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By guest reviewer – 12 year old Francesca Turton

 

On the 9th of August I went to see American Idiot at the Arts Theatre in London.
It was a musical play about the lives of three American teenage boys after 9/11 and how they feel they need to ‘do something’ and get out into the world.
Like ‘We Will Rock You’ built a story around Queen’s music, American idiot uses Green Day songs to create a story. The three boys, who were best friends, went on to lead totally different lives during the following year.
Some of the scenes concentrated on just one of the teenager’s life and sometimes it showed all three on different areas of the stage at the same time. This was very good because you could compare how they were living simultaneously.
There was a good mix of songs, from solo ballads, duets and whole cast rock numbers. Although my favourite Green Day song is still Boulevard of Broken Dreams, I particularly liked 21 Guns in the show as the 3 main girls sang it, including Amelia Lily (of X Factor fame). My mum loved Wake Me Up When September Ends.
One of the things I found interesting was the fact that the guitarists were on stage virtually all the time – and it was very funny when one of the main characters made reference to them.
For the final song, the three leads all sang and played acoustic guitar together which sounded really great, then as the song went on the whole cast joined in, also playing their guitars. I wonder how many of them played the guitar before they joined the show?
We didn’t buy a programme until after the show and were very surprised to see that we had been watching the understudies in some of the lead roles – we would never have known as they were absolutely brilliant. I even managed to get my photo taken with two of them as they left the theatre.
I enjoyed it greatly and would recommend it to anyone, especially Green Day fans, although there was a lot of swearing and adult themes in the show so I wouldn’t advise taking a young child to see it.

 

Full review at https://www.facebook.com/pages/TATT-Turton-at-the-Theatre/853875411371589

Casting has been announced for Southwark Playhouse’s upcoming UK première production of Xanadu.

The show, adapted from the cult 1980s movie starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly, will run from 16 October to 21 November 2015.

Carly Anderson, who is currently appearing in Sunny Afternoon, will star as Kira, a Greek muse who descends from Mount Olympus to Venice Beach, California, on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to open the first roller disco.

She’ll be joined by Samuel Edwards, currently playing Fiyero on the national tour of Wicked, as Sonny, alongside recent Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Alison Jiear as Melpomene.

The cast also features Lizzy Connolly as Calliope, Micha Richardson as Erato, Joel Burman as Terpsicore, Nicholas Duncan as Thalia and Emily McGougan as Euterpe.

Xanadu has a book by Douglas Carter Beane (The Little Dog Laughed) and music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar.

The Southwark Playhouse production is directed by Paul Warwick Griffin and designed by Morgan Large, with choreography by Nathan M Wright.

The score includes “Magic”, “Suddenly”, “I’m Alive”, “Evil Woman”, “All Over the World” and the iconic title song.

Xanadu originally opened at the Helen Hayes Theatre on Broadway in 2007 where it ran for over 500 performances, winning the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical and a Drama Desk Award for Best Book. It was also nominated for four Tony Awards.

Showbiz veterans Des O’Connor and Jimmy Tarbuck will perform together on stage for the first time on 4 October at the London Palladium.

The performance is to raise funds for The Royal Variety Charity, formerly the Entertainment Artistes’ Benevolent Fund (EABF), which supports people in need who’ve worked in the entertainment industry.

Directed by comedian Kevin Bishop and featuring the Ray Monk Orchestra, the evening will see O’Connor and Tarbuck return to their “spiritual home”; both have appeared many times on the Palladium stage as solo entertainers.

Tarbuck said: “Being able to appear on stage at the Palladium alongside my dear friend Des O’Connor in aid of such a worthy charity will be both hugely enjoyable and exciting at the same time. We hope to give the audience a night to remember, full of laughter and celebrations.”

O’Connor added: “The Entertainment Artists’ Benevolent Fund has been doing such amazing work to help people in the entertainment business when they are facing hard times, and so I’m honoured to be able to support the charity and celebrate the change of name to The Royal Variety Charity.”

Producers by Laurie Mansfield, Giles Cooper and Chris Davis, the evening is part of the ongoing Sunday Night at the London Palladium series.

