CORINTHIA HOTEL LONDON RELEASE MORE TICKETS FOR SOLD OUT WORLD PREMIERE OF EMILY HALL’S BRAND NEW PROMENADE OPERA

FOUND & LOST
by Emily Hall
at Corinthia Hotel London
25 January – 3 February 2016

  • CORINTHIA HOTEL LONDON RELEASE MORE TICKETS FOR SOLD OUT WORLD PREMIERE OF EMILY HALL’S BRAND NEW PROMENADE OPERA
  • AUDIENCES EMBARK ON A SONIC JOURNEY THROUGH THE HOTEL’S INTIMATE AND EXCLUSIVE SPACES AS NARRATIVE UNFOLDS THROUGH LIVE PERFORMANCE AND SOUND INSTALLATION

The Corinthia Hotel London has today released more tickets for the premiere of Emily Hall’s site-specific opera, Found & Lost. Hall’s brand new piece was conceived in collaboration with the internationally renowned sound designer David Sheppard during her stay at the distinguished five-star hotel as its Artist in Residence. It will be performed for audiences of 12 at a time in the beautiful rooms, intimate spaces, and restricted areas of the hotel from bedrooms through to boiler rooms. The piece invites audiences to embark on a sonic journey of discovery in a promenade performance where they will be led by a live choir and find musicians where least expected accompanied by   specially recorded music. Rooms will spontaneously break into song and drama will unfold along the corridors. An opera unlike any other, Found & Lost will have its official opening night at the hotel on 27 January.

Alongside Hall and Sheppard, poet and Jerwood-Aldeburgh winner Matthew Welton (The Book of Matthew, We Needed Coffee But…) has created the libretto exclusively from texts found within Corinthia Hotel London, including wine lists, housekeeping check lists, and lost and found records. Award-winning Director Ella Hickson (Wendy & Peter, Eight, Boys) has advised on the production. The composition integrates music recorded in a variety of spaces on-site, intertwined with a live chorus sung by members of Siglo de Oro, and live performances from James McVinnie on a specially simulated organ. Recorded artists featured in the production include: tenor Allan Clayton; singer-songwriter Mara Carlyle; cellist Oliver Coates; vocalist Sofia Jernberg; singer songwriter Puzzle Muteson, and treble Duncan Tarboton, allrelayed in crystal clear sound through a series of portable Bowers & Wilkins speakers which will be woven seamlessly into the fabric of the hotel.

Emily was selected in April 2015 from eleven finalists to create the piece at Corinthia Hotel London after entering the hotel’s fourth Artist in Residence competition – a search to find a composer or company to produce a brand new opera inspired by the luxury five star hotel. Her idea was selected by a panel of music and arts industry leaders including opera luminaries Alex Beard CBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, Joseph Calleja, internationally acclaimed award-winning tenor and James Conway, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of English Touring Opera among others.

Previous residencies saw winning commissions from aspiring filmmakers Zawe Ashton and David Petch (2014), immersive theatre company Look Left Look Right (2013) and photographic artist Noémie Goudal (2012).

Champagne provided by Laurent-Perrier.

All speakers for the production have been provided by Bowers & Wilkins.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Found & Lost
Corinthia Hotel London, Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD

Monday 25 January – Wednesday 3 February 2016
Monday – Friday evening performances: 7.00pm & 8.15pm (except Monday 25 January, just 8.15pm)
Saturday performances: 3.00pm, 7.00pm & 8.15pm
Booking: corinthia-air.com / +44 (0) 8444 77 1000

Website: corinthia-air.com/opera
Twitter: @CorinthiaLondon

Ticket prices:
Standard: £27.50 including a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne
Premium: £35 including a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne and an exclusive libretto
Concessions*: £20
*Under 26, full-time students, job seekers, seniors (60+) and people with a disability.

