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Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – until Saturday 8th April 2023

Reviewed by Steph Lott

5*****

Vivie Warren (Rose Quentin), a thoroughly modern young woman, has just graduated from the University of Cambridge, with honours, in Mathematics. Her mother, Mrs. Kitty Warren (Caroline Quentin) has arranged for Vivie to meet Mr. Praed (Stephen Rahman-Hughes), at the cottage where Vivie is staying. Mrs. Warren arrives with her business partner, Sir George Crofts, (Simon Shepherd). He is attracted to Vivie despite their 25-year age difference. Vivie is romantically involved with the youthful Frank Gardner (Peter Losasso), who sees her as his meal ticket. His father, the (married and slightly disreputable) Reverend Samuel Gardner (Matthew Cottle), has a history with Vivie’s mother. The scene is therefore set for some social fireworks!

Vivie has come home to get acquainted with her mother for the first time in her life. Vivie knows very little about her mother, especially how Kitty earned her money and paid for Vivie’s upbringing and education, which was through running a successful chain of brothels.

I found this an excellent thought-provoking play. Its themes are as powerful now as when they were written and leave us uncomfortable. Kitty argues her case very plausibly to Vivie that she entered prostitution to escape poverty. However, Vivie is appalled when she discovers her mother is now still running a Europe-wide trade with Sir George Crofts. Whilst the play is set 100 years ago, there are queasy similarities between Kitty’s brothels and modern-day trafficking rings.

Caroline Quentin gives a storming performance as Mrs Warren. Although there is a whiff of Ab Fab’s Edina about her at times when she is sparring with her daughter (especially in Act 1) there is a robust edge to her portrayal of Kitty. The genteel mask occasionally slips, and her Cockney origins appear. Quentin exudes charm and is fascinating as the complex, sometimes manipulative Kitty. Rose Quentin has a straighter, flatter part to play, and she does so very competently, providing an excellent contrast to her mother. There is a powerfully dramatic mother-daughter showdown at the end, with both giving fine performances. We feel sorry for them both.

The male characters are much less red-blooded than Kitty and Vivie and are all hypocritical in their ways. However, Simon Shepherd is excellent as the smarmily obnoxious Sir George Crofts, and I found Peter Losasso’s portrayal of the nauseating Frank equally splendid. None of the men are likeable (except perhaps Praed?)

The scenery is beautiful and quirky, as designed by David Woodhead, and evokes English summers and quiet villages. The curtain rises on a rural Surrey scene, picture perfect but oddly out of proportion. There are large expanses of sky in addition to a teeny tiny cottage which is rather distracting and comic as it’s like a Wendy house! There’s also an odd lopsided church which is perhaps in keeping with its eccentric Vicar! All together though I thought it was beautiful. Anthony Banks’ production rattles along nicely and looks terrific. The cast are very competent and comfortable with portraying Shaw’s moral dilemmas, which are as intriguing as ever. Shaw’s frank discussion of prostitution — Mrs Warren’s profession — still packs a punch today, as does its criticism of a hypocritical society and the conflict between the pragmatic Kitty and her morally upright daughter Vivie.

PEN INTERNATIONAL

ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW WEST END PRODUCTION OF
MARTIN McDONAGH’S ACCLAIMED PLAY

‘To shine a light on freedom of expression & writers at risk’

Partnership between PEN International and The Pillowman features:

Support by award winning writers, including Burhan Sonmez, Mona Arshi, Yann Martel and Ben Okri

Post-show Q&As and essays on the broader theme of freedom of expression and PEN’s work in support of writers at risk

Partnership announced as censorship of writers and freedom of expression is making front page news

PEN International, which has been promoting literature and defending freedom of expression worldwide since 1921, announced today a unique partnership with the West End production of multi award-winning Martin McDonagh’s electrifying play The Pillowman.

With the freedom of writers and debates around censorship making front-page news, PEN International have confirmed a series of events and initiatives to shine a light on the themes that McDonagh’s acclaimed play examines.

Lily Allen plays a writer (Katurian) in a police state who is interrogated about the content of her short stories and their similarities to several murders occurring in the town. The production will run at the Duke of York Theatre in London from 10 June to 2 September 2023, with a press night on 21 June.

