DIRTY DANCING – FURTHER DATES ANNOUNCED

DIRTY DANCING – THE CLASSIC STORY ON STAGE

 

HITTING THE ROAD WITH A BRAND NEW PRODUCTION FROM AUGUST 2016 – IT’S BACK AND SEXIER THAN EVER!

 

·       £5MILLION ALREADY TAKEN!

·       150,000 TICKETS ALREADY SOLD!

·       MANY PERFORMANCES ALREADY SOLD OUT!

 

EVEN MORE DATES IN 2017 ADDED FOR THE

WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON

 

Producers Karl Sydow and Paul Elliott are delighted to announce that due to overwhelming demand for tickets around the country, even more dates have now been added to the UK and Ireland tour of the brand new production of Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage. Many performances have already sold out, and since originally going on sale in October 2015, over 150,000 tickets have been snapped up, with over £5million taken.

 

The classic story of Baby and Johnny, featuring the hit songs ‘Hungry Eyes’, ‘Hey! Baby’, ‘Do You Love Me?’ and the heart stopping ‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’, returns to the UK this summer, following two blockbuster West End runs, two hit UK tours, and various sensational international productions. Lewis Griffiths will star as ‘Johnny Castle’, one of the most iconic roles in popular culture. Lewis has had a prolific career in musical theatre, most recently starring as ‘Nick Massi’ on the UK tour of Jersey Boys. Other roles in UK tours include Ghost and Legally Blonde, and West End credits include Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Rent and Whistle Down the Wind. Katie Hartland will make her professional musical theatre debut carrying the watermelons as she takes on the role of ‘Baby Houseman’, having graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2015. Carlie Milner will star as ‘Penny Johnson’. Carlie is part of the Dirty Dancing family; starting as a member of the ensemble in 2014, she covered and subsequently took over the role of ‘Penny’ in 2015.

 

Joining Lewis, Katie and Carlie will be Julian Harries as ‘Jake Houseman’, Simone Craddock as ‘Marjorie Houseman’, Roger Martin ‘as Max Kellerman’, Jo Servi as ‘Tito Suarez’, Lizzie Ottley as ‘Lisa Houseman’, Michael Kent as ‘Billy Kostecki’, Greg Fossard as ‘Neil Kellerman’, Tony Stansfield as ‘Mr Schumacher’, and Daniela Pobega as ‘Elizabeth’, and Camilla Rowland as ‘Vivian’. Also joining the company are Gabby Antrobus, Imogen Brooke, Simon Campbell, Robert Colvin, Katie Eccles, Beth Highsted, Megan Louch, Ashley Rumble, Callum Sterling, Austin Wilks and Karl James Wilson.

Full of passion and romance, heart-pounding music and sensationally sexy dancing, the record-breaking show has been reconceived in an all new production created by an innovative new creative team; directed by Federico Bellone, choreographed by Gillian Bruce and with design re-imagined by top Italian set designer Roberto Comotti. The production premiered in Milan in July 2015, subsequently packing out the 15,000 seat Roman Arena in Verona, and then played a season in Rome.

 

Tour Dates for the UK production are as follows, Blackpool Opera House (11 – 30 August 2016), Orchard Theatre, Dartford (1 – 10 September), Grand Theatre, Swansea (12 – 17 September), Aylesbury Waterside (19 – 24 September), New Theatre, Wimbledon (26 September – 1 October), Palace Theatre, Manchester (10 – 15 October), Grand Opera House, York (17 – 22 October), Carlisle Sands Centre (24 – 29 October), Northampton Derngate (31 October – 5 November), Regent Theatre, Stoke (7 – 12 November), Kings Theatre, Southsea (14 – 19 November), Reading Hexagon (21 – 26 November), and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (28 November – 3 December). Southend Cliffs Pavilion (10 – 21 January), Belgrade Theatre Coventry (30 January – 4 February), Dublin Bord Gais Theatre (6 – 11 February), Millennium Forum, Derry (13 – 18 February), Grand Opera House Belfast (20 – 25 February), INEC Killarney (27 February – 4 March), Ipswich Regent (20 – 25 March), Cardiff New Theatre (27 March-1 April), Wycombe Swan (3 – 8 April), Leicester De Montfort Hall (10 – 15 April), Hall for Cornwall Truro (17 – 22 April) [on sale soon], Milton Keynes Theatre (24 – 29 April), and Birmingham Alexandra (29 May – 3 June).

 

The new tour dates for 2017 are as follows: Churchill Bromley (6 – 11 March), Bradford Alhambra (1 – 6 May), Inverness Eden Court (8 – 13 May), Grimsby Auditorium (22 – 27 May), Sheffield Lyceum (5 – 10 June) [on sale soon], Edinburgh Playhouse (12 – 17 June), Glasgow Kings Theatre (19 – 24 June), Bristol Hippodrome (3 – 8 July), Grand Theatre Leeds (24 – 29 July) [on sale soon], and the Princess Theatre Torquay (31 July – 5 August).

