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THE TURBINE THEATRE ANNOUNCES FULL LINE-UP

FOR PAUL TAYLOR-MILLS’ FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICAL THEATRE

MTFESTUK 2022

RUNNING FROM 31 JANUARY – 12 FEBRUARY

The Turbine Theatre’s Artistic Director, Paul Taylor-Mills, announces the exciting and diverse new musicals selected for this year’s MTFestUK 2022. The line-up includes: No Limits, Halls , Wuthering Heights – The Musical, Train On Fire, RuneSical, Father/Son, Jeanne and Queeroes.

A celebration of new musical theatre, MTFestUK2022runs from 31 January – 12 February 2022 at The Turbine Theatre in Battersea and sets out to promote quality artistry with a view to showcasing and elevating projects to full production, giving audiences an insight into the process of creating new work and the art of collaboration. Paul Taylor-Mills launched the inaugural MTFestUK season at The Other Palace in 2019, followed by a 2020 & 2021 season at The Turbine Theatre.

THIS YEAR’S LINE-UP FOR MTFESTUK 2022 WILL INCLUDE:

NO LIMITS

By Sam Thomas

Have you ever felt that you’re behind in life? That you’re not where you want to be, or where you think you should be? “Seems like everybody’s getting married and being promoted and having babies and moving somewhere, but does it really mean you’re losing? You’re not!”

No Limits is an exciting new song-cycle by Sam Thomas that shatters the notion of falling behind in life – because there’s really no such thing. It follows characters as they dare to believe in themselves and strive for a better tomorrow. A show with heart, humour and a message we should all take on board… Know no limits.

***

HALLS

By Jennifer Harrison and George Stroud

Halls centres on a diverse group of eight, first-year uni students from different cultural backgrounds and upbringings who are brought together when they find out they’ve been allocated the same exact flat in Halls of Residence: Flat 15B. Over the course of the show, audiences can look forward to some rich character development as they witness these eight lovable students blossom and develop over their academic school year.  

The new Halls musical also takes on many themes typical to life at university, including the cost of student living, love and romance, freshers week, flat arguments, cramming the night before an exam, and self-acceptance. Now forced to own up to the decisions they make, will these characters manage to find their footing in the world with the greatest of ease? Or will there be lots of trial and error? 

Featuring upbeat, feel-good vibes that evoke feelings of nostalgia for our uni days, Halls is set against the backdrop of a catchy, contemporary, pop-rock soundtrack

***

WUTHERING HEIGHTS – THE MUSICAL

By Lizzie Lister, Mick Lister and Clare Lonsdale

This is Wuthering Heights like you’ve never seen before, retold through a haunting, filmic score, fusing the classical with the contemporary. We revitalise Brontë’s renowned Gothic romance through a 21^st century lens. Wild, whimsical Cathy has grown up on the Yorkshire moors, and when Heathcliff, the young immigrant orphan, is thrust into her life, the pair soon become inseparable. This brutally honest retelling of Heathcliff and Cathy’s death-defying love highlights the novel’s most hard-hitting themes, and will harden, break and heal your heart. From the lovelorn Lintons, tyrannical Hindley, to the all-seeing, all-knowing Nelly Dean, this adaptation gives every character the chance to tell their side of the story.  

Within these walls our story lives, a captive soul hunts freedom in the Heights

***

TRAIN ON FIRE

By Annabelle Lee

Kitty Marion just wanted to be a singer. Instead, she became one of the most volatile, violent suffragettes in Britain’s history. Train on Fire is a musical where the feminists of today tell the story of a feminist of yesterday

***

RUNESICAL
By Sam Cochrane and Alex Prescot

Sword equipped. Potions ready. High-speed internet connected.

Based on the hugely popular online game RuneScape, join Lance_054 (the first fifty-three were taken) on a quest where YOU, the audience, decide where the characters go next! Whether you’re an experienced player or a total noob, Gigglemug Theatre (The Stage Edinburgh Award Winners) bring you a new multi-pathway musical which will have the whole family laughing from start to finish.

***

FATHER/SON

By Nick Butcher & Fraser Watt

A beautiful exploration of the relationship between Liam, known as ‘Godfather of the Blues’, and his son Finley, a songwriter chasing the charts. 

From adolescence to adulthood, the two musicians endure stadium stomping highs and earth-shattering lows. Together, they discover at what cost they are willing to sacrifice relationships, authenticity, and eventually each other to become ‘King of the Road’.

***

JEANNE

By Shirlie Roden

A through-composed rock opera, “Jeanne” traces the story of the legendary fifteenth-century Joan of Arc, a young peasant girl destined for greatness, who claims to have been chosen by God to liberate her country and to crown the Dauphin as King of France. The dramatic raising of the siege of Orleans finds Jeanne fulfilling her vision, standing beside the Dauphin as he is crowned. 

