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The Hope Theatre – until 30 June

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Louise Coulthard’s sensitive and heart-breaking play about dementia and its impact on families will put you through the emotional wringer as you watch a sufferer gradually deteriorate.

When Rosie’s mother died, her grandparents took her in and brought her up. Ten years after the death of her grandfather, Rosie and Alice are still living happily together, although Alice thinks that, being in her mid-twenties, Rosie should be married by now.

When we first see Alice (Mary Rutherford) she is full of life and mischief, dressing glamorously and verbally sparring with Rosie (Louise Coulthard). In fact, she seems to be the most energetic of the pair. The little memory slips and bouts of confusion become more and more obvious to both women; Alice forces Rosie’s new doctor boyfriend Cavan (Rowan Polonski) to discuss symptoms of dementia with her.

The jumps in time between scenes is never specified, creating a gentle and slow atmosphere that throws Alice’s deterioration into sharp focus. Mary Rutherford is astonishing as Alice, portraying the frustration and fear as she realises what is happening to her, and shifting between a confused, petulant little girl and her old self with consummate ease. She never overdoes it, maintaining Alice’s dignity even as she sits dishevelled in her underwear. In Rosie, Louise Coulthard has written a refreshingly normal young woman, and delivers a wonderfully honest performance. She is not a saintly carer, instead her frustration, anger and guilt are never far from the surface, making her tender moments more emotional.

As Rosie and Alice try to find a way to cope and keep Alice in her own home, the evolution of Rosie’s attitude towards Alice’s slips is written with charm as Rosie stops correcting Alice and joins in with her delusions to avoid upsetting her. The final scene is a hammer blow that reminds the audience of what a horrible and devastating illness dementia is, leaving most of the audience a sobbing wreck. Fantastic. A thoughtful and humane play about a disease that will touch us all in one way or another.

The Bunker Theatre – until 7 July, Tuesdays and Fridays

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Part of The Bunker’s BREAKING OUT programme, This Noise’s production of No One Is Coming To Save You is a deliciously satisfying and dreamlike duologue.

Agatha Elwes and Rudophe Mdlongwa describe the lives and inner thoughts of an unnamed young woman and man unable to sleep. Writer Nathan Ellis’s script swoops between poetic flourishes, ridiculously mundane similes and arch explanations of obvious points with great style, helped by the playful and funny, but mesmerising performances of Elwes and Mdlongwa.

The man is watching TV, but understands neither the language or the action, instead imposing his own fears and experiences on what he sees, always coming back to the metallic object in his hand. The woman is staring at a glass, then through her window, wanting to feel something. The man’s feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness are brought to a head as he watches his crying daughter – with some wonderful dialogue about responsibility and society’s perception of young black men. The woman’s life takes on a farcical but horrifying aspect as her attempts at social interaction with her co-worker are described. Her imagination runs rampant as the most bizarre, violent and destructive outcomes of everyday occurrences – as the two characters lives intersect watching two planes cross the night sky, the woman is slightly disappointed that there was no mid-air disaster.

On a stage of Astroturfed pallets surrounded by glasses of water – all half empty – the two performers reveal the characters stories with a confident and engrossing stillness punctuated by symbolic movements triggered by certain words. The effect is mesmerising and weaves a story of longing, political and social despair that ends with an uplifting reminder that a simple moment of human contact can bring hope and the confidence to be yourself; that amidst the atrocities of the modern world, every life is precious.

The Bunker Theatre – until 7 July, Tuesdays and Fridays

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

2**

Paper creatures’ Section 2 is a well-meaning attempt at portraying the impact of mental health issues on family and friends, but it is more worthy then entertaining.