DINOSAUR DREAMS

Summer Season| 28th June – 10th July 2016

Flux Theatre in association with the Etcetera Theatre present The World Premiere

DINOSAUR DREAMS

by Will Adolphy.

Directed by Will Adolphy. Assistant Directed by Adam Irving. Designed by Giulia Scrimieri. Lighting Design by Petr Vocka. Sound Design by Sam Glossop. Cast: Ben Manz. Ella Road. Leigh-Anne Gilbert. Louise Lingwood. Nigel Fyfe.

“It’s like Christopher Columbus searching for the continent, he has no idea where he’s going but he knows something’s there.”

The world premiere of Dinosaur Dreams opens at the award-winning Etcetera Theatre on Tuesday, 28th June 2016 (Press Night: Thursday, 30th June 2016 at 7.30pm) for a limited 13 performances, playing June 28th 2016 to 10th July 2016.

Developed with the help of psychologists and mental health advocates, Dinosaur Dreams is a visceral insight into the mind of someone grappling with a fractured past.

The story follows Charlie, a film student who, after what is determined as a ‘psychotic episode’, gets hospitalised. As we step into a world of therapy, medication and daytime TV, Charlie must find a way to cope. Entertaining as well as darkly engaging and ultimately moving, the play aims to humanise mental health and prevent stigma.

Following a successful run of scratch performances with his directorial debut, Dinosaur Dreams, director and playwright Will Adolphy returns to the Etcetera Theatre Camden for an extended and developed run of the same work. Will trained at The University of Central Lancashire, completing a BA (Hons) in Acting. After graduating in July 2015, Will founded Flux Theatre. Credits include: ‘Dinosaur Dreams’ (Etcetera Theatre), ‘The Crazy Locomotive’ (The Cockpitt Theatre), ‘The Sun Dream Team Comedy Sketch Team’, Peter Pan (New Wimbledon Theatre).

Returning alongside director Will Adolphy is Assistant Director Adam Irving. Adam trained at The University of Central Lancashire, completing the Contemporary Theatre and Performance BA (Hons). Credits include: Assistant Director, Dinosaur Dreams (Etcetera Theatre), Crawler (Film Short) Patricia Guerra Ovin, Co-director, Any Minute Now (Independent Company).

The cast includes:

Ben Manz

Ben trained under Christopher fettes, Liana Nyquist and Giles Foreman at Drama Centre London and the GFCA. Since graduating Ben has worked in Film, Theatre, Musical Theatre and Television. Theatre credits include: FAME (Popular Productions Dubai), One Month Early (Big Bold Theatre), L’Olympiad (Bath international music festival), Chalk Legend (Bournemouth and London HMV Forum), Sugar and Spice (Studio Soho), The Balcony (Studio Soho), Amphitryon (Theatro Technis), Rhinoceros (Studio Soho), and Fuente Ovejuna (Studio Soho). Film credits include: D is for Detroit, Ashridge, Wake, The Trip, The Woods, The Bagpiper and The Victorious. Ben can also be seen in HSBC’s My Money Campaign, GQstyle Magazine, Menenti Magazine and was the cover of Future Faces Magazine 2013.

Ella Road

Ella trained at The Oxford School of Drama after her English degree at Oxford University. Stage credits include work with The Old Red Lion, Theatre 503, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Rose, The Oxford Playhouse and the Soho Theatre. Screen work includes Joseph’s Reel, The Wyrd, Tiny Bible and Genius. Since graduating Ella has been involved in the development of a number of pieces of new writing (for Flux, The Molino Group, Tangled Thread, Khona Productions & Boxing Rabbit, among others).

Leigh-Anne Gilbert

Leigh-Anne trained at East 15 Acting School. Theatre includes The Assembly Women (VAULT Festival), A Stitch In Time (Ye Olde Rose & Crown, Walthamstow), Fog, Vapour, Wisp. (VAULT Festival), A Light Shining In Buckinghamshire (Cockpit Theatre), Doubles (Corbett Theatre, Loughton), All My Sons (Crescent Theatre, Birmingham), Much Ado About Nothing (Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City)

Nigel Fyfe

Nigel trained at City Lit and the Impulse Company. Theatre includes Fragments (Tristan Bates), The Trial (Edinburgh Fringe), Compulsion (Edinburgh Fringe), Three Sisters (White Bear), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Rosemary Branch), Professor Bernhardi (Bart’s Pathology Museum), Hamlet (The Rose, Bankside) and a rehearsed reading of What Flows Past the Baltic (Arcola). Film includes Fare, The Golden Steps and Once Tasted. Radio includes Apocalypse Slough (Wireless Theatre).

