DOMINIC WEST KATE FLEETWOOD and CALLUM SCOTT HOWELLS in A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE By Arthur Miller Directed by Lindsay Posner Designed by Peter McKintosh. Lighting Designer Paul Pyant
THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET 23 MAY – 3 AUGUST 2024
Theatre Royal Bath Productions with Len Blavatnik and Danny Cohen for Access Entertainment present Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge starring BAFTA Award winner Dominic West (The Wire, The Crown, The Affair), Olivier and Tony Award nominee Kate Fleetwood (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Macbeth, London Road) and BAFTA Cymru Award winner Callum Scott Howells, (It’s A Sin, Cabaret).
Callum Scott Howells
Portrait Shoot
Credit: The Other Richard
The production will open in London at the Theatre Royal Haymarket with performances from 23 May to 3 August 2024. 100 tickets for each performance will be available for £20 to those under 25 years old.
This highly anticipated West End run will follow an already sold-out engagement at Theatre Royal Bath’s Ustinov Studio from 16 February to 16 March 2024.
Eddie Carbone is an outwardly straightforward man with a strong sense of decency. For Eddie it is a privilege to welcome his wife’s Italian cousins to the land of freedom. But as his niece Catherine falls for one of the visitors, Eddie struggles to control his fierce jealousy, tormented by his own barely concealed lust for the girl. As passions rise, they all soon learn that some freedoms have to come at a terrible price.
The cast also includes Nia Towle, recently seen in the West End’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane and Martin Marquez (Hotel Babylon, Les Miserables) with further cast for the West End transfer, soon to be announced.
Pulitzer Prize-winner Arthur Miller is one of the most highly regarded American playwriters of the 20th Century with work including All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, and The Misfits. His timeless masterpiece A View from the Bridge is a passionate study of one man’s place in the close-knit Italian-American community in 1950s New York.
A View from the Bridge was first performed as a one-act verse drama on Broadway in 1955 before being revised for its West End premiere a year later, directed by Peter Brook and starring Richard Harris and Anthony Quayle. The play has since been produced for stage, film, television, radio and as an opera, starring many notable actors and winning numerous awards.
Presented by Theatre Royal Bath Productions with Len Blavatnik and Danny Cohen for Access Entertainment,A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller is directed by Lindsay Posner, designed by Peter McKintosh with lighting designs by Paul Pyant.
The Beauty of Being Herd, written and performed by Ruth Berkoff, was one of the most memorable hours of time I’ve spent watching a live theatrical play and memorable in a most positive way. We were greeted by the sparsest set I’ve ever seen – a hung piece of red velvet material and a solo sad balloon. It looked like we were staring at the remains of an abandoned jumble sale in a village hall – mismatched and odd but this set up was perfect for what was about to unfold. The sad and limited space foreshadowed Hannah, the play’s main and only character (apart from the ones we conjure from her enactments of various scenarios) and reflected how she feels about herself. One picks up on her anxiety within seconds of meeting her and through her constant apologies and over explaining of what she means to say, it’s clear that Hannah doesn’t feel like she’s coherent when she speaks to other people. she can’t find harmony within any group and so never feels relaxed or happy but my first impression of her was the opposite of how she thinks others perceive her. She was funny, entertaining, different from the ‘norm’ and warm.
After what she considers as failed attempts to form relationships (not romantic) with people at work, an adult party, and a rave – she concludes that there is something wrong with her – she doesn’t understand the code of conduct or the ‘rules’ that need applying to form connections with people. Even at the ‘adult’ party there were rules on the doors, but people didn’t follow them, so she has eventually decided to jack in being a human and to go and live as a sheep. Sheep do follow the rules, they’re basic and because there are only four rules to follow then there’s no chance of her being misunderstood or rejected.
So as an audience, we were simply there to say goodbye and good luck however, by the end of the show Hannah had relaxed because she had finally been HEARD by us and it felt like (although she never said so) that she might decide to give humans another go and stick around a bit longer. As a group, we had listened to her, laughed with her, sang with her, baaaaa’d with her and even danced a little. We had experienced intimacy and how I interpret intimacy is: in-to-me-in-you-I-see and so we had exchanged energy that connected. She felt harmony with us as we did with her, and the energy feedback exchange was positive. I’m sure that at that moment, as a collection of random people, we were starting to form a tribe and Hannah was our leader! Her once furtive eyes were now wide open and smiling, she was doing superhero poses and getting us to follow her actions. She felt good, I felt good and by the look on everyone’s faces in the audience and the high energy in the room – they did too!
Although this play may appear like a bit of a joke and tomfoolery at first, it’s actually very deep and the play on words associated with herd, heard, sheep and following the rules is interesting. If I had got to know ‘Hannah’ a little better, I would like to have reassured her that feeling a bit odd and like you don’t fit in within some groups and social platforms is a good thing and quote Krishnamurti suggesting that “It is no measure of health (mental) to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” We live in a world that is collectively manifesting wars and follow leaders who put their own power and financial gains before humanity so don’t worry about any rules for humans – they no longer exist as a sacred code, form your own with like mined people, in fact you just did it with us! Furthermore Hannah, if you’re not feeling in harmony with who you are surrounded by then have the courage to go inside, do the work and love ‘you’ because the law of attraction is a rule that never fails us and eventually you will magnetise your tribe, you did tonight already. The Beauty of Being Herd is bizarre, bonkers and beautiful – I loved it!
THE STAGE AWARDS 2024 IN ASSOCIATION WITH TYSERS LIVE WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT
L-R National Theatre, Watermill Theatre, Ellie Keel, Battersea Arts Centre
The winners of The Stage Awards, in association with Tysers Live, have been announced at the annual awards ceremony at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London. The prestigious event took place in front of an audience from every corner of the industry, with guests including West End producers, artistic directors, stage stars and many of the figures who featured in The Stage 100 list.
Now entering its 14th year, The Stage Awards were launched in 2010 to highlight the achievements in theatre across the UK. This year it turned its attention to 30 nominees across nine categories, all of whom exemplified the very best of the theatre community. For the first time this year, there was also the surprise addition of a Judges’ Award, presented to theatre company Chickenshed, in celebration of 50 years of excellence.
This year, the Theatre of the Year Award was given jointly to two venues in recognition of their achievements during 2023: The National Theatre in London and the Watermill Theatre in Newbury.
This was a timely win for the National, receiving the award for its work during its 60th anniversary year, a testament to outgoing artistic director Rufus Norris and an admirable legacy for its incoming artistic director Indhu Rubasingham. In its anniversary year, the National Theatre pulled out all the stops; not only did it deliver its most prolific season in the theatre’s history, producing 31 plays and musicals – with seven West End transfers and two shows in New York, it also continued to impress with its community and outreach work. In 2023, it reached more than 15,000 students via its touring productions in schools and delivered its most ambitious Public Acts initiative: The Odyssey. Both on stage and off, the National continues to lead by example in demonstrating the power and importance of theatre.
Meanwhile, the Watermill Theatre’s win represented a heroic comeback story. Since losing its Arts Council England funding at the end of 2022, the team at the Watermill have worked tirelessly to ensure that the theatre not only survives, but thrives. Nowhere is this clearer than in its triumphant production of the Lord of the Rings musical, its boldest production to date.
Similarly to the Watermill, the winner of Fringe Theatre of the Year, sponsored by encore insure – Little Angel Theatre, London – operates within a world of ambition that goes way beyond its size. Little Angel’s win gives recognition to its contribution to the theatre ecology through its championing of puppetry and children’s theatre – an often undervalued sector of the industry. Based on an ethos of inclusivity and a passionate belief in the importance of stories for everyone, Little Angel is a beacon for the value of inventive and accessible theatre.
