THE ROYAL COURT THEATRE ANNOUNCES CAST FOR BLUE MIST BY MOHAMED-ZAIN DADA DIRECTED BY MILLI BHATIA
THURSDAY 5 OCTOBER – SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2023
From left to right: Salman Akhtar (photographer: Robert Harper), Omar Bynon (photographer: Clare Park), Arian Nik (photographer: Harry Livingston)
The Royal Court Theatre today announced Salman Akhtar, Omar Bynon and Arian Nik as the cast for Mohamed-Zain Dada’s debut play Blue Mist, directed by Royal Court Associate Director Milli Bhatia.
Set in the shisha lounges of North West London, Blue Mistfollows a journalist who sells out his own community, in a candid riposte to the portrayal of South Asian Muslim men in the media. It runs in the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from Thursday 5 October to Saturday 18 November 2023. Press night is Wednesday 11 October 2023 at 7pm.
Blue Mist is designed by Tomás Palmer, with lighting design by Elliot Griggs, sound design by Elena Peña and movement direction by Theophilus O.Bailey.
“Shisha lounges are an essential part of the Muslim experience bruv, like the Fillet o Fish”
Chunkyz Shisha Lounge is a home away from home for Jihad, Rashid and Asif, a space where community whispers are heard, jokes are told and new hustles are born. But its future is under threat, having become a target for local politicians.
Aspiring journalist, Jihad wants to fight back. After winning a competition to produce his own documentary, he sets out to create something that gives a voice to his community and challenges the usual stereotypes that fill the airwaves.
Will Jihad be able to create something that makes his boys proud? Or will his dreams of becoming a journalist come at a cost too high to bear?
“A good journalist doesn’t always play friendly. In fact, they mostly don’t”
Blue Mist is a story about South Asian Muslim Men navigating a system that isn’t built for them. Directed by Royal Court Associate Director, Milli Bhatia.
Blue Mist is a co-production with SISTER.
There will be a post-show talk with Mohamed-Zain Dada on Tuesday 17 October 2023.
FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR THE NATIONAL THEATRE’S MUSICAL VERSION OF ROALD DAHL’S THE WITCHES, PLAYING IN THE OLIVIER THEATRE THIS CHRISTMAS
The National Theatre today announces the full cast for Roald Dahl’s The Witches, a co-production with the Roald Dahl Story Company playing in the Olivier theatre from November. Directed by Lyndsey Turner (The Crucible) with book and lyrics by Olivier Award-winner Lucy Kirkwood (Mosquitoes) and music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), The Witches is a rip-roaring musical version of Roald Dahl’s timeless tale, filled with wit, daring and heart.
Everything you know about witches is wrong. Forget the pointy hats and broomsticks: they’re the most dangerous creatures on earth. And now they’ve come up with their most evil plan yet. The only thing standing in their way is Luke and his Gran. But he’s ten and she’s got a dodgy heart. Time is short, danger is everywhere, and they’ve got just one chance to stop the witches from squalloping every stinking little child in England.
The full cast of 53 is announced today, set to join three-time Olivier-nominated Katherine Kingsley(The Larkins) as the Grand High Witch, BAFTA Award-winner Daniel Rigby (Accidental Death of an Anarchist) as hotel manager Mr Stringer and Sally Ann Triplett (Oklahoma!) as Gran.
Playing Luke’s parents are Laura Medforth as Mum and Richard David-Caine as Dad, playing Bruno’s parents are Ekow Quartey as Mr Jenkins and Maggie Service as Mrs Jenkins, and playing Chef Chevalier at Hotel Magnificent is Irvine Iqbal.
Playing the witches are Julie Armstrong, Chrissie Bhima, Zoe Birkett, Maddison Bulleyment, Miracle Chance, Daniele Coombe, Molly-May Gardiner, Tiffany Graves, Bobbie Little, Tania Mathurin, Amira Matthews, and Alexandra Waite-Roberts.
Completing the team at Hotel Magnificent are Adrian Grove, Jacob Maynard and Ben Redfern.
