Underbelly George Square (Udderbelly), Venue 300 – until August 29th 2022
5*****
When you enter the Udderbelly, it feels like you are suddenly back in your Nan’s best room, there is a chair, a cabinet (my Nan called her’s a sideboard) and a chest of drawers. Photo’s adorn the cabinet of a child who is clearly loved and adored by their family.
And then Rob Madge enters, dressed in their homemade Tinkerbell outfit complete with wings, we have a confetti filled song of welcome.
There is a video player and Rob takes us back to their childhood and the homemade video’s of when they wrote, produced, directed and starred in Disney parades in their, and other members of their family’s, home. There is no doubt Rob was a flamboyant child and their parents went with it, encouraging their talent, enrolling them in Stagecoach which helped them on their way to being a child star in Mary Poppins and Les Miserables amongst others. But Rob wanted to dress up at school and would rather be in the dressing up corner at break time than outside with the other children, who didn’t understand them and so beat them up. A particularly insensitive teacher suggested that if they dressed up less they might make more friends and for a while their spark was snuffed out.
Thankfully, with lots of love and a family who would clearly do anything for them, their light began to burn bright again.
There is a lot of honesty in this production, Rob tells us all about their first crush on the star of the play about the Pied Piper at Stagecoach, about wanting to be Belle after his dad bought him the Beast outfit and about finding their way.
This coming of age biopic is truly a thing of beauty, its life affirming and will leave you crying like a baby. Quite frankly the entire show needs to be shown in schools to educate both the children and the teachers. Children aren’t their to be squeezed into genders and pre-formed assumptions, they are there to be to singular, glorious individuals like Rob and should be applauded as such.
If you only see one show at the Fringe this year – this is the one you must see.
Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond), Venue 33 – until 28 August 2022
5*****
After his success at the Disasters in Magic Charity Fundraiser, the Mind Mangler (Henry Lewis) returns with his new show.
With help from the audience including Brian (Jonathan Sayer) who had never met the Mind Mangler before, the show included guessing deep dark secrets, predictions, and tricks.
Lewis rattled off his performance with just a touch of magic but this a show that “goes wrong” and it goes wrong in such a clever way. And the Mind Mangler soon goes from pompous to irate as the tricks go wrong and things begin to fall apart.
Ben Hart, also performing his own show at the Fringe, acted as magic consultant to the show, you know that its going to be good.
There is a lot of heart and poignant moments in the midst of the hilarity and its an hour show that flies by far too quickly. Hopefully the Mind Mangler will return again, with another show very soon, and I can’t wait to see it when he does
Pleasance at EICC, Venue 150 – until 28 August 2022
5*****
I tell everyone that I saw The Play That Goes Wrong in room above a pub, with the cast outnumbering the audience. And a few years ago at the Fringe, I saw Lights, Camera, Improvise which has now evolved into Mischief Movie Night.
It’s a simple premise, the audience shout out suggestions and the incredibly talented performers act out the film under the guidance (and direction) of Oscar (Jonathan Sayer).
The night we attended we witnessed a zombie horror musical set in a hairdressers. The onstage musicians provided the tune for the opening number “Snip Snip” and off we went. Stopping along the way for rewinds, directors cuts and explanations and Chicken Nuggets
This was one hour of total, surreal hilarity and you are guaranteed to see a different show every night. You’d be foolish to miss it
Pleasance Courtyard (Below), Venue 300 – until 27 August 2022
5*****
As you enter the venue, Charlie Russell stands happily at the door, introducing herself and making us, the audience, feel very welcome. A founding member of Mischief, you enter expecting the comedy the group are famous for. But this is different.
After being told as a child she couldn’t please everyone, this is her attempt to do just that. To prove we have been pleased we are issued with stickers and we must put them on when we are happy.
And so it begins, asking various members of the audience what will please them and then proceeding to make them happy. A particular hi-light for me was her “impression” of Ronan Keating.
But then the attempts to please take a dark turn and suddenly, on stage, the bright and happy woman is now a sad, frightened girl. Because its not that she wants to please everyone, she wanted to please someone. She wants to be liked and importantly she wants, needs, to like herself. At the end of the show, I just wanted to scoop her up in a massive hug and tell her everything will be okay and she is enough. But this is something she needs to discover for herself. I just hope, more than anything this show helps her to realise that.
