St James’s Church Woodside, Horsforth, Leeds – 2nd November 2023
Reviewed by Sal E Marino
5 *****
Last night I sat in a church that was celebrating it’s one hundred and seventy fifth birthday through various events, and one of those was hosting a gig performed by the fabulous folk band, Granny’s Attic. St James’s Woodside church in Horsforth is simply beautiful in both it’s architecture and, more importantly, it’s very warm and welcoming community. As a newcomer and alone, I had no awkward moments of feeling like Billy-no -mates as various people welcomed me like I was their friend. That’s rare and special now in a world that appears to immerse itself in technology during social events rather than actually ‘talk’ to one another and so I’m glad to say I experienced the opposite of that at the bar before the main event.
Granny’s Attic, where do I start …? This young and vibrant trio were not just outstanding, phenomenal musicians and performers but also, so funny! And I mean funny as in a laugh-out-loud stand-up comedian act. I chuckled at every song introduction at the group’s quick wit and banter with the audience and between themselves. It was like I was having the opportunity of seeing live music and a comedy act in one.
Back to the music, and the voices of the band were so rich and soulful that you were taken to various places across timelines and through a myriad of emotions that ranged from sheer joy to compassion for oneself and others. The instrumentals were exceptional, and it was hard to believe that these three young people could perform easily on a par with folk players I’ve heard before who have had at least sixty years or more of folk gigging experience.
What made it more than just a gig was by the end of the performance, I felt I knew the band (George, Lewis and Cohen) as they made a relationship with us, the audience. We simply bonded which is hard to explain but go to one of their gigs and you will know what I mean. We (the audience) and Granny’s Attic had ‘in-jokes’ by the end of the night and of course we were by far the best audience they’ve ever played to before! Whether you’re a folk fan or not, you will enjoy an evening with Granny’s Attic – the music and the band’s energy uplifts you (I guarantee it) and you’ll laugh lots (you can’t fail to) so it’s a win-win event.
The world is in a state that no one can deny is becoming tragic. We have come to a point in humanity where we are destroying one another: in war, greed and in conflict through various forms and not just in person but attacking one another about various issues online in the narrative of ‘I’m right and you’re wrong’. However, there are times and places and through mediums like music where we can come together in unity and as one, such as what I experienced last night. I feel it’s so important to get out and support local events as the more we do this, the more we raise the vibration of the collective and make a positive frequency change to our home, the Earth. Through the arts we can experience beauty that touches us inside and then comes out into our magnetic fields which connects us to others experiencing the same and so we magnetise, and that’s when we feel and know that we’re all connected and that last thing we want to do in that state is hurt one another, we want to exchange a smile instead.
It was a very special evening at St James’s Woodside church in Horsforth and was made so by its very lovely members and vicar Jonanthan Cain – and it was cool! Cool is not a word one usually associates with church, but I do now. Granny’s Attic are very cool and very, very talented and so I hope to see them again soon on their tour next year as I know it will be a great night of music but will also feel like I’m seeing a good and fun friend
Audrey Niffenegger’s novel is adapted for the stage by Lauren Gunderson with music and lyrics by Joss Stone and Dave Stewart. The story of Henry (David Hunter), whose rare genetic disorder sends him uncontrollably through time, and Clare (Joanna Woodward) and their extraordinary relationship as Henry travels back and forth along Clare’s timeline was not exactly a triumph on film or TV, and it doesn’t really work on stage either. The impeccable credentials of the creatives involved should add up to one hell of a show, and the visuals are magnificent, but as a whole, the production is pretty forgettable.
Anna Fleischle’s design is lovely, with rotating scenery and Andrzej Goulding’s video and animation creating wonderful effects. Journeyman is the highlight of the show, with Goulding’s work front and centre as Hunter is propelled around the stage by the black clad ensemble, brilliantly showing the chaotic and damaging effects of his time travel. Chris Fisher’s clever illusions maintain the unpredictability of Henry’s vanishing act throughout. Bill Buckhurst’s directs with skill, but the rest of the show follows romantic conventions, apart from chronology: there are the comedy sidekick best friends (Hiba Elchikhe and Tim Mahendran – both fantastic), abusive high school jock, fractured relationships with parents (mentioned fleetingly then resolved) and marital struggles. Admittedly, these marital problems are weirder than most, but the plot mostly has Clare hanging around waiting for Henry and getting angry about a relationship she entered willingly with her eyes wide open. I’m not sure if there was meant to be an exploration of love against all odds, things just seemed to float along nicely between songs, with any tension resolved in the next number. The songs are sweet but generally forgettable, which is a shame as the stellar cast are at the top of their game. Hunter and Woodward play off each other beautifully and emote magnificently, but even they can’t elevate the script.