After failing to retake Paris, Jeanne is later captured and taken to Rouen to stand trial where her destiny is sealed as she is condemned as a heretic and sentenced to be burned alive – the flames a living symbol through the centuries

***

QUEEROES

Book by Victoria Bush and Laura Checkley

Music by Gus Gowland, Leo & Hyde

(An original idea conceived by Paul Taylor-Mills)

Queeroes is a celebration of some of history’s iconic queer heroes. The ones that should have made your history lessons at school…but didn’t. It’s time to shine the spotlight on them and imagine what if. What if Alan Turing ending up in the same room as Frida Carlo. What would they talk about? And… if they could sing…what might they sing. Join us as we celebrate queer history in this irreverent and high-octane party.

REHEARSAL IMAGES RELEASED FOR BRAND NEW PRODUCTION OF ORWELL’S

ANIMAL FARM

ADAPTED & DIRECTED BY THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED & MULTI AWARD-WINNING

ROBERT ICKE

WITH DESIGNS BY BUNNY CHRISTIE & PUPPETRY BY TOBY OLIÉ

RUNNING FROM 22 JANUARY – 28 MAY 2022

 PRESENTED BY THE CHILDREN’S THEATRE PARTNERSHIP

IN ASSOCIATION WITH BIRMINGHAM REP

Rehearsal images are released for the highly anticipated upcoming production of George Orwell’s classic satirical fable, Animal Farm, adapted and directed by the multi award-winning Robert Icke (The Doctor, Hamlet, Mary Stuart, Oresteia, 1984).

The brand-new production will embark on an extensive UK tour, opening at Birmingham Rep from 22 January 2022, with press night on Wednesday 2 February.  The play then tours to Cambridge, Newcastle, Bath, Norwich, Salford, Plymouth, Nottingham, Coventry, Blackpool, Liverpool, Canterbury, Richmond and Wolverhampton, completing its run on 28 May 2022 at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre.

The cast of Animal Farm includes Matt Churcher, Darcy Collins, Enrico D. Wey, Ailsa Dalling, Elisa De Grey,  Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Ailsa Edmundson, Michael Jean-Marain, Rayo Patel, Yana Penrose, Markus Schabbing, Sharon Sze, Ben Thompson and Matt Tait.

The production also combine the forces of some of UK theatre’s most talented creatives, including designs by the four-time Olivier Award-winning Bunny Christie (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Company, Ink, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), and puppetry by Toby Olié (War Horse, Running Wild, The Grinning Man, Goodnight Mister Tom).

The animals of Manor Farm drive out the farmer and run the farm themselves.

A revolution. And then what? Then freedom. Every animal will be free.

Old Major, the prize boar, calls the animals of Manor Farm together.

He has had a strange dream of a better future.

George Orwell’s world-famous, biting political novelwas first published in 1945 and tells the story of a revolution and its aftermath. Re-imagined by an award-winning creative team, Animal Farm is a dynamic, daring and contemporary take on a timeless story.

Icke previously worked on another of Orwell’s classics, 1984, which he co-adapted and directed alongside Duncan Macmillan, garnering him his first Olivier Award nomination for Best New Play in 2014, enjoying smash-hit runs in both the West End and on Broadway. Animal Farm also reunites Icke and Christie following their celebrated 2016 collaboration on The Red Barn at the National Theatre. 

The production is produced by Children’s Theatre Partnership (CTP) in association with Birmingham Rep. CTP creates bold and imaginative theatre for young people, engaging new audiences and aiming to inspire a life-long love of theatre. 

C A M E R O N   M A C K I N T O S H   –   T H E   F I R S T   5 0   Y E A R S

TO BE PRESENTED BY SKY ARTS ALONGSIDE THE BROADCAST PREMIERES OF

LES MISÉRABLES – THE STAGED CONCERT AND

KIPPS – THE NEW HALF A SIXPENCE MUSICAL

AS WELL AS SCREENINGS OF

MISS SAIGON 25THANNIVERSARY PERFORMANCE AND

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

Sky Arts is to broadcast a new documentary Cameron Mackintosh – The First 50 Years on Monday 27 December 2021 at 7pm, a two-hour programme featuring Mackintosh’s life as a producer told through his own eyes and those of his friends and colleagues including his most famous writer collaborators – Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Sondheim.  Mackintosh remains the world’s most prolific producers of musicals, with over 50 shows either on or in pre-production.

Stephen Sondheim’s contribution was filmed ten days before he sadly passed away and this programme is dedicated to his memory.  Cameron Mackintosh – The First 50 Years is directed by George Scott and produced by Dione Orrom on behalf of NBC Universal and marks Mackintosh’s 75^th birthday and celebrates his achievements over 50 years as a producer.

Cameron Mackintosh – The First 50 Years features interviews with Michael Ball, Christopher Biggins, Alain Boublil, Jon-Jon Briones, Paule Constable, William Differ, Anthony Drewe, Richard Eyre, Maria Friedman, Sonia Friedman, Norm Lewis, Patti LuPone, Michael Le Poer Trench, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Julia McKenzie, Clarke Peters, Liz Robertson, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Stephen Sondheim, Charlie Stemp, George Stiles, Giles Terera, Robert Wankel, Nicholas Allott and Julie Andrews and filmed extracts will include Cats, Hamilton, Just So, Kipps – The New Half a Sixpence Musical, Les Misérables – Concerts and Stage, Little Shop of Horrors, Miss Saigon, Side by Side by Sondheim, Putting It Together, Follies, Swan Lake and The Phantom of the Opera.

