Home

Phizzical in association with Belgrade Theatre Coventry and Vivacity Key Theatre, Peterborough, present

BRING ON THE BOLLYWOOD

11 – 15 July, York Theatre Royal

Created by Samir Bhamra, the master of authentic Bollywood inspired work, Bring On The Bollywood is a brand new Bollywood dance-theatre extravaganza. Bringing a festival of colour and Bollywood magic in a major new nationwide tour, Bring On The Bollywood brings audiences new and old together for this delightfully romantic riot of Anglo-Indian exuberance.

Having lived in London for 14 years, Dr Katrina Pawar is summoned to her ancestral home, the shabby and un-chic Lakshman Villa, for her younger brother’s wedding. Sensing an opportunity to finally make a match for their last unmarried child during the festivities, Katrina’s parents search for a potential suitor for their quick-witted and resolute daughter.

As the good-looking Bollywood film director Amit arrives at Lakshman Villa, along with his newly eligible British personal assistant Ronny, Katrina must navigate the true course of love between East and West.

Inspired by classic Indian cinema, Bring On The Bollywood also revels in the shared dramatic heritage between the UK and India, as well as contemporary British Asian influences.

Samir Bhamra says: “Bollywood is widely perceived to be a low-brow art-form that requires no skill. Not only is it – in my experience – the hardest art form to crack, but it shares more than people realise with the classical Western arts. Bollywood would not exist if it were not for Shakespeare being presented in British India, and soon adapted into local languages for the wider communities. Both traditions teach us valuable lessons about people and life, and that’s why they continue to connect so well.”

Bring On the Bollywood is directed by Artistic Director of Phizzical, Samir Bhamra, a multi-disciplinary artist and producer. In addition to his role as creative director of the London Asian Film Festival, Samir delivered three large scale performances during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He developed his skills at the National Theatre and was seconded to the Royal Shakespeare Company working the World Shakespeare Festival. He is a controversial judge on Just Bollywood, the UK’s leading inter-University dance competition since its inception three years ago. www.phizzical.com

 

Listings information

Bring On The Bollywood

11 – 15 July, York Theatre Royal

Evening 7.30pm

Matinee Thu 2pm and Sat 2.30pm

Tickets £28 – £14

Box office 01904 623568

yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

 

London Theatre Workshop 29 May – 17 June.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Streetlights, People!’s production of Ordinary Days is a triumph of minimalism, proving that you don’t need huge sets and effects to stage a quality show. Adam Gwon’s wonderfully conversational songs and a hugely talented cast make this a memorable production, with Jen Coles nifty direction managing to create the feel of a bustling metropolis with only 4 actors.

This is a show about finding the beauty in everyday things, staged on a nearly bare set, with just a stylised New York skyline to give a sense of place. The 4 characters are all struggling to find their place in the big city. Warren (Neil Cameron – with an unbelievably assured and loveable performance on his professional debut) is a struggling artist whose major contribution to the art scene is cat sitting, but he has a glorious world view, finding joy and beauty in the simplest things. He finds a book containing the thesis notes of grad student Deb (Nora Perone) and arranges to meet her to return it. Deb is stuck in a rut with her research, and is full of vague ambition and stress. Her initial disdain develops into a sweet friendship – who could resist the lovely Warren for long? The perfect gay bestie.

Meanwhile Jason (Alistair Frederick) is moving in with his girlfriend Claire (Kirby Hughes), and she’s not really happy about it. The audience are kept in the dark about her reasons for this unwillingness to let go of the past and commit to a new relationship until the penultimate song “I’ll Be Here”, and oh boy, is it a tearjerker. Have your tissues ready for that one.

That’s about it, really. Simple, but very, very effective, and affecting. The cast keep you gripped, and are all pitch perfect. Kirby Hughes is simply magnificent as Claire, with true emotion in her voice. I promise you, she’ll break your heart. Alistair Frederick is fantastic as Jason, with his strong, smooth voice a lovely match for Hughes. Their argument duet “Fine” is a standout moment. Neil Cameron is the gentle heart of the piece, with a delightful stage presence and excellent voice, while Nora Perone is his perfect foil as the acerbic and exasperated Deb – showing her comedy chops to great effect.

