Peter Forbes joins the cast of Jack Absolute Flies Again as the company start rehearsals
Rehearsals start today for Jack Absolute Flies Again, a riotous and comedic new version of Sheridan’s The Rivals, co-written by Richard Bean (One Man, Two Guvnors) and Oliver Chris (Emma) that will play in the Olivier theatre from 2 July.
July 1940. After an aerial dog fight, Pilot Officer Jack Absolute flies home to win the heart of his old flame, Lydia Languish. Back on British soil, Jack’s advances soon turn to anarchy when the young heiress demands to be loved on her own, very particular, terms.
Peter Forbes (Follies) joins the cast as Anthony Absolute alongside the previously announced Laurie Davidson (Cats) as Jack Absolute, Caroline Quentin(Jonathan Creek) as Mrs Malaprop, Natalie Simpson(Three Sisters) as Lydia Languish, Kelvin Fletcher (Emmerdale) as Dudley Scunthorpe and Kerry Howard (Him & Her) as Lucy. James Corrigan, Theo Cowan, Shailan Gohil, Millie Hikasa, George Kemp, Joanne McGuinness, Jordan Metcalfe, Akshay Sharan, Tim Steed, Geoffrey Towers, Shona White and Helena Wilson also join the company.
Director Emily Burns said: “Jack Absolute is a delightfully silly and exuberant refashioning of The Rivals that sends Sheridan’s play barrel-rolling into the Battle of Britain, and the adrenalised hedonism of a summer of life-or-death love. Richard and Oli’s adaptation is a dream to work on – fresh, sharp, joyous and full of heart. I can’t wait to get started.”
Set and costume design is by Mark Thompson, lighting design by Tim Lutkin, composer is Paul Englishby, sound design by Paul Arditti and video and projection design by Jeff Sugg. Physical comedy director is Toby Park and choreography is by Lizzi Gee. Staff director is Cara Nolan.
Jack Absolute Flies Again will be broadcast to cinemas via NT Live on 6 October 2022.
Access performances of Jack Absolute Flies Again
BSL performance: Thursday 28 July at 7.30pm
Sensory Adapted performance: Tuesday 2 August at 7.30pm
Audio-described performances: Friday 5 August, 7.30pm and Saturday 20 August, 2pm preceded by a Touch Tour at 12.30pm
Shakespeare in the Squares today announces the full cast for their fifth anniversary production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Sioned Jones directs Mark Carlisle, Laura Gomez Garcia, Indigo Griffiths, Phyllis Ho, Ellis Kerkhoven, William Shackleton, Wilf Walsworth and Sasha Wilson. The production, which tours to 18 squares across London in the most ambitious season to date, opens on 21 June at Arundel and Ladbroke Gardens, with previews from 15 June, and completes its run on 8 July at Cleveland Square.
Shakespeare in the Squares is now a central fixture in the calendar of Summer outdoor theatre, with each production tailored to the individual garden squares. The company works with the garden committees and other local organisations to create a unique community celebration around the play.
Shakespeare in the Squares presents
The Tempest
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Sioned Jones; Designer Emily Stuart; Music Director Tom Attwood; Movement Director Yarit Dor
Wednesday 15 June – Friday 8 July
“O wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world
That has such people in’t!”
Mark Carlisle plays Alonso. His theatre credits include The Lady Vanishes (Bill Kenwright), Glengarry Glen Ross (Playhouse Theatre), Peter Pan (Northcott Theatre), Once (Phoenix Theatre), The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui (Duchess Theatre and Chichester), The Arabian Nights (Manchester Library Theatre/Derby Playhouse), Cinderella (Citizens Theatre Glasgow), The Happy Prince (Sherman Theatre), The Jungle Book (Birmingham Stage Company), Hubble Bubble (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), Cyrano de Bergerac, Love’s Labour’s Lost (Oxford Shakespeare Company), West Side Story (Pola Jones), The Herbal Bed (RSC), The Crucible (Sheffield Crucible), The Innocents (Greenwich Theatre), Carmen 1936 (Northern Stage Company), Peter and Captain (BAC). His television credits include The Crown, Hard Sun, and Red Dwarf.
