ROBERT POWELL PAYS A ROYAL VISIT TO THE LYCEUM NEXT MONTH

 

Multi-award winning play King Charles III, starring Robert Powell, comes to the Lyceum Theatre from Monday 1 – Saturday 6 February, exploring the people underneath the crowns, the unwritten rules of our democracy, and the conscience of Britain’s most famous family.

 

The Queen is dead.  After a lifetime of waiting, Prince Charles ascends the throne with Camilla by his side.  As William, Kate and Harry look on, Charles prepares for the future of power that lies before him…but how to rule?

Best known for his portrayal of Jesus in Jesus of Nazareth and Mark Williams in Holby City, Robert Powellplays Charles along with Penelope Beaumont as Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Jennifer Bryden as Katherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Ben Righton as William, Duke of Cambridge, and Richard Glaves as Prince Harry with Dominic Jephcott, Lucy Phelps, Giles Taylor, Tim Treloar, Beatrice Walker andPaul Westwood.

Written by Mike Bartlett (Dr Foster, Bull) and directed by the Almeida Theatre’s Artistic Director Rupert Goold, King Charles III won an array of awards in 2015, including Best Play at the Olivier Awards and the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards and Best Theatre Production at the Southbank Sky Arts Awards.

King Charles III is at the Lyceum Theatre from Monday 1 – Saturday 6 February.  Tickets can be purchased from Sheffield Theatres’ Box Office* in-person, by phone on 0114 249 6000 or online at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk and are priced from £14.00 – £29.00 (a transaction fee of £1.50 (£1.00 online) applies to all bookings made at the Box Office, excluding cash), and discounts are available.

THE HOSPITAL CLUB PRESENTS THE 16^TH ROOM

THE HOSPITAL CLUB TO HOST GROUP ART EXHIBITION

CELEBRATING THE ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS FROM THE CLUB’S 15 HOTEL ROOMS

PRIVATE VIEW ON 12 FEBRUARY, PUBLIC EXHIBITION FROM 13-20 FEBRUARY

The Hospital Club is pleased to announce it will host THE 16^th ROOM, a two-week contemporary art exhibition from 13 – 20 February 2016, with a private view on 12 February. Marking a year since the Club opened its 15 hotel rooms, which all feature the work of 15 rising artists, this group show will bring all 15 artists together in the Club’s gallery space.

The Hospital Club has enjoyed a long association with many of these artists and designers, having showcased their work since 2009. Collectively, the individuals chosen for this project represent the creative character of the building, the innovative and pioneering nature of its members and the Club as a whole.

The 15 artists include Julian Wild, Rick Guest, Dominic Beattie, Alyson Mowat, David Degreef-Mounier, Kristof Jeney, James Alec Hardy, James Wright, Shelley James, Harriet Clare, Tom Shedden, Wiktoria Deero, Christian Thompson, Jacob Love and Noah da Costa.

Dominic Beattie first showcased sculptural work at the Club in 2010, and has since returned for two solo presentations of his work. On 23^rd November 2015 he won the Saatchi painting prize. Also presenting three-dimensional work is Julian Wild (Vice–president of The Royal British Society of Sculptors), whose sculpture graces suite number one’s private terrace at The Hospital Club.

Shelley James will be presenting work produced with support from Arts Council England. She received her PHD from The Royal College of Art and was awarded a finalist place in 2014’s prestigious Jerwood Maker’s Award. Christian Thompson and Rick Guest have previously exhibited solo presentations of their work in the gallery space, with Guest’s latest solo exhibition taking place at the Club in January 2016.

Commenting on The 16^th Room exhibition, The Hospital Club’s Art Programmer Ali Hillman said: “This exhibition is our way of acknowledging the artistic contribution these artists and designers have made to the new hotel rooms and the creative heritage of the Club as a whole.”

STRICTLY COME DANCING

THE LIVE TOUR

RETURNS FOR A FAB-U-LOUS NINTH YEAR

SHEFFIELD ARENA
Tuesday 26^th & Wednesday 27^th January 2016

 

Strictly Come Dancing the Live Tour stops off at Sheffield Arena for two nights next week on Tuesday 26^th & Wednesday 27^th January 2016.

Strictly Come Dancing Champion 2015 Jay McGuiness will be joined by fellow celebs Georgia May Foote, Helen George, Anita Rani, Ainsley Harriott, Jake Wood and Frankie Bridge. Strictly super fan Mel Giedroyc is the tour’s brand new host and judges from the TV series Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli are reunited for the tour.

The professional dancers from the ratings winning BBC One TV series and their celebrity partners for the tour are: 

Frankie Bridge and Kevin Clifton
Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice
Helen George and Aljaz Skorjanec
Ainsley Harriott and Natalie Lowe
Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani
Anita Rani and Gleb Savchenko
Jake Wood and Janette Manrara
Karen Clifton will also join the tour for the professional dances and group numbers.

