WICKED, the West End musical that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, has announced its first ever Autism-Friendly performance on Saturday 14th May 2016 at 1:30pm.

The production is working closely with the National Autistic Society, the UK’s leading charity for people on the autism spectrum and their families, to create a friendly and supportive environment in which to enjoy the show. The specially adapted performance is suitable for people with autism, with trained staff on hand in dedicated quiet and activity areas should anyone need to leave their seats.

Mark Lever, Chief Executive of the National Autistic Society, said: “We were delighted to be offered the opportunity to work with the Apollo Victoria Theatre, the Ambassador Theatre Group and the producers of this hugely successful show. More than one in one hundred people have autism in the UK, and many of those affected by this lifelong condition are acutely sensitive to everyday sights and sounds, which other people are able to filter out, such as fluorescent lighting, background music or traffic noise. Autistic people and their families tell us that they would love to go to the theatre but because of sensory issues are prevented from doing so. Wicked’s production team have taken great care in adapting the show which means that for some of the audience on 14 May, this will be the very first time that they are able to experience the thrill of a live performance.”

Executive Producer (UK) Michael McCabe said: “We are greatly indebted to the National Autistic Society and to the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) for their support in arranging this dedicated Autism-Friendly performance. We’r­e delighted to be able to welcome fans of Wicked who wouldn’t normally be able to attend a standard performance and look forward to what promises to be an inspiring experience for us all.”

People with autism can experience sensory overload so to deal with this there will be adjustments made to the sounds and lighting. People will be able to leave the auditorium as needed and there will be chill out spaces identified around the theatre. Theatre staff, cast and crew will have been given an insight into autism so they are more aware of the needs of this audience.

Based on the international best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire that ingeniously re-imagined the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

 

Wicked has music and lyrics by multi Grammy® and Academy® Award-winner Stephen Schwartz (Godspell; Disney’s Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and is based on the novel ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’ by Gregory Maguire and adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman. Musical staging is by Tony® Award-winner Wayne Cilento and the production is directed by two-time Tony® Award-winner Joe Mantello.

Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Executive Producer (UK) Michael McCabe.

Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG

LISTINGS INFORMATION
Wicked – Autism Friendly Performance
Saturday 14 May 2016, 1:30pm (please note early start time).
Tickets: £40.00 | £35.00 | £25.00 | £15.00
Book online: www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk/AutismFriendly
Book By Telephone: 020 7828 7074
Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG
The theatre is 1 minute from London Victoria Mainline and Underground Stations
Box Office Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday 10.00am – 7.45pm

 

Winners of the Critic’s Circle Theatre Awards have been announced today at a ceremony held at the Prince of Wales Theatre.

Denise Gough scooped Best Actress for her performance in People, Places and Things three years after winning Most Promising Newcomer whilst Kenneth Cranham won Best Actor for his performance in Florian Zeller’s sell-out play The Father.

The 71-year-old Cranham said of his win: “It’s great to have won the Critics’ Circle Award. The last thing I won was in 1968! The Father is coming back to the West End I’ve done it 171 times, and I will do almost another 100. My speciality is always giving it everything.”

At the ceremony Gough, who won the best actress award for her role as an addict in Duncan Macmillan’s play, said: “[People, Places and Things] has the possibility of changing people’s lives and how great that I’m getting attention for something I’m really proud of.

‘I’m under no illusion: our play is transferring because of our amazing reviews as well as word of mouth. I’m very grateful for what it means for this play.”

Gough also spoke about the need for gender equality in the arts: “Women are 50 per cent of the population but less than a third of speaking roles in films are women. That’s insane. So I’m going about trying to find ways in which we can keep the conversation going which we can inspire change. People are crying out for strong female narratives onstage.”

The actress spoke about a new campaign to talk about gender inequality in the arts. Gough was promoting the 50:50 by 2018 campaign which launches at the end of the month.

Other winners include Gurinder Chadha’s new musical Bend It Like Beckham and Judi Dench for her performance in Kenneth Branagh’s The Winter’s Tale.

Chadha said: “I’m so thrilled! We went out on a limb to do [Bend It Like Beckham], we didn’t know if it was going to work, it’s not easy doing a musical, it’s really not easy doing an original musical full of Indian people so really all the odds were stacked against us.

“The film [of Bend It Like Beckham] was 15 years ago, I’m done with the film. I really wanted [the musical] to be something different so Howard Goodall was such a great safe pair of hands to work with.”

