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The Vaults 2 – 28 August.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Mark Healy’s adaptation of John Fowles’ novel is, like it’s protagonists, fascinating and frustrating.

Lottery winner and butterfly collector Frederick Clegg finally has the money to get to know Miranda Grey. Unfortunately, Clegg’s idea of “get to know” involves secret filming, a van, chloroform and a gloomy cellar.

The Vaults is an ideal setting for this play, entering the dark tunnels under Waterloo and walking into the cellar set, draped with plastic sheeting and filled with piles of furniture and bulk packs of water and loo rolls, the claustrophobia sets in quickly.

This is all explained to us by Clegg in a series of self-justifying monologues, constantly stressing that there are two sides to every story. Daniel Portman gives Clegg a bumbling, almost innocent persona in the initial stages of the play. But his fingers are never still, hinting at the nervous energy and effort taken to appear “normal”. He is unable to touch Miranda, and backs away from her like a nervous puppy. He seems like a boy who doesn’t know what to do with his prize now he has it. Miranda (Lily Loveless) knows exactly what he wants, however, expecting to be raped at any moment, until she realises that she can take control of the situation. Clegg will give her anything she wants, except her freedom. They even negotiate the length of her captivity. There are some funny scenes where Miranda tours the house, criticising the décor and trying to educate Clegg. The class differences between the characters, rooted in the 1960s novel, still ring true unfortunately, with Clegg’s chip on his shoulder about education and money sounding like excuses used by Jeremy Kyle’s guests and Miranda’s sense of entitlement being very recognisable.

At first we only hear Clegg’s side of the story through Portman’s monologues, until he gives Miranda a writing pad, and she starts a diary, delivering monologues which show her fear and determination to survive. This helps make Miranda more human, as the character does begin to get annoying in the first act. You know this isn’t going to end well, but keep rooting for feisty Miranda to outwit Clegg, hoping she doesn’t push him too far. The monotony of life in the cellar, and Miranda’s rebellious efforts are the problem here. The play is just too long. Even with these two talented actors, the first act has sections that drag and director Joe Hufton should have cut.

When the power dynamics shift suddenly and violently, Portman turns on the menace brilliantly. All shades of Podrick disappear, and we see the frightening psycho beneath the prissy exterior before he manages to gain control again. But the possibility of violence is ever present after that moment, changing the power balance and allowing the actors to add even more nuances to their beautifully judged performances. Loveless is outstanding as Miranda – manipulating Clegg with calculating wit but always reminding the audience of her underlying panic and fear through constant movement and gut wrenching facial expressions.

The play ends as it begins, with a monologue from Clegg, delivered with glimpses of the same wide eyed innocence, belying the plans he is making for his next specimen, and ending with a disdainful glance at the audience that produces goose bumps, and will haunt you. Let’s just say I avoided walking next to any vans on the way home.

It is overlong, and with some slightly stilted moments, but The Collector is a fascinating study of obsession with outstanding performances by Portman and Loveless. Well worth a look.

Grand Opera House York Stage Experience

carries out fundraising collections for Kidney Research UK and Parkinson’s UK

Raising a staggering £2,052!

The Grand Opera House York has succeeded in bucket collections during the stage experience performances of Oklahoma! for charity Kidney Research UK – the UK’s leading funder of research into the treatment and prevention of kidney disease and Parkinson’s.

As part of Stage Experience this year we have decided to hold collections for Kidney Research UK and Parkinson’s UK. We’ve chosen these charities because, although the diseases could affect anyone, they have directly affected some of the team behind tonight’s show.

Kidney disease is a silent killer, and there are millions of people with it in the UK. It’s fatal without dialysis or a transplant and completely changes lives. However, Kidney Research UK receives almost no government funding. They have to turn down four out of every five research ideas because they don’t have enough money to support them.

Likewise Parkinson’s disease is a complex and progressive neurological condition, and affects different people in different ways. Parkinson’s UK tries to raise awareness, fund groundbreaking research and offer support and information to families affected by the disease.

Neither disease has a cure, and both hugely affect the families just as much as the patient.

GOH has raised £1026 for Kidney Research UK.

Clare O’Connor said: “We decided to take on this challenge for Kidney Research UK because Kidney Disease has directly affected members of the production team for Oklahoma!, and quite simply doesn’t receive the recognition or funding that it deserves and ultimately needs.

“It was an amazing to raise that much money just through bucket collections and I’m so glad we decided to do this. It’s wonderful to think the money we’ve raised is going to fund research that will benefit millions of people in the UK affected by kidney disease.”