Over the Christmas season Sky Arts will also present screenings of Mackintosh’s Les Misérables – The Staged Concert on Friday 24 December 2021 at 7.30pm, Miss Saigon 25^th Anniversary Performance on Monday 27 December 2021 at 10pm, The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 27 December 2021 at 4.15pm and Kipps – The New Half a Sixpence Musical on Wednesday 29 December 2021 at 6.30pm.

Les Misérables – The Staged Concert – broadcast premiere

Coinciding with its 35th triumphant year in London’s West End, Cameron Mackintosh produced a spectacular sell-out staged concert version at the Gielgud Theatre featuring an all-star cast including Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Carrie Hope Fletcher and Matt Lucas.  Now experience the musical phenomenon at home, after it broke box office records and sold out its entire season. Featuring a cast and orchestra of over 65 and including the songs ‘I Dreamed A Dream’, ‘Bring Him Home’, ‘One Day More’ and ‘On My Own’ this sensational staged concert is not to be missed – an absolute must-see for any fans of musical theatre or live event cinema.

Miss Saigon 25^th Anniversary Performance

The spectacular, sell-out 25th Anniversary Gala Performance of this acclaimed new production of the global stage sensation was described as “the most thrilling, soaring and emotionally stirring musical with magnificent performances” by the Daily Telegraph and “the best live film of a stage show that I’ve seen” by the Daily Mail. The epic love story tells the tragic tale of young bar girl Kim, orphaned by war, who falls in love with American GI Chris – but their lives are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. Starring Eva Noblezada, Jon Jon Briones, Alistair Brammer and Rachelle Ann Go.  The special gala finale also features appearances by the original cast including Jonathan Pryce and Lea Salonga.

The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall

To celebrate its 25^th Anniversary year, Cameron Mackintosh produced a special Gala performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom Of The Opera turning the Royal Albert Hall for the first time ever into a sumptuous Victorian Theatre with a spectacular fully staged production. The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall stars Ramin Karimloo as ‘The Phantom’ and Sierra Boggess as ‘Christine’. They are joined by Hadley Fraser as ‘Raoul’, Barry James as ‘Monsieur Firmin’, Gareth Snook as ‘Monsieur André’, Liz Robertson as ‘Madame Giry’, Wynne Evans as ‘Piangi’ and a supporting cast and orchestra of over 200, plus some special guest appearances.

Kipps – The New Half a Sixpence Musical – broadcast premiere

Cameron Mackintosh and Chichester Festival Theatre’s critically acclaimed new musical version of the H. G. Wells novel Kipps – The New Half a Sixpence Musical broke records in Chichester in 2016 before transferring to the Noël Coward Theatre in London’s West End where it received rave reviews. Starring Charlie Stemp as ‘Arthur Kipps’ and Devon-Elise Johnson as ‘Ann’– alongside Ian Bartholomew as ‘Chitterlow’ and Emma Williams as ‘Helen’.  The Daily Telegraph said, “this show is pure gold.  Charlie Stemp is a star in the making, sends the audiences into raptures” and the production was described by the Mail on Sunday as, “a lavish, spirit-lifting treat”. 

YOU SHOULD BE DANCIN’!

CONFIRMS ITS CASTING FOR

THE WEST END PREMIERE OF THIS NEW PRODUCTION 

AT THE PEACOCK THEATRE  

FROM 4 FEBRUARY – 26 MARCH 2022 

AND ON TOUR FROM 5 JANUARY 2022

Bill Kenwright’s production of Saturday Night Fever will have its West End Premiere for a strictly limited 8-week run at the Peacock Theatre, starting 4 February – 26 March.  This will be preceded by a short UK tour, opening at the New Theatre Oxford on 5 January, and traveling to Truro, Darlington and Manchester

Richard Winsor, the celebrated principal dancer of Matthew Bourne’s Dorian Gray, Edward Scissorhands, Play Without Words and Swan Lake, will lead the cast in the role of Tony Manero. He will be joined by Olivia Fines as his dancing partner Stephanie. A feature of this new production will be the onstage appearance, high above the stage, of Jake Byrom, Oliver Thomson and James Hudson playing and singing the Bee Gees’ soundtrack.

The cast is completed by Kevin O’Dwyer (Bobby C); James Brice (Gus); Paul French (Double J); Michael Cortez (Joey); Jasmin Colangelo (Annette); Tosca Fischer (Connie); Lydia Bradd (Linda); Philip Aiden (Frank Senior); Marios Nicolaides (Frank Junior); Melody Jones (Flo Manero); Faizal Jaye (DJ Monty); Celeste Zollino (ensemble); Ashley Luke Lloyd (ensemble); Luca Rapisarda (ensemble); James Wilkinson-Jones (ensemble); Helen Gulston (ensemble); James Cohen (ensemble).

