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York Theatre Royal – 16 May 2017.  Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

Oh Romeo, oh Romeo… if you can’t tell what play this is already, then I think you’ve been living under a rock for the past 400 years. Now we all know the famous Classic tragedy of woe and love, some of us love it and some of us hate it with a passion. With most productions of Romeo And Juliet, directors and theatre creators find a way to modernise the play though use of setting and time period. Setting the play modern day with a gangesque feel is often done, but I don’t know how to describe the feel I got from the adaptation, but I can say that I loved it but I don’t know why. I find myself rarely thinking this, for me it stood out from the endless sea of Romeo and Juliet’s.

When you first walk into the main theatre the show had already begun with, actors on stage singing modern songs my regret here is that I was spending my time at the bar and not listening to the songs since they were strong singers with great musical talent playing a variety of instruments as well. When the play officially started we were given ‘Take Me To Church’, this really suited the aesthetic and really set the feel for the play. It would be hard not to talk about the actors who played the title roles, with Aruhan Galieva playing the 13 year old independent Juliet and Stuart Wilde taking on the role of Romeo a 17 year old who is constantly in love and devoted to it. These two were both exceptional and both very strong actors, but I found myself leaning towards two other actors; Victoria Blunt who played Benvolio was out of this world switching the gender of the role and also creating a relationship with her fellow actors on stage, the other actor was Lauryn Redding who played the nurse the role of the nurse offers a lot of comic relief throughout the play even to one of the saddest moments, I think she bought extra to the role with me finding standing out of the crowd with the other R+Js I’ve seen.

The stage was fairly brought to live by its set, but it was used with the countless scene changes in the play, bear with me here, we had a bar to the back of the stage and the ever so famous balcony, but we didn’t wait for scene changes at it snapped from scene to scene, with little hidden feature lending for great stage craft and I thank them for this since scene changes are something I mostly hate.

Now without a word of a doubt, I would say go and see this show, and I have to admit R+J isn’t for everyone and I think people overlook this play because I have to admit it is overdone. But that’s because it is a good play and in this instance a strong cast, I found myself entertained throughout the whole play and I’ve seen other productions before and this stood out by a mile, so drop the overdone excuse of not seeing it, and go see it.

STRICTLY COME DANCING STAR

DANNY MAC

TO STAR AS JOE GILLIS

 

IN THE UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF THE

CURVE PRODUCTION OF

 

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S

SUNSET BOULEVARD

 

PRODUCED BY MICHAEL HARRISON AND DAVID IAN

 

DIRECTED BY NIKOLAI FOSTER

OPENING AT CURVE
ON SATURDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2017

Michael Harrison and David Ian are delighted to announce that Danny Mac is to star as Joe Gillis in the forthcoming UK and Ireland tour of Curve’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s award-winning musical SUNSET BOULEVARD. Ria Jones is to play Norma Desmond and the show is to be directed by Nikolai Foster.

SUNSET BOULEVARD will open at Curve on Saturday 16 September 2017 (press night Thursday 28 September), before touring the UK and Ireland. Full casting to be announced shortly. Tour schedule below with more dates to be announced soon. sunsetboulevardtour.com

Most recently Danny Mac captured the nation’s hearts and received overwhelming support during his incredible time on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing making it all the way to the final. This month he stars as Gabey in On The Town at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. His other musical theatre credits include Wicked and Legally Blonde.

One of the all-time great musicals, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award®-winning (Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical) masterpiece SUNSET BOULEVARD is a compelling story of romance and obsession, based on Billy Wilder’s legendary film, with Don Black and Christopher Hampton’s wonderful book and lyrics. This much-loved score includes the title number Sunset Boulevard, With One Look, As If We Never Said Goodbye, The Greatest Star Of All and The Perfect Year and will be performed by a full orchestra.

In her mansion on Sunset Boulevard, faded, silent-screen goddess, Norma Desmond, lives in a fantasy world. Impoverished screen writer, Joe Gillis, on the run from debt collectors, stumbles into her reclusive world. Persuaded to work on Norma’s ‘masterpiece’, a film script that she believes will put her back in front of the cameras, he is seduced by her and her luxurious life-style.  Joe becomes entrapped in a claustrophobic world until his love for another woman leads him to try and break free with dramatic consequences.