Ordinary Days is a delightful, optimistic take on life, chockablock with great songs, characters and performances. Just what London needs right now, a perfect pick-me-up that will fill your heart with joy. A hidden gem – go and see it while you can.

Edinburgh Playhouse – 2nd June 2017.  Reviewed by Linda McLaughlan 

For one night only at Edinburgh Playhouse I enjoyed the production of Stand By Me – A Celebration of Ben E King and The Drifters. The evening got off to a great start with the audience clapping and singing along from the very first song – Stand By Me.

Act 1

The show begins with the band , group and dancers together on stage as Gospel Choir singers which highlights for me the background talent of everyone. Michael Williams a member of the Drifters from 2005 to 2016 is forefront to telling the story of the Drifters from its origins through the use of songs, video clips and radio extracts’. As the story unfolds of the struggles of black segregation in the 1950’s, the fight for recognition in civil rights and the band leaving venues through back doors and the overwhelming threat of conscription into the army which impacted the line up of the group. Songs throughout the story had the audience singing and clapping included hits such as ‘Ruby Ruby’ ‘Up on The Roof.’ ‘On Broadway,’ ‘Sweet for My Sweet’ are just a few that were enjoyed.

The heartfelt tragedy from the death of Rudy Lewis 1964 was dedicated by the song “Dream the Impossible Dream’ as the background shows a clip of segregation of the time but the words are apt to say what one man can achieve in his life. The falsetto is incredible, a perfect end to Act 1.

Act 2

The bands story continues in the 1960s after the death of Rudy Lewis with Johnny Moore joining the bands line up. The bands success goes on with “Under the Boardwalk” again with the audience joining in clapping and singing along The Drifters arrive in the UK in 65/66 and we look at historical events of the time as well as popular music being heard in Vietnam like The Beatles, Beachboy’s.

The death of George Treadwell brings a beautiful rendition of “I’ll never love this way again” which is well received by the audience.Into the 70s and the Drifters are dropped by their record label Atlantic which results in the group relocating to UK and signing with Bell Records. The Drifters are requested to appear on the Royal Variety Performance at this the audience are sent into overdrive with hit after hit of songs which were on Top of the Pops over the 70s and 80s an appearance at the London Palladium in 1987 with the Song ‘There goes my first love” is followed by another change in the Drifters Line up. This leads on to the induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and being invited to The White House to Sing for The President Of The United States.

The show finishes with “Come on Over” with every man, woman and child on their feet singing, clapping and dancing to a rapturous end to a fantastic production that has shown the history of one of Rock & Rolls premier groups who deserve all the accolades bestowed on them

I would recommend everyone takes the opportunity and spend the evening watching this fantastic production which takes you back to the time of Rock N Roll and no matter what generation you belong to, this is a feel good show for everyone

York Theatre Royal – until Saturday 10th June.  Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

Following an explosive premier at the National Theatre of Strasbourg, where it won the prestigious Grand Prix de la Littérature, The Pulversied arrives in the UK with a new English translation. A production by Arcola Theatre, Changing Face and York Theatre Royal, supported by Arts Council England, The Romanian Cultural Institute and the Institut Français.

“Stop the rat race. Stop time. Stop the money. Stop the anxiety. Stop everything that has made human beings so bitter.”

As we enter the Studio the stage is set, 4 inert bodies on the floor, appearing to be on a bed of rubble. A broken desk, a cracked wall, and all bits of rubble and technology floating. Suddenly we hear electronic music and all four actors rise up, convulsing to the beat.

We get to meet the four characters. A jet-setting executive, Richard Corgan, relying on Skype for contact with his wife and child, a Senegalese call centre manager, Solomon Israel, attempting to instil French values onto his workers, an engineer, Kate Miles, struggling with motherhood whilst trying to gain promotion and finally a Shanghai factory worker, Rebecca Boey, who is trapped doing repetitive, mundane work to very strict guidelines.