Saturday Night Fever tells the story of Tony Manero and his reckless road to dancing success. The musical features the Bee Gees’ greatest hits including Stayin’ Alive, How Deep Is Your Love, Night Fever, Tragedy and More Than a Woman, with special permission for this production to use added Bee Gees songs including Too Much Heaven and Words.

The ‘70s classic Paramount/RSO movie based on the New York Magazine Article Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night written by Nik Cohn in 1976 was an instant hit when it was released in cinemas. The album remains the best-selling movie soundtrack of all time.

Whilst paying homage to the movie, this musical revival promises more music and hot new choreography. The new production also specially features onstage actor-musicians in the roles of the Bee Gees, singing the hit soundtrack alongside a talented cast.

Bill Kenwright says, “When I first saw the film over forty years ago, like the rest of the world I was not only mesmerised by a terrific small budget movie, but also by the soundtrack. It was that feeling of being carried along by Maurice, Robin and Barry’s searing vocals and melodies that I wanted to feature in my theatre production, and which led to me include a live band on stage replicating that experience as well as we can.”

The production is produced and directed by Bill Kenwright, with choreography by Bill Deamer, design by Gary McCann, lighting by Nick Richings, and sound by Dan Samson. The stage adaptation is by Robert Stigwood in collaboration with Bill Oakes.  

Coming Soon to London’s West End…Spitting Image Live, featuring the Liar King

Live Public Service Satire from the BritBox and ITV hit show to land in 2022

It was announced today (20 December 2021) that the Spitting Image puppets will tread the boards of London’s West End in 2022.  

Spitting Image co-creator Roger Law added: “The last month has shown Spitting Image has been far too kind to Boris and his pals on TV recently.  So to deliver the kind of sharp satire and laughter they deserve Spitting Image have decided to make a live production.  Whilst Boris and his boys and girls level themselves ever upwards to the sunny uplands… we are preparing to level them down to size in a West End theatrical show.  We can’t give too much away at this time, possibly because we’re still writing it, however, unlike Boris, we will deliver with no shortcuts.  I’m afraid there will be lies because it’s Boris.  I can tell you that we have devised a spectacular show-stopping ending, a huge carnival head of Boris that fills the stage will open its mouth and spew a snowstorm of paper lies all over the theatre. The lies printed on small pieces of paper will flutter down onto the audience who will be able to pick up their favourite Boris untruths and take them home as mementoes. Videndum spectaculum!”

Further information will be announced in due course.

Since returning in 2020Spitting Image has delivered record subscribers for BritBox UK, the BBC and ITV created streaming platform, as well as picking up huge critical acclaim (quotes below). Across official social media channels, Spitting Image content has been hugely popular with over 200 million views globally, three No. 1 trending videos on YouTube and achieved praise across political the political divide (quotes below).  Three one-off specials for ITV have also seen huge success on terrestrial television: with a 4.4 million audience with a one-off US Election Special, the highest Saturday night ratings at that time in four years (one of ITV’s biggest Saturday night ABC1 audiences of 2020); a 2021 Halloween Special was the channel’s second most watched show on the Saturday it was broadcast; and a Christmas Special is scheduled for this Christmas Eve at 10pm.

Series two has already seen the introduction of new puppets of prominent figures including: Emma Raducanu, Olivia Colman, Sajid Javid, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Tom Cruise, Tom Daley, Jess Phillips, Ariana Grande, Gary Lineker, Bill Gates, Ellen DeGeneres, and Raheem Sterling, to name a few, to add to the existing cast of hundreds puppets of global figures including: Joe Biden, Boris Johnson, Cristiano Ronaldo, Prince Andrew, Harry Kane, Vladimir Putin, Harry & Meghan, Beyoncé, Angela Merkel, Dwayne Johnson, Gareth Southgate, Ed Sheeran, Jürgen Klopp, Elon Musk, Adele, Covid-19, James Corden, Emmanuel Macron, Mark Zuckerberg, Donald Trump, and Dominic Cummings.

With the world getting smaller and more turbulent, last year celebrated Spitting Image co-creator Roger Law returned to head up the show’s creative team, while multi-award-winner Jeff Westbrook (The Simpsons, Futurama) joined as Showrunner, leading the TV show’s international writing team on the iconic British satirical take on global events. A next generation of satirical writers and voice artists worked with established talent to drive a new wave of ‘public service satire’. Writers on series 2 of the TV show included: Al Murray, Bert Tyler-Moore (The Windsors), Bill Odenkirk (The Simpsons), Brona C. Titley (The Tracey Ullman Show), Jason Hazeley & Nico Tatarowicz (Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe/Murder in Successville), Karl Minns (Russell Howard’s Good News), Keisha Zollar (Astronomy Club), Laura Major (Famalam), Matt Forde, Patric Verrone (The Simpsons), with many more joining the growing team.  Voice artists include: Billy West (Futurama), Debra Stephenson (The Impressions Show), Debra Wilson (Family Guy), Tom Stourton (Pls Like, Horrible Histories), Eshaan Akbar (Mock The Week) Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), Jess Robinson (The Imitation Game), John DiMaggio (Futurama), Lewis MacLeod (Dead Ringers), Lobo Chan (Killing Eve), Luke Kempner (The Imitation Game), Matt Forde (The Political Party) and Phil LaMarr (Pulp Fiction), with many more joining as the puppet cast grows. The show is ultra-topical with scripts being written and new puppets made as close to each episode as possible.

