The global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! will return to London’s West End at the Novello Theatre on 25 August 2021. Now in its 23rd year in London, producer Judy Craymer is delighted to be welcoming people back to once again dance, jive and have the time of their lives!
Judy Craymer said, “We cannot wait to get the full theatrical experience of MAMMA MIA! back into the West End and what better way to leave lockdown than to be transported to our sunny Greek idyll. MAMMA MIA! has to be the perfect staycation destination.”
Returning to the cast will be Mazz Murray as Donna, Richard Trinder as Sam, Neil Moors as Harry, Stephen Beckett as Bill, and Sophie Matthew as Lisa. They will be joined by Josie Benson (Camila Rosario in original London cast of In The Heights) as Tanya, Gemma Goggin (Doctor Faustus and Don Quixote for the RSC) as Rosie, Emma Mullen (Sophie in the UK & International Tour of MAMMA MIA! and lead role of Rosie in series 5 of Shetland on BBC1) as Sophie, Jack Danson (2020 graduate) as Sky, Tegan Bannister (Eponine in the UK Tour of Les Misérables) as Ali, Michael Nelson (Eddie in the UK & International Tour of MAMMA MIA!) as Eddie and Alexandros Beshonges (2020 graduate) as Pepper, with Natalie Langston (Alternate Eva Peron in Evita at Phoenix Theatre) playing the role of Donna at certain performances.
Also new to the cast will be Gemma Atkins, Chloe-Jo Byrnes, Nicole Carlisle, Angus Good, Natalie Jayne Hall, James Humpleman, Morgan Jackson, George Olney, Kyle Turner and Alex Woodward, who will be joining Natasha Agnew, Chloe Ames, Frankie Jones, Lauren Hampton, Grace Moorhouse, Jodie Nolan, Dan O’Brien, Michael Storrs, Michael Tyler and Simon Willmont.
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 9 million people, played over 8,500 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 £1.25 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.
PW Productions is delighted to announce the UK tour cast of Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black, opening at Cambridge Arts Theatre tonight, Thursday 17 June. Robert Goodale will star as ‘Arthur Kipps’ and Antony Eden as ‘The Actor’.
Following a sell-out run in Charleston, South Carolina, PW Productions are thrilled that The Woman in Black is returning to stages across the UK, adhering to all necessary Covid-19 regulations as it does so. Full details are available via each specific venue.
The Woman in Black is thrilled to have recently been awarded ‘Best Theatre Production for Schools’ at the School Travel Awards from School Travel Organiser. As part of the show’s commitment to young people, at select venues, persons aged 25 and under will be able to purchase a £25 ticket.
Robert Goodale returns to the role of Arthur Kipps, having played the part during the 2019-2020 tour of The Woman in Black. Robert’s other theatre credits include ”How To Act” at the National Theatre of Scotland, “Dr Faustus” at Shakespeare’s Globe, the national tours of “Festen” and “Taming of the Shrew” and “The Rivals”, “The Comedy of Errors”, “Romeo and Juliet, “School for Scandal” and “Cyrano De Bergerac” with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Robert’s television and film credits include the BBC’s “Births, Marriages and Deaths”, “Holby City”, “McMafia” and ITV’s “Doc Martin” and “Midsomer Murders”.
Antony Eden’s West End credits include “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” and “Les Misérables”. His other theatre credits include “Ten Times Table” at the Mill at Sonning, “A Brief History of Women” and “Taking Steps” with the Alan Ayckbourn company at the Stephen Joseph Theatre and 59E59 New York, “A Passionate Woman” at the Cheltenham Everyman and on tour, and “Three Kings” at the St James’ Theatre among others. Antony is also associate director of “The Woman in Black” and directs and produces with his own theatre company, Dead Letter Perfect.
The 2021 UK Tour opens at Cambridge Arts Theatre before visiting Bath, Guilford, Oxford, Malvern, Shrewsbury, Manchester, Brighton, Glasgow, York, Blackpool, Stoke and Edinburgh. Further tour dates to be announced. www.thewomaninblack.com
Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of Susan Hill’s best-selling novel tells the story of a lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over his family by the spectre of a ‘Woman in Black’. He engages a young actor to help him tell his story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul. It begins innocently enough, but as they delve further into his darkest memories the borders between make-believe and reality begin to blur and the flesh begins to creep.
