RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE AND IRELAND’S GOT TALENT JUDGE MICHELLE VISAGE

TO JOIN THE CAST OF EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE TO PLAY MISS HEDGE FROM THURSDAY 18 OCTOBER 2018

 

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, the award-winning feel good musical sensation, is pleased to announce that internationally renowned personality, Michelle Visage, will be making her West End musical debut playing the role of Miss Hedge from Thursday 18 October 2018 to Saturday 26 January 2019.

 

Nica Burns, Producer of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie said: “We are all absolutely delighted to welcome Michelle Visage to the cast of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie as our new Miss Hedge

Michelle blew us away with her fantastic singing voice, her excellent characterisation of the part and her charismatic stage presence.”

Michelle Visage said: “I am BEYOND thrilled to be making my West End debut in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie! The reason I chose this show in particular is because of the very important message it tells. It is a great show with great music and talent but more importantly it’s about love, truth and the tenacity of the human spirit! Also there is a HUGE bonus: I get to live in London, one of my favourite cities in the world! I can’t wait to help audiences to fall in love with the show the way I did when I saw Everybody’s Talking About Jamie for the first time and understand why everyone REALLY IS talking about Jamie!”

Michelle is an internationally renowned, platinum selling recording artist, actress, author, television personality, podcast co-host, radio show host, who has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry, across multiple mediums for the past three decades. Michelle is best known in the UK for being a judge on Ireland’s Got Talent and America’s hit TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race, which recently won Outstanding Reality-Competition Program at this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards. Michelle hosts a podcast with RuPaul named RuPaul: What’s the Tee with Michelle Visage which won the award for Best Host at this year’s 22^nd annual Webby Awards. Michelle was a finalist on Celebrity Big Brother in 2015.

Michelle will join current cast members: John McCrea (Jamie), Rebecca McKinnis (Margaret), Shobna Gulati (Ray), Lucie Shorthouse (Pritti Pasha), Lee Ross (Hugo/Loco Chanel), Alex Anstey (Laika Virgin), Luke Baker (Dean Paxton), Luke Bayer, Courtney Bowman (Fatimah), Marvyn Charles, Ken Christiansen (Jamie’s Dad), Jordan Cunningham (Sayid), Daniel Davids (Levi), James Gillan (Tray Sophisticay), Ryan Hughes (Mickey), Daniel Jacob (Sandra Bollock), Cherelle Jay, Jordan Laviniere (Cy), Harriet Payne (Bex), Chloe Pole, Shiv Rabheru, Lauran Rae (Becca) and Kirstie Skivington (Vicki).

Inspired by a true story, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is the hit musical for today.

Jamie New is sixteen and lives on a council estate in Sheffield.
Jamie doesn’t quite fit in.
Jamie is terrified about the future.
Jamie is going to be a sensation.

Supported by his brilliant loving mum and surrounded by his friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies and steps out of the darkness, into the spotlight.

With songs by lead singer-songwriter of The Feeling, Dan Gillespie Sells, and book and lyrics by writer Tom MacRae, this funny, fabulous, feel-good, musical sensation has been wowing audiences and critics alike.

Sixteen: the edge of possibility. Time to make your dreams come true.

Watch the Everybody’s Talking About Jamie trailer here.

Music by Dan Gillespie Sells

Book and Lyrics by Tom MacRae

From an idea by Jonathan Butterell

Directed by Jonathan Butterell

Design by Anna Fleischle

Choreography by Kate Prince

Lighting design by Lucy Carter

Sound design by Paul Groothuis

Musical direction by Theo Jamieson

Casting by Will Burton

 

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie opened at the Sheffield Crucible in 2017 and is now playing at the Apollo Theatre in the West End, currently booking until 6 April 2019. As well as receiving 5-star reviews, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was nominated for 5 Olivier Awards, received the UK Theatre and What’s On StageAwards for Best New Musical and won the Attitude Culture Award 2017. Dan Gillespie Sells won Best Composer at The Stage Debut Awards, John McCrea won the What’s On Stage award for Best Actor in a Musical, the UK Theatre Award for Best Performance in A Musical and was named joint Most Promising Newcomer at the Critics Circle Awards and Lucie Shorthouse won the What’s On Stage Award for Best Supporting Actresses in a Musical.

