Home

I COULD GO ON SINGING

Monday 24 February – Wednesday 26 February 2020, 7pm (Mon), 7pm, 8pm, 9pm (Tues), 7pm (Wed), Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room, For Ages 14+, £15

With live accompaniment from Glasgow-based noise band Okishima Island Tourist Association, FK Alexander sings live against a wall of noise music to the recording of the last time Judy Garland ever sang ‘Over The Rainbow’ in I Could Go on Singing – an intimate interactive live experience of undivided attention and love. Audience members may self select to have ‘Over The Rainbow’ sung to them, holding FK’s hand. This one to one experience is also witnessed by others in the room, over the duration of the work. This is the first time the full production is presented in London.

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/136521-i-could-go-singing-2020

Creative team and cast announced for Alone in Berlin

• Charlotte Emmerson, Denis Conway and Joseph Marcell lead an ensemble cast
   
• Cabaret singer Jessica Walker will perform original songs composed by Orlando Gough with composition and sound design by Donato Wharton
   
• Production to feature illustrations 25 years in the making by acclaimed graphic novelist Jason Lutes who collaborates with Designer Jonathan Fensom, Video Designer Nina Dunn and Lighting Designer Charles Balfour
   
• Hans Fallada’s internationally best-selling novel is translated and adapted for the stage by Alistair Beaton, directed by James Dacre and produced by Royal & Derngate and York Theatre Royal in association with Oxford Playhouse, the production will have its World Premiere in Northampton as part of Royal & Derngate’s Made in Northampton season
   
• @RoyalDerngate / #MadeInNorthampton / @YorkTheatre / @OxfordPlayhouse / #AloneInBerlin

Royal & Derngate Northampton and York Theatre Royal, in association with Oxford Playhouse, today announced that their world premiere of Alone in Berlin, translated and adapted for the stage by Alistair Beaton from Hans Fallada’s acclaimed novel, will feature illustrations by Jason Lutes, from his epic graphic novel Berlin and songs by Orlando Gough performed by cabaret singer Jessica Walker.

Charlotte Emmerson, Denis Conway and Joseph Marcell lead an ensemble cast directed by Royal & Derngate’s Artistic Director James Dacre. The production opens in Northampton in February before transferring to York and Oxford.

The cast is led by Denis Conway and Charlotte Emmerson as Otto and Anna Quangel and Joseph Marcell as Inspector Escherich. Denis recently played opposite Aidan Turner in Michael Grandage’s The Lieutenant of Inishmore and is known from his extensive work at Dublin’s Gate Theatre and onscreen in The Wind That Shakes the Barley, Brooklyn and Oliver Stone’s Alexander. Charlotte’s many credits include title roles in Marianne Elliot’s Therese Raquin (National Theatre) and Laurie Sansom’s The Duchess of Malfi (Royal & Derngate) and leads in Chekhov’s major plays in productions directed by Peter Stein, Lucy Bailey and Trevor Nunn.

Joseph Marcell was last seen at Royal & Derngate in King John. His numerous credits for Shakespeare’s Globe include the title role King Lear, and he is known by many from the TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. The cast also includes Abiola Ogunbiyi (Jamestown, Sky One; Girls, Soho Theatre; The Book of Mormon, West End), Jay Taylor (Nell Gwynn and Wolf Hall in the West End), Julius D’Silva (The Crown, Netflix; The Producers, Manchester Royal Exchange) and regular Complicite Theatre Company collaborator Clive Mendus.  

The production is designed by three-time Tony nominee Jonathan Fensom with lighting design by UK Theatre Award winner Charles Balfour, sound design and composition by Donato Wharton (Three Sisters, National Theatre and numerous collaborations with Katie Mitchell and Robert Lepage), video design by Nina Dunn (Plenty, Copenhagen and Fiddler on the Roof, Chichester Festival Theatre), associate direction by Sarah Stacey (Our Lady of Kibeho and The Pope, Royal & Derngate) and fight direction by R.C. Annie.

Set in 1940, the play is a gripping portrait of life in wartime Berlin and a vividly theatrical study of how paranoia can warp a society gripped by the fear of the night-time knock on the door. Based on true events, Alone in Berlin follows a quietly courageous couple who stand up to the brutal reality of the Nazi regime. With the smallest of acts, they defy Hitler’s rule – facing the gravest of consequences. 

