Award-winning storyteller Danyah Miller today announces a unique Gala Performance of her acclaimed production of I Believe in Unicorns, based on the story by the best-selling children’s author Michael Morpurgo, to celebrate The Reading Agency’s 21st birthday. As part of an exclusive audience experience, Michael will join Danyah on stage for a post-show talk at the Gala on Sunday 9 July at the Lyric Theatre, with all profits being donated to The Reading Agency.
Following on from the Gala, this new production of I Believe in Unicorns opens at the Apollo Theatre for a six-week summer season on 31 July, with previews from 27 July, and plays until 2 September.
Danyah Miller said: “I’m passionate about sharing stories with families because I’ve seen first-hand the positive effect stories have in our lives. I am thrilled to be bringing this magical show back to the West End in its 10th anniversary year, and to support the ground-breaking work of The Reading Agency with our Gala. We look forward to a new generation of children discovering this story for the first time.”
Karen Napier MBE, Chief Executive of The Reading Agency, said: “It is really exciting to mark our 21st birthday with this performance of Danyah’s enchanting show, and we are immensely grateful to the team for their generous donation of the proceeds. The Reading Agency works closely with public libraries to bring the power of reading to people and this inspiring adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s wonderful book celebrates everything that libraries do to support children’s imaginations.”
Michael Morpurgo added: “Danyah is one of the great storytellers in this country – she brings stories to life in the most enchanting way. See her in full flow on stage, and you never look away. She invites her audience to join her in the story, and seven years of age or seventy, we go with her.”
I Believe in Unicornsis adapted for the stage by Danyah Miller and Dani Parr; performed by Danyah Miller; directed by Dani Parr; designed by Kate Bunce with lighting by Will Evans; sound by Martin Thompson and projection by Arnim Friess
Bringing Morpurgo’s treasured story to life, this interactive and enchanting show is set in a library full of books that hold more than stories within their pages.
I Believe in Unicorns tells the tale of the power of books, and the bravery of eight-year-old Tomas who hates reading and school. The young boy’s world is turned upside down the day he meets the Unicorn Lady in his local library and embarks on a spellbinding journey…
The Gala performance ofI Believe in Unicornsis a one-off event for families which includes a performance of the award-winning production, followed by a post-show talk with Michael Morpurgo who will join Danyah Miller on stage with other special guests.
In addition to a raffle on the day with prizes including a family ticket package at the Unicorn Theatre, tickets to Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands, tickets to The Old Vic’s press night of A Christmas Carol and a Fortnum and Mason’s hamper, young audience members can take part in a special book swap and bring along a favourite pre-loved children’s book (for ages 6 upwards) to form part of the stage set. After the show, children will be invited to swap their book for another and choose a new story from the library to take home with them.
Premium ticket options for the Gala include:
£60 – Pre-Show Reception + Goodies Package
A pre-show reception including a glass of Fortnum and Mason’s fizz for adults and ice cream for children, a family goody bag, complimentary programmes and a post-show Q&A with Michael Morpurgo and Danyah Miller.
£45 – Ticket + Bag of Goodies per family
A bag of goodies includes a complimentary programme, a hand-crafted The Secret Garden ‘Story-in-a-Box’ home experience and a post-show Q&A with Michael Morpurgo and Danyah Miller.
All profits for the Gala Performance are being donated to The Reading Agency to support the work of the national charity tackling life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading.
Following the Gala, I Believe in Unicorns will take up residence at the neighbouring Apollo Theatre for six weeks through the summer. 2023 is the 10-year anniversary of the show which has been seen by over 80,000 people with performances at every scale, has had two previous runs in the West End and won an Argus Angel Award for Artistic Excellence at the Brighton Festival.
NATHANIEL CURTIS ANNOUNCED TO APPEAR IN THE WORLD PREMIERE OF DISRUPTION
BY ANDREW STEIN
Presented by Jack DePalma and Max Needle, Todd and Nancy Allan, Rick Feldman, Joanne F. Guerrerio, Robert Frier/Andy Tobias in association with Park Theatre
PARK200 AT PARK THEATRE, LONDON
FRIDAY 7 JULY – SATURDAY 5 AUGUST 2023
Nathaniel Curtis has today been announced as the first actor to join the cast of the world premiere of a cautionary play about AI – Andrew Stein’s Disruptionwill run at Park Theatre from Friday 7 July to Saturday 5 August, with further casting to be announced in coming weeks.
Nathaniel is well known for his portrayal of Ash Mukherjee in It’s a Sin, the award-winning television series by Russell T Davies, and for The Witcher: Blood Origin on Netflix. Theatre-going audiences will also recognise him from the title role in Britannicus at the Lyric Hammersmith last year.
Does anyone know what would make them truly happy? Tech entrepreneur Nick thinks he has the answer.
After tremendous Silicon Valley success and a big exit, Nick presents his three best friends with his next big idea: an algorithm that is more complex than the human brain and promises to guide them through big life decisions better and more effectively than they can guide themselves.
In an era where every aspect of human life has been documented with data and disrupted by technology, do computers know us better than we know ourselves? And even if they do, should we listen? Andrew Stein’s sharp, unnerving thriller is a timely and insightful exploration of our tech obsessed world.
Director Hersh Ellis says“Nathaniel is such an engaging, unique talent. I’ve been so impressed with him already and am truly thrilled that he’s joining our company as Ben.”
Writer Andrew Stein said, “When I started working on Disruption, the idea that our phones were listening to us and algorithms were mapping our every click was pretty new. A.I. seemed far down the road, but there was something about these “random” coincidences and the way people in tech were so obsessed with the idea of “disruption” that sparked my interest and drew me in. I have been extremely fortunate to develop this play with Jack and Hersh, who’s brilliance and generosity never cease to amaze me. To have this premiere in London at The Park is nothing short of surreal. It is truly a dream come true for me and I couldn’t be happier or more grateful for this incredible opportunity.”
Andrew Stein’s previous plays include White Privilege and Cringe (semi-finalist at O’Neill 2019) and he is finishing two others, Camp, a ghost story and A Weekend in Vermont. He graduated from Brown University and is the co-founder of a commercial real estate firm in Manhattan.
Second Half Productions present LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT Written by Eugene O’Neill
Directed by Jeremy Herrin
Patricia Clarkson, Alex Lawther, Daryl McCormack and Louisa Harland return to London’s West End to star alongside Brian Cox in Eugene O’Neill’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
Directed by Jeremy Herrin, Long Day’s Journey into Night will preview at Wyndham’s Theatre from 19 March, with opening night on Tuesday 2 April.
Tickets go on general sale from 10am on 11 May, with priority booking open from 10am today.
Tickets start at £25 with 50 seats available at that price for every performance throughout the run
Second Half Productions has today announced the full cast for a new production of Eugene O’Neill’s autobiographical magnum opus Long Day’s Journey into Night, directed by Jeremy Herrin (Best of Enemies).
Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning actress Patricia Clarkson (Sharp Objects) will star as matriarch Mary Tyrone alongside Alex Lawther (The End of the F***ing World, Black Mirror) as Edmund, BAFTA award-nominee Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) as James Jr and Louisa Harland (Derry Girls) as Cathleen. They join Emmy award-winning actor Brian Cox (Succession) who will play James Tyrone, in his first West End role in almost a decade.
Long Day’s Journey into Night will begin previews at Wyndham’s Theatre from 19 March 2024 with opening night on Tuesday 2 April 2024. Fifty seats at £25 will be available for every performance throughout the run. Tickets go on general sale from 10am on 11 May, with priority booking open from 10am today.
Often regarded as the greatest American play of the 20th Century, O’Neill’s Pulitzer Prize-winning piece depicts a summer day in the life of the Tyrones, closely based on O’Neill’s own dysfunctional family. Moving and inspiring in equal measure, O’Neill’s masterpiece is a compelling story of love, hate, betrayal, addiction and the impossible fragility of family bonds.
Following his recent acclaimed production of Best of Enemies, Jeremy Herrin’s new production will bring into sharp focus the universality of O’Neill’s beautifully crafted characters and language. Long Day’s Journey into Night is designed byLizzie Clachan with further creative team to be announced.
Patricia Clarkson says: “Mary Tyrone is a complex and multifaceted woman—a gift for any actor to play. I’m thrilled to be returning to the West End with this brilliant cast and director. I look forward to tackling this great American play.”
Brian Cox says:“It has long been an ambition of mine to play Eugene O’Neill’s flawed patriarch James Tyrone, and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to do so on a West End stage. I’m a great admirer of Jeremy Herrin’s work and I am looking forward to us delving into O’Neill’s masterpiece together.”
Alex Lawther says: “I can’t wait to discover O’Neill’s beautiful final play with this brilliant cast and team, and to be doing so under Jeremy’s direction – a director I have had the joy of working with once before and have been hoping to do so again, since.”
Daryl McCormack says: “It has been a dream of mine to bring this play to life, since I first read it as a student more than ten years ago. To be accompanied by such talented actors and have a brilliant director in Jeremy, it is a true gift. I eagerly await the work that is ahead of us in reviving this magnificently tragic and haunting play.”
Jeremy Herrin says: “A great play is always relevant and ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’ is, it’s often argued, the greatest play of the 20th Century. With its searing honesty and blistering depth of emotion, it must be up there.
What is impossible to argue with is that we have the best cast and, in Lizzie Clachan, one of the most exciting designers in the country, to discover what makes O’Neill’s masterwork relevant for now.
I can’t wait to bring this classic to life. I anticipate a feast of fine acting and vivid performances in what I hope to be a high definition production.”
Brian Cox’s theatre credits include: The Score (Theatre Royal Bath); The Great Society (Broadway); The Weir (Donmar Warehouse); The Championship Season (Broadway); Lolita (National Theatre); Rock N Roll (Royal Court, Broadway); Uncle Varick (Royal Lyceum Edinburgh); Waiting for Godot (Royal Lyceum Edinburgh); Desire Under The Elms (Broadway); Dublin Carol (Royal Court Theatre); Skylight (Mark Taper Forum, L.A.); Art (Royale Theatre, NYC); St. Nicolas (Primary Stages, NYC and Bush Theatre, London); The Music Man (Regent’s Park, Tour); The Master Builder (Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, Riverside); King Lear/ Richard III (National Theatre).
Television: Succession seasons 1-4 (HBO); Urban Myths – Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon (Sky); Medici: Kingdom of Gold (Big Light Productions); Penny Dreadful (Neal Street Productions); War and Peace (BBC Wales); The Slap (NBC); Scotland in a Day (Channel 4); The Game (BBC Wales); Shetland (BBC Scotland); An Adventure through Space and Time (BBC); The Curse of Edgar (Program 33); Bob Servant (BBC Scotland); Gotham (ABC); The Straits (Bala Pictures Ltd); The Sinking of Laconia (Talkback Thames); The Big C (Sony); On Expenses (BBC); The Day of the Triffids (BBC); Kings (BBC); The Take (Company/ Sky); Miss Marple (ITV); Lost and Found (NBC); The Secret of the Nutcracker (Joe Media).
Film: Little Wing (Paramount+); The Parenting (HBO Max); The Electric State (Universal Pictures); Skelly (Walk Like A Duck Entertainment); Prisoner’s Daughter (Oakhurst Entertainment); The Independent (Anonymous Content); Mending the Line (Artimage Entertainment); The Last Right (CrossDay Productions); Separation (Yale Productions); Remember Me (Create Entertainment); The Bay of Silence (Silent Bay Productions); Strange But True; Churchill (Salon Pictures); The Etruscan Smile (Don Valley Films); Morgan (Fox UK Productions); The Anomaly (Universal Pictures); Supertroopers 2 (Broken Lizard Industries); The Jesuit (Itaca Films); Mindscape (Safran Company); Red 2 (DC Entertainment); The Campaign (Everyman Pictures); Blood (Red/ Neal Street); The Autopsy of Jane Doe (42); The Carer (Hopscotch Films); Dog Fight (Everyman Pictures); Theatre of Dreams (Messiah Pictures Limited); Edwin Boyd (Myriad Pictures); Caesar: Rise of the Apes (20th Century Fox); Pixels (Columbia Pictures).
Academy Award nominee, Golden Globe Award, Critics’ Choice Award and Emmy Award-winning actress, Patricia Clarkson takes on roles as varied as the platforms for which she plays them. This multi-faceted approach makes her one of today’s most respected actresses.
Clarkson’s continuous innovative work in independent film earned her the 2018 British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Sally Potter’s film The Party. In 2010 she received rave reviews for her starring role in the award-winning romantic drama, Cairo Time, which put her career in the American spotlight. She won the Independent Award for Acting Excellence at the 2009 ShoWest Awards. In 2003, her role in Pieces of April earned her nominations for an Academy Award, Golden Globe, SAG, Broadcast Film Critics and Independent Spirit awards. The National Board of Review and the National Society of Film Critics named her Best Supporting Actress of the Year for her work in Pieces of April and The Station Agent.
She will next be seen in the artistic masterpiece and timely drama Monica from Andrea Pallaoro. Clarkson most recently finished filming biopic Lilly, playing the title role of Fair Pay activist Lilly Ledbetter, and playing the lead character in spy series Gray. This year has already seen her in She Said about the New York Times reporters who helped launch the #MeToo movement, in the role of Pulitzer-prize winning editor Rebecca Corbett.
In television, was most recently seen in the second season of AMC+/Sundance TV’s State of the Union alongside Brendan Gleeson, for which she won her third Emmy Award. She just completed filming television series Gray, in the lead role of Cornelia Gray, a CIA spy. Recent television projects include the HBO limited series Sharp Objects and the sixth and final season of Netflix’s House of Cards.
2019 garnered Clarkson the Golden Globe Award and Critics’ Choice Award for her role in HBO’s Sharp Objects. The same year she was also seen at the helm of the Krewe of Muses Mardi Gras Parade, she was honoured with the Precious Gem Award at the Miami Film Festival, and honoured with the prestigious “Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema” from the 54th annual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Recent films include Isabel Coixet’s The Bookshop, the independent film drama Jonathan, opposite Ansel Elgort, the final instalment of the Maze Runner trilogy, the detective film Out of Blue based on the Martin Amis novel, in which she plays the lead character, and Sally Potter’s film The Party, for which she won a British Independent Film Award for her role.
