FURTHER CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

BENEDICT ANDREWS’ YOUNG VIC PRODUCTION OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS’

C A T   O N   A   H O T   T I N   R O O F

OPENING IN THE WEST END JULY 2017

 

Lisa Palfry (Big Mama), Hayley Squires (Mae) and Brian Gleeson (Gooper) with Richard Hansel (Doctor) and Michael J Shannon (Reverend) join the previously announced Sienna Miller (Maggie), Jack O’Connell (Brick) and Colm Meaney (Big Daddy) for the Young Vicproduction of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof directed by Benedict Andrews.   The younger members of the Company will be announced at a later date.

 

The twelve-week run in the West End at the Apollo Theatre begins previews on 13 July 2017 with press night on 24 July. The last performance is 7 October 2017.  Set designs are by Magda Williwith costume designs by Alice Babidge, lighting by Jon Clark and sound design by Gareth Fry. Music is by award-wining composer and musician Jed Kurzel.

The truth hurts. On a steamy night in Mississippi, a Southern family gather at their cotton plantation to celebrate Big Daddy’s birthday.  The scorching heat is almost as oppressive as the lies they tell.  Brick and Maggie dance round the secrets and sexual tensions that threaten to destroy their marriage. With the future of the family at stake, which version of the truth is real – and which will win out?

 

Lisa Palfrey’s theatre credits include Junkyard for Headlong, Much Ado About Nothing for Theatre Clwyd, The Seagull for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, The Kitchen Sink for the Bush Theatre, Red Bud, Ingredient X and Under The Blue Sky all for the Royal Court Theatre, Festen and The Iceman Cometh both for the Almeida Theatre and Cardiff East and Under Milk Wood both for the National Theatre.  Her film credits include Pride, The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, House of America, Under Milk Wood and Guest House Paradiso.  Her television credits include Hinterland, The Line of Duty, Green Hollow, Casualty, and Family Tree.

 

Hayley Squires’ theatre credits include The Pitchfork Disney at Shoreditch Town Hall and As Good a Time as Any at The Print Room.  For the role of Katie in Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or winning I, Daniel Blake she won the British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer, the Evening Standard British Film award for Best Supporting Actress and also received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress.  Her other credits include Giantland, Away, Polar Bear, A Royal Night Out and Blood Cells.  Her television credits include The Miniaturist, Collateral, Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, The Commuter, Murder, Southcliffe, Complicit and Call The Midwife.

 

Brian Gleeson was most recently seen on stage in The Weir at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh.  His other theatre credits include The Walworth Farce at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin and the Donmar Warehouse production of The Night Alive, which also ran at the Atlantic Theatre in New York.  His film credits include Assassin’s Creed, The Flag, Tiger Raid, History’s Future, Standby, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Stay, Snow White and The Huntsman.  His television work includes the lead role of Jimmy Mahon in the RTÉ series Rebellion, Quirke and Stonemouth.  His  film work due for release this year includes Steven Soderbergh’s feature film Logan Lucky, Darren Aronofsky’s Mother!, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread.

 

Richard Hansell’s more recent theatre credits include Lazarus at the King’s Cross Theatre, the Young Vic’s production of A View From the Bridge which transferred to the West End and then to Broadway and Macbeth at the Trafalgar Studios.  His other theatre credits include Tonight at 8.30for Chichester Festival Theatre, The Madness of King George III at the Apollo Theatre, The Bridge Project at the Old Vic and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Troilus and Cressida for Shakespeare’s Globe, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, School for Scandal and Hamlet all for English Touring Theatre and A Patriot For Me and Two Gentlemen of Verona for the Royal Shakespeare Company.  His television credits include And Then There Were None, Downton Abbey, Spooks, The Royal, Miracle Landing on The Hudson and E=MC2, and on film his credits include Shine, The Wolfman and Hamlet.