This timely story of the moral power of personal resistance follows Otto and Anna as they negotiate the insidious effects of absolute power on every aspect of daily life. When they decide to make a stand in their own unique way, the Gestapo launch a terrifying hunt for the perpetrators. Otto and Anna find themselves players in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the forces of the state – a game that will eventually lead them down through ever-narrowing circles of totalitarian hell.

Described by Primo Levi as “the greatest book ever written about German resistance to the Nazis”, book sales for Alone in Berlin entered the bestseller list again three years ago – almost unheard of for a 20th century literary classic – as its themes began to resonate across the world once more. Regularly adapted for stage productions across Europe, this will be the first time Fallada’s masterpiece has been seen on a British stage.

Alone in Berlin is part of Royal & Derngate’s Made in Northampton season. For more information, visit the theatre’s website www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

The Made in Northampton season is sponsored locally by Michael Jones Jewellers.

The musical sensation that’s been rocking the nation for over 18 years

Critically acclaimed singer and show producer Steve Steinman brings his rock-packed fun show to Darlington Hippodrome on Sunday 16 February.

Now in its 18th year Vampires Rock embarks on another guaranteed sell out tour in 2020.

Starring Steve Steinman and an incredible cast of singers, dancers and musicians, this show will have you rocking in the aisles.

A tongue-in-cheek and laugh out loud storyline combined with an incredible stage set, lighting and sound, and a show like no other.

Featuring over 30 of the greatest classic rock anthems of all time, including Queen, AC/DC, Bonnie Tyler, Meat Loaf, Bon Jovi, Journey, Guns N’ Roses and many more.

“They should prescribe this show on the NHS – it really makes you feel so good, you forget about your aches and pains” Bournemouth Echo

Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock – Ghost Train is at Darlington Hippodrome on Sunday 16 February.

For more information or to book call 01325 405405 or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk

THE CAT AND THE CANARY

Monday 30 March – Saturday 4 April 2020

Starring Britt Ekland (The Man with the Golden Gun, The Wicker Man), Mark Jordon (Heartbeat, Emmerdale), Tracy Shaw (Coronation Street), Marti Webb (Evita, Tell Me on a Sunday), Gary Webster (Minder), Ben Nealon (Soldier Soldier), Nikki Patel (Coronation Street) and Eric Carte (Bouquet of Barbed Wire).

Building on the phenomenal decade-long success of The Agatha Christie Theatre Company, The Classic Thriller Theatre Company presents their fifth production, with an adaptation of this famous stage thriller which went on to spawn three hit movie versions.

Twenty years after the death of Mr. West, his descendants gather at a remote mansion to learn who will inherit his vast wealth and the hidden family jewels.

When the heir is revealed, the heritage hunters turn into prey and a chain of macabre events is set in motion; walls crack open, shadows loom and dark secrets are revealed. Will the heirs dare to face the haunting presence toying with them?

When the cat prowls, the flock takes fright…

Tickets from £13

Box Office:  0844 871 3024

Online Booking: www.atgtickets.com/york  

THE INCIDENT ROOM HAS LONDON PREMIERE AT NEW DIORAMA

·        Tue 11 Feb – Sat 14 Mar, New Diorama Theatre, NW1

·        Total sell-out Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019

·        A New Diorama Theatre co-production with Greenwich Theatre supported by Arts Council England

·        Based on the infamous five-year police hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper

Following a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, New Diorama Theatre’s critically acclaimed crime thriller The Incident Room will have its London premiere this February.

Set in Leeds in 1975, The Incident Room is a forensic examination of the five-year police hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. With public pressure mounting, the investigators resorted to increasingly audacious attempts to catch one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers.

We follow Megan Winterburn, the Sergeant running the new incident room at Millgarth Police Station, the epicentre of the case that nearly broke the British police force.

As well as working with Michael Bilton, the Sunday Times investigative journalist who covered the case and wrote the best-selling book Wicked Beyond Belief, the team consulted with the real policewomen who worked on the investigation in the incident room.

Co-directed by Beth Flintoff and New Diorama Theatre’s Artistic Director, David Byrne, and is written by Olivia Hirst and David Byrne; a co-production with Greenwich Theatre supported by Arts Council England.

The Incident Room was first performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019:

★★★★ “The ingenuity of this piece is that it gives you a pacey, clock-ticking sense of what things were like” The Telegraph

★★★★ “Tense and chilling” The Daily Mail

★★★★“The ensemble cast are all excellent” The Scotsman

★★★★“Completely compelling to watch… intelligent, imaginative and, most of all, damn interesting” The Stage.

