Cast announced for West End run of Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage Dominion Theatre, London Wednesday 2nd February – Saturday 16th April 2022
Return to Kellerman’s this spring, as the cast are announced for Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage in the West End. Coming to the Dominion Theatre for a limited run and exploding with heart-pounding music, breathtaking emotion and sensationally sexy dancing, the multitalented cast is led by Michael O’Reilly (West Side Story, Leicester Curve; Matthew Bourne’s Lord of the Flies, Theatre Royal Plymouth) and Kira Malou (Fame, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre; Penny on Mars, Disney Plus), who return to the roles of Johnny and Baby. O’Reilly made his professional debut straight from drama school in the role of Johnny in the 2018 tour.
The 2022 cast will feature many of those from the touring cast, including Carlie Milner as Penny (Sleeping Beauty, Birmingham Royal Ballet), Lynden Edwards (A Little Night Music, Garrick Theatre) as Dr Jake Houseman, Lizzie Ottley as Lisa Houseman (Evita, Dominion Theatre and UK tour), Colin Charles (We Will Rock You, Dominion Theatre; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, London Palladium) as Tito Suarez and also sees Lori Hayley Fox (Hairspray, London Palladium; Big, Dominion Theatre) return to the role of Mrs Houseman.
This dazzlingly renewed version celebrates 35 years of the iconic hit film, which tells the classic story of two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives. Featuring the hit songs Hungry Eyes, Hey! Baby, Do You Love Me? and the heart stopping (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life, the production features the much-loved characters and original dialogue from the iconic film, as well as exciting extra scenes.
Featuring the original 1987 script by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Federico Bellone (West Side Story, Milan; Sunset Boulevard, Milan), the creative team are completed by choreographer Austin Wilks (Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage, Piccadilly Theatre), lighting designer Valerio Tiberi (Ghost the Musical, Italian national tour), sound designer Armando Vertullo (Jersey Boys, Italian national tour) and supervising musical director Richard John (Legally Blonde, Savoy Theatre; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Savoy Theatre).
INITIAL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE FIRST MAJOR REVIVAL OF
BRUCE NORRIS’ AWARD-WINNING CLYBOURNE PARK
Trish Wadley Productions and David Adkin
in association with Park Theatre present
CLYBOURNE PARK By Bruce Norris
Director: Oliver Kaderbhai; Set and Costume Designer: James Turner;Lighting Designer: Alex Lewer; Sound Designer: Will Tonna; Casting Director: Lucy Casson
16 March – 23 April 2022
Having had to shut down the production of Bruce Norris’ seminal play Clybourne Park at final dress rehearsal in March 2020, Trish Wadley Productions and David Adkin, in association with Park Theatre, are delighted to announce that the production, originally planned for the play’s 10th anniversary year, will open at the venue in March. Oliver Kaderbhai reunites Michael Fox (Jim/Tom), Andrew Langtree (Karl/Steve), Richard Lintern (Russ/Dan), Imogen Stubbs (Bev/Kathy) and Eric Underwood (Albert/Kevin) from the 2020 company, with further casting to be announced. The production opens on 21 March 2022, with previews from 16 March, and runs until 23 April.
Winner of both the Tony and Olivier Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for author Bruce Norris, Clybourne Parkis a razor-sharp satire about the politics of race and real estate. The play returns to London following sell out runs at The Royal Court and in the West End.
In 1959, Russ and Bev are moving to the suburbs after the tragic death of their son and have sold their house to the neighbourhood’s first black family.
Decades later, the roles are reversed when a young white couple buys the lot in what is now a predominantly black neighbourhood, signalling a new wave of gentrification. In both instances, a community showdown takes place – are the same issues festering beneath the floorboards fifty years on?
Michael Fox plays Jim/Tom. For theatre his credits include All in a Row, A Lie of the Mind (Southwark Playhouse), An Enemy of the People (Chichester Festival Theatre), As You Like It (Transport Theatre), Leaves of Glass (Alma Tavern) and Edmund Kean (Watford Palace Theatre). For television his credits include Bombing Auschwitz, Endeavour, Downton Abbey, Marvellous, The Ark, New Worlds; and for film, Downton Abbey, Dunkirk, Good People and the forthcoming Downton Abbey: A New Era.
Andrew Langtree plays Karl/Steve. His theatre work includes Stages (The Vaults), A Christmas Carol (The Old Vic), The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole (Ambassador’s Theatre), Troilus and Cressida (RSC), Imperium (RSC and Gielgud Theatre), The Wizard of Oz (Sheffield Theatres), Albert’s Boy (Orange Tree Theatre), The Hypocrite (RSC and Hull Truck), Treasure Island (Birmingham Rep), Groundhog Day (The Old Vic), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Theatr Clwyd) and Oppenheimer (RSC and Vaudeville Theatre). For television, his work includes The Tower, The Royal and Cutting It, and as Jason Gallagher in Emmerdale and Leon in Coronation Street; and for film, Matilda and Delovely.
