Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 15 April 2023

Reviewed by Alexandra Browning

4****

Titanic the Musical starts quietly in the riff raff of the audience arriving with the Titanic’s designer Thomas Andrews (Ian McLarnon) finalising the blueprints and plans for the feat defying ship. The show starts subtly with the introduction to the Titanic, the crew and the captain. Following the introductions, the passengers of the Titanic were greeted to come onboard, starting from First Class passengers, Second Class and ending with Third Class Passengers. Once the ship was fully loaded and the final inspections checked the whole cast sang the wonderful “Godspeed Titanic”. “Godspeed Titanic” immediately sets the scene for the immensely talented cast, featuring a magnitude of talented voices and beautiful harmonies.

The show included a fantastic array of costumes including a creative use of the main cast to ensure scenes featuring: First, Second- and Third-class passengers were jam packed, over multiple points in the show it is near impossible to comprehend the speed of the costume changes and character changes the cast make. The stage features a simplistic yet obvious nod towards the bow of the Titanic and with some careful choreography involving moving scenery make you feel like you are onlooking the bow of the ship itself. This simplistic stage design finds a clever way to emulate each section of the boat from the busy engine rooms to the luxurious private dining suite.

Two stand out performers are hidden amongst the cast as Charles Clarke (Mathew McDonald) performs impressive male vocals in the song ‘We’ll Meet Tomorrow” showcasing a wide range of emotions and vocal range, in an emotional tribute to his bride-to-be. Kate McGowan (Lucie-Mae Summer) performs “Lady’s Maid” with clear lead vocals with an operatic talent.

The most tear-jerking scene of them all was between Ida Straus (Played by Valda Aviks) and Isidor Straus (Played by David Delve) in the musical number “Still” of the second act. The song highlights Ida as the last remaining female passenger in first class sharing in a romantic and tender last night together before their demise onboard The Titanic. The couple shared a romantic ballroom dance and a last drink of champagne together provided by the butler. The couple tenderly adorned their prized positions before dancing their last dance together.

Overall, I would give this performance four stars for its story and performance, although the show has to end on a sad note due to the nature of events the cast manage to pull together for one final performance of “Godspeed Titanic Reprise” for the curtain call. This performance will pull on the heartstrings but is definitely one to watch.

IMAGINE THEATRE WINS THREE

UK PANTOMIME ASSOCIATION AWARDS

Best pantomime (over 900 seats) & Best Set Design – Mark Walters/Nina Dunn/ Matt Brown

Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand

Best Newcomer to Pantomime

Vernon Kay -Cinderella, Wycombe Swan

Following 12 nominations pantomime producer Imagine Theatre are delighted to announce a win in three categories at the UK Pantomime Association’s annual pantomime awards last night.

Beauty and the Beast at Swansea Grand which last year broke box office records, won two awards including the coveted award for Best Pantomime (over 900 seats). 

Swansea Grand Theatre manager, Grant McFarlane commented;  “We couldn’t be more delighted, what a great night for Swansea Grand and Imagine Pantomimes! Audience feedback last year was exceptional, and it’s great to see that reflected in this award.  Panto is alive and well in Swansea and we look forward to seeing many more people return to visit us this year”

Kev Johns, Swansea’s favourite Dame who will return again this year said;  “We were up against some hefty competition and it’s wonderful for Swansea Grand to take home these wins!  Swansea is a real panto town, who love the tradition and this is a lovely acknowledgement for all of us and those who support us year on year” 

The pantomime also won Best Set Design for Mark Walters, Nina Dunn and Matt Brown. Their ground-breaking digital set combines state of the art technology with all the elements you’d expect to find in a traditional pantomime brought to life with LED animated scenes to create a magical and enchanting theatrical experience. 

Vernon Kay who made his debut in High Wycombe’s Cinderella this year was crowned Best Pantomime Newcomer said “I’m so delighted to have been recognised as best Newcomer to pantomime in the UK Pantomime association awards.  As a panto lover this is a real honour. Performing in Cinderella at High Wycombe was my stage debut. I had a fantastic time playing Dandini with a great bunch of people and I’m hugely proud to have won this award for my local venue and the team behind the show.  Perhaps I am, as I’ve always suspected, the true king of the Dad joke!’

With 18 pantomimes on sale across the UK for 2023 Sarah Boden Business and Marketing Director for Imagine Theatres said “We are over the moon to have won these three awards and are so proud of all of our winners and nominees and the teams working behind them to bring magic to the stage in panto every year.  Our congratulations go out to all of the winners who work tirelessly to ensure the tradition of pantomime continues to thrive”

Founded in 2021, the UK Pantomime Association is a charity that explores, shares and celebrates pantomime by investigating the genre’s rich past, engaging with contemporary practice and inspiring the future. The Pantomime Awards 2023 were hosted Christopher Biggins London’s West End, on Tuesday 11 April.