Each character took it in turns standing up, going through their daily lives before a change of music and as if they were robots and had been switched off, they would twitch and crumple to the floor, only for another to twitch, stand up and resume their story from where they had left off. It was all very mechanical and if they were machines.

The actors delivered strong performances and couldn’t be faulted but I found the story quite lacking. In reality there was no story, just small snippets into the lives of 4 people going about their dreary day to day lives, there was no progression, no ending, just drudgery. I honestly thought that the way the show was evolving we were going to treated to an end of the world scenario with everything breaking down and coming to an end, but alas this was not the case, though I wish it had been. This show had been translated from French, perhaps it has lost something in the translation? I certainly found it too much of a slog.

 

The Hen & Chickens Theatre – 30 May to 3 June.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

The London Underground, hell on earth to Londoners, and a wonder to tourists, has always been fertile ground for stories of loneliness, awkwardness and silliness. Tom Hartwell’s Contactless has all those things in glorious abundance. Hopefully Contactless will get a well-deserved longer run in the future – a true audience pleaser, full of recognisable situations.

The main narrative threads focus around three women – an ASLEF negotiator (Hannah Jay) who has to deal with Boris’s useless minions during strike negotiations; a station announcer (Jeryl Burgess) whose husband was the original “Mind The Gap” voice, and is struggling to adapt to modernisation at her station; and the Mancunian actress (Rosie Edwards) who gets the gig to be the new voice of the underground.

Sketches about life on the underground break up the storylines, riffing on priority seat etiquette, rush hour crushes, taking business calls and some fantastic station announcements. Stanton Cambridge’s meltdown when nobody will stand clear of the doors is just brilliant, the night train sketch is simple but inspired, and Adam Elliot proves that TfL’s “comedy” announcer shtick is much more entertaining when you’re sitting with a drink in your hand, rather than standing crushed between five sweaty businessmen on the platform.

Tom Hartwell’s writing is slick and funny, at its best in moments of excruciating awkwardness, and director Phil Croft keeps the rhythm of the play brisk. There are lots of laugh out loud moments, and some spectacular comedy gurning from Adam Elliot and Will Hartley, but Jeryl Burgess’s storyline is the beating heart of the play, making it more than a series of silly sketches and shaping it into a thoroughly British love letter to the tube.

• 
• DISNEY’S ALADDIN RELEASES REHEARSAL IMAGES OF NEW COMPANY AHEAD OF FIRST ANNIVERSARY AT THE PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE ON 15 JUNE
• NEW ALADDIN, MATTHEW CROKE, PREPARES TO MAKE HIS WEST END DEBUT AS A LEADING MAN ALONGSIDE JADE EWEN AND TREVOR DION NICHOLAS AS JASMINE AND GENIE

 

Ahead of its first anniversary at the Prince Edward Theatre, Disney’s Aladdin has released behind-the-scenes photography of the new company in rehearsals. Having opened to critical acclaim in London’s West End in June 2016, the hit musical based on the classic Academy Award®-winning animated film will celebrate its first birthday in the West End on 15 June 2017.

Matthew Croke joins the production in title role of Aladdin, marking his debut in a leading role in the West End, with his first performance on 5 June. Jade Ewen and Trevor Dion Nicholas continue in the roles of Jasmine and Genie respectively.

Now in its fourth record-breaking year on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre, Aladdin’s global presence has grown to six productions on four continents, and has been seen by more than 4 million people worldwide. The show opened at Tokyo’s Dentsu Shiki Theatre Umi in May 2015, had its European premiere in December 2015 at the Stage Theatre Neue Flora, Hamburg, began performances in August 2016 in Australia and launched its North American tour in Chicago in April 2017.

Aladdin features the timeless songs from the 1992 animated film as well as new music written by Tony®, Olivier© and eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Little Shop Of Horrors). With lyrics from Olivier Award and two-time Oscar® winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony and Olivier Award, three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida), and four-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), and a book by Beguelin, Aladdin is directed and choreographed by Tony and Olivier Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).