Accessibility and engagement with younger audiences is also at the heart of the winner of the Theatre Building of the Year award, the Roundhouse Works, London. Designed specifically for 18-30 year olds, this development has allowed the Roundhouse to expand its work with the next generation of artists massively. This venue, which will offer young creatives affordable membership and financial assistance, stands as a reminder of the importance of carving out spaces within the theatre community in which to welcome and nurture young creatives.
Nowhere is the development of creative spaces and the impact it can have on communities more evident than in Culture Collective, the recipient of the Community Project of the Year award sponsored by Evolution Productions. Using pandemic recovery funds to support 26 organisations – ranging from tiny community hubs to regularly funded organisations across Scotland – Culture Collective has had a transformative effect on some of the communities and the industry professionals within them hit hardest by the pandemic – all against a backdrop of a chronically underfunded sector.
Ellie Keel Productions, the winner of Producer of the Year, equally embodies the importance of championing accessibility within the industry and the nurturing of new talent through the Women’s Prize for Playwriting, now in its third year. Through the prize, producer Ellie Keel demonstrates not only her passion for discovering new writers, but her commitment to producing their work. 2023 proved a busy year, taking three shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, including Nathan Queeley-Dennis’ hit debut play Bullring Techno Makeout Jamz, which later transferred to London’s Royal Court.
Shifting perspective to the global theatre community, the contribution of Battersea Arts Centre (BAC), London was recognised today, winning the International Award sponsored by Concord Theatricals. This year, BAC’s ambitious and commendable international programming included a series of remarkable works, from productions such as Hate Radio by Milo Rau (SWITZERLAND) and Miet Warlop’s propulsive and intense One Song (BELGIUM), to collaborations such as with the Shubbak Festival, the UK’s premier festival of contemporary Arab arts and culture. Through its work both on and off stage, Battersea Arts Centre is fast becoming London’s key hub for international theatre.
The importance of the international network also shines through in Parade-Fest and Artists on the Frontline’s With Fire and Rage, the recipient of sponsored by Cabbells. This immersive multimedia theatrical experience not only followed artists on the front line in Ukraine but linked them to Liverpool. Stories unravelled in public spaces across the city as first-hand audio testimony was combined with a variety of mediums and art forms, bringing distant experiences to audiences with powerful immediacy. This award-winning work pushed the boundaries of how audiences can engage with storytelling.
The value of engaging audiences beyond the physical realm is exemplified, too, in ZUUK’s Within Touching Distance, which took home the Innovation Award sponsored by Charcoalblue. Within Touching Distance is a digital arts collaboration between mental health patients, health professionals, researchers and community organisations. This intimate, one-on-one, mixed-reality production has been described by health practitioners as “a perfect example of the power art has to push the limits of healthcare simulation and make healthcare professionals think beyond their own reality”.
The Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by Kindred Partners, was awarded to Janet Bakose from the Chichester Festival Theatre. She is the theatre’s longest-serving staff member of an incredible 45 years. Janet first joined the theatre in 1978 as a deputy box-office manager. Since taking over the programming responsibilities for the winter months in 2004, she has brought in over 600 productions, performances and concerts. As colleagues describe: “Quite simply, it is impossible to underestimate her contribution to the success and ethos of Chichester Festival Theatre.”
In a surprise first for The Stage Awards, a Judges’ Award was given to north London’s Chickenshed for 50 years of excellence. Its ethos of being a theatre company for “absolutely everyone”, Chickenshed champions inclusivity and accessibility not only on stage but also through its courses, workshops and Young Company.
Louise Perry, managing director from Chickenshed said: “Huge thanks to The Stage Awards for recognising Chickenshed’s contribution over the last 50 years.
“Mary Ward and Jo Collins founded our theatre from a chicken shed in 1974, declaring that it was a space for everyone and over the past five decades the organisation has been defined by both groundbreaking professional theatre and industry-leading inclusive practice. This award gives us confidence that the industry is ready for the wonder out of chaos that this inclusion creates.
“We can’t wait to show everyone what the next 50 years of Chickenshed looks like and look forward to having many conversations with those who share similar aspirations for community-led, inclusive practice.”