In 2014 she starred alongside Sir Ben Kingsley in Learning to Drive directed by Isabel Coixet. The film won runner up honours for the People’s Choice Award at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in August 2015 and opened to critical acclaim. Other recent films include the timely thriller The East, opposite Brit Marling and Alexander Skarsgård, the comedy Friends with Benefits, in which she co-stars with Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis and the Lone Scherfig directed drama, One Day with Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. In 2010, she was seen in the box office hit Easy A.
Clarkson and the cast of Good Night, and Good Luck. with George Clooney and David Straithairn, received both Screen Actors Guild and Gotham Award nominations for Best Ensemble. Far From Heaven won her a New York Film Critics Circle Award for Supporting Actress, All The Real Girls won her a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and The Safety of Objects earned her an Acting Prize at the Deauville Film Festival. The Green Mile earned Clarkson and cast (including Tom Hanks and James Cromwell) a Screen Actors Guild Best Ensemble Award nomination, and High Art earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Supporting Actress.
Other film credits include: Martin Scorsese’s thriller Shutter Island, Woody Allen’s Whatever Works and Vicky Christina Barcelona, Blind Date with Stanley Tucci, Elegy, No Reservations, All The King’s Men, Lars and the Real Girl, Simply Irresistible, The Pledge, Jumanji,Rocket Gibraltar and The Untouchables.
In 2011, Clarkson was seen in Lifetime’s Five, an anthology of five short films exploring the impact of breast cancer on people’s lives directed by Jennifer Aniston, Alicia Keys, Demi Moore, Patty Jenkins and Penelope Spheeris. She previously guest starred in the critically acclaimed HBO series Six Feet Under, for which she won an Emmy in 2002 and again in 2006.
In December 2014, Clarkson returned to Broadway, after a 25-year hiatus from the stage, to star in The Elephant Man, opposite Bradley Cooper and Alessandro Nivola. Following its successful run on Broadway, the cast reprised their roles on the West End at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London the following year. That year, Clarkson was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle award for “Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play” and a Tony Award nomination for her role in The Elephant Man.
Alex Lawther’s theatre credits include: Hamlet (Park Avenue Armoury, NYC); The Winter’s Tale (La Criée, Marseille), The Tempest (Les Bouffes du Nord, Paris); The Jungle (St Ann’s Warehouse, New York; Playhouse Theatre, West End; Young Vic); Crushed Shells and Mud (Southwark Playhouse); The Glass Supper (Hampstead Theatre); Fault Lines (Hampstead Theatre); South Downs (Harold Pinter Theatre, West End and Chichester Festival Theatre).
Television includes: Star Wars: Andor (Disney+); The End of the F***ing World/ 2 (Channel 4/ Netflix); Howards End (BBC); Black Mirror (Netflix)
Film includes: Earwig (RookFilm); The Last Duel (Scott Free Productions); The French Dispatch (Fox Searchlight); Les Traducteurs (Trésor Films); Ghost Stories (Warp Films); Goodbye Christopher Robin (Fox Searchlight); Old Boys (Film4); Freak Show (Maven Pictures); Departure (Motion Group Pictures); The Imitation Game (Black Bear Pictures); X plus Y (Origin Pictures).
Alex also writes and directs. His debut short film For people in trouble, produced by Matt Damon & Ben Affleck will premiere at Tribeca this year.
Daryl McCormack is well known for his lead role in British comedy-drama Good luck to you, Leo Grande (2022) opposite Emma Thompson and directed by Sophie Hyde. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2022, and released later the same year, to critical acclaim, earning Daryl two BAFTA nominations, for EE BAFTA Rising Star and Best Lead Actor for his role as ‘Leo’, as well as Daryl and Emma a joint BIFA nomination for Best Joint Lead Performances, amongst other film and crew nominations.
Daryl studied Theatre and Performance at DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama and has been named by Screen International as one of their 2021 ‘Stars of Tomorrow’, and The Hollywood Reporter ‘Next Gen’ talent and AP Breakthrough Entertainer’s lists for 2022.
Up next for Daryl is the thriller feature The Lesson, alongside Richard E Grant and Julie Delpy for Bleecker Street.
Daryl recently wrapped filming a co-lead role in gothic thriller The Woman in the Wall, for the BBC in the UK and Showtime in the US, opposite Ruth Wilson.
In August 2022, Daryl featured as Matt Claffin in Sharon Horgan’s dark comedy series, Bad Sisters, which follows a group of five sisters (the Garvey’s) after their parent’s premature death, via Apple TV+.
Daryl joined the season 5 cast of Peaky Blinders (2019) as a preacher’s son, taking over the role of ‘Isaiah Jesus’ from Jordan Bolger, and returned for the 6th iteration of the BBC in February 2022.
In 2020, Daryl starred in Barnaby Thompson’s Pixie as ‘Harland McKenna’.
Louisa Harland is best known for playing Orla McCool in the hit Channel 4 series Derry Girls.
Before commencing her training at Mountview, Louisa appeared as a series regular in Love/Hate for RTE alongside Aidan Gillen and Robert Sheehan. Further screen credits include Channel 5’s The Deceived, Discovery’s mini-series Harley and the Davidsons, Woody Harrelson’s feature film Lost in London and Amy Huberman’s RTE comedy Finding Joy.
On stage Louisa starred in the one woman show Cotton Fingers with National Theatre Wales and performed in a sell-out run at the Royal Court of Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp; a collection of new plays by Caryl Churchill.
Louisa played a leading role in the comedy/horror feature film Boys from County Hell and in 2022, the third and final season of Derry Girls aired, to wide-spread critical acclaim.
Louisa will be playing the title role in Sally Wainwright’s highly-anticipated new Disney+ series, The Ballad of Renegade Nell. She is currently starring as Agnes in Dancing in Lughnasa at The National Theatre.
Jeremy Herrin trained as a theatre director at both the National Theatre and the Royal Court, where he became Deputy Artistic Director in 2008. Between 2000 and 2008 he was an Associate Director at Live Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne. Jeremy replaced Rupert Goold as Artistic Director of Headlong Theatre in September 2013. In 2007, he directed the UK premiere of David Hare’s play, The Vertical Hour, as well as Polly Stenham’s award-winning That Face at the Royal Court. That Face later transferred to London’s West End, where it starred Lindsay Duncan and Matt Smith and was produced by Sonia Friedman. Two years later, in 2009, Jeremy directed Polly’s second play, Tusk Tusk for which he was nominated for an Evening Standard Best Director Award. Other work at the Royal Court includes EV Crowe’s Hero, Richard Bean’s The Heretic, Kin, Spur of the Moment, Off The Endz and The Priory, which won an Olivier Award for best Comedy.
In 2012 Jeremy directed the Olivier-nominated This House, written by James Graham, at the National Theatre. The production was revived at the Garrick Theatre at the end of 2016 and toured the UK in 2018.
