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Vaudville Theatre – until 30 August 2020

Reviewed by Cameron Sykes

5*****

Mischief Theatre return with magic, mistakes and an amount of glitter some might find offensive!

Mischief Theatre’s newest show Magic Goes Wrong is a spellbinding show that leaves the audience wondering what will happen but also how. Theatre under the premises of charity magical variety show indulges audience members with classical illusions, the David Blaine type magic was daring with mind reading along with some acrobatics to complete a well round show that would not be half bad as an actual magic show.

We begin with an audio introduction and safety warning by co writer Penn Jillette which as you would expect is filled with jokes (offensive amounts of glitter). Then the show begins properly with a parade of
the stars including ‘The Blade’, ‘The Mind Mangler’, Bar, Spitzmaus, The Great Sophisticato and guest for the evening Eugenia Banks

The first trick of the night is one created by Sophisticatos’s father the original Sophisticato in which this show is in his honour, “masochist on fire”. The trick goes well until ‘The Blade’ loses his trousers and can no longer partake in the dance routine and they forget to unlock Sophisticato from the apparatus. The next trick is the mind mangler who we quickly learn is a fraud with his heightened senses where he can taste a name, smell a job, touch the dead (or Gwyneth Paltrow) and have X-Ray vision, his tricks are spaced out during the night and he is assisted by Brian (his flat mate) as an audience member and the actual audience on occasion

The next act is ‘The Blade’ a David Blaine type who wows audience’s with his threats of daring and stupidity in equal measure with knife throwing (with a cameraman in the way), stabbing a card out of the deck (with his hand in the way), removing cheese from mouse traps, catching a bullet in his teeth and holding his breath under water during one of Sophisticato’s card tricks, all of these go horribly wrong for him as he ends up needing help in more way then one.

The final act is the European double act Bar and Spitzmaus the gymnastic contortionist who are the half siblings of Sophisticato (possibly) with one good one and one not so good they are the perfect foil for each other, they also assist the other magicians with there tricks resulting in some accidents.

The final of the first half is a more safety conscious version of sawing a woman in half that doesn’t end the way you would expect

The show continues though with more acts from Sophisticato and his father’s prized albeit deceased doves. The Blade and his shenanigans, Bear and Spitzmaus then perform a quick change act and The Mind Mangler shows of his x-ray vision to almost disastrous results

In summary Magic Goes Wrong is a brilliant masterpiece that Mischief and Penn and Teller should all be proud off and is easily worth all the critical acclaim it has received so far.

Planning Permission secured for new theatre to house

Soldier of Orange – The Musical in London

New Venue to be named Royal Docks Theatre

Planning permission has been granted by Newham Council for a 1.150 seat theatre to be built in London’s Royal Docks.  The new venue, named Royal Docks Theatre, is to be the purpose-built home for the acclaimed historical Dutch theatre experience Soldier of Orange – The Musical which is coming to London for the first time. Situated within the heart of the history and one of London’s heaviest bombed areas during The Blitz, the WWII theatrical experience will be at the centre of the Royal Dock’s regeneration.

The planning permission granted was for a temporary 1.150 seat theatre for 5 years plus a restaurant meaning the creation of up to 150 new jobs across construction, hospitality and for the production itself.

Soldier of Orange – The Musical is based on the autobiography of Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, a renowned Dutch resistance fighter and British RAF war pilot, who chronicled his remarkable WWII experiences in his book of the same name.

Soldier of Orange’s pioneering use of 360-degree ‘SceneAround’ staging – a revolutionary theatre technology especially engineered for this production and to be used in the UK for the first time – pulls the audience directly into Erik’s story, delivering a unique theatrical experience.

As the story unfolds, the entire seating platform with 1.150 seats rotates along a 360-degree panoramic set, by turns revealing an actual 150-foot-wide coastline with sea, sand and rainstorms, student dorms, interrogation cells, a palace and a real DC3 Dakota Airplane.

Soldier of Orange – The Musical is produced by NEW Productions. Producer Fred Boot of NEW Productions commented: “London was the location of our Queen in exile during the war. The UK plays a significant role in our history and this WWII story. Therefore, the UK has always had our priority and we are very pleased with this development for such a relevant location. The production and script are slightly adapted for an international audience, to ensure that it reflects the show as it has been embraced in Holland. We are looking forward to sharing this universal story of a group of friends, forced by war to make life-changing choices. It is a celebration of the time that the Allies came together to fight for our freedom and democracy.”

Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz, who is also the portfolio lead on inclusive economy, housing delivery, regeneration and planning, said: “It’s a real privilege to welcome this world class production to Newham and to London. It’s an exciting addition to our new plans for a dynamic and vibrant cultural offer in our borough and highlights our commitment to offer residents access to a rich, diverse and creative range of events and activities in Newham. It’s also a fantastic example of how an unused site can be transformed through meanwhile temporary uses.

“The Royal Docks is fast becoming a vibrant new cultural quarter in London, complimenting the exciting programme of creativity, art and academic excellence emerging in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park through the East Bank project. All of this will support our innovative community wealth building and inclusive economy agendas where all our residents benefit from the opportunities accelerating in Newham.”

Strategic Development Committee chair Councillor Daniel Blaney said: “This has the potential to attract thousands of visitors to the Royal Docks each year and reconnect them with one of London’s most historic landscapes.”

Soldier of Orange – The Musical has been seen by over 3 million people in Holland, has broken all Dutch theatre records and celebrated nine years of sold-out shows. Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema’s book was also adapted for a Dutch international hit film in 1977 directed by Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct, RoboCop, Total Recall, Elle), nominated for a Golden Globe and starred the late Rutger Hauer in the title role.

The UK production will be directed by renowned Dutch director Theu Boermans. The book is written by Edwin de Vries, with music and lyrics written by Americans Tom Harriman and Pamela Phillips Oland and set design by Bernhard Hammer. This first English production is adapted for the British stage by Jeremy Brock. The Associate producer is Mark de Kruijk.

To register for updates and information on when tickets go on sale go to www.SoldierOfOrange.com

 ENGLISH TOURING OPERA

RETURNS TO CHESTER THIS SPRING

WITH TRIO OF NEW SHOWS

Two Chester choirs will join ETO performers for

Giulio Cesare, Così fan tutte and St John Passion

Shows run from Tuesday 7 April to Thursday 9 April 2020

English Touring Opera returns to Storyhouse in Chester for Spring 2020 with a trio of stunning new shows to entertain audiences – Handel’s Giulio Cesare, Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and the St John Passion by J.S Bach.

English Touring Opera (ETO) follow the success of their Silver Lake/Seraglio in Autumn 2019 by bringing together the great pillars of the baroque and classical periods – Bach, Handel and Mozart – taking the new tour to venues across the country.

The English Touring Opera shows will be particularly special for two Chester choirs, who will sing alongside the ETO performers – Chester Festival Chorus and Chester Cathedral Saturday Singing Club.

English Touring Opera will return to Storyhouse from Tuesday 7 April to Thursday 9 April 2020. Tickets are on sale, including a limited number of £5 tickets for aged 26 and under.

The company’s aim for this new season is to platform exciting new creative leaders; target new audiences to opera; and continue to improve access to its work.

As part of its commitment to collaborating with community choirs throughout the tour, the ETO will engage with more than 500 local singers nationally through a dedicated outreach programme. At Storyhouse, Chester Festival Chorus and Chester Cathedral Saturday Singing Club will perform alongside the ETO.

Chester Festival Chorus was formed in 1981 by Martin Merry, a founder of Chester Summer Music Festival and Artistic Director from its inception in 1978 until 1985. The group has established itself as one of the North West’s leading large-scale mixed-voice choirs. At the annual Chester Summer Music Festival, the choir performed major choral works from composer including Handel, Mozart, Britten, Poulenc, and Tavener. Music director is Ellie Slorach.

The chorus made its first visit to the BBC Proms in 1992 when it gave the London premiere of John Tavener’s We Shall See Him As He Is. The chorus has since returned to the Proms on three occasions – with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO) in 1994; with the BBC Philharmonic in 1988; and once again with the RLPO in 2005. The chorus also appeared with the BBC Philharmonic and other choirs from the North of England at the opening choral concert at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall.

Chester Catherdral Saturday Singing Club perform at cathedral services throughout the year. Each term the singers learn popular songs and learn basic music theory, including good singing technique, posture, and breathing.