 

Twitter                                                 @JamieMusical

#JamieLondon

Facebook and Instagram               Jamie Musical

The producers cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular artist, which is always subject to illness, injury and statutory leave entitlement.

 

 BOX OFFICE INFORMATION

 

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE

Apollo Theatre

31 Shaftesbury Avenue

London W1D 7ES

Booking number:  0330 333 4809

Website:  www.nimaxtheatres.com  / www.EverybodysTalkingAboutJamie.co.uk

NO BOOKING FEES FOR BOOKINGS THROUGH THE THEATRE AND OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Performances Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, Matinees – Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm

Ticket prices – £10 to £65.

Currently booking until 6 April 2019.

Salisbury Playhouse – until 22 September 2018
Reviewed by Jo Gordon
4****

The renowned Alan Bennett’s play within a play is centred around a fictitious meeting in 1972 between Poet Laureate, Wyston Hugh Auden (Fitz), and Composer Benjamin Britten (Henry); portrayed on stage as a play called Caliban’s Day. Actors Fitz (Matthew Kelly), Henry (David Yelland), Tim (Benjamin Chandler), Donald (John Wark) and George (Alexandra Guelff) are at rehearsals under the guidance of stage manager Kay (Veronica Roberts) and a rather stressed playwright Neil (Robert Mountford) .

There is a lot going on in this production. When the actors are out of character we see them battling with each other on how they think each persona should be played and rutting horns with the writer Neil, who wishes it to stay as pure to his play as possible much to the actors despair, whilst Kay has to massage their egos and get the job done.

In character Fitz plays an ageing Auden, unwashed and unkempt, taking to urinating in his sink and with a liking of rent boys, which is where Tim comes into his own as the young man Auden has arranged to visit in payment for a sex act. Donald’s Humphrey Carpenter is a BBC Journalist who is gathering information for both Auden’s and Britten’s biography and after a small incident where Auden mistakes him for the rent boy begins his questioning for the books. Henry’s Britten is a well dressed, poker backed gentleman currently composing for his opera, Death In Venice. Worried how the story line will be perceived by the public and how that will reflect on himself and his similar interests in young boys he seeks advice from Auden despite not having seen him for decades. All the time we flit in and out of the rehearsal and the actors being themselves or the plays characters. From Fitz’s struggles with remembering lines, being blessed with “a face like his scrotum” and needing to leave for his Tesco voice over to Donald trying to find his meaning in the play and wanting to add another dimension involving a tuba and a frock!
Playing two characters in such a way takes skill, which the cast have vast amounts of to keep the audience hooked. We see peoples vulnerabilities, deep emotions and darker sides yet share humour and laughter also. Not one for the prudish but a must see.

Bridlington Spa Theatre – until 22 September 2018

Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

3***

Madagascar is a film I think everyone enjoys, talking animals – who could ask for more? Now the film has made it to the stage as a musical, and to Bridlington.

The musical features high energy music and lots of laughs both for the children and the adults. I feel I don’t really need to go into the plot that much as everyone knows what happening, but if you’ve been living under a rock, a bunch of New York zoo animals escape and end up in Madagascar.

The cast did a great job of keeping up the high energy and putting modern references in with the use of dabbing and flossing, the show and cast does a good job at aiming towards a target audience. Matt Terry, who won X Factor in 2016, took on the role of Alex the Lion, his performance was quite entertaining bringing the vocals that won him the show, however Timmika Ramsay, who play Gloria the Hippo, stole the show with her vocals giving her a powerful and soulful vibe. Antoine Murray-Straughan played Marty the Zebra and Jamie Lee-Morgan played Melman the Giraffe, both did a good job at working alongside the cast and giving the characters comedy and life. One of the things Madagascar is most famous for is the song “Move It” and the Lemur King, Julien, played by Jo Parsons, brought laughs from his entrance onstage and giving the show a somewhat pantomime feel. The four penguins were came to life from a team of puppeteers who also in turn became lemurs for the second act, they did a great job of bringing the puppets to life and making scenes rather funny.

The stage has simple but effective props to show scene changing and the cast also were used in moving set around in a way that made sense to the play and worked really well. The costumes are rather bizarre at first with the four main animals being in padded body suits with fake bum and muscles, however the costume that made a lot of people laugh was that of King Julien who was on his knees to give the character short stature. The costumes were good however and suited the animation from the film.

