens of Mystery (Acorn), Gunpowder (BBC), Trust (FX Productions), Victoria (ITV), Silent Witness (BBC), Call the Midwife (BBC), A Very English Scandal (BBC), Snatch (AMC), Tina & Bobby (ITV), Camping (Sky Atlantic), Quacks (BBC),  Death in Paradise (BBC), Doctor Who (BBC), Father Brown (BBC) & What Remains (BBC). 

 

Neil McCaul plays Lars. His stage credits include: The Other Place (Park Theatre), Fatherland (Lyric Hammersmith, Manchester Royal Exchange), After Electra (Theatre Royal Plymouth/ Tricycle Theatre), Guys and Dolls (Chichester Festival Theatre), Calendar Girls (Noel Coward Theatre), Oedipus, Accomplices (National Theatre), Mr England (Crucible Theatre), Merchant of Venice, Trelawney Of The Wells (Old Vic), Privates On Parade (Piccadilly Theatre), Guys and Dolls (Savoy Theatre/ Chichester Theatre) and Soho Cinders (Soho Theatre). His TV credits include: Benidorm, Midsomer Murders, Dark Matter, Doctors, Foyle’s War, Holby City, Blue Murder, Most Mysterious Murders, Nostradamus, Fifty Five Degrees North, Crossroads, EastEnders, Hearts and Bones, Lock Stock, People Like Us, Where the Heart is (series 3), A Wing and a Prayer, Tandem, Ruth Rendell: Road Rage, Comedy Nation, Does China Exist? and the Father Ted Christmas Special.

 

Dorothea Myer-Bennett plays Eva. Her theatre credits include: Holy Sh*t (Kiln Theatre), The Winslow Boy (Chichester Festival Theatre/Birmingham Rep/UK Tour), The Lottery of Love, The Philanderer (Orange Tree), The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare’s Globe/World Tour), Pericles (Shakespeare’s Globe), Richard III, Uncle Vanya (West Yorkshire Playhouse), This Was A Man (Finborough Theatre), As You Like It, Arcadia, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Richard III, The Misanthrope, Comedy of Errors, King Lear and The Cherry Orchard (Tobacco Factory). Her TV credits include: Holby City (BBC), Jude the Obscure, Dead Man Talking (BBC) and Plastic People (Green Dot).

 

Julia Swift plays Sara. Her theatre credits include: Philadelphia Here I Come and Orpheus Descending (Donmar Warehouse), Revelations (Comedy Theatre), Broken Glass (National Theatre), Royal Borough and Ambulance (Royal Court), The German Connection (Young Vic), The Relapse (Old Vic Theatre) and Two Gentlemen of Verona & All’s Well That End’s Well (Royal Shakespeare Company). Her TV credits include: Doctors (BBC), Casualty (BBC), Doc Martin (ITV), Holby City (BBC), Midsomer Murders (ITV) and The Bill (ITV).

 

Director Kate Fahy, returns to Park Theatre where she directed Jean-Claude Carriere’s Little Black Book in Park90. She also directed Oliver Cotton’s play Wet Weather Cover at The King’s Head and in the West End’s Arts Theatre. Kate is also an actress, with recent credits including Handbagged (Roundhouse Theatre Washington DC/Tricycle Theatre), A Lie Of The Mind (Southwark Playhouse), Winter Solstice (Orange Tree Theatre) After Electra (Tricycle Theatre), Martin Crimps’ Definitely The Bahamas (Orange Tree Theatre) and Edward Albee’s The Goat (Almeida Theatre /Apollo Theatre).

A filmmaker and writer, A. Bodin Saphir has written and directed a number of acclaimed short films. He produced and co-directed the award winning documentary Who’s Gonna Love Me Now? and is Author in Residence at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Rosenbaum’s Rescue is his first play.