Internationally, a bespoke German language version of the show has successfully launched in Germany with Der Spiegel hailing it as “really good” and news stories of far-right politicians from AfD considering legal action – Spitting Image: The Krauts’ Edition, includes the globally resonating content from the English language version (redubbed by Germany’s leading voice artists), with new topical local sketches (written by German comedy writers) – all filmed in the UK-based Spitting Image studio as close to transmission to ensure maximum topicality.  Elsewhere the debut drew the second-best channel audience figure in Finland for its time slot and was hailed by the leading Finnish newspaper as being, “As vicious and risqué as before”and successfully launched in Belgium with a 22% of total TV audience share, the show is a leading title for BritBox Australia, as well as seeing millions of views in the USA via YouTube.

Spitting Image Live will be produced by Avalon.  

More information on Spitting Image Live to follow soon…

Running with Lions to star Bridgerton’s Ruby Barker as full casting announced at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

• Ruby Barker best known as Marina Thompson in Bridgerton, Suzette Llewellyn as seen in EastEnders, prolific stage and screen star Wil Johnson, Velile Tshabalala and Nickcolia King-N’da to star in world premiere
  
• Co-production between the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company runs at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from 10 February to 12 March. www.lyric.co.uk 

The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company today announce full casting for the world premiere of Running with Lions starring Ruby Barker (Bridgerton), Wil Johnson (Waking the Dead), Suzette Llewellyn (EastEnders), Nickcolia King-N’da (The Death Of A Blackman) and Velile Tshabalala (Call The Midwife). The debut stage play from new writing talent Sian Carter will be directed by Talawa’s Artistic Director Michael Buffong (A Kind of People, Guys & Dolls) in the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s Main House from 10 February to 12 March with opening night for press on 15 February.

The production brings together Ruby Barker, best known for playing Marina Thompson in Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton; Wil Johnson who has performed extensively on stage and the screen for 30+ years including all nine series of Waking the Dead as DS Spencer Jordan; Nickcolia King-N’da most recently on stage in The Death Of A Blackman at Hampstead Theatre; Suzette Llewellyn who most recentlyplayed Sheree Truman in EastEnders and will mark her first appearance in Hammersmith where she was born; and Velile Tshabalala recently seen as Viv in Hollyoaks and who has previously starred as Kareesha Lopez in Kerching, Monique Hyde in Call The Midwife and Rosita in Dr Who.

Michael Buffong, Artistic Director of Talawa Theatre Company, said: “Sian Carter is a brilliant new writer; her story of an intergenerational family learning to overcome the challenges we all face today is, I think, life-affirming. To be able to co-produce this play with the Lyric is a welcomed dream. We have an amazing cast and I believe this is going to be an absolute treat for audiences.”

Rachel O’Riordan, Artistic Director of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre said: “I’ve long admired the work of Talawa Theatre Company and Michael Buffong and it’s a joy to be working with them on Running with Lions, our very first co-production together, and championing an exceptional new writer, Sian Carter. We can’t wait to welcome an incredible cast and team to the Lyric and share this bold, exciting work with audiences in the New Year.”

Set and costume Design is by Soutra Gilmour (Macbeth – Almeida, Out West – Lyric Hammersmith Theatre), Lighting Design by Aideen Malone (Death of a Salesman – Young Vic and West End), Sound Design by Tony Gayle (Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical – West End) and Casting by Chandra Ruegg (Lava – Bush Theatre).

Running with Lions is an intergenerational family drama about love, loss and hope: following three generations of women, it explores what it means to allow those we love to be themselves. It marks the first co-production between the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company, the UK’s outstanding Black British Theatre Company. The production is based on the audio play of the same name originally commissioned by BBC Radio 4.

Following the death of a loved one, a British-Caribbean family struggles to come to terms with their grief. Isolated by their generational beliefs and challenges to their faith and mental health, they live between the things they do and do not say. Running with Lions explores the journey of one family’s reconciliation after loss and the rediscovery of love and joy.

As part of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s Free First Night scheme, all tickets for the first preview of Running with Lions on Thursday 10 February will be free to people who live or work in Hammersmith and Fulham. Registration for the ballot will open in January 2022 via https://lyric.co.uk/our-home/about-us/free-first-night/

Ruby Barker (Imani) is best known for playing Marina Thompson in Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton. Her other screen credits include the lead role of Yakira in the multi-award winning independent feature film How To Stop A Recurring Dream and Georgia Nixon in Sky’s political drama Cobra.

