Park Theatre  23 February – 19 March.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Truth or fantasy?

Lynnie is holed up in a cheap Hollywood motel after running away from her Essex nursing home. When her gay grandson Joe arrives to take her home, she reveals her secret. Lynnie is, in fact, Marilyn Monroe. She faked her death and fled to Essex, but now, in 2003, the world needs her again. Lynnie sets Joe on a quest to find 4 proofs of her story, hidden around Hollywood, before she reveals herself to the public. Joe’s responses sway back and forth from disbelief to complete faith in Lynnie’s story, and the audience is kept guessing too. Joe’s imaginary friend – the young Marilyn – is along for the ride, voicing everyone’s doubts and disbelief, while Joe begins to imagine a new life of privilege as Marilyn Monroe’s grandson.

Dylan Costello has written a beautifully emotional play, with every character, real and imaginary, yearning to be loved for who they are . Trying to sort fact from fiction in a town built on fantasies, reinventions and fickle fame gives all the plot twists and machinations an extra dimension, and the melodrama mixes coherently with lots of fantastic funny lines and ludicrous situations, making for a satisfying and heartwarming whole.

Vicki Michelle is in fine form as Lynnie. Despite a few stumbles over lines, she gives a wonderfully measured performance, full of spark and humour, but tinged with regret and hints of dementia. Jamie Hutchins gives a charmingly physical performance as Joe, portraying the frustration of dealing with a dotty old lady, and his moments of despair brilliantly. It is hard to play an icon, so Farrel Hegarty wisely avoids an impersonation, instead giving Marilyn a breathlessly nagging and sarcastic edge, which is perfect for Joe’s mindset. Her American TV host is a triumph, all the fake sincerity in glances to camera and dramatic pauses. Peter McPherson as Bobby manages to strip away the layers of bravado as his scenes progress, finally showing us the lost soul underneath with a gentleness that is in stark contrast to his early histrionics. He also takes his shirt off. Which is nice.

One character admits that “Pretending to be someone else is quite addictive.”

And so is watching performances and writing of this quality and soul

Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London – 20 February 2016

Sam Mendes’ production of the musical adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is magically beautiful, a good old-fashioned Broadway musical, with a score and lyrics from tried and true Broadway collaborators: Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Most of the first half is taken up with the story of Charlie’s impoverished family, relieved by inserts of a garish TV spectacle showing the winners of the golden tickets.   You really feel for Charlie as he yearns for both chocolate and the golden ticket that will grant him entrance to Willy Wonka’s mysterious factory – and bravely bears the disappointment when it looks as though he never will.  What’s more, the scene in which he writes a letter to Wonka, makes it into a paper dart and throws it out across the audience so that it flies up into the gods is somehow more exciting and affecting than any of the more spectacular tricks that follow.  The four children who get to accompany Charlie on the tour are: the greedy Augustus Gloop  who is Bavarian, the spoilt Veruca Salt defiantly English, the gum-chewing Violet Beauregarde Californian and the computer game-obsessed Mike Teavee a product of American suburbia.

The second half is little more than a sequence of “get the brats” as Charlie’s unpleasant companions on the guided tour all meet sticky ends in the sweet factory.  Pretty much all the sets are a scrumptious treat – from a nut-sorting room populated by squirrels to the inventing room complete with emotionally unstable robots. The sets are brought to life by the army of little Oompa-Loompas, whose numbers, choreographed with natty innovation by Peter Darling, are hilariously kooky.  The various calamities are staged with panache, and the special effects involving killer squirrels and the Oompa-Loompas are highly ingenious.

Jonathan Slinger is a splendidly charismatic and disconcerting Willy Wonka, brilliantly combining jokes with a twitchy hint of the psycho, and the child performers are superb.  Slinger, despite his more edgy idiosyncrasies, does bring a real sense of humanity to the character. He’s a man clearly moved by Charlie’s politeness, thoughtfulness and caring, which makes the final bond between the two a little more believable

The biggest star of the show remains designer Mark Thompson’s startling, imaginative sets, that conjure the right Dickensian gloom for the black-and-white scenes set in the eponymous hero’s impoverished home life — where dad is unemployed, the elderly family relatives share beds and electricity to power the television is generated by cycling really hard on a stationary bicycle — but then spring into vivid 3D colour for the scenes set in the factory.

