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Transport Theatre presents
THE EDGE
Devised and Directed by Douglas Rintoul
Designed by James Button
Music Composed by Raymond Yiu
Sound by Helen Atkinson
Lighting by Matt Haskins
Projection by Will Duke

Co-produced with New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich
14+

PRODUCTION IMAGES AND TRAILER RELEASED FOR TRANSPORT THEATRE’S THE EDGE

INSPIRED BY REAL LIFE NARRATIVES FROM THE SUNDARBANS IN INDIA AND THE SOUTH COAST OF ENGLAND, THE EDGE EXPLORES THE UNIVERSAL ISSUE OF MASS MIGRATION CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE

TRAILER AVAILABLE HERE

A brand new trailer and production images have been released for The Edge, the powerful production devised by award-winning company Transport Theatre. Inspired by real life narratives taken from the Sundarbans in India and the south coast of England and developed in collaboration with leading lecturer in coastal oceanography Dr Ivan Haigh, The Edge is a powerful two-hand production exploring the universal and hugely topical issue of mass migration caused by climate change.

Directed by Douglas Rintoul (artistic director of Transport Theatre and recently appointed artistic director of Queens Theatre in Hornchuch), the cast includes Balvinder Sopal (The Harrow Road, Soho Theatre) and Tim Lewis (Warhorse, National Theatre).  Following a three day run at Ipswich New Wolsey Theatre, the co-producers of the production, The Edge continues its UK tour until 14 November.

A woman steps into the English Channel. A man is swept up by a great storm in West Bengal. Two decades later their children meet on a beach by an English town that’s been abandoned to the sea. She’s training to swim the Channel. He’s a climate change refugee.

Douglas Rintoul, Artistic Director of Transport Theatre was awarded the British Council Connections through Culture Award to visit the Sundarbans in West Bengal India where he worked with the Kolkata based theatre company Ranan, drawing real life narratives from an area directly on the frontline of climate change. The company also worked with young adults in Folkestone, developing an audio and visual work exploring narratives from the Kent Coast. Combining this quantative research from two different continents, Rintoul’s production questions what it really means to live on the geographical edge and explores the universal issue of climate change.

Developed in collaboration with leading lecturer in coastal oceanography Dr Ivan Haigh, with music by award-winning composer Raymond Yiu, The Edge fuses text, movement, music and projection to transport its audience between continents, exploring the place where the sea meets the land.

In partnership with Kent Libraries, the tour will include a three day site specific run at Folkestone Library, Grace Hill. The production will be filmed in this creative venue and then released digitally to the public for National Libraries Day on Saturday 6th February 2016.

Douglas Rintoul is Artistic Director of Transport and the Queens Theatre in Hornchurch. He has directed for the Barbican, Hampstead Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, Watermill Theatre, Trafalgar Studios, Dundee Rep Theatre, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, National Theatre Studio, Salisbury Playhouse, New Wolsey Theatre, Ice&Fire and Creation and is a long-standing associate director to Complicite and was an assistant and associate director to Deborah Warner. He recently received the Royal National Theatre Foundation Playwright Award for his productionElegy.

Raymond Yiu is the winner of a BASCA British Composer Award, and three times previous nominee. His early work received the advocacy of American composer-pianist-conductor Lukas Foss and he has worked with ensembles and artists including BBC Singers, BBCSO, Chroma, Concorde Ensemble (Ireland), Ensemble 10/10, London Sinfonietta, Lontano, LSO and Andrew Watts. The Original Chinese Conjuror, with libretto by Lee Warren, was commissioned by Aldeburgh Production for the 2006 Aldeburgh Almeida Opera Season. Maomao Yü, a quintet for piano and traditional Chinese instruments was commissioned by LSO for Lang Lang and the Silk String Quartet. The Earth and Every Common Sight, for soprano and piano, won the Tracey Chadwell Memorial Prize 2010. In April 2013, Teatro Barroco of Vienna mounted a new production of The Original Chinese Conjuror, directed by Bernd Bienert. His most recent workSymphony, commissioned by the BBC will be first performed at the Royal Albert Hall on 25 August this year for the BBC Proms 2015.

