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CAST ANNOUNCED FOR LIFT AT SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE! 

·       X-Factor finalist Luke Friend leads the company of this iconic British musical. 

·       Direct from the UK Tour of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, West End star Hiba Elchikhe returns to Southwark Playhouse. Fellow West End star Kayleigh Mcknight joins Elchikhe.

·      With a continued passion for supporting graduates, Gartland Productions ensures three performers make their professional debut within the company of LIFT

Gartland Productions is thrilled to announce the cast of LIFT, opening at Southwark Playhouse on Friday 13^th 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 McKnight She/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 Bhima She/Her will play the role of Avatar.

Luke Friend, Busker, said “I’m absolutely delighted to be a part of the wonderful cast of LIFT! This show is going to be so intimate and unique. Being a songwriter and Busker myself for many years, I feel as though I completely and utterly relate to my character’s story and the message he is trying to bring across. I can’t wait to give everything to this role and perform at Southwark playhouse for the first time. This is a real treat for me.”

Hiba Elchikhe, Secretary, said “I am really looking forward to being a part of LIFT the musical with this incredible group of people. I can’t wait for you all to see it.”

Directed by Dean Johnson He/Him (Godspell, BKLYN, Dogfight) with Musical Direction and new arrangements by Sam Young He/Him (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 from Friday 13^th May 2022 until Saturday 18^th June 2022.

Dean Johnson, Director of LIFT said “Since we first began the journey of our revival of LIFT, we knew casting would be integral to how we could present the show as a snapshot of London in 2022. We had the most sensational audition process and the UK is certainly not short of incredible and diverse talent, and this allowed us to find an incredible group of people that can bring this story to life in a fresh way. I really believe our cast demonstrates how exciting the talent pool is in our industry with a mixture of established and incredible artists alongside fresh new faces. I really think they are going to blow the roof off Southwark Playhouse as a collective group of artists!”

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 Design by Xinyi Du She/Her, Assistant Direction by Eden Howes She/Her and casting by Pearson Casting.

Tickets are available now via Southwark Playhouse website.

 FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH – UNTIL 9th APRIL

 REVIEWED BY RACHEL FARRIER 

4****

This musical about the life of Carole King was written by Carole King herself (with collaborators) but rather than being a cringey ego trip, it is a sweetly honest account of both her professional and personal life, and how they were entirely intertwined for most of her life, for good and ill. The script has a definite flavour of New York sass and humour about it (King grew up in the city) which felt refreshing although the dialogue sections come very much in second place to the musical numbers and there were some fairly wooden exchanges throughout. However, as soon as a musical number or interlude was under way, the stage lit up with the tremendous musical talent of the performers – the cast ARE the band for the show.  

Molly-Grace Cutler as Carole produces an outstanding performance both vocally and on the piano (at the same time!), as well as occasionally playing the guitar and percussion. Her rendition of ‘It’s too late, baby’ was particularly spine-tingling, although she shone in every song that she performed. In fact, every cast member appeared to play several instruments and sing, and effortlessly glided between them throughout. With every song, everyone on stage was playing something if they weren’t dancing and this gave a wonderful energy to the entire show. Other stand out performances came from Seren Sandham-Davies as Cynthia Weil with an incredible voice and excellent comic timing, as well as Kevin Yates whose voice seriously impressive. Jos Slovick as Barry was excellent and deserves a special mention for managing to tune a guitar that had clearly lost its key, whilst in the middle of some fairly involved dialogue.  

As Carole King wrote for other groups and singers before becoming a solo artist in her own right, the appearance of The Shirelles, The Drifters and The Righteous Brothers (amongst others) singing songs she had written was a brilliant highlight – cast members fully inhabited the roles of the various band members and there were some fabulous shimmy-ing and sashay-ing dance routines.  

For me, the performers were let down by the set, which had a rather high school production vibe about it, and the fact that the wings of the set were open to audiences at either side was slightly distracting – although this is perhaps intentional to create the impression that the audience are ‘backstage’ with Carole and her fellow performers.   

Overall, this is a brilliant night out, and even if you aren’t a Carole King fan, you are likely to be swept along by the energy and talent of the performers on stage.  

New images of

JONATHAN BAILEY and

JOEL HARPER-JACKSON

in

By Mike Bartlett

At the Ambassadors Theatre

New photographs of Jonathan Bailey and Joel Harper-Jackson in Mike Bartlett’s razor sharp, and hilarious play C O C K have been released today (6 April 2022)

The photographs taken by Matt Crockett  alongside original production photographs taken by Brinkhoff/Moegenburg.

