Sheffield Lyceum – until 15 April 2023

Reviewed by Lottie Davis-Browne

4****

Having been lucky enough to see the 2nd U.K. tour (2016) with a fabulous cast with Alexandra Burke and Jon Robyns as Police Officer “Sweaty” Eddie, I praised the theatre Gods when I heard this was touring again. Whilst it’s not up there in my top five (or even top ten – granted I’ve seen easily over 100 different West End and touring musicals over several decades), it certainly has the “feel good factor” and gets you dancing along by the end of the show.

My excitement for this heavenly revival only grew further with casting announcements of Sandra Marvin in the title role of Deloris Van Cartier, having seen Marvin in several productions including Waitress, Show Boat, City of Angel’s and Hairspray, I knew she’d bring the house down in this role – she oozes all the confidence of the singer-turned-Nun Deloris and has a belting voice to boot. Having grown up watching “Birds of a Feather” and seeing Lesley Joseph as the cold hearted Miss Hannigan in Annie, I knew this was the perfect pairing.

Unfortunately my excitement was short lived when at the Press Night I learnt (not until the show had started and Deloris makes her entrance) that Marvin wasn’t on this evening. Her understudy (for which she has two – Tanya Edwards and Gabrielle Davina Smith – tonight’s being the latter) was taking the lead for this performance, which don’t get me wrong I’ve seen some utterly outstanding understudies both on tour and the West End, some I’ve even ended up loving in the role more than their counter part (having gone back another day and seeing the lead in action), so I tried not to feel too disappointed.

Following closely the storyline of the film 1992 of the same name, Sister Act is a musical comedy centred around club/lounge singer Deloris who unknowingly dates the wrong guy who’s involved in a life of crime and witnesses him shoot and kill a man and being put into the last place him and his hitmen will find her – a failing Nunnery on the brink of bankruptcy. From the moment Doloris arrives at the Nunnery, escorted by old classmate “Steady” Eddie (originally Sweaty Eddie in previous productions – not sure why they’ve changed it but if it ain’t broken don’t (cruci)fix it) she clashes with the highly devoted to her faith Mother Superior (Joseph) whilst living under the new identity of Sister Mary Clarence. Used to so much freedom, Mary Clarence finds life in the Habit a major shock to the system to say the least. Life “Here Within These Walls” is certainly going to take some adjusting to. Speaking of which, this duet between Mother Superior and Mary Clarence (backing vocals by the Nuns), it wasn’t understudy Gabrielle’s vocals that we could hear sung with such power from the back of the stalls, but Joseph’s – with Gabrielle’s voice often not quite reaching us at moments of the song when it really needed to – yet Joseph’s powerful vocals hit every part of the auditorium. From the opening number “Take Me To Heaven” followed shortly after with “Fabulous, Baby!”, it was clear that Gabrielle was an understudy and failed to deliver the powerful confident vocals of Van Cartier – and this is where my disappointment for not having Sandra Marvin on tonight really hit home. It seemed nerves had got the better of Gabrielle and sadly this sometimes showed in the big musical numbers – however as the story progressed and she warmed into the lead role, I was soon left eating my own words as Gabrielle came back with a bang in Act 2 and from the first note of “Sunday Morning Fever” to the reprise of “Raise Your Voice” at the end, I’d really grown to love everything about Gabrielle’s performance. She’s got a certain sweet youthful innocence to her, when Goldberg who originated the role in the movie was a more mature confident singer/actress. Whilst Burke was also fairly young as the lead in 2016, she oozes stage confidence with the powerful knockout voice to go with it. I just felt that Gabrielle was often overshadowed by Joseph and Lizzy Bea (who I’ll get to in a moment) and almost felt sorry for her as the lead role because she didn’t quite have the stage presence as some other cast members. All this a side, she really did come into her own as the show went on, I honestly look forward to seeing her in other roles. She is definitely one to watch out for in the future.