Balvinder Sopal graduated from the University of Huddersfield in 2001 with a degree in Theatre Studies with Media and has since worked nationally in theatre, radio, film and television. Her theatre credits include Home Sweet Home (Freedom Studios), The Snow Queen (Trestle Theatre), Tales of the Harrow Road (Soho Theatre) and Counted? (Look Left Look Right).

Tim Lewis most recently performed in The Hudsucker Proxy for Nuffield/Liverpool Theatres. His other theatre credits include War Horse (the National Theatre, New London West End and South Africa tour), Elephantom (National Theatre/West End), The Man of Mode (National Theatre) andRomeo and Juliet (Birmingham Rep/Touring Consortium).

TRANSPORT is an internationally minded arts company based in Folkestone. Positioned on a geographical border, the company’s focus is rooted in the near and far looking towards the channel and beyond.

 

 

TEN WEEKS TO CHRISTMAS MEANS ONLY ONE THING

 

TEN WEEKS TO CHRISTMAS can only mean one thing; it’s the countdown to the famous Rock ‘n’ Roll Pantoat City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds (November 27^th to January 10^th).

Should the show title matter for the annual must-see, this year the venue presents Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood in its own inimitable style.

“The City Varieties pantomime has become a necessary-date-in-the-diary throughout the festive period,” says Ian Sime, General Manager. “It’s fair to say it’s a bit of a Leeds tradition.”

The soundtrack is played live on stage by the cast and is crammed with covers of big hit songs; this year’s treats include Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, Meatloaf and Bob Marley.

“The cast are extraordinarily talented,” Ian continues. “The atmosphere is electric and has audiences, young and old, dancing in the aisles.”

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto has everything audiences expect from a traditional family pantomime – slapstick comedy, audience interaction and outlandish costumes – with the bonus of a rocking soundtrack and the now-legendary boulder fight – if you’ve been before you’ll know exactly what the ‘boulder fight’ is; if you haven’t then there’s only one way to find out. In the words of Ian Sime:

“You won’t see anything like this anywhere else in Yorkshire. It’s a real treat.”

Before the launch of the panto, City Varieties welcomes its customary cornucopia of delights including comedy from Stewart Francis, Rob Beckett, Chris Ramsey, Josh Widdicombe, Ed Byrne and David O’Doherty; music with Showaddywaddy, Elkie Brookes and Chas and Dave and an evening with legendary footballer Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascgoine. All this along with treats such as comedy hypnotist Andrew Newton andLouis Pearl the Amazing Bubble Man thrown in for good measure.

 

For more information on all up-coming acts visit city varieties.co.uk

Robin Hood the Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto is at City Varieties Music Hall from Friday November 27^th to Sunday January 10^th.

Tickets are on sale now priced from £15 to £22 with concessions, group discounts and school group prices available.

 

Book online at cityvarieties.co.uk  or call 0113 243 08 08

 

 

THE TIGER LILLIES AND OPERA NORTH

LULU – A MURDER BALLAD

 

Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House       Monday 23^rd – Saturday 28^th November, 2015

The Tiger Lillies’ genre-defying brand of other-worldly vocals and unnerving performance style has carved them a unique niche in the cabaret and music theatre scene and earned them a Grammy nomination. After a sell-out run of THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER at the Southbank Centre, the cult creators of the Olivier Award-winning SHOCKHEADED PETER now stage LULU – A MURDER BALLAD, adapted from the German macabre classics by Frank Wedekind, Earth Spirit (1895) and Pandora’s Box (1904).

The story follows the character of Lulu, one of the great creations of 20^th Century fiction, and one of its most disturbing. Her unbridled sex appeal, her youth, and her self-destructiveness combine to make her dangerous, unpredictable and tragic. With the men (and women) who circle her, Lulu’s journey from street prostitute to the toast of Society and back again is told as a hypnotic and kaleidoscopic dance of death. Join her as she travels from Berlin to Paris and finally to the dark streets of Jack the Ripper’s London.

“It makes you as uncomfortable as hell, but you never turn your fascinated gaze away.”