The show had an overall happy theme with the story of friendship and adventure, the cast did a good job bring this to stage. The music was good, however none of the song were iconic and didn’t stick into my mind. This show is definitely one you would want to bring kids and can be enjoyed by the whole family.

COMEDY CENTRAL LIVE TAKES OVER HOGLANDS PARK, SOUTHAMPTON, FROM 5^TH-7^TH OCTOBER 2018 WITH OVER 70 COMEDIANS SET TO GET THE CROWD IN STITCHES  

This autumn, Comedy Central will present a brand new, massive stand-up and experiential festival featuring over 70 of the UK’s most popular and well-loved comedians. Comedy Central Live will stage headline sets from Jimmy Carr, Russell Howard and Katherine Ryan, as well as a whole host of hilarious acts and experiential events over the course of the 3-day extravaganza. 

In addition to headline stand-up sets from Carr, Howard and Ryan, the festival line-up features some of the most critically-acclaimed names in comedy today, including Rob Delaney, Joel Dommett, Nish Kumar, Rob Beckett, Lauren Pattison, Ed Gamble, Reginald D Hunter, Desiree Burch, Andrew,  Maxwell, Suzi Ruffell, Doc Brown, Matt Richardson and Lost Voice Guy (plus many more) all set to perform across two live stages at the 3-day event. 

Comedy Central is also bringing some of its biggest hit shows to life, giving visitors a truly unique chance to watch live versions of their hit TV shows Your Face or Mine, Roast Battle and Drunk History.

If that wasn’t enough, there will be a Comedy Central themed experiential area, including iconic comedy attractions from South Park. Those ticket holders who are brave enough can also step into the world of Takeshi’s Castle and take on the ultimate inflatable obstacle course – one of the biggest in the world!

Visitors will also be able to watch some of their favourite comedians belt out classic musical hits in live stage show AMusical, and drag super-group ‘Denim’ will host an alternative all day party at the festival.

The event will also feature Comedy Central themed food concessions and a whole host of other activities for ticket holders to enjoy.

For more information and to buy tickets, go to: https://comedycentral.ticketline.co.uk/

Crucible Studio, Sheffield – until 6th October 2018

Reviewed by Melanie Torley

4****

Steel is the witty new play by Chris Bush (What We Wished For, A Dream), and explores the last three decades of women in politics. 

The story tells the tale of young black Labour party candidate named Josie set in 1988 and her campaign to become a local councillor, helped by her mentor Dai. This is interspersed with the story of the ambitious Vanessa and her campaign to be elected Mayor, aided by her campaign manager Ian.

Both story lines have steel running through their core, with Josie being a technical engineer full of ideas of how to inject new life in to the industry while Vanessa sat on a focus group looking at the steel industry whose analysis was that it should be put out of it’s misery like a sick puppy.

Rebecca Scroggs plays both Josie and Vanessa with heart and soul, adequately portraying the naivety of the new party member Josie switching to the role of the sassy hard-talking Vanessa. Rebecca is able to bounce of her co-actor Nigel Betts beautifully, who puts in a strong performance as his characters of Dai and Ian. Nigels voice resonates beautifully around the Crucible Studio.

Steel is fast paced and covers some topical issues. The sharp script delivers laugh out loud moments during the show, which leaves you wondering whether things have really changed in the last 30 years.

 

THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY’S
MATILDA THE MUSICAL ARRIVES IN MANCHESTER 

The widely-anticipated Matilda The Musical has finally arrived in Manchester for an incredible 11-week run at the Palace Theatre and to mark the occasion, Scarlett Cecil who is one of the four young actresses sharing the title role, popped down to Manchester Central Library to strike the iconic Matilda pose in front of the landmark city-centre building. Matilda The Musical’s first show in the city will be tonight, Tuesday 18^th September.

Sophia Ally, Annalise Bradbury, Scarlett Cecil and Nicola Turner will share the title role of Matilda in Manchester. The adult cast includes Craige Els who, having played Miss Trunchbull in the West End for three years from 2014 to 2017, has returned to the role for the UK and Ireland tour. Carly Thoms plays Miss Honey alongside Sebastien Torkia and Rebecca Thornhill as Mr and Mrs Wormwood.