The cast will be playing multiple roles as part of the ensemble.
Amongst the young cast and playing our hero, Luke, are Bertie Caplan, Frankie Keita and Vishal Soni. Playing Bruno are Cian Eagle-Service, George Menezes Cutts and William Skinner, and playing Helga are Jersey Blu Georgia, Asanda Abbie Masike and Chloe Raphael.
Completing the young ensemble are Nesim Adnan, Alaia Broadbent, Chenai Broadbent, Cristian Buttaci, Sekhani Dumezweni, Rudy Gibson, Florence Gore, Elara Jagger, Annabelle Jones, Jemima Loosen, Charlie Man-Evans, Iesa Miller, Jack Philpott, Sienna Sibley, Savannah Skinner-Henry, Poppy-Mei Soon, Benjamin Spalding, Dylan Trigger, Alice Valeriano, Sasha Watson-Lobo and Stella Yeoman.
One of Roald Dahl’s most loved stories, The Witches is a brilliant blend of his trademark humour and hair-raising action, featuring one of his most iconic characters, the Grand High Witch. A firm fan favourite across the generations, the book has sold over 11 million copies since it was first published.
The set and costume designer is Lizzie Clachan with choreographer Stephen Mear, music supervisor Nigel Lilley, music director Cat Beveridge, lighting designer Bruno Poet, co-sound designers Alexander Caplen and Ian Dickinson, video designer Ash J Woodward, illusions by Chris Fisher and Will Houstoun, casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, associate director Séimí Campbell, staff director Priya Patel Appleby, associate set designer Shankho Chaudhuri, associate costume designer Johanna Coe, associate wigs, hair and makeup designer Kim Kasim,associate choreographer Ebony Molina,associate music director Natalie Pound andchildren’s and assistant music director Sarah Morrison.
The Witches will play in the Olivier theatre from Tuesday 7 November until Saturday 27 January, with press night on Tuesday 21 November. It is recommended for ages 8+.
Tickets are available from £20 and are on sale now via the National Theatre website. For further information, including details about assisted performances, please visit nationaltheatre.org.uk.
COMPANY AND FULL CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED AS TICKETS RELEASED FOR TRIBE AT THE YOUNG VIC THEATRE
· Tribe is a creative journey filled with movement, music and art, presented and devised with the Beth Centre (Women in Prison)
· Tribe is in the Maria Theatre at the Young Vic from 28 October to 4 November. Tickets are free, available via www.youngvic.org
Free tickets are released today for Tribe, a Young VicTaking Part and Beth Centre (Women in Prison) production, written by Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ (Blues for an Alabama Sky) and the company from the Beth Centre (Women in Prison) and directed by TD. Moyo (Chicken Burger and Chips). Tribe explores and celebrates the power and vulnerability of sisterhood and is a love letter to the families we choose.
Filled with movement, music and art, Tribe is creative journey devised with the Beth Centre company through workshops over three months exploring themes of kinship, identity and challenging the status quo of family.
Shereen Jasmin Phillips, Director of Young Vic Taking Part said:“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Beth Centre (Women in Prison) and working with women living in Lambeth who are at risk of or affected by the criminal justice system. We couldn’t think of anyone better to bring this story to life than TD. Moyo and Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́, who have both supported Taking Part over the past few years. We hope audiences feel inspired and transported by this important production that celebrates sisterhood and finding your chosen family.”
Beth Centre Manager at Women in Prison, Pamela Price, said:“There are just over 3,500 women serving prison[1] sentences and around 21,000 women under probation supervision in the community[2], yet their voices are all too often unheard. We are honoured to bring them to light through our partnership with the Young Vic Theatre.
We have learnt so much throughout the creative process and have valued the opportunity to co-design the performance as equal partners alongside the Young Vic and the women we are working with. It has been fantastic to see both our staff and the women we are working alongside to push the boundaries of what they thought was possible and develop their skills and confidence. There are exciting times ahead and we now cannot wait for opening night!”
Tribe is in the Maria Theatre at the Young Vic from 28 Octoberto 4 November. Tickets are free but must be booked in advanced via youngvic.org.