Tickets are now on sale for performances up to and including 2 December 2017 for individuals and 2 June 2018 for group bookings. For further details please visit www.aladdinthemusical.co.uk

The new Aladdin company welcomes Nick Cavaliere in the role of Iago, whilst current cast members Miles Barrow, Leon Craig and Daniel de Bourg step into the roles of Omar, Babkak and Kassim respectively.  Don Gallagher and Irvine Iqbal continue in their respective roles of Jafar and the Sultan.

The new cast also includes Chanelle Anthony, Danny Becker, Cindy Belliot, Filippo Coffano, Nolan Edwards, Sinead Kenny, Travis Kerry, Dann Kharsa, Tarisha Rommick, Joshua Steel, Monica Swayne, Damien Winchester and Niko Wirachman. Danny Becker, Travis Kerry andNiko Wirachman join the production after entering international open auditions.

The remaining cast comprises Arran Anzani-Jones, Albey Brookes, Lauren Chia, Bianca Cordice, Cavin Cornwall, Melanie Elizabeth, Kade Ferraiolo, Antony Hewitt, Mitch Leow, Oliver Lidert, Ian Oswald, Kyle Seeley, Sadie-Jean Shirley, Ricardo Spriggs, Kayleigh Thadaniand Jermaine Woods.

Aladdin is designed by Olivier and seven-time Tony-winning scenic designer Bob Crowley, five-time Tony-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, Olivier and two-time Tony-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes and sound designer Ken Travis. Casting is by Jill Green CDG.

The production team also includes illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer, hair designer Josh Marquette and makeup designer Milagros Medina-Cerdeira. The music team is headed by music supervisor and music director Michael Kosarin, who also created the vocal and incidental music arrangements, joined by orchestrator Danny Troob and dance music arranger Glen Kelly.

LIZZY WATTS PLAYS THE TITLE ROLE IN

THE NATIONAL THEATRE’S TOUR OF IBSEN’S MASTERPIECE

HEDDA GABLER

A NEW VERSION BY PATRICK MARBER

DIRECTED BY IVO VAN HOVE

UK Tour October 2017 – March 2018

 

The National Theatre has today announced that Lizzy Watts will take the title role of Hedda Gablerwhich, following a sold-out run at the National Theatre earlier this year, begins a UK tour on 2 October.  Beginning at Theatre Royal Plymouth, the tour will journey across the UK to Edinburgh, Leicester, Salford, Norwich, Hull, Aberdeen, Northampton, Glasgow, Wolverhampton, Woking, Nottingham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, York and Milton Keynes.

Just married. Bored already. Hedda longs to be free…

This vital new version of Ibsen’s masterpiece by Olivier and Tony Award^®-winning playwright Patrick Marber (Closer, Three Days in the Country) directed by Ivo van Hove, one of the world’s most exciting directors.  Olivier and Tony Award^®-winning van Hove made his National Theatre debut withHedda Gabler, which opened in December 2016.  His acclaimed production of A View from the Bridge recently played to sold out houses in London and on Broadway and Obsession starring Jude Law is currently playing at The Barbican, London.  Van Hove’s next production for the NT will be the world premiere of Network based on the Oscar-winning film and featuring the UK stage debut of Bryan Cranston.

Lizzy Watts’ theatre credits include Strife at Chichester Festival Theatre, The Angry Brigade and Artefacts at The Bush, A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Globe, Blink for Nabokov and Wastedfor Paines Plough.  TV includes The Durrells and Midsomer Murders and plays Ivy Layton in BBC Radio 4’s Home Front.

Set and lighting design for Hedda Gabler is by Jan Versweyveld, with costume design by An D’Huys and sound by Tom Gibbons.  The Associate Directors are Jeff James and Rachel Lincoln..

Patrick Marber said:  ‘It has been a huge honour to work with the great Ivo van Hove on this version of Hedda Gabler at the National Theatre. I am thrilled that this tour will enable more people to see his incredible production.’

Further casting will be announced soon.

