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FULL CAST ANNOUNCED

FOR 2020 NATIONAL TOUR OF

JONATHAN MAITLAND’S

THE LAST TEMPTATION OF BORIS JOHNSON

Following the sold-out run at Park Theatre, London, full casting has been announced for the first national tour of The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson, the new political comedy from journalist, broadcaster and playwright Jonathan Maitland (An Audience with Jimmy Savile, Dead Sheep). Directed by Dugald Bruce-Lockheart, the tour will begin at Festival Theatre, Malvern on 22 January 2020.

Will Barton returns to lead the cast as Boris Johnson. Also in the cast will be Bill Champion as Michael Gove / Winston Churchill, Emma Davies as Margaret Thatcher / Sarah Vine / Chief Whip, Claire Lichie as Marina Wheeler / Boris’s Girlfriend, along with Tim Wallers, who returns to the roles of Evgeny Lebedev / Tony Blair / Huw Edwards.

It was the dinner that changed history: the night in February 2016 when Boris Johnson decided to vote ‘leave’. Guests included fellow MP Michael Gove, Gove’s wife, the journalist Sarah Vine, Evgeny Lebedev and, for Boris at least, the spirits of Prime Ministers past – Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair.

Fast forward to post-Brexit Britain, 2029.  Boris, no longer in power (for reasons that may be fact and/or fiction at time of performance!), roams the political wilderness. But unexpected events see him back in the spotlight and with a chance to “make Britain great again”. This play addresses the big questions: What will Britain look like in ten years’ time?  Is chlorinated chicken really bad for you? And what IS going on inside the head of the most divisive and controversial politician of our time?     

As befits the fastest moving story of our time, the script will be updated – nightly, if necessary – to reflect events…

Will Barton has played Boris before, in the 2017 BBC 2 drama Theresa V Boris, and his most recent theatre credits include The Libertine at Theatre Royal Haymarket, Toast at Park Theatre and in New York and Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’be at Theatre Royal Stratford East. 

Bill Champion has worked extensively in film and television. His film roles include Dr Leonard in Blitz, and his TV credits include Bertie in Wallis & Edward, PC David Adams in Rockliffe’s Babies and Penrose in Casualty. His recent theatre roles include Harvey in Season’s Greetings at Stephen Joseph Theatre.

Emma Davies recently starred in the films The Hustle with Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson and The Current War with Tom Holland and Benedict Cumberbatch. Her television credits include Grantchester, Guilt, Holby City, EastEnders, Royal Wives at War, Humans, Emmerdale, and Mosley. She is soon to star in Rage, But Hope (Streatham Project Place).

Claire Lichie is best known for her television and film roles including King of Thieves, Doctors (BBC), Endeavour (ITV / Mammoth Productions) and Inbetweeners (Universal Pictures). Her theatre credits include I Need An Adult (Lyric Hammersmith), That Dead Girl (New Diorama Theatre) and You Can Still Make A Killing (Southwark Playhouse).

Tim Wallers is best known for playing Prince Andrew in The Windsors on Channel 4 and Netflix. His recent theatre credits include An Ideal Husband (The Vaudeville Theatre), Travesties (The Menier Chocolate Factory / Apollo Theatre West End) and Dead Sheep (Park Theatre).

Jonathan Maitland says of his play, “It’s nice to have written something which unites Leavers and Remainers: the audiences so far have laughed, gasped and occasionally cried throughout!  It’s quite a brew: politics, power, sex, sovereignty and more re-writes than any withdrawal agreement! But it seems to work. Who’d have thought?”

The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson will be directed by Dugald Bruce-Lockheart, with set and costume design by Louie Whitemore, lighting design by Christopher Nairne and sound design by Andy Graham.

This tour is produced by Glynis Henderson Productions. The original project was co-funded by Art50, a scheme commissioned by Sky Arts and produced by Storyvault Films to explore the notion of British identity in the wake of Brexit, and originally produced by Glynis Henderson Productions at Park Theatre London 2019.

Website: www.bojotheplay.co.uk

2020 UK Tour Schedule

22 – 25 January                           Festival Theatre, Malvern                               01684 892277

                                                    www.malvern-theatres.co.uk                          

3 – 8 February                             Nuffield Southampton Theatres                      023 8067 1771

                                                    www.nstheatres.co.uk                                   

10 – 15 February                         Theatre Royal Windsor                                   01753 853 888

                                                    www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk                                          

18 – 22 February                         Northern Stage, Newcastle                             0191 230 5151

                                                    www.northernstage.co.uk                              

24 – 29 February                          Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford                 01483 44 00 00

                                                    www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk                            

2 – 7 March                                 The Lowry, Salford                                         0343 208 6000

                                                    www.thelowry.com                                                                                      

9 – 14 March                               Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne            0132 341 2000

                                                    www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk                           

Founder of Tara Arts, Jatinder Verma MBE, is to step down as Artistic Director, forty years after founding the ground-breaking company.

