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Hampstead Downstairs / Celia Atkin presents

Sleepwalking

By Hannah Khalil

Directed by Audrey Sheffield

Design by Anna Reid

Lighting by Ali Hunter

Sound by Julian Starr

Cast includes Eileen Nicholas & Jeany Spark

·         FULL CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR SLEEPWALKING, HANNAH KHALIL’S DEBUT AT HAMPSTEAD THEATRE

·         ACCLAIMED STAGE AND SCREEN ACTORS, EILEEN NICHOLAS AND JEANY SPARK WILL PERFORM IN THIS WORLD PREMIERE, DIRECTED BY AUDREY SHEFFIELD, ALSO MAKING HER DEBUT AT HAMPSTEAD THEATRE

·         SLEEPWALKING, A DARK NEW THRILLER THAT EXPLORES MOTHERHOOD WILL BE PERFORMED IN THE THEATRE’S STUDIO SPACE FOR SUPPORTING NEW VOICES, FROM 26 MARCH UNTIL 2 MAY 2020

Just ask me. To help. It’s what I’m here for. I want to.

Hampstead Theatre, has announced the full cast and creative team for James Tait Black prize-nominated writer Hannah Khalil’s dark new thriller Sleepwalkingwhich will run from 26 March until 2 May 2020, marking her debut at the theatre.

Acclaimed stage and screen actors Eileen Nicholas and Jeany Spark will perform in this world premiere, directed by Audrey Sheffield who is also making her debut at Hampstead Theatre.  Sheffieldwill be joined by designer Anna Reid, with lighting design by Ali Hunter and sound design by Julian Starr.

Eileen Nicholas is known for her role as Renton’s mother in the iconic 90s film Trainspotting and the more recent sequel T2 Trainspotting.  Other screen credits include the film You Need Help and roles in the TV dramas, Broken and Midwinter of the Spirit.  Recent theatre credits include Richard III with Headlong, Midsummer with National Theatre of Scotland, presented at Edinburgh International Festival and Mary Stuart at the Duke of York’s with the Almeida Theatre.

Nicholas will be joined by Jeany Spark, known to television audiences for her portrayal of Linda Wallander in the UK TV detective drama series, Wallander starring alongside Kenneth Branagh.  Other screen credits include, Collateral, Born to Kill, Line of Duty 2 and Man Down.  Theatre credits include Crooked Dances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Skylight with Theatr Clwyd and Battleface with the Bush Theatre.

Life as a mother is full of challenges: there’s the house to be paid for, a high-pressure full-time job, and a daughter who has started having nightmares.  So it’s a relief when grandma steps in to help: dealing with the school run, preparing the daughter’s dinner, reading the bedtime story… everything suddenly becomes easier.  But what starts as desperately needed support gradually begins to feel pernicious. Best not to look too closely. Questioning things might lead to the end of this essential arrangement. And then the telephone starts to ring in the middle of the night…

Sleepwalking is a dark thriller that explores motherhood.

Roxana Silbert, Artistic Director ofHampstead Theatre,said “I am delighted to be welcoming these brilliant new artists into our Downstairs space, dedicated to bringing audiences the most exciting voices in contemporary theatre. I can’t wait to see Hannah’s visceral play brought to life.

Hannah Khalil, Playwright of Sleepwalking said: “I am so excited to be making my debut at Hampstead’s Downstairs space.  I’ve always loved the intimacy of this studio space and think it will be the perfect setting for Sleepwalking. I can’t wait to see it performed by these wonderful actresses whose work I’ve long admired.”

Audrey Sheffield, Director of Sleepwalking said: “When I first started working as a director, I came to see a lot of Hampstead Downstairs work and I always found it a really exciting and inspiring space.  I’m especially thrilled to now be making my directorial debut at the theatre and with Hannah’s fascinating, honest and deeply affecting new play.  I can’t wait to get into the rehearsal room with this incredible cast and whole team, to bring this production to life.”

The Haystack is currently playing on the Main Stage at Hampstead Theatre.  Roxana Silbert’s critically acclaimeddirecting debut has been extended until 12 March.  The Haystack, a fast-paced, topical play, which delves into the intriguing world of GCHQ and examines the human impact of national surveillance, is Al Blyth’s first full-length play.