THE BARN THEATRE POSTPONES PERFORMANCES OF COMEDY PRODUCTION TO PROTECT AUDIENCES
The Barn Theatre in Cirencester have announced that they will be cancelling the remainder of this week’s performances (17-19 June) of Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense following a member of the show company receiving information that they had potentially been exposed to coronavirus whilst not at the theatre.
The production, which is co-produced by The Theatre Chipping Norton and the Barn Theatre, had planned to hold its gala night performance this evening (17 June). The co-production, a revival of the Olivier Award-winning comedy, had been rescheduled to kick-start their 2021 recovery season after being previously postponed due to the pandemic.
The theatre, which has had five successful indoor productions as well as an outdoor theatre festival without a single coronavirus case, has ensured that all protocols and guidelines have been strictly adhered to, with cast and crew members tested regularly for Covid.
The member of the show company has recently tested negative; however, the theatre will be postponing performances until they have received negative tests from the full show company.
A spokesperson for the theatre said that “the health and safety for the show company, our staff and our audiences remain the theatre’s utmost priority and although it is heart-breaking after such a devastating year for our industry to have to cancel performances, the safety of all those involved with our theatre must always come first.”
The Barn Theatre will be contacting audience members regarding their tickets and politely ask that they wait until their team have contacted them.
When the Earth is in danger there is only one person to call. The Doctor. When a fracture in time opens up in the middle of London it is up to UNIT to find out who caused it and why.
Unfortunately you are told not to give away anything that happens otherwise the Doctor will wipe your memory, as she reminds us before we leave. However, throughout the two and a half hours you will meet several Doctor Who characters, some from the series and some who have been created especially for this event. With all of time and space stuck in one location it is rather amusing to see Queen Elizabeth I walking past an Ood.
The setting works well, especially the area that is used as UNIT HQ, but the volume is a bit of an issue as the whole thing is very loud and things can be easily missed. The costumes and makeup bring the characters to life with attention paid to how many are portrayed in the TV show. Covid 19 restrictions are observed throughout the place, with people exploring in small groups and markers on the floor when everyone is in one room together.
In order to discover every storyline people would have to return more than once, but you can get a good sense of the event from the one storyline you follow.
The highlight of the production has to be the cameo appearances of all the Doctors during the final event, even if the threat of Daleks is never far away.
When Leeds Grand Theatre first opened on Monday 18 November 1878, a playbill declared it would ‘Positively Open’, now, after 15 months stood closed, it is ‘Positively Reopening’ on Thursday 17 June 2021 with a socially distanced run of Northern Ballet’s Swan Lake.
Despite the ongoing challenges still facing the theatre, following the government’s latest announcement that COVID-19 restrictions are extended until 19 July, The Grand’s curtains will rise again this week to host the very best in West End and Broadway musicals and dramas, stand-up comedy, dance and music, and resident companies’ Northern Ballet and Opera North.
Leeds audiences are encouraged to buy tickets to support the heritage venue that has lost 98% of its income throughout lockdown and continues to face financial difficulty whilst ever social distancing measures are in place.
A selection of shows in 2021
Heathers The Musical: 28 Jul-14 Aug
Heathers The Musical, the black comedy rock musical based on the eponymous 1988 film, embarks on its first national tour. Westerberg High’s Veronica Sawyer is just another nobody dreaming of a better day. But when she joins the beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers and her dreams of popularity may finally come true, mysterious teen rebel JD teaches her that it might kill to be a nobody, but it is murder being a somebody.
Magic Goes Wrong: 30 Aug-4 Sept
Back with their biggest comedy catastrophe to date, multi award-winning Mischief (The Play That Goes Wrong, BBC One’s The Goes Wrong Show) return to the stage with their hilarious new show created with magic legends, Penn & Teller. A hapless gang of magicians are staging an evening of grand illusion to raise cash for charity. But as the magic turns to mayhem, accidents spiral out of control and so does their fundraising target!