The Time Traveller’s Wife isn’t a bad show – visually stunning at times, it is a prime example of style over substance – but despite the best efforts of the cast, it’s all just a bit bland. If you’re looking for a pleasant, undemanding diversion (we all need that sometimes!) – this is for you.
The Jack Studio Theatre- until Saturday 4th November 2023
Reviewer Alec Legge
5*****
Off to the Award winning, Best Pub Theatre of the year 2023, the Jack Studio Theatre, in Brockley, SE4. To see this new musical on a dark stormy night, quite a trek from where I was staying in Richmond. Would it be worth it?
On entering the lovely Jack Pub we had drinks and then into the theatre which was small but fully equipped with a stage on which a four man band were ready to play, a performance area in front of the stage and ranks of seats facing the performance area, A nice, intimate small theatre.
The band started the show performing a set of rock and roll numbers bass – Ken Cooke, drums – Kevin Wiremu, keyboard – Dan Patterson and guitar – Rob Hinton. What a talented bunch, the music they made was excellent and they alone were worth listening to. I understand they are also jazz performers separately and together who regularly perform in jazz clubs so jazz fans look out for them.
The storyline of the play was that Danny, Michael Gillett, and his close friend Billy, Niall Hemingway, were on a quest to to find the father Danny had never met after receiving a mysterious invitation to a rock and roll event at a seedy venue. The father apparently was an itinerant rock and roll performer who disappeared after a one night stand with Danny’s mother leaving her with a baby to raise without him.
At the show Danny firstly mistakenly identifies the wrong singer as his father but with the arrival of his mother, Kathryn Haywood, and his real father John, Tim French also the author, he is persuaded otherwise.
The comedy was uproarious and the songs were all original and blasted out in rock and roll style with a nod to the real Elvis. The finale was really enjoyable rip-roaringly funny and the music and singing stupendous.
A really enjoyable and entertaining musical which is well worth seeing by all but especially for rock and roll fans.
Although this run finishes 4 November please look out for it in the future because I’m sure we will see it playing again.
Hope Mill Theatre’s production of Lizzie arrives in London with a bang – or should that be a whack?
The case of Lizzie Borden – tried and acquitted of the axe murders of her father and stepmother – is immortalised in rhyme in American culture and sung by children. I remember singing along and swinging imaginary axes in the playground in the heady days of pre-National Curriculum education when teachers were free to fill their blood-thirsty little students’ brains with gory stories. So, I jumped at the chance of seeing the Danish version of Lizzie back in 2017 and fell in love with the high-octane score and bonkers performances. Hope Mill’s production is slicker and although still brilliantly anarchic, is a much more polished and coherent show. And no watermelons were harmed in this production – IYKYK!
Lizzie (Lauren Drew) and Emma Borden (Shekinah MacFarlane) live unhappy lives with their father and stepmother in their family home in Fall River Massachusetts. The story is told through the eyes of Lizzie, Emma, Bridget, the Borden’s maid (Mairi Barclay) and neighbour Alice (Maiya Quansah-Breed). Mr and Mrs Borden never appear, and the women’s versions of their behaviour is the only side we see, building a claustrophobic atmosphere of control and abuse that finally tips Lizzie over the edge when she finds out that her father has changed his will in favour of Mrs Borden.
Tim Maner’s book is brisk and efficient, with short scenes linking the killer musical numbers. Most of the exposition comes from Bridget, a gleeful and omnipresent catalyst for mischief resembling Mrs Doyle on speed in Mairi Barclay’s brilliantly cartoonish performance. Steven Cheslik-Demeyer, Alan Stevens Hewitt and Tim Maner’s music is thumping and frenetic, building throughout the first act into near hysteria when Lizzie finally flips – in Why Are All These Heads Off? – Lizzie’s reaction to her father chopping off her beloved pigeons’ heads as a punishment for her liaisons with Alice is a frankly insane piece of music which ramps up the tension before the final bloody number of act 1.