C O C K is running at the Ambassadors Theatre in London until Saturday 4 June 2022.

The Olivier Award-winning Jonathan Bailey, who plays John in the production, is currently starring in the Netflix blockbuster, Bridgerton.

The full cast of C O C K is:  Jonathan Bailey (John), Joel Harper-Jackson (M), Jade Anouka (W) and Phil Daniels (F).

The understudies are: Dominic Holmes (John and M), Jessica Whitehurst (W) and John Vernon (F).

The creative team for C O C K is:  Director Marianne Elliott, Designer Merle Hensel, Lighting Designer Paule Constable, Sound Designer Ian Dickinson, Composer Femi Temowo, Movement Director Annie-Lunette Deakin-Foster, Casting Director Charlotte Sutton, Vocal Coach Hazel Holder and Associate Director Chloe Christian.

C O C K is produced by Elliott & Harper Productions.

Royal & Derngate, Northampton – until 9th April 2022

Reviewed by Ely King

3***

Millions of people around the world will know the name Michael Flatley or the title Lord of The Dance, and for good reason.

Flatley is known for his unique adaptation of Irish/Line dancing, pushing the boundaries of the art-form and transforming an already impressive dance style into something truly phenomenal.

Whilst Flatley wasn’t at the performance in person, there was a large company of equally talented dancers ready to continue his legacy around the world.

Even without the physical presence of the legend, he appeared multiple times throughout the performance via the LCD screen on stage. The show opened and closed with compilations of worldwide Lord of The Dance shows, complete with voice overs and closeups of Flatley himself. He even had his own solo performance on screen at the end where he ‘battled’ duplications of himself to show that, yes, he’s still got it.

For each performance the lead dancers will change and rotate, presumably to split the up the insane workload. For this performance the leads were:

Lord of The Dance – Matthew Smith

Dark Lord – Declan Durning

Saoirse – Lauren Clarke

Morrighan – Cyra Taylor

The Spirit – Cassidy Ludwig

Lord of The Dance is the biggest selling dance show of all time, and it’s clear to see why.

The talent displayed onstage is second to none. If ratings purely went on performer’s talent, this production would get full marks.

The way they perform in perfect synchronicity is borderline overwhelming at how flawlessly the steps are executed.

The stage was laid out with a main dancing area and stairs up to a higher platform, all of which were framed by a large LCD screen that displayed the relevant background for each scene. There was minimal staging to allow for maximum dancing and it worked really well.

However, the show was let down in a few areas, none of which were the performers’ faults.

Whilst it was clear to see that the dancers were all having the time of their lives and truly enjoying themselves, the constant happy expressions (a typical dance rule) didn’t really sell the good vs evil narrative that was trying to be sold onstage.

Due to no props or backdrops, it really was down to the dancers, their costumes, the screen and the music to help portray the storyline.

The story itself was your typical good versus evil narrative, something simple but easy to display. The ‘good’ and ‘evil’ dance troupes also allowed for a variety of musical choices and dance styles to truly show off their talent.

The ‘good’ performances were led by Matthew and Lauren as The Lord and Saoirse, and were often performed to a flute heavy, ethereal, fairytale- like backing track.

Matthew as The Lord is a fantastic choice, his joyous charisma is infectious, it’s hard not to have fun when you have a proud dancer beaming onstage.

Whereas the ‘bad’ dance numbers were led by Declan and Cyra as The Dark Lord and Morrighan and had a much heaver and darker backing track of electric guitars and guttural drum solos synonymous to fight scenes in action movies.

In group performances, there was always something that made the leads stand out, from Saoirse’s pink bustier to The Spirits all-gold leotard, everything fit seamlessly and aided character development.

The best outfits in the entire show had to be the black and red outfits and the black and silver finale outfits.

The ‘bad guys’ looked like they were ready to step into a video game battle in their over-the-top costuming and it was amazing.

The WWE style ‘Lord of The Dance’ belt is a truly iconic piece of costume and was a really fun edition. It was also fantastic to see that The Lord had their initials on the back of their white jacket just like Michal Flatley does, showing that they’re truly carrying on his legacy.