The Stage editor Alistair Smith, said: “My fellow judges and I would like to congratulate all our winners. It’s always a real pleasure to judge these awards, which reveal just what an extraordinary range of superb theatre is being created by all types of companies all across the UK.
They also underline how much is achieved by theatremakers despite dwindling public funding. Imagine what they could do with more generous support from central and local government.”
The winners were announced at The Stage Awards 2024 – hosted by Isobel Thom and Elan Davies, co-recipients of The Stage Debut Award 2023 for best performer in a play – on January 29, 2024 at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London, in association with Tysers Live. The ceremony also featured a live performance from the award-winning actor Jessica Lee, winner of best performer in a musical at The Stage Debut Awards 2023 for her performance in Miss Saigon at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield. Jessica Lee performed Borrowed Time from her run playing Misa Amane in the English-language premiere of Frank Wildhorn’s musical adaptation of Death Note: The Musical.
#TheStageAwards
THE WINNERS IN FULL Theatre of the Year National Theatre, London Watermill Theatre, Newbury
Fringe Theatre of the Year Little Angel Theatre, London
Theatre Building of the Year Roundhouse Works, London
Community Project of the Year Culture Collective
Producer of the Year Ellie Keel Productions
International Award Battersea Arts Centre
Digital Project of the Year Parade-Fest and Artists on the Frontline for With Fire and Rage
Innovation Award ZU-UK for Within Touching Distance
Unsung Hero Janet Bakose – Chichester Festival Theatre
New casting is announced for the 70th Anniversary tour of The Mousetrap, the longest running play in the world, which continues to enthrall audiences throughout the UK and Ireland.
From 30 January 2024, the cast of the iconic murder-mystery on tour will include Todd Carty (EastEnders, Grange Hill, Dancing on Ice) who continues to play Major Metcalf and Gwyneth Strong (known for playing Cassandra in Only Fools and Horses) as Mrs. Boyle.
They will be joined byNeerja Naik as Mollie Ralston, Barnaby Jago as Giles Ralston, Shaun McCourt as Christopher Wren, Amy Spinks as Miss Casewell, Steven Elliot as Mr. Paravicini, and Michael Ayiotis as Detective Sgt. Trotter.
Genre-defining murder mystery The Mousetrap, written by Agatha Christie, the world’s best-selling novelist of all time, premiered at Theatre Royal Nottingham in 1952 and toured the UK before opening in the West End where it continues its record-breaking engagement at the St Martin’s Theatre, over 70 years on. The iconic thriller’s 70th Anniversary tour also opened in Nottingham in September 2022, and continues to travel throughout the UK and Ireland, marking its milestone anniversary by visiting over 70 theatres, including all cities to which it originally played 70 years ago, plus many more.
A full tour schedule, further information, theatre listings and ticket purchase through the website MousetrapOnTour.co.uk
As news spreads of a murder in London, a group of seven strangers find themselves snowed in at Monkswell Manor, a remote countryside guesthouse. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that a killer is in their midst. One by one, the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts. Which one is the murderer? Who will be their next victim?
The Mousetrap is produced by Adam Spiegel with Direction by Ian Talbot OBE and Denise Silvey.
Festival Theatre usher Graham Simpson wins prestigious Unsung Hero Award at The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals 2024
Graham Simpson surprised as Unsung Hero by Jason Manford and Craig Revel Horwood at the National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals; photo BBC and The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals
Festival Theatre’slong serving usher Graham Simpson has been celebrated as an Unsung Hero of musical theatre at The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals.
Graham, who first joined the Festival Theatre in 1994, marked the start of his 30th anniversary with the organisation through a surprise award at the event, which aired on BBC One on Saturday 27 January. His nomination was kept secret and he was taken to the Manchester AO Arena under the guise of representing Capital Theatres at an industry event. Graham was surprised on the night by friends and colleagues including the likes of Brian Cox, Honorary Patron of the King’s Theatre, who appeared on screen to congratulate Graham on his award.
Graham was presented with a commemorative plaque which will be installed at the Festival Theatre, a venue where he has worked as an usher for three decades as well as providing much loved public tours and tending to the rose garden.
The event was hosted by Jason Manford in-front of an audience of 12,000 musical theatre fans at the Manchester Arena and featured 12 of the UK’s West End and Touring productions including Hamilton and A Chorus Line which will tour to the Festival Theatre later this year. The event serves as a massive thank you to National Lottery players who in the past year, have helped The National Lottery award more than £517m to arts projects across the country, with £46m going towards theatre related projects. The King’s Theatre is one of these projects being supported by The National Lottery’s Heritage Fund.
Unsung Hero Graham Simpson said:
“It’s a real privilege to be recognised as an Unsung Hero of theatre. The whole experience was surreal, and it was such a surprise on the night, I’m glad I didn’t twig! Capital Theatres is such a massive part of my life, it has been for the last 30 years and will be for many more. A massive thank you to the National Lottery for a special night.”
Fiona Gibson CEO of Capital Theatres said:
“We are all thrilled that Graham’s dedication to Scottish theatre across the last thirty years has been recognised through the Unsung Hero Award at the National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals 2024.
“We are incredibly proud of Graham and the phenomenal impact he has made in bringing care and joy to so many through all the fantastic work he does for Capital Theatres. The Unsung Hero Award, of which there is only one, really shines a light on the sheer variety of remarkable activity that takes place both on and off our stages.”
Adam Chataway, Head of Partnerships at The National Lottery said:
“We were thrilled to bring back The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals to the AO Arena, showcasing the immense talent and magic of musical theatre. The event was a heartfelt thank you to National Lottery players who have helped to raise over £7.8 billion to arts and theatre projects across the country since The National Lottery began. We were also honoured to present Graham Simpson with the Unsung Hero award for his incredible work and dedication to the Scottish theatre community for the last 30 years.”
TO GIVE THE NEXT GENERATION OF TALENT THE CHANCE TO BE FOUND
The casting team of DEAR EVAN HANSEN, in collaboration with TikTok,are searching for the next generation of talent to star in the first ever UK tour of the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning Best Musical.
This opportunity is open for every role in the show, not just Evan himself. Applications from performers of all gender identities, with or without formal training, are welcome. Those interested are invited to upload a video on TikTok singing any number from the multi award-winning production with the hashtag #YouWillBeFound, before submitting their entry formally via evanontour.com/tiktok.
After the closing date, the casting team will review all submitted videos and invite anyone who they feel could be a part of the cast to participate in the formal audition process at a central London location.
Video applications are accepted for 2 weeks from today, Monday 29 January, with entries closing on Sunday 11 February. Entrants must be 18+ and based in the UK or Ireland.
For all information and to apply, visit: evanontour.com/tiktok
Directed by Nottingham Playhouse’s Artistic Director Adam Penford, DEAR EVAN HANSEN will open at the Nottingham Playhouse on 9 September 2024, ahead of a UK tour.
Director Adam Penford said, “Dear Evan Hansen is about celebrating what you bring to the world as a unique individual. It’s very exciting to be collaborating with TikTok to provide a platform for those who love the musical as much as I do to sing these beautiful songs. We can’t wait to see who is out there.”
Ed Lindeman, Head of Entertainment TikTok UK & IE said: “Dear Evan Hansen is already a huge hit with the TikTok community, with thousands of people sharing creations using the much-loved soundtrack. We are delighted that the producers have recognised this and are now turning to TikTok to uncover up-and-coming talent for the touring show.
At TikTok, we’re committed to supporting theatre and the creative industries, TikTok is a platform where creativity is discovered, and emerging talent can really thrive; we can’t wait to see who will be found!”
Packed with some of the biggest musical theatre songs of the last decade, DEAR EVAN HANSEN has a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Oscar-winning composers for The Greatest Showman) and a book by Steven Levenson. Its many awards include the Tony® Award for Best Musical, Olivier Award for Best New Musical and the Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theatre Album.
Today is going to be a good day. And here’s why…
Meet Evan: an anxious high school kid who wants nothing more than to fit in. The thing is, on his way to fitting in, he didn’t tell the whole truth. And now must give up on a life he never dreamt he’d have. As events spiral and the truth comes out, Evan faces a reckoning with himself and everyone around him.
DEAR EVAN HANSEN is presented by ATG Productions and Nottingham Playhouse by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
TuckShop, in association with Christopher D. Clegg and James DP Drury, has today announced that they will bring Cool Rider back to the stage for a reunion concert at The London Palladium on Sunday 14 April at 7pm to mark the tenth anniversary of the cult-concert.
The cult musical sequel, which is a loving, unofficial parody and tribute to everyones favourite follow-up movie, played at the Lyric Theatre for two sold out shows, followed by a smash hit run at Duchess Theatre in April 2014 and was immortalised in May 2015 with the Original Studio Cast Recording, which was funded by fans through a Kickstarter.
West End stars Aaron Sidwell (Lord of the Rings, Wicked) and Ashleigh Gray (Wicked, Only Fools and Horses The Musical) will reunite and reprise their roles of ‘Michael Carrington’ and’ Stephanie Zinone’ respectively with RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Kitty Scott-Claus (Death Drop) taking on the role of ‘The French One’ and Grease 2 star Maxwell Caulfield (Chicago, Guys & Dolls), aka the original Michael Carrington, joining the faculty.
The cult film told the heady and daring love story of two unlikely lovers and their road to romance from bowling alley to burger joint, sing-a-long-a-sex education class to talent show, and long (beautifully lit) romantic motorcycle rides to a slightly incongruous luau ending. Much like its musical prequel, the story follows the ancient High School motto: if you want the guy/girl, change your personality beyond recognition and wear overly tight leather in the finale.
This concert is a loving, unofficial parody, tribute, celebration of the music from the greasiest sequel ever made and (arguably) the best musical score ever committed to cinema… Featuring the songs: BACK TO SCHOOL SCORE TONIGHT COOL RIDER WHO’S THAT GUY? REPRODUCTION DO IT FOR OUR COUNTRY CHARADES PROWLIN’ GIRL FOR ALL SEASONS (LOVE WILL) TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME ROCK-A-HULA-LUAU (SUMMER IS COMING) WE’LL BE TOGETHER and more!
From the company who brought you Death Drop: Back In The Habit, Miz Cracker in Who’s Holiday, GALS ALOUD and sell out drag pantos at the Harold Pinter, Trafalgar, and Phoneix theatres, the concert will be directed by Christopher D. Clegg, musical direction and orchestrations by Lee Freeman, choreography by Matt Krzan, original direction by Guy Unsworth, lighting design by Toby Darvill and sound design by Will Thompson. Cool Rider was originally conceived and co-produced by Christopher D. Clegg and James DP Drury.
Jamie Lloyd today announces that The Jamie Lloyd Company is now a fully independent production company, following his successful 10-year partnership with Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG).
A multi-award-winning West End and Broadway production company, The Jamie Lloyd Company will continue to create adventurous productions with the very best acting talent in the world. The company’s productions of Sunset Boulevard and The Effect are transferring to New York later this year, with further productions to be announced.
Jamie Lloyd said today, “It has long been the intention for The Jamie Lloyd Company to become an independent production company and I am delighted to be beginning this new era with some very exciting new projects that will be announced soon.
Our partnership with ATG has been truly special and I am very grateful for their remarkable support over the last decade. I am looking forward to continuing our relationship with Adam Speers and everyone at ATG Productions when we collaborate on projects in the future.
The company will work on a slate of current commissions and new projects created with some of the incredible collaborators I’ve worked alongside throughout my career — and, indeed, those artists I’ve yet to have the chance to work with.”