The full adult cast includes Joe Atkinson, Richard Astbury, Nina Bell, Peter Bindloss, Oliver Bingham, Emily Bull, Samara Casteallo, Matthew Caputo, Craige Els, Matt Gillett, Michelle Chantelle Hopewell, Sam Lathwood, Katie Lee, Steffan Lloyd-Evans, Charlie Martin, Rachel Moran, Anu Ogunmefun, Carly Thoms,Rebecca Thornhill, Sebastien Torkia, Adam Vaughan and Dawn Williams.

The full child cast who play the roles of Bruce, Lavender, Amanda and the rest of the pupils at Crunchem Hall are Evie Allen, Louella Asante-Owusu, Joseph Black, Georgia Mae Brown, Isobelle Chalmers, Jessica Chalmers, Oliver Crouch, Madeline Gilby, Sheldon Golding, Dylan Hughes, Cuba Kamanu, Tom Lomas, Adam Lord, Maddison Lowe, Ilan Miller, Felicity Mitson, Toby Mocrei, Ashton Murphy, Joely Robertson, Ruaridh Sinnott, Kit Swaddling, Chantelle Tonolete Harry Wilson and Harrison Wilding.

Matilda The Musical has now been seen by 8 million people worldwide, having toured to over 65 cities and played more than 6000 performances in the West End, on Broadway and on tour across North America, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Matilda The Musical now has its first non-English language production at the LG Arts Centre in Seoul, South Korea which opened earlier this month.

Winner of over 85 international awards, including 16 for Best Musical, Matilda The Musical opened at Leicester Curve in March 2018 to rave reviews. The tour will play at Manchester Palace until 24 November before playing at Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre (4 December – 12 January 2019), Theatre Royal Plymouth (15 January – 16 February 2019), the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford (19 February – 23 March 2019), Edinburgh Playhouse (2 – 27 April 2019), The Bristol Hippodrome (7 May – 8 June 2019), Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (11 June – 6 July 2019) and Norwich Theatre Royal (16 July – 17 August 2019).

The West End production will continue to play at the Cambridge Theatre, where it is now in its seventh year and is booking until 20 October 2019.

Matilda The Musical is written by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, and direction by Matthew Warchus. The production is designed by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker and the special effects and illusions are by Paul Kieve.

Inspired by the incomparable Roald Dahl’s beloved book, Matilda The Musical was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and premiered at the RSC’s Stratford-upon-Avon home in November 2010, before transferring to London’s West End in October 2011, where it opened to rave reviews. The New York production of Matilda The Musical opened in April 2013 at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre and was celebrated on 10 “Top Ten” lists for 2013, including TIME Magazine’s #1 Show of the Year.

Matilda The Musical swept the board at the 2012 Olivier Awards, with a record-breaking seven awards, and won four Tony Awards and a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theater for the four girls sharing the title role on Broadway.

The North America production toured 52 cities. The Australian and New Zealand production won a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Musical in 2015, and played sold-out seasons in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Auckland. The show broke further records in July 2016 by winning all 13 Helpmann Awards for which it was nominated.

Matilda The Musical is produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company with André Ptaszynski and Denise Wood as Executive Producers. The production was developed with the support of Jeanie O’Hare and the RSC Literary Department.

LISTINGS

 

Palace Theatre, Manchester

Tuesday 18 September – Saturday 24 November 2018

Box Office: 0844 871 3019*

www.atgtickets.com/venues/palace-theatre-manchester

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

PRESENTERS ANNOUNCED FOR THE STAGE DEBUT AWARDS 2018 INCLUDING AWARD WINNING ACTORS 

CUSH JUMBO, ADRIAN LESTER, AND MATHEW HORNE

ALONGSIDE PERFORMANCES BY ANAIS MITCHELL (COMPOSER/LYRICIST OF HADESTOWN) 

AND MIRIAM-TEAK LEE (STARRING IN HAMILTON AND WINNER OF BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL, THE STAGE DEBUT AWARDS 2017)

 

Star of stage and screen Cush Jumbo (The Good Wife/Fight, Josephine and I, Common) will be hosting The Stage Debut Awards in association with Access Entertainment on Sunday 23 September, alongside further presenters; Adrian Lester OBE, Jodie Prenger, Ruthie Henshall, Mathew Horne, Michael Grandage, Preeya Kalidas, James Graham and Paule Constable.