Burhan Sonmez, acclaimed writer and President of PEN International said:  ‘This captivating play examines the role of the writer in society and reflects on the price paid for exercising the right we all have, to freedom of expression. At PEN, we are proud to be working with this production of The Pillowman, and participate in this ambitious project that supports many of the values we promote such as the need for tolerance, critical thinking and informed debate.’

James Bierman producer of The Pillowman  commented: ‘All of us involved in The Pillowman are honoured to work with Pen International, which since its inception in 1921, has worked with writers across the world who are persecuted for putting their ideas into words. These writers rely on PEN International to stand up for their right to freedom of expression, and we hope that by joining forces, we can help shine some light on their important work.  With the growing number of writers under attack, PEN’s mission today is more vital than ever. In the real world it would be PEN who would be campaigning for Katurian’s release and so it’s important we then use  the platform of the play to  campaign for them.’

Yann Martel, internationally renowned author of Life of Pi and a member of PEN International’s Writers Circle said:  ‘Theatre has the power to change things for the better, and with this exciting partnership between PEN International and the new production of The Pillowman, the light will shine more brightly on the freedoms essential to writers and artists around the world.’

Acclaimed author and also a member of PEN International’s Writer’s Circle, Ben Okri, added: ‘How governments handle dissenting voices is often a measurement of how they handle human freedoms at large. This partnership honours all writers and artists silenced for simply expressing their views peacefully, and sends a powerful message in their support, everywhere – at a time when freedom of expression is increasingly under threat.’

Throughout the production, the collaboration, sees a series of activities featuring the participation of award-winning writers:PEN International President Burhan Sonmez, as well as PEN’s friends and supporters Mona Arshi, Yann Martel and Ben Okri, among others. These include three post-show Q&As and essays about the role of the writer in contemporary times, resonating and compounding the themes of the play – as well as PEN’s guiding principles and work- on freedom of expression and imagination, and on how writers have often been looked upon to critically engage in what makes us human.

With an all-star cast including Lily Allen, Steve Pemberton, Paul Kaye and Matthew Tennyson,  Matthew Dunster directs the first major revival of Martin McDonagh’s Olivier award-winning play at the intimate Duke of York Theatre in London.

For more information about PEN International visit:  https://www.pen-international.org/

For more information about The Pillowman in the West End visit www.pillowmanplay.com 

Soho Theatre, London – until 22 April 2023

Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith

4****

Sap has ancient Greek mythology running through it right from the roots, to the tips of the leaves. Inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Sap tells the story of Daphne (though she is never named out loud in the play), a bisexual woman in her thirties navigating life, which includes a job at a women’s aid charity.

The play starts with a work event that a colleague asks her to attend. The kind of charity lunch where you’re sent to schmooze rich people to encourage donations toward your work. Daphne meets a man, an ordinary man, and after some flirting across the table they go their separate ways. But inevitably, and with some help from outside, they meet again and one thing leads to another. Until this point, Rafaella Marcus’ writing is upbeat and jovial, and then suddenly there is glimmer of what is to come.

Daphne then meets a woman at a lesbian bar, and she is everything – “a wonder woman”. However, she doesn’t date bisexual women, and when asked, Daphne decides to keep her true sexuality a secret. This secret soon starts to envelope her, and she begins to transform with roots digging into the ground, and bark enclosing her skin. An act of self preservation as a connection between the woman and the man becomes apparent, and he becomes ruthless and more menacing in his pursuit of her.

Jessica Clark is playful and frantic as Daphne, changing emotion and pace at the drop of a hat. The words flow like a poem, full of hope and heartache. Rebecca Banatvala is all the other characters in the piece, showing her considerable range and masterfully swapping roles so you are never confused about who is present. There are moments where you want to shout TELL THE TRUTH because the torment and the anguish becomes too much to bear.

Under direction from Jessica Lazar, the characters use every inch of the simple reflective stage, movement and words intertwining. The description of Daphne’s transformation into a tree is so visceral that it feels as if your fingers and toes are about to explode with branches and leaves. Towards the end, there are sobering statistics about the abuse that bisexual women face at the hands of their partners. This is a original and powerful play that weaves myth with reality, and lingers far beyond the walls of the theatre.

Union Theatre – until 22 April 2023

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

This wonderful revival is guaranteed to leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling. Twelve years since its West End run, Betty Blue Eyes is back in the more compact Union Theatre.