English Touring Opera’s resident period orchestra, the Old Street Band, will feature in all three shows on baroque and classical instruments, providing a rare opportunity to audiences across the country during its 44-date tour.

Storyhouse is encouraging music fans to experience a live show from English Touring Opera – Giulio Cesare, Così Fan Tutte, St John Passion – as the perfect introduction to opera.

Giulio Cesare will be performed on Tuesday 7 April 2020 at 7.30pm. This is one of Handel’s most celebrated opera. A story of passion and revenge, featuring a treasure trove of great arias with immense dramatic intensity. The opera follows the events surrounding Julius Caesar’s conquest of Egypt, as well as his uneasy alliance and romance with fabled Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. Due to its huge success in ETO’s Autumn 2017 tour, Artistic Director James Conway and Conductor Jonathan Peter Kenny rework their production of Handel’s Giulio Cesare. There is a pre-show talk in the Garret Theatre from 6.30pm. The opera is sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Così Fan Tutte will be performed on Wednesday 8 April 2020 at 7.30pm. Mozart’s combination of glorious music and farcical comedy make Così Fan Tutte an enduring favourite, a story of young love and fidelity. It is in many ways Mozart’s most perfect opera, and was his third collaboration with librettist Da Ponte, following their successes with The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni. Conductor Holly Mathieson (NZ Opera, Scottish Ballet, Decca Classics) and Laura Attridge (ROH, Mahogany Opera Group, Waterperry Opera) collaborate for the first time on this new production, which is set in 1930s Alexandria – a decade of contradictory gender politics and a city of flourishing cosmopolitanism, and sung in Jeremy Sams’ fluent and witty translation. There is a pre-show talk in the Garret Theatre from 6.30pm. The opera is sung in English with English surtitles.

St John Passion will be performed on Thursday 9 April 2020 at 7.30pm. Following the overwhelming success of English Touring Opera’s performances of the great choral masterpieces of J.S Bach, the ETO will presentSt John Passion in an immersive and semi-staged performance. Professional soloists perform with Chester Festival Chorus and the Old Street Band for a distinctive and reimagined production. The ETO has commissioned new translations of the chorales from theological and literary figures including Anglican Priest, journalist and broadcaster Dr Giles Anthony Fraser, and former Archbishop Of Canterbury and poet Dr Rowan Williams. The opera is sung in English and German with English surtitles.

Tickets for English Touring Opera are on sale now priced from £20.50. Each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee. There are a limited number of £5 tickets for aged 26 and under.

LISTING INFORMATION

ENGLISH TOURING OPERA

Tuesday 7 April 2020 – Thursday 9 April 2020

STORYHOUSE

Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR

TUESDAY 7 APRIL 2020 – GIULIO CESARE

Sung in Italian with English surtitles

Pre-show talk in the Garret Theatre at 6.30pm

Show starts at 7.30pm

WEDNESDAY 8 APRIL 2020 – COSÌ FAN TUTTE

Sung in English with English surtitles

Pre-show talk in the Garret Theatre from 6.30pm

Show starts at 7.30pm

THURSDAY 9 APRIL 2020 – ST JOHN PASSION

Sung in English and German with English surtitles

Show starts at 7.30pm

Tickets from £20.50 – each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee

A limited number of £5 tickets for aged 26 and under

HOW TO BOOK

Online:            Visit www.storyhouse.com

By Phone:       Call 01244 409 113

In person:       Visit the Ticket Kiosks at Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR

Website:         www.storyhouse.com

Facebook:       www.facebook.com/storyhouselive/

Twitter:           @StoryhouseLive

VAULT Festival 11 – 16 February 2020

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

The third part of Katie Arnstein’s It’s A Girl! trilogy is another corker of a show. (All 3 shows are playing on the 16th)

Although still in development, Sticky Door is already a slick, intelligent and funny production. Einstein’s relaxed and anecdotal style almost makes the audience forget they’re watching theatre rather than sharing war stories with a mate. After a pre-Christmas breakup, Arnstein shares her 2014 plan – a man a month, without getting attached or staying with them out of habit. With no agent and struggling to find acting jobs, Katie shares a flat above a Brixton chicken shop “le Palais de Poulet” as her flatmate calls it and works in a Chinese restaurant. Her methods of finding suitable dates are related in hilarious fashion, and if each month’s encounter was told in equal detail, this show would be a marathon, but probably well worth sitting through. A few months are skipped through in a musical montage until we get to the summer, where glimpses of Katie’s mental health struggles trickle through, before becoming a paragliding deluge. The change in body language and breakup of the rhythm of the storytelling convey the emotional exhaustion brilliantly.

