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Sonia Friedman Productions presents

Written by Penelope Skinner
Directed by Ian Rickson

• FULL CASTING IS ANNOUNCED FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF ‘LYONESSE’ BY PENELOPE SKINNER, DIRECTED BY IAN RICKSON.
• JAMES CORRIGAN, DOON MACKICHAN AND SARA POWELL JOIN KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS AND LILY JAMES IN THIS GRIPPING NEW PLAY AT THE HAROLD PINTER THEATRE FROM 17 OCTOBER –23 DECEMBER 2023.

Sonia Friedman Productions (SFP) is delighted to announce full casting for the world premiere of Lyonesse by Penelope Skinner, directed by Ian Rickson at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 17 October – 23 December 2023 www.lyonesseonstage.com.  

James Corrigan, Doon Mackichan and Sara Powell will join the previously announced Kristin Scott Thomas and Lily James in this searingly funny and passionate new play.

Elaine (Kristin Scott Thomas) a reclusive and talented actress, disappears in mysterious circumstances. 30 years later, she finally feels ready to tell her story – summoning Kate (Lily James), a young film executive, to her remote Cornish home to assist with her glorious comeback.

But who really controls the stories we tell, and how we get to tell them? Will these women own their narrative, or will it be swept away from them at any given moment?

James Corrigan’s stage credits include Jack Absolute Flies Again (National Theatre), White Noise (Bridge Theatre), King Lear (Duke of York’s Theatre), Julius Caesar, Coriolanus, Antony and Cleopatra, Two Noble Kinsmen, The 7 Acts of Mercy, Wendy and Peter Pan, Othello, The Merchant of Venice and Shakespeare’s Birthday (all RSC); Monologue Slam UK (Triforce), Hay Fever (Kay and Mclean Australia) and Hay Fever and The Big Meal (Bath Theatre Royal). His television work includes C.B Strike, This England and This Is Going to Hurt. He is soon to appear in upcoming film Midas Man about Brian Epstein. Further television credits include: Time; My Lady Jane, Grace, Manhunt, Temple and The Tempest.

Doon Mackichan is best known for her roles in cult television shows such as Channel 4’s double Emmy-award winning Smack the Pony, Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge (BBC), Toast of Tinseltown (BBC), The Duchess (Netflix), Flack (POP TV), Pure (Channel 4) and Good Omens (Amazon). She was nominated for a BAFTA for her performance in Plebs, won a British comedy award for Toast of London and has appeared in five series of BBC2 sitcom Two Doors Down.  Her stage credits include Bitter Wheat (Garrick Theatre), Twelfth Night (National Theatre), Loot (Tricycle Theatre), The Government Inspector (Young Vic), The Queen and I (Royal Court/Leicester Haymarket), Jumpy (Royal Court/Duke of York’s Theatre), Mother Courage (National Theatre) and her acclaimed one-woman show Primadoona (Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Menier Chocolate Factory).  In her fierce, frank and hilarious new memoir My Lady Parts: A Life Fighting Stereotypes (to be published by Canongate on 21 September) Mackichan examines through the roles she has played (and turned down) on stage, screen and in real life, how our culture still expects women to adhere to certain stereotypes.

Sara Powell’s extensive stage credits include The Seagull (Jamie Lloyd Company), The Madness of King George (Nottingham Playhouse), La Peste, Richard III (Arcola Theatre), The Crucible (Bristol Old Vic), Disgraced (Bush Theatre), Some Girls (Gielgud Theatre), Macbeth (Almeida Theatre), Stuff Happens, The Villain’s Opera, Honk (all National Theatre), World Music (Crucible Theatre, Sheffield/Donmar Warehouse) Racing Demon, Absence of War (Birmingham Rep) and The Duchess of Malfi (Royal Shakespeare Company).

On screen she is known for her many roles in television dramas including The Hunted, Vera, The House Across the Street, Doctor Who, Murder in Provence, Ghosts, Death in Paradise, Unforgotten 3, Silent Witness, Little Boy Blue, Damned, Midsomer Murders, DCI Banks, Holby Blue, Family Man, Ice Cream Girls, Whisteblowers and Law & Order. She will soon appear in upcoming legal thriller The Killing Kind. 

