97+ puts survivors’ stories centre stage in a compelling new full-length production being premiered at the city’s Olympia
A powerful play which explores the ongoing impact of Hillsborough on those who survived the disaster is returning to Liverpool this spring in a new full-length production.
97+ iswritten and directed by Tom Cain and co-produced by Tom Cain Theatre and Bill Elms Productions, in collaboration with the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance.
The theatrical drama, which in a shorter version previously won acclaim at Liverpool Theatre Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe, is being premiered at the Liverpool Olympia for one night only on Friday 12 April, just ahead of the 35th anniversary of the football disaster which claimed the lives of 97 Liverpool fans.
Set in 2012, Hillsborough survivors John and Steve – now middle-aged men – are each still dealing with the trauma they suffered as boys 23 years before.
John bottles up his emotions, only letting wife Liz see them as he suffers night terrors but avoids seeking treatment, while Steve lives alone but seeks help from the hospital, or a vodka bottle, as his support mechanisms.
Yet despite countless setbacks, the Hillsborough survivors continue their fight for justice.
Tom researched and wrote the drama while a student at Edge Hill University and with the assistance of the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance which provides a Hillsborough Transformational Recovery Model – a therapy set up by survivors intended to help other survivors.
It was presented as a 90-minute play at Liverpool Theatre Festival’s Little LTF platform for new writing in 2022, with the sensitive but hard-hitting story winning plaudits from both critics and audiences.
It was so successful it went on to be staged at the main Liverpool Theatre Festival in 2022 before being taken to Edinburgh and the Buxton Fringe Festival last summer. Each performance has helped raise money for the survivors’ charity.
Now Tom, whose own grandfather was a Hillsborough survivor, has revisited the drama to present it as a full-length version.
Several actors are returning to reprise their roles or to play new characters in this latest production, including Colin Kilbride who returns to the role of John and Leslie Longley as Steve.
Liz is played by Claudia Molyneux, who also appeared in the play in Edinburgh and Buxton, while Alice McKillop returns to the role of nurse Nancy as well as playing a new character, Charlotte, and Julie McCabe – who previously appeared at Liverpool Theatre Festival as Liz – will take on the new part of Sally.
The cast is completed by new member Graham Padden as Stuart.
Tom Cain says: “To think this was something I originally wrote during lockdown for my Edge Hill University drama dissertation, to performing shorter editions of the piece at Liverpool Theatre Festival, Edge Hill and even outside Merseyside at the Buxton and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals – where we were able to gain an international audience, to now playing at such an incredible venue as the Liverpool Olympia. It’s truly a dream come true.
“Educating audiences on the TRUTH of Hillsborough and raising awareness for survivors still suffering trauma.
“To have had the continuous support of the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance and to have raised money for this charity means everything to me. I’m proud of the work we’ve produced. And I hope I’ve made my grandad, who was a Hillsborough survivor himself, proud too.”
Bill Elms adds: “I’m delighted this play is going from strength to strength; it’s a powerful piece and a story that needs to be told to a new generation.
“It’s had nothing but praise from critics and audiences alike and I’m proud to continue to support Tom’s work, having been selected to be performed at Little LTF, then winning a place at the main Liverpool Theatre Festival in 2022.
“We’re now working together to present this new, full two-act play at the Olympia.”
DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING JERRY MITCHELL
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY LAUREN WEISBERGER AND THE HIT TWENTIETH CENTURY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURE
Strutting into London Fashion Week, Vanessa Williams, best known for her celebrated roles in Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives and as a multi-award winning singer, will play the iconic role of Miranda Priestly, the undisputed Queen of Fashion and Editor-in-Chief of Runway Magazine,in The Devil Wears Prada.
The Devil Wears Prada, a new musical, based on the blockbuster film and bestselling novel, will strut into London’s Dominion Theatre in October 2024, featuring an original score by music icon, and Olivier and Tony Award winner Elton John, lyrics by singer-songwriter Shaina Taub, book by Kate Wetherhead with direction & choreography by three-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell.
Vanessa Williams said, “Bringing Miranda Priestly to life in the West End is an absolute dream come true. Gird your loins, folks.”
The production will play an exclusive preview engagement in Summer 2024 at Theatre Royal Plymouth prior to opening in the West End in October.
Hilariously fun and fabulously stylish, The Devil Wears Prada tells an inspiring story about discovering what kind of person you truly want to be. Choose your outfit carefully and get ready for a new musical that’s hautter than hell!
Fresh out of college, aspiring journalist Andy scores a job at the prestigious Runway magazine working for fashion’s most powerful and terrifying icon — editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly. Sacrificing her personal life to meet Miranda’s impossible demands, Andy finds herself seduced by the glamorous world she once despised. How far will she go to succeed… and will it be worth selling her soul to get what she’s always wanted?
The Devil Wears Prada, features an all-star, award-winning creative team led by Elton John (Tammy Faye, Billy Elliot: The Musical, The Lion King), new direction & choreography by Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde, Pretty Woman, Hairspray), lyrics by singer-songwriter Shaina Taub (Suffs), book by Kate Wetherhead (Ever After, Submissions Only), set design by Tim Hatley (Life of Pi, Back to the Future), costume design by Gregg Barnes (Some Like It Hot, Legally Blonde), lighting design by Bruno Poet (The Tina Turner Musical, Frankenstein), sound design by Gareth Owen (Come From Away, & Juliet) and casting by Jill Green CDG.
Further casting for the production will be announced in due course.
The musical is based on Lauren Weisberger‘s best-selling 2003 novel and the 2006 blockbuster film from Twentieth Century Studios which went on to gross $326 million worldwide and received two Academy Award nominations.
The Devil Wears Prada is produced by Tony Award winner Kevin McCollum (In the Heights, Avenue Q, Rent, SIX and Mrs. Doubtfire), Rocket Entertainment/David Furnish (Tammy Faye, Billy Elliot: The Musical) and Jamie Wilson (Mrs Doubtfire, Ain’t Too Proud, Sister Act The Musical) and presented by special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical.
Jerry Mitchell now steers this brand-new reimagined production of The Devil Wears Prada to new heights following a developmental run in Chicago in 2022.
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon – until 30th March 2024
Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh
5*****
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a multilayered tale which revolves around the marriage of Theseus, Duke of Athens and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. Due to be married in 4 days they are embroiled in a conflict involving four Athenian lovers, and the antics of a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they hope to perform at the wedding. All find themselves in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans for their own intrigue and gain, headed up by the King and Queen of the Fairies, Oberon and Titania and the mischievous sprite Puck, who ensures the path of true love is a muddled one.
This was a beautiful and original production, which is difficult to achieve when a piece has been performed countless times. There was so much physicality to it, which perfectly balanced the wordiness. Bright, bold colours were juxtaposed by backdrops of pitch black. Eleanor Rhode’s new version for the RSC was timeless, even though its running time was 3 hours it was engaging throughout and thoroughly hilarious. Lucy Osborne’s colourful and imaginative designs spanned the decades giving the piece a timeless feel and creative license to be playful and modern without losing the heart of Shakespeare’s sublime story. Planet like paper orbs surrounded the ceiling, combined with Matt Daw’s exquisite lighting, and coupled with John Bulleid’s beguiling illusions, these created a feast for the eyes and mind, drawing us into a magical, mystical world.
Parts of the stage would rise and fall gracefully, floating flowers which would glow on command, animated donkey ears to much comic effect, Fairies represented by specks of light which would dance and dart across the stage and astonishingly quick costume changes, all added to the dream like quality of this production.
There were 2 stand out scenes for me. Puck leading the human lovers on a chase around the forest is a masterpiece. Choreography by Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster shines. The lovers leap in and out of darkness, roll and tumble, accompanied by thumping music, your senses are aflame. You are assaulted by a shower of colourful balls and then the lovers are gone, dropped off the stage into darkness. Pure theatrical magic and mayhem. The second is the play within a play. The laughter from the audience was constant. The physical comedy was immense, and every player seemed to relish their part. Simply stunning.
Although Mathew Baynton as Bottom was certainly the main attraction and he rightly deserves this accolade, for he was amazing, the cast as a whole were incredible. Baynton’s Bottom, (we did almost get a glimpse as he appeared trouserless for a lot of the play) was that beautiful balance between eager am-dram enthusiast and confused lover/donkey, if there is such a thing. There was plenty of pathos and a whole plethora of buffoonery, which was a joy to behold.
Bally Gill was brilliant as Theseus and Oberon, there was a clear distinction between the Duke and the powerful King, both in his movement and vocal performance, he commanded the stage well and was incredibly engaging to watch. Sirine Saba also managed the dual role of Hippolyta and Titania well and had a beautiful chemistry with Bottom. Ryan Hutton as Lysander, Nicholas Armfield as Demetrius, Dawn Sievewright as Hermia and Boadicea Ricketts played the lovers with sincerity and poise, but it was Ricketts who really stood out for me. She brought a fierce modernity and realism to the role which brought many a wry smile to my face. Helen Monks’ Quince, Emily Cundick’s Snout, Tom Xander’s Starveling and Mitesh Soni’s Flute formed an enigmatic ensemble. From their frantic scrambling when Bottom transforms into a Donkey to throwing themselves into the side-splitting play they never failed to entertain and nail every single gag. Now to Premi Tamang as Puck, surprisingly not the first choice but a stand in. I can’t imagine another Puck for this production, she was perfect. At times undulating, at others stomping, her play with light and smoke was mesmerising. We were completely transfixed by her. Word perfect, we fully believed by the end of the play she could actually be a fairy.
The combination of talent contained within this production made for an outstanding watch. Every moment was meticulously crafted and masterfully designed. ‘Oh, what visions I have seen’. Creative, hilarious, innovative, and astonishing, this rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one you don’t want to be woken from.
I was really looking forward to seeing this thriller and there are many unexpected plot twists that kept me engaged throughout the performance right until the end. It is not how I’d thought it would end and this left me a little disappointed but all the same it’s a good story and an enjoyable evening.
The once successful playwright Sidney Bruhl is experiencing writer’s block and living off his wife’s money. He is contacted by aspiring writer Clifford Anderson who sends him what looks like an exceedingly good play. Sidney invites Clifford to his home to discuss it.
Both are not who they seem and inevitably they try to outwit each other psychologically and with some really clever stage choreography. Nick Warning captures the essence of Sidney, with psychopathic tendencies and drawing upon dark humour which made the audience chuckle. George Watkins (Clifford) not only plays the naive talented writer but with an air of creepiness which kept the suspense right to the penultimate scene.
Emily Raymond ably plays Sidney’s wife Myra and has some tricky scenes to navigate. Myra is wary of her husbands erratic behaviour but does not necessarily discourage it. Her worst fears come true and she finds herself in a situation that she cannot get out of so goes along with it not anticipating her fate.
Philip Childs gives a solid performance as Porter Milgrim, Sidney’s lawyer, acting in a pompous professional capacity but with an agenda of his own together with Issy Van Randwyck whose excellent portrayal of Helga ten Dorp, the psychic neighbour appears to not only predict the future but make it happen.
The set design was really impressive and made good use of space available as well as depicting the outside. Clever lighting and sound that created the perfect atmosphere for an entertaining thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Concentration is key!
Nottingham Concert Hall – Friday 16 and 17 February 2024
Reviewed by Louise Ford
5*****
This weekend’s offering in Nottingham is presented by Dance Consortium and features one of Brazil’s finest dance companies, The São Paulo Dance Company. The show features three separate pieces; Anthem, Gnawa and Agora.
The opening set is dark and under lit, the dancers are already in position pulsating together in the centre of the stage. The movements and rhythm build throughout the piece moving away from a mechanical, visceral dance towards something more organic and collective. This piece was choreographed by Goya Monterone who is the resident choreographer with Cuba’s Acosta Danza. The piece is accompanied by Owen Benton’s score. The sheer energy and athleticism is truly amazing.
The second piece Gnawa. I had to look this word up as I didn’t know it at all. The word refers to a group of people brought to North Africa by the Berber as slaves. This piece was choreographed by Nacho Duato, who is the artistic director of the Mikhailovsky Ballet, in St Petersburg. The music was created by seven composers and is hypnotic and trance like. The music and the dance combine to create a spell binding dance which builds in a ritualistic rhythm. At the heart of the piece is an inspiring pas de deux between the dancers Amanda Rosa and Nielsen Souza. This is no soft ballet love story but a strong and natural folding,holding and stretching. Quite breathtaking.
The final piece Agora, has a totally different tempo and sound. This piece is choreographed by Cassi Abranches and is her third commission for the group. The music composed by Sebastian Piracés, is a mixture of Afro-Brazilian percussion, drums and rock music. The highlight of this dance are the truly amazing jumps by the women. They launch themselves feet first across the stage into the arms of the men. The audience gasped every time as it was really something to behold.
It was an amazing evening of energy and sweat. The tone and precision of their bodies was inspiring, such control and power.
The dancers worked so hard, their breathing during the “bowing “was audible and the sweat was pouring off them. The audience loved it, they whooped and whistled and the dancers smiled and grinned with pleasure at the acknowledgement and applause.
Dreamy cast announced for West End Musical Love Songs Friday 8th & Saturday 9th March Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EZ
The incredible cast has been announced for West End Musical Love Songs, which is making a return to the West End this March, following a sold-out concert in 2021. The West End’s biggest stars will perform the greatest love songs of all time from fan favourite musicals and movies at the Apollo Theatre on 8th and 9th March.
The all-star cast comprises Aimie Atkinson (Pretty Woman; SIX); Cassidy Janson (& Juliet; Beautiful: The Carole King Musical); Georgina Castle (Bad Cinderella; Mamma Mia); Glenn Adamson (Bat Out of Hell; We Will Rock You); Natalie Kassanga (Crazy For You; Dear Evan Hanson); Grace Mouat (SIX; & Juliet); Michael Xavier (My Fair Lady; Sunset Boulevard) and Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon; Get Up! Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical).
Audiences can expect showstopping ballads and tear jerking duets, so whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s, Galentine’s or just in love with musicals, this concert is the perfect night out or gift for a loved one.
Brought to you by the producers of West End Musical Brunch, West End Musical Drive In, West End Musical Celebration, West End Musical Halloween and West End Musical Christmas, so get ready to sing along, dance along and take the roof off of the Apollo Theatre.
Get ready to be serenaded by the brightest stars to the greatest love songs ever written!
Nikolai Foster talks all things An Officer and a Gentleman
As Leicester Curve’s production of An Officer and a Gentleman: The Musical tours the UK, director Nikolai Foster says audiences are in for a surprise. “I think a lot of people associate it with being a cheesy 80s romcom,” he smiles about the stage version of the iconic 1982 film. “There’s nothing wrong with a cheesy 80s romcom – and we offer some tasteful cheesy choices in our production – but audiences will be surprised by the depth of this story and how moving the show is. It is genuinely uplifting because we invest in the lives of these characters and care about them.”
credit: Marc Brenner
It’s the tale of hot-headed and determined Naval candidate Zack Mayo (played by Richard Gere in the movie) who has a fiery, passionate relationship with factory worker Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger on screen) before sweeping her off her feet in the soaringly romantic finale.
The film’s writer Douglas Day Stewart co-wrote the book with Sharleen Cooper Cohen for a musical which had a short run in Sydney in 2012, with original songs by Ken Hirsch and Robin Lerner. But the Curve production, which premiered in 2018 ahead of its first UK tour, is a completely new one. “So it’s been an exhilarating ride for all of us,” says Foster, who is also Curve’s Artistic Director. “It’s almost as exciting as taking off in a fighter jet! It has been a fantastic adventure, developing the script and thrashing out the play’s structure over a series of workshops, readings, rehearsals and a short tour in 2018.”
The Hirsch and Lerner score has been swapped out for a fantastic soundtrack of 1980s hits by the likes of Cyndi Lauper, Bon Jovi, Kim Wilde, Madonna, Blondie and Martika as well as incorporating the worldwide smash hit Up Where We Belong from the movie.
As Nikolai feels: “Popular pop songs have helped to articulate the emotions of our characters. In some ways these appear to be ordinary and unremarkable lives but the characters created by Douglas Day Stewart (based on his own experiences) have remarkable stories to tell. When you throw a load of 80s pop hits into this world, it truly is uplifting and sings in the way only a musical can. The songs in our show express something of the characters’ inner lives and emotions that they are unable to speak in their everyday lives. The music heightens the emotions.”
The narrative is set in Pensacola, Florida, in the early 80s but the director notes: “Delicately depicting the experiences of working class people back then, the story continues to resonate. At a time when we are finally starting to consider what a fairer society could look like – with particular emphasis on women’s rights, anti-racism and training opportunities available to those from disadvantaged backgrounds – this simple story still has much to say about our society today.”
Taking on the leading role of Zack Mayo is “pretty major” for Luke Baker. “It’s a massive role and I just want to make sure that I do it justice,” says the actor who trained at ArtsEd and whose credits include Billy Elliot, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, American Idiot, Sunny Afternoon and Hairspray. “There’s a lot for an actor to dig into because he’s suffered loss and heartache, and now he’s going through this tough training regime.”
Luke recalls seeing the film version when he was young and rewatched it after he landed the role. “And it’s such a brilliant story. The characters, both in the film and the show, are really relatable and you’ve got the love story and all the struggles that go with it before the happy, stirring ending. Then on top of that you’ve got an amazing musical numbers and the iconic white suit.”
He smiles. “It feels incredible to be wearing it and what [orchestrator and musical supervisor] George Dyer has done with Up Where We Belong is fantastic. It’s so emotional and it blows people away. It’s like being at a rock concert.”
Can he relate to Zack? Luke smiles again. “Not directly, no. Well, I understand his competitiveness and wanting to prove himself, but I’m grateful that I don’t have the family problems that he has. He’s very determined, which I guess I am too, and it did cross my mind as a teenager to go into the army but I’m glad I didn’t.”
Having starred as Ren in Footloose on tour in 2016, Baker is excited to be taking An Officer and a Gentleman around the country, saying: “You’ve got a different opening night every week and a completely different type of audience wherever you go, whether it’s down South, up North or in Scotland. No two crowds are ever the same and it’s great that people outside London get to see live theatre.”
Luke’s co-star Georgia Lennon sees Paula as a dream role, saying: “The thing that I love about her the most is how strong-willed she is and all the things that she stands for. She’s all about girl power. She knows what she wants and she’s very sure of herself. She’s a strong, independent woman.”
Georgia agrees that the story has contemporary relevance because “the film was so ahead of its time in depicting that girl power theme”. Paula shares a deep bond with her best friend Lynette, which is something that also chimes with the actress. “Friendships are so important to me and I’m really excited to be able to portray that dynamic on stage.”
A graduate of Laine Theatre Arts, Lennon has previously appeared in Lady Chatterley’s Lover, One Enchanted Evening, Beauty and the Beast and Jack and the Beanstalk. Most recently, she originated the role of Marie Osmond for the world premiere tour of The Osmonds: A New Musical in 2022.
Like Luke, she’s looking forward to being back on the road. “I love being in a new town or city every week. Heading back out on tour again, I know all of my favourite spots and I know people in all the different theatres, like the stage door and backstage staff.”
She hadn’t seen the film version of An Officer and a Gentleman until she went up for the part of Paula. “Then I watched it and I was like ‘It’s a role every girl would want to play’. As I say, she’s such a strong character and there’s that iconic moment when she gets swept off her feet at the end. I was sat there going ‘God, I’d love to do this’.”
As for why the story has endured, Georgia feels: “I think most people are hopeless romantics at heart and the ending makes everyone swoon. Then, of course, there’s all that amazing music. I love that I get to sing Alone by Heart because it’s such a big number. And doing Girls Just Wanna Have Fun as a duet between Paula and Lynette is such fun to perform.”
Choreographer Joanna Goodwin promises people will leave the theatre with smiles on their faces, saying: “It’s a hard-hitting story in places, just as it was in the film, but it’s also joyful and heartwarming.”
The 2018 production was done in a cinematic style, with lots of projections. “But this time we’re making it into a full-blown musical in more of a traditional sense, with big numbers and production values,” Joanna says. “That’s the challenge for me, plus the fact the story takes quite a dark turn in the second act. It’s about balancing that with the joyous moments.”
Goodwin’s numerous credits as choreographer and associate choreographer include Oliver!, Love Never Dies in Concert, Gypsy, Sunset Boulevard and Funny Girl. For her latest venture, audiences can expect a thrilling blend of 80s dance moves with choreographed military drills. “It’s a combination of these two worlds – the girls who are out for a good time and the cadets who are being put through their paces. The cast need to be really fit for this show and we’re working them hard.”
Goodwin feels audiences are hungry for a musical like this. “At the moment everybody is grabbing onto that sense of nostalgia and anything that reminds them of a time where maybe they had more money or they were a little bit happier in their lives. And it’s such an iconic story, isn’t it? People look at the poster and go ‘Oh, I know and I love it’. With the show, they’re guaranteed a nostalgic good time and a great night out.”
It’s interesting to learn that the legendary closing scene in the film almost didn’t happen because Richard Gere worried it contradicted the visceral grittiness of the rest of story. “In some ways he was right,” Nikolai admits, “but it’s a moment of magical realism that celebrates the unspoken ambitions and hopes for a better future, which is something we can all relate to. Who doesn’t have moments where we’d like to escape to a better life?”
The director is keen to flag up all the people who have come together to make the show a reality, including Goodwin, orchestrator George Dyer, the writers, the team at Jamie Wilson Productions and everyone at Curve. “Through their creatives efforts,” he says, “we hope audiences enjoy meeting these extraordinary characters and that they have a moving, hugely uplifting and fun night at the theatre.
THE LION KING, THE BOOK OF MORMON, LES MISÉRABLES AND MORE GATHERED TO LAUNCH LONDON THEATRE WEEK
THE INITIATIVE, WHICH LAUNCHES MONDAY 19TH FEBRUARY, GIVES THEATRE FANS A CHANCE TO SEE THE HOTTEST SHOWS WITH TICKETS STARTING AT JUST £15, £25 OR £35
London Theatre Week returns for its celebration of the West End for the sixth year running. With over 50 spectacular shows taking part, London Theatre Week gives theatre fans the chance to experience incredible shows from as little as £15. Tickets will be on sale from Monday 19th February and are available via londontheatreweek.com.
To celebrate the launch, stars of some of the West End’s biggest shows made a rare appearance together for the return of the highly anticipated campaign. Performers from Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Matilda The Musical, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical and more came together to showcase the multitude of captivating productions that contribute to London’s vibrant and multifaceted theatrical scene.
Theatre enthusiasts and newcomers alike will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a diverse array of critically acclaimed productions, with captivating performances which showcase London’s top theatre offerings.
In addition to celebrating established West End productions, London Theatre Week will also shine a spotlight on emerging talent and the hottest, most anticipated new shows such as Hello, Dolly!, Mean Girls and Opening Night.
Throughout the years London Theatre Week has continued to grow in scale, creating a new generation of theatregoers while highlighting the best of what the theatre community in the West End and beyond has to offer.
Michael Harrison, Producer of Hello, Dolly! and The Little Big Things said: “It has been so great to see London Theatre Week grow over the years and successfully generate a broader cultural moment – for both theatregoers and producers alike – that drives excitement around London’s remarkable and vibrant West End.”
Tickets are available from as little as £15, £25 or £35, making this the best time to enjoy the West End and continue to support live theatre.
Stephen Crocker, GM UK, TodayTix Group said: “London Theatre Week is the perfect time for anyone who loves theatre – along with anyone who would like to experience more of the West End’s incredible productions – to get tickets for London’s biggest hits. Along with long running smash hits like The Lion King and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, there are tickets for some of London’s newest and upcoming hits, like Stranger Things: The First Shadow and Mean Girls. With over 50 shows to choose from, there is truly something for everybody, at prices to suit everybody too.”
For more information about London Theatre Week and to purchase tickets, visit londontheatreweek.com from Monday 19th February.
The shows available include: A Mirror, Back to the Future, A Chorus Line, Cassie and the Lights, Cirque du Soleil: Alegria, Cruel Intentions, Double Feature, English National Ballet – Johan Inger’s Carmen, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, F**king Men, Faith Healer, FANGIRLS, For Black Boys…, The Forsyte Saga 1 & 2, Frozen the Musical, Guys & Dolls, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hello, Dolly!, Hir, Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon, Jenufa, Jason Robert Brown, Kathy & Stella Solve A Murder!, Les Misérables, Machinal, Made in Dagenham, Matilda The Musical, Mean Girls, Mind Mangler, Minority Report, Nachtland, Next to Normal, Opening Night, Peanut Butter & Blueberries, Police Cops: The Musical, Priscilla The Party, Red Pitch, Shifters, Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, Shrek the Musical, Side Show, Sister Act, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, The Ballad of Hattie and James, The Book of Mormon, The Choir of Man, The Cord, The Frogs, The King and I, The Lion King, The Little Big Things, The Merchant of Venice 1936, The Mousetrap, The Play That Goes Wrong, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), We’ll Have “Nun” Of It, Wicked, Wild About You, Witness for the Prosecution.
HOPE MILL THEATRE, MANCHESTER – UNTIL SATURDAY 9TH MARCH 2024
REVIEWED BY MIA BOWEN
4****
The Hope Mill Theatre, which won the Fringe Venue Of The Year at The Stage in 2018, is a well-known and highly regarded intimate venue. For their latest production, The Gap, they have brought together two exceptional talents who are also long-time friends. Matthew Kelly and Denise Welch, who are both highly respected actors, first met over twenty years ago at Granada Studios. They have returned to Manchester to star in this two-person production. The play has been written by renowned Northwest playwright Jim Cartwright, who is famous for his work on Road and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.
We are introduced to Walter and Corral, fifty years after they last saw each other, living in sheltered accommodation and a council-run nursing home. The play takes the form of an interview. They are unexpectedly reunited for a magical night due to a chance phone call. They proceed to share with us their life story, of two young friends who makes the decision to leave behind their home in the North and escape to the vibrant atmosphere of 1960’s Soho. They later become estranged but eventually reconcile, albeit reluctantly, just in the nick of time, a nostalgic journey filled with love, loss, heartbreak and comedy.
Kelly and Welch both portray multiple supporting roles in addition to their main characters, effortlessly switching accents and quickly changing costumes. These clever changes not only add to the hilarity of the performance, but also enhance the storytelling and helps indicate the time period in each scene. Cartwright’s sharp script have humorous lines and touching moments, all delivered by these two highly skilled and experienced actors. Their ability to captivate the audience and their impeccable comedy timing are exceptional.
The creative team enriches the immersive quality of the production, effortlessly transporting the audience between the present and the past with evocative musical tracks. The lighting and projections are beautifully done, creating a realistic backdrop against which the narrative unfolds.
A beautiful piece of theatre and fundamentally a story about the lasting strength of human relationships.
Cavalleria Rusticana and Aleko is a double bill and part of this Opera North’s season and firstly performed at the Leeds Grand Theatre. Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana (Rustic Chivalry) is a melodrama based on Giovanni Verga’s play and set to Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci’s libretto. This production first performed in 2017 as part of Little Greats seasons. Rachmaninov’s Aleko, a new and first ever production for Opera North, is a one-act opera. It is based on Alexandr Pushkin’s Tsygany (The Gypsies), and the libretto is written by Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko.
First performance is Cavalleria Rusticana, and the melodrama is highly emotive story with strong themes of love, jealously, anger and revenge. It is about Turiddù (Andrés Presno) who dates Lola (Helen Évora), but she subsequently marries Alfio (Robert Hayward). Angry Turiddù seduces Santuzza (Giselle Allen), who is devoutly religious, but he eventually returns to Lola (Helen Évora) and they both pursue an affair. Santuzza confronts the affair and experiencing Turiddù’s denial, she alerts Alfio and tells him of his wife’s infidelity. Strong feelings erupt which leads to Turiddù’s fate.
After the interval, Aleko, in similar vein to Cavalleria Rusticana, is about Aleko and Zemfira, a married couple, who live in a liberal community where the world is in their hands and that love must be free. Zemfira (Elin Pritchard), like her mother, falls in love with another man, a younger one. Zemfira’s affair disturbingly draws Aleko (Hayward) to despair and anger and he seeks revenge. His vengeance fatefully leads him to be an outcast of the community. Aleko intertwines with Cavalleria Rusticana where references from the melodrama are visibly present in the opera with appearances by Lola, Santuzza and Lucia, Turiddù mother (Anne-Marie Owen).
Both operas have a number of similarities particularly the themes and the musical composers composed their works at a similar time, end of the 19th Century, and are of a similar age. Strong emotive and excellent portrayals from Presno as Turiddù (Cavalleria Rusticana), Allen as Santuzza (Cavalleria Rusticana), Hayward as Alfio (Cavalleria Rusticana) and in Aleko, and Pritchard as Zemfira (Aleko). They are harmoniously supported with rest of the cast and the Chorus of Opera North.
The sets and costumes, designed by Charles Edwards and Gabrielle Dalton, are such a contrast. There is the tight knit religious community in Cavalleria Rusticana and in Aleko the liberal and free thinking and loving commune. Both settings are complemented with Charles Edwards’ lighting.
Both Cavalleria Rusticana and Aleko, under the direction of Karolina Sofulak and musically by Antony Hermus, are well put together and excellently interlinked and executed. Both performances are quite different, but the themes and cues are so coincidentally the same