Set in the 1970s, the costumes are as 1970s as you can get – the flares, the glitter and disco balls, platforms and crazy moustaches along with some funky choreography – a real highlight of the show was the disco scene with Eddie stripping off in his office into funky 70s getup complete with disco ball and hilarious backup dancers. Clive Rowe (as Eddie Souther) had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand as he shook his booty to 70s disco fever – you felt a strong urge to get up and dance with him. A real show stealing moment!

Speaking of show stealing, laughs a plenty came from trio Pablo (Damian Buhagiar), TJ (Bradley Judge) and Joey (tonight played by Castell Parker in lieu of Tom Hopcroft) – Curtis (the outstanding talent that is Jeremy Secombe who’s portrayal as Sweeney Todd in the musical of the same name at Harrington’s Pie and Mash Shop, still haunts me to this very day! I’ve only to look at him and I get flashbacks!), the three hitman friends of gangster Curtis. Judge in particular is absolutely hilarious as TJ with his high pitched voice that has the audience in hysterics. Secombe as Curtis was of course as awesome as always, as to be expected from him.

But the real star of the show for me was Lizzy Bea as the shy quiet as a mouse singer Sister Mary Roberts who Sister Mary Clarence gives her the confidence to “Raise (her) Your Voice”. Her solo performance of “The Life I Never Lead” was clearly a favourite of not just mine but the entire audience- hitting all the right notes whilst being filled with mixed emotions of a young Nun in training who’s only ever known a strict religious upbringing and wonders if she is making the right decision and missing out on so many different experiences.

It certainly felt great to be back “in the habit” with this noteworthy revival (I won’t speak about the West End revival that was postponing during covid where Goldberg herself was set to revive her role as Deloris. #gutted); I’ve listened to the soundtrack several times since first seeing in 2016 and there’s some fantastic musical numbers on it. Whilst for me it doesn’t have the wow factor of some of the bigger longer running musicals, it’s a nostalgic favourite of mine and definitely worth praying to the theatre gods for a ticket and future revivals.

Production images have now been released of Oliver Tompsett, who joined the company on Tuesday 4 April as Edward Lewis, in PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL at the Savoy Theatre.

Oliver joins Aimie Atkinson as Vivian Ward, Courtney Bowman as Kit De Luca and Andy Barke as Happy Man/Mr Thompson. The cast is completed by John Addison, Jemma Alexander, Becky Anderson, Matt Bateman, Patrick Barrett, Kimberly Blake, Robertina Bonano, Oliver Brenin, Alex Charles, Daniel Clift, Ben Darcy, Hannah Ducharme, Elishia Edwards, Tom Andrew Hargreaves, Antony Hewitt, Helen Hill, Mark Holden, Elly Jay, Matt Jones, Kurt Kansley, Georgia Kleopa, Annabelle Laing, Will Luckett, Curtis Patrick, Hassun Sharif and Charlotte Elisabeth Yorke.

The production will run at the Savoy Theatre until Sunday 18 June 2023, when it leaves London to embark on a UK and Ireland Tour opening at the Birmingham Alexandra Theatre on 17 October 2023. Casting for the UK and Ireland Tour to be announced.

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL features original music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, a book by Garry Marshall and the film’s screenwriter J.F. Lawton, it is directed and choreographed by the two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell.

Featured in the musical is Roy Orbison and Bill Dee’s international smash hit song ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ which inspired one of the most beloved romantic comedy films of all time. PRETTY WOMAN the film (produced by Arnon Milchan – New Regency Productions) was an international smash hit when it was released in 1990.

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL has scenic design by David Rockwell, costumes by Tom Rogers from the original Broadway designs by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and Philip S. Rosenberg, sound design by John Shivers, hair design by Josh Marquette, and music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Will Van Dyke. 101 Productions, Ltd are the Global General Management Consultant.

REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE ANNOUNCES FULL CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR OPENING 2023 SEASON MUSICAL

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre today announce full cast and creative team for their forthcoming production of the Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical Once On This Island (10 May-10 June 2023).