Peter Imms focuses on the events of the 28th day of Cam’s time under Section2 in hospital. This is the day that his girlfriend finds out if he is coming home to her or faces up to 6 months more of treatment. After an action-packed life in the army and playing rugby, there is no obvious reason for Cam’s illness, and Kay needs someone or something to blame. After 5 years of no contact, Cam has called old schoolfriend Pete to visit him at the hospital. This allows a lot of exposition about Cam’s condition, and Jon Tozzi does an impressive job portraying the incredulity and initial ignorance of the worried friend and serves as a trigger for Kay’s emotional outbursts. Nathan Coenen and Esmé Patey-Ford have some lovely scenes as Cam and his nurse Rachel, tenderly showing the humour and humanity co-existing with the mental illness. Unfortunately, Kay is overwritten, cramming so much melodrama into the role that Alexandra Da Silva has a struggle on her hands keeping the character sympathetic. I am not making light of the awful experience trying to help and cope with a partner suffering from a mental illness, it’s just that Imms has thrown everything but the kitchen sink at the role. In a longer, 2-act play with more room for all characters and plot to grow, this would probably work, but in a 60-minute production a more measured approach would have much more impact and truth. Da Silva has a magnificent meltdown when she is fighting against Cam staying in hospital, but her almost immediate turnaround seems rushed and this, followed by a montage leading to Cam’s eventual release just makes the whole production feel as if a longer play has been savagely cut to fit into this timeslot.

Although a little clunky at the moment, there is a lot of promise in Section 2, which would come to fruition in an extended cu

Arcola Theatre – until 21 July

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Baba Segi’s three wives are happy and settled in his Nigerian household, but this all changes when he sets his mind on young university graduate Bolanie becoming his fourth wife. Rotimi Babatunde’s stage adaptation of Lola Shoneyin’s novel is an energetic and uplifting production that is full of belly laughs.

Presented on an empty stage, with the floor covered in rattan, the production has the feel of a family storytelling session, with the cast, dressed in gloriously colourful outfits, sitting around watching the action. This atmosphere is enhanced by the uplifting musical accompaniment from the cast, and the communal singing and dancing bookending scenes. The leather armchairs that senior members of the family use are in the front row of the audience, blurring the divide.

The wives all have monologues to showcase their characters and their reasons for marrying Baba Segi, and Jumoké Fashola, Christina Oshunniyi and Layo-Christina Akinlude all create individual and memorable women. Marcy Dolapo Oni ensures Bolanie’s more modern world outlook is always apparent in her reactions and is devastating when Bolanie reveals her true reasons for marrying Baba Segi to her mother. Baba Segi is a ludicrous character, cartoonish in his patriarchal attitudes, but the wonderful Patrice Nalambana manages to keep Baba Segi sympathetic, revealing glimpses of his insecurities and fears amongst the peacock strutting, clowning and expert playing to the audience.

After two years of marriage and no child, Baba Segi is convinced that there is something wrong with Bolanie, but instead of going to see “Teacher”, she insists on an appointment at the hospital, unwittingly setting into motion events that will change Baba Segi’s household forever. The culture clash of modern and traditional ideas and customs is omnipresent and the source of many jokes, with Baba Segi’s solo hospital appointment bringing howls of laughter. There are a few dramatic moments of tragedy which darken the tale, reminding the audience (as if they could ever forget) of the misogyny of this patriarchal society – Baba Segi isn’t slow to use his fists if he thinks his honour is being sullied by his wives, although Bolanie’s final monologue does a little to redress the balance with her declaration of freedom.

An evening of laughs and scandal, this is a vibrant visual and musical treat of a show that should not be missed.

City Varieties, Leeds – until 21st June 2018

Reviewed By Dawn Smallwood

4****

Opera North and West Yorkshire Playhouse have brought Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill to the City Varieties in Leeds. This is another one of their collaboration following the success of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods back in 2016. Berlin to Broadway pays homage to Weill, a German composer (1900 – 1950), and his musical journey takes one from its Berlin’s Kabarett style cafes to the big stage of New York’s Broadway.

Under the direction of the legendary Giles Havergal, the audience are taken on a journey and are treated to a variety of songs which are written by numerous lyrists and Weill’s musical compositions. The compositions include the popular The Threepenny Opera which is a play known for its ballads. The ensemble narrates chronologically Weill’s key milestones of his life in between songs.

The first part of the voyage begins at Berlin where a number of songs are sung from The Threepenny Opera including the popular The Ballad of Mack the Knife and other songs from other works such as The Little Mahagonny, Happy End and Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. The stage is set cabaret style with then its avant-garde ambience in its Berlin’s cafes during the Weimar era and its eventual social and political decline from end of the 1920s to the early 1930s.

Weill works are associated for its political and social satirical content and with his populist views influences. With this in mind including his Jewish heritage and his denouncement by the Nazi party, he and his wife fled Germany in 1933 and eventually emigrated to the United States.

The voyage’s part two features works that he composed in his later years in New York City and set for the Broadway stage. Songs are sung from Street Scene, Johnny Johnson, Lady in the Dark, One Touch of Venus and his final composition Lost in the Stars, a tragic musical.

