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AMANDA BOXER TO STAR IN

MUM

A NEW PLAY ABOUT LOVE, LOSS AND DEMENTIA

BY JULIET COWAN

OPENING AT THE PLAYGROUND THEATRE

18 MARCH-4 APRIL

Amanda Boxer will star in the world premiere of MUM, a new play about love, loss and dementia by actress and comedian Juliet Cowan, directed by Yasmeen Arden, opening at the Playground Theatre on 18 March and playing until 4 April, with a press night on Friday 20 March. Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre will star as ‘Roz’, Lucille Findlay as ‘Laurel’ and completing the cast are Lilly Driscoll and Martin Edwards.

“I thought that if she wasn’t getting run over or shitting herself, all would be OK with the world.”

MUM is a play about identity, love and losing your mind. Roz and Laurel are struggling to manage their mum, who has dementia. Mum is struggling to manage the real world and the compelling world of her hallucinations.

What does it mean to be a mother? Who gets to decide what is real? And when is it OK to laugh instead of cry?

Juliet Cowan says: “I wrote this play as a response to certain hallucinations my mother had. I felt it was so sad that she had to be in them all alone without any of us there to accompany her. So I decided to people her hallucinations with an audience who experienced them alongside her. I like theatre that is a sensory and immersive experience. I hope that MUM is a way for us all to come together and explore the highs and lows of having one foot in this world and the other in somewhere altogether more dreamlike.”

Yasmeen Arden says: “MUM touched my heart and my imagination from the moment I first read it and I was immediately excited to be part of it. Juliet writes with such honesty and truth and in a such a unique style, so the play holds a very real sense of loss on a multi-sensory level, with the most beautifully layered female experience and a truly joyful playfulness.”

This is Juliet Cowan’s first full-length play. Her show, Eat, Pray, Call the Police, sold out at The Zédel and she is currently writing a follow-up called Fuck Off And Leave Me Alone. Juliet is also an actress, best known for her roles in Killed By My Debt, PhoneShop, Pulling, Hank Zipzer, Cuckoo, Sarah Jane Adventures, Skins and Fresh Meat. She’s currently preparing for her role as ‘Barbara Monke’ in Amazon’s adaptation of the novel The Power, opposite Eddie Marsan and directed by Reed Morano. She started her career as a stand-up, beating Jimmy Carr, Russell Howard and Andy Zaltzman in the finals of So You Think You’re Funny.

Yasmeen Arden is Artistic Director at Small Truth Theatre. Most recently, she collaborated to create the Kensington Karavan, a micro-theatre festival in a retro caravan, commissioning and directing new work by Emma Dennis-Edwards, Abi Zakarian, Jessica Butcher and Sid Sagar. Directing credits include: The award-winning The Three Sillies (Arcola Theatre/Somersault/Tour), Poking The Bear by Chris Bush, Elexion by Chloe Todd Fordham (Theatre503), Over The Hill There’s Something Better (New Diorama), Dead Yard (Playwrought/LAB), We are Beautiful (Catalyst Festival), as well as site-specific work such as On The Line (Ivy House/Merge Festival/Platform Southwark) and The Unfortunates on the streets of Watford (Watford Palace Theatre). Yasmeen is currently developing Tapestry by Chloe Todd Fordham and Christopher Hogg’s drum & bass musical Casey & Corey. 

Amanda Boxer was born in New York and trained at LAMDA. She won Best Actress in the London Fringe Awards for Strange Snow (Theatre Technis). Theatre credits include: Boots (Bunker Theatre), The Blue Hour of Natalie Barney (Arcola), Mosquitoes (National Theatre), Babette’s Feast (The Print Room), Blue Heart (Bristol Tobacco Factory and The Orange Tree), Medea (Almeida Theatre), Uncle Vanya (St James), Prisoner of Second Avenue (Vaudeville), The Sea Plays (Old Vic Tunnels), The House of Bernarda Alba and The Graduate (Gielgud Theatre), A Touch of the Poet (Young Vic/ West End), Macbeth (Arcola Theatre), The Destiny of Me and Many Roads to Paradise (Finborough Theatre), The Arab Israeli Cookbook (Gate/Tricycle Theatre), The Pain and the Itch and The Strip (Royal Court), Cling To Me Like Ivy (Birmingham Rep), The Rivals (Theatr Clwyd), The Yiddish Queen Lear (Southwark Playhouse/Bridewell), Come Blow Your Horn, The Fall Guy, The Misanthrope and Absurd Person Singular (Manchester Royal Exchange), Way of the World (Cambridge Theatre Company) and A State of Affairs (The Duchess Theatre).

Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre trained at Oxford, Queen Mary University London and The Central School of Speech and Drama. Theatre credits include: Target Man (The Kings Head); As You Like It (Shakespeare in the Squares); Electra (The Bunker); Romeo and Juliet (The Globe). TV credits include: Silent Witness, Doctors and EastEnders. Film credits include: The Beach, About A Boy and Shoot the Messenger. Her radio play When Fanny Met Germaine was broadcast in 2019 and she is currently developing several shows for TV and radio. She is assistant director on The Happy Tragedy of Being Woke (Theatre de Complicité) and Death of England (National Theatre).

