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Robert Fox, Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions and Royal Court Theatre Productions present
The Royal Court Theatre production of
HANGMEN
By Martin McDonagh
Directed by Matthew Dunster

Set and costume design by Anna Fleischle, lighting design by Joshua Carr and sound design by Ian Dickinson for Autograph.

• MARTIN MCDONAGH’S AWARD-WINNING SMASH HIT HANGMEN RECOUPS IN UNDER SIX WEEKS

• WINNER OF BEST NEW PLAY AND BEST DESIGN AT CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS 2016

• LAST CHANCE TO SEE THE UNIVERSALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION AT WYNDHAM’S THEATRE IN LONDON’S WEST END, MUST END 5 MARCH 2016

Producers Robert Fox, Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions and Royal Court Theatre Productions have revealed that Matthew Dunster’s production of Martin McDonagh’s Hangmenhas recouped in under six weeks. The news comes as the production is announced the winner of the Critic’s Circle ‘Best New Play’ and ‘Best Design’ Awards today. Following a sell out run at the Royal Court Theatre, Matthew Dunster’s production of Martin McDonagh’s Hangmentransferred to the West End for a strictly limited season in December and must end on 5 March.

Matthew Byam Shaw, Producer for Playful Productions, said, “No-one expected a play about public lynchings to go wild at the box office over Christmas, but Hangmen is so entertaining and unique, the public has decided that this is the new play to see.”

Lucy Davies, Exec Producer at the Royal Court said, “We programmed this play at the Royal Court in May, opened it to sold out houses in September, it transferred by Christmas, and has recouped by January. This has been a textbook example of how incredibly fruitful, confident and nimble the collaboration between subsidised theatres, commercial producers and theatre owners can be. It has been a very happy project, and we are delighted that audiences have embraced its brilliance, and its extraordinary craft.”

After a decade-long absence from the London stage, McDonagh returned to the Royal Court Theatre with Hangmen in September 2015 to critical and public acclaim. The full West End cast includes: Josef Davies, James Dryden, Johnny Flynn, Tony Hirst, John Hodgkinson, Bronwyn James, David Morrissey, Andy Nyman, Craig Parkinson, Ryan Pope, Sally Rogers, Mark Roseand Simon Rouse.

In his small pub in Oldham, Harry is something of a local celebrity. But what’s the second-best hangman in England to do on the day they’ve abolished hanging?  

Amongst the cub reporters and sycophantic pub regulars dying to hear Harry’s reaction to the news, a peculiar stranger lurks, with a very different motive for his visit.

The transfer of Hangmen is produced by Robert Fox, Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions and Royal Court Theatre Productions.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Robert Fox, Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions, and Royal Court Theatre Productions present
The Royal Court Theatre production of
HANGMEN
by Martin McDonagh
Directed by Matthew Dunster
Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0DA
Until Saturday 5 March 2016

Final performance: Saturday 5 March

Performance times: Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm (except Wednesday 3 March at 7pm)
Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.

Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes including interval

Tickets from £19.50

Book online: www.hangmentheplay.com
Phone: 0844 482 51204
Groups: 0844 482 51004
Schools: 0844 482 5165
Access: 0844 482 5137

Book online www.royalcourttheatre.com
Phone: 020 7565 5000
Or in person at the box office (Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS)

No booking fees when booked directly with the theatre, www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk,www.hangmentheplay.com and via the Royal Court Box Office.

A limited number of £19.50 Day Seats will be released in person at Wyndham’s Theatre Box Office from 10am for that day’s performances.

FINAL CALL OUT FOR COMPETITION ENTRIES TO dancescreen AT FRAME, PRESENTED BY BALLETBOYZ IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE dancescreen COMPETITION 2016

CASH PRIZES TO AWARD-WINNERS 

CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES IS 31 JANUARY 2016

9TH – 12TH JUNE 2016 

The FRAME Film Festival, presented by BalletBoyz in association with IMZ International Music and Media Centre’s dancescreen competition, is looking for final submissions for this year’s London event which could be eligible to win cash awards. With four competitive categories and nine awards, pre-selection panels and juries will be considering originality, communication and direction. With the closing date of 31 January fast approaching, filmmakers are being encouraged to submit work for consideration.  All short-listed films will be published in the dancescreen catalogue.