Running Time: 1 hour

Full performance schedule:

Monday 25-Jan-16 8.15pm
Tuesday 26-Jan-16 7pm & 8.15pm
Wednesday 27-Jan-16 7pm & 8.15pm
Thursday 28-Jan-16 7pm & 8.15pm
Friday 29-Jan-16 7pm & 8.15pm
Saturday 30-Jan-16 3pm, 7pm & 8.15pm
Sunday 31-Jan-16 No show
Monday 01-Feb-16 7pm & 8.15pm
Tuesday 02-Feb-16 7pm & 8.15pm
Wednesday 03-Feb-16 7pm & 8.15pm

SINGLE SPIES REHEARSAL PHOTOGRAPHY

A Chichester Festival Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre co-production of

SINGLE SPIES

  • REHEARSAL IMAGES RELEASED FOR UK TOUR OF SINGLE SPIES BY ALAN BENNETT
  • NICHOLAS FARRELL, BELINDA LANG AND DAVID ROBB LEAD THE CAST
  • PERFORMANCES BEGIN ON 4 FEBRUARY AT CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE

Rehearsal images for Alan Bennett’s hit comedy Single Spies are released today.  The production embarks on a UK tour from 4 February opening at Chichester Festival Theatre before touring to Birmingham, Richmond, Canterbury, Newcastle, Oxford, Cheltenham, Bath, Leeds, Salisbury and Sheffield.

Following the success of The King’s Speech, Chichester Festival Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre collaborate once again on this award-winning comedy masterpiece, Single Spies.

Olivier Award-nominated Rachel Kavanaugh directs Nicholas Farrell (as Guy Burgess), Belinda Lang (Coral Browne and Her Majesty the Queen) and David Robb (Anthony Blunt) in an extensive UK tour opening in February 2016.

Bennett’s award-winning espionage double bill is a pointedly satirical snapshot of two members of the infamous ‘Cambridge Five’, Guy Burgess and Anthony Blunt, both recruited as spies by the Soviet Union during World War II.

In 1950s Moscow, Coral Browne receives an invitation to lunch with shunned Soviet spy, Guy Burgess, with the sole instruction to ‘bring a tape measure’.  An Englishman Abroad is a wry and touching play which chronicles the pair’s fleeting friendship and Burgess’ attempts to cling to his way of life as a Soviet citizen.

A Question of Attribution gives us a glimpse into Anthony Blunt’s life of espionage within the very walls of Buckingham Palace.  Following his double-life as an art historian to royalty and a Soviet spy, this witty tale of forgery and deceit culminates in a sharp and candid interrogation from Her Majesty the Queen herself.

Single Spies premiered at the National Theatre in 1988, opening to critical acclaim and receiving an Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 1990.

LISTINGS:

Chichester Festival Theatre
4-13 February
Oaklands Parks, Chichester, PO19 6AP
01243 781312
Online bookings: www.cft.org.uk

Birmingham Repertory Theatre
17- 27 February
Centenary Square, Broad Street, B1 2EP
0121 236 4455
Online bookings: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

Richmond Theatre
1-5 March
The Green, Surrey, TW9 1QJ
0844 871 7651
Online bookings: www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre

The Marlowe Theatre
8- 12 March
The Friars, Canterbury, CT1 2AS
01227 787787
Online bookings: www.marlowetheatre.com

Theatre Royal Newcastle Upon Tyne
15-19 March
100 Grey Street, NE1 6BR
08448 11 21 21
Online bookings: www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Oxford Playhouse
21-26 March
Beaumont Street, OX1 2LW
01865 305305
Online bookings: www.oxfordplayhouse.com

The Everyman Theatre
29 March – 02 April
Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ
01242 572573
Online bookings: www.everymantheatre.org.uk

Theatre Royal Bath
04 – 09 April
Sawclose, BA1 1ET
01225 448844
Online bookings: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Leeds Grand Theatre
12 – 16 April
46 New Briggate, LS1, 6NZ
0844 848 2700
Online bookings: www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

Salisbury Playhouse
18- 23 April
Malthouse Lane, Wiltshire, SP2 7RA
01722 320 117
Online bookings: www.salisburyplayhouse.com

Sheffield Theatres
26-30 April
55 Norfolk Street, S1 1DA
0114 249 6000
Online bookings: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