Dominion Theatre London – until 12 September 2020

Reviewed by Molly Stannard

5*****

A fantastic and imaginative adaptation by Scott Schwartz based on the biblical events of Moses, this show contains a great mix of humour, sadness, joy, despair, of relationships and love gained and lost, but ultimately victory for the downtrodden.

Some may find criticism because the stage set is basic, but thanks to Mike Billings for his lighting design and John Driscoll for his projection design you were transported back to ancient Egypt with amazing effects. I feel a more elaborate set would only detract from this wonderful illusion. The ingenious choreography by Sean Cheeseman, from the horse and chariots made up of dancing figures, to the river Nile coming alive by writhing bodies and the delightful combination of light projection recreating the turbulent waters and the flames of the burning bush was amazing to see. The music and voices were powerful and emotional.

The story is captivating as you see the relationship between the two brothers played by Luke Brady (Moses) and Liam Tamne (Ramses) unravel and eventually the truth of Moses origins become apparent, until eventually they must go their separate ways. The characters were brought alive and you could empathise with Moses as he comes to terms with his ancestry and his struggles with the abuse of his race, the conflict (at times), not only between him and his brother, but also with his own people and even with God. Moses sister Miriam (Alexia Khadime) and his wife Tzipporah ( Christine Allado) portrayed a great show of belief and strength as the driving force behind the men. The curses that God subjected the Egyptians to were skimmed over, a lot of drama could have been made of these, but, having said that, the show was long enough and the point of Pharaoh’s stubbornness was clearly put across.

At the end of the play there was a standing ovation which was well deserved!

STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL GRAZIANO

EMBARKS ON FIRST

UK SOLO TOUR NEXT WEEK

HAVANA NIGHTS OPENS ON MONDAY IN CHELMSFORD

SIZZLING SHOW WILL VISIT 26 VENUES NATIONWIDE

Strictly Come Dancing professional Graziano Di Prima is about to embark on his first solo UK tour, which opens next week.

The 25-year-old dancer has won a legion of fans through his sizzling dance routines, now he takes his new show Havana Nights on tour visiting 26 venues across the UK this Spring.

Graziano will be joined on tour by fellow Strictly professional and fiancée Giada Lini – together they will entertain audiences with their dazzling and stunning dance moves.

Havana Nights opens in Chelmsford on Monday 3 March 2020, before visiting Stevenage, Milton Keynes, Crawley, Tunbridge Wells, Bury St Edmunds, St Albans, Kettering, Leamington Spa, Cambridge, Exmouth, Redruth, Cheltenham, Swindon, Yeovil, High Wycombe, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Whitley Bay, Fleetwood, Warrington, Guildford, Reading, Shrewsbury, Southport, and Lichfield.

Havana Nights promises an exciting mix of Latin dances with individual performances from Graziano and Giada, as well as entertaining group numbers with their supporting dancers. The show will be fantastic and fast paced and is guaranteed to be fresh and innovative with amazing routines to dazzle and wow its audience.

And along with the spectacular sizzling performances on stage, there will also be opportunities for a special pre-show meet and greet with Graziano and Giada.

Graziano Di Prima was born in Sicily and started dancing at the age of six when his mother enrolled him in classes. He is an Italian Latin Champion, as well as representing Belgium at the World Championships, and made the top 24 at the under 21s Latin World Championships. He went on to spend three years performing with the world-famous Burn the Floor dance company, where he met his future wife 28-year-old Venetian Giada, romantically proposing to her live on stage between performances.

Graziano joined the Strictly team in 2018, partnering DJ Vick Hope through a series of sparkling and high-energy routines. He recently made Strictly history when he performed the first same sex couple dance with fellow professional Johannes Radebe.

Giada is ranked in the top 25 in the world in the Latin-American style. She won the Italian Showdance Championship nine times and represented Italy at the World Showdance Championships, where she was a finalist and won the Show Dance World Cup in 2014. She was also a finalist in Freestyle Latin representing Italy at the World Champions in China in 2013 and 2014.  She worked as a professional Latin American dancer on a high-profile Italian TV show called Amici di Maria De Filippi for three years, and toured Australia, the UK and Japan with Burn the Floor. Giada joined Strictly as a pro dancer in 2018.