 

Hedda Gabler Tour

 

                                                                                                           

Theatre Royal Plymouth                                           2 – 7 Oct 2017

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh                                    17 – 21 Oct 2017

Curve, Leicester                                                        23 – 28 Oct 2017

The Lowry Salford                                                     31 Oct – 4 Nov 2017

Norwich Theatre Royal                                             7 – 11 Nov 2017

Hull New Theatre                                                       13 – 18 Nov 2017

His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen                               21 – 25 Nov 2017

Northampton Royal & Derngate                               28 Nov – 2 Dec 2017                                       .

Glasgow Theatre Royal                                             15- 20 Jan 2018

Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton                               23 – 27 Jan 2018

New Victoria, Woking                                               29 Jan – 3 Feb 2018

Nottingham Theatre Royal                                        5 – 10 Feb 2018

Newcastle Theatre Royal                                          13 – 17 Feb 2018

Grand Opera House, York                                         20 – 24 Feb 2018

Milton Keynes Theatre                                              27 Feb – 3 Mar 2018

A MONTH OF MAYHEM, MANFREDS AND MERRILL AT CITY VARIETIES MUSIC HALL

 

This month the world-famous City Varieties Music Hall is getting ready to welcome a host of comedy, music, kids’ shows and dramas to its small and perfectly formed stage.

Designed for young people the famous Horrible Histories started its life in books before becoming a very popular children’s TV programme. As it turned out, historical stories presented alongside clever, slapstick humour appealed to adults too with lovers of Blackadder and The Young Ones sneakily tuning in to CBBC.

Here it is brought to life by Birmingham Stage Company with The Best of Barmy Britain at City Varieties from 6^th to 8^th June. Audiences can expect to meet Queen Boudica, Henry VIII,  Guy Fawkes, Dick Turpin and Queen Victoria presented in true Horrible Histories style.

More Barmy Brits will take to the stage over the coming months including John Bishop, Jason Bynre, Jeremy Hardy, Andy Parsons and Simon Amstell – to name just a few.

Musically the intimate venue will welcome the legendary Merrill Osmond, The Manfreds, Sam Sweeny with his now-famous fiddle, Irish act Dominic Kirwan and Lisa Stanley and recently announced Hollywood actor Russell Crowe is to perform with his band in September.

There are talks from Eddie The Eagle Edwards, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and John Le Carre and live streaming from the National Theatre giving audiences the chance to see wonderful drama on stage in London, in Leeds.

“We are an amazing little venue,” says Nev Jopson, Marketing Manager. “We’ve been operating for over 100 years and still welcome class acts that come back to us because they love the theatre;  too; every comedian,  singer and speaker that plays here says how much they love it – how it’s like playing in their front room, how it gives them a different relationship with the audience.  We’re very proud of that.”

For full details of what’s on at City Varieties Music Hall visit

cityvarieties.co.uk or call 0113 243 08 08

• HIGHTIDE THEATRE TO RETURN TO ALDEBURGH 12 – 17 SEPTEMBER 2017
• THE FESTIVAL OF NEW WRITING IS SET TO COME TO LONDON’S WALTHAMSTOW FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN BRAND NEW TEMPORARY THEATRE SPACE 26 SEPTEMBER – 8 OCTOBER 2017
• TWO WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTIONS INCLUDE:
  • HEROINE AN EXPLORATION OF PATRIOTISM AND NATIVISM IN MODERN BRITAINBY NESSAH MUTHY
  • KANYE THE FIRST CHARTING A SECOND COMING OF THE GLOBAL ICON BY SAM STEINER
  • ALONGSIDE THE RETURN OF THERESA IKOKO’S AWARD WINNING GIRLS, THETALE OF THREE YOUNG FRIENDS WHO ARE KIDNAPPED IN NIGERIA
• FULL PROGRAMME INCLUDES THREE HEADLINE PLAYS, 12 COMEDY AND CABARET SHOWS, 2 HOURS OF TALKS, 11 PIECES FROM NEW WRITERS, SHOWS FOR SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES, A SITE SPECIFIC WORK AND STREET FOOD

@_HighTide_ #HighTide2017 / www.facebook.com/HighTideTheatre
Instagram HighTideTheatre

