Home

BANANARAMA ARE BACK

Siobhan Fahey re-joins Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward for one time only Tour coming to Newcastle City Hall Wednesday 15 November 2017

The girl group that defined the 80s are back to their original, record-breaking line up for a tour this November in the UK. This will be the only time they tour in the original line up.

This will be the first time Sara, Keren and Siobhan have ever toured together. Tickets go on sale Wednesday 26 April at 9am.

“Keren and I have toured as a duo for years, but we never toured or played live with Siobhan,” explains Sara. “We’ve been talking about this idea for a while and now the moment has finally arrived it’s incredibly exciting! Lots of fans have often asked ‘please just do one tour with Siobhan,’ so now their wishes have come true.”

“We’ll be performing all the hits and some surprises too, I really can’t wait it’s gonna be an amazing party every night!” says Keren

“These were my formative years,” adds Siobhan. “I never thought it would happen again. It’s like going back down the road to find a piece of myself that I left back then. The older I get, the more I realise it was pretty magical.”

Since their unforgettable last performance as a trio on The Brits in 1988, Keren and Sara have continued as Bananarama, releasing records and touring to global audiences. Siobhan went on to have hit singles and albums around the world as part of Shakespears Sister before becoming a solo artist.

Bananarama made it into the Guinness Book Of Records as the most successful female group of all time on account of the fact they’d had more hit singles than any other girl band ever. To date they have had 30 chart hits. They hit the top of charts around the world. In the US, Venus became their first #1 single on the Billboard chart. Their combined record sales were over 40 million.

Bananarama plays Newcastle City Hall on Wed 15 Nov 2017. Tickets are from £51.00 and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge).

Status Quo

The Aquostic 2017 Winter Tour

at Newcastle City Hall Wed 6 Dec 2017

Britain’s best-loved rockers Status Quo will undertake a full UK Winter Tour, performing hits from across a five decade career, in their celebrated Aquostic style. This tour once again allows the band to explore and redefine the songs that made their name.  With the band having just sold out an Aquostic show at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall on 1st July, demand for tickets is sure to be high!

These shows will be fully acoustic and feature additional musicians, including female backing vocalists. This 2017 Winter Tour will be the second such set of dates to take place without guitarist Rick Parfitt, whose tragic death at the end of last year shocked and saddened Quo and their fans, but left the band newly motivated to perform and honour these songs to a fan base that remains equally enthused. Francis Rossi said, “Things are not the same, nor should they be, but the show goes on because band and fans alike still love this amazing music.”

Packed with hits taken from their unbelievable back catalogue and comprehensively reworked, the now seriously road-tested ‘Aquostic’ approach has indeed represented something of a new dawn for the band.  This inventive approach frees the arrangements but retains the potency of the songs.

Status Quo plays Newcastle City Hall on Wed 6 Dec 2017. Tickets on sale Fri 28 Apr from 9am and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7pm plus your phone company’s access charge).

Trafalgar Studios 20 April – 22 July.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

The Philanthropist starts with a wonderfully distasteful bang, but Simon Callow’s production doesn’t consistently deliver the laughs it should.

Christopher Hampton’s response to Molière’s The Misanthrope, set in the cosy bubble of academia in the early 70s follows Philip, a bland and affable philology lecturer whose idea of a good night’s entertainment is anagram games and carpet bowls. After his fiancée Celia’s dinner party, Philip’s need to not upset people, coupled with his stunning lack of empathy, results in him spending the night with the university man-eater, Araminta.

The young cast do a fine job, but considering Simon Callow’s less than restrained acting style, under his direction their performances are slightly muted. This play needed Matt Berry declaiming in full Toast bellows; as it stands, the pompous Braham is slick and suitably slimy, but some of his more outrageous lines fall flat when delivered so mildly. The loudest thing about Berry was his suit. Unfortunately, a lot of the jokes fall flat in the dinner party scene, which feels overlong, awkward and very stilted. (This may, of course be the realistic feeling of being stuck in social hell that Simon Callow intended to create?) The second act is much better, with the characters showing more emotion and becoming more 3 dimensional.

Philip is too close to Simon Bird’s Inbetweeners character to allow the actor to do anything different to his usual shtick, which mostly works, while Tom Rosenthal has a ball as Don, the laziest lecturer in the university. Lily Cole looks gorgeous and prowls around as Araminta, but brings a wonderful sadness and strength to her broken character as she opens up about her past to Philip. Charlotte Ritchie holds the play together as Celia, giving a wonderful performance as her exasperation with Philip turns into despair.

