Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse Theatre, Sheffield – until 30th November 2022

Reviewed by Sophie Dodworth

3***

Unnatural Cycles stops at The Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse Theatre for one night only. This ghost story is written and performed by Avital Raz. It is an acquired taste but an interesting one indeed. Unnatural Cycles was developed during 2021 through commissions from Sheffield Theatres, Contract, Lancaster Arts and National Lottery funding.

The story is told through song, live-looped audio and film, projected onto a huge screen which takes up a lot of the stage space, but is a great asset, keeping you engaged. The story unfolds of Avitals dead Grandmother and her traumatic life during the war as a Jewish woman, losing all her family and friends during the awful historic times that were the Holocaust. This story runs alongside the painful times that are experienced through miscarriage, trying to conceive and the feeling of racing against time when the biological clock is ticking, and the luck is running dry when trying for a family. There is at times, a feeling of the storyline being slightly disjointed and you have to work to stay on track with it.

Avital is extremely talented. Her voice is versatile, enchanting and pitch perfect. She plays the guitar well while trying to juggle live-looped audio. Her acting is enchanting and draws you in while narrating the story and keeping you hooked. I’m not sure there are many actresses that could take on this job and do it so well.

This show is not for the faint-hearted and does touch on many a triggering subject. With discussions of rape, miscarriage, war and infertility.

DAWN FRENCH ANNOUNCES

NEW 2023 UK TOUR DATES

FOLLOWING MAJOR DEMAND FOR TICKETS

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM DAWNFRENCHONTOUR.COM

Following major demand for tickets, the Queen of comedy Dawn French has announced a host of new UK tour dates for her critically acclaimed live one-woman show, ‘Dawn French Is A Huge Twat’, for 2023. Tickets are available from DawnFrenchOnTour.com.

The hilarious and endearing sell-out show toured earlier this year to rave reviews and wall-to-wall standing ovations. Now, Dawn will return to the stage from September to November 2023, playing over 20 venues in many more parts of the country including several nights at the world-famous London Palladium.

In ‘Dawn French Is A Huge Twat’, the award-winning actor, best-selling novelist and comedy legend invites audiences to join her on a whirlwind journey through some of the most embarrassing, misguided and undignified moments of her personal and professional life, deep-diving into the countless times she has demonstrated – in her own words – “a spectacular display of twattery”.

Announcing these 2023 shows, Dawn said: “Attention all Twats! We grossly underestimated just how many glorious Twats are out there, wanting this show, so here I come, the second leg of the tour. Wooohooo! I couldn’t be more chuffed if I were a chough. So now, stop nagging me on social media about the fact we missed your town…and get booking. I’m bringing my Twat to a theatre near you, it’s futile to resist.”

‘Dawn French Is A Huge Twat’ is written by Dawn French. The show is produced by PML & MGC and directed by Michael Grandage. Set and Costume Design by Lez Brotherston.

Listings Information:

Website: DawnFrenchOnTour.com

Twitter: @Dawn_French

Instagram: @DawnRFrench

DAWN FRENCH IS A HUGE TWAT – UK TOUR 2023

7 – 10 September Northcott Theatre, Exeter

14 September Venue Cymru, Llandudno

16 September York Barbican

21 – 24 September London Palladium

28 September New Theatre, Oxford

29 – 30 September New Theatre, Cardiff

5 – 6 October Birmingham Hippodrome

8 October City Hall, Sheffield

14 October Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall

26 October Aberdeen Music Hall

27 October EICC, Edinburgh

29 October Glasgow Pavilion

2 November Bournemouth Pavilion

3 – 4 November Reading Hexagon

8 – 9 November Hall for Cornwall, Truro

16 November Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham

17 November Victoria Hall, Stoke

18 November Buxton Opera House

19 November High Wycombe Swan

23 November Guildford, G Live

24 November Brighton Dome

25 November The Anvil, Basingstoke

26 November Theatre Royal, Bath

NEW ADVENTURES AND SADLER’S WELLS

ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE

WILL RETURN IN 2023

WITH A 12-WEEK UK TOUR

OPENING AT CURVE, LEICESTER ON 3 JULY 2023

INCLUDING A FIVE-WEEK SUMMER SEASON

AT SADLER’S WELLS

1 AUGUST TO 2 SEPTEMBER 2023

New Adventures and Sadler’s Wells are delighted to announce the return of Matthew Bourne’s “ROMEO AND JULIET” with a 12-week UK Tour and five-week Summer Season at Sadler’s Wells.

The tour will open at Curve, Leicester on Monday 3 July, before visiting The Lowry, Salford from Tuesday 11 July, Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe from Tuesday 18 July and New Theatre Hull, from Tuesday 25 July, ahead of a five-week Summer Season at Sadler’s Wells from Tuesday 1 August to Saturday 2 September 2023. Tickets go on sale for Sadler’s Wells on 13 December 2022.

Further tour dates will be announced soon.

Matthew Bourne’s “ROMEO AND JULIET” gives Shakespeare’s timeless story of forbidden love a scintillating injection of raw passion and youthful vitality. Confined against their will by a society that seeks to divide, our two young lovers must follow their hearts as they risk everything to be together. A masterful re-telling of an ageless tale of teenage discovery and the madness of first love, “ROMEO AND JULIET” garnered universal critical acclaim when it premiered in 2019, and now joins the New Adventures repertoire alongside the very best of Bourne’s world renowned dance theatre productions.

The 2023 production of “ROMEO AND JULIET” is the first Co-Production between New Adventures and Sadler’s Wells. A relationship that dates back nearly 30 years; New Adventures have been performing at Sadler’s Wells since 1993. In 2005 Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Sadler’s Wells, Alistair Spalding, appointed Matthew Bourne as one of the organisations first Associate Artists and in 2006 New Adventures became a Resident Company.

Matthew Bourne said today: “I had resisted creating a new production of “ROMEO and JULIET” for many years wondering if there was anything new to say in a much-performed work. In 2019 I found that inspiration in a countrywide young talent development project that surrounded the original production. Working alongside my usual world class creative team but with a team of “young artistic associates’ and a young cast of super talented emerging dance artists, we created something relevant, questioning and deeply moving…. But also, an unexpected hit show! I’m therefore thrilled to announce its long-awaited return as part of the celebrated New Adventures repertoire to entertain and provoke audiences with its powerful and timely tale of young love.”

Alistair Spalding said today: “I am thrilled that we’re co-producing ROMEO and JULIET with New Adventures. We have a longstanding relationship with Matthew Bourne, whose work has delighted Sadler’s Wells audiences for many years, aand it will be wonderful to welcome his imaginative and visceral retelling of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy back after its premiere in 2019.”

Directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne, collaborating with the New Adventures Artistic team; Etta Murfitt (Associate Artistic Director), Lez Brotherston (Set and Costume design), Paule Constable (Lighting Design), Paul Groothuis (Sound Design) and Arielle Smith (Associate Choreographer) with Terry Davies’ thrillingly fresh orchestrations of Prokofiev’s dynamic score.

For more information please visit:www.new-adventures.net

Facebook /MBNewAdventures    Twitter @New_Adventures     Instagram @MBNewAdventures

Avalon and Birmingham Rep present

THE WORLD PREMIERE OF

IDIOTS ASSEMBLE:

SPITTING IMAGESAVES THE WORLD

LIVE ON STAGE

40 years after the hugely popular satirical sketch show Spitting Image was first filmed in Birmingham, the iconic puppets return to the city for the World Premiere of Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World at Birmingham Rep. Directed by The Rep’s Artistic Director, double Olivier Award-winner, Sean Foley, the show will run at Birmingham Rep from 1 February to 11 March 2023. 

New photos of the extraordinary cast (including King Charles, Adele and Rishi Sunak) and footage of the creative team talking about the show have been released today.

With a creative team that includes original Spitting Image co-creator, Roger Law, alongside a comedy tour de force writing team of Al Murray, Matt Forde and Sean Foley,  Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World promises to be the unmissable, laugh-out-loud show to kick-start 2023. 

World famous celebrities will be thrown together as Tom Cruise is tasked by King Charles with saving Great Britain. Greta Thunberg duets with Stormzy as Putin and Xi watch on from their premium seats in the stalls. Have they just come out for a night on the town? Or will they wipe out all of civilisation?  A show simultaneously inspired and appalled by real events.

Sean Foley said:   ‘Trying to develop a satirical comedy based on the shifting politics of today has been the original fool’s errand: we’ve already thrown away 3 entire scripts – and several famous puppets aren’t even going to make their stage debuts anymore… But the sheer joy of casting Tom Cruise alongside King Charles, Greta Thunberg, RuPaul and Meghan Markle has made up for it. To be premiering this theatrical extravaganza in Birmingham, the home of the original ground-breaking television series, is a wonderful thrill.’

‘It’s a who’s who of the good, the bad and the ugly’ commented Al Murray. ‘I know Marvel like to say it,  but our show is the greatest cross over event of all time.  Where else could you get Michael Gove, Tom Cruise, Sir Ian McKellen, Idris Elba, Daniel Craig, Fiona Bruce and Paddington Bear on a single stage?’

Matt Forde added: ‘We are living through an insane, abnormal, infuriating period, so the timing of this show couldn’t be better. It’s vital that we see our leaders lampooned with cutting satire and yes, whacked over the head with a big stick.’ 

The BAFTA and Emmy award-winning satirical Spitting Image television series originally ran for 18 series between 1984 and 1996, and was watched by over 15 million viewers. It recently made a popular return to TV on BritBox, where across official social media channels, Spitting Image content has been hugely popular with over 200 million views globally, three number 1 trending videos on YouTube and achieved critical praise across the political divide.  Three one-off specials for ITV have also seen huge success on terrestrial television: with a 4.4 million audience achieving ITV’s highest Saturday night ratings at that time in four years.

Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World, Live on Stage is presented by Avalon and Birmingham Rep.

Full Casting Announced for The Great British Bake Off Musical’s West End Transfer

Mark Goucher Productions are delighted to announce the full cast for The Great British Bake Off Musical for its transfer to London’s West End, opening at the Noël Coward Theatre for a limited twelve-week run from 25 February to 13 May 2023.  

Joining the principal line-up is four-time Olivier Award-nominee and BAFTA-nominee Haydn Gwynne [Anything Goes, Billy Elliot the Musical, TV: The Crown, The Windsors] as Pam Lee, the iconically stylish, sharp-tongued judge, along with former Pop Idol contestant turned West End singing sensation Zoe Birkett [Moulin Rouge! The Musical, The Bodyguard] as one half of the comedy presenter duo Kim and, rising star Grace Mouat best known for her role in the original SIX [Cinderella, Legally Blonde] will play contestant Izzy. Georgie Westall [A Christmas Carol, Rocky Horror Show], Stuart Hickey [Come From Away, Grandpa’s Great Escape] and Jamil Abbasi, making his West End debut, join as understudies and Aanya Shah, Amelie Rouse and Maisy Mein will share the child role of Lily.

This heart-warming and funny new British musical captivated audiences in a triumphant run at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham this summer and is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh [Wind in the Willows, Half a Sixpence] with an original and clever score, written by multi-award-winning duo Jake Brunger (book and lyrics) and Pippa Cleary (music and lyrics), critically acclaimed as “one of musical theatre’s most dynamic writing partnerships.”

Inspired by the TV show, The Great British Bake Off Musical follows the amateur bakers as they seek to impress the judges and battle their way to be crowned Star Baker. The audience are taken on a rollercoaster of a journey with memorable songs and dance as the bakers face trials, tribulations and baking failures, bringing them together in a story of friendship and romance along the way.

The new cast members announced today join many of the original cast reprising their performances; award-winning West End and Broadway actor John Owen Jones [Les Misèrables, The Phantom of the Opera] as he returns for his starring role as Phil Hollinghurst, the esteemed blue-eyed, silver-fox judge, along with Scott Paige [The Addams Family, Nativity!], Claire Moore [Mary Poppins, The Girls, The King & I], Cat Sandison [Evita, We Will Rock You], Charlotte Wakefield [The Boy In The Dress, Crazy For You, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang], Damian Humbley [Merrily We Roll Along, Hedda Gabler], Jay Saighal [Hedda Gabler, Romeo and Juliet, Richard III], Michael Cahill [Martin Guerre, Les Misérables, Starlight Express, Joseph], making his West End debut Aharon Rayner, Louis Gaudencio [Aladdin, Our Teacher’s a Troll], Gabriella Stylianou also making her West End debut and Annette Yeo [Love Never Dies, The Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia!].

Created by Mark Goucher Productions in association with Creative Director and Executive Producer Richard McKerrow and the producers of the TV phenomenon, Love Productions, this musical comedy has perfectly reimagined the nation’s favourite baking show into a warm-hearted comedy musical. The Great British Bake Off was co-created by Anna Beattie and Richard McKerrow.

The original creative team includes: choreographer Georgina Lamb, set, costume and cake designer Alice Power, lighting designer Ben Cracknell, sound designer Ben Harrison, orchestrator Tom Curran, musical supervisor Mark Collins, and casting director Jim Arnold CDG.

Prue Leith said “I am thrilled to bits that The Great British Bake Off Musical is going to the West End. It is an uplifting, funny, heartfelt story, which will have you singing and dancing out of the theatre with a huge smile. A theatrical sweet treat. Just what we need right now.”

BRAND NEW PRODUCTION OF

THE BELOVED MUSICAL TO PLAY

THE ICONIC LONDON PALLADIUM NEXT SUMMER

Cast to be announced

Performances begin on Friday 23 June 2023

www.wizardofozmusical.com

London, Thursday 1 December: Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are thrilled to announce that The Wizard of Oz, the musical based on the iconic story by L. Frank Baum, will play a strictly limited season at the world-famous London Palladium next summer.

Michael Harrison, the producer of the smash-hit Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, presents Curve’s brand-new production of one of the world’s most beloved musicals, beginning performances on Friday 23 June (Press Night: Thursday 6 July). 

For more information and to be first in line for tickets, go to www.wizardofozmusical.com Full booking details, including when tickets will go on sale, will be announced in due course.

Join Dorothy and Toto on an unforgettable adventure as they are swept over the rainbow to the merry old land of Oz. 

Featuring the iconic original score from the Oscar-winning MGM film, including Over The Rainbow, Follow The Yellow Brick Road and We’re Off To See the Wizard – with additional songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice – this spectacular production will be a magical experience for all the family.

Directed by Nikolai Foster (Billy Elliot The Musical, A Chorus Line) The Wizard of Oz has choreography by Shay Barclay, Set Designer is Colin Richmond, Projection Designer is Douglas O’Connell,Costume and Puppet Designer is Rachael Canning, Lighting Designer is Ben Cracknell, Sound Designer is Adam Fisher, Creative Consultant is Mark Kaufman, Musical Director and Musical Supervisor is George Dyer, Magic Consultant is Scott Penrose, Casting Director is Kay Magson CDG, Props Supervisor is Marcus Hall Props, Costume Supervisor is Anna Josephs and Wigs, Hair and Makeup Designer is Elizabeth Marini.

Michael Harrison said:

“The London Palladium is the home of the summer blockbuster musical, and there really will be no place like the Palladium for Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion, as they embark on their journey down the Yellow Brick Road. Nikolai Foster and his team have created a new and magical production of this beloved musical, and we can’t wait to open the doors to audiences from next June.”

Casting for the London production of The Wizard of Oz is to be confirmed.

Follow the yellow brick road next summer to The London Palladium!

Michael Harrison, Gavin Kalin with David Mirvish, Crossroads Live, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Rupert Gavin & Mallory Factor by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Limited, present the Curve production of The Wizard of Oz.

MULTI OLIVIER AWARD-WINNING

WEST END PRODUCTION OF

TO EMBARK ON YEAR-LONG TOUR OF

THE UK AND IRELAND

JOURNEY BEGINS AT SHEFFIELD’S LYCEUM THEATRE IN AUGUST 2023

CHRISTMAS SEASON AT THE LOWRY IN SALFORD

EUROPEAN TOUR TO FOLLOW FROM SEPTEMBER 2024 – DETAILS TO BE ANNOUNCED

www.lifeofpionstage.com

‘BREATH-TAKING. IT WILL MAKE YOU BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THEATRE.

ROAR IT OUT: THIS IS A HIT’ The Times

Lolita Chakrabarti’s dazzling Olivier Award winning stage adaption of Yann Martel’s best-selling novel Life of Pi, which is currently running at Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End and stars an extraordinary life-size puppeteered Bengal Tiger, begins its first ever tour of the UK and Ireland at the Sheffield’s Lyceum theatre in August 2023, where it will run from 29 August to 16 September 2023. The critically acclaimed production also begins previews this week at American Repertory Theatre, and opens on Broadway next March.

The tour will then continue to Milton Keynes Theatre, Norwich Theatre Royal, Southend Cliffs Pavillion, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, Chichester Festival Theatre, The Lowry, Salford, Bristol Hippodrome, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Theatre Royal Brighton, Birmingham Hippodrome, GrandOpera House, Belfast, Bord Gais Theatre, Dublin, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Curve Leicester,  Hull New Theatre, Coventry Belgrade, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Liverpool Empire, Severn Theatre Shrewsbury, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, Glasgow Theatre Royal, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Leeds Grand Theatre and finally Derngate Theatre in Northampton in July 2024.

‘IT WILL MAKE YOU BELIEVE IN THEATRE. A TRIUMPH.’

Sunday Times

Lolita Chakrabarti said:  ‘It is incredible to begin this tour at Sheffield Theatres, where Life of Pi began its journey, and to start the tour across the country from this great city.  It has been an extraordinary year in the West End and the success of the play has been both a privilege and a delight – from all the amazing awards to the standing ovations we get every night. It is testament to Yann Martel’s beautiful and moving story. I am so grateful for his trust and generosity in sharing it with me and allowing our amazing creative team to tell his story our way.’

Life of Pi, which is running in the West End until 15 January 2023,  first opened to critical acclaim at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield in 2019.  Future International plans for the show include its North American Premiere at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University from 4 December 2022 to 29 January 2023,  followed by its Broadway premiere at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre from 9 March 2024, with an official opening on 30 March 2024.  A European tour will follow the tour of the UK and Ireland and there are plans underway for a tour of Australia and Asia.

Life of Pi won five Olivier Awards in April 2022.  As well as Best New Play, and Best Actor for Hiran Abeysekera (the original Pi); in an historic first for the Olivier Awards – the seven performers who puppeteer the Tiger ‘Richard Parker’were collectively awarded Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The production also picked up awards for set (Tim Hatley, Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell), and lighting design (Tim Lutkin and Andrzej Goulding).

‘THE PUPPETRY IS OUT OF THIS WORLD’

Daily Mail

The production is directed by Max Webster, Set and Costume Designer is Tim Hatley, the Puppet Designers are Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell, the Puppet and Movement Director is Finn Caldwell, the Video Designer is Andrzej Goulding, the Lighting Designer is Tim Lutkin, theSound Designer is Carolyn Downing, the Composer is Andrew T Mackay, Dramaturgy is by Jack Bradley, the Casting Director is Polly Jerrold, the Associate Director is Leigh Toney, the Associate Puppetry and Movement Director is Scarlet Wilderink, the Associate Set Designer is Ross Edwards, the Associate Puppet Designer is Caroline Bowman,  the Costume Supervisor is Sabrina Cuniberto and the Props Supervisor is Ryan O’Conner.   Casting for the tour is yet to be announced.  

Based on one of the best-loved works of fiction – winner of the Man Booker Prize, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide – Life of Pi is a breath-taking new theatrical adaptation of an epic journey of endurance and hope.

After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, there are five survivors stranded on a single lifeboat – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, a sixteen year-old boy and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive?

Award winning writer Yann Martel’s works include The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios (1993), Self (1996), We Ate the Children Last (2004), Beatrice and Virgil (2010) – a New York Times Bestseller and a Financial Times Best Book, 101 Letters to a Prime Minister (2012) – a collection of letters to the prime minister of Canada; and The High Mountains of Portugal (2016).  

‘EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION IS AMAZING.’

Observer

Lolita Chakrabarti OBE is an actress and an award-winning playwright. Her debut play Red Velvet opened at the Tricycle Theatre before transferring to New York and then London’s West End. It earned her the Evening Standard Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright 2012; The Critics’ Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright 2013; AWA for Arts and Culture 2013 and an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre 2012. Red Velvet is now on the Drama syllabus for A level and is studied at universities in the UK and USA. Red Velvet has had over forty productions worldwide to date.

Other writing credits include: Hymn (Almeida Theatre/Sky Arts); Life of Pi (Sheffield Theatres) for which Lolita won the award for Best New Play at the Olivier awards 2022, the UK Theatre awards 2019 and WhatsonStage awards 2019. Life of Pi has won ten other major theatre awards in all categories.;an adaptation of Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities (Manchester International Festival and Brisbane Festival); Stones of Venice, a VR film for New Vision Arts Festival in Hong Kong; She curated The Greatest Wealth (The Old Vic) celebrating 8 decades of the NHS which was also shown online during the pandemic; she was dramaturg on Message in a Bottle (ZooNation/Sadler’s Wells). Lolita is dramaturg on the forthcoming Sylvia at the Old Vic.

Acting credits include: Fanny and Alexander (The Old Vic); Hamlet (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), Vigil, Showtrial, The Casual Vacancy, Defending the Guilty (BBC); Wheel of Time (Amazon Prime); Born to Kill (Channel 4); My Mad Fat Diary (E4), Beowulf; Return to the Shieldlands (ITV); Riviera (Sky); Criminal (Netflix).

Max Webster is an Associate Director at The Donmar Warehouse.  His theatre credits include: Henry V (Donmar Warehouse); Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax in Camera (Old Vic Theatre/San Diego Old Globe/Minneapolis Children’s Theatre); As You Like It (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); The Jungle Book (Fiery Angel); Fanny and Alexander, Cover My Tracks (Old Vic Theatre); The Twits (Curve Theatre Leicester); The Winter’s Tale (The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh); The Sea of Fertility and Mary Stuart (Parco Productions Tokyo); Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe); Shostakovich’s Hamlet (City of London Sinfonia); Twelfth Night (Regent’s Park Open Air); Orlando, To Kill a Mockingbird, My Young and Foolish Heart (Royal Exchange Manchester); James and the Giant Peach, My Generation (Leeds Playhouse); Carnival Under the Rainbow and Feast Kakulu (Hilton Festival, South Africa); Caucasian Chalk Circle (Aarohan Theatre, Kathmandu). Opera credits include: La Bohème (Göteborgsoperan, Sweden); The Merry Widow (English National Opera); Owen Wingrave (British Youth Opera).

The extraordinary animals are brought to life by Puppet & Movement Director Finn Caldwell, who began his career in the original company of the National Theatre’s international phenomenon War Horse. He is the Artistic Director of his own company Gyre & Gimble, for whom work includes: co-director/puppet designer of The Four Seasons: A Reimagining (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Hartlepool Monkey (UK tour) and The Elephantom (National Theatre & West End). His other work includes: director of puppetry/movement for Angels in America (National Theatre & Broadway), The Light Princess (National Theatre), War Horse (West End & Internationally) Groundhog Day (Old Vic & Broadway) and The Ocean at the End of the Lane (National Theatre, West End and on tour).

Life of Pi is produced by Simon Friend in association with Playing Field and Tulchin/Bartner.

Theatre Royal Windsor – until 8^th January 2023 

Reviewed by Carly Burlinge & Sarah-Jane Aged 10 

5***** 

Theatre Royal Windsor brings you this year’s panto and what a panto it was! Sleeping Beauty tells us the story that we all know and love but with a few twists thrown in, alongside with much excitement, enchantment, many laughs and just a great entertaining evening for all. 