BAFTA and Olivier winning actor Kristin Scott Thomas has extensive credits across stage and screen including the films The English Patient (for which she was Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated), Four Weddings and a Funeral (for which she won a BAFTA and Evening Standard British Film Award), Darkest Hour (for which she was nominated for a BAFTA), Nowhere Boy (for which she was BAFTA and BIFA nominated), Il y a longtemps que je t’aime (for which she was Golden Globe, BAFTA and César nominated),  A Handful of Dust, Angels and Insects and Partir (for all of which she won Evening Standard British Film Awards and for Partir was also César nominated) and Gosford Park.   On television she was nominated for an Emmy for her role in Fleabag and also recently starred in Talking Heads (BBC) and two series of Slow Horses (Apple TV) with the third soon to be released. Her debut feature film as a director, North Star, in which she also stars, will also be released soon. On stage, she won the Olivier for Best Actress for her performance in The Seagull (Royal Court/ Broadway) and was nominated for her roles in Electra (Old Vic), Three Sisters, Betrayal and Old Times (all West End). Other notable stage roles include playing Queen Elizabeth II in The Audience (West End).

Lily James is best known for her roles in films such as Baby Driver, Cinderella, The Dig, Yesterday, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, Darkest Hour, What’s Love Got To Do With It and TV dramas including Pam & Tommy (for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe and Emmy Award), War and Peace, Rebecca, The Pursuit of Love and Downton Abbey.  Upcoming films released later this year include Relay, The Iron Claw and Finalmente l’alba.  On stage she most recently appeared in All About Eve (West End).  Other theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet (Kenneth Branagh Season, West End) and Vernon God Little (Young Vic).  

Lyonesse is a powerful story for our times by Penelope Skinner, winner of the George Devine Award for Most Promising Playwright for The Village Bike, and whose other works for stage include Angry Alan, Meek, Linda, The Ruins of Civilisation, Fred’s Diner, Eigengrau and F*cked.  For screen, she was a writer on four seasons of Fresh Meat (Channel 4), wrote the film How I Live Now and, along with her sister Ginny Skinner, has created and written the upcoming TV thriller The Following Events Are Based On A Pack Of Lies (Sister/BBC1).

Kristin Scott Thomas and Lily James join forces for the first time on stage for Lyonesse after appearing together in the Oscar and BAFTA winning film Darkest Hour (Working Title Films/Universal) and screen adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca (Netflix/Working Title).  The play also reunites long-time collaborators Ian Rickson and Kristin Scott Thomas following their work together on The Seagull (Royal Court/ Broadway – for which Kristin Scott Thomas won an Olivier for her performance), Electra (Old Vic) and West End productions of Betrayal and Old Times (all produced by SFP).  This will be Ian Rickson’s twelfth collaboration with SFP including celebrated West End productions such as Jerusalem, Rosmersholm, Uncle Vanya, The Children’s Hour and The Birthday Party. Lily James last appeared on stage in the SFP production of All About Eve (West End).

Lyonesse will be designed by Georgia Lowe, with lighting by Jessica Hung Han Yun, music by Stephen Warbeck, sound by Tingying Dong and casting by Amy Ball CDG.

Blackpool Winter Garden – until Saturday 19 August 2023

Reviewed by Debra Skelton

5*****

“Could it be Magic – That is what Blackpool is in for when watching this spectacular performance of Greatest Days.”

The official Take That Musical, Greatest Days, which boasts a book by award-winning playwright Tim Firth and music and lyrics by Take That is a feel good and emotional story about love and friendship of five best friends who unite over their joint love of a boyband but due to a tragedy that impacts their friendship, they end up going their separate ways until they reunite twenty-five years later for one more epic show by their beloved band.

We first meet the girls ( Rachel – Olivia Hallett, Debbie – Mary Moore, Claire – Mari McGinlay, Zoe – Hannah Brown, Heather – Kitty Harris) at age 16 who are discussing their favourite boy bands performance on Top of the Pops the previous night only out find out that Debbie has entered a competition to see them that evening in Manchester and has only gone and won it.

The show is everything that they expected it to be but whilst waiting to see if they can catch a glimpse of the band after the concert, they miss their train home and have to catch the bus where they end up being thrown off for being excitable noisy teenagers singing and dancing to their favourite songs.

Zoe decides she can navigate them home where they stop along the way and discuss what they expect their futures to hold and make a pact to always be friends, however as they go their separate ways, tragedy strikes, and the girls separate until we catch them again 25 years later where they meet up to see their favourite boy band once again.

As adults, we find that the girl’s lives did not pan out as expected but it finally gives them the opportunity to discuss their feelings and to deal with the tragedy that hit them so many years ago and to reforge their friendship going forward.