Based on Alan Bennett’s A Private Function, the eccentric, parochial inhabitants of a Yorkshire town in 1947 are struggling through rationing and austerity whilst being promised Fair Shares For All by the government. Of course, those in power in the town don’t think this applies to them and have an illegal unregistered pig, Betty, to feed the great and the good they have invited to their very private function celebrating the wedding of Princess Elizabeth. Their snobbery and entitlement pushes mild mannered Gilbert Chilvers (Sam Kipling) and his wife Joyce (Amelia Atherton) over the edge when he is refused a lease on The Parade because he is just a chiropodist, and the couple steal the pig as revenge. Also searching for clandestine meat, and arresting any butchers bending the law, is Inspector Wormold (David Pendlebury), who enjoys his work a little too much.

This very English story is full of ridiculous characters and situations, and Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman’s book fizzes with great lines and laughs. Add music and lyrics by Stiles and Drewe and the show positively sparkles. As ever, Stiles and Drewe’s work adds multiple layers to the characters and plot, stirring the heartstrings as the music sweeps you along, nowhere more than in the Chilvers’ contrasting numbers – A Place on the Parade, where they both dream of a bright future, Nobody, Joyce’s defiant shout at the world, and The Kind of Man I Am, Gilbert’s gorgeous ballad accepting himself as he is. Sasha Regan directs with great heart and skill while Kasper Cornish’s choreography fits more onto the tiny stage than should be possible.

Atherton and Kipling are a joy to watch as the Chilvers, both being blessed with the most expressive faces and able to get laughs with the raising of an eyebrow. The performances are all very 1970/80’s Northern sitcom, which is perfect for this material. Atherton’s frustrated social climber has shades of Thora Hird and Thelma from The Likely Lads, while Kipling’s man with the magic fingers is a delightfully unassuming hero – and their voices are fantastic. The entire cast give their all, full of energy and humour, and you can’t help but smile, especially when Betty herself takes the stage – a floral quilted bundle of cuteness set snuffling around the front row’s feet by puppeteer Georgia Boothman.

Betty Blue Eyes is a joyful and eccentric show crammed with memorable songs – and creative uses for Spam – grab a ticket while you can.

Cast announcements for award-winning GENERATION GAMES double-bill

at the White Bear Theatre from 11th – 22nd April 2023

Two one-act comedy-dramas about Life, Love and Loss by Michael McManus and Charlie Ross MacKenzie

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF PAUL O’GRADY

 ★ ★ ★ ★
“A compelling and emotionally charged watch…both plays are highly enjoyable”

JACK THE LAD MAGAZINE

Both plays portray the differences of perspective, the insecurities and the simple misunderstandings, sometimes heart-breaking, often hilarious, between men who grew up in different eras with different expectations and values.

Following its celebrated award-winning sell-out run in 2021, Generation Games returns to the White Bear Theatre from 11^th – 22^nd April.  Originally titled Gay Generations, the acclaimed double-bill of gay-themed comedy dramas has been revised and features a sensational cast…

A Certain Term is written by Michael McManus, writer of the sell-out political radio play Maggie & Ted (Garrick Theatre and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre) and An Honourable Man (White Bear Theatre) and stars Simon Stallard, recently nominated for Off-West End Awards for Best Male Performance (Kes) and Best Male in a Supporting Role (Different From the Others).  Simon has also appeared as Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein (The Hawth Theatre); Olly Roberts, An Eton Mess (Reading at the Vaudeville Theatre); Narrator, Tainted: A New Musical written by Michael McManus and Charlie Ross MacKenzie (The Vaults Waterloo);  and Luke McGibney who received an award nomination from Midlands Royal Television Society for Best Actor in award-winning British indie film Remora and whose other notable roles include prison instructor Andrew in The Barred (The Royal Court) and Basil Fawlty (Sydney Opera House).

The second play, I F____n’ Love You is written by and stars Charlie Ross MacKenzie, well-known stand-up comedian, writer, broadcaster and a presenter on BBC Radio Scotland.  Charlie is joined on stage by Joe Ashman – also in A Certain Term (Our House; Rent; Netflix Original Emmy award-winning series Free Rein; BBC & Netflix collaboration Get Even; and William in BBC’s Casualty).