SUNSET BOULEVARD UK AND IRELAND TOUR 2017/18

sunsetboulevardtour.com

 

2017

 

SATURDAY 16 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 30 SEPTEMBER

CURVE, LEICESTER  www.curveonline.co.uk

TUESDAY 3 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 7 OCTOBER

EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE www.atgtickets.com/edinburgh

MONDAY 9 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 14 OCTOBER

NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL www.theatreroyal.co.uk

MONDAY 23 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 4 NOVEMBER

MANCHESTER PALACE www.atgtickets.com/manchester

MONDAY 6 NOVEMBER – SATURDAY 11 NOVEMBER

HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE, ABERDEEN www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/venues/his-majestys-theatre

MONDAY 13 NOVEMBER – SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER

BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME www.birminghamhippodrome.com

MONDAY 20 NOVEMBER – SATURDAY 25 NOVEMBER

BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

TUESDAY 28 NOVEMBER – SATURDAY 2 DECEMBER

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

Tales from the Arabian Nights

By Farhana Sheikh

Directed by Jonathan Petherbridge

 London Bubble to stage first summer show in seven years

 Tales from the Arabian Nights will be performed in Southwark Park from 1 – 6 August and Greenwich Park from 9 – 19 August 2017

London Bubble, the iconic South-East London theatre company has announced today that it will stage its first summer show in seven years, with performances in Southwark Park (1– 6 August), and Greenwich Park (9–19 August). Tickets are on sale now from www.londonbubble.org.uk.

Tales from the Arabian Nights was the Bubble’s first promenade production when Farhana Sheikh’s play was staged in 1994, and is now being reimagined for summer 2017 under the direction of Bubble Creative Director Jonathan Petherbridge, with designs by Yasuko Hasegawa.

Well known for their family friendly theatre, London Bubble’s last ticketed summer show was staged in 2010. After funding cuts in 2008 the company had to reinvent itself and become wholly sustainable without Arts Council funding. Their survivalist story – which saw Bubble rebuild the company on people power, passion and partnerships – has been held up as an example of resilience in the theatre industry. The Bubble is now delighted to reconnect with its audiences and go back to doing what they were most publicly known and loved for.

London Bubble’s ethos is “people make theatre” and the mission has always been to create theatre that is inspirational, inclusive and involving – sharing stories that animate the spaces of the city and the spirits of its citizens. The Bubble staged its first summer show in 1972 and has been creating theatre both for and with communities throughout the outer London boroughs for nearly 45 years. Audiences coming to see Tales from the Arabian Nights are welcome to bring their whole family, including babes in arms or children in buggies, plus any pets who might enjoy a trip to the park.

Playwright Farhana Sheikh said: “The Bubble commissioned Tales from the Arabian Nights back in 1994 and it was the first play I ever wrote, so it is a very special project for me. The stories of A Thousand and One Nights are part of a wonderful oral tradition – the remembering, retelling, recreating and reinventing of these tales of romance and adventure could last for days and in this play I attempt to recreate the power of the storyteller. I am delighted to rewrite it for this new production and bring the stories to a new Bubble audience.”

Creative Director Jonathan Petherbridge said: “I am really looking forward to creating a Bubble promenade adventure for a new generation and hopefully, welcoming some of the loyal supporters who enjoyed our shows in the past. Am I right in thinking there is currently a need for less formal theatre experiences that draw on great stories and bring people together in a natural environment? Bubble always provided that – welcoming all ages and building community under the night sky of London.”

Farhana Sheikh’s previous work includes the novel, The Red Box, and nine other plays, including – for the Bubble – Once Upon A Time Very Far from England, Gilgamesh, Gulliver’s Travels and Punchkin Enchanter. She co-wrote, with Adrian Jackson, the award-winning Mincemeat, and with the composer Thomas Johnson, an oratorio, Gilgamesh.