With a clever eye for detail and some wonderful quips, Arnstein’s writing engages the audience instantly, and her charming and charismatic performance is outstanding. Arnstein’s analysis of why her depression developed and the support of her friends is brutally honest, and the final call to arms for us to fight the sexism and prejudice in society, and to remember that we deserve better is full of hopeful inspiration. Get down to the Vaults and see this wonderful show for lots of laughs, a few tears and rhubarb and custards.

The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester- until 7 March 2020

Reviewed by Joseph Everton

4****

Andrew Sheridan’s passionate, untamed and sometimes strange interpretation of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights brought a Yorkshire moor to the Royal Exchange’s stage.

Under Bryony Shanahan’s direction, a wild, uninhibited relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff formed, flourished and became an obsession, as eternal as Penistone Crags. Alex Austin’s original portrayal of Heathcliff caught the eye in a performance riddled with all of the worst characteristics of people: envy, selfishness, and unadulterated loathing.

The characters were distinctly unlikeable and, even though Hindley’s (Gurjeet Singh) jealousy and hateful bullying of Heathcliff was believable and brutal, it was difficult to feel much sympathy for him, or indeed any other character as the performance lurched from one disaster to the next. The dark and damaged script described a deep and sometimes disturbing love, bordering on obsession. The weak and neglected Edgar Linton (Dean Fagan), downtrodden by an increasingly aggressive and damaged Cathy (Rakhee Sharma), was particularly meek and manipulated as he, his sister (Rhiannon Clements) and Hindley vied for affection to no avail.

Alexandra Faye Braithwaite’s shoegaze-style musical accompaniment, performed by the excellent Becky Wilkie and Sophie Galpin, added depth to some of the more emotional moments. When things all felt rather heavy and despairing, the music brought hope and optimism.

Subtle changes to Cecile Tremoliere’s attractive staging were noticeable after the interval as the set grew with the characters. Zoe Spurr’s moveable LED strip lighting was excellent and provided a delicate glow to the stage.

Theatre Royal, Nottingham – until Saturday 15 February 2020

Reviewed by Boo Wakefield

4****

A performance I arrived at thinking it was going to be an Agatha Christie-esque “Who Dunnit” and which I left with the question of Who caused it? on my mind hours afterward. My daughter, like most of the audience, studied An Inspector Calls at GCSE level. This was her second time viewing the production and she said, “it got better and better as I watched”. I haven’t heard her talk this animatedly about a production before, just going to show what an impact this performance made on her as well as all the students in the audience.

Stephen Daldry’s 28-year-old production portrays the struggles of family and society using dramatic lighting, immersive set pieces and an incredible cast. The introductory scene had young children running around the broken and damaged street, which reflected well on the post war era the play was set and written in. Rowan O’Driscoll-Besh’s performance as a Young Boy displayed a powerful image of the innocence and curiosity of the new and vulnerable generation. In comparison, Christine Kavanagh and Jeffrey Harmer’s portrayals of the ghastly Mr and Mrs Birling where fantastic at putting across J. B. Priestley’s idea that the older generation where becoming more and more desperate and power hungry as the post war era ensued.

Kavanagh’s entrance as Sybil Birling was so impressive as she stood in a doorway, glittering in the fantastic pearl jewelry that stood out against the glorious red gown she was wearing. Huge hats off to the costume team and their fantastic work on the outfits, managing to display both the era as well as the characters positions in society. The plainly dressed housemaid Edna, shown through Emma Carter stood out. She seemed to be everywhere and nowhere all throughout the play, eavesdropping and smirking at her employer’s obvious discomfort adding a drop of humor into the more serious aspects of the play.