Peter James’ Looking Good Dead: 6-11 Sept
Starring award-winning actor and EastEnders icon, Adam Woodyatt, and star of stage and screen Gaynor Faye (Emmerdale, Coronation Street, The Syndicate), this world premiere stage adaptation tells the story of Tom Bryce (Woodyatt), who, after finding a discarded USB memory stick, inadvertently becomes a witness to a vicious murder. When Detective Superintendent Roy Grace becomes involved, he has his own demons to contend with, while he tries to crack the case in time to save the Bryce family’s lives.
Photo: Jeremy Daniel
(Instagram @JeremyDanielPhoto)
Waitress: 14-18 Sept
Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of some happiness in her life. When a hot new doctor arrives in town, life gets complicated. With the support of her workmates Becky and Dawn, Jenna overcomes the challenges she faces and finds that laughter, love, and friendship can provide the perfect recipe for happiness. Starring Lucie Jones (Les Misérables, Legally Blonde), Sandra Marvin (ITV’s Emmerdale, Hairspray), Evelyn Hoskins (Spring Awakening), and Matt Willis (Busted, Wicked), with score by Grammy award-winning Sara Bareilles (Love Song, Brave).
Twelve Angry Men: 23-27 Nov
Reginald Rose’s gripping courtroom thriller has been hailed as the ‘classiest, most intelligent drama in the West End’. It brings the 1957 three-time Academy Award nominated film to the stage. A jury has murder on their minds and a life in their hands as they decide the fate of a young delinquent accused of killing his father. But what appears to be an open and shut case soon becomes a huge dilemma as prejudices and preconceived ideas about the accused, the trial and each other turn the tables every which way, until the nail-biting climax…
Bedknobs and Broomsticks: 8 Dec-9 Jan
Enter a world of magic and fantasy as Disney’s classic movie makes its world premiere as an exciting new stage musical. With the original songs by the legendary Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), including The Age Of Not Believing and The Beautiful Briny. When the three orphaned Rawlins children are reluctantly evacuated from wartime London to live with the mysterious Eglantine Price, they have no idea what adventures lie ahead. Upon discovering Eglantine to be a trainee witch, they join forces to search for a secret spell that will defeat the enemy once and for all.
LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE ANNOUNCES SUMMER SEASON AS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR CONTINUES.
SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
Nature Elly. A Barmpot Theatre and Lincolnshire One Venues co-production, in association with Little Angel Theatre featuring original music and an array of adorable animal puppets. Written and directed by John Hewer and performed by Jane Crawshaw. Main Theatre, 2 – 31 July 2021. Tickets on sale now.
Puppet Picnic. Little Angel Theatre’s annual outdoor festival Puppet Picnic will take place in Islington Square throughout August. Visiting productions will include The Puppet Van present The Lost Colour (11 – 12 August), LAStheatre’s The Lion Inside (16 – 17 August) and Garlic Theatre’s The Bag That Went Boo (23 – 24 August). Tickets on sale soon.
The Wishing Tree. Six magical trees designed by six different artists are the backdrop for this outdoor performance at Islington Square, a highlight of the Puppet Picnic, inspired by a new Joseph Coelho poem and created in collaboration with local school children. Written by Joseph Coelho and directed by Oliver Hymans. 9-29 August. Tickets on sale soon.
If Not Here…Where? Created with young people at Great Ormond Street, Little Angel’s co-production with GOSH has been adapted into a digital production that will tour hospitals and hospices throughout the summer including St George’s Hospital,London and Darent Valley Hospital, Kent.
The Smartest Giant in Town is extended until 15 August due to popular demand. This new musical adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s classic book will continue to enchant audiences throughout the summer. Tickets for the new booking period go on sale today at 10am.