Jonathan Petherbridge has been making different sorts of theatre for nearly three decades – some orthodox work – shows developed from the work of a writer (Shakespeare, Brecht, Brenton), some inspired by places (parks, cliff tops, vaults), some driven by social purposes (young people, intergenerational projects, theatre for early years). He pioneered promenade theatre as a response to the dominance of the black box, directed and rejected the community play, and continually seeks to introduce theatre to effective settings.

Designer Yasuko Hasegawa was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. Her childhood interest in ballet and storytelling led her to study theatre design at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She has worked as theatre designer and community artist since graduation, both in the UK and Japan. In 2015, she designed London Bubble’s Grandchildren of Hiroshima, which was created with the local community of Hiroshima in Japan. She is designing installation for Seven for a Secret with Pegasus Theatre, Oxford in May 2017. She lives and works in Osaka.

WEST END TRANSFER ANNOUNCED FOR
THE MENTOR
STARRING ACADAMY AWARD-WINNER F. MURRAY ABRAHAM

• THE MENTOR TRANSFERS TO LONDON’S VAUDEVILLE THEATRE FROM 24 JUNE – 2 SEPTEMBER WITH OPENING NIGHT FOR PRESS ON 4 JULY
• LAURENCE BOSWELL DIRECTS THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF DANIEL KEHLMANN’S PLAY
• ACADEMY AWARD WINNER F. MURRAY ABRAHAM REPRISES ROLE OF BENJAMIN RUBIN
• TICKETS ON SALE TODAY VIA NIMAXTHEATRES.COM

Theatre Royal Bath Productions and Nica Burns are delighted to announce that Laurence Boswell’s critically acclaimed production of Daniel Kehlmann’s The Mentor will have a West End run at London’s Vaudeville Theatre from 24 June to 2 September with opening night for press on Tuesday 4 July.

The Mentor stars Academy Award-winner F. Murray Abraham as Benjamin Rubin, Daniel Weyman as Martin Wegner, Naomi Frederick as Gina Wegner and Jonathan Cullen as Erwin Rudicek.

The Mentor is directed by Olivier Award-winning Laurence Boswell who resides as Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Bath’s Ustinov Studio where the play celebrated a record-breaking run earlier this year, the most successful in the studio’s history. This production, translated by Academy Award-winning Christopher Hampton, marks the first time that bestselling authorDaniel Kehlmann’s play has been performed outside of Germany.

In a dilapidated art nouveau villa, somewhere in the German countryside, two massive egos are set on a collision course in this perceptive and compelling comedy about art and artists and the legacy of fame.

F. Murray Abraham won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Salieri in Miloš Forman’s masterpiece Amadeus. His numerous other screen credits include Homeland, Mighty Aphrodite, Scarface, Finding Forrester, Star Trek: Insurrection, The Name of the Rose, The Good Wife, Inside Llewyn Davis and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Theatre credits include It’s Only A Play, Othello, Richard III and Uncle Vanya, for which he was awarded an Obie Award for Best Actor.

Daniel Weyman’s previous credits for Theatre Royal Bath include Kafka’s Dick and King Lear. Additional theatre credits include Sideways (St James Theatre), 4000 Days (Park Theatre) andThe Crucible (Bristol Old Vic). Television and film credits include Great Expectations, Foyle’s War and Silent Witness.

Naomi Frederick’s theatre credits include Hobson’s Choice (Theatre Royal Bath and West End),The Heresy of Love, Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It (Shakespeare’s Globe) and The Winslow Boy (Old Vic).

Jonathan Cullen starred in the Ustinov Studio’s production of Trouble in Mind. Additional theatre credits include Enemy of the People (Chichester Festival Theatre), Doctor Faustus(Shakespeare’s Globe) and Love the Sinner (National Theatre).

Daniel Kehlmann is a German-language author whose novel Measuring the World, sold three million copies in Germany alone and has been translated into more than 40 languages.

Christopher Hampton previously translated Florian Zeller’s play The Father for the Ustinov Studio, launching its international success. He won an Academy Award for the adaptation of his own play, Dangerous Liaisons.