Wil Johnson (Maxwell) has performed extensively on stage and screen, and in 2016 he received the British Urban Film Festival honorary award for 30+ years’ outstanding contribution to film and television. Television credits include DS Spencer Jordan in all nine series of Waking the Dead, Carnival Row, The Larkins, Outlander, Death in Paradise, Vera, Lewis. Film includes Adulthood, Anuvahood and Macbeth. Theatre includes The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (Bridge Theatre), Women Beware Women, A Mad World My Masters (Shakespeare’s Globe), Sweat (Donmar Warehouse / Gielgud Theatre), Glengarry Glen Ross (UK tour), Rosencrantz & Guidenstern Are Dead (Old Vic), King Lear (Royal Exchange), A Wolf in Snakeskin Shoes (Tricycle Theatre), Fuente Ovejuna (Royal National Theatre), Redundant (Royal Court), Leave Taking (Bush Theatre) and the lead in Othello (Royal Lyceum).

Nickcolia King-N’da (Joshua) most recently starred on stage in The Death Of A Blackman at Hampstead Theatre. Other theatre credits include: Boys (The Pappy Show), Venice Preserved, The Provoked Wife (Royal Shakespeare Company), King Lear (Orange Tree Theatre), Peter Pan (Park Theatre), See For Myself (Tabard Theatre), Astley’s Astounding Adventures (New Vic Theatre). Television includes McDonald & Dodds, Silent Witness.

Suzette Llewellyn (Shirley)most recentlyplayed Sheree Truman in EastEnders. Running with Lions will mark her first appearance in her hometown of Hammersmith where she was born. Previous theatre includes: Urban Afro Saxons (Talawa), Chigger Foot Boys (Tara Arts), Hell Screen (Vault Festival), Marisol (Traverse Theatre).Other television credits include Estelle Vere in Doctors, Nanette Duvall in Holby City, Wendy Sparks in Rocket’s Island, Top Boy, The Dumping Ground, The Windsors, Catastrophe. Film includes Real, Faces, Molly Moon, Babymother, Playing Away.

Velile Tshabalala (Gloria) most recently played Viv in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks. Previously for television she has starred as Kareesha Lopez in Kerching, Monique Hyde in Call The Midwife and Rosita in Dr Who and further roles in Birds of a Feather Christmas Special, The Mayoress, Utopia, Silent Witness and Class Dismissed. Theatre includes: Yap! Yap! Yap! (Gaggle Productions), Twelfth Night (Nottingham Playhouse), Case of Emergency (Stratford East). Film includes Euphoria.

Sian Carter (Writer) trained as a playwright with Soho Theatre Writers’ Lab and the Royal Court Playwriting Group and is an Alumna of the Almasi League of Writers. Her work was shortlisted for the 2020 BBC Studios Writers‘ Academy.  As an Assistant Director her credits include Human Animals (Royal Court), Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre), King Lear (Chichester Festival Theatre), Quiz (Noel Coward Theatre, West End). In 2021 her audio drama Running with Lions, co-produced by Talawa Theatre Company and Feral Inc. aired on BBC Radio 4.

Michael Buffong (Director) is the Artistic Director of Talawa Theatre Company. He has previously directed Private Lives, All the Ordinary Angels, Six Degrees of Separation, On My Birthday and the multi-award winning A Raisin in the Sun for the Royal Exchange Theatre. Most recently he has directed A Kind of People (Royal Court), Guys & Dolls, King Lear, and All My Sons (Talawa Theatre Company and Royal Exchange Theatre). Film and television credits include: Tales From The Front Line (Talawa), Holby City, EastEnders, Admin, Placebo, Calais Rules, Doctors, Casualty, Comedy Shuffle, Hollyoaks, Feeling It, Blazed and Simple!.

Soutra Gilmour (Set and Costume Designer). Theatre includes: Out West (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre), Macbeth (Almeida), Romeo and Juliet (Lyttelton Films for the NT); & Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre); Pinter at the Pinter (Harold Pinter Theatre); Evita (Regent’s Park); Timon of Athens (RSC/ TFANA Brooklyn); Guys and Dolls (Royal Exchange, Manchester); Knives in Hens, Inadmissible Evidence, Piaf (Donmar); Apologia, Richard III, The Maids, The Homecoming (Trafalgar Studios); The Guards at the Taj (Bush Theatre); My Brilliant Friend (Rose Kingston); Pitchfork Disney, Killer (Shoreditch Town Hall); Twelfth Night, Les Blancs, Antigone (National Theatre); I See You, The Pride (Royal Court); Assassins, Merrily We Roll Along (Menier); Bull (Young Vic); Reasons to be Happy (Hampstead); Urinetown (St James, West End); The Crucible, The Duchess of Malfi (Old Vic); Reasons to be Pretty (Almeida); The Caretaker (Sheffield Crucible/Tricycle); The Commitments, From Here to Eternity, The Lover and The Collection (West End). 