ABOUT THE JAMIE LLOYD COMPANY
The Jamie Lloyd Company is the multi-award-winning West End and Broadway production company led by Artistic Director and Executive Producer Jamie Lloyd. The company creates groundbreaking productions with the very best acting talent in the world.
The company’s work includes radical reappraisals of Sunset Boulevard, The Effect, A Doll’s House, The Seagull, Cyrano de Bergerac, Betrayal, The Maids and Macbeth, with casts including Uzo Aduba, Zawe Ashton, Hayley Atwell, Gemma Chan, Jessica Chastain, Emilia Clarke, Paapa Essiedu, Claire Foy, Martin Freeman, Kit Harington, Tom Hiddleston, James McAvoy, Arian Moayed, Simon Russell Beale, Taylor Russell and Nicole Scherzinger.
Forthcoming productions include the US transfers of The Effect (The Shed, New York) and Sunset Boulevard (Broadway).
Edinburgh Festival Theatre 27th January, and on tour across the UK and worldwide in 2024
Reviewed by Rachel Farrier
4****
Full disclosure at the start of this review: I don’t participate in any adventure sports myself and was clearly not the target demographic in a theatre full of an audience who arrived in a dazzling array of the latest in outdoor wear. However, my preconceptions about the kind of films (and protagonists who would star in them) were firmly blown away as the afternoon progressed.
The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an annual event in Banff (the one in Canada), which showcases the best in travel and adventure short films, with a selection being taken on tour thereafter, with two different programmes: the red and the blue; I watched the blue programme. This comprised six short films which took us to the heights and depths of our planet, and across a breath-taking diversity of terrain with a selection of incredibly brave (or stupid, as several of them say themselves) individuals relentlessly pursuing their own quests. I will admit that I was braced for a certain type of TV adventurer-vibe, so it was refreshing and also somehow encouraging to watch really average, normal people attempting to achieve remarkable things: people like Mustafa, whose passion for skiing was matched by his undimmable cheerfulness, or Katie, whose ungroundable high spirits complemented her drive to break the record for the deepest caving expedition. (Viewers with claustrophobia should note that my husband had his eyes closed for much of Subterreanean, the longest film in the programme which also records an expedition to reach the longest cave in Canada.)
The programme doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects. Adventure tourism comes with a carbon cost, and Going Greenland, which records the efforts of US adventurers Rachael and Jessica to travel to Western Greenland in a solar-powered sailboat, acknowledges that both took long-haul flights. But who isn’t compromised when it comes to our complicated relationship with fossil fuels? The purpose, they said, was to show what is possible.
The films, needless to say, are truly astonishing: from Go-Pro footage para-base jumping from one of the highest peaks in Pakistan to climbing the walls of fresh-water sinkholes in Mexico, the programme continually puts you right at the heart of the action; thankfully (for me), from the comfort and safety of your seat.
New Images of Michelle Visage & Ramin Karimloo in The Addams Family
Please find brand new set up images of Michelle Visage as Morticia Addams and Ramin Karimloo as Gomez Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY, A Musical Comedy live in concert at the London Palladium on 12 & 13 February.
Adam’s Family the Musical Paladium Key Image shoot Michelle Visage Ramin Karimlol
Photo Credit: Craig Sugden
The cast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY includes Michelle Visage as Morticia Addams, Ramin Karimloo as Gomez Addams and Lesley Joseph as Grandma. Also in the cast are Sam Buttery as Uncle Fester, Nicholas Mclean as Pugsley Addams, Dickon Gough as Lurch, Sean Kingsley as Mal, Ryan Kopel as Lucas and Kara Lane as Alice. In the ensemble are Leeroy Boone, Abigail Brodie, Gavin Eden, Chloe Gentles, Katie Hutton, Matthew Ives, Jessica Keable and Castell Parker and introducing Chumisa Dornford-May as Wednesday Addams.
Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and has a shocking secret that only Gomez knows; she’s fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family! Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before — keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents. All the usual clan are present – Uncle Fester, Lurch, Pugsley et al.