Alongside exclusive performances by Anais Mitchell performing Why We Build A Wall from Hadestown and Miriam-Teak Lee performing I’m Here from The Color Purple. 

Cush Jumbo (host) said “I’m thrilled to be hosting the second The Stage Debut Awards this year. I’m very passionate about the continuing need to support emerging talent and champion our rising stars whether they be actors, directors, writers or designers. These awards celebrate new voices in a huge way.”

The Stage Debut Awards celebrate the very best breakthrough talent in theatre, from actors and directors to designers, writers, composers and lyricists, all of whom have made their professional debuts in the past year. These awards are the first of their kind to recognise outstanding emerging theatre talent.

The Stage Debut Awards will also be live streamed on The Stage’s Facebook page from 8.30pm on Sunday 23, 2018.

The inaugural The Stage Debut Awards in association with Access Entertainment took place on September 17, 2017. Guests at the awards ceremony included the most influential figures in the performing arts world from Grammy and Olivier Award-winning actress Amber Riley to the director of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris.

As well as live streaming the ceremony to thousands of eager viewers on Facebook, #DebutAwards was trending on Twitter for over 14 hours on the day of the ceremony. Check out the video of the evening below and to read more about the evening visit
The Stage website.

For full details on eligibility and the judging process see The Stage Debut Awards website.

THE WEST END PRODUCTION OF

H A R R Y   P O T T E R   A N D   T H E   C U R S E D   C H I L D

PARTS ONE AND TWO

WWW.HARRYPOTTERTHEPLAY.COM

A FURTHER 120,000 SEATS RELEASED FOR PERFORMANCES TO JULY 2019

 

The West End Production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child today (18 September 2018) releases tickets for sale for performances from 10 April 2019 through to 28 July 2019. Tickets are priced from £15 per part and for every performance there are over 300 tickets at £20 or less per part.

Since the world premiere of the production here in London Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ has offered The Friday Forty, a weekly lottery of 40 tickets for every performance, in some of the best seats in the house for just £40 (£20 per part).

From 24 September 2018, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will partner with TodayTix to launch a new version of The Friday Forty. Patrons can now enter at any time from 12.01am every Monday, through to 1pm that Friday, when entries will close. Winners will be notified between 1pm and 5pm that day, and have the opportunity to purchase up to two tickets for both Part One and Part Two on consecutive performances the following week.  For further details and to enter The Friday Forty, visit the official website https://www.harrypottertheplay.com/uk/the-friday-forty/ or download the TodayTix for iOS or Android. The Friday Forty is now operated by TodayTix on the West End and Broadway.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, one play presented in two parts, is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage.  The critically acclaimed production received its world premiere in July 2016 at the Palace Theatre in London and is now also playing at the Lyric Theatre on Broadway, with an Australian production beginning performances at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre on 16 January 2019.  A further North American production will open in San Francisco at the Curran in Autumn 2019 and, in spring 2020, a German language version of the play – marking its first non-English production – will open at the Mehr! Theater am Großmarkt in Hamburg, Germany.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.  While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted.  As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany with movement by Steven Hoggett, set by Christine Jones, costumes by Katrina Lindsay, music & arrangements by Imogen Heap, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Gareth Fry, illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison, music supervision & arrangements by Martin Lowe and casting by Julia Horan CDG.

 

Both parts of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are intended to be seen in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings.  On Thursdays there is an evening performance of Part One and on Fridays an evening performance of Part Two. On those days tickets to each part can be bought together or separately.  Tickets for Wednesday matinee and Wednesday evening performances can also be bought together or separately.

The regular performance schedule is as follows – Monday – no performance, Tuesday – no performance, Wednesday – 2pm Part One & 7.30pm Part Two, Thursday – 7.30pm Part One, Friday – 7.30pm Part Two, Saturday – 2pm Part One & 7.30pm Part Two, Sunday – 1pm Part One & 6.30pm Part Two.

A further set of access performances have gone on sale today.  For more information please visit the access page via the official Harry Potter and the Cursed Child websitehttps://www.harrypottertheplay.com/uk/access/.  For patrons with physical access needs call 0330 333 4410 (please note, there are no general ticket sales on this number) or emailCursedChildAccess@nimaxtheatres.com.

 

Returned and other late-release tickets may also become available at short notice. These are not guaranteed, but any tickets that do become available will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis, online or in person at the Palace Theatre box office at full price.