From its beginnings in 1977 at Battersea Arts Centre, Jatinder has led the company in a pioneering effort to promote cross-cultural theatre. Garnering support from Arts Council England, trust and foundations and over 1,400 individuals, he led the creation of Britain’s first multicultural theatre building. The award-winning Tara Theatre marks a historic step-forward in BAME theatre provision.

The company was formed in response to the racist murder in 1976 of young Gurdip Singh Chaggar, with a clear mission to make connections across cultures through theatre. The company’s inaugural production was Nobel Prize-winning poet Rabindranath Tagore’s anti-war play, Sacrifice, staged at Battersea Arts Centre in the summer of 1977.

Jatinder has led the emergence of Tara Arts from a community theatre group rooted in Wandsworth to an international touring company to, now, the only BAME company to own a distinctive theatre building, which echoes his vision of connecting worlds. The award-winning theatre in south London combines architectural elements from India and Britain to create a unique legacy for multicultural theatre provision in the country.

Over four decades, Jatinder has supported the emergence of generations of Asian theatre artists – including Ayub Khan Din, Sanjeev Bhasker, Shelley King, Paul Bhattacharjee, Shaheen Khan, Kumiko Mendel, Sudha Bhuchar, Nadia Fall – and companies such as Tamasha, Kali and Yellow Earth. He has toured extensively around the UK and internationally and co-produced with a wide range of theatres, including the National Theatre where Jatinder was the first non-white director of a production.

Naresh Aggarwal, Chair of Tara Arts comments: “Jatinder’s greatest achievements lie in helping us appreciate that Asian stories are for all Britons and inspiring generations of Asian talent to emerge onto the public consciousness. He has firmly set Tara on the map of modern British theatre and I am confident his legacy will be built upon by his successor.”

Jatinder Verma said: “Salman Rushdie memorably talked of introducing a ‘different sort of noise in English’ with the publication of his ground-breaking novel Midnight’s Children. The past 40 years have seen British Theatre take on the challenge of embracing difference, with a host of new writers, directors, performers and designers. I feel privileged to have played a part in changing the landscape of modern theatre. While cultural diversity has increasingly become an accepted norm, the challenge of diversity, sadly, remains as acute as ever. Connecting worlds seems to me a necessary mantra for our times; it is certainly what I intend to continue to work on in the years ahead.

Theatre has never been more urgent. This is an exciting time for a new generation of artistic leaders to continue the “connecting worlds” story of Tara.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Jatinder’s vision and dedication to championing inclusion and diversity have opened up the theatre and changed the landscape of the stage in London and beyond. Tara Theatre has always held a special place in my heart, and I know that Jatinder’s legacy will continue to inspire artists and audiences for generations to come. I wish him all the very best for his next adventure.” 

Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, Justine Simons OBE, said: “Jatinder is a trailblazer. It’s hard to quantify the breadth and depth of his influence on theatre and on society over the past four decades. He has given a vital platform to generations of writers, directors and performers and produced work of the highest quality that represents, reflects and speaks to today’s society. Jatinder leaves a powerful legacy at Tara and I wish him all the very best for this next exciting chapter.”

Director Theatre at Arts Council England, Neil Darlison comments: “Jatinder is one of the pioneers of British Asian Theatre. Under his direction Tara Arts has been extraordinarily influential in British Theatre and both he, and the works he has created, have inspired theatre-makers and audiences alike. In addition to this, his unstinting energy means he leaves an award-winning theatre in Earlsfield  – a brilliant legacy for Wandsworth, for London and for the next leader of this company.  I look forward to whatever he does next.”

Born in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, Jatinder grew up in Nairobi and migrated to Britain in 1968 aged 14, as part of the exodus of Asians from Kenya. At 23 when he co-founded Tara Arts he began to develop a unique cross-cultural theatre style, influenced by both Indian and European theatre. After writing and producing new plays in the late-70s and early-80s, exploring racism in school, migration and the sexual dilemmas facing young Asians, he began directing adaptations of European classics, including Gogol’s The Government Inspector and Buchner’s Danton’s Death.

During the 80s he helped set up the pioneering Black Theatre Season – an effort to bring Black Theatre onto West End stages and in 1990, became the first non-white director at the National Theatre, staging his own adaptation of Molière’s Tartuffe. This was followed by the first-ever staging at the National of the Sanskrit classic The Little Clay Cart.