The esteemed judging panel, announced today, includes Jan Younghusband (Head of Commissioning, Music & Events TV, BBC), Dieter Schneider (Commissioning Editor Theater & Music, ZDF/ Arte),  Alistair Spalding (Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Sadlers Wells Theatre, London), and Pegah Farahmand (Editor Random Acts, Channel4).

FRAME: The London Dance Film Festival will take place 9th- 12th June this year offering an opportunity for creative talent in the arts, dance and film worlds to share experience, show work, learn from other artists and enjoy the best that dance and dance film offers. For this first edition, FRAME team up with the bi-annual dance film competition, dancescreen. Cutting edge new films will feature alongside established favourites with a programme from dancescreen and FRAME, created to appeal to film, tv and media industries, dance enthusiasts and those who enjoy watching dance.

Alongside the screening programmes FRAME will provide Industry panel discussions, workshops and seminars that share experience of established professionals alongside exciting newcomers. FRAME Film Festival’s Artistic directors are Michael Nunn and William Trevitt (BalletBoyz) alongside Joe Bateman as Festival Director.  Full programme details will be announced in May.

The competitive categories are
A. Live performance relay and camera re-work
Multi-camera relay/capture of a live dance performance and adaptation of an existing choreography for broadcast or theatrical release
B. Animation
Choreography and direction of animated sequences and content
C. Screen choreography
Choreographic work specifically created for the screen, including experimental films, music videos and narrative fiction, C1) up to 5 minutes C2) up to 15 minutes C3) over 15 minutes
D. Documentary
Subject material must predominantly feature an artist, a choreographer, a dance company, the choreographic process, dance history or other dance related subjects.

The awards are

dancescreen Award for Best Film (Prize: £1,000) The Award will be presented by a jury panel of international film, video and dance experts for the best overall film from all entries

dancescreen Award for Best Student Film (Prize £500) A student competition will run parallel to these categories with an award for Best Student Film from all entries. Proof of full-time enrolment in an accredited university or college is required during the submission process.

FRAME Muybridge Award for Technical Innovation (The Muybridge Award) (Prize: £1,000)As above, work from all categories will be in contention to win this award.

dancescreen 2016 Category Winners In each category a much-appreciated distinction is given to the winning film in each of the 4 listed categories.  The winners of the 2016 Awards will be announced on 12 June 2016 at the FRAME Festival closing night Award ceremony.

Any work that is submitted for dancescreen’s competitive selection will also feature in the buyer’s catalogue for 2016.  All content submitted for consideration for the dancescreen 2016 awards will be included.

Full information on how to enter the competition can be found here:  www.dancescreen.com

FRAME
www.facebook.com/framefilmfestival
@FrameFilmFest
http://framefilmfestival.com

BALLETBOYZ
https://instagram.com/balletboyz
@BalletBoyz
www.balletboyz.com

 

LISTINGS INFORMATION

DANCESCREEN COMPETITION: 2 NOVEMBER 2015 – 31 JANUARY 2016

FRAME: THE LONDON DANCE FILM FESTIVAL:  9 – 12 JUNE 2016
Kingston Upon Thames

9 June
Festival Gala opening at the Rose Theatre, Kingston Upon Thames

10 June
Dance industry panels, workshops and discussions

11 June
Film screenings, outdoor events in Kingston market place, family and children’s shows and events

12 June
Awards Gala at the Rose Theatre Kingston Upon Thames: screenings, announcement of competitions winners plus a special live performance from BalletBoyz.