Richard Lintern plays Russ/Dan. His theatre work includes Blue/Orange (Birmingham Rep), Elephants (Hampstead Theatre), Jumpy, My Night with Reg (Royal Court Theatre), Women Beware Women, The Royal Hunt of the Sun, His Girl Friday, Life after Life (National Theatre), As You Desire Me (Playhouse Theatre), and The Philadelphia Story (The Old Vic). For television his work includes Young Wallander, Stephen, The Outpost, Shakespeare and Hathaway,Silent Witness – as series regular Thomas Chamberlain, Pennyworth, White House Farm, The Crown, Top Boy, Crossing Lines, Le Grand, Threesome, Spies of Warsaw, Hunted, The Minor Character, The Shadow Line, Lead Balloon and Clapham Junction; and for film, The Christmas Ball,Side by Side, The Nanny State, Page Eight, The Domino Effect, Cassandra’s Dream and Lucan.
Imogen Stubbs plays Bev/Kathy. Her extensive theatre experience includes productions at the RSC, National Theatre, The Old Vic, Donmar Warehouse and various West End productions. Recent stage credits include Honour (Park Theatre), The Be All and End All (York Theatre Royal), Things I Know To Be True (Frantic Assembly), Communicating Doors (Menier Chocolate Factory), Elephants (Hampstead Theatre), Alecky Blythe’s Little Revolution (Almeida Theatre) and Strangers On A Train (Gielgud). For the Royal Shakespeare Company, she appeared in Othello, Two Noble Kinsmen, The Rover and Richard II. Additional stage credits include Gertrude in Hamlet (The Old Vic), Orpheus Descending, Private Lives (Royal Exchange), Salt, Root and Roe (Donmar at the Trafalgar) and A Marvellous Year For Plums (Chichester Festival Theatre). Her television work includes Parents, Collusion, Big Kids, Blind Ambition and Anna Lee; and for film, Jack & Sarah, Twelfth Night, True Colours, Deadline, A Summer Story and Sense and Sensibility.
Eric Underwood plays Albert/Kevin. He was a soloist with the Royal Ballet, where he created many roles including in Wayne McGregor’s Chroma, Infra and Raven Girl and in Christopher Wheeldon’s DGV, as well as the Caterpillar in Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. He has worked for the BBC across radio and television presenting shows including Can Hip Hop Save Ballet (BBC R4) and Inside Out – Ballet Boys (BBC One). For film, his work includes Cats.
Bruce Norris is an American playwright who lives in New York. He is the author of Clybourne Park, which premiered at Playwrights Horizons in New York, in 2010, before transferring to the Royal Court Theatre, Broadway, and the West End. His other plays include The Infidel (2000), Purple Heart (2002), We all Went Down to Amsterdam (2003), The Unmentionables (2006), A Parallelogram (2010) and Downstate (2018) which were all first produced by Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago;The Pain and the Itch (Playwrights Horizons, Steppenwolf, 2004, Royal Court Theatre, 2007; The Low Road (Royal Court Theatre, 2013), Domesticated (Lincoln Center, 2013), and The Qualms (Playwrights Horizons, 2014). He is the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (2011), Tony Award (Best Play, 2012), Joseph Jefferson Award (2003, 2005, 2019), the Steinberg Playwright Award (2009) and the Whiting Foundation Prize for Drama (2006). As an actor he can be seen in the films A Civil Action, The Sixth Sense among others.
Oliver Kaderbhai is an actor, director, producer and founding Artistic Director of DELIRIUM. His experience in the UK spans Fringe to the West End working with actors such as Andrew Scott, Kate Fleetwood, James Norton and Orlando Bloom, and he has created six productions with DELIRIUM which have sold out venues across the UK. Director credits include Striking 12 (Union Theatre), Songs of Abdulkarim (59 Productions), Peter Pan (Co-Director, Chichester Festival Theatre), One Minute (The Vaults), The Provok’d Wife (Go People), From Where I’m Standing (Pegasus Theatre), Oranges on the Brain (Pegasus Theatre), Go To Your God Like A Soldier (Old Vic Tunnels) and Your Nation Loves You (Old Vic Tunnels). Movement Director credits include Killer Joe (Trafalgar Studios), The Dazzle (Found 111), BUG (Found 111), Almost Maine (Park Theatre), Phenomena (The Albany), Dhow Under The Sun (KSF/META, UAE); and Assistant or Associate Director credits include Jesus Christ Superstar, Running Wild (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and Guys and Dolls (Playmakers Rep, USA).