As well as productions of other classics, Jatinder produced a new play from India, Hayavadana and, in 2002, saw the completion of a five-year cycle of work for Tara, staging Journey to the West. This large-scale trilogy of plays was based on over 400 interviews with migrants across the country, presenting the story of Asian migration and settlement in the West over the course of the 20th century. The trilogy was written and directed by Jatinder.

Through the company’s 3-year strategic initiative, Black Theatre Live, Jatinder helped commission the staging by Jeffrey Kissoon of the first all-Black Hamlet, the emergence of Cathy Tyson’s new company Pitch Lake Productions, Ambreen Razia’s ground-breaking Diary of a Hounslow Girl and Joseph-Barnes Phillips’ searing play, Big Foot.  

In 2009, he returned to the National to direct Hanif Kureishi’s The Black Album. In 2012, he took Farrukh Dhondy’s compelling post-colonial take on The Tempest, Miranda, on tour to India; a new version by Hardeep Singh Kohli of Moliere’s The Miser followed; in 2013 he premiered American writer Wajahat Ali’s The Domestic Crusaders. In 2015, Jatinder directed a touring version of Macbeth, casting the Witches as Indian hijras (transsexuals & transgenders) and, in 2016, Farrukh Dhondy’s Bollywood Jack. In 2017, he co-produced debut playwright Asif Khan’s hard-hitting play set in Bradford, Combustion. Most recently has directed Nigel Planer’s adaptation of a Marivaux farce, The Game of Love and Chai and Shamser Sinha’s Three Sat Under the Banyan Tree.

• JOEL MONTAGUE WILL JOIN THE LONDON CAST OF WAITRESS IN THE ROLE OF OGIE FROM DECEMBER 2^ND
   
• JOEL WILL JOIN LEAD CAST MEMBERS LUCIE JONES, HANNAH TOINTON, SANDRA MARVIN, DAVID HUNTER, TAMLYN HENDERSON AND ANDREW BOYER.

Waitress is delighted to welcome Joel Montague (Falsettos, School of Rock and Funny Girl) to the company of the hit West End musical as Ogie with his first performance taking place on 2 December. He takes on the role from Joe Sugg who has performed the role of Ogie since 9 September.

Joel Montague will join lead cast members Lucie Jones as Jenna, Hannah Tointon as Dawn, Sandra Marvin as Becky, David Hunter as Dr. Pomatter, Tamlyn Henderson as Earl and Andrew Boyer as Old Joe.

Joel Montague’s theatre work includes: Mendel in Falsettos (The Other Palace); Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls (Théâtre Marigny, Paris); Gangster 2 in Kiss Me Kate (Sheffield Crucible); Kevin in Fat Friends (UK Tour); U/S Dewey Finn in School Of Rock (Gillian Lynne Theatre); Eddie Ryan in Funny Girl (Menier Chocolate Factory + Savoy, West End) Dance captain & U/S Leo Bloom in The Producers (UK Tour); Swing/ U/S Bobby Strong in Urinetown (St. James Theatre & Apollo Theatre); Eddie & Dr. Scott in Rocky Horror Show (UK Tour); Ensemble & U/S Joey in Sister Act (UK Tour); Dick in Dick Whittington (Milton Keynes); Swing in Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace, West End); Riff in West Side Story (Royal Northern College of Music).

TV and Film Credits include: Tagging Man in Girlfriends (ITV); Featured Performer for Move Like Michael Jackson (Trailer) for BBC 3; Jim in Coronation Street (Granada Television);  Dean in Girls in Love (ITV); Philip in Grange Hill (BBC Television); World in Action (ITV); Small Boy in ‘In Suspicious Circumstances’ (ITV); Commercials include Dreams & Best Buy.

Waitress celebrated its official opening night at the Adelphi Theatre on 7 March 2019 and the Tony-nominated musical also announced a further extension this week with the show now booking until 28 March 2020.  

The full Waitress company includes, Piers Bate, Cindy Belliot, Andrew Boyer, Tamlyn Henderson, David Hunter, Lucie Jones, Sandra Marvin, Joel Montague, Olivia Moore, Ben Morris, Nathaniel Morrison, Rosemary Nkrumah, Sarah O’Connor, Leanne Pinder, Matthew Rowland, Laura Selwood, Richard Taylor Woods, Hannah Tointon, Lucia De Wan, Mark Willshire and Madison Worley.

Brought to life by a ground breaking, female-led creative team, Waitress features an original score by 7-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 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.

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.

Darlington Hippodrome – until 23 November 2019

4****

I’ve always said you should watch The Woman in Black at least twice – the first time to be scared witless yourself and the second time to enjoy the magnificent production and to watch the reaction of the audience.  And at press night in Darlington I was sitting next to someone who had the most amazing reactions to the performance.