Laura Gomez Garcia plays Gonzala/Juno. Her theatre credits include Calamity Jane (The Landmark, Ilfracombe); and her television credits include The Last Leg.
Indigo Griffiths returns to the company to play Miranda – she previously appeared in Romeo and Juliet. Her other theatre credits include Persuasion (UK tour), Peter Pan (Theatre Royal Winchester) and The Mulatto Girl (Nuffield Theatre Southampton). Her television credits include Still So Awkward, The One and Mechanical.
Phyllis Ho plays Ariel/Boatswain. Her theatre credits include The Mozart Question (The Barn Theatre), Life of Pi (Wyndham’s Theatre), Giraffes Can’t Dance (Curve Theatre), The Vagina Monologues (Ugly Duck), Gary’s Not Well (Ragged Trouser Theatre), A Weekend Near Madison (Island Productions) and TheBeggar’s Opera (Seven Tyrants Theatre). Her film credits include Fish, Are You Sleeping? Mr Baggage, The Wilding, and Untold Stories of the ER.
Ellis Kerkhoven plays Prospero. His theatre credits include Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, (Hereford Courtyard Theatre), The Amazons (Covent Garden Theatre Museum), Julius Caesar (Barbican), Silence (Young Vic), Rock ‘n’ Roll (Duke of York’s Theatre), Enchanted (King’s Head Theatre), Storms (Menier Gallery), Fantastic Mr Fox, Charlotte’s Web, PlayMakers, Nursery Crimes (Singapore Repertory Theatre) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chilworth Manor Open Air). His television credits include Strange, Last Call Correction Facility, My Dearest Darling and Silent Whisper.
William Shackleton plays Antonio/Stefano. His theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet, The Merry Wives of Windsor (UK tour), A Christmas Carol (Germany tour) and Testament (Hope Theatre/UK tour/Chalk Line Theatre). William is also an Associate Artist of Chalk Link Theatre.
Wilf Walsworth plays Ferdinand/Caliban. His theatre credits include Heart of Hammersmith (Lyric Hammersmith), Buried (New York Musical Theatre Festival) and My Mate Dave Died (Edinburgh Fringe). He is currently part of the Lyric Hammersmith’s Springboard actor training programme.
Sasha Wilson plays Sebastia/Trincula. Her theatre credits include Bury The Hatchet (Hope Theatre), Lady Macbeth (Theatre503), Julius Caesar (V&A Museum), Twelfth Night (Southwest Shakespeare Company), and ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (Lazarus Theatre). She is the Artistic Director of Out of the Forest Theatre.
Sioned Jones directs. She is a theatre-maker and played Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the company. As a director, her credits include: Ljubljana Junction (Roborough Studios), Lie Back In Anger, Cocktail Conversation, Madame Life, Christmas Presence (Union Theatre), Basket (Edinburgh Fringe Festival) and Expectations (Oval House) Diff’rent Times (Greenwich Studio) & The Silent Treatment (Summerhall ‘22). As an actress, her West End credits include: Tolstoy, Glorious!, The Letter, Shadowlands, Shakespeare in Love, A Woman of No Importance, National Theatre Credits include: Never So Good, Oedipus, All’s Well that Ends Well, 13, Women Beware Women.
Roustabout Theatre presents the premiere of its stage adaptation of Michael Foreman’s
Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish
A wildly imaginative retelling of this environmental tale,
featuring dancing dinosaurs, rock’n’roll, and a whole lot of riotous fun,
celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ever-popular picture book
Assembly George Square, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 4-21 August 2022 (excl. 15)
followed by an autumn tour of theatre venues and schools
One man’s passionate dream to find his paradise beyond the stars leaves the world in ruins. Can the dinosaurs who sleep deep underground wake up in time to sort out the mess and save Planet Earth?
Expect a riotous hour of dancing dinosaurs, space travel and catchy songs as Roustabout Theatre presents the premiere production of its stage adaptation of Michael Foreman’s classic children’s book, Dinosaurs andAll That Rubbish, at Assembly George Square, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, from 4-21 August 2022 (excl. 15 August). Recommended for ages 3-12.