Joining the previously announced Gabrielle Brooks (Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Olivier Award Nomination) as Ti Moune and Stephenson Ardern-Sodje (Hamilton) as Daniel are Courtney-Mae Briggs (Andrea), Jonathon Grant (Armand + US Agwe), Emilie Louise Israel (Erzulie), Chris Jarman (Tonton),  Anelisa Lamola (Asaka), Natasha Magigi (Mama Euralie), Ashley Samuels (Agwe) and Lejaun Sheppard (Papa Ge). Further cast includes Bernadette Bangura, Hanna Dimtsu, Nay-Nay,Cassandra Lee, Cherece Richards, Mikel Sylvanus and Marco Titus.The role of Young Ti Moune is shared by Janai Bartlett, Lexi Kowlessar, Nesisa Mhindu, Kirsten Muzvuru, Nielle Springer and Olivia St Louis.

Directed by Ola Ince, Once On This Island has a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty, and is based on the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy. The original West End production won Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards when it premiered in 1995 and the most recent Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival in 2018.

Annemette Verspeak (Voice & Text Director) and Ingrid Mackinnon (Season Associate – Intimacy Support) complete the creative team alongside the previously announced Phil Bateman (Musical Supervisor), Niamh Gaffney (Associate Sound Designer), Jessica Hung Han Yun (Lighting Designer), Niquelle LaTouche (Associate Choreographer), Nick Lidster (Sound Designer), Georgia Lowe (Set Designer), Lindsay McAllister (Associate Director), Philip d’Orléans (Fight Director), Chris Poon (Musical Director), Kenrick ‘H2O’ Sandy (Choreographer), Melissa Simon-Hartman (Costume Designer) and Jacob Sparrow (Casting Director).

Astory of love, grief, faith and hope, Once On This Island tells of peasant girl Ti Moune, a boy called Daniel, and a union that prejudice forbids. Against the heat of the Caribbean sun and destruction of tropical storms, can Ti Moune settle the wager of the Gods, and prove that love is more powerful than death? 

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s 2023 season also includes Ben Okri’s Every Leaf A Hallelujah (22 May – 10 June), adapted by Chinonyerem Odimba for ages 4+ and their families, performed on the Theatre Lawn. Robin Hood: The Legend. Re-written (17 June – 22 July) written by Carl Grose andcommissioned by Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre with direction by Melly Still. The Tempest re-imagined for everyone aged six and over (30 June – 22 July), revised and directed by Jennifer Tang in a co-production with the Unicorn Theatre. Musical La Cage aux Folles (29 July – 16 September),directed by Artistic Director Timothy Sheader with a book by Harvey Fierstein, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, andbased on the play by Jean Poiret. Finally, this summer, Nicoll Entertainment’s Dinosaur World Live (11 August – 3 September) returns to the Open Air Theatre, written and directed by Derek Bond.

Tickets for Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre 2023 are now on sale www.openairtheatre.com.

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL, GARETH GATES, JENNY RYAN AND JOSH BENSON WILL STAR IN THE FAIREST PANTO OF ALL!

Star casting announced for Darlington Hippodrome’s 2023 pantomime spectacular – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Pantomime will be making a magical return to Darlington Hippodrome this festive season as pop and musical theatre star Gareth Gates is set to headline the family Christmas spectacular Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, playing the Prince. Gareth will be joined by the The Chase’s Vixen Jenny Ryan as The Wicked Queen and the hilarious Josh Benson as Muddles.

Gareth Gates rose to stardom in 2002 as runner-up in the UK’s first Pop Idol. In a phenomenal career that followed, he has sold more than 3.5 million records in the UK, released three albums, and had four UK number one singles as well as storming the Musical Theatre circuit in productions such as Les Misérables, Legally Blonde, and Loserville, and is currently on tour around the UK in The Spongebob Musical.