Louise Lingwood

Louise trained at Court Theatre Training Company and Mountview. Theatre credits includes: Strangers Welcome (Tabard and White Bear); Street Scene (Young Vic); Chartists Rising (Hayley-D tour); Closer (Chelmsford Civic); Perfect Wedding, Volcano, A Christmas Carol (Palace Westcliff); Butterflies Are Free (Vienna’s English Theatre); Mayor of Casterbridge (Salisbury Playhouse); Pied Piper, Dawn to Dusk, Tess of the d’Urbevilles, The Last Dragon, Beauty and the Beast (Forest Forge); Gold Tree and Silver Tree (Invergordon Arts); Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down (Palace Watford).

Film & TV includes: Looking for Dexter, Tom’s Day Out (A2 Films); Barren (Just Boom Productions); Are You Proud of Me? (Shadab Omar Productions); Caught in Amber (VolVentures); Labels (Orpheos Productions); The Real Bronson (First Fire Films); Waiting for a Stranger (Lucid Film); Cuckoo (Kneejerk Productions).

Other projects: Singer at the London 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony; Cloud Boat’s Carmine music video; co-founder of Theatre Leopard with touring productions of Skirmishes and Inside the Dream.

Audience members on the scratch performances of Dinosaur Dreams

“Thought provoking, challenging, yet entertaining. That was really good. Ben Manz and Ella Road outstanding in the parts of Charlie and Ruby respectively. Superb script and direction by Will Adolphy. The show was performed by Flux Theatre who are well worth supporting if you get the chance.” Geraint Johnes, Professor of Economics at Lancaster University.

“Massive props and respect to all involved in Dinosaur Dreams. There is so much average theatre saying nothing that it was refreshing and engaging to watch.” Sope Dirisu, Actor (Humans, Channel 4).

“Just seen Dinosaur Dreams for the 2nd time tonight, inspiring!” Diana Dimitrovici, Actress (Criminal, Off the Kings Road).

PRESS NIGHT: Thursday, 30th June 2016 at 7.30pm

265 Camden High Street, NW1 7BU London, United Kingdom

Box Office: 020 7482 4857 or Email the box office at [email protected]

To Book online follow: https://www.ticketea.co.uk/tickets-theatre-dinosaur-dreams/

Performance Dates: Tuesday, 28th of June – July 10th

28th June – 2nd July at 7:30pm 3rd July – 10th July at 6:30pm

Ticket Prices: £10 across the board

Performance Length: 55 minutes (No Interval)

For more information about Flux Theatre’s work and creatives please visit: http://fluxtheatre.wix.com/fluxtheatre

Les Enfants Terribles and ebp, in association with Bompas & Parr and Creature of London, present Dinner at the Twits – an interactive theatrical dining experience

DINNER AT THE TWITS 

Presented by Les Enfants Terribles and ebp, in association with Bompas & Parr and Creature of London

www.twitsdinner.com I @Twitsdinner I @BompasandParr I @TheVaultsUK

 

  • Les Enfants Terribles and ebp present Dinner at the Twits – an interactive theatrical dining experience like no other at The Vaults in Waterloo, in celebration of Roald Dahl 100, from 4 September to 30 October
  • From the award-winning team behind Alice’s Adventures Underground, in association with culinary geniuses Bompas & Parr, guests are cordially invited to the worst dinner party in the world, at the residence of the revolting Mr and Mrs Twit
  • This will be the very first time one of Dahl’s titles has been adapted into a production specifically for adults

Brought to you by Les Enfants Terribles and ebp, the team behind the Olivier Award-nominated smash hit Alice’s Adventures Underground, in association with gastronomic wunderkinds Bompas & Parr and creative wranglers Creature of London, Dinner at the Twits is a gloriously gruesome interactive theatrical dining experience that will blow your mind and tickle your tastebuds.

Les Enfants Terribles’ previous work includes multi-award-winning, international stage shows, including The Trench, The Terrible Infants and The Vaudevillains.

Based on the best-selling and much-loved title from the world’s number one storyteller. For the very first time join two of Roald Dahl’s most exquisitely appalling characters, Mr and Mrs Twit, inside their windowless house and ghastly garden for a grown-up journey down memory lane. But be warned: Dinner at the Twits is not for the faint of heart or soft of stomach!

Your evening will include a banquet of deliciously disgusting dishes, to be enjoyed with homemade cocktails, Mr Twit’s special brew and Mrs Twit’s potent punch.

Fish the glass eye from your cocktail, take a slice of bird pie, and enjoy all manner of fabulously foul food while being entertained by your horrid hosts.

Celebrating a hundred years of Roald Dahl, in a year filled with gloriumptious treats,Dinner at the Twits is designed specifically for grown-ups – no chiddlers allowed! Roald Dahl’s unique blend of macabre humour and quirky warmth has endeared him to generations of children and adults. Dinner at the Twits is the first adaptation of one of his children’s titles specifically created for adults.

Produced by Emma Brünjes, James Seager and Oliver Lansley with Creature of London, directed by Emma Earle, written by Oliver Lansley and Anthony Spargo, and designed bySam Wyer, Dinner at the Twits will run at The Vaults in Waterloo from 4 September to 30 October.

