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CINDERELLA PRESSING ALL THE RIGHT BUTTONS

This year’s Darlington Civic Theatre pantomime, Cinderella, is proving a great hit with audiences.

Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a trip to the pantomime and Cinderella at Darlington Civic Theatre is proof enough that the all-time classic rags-to-riches story is simply the best when it comes to traditional family entertainment.

A fantastic feature at the Civic Theatre – apart from the beautiful auditorium and friendly staff, is the audience feedback board. Audience members are encouraged to write their comments about the show on a luggage label and attach it to the board using one of the colourful magnets supplied.

One current post reads “I loved Pudsey – it is the best show I’ve been to in my life” and another reads “The best thing I loved about the pantomime is that Buttons is really funny”.

In fact, looking at the board, the underlying feeling is that Buttons is a huge hit with children and adults alike. The role of Buttons is to tie the whole pantomime together, to be the narrator guiding you through the show. It requires a performer who is completely comfortable breaking the ‘fourth wall’, someone who has an instant connection to a theatre full of excited children and it helps if they can throw in some magic tricks along the way.

Matt Edwards brings his unique brand of performance to the role of Buttons at the Civic Theatre. Matt is a one man comedy experience but his warmth towards every cast member lifts the pantomime to another level. He combines magic and laughter with ease and is guaranteed to have any audience rolling around the aisles.

Matt told us “I started getting involved in magic at the age of five and have never lost my enthusiasm to learn new tricks or performance techniques. I joined the junior section of my local Magic Society in Ipswich and was also enrolled as the 300th member of the Young Magicians Club run by the world famous Magic Circle.”

When it comes to magic, Matt considers ‘entertainment’ to be the key word. “I like to dazzle and amaze audiences with routines that are mixed with humour and a great deal of skill, but I also like to feel the audience are involved in the tricks somehow.”

You can still catch Matt and the rest of the Cinderella cast as it runs until Sunday 10 January 2016. For tickets and more information visit darlingtoncivic.co.uk or call 01325 486555.

Star Wars: The Force Awa-corns is Top of the Pops this Christmas as popcorn demand increases ahead of major film release

·         Brits set to Chew-bacca on 2.4 million bags of popcorn over the next 3 weeks

·         Popcorn production at Tommy Tucker increased by 33% to meet STAR WARS demands

·         Total production for the year up to 60 million servings, nearly Obi-Wan portion for each UK citizen

·         Empire Cinemas Strikes Back with tickets available for a whole-Yoda extra screenings for the biggest film release of the year

 

Ahead of the much-anticipated release of Star Wars, which opens at Empire Cinemas on 17^th December, Tommy Tucker have stepped up production to meet exceptional requirements for everyone’s most pop-ular film snack; popcorn. Tommy Tucker will be continuing to support its cinema partners as the film hits the big screen, which will tie in with the release of the prepacked Star Wars popcorn assortment – with orders for 2.4 million bags taken already for delivery over the next 3 weeks.

Tommy Tucker’s Operations Director, Shaun Noakes, commented: “We have increased our output by 33% to meet the increased demand. This has bumped our total production for the year to 60 million cinema servings (almost 1 portion for everyone in the UK!). Star Wars fans certainly love their popcorn!”

Star Wars opens at Empire Cinemas from 17^th December. The UK’s largest independent cinema chain has put on numerous extra screenings across its 18 cinemas to meet extremely high ticket demands ahead of what looks set to be 2015’s biggest film release. Additional shows have been added to meet demand, tickets still available at: www.empirecinemas.co.uk

Theatre N16  14th – 17th December.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

This is a little gem of a show, with some fantastic ideas and a lot of love for the films.

The show begins with parenting and life tips from a slacker Star Wars fan to a new father who has made a Deathstar crib for his baby – you just screw the top off and pop it in!

The host, Toby Wan Kenobi then introduces each piece, in between telling some god-awful Star Wars jokes and making blue milk for an unfortunate audience member.

The next piece investigates the faces behind the stormtroopers’ masks, and has two discussing the staff canteen and their indignation that the rebels have attacked during lunch. They then begin imagining their own backstory, as the writers of the film were too selfish to flesh them out, in a sweet exchange with a very funny ending.

