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York Theatre Royal – 23 February 2017.  Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

Narvik is a new play with songs, set in World War Two the the play focuses on a Liverpudlian man and his love for a Norwegian Girl and how their relationship is affected by the war

The performance was set in a black box studio, so as soon as you walked in all the attention was on the set and how they presented the stage, needless to say that I loved the concept of the stage of having an area that resembles a boat however there were some piles that restricted our view from certain scenes and I couldn’t see some of the actors faces at certain points

The acting was very modern with the main character Jim (Joe Shipman) starting out as a 90 year old man ready to die looking for Else (Nina Yndis), which then he goes back to the moment they first meet and it develops their story and creates this world that is torn apart by war. The other actor who played characters, Lucas Smith, became the best friend of Jim whilst he was on the boat and also his father; I have to say I found that he was very good at creating a lot of depth to each character and made sure that you could see the difference between both of them. The three actors were supported by a band of three who were all dressed as sailors in grey overalls and berets, they helped set the scene with sounds being made from the set and sing song that fit into certain scenes.

This was one of the the best productions I had seen in a while, but it was a shame from where I was sat. It started out being rather bland and very same old, but I grew to rather like it, and I loved the end with the great use of how the play plays with time and our perception. I would highly recommend to go and see this show, as it is a great case of new material and new actors

On tour around the UK

THE YOUNG VIC AND THE YOUNG ONES PRESENT

SIENNA MILLER AND JACK O’CONNELL TO LEAD CAST IN

BENEDICT ANDREWS’ YOUNG VIC PRODUCTION OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS’

C A T   O N   A   H O T   T I N   R O O F

OPENING IN THE WEST END JULY 2017

TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR THIS STRICTLY LIMITED TWELVE WEEK RUN

£10 GOOD SEATS FOR 25S AND UNDER FOR EACH PERFORMANCE

VIA YOUNG VIC BOX OFFICE

75 TICKETS AT £20 OR LESS FOR EVERY PERFORMANCE

Sienna Miller and Jack O’Connell will lead the cast as Maggie and Brick in Benedict Andrews’ Young Vic production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof which will begin previews in the West End at the Apollo Theatre on 13 July 2017.  With press night on 24 July, this strictly limited twelve-week run is booking to 7 October 2017.  Set designs are by Magda Willi with costume designs by Alice Babidge and lighting by Jon Clark.  Further casting will be announced at a later date.

Tickets go on public sale today, 24 February 2017, at 10am.  For this Young Vic production, there will be seats available at £10 for under 25s for each performance, booked through the Young Vic Box Office, with 75 tickets at £20 or less for every performance.

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof marks the Young Vic’s first production to debut directly in the West End and is presented by the Young Vic and The Young Ones.  Previously the Young Vic have transferred A View from a Bridge, Golem, The Scottsboro Boys, Simply Heavenly, Tintin and A Doll’s House.

The truth hurts. On a steamy night in Mississippi, a Southern family gather at their cotton plantation to celebrate Big Daddy’s birthday.  The scorching heat is almost as oppressive as the lies they tell.  Brick and Maggie dance round the secrets and sexual tensions that threaten to destroy their marriage. With the future of the family at stake, which version of the truth is real – and which will win out?

Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer prize winning play received its world premiere in 1955 at the Morosco Theater on Broadway with Barbara Bel Geddes and Ben Gazzara as Maggie and Brick.  The UK premiere, directed by Peter Hall, opened at the Comedy Theatre in 1958 with Kim Stanley and Paul Massie in the same roles.  The 1958 Academy Award nominated film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman was directed by Richard Brooks.

Sienna Miller (Maggie) trained at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York.  She was last on stage in the West End as Patricia in Flare Path at the Haymarket Theatre and was previously seen at Wyndham’s Theatre as Celia in As You Like It.  Her New York theatre credits include After Miss Julie, Cabaret, Independence and Cigarettes and Chocolate.  Her many film credits include Live by Night, Mississippi Grind, Layer Cake, Alfie, Casanova, Factory Girl, American Sniper, Foxcatcher, The Edge of Love, G.I. Joe, Yellow and the forthcoming The Lost City of Z.  On television her credits include The Girl, Bedtime and Keen Eddie.  