Sandra Currie, Chief Executive of Kidney Research UK, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the Grand Opera House for all their hard work and support.

“Kidney disease can affect anyone at any age and without warning. It can’t currently be cured and is responsible for thousands of deaths every year – many of which could be prevented with better diagnosis and improved treatments.”

Although the Grand Opera House has successfully completed their fundraising you can still make a donation by visiting www.kidneyresearchuk.org

For more information about kidney disease and the work being carried out by Kidney Research UK, please visit: www.kidneyresearchuk.org.

GOH has raised £1026 for Parkinson’s UK

“As the UK’s Parkinson’s support and research charity we’re leading the work to find a cure, and we’re closer than ever. But our work is totally dependent on donations.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Grand Opera House York, for their support and I hope their success will encourage others to Party for Parkinson’s too”.

Every hour, someone in the UK is told they have Parkinson’s. Because we’re here, no one has to face Parkinson’s alone.

We bring people with Parkinson’s, their carers and families together via our network of local groups, our website and free confidential helpline. Specialist nurses, our supporters and staff provide information and training on every aspect of Parkinson’s. 

As the UK’s Parkinson’s support and research charity we’re leading the work to find a cure, and we’re closer than ever. We also campaign to change attitudes and demand better services.

Our work is totally dependent on donations. Help us to find a cure and improve life for everyone affected by Parkinson’s.

York Theatre Royal – 2 August 2016.  Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

The stupendous Sherlock Holmes made a spiffing appearance at York Theatre Royal for a exciting tale of the Hounds of Baskervilles, the play set as a Victorian melodrama made the whole audience laugh with funny multi-acting especially from the petite Joanna Holden. The play was whacky and thoroughly entertaining myself and the whole audience.

The Victorian melodrama style of the play was an amazing piece of direction and was used so effectively, with the actor running into the audience and audience interaction on stage, all of this just felt very warming and made for a cheerful environment in the theatre. It truly is suitable for all ages as it isn’t a thriller piece of theatre but a comedy, which WILL make you laugh your socks off.

All of the actors played multiple characters parr from Elexi Walker who played Dr John Watson, very well I might add. York Theatre Royals very own David Leonard played Sherlock and a very creepy Mr Barrymore, Rob Castell became sir Henry Baskerville but also was the composer which I really liked as the whole play was under the Victorian theatre group ‘Mr Henry Dimmell and Mrs Rose Dimmells world-renowned Victorian travelling theatre company’ what a mouthful that was, so very confusing at it took me all night to understand.

The staging was stunning with with three archways with pillars that could move and a door that could rise from the stage. They made great use of shadow puppets and lighting to tell certain tales in the play such as the origins of the Baskerville curse which was funny yes also very creepy as it had that supernatural aura about it.

The only thing that I found wrong with the play and this is a very very minor detail, is that in the second act neither Elexi or David were on top form with the line I could feel that there was a little bit of a slip up but I was watching with an eagle eye as I was so entertained. These thing happen in theatre and shouldn’t detract anyone from coming to see this amazing performance. Well done to all involved cast and crew.

National and International Success for Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour as the successful Live Theatre and National Theatre of Scotland Co-production written by Lee Hall transfers to National Theatre, London and Melbourne Festival, Australia

Adapted by Lee Hall from the novel The Sopranos by Alan Warner.

Directed by Vicky Featherstone
Music Arranger and Supervisor, Martin Lowe
Designed by Chloe Lamford
Lighting Design by Lizzie Powell
Choreography by Imogen Knight

Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, the hugely successful play, adapted by Lee Hall from Alan Warner’s cult Scottish novel The Sopranos and the first collaboration between Live Theatre and National Theatre of Scotland has its London premiere at National Theatre next week running between Monday 8 August and Saturday 1 October. It has also just been announced that Our Ladies…, will then transfer to a run at Melbourne Festival between Thursday 6 and Sunday 23 October 2016.

A conversation between writer Lee Hall and director Vicky Featherstone led them to discover a mutual love of Alan Warner’s cult Scottish novel, The Sopranos, and a desire to work together to turn it into a stage play. This led to the first and hugely successful collaboration between Live Theatre and National Theatre of Scotland.

Our Ladies… premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2015, and enjoyed a successful sell-out run at the Traverse Theatre, earning critical and audience acclaim, and picking up four awards. It embarked on a sell-out Scottish tour and a sell-out run at its English Premiere at Live Theatre in October 2015, where it also gained a Journal Culture Award for best production in 2015.