One outfit choice that was a bit disappointing were the tearaways. At the risk of sounding like a prude, seeing the men shirtless and the women in bralettes did nothing to improve the show and just felt very weird and forced.

It didn’t make their dancing look better or more impressive.

On the contrary, it was much more impressive to see the billowing skirts as the women twirled and glided across the stage.

It got cheers from the drunk people in the crowd, so if that’s what was wanted, mission accomplished.

Speaking of drunk cheers, I feel sorry for ‘Tom’ as whoever was there to see him last night were shouting out constantly, even during women’s solo performances. It was cringey, annoying, and the fact they weren’t spoken to by ushers is a miracle.

Whilst the dancers onstage all undoubtedly deserve to be there, there is an incredible lack of diversity. Whilst it can be understood that certain physiques may be desired to aide synchronicity, a lot of the cast looked like cookie-cutter duplications of one another. It’s pretty disappointing when the only ‘diversity’ to celebrate in such a large cast is the fact a couple of the women were quite petite.

It’s 2022, there are no excuses for lack of representation onstage.

An unexpected, but welcome, addition to the show was the inclusion of a singer and live violinists.

All of which were incredibly talented and deserved their own time in the spotlight

During the finale, it was nice to see the cast all just having fun and messing around with each other when they weren’t in the spotlight, you can see the true friendship and camaraderie this company have that is detrimental to dance routines like this.

Festival Theatre, Malvern – until Saturday 9th April 2022

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

4.5****

Private Lives was originally written by Noel Coward in 1930 as a vehicle for him and his close friend Gertrude Lawrence. The plot revolves around Elyot and Amanda, long since divorced, finding themselves suddenly face to face on adjoining balconies in a hotel in Deauville, much to their astonishment since they are both there honeymooning with their new respective partners. The situation spirals out of control rather rapidly over cocktails and reminiscences…

Nigel Havers plays Elyot (the part Coward played in the original run) and he could not have been more perfect. Always an attractive leading man, he seems to get more suave and elegant with age, looking right at home in this high class setting. He showed an impressive range of emotions, including jealousy and anger bursting forth in the middle of a jocular exchange. And his facial expressions showed an accomplished comic talent. A stellar performance.

Patricia Hodge (playing Amanda), likewise, is known as being a stunning, high class lady and so was the perfect lead to accompany Havers. She matched him in every respect and way (range, comedic timing etc) making them a thoroughly believable couple. I was shocked how beautiful her singing voice was; having a mellifluous tone which left me wanting more.

As you would expect from Coward, the script is quick fire, cutting and very much of its time. It reminded me of Aldous Huxley’s Crome Yellow in its fascinatingly cynical way of thinking and somewhat archaic (to our modern ears) style of conversation. That’s not to detract from the piece, indeed it was a reason to rejoice in a bygone era that is sorely lost.

The timing of the entire cast, dovetailing each line with comedic exactitude, was highly impressive. The delivery felt natural though, which I’m sure is a testament to all the wonderful actors as much as Director Christopher Luscombe’s decisive input. The first time honeymooners (Natalie Walter playing Sibyl and Dugald Bruce-Lockhart playing Victor) were excellent too, with fantastic performances from the moment they appeared to the culmination of the play when they really shone through a rather surprising, though perhaps inevitable, ending.

A special mention goes to Music Supervisor Nigel Hess for the clever use of song to draw our two main protagonists together (both in the moment and also into their shared past). A genius move and one of the highlights of this wonderful production. Indeed, music makes quite an impact throughout the work, not only in presenting a number of Coward’s own contemporary pieces but also on record (but I won’t spoil that surprise with an elaboration).

Amanda’s flat in Paris, overlooking the Champs Elysees, had an expansive (and expensive looking) grandeur that was a joy to behold. Impressive scale and oppulance from Designer Simon Higlett.

A triumphant inaugural show from The Nigel Havers Theatre Company and one of many more to come I’m sure. An auspicious start and fantastic evening’s entertainment which I highly recommend.

NEW ADVENTURES AND THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

ANNOUNCE CASTING FOR THE

MULTI-AWARD WINNING DANCE THRILLER

FOR 14 PERFORMANCES ONLY

FROM 9-19 JUNE 2022

DIRECTED AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY

MATTHEW BOURNE

New Adventures and the Royal Albert Hall are delighted to announce casting for Matthew Bourne’s “THE CAR MAN” reimagined in a spectacular new staging for the Royal Albert Hall’s 150th Anniversary. “THE CAR MAN” will play 14 performances only at the iconic venue from Thursday 9 – Sunday 19 June 2022.