Laurence Boswell is an Olivier Award-winner, Artistic Director of the Ustinov Studio and an Associate Artist of the RSC. His recent productions include A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Theatre Royal’s Main House, and Trouble in the Mind, The Mother, Intimate Apparel and The Spanish Golden Age Season in the Ustinov Studio.

CHILDREN’S FAVOURITE TIGER RETURNS TO DINE IN NEWCASTLE ONCE AGAIN

 

North East children are in for a roaring treat as a stage adaptation of the much-loved classic The Tiger Who Came To Tea returns to Newcastle Theatre Royal this Summer, 29 June – 1 July 17. 

 

The truly magical Olivier Award nominated West End production, which has played numerous sell-out runs at the Theatre Royal (most recently in 2015) is a musical play adapted from Judith Kerr’s ever popular tale.  It is the ideal introduction to theatre for children aged three plus and the perfect treat for the whole family.

 

The Tiger Who Came to Tea book was published in 1968, and remains a perennial favourite read by several generations. When Sophie and her Mummy welcome the hungry Tiger to tea, he proceeds to eat all the sandwiches, buns, biscuits and more. He even manages to drink all the water in the tap! What will Sophie’s Daddy say when he gets home? Join Tiger, Sophie and her Mummy and Daddy, in this musical slice of teatime mayhem with sing-a-long songs, oodles of magic and interactive fun.
The production is adapted and directed by David Wood OBE, undisputedly the country’s leading writer and director of plays and musicals for children, whose many successes include: The Gingerbread Man, Guess How Much I Love You, eight Roald Dahl adaptations including West End hits The BFG, The Witches and George’s Marvellous Medicine; and the Olivier Award winning Goodnight Mister Tom.

Wood has been writing plays for children and families for almost fifty years and his productions are seen all over the world.

 

The Tiger Who Came to Tea was first performed at the Bloomsbury Theatre in 2008. The production has since gone on to tour nationally and internationally, playing four smash-hit summer seasons in the West End, Christmas seasons at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Arts Centre, as well as sell-out dates in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and Bahrain.

 

Author Judith Kerr will celebrate her 94^th birthday this year.  In 2008 she approached Newcastle’s very own Seven Stories (The National Centre for Children’s Books) to house her archive. The most significant collection of artwork by a single illustrator in the Seven Stories Collection, Kerr’s archive spans 70 years, and includes childhood paintings, drawings from her student days, and finished artwork for most of her published books, including The Tiger Who Came to Tea.

 

The show is designed by Susie Caulcutt, movement director Emma Clayton and Music Arranger / Supervisor PeterPontzen, starring Abbey Norman (Sophie), Ashley Tucker (Mummy), Harry Howle (Daddy/Milkman/Postman/Tiger), Katie Arundell (Understudy/Wardrobe) and Jacob Jackson (Understudy/ASM). The Tiger Who Came to Tea is produced by Nick Brooke Ltd.

 

The Tiger Who Came to Tea is at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Thurs 29 June until Sat 1 July 2017, playing Thu & Fri at 10.30am & 1.30pm, Sat 10am & 12.30pm. Tickets from £14.50.  Tickets can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge) or book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG GOES RIGHT IN LEEDS

 

The West End’s Olivier Award winning box office hit, The Play That Goes Wrong, is making a welcome return to Leeds next week taking to the stage at Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 22^nd to Saturday 27^thMay.

 

Co-written by Mischief Theatre company members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, The Play That Goes Wrong is a highly physical comedy packed with finely-tuned farce and Buster Keaton inspired slapstick delivered with split-second timing and ambitious daring. The play introduces ‘The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’ who are attempting to put on a 1920s’ murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong does, as the accident-prone thespians battle on against all the odds to get to their final curtain call.

 

“This production went down a storm when it was here last,” says Ian Sime, General Manager of The Grand. “And now that original cast – including the writers – are on Broadway and taking the States by storm! We’re quite proud of that.”