The Guardian on LULU – A MURDER BALLAD

An uncompromising musical and visual melodrama, LULU – A MURDER BALLAD combines The Tiger Lillies’ frontman Martyn Jacques’ castrati-influenced vocals and the band’s flamboyant style with atmospheric visuals and contemporary dance. Taking the familiar narrative, Jacques weaves the tale into a new theatrical song-cycle of 20 songs and interludes. Directed and designed by Mark Holthusen (THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARNIER) with stunning virtual sets, the show is performed live by The Tiger Lillies with dancerLaura Caldow (Royal Ballet, ROH, ENO) as Lulu.

A CD of the song cycle from LULU – A MURDER BALLAD is available on Misery Guts Music.

“Laura Caldow delivers a heartbreakingly tender dance performance as the tragic heroine”        

The Independent on LULU – A MURDER BALLAD

 

LISTINGS

Venue:                 Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House

Dates:                  Monday 23^rd – Friday 27^th November, 7.45pm; Saturday 28^th November, 6pm

Box Office:        020 7304 4000 / www.roh.org.uk

Tickets:               £8 – £25 (Concessions available)

Age advisory 16+

The company can also be seen at Brighton Dome – Concert Hall on Monday 30^th November at 8pm.

Tickets: £12.50 – £19.50 (Concessions available)

Box office: 01273 709709 or www.brightondome.org

AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL THE BODYGUARD TAKES TO THE LYCEUM STAGE

 

Following a sell-out run in London’s West End, hit musical The Bodyguard comes to the Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 27 October to Saturday 7 November, starring three-time Brit nominee and X-Factor winner, Alexandra Burke, in the lead role of Rachel Marron.

 

Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love.

A romantic thriller, The Bodyguard features a host of irresistible classics including Queen of theNight, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, I’m Your Baby Tonight, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and one of the biggest selling songs of all time – I Will Always Love You.

Alexandra Burke will perform the role of Rachel Marron at all evening performances. At the matinee performances, the role of Rachel Marron will be played by Zoe Birkett (Pop Idol)

Based on Lawrence Kasdan’s 1992 Oscar nominated Warner Bros. film, which starred Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, the musical of The Bodyguard was nominated for four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical and Best Set Design and won Best New Musical at the Whatsonstage Awards.

 

Don’t miss the chance to catch this thrilling blockbuster musical on the Lyceum Stage.

 

The Bodyguard is at the Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 27 October – Saturday 7 November. 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 £27.00 – £49.00 (a transaction fee of £1.50 (£1.00 online) applies to all bookings made at the Box Office, excluding cash), and discounts are available.

It has been announced that Don Warrington is to star in a new production of King Lear at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester.

Directed by Michael Buffong, the casting makes Warrington the first black British actor to play the role in a large-scale professional production in more than 20 years.

Warrington is an award-winning actor, most recently seen in the BBC series Death in Paradise. His other acting credits include Casualty, All My Sons and Driving Miss Daisy.

Commenting on the casting, director Michael Buffong said: “King Lear represents a huge and exciting challenge as a director…Don Warrington has been a big part of Talawa’s story and to take this journey with an actor of such subtlety and power is an exciting prospect and one that I look forward to beginning.”

Don Warrington added: “Michael and I spent some time discussing Lear, and it felt exciting to have the opportunity to tackle something equally challenging. At the time it seemed crazy to say no, now…I wonder if I’m just crazy.”

Following their 2013 critically acclaimed production of All My Sons, King Lear is a co-production from Talawa, Britain’s primary Black-led theatre company, and the Royal Exchange, in association with Birmingham Rep.

King Lear runs at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester from 1 April to 7 May, after which it transfers to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre from 19 to 28 May 2016.

The UK and Ireland tour of the multi award-winning musical Mary Poppins is set to play its first performance tonight at the Leicester Curve, the first of many venues included in the 2015/16 tour schedule. Fifteen performances will be staged there between Monday 12th October 2015 and Saturday 24th October 2015, before the show moves on to the next leg of the tour at the Bristol Hippodrome.