This sees Lizzie take control, her new-found freedom from her father overriding any fear of incarceration. The machinations of the women backing Lizzie’s varying alibi, and covering up of evidence makes for some intense and vitriolic numbers, the standout being Shekinah McFarlane’s What The Fuck, Now, Lizzie? The sisters’ gorgeous duet Watchmen For The Morning is a stunning showcase for Drew and McFarlane. Lauren Drew is a revelation as she sings This Is Not Love while acting out the abuse she suffers at the hands of her father and portrays Lizzie’s emotional journey with haunting physicality. Shekinah McFarlane is a powerhouse as Emma, and Maiya Quansah-Breed is stunning as the lovelorn Alice.
Director and choreographer William Whelton nails the Steampunk gig-musical atmosphere while also allowing tender emotional moments to shine through. Andrew Exeter’s barn door set is a dream, providing the perfect backdrop for Dan Light’s evocative video design – the blood! The four-piece band led by Honor Halford-MacLeod are on fire, and the cast completely understand the assignment – belting the numbers like true rock goddesses with killer vocals and performances in this barnstorming, bold and bloody show.
The production tour continues at New Theatre Peterborough 6 – 16 December
American actress, singer and musical theatre star Shawna Hamic sat down with fairypowered to answer 20 questions. Shawna is about to star as Ursula the Sea Witch in the Fat Rascal Theatre Productions show Unfortunate – A Musical Parody. At Southwark Theatre from 8 December and then on UK tour Tickets for the show can be found here
Let’s start with a few favourites
Favourite show (whether you have been in it or not)?
I LOVE Sweeney Todd. Mrs Lovett is a dream role.
Favourite book?
I am a sucker for a romance novel. It is a guilty pleasure. So anything by Nora Roberts
Favourite theatre?
There are so many beautiful theatres. In the US I’d have to say the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio Texas. It is stunning.
Favourite song?
Fields of Gold by Sting
Favourite music?
I have such a varied taste in music. And it is such a part of my life I can’t name one kind of music. Love anything from American Songbook (music of the 30s & 40s) to 80s pop/rock. Currently listening to Jacob Collier.
Favourite food?
Chocolate chip pancakes
Favourite drink?
7 up. But the US version. I can’t take artificial sweeteners.
What is your favourite role?
I will always love having played Mme Thenardier in Les Misérables, on the 25th Anniversary National US Tour for 1,037 performances total. It was a dream.
What was your first role?
It would have been singing Jesus Loves Me in church where my grandfather was minister when I was 3 years old.
And what role would you really like to play?
Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, Ms Hannigan in Annie, Mama Rose in Gypsy, Mrs Morrible in Wicked. I call my dream role list my ‘Mrs, Madames, & Mamas List’
If you weren’t a performer what would you be?
Probably a director or a photographer. Still something creative. Fun fact- I’ve actually been published as a photographer in Time Magazine, Rolling Stone, & Elle Magazines.
What made you decide to be a performer?
I’ve always loved singing. When I was a kid I saw a touring production of Les Misérables when it toured through Los Angeles and that was it. I told my mother I would be Mme Thenardier one day. And then many years later I was.
Do you enjoy touring?
I do. I love meeting people I wouldn’t normally get to meet and seeing cities I might not normally think to visit. It’s the best of all worlds.
What advice would you give 16 year old you?
I would tell her to keep believing in herself. To try to ignore all the bullies and the naysayers that tell her her dreams of being a performer professionally are ‘stupid’ and ‘just not possible because you look the way you do’. I’d tell her that she finds her way and finds people to believe in those dreams with her. Sometimes she’ll have to convince them and other times just prove the doubters wrong. But just keep going. It isn’t easy and it shouldn’t be, because it wouldn’t mean anything when she achieves those goals and dreams if there hadn’t been a bit to overcome. You are stronger for all you go through and you keep your gentle heart, but you learn boundaries. And boundaries are GOOD! Just keep going.
Do you fancy branching out in Producing or Directing?
I absolutely do. I really want to be a director and have no doubt that is part of my journey at some point. I have the brain for it and the way I see the world really translates into directing.
What was the last stage show you saw and really enjoyed?
It wasn’t the last stage show, but one I still can’t stop thinking about is Jefferson Mays’ Christmas Carol. He played over 30 roles and it was one of the most INCREDIBLE performances I have ever seen. And the technical aspects of the show were stunning as well. If it ever plays again I can NOT recommend it enough.