CROOKS 1926
King William IV, 16 Harper Road, London SE1 6AD
Thursday 12th February – Sunday 29th March 2020

Plunge deep into the gritty, criminal underworld of 1920s London at COLAB’s new immersive experience, CROOKS 1926. This innovative company will be staging their most ambitious project to date; game mechanics collide with a pulsing, hair-raising narrative giving audiences the chance to throw themselves into one family’s brutal battle for supremacy in the heart of Elephant and Castle.

In a world where nothing is certain, violence is rampant, and bargains are made to be broken, the audience will have complete autonomy to shape their own thrilling experience. While some might to choose to orchestrate a grand territorial takeover of London or broker an alliance with The West End Boys, others might ‘go it alone’ by scheming with a devious traitor. The choice lies solely with the audience meaning that no two shows are the same.

Boasting over ten years of experience, the veteran immersive theatre company will be debuting CROOKS 1926 at their brand new, permanently dedicated space in South London. Lead by COLAB’s artistic director Bertie Watkins, their venues have hosted some of the biggest names in the industry such as Coney, Parabolic and most recently, The Great Gatsby Immersive Experience. With this newest venture and production COLAB continues to innovate and influence the genre with unique, exciting and truly interactive experiences – the hallmark of their work.

Bertie Watkins comments, Because we have just opened our new, purpose-built space, we have been able to construct an immersive world the reflects the narrative perfectly. COLAB Theatre continues to pioneer its own brand of immersive experience, Action Theatre. By combining complex game mechanics with a multi-linear story, the audience can engage in a way that genuinely affects the outcome of the show at the same time as feeling the emotional weight of those decisions.

A carefully crafted microcosm of thuggery and drug smuggling. The small scale allows the audience to get to know the characters and, chatting and improvising, they get to know us too (Tim Bano, The Stage).

ANNOUNCES MUSICAL LINE-UP FOR PAUL TAYLOR-MILLS’

FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICAL THEATRE WRITING  

RUNNING FROM 3 – 15 FEBRUARY 2020

The Turbine Theatre’s Artistic Director, Paul Taylor-Mills, announces the exciting and diverse new musicals selected for this year’s MTFestUK 2020. The lineup includes: Southern Comfort; Jet Set Go!; Soapdish; The Assassination of Katie Hopkins; Coldfront; Eurobeat: Pride of Eurovision; Tyrell; and Works of Art.

A celebration of new musical theatre, MTFestUK 2020 runs from 3 – 15 February and sets out to promote quality artistry with a view to showcasing and elevating projects to full production, giving audiences an insight into the process of creating new work and the art of collaboration.

These eight productions at the centre of the festival form MTFestUK’s Taster Menu series of new musicals, and will each be presented as semi-staged productions. Casting will be announced shortly.  

After its success in 2019 at The Other Palace, Paul Taylor-Mills brings this year’s MTFestUK to the new and vibrant Turbine Theatre, located in Circus West Village, the first chapter in the regeneration of the iconic Battersea Power Station. Home to over 1,000 residents, this thriving riverside neighbourhood offers an exciting mix of restaurants, bars, cafés, shops, a cinema, fitness and wellbeing facilities, as well as an ongoing events programme. 

Paul Taylor-Mills, Artistic Director, Turbine Theatre, said, “I’m absolutely thrilled with the line-up for our second MTFestUK which will be housed in my new home: The Turbine Theatre at Battersea Power Station. This year sees us working with an exciting and emerging theatre, a host of first-time writers and Olivier Award winning teams. Importantly, the content of all eight shows, and the stories we set out to tell, represent the world we’re currently living in. 

We’ve listened to over 150 musicals and have made a commitment to give over 100 hours of free space to projects that would benefit from the time to move their work forward.

——————————————————

MTFestUK 2020 – Taster Menu

SOUTHERN COMFORT

Based on the Sundance award-winning documentary, this heart-warming musical about a group of transgender friends living in rural Georgia is, at its core, a love story between their patriarch, Robert Eads, and newcomer Lola Cola.

Through a unique folk and bluegrass-inspired score, the musical chronicles a year in the lives of this unique American family as they courageously defy the odds by simply remaining on the land to which they were born, reminding us that home is where we find comfort in our skin.

***

JET SET GO!

Join Nicola and her in-flight cabin crew as they sing up the aisles and tap-dance down Broadway on a trip to New York that you’ll never forget!

A musical comedy which trails a transatlantic cabin crew and their two pilots on a flight to New York (and back!).