“Endearing, funny, feel good, profound”

LOUISE JAMESON

Bryan Hodgson will direct A Certain Term.  Credits include: The Importance of Being Earnest (The Barn Theatre and The Turbine Theatre); Tainted (The Vaults); Salad Days (Union Theatre, Bath Theatre Royal, & UK Tour); Twang!! The Musical (Union Theatre); The Tailor-Made Man (White Bear Theatre); and Edward Applewhite will direct I F_____’ Love You.  Edward has directed over 50 productions as Head of Drama and Director of the Acting Course at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts.  As a writer he was commissioned to write a musical adaptation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, won a tourist award for a Murder Mystery weekend and wrote Lancashire’s contribution to Our Town celebrations in the Millennium Dome. 

An unmissable double-bill of witty, sharp, clever new writing.

  “It’s definitely a 10 from me”

ROBIN WINDSOR, PROFESSIONAL “STRICTLY” DANCER

Generation games runs at the White Bear Theatre from 11^th April – 22^nd April 2023

Tickets:  https://www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk/whatson/Generation-Games

Address: 138 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4DJ

Sheffield Lyceum – until 15 April 2023

Reviewed by Lottie Davis-Browne

4****

Having been lucky enough to see the 2nd U.K. tour (2016) with a fabulous cast with Alexandra Burke and Jon Robyns as Police Officer “Sweaty” Eddie, I praised the theatre Gods when I heard this was touring again. Whilst it’s not up there in my top five (or even top ten – granted I’ve seen easily over 100 different West End and touring musicals over several decades), it certainly has the “feel good factor” and gets you dancing along by the end of the show.

My excitement for this heavenly revival only grew further with casting announcements of Sandra Marvin in the title role of Deloris Van Cartier, having seen Marvin in several productions including Waitress, Show Boat, City of Angel’s and Hairspray, I knew she’d bring the house down in this role – she oozes all the confidence of the singer-turned-Nun Deloris and has a belting voice to boot. Having grown up watching “Birds of a Feather” and seeing Lesley Joseph as the cold hearted Miss Hannigan in Annie, I knew this was the perfect pairing.

Unfortunately my excitement was short lived when at the Press Night I learnt (not until the show had started and Deloris makes her entrance) that Marvin wasn’t on this evening. Her understudy (for which she has two – Tanya Edwards and Gabrielle Davina Smith – tonight’s being the latter) was taking the lead for this performance, which don’t get me wrong I’ve seen some utterly outstanding understudies both on tour and the West End, some I’ve even ended up loving in the role more than their counter part (having gone back another day and seeing the lead in action), so I tried not to feel too disappointed.

Following closely the storyline of the film 1992 of the same name, Sister Act is a musical comedy centred around club/lounge singer Deloris who unknowingly dates the wrong guy who’s involved in a life of crime and witnesses him shoot and kill a man and being put into the last place him and his hitmen will find her – a failing Nunnery on the brink of bankruptcy. From the moment Doloris arrives at the Nunnery, escorted by old classmate “Steady” Eddie (originally Sweaty Eddie in previous productions – not sure why they’ve changed it but if it ain’t broken don’t (cruci)fix it) she clashes with the highly devoted to her faith Mother Superior (Joseph) whilst living under the new identity of Sister Mary Clarence. Used to so much freedom, Mary Clarence finds life in the Habit a major shock to the system to say the least. Life “Here Within These Walls” is certainly going to take some adjusting to. Speaking of which, this duet between Mother Superior and Mary Clarence (backing vocals by the Nuns), it wasn’t understudy Gabrielle’s vocals that we could hear sung with such power from the back of the stalls, but Joseph’s – with Gabrielle’s voice often not quite reaching us at moments of the song when it really needed to – yet Joseph’s powerful vocals hit every part of the auditorium. From the opening number “Take Me To Heaven” followed shortly after with “Fabulous, Baby!”, it was clear that Gabrielle was an understudy and failed to deliver the powerful confident vocals of Van Cartier – and this is where my disappointment for not having Sandra Marvin on tonight really hit home. It seemed nerves had got the better of Gabrielle and sadly this sometimes showed in the big musical numbers – however as the story progressed and she warmed into the lead role, I was soon left eating my own words as Gabrielle came back with a bang in Act 2 and from the first note of “Sunday Morning Fever” to the reprise of “Raise Your Voice” at the end, I’d really grown to love everything about Gabrielle’s performance. She’s got a certain sweet youthful innocence to her, when Goldberg who originated the role in the movie was a more mature confident singer/actress. Whilst Burke was also fairly young as the lead in 2016, she oozes stage confidence with the powerful knockout voice to go with it. I just felt that Gabrielle was often overshadowed by Joseph and Lizzy Bea (who I’ll get to in a moment) and almost felt sorry for her as the lead role because she didn’t quite have the stage presence as some other cast members. All this a side, she really did come into her own as the show went on, I honestly look forward to seeing her in other roles. She is definitely one to watch out for in the future.