The soundtrack for the musical was vast and just as a tease, you will be treated to hits such as Could it be Magic, Relight my Fire, The Flood and Shine.

This production starred Kim Marsh as Rachel, Holly Ashton as Zoe, Rachel Marwood as Heather, and Jamie-Rose Monk as Claire who were supported by an incredible cast including locally acclaimed Kitty Harris who trained at Langley Dance Academy & Arts School. Their acting talents created such a presence on stage with a standing ovation at the end.

The production also needs special thanks to Lucy Osborne for creating such an adaptable set and fabulous costumes, Tony Gayle for the wonderful sound, Rob Casey for the dazzling lighting, Aaron Renfree for the streamlined choreography and Jess Goldstein for the authentic costumes.

Wilton’s Music Hall – until Friday 18 August 2023

Reviewed by Phil Brown

3***

All aboard and welcome to the G & S Express – not quite the train ride to comedy heaven the Charles Court Opera aspires to, but a highly amusing divertissement nonetheless and worthy of 75 minutes of your undivided attention.  And, whilst the story line is purposefully silly, (possibly considered Pythonesque in another era), full attention and Mastermind grade knowledge is certainly required to pick up all the references to Gilbert & Sullivan operas in the course of the performance.  Lack of said knowledge is not a barrier to enjoyment, but it does mean you are not in on the joke a lot of the time, and can’t always fully appreciate the clever-clever exploitation of such operatic treasure.  (I am told that G & S Express references every Gilbert & Sullivan operetta, and specifically, ‘The Pirates of Penzance’, (Policeman’s Lot), ‘The Mikado’ (Three Little maids) and ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’ (Little List), as well as  the less performed, such as ‘The Sorcerer,’ ‘Princess Ida’ and ‘Utopia Ltd’).

The genesis of G & S Express was during 2020, and like many lockdown projects, what seemed like a wonderful idea at the time, does not necessarily come off completely.  The essence of G & S Express  is the selective adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan operas inspired by the work of the Reduced Shakespeare Company.  A reasonable proposition at first glance, but one that possibly overlooks some commercial realities – there is a much larger audience for Shakespeare. 

G & S Express actually combines Gilbert & Sullivan with another particularly English icon, Agatha Christie to construct a murder mystery spoof, set on a train with Hercule Poirot’s French “twin” Philippe as the lead detective.  It’s the sort of thing that you could imagine Alan Bennett’s “History Boys” scholarship form devising or more likely an Oxbridge drama soc.   The key difference being in the detail of the invention and the flawless execution – this is very cleverly constructed (Director/Writer John Savournin), well honed, and immaculately performed by players of rare versatility.

The show is well introduced by Musical Director David Eaton who duly disappears to the usual musician’s spot to the right of Wilton’s stage to provide excellent, impeccably timed solo piano accompaniment.  Meanwhile the three main players – Matthew Kellett (playing Detective Philippe Poirot), Catrine Kirkman (Bridget, the train “trolly dolly” and various roles) and Matthew Siveter (Reggie, the train conductor and various roles) – proceed to ham it up outrageously and deliciously whilst engaged in solving the mystery of Bridget’s vandalised refreshment trolley – the so-called “doyly cart”.   Illustrative of the dialogue is  Poirot and Reggie’s  miscommunication over “red ‘erring” and the station ”Rederring” – a location which appears in Ruddigore.  Talking of “red ‘errings” , three clues left at the scene of the crime lead to three unlikely suspects – a peer, a jester (both played by Matthew Siveter) and a school governess (played by Catrine Kirkman who also plays a police constable).  All three performers seriously impress in both acting and singing departments with Kellett delivering a most delightful Poirot – up there with the very best.

Action takes place on a minimally dressed stage – a couple of train windows and a couple of bench seats as seen in trains of a certain vintage – mobile for unobtrusive and rapid set change and to create the impression of train speed.  A smart and economical design (Jessie Huckin) 

This top quality multi dimensional entertainment is delivered with such evident commitment and skill, it deserves the highest praise and support.  Although the audience chortled away throughout, it’s not consistently a laugh out loud kind of show, but it will definitely raise your well being quotient – how much may vary with your depth of knowledge of Gilbert & Sullivan.  And it does provide a more genteel musical alternative to the ever growing number of blockbusters on show. 