Beside the fantastic acting there was the incredible lighting and set that has hardly changed since the original production in 1992. Comprised of what seems to be an oversized dolls house atop cobbled streets and rubble, the set presents a post war image of a run-down world in which the Birling’s are trying to elevate themselves above. The use on bright lighting against water and mist falling from above created an acute recreation of the dreary weather of England but also produced a pathetic fallacy as it reflected and emphasized the negative and broken emotions of the Birlings in the wake of the Inspectors grueling interrogations. The ‘oversized dolls house’, as I so crudely named it, was the eye drawing aspect of the whole production. Beginning closed, the house opened quite literally as the performance ensued, baring its inhabitants to the whole audience. Its dramatic effect didn’t stop there though, later in the play accompanied by the bright lighting and rain the house tipped forward, dropping and smashing all the set pieces from inside it. To add to the effect sparks flew from the lamps inside the room, making the whole thing look just a broken as the rest of the world around it. This whole action, it is safe to say, shocked the whole audience as well as myself and really put across the idea that the characters lives were falling apart very effectively.

Overall, a play that has stood the tests of time thoroughly entertaining us all. A thought-provoking and entertaining evening.

SIR MATTHEW BOURNE CELEBRATES PLAYING TO
AUDIENCES OF OVER 200,000 AT BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME

This week, Birmingham Hippodrome presented Sir Matthew Bourne with a commemorative seat plaque celebrating his productions playing to a total of over 200,000 people in Birmingham since his legendary production of Swan Lake first visited the theatre back in 1996.

Now a regular feature in Birmingham Hippodrome’s theatrical calendar, Sir Matthew Bourne has presented twenty-three productions on the Hippodrome stage over the course of twenty four years including Nutcracker!, Edward Scissorhands, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and The Lord of the Flies. His production of The Red Shoes is currently playing to packed houses at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 15 February.

The seat plaque, situated in G26 of the Circle, reads; “Sir Matthew Bourne; pure dance magic for 200,000 Hippodrome audiences and counting!”.

A sell-out before its world premiere season opened in 2016, Matthew Bourne’s triumphant adaptation of The Red Shoes is currently running for its third season at Birmingham Hippodrome, having won two Olivier Awards and dazzled audiences across the UK and the USA.

The Red Shoes is a tale of obsession, possession and one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world. Victoria Page lives to dance but her ambitions become a battleground between the two men who inspire her passion.

Set to the achingly romantic music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, The Red Shoes is orchestrated by Terry Davies and played by the New Adventures Orchestra, with cinematic designs by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Paul Groothuis and projection design from Duncan McLean.

The Red Shoes runs at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 15 February 2020. To book visit birminghamhippodrome.com or call 0844 338 5000 (4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge). 

THE BOULEVARD THEATRE PRESENTS
THE EFFECT
By Lucy Prebble
Directed by Anthony Neilson
 

• CASTING IS TODAY ANNOUNCED FOR THE FIRST LONDON REVIVAL OF LUCY PREBBLE’S THE EFFECT, DIRECTED BY ANTHONY NEILSON
• THE CAST WILL BE ERIC KOFI ABREFA, CHRISTINE ENTWISLE, TIM MCMULLAN AND KATE O’FLYNN
• THE PLAY RUNS AT THE BOULEVARD THEATRE FROM 19 MARCH UNTIL 30 MAY, WITH PRESS NIGHT ON 25 MARCH 

The Boulevard Theatre today announces casting for the first London revival of The Effect, written by award-winning writer Lucy Prebble (A Very Expensive Poison, ENRON, The Sugar Syndrome, Succession and Secret Diary of a Call Girl) and directed by Anthony Neilson (The Tell-Tale Heart, The Prudes and Unreachable). Eric Kofi Abrefa plays Tristan Frey, Christine Entwisle will play Lorna James, Tim McMullan will play Toby Sealey and Kate O’Flynn will play Connie Hall.

Winner of the Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Play when it opened at the National Theatre in 2012, The Effect places modern medicine under the microscope, examining the fallout from a collision between love and science.

Connie and Tristan meet; symptoms develop. Racing hearts. Lost appetites. Erratic emotions. Is this the frenzy of falling in love, or simply side effects from the new anti-depressant drug they’re testing? Addiction comes hard and fast. But have the clinicians running the trial lost control?