Lucille Findlay is an award-winning community performance practitioner, actor, writer and singer songwriter who trained at Chichester. Lucille has worked as a session vocalist and performance coach for many years with vocal credits including Jason Mraz, James Morrison, Casey Abrams and Shaun the Sheep Movie Soundtrack. TV credits include: The Bill, EastEnders, Alexis Sayle and Holby City. Theatre credits include: The Blue Room (The Gate), a development of Nine Nights (Arcola) and Black Women Dating White Men (The Drayton Arms).

Lily Driscoll is an actor, writer and poet from London. Credits include: Bricks (The Old Vic for OV12), Enough (Kensington Caravan festival), Only You (Theatre 503), Puppy (The Vault Festival), The Numbers (Amazon Video/Winner of the Creation Award) and Heads A Poppin (Fright Fest winner for Best Short Screenplay). TV credits include: Jekyll & Hyde (ITV), Humans (Channel 4), Tag (BBC) and Silent Witness (BBC).

Martin Edwards was a journalist for more than a decade, having worked as a crime reporter for local newspapers and then the BBC, before training professionally as an actor at The Oxford School of Drama and The Academy of Live & Recorded Arts (ALRA). He has performed at various venues including Trafalgar Studios, Soho Theatre, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham and Southwark Playhouse. As a writer, his work has appeared at Theatre503 and Talawa Theatre Company. He is currently under commission by Radio 4 to write his debut radio drama, due for broadcast in September 2020.

MUM is directed by Yasmeen Arden, with design by Jasmine Swan, lighting design by Ben Jacobs, sound design by Nicola Chang, and is produced by Kitty Wordsworth and Zoe Weldon.

The Playground Theatre W10 is London’s newest off-West End venue. The Playground works with established and emerging artists nationally and across the globe; showing performing arts, drama, festivals and comedy. This ethos has fostered many bold and imaginative new works. Located in W10 near Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove, Portobello Road and White City the theatre is fully engaged with its rich and diverse community.

THE CORINNE BURTON MEMORIAL TRUST PRESENTS AN AMATEUR PRODUCTION OF

NAKED JUSTICE

BY JOHN MORTIMER

FIVE PERFORMANCES ONLY – 1 – 5 APRIL 2020

UPSTAIRS AT THE GATEHOUSE IN HIGHGATE VILLAGE, N6 4BD.

The Trustees of the Corinne Burton Memorial Trust will present the first ever London production of John Mortimer’s legal comedy, NAKED JUSTICE, Upstairs at the Gatehouse from 1 to 5 April, with an amateur cast of barristers, solicitors and a High Court Judge, and a professional creative team led by director Alexander Lass, with design by Isabella Van Braeckel and lighting and sound design by Steve Taylor.

Three strange people, two men and a woman, arrive in a house where they are obviously expected. Who are they? They talk about crime. Are they criminals? The woman talks a lot about sex, what dubious business is she in? A play about the act of judging: can it be separated from the character and past of who sits in judgment?

The ‘Lawyers in Action’ troupe first came together in 2001 when the Tricycle Theatre under Artistic Director Nicolas Kent advertised for members of the legal profession to take part in two performances of Twelve Angry Men, directed by Jack Gold, in order to raise funds for the theatre’s education programme. Kent hoped that members of the legal profession might enjoy the chance to perform outside the courtroom and bring their performing abilities onto a theatrical stage. Solicitor Grahame Gordon, one of over 400 applicants to audition, played ‘Juror No 3’, has subsequently been part of an evolving troupe of legal professionals who came together to perform productions at the Tricycle, all with legal themes: Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been? (2003) Inherit the Wind (2006), To Kill A Mockingbird (2008) and Judgement at Nuremberg (2011).

All proceeds from ticket sales of NAKED JUSTICE will go to support the work of the Corinne Burton Memorial Trust, set up over 25 years ago after the death from cancer of the wife of leading member of the troupe, High Court judge Sir Michael Burton. The Corinne Burton Memorial Trust is the only UK charity that exists to support the work of art psychotherapy for cancer sufferers, sponsoring an arts therapist at St Bart’s Hospital in the oncology department, as well as an annual bursary for four students on the MA Course in Arts Therapy at Goldsmiths, University of London.

NAKED JUSTICE will star Grahame Gordon as ‘Fred’ (the role originally played by Leslie Phillips to great acclaim) and Sir Michael Burton as ‘Keith’. Other members of the cast are Stephen Boyd as ‘Marston Dawlish QC’, Laurence Brass as ‘Swiver’, Peter Feldschreiber as ‘Mr Breadwell’, Steven Fogel as ‘Roddy Boyes’, Colin Manning as ‘Detective Inspector Dacre’, Bayo Randle as ‘Byron Johnson’, Bonnie Taylor as ‘Elspeth’ , Sandra Villani as ‘Cassandra Cresswell’ and Victor Wasserberg as ‘Hubert’.

Grahame Gordon said, “Actors pretend to be someone else, lawyers pretend to be someone they’d like to be. When I was ten I told my father I was going to be an actor. He said ‘ah, didn’t I tell you? You’re going to be a lawyer!’ I said ‘rightho’ and, ever since then, I’ve been acting the role of an actor!’”