 

Michael J Shannon’s theatre credits include The Dining Room and The Glass Menagerie, both at Greenwich Theatre, Artichoke for the Tricycle Theatre, Totally Foxed at the Theatre Royal Bath,The Price at the Leicester Haymarket, The End of the World at Nuffield, Southampton,  A Thousand Clowns at the Palace, Watford and A Delicate Balance at the Nottingham Playhouse.  His television credits include We’ll Meet Again, Boston Legal and Brothers & Sisters.

 

For this Young Vic production, there are seats available at £10 for under 25s for each performance booked through the Young Vic Box Office.  Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is the Young Vic’s first production to debut in the West End and is presented by the Young Vic and The Young Ones.  Previously the Young Vic have transferred A View from a Bridge, Golem, Romeo and Juliet, The Scottsboro Boys, Simply Heavenly, Tintin and A Doll’s House.

 

Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer prize winning play received its world premiere in 1955 on Broadway with Barbara Bel Geddes and Ben Gazzara as Maggie and Brick.  The UK premiere, directed by Peter Hall, opened at the Comedy Theatre in 1958 with Kim Stanley and Paul Massie.  The 1958 Academy Award nominated film starred Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman.

Finn den Hertog is Assistant Director. He previously worked with Benedict Andrews on A Streetcar Named Desire.

Natalie Denton is Jerwood Assistant Director, supported through the Jerwood Assistant Directors Program at the Young Vic.

The Young Vic produces new plays, classics, forgotten works, musicals and opera. It co-produces and tours widely in the UK and internationally while keeping deep roots in its neighbourhood. It frequently transfers shows to London’s West End and invites local people to take part at its home in Waterloo. In 2016 the Young Vic became London’s first Theatre of Sanctuary. Recent productions include Simon Stone’s multi award-winning new version of Lorca’sYerma which returns to the Young Vic with Billie Piper reprising her performance in July, the premiere of Charlene James’ multi-award-winning play Cuttin’ It and Ivo van Hove’s multi award-winning production of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge (West End & Broadway transfers), as well as Horizons, a season of work exploring the lives of refugees.  David Lan is Artistic Director, Lucy Woollatt is Executive Director.  www.youngvic.org

 

About the Jerwood Assistant Director Program The Jerwood Assistant Director Program at the Young Vic supports directors in the early stages of their careers by providing a vital opportunity to obtain professional on-the-job development.  The programme is supported by Jerwood Charitable Foundation and was set up in 2010 to give emerging talent the chance to work alongside some of the most talented and experienced directors in the world.  The partnership was set up in 2010 to give emerging talent the chance to work alongside some of the most talented and experienced directors in the world.

In 2014, the Program was expanded to include an international dimension, and this continues in 2017. The Program draws upon the vast expertise of our theatre colleagues across the world and will for the fourth time offer a professional practice visit to the seven Jerwood Assistant Directors. Travelling as a group to a major European theatre capital they will have the opportunity to see work and develop relationships with international practitioners with a view to generating new ideas and future collaborations.

The Jerwood Assistant Director Program has become a successful springboard. Past participants include: Sam Pritchard, who assisted Carrie Cracknell on A Doll’s House, appointed International Associate at the Royal Court. He will direct Pygmalion for Headlong in 2017; Craig Gilbert, who assisted Natalie Abrahami on Ah, Wilderness!, appointed New Works Associate at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse and Kate Hewitt, who assisted Sacha Wares on Wild Swans, winner of the inaugural Royal Theatrical Support Trust Director Award in 2016.  In the Young Vic 2017 season, Jerwood Assistant Directors will have worked on Young Vic productions including: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, See Me Now, Life of Galileo and Wings.

Jerwood Charitable Foundation is dedicated to imaginative and responsible revenue funding of the arts, supporting artists to develop and grow at important stages in their careers. The aim of its funding is to allow artists and arts organisations to thrive; to continue to develop their skills, imagination and creativity with integrity. It works with artists across art forms, from dance and theatre to literature, music and the visual arts. For more information visitwww.jerwoodcharitablefoundation.org

 

LISTINGS INFORMATION  

 

Theatre:                  Apollo Theatre, 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7ES

Dates:                    13 July – 7 October 2017

Press Night:             Monday 24 July 2017 at 7pm

Performances:          Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm, Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm

Prices:                    in previews Monday – Thursday £10-£55, Friday & Saturday £10-£57

From 25 July 2017 Monday – Thursday £10-£65, Friday & Saturday £10-£67

Box Office:                Apollo 0330 333 4809

                             Young Vic 020 7922 2922

Website:                 www.youngvicwestend.com

Twitter/Instagram:    @youngvictheatre

Facebook:               youngvictheatre

ELAINE PAIGE, ASHLEY BANJO & DIVERSITY, GARY WILMOT AND CHARLIE STEMP

JOIN JULIAN CLARY, PAUL ZERDIN AND NIGEL HAVERS IN

D I C K   W H I T T I N G T O N

FOR STRICTLY LIMITED FIVE WEEK FESTIVE SEASON RUN

AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM

Elaine Paige (Queen Rat), Ashley Banjo and Diversity (The Sultan and his Entourage), Gary Wilmott (Sarah the Cook) and Charlie Stemp (Dick Whittington) will join the previously announced Julian Clary (Spirit of the Bells), Paul Zerdin (Idle Jack) and Nigel Havers (Captain Nigel) in the line-up for Qdos Entertainment’s London Palladium production of Dick Whittington. Final casting will be announced at a later date.  Dick Whittington will run at the London Palladium for five weeks only over the festive season from Saturday 9 December 2017 to Sunday 14 January 2018, with press night on Wednesday 13 December 2017 at 7pm.

Multiple award-winning actor, recording artist, producer and broadcaster Elaine Paige will play Queen Rat.  She has previously starred in more West End and Broadway musicals than anyone else of her generation – Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, Billy, Evita, Cats, Chess, Anything Goes, Piaf, Sunset Boulevard, The King & I, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Drowsy Chaperone and Follies. In addition, she was part of the Sir Peter Hall Company for The Misanthrope and Where There’s A Will.  Her BBC Radio 2 programme, Elaine Paige on Sunday, is broadcast weekly to over 2.5 million listeners.  She continues her extensive live work with a series of UK concerts in October and November of this year.  As a recording artist, she has released 22 solo albums as well as featuring on multiple cast albums.  Paige was made an OBE in 1995.

Ashley Banjo is a dancer, choreographer and creative director. He is the founder and leader of dance group Diversity who won the third series of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent in 2009.  Aside from the group’s achievements Banjo has since been a judge on all 5 series of Sky 1’s Got To Dance, has had 4 of his own series on Sky 1 and has co-hosted BBC 1’s Can’t Touch This.  He now judges on ITV’s new primetime show Dance Dance Dance. 

 

Innovative dance group Diversity took the nation by storm when they won the third series of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent in 2009. The group have since gone on to achieve worldwide success and have just completed their 7th sell out UK tour Genesis. The group also have countless television performances to their name including 2 primetime ITV shows, Diversity Liveand Diversity Presents Steal The Show.

Gary Wilmot’s multiple theatre credits include Big The Musical for the Theatre Royal Plymouth,Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre and on UK tour, The Pajama Game at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium, Copacabana at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Carmen Jones at the Old Vic, Pirates of Penzance for Regent’s Park Theatre and Me and My Girl at the Aldephi Theatre.  His many UK tour credits include End of the Rainbow, Oklahoma!, Oliver!, Chicago and From Hackney to Hollywood.  Later this month Wilmot will open at the London Palladium playing Badger in The Wind in the Willows. 

Award-winning Charlie Stemp is currently playing the lead role in Half a Sixpence at the Noel Coward Theatre, a role he first performed at Chichester Festival Theatre, which has garnered him both great critical and audience acclaim.  His previous theatre credits include Wicked at the Apollo Victoria and the international tour of Mamma Mia!

 

Dick Whittington is produced by Nick Thomas and Michael Harrison for Qdos Entertainment, the team behind last year’s twice Olivier-nominated London Palladium production of Cinderella, which broke box office records for the highest grossing week in West End theatre history. Dick Whittington is written by Alan McHugh, directed by Michael Harrison, choreographed by Karen Bruce with musical supervision and orchestrations by Gary Hind, lighting by Ben Cracknell, set designs by Ian Westbrook, 3D Creations, costumes byHugh Durrant, visual special effects by The Twins FX, projection design by Duncan McLeanand sound design by Gareth Owen.

 

Nick Thomas is the founder and Chairman of Qdos Entertainment Group.  The business that he started in 1982 is now one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe.  Aside from the company’s credentials in pantomime, it is the UK’s second largest regional theatre and concert hall operator, and employs 1,800 full time staff.

Michael Harrison has previously produced over 100 pantomimes for Qdos Entertainment where he is also Managing Director.  He has directed 12 consecutive pantomimes at Newcastle Theatre Royal and 7 productions at Birmingham Hippodrome and as a producer in the West End his credits include Gypsy, The Bodyguard and Annie as well as the forthcoming production of Mel Brooks’Young Frankenstein.

As the world’s biggest pantomime producer, over the past 35 years Qdos Entertainment has established itself as one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe. Over the past three decades the pantomime giant has staged 684 pantomimes and this season expects over two million people will see one of its shows.

The London Palladium, owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatres Group, is a venue to which all performers aspire and has hosted more annual Royal Variety Performances than any other theatre. It recently returned to its variety roots and is taking its rightful place as one of the most popular venues for leading musicians, performers, comedians and now Pantomime which returned last December after an absence of nearly 30 years. www.reallyusefultheatres.co.uk

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Theatre:                           London Palladium, Argyll St, London W1F 7TF

Dates:                              9 December 2017 – 14 January 2018

Press night:                       13 December 2017 at 7pm

Box Office:                        0844 874 0667 (no booking fee)

All ticket prices include a £1.25 Theatre Restoration Levy

Performances:                   Saturday 9 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 10 December 2017 1pm & 5pm, Tuesday 12 December 2017 7.30pm, Wednesday 13 December 2017 2.30pm & 7pm (Press Night), Thursday 14 December 2017 7.30pm, Friday 15 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Saturday 16 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 17 December 2017 1pm & 5pm, Tuesday 19 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Wednesday 20 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Thursday 21 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Friday 22 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Saturday 23 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 24 December 2017 11am & 4pm, Tuesday 26 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Wednesday 27 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Thursday 28 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Friday 29 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Saturday 30 December 2017 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 31 December 2017 11am & 4pm, Tuesday 2 January 2018 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Wednesday 3 January 2018 7.30pm, Thursday 4 January 2018 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Friday 5 January 2018 7.30pm, Saturday 6 January 2018 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 7 January 2018 1pm & 5pm, Tuesday 9 January 2018 7.30pm, Wednesday 10 January 2018 7.30pm, Thursday 11 January 2018 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Friday 12 January 2018 7.30pm, Saturday 13 January 2018 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 14 January 2018 1pm & 5pm

Website:                           www.DickWhittingtonPalladium.com

Twitter:                            @DWhittingtonLDN

Park Theatre 31st May -1st July.  Reviewed By Jessica Brady 

The Park Theatre is a trendy modern venue with a great atmosphere and most definitely the right place for a new play! Twitstorm, by Chris England, is a look into how social media dictates many aspects of our life and how it can have disastrous consequences in the wrong hands.

Guy Manton (Played by Jason Merrells) is a very successful TV show host, he has a stunning house, a beautiful wife, Bex (Played by Claire Goose) and a young son, the perfect set up. With his career on the rise with a potential move across the pond to America with his show things couldn’t be any better and with over 500000 twitter followers he has no worries about it being a success. Guy however, doesn’t control his twitter but instead leaves it to the writer of the show and best friend Neil (Played by Justin Edwards) who comes up with clever quips and updates to keep Guys fans interested. Neil and Guy work from the comfort of Guy’s home while Bex is writing her novels and sponsoring children in Africa. Unexpectedly, Ike (Played by Tom Moutchi) one of the very children they sponsored but lost touch with years ago, turns up at their door now an adult claiming that he had travelled to find them as they are the only ‘family’ he has left much to Guy’s dismay. Bex listens to the harrowing story of Ike’s family being slaughtered and the long journey he took based on photograph of their house and takes him in. To celebrate the end of the series of his show, Guy hosts a bbq for all the crew on the recommendation of his agent Rupert (Played by Chris England), this doesn’t end well for Guy as he makes a shocking remark that involves Ike and Ike posts it on Guy’s twitter as it was ‘only a joke’.

This of course escalates into a huge scandal where Guy is accused of being a racist and is being bashed all over social media putting his career in jeopardy.

Despite the above description, England’s Twitstorm is a comedy and a hilarious one at that! The eventful moments that this show holds had me laughing out loud due to the sheer comedy of errors Guy finds himself in. This is a fantastically written, modern play with excellent characters that we can all relate to in one way or another and the script it oozing with witty one liners and uncomfortable moments where you want the ground to swallow you up but in a good way.

Each performance is incredibly strong and seamless and not a single beat of the comedy timing needed in a show like this is dropped. Merrells and Goose have such presence on stage, great chemistry and lead this cast brilliantly. Special mention must go to Ben Kavanagh who plays Daniel Priest he is such a naturally talented actor and I loved his character storming in heels around the stage!

The set was also really impressive with a modern open plan kitchen and living room, made to feel very inviting and spacious and with lots of top of the range furnishings. Also there were tweets being projected throughout which made you feel very much a part of the mayhem that was happening, a great touch.

Overall Twitstorm was a triumph and laugh out loud funny! You will love this fantastic play and characters so much you may just want to go home and tweet about them! Catch Twitstorm and The Park theatre #Itshilarious

Opera House York – 31st May 2017.  Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

La Cage Aux Folles began life as a French stage farce. It tells the story of Albin and Georges, a gay couple who make a living running a Saint Tropez drag club. Their son falls in love and plans to marry, but unfortunately her parents are against homosexuality. Chaos then ensues.

The show started with Georges, Adrain Zmed, the suave debonair owner of the club, introducing the audience to a wonderful drag queen rendition of We Are What We Are by the Les Cagelles, seven male dancers and singers. Their costumes, dancing and high kicks had me memorized right from the start, I could not take my eyes of them, and as for those kicks and those legs, I can only wish for in my dreams. Unfortunately, we then encountered a bit of a technical glitch and had to wait a short while whilst that was sorted. Once that was over and done with we got to meet Albin, played wonderfully by John Partridge, whose other persona is Zsa Zsa a drag queen, the star of the club. It was Albin played with a great Lancashire accent!

Partridge was so captivating and charismatic in his role, what a star. With his chiselled cheek bones, great wigs and dresses, he dazzled with his singing and acting, and also the interaction with a few in the front row of the audience, and also members of the band, especially Tim/Timothy, or should we say Sandra? He showed great comic timing that won us all over. He was certainly the star of this show, I loved him.

Albin does have a butler, who prefers the title maid. Jacob, played by Samson Ajewole, is so over the top, camp and again has legs to die for. He certainly struts his stuff with attitude, it was great, and he was great.

Zmed did have a few issues with his microphone on the night but played a convincing Georges, trying to please both his son, Jean-Michele, Dougie Carter, and his partner Albin.

Gary McCann did a great job on all the costumes, from Albin to the dancers, in all their sequin and glitzy glory. What beautiful creations.

The male dancers were all superb, working extremely hard for the whole production. All the cast delivered a great show.

It was at times touching, funny and so over the top, what more could you ask for? Even with a couple of technical issues, it did not matter and made no difference. The whole audience were captivated and it is certainly the biggest standing ovation that I have ever seen at the Grand Opera House in York. Absolutely brilliant and thank you!

Showing in York until Saturday 3rd June, and then continuing its UK tour.

York Theatre Royal – until 3 June 2017.  Reviewed by Marcus Roderick

Our Man In Havana is a classic novel about spies, secrets and vacuums.  The Graham Greene novel follows Wormold, a vacuum cleaner seller who gets caught up in MI6 and finds that there is a lot of money to be made from twisting and making up information about the enemy.  The comedy with its farcical plot creates for a hilarious and often confusing story.   Set in Cuba a melting pot of cultures and corruption the adaption plays on the underlying themes that are in the book.

With its small cast of 4 we are given multi-rolling between three of the actors with Charles Davis playing Wormold, although he often came out of character to narrate along with his fellow actors. The rest of the cast took on the role of the narrator more than Davis and all did a fantastic job of working with each other to make sure the narration was snappy between the actors.  Isla Carter took on the role of Milly, Wormold’s daughter and Beatrice Wormold’s love interest – with the added joke ‘you look a lot like my daughter’, Carter took on both roles with such passion capturing the difference’s rather well.  James Dinsmore became the secret spy Hawthorne and the German Doctor Hasselbacher who is the main target from Hawthorne, sounds confusing, don’t worry it’s easy to tell the two characters apart, but for a brief moment in the play he takes on the role of a female stripper name Teresa and by God there were some laughs. The fourth and final actor Michael Onslow, who took on the more comical roles in the play from Wormold’s assistant Lopez to the corrupt Segura the leader of the police. All of the actors did an amazing job in both creating an amazing story even more entertaining and enthralling and making the audience laugh with pleasant and light humour.

The set has some palm tree to both sides of the stage with some lights in them that came on during different scenes, but the main feature is a table, this table, well desk, is used in nearly all of the scenes and moved every scene, however this was so quick and were some of the quickest scene changes I’ve seen, I have to give the director Amanda Knott credit in the ingenuity and creative of how props are used in a simple but effective way.

The play will appeal to older people more rather than the younger generation, as the novel was released in their childhood and became a stand out from the crowd, however since there aren’t that many references to issues at the time it can be easily understood by even a younger person, that is to note however as there are a few cuss words in the play. I loved the play and I would describe it as light-hearted and pleasant to watch, it is going on tour across the UK and is midway and is in York until 3rd June with its next stop in Windsor.

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN DISEMBARK AT NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL

 

It’s full steam ahead for a brand new adaptation of E. Nesbitt’s classic tale, The Railway Children, calling at Newcastle Theatre Royal this Summer, 26 June – 1 July 2017.  All aboard!

 

A faithful interpretation of the much loved children’s tale, this new stage version of The Railway Children tells the story ofRoberta, Peter and Phyllis, and how their lives are turned upside down when their father mysteriously disappears with two strangers one evening.  Forced to leave the comforts of their privileged London life in exchange for a simple existence in the depths of the Yorkshire countryside, the fractured family soon discover new friendships and an unexpected secret that will change their lives forever.

 

First published as a serial in The London Magazine in 1905 and then as a book in 1906, the novel – a thrilling coming of age story and a fascinating insight into Edwardian rural life – has become a great classic and been adapted for TV and film multiple times. Most notable adaptations include the 1968 TV series which starred Jenny Agutter as Roberta and was placed 96^th in the BFI’s 100 greatest British Television Programmes, and the iconic 1970 movie starring Jenny Agutter again and Bernard Cribbins.

 

Complete with beautiful period costumes and ingenious designs, this new production promises an uplifting theatrical experience for all ages, packed with intrigue, adventure, joy and jubilation.

 

1. Nesbit wrote and collaborated on more than 60 books of children’s literature and as well as The Railway Children is possibly best known for Five Children and It, The Treasure Seekers and The Phoenix and The Carpet.  Nesbit is credited for being one of the earliest ‘modern writers’ for children, for her ability to write of real life rather than imaginary worlds and for her extraordinary talent for evoking the English countryside.

Adapted by Dave Simpson and designed by Tim Bird, the production is by Exeter Northcott Theatre and Nick Brooke Ltd and is directed by Exeter’s Paul Jepson.  The cast includes Stewart Wright (Love and Marriage, Dr Who, The Vicar of Dibley) as Perks, Joy Brook (Peak Practice) as Mother, Millie Turner as Roberta, Andrea Davy as Mrs Perks, Katherine Carlton as Phyllis, Neil Salvage as the Old Gentleman, Vinay Lad as Peter, Callum Goulden as John, Andrew Joshi as Father/Doctor, Will Richards as Szczepansky and Sally Geake as Ensemble.

 

Paul Jepson said “I’m delighted to be bringing The Railway Children to Exeter and other wonderful venues across the UK with this fantastic cast. The show will be a faithful retelling of the story and will delight audiences up and down the country.”

 

The Railway Children is at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Mon 26 June until Sat 1 July 2017, playing evenings at 7pm, matinees on Wed 2pm and Sat 3.30pm. Tickets from £14.50.  Tickets can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge) or book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Heart to Heart Theatre presents:

Ovation is delighted to present the premiere of  a new play by Jennifer Selway
and directed by John Plews

Theatre Royal Haymarket, London – until 3 June 2017.  Reviewed by Andrew Kennedy

There is something about Betjeman’s writing that speaks to our senses; transporting us through 20th century Britain, reminding us of links to the past.  It is captured excellently by Hugh Whitemore’s melding together of this great writer’s poetry which is delivered delightfully as ‘Sand in the Sandwiches’ by Edward Fox at the Haymarket.

Fox opens describing lime and gin; pine woods; unadopted roads; the golf club band and sensuous summer touch of Joan Hunter Dunn in 1940s rural Surrey.  Air raids brought Betjeman and Joan together although not, it is explained, permanently.

We’re told of Betjeman’s home guard officer and Great War veteran whose prior experience and advice to Betjeman is don’t shoot at enemy aircraft because they might shoot back at you.

We’re then carried back to the shiny green lino floor reflecting the hearth fire of Betjeman’s childhood. Dark cupboards are described nearby, where it is hinted, a naughty Betjeman may have been detained.

We learn of Betjeman’s father who was not afraid to retain the double ‘n’ ending of the family surname which, having survived at least four generations in England, is deemed too Germanic by Betjemann’s Highgate playmates during the first World War; leading Betjeman to drop one ‘n’ for the rest of his life. A father too who had no qualms explaining buggery when he discovers his young son has been corresponding, innocently, with Lord Alfred Douglas.

Then off to Oxbridge with his teddy ‘Archibald’ where despite his Anglican love of churches he fails divinity, falls out with CS Lewis, his tutor, and is sent down.

He and Fox are rhyming raconteurs who draw us in and captivate to the extent one feels almost sorry for the defecting Burgess and Maclean who miss a dinner party attended by Betjeman.

But it is the changing landscape of Britain that is so vividly depicted: from Devon’s sandstone cliffs, Kent’s hop fields, the faith and flint of East Anglican churches in a watery landscape and wispy salty Cornish mist that Fox reminds us Betjeman loved. As Britain moved post war to a planned country in the nuclear age Betjeman’s cry to preserve the old rings out.

In the end he succumbs to a slow decline from Parkinsons asking: what now?

Bequeathing a positive joie de vivre, with more dawdling over the sand in the sandwiches than is apparent in Betjeman’s work, this play charms as much as the old master poet.

At the Haymarket until 3 June – see www.sandinthesandwiches.com for more details

 

The Guild of Misrule Presents

THE GREAT GATSBY

AN IMMERSIVE THEATRICAL EVENT

·      OPENING TONIGHT IN A SECRET CENTRAL LONDON LOCATION

·      RUN EXTENDED BY SIX WEEKS UNTIL 10 SEPTEMBER – TICKETS NOW ON SALE

·      NEW ‘GATSBY LATES’ EVENTS BEGIN ON FRIDAY 23 JUNE

Following a sell-out run at VAULT Festival, The Great Gatsby returns to London tonight, transforming a secret location into an unseen world through the back of Jay Gatsby’s drugstore. Due to popular demand the run is also extended, with tickets now on sale for all performances until Sunday 10 September.

‘The honour would be entirely mine if you could attend my little party.’

Yours Sincerely,
J Gatsby

 

It’s the roaring twenties – an era of bootleg liquor, red hot jazz and hedonistic pleasures. Jay Gatsby has invited you to one of his infamous parties and that’s not an invite you want to turn down. Step through Gatsby’s drugstore and into a secret world where the cocktails flow, the music plays, and once the party is in full swing there’s more than a chance of a little scandal.

In this heart-racing immersive adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s seminal jazz-age novel, you are in the heart of the action. Guests are encouraged to pick out your best dress, dust off your tux, and watch as one of the greatest stories of the 20th Century unfolds around you in this unique theatrical performance.

Presented by The Guild Of Misrule and The Immersive Ensemble, this smash hit production draws together creatives from Secret Cinema, Les Enfant Terribles, The Flanagan Collective and Belt Up Theatre.

 

The Guild of Misrule also launched today; Gatsby Lates – themed late-night parties – fortnightly on Fridays and Saturdays from Friday 23 June. Featuring live music, DJs, unexpected performers, and a bar open until 2.00am, Gatsby Lates are where the unruly come together and the party doesn’t have to stop.

 

“We’re delighted we have found an exciting new location for The Great Gatsby after its sellout run at VAULT Festival, where audiences will once again immerse themselves in Gatsby’s glittering world”, says Brian Hook for The Guild of Misrule. “There has been an overwhelming response to the show, and rather fittingly the public now has to ‘know a guy who knows a guy’ to get a ticket in June.”  Hook continued; “we’re thrilled to be opening the doors at our new secret location until September, and also adding Gatsby Lates performances”.

The Great Gatsby is directed by Alex Wright with choreography by Holly Beasley-Garrigan, and design by Casey Andrews. Based on the novel by F Scott Fitzgerald, it is written by Alex Wright and The Original Company. It is presented by The Guild of Misrule with general management by Hartshorn-Hook Productions.

The cast features Ollie Tilney (Jay Gatsby), Louise Williams (Daisy Buchanan), Thomas Maller (Tom Buchanan), Dan Dingsdale (Nick Carraway), Holly Beasley-Garrigan (Jordan Baker), Veronica Hare (Myrtle Wilson), Phil Grainger (George Wilson), Imogen Little (Kitty), alongside an ensemble including Jessica Guise, Toby Gordon and Ollo Clark.

Website:             www.OfficialGreatGatsby.com

Twitter:                @ImmersiveGatsby

Instagram:          @officialgreatgatsby

Facebook:           / ImmersiveGatsby

 

LISTINGS

 

Now playing until Sunday 10 September 2017

AT A SECRET CENTRAL LONDON LOCATION

Location:              The Secret Central London Location is located in Zone 1.

Additional information, including address, will be sent to ticket buyers via email.

Performances:  Tuesday – Sunday 7.30pm (Regular performances)

Fridays and Saturdays 9.45pm (Gatsby Lates)

Tickets:                 From £29.50 (Regular performances); From £35.00 (Gatsby Lates)

Box Office:          www.OfficialGreatGatsby.com

 

Dress Code:        1920’s glamour is encouraged; dancing shoes, sharp suits, pearls and spats.

Running time:    The performance lasts 2 hours with the bar open until late.

Recommended for ages 16+