 

www.parktheatre.co.uk

Box office: 020 7870 6876*

LISTINGS

ROSENBAUM’S RESCUE

Venue: Park200, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, N4 3JP

Dates: Wed 9 Jan – Sat 9 Feb 2019

Age guidance: 14+

Performances: Evenings Mon – Sat 7.30pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 3pm

Captioned: Wed 6 Feb 7.30pm

Prices: Previews £18.50, Standard £18.50 – £32.50, Concessions £16.50 – £23.50, Child (Under 16) £15 – £20*
Booking: www.parktheatre.co.uk / 020 7870 6876

*10% telephone booking fee, capped at £2.50 per ticket.

Daisy Hale and Kate O’Connor in association with Theatre503 present
Cuzco
Written by Víctor Sánchez Rodríguez and translated by William Gregory
Theatre503, 503 Battersea Park Road, London SW11 3BW
Wednesday 23rd January – Saturday 16th February 2019, 7.30pm

Marking the first time in seven years that Theatre503 have programmed a play in translation, 2019 will kick off with the English-language premiere of the multi-award winning Cuzco which explores intimacy in a globalised world. A revelation about the clash of colonial histories and commercialised contemporary tourism, Cuzco is written by Víctor Sánchez Rodríguez, winner of the Best New Playwright Premio Max, Spain’s foremost theatre awards. It has been translated in collaboration with William Gregory who has worked on productions for international projects at the Royal Court Theatre and The Gate.

Set along the Inca Trail, Cuzco is a sharp contemporary portrait of a Spanish couple increasingly lost to one another. In a bid to save their relationship, they travel to South America to find escape and reinvigoration in Cuzco, the conquistador stronghold, Inca city of the puma and tourist paradise. Their tragic love story unravels as they journey towards Macchu Picchu haunted by their own desires and the ghosts of Spain’s colonial past.

Kate O’Connor (Frozen Light; Researcher, Minefield; JMK Finalist) directs the UK premiere from one of Spain’s most acclaimed young playwrights. The two-hander stars Gareth Kieran Jones (Jubilee, Royal Exchange and Lyric Hammersmith; Pony Boy Curtis, The Yard Theatre; The Sea Plays, Old Vic Tunnels) and Dilek Rose (Twist, UK tour; The 24 Hour Plays, The Old Vic; Contractions, Trafalgar Studios).

A play about nationality, colonialism and language, the translation of Cuzco was born out of a meeting between playwright and translator in Madrid in 2016, and their close collaboration ever since. William Gregory’s translation retains the poetry, passion and playfulness of the Spanish original while opening up new resonances for English-speaking audiences. He will continue to play a central role in rehearsals, providing insights for the actors and director from his research and translation process, helping to deepen their understanding to create a profound and compelling cross-cultural experience for audiences in London.

Víctor Sánchez Rodríguez comments, When you travel, you often see yourself reflected in the country you visit. I wanted to talk about relationships, about the idea of Spain when you’re in a place like Cuzco. About all of these things, because it’s from a distance that we can best speak about ourselves. I’m engaging with the present and with how society, politics and the economy affect our sense of self and our most intimate relationships

Kate O’Connor adds, We’re so proud to be bringing Cuzco to a UK audience for the first time with the English-language premiere at Theatre503. Víctor is a writer with a unique and incisive vision of our generation; through this strange and compelling story of heartbreak he is asking questions about what it means to live in today’s globalised world, and whether we can ever truly connect with one another under these conditions. At the core of this project is the work of our translator whose collaboration with writer, creative team and new writing powerhouse Theatre503 will turn this production into an opportunity for cultural exchange, something that couldn’t be more crucial at this moment in the UK.

This production emerged from the work of Out of the Wings collective, based at King’s College London. Cuzco is supported by Acción Cultural Española, Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants, Cervantes Institute and Ibérica restaurants.