The multi award winning, dance-thriller based on Bizet’s beloved Carmen, “THE CAR MAN” will be completely reimagined for the gladiatorial arena of the Royal Albert Hall,

adding a frisson of danger as the dancers perform throughout the auditorium amid stage designs by Olivier and Tony award-winner Lez Brotherston.

Featuring an expanded company of 65 dancers and musicians, a live orchestra and epic new designs, this will be the first time New Adventures performs a full production at this historic and world-renowned venue. The event is one of the highlights of the Royal Albert Hall’s 150th anniversary celebrations.

The title role of ‘Luca, The Car Man’, will be played by Will Bozier and Richard Winsor. Will Bozier, playing ‘Luca; for the first time, was last seen as ‘The Swan/Stranger’ in “Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake” in 2018/20 and also stars in the recent film version. Most recently, he has been featured in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cinderella” at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.  Richard Winsor, also a former Lead Swan, has a history with “The Car Man” that goes back to his debut with New Adventures in 2001. He has played several roles within the production (including ‘Angelo’) and now returns in his debut as ‘Luca’. As well as playing a host of leading roles with New Adventures he was most recently seen as ‘Tony Manero’ at the Peacock Theatre in “Saturday Night Fever”.

The role of ‘Lana’ will be danced by Ashley Shaw and Zizi Strallen. Ashley Shaw has been a Principal performer with New Adventures since 2009 playing most of the leading roles in the repertory. She won a National Dance Award for her acclaimed portrayal as ‘Victoria Page’ in New Adventures “The Red Shoes” in 2018. Also returning to the role of ‘Lana’ is Zizi Strallen who won a National Dance Award for playing this role in 2016. Zizi is currently starring in the title role of “Mary Poppins” at The Prince Edward Theatre.

The role of ‘Angelo’ will be shared by Paris Fitzpatrick and Dominic North. Paris Fitzpatrick was most recently seen in Matthew Bourne’s newest work, “The Midnight Bell” and also created the role of ‘Romeo’ in New Adventures hit production of “Romeo and Juliet” in 2019. This will be his debut as ‘Angelo’. Dominic North, one of New Adventures most popular dancers for close to 20 years will return to the role of ‘Angelo’, a role that he also plays in the most recent film production. He was most recently seen as ‘Fritz’ in the hit production of Nutcracker!

‘Rita’, Lana’s older sister, will be performed by Kayla Collymore and Kate Lyons. Kayla Collymore will be making her Principal debut in the role of ‘Rita’ in “The Car Man”. Kayla featured in New Adventures world tour of “Swan Lake” and can currently be seen in a variety of roles in New Adventures Nutcracker! Kate Lyons returns to the role of ‘Rita’, having played her to great acclaim in the recent film version. Kate joined New Adventures in 2010 for “Cinderella” and has featured in most of the company’s repertory since that time, most recently in “The Midnight Bell’.

The role of ‘Dino’ Lana’s violent husband will be played by Alan Vincent. Alan Vincent is returning to the show in which he created the title role of ‘Luca, The Car Man’ at the shows premiere in 2000. This time he will be playing the role of ‘Dino’ following a stellar career with New Adventures that saw him play leading roles in pieces as diverse as “Play Without Words”, “Nutcracker!” and ‘The Swan’ in “Swan Lake”.

Joining them are: Jonathon Luke Baker (Franco); Benjamin Barlow Bazeley (Fabio); Alistair Beattie (Marcello); Stephanie Billers (Delores); Isaac Peter Bowry (Elio); Cordelia Braithwaite (Mercedes); Ben Brown (Ricardo); Reece Causton (Dirk); Jade Copas (Natalie); Harrison Dowzell (Rocco); Cameron Flynn (Roberto); Rose Goddard (Sophia); Glenn Graham (Bruno); Bryony Harrison (Frankie); Shoko Ito (Elisabetta); Monique Jonas (Bianca); Nicole Kabera (Gina); Kurumi Kamayachi (Silvana); Katrina Lyndon (Monica); Rory Macleod (Marco); Andrew Monaghan (Vito); Stephen Murray (Chad); Harry Ondrak-Wright (Lorenzo); Edwin Ray (Alberto); Danny Reubens (Hot Rod); Sam Salter (Raf); Gabrielle de Souza (Giulietta); Catrin Thomas (Claudia); Christopher Thomas (Ugo) and Bryony Wood (Elsa).