Libby Watson’s stylish white set evokes a powerful sense of time and space, rooting the play firmly in the 70s, when the assassination of the Tory front bench was something to laugh about. The characters’ opposing views on socialism and art are still relevant, but this play is definitely a period piece. Interesting, and with some fine performances, especially from the female cast, but the first act needs sorting out before The Philanthropist can be wholly satisfying.

Cahoots Theatre Company in association with Simon Fielder Productions present

TWITSTORM

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

THE WORLD PREMIERE OF A BRAND NEW COMEDY

WRITTEN BY CHRIS ENGLAND

DIRECTED BY JONATHAN LEWIS

JASON MERRELLS, CLAIRE GOOSE AND JUSTIN EDWARDS

The team behind Park Theatre hits Dead Sheep, An Audience with Jimmy Savile, Deny Deny Deny and The Roundabout, will return to the theatre with the world premiere of a brand new comedy, TWITSTORM, playing from 31 May – 1 July, with a press night on 1 June.

Guy Manton is a national treasure, the much-loved host of a caustic television panel show, until a throwaway remark is inadvertently shared with the whole world, and before Guy knows what is happening he is being battered by the Twitstorm. A hilarious exploration of what can happen when the self-righteousness of social media gets out of hand.

Directed by Chris England, author of the hit comedy Breakfast with Jonny Wilkinson, and co-author of the acclaimed An Evening with Gary Lineker, Twitstorm is directed by Jonathan Lewis, and will star Jason Merrells as ‘Guy Manton’, Claire Goose as ‘Bex Manton’, Justin Edwards as ‘Neil’, Chris England as ‘Rupert’, and Tom Moutchi as ‘Ike’.

Chris England said, “Twitstorm grew out of a fascination with tales of how quickly the anonymous self-righteousness of social media can blow up into a proper old-style torch-and-pitchfork witch hunt, actually laying waste to people’s real lives. It’s about how a complicated situation can be definitively branded a simple matter of right and wrong by whoever shouts the loudest. And if the election of Donald Trump has shown us anything, it is that a seemingly harmless bit of everyday phone fun can be used to bypass the rationality of traditional debate.”

Jason Merrells has worked extensively on both stage and screen. Theatre credits include: A Princess Undone (UK Tour), How The Other Half Loves (Haymarket/Duke of York’s), Five Finger Exercise (Print Room), Twelve Angry Men(UK Tour), Measure for Measure (UK Tour), Twelfth Night and Comedy Of Errors (RSC), The Pleasureman (Glasgow Citizens), Saved (Bolton Octagon), The Long and the Short and the Tall (Sheffield Lyceum) and OutCry (Cheek By Jowl). TV credits include: Midsomer Murders, Agatha Raisin, Safe House, Emmerdale, Waterloo Road, The Hitch, Death In Paradise, Lark Rise To Candleford II, The Project, Cutting It, Inspector Lynley, Clocking off, Fat Friends, Queer As Folk and Casualty. His film credits include: The Jealous God, Do Not Disturb and A Small Obsession.

Claire Goose recently starred in the titular role for BBC’s The Coroner and in Unforgotten for ITV. She has also appeared in critically acclaimed dramas such as: Exile (BBC), Undeniable (ITV), Waking The Dead (BBC), Casualty(BBC), Hustle (BBC), Secret Smile (ITV), The Bill (ITV), New Tricks (BBC), and Death in Paradise (BBC). Her theatre credits include: The Perfect Murder (UK Tour), Hiding (Watford Palace) and When We are Rich (Nuffield, Southampton).

Justin Edwards’ theatre credits include: The Rivals (Arcola), I Killed Rasputin (Edinburgh), Art (Holders Festival),Jeremy Lion Goes Green (Menier Chocolate Factory & Edinburgh), Comedy Of Errors (Rude Mechanicals), Breakfast with Jonny Wilkinson (Menier Chocolate Factory & Edinburgh) and The Good, The Bad and The Queen (No.1 Tour). His television credits include: From Cradle To Grave, In and Out of the Kitchen, Space Ark, Puppy Love, Man Down, Harry & Paul’s History of the 2’s, W1A, Veep, Father Brown, The Hollow Crown, The Thick Of It, Skins, Black Mirror, Mount Pleasant, Pram Face, The Trip, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Perrin and Black Books. His film credits include: The Man Who Invented Christmas, Love and Friendship, Paddington Bear, Thor 2, Albatross, The Duchess, The Decameron.

Social media star Tom Moutchi’s theatre credits include Anansi & The London Girl (Lost Theatre), and his screen credits include: Ventrilo Kissed, Balance, Warrior and Snapped.