This scrumdiddlyumptious production is perfect for children and adults alike, a completely fabulous sugar coated nostalgia fest.  Go and see it now before it closes

Harold Pinter Theatre, London – 19 February 2016

Joe Penhall’s Olivier Award winning musical tells the story of how Ray and Dave Davies, ordinary lads from Muswell Hill, came to form one of the defining bands of the Sixties. And it does more than chart the Kinks’ early highs and lows using the best of their back-catalogue.

Even at their chirpiest, the songs contain an undertow of melancholic solitude. But Penhall also shows how the most delicate on-stage harmonies were accompanied by deep personal disharmonies, with Ray constantly at war with his madcap brother, Dave, or the band engaged in battles with exploitative middle-men or American unions

Danny Horn is exceptionally good in the central role of Ray Davies. His singing voice is beautiful. Making us buy the idea of Davies as an unusual, brooding creator, the off-beat, stammering Muswell Hill lad who found he was best able to express himself on a guitar.

Oliver Hoare is suitably manic as Ray’s brother and band mate Dave. Tom Whitelock plays shy bass guitarist Pete, and Damien Walsh is fabulous drummer Mick. A live band at the back of the stage helps the cast perform the songs.

Although the story isn’t massively substantial, there are some emotional moments, particularly towards the end when things really start to unravel for the front man Ray Davies. There is also a neat political subtext, as their Tory managers have to face up to the fact that heartthrobs like The Kinks are starting to become the true aristocracy.

The play works hard to set the scene, referencing other contemporary bands, although some of the jokes are a bit too knowing at times (of the ‘there’s a little band called The Who, you won’t have heard of them” ilk). The script is at its best when it is rife with tension; the turbulent end to the first half is gripping and matches the intensity of some of the high tempo rock and roll on display.

The Kinks’ records are fantastically showcased, and Penhall’s book is seamlessly smooth and sprinkled with wit. Each number finds its moment, with the biggest hits evenly spaced. “Sunny Afternoon” celebrates that euphoric summer of ’66 with a ticker tape drop to mark England’s World Cup win. “Days” becomes a gorgeous acapella nostalgia trip, and “Waterloo Sunset” is artfully de-constructed to reveal its workings as the band re-find their rhythm. Five or six songs with guttural guitar riffs rip through the theatre to thrilling effect.

Directed by Edward Hall, the show is nippy, colourful and euphoric.  The set has been designed with a long ramp running out into the stalls, enabling the action to flow constantly into the audience and back onto the stage. The scene can switch fluently from lounge or studio to hotel room or the interior of an aircraft, with dancing girls, screaming fans or a TV studio full of technicians available at the snap of a finger. The musical performances sizzle with gig-like energy.  It helps that all the cast members actually play their own instruments and even are at the back of the stage playing during scenes they aren’t involved in. It gives that rare feeling that you’re actually seeing a live band in a musical

Sunny Afternoon has to the noisiest, wildest, most fun musical in London’s West End at the moment.  Totally deserving of its awards.  Full of life – buy your ticket today

 

HIT TV PROGRAMME, CITIZEN KHAN, COMES TO LEEDS STAGE

 

Starring Adil Ray

 

Following four hugely successful BBC series Adil Ray is bringing the much-loved, self-appointed Community Leader, Mr Khan, to the stage.  His new show Citizen Khan: Everybody Knows Me is at Leeds Grand Theatre on Thursday April 28^th.

Mr Khan, created and performed by Adil Ray, is a larger than life character with strong opinions and big dreams who is facing the challenge of how to make ends meet and keep his family happy.  Things would be much easier if everyone just listened to him and followed his lead; now he is hoping they finally will.

Citizen Khan is currently the most watched comedy show on British television and has been bestowed four awards by the Royal Television Society including ‘Best Performance in a Comedy’ awarded to Adil Ray for two years running.  Its success has been attributed to its family audience and its popularity with younger viewers over alternative comedies on TV.

 

On announcing his first ever solo live stage show, Mr Khan, Community Leader, said:

“Asalaam Alaikum and ‘hello how do you do’ to all you non-Muslim peoples. Mr Khan, Community Leader, speaking. I’m very pleased to be able to get the chance to meet you all in my busy schedule. I will be informing you all on how to deal with all areas of British life; family, fashion, food, school, and of course being a good Muslim. Oh Twaddi! This is a family show so bring everybodies but please, if you are Indian (or ginger) you must sit at the back and don’t drink too much!”

 

“This is a very special moment in the British calendar just like Justin Biebers & One Direction. As a Muslim we love to follow One Direction – towards Mecca. I look forward to answering any questions on the night too and if you’re lucky I’ll have a photo taken with you unless you’re from the tax office or immigration then you can stay at home.”

Citizen Khan: Everybody Knows Me is at Leeds Grand Theatre on Thursday 28^th April

Tickets go on sale on Monday 29^th February at 10am

(on sale to members on Friday 26^th February)

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

Best Actor in a Play sponsored by Radisson Blu Edwardian:

Benedict Cumberbatch, Hamlet

James McAvoy, The Ruling Class

Bradley Cooper, The Elephant Man

Mark Rylance, Farinelli and the King

Alex Hassell, Henry V

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Best Actress in a Play sponsored by The Umbrella Rooms:

Nicole Kidman, Photograph 51

Denise Gough, People, Places and Things

Lia Williams, Oresteia

Rosalie Craig, As You Like It

Harriet Walter, Death of a Salesman

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Best Actor in a Musical sponsored by Century:

Killian Donnelly, Kinky Boots

Michael Ball, Mack and Mabel

Matt Henry, Kinky Boots

Sam Mackay, In the Heights

Ben Forster, Elf the Musical

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Best Actress in a Musical:

Imelda Staunton, Gypsy

Beverley Knight, Cats

Kimberley Walsh, Elf the Musical

Lily Frazer, In the Heights

Katie Brayben, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

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Best Supporting Actor in a Play:

Ciaran Hinds, Hamlet

Mark Gatiss, Three Days in the Country

Bertie Carvel, Bakkhai

Johnny Flynn, Hangmen

Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Hamlet

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Best Supporting Actress in a Play sponsored by The Tonic Theatre Company:

Sian Brooke, Hamlet

Anastasia Hille, Hamlet

Imogen Doel, The Importance of Being Earnest

Patsy Ferran, As You Like It

Judi Dench, The Winter’s Tale

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Best Supporting Actor in a Musical:

Lucas Rush, American Idiot

Alexis Gerred, American Idiot

David Bedella, In The Heights

Jack Edwards, Mack and Mabel

Peter Davison, Gypsy

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Best Supporting Actress in a Musical sponsored by Newman:

Lara Pulver, Gypsy

Jennie Dale, Elf the Musical

Amy Lennox, Kinky Boots

Lauren Samuels, Bend It Like Beckham

Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, In The Heights

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Best New Play:

Hangmen

Oppenheimer

Photograph 51

People, Places and Things

Farinelli and the King

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Best New Musical sponsored by Shine Creative Solutions:

Kinky Boots

Bend It Like Beckham

Elf the Musical

Beautiful

In The Heights

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Best Play Revival:

Hamlet

Importance of Being Earnest

The Ruling Class

Death of a Salesman

Oresteia

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Best Musical Revival sponsored by R&H Theatricals:

Gypsy

Cats

High Society

Mack and Mabel

American Idiot

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Best Direction:

Hamlet, Lyndsey Turner

In The Heights, Luke Sheppard

American Idiot, Racky Plews

Kinky Boots, Jerry Mitchell

Gypsy, Jonathan Kent

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Best Choreography sponsored by Capezio:

Kinky Boots, Jerry Mitchell

In The Heights, Drew McOnie

High Society, Nathan M Wright

Gypsy, Stephen Mear

American Idiot, Racky Plews

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Best Set Design sponsored by the Theatre Cafe:

Hamlet, Es Devlin

American Idiot, Sara Perks

Kinky Boots, David Rockwell

In The Heights, Takis

Gypsy, Anthony Ward

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Best Lighting Design sponsored by White Light:

Hamlet, Jane Cox

In The Heights, Howard Hudson

American Idiot, Tim Deiling

Kinky Boots, Kenneth Posner

Gypsy, Mark Henderson

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Best Off-West End Production sponsored by Les Misérables:

Shock Treatment, King’s Head Theatre

Carrie the Musical, Southwark Playhouse

You Won’t Succeed on Broadway If You Don’t Have Any Jews, St James’s Theatre

Grand Hotel, Southwark Playhouse

Assassins, Menier Chocolate Factory

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Best Regional Production:

Mack and Mabel, Chichester Festival Theatre and tour

Mary Poppins, tour

Anything Goes, Sheffield Crucible and tour

Hairspray, tour

Henry V, RSC

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Best West End Show sponsored by The Wine Treasury:

Wicked

Les Miserables

Kinky Boots

Miss Saigon

Matilda

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Equity Award for Services to Theatre:

Kenneth Branagh

CELEBRATION OF A LEGEND

Legend – A Tribute To Bob Marley comes to Darlington Civic Theatre on Thursday 10 March.

Combining superb, distinctive vocals with flawless musicianship, timeless, million-selling hits Could You Be Loved, Is This Love, One Love, No Woman No Cry, Jamming, Buffalo Soldier and more reggae classics come to life in Legend – A Tribute to Bob Marley.

Taking you from Marley’s ska roots with the Wailers, to the 70s and 80s pinnacle of his recording career, enjoy an authentic taste of Jamaican sunshine as this compelling treat brings Marley’s musical genius to the stage.

A truly talented cast capture to perfection the charismatic cultural icon that was Bob Marley. Prepare for a legendary night of happy vibes.

Legend – A Tribute To Bob Marley is at Darlington Civic Theatre on Thursday 10 March. Tickets* are priced £21.50 and £23.50.

*All prices include a £1 restoration levy

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

Iphigenia in Splott embarks on UK Tour following outstanding critical acclaim at The National Theatre.

 

Iphigenia In Splott opened on the 29 January at the National Theatre’s Temporary Theatre and has received resounding audience and critical acclaim.  It now heads out on a tour of some of the leading UK venues from24 February – 16 April 2016.

Following its world premiere at the Sherman Theatre and a hugely successful run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015, Iphigenia in Splott went on to receive the UK Theatre Award for Best New Play, The Stage Award for Acting Excellence and the Theatre in Wales Award for Best Actress. 

Inspired by the enduring Greek myth, Gary Owen’s powerful drama drives home the high price people pay for society’s shortcomings. This one-woman play, directed by Rachel O’Riordan, looks at the world through the eyes of Effie, a hard-nosed, unemployed young woman who spends her days in a careless spiral of drink, drugs and drama.  The production has been called Gary Owen’s protest letter to a hard-hearted state and a call to arms for revolution and whilst it is set in the suburbs of Splott, in Cardiff it is hugely relevant and poignant to any city across the UK.

This is the first time a Welsh producing house has transferred to The National Theatre and it heralds another important milestone for the Sherman Theatre under Rachel O’Riordan’s Artistic Directorship.  The production’s success further cements the company’s drive and combined commitment to the development of new writing, alongside a programme of classic text.

The National Theatre’s Director, Rufus Norris said: “Audiences need the chance to see this vivid, intense and devastating piece. It’s exactly the type of programming the Temporary Theatre was created for and a powerful reminder of the essential new writing being produced by theatres across the country.”

Speaking about the tour, Director Rachel O’Riordan said “We are thrilled with the response we have had to this production so far, in Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. This is a powerful play that explores what it is to be a young woman on the outskirts of society. Although the piece is set in a suburb of Cardiff, we see young women like Effie every day wherever we are, it is relevant to audiences all across the UK. Iphigenia in Splott explores the current state of our society, communities, and the National Health Service.  Effie will break your heart.”

 

The Sherman is one of the main producing houses in Wales and is touring to leading regional theatres across the UK, representing the best of Welsh talent.  The Sherman Theatre is committed to developing and nurturing the work of Welsh and Wales based artists, and this is certainly true of this production.  Swansea born, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama graduate, Sophie Melville is outstanding in her performance as Effie; Sam Jones from Cardiganshire, created the haunting and driven sound design and trained at the University of South Wales in Sound Design; Designer Hayley Grindle trained at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and works regularly in Wales and Sherman based Lighting Designer Rachel Mortimer completes the creative team..