Favourite line from any show?
While I wasn’t ever cast in the show Shucked (currently on Broadway) I did audition for it and one of the lines makes me laugh to this day. It goes, “I may not be a virgin, but I still have the box it came in.” Just so funny.
If you could be anyone else for the day, who would it be?
I literally haven’t ever thought of that. I really just love my own life. So I’d rather continue to just be me. It isn’t always easy, but it’s a lovely life.
What are the nicest/weirdest things you have ever received from fans?
I once received a handmade doll of me as Mme Thenardier. It was so sweet.
Can you tell us what you will be up to next?
I’m here in the UK for the next 9 months with Unfortunate. I’m truly focused on being here and enjoying my time both with the show and in this country. What’s next will come when it comes.
Musical Con, The West End’s official musical theatre fan convention, to return to Excel London in 2024 Saturday 19th – Sunday 20th October 2024 ExCel London, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1XL
The producers of the West End’s official musical theatre fan convention are delighted to announce that Musical Con will return to ExCel London in 2024. Musical Con was visited by over 10,000 musical theatre fans from across the globe in 2022 and 2023 and will return for another weekend-long celebration of all thing’s musical theatre on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October 2024. A limited number of Early Bird tickets are on sale now and expected to sell out quickly
2023’s convention saw Musical Con occupy a larger space within the ExCel London than the previous year and over 100 special guests and 140 hours of programming across multiple stages and areas. Highlights from this year’s event include the hugely popular opening and closing ceremonies and cosplay, lip-sync battle and Star Of Musical Con competitions, show spotlights on The Lion King, Operation Mincemeat, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Lizzie, artist spotlights on legendary composer Claude Michel-Schonberg and renowned choreographer Dame Arlene Phillips, special performances by Rachel Tucker and the cast of Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical movie, performances from new musicals The Book Thief, Ride, Babies, Super You and Bronco Billy and cast reunions of Bat Out Of Hell, Newsies and a surprise reunion of the cast of Sheffield Crucible’s Miss Saigon. Highlight videos of this year will be released in the coming weeks on the Musical Con YouTube channel.
2024’s convention will once again include performances, interviews, panels, demonstrations, photo and signing opportunities, a huge selection of workshops and masterclasses and Theatreland with interactive experiences and all manner of musical theatre businesses.
Musical Con is produced by Chris Steward and Shanay Holmes of West End Musical Productions. Co-producer Shanay said, This year was really special because the fans knew exactly what to expect and the entire community have taken full ownership of the event and made it their own. Musical Con is our home, it is the place where we belong, and we can’t wait for 2024!
WILTSHIRE CREATIVE ANNOUNCES SPRING 2024 PROGRAMME FEATURING NEW PLAYS BY
CHRIS CHIBNALL AND SIR ALAN AYCKBOURN
Wiltshire Creative today announce their Spring 2024 programme. Building on their recent in-house productions at Salisbury Playhouse, which include The Girl on the Train and Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, Wiltshire Creative’s programme for next spring includes three new in-house productions.
One Last Push is a world premiere of a new original comedy about the unexpected and often hilarious dramas of childbirth written by Chris Chibnall, creator of Broadchurch and the showrunner of Doctor Who, which will premiere at the Playhouse and will run from 15 February to 9 March with the press night on the 20 February. Alan Ayckbourn‘s A Chorus of Disapproval staged from the 25 April to 18 May is a farce following a hapless widower who joins an amateur operatic society in time for its production of The Beggar’s Opera with the press night on the 30 April. The third in-house production for Spring ’24 will be Wiltshire Creative’s Youth Theatre retelling of Philip Pullman’s Ghosts and Grimm Talesand this will run from 25 until 27 July.
Gareth Machin, the Artistic Director of Wiltshire Creative said: “I’m delighted that original drama is back centre stage at Salisbury Playhouse with the world premiere of Chris Chibnall’s new raucous comedy One Last Push alongside a packed and varied programme of high quality visiting work both at the Playhouse and Arts Centre, we know we are offering our audience a season brimming with entertainment.”