ROY BUDD’S EPIC MASTERPIECE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA LIVE

TO BE UNMASKED YET AGAIN

 

·        Roy Budd’s score to Rupert Julian’s 1925 silent film version of The Phantom at the Opera for one-night only at the Barbican 18 March 2019

·        Only the second ever performance of one of the late all-time great British musicians, Roy Budd’s finest work

·        All the funds raised from the production will go to helping rid the world of polio

In the summer of 1993 renowned composer and jazz pianist Roy Budd’s score for Rupert Julian’s classic 1920s silent film The Phantom of the Opera was to set be performed in London. Then he had a brain haemorrhage.Nearly a quarter of a century later his widow, Sylvia, fulfilled his dream and Budd’s masterpiece score to the 1925 Phantom of the Opera was performed at the London Coliseum on 08 October 2017, featuring the 77-piece orchestra. The performance received a resoundingly positive response from critics and audience alike.

Today the producers are delighted to announce that another one-off performance of Roy Budd’s masterpiece will be performed at the Barbican on 18 March 2019 – the very same venue it was originally meant to be screened at 25 years ago. It will once again be performed by the magnificent Docklands Sinfonia orchestra and led by Conductor Spencer Down. Since its formation, the orchestra has enjoyed incredible success with performances at Buckingham Palace for the Queen and with world-renowned classical artists such as Alison Balsom, Leonard Elschenbroich and Elin Manahan-Thomas.

The Phantom of the Opera represents the apex of the career of a man who not only bought the last surviving 35mm negative of the film he adored since the age of 11, but who made his debut at the Coliseum aged 6 and went on to compose the score of the seminal 1971 gangster movie Get Carter, starring Michael Caine. The music budget was a mere £450, but Budd, along with a bassist and a percussionist, recorded a spine-tingling harpsichord motif which is now iconic. Among more than 50 other films scored by Budd were Paper Tiger, The Sea Wolves, Who Dares Wins and the 1971 version of Kidnapped

Adapted from Gaston Leroux’s gothic novel, Rupert Julian’s The Phantom of the Opera tells the twisted tale of a mysterious recluse (Lon Chaney) who tutors a soprano at Paris’s Palais Garnier opera house while hiding a nocturnal penchant for chandelier-related slaughter. The film has been digitised and very subtle colour added throughout, with one critic noting last year that the restored film is a work of art.

As for the music, to call last year’s rendition a triumph is an understatement. Budd’s score was played with perfect timing and huge energy, intensifying the audience’s connection to a film which remains as unsettling and emotive as ever. This is a truly unique and original spectacle that is not to be missed.

Producer Nick Hocart says; “I am excited to work with Spencer Down and Dockland Sinfonia again, and to be presenting Roy’s work in the Barbican where it was due to premiere 25 years ago is history in the making.”

All the proceeds from the production will be going to the Rotary Club Foundation UK; specifically, the Purple for Polio initiative. Furthermore, for every pound raised, the Gates Foundation will donate a further two pounds, whilst producers Sylvia Budd and Nick Hocart are waiving production fees and donating their time for this event.

Eve Conway, Vice-Chairman of Rotary International’s End Polio Now: Countdown to History Campaign Committee, says: “We are on the brink of making history by eradicating only the second human disease ever after smallpox. There have been just 27 cases of wild poliovirus worldwide this year in two countries: 19 in Afghanistan and eight in Pakistan. This compares to a thousand cases of polio a day in 125 countries when Rotary started our campaign to rid the world of polio in 1985. With our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we have reduced cases by 99.99 per cent. We need to finish the job and end polio now and forever and this means continuing to raise awareness and funds for immunisation campaigns in at-risk areas, as well as routine immunisation. That is why the proceeds from this event are so vital to help make sure we achieve a polio-free world”.

Roy Budd’s Phantom of the Opera is sponsored by Wine Bourse, Ignition Law and Sylwia Romaniuk Couture whose support to the event will enable maximum funds to be generated for the charity”.