Set in the 1970s, the costumes are as 1970s as you can get – the flares, the glitter and disco balls, platforms and crazy moustaches along with some funky choreography – a real highlight of the show was the disco scene with Eddie stripping off in his office into funky 70s getup complete with disco ball and hilarious backup dancers. Clive Rowe (as Eddie Souther) had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand as he shook his booty to 70s disco fever – you felt a strong urge to get up and dance with him. A real show stealing moment!

Speaking of show stealing, laughs a plenty came from trio Pablo (Damian Buhagiar), TJ (Bradley Judge) and Joey (tonight played by Castell Parker in lieu of Tom Hopcroft) – Curtis (the outstanding talent that is Jeremy Secombe who’s portrayal as Sweeney Todd in the musical of the same name at Harrington’s Pie and Mash Shop, still haunts me to this very day! I’ve only to look at him and I get flashbacks!), the three hitman friends of gangster Curtis. Judge in particular is absolutely hilarious as TJ with his high pitched voice that has the audience in hysterics. Secombe as Curtis was of course as awesome as always, as to be expected from him.

But the real star of the show for me was Lizzy Bea as the shy quiet as a mouse singer Sister Mary Roberts who Sister Mary Clarence gives her the confidence to “Raise (her) Your Voice”. Her solo performance of “The Life I Never Lead” was clearly a favourite of not just mine but the entire audience- hitting all the right notes whilst being filled with mixed emotions of a young Nun in training who’s only ever known a strict religious upbringing and wonders if she is making the right decision and missing out on so many different experiences.

It certainly felt great to be back “in the habit” with this noteworthy revival (I won’t speak about the West End revival that was postponing during covid where Goldberg herself was set to revive her role as Deloris. #gutted); I’ve listened to the soundtrack several times since first seeing in 2016 and there’s some fantastic musical numbers on it. Whilst for me it doesn’t have the wow factor of some of the bigger longer running musicals, it’s a nostalgic favourite of mine and definitely worth praying to the theatre gods for a ticket and future revivals.

Production images have now been released of Oliver Tompsett, who joined the company on Tuesday 4 April as Edward Lewis, in PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL at the Savoy Theatre.

Oliver joins Aimie Atkinson as Vivian Ward, Courtney Bowman as Kit De Luca and Andy Barke as Happy Man/Mr Thompson. The cast is completed by John Addison, Jemma Alexander, Becky Anderson, Matt Bateman, Patrick Barrett, Kimberly Blake, Robertina Bonano, Oliver Brenin, Alex Charles, Daniel Clift, Ben Darcy, Hannah Ducharme, Elishia Edwards, Tom Andrew Hargreaves, Antony Hewitt, Helen Hill, Mark Holden, Elly Jay, Matt Jones, Kurt Kansley, Georgia Kleopa, Annabelle Laing, Will Luckett, Curtis Patrick, Hassun Sharif and Charlotte Elisabeth Yorke.

The production will run at the Savoy Theatre until Sunday 18 June 2023, when it leaves London to embark on a UK and Ireland Tour opening at the Birmingham Alexandra Theatre on 17 October 2023. Casting for the UK and Ireland Tour to be announced.

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL features original music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, a book by Garry Marshall and the film’s screenwriter J.F. Lawton, it is directed and choreographed by the two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell.

Featured in the musical is Roy Orbison and Bill Dee’s international smash hit song ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ which inspired one of the most beloved romantic comedy films of all time. PRETTY WOMAN the film (produced by Arnon Milchan – New Regency Productions) was an international smash hit when it was released in 1990.

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL has scenic design by David Rockwell, costumes by Tom Rogers from the original Broadway designs by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and Philip S. Rosenberg, sound design by John Shivers, hair design by Josh Marquette, and music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Will Van Dyke. 101 Productions, Ltd are the Global General Management Consultant.

REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE ANNOUNCES FULL CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR OPENING 2023 SEASON MUSICAL

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre today announce full cast and creative team for their forthcoming production of the Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical Once On This Island (10 May-10 June 2023).

Joining the previously announced Gabrielle Brooks (Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Olivier Award Nomination) as Ti Moune and Stephenson Ardern-Sodje (Hamilton) as Daniel are Courtney-Mae Briggs (Andrea), Jonathon Grant (Armand + US Agwe), Emilie Louise Israel (Erzulie), Chris Jarman (Tonton),  Anelisa Lamola (Asaka), Natasha Magigi (Mama Euralie), Ashley Samuels (Agwe) and Lejaun Sheppard (Papa Ge). Further cast includes Bernadette Bangura, Hanna Dimtsu, Nay-Nay,Cassandra Lee, Cherece Richards, Mikel Sylvanus and Marco Titus.The role of Young Ti Moune is shared by Janai Bartlett, Lexi Kowlessar, Nesisa Mhindu, Kirsten Muzvuru, Nielle Springer and Olivia St Louis.

Directed by Ola Ince, Once On This Island has a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty, and is based on the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy. The original West End production won Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards when it premiered in 1995 and the most recent Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival in 2018.

Annemette Verspeak (Voice & Text Director) and Ingrid Mackinnon (Season Associate – Intimacy Support) complete the creative team alongside the previously announced Phil Bateman (Musical Supervisor), Niamh Gaffney (Associate Sound Designer), Jessica Hung Han Yun (Lighting Designer), Niquelle LaTouche (Associate Choreographer), Nick Lidster (Sound Designer), Georgia Lowe (Set Designer), Lindsay McAllister (Associate Director), Philip d’Orléans (Fight Director), Chris Poon (Musical Director), Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy (Choreographer), Melissa Simon-Hartman (Costume Designer) and Jacob Sparrow (Casting Director).

Astory of love, grief, faith and hope, Once On This Island tells of peasant girl Ti Moune, a boy called Daniel, and a union that prejudice forbids. Against the heat of the Caribbean sun and destruction of tropical storms, can Ti Moune settle the wager of the Gods, and prove that love is more powerful than death? 

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s 2023 season also includes Ben Okri’s Every Leaf A Hallelujah (22 May – 10 June), adapted by Chinonyerem Odimba for ages 4+ and their families, performed on the Theatre Lawn. Robin Hood: The Legend. Re-written (17 June – 22 July) written by Carl Grose andcommissioned by Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre with direction by Melly Still. The Tempest re-imagined for everyone aged six and over (30 June – 22 July), revised and directed by Jennifer Tang in a co-production with the Unicorn Theatre. Musical La Cage aux Folles (29 July – 16 September),directed by Artistic Director Timothy Sheader with a book by Harvey Fierstein, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, andbased on the play by Jean Poiret. Finally, this summer, Nicoll Entertainment’s Dinosaur World Live (11 August – 3 September) returns to the Open Air Theatre, written and directed by Derek Bond.

Tickets for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre 2023 are now on sale www.openairtheatre.com.

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL, GARETH GATES, JENNY RYAN AND JOSH BENSON WILL STAR IN THE FAIREST PANTO OF ALL!

Star casting announced for Darlington Hippodrome’s 2023 pantomime spectacular – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Pantomime will be making a magical return to Darlington Hippodrome this festive season as pop and musical theatre star Gareth Gates is set to headline the family Christmas spectacular Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, playing the Prince. Gareth will be joined by the The Chase’s Vixen Jenny Ryan as The Wicked Queen and the hilarious Josh Benson as Muddles.

Gareth Gates rose to stardom in 2002 as runner-up in the UK’s first Pop Idol. In a phenomenal career that followed, he has sold more than 3.5 million records in the UK, released three albums, and had four UK number one singles as well as storming the Musical Theatre circuit in productions such as Les Misérables, Legally Blonde, and Loserville, and is currently on tour around the UK in The Spongebob Musical.