Full Daily Principal Casting for the Royal Albert Hall Season will be posted on Tuesday 10 May.

Matthew Bourne’s vivid storytelling combines with one of the most passionately dramatic scores ever written, with musical arrangements by Terry Davies featuring Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite (after Bizet’s Carmen), to create a dance event like no other.

The 19th Century Spanish cigarette factory becomes a greasy garage-diner in 1960s America where a small-town’s dreams are shattered by the arrival of a handsome stranger. Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into an unstoppable spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge.

“THE CAR MAN” is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne, with music by Terry Davies & Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite (after Bizet’s Carmen); designs by Lez Brotherston; lighting by Chris Davey and sound by Paul Groothius. 

For more information please visit: www.new-adventures.net

Facebook /MBNewAdventures    Twitter @New_Adventures     Instagram @MBNewAdventures

IN PICTURES: leading theatre industry figures presented with 2022 Special Recognition Olivier Awards by HRH the Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House

Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 5 April), this year’s five Special Recognition Olivier Award recipients were presented with their awards by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, during an event at Clarence House celebrating their outstanding contributions to the theatre industry.

HRH the Duchess of Cornwall attended the Olivier Awards in 2019, and was recently appointed Royal Patron of the National Theatre.

Lisa Burger, Executive Director and Joint Chief Executive of the National Theatre who has been part of the theatre’s executive for the past 20 years, has been awarded for her role in expanding the theatre’s reach, forging partnerships UK-wide and playing a key part in the industry’s pandemic recovery through initiatives like NT At Home.

Designer Bob King receives an award for creating some of theatre’s most iconic and instantly recognisable visuals for hit shows in the West End over a 40-year career – including the artwork for Oliver!, Back To The Future, Frozen, Mary Poppins, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical and many more.

Gloria Louis is awarded for her trailblazing career, which began front of house at the Strand Theatre (now the Novello), progressed into theatre management and now to a role as the inclusion and diversity lead for Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, using her knowledge, passion and dedication to inspire young people from all backgrounds about theatre careers.

Also recognised is Susie Sainsbury, whose long-time philanthropy and support of the arts has made a significant difference to theatre in London and beyond. She founded The Backstage Trust to fund live arts projects and was also instrumental in the creation of the Theatre Artists Fund during the pandemic.

Influential theatre school founder Sylvia Young has been recognised for giving countless students opportunities to study performing arts and go on to prolific careers in theatre, film and TV, since she first started teaching in 1972.

Julian Bird, Chief Executive of Society of London Theatre and Executive Producer of the Olivier Awards, said:

‘The Special Recognition Olivier Awards shine a spotlight on inspirational individuals doing vital work, often behind the scenes, who have been a force for good and helped shape our industry in a wide range of ways. The five people we are honouring this year have all inspired generations of colleagues and theatre audiences, been pioneers in their fields and are hugely deserving of this long-due recognition. It is a privilege to celebrate their achievements as part of this year’s Olivier Awards.’

The Olivier Awards will take place on Sunday 10 April at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Jason Manford. This year will see sustainability take centre stage, with guests walking a ‘Green Carpet’ of real, reusable grass, and headline sponsor Mastercard pledging to plant a tree for every public ticket sold via Priceless.com.

The full list of nominations for the Olivier Awards 2022 with Mastercard is available here: https://officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards/year/olivier-awards-2022/

#OlivierAwards

Hull New Theatre – until 10th April 2022

Reviewed by Catherine McWilliams

5*****

Hull New Theatre buzzed with energy as the Queens of Six hit the stage last night, we had waited two years to see this performance and we were not disappointed.

Six was created by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss to be performed by The Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society at the Edinburgh Fringe and takes the form of a pop concert with the Queens vying to be declared the Queen who had the worst experience with their husband Henry VIII. Each Queen tells their story in a bid to be declared the winner, making digs at the other Queens in a bid to score points.

At times the music was frenetic, as in the wonderfully mad “Haus of Holbein” but then it would be poignant and heart wrenching as for example Jane Seymour (Casey Al-Shaqsy) sang “Heart of Stone”. Whether solo performances or singing as a girl band, the performances were wonderful, the pace of the production was phenomenal, zipping along so fast with laugh out loud moments as the Queens sniped at each other or commented on their husband. Gabriella Slade’s fabulous costumes added to the experience, each suiting the character of their Queen perfectly. The set design by Emma Bailey was deceptively simple and Tim Deiling’s lighting design helped create the pop concert experience.