Listings
Clybourne Park
Park Theatre, Park 200
Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP
16 March – 23 April 2022
Box Office: 020 7870 6876*
Mon – Sat from 10am – 6pm (excluding Sunday and public holidays)
DISNEY’S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SELL-OUT PRODUCTION OF
FROZEN EXTENDS DUE TO PUBLIC DEMAND
PUBLIC BOOKING OPENS ON 21 JANUARY AT 10AM
★★★★★
“Frozen is one hot hit”
Daily Mail
Disney Theatrical Productions today announces that their critically acclaimed production of Frozen is extending until October 2022 due to public demand. The production opened at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in August last year, and has been playing to capacity houses since, recently receiving 13 nominations across acting and creative categories in the 2022 WhatsOnStage Awards – including nominations for Best New Musical, for both Samantha Barks and Stephanie McKeon in the Best Performer in a Female Identifying Role in a Musical category, with Oliver Ormson and Obioma Ugoala both nominated for Best Supporting Performer in a Male Identifying Role in a Musical. In addition, the production also received nominations for Best Direction for Michael Grandage, and nominations for Best Set Design, Best Costume Design, Best Choreography, Best Musical Direction, Best Lighting, Best Video Design and Best Graphic Design.
★★★★
“A visual feast to warm even the coldest of hearts.”
The Times
With music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and book by Jennifer Lee, Frozen is directed by Michael Grandage. The full cast for the production is Samantha Barks (Elsa), Stephanie McKeon (Anna), Obioma Ugoala (Kristoff), Craig Gallivan (Olaf), Oliver Ormson (Hans), Richard Frame (Weselton), and alternating the role of Sven, Mikayla Jade and Ashley Birchall; with Jeremy Batt, Cameron Burt, Lauren Chia, Laura Emmitt, Emily-Mae (Bulda), Hannah Fairclough, Danielle Fiamanya, Chris Fung (King Agnarr), Matt Gillett, Joe Griffiths-Brown, Emily Lane, Justin-Lee Jones, Jason Leigh Winter, Jacob Maynard, Leisha Mollyneaux, Sarah O’Connor, Jemma Revell, Joshua St. Clair (Pabbie), Jacqui Sanchez (Queen Iduna), Jak Skelly (Oaken/Bishop), Jake Small, Kerry Spark, Isabel Snaas, Monica Swayne, and Anna Woodside.
★★★★
“Frozen is an awesome spectacle with more heart, depth and darkness than the film.”
Time Out
Frozen was released in cinemas in 2013, winning multiple awards, including two Academy Awards® for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Let It Go”), the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film and the BAFTA for Best Animated Film. It was written and directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, withmusic and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Frozen 2, which debuted in November 2019 is the highest grossing animated film of all time.
Frozen has scheduled the following access performances – Audio Described Performance (Sunday 23 January 2022 1pm matinee) and Captioned Performance (Sunday 30 January 2022 at 5.30pm), and an additional Relaxed Performance (Sunday 9 October 12.30pm matinee).
Groups 9 to 19* Stalls & Royal Circle £49.50, Grand Circle £39.50
Groups 20+* Stalls & Royal Circle £45, Grand Circle £35
*Valid on Wednesday and Thursday 7pm performances and Thursday 2pm matinees subject to availability. Excludes school holidays and other blackout dates that may apply.
Education Groups 10+ † Stalls & Royal Circle £29.50 | Grand Circle £22.50
Plus one free teacher ticket for every ten paid tickets
Valid on Wednesday & Thursday 7pm and Thursday 2pm performances subject to availability. Excludes school holidays and other blackout dates that may apply. Minimum group size is 10. Education rate valid for groups up to Year 11.
PERFORMANCES:
Wednesday – Saturday 7pm
Thursday and Saturday 2pm
Sunday 1pm & 5.30pm
ACCESS & RELAXED PERFORMANCES:
Audio Described Performance Sunday 23 January 2022 1pm matinee
Captioned Performance Sunday 30 January 2022 at 5.30pm
Relaxed Performance Sunday 9 October 2022 12.30pm matinee
Belgrade Theatre announces casting for the world premiere of Tom Wright’s I Ain’t Dumb
The Belgrade Theatre is delighted to announce full casting for I Ain’t Dumb, a brand new play from acclaimed playwright and former Belgrade Youth Theatre member Tom Wright. Produced by PlayWell Productions and Epicene, in association with the Belgrade Theatre, I Ain’t Dumb premieres from Weds 9 – Sat 12 Feb in the B2 auditorium.