The final offering for this year’s Summer Classic Thriller Series, at the Theatre Royal is a psychological thriller by Emlyn Williams. It was written in 1935 and has been made into two films. The first in 1937 had an impressive cast and received a host of nominations and awards.
The setting, as with all good mysteries, is a country cottage set in a dark wood. There is a feeling of ennui and all of the characters appear to be waiting for something to happen. Life is dull and no one is really who they seem. The play opens with a dramatic lighting effect and a voice over intoning a verdict. The curtains open to reveal a very domestic scene. Complete with a red leather chesterfield. Whilst at first sight it would appear to be the traditional setting for a who-dunnit, we know from the outset who committed the crime. It is not a who-dunnit with a sleuth or amateur detective, it is rather an exploration of the characters and the people trapped in the play.
The sitting room belongs to Mrs Bramson (Karen Henson) an elderly hypochondriac who appears to be wheelchair bound. She is fussy and bad tempered and doesn’t have a good word for anyone until Dan (David Osmond) comes on the scene. Also trapped in the house is Mrs Bramson’s niece Olivia (Sarah Wynne Kordas) and their regular lunch time guest and Olivia’s suitor Hubert (Andrew Ryan). Hubert offers Olivia a way of escaping her dismal lot, by marrying him. Unfortunately he is too dull and boring for his proposal to have any appeal. Although rather surprisingly he did make a joke once! Olivia writes poetry as a means of escape but she is drawn to the charismatic and chameleon like character of Dan. What lengths is she prepared to go to, to get his attention?
The household is run by two domestics. The cook Mrs Terence (Susan Earnshaw) all bustle and gossip, with a good line in backchat, and Dora (Juliette Strobel) the maid of all works. Dora is distracted and accident prone and it becomes clear that she has a dark secret. As a result of her confession Mrs Bramson agrees to have it out with Dora’s young man, Dan. Rather to everyone’s surprise Dan charms Mrs Bramson and soon he has her eating, her chocolates, out of his hands
The tension mounts in the house when Inspector Belsize (Jeremy Lloyd Thomas), from the yard comes to call. He announces that a young woman has gone missing and his force are combing the woods looking for her body. From this point the tension starts to mount and some of the characters start to fall apart. The tension and build up is managed very well. It is occasionally balanced by some flashes of humour and sarcastic comments. The ending as Dan starts to unravel and commits another murder is inevitable. It is well played and leaves the audience feeling sorry for him although they are not quite sure why.
Simon Friend Entertainment is today delighted to announce the full cast for Deborah Moggach’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotelwhich opens at Richmond Theatre on Monday 5thSeptember 2022.
Joining the previously announced celebrated stars of stage and screen, Hayley Mills (Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, Whistle Down the Wind) whostars as Evelyn, Paul Nicholas (Jesus Christ Superstar, BBC 1’s Just Good Friends, Eastenders) who plays Douglas and Rula Lenska (ITV’s Rock Follies, Coronation Street, Channel 4’sCelebrity Big Brother) who performs as Madge in this feel-good tale of love and adventure, today’s announcement confirms casting through to Saturday 11th February 2023.
Tiran Aakel (The Kite Runner, UK and Dubai Tour;Umm Kalthoum and The Golden Era, Dubai Opera House) performs asMr Gupta, Richenda Carey (Calendar Girls,West End/UK Tour; BBC 1’s Monarch of the Glen) as Dorothy, Rekha John-Cheriyan asMrs Kapoor (Kerbs, Tomb Raider, Dream Horse); Andy de la Tour (Plenty, Notting Hill) asNorman; Shila Iqbal (East Is East,Octagon Theatre; Eaten by Lions); as Sahani, Kerena Jagpal (Mismatch and Twitch, Birmingham Rep; Circle Game, Southwalk Playhouse) as Kamila, Harmage Singh Kalirai (Mischief Night,A Very British Coup) asJimmy, Sally Knyvette (ITV’s Emmerdale; BBC 1’sBlake’s 7);as Jean,Nishad More (King Lear, Royal Shakespeare Company) asSonny Kapoor, Marlene Sidaway (ITV’s Coronation Street, BBC 1’s Pride and Prejudice) as Muriel; Anant Varman (who makes his professional UK stage debut with The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Mohan and Adam Morris (Dial M for MurderandThe Messiah, UK Tours); and Julie Wood (Brave New World, Harrogate Theatre) who join the company as male and female understudies.