Sir Michael Burton said, “The day job for 20-odd years has been judging and dealing with the security services. Acting and being in a cast is little different, except that you don’t write your own script.”

Empire Theatre, Liverpool – until 22 February 2020

Reviewed by Amy Nash

5*****

Gloria Estefan is a global powerhouse – you may not know her story, but chances are you’d recognise quite a few of her hits if they came on the radio. While Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine topped the charts with their unique cross-cultural dance vibe in the 80s and 90s, Gloria herself didn’t receive as much recognition from the public in the UK compared to the US and Latin markets. You might think that On Your Feet!’s concept as a jukebox musical focusing on Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s story would struggle when away from home, but the show exploded onto the West End and across the country with its colourful Latin charm. It’s not just a mere rags-to-riches tale, but a brilliant amalgamation of everything that you would hope it could be – heartfelt, passionate and real, while making every Miami Sound Machine bop land perfectly.

All the pieces fall neatly into place. Jerry Mitchell’s direction is sharp and purposeful with not a moment or a performer wasted. Sergio Trujillo’s choreography is awe-inspiring, fusing classic Latin dances with disco and some incredible stunts, which are given more life by Emilio Sosa’s gorgeous, vibrant costumes. David Rockwell’s set design makes dynamic use of the space to transform the stage from Cuba to Miami effortlessly, and the use of framing and lighting to convey Gloria Estefan’s traffic accident was breathtakingly well executed.

And the music? The rhythm is definitely gonna get you, because every single song (including hits like Dr Beat, Conga, 1-2-3 and, of course, Get on Your Feet) is delivered with gusto. Unwaveringly punchy vocals pair beautifully with the on-stage band, who capture every note as though they were the Miami Sound Machine themselves.

The cast is wonderful – Philippa Stefani not only captures Gloria Estefan’s voice and does their hits proud, but she conveys her vulnerabilities and insecurities just as convincingly as her fiery personality. She has fantastic chemistry with George Ioannides, who brings Emilio to the stage with plenty of passion and a killer voice. Hollie Cassar, standing in for Karen Mann, is a scene-stealer as Gloria’s hilariously brazen abuela, and Madalena Alberto delivers a powerful, nuanced performance as her mother. Though the show starts off with a focus on comedy and there is still plenty of fun to be had throughout, what really makes it memorable is the heart beneath the humour. Book writer Alexander Dinelaris pens a show not just about the Miami Sound Machine or the love story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, but about immigration, intergenerational trauma and keeping a culture alive. On Your Feet! doesn’t ever linger for too long on these issues, but they’re a constant undercurrent in the background, and they make for some welcome depth.

You might think that the appeal of a story like this in the UK might be niche, given how entrenched in its Cuban-American setting it is, but in Liverpool it hit home with the audience. The city was shaped by Irish immigration, after all, and is very proud of its roots – the cheers and applause were substantial during a pivotal scene for Emilio (“Take a good look at my face,” he tells a sceptical record company executive, “because this is what an American looks like!”).

Perhaps On Your Feet! has a unique appeal for audiences not as familiar with all of Gloria Estefan’s music – it shone a spotlight on plenty of incredible songs that weren’t as big in the UK as they should have been. It was a wonderful night of acerbic Latin wit and catchy hits, and we were certainly all on our feet for the encore!

Adelphi Theatre – 16 February 2020

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

5*****

Lucie Jones appeared disarmingly stunned all evening at the idea that the audience packed into the Adelphi were all there just to see her. Has she heard herself sing?

Using her break from playing Jenna in Waitress, Lucie’s solo concert “we thought that maybe we could do an hour at Zedel’s!” is an evening of belting notes and infectious joy. Full of songs from musicals that Lucie has performed in during her career, with natural and genuine (often rambling!) introductions from Lucie, the set list is impressive, and showcases Lucie’s vocal talent brilliantly. The London Musical Theatre Orchestra, led by Freddie Tapner, accompany Lucie, with Declan Corr’s orchestrations sending each number soaring.

Managing to get through 2 songs before she took off her shoes, Lucie’s goofy and self-deprecating humour and stories keep the audience giggling between songs, but as soon as the music starts, the audience is left slack-jawed or whooping. This girl can sing! Barnstorming through Don’t Rain on my Parade, Sing Happy, A Summer in Ohio until she sings So Much Better from Legally Blonde, cajoling Liam Doyle to sing his Warner lines from the audience, the song choices are brilliant, and Lucie shows the softer side of her voice when she is joined by John Owen-Jones to sing The Prayer, which was absolutely gorgeous.

Lots of the songs are from milestones in her career, with a sweet rendition of God Help the Outcasts – her first solo in the Cardiff Gang Show, and a smooth as silk rendition of Moon River for her Nan, with a beautiful arrangement accompanied by Camilla Pay on the harp and Box Vukotic on cello. Her Eurovision entry, Never Give Up On You, sounds fantastic, and her incredible duet with Marisha Wallace, Take Me or Leave Me, brought the audience leaping to their feet. The love Lucie has for her current show is obvious as she tells of her audition for the role of Jenna, and Sara Bareilles calling out “I love you” from the stalls nearly broke us all even before her extraordinarily emotional performance of She Used To Be Mine. Simply wonderful.