Website:         www.havananightstour.co.uk

Twitter:           @_HavanaNights

HAVANA NIGHTS TOUR 2020

CHELMSFORD

Civic Centre

3 March 2020

01245 606505

https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres/#

STEVENAGE

Gordon Craig Theatre

4 March 2020

01438 363200

https://www.gordon-craig.co.uk/

MILTON KEYNES

Stables Theatre

5 March 2020

01908 280800

https://stables.org/

CRAWLEY

Hawth Theatre

6 March 2020

01293 553636

https://www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/The-Hawth

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

Assembly Hall Theatre

7 March 2020

01245 606505

https://www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk/

BURY ST EDMUNDS

The Apex

10 March 2020

01284 758000

https://www.theapex.co.uk/

ST ALBANS

Alban Arena

11 March 2020

01727 844488

https://www.alban-arena.co.uk/

KETTERING

Lighthouse Theatre

12 March 2020

01536 414141

Home

LEAMINGTON SPA

Royal Spa Centre

13 March 2020

01926 334418

https://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/royalspacentre/site/index.php

CAMBRIDGE

Corn Exchange

14 March 2020

01223 357851

https://www.cambridgelive.org.uk/cornex

EXMOUTH

Exmouth Pavilion

15 March 2020

01395 222477

https://www.ledleisure.co.uk/exmouth-pavilion

REDRUTH

Regal Theatre

16 March 2020

01209 216278

https://www.merlincinemas.co.uk/regal-theatre

CHELTENHAM

Town Hall

17 March 2020

0844 576 2210

Home

SWINDON

Wyvern Theatre

20 March 2020

01793 524481

https://swindontheatres.co.uk/Online/

YEOVIL

Westlands Theatre

21 March 2020

01935 422884

https://www.westlandsyeovil.co.uk/

HIGH WYCOMBE

Wycombe Swan

22 March 2020

01494 512000

https://wycombeswan.co.uk/Online/

GLASGOW

Royal Concert Hall

25 March 2020

0141 353 8000

https://www.glasgowconcerthalls.com

EDINBURGH

Assembly Rooms

26 March 2020

0131 228 1155

http://www.usherhall.co.uk/

WHITLEY BAY

Playhouse Theatre

27 March 2020

0844 248 1588

https://www.playhousewhitleybay.co.uk/

FLEETWOOD

Marine Hall

28 March 2020

01253 887693

https://uk.patronbase.com/_Wyre/Productions

WARRINGTON

Parr Hall

29 March 2020

01925 442345

Welcome to Parr Hall

GUILDFORD

GLive

31 March 2020

01245 606505

https://glive.co.uk/Online/

READING

Hexagon Theatre

1 April 2020

0118 960 6060

https://whatsonreading.com/venues/hexagon/whats-on

SHREWSBURY

Theatre Severn

3 April 2020

01743 281281

https://www.theatresevern.co.uk/

SOUTHPORT

The Atkinson

4 April 2020

01704 533333

https://www.theatkinson.co.uk

LICHFIELD

Garrick Theatre

5 April 2020

01543 412121

https://www.theatkinson.co.uk

Sharon Small to play the title role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

29 May – 20 June, Chichester Festival Theatre

Sharon Small will make her Chichester debut in the title role of THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE by Jay Presson Allen, adapted from the novel by Muriel Spark. Rachel Kavanaugh directs the production, running at Chichester Festival Theatre from 29 May – 30 June.

Known to a wide television audience for series including The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Flesh and Blood, Mistresses, Trust Me and London Kills, Sharon Small’s theatre work includes Men Should Weep and The Threepenny Opera (National Theatre), Arden of Faversham (RSC), Still Alice (West Yorkshire Playhouse and tour) and The Realistic Joneses (Theatre Royal Bath).