DeborahMoggach adapts her bestselling novel 2004’s These Foolish Things for the stage, it previously having inspired the BAFTA and Golden Globe-nominated film. Directed by Lucy Bailey (Oleanna, UK Tour & West End); Gaslight, UK Tour; Witness for the Prosecution,London’s County Hall) the rest of the creative team comprises Costume and Set Designer, Colin Richmond; Lighting Designer, Oli Fenwick; Sound Designer, Mic Pool; Composer, Kuljit Bhamra; Casting Director, Ginny Schiller CDG; Associate Director, Breman Rajkumar; Movement Director, Lucy Hind; Costume Supervisor, Chris Cahill; Production Manager, Digby Robinson;Props Supervisor, Lizzie Frankl and Associate Props Supervisor, Zoe Wilson.
Based on the Sunday Times bestseller which inspired one of this century’s most treasured films, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel takes us on a journey to India with an eclectic group of British retirees as they embark on a new life. The luxury residence is far from the opulence they were promised, but as their lives begin to intertwine and they embrace the vibrancy of modern-day India, they are charmed in unexpected and life-changing ways.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a joyous, feel-good comedy about taking risks, finding love, and embracing second chances, even in the most surprising of places.
The film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (directed by John Madden) saw its UK theatrical release in 2012. Within two weeks of its cinematic distribution, the film had topped the UK Box Office and went on to become a hit internationally performing as one of the highest-grossing films of 2012 in Australia and New Zealand in addition to the United Kingdom.
The interwoven stories of the film’s stellar ensemble, which included Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Penelope Wilson, Tom Wilkinson, Celie Imrie, and Ronald Pickup – with Dev Patel as the put-upon owner of a past-its-best hotel for ‘the elderly and beautiful’ – shone a light on issues such as the outsourcing of care and NHS treatments, the complexity of family relationships around the world, love, compassion, and companionship in our twilight years.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is produced by Simon Friend, Jenny King, Trafalgar Entertainment, and Gavin Kalin.
MISCHIEF ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP WITH SCOTTISH AUTISM FOR EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE 2022
Mischief today announce partnership with Scottish Autism for Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022.
Scottish Autism are supporting Mischief with their relaxed performance of the Olivier Award nominated improv show, Mischief Movie Night on 24 August, to ensure that autistic individuals and their families enjoy an accessible experience when visiting the show. The production runs at the EICC, which is part of the Keep Safe Scotland scheme and holds an Autism Friendly status.
The partnership includes:
Training from Scottish Autism for the Mischief company to enhance their understanding of the environment and experience for autistic audience members.
Scottish Autism will provide advice, guidance and recommendations to Mischief on how they can create an autism accessible experience, to ensure audiences feel welcomed and enjoy the show.
Volunteers from Scottish Autism will attend the relaxed performance of Mischief Movie Night to support audiences.
Mischief will promote and fundraise on behalf of Scottish Autism throughout the Edinburgh Festival Fringe including bucket collections at Mischief Movie Night.
Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer, Directors of Mischief, said today, “We are all absolutely delighted that Mischief is partnering with Scottish Autism during this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The training, guidance and support we’re receiving is so important to ensure a welcoming and enjoyable experience for our relaxed performance of Mischief Movie Night, and is also invaluable in informing our approach towards productions in the future. Scottish Autism do incredible work and we are so pleased to support their fundraising efforts including bucket collections at Mischief Movie Night throughout the run.”
Karen Wilson, Income Generation Lead at Scottish Autism, also commented, “We are delighted to establish this partnership with Mischief and look forward to working with them during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to support their Relaxed Performance on Wednesday 24th August.
“It is fantastic that Mischief are partnering with Scottish Autism and we are pleased to be delivering training to cast members to ensure this performance will be accessible to autistic people and their families.
“We are thrilled to be supporting Mischief in this way and aim to work with more production companies in future to help make shows and festivals more inclusive of autistic people.”
Mischief Movie Night is currently running at the Pleasance at EICC (Pentland Theatre), until 28 August. Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields’ also presentbrand new comedy Mind Mangler: Member of the Tragic Circle, starring Lewis and Sayer at Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond), until 28 August. In addition, Charlie Russell performs her new heart-warming show, Charlie Russell Aims To Please at Pleasance Courtyard (Below), until 27 August.