The Woman in Black tells the story of Arthur Kipps. The old Arthur (Robert Goodale) has employed the services of an unnamed actor (Daniel Easton) to help tell his spine chilling tale. When a young man, Arthur was given a job, by the firm of Solicitors he worked for, to travel north to sort out the affairs of the late Alice Drablow. Visiting her house, cut off by tides and sea fret, Arthur experienced far more than he bargained for.  With Easton playing the part of the young Arthur, Goodale takes on the various bit parts of characters along the way and, at times, acts a monologue, Arthur’s “true” story is a genuine spooky experience.

Since its first performance in 1987 The Woman In Black has been terrifying its audience members. Written by Susan Hill and adapted by the late Stephen Mallatratt this play within a play entertains and frightens in equal measure, drawing on the imagination of the audience to produce shocks and scares.  And this is mainly due to the outstanding technical production. Micheal Holt’s set, Kevin Sleep’s lighting and Sebatian Frost’s sound (based on Rod Mead’s original sound design) are what help to build the atmosphere, the beautifully restored Edwardian theatre also lends itself to the effect. But it really is the power of the imagination that is the main clincher in this tale. Sitting in the auditorium, petrified, surrounded by people audibly screaming is an experience in itself.

My one and only gripe is the change of wording, in the first act the Actor used to say “We’ll make an Irving of you” referring to Sir Henry Irving, an actor who died in 1905.  However they’ve now changed the wording to “Olivier” – indeed a fabulous actor with an amazing legacy, but Sir Laurence wasn’t born until 1907 and Susan Hill based her novella of The Woman in Black in the Edwardian era (1901 to 1910).  When everything else is so perfect, so historically correct, this one thing did annoy me – which is why it’s only 4 stars when it should be 5

However, with its longevity in the West End – over 30 years and no signs of stopping – The Woman in Black remains one of the most spine tingling and thrilling plays being performed today.

REVIEW: The Bodyguard (Sunderland Empire) ★★★★

November 18, 2019 

For: West End Wilma 

The Bodyguard quite literally arrived in Sunderland with a bang!!!

Based on the 1992 film, starring the late Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard tells the story of Rachel Marron, a famous singer who has uncompromising ex-secret service agent, Frank Farmer, hired for her to protect her from an obsessed stalker. Unlike the film, this is a love story between Rachel and Frank, with sister Nicki forced on the sidelines again, despite her own feelings for Frank.

Alexandra Burke plays Rachel, her riffs and vocal gymnastics are just the kind of techniques most singing show contestants love to mimic these days. Demonstrating why Burke won a certain singing show in 2008. However Alexandra Burke could only dazzle us because of the immensely talented supporting cast.

Ben Lewis’s karaoke version as the bodyguard in question, Frank Farmer, maybe wasn’t the best, although he was hiding a terrific singing voice under his gruff exterior. He does smoulder quite well and his interaction with 10 year old Fletcher (Lemar Bucknor Jr, Noah Burnett, Riotafari Gardener, Sheldon Golding, Ethan Marsh and Caleb Williams sharing the role) shows the tender side of the tough man. Bucknor Jn performed on press night and he is a young man with amazing talent, playing Rachel’s son Fletcher with skill. What a singer and dancer and such maturity.

The real star of the show was Emmy Willow as Nikki, Rachel’s sister (who is given more of a backstory, it seems, than either of the two lead characters). She gives an emotional performance as the hard-done-by younger sister who is outshone by her famous sibling at every turn, her version of All At Once was outstanding. Willow has a beautifully clear and soulful voice. She released her inner Whitney and perfected every single moment she had on stage.

The Stalker played with sufficient creepiness by James-Lee Harris, was a particularly nasty piece of work. And whilst some of the audience couldn’t initially see the evilness beyond the six-pack, the enormous boo’s he received at the end of the show told of a part well performed!

Unfortunately when Burke and company aren’t singing or dancing up a storm, the audience is left with mostly cheesy, overly-exaggerated melodrama, flat, one-dimensional characters, and even, at times, overdone “thrills” that make you laugh instead of feeling any suspense.

It’s the music that saves this show. The live orchestra (Micheal Riley, Phil Waddington, Chris Gardiner, Steve Willingham, Sam Edgington, Ollie Boorman, Rob Greenwood and Matt Davies) play the musicals versions of Whitney’s greatest hits in a spectacular fashion. How Will I Know, I’m Every Woman, Queen of the Night and I Wanna Dance With Somebody feel like a lovely little nostalgia trip back to school disco’s in the 80’s and 90’s and the extended “mega-mix” of the show songs at the end of the show have the audience up on their feet singing, clapping and dancing along with the cast.