Jack O’Connell (Brick) was last seen on stage in The Nap at Sheffield Crucible Theatre.  His other theatre credits include Scarborough for the Royal Court and The Spiderman, The Musiciansand Just for NT Shell Connections.  His film work has garnered him multiple awards, including the 2015 EE BAFTA Rising Star Award, the New Hollywood Award and the Chopard Trophy Award at the Cannes Film Festival.  Most recently, his project Home won the BAFTA for British Short Film in 2017.  His other film credits include Money Monster, 300: Rise of an Empire, Unbroken, ’71, Starred Up, Liability, Private Peaceful, Tower Block, Weekender, Wayfaring Stranger, Eden Lakeand Black Dog.  O’Connell will next be seen on screen in Tulip Fever, The Man with the Iron Heartas well as starring in the Netflix TV series Godless.  His television credits include Skins, United, The Runaway, This is England, Dive and Wuthering Heights.

For the Young Vic, Benedict Andrews has previously directed his own version of Three Sisters, which won the London Critics’ Circle Best Director Award, and A Streetcar Named Desire, with Gillian Anderson and Ben Foster, which transferred to New York in 2016.  His first production for the Young Vic was Monteverdi’s The Return of Ulysses, a co-production with ENO – where he has also directed La Boheme and Detlev Glanert’s Caligula.  His many directing credits for Sydney Theatre Company include The Maids with Cate Blanchett and Isabelle Huppert, which toured to the Lincoln Centre Festival in New York; and Big and Small which came to the Barbican, also starring Cate Blanchett.  Andrews has also worked extensively at the Schaubühne Berlin, Komische Oper, National Theatre Iceland and Belvoir Street Sydney.  His first feature film, Una,starring Rooney Mara and Ben Mendelsohn, premiered at the 2016 Telluride Film Festival and will be released later this year.

The Young Vic, one of the UK’s leading theatres, produces new plays, classics, forgotten works, musicals and opera. It co-produces and tours widely in the UK and internationally while keeping deep roots in its neighbourhood.  It frequently transfers shows to London’s West End and invites local people to take part at its home in Waterloo. In 2016 the Young Vic became London’s first Theatre of Sanctuary. Recent productions include Simon Stone’s new version of Lorca’sYerma which returns to the Young Vic with Billie Piper reprising her multi award-wining performance in July, the premiere of Charlene James’ multi-award-winning play Cuttin’ It and Ivo van Hove’s production of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge (West End & Broadway transfers), as well as Horizons, a season of work exploring the lives of refugees.  David Lan is Artistic Director with Lucy Woollatt as Executive Director.  www.youngvic.org

LISTINGS INFORMATION  

Theatre:                  Apollo Theatre, 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7ES

Dates:                    13 July – 7 October 2017

Press Night:             Monday 24 July 2017 at 7pm

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

Prices:                    in previews Monday – Thursday £10-£55, Friday & Saturday £10-£57,

from 25 July 2017 Monday – Thursday £10-£65, Friday & Saturday £10-£67

Box Office:              Apollo 0330 333 4809

Young Vic 020 7922 2922

Website:                 www.youngvicwestend.com

Twitter/Instagram:    @youngvictheatre

Facebook:               youngvictheatre

Cast announced for Chinglish by David Henry Hwang

Park200, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP Wednesday 22nd March – Saturday 22nd April 2017 

Gyuri Sarossy (The Rover RSC, Two Noble Kinsmen RSC, The Absence of War Headlong) and Candy Ma (Project New Earth, Chinese Arts Centre and Yellow Earth Theatre) have been announced to lead the talented bilingual cast of Chinglish. Tony Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize finalist David Henry Hwang returns to Park Theatre with the European premiere of his Broadway hit Chinglish following the sell-out success of Yellow Face (Park Theatre 2013, National Theatre 2014).

