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Room on the Broom flies into Salford
this summer to end UK tour

Tue 1 –  Sun 27 August (excluding Mondays)

Tall Stories’ magical musical adaption of Room on the Broom ends its UK tour at The Lowry Tue 1 – Sun 27 August.

Adapted by Tall Stories Theatre Company from the spellbinding picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Room on the Broom will make the ideal treat for the whole family to enjoy at The Lowry this summer. 

This Olivier Award nominated production tells the story of a friendly witch, her cat and three loveable animals who take to the skies on a broom and face a fearsome dragon. With enchanting puppetry, original sing-a-long songs and scary fun, Room on the Broom is ideal for families with children aged three and up.

Room on the Broom is created by the critically acclaimed theatre company Tall Stories – a creative force whose credits include ‘The Gruffalo,’ ‘The Gruffalo’s Child,‘ ‘Emily Brown and The Thing,’ ‘The Snail and The Whale,’ ‘The Snow Dragon’ and ‘My Brother the Robot.‘ For Room on the Broom the team includes director Olivia Jacobs, creative producer Toby Mitchell, designer Morgan Large, puppet designer Yvonne Stone, composers Jon Fiber & Andy Shaw(Shock Productions) and lighting designer James Whiteside.  

The cast are Amy Harris as Witch, Connor Bloom as Bird / Dragon, David Garrud as Dog / Frog, Emma Crowley-Bennett as Cat and Dale Wylde as Understudy/ASM.

IGGETY, ZIGGETY, ZAGGETY, ZOOM…

Listings info
Room on the Broom 
Dates: Tue 1 – Sun 27 August (excluding Mondays).
Times: 11am & 2pm
Tickets: £16. Family ticket £55.
Running time 60 minutes (no interval)
Website

 

NFA International Arts & Culture

In association with The Place, the Institut français du Royaume Uni, and SACD France

Present

MEDEA

By Jean René Lemoine

Featuring Francois Testory

Translated and directed by Neil Bartlett 

Medea returns from history. This time, she’s telling her side of the story…

• UK TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED FOR JEAN RENÉ LEMOINE’S STARTLING CONTEMPORARY REIMAGINING OF THE GREEK LEGEND MEDEA AS A GENDERLESS, STATELESS, AND VIOLENTLY TRANSGRESSIVE CONTEMPORARY LGBTQ FIGURE
• THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PREMIERE OF LEMOINE’S GENDER BENDING DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE DIRECTED AND TRANSLATED BY NEIL BARTLETT
• FRANCOIS TESTORY’S PERFORMANCE WILL FUSE EXTRAORDINARY PHYSICALITY, AN ANDROGYNOUS AND UNIQUE STAGE PRESENCE WITH A SEVEN–OCTAVE VOCAL RANGE, TO BRING THIS EXTRAORDINARY CHARACTER TO LIFE

 

 ‘A hallucinatory initiation rite’ (LE MONDE)

This autumn UK audiences will have the first opportunity to witness the English language premiere of Jean René Lemoine’s reimagining of the classic story of passion and revengeMedea. Previewing at the Marlborough Pub & Theatre in Brighton on the 28th September, the performance will premiere at The Place London presented as part of And What? Queer. Arts. Festival before going on tour to Cambridge Junction, Norwich Arts Centre, Pavilion Dance Bournemouth, Hull Truck Theatre, Unity Theatre Liverpool as part of Homotopia Festival, Lancaster Arts Centre at University of Lancaster, and Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

This startling reimagining sees Medea cast as the ultimate outsider, a stranger in a foreign land, a being filled with rage. Her monologue is half witness-statement, half incantation, taking us from ancient Greece to modern Europe and back again in a provocative, blood-soaked collage of performance, opera, and sexual confession. Lemoine’s version ofMedea, already performed in France to great acclaim, reimagines this archetypal figure from classical drama as a genderless, stateless, and violently transgressive contemporary figure. The playwright, an artist of Afro-French origin born in Haiti, makes Medea a stranger in her own country, who seeks to flee from the asphyxiation of family bonds through carnal union with her brother and then in the physical bedazzlement of her encounter with Jason, the ravisher and the violator. The work speaks about marginalisation, isolation, and exile.

