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A Brand New Adaptation of
THE JUNGLE BOOK

Comes to Richmond Theatre 7 Feb – 10 Feb

Children’s Touring Partnership and Royal & Derngate, Northampton bring a new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s family classic, The Jungle Book to Richmond Theatre Wed 7 Feb – Sat 10 Feb to delight schools and family audiences alike!

The award-winning creative team bringing Kipling’s timeless story to the stage includes playwright Jessica Swale whose previous acclaimed play Nell Gwynn won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 2016, director Max Webster who directed Dr Seuss’ The Lorax at the Old Vic, which was nominated for Best Entertainment and Family Show at the 2016 Olivier Awards, and internationally renowned songwriter and jazz legend, Joe Stilgoe. 

Originally written in 1894, Kipling’s beloved tale will be reimagined with a brand new score and script brought to life by actor-musicians, exploring the universal themes of family, belonging and identity. The Jungle Book tells the tale of Mowgli the man cub who battles for survival in this heart-warming coming-of-age story about a boy raised by wolves in the jungle. With the help of his animal friends, including Bagheera the panther, Balloo the bear and Kaa the python, Mowgli outwits the cruel and powerful tiger, Shere Khan, and learns the law of the jungle.

Completing the creative team is set and costume designer Peter McKintosh, musical supervision and orchestration from Paul Herbert, choreography by Lizzi Gee, lighting design by Charles Balfour, puppetry design and direction by Nick Barnes, fight direction by Kate Waters and sound design by Matt McKenzie. The cast includes Rachel Dawson as ‘Kaa Grey’, Lloyd Gorman as ‘Shere Khan’, TJ Holmes as ‘Hiran’, Avita Jay as ‘Raksha’, Keziah Joseph as ‘Mowgli’, Dyfrig Morris as ‘Balloo’, Deborah Oyelade as ‘Bagheera’ and Tripti Tripuraneni as ‘Akala’. They are joined by Ruri James and Chipo Kureya in the ensemble.

Children’s Touring Partnership is led by Fiery Angel and Chichester Festival Theatre. Previous productions include the award winning West End and UK tour production of Goodnight Mister Tom and most recently the UK touring production of Michael Morpurgo’s Running Wild.

*Suitable for ages 6+

The Jungle Book
Wed 7  – Sat 10 Feb at Richmond Theatre
Tickets: from £16.90* (includes booking fee)|Schools and Groups discounted rates available!

 

Richmond Box Office: 0844 871 7651* Website: atgtickets.com/Richmond*
*Fees apply.  Calls cost up to 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

SAINT PETERSBURG

CLASSIC BALLET DOUBLE BILL

 

Giselle and Swan Lake will entertain audiences

 

Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet’s reputation continues to grow throughout the UK – and the talented performers make their Storyhouse debut in February with two shows across three days.

The elite Russian dance company is brought to the stage by PMB Presentations, performing their favourite repertories, alongside stunning sets, lavish costumes and sublime dancers.

Theatregoers can see the Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet perform two different shows at Storyhouse in Chester between Friday 16 February and Sunday 18 February 2018.

 

Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet’s youthful company has been earning rave reviews from audiences and dance critics, their technical ability and storytelling warms the heart and delights the eye. They have won plaudits across Russia, Scandinavia, the UK, and the United States.

Performances have an air of magic, complemented by a full orchestra and outstanding soloists who will take your breath away!

The ballets are performed with a live orchestra, adding another reason not to miss these incredible shows. The Hungarian Sinfonietta Orchestra is conducted by Vadmin Perevoznikov.

Giselle is one of the few 19^th Century romantic ballets to survive intact, this is the quintessential story of unrequited love.

Giselle, an innocent young village girl, loves to dance in spite of the uncertainty of a weak heart, and enjoys a simple life in her village. This story follows her through tender romance, heartbreak, death and the afterlife, as she ultimately saves the life of a man who has betrayed her. Music by Adolphe Adam. Giselle will be performed at 7.30pm on Friday 16 February.

 

Swan Lake is Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece, a tragic tale of love and betrayal with an instantly recognisable score.

This is the epic story of Prince Siegfried and his love for Odette who, tricked by the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart and his daughter Odile, would rather die together then live apart. Swan Lake can be seen at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday 17 February, and at 2.30pm on Sunday 18 February.

The company was founded by Marina Medvetskaya in 1996, and features dancers who have trained at the finest schools under some of Russia’s most esteemed teachers. Principal Dance, Natalia Romanova, in particular has won over audiences with her flawless and passionate performances particularly in the duet in Swan Lake.