To find out more about Imagine Theatre www.imaginetheatre.co.uk

PLAYWELL PRODUCTIONS & POSITIVE EAST LAUNCH POWERFUL EXHIBITION ON DIVERSE HIV EXPERIENCES ALONGSIDE

LIVE TO TELL: (A PROPOSAL FOR) THE MADONNA JUKEBOX MUSICAL

BY BRIAN MULLIN

CAMDEN PEOPLE’S THEATRE (UNTIL 15^TH APRIL)

PlayWell Productions and Brian Mullin officially launched the return of Brian’s Live To Tell: (A Proposal For) The Madonna Jukebox Musical to London alongside the exhibition “Expressing Ourselves” at Camden People’s Theatre with a special event on Wednesday 5th April.

Brian Mullin’s Live To Tell: (A Proposal For) The Madonna Jukebox Musical, which runs at the London venueuntil 15^th April, a “highly personal, impassioned stance on living with HIV” (Everything Theatre) that follows the quest of Brian, a Madonna superfan living with HIV, as he pitches himself to Madonna to create a musical based on her songs, whilst also facing what it means in his own life to survive with HIV.

Alongside the show, audiences can view “Expressing Ourselves” an exhibition in Camden People’s Theatre’s lobby curated by Brian from workshops he is currently co-leading with HIV charity Positive East. It features powerful, personal writing from a diverse range of men and women sharing often unheard experiences of life with HIV in their own words.

For the special event, performer and playwright Brian Mullin was joined by co-facilitator Mina Kakaiya from Positive East, Clinical Research Fellow at UCL’s Institute for Global Health Dr Shema Tariq and actor/HIV advocate Stephen Hart alongside participants in the exhibition who shared and discussed their experiences and writing.

Brian Mullin plays the self-inspired role of Brian with Dan de la Motte playing all other characters and Nadya Ginsburg (2 Broke Girls, RuPaul’s Drag Race) providing the voice of Madonna.

Alongside Mullin on the creative team are Deirdre McLaughlin as Director, Josh Anio Grigg as Digital & Sound Designer, Alex Thomas as Lighting Designer and Steph J Weller for PlayWell Productions as Producer.

Dr Shema Tariq said of the event, “Brian’s thought-provoking play captures the messy middle bit of living with HIV as a long-term condition.  The psychological toll, the side effects, and the difficulties of taking daily medication for the rest of your life are all examined unflinchingly. It is also a breath of fresh air to see the work of women and people of colour living with HIV be amplified in the accompanying exhibition.  When HIV has been represented in popular culture it has tended to focus on the experiences of white, cisgender gay men.  Whilst undoubtedly important, we must remember that over half the global population of people living with HIV are women.  Brian, Mina and the workshop participants’ commitment to diversifying the narratives of HIV should be applauded. Tremendously inspiring and moving.”

Mina Kakaiya, Peer Support Worker at Positive East: “I’ve been living with HIV for 20 years, and my work seeks to empower other people living with HIV and to challenge and overcome stigma. As a South Asian woman, there is a lack of visibility and experiences of people like me reflected in media about HIV. I’m thrilled that these workshops have attracted a good proportion of women, particularly African and Caribbean women. Combining my skills as a facilitator, coach and activist with Brian’s artistic ones, we’re proud to have created a safe space for participants to open up and unlock their hidden creative talents with a sense of playfulness and empathy. The room has been filled with laughs and some cathartic tears, but mostly a sense of pride as we shape writing that expresses a range of often unheard perspectives about living with HIV.”

George Hodson, 74, artist and long-term HIV warrior queen, who attended the launch of the production and exhibition said, “Brian’s engaging play shows us just how AIDS/HIV meds don’t just help our friends the T-cell gang, but can and do percolate and penetrate our brains causing all sorts of tangential psychological problems. Sadly like so much of life there are no free lunches in the world of meds. They can and do stir up a hornet’s nest of anger and fear for Brian, seeping into his very self-confidence and being, interfering with his relationships with himself and those who love him. He turns for support and clarity to his idol the blessed Madge for some kind of clarity and relief. His end speech brought me, a 40-year hardened old HIV/AIDS queen, to tears! He is a fierce and natural actor who totally throws himself into this play. Go see!”

