Sonia Friedman Productions presents
Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill in
Edward Albee’s
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Directed by James Macdonald

• Imogen Poots and Luke Treadaway join Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill to complete the cast of Edward Albee’s landmark play directed by James Macdonald

• Reduced price tickets for preview performances

• Over 100 tickets for every performance priced at £10 during previews (22nd February – 8th March inclusive) and £15 during main run (from 9th March)

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Website: www.whosafraidofvirginiawoolf.co.uk

Imogen Poots and Luke Treadaway will join the previously announced Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill in the new production of multi Tony and Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, directed by James Macdonald.

The production will play at the Harold Pinter Theatre for a limited season of 13 weeks from 22nd February 2017, for which reduced price tickets are available for preview performances. Over 100 tickets for every performance are priced at £15 (£10 during previews).

In the early hours of the morning on the campus of an American college, Martha, much to her husband George’s displeasure, has invited the new professor Nick and his wife Honey to their home for some after-party drinks. As the alcohol flows and dawn approaches, the young couple are drawn into George and Martha’s toxic games until the evening reaches its climax in a moment of devastating truth-telling.

Imogen Poots (Honey) makes her West End debut with Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Poots made her breakthrough performance as Tammy in the film 28 Weeks Later. She won the British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Look of Love in 2013 and was nominated for Best Actress at the 2015 Evening Standard British Film Awards for her role in Peter Bogdanovich’s She’s Funny That Way. Other film credits include Terrence Mallick’s The Knight of Cups, Green Room, Filth, Jimi: All Is By My Side, A Late Quartet and Jane Eyre. Poots will next be seen starring opposite Michael Shannon in Frank and Lola, which premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival to great acclaim. On television, she recently played the female lead in Cameron Crowe’s debut television series Roadies (Showtime).

Luke Treadaway (Nick) won an Olivier Award for his performance as Christopher in the internationally acclaimed hit The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre/ West End) and also originated the role of Albert in the earliest production of War Horse, again at the National. Further theatre credits include Over There (Royal Court), Piranha Heights (Soho Theatre) and Saint Joan (National Theatre). For film, Treadaway plays the lead in the upcoming Sony Pictures release A Street Cat Named Bob, adapted from the New York Times bestselling novel. Treadaway’s further film credits include Unbroken, Attack the Block, The Whistleblower, Clash of the Titans, Tonight You’re Mine, Heartless, The Rise and Brothers of the Head. For television, in January he returns to his role of scientist Vincent Rattrey in the second series of Sky Atlantic’s critically acclaimed Fortitude. His further credits include the lead character of Alex Higgins in BBC’s The Rack Pack, the Duke of Richmond in the second series of The Hollow Crown (BBC/NBC/Neal Street Productions), as well as Sky Arts mini-seriesThe Nightmare World of H.G. Wells with Michael Gambon.

Imelda Staunton (Martha) returns to the West End after her triumphant and Olivier Award-winning performance as Mama Rose in Gypsy. Amongst her many other theatre credits, notable performances include Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd, for which she won an Olivier Award, Circle, Mirror, Transformation for the Royal Court and the role of Claire in Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance at the Almeida Theatre. In total, Staunton has been nominated for eleven Olivier Awards, winning four. On film Staunton is perhaps best known for playing the title role in Vera Drake, for which she received the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and for the role of Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter films.

Conleth Hill (George) is perhaps best known for his role as Lord Varys in the HBO television production Game of Thrones. A multi award-winning theatre actor, amongst his extensive theatre credits, recent productions include Quartermaine’s Terms at the Wyndham’s Theatre and The Cherry Orchard at the National Theatre. Hill won Olivier Awards for his performances inThe Producers, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and Stones In His Pockets in the West End. He also received Tony Award nominations for his role in Stones In His Pockets on its transfer to Broadway and The Seafarer, which transferred from the National Theatre to Broadway. Hill’s film credits include Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and Whatever Works, directed by Woody Allen.

James Macdonald is highly regarded for his work with Caryl Churchill and Sarah Kane, recently directing Churchill’s play Escaped Alone at the Royal Court. Other recent work includes the award-winning production of Florian Zeller’s The Father and Roots at the Donmar Warehouse. Macdonald has previously directed Staunton in the Royal Court’s production of Circle, Mirror, Transformation by Annie Baker and in the critically-acclaimed production of Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance at the Almeida Theatre.

Edward Albee was born on 12th March 1928 and began writing plays 30 years later. His plays include The Zoo Story (1958), The Death of Bessie Smith (1959), The Sandbox (1959), The American Dream (1960), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1961-62, Tony Award), Tiny Alice(1964), A Delicate Balance (1966, Pulitzer Prize; 1996, Tony Award), All Over (1971), Seascape(1974, Pulitzer Prize), Listening (1975), Counting the Ways (1975), The Lady from Dubuque(1977-78), The Man Who Had Three Arms (1981), Finding the Sun (1982), Marriage Play (1986-87), Three Tall Women (1991, Pulitzer Prize), Fragments (1993), The Play about the Baby(1997), The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? (2000, 2002 Tony Award), Occupant (2001), At Home at the Zoo: Act 1, Homelife. Act 2, The Zoo Story. (2004), and Me, Myself & I (2008). Mr. Albee was awarded the Gold Medal in Drama from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1980.  In 1996 he received the Kennedy Center Honors and the National Medal of Arts. In 2005 he was awarded a special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement

Royal Court Theatre 20-29 October, National Tour 1-16 November.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Transferring to the Royal Court after an acclaimed run at HighTide Festival 2015, Harrogate is a fascinating, tricksy play that throws curveballs at the audience constantly, never settling for easy and comforting resolutions.

The play begins with a man chatting to his daughter about her friends and her trip to Leeds. At the end of the scene, when things are becoming very uncomfortable, the truth is revealed, which amplifies the squirm factor for the rest of the play. I won’t go into details about the plot, because this tightly written and compelling play is best seen without too much prior knowledge.

The themes Harrogate explores are familiar – the longing for the past, the growing invisibility of women as they age, the evolution of love in long term relationships, the sexualisation of teenage girls – but Al Smith mixes these together to create a wonderfully painful and funny exploration of one man’s struggle to hold everything together. Throwaway lines from earlier scenes suddenly have great meaning, and repeated dialogue with different women highlight the differing perceptions and acceptance of age. The speech patterns of the three women are markedly different, but during pivotal emotional moments, they merge into one eloquent voice, that jarred at first when used by the teenage daughter, but served to emphasise the blurred boundaries of the father’s mind.

Nigel Lindsay gives a masterful performance as Him. Before you realise what is going on, he appears manipulative and controlling, but as the play progresses, the initial hints of vulnerability and his inner struggle to restrain himself become clearer. But Lindsay never overdoes the angst, keeping his character neutral and slightly irritating – ever so British and just carrying on. That is apart from the scene changes – the noisy electronic effects as he spasms probably represent his fracturing resolve, but only tested my patience and I saw no need for these – my only complaint about Richard Twyman’s assured direction.

Sarah Ridgeway plays the three female characters with consummate ease. By simply adjusting her stance and intonation, she defines the characters without having to signpost their (slight) differences. Her portrayal of the daughter, all wannabe Gangsta and teeth sucking, is fantastically funny, contrasting beautifully with the horror of realisation as the mother – subtle and heart-breaking.

Harrogate is a wonderful play – hard to categorise and taking an uncompromising look at what lies beneath the most respectable of facades. Thought provoking, squirm inducing and very witty, Harrogate is a play you NEED to see.

The Wild Woods, Bradford – 26th October 2016.  Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

An empty disused building, once occupied by Marks and Spencers, has been transformed into a hi-tech contemporary arts space. Freedom Studios presents Tajinder Singh Hayer’s North Country and this is a new play currently receiving its world premiere.

Set in an intimate central space, the play is about three teenagers who survive the worldwide plague which has decimated the world’s population. Harvinder (Kamal Khan), Nusrat (Natalie Davies) and Alleyne (Philip Duguid-McQuillan) share their stories of survival and challenges they and their community face. They are constantly faced with making crucial decisions particularly when their cultural backgrounds and traditions are at stake.

The prologue begins when Harvinder narrates about an old Polish man being rushed into hospital but he unfortunately dies and the deadly plague begins to spread. Then the audience sees this sudden plunge of apocalyptic like darkness which changes Bradford and its communities. Now the three teenagers begin their quest as survivors from September 2017.

It is fitting that the play is set in Bradford with its familiar references being echoed throughout. Under the direction of Alex Chisholm, North Country represents what Bradford was and is known for. Bradford had a thriving industrial past but the city hasn’t been the same since its industrial decline and more so with its recession since 2008. The industrial heydays brought migrant workers to the city’s factories and mills, particularly those from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and thus creating the city’s diverse population. A spirit of resilience is shown among the characters and their determination to survive.

The play may have a science fiction twist to it but the stories shared certainly address the economical and social issues today and one seek their identity in order to fit into somewhat a complex and diverse society. This is an enjoyable production from the cast themselves and the creative team. North Country is running until 5th November 2016.

York Theatre Royal – 25 to 29 October 2016.  Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

English Touring Theatre and Sheffield Theatre, adapted and directed by Phillip Breen, brings to the stage the controversial D.H. Lawrence novel, Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Now showing at York Theatre Royal until Saturday 29th October, touring until end of November.

Lady Constance Chatterley, Hedydd Dylan, is trapped in her marriage, neglected both emotionally and physically by her impotent husband, Clifford, Eugene O’Hare, who was paralysed in The Great War and finds solace in the arms of the handsome gamekeeper Mellors, Jonah Russell.

The production starts with the stage being sparsely set out with dust sheets covering several pieces of furniture dotted around. It looked grim, reflecting on the aftermath of the tragic and traumatic Great War. The lighting was very dim, adding to the oppression. I did really struggle to actually see parts of the performance with such dim lighting and it did greatly affect my appreciation of the show.