Looking forward to a summer of community, creativity and live theatre (both indoors and out) artistic director Samantha Lane and executive director Peta Swindall said:
‘We are so excited to announce our summer season of work. Both ‘Nature Elly’ and ‘The Wishing Tree’ have been developed in close collaboration with school and community groups which is really important to us. Little Angel Theatre runs a dedicated schools partnership programme and a dedicated community outreach programme in order to break down barriers to engagement and serve the needs of our entire community in a creative way, and we are delighted to be sharing these nature-inspired stories with children and their families. We are especially pleased to be giving away hundreds of tickets for each show to local children and their families who have helped us to develop the work.
Alongside these shows, we are also running puppetry projects with partnership organisations including Solace Women’s Aid, Age UK and Islington Council, as well as working with local food banks to support their work and provide enrichment activities for their beneficiaries.
We are very disheartened to hear about the four week delay to Covid restrictions. As a small charity who relies heavily on box office income, this is a huge blow and will have a big impact, putting increased pressure on our already inflated fundraising targets and future income targets. Not to mention the workload of our staff team. We will continue to be proactive and creative about the many ways in which we can engage with audiences – both digitally and in-person – as we have done throughout the pandemic. The safety of our performers and audiences will always be our top priority, and we very much hope that the new date of 19 July will remain on track.’
THE SUMMER PROGRAMME
Nature Elly A Barmpot Theatre and Lincolnshire One Venues co-production, in association with Little Angel Theatre 2 – 31 July 2021 Tickets on sale now www.Littleangeltheatre.com For ages 2-5
Elly runs the best little farm in Lincolnshire, but not everything is going to plan. The corn has been trampled, all the apples have vanished and there’s hay everywhere! What could have happened? Come and help Elly and Bob the Pheasant fix the farm in time to save the harvest, and discover the secrets of the mystery animal hiding in the hay-stack.
Nature Elly is full of interactive fun, beautifully written original music and a cast of stunning and adorable animal puppets for little ones to meet. Created by award-winning Barmpot Theatre (creators of the theatre show Penguinpig), in association with Little Angel Theatre, and commissioned by Lincolnshire One Venues and SO Festival.
Nature Elly is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, with further funding from Lincolnshire One Venues, Louth’s Riverhead Theatre, Grimsby’s Culture House, the Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service, the RW Chapman Trust, Little Angel Theatre and SO Festival.
Based on an idea by Jane Crawshaw Written and directed by John Hewer Puppets, set and co-design by Ruth Pigott at Curiosity Creators Puppet and set makers – Ruth Pigott, Nadya Monfrinoli and Lou Jones Music and sound design by Jon McLeod Illustrations, scenic painting, and co-design by Maxim Peter Griffin Lighting design by Andy Johnson-Smith at Popcorn Media Stage Manager – Jordan Whitwell Performer – Jane Crawshaw Poster illustration by Amberin Huq
LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE’S PUPPET PICNIC:
Following on from the hugely successful event in 2020, the Puppet Picnic returns to Islington Square for three weeks of outdoor puppetry and crafting. Bring a picnic, sit back and be entertained by a brand new show, The Wishing Tree, and some fantastic visiting companies. There will be work on display from Little Angel’s brilliant artists, and local children, who fed into the creation of The Wishing Tree.
The Wishing Tree Islington Square 9-29 August Weekdays:10.30am & 1pm. Weekends:10.30am, 1pm & 3.30pm. Tickets on sale soon Tickets: £13.50 adults, £11.50 children For ages 5-11
‘I am a green child all wisdom and wild amongst the trees I play. Trees that wish to meet you.’
‘Trees of the Green Child’. A poem by Joseph Coelho.
Incorporating thoughts and ideas shared by local Islington school children coming out of the pandemic, this brand new play by award-winning poet Joseph Coelho (Werewolf Club Rules, The Girl Who Became a Tree, Overheard in a Tower Block) is a touching tribute to the importance of friendship and helping those in need.
Inspired by a new poem written for Little Angel Theatre by Joseph Coelho, six magical trees – apple, orange, magnolia, conker, mango and oak – have been created by artists Alison Alexander, Maia Kirkman-Richards, Ingrid Hu, Seb Mayer, Emma Tompkins and Sam Wilde.