Tickets for CPT are on sale at https://cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/Live-to-Tell-A-Proposal-for-the-Madonna-Jukebox-Musical

Aboard ‘Silver Sockeye’ on the Thames – until 29 October 2023

Reviewed by Alec Legge

4****

To Tower Quay right by Tower Bridge and next to the Tower of London, there to board the good ship ‘Silver Sockeye’ for the Terrible Thames Tour.

Seated on the open top deck with a panoramic view all around. Hosted by two actors playing the parts of a Teacher and very naughty and unruly Pupil on a day trip. We then left Tower Quay sailing under Tower Bridge and along the Thames to Lambeth Bridge where the boat turned and we sailed back to Execution Dock and thence back to Tower Quay.

On the outward leg the teacher gave a running commentary of the sights on the northern bank and the sights on the southern bank on the return leg This included most of the major London sights such as the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, Houses of Parliament etc. The South bank sights included Lambeth Palace, County Hall, Tate Modern, Globe Theatre

The dialogue was entertaining and funny with the pupil constantly interrupting with comedic acts and typically juvenile comments. They involved the audience, particularly the children, the banter being typical of the Horrible Histories with lots of references to gruesome deaths, torture and of course ‘poo’ and ‘sick’, urgh! All in all very funny but also interspersed with real facts and history.

The actors were very good and well rehearsed. There were sufficient speakers so every word was audible. There was plenty of movement by the actors up and down the aisle between the seats so that they could be involved with the audience.

A good performance which lasted about 45 minutes which children enjoyed and was also amusing to adults who would appreciate juvenile humour.

The only thing I would perhaps criticise would be that the actors were dressed in normal clothes and that some form of costume would have accentuated their performance.

As to cost, adults £25, Seniors £20, children £15, family at £60 and £70 are typical for London attractions.

If you like the Horrible Histories genre then this is one to visit.

Kings Theatre, Southsea – until Sunday 16th April 2023

Reviewed by Sally Lumley

5*****

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang the musical is based on the beloved 1968 film version of Ian Fleming’s novel, with wonderfully recognisable songs by the incredible Sherman Brothers.

The show tells the story of inventor Caractacus Potts (Paul Clements) and his children Jeremy (Cohen Bates) and Jemima (Jemima May Rees). Together they restore an old racing car to her former glory, with a little extra magic thrown in. When the children’s grandfather is kidnapped by the Baron of Vulgaria (John Bettesworth), they join forces with Truly Scrumptious (Georgia Deloise) and go on an adventure in Chitty to rescue him.

This is a community production by the Kings, with a cast comprised of local non-professional actors who deliver top class performances. The lead roles are in very capable hands with Clements and Deloise, impressively supported by the children who would be at home on a west end stage. Chris Ballard and Callum Tickner as Boris and Goran the Vulgarian spies provide the classic comedy double act leaving the audience in stitches. Daniel Vaughan is also fabulous as the iconic Child Catcher, thoroughly deserving the appreciative boos they received for their performance; my nine year old son was just the right amount of terrified.

The real star of the show though is Chitty herself of course, and she doesn’t disappoint. When she flies at the end of the first half it was a proper “wow” moment, with lights, sounds and staging combining to have the audience believe that a car was flying around the theatre. It really was “more than spectacular (to use the vernacular)”, and we could feel the magic of the car in that special moment.

The flyer promised a show that has something for everybody and judging by the standing ovation in Southsea last night the Kings Theatre delivered on that promise. This is a truly fantasmagorical show – drive, sail or fly down to the Kings for a ticket before they sell out.

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh – until 15th April 2023

 Reviewed by Rachel Farrier

5*****

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty completes a trio of interpretations of Tchaikovsky ballets, which began with his groundbreaking all-male Swan Lake. This production may not push boundaries to the same extent, but its freshness and imaginative reshaping of the familiar story as a century-spanning gothic fairy tale, complete with vampires, Edwardian garden parties, and a modern nightclub, makes this Sleeping Beauty utterly captivating.

In this re-imagining, ‘Prince Charming’ is Lep the young gardener, who is already beloved of Aurora before she goes into a deep sleep, and who has to become part of the troupe of mischievous fairies (reminiscent of A Midsummer Night’s Dream) in order to rescue her from the clutches of the curse of Carabosse, the dark fairy. For me, Paris Fitzpatrick as Count Lilac – leader of the vampire-fairy band – was the stand out performance of the night. The routines in which he and Leo (Rory MacLeod) danced together were particularly enthralling. 