A Sheffield Theatres and Evolution Pantomimes co-production

SHEFFIELD THEATRES ANNOUNCES CAST FOR BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Writer and Director Paul Hendy
Choreographer Sarah Langley
Lighting Designer Jack Weir
Sound Designer Nick Greenhill
Set Designer Morgan Large
Costume Designer Ella Neal
Dame Costume Designer Michael J Batchelor
Musical Director Alex Turney
Musician Seb Williman
Musician Seb Foster

Friday 8 December 2022 – Sunday 7 January 2024

Today, Sheffield Theatres and Evolution Pantomimes announce the full cast for Beauty and the Beast at the Lyceum Theatre, alongside the previously announced Blue’s Duncan James, CBeebies’ Jennie Dale, and legendary Dame Damian Williams.

Joining them will be: comedian and ventriloquist Max Fulham as Phillipe Fillop, alongside Gordon the Monkey, Bessy Ewa as Belle, Aidan Banyard as Beast and Prince Henri, plus a talented ensemble including: Ronnie Burden, Luke Cartledge, Hollie Duncan, Shona Masson, Amber Ochieng and Rhys Wyn Owen. 

Once again, the show will be written and directed by Paul Hendy (Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella) and produced by the award winning, Evolution, the same team behind last year’s fabulous panto, Jack and the Beanstalk.

This fairy-tale extravaganza promises to be full of hilarious comedy, lavish sets, fantastic music, beautiful costumes, magic and mayhem. It’s never too early to book your favourite seats!

Beauty and the Beast runs from Friday 8 December 2022 – Sunday 7 January 2024 at the Lyceum theatre, Sheffield. Tickets are on sale now and can be booked through the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0114 249 6000 or at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

Duncan James will not be performing on Sat 16 Dec – 10.15am and Sat 6 Jan – 10.15am.

READING REP THEATRE ANNOUNCE FULL CAST & CREATIVE TEAM FOR FIRST UK REVIVAL OF

SHAKESPEARE’S R&J

BY JOE CALARCO

RUNNING FROM 11 OCTOBER – 4 NOVEMBER

Reading Rep Theatre has today announced the full cast and creative team of the first UK revival of Joe Calarco’s queer play Shakespeare’s R&J, which will run from Wednesday 11^th October – Saturday 4^th November 2023 (Press Night: 16^th October) at the Berkshire venue. 

In a rigid boarding school, four repressed adolescents unearth a secret copy of Shakespeare’s tale of forbidden love… what begins as a rebellious laugh soon turns into something more violent.

Award-winning actor Elijah Ferreira (Hedwig And The Angry Inch – Leeds Playhouse/Manchester Home) will return to Reading Rep Theatre for the production, having played the roles of Young Scrooge and Fred in their 2022 remount of Beth Flintoff’s retelling of A Christmas Carol.

Ferreira will be joined in the cast by Luke Daniels (Youth and the Young Person – Reading Rep, Penetration – The Cockpit), Brayden Emmanuel (You & Me – ITV, DNA – New Wolsey Theatre) and Tom Sowinski (Million Dollar Quartet – NCL, Cilla – The Musical – UK and Ireland Tour).

Reading Rep Theatre’s Founding Artistic Director Paul Stacey will direct the play’s first UK revival, which hasn’t played a UK stage since the play’s West End debut 20 years ago, and will be joined on the creative team by Chris Cuming (A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Reading Rep, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – UK Tour) as Movement Director, Anna Kelsey (The Wicker Husband – The Watermill Theatre, Indecent Proposal – Southwark Playhouse) as Designer, John Rainsforth (Some Enchanted Evening – Barn Theatre & Tour, Chop, Dissolve, Burn – Alphabetti Theatre)as Lighting Designer, Jamie Lu (Hedda Gabler – Reading Rep, Tokyo Rose – Southwark Playhouse & UK Tour)as Sound Designer and Sarah Harkins (Jekyll & Hyde – Reading Rep) as Casting Director. 

Paul Stacey said of today’s announcement “I can’t wait for audiences to see this epic story of forbidden love turned on its head. This modern adaption shakes off the cobwebs many associate with Shakespeare and allows us to see the text anew. We are very excited to welcome our talented cast to Reading Rep and it’s a pleasure to have Elijah and Luke back on our main stage.”

Nottingham Theatre Royal – until Saturday 19 August 2023

Reviewed by Louise Ford

3***

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

The penultimate offering in this season’s Classic Thriller is seasonally set in sunny Spain. The Costa del Crime where everyone is not quite who they seem. It’s the 1980’s cue big hair, shoulder pads and Wham! Murderous Liaisons comes from the pen of Brian Clemens who originally found fame in the 1950s when the BBC snapped up one of his original thrillers.