1931. Edinburgh. Schoolmistress Jean Brodie prizes beauty, truth and art above the curriculum, reaching beyond the classroom to find lessons in galleries, theatres and the opera. For her favoured set of girls – Sandy, Jenny, Monica and Mary – she is a fascinating enigma.

And it’s not only twelve-year-olds who are drawn to the provocative Miss Brodie. There’s Gordon Lowther, the diffident music teacher, whom she visits every Sunday, and the raffish married art teacher, Teddy Lloyd.

But not everyone is an admirer. Brodie’s unconventional style challenges the established order at Marcia Blaine School, and a headmistress who doesn’t wish lessons to be taught in the open air and minds to be recklessly expanded.

As the girls grow up and innocence gives way to experience, trust turns to doubt about their teacher. Soon, being a woman and an iconoclast, in a turbulent political age, becomes downright dangerous.

Jay Presson Allen’s bold, searching and funny play, written in 1966, was adapted from the 1961 novel by Muriel Spark. A hit both in London and on Broadway, it successfully transferred to the screen in 1969. 

Rachel Kavanaugh’s many Chichester productions include Shadowlands (2019), The Winslow Boy (2018) and Half A Sixpence (2016).

The production will be designed by Robert Jones, with lighting by Howard Harrison, music by Catherine Jayes, sound by Fergus O’Hare, movement by Georgina Lamb and casting by Charlotte Sutton.

THE BAND IS HITTING THE ROAD!

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S SMASH HIT

WEST END & BROADWAY MUSICAL

TO EMBARK ON UK TOUR, 2021

Opening at Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, 13 February 2021

School of Rock – The Musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash hit, award-winning West End show, will go on a major UK Tour in 2021, opening at the Birmingham Alexandra Theatre on Saturday 13 February 2021.

Based on the hilarious hit movie, this new musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn a few extra bucks by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band – sensationally performed live by the production’s young actors every night with roof-raising energy!

While teaching these pint-sized prodigies what it means to truly rock, Dewey falls for the school’s beautiful, but uptight headmistress, helping her rediscover the wild child within.

‘THE MOST ENJOYABLE FEW HOURS MONEY CAN BUY’ THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Featuring 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and all the original songs from the movie, this high-octane smash delivers face-melting guitar riffs and touching romance in equally awesome doses.

‘A BIG HEARTED SHOW. LOUD AND CHEEKY, A FEEL-GOOD EXPERIENCE

WITH A HINT OF ANARCHIC WILDNESS’ EVENING STANDARD

The production opened at the New London Theatre (now the Gillian Lynne Theatre) in November 2016 to 5-star reviews and widespread critical acclaim. It went on to win the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music. The Broadway production recently concluded its run at the Winter Garden Theatre with a US national touring production continuing. An Australian production opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne last October.

‘A TRIUMPH FOR ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER AS THE KING OF HIT MUSICALS’ DAILY MIRROR

School of Rock – The Musical features new music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid, Sister Act) and a book by Julian Fellowes. It is directed by Laurence Connor (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, London Palladium 2019) with choreography by JoAnn M.Hunter, set and costume designs by Anna Louizos, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Mick-Potter, music supervision by John Rigby with Matt Smith as musical director.

Andrew Lloyd Webber is the composer of some of the world’s best known musicals including Cats, Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera (which this year celebrates its 30^th anniversary) and Sunset Boulevard.  In New York, School of Rock – The Musical, a stage version of the movie, is currently running alongside Cats and Phantom of the Opera, equalling Lloyd Webber’s previous record of three shows running simultaneously on Broadway.

His awards, both as composer and producer, include seven Tonys, seven Oliviers, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, the Praemium Imperiale, the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, a BASCA Fellowship, the Kennedy Center Honor and a Grammy for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Requiem, his setting of the Latin Requiem mass which contains one of his best known compositions, Pie Jesu.  He owns seven London theatres including the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, the New London Theatre and the London Palladium.  He was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen in 1992 and created an honorary member of the House of Lords in 1997.  He is passionate about the importance of music in education and the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation has become one of Britain’s leading charities supporting the arts and music.

School of Rock has a book by Julian Fellowes, for which he received a Tony nomination. Julian the creator, writer and executive producer of the worldwide hit TV series Downton Abbey, which has received 69 Emmy Award nominations, winning 15, including two awards for Fellowes.