Steven Atkinson, Artistic Director of HighTide Theatre has today announced the company’s plans for 2017. The Suffolk festival, which celebrated its 10^th anniversary in 2016, is set to continue its winning formula of finding, nurturing and showcasing the country’s best new playwrights at its home in Aldeburgh this September. This year the company will transfer the productions to East London’s Walthamstow in a brand new temporary theatre space in partnership with Waltham Forest Council. ‘The Mix’ will come to London’s Walthamstow Town Centre for 12 days following the Aldeburgh season, bringing an eclectic arts programme to an area of London which currently has no mid to large scale theatre spaces and where there are consequently relatively low levels of engagement with theatre. The diverse programmes in both locations will include three headline plays (two of which are world premieres) and a programme of comedy, cabaret, talks and music. The Festival in Aldeburgh will run 12 – 17 September with a Press Day on 16 September. The Walthamstow Festival will run 26 September – 8 October with Press Nights on 26 & 27 September.

HighTide Theatre have produced work from their Suffolk home for the last decade with significant input from their audience. They also have a strong record of transferring a large proportion of their productions to London and across the UK. This structure has allowed writers and their work to reach diverse audiences and gain maximum exposure to the industry.  The new format of presenting productions in both Aldeburgh and Walthamstow will allow HighTide Theatre to invest further in both playwrights and audiences. The company will be able to support developing writers, from identifying and commissioning them, developing their work with their core audience and then guaranteeing them a presentation elsewhere. Equally essential to the company’s plans is that the Festival allows HighTide Theatre to continue its work developing new audiences, in areas such as Walthamstow, where HighTide Theatre can use their ten years of experience to support Waltham Forest in their long-term plans for cultural development.

Steven Atkinson, Artistic Director of HighTide Theatre said: “This year we’re focused on what HighTide Theatre is renowned for: commissioning bold and timely plays from the best new writers. We look forward to developing and previewing these world premiere productions in our beautiful home of Aldeburgh, and then for the first time bringing the whole festival to Walthamstow, alongside showcasing work by local artists. This new producing model for HighTide Theatre of two festivals allows us to take risks and continue to develop our productions with the input of our audiences in Aldeburgh. And then our new partnership with Waltham Forest Council and the National Theatre enables us to bring our fully formed productions all together to Greater London, where they can be seen by a wider and diverse community who would like a greater cultural provision in their area.”

HighTide Theatre will present two world premiere productions in 2017, Heroine by Nessah Muthy (Host) directed by the Festival’s Artistic Director Steven Atkinson and comic dramaKanye The First by Sam Steiner (Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons) directed by HighTide Theatre Associate Director Andrew Twyman. A co-production with Theatre Clwyd, Muthy’s devastating exploration of patriotism and nativism in modern Britain follows young ex-soldier Grace as she struggles to reassimilate into society following a medical discharge from the army. Steiner’s first commissioned, and highly original, play will chart the second coming of global pop icon Kanye West. The play takes a timely look at identity and guilt in contemporary culture. Kanye The First is a co-production between HighTide Theatre and Paul Jellis in association with The Marlowe and The North Wall. Alongside these productions Theresa Ikoko’s Girls, joint winner of the George Devine Award (2016), the Alfred Fagon Award (2015), is set to return. Telling the tale of three young friends who are kidnapped in Nigeria, Ikoko wrote Girls to highlight the stories behind the headlines that quickly become yesterday’s news.Girls is a co-production between HighTide Theatre, Talawa Theatre Company and Martha Rose Wilson.

Lorna Lee, Head of Culture & Heritage, Waltham Forest Council said: “Waltham Forest Council is delighted to be partnering with HighTide Theatre for the first time this year.  Whilst the borough has a thriving cultural scene we do not have any bespoke theatres and a recent survey of residents showed that this was the cultural provision they felt was most lacking.  By bringing the Festival to Walthamstow Town Centre we are able to provide theatre right on residents’ doorsteps. Some of our talented local artists are included in the programme and a number of our young people will have the chance to gain first-hand experience of a professional theatre. We’re proud that our borough is home to one of the most diverse populations in the country and it’s of the utmost importance to us that our cultural programme reflects this diversity. We’re sure that the range of shows on offer will appeal to a wide cross-section of our residents. We also look forward to welcoming visitors from far and wide to experience Waltham Forest’s creative buzz.”