Cordelia Braithwaite perfectly interpreted Aurora, investing what could be a passive role with life and wit. She was especially good in the scenes where, blindfolded, she depicted the sleeping Aurora with beautiful, drowsy elegance.

Two particular scenes stood out for me: the first was early in the second half and saw most of the company on stage, as sleeping mortals in the enchanted forest, dressed in white and all blindfolded. The choreography was spectacular in itself, but the ability of the ensemble to manage it without the benefit of sight was breathtaking. 

The second stand out scene was in the gothic-styled nightclub where the flamenco-inspired ensemble routine was both playful and menacing, with the red and black clad dancers circling the bewitched Aurora who is under the spell of Caradoc, son of Carabosse (who is fulfilling his mother’s curse). Ben Brown played both Carabosse and Caradoc and was particularly magnificent in the latter role, whose sinister intentions towards Aurora (it is suggested) extend to a kind of sexual enslavement.

Another standout feature was Lez Brotherston’s set and costume designs, which created a series of unique worlds, from the fin de siecle elegance of the king’s court and gardens, to the moonlit wood outside the castle where the enchanted Aurora sleeps.

It isn’t all velvet and vamping, however. Bourne mixes the sweeping romance and gothic styling with humour, especially a delightful puppet of baby Aurora in the opening scenes, and some Chaplinesque clowning from Rory MacLeod as Leo, as he fights his way towards the castle and his true love.

This is a stunning and spellbinding production, regardless of whether you have had any experience of ballet before, and it rightly deserved the rapturous reception it received last night. 

Trafalgar Theatre Productions, the National Theatre, Barbara Whitman and Wessex Grove

Alan Cumming, Ilana Glazer, Jennifer Hudson, Mindy Kaling & Billy Porter

in association with the Barbican

Present

A STRANGE LOOP

ALAN CUMMING, ILANA GLAZER

JENNIFER HUDSON, MINDY KALING & BILLY PORTER

ANNOUNCED AS PRODUCERS FOR THE LONDON SEASON

THE PULITZER PRIZE AND 2022 TONY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL

BARBICAN THEATRE

17 JUNE – 9 SEPTEMBER 2023

“A dazzling ride. No measure of praise could be too much”

New York Times

“Explosively imaginative. Dazzlingly one-of-a-kind. Broadway’s best new musical”

Washington Post

TICKETS ON SALE FROM STRANGELOOPMUSICAL.COM

Having co-produced A Strange Loop on Broadway, some of the most influential names in entertainment – Alan Cumming, Ilana Glazer, Jennifer Hudson, Mindy Kaling and Billy Porter – will reunite to produce the smash-hit musical in London when it opens at the Barbican Theatre for a one-time-only 12 week limited season from 17 June.

The five high profile artists were co-producers of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical sensation which took New York by storm in 2022/23. Now, they are coming together again to create a truly unforgettable experience for London audiences this summer.

Theatre, television and film actor Alan Cumming said: “I saw A Strange Loop off Broadway and was blown away by its brilliance and innovation. In 2021, I was a named producer and I was honoured to be part of this big, Black, queer-ass, musical. A Strange Loop is a ground-breaking and necessary work of art that challenges and transforms the traditional Broadway musical form, and I am delighted to bring its powerful and important message to even more audiences in London.”

Comedian, director, writer and actress Ilana Glazer said: “I am thrilled to be producing A Strange Loop in London, a musical that celebrates the beauty and complexity of being human, regardless of our differences. It’s stunning. So honest, real and true.”

Actor and singer-songwriter Jennifer Hudson, who joined an illustrious group of just 18 artists to achieve EGOT status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award wins) following A Strange Loop’s 2022 Tony Award win, said: “A Strange Loop is a masterpiece that deserves to be experienced by audiences everywhere. Michael R Jackson’s talent and dedication to his craft is truly inspiring, and I am honored to be a part of bringing this story to London”

Mindy Kaling, Emmy-nominated writer, producer, actor, and New York Times bestselling author said: “As a long-time fan of the show, I can confidently say that it is one of the most joyful funny, and relatable musicals I have ever seen. It is a breakthrough masterpiece that will leave you both laughing and crying. It’s an audacious, hilarious, profoundly moving, and wholly original approach to storytelling and I am honoured to be a part of bringing this transformative musical to even more audiences and can’t wait for everyone to experience it.”

Actor, singer, writer and director Billy Porter, the first gay Black man to win an Emmy Award, added: “To sit up there and see my life onstage, when everybody said that my story wasn’t valid – to see it so brave, so bold, so truthful, so complicated, so honest, and so unapologetic, was one of the most wonderful nights for me in the theatre. I am so happy to continue my association with this wonderful musical in London.”