ENCHANTING NEW PRODUCTION FOR FAMILIES COMES TO YORK NEXT MONTH

Following on from last year’s hugely successful touring production of The Princess and the Pea, the latest York Theatre Royal and tutti frutti co-production, Snow Child comes to the De Grey Rooms Ballroom from Tuesday 23 February to Saturday 5 March 2016.

As Autumn leaves fall and the foxes, wolves and bears hide among the trees, we tell you a magical story about family, love and the power of dreams.

The first snow falls. Watching the village children play, a lonely couple yearn for a child of their own. They build a small figure from the ice and snow, and wish very, very hard… until the strength of their longing brings the magical snow child to life before their eyes!

She’s a girl like no other. As she dances in the wild landscape and talks with the animals, she brings joy, fun and laughter to the whole village. But it’s not easy, bringing up a wild daughter of the blizzards and the wind. As the seasons turn, and winter gives way to spring and summer, will the Snow Child and her parents find their “happily ever after”?

Inspired by Arthur Ransome’s adaptation of the Russian folk tale The Little Daughter of the Snow tutti frutti and York Theatre Royal are thrilled to bring you writer Emma Reeves’ new play following her huge success with her adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather (West End) and her TV triumphs; Tracy Beaker and the Dumping Ground as well as her new up and coming show Eve.

The play will be directed by tutti frutti’s artistic director Wendy Harris and the cast is made up of Mei Mac playing Snow Child, Paula James as Mother and animals and Mark Pearce as Father and animals.

With atmospheric music by Ollie Birch, beautiful movement by Joanne Bernard and an inspired design brought to you by Kate Bunce, this promises to be a wonderland of poignant, inventive storytelling to enchant children and families.

Writer Emma Reeves said:

Like all the best legends, there are many versions available, some of which end happily, others not so much. But the central story is always there, two parents who yearn for a child so much that their very love and desperation wills her into being, and a child who loves her parents but doesn’t understand them – and vice versa. I wanted to write a story about unconditional love, and how we wittingly or unwittingly test the people we love – and how we try to forgive them when they fail.

Snow Child is a performance for children aged 3-8 and their families. Tickets are on sale now priced £12 for adults, £10 for concessions and £6 for children under 16 (£1 transaction fee per booking) and are available from York Theatre Royal Box Office in person, by phone on 01904 623568 or securely online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

 Theatre N16 24 – 28 January.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

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Tom Hartwell’s comedy is a delight from start to finish. If the first thing you do in the morning is check your phone, then this play is right up your street. I am a complete technophobe, and even I understood all of the references

David has elevated procrastination to an art form, spending more time online than with his girlfriend. When she breaks up with him, he responds with hashtags. When a photo of him kissing another girl is shared on Facebook and Charlotte finds out, David tries to sort his life out. But he is visited by personifications of applications that distract him and try to prove their worth. Instagram (constantly taking selfies), Youtube (filming everything in case it goes viral), Hotmail (apparently we all need him?), Snapchat (never standing still for more than 10 seconds), Farmville (providing updates on the fate of Dave’s potatoes and cows) and Tinder (swiping left when things don’t go her way) are all desperate not to follow Myspace into obscurity. Facebook is a Mephistophelean presence, manipulating David’s profile and buying up the smaller apps to maintain his influence on the world, and David.

The script is sharp and clever, drawing laughs and groans of recognition from the audience, and the energetic cast are very funny. Hadley Smith is a scream as shambolic and desperate Hotmail – he seemed to be on a mission to trash the entire set during the play, and Katie Dalzell’s dour and doom laden Farmville is a real treat.  

This is a play full of insight and belly laughs, and well worth seeing.

SEARCH FOR MAN’S BEST FRIEND

The Touring Consortium Theatre Company are on the look out for a dog to appear at Darlington Civic Theatre in Of Mice And Men from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 March.

A Border Collie named Badger was due to tour with the cast of the John Steinbeck classic play Of Mice And Men. Sadly, Badger passed away from old age before rehearsals began, and the producers are now seeking an elderly dog to appear in each venue on the tour.