Jay McGuiness is one fifth of the globally successful band, The Wanted. Since their 2010 debut album was released, they have enjoyed huge success all over the world, including two number one singles in the UK with All Time Low and Glad You Came.

Jay says: “I’m used to performing in front of massive crowds when touring with The Wanted, but performing with Aliona on the Strictly Live Tour will be a totally different experience. I loved my time on the TV series, but the idea of being back out in front of live arena audiences is something I’m very much looking forward to.”

As with the television show, the judges will provide their invaluable wisdom, advice and scores at each performance. But not only are the celebrities and their dance partners competing for the judges’ scores, they will also be battling to win votes from the arena audiences, who can text vote via their mobile phones and ultimately have the power to decide who wins the prized Glitterball Trophy at the end of each performance.

Tickets for the 2016 Strictly Come Dancing Live UK Tour, which stops off at Sheffield Arena on Tuesday 26^th & Wednesday 27^th January 2016 are now on sale.

Tickets purchased by telephone on 0114 256 5656 or online at www.sheffieldarena.co.uk are priced £38.50 – £71.50 (including booking fee).  Tickets purchased in person at the Arena Box Office are priced £36.75 – £68.25 (including booking fee).

Twitter: @scd_live_tour

Facebook: www.facebook.com/strictlylive 

‘THE BEATLES’ AT LEEDS GRAND THEATRE

Leeds Grand Theatre is gearing up to Twist and Shout as it confirms that the biggest ever tour of The Beatles’ celebration show Let It Be is taking to its stage this  July.

 

Let It Be celebrates the music of the world’s most successful rock ‘n’ roll band in a spectacular concert charting the band’s meteoric rise from their humble beginnings in Liverpool’s Cavern Club, through the height of Beatlemania, to their later studio masterpieces. Bursting with timeless hits, show-stopping sets, dazzling costumes – and a brilliant portrayal of the Fab Four from a talented cast of musicians – promises to continue to entertain audiences all over the country.

Derek Nicol, joint Managing Director of Flying Entertainment, commented:

“We have an extremely talented cast who have performed the show to audiences on New York’s Broadway, in London’s West End, and toured across Europe and Japan. The show’s most recent run was in Liverpool, where they certainly know their stuff when it comes to The Beatles. They truly welcomed LET IT BE into their hearts, the response was fantastic and we knew it was time to share the show with the rest of the country through a 26-venue tour spanning seven months.”

 

“The show will have audiences on their feet from the very start. They won’t be able to help themselves thanks to the iconic songbook from the world’s biggest band. We’re also looking forward to entertaining the next generation of Beatles’ fans.”

The show celebrates music history’s greatest ever worldwide phenomenon and is packed with over 40 of The Beatles’ greatest hits, including Twist and Shout, She Loves You and Drive My Car, as well as global mega hits Yesterday, Hey Jude, Come Together and, of course, Let It Be.

 

Let It Be is at Leeds Grand Theatre from 11^th to 16^th July

Tickets go on pre-sale for priority members on Wednesday 20^th January and on general sale on Wednesday 27^th

Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call Box Office on 0844 848 27 00

Lucie Jones will play Elle Woods in Leicester Curve’s new production of Legally Blonde, directed by Nikolai Foster.Jones appeared on The X Factor in 2009 and has taken roles since in American Psychoat the Almeida and in the tour of Ghost. She starred as Cosette in Les Miserables in the West End and Meatloaf in We Will Rock You.

Jones will be joined by Ian Kelsey as Callahan. The actor has starred previously as Billy Flynn in the West End run of Chicago and appeared in TV series Casualty between 1998 and 2002. Danny Mac will play Warner and Jon Robyns will play Emmett.

Foster, artistic director of Curve, said today “We are all delighted to have found such a brilliant leading lady and the perfect Elle Woods in Lucie Jones. Lucie not only brings bags of panache, style and fun to Elle, but also masses of humility and integrity. Alongside Lucie, we are thrilled to welcome a trio of exceptional leading men to Curve – Danny Mac, Ian Kelsey and Jon Robyns.”

Legally Blonde is the musical comedy about sorority sister Elle Woods, who gets herself a place at Harvard Law School in an attempt to prove she’s not just a pretty face and to win her boyfriend back.

Legally Blonde opens at the Curve on April 14 and runs until 14 May.

Doctor Who actress Catherine Tate will star in the upcoming production of Miss Atomic Bomb at St James Theatre.

Tate, who has performed onstage recently in Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory) and The Vote (Donmar Warehouse), will star in the brand new musical alongside Dean John-Wilson. John-Wilson was recently announced as one of the leads in Disney’s production of Aladdin which will open on the West End in June.