Oliver Lansley, of Les Enfants Terribles, said: “We are delighted to be presenting the first adaptation specifically created for adults of one of Roald Dahl’s hugely adored children’s books. We never really lose our sense of play, our relish in the bizarre and revolting. Dinner at the Twits will give adults the opportunity to explore those boundaries between disgust and delight, to come up close and personal with the hideous hairy Twits and to be taken on a multisensory journey through Dahl’s beguilingly bizarre world.”

Harry Parr, of Bompas & Parr, said: “We have always been fascinated by food taboos, and the gleefully grotesque universe of the Twits seems to us the perfect place to probe the limits of gastronomic experimentation. We want guests at Dinner at the Twits to be titillated, intrigued and surprised, and we promise that squeamishness will give way to scrumptiousness as you open your minds and your mouths…”

Les Enfants Terribles and ebp first joined forces in 2014 to create the technically and creatively ground-breaking theatrical experience, Alice’s Adventures Underground. An immersive and interactive theatrical production, it was the hit of the summer and ran at The Vaults for 21 weeks in 2015, playing to a total audience of 94,000 people and garnering a nomination for the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment and Family.

Emma Brünjes is an experienced producer, promoter and General Manager with ten years’ experience in theatre and comedy; as Head of Avalon Promotions, General Manager of Productions and Programming at Nimax Theatres and Producer of the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards among many other roles. In 2013 she started ebp, which has quickly established itself as a producer of great productions and great talent across its broad portfolio.

Bompas & Parr leads in flavour-based experience design, culinary research, architectural installations and contemporary food design, creating immersive flavour-based experiences ranging from an inhabitable cloud of gin and tonic to the world’s first multi-sensory firework.

Creature of London is an independent creative company that produces film, theatre, music videos and advertising, from The Hairy Ape at Southwark Playhouse, to associate producing Alice’s Adventures Underground with LET and ebp, to the Green Party’s ‘The Not So Secret Life of 5-Year-Old Politicians’, a video that became one of the most shared party election broadcasts of all time.”

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Dinner at the Twits

The Vaults, Waterloo

4 September – 30 October 2016

Press performance: Wednesday 14 September at 19:15

Tickets priced at £80-£110 available from www.twitsdinner.com / 0844 248 1215

90 minutes, no interval

Minimum age 14+, recommended for 16+. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.

Special dietary requirements will be catered for if notified in advance.

Prices

Tuesday & Wednesday: Standard: £80 Premium: £100

Thursday: Standard: £85 Premium: £105

Friday & Saturday: Standard: £90 Premium £110

Sunday Brunch: Standard: £75 Premium: £95

All prices will include a £1.50 booking fee on the website

Standard tickets include a 90-minute show, which includes a bespoke cocktail, and a banquet with wine or non-alcoholic drinks

Strictly Limited Premium tickets include:

–      A 90-minute show, which includes a bespoke cocktail, and a banquet with wine or non-alcoholic drinks

–      A unique cocktail on arrival in an exclusive area in the front of house bar

–      A personal box of chocolates with a hot beverage

–      A programme

Groups 

Groups of 10 or more benefit from a reduced booking fee of £1 per ticket.

Groups of up to 9 people are able to book their tickets online. Larger groups must be booked by calling 0844 248 1215.

Exclusive bookings

Exclusivity of the show at Premium rate can be booked for 80 people. Tickets must be booked on 0844 248 1215. Tickets include banquet, wine or non-alcoholic drinks with dinner, two cocktails, programme, and a personal chocolate box

Timings

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturday evenings:

6pm, 7.15pm and 8.30pm

Saturday matinees:

12pm, 1.15pm and 2.30pm

Sundays:

12pm, 1.15pm, 2.30pm  and 3.45pm

HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES – ANDREA LOWE JOINS DUKE OF YORK’S TRANSFER

LONDON’S HIT COMEDY IS MOVING HOUSE!

HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES

EXTENDS ITS WEST END RUN FOR 12 WEEKS AT THE DUKE OF YORK’S

7 JULY – 1 OCTOBER 2016

 

DCI BANKS ACTRESS ANDREA LOWE JOINS THE CAST AS ‘TERESA PHILLIPS’

 

One secret love affair. Two disaster-bound dinner parties.

Three couples headed for trouble.

 

 

Bill Kenwright’s West End production of Alan Ayckbourn’s farcical tale of matrimonial mishaps How The Other Half Loves is moving house. The comedy, which has enjoyed huge public and critical acclaim since it opened in March, will extend its West End run, transferring from the Theatre Royal Haymarket to the Duke of York’s from 7 July – 1 October.