Aideen Malone (Lighting Designer) has designed lighting for theatre, dance, opera and circus. She received the 2019 Knights Of Illumination Award for Best Lighting Design for Death Of A Salesman (Young Vic / Piccadilly). Other theatre includes: A Kind Of People (Royal Court);A Monster Calls (London Old Vic/Bristol Old Vic); Brighton Rock (York Theatre Royal/UK Tour);Strange Tale Of Charlie Chaplin And Stan Laurel, Napoleon Disrobed (Told By An Idiot); Darbar Festival (Sadlers Wells); La Strada (The Other Palace/UK tour); Peter Pan (NT); Jane Eyre (BOV/NT/NTP tour); Frankenstein (Living Spit); Raisin in the Sun (Ecilpse Theatre); Blood (Tamasha); Romeo and Juliet (The Rose Theatre); Hetty Feather (Vaudeville Theatre); Alice in Wonderland (Octagon Theatre); Wind in the Willows, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (Rose Theatre); Saturday Night Sunday Morning, (Mercury Theatre); Of Mice and Men (Nottingham Playhouse); Wizard of Oz (Royal and Derngate); Much Ado About Nothing (Salisbury Playhouse).

Tony Gayle (Sound Designer) received the British Black Theatre Recognition Award 2019. Theatre includes: And Breathe… (Almeida) Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical (Lyric), Shoe Lady (Royal Court), Poet In da Corner (Royal Court & UK Tour) Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (UK Tour), Jersey Boys (UK Tour), American Idiot (UK Tour), Songs For Nobodies (Wilton’s Music Hall & West End), Floyd Collins (Wilton’s Music Hall), The Wild Party (The Other Palace), Lazarus (King’s Cross), West Side Story (Bishopsgate Institute). Associate Sound Designer credits include: Dear Evan Hansen (Noel Coward), Tina – The Tina Turner Musical (Aldwych, Broadway, Hamburg, Utrecht), Here Lies Love (National Theatre, Seattle Rep), The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales, European Tour), Disney’s Aladdin (Prince Edward, Germany), Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Aldwych) The Girl from the North Country (Old Vic, Noël Coward), Groundhog Day (Old Vic), Matilda (International tour), Spring Awakening (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Novello).

Chandra Ruegg (Casting Director) started working in the industry as a child actress. After more than 20 years, she moved into the world of casting. For Theatre: Casting Director for Lava (Bush Theatre). As an assistant; two seasons at Chichester Festival Theatre, Dance Nation (Almeida Theatre). For Screen she has cast short films The Cunning (Hazel Lane Productions) and Tortoise (BFI Network/Persona Pictures). Her associate work includes: The Peripheral (Amazon Studios/Kilter Films) Tim Burton’s Wednesday (MGM/Netflix) The Witcher 3 (Netflix). Her assistant work includes: Outside The Wire (Netflix/42 Film) Voyagers (Lionsgate) and Censor (BFI/Film 4).

“ALL FAMILIES DESERVE SOME FESTIVE MAGIC THIS CHRISTMAS!”

         Managing Director, Rachel Whibley shares her delight that Carrot Productions will be entertaining children in hospital this Christmas despite Covid 19 restrictions.

       Carrot Productions announces their involvement with a new festive film, Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas.

This Christmas, multi-award-winning company, Carrot Productions will be bringing festive joy to all as they share both their award-winning Wallace & Gromit in Concert stream with Manchester and Bristol Children’s Hospitals, and their The Snowman  Tour stream – featuring the award-winning animation based on Raymond Brigg’s original picture book – across all the UK’s children’s hospitals, with permission from Snowman Enterprises Ltd.

Streaming directly into hospitals, Carrot Productions is ensuring that children undergoing treatment will experience some magic and not miss out on a Christmas treat, despite COVID-19 restrictions.

Carrot Productions is the world’s premier performer of both The Snowman and Wallace & Gromit films with a live orchestra and is at the forefront of family orchestral entertainment. Rachel Whibley co-founded Carrot Productions in 2014 in partnership with her composer husband, Daniel, and is keen to ensure all young people can access live orchestra music, especially at this festive time of year.

“We usually take our Snowman Tour performance into Manchester Children’s Hospital each year, but unfortunately aren’t able to this year. However, we’re delighted that both Aardman and Snowman Enterprises has kindly offered to let us share the happiness and magic across all UK children’s hospitals this December with the children, their families and NHS staff.”

As well as streaming into Children’s hospitals, the Carrot Productions team continues their enchanting concert production of The Snowman, staging 30 performances across the UK this December. Featuring local child soloists singing Walking in the Air –  and stages in stunning settings such as York Minster and Salisbury Cathedral –the magic continues with a special visit from The Snowman himself.

Carrot Productions is already working on next year’s treat and is delighted to announce they will be partnering with multi-award-winning independent animation studio Aardman on their mischief-filled festive caper Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas.

The Flight Before Christmas sees Shaun’s seasonal excitement turn to dismay when a farmhouse raid to get bigger stockings for the Flock inadvertently leads to Timmy going missing. Can Shaun get Timmy back before he becomes someone else’s present? Prepare for a ‘Santastic’ adventure as everyone learns the true value of Christmas!

Themes of friendship, loyalty, mischief and fun combine for a unique adventure that will be premiered by Carrot Production’s live professional orchestra in venues across the country.