Berlin to Broadway, set in the beautiful City Varieties music hall, is put well together with Catherine Morgan’s staging and Tim Skelly’s lighting. The digital screen in the background on stage enhances the voyage including still images and introductions to the songs that are sung.

It stars an ensemble of singers from the Chorus of Opera North who perform to the highest standard. With a piano accompaniment on stage and Martin Pickard’s musical direction the ensemble puts on an excellent show and celebrates Weill’s versatile musical accomplishments. Amy J Payne’s emotive Surabaya Johnny from Happy End at end of Part One is one of the outstanding highlights. The soprano sings the musical number with such conviction and emotion which makes one think more about Weill’s musical journey.

With the reprisal of songs from The Threepenny Opera at the end of Part 2, Weill leaves a mark which many musicians and singers from popular and classical backgrounds aspire to and make such songs famous. Opera North and West Yorkshire Playhouse have shown a thorough commitment to celebrate his musical ingenuity and also him being “a composer for the theatre” with an intimate cabaret style production with show stopping songs.

 

PW PRODUCTIONS

PROUDLY ANNOUNCE UK AND US TOUR DATES

FOR STEPHEN DALDRY’S

SEMINAL PRODUCTION OF

JB PRIESTLEY’S CLASSIC THRILLER

“AN INSPECTOR CALLS”

OPENING SEPTEMBER 2018

PW Productions are delighted to announce UK and US touring dates for Stephen Daldry’s seminal production of JB Priestley’s classic thriller “AN INSPECTOR CALLS” opening at York Theatre Royal (14 – 22 September 2018), before touring to Cambridge Arts Theatre (25 – 29 September 2018), New Wimbledon Theatre (2 – 6 October 2018), Cheltenham Everyman Theatre (9 – 13 October 2018), Shakespeare Theatre Washington DC(20 November – 23 December 2018), Wallis Annenberg Center Los Angeles (22 January – 10 February 2019),Chicago Shakespeare Theater (19 February – 10 March 2019) and Arts Emerson, Boston (14 – 24 March 2019). Listings details below.

Since 1992, Daldry’s production of “AN INSPECTOR CALLS” has won a total of 19 major awards including four Tony Awards and three Olivier Awards. It has played to more than 4 million theatregoers worldwide and is the most internationally-lauded production in the National Theatre’s history.

Written at the end of the Second World War and set before the First, “AN INSPECTOR CALLS” is a compelling and haunting thriller. The story begins when the mysterious Inspector Goole calls unexpectedly on the prosperous Birling family home, shattering their peaceful family dinner party with his investigations into the death of a young woman.

JB Priestley’s brilliantly constructed masterpiece powerfully dramatises the dangers of casual capitalism’s cruelty, complacency and hypocrisy.

“AN INSPECTOR CALLS” is directed by the world-renowned theatre and film director Stephen Daldry. Stephen’s many theatre credits include “The Audience”, “Skylight” and “Billy Elliot The Musical”. His film credits include “The Hours”, “The Reader” and “Billy Elliot”, all of which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director. Most recently he has directed several episodes of the Netflix smash hit series “The Crown”, for which he is also Producer.

“AN INSPECTOR CALLS” is designed by Ian MacNeil, with music by Academy Award winning composer Stephen Warbeck and Lighting by Rick Fisher.

“AN INSPECTOR CALLS”

UK AND US TOUR DATES 2018/2019

FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2018

York Theatre Royal www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2018

Cambridge Arts Theatre www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 2 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 6 OCTOBER 2018

New Wimbledon Theatre www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre/

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 9 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 13 OCTOBER 2018

Cheltenham Everyman Theatre www.everymantheatre.org.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER – SUNDAY 23 DECEMBER 2018

Shakespeare Theatre, Washington DC www.shakespearetheatre.org

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 22 January 2019 – SUNDAY 10 FEBRUARY 2019

Wallis Annenberg Center, Los Angeles www.thewallis.org

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2019 – SUNDAY 10 MARCH 2019

Chicago Shakespeare Theater www.chicagoshakes.com

ON SALE NOW

THURSDAY 14 MARCH 2019 – SUNDAY 24 MARCH 2019

Arts Emerson, Boston www.artsemerson.org

ON SALE NOW

Pocklington Arts Centre – 13 June 2018

5*****

Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

On Behalf Of The People came to the Pocklington Arts Centre on the 13^th June. Touring for 2 months with The Melting Shop company, the play explores the mining community post world war 2 and the impacts of the unions. The play explores many topics in such a beautiful way creating believable scenes and characters. The cast of four are treating the venue as a studio even though it was an end on venue I loved this aspect of the show I felt involved and with a smaller audience and cast my role as an audience member was more interactive and heightened.