Following critically acclaimed hits Undetectable, My Dad’s Gap Year, and Very Special Guest Star, Tom Wright brings this electric world-premiere to his hometown of Coventry, as part of UK City of Culture celebrations.
A tough inner-city school, proud of its inclusivity, suddenly explodes in a rapidly escalating culture war.
Leave it to Natasha, grieving student, and Black Lives Matter activist, alongside streetwise gay-bestie Cieren, to try and desperately hold their classmates together. But what if Cieren is the reason everything is falling apart?
Sex secrets, hip-hop and hope fight for centre stage in a vibrant, loud and proud, real talk rollercoaster.
Rikki Beadle-Blair (MBE) directs a cast of young Midlands-based talent, including Simon Castle (Cieren), Harry Rose (Leon), Kavita Viyas (Mary), Sam Butters (Mark), Kimisha Lewis (Ms. Senabo), alongside newcomers Nicole Mbaeri (Natasha) and Vikas Gogana (Vikram), who are excited to be making their professional debuts.
Writer Tom Wright said: “I’m over the moon to be debuting brand new work here at the Belgrade, a theatre that was incredibly formative to me growing up in Coventry. We’re thrilled to also be running an extensive engagement programme. This sees us collaborating with LGBTQ+ young people in Coventry and connecting with local audiences through lively panel talks, as well as offering an LGBTQ+ writer substantial play development and a full staged reading in the B2 space.”
Justine Themen, Co-Artistic Director for the Belgrade’s City of Culture programme said: “We are delighted to have a piece of work written by Tom as part of the Belgrade’s City of Culture year. The Belgrade’s Co-Artistic Directors have been keen to programme a diversity of work that speaks to a broad range of the city’s communities, embedding each show in a context of creative collaboration and debate with the communities themselves. Our young people have been increasingly vocal about gender and sexuality over the last few years and we have been looking for a project to reflect and build on this. Tom’s work provides the perfect opportunity – his work has been a mouthpiece for LGBTQ+ experiences for several years in London where he now lives, and he is by origin a Coventry lad with roots in The Belgrade Youth Theatre. We are excited to see how the work will resonate with Coventry audiences.”
PLACE & NATURE TAKES CENTRE STAGE IN TBTL’S 2022 SEASON
• World Premiere of The Climbers by Carmen Nasr following its 2020 cancellation
• Co-production with Octagon Theatre Bolton of Kes, directed by award-winning Director Atri Banerjee
• Co-production of SWIM with Liz Richardson Productions Ltd, in association with imPOSSIBLE Producing Ltd
• Co-production of Emma Rice’s adaptation of Brief Encounter with Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough and Octagon Theatre Bolton
• Co-production of One Man Two Guvnors with Octagon Theatre Bolton & Liverpool Everyman
• Reprisal of Stockroom’s The Glee Club in association with Theatre by the Lake
Theatre by The Lake (TBTL) – is delighted to announce its eagerly anticipated 2022 season, an ambitious programme of work reprising shows originally planned for 2020’s cancelled season, as well as a whole raft of new collaborations. The yearincludes a World Premiere, an emphasis on nature and place, and a record number of collaborations with other leading northern theatres. Once again TBTL is cementing its reputation for excellence, working with the nation’s most exciting artists, celebrating stories relevant to its community through new collaborations and partnerships.
Themes of nature and place feature in the new season, kicking off the Studio in March with SWIM by Liz Richardson. Liz grew up in the Lake District and has written a beautiful ode to the healing power of nature and outdoor swimming after her community was rocked by tragedy. SWIM is directed by Andy Routledge and will embark on a rural and UK tour following its TBTL run.
The Main House season starts early in late February with TBTL working with Stockroom’s production of The Glee Club by Richard Cameron, before it embarks on a national tour. This is a raucous comedy featuring live music about a bunch of five hard-working, hard-drinking miners and a church organist rehearsing for a local gala.
Swiftly following in April will be a TBTL and Octagon Theatre Bolton co-production of Kes adapted by Robert Alan Evans. Ken Loach’s acclaimed British drama about a troubled teenager whose discovery of a hawk’s nest leads him down a road to freedom, passion and heartbreak will be brought to the stage in an exciting new imagining from award-winning director Atri Banerjee, who promises to weave traditional music through the heart of this production. Banerjee was recently named one of the top theatre-makers to watch out for in 2022 by The Stage, won The Stage Debut Award in 2019 and was nominated for the UK Theatre Award for Best Director for his production of Hobson’s Choice at the Royal Exchange Theatre.