The trees have been on display in Islington schools and community centres where they became the focus of a series of creative workshops with local children. The children discussed their wishes for the future, how they felt in the aftermath of the pandemic, and their hopes for their local community of Islington. Worries were posted into the trees and wishes were hung on the branches and turned into bunting which will decorate the Puppet Picnic in Islington Square where the magical trees will be situated in August.
The culmination of the project is The Wishing Tree, a new outdoor performance inspired by the children’s words, written by Joseph Coelho and directed by Oliver Hymans.
Joseph Coelho said: “Writing a play for Little Angel Theatre has been a long held dream, because there is a certain magic that is created with puppetry. I feel particularly passionate about this project because it gives a voice to children. So often their voices go unheard and it was a real honour to hear their concerns, worries and dreams and to fold them into a play that will be performed in their communities: in earshot of the homes they’ve spent so much time in recently, in view of the trees that they know, the trees that hear their wishes.”
Ben has just moved to a new estate. It’s miles away from his old friends, his old school, his Grandma’s house, from everything he knows. But when his Mum and Step-Dad send him out to explore, he unwittingly finds himself on a quest to rescue a missing tree of wishes. Along the way Ben discovers the magic in his everyday surroundings, from some fantastical trees and creatures, to the hopes and dreams of the children who live around him.
Written by Joseph Coelho Directed by Oliver Hymans Puppets designed by Peter Morton Sound Design by Patrick Furness
The Puppet Van presents The Lost Colour Islington Square Dates 11 & 12 August 10:30am and 1pm Tickets £11.50 children, £13.50 adults For ages 5+
Join Malcolm Brushell, a professional painter and amateur alchemist, on his quest to find the pinky-est pink paint on the planet! Through cracking rocks, mashing every conceivable vegetable, and even bottling and fermenting his own cow’s wee, he has created every colour imaginable. Through stunning puppetry and an energy fuelled performance all on top of a van, join this race to create the most potent pigmented pink paint imaginable.
The Lost Colour is the first custom designed show for The Puppet Van. This vibrant joyful explosion of colour is an energy fuelled physical show full of clowning, puppets, and paint. The show has its roots in the history of pigment making and follows a loveable independent artist up against a huge corporate pigment making conglomerate.
Presented by LAStheatre
The Lion Inside 16 – 17 August, 10.30 and 1pm Islington Square Tickets £11.50 children, £13.50 adults For ages 3+
LAStheatre presents The Lion Inside a beautiful, outdoor performance for families 3+ based on the book by Rachel Bright and Jim Field. The performance is accompanied by a creative activity pack with a focus on dealing with change and facing fears.
This story is about confidence, self-esteem, and a shy little mouse who sets out on a journey to find his roar. Mouse lives in a house under a rock. At the top of the rock lives a Lion with the loudest roar of all the pack. Fed up of being ignored by the other animals, Mouse wishes he could roar like Lion. He tries and tries to find his roar, but in the end decides the only thing to do is to overcome his fear and ask Lion for help.
LAStheatre’s production creatively and playfully explores; facing fears, building confidence, feeling positive, dealing with change, celebrating our differences and similarities, whilst playfully helping children talk about their feelings post-lockdown.
The performance is designed to support children as they digest what has happened during COVID-19 whilst providing a shared vocabulary that encourages conversation about our thoughts and feelings.
The Bag That Went Boo
By Garlic Theatre Dates 23 – 24 August, 10:30am and 1pm Islington Square Tickets £11.50 children, £13.50 adults For ages 3 – 8
The delightfully comic story of a little red bag that jumps out of a brown paper bag – what in the world is it? and where is it going?
Join us for a fantastical journey of paper bag proportions, dive into the sea and travel to the land of snow. Watch out for a giant paper bag wandering about making strange noises….