Praise for the production includes:

**** ‘ONE OF THE FUNNIEST SHOWS IN TOWN’ THE TIMES

**** ‘THE PERFORMANCES ARE AN ACROSS-THE-BOARD TRIUMPH’ DAILY TELEGRAPH

 

As Bob and Fiona clumsily try to cover up their affair, their spouses’ intervention only adds to the confusion. William and Mary Featherstone become hopelessly stuck in the middle, falsely accused of adultery and with no idea as to how they’ve become involved. The plot culminates in two disastrous dinner parties on successive nights, shown at the same time, after which the future of all three couples seems in jeopardy…

 

Olivier Award nominated star of stage and screen Nicholas Le Prevost will continue to play ‘Frank Foster’ opposite Jenny Seagrove as ‘Fiona Foster’. Jenny starred in Ayckbourn’s Absurd Person Singular in the West End in at the Garrick in 2007, and is best known for her role as ‘QC Jo Mills’ in ITV’s Judge John Deed.

**** ‘NICHOLAS LE PREVOST IS MARVELLOUS …THE LINCHPIN’ FINANCIAL TIMES

 

Jason Merrells – one of TV’s most popular actors from roles in Lark Rise to Candleford, Cutting It andWaterloo Road, and recently seen as ‘Juror Number 8’ in Twelve Angry Men, plays ‘Bob Phillips’.

****‘COMIC GENIUS… IT’S ALL A HOOT WITH SUPERLATIVE PLAYING FROM JENNY SEAGROVE AND JASON MERRELLS’

SUNDAY TIMES

Matthew Cottle, star of BAFTA nominated Game On, and most recently seen in Ayckbourn’s A Small Family Business at the National Theatre in 2014, plays ‘William Featherstone’ opposite Gillian Wright as ‘Mary Featherstone’. Gillian is nationally known for her award-winning role as ‘Jean Slater’ in EastEnders.

**** ‘MATTHEW COTTLE – OUTSTANDING’ THE METRO

****‘GILLIAN WRIGHT IS SUBLIME’ THE STAGE

Joining the cast in the role of ‘Teresa Phillips’ will be Andrea Lowe, best known for playing DS Annie Cabbot in the popular ITV series DCI Banks.

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company’s Romeo and Juliet, will be broadcast live to cinemas worldwide on 7 July

Fiery Angel presents
PLAYS AT THE GARRICK

THE KENNETH BRANAGH THEATRE COMPANY’S ROMEO AND JULIET, WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE TO CINEMAS WORLDWIDE ON 7 JULY

  • MORE THAN 1200 CINEMAS WORLDWIDE WILL SEE THE PRODUCTION STARRING LILY JAMES, DEREK JACOBI, RICHARD MADDEN AND MEERA SYAL

  • DIRECTED BY KENNETH BRANAGH AND ROB ASHFORD, ROMEO AND JULIET WILL PLAY AT THE GARRICK UNTIL 13 AUGUST 2016. THE CINEMA BROADCAST WILL BE DIRECTED BY BENJAMIN CARON 

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company in partnership with Picturehouse Entertainment, will broadcast Romeo and Juliet to more than 1200 cinemas worldwide live from the West End’sGarrick Theatre at 19:00 on Thursday 7 July. Participating cinemas and screening dates can be found at branaghtheatrelive.com

The broadcast of Romeo and Juliet follows that of The Winter’s Tale on 26 November 2015, which topped the UK cinema box office when it was broadcast to 520 cinemas across the country.

Reuniting the stars of the celebrated film Cinderella, Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford direct Shakespeareʼs heartbreaking tale of forbidden love. The full cast of Romeo and Juliet, the sixth production in the Plays at the Garrick season includes Lily James (Juliet), Richard Madden(Romeo) and Derek Jacobi (Mercutio) and Meera Syal (The Nurse).

The cinema broadcast of Romeo and Juliet will be presented in high-contrast black and white, and is directed by Benjamin Caron who has also recently collaborated with Kenneth Branagh on the final series of Wallander (BBC).

Lily James, who plays Juliet, said, “The live broadcast is so exciting because it gets the play out of the Garrick Theatre and across the world, opening it up to an entirely different audience.  It’s great to get a younger audience in too, with the cheap tickets available for students. My brother will be watching in Australia! 

When Ken first talked to me about Romeo and Juliet he described how we would really try and capture the thriller aspect of the story and set it in 1950’s Italy, firmly in the world of la dolce vita. The feel would be monochromatic, like those beautiful old black and white movies of that time, and it all immediately felt very filmic anyway. Howard Hudson has done such a brilliant job with the lighting and Christopher Oram’s set is so atmospheric and realistic, so hopefully the play will translate well to the cinema. 

I really think it’s so exciting to see Shakespeare on film and to watch plays displaced from their original setting into a new medium. I can’t wait!

The full cast includes Marisa Berenson (Lady Capulet), Jack Colgrave Hirst (Benvolio), Tom Hanson (Paris), Matthew Hawksley (Anthony), Derek Jacobi (Mercutio), Lily James (Juliet),Taylor James (Prince), Ansu Kabia (Tybalt), Richard Madden (Romeo), Racheal Ofori (Potpan),Nikki Patel (Balthasar), Chris Porter (Lord Montague), Zoë Rainey (Lady Montague), Michael Rouse (Lord Capulet), Meera Syal (The Nurse), Sam Valentine (Friar Laurence) and Kathryn Wilder (Peter).