The stage is set inside a terracotta dream villa with the glamorous Suzy (Lara Lemon) who has a proposition for the handsome rogue Larry (Pavan Maru ). However it’s not the kind of proposition that he is either hoping for or expecting. The plotting wheels are oiled and greased with vodka and then for more serious business whisky. Suzy flatters and cajoles Larry into helping her escape from a difficult situation. He doesn’t take much convincing and happily demonstrates his skills. Off stage a roar of an engine and on to the stage enters the problem, Alex (Jeremy Lloyd Thomas). A vision in relaxed beige. Not quite the medallion wearing gangster we were perhaps expecting.

The first half is a little slow, with a couple of twists and turns. It ends with a bang! The second half has much better pace and again twists with both parties flattering Larry who feels he has the measure of everyone and is top dog! Oh how the mighty are fallen!

In some ways it is a simple “ ménage a trois”, think of The Postman Always Rings Twice, but as we know life (and theatre )is rarely that simple.

We thought that we had guessed the murderer/victim just before half time. Of course, as with all good drama, we were right but for the wrong reason.

So brush up your Spanish and escape to the Costa del Crime for an evening of double-crossing and deceit. Olé.

FIRST VIDEO from the English language premiere of REBECCA at Charing Cross Theatre

Richard Carson as Maxim de Winter 

Lauren Jones as Second Mrs de Winter

sing “Through the Night”

Pianist Tom Knowles

Richard Carson, Lauren Jones and Kara Lane  head the cast for the eagerly anticipated English language premiere of the critically acclaimed musical ‘Rebecca’.

Based on Daphne Du Maurier’s 1938 novel, by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay, two of the most successful German-language musical theatre creators, ‘Rebecca’ has already captivated more than two million people worldwide in hugely successful productions in 12 countries and eight languages.

‘Rebecca’ had its world premiere at VBW’s Raimund Theater in Vienna, Austria, in September 2006, where it went on to play to sold-out houses in three seasons, and where it is currently enjoying a hugely successful revival.

The rest of the cast are: Alex James-Ward, Piers Bate, Sarah Harlington, David Breeds, Amanda Minihan, Neil Moors, Nicholas Lumley, Nigel-Joseph Francis, Elliot Swann, Scott McClure, Emily Apps, Melanie Bright, Gail MacKinnon, Tarisha Rommick, James Mateo-Salt, Rosie Glossop.

Rebecca, with an orchestra of 18, will be directed by Alejandro Bonatto (director of the critically acclaimed production of Donizetti’s ‘Rita’ and Francis Poulanc and Jean Cocteau’s ‘The Human Voice’ at Charing Cross Theatre).

It has a new English translation by Christopher Hampton (two-time Tony Award winner Best Score & Best Book for ‘Sunset Boulevard’ and Oscar winner for Best Adapted Screenplay ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ & ‘The Father’) and Michael Kunze.

Featuring 22 original songs, Rebecca is a gripping thriller full of intrigue and surprises that sticks closely to the original novel. Wealthy Maxim de Winter brings his naïve new wife home to his Cornish estate, Manderley, where the manipulative housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, resents the new wife’s intrusion. She persuades her that she is an unworthy replacement for the first Mrs de Winter, the glamorous and mysterious Rebecca, who perished in a drowning accident, with tragic results…

The world-famous novel was also turned into a celebrated Alfred Hitchcock film in 1940, starring Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, Judith Anderson, George Sanders and Gladys Cooper. It was nominated for 11 Oscars, winning two awards; Best Picture and Best Cinematography. Rebecca was recently filmed again by Netflix starring Lily James, Armie Hammer, Kristin Scott Thomas and Keeley Hawes.

Creative team
Original Book and Lyrics: Michael Kunze
Music and Orchestrations: Sylvester Levay
English Book Adaptation: Christopher Hampton
English Lyrics: Christopher Hampton and Michael Kunze
Based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier

Director Alejandro Bonatto
Choreographer Ron Howell
Musical Supervisor/Conductor Robert Scott
Production Designer Nicky Shaw
Lighting Designer David Seldes
Sound Designer Andrew Johnson
Projection Designer Matt Powell
Costume Supervisor Jess Richardson-Smith
Casting Stephen Crockett/Grindrod Burton Casting
on performance days for personal callers

4 September to 18 November

REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE ANNOUNCES AN EXTRA WEEK EXTENSION FOR

 LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

Due to popular demand, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre today announces an extra week for its new production of La Cage aux Folles, with 8 added performances from Monday 18 – Saturday 23 September 2023.