Disco Legend Dooby Duck to join the cast of Cinderella at Darlington Civic Theatre!

Darlington’s Civic Theatre’s pantomime will have a hugely entertaining disco sequence in the form of the loveable, if a little highly strung, Dooby Duck! Hatched in 1981, Dooby made his stage debut in pantomime alongside the late Les Dawson, which proved so popular it led to a Royal request to appear at the Children’s Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium.

Dooby has travelled the world, together with his friends, appearing for several seasons at the Folie Russe in Loews Hotel, Monte Carlo and has had three series of his own for BBC TV; Dooby Duck’s Disco Bus, Dooby’s Duck Truck and Dooby Duck’s Euro Tour; as well as a series for NHK TV in Japan, where he appeared as a guest on a weekly Saturday night variety show. Hehas also made numerous television, theatre and cabaret appearances across the world.

Throughout the 90s Dooby took to pantomime like a duck to water, appearing at venues across the country, and now, thirty years on, he’s back providing some very unique entertainment at the Prince’s Ball!

Dooby Duck is just one of the thousand puppet creations created by Roger Stevenson Animations, Europe’s leading Marionette Company. The Company was started in 1963 by Roger Stevenson and has specialised in puppet entertainment for over 50 years. One of Roger’s first major projects was to make and animate The Ken Dodd Diddymen puppets for their many television and stage appearances in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Roger has appeared on six Royal Variety Shows and today his work can be regularly seen on TV, incorporated into cabaret and at holiday parks across the UK.

Dooby Duck and Friends will join the cast already announced; Britain’s Got Talent winners Ashleigh & Pudsey as Cinderella and her four legged friend, Coach Trip’s Brendan Sheerin as Baron Hardup and X Factor finalist Niki Evans as the Fairy Godmother in the enchantingly traditional family pantomime.

Cinderella runs at Darlington Civic Theatre from Saturday 5 December 2015 to Sunday 10 January 2016. For tickets and more information visit darlingtoncivic.co.uk or call 01325 486555.

THE ALMEIDA THEATRE ANNOUNCES
CASTING FOR THE ILIAD

 

MORE THAN 60 ARTISTS WILL BRING THE COMPLETE ILIAD TO LIFE IN A DURATIONAL READING ON FRIDAY 14 AUGUST

READING BEGINS AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM AND CULMINATES ON THE ALMEIDA STAGE

THE EVENT WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED ON THE ALMEIDA WEBSITE

THE ALMEIDA GREEKS FESTIVAL IS NOW IN FULL SWING WITH EVENTS CONTINUING UNTIL OCTOBER 2015

A company of more than 60 artists will bring The Iliad to life in a durational reading on Friday 14 August. The reading will begin at the British Museum and culminate on the Almeida stage. The marathon reading is the latest event in the theatre’s Almeida Greeks Festival which has so far seen Robert Icke’s critically acclaimed production of Oresteia transfer to Trafalgar Studios in the West End and James Macdonald’s production of Bakkhai play to sold out houses at the Almeida.

Homer’s The Iliad is the source myth of Greek drama and the greatest story of heroism, betrayal and war in literature. Directed by Almeida Artistic Director Rupert Goold and Associate Director Robert Icke, the marathon event’s 60 strong cast will include Nikki Amuka-Bird, Adjoa Andoh, Pippa Benett-Warner, Katie Brayben, Lorna Brown, Simon Callow, Bertie Carvel, Oliver Chris, Simon Coates, Brian Cox, Sinead Cusack, Joe Dixon, Monica Dolan, Amanda Drew, Noma Dumezweni, Tim Dutton, Lisa Dwan, Caroline Faber, Will Featherstone, Stephen Fewell, Susannah Fielding, Deborah Findlay, Annie Firbank, Kate Fleetwood, Barbara Flynn, Naomi Frederick, Mariah Gale, Mark Gatiss, Julian Glover, Simon Goldhill, Adrian der Gregorian, Scott Handy, Janine Harouni, Ian Hart, Kevin Harvey, John Heffernan, Joshua Higgott, William Houston, Rory Kinnear, Lesley Manville, Eleanor Matsuura, Ian McDiarmid, Tobias Menzies, Hattie Morahan, Jonjo O’Neill, Tim Pigott-Smith, Ben Porter, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Paul Ready, Jenna Russell, Simon Russell Beale, Michael Shaeffer, Annabel Scholey, John Simm, Jonathan Slinger, Sharon Small, Matthew Spencer, Gavin Spokes, Tafline Steen, Janet Suzman, Luke Thompson, Sam West, Ben Whishaw, Lia Williams, Angus Wright and Hara Yannas.