Jet Set Go! premiered at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and is now back ten years in this revised version.

***

SOAPDISH

When Celeste Talbert, long time star of popular day-time soap opera The Sun Also Sets, is targeted by her ambitious younger co-star, a chain of events are set in motion which leads to the dramatic revelation of Celeste’s secret love child.

Based on the infamous 1991 film starring Sally Field, Kevin Kline, Elizabeth Shue, Robert Downey Jr, Whoopi Goldberg and a calling card of cameo appearances.

***

THE ASSASSINATION OF KATIE HOPKINS

A shocking crime divides the nation.

Fingers are pointed, sides are drawn, facts are hard to come by.

Why did this happen? How do we move on? What must we remember?

It’s easy to have an opinion online, safe behind the anonymity of a keyboard, just like, share and subscribe. But as the digital mob polish their pitchforks, the world starts to question just how free should free speech be?

***

COLDFRONT

Rosemary and James.

 Every month the same park bench. The same sandwiches made by her mother washed down with the same thermos of tea. The same manual tasks to keep the park in order.

But as the seasons change an unlikely romance slowly blossoms between an autistic weather analyst and a tattooed park attendant.

***

EUROBEAT: PRIDE OF EUROPE

The latest iteration of the loving parody of the Eurovision Song Contest. Join our glamorous hostess… or is that a host?!… as she presents another selection of songs.

Who takes the crown? You decide! Will it be the hunky Norwegian Vikings? The Ukrainian cave girl? Or the naughty nuns from Vatican City?

Eurobeat: Pride of Europe is a sequin-soaked satire (with just a pinch of socio-political commentary) of the song contest that unites and defines Europe… Just don’t tell Russia it’s basically another Pride!’

***

TYRELL

A septuagenarian femme fatale teaches her gay grandson and politically savvy granddaughter to wield power within a medieval patriarchy.

Welcome to Highgarden, home to Olenna, Loras and Margaery Tyrell.

Commenting on Olenna’s grandmotherly guile, Loras’s closeted double life and Margaery’s objectification, Tyrell imagines what these secondary characters from HBO’s Game of Thrones were thinking all along

A musical parody-prequel to HBO’s Game of Thrones, this one-act chamber piece tells the untold backstory of House Tyrell before the series begins.

***

WORKS OF ART

Struck by the unexpected loss of their Mother, brothers Reid and Jackson are forced to face a world without their biggest champion, most constant lifeline and the heart of their childhood home. Re-navigating their relationship as brothers after Reid’s transition and Jackson’s years away studying, the two must come together in deciding Cassie’s legacy as a painter, a Mother and a woman, and discover the value of true works of art. Works of Art is an intimate new folk musical about grief, new beginnings, and brotherly love.

Work of Art is an intimate new folk musical about grief, new beginnings, and brotherly love.

LISTINGS

MTFestUK 2020

3 – 15 FEBRUARY

THE TURBINE THEATRE

PRESENTED BY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PAUL TAYLOR-MILLS

Southern Comfort

Monday 3 February: 9pm

Tuesday 4 February: 7pm

Wednesday 5 February: 4pm and 7pm

Directed by Sophia Murphy

Music by Julianne Wick Davis

Book and Lyrics by Dan Collins

Jet Set Go

Monday 3 February: 7pm

Tuesday 4 February: 9pm

Wednesday 5 February: 2pm and 9pm

Directed by Luke Sheppard

Music and Lyrics by Pippa Cleary

Book and Lyrics by Jake Brunger

Soapdish

Thursday 6 February: 9pm

Friday 7 February: 7pm

Saturday 8 February: 4pm and 7pm

Directed by Rachel Kavanaugh

Music by George Stiles

Lyrics by Anthony Drewe

Book by Robert Harling

The Assassination of Katie Hopkins

Thursday 6 February: 7pm

Friday 7 February: 9pm

Saturday 8 February: 2pm and 9pm

Directed by James Grieve

Written by Chris Bush and Matt Winkworth

First presented by Theatre Clwyd

Coldfront

Monday 10 February: 9pm

Tuesday 11 February: 7pm

Wednesday 12 February: 2pm and 7pm

Directed and lyrics by Poppy Burton Morgan

Music by Jason Carr

Eurobeat: Pride of Europe

Monday 10 February: 7pm

Tuesday 11 February: 9pm

Wednesday 12 February: 4pm and 9pm

Directed by Max Bex Roberts

Written by Craig Christie

Tyrell

Thursday 13 February: 9pm

Friday 14 February: 7pm

Saturday 15 February: 4pm and 7pm

Directed by Simon Greiff

Written by Alex Ratner         

Works of Art

Thursday 13 February 7pm

Friday 14 February: 9pm

Saturday 15 February: 2pm and 9pm

Directed by Annabelle Hollingdale

Music and Lyrics Robin Simões Da Silva

Book by Annabel Mutale Reed

Tickets: All tickets£12.50

Running Times: All productions will run between 45-60 minutes.