In 2014 Jeremy directed the critically acclaimed adaptations of Hilary Mantel’s novels Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies for the RSC and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Director. The productions transferred to the West End at the end of 2014 and opened on Broadway in April 2015. He also directed the Broadway production of Noises Off which opened in January 2016. His production of People, Places and Things at the National Theatre transferred to the Wyndhams Theatre in March 2016 and then to St Ann’s Warehouse in October 2017. Jeremy directed James Graham’s Oliver Award Winning Labour of Love which opened in November 2017 and his production of David Hare’s The Moderate Soprano transferred from Hampstead Theatre to the West End in April 2018.
Most recently Jeremy directed Noises Off at The Garrick Theatre, The Visit at The National Theatre and After Life at The National Theatre and The Mirror and The Light at the Gielgud, West End, and The Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York’s Theatre. For TV Jeremy directed Talking Heads and Unprecedented for the BBC.
Jeremy has most recently directed the West End production of Best of Enemies starring Zachary Quinto and David Harewood at the Noël Coward Theatre.
Lizzie Clachan designs for theatre and opera in the UK and Internationally and was nominated as Designer of the Year at the International Opera Awards 2020 and 2022. She also co-founded the performance company Shunt.
Theatre includes: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Malmo Stadsteater); Fever Syndrome (Hampstead Theatre); Blindness (Donmar Warehouse/ International & UK tour); A Number, White Noise (Bridge Theatre); Far Away and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Donmar Warehouse); The Son (Kiln/ West End); The Nico Project (MIF/ Melbourne Festival); Rutherford and Son, Absolute Hell, As You Like It, Treasure Island, Edward II (National Theatre); Cyprus Avenue (Public Theater, New York /Abbey Theatre, Dublin / MAC Belfast), Adler & Gibb (Royal Court); DreiSchwestern (Stadttheater Basel, Berlin); Ibsen Huis for (Toneelgroep/ Avignon Festival); Yerma (Young Vic/ The Armoury, NYC/ Schaubuhne, Berlin); The Life of Galileo, Macbeth, A Season in the Congo (Young Vic); Carmen Disruption (Almeida).
Opera includes: Lucia Di Lammermoor (The Metropolitan Opera/ LA Opera); The Blue Woman,Seven Deadly Sins/Mahogany Songspiel (Royal Opera House); TheMask of Orpheus, Orphée, Orpheus in the Underworld and Orpheus and Euridice (ENO); Jenufa (Dutch National Opera); La Traviata (Theater Basel/ENO); Pelléas et Mélisande (Festival d’Aix/ Warsaw/ Tokyo); Le Vin Herbé (Staatsoper Berlin).
“The evening triumphs through technical slickness, loving attention to detail, a high gag-rate and character-count and a trenchant storyline…a barrel-load of offence-giving fun and a salty dash of rebellion.” ★★★★★
Dominic Cavendish, The Telegraph
“A healthy disrespect for the Establishment… technically ingenious production… the smarts to crowbar in updated topical refernces” ★★★★
Mark Wareham, Mail on Sunday
As Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musicalwritten by a tour de force comedy team made up of Al Murray (The Pub Landlord) Matt Forde(The Political Party) and double Olivier award winner Sean Foley(The Upstart Crow, The Play What I Wrote) heads towards its West End Premiere at the Phoenix Theatre the full cast of voice-over artists and puppeteers and is released today (Wednesday 10 May 2023).
As well as co-writing the piece Al Murray and Matt Forde are part of the stellar line-up of voice-over artists. They are joined by: Oliver Chris (Green Wing, The IT Crowd, and Prince William in Charles III on Broadway and on film) Kathryn Drysdale (Bridgerton, TheWindsors, Christmas on Mistletoe Farm, The Bubble, The Queen and I and Plebs), Jason Forbes (The Tracy Ullman Show, The Mash Report and Horrible Histories: The Movie and Borg Mcenroe), Luke Kempner (Spitting Image, Steph’s Packed Lunch, The Last Leg, Stand-up Sketch Show and The Imitation Game), Lorna Laidlaw (Doctors, Coronation Street, Getting ItStraight and A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Jackie Lam (Strangers, All that Remains and Emma) Shri Patel (Rishi Sunak in This England, Emmerdale and Pennyworth), Jess Robinson (Spitting Image, The Last Leg, Stars in Their Ears, and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice and Britain’s Got Talent), Debra Stephenson (The Impressions Show, Dead Ringers, Rich Hall’s Election Breakdown, Newzoids, Coronation Street and Bad Girls)and Ronan Summers (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Krays: Code of Silence, Doctor Who and Episodes).
The talented ensemble who are be bringing the puppets to life on stage are: Antony Antunes, Rianna Ash, Katie Bradley, Emily Essery, Kaidan Dawkins, Bertie Harris, Pena Iiambo, Jackie Lam, Bright Ong, Will Palmer, Helen Parke, Rayo Patel, Tom Quinn, Richard Vorster and Faye Weerasinghe.
The critically acclaimed show, which was developed at Birmingham Rep, is directed by the Rep’s Artistic Director Sean Foley alongside a creative team spearheaded by the original Spitting Image co-creator, Roger Law.
Director and co-writer Sean Foley said’ ‘I am thrilled that my first ever new production for The Rep as Artistic Director is transferring to the West End. Spitting Image The Musical has been an amazing journey so far… From throwing away 3 entire scripts, to the constant re-writes and creating the new puppets and characters which reflect the crazy world of UK culture and politics, we have been delighted that our audiences so far have laughed as hard and as long as they have. Now, with our amazing cast of puppeteers and voice artists, (not to mention the incredible design, dancing, musical numbers, video, sound, and of course the amazing puppets themselves created by a team advised by our Spirit Guide, original co-creator of Spitting Image, Roger Law), we have been updating and reflecting on the most recent events possible… and can exclusively reveal what ‘really’ happened behind the scenes in the week leading up to the King’s Coronation.’
Introduced by Master of Ceremonies Sir Ian McKellen,the musical features a stellar line-up of over 100 puppets of the great and the not so good. Tom Cruise is tasked by His Majesty The King to create the UK’s very own ‘Magnificent Seven’ of celebrity misfits – Tom Cruise, Greta Thunberg, Meghan Markle, Tyson Fury, RuPaul, Angela Rayner and Idris Elba – to save the nation from a cabal of dark forces seeking to destroy it – that’s all the usual suspects. And James Corden. They are joined by: Ant & Dec, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Keir Starmer, Stormzy, Vladimir Putin, The Tory Party Cabinet and many many many many many more.
The full creative team is: Writers Al Murray, Matt Forde and Sean Foley, director Sean Foley, Caricaturist Supremo Roger Law, Production Designer, Alice Power, Video Designer Nina Dunn for Pixel Lux, Lighting Designer Tim Mitchell, Sound Designer Richard Brooker, Puppet Master Scott Brooker,Costume Designer Lotte Collett, Choreographer Lizzi Gee, Composer and Musical Director Alexander S. Bermange, Music Supervisor Jerome van den Berghe, Creators of Spitting ImagePeter Fluck and Roger Law, General Manager Emma Brunjes for ebp, and Producers Richard Allen-Turner and Jon Thoday for Avalon.