Michael Foreman’s cautionary environmental tale for children celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, having sold more than 150,000 copies world-wide. The book and theatre adaptation deliver an important message of ecological awareness: the Earth belongs to EVERYONE, not parts of it to certain people but all of it to everyone, to be enjoyed and cared for.
Multi-award-winning writer and illustrator, Michael Foreman,says:“When I wrote, and illustrated, Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish in 1972, it was because of the growing threat to the environment. I never imagined the book would be even more relevant fifty years later, and I am delighted that director Toby Hulse and Roustabout are bringing it to a wider audience.”
Roustabout are proud that this production is sustainable in every way, monitoring their carbon footprint in every area of production including set and costume, travel and marketing. The company is pleased to partner with the charity SEEd (Sustainability and Environmental Education) on this production to support it to do this.
Alongside the underlying green message, Roustabout’s signature silliness will abound in this vibrant musical show which promises to have audiences tapping their toes from start to finish!
Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish is created by Roustabout (Luna, This Island’s Mine). It is directed by Toby Hulse. Casting will be announced shortly. Originally commissioned as a digital production by Watermans, it was shortlisted for Best Theatre for Children, OFFIE Awards 2022. It is produced by arrangement with Penguin Books Ltd, a Penguin Random House company.
Following its Edinburgh Festival Fringe run, Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish will embark on an autumn tour of theatre venues and schools – details to be announced.
Praise for Roustabout’s previous work: “Beguilingly epic” The Guardian, “Appealing, engaging fun” ★★★★The Stage
Venue: Assembly George Square Studio Two, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ
Time: 10:00 (am) Running Time: 60 mins
Dates: 4-21 August 2022 (no show 15 August)
Tickets: Aug 4-5: £7.50 (2 for 1); Aug 6-9,12-14,19-21: £11.50 (£10.50); Aug 10-11,16-18: £9.50 (£8.50)
Bookings: assemblyfestival.com, 0131 623 3030 or Assembly box offices at Assembly Hall and Assembly Roxy, Assembly George Square, Assembly Checkpoint and Assembly Rooms
Humankind has always looked at the heavens and wondered about the night sky. Well before technology made it possible to leave the safety of Earth, however, space exploration had already captured the minds of many people, not only aircraft pilots and scientists but also writers and artists. The strong hold that space travel has always had on the imagination explains why space exploration has been a common and enduring theme in literature and art. But it’s not just the desire to explore that makes us look up – it’s the beauty of mystery of the night sky above us that captivates us.
Last night I saw a brand-new special event – Ilan Eshkeri’s Space Station Earth. Created in collaboration with The European Space Agency, this music event from award-winning composer and show creator Ilan Eshkeri, not only allows the audience to see what an astronaut sees but is also an attempt to create something of the emotional and sensory experience that an astronaut undergoes when leaving the Earth and entering space, through a combination of music and images never seen before.
The show is part of a European tour and last night was to my knowledge the only UK date currently listed. Each show begins with an astronaut sharing their experience live on stage, and last night it was the turn of Tim Peake; in December 2015 Tim became the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station and conduct a spacewalk during his 6 month mission.
I really enjoyed the Q+A session between Tim and Ilan; Tim shared his unique experience of space travel and described the visceral feeling of space travel. What I found most impactful was his statements regarding what astronauts call “the overview”; the awareness of our blue and green sanctuary, hanging in the blackest black of space, like a jewel. So beautiful. So fragile.
In terms of the show, there is no dialogue or narration; there is a circular narrative journey of sorts and the audience is immersed in sound and visuals. I found it stunning. There are visual juxtapositions that expand and contract your horizons, views that you have never seen before. Comparisons of nebulae and patterns in desert sand. The music swells and surges with a kind of tidal rhythm that takes you along with it. I was moved to tears at certain points. But would struggle to say why.
What I was struck by is that I thought I would learn something about space by going to this show. What it does however, is strike a powerful emotional chord and make the viewer take another look downwards, at the beauty of our home – the Earth.
At the end of the show there was a standing ovation and a special surprise treat for us. We were treated to a performance by Tim Peake on guitar!
The message you leave the show with is essentially an environmental, and possibly, a spiritual one. Like those who visit the European Space station, we cannot just be passengers on Earth. We have to be its crew and take care of it and each other.