The performer, dancer and vocalist, François Testory fuses his extraordinary physicality, and androgynous and unique stage presence with a radical mixing of classical and contemporary vocal technique to bring the murderous figure of Medea to life in this evocative lament featuring live music by Phil Von. Testory has performed with some of Europe’s most innovative companies, including Lindsay Kemp, DV8, Rambert Dance Company, Punch Drunk, and Gecko.

Following a hugely successful run at The Arcola with The Plague, Medea is the new work from one of the UK’s most celebrated directors and authors, Neil Bartlett. The piece is directed and translated by Bartlett who has drawn on his experience of both heightened classical drama at the largest scale and of the most intimate contemporary queer solo performance genre to create a powerful theatrical experience. Neil Bartlett was formerly Artistic Director the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith; his other recent work includes Stella (LIFT, Brighton Festival, Holland Festival 2016) and the Britten Canticles (Aldeburgh, Brighton, Royal Opera House, 2015).

The production will tour in smaller-scale venues across the UK in order to ensure the work is experienced by young diverse audiences in a bid to present highly charged theatre on an accessible platform. Through the performance itself and an accompanying programme of audience engagement and participation, audiences will be encouraged to explore the issues with which the work deals.

 

 

NFA International Arts & Culture

In association with The Place, the Institut français du Royaume Uni, and SACD France

Present

MEDEA

Performance by François Testory

Translation and direction by Neil Bartlett

Corsetier, Mr Pearl

Sound design and performance by Phillipe Fontez

Lighting design by Chahine Yavroyan

Stage, company and technical management by Jules Millard

Production photography by Manuel Vason

Produced by Nelson Fernandez and Lia Prentaki for NFA International Arts & Culture

 

2017 Tour Dates

• Marlborough Pub & Theatre Brighton – 28-29 September
• The Place London presented as part of And What? Queer. Arts. Festival – 5-6-7 October
• Cambridge Junction – 11 October
• Norwich Arts Centre – 18 October
• Pavilion Dance Bournemouth – 20 October
• Hull Truck Theatre Hull – 24-25 October
• Unity Theatre, Homotopia Festival, Liverpool – 1 November
• Lancaster Arts, University of Lancaster – 2 November
• Birmingham Repertory Theatre – 17-18 November

‘BRITISH QUEEN OF BLUES’, ELKIE BROOKS, AT LEEDS GRAND THEATRE FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY

Eighties singer/song-writer and Brit Award nominee, Elkie Brooks, is set to appear at Leeds Grand Theatre on Sunday 29th April for one night only.

Originally with the bands Dada and Vinegar Joe, the husky voiced Brooks made her name as a solo artist in the late seventies and eighties, releasing hit singles including ‘Pearl’s a Singer’, ‘Lilac Wine’, ‘Don’t Cry Out Loud’, ‘Fool (If You Think It’s Over)’, and ‘No More the Fool’, and the top-selling album ‘Pearls’. By April 2012, Brooks had released more albums to reach the top 75 of the UK album chart than any other British female artist (later equalled by Kate Bush).

Elkie Brooks embarks on a UK-wide tour from July 2017 to coincide with the release her compilation album ‘Pearls – The Very Best Of’. The one-off event at Leeds Grand Theatre will see Brooks sing all her hits plus newly recorded material.

Tickets for the event will go on sale on Wednesday 5th July – priority tickets can be purchased from Wednesday 28th June.

“Still One of The Great British Voices” The Guardian

Elkie Brooks is at Leeds Grand Theatre on Sunday 29th April

Tickets are priced from £24 (restricted viewing) to £39

(prices include a £3 booking fee. Postage charge £1 where applicable)

Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call Box Office on 0844 848 2700

MAGICIAN & COMEDIAN

ALI COOK ANNOUNCES

PRINCIPLES OF DECEPTION

UK TOUR: 16 September – 11 November 2017

 

The star of West End magic marvels and big screen spectacles, Ali Cook, has announced a new UK tour for his critically acclaimed comedy magic show Principles of Deception. Treating audiences to a festival of fascination, Principles of Deception acts as the essential storytelling of magic, with Ali Cook’s own brand of awe-inspiring magic and off-beat comedy. The tour will visit theatres nationwide between 16^th September – 11^th November 2017.