John Osborne’s The Entertainer, which will be the final production in the Plays at the Garrick season (20 August – 12 November) and will star Kenneth Branagh, Jonah Hauer-King, John Hurt, Sophie McShera and Greta Scacchi, will be broadcast to cinemas live on Thursday 27 October 2016.

The Winter’s Tale, Harlequinade / All On Her Own, Red Velvet, The Painkiller, Romeo and Juliet and The Entertainer make up the seven-play season of work for the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company. For more information please see branaghtheatre.com

Jessie Wallace at Leeds Grand Theatre

EASTENDERS’ JESSIE WALLACE TO JOIN CAST OFCHICAGO IN LEEDS

Leeds Grand Theatre is delighted to announce that one of Britain’s most love soap stars, Jessie Wallace (Kat Slater, EastEnders) is to join the cast of CHICAGO when it takes to the stage from Tuesday 22nd to Saturday 26th November.

Cast already announced are John Partridge as Billy Flynn, Hayley Tamaddon as Roxie Hart, Sophie Carmen-Jones as Velma Kelly, Neil Ditt as Amos Hart and A.D. Richardson as Mary Sunshine.

 

Other cast include Daniele Arbisi,  Nicola Coates, Frances Dee, Adam Denman, Francis Foreman, Waylon Jacobs, Justin-Lee Jones, Dann Kharsa, Chelsea Labadini, Ellie Mitchell, Peter Nash, Helen Siveter, Kerry Spark, Lindsey Tierney and Emily Warner.  

 

Jessie Wallace is best known for playing Kat Slater in EastEnders, a role for which she has won numerous awards. Her other TV credits include Amy Kriel in Wild at Heart and Pat Phoenix in The Road to Coronation Street, for which she was nominated for a Bafta Award. Her theatre credits include Maureen in Rent Remixed in the West End, Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be at the Theatre Royal Stratford East and Sylvia in the national tour of Stepping Out.

John Partridge is probably best known for playing the role of Christian Clarke in EastEnders. His many musical theatre credits include Rum Tum Tugger in Cats in the West End, on tour and the official film of the show, John in Miss Saigon on the first UK national tour and most recently Zach in A Chorus Line at the London Palladium. John was also a judge on BBC1’s Over the Rainbow, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s search to find a Dorothy for the musical The Wizard of Oz.

Hayley Tamaddon has just finished playing Andrea Beckett in Coronation Street. She also played Del Dingle in Emmerdale. Her numerous theatre credits include The Lady of the Lake in Spamalot and Janet in The Rocky Horror Show. Hayley also won the 5th series of ITV1’s Dancing on Ice. Sophie Carmen-Jones’ many West End credits including Jersey Boys, Wicked and We Will Rock You. She will also appear in the forthcoming Disney film Beauty and the Beast. Neil Ditt has appeared in many West End productions including Mary Poppins and Betty Blue Eyes. His other theatre credits include creating the role of George Mole in The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole at Leicester Curve and High Society and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, both at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. A.D. Richardson’s many theatre credits include the International tour of The Pirates of Penzance, the UK tour of HMS Pinafore, the RSC’s Cyrano De Bergerac and Scrooge The Musical at the New Theatre Oxford.

Based on real life events back in the roaring 1920s, nightclub singer Roxie Hart shoots her lover and along with cell block rival, double-murderess Velma Kelly, they fight to keep from death row with the help of smooth talking lawyer, Billy Flynn.

Created by the musical theatre talents of John Kander (music), Fred Ebb (lyrics) and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, CHICAGO’s sexy, sassy score includes All That Jazz and Razzle Dazzle. With 6 Tony, 2 Olivier, 1 Grammy, 2 Bafta and 6 Academy Awards, CHICAGO truly is “The sharpest, slickest show on the block” (The Times). A nightclub singer, a double-murderess, a smooth-talking lawyer and a cell block of sin: it would be a crime to miss it.

CHICACO is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 22nd to Saturday 27th November

 

Tickets are on sale now priced from £23 to £47

 

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

Liza’s Back! (is broken) at London Wonderground

TREVOR ASHLEY

IN

LIZA’S BACK! (IS BROKEN)

At the London Wonderground

From Wednesday 31 August to Saturday 3 September 2016

After wowing audiences in Liza (on an E) in 2013, Trevor Ashley is bringing everyone’s favourite diva back to London in a brand new show Liza’s Back! (is broken), playing at the London Wonderground at the Southbank Centre for three performances only from Wednesday 31 August to Saturday 3 September 2016.