It’s a cheesy show, the acting is okay with the questionable storyline, but for Whitney Houston fans (and if the audience at Sunderland is anything to go by, there are still quite a lot out there) then this is probably the show for you.

Adam Spiegel and Robert Bartner present

The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich and Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch production of

Full cast announced for Once

as the multi award-winning Broadway and West End musical

embarks on its first UK Tour

Full casting is announced today for Once, which embarks on its first major UK tour from January 2020, following a run at Fairfield Halls, Croydon from Thursday 19 December to Saturday 11 January.

Joining the previously announced Daniel Healy as Guy and Emma Lucia as Girl are Dan Bottomley as Billy, Matthew Burns as Eamon, Ellen Chivers as Reza, Rosalind Ford as Ex-Girlfriend, Lloyd Gorman as Svejc, David Heywood as Emcee, Samuel Martin as Bank Manager, Peter Peverley as Da, Susannah Van Den Berg as Baruska and James William-Pattison as Andrej. The cast also includes Emma Fraser, Seán Keany, Hanna Khogali and Conor McFarlane.

Based on the critically acclaimed and much-loved film, Once tells the uplifting yet yearning story of two lost souls – a Dublin street busker and a Czech musician – who unexpectedly fall in love. Following their relationship across five short days, big changes happen to both of them in little ways. Celebrated for its original score including the Academy Award-winning song Falling Slowly, Once is a spell-binding and uplifting story of hopes and dreams.

Once embarks on its first major UK tour after acclaimed runs on Broadway and in the West End, and having won awards across the world including the Academy Award for Best Original Song, a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album, eight Tony Awards and an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.

Following a run at Fairfield Halls, Croydon from Thursday 19 December 2019 – Saturday 11 January 2020, the tour will visit Southend, Liverpool, York, Woking, Milton Keynes, Ipswich, Bath, Coventry, Stoke, Malvern, Aberdeen, Nottingham, Oxford, Brighton, Sheffield, Cardiff, Southampton, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Canterbury, Leicester, Salford, Newcastle, Plymouth, Glasgow and Hull.

Daniel Healy and Emma Lucia return to the roles of ‘Guy’ and ‘Girl’ after receiving critical and audience acclaim in the production’s premiere last year at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich and Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch. Daniel Healy is a singer-songwriter, musician and actor, who has co-written songs for multi-platinum artist Ronan Keating including the single Breathe, which topped the BBC Radio 2 Playlist. Theatre credits include Backbeat and Once, both in the West End. Emma Lucia made her professional debut as Marilyn and understudying Carole King in the UK Tour of Beautiful, before taking on the role of Girl in Once.

Once is directed by Peter Rowe with set and costume design by Libby Watson, musical supervision by Ben Goddard, choreography by Francesca Jaynes, lighting design by Mark Dymock, sound design by James Cook, projection design by Peter Hazelwood and orchestrations by Martin Lowe. Casting is by Debbie O’Brien.

Based on the cult 2007 Irish indie feature, originally shot on a micro-budget of just $160,000, Once premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2011 before transferring to Broadway in 2012. There it won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Productions have since opened all over the world, including the West End production in 2013 which received the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.

Once has a Book by award-winning Irish playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh, and Music & Lyrics by Academy Award winning Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová who, for Falling Slowly, won the Oscar for Best Original Song. It is based on the motion picture Written and Directed by John Carney. The Original Production Concept is by John Tiffany.

Performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited.

www.OnceTheMusicalOnStage.com

Facebook /OnceTheMusicalUK

Twitter @OnceTheMusicalUK

UK TOUR LISTINGS

Thursday 19 December – Saturday 11 January 2020

ASHCROFT THEATRE at FAIRFIELD HALLS, CROYDON

Box Office: www.fairfield.co.uk / 020 3292 0002

Monday 13 – Saturday 18 January 2020

SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION

Box Office: www.southendtheatres.org.uk / 01702 351 135

Monday 20 – Saturday 25 January 2020

LIVERPOOL EMPIRE THEATRE

Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire / 0844 871 3017

Monday 3 – Saturday 8 February 2020

YORK GRAND OPERA HOUSE

Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/venues/grand-opera-house-york / 0844 871 3024