The play toured the UK in summer 2016 including a week at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal, and was featured internationally at Galway Festival, Ireland and The Festival of Art and Ideas, New Haven, USA where The New York Times review said:

‘Vibrant performances and the show’s raunchy good humo[u]r draw you in.’

Our Ladies… will receive its London premiere in summer 2016, at the Dorfman Theatre at the National Theatre of Great Britain. Live Theatre and Lee Hall have previously collaborated with National Theatre when The Pitman Painters was co-produced by the National Theatre of Great Britain in 2009.

Max Roberts, Artistic Director, Live Theatre said

“We are delighted that our co-production with The National Theatre of Scotland Our Ladies…, written by Live Theatre’s long-time collaborator Lee Hall has gone on to delight audiences both nationally and internationally. It’s a rich theatrical mix of humour and pathos with stunning live music and choreography delivered by a superb young cast is a joy to behold and we are very proud to be part of this collaboration.”

Alan Warner’s novel and Lee Hall’s musical stage play tell the story of six girls on the cusp of change. Love, lust, pregnancy and death all spiral out of control in a single day. Funny, sad, rude and beautifully sung, Our Ladies …. is a tribute to being young, lost and out of control, featuring a soundtrack of classical music and 70s pop rock, with music by Handel, Bach  and ELO including the songs Mr Blue Sky, Don’t Bring Me Down, Long Black Road and more.

Vicky Featherstone, Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre, collaborates with Lee Hall, (Shakespeare in Love, Billy Elliot and The Pitmen Painters), to create a wild and tender play meets gig about singing, sex and sambuca.

Alan Warner wrote The Sopranos in 1998, followed by its sequel The Stars in the Bright Sky which was long listed for the 2010 Man Booker Prize. He has written eight novels and is best known for Morvern Callar which was made into a film starring Samantha Morton in 2002. His most recent novel is Their Lips Talk of Mischief, published by Faber in 2014.

Our Ladies… can be seen at the Dofrman Theatre, National Theatre, London between Monday 8 August and Saturday 1 October and Melbourne Festival, Australia between Thursday 6 and Sunday 23 October 2016.

THE BIG-TIME BROADWAY SHOW!

42^ND STREET

ARRIVES IN THE WEST END MARCH 2017

MULTI TONY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL

INCLUDES THE ICONIC SONGS ‘WE’RE IN THE MONEY’ ‘LULLABY OF BROADWAY’ AND ‘DAMES’

PREVIEWS FROM MONDAY 20 MARCH 2017

AT THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE

42nd STREET, the quintessential backstage musical comedy classic, is to play the Theatre Royal, Drury Lanefrom Monday 20 March 2017, with a press night on Tuesday 4 April 2017 at 7:00pm. Tickets go on-sale today, Friday 5^th August.

This new production of 42^nd STREET – the dazzling and romantic homage to the world of musical theatre – arrives in London with an all-singing, high-kicking cast of over 50 and some of the greatest songs in musical history, ready to explode on to the West End’s biggest stage.

42nd STREET is the song and dance, American dream fable of Broadway and includes some of the greatest songs ever written, such as ‘We’re In The Money’, ‘Lullaby of Broadway’, ‘Shuffle Off To Buffalo’, ‘Dames’, ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’, and ‘42nd Street’.

Young Peggy Sawyer is fresh off the bus from small-town America and just another face in the chorus line on Broadway’s newest show. But when the leading lady gets injured, Peggy might just have the shot at stardom she’s always dreamed of…

42^nd STREET has played to great global acclaim for almost 40 years. Its phenomenal popularity serves as a legacy to Gower Champion, for whom 42^nd STREET stands as the outstanding, timeless tribute to the legendary director and choreographer of the original, Tony Award-winning production. The new West End production will be directed by the show’s author Mark Bramble (whose other hit shows include Barnum,Treasure Island, The Three Musketeers, The Grand Tour), and director of many award-winning previous productions of 42^nd STREET around the world.

Mark Bramble said, “The original production had the look of a Warner Brothers black and white film.  This time we’re doing an MGM Technicolor version of 42nd Street with additional songs and dances.  The theme of the show speaks louder today than ever before:  follow your bliss and with talent and hard work dreams can come true. I’m delighted that Linnit/Grade are bringing our song and dance extravaganza to the magnificent Theatre Royal Drury Lane.”

The producers are also pleased to confirm that Douglas W Schmidt will return as Set Designer and Roger Kirk as Costume Designer, as they have been for previous productions of “42nd STREET”.