City Varieties Leeds – 2016 Listings from Jan 22

image001 (13)www.cityvarieties.co.uk

0113 243 08 08

Swan Street – Leeds – LS1 6LW

Follow us on Twitter @cityvarieties

WHAT’S ON

 

FEBRUARY

Thursday 4 7.30pm FAIRPORT CONVENTION The return of the legendary of Folk Rockers fairportconvention.com

Friday 5 7.30pm DR JOHN COOPER CLARKE Poet; Movie Star; Rock Star; Presenter; Comedian; Social and Cultural Commentator johncooperclarke.com

Saturday 6 7.30pm LEE NELSON: Suited & Booted Comedian Lee Nelson at his absolute best… live and unleashed! leenelson.com

Friday 12 7.30pm NO SUCH THING AS A FISH The QI Elves present the first live tour of their hit podcast qi.com/podcast

Thursday 18 8pm RICHARD HERRING: Happy Now!? Richard returns in his twelfth solo stand-up show richardherring.com

Friday 19 7.30pm HOWARD JONES SOLO An intimate evening of songs and stories from the 80s synth-pop pioneer howardjones.com

Saturday 20 2pm SING-A-LONG-A FROZEN (PG) A full screening of Disney’s Frozen with lyrics on screen to help you sing along singalonga.net/frozen/

8pm SING-A-LONG-A DIRTY DANCING (15) A screening of the1987 classic film with on-screen lyrics singalonga.net/dirty-dancing/

Saturday 27 7.30pm TONY LAW: FRILLEMORPHESIS Brand new stand-up art show from the multi award-winning comedian mrtonylaw.com

MARCH

Wednesday 2 7.30pm PARTON SINGS PARTON Stella Parton shares both her and Dolly’s lives through Music, Song and Laughter stellaparton.com

Friday 4 8pm ANDREW NEWTON: The Hypnotist LIVE! World-famous hypnotist newtonhypnosis.com

Saturday 5 7.30pm DEBRA STEPHENSON: Night of One Hundred Voices An evening of comedy, music and impressions socomedy.co.uk/artist/debra-stephenson/

Sunday 6 7.30pm THE FUREYS All the hits plus selections from their new album The Times They Are A Changing thefureys.com

Monday 7 7.30pm THE PUPPINI SISTERS: The Highlife Tour The hugely popular vocal trio perform old favourites and new album cuts thepuppinisisters.com

Wednesday 9 7.30pm THEA GILMORE plus special guests Acclaimed singer-songwriter tours following her 15th album release theagilmore.net

Friday 11 7pm THE GOOD OLD DAYS

Saturday 12 12 Noon & 4.30pm THE GOOD OLD DAYS Variety spectacular starring Anita Harris – for full line-up see cityvarieties.co.uk

Sunday 13 8pm RUSSEL KANE: Right Man, Wrong Age A new show about growing up, growing down, and why farts will always be funny russellkane.co.uk

Wednesday 16 7.30pm HALFWAY TO PARADISE: The Billy Fury Story The story of one of Britain’s best loved rockers with the original Tornadoes billyfurystory.co.uk

Thursday 17 7.30pm Paul Carrol’s MUSIC HALL TAVERN The “girls” return for another evening of laughter, song and dance musichalltavern.com/uk/

Friday 18 7pm THE GOOD OLD DAYS

Saturday 19 12 Noon & 4.30pm THE GOOD OLD DAYS Variety spectacular starring Billy Pearce – for full line-up see cityvarieties.co.uk

Sunday 20 7.30pm JOE LONGTHORNE in Concert A rescheduled date from Sept 2015 + support from Chris Berry joelongthornembe.com

Monday 21 6pm & 9pm CIRCUS OF HORRORS: Welcome To The CarnEvil Tickets from £26* Circus of Horrors’ terrifying new show set in Victorian London circusofhorrors.co.uk

Thursday 24 7.30pm LAURIE BRIGGS: Ladies of Song Tickets from £18.50* A heartfelt homage to the iconic female vocalists from jazz & popular music

Friday 25 7.30pm EDDI READER Tickets from £24.10* Acclaimed Scottish singer-songwriter and vocalist with Fairground Attraction eddireader.co.uk