Summer begins in June with the World Premiere of The Climbers by Carmen Nasr and directed by Guy Jones (Creative Associate, Headlong & Literary Associate, Orange Tree). A British-Lebanese writer and winner of Channel 4 Playwrights’ scheme, Carmen has been a member of the Orange Tree’s talent development programme, the Writers Collective, the Royal Court’s Playwright group and is playwright in residence at the Finborough Theatre. The play is a mesmerising exploration of our fascination with the mountains, the drive to conquer and the agony of life or death decisions in extreme situations, fittingly premiering in what is often credited as the adventure capital of England and reputed birthplace of the British rock climbing movement. The play was originally scheduled for Liz Stevenson’s inaugural 2020 season which was later cancelled due to the pandemic.
Next up from July – September TBTL are delighted to stage a Theatre by the Lake, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse co-production of the smash-hit comedy One Man, Two Guvnors. This raucous new production from Lotte Wakeham will introduce Cumbrian audiences to the hapless Francis Henshall, and his increasingly desperate measures to keep his two ‘guvnors’ from discovering one another. It’s sure to be a laugh-out-loud rollercoaster for audiences this Summer.
Autumn will see the theatre flexing their performance space to in-the-round seating again for Emma Rice’s joyous musical adaptation of Brief Encounter. With glorious musical numbers, physical comedy and maintaining the heady romance of the original, the theatre have teamed up with Stephen Joseph Theatre and Octagon Theatre Bolton to present this show following their successful collaboration on Home I’m Darling, TBTL’s reopening show of 2021.
Finishing the year is The Borrowers by Mary Norton, adapted for the stage by TheresaHeskins (presented with the permission of the deFaria Company).This production saw soaring sales when it was originally programmed for the 2020 cancelled season and will turn TBTL’s stage into an adventure playground for this tiny cast living beneath the floorboards. A festive choice for young hearts of all sizes.
Theatre by the Lake’s Artistic Director, Liz Stevenson, said of her season: “I’m so thrilled to announce our programme for 2022. It feels a long time in the making and a watershed moment as we look to the future after a challenging time for the theatre and our sector. I’m absolutely delighted that we’re producing the world premiere of The Climbers, and co-producing SWIM, maintaining our commitment to new writing and telling stories that have a connection to our unique landscape and local communities. I’m also proud to be partnering with so many fantastic northern theatres and exciting artists to bring top quality theatre to Keswick. Our programme of home-produced work will be surrounded by some fantastic visiting productions and special events that celebrate the creativity of our local communities and emerging theatre-makers, and we look forward to revealing more about our plans soon. We hope that the new season will bring audiences flocking back to experience the magic of live theatre once again.”
The theatre will continue to offer some guaranteed socially distanced performances for shows in its Spring Season including The Glee Club and Kes. For up-to-date Covid measures, please visit theatrebythelake.com/Covid-19
TICKETS GO ON SALE TODAY FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
RAMBERT DANCE IN
PEAKY BLINDERS: THE REDEMPTION OF THOMAS SHELBY
CREATED BY STEVEN KNIGHT | DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER BENOIT SWAN POUFFER
A Rambert Production in association with Birmingham Hippodrome
Co-produced with The Lowry
Inspired by the television series Peaky Blinders created by Steven Knight, in association with Caryn Mandabach Productions
Performances from 27 September at Birmingham Hippodrome followed by run at Troubadour Wembley Park, ahead of UK tour in 2023
Tickets go on sale today for the World Premiere of Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby. This first of its kind production will open on 27 September 2022 at co-producing partner venue Birmingham Hippodrome running until 2 October, followed by a London premiere at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre before embarking on a UK tour in 2023.
Written and adapted for the stage by Peaky Blinders’ creator Steven Knight, Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby is a dance theatre show directed and choreographed by Rambert’s Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer. The production will feature the 20 permanent Rambert dance company on stage, and a live band playing specially commissioned music. Further details will be announced in due course.
Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby is Rambert’s first collaboration of this kind and through dance theatre picks up the story of the Peaky Blinders at the end of World War One, following Tommy Shelby and Grace Burgess through their passionate love affair. While Tommy is building his empire, Grace is operating as an undercover agent for Special Branch on a mission to get close to the heart of Tommy’s gang. As the story unfolds, many hearts are broken.
Dazzling, athletic dance and stunning dramatisation with an iconic eclectic Peaky soundtrack from a live on-stage band.