The result of an exhaustive four-month casting process, Sarossy and Ma are joined by Lobo Chan, Duncan Harte, Siu-see Hung, Minhee Yeo and Windson Liong. Producer Tim Johanson comments, So much of the joy of Chinglish hinges on East-West mis-translation, so we’re delighted to have assembled such a talented group of bilingual actors

It’s so conscientious in leading us through the maze of cultural confusion at its center — with “you are here” signs at every new twist in the labyrinth — that we’re never allowed to feel lost ourselves (New York Times).

Hwang’s hilarious comedy about the misadventures of miscommunication explores the modern difficulty of doing business between East and West. Daniel, an American, wants to pg. 2 open up China for his business. There are only three things standing in his way: he can’t speak the language, he can’t learn the customs, and he’s falling in love with the one woman he can’t have.

David Henry Hwang comments, I’m thrilled that Chinglish will receive its European premiere at the Park Theatre, who did such an excellent production of my play Yellow Face. America’s current political turmoil only serves to strengthen China’s power and influence, which perhaps makes this play even more timely than when it first ran on Broadway.

Acclaimed director Andrew Keates (As Is, Dessa Rose Trafalgar Studios) makes his Park Theatre debut.

EmpathEyes presents:

Also Recognised Awards

Shortlists announced and voting now open

Shortlists for the third annual Also Recognised Awards have been announced by MyTheatreMates, founded by Mark Shenton and Terri Paddock. These audience-voted industry accolades celebrate talent in fields often overlooked by other award bodies. Voting is now open for all categories and closes on Sunday 26th March 2017. Cast your vote at: www.mytheatremates.com/AlsoRecognisedAwards-2017/.

The Also Recognised Awards were launched online in 2015 and include the UK’s first-ever prize for Best Musical Direction as well as other key categories, such as Best Ensemble Performance and Best Solo Performance. The Awards also uniquely put the spotlight on the creativity of digital marketing and advertising disciplines in theatre with recognition for Best Show Poster, Best Show Trailer and Best Twitter Engagement.

Terri and Mark also now work together on the annual Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards, which Mark once again hosted and Terri produced for the first time at the West End’s Prince of Wales Theatre in January. Mark is also a judge for The Offies and The Stage Awards.

Mark and Terri commented on the Also Recognised Awards, The UK has a number of theatre awards, each of which provides a unique perspective on our industry. But despite the spectrum of opinion gauged in these many prize-givings, there are still some key categories that aren’t well covered elsewhere. We founded the Also Recognised Awards to fill some of those gaps. These online awards are purely about recognising and celebrating that talent.

Nominations for the Also Recognised Awards were drawn up by Shenton, Paddock and Ian Foster, with input from Andrew Keates and Mike Dixon (the industry lobbyists who have been the driving force behind establishing creative parity for Musical Direction) and other members of the My Theatre Mates collective of independent theatre bloggers and commentators.

MyTheatreMates invites suggestions for other new award fields not already covered elsewhere. Recommendations with sufficient merit and industry backing will be introduced in future years.

Twitter @MyTheatreMates, #AlsoRecognised @ShentonStage, @TerriPaddock, @AndrewKeates, @mikedixonmusic

Facebook www.facebook.com/MyTheatreMates

Website www.mytheatremates.com

The Lowry has announced the 2017 cohort of its prestigious artist development programme.

Five companies and artists have been awarded places on The Lowry’s award-winning Developed With The Lowry programme. This year’s recipients include: Manchester-based Buddhist monk turned stand-up comedian Sam Brady; local poet-playwright Chanje Kunda; Italian contemporary dance company Igor and Moreno; London-based mask theatre company Theatre Temoin; and Berlin-based hand balancing artist Natalie Reckert.