The cast Composed of Ray Ashcroft, Danny Mellor, Kate Wood and Lizzie Frain; the characters are all involved in the mining community, but we focus on the Mason family, George is the patriarch of the family, played by Ashcroft, the character is a proud union man stubborn as a nail, Ashcroft found the essence of the character I felt connected to the character, we could see his hidden emotions and he didn’t have to explicitly display what he was feeling because we were connected to the character. Tom is the son of George, played by Mellor, the character has a lot of development throughout the play, he is the main reason for most of the progression, we learn how his relationship with his father works and the effects of war, his characterisation and the way he interacted with other cast members really created believable bonds on stage. Connie is Tom’s mother and George’s wife, played by Wood, for me her strengths we the emotional reactions to characters and scenes. Last but not least is Liz toms love interest, played by Frain, what she gave to the performance was an energy that the character could feed of such as her interaction between her as mason during a scene where things get heated. The whole cast were phenomenal, the way that they worked with each other and the audience really create a moving and thought-provoking piece of theatre

The staging was clever and due to a minimal but effective set scene changes were quick and seamless, the cast took on the role of scenes changes so on stage we only ever saw four people, I loved the simplicity of this and it made me focus on what the characters were saying and how the actors presented the text. One of my favourite features about the show was the audience being in the round it really brought the audience and cast together as if we were one body, a union ethic.

I loved the play and the actors, for me these shows resonate with me more than larger scale shows. The messages from this play didn’t need to be explicit, they were approached in a way that we understood, I would recommend this show to everyone, I can guarantee that everyone will take away a positive experience and find something in the play that they can relate with.

WEST END PREMIERE OF

SAM SHEPARD’S ICONIC WORK

Production stars Game Of Thrones’ KIT HARINGTON

 

Acclaimed actor JOHNNY FLYNN to play his warring brother

 

Vaudeville Theatre | Performances begin Friday 23 November

Kit Harington and Johnny Flynn are to star in the West End Premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winner Sam Shepard’s ferociously funny, modern classic, True West.

The first UK production of Shepard’s work since his death last summer, True West will play a limited season at the Vaudeville Theatre from Friday 23 November – Saturday 16 February.

Kit Harington – renowned for his leading role in the internationally acclaimed series Game of Thrones – and Johnny Flynn – star of the widely celebrated film Beast and US TV series Genius, and who has just received rave reviews for his performance in the New York transfer of Hangmen – will star as warring brothers Austin and Lee.

Two of the most challenging and sought after roles in modern drama, some of the greatest American and British actors of the last 30 years have played the brothers since the play’s debut in 1980.

Olivier-nominated Matthew Dunster (Hangmen, Love And Money) will direct True West.

Austin is working on a movie script that he has sold to producer Saul Kimmer when Lee stumbles back in to his life. Never content to watch from the sidelines, he pitches his own idea to Kimmer, an action which has far reaching consequences…

Set against the searing heat of the Californian desert, Shepard’s critically acclaimed drama pits brother against brother as a family tears itself apart, exposing the cracks in the American Dream.

Matthew Dunster commented on the announcement of the production:

“There is something dangerous about True West. It’s always unsettled me. I was always scared of reading it. Fearful of its burning content but also of its brilliance. When Sam Shepard died I went back to it and I knew I had to find way of doing it. And I have questions about the play: Is it about two brothers, or is it about how we all grapple with two sides of ourselves, thought by thought, dream by dream? Was the promise of the ‘West‘, or is the promise of any mythical dream, really ‘True’? You need the very best actors to take this kind of play on. You preferably need two actors who can sniff the danger and are prepared to be unsettled and to unsettle. To have Kit and Johnny with me to ask the questions, and to take on these roles in Shepard’s masterpiece, is as exciting as my job gets. I can’t wait!”