Tommy and the Peaky Blinders fought together at Flanders and the show opens in the trenches. Bound by this experience, a very personal story unfolds as the Shelby family navigate the decisions that determine their fate and Tommy is intoxicated by the mysterious Grace.
Steven Knight said “Peaky Blinders has always had music and movement at its heart and now the beating heart of the show will be transferred to the stage, an interpretation of Tommy’s story performed by Rambert, one of the leading dance companies in the world. This is dance for people who don’t usually watch dance and what I’ve written has been transformed into something startling by consummate dancers and choreographers. If the concept of a Peaky Blinders dance seems strange, reserve judgement and reserve a ticket.”
Benoit Swan Pouffer added “Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby is something on a scale we’ve never done before, and I couldn’t be more ready for the challenge – it’s such an exciting opportunity as a choreographer to tell these stories and recreate these characters through dance. It is also a great collaborative opportunity to have been working closely with Steven Knight on this original production. What you’re going to get as a result will be an inspiring and uplifting dance show, but so much more than a dance show. There is of course a strong narrative, that of Tommy and the Peaky Blinders so it is dance, and it is also theatre. And with such iconic music from a live-onstage band, it is more again. I can’t wait to bring these hugely popular characters to the stage here in Birmingham, then on tour to audiences around the country”
Helen Shute, CEO and Executive Producer of Rambert added “Rambert has always been committed to making dance that resonates with audiences across the country and we’re incredibly honoured to be trusted by Steven Knight with his nationally beloved Peaky Blinders. It’s so fitting that we start the journey in Birmingham, where Rambert has been touring to since the 1930s. We look forward to welcoming a new generation of audiences to theatres with a story that speaks to so many people.”
Chris Sudworth, Director of Artistic Programme at Birmingham Hippodrome added “We are delighted to be partnering with Rambert on the creation and world premiere of Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby. The opportunity to collaborate on a production that is so synonymous with our city is incredibly exciting and we cannot wait for audiences to experience the thrill of seeing the well-known characters from the show come to life on our stage in this sensational adaptation by Steven Knight.”
The 2023 UK tour will visit Norwich Theatre Royal (17-21 January), Alhambra Theatre, Bradford (25-28 January), Hull New Theatre (31 January-4 February), Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (7-11 February), Royal and Derngate, Northampton (21-25 February), Festival Theatre Edinburgh (28 February-4 March), The Lowry, Salford (14-18 March), Wales Millenium Centre, Cardiff (21-25 March) and Theatre Royal Plymouth (28 March-1 April).
EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD LA VOIX TO TOUR THE UK IN 2021
Credit Chris Jepson
Move over hanging gardens of Babylon, Egypt’s pyramids step aside, because there’s a new wonder of the world in town – La Voix! Officially the UK’s Funniest Red Head, La Voix is hot footing it across the UK with her live band in a brand new show for 2022 – The Eighth Wonder! From January.
Most famously known for making it to the finals of Britain’s Got Talent, La Voix has gone on to be a regular on both stage and screen working closely with many big stars including Mickey Rooney, Cilla Black, Pamela Anderson, Brigitte Nielsen, Ruby Wax and many more – also appearing in Ab Fab The Movie alongside Joanne Lumley and Jennifer Saunders.
When the feisty flame-haired phenomenon isn’t giving it out on her hilarious talk show on BBC Radio, the award-winning star and Royal Family favourite is busy performing for the rich and famous. She has twice entertained Princes William and Harry at their New Year’s Eve party and topped the bill at Sir Ian McKellan’s 80th birthday bash who said: “La Voix’s impersonations are surpassed only by her own cheekily entertaining personality. A genuine one-off!”
Having caught the imagination of theatre goes across the globe La Voix is currently representing the UK in on globally televised competition Queen of the Universe from Paramount Plus – soon to air in the UK.
For the past 10 years in her stage shows the vivacious performer has been taking on the big ‘divas’ and making them her own, her uncanny ability to switch between the vocal styles of Tina Turner, Shirley Bassey, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland or Cher with the click of a finger leaves the audience mesmerized, these spine-tingling vocals interspersed with a razor-sharp saucy wit brings audiences to their feet time and time again, whistling for more at every show.
‘Wear thick pants because you’ll wet yourself laughing’ – Jennifer Saunders
‘To describe la Voix Purely as a singer would be like calling Picasso a decorator’ – Broadway baby
‘When I Grow up I wanna be La Voix ‘- Dawn French
‘A masterclass in comedy timing’ – The Times
La Voix brings fans and first-timers a unique evening of entertainment – forget everything you think this might be. In the company of a true legend, you’re guaranteed to be up on your feet with music and laughter and a whole lot of glamour.