Each will receive a cash investment and production support as they make a new show that will premiere at The Lowry. They also benefit from a year-long bespoke package of professional development funding and support as they take an exciting step forward in their practice.

For some, this will focus on helping them develop new creative skills through travelling to see other productions, taking part in international residencies or private masterclasses with leading experts. Others will focus on developing new relationships with venues, learning business skills and building their national profile.

The Lowry is also delighted to welcome two new companies into its Associate Artist programme alongside dark comedy favourites Kill The Beast and verbatim theatre company LUNG. Family theatre company Colour The Clouds Theatre Company and socially engaged theatre company Art with Heart, both Salford-based, join the Associate Artist programme after taking part in Developed With The Lowry last year.

Designed to support some of the most promising companies making work in the North West, The Lowry offers its Associate Artists a home for all their productions alongside a deep and long term commitment to supporting these companies as they establish themselves on the national stage.

Julia Fawcett OBE, chief executive of The Lowry, said: “We wanted our ‘Developed With’ programme to better reflect the full breadth of talent we can support as an arts centre and our 2017 intake reflects that shift. Bringing together a cohort that includes theatre makers, dancers, poets, and circus artists with different local, national and international perspectives creates exciting new ways to work together across the industry.

“We are proud to demonstrate our commitment to local companies through our Associate Artist programme. Our role will be to help them take their work to the next level – encouraging them to take risks, be bold and push themselves creatively while building a solid foundation for their long term career.”

Previous recipients of Developed With The Lowry include the emerging comedy star Sophie Willan, physical theatre company Animikii Theatre and touring company 2Magpies Theatre. Alumni of the Associate Artist programme include Idle Motion, Monkeywood Theatre and the international ensemble Theatre Ad Infinitum.

Phoenix Theatre Booking to 15 July.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Gary Barlow and Tim Firth have struck gold with this delightfully British musical. Based on Firth’s film and play, the addition of Gary Barlow’s music adds extra magic to an already uplifting story.

The story of members of the WI producing a nude calendar to raise funds for a settee in the relative’s room of the local hospital is one that you’d have to have been living under a rock to not know, but the moment when Annie finds out that they have raised enough funds to build an entire hospital wing will still have you welling up. And that’s the wonderful thing about The Girls, one moment you’ll be trying to stop your bottom lip quivering, and the next you’ll be roaring with laughter. This is tragedy mixed with hilarity, with some cracking tunes thrown in.

Setting up all the characters in the first song, the glorious celebratory Yorkshire, the first act deals with John’s diagnosis and treatment for cancer, mixing wonderful comedy set pieces with Annie’s growing realisation that she will lose her husband, as he keeps joking and telling her that everything will be alright. Joanna Riding breaks your heart as she sings Scarborough and Kilimanjaro, both about the challenges of dealing with life alone. John’s death is dealt with beautifully and stylishly, as the cast slowly leave the stage to carry on with their lives, leaving Annie all alone. The sunflower motif is ever-present, and the full impact is felt in the show’s unashamedly emotional finale. Not a dry eye in the house.

Best friend Chris comes up with the idea of a nude calendar, and the second act builds up to the big shoot. The shoot and the nudity are handled with warmth and charm, with a joy that brings huge cheers from the audience at every flash (from the camera!). The subplot involving Chris’ son Danny’s Head Boy campaign and his attempts at romancing Jenny while Tommo gives him awful advice are a lovely touch, showing history repeating as he falls for a girl just like the mother he disapproves of.

The cast are wonderful, with fantastic performances from the calendar models – Michelle Dotrice as Jessie is magnificent – spitting out one liners and belting out the rousing What Age Expects with such feeling and gusto that she nearly brought the house down. And she gets to do the front bottom line! Sophie-Louise Dann is a pneumatically feline Celia – loudly and proudly shaking her stuff in So I’ve Had A Little Work Done. Claire Moore as Chris is fantastic, ending Act 1 with a powerhouse performance of Sunflower, and Claire Machin and Debbie Chazen nail their roles and musical numbers with great comic skill.