The Suffolk Festival has been a huge success over the last decade, premiering more than sixty productions by now major playwrights including Ella Hickson, Nick Payne and Jack Thorne. At the Festival in Aldeburgh there will be an ancillary programme of comedy, talks, music and plays. Productions will include Mobile by The Paperbirds, an intimate show that turns a caravan into a treasure trove for audiences of up to 8 at a time, a semi-staged reading of Sea Fret, a paean to her native Suffolk coastline by Tallulah Brown, Apphia Campbells’s Black is the Color of My Voice inspired by the life of Nina Simone, Fringe First winner Katie Bonna’scomic TED talk on the science of lying, All The Things I Lied About and internationally acclaimed singer, pianist and entertainer Joe Stilgoe will pay tribute to much-loved movies inSongs on Film. There will be a programme of comedy including Kieran Hodgson’s 2016 Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominated Maestro, as well as talks from actor Sheila Hancock and award-winning children’s writer Michael Morpurgo.

The move to bring the Festival to the heart of Walthamstow will enable Waltham Forest Council and HighTide Theatre to showcase work of the highest quality on people’s doorsteps in an area where 55% of residents are classed within low cultural engagement segments, as well as enabling the borough to develop partnerships beneficial to the area’s cultural sector. Free and discounted tickets are available to those with a Waltham Forest postcode and HighTide Theatre will be working to help young people find routes into creative roles, in collaboration with local organisation Big Creative Training, hosting a traineeship and work experience placements. The full programme in Walthamstow will include a late night comedy and cabaret strand, a series of talks, a site-specific production, Mobile, and a strand of work showcasing and supporting local creative talent. The comedy line-up is set to include: Phil Wang, Suzi Ruffell, Dane Baptiste, Tez Ilyas and Jayde Adams. Cabaret and music artists include Joe Stilgoe who will performSongs on Film, The Beatbox Collective and an exclusive preview of new music from Arthur Darvill. Waltham Forest has a younger than average population with increasing numbers of families with young children moving to the area so there will be shows for pre-school children and for school groups. Family work includes Little Angel Theatre’s Me… about a tiny baby penguin, Shark in the Park! based on the books by Nick Sharratt (The Hairy Maclary Show) and Waltham Forest based BeBop Baby with DJ sets from Nostalgia 77 and friends to get your minis up and dancing. The festival will showcase a number of local companies and artists includingThe Vanishing Man co-written and performed by Walthamstow resident David Aula and director Simon Evans.

In a continuation of HighTide Theatre’s mission to develop new writers, this year the Festival will also showcase two preview productions in both locations before they go on to be developed as part of the 2018 Festival.  The debut commissions from Sophie Ellerby and Jon Barton are written under HighTide Theatre’s First Commissions scheme. Alongside the preview productions there will be a series of first play readings from HighTide Theatre First Commission writers, an annual programme working with six writers, paired with Associate Artists to develop ideas from conception to full production.

HighTide Theatre will be partnering with the National Theatre, in Walthamstow, and Snape Maltings, in Aldeburgh, to ticket and market the two festivals.

 

HighTide Theatre runs 12-17 September in Aldeburgh and 26 September – 8 October in Walthamstow.

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF HAIRSPRAY & MOTOWN THE MUSICAL & THE DIRECTOR OF THRILLER LIVE
PURPLE RAIN

A LIVE CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF PRINCE

NATIONAL TOUR – STARTS FEBRUARY 2018

DIRECTED BY GARY LLOYD

TWITTER: @PurpleRainUK / INSTAGRAM: @PurpleRainUK / FACEBOOK: @PurpleRainUK

#PurpleRainUK

Purple Rain is a spectacular new theatrical event celebrating the music of one of the world’s greatest pop artists, Prince. Directed by Gary Lloyd, director of hit production Thriller Live, Purple Rain will feature stunning choreography and will be an exhilarating journey through Prince’s entire career.  Presented by West End producers, Adam Spiegel and Mark Goucher, with Claire-Bridget Kenwright, Purple Rain will tour the UK from February 2018.