La Voix says “I can’t wait to meet you all on my 2022 Eight Wonder tour so dig out your sparkly shoes and join me for a night of music, song and lots of laughs – after the last couple of years it’s just the tonic – you bring the gin!”
The perfect night out for theatre, comedy and musical fans! La Voix’s shows are not to be missed! Find out more about the tour and book your tickets at www.lavoix.co.uk
The Eight Wonder Tour is sponsored by P&O Cruises. La Voix regularly performs in The Limelight Club on P&O Cruises newest, greenest and most contemporary ship Iona. Limelight Club is a supper club combining fine dining with comedy, singing, acting from many celebrity names.
Peter James and producer Joshua Andrews are pleased to confirm a run at Richmond Theatre from 14 – 19 February 2022 for the World Premiere stage production of the Peter James best-selling novel “LOOKING GOOD DEAD” and are delighted to announce that Laurie Brett will reunite with Adam Woodyatt to play husband and wife Tom and Kellie Bryce. Laurie and Adam famously starred as husband and wife Ian and Jane Beale in BBC’s EastEnders. The rest of the cast of “LOOKING GOOD DEAD” includes Harry Long as Roy Grace, Ian Houghton as Jonas, Leon Stewart as Branson, Gemma Stroyan as Bella, Luke Ward-Wilkinson as Max Bryce, Mylo McDonald as Mick and Natalie Boakye as Janie.
Laurie Brett said today “It is so exciting to be getting back on stage in such a thrilling play. I’m a massive Peter James fan and to be working alongside my dear friend Adam as husband and wife again is going to be great fun. I can’t wait to get started!”
Laurie Brett is probably best known for her portrayal of Jane Beale in “EastEnders”, a role she played for ten years. Her other TV credits include DC Gemma Darlington in Channel 4’s “Deadwater Fell” and Christine Mulgrew in the BBC’s “Waterloo Road”. No stranger to the stage her many theatre credits include “Les Miserables” in the West End, “Smokey Joe’s Café”, Magenta in “The Rocky Horror Show” opposite Jason Donovan and most recently in the acclaimed stage adaptation of Kay Mellor’s “Band of Gold”, which was also produced by Josh Andrews.
Adam Woodyatt said today “I am so thrilled to be working with Laurie on Looking Good Dead. We formed such a great working relationship on EastEnders and it’s brilliant to now be able to bring that to the stage. The reaction the play has already had this year from audiences has been amazing. I’ve had so much fun doing the show and to have Laurie join us next year is a wonderful added bonus – she will be great!”
CELEBRATING TWO DECADES SINCE THE FIRST UK TOUR IN 2002
Raymond Gubbay Limited is pleased to announce that The Russian State Ballet of Siberia, accompanied by the Russian State Ballet Orchestra, are back on stage and touring the UK in 2022 with their iconic performances of THE NUTCRACKER, SWAN LAKE, SNOW MAIDEN, CINDERELLA and ROMEO AND JULIET, all brought to life with magical special effects.
This season marks the twentieth anniversary of the company’s first season in the UK, with their work first presented at St David’s Hall in Cardiff in 2002. Whilst the challenges of the omicron variant and Welsh government restrictions meant that the first Cardiff dates of the tour were not able to go ahead in December 2021 as planned, the company were able to launch the tour afresh with SWAN LAKE in Manchester in early January, and are now delighting audiences around the country once again.
The company will tour the UK until the end of March, and will visit Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol, Darlington, Edinburgh, High Wycombe, Hull, Ipswich, Leicester, Liverpool, Northampton, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Southend, Wimbledon and Wolverhampton.
The Russian State Ballet of Siberia – led by Artistic Director Sergei Bobrov, and Music Director Anatoly Tchepurnoi – has established itself as one of Russia’s leading ballet companies and has built an international reputation for delivering performances of outstanding quality and depth. Since their first Christmas season at St David’s Hall in Cardiff in 2002, the Company has completed 18 UK tours and has had success in Italy, Spain, Slovakia, Japan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates and Singapore.
The ballets performed this season are:
Swan Lake
The greatest romantic ballet of all time is brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s haunting and unforgettable score. From the impressive splendour of the Palace ballroom to the moon-lit lake where swans glide in perfect formation, this compelling tale of tragic romance has it all. From Odile, the temptress in black tutu as she seduces the Prince by spinning with captivating precision to the spellbound purity of the swan queen, Odette, as she flutters with emotional intensity, the dual role of Odette/Odile is one of ballet’s most unmissable technical challenges.