Twitstorm is directed by Jonathan Lewis, with Set and Costume design by Anthony Lamble, Lighting Design by Tim Mitchell, Composition by Matthew Strachan and casting by Denise Silvey.

www.parktheatre.co.uk

Box office: 02078706876*

Adapted from one of the most celebrated works of the writer often hailed as the successor to Agatha Christie, Ruth Rendell’s A Judgement In Stone is at Leeds Grand Theatre next week for one week only.

We spoke to one of its stars – Ben Nealon

Q: You’ve known Bill Kenwright for a while, nice to be part of one of his productions again?

A: Absolutely!

Q: You’ve done a few thrillers with Bill – what is about this role that attracted you?

A: It’s great to finally get the chance to play a policeman and one that the writer has made a little more interesting than your run of the mill detective. I also really liked the relationship he builds with the other investigating officer played by Andrew Lancel – something we built on in the rehearsals.

Q: A Judgement in Stone is widely considered to be Ruth Rendell’s greatest work – why do you think that is?

A: It’s a great story with beautifully drawn three dimensional characters.

Q: Had you read the book before you were cast in the show – what did you love about the story?

A: Yes I did, and I thought “how the hell will we be able to tell this story on stage?!” I love the way it has been adapted.

Q: Did you know or have you worked with any of your cast mates before?

A: Yes. I have worked with Sophie, Deborah and Mark on stage and with Andrew on television.

Q: This production has been on the road since January – what are the nicest things about being on the road?

A: The chance to catch up with friends and family all over the country.

Q: Are there any dates on this tour you’ve not played, any cities you’re looking forward to visiting?

A: Buxton – and it was wonderful….now one of my favourite theatres to play.

Q: You’ve done a couple of Bollywood films – how did that happen?

A: I auditioned for Lagaan as they were looking for English actors who could play cricket. After they saw me bat and bowl down at the Paddington Rec they asked me to screen test for one of the leads and in Hindi…….Lagaan went on to be nominated for an Oscar and four years later the same producer and star, Aamir Khan, asked me to screen test for another colonial epic set during the build up to the Indian Mutiny – a lot nastier character and with more facial hair! They remain two of the happiest experiences of my career.

Q: You’re an OBE for your charity work with Pump Aid – tell us more about that.

A: I helped set up the charity Pump Aid in 1998 while filming Soldier Soldier in Zimbabwe. Since then the organisation has delivered sustainable water solutions to over 9,500 communities in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. Today 1.35 million people have access to safe water supplies and improved sanitation as a direct result of our work. The OBE was really a recognition of all the hard work everyone involved in the charity has put in since 1998.

Q: Finally, without giving too much away, why should audiences come and see A Judgement in Stone?

A: It’s a great story told by a really talented group of actors!

For those new to the concept of improv, it’s essentially theatre without any scripts or predetermined plans of what scenes are going to be about! It’s entirely made up on the spot.

Simprov started getting together 12 weeks ago, and the first ‘act’ will take audiences on a whistle-stop tour of some of the games the team has been playing in that time. Then, following a pit stop at the bar (hurrah!), audiences are invited back to watch a few Armandos; a long form type of Improv that will be based on real life experiences.

Come and discover what we’ve been working on; making bold choices, jumping in, and finding ‘The Game’. Who knows, maybe you’ll want to join the team and be part of our second show in November?

We need you! SupercalifragilisticexpialiSIMPROV requires audience participation to make it work! Don’t worry, we won’t ask you to get onstage (well, we don’t plan to), but we will be looking to the audiences for suggestions of places, scenarios and characters.

We’re performing Sunday 7th May at 3pm and Monday 8th May at 7.30pm. So, it’s either the perfect thing to enjoy after a leisurely roast dinner, or something to look forward to after the first day back in the office.

About Simprov:
Simprov is a team of 15 new improvisers who’ve been learning the art and science of improv for the past 3 months. Simprov is formed of members of Sedos, London’s premier amateur theatre company. Simprov is being presented at The Bridewell Theatre where Sedos is the resident theatre company.

LISTINGS DETAILS

Sedos presents
SupercalifragilisticexpialiSIMPROV! an improvised comedy show

7-8 May 2017
Sunday at 3pm and Monday at 7:30pm
Bridewell Theatre, Bride Lane, London EC4Y 8EQ

Box office: sedos.co.uk
Tickets: £5-6 No booking fee.

Twitter: @sedos   Facebook: facebook.com/sedostheatre

The Adam Morley Sponsor a Playwright Bursary to announce shortlist in September 2017

Freelance director, producer and playwright Adam Morley will soon be announcing the shortlist of the inaugural Adam Morley Sponsor a Playwright Bursary, which will gift the winning writer with £1000 to further develop the script to production in 2018.