Tickets are on sale now to Patrons, Members and Priority Booking Members, with public sale from 11am  Thursday 17 August 2023. To book visit www.openairtheatre.com.

The final production by outgoing Artistic DirectorTim Sheader at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, La Cage aux Folles celebrates 40 years since its original premiere on Monday 21^st August. With a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, La Cage aux Folles is based on the play by Jean Poiret, and includes the classic songs ‘I Am What I Am’ and ‘The Best of Times’.

Georges, Albin and their son Jean-Michel re-discover the true meaning of family, and of putting yourself last so that the ones you love can come first.

Carl Mullaney (Chicago/Les Misérables) plays Albin and Billy Carter (A Moon For The Misbegotten) plays Georges. Further principal casting includes Ben Culleton (Jean-Michel), Julie Jupp (Marie Dindon), Shakeel Kimotho (Jacob), Debbie Kurup (Jacqueline), John Owen-Jones (Edward Dindon) and Sophie Pourret (Anne).

Completing the cast are Jak Allen-Anderson (Hanna), Craig Armstrong (Cagelle), Tom Bales (Cagelle),Taylor Bradshaw (Cagelle), Daniele Coombe (Mme. Renaud), Jordan Lee Davies (Chantal), Nicole Deon (Ensemble), Lewis Easter (Cagelle/Swing/Dance Captain), Harvey Ebbage (Cagelle), Emma Johnson (Ensemble/Swing), George Lynham (Phaedra), JP McCue (Cagelle), Rishard-Kyro Nelson (Cagelle/Swing), Alexandra Waite-Roberts (Cagelle/Ensemble) and Hemi Yeroham (Francis).

Completing the creative team are: Thyrza Abrahams (Associate Director), Amy Ball (Casting Director), Jason Carr (Orchestral and Dance Arrangements), Arthur Carrington (Associate Casting Director), Guy Common (Make Up Designer), Ryan Dawson Laight (Costume Designer), James Hassett (Associate Sound Designer), Howard Hudson (Lighting Designer), Nick Lidster (Sound Designer), Ingrid Mackinnon (Season Associate – Intimacy Support), Stephen Mear (Choreographer), Ebony Molina (Associate Choreographer), Janis Price (Voice & Text Director), Colin Richmond (Set Designer), Tom Slade (Assistant Musical Director), Ben van Tienen (Musical Director) and Jennifer Whyte (Musical Supervisor)

La Cage aux Folles is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s remaining 2023 season also includes Nicoll Entertainment’s Dinosaur World Live (11 August – 3 September) which returns to the Open Air Theatre, written and directed by Derek Bond.

NEW WEST END TRAILER RELEASED FOR 

SIX THE MUSICAL  

AS THE GLOBAL QUEENDOM HITS 1.5M FANS 

DIVORCED, BEHEADED, LIVE! 
NOW BOOKING AT THE VAUDEVILLE THEATRE UNTIL APRIL 2024 
www.sixthemusical.com  

Producers Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes and George Stiles have today released an epic new trailer for the home-grown hit musical sensation, SIX. Featuring the current West End company Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky (Aragon), Baylie Carson (Boleyn), Claudia Kariuki (Seymour), Dionne Ward-Anderson (Cleves), Koko Basigara (Howard), and Roxanne Couch (Parr), the trailer has been produced using the drone and ‘bullet-time’ camera technology, showing off the award-winning choreography, costumes and design live in ultra-HD.  

Think you know the six Wives of Henry VIII? Think again… 

Prepare to lose your head and experience the Tudor Wives’ lives as they turn back the clock and take to the stage to reclaim their crowns and retell their stories of love, loss and the infamous ex they all have in common. 

Join Aragon, Boleyn, Seymour, Cleves, Howard and Parr, backed by their fierce on-stage band, 

the Ladies in Waiting, and Get Down to a royal retelling of the sassiest story in British Her-story. 

The trailer is released as the global Queendom hits 1.5million followers globally – across YouTube, Instagram, X, TikTok and Facebook in the UK, US, Australia, Korea and beyond.  