Thursday 31 7.30pm THE STORY OF GUITAR HEROES Phil Walker and his band take you on a multimedia journey through rock storyofguitarheroes.com

APRIL

Wednesday 6 2.30pm WE’LL MEET AGAIN Nostalgic wartime revue show featuring the Martyn St James Band + guests

Thursday 7 7.30pm JUDIE TZUKE Acclaimed singer songwriter famed for Stay With Me Till Dawn tzuke.com

Friday 8 8pm PAUL ZERDIN: Spongefinger America’s Got Talent winner 2015, Paul Zerdin returns to the UK paulzerdin.com

Sunday 10 7.30pm JOE LYCETT: That’s The Way A-ha A-ha The self-proclaimed ‘absolute lad’ is back with an all new stand-up show joelycettcomedy.co.uk

Tuesday 12 7.30pm G4 : Back For Good Tour 2016 Jonathan Ansell and friends reunited – VIP Meet & Greet tickets available g4official.com

Friday 15 8pm MARK STEEL: Who Do I Think I Am? Mark’s surprising and enthralling life story told with aplomb marksteelinfo.com

Mon 18 & Tue 19 7.30pm NEW DAWN FADES Acclaimed play about Joy Division and Manchester

Wednesday 20 8pm KEITH BARRY: Brain Hacker The star of ITV’s You’re Back In The Room – rearranged from October 2015 keithbarry.com

Thursday 21 8pm KATHERINE RYAN: Kathbum A rapid return following the sell-out show in January katherineryan.co.uk

Saturday 23 7.30pm GERRY MARSDEN: Gerry Cross The Mersey The legendary 60s superstar chats about his career and sings the hits gerryandthepacemakers.co.uk

Saturday 30 7.30pm MARK WATSON: I’m Not Here Multi-award-winning comedy star returns with new show markwatsonthecomedian.com

MAY

Wednesday 4 7.30pm THE RUBETTES featuring Alan Williams Original members of the 70s Glam stars relive memories and play the hits rubettesfeaturingalanwilliams.com

Thursday 5 7pm Greg Foot: CAUTION Safety Goggles Required! An evening of curious questions & explosive answers from TV’s top scientist gregfoot.com

Wednesday 11 8pm JULIAN CLARY: The Joy of Mincing Julian’s celebration of 30 years as a camp comedian julianclary.co.uk

Saturday 14 7.30pm SONS OF PITCHES + Special Guests Acclaimed vocal group & winners of BBC2’s The Naked Choir 2015 thesonsofpitches.co.uk

Friday 20 7.30pm DAVID HAMILTON’S Rock’n’Roll Back The Years Show The legendary broadcaster is joined by live performers to recreate hits from the 50s & 60s

Monday 23 7.30pm GYLES BRANDRETH: Word Power! An uproarious and unexpected magic carpet ride around the awesome world of words

Thursday 26 7.30pm ROMESH RANGANATHAN: Irrational Examining issues close to his heart and explaining why everybody else is wrong romeshranganathan.co.uk

JUNE

Saturday 4 7.30pm An Audience With IAN WAITE & NATALIE LOWE The Strictly Come Dancing favourites deliver a night you will remember forever ian-waite.com

Friday 10 7.30pm ROGER McGOUGH / LiTTLe MACHINe A unique double bill of poetry and music little-machine.com rogermcgough.org.uk

Saturday 11 7.30pm SARA PASCOE Acclaimed comedian Sara Pascoe in a show about empathy and its limitations sarapascoe.com

JULY

Saturday 2 6pm THE KEN DODD HAPPINESS SHOW The legendary Liverpudlian entertainer returns kendoddshows.com

SEPTEMBER

Saturday 17 7.30pm AL MURRAY THE PUB LANDLORD: Lets Go Backwards Together Sunday 18 7.30pm The nation’s critically acclaimed bar-based braveheart returns thepublandlord.com

OCTOBER Thursday 6 7.30pm LEE MEAD – Some Enchanted Evening Lee performs classics from 1930s & 1940s musicals lifted from his new album leemead.co.uk