Jar Jar Binks’ first day as a galactic senator is reimagined. Everything will be fine and he’ll earn everyone’s respect, if he can just get out of the toilet. We hear his internal dialogue, which is coherent and funny, and his horror when he pratfalls and says one of those annoying “Mesa whoopsie” lines. Whether lusting after the female wookie in the next cubicle or smoking a death stick, this Jar Jar is much more fun than the original – perhaps they could add some of these lines to the film to ease our pain?

A riff on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead, with two imperial guards opening cans of special brew after a pivotal battle is another gem – in between discussing the old man and black mask they chat about their contracts and pay, and think about a career change – maybe a job that requires more speaking?       

The final piece is perhaps the most poignant of the night, with two men waiting excitedly, in full costume, for the new Star Wars film to begin. One begins to question the direction of his life, and whether obsessing about films, the collection of memorabilia and attendance of conventions is the way to find a partner and have a fulfilling life – bewildering his friend who cannot see what is wrong with his life. A very downbeat ending to the evening, but very fitting.

The writers, Steve Robertson and John Hickman, Andrew Maddock, James C Ferguson, Victoria Taylor Roberts and Phillip Lawrence have all created fantastic pieces, with lots of laughs and tenderness for the characters, some of whom were neglected in the cinema, and the fans.

Even if you haven’t seen the films, you’ll enjoy  this show, and if you are already a fan – you will love it.

ELF THE MUSICAL’S

RECORD-BREAKING RUN

AT THE DOMINION THEATRE

The smash hit musical ELF has already broken several box office records during its current 10-week run at the Dominion Theatre in London, where performances began on 24 October.  The show has broken the box office record three times for the highest selling show since the Dominion Theatre opened, and has also beaten the Dominion’s box office record for the highest grossing week ever.

The Gala Opening Night on Thursday 5 November was in aid of Alzheimer’s Society and raised a gross box office figure of £82,588 for the charity.  In addition, the producers will be donating £100,000 from takings on Christmas Eve to two charities – Teenage Cancer Trust and Louise Plowright for her cancer treatment in South Korea.

ELF is currently running at London’s Dominion Theatre for a strictly limited 10-week season until 2 January 2016.

The full cast for the London premiere of the smash hit musical ELF is led by Ben Forster as Buddy, Kimberley Walsh as Jovie, Joe McGann as Walter Hobbs and Jessica Martin as Emily Hobbs, with Jennie Dale as Deb, Mark McKerracher as Santa and Graham Lappin as Store Manager.  Also in the cast are Katie Bradley, Charlie Bull, Nicola Coates, Alex Fobbester, Anton Fosh, Charlotte Gale, Francis Haugen, Matt Holland, Tash Holway, Paul Hutton, Mark Iles, Ceili O’Connor, Debbie Paul, Joanna Rennie, Barnaby Thompson and Ed White.  Harry Collett, Ilan Galkoff, Noah Key and Ewan Rutherford will alternate the role of Michael.

Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit starring Will Ferrell, ELF is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

ELF features a book by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), with songs by Tony Award nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer). The production will feature direction and choreography by Morgan Young (Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), set design and costumes by Olivier Award winner Tim Goodchild, lighting design by Olivier Award winner Tim Lutkin, vocal arrangements by Phil Reno, dance arrangements by David Chase, orchestrations by Doug Besterman, video design by Ian William Galloway and sound design by Clement Rawling.  Musical direction and supervision will be by Stuart Morley.

Michael Rose and U-Live in association with the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin present the Theatre Royal Plymouth production of ELF at the Dominion Theatre, London.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

24 October 2015 to 2 January 2016

Dominion Theatre

268-269 Tottenham Court Road

London W1T 7AQ

Performances:  Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm*, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm**

*no evening performance Thursday 24, Friday 25, Saturday 26, Thursday 31 December & Friday 1 January

**extra 2.30pm matinees on Monday 21, Tuesday 22, Thursday 24, Monday 28, Tuesday 29 & Thursday 31 December

See website for ticket prices:  www.elfthemusical.co.uk / www.dominiontheatre.com

Box Office:  0845 200 7982

Running Time:  2 hours 25 minutes (including interval)

York Grand Opera House – Sat 19 December – Sun 03 January 2016.  Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

The York Grand Opera House chose to hold the much loved tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, with faces such as, Russ Spencer as Jack Trott and Caroline Barnes as Princess Jill; this duo came to fame during the 2007 Eurovision contest with their song ‘Flying the Flag’, the couple of singers were unknown to most of the audience but they delivered amazing vocal with great credit to Caroline.