Eric Kofi Abrefa most recently starred in the film Blue Story, directed by Rapman.  Other films include Jurassic World and Fury alongside Brad Pitt. On stage, Eric played Jean opposite Vanessa Kirby in Julie at the National Theatre where his credits also include A Taste of Honey alongside Kate O’Flynn.  Other theatre credits include ear for eye at the Royal Court and One Love: Bob Marley Musical at the Birmingham REP.  Eric has also featured in a number of television shows including a leading role in Channel 4’s Humans and appearances in Amazon’s Jack Ryan and Hulu’s Harlots.

Christine Entwisle’s recent theatre credits include The Monstrous Heart (Stephen Joseph Theatre), The Twits, Hope and Primetime (all Royal Court), as well as a number of plays at the RSC, including Romeo and Juliet. Her TV credits include Vera (ITV), Doctors (BBC) and Holby City (BBC).    

Tim McMullan has appeared in a number of shows at the National Theatre including Antony & Cleopatra, Common, Twelfth Night, Man vs Superman, The Cherry Orchard amongst many others. Other credits include King Charles III in the West End. TV and film credits include Netflix’s The Crown, Shakespeare in Love and The Fifth Element.

Kate O’Flynn is currently appearing in all of it at the Royal Court, where her credits also include Blank, The End of History, and Anatomy of a Suicide. At the National Theatre she has performed in Port, for which she won the Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Newcomer, and A Taste of Honey. TV and film highlights include Mike Leigh’s Happy Go Lucky and Mr. Turner, BBC’s Wanderlust, and Channel 4’s Brexit.

The Effect will play at the Boulevard Theatre from March 19 to May 30, with press night on March 25.

Leeds Playhouse – until 15 February 2020

Reviewed By Dawn Smallwood

4*****

Phoenix Dance Theatre makes a welcome return to the Leeds Playhouse with their world premiere of Black Waters. Working in collaboration with Rythmosaic, an Indian Dance Company, they present this anticipated and awaited work. An excerpt of what was to come had been featured in last autumn’s Phoenix at Home programme.

This contemporary work tells the two stories; firstly, the Zong massacre in the late 1700s where the Zong ship owners who, at the expense of 130 slaves’ lives, attempted to claim insurance and Hula Pani, a century later, is about the Indian freedom fighters who were incarcerated for exposing the British colonial’s regime.

Two very poignant and yet provocative narratives are presented and they are told with combined dance, movements and body language which tells in parallel the horrific plights the slaves and prisoners endured under the clutches of British colonialism. Black Waters is a testimony to how vulnerable individuals were amid historic accounts of prejudice and violence among difference races and ethnicities. Poignancy reigns from this emotional retelling of those narratives and how future opportunities including multiculturalism can give people individuality and belonging along with optimism and self worth.

The company perform evocatively and in synchronisation with a combination of drama, movement and dance representing a range of emotions which the affected victims of those events experienced. Under the creative choreography of Sharon Watson, Shambik Ghose and Dr Mitul Sengupta and set to Dishari Chakraborty’s diverse music, Black Waters captures the retelling of the less well known narratives and what they can be learnt from them and also shape the present and the future.

Phoenix Dance Theatre has an incredible track record for interpreting and sharing stories, some known and some not as well known, that are so relevant today. Black Waters is an excellent, powerful and provocative production which underlines the emotive and soulful yearnings which can be interpreted for past and present human plights.

SAMANTHA WOMACK TO JOIN

STRICTLY WINNER TOM CHAMBERS

IN 2020 UK TOUR OF THRILLER CLASSIC

DIRECTED BY ANTHONY BANKS

Can you ever get away with the perfect crime?

A brand new production of the classic thriller, Dial M for Murder, tours the UK in 2020, having opened at Richmond Theatre on January 14th 2020. The genre-defining thriller – based on Frederick Knott’s stage and screen play, made world-famous by Hitchcock’s iconic 1954 film is directed by Anthony Banks. Samantha Womack takes over the role of Margot from Sally Bretton from the 14^th April, in Milton Keynes where she tours with the company to Birmingham, Cardiff, Leicester, Sheffield, Liverpool, Mold, Brighton, Shrewsbury and Salford. Her run concludes in Northampton on June 27^th.