 

Winning the 2014 Whatsonstage.com Award for Best New Comedy, the 2015 Broadway World UK Award for Best New Play and the 2015 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, The Play That Goes Wrong is now enjoying its third year in the West End, where it continues to play to sold-out houses. Licensed to thirty-three countries, with productions playing in Tokyo, Paris, Budapest and soon to open in Rome, Warsaw, Shanghai, Cape Town and Melbourne, the The Play That Goes Wrong is now set to receive its Broadway debut, with the original cast opening at the Lyceum Theatre in New York on 2 April 2017. It is a remarkable rags-to-riches story for a play, which started its life at a London fringe venue with only four paying members of the public at the first performance and has since played to an audience of over half a million.

 

The Play That Goes Wrong is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 22^nd to Saturday 27^th May

Tickets are priced from £12.50 to £34.50

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

 

EPIC NEW PRODUCTION OF JANE EYRE ARRIVES IN NEWCASTLE

Following a critically acclaimed season in London, an inventive new production of Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece Jane Eyre is coming to Newcastle Theatre Royal this summer.  Get ready to see an old classic in a  whole new light, Mon 3 – Sat 8 July 2017.

 

Jane Eyre is an exciting new collaboration between the National Theatre and Bristol Old Vic where it recently played to sold out houses. It will be visiting Newcastle Theatre Royal in the novel’s 170^th anniversary year, proving that Brontë’s iconic story of the trailblazing Jane is as inspiring as ever. This bold and dynamic production tells of one woman’s fight for freedom and fulfilment.  From her beginnings as a destitute orphan, Jane Eyre’s spirited heroine faces life’s obstacles head-on, surviving poverty, injustice and the discovery of bitter betrayal before taking the ultimate decision to follow her heart.

Director Sally Cookson is an Associate Artist of Bristol Old Vic, where her productions include Treasure Island andPeter Pan; and elsewhere, Boing! (Sadler’s Wells), Cinderella (St James Theatre), an adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather (West End and UK tour), and Romeo and Juliet  (Rose Theatre, Kingston).

Cookson said about her production of Jane Eyre:  ‘Adapting a novel for the stage is a challenging prospect – especially when that novel is cited as many people’s favourite of all time. It is always daunting when you’re working on a story which everyone knows so well, because you want to surprise and maybe challenge people’s expectations, without losing any of the things which make them like the story in the first place.’

‘I didn’t actually read the novel until I was in my early twenties and I remember thinking while I read it: ‘this is a clarion cry for equal opportunities for women, not a story about a passive female who will do anything for her hunky boss’. I was struck by how modern Jane seemed – her spirit and strong will, her peculiar and brilliant mind striving for personal freedom to be who she is, lashing out against any constraint that prevents her from being herself. She was exactly the sort of person I wanted to be.’

Nadia Clifford (Pomona) plays the central role of Jane, with Tim Delap as Rochester.  They are joined by Hannah Bristow (Helen Burns/Adele/St John/Grace Poole/Abbot), Matthew Churcher (Musician), Alex Heane (Musician), Melanie Marshall (Bertha Mason), Paul Mundell (Mr Brocklehurst/Pilot/Mason), David Ridley (musician), Evelyn Miller (Bessie/Blanche Ingram/Diana) and Lynda Rook (Mrs Reed/Mrs Fairfax).  The cast is completed by Ben Cutler, Jenny Johns, Dami Olukoya, Francesca Tomlinson and Phoebe Vigor.

 

Jane Eyre is at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Mon 3 until Sat 8 July2017, playing evenings 7pm, matinees on Thu and Sat 2pm. Tickets from £14.50.  Tickets can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge) or book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk

FINAL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE

UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF
CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S

EPIC PRODUCTION OF

BOUBLIL AND SCHÖNBERG’S LEGENDARY MUSICAL

 

OPENING AT CURVE LEICESTER ON 1 JULY 2017

FOLLOWING ITS RECORD-BREAKING LONDON RUN AND

ITS RECENT TONY NOMINATED OPENING ON BROADWAY

 

As rehearsals begin, Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce final casting for the UK and Ireland tour of his acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical MISS SAIGON. Ryan O’Gorman will play ‘John’, and Marsha Songcome will play ‘Gigi’ until 1 August when Na-Young Jeon will take over the role. They join the previously announced Red Concepcion as ‘The Engineer’, Sooha Kim as ‘Kim’, Ashley Gilmour as ‘Chris’, Zoë Doano as ‘Ellen’ and Gerald Santos as ‘Thuy’. At certain performances ‘The Engineer’ will be played by Christian Rey Marbella, and ‘Kim’ will be played by Joreen Bautista.