Producer Andy Barnes said, “It’s now been six years since SIX first premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe, and we’re delighted to mark that anniversary, and the shows incredible fans, the Queendom, by releasing our brand-new trailer. We and the cast had great fun filming it with drones and cranes, in front of our live audience from the Queendom, and we are all very proud to share it with them and everyone else.”

The crowning glory of the West End, Broadway and beyond, SIX, created by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, is currently booking in the West End until 28 April 2024 at the Vaudeville Theatre.  

Winner of over 35 international awards, including two 2022 Tony Awards, a Whatsonstage award, and nominated for five Oliviers, SIX can also be seen live on stage worldwide: on Broadway at the Lena Horne Theatre in New York, across the UK on its current sell-out, record-breaking tour, with two concurrent North American tours, a recent Australian tour and forthcoming productions due to play Korea, Holland and Canada. 

The show’s 2018 debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe hastened its West End transfer in January 2019 at the Arts Theatre. In 2020, SIX transferred for a short West End season at the Lyric Theatre before opening at its current home, the Vaudeville theatre in November 2021. 

SIX is written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, with direction by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage, Choreography is by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, with set design by Emma Bailey, costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Tim Deiling, sound design by Paul Gatehouse, musical orchestration by Tom Curran, and musical supervision by Joe Beighton. The current West End Queens are supported by their talented alternates Monique Ashe-Palmer, Danielle Rose, Leah Vassell, Rachel Rawlinson and Esme Rothero. 

NEW PRINCIPAL AND ENSEMBLE CASTING ANNOUNCED

JAKE SHEARS

AS THE EMCEE

REBECCA LUCY TAYLOR AKA SELF ESTEEM

AS SALLY BOWLES

IN

THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING, CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF

CABARET

AT THE KIT KAT CLUB

FROM MONDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2023

The producers of the multi award-winning, critically acclaimed production of CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB are delighted to announce that from Monday 25 September 2023, the roles of The Emcee and Sally Bowles will be played by music icons Jake Shears and Rebecca Lucy Taylor AKA Self Esteem. They join Nathan Ives-Moiba as Clifford Bradshaw, Beverley Klein as Fraulein Schneider and Teddy Kempner as Herr Schultz.

Emily Benjamin will continue as the production’s alternate Sally Bowles until 18 October, with Nic Myers taking over (scheduled to perform once a week) from 19 October.

Also joining the company on 25 September are Wilf Scolding as Ernst Ludwig, Jessica Kirton as Fraulein Kost/Fritzie, Liv Alexander as Texas, Natalie Chua as Frenchie, Taite-Elliot Drew as Hans, Damon Gould as Victor, El Haq Latief as Helga, and Travis Ross as Bobby, joining Laura Delany as Rosie, Grant Neal as Herman/Max and Hicaro Nicolai as Lulu. The cast is completed by Rebecca Lisewski, Ela Lisondra, Nic Myers, Andy Rees, Toby Turpin and Patrick Wilden.

From 16 October, the prologue company will be Rachel Benson, Ami Benton, Onyemachi Ejimofor, Joseph Hardy, Liz Kamille, Andrew Linnie, Aine McLoughlin, Jack William Parry, Jazmyn Raikes, Oliver Stockley and Ena Yamaguchi.

Jake Shears said today “It is my privilege and honour to play the Emcee in this incredible show. I am especially excited to be sharing the stage with the force that is Self Esteem. This role has been a lifetime dream of mine and I couldn’t imagine a better production of it to be a part of.”

Rebecca Lucy Taylor said today “I’ve never made a secret of my love of theatre and I honestly couldn’t be more excited about getting to make my stage debut as one of the greatest leads of all time. I’ve joked for years that there’s no need for a Self Esteem musical really because Sally’s story covers most of the points and here we are. I am both artistically and emotionally raring to take on this challenge. Pinch me!”