TV and stage favourite, Tom Chambers, (Top Hat, Strictly Come Dancing) stars as the charismatic and manipulative Tony Wendice, a jaded ex-tennis pro who has given it all up for his wife Margot, played by Samantha Womack * (The Girl on the Train, The Addams Family, Eastenders). When he discovers she has been unfaithful his mind turns to revenge and the pursuit of the ‘perfect crime’. Christopher Harper (Coronation Street, Strangers on a Train) performs in the dual roles of Captain Lesgate and Inspector Hubbard and Michael Salami (Hollyoaks) as Max Halliday, Margot’s lover.

Tom Chambers plays Tony Wendice. Tom’s theatre creditsinclude: Crazy For You (UK tour); Private Lives (UK tour); White Christmas (Dominion); Top Hat (Aldwych); White Christmas (Sunderland Empire); The Rover (Young Vic Studio); Journey’s End (Courtyard Theatre); Bloody Poetry (Brockley Jack Theatre); Pendragon (City Theatre Broadway NYMT and Sadler’s Wells); October’s Children (NYMT and Hammersmith Lyric); Cyrano De Bergerac and Macbeth (Derby Rep Theatre); Damn Yankees (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre); The Innocents (Derby Playhouse) and Stepping Out (Electric GSA).Film includes: Fakers and Great in Britain: the Movie. Television includes: Midsomer Murders, Emmerdale, Casualty, Father Brown, The Great Train Robbery, Waterloo Road and Holby City. Radio includes: Mellow Magic every Saturday 10am-1pm.

Samantha Womack appears as Margot Wendice. Samantha Womack is best known for playing Ronnie Mitchell in BBC1’s EastEnders.

Her television credits include the leading roles of: Tanya in three series of Mount Pleasant, Ingrid in Home Again, Ruth in Babes in the Wood, Imogen in Imogen’s Face and Mandy in the hugely popular Game On. Samantha has also starred in Forgiven, The Last Detective, Strange, Judge John Deed, Liverpool 1, Pie in the Sky and The Grimleys. She also appeared in Silent Witness on BBC1. Samantha’s film credits include the box-office-breaking Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Kingsman: The Secret Service, One Night in Istanbul, Dead Man’s Cards, Lighthouse Hill, The Baby Juice Express, Up N Under and Breeders. Theatre credits include: The Girl on the Train (UK tour); The Addams Family (UK tour); Hope (Royal Court Liverpool); The Lincoln Centre’s production of South Pacific in the lead role of Nellie Forbush (Barbican and UK tour); Michael Grandage’s Guys and Dolls alongside Patrick Swayze (Piccadilly Theatre); Earth & Sky (UK tour) and Peter Hall’s production of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal (Theatre Royal Bath).

Christopher Harper performs as Captain Lesgate and Inspector Hubbard. Christopher’stheatre credits include: Strangers on a Train (UK tour); Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s’ Globe); Slipping (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough); The Wind in the Willows, Man of the Moment and Private Fears in Public Places (Royal & Derngate); I Know How I Feel About Eve (Hampstead Downstairs); The Night Before Christmas (Different Breed); The Village Bike (Sheffield Crucible Studio); A Kid Like Jake (Old Vic New Voices); OurCountry’s Good and Journey’s End (Original Theatre Company); Persuasion, After Miss Julie and People at Sea (Salisbury Playhouse); Saturn Returns (Finborough Theatre); Light Shining in Buckinghamshire and Lie of the Land (Arcola). Television includes: Holby City, Endeavour, Coronation Street, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher,Doctors, Upstairs Downstairs, The Bill, Heartbeat, The Roman Mysteries, Housewife 49,Life on Mars and Rosemary and Thyme. Chris also produced and voiced the award-winning charity animation The Mouse.

Michael Salami is Max Halliday. Michael Salami is a multi-award-winning actor. Born in America and raised in London, Salami discovered his passion for acting in 2007. Salami made his first on stage appearance at Oval Theatre in 2010 and has since then performed at The Old Vic, Soho Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith, Southwark Playhouse and Theatre503. Salami studied at Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York graduating in 2016 and since then has appeared in Hollyoaks; Catastrophe; The Temple and Magic Hour. His leading role in Just A Couple has landed him a number of nominations and awards such as a Screen Nation Award for Best Actor. Just A Couple is now in full development with Channel 4.

