A TALE OF TWO CITIES SET FOR SUCCESS

Set and costume designs revealed to the 30 strong community cast of A Tale of Two Cities.

The extravagant set and costume designs for a community cast production of the Charles Dickens classic A Tale of Two Cities were revealed at a recent meeting held at Hummersknott Academy in Darlington.

Twenty local volunteers who answered the call to become involved in the production of costumes were presented with detailed sketches and ideas by professional theatre designer Sarah Jane Booth who explained her vision for one of Dickens’ most famous stories.

Sarah also revealed her set design model to the thirty-strong community cast along with the production’s director, Eduard Lewis. The multi-layered set will encompass the entire floor-space of Central Hall in the Dolphin Centre, Darlington, and is designed to transport the audience through the story jumping between London and Paris during the French Revolution.

Community cast member Laura Morrison said “The set design is absolutely amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it before. It’s made me even more excited about being in the production, and I can’t wait to get my fabulous costume.”

A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens considered his novel A Tale of Two Cities to be the best story he had ever written.

This production is presented in association with the Touring Consortium Theatre Company (To Sir, With Love, Brassed Off, Regeneration, A View from the Bridge). A thrilling new adaptation by Mike Poulton (Fortune’s Fool, Old Vic; Wolf Hall, RSC) it will feature a community cast of more than 30 actors alongside a professional production team led by directing rising star, Eduard Lewis.

The production will be staged in the atmospheric setting of Darlington’s Central Hall, where Dickens himself read on 21 September 1858.

Please note this is a promenade performance which means that the action will take place in various locations around the set, and the audience will be invited to stand and watch in spaces around the action, and then walk to different locations in the room following the actors as the scenes change and the play progresses. We would encourage the audience to stand to be fully immersed in the experience, however some limited seating options will be available if seating is required.

A Tale of Two Cities is at Central Hall, Dolphin Centre, Darlington, on Saturday 19 at 2pm and 7.30pm and Sunday 20 November at 2pm and 7.30pm.

Tickets* are priced £18, discounts £16, U16s £10

To book contact the Box Office on 01325 486 555 or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

*Includes £1 restoration levy

Dickens in Darlington launched by Darlington Civic Theatre

Darlington Civic Theatre has launched Dickens in Darlington, a series of events telling the story of the strong connections Charles Dickens had to Darlington and to the world of theatre, music hall and the railways. Dickens in Darlington will include performances, workshops, talks, a book club, storytelling and an exhibition in Crown Street Art Gallery at Darlington’s Crown Street Library from Saturday 1 October through to Wednesday 21 December.

The Dickens in Darlington Exhibition will run from October 1 to November 3 in the Crown Street

Gallery at Darlington’s Crown Street Library. The free exhibition will include images form the Charles Dickens Museum, a reconstruction of Dickens’ famous reading desk, footage from an early Dickens film as well as the display of an amazing dolls’ house based on Dickens’ home in Doughty Street, London, which is now the Charles Dickens Museum.

Join actor and storyteller Chris Connaughton on Saturday 8 October as he performs two spooky tales from the pen of Charles Dickens – a master of suspense. Chris will read The Signal-Man, an eerie tale of a railway worker haunted by a ghostly figure on the rail and The Trial for Murder, a ghost story with a chilling twist. The readings will take place at 2pm and 7pm in the Crown Street Art Gallery. Tickets are £5 with discounts at £2.50 with a recommended age of 8+.

On Monday 17 October at 1.30pm Margaret Watson tells the fascinating story of how she made a lifelong dream come true, by creating and owning a dolls’ house – a 1:12 scale model of 48 Doughty Street, the London home of Charles Dickens, now the Charles Dickens Museum. The dolls’ house will be on permanent display throughout the Dickens in Darlington exhibition.

For avid readers there will be a book group on Tuesday 25 October with two sessions at 1.30pm and 7pm in the Crown Street Art Gallery. Here you will be able to discuss Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. The book group is intended to complement the community production of A Tale of Two Cities taking place in the Dolphin Centre in November and are open to people who have purchased a ticket for the production. Free copies of the book can be provided.