 

Kit Harington has starred as Jon Snow since 2011 in the Emmy Award winning HBO drama series Game of Thrones. With 38 Emmy Awards, Game of Thrones is the most decorated show in the ceremony’s history. In 2016, Kit received his first Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

Kit studied drama and theatre at the Central School of Speech & Drama. Before graduating in 2008, he won the lead role of Albert in the National Theatre’s London production of the smash hit War Horse. The production transferred to London’s West End at the New London Theatre, and he stayed with the role until 2009 after which he appeared in Posh, by Laura Wade, at the Royal Court Theatre. In 2016, Harington made his much‐anticipated West End return in the Jamie Lloyd directed production of Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, playing the title role.

In 2018, Harington transitioned into the role of Executive Producer on a miniseries titled Gunpowder. Harington played his real‐life ancestor on his mother’s side, Catholic rebel Robert Catesby who was part of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, the failed scheme by Roman Catholic militants to blow up the House of Lords in London. The series also starred Peter Mullan, Mark Gatiss and Liv Tyler.

His upcoming film projects include the English‐language film from French‐Canadian director Xavier Dolan, The Life and Death of John F Donovan. Past film projects include the HBO sports mockumentary 7 Days in Hell, Sony Pictures Classics drama Testament of Youth and the big‐screen adaptation of the hit British spy series Spooks: The Greater Good. He also lent his voice to the animated film How to Train Your Dragon 2 which won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2014 and received an Academy Award nomination.

 

Johnny Flynn is an actor, composer and songwriter. Johnny has worked extensively across film, television and theatre. He recently shot a lead role in ITV’s upcoming adaption of Vanity Fair. He most recently starred in Genius: Einstein (National Geographic) – as the young Albert Einstein to Geoffrey Rush’s older. Johnny plays leading role Dylan in Lovesick, the first two series of which are currently streaming on Netflix with a third on the way. Further television credits include Brotherhood (Big Talk/Comedy Central), The Nightmare World Of HG Wells (Clerkenwell Films) and Detectorists (Channel X/BBC4). 

Johnny most recently played the protagonist Pascal in feature film Beast – which received critical acclaim at the Toronto Film Festival this year, previous to its premiere at the London Film Festival. He has also starred in Love Is Thicker Than Water, Clouds of Sils Maria opposite Kristin Stewart and Chloe Moretz, and Song One in which he co-starred with Anne Hathaway. 

Johnny was nominated for ‘London Newcomer of the Year’ at the Whatsonstage Awards (2012) for his performance in The Heretic (Royal Court) and went on to gain his first Olivier Award nomination forJerusalem (West End) that year. Further credits include The Low Road (The Royal Court), Richard III and Twelfth Night (Globe/West End). Johnny’s most recent theatre appearance was a starring role in Martin McDonagh’s hit Hangmen, originating at the Royal Court and later transferring to the West End. He was thrilled to have reprised his role of Mooney in this year’s transfer to New York. 

He has released five albums to date with his band Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit, the most recent being Sillion (2017) which he is currently promoting.

Matthew Dunster is an Olivier-nominated director, a playwright and an actor, and Associate Director at Shakespeare’s Globe.

His directing credits include: The Secret Theatre,  Much Ado About Nothing, Imogen, The Frontline, Troilus and Cressida, Dr Faustus and The Lightning Child (Shakespeare’s Globe), Hangmen (Wyndham’s Theatre & Royal Court, Atlantic Theater, New York), Liberian Girl (Royal Court), The Seagull, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Open Air Regent’s Park), Love’s Sacrifice (RSC), The Love Girl & the Innocent, You Can Still Make a Killing (Southwark Playhouse), Mametz (National Theatre Wales), Before the Party (Almeida), A Sacred Flame (English Touring),Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (Royal Exchange Manchester), Mogadishu (Royal Exchange Manchester and Lyric Hammersmith), The Most Incredible Thing (Sadler’s Wells), and The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Royal & Derngate, Northampton).

As a writer his credits include: Children’s Children (Almeida), You Can See the Hills (Royal Exchange Manchester/Young Vic) A Tale of Two Cities (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and his re-imagining of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Most Incredible Thing (Sadler’s Wells).