The tour will visit various venues throughout England, Wales and Scotland from 24 February – 16 April.

 

 

For details please visit www.shermancymru.co.uk.

@ShermanCymru | #IphigeniaInSplott | www.shermancymru.co.uk

 

Running Time: 70 mins  

Contains strong language and sexual references

 

Company Information

Directed by Rachel O’Riordan                                    Written by Gary Owen          

Design by Hayley Grindle                                           Lighting Design by Rachel Mortimer

Sound Design by Sam Jones

Cast – Effie:  Sophie Melville

TOUR DATES:

Sherman Theatre, Cardiff                    29 February & 1 March

Shermancymru.co.uk                           029 2064 6900

The Traverse, Edinburgh                     3 -5 March

traverse.co.uk                                      0131 228 1404

Sheffield Theatres, Sheffield               8 & 9 March

sheffieldtheatres.co.uk                        011 4249 6000

Live Theatre, Newcastle                      11 & 12 March

live.org.uk                                           019 1232 1232

Birmingham Repertory Theatre,           15 – 19 March

birmingham-rep.co.uk                         012 1236 4455

Hull Truck, Hull                                  22 – 24 March

hulltruck.co.uk                                    014 8232 3638

Bristol Old Vic, Bristol                        29 March – 2 April

bristololdvic.org.uk                              0117 987 7877

North Wall, Oxford                             11 & 12 April

thenorthwall.com                                 018 6531 9450

The Everyman and Playhouse, 14 – 16 April

everymanplayhouse.com                     015 1709 4773

Michael Peavoy, Neil Marcus, Jamie Clark and Paul Tyrer for the Buskers Opera Ltd, in association with Park Theatre, present the World Premiere of

 

THE BUSKERS OPERA

 

A BRAND NEW BRITISH MUSICAL BY DOUGAL IRVINE

 

OLIVIER AWARD-WINNING GEORGE MAGUIRE AND LAUREN SAMUELS TO STAR AS ‘MACHEATH’ AND ‘POLLY PEACHUM’

 

ANNA WILLIAMS WINS PUBLIC SET DESIGN COMPETITION IN ASSOCIATION WITH UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS

 

Casting has been announced for The Buskers Opera, a brand new musical from the pen of Dougal Irvine(Departure Lounge, The Snow Queen, Britain’s Got Bhangra), which will open at Park Theatre on 28 April and play until 4 June, with a press night on 5 May.

Directed by Lotte Wakeham (Matilda, Sweet Charity, The Other School by Dougal Irvine), with musical direction by Sean Green, lighting design is by Christopher Nairne and sound design by Andy Graham, musical staging and choreography by Lucie Pankhurst, The Buskers Opera will star Olivier Award-winning George Maguire (Best Supporting Actor in a Musical Award for Sunny Afternoon) as ‘Macheath’, and Lauren Samuels (Bend it Like Beckham, Grease, We Will Rock You) as ‘Polly Peachum’. Other cast members include Natasha Cottriall (Into The Woods, Future Conditional) as ‘Lucy Lockitt’, John McCrea as ‘Filtch’, Maimuna Memon as ‘Jenny Diver / Dissenter / Beggar’, and Giovanna Ryan as ‘Susan / Beggar / Dissenter’.

Elements of the piece have been workshopped with Cardboard Citizens, who have been making life-changing theatre with people who have experienced homelessness, or are at risk of homelessness, for nearly 25 years. It was in such a session that the creative team discovered actor and songwriter Ishmael Gander who also will be part of the company, playing ‘Matt / Dissenter / Beggar’.