I hope that this show becomes more widely available. The emotional impact it has is compelling and I think it could really help in the understanding of why Earth is so precious to us all and how we all have a part to play in taking care of it. We did all come from the same place. We were all born of supernovas. In the words of astronomer Carl Sagan, we are all stardust.
Casting was announced today (16 May 2022) for the Theatre Royal Bath Productions, Birmingham Rep and Kenny Wax revival of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s universally acclaimed, sell-out production of BUGSY MALONE which will open at Theatre Royal Bath with performances from 2 July 2022, followed by Birmingham Rep from 27 July 2022. The National Press Night will be on 12 July in Bath.
The tour continues to Newcastle Theatre Royal, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, Leeds Grand Theatre, Glasgow Theatre Royal, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Oxford Playhouse, Sheffield Lyceum Theatre, Leicester Curve, Milton Keynes Theatre, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Hull New Theatre, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Manchester Opera House, Edinburgh Playhouse, Southend Cliffs Pavilion, Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre and Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury with more venues to be announced.
The world-famous musical BUGSY MALONE is based on the hit 1976 movie by Alan Parker who’s long catalogue of films have won nineteen BAFTA® awards, ten Golden Globes® and six Oscars®. Packed with instantly recognisable songs from Oscar®-winner Paul Williams including My Name is Tallulah, You Give A Little Loveand Fat Sam’s Grand Slam, BUGSY MALONE is a masterclass of musical comedy with one of the most joyously uplifting finales in musical theatre.
The lead roles will be performed by three young casts of seven in rotation. Bugsy Malone will be played by Shaun Sharma, Gabriel Payne and Amar Blackman, Blousey Brown by Mia Lakha,Delilah Bennett-Cardy and Avive Williams, Fat Sam by Albie Snelson, Isham Sankoh and Charlie Burns, Tallulah by Taziva-Faye Katsande, Jasmine Sakyiama and Fayth Ifil, Fizzy by Aidan Oti, Jamie Northey-Dennis and one performer yet to be announced, Lena/Babyface by Cherry Mitra, Kayla-Mai Alvares and Ava Hope Smith and Dandy Dan by Rayhaan Kufuor-Gray, Kit Cranston and Desmond Cole.
They are joined by adult ensemble members: Georgia Pemberton, Alisha Capon, Lucy Young, D’Mia Lindsay Walker, Jessica Daugrida, Alicia Ally, Alicia Belgarde, Esme Bacalla-Hayes, Luchia Moss, Kalifa Burton, Rory Fraser, Andile Mabhena, Thomas Walton, Ru Fisher, Mohamed Bangura, Marcus Billany, Luke Mills and Will Lucas.
Directed by Sean Holmes (Holmes’ Hammersmith Lyric production of Blasted won an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre), Choreographed by Olivier Award-winning Drew McOnie, and Designed by multi award-winning international stage designer Jon Bausor, this will be the first ever professional production of BUGSY MALONE to tour the U.K. and star a young company of thirty nine actors (including three teams of seven kids).
Joining Sean, Drew and Jon on the creative team for this ambitious production are Franny-Anne Rafferty (Associate Director), Phil Bateman (Musical Supervisor, Arranger and Orchestrator), Phil Gladwell (Lighting Designer), Ben Harrison (Sound Designer), Leanne Pinder (Associate Choreographer), Verity Noughton (Casting Director for the unders), Will Burton (Casting Director for the overs), Susannah Peretz (Wig Designer).
Prohibition era, New York. A city full of mobsters, showgirls and dreamers. Rival gangster bosses Fat Sam and Dandy Dan are at loggerheads. The custard pies are flying and Dandy Dan’s gang has gotten the upper hand since obtaining the new-fangled “splurge” gun. Now, Fat Sam and his bumbling buffoons are in real trouble!
Enter Bugsy Malone, a penniless one-time boxer and all-round nice guy, thrust not-so-willingly into the gangster limelight when he becomes the last resort for Fat Sam’s hapless hoodlums. All Bugsy really wants to do is spend time with his new love, Blousey, but that just isn’t on the cards for our hero.
Will Bugsy be able to resist seductive songstress Tallulah, Fat Sam’s moll and Bugsy’s old flame, and stay out of trouble long enough to help Fat Sam to defend his business…?