Best known as The Vixen on ITV’s The Chase, Jenny Ryan joins the cast as The Wicked Queen. Jenny is a professional quizzer and general knowledge maven. In 2015 she joined the hallowed team of Chasers on ITV’s award-winning teatime hit The Chase, now in its fifteenth series. Before becoming a public-facing knowledge hound, Jenny was a behind-the-scenes knowledge hound as a writer and researcher on shows including QI and The Weakest Link. In 2019 Jenny showed off her vocal ability as she took to the stage for the first series of The X Factor: Celebrity. She is also a regular guest on Fighting Talk on BBC Radio 5 Live.

After many years of starring in Yorkshire pantomimes, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be Josh Benson’s first season at Darlington Hippodrome. Josh has been a family and children’s entertainer for the last decade, having entertained at hundreds of parties, events, cruises, cabarets and more importantly pantomimes. He is a regular at Brick Lane Music Hall in London, and a favourite familiar face at York Maze over their summer season.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be produced by the world’s biggest pantomime producer and the team behind last year’s production of The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan, Crossroads Pantomimes. Packed full of the magical ingredients Darlington audiences have come to expect including striking sets, stunning song and dance, plenty of audience participation, and shattering amounts of laughter, this is a magical adventure the whole family can enjoy.

Crossroads Pantomime’s Chief Executive Michael Harrison said: “I’m thrilled to have Gareth, Jenny and Josh with us in pantomime this year at Darlington Hippodrome. Gareth is an immensely talented artist and has always wowed audiences everywhere he’s appeared in panto. Jenny is a powerhouse and will be a fantastic addition to the show alongside the hilarious, energetic talent that is Josh. I’m certain that with the three of them together on stage, Darlington audiences are in for a real treat this Christmas.”

Speaking on the casting, Heather Tarran-Jones, Programming and Development Director of Darlington Hippodrome said: “We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Gareth, Jenny and Josh will be with us for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and I am sure they will be a great hit with audiences of all ages.”

Don’t miss your chance to grab your tickets to the fairest panto in the land this Christmas. Book your tickets today, or you won’t be able to look yourself in the mirror!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is sponsored locally by BHP Law and Babul’s Darlington.

Tickets are on sale now for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which runs from Friday 8th December through to New Year’s Eve. Visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk or call 01325 405405 to book.

THE ROYAL COURT THEATRE ANNOUNCES ALL OF IT BY ALISTAIR MCDOWALL, PERFORMED BY KATE O’FLYNN
TUESDAY 6 JUNE – SATURDAY 17 JUNE 2023 

The Royal Court Theatre has announced that it will present all of it, three short plays by Alistair McDowall (The Glow, X, Pomona), in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from Tuesday 6 – Saturday 17 June, co-directed by Royal Court Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone and Royal Court Associate Director Sam Pritchard. Written for Oliver Award-nominated actor Kate O’Flynn, the trilogy of work introduces three women whose ordinary lives mask extraordinary internal worlds and includes all of it, first seen at the Royal Court for a short run performed by Kate O’Flynn in 2020, and two brand new pieces Northleigh, 1940 and In Stereo. Tickets go on sale today at 2pm.

The first piece, Northleigh, 1940,takes audiences to the street McDowall lived on in Manchester, and traces its history during the blitz through the eyes of the woman speaking. In Stereo features an eight-track monologue and explores the divided self. all of it is the story of a life told at breathtaking speed, following its protagonist from birth to death in one – joyful, painful, complex – go.

Following its run at the Royal Court Theatre the production will travel to Festival D’Avignon to be part of Tiago Rodrigues’s inaugural season which was announced last night. The production runs at the Festival between 15 – 23 July.

‘I suppose I never questioned why I was only one piece before’

A woman trapped at home during an air raid.   

A mother who starts to see double.   

A whole life in one breath. 

all of it joins five other recently announced new Royal Court productions. These include NO I.D. by Tatenda Shamiso in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from Tuesday 18 April – Saturday 6 May. Hope has a Happy Mealby Tom Fowler in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from Saturday 3 June – Saturday 8 July. In the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs Michael Wynne returns to the Royal Court with Cuckoo, in partnership with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, from Thursday 6 July – Saturday 19 August. Word-Play by Rabiah Hussain will play in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs from Thursday 20 July – Saturday 26 August. In January 2024, the UK premiere of the Tony Award-winning Dana H. by Lucas Hnath will play at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from Tuesday 16 January – Saturday 9 March 2024 with Deirdre O’Connell reprising her role as Dana.

presents

ELYSIAN FILM GROUP have today announced GREATEST DAYS, the highly anticipated cinematic adaptation of Take That’s smash-hit stage musical The Band, will be released in cinemas across the UK and ROI on Friday 16th June. Take That will also be joining a very special Premiere event in London on June 15th to be previewed in cinemas nationwide the same night!

GREATEST DAYS follows five best friends who have the night of their lives seeing their favourite boy band in concert. Twenty-five years later their lives have changed in many different ways as they reunite for one more epic show by their beloved band, to relight their friendship and discover that maybe their greatest days are ahead of them.

GREATEST DAYS is the feel-good, universal story of love and friendship featuring the hit songs of TAKE THAT. Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald are executive producers for the film.

Directed by Coky Giedroyc (How to Build a Girl), written by Tim Firth (Calendar Girls), and produced by Danny Perkins, Kate Solomon, Jane Hooks, and Karl Spoerri and Viviana Vezzani, the film stars Aisling Bea (This Way Up), Alice Lowe (Black Mirror), Jayde Adams (The Outlaws), Amaka Okafor (The Responder) and Marc Wootton (Nativity!). Lara McDonnell (Belfast), Jessie Mae Alonzo (Little Joe), Nandi Hudson (Army of Thieves), Carragon Guest and Eliza Dobson also star in the film, as well as Aaron Bryan (The Little Mermaid), Joshua Jung (Emma Bunton – Tour), Dalvin Cory (Wicked), Mark Samaras (Swan Lake), Mervin Noronha (What’s Love Got to Do with It?)

PREMIERE EVENT 15^th JUNE

  IN CINEMAS 16^th JUNE

To celebrate MAMMA MIA!’s 24th birthday today, Thursday 6 April, we’d like to share with you this new drone footage of the show, with some glimpses behind the scenes as well as on stage

The global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! is currently booking to Saturday 2 March 2024 at London’s Novello Theatre.

Since premiering in London in 1999, the irresistible feelgood musical has captured the hearts of millions around the globe.  The sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island idyll, all unfolding to the magic of ABBA’s timeless pop masterpieces, has now been seen live on stage by 65 million people across the world and turned into two record-breaking movies – MAMMA MIA! The Movie and MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again.

To date, MAMMA MIA! has been seen in 50 productions in 16 different languages grossing more than $4 billion at the box office.  In 2011, it became the first Western musical ever to be staged in Mandarin in the People’s Republic of China.  

MAMMA MIA! originally opened in London at the Prince Edward Theatre on 6 April 1999, before transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004, and then to the Novello Theatre in 2012.  The London production of MAMMA MIA! has been seen by over 10 million people, played over 9,300 performances and has broken box office records in all three of its London homes.  It is the fifth longest running musical in West End history.

The London cast is led by Mazz Murray as Donna, Josie Benson as Tanya, Gemma Goggin as Rosie, Norman Bowman as Sam, Christopher Dickins as Harry, Stephen Beckett as Bill, Meg Hateley as Sophie, Miles Henderson as Sky, Natasha Heyward as Ali, Olivia Lallo as Lisa, Lucca Chadwick-Patel as Eddie and Jake Bailey as Pepper, with Jennifer Adab playing Donna at certain performances.

Also in the cast are Zac Adlam, Victoria Anderson, Gemma Atkins, Sinéad Courtney, Ellie-Grace Cousins, Lawrence Guntert, David Haydn, Jennifer Hepburn, Frankie Jones, Olivia Neville, Annell Odartey, Jessie Odeleye, Callum Rose, Jack Rose, Robert Slatter, Michael Storrs, Chloe Way, Simon Willmont, Dan Wilshire and Jacob Young.  