The unique event will be live streamed at almeida.co.uk/iliad-digital for those unable to attend the marathon. Exclusive behind-the-scenes content and interviews will be broadcast throughout the event on Periscope. Apodcast series and making-of film will be available to view online in the weeks following the event.

Anyone wishing to join the conversation can do so by following @AlmeidaTheatre on Twitter along with the hashtag #Iliad.

The Almeida Greeks Festival will run until October alongside the main stage productions of Bakkhai andMedea. Inspired in spirit and form by the ancient Festivals of Dionysos, the festival will include an eclectic mix of performances, events, talks and readings as an array of contemporary artists interrogate the Ancient Greek canon.

For the full festival line-up please visit almeida.co.uk/greeks.

LISTINGS

Friday 14 August 2015
THE ILIAD
Homer
directed by Rupert Goold and Robert Icke
British Museum (from 9am) and Almeida Theatre (8pm- late)
Tickets: British Museum free, no advance booking
Almeida Theatre £38 (£35 concs)
See almeida.co.uk/greeks for details
In association with the British Museum

 

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment

Extra Performance Confirmed at the Metro Radio Arena

Tuesday 6th – Sunday 11th October 2015

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment is coming to Newcastle this Autumn and will feature moments from the number one animated feature film of all time – Disney’s Frozen, alongside family favourites featuring Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and Disney●Pixar’s Cars and Toy Story 3.

As soon as tickets were released for this year’s ice spectacular at The Metro Radio Arena, show sales went into overdrive. Such has been the popularity and anticipation for this year’s ice show, Disney On Ice has announced an additional performance taking place at 3.00pm on Thursday 8th October. Tickets will go on sale on Friday 14th August at 10.00 am.

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment will see Disney fans transported on a voyage of delight to the wintery world of Arendelle to see sisters Anna and Elsa embark on an epic journey with the hilarious snowman Olaf and rugged mountain-man Kristoff. Audiences will also enjoy Ariel’s adventures in the undersea kingdom from Disney’s The Little Mermaid; be entertained as Lightning McQueen, Mater and the crew of Disney●Pixar’s Cars perform high-speed stunts and welcome the toys back in town with Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the Toy Story gang trying to escape from the encounters of Sunnyside Daycare from Disney●Pixar’s Toy Story 3.

Paul Tappenden, General Manager of The Metro Radio Arena, said:

“Disney On Ice is consistently popular here in Newcastle, and always attracts very healthy audience numbers, but this year’s show has been particularly quick off the blocks sales-wise. We’ve checked back at our records, and Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment is the quickest selling show since Disney On Ice presents High School Musical back in 2007, which turned out to be a complete sell out. We now have the luxury of adding an additional show, so I would encourage fans to get their tickets early as all signs are pointing towards this season being the strongest to date!”

Steven Armstrong, Regional Vice-President, Northern Europe for Feld Entertainment, producers of Disney On Ice, added:

“We’re delighted to hear that Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment is the fastest selling Disney On Ice show in recent history in Newcastle. Having characters from Disney’s Frozen is certainly exciting, as well as the inclusion of Disney●Pixar’s Cars and Toy Story 3, alongside Disney’s The Little Mermaid, so there really is something for everyone in the family. Disney On Ice has been coming to Newcastle since 1998, and our audience has grown year on year. Sales so far indicate that we could be at full capacity in Newcastle with great audiences full of excited little princes, princesses and the entire family at every show!”

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment

Metro Radio Arena

Newcastle on Tyne

6th- 11th October 2015

www.metroradioarena.co.uk

Ticket Hotline: 0844 493 6666

Tickets costing from £16.00 for the new performance of 3.00pm Thursday 8th October will go on sale 10.00am Friday 14th August 2015 and are available online, from the booking hotline number 0844 493 6666 or in person from the Metro Radio Arena Box Office.