Storyhouse has a dynamic pricing policy on the majority of shows, ensuring the earlier you book your tickets, guarantees the best seats at the lowest price. Tickets range from £20.50 to £39.50.

Website:         www.pmbpresentations.com

Facebook:       / saintpetersburgballet

Twitter:           @pmbblallet

WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

 

‘Romanova as prima ballerina and in her dual role, is breathtaking. Her dancing is fluid, mesmerising and technically astounding, and the difference she creates between her two characters – using her body, facial expressions and, of course, some fantastic costumes – is remarkable’

The Reviews Hub

‘The high level of dancing was also a great pleasure, particularly in

its authority and a classical purity that is rare today’

The New York Times

LISTING INFORMATION

 

SAINT PETERSBURG CLASSIC BALLET

Friday 16 February – Sunday 18 February 2018

Storyhouse

Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR

GISELLE

Friday 16 February at 7.30pm

SWAN LAKE

Saturday 17 February at 2.30pm

Saturday 17 February at 7.30pm

Sunday 18 February at 2.30pm

Tickets: £20.50 to £39.50 (each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee)

Dynamic Pricing: Book early to guarantee cheapest and best seats

 

HOW TO BOOK

Online:            Visit www.storyhouse.com

By Phone:       Call 01244 409 113

In person:       Visit the Ticket Kiosks At Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR

Visit Chester Visitor Information Centre.

ROLLERS AT THE READY AS THE SALON BOOKS IN TO THE EPSTEIN THEATRE

Hull New Theatre – until 23rd January 2108.  Reviewed by Catherine McWilliams

4****

The Russian State Ballet of Siberia are currently touring the UK with a variety of ballets and last night I had the good fortune to see The Snow Maiden at Hull New Theatre.

This is not a well-known ballet, being the story of the Snow Maiden who with the reluctant blessing of her father, Father Frost, leaves the frozen forest to live among people. Along the way she meets Lel a young shepherd and falls in love with Mizgir. Of course it inevitably leads to disaster for the Snow Maiden but our spirits are lifted at the end by the villagers’ celebration of the Summer Solstice.

The Snow Maiden is a very traditional ballet with music by Tchaikovsky, which was beautifully played by the Russian State Ballet Orchestra under the direction of Anatoliy Chepurmoy. The sets were simple with a video backdrop which was monochrome for the frozen forest and became coloured for the village scenes, ensuring that the dancing took centre stage. The costumes were beautiful but also simple, the snowflakes and the Snow Maiden glittering and the villagers in traditional dress. The dresses flowed and added to the beauty of the dancing.

The choreography of Sergei Bobrov and Mark Peretokin was stunning. What was particularly noteworthy was the expression and acting skills of the dancers, every emotion was beautifully portrayed. The dancing was breathtakingly beautiful and the village scenes with dancing based around traditional Russian dances were a sheer joy to watch.

Ekaterina Bulgutova was a superb Snow Maiden showing us the eagerness and naivety of youth as she danced with her snowflakes and begged her Father to be allowed to go to the village; to the sheer joy as she danced with the villagers; to her fear ; her joy as she fell in love, and ultimately her sadness.

Ivan Karnaukhov gave Mizgir a wonderful initial arrogance but we felt with him as he fell in love with the Snow Maiden. The pas de deux of Mizgir and the Snow Maiden as they fell in love was heart stopping and the gasp from the audience as the Snow Maiden met her end said it all – we were all totally drawn in .

This was a performance of breathtaking beauty with superb acting from all. It was wonderful to see a ballet that is not as well-known and the full auditorium at Hull New Theatre loved every minute of it.

MOLIÈRE’S TARTUFFE ANNOUNCED FOR NEW

WEST END ADAPTATION

Theatre Royal Haymarket | 25 May – 28 July 2018

 

Inspired by current world events, a new adaptation of Molière’s classic comedy Tartuffe is set to premiere as the West End’s first dual language theatre production, performed in both English and French. Theseventeenth century comedy moves to America, where a French film tycoon finds his life uprooted by a radical American evangelist.

 

Adapted by Christopher Hampton and directed by Gerald Garutti, Tartuffe will premiere for a limited ten week West End run at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from Friday 25^th May 2018 

 

L.A. Present day. French media tycoon Orgon has re-located to Tinseltown with his family, his heart set on becoming Hollywood royalty. With a new studio to his name, and a palatial Beverly Hills mansion, his empire seems infallible. But all is not as it seems, as Orgon falls under the seductive spell of Tartuffe, a radical American evangelist.  So comprehensively has Tartuffe hoodwinked Orgon that he looks set to steal his fortune, drive away his son, seduce his wife and marry his daughter.   