The Royal Court production of Hangmen picked up two awards, one for Best New Play and the other to Anna Fleischle for Best Designer.

Winners

Best New Play
Hangmen by Martin McDonagh (Royal Court and Wyndham’s Theatre)

The Peter Hepple Award for Best Musical [new or revival]
Bend It Like Beckham (Phoenix Theatre)

Best Actor
Kenneth Cranham in The Father (Bath Theatre Royal Ustinov Studio and Tricycle Theatre, transferring to Wyndham’s Theatre and 2016 transfer to Duke of York’s Theatre)

Best Actress
Denise Gough in People, Places and Things (Dorfman Theatre at the National followed by 2016 transfer to Wyndham’s Theatre)

The Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance
Judi Dench in The Winter’s Tale (Garrick Theatre)

Best Director
Robert Icke for Oresteia (Almeida followed by transfer to Trafalgar Studios)

Best Designer
Anna Fleischle for Hangmen (Royal Court followed by transfer to Wyndham’s Theatre)

Most Promising Playwright
James Fritz for Four minutes twelve seconds (Hampstead Theatre and Trafalgar Studios)

The Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer [other than a playwright]
David Moorst in Violence and Son (Royal Court)

Kit Harington to star in Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe and Colin Teevan, directed by Jamie Lloyd 

• Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) to play Faustus
• London premiere of Colin Teevan’s version of Christopher Marlowe’s masterpiece
• From 9th April 2016 at Duke of York’s Theatre, London
• Press previews from 21st April 2016 with Gala Night 25th April 2016

Kit Harington will return to the London stage to play the title role in an anarchic production of Doctor Faustus at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London, from 9th April 2016. Directed by Jamie Lloyd, Christopher Marlowe’s masterwork, with two acts by Colin Teevan, will preview from Monday 9th April 2016, booking until Saturday 4th June.

Further casting to be announced.

Kit Harington has played Jon Snow in Game of Thrones (HBO) since 2011. On stage, he was in the original casts of War Horse (National Theatre) and Posh (Royal Court).

With Teevan’s darkly comic scenes replacing the extant middle acts (widely believed not to have been written by Marlowe), and dynamic stage illusions, the story of this 400-year-old play will be transported to a celebrity-obsessed society of greed and instant gratification, offering a fresh perspective that chimes with our times.

Faustus makes a pact with the Devil, selling his soul in return for the ability to perform anything he pleases with the power of black magic. This fatal decision catapults him into an intoxicating world of celebrity, as he becomes a world-renowned conjuror, international heartthrob and friend of the rich, famous and powerful. But what is the cost of his insatiable thirst for wealth and fame?

On returning to the stage, Kit Harington said “I have been away from the theatre for six years, so the combination of Colin Teevan’s inventive version of Marlowe’s extraordinary play in the hands of the visionary director Jamie Lloyd all felt like the perfect reason to come back. Faustus’ journey is exhilarating and the idea of playing a magician – a showman – is hugely exciting.“

Jamie Lloyd said “Kit Harington is one of the most dynamic young actors around and he’s eager for a new challenge. This version of this legendary play combines the very best of Marlowe’s text with thrilling work by Colin Teevan, which replaces the notorious central acts, long-suspected to be of spurious origin. I am excited to be presenting our company’s first production at the Duke of York’s, whilst The Maids with Uzo Aduba, Zawe Ashton and Laura Carmichael runs at Trafalgar Studios.”

The production will be designed by Soutra Gilmour, with lighting by Jon Clark, and music and sound by Ben and Max Ringham.

As with The Jamie Lloyd Company’s previous productions, all tickets for Monday performances will be £15. Some of these will be made available through a special outreach scheme, targeted at schools and first-time theatregoers. The other half will be released monthly to the public each month, and will be available online or at the Duke of York’s box office.

The Jamie Lloyd Company’s 50th anniversary production of The Homecoming, starring Keith Allen, Gemma Chan, Ron Cook, Gary Kemp, John Macmillan and John Simm, is currently running at the Trafalgar Studios until 13th February. That will be followed by Jamie Lloyd’s production of Jean Genet’s The Maids, with Uzo Aduba, Zawe Ashton and Laura Carmichael, which previews from 20 February, also at the Trafalgar Studios.

LISTINGS

DOCTOR FAUSTUS

A THE JAMIE LLOYD COMPANY PRODUCTION

FROM 9TH APRIL 2016

BOOKING UNTIL 4th JUNE 2016

For priority information and seat releases follow us on:

Twitter @JamieLloydCo / #FaustusLondon

Facebook /JamieLloydCo

ON SALE NOW

Performances: Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm

Thursday & Saturday at 2.30pm (from 21st April)

 

Ticket prices: £15 all tickets on Mondays (from 2nd May)

(First Monday tickets on sale from 1st April)

£15, £35, £45, £59.50

Premium Seats Available

All tickets will be £15 on Mondays. Half of these will be made available through a special outreach scheme, targeted towards schools and first-time theatregoers. The other half will be released monthly to the public on the first day of each month and will be available online or at the Duke of York’s box office.

Address:                                              Duke of York’s Theatre, St Martin’s Lane,

London WC2N 4BG

Box Office:                                           www.ATGtickets.com

Website:                                               thejamielloydcompany.com

Facebook                                              facebook.com/JamieLloydCo

Twitter                                                 @JamieLloydCo / #FaustusLondon

Robert Fox, Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions and Royal Court Theatre Productions present
The Royal Court Theatre production of
HANGMEN
By Martin McDonagh
Directed by Matthew Dunster

Set and costume design by Anna Fleischle, lighting design by Joshua Carr and sound design by Ian Dickinson for Autograph.

• MARTIN MCDONAGH’S AWARD-WINNING SMASH HIT HANGMEN RECOUPS IN UNDER SIX WEEKS

• WINNER OF BEST NEW PLAY AND BEST DESIGN AT CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS 2016

• LAST CHANCE TO SEE THE UNIVERSALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION AT WYNDHAM’S THEATRE IN LONDON’S WEST END, MUST END 5 MARCH 2016

Producers Robert Fox, Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions and Royal Court Theatre Productions have revealed that Matthew Dunster’s production of Martin McDonagh’s Hangmenhas recouped in under six weeks. The news comes as the production is announced the winner of the Critic’s Circle ‘Best New Play’ and ‘Best Design’ Awards today. Following a sell out run at the Royal Court Theatre, Matthew Dunster’s production of Martin McDonagh’s Hangmentransferred to the West End for a strictly limited season in December and must end on 5 March.

Matthew Byam Shaw, Producer for Playful Productions, said, “No-one expected a play about public lynchings to go wild at the box office over Christmas, but Hangmen is so entertaining and unique, the public has decided that this is the new play to see.”

Lucy Davies, Exec Producer at the Royal Court said, “We programmed this play at the Royal Court in May, opened it to sold out houses in September, it transferred by Christmas, and has recouped by January. This has been a textbook example of how incredibly fruitful, confident and nimble the collaboration between subsidised theatres, commercial producers and theatre owners can be. It has been a very happy project, and we are delighted that audiences have embraced its brilliance, and its extraordinary craft.”

After a decade-long absence from the London stage, McDonagh returned to the Royal Court Theatre with Hangmen in September 2015 to critical and public acclaim. The full West End cast includes: Josef Davies, James Dryden, Johnny Flynn, Tony Hirst, John Hodgkinson, Bronwyn James, David Morrissey, Andy Nyman, Craig Parkinson, Ryan Pope, Sally Rogers, Mark Roseand Simon Rouse.

In his small pub in Oldham, Harry is something of a local celebrity. But what’s the second-best hangman in England to do on the day they’ve abolished hanging?  

Amongst the cub reporters and sycophantic pub regulars dying to hear Harry’s reaction to the news, a peculiar stranger lurks, with a very different motive for his visit.

The transfer of Hangmen is produced by Robert Fox, Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions and Royal Court Theatre Productions.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Robert Fox, Matthew Byam Shaw for Playful Productions, and Royal Court Theatre Productions present
The Royal Court Theatre production of
HANGMEN
by Martin McDonagh
Directed by Matthew Dunster
Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0DA
Until Saturday 5 March 2016

Final performance: Saturday 5 March

Performance times: Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm (except Wednesday 3 March at 7pm)
Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.

Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes including interval

Tickets from £19.50

Book online: www.hangmentheplay.com
Phone: 0844 482 51204
Groups: 0844 482 51004
Schools: 0844 482 5165
Access: 0844 482 5137

Book online www.royalcourttheatre.com
Phone: 020 7565 5000
Or in person at the box office (Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS)

No booking fees when booked directly with the theatre, www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk,www.hangmentheplay.com and via the Royal Court Box Office.

A limited number of £19.50 Day Seats will be released in person at Wyndham’s Theatre Box Office from 10am for that day’s performances.