 

There is no doubt about it; Liza Minnelli is a true Broadway legend. But her appearances on the musical stage have been few and far between. So what would happen if Liza decided to perform all the great Broadway roles she never got to play, in one special night?  Liza’s Back! (is broken) explores the parts that Minnelli should have played over the last forty years – those great leading lady roles from Grizabella to Norma Desmond, and all the others in between. Ever wanted to see Liza tackle Wicked? Then this is the show for you!

 

Direct from rehab, and live with a 7-piece big band, don’t miss Liza singing Broadway’s greatest hits, including I Have Confidence, Memory, Send in the Clowns, Le Jazz Hot plus her own classics Maybe This Time, Cabaret and New York, New York!

 

Trevor Ashley is an Australian performer and cabaret artist.  His musical theatre credits in Australia include creating the role of Miss Understanding in the world premiere production of Priscilla Queen of The Desert – The Musical; Edna Turnblad in Hairspray and Monsieur Thenadier in Les Miserables. Trevor also created and starred in his one-man-show Diamonds are for Trevor, a tribute to Dame Shirley Bassey. Liza (On an E) has played sell-out seasons all over the world, including a week-long residency at the Vaudeville Theatre in the West End.

 

Ashley is a master of his art. He catches every essence of Minnelli.”

GAY TIMES

 

Presented by Showqueen and MEI theatrical.

Rent Breaks Box Office Records at London’s St. James Theatre

20TH ANNIVERSARY OF JONATHAN LARSON’S

PULITZER PRIZE- & TONY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL

RENT

BREAKS BOX OFFICE RECORDS AT

ST. JAMES THEATRE, LONDON

 

The 20th Anniversary production of Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning musical RENT is the fastest selling show in the history of the St. James Theatre, having sold the most tickets not only in a 24-hour period after on-sale, but also in the first week of an on-sale period. RENT also breaks the record for the most amount of money taken on the first day of sales, beating the theatre’s previous fastest selling show record-holders, Sideways and The Pianist of Willesden Lane.

Producer Robert Mackintosh said, “I am delighted that the reaction to the 20th Anniversary production of RENT, by way of ticket sales, has been so strong, especially for my first venture with co-producers Ingrid Sutej and Miguel Esteban.”

RENT will play the St. James Theatre in London from 8 December 2016 to 28 January 2017, with a press night on Tuesday 13 December, following a limited run at Theatr Clwyd and a three-week tour.  2017 tour dates are to be announced.

The cast includes Ross Hunter as Roger Davis, Billy Cullum as Mark Cohen, Ryan O’Gorman as Tom Collins, Shanay Holmes as Joanne Jefferson, Layton Williams as Angel Schunard, Philippa Stefani as Mimi Marquez and Lucie Jones as Maureen Johnson, with Katie Bradley, Jordan Laviniere, Bobbie Little, Christina Modestou, Jenny O’Leary and Kevin Yates. Casting for the role of Benjamin Coffin III will be announced shortly. 

Jonathan Larson’s musical, inspired by Puccini’s opera La Bohème, won four Tony Awards, six Drama Desk Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1996. Ben Brantley’s New York Times review was a love letter to the show, calling RENT an “exhilarating, landmark rock opera”. RENT ran on Broadway for 12 years, from 1996 to 2008. The show premiered in London’s West End in 1998 at the Shaftesbury Theatre, where it ran for 18 months. It was adapted into a film in 2005.   

                                                          

Larson’s world is inhabited by a group of bohemian artists who struggle to maintain their friendships and their non-conformist ideals in New York’s East Village. Facing their problems head on, they make personal self-discoveries and find what really matters most in life. The poignancy of the story was heightened when Jonathan Larson died of an aortic dissection on 25 January 1996, the night before the show’s first off-Broadway performance at New York Theatre Workshop.

The much-loved score features songs such as Seasons of Love, Take Me or Leave Me, One Song Glory, La Vie Bohème, Without You, I’ll Cover You, Out Tonight, I Should Tell You and the title song.

RENT is produced by Robert Mackintosh and Idili Theatricals Limited, in association with Theatr Clwyd and Wales Millennium Centre.

The new production will be directed by Bruce Guthrie with Choreography by Lee Proud, Set Design by Olivier Award-winner Anna Fleischle and Costume Design by Loren Elstein, with Lighting Design by Olivier and Tony Award-winner Rick Fisher, Sound Design by Olivier Award-winner Mike Walker, Video Design by Andrzej Goulding, Musical Supervision and Direction by Phil Cornwell and Casting by Will Burton Casting.  

RENT has Book, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson, Musical Arrangements by Steve Skinner, Original Concept and Additional Lyrics by Billy Aronson, Music Supervision and Additional Arrangements by Tim Weil, and Dramaturg is Lynn Thomson.  RENT was originally produced in New York by New York Theatre Workshop and on Broadway by Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum, Alan S. Gordon and New York Theatre Workshop. 

RENT is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Ltd.