Sam Shepard’s first New York plays, Cowboys and The Rock Garden, were produced by Theatre Genesis in 1964. For several seasons, he worked with Off-Off-Broadway theatre groups including La MaMa and Caffe Cino. Eleven of his plays won Obie Awards, including Chicago, The Tooth of the Crime, and Curse of the Starving Class. Other award-winning plays include Fool for Love, True West, A Lie of the Mind, and Buried Child, for which he won a Pulitzer Prize in 1979. In 1986, Shepard was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and received the Gold Medal for Drama from the Academy in 1992. He was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame two years later. As a writer and director, he filmed Far North and Silent Tongue. As an actor, he appeared in numerous films, including The Right Stuff, Days of Heaven and Resurrection. His final works of prose, The One Inside and Spy of the First Person, were published in 2017, the year of his death.

 

Additional casting and creative team for True West to be announced.

 

True West is produced by Smith & Brant Theatricals and Empire Street Productions.

 

LISTINGS INFORMATION

TRUE WEST

Written by Sam Shepard

Directed by Matthew Dunster

TICKETS

 

Box Office: 0330 333 4814

Group booking line: 0330 333 4817/ [email protected]

Access booking line: 0330 333 4815 / [email protected]

Group rates & concessions apply

Ticket prices start from £15

BOOKING ONLINE

www.TrueWestLondon.com

 

ADDRESS

Vaudeville Theatre

404 Strand

London

WC2R 0NH

 

SEASON DATES

Friday 23 November 2018 – Saturday 16 February 2019

 

PRESS NIGHT

Tuesday 4 December at 7:00pm

 

PERFORMANCE TIMES

Mondays – Saturdays: 7:30pm

Thursday & Saturday matinees: 3:00pm

Christmas schedule:

w/c 17 Dec Monday – Saturday 7.30pm, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 3pm

w/c 24 Dec Thursday – Saturday 7.30pm, Thursday & Saturday 3pm, Sunday 3pm & 7.30pm

w/c 31 Dec Wednesday – Saturday 7.30pm, Monday, Thursday & Saturday 3pm

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: @TrueWestLondon

Twitter: @TrueWestLondon

Instagram: @TrueWestLondon

#TrueWestLondon

www.TrueWestLondon.com

FOLLOWING A CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED WEST END RUN

DAVID MAMET’S OLIVIER & PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING CLASSIC

 

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

 

STARRING MARK BENTON & NIGEL HARMAN

 

WILL TOUR THE UK FROM 14 FEBRUARY 2019

OPENING AT WOKING’S NEW VICTORIA THEATRE

 

 

‘An extraordinary experience… Go see it!’ BBC Radio 4

 

‘Bitterly funny and acutely savage’ Daily Telegraph

 

****

The Guardian, The Times, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Mail On Sunday, Time Out, Financial Times, The Independent, The Observer

 

After ‘sealing the deal’ with critics and audiences alike during its smash hit West End run, Sam Yates’ unmissable production of one of David Mamet’s greatest and most lauded plays, Glengarry Glen Rosswill embark on a nationwide tour from 14 February 2019 opening at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking. The hard-nosed sales team in this darkly funny classic will then visit Birmingham,Manchester, Milton Keynes, Glasgow, Richmond, Brighton and Cardiff with further tour dates to be announced shortly.

Taking on the memorable roles of salesmen Shelley ‘The Machine’ Levene and the ruthless Ricky Roma are Mark Benton (Waterloo Road, As You Like It, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Hobson’s Choice) and Olivier award-winning Nigel Harman (EastEnders, A Chorus of Disapproval, Shrek the Musical)respectively, with further casting to be announced in due course.

Lies. Greed. Corruption. It’s business as usual.

 

Set in an office of cut-throat Chicago salesmen. Pitched in a high-stakes competition against each other, four increasingly desperate employees will do anything, legal or otherwise, to sell the most real estate. As time and luck start to run out, the mantra is simple: close the deal and you’ve won a Cadillac; blow the lead and you’re f****d.

The production of this trailblazing modern classic has designs by Chiara Stephenson, lighting byRichard Howell and is produced by ATG Productions, Act Productions and Glass Half Full Productions.