Casting for the UK Touring production is to be announced.

The UK & Ireland Tour of School of Rock – The Musical is produced by David Ian Productions.

THE INTERNATIONAL SMASH HIT MUSICAL SIX EXTENDS ITS REIGN ON TOUR INTO 2021

The British musical phenomenon turned global smash hit SIX, written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, is extending its reign on tour through to Christmas 2021. Since opening in Guildford in October 2019, SIX has sold out at every venue and the nation is demanding more! The extension kicks off with a two week run at Oxford Playhouse on 13 August 2020 and will enjoy new and return visits to venues countrywide including The Lowry, Salford Quays where it will play for a six-week Christmas season from 1 December to 10 January 2021. Watch this space for the new cast announcement. Once again, the Queens will be backed by the show’s all female band, The Ladies in Waiting.

The Queendom continues to reign supreme! Since the show premiered as a student production at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017, the SIX phenomenon shows no signs of abating, attracting a new generation of theatregoers worldwide. In the US, the show is previewing on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in New York (opening 12 March) where it has just joined the exclusive ‘million dollar club’ in its very first eight-show week! Lucy Moss, aged 26, has become the youngest female director to helm a Broadway musical. A sit down production opens at the Broadway Playhouse in Chicago in July. Back in London, where SIX continues to sell every seat at the Arts Theatre in the West End, the show was nominated for five 2019 OIivier Awards, including Best New Musical, Best Choreography and Best Costume Design. And in other continents, SIX is currently playing at the Sydney Opera House (until 5 March), before heading out on tour across Australia and New Zealand until 19 July 2020.

From Tudor queens to pop princesses, SIX sees the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their own personal tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an 80-minute celebration of 21st century girl power. The songs from the show have proved a chart storming sensation: the SIX cast album is the second highest streaming cast recording in the world and surpassed the 100 million mark earlier this month. Ann Boleyn’s song ‘Don’t Lose Ur Head’ has been shared over half a billion times on the TIK TOK app. 

These Queens may have green sleeves, but their lipstick is rebellious red. Think you know the rhyme, think again… Divorced. Beheaded. LIVE!

SIX is co-directed by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage, featuring choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. The design team includes Emma Bailey (Set Design), Gabriella Slade (Costume Design), Paul Gatehouse (Sound Design) and Tim Deiling (Lighting Design). The score features orchestrations by Tom Curran with music supervision and vocal arrangements by Joe Beighton. Associate Choreographer Freya Sands, Musical Director Katy Richardson, Associate Musical Director Arlene McNaught. SIX is produced by Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes and George Stiles. The current touring cast presents: Lauren Drew (Catherine of Aragon), Maddison Bulleyment (Anne Boleyn), Lauren Byrne (Jane Seymour), Shekinah McFarlane (Anna of Cleves), Jodie Steele (Katherine Howard) and Athena Collins (Catherine Parr), with Alternates Jennifer Caldwell, Cassandra Lee and Harriet Watson. Casting for the 2021 tour is yet to be announced.

WINNER! BEST ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY OR MUSICAL

The BroadwayWorld Awards 2018

WINNER! BEST COSTUME DESIGNER

The BroadwayWorld Awards 2018

WINNER! BEST UK CAST RECORDING

The Curtain Up Show Album of The Year Awards 2018

WINNER! MUSICAL OF THE YEAR

The Spy in the Stalls Awards 2018

WINNER! BEST OFF WEST END PRODUCTION

WhatsOnStage Awards 2019

NOMINATED FOR SIX WHATSONSTAGE AWARDS

Best New Musical

Best Off-West End Production

Best Original Cast Recording

Best Choreography

Best Lighting Design 

Best Costume Design

NOMINATED FOR FIVE LAURENCE OLIVIER AWARDS

Best New Musical

Outstanding Achievement in Music

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical (The Queens)

Best Theatre Choreographer

Best Costume Design

BOUNDLESS THEATRE ANNOUNCES THE CAST FOR RADIO ELUSIA PODCAST BY

NINA SEGAL, DIRECTED BY BOUNDLESS’ ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ROB DRUMMER

Boundless Theatre presents the full cast for Nina Segal’s bold debut fiction podcast: Radio Elusia. The new five-episode drama, directed by Boundless’ Artistic Director Rob Drummer, will launch in April 2020. Robert Awosusi joins Drummer as Associate Director in directing Joseph Adelakun, Valerie Vansovica, Chantelle Amon, Megan Jarvie, Pip Williams, and Joe Matty. The podcast will feature music and sound design by FATHER.