From initial submissions of nearly 100 plays, originally organised with Actors Awareness, a shortlist of 15 will now be assessed by a judging panel of industry experts. The blind submission process was specifically designed to encourage equal opportunities to all applicants, with the aim of making the bursary equal, fair and accessible across a diverse pool of applicants.

Adam Morley is an award-winning director, writer and producer. He is the Artistic Director of regional touring company Baroque Theatre and Associate Director of the Canal Café Theatre in London. He is the Executive Producer of Actors Awareness, which promotes equality and diversity in the arts.

The judging panel includes:

James Phelps is most famous for portraying Fred Weasley in the Harry Potter franchise film series. He is also a regular charity worker, working with such organisations as the National Forest, the Teenage Cancer Trust, Virgin Money Giving, and Cancer Research UK.

Lola Williams is the director of actor’s agency New Wonder Management and has over 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry, both in front of and behind the camera. Lola combines an extensive track record in management with a unique understanding of the requirements of both the actor and the casting professional. Lola is an active member of WFTV UK (Women in Film and Television) and the Agents Association of Great Britain.

John Byrne is a writer, broadcaster, and personal advisor to a wide range of international artists. John has been the career advisor to The Stage Newspaper for over a decade, during which time he has interviewed well over 3000 theatrical professionals, ranging from established to beginner actors to directors, producers and technical crew. He also writes a popular advice column for Young Performer Magazine.

Yasmeen Khan is a playwright, broadcaster and performer. Her plays have work with companies including Kali Theatre and Tamasha. Yasmeen is a diversity advocate; she runs The Rehearsal Room Presents, a platform for new and emerging theatre voices. Her Radio 4 documentaries have covered topics as diverse as mental health, responses to sexism and to how to become a minder. Her other current radio work includes a weekly specialist show focussing on British Asian issues for BBC radio, as well as fronting Friday drivetime on national speech network talkRADIO, where she covers everything from mainstream news to arts and culture. She was awarded Radio Presenter of the Year 2016-17 at the Asian Media Awards.

Emma Taylor is Artistic Director of Canal Cafe Theatre, producer of Guinness World Record Breaking NewsRevue and an actress. She is a former teacher of French and Head of Drama and has been an industry judge on various panels including Amused Moose, Leicester Square Theatre’s New Musical Project, The finals of The Lost Theatre’s One Act Play Festival and currently The American Season at the Canal Cafe Theatre’s search for a new play on the current political state in the USA and Women In Comedy Festival International Comedy Writing Competition.

Chris Hislop is a freelance theatre publicist. He has also worked as a theatre writer and critic, editor, development consultant and theatre director. He has over 10 years experience in arts journalism and PR, and specialises in Off West End/fringe theatre in London. He was the theatre editor, sales and marketing executive and a reviewer for OneStopArts, and also freelanced as a reviewer and blogger for WhatsOnStage and FringeReview (for which he was nominated for the Allen Wright Award in 2009).

He’s back! It’s been a busy few years for Jason since his last smash-hit stand up show but fans of his Absolute Radio show will know this nationally acclaimed comedian hasn’t changed a bit. ‘Muddle Class‘ promises to feature a wealth of new material about Jason growing up ‘working class’ then finding, over the years, that part of him has become ‘middle class’ – causing much confusion!   Delivered with Jason’s amiable charm and captivating wit, this is a show not to be missed.

Jason said: “Somebody said to me on my Facebook fan page, ‘it’s been ages since you’ve toured’.  I thought ‘no way, it was last year wasn’t it?  Anyway, long story short, they were right, it was years ago!  I just got fooled cos I’ve been on tour doing musicals and the last tour is repeated on Dave ja Vu 13 times a day!  So I’ve been putting some stuff together, looking at my life and how it’s changed over the years, how the world has changed and how my parents haven’t changed a bit!  It’s going to be a great tour and I can’t wait to see you there.”

‘8 out of 10 Cats’ (Channel 4), ‘The Nightly Show’ (ITV1),  ‘Sunday Night at the Palladium’ (ITV1), ‘Live at the Apollo’ (BBC One), ‘Have I Got News For You’, (BBC One), QI (BBC Two) and ‘The Royal Variety Performance’ (ITV1) have all helped establish Jason as a nationally known comic.

Jason Manford plays Newcastle City Hall on Sat 10 Feb 2018. Tickets on sale Fri 21 Apr from 9am.  Tickets are £31.50 and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge

Black Sheep Productions presents: