• LEADING YOUTH ARTS ORGANISATION THE NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE TO HOLD AUDITIONS ACROSS THE UK FOR AGES 14-25

• FIRST TIME NYT HAS OFFERED EXTENDED 3 WEEK TECHNICAL COURSES

• BAD EDUCATION STAR SARAH SOLEMANI DESCRIBES HOW NYT ‘CHANGED MY LIFE’                       

The National Youth Theatre, the UK’s leading youth arts organisation, is holding auditions and interviews across the country for its 2016 intake acting and technical courses. Successful applicants will follow in the footsteps of alumni such as Dame Helen Mirren, Daniel Craig,Chiwetel Ejiofor CBE and Sir Daniel Day Lewis, getting the chance to train with the NYT on acting and technical courses over the summer of 2016.

This will be the first time ever that the NYT has offered extended three week long technical courses alongside their renowned intake acting courses. Acting auditions take place between January and March 2016 and Technical Course interviews take place in February, both can be applied for here.

Playwright and star of Him & Her and Bad Education Sarah Solemani, who started her career in the NYT, commented: “Auditioning for the National Youth Theatre undoubtedly changed my life. It gave me world class training, introduced me into the industry and gave me friends for life. I wouldn’t have the career I have now without it.”

The NYT’s application process allows applicants from all backgrounds across the UK the chance to join the National Youth Theatre to build careers in the industry whilst working with other young people; the courses themselves provide extensive training on theatre and theatre practice. Out of the 4000+ people who auditioned in 2015, 500 were offered places, with 75% of successful applicants from outside London, 21% from BAME backgrounds and 55% female.

Artistic Director Paul Roseby said: “Whether you’ve never done drama before in your life or it’s the only thing you’re passionate about, if you’re interested in exploring your creative talent we want to meet you in 2016. As our former members in the entertainment industry and beyond prove, anything’s possible but it starts with an audition or interview.”

Former NYT Member and Doctor Who star Matt Smith said: “The National Youth Theatre is the reason I’m an actor. It’s given me great confidence, opportunity and life-long friends. I got an agent through performing with NYT and now I’m a professional actor who’s working. It completely transformed my life. No understatement.”

For the first time ever in 2016 NYT are offering extended industry standard, three week Technical Courses taught by top industry professionals in Costume, Lighting and Sound, Scenic Construction and Stage Management. After completing the course applicants will become members of the NYT and will be offered opportunities to build their CVs working on shows including the REP Seasons in the West End and other projects both nationally and internationally. Technical alumni include fashion designer Gareth Pugh, technical director of the London 2012 Ceremonies Piers Shepperd and theatre technicians at leading venues around the world.

After a successful audition for NYT’s Intake Acting Courses, applicants aged 14-17 will gain a space on NYT’s Junior Acting Course; successful applicants aged 18-25 will join NYT’s three week Senior Acting Course or a four week Epic Stages Course. Bursary places are available for auditions, interviews and courses for those facing financial hardship. Intake courses take place in August. Acting Auditions consist of three hour group workshops and an individual performance of a prepared speech. Speeches should be from a published play and learned by heart. The NYT membership that participants receive on completion affords them the opportunity to showcase their acting abilities through the NYT’s productions, locally, nationally and internationally. As part of membership participants can also be considered to be part of the NYT REP Company, a group of members who train with the NYT full time for a year, fully funded, as a free performance training initiative.

Applicants need to apply by 31 January 2016.

More information at www.nyt.org.uk  / Twitter @NYTofGB

Ding Dong Merrily on High: Three-quarters of the nation has had a Christmas Day argument before 2pm

 Show Some Elf Control: It’s A Wonderful Life tops the ‘best Christmas film’ poll while nearly 1 in 10 love Elf

 Top Of The Christmas Tree-V: EastEnders beats Corrie for best festive storyline

       Second Screens Snow Longer Allowed: More than 1 in 6 of us ban tablets at home during Christmas lunch

       Santa Pause – Don’t Miss-tletoe Your Favourite TV: Two thirds of us now record Christmas Day TV and viewing back as a family when the Christmas feast is over

         Down And Sprout: Downton is the most anticipated show of the festive season

Monday 14^th December 2015: As Brits looks forward to this year’s Christmas telly bonanza, subscription free satellite TV provider Freesat took a look at what its viewers are doing and watching over the holiday period.