FINAL CALL OUT FOR COMPETITION ENTRIES TO dancescreen AT FRAME, PRESENTED BY BALLETBOYZ IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE dancescreen COMPETITION 2016

CASH PRIZES TO AWARD-WINNERS 

CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES IS 31 JANUARY 2016

9TH – 12TH JUNE 2016 

The FRAME Film Festival, presented by BalletBoyz in association with IMZ International Music and Media Centre’s dancescreen competition, is looking for final submissions for this year’s London event which could be eligible to win cash awards. With four competitive categories and nine awards, pre-selection panels and juries will be considering originality, communication and direction. With the closing date of 31 January fast approaching, filmmakers are being encouraged to submit work for consideration.  All short-listed films will be published in the dancescreen catalogue.

The esteemed judging panel, announced today, includes Jan Younghusband (Head of Commissioning, Music & Events TV, BBC), Dieter Schneider (Commissioning Editor Theater & Music, ZDF/ Arte),  Alistair Spalding (Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Sadlers Wells Theatre, London), and Pegah Farahmand (Editor Random Acts, Channel4).

FRAME: The London Dance Film Festival will take place 9th- 12th June this year offering an opportunity for creative talent in the arts, dance and film worlds to share experience, show work, learn from other artists and enjoy the best that dance and dance film offers. For this first edition, FRAME team up with the bi-annual dance film competition, dancescreen. Cutting edge new films will feature alongside established favourites with a programme from dancescreen and FRAME, created to appeal to film, tv and media industries, dance enthusiasts and those who enjoy watching dance.

Alongside the screening programmes FRAME will provide Industry panel discussions, workshops and seminars that share experience of established professionals alongside exciting newcomers. FRAME Film Festival’s Artistic directors are Michael Nunn and William Trevitt (BalletBoyz) alongside Joe Bateman as Festival Director.  Full programme details will be announced in May.

The competitive categories are
A. Live performance relay and camera re-work
Multi-camera relay/capture of a live dance performance and adaptation of an existing choreography for broadcast or theatrical release
B. Animation
Choreography and direction of animated sequences and content
C. Screen choreography
Choreographic work specifically created for the screen, including experimental films, music videos and narrative fiction, C1) up to 5 minutes C2) up to 15 minutes C3) over 15 minutes
D. Documentary
Subject material must predominantly feature an artist, a choreographer, a dance company, the choreographic process, dance history or other dance related subjects.

The awards are

dancescreen Award for Best Film (Prize: £1,000) The Award will be presented by a jury panel of international film, video and dance experts for the best overall film from all entries

dancescreen Award for Best Student Film (Prize £500) A student competition will run parallel to these categories with an award for Best Student Film from all entries. Proof of full-time enrolment in an accredited university or college is required during the submission process.

FRAME Muybridge Award for Technical Innovation (The Muybridge Award) (Prize: £1,000)As above, work from all categories will be in contention to win this award.

dancescreen 2016 Category Winners In each category a much-appreciated distinction is given to the winning film in each of the 4 listed categories.  The winners of the 2016 Awards will be announced on 12 June 2016 at the FRAME Festival closing night Award ceremony.

Any work that is submitted for dancescreen’s competitive selection will also feature in the buyer’s catalogue for 2016.  All content submitted for consideration for the dancescreen 2016 awards will be included.

Full information on how to enter the competition can be found here:  www.dancescreen.com

FRAME
www.facebook.com/framefilmfestival
@FrameFilmFest
http://framefilmfestival.com

BALLETBOYZ
https://instagram.com/balletboyz
@BalletBoyz
www.balletboyz.com

 

LISTINGS INFORMATION

DANCESCREEN COMPETITION: 2 NOVEMBER 2015 – 31 JANUARY 2016

FRAME: THE LONDON DANCE FILM FESTIVAL:  9 – 12 JUNE 2016
Kingston Upon Thames

9 June
Festival Gala opening at the Rose Theatre, Kingston Upon Thames

10 June
Dance industry panels, workshops and discussions

11 June
Film screenings, outdoor events in Kingston market place, family and children’s shows and events

12 June
Awards Gala at the Rose Theatre Kingston Upon Thames: screenings, announcement of competitions winners plus a special live performance from BalletBoyz.

ENCHANTING NEW PRODUCTION FOR FAMILIES COMES TO YORK NEXT MONTH

Following on from last year’s hugely successful touring production of The Princess and the Pea, the latest York Theatre Royal and tutti frutti co-production, Snow Child comes to the De Grey Rooms Ballroom from Tuesday 23 February to Saturday 5 March 2016.