Devised and designed by the Company Performer Mark Pitman Direction Steve Tiplady Puppetry direction Liz Walker Clown consultant Angela de Castro Music Iklooshar Malara
If Not Here… Where? A GOSH and Little Angel Theatre production Digital production Summer 2021 Tour of UK hospices and hospitals
Sometimes extraordinary worlds can appear in the most ordinary of places…
Produced in partnership with GOSH Arts and inspired by stories and ideas from young people at Great Ormond Street Hospital, this puppetry and digital hybrid production toured the UK in February 2020, visiting 19 hospitals and hospices from Bath to Edinburgh and beyond.
In a year when so many people have felt isolated, but no more so than young people in long term hospital care, Little Angel have now adapted the production to make it purely digital, enabling it to tour in a COVID-safe way this summer.
If a portal opened up at the end of your bed, would you be brave enough to step through? Join an adventure into a fantasy landscape where you will be transported through mysterious tunnels and emerge into a cacophony of colour. Will you climb an enormous tree, sail away in a boat or lie back and look at the stars?
If Not Here… Where? Will visit hospitals throughout the summer including St George’s Hospital, London and Darent Valley Hospital, Kent.
Directed by Laura Hunt Designed by Ellie Mills Music composed by Dominic Sales Performed by Joni-Rae Carrack and Aaron Spendelow Creative technologists: Clarice Hilton and Michael Golembewski
The Smartest Giant in Town Now running until 15 August Based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler A Little Angel Theatre and Fierylight co-production Ages 3-8 Tickets on sale at www.littleangeltheatre.com
Due to popular demand performances of The Smartest Giant in Town will extend by a week until 15 August. Tickets for the new booking period are on sale today at 10am at www.littleangeltheatre.com.
This new musical adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved story, published by Macmillan Children’s Books, is a highlight of Little Angel’s 60th anniversary season. Co-produced with Fierylight, The Smartest Giant in Town is adapted for the stage by Little Angel artistic director Samantha Lane, who also directs, and award-winning musician Barb Jungr, who has also composed new music for the production.
Adapted by Barb Jungr and Samantha Lane Directed by Samantha Lane Music composed by Barb Jungr Set and costumes designed by Kate Bunce Lighting designed by Sherry Coenen Puppets designed by Judith Hope
Eleanor Lloyd Productions and Rebecca Stafford Productions present
Witness for the Prosecution By Agatha Christie
THE RETURN OF AGATHA CHRISTIE’S ‘WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION’AT LONDON COUNTY HALL IS DELAYED UNTIL 14 SEPTEMBER 2021
Photo credit : Sheila Burnett
The reopening of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall has been delayed until 14 September 2021. The production was due to reopen on 3 August.
Producers Eleanor Lloyd and Rebecca Stafford said:
“We are absolutely gutted that we have to delay the re-opening of Agatha Christie’s ‘Witness for the Prosecution’ at London County Hall until 14 September.
Unfortunately, the combined effects of continued uncertainty around a return to full capacity in theatres, no provision of cancellation insurance, and the delayed delivery of our promised Cultural Recovery Fund grant are such that we cannot afford to proceed with the rehearsals as planned. We have not taken this decision lightly. It leaves 51 people waiting to resume their jobs. For us as Producers the cost of remaining closed is significant and will increase as furlough and business rates relief are reduced from July.
We are sorry for our wonderful and loyal audience who stood ready to support our return in August. We urge you, please re-book into the new dates from 14th September and come and celebrate with us as soon as we are able to declare ’THE COURT IS NOW (RE)OPEN’. “
Since opening to critical acclaim in 2017 Witness for the Prosecution has captured the imagination of thousands who have been gripped by the case of Leonard Vole, accused of murder in cold blood. Director Lucy Bailey, whose current projects include Oleanna, (currently touring the UK and soon to open in the West End) and the upcoming production of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (Royal and Derngate/ UK tour), thrillingly places the audience in the thick of the action, as Agatha Christie’s enthralling tale of justice, passion and betrayal unfolds around them.
Leonard Vole is accused of murdering a widow to inherit her wealth. The stakes are high. Will he be able to convince the jury of his innocence and escape the hangman’s noose?