 

Christopher Hampton says: “Statistically, Tartuffe is the most-performed French play ever. I’ve seen it in theatres ranging from the RSC to the National Theatre of Vietnam, and it never fails to seem relevant and connect with audiences, in addition, of course, to amusing them. So when Gérald Garutti and Oliver King suggested a bilingual version with an English-speaking Tartuffe, it seemed a fascinating way to approach this perennial classic and situate it in today’s bewildering world.”

 

As befitting the Theatre Royal Haymarket, which was known to the play-going world as ‘The New French Theatre’ following it’s opening in 1720, this adaptation of Tartuffe will alternate between English with French surtitles and French with English surtitles to reflect the unfolding plot.

 

Written in 1664, Tartuffe, or The Impostor became regarded as one of Molière’s most celebrated comedies, complete with some of the greatest classical theatre roles. Set present day in Donald Trump’s America, the play’s trenchant mockery of human frailties remains as relevant as ever in this darkly comic adaptation of the classic satire.

 

Adaptor Christopher Hampton is an Academy, BAFTA and Olivier award winning writer and director. His screenplay credits include the Oscar-winning Dangerous Liaisons, Atonement, Ali and Nino and A Dangerous Method. His stage credits include his Olivier Award-winning adaptation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Sunset Boulevard, Stephen Ward, and his original plays Appomatox, The Talking Cure, White Chameleon, Treats, Savages and The Philanthropist.

 

Director Gerald Garutti is the former dramaturg of the French National Theatre (Théâtre National Populaire, 2006-11). In English, he has directed a script-in-hand performance of Dangerous Liaisons for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Notes from the Underground starring Harry Lloyd (The Print Room) and The Fall Of The House Of Usher (Vingtième Théâtre). His latest production in France was the sell out Brief Praise of Nightstarring Pierre Richard (Théâtre du Rond-Point & touring). He has written, adapted and directed texts including Badly But Quickly (National Theatre, Odéon), Correspondence For Three (Le Printemps des Poètes), The Hunters of the Absolute (France Culture), A Century of Fury (Brangues), The Sense of Desire (Odéon), Haim – In The Light Of A Violin (Salle Gaveau, national tour for four seasons) and Lorenzaccio (Théâtre National La Criée).

www.TartuffePlay.com

CREATIVES

Directed by Gerald Garutti

Adapted by Christopher Hampton

Composed by Laurent Petitgand

Designed by Tim Goodchild

Lighting design by Paul Anderson

Sound design by David Gregory

 

ADDRESS

Theatre Royal Haymarket

18 Suffolk Street

London

SW1Y 4HT

 

SEASON DATES

Friday 25 May – Saturday 28 July 2018

 

BOOKING ONLINE

www.trh.co.uk

 

PERFORMANCE TIMES

Mondays – Saturdays: 7.30pm 

Thursdays: 2.30pm

 

TICKETS

Prices from £15

TELEPHONE BOOKING

020 7930 8800

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: TartuffePlay

Twitter: @TartuffePlay

#TartuffePlay

Cast announced for The Moor
Old Red Lion Theatre, 418 St John Street, London EC1V 4NJ
Tuesday 6th February – Saturday 3rd March 2018

Jill McAusland (Call the Midwife, BBC1; Pygmalion, English Speaking Theatre Frankfurt; Arms and the Man, Watford Palace Theatre), Oliver Britten (Walrus, The Vaults; Alice Adventures Underground, VAULT Festival; Back to the Future, Secret Cinema) and Jonny Magnanti (Three Winters, National Theatre; The Hound of the Baskervilles, Stables Theatre Hastings; Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mercatoria Theatre Company) will form the cast for the world premiere of Catherine Lucie’s The Moor, a tense psychological thriller set in a place where nothing is as it seems.

Bronagh has lived at the heart of the moor for as long as she can remember, but recently she has started having the same troubling dream. Are the voices trying to tell her something? When a boy vanishes, Bronagh has to tell someone what she suspects, entangling herself and her boyfriend in a murder investigation.

Haunting and touching in equal parts, The Moor pits Bronagh against her own past and present, dragging her, her baby daughter and those closest to them into something deeper than the marsh on the moor

Presenting a female character with nuance, depth and agency who is emotionally and intelligently charged, Lucie explores what people are capable of when isolated and under pressure, ensnaring and unsettling the audience.