The new touring production features an impressive assortment of star names in the cast, led by Zizi Strallen as Mary Poppins and Matt Lee as Bert.

Zizi Strallen is the second Strallen to play the beloved magical nanny on stage, following older sister Scarlett who previously played the role in the original West End production at the Prince Edward Theatre. She was most recently seen playing Lara in Matthew Bourne’sThe Car Man at Sadler’s Wells, and recently performed in the West End musicals Cats (London Palladium and Merrily We Roll Along (Harold Pinter Theatre). Her other West End credits include Rock of Ages, Dirty Dancing and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella at Sadler’s Wells. She has also appeared in The Music Man at Chichester Festival Theatre, and as Penny Pingleton in Hairspray at Leicester Curve.

Matt Lee played the role of Bert in Mary Poppins when the show opened in Australia, his portrayal winning him the prestigious Helpmann Award for Best Actor in a Musical. His other theatre credits in Australia include Miss Saigon, The Witches of Eastwick, Rent, Grease and The Boy from Oz. Matt was also a permanent member of the judging panel for Australia’s So You Think You Can Dance.

Starring alongside them are Milo Twomey as George Banks, Rebecca Lock as Winifred Banks, Penelope Woodman as Miss Andrew, Wendy Ferguson as Mrs Brill, Grainne Renihan as Bird Woman and Blair Anderson as Robertson Ay, joined by Yves Adang, Abby Bebbington, Greg Bernstein, Jabari Braham, Matthew Caputo, Sophie Caton, Jennifer Davison, Lisa Dent, Joe Dockree, Maria Garrett, Hannah Grace, Graham Hoadly, Jacqueline Hughes, Thomas-Lee Kidd, Antony Lawrence, Adam Margilewski, Anu Ogunmefun, Ben Oliver, Stephanie Powell, Edwin Ray, Adam Rhys-Charles, Sam Salter, John Stacey, Christine Tucker, Alexandra Waite-Roberts, Wreh-Asha Walton and Scott Waugh.

The magical story of the world’s favourite Nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane has been triumphantly and spectacularly brought to the stage with dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs, including such classics as ‘Jolly Holiday’, ‘Feed The Birds’, ‘Step In Time’ and ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’.

The stage version of Mary Poppins is brilliantly adapted from the wonderful stories by PL Travers and the Walt Disney film. The musical has a book by Julian Fellowes and was co-created by Cameron Mackintosh, and is a co-production between Mackintosh and Disney. The producer for Disney Theatrical Productions is Thomas Schumacher. It features the original music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, along with new songs and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Directed by Richard Eyre, there is also co-direction and choreography is by Matthew Bourne, with co-choreography by Stephen Mear. set and costume design is by Bob Crowley with lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Paul Groothuis and orchestrations by William David Brohn. The International Tour ofMary Poppins is directed by Anthony Lyn and James Powell with original choreography adapted by Geoffrey Garratt. Musical supervision is by Stephen Brooker.

Mary Poppins made its world debut at the Bristol Hippodrome in 2004 shortly before premiering in the West End. It opened at the Prince Edward Theatre on 15th December 2004, with Laura Michelle Kelly starring in the title role alongside Gavin Lee as Bert, and ran for over three years, winning two Oliver Awards. The Broadway production opened in November 2006 and won a Tony Award and two Drama Desk Awards, running for more than six years. Subsequent productions have played all around the world.

Mary Poppins last toured the UK in 2008/09 with Caroline Sheen in the title role, later replaced by Lisa O’Hare. The new UK and Ireland tour was announced by Cameron Mackintosh in February 2015.

The full tour schedule can be found below:
Leicester Curve (12th-24th October 2015)
Bristol Hippodrome (29th October-28th November 2015)
Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin (3rd December 2015-9th January 2016)
Palace Theatre, Manchester (20th January-5th March 2016)
Birmingham Hippodrome (9th March-23rd April 2016)
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh (27th April-21st May 2016)
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (25th May-19th June 2016)
Theatre Royal, Norwich (29th June-30th July 2016)
Theatre Royal, Plymouth (3rd August-3rd September 2016)
Theatre Royal, Newcastle (8th September-29th October 2016)

 

Thursday 12 November to Saturday 21 November
Day of the Flymo
Written by Paddy Campbell
Directed by Paul James
Assistant Director Rachel Glover

Designer Phil Green

 

Day of the Flymo is to return to Live Theatre next month (Thursday 12 November to Saturday 21 November) following its sell-out run at Live Theatre earlier this year, when it was awarded four stars by The Guardian.