The script and lyrics are unashamedly Northern in their humour, bringing all the high emotions and fears back to everyday things that real people would dwell on. Barlow’s music is always catchy, and here it’s as if he has written something for the mums of Take That fans. (Although the younger members of the audience leapt up just as enthusiastically as the rest of us at curtain call.) There are a fair few F-bombs in the script but, sitting surrounded by WI members on a night out, I heard no tutting, just laughter. Yes, this is an all-white vision of Britain, so some may complain, but this show is about celebrating the strength and beauty of women, especially in their last phase “their most glorious”.

The Girls is one of the best British musicals I’ve seen in years. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be humming the songs for days, and you’ll leave the theatre full of warmth and joy. What else could you ask for from a show? Get your ticket now. And take your mother.

ANIMAL MAGIC AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE WITH

MICHAEL MORPURGO’S RUNNING WILD

The award-winning adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s novel, Running Wild, is brought to life on the Lyceum Theatre stage from Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 March.  This epic production, complete with spectacular life-size puppets, tells an emotional and moving story of love, loss and loyalty and of living for the moment.

Running Wild is the story is of a girl named Lilly, who, whilst on holiday with her mother in Indonesia, takes an elephant ride.  During the ride, Oona, the elephant, suddenly becomes anxious and runs from the beach deep into the jungle.  With Lilly on her back, they escape moments before the tsunami hits the island.  Miles from civilisation, at first there’s wonder, discovery and tree-top adventures with the orangutans, but, as thoughts turn to her mother left behind on the beach, and wild tigers prowl, and hunger hits, Lilly must now learn to survive the rainforest.  And then the hunters come…

Michael Morpurgo, the former children’s laureate and author of War Horse, was inspired by the real-life story of Amber Owen, who was on holiday in Phuket with her mother and stepfather in 2004, when she went on an elephant ride.  While riding Ning Nong along the beach, the eight-year-old noticed the elephant was attempting to pull away from the receding sea water.  “He ran away and, as the water came in, I was safely on his back.  He saved my life.”  When he read Amber’s story in the newspaper, Michael Morpurgo said it was the one bit of hope amid the destruction of the Boxing Day tsunami which hit South East Asia.  The production will work to support the Born Free Foundation’s global elephant conservation projects.

Running Wild comes to the Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 7 March – Saturday 11 March.  Tickets can be purchased from Sheffield Theatres’ Box Office in-person, by phone on 0114 249 6000 or online at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk and are priced from £10.00 – £25.00.  Concessions and group discounts are available.

BELIEVE ALL ‘OGRE’ AGAIN

RETURNING TO A SWAMP NEAR YOU BY POPULAR DEMAND
NEW NATIONWIDE TOUR OPENS IN EDINBURGH IN DECEMBER 2017

PRIORITY BOOKING OPENS THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY
GENERAL BOOKING OPENS FRIDAY 24 FEBRUARY AT 10AM
DIRECTED BY NIGEL HARMAN

Producers of SHREK THE MUSICAL^® are delighted to announce that, following the unprecedented success of the first ever UK and Ireland Tour, the larger-than-life production will be returning to a swamp near you. Opening at the Edinburgh Playhouse for the Christmas 2017/18 season from 12 December 2017 to 7 January 2018, the production will then tour to Manchester, Sunderland, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Northampton, Stoke and Blackpool, with further venues to be announced.

Glasgow Evening Times
‘A fun, fairytale spectacular fit for all the family’

Nigel Harman will return as director, having made his directorial debut on SHREK THE MUSICAL’s first UK and Ireland Tour. Best known for his television and stage work, Nigel Harmanoriginated the role of Lord Farquaad in the West End production, winning the Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Television credits include heart-throb Dennis Rickman in EastEnders, villainous valet Mr Green in Downton Abbey and Bradley in Sky’s Mount Pleasant, which aired its sixth series in Autumn 2016. Notable stage appearances include Jamie Lloyd’s production of Three Days of Rain alongside James McAvoy, Privates on Parade at the Donmar Warehouse and A Chorus of Disapproval, directed by Trevor Nunn.  