Address: The Turbine Theatre, Arches Lane, Circus West Village, London, SW11 8AB

Box Office: 0207 851 0300

Website:

MTFestUK.co.uk

TheTurbineTheatre.com

Twitter:

@Fest_MT

@TurbineTheatre

#MTFestUK

#PoweringTheImagination

        NEW SIMBA ANNOUNCED FOR DISNEY’S THE
LION KING UK & IRELAND TOUR

The Walt Disney Company UK today announced that Nick Afoa will be joining the touring production of THE LION KING from 30 April. Afoa is currently starring in the role in London’s West End, where he has performed as Simba for three years after making his stage debut in the Australian production of THE LION KING in 2013.

Not unlike his character in THE LION KING, Afoa has had a journey to take his place on stage. The New Zealand-born, Auckland-raised performer had a promising rugby career with the All Blacks until he was sidelined by injury. After recovering and dedicating himself to his theatre career, nearly a decade later the 30 year-old beat 400 other hopefuls to the role of Simba in the Australian production.

He is currently in rehearsal with the touring cast and will appear in the production as it starts its engagement at the Alhambra, Bradford. The tour will continue on to Cardiff, Southampton and Manchester with further dates to be announced in due course. THE LION KING UK & Ireland tour opened in Bristol on 13 September 2019 to rave reviews and is currently at the Edinburgh Playhouse until 18 April.

The previous tour of Disney’s The Lion King broke attendance records across the nation and the autumn opening of the 2019 tour coincided with The Lion King celebrating 20 years at London’s Lyceum Theatre. Since the UK premiere in 1999, The Lion King has entertained more than 16 million theatregoers and is the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.

Julie Taymor’s internationally celebrated stage adaptation of The Lion King opened on Broadway in 1997 and 25 global productions have now been seen by more than 100 million people. The Lion King is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher.

The show has been performed in nine different languages (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese). In addition to this current UK & Ireland tour, productions of The Lion King can currently be seen on Broadway; London’s West End; Hamburg; Tokyo; Madrid; on tour across Japan and North America, with a separate production touring internationally, for a total of eight productions running concurrently across the globe.

Having played in more than 100 cities in 20 countries on every continent except Antarctica, The Lion King’s worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history.  

With a cast of more than 50 actors, singers and dancers, the story of The Lion King is miraculously brought to life using masks, puppets and striking costumes to tell the story of Simba’s epic adventures as he struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and becoming king.

The stunning artistry of the production is the work of a team of designers which drew on diverse cultural influences to recreate the rich colours and vast expanses of the African Savannah in this daring and inspiring reinvention of one of the most successful animated feature films of all time.

Julie Taymor, one of the world’s most innovative directors, brought a vast array of disciplines to The Lion King, including extensive experience staging epic theatre and opera productions, exploring classic myths through ritualised puppetry, mask, and movement. The Lion King was the first musical Taymor directed in the commercial theatre and she made Broadway history by becoming the first woman to win the Tony Award® for Best Director of a Musical.  

The Broadway show’s full creative team, which won five Tony Awards® for its work on The Lion King, reunited in 1999 to recreate the show in London. Julie Taymor and Michael Curry created hundreds of masks and puppets.

Scenic design is by British designer Richard Hudson and lighting is by Donald Holder. Costume design is by Julie Taymor, and choreography by Garth Fagan. The book was adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated feature and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the screenplay.

The original score from the animated film was expanded for the stage and now features 15 musical numbers.  As well as writing completely new songs, South African composer Lebo M created an evocative blend of African rhythms and chorales, with additional material by Julie Taymor and Mark Mancina.