 

Written by award winning playwright Paddy Campbell (Wet House), Day of the Flymo looks at the chaotic lives of a brother and sister struggling to cover up the cracks and the mechanisms that swing into action when social services step in. It asks what do you do when the state decides it’s going to take over from your Mam?

The same cast returns including talented young actors from Live’s Youth Theatre including Kalem Patterson (age 14, from Ryton), Tezney Mulroy (age 17, from Newcastle), and Sophie Pitches (age 17, from North Shields), once again supported by a professional cast of Jill Dellow (Chalet Lines), a former member of Live’s Youth Theatre, and Akemnji Ndifornyen.

 

Actor, Tezney Mulroy said:

“Performing in Day of the Flymo in April was unbelievably exciting. After all the hard work it was so good to get such a great reaction from the audience. I’m over the moon that the whole cast will be back performing the play again next month at Live Theatre.”

 

Paddy Campbell has been appointed as the inaugural joint Live Theatre & Northumbria University’s writer in residence. Paddymoved to Newcastle from Northern Ireland 13 years ago to study fine art and sculpture at Northumbria University and has comethrough Live Theatre’s writing development programme whilst working in a children’s home, which provided the inspiration forDay of the Flymo.

 

Writer Paddy Campbell, said:

“I am delighted that ‘Day of the Flymo’ is returning to Live Theatre. The audience reaction and having a sell-out run in April was incredible. I’m looking forward to it being back on stage in November during my writer-in-residence year with Live Theatre and Northumbria University.”

Max Roberts, Artistic Director, Live Theatre said:

“Those who saw Paddy’s first play Wet House will be aware of Paddy’s talent. And as we saw in April, he has again created another hard hitting piece about the care system he has known as an insider. For those people not lucky enough to see Day of the Flymo during its first run – it’s political, at times tragic, and is packed with Paddy’s trade mark dark humour.”

 

Paddy Campbell’s first full length play, Wet House, was the winner of three Journal Culture Awards, and voted one of The Guardian’s Top 10 Plays of 2013. After a sell-out run at Live Theatre in 2013, as part of Live Theatre’s 40^th anniversary year,Wet House returned to Live Theatre and toured to Hull Truck Theatre and Soho Theatre in 2014. Day of the Flymo previewed at Live Theatre in April 2015.

 

Day of the Flymo is at Live Theatre, Newcastle from Thursday 12 to Saturday 21 November 2015. A free Meet the Writer event takes place at 6pm before the performance on Friday 13 November, in which writer Paddy Campbell, artistic director Max Roberts, director Paul James will talk about the making of the play and are joined by Dr. Matt Hargrave from Northumbria University to talk about the joint writer in residence. There is also a free Talkback discussion, at 9pm on Tuesday 17 November, (approximately ten minutes after the end of the play) in which the writer, director, actors from the show talk about the process of bringing the show to the stage.

For more information on Day of the Flymo and to buy tickets costing between £18 to £10, over 60s concessions from £16 to £12 and other concessions £10 to £6 call Live Theatre’s box office on (0191) 232 1232 or see www.live.org.uk.

Opera lovers can expect a season of contrasts this autumn at Newcastle Theatre Royal as Opera North juxtapose delicious comedy The Barber of Seville with tragic and heart-wrenching Jenůfa.  The must-not-miss season runs Tue 3 – Thu 5 November 2015.

 

Rossini’s The Barber of Seville is the prequel to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and is a sumptuous farcical comedy full of slapstick.  Rosina is rich, beautiful and in love with a dashing young Count.  However, her elderly guardian, Doctor Bartolo, has designs on her himself, and does everything he can to put obstacles in the way of their happiness.  But with the help of the sharp-witted Figaro, true love finally triumphs.