Mark Bramble has been involved in writing, directing and producing of musicals all over the world. He began his theatrical career under the mentorship of legendary Broadway producer David Merrick, for whom he worked on many Broadway productions.  As author, his shows include BARNUM, starring Jim Dale (Michael Crawford in London) which introduced Glenn Close as a leading actress, with songs by Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart (Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, and ten Tony Award nominations including Best Book and Best Musical,), 42ND STREET with songs by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, produced by David Merrick and staged by Gower Champion (Tony Award for Best Musical, Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a musical, Laurence Olivier Award for Musical of The Year, Evening Standard Drama Award for Best Musical, Plays and Player Citation For Musical Of The Year, etc.),  THE THREE MUSKETEERS with the music of Rudolph Friml,  many collaborations with Michael Stewart includingTHE GRAND TOUR with songs by Jerry Herman, TREASURE ISLAND with songs by Jule Styne, and the off Broadway opera ELIZABETH & ESSEX based on Maxwell Anderson’s ELIZABETH THE QUEEN.  At the Haymarket Theatre, in Leicester, England, Mr. Bramble and Henry Krieger (composer of DREAMGIRLS) created FAT PIG, a rock and roll extravaganza about health. He directed the 2001 Tony Award winning Best Revival of 42ND STREET on Broadway (Tony Award nomination for Best Director), as well as productions of the show around the world. 

Previous productions of 42^nd Street have won a series of major international awards, including:

·         Original Broadway Production 1981: Tony Award Best Musical

·         Original Broadway Production 1981: Tony Award Best Choreography

·         Original London Production 1984: Laurence Olivier Award Best New Musical

·         Original London Production 1984: Evening Standard Award Best Musical

·         Broadway Revival 2001: Tony Award Best Revival of a Musical

Further information and casting to be announced.

42^nd STREET is presented in London by Michael Linnit & Michael Grade for Gate Ventures PLC present, with Executive Producer Johnny Hon.

BILL KENWRIGHT

BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH THE REALLY USEFUL GROUP
PRESENTS

EVITA

Lyrics by TIM RICE      Music by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER

FOLLOWING A SMASH HIT RUN IN LONDON

THIS EXTRAORDINARY MUSICAL RETURNS

TO THRILL AUDIENCES ACROSS THE UK IN 2017

Following its smash hit run at London’s Dominion Theatre, Bill Kenwright’s production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita is set to thrill audiences once again across the UK. The tour will open inBromley on Thursday 12 January and is set to visit Southampton, Liverpool, Stoke-On-Trent, Edinburgh, Bristol, Wimbledon, Oxford, Salford Quays, Cardiff, York and Sunderland with further dates to be announced.

Telling the story of Eva Peron, wife of former Argentine dictator Juan Peron, Evita follows Eva’s journey from humble beginnings through to extraordinary wealth, power and iconic status which ultimately lead her to be heralded as the ‘spiritual leader of the nation’ by the Argentine people.

With more than 20 major awards to its credit, and an Oscar winning film version starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita is iconic. Featuring some of the best loved songs in musical theatre, including Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, On This Night of a Thousand Stars, You Must Love Me, and Another Suitcase in Another Hall, this spectacular production promises once again to be the theatrical event of the year. Don’t miss the 2017 UK tour of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s extraordinary musical Evita.

Further dates and star casting to be announced.

www.kenwright.com

The Boys in the Band

by Mart Crowley

MUSICAL THEATRE STAR DANIEL BOYS,

EASTENDERS’ HEARTTHROB JACK DERGES,

MIRANDA STAR JAMES HOLMES,

MIDSOMER MURDERS’ JOHN HOPKINS,

PRIMEVAL’S BEN MANSFIELD

AND UNDERCOVER’S NATHAN NOLAN

TO STAR ALONGSIDE

OLIVIER AWARD WINNER MARK GATISS AND IAN HALLARD

AT PARK THEATRE THIS AUTUMN

AND THEN ON UK TOUR

Producers Tom O’Connell and James Seabright are pleased to announce further casting for the first class revival of Mart Crowley’s ground-breaking play, THE BOYS IN THE BAND, opening at Park Theatre in London this autumn, then touring to The Lowry, Theatre Royal Brighton and West Yorkshire Playhouse.

There’s a party about to commence when nine men gather in a New York apartment for a birthday celebration. Harold, a self-confessed ‘Jew fairy’, receives a surprise birthday gift – a beautiful male hustler dubbed Cowboy. Meanwhile, party host Michael gets an unwanted surprise of his own in the shape of a figure from his past. As the booze is drunk and the dope smoked, the mood swings from hilarity to heart-break.