Tickets are available from:-

• Credit Card Booking and Information Line 0844 493 6666
• The Metro Radio Arena Newcastle Box Office (Mon – Fri: 10.00am – 4.00pm, Sat: 11.00am – 2.30pm)
• Internet Site:- www.metroradioarena.co.uk
• Group Bookers should call (0191) 260 6006
• Accessible Bookings should call (0191) 260 6066 for further details

 

King Charles III
A new play by Mike Bartlett
Directed by Rupert Goold with Whitney Mosery

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE UK TOUR OF MIKE BARTLETT’S MULTI-AWARD-WINNING NEW PLAY KING CHARLES III

THE PRODUCTION WILL VISIT BIRMINGHAM, RICHMOND, NEWCASTLE, NOTTINGHAM, MILTON KEYNES, CAMBRIDGE, CANTERBURY, MALVERN, GUILDFORD, EDINBURGH, BATH, CHICHESTER AND PLYMOUTH

Following critically acclaimed sell-out runs at the Almeida Theatre and in the West End, King Charles IIIembarks on a UK tour this autumn.

Alongside the previously announced Robert Powell, who takes on the role of King Charles, the company will include Penelope Beaumont, Jennifer Bryden, Richard Glaves, Dominic Jephcott, Lucy Phelps, Ben Righton, Giles Taylor, Parth Thakerar, Tim Treloar, Beatrice Walker and Paul Westwood.

Directed by the Almeida Theatre’s artistic director Rupert Goold with Whitney Mosery, King Charles III is designed by Tom Scutt, with music composed by Jocelyn Pook, lighting by Jon Clark and sound by Paul Arditti.

The Queen is dead: after a lifetime of waiting, Prince Charles ascends the throne.  A future of power.  But how to rule?

Mike Bartlett’s play explores the people underneath the crowns, the unwritten rules of our democracy, and the conscience of Britain’s most famous family.

King Charles III opens at Birmingham Repertory Theatre and then visits Richmond Theatre, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Milton Keynes Theatre, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Canterbury Marlowe Theatre, Malvern Festival Theatre, Guildford Yvonne Arnaud, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Bath Theatre Royal, Chichester Festival Theatre and Plymouth Theatre Royal.

The King Charles III tour is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Stuart Thompson Productions, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Charles Diamond and the Almeida Theatre in association with Birmingham Repertory Theatre and by arrangement with Lee Dean.

King Charles III will also open on Broadway this October at the Music Box Theatre. Tim Pigott-Smith will reprise the role of Charles as performed at the Almeida Theatre and in the West End, alongside Oliver Chris, Richard Goulding, Adam James, Margot Leicester, Miles Richardson, Tom Robertson, Sally Scott, Tafline Steen and Lydia Wilson.

The production was first produced by the Almeida Theatre and was subsequently co-produced at the Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End of London by Sonia Friedman Productions and Stuart Thompson Productions in association with Lee Dean and Charles Diamond and Tulchin Bartner Productions. This yearKing Charles III has been awarded the Olivier Award, Critics Choice and South Bank Sky Arts Award for Best New Play.

UK TOUR LISTINGS:

4 – 19 September 2015
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP
Box Office: 0121 236 4455
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/

22 – 26 September 2015
Richmond Theatre
Little Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1QJ
Box Office: 0844 871 7651
www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre/

28 September – 3 October 2015
Newcastle Theatre Royal
100 Grey Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6BR
Box Office: 0844 811 2121
www.theatreroyal.co.uk/

5 – 10 October 2015
Nottingham Theatre Royal
Theatre Square, Nottingham NG1 5ND
Box Office: 0115 989 5555
www.trch.co.uk/

12 – 17 October 2015
Milton Keynes Theatre
500 Marlborough Gate, Buckinghamshire MK9 3NZ
Box Office: 0844 871 7652
www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

19 – 24 October 2015
Cambridge Arts Theatre
6 St. Edward’s Passage, Cambridge CB2 3PJ
Box Office: 01223 503333
www.cambridgeartstheatre.com/