I found the performance overall funny and enjoyable, however at some points I got a bit tired with a simple dialogue, but having children as your target audience is the reason behind this. With most of the audience being children from beavers and brownies the audience were involved with the performance shout as loud as the can to join simple Simon’s gang (Chris Casey), it was clear to see that they’re were enjoying it. They even made it funny to the adults with jokes about the Dame (Stuart Wade). The scene that stood out for me was when they had their own version of the 12 Days of Christmas. Involving 5 toilet rolls and other household items, this scene was absolutely funny and manic with toilet rolls thrown into the audience and all the cast members falling over each other one stage the Fairy Peapod (Jade Ellis) standing watching the hysteria that was happening before her eyes.

One note of Ellis’ performance she sang ‘Listen’ from the musical Dreamgirls, she sang this with absolute perfection and her performance was second to none but it didn’t fit the scene lyrically and had me confused.

Over all I found the performance enjoyable and I would encourage anyone to watch but I solid make sure that you bring your family as it’s a family performance where you can laugh with your children and see their faces light up when they watch the tale that is Jack and the Beanstalk.

Hospital patients across the UK will be able to watch Newcastle Theatre Royal’s panto Dick Whittington for free from their beds this Christmas as the production is screened to their Hospedia TV screens.

 

The cast has filmed a special performance of the pantomime, which will be screened for free to 170,000 patients across 180 NHS hospitals on 21 December.

 

The screenings are the brainchild of local entrepreneur and Theatre Royal Trustee, Howard Tait (chief executive of Newcastle communications agency Martin Tait Redheads) who said: “When I first got involved at the Theatre Royal I arranged trips for the children in the local hospital to come to see the panto but I soon realised that the sickest children weren’t able to come and were missing out. So I had the idea of bringing the magic of the panto to them instead and the idea just grew and grew.

“It’s wonderful to hear how much the hospital patients, both adults and children, enjoy having the panto to watch and how it brings cheer onto the wards. The screening is totally free of charge to watch and we film it in such a way that those watching get to see close up shots of the actors as well as the general stage view, so it’s a really special show.”

 

And cast members of this year’s panto, Dick Whittington, visited The Great North Children’s Hospital today (16 December) to meet some of their youngest and biggest fans, who will watch them perform on the 21 December. Dressed in full costume, the cast spent time with poorly children and their families, bringing gifts and signing autographs ahead of the screening on the bedside tvs.

 

Danny Adams, who plays Dick Whittington, said: “One of the most wonderful things about starring in the Theatre Royal panto is the audience members, they are fantastic and not just while they are in the theatre; we regularly get kids running up to us in the street for a photo or shouting our catchprases out to us. It’s such a lovely feeling knowing that they identify with us and so being able to come along and meet some of the children who are unfortunate enough to be in hospital at this time of year is really special. Seeing their faces light up when we come into the ward is a magical moment for them and us.”

 

The hospital screening project is a unique collaboration between the NHS, Newcastle Theatre Royal and Hospedia – the national hospital broadcast network. Ben Packman, Hospedia’s Strategic Development Director, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide a platform for the Theatre Royal’s pantomime screening.  Our aim is to make the patient experience whilst in hospital as enjoyable as possible and we particularly welcome the opportunity to make the festive period special for all the children in hospital at this time.” The screening of the panto is free to everyone with a bedside tv and will be shown at 2pm on channel 36, with repeat screenings at 4pm and 6pm.

Chief Executive of Newcastle Theatre Royal, Philip Bernays, said: “We are extremely proud to be part of this wonderful initiative bringing the fun and festive feel-good factor of the Theatre Royal’s pantomime directly to the hospital beds of patients across the whole of the UK.

“Howard has worked so hard to expand the tradition that we started here in Newcastle, and it is marvellous to see that each year more and more patients watch this specially filmed edition of what is still the UK’s fastest selling panto.”

 

Dick Whittington plays at Newcastle Theatre Royal until Sunday 17 January 2016. Tickets are available from £12.50 (pay less online) and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (all calls are charged at 7p a minute plus your phone company’s access charge, calls from mobiles may vary, please contact your operator for details).

 

A merry mash-up of festive theatre comedy and music at Live Theatre

Monday 21 December, 7.30pm
Christmas Adventures
Presented as part of Live Theatre’s Live Lab programme

On Monday 21 December Live Lab will be celebrating a year of developing new work with their Christmas Adventures variety show; a merry mash-up of theatre, comedy and music.