London 2012. The world is watching. Can the city deliver the greatest Olympics ever? Pulling the strings is media mogul, broadcaster and puppet master, Jeremiah Peachum. Together with his star of the show, Lockitt, the Mayor of London, they are perfectly placed to capitalise on Team GB’s gold and drive their political agenda across the finish line. Enter satirical street busker Macheath and his gang of dissenters ‘The Ninety Nine Percenters’. They’re the talk of the town – out to take the fat cats down – and it’s working! This time, Mac may have bitten off more than he can chew. But it’s the twenty first century – you can’t kill a man for singing a few songs, drinking a few beers, inciting political activism in hundreds of thousands of people and sleeping with your daughter. Or can you? With the ever-influential media operating twenty-four-seven, capital punishment needs to find a new method of delivery…

Lights out as Ambassador Theatre Group celebrates Earth Hour 2016 and a year of environmental awards

On Saturday 19 March 2016 at 8.30pm, Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) will join millions of businesses and individuals across the world to celebrate WWF’s Earth Hour and will switch off lights in all of its theatres for one hour to show the company’s ongoing commitment to the environment.

ATG’s involvement in Earth Hour 2016 follows an incredible 12 months for the company in which it won several major environmental awards for its green initiatives.

In 2015, ATG won the Green World Ambassador Award for helping others to help the Environment and was awarded a prize at the Energy Management Association Awards 2015 for its Energy Reduction Project through Organisational Behaviour Change.

ATG’s award-winning energy saving initiative, Project Blackout (a Silver Green Apple Award winner in 2014) received another award in 2015; a Green World Award (in the category of Energy Economy) from the Green Organisation at a ceremony held in New Zealand; and the company’s winning paper was included in The Green Book of Environmental Best Practice reference.

In addition, ATG’s Churchill Theatre Bromley won Green Business of the Year at theBromley Business Awards and New Wimbledon Theatre won the award for Venue Sustainability at the Technical Theatre Awards 2015.

With Earth Hour, ATG will take part in a symbolic moment, not designed to have impact through an hour of energy saving, but to help shine a spotlight on the issues facing the planet and to remind us that, together, we have the power to make change happen.

 

ATG will be supporting Earth Hour 2016 by:

·        Switching off all non-essential lights for one hour in its UK and International venues at 8.30pm on Saturday 19 March.

·        Encouraging customers and employees to sign up to the #bigswitchoff

·        Organising Earth Hour #candlelitselfie experiences to engage with customers and staff to raise money to support WWF’s vital conservation work.

·        Selling a special Earth Hour Cocktail during the week leading up to Earth Hour and donating £1 from each cocktail sold to WWF. ATG’s Ambassador Lounges and theatre bars will also be lit by LED candle light.

·        10 UK ATG venues will be supporting the #passthepanda campaign

Rosemary Squire, ATG’s Joint CEO, said: “I am so impressed by the support and enthusiasm which our theatres in London, around the UK and beyond show for Earth Hour. It is such an effective way of demonstrating to our audiences that as an organisation we are absolutely committed to limiting damage to the environment.”

Jennifer Clements, spokesperson for WWF-UK, said: “We’re thrilled that the Ambassador Theatre Group will be taking part in WWF’s Earth Hour this year and hope that they’ll inspire many others to get involved. By taking one simple step to switch off, WWF’s Earth Hour is a chance for all of us to come together and send out a global message about protecting our planet.”

ATG patrons or staff who wish to make a donation to support WWF can do so online – http://www.justgiving.com/Ambassador-Theatre-Group.

Or by text: CNDL47 £3 to 70070

There is no minimum donation and all donors will have the opportunity to gift aid their donation if they wish.

Everyone can join the celebration for WWF’s Earth Hour on Saturday 19 March 2016. For more information and to sign up please visit wwf.org.uk/earthhour

PREPARE FOR ROCK AND ROLL HEAVEN

Halfway To Paradise – The Billy Fury Story comes to Darlington Civic Theatre on Wednesday 9 March.

Halfway To Paradise is now in its 20th year and features the uncanny voice of Colin Gold as Fury, along with Billy’s own band, the all original Fury’s Tornados performing live his timeless hits including Last Night Was Made For Love, Wondrous Place, I Will, Jealousy, Halfway To Paradise and many more.

With a giant movie screen showing footage of Billy and his band the atmosphere will be both electric and emotional.

Halfway To Paradise is at Darlington Civic Theatre on Wednesday 9 March. Tickets* are priced £19.50 and £21.50.

*All prices include a £1 restoration levy

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