Brief scenes, with the piano playing in the background, show snapshots of their life, changing when the lights go out, but only for a couple of seconds before another scene appears. In some of these short scenes sometimes I could not wholly grasp what was happening before it had finished, and we were onto another one. We see Constance in all her unhappiness before staring an affair, first with Michaelis and then Mellors, who she ultimately falls in love with.

There is nudity, which when first appeared on the stage caused a little tittle in the audience, and strong language, but a warning is given in the flyers. Connie and Mellors frolic around in the forest, running around naked in the rain, with strategic bowls placed around the stage for the water. The way the rain was portrayed was really effective and was a surprise to see on stage.

I found that the chemistry between Dylan and Russell was slightly lacking and was not convinced by their relationship, though there were some touching emotional scenes.

The first act did drag on a bit, the second act in comparison was very short and just seemed to abruptly finish, and that was it.

The theatre appeared pretty full and I know that Phillip Breen has a following here after the successful run of The Mystery Plays this summer, but I left the theatre not sure exactly how I felt about the piece, and I still don’t.

RJR Musicals present:

CELEBRATE A GOTH-TASTIC HALLOWEEN AT THE GOTHIC GRAND THEATRE

Fishnets at the ready! The Rocky Horror Show is gearing up to hit Leeds next week when it opens at The Grand Theatre on Halloween for one week only.

Bringing with it a glittering cast, startling costumes, lots of red lipstick and plenty of naughty bits, Rocky Horror promises to take audiences on a dizzying Time Warp of song, dance and outrageous performances.

Returning to the show to play the iconic role of ‘The Narrator’ will be Coronation Street favourite Charlie Condou and S Club 7 star Paul Cattermole in the roles of ‘Eddie/Dr Scott’.

Rocky Horror Show tells the story of Brad and his fiancée Janet, two squeaky clean college kids who, when their car breaks down, find themselves at the house of the somewhat peculiar Dr Frank-N- Furter and a whole host of other odd characters.  It turns out to be an adventure they will never forget.

The title role of Rocky is played by Dominic Andersen and Frank-N-Furter by The Voice’s (Series 3) Liam Tamne.  Janet will be played by theatre star Haley Flaherty and completing the cast are Rocky favouritesSophie Linder-Lee as Columbia, Kristian Lavercombe as Riff Raff and Richard Meek as Brad.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, the Rocky Horror Show is a guaranteed party and a Yorkshire favourite; audience participation is encouraged as is dressing up.  This musical extravaganza features all of the famous musical classics including Science Fiction/Double Feature, Dammit Janet and of course the timeless floor-filler The Time-Warp.

Rocky Horror Show is at Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 31^st October to Saturday 5^th November

Tickets are still available priced from £22 to £43

Book online at leedsgrandtheatre.com or call Box Office on 0844 848 2700

Above the Arts Theatre 25 – 29 October.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Beach Comet have struck gold again with their new comedy B-musical Apocalypse Cruise Ship Love Affair. A more polished production than Vampire Hospital Waiting Room, this Edinburgh transfer is jam packed full of laughs and lunacy.

Captain Bleufonde, obsessed with resurrecting his drowned lover, steers his cruise ship (on its 666th voyage) towards an apocalyptic storm as three tales of unrequited love play out on board. There’s Auld Mann, who’s loved Vera since they were children together, but must watch her flirt with every male with a pulse; Hanks Leeroys, the cruise director, who falls in love with nun Evie (or rather the 6 inches of her face visible), breaking one of the 10 cruising commandments; and first mate Fittles, mooning after the captain for 25 years. Basically, Carry on Cruising meets Speed… on speed.

The show begins with a flashback to Mandy’s death, with Joe McArdle (Bleufonde) and Will Hearle (Fittles) playing the scene like a twisted version of Brief Encounter, all ridiculous cut glass accents and mid distance stares. McArdle excels again in his patented raving loon persona, switching from speaking in tongues to calm reason in a howl inducing moment. His scenes with the bizarrely brilliant Hearle are painfully funny. Craig Methven as Hanks squeezes more laughs than you’d think possible out of his character’s cod Kiwi accent, and his sweet relationship with Evie (Imogen Brabant, shining in the least showy role) gives the musical its emotional centre. Steve Duffy and Rosalind Ford – with makeup that looks like someone attacked them with a Sharpie whilst they were sleeping – steal every scene as geriatric cruisers Auld Mann and Vera. Ford channels Julie Walters to provide some cringe inducing flirting with Hanks and I could watch Duffy’s old man shuffle all night.

With catchy songs by Theo McCabe and Steve Duffy, played by McCabe, Finlay Johnston and Ed Bernez, and funny choreography, the musical elements of the show are as strong as the comedy. At only 60 minutes, but with twice the laughs of much longer shows Apocalypse Cruise Ship Love Affair is perfect escapism for a cold Autumn evening – sublime silliness.