The Forum on Borough Road will be the venue for a showing of the classic Dickens tale Great Expectations on Monday 3 October at 8pm. Darlington Civic Theatre and Darlington Film Club will present a showing of the 1946 film directed by David Lean and starring John Mills, Valerie Hobson and Jean Simmons. Tickets are priced £3 and are available by emailing [email protected]

The community cast production of A Tale of Two Cities will run on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 November in Central Hall, the Dolphin Centre in Darlington. In partnership with the Touring Consortium Theatre Company, this will be a promenade performance where the audience will follow, on foot, all of the action between the two cities of London and Paris (seating will be available for people if required). Dickens considered A Tale of Two Cities to be the best story he had ever written.

Interweaving one family’s intensely personal drama with the terror and chaos of the French Revolution, it is an epic story of love, sacrifice and redemption amidst horrific violence and world changing events. This thrilling new adaptation by Mike Poulton will feature a community cast of 30 actors alongside a professional production team led by directing rising star, Eduard Lewis. Tickets* are £18, discounts £16, under 16s £10.

In the final run up to Christmas, what better way to spend an evening than listening to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – devised and performed by Chris Connaughton. Chris presents a thrilling, funny and imaginative re-telling of what is arguably Charles Dickens’ most popular tale, all in the atmospheric setting of St Cuthbert’s Church in Darlington on Wednesday 21 December at 7pm. Join Tiny Tim, The Ghost of Jacob Marley, Bob Cratchit, and a trio of memorable ghosts as tight-fisted miser Scrooge learns kindness and generosity and fills his heart with the true spirit of Christmas.Chris will end the evening with a seasonal episode from The Pickwick Papers, (Mr Pickwick on the ice) and maybe even some carolling to send you on your way. Tickets are £10, under 16s £5 – recommended age 8+.

To book or for further information on any of the Dickens in Darlington events contact the Box Office on 01325 486 555 or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

*Includes £1 restoration levy

Presented by Theatre Royal Bath Productions and the James Grant Group

Stepping Out

• West End production announced for Richard Harris’s award-winning comedy.  

• Vaudeville Theatre, London with performances from 1 March 2017. Tickets now on sale from £20 via www.nimaxtheatres.com 

• Amanda Holden, Angela Griffin, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Tamzin Outhwaite and Nicola Stephenson star. 

• Pre-announced UK tour from 12 October 2016 with dates in Bath, Richmond, Cambridge and Chichester.

Amanda Holden, Angela Griffin, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Tamzin Outhwaite and Nicola Stephenson will be Stepping Out in the West End when Richard Harris’s award-winning comedy opens at London’s Vaudeville Theatre with preview performances from 1 March 2017 and opening night for press on 14 March 2017.

Directed by Maria Friedman, this brand new staging of the wonderfully funny and heart-warming play Stepping Out will first tour the UK from 12 October 2016 including dates at Theatre Royal Bath, Richmond Theatre, Cambridge Arts Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre, as previously announced. Further casting for the West End production is still to be confirmed.

Stepping Out charts the lives of seven women and one man attempting to tap their troubles away at a weekly dancing class. Initially all thumbs and left feet, the group is just getting to grips with the basics when they are asked to take part in a charity gala. Over the course of several months we meet the group, and all of them have a story to tell. There’s perfectionist Vera, mouthy Maxine and uptight Andy, bubbly Sylvia and shy Dorothy, eager Lynne and cheerful Rose, and, of course, Geoffrey. At the piano is the dour Mrs Fraser and spurring them all on, the ever-patient Mavis.

One of the UK’s best-loved personalities, Amanda Holden plays Vera. Nominated for an Olivier Award in 2004 for her leading role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, she also starred in the U.K. premiere of Shrek The Musical as Princess Fiona. Her numerous television credits include Wild at Heart, Kiss Me Kate, The Grimleys, Big Top and This Morning. She has been a judge on the award-winning Britain’s Got Talent throughout all of its ten series.