It would be wrong to single out a Queen for praise, as even when they were singing a solo piece this was very much an ensemble piece, safe to say the vocals were outstanding. Chlöe Hart (Catherine of Aragon), Jennifer Caldwell (Anne Boleyn), Casey Al-Shaqsy (Jane Seymour), Aiesha Naomi Pease (Anna of Cleves), Jaina Brock-Patel (Katherine Howard) and Alana M Robinson (Catherine Parr) you rocked and you ruled that stage!

The band aka “Ladies In Waiting” were on stage throughout the performance and were absolutely superb.

What I didn’t expect was to come away from the theatre having learnt something new, but I learnt more about the Queens at Six then I ever did in history at school! Six will also make you realise that the Queens had no control over their lives and that what we know about them is very much from a male perspective.

Six has no interval, which makes perfect sense as to stop it would break the energy of the performance. It is also short at 80 minutes, and I would have happily watched more but the stories were told and, in a sense, it reflects their lives which were short too.

Six is vibrant, fun and full of sassy women and fabulous music. It’s a cracking night out and if you get the chance you should go to the court of Six to be regally entertained.

“MAMMA MIA!”

CELEBRATES ITS 23^RD BIRTHDAY IN LONDON &

ANNOUNCES NEW BOOKING PERIOD

TO SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2023

AT LONDON’S NOVELLO THEATRE

Producer Judy Craymer is delighted to announce, on the day that the global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! celebrates its 23^rd birthday in London, the extension of its booking period to Sunday 5 March 2023 at London’s Novello Theatre, with tickets now on sale.

Judy Craymer said, “When we opened the show back in 1999, I never imagined we’d still be here 23 years later!  It shows the love the public hold for this feelgood musical set on a sunny Greek island.  It is joyous and positive – something we all need right now.  MAMMA MIA! is the original Girl Power musical about four amazing, strong females – and with a creative team to match!” 

The London cast stars Mazz Murray as Donna, Josie Benson as Tanya, Gemma Goggin as Rosie, Richard Trinder as Sam, Neil Moors as Harry, Stephen Beckett as Bill, Emma Mullen as Sophie, Jack Danson as Sky, Tegan Bannister as Ali, Sophie Matthew as Lisa, Michael Nelson as Eddie and Alexandros Beshonges as Pepper, with Natalie Langston playing the role of Donna at certain performances.

Also in the cast are Natasha Agnew, Chloe Ames, Gemma Atkins, Chloe-Jo Byrnes, Nicole Carlisle, Angus Good, Natalie Jayne Hall, Lauren Hampton, James Humpleman, Morgan Jackson, Frankie Jones, Grace Moorhouse, Jodie Nolan, Dan O’Brien, George Olney, Michael Storrs, Kyle Turner, Michael Tyler, Simon Willmont and Alex Woodward.  

Since premiering in London in 1999, the irresistible feelgood musical has captured the hearts of millions around the globe.  The sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island idyll, all unfolding to the magic of ABBA’s timeless pop masterpieces, has now been seen live on stage by 65 million people across the world and turned into two record-breaking movies – MAMMA MIA! The Movie and MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again.

To date, MAMMA MIA! has been seen in 50 productions in 16 different languages grossing more than $4 billion at the box office.  In 2011, it became the first Western musical ever to be staged in Mandarin in the People’s Republic of China.   

MAMMA MIA! originally opened in London at the Prince Edward Theatre on 6 April 1999, before transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004, and then to the Novello Theatre in 2012.  The London production of MAMMA MIA! has been seen by over 10 million people, played over 9,000 performances and has broken box office records in all three of its London homes.  

Produced by Judy Craymer, MAMMA MIA! The Movie became the highest grossing live action musical film of all time upon its release in 2008.  A second film, MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN, opened in July 2018 and is the most successful live musical movie sequel of all time.

With music & lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. The production is designed by Mark Thompson, with lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce & Bobby Aitken, and musical supervision, additional material & arrangements by Martin Koch.