 

“A hugely impressive show that’s never short on spectacle… Genuinely astounding”

★★★★ Mail on Sunday

 

Taking its name from Arthur Buckley’s seminal magic compendium Principles and Deceptions – the first book to categorize every magic trick – Principles of Deception demonstrates Ali Cook’s skill as a historian of deception. In a masterclass of technique across a range of magic disciplines, Ali Cook defies the illusionist norm by showcasing a plethora of astonishments for audiences. Featuring close up magic, mind reading sleight of hand, suggestion, hypnosis, black art, misdirection and many more styles, Principles of Deceptionis an evening of magical invention and re-invention.

 

“Forget what you think you know about comedy magicians – Ali Cook is edgy, intelligent, self-referential, caustically hilarious and one of the most sought-after illusionists on the planet”

GQ Magazine

 

Ali’s renown in the alternative comedy and magic worlds has led him to star in the West End illusion spectacular Impossible, as well as television magic specials including Penn & Teller: Fool Us (ITV), Dirty Tricks (Channel 4), Secret World of Magic (Sky One) and Now You See It (BBC One).

 

In addition to his comedy and illusion work, Ali has also undertaken television acting roles in Emmerdale (ITV) and Mr Selfridge (ITV), as well as film roles in the BAFTA nominated film Kajaki (2015), Get Lucky(2013, Universal Pictures), The Anomaly (2014, Universal Pictures) and The Messenger (2015, directed by BAFTA and Emmy Award winner David Blair). He will also co-star in the upcoming political comedy How To Sell A War with Katherine Parkinson.

 

Principles of Deception became Ali Cook’s third sold-out show at the world famous Edinburgh Festival in 2011. The performance won him critical acclaim, and firmly established Ali as a leading proponent of the alternative magic scene. His other Edinburgh shows A Touch of Vegas (2008) and Pieces of Strange (2010) were also met with superlative reviews and sold out performances.

 

Suitable for ages 8+ (Recommended Guidance)

 

Ali Cook’s Principles Of Deception UK Tour Dates

 

Saturday 16^th September                                                              Box Office: 01224 641122

Aberdeen, The Lemon Tree                                                        Website: aberdeenperformingarts.com

Saturday 30^th September                                                              Box Office: 01603 612580

Norwich, Norwich Playhouse                                                      Website: norwichplayhouse.co.uk

Friday 6^th October                                                                            Box Office: 01308 424204

Bridport, Bridport Arts Centre                                                    Website: bridport-arts.com

Saturday 7^th October                                                                      Box Office: 01483 369350

Guildford, G Live Studio                                                                Website: glive.co.uk

Friday 13^th October                                                                          Box Office: 01608 642350

Chipping Norton, The Theatre                                                    Website: chippingnortontheatre.com

Saturday 14^th October                                                                    Box Office: 01248 382828

Bangor, Pontio Studio                                                                    Website: pontio.co.uk

Saturday 21^st October                                                                    Box Office: 01442 228091

Hemel Hempstead, Old Town Hall                                            Website: oldtownhall.co.uk

Saturday 28^th October                                                                    Box Office: 0121 446 3232

Birmingham, mac Birmingham                                                    Website: macbirmingham.co.uk

Friday 3^rd November                                                                      Box Office: 01235 515144

Didcot, Cornerstone                                                                       Website: cornerstone-arts.org

Saturday 11^th November                                                               Box Office: 01664 851 111

Melton Mowbray, Melton Theatre                                          Website: meltontheatre.co.uk

YOUNG ‘EMERGING COMPANY’ COMPLETE THE CAST OF

EUROPEAN PREMIERE OF

WORKING

A MUSICAL

AT SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE

Completing the cast of the European Premiere of WORKING at Southwark Playhouse are six young performers all making their professional debuts. Patrick Coulter (Bird College of Dance), Nicola Espallardo (Guildford School of Acting), Izuka Hoyle, Luke Latchman, Huon Mackley (all Arts Educational Schools, London) and Kerri Norville (Bird College of Dance) will join the previously announced Gillian Bevan, Dean Chisnall, Krysten Cummings, Siubhan Harrison, Peter Polycarpou and Liam Tamne.