Angela Griffin is well-known as Fiona Middleton in Coronation Street and her television credits also include Waterloo Road, Cutting It, Holby City and Inspector Lewis. She starred in One Man, Two Guvnors in the West End.

Tracy-Ann Oberman played Chrissie Watts on EastEnders, and has also worked extensively with the RSC and National Theatre. She appeared with Kenneth Branagh in Edmond, and in the West End run of Boeing-Boeing. Her television appearances also include Toast of London, Friday Night Dinner and New Tricks.

Tamzin Outhwaite is well-known for the role of Melanie Healy in EastEnders which she played for four years. Her stage credits have included West End productions of Sweet Charity, Boeing-Boeing and How The Other Half Loves.

Nicola Stephenson’s many television credits include Brookside, Holby City andEmmerdale. Her stage credits include War Horse in the West End and roles with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Best known as a three-time Olivier Award winning star of the musical stage (with seven nominations), director Maria Friedman made an astonishing directorial debut in 2012 with a hugely acclaimed production of Merrily We Roll Along. In 2005 she won the award for Best Debut Performer on Broadway for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman in White.

This uplifting comedy originally premiered in the West End in 1984 starring Barbara Ferris and Marcia Warren, winning the prestigious Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy and enjoying extended runs both in the West End and on Broadway. Stepping Out has also been made into a musical, which became a film in 1991, starring Julie Walters, Liza Minnelli and Shelley Winters.

A prolific writer for both television and stage, Richard Harris’s credits include A Touch of Frost, Shoestring, The Darling Buds of May, The Last Detective, and Outside Edge, which won the Writer’s Guild Best Comedy Award, the British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Drama Series and the Television and Radio Industries Club Award for Best Comedy.

Presented by Theatre Royal Bath Productions and the James Grant Group, Stepping Outis directed by Maria Friedman, designed by Robert Jones and choreographed by Tim Jackson with lighting design by Peter Mumford, sound design by Gregory Clarke and orchestrations by Christopher Walker.

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

• Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill star in Edward Albee’s landmark play

• James Macdonald directs the first production of this dark comedy since Albee’s recent death. It will play at the Harold Pinter Theatre for 13 weeks only

• Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday 23rd September at 10am

• Reduced price tickets for preview performances

• Over 100 tickets for every performance priced at £15 (£10 during previews)

Twitter: @WhosAfraidLDN
Facebook: /WhosAfraidOfVirginiaWoolfLDN
# Whosafraidofvirginiawoolf?
Website: www.whosafraidofvirginiawoolf.co.uk

Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill will star in a new production of multi Tony and Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? directed by James Macdonald.

Following the sad news of Albee’s passing last week and in anticipation of this revival, Michael Billington recently wrote in The Guardian “With America currently engaged in its own form of post-truth politics, now seems the perfect time to revive Albee’s enduring masterpiece about the danger of living in a world of illusions.”

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.

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 the Olivier Award for Best Actor forThe Producers, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and for 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 March 12th 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.

Beach Comet presents:

Above the Arts Theatre 19 September – 8 October.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

You don’t need to love Punk to love this play – Leon Fleming has written a superb character study of a troubled young man searching for his place in the world, and finding solace in Punk and his idol, Sid Vicious. Considering what other disenfranchised kids can turn to nowadays, there is an underlying sense of innocence in Craig’s choice and by the end of the play, you just want to give him a big hug.

Craig is in his bedroom getting ready to visit his girlfriend at her university. He lives with his mum but in his room, he is master of all. His worrying about whether a T-shirt or a shirt is appropriate to wear to university between rants about Punk and anarchy (which has much more rules than I thought it would) is a lovely touch, reminding the audience that this lad just wants to be accepted by someone – anyone.

Dario Coates is phenomenal as Craig – when he is haranguing the audience his intensity is terrifying at times. And if he spears you with his eyes, you’ll be squirming. But the intensity is also very, very funny. At times Fleming’s writing is like Punk poetry, and carries you away on a rollercoaster of emotions, all delivered breathlessly by Coates. The few moments of stillness and silence are even more powerful, and Coates body language is captivating.