Highlights of the visiting programme include:
The Adventures of the Little Red Hen, produced by Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company visiting Wiltshire for the first time
Breathe by SK Shlomo which won 2022 “Spirit of the Fringe” award, blending beatboxing, storytelling and technology into a concert-cum-theatre piece
A comedy programme of well-known names including Omid Djalili, Reginald D. Hunter, Paul Foot and Mark Watson, and debuts from Judi Love and Alasdair Beckett-King
The British poet and Sunday Times bestseller Holly McNish’s The Lobster Tour, to promote the release of her new book Lobster: and other things that I’m learning to love
A music programme headlined by Louise Jordan who is performing a series of sung stories to celebrate hidden women of history for International Women’s Day 2024
SALIBURY PLAYHOUSE
A Wiltshire Creative Production ONE LAST PUSH By Chris Chibnall
15 February – 9 March
Director: Gareth Machin; Designer: Simon Kenny; Lighting Designer Johanna Town; Casting Director: Gabrielle Dawes CDG
A raucous new comedy from the writer of Worst Wedding Ever. Jen and Mark have done the NCT classes. They’ve written the birth plan, in precise detail. They’ve even got the birth pool ready in the living room of their new flat. Almost. Everything is set for the perfect, calm, idyllic home birth. Except they’ve reckoned without intrusive family, nosy neighbours, uninvited guests and a new flat full of unwelcome surprises. Chris Chibnall’s new play hilariously depicts what happens when one of life’s most magical events gets hijacked… by life itself. Chris Chibnall is best known for writing Broadchurch, Worst Wedding Ever (2014 and 2017 Salisbury Playhouse) and Doctor Who (2018–2022).
Chris Chibnall is a BAFTAand Peabody award-winning screenwriter, executive producer, and playwright whose work has been seen, translated and remade all around the world. He is the recipient of the prestigious FIPA Prix D’Honneur, and honorary doctorates from Edge Hill University and Sheffield Hallam University. His theatre credits include Worst Wedding Ever (Salisbury Playhouse, 2015 & 2017 and national tour), Gaffer! (Southwark Playhouse, York Theatre Royal, 2005), Kiss Me Like You Mean It (Soho Theatre 2002, Théâtre de L’Oeuvre 2004). His TV writing credits include Broadchurch (Imaginary Friends/ITV), The Great Train Robbery: A Robber’s Tale and A Copper’s Tale (BBC One/World Productions), United (BBC Two/World Productions), Doctor Who, (BBC Studios, 2018-2022), Torchwood and Life On Mars (BBC Studios) and Law & Order UK (Kudos, Wolf Entertainment, Universal).
Gareth Machin directs. Machin is the Artistic Director of Wiltshire Creative. Previously, he was studio associate at the National Theatre, Artistic Director of Southwark Playhouse and associate director at Bristol Old Vic.
SALISBURY PLAYHOUSE
A Wiltshire Creative Production A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL By Alan Ayckbourn 25 April – 18 May
Director: Gareth Machin
Recently widowed Guy joins his local Amateur Light Operatic Society in hope of finding new friends and meaning in his life but ends up with a lot more than he bargained for! In their upcoming production of The Beggar’s Opera, Guy starts out playing a part with only one line, but his good looks and mild manners soon see him climb his way to the leading role. Unable to say no to wine, women and song, he finds himself embroiled in a series of backhand deals, steamy affairs and pub brawls.
Ayckbourn’s comedic genius comes to life in this award-winning show and promises to be a guaranteed night of blissful hilarity.
Sir Alan Ayckbourn is an Olivier and Tony Award-winning playwright. He has written 89 full-length plays, many of which have been produced in London’s West End and New York as well as around the world. As an acclaimed director, he has worked extensively in the West End and at the National Theatre. He was the Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, from 1972 to 2009, where the majority of his work has and continues to be launched. More than 40 plays have subsequently been produced in the West End, at the National Theatre or by the Royal Shakespeare Company since his first hit Relatively Speaking opened at the Duke of York’s Theatre in 1967. Major successes include Absurd Person Singular (1975), The Norman Conquests trilogy (1973), Bedroom Farce (1975), Just Between Ourselves (1976), A Chorus of Disapproval (1984), Woman in Mind (1985), A Small Family Business (1987), Man of the Moment (1988), House & Garden (1999) and Private Fears in Public Places (2004). His plays have won numerous awards, including seven London Evening Standard Awards. They have been translated into over 35 languages and are performed on stage and television throughout the world. Ten of his plays have been staged on Broadway, attracting two Tony nominations and one Tony Award.