Barbara Whitman, who originally brought these creative powerhouses together on Broadway said: “I am thrilled these incredibly talented and passionate individuals are coming together once again to bring A Strange Loop to London. Their continued commitment to the show is a testament to its enduring power and relevance. I am deeply honoured to have collaborated with such an extraordinary group of co-producers, and I have no doubt that their support will help make this London production an unforgettable success.”

Nominated for 11 Tony Awards and winner of every Best Musical award in New York, Michael R. Jackson’s critically acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning, blisteringly funny masterwork exposes the heart and soul of Usher – a young, gay, Black writer who hates his day job, so writes a musical about a young, gay, Black writer who’s writing a musical about a young, gay, Black writer…a strange loop. Usher grapples with desires, identity and instincts he both loves and loathes, all brought to life on stage by a hilarious, straight-talking ensemble.

A Strange Loop is only the 10th musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama with the previous winner being Hamilton, with the committee citing the show as a “metafictional musical that tracks the creative process of an artist transforming issues of identity, race, and sexuality that once pushed him to the margins of the cultural mainstream into a meditation on universal human fears and insecurities”.

The New York critics heaped plaudits on this sensational production: The New York Times said the show was a “dazzling ride” and “no measure of praise could be too much”. The Wall Street Journal described the show as “hilarious, intimate and personal” adding that “A Strange Loop is extraordinary in just about every way. It represents theater at its most daring and unexpected”. And Variety summed it up, hailing A Strange Loop as “the most furiously entertaining show on Broadway”.

Michael R. Jackson is a playwright, composer, and lyricist who is a rising star in the world of contemporary writing and quickly gaining recognition as one of the most innovative voices in American theatre. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Jackson moved to New York to attend NYU (New York University), where he began his career as a writer and performer. His writing is already drawing comparisons to other literary greats, and he is quickly becoming recognised as an inspiring and transformative writer in his own right. His next musical, White Girl in Danger, a co-production between the Vineyard and Second Stage, opens at New York’s Tony Kiser Theater on 10 April .

LISTINGS INFORMATION

BARBICAN THEATRE

Previews: From 17 June

Tickets: from £20

Performances: Monday – Saturday at 8pm, matinees on Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm

Age guidance: 16+ (Contains explicit language, references to racism and scenes of an adult nature)

For access performances: please visit Strangeloopmusical.com

Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes with no interval

Website: Strangeloopmusical.com Trailer: A STRANGE LOOP is coming to London! – YouTube

Twitter: @StrangeLoopLDN

Instagram: @StrangeLoopLDN

Facebook: /StrangeLoopLDN

CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT

LEGENDARY COMEDIAN BEN ELTON

TO MAKE STAGE ACTING DEBUT

AS ‘THE REBEL LEADER’ IN

2 JUNE – 27 AUGUST 2023

LONDON COLISEUM

TICKETS ON SALE NOW: WEWILLROCKYOULONDON.CO.UK

Legendary comedian, writer and director Ben Elton will make his stage acting debut this summer as ‘The Rebel Leader’ in the smash-hit sensation ‘We Will Rock You’ at the London Coliseum. The rock theatrical, written and directed by Ben and featuring the songs of Queen, returns to London 21 years after it first exploded into the West End for a strictly limited 12-week season from 2 June – 27 August.

Ben Elton’s multi-award-winning career spans more than 40 years, and includes seminal and groundbreaking television shows, West End plays, West End musicals, best-selling novels and feature films.

Ben Elton said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the incredible London Coliseum cast in the role of The Rebel Leader. The character is a massive Queen fan, rock tragic and general old fart who still plays air guitar to his bedroom mirror – so basically I’m perfect for the role! My ambition is to nail all the laughs and not mess up my song.”

Co-starring with Ben at the London Coliseum are Brenda Edwards (Chicago / Hairspray) as Killer Queen, having previously played the role in the UK tour and the record-breaking Dominion Theatre run and Lee Mead (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang / Wicked) who will play Khashoggi.

Following critical acclaim for their performances in the UK tour, Olivier award nominated actor Ian McIntosh and Elena Skye, reprise their roles as Galileo Figaro and Scaramouche respectively. The cast

is completed by Christine Allado (Meat), Adrian Hansel (Brit), Jenny O’Leary (alternate Killer Queen) and the ensemble comprises Glenn Adamson, Laura Ava-Scott, Esme Bacalla-Hayes, Liam Buckland, David Burilin, Victoria Collins, Isaac Edwards, Leanne Garretty, Lucy Glover, Ryesha Higgs, Ellis Linford-Pill, Shak Mancel James, David McIntosh, Danny Nattrass, Jarryd Nurden, Sam Robinson, Madison Swan, Karen Walker and Rebecca Wickes.