WORKING opens on 7 June 2017, with previews from 2 June, for a strictly limited season ending 8 July 2017, and is directed by Luke Sheppard.

The musical’s creative team has auditioned over 130 drama school students and aspiring young performers, discovering some of the most exciting upcoming musical theatre talent. With the support of Arts Council England and Unity Theatre Trust, the production will also host workshops for young people in Southwark and Lambeth interested in entering the theatre profession.

Luke Sheppard said of the new company members, “I’m thrilled we are able to welcome these graduates to our company. They are integral to the vision of our production. I hope that this opportunity reflects a fundamental theme of the piece: a new generation asking questions of those who have trod the career path that lies ahead, holding a mirror up to the changing landscape of employment.”

Producer Ramin Sabi said, “We are so grateful to Arts Council England for supporting our endeavour to provide professional opportunities to young people who face so many challenges when entering the world of work. Their grant has helped us to include these actors on the same equal footing as the whole cast and creative team, in accordance with our company’s commitment to Equity’s Professionally Made Professionally Paid campaign.”

WORKING is the extraordinary genre-defining musical from Grammy and Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell) based on Studs Terkel’s best-selling book of interviews with the American workforce: Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do. The show has been adapted by Stephen Schwartz and Nina Faso, the creators of Godspell and Rags, with additional contributions by Gordon Greenberg.

This highly original and universal portrait of the American workday is told from the perspective of those that the world so often overlooks – the schoolteacher, the housewife, the fireman and the waitress, amongst many – whose daily grind and aspirations reflect the truths of the people that make up a nation. WORKING employs a range of musical styles and genres from contributing composers, including five-time Grammy Award-winner James Taylor and Pulitzer Prize-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In The Heights), as well as Craig Carnelia, Micki Grant, Mary Rodgers & Susan Birkenhead.

WORKING first opened on Broadway in 1978, under the direction of Stephen Schwartz, with a cast including Patti LuPone, Bob Gunton, Joe Mantegna, David Patrick Kelly and Rex Everhart. The show has since undergone several revisions, with additional songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda being introduced in 2009. WORKING was last performed off-Broadway in December 2012, under the direction of Gordon Greenberg (Holiday Inn, Guys and Dolls, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris).

WORKING will have Choreography by Fabian Aloise, Set Design by Jean Chan, Costume Design by Gabriella Slade, Lighting Design by Nic Farman and Sound Design by Tom Marshall, with Musical Supervision by Alex Parker, Musical Direction by Isaac McCullough and Casting by Will Burton CDG.

The new production at Southwark Playhouse is performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited.

WORKING is produced by Jack Maple, Ramin Sabi, Christopher Ketner, & D.E.M. Productions.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

2 June – 8 July

Southwark Playhouse

77-85 Newington Causeway

London SE1 6BD

Performance Times:

Monday – Friday 7.30pm

Saturday 3.00pm & 7.30pm

N.B Tuesday 4 July – Additional matinee at 3pm

Tickets: £25 and £20 concessions (from £14 during previews)

Box Office: 020 7407 0234

Website: southwarkplayhouse.co.uk / www.workingthemusical.co.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SouthwarkPlayhouse

Twitter: @WorkingMusical

MEI Theatrical in association with Polka Theatre

Presents

SARAH & DUCK’S BIG TOP BIRTHDAY

The BAFTA-winning CBeebies duo live on stage at Edinburgh Fringe 2017

At the Underbelly Med Quad from Wednesday 2 to Sunday 20 August

The enchanting world of CBeebies’ hit animated series Sarah & Duck will be brought to life on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe this Summer.

Featuring a host of wonderful characters from the BAFTA Award-winning show, embarking on a brand new adventure, Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday will play at the Underbelly Med Quad from Wednesday 2 to Sunday 20 August. The production first premiered at London’s Polka Theatre in April.

Join Sarah and Duck, along with all their favourite friends including The Ribbon Sisters, The Shallots, John and Flamingo and Umbrella, as they plan a circus-themed birthday party for Scarf Lady in their garden. But when the weather turns windy and the big top is blown away, will Sarah and Duck be able to save the day? Told through a fantastic blend of inventive puppetry, charming storytelling and toe-tapping music, Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday will take families and children on a magical theatrical adventure.

Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday features all the familiar voices from the CBeebies series, includingRoger Allam as the Narrator and Lesley Nicol as Scarf Lady.

Following the gentle adventures of a wide-eyed, 7-year-old girl and her feathered best friend, Sarah & Duck has been a huge hit since its debut in 2013, winning a BAFTA for ‘Best Pre-School Animation’ in 2014 and regularly appearing in CBeebies’ Top Ten programmes for viewers aged 4-15. Now in its third series, it is shown in over 100 counties around the world.

Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday is written by Polka Theatre’s artistic director Peter Glanville andSarah & Duck co-creator Sarah Gomes Harris. It is directed by Roman Stefanski with set and puppet design by Laura McEwen. It is presented by MEI Theatrical in association with Polka Theatre. Sarah & Duck is a Karrot Entertainment production for CBeebies UK and BBC Worldwide.

Recommended for children aged 2-6.

Durration: 55 minutes

★★★★

“Youngsters will delight in the visual spectacle”

OK! Magazine

“Kids’ll go quackers”

Daily Mirror

Website: www.sarahandducklive.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/sarahandduck

Twitter: @Sarah_and_Duck

 

 

LISTINGS

 

Dates: Wednesday 2 – Sunday 20 August 2017

Venue: THE COW BARN at UNDERBELLY MED QUAD

Address: Medical School, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9AG

Performances: Daily at 11.10am (except 14 Aug)

Tickets: Previews (2-4 Aug) £8, Regular £11/£12, Conc £9.50/£10.50

Box Office: www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk / 03333 444 167

PRODUCTION IMAGES RELEASED FOR RACING DEMON AT THEATRE ROYAL BATH

• PRODUCTION IMAGES RELEASED FOR RACING DEMON BY DAVID HARE, DIRECTED BY JONATHAN CHURCH
• THE PRODUCTION WILL STAR OLIVIER AWARD WINNER DAVID HAIG
• RACING DEMON WILL RUN AT THEATRE ROYAL BATH UNTIL SATURDAY 8 JULY

 

Production images have today been released for David Hare’s Racing Demon, directed byJonathan Church, which plays at Theatre Royal Bath until Saturday 8 July, with opening night this evening.

Olivier Award-winner David Haig will star as Lionel Espy in the multi-award winning play. He will be joined by Sam Alexander, Michelle Bonnard, Anthony Calf, William Chubb, Paapa Essiedu, Andrew Fraser, Ian Gelder, Rebecca Night, Amanda Root and Ashley Russell.

Four clergymen seek to make sense of their mission in inner-city London whilst facing their own personal crises. There’s Lionel Espy, a cleric whose faith is wavering as his parishioners dwindle; tabloid-hounded gay vicar Harry Henderson; ‘Streaky’ Bacon, a genial reverend with a taste for tequila, and a charismatic young curate, Tony Ferris whose arrival is set to fan the flames, whilst his sexual relationship with his lover turns to ash. The day of judgement is at hand for all.

Racing Demon is the first production in Jonathan Church’s inaugural season as Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Bath’s annual Summer Season. The programme of five plays will also include Sand in the Sandwiches by Hugh Whitemore from Tuesday 11 July – Saturday 15 July, the UK Premiere of Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest from Friday 21 July – Saturday 12 August, Looking at Lucian by Alan Franks from Thursday 3 August – Saturday 2 September and Alan Bennett’s The Lady in the Van from Wednesday 16 August – Saturday 2 September.

David Haig (Lionel Espy) has previously performed at Theatre Royal Bath in The Madness of George III and King Lear. Other recent theatre credits include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Old Vic), Blue/Orange (Young Vic), Guys & Dolls (Savoy Theatre) and Our Country’s Good(Royal Court), for which he won the Olivier Award. Notable film and television credits includeFour Weddings and a Funeral, Witness for the Prosecution, The Thick of It and Mo.