TodayTix is an international ticketing platform on a mission to redefine the way people see theatre. Through effortless access to the best shows, insightful guidance to the artistic landscape, and thoughtful service at each moment along the way, TodayTix enables culture lovers to discover the best that their city has to offer.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.

Box Office – 0343 208 0500

www.HarryPotterthePlay.com

www.harrypottertheplay.com/questions

@HPPlayLDN

facebook.com/HPPlayLDN

instagram.com/hpplayldn

www.pottermore.com

Cast Announced for Seussical The Musical
Southwark Playhouse (The Large), 77-85 Newington Causeway,
London, SE1 6BD
Thursday 22nd November – Saturday 29th December 2018

This November, Marc Pickering (Boardwalk Empire, HBO; Les Misérables, Universal Pictures; Sleepy Hollow, Paramount Pictures) will star as the mischievous Cat in the Hat in Immersion Theatre͛s larger-than-life musical extravaganza, Seussical the Musical. He is joined by Scott Paige (Eugenius, The Other Palace; The Addams Family, UK/Asia Tour; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, UK Tour/West Yorkshire Playhouse) as the warm-hearted Horton the Elephant and Amy Perry (Bananaman, Southwark Playhouse, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Adelphi Theatre; Sweet Charity, Cadogan Hall) as the humble Gertrude McFuzz in this high-energy production for ͚thinkers͛ of all ages.

Katie Paine (We Will Rock You, Dominion Theatre; Godspell, Lyric Theatre; Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, Gatehouse) will play the vivacious Mayzie La Bird alongside Ngozi Ugoh (The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales Theatre; The Life, English Theatre Frankfurt; Avenue Q, Brookside Theatre) who will play Sour Kangaroo and Anna Barnes (Cats, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre; The Fix, Guilford School of Acting; Bullets Over Broadway, Guilford School of Acting) who plays Jojo, ‘a thinker’ with a wild imagination.

The cast is completed by Daisy Steere (42nd Street, Theatre Royal Drury Lane; Jackie The Musical, UK Tour; Legally Blonde, Aberystwyth Arts Centre), Adam Dawson (Spring Awakening, Hope Mill Theatre; Hair the Musical, The Vaults; West Side Story, Royal Shakespeare Company), Robbie Fell (Song, Pulse Films/BT; Cinderella, Malvern Festival Theatre; The Life, Performance Preparation Academy), Rhys Benjamin (Me and My Girl, The Urdang Academy; Bring It On,
Pleasance Theatre; Is There Life After High School?, The Royal Academy of Music), Marianna Neofitou (Grease, Leicester Curve; Dusty: The Dusty Springfield Musical, Charing Cross Theatre; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, London Palladium) and Sarah Spence (9 to 5 The Musical, Legally Blonde, The Producers – all whilst training at Performance Preparation Academy.

Director James Tobias comments, Finding a cast who are able to bring these fantastical, over the top characters to life whilst retaining their truth, heart and integrity is, in my opinion, one of the key ingredients to the success of a show like this. I could not be more thrilled with the company we have assembled and feel immensely privileged and excited to be working with such exceptional talent, on stage and off, to create an unforgettable experience for audiences of all ages this Christmas.

Brimming with fun and excitement for all the family, the fantastical world of Dr. Seuss bursts onto the stage in this feel-good musical bonanza. Set to an electric score and co-conceived by Monty Python͛s Eric Idle, this raucous and ultimately touching story by Tony Award winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty dares us to think big and reminds us of the power of loyalty, family, and acceptance. After all, a person͛s a person no matter how small!

Far from being only a show just for children, Seussical is filled with larger-than-life characters and an incredible and varied score featuring a range of genres from funk, to big band, to rock and roll, to musical theatre. The much-loved characters all have something which we can all connect with, be it a sense of mischief, insecurity, that feeling of you against the world, and everything in between.

From bullying, to unrequited love, to being insecure with your body, to inclusivity, Seussical touches on some of today͛s most topical issues in a funny and moving way. With choreography from 2018 Off West End award winner Chris Whittaker, this production is an intelligent, hilarious and moving piece of theatre whose themes, plot, characters, and score resonate and entertain audiences of all ages.