The company of Tribe is Ketrina Brisefert, LB Brown, Leigh Cregan, Claudia Cummings, Tracey-Ann Henry, Monika Jeleniewska, Sandra Johnson, Pamela Price and Rajeetha Sriskandarajah.
Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ is a writer and performer whose career has spanned across stage and screen. Her play Teleportation was part of ‘This Is Black Festival’ in 2019. TD. Moyo’s credits include Resident Director of The Doctor and Associate Director of Blues for an Alabama Sky.
The creative team is completed by Designer Qianer Jin, Musical Director, Composer and Sound Designer Nicola T. Chang, Movement Mateus Daniel, Lighting Designer Sally Ferguson, Jerwood Trainee Assistant Director Olamide Ajisafe,Stage Manager Tash Holdaway, Assistant Stage Manager Hayley Bowman, BSL Artist Sumayya Si-Tayeb, Beth Centre Hubs Manager Pamela Price, Executive Producer and Dramaturg Shereen Jasmin Phillips, Assistant Dramaturg Luna Sigle, Producer Alisha Artry, Associate Producer Aaliyah Antoine, Assistant Producer Elina Oliva and Production Manager Audrey Owusu-Frempong.
Rehearsal images have been released for the UK and Ireland tour of the Olivier Award nominated production of SISTER ACT THE MUSICAL, which returns this week – opening at the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, from Friday 8 September.
Photo Credit: Mark Senior
Landi Oshinowo will lead the cast as Deloris Van Cartier, with television and stage star Lesley Joseph as Mother Superior. The cast also includes Lizzie Bea as Sister Mary Robert, Alfie Parker as Eddie Souther and Ian Gareth-Jones as Curtis Jackson, alongside Isabel Canning, Jackie Pulford, Phillip Arran, Lori Haley Fox, Wendy-Lee Purdy, Bradley Judge, Damian Buhagiar, Callum Martin, Castell Parker, Esme Laudat, Amber Kennedy, Joseph Connor, Ceris Hine, Eloise Runnette, Sheri Lineham and Michael Ward. www.sisteractthemusical.co.uk
Based on the iconic movie, this sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, sisterhood and music tells the hilarious story of the disco diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder. Under protective custody she is hidden in the one place she won’t be found – a convent! Disguised as a nun and under the suspicious watch of Mother Superior, Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own.
SISTER ACT has direction by Bill Buckhurst, choreography by Alistair David, Set and Costume Design by Morgan Large, Lighting Design by Tim Mitchell, Sound Design by Tom Marshall and Musical Supervision by Stephen Brooker. Casting is by Stuart Burt.
SISTER ACT features original music by Tony® and 8-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken(Disney’s Aladdin, Enchanted), lyrics by Glenn Slater, book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner with additional book material by Douglas Carter Beane. SISTER ACT is produced by Jamie Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg.
CASTING IS ANNOUNCED FOR THE FIRST EVER UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF DISNEY’S HIT BROADWAY AND WEST END MUSICAL, ALADDIN WHICH TAKES FLIGHT FROM OCTOBER 2023
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,announce casting for the first ever UK and Ireland tour of Disney’s Aladdin.
The critically acclaimed Broadway and West End musical will open the tour in Edinburgh in October 2023, followed by dates in Cardiff, Plymouth, Sunderland, and Milton Keynes, with further cities to be announced.
The UK and Ireland tour of Disney’s Aladdin will star 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.
They will be 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 Babkak, Adam Taylor (Cabaret, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) as Omar, and Nelson Bettencourt (Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Les Misérables) as Kassim.
The full cast will also include Hannah Amin, Dammi Aregbeshola, Rico Bakker, Daisy Barnett, Sarah Benbelaid, Erin Gisele Chapman, Tau-En Chien, Zac Frieze, Juan Jackson, James Lim, Harriet Millier, Aaron Elijah Patel, Abbie Platts, Joseph Poulton, Olivier Scheers, Kerry Spark, Ricardo Spriggs, Damien Winchester, Niko Wirachman.
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.
“I remember when I first watched Disney’s animated feature of Aladdin as a child” says Yeukayi Ushe (Genie), “singing along to those timeless songs and watching in awe at the comedic stylings of Robin Williams. Now I get to take that brilliant, bold, and beloved Genie envisaged by such brilliant creators and bring him to life in this spectacular, all singing, all dancing live stage version, going on UK tour for the first time.”
Gavin Adams (Aladdin) continues: “I am delighted to be making my theatrical debut in such an iconic role, a real diamond in the rough whose aspirations and heart make him a true loveable hero.Come and join us on this magic carpet ride! We can’t wait to see you.”
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.
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).
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.
SIR TIM RICE’S COURSE ON WRITING AND PERFORMING MUSICAL THEATRE
WITH BBC MAESTRO
Photographer credit: Gareth Iwan Jones
AVAILABLE FROM 27 SEPTEMBER 2023
Following the announcement earlier this year that Sir Tim Rice will be adding his name to BBC Maestro’s platform of world-class experts, full course details are now available for Writing and Performing Musical Theatre. This exclusive online course will share backstage access into the world of musical theatre, song writing and performance.
“In my BBC Maestro course, I will look at my process for writing for musical theatre, along with candidly sharing the ups and downs that come with the choice of doing this career for a living. I will break down some of my greatest hits to allow you to see how one gets from an initial idea to successfully telling a rich story.”
Sir Tim Rice will walk through every step of his creative process, sharing invaluable insights and an unrivalled understanding of what’s needed to “make it” in the world of musical theatre. Subjects covered within the course will include What Makes a Good Lyric, Artistic Collaboration, Writing for Film, Performance: Auditioning Tips, Writing a Hit Song, Adapting a Failed Song, and Getting a Musical Produced Today.
“No one formally taught me how to write a smash hit musical, and there is no playbook for this kind of career path. I hope that sharing what I can and giving you an insight into my techniques and processes will help you take the first steps you’ve been waiting for, put pen to paper, and write the next West End and Broadway smash hit!”
Across 23 lessons, those keen to break into the genre will learn to hone their storytelling through writing, performing, and collaborating with other artists. The course will feature technical guidance on the art of performance, essential steps to crafting a timeless musical, and hard-earned advice on the business of writing for film. Comprehensive course notes will accompany each lesson, providing additional practical tips and interactive exercises for aspiring lyricists and performers to further develop their musical toolkit.
“Every musical you write will teach you more about the technique and art of writing and composing; it will teach you more about yourself and your amazing ability to inspire others with your ideas. You will never stop growing as long as you remain true to what it is you want to say.”
The course will also see notable special guests join Sir Tim to lend their industry expertise to the course. Eight-time Oscar winner, Alan Menken, will join Sir Tim to share his thoughts on partnerships and the importance of writing a connected score rather than just a collection of songs. A conversation with esteemed casting director Jane Deitch will feature practical tips for auditioning and performing for aspiring and working actors alike. And Sir Tim will also speak with theatrical producer Nick Allott about how to get your musical onto the stage and what musicals work and why.
“My journey was an unconventional one, and I will use this BBC Maestro course to show you that as long as you have passion for storytelling and musical theatre, you can find your own path to success. No two paths are the same, but perhaps yours starts here.”
Sir Tim’s course on Writing and Performing Musical Theatre will be available from 27 September via www.bbcmaestro.com. The BBC Maestro platform features a series of extended, in-depth lessons filmed in 4K with an eclectic mix of prestigious experts. It allows participants to explore new areas of learning from the comfort of their own home.
Sir Tim Rice’s BBC Maestro course on Writing and Performing Musical Theatre will be available here.
FULL COURSE DETAILS:
Introduction – Tim Rice welcomes you to the course and his home, surrounded by the lyrics that inspired him.
Starting Out – From his failed attempts at being a lawyer to beginning his partnership with Andrew Lloyd Webber – including their early failures, to their first success with Joseph, Tim gives advice on how to start a career in musical theatre.