Best known as The Vixen on ITV’s The Chase, Jenny Ryan joins the cast as The Wicked Queen. Jenny is a professional quizzer and general knowledge maven. In 2015 she joined the hallowed team of Chasers on ITV’s award-winning teatime hit The Chase, now in its fifteenth series. Before becoming a public-facing knowledge hound, Jenny was a behind-the-scenes knowledge hound as a writer and researcher on shows including QI and The Weakest Link. In 2019 Jenny showed off her vocal ability as she took to the stage for the first series of The X Factor: Celebrity. She is also a regular guest on Fighting Talk on BBC Radio 5 Live.

After many years of starring in Yorkshire pantomimes, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be Josh Benson’s first season at Darlington Hippodrome. Josh has been a family and children’s entertainer for the last decade, having entertained at hundreds of parties, events, cruises, cabarets and more importantly pantomimes. He is a regular at Brick Lane Music Hall in London, and a favourite familiar face at York Maze over their summer season.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be produced by the world’s biggest pantomime producer and the team behind last year’s production of The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan, Crossroads Pantomimes. Packed full of the magical ingredients Darlington audiences have come to expect including striking sets, stunning song and dance, plenty of audience participation, and shattering amounts of laughter, this is a magical adventure the whole family can enjoy.

Crossroads Pantomime’s Chief Executive Michael Harrison said: “I’m thrilled to have Gareth, Jenny and Josh with us in pantomime this year at Darlington Hippodrome. Gareth is an immensely talented artist and has always wowed audiences everywhere he’s appeared in panto. Jenny is a powerhouse and will be a fantastic addition to the show alongside the hilarious, energetic talent that is Josh. I’m certain that with the three of them together on stage, Darlington audiences are in for a real treat this Christmas.”

Speaking on the casting, Heather Tarran-Jones, Programming and Development Director of Darlington Hippodrome said: “We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Gareth, Jenny and Josh will be with us for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and I am sure they will be a great hit with audiences of all ages.”

Don’t miss your chance to grab your tickets to the fairest panto in the land this Christmas. Book your tickets today, or you won’t be able to look yourself in the mirror!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is sponsored locally by BHP Law and Babul’s Darlington.

Tickets are on sale now for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which runs from Friday 8th December through to New Year’s Eve. Visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk or call 01325 405405 to book.

THE ROYAL COURT THEATRE ANNOUNCES ALL OF IT BY ALISTAIR MCDOWALL, PERFORMED BY KATE O’FLYNN
TUESDAY 6 JUNE – SATURDAY 17 JUNE 2023 

The Royal Court Theatre has announced that it will present all of it, three short plays by Alistair McDowall (The Glow, X, Pomona), in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from Tuesday 6 – Saturday 17 June, co-directed by Royal Court Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone and Royal Court Associate Director Sam Pritchard. Written for Oliver Award-nominated actor Kate O’Flynn, the trilogy of work introduces three women whose ordinary lives mask extraordinary internal worlds and includes all of it, first seen at the Royal Court for a short run performed by Kate O’Flynn in 2020, and two brand new pieces Northleigh, 1940 and In Stereo. Tickets go on sale today at 2pm.

The first piece, Northleigh, 1940,takes audiences to the street McDowall lived on in Manchester, and traces its history during the blitz through the eyes of the woman speaking. In Stereo features an eight-track monologue and explores the divided self. all of it is the story of a life told at breathtaking speed, following its protagonist from birth to death in one – joyful, painful, complex – go.

Following its run at the Royal Court Theatre the production will travel to Festival D’Avignon to be part of Tiago Rodrigues’s inaugural season which was announced last night. The production runs at the Festival between 15 – 23 July.

‘I suppose I never questioned why I was only one piece before’

A woman trapped at home during an air raid.   

A mother who starts to see double.   

A whole life in one breath. 

all of it joins five other recently announced new Royal Court productions. These include NO I.D. by Tatenda Shamiso in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from Tuesday 18 April – Saturday 6 May. Hope has a Happy Mealby Tom Fowler in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from Saturday 3 June – Saturday 8 July. In the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs Michael Wynne returns to the Royal Court with Cuckoo, in partnership with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, from Thursday 6 July – Saturday 19 August. Word-Play by Rabiah Hussain will play in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from Thursday 20 July – Saturday 26 August. In January 2024, the UK premiere of the Tony Award-winning Dana H. by Lucas Hnath will play at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from Tuesday 16 January – Saturday 9 March 2024 with Deirdre O’Connell reprising her role as Dana.