The twists and turns of the case are played out in a spectacular courtroom setting inside the iconic London County Hall as prosecution battles defence and witnesses take the stand to give their shocking testimonies. The production received Best Revival nominations at the 2018 Olivier and WhatsOnStage Awards.
Witness for the Prosecution is booking through to 20 March 2022. Tickets are on sale at www.witnesscountyhall.com. Casting is to be announced soon.
Witness for the Prosecution is designed by William Dudley, with lighting by Chris Davey, sound design by Mic Pool and casting by Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG.
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, the hit musical based on the classic DreamWorks Animation film, is proud to confirm the complete cast, orchestra and company of 154 who will lead “the huge popular hit” (LBC) back into London’s Dominion Theatre in 16 days, in accordance with UK Government Step 3 protocols (socially distanced audiences), as previously announced.
“Brought to life in truly epic fashion” (Daily Mirror), the Grammy® Award nominated musicalwill resume performances on Thursday 1 July 2021 with tickets currently on sale until Saturday 8 January 2022.Performances between Thursday 1 July and Saturday 4 September 2021 will operate with socially distanced audiences throughout the venue and, thereafter, in accordance with Step 4 protocols (full capacity but in compliance with UK Government public health guidance). Should all current restrictions be lifted earlier, the production will revert to full capacity as soon as practicably possible. Tickets are available now via www.ThePrinceofEgyptMusical.com
Joining the previously announced Clive Rowe (Jethro), will be new ensemble cast members Catherine Cornwall (a 2019 Bird College graduate), Daniel Luiz (a 2021 Mountview graduate) and Samuel Sarpong-Broni (a 2020 Royal College of Music graduate). All three will be making their West End debuts.
The “utterly stand-out cast” (What’sOnStage) of 46 will be Luke Brady (Moses), Liam Tamne (Ramses), Christine Allado (Tzipporah), Alexia Khadime (Miriam), Joe Dixon (Seti), Debbie Kurup (Tuya), Clive Rowe* (Jethro), Mercedesz Csampai (Yocheved), Adam Pearce (Hotep), Tanisha Spring** (Nefertari), Silas Wyatt-Barke (Aaron), Simbi Akande, Casey Al-Shaqsy, Joe Atkinson, Danny Becker, Felipe Bejarano, Pàje Campbell, Catherine Cornwall, Adam Filipe, Soophia Foroughi, Natalie Green, Jack Harrison-Cooper, Kalene Jeans, Christian Knight, Jessica Lee, Oliver Lidert, Daniel Luiz, Jay Marsh, Scott Maurice, Carly Miles, Alice Readie, Samuel Sarpong-Broni, Christopher Short, Molly Smith, Ricardo Walker, Danny Williams, Niko Wirachman and Sasha Woodward together with young performers Cian Eagle-Service, Maiya Eastmond, Jersey Blu Georgia, Taylor Jenkins, Mia Lakha, George Menezes Cutts, Iman Pabani and Vishal Soni. *Clive Rowe appears until 16 Oct 2021 / **Tanisha Spring appears until 18 Sept 2021
The orchestra will be Dave Rose (Musical Director); Mark Collins (Associate Musical Director, Keyboards); Nina Foster/Fiona McCapra (job share), Sonya Fairbairn, Penny Ainscow, Sebastian Rudnicki (Violins); Fiona Davies (Viola); Magda Pietraszewska (Cello); Rory Dempsey (Bass); Rupert Widdows (Woodwind); Tony Cross (Trumpet, Flugelhorn); Duncan Fuller, David McQueen (Horns); John Gregson (Guitars); Murdoch MacDonald (Percussion) and Dan Ellis (Drums).
The Stage Management team will be Anthony Field (Company Stage Manager); Dominique Pierre-Louis (Stage Manager); Ryan Quelch (Deputy Stage Manager); Nuri Chang, Charlotte Johnson (Assistant Stage Managers/Book Cover); Simon Humphris, Chrissie Huxford and Tracey Farrell (Assistant Stage Managers), who, together with a further 84 backstage staff, complete the production’s huge cast, orchestra and company of 154.