Jonathan Church succeeds Peter Hall as Artistic Director, who established the Theatre Royal Bath Summer Season in 2003 with his company’s annual residencies. Church was previously Artistic Director of Chichester Festival Theatre, overseeing over 100 productions including Taken at Midnight, ENRON, Macbeth with Sir Patrick Stewart, Sweeney Todd and Gypsy. Following his departure from Chichester Festival Theatre, Jonathan Church set up his own independent production company, which he will continue to lead alongside his new position at Theatre Royal Bath.

David Hare is one of the UK’s foremost playwrights and screenwriters with plays including The Judas Kiss, Skylight, Amy’s View and Plenty. He received Academy Award nominations for his adaptations of The Hours and The Reader.

REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE ANNOUNCE

COMPLETED CASTING

FOR TIM RICE AND ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

 

• Already announced: Declan Bennett, David Thaxton, Peter Caulfield and Evening Standard Award-winner Tyrone Huntley reprise their roles of Jesus, Pilate, Herod and Judas
• Maimuna Memon takes the role of Mary
• Phillip Browne plays Caiaphas with Sean Kingsley reprising his performance as Annas
• Tim Newman plays Simon Zealotes with Phil King reprising his performance as Peter

 

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has today announced completed casting for Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar, which returns to the theatre from 11 August in an extended run through to 23 September 2017. Already announced are Declan Bennett, Tyrone Huntley (who won the Evening Standard Emerging Talent Award for his performance in 2016), David Thaxton and Peter Caulfield, who reprise their roles of Jesus, Judas, Pilate and Herod. The 2016 production won the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival and Evening Standard Award for Best Musical.

Maimuna Memon takes the role of Mary. Previous credits include Winnie and Wilbur (Birmingham Rep), Lazarus (King’s Cross Theatre), The Busker’s Opera (Park Theatre) and Into The Woods (Royal Exchange Manchester).

 

Phillip Browne and Sean Kingsley play Caiaphas and Annas. Phillip’s previous credits include Ain’t Misbehaving (Sheffield Crucible), Anything Goes (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Piaf (Donmar) and Ragtime (Piccadilly), and he also appeared in the 2012 film Batman, The Dark Knight Rises. Sean, who recently appeared in The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic), reprises his 2016 performance as Annas. His previous credits include Jersey Boys (UK Tour), We Will Rock You (European Tour), Little Shop of Horrors (Birmingham Rep) and Mamma Mia! (International Tour).

 

Tim Newman and Phil King play Simon Zealotes and Peter. Tim’s credits include Memphis (Shaftesbury), Mamma Mia! (International Tour), Grease (Piccadilly), Footloose (Novello) and All The Fun of the Fair(Garrick/UK Tour) for which he received a WhatsOnStage Award nomination. Phil, who reprises his performance as Peter, composed the music for, and appeared in, To Kill a Mockingbird at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. His previous credits also include Jane Eyre (Bristol Old Vic/National) and, as a musician, he plays festivals and fayres across the UK, as well as Paris, Berlin, Barcelona and New York.

 

Previous cast members returning to the production are Josh Dever, Rhys Whitfield, Charlotte Riby and Sinead Long. They are joined by Mark Dugdale, Ivan De Freitas, Stevie Hutchinson, Javar Parker, Nuno Queimado, Cleve September, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, Kirstie Skivington, Christopher Tendai, Tara Young, and Dale White. The Soul Girls are played by Kayleigh McKnight, Lauran Rae and Nicholle Cherrie.

 

With direction by Timothy Sheader, design by Tom Scutt, choreography by Drew McOnie, musical supervision by Tom Deering, lighting design by Lee Curran and sound design by Nick Lidster for Autograph, Jesus Christ Superstar was a sell-out in 2016 and, in addition the Olivier and Evening Standard Award-wins, also received a further five Olivier Award nominations, for Best Theatre Choreography, Best Lighting, Best Sound, Outstanding Achievement in Music, and Best Actor in a Musical (for Tyrone Huntley).

 

The production opens at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in April 2018.