For more information, visit www.RentOnStage.co.uk

Twitter:  @RentOnStage

Instagram:  Instagram.com/RENTsonstage

Facebook:  facebook.com/RENTonstage  

                                                                                           

LISTINGS INFORMATION

21 October to 12 November 2016

Theatr Clwyd

Mold

Flintshire

CH7 1YA

Box Office:  01352 701521

Website:  www.theatrclwyd.com

On sale soon

 

15-19 November 2016

His Majesty’s Theatre

Rosemount Viaduct

Aberdeen AB25 1GL

Box Office:  01224 641122

Website:  www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/venues/his-majestys-theatre

Now on sale

22-26 November 2016

Malvern Festival Theatre

Grange Road

Malvern WR14 3HB

Box Office:   01684 892277

Website:  www.malvern-theatres.co.uk

Now on sale

29 November to 3 December 2016

Wycombe Swan

St. Mary Street

High Wycombe HP11 2XE

Box Office:  01494 512 000

Website:  www.wycombeswan.co.uk

Now on sale

 

8 December 2016 to 28 January 2017

St. James Theatre

12 Palace Street

London SW1E 5JA

Box Office:  0844 264 2140

Website:  www.stjamestheatre.co.uk

Now on sale 

Lloyd Webber’s Cats Prowl into Leeds

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THE MEMORIES ARE BACK

 

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking 2015 Olivier Award-nominated musical Cats is coming to Leeds Grand Theatre direct from its sell-out seasons at the London Palladium.

 

Based on T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the show first returned to the West End in December 2014 reuniting the original creative team – Director Trevor Nunn, Associate Director and Choreographer Gillian Lynne, Designer John Napier and Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.

 

On just one special night of the year, all Jellicle cats meet at the Jellicle Ball where Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, makes the Jellicle choice and announces which of them will go up to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life.

Cats, one of the longest-running shows in West End and on Broadway, received its world premiere at the New London Theatre in 1981 where it played for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances.  The production was the winner of the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Musical.  In 1983 the Broadway production became the recipient of seven Tony awards including Best Musical, and ran for eighteen years.  Since its world premiere, Cats has been presented in over 30 countries, has been translated into 10 languages and has been seen by over 50 million people world-wide.  Both the original London and Broadway cast recordings won Grammy Awards for Best Cast Album.  The classic Lloyd Webber score includes Memory which has been recorded by over 150 artists from Barbra Streisand and Johnny Mathis to Liberace and Barry Manilow.

 

Cats is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 20th June to Saturday 2nd July

Tickets are on sale now priced from £23 to £47.50

Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call box office on 0844 848 2700

Stars Bring Back the Good Old Days to Leeds

 

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STARS BRING BACK THE GOOD OLD DAYS!

BARRY CRYER / JESS CONRAD / JIMMY CRICKET

 

 

In September, City Varieties Music Hall begins its Autumn season of The Good Old Days and it’s shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated of recent times.

Over three weekends, each Friday & Saturday is headlined by a hugely popular entertainer and the bill is rounded out with the cream of variety talent from comedians, jugglers, singers, magicians and illusionists… accompanied by The Good Old Days “Orchestra” and presented by your worthyChairman, Mr Johnny Dennis.

These live stage shows have now been held for over 25 years… almost as long as the original record-breaking BBC light entertainment show which ran from 1953 to 1983 and is being re-screened on BBC4 most Fridays.

Fri 23 & Sat 24 September
starring JIMMY CRICKET

Hugely popular Irish comedian known for his “come’ere” and “…there’s more” catchphrases as well as his trademark wellies & silly hat!

With support from…

Helen Watson – singalong songs

Andrew Van Buren – escapology & juggling

Maurice Kachuk – classic song & dance routines

Wendy King  – Leeds’ original “Ukulele Girl”

Fro 30 Sept & Sat 1 Oct
starring BARRY CRYER

Leeds’ own variety legend and comedy writer extraordinaire who made his professional debut right here on this very stage, Barry Cryer – who’s still going strong on BBC Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue after more than 45 years!

With support from…

Anita Elias – comedy characters & singalong songs

Jon Udry – juggling & diablo

Julia Sutton – singalong songs

John Styles – magic & comedy characters

Fri 8 & Sat 9 October

Starring JESS CONRAD
Matinee Idol Jess Conrad OBE has had a hugely successful career on both stage and screen, scoring several chart hits, lighting up the West End stage as well as regularly appearing in Are You Being Served and several feature films.

With support from…

Peter John –comedy characters & music hall favourites

Norville & Josephine – magic & illusion

Judith Hibbert – singalong songs

Desiree Kongerod – contortion & “silks”

Andy Eastwood – ukulele singalong songs

The Good Old Days are at City Varieties Music Hall
for 3 weekends this Autumn

Evening performance at 6.30pm on Fridays

Tickets from £16*
plus Saturday matinees at 12 Noon and 4.30pm

Tickets from £20*

 

Online Booking: www.cityvarieties.co.uk

Box Office: 0113 243 0808

 

(*includes £1 booking fee)