The trip – obviously – doesn’t go well. Craig’s retelling of the events is poignant and funny. His discomfort and insecurity are portrayed beautifully, with scathing descriptions of students and the student pub. When one of the students gives Craig his analysis of punk – with masterful switches between characters by Coates – Craig’s reactions take the audience from laughter to gasps of horror in seconds. But Craig’s sly self-awareness soon delivers the laughs again, and as the final part of the play begins to unpick Craig’s obsession with Punk – his relationship with his mother and fanciful ideas about his unknown father – cheap laughs and over sentimentality are avoided, leaving you feeling hopeful for Craig’s future.

Intense, moving and funny – Sid is wonderfully written and superbly acted. Whether you’re a fan of the Sex Pistols or S Club 7 – you need to GO AND SEE SID.

Sunderland Empire – 19 to 24 September 2016

Sunderland Empire has been creatively transformed into a great big, beautiful rubbish heap for this faithfully resurrected extravaganza. Based on “Old Possum’s Book of Cats”, the poems of TS Eliot, the story is told entirely in song and dance to the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Webber has smartly mined the natural music in Eliot’s jaunty rhythms and clever rhyme schemes, applying them to the specific characters of his cats, who live in the shadows but leap into life when the moon is high.

For those not familiar with the story it revolves around an annual Jellicle Ball, and we learn the stories behind the cats as the evening progresses.

John Napier’s spectacular set extends into the orchestra, side walls plastered with detritus from the alley where these unwanted cats live, and up to a ceiling festooned with the twinkling lights of an unreachable heaven far above their heads. David Hersey’s midnight-blue lighting scheme lends magic to the moonlit setting for Heaviside, while those curious cats’ eyes winking at us from out of the velvety darkness add to the mystery.

Marianne Benedict stole the show with her portrayal of Grizabella, the role made famous by Elaine Page. Her voice is strong, faultless and perfect for Memory. Every nuance gave emotion and portrayed real storytelling in her voice – it was a well deserved round of elongated round of applause when she had finished singing with even a few standing – such was the power of her voice

There are some standout performances from the rest of the cast, notably Kevin Stephen-Jones’ Old Deuteronomy, whose rich baritone was perfectly suited to the stately grandeur of this character. Joe Henry and Emily Langham are a delightfully nimble and well voiced Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer and Matt Krzan makes a heroic and noble Munkustrap. Equally there are some superb dance performances, most impressively from Shiv Rabheru as the sprightly Mr Mistoffelees, Lee Greenaway’s Skimbleshanks and Javier Cid as the acrobatic villain Macavity. My personal favourite, because it reminded me of my own cat, was Lucinda Shaw’s tap dancing Jennyanydots.

The show’s greatest triumphs are unquestionably to be found during the full ensemble dance routines, with choreography by Gillian Lynne that sweeps the audience up with a blazingly athletic display of leaps, twirls and an almost indecent number of hip thrusts but the real beauty of this production was that there were no passengers; every cat had his or own character and story to tell and this came through strongly. Wherever I looked there was activity and interest without any upstaging of the cat in the spotlight at the time.

A truly magical performance that you’d be mad to miss. At the Empire until Saturday 24 September and on tour around the UK

REVIEW: CATS (Sunderland Empire) ★★★★

September 20, 2016 

For: West End Wilma 

https://www.westendwilma.com/review-cats-sunderland-empire/

Sunderland Empire has been creatively transformed into a great big, beautiful rubbish heap for this faithfully resurrected extravaganza. Based on “Old Possum’s Book of Cats”, the poems of TS Eliot, the story is told entirely in song and dance to the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Webber has smartly mined the natural music in Eliot’s jaunty rhythms and clever rhyme schemes, applying them to the specific characters of his cats, who live in the shadows but leap into life when the moon is high.

For those not familiar with the story it revolves around an annual Jellicle Ball, and we learn the stories behind the cats as the evening progresses.