SALISBURY ARTS CENTRE
A Wiltshire Creative Production
GHOSTS AND GRIMM TALES
By Philip Pullman Adapted by Philip Wilson
Performed by Wiltshire Creative’s Youth Theatre 25 – 27 July
Wiltshire Creative’s Youth Theatre Stage 65 present an evening of Philip Pullman’s Grimm Tales in the spooky surroundings of Salisbury Arts Centre. These original tales will incorporate local ghost stories with dark, sinister twists. Join us if you dare!
Philip Pullman’s books include the trilogy His Dark Materials and The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ. In 2008, The Times named Pullman one of the “50 greatest British writers since 1945”. He was knighted in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to literature.
Philip Wilson is a freelance director, who was previously Artistic Director of Salisbury Playhouse (2007-2011). Recent directing credits include The Oyster Problem (Jermyn Street Theatre), A Single Man (Park Theatre), Starcrossed (Wilton’s Music Hall), The Boy with the Bee Jar (Hope Theatre), This Island’s Mine (King’s Head Theatre), After the Dance (Theatre By The Lake) and A Fox on the Fairway (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch). His adaptations of Philip Pullman’s Grimm Tales were originally produced for Shoreditch Town Hall and Oxo Bargehouse. As Artistic Director of Salisbury Playhouse, he directed The Game of Love and Chance, The Constant Wife, The Picture, Private Lives, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Winslow Boy, his own adaptation of JL Carr’s A Month in the Country, What the Butler Saw, People at Sea, Alphabetical Order and Corpse!
Thursday 19 October – Saturday 11 November Backstage Tour: Saturday 28 October at 11am Post-Show Q&A: Wednesday 1 November BSL and Captioned Performance: Tuesday 7 November at 7.30pm Audio Described and Touch Tours: Thursday 9 November at 2.15pm and 7.30pm Tickets from £13
DICK WHITTINGTON
Salisbury Playhouse, Main House,
Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Saturday 25 November 2023 – Sunday 7 January 2024
Backstage Tour: Saturday 6 January 2024 at 11am
BSL and Captioned Performances: Wednesday 6 December 2023 at 7pm and Thursday 4 January 2024 at 2:15pm
Relaxed Performance: Saturday 6 January 2024 at 11am
Audio Described and Touch Tours: Thursday 14 December 2023 at 2:15pm and 7pm and Tuesday 19 December 2023 at 7pm
Tickets from £17
ONE LAST PUSH
Salisbury Playhouse, Main house
Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA
15 February – 9 March | 7:30pm
Thursday and Saturday matinees | 2:15pm
Backstage Tour: Saturday 9 March at 11am
BSL and Captioned Performance Tuesday 5 March at 7:30pm
Relaxed Performance Tuesday 5 March at 7:30pm
Audio Described and Touch Tours Thursday 7 March at 2:15pm and 7:30pm Tickets from £13
A CHORUS OF DISAPPROVAL
Salisbury Playhouse, Main house
Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA
25 April – 18 May | 7:30pm
Thursday and Saturday Matinees | 2:15pm
Backstage Tour: Saturday 11 May at 11am
BSL and Captioned Performance Tuesday 14 May at 7:30pm
Relaxed Performance Tuesday 14 May at 7:30pm
Audio Described and Touch Tours Thursday 16 May at 2:15pm and 7:30pm
BRAND NEW PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY IS RELEASED FOR THE FIRST EVER UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF DISNEY’S HIT BROADWAY AND WEST END MUSICAL, ALADDIN
Photo credit Deen Van Meer
BASED ON THE HIT 1992 ANIMATED FILM WITH NEW SONGS BY TONY®, OLIVIER®, GRAMMY®, EMMY® AND EIGHT-TIME ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER ALAN MENKEN
Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher,present the first ever UK and Ireland tour of Disney’s Aladdin.
Desmonda Cathabel (Jasmine)
The critically acclaimed Broadway and West End musical is now open in Edinburgh, before dates in Cardiff, Plymouth, Sunderland, Dublin, Milton Keynes, Manchester, Bristol, Bradford, Southampton, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Liverpool. with further cities to be announced.