Looking For Me Friend: The Music of Victoria Wood,  

a nostalgic musical celebration written and performed by Paulus,  

has extended its 2023 tour  

Looking For Me Friend: The Music of Victoria Wood, a celebration of the music of the late comedy genius and national treasure, has extended its current tour to play throughout 2023. 

Performed and written by the star of BBC1’s ‘All Together Now’, Paulus The Cabaret Geek, with accompanist Michael Roulston* (Fascinating Aïda), and directed by multi-award-winning cabaret artist Sarah-Louise Young, the show features a whistle-stop tour of 21 of Victoria’s best-loved songs, including the hilarious ‘Ballad of Barry & Freda’ and the classic ‘It Would Never Have Worked’ (*an alternative pianist plays certain venues). 

Confirmed 2023 tour dates are Beccles Public Hall & Theatre (13 Apr), Corn Exchange Newbury (21 Apr), Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre (11-13 May), Norman Bragg Studio, Aylesbury Waterside Theatre (18 May), Junction Goole (19 May), Epstein Theatre, Liverpool (20 May), Astor Theatre, Deal (26 May), Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells (24 June), Old Woollen, Leeds (29 June), Stockton Heath Festival (30 June), Upper Norwood Library Hub (16 July), Garden Theatre Festival, Bath (22 July), Hunters Meet, Bishop’s Stortford (6 Sept), Leiston Film Theatre (17 Sept), Lichfield Garrick Theatre (19 Sept), The Berry Theatre, Hedge End (23 Sept), Northern Stage, Newcastle (28 Sept), The Alnwick Playhouse (29 Sept), Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham (30 Sept), Pocklington Arts Centre (17 Oct), Crazy Coqs, London (22 Oct), Barnfield Theatre, Exeter (24 Oct), Chelmsford Theatre Studio (1 Nov), Sonata Piano & Cabaret Lounge, Manchester (19 Nov), Mercury Theatre, Colchester (30 Nov) and Kitchen Kabaret, Grantham (7 Dec). To find out more, visit: http://www.lookingformefriend.com. 

Looking For Me Friend: The Music of Victoria Wood is filled with love, laughter and fabulous memories for Victoria Wood fans as well as being the ultimate ‘beginner’s guide’ for audiences new to her work. This feel-good show has served up nostalgia, music and laughter at Edinburgh Fringe, sold out venues across the UK since 2020 and had the seal of approval from Victoria’s colleagues, school-chums and fans. Dust off your stilettos and oven glove, and don’t forget the custard creams! 

Paulus The Cabaret Geek is an entertainer and educator specialising in cabaret, who appeared as a talent judge on BBC1’s primetime show, All Together Now and on Sky Living’s Bigger Than.... For fifteen years, Paulus had close ties to The Battersea Barge, producing many cabarets including Cheese ‘n’ Crackers, Diva Nite and their adult pantomimes. For ten years, Paulus ran the entertainment agency Excess All Areas(formerly Better Chemistry), spearheading the annual Cabaret Convention and London Cabaret Awards. His expertise has been sought to judge many talent competitions including National Burlesque Awards, Drag Idol for Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Pride’s Got Talent, Musical Comedy Awards and Burlesque Idol at The Hippodrome Casino.  

ZOE BIRKETT

TO STAR AS RACHEL MARRON

IN THE

AWARD-WINNING INTERNATIONAL

SMASH HIT MUSICAL 

THE BODYGUARD

IN CRAWLEY, BOURNEMOUTH, NEWCASTLE, CHELTENHAM AND NORWICH

Producers, Michael Harrison and David Ian are delighted to announce that Zoe Birkett will star as Rachel Marron in the award-winning international smash hit musical THE BODYGUARD, when the show plays the Hawth Theatre, Crawley (Monday 24 – Saturday 29 July 2023), Bournemouth Pavilion (Monday 7 – Saturday 12 August 2023), Newcastle Theatre Royal (Tuesday 15 – Saturday 19 August 2023), Cheltenham Everyman Theatre (Monday 21 – Saturday 26 August 2023) and Norwich Theatre Royal (Monday 28 August – Saturday 2 September 2023). www.thebodyguardmusical.com.