Saturday 15 7.30pm VONDA SHEPARD Singer-songwriter who shot to fame through live performances on Ally McBeal vondashepard.com

Buckland Theatre Co. Launches With Strindberg’s Miss Julie

Print

Buckland Theatre Co. presents
MISS JULIE
By August Strindberg, translated by Michael Meyer

  • BUCKLAND THEATRE CO. LAUNCHES WITH AN INTIMATE VERSION OF STRINDBERG’S MISS JULIE
  • THE PRODUCTION WILL PLAY AT THE ETCETERA THEATRE FOR A LIMITED SEASON FROM 24 FEBRUARY UNTIL 19 MARCH


Buckland Theatre Co.
today announces its launch as a full-scale producing company with a powerful new version of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie. Miss Julie will open at Camden’sEtcetera Theatre this February, taking over the space entirely for the duration of its four-week run. Directed by Gary Condés, with Set and Costume design by Carla Goodman and Lighting and Sound design by Joe Price, the production will feature Laura Greenwood as Miss Julie, Charlie Dorfman as Jean and Danielle Henry as Kristin. Tickets are on sale now.

‘Tonight we are ordinary people trying to be happy.’

On Midsummer’s Eve, wishes are meant to come true. But, as Miss Julie becomes ever more deeply entangled with her father’s valet, dreams turn to disappointment – with tragic consequences. Strindberg’s masterly study of class, desire, and the ties that bind us caused a scandal when it was first performed, and remains searingly relevant today.

Buckland Theatre Co. was founded by Charlie Dorfman in the spirit of collaboration and exploration, providing opportunities for creative investigation in a supportive environment. It has run weekly readings since April 2015, covering great works from Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, August Wilson and more. Miss Julie is the company’s debut production in a season of classic and modern texts to be announced later this year.

Charlie Dorfman is an actor and producer who has successfully straddled the worlds of film and theatre, recently appearing in feature film The Show written and directed by James Alexandrou, and Present written and directed by Joe Ballerini. Through Buckland Productions he has associate produced and developed features such as The King’s Speech, Shame, and Tracks.

Laura Greenwood first came to attention as the teenage lead in 2009 thriller Pinprick, and has since been seen in a huge variety of television roles, including Prime Suspect,Messiah, Holby Blue, Strike Back, Silk, Casualty, Echo Beach and Hit and Miss. She has also worked on feature films The Brothers Grimm and V for Vendetta. Danielle Henrymade her television debut in Emmerdale and graced the nation’s screens as Mandy Marquez in Doctors for two years. Gary Condés has a wealth of experience as a professional actor and over the last 10 years has developed into a renowned acting coach. More recently he won a ‘Best Film’ award at the Asians On Film Festival in Los Angeles for directing short film Healthy.

A new style of “broken” musical premieres at the King’s Head in March

Broken Cabaret presents:

SOMETHING SOMETHING LAZARUS
March 8th – April 2nd 2016, 9.30pm, King’s Head Theatre


Something Something Lazarus is a new British musical; a dark comedy about resurrections, second chances and the healing power of performance. It’s also a “broken” musical: a fast-dissolving rehearsal ending with a fractured show, where songs are interrupted, directed, repurposed, and undercut.

In the hour before opening at Midnight Sun, a half-dead cabaret bar, Vee and Della are re-blocking the song with the knife. Owner Daniel has a thing with bar boy Jay and the changes he’s bringing to the business. And with the unveiling of a delivery from Daniel’s distant past, matters quickly skid into overdrive.

Alongside the action on stage, Something Something Lazarus will change the way you consume stories with the tools and techniques of transmedia storytelling – characters, spaces and motifs will have a web presence, websites, social media accounts … Email them and get a response. Tweet them and see how they react. Get histories and background that give the events of the show a stronger sense of place.

With strong queer sensibilities and language, song and perspectives pointed towards the world of cabaret, the theatrical and musicals, John Myatt, Simon Arrowsmith and frequent King’s Head collaborator Dan Phillips present a new type of show taking all of the excellent ingredients already on offer and adding a dash of the original.