Gavin Adams (Aladdin)
The UK and Ireland tour of Disney’s Aladdin stars Yeukayi Ushe (Disney’s The Lion King, A Strange Loop, Kinky Boots and Motown The Musical) as Genie and introduce Gavin Adams as Aladdin. A recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Gavin will be making his professional debut in the title role. Also a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Desmonda Cathabel (Miss Saigon, From Here to Eternity) will play Jasmine when the show opens in Edinburgh, with casting for the role in future venues to be announced in due course.
Gavin Adams (Aladdin)
They are joined by Adam Strong (Rock of Ages, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) as Jafar, Jo Servi (Dreamgirls, The Color Purple)as Sultan, Angelo Paragoso (The Reporter, Miss Saigon) as Iago, Nay-Nay (Once On This Island) as Kassim, Adam Taylor (Cabaret, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) as Omar, and Nelson Bettencourt (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables) as Babkak.
The full cast also includes Hannah Amin, Dammi Aregbeshola, Rico Bakker, Daisy Barnett, Sarah Benbelaid, Erin Gisele Chapman, Tau-En Chien, Zac Frieze, Jared Irving, Juan Jackson, James Lim, Harriet Millier, Luchia Moss, Aaron Elijah Patel, Abbie Platts, Joseph Poulton, Chris Ribz, Olivier Scheers, Kerry Spark, Ricardo Spriggs, Damien Winchester, Niko Wirachman.
Gavin Adams (Aladdin), Yeukayi Ushe (Genie) and ensemble
Experience the timeless story of Disney’s Aladdin, a thrilling production filled with unforgettable magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle! Don’t miss this extraordinary theatrical event already seen by over 14 million people worldwide, where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite.
Ensemble
Adapted from Disney’s 1992 animated film and centuries-old folktales including “One Thousand and One Nights”, this smash-hit musical is brought to theatrical life in a unique and dazzling way. The show continues its record-breaking run on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre, and since opening there in March 2014, nine subsequent productions have launched around the world, including over 1200 performances at the Prince Edward Theatre in London’s West End.
Yeukayi Ushe (Genie)
Aladdin features the timeless songs from the animated film, as well as new music by Tony®, Olivier®, Grammy® and eight-time Acadamy Award® winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Academy Award® winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony® and three-time Academy Award® winner Tim Rice (The Lion King, Evita, Aida) and six-time Tony® nominee Chad Beguelin (The Prom, The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony® and Olivier® Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).
Yeukayi Ushe (Genie) and ensemble
Aladdin is designed by seven-time Tony®-winning scenic designer Bob Crowley, seven-time Tony®-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, two-time Tony®-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes and sound designer Ken Travis.
The production team also includes illusion designers Jim Steinmeyer and Rob Lake, hair designer Josh Marquette and makeup designer Milagros Medina-Cerdeira. The music team is headed by music supervisor and music director Michael Kosarin, who also created the vocal and incidental music arrangements, joined by orchestrator Danny Troob and dance music arranger Glen Kelly. Ben Clare is the associate director, Kyle Seeley is the dance supervisor, Jason Trubitt is the production supervisor and Myriah Bash is the US general manager. Casting is by Jill Green CDG.
Jonathan Maitland’s latest work prompts some intriguing questions in his play The Interview, which opened last night at the Park theatre. Exploring the once celebrated but now highly controversial 1995 Panorama television interview between Martin Bashir and Diana, Princess of Wales, Maitland delves into the ethical minefield that has in recent years become attributed to the piece. Despite questions surrounding Bashir’s motives to secure the scoop being raised at the time, a full investigation didn’t take place until a few years ago where it was deemed to be stripped from public domain.
With this in mind, Maitland poses the question, can you appreciate the art and separate your feelings for the artist? Michael Jackson, Pablo Picasso and Eric Gill, the general public’s ability to enjoy the art while ignoring the flaws or criminalities of the person behind the curtain is a topical subject worthy of debate. Maitland also asks the question of whether the interview should be banned from all platforms. Diana was always intending to give a “tell all” interview and timing was at the essence for fear of receiving a gag order. Bashir used unethical and downright immoral motives to win over the already vulnerable Diana to secure himself as the confidant and therefore only worthy candidate to hold the interview… but should Diana’s words be silenced? Maitland’s initial intrigue was sparked by Diana’s speeches on mental health, her bouts of bulimia and postnatal depression that have now been locked away, never to be heard again.