Most breeds and sizes will be considered, but he or she should ideally look relatively elderly and have the appearance of a ‘working’ dog, and must have a calm temperament. The dog will be on stage for around 5 minutes in total, alongside Dudley Sutton, playing ‘Candy’ and on a lead at all times. No previous acting experience needed.

The successful dog and owner will be required 6pm to 9pm on Tuesday, 7pm to 9pm Wednesday to

Saturday and 2pm to 3.30pm for the Wednesday and Saturday matinees. Expenses of up to £300 per week will be paid.

Interested parties should apply immediately to Janice Taylor via email: [email protected] or telephone 0844 5880 848.

Of Mice And Men is the story of two migrant farm workers held together by a mutual dependence, a deep affection and an undying loyalty. The pair go in search of a new beginning in the hope of attaining their shared dream: of putting together enough money to buy a small piece of land and building a home. No strangers to trouble, George and Lennie soon find themselves reeling from the fallout of an innocent misunderstanding which spirals out of control and leaves the two men, bound together by friendship, facing an earth-shattering climax. A story, raw in speech and action, full of heart and unflinching realism, it remains one of the most poignant statements of being human our contemporary theatre has produced.

Of Mice And Men is at Darlington Civic Theatre from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 March.

Tickets* £17.40 to £27, discounts available. Thursday and Saturday matinees all seats £18.50. Family ticket Saturday 2.30pm £44. Under 16s and schools all seats £11 plus 1 free with every 10 booked.

To book contact the Box Office on 01325 486 555 or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

*All prices include a £1 restoration levy

CLOSE TO YOU
Bacharach Reimagined

• LAST CHANCE TO SEE CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED
• FINAL PERFORMANCES ON VALENTINE’S DAY, SUNDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2016 AT CRITERION THEATRE

 

New musical CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED will end its limited West End run on Valentine’s Day, Sunday 14 February. Featuring Burt Bacharach’s songbook, CLOSE TO YOU broke box office records at the Criterion Theatre when it opened on 15 October, with the biggest advance in the venue’s history.

Performed by a young, multi-talented cast led by the visionary musician and performer Kyle Riabko, the show features Riabko’s thrillingly new yet beautifully faithful interpretations of Bacharach’s classics.  Blending nostalgia and innovation, generations old and new can now revel in all the hits as if for the very first time.  The show redefines the songbook musical by fusing this extraordinary reinterpretation of over 30 timeless Bacharach melodies with innovative choreography, taking the audience on an emotional and exhilarating journey.

Details are yet to be announced for the CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED album. Produced by Kyle Riabko, the album will feature the London cast performing their timeless interpretations of Bacharach’s unforgettable hits.

The show, newly renamed CLOSE TO YOU, premiered to critical acclaim and was a smash hit at New York Theatre Workshop, original home of both Once and Rent, becoming the longest running show in the history of that theatre, followed recently by a sold out and highly acclaimed run at The Menier Chocolate Factory. The production at the Criterion Theatre will be the last opportunity for audiences to see the show in the West End.

Directed by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett, best known for his iconic movement for such hits as Once, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Black Watch, Riabko leads an incredibly talented group of singers and musicians from both sides of the Atlantic through Bacharach’s greatest hits.

CLOSE TO YOU makes hearts sing and spirits soar with such classics as Alfie, Anyone Who Had a Heart, I Say a Little Prayer, Magic Moments, The Look of Love, Walk on By, Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, What’s New Pussycat, I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself, This Guy’s in Love With You, What the World Needs Now is Love and, of course, Close to You.

The New York Theater Workshop / Menier Chocolate Factory production of CLOSE TO YOU is presented in the West End by David Lane Seltzer for Entertainment 360, the producing arm of Management 360, also responsible for the blockbuster TV series Game of Thrones and the upcoming, highly anticipated Danny Boyle-directed Steve Jobs biopic.