27 – 31 October 2015
Canterbury Marlowe Theatre
The Friars, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2AS
Box Office: 01227 787787
www.marlowetheatre.com/

2 – 7 November 2015
Malvern Festival Theatre
Grange Rd, Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 3HB
Box Office: 01684 892277
www.malvern-theatres.co.uk/

9 – 14 November 2015
Guildford Yvonne Arnaud
Millbrook, Guildford, Surrey GU1 3UX
Box Office: 01483 440000
www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/

16 – 21 November 2015
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
13-29 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh EH8 9FT
Box Office: 0131 529 6000
www.edtheatres.com/

23 – 28 November 2015
Bath Theatre Royal
Theatre Royal Bath, Sawclose, Bath BA1 1ET
Box Office: 01225 448844
www.theatreroyal.org.uk/

30 November – 5 December 2015
Chichester Festival Theatre
Oaklands Park, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 6AP
Box Office: 01243 781312
www.cft.org.uk/

7 – 12 December 2015
Plymouth Theatre Royal
Royal Parade, Plymouth PL1 2TR
Box Office: 01752 267222
www.theatreroyal.com/

 

It has been announced that Stephen Fry, Emma Bunton, and Mel Giedroyc will join the cast of The Rocky Horror Show alongside  Richard O’Brien for a gala charity performance on 17 September.

The performance, which is in aid of Amnesty International, will be broadcast from the Playhouse Theatre to cinemas around the UK and Europe.

Each star will take turns in performing the role of The Narrator.

Commenting on the performance, Stephen Fry said: “I’ve been a devoted fan of The Rocky Horror Show for most of my life and I have been proud to support the incredible work of Amnesty International for just as long, so to be joining Richard and the cast on stage for this special evening is a dream come true.”

Emma Bunton added: “I am so excited about being involved in the legendary Rocky Horror Show. Richard O’Brien has written something that is a huge part of British culture. I’m looking forward to shaking my tush to the ‘Time Warp!'”

Casting for all 11 London performances has also been announced today. The cast will include Olivier Award winner David Bedella, who recently toured the UK in The Producers and who returns to the show as the lead character, Frank ‘n’ Furter after performing in Rocky for various performances from 2006 to 2010.

He will be joined by Ben Forster (Jesus Christ Superstar UK arena tour) as Brad. Forster last played the role in the 40th Anniversary UK tour. Returning as Janet, will be West End star Haley Flaherty, who has performed the role in tours in Singapore, New Zealand and UK and playing Riff Raff will beKristian Lavercombe, having previously played the role in nearly 1000 performances around the world.

The show will be directed by Christopher Luscombe and produced by Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group. The eleven London performances precede a nationwide UK tour of The Rocky Horror Show, which opens at the Theatre Royal Brighton on 17 December 2015.

The Rocky Horror Show runs at the Playhouse Theatre from 11 to 19 September before embarking on a UK tour. 

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY RELEASES NEW DVDS OF LIVE FROM STRATFORD-UPON-AVON PERFORMANCES OF LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST AND LOVE’S LABOUR’S WON (MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING)

Following the acclaimed productions of Love’s Labour’s Lost and Love’s Labour’s Won, directed by Christopher Luscombe at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre last year, both productions are now available to pre-order on DVD.

Love’s Labour’s Lost and Love’s Labour’s Won were broadcast live from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on 11 February 2015 and 4 March 2015 respectively, to over 450 cinemas each across the country, whilst also being available in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Europe. As well as the full stage productions, both DVDs contain extras including an interview with Composer Nigel Hess, a Director’s Commentary and a Cast Gallery.

These will be the latest DVDs released by the RSC in collaboration with Opus Arte, in an ongoing series of broadcasted RSC productions.

Copies of the individual DVDs are priced at £19.99 with copies of the Blu-Rays priced at £24.99. The productions are also available as a box set priced £34.99 in DVD format and £39.99 in Blu Ray format.  These are available to pre-order from the RSC online shop http://www.rsc.org.uk/shop/ The titles will be released on 1 September 2015. 

CDs of the music and speeches from Love’s Labour’s Lost and Love’s Labour’s Won are also available from the RSC online shop.