It has been 21 years since ‘We Will Rock You’ premiered at London’s Dominion Theatre in 2002, where it was seen by six million people over 4600 performances during an astonishing 12-year run, becoming one of the most successful musicals in West End history and the longest runner at the Dominion by a margin of nine years. It also found unprecedented popularity around the world, playing to a global audience of 20 million across 28 countries. Featuring 24 of Queen’s greatest hits and a hilarious script by Ben Elton, We Will Rock You succeeds in its promise of delivering a rocking good night revisiting one of the greatest songbooks in history.

‘We Will Rock You’ tells the story of a globalized future without musical instruments. A handful of rock rebels, the Bohemians, fight against the all-powerful Globalsoft company and its boss, the Killer Queen; they fight for freedom, individuality and the rebirth of the age of rock. Scaramouche and Galileo, two young outsiders, cannot come to terms with the bleak conformist reality. They join the Bohemians and embark on the search to find the unlimited power of freedom, love and rock!

‘We Will Rock You’ is produced by Phil McIntyre Live, Queen Theatrical Productions and Tribeca Theatrical Productions.

“Magnifico!”

The Sun

“One of the best shows I’ve seen in yonks. An evening of sheer entertainment and enjoyment”

Daily Mirror

“The sheer power of the best Queen numbers strikes hard”

Financial Times

“There was wild applause at the climax of the show…and it only got louder”

Daily Telegraph

“Spectacular”

Daily Express

Listings Information:

London Coliseum, St Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4ES

First show: 2 June

Final show: 27 August

Evening performances: Monday*, Wednesday* – Saturday at 7:30pm

Matinees: Thursday* and Saturday at 2:30pm, Sunday at 3pm

*Ben Elton will not perform on Mondays during July and August

*Brenda Edwards will not perform on Wednesday evenings (except 7 June & 23 August), Thursday matinees and June 8 & 24 August

Website: wewillrockyoulondon.co.uk

Twitter: @WWRYMusical

Instagram: @WWRYMusical

Facebook: facebook.com/wwrymusical

QUEEN WILL ROCK YOU IN 3-D

Just a five-minute walk from We Will Rock You, Proud Galleries, in collaboration with Sir Brian May, present a new exhibition QUEEN WILL ROCK YOU IN 3-D, capturing the history of the band through Brian’s own stereoscopic (3-D) camera lenses. From an early age Brian travelled with a 3-D camera in hand, so on tours and during recordings he was able to capture rare behind-the-scenes moments of one of the world’s greatest rock bands. Decades later these are now being shared for the first time in a public exhibition. The magic of Queen Will Rock You in 3-D is that the images will be brought to life in three dimensions with the ingenious OWL Stereoscopic Viewer designed by Brian himself.

Queen Will Rock You In 3-D at Proud Galleries, 32 John Adam Street, Embankment, London WC2N 6BP runs from 2nd June to 23 Sept 2023. Tickets on sale now: https://proudgalleries.com/pages/exhibitions-programme

The book, Queen in 3-D, by Brian May, published by The London Stereoscopic Company is available to buy from the merchandise stand at We Will Rock You or online from: https://shop.londonstereo.com

The UK Pantomime Association announces the winners of the 

The Pantomime Awards 2023 in association with Butlin’s   

with Su Pollard receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award,  

and Ian McKellen, Cast, Doncaster, and Theatre Royal Stratford East  

taking home Special Recognition Awards 

The UK Pantomime Association (UKPA) has announced the winners of The Pantomime Awards 2023 in association with Butlin’s at a star-studded ceremony which took place at the Trafalgar Theatre in London’s West End on the evening of Tuesday 11 April 2023.  

Su Pollard was honoured with the Outstanding Achievement Award for her many decades of passion and commitment to treading the boards in pantomimes around the country. 

The Special Recognition Awards, which celebrate productions and individuals representing the values that the Association seeks to promote, were given to Ian McKellen for passionate advocacy and services to the artform of pantomime, Cast, Doncaster, for their ongoing commitment to integrated BSL signing in pantomime and Theatre Royal Stratford East for their continued innovative and inclusive practice in the field of pantomime. 