Alan Parker’s world-famous 1976 movie BUGSY MALONE launched the careers of Jodie Foster and Scott Baio and received eight BAFTA® nominations and three Golden Globe® nominations including Best Motion Picture for a Musical.
Theatre Royal Bath Productions, Birmingham Rep and Kenny Wax present the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre production of BUGSY MALONE. Play by Alan Parker and Words and Music by Paul Williams. Director Sean Holmes, Choreographer Drew McOnie, Designer Jon Bausor, Musical Supervisor and Arranger Phil Bateman.
FOURTH WALL LIVE ANNOUNCES AN ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE OF
JEREMY JORDAN
LIVE IN LONDON
AT THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE
NOW ON
MONDAY 29 AUGUST AND TUESDAY 30 AUGUST
AT 7.30PM
Fourth Wall Live is delighted to announce an additional performance of Jeremy Jordan’s solo show, live in London at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Tuesday 30 August following phenomenal demand for the originally announced Monday 29 August performance. Tickets will go on general sale for both performances on Tuesday 17 May at 10.00am.
JEREMY JORDAN is a Broadway performer who is best known for Newsies (Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk nominations), Bonnie and Clyde (Theatre World Award), American Son, Little Shop of Horrors, West Side Story, Waitress and Rock of Ages. On television he has appeared as a series regular on Supergirl, Smash, and Disney’s Tangled. His film credits include The Last 5 Years, Joyful Noise, American Son, Newsies. He will soon star as the tenacious record industry giant, Neil Bogart, in the upcoming feature film, Spinning Gold. Jeremy is also a singer-songwriter whose concerts and cabaret shows have won awards and acclaim worldwide.
FIRST LOOK AT LIFT, NOW IN PREVIEWS AT SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE!
Gartland Productions and producer Chris Maguireis pleased to release the production images of LIFT, which began previews at Southwark Playhouse last Friday 13th May 2022.
LIFT will officially open with a press performance on Wednesday 18th May 2022.
Leading the company, X Factor finalist Luke Friend He/Him (Footloose, American Idiot) will play the role of Busker. He will be joined by West End star Hiba Elchikhe She/Her (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Fiver), playing the role of Secretary.
Direct from Westerburg High School, Kayleigh McKnightShe/Her (Heathers, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) will play the role of the French teacher. Also returning to Southwark Playhouse, Jordan Broatch They/Them (Anyone Can Whistle) will play the role of Avatar, with Marco Titus He/Him (Mandela- A New Musical) playing the role ofBYT.
Making their professional debutCameron Collins He/Him will play the Ballet Dancer, Tamara Morgan She/Her will play the role of the Lap Dancer and Chrissie BhimaShe/Her will play the role of Avatar.
Directed by Dean Johnson He/Him (Godspell, BKLYN, Dogfight) with Musical Direction and new arrangements by Sam Young He/They (White Christmas, The Man in the Ceiling) and Choreography by Annie Southall She/Her (The Jungle Book, The Boyfriend), this brand-new production of LIFT, music and lyrics by Craig Adams and book by Ian Watson, will run at Southwark Playhouse until Saturday 18th June 2022.
Developed by Perfect Pitch, LIFT is set in a London underground lift, in one man’s imagination, on its way to the surface during one minute. In the 54 seconds of the lift’s passage, we are taken on a much greater journey that reveals the people behind the masks they wear, the secrets they dare not speak, and the unrealised connections between them.
The creative team will include Andrew Exeter He/Him as production designer (High Fidelity, Hair in Concert, Jon + Jen), Associate Designer by Natalia Alvarez She/Her, Assistant Direction by Eden Howes She/Her and casting by Pearson Casting.
Tickets are available now via Southwark Playhouse website.
100 TICKETS TO BE GIVEN AWAY IN FINAL GLOBE FREE TICKETS DRAW FOR STOCKTON-ON-TEES RESIDENTS
Residents of Stockton-on-Tees have a final chance to win sought-after tickets to the Stockton Globe as the year-long Free Tickets Draw comes to a close. 12 months after the newly renovated theatre was revealed to the public, this special anniversary draw will see 100 tickets given away to top shows coming to the venue this year.