Mark Benton’s (Shelley Levene) theatre credits include As You Like It, Invisible Friends, Accidental Death and Devil’s Disciple all at the National Theatre, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Hairspray on UK Tour, Hobson’s Choice at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Railway Children at Waterloo Station, The Wind in the Willows for Northern Stage, As You Like It for Cheek By Jowl on World Tour, Richard III for the RSC, End of the Food Chain at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Cock and Bull at Riverside Studios,Hurly Burly at the Old Vic, The Front Page at the Donmar Warehouse, Kosher Harry at the Royal Court,Comedians at the Lyric Hammersmith and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg at Nottingham Playhouse. His television credits include Shakespeare and Hathaway, Midsomer Murders, Ratburger, The Halcyon, Outnumbered Christmas Special, Drunk History, The Tracey Ullman Show, Damned, Inside No. 9,Summer Here, Father Brown, Strictly Come Dancing, Psychobitches, The Job Lot, White Van Man, George Gently, Waterloo Road, Land Girls, The Fixe, Silent Witness, Coming Up – ‘I Don’t Care’, Hustle,Desperate Romantics, Britannia High, Personal Affairs, Blue Murder, City Lights, Most Sincerely, Clash of the Santas, Soapington, The Street II, I’m With Stupid, Northern Lights, If I Had you, Booze Cruise,Afterlife, Inspector Lynley, Planespotting, Doctor Who, Early Doors, Quite Ugly One Morning,Christmas Lights, Catterick, Born and Bred, Clocking Off, Second Coming, Murphy’s Law, Out Of Control, Crime and Punishment, Preston Front, Micawber, Anderson, Eureka Street, Nature Boy,Gimme Gimme Gimme, Letting Go, Ballykisangel, Randall & Hopkirk Deceased, This is Personal,Barbara, The Jump, The Governor, Finney and Panto! His film credits include The Medusa, Danny and the Human Zoo, Eddie the Eagle, Career Girls, Sea Change, Topsy Turvy, The Lost Son, Never Better,Morality Play, Mister In-Between, Redemption Road, Lighthouse Hill, Breaking and Entering, Flick,Condementia, Beyond the Pole and Imanginarium of Dr Parnassus.

Nigel Harman’s (Ricky Roma) stage credits include A Chorus of Disapproval, I Can’t Sing at the Palladium, The School for Scandal for Theatre Royal Bath, Shrek The Musical at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Celebration at the Gate Theatre, Dublin, True West at Sheffield Crucible, Public Property at Trafalgar Studios, Three Days of Rain at the Apollo Theatre, The Common Pursuit at the Menier Chocolate Factory, The Caretaker at the Tricycle Theatre/Sheffield Theatre/UK Tour, Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly Theatre, Privates on Parade at the Donmar Warehouse, Three Sisters and My One and Only at Chichester Festival Theatre, Lady in the Van at Birmingham Rep, Much Ado About Nothing &Pirates of Penzance, at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Mamma Mia at the Prince Edward Theatre,Damn Yankees at the Adelphi Theatre and Tommy at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Television credits include Cuckoo 4, Mount Pleasant, Downton Abbey, City of Vice, EastEnders, Hotel Babylon, Lark Rise to Candleford, Miss Marple The Mirror Crack’d, Red Cap and The Outsiders. Nigel’s film work includesPatience, Telstar and Blood Diamond.

Sam Yates’ (Director) directing credits include The Phlebotomist at Hampstead Theatre, Desire Under the Elms at the Sheffield Cruicible, Murder Ballad at the Arts Theatre, Cymbeline with Pauline McLynn & Joseph Marcell at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, East is East with Jane Horrocks & Ayub Khan Din at Trafalgar Studios followed by two national tours, The El. Train with Ruth Wilson at Hoxton Hall, Billy Liar at the Royal Exchange, Cornelius at the Finborough Theatre and 59E59 New York and Mixed Marriage at the Finborough Theatre.

Sam’s screen credits include The Hope Rooms with Ciarán Hinds & Andrew Scott (Rather Good Films, Bill Kenwright Films, winner Grand Prize Future Filmmaker Award, RIIFF 2016); Cymbeline with Hayley Atwell, All’s Well That Ends Well with Lindsay Duncan & Ruth Wilson, and Love’s Labour’s Lost with Gemma Arterton & David Dawson (The Complete Walk, Shakespeare’s Globe). Yates directed two music videos for Ivor Novello-nominated band Bear’s Den, Emeralds and Auld Wives (MTV’s A-list). For radio he directed Ecco featuring Hayley Atwell (BBC Radio 4).

In 2016 he was voted one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow having previously featured as rising star in theatre in The Observer, and in GQ Magazine’s Men of the Next 25 years for theatre.