Producers DreamWorks Theatricals, Michael McCabe and Neil Laidlaw said in a joint statement:
“On behalf of our authors, creative team and co-producers, we are proud to welcome back our exceptional company of 154 individuals and to once again deliver live performances of this epic theatrical re-imagining of the classic DreamWorks Animation film. While initial performances will be in front of socially distanced audiences, we, as one of the West End’s biggest shows and employers, will need a Government-backed insurance scheme against future COVID-related shutdowns and to move to full capacity at the earliest possible opportunity. In the meantime, we look forward to audiences returning from 1 July to the comfort and COVID-secure environment of the Dominion Theatre.”
“This lavish stage adaptation” (The Guardian) of the classic DreamWorks Animation film features a cast and orchestra of more than 60 artists and Stephen Schwartz’s acclaimed score includes his Academy Award®-winning song When You Believe, which was a global hit for Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, and the “spine-tingling” (Time Out) Deliver Us. The Original Cast Recording, released by Ghostlight Records, received a 2021 Grammy® Award nomination for `Best Musical Theatre Album’.
Journey through the wonders of Ancient Egypt as two young men, raised together as brothers in a kingdom of privilege, find themselves suddenly divided by a secret past. One must rule as Pharaoh, the other must rise up and free his true people; both face a destiny that will change history forever.
The Prince of Egypt has music and lyrics by multi-Grammy® and Academy Award®-winner Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell), a book by Philip LaZebnik (Mulan, Pocahontas) and features 10 new songs written by Stephen Schwartz together with 5 of his beloved songs from the DreamWorks Animation film (When You Believe, Deliver Us, All I Ever Wanted, Through Heaven’s Eyes and The Plagues).
The Prince of Egypt is directed by Scott Schwartz with choreography by Sean Cheesman;set designs by KevinDepinet; costume designs by Ann Hould-Ward; lighting design by Mike Billings; sound design by Gareth Owen; projection designs by Jon Driscoll; illusions by Chris Fisher; wigs, hair and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates; orchestrations by August Eriksmoen; musical supervision and arrangements by Dominick Amendum; musical direction by Dave Rose; casting by Jim Arnold CDG and children’s casting by Verity Naughton CDG.
The Prince of Egypt is produced by DreamWorks Theatricals (a division of Universal Theatrical Group), Michael McCabe and Neil Laidlaw together with John Gore, Tom Smedes and Peter Stern, Ramin Sabi, The Araca Group, James L. Nederlander and Michael Park.
A milestone in cinematic achievement, the classic DreamWorks Animation film has been captivating audiences across the world for more than two decades. It has been hailed as “one of the greatest animated films of all time” (Evening Standard) and “a stunning film” (The Guardian).
Following today’s Government announcement of a delay to Roadmap Stage 4, SOLT & UK Theatre Chief Executive Julian Bird has released the following statement:
‘The proposed four-week delay to full reopening of live entertainment venues will have serious implications for many theatres and performing companies around the country.
‘This delay not only impacts productions and theatres preparing to open in the next few weeks, but also shows currently running socially distanced, which had planned to increase their capacity – and producers making the difficult decision whether to start rehearsals for shows due to open in late July or August, with thousands of jobs hanging in the balance.
‘Particularly at risk are large-scale commercial productions, which have received little or no Cultural Recovery Fund support and cannot survive under social distancing.
‘We urge Government to consider greater support for affected theatre organisations, by offering a tailored insurance scheme, allocating the remainder of the Cultural Recovery Fund, and extending full furlough and the Business Rates holiday.
‘Once theatres are given the go-ahead to fully return, we will continue to implement industry-wide ‘See It Safely’ measures including enhanced cleaning, one-way systems, contactless ticketing and security, and the wearing of masks if required.
‘The safety of theatre audiences and staff is our top priority, and we want everyone to be confident to return to full houses on the basis of the latest scientific data. We need Government to confirm as soon as possible that restrictions will be lifted by 19 July – a clear, irreversible reopening date will boost audience confidence at a time when it is vital theatre fans support the industry they love.’