Zoe Birkett is no stranger to the role, having previously starred as Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard during the production’s 2015 tour. She can currently be seen as Kim in The Great British Bake Off Musical at the Noël Coward Theatre. Zoe recently played the role of Arabia in the original cast of Moulin Rouge the Musical in London’s West End for which she won the BroadwayWorld award for Best Supporting Performer in a Musical. Other West End credits include Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Dion in Hair, Acid Queen in Tommy, and Thriller Live. At sixteen years old, she became the highest placed female contestant in the first series of ITV’s Pop Idol.

Zoe will star alongside Emmerdale and Hollyoaks star Ayden Callaghan as Frank Farmer, with Emily-Mae as Nicki Marron, John Macaulay as Bill Devaney, Graham Elwell as Tony, James Groom as Sy Spector, Marios Nicolaides as Stalker and Fergal Coghlan as Ray Court.  The role of Fletcher will be shared by Kaylenn Aires Fonseca, Iesa Miller, Frankie Keita and Reneo Kusi-Appauh.

The cast is completed by Alexandros Beshonges, Kayne Gordon, Jack Hardwick, Kalisha Johnson, James Lee Harris, Samantha Mbolekwa, Abbie Quinnen, Kellie Rhianne, Charlotte Scally, Yiota Theo and Marco Venturini.

Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love. A romantic thriller, THE BODYGUARD features a host of irresistible classics including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and one of the biggest hit songs of all time – I Will Always Love You.

Based on Lawrence Kasdan’s 1992 Oscar nominated Warner Bros. movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, THE BODYGUARD, directed by Thea Sharrock with book by Oscar winning Alex Dinelaris, had its world premiere at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End and was nominated for four Olivier Awards. A sell out 18 month UK and Ireland tour followed, before the show returned to the West End at the Dominion Theatre ahead of a second sell out tour of the UK and Ireland in 2018/19.  To date, THE BODYGUARD has played to over 3.6 million people in 15 countries and 45 US cities. Countries include the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, China, Canada, Italy, Australia, Spain, France, the US, Austria and Japan.

The UK Pantomime Association releases further public tickets for 

The Pantomime Awards 2023 in association with Butlin’s   

taking place on Tuesday 11 April at the Trafalgar Theatre,  

and reveals some of the presenters and performers in store 

Ahead of The Pantomime Awards 2023 in association with Butlin’s at the Trafalgar Theatre in London’s West End on Tuesday 11 April 2023 at 7pm, the UK Pantomime Association (UKPA) has put further public tickets on sale for the Awards ceremony.  A limited number of seats (from £30) are available from ATG Tickets, with more due to be released later this week: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-pantomime-awards-2023/trafalgar-theatre/. 

Amongst the line-up of awards presenters will be actor, presenter and composer and UKPA’s newly appointed Vice President Derek Griffiths, The Traitors stars Amanda Lovett and Theo Mayne, television, radio and stage performer Debbie McGee and recent Olivier Award-winning writer, composer and musician Vikki Stone. There will be special performances in store, including entertainment from West End leading lady Anna-Jane Casey and international drag performer and theatre artist Gigi Zahir. The ceremony will be hosted by UKPA’s President, Christopher Biggins. 

The full list of Award nominees, as announced last month, is available on UKPA’s website: https://pantomimeassociation.co.uk. The Special Recognition Awards, which celebrate productions and individuals representing the values that the Association seeks to promote, as well as the Outstanding Achievement Award are also to be announced at the ceremony on 11 April.  

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.   

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.