John-Wilson and Tate will lead the production and will be supported by Florence Andrews (A Little Night Music), Simon Lipkin (The Lorax, Assassins) and Daniel Boys (Any Dream Will Do, Avenue Q).

Further casting includes Michelle Andrews, Stephane Anelli, Charles Brunton, Jessica Buckby, Cavin Cornwall, Olivia Fines, Ryan Gover, Alyn Hawke, Sion Lloyd, Suzie McAdam, Kirk Patterson and the youngest member of the Strallen musical theatre dynasty Sasi Strallen.

Co-directed Bill Deamer and Adam Long, Miss Atomic Bomb is inspired by the bomb tests and the beauty pageants of the 50s. Written by Adam Long, Gabriel Vick and Alex Jackson-Long, the piece is set in Las Vegas in 1952. Tate will play Myrna, the fashionista friend of Candy (Andrews) and John-Wilson plays a young soldier Joey, who has deserted the army.

Miss Atomic Bomb runs at the St James Theatre from 14 March – 9 April.

Daniel Mays and George MacKay are among the cast joining the previously announced Timothy Spall in The Caretaker at the Old Vic.

Mays, who will play Aston, was recently seen in The Red Lion at the National and the Made in Dagenham film whilst MacKay’s credits include Ah Wilderness (Young Vic) and the film Pride. MacKay will take the role of Mick.

Directed by Matthew Warchus, Pinter’s groundbreaking 1960 play follows two brothers and a tramp wrestling for power in a psychological study of corruption and shifting allegiances.

The last West End production of The Caretaker was directed by Patrick Marber in the early noughties and starred Michael Gambon.

The Caretaker runs at the Old Vic from 6 April to 14 May.

We are delighted to announce full casting and creatives for:

THE KISSING DANCE

Music by Howard Goodall
Book and Lyrics by Charles Hart

LISTINGS INFORMATION

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THAT’LL BE THE DAY 30th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

The legendary That’ll Be The Day stage show returns to Darlington Civic Theatre with its brand new 30th Anniversary Special on Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 February.

That’ll Be The Day is all about recreating nostalgia with live entertainment, reflecting the music and tone of an era that changed the course of music history and youth culture forever. Incredibly the show is now in its 30th year of touring, and the birthday party is coming to Darlington Civic Theatre.

Having delighted audiences throughout the UK for over three decades, That’ll Be The Day is back on the road entertaining audiences with classic gold hits from the 1950’s, 60’s, 70’s and with more side-splitting comedy!

Originally established on the cabaret circuit in the late 1980’s, the show began playing regional theatres in the early 1990’s. Now it performs over 200 shows a year to capacity audiences across the UK. Trevor Payne (who first created the show) still directs, produces and stars in the production today. Trevor rewrites all the material for the show for each year, and over six months is taken in planning and preparation.

That’ll Be The Day is at Darlington Civic Theatre on Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 February at 7.30pm. Tickets* are priced £23 & £25

*All prices include a £1 restoration levy

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

Ambassador Theatre Group and Royal & Derngate, Northampton

 

Announce major UK tour

of

King Lear

by William Shakespeare

Starring Michael Pennington

 

 

“It will come: humanity must prey on itself, like monsters of the deep.”

Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) has announced that a major new Royal & Derngate, Northampton production of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, King Lear, will embark on a UK tour to nine regional venues from April to July.

After a three week run at Royal & Derngate from 1 – 23 April, with a press night on Tuesday 5 April, the venues for this tour include Oxford Playhouse (25–30 April),Theatre Royal Brighton (3-7 May), Richmond Theatre (9-14 May), Grand Opera House, York (23–28 May), Manchester Opera House (31 May–4 June), Theatre Royal Bath (6-11 June), The Hall for Cornwall Truro (13–18 June), Cambridge Arts Theatre (20–Sat 25 June) and Malvern Theatre (27 June–2 July).

The renowned Shakespearian actor and two time Olivier award nominee Michael Pennington will reprise the role of King Lear after his highly acclaimed performance at the Shakespeare Center New York in 2014.

The Brooklyn Eagle said of his performance: “Michael Pennington will break your heart.  One of England’s foremost classical actors, this is a King Lear to grieve for in Shakespeare’s darkest play”.

Michael Pennington is joined by a distinguished cast of thirteen actors.

The production is directed by Philip Franks, whose extensive directing credits include a 5 year period as an Associate Director at Chichester Festival Theatre. Productions at Chichester include The Master Builder, The Deep Blue Sea, and Rattigan’s Nijinsky.  Other productions incude A Talent to Amuse (Royal Academy of Music), The Duchess of Malfi (West Yorkshire Playhouse) The Tempest (Liverpool Playhouse) and Private Lives (National Theatre).