“Our time will come and all the people will come out into the streets with their fists clenched, their arms and voices raised. You have to be listening. And you have to be ready.”

From the seventeenth floor, Raphael watches the city for signs of a revolution, his voice echoing through a homemade radio transmitter to the streets below. He watches.  He waits.  One day, he disappears.  Now it’s down to Lia and Suz to continue where he left off.  But will a revolution ever come if we just wait for it? 

Set in the sprawling fictional city of Elusia, Radio Elusiais a new weekly podcast from Boundless Theatre about transmission and revolution.

“These are the messages. This is the meaning. Be ready. Be listening. And do not be afraid.”  

Radio Elusia was commissioned and developed as part of Extended Universe by Boundless Theatre in partnership with Teater Grob, Entropia and Sala Beckett. The project is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. Extended Universe is a transmedia storytelling and audience development project led by Boundless Theatre in London alongside partners in Copenhagen, Barcelona and Athens. Four stories in one extended universe. The project creates new ways for 15-25 year olds to access theatre.

Nina Segal is a playwright and screenwriter. Her play In The Night Time (Before The Sun Rises) was produced at the Gate Theatre to critical acclaim. Nina is currently under commission to Boundless, Soho Theatre, and the RSC. Her play Assembly will be staged at the Donmar Warehouse in July 2020 in response to Steve Water’s The Contingency Plan.

For TV, she was in the writers’ room and wrote an episode of the second season of Hanna for Amazon/NBC. She is developing projects with ITV Studios and Expectation Entertainment.

Rob Drummer joined Boundless Theatre in July 2016 as Artistic Director. For Boundless Rob directed Natives by Glenn Waldron and Confidence by Judy Upton. Before that he was Associate Dramaturg at the Bush Theatre. Prior to joining the Bush, Rob was the first Literary Manager for HighTide Festival Theatre where he supported the expansion of the festival, doubling the number of productions and before leaving the company directed Luke Barnes’ Eisteddfod (Latitude), Endless Poem (London 2012 Festival) and Perish (HighTide & Public Theater, New York).

As a Dramaturg and Director Rob has worked with playwrights at theatres including the National Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Contact, York Theatre Royal and Theatre503. Rob was one of the first recipients of an Artists’ International Development Fund from the Arts Council and British Council and spent time working in South Africa with playwrights and theatre makers at the Baxter and Market Theatres.

Associate Director Robert Awosusi is on the Advisory Board for Boundless Theatre.  He is a director and theatre maker trained through the Young Vic’s director’s programme and was the Trainee Assistant Director on The Trial (Young Vic). Robert was artistic associate on METIS’ participatory installation We Know Not What We May Be (Barbican). He was assistant director on “Daddy” – A Melodrama (Almeida Theatre), Fairview (Young Vic) and Let Kilburn Shake (Kiln Theatre).

FATHER is a music composition and sound-design studio which works on the principle that sound and image should work in tandem. Founded by Joe Farley and Freddie Webb, FATHER uses a variety of approaches that bridge musicality and sound design for rich, provocative and emotive sonic landscapes.

FATHER previously collaborated with Boundless Theatre on Confidence by Judy Upton and Natives by Glenn Waldron.

Launching on all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts in April 2020. Each of the five episodes will be 20 minutes in length.
Read more about Radio Elusia here: http://bit.ly/RadioElusia

Radio Elusia by Nina Segal. Commissioned and developed as part of Extended Universe by Boundless Theatre in partnership with Teater Grob, Entropia and Sala Beckett. Co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.