They are joined by David Allwood, Randy Chien, Vinny Coyle,  Kristine Mae Diaz, Michael James Eborall,  Aynrand Ferrer, Seng Henk Goh, Emily Beth Harrington, Jack Heasman, Tom Hier, Barnaby Hughes, Kamm Kunaree, David Kar-Hing Lee, Amanda Lingdren, Ela Lisondra, Winchester Lopez,  Christian Rey Marbella, Jay Marsh, Tom Mussell,  Thao Nguyen, Saori Oda, YoungJoo Park,  Kiel Payton, Katherine Picar, Alistair So, Carl Jae-Suk Sohlberg, Eloisa Amalia Tan, Gavin Tsang, Amadeus Williams, and Gerald Zarcilla.

The tour opens at Curve Leicester where it will play from Saturday 1 July – Saturday 22 July 2017.www.miss-saigon.com

Red Concepcion’s many theatre credits in his native Philippines include ‘Adam/Felicia’ in “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” for which he won the ALIW Award and Gawah Buhay Award, ‘Tommy’ in “The Normal Heart” and ‘Alan Strang’ in “Equus” as well as the musicals “West Side Story” and “Hairspray”.

Sooha Kim made her professional debut in this recent production of “Miss Saigon” at the Prince Edward Theatre where she covered the role of ‘Kim’ before going on to play the role in the Japanese production. Her credits whilst training in Korea include ‘Maureen’ in “Rent” and ‘Carmen’ in “Fame”.

Ashley Gilmour also appeared in “Miss Saigon” at the Prince Edward Theatre. His most recent credits include playing ‘Link Larkin’ in the national tour of “Hairspray”.

Zoë Doano’s many West End theatre credits include ‘Cosette’ in “Les Misérables”, ‘Johanna’ in “Sweeney Todd” and most recently ‘Grazia’ in “Death Takes A Holiday”. She has also appeared in the national tours of “The Sound of Music” and “High Society”.

Ryan O’Gorman is currently playing the role of ‘Tom Collins’ in the 20^th Anniversary UK Tour of “Rent”.  His other theatre credits include “Les Misérables”, at the Queen’s Theatre, “The Phantom of the Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre, “Billy Elliot” at the Victoria Palace Theatre and the UK tour of “Oliver!”.

Gerald Santos was the youngest ever winner of the biggest singing contest in the Philippines, Pinoy Pop Superstar. He has released five studio albums and has won numerous awards including winning twice Best Male Concert performer at the prestigious ALIW Awards.

Marsha Songcome returns to “Miss Saigon” having previously played the role of ‘Gigi’ at the Prince Edward Theatre. She is currently appearing in Disney’s “Aladdin” in the West End. Her other theatre credits include: ‘Sophie’ in “Mamma Mia!” and ‘Rizzo’ in “Grease” in Sweden.

Na-Young Jeon has previously played the role of ‘Fantine’ in “Les Misérables” at the Queen’s Theatre, a role she also played in South Korea. Her other theatre credits include: ‘Esmerelda’ in “Notre Dame de Paris” in South Korea; ‘Bianca’ in “Kiss Me Kate” in Amsterdam and “Miss Saigon” and “High School Musical” in the Netherlands.

In March, this production of MISS SAIGON opened on Broadway where it plays to nightly ovations and has just been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The New Yorker recently called it a “Dynamite Broadway revival”. When the smash-hit run of this production opened in London in May 2014 to record-breaking advance sales and critical acclaim, Dominic Cavendish in The Daily Telegraph wrote, “This thrilling new production spills out beyond the theatre and speaks directly to the times we live in”. The show swept the board at the 2015 Whatsonstage.com awards winning a record breaking nine awards, the most awards ever won by a single show in the 15-year history of the awards including: Best West End Show and Best Revival of a Musical.

