TICKETS ON SALE FOR THE LYRIC HAMMERSMITH’S
FUNDRAISING GALA, LYRIC FEST, FEATURING JUDE
LAW ONSTAGE WITH LYRIC YOUNG ARTISTS

On Sunday 24 September, the Lyric Hammersmith celebrates their life-changing work with young people with a night of entertainment hosted by Mel Giedroyc. Lyric Fest, the Lyric’s biennial Fundraising Gala will raise funds to deliver and grow the Lyric’s important work in supporting a diverse new generation of artists and creatives. For one night only, the main auditorium will be transformed into a festival setting to showcase the Lyric’s world-class work onstage and its innovative programmes with and for young people.

The show curated by the Lyric’s Artistic Director, Sean Holmes and hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Lyric alumni, writer and Benidorm star Nathan Bryon, will feature performances from Jude Law, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Joe Stilgoe, Vikki Stone and Deanna Rodger alongside the Lyric’s young artists.

The Lyric is committed to working with exciting artists and young people to create innovative and exceptional performances and projects. Over the past decade the Lyric has established a national and international reputation for its work with young people. The Lyric celebrated 10 years of START last December, a theatre based programme for vulnerable young people struggling to engage with education, employment or training.

The Lyric is profoundly committed to giving young people from all backgrounds access to the arts in order to develop their creative, social, personal and economic potential. In particular they recognise the power of bringing young people into the Lyric to create work in a professional theatre alongside professional artists.

Sean Holmes, Artistic Director said: “This Gala celebrates the unique vision of the Lyric as a home to the highest quality theatre and the best inspirational work with young people.

“In a glorious synthesis of these two strands, leading theatre, comedy and music artists will partner with our young performers to deliver a Gala show of surprise, delight and collaboration across the generations.

“At the centre of this, in a splendid showcase of his acting mettle – Jude Law will perform in six two character mini plays written by our young writers. Each of the plays will feature one of our Young Lyric actors, giving them the chance to share the main stage with Jude.

“All that is great about the Lyric celebrated over one great night and securing a fundraising legacy that will support the next generation of diverse young artists.”

GWB Entertainment UK

Presents

 

Britney Spears: The Cabaret

At The Other Palace

From Tuesday 5 to Saturday 9 September 2017

 

After sell-out seasons in Australia, Britney Spears: The Cabaret arrives in London for one week only this Summer, playing in the Theatre at The Other Palace from Tuesday 5 to Saturday 9 September.

 

Not so much a cabaret as a cry for help, Britney Spears: The Cabaret charts the rise and fall of the true Princess of Pop, and takes a satirical look at the perils of fame. Transforming her greatest hits into cabaret standards, and weaving them into the fabric of her life story, Britney Spears: The Cabaret is at turns site-splittingly funny and strangely touching.

 

Star of Australian stage and screen Christie Whelan Browne reprises her critically acclaimed performance as Britney. Her stage work in Australia includes Company, The Producers, Xanadu, The Drowsy Chaperone(Helpmann Award Nomination) and playing opposite Geoffrey Rush in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. Later this year Christie will star in the world premiere stage adaptation of Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical for Sydney Theatre Company.

 

“Whelan-Browne is remarkable”

Sydney Morning Herald

 

“Whelan Browne delivers with laser precision, switching in a nano-second

from dumb broad to sweet innocent. Brilliant!”

The Australian

 

Britney Spears: The Cabaret is written and directed by Dean Bryant, whose directing work in Australia includes Sweet Charity (Hayes Theatre Company, Helpmann Award for Best Director of a Musical), and Skylightand Next to Normal (Melbourne Theatre Company). Writing credits include Prodigal (Off Broadway) and Liza (on an E) (Vaudeville Theatre, West End). Musical direction and arrangements are by Mathew Frank.

 

Recommended for ages 15+

 

LISTINGS

 

TUESDAY 5 – SATURDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2017

THE OTHER PALACE

12 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JA

Press Night: Wednesday 6 September, 8.00pm

Performances: Tue – Fri 8.00pm, Sat 6.00pm and 9.00pm

Tickets: £15-30

Box Office: 0844 264 2121 | www.theotherpalace.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

SUMMER FUN FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES AT LEEDS GRAND THEATRE AND CITY VARIETIES

 

 

Children aged 0 to 17 are invited to participate in a wide range of activities this August at Leeds Grand Theatre and City Varieties Music Hall (CVMH).

Organised by a creative group of 11-15-year olds, the Summer Festival promises to both inspire and entertain children by offering them a chance to get involved in activities that they might otherwise not experience, including puppetry, vlogging, animation and song-writing. It also provides an opportunity to explore two of Leeds’s iconic cultural venues.

Catherine Hayward, Learning Manager, said: “Created by young people, for young people, the Summer Festival offers children of all ages and abilities, first-timers or regular attendees, the chance to make friends, have fun and learn new skills.

“We hope that by opening our doors throughout the summer, that some, if not all of the children, will want to get involved year-round through our Youth Theatre, projects or workshops.”

Run in collaboration with Leeds groups and industry professionals, the programme runs as follows:

Who:     7-11 years

When:  10am to 3pm, Monday 14^th to Friday 18^th August

What:    Performing Arts Summer School in collaboration with Duck Egg Theatre

7-11-year olds are invited to learn new skills in drama, dance, music and more whilst exploring the sights and sounds of the CVMH famous stage. The week ends with a performance for friends and family on Friday 18^th August.

—-

Who:     0-3 years

When:  10.30am to 12pm on Monday 21^st August

What:    Down in the Jungle in collaboration with Boomchikkaboom

An exciting adventure exploring the jungle through sensory play, props, singing and story-telling.

—-

Who:     3-6 years

When:  1.30pm to 3pm on Monday 21^st August

What:    My Mind, My Body, My Imagination in collaboration with Boomchikkaboom

A fast-paced, energetic workshop for little adventurers exploring voice and movement with crafts.

—-

Who:     7-11 years

When:  10am to 3pm, Tuesday 22^nd to Friday 25^th August

What:    Summer Workshop

Four days of creative activity planned by young people and delivered by arts professionals. Activities include dance, music-making, puppetry and song-writing.

—

Who:     11-17 years

When:  10am to 3pm, Tuesday 29^th August to Friday 1^st September

What:    Summer Workshop

Four days of creative activity planned by young people and delivered by arts professionals. Activities include dance, vlogging, animation and singing.

 

Places for each activity are limited. For more information and to book call Box Office on 0113 243 0808 or visit www.cityvarieties.co.uk.

Costs range from £4 to £100 depending on activity

Full Casting Announced for Brand New Arena Spectacular

Heaven on Earth

UK Arena Tour 2017 – 2018

 

Starring Kerry Ellis and Hugh Maynard

Featuring the Voice of Russell Watson

Full casting has been announced for the brand-new arena spectacular Heaven on Earth which will be touring arenas across the UK from December 2017 to May 2018.

The greatest story ever written comes spectacularly to life in a brand new musical experience. This epic and inspirational journey of Adam and Eve is told through state of the art digital technology, innovative staging and stunning choreography.

Joining the previously announced star cast of Kerry Ellis as Eve (Wicked, Cats, Les Miserables, We Will Rock You) and Hugh Maynard as Adam (Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar, Lion King), and featuring the voice of the UK’s award winning and bestselling classical artist, Russell Watson as God, are:

Richard Carson as Enoch (Mamma Mia, Miss Saigon, Wicked), Lisa Bridge as Isla (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Bend It Like Beckham, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Neil Moors as Serpent, (Jesus Christ Superstar, Shrek, The Sound of Music), Denis Grindel as Cain (The Commitments), Michael Colbourne as Abel (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Les Miserables) and Albert Simon Hart as Young Enoch (Oliver).

The ensemble is:

Alice Baker, Laura Benazaize, Tom Brandon, Charlie Bull, Carly Cook, Martin Dickinson, Mike Fellows, Taofique Folarin, Loula Geater, Richie Gooding, Kelly Hampson, Zoe Innes, Abbi Kennedy, Victoria Lamm, Nick Len, Adam Margilewski, Stephanie Rojas, Craig Ryder, Guy Salim, Hayley Ellen Scott, Spin, Sam Varley and Sharon Wattis.

The greatest story ever told will come to life with Heaven on Earth, a classic re-telling of the story of Adam and Eve and their fall from Paradise.  It is an exhilarating story of love, loss, and redemption, and an exploration of the universal search for the meaning of life.

eHeaven

The creative team behind Heaven on Earth includes director & choreographer Racky Plews – American Idiot (West End and Tour), Footloose (West End and Tour), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tour), set designer Jacqueline Pyle – Robbie Williams (Take The Crown Tour), Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremony (UK), Take That (Progress Live Tour), and arranger Adam Langston – (Alien Covenant, Les Miserables, Independence Day Resurgence, Walking With Dinosaurs) and musical director Richard John – Sinatra (London Palladium), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre).

For further details about Heaven on Earth go to www.heavenonearththemusical.co.uk

Follow Heaven on Earth:

Twitter: @heavenearthtour

Facebook: @heavenonearthtour

Heaven on Earth Tour Dates

• Birmingham Barclaycard Arena 4 – 7 December 2017
• Cardiff Motorpoint Arena 15 – 18 Jan 2018
• Nottingham Motorpoint Arena 27 -30 Jan
• Leeds First Direct Arena 9th – 12 Feb
• Manchester Arena 22 – 25 Feb
• Sheffield Arena 7 – 10 March
• Edinburgh Royal Highland Centre 14 – 17 March
• Liverpool Echo Arena Liverpool 22 – 25 March
• Aberdeen AECC Arena 28 – 31 March
• Portsmouth Guildhall 4 – 7 April
• Newcastle Radio Metro Arena 11 – 14 April
• Glasgow Clyde Auditorium 18 – 21 April
• Exeter Westpoint Arena 26 – 29 April
• The SSE Arena, Wembley 9 – 12 May

BBC Let it Shine’s Matt Knight announced as Akela in street dance version of
Jungle Book at The Lowry.

Matt Knight, known for his performance on BBC’s Let it Shine, will star as Akela in a new urban version of Jungle Book at The Lowry (Tue 29 Aug – Sat 2 Sept). Fans of the show will remember the 27 year old who performed ‘Wake Me Up’ by Avicii in his audition and later joined boyband Iron Sun.

The radical re-imagining of Kipling’s much loved classic Jungle Book will also star some of the UK’s leading dancers and circus performers when it comes to Salford later this summer. Starring alongside Matt Knight are aerial artist Alfa Marks (Mowgli), dancer and actor Ellen Wolf (Raksha), Kloé Dean(Bagheera/ Messua) who is founder of all-female Hip Hop dance company Myself, circus performer Nathalie Alison (Kaa/ Vee), dancer and choreographer Stefano Addae (Baloo / Buldeo) and Dancer Kaner Scott(Shere Khan).

Award-winning Metta Theatre’s new version of Jungle Book uses street dance, circus and spoken word. It is a contemporary urban jungle of skateboarding wolves, street dancing monkeys, a beat-loving bin man Baloo and graffiti artist Bagheera. With choreography from acclaimed hip hop artist Kendra J Horsburgh. Kipling for the 21st century – this production astonishes with its physical virtuosity and provokes with its politics.

Metta Theatre are known for their powerful visual storytelling and exploration of multicultural stories often from a female perspective. In Jungle Book we follow Mowgli on her search for identity and belonging – vulnerable, isolated and trying to find her place in an alien environment. The story transcends boundaries and resonates with audiences young and old, urban and rural.

Composer Filipe Gomes has created a beat-driven score using real world sounds of the city. Add to this designer William Reynolds’ trademark minimalism and an urban jungle is created – a stark forest of streetlamps disguising circus equipment on which these recognisably human animals cavort and contort themselves. The show uses street dance and circus to explore the search for identity and belonging in contemporary multicultural Britain.

Listings Information
Jungle Book 
Dates: Tue 29 Aug – Sat 02 Aug
Times: 7pm, Matinees Thu & Sat 2.30pm
Tickets: £20.50. Conc £4 off. Family ticket £68.
Age Guidance: 8+
Website

PHOENIX AT HOME: A CELEBRATION OF FEMALE CHOREOGRAPHERS

 

27-30 September, Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds

Leeds-based Phoenix Dance Theatre returns to its home stage in September with a performance that celebrates the exceptional female talent within the company.

Led by Artistic Director and Yorkshire Woman of the Year, Sharon Watson, the evening promises to be a vibrant showcase of dance championing the work of its own female choreographers.

“Last year there was much discussion around the lack of female choreographers – it hit the national newspapers and caused a bit of stir,” says Sharon. “I was part of that national discussion; it’s no secret that whilst early dance is populated with women, the higher up the ladder you go the less women you see.”

Sharon is still passionate about the subject and so created this production as a positive response to the negative backlash.

“Phoenix at Home is a celebration of the women we have in the company,” continues Sharon. “It’s important that we shout about this, say how great we are and show young women coming through that it can – and should – be done.”

The result is a thrilling evening of dance that includes a never-before-seen excerpt of a major new piece choreographed by Sharon.  Windrush: Movement of the People celebrates the 70^th anniversary of the arrival of the ship SS Empire Windrush which brought the first generation of Caribbean immigrants to England in large numbers; it was 1948 and it would mark the start of the post-war immigration boom which was to radically change British society.

“I am really excited about this piece,” says Sharon. “Windrush highlights both the struggles and the good times the Jamaican community experienced during those early years.  It’s an uplifting production and has a great soundtrack – everything from Calypso to RnB. It premieres at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in February next year, but I thought this was a perfect opportunity to give our audiences a taste of what’s to come.”

Earlier this year company dancer and choreographer Sandrine Monin won two national awards from the lead industry body for dance and dance education, One Dance UK, which was a real coup for the company.  Just last year Sharon had given Sandrine her first commission and the outcome was Calyx.

Inspired by and based on the book of poems The Flowers of Evil by Charles Baudelaire, Calyx explores the themes of beauty, desire and decadence.

“The Calyx is the outermost part of a flower – the bud,” explains Sandrine. “It envelopes the flower, protecting it, and when it blooms it provides support for the rest of its life.  I find it a fascinating and beautiful thing and have used the dancers to translate this.”

Alongside Calyx and the exclusive Windrush excerpt is an original solo by dancer Carmen Vazquez Marfil; a tongue-in-cheek collaboration between dancer Vanessa Pang and Rehearsal Director Tracy Tinker set in the audition room, and a new piece choreographed by dancers Natalie Alleston and Vanessa Pang for the rising stars of the Phoenix Youth Academy.

Phoenix At Home: A Celebration of Female Choreographers is at The Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds from Wednesday 27^th to Saturday 30^th September

 

Tickets are on sale now priced at £15, £12 concession

 

Book online at www.theatreleeds.com or call box office on 0113 220 8008

 

For more information about Phoenix Dance Theatre visit www.phoenixdancetheatre.co.uk

 

Twitter: @phoenixleeds Instagram: @phoenixdancetheatre Facebook: www.facebook.com/PhoenixDanceTheatre/

 

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BARES, OH MY!

 

THEME ANNOUNCED FOR WEST END BARES 2017

SUNDAY 29 OCTOBER

AT 7.00PM AND 9.30PM

AT THE NOVELLO THEATRE

 

Now in its eighth year as the West End’s hottest annual fundraiser, join the cast of WEST END BARES as they strip off to see the Wizard in WEST END BARES: RUBY STRIPPERS at The Novello Theatre on Sunday 29 October with performances at 7.00pm and 9.30pm.

Join the much-loved characters of Oz for an extraordinary night at WEST END BARES: RUBY STRIPPERS, which will see over 100 of the hottest performers from the West End stage and beyond, along with an array of celebrity hosts as they take to the stage to combine the naughtiness of burlesque with the magic of the West End. All monies raised will go to The Make A Difference Trust to fund HIV and AIDS projects that raise awareness, educate and provide care and support in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Click here for an exclusive look behind the scenes of the WEST END BARES: RUBY STRIPPERS photo shoot https://youtu.be/4XYiliFar0o

Directed by David Grewcock with choreography from Racky Plews (American Idiot; Footloose; Heaven on Earth), Ashley Nottingham (Thoroughly Modern Millie; Dance Mums; Disaster!), Will Lucas (Cats; Wicked),Joanna Goodwin (Barnum; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Sunset Boulevard), Aaron Renfree (X Factor; The Saturdays), Simone Mistry-Palmer (Motown; Dirty Dancing), Jaye Elster (Singin’ In The Rain; Half A Sixpence), Ashley Jordan-Packer (Cats; Thriller Live), Fletcher Dobinson (Cats; West Side Story), Chris Whittaker (Blondel; Judy!), and James Wilson (Strictly Come Dancing; The Voice)

Opening the show in style, WEST END BARES: RUBY STRIPPERS is delighted to welcome Olivier Award winner Rebecca Trehearn (Showboat, City of Angels, Ghost), who will perform a brand-new track written for the occasion by Mark Anderson (The Book Of Mormon, Legally Blonde) and Luke di Somma (That Bloody Woman [composer], 21 Chump Street).

Award winning director and choreographer, Jerry Mitchell, creator of the original concept ‘Broadway Bares’, the inspiration behind West End Bares, said: “Lions and tigers and BARES, oh my! I can’t wait to see the eighth edition of West End Bares in London and what a perfect theme to go full out and celebrate LIFE.  We need to keep up the fight against HIV and AIDS and by doing what we love or by buying a ticket and supporting this incredible night, you can be part of something HUGE that will change people’s lives – and you get to watch the hottest dancers in London strip, so it’s a no brainer!”

 

Melanie Tranter, Co-Founder, Chair and Trustee of The Make A Difference Trust said: “Who can resist an amazing night of witches, lions and scarecrows combined with the magic that is West End Bares? I can’t believe that this is the eighth year of this amazing show. Sparkly shoes take over from the legends of Camelot, as David Grewcock and the amazing team behind last year’s EXCALIBARE, bring you Ruby Strippers. Every single ticket sold means that the Make A Difference Trust can continue our work towards a world free of HIV and AIDS. Together we can make a difference. So buy your tickets, get your MAD money, and enjoy one of the sexiest, most fun evenings you can have in a theatre!  I can’t wait to see you there!”

 

To celebrate this year’s theme release, for a limited time only with every Premium (£100) ticket purchased, ticketholders will also receive a complimentary mini bottle of Prosecco to enjoy from the best seats in the house for the legendary Rotation*

*limited time only and only when booking through DMT website.

The Make A Difference Trust is a UK based charity with a vision of a world free from HIV and AIDS. Building on the legacy of 25 years of fundraising by the Theatre industry, they continue to make the vision a reality having distributed over £1.6million in grants to support individuals experiencing hardship across the UK as well as over £1million to support projects with their UK and international partners. For further information about the Make A Difference Trust please visit  www.madtrust.org.uk

Tickets for WEST END BARES are now on sale and are priced at £15 – £100.

Tickets are available from www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk or the DMT WEST END BARES booking line 0844 482 5172 and in person at the Novello Theatre Box Office. Booking fees apply and calls to Delfont Mackintosh Theatres 0844 numbers cost 7 pence per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

WEST END BARES are proud to be partnering with 100 Wardour St for this year’s exclusive After Party where you can continue to celebrate with the cast of the show. Tickets cost £10 and are only available when you buy a ticket for the 7pm or 9.30pm show.  Once again, there is limited availability for the After Party and when the tickets are gone, they’re gone – so don’t miss out!100 Wardour St is split between a laid-back Bar & Lounge and chic Restaurant & Club, offering great food from midday right through until 2am with classic and contemporary cocktails. As befits the venues history as the site of London’s iconic Marquee Club where artists like David Bowie and The Rolling Stones performed, there are DJ’s and live music five nights a week.

 

Please note: All artists appear subject to availability

Leicester Square Theatre 8 July – 3 September.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s classic children’s stories return to the stage this summer in a delightful and charming show. Beginning with a prolonged non-verbal section where the cast excitedly explore the set and boxes of props – drawing a bemused “Why won’t they say hello to us?” from a nearby child – the cast soon show their musical skills with an introductory song that warns the audience that the Gruffalo will not be appearing.

Leonie Spilsbury, Brian Hargreaves and Lauren Silver present A Squash and a Squeeze, Tiddler, The Smartest Giant in Town in a delightful mix of music and rhyme, with the children in the audience giggling in anticipation of the funny moments from the familiar tales. Monkey Puzzle is used as a framing device, allowing lots of clowning around as the cast pretend to be jungle animals between the other stories to great effect. The show is slickly ramshackle, with puppets being made of rope and feather dusters, and animals made of cushions with faces and tails attached. But this is the charm of the production. These are things the children can use to imagine the stories at home, and the young audience is trusted to imagine parts of the stories themselves. In fact, Tiddler’s great leaps of imagination are not embellished at all – the cast just narrate the tall tales as the children giggle along – not a mermaid in sight. The scary part of Tiddler’s story is portrayed using simple shadow puppets, which made a few younger children cling to their parents, but mostly elicited squeals of delighted horror and “I’m not as scared as you” competitions.

The cast are fantastically energetic and engaging, playing instruments and manipulating the props wonderfully to create a little bit of storybook magic for the very young audience. There are enough moments of knowing humour to keep the accompanying adults happy too, although most of the time your head is spinning as the entertainment watching the children’s reactions to what is happening on stage is as satisfying as watching the cast. I mean that in the best way possible – this show had the children enthralled from start to finish, and is a brilliant way to introduce young audiences to the theatre.

Tiddler & Other Terrific Tales is a perfect summer treat for young families – imaginative retellings of firm favourites in a relaxed and entrancing show.

Talk Radio
Old Red Lion Theatre, 418 St John Street, London EC1V 4NJ
Tuesday 29th August – Saturday 23rd September 2017

This autumn, the team behind No Villain return to the Old Red Lion with Eric Bogosian’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated Talk Radio. Thirty years after its inaugural production in New York, this play explores the not-so-hidden prejudices in ‘80s America and the power of the media to manipulate events

Barry Champlain is abrasive and forthright, the ultimate devil’s advocate, willing to argue just about any point. He lives for his radio show and the minor fame it brings him but his on-air persona is just that: a persona. Barry despises the people he talks to every day; he loathes their views and he abhors their adoration.

His listeners think they know him but Barry is not even sure he knows himself. He is careless and cold with his lover Linda, downright ugly to his best friend and collaborator Stu and spiteful of his producer, the man who made him, Dan. But above all, he detests himself for the lie he is living.

While freedom of the press has always been viewed as important, Bogosian’s play highlights that, in the wrong hands, this freedom can be used to baffle and create prejudice. In a post-truth age of fake news and continued attacks against the press, this landmark hit has never felt more relevant.

Director Sean Turner comments, I am delighted to be bringing back together some of the major players from 2015’s highly successful No Villain, the world premiere of Arthur Miller’s first play. The time is more than ripe for London audiences to enjoy the fast-paced adrenaline thrill ride that is Talk Radio. The production will be anarchic and raucous – once we put our foot on the pedal it will not stop.

The most lacerating portrait of a human meltdown this side of a Francis Bacon painting. (New York Times)

Jack Studio Theatre 18 July – 5 August.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

The Taming of the Shrew is one of those plays that can cause bitter arguments. I have met many women who are adamant that the play should not be performed anymore, citing its misogyny and scenes of subjugation, torture and reprogramming. My argument that there are some really funny parts just doesn’t wash. Unlike the Globe’s Irish set tragic version last year, Lazarus Theatre have embraced the Christopher Sly framing structure to present a boisterous and funny adaptation that never lets the audience forget that they are watching a play within a play, designed to teach a sexist drunken idiot the error of his ways.

The fun begins before you enter the theatre, with festival bunting and fake grass adorning the entrance as the cast push past you laden with tents and deckchairs. As always with Lazarus, there is lots of relaxed preshow audience interaction, before Sly makes his entrance.

Staged in the round, the audience become part of the show, given props and lines, with this enjoyably relaxed atmosphere allowing much louder and spontaneous reactions to some of the more sexist lines than you would usually hear in a Shakespeare play. The bartering over Bianca becomes like The X Factor, with the audience waving flags and cheering for their favourite suitor, and the disturbing scenes where Kate is tamed are played at top speed, and for laughs. Director Sara Reimers ends on an act of defiance and power, as the always dignified Kate (the wonderful Charlotte Dowding, whose facial expressions say as much as Shakespeare’s words) and the female cast show their contempt for how they are treated by the men.

The strong cast all give energetic and physical performances, with CJ de Mooi chewing the scenery to hysterical effect as old Gremio, and Matthew Foster so good as Petruchio that you actually want to slap the him. The loyal servants, Tranio and Grumio are played brilliantly by Evangeline Dickson and Rachel Smart, giving their respective cleverness and oafish brutality an interesting new spin.

There was a little too much unnecessary smoke effects at times, but that is my only gripe, and, I suppose that inhaling dodgy strange smoke gives the production a more realistic festival atmosphere.

With The Taming of the Shrew, Lazarus Theatre have done it again, re-imagining a classic play in a modern, exciting and joyful production that cannot fail to bring a goofy smile to your face.