JODIE PRENGER TO STAR IN UK TOUR

OF MIKE LEIGH’S ACCLAIMED COMEDY

ABIGAIL’S PARTY

Jodie Prenger leads the cast in Abigail’s Party, Mike Leigh’s groundbreaking comedy classic which begins a major UK tour in Brighton on 10 January 2019 and tours until 20 April 2019 in Edinburgh.

Beverly and her husband Laurence are throwing a party for their newlywed neighbours, Tony and Angela.  Joining them is highly strung Susan who’s been banished from the party of her teenage daughter Abigail.    Welcome to 1970’s suburbia and its heady mix of free-flowing cocktails, classic disco and cheese and pineapple sticks.  As tensions rise and tempers flare the sheen of respectability is torn away by the warring couples with hilarious and potentially disastrous consequences. 

Mike Leigh’s iconic Abigail’s Party is one of Britain’s most celebrated comedies and was described by The Guardian as ‘One of the greatest plays about the human condition ever written.’

 

Jodie Prenger said: ‘Abigail’s Party is a true British classic and a real bucket list part for me.  I’m thrilled to be involved in something so wonderful.  Can’t wait to get started.’

Jodie landed the role of Nancy in Cameron Mackintosh’s revival production of Oliver! at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane after winning BBC 1’s I’d Do Anything.  She won the 2010 Whatsonstage Theatregoer’s Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical. She then went on to play The Lady of The Lake in the Spamalot UK tour and in the West End at the Playhouse Theatre, and Dolly in the National Theatre’s production of One Man Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.  2015 saw Jodie star in the title role of Calamity Jane on the UK No. 1 Tour followed by a Christmas run of Annie at the New Theatre, Oxford in the role of Miss Hannigan. In 2016, Jodie starred in a new UK tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s one woman show Tell Me On A Sunday and in the autumn, Jodie reprised the role of Madame Thenardier in a special production of Les Miserables in Dubai Opera Theatre.

 

Jodie has guest presented for Elaine Paige and Paul O’Grady on many occasions with BBC Radio 2.  Other BBC Radio 2 appearances include Wogan, co-hosting Going Out With Alan Carr, Chris Evans’ Breakfast Show, The Olivier Awards 2010 and Children in Need 2009 with Graham Norton.  

 

Recently, Jodie starred in the one-woman UK tour of Shirley Valentine, and has just finished playing the role of Kelly in the production of Kay Mellor’s Fat Friends on its UK Tour with music written by Nick Lloyd Webber.

 

Abigail’s Party is a a co-production between ATG Productions and Smith and Brant Theatricals by arrangement with Theatre Royal Bath, directed by Sarah Esdaile.

 

 

ABIGAIL’S PARTY

TOUR SCHEDULE

Theatre Royal, Brighton                                     www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton/

10 – 19 January 2019                                          0844 871 7615   (On sale soon.)

Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham                       www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-alexandra-theatre-birmingham/

21 – 26 January 2019                                          0844 871 3011

York Grand Opera House                                   www.atgtickets.com/venues/grand-opera-house-york/

28 January – 2 February 2019                           0844 871 3024

Theatre Royal, Glasgow                                      www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-glasgow/

4 – 9 February 2019                                            0844 871 7615

Nuffield Southampton Theatres                       https://www.nstheatres.co.uk/

11 – 16 February 2019                                       023 8067 1771

Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent                      www.atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre/

18 – 23 February 2019                                       0844 871 7649

New Victoria Theatre, Woking                          www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre/

25 February – 2 March 2019                             0844 871 7645

Royal & Derngate, Northampton                     www.royalandderngate.co.uk/

4 – 9 March 2019                                                01604 624811

Grand Theatre, Blackpool                                   www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/

11 – 16 March 2019                                            01253 290 190

 

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre                           www.atgtickets.com/venues/aylesbury-waterside-theatre/

18 – 23 March 2019                                            0844 871 7607

Liverpool Playhouse                                           https://www.everymanplayhouse.com/

25 – 30 March 2019                                            0151 709 4776

Orchard Theatre, Dartford                                www.orchardtheatre.co.uk/Online/

1 – 6 April 2019                                                   01322 220000

Manchester Opera House                                 www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester/

8 – 13 April 2019                                                 0844 871 3018

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh                                  www.capitaltheatres.com/your-visit/kings-theatre

15 – 20 April 2019                                               0131 529 6000