Part domestic tale, part folk tale, the play will use inventive design to create an ever-changing landscape reflecting Bronagh’s shifting mental state and the shifting ground of the moor. Directed by Blythe Stewart (Skin a Cat), the play will also be supported by an all-female creative team, demonstrating the impact of women when they take the responsibility of representation into their own hands.

Director Blythe Stewart comments, I am delighted to be bringing Catherine Lucie’s thrilling and unnerving play to life – it’s an ambitious and bold work. At the heart of this play is a woman trying to make a difference in her life. I’m thrilled people will have the chance to see more than just a ‘strong female character’. Bronagh is nuanced: acute, reserved, ordinary, distinct, and changeable, and her fight is for herself. We are passionate about making work that gives a space for people usually on the edge of society and of our stories.

SPEND AN EVENING WITH JIMMY OSMOND AT DARLINGTON HIPPODROME

Jimmy Osmond, who celebrated his 50th anniversary in the music business in 2016, returns to the UK with his hugely popular show – A Tribute to Andy Williams – Moon River and Me. Packed with award-winning music, nostalgic footage and Jimmy’s own personal memories of Andy Williams, the show comes to Darlington Hippodrome on Monday 12 February.

Jimmy who made his performance debut at the age of three on television on the Andy Williams Show will perform many of the romantic songs that made the legendary singer so popular including Music To Watch Girls By, Happy Heart, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Almost There, May Each Day, Days of Wine and Roses and of course the song that was to become his theme, Moon River.

The youngest member of the world-famous Osmond family is joined by The Moon River Band with special guest stars including Charlie Green and naturally, a show with an Osmond would not be complete without some of the chart-topping hits that made Jimmy and his brothers famous.

With an array of Platinum and Gold discs to his credit, Jimmy Osmond’s multi-faceted career has seen him star in the West End production of Grease, a role he recently reprised in selected dates around the UK and tours with Boogie Nights and Chicago.

Jimmy Osmond is at Darlington Hippodrome on Monday 12 February.

Tickets* are priced from £29.50. *Includes £2 restoration levy. To book contact the Box Office on 01325 405405 or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk

LOVEHISTORY’S TRIAL BY JURY RETURNS WITH A

BRAND-NEW CASE THIS MARCH

After the success of its launch in 2017, Lovehistory are excited to announce the return of Trial By Jury which is coming back to Liverpool’s St George’s Hall this March, with a brand new case to solve.

From Thu 15 – Sat 17 March 2018, this compelling immersive theatre production will put the audience in the driving seat and give them the power to decide the fate of those on trial. Guilty or not guilty? You decide!

The show was first introduced in April last year, and following its success, returned again in August with a new case.

This year, with the shows being performed on the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day, the case, which will be kept secret until the first night, will have an Irish theme and will be based on true events from an actual case tried in Liverpool.

The exciting courtroom drama is brought to life by history specialist theatre company Lovehistory – the creative minds behind The Catacombs of Liverpool’s Darkest History Tours and Murder at St George’s Hall Series.

Set in the courts of St George’s Hall where many infamous Liverpool cases were once tried, this is the perfect evening for any amateur sleuth. Put those detective skills to the test as details of a real-life historical court case are revealed.

The evening commences with audiences being witness to a grisly historical murder. The full details of the crime will then be revealed through compelling performances, re-enactments and narrated by a very own Sherlock Holmes style detective who will piece together the full story and gather the evidence for the trial.

After all the harrowing details of the crime have been laid out, the prosecution and defense then present their arguments – it is then in the hands of the audience, who become the jury for the case; given the task of balancing all the evidence from both sides and deciding a verdict. The fate of the accused will be in their hands as they await nervously in the dock for the outcome.

Will it be the Gallows? A lifetime of hard labour? Or will it be mercy? Only the audience will have the power to make that decision, with punishments and sentencing relative to the historical period of the crime.

Once the judge has passed sentence from the jury’s verdict, see how close the outcome was to the real-life sentence which will then also be revealed.

Audiences at August’s event were responsible for deciding the fate in the trial of infamous Sea Captain Henry Rogers, and the Murder of the young British sailor, Andrew Rose in a shocking case from 1857.

 

After witnessing the tragic details unfold of the harrowing treatment and murder of Andrew at the hands of the Captain, audiences in their roles as jurors battled it out in the Jury Room to decide Captains fate.

 

During the three nights, the jurors reached a unanimous decision to send the defendant to the Gallows!