Prince revolutionised the music world with his inimitable funk and soul driven style. He exploded the boundaries of music and created some of the most iconic songs of the 20th century including Raspberry Beret, Kiss, When Doves Cry, Little Red Corvette, 1999, Purple Rain, Alphabet Street, U Got The Look and many more!

A 26-strong group of supremely talented musicians, singers and dancers will bring Prince’s music to life for an unforgettable evening that showcases his songwriting genius and pays homage to his imagination and showmanship. Purple Rain is a fitting, fresh and vibrant night of pure celebration.

Director Gary Lloyd said ‘Prince’s music and constant reinvention is legendary, so to get the opportunity to bring that and all his colourful characters to the theatrical stage is a dream. There is also a real appetite for live music shows that showcase the musicians as part of the performance. Prince was all about this. Prince was a consummate, theatrical artist, but in our show his music is the star. There will be so much for audiences to enjoy whether they’re fans of musical theatre, Prince, or both. Purple Rain is a fast-paced, music lover’s night out that will tease, surprise and excite audiences in the same way he did.’

Multi award-winning director and choreographer Gary Lloyd has earned critical acclaim for his many and varied productions including Thriller Live, Carrie – The Musical, 20th Century Boy – The Story of Marc Bolan, The Genius of Ray Charles, Flashmob and many more.

Casting, including star guests, and further tour dates will be announced in due course.

 

UK TOUR LISTINGS

1 – 10 February 2018
Churchill Theatre, Bromley
High St, Bromley BR1 1HA
Box Office: 020 3285 6000
https://churchilltheatre.co.uk
*Will go on sale on 5 June 2017 – check website for details

12 – 17 February 2018
Manchester Opera House
3 Quay St, Manchester, M3 3HP
Box Office: 0844 871 3018
www.atgtickets.com/manchester
*Will go on sale on 9 June 2017 – check website for details

19 – 24 February 2018
Theatre Royal Plymouth
Royal Parade, Plymouth PL1 2TR
Box Office: 01752 267222
www.theatreroyal.com
ON SALE SOON – check website for details

26 February – 3 March 2018
Everyman Theatre Cheltenham
7 – 10 Regent St, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Cheltenham GL50 1HQ
Box office: 01242 572573
www.everymantheatre.org.uk
*Will go on sale on w/c 3 July 2017 – check website for details

27 – 31 March
Birmingham Hippodrome
Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB
Box Office: 0844 338 5000
www.birminghamhippodrome.com
ON SALE SOON

16 – 21 April 2018
Winter Gardens Blackpool
97 Church St, Blackpool FY1 1HL
Box office: 0844 856 1111
www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk
*Will go on sale on 8 June 2017 – check website for details

23 – 28 April 2018
Edinburgh Playhouse
18-22 Greenside Ln, Edinburgh EH1 3AA
Box office: 0844 871 3014
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse/
*Will go on sale on 14 June 2017 – check website for details

7 – 12 May 2018
New Wimbledon Theatre
93 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1QG
Box office: 0844 871 7646
http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre/
ON SALE SOON

14 – 19 May 2018
Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru \ Wales Millennium Centre
Bute Pl, Cardiff Bay CF10 5AL
Box office: 029 2063 6464
www.wmc.org.uk
*Will go on sale on 7 August 2017 – check website for details

21 – 26 May 2018
Grand Opera House, Belfast
2-4 Great Victoria St, Belfast BT2 7HR
www.goh.co.uk
ON SALE SOON

11 – 16 June 2018
Hull New Theatre
Kingston Square, Hull HU1 3HF
Box office: 01482 300 306
www.hulltheatres.co.uk
*Will go on sale on 9 June 2017 – check website for details

16 – 21 July 2018
Regent Theatre Ipswich
3 St. Helen’s St, Ipswich IP4 1HE
Box office: 01473 433100
www.ipswichregent.com
ON SALE SOON – check website for details

FURTHER TOUR DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED.

MORE INFO HERE: purplerainonstage.com