 

Tuneful and vivacious, Rossini’s score contains one irresistibly catchy number after another, ranging from the fireworks of Figaro’s universally known aria Largo al factotum to the seductive beauty of the Count’s Ecco, ridente. A hit revival by Opera North back in Newcastle following performances at opera houses around the world, this lavish production features handsome period staging and colourfully eccentric 18^th century wigs and costumes.

 

Legendary Welsh baritone Eric Roberts plays Bartolo, while one of the UK’s most distinguished operatic basses, Alastair Miles, last seen at Opera North and the Theatre Royal as Leporello in Don Giovanni (2012), sings Basilio. Three exceptionally engaging young singers continue to develop their careers at Opera North: Katie Bray sings Rosina, Nicholas Watts takes the role of the Count; and Figaro will be sung by Irish baritone Gavan Ring.

 

Janáček’s masterpiece Jenůfa, which has enthralled audiences for more than 100 years, is an intense story of love, jealousy and sacrifice – by turns harrowing, heart-wrenching and starkly tragic.  It took Janáček ten years to complete his first great opera, and in the final year of its composition he witnessed his own daughter’s painful illness and early death.  His soul-piercing score is laced with the suffering caused by this event.

 

A world-class cast includes Susan Bickley, one of the most accomplished mezzo-sopranos of her generation as the Kostelnička and Elizabeth Sikora (who played Salud’s Grandmother in La vida breve which impressed Theatre Royal audiences in the Spring 2015) as Grandmother Buryjkova.  In the title role is the Swedish soprano Ylva Kihlberg, who gave a memorably powerful performance as Emilia Marty in Opera North’s The Makropulos Case which visited in 2012.

 

Opera North are also bringing their critically acclaimed new production of Kiss me, Kate, which will be performed Friday 6 – Saturday 7 November.

 

The Barber of Seville appears at Newcastle Theatre Royal Tue 3 & Thu 5 November 2015 at 7.15pm, and Jenůfa for one performance only on Wed 4 November at 7.15pm. Tickets from £18.50 (save 50p per ticket online). Tickets can be purchased online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge)

 

YOUNG CHEKHOV: THE BIRTH OF A GENIUS
PLATONOV
IVANOV
THE SEAGULL
by Anton Chekhov
in new versions by David Hare
Director Jonathan Kent
Until 14 November
Press Performances: 17 October
Festival Theatre, Chichester

• PRODUCTION IMAGES RELEASED TODAY FOR YOUNG CHEKHOV SEASON AT CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE

• DIRECTED BY JONATHAN KENT AND NEWLY ADAPTED BY DAVID HARE, 23 ACTORS PLAY 50 PARTS ACROSS THREE PLAYS

Production pictures are released today for a major new season of Anton Chekhov’s early works at Chichester Festival Theatre. Newly adapted by David Hare and directed by Jonathan Kent, the productions, which open on 17 October, present a unique theatrical event which will see a repertory cast of 23 actors performing 50 parts in Platonov, Ivanov and The Seagull. For the first time ever on this scale audiences will be given the opportunity to see all three shows in close proximity performed by the same group and with the same creative team.

Currently in previews, the Young Chekhov cast have worked together on the productions for over three months. The cast includes Emma Amos, Nebli Basani, Lucy Briers, Pip Carter, Anna Chancellor, Jonathan Coy, Nicholas Day, Mark Donald, Peter Egan, Col Farrell, Joshua James, Beverley Klein, Adrian Lukis, Des McAleer, James McArdle, Mark Penfold, Brian Pettifer, Nina Sosanya, Sarah Twomey,  David Verrey, Olivia Vinall, Samuel West and Jade Williams.

Each of the three plays can be seen as a single performance or they can be enjoyed as one event, either over different days or as one intense theatrical experience on Trilogy Days. With over 5,000 tickets at £10 available across the Young Chekhov season, audiences can see all three plays for as little as £30.

This season within a season is anchored by a trio of talent – Chekhov himself, playwright David Hare, and director Jonathan Kent, returning to Chichester following his triumphant production of Gypsy in Festival 2014. Young Chekhov reunites Kent and Hare who have previously collaborated on productions for the Almeida Theatre.