Will the defendant at this trial be subjected to the same end? Or will they have the luck of the Irish on their side in this St Patrick’s Day special and be found not guilty?

The crime and court-case planned for the upcoming event will be kept top secret until the evening of the first performance.

Judy McLean Creative Director of Lovehistory said: “We are delighted to be bringing Trial By Jury back for 2018! We were overwhelmed by the feedback and audience response we received after the last 2 events and their engagement and interaction within the performances was great to watch.

“There is such a strong Irish history in Liverpool’s culture which we are excited to explore in this new case to tie in with St Patrick’s Day. We will be keeping the details of the case secret until the first night, but I can guarantee that audiences won’t be disappointed.”

St George’s Hall Manager Alan Smith added: “We are very pleased to welcome Lovehistory back to St George’s Hall. The previous Trial By Jury events have proved to be incredibly popular with our audiences and I feel that this is a testament to the quality of the content Lovehistory present in their events. They are always entertaining and engaging for audiences, whilst never steering away from the historical accuracy of the gritty facts of the trials that they are based on.

“It is a very unique event, one which we are proud to programme for our venue. I would encourage people to book early as I imagine tickets won’t be around for long.”

 

LISTING DETAILS:

 

Trial By Jury

St George’s Hall, Heritage Centre Entrance, St John’s Lane, Liverpool.

Thursday 15 March – Saturday 17^th March 2018

Times: 7:00pm (Show is approximately two hours in duration)

Tickets: £16.50 (incl. admin fee) plus £2.25 fulfilment fee per booking

 

Capacity: 120 people per performance.

 

Purchase in person at TicketQuarter, Echo Arena Liverpool, Kings Dock, Liverpool, online at www.ticketquarter.co.uk or on 0844 800 0410.

Exciting new initiative and resident companies
announced at The Bunker
The Bunker, 53A Southwark Street London SE1 1RU

The Bunker Theatre are delighted to announce two exciting inaugural resident theatre companies and a brand-new initiative which will give six emerging theatre companies the opportunity to showcase world-premiere work this summer.

Damsel Productions and Pint-Sized will be The Bunker’s resident companies working with the venue on its outreach, programming, and script reading work. Damsel Productions recently presented Damsel Develops and will be producing the full-length production of Izzy Tennyson’s Grotty which opens at The Bunker in May. Pint-Sized have hosted six highly successful play-nights at the venue since October 2016 where they have premiered 40 new short plays from some of the country’s most interesting emerging playwrights.

Led by Hannah Hauer-King and Kitty Wordsworth, Damsel Productions is an all-female theatre company that aims to contribute to a larger and crucial movement, addressing both the underrepresentation and misrepresentation of women in theatre. The company brings together female directors, producers, designers and all other female artists to breathe life into scripts exclusively written by women.

Damsel Productions comment, We are thrilled to join The Bunker as a resident company and look forward to continuing our commitment to creating work centred around women and building allfemale creative teams. The opportunity to fulfil and develop our company ethos at one of London’s most exciting new theatrical venues is an absolute privilege, and we hope to bring more initiatives to
the space that connect diverse groups of women in the industry.

Pint-Sized support emerging writers from across the UK and are particularly committed to voices that aren’t adequately represented in British theatre – they give feedback or support to any writer who identifies as an artist of colour, LGBTQIA*, working class, disabled or learning-disabled. Founders Nicholas Oliver and Matt Maltby take open submissions where they read over 1,500 short pieces and extracts per year and showcase the best to the industry. Mentors for the winning writers include: James Graham, Timberlake Wertenbaker, April De Angelis, Lolita Chakrabarti, Dennis Kelly and Polly Stenham.

Pint-Sized say, The Bunker stage is one of the best spaces for new-writing in the city and we couldn’t be happier to be joining a team who are really committed to supporting bold, diverse and inclusive work, and who, like us, have a genuine passion for supporting emerging artists

Alongside these two Resident Companies, Artistic Director Joshua McTaggart has also introduced an exciting new initiative called Breaking Out where The Bunker will programme a season of work created by six of the most ambitious and adventurous emerging theatre companies in the city. These companies will be chosen through an application and pitch process overseen by The Bunker’s core creative team including Damsel Productions and Pint-Sized.

Chosen companies will have a 4-week residency at The Bunker and will each receive mentoring from The Bunker team, access to free rehearsal space and bespoke PR and marketing support. Companies have until Friday 23rd February at 12pm to submit an application for Breaking Out. For more information about eligibility and the application form, visit https://www.bunkertheatre.com/get-involved/breaking-out.