John Napier’s spectacular set extends into the orchestra, side walls plastered with detritus from the alley where these unwanted cats live, and up to a ceiling festooned with the twinkling lights of an unreachable heaven far above their heads. David Hersey’s midnight-blue lighting scheme lends magic to the moonlit setting for Heaviside, while those curious cats’ eyes winking at us from out of the velvety darkness add to the mystery.

Marianne Benedict stole the show with her portrayal of Grizabella, the role made famous by Elaine Page. Her voice is strong, faultless and perfect for Memory. Every nuance gave emotion and portrayed real storytelling in her voice – it was a well deserved round of elongated applause when she had finished singing with even a few standing – such was the power of her voice.

There are some standout performances from the rest of the cast, notably Kevin Stephen-Jones’ Old Deuteronomy, whose rich baritone was perfectly suited to the stately grandeur of this character. Joe Henry and Emily Langham are a delightfully nimble and well voiced Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer and Matt Krzan makes a heroic and noble Munkustrap. Equally there are some superb dance performances, most impressively from Shiv Rabheru as the sprightly Mr Mistoffelees, Lee Greenaway’s Skimbleshanks and Javier Cid as the acrobatic villain Macavity. My personal favourite, because it reminded me of my own cat, was Lucinda Shaw’s tap dancing Jennyanydots.

The show’s greatest triumphs are unquestionably to be found during the full ensemble dance routines, with choreography by Gillian Lynne that sweeps the audience up with a blazingly athletic display of leaps, twirls and an almost indecent number of hip thrusts but the real beauty of this production was that there were no passengers; every cat had his or own character and story to tell and this came through strongly. Wherever I looked there was activity and interest without any upstaging of the cat in the spotlight at the time.

A truly magical performance that you’d be mad to miss. At the Empire until Saturday 24 September and on tour around the UK.

SHEFFIELD THEATRES ANNOUNCE FULL CASTING FOR IRVING BERLIN’S

ANNIE GET YOUR GUN

Sheffield Theatres today announce full casting for their sharp shootin’ Christmas production, Irving Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun.  This major new revival of the classic musical takes to the stage at the Crucible Theatre from Thursday 8 December – Saturday 14 January.

Paul Foster (Tell Me On A Sunday, Sweet Charity) directs Anna-Jane Casey, recently seen at the Crucible in Flowers For Mrs Harris, as Annie Oakley and Ben Lewis (Love Me Tender, Forbidden Broadway) as Frank Butler.  Nicolas Colicos (The Bodyguard, Sister Act) plays Buffalo Bill with Mike Denman (The Bodyguard, Matilda) as Pawnee Bill and Lauren Hall (Gypsy, Singin’ in the Rain) as Winnie Tate. Matthew Malthouse returns to Sheffield Theatres (My Fair Lady) as Foster Wilson, Timothy Quinlan(Mack & Mabel, Jersey Boys) plays Charlie Davenport, Cleve September (In The Heights) plays Tommy Keeler with Maggie Service (Red Dwarf, Call The Midwife) plays Dolly Tate and  Karl Seth, last seen on the Crucible stage in Hiawatha plays Chief Sitting Bull.  Completing the ensemble are Josh Andrews, Ronan Burns, Emma Caffrey, Matthew Croke, Omari Douglas, Rosie Fletcher, Melissa James, Jasmine Kerr, Natasha Mould, Jak Skelly, Leah West and Emma Woods (ensemble and Dance Captain).

Sharp shootin’, smart talkin’ Annie Oakley is a force to be reckoned with. But when she’s pitched against the charming, fiercely competitive Frank Butler, has she finally met her match?

Aimed straight at the heart, Irving Berlin’s sensational musical from the Golden Age of Broadway includes such classics as There’s No Business Like Show Business, Anything You Can Do and I Got The Sun In The Morning, as well as whip-cracking choreography from Sheffield favourite, Alistair David.

Tickets for Irving Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun are on sale now and can be purchased from Sheffield Theatres’ Box Office in-person, by phone on 0114 249 6000 or online at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk and are priced from £20.00 (concessions available).  A transaction fee of £1.50 (£1.00 online) applies to all bookings made at the Box Office (excluding cash).