The Nutcracker
This most famous of fantasy ballets for all the family begins as night falls on Christmas Eve. As snowflakes fall outside, the warm glow of the open fire sends flickering shadows across the boughs of the Christmas tree and all the presents beneath. When midnight strikes we are swept away to a fairytale world where nothing is quite as it seems, toy dolls spring to life, the Mouse King and his mouse army battle with the Nutcracker Prince and we travel through the Land of Snow to an enchanted place where the magic really begins…
Snow Maiden
Protected from the outside world by Father Frost, the exquisite Snow Maiden plays innocently amongst the dancing snowflakes in the enchanted Land of Frost. Based on a traditional folk-tale, set in the snow covered landscape of rural Russia, this seasonal sparkler follows the Snow Maiden as she dances into the human world. Captivated by the colourful village and the people who live there, she ventures too far and is swept up by feelings of love, temptation and betrayal. When finally she surrenders herself completely and warms to love, her heart melts in a tragic embrace.
Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare’s tale of primal passion and timeless tragedy is brought to life by Prokofiev’s soaring score, set in bustling Renaissance Verona and with an emotionally charged choreography that befits the world’s greatest love story. From the grandeur of the masked ball to the intimacy of the lovers’ balcony, this star-crossed story of duels, bitter family feuds and love that cannot be, is unmissable.
Cinderella
The world’s favourite rags to riches fairy-tale where dreams can come true is a magical mix of Prokofiev’s energetic score, lively choreography and colourful costumes. Whilst her mad/bad stepmother and her ill-mannered daughters prepare for the Royal Ball, graceful Cinderella can only dream of dancing with the dashing Prince. Later that evening, her rags become a glittering gown and she is swept magically to the Ball. From that very moment the Prince is smitten, midnight strikes and one lost crystal slipper later, he must now embark on a journey to find his lost love….
The Russian State Ballet of Siberia was formed in 1978 by talented graduates from choreographic schools in Moscow, St Petersburg, Kiev, Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg. Many have gone on to become award winning artists and made prominent appearances at international ballet competitions and festivals. The company is proud of its dancers who are highly acclaimed worldwide for their unique interpretation of both dramatic and comic roles, delivering performances of sincere emotional and dramatic integrity. Over 100 opera and ballet productions have been created for the Theatre over the past 40 years with many receiving high critical and public acclaim. Since 2002, Sergei Bobrov has been Artistic Director of the Krasnoyarsk State Ballet (Russian State Ballet of Siberia). Leading dancers from across Russia have forged their skills and artistry under his direction in new productions of timeless classics such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia and La Fille mal gardée. Under the direction of Sergei Bobrov, the Russian State Ballet of Siberia continues to expand its repertoire. In addition to commissioning new works from within Russia and abroad, the company specializes in 20th-Century full-length ballets such as Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, Spartacus, The Golden Age, Mozart & Salieri, Electra and Antigone.
Northern Ireland 2019. Stormont shut down for a third year running. Rising paramilitary shootings. Brexit looming. Finally, the decriminalisation of abortion. Tumultuous times, even for a region that seems to have specialised in tumultuous times. And not necessarily the most obvious backdrop for a play as filled with humour as this. The humour serves as a counterpoint to the darker elements of the story, and this is a thought-provoking play that will make you laugh and cry.
The narrative plays with time and switches between the telling of the story and the story itself, tripping up the viewer and making them consider the importance of the person telling the story.
So where does the story start, and where does it begin? Is it September 2019? May 2019? Or does it all go back to Bloody Sunday, a fateful day in 1972 that had a far-reaching effect on brother and sister Conor and Niamh and their family? The repercussions of that day were still being felt in 2019, as it was announced that an ex-paratrooper, ‘Soldier F’, would be tried for the murders of two of those that died in the massacre. The region’s complex history interweaves with a twisting plot to give us a sense of how normal people dealing with far from normal situations. No leprachauns, no dancing, no whiskey, but a tale told with humanity, humour and understanding.
This is a reworked version of the play that enjoyed its first run at the VAULT Festival in 2020, and on the small Park Theatre stage, minimal props are moved around the stage by the cast between scenes, scaffolding multitasking as a bus stop, a washing line and a supermarket aisle. It’s simple and effective, if a little obtrusive.
Presented by Plain Heroines, a female-led theatre company that, in their own words ‘makes funny plays about difficult subjects’, The 4th Country was written by co-founder Kate Reid, also one of the four-person Irish and Northern Irish cast along with Cormac Elliott, Aoife Kennan and Rachael Rooney. The Park Theatre. The play was a finalist for the Charlie Hartill Award 2020. Direction is by Gabriella Bird, co-artistic director of Plain Heroines and Creative Associate at Jermyn Street Theatre.