The concert was recorded for an album to be released later this year, and Lucie is guaranteed 1500 sales by the audience tonight, wanting to relive such a gloriously uplifting evening. If you weren’t lucky enough to be there – BUY THE ALBUM

Mikron Theatre Company present

A Dog’s Tale

A new play by Polly Hollman

Director: Rachel Gee

Composer and Musical Director: Rebekah Hughes

Designer: Celia Perkins

Cast: Rachel Benson, Thomas Cotran, James McLean and Elizabeth Robin

Mikron Theatre, in their 49^th year of touring,  are celebrating (wo)man’s best friend this season when they stage the premiere of Polly Hollman’s new comedy caper A Dog’s Tale, which looks at canines past and present and the enduring love between people and their dogs.

You’d be FURgiven for thinking that Mikron is just another run of the mill theatre company, but you’d be BARKING up the wrong tree. 2020 will see them LEAD you on a unique journey. It’s a PAWsome show you won’t be able to TERRIER yourself away from.

A Dog’s Tale will kick off its tour at Marsden Mechanics Hall on the 23rd May and then tour nationally by canal, river and road until 24th October.

Linda and her wayward rescue dog Gary are pursued by security through the halls and history of Crufts, accused of a terrible crime.

When Charles Cruft, the ‘Greatest Showman in Dogdom’, held his first show in 1891, he had a sense that dog ownership and breeding was about to become pretty big.

In this extraordinary world of heroic hounds, pampered pedigrees and naughty nobblers, does Gary have what it takes to win the day?

A Dog’s Tale is directed by Rachel Gee , designed by Celia Perkins, music composed and directed by Rebekah Hughes. The cast will feature Rachel Benson (Redcoats, Mikron Theatre ), Thomas Cotran (Loserville, Union Theatre), James McLean (Much Ado About Nothing, Northern Broadsides) and Elizabeth Robin (The Little Mermaid, Everyman Theatre, Liverpool).

Why a play about dogs? Why not? Mikron tells the stories of the people behind the big events in history and the things that are close to our hearts. A great story, cracking songs and versatile quartet of actor musicians will guide audiences through the halls and history of Crufts.

Playwright and cat lover Polly Hollman said about her new play:

I’ve written over twenty characters to be played by only four actors, but I know they’ll enjoy the challenge of bringing it to life! I was picked to write the play after participating in Mikron’s 2018 Writer’s Scheme: it’s my first professional commission. It’s been a delight to work for Mikron, a company whose creativity and ethos I love. I can’t wait to see them work their magic on ‘A Dog’s Tale’.

I spent two fascinating days at Crufts last year, eavesdropping on competitors and trying to work out which dog would win in each competition (success rate: zero). People were very friendly and frank in sharing their suspicions about judging bias. ‘Well, you know, that dog will win because it’s Scottish and so is the judge!’ (it did win). My impression of Crufts was that whilst dog participation was on a fairly exclusive basis, a huge variety of humankind was in evidence, on two legs or four wheels. Testament perhaps to the huge importance of dogs to many different people in their roles as pets, medical assistance dogs, working dogs and more. It’s also true to the founding principles of Charles Cruft, who charged only a penny so that everyone could enter their best friend.

Director Rachel Gee added:

“A Dog’s Tale is my first directing job with Mikron and it’s the ideal show for me as a dog owner. We can’t wait to welcome audiences (and their dogs) to shows up and down the country. Dog lover or not, this is the perfect night out for fun, laughter and wonderful songs.”

The atmosphere at most Mikron performances is disarmingly informal, but don’t mistake informality for simplicity – in its laidback way, it’s an ambitious undertaking, and dogs are welcome at most Mikron venues

In 2020, Mikron Theatre Company will embark on their 49th year of touring.  Based in the village of Marsden, at the foot of the Yorkshire Pennines, Mikron Theatre Company are like no other. For starters, they tour for most of the year on board a vintage narrowboat, secondly, they put on their shows in places that other theatre companies wouldn’t dream of; a play about growing-your-own shown in allotments, a play about bees performed next to hives, a play about chips to audiences in a fish and chips restaurant, as well as plays about hostelling in YHA Youth hostels and the RNLI at several Lifeboat stations around the UK.

A Dog’s Tale will be touring nationally in the Summer alongside the previously announced new play by Amanda Whittington Atalanta Forever.

For further information on both shows please visit http://mikron.org.uk

SARA BAREILLES AND GAVIN CREEL ANNOUNCED TO EXTEND PERFORMANCES IN

• GRAMMY AWARD WINNER SARA BAREILLES AND OLIVIER AND TONY AWARD WINNER GAVIN CREEL EXTEND THEIR CELEBRATED WEST END RUN AS JENNA AND DR POMATTER. THEY WILL NOW PLAY AN ADDITIONAL TWO WEEKS THROUGH TO 21 MARCH 2020

Waitress audiences have an additional chance to see 2020 Grammy Award winner Sara Bareilles and Olivier and Tony Award-winning actor Gavin Creel as new performance dates have been added following a rapturous critical and public reception at the Adelphi Theatre. Sara Bareilles, who wrote the music and lyrics for Waitress, is making her West End debut in the lead role of Jenna with Gavin Creel as Dr Pomatter having previously performed together on the Broadway run.  They will be extending for a further two weeks, now appearing through to 21 March 2020.