 

MISS SAIGON tells the story of the last days of the Vietnam War, 17 year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as the Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he’s fathered a son.

MISS SAIGON has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, adapted from original French lyrics by Alain Boublil, with additional lyrics by Michael Mahler. The new production is directed by Laurence Connor with musical staging by Bob Avian and additional choreography by Geoffrey Garratt.  Production design is by Totie Driver and Matt Kinley based on an original concept by Adrian Vaux; costume design by Andreane Neofitou; lighting design by Bruno Poet; projections by Luke Halls; sound design by Mick Potter; and orchestrations by William David Brohn.

Since its London premiere in 1989, Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s legendary musical MISS SAIGON has become one of the most successful musicals in history.  The original Broadway production of MISS SAIGON opened on April 11, 1991 with what was the largest advance sale in Broadway history ($37 million).  The show went on to play for nearly ten years and 4,063 performances seen by more than 5.9 million people. MISS SAIGON has been performed in 28 countries, over 300 cities in 15 different languages, has won over 40 awards including 2 Olivier Awards, 3 Tony Awards, and 4 Drama Desk Awards and been seen by over 35 million people worldwide.

MISS SAIGON UK TOUR 2017/2018

www.miss-saigon.com

MONDAY 3 JULY – SATURDAY 22 JULY 2017

CURVE, LEICESTER

www.curveonline.co.uk – 0116 242 3595

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 26 JULY – SATURDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2017

BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME

www.birminghamhippodrome.com – 0844 338 5000

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 4 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2017

BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN

www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie – +353 (1) 677 7999

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 29 NOVEMBER 2017 – SATURDAY 6 JANUARY 2018

WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE, CARDIFF

www.wmc.org.uk – 029 2063 6464

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 17 JANUARY – SATURDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2018

FESTIVAL THEATRE EDINBURGH

www.edtheatres.com – 01315296000

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 21 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 17 MARCH 2018

MAYFLOWER THEATRE, SOUTHAMPTON

www.mayflower.org.uk – 02380 711811

ON SALE NOW

WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH – SATURDAY 12 MAY 2018

MANCHESTER PALACE THEATRE

www.atgtickets.com/venues/palace-theatre-manchester – 0844 871 3019

ON SALE 18 MAY 2017

Majestic Theatre, Darlington – 17 May 2017

The intimate surroundings of the Majestic Theatre in Darlington provided an ideal stage for the performers of Darlington Community Wind Band and Darlington SING Community Choir to showcase their talents on a diverse selection of old favourites and new repertoire.

The fabulous acoustics of this new theatre proved to be a wonderful setting for the magical music.  And as many in the audience said, the venue was the perfect size after the loss of the old Arts Centre and with the Hippodrome not just shut for refurbishment but also just too large for the intimacy this music deserves.

The Darlington Community Wind Band originally formed in 2006, was skillfully directed by Ed Thompson – a serving bandsman with The Band of The Royal Armoured Corps in Catterick, showing its proficiency and musical taste, delivering a beautifully well-rounded concert.

This was a performance of very high calibre – and great entertainment. And whilst I would be hard pushed to name the pieces they were highly enjoyable and performed perfectly

Darlington SING Community Choir has been running since 2012 led by Musical Director Bridie Jackson they presented a programme of songs which was was beautifully varied and gave much pleasure to the audience.

The members of the choir produced a warm, pleasing tone with good intonation.  As with so many choirs, the women outnumbered the men, but this didn’t spoil the entertainment and everyone left the Majestic  having been thoroughly entertained.

The members of Darlington Community Wind Band and Darlington SING Community Choir come from in and around the local area – all connected by a desire to make collective music. This surely is an example of “community” at its best. And I look forward to seeing the  Darlington Community Wind Band and Darlington SING Community Choir perform at the Majestic again.