Singer, songwriter, actor and writer Jake Shears is best known as the lead singer of the multiplatinum-selling, Grammy-nominated, Brit award-winning glam rock band SCISSOR SISTERS.  The band’s hits include ‘Comfortably Numb’, ‘Take Your Mama’, ‘Let’s Have A Kiki’ and the UK #1 hit ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancing’.  Born in Arizona, Jake grew up in the Seattle area before moving to New York City, where he studied fiction writing at The New School. He wrote the music for Tales of the City, a 2011 stage musical based on Armistead Maupin’s best-selling book series of the same name before starring in Bent at the Taper Forum in 2015. In 2018 he released his debut book, the memoir Boys Keep Swinging and joined the cast of Kinky Boots on Broadway in the lead role as Charlie Price – a role he reprised in 2022 at LA’s Hollywood Bowl. In August 2018 Jake Shears released his eponymous debut solo album to critical acclaim, followed by tours in the UK and US, and in Australia with Kylie Minogue.  2023 saw the release of Jake’s second studio album ‘Last Man Dancing’ which featured the BBC Radio 2 A-List singles ‘Too Much Music’, ‘I Used To Be In Love’ and the title track.   Around album release, Jake continued to tour including as special guest to Duran Duran on their UK arena tour as well acclaimed sets at 2023’s Glastonbury and Mighty Hoopla Festivals.  Jake has recently co-written the music for the new musical ‘Tammy Faye’ alongside Elton John which has just sold out its initial run at London’s Almeida Theatre and won 2 Olivier Awards.  When not on the road, Jake divides his time between London and New Orleans.

As Self Esteem, Rebecca Lucy Taylor has become the unapologetic pop star she always wanted to be. With her 2019 statement debut Compliments Please, Taylor gave voice to the feelings of insecurity and misogyny-induced frustration that many of us face every day, emboldening a whole new audience with powerful, truth-telling lyricism. Her second album Prioritise Pleasure arrived to universal critical acclaim, crowned both The Guardian and Sunday Times Culture’s Album of the Year, with the empowering ‘I Do This All The Time’ also named The Guardian’s #1 song of 2021. Praised for its fearless ability to tackle important issues around female autonomy, comparison culture and self-love, its intimate, confessional and witty lyricism and anthemic maximalist pop rhythms, the album was a catalyst for an unprecedented few years for Taylor. Prioritise Pleasure received a slew of award nominations including the esteemed Mercury Prize, a BRIT Award for Best New Artist, Sky Arts and NME awards nominations, while also winning BBC Introducing’s 2022 Artist Of The Year award and Attitude Magazine’s 2021 Music Award. Summer 2022 saw Taylor play a mammoth 30 festivals, teeing up her biggest run of shows to date: the 2023 I Tour This All The Time tour included a huge three nights at London’s Eventim Apollo, three nights at Manchester’s Albert Hall, and two nights at her hometown’s O2 Academy Sheffield.  Self Esteem also supported Blur at their huge Wembley Stadium show and performed with the Royal Northern Sinfonia at the 2023 BBC Proms.  Gathering a passionate and vast legion of fans, Taylor is one of a handful of artists to have been playlisted across BBC Radio 1, 2 and 6 Music simultaneously. She has appeared on numerous iconic television series including The Graham Norton Show and Jools Holland (including the NYE Hootenanny) and has graced the covers of magazines from Grazia to NME to The Times Magazine and Sunday Times Style.  Taylor composed the soundtrack for PRIMA FACIE, the arresting one woman play starring Jodie Comer which sold out a 9-week run in London’s West End and in the US on Broadway. As an actor, Taylor played a cameo role in I HATE SUZIE TOO, and will soon be seen starring in a regular role in Sky’s upcoming series SMOTHERED as well as making her feature film debut in LAYLA.

This unique production of CABARET opened in December 2021 to critical and audience acclaim, widely praised as the ultimate theatrical experience. In April 2022 the production won a record-breaking seven Olivier Awards, the most for any musical revival in Olivier history. The production has also won three prestigious Critics Circle Awards as well as the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Design for designer Tom Scutt.

Transforming one of London’s most famous theatres with an in-the-round auditorium and reimagined spaces, before the show guests are invited to enjoy and explore the Kit Kat Club with pre-show entertainment, drinks and dining all on offer. When booking, guests receive a ‘club entry time’ to allow enough time to take in the world of the Kit Kat Club before the show starts. But of course, the show really starts when you first join us in the club…

One of the most successful musicals of all time CABARET features the songs Wilkommen, Don’t Tell Mama, Mein Herr, Maybe This Time, Money and the title number. It has music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, book by Joe Masteroff. Based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood.

CABARET is directed by Rebecca Frecknall, set and costume design is by Tom Scutt with choreography by Julia Cheng. Musical supervision is by Jennifer Whyte and musical direction is by Ben Ferguson with lighting design by Isabella Byrd and sound design by Nick Lidster. The casting director is Stuart Burt and the associate director and prologue director is Jordan Fein. The prologue composer and musical director is Angus MacRae.

CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions and Underbelly.