Waitress celebrated its official opening night at the Adelphi Theatre on 7 March 2019 and the Tony-nominated musical is now booking until 4 July 2020. The show has also just announced a new UK and Ireland tour which will open in Dublin in November 2020.

Sara Bareilles first achieved mainstream critical praise in 2007 with her widely successful hit Love Song, which reached No. 1 in 22 countries around the world from her debut album Little Voice. Since then, Sara has gone on to receive seven Grammy® nominations, two Tony nominations and three Emmy nominations.  Her book, Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Song, was released in the fall of 2015 by Simon & Schuster and is a New York Times bestseller. Making her Broadway debut, Sara composed the music and lyrics for Waitress, and made her Broadway acting debut in 2017 by stepping into the shows lead role.  Recently, Sara teamed up with Apple as an executive producer for Little Voice a 10-episode series, which she will create the original music for. On April 5, 2019 Sara released her fifth full-length and first album of original material since 2013, entitled Amidst The Chaos, to rave reviews.  For this latest body of work, she joined forces in the studio with legendary Academy® Award-winning producer T Bone Burnett.  As a result, the album spotlights her voice as a singer and storyteller like never before, while making an enduring statement. She recently completed her Amidst The Chaos North American tour.

Gavin Creel received a Tony Award for his performance as Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce. He made his Broadway debut originating the role of Jimmy Smith in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which he received his first Tony Award nomination. He has since created such memorable performances on Broadway as Claude in Hair, which earned him a second Tony Award nomination, Jean-Michel in La Cage Aux Folles, and Stephen Kodaly in the Roundabout Theater Company’s production of She Loves Me, which was filmed live and is available on BroadwayHD. No stranger to London audiences, Gavin most notably originated the role of Elder Price in the West End production of The Book of Mormon, for which he received the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also starred as Bert in Disney’s Mary Poppins and reprised his performance as Claude in Hair. As well as starring opposite Sara Bareilles in the Broadway production of Waitress, his other stage credits include The Book of Mormon (on Broadway and originating the First National Tour), and the world premieres of Stephen Sondheim’s Bounce (at The Goodman Theatre and The Kennedy Center) and Prometheus Bound at A.R.T. On television, Gavin co-starred alongside Julie Andrews in ABC’s Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime. He has released three original albums GoodTimeNation, Quiet (which landed on Billboard’s Top Heat Seekers) and Get Out, and his single Noise raised money and awareness for marriage equality. Creel was a co-founder of Broadway Impact, the first and only grassroots organization to mobilize the nationwide theater community in support of marriage equality. A native of Findlay, Ohio, he is a proud graduate of University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance.

Waitress tells the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams her way out of a loveless marriage. 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.

Brought to life by a ground breaking, female-led creative team, Waitress features an original score by seven-time Grammy® nominee Sara Bareilles (Love Song, Brave), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus (Pippin, Finding Neverland) and choreography by Lorin Latarro. The production is also currently touring the US and Canada and has announced an Australian premiere in 2020 at the Sydney Lyric Theatre with further productions to open in Holland next year and Japan in 2021.

Waitress premiered on Broadway in March 2016 and has since become the longest running show in the history of the Brooks Atkinson Theater. The production is also currently touring the US and has announced an Australian premiere in 2020 at the Sydney Lyric Theatre with further productions to open in the Netherlands in September 2020, the UK and Ireland in November 2020 and in Japan in 2021.

On its Broadway opening, Waitress was nominated for four Outer Critics’ Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical; two Drama League Award Nominations, including Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical; six Drama Desk Nominations, including Outstanding Musical; and four Tony Award Nominations, including Best Musical.

WILL YOUNG ANNOUNCES

AUTUMN DATE AT STORYHOUSE

Show And Tell is singer’s first ever spoken word tour

Tickets go on sale 10am on Friday 21 February 2020

Will Young is a singer, BRIT winner, actor, and gay rights activist. He is also a writer, wellbeing speaker, and radio DJ.

On his first ever spoken word tour Show And Tell, which comes to Storyhouse this Autumn, he will talk about his life and experiences to fans.

Will Young’s Show And Tell Tour comes to Storyhouse for one night only on Sunday 20 September 2020. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday 21 February 2020.

Will Young famously took on Simon Cowell on Pop Idol, holds the British record for the fastest-selling single by a male pop artist ever, and has sold more than eight million records. He has also won two BRIT Awards.

The show will cover a variety of topics, from the evolution of pop to gay rights, as well as Will’s funny moments during a unique and successful 18-year career. He will speak about numerous career highlights, from winning the first ever Pop Idol aged 22, to scoring four Number One albums and four Number One singles.

His tour in September and October will play nine venues across the country, and follows the publication of his new book, To Be A Gay Man.

Fans have the chance to meet Will before the show during a VIP Meet & Greet, places are limited. There will also be audience questions.

Will explained: “I’m really looking forward to this. It’ll be a funny show and I’ll be talking about my career as well as looking at mental health, gay rights and much, much more. It’s a spoken word show – there’s no music – and I’m excited to be following the publication of my new book with nine UK dates.”