Anthony Banks directs Frederick Knott’s Dial M For Murder, adding to credits that recently include Gaslightand Strangers on a Train. His production of the hit thriller, The Girl on the Train, continues to tour the UK. The creative team is completed by David Woodhead, Designer; Katy Osborne, Resident Director; Lizzie Powell, Lighting Designer; Ben & Max Ringham, Sound Design; Betty Marini, Wigs Supervisor; Siobhan Boyd, Costume Supervisor, Luke Child as Production Manager and Alison de Burgh as Fight Director.

Dial M For Murder is produced by Simon Friend and Gavin Kalin. 

DIAL M FOR MURDER 2020 TOUR DATES

   *Sally Bretton performs as Margot Wendice until Sat 11^th April

Richmond Theatre, Richmond                               Box Office: 0844 871 7651          

Tues 14^th – Sat 18^th Jan                                           Website: www.atgtickets.com

Theatre Royal, Norwich                                           Box Office: 01603 630000

Tues 21^th – Sat 25^th Jan                                            Website: www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

Orchard Theatre, Dartford                                      Box Office: 01322 220000                           

Tues 28^th Jan – Sat 1^st Feb                                        www.orchardtheatre.co.uk

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford                       Box Office: 01483 440000

Tues 4^th – Sat 8^th Feb                                                 www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Theatre Royal, Bath                                                  Box Office: 01225 448844

Tues 11^th – Sat 15^th Feb                                            www.theatreroyal.org.uk                           

His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen                           Box Office: 01224 641122

Tues 19^th – Sat 22^nd Feb                                           www.aberdeenperformingarts.com

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh                                        Box Office: 0131 5296000

Tues 25^th – Sat 29^th Feb                                            www.capitaltheatres.com

Theatre Royal, Glasgow                                           Box Office: 0844 8717647

Tues 3^rd  – Sat 7^th Mar                                               www.atgtickets.com

Salisbury Playhouse                                                   Box Office: 01722 320333

Tues 10^th – Sat 14^th Mar                                           www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk

Churchill Theatre, Bromley                                     Box Office: 020 32856000

Tues 17^th – Sat 21^st Mar                                            www.churchilltheatre.co.uk

Palace Theatre, Southend                                        Box Office: 01702 351135

Tues 24^th – Sat 28^th Mar                                           www.southendtheatres.org.uk

* Sam Womack performs as Margot Wendice from Tuesday 14^th April

Milton Keynes Theatre                                             Box Office: 0844 871 7652

Tues 14^th – Sat 18^th Apr                                            www.atgtickets.com

New Alexandra, Birmingham                                  Box Office: 0844 871 3011

Tues 21^st – Sat 25^th Apr                                             www.atgtickets.com

New Theatre, Cardiff                                                Box Office: 029 2087 8889

Tues 28^th Apr – Sat 2^nd May                                    www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk   

Curve Theatre, Leicester                                          Box Office: 0116 242 3595

Tues 5^th – Sat 9^th May                                               www.curveonline.co.uk

Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield                                       Box Office: 0116 242 3595

Tues 12^th – Sat 16^th May                                          www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool                                 Box Office: 0151 709 4776

Tues 19^th – Sat 23^rd May                                           www.everymanplayhouse.com

Theatr Clwyd, Mold                                                   Box Office: 01352 344 101

Tues 26^th – Sat 30^th May                                           www.theatrclwyd.com

Theatre Royal, Brighton                                           Box Office: 0844 871 3011

Tues 2^nd – Sat 6^th June                                                             www.atgtickets.com

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury                                   Box Office: 01743 281 281

Tues 9^th – Sat 13^th June                                             www.theatresevern.co.uk

The Lowry, Salford                                                    Box Office: 0843 208 6000

Tues 16^th – Sat 20^th June                                          www.thelowry.com

Royal & Derngate, Northampton                           Box Office: 01604 624811

Tues 23^rd – Sat 27^th June                                          Website: www.royalandderngate.co.uk