Monday 10 – Saturday 15 February 2020

WOKING NEW VICTORIA THEATRE

Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre / 0844 871 7645

Monday 17 – Saturday 22 February 2020

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE

Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre / 0844 871 7652

Monday 24 February – Saturday 1 March 2020

IPSWICH NEW WOLSEY THEATRE

Box Office: www.wolseytheatre.co.uk / 01473 295 900

Monday 2 – Saturday 7 March 2020

BATH THEATRE ROYAL

Box Office: www.theatreroyal.org.uk / 01225 448844

Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 March 2020

COVENTRY BELGRADE THEATRE

Box Office: www.belgrade.co.uk / 024 7655 3055

Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 March 2020

STOKE REGENT THEATRE

Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre / 0844 871 7649

Monday 23 – Saturday 28 March 2020

MALVERN FESTIVAL THEATRE

Box Office: www.malvern-theatres.co.uk / 01684 892277

Monday 30 March – Saturday 4 April 2020

ABERDEEN HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE

Box Office: www.aberdeenperformingarts.com / 01224 641122

Monday 6 – Saturday 11 April 2020

NOTTINGHAM THEATRE ROYAL

Box Office: www.trch.co.uk / 0115 989 5555

Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 April 2020

OXFORD NEW THEATRE

Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford / 0844 871 3020

Monday 20 – Saturday 25 April 2020

BRIGHTON THEATRE ROYAL

Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton / 0844 871 7650

Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 May 2020

SHEFFIELD LYCEUM THEATRE

Box Office: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk / 0114 249 6000

Monday 11 – Saturday 16 May 2020

CARDIFF WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE

Box Office: www.wmc.org.uk / 029 2063 6464

Monday 18 – Saturday 23 May 2020

SOUTHAMPTON MAYFLOWER THEATRE

Box Office: www.mayflower.org.uk / 02380 711811

Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 May 2020

EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE

Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse / 0844 871 3014

Monday 1 – Saturday 6 June 2020

BIRMINGHAM ALEXANDRA THEATRE

Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/venues/alexandra-theatre-birmingham / 0844 871 3011

Monday 8 – Saturday 13 June 2020

CANTERBURY MARLOWE THEATRE

Box Office: www.marlowetheatre.com / 01227 787787

Monday 15 – Saturday 20 June 2020

LEICESTER CURVE

Box Office: www.curveonline.co.uk / 0116 242 3595

Monday 22 – Saturday 27 June 2020

SALFORD THE LOWRY

Box Office: www.thelowry.com / 0343 208 6000

Monday 6 – Saturday 11 July 2020

PLYMOUTH THEATRE ROYAL

Box Office: www.theatreroyal.com / 01752 267222

Monday 13 – Saturday 18 July 2020

GLASGOW KING’S THEATRE

Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre / 0844 871 7648

Monday 20 – Saturday 25 July 2020

HULL NEW THEATRE

Box Office: www.hulltheatres.co.uk / 01482 300 306

The Lowry, Salford – 16 November 2019

Reviewed by Angelos Spantideas

5*****

A spectacular opera with a theme that after all these years from its making is still relevant and important in the midst of another refugee crisis. The fear of the “other people”, the sense of responsibility and the fight against temptation are heavily discussed, with Nicky Spence’s versatile performance as Manolios succeeding at portraying being human with flaws and weaknesses in the pursuit of achieving god-like sensibility.

The controversy of disturbing the public order in attempt to help other people is underlined, with the people in power cling to their positions of power in fear of losing them. Authority, as portrayed by the local governing individuals, such as the local priest Grigoris, Stephen Gadd, is influencing the collective behaviour of everyday people and compromise the freedom of speech and the expression of ideas which conflict their interests.

The performance of John Savournin as the priest who leads the refugees is vital to the play, as he was able to show the desperation of people who have been routed out of their homes and cannot find compassion or support from their fellow Greeks.

Overall a great opera with a message that is conveyed accurately by an amazing cast. The music and singing complement it and engage the audience throughout the duration of the opera with performances that makes the spectator empathise with the actors.

Sonia Friedman Productions
Gavin Kalin Productions, Rupert Gavin, Patrick Gracey/Scott M. Delman, 1001 Nights Productions, Tulchin Bartner Productions
in association with
Len Blavatnik, Eilene Davidson Productions, Louise & Brad Edgerton
present

UNCLE VANYA
By Anton Chekhov

In a new adaptation by Conor McPherson

Directed by Ian Rickson

NEW IMAGE RELEASED FOR 
UNCLE VANYA

Uncle Vanya © Muse Creative Communications, photography by Seamus Ryan.

Sonia Friedman Productions have today released a new show image for Conor McPherson’s (The Weir, Girl from the North Country) new adaptation of Uncle Vanya directed by Ian Rickson (Jerusalem, The Seagull) which begins previews in eight weeks’ time.

Uncle Vanya will run for sixteen weeks at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 14th January 2020 with Opening Night on Thursday 23rd January 2020. Tickets are on sale now.