The Globe Free Tickets Draw saw Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) partner together exclusively in offering residents across the borough a chance to win one of 250 pairs of tickets to a variety of shows over the last 12 months at the newly restored Stockton Globe. Lucky participants have won tickets to a variety of amazing shows, with winners attending shows such as Status Quo, Bill Bailey, Bat Out of Hell and Jason Manford.
To celebrate the final Globe Free Tickets Draw, Stockton Globe and the Council are giving away 100 tickets in one bumper competition. 10 winners will receive 5 pairs of tickets each to upcoming shows including Fontaines DC, Katherine Ryan: Missus, Jools Holland And His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Jurassic Live, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes: Living Dangerously.
Stockton Globe’s General Manager, Jo Ager said “The final draw is our way of saying thank you for the wonderful support residents across the Stockton borough have given throughout our renovation and opening season. We are thrilled to round off the year with an amazing final prize! This is just the beginning and we can’t wait to continue welcoming audiences as we showcase some of the world’s leading performers and shows.”
The much-loved art deco Stockton Globe theatre threw open the doors in September 2021 after major restoration. Mcfly were the first act to take to the stage for an unforgettable evening. Since then, a variety of well-known music, comedy and entertainment artists have visited the town with thousands of audience members attending the venue.
Councillor Jim Beall, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Leisure and Culture, said: “It’s been a great first year for the newly-restored Globe – and it’s really exciting to see many more top acts set to be performing there in the next few weeks and months.
“There are some great shows on offer in the free ticket draw and I’m sure the lucky winners will have a brilliant time visiting the Globe. I’d certainly urge you all to enter the competition.
“And don’t forget this is the final draw, so it’s your last chance to win some free tickets. Good luck, everyone!”
How does the draw work?
The final draw opens on Friday, May 20 at 10am and closes Friday, June 3 at 5pm.
You must be aged 18 or over to enter, and you must live within the Stockton council area.
Winners will be contacted by ATG within seven working days of the draw closing and will need to confirm their attendance within two weeks of being notified.
Alternatively, hard copy entry forms are available at the following locations across the borough: Stockton Central Library, Billingham Library and Customer Service Centre, Ingleby Barwick Library, Yarm Library, Thornaby Central Library, Thornaby Library within Riverbank Children’s Centre, Fairfield Library, Norton Library, and Roseworth Library.
Where can I find out about the other shows that are coming to the Globe?
To buy tickets for any of the Globe shows, and to sign-up to the mailing list, visit www.stocktonglobe.co.uk.
Like the Globe’s Facebook page to get the latest news in your feed. You can also follow the Globe on Twitter and Instagram.
The Upstart Crow opened at the Gielgud Theatre in February 2020 to an array of glowing reviews and sold out performances. The Daily Telegraph described the show as “just the hey nonny-nonny nonsense the doctor ordered with much to crow about.” Then Covid hit and theatres were forced to close for the first lockdown.
Now, one plague and an Olivier Award nomination later, this all-new comedy is back, starring David Mitchell who will resume his West End debut in Ben Elton’s stage adaptation of the critically acclaimed BBC TV sitcom, Upstart Crow. Rejoining Mitchell on stage will be Gemma Whelan (DI Ray, Game of Thrones, Gentleman Jack) as the sweet and fragrant Kate, along with a troupe of players to be announced.
Directed by Sean Foley, The Upstart Crow will open at the Apollo Theatre on 23 September for a limited 10 week run and see Mitchell once more don the bald wig and bardish coddling pouch in his iconic characterisation of Will Shakespeare.
David Mitchell says: “A whole pandemic later, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to continue my West End debut as history’s most famous balding dramatist and escape back to 1605 through the amazing comic imagination of Ben Elton. We aim to bring Shakespearean London back to life in every way apart from the smell.”
Gemma Whelan says: “I’m so delighted to be back on stage alongside David and working with Ben Elton again. Amongst the pure unadulterated silliness of 1605, we get to tackle real, modern day issues in a brilliant show full of twists, turns, surprises and a dancing animal!”
Ben Elton says: “The Bard is back! The theatres were closed due to plague in Shakespeare’s day just as they have been in our own, so I couldn’t be prouder and happier that The Upstart Crow is once more bringing the laughter to the West End.”