Following the Live Lab ethos, Christmas Adventures celebrates emerging talent. It gives artists a forum to try out new material inspired by this Christmas theme.

Playwright and performer Alison Carr (Iris and The Soaking of Vera Shrimp) will be reviving her short monologue Mary, Jesus’s Mam, which is a funny take on the School Nativity. She will be joined by Live Lab’s current Associate Artists Matilda Neill,Rowan McCabe and Matt Miller (Red is the New Blue) who will be presenting a play, specially written for the occasion, calledThe Holiday. They’ll be using their unique blend of theatre and poetry to explore the secret life of Santa and the darker side of Christmas.

Nina Berry (Rendezvous and The Rooms) has also written a piece especially for the night called The Terminal Velocity of Snowflakes, which takes a touching look at the lives of two individuals played by Rendezvous performers Dean Bone andLauren Kellegher. It’s a touching short play about fate, friendship and snow.

Live Theatre favourites Mixtape will be performing a selection of seasonally inspired sketches. Part comedy sketch show and part music quiz the audience will play along in teams to see who can guess the songs that have inspired their lyrical sketches. The winning team will be awarded with a limited edition Christmas Mixtape trophy.
Plus, there will also be comedy from Live Theatre’s Stand-Up Comedy Course graduate Hal Branson, a monologue written byJamie Moran (10 Minutes to…) and a festive fancy dress competition with a prize for the audience member with the best outfit. Don’t miss this celebration of emerging artists from the region. It’s sure to be an Advent Calendar highlight.

Tickets for Christmas Adventures costs £8. To book tickets and to find out more visit www.live.org.uk or contact Live Theatre’s box office on (0191) 232 1232.

Welsh mining drama Land of Our Fathers begins its English tour at Live Theatre in January 2016

 

Presented by Theatre503, Tara Finney Productions and Wales Millennium Centre

Written by Chris Urch

Directed by Paul Robinson

 

Critically-acclaimed  play Land of Our Fathers, which follows six Welsh miners trapped down a mine, starts its English tour at Live Theatre, Newcastle in January.

 

With five performances over four days between Wednesday 27 and Saturday 30 January, including a Saturday matinee, this funny and deeply moving Welsh mining drama is packed full of blistering comedy and echoes a generation of lost voices.

 

It’s May 1979 in South Wales. Thatcher is county her votes, Sid Vicious is spinning in his grave and six Welsh miners are trapped down a coal mine. As the men await their rescue, secrets emerge and accusations fly. Within two weeks, everything they believe in and everything they know will have changed.

 

Max Roberts, Artistic Director, Live Theatre said:

 

“We are delighted to be the first venue on the English tour of Land of Our Fathers, after its success touring Welsh venues.  The story of miners in the play will have a strong resonance here in the North East with our shared mining heritage, and with Live Theatre’s audiences after our success with plays such as The Pitmen Painters and Close the Coalhouse Door. It is a very powerful drama to start the 2016 season here at Live Theatre.”

 

Land of Our Fathers has been described by The Guardian as ‘undeniably powerful’ and The Times as ‘a high voltage production’.

 

Paul Robinson, Artistic Director of Theatre503 and Director, Land of our Fathers said:

 

“The response so far has been thrilling and we’re delighted to be bringing the production to some fantastic venues in England in the New Year. The story is so universal with characters that you can’t help but fall; in love with, and we hope the play will continue to bring laughs and tears as it continues its journey.”

 

Tara Finney, Co-producer, Land of our Fathers said:

 

“I am delighted to be taking Land of Our Fathers on tour, enabling more people around the country to see this beautiful play. I have no doubt it will continue to enthral people as we move from the Welsh to English venues.”

 

Original cast members Joshua Price (Llwyth/Tribe) and Taylor Jay-Davies (Great Expectations – West End, The Passion) reprise their roles as Mostyn and Chewy. They are joined by John Cording (Pobol Y Cwm, Da Vinci’s Demons), Tomos Eames (Pride, Resistance), Cornelius Booth (Pride & Prejudice) and Robert Jezek (The Bodyguard – West End).

 

Two free events will accompany the shows at Live Theatre. Meet The Cast takes place after the show on Thursday 28 January, when the audience can discuss the making of the play with the creative team and cast.  A Post Show Discussion will take place on Saturday 30 January after the 2pm matinee, when Ian Lavery MP for Wansbeck and former President of the National Union of Mineworkers joins Max Roberts Artistic Director of Live Theatre to discuss issues raised in the play. Both events are free, but booking is essential.