#RadioElusia

#welcometoelusia

@boundlessabound

boundlesstheatre.org.uk

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR

BAT OUT OF HELL – THE MUSICAL

UK TOUR

SING-A-LONG PERFORMANCES ANNOUNCED

The producers of the UK Tour of Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical, featuring Jim Steinman and Meatloaf’s greatest hits, are delighted to announce the return of Sharon Sexton as Sloane and Rob Fowler as Falco (both starred recently in the Mamma Mia! International Tourand the original West End cast of Bat Out Of Hell), and introduce the new stars of the musical: Glenn Adamson (American Idiot) as Strat and Martha Kirby (Grease, Rags the Musical) as Raven.

They are joined by Jordan Frazier (Nina Simone) as Zahara, Jonathan Bishop (Hamilton) as Jagwire, Killian Thomas Lefevre (Stranger Things Secret Cinema) as Tink, Alex Lodge (The Book of Mormon) as Ledoux and Kellie Gnauck (Evita West End and UK & International tour) as Valkyrie. Also in the cast are Emily Beth Harrington as Kwaidan, Amy Matthews as Vilmos, Rebecca Lafferty as Scherrzo, Samuel Pope as Hoffmann, Andy Prosser as Markevitch, Jack Heasman as Denym, James Chisholm as O’Dessasuite, Andrew Carthy as Hollander, Rory Maguire as Astroganger and Billie Hardy as Goddesilla.

At certain performances the role of Strat will be played by Samuel Pope.

Each venue on the tour will also be hosting special sing-a-long performances where audience members are encouraged to dress up as their favourite character from the show and sing along with the cast. These will take place on Thursday 24 September in Manchester, Thursday 8 October in Birmingham, Thursday 22 October in Wimbledon, Thursday 5 November in Oxford, Thursday 19 November in Glasgow and Thursday 10, 17 and the matinee of 31 December in Liverpool.

Performances will begin at Manchester Opera House from 10 – 26 September 2020. The other tour dates include The Alexandra Birmingham from 29 September – 10 October, New Wimbledon Theatre from 13 – 24 October, New Theatre Oxford from 27 October – 7 November, Glasgow King’s Theatre from 10 – 21 November and Liverpool Empire from 8 December – 2 January 2021. Further tour dates to be announced.

Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical wowed critics and public alike when it played limited seasons at Manchester Opera House, London Coliseum and London’s Dominion Theatre from 2017 to 2019. The musical also ran successfully in Canada, Germany and at New York’s City Centre last summer.

Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical won the Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical at the Evening Standard Awards and was nominated for 8 WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical.

Bat Out Of Hell became one of the best-selling albums in history, selling over 50 million copies worldwide.  16 years later, Steinman scored again with Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell, which contained the massive hit I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That).

For the stage musical, the legendary and award-winning Jim Steinman has incorporated iconic songs from the Bat Out Of Hell albums, including You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth, Bat Out Of Hell, I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) and Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad, as well as two previously unreleased songs, What Part of My Body Hurts the Most and Not Allowed to Love.

In Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical, the electrifying rock songs of Mr Steinman propel an epic story of rebellious youth and passion as Strat, the immortal leader of The Lost, has fallen in love with Raven, the beautiful daughter of the tyrannical ruler Falco.

The UK Tour of Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical has book, music and lyrics by Jim Steinman, direction by Jay Scheib, choreography adapted by Xena Gusthart, with musical supervision and additional arrangements by Michael Reed, set and costume design by Jon Bausor, original costume designs by Meentje Nielsen, video design by Finn Ross, lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe, sound design by Gareth Owen, orchestration by Steve Sidwell and casting by Anne Vosser.

The UK Tour of Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical is produced by David Sonenberg, Michael Cohl & Tony Smith, with executive producer Julian Stoneman.