As Autumn leaves fall and the foxes, wolves and bears hide among the trees, we tell you a magical story about family, love and the power of dreams.

The first snow falls. Watching the village children play, a lonely couple yearn for a child of their own. They build a small figure from the ice and snow, and wish very, very hard… until the strength of their longing brings the magical snow child to life before their eyes!

She’s a girl like no other. As she dances in the wild landscape and talks with the animals, she brings joy, fun and laughter to the whole village. But it’s not easy, bringing up a wild daughter of the blizzards and the wind. As the seasons turn, and winter gives way to spring and summer, will the Snow Child and her parents find their “happily ever after”?

Inspired by Arthur Ransome’s adaptation of the Russian folk tale The Little Daughter of the Snow tutti frutti and York Theatre Royal are thrilled to bring you writer Emma Reeves’ new play following her huge success with her adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Hetty Feather (West End) and her TV triumphs; Tracy Beaker and the Dumping Ground as well as her new up and coming show Eve.

The play will be directed by tutti frutti’s artistic director Wendy Harris and the cast is made up of Mei Mac playing Snow Child, Paula James as Mother and animals and Mark Pearce as Father and animals.

With atmospheric music by Ollie Birch, beautiful movement by Joanne Bernard and an inspired design brought to you by Kate Bunce, this promises to be a wonderland of poignant, inventive storytelling to enchant children and families.

Writer Emma Reeves said:

Like all the best legends, there are many versions available, some of which end happily, others not so much. But the central story is always there, two parents who yearn for a child so much that their very love and desperation wills her into being, and a child who loves her parents but doesn’t understand them – and vice versa. I wanted to write a story about unconditional love, and how we wittingly or unwittingly test the people we love – and how we try to forgive them when they fail.

Snow Child is a performance for children aged 3-8 and their families. Tickets are on sale now priced £12 for adults, £10 for concessions and £6 for children under 16 (£1 transaction fee per booking) and are available from York Theatre Royal Box Office in person, by phone on 01904 623568 or securely online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

 Theatre N16 24 – 28 January.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

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Tom Hartwell’s comedy is a delight from start to finish. If the first thing you do in the morning is check your phone, then this play is right up your street. I am a complete technophobe, and even I understood all of the references

David has elevated procrastination to an art form, spending more time online than with his girlfriend. When she breaks up with him, he responds with hashtags. When a photo of him kissing another girl is shared on Facebook and Charlotte finds out, David tries to sort his life out. But he is visited by personifications of applications that distract him and try to prove their worth. Instagram (constantly taking selfies), Youtube (filming everything in case it goes viral), Hotmail (apparently we all need him?), Snapchat (never standing still for more than 10 seconds), Farmville (providing updates on the fate of Dave’s potatoes and cows) and Tinder (swiping left when things don’t go her way) are all desperate not to follow Myspace into obscurity. Facebook is a Mephistophelean presence, manipulating David’s profile and buying up the smaller apps to maintain his influence on the world, and David.

The script is sharp and clever, drawing laughs and groans of recognition from the audience, and the energetic cast are very funny. Hadley Smith is a scream as shambolic and desperate Hotmail – he seemed to be on a mission to trash the entire set during the play, and Katie Dalzell’s dour and doom laden Farmville is a real treat.  

This is a play full of insight and belly laughs, and well worth seeing.

SEARCH FOR MAN’S BEST FRIEND

The Touring Consortium Theatre Company are on the look out for a dog to appear at Darlington Civic Theatre in Of Mice And Men from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 March.

A Border Collie named Badger was due to tour with the cast of the John Steinbeck classic play Of Mice And Men. Sadly, Badger passed away from old age before rehearsals began, and the producers are now seeking an elderly dog to appear in each venue on the tour.

Most breeds and sizes will be considered, but he or she should ideally look relatively elderly and have the appearance of a ‘working’ dog, and must have a calm temperament. The dog will be on stage for around 5 minutes in total, alongside Dudley Sutton, playing ‘Candy’ and on a lead at all times. No previous acting experience needed.

The successful dog and owner will be required 6pm to 9pm on Tuesday, 7pm to 9pm Wednesday to

Saturday and 2pm to 3.30pm for the Wednesday and Saturday matinees. Expenses of up to £300 per week will be paid.

Interested parties should apply immediately to Janice Taylor via email: [email protected] or telephone 0844 5880 848.

Of Mice And Men is the story of two migrant farm workers held together by a mutual dependence, a deep affection and an undying loyalty. The pair go in search of a new beginning in the hope of attaining their shared dream: of putting together enough money to buy a small piece of land and building a home. No strangers to trouble, George and Lennie soon find themselves reeling from the fallout of an innocent misunderstanding which spirals out of control and leaves the two men, bound together by friendship, facing an earth-shattering climax. A story, raw in speech and action, full of heart and unflinching realism, it remains one of the most poignant statements of being human our contemporary theatre has produced.

Of Mice And Men is at Darlington Civic Theatre from Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 March.

Tickets* £17.40 to £27, discounts available. Thursday and Saturday matinees all seats £18.50. Family ticket Saturday 2.30pm £44. Under 16s and schools all seats £11 plus 1 free with every 10 booked.

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

*All prices include a £1 restoration levy

CLOSE TO YOU
Bacharach Reimagined

• LAST CHANCE TO SEE CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED
• FINAL PERFORMANCES ON VALENTINE’S DAY, SUNDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2016 AT CRITERION THEATRE

 

New musical CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED will end its limited West End run on Valentine’s Day, Sunday 14 February. Featuring Burt Bacharach’s songbook, CLOSE TO YOU broke box office records at the Criterion Theatre when it opened on 15 October, with the biggest advance in the venue’s history.

Performed by a young, multi-talented cast led by the visionary musician and performer Kyle Riabko, the show features Riabko’s thrillingly new yet beautifully faithful interpretations of Bacharach’s classics.  Blending nostalgia and innovation, generations old and new can now revel in all the hits as if for the very first time.  The show redefines the songbook musical by fusing this extraordinary reinterpretation of over 30 timeless Bacharach melodies with innovative choreography, taking the audience on an emotional and exhilarating journey.

Details are yet to be announced for the CLOSE TO YOU: BACHARACH REIMAGINED album. Produced by Kyle Riabko, the album will feature the London cast performing their timeless interpretations of Bacharach’s unforgettable hits.

The show, newly renamed CLOSE TO YOU, premiered to critical acclaim and was a smash hit at New York Theatre Workshop, original home of both Once and Rent, becoming the longest running show in the history of that theatre, followed recently by a sold out and highly acclaimed run at The Menier Chocolate Factory. The production at the Criterion Theatre will be the last opportunity for audiences to see the show in the West End.

Directed by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett, best known for his iconic movement for such hits as Once, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Black Watch, Riabko leads an incredibly talented group of singers and musicians from both sides of the Atlantic through Bacharach’s greatest hits.

CLOSE TO YOU makes hearts sing and spirits soar with such classics as Alfie, Anyone Who Had a Heart, I Say a Little Prayer, Magic Moments, The Look of Love, Walk on By, Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, What’s New Pussycat, I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself, This Guy’s in Love With You, What the World Needs Now is Love and, of course, Close to You.

The New York Theater Workshop / Menier Chocolate Factory production of CLOSE TO YOU is presented in the West End by David Lane Seltzer for Entertainment 360, the producing arm of Management 360, also responsible for the blockbuster TV series Game of Thrones and the upcoming, highly anticipated Danny Boyle-directed Steve Jobs biopic.

CLOSE TO YOU features Music by Burt Bacharach and Lyrics by Hal David and others, with Musical Arrangements by Kyle Riabko who also conceived the show with Seltzer, and is Directed by Steven Hoggett, with Set Design by Christine Jones and Brett Banakis, Costume Design byMatthew Wright, Lighting Design by Tim Lutkin, and Sound Design by Richard Brooker.

Daniel Bailen, Anastacia McClesky, and James Williams are appearing with the permission of Actors’ Equity Association.  The Producers gratefully acknowledge Actors’ Equity Association for its assistance of this production.

LISTINGS

CLOSE TO YOU

Bacharach Reimagined

Venue:                   Criterion Theatre

Address:                 2 Jermyn St, London SW1Y 4XA

Dates:                    Saturday 3 October – Sunday 14 February, 2016

Times:                   Mon – Sat at 7.30pm; Wed, Sat at 3pm
Additional performances Sun 14 Feb at 2.30pm and 6pm

Box Office:            0844 847 1778

Website:                CloseToYouLondon.com

Facebook:              /CloseToYouLDN

Twitter:                 @CloseToYouLDN