Toby Jones will star in the title role of Uncle Vanya alongside Richard Armitage as Astrov. Rosalind Eleazar (The Personal History of David Copperfield, Deep Water, The Starry Messenger) will play Yelena, with Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education, Downstate) as Sonya, the Emmy Award-winning Anna Calder-Marshall (LOVE, Evening at the Talk House, Male of the Species) as Nana, the Olivier and Tony-award nominated Dearbhla Molloy (The Ferryman, Dancing at Lughnasa, Juno and the Paycock) as Grandmaman, Peter Wight (The Birthday Party, Hamlet, The Red Lion) as Telegin and Olivier Award-nominated Ciarán Hinds (Translations, Game of Thrones, Girl from the North Country) as Professor Serebryakov.

In the heat of summer, Sonya (Aimee Lou Wood) and her Uncle Vanya (Toby Jones) while away their days on a crumbling estate deep in the countryside, visited occasionally only by the local doctor Astrov (Richard Armitage).

However, when Sonya’s father Professor Serebryakov (Ciarán Hinds) suddenly returns with his restless, alluring, new wife Yelena (Rosalind Eleazar) declaring his intention to sell the house, the polite facades crumble and long repressed feelings start to emerge with devastating consequences.

Olivier Award-winner Conor McPherson’s stunning new adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece, Uncle Vanya, is a portrayal of life at the turn of the 20th century, full of tumultuous frustration, dark humour and hidden passions. Critically acclaimed director Ian Rickson returns to Chekhov for the first time since his landmark production of The Seagull in 2007, reuniting with BAFTA and Olivier Award-winner Toby Jones (The Birthday Party) alongside Richard Armitage, who returns to the UK stage six years after his Olivier Award-nominated performance in The Crucible. Uncle Vanya is the eleventh collaboration between Ian Rickson and Sonia Friedman Productions, with previous productions including Rosmersholm, Jerusalem, The River, Betrayal and The Children’s Hour.

Uncle Vanya is designed by Rae Smith, with lighting by Bruno Poet, music by Stephen Warbeck, sound by Ian Dickinson and casting by Amy Ball CDG.

The Iconic Riverside Studios Returns

After a five-year redevelopment the iconic Riverside Studios have a brand-new building as part of a residential development led by London developers Mount Anvil and A2 Dominion. 

Hammersmith’s historic arts centre with cutting-edge facilities is due to open in three phases, with the doors to the new multi-million-pound building now open to the public for the first time. The opening starts a process of bringing the same spirit back to the contemporary London arts scene, and is expected to re-ignite the same passion and excitement that was at the heart of the original building. 

The new Riverside Studios boasts multiple performance, rehearsal and broadcast spaces which will each contribute to its ongoing story by presenting exhibitions, independent film and theatre from both established and emerging voices. The cultural hub continues a proud tradition that started when it first opened as a film studio in the 1930s, then as one of the original BBC TV Studios in the 1950s, where after it developed a worldwide reputation for presenting innovative art and became a home for some of the leading names in the theatre, television and film industries.

For the first time in its 86-year history, the public will be able to take advantage of its unique position on the Thames beside Hammersmith Bridge, with all the building’s public facilities now enjoying magnificent views of the river. The new public walkway also allows the public to walk beside it from Hammersmith Bridge to Putney.

Opening this week in phase one will be Studio 8 Café and Bar and adjacent coffee shop alongside Sam’s Riverside, a new high-end brasserie by Sam Harrison. It will be shortly followed by the flagship television studio, Studio 1, run by Riverside TV Studios Ltd that will begin producing broadcasts for local and international audiences almost immediately.

Tickets go on sale today for the world premiere of Persona, on 23 January 2020, a unique theatrical adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s iconic film of the same name, marking phase two and the opening of Studio 3, one of the brand-new theatres to open at Riverside Studios. A psychological thriller, this new translation of Persona is adapted and directed by Paul Schoolman and stars Alice Krige and Nobuhle Ketelo, accompanied by renowned US musician William Close playing his signature Earth Harp with an original score.

Following Persona will be Love, Loss & Chianti (25 February – 16th May) starring Robert Bathurst and Rebecca Johnson, in a two-part evening pairing the critically acclaimed A Scattering with The Song of Lunch by Costa Book Prize award-winner Christopher Reid.  The production is complemented by celebrated cartoonist Charles Peattie’s striking, beautiful and witty animations.  From 18 – 24 May, after her sell-out Tour De Force Liza Pulman Sings Streisand, Studio 3 presents Liza’s brand new show, The Heart Of It. Alongside her band, Liza rediscovers and reimagines timeless classics and lost gems by Randy Newman, Stevie Wonder, Michel Le Grand, Judy Collins and a host of others. An evening designed to both break your heart and make it sing.