These three plays, written when Anton Chekhov was young, offer a new perspective on the dramatist, revealing a youthful anger and romanticism that is very different to his mature, more familiar work.

David Hare’s numerous credits include the world premiere of South Downs at Chichester (also West End), the National Theatre’s trilogy of plays about British institutions, Racing Demon,Murmuring Judges and The Absence of War, adaptations such as The Blue Room (Donmar Warehouse and Broadway), Behind The Beautiful Forevers, also for the National Theatre and his forthcoming new production The Moderate Soprano (Hampstead Theatre). He is also an acclaimed screenwriter and has received Academy Award nominations for The Hours and The Reader.

Director Jonathan Kent returns to Chichester following his acclaimed productions of Gypsy,Private Lives and Sweeney Todd, all of which transferred to the West End. Other credits include Good People (Hampstead Theatre and West End), Oedipus (National Theatre), Don Giovanni and The Fairy Queen (both for Glyndebourne).

Young Chekhov: The Birth of A Genius is sponsored by Wiley. The Seagull is sponsored by De’Longhi.

Events
Writer David Hare and director Jonathan Kent will be in conversation with novelist and CFT biographer Kate Mosse at a pre-show talk on Thursday 15 October at 5.45pm. Tickets are free but booking is essential.

Meet some of the Young Chekhov company at a post-show talk hosted by writer Simon Brett on Wednesday 21 October.

There will be a rehearsed reading of Anton Chekhov’s Swan Song on Saturday 31 October at 11am. This vaudeville piece about an old actor and his prompter was adapted from one of Chekhov’s own stories, and established his reputation in the theatre in 1888.

Join the technical crew and creative team for 90 minutes of insight, demonstration and discussion on the making of the Young Chekhov trilogy at a Schools Theatre Day on Wednesday 4 November at 11am. Tickets £13.50, which includes the matinee performance.

Booking information
The Young Chekhov season is at the Festival Theatre until 14 November. Performance times vary. Tickets from £10. To book, go to cft.org.uk or contact the Box Office on 01243 781312.

Special Prices for 16 – 25s
An allocation of tickets for 16 – 25 year olds priced at just £8.50 for all performances of theYoung Chekhov season are now on sale. These may be booked on 01243 781312, online at cft.org.uk/850 or in person.

 

STRICTLY COME DANCING

THE LIVE TOUR

RETURNS FOR A FAB-U-LOUS NINTH YEAR

SHEFFIELD ARENA

26th & 27th JANUARY 2016

SATURDAYS’ STAR

FRANKIE BRIDGE

IS THE FIRST CELEBRITY ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2016 TOUR

 

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Pop star Frankie Bridge from The Saturdays is the first celebrity contestant confirmed to compete in the 2016 Strictly Come Dancing UK tour, which stops off at Sheffield Arena on Tuesday 26^th & Wednesday 27^th January.

Frankie, a finalist in the 2014 BBC One TV series, was due to appear in this year’s tour, but reluctantly had to step down at the 11th hour on the advice of her doctor when she found out she was pregnant.

Frankie says; “I was so disappointed not to be able to perform in this year’s Strictly Tour, as I’d been so looking forward to continuing my Strictly journey.  But following the birth of my son in August, I’m thrilled to have been asked to join the 2016 tour.  It will be great to get my dancing shoes back on and be part of the Strictly family again. Roll on January!”

Frankie will join the new Strictly tour host Mel Giedroyc and judges Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood (who also directs the tour) and Bruno Tonioli for the 30 date live extravaganza.  They will be joined by celebrities and professional dancers from this year’s ratings winning BBC One show, who will take to the dance floor to recreate their dazzling moves and compete for votes from the judges. More names will be announced over the coming weeks.

Tickets for the 2016 Strictly Come Dancing Live UK Tour, which stops off at Sheffield Arena 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).

Ends.

STRICTLY COME DANCING THE LIVE TOUR is produced by Stage Entertainment and Phil McIntyre Entertainments, in association with BBC Worldwide.