Elton John and Tim Rice have added three new numbers to the five that they wrote for the award-winning score of the animated film. The resulting sound of The Lion King is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, including the Academy Award®-winning Can You Feel The Love Tonight and the haunting Shadowland.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

UK & IRELAND TOUR

ALHAMBRA THEATRE, BRADFORD
Thursday 30 April – Saturday 20 June 2020
www.thelionking.co.uk
01274 432000

WALES MILLENIUM CENTRE, CARDIFF
Thursday 9 July – Saturday 29 August 2020
www.thelionking.co.uk
029 2063 6464

MAYFLOWER, SOUTHAMPTON
Thursday 3 September – Saturday 10 October 2020
www.thelionking.co.uk
02380 711811

PALACE THEATRE MANCHESTER
Thursday 22 October 2020 – Sunday 31 January 2021
www.thelionking.co.uk
0844 871 3019

LONDON

Lyceum Theatre 21 Wellington Street, London WC2E 7RQ
www.thelionking.co.uk  
0844 871 3000
Booking until 5 July 2020 for individuals and October 2020 for groups.

THE LION KING plays Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm with matinee performances on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2.30pm in London.  There is no performance on a Monday evening.

John Bishop Warms Up in Bridlington

Comedy superstar John Bishop is coming to Bridlington Spa to warm up his brand-new show!  He will be performing at the venue on Thursday 24 September 2020

John is very much looking forward to this new adventure, this will be his eighth stand up show and it’s shaping up to be his best yet!!  John can’t wait to be back on the road again. 

John has achieved huge success with a number of his own comedy, entertainment and documentary shows including ‘John Bishop’s Australia’ (BBC1), ‘John Bishop’s Britain’ (BBC1); ‘John Bishop’s Only Joking’ (Sky1); ‘The John Bishop Show’ (BBC1); ‘The John Bishop Christmas Show’ (BBC1) and ‘John Bishop’s Gorilla Adventure’ (ITV1).  More recently ‘John Bishop’s Ireland’ for ITV1 and four series of ‘John Bishop: In Conversation With…’ which sees him chatting, one to one with some of the UK’s biggest names.

John has also hosted The Royal Variety Performance.

Tickets go on general sale Monday 20 January at 10am, online at www.bridspa.com,  or via the box office in person or by calling 01262 678258.

Stars of stage and screen to play Bath in award-winning Broadway hit comedy about love, marriage and squirrels!

THE REALISTIC JONESES

By Will Eno; Directed by Simon Evans

Ustinov Studio, Thursday 6 February – Saturday 7 March

Next month, the Ustinov Studio hosts the latest in its internationally acclaimed programme of UK premieres, the award-winning comedy, THE REALISTIC JONESES -a hilarious, quirky and touching portrait of marriage, life and squirrels, starring screen favourites Corey Johnson and Sharon Small.

Will Eno’s play begins in a suburban backyard one bucolic evening where Bob and Jennifer Jones, and their new neighbours, John and Pony Jones, find they have more in common than their identical homes and last name. The couples find they are drawn to each other and their desperate attempts to connect evolve into a funny, intimate and profound meditation on life.

Corey Johnson’s television credits include playing Donald Trump in Channel 4’s The Windsors and the Doctor Who episode, Dalek. His many film credits include Hellboy, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Captain Phillips and The Bourne Ultimatum. Stage credits include A Streetcar Named Desire in New York, the National Theatre’s production of Man and Superman and West End roles in Enron, Frost/Nixon and Popcorn.

Sharon Small is well-known as DS Barbara Havers in The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, and Trudi Malloy in the BBC drama Mistresses. Film credits include About A Boy. She recently toured in the West Yorkshire Playhouse production of Still Alice.

They are joined by Jack Laskey, who has played numerous roles for the RSC, and plays DS Peters in ITV’s Endeavour, and Olivier Award nominee Clare Foster, whose West End credits include Travesties, Merrily We Roll Along, Avenue Q and Crazy For You.

The Realistic Joneses appeared on Broadway in 2014, where it received a Drama Desk Special Award and was named Best Play on Broadway by USA Today, and best American play of 2014 by The Guardian. It was named as one of the “25 best American plays since Angels in America” by the New York Times. Will Eno’s play The Open House was on both TIME Magazine and Time Out New York’s Top Ten Plays of 2014 and was staged in the Ustinov Studio in 2017.

Director Simon Evans has worked at the Trafalgar Studios, the Donmar Warehouse, the National Theatre and the Bush where his recent credits include Will Eno’s Thom Pain (based on nothing), Killer Joe, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and The Dazzle. He is also a two-time recipient of the Close-Up Magician of the Year Award.

THE REALISTIC JONESES is at the Ustinov Studio from Thursday 6 February – Saturday 7 March. Tickets are on sale now from the Box Office on 01225 448844 or online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk/ustinov