Opening in January will also be Riverside’s state of the art cinemas. The centre boasts two screens and visitors will enjoy a world-class digital cinematic experience, with films selected by renowned curator Jason Wood, Artistic Director of Film and Culture at HOME in Manchester and Rachel Hayward, Head of Film at HOME. The film programme will be announced in December, but Wood has promised a broad mix of first-run films, mixed with the best in independent cinema and a range of festivals and seasons that will remain true to the much loved film offering and reputation of the old cinema. 

March 2020 will see the final public areas in the building open, in phase three. Studio 2 is a flexible performance space with up to 500 seats, and Studio 5 is a rehearsal room that can also host community events and workshops. The programme for Studio 2 will be announced soon and will feature work selected and produced by Emily Dobbs who, since her early days working behind the bar at the old Riverside, has gone on to become an acclaimed producer, most recently having presented Revolver in the West End. She will work on a year-long season of theatre at Riverside.

Continuing Riverside Studios’ legacy of presenting and embracing art in all its forms, a new exhibition Riverside@Riverside will open on 21 November and run until January, presented by the Riverside Artists Group celebrating their return to the iconic building.

Apart from having the space to present both intimate and large-scale productions, Riverside’s new building is distinctive in that all the performance areas are digitally enabled and connected to a central control room, making it possible to either record or transmit live work from the building to a global audience while still serving the local community as a valuable public resource, achieving its fundamental ambition of making the arts accessible to all. 

Artistic Director William Burdett-Coutts said today: “To see Riverside Studios reopen its doors to the public is the culmination of a dream. Whilst the old building held an extremely fond place in the hearts of people across the arts, television and film worlds it had all the benefits and problems of a “found space”. Essentially it began life as a Victorian factory and through a number of different incarnations played a part in all these different worlds. Today the new building combines all these interests into a fantastic new public facility which can realise the potential for this incredible site in London. The artists that have passed through the building are legendary and we look forward to welcoming many more in future and making this a place the public feel they can enjoy and cherish.”

LEEDS GRAND THEATRE AND HYDE PARK PICTURE HOUSE CELEBRATE LEEDS’ OWN KAY MELLOR

• BAND OF GOLD TO PREMIERE AT LEEDS GRAND THEATRE
• KAY MELLOR MINI SEASON AT HYDE PARK PICTURE HOUSE

Leeds Grand Theatre and sister venue, Hyde Park Picture House, are celebrating Leeds’ own award-winning writer and director Kay Mellor with the world premiere stage adaptation of BAND OF GOLD at The Grand and a Kay Mellor mini season at The Picture House.

Featuring a star-studded cast, including Laurie Brett (EastEnders), Gaynor Faye (Emmerdale), Kieron Richardson (Hollyoaks) and Shayne Ward (Coronation Street), BAND OF GOLD will run at The Grand from Thursday 28 November to Saturday 14 December 2019. To book tickets visit leedsgrandtheatre.com.

Telling the story of how a young mother is drawn into the notorious red-light district, the stage adaptation is based on the 90’s groundbreaking TV drama of the same name that starred (amongst others) Geraldine James, Cathy Tyson, Barbara Dickson and Samantha Morton.

To run alongside BAND OF GOLD at The Grand, Hyde Park Picture House has invited Kay to reflect on some of the films that have influenced and inspired her and will present three of Kay’s choices in a specially curated mini season in the run up to Christmas. Kay says: “I could watch each one of these films time and time again. They’re absolute classics.” To book tickets visit hydeparkpicturehouse.co.uk/season/kay-mellor-presents.

What: Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf?

When: Saturday 23 November

Based on Edward Albee’s iconic play, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is an astounding journey into the hell of a marriage at breaking point.

What: Capernaum

When: Sunday 1 December

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language film, Capernaum follows the journey of a clever, gutsy 12-year-old, who sues his parents for neglect. Twisting between heart-warming and heart-breaking, Capernaum is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit.

What: Some Like It Hot

When: Sunday 22 December

Billy Wilder’s zany comedy about two down on their luck jazz musicians on the run from the mob is as funny and sharp as it was 60 years ago. Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon’s theatrics are matched perfectly by Marilyn Monroe’s flawless timing and on-screen presence.

Since the 1990s Kay Mellor OBE has been a singular creative voice in our city, shifting between screen, stage, TV and film, depending on the story she wants to tell. Best known for TV favourites Fat Friends, Band of Gold, The Syndicate, In The Club, Love, Lies & Records and Girlfriends, Kay is also known for her stage version of A Passionate Woman and Fat Friends The Musical which premiered at Leeds Grand Theatrein November 2017.