The BAFTA and Emmy award-winning satirical Spitting Image television series originally ran for 18 series between 1984 and 1996, and was watched by over 15 million viewers. It recently made a popular return to TV on BritBox, where across official social media channels, Spitting Image content has been hugely popular with over 200 million views globally, three number 1 trending videos on YouTube and achieved critical praise across the political divide. Three one-off specials for ITV have also seen huge success on terrestrial television: with a 4.4 million audience achieving ITV’s highest Saturday night ratings at that time in four years.
Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musical is presented by Avalon, and originally produced at Birmingham Rep where it had a hugely successful run.
Ellen Kent Productions again regales us with another astonishing performance of a classic opera; Puccini’s La Boheme. First performed in 1896 but set in the bohemian quarter of 1830’s Paris, it’s the story of four struggling artists (bohemians) sharing a flat when, one Christmas eve, their neighbour Mimi, a penniless seamstress, comes around to ask for a match as her candle has gone out. Rodolfo (and Mimi) instantly fall in love and sing their first gorgeous duet “Oh Lovely Girl“. Unfortunately, Mimi is desperately ill… well, it is Italian Opera after all.
Mimi (played by the exceptional Korean Soprano Elena Dee) was ethereal, sublime and impressively powerful in a natural, understated, way. Her voice is pure joy and her acting genuinely affecting. A glorious characterisation! Her leading man, Sorin Lupu, was a forceful presence whose singing and acting was equally thrilling, giving us a most enjoyable Rodolfo. Together they made an extremely likeable (and believable) couple. Their first meeting also gives us (arguably) one of the Operas highlights, the duet ‘O Lovely Maid In The Moonlight’ where both weaved the aria’s melodies together to romantically charming effect.
Musetta (the magnificent Olga Perrier) was flirty and commanding, giving us the full range of her characters quirky nature. “Musetta’s Waltz“ (“When I go along“) sung to make Marcello (her ex-lover) jealous was wonderful but for me her highlight was her performance during the final act, when she sings of her friend Mimi dying. Indeed, that final act, is the emotional high point of the piece and each singer shone. Touching, from all concerned, especially Colline (Valeriu Cojocaru) saying goodbye to his coat (in an obvious metaphor).
A desperately sad opera, tragic doesn’t begin to cover it! Poor Mimi – I mean, who would leave a person who they purported to love when that person was desperately ill? But, that’s drama for you (rather than real life). But it is also full of warmth, humour (the Bohemian friends dance routines for instance) and love; the lasting kind that remains in the heart after the world has gotten in the way and hindsight later helps us recognise our soul mate. Although in the end, Mimi is rather fortunate as there is kindness as she passes away, dying in the arms of the man she loves, surrounded by friends, after receiving a touching present. Who amongst us could hope for more?
The Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre orchestra played beautifully, conveying all the power and emotion of the tale. So perfectly balanced were they that I had to remind myself they were there – and I genuinely mention that as a compliment as they were perfection. An exceptional production, fantastically paced, a faithful reading of an exciting score full of exquisite music – a triumph from tonight’s conductor Nicolae Dohotaru. As in recent visits to Malvern Theatres, we all gave an emotional standing ovation at the end for the Ukrainian national anthem. How sad that war is still raging!
I cannot wait for their next visit and I urge you all to see them too, at your earliest (and every possible) opportunity. Bravissimo!
Nottingham Theatre Royal – until Saturday 13 May 2023
Reviewed by Louise Ford
3***
It’s fun to be a nun!
Loud, proud and brash Sister Act hits the Nottingham stage as part of its UK tour. Set firmly in colourful 1970s Philadelphia, Sister Act builds on the successful 1992 film of the same name, which was a hit for Whoopie Goldberg. This current production has Sandra Marvin as Deloris Van Cartier, the wannabe star with a powerful pair of lungs and some interesting footwear, on the run from her murderous gangster boyfriend Curtis Jackson (Mark Goldthorp).
The set and costume design are by Morgan Large. The set is a masterpiece the dark and decaying Gothic convent and cathedral bearing down on the stage and the cast . This is in contrast to the costumes which get jazzier as the story unfolds to a climactic finale worthy of any pantomime!
The clash of cultures and personalities between the Mother Superior (Lesley Joseph) and Delores are nicely played out, with Mother Superior reaching for her hip flask when the power of prayer fails to deliver.
There is some interesting casting, as detailed in the substantial program, with a conscious decision to represent the greater theatre community in the leading roles. This really works and enhances the story and the production.
The stand out performance for me was Clive Rowe as Eddie Souther the cop with a soft centre and some surprising quick changes!
There is also a great camped up performance from Monsignor O’Hare (Graham MacDuff) as he gets in the groove with the fund raising to repair the “church roof”. There is also a guest appearance for the finale from an unexpected quarter.
At heart the musical is good humoured but the songs seem a little overlong and aren’t particularly memorable, which is a real shame. Having said that the audience were clearly delighted by the whole show and were on their feet for the final number. So get up and join the crowd on the floor.
Cast announced for the return of the award winning musical ‘Grindr: The Opera’
James Aymon, Grant Jackson, James Lowrie, Christian Lunn, Billy J Vale, Dereck Walker, Santino Zapico
James Aymon, Grant Jackson, James Lowrie, Christian Lunn, Billy J Vale, Dereck Walker and Santino Zapico are today announced as the cast for the new production of ‘Grindr: The Opera’ (Winner! Best New Musical, Off West End Awards 2019), which puts the most notorious gay hook-up app into the exaggerated world of opera.
With musical styles ranging from baroque to contemporary pop, ‘Grindr: The Opera’, Book, Music & Lyrics by Erik Ransom, directed by William Spencer, is a daring, humorous look at the changing landscape of gay relationships, and the greatest catalyst for the shift: Grindr.
GRINDR, a mythical siren from remote antiquity, has been awoken from its millennial slumber by technology. Its power, which is derived from human lust, is exhibited as it manipulates its gay devotees in a soaring soprano…Union Theatre Arch 22 & 23 Old Union Yard Arches 229 Union Street London SE1 0LR 25 May – 8 July 2023
James Aymon recently played Buttons in ‘Once upon a Panto’ (UK tour) as well as a singer, dancer and vocal captain for Celebrity Cruise Lines.
Grant Jackson’s recent roles include Referee Angel in ‘Kinky Boots’, Bella Du Ball in ‘Queenz’ (UK tour), ‘Top Hat’ (Upstairs at the Gatehouse) and ‘We Will Rock You’.
James Lowrie has just finished an international tour and West End run as Denym in ‘Bat Out of Hell’. He was also Lumiukko in ‘Frostbite – Who Pinched My Muff?’ (Garden Theatre).
Christian Lunn played Riff Raff in the European Tour of ‘The Rocky Horror Show’. He was in the original award-winning cast of ‘Grindr the Opera’ in 2018 and played ‘Little John’ in Lionel Bart’s ‘Twang!! The Musical’ at the Union Theatre.