Nigel Harman says: ‘I had so much fun directing the original UK & Ireland Tour that I jumped at the chance to work on it again. Shrek the Musical has created pivotal moments in my career – firstly winning an Olivier and then my directorial debut. It’s certainly become one of the classic family musicals of all time and I’m really proud to be a part of it’.

 Manchester Evening News
‘A perfect mixture of music, dance and performance comedy, with a sprinkling of fresh gags and slightly risqué humour to keep adults on their toes.’
(Winner of 2014 CityLife Award for Best Musical)

SHREK THE MUSICAL^® is based on the story and characters from William Steig’s book Shrek! and the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks Animations feature film. Originally directed in the West End by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford, the production has book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, music by Jeanine Tesori with multi award-winning set and costume design by Tim Hatley.

Join our unlikely hero Shrek and his loyal steed Donkey as they embark on a quest to rescue the beautiful (if slightly temperamental) Princess Fiona from a fire-breathing, love-sick dragon. Add the diminutive Lord Farquaad, a gang of fairytale misfits and a biscuit with attitude, and you’ve got the biggest, brightest musical comedy around! Featuring all new songs as well as cult Shrek anthem I’m a Believer, SHREK THE MUSICAL brings over 100 much-loved fairytale characters, plus a 14 foot dragon, to life in an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza.

Bristol Post *****
‘Simply Shrektacular – a musical extravaganza for big kids and little kids alike’

SHREK THE MUSICAL^® was seen by nearly 800,000 people on its first highly acclaimed UK and Ireland tour in 2014, visiting 25 major venues over 20 months. The production was first staged in the UK at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2011. Since opening on Broadway in 2008 SHREK THE MUSICAL^®  has toured to nearly 150 cities in the USA and Canada, with productions having also played in Spain, Poland, France, Malaysia, China, Brazil, Italy, Denmark, The Netherlands, Estonia, Israel and Turkey.

The UK and Ireland tour of the original DreamWorks Production will be presented by Neal Street Productions, Playful Productions, Ron Kastner, Saracen Films, Tulchin/Bartner Productions, Gavin Kalin, Glass Half Full Productions/Just For Laughs Theatricals, Lee Menzies and Mark Cartwright.

Casting information will be announced in due course.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Tuesday 12 December 2017 – Sunday 7 January 2018
EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh
0844 871 3014

Tuesday 16 January – Sunday 28 January 2018
PALACE THEATRE, MANCHESTER
www.atgtickets.com/manchester
0844 871 3019

Wednesday 31 January – Sunday 11 February 2018
SUNDERLAND EMPIRE THEATRE
www.atgtickets.com/sunderland
0844 871 3022

Wednesday 14 February – Sunday 25 February 2018
NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM
www.atgtickets.com/birmingham
0844 871 3011

Wednesday 28 February – Sunday 11 March 2018
HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE, ABERDEEN
www.boxofficeaberdeen.com
01224 641 122
(General on sale Tuesday 28 February)

Wednesday 14 March – Sunday 25 March, 2018
ROYAL & DERNGATE, NORTHAMPTON
www.royalandderngate.co.uk
01604 624 811

Wednesday 2 May – Sunday 13 May 2018
REGENT THEATRE, STOKE
www.atgtickets.com/stoke
0844 871 7649

Tuesday 15 May – Sunday 27 May 2018
BLACKPOOL WINTER GARDENS THEATRE
www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk
01253 625 252

FURTHER TOUR DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED IN DUE COURSE

WEBSITE:      www.shrekthemusical.co.uk
TWITTER:      www.twitter.com/shrekuktour
FACEBOOK:   www.facebook.com/shrekthemusicallondon
YOUTUBE:     www.youtube.com/ShrekLondon