The full list of winners is: 

• Best Choreography: Stillie Dee – Jack and the Beanstalk, Alhambra Theatre, Bradford (Crossroads Pantomimes) 
• Best Comic sponsored by Santa Himself: Adam C Booth – Cinderella, Grand Opera House, Belfast (Crossroads Pantomimes) 
• Best Costume Design: Jasmine Swan – Beauty and the Beast, Mercury Theatre, Colchester (In-House) 
• Best Dame sponsored by Trafalgar Entertainment: Brian James O’Sullivan – Maw Goose, Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling (In-House) 
• Best Director (sponsored by John Good Ltd): Estelle van Warmelo – Beauty and the Beast, The Courtyard, Hereford (In-House) 
• Best Ensemble sponsored by Stagecoach: Mairi Barclay, Adam Brown, Gabriel Fleary, Becca Francis, Shailan Gohil, Richard Leeming, Genevieve Nicole and Laura Tyrer – Mother Goose, Duke of York’s Theatre, London (Ambassador Theatre Group) 
• Best Lighting Design sponsored by Production, Light & Sound: Sally Ferguson – Dick Whittington, Nottingham Playhouse (In-House) 
• Carmen Silvera Award for Best Magical Being: Jo Osmond – Beauty and the Beast, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury (Evolution Productions) 
• Best Contribution to Music sponsored by Howden Insurance Brokers: Emma Fraser – Dick Whittington, Octagon Theatre, Yeovil (Evolution Productions) 
• Best Early Career Newcomer sponsored by Staffordshire University: Neha Eapen – Cinderella, Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds (Paul Holman Associates) 
• Best Newcomer to Pantomime sponsored by Staffordshire University: Vernon Kay – Cinderella, Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe (Imagine Theatre) 
• Barbara Windsor Award for Best Principal Lead: Jasmine Triadi – Cinderella, Salisbury Playhouse (In-House) 
• Best Script: Joyce Branagh – Jack and the Beanstalk, South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell (In-House) 
• Best Secondary Lead: Ohaana Greaves – The Further Adventures of Peter Pan, Fairfield Halls, Croydon (UK Productions) 
• Best Set Design: Mark Walters, Nina Dunn and Matt Brown – Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre (Imagine Theatre) 
• Best Sisters: Andrew Pollard and Alim Jadavji – Cinderella, Lighthouse, Poole (In-House) 
• Best Sound Design: James Cook – Aladdin, Derby Arena (Little Wolf Entertainment) 
• Best Supporting Artist: Anna-Jane Casey – Mother Goose, Duke of York’s Theatre, London (Ambassador Theatre Group) 
• Best Villain sponsored by Breckman & Company: Ben Locke – Robin Hood, Theatr Clwyd, Mold (In-House) 
• Best Pantomime (Under 500 seats) sponsored by Butlin’s: Robin Hood, Theatr Clwyd, Mold (In-House) 
• Best Pantomime (500 – 900 seats) sponsored by Butlin’s: Mother Goose, Duke of York’s Theatre, London (Ambassador Theatre Group) 
• Best Pantomime (Over 900 seats) sponsored by Butlin’s: Beauty and the Beast, Swansea Grand Theatre (Imagine Theatre) 
• Special Achievement Awards: Ian McKellen, Cast, Doncaster, and Theatre Royal Stratford East 
• Outstanding Achievement Award: Su Pollard  

The ceremony was hosted by the UKPA’s President Christopher Biggins. The Pantomime Awards presenters included Nigel Clarke, Max Fulham, Derek Griffiths, Amanda Lovett and Theo Mayne, Debbie McGee, Gracie McGonigal, Scott Mitchell and Vikki Stone. There were performances from Anna-Jane Casey, Gigi Zahir, Myra DuBois and a specially curated performance from Butlin’s.  

Simon Sladen, Chair of the UK Pantomime Association said: “Congratulations to all our nominees and winners. The Pantomime Awards celebrate an array of outstanding talent and demonstrate an industry alive and thriving. The commitment, creativity and passion on show each season makes pantomime one of the most thrilling of all theatrical genres. The UK Pantomime Association is proud to recognise and acknowledge the outstanding skill, expertise and excellence upon the pantomime stage.” 

Butlin’s is the principal sponsor for the UK Pantomime Awards 2023. Entertainment Director Mike Godolphin said: “A huge congratulations to everyone nominated for an award and of course the winners. We’re proud to be supporting the industry by sponsoring these awards for the second year in a row. Pantomime is an important part of Butlin’s and as the home of entertainment, our cast perform in front of thousands of guests live at our three resorts on every family break.” 

Founded in 2021, the UK Pantomime Association is a charity that explores, shares and celebrates pantomime by investigating the genre’s rich past, engaging with contemporary practice and inspiring the future.   

During the 2022/23 pantomime season, the second year in which The Pantomime Awards have taken place, the UK Pantomime Association’s 64 judges attended over 240 venues to see over 700 performances, far and wide across the United Kingdom.   

For more information, visit: https://pantomimeassociation.co.uk. 

WORLD PREMIERE OF

MURDER IN THE DARK BY TORBEN BETTS

STARRING TOM CHAMBERS

TO TOUR UK & IRELAND FROM 7 SEPTEMBER 2023

The award-winning Original Theatre has teamed up with Trafalgar Entertainment for the first time to produce a new Torben Betts thriller, Murder in the Dark, directed by Philip Franks and starring Tom Chambers.  The UK & Ireland Tour will open at Churchill Theatre, Bromley on 7 September 2023.

New Year’s Eve.  A car crash on a lonely road brings famous but troubled singer Danny Sierra and his extended family to an isolated holiday cottage in rural England.  From the moment they arrive, a sequence of inexplicable events begins to occur… and then the lights go out.

This thrilling new ghost story by acclaimed writer Torben Betts will thrust you into darkness and have you on the edge of your seats until the final chilling twist.

Torben Betts said, “I’m really thrilled to be working with Original Theatre again. This will be my fourth project with them, after their tours of Invincible, Caroline’s Kitchen and the online play Apollo 13: The Dark Side of the Moon. Their reputation continues to grow while their commitment to touring theatre around the country has not faded, despite the battering our industry has taken over the last few years. I am thrilled that I will be part of their next ghostly theatrical adventure.”

Tom Chambers is known for his roles as Sam Strachan in Holby City and Casualty, Max Tyler in Waterloo Road and Inspector Sullivan in Father Brown. He also won the sixth series of Strictly Come Dancing with his partner Camilla Dallerup.  In theatre, he most recently appeared in the West End in Elf the Musical.  He originated the role of Jerry Travers in Top Hat, which earned him an Olivier nomination.  He also starred in Original Theatre’s lockdown film of Torben Betts’s Apollo 13: The Dark Side of the Moon.

Tom Chambers said, “I’m really thrilled and excited to be a part of this brand new piece of theatre, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.  It should be a great night out, if you can find your way out!”

Murder in the Dark will be directed by Philip Franks (The Mirror Crack’d, The Habit of Art, The Haunting of Alice Bowles, The Croft and A Cold Supper Behind Harrods) and designed by Adrian Linford, with lighting design by Olivier Award-winner Paul Pyant, original music and sound design by Max Pappenheim.

The UK & Ireland Tour will be produced by Alastair Whatley and Tom Hackney for Original Theatre in association with Trafalgar Entertainment. Original Theatre’s recent productions include The Mirror Crack’d, The Time Machine, The End of the Night, The Hound of The Baskervilles, Birdsong and Originals,a new playwriting competition held over the summer at Riverside Studios. Their forthcoming work includes New York runs of their acclaimed productions of The Habit of Art and Being Mr Wickham at 59e59 and the world premiere of Stumped at Hampstead Theatre from June.

Website: www.originaltheatre.com

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @OriginalTheatre / @InTheDarkPlay / #MurderInTheDark

Age Guidance 14+

TOUR SCHEDULE

7- 9 September                       Bromley Churchill Theatre                                            0343 310 0020

                                               churchilltheatre.co.uk                                                    on sale 21 April

12-16 September                    Guildford Yvonne Arnaud                                             01483 44 00 00

                                               www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk                                            on sale

19-23 September                    York Theatre Royal                                                       01904 623568

                                               www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk                                          on sale

25-30 September                    Oxford Playhouse                                                         01865 305305

                                               Oxfordplayhouse.com                                                   on sale soon

2-7 October                            Salisbury Playhouse                                                      01722 320333                                                

                                                       www.salisburyplayhouse.com                                       on sale 12 May

10-14 October                        Gaiety Theatre, Dublin                                                  00 353 1 646 8600

                                               www.gaietytheatre.ie                                                     on sale 21 April

16-21 October                        Northampton Royal & Derngate                                    01604 624811

                                               royalandderngate.co.uk                                                on sale

24 – 28 October                      Orchard Theatre, Dartford                                            0343 310 0033                                               

                                                        orchardtheatre.co.uk                                                    on sale 21 April

31 October – 4 November      Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe                                  0343 310 0060

                                               wycombeswan.co.uk                                                     on sale 21 April

7-11 November                       Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham                                   

                                               www.atgtickets.com/birmingham                                         on sale

Further dates to be announced