The premise is simply bursting with drama; it is timely, controversial, with subject matters ranging from ethics in journalism to a thousand-year-old monarch in jeopardy; it is high stakes, lies, deceit and ultimately… death. It’s a rags to riches to rags story for Bashir and for Diana, a painful culmination of years of mistreatment and severe unhappiness, it’s her escape from the clutches of one of the most powerful institutions in the world. This play should have had it all. So, what went wrong?
The first act is a game of cat and mouse between Diana and Bashir as the journalist seeks out to win Diana’s trust and ultimately, the interview. Instead of escalating the drama, we end up with a first act devoted in its entirety to exposition. Short scenes, and uninspired language bleed the play from any action or dramatical peaks. It flat lines with two-dimensional speech, characterisations drier than the Sahara Desert and embarrassing one-liners in a sad attempt to inject life into the piece. Any subtext or depth is washed over, and the 45-minute act comes across as a live reconstruction from Crimewatch. With regards to the performances, Yolanda Kettle’s robotic and dreary line readings alongside Tibu Fortes’s nervous and underwhelming performance as Bashir do little to elevate the lacking text. The clonky and unsettling direction are just the finishing touches to this flagging act. Next up, we are in the editing room with Bashir, scouring through soundbite filled footage. Kettle, who is now sat amongst the audience in a rather odd decision, delivers Diana infamous lines.
It is only as the play draws to a close that we are given the opportunity to gain perspective of the drama as a whole and explore the bigger questions. Stylistically and visually the piece immediately elevates, the language is much more direct and poignant, and we get a glimpse of what this play could have been. With so much potential, Maitland was on the right track with his choice of topic for his latest play; on paper, he is arguably the most suited playwright to tackle the subject given his previous work and history in journalism which included a working relationship with Bashir himself. There’s still potential here, with rewrites and a new vision there’s a chance for a dynamic piece of theatre to grow from. It’s just a shame that this wasn’t the production to be able to achieve this, a royal shame indeed!
Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – until Saturday 4th November 2023
Reviewed by Steph Lott
4****
Brian Friel’s “Faith Healer” is an enigmatic and moving play, skilfully directed by Michael Cabot for London Classic Theatre’s production. It delves into the shattered lives of its three characters, weaving a tapestry of regret, hope, and the elusive power of faith.
Set between 3 locations, the story unfolds through a series of four haunting monologues. Each character, Frank (Paul Carroll), his wife Grace (Gina Costigan), and his manager Teddy (Jonathan Ashley), presents their perspective on Frank’s unique talent – the ability to heal the sick, but with unreliable and unpredictable results. It is not clear whether he has a unique gift or whether he’s a con man. Grace and Teddy provide contrasting versions of events which causes even further doubt. The challenge is trying to work out exactly what took place from information provided by three distinctly unreliable narrators. This is an engrossing production of Brian Friel’s classic work. The three characters recall events that happened twenty years ago, each with differing perspectives. The audience need to pay close attention in order to spot any nuances or disparities.
Paul Carroll, in his portrayal of Frank, is spellbinding. His command of Friel’s complex and poetic dialogue is astonishing, and he flawlessly navigates the intricate emotional landscape of a man burdened with the weight of his own gift. With a raw vulnerability, Carroll takes us deep into Frank’s psyche, exposing his inner turmoil, anguish, and occasional flickers of hope. Carroll masterfully conveys the duality of Frank’s character – his charismatic charm that initially captivates, and the deep despair and self-doubt that lie just beneath the surface. Carroll’s performance is a tour de force.
However, Gina Costigan and Jonathan Ashley give equally powerful performances which provide necessary contrast to the character of Frank. There is a suggestion of a deep, complicated love and dependency between all three characters whose authenticity provides a necessary platform upon which the painful and tragic events can occur.
The staging is simple: there is an uneven and fragmented floor which suggest the outlines of the three countries where the narratives are set, with a large mirror upstage given a mottled broken and stained reflection of the action onstage. The stark and evocative design, coupled with subtle lighting changes, creates an ominous and bleak atmosphere in which the action unfolds.
In “Faith Healer” dialogue is discarded. The characters don’t address each other at all but instead speak only to the audience. This structure is extremely challenging because the actors must maintain the attention of the audience alone on a practically bare stage for long periods. So, while everything about this production is perfect, it is not a relaxing play to watch. The play is a puzzle of perspectives, leaving the audience to piece together the fragmented truth.