Billy J Vale is a recent graduate of Arts Ed. Earlier this month he was in ‘Dr Zhivago in Concert’ (London Palladium).
Dereck Walker returns to the role of Don from the original award-winning cast of ‘Grindr The Opera!’. Recent theatre credits include Grandma in ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ (Birmingham Stage) and Tin Man in “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” ( PMA Productions).
Santino Zapico is a recent graduate of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance making his professional debut.
Creative team: Director and Choreographer William Spencer Assistant Director Amy Kinnear Musical Director Aaron Clingham Designer David Shields Design Assistant Ryan Webster Lighting Designer Jonathan Chan Sound Designer Joshua Robins Production Manager – Alistair Lindsay Producer Peter Bull
Composer Erik Ransom said: “Class and crass were the elements I sought to blend in the creation of this show. It is right in the title: ‘GRINDR: The Opera’.
“Opera brings to mind tuxedos, elegant gowns and pearl necklaces. GRINDR brings to mind bare torsos, leather harnesses and, well… pearl necklaces.
“This may not be opera in the traditional sense, but I would argue it fulfils the necessary prerequisites to be defined as such and, like all opera, it lives in a heightened world. I was interested in exploring and exaggerating themes that have become commonplace across the spectrum of queer culture in the Information Age, while paying occasional homage to iconic musical greats like Verdi, Wagner and, of course, The Village People.
“I hope you’ll lose yourself in this eclectic musical world, which is frequently as frivolous as ‘Figaro’ and at times as tragic as ‘Tosca’. I hope you’ll take differing sides in the disputes between the characters, because in my view there are no heroes or villains in this story.
“GRINDR is neither good nor bad. It is, like its trademarked sigil, a mask. A guise to be donned by myriad men for a plethora of purposes. However you receive GRINDR: The Opera, may you find it at least as enjoyable as your most recent hook up!”
Erik Ransom – Book, Music & Lyrics
Erik Ransom is an award-winning, internationally produced playwright, lyricist, composer and performer based out of New York. Erik’s magnum opus, GRINDR The Opera, won London’s 2019 Off West End Award for Best New Musical, and has been produced across the US. Erik originated the role of Rodney in the long-running Off-Broadway hit ‘My Big Gay Italian Wedding’ and plays the recurring role of François in ‘PopStar! TV’s Tainted Dreams’. He wrote lyrics for the Off-Broadway sci-fi musical, ‘The Anthem’ and for ‘Shooting Star’, which ran at Hudson Theatres in Los Angeles. Other works include: ‘Coming: A Rock Musical of Biblical Proportions’ and ‘More Than All the World’, a musical retelling of Marlowe’s ‘Edward II’. Additionally, Erik starred in and wrote songs for the film, ‘Happy Yummy Chicken’ featuring Taryn Manning, and served as lead comedy writer for The Celebrity Roast of Michael Musto, presented by Rosie O’Donnell and hosted by Bruce Vilanch. In January of 2017, Erik founded The Dead Playwrights’ Society, a group that gathers monthly to read and discuss classic and contempo rary plays. ‘The Tragedie of King John Falstaff’ was first read as part of the newly-minted Future Dead Playwrights chapter of the Society.
William Spencer – Director /Choreographer
William trained at Bird College and as an intern/student ambassador to the McOnie Company. Alongside this, he has had the pleasure of working with West End and internationally renowned creatives such as Carole Todd, Nick Winston, Steven Dexter and Bronagh Lagan. Recently, he was twice Offie nominated for Best Choreographer for ‘[Title of Show]’ and ‘Boy Toy’. His two all-male narrative ballets, ‘Coppelia’ and ‘The Supermarket Suite’ received seven 5 star reviews along with an Offie Commendation Award. Other choreographic and directorial credits include: ‘Nul Points!’, ‘A-Typical Rainbow’, ‘LOL Surprise’, ‘Next Thing You Know’, ‘Frostbite’, Gradfest’s Showcase, ‘Black Magic Woman’, ‘Queereteria TV’, ‘Diary of a W*nky Actor’ and the cabaret show ‘Cut Before Curtain Up’. Assistant choreographer/director credits include the following Offie nominated productions: ‘Pippin’, ‘Romance Romance’, ‘Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)’, ‘Mother Goose’ and ‘Cynthia’s Girls’.
Peter Bull – Producer
Peter founded Above The Stag Theatre where he was artistic director for 11 years until 2019. He famously created the legendary Above The Stag adult pantos. He has produced over 100 Off West End plays, musicals and pantomimes as well as cabaret and stand up performances. His outdoor production of ‘Fanny & Stella’ was the first musical to open in the U.K. after the first Covid 19 lockdown. Highlights of his career include the 25th anniversary production of Jonathan Harvey’s ‘Beautiful Thing’, Pet Shop Boys’ musical ‘Closer to Heaven’ and the award winning ‘Grindr The Opera’. In addition he has directed in London, New York, Milwaukee and Chicago.
Peter Bull presentsGrindr: The Opera
An unauthorised parody
Book, music & lyrics by Erik Ransom
Director William Spencer
UNION THEATRE Arch 22 & 23 Old Union Yard Arches 229 Union Street London SE1 0LR
FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR WORLD PREMIERE OF untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play.
Today the full cast for Kimber Lee’s untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play directed by Royal Exchange Joint Artistic Director Roy Alexander Weise has been announced by Royal Exchange Theatre, Factory International on behalf of Manchester International Festival, Young Vic Theatre and Headlong.
Winner of the inaugural Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 2019, International Award, this powerful production will receive its world premiere at the Royal Exchange Theatre as part of MIF23 (24 June – 22 July 2023), before transferring to the Young Vic Theatre in London (18 September – 4 November 2023). Tickets are on sale now.
Olivier Award nominee Mei Mac (My Neighbour Totoro) leads an ensemble cast as Kim, with Lourdes Faberes (Boiling Point)as Rosie / Cio-Cio, Jennifer Kirby (Call the Midwife)as Evelyn / Richards, Tom Weston-Jones (Sanditon)as Clark, Rochelle Rose (Rockets and Blue Lights)as the Narrator / Brenda and Jeff D’Sangalang (The Ocean At The End Of The Lane)as Afi/Goro.
‘Very well. I will do what I must do, Mother.’
Kim (Mei Mac) is having one of those days. A terrible, very bad, no-good kind of day, and the worst part is…it all feels so familiar. Caught up in a never-ending cycle of events, she looks for the exit but the harder she tries, the worse it gets and she begins to wonder: who’s writing this story? She makes a break for it, smashing through a hundred years of bloody narratives that all end the same way. Can she find a way out before it’s too late?
With breathless hilarity untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play jumps through time – wriggling inside of and then exploding lifetimes of repeating Asian stereotypes, wrestling history for the right to control your own narrative in a world that thinks it can tell you who you are.
untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play is designed by Khadija Raza with costume design by Loren Elstein, lighting design by Josh Pharo, composition by Ruth Chan, sound design by Giles Thomas, movement by Shelley Maxwell, fight and intimacy direction by Haruka Kuroda, Jerwood Assistant Director is Caroline Yu and casting by Helena Palmer CDG.