David Mamet (Playwright) is the author of the plays November, Boston Marriage, Faustus, Oleanna, Glengarry Glen Ross (1984 Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle Award), American Buffalo, The Old Neighborhood, Life in the Theatre, Speed-the-Plow, Edmond, Lakeboat, The Water Engine, The Woods, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, Reunion and The Cryptogram (1995 Obie Award). His translations and adaptations include Faustus, Red River by Pierre Laville and The Cherry Orchard, Three Sisters andUncle Vanya by Anton Chekov. His films include The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Verdict, The Untouchables, House of Games (writer/director), Oleanna (writer/director), Homicide(writer/director), The Spanish Prisoner (writer/director), Heist (writer/director), Spartan(writer/director) and Redbelt (writer/director). Mamet is also the author of Warm and Cold, a book for children with drawings by Donald Sultan, and two other children’s books, Passover and The Duck and the Goat. His most recent books include True and False, Three Uses of the Knife, The Wicked Son, and Bambi Vs. Godzilla.

LISTINGS

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

BY DAVID MAMET

DIRECTED BY SAM YATES

14 FEBRUARY – 4 MAY 2019

UK TOUR

Website: atgtickets.com

DATES AND VENUES

WOKING New Victoria Theatre                                                 atgtickets.com/woking

Thurs 14 – Sat 16 February 2019                                                           0844 871 7645

BIRMINGHAM New Alexandra                                          atgtickets.com/birmingham

Mon 18 – Sat 23 February 2019                                                             0844 871 3011

On sale Monday 25 June

MANCHESTER Opera House                                               atgtickets.com/manchester

Mon 25 – Sat 30 March 2019                                                                             0844 871 3018

On sale Monday 25 June

MILTON KEYNES Theatre                                                 atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

Mon 1 – Sat 6 April 2019                                                                        0844 871 7652

On sale Monday 25 June

 

GLASGOW Theatre Royal                                                         atgtickets.com/glasgow

Mon 8 – Sat 13 April 2019                                                                        0844 871 7647

RICHMOND Theatre                                                               atgtickets.com/richmond

Mon 15 – Sat 20 April 2019                                                                    0844 871 7651

One sale Monday 25 June

BRIGHTON Theatre Royal                                                        atgtickets.com/brighton

Mon 22 – Sat 27 April 2019                                                                    0844 871 7650

On sale Monday 25 June

 

CARDIFF New Theatre                                                           newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

Mon 29 April – Sat 4 May 2019                                                             029 2087 8889

On sale Friday 7 September

THE RISE OF THE UNDERSTUDY!

STEPH PARRY TO TAKE OVER IN STAR ROLE

In the week that 42^nd Street celebrates the 500^th performance of its run, the producers have announced that Steph Parry is to now take the iconic role of Dorothy Brock in the show at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The actress shot to fame last week when she stepped up from understudy in one show to suddenly play the starring role in another musical playing down the road.

Steph’s casting in the star role is a rare case of life imitating art – 42^nd Street tells the story of a young actress being given her shot at stardom after the leading lady is injured, and charts the understudy’s rise from showgirl to star.

Last week Steph was preparing for her understudy role in 42^nd Street when she was called by the company manager of Mamma Mia, after the leading lady was forced off stage with an injury. Rather than see the audience sent home, Steph stepped into the shoes of the injured actress to ensure that the show did indeed go on.

Following this, Steph has now been awarded the starring role of Dorothy Brock, following in the footsteps of Lulu who has been playing the legendary diva in the five-star production. The role has also previously been taken by Sheena Easton. Steph’s first performance will be Monday 9^th July.

42^nd Street is playing at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The production is directed by the show’s co-author Mark Bramble (whose other hit shows include Barnum, Treasure Island, The Three Musketeers The Grand Tour) and director of many award-winning previous productions of 42^nd Street on Broadway and around the world.

42nd STREET is the song and dance, American dream fable of Broadway and includes some of the greatest songs ever written, such as ‘We’re In The Money’, ‘Lullaby of Broadway’, ‘Shuffle Off To Buffalo’, ‘Dames’, ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’, and ‘42nd Street’.

With an all-singing, high-kicking cast of over 50 on the West End’s largest stage, 42^nd Street is the biggest show in town.

42nd Street is presented in London by Michael Linnit and Michael Grade together with The Global Group of Companies for Gate Ventures with Executive Producer Johnny Hon.