‘Tis 1605 and England’s greatest playwright is in trouble. Will Shakespeare has produced just two plays; Measure for Measure, which according to King James was incomprehensible bollingbrokes by any measure, and All’s Well That End’s Well which didn’t even end well. Will desperately needs to maketh a brilliant new play to bolster his reputation and avoid being cast aside by King and country. But Will’s personal life is encountering more dramatic twists and turns than any theatrical story he can conjure. How the futtock can a Bard be expected to find a plot for a play whilst his daughters run amok and his house is used as refuge for any old waif and stray. As time runs out, can Will hold on to his dream of being recognised now and for all time, as indisputably the greatest writer that ever lived, or will family woes thwart Will’s chances of producing his masterwork?
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EZ
First preview: 23 September
Final show: 3 December
Evening Performances: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm
Naomi Wallace’s dark and intriguing new play explores the bonds of family and friendship amongst a group of Kentucky teenagers. Set entirely in the basement of the Diggs’ house, Wallace introduces the characters as teenagers in 1977. Since their father’s death, their mother cannot take care of herself, so 17-year-old Jude (Shannon Tarbet) has had to step up and work hard to keep her family together, acting as both big sister and mother to Acton (Stanley Morgan). With their mother on strike, money is tight and sometimes they have no electricity. Fiercely protective of her brother, Jude is suspicious when he brings two boys home. Hoke (Alfie Jones) and Frayne (Charlie Beck) keep Acton safe from bullies at school, and she can’t figure out why. Hoke’s father is rich – he has his own car – and his business has links to the building where her father fell to his death, but he offers to pay for the trio to use the basement to hang out.
The language is occasionally stylised, making the teenagers’ immature pronouncements and arguments detached from reality as they discuss their sexual history and dreams for the future, emphasised by the stillness of Sarah Frankcom’s direction. Hoke is confident, arrogant but charismatic, promising his friends that he can take care of them as his dad can pull strings. Frayne is tough but gentle, and with burgeoning feelings for Jude, but he is a born follower and does whatever Hoke suggests. Their friendship with Acton seems unlikely at first, but this strange, sensitive, asthmatic boy is the ideal third wheel in their friendship as they try to make sense of the world. Frayne’s injured brother is a stark reminder that Vietnam is very recent history, and the confusing morals of that time lead the boys to have a warped idea of sex and consent. When Hoke challenges the others to Top My Love, by announcing the sacrifice he has made for the friendship, it sets in motion a chain of events that will scar their lives for ever. Frayne takes the challenge, leaving Acton to sacrifice something he loves – but all he has is his guitar and Jude.
What happens in the basement on Jude’s birthday is not shown on stage but is described by Acton in 1977 and Hoke and Frayne in 1991. Hoke, Frayne and Jude reunite in 1991 for Acton’s funeral and come down to the basement to reminisce. Acton’s death is revealed to be by suicide, and each character is still carrying the wounds and guilt of that night explaining their detachment from him, and Frayne and Hoke’s attachment to each other. Can the discovery that their understanding of what happened in 1977 is not as it seemed help them move on?
With descriptions of rape and a childhood game where Jude and Acton re-enact their father’s death imagining his final thoughts, there are disturbing issues, but there is a dreamlike flow to the story, punctuated by some killer one-liners. The game the siblings play creates the most dynamic scenes, with Acton and Jude tumbling in slow motion across the steeply raked stage. The cast all impress, creating instantly recognisable versions of each character at different ages. Shannon Tarbet’s spiky and brave Jude becoming the softer and jaded, but still passionate older Jude portrayed by Jasmine Blackborow. Frayne’s transition from unquestioning follower to deflated and embittered, but still unable to cut his ties with Hoke is effortlessly shown by Charlie Beck and Dougie McMeekin. Alfie Jones’ self-assured alpha male teenager is still there in Tom Lewis’s uptight older version underneath the self-protecting businessman, still full of empty promises and expecting loyalty. Stanley Morgan is wonderful as Acton – strange, wise and naïve, the character remains an enigma throughout, making the audience question who actually needed protecting in the Digg’s family.