MISCHIEF MOVIE NIGHT
Pleasance at EICC (Pentland Theatre)
Until 28 August at 6.30pm
Relaxed performance: Wednesday 24 August
Mischief, the international, award winning makers of mayhem return to the Edinburgh Festival for the first time in 7 years, presenting Mischief Movie Night, the improvised movie live on stage!
Every performance is different. You suggest a genre, location and title and Mischief bring your movie to life, complete with rewinds, directors’ cuts, live music and DVD extras that will have you howling with laughter.
Over 100,000 households from over 45 countries tuned in to watch the live-streamed version (Mischief Movie Night-In) during lockdown, now Mischief’s Olivier nominated improv delight is back on stage.
The cast includes Rhyanna Alexander-Davis as Not Sure, Josh Elliott as TBC, Susan Harrison as No Idea, Dave Hearn as????, Harry Kershaw as Decide Later, Henry Lewis as Someone Else, Charlie Russell as Don’t Know Yet, Lauren Shearing as Unknown, Jonathan Sayer as Figure it out on the night, and Henry Shields as Have a think and get back to me. They will be joined onstage by musician Ed Zanders.
This production was performed by Malvern Theatres Young Company. Established in 2012 this group allows young people between the ages of 8 – 25 to perform in a professionally staged theatre.
This much loved play by Oscar Wilde, adapted and Directed by Nic Lloyd, was performed by 7 up and coming students of Acting, who, I am sure, will have amazing careers in the theatre.
It appeared they were slightly unrehearsed, but with only 2 weeks to bring the performance together, did an admiral production of this play.
Special mentions of the acting ability of both Rhys Harris-Clarke who played the Rev Canon Chasuble, Lane and Merriman, and Ellie Ricci playing Lady Bracknell were strong in their roles with belief of their characters from the start.
Edward Kirby, playing John Worthing and Henry Pyne playing Algernon Moncrieff worked well bouncing off each other, with a very enthusiastic ‘fight’, which struggled to make this believable whilst the audience were on three sides of the performance arena.
The nerves did show at the beginning of the play by a couple of actors, who grew in confidence as the production continued. I think some of the comedic lines were delivered to quickly and the audience did not pick up on some of them, so were lost in the speed of delivery.
The Stage was minimalistic, with the characters moving from chair to chair constantly, so all sides of the audience could see and hear. I thought this was not yet quite right and should have more thought, before moving to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival next week.
Costumes were perfect, designed by Bridget Lloyd and depicted each character well.
Overall, this shows the ability of each of the young Actors who will, I’m sure, grow in confidence each night, to provide an entertaining play of the most importance!
THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING AND CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF
CABARET
AT THE KIT KAT CLUB
FROM 3 OCTOBER 2022 UNTIL 28 JANUARY 2023
The producers of the multi award-winning, critically acclaimed production of CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB in London’s West End are thrilled to announce that BAFTA Award nominee Callum Scott Howells will play ‘The Emcee’ and Emmy Award nominee Madeline Brewer will play ‘Sally Bowles’ from 3 October 2022 until 28 January 2023. kitkat.club
Callum Scott Howells said today “I can’t wait to work with the incredible team and company, and follow on from two actors who I hugely respect and admire. I feel very lucky and excited to be taking on such an iconic role within this widely celebrated and unique production. It’s going to be a ride.”
Madeline Brewer said today “Rebecca’s vision is the most magical and emotional and exciting Cabaret I’ve ever seen. It’s a Sally and a Kit Kat Club so thrillingly fun and humbly prescient. I’m beyond honored to be invited to the party.”
Callum Scott Howells
Portrait Shoot
Credit: The Other Richard
Callum Scott Howells is best known for playing Colin in Russell T Davies’ hit Channel 4 drama It’s a Sin. For his performance as Colin, Callum won the BAFTA Cymru Award for Leading Actor and the Royal Television Society Award for Best Male Actor. For the same role, he was twice nominated at the 2022 BAFTA Television Awards; for Best Supporting Actor and Virgin Media’s Must See Moment. Later this year, he will be seen in the Netflix film The Beautiful Game opposite Bill Nighy. Callum’s theatre credits include She Loves Me at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Matthew Bourne’s production of Lord of the Flies.