The show follows the success of Will’s latest record, Lexicon. It follows his life from the age of four, through boarding school and university, to entering and winning the biggest talent competition ever seen, Pop Idol. He will reflect on a successful pop career, as well as talking about being one of the first openly gay pop stars.

The tour will start in Worthing on 12 September, before visiting Cheltenham, Bristol, Chester, Lincoln, Yarm, Porthcawl, Kingston-Upon-Thames, and Shrewsbury. 

Tickets for Will Young’s Show And Tell show are priced from £25. Each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee. A VIP Meet & Greet package is also available.

LISTING INFORMATION

WILL YOUNG – SHOW AND TELL

Sunday 20 September 2020

Tickets from £25 – each ticket is subject to a £1.50 booking fee

STORYHOUSE

Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR

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

THE NAVY LARK SAILS INTO LIVERPOOL

CLASSIC BBC RADIO COMEDY SET FOR STAGE REVIVAL

The first ever stage version of the classic BBC radio comedy The Navy Lark sails into Liverpool to moor at The Epstein Theatre at 7.30pm on Monday 16 Match 2020, starring Dead Ringers impersonator and Band of Brothers actor James Hurn.

The BBC sitcom, which originally starred Ronnie Barker, Jon Pertwee, Leslie Phillips, Dennis Price and Stephen Murray ran for 244 episodes between 1959 and 1977.

James whose CV also includes BBC Radio 4’s Looking for Oil Drum Lane and BBC1 drama Doctors can’t wait to take part in the production.  The Crown performer Richard Usher and Mark Earby, who appeared in West End play, Stones in His Pockets join James to re-create three classic episodes of the series.

Actor James Hurn said: “I am very excited to be part of this tour as I grew up listening to shows such as The Navy Lark and I am fulfilling one of the items on my bucket list by portraying wonderful actors like Leslie Phillips and Jon Pertwee.”

Other venues on the tour include Romford’s Brookside Theatre, Maidstone’s Hazlitt Theatre, Birmingham’s The Old Rep and London’s Museum of Comedy.

The Navy Lark takes place at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre at 7.30pm on March 16. More details are at jameshurn.com

LISTING INFORMATION

The Navy Lark
Date: Mon 16 March 2020
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: Adults £21, Concessions £19

To book tickets please call 0844 888 4411* or go online at www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk* or in person at The Epstein Theatre Box Office from 12pm – 6pm Monday – Saturday.

For more details check out www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk and join our mailing list. Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/EpsteinTheatre and twitter @EpsteinTheatre.

The Swan Theatre, RSC – until 21 March 2020

Reviewed by Megan Raynor

4****

The RSC presents ‘The Whip’- a brand new play by Juliet Gilkes Romero, directed by Kimberley Sykes. The play set in the early 19th century, deals with the political turmoil surrounding the abolishment of the slave trade but is so much more than just a history lesson on stage. The play places us in the heart of a corrupt political system in which the white man’s need for status and power manifests in questionable and immoral decisions. The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 promised freedom and hope but ‘The Whip’ explores at what cost.

The play largely centres on Alexander Boyd (Richard Clothier), the chief Whip, and his political and moral struggle to push the abolition bill through parliament. A man seemingly with his heart in the right place is forced to put his beliefs and relationships at risk. In particular his relationship with Edmund (Corey Montague-Sholay), a former slave, taken under Boyd’s wing with the hope of a blossoming career in politics. Edmund is a deeply complicated character, Montague-Sholay portraying beautifully a character weighed down by his lifetime of repression. We observe his below the surface bubbling of rage, that he pushes down and displaces with submission for the ease of a simple life, but there is only so much he can take.

Another unlikely but equally interesting relationship is the one formed between Mercy Price (Debbie Korley) and Horatia Poskitt (Katherine Pearce), two women fighting for their voice and bonded by the shared grief of a lost chid. Horatia, Lord Boyd’s new vivacious and straight talking house keeper, forms a connection to Mercy through their shared passion for public speaking and solidarity in carving out a better life for women of the future. Korley’s opening speech, in a rich and compelling Barbadian accent, was a beautiful and heart breaking account of the torture endured by those enslaved and a stand out moment. Pearce was equally compelling with her brash northern charm.

Ciaran Bagnall’s simplistic and stripped back set encompassed the audience in the political debates, bringing up the house lights allowed you to feel truly immersed in the heat of the discussions without the audience involvement feeling invasive. Akintayo Akinbode’s string heavy score felt cinematic, creating a beautifully complimentary atmosphere.

The characters are dimensional and multifaceted; Romero’s writing must be commended for this. The piece at time lacks pace but what it lacks in pace it is made up for in honest and developed human relationships. Like all good theatre should, it is a piece that sparks questions and dialogue about corrupt political agenda that is still ever prevalent in today’s society. An eye-opening piece putting forward the uncomfortable reality of embedded and deep rooted inequality within human kind.

DIVERSE AND UNDEREPRESENTED VOICES DOMINATE SHORTLIST FOR THE 2020 VISIONARY HONOURS

SIR BOB GELDOF TO RECEIVE THE VISIONARY LEGACY HONOUR

FILM | TV | MUSIC | THEATRE | BOOKS | INFLUENCERS

18^th March | Ham Yard Hotel Soho

UK’S ONLY AWARDS CELEBRATING SOCIAL IMPACT OF CULTURE, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

HOSTED BY SALLY PHILLIPS

The Visionary Arts Foundation is delighted to announce the shortlist for the annual Visionary Honours awards on Wednesday 18^th March 2020 at the Ham Yard Hotel, Soho, hosted by leading British comic and disability rights advocate Sally Phillips and featuring a special guest performance by rising star singer-songwriter Marika Hackman.