Website:  www.BatOutOfHellMusical.com

Twitter & Facebook:  @BatTheMusical

TOUR LISTINGS INFORMATION

10 – 26 September                        Manchester Opera House                                 0844 871 3018

                                                       www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester              

29 September – 10 October           Birmingham Alexandra                                      0844 871 3011           

   www.atgtickets.com/birmingham                                           

13 – 24 October                             New Wimbledon Theatre                                   0844 871 7646

                                                       www.atgtickets.com/new-wimbledon-theatre     

27 October – 7 November              New Theatre Oxford                                         0844 871 3020

                                                       www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford         

10 – 21 November                         Glasgow King’s Theatre                                    0844 871 7648   

   www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre                  

8 December – 2 January 2021        Liverpool Empire                                              0844 871 3017                       

    www.atgtickets.com/liverpool                                                

Further dates to be announced

Nottingham Theatre Royal – until 1 March 2020

Reviewed by Louise Ford

4**** 

Measure for Measure; The tempter or the tempted ,who sins the most?

The RSCs national tour stages Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure in Vienna in the 1900s. A city beset with loose morals, crime and full of brothels. The Duke of Vienna (Anthony Byrne) unable to keep control of the city hands over the reigns of power to his deputy Angelo (Sandy Grierson) and that’s when things start to get out of control. Introducing and enforcing strict laws against lewd behaviour he attempts to clean up the city. He threatens to demolish all of the city’s brothels, including the one run by Mistress Overdone (Graeme Brookes) and her pimp Pompey (David Ajao). Under the new criminal laws Claudio (James Cooney) is sentenced to death for getting his girlfriend, Juliet (Amy Trigg) pregnant. Isabella (Lucy Phelps), Claudio’s sister learns of her brother’s fate from his friend Lucio (Joseph Arkley). Isabella visits Angelo to plead for her brother’s life. Angelo makes a proposition, and so begins his down fall. 

The setting of 1900s Vienna is an interesting one, a mixture of military uniforms, Edwardian tightly buttoned suits, spats, and the more relaxed dress of the ladies in the brothels. The colour palette of the costumes is beautifully muted, shades of grey, pale blue, dark blue and brown contrasted with the red and black for  ladies in the brothels. With more than a nod to the Freudian undercurrents of sexual repression, public hypocrisy and the conflict between the church and the secular world.

The play opens with a pared back set with a background of a hall of mirrors and a gantry. With very clever lighting (Simon Spencer, lighting director) the space is effortlessly transformed to a ballroom, an abbey, a prison and a railway station. 

The first half of the play takes a little while to get going, however the pace picks up and the second half seems to fly by. This production has a gloriously mixed cast, with some of the roles switched between genders, in particular Escalus played by Claire Price and Amanda Harris as Provost.

The stand out roles are, for me,  Pompey, Mistress Overdone’s pimp, (David Ajao) with his swagger and wit and Lucio, a fantasist (Joseph Arkley) who is a very dapper seducer and man about town whose tales and lack of loyalty are his undoing. The cast is also a confident mixture of accents, physical abilities and colour, which does not impact on the tale and really should be the norm.  

The subject matter is not an easy watch, as a comedy, in the #MeToo era and the recent prosecutions for sexual intimidation and the abuse of power. But as we all know power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely

Liverpool Empire – until 29 February 2020

Reviewed by Sarah Cockerill

5*****

This week, Liverpool Empire welcomed Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes which is currently on a nationwide tour delighting cities across the UK. A far cry from the classing Hans Christian Andersen tale of vanity and sin, the story takes inspiration from the classic 1948 film of the same name and continues to establish itself as a classic in its own right. 

The star of the show, Ashley Shaw (Victoria Page), is utterly stunning, perfecting every movement and expression throughout the entire performance. So much so that it’s impossible not to be drawn to her even in the ensemble dances. 

The chemistry between Page and Dominic North, who plays Julian Craster, is undeniable and in moments their characters’ relationship is so captivating I found myself getting lost in their romance.

The costumes, wigs and make up were undeniably familiar, having seen previous Matthew Bourne productions, yet the sparkly dresses were no less mesmerising. The shoes themselves appeared to be truly under a spell and managed to somehow hypnotise the audience. 

If you’ve never been to a ballet or you’re not sure if it would be your thing then I would urge you to see a Matthew Bourne ballet as every single one of his touring production is a dazzling masterpiece in its own right and The Red Shoes is no exception.

The Red Shoes is at Liverpool Empire until 29th February 2020 before continuing its UK tour until June 2020.