First ever UK tour of La Cage Aux Folles stars John Partridge, Adrian Zmed and Marti Webb

At The Lowry Tue 13 – Sat 17 June

Bill Kenwright presents the highly anticipated first ever UK tour of the Tony and Olivier award winning La Cage Aux Folles, at The Lowry from Tuesday 13 until Sat 17 June.

John Partridge will play the iconic role of ‘Albin’, who moonlights as star drag act Zaza at the infamous La Cage aux Folles nightclub. Partridge’s extensive theatre credits include the West End productions of A Chorus Line at the London Palladium, Cats, Starlight Express and Chicago. He is also well known for playing the loveable Christian Clarke in BBC’s EastEnders and as a judge on TV’s Over The Rainbow.

Adrian Zmed will play ‘Georges’, partner of Albin and owner of the nightclub. Zmed co-starred with William Shatner as ‘Officer Vince Romano’ in the 80’s hit TV show T.J. Hooker, which ran for 90 episodes over 5 years, and for playing ‘Johnny Nogerelli’ in the cult classic film Grease 2. Adrian then went on to star alongside big screen legend Tom Hanks in comedy Bachelor Party. This will be his first stage appearance in the UK although he is no stranger to Broadway musicals having previously led the casts of Grease, no fewer than 3 times, Falsettos and Blood Brothers.

One of the West End’s most revered leading ladies’, TV star and recording artist Marti Webb will play ‘Jacqueline’, friend to ‘Albin’ and ‘Georges’, and owner of the restaurant ‘Chez Jacqueline’. Webb has played leading roles in numerous West End and touring musicals including Evita, Godspell, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Blood Brothers, Oliver, Oklahoma, 42^nd Street, and Half-a-Sixpence. She received huge critical acclaim for her unforgettable performance in Tell Me on a Sunday, which was written specifically for her by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black. She has recorded nine solo albums and had many hit singles, including Always There, the theme from the hit BBC series ‘Howard’s Way’ and the smash hit Take That Look off Your Face.

Dougie Carter will appear alongside them as ‘Jean-Michele’, Samson Ajewole as ‘Jacob’, Su Douglas as ‘Marie/Madame Renaud’, Alexandra Robinson as ‘Anne’, Paul F Monaghan as ‘Dindon / Renaud’, and Jon De Ville as ‘Francis’. Joining them on stage as Les Cagelles will beJordan Livesey, Matthew Ives, Louie-George Daniels, Liam Paul Jennings, Micah Holmes and Richard Leavey. Completing the cast areLuke Byrne, Jane Quinn, and Rachel Cumino.

Written by Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman, and based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret, La Cage Aux Folles follows the story of Georges, the manager of a Saint Tropez nightclub, and his partner, Albin, a drag artiste and the club’s star attraction. They live an idyllic existence in the south of France but behind the curtains of this sparkling extravaganza, all may be about to change when Georges’ son Jean-Michel announces his engagement to the daughter of a notorious right-wing politician determined to close down the local colourful night-life. Drama and hilarity ensue when a meeting of the parents forces them to cover up their vibrant lifestyle. Will Albin be able to play the role of his life to ensure that Jean-Michel can marry his love?

La Cage Aux Folles is a multi-award winning musical. The original Broadway production became an instant smash hit when it opened in 1983. It received nine nominations for Tony Awards and won six, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. The success of the musical spawned a London Palladium production and several international runs. The 2004 Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival, and the 2008 London revival garnered the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.

Setting out on its first ever UK tour, this brand new production is produced by Bill Kenwright, directed by Martin Connor, choreographed by Olivier Award Winning Bill Deamer, designed by Gary McCann, with Wigs and Make-up Design by Richard Mawbey, Lighting by Ben Cracknell and Sound by Dan Samson (the team responsible for the sumptuous current hit, The Sound of Music), and musical direction byMark Crossland. This lavishly funny tale of unconditional love and family values, will leave you feeling the need to celebrate that life’s not worth a damn ‘till you can say I am what I am.’

This show-stopping score includes The Best of Times, Song on the Sand and the iconic I Am What I Am, which has been recorded by musical legends Gloria Gaynor, Shirley Bassey and Tony Bennett.