Mei Mac says: “I’m thrilled to be bringing Kimber Lee’s play to life. It’s a bold and delicious opportunity to reclaim the narrative of East and South East Asian women in the diaspora, from years of dehumanisation and denied agency. It’s empowering to explore the conversations I’ve had with my sisters and in my communities with a wider audience in such a fun, spicy, theatrical way. A genre, timeline defying way. Because that’s what’s so exciting about this play; its refusal to be reduced by the patriarchy and its determination to take full autonomy.”
Kimber Lee says: “I cannot wait to get in the rehearsal room with this wonderful cast! A play craves embodiment, and I’m looking forward to getting to know these incredibly gifted actors, and seeing how each person brings their humor, intelligence and passion to the process.“
Roy Alexander Weise says: “When I first read Kimber’s play it blew me away and I knew we had to programme it. We received it on the first day of our tenure so it’s serendipitous that it’s my last production as Artistic Director. It’s the greatest privilege to be asked to direct this brilliantly funny, uniquely voiced and skilfully crafted masterpiece. We’ve pulled together an amazing team to shape the story ready for the stage. The cast are fantastic and I can’t wait to get into a rehearsal room and to show the world how f*cking funny Kimber’s play is. I can’t wait!”
Olivier award nominee Mei Mac is best known for playing Mei Kusakabe in the world premiere My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican theatre. Other stage credits include: Dear Elizabeth (Gate Theatre), Five Plays – Tongues (Young Vic), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Bridge Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Under The Umbrella (Belgrade/Tamasha/Yellow Earth Theatre), The Hundred And One Dalmatians (Birmingham Rep). Television credits include: East Mode (Comedy Central) and Call The Midwife (Neal Street Productions).
Actress and filmmaker Lourdes Faberes just wrapped filming a new series of Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys for Amazon. Her film credits include: Boiling Point (Netflix), Operation Fortune (Miramax/STX Global), No Time To Die (Eon Productions), Someone You Love (Zentropa Productions Intl), Room 204 (Alphaville Pictures), Spread (Katalyst Films), State Of Play (Universal Pictures). Television credits include: The Power (Amazon), The Sandman (Netflix), Grenslanders: Floodland (Eyework Netherlands/Belgium/C4), Good Omens (Amazon/BBC 2), Holby City (BBC). Her theatre credits include: Rescuing One’s Sister In The Wind and the Dust (Almeida Theatre), Richard II (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Tide Whisperer (National Theatre of Wales), Tamburlaine (Arcola Theatre), Cruel and Tender (Young Vic).
Stage and screen actress Jennifer Kirby is best known for her role as Valerie Dyer in Call The Midwife (Neal Street Productions). Other TV credits include Endeavour (Mammoth Screen), Vampire Academy (My So-Called Company) and Holby City (BBC). Her stage credits include: Henry V and Henry IV (RSC), Teddy (Snapdragon Productions), The Massive Tragedy of Madame Bovary (Jermyn Street Theatre) and Pride and Prejudice (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre).
Tom Weston-Jones is due to appear in the third season of Warrior for HBO. Prior screen credits include: Sanditon (PBS/ITV), Shadow and Bone (Netflix), The Terror (AMC), Troy (BBC/Netflix), Dickensian (BBC), Not Safe For Work (Channel 4), Copper Season 1 and 2 (BBC America), World Without End (Channel 4). Theatre credits include: Labyrinth and Enlightenment (Hampstead Theatre), and The Merchant of Venice (Almeida Theatre).
Rochelle Rose’s stage credits include: Rockets and Blue Lights (National Theatre / Royal Exchange Theatre), salt. (Royal Court), The Ridiculous Darkness (Gate Theatre), The Mountaintop (UK Tour), Cinderella and Aladdin (Oxford Playhouse), The Winter’s Tale (Orange Tree Theatre)and One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show (Kiln Theatre / Eclipse Theatre). Her screen credits include: Boxing Day (Film 4), Ear for Eye (BBC Films), Death in Paradise and Lawful Killing (BBC One).
Jeff D’Sangalang’s stage credits include: The Ocean At The End Of The Lane (West End / National Theatre), That Pesky Rat (Chichester Festival Theatre), Shut Up I’m Dreaming (National Theatre UK tour/ The Pappyshow), Boys (The Pappy Show), To Kill A Mockingbird (National Youth Theatre).
Kimber Lee’s plays include the water palace (2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Special Commendation), to the yellow house (La Jolla Playhouse), untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play (2019 Bruntwood Prize International Award), saturday (2022 Colorado New Play Summit), antarctica (Radio Play for Two River Theatre), tokyo fish story (South Coast Rep, TheatreWorks/SV, Old Globe), brownsville song (b-side for tray)(Humana Festival, LCT3, Long Wharf Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Seattle Rep, Moxie Theatre, Shotgun Players), and different words for the same thing directed by Neel Keller (Center Theatre Group). She has also developed work with Lark Play Development Center, Ground Floor/Berkeley Rep, Page 73, CTG, Denver Center, O’Neill NPC, Hedgebrook, Ojai Playwrights Conference, Seven Devils, Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Great Plains Theatre Conference, ACT Theatre/Seattle, Premiere Stages, and Magic Theatre. Lark Playwrights Workshop Fellow, Dramatists Guild Fellow, member of Ma-Yi Writers Lab, and recipient of the Ruby Prize, PoNY Fellowship, Hartford Stage New Voices Fellowship, 2020-2021 Hodder Fellowship, 2020 Helen Merrill Award, 2020 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Finalist, 2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Special Commendation, inaugural winner Bruntwood Prize International Award 2019, 2021 Edgerton New Play Award, 2023 Hermitage Artist Retreat Fellow, and 2021 Herb Alpert Award in the Arts. MFA: UT Austin.
Roy Alexander Weise is Joint Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange Theatre. He was the 19th annual winner of the James Menzies-Kitchin Award and directed his critically acclaimed, sell-out production of The Mountaintop by Katori Hall at the Young Vic. Roy was nominated at the 2018 Evening Standard Awards for the ‘Emerging Talent’ Award for his production of Nine Night at the National Theatre and in the West End. As Joint Artistic Director at the Exchange he has directed, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and on stage and as a digital reading The Mountaintop and developed projects such as All I Want For Christmas and Oh Woman for the theatre. Recent productions include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof(Royal Exchange), Much A Do About Nothing (RSC), Master Harold And The Boys (National Theatre), The Trick (Bush Theatre and UK Tour), Nine Night (National Theatre & West End), Dead Don’t Floss (National Theatre), The Dark (Fuel Theatre & UK Tour), Br’er Cotton (Theatre 503), The Ugly One (Park Theatre), Primetime (Royal Court) and Stone Face (Finborough Theatre).
The multi Tony Award-winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s THE KING AND I continues to delight audiences as it tours the UK and Ireland throughout the summer. Seasoned musical theatre star Annalene Beechey (The King and I UK & International Tour/ Marguerite/ Wicked/Phantom of the Opera) will reprise the role of Anna Leonowens, joining Broadway star and film actor Darren Lee (Hackers/Sisters/Chicago/Guys and Dolls) who will play the title role of The King of Siam.