CLOSE TO YOU features Music by Burt Bacharach and Lyrics by Hal David and others, with Musical Arrangements by Kyle Riabko who also conceived the show with Seltzer, and is Directed by Steven Hoggett, with Set Design by Christine Jones and Brett Banakis, Costume Design byMatthew Wright, Lighting Design by Tim Lutkin, and Sound Design by Richard Brooker.

Daniel Bailen, Anastacia McClesky, and James Williams are appearing with the permission of Actors’ Equity Association.  The Producers gratefully acknowledge Actors’ Equity Association for its assistance of this production.

LISTINGS

CLOSE TO YOU

Bacharach Reimagined

Venue:                   Criterion Theatre

Address:                 2 Jermyn St, London SW1Y 4XA

Dates:                    Saturday 3 October – Sunday 14 February, 2016

Times:                   Mon – Sat at 7.30pm; Wed, Sat at 3pm
Additional performances Sun 14 Feb at 2.30pm and 6pm

Box Office:            0844 847 1778

Website:                CloseToYouLondon.com

Facebook:              /CloseToYouLDN

Twitter:                 @CloseToYouLDN

LEGENDARY WHO-DUNNIT TO HIT DARLINGTON

The record-breaking 60th anniversary tour of The Mousetrap comes to Darlington Civic Theatre from Monday 8 to Saturday 13 February.

The Mousetrap is famous around the world for being the longest-running show of any kind in the history of theatre, with over 25,000 performances. Now the 60th anniversary production is back starring Louise Jameson (Dr Who, EastEnders, Doc Martin) as Mrs Boyle.

The scene is set when a group of people gathered in a country house cut off by the snow discover, to their horror, that there is a murderer in their midst. Who can it be? One by one the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts until at the last, nerve-shredding moment the identity and the motive are finally revealed.

In her own inimitable style, Dame Agatha Christie has created an atmosphere of shuddering suspense and a brilliantly intricate plot where murder lurks around every corner.

Louise Jameson is best well-known for her long-running roles as Leela, a companion of Tom Baker’s Doctor in Doctor Who, Susan Young in Bergerac¸ Eleanor Glasson in Doc Martin, and Rosa di Marco in EastEnders. In addition to Louise’s illustrious roles on screen, she has also appeared on stage in Love, Loss and What I Wore (The Mill, Sonning), Noises Off (Mercury Theatre), Gutted (Theatre Royal, Stratford East) and Oedipus (The Liverpool Everyman & Nottingham Playhouse).

Louise said: “I thought about doing something special for my 65th birthday in 2016. Just how did I get to be 65? The same way The Mousetrap has run for nearly that length of time I suppose, so we’ll be celebrating together. That’s quite special.”

The Mousetrap comes to Darlington Civic Theatre from Monday 8 to Saturday 13 February.

Tickets* £20 to £31.50

To book contact the Box Office on 01325 486 555 or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

*All prices include a £1 restoration levy

YORK’S LEGENDARY DAME BERWICK KALER ANNOUNCES THE NAME OF THE 2016 PANTOMIME.

 

York Theatre Royal’s once-in-a-lifetime pantomime Dick Whittington (and his meerkat) closed on Sunday 24 January following an incredibly successful run in its temporary home The Signal Box Theatre at the National Railway Museum.  According to tradition, writer, co-director and the UK’s longest serving panto dame Berwick Kaler announced the name of the pantomime for 2016-17:

CINDERELLA

Dick Whittington (and his meerkat) was Berwick Kaler’s 37^th outing as dame in what is believed to have been the first ever pantomime in a traverse theatre.  York Theatre Royal was forced to move its famous pantomime to The Signal Box Theatre following unique architectural discoveries during the theatre’s £4.1million redevelopment project.  The theatre has received its largest ever number of letters, messages, phone calls and social media posts praising the production, which has been seen by an audience of almost 50,000.