Last chance to see The Homecoming by Harold Pinter at Trafalgar Studios

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Last chance to see The Homecoming by Harold Pinter at Trafalgar Studios

  • Run ends 13 February
  • Jamie Lloyds 50th anniversary production with Keith Allen, Gemma Chan, Ron Cook, Gary Kemp, John Macmillan and John Simm
  • Post-show Q&A with Jamie Lloyd and Michael Billington on 28 January

Harold Pinter’s enigmatic masterpiece, The Homecoming, will end its run at Trafalgar Studios on 13 February. The acclaimed production opened in November in the 50th anniversary year of the multi award-winning modern classic, marking a return to the West End for The Jamie Lloyd Company.

Director Jamie Lloyd will interview Michael Billington, theatre critic and author of The 101 Greatest Plays, in a post-show Q&A on 28 January.

Taking place at Trafalgar Studios, the event will see Jamie Lloyd and Michael Billington discussing Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming. Billington is widely considered one of the world’s leading authorities on Pinter and the conversation will cover the play’s history, themes and the playwright himself. The event is one of a series in the Traf Extras season, which is designed to build a deeper understanding of, and connection with, the onstage action. The 30 minute discussion starts at 9.45pm and is free for ticket holders attending the evening’s performance.

Widely regarded as Pinter’s finest play, the dangerous and tantalisingly ambiguous world of The Homecoming is a crackling hotbed of visceral tension. Celebrated as one of the leading interpreters of Pinter’s work, director Jamie Lloyd has assembled an impressive cast in this dynamic production.

The Homecoming stars Keith Allen (Sam), Gemma Chan (Ruth), Ron Cook (Max), Gary Kemp (Teddy), John Macmillan (Joey) and John Simm (Lenny) and is designed by Soutra Gilmour, with lighting design by Richard Howell and sound by George Dennis.

A unique contemporary masterpiece of the 20th Century, the 50th anniversary production continues The Jamie Lloyd Company’s reputation for presenting compelling drama that sparks passionate debate.

As with The Jamie Lloyd Company’s previous productions, all tickets for Monday performances are £15. Half of these have been made available through a special outreach scheme, targeted at schools and first-time theatregoers. The other half are released monthly to the public on the first day of each month, and are available online or at the Trafalgar Studios box office.

When Teddy returns from America to introduce his wife Ruth to his family in London, they discover a claustrophobic and brutal household where his father Max, brothers Lenny and Joey and Uncle Sam live in a state of mutual loathing and festering resentment. Theirs is a motherless, compassionless and lawless home where Ruth immediately becomes the centre of attention. Pinter’s sinister masterpiece simmers with suspense and rings with savage humour as Ruth navigates her way between the roles of predator and prey in an incisive battle of wills.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Imagination Awards Open For Entries

9df49e7f70e073ac_orgCHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY:THE IMAGINATION AWARDS OPEN FOR ENTRIES

  • Sir Ken Robinson announced as Patron
  • Sam Mendes joins judging panel

Renowned educationalist Sir Ken Robinson will be the Patron of The Imagination Awards, a competition launched by the award-winning West End production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, to champion creativity and inspire the next generation of theatre makers. The awards open for entries today, and close on Monday 6th June. www.imaginationawards.co.uk

The judging panel for the awards will also include:

  • Members of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory creative team including: Sam Mendes, Director; Caro Newling, Producer; Mark Thompson, Set and Costume Designer
  • Jess Moore, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Warner Bros.
  • Roma Agrawal, Structural Engineer, WSP Group
  • James Anderson, 18 year old entrepreneur and founder of Thinkspace
  • Mark Champkins, Inventor in Residence, Science Museum
  • Emily Mulhall, Animator

The deadline for entries is Monday 6th June 2016, with a shortlist announced on Monday 20th June, and winners announced on Friday 8th July.