Focused on making the arts, media and entertainment industries more inclusive and accessible in the UK, the not-for-profit Visionary Arts Foundation helps to develop and launch the careers of young creatives from BAME, LGBTQ+, disabled and low income groups as well as anyone who feels their story is not being told in the mainstream. The Visionary Honours launched last year to ensure culture, media and entertainment that have inspired social change and debate are recognised.

Nominations for the second Visionary Honours particularly focus on Equality, Diversity, Inclusion, Mental Health, Anti-Social Behaviour and Environmental Change. From books that are breaking down mental health stigmas, to television shows inspiring self-love and positivity, films and documentaries that ignite and inspire generations to come, to gender-bending, rip-roaring feminist theatre shows and songs that are brimming with hope and a social message to be heard, the Visionary Honours offer a vital space and platform for under-represented voices that are having a cultural impact in the UK today.

Highlights of this year’s nominations include, Booker prize winning author Bernardine Evaristo who has made waves in the UK and beyond for her bold exploration of identity, race, womanhood and the realities of modern Britain in the standout book of 2019, Girl, Woman, Other, the pioneering, heart-breaking and awe-inspiring Oscar nominated and BAFTA winning Channel 4 documentary FOR SAMA, the essential, powerful, affirmative track HERO on Michael Kiwanuka’s album paying homage to leaders and figures of the Civil Rights Movement, the fierce, fun and uplifting all female led musical SIX, which has become a West End sensation, and the television show everyone has been talking about RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE UK.

Spanning across culture, media and entertainment, the Visionary Honours is not just about rewarding talent, but primarily about highlighting the social impact their work has had and the inspiration it will give the next generation of creatives to make their own mark in the arts and communitues beyond.

The prestigious Visionary Legacy Honour will be awarded to Sir Bob Geldof for his outstanding contribution to the music industry and the phenomenal worldwide social and cultural impact his humanitarian efforts have had over the years. Sir Bob Geldof will be attending the Visionary Honours awards ceremony to collect the award.

Last year’s Visionary Legacy Honour was awarded to Nelson Mandela, whose grandson, Mandla Mandela was present to collect the award. A star-studded evening was enjoyed by all at the inaugural Visionary Honours in 2019, held at BAFTA, London, presented by award-winning comedian and actor Sir Lenny Henry. Talent appearing on the night included world-famous author Malorie Blackman, star of Black Panther – Danny Sapani, rapper and documentary-maker Professor Green, and Channel 4’s one-man institution, Krishnan Guru-Murthy.

The winners will be chosen by a public vote which opens on Thursday 20^th February and they will be announced at the Visionary Honours on Wednesday 18 March at Ham Yard Hotel.

NOMINATIONS FOR THE VISIONARY HONOURS 2020

Nominations in the 10 award categories were made by our industry judges and editorial team.

BOOK OF THE YEAR

·     CROSSFIRE – Malorie Blackman

·     GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER – Bernardine Evaristo