MAMMA MIA! is produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East & Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Novello Theatre

Aldwych

London WC2B 4LD

Ticket Prices: from £17.50*

*All prices include a £2.50 per ticket booking fee and £1.50 restoration levy

Early Bird Pricing – anyone booking four months or more in advance of the performance they are attending (Monday to Thursday performances only) will save £20 on Band A and Premium tickets, but only through Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, either online or by calling the Novello Theatre Box Office.

Performance Times:

Monday, Wednesdays – Saturdays 7.30pm

Matinees – Thursdays & Saturdays 3.00pm, Sundays 2.30pm*

*extra 3pm matinee on Monday 3 October 2022 & Monday 2 January 2023; extra 3pm matinee on Wednesday 3 & 17 August & 26 October 2022 & on Wednesday 15 February 2023; no matinee on Thursday 6 October 2022 or Thursday 5 January 2023; no performance on Sunday 9 October 2022

Christmas 2022/23 Performance Schedule

Monday 19 December                    3.00pm and 7.30pm

Tuesday 20 December                   NO PERFORMANCE

Wednesday 21 December             7.30pm

Thursday 22 December                 3.00pm and 7.30pm                      

Friday 23 December                       3.00pm and 7.30pm

Saturday 24 December                  NO PERFORMANCE

Sunday 25 December                    NO PERFORMANCE

Monday 26 December                    7.30pm

Tuesday 27 December                   7.30pm

Wednesday 28 December             3.00pm and 7.30pm

Thursday 29 December                 3.00pm and 7.30pm                      

Friday 30 December                       7.30pm

Saturday 31 December                  2.30pm and 7.00pm (please note earlier times)

Sunday 1 January 2023                NO PERFORMANCE

Currently booking to 5 March 2023

The performance lasts 2 hours and 35 minutes (including a 15-minute interval)

Box Office: 0844 482 5151

http://www.mamma-mia.com/

http://www.facebook.com/mammamiamusical

http://twitter.com/MammaMiaMusical  

Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – until Saturday 9th April 2022

Reviewed by Steph Lott

5*****

Peter Travers sits in his lovely living room, a gift in his hand, checking the time and waiting for someone. That someone is his wife Laura and they are going to be late for a dinner party. The couple are meeting old friends to celebrate a fabulous business deal. Then Laura, without warning, announces that she’s not going, her life is empty and that she has nothing other than a coffin to look forward to.

An Hour and a Half Late, written by Gerald Sibleyras with Jean Dell, adapted and directed by Belinda Lang, explores the marriage of Peter (played by Griff Rhys Jones) and Laura (played by Janie Dee).

When Laura refuses to go to dinner, the bickering and Peter’s cajoling descends into an existential argument about their domestic life together; their children, jobs, and possible affairs. All the while, Peter has still not given up hope that if he can get Linda through this crisis, they still might make dinner! Ninety minutes later, they’ve worked through her problem; but they’ve destroyed their Farrow and Ball painted living room, reinvented their sex life using separate rooms and squeaky floorboards, and got mayonnaise on the cushions.

I loved watching Griff Rhys Jones in action in this role. Peter is a bit annoying with his never-ending witty jabs at his wife, and his refusal to really listen to her. But Rhys Jones delivers these pot-shots with superb pace and timing and the development of the argument into a contemplation of their marriage is very natural and I think struck a chord with many in the audience. Janie Dee’s Laura is more than a match for him; she returns Peter’s jibes in kind with her hostile and petty retorts to his jokes. The pair respond each other with ease, and their effortless interaction makes the show enjoyable. The couple’s genuine love and affection is very clear. Griff Rhys Jones and Janie Dee act very well together as a couple and carry the performance with emotion and realism. It never gets too serious, but neither is it glib or trivial. You like them and care what happens.

I think there are themes this play explores which are very familiar to anyone who has been married or in a long term relationship. The words one knows to use to hurt. The subjects that have never been addressed because life gets in the way. Decisions which are taken in good faith which have unintended consequences. There is good balance struck in the play; giving a nod towards the profound, potentially sad and existential, with a witty and clever dialogue that keeps the audience chuckling all the way through.

An Hour and a Half Late is a very well-crafted attempt to explore the issues that fester in long term relationships; life, death, tidiness and the meaning of it all with two characters, ostensibly no real problems and only 90 minutes on the clock.

I found this play very funny and judging by the chuckles around me, so did the rest of the audience. I think there are conversations and arguments that are very familiar and hilarious because of that familiarity.