The Imagination Awards are divided into two separate awards:

  • Charlie’s Challenge: a national award for 5-15 year olds (in three age categories, 5-7, 8-11, 12-15), looking for creative inventions and ideas which would benefit a family member. It can be an invention or idea that would help one person, or something that will help the whole family. Judges: Roma Agrawal, James Anderson, Mark Champkins, Emily Mulhall. Prize: The winner will receive an Imagination Pack full of prizes to encourage invention and creativity, plus a VIP trip to London to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The school that submits most entries will receive an Imagination Workshop at their school and a talk from one of the judges.
  • The Young Theatre Design Award is open to 16-18 year olds across the UK and is split into two separate categories: Set Design and Costume Design. Young designers are asked to submit an original set or costume design for Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryJudges: Sam Mendes, Jess Moore, Caro Newling, Mark Thompson. Prize: The winner from each category will be invited to London to meet with the creative team and watch a matinee performance of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, before experiencing the production from backstage during the evening performance.

Sam Mendes, director of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, explained: “When we were creating Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, one of the key things we always wanted to get across was the importance of the imagination. At the start of the show, Charlie Bucket’s world is grey and cold, but he uses his imagination to transform the world into something wonderful. And Willy Wonka and his factory are the embodiment of the power of imagination. Creating something out of nothing is miraculous – that’s what Roald Dahl did, it’s what Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka do, and it’s what we’re celebrating with this prize.”

Charlie’s Challenge has been designed to be inclusive for all young people. The award encourages creativity in the classroom, and champions invention and imagination as valuable skills for any future career. The production will create resources throughout the awards process which will help unlock the doors to the world of theatre, and showcase the opportunities in the arts that exist for young people interested in the process of theatre making and design.

The Young Theatre Design Award will look for those who have already experimented with set and costume design, and also seek out aspiring artists and those with relevant skills who have not yet considered a career in the theatre industry.

Full details of The Imagination Awards and how to enter can be found at www.imaginationawards.co.uk

Since opening in 2013, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has offered teachers numerous ways to explore the show through an educational ‘Page-to-Stage’ resource that includes activities and exercises for students to bring the musical to life in the classroom. January 2016 has seen the launch of the new official Charlie and the Chocolate Factory school workshops in the areas of drama, singing, dance, musical theatre and storytelling.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has also provided ten one-week paid backstage work experience placements and two eight-week paid internships through the Golden Tickets scheme, part of Warner Bros. Creative Talent, a programme of investment in skills and training for the UK creative industries.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory presented its first ‘relaxed performance’ on 19 January 2016. Presented in association with Mousetrap Theatre Projects, the relaxed performance was aimed at families with one or more children with special needs. It was designed to provide an opportunity for people with autism, learning difficulties or other sensory and communication needs, who require a more relaxed environment, to enjoy the show.

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has quickly become one of the West End’s most popular and successful stage musicals, and recently celebrated its 1000th performance as well as winning a London Lifestyle Award for Theatre Show of the Year, as voted for by readers of the London Evening Standard. It also won two Olivier awards in April 2014, and has broken records at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where it has been seen by over 1.7 million people since it opened in June 2013. It is currently taking bookings until December 2016.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is directed by Sam Mendes. Featuring ingenious stagecraft, the wonder of the original story that has captivated the world for almost 50 years is brought to life with music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, a book by award-winning playwright and adaptor David Greig, set and costume designs by Mark Thompson and choreography by Peter Darling.

The Official Cast Recording album is available on Sony Records, on CD and download.

This world premiere musical is produced by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Neal Street Productions and Langley Park Productions.

www.CharlieandtheChocolateFactory.com

Box Office: 0844 858 8877

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5JF

Booking until December 2016

Sing-a-long-a City Varieties this February

image001 (13)DOUBLE HELPING OF SINGALONGA SCREENINGS

From the Producers of Sing-a-long-a Sound Of Music and Sing-a-long-a Grease

 

On Saturday 20 February the team from Sing-a-long-a Productions present two very special screenings at City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds.

 FROZEN-web-portrait Sing-A-Long-A- Frozen-57

The afternoon sees a welcome return for last year’s two-time sell-out Sing-a-long-a Frozen – a full screening of Disney’s Animated blockbuster Frozen with lyrics on screen to help you and your family sing along during the film.   Introduced by a live host who will guide you through this interactive screening by showing you how to use your free prop bag, warm up your singing voices and teach you some dance moves with the help of the Singalonga Princesses.  Watch as the film is brought to life to help you experience it in a whole new light.