What’s A Good Idea? – Where you might find ideas, as well as how Tim came up with the idea for Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, and how the execution of these ideas is what makes success.
What Makes a Great Lyric? – Looking at some of his favourite lyrical influences and the writing process of his own work, Tim shows you what writing methods can be successful.
Overall Structure – One song doesn’t make a musical – Tim discusses the structure of the whole score and how each song is written for a certain purpose.
Writing for Film – From the Lion King, to Aladdin, to Beauty and the Beast to James Bond – Tim explains how to write for animated films and tackling a franchise like 007.
Collaboration – Collaboration with a composer is the most important partnership for a lyricist, which for Tim included Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elton John, Alan Menken and Benny and Bjorn from Abba. He explains what is needed to make a good partnership work and what to do if things aren’t going well.
Orchestration – Putting the lyrics to music – Tim breaks down the orchestration choices for some of his most infamous songs.
The Making of Evita – From the idea, to scripting, to orchestration, to casting, to opening night, Tim talks us through how he and Andrew Lloyd Webber did it.
Getting a Musical Produced Today – A chat with Theatrical Producer Nick Allott, on how to get your musical on to the stage and what musicals work and why.
Writing A Hit Song – Part 1 – Don’t Cry for Me Argentina – Tim breaks down the lyrical process for Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, written with Andrew Lloyd Webber from Evita.
Writing A Hit Song – Part 2 – A Whole New World – Tim breaks down the lyrical process for the Oscar Winning A Whole New World from Aladdin, written with Alan Menken.
Building Character – Looking at the different songs to build the characters of Mary Magdalene and Judas from Jesus Christ Superstar.
Adapting a Failed Song – I Don’t Know How to Love Him – Not every song or lyric will work in its first form – Tim shows us how this was the case with I Don’t Know How to Love Him from Jesus Christ Superstar.
Making the Music – with Alan Menken – A conversation around the benefit of partnerships and the importance of objectivity.
Performance – Auditioning Tips – Joined by casting director Jane Deitch in a live theatre – Tim and Jane give advice to actors on how to prepare for an audition and perform some of Tim’s best songs.
Performance – Acting Through Song – Tim and Jane give advice on how to act through song with a performance of Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, from Evita.
Performance – Ballads – Tim reflects on the challenges of writing a ballad and with Jane, they watch a performance of his original written piece Can You Feel the Love Tonight.
Performance – Duets – Tim and Jane give advice on how to prepare for and audition in a duet with a performance of I Know Him So Well, from Chess.
Performance – Comedy – Tim and Jane give advice on audition with a comedy piece with a performance of Hakuna Matata, from the Lion King.
The Audition Process – A chat with esteemed casting director Jane Deitch, with tips for auditioning and performing, for actors today.
10 Golden Rules – Tim’s set of rules to when approaching the writing of a song.
Tonight’s trip to the exceptional Malvern Theatres introduced me to a new space (Studio One), five actors I had (mostly) never seen before and four short plays. An intriguing prospect made even more impressive because they were all written by cast member Joy-Amy Wigman.
First was “15 Minute Call”; the tale of backstage pressures when the leading man is still absent shortly before curtain up. An announcement of “15 mins to curtain call” took us by surprise, it only becoming clear the show had begun some moments in as the lights dimmed. Ingenious, fresh writing defying convention. A shockingly current (given that Spanish Ladies football kiss) theme was explored. The interplay between the characters was wonderfully balanced, delivering a small slice of happiness. A fine opening. Then came two pieces exploring the awkwardness of isolation, from different angles. Firstly “Cake”; in which a lady, whilst baking her birthday cake, battles with personalities conjured from her favourite TV shows as they try to get her to recognize her predicament. Robbie Gardner and Toni Shaw had full reign to explore some entertaining impressions – I particularly enjoyed Noel Edmonds. Our lead (and Playwright) Joy-Amy gave us a fabulously nuanced and affectionately touching portrayal, with a lovely ending. Next was “Mannequin Piece” in which the super-talented Moa Myerson (who I previously saw shining in Scrooge) was centre stage. Moa’s tour de force as a lady with social anxiety disorder provided some lovely slapstick, an empathetically realistic portrayal and very funny interactions with the titular Mannequin, upon which she practices socializing in anticipation of meeting her roommate’s boyfriend. A fine supporting cast helped propel the story along nicely, especially Alex whose character’s introduction helped provide a very satisfying resolution. Wonderful pacing throughout from the actors and Paul Avery (Director) and superb use of lighting and sound affects too by Production/Sound/Lighting man Ollie Chapman heightened the enjoyment.
Lastly, “Super/Normal” – the longest play and the best. For the first time the full cast were all onstage and what a treat! We are used to seeing Superheroes angst spilling out as they battle with the “curse” of their powers so it was refreshing to see the other side presented: the angst of no longer being Superheroes, which they’d loved being! There was heartfelt poignancy as our super-normal friends came to terms and supported each other.
I loved each actor’s display of their former super skill – Moa’s The Spider being particularly effective with her sitting position and movements evoking that animal. I really enjoyed Alex’s arc too – from stroppy to supportive and Robbie gave us a great range of emotions when facing his mortality. Some knowing fun poking at the super hero genre (lycra obsessed and sillily named etc.) was also most amusing. As in the opening piece, a really good twist in the tail which I didn’t see coming. Super! A talented cast, thoroughly enjoying themselves with interesting, intelligent and witty scripts written by one of the gang. Bravissimo! Nice to see plays ending with their leads showing some signs of recovery in a thoroughly uplifting evening. Great, also, to see original talent and writing given the opportunity to shine, which it did tonight brightly.
Bear in the Air Productions UK tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is nearing its end – but if you can get tickets to the remaining outdoor dates, grab them fast.
Shakespeare’s tale of forced political marriage, unrequited love and magical interference causing chaos is a glorious giggle in this fast-paced production. As well as the usual doubling of the actors playing Theseus and Oberon and Hippolyta and Titania, a cast of 6 means that every actor plays multiple roles. This never becomes confusing as the quick changes of charmingly homespun costumes make it clear which character is on stage. Another nice touch is the colour coding of Demetrius with Helena, and Lysander with Hermia, as the two Athenian men are sometimes indistinguishable on paper, although Nicholas Southcott and Jack Jacobs make each role their own with some deftly comic touches.
Director and composer Conor Cook marks the beginning and end of each half of the show with a song from the travelling players, joking with instructions to the audience about when it’s time to watch and when it’s time to go to the bar. The quieter scenes between Theseus and Hippolyta/Oberon and Titania that explain the tensions and drive the plot don’t slow the pace of the play, and allow Yvette Bruin and Elizabeth Prideaux to shine with subtler, less broad performances. (Although Bruin’s Theseus is a very English, dangerously jolly despotic caricature of familiar politicians.) As the quartet of young lovers, Nicholas Southcott (Demetrius), Elizabeth Prideaux (Helena), Sadie Pepperrell (Hermia) and Jack Jacobs (Lysander) bring a frenetic teenage energy to the arguments and wooing in fantastically physical portrayals, but never allow the beautiful language to be lost. Sally Sharp’s Puck is a delight – impish and flighty, and always marvelling at the mischief she is making.
This is one of those very rare productions where the mechanicals are actually the funniest part of the play. Fantastic accents, brilliant physical comedy and excellent ensemble work make the struggle to perform their terrible play at the wedding celebrations a joy to watch. Jack Jacobs’ well-meaning but ineffectual Peter Quince is a bundle of twitches and sighs as everything goes wrong around him and he lives through the ongoing health and safety nightmare. Sadie Pepperrell’s Starveling is a hilariously terrified Starveling, wide-eyed and silently mouthing words, leaving the audience rooting for Starveling in their big moment in the spotlight (moonlight?), Elizabeth Prideaux’s drunken Snout and Sally Sharp’s sweet Snug are a joy, and Yvette Bruin’s Flute is a masterclass in “terrible” acting. Nicholas Southcott as Bottom is full of fantastic comic detail but this was a true ensemble and it was refreshing to see that Southcott’s performance, although hilarious, never overshadowed the ongoing shenanigans created by the mechanicals en masse.
An evening of love and laughter, fun and frolics, this delightful production is simply a dream.
Remaining Tour Dates:
7 – 8 September RNLI College, Poole
10 September Henley Cricket Club, Henley-On-Thames
Hailed as Britain’s Best picture book, Judith Kerr’s timeless classic The Tiger Who Came To Tea is now entering its 55th year, selling over 5 million copies, since it was first published in 1968.
This stage adaptation is true to the original illustrations of the children’s book with a cleverly designed and beautiful set along with identical costumes to the characters of the much loved story. I took my two-year-old toddler along with me to watch one of his favourite stories come to life on stage at the York Theatre Royal and it’s safe to say, it was a huge hit with him as he screamed “TIGER!!!” excitedly into the auditorium at several points.
This interactive show seemed to keep the audience, both young and old captivated from the start with songs and dances that everyone could join in with and a bright furry friend was clearly the star of the show.
The cast were all excellent at bringing us along with them in the story telling which is no mean feat with a room full of little people. The role of Sophie is played by the charming and excitable Millie Robins, Katie Tripp is perfect as the loving Mummy and the task of Dad is played by the wonderfully talented and hilarious Benjamin Stone who takes on several roles including the Milkman, the Postman and the Tiger!
The direction by David Wood OBE, is done with a young audience in mind and is simplistic in its approach but fully heart warming and is complimented with choreography by Emma Clayton and music by Peter Pontzen. The thing that truly made this a show not to be missed is the illusions and magic by Scott Penrose! I have no idea how some of the illusions happened but they were very impressive and topped off with clever lighting design by Tony Simpson, I left the theatre blown away.
If there was one thing I may suggest it would be to turn the mics up a smidge as there were points that it was quite difficult to catch with an enthusiastic audience!
This sensitively witty and high stakes drama from the writing of Jean-Philippe Daguerre is here to show Bath why it is so deserving of its awards. The French play, written in 2016 has been translated and is stunningly compelling.
We follow the trials of Joseph Haffmann, a Jewish jeweller living in Paris under Nazi Occupation in 1942. He decides to give his jewellery shop over to his long serving employee Pierre Vigneau in order to keep it running and to sleep in the cellar for safety until the war is over, but Pierre bites back with a proposition of his own. Both himself and his wife, Isabelle, long for a child but are unable to conceive, so Pierre asks Joseph to enter into a sexual relationship with his wife, in order to help their dreams of a family come true. With a star studded cast, Ciarán Owens as Pierre, Nigel Lindsay as Joseph and Lisa Dillon as Isabelle, this is a great trio that drives the plot forward at just the right momentum whilst also providing excellent comedic breaks. Nigel Lindsay was an absolute triumph, with such empathy and conviction at portraying a Jewish character – I was enthralled with every movement and breath he took.
The twist in the show, is that Pierre befriends Otto and Suzanne Abetz (Alexander Hanson and Josefina Gabrielle) who are the German ambassadors of Paris. Inviting them to dinner and befriending them opens the family up to the Nazis and puts all their lives at risk. These two were incredible- their mannerisms and comedy were fabulous but Hanson embodied the fear and pride that you saw of the Nazis; It was thrilling to watch his performance. This tight cast was inspired and perfectly cast by Serena Hill. With a creative team including Set and Costume Designer Paul Wills; Lighting Designer Peter Mumford and Sound Designer & Composer Giles Thomas, this was a well oiled machine. My only criticism, is that the transitions from Joseph’s cellar, to the upstairs freedom of the house was quite distracting at the beginning, and I felt that I was taken out of the performance for these brief moments during the scene changes. This might however, have something to do with the intimacy of the Ustinov and how close to the stage each seat is, making sure you sense every aspect of the performance.
This truly is a masterpiece, one that I will be rebooking, as I was completely unaware that it is based on a true story. I will have to re watch, and knowing this, be able to gain more of a sense of the horror that people had to live with during these occupied times.