·     IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BURQA – Miriam Khan

·     IT’S NOT OK TO FEEL BLUE (AND OTHER LIES) – Scarlett Curtis

·     PROUD – Juno Dawson

·     TRUTH TO POWER – Jess Phillips

FILM OF THE YEAR

·     BLUE STORY, Andrew Onwubolu

·     BOY ERASED, Joel Edgerton

·     IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD, Marielle Heller

·     THE LAST TREE, Shola Amoo

·     LITTLE WOMEN, Greta Gerwig

·     QUEEN & SLIM, Melina Matsoukas

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR

·     DAVID HAREWOOD: PSYCHOSIS AND ME – BBC2

·     FOR SAMA – Channel 4

·     GARETH THOMAS: HIV AND ME – BBC1

·     HOMECOMING – Netflix

·     ICE ON FIRE – Netflix

·     JESY NELSON: ODD ONE OUT – BBC Three

TV SHOW OF THE YEAR

·     MAN LIKE MOBEEN – BBC3

·     ROSS KEMP LIVING WITH… – ITV

·     RUPAUL’S DRAGRACE UK – BBC3

·     SEVEN WORLDS, ONE PLANET – BBC1

·     WHEN THEY SEE US – Netflix

·     YEARS AND YEARS – BBC1

SONG OF THE YEAR

·     BLACK – Dave

·     HERO – Michael Kiwanuka

·     HOPE FOR THE UNDERRATED YOUTH – Yungblud

·     JUICE – Lizzo

·     OK – Mabel

·     PEOPLE – The 1975

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

·     ANY HUMAN FRIEND – Marika Hackman

·     CHARLI – Chari XCX

·     GREY AREA – Little Simz

·     HEAVY IS THE HEAD – Stormzy

·     HOODIES ALL SUMMER – Kano

·     PSYCHODRAMA – Dave

PLAY/MUSICAL OF THE YEAR

·     & JULIET – Luke Sheppard, Shaftesbury Theatre

·     COME FROM AWAY – Christopher Ashley, Phoenix Theatre

·     FAIRVIEW – Nadia Latif, Young Vic

·     LIFE OF PI – Max Webster, Sheffield Crucible

·     SIX – Jamie Armitage, Arts Theatre

·     WIFE – Indhu Rubasingham, Kiln Theatre

INFLUENCER/JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

·     CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS

·     BELLA MACKIE

·     CARIAD LLOYD

·     EMMA BARNETT

·     GEORGE THE POET

·     JAMIE BARTLETT

COMMUNITY PERSON OF THE YEAR

·     CAROLINE BRYANT – Futures Theatre

·      DARREN RAYMOND – Intermission Youth Theatre

·     SIMON DEVEREUX – Access VFX

·     SULAIMAN KHAN – This Ability

MOST INSPIRING PERSON OF THE YEAR

·     JESY NELSON

·     JUNE SARPONG

·     LEWIS HAMILTON

·     PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE

·     JOHN BOYEGA

·     RUSSELL T DAVIES

The 2020 nominees and industry professional judges are delighted to be associated with the Visionary Arts Foundation who help give young creatives a steppingstone into the arts via their annual Bursary and Mentoring Scheme.

Founder of the awards and creator of the hit West End musical Thriller Live, Adrian Grant commented:

“The Visionary Arts Foundaton believe that entertainment and media has the power to change the world and voices of all cultures, creed, gender, sexuality and ability should be heard, seen and respected. Through the Visionary Arts Foundation it is our goal to open doors and provide opportunities for young creatives and to inspire them to produce work that can influence positive social change.”

Malorie Blackman, who attended the inaugural awards, commented on her nomination for Book of the Year:

“I’m thrilled to have been nominated for the Visionary Honours Book of the Year award in the company of so many fantastic authors and their books.  What I love about this award is the unique way that it celebrates culture, media and entertainment which seeks to move us forward.”

On discovering RuPaul’s Drag Race was nominated for Television Show of the Year, co-founder and director the show’s production company, Fenton Bailey also commented:

“Because diversity and inclusiveness is the lifeblood of Drag Race, we are honored and excited to be nominated for best television show by Visionary Arts. We are so grateful to the viewers and fans for championing the show, and for spreading its message of love and acceptance far and wide.”

Podcaster and influencer George the Poet was thrilled to be nominated for Influencer/Journalist of the Year:

“I feel blessed to have been nominated this year. My work is driven by hope  for tomorrow, and it’s an honour to have that recognised by my peers”

The incredibly talented entrepreneur, disabled man of colour Sulaiman Khan, who is nominated for Community Person of the Year summarised the reasons why he was thrilled to be nominated in the 2020 awards:

“As a disabled AF, creative, active intersectional ally-in-progress, socially conscious entrepreneur, South Asian man, continual work-in-progress, I am proudly running my business entirely myself, out of necessity, not luxury. This is very tough due to internalised ableism, an inaccessible world (and environments), and ableist attitudes/behaviours. But I keep pushing forward (because of my disability NOT despite it) to be who I needed when I was a youngster and be my own hero. So, for me, it’s a massive honour to be recognised and nominated.”

Nominated for TV show of the Year, the “Ross Kemp Living With” team at ITV commented:

“At a time when the country was preoccupied with Brexit, the team felt that it was more important than ever to shine a light on social issues that were affecting Britons’ lives in profound and often devastating ways; crises that need to be determinedly addressed whichever political direction we head in. To be shortlisted for the Visionary Awards, and to be in such esteemed company, feels like a vindication of the choice to tackle complex, and sometimes uncomfortable, subjects.”

Legendary comic, actress, disability rights advocate Sally Phillips announced her delight in hosting the 2020 Visionary Honours.

“I am very proud to be the host of the second annual Visionary Honours and to be a part of the Foundation’s work in empowering young creatives to inspire social change. Having been in the creative industries for over 20 years, I have seen how films and documentaries can influence minds and impact the world. My son, Oliver, has Down Syndrome, so it is perhaps no surprise that I strongly advocate inclusive opportunities which allow everybody to participate in the cultural and economic activities of the communities in which they live. The Visionary Arts Foundation promotes a more a diverse society, and for me that is much richer society.”

The BBC documentary telling the inside story of Jesy Nelson from Little Mix’s severe mental health issues that spiralled from online trolling, commented:

“Jesy and the team behind ‘Odd One Out’ are thrilled to be nominated for Documentary of the Year at the Visionary Honours.  Jesy wanted to make the film to help other people suffering from online abuse and bullying like she did.  Cyberbullying is a real issue that affects not only celebrities but so many young people out there and we are pleased the Visionary Arts Foundation has recognized our film for highlighting the subject and having an impact.  Hopefully the film has caused a discussion in society about how social media platforms should managed better and young people need to be protected from bullies and trolls.”

And last but not least, the executive producer of Sir David Attenborough’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, Jonny Keeling commented:

“This is a very special award from an organisation with great integrity and meaning – so it’s an honour and an inspiration to be nominated. Today the wildlife and people of this planet face huge challenges, but  the Visionary Arts Foundation gives me hope that we can work together to make the changes the world needs.”