Credit: Johan Persson
Annalene Beechey said: “I am absolutely delighted to be reprising the role of Anna Lenowens in this wonderfully lavish production of The King and I. To sing such a wonderful classic score by Rodgers & Hammerstein is thrilling. That coupled with a glorious set, exquisite costumes and of course an incredible company of actors and musicians makes this the perfect show to bring to audiences around the country”
Credit: Johan Persson/
This gloriously lavish production is brought to the stage by an internationally renowned creative team under Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher (South Pacific/My Fair Lady/To Kill a Mockingbird) and will feature a world-class company of talented performers and a full-scale orchestra.
Credit: Johan Persson/
Joining Annalene Beechey and Darren Lee is Dean John-Wilson (London Palladium prodction of The King and I/Aladdin) who will reprise his role as Lun Tha, Marienella Phillips (Henry V/Carmen) who will play Tuptim alongside Cezarah Bonner who returns as Lady Thiang, the King’s head wife, Kok-Hwa Lie (2020 UK Tour of The King And I/ Rent) will play the role of Kralahome, Caleb Lagayan (Les Misérables) will play Prince Chulalongkorn, Sam Jenkins-Shaw (The Night Watch/Jane Eyre) takes the role of Captain Orton/Sir Edward Ramsay and Maria Coyne (Phantom of the Opera/Wicked) will be the Alternate Anna.
Credit: Johan Persson/
The ensemble includes Chi Chan, Jeffrey Chekai, Emily Grace-Ling, Cher Nicolette Ho, Rachel Wang-Hei Lau, Daniel Len, Candy Ma, Rachel MacDougall, Amelia Kinu Muus, Yuki Ozeki, Kitt Pakapom, Prem Rai, Ria Tanaka, Hiromi Toyooka, Jasmine Triadi, Jensen Tudtud, Qinwen Xue and Jason Yang-Westland. Harry Altoft, Dexter Barry, Max Ivemey and Charlie McGuire will play Louis, Anna’s son. Bethany Campbell, Coco Bridger, Cody Concha, Ethan Fung, Dulcie-Bella Hackley, Caitlin Lau, Khun Cho Lwin, Angelica Quynh An Nguyen, Tenzin Noryang, Sabri Leonel Puci, Niall Rina, Francis Benedict Sarte, Mia Snowdon, Yuen Zhai and Phoebe Zhao-Welsh will play the Royal children.
Following a critically acclaimed Broadway smash-hit run, a sold-out season at the London Palladium (which resulted in the biggest global live event cinema release of 2018) and a previous record-breaking UK and International tour, this multi-Tony Award-winning production returns to venues all over the country this summer and autumn – visiting Glasgow, Newcastle, Stoke-On-Trent, Southampton, Belfast, and Dublin, with further dates to be added.
The critical acclaim for Bartlett Sher’s production has been phenomenal. When the show opened at the London Palladium in 2018, West End critics heaped praise on the show: the Daily Mail “left the London Palladium on a bright cloud of music”, while the The Times awarded the show “Five stars for a sumptuous King and I” declaring it “a hit”. Daily Express hailed it “London’s theatrical event of 2018” whilst The Daily Telegraph concurred proclaiming the show “looks and sounds ravishing”. Another five stars were awarded from the Sunday Express and the Financial Times called it “simply spellbinding”.
THE KING AND I is a sumptuous, timeless romance from the golden age of musicals, adored by the public and critics alike – and boasting one of the finest scores ever written, including Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You, and Shall We Dance.
Set in 1860s Bangkok, THE KING AND I tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children
WISE CHILDREN ANNOUNCES NEW CO-PRODUCTION OF BLUE BEARD
– ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY EMMA RICE
Artistic Director of Wise Children, Emma Rice today announces the world première of her adaptation of Blue Beard, which she also directs. Blue Beard, a co-production with Birmingham Rep,HOME Manchester, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and York Theatre Royal opens at Theatre Royal Bath on 8 February, with previews from 2nd, and runs until 10 February, before embarking on a UK tour to venues including the partner theatres (it will be at Manchester HOME from 13 to 24 February), with further dates to be announced shortly.
Emma Rice said today, “Not wanting to add to the number of dead women that are scattered throughout our literature and media, I have always avoided the gruesome tale of Blue Beard. However, haunted by the regular and painful chime of murdered woman in the news, I woke one morning with the story knocking powerfully at my dreams. I pulled my copy from the shelves and with some trepidation, unlocked the door of Blue Beard’s castle. What I found hidden in those pages was a story not about dead women but about vibrant, flawed, joyful living ones. Here was a story about female friendship, intellect and survival. It is also a story in which, by working together, the aggressor is vanquished. And this is precisely why I want to tell Blue Beard now. In my middle years I want to join forces with those I love and take down the ones who threaten us. I, for one, have had enough, and for Zara Aleena, Jack Taylor, Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman, Daniel Whitworth, Sarah Everard and the thousands and thousands of others who have died at the hands of violent men – Blue Beard is my defiant and hopeful answer.”
A Wise Children, Birmingham Rep, HOME Manchester, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and York Theatre Royal co-production
BLUE BEARD
Adapted and directed by Emma Rice
Blue Beard the Magician makes hearts flutter and pupils dilate. With a wink, a stroke and a flick – things just seem to vanish. Cards, coins, scarves… and women.
Puff! Gone. Without a trace.
He meets his match when his young bride discovers his dark and murderous secret. She summons all her rage, all her smarts and all her sisters to bring the curtain down on his tyrannous reign.
Emma Rice brings her own brand of theatrical wonder to this most beguiling and disturbing of tales. With her signature sleight of hand, Blue Beard explores curiosity and consent, violence and vengeance – all through an intoxicating lens of music, wit and tender truth.
When someone tells you not to look, OPEN THE BLOODY DOOR!
Emma Rice is the proud and excited Artistic Director of her company, Wise Children. She adapted and directed the company’s Wuthering Heights (UK and US tour), Bagdad Cafe (The Old Vic), Angela Carter’s Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour) and Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers (Bristol Passenger Shed/UK tour). As Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe (2016/18), she directed Romantics Anonymous, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Little Matchgirl (and Other Happier Tales). For the previous 20 years, she worked for Kneehigh as an actor, director and Artistic Director. Productions included The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, Tristan & Yseult, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, The Wild Bride, The Red Shoes, The Wooden Frock, The Bacchae, Cymbeline (in association with RSC), A Matter of Life and Death (in association with National Theatre), Rapunzel (in association with Battersea Arts Centre), Brief Encounter (in association with David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers Productions), Don John (in association with the RSC and Bristol Old Vic), Wah! Wah! Girls (in association with Sadler’s Wells and Theatre Royal Stratford East for World Stages), and Steptoe and Son. Other work includes the West End production of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Oedipussy (Spymonkey), The Empress (RSC), and An Audience with Meow Meow (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). In 2019 Rice received the UK Theatre Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre.
This production is supported by Cockayne – Grants for the Arts and The London Community Foundation.