 

The 2017 Open Air Theatre season also includes On The Town, (until 1 July) directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie. This is followed by Dickens Uncovered celebrating the greatest storyteller of London life, Charles Dickens. Artistic Director Timothy Sheader directs A Tale of Two Cities (7 July – 5 August), a new play by Matthew Dunster adapted from the original Dickens novel and, developing their programme of work made especially for families, Caroline Byrne directs a new play version of Oliver Twist created for everyone aged six and over adapted by Anya Reiss (17 July – 5 August).

 

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre was voted London Theatre of the Year in the Stage Awards 2017, and recently announced a collaboration with English National Opera for their 2018 season, with Timothy Sheader directing Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw (22 – 30 Jun 2018).

NETWORK OF INDEPENDENT CRITICS ANNOUNCES EDINBURGH 2017 PARTICIPANTS

‘FINE DINING WITH A WELCOME DIFFERENCE’ RESTAURANT BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO LEGENDARY LEEDS VENUE TO OPEN THIS AUGUST

HOME is re-imagining the world of fine dining and opening on Kirkgate later this summer, at a city centre location fondly remembered under a number of guises for more than a century.

 

Elizabeth Cottam, from Leeds – much-praised semi-finalist of last year’s BBC MasterChef – and Mark Owens, former Head Chef at the Michelin-starred The Box Tree in Ilkley, have announced the location for their new restaurant as 16-17 Kirkgate in Leeds city centre. HOME – which describes its approach as ‘fine dining, reimagined’ – will be opening its doors in August, and its offer includes a ten-course tasting menu, featuring an impressive range of seasonal and local ingredients.

The concept and name for HOME is inspired by its creators’ love of fine dining – rooted in a strong sense of heritage and provenance – offered with a welcoming atmosphere. The carefully-chosen 3669 sqft venue for HOME has previously been a dance hall, billiard club, cinema and most recently Darbar restaurant, offering Indian cuisine with a fondly remembered welcome from the street.

16-17 Kirkgate is now being transformed into HOME – a 65 cover restaurant with bar area. An additional exclusive chef’s table experience is also being offered for serious foodies with unique insights into the creation of the dishes, and being served by Elizabeth and Mark throughout the evening. The duo have a vision and commitment to bring something completely new to the world of fine dining and the claims and aspirations for HOME are well-grounded.

Elizabeth Cottam explains: “After MasterChef I knew I wanted more from, and for, the Yorkshire restaurant scene. Encouraged by the judges’ recommendations that I had professional potential I sought out more experience, and met Mark Owens at The Box Tree where we quickly found we had lots in common with our approach – not least our shared passion for great food, and even better service. It really got Mark and I thinking that there could be a place for something else in the Leeds restaurant scene.”

Elizabeth secured a residency at The New Ellington hotel in Leeds city centre last year, working with Mark as a consultant, which achieved a raft of five star reviews for their food. Customers also commented about feeling like they’d been invited to someone’s home for dinner, thanks to the passion with which their dishes were described and the warm welcome they received.

Elizabeth continued: “The HOME name was borne out of our diners’ comments and we are delighted to have found the location for its permanent location on Kirkgate. As someone who is Leeds born and bred, I’m really pleased to have found a place with such a rich heritage, and it’s now a part of the city that has been given a a new lease of life thanks to recent developments like the Victoria centre with John Lewis and other high-end outlets. We are very excited to have secured this venue and that major work has now started to create something unique and really special for Leeds.”

The launch ten course tasting menu for HOME is still under wraps but it is confirmed that all of the menus – three course lunch menus and smaller five course evening menus will also be available – will change every month and all will feature the very best in locally, regionally and nationally-sourced ingredients.

Mark Owens commented: “We’re coming at this with a ‘HOME by name, home by nature’ approach and our monthly-changing menus will be a true celebration of everything Great British produce has to offer. We’ve spent a lot of time working together on our first menus and I know that we’ve found the very best that the country has to offer.”

To register for notifications about when first bookings are being taken for HOME and for further information please go to www.homeleeds.co.uk

Elizabeth Cottam concluded: “HOME is being created through our creative and nurturing approach to all elements of our work: From the design of the restaurant to the bringing together of our team of the very best local talent, and from the sourcing of the very best seasonal produce our country has to offer to the creation of some very special treats and surprises for our diners. HOME is something we are really proud of already and we’re looking forward to opening our doors in August with a really warm welcome.”