“Forget Lloyd Webber: Roy Budd’s original Phantom of the Opera music is finally unmasked”

The Daily Telegraph

 

General On-Sale

Barbican, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS

Dates: 18 March 2019

Time: 7.30pm

Prices from £29-39.00 plus booking fees

 £10 Young Barbican (no booking fees)

Ticket Link https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2019/event/roy-budds-phantom-of-the-opera

  

http://www.roybudd.com/phantom-of-the-opera

Lyceum Theatre, London.

Reviewed by Keiley Archer.

5*****

Running for an astonishing 19 years, The Lion King has been enchanting audiences of all ages at the Lyceum Theatre in London. The show follows the well-known story of young Simba and his journey to taking his place as King of the Jungle. The current cast includes Nick Afoa as Simba, Shaun Escoffery as Mufasa and George Asprey as Scar.

The theatrical adaptation combines the original, well-loved classics by Elton John and Tim Rice, like ‘Circle of Life’ and ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’, as well as incorporating in newer songs. A particular favourite of mine is ‘They Live in You’, which is performed by Mufasa to teach Simba about his ancestors who are watching over him.

The staging is cleverly used to recreate the iconic moments recognisable by fans of The Lion King film, such as Rafiki lifting baby Simba over Pride Rock and Mufasa’s projection in the stars telling Simba to “remember who you are”. It achieves this through the use of colourful puppetry, silhouettes, clever staging and opulent costumes working collaboratively to recreate the vast African landscape. This mix of techniques will mesmerise all members of the audience; younger viewers will be enthralled by the colours, Disney fans can enjoy the cleverly recreated iconography and regular theatre goers will be fascinated by the stunning production onstage.

Ultimately, The Lion King is an experience not to be missed and is one that is sure to have you planning your next trip the second you leave the theatre.

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 8 December 2018 

Reviewed By Jo and Harry Gordon

4****

Shrek the film is a firm family favourite in the Gordon household so we were looking forward to seeing the Green Hero doing his thing on the big stage. Shrek premiered on Broadway back in 2008 and has been delighting audiences ever since.

Now Shrek has turned the grand old age of seven his parents turn him out to find his way in the big wide world, finding the perfect swamp for an Ogre, Shrek settles down to his new life. One day it becomes over run by an eclectic mix of fairytale folk who have been sent to find him by Lord Farquaad, the vertically challenged leader of Dulcoc. Farquaad sends Shrek off into yonder to find and rescue the woman he wishes to marry to enable him to become the King of Dulcoc. Armed with a suit of armour, a sword and an over excitable Donkey at his side, will Shrek complete the quest and save the day?

The production has everything a young (and old) audience enjoy. Show tunes, dance numbers, jokes that have many levels, romance and of course the much loved and favoured fart scenes – much to the delight of the younger crowd. The four main characters bounce off each other incredibly well which makes it nice and easy to watch.

Steffan Hari has the character of Shrek nailed down perfectly, he gives him a large presence as is fit for an ogre but shows his more vulnerable side and is a less angry Shrek than you see in the film. At times I did struggle to understand the odd line said in Shrek’s infamous accent but soon fell into the rhythm. Shrek’s crazy sidekick, Donkey, is played by Marcus Ayton who is full of the energy and  comic timing needed to carry the character off and adds his own dimension to the hooved comic we all love. Princess Fiona needs to have a strong heart yet show a softer, insecure side brought on by her hidden secret, Laura Main has  achieved this and then flew with it! Playing Fiona with a kooky edge really adds another dimension to the character. My personal favourite was Lord Farquaad  played by Samuel Holmes. Dry humoured and full of short guy rage he had me chuckling the most. Every time he entered the stage with his hilarious little legs I laughed longer and louder than those around me, maybe I feel where he’s coming from being vertically challenged myself! On a whole, the whole ensembles singing voices can not be faulted and it all ends with a rousing, audience participating I’m A Believer to round off an entertaining production.

A fantastic family show showing us diversity isn’t a bad thing and love conquers all above everything else……and I think we are all needed to be reminded of that from time to time.