Madeline Brewer has starred as Janine Lindo in all four seasons of Hulu’s hit drama The Handmaid’s Tale, for which she was nominated for the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She will star in the fifth season of the show, due to premiere this September. Madeline began her career portraying Tricia Miller in the Netflix series Orange is the New Black. Her film credits include Hustlers alongside Jennifer Lopez and Cam for Netflix. Madeline’s other credits include Netflix/Channel 4’s Black Mirror and Apple TV’s Shining Girls.
At certain performances, the role of Sally Bowles will be played by Emily Benjamin.
As a member of the original cast of this production, Emily has been a swing and understudy to the role of Sally Bowles since the show opened last year.Her other West End theatre credits include Bat Out of Hell The Musical at the London Coliseum and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Bridge Theatre.
Also joining the cast on 3 October 2022 will be Sid Sagar as ‘Cliff Bradshaw’, Danny Mahoney as ‘Ernst Ludwig’ and Michelle Bishop as ‘Fraulein Kost’. Vivien Parry and Richard Katz continue to play ‘Fraulein Schneider’ and ‘Herr Schultz’ respectively.
The cast is completed by Gabriela Benedetti, Charles Croysdill, Laura Delany, Sally Frith, Matthew Gent, Ying Ue Li, Ela Lisondra, Chris O’Mara, Grant Neal, Hicaro Nicolai, Adam Taylor, Toby Turpin, Patrick Wilden and Sophie Maria Wojna.
The Prologue Company currently includes Rachel Benson, Laura Braid, Asmara Cammock, Julian Capolei, Celine Fortenbacher, Reuben Greeph, Samantha Ho, Andrew Linnie, Carys McQueen, Kate Robson-Stuart and Sally Swanson.
This unique production of CABARET opened in December last year to critical and audience acclaim, widely praised as the ultimate theatrical experience. In April this year, the production won a record-breaking seven Olivier Awards, the most for any musical revival in Olivier history, as well as three prestigious Critics Circle Awards.
In a time when the world is changing forever, there is one place where everyone can be free… Welcome to the Kit Kat Club, home to an intimate and electrifying new production of CABARET. This is Berlin. Relax. Loosen up. Be yourself.
Transforming one of London’s most famous theatres with an in-the-round auditorium and reimagined spaces, before the show guests are invited to enjoy and explore the Kit Kat Club with pre-show entertainment, drinks and dining all on offer. When booking, guests receive a ‘club entry time’ to allow enough time to take in the world of the Kit Kat Club before the show starts. But of course, the show really starts when you first join us in the club…
One of the most successful musicals of all time CABARET features the songs Wilkommen, Don’t Tell Mama, Mein Herr, Maybe This Time, Money and the title number. It has music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, book by Joe Masteroff. Based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood.
CABARET is directed by Rebecca Frecknall, set and costume design is by Tom Scutt with choreography by Julia Cheng. Musical supervision by Jennifer Whyte and musical direction by Ben Ferguson with lighting design by Isabella Byrd and sound design by Nick Lidster. The casting director is Stuart Burt and the associate director is Jordan Fein.
CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions and Underbelly.
Core to Mischief are award winning writing trio Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields. Running for 10 years now, The Play that Goes Wrong has not lost its edge. Set in the 1920’s this is a timeless murder mystery play within a play, with a hefty serving of slap stick, that even The Three Stooges would enjoy performing.
The stressed and earnest producer and lead actor of Murder at Haversham Manor, Chris Bean (Colin Burnicle) cleverly engages with the audience, creating more laughs in his attempt at gaining sympathy. We are on Bean’s hilarious emotional roller coaster, ranging across tears, anger, desperation, relief and gratitude! The interplay with the stagehands, Beth Lilly (Annie) and Gabriel Paul (Trevor) is genius – it takes skill to act as woodenly at that! All the devices a novice actor employs are included, like Dennis (Damien James) writing key words of his script on his hand and still pronouncing them wrong! The physical performance of Aisha Numah (Sandra) with over acted poses and being pulled through the window upside down and sideways was impressive! The balcony, serving as the view on to the second storey offers excellent moments of perfect timing and physical comedy, particularly by Kazeem Tosin Amore (Robert), as he keeps hold of several pieces of furniture and a huge pot plant on an ever dipping floor.
All the players give a fantastic display of on point slap stick. This is thanks to a creative team that perfectly time things going wrong on set, right from the opening scene. In these difficult times this is a play to escape to and belly laugh like there is no tomorrow!