Classic Christmas feel-good film It’s A Wonderful Life has topped the list of favourite films, beating modern day favourite Elf which scored nearly 1 in 10 (8%) of the vote.  When asked which film they had watched the most over the Christmas period, over 60% admitted to having watched The Wizard of Oz over three times.

Yet despite all the time spent watching Christmas movies, over a quarter of us (26%) confess to having disagreements over what to watch on TV during the festive season. In fact by 2pm on Christmas Day nearly three-quarters of us (73%) have had a bust up already, with the most popular reason being not helping in the kitchen (50%).  And while mother in laws may be the butt of the jokes, only 1 in 10 of us have fallen out with ours over Christmas, instead arguing with partners (35%) and children (23%).

Despite this, the happiest part of Christmas Day is watching TV for nearly a third of us (30%) with 4 out of 5 of us saying it is one of the few times over the year when they sit down and watch TV together as a family.

Soaps are the centre of the TV schedule throughout the year and Christmas is no exception.EastEnders tops Corrie for always having the most exciting seasonal storylines (33% of us think so), and the much-loved daytime soap Doctors beats Hollyoaks for Christmas excitement with 1 in 10 (11%) of us thinking it has the festive excitement factor (compared to just 5% for Hollyoaks).

The study also looked at how technology continues to invade every part of our life over the Christmas season; but it has no place at the Christmas table as a quarter of us (27%) say they have disagreements about mobiles or tablets being used at Christmas lunch.

In fact more than 1 in 6 of us (16%) ban second screens at home on Christmas Day in favour of a day focusing on family. Yet we’ve worked out a way to solve the invasion of second screens at our Christmas tables, with two-thirds (66%) of us deciding what to view in advance by recording and watching when the flurry of food is over.

Christmas is traditionally a competitive battleground for our TV eyeballs and this year is no exception. The most anticipated show of Christmas 2015 is Downton Abbey, with nearly a third (30%) of us looking forward to the finale. Sherlock should set New Year’s Day alight with 23% of us excitedly awaiting the return of everyone’s favourite TV detective. 41% of us say that we always sit down with family to watch the Christmas Day film on what is still a hugely important day for the box in the corner of the living room.

Freesat spokesperson Jennifer Elworthy commented on the findings: “With the best specials and compelling storylines across our favourite soaps, dramas and comedies, Christmas is without a doubt the best time of year to watch telly. This year looks set to be packed with great programmes for the whole family, whatever the situation. The toughest decision will be deciding what to watch.”

Freesat have launched a website with a compilation of the best of Christmas TV for the festive season. You can find some recommendations on the best TV for you this holiday at:Christmas.freesat.co.uk

Signal Box Theatre, York.  Thu 10 Dec – Sun 24 Jan 2016.  Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

Dick Whittington and his (meer)cat, was my first ever pantomime and I’m glad that I went to see this one; the performance itself was funny and suitable for all ages. A praise must go out to Berwick Kaler once again playing the dame. I found the acting style very strange at first, with them popping in and out of character; talking to the audience made the performance so much funnier. They used the signal box theatre to their advantage, with the rail track in the middle and an audience on two sides which made space for a ‘they’re behind you’ joke.

The theatre was due to open before the release of dick Whittington however due to archaeological finds the opening date has been pushed back to the 22nd of April 2016, Kaler made sure that that he fit in a joke about being at the Signal Box Theatre.

Martin Barrass played Willy Polony and Mayor Cheapskate, both characters were very melodramatic. The character of Willy made me laugh so much, with jokes about an actor not being a real job and a hilarious seal outfit which lead to him falling over and everyone in the audience laughing. Kaler played Paloma Polony, who had more extravagant dresses than you can count each relevant to the scene. There were lots of jokes about Kaler forgetting his lines, this was addressed in the scene when a customer kept forgetting his lines and upon finally saying it he got a applause from the audience. However David Leonard who played the villainous Herman Vermin stood out for me, with a complex song about listing all the places he had been in the world they even made a joke about it by trying to get the audience to sing along to it at the end; he played the character very well creating humour and hatred towards the character. I found that a scene where he started laughing and then a loud evil laugh came up on the speakers and as a result he jumped out of fear.

They had included new song like Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk and Lilly Allen’s LDN, they adapted the songs to suit the scene, LDN was used when the audience first see London, this was performed by Charlotte Cheapskate (Suzy Cooper) they made the song much more light hearted and fun. Herman’s song Hallelujah Herman was an adaptation of Hard Rock Hallelujah by Lordi which won them Eurovision. This song was fitting for the character and made for a great entrance for such a villain.
They used amazing puppets in an underwater scene, this was one of my most favourite parts as they had fish, a whale and marvellous octopus which was gigantic and has several people on the verticals. The smaller fish puppets had a dance sequence, the music here was a mix of several songs; they were bopping up and down and swaying from side to side. They use a see through curtain and lighting to creating a simple underwater effect which also concealed the actors which made the scene more immersive
Overall the performance was amazing and lived up the prestigious name that it has earned over the years, it is suitable for all ages and will make anyone laugh. I found myself sing along to some songs as everyone knew at least one song. The acting style was bizarre at first but then it became hilarious with the addition, of the cast talking to the audience. At the bows Kaler came on a small train, and he broke which made everyone laugh including most of the cast. An Excellent Performance once again by York Theatre Royal.

Pleasance Theatre  8 December – 3 January.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Little Red Riding Hood is a wonderful new show for children. Written by Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary, this sweet little show tweaks the fairy tale just enough to keep the young audience guessing.

Little Red lives with her mother and father in their amazing bakery, but one day her father disappears. From then on, the cakes they bake are disgusting and Little Red decides to go to Grandma’s house for advice on how to make things better. On the way she meets the wolf, who tricks her into wandering off the path so that he can get to Grandma’s house first and eat her, with Little Red as pudding. We all know the fairy tale, but Brunger and Cleary have introduced a magical twist that is satisfying for both adults and children. The scene where Red pulls Grandma out of the wolf is a hoot, and the final confrontation in the woods is very funny. The moments of jeopardy are well signposted for the young children – music and lighting change dramatically, and then a lighter moment follows quickly to prevent any upset in the audience.

Nazarene Williams is a very modern Little Red, with just the right mix of innocence and bravery. Holly-Anna Lloyd is full of warmth as her mother, and Matthew Barrow is sweet as Red’s father and fantastically over the top as the wolf – vain and deeply nasty, imagine Stephen Fry voicing Scar in the Lion King and you’re almost there. Grandma (Patsy Blower) is feisty and bossy – her fight with the wolf is beautifully choreographed. As William the Woodcutter, Matthew Jay-Ryan is child-like and full of energy.

The set is delightful – the foliage is like a patchwork quilt, with the sky reminiscent of Matisse, the flowers and woodland creatures are origami creations – all very familiar to children who love picture books. The songs are catchy and hummable, and the cast sing and act with total commitment. This is a show that you can take your children to without worrying about the content. It is sweet, funny and has a very happy ending. Perfect Christmas entertainment for little ones.

LOST Theatre 10 -12, 18 – 20 December.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Camp as Christmas and sharp as nails, Kitten In Heels is fan-flipping-tastic!

In this mad mash up of Dick Whittington and Puss in Boots, Katie Hopkins is dead (drowned in her own bile) and all that she has left her youngest son, Dick Whittington (Ashton Charge, wonderfully wet and witless) is a talking cat (Becky Finlay-Hall, Head Girl with a tail) with a shoe fetish. Dick sets off to seek his fortune in London, having spent his last penny on very unsuitable shoes for his puss. He ends up lodging with Dame Jimmy Choo at Shoes the Chemist, and falls for her daughter Jenny (a superbly sulky Holly Aisbitt). King Rat, evil landlord and mayoral candidate (Boris has left to fleece the home counties) reluctantly accepts Dame Choo’s help with his campaign while Puss does her best to make Dick attractive to Jenny – definitely onto a loser there, she’s always moaning about only having oranges. Fancy Chance pops up at opportune moments with a sly smile to sell vital props at convenient prices, and becomes the object of Jenny’s affections, culminating hysterically in the obligatory dream ballet sequence. Paul L. Martin is certifiable as Dame Choo in glorious wigs and costumes -”like a feminine Theresa May”. His version of “Memory” is bizarre and bonkers. He fights for centre stage with Jamie Anderson as King Rat, in high heels and silver leggings (which led to a new level of audience participation for one unlucky bloke who had to retrieve his mike pack – I think this could get written into each night’s performance). Both men are side-splittingly funny, whether on or off script – at times it was hard to tell.

Birgitta Kenyon keeps a straight face on the piano and accompanies the superb songs, as well as showcasing phenomenal kazoo skills. From Adele to The Proclaimers and Starship, no genre is left unplundered. The bells telling Dick to turn again leads to a glorious rendition of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (obviously) that had the entire audience singing along and whooping for more. “The Circle of Life” becomes “The City of Shite” when dedicated to old London town. Instead of wild animals, mangy pigeons dance around as the cast chant “went to Primark, couldn’t afford Prada” – brilliant! As for their version of “O Come All Ye Faithful” – filthy! And fabulous.

The jokes are a perfect panto blend of hoary old chestnuts (which Martin milks so much they do make you laugh) and biting satire – immigration, terrorism, Alton Towers, manspreading, and lots of digs at politicians (Boris even makes a cameo appearance). Fantastic fun, and the bar is open throughout the show. What more could you want? A perfect Christmas night out with your mates.

UK PREMIERE

 

A imitating the dog production, co- produced with Marche Teatro in collaboration with The Old Market Brighton, The Castle, Wellingborough and  Lancaster Arts at Lancaster University

The Train

Directed and written by Pete Brooks and Andrew Quick

Projection and Video Designs by Simon Wainwright -Stage Design by Laura Hopkins

Lighting Design by Andrew Crofts -Music by Jeremy Peyton-Jones

Cast – Laura Atherton, Morven Macbeth and Matt Pendergast

 

Touring from 21 Jan – 21 Feb and autumn 2016

 

 

imitating the dog, one of the UK’s most original and innovative performance theatre companiesare set to bring their latest theatrical vision to the stage this winter with the UK premiere of The Train, a new immersive theatrical venture which will take its audience on unforgettable journey in a moving auditorium.

 

The new play will premiere from the 21-25 January at Lancaster Arts at Lancaster University and then visit The Castle Wellingborough from the 19-21 Feb. The production will have an extensive UK tour in autumn 2016.

 

Imagine a world that exists solely as a train.  Imagine a woman who is given a job that she knows will put her life in jeopardy, one that takes her on a journey into her own heart of darkness.  Find yourself moving through carriages witnessing the strange encounters with people who would seem have much more information about what is happening than you do. Imagine entering a terrible nightmare in which those who you assume are dead tell you what your future might bring you.  Imagine you are at a door and you look at the moving tracks and you jump.  Again and again.  Imagine this and you are in The Train.

 

Having been performed for over a month at the Marche Teatro in Ancona and garnering outstanding reviews, The Train is now set to make its English-speaking debut in spring. The production is a unique combination of immersive theatre and philosophical fairground ride, an audience of 12 listen through headphones and sit in an electrically powered moving auditorium which pans and tracks as it follows our heroine’s journey through a multimedia landscape that is both beautiful and disturbing. Part detective thriller and part philosophical meditation on loss and human isolation, The Train takes you on a journey you will never forget.

 

The Train is co- directed and written by imitating the dog founder members Pete Brooks and Andrew Quick (A Farewell to Arms, Kellerman and The Zero Hour, Imitating the dog and Soul Sister, Savoy Theatre). The production’s projection and video design is designed by fellow original founder member Simon Wainwright (The Life and Times of Mitchell & Kenyon, Dukes Theatre). The cast will feature regular imitating the dog performers Morven Macbeth, Laura Atherton and Matt Pendergast.

 

The production’s creative team will also include regular collaborators, Stage Designer Laura Hopkins (Black Watch and Peter Pan, National Theatre of Scotland), Lighting Designer Andrew Crofts (Trash Cuisine, Belarus Free Theatre and The Young Vic) and Composer Jeremy Peyton-Jones.

 

Co –director and playwright Andrew Quick said about the new production:

 “We are very excited to be staging The Train in the UK. It has just had a very successful run in Italy.  People loved being placed right at the heart of the action, moving from scene to scene in a motorized carriage, being only a few inches from the performers and the action.  It’s a great experience but it has its serious side.  It throws us sensually into a disorientating world as we watch and hopefully relate to our heroine’s search for the truth about what has befallen her and how she might overcome the loss of loved ones.”

Since 1998, imitating the dog has devised performances that experiment with the role of story-telling and narrative in a contemporary theatrical context that are performed both in the UK and Internationally. Through the innovative combination of digital media, design and physical performance, the company creates off-kilter worlds within which public and private obsessions – identity, death, love and sexuality – are explored. Made in close collaboration with associate artists, including the highly respected designer Laura Hopkins, their highly visual and technological productions present a unique and memorable experience for the spectator. The company’s recent acclaimed productions have included A Farewell to Arms, The Zero Hour,Six Degrees Below the Horizon and Hotel Methuselah, as well as co-productions with Oldham Coliseum on The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Mist in the Mirror and The Life and Times of Mitchell & Kenyon at the Dukes, Lancaster.

 

The production is supported by funding from the Arts Council England.

For more information visit www.imitatinthedog.co.uk (Twitter: @imitatingthedog)

 

Paul Taylor-Mills and the Mercury Theatre, Colchester

in association with Coventry Belgrade Theatre present

 

END OF THE RAINBOW

By Peter Quilter

Touring the UK from February 2016

 

Starring Lisa Maxwell as Judy Garland

Gary Wilmot as Anthony

And Sam Attwater as Mickey

 

A hit in the West End and on Broadway, End of the Rainbow will return in 2016, touring the UK in a brand new production opening at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester in February starring Lisa Maxwell as Judy Garland.

 

It’s 1968 and Judy Garland, a once-glittering star, is in London to make her explosive comeback. But off stage, holed up in her hotel room, Judy is battling with her young new fiancé, her devoted accompanist, and her destructive addictions. Will she be able to conquer her demons and reclaim her crown as one of history’s great musical icons? Featuring Garland’s most memorable songs The Man That Got Away, Come Rain Or Come Shine,The Trolley Song and of course Somewhere Over The Rainbow, End of the Rainbow is a fiercely funny and emotionally charged musical play filled with Garland’s legendary tenacity, razor-sharp wit and once-in-a-generation voice.

 

Lisa Maxwell will play Judy Garland. Lisa is an actress and television presenter, best known for her role asSamantha Nixon in ITV’s The Bill from 2002 and 2009, and as a panelist on ITV’s Loose Women from 2009 – 2014. Other television credits include EastEnders, The Russ Abbot Show and The Lisa Maxwell Show.

 

Gary Wilmot will play Anthony. Gary’s musical theatre stardom began when he played Bill Snibson in the hit production of Me and My Girl at the Adelphi Theatre. His many theatre credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels(West End and Tour), Oklahoma! (UK Tour), The Pajama Game (Shaftesbury Theatre), The Invisible Man (Menier Chocolate Factory), Chicago (UK Tour), Half a Sixpence (UK Tour), HMS Pinafore and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium), Carmen Jones (Old Vic) and Copacabana (World Premiere, Prince of Wales Theatre).

 

Sam Attwater will play Mickey. Sam made his TV acting debut in 2009, playing Ricky in Hollyoaks. The following year he joined EastEnders and its online spinoff EastEnders: E20, as Leon Small. Stage credits include Brad in the 40th Anniversary tour of The Rocky Horror Show, Dreamboats and Petticoats in the West End, and the 2014 UK Tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Sam won the sixth series of ITV’s Dancing on Ice in 2011, and returned for the ‘All Stars’ series in 2014.

 

At certain performances the role of Judy Garland will be played by Ellen Verenieks.

 

End of the Rainbow first premiered at the Sydney Opera House in 2005, before playing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2006. It returned to the UK in 2010 in a new production at Northampton Royal & Derngate, transferring to the West End the same year where it ran for 6 months and received four Olivier Award nominations. A Broadway run followed in 2012, where it received three Tony Award nominations. It is written by Peter Quilter, whose plays have been presented in over 40 countries around the world and translated into 30 languages. For End of the Rainbow, Peter received an Olivier Award nomination for Best New Play. Other plays include Glorious!, which opened at the West End’s Duchess Theatre in 2005 starring Maureen Lipman, where it was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.