Olivier Award winner Mark Gatiss will star alongside his husband Ian Hallard in this eagerly anticipated production, which sees the pair playing ‘Harold’ and ‘Michael’.

West End musical theatre star Daniel Boys will star as ‘Donald’, Jack Derges, recently seen as the mysterious ‘Andy Flynn’ in EastEnders, will play ‘Cowboy’, Miranda star James Holmes will star as ‘Emory’, Midsomer Murders’ John Hopkins will play ‘Alan’, Primeval’s Ben Mansfield will play ‘Larry’, and Undercover’s Nathan Nolan will play ‘Hank’. Further casting to be announced.

The production is directed by A Small Family Business & One Man Two Guvnors’ director, Adam Penford, and will open at Park Theatre in London from 28 September 2016 – 30 October 2016, with a press night on Tuesday 4 October. The show will then embark on a short UK Tour visiting The Lowry, Salford from 3 – 6 November, Theatre Royal, Brighton from 8 – 12 November, and the West Yorkshire Playhouse from 14 – 19 November.

SARAH HARDING AND ANDY MOSS

GIRLS ALOUD POP SENSATION AND HOLLYOAKS HEARTTHROB

JUST ANNOUNCED FOR THIS YEAR’S NEW PRODUCTION OF

GHOST – THE MUSICAL

UNCHAINED AND REIMAGINED

A NEW MUSICAL PRODUCTION BASED ON THE MUCH-LOVED MOVIE MASTERPIECE

Singer and actress Sarah Harding will make her stage debut this autumn in Bill Kenwright’s new production of the timeless story of love, despair and hope: GHOST – THE MUSICAL. She will star as ‘Molly’ opposite Andy Moss, best known for starring as ‘Rhys Ashworth’ in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, as ‘Sam’.

Taking its inspiration from the classic movie, this innovative reimagining will feature an expanded book, new music and original staging, and will tour the UK this autumn, opening at the New Wimbledon Theatre on Thursday 1 September, with this year’s dates culminating on 3 December at Theatre Royal Nottingham.  

For over ten years Sarah Harding was part of one of the most successful pop acts in UK history, Girls Aloud. With 20 consecutive Top Ten singles, including 4 Number 1’s, 2 Number 1 albums and 6 Platinum Albums in the UK, Girls Aloud received 5 Brit Award Nominations and became the first girl group since the Spice Girls to achieve 6 consecutive Top 3 singles. Sarah’s acting credits includeBad Day, Freefall, Run For Your Wife, Coronation Street and St Trinians 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold.

Sarah Harding said, “I’m absolutely delighted to be making my theatre debut in Ghost – The Musical. The film is one of my all-time favourites, so to get the opportunity to play ‘Molly’ in Bill Kenwright’s new production is a huge honour for me and I can’t wait to get started!”

Joining Sarah on stage is Andy Moss. Andy is best-known for starring as Rhys Ashworth in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, one he played for 8 years. His credits also include Cutting It, Coronation Street and most recently he appeared as ‘Paul Cuthbert’ in the long running BBC soap opera Doctors.

The Double Academy Award winning movie is a huge success story, both critically and at the box office, where it was the highest grossing film in the year of its release. It starred the late Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Tony Goldwyn and Whoopi Goldberg and was directed by Jerry Zucker. Bruce Joel Rubin’s script won the Oscar® for Best Original Screenplay and Whoopi Goldberg won the Oscar® for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The film’s most iconic and moving scene was famously performed to The Righteous Brother’s Unchained Melody, which also features in the musical version.

Walking back to their apartment late one night a tragic encounter sees Sam murdered and his beloved girlfriend Molly alone, in despair and utterly lost. But with the help of a phony storefront psychic Sam, trapped between this world and the next, tries to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving her from grave danger…

Bill Kenwright said; “Ghost is a story full of hope, and is one of those films which never leaves you. The book by Bruce Joel Rubin and score by Dave Stewart and Glenn Ballad come together wonderfully in one of my favourite new musicals in years.”

Bruce Joel Rubin said; “This is a show with such a strong emotional and musical life that it can mould to many visions and interpretations.  It can be performed on any scale, and its vibrant heart will still captivate an audience and allows the imagination to flourish. It is purely theatrical in the greatest sense.  We are very excited by the potential that the new version holds and elated it will tour the UK with Bill Kenwright”.

Further casting to be announced.

2016

2017 (Casting to be announced)