In Shakespeare’s epic tragedy, an ageing tyrant’s decision to divide his kingdom tears his family apart, sparks catastrophic civil war and destroys all that he has.

Driven from his home, King Lear endures madness, blindness and great suffering as he battles a great storm. Yet with madness he finds reason, from blindness he gains new sight, after betrayal he discovers loyalty and through his suffering a better world emerges.

ATG Joint Chief Executive Sir Howard Panter commented: “The eyes of the world will be on Britain this year, the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.  To mark this significant year, we are delighted to be bringing this major new production of King Lear to so many regional British playhouses and I am particularly proud that Michael Pennington, one of the finest Shakespearian actors of our time, will be playing Lear.”

Michael Pennington’s (Lear) stage career spans over 50 years.  He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1964 to 1966, and again from 1974 – 1981.  In 1984 his role in Tolstoy’s Strider at the National Theatre won him an Olivier award nomination.

In 1986, Pennington and director Michael Bogdanov founded the English Shakespeare Company. As joint artistic director, he starred in the company’s inaugural productions of The Henrys and, in 1987, the seven-play history cycle of The Wars of the Roses, which toured worldwide and was televised. Pennington played such parts as Richard II, Prince Hal/Henry V and Jack Cade, for which he received an Olivier Award Nomination.

His West End work includes Peter Shaffer’s Gift of the Gorgon, Filumena (Eduardo di Filippo), in which he played opposite Judi Dench for the third time, Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw (National tour), Alan Bennett’s The Madness of George III and Dr Dorn in Chekhov’s The Seagull, directed by Peter Stein for the Edinburgh Festival.  In 2003 he directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and The Hamlet Project for the National Theatre in Bucharest.

In 2006 he premiered his second one man show on Shakespeare, Sweet William, and in 2009 he worked with Peter Brook for the first time in Love is My Sin for a European Tour and in New York.

In 2012 he played his fifth consecutive Chichester season as Antony in Antony and Cleopatra opposite Kim Cattrall.

Recent notable performances have been as Edgar in Strindberg’s The Dance of Death, adapted by Howard Brenton at the Gate Theatre, John of Gaunt in Richard II (RSC), and as Anthony Blunt in Alan Bennett’s Single Spies at the Rose Theatre Kingston.

He played Michael Foot in The Iron Lady with Meryl Streep; and among his notable TV appearances have been in the title role of Oedipus the King and in the television movie The Return of Sherlock Holmes.

 

Cast also includes Beth Cooke (Cordelia). Beth trained at the Drama Centre in London. Her extensive stage experience includes the role of Cordelia in King Lear at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin.  She played Hero in The Old Vic Production of Much Ado About Nothing directed by Mark Rylance, and played Lois Fisher in The Children’s Hour directed by Sarah Frankcom for Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester and Irina in Three Sisters also directed by Sarah Frankcom for Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester.

Pip Donaghy (Gloucester) trained at the London Drama Centre.  His theatrical career includes extensive work at Sheffield, Nottingham, Watford and Cambridge and two years at the Liverpool Everyman as well as seasons with 7:84 and Joint Stock.

Other cast members include Joshua Elliott (Fool), Gavin Fowler (Edgar), Scott Karim (Edmund) and Daniel O’Keefe (Oswald).

 

NB: The production is suitable for ages 14+

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday 20 January at 10am

 

Tickets from £15.25, available from box office on 0844 871 3024 or book online at www.atgtickets.com/york  

TOUR DATES

 

Royal & Derngate, Northampton

Fri 1 – Sat 23 April

01604 624811

www.royalandderngate.co.uk

National Press Night: Tuesday 5 April 7pm

Oxford Playhouse

Mon 25 – Sat 30 April

01865 305305

https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com

Theatre Royal Brighton

Tue 3 – Sat 7 May

0844 871 7650

http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton

Richmond Theatre

Mon 9 – Sat 14 May

0844 871 7651

http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre

Grand Opera House York

Mon 23 – Sat 28 May

0844 871 3024

http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/grand-opera-house-york

Manchester Opera House

Tue 31 May – Sat 4 June

0844 871 3018

http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester

Theatre Royal Bath

01225 448844

Mon 6 – Sat 11 June

http://www.theatreroyal.org.uk

The Hall for Cornwall Truro

Mon 13 – Sat 18 June

01872 262466

https://www.hallforcornwall.co.uk

Cambridge Arts Theatre

Mon 20 – Sat 25 June

01223 503333

http://www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

Malvern Theatre

Mon 27 Jun – Sat 2 July

01684 892277

http://www.malvern-theatres.co.uk