On the evening of the same day get ready for the time of your life with Sing-a-long-a Dirty Dancing (15)

The brand new sing-a-long-a screening of the classic film starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey.

 Dirty Dancing main image

It’s the Summer of 1963, it’s college boys versus dancing hunks, it’s one of the best loved movies of all time and, yes, there is a guy as great as your dad.

Join Baby and Johnny in a fun-filled screening of the1987 dance classic film where YOU are the stars of the show. The Singalonga host will lead a vocal warm up, show you how to use your ‘magic moments fun pack’ and will no doubt have you dancing really dirty…

 

Fancy dress not obligatory but highly recommended

 

Saturday 20 February
Sing-a-long-a Frozen (Cert PG) 2pm

Sing-a-long-a Dirty Dancing  (Cert 15) 8pm

 

 

Online Booking: www.cityvarieties.co.uk

Box Office: 0113 243 0808

 

1st Birthday Competition

We are one year old and to celebrate we have a fun competition with a mystery prize

Our first “20 Questions with…..” was the insanely talented Anna Jane Casey and to win you just need to answer this question

What is Anna Jane Casey’s favourite theatre?

To enter send an email with your answer, your name and email address to [email protected] please put the word COMPETITION in the subject line

Competition closes at 11.59pm 31 January and the winner will be announced 1 February

Good Luck

PS Remember to like us on Facebook and Twitter too

JEFF WAYNE’S MUSICAL VERSION OF THE WAR OF THE WORLDS

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DAVID ESSEX   JIMMY NAIL   DANIEL BEDINGFIELD

MICHAEL PRAED  MADALENA ALBERTO and HEIDI RANGE

 

On screen & in 3D holography

LIAM NEESON

Conducted on stage by

JEFF WAYNE

 

Bill Kenwright and Jeff Wayne present

THE WEST END DEBUT OF THE MULTI-AWARD WINNING MUSIC PHENOMENON

SPECTACULARLY REIMAGINED FOR THE STAGE

 

JEFF WAYNE’S MUSICAL VERSION OF

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS

 

Limited Season starts 8 February 2016

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Alongside the onscreen appearance of Liam Neeson and the onstage appearance of Jeff Wayne and his magnificent Black Smoke Band and ULLAdubULLA string orchestra, casting has now been announced for the World Stage Premiere of The War of The Worlds at the Dominion Theatre.

Making his West End debut singer-songwriter, actor, musician, and writer Jimmy Nail plays Parson Nathaniel.

Also making his debut will be Daniel Bedingfield, as The Artilleryman. The New Zealand born, British raised singer-songwriter shot to stardom in 2001. He returns to this country from LA for the first time in many years.

The third cast member to make their West End debut is Heidi Range, playing Beth. Heidi is the longest serving member of the BRIT award winning multi-platinum-selling British girl group Sugababes.

Alongside these debutants are two West End regulars: Michael Praed, as George Herbert, whose first major appearance was at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in Joseph Papp’s production of The Pirates of Penzance, and who has since regularly starred in on Broadway and in the West End; and joining him Madalena Alberto, playing Carrie, fresh from her triumph as Eva Peron in Evita at The Dominion last year.

Finally, as The Voice Of Humanity, and completing possibly the starriest cast the West End has seen, is David Essex. One of the original contributors to Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds in 1978, this will be the first time the two men have joined together to work on The War of The Worlds since.

Since its inception in 1978, Jeff Wayne’s original double album has become one of the most ground-breaking and bestselling musical works of all time. With over 15 million copies sold and 330 weeks in the UK Album Charts to date, a number one album in 11 countries, a number-one music DVD, 8 years of world-wide arena tours, and huge critical acclaim across the globe the score includes the two international hit singles The Eve of The War and Forever Autumn.

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds has won two prestigious Ivor Novello Awards, the Best Recording in Science Fiction and Fantasy Award (the judges included Alfred Hitchcock, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg), as well as winning for Jeff, Classic Rock’s Showman of The Year Award.