Limited tickets for the remaining December 2021 The Snowman Tour are on sale now.

Tickets for next year’s Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas concerts are to be announced, for further information please visit https://www.carrotproductions.com

Buxton Opera House – until 1st January 2022

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

4****

Ornate, beautiful and set amongst stunning gardens, Buxton Opera House is quite the experience. Add to that the magic of a pantomime and you are enveloped in the warmth of Christmas cheer.

Aladdin is a hoot. Fun for both adults and children, the accomplished cast bring to life the story of love against all odds. Set in China, the son of a washer woman and the daughter of a queen meet serendipitously but unlawfully. Can they escape the efforts of various villains who attempt to fulfil their nefarious desires and thwart the lovers efforts to be together?

Colourful sets and energetic dance routines pumped this panto up to the max, but the magic carpet ride was truly a breath taker. However, Buxton’s favourite dame, James Holmes, playing the great Widow Twanky, was the true star of the show. A comedic natural who had both the little and big people roaring with laughter.

At one point he was so funny he caused Aladdin to lose track of his lines, turn away from the audience, have a full belly laugh before composing himself to continue with the camel skit. This just added to hilarity of the show and both the Dame and Aladdin’s brother Wishy Washy rallied around Aladdin to get him back on track.

Numerous costume changes, quick fire add libs and a northern accent that could cut through cement, Dame Widow Twanky, is delight to behold.

It was evident that the cast were enjoying performing as much as the audience were loving the viewing and the constantly encouraged interactions of boo’s, hisses, claps, songs, ‘it’s behind you’ and the like, made it a fully dynamic experience as the best panto ought to be, and as much as a mid-pandemic performance can be.

My only gripe would be that some of the non-classic, song choices were quite dated, as were some of the jokes, so these didn’t land as well as they should have.

Other than that, Aladdin is a wonderful, warm, witty, extravaganza of a pantomime which I would highly recommend you go to see.

Sunderland Empire – until 2 January 2021

Reviewed by Hayley Warters

4****

We all love a bit of pantomime. Oh yes we do! And what a wonderful way to celebrate than joining the Sunderland Empire with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The apple certainly wasn’t rotten! And the performance was full of power!

The tale begins with a story which keeps us on our toes when referring to the relationship of The Evil Queen played by Su Pollard and Snow White played by Clare Maynard who made us feel at home with her local accent. The prince, known as Jonathan Charlton, was most charming, playing the prince excellently with his outstanding vocals. It was nostalgic to see Su Pollard on stage with her charisma and comical timing. Her villain was outstanding. Her character was the one that made us smile and boo every time she entered the stage.

Tom Whalley entertained us all with his constant energy and his very clever sketches with Miss Rory. Miss Rory is a local drag queen who kept the fabulousness of drag throughout the pantomime which is different to your traditional dame. Finally the 7 dwarves played their role brilliantly, especially the skype scene due to the clever writing!

The set was amazing throughout, which amazes us how much you can store backstage! And packed with gag after gag thanks to Tom Whalley, including some of his own sketches.

Some jokes can be misheard if you don’t understand the language of Sunderland, however you do become used to the language and feel like you’re at home by the interval! Young Connor even said “This was the best pantomime I’ve ever been too!”. Even though his mum does a bit of pantomime too (Thanks for the support son, but I do love you)

We would like to thank the theatre for the lovely welcome and including our son in this trip as he really didnt want to miss out! The hospitality at this venue is outstanding! You will want to come and visit more in the new year!

This pantomime runs until the 2nd January with tickets still available! Make the most of your Christmas and keep up with the tradition. Support the Arts!

Blue Elephant Theatre – until 21 December

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

The Blue Elephant’s Christmas show this year is a delightful story for younger children. Pringle the Penguin (Oliver Yellop) has come to the North Pole looking for Santa. Fed up with living in the boring South Pole, he wants to ask Santa for some gear to improve his image and start a new life in the North. Dr Shelby Shirley Sallyann Somoye (Liyah Summers) is also searching for Santa, for scientific reasons. She wants to prove Santa is real to regain her reputation after an unfortunate lab explosion and dreams of the awards she will win.

Dr S reluctantly joins forces with Pringle and comic misunderstandings and physical comedy that has the young audience in stitches ensues. Eventually, some mild jeopardy causes the mismatched pair to discover the true meaning of friendship and realise what is important to them. The message about friends, family and belonging creating true happiness is delivered sweetly and writers Jo Sadler-Lovett and Niamh de Valera know exactly when to throw in a ridiculous joke or pratfall to stop things getting too sentimental and set the audience whooping with laughter.

Summers and Yellop are a fine double act, with some lovely audience interaction – always high risk with very young children! There are sprinklings of magical wonder as Dr S’s Magical Christmas Magic Detector is powered up by the audience’s Christmas spirit, and some classic panto gags as the pair don’t spot the signs that Santa is close. Santa isn’t seen onstage, but the explanation given was easily and quickly accepted by the children. A charming show with a big heart, The Search For Santa is a real treat for little ones this Christmas