Berwick Kaler said:

It’s everyone’s favourite and it just seems fitting to celebrate the newly restored theatre with a title that has all the ingredients for magnificent sets and costumes, pathos, slapstick, inventive lunacy. I’ll even retain the plot – mind you, I’ve not written it yet so don’t quote me!

Tickets for CINDERELLA will go on sale in person only on Tuesday 1 March from the York Theatre Royal Box Office in the De Grey Rooms, St Leonard’s Place.

The theatre’s re-opening spring 2016 season will feature two world premiere co-productions, starting with an adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited with English Touring Theatre from Friday 22 to Saturday 30 April.  This sparkling re-imagining of the classic novel by writer Bryony Lavery and director Damian Cruden will tour nationally before returning to York Theatre Royal from Tuesday 21 to Saturday 25 June.  From Friday 13 May to Saturday 4 June York Theatre Royal and Pilot Theatre will present The Machine Stops, based on the 1909 short story by E.M. Forster.  The story has been adapted for the stage by Neil Duffield and will be directed by Juliet Forster and features a brand new soundtrack composed by John Foxx, pioneer of electronic music and founder of Ultravox and analogue synth specialist Benge. In addition a wide range of top class touring companies including Northern Broadsides, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English Touring Opera will bring their productions to the newly renovated theatre.

Tickets for the spring 2016 season are on sale now in person at the York Theatre Royal Box Office, by phone on 01904 623568 or securely online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

HiddenCity presents
MORIARTY’S GAME

• NEW TICKETS RELEASED: LAST CHANCE TO EXPLORE HIDDENCITY’S MORIARTY’S GAME, ENDS ON 31 MARCH 2016

• DISCOVER LONDON THROUGH A SERIES OF CRYPTIC CLUES INSPIRED BY ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE’S SHERLOCK HOLMES NOVELS

 

Don’t miss the chance to explore London with Moriarty’s Game, created by cryptic city trail innovator HiddenCity. New tickets have been released and are available until 31 March 2016.This brand new, immersive game launched on 2 December 2015 and has been garnering an array of strong reviews, selling out on its weekend dates.

Time Out says, “Puzzle fans will love this cross-London game”

Radio Times calls it, “As an entertaining activity to do with your friends, it was perfect – but as an offbeat tour around London it was also a slam dunk.”

The Stage says, “Fascinating urban adventure game that invites participants to explore hidden corners of the city”

Moriarty’s Game is the 28th trail created by HiddenCity and is inspired by characters from Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel, The Final Problem, published in 1893. Players find themselves exploring exhibitions in a Mayfair Townhouse, celebrating contemporary architecture and drinking in Georgian public houses as they solve puzzles sent via text messages, in search of Moriarty’s hidden safe house.

‘Professor James Moriarty invites you to celebrate the finest minds of London by solving his cryptic challenge, which he has personally prepared. Your goal is to find his London safe house. Succeed and he will present you an offer you won’t refuse.’

Each clue directs participants to a hidden location within walking distance, and asks a specific question about the surroundings. If participants reply with the correct answer they receive the next clue.

In Moriarty’s Game, explorers interact with the real world. As they progress on their journey, participants find themselves studying botanical books, inspecting classical French paintings and delivering codewords to people they meet, as they uncover Moriarty’s true nature.

HiddenCity was created by two brothers who wanted to organise an alternative city experience for friends. HiddenCity now has trails operating in London, Manchester and Brighton.

To book tickets visit inthehiddencity.com/moriartysgame.

LISTINGS

2 Dec 2015 – 31 March 2016
Moriarty’s Game
Start point: Royal Institute of British Architects, 66 Portland Place, W1B 1AD
Start time: 11.30am – 2pm (Trail takes 2 – 4 hours to complete)
020 7112 8951
www.inthehiddencity.com/moriartysgame
Price: £60 for a team of up to four people
Strictly adults, 18 or over
Dress appropriately to gain entry to Moriarty’s safe house. No shorts or tracksuits.