 

For more information on Land of Our Fathers and to buy tickets costing between £22 to £12, over 60s concessions from £22 to £16 and other concessions £15 to £10 call Live Theatre’s box office on (0191) 232 1232 or see www.live.org.uk. 

Listings:

 

Wednesday 27 to Saturday 30 January 2016
Land of Our Fathers

Presented by Theatre503, Tara Finney Productions and Wales Millennium Centre

Written by Chris Urch

Directed by Paul Robinson
3 May 1979, six Welsh miners are trapped underground as Thatcher is counting her votes.

Winner of Time Out Critics Choice & Fringe Show of the Year 2013

 

DATES: Wed 27 to Sat 30 Jan, 7.30pm
PERFORMANCES: Wed to Sat, 7.30pm
MATINEE: Sat 30 Jan, 2pm

LOCATION: Main Theatre
DURATION:  Approx. 2hr 20mins (including interval)
SUITABILITY: 14+, contains some swearing

 

TICKETS: £22-£12, over 60s conc. £22-£16 other concs. £15-£10
Meet the Cast

Thursday 28 January, after 7.30pm show
Meet the cast and creative team to discuss the making of the play.

DATE: Thurs 28 Jan,
LOCATION: Main Theatre
DURATION:  Approx. 40mins
SUITABILITY: 14+

TICKETS: Free, booking essential

 
Post Show Discussion

Saturday 30 January, after 2pm show

Ian Lavery MP for Wansbeck and former President of the National Union of Mineworkers joins Max Roberts, Live |Theatre’s Artistic Director to discuss the issues raised in the play.

DATE: Sat 30 Jan
LOCATION: Main Theatre
DURATION:  Approx. 40mins
SUITABILITY: 14+

TICKETS: Free, booking essential

 

Northern Broadsides in partnership with New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme present

THE MERRY WIVES

By William Shakespeare

 

Directed by Barrie Rutter                  

Designed by Lis Evans

Lighting by Adam Foley

Music by Conrad Nelson

Opening venue: New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme – 5–27 Feb 2016

National tour: 5 Feb – 28 May 2016

Northern Broadsides are set to join forces with the award-winning New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, to stage William Shakespeare’s superb medley of comedy and farce The Merry Wives.

Directed and featuring Northern Broadsides Artistic Director Barrie Rutter in the role of Sir John Falstaff, the new production which will open at the New Vic, Newcastle-under-Lyme, from 5 – 27 February and will then tour nationally until 28 May.

It’s the 1920s in the North of England and Sir John Falstaff is past-his-prime and skint!

Vain rogue that he is, he attempts, rather clumsily, to seduce a couple of well-to-do wives … but Mistress Page and Mistress Ford get wise to his plan and scheme to exact revenge with hilarious and unimaginable consequences.

Northern Broadsides have previously staged The Merry Wives in in 1993 and 2001.

Playing Sir John Falstaff for the third time will be Northern Broadsides Artistic Director Barrie Rutter. Rutter’s recent works include the title roles in Jonathan Miller’s productions of King Lear and Rutherford & Son, as well directing and featuring in Broadsides award-winning co-production with the New Vic Theatre, An August Bank Holiday Lark. Barrie Rutter has previously worked for the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Last year Barrie was awarded the OBE for services to drama.

Co-producing with Staffordshire’s New Vic Theatre, the production’s fine creative team includes Lis Evans (An August Bank Holiday Lark) with lighting by Adam Foley. Regulars at the New Vic Theatre, this will be Northern Broadsides seventh co-production with the venue. Previous co-productions have included The Tempest (2007), The Canterbury Tales (2010),Love’s Labour’s Lost (2012) and the award winning An August Bank Holiday Lark (2014).

The Merry Wives will open at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme from 5 -27 February 2016 and will then tour to Dean Clough, Halifax; Hull Truck Theatre; The Lowry Salford; Rose Theatre, Kingston; West Yorkshire Playhouse; Everyman Theatre Cheltenham (which will coincide with the 400^th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare); Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough; Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield; York Theatre Royal and Liverpool Playhouse.

In autumn 2016 Northern Broadsides will be teaming up with York Theatre Royal to tour J B Priestley’s When We Are Married. The production, which will be directed by Barrie Rutter, will open at the newly redeveloped York Theatre Royal in September 2016.

Further casting will be announced in the coming weeks.