 

End of the Rainbow will be directed by Daniel Buckroyd. Daniel has been Artistic Director of the Mercury Theatre, Colchester since July 2012, where credits include Aladdin, Noises Off, Cinderella, Macbeth, Betty Blue Eyes, The Opinion Makers, The Butterfly Lion, The History Boys, The Hired Man and Michael Morpurgo’s Friend Or Foe. It is designed by David Shields.

www.endoftherainbowtour.co.uk

Facebook EndOfTheRainbow

Twitter @RainbowOnTour

 

 

TOUR LISTINGS

 

Friday 12 – Saturday 20 February 2016

COLCHESTER Mercury Theatre

Tuesday 23 – Saturday 27 February 2016

COVENTRY Belgrade Theatre

Tuesday 1 – Saturday 5 March 2016

AYLESBURY Waterside Theatre

Tuesday 8 – Saturday 12 March 2016

BROMLEY Churchill Theatre

Tuesday 15 – Saturday 19 March 2016

TORQUAY Princess Theatre

Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 March 2016

WINDSOR Theatre Royal

Tuesday 29 March – Saturday 2 April 2016

BRIGHTON Theatre Royal

Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 April 2016

MALVERN Festival Theatre

Monday 18 – Wednesday 20 April 2016

WOLVERHAMPTON Grand Theatre

Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 April 2016

GLASGOW King’s Theatre

Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 May 2016

MANCHESTER Opera House

Monday 9 – Wednesday 11 May 2016

BILLINGHAM Forum Theatre

ON SALE SOON

Thursday 12 – Saturday 14 May 2016

SHEFFIELD Lyceum Theatre

ON SALE SOON

Monday 16 – Wednesday 18 May 2016

LICHFIELD Garrick Theatre

Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 May 2016

NEWCASTLE Tyne Theatre & Opera House

ON SALE SOON

Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 May 2016

RICHMOND THEATRE

Tuesday 31 May – Saturday 4 June 2016

BURY ST EDMUNDS Theatre Royal

Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11 June 2016

WOKING New Victoria Theatre

Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 June 2016

HIGH WYCOMBE Swan Theatre

ON SALE SOON

Tuesday 21 -Saturday 25 June 2016

BIRMINGHAM New Alexandra Theatre

Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 July 2015

CHELTENHAM Everyman Theatre

ON SALE SOON

 

King’s Head Theatre  5 December – 9 January.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Joe DiPietro’s play is a gay version of La Ronde by Arthur Schnitzler, which caused scandal in the 1920s. The play focuses on the sexual encounters of ten men. Each scene features two men, with each character appearing in two consecutive scenes apart from one character who features in the first and final scenes.  

The characters’ attitudes towards relationships and sex are explored with brutal honesty. From the squaddie who swears he isn’t gay as he pays an escort for a blowjob to the bisexual student (“I have a girlfriend!”) who addictively uses Grindr to hook up with married men, some of the characters are hysterically not self-aware. Meaningless physical encounters contrast with the romantic, verbose playwright who considers his hook-ups a way to create a deep connection and the easy, lazy interactions of the married couple who have an arrangement allowing casual sex. They have a long term view of the relationship, with sex and companionship being separate issues, at least for one of them. Throw in a closeted action hero and a grieving journalist whose long term lover has died, and the audience is put through the emotional wringer.

Even though some of the men insist that as they are gay, they are supposed to screw around, the characters are all searching for happiness and fulfilment in their own way. We see relationships that are just beginning, an established relationship, and the aftermath of relationships that have ended.

The writing is witty and clever, and the cast – Richard De Lisle, Harper James and Haydn Whiteside are all superb, giving each character an innate sense of loneliness and need. The sweetest moments in the play involve the porn star, who has a romantic vision of a future where he lives happily with the love of his life, and the escort, reintroduced in the lovely final scene, who needs money to buy a decent place with his boyfriend.

All of the conversations are wonderfully observed and well judged. There’s no sensationalism or judgement and each character, although not on stage for long, is made real and believable.

F*cking Men is a smart, funny and delicately shaded play with a warm, yearning heart – well worth a look.

King’s Head Theatre 3 December – 9 January.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

Charles Court Operas boutique panto is a fantastic festive treat.

John Savournin and David Eaton have created a magnificently madcap sideways take on Snow White. Snow White (widow of soul legend Barry White) is the live in housekeeper for seven dwarves, who cannot be named for legal reasons. John Savournin is an old hand at panto dames, and his Snow is a hoot. From her insane headgear (don’t laugh, she’ll give you evil looks) to her boat sized red shoes, Snow is one classy lady. Savournin’s facial expressions and banter with the audience are wonderfully arch, and when that fantastic bass-baritone voice lets rip it is much more entertaining than Disney’s weedy soprano version. The dwarves are all played by Matthew Kellett – working up a sweat making multiple quick entrances and trying out every comedy accent known to man.

The wicked queen (Andrea Tweedale) is gleefully evil, with some familiar megalomaniacal plans –

a bridge over the river carpeted with grass and flowers – and is raising taxes to fund them. Tweedale milks every last boo and hiss out of the audience and gets more and more unhinged as the show progresses.

The handsome prince, Larry Black (Amy J Payne) has a codpiece Blackadder would kill for, and his sweet-toothed valet Harry (Nichola Jolley) encourages him to woo the queen. But Larry meets Snow and falls head over heels for her. The jealous queen’s revenge attempts are worthy of Wile E. Coyote, and result in a magical transformation, a dead dwarf and someone needing to be saved by true love’s kiss. I never thought I’d see a funeral in a panto, but this one had an Elton John look-alike dwarf launching into a surreal version of “Candle in the wind”, so it wasn’t all doom and gloom.

The music is what makes this panto so special – an eclectic mix of songs are given a new twist and sung impeccably by the cast. The harmonies are clever and pitch perfect, and the audience sing-along is a Spice Girls classic. What more could you want?

The jokes were corny, the acting was brilliantly over the top (Payne and Jolley’s eyebrows were especially hyperactive) and the audience had a ball.

With child friendly and adult only performances scheduled, Mirror Mirror is a classy, camp delight. THIS is the panto you should see this year.

TOM CONTI AND LAURENCE FOX

TO STAR AS CHARLES DE GAULLE AND PHILIPPE PÉTAIN

IN THE WORLD PREMIERE OF

THE PATRIOTIC TRAITOR

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY JONATHAN LYNN

“You were the sword but I was the shield. I love France. I also love you – as a son”

 

TOM CONTI and LAURENCE FOX will star in the world premiere production of THE PATRIOTIC TRAITOR, opening at Park Theatre 17 February – 19 March, with a press night on 23 February. The Patriotic Traitor is written and directed by multi-award winning JONATHAN LYNN (‘Yes Minister’/’Yes, Prime Minister’/’My Cousin Vinny’/’Nuns on the Run’), with design by Georgia Lowe, lighting by Mark Howland, and sound by Andrea Cox.

 

Tom Conti will star as Philippe Pétain and Laurence Fox will star as Charles de Gaulle, alongside Niall Ashdown asLeon Blum / General Weygand, James Chalmers as General Le Gallet / Captain de Courcel, Ruth Gibson as Yvonne de Gaulle and Tom Mannion as Lord Halifax / Pierre Laval.

 

The Patriotic Traitor tells the extraordinary true story of two close friends Charles de Gaulle and Philippe Pétain, who found themselves on tragically opposing sides in World War II.

 

This relationship, noble, comic and absurd, changed history: Marshall Pétain, a tough, uncompromising soldier who rose through the ranks to save France in 1916 at the Battle of Verdun, and General de Gaulle, the aristocratic, academic, awkward and equally uncompromising soldier who led France to freedom when Pétain became a Nazi collaborator.

 

In 1945 de Gaulle had his oldest friend tried for treason. But was it as simple as it seemed?  This extraordinary story is seen as Pétain waits for the verdict.

 

Jonathan Lynn said, “What is a patriot? Who is a traitor? These questions are with us today, all over the world, just as much as they were in 1940. Is Edward Snowden, for instance, a traitor or a patriot? Is this simply a matter of our point of view, or are there absolute answers?

 

To keep the people safe is surely the most fundamental duty of every political leader. Few people are given the opportunity to save their country. This awful responsibility fell to two giants, Philippe Petain and Charles de Gaulle – twice to Petain. This is a story of love and betrayal, and their triumph and tragedy has fascinated me for many years. I hope it fascinates you. I am fortunate to have Tom Conti and Laurence Fox to bring these two great men and monstrous egotists to life.”