In a beautiful Kingdom filled with joy and love, Princess Aurora “Beauty” (Lauren Lane) is approaching her 18th birthday. What more to do then celebrate with her friends and family. Her father King Basil of Windsoria (Basil Brush) shows up on stage dressed as Elvis, The King of Rock and Roll, gets an instant roar of laughter from the audience with his trademark “BOOM BOOM KIDS” “BOOM BOOM BASIL” keeping the audience involved at all times. He decides to throw Beauty a party so that she can have some fun with her friend Chester the Jester (Kevin Cruise). Well, what can I say he was loud, full of excitement, smiley, cheeky and was just awesome getting the crowd involved from start to finish! Then there was Nurse Nelly (Steven Blakeley) with her many roles nurse, chef, schoolteacher the list goes on! With her outrageous, wacky and loud costumes full of colour, sparkle and some rather big shoulder areas along with many different wigs throughout the show, offering great slap stick comedy. Keeping both adults and children entertained. During Beauty’s party she gets to meet Prince Edgar of Etonia (David Luke). Could this be her true love? Yet when the celebrations begin, The Evil Carabosse (Anita Harris) shows up with her horns of darkness, to ensure her curse that she gave to beauty on her birth. Of pricking her finger on a spinning wheel for her to die only for the sparkly magnificent Fairy Sunbeam (Elizabeth Carter) to change her spell into a deep sleep, only to be awoken by a kiss from her true love. Throughout the journey Prince Edgar of Etonia who’s handsome and charming, steps up to save Beauty. Together on stage they offer a great performance with much singing and dancing to ensure fabulous entertainment. 

It was so amazing to see great participation from the audience considering what we have all been through regarding covid. Everyone was taking part and having a wonderful evening it was just fabulous to see. 

Then there was, of course, the twelve days of Christmas, Windsor style. Which was astounding to witness with bras a flying, toilet rolls taking flight, water pistols and sweet being thrown at the audience! What a giggle and immense amusement. 

Windsor you have done it again! Not only was it spectacular but I am definitely in the Christmas spirit. 

My daughters words – exciting, fabulous, entertaining and mum can we go and see it again! 

It was amazeballs which made me chuckle! 

Alhambra Theatre, Bradford – until 3^rd December 2022

Reviewed by Katie Brewerton   

5*****

With the music of Bob Dylan, The Girl from the North Country is set in America in 1934,  Nick Laine (Graham Kent), runs a guest house for wayward travellers and we meet a range of them during the show. Taking place around Thanksgiving we soon learn that the characters are struggling to come to terms with their past mistakes or hoping their past doesn’t catch up with them. Secrets are rife amongst the characters with more than one shocking revelation as the show progresses. 

We soon learn Nick is struggling to deal with his wife, Elizabeth’s illness resulting in him beginning an affair with Mrs. Neilsen (Maria Omakinwa), one of the guests.  Nick and Elizabeth’s son, Gene (Gregor Milne) is struggling with his own issues, being unemployed during the great depression as well as struggling with his own heartbreak and his turbulent relationship with alcohol. Their adopted daughter Marianne (Justina Kehinde) finds herself pregnant with no father around leading to her father trying to marry her off to a much older man, as the only black person in a white family she has struggled throughout her life and is trying to find a place for her and her baby to fit in and be happy.

A host of other characters appear throughout the show as guests in the Laine family’s B&B, but not all are who they say they are and dark secrets begin to be unravelled. The relationships between the guests are unique and very well done. This is a show full of twists and turns, with the beautiful music cleverly woven in.  

Written and directed by Conor McPherson this is a wonderful and heart-breaking show with the Bob Dylan’s music performed exquisitely by the cast.  Frances McNamee as Elizabeth Laine is magnificent, her voice is phenomenal, and her portrayal of Elizabeth’s mental health struggles are respectable and heart-breaking with the right amount of humorous comments added in as we realise, she still understands a lot of what is going on around her. 

This is a show that has already had successes on Broadway and in the West End and it’s clear to see why, this is definitely one to watch. 

Leeds Grand Theatre – until Saturday 10 December 2022

5*****

My husband has never seen Les Mis before (and due to the World Cup, nearly didn’t make it this time either!), at the end I asked if he would see it again.  He replied that he had seen it once and he didn’t need to see it again.  His reply was met by a sea of incredulous faces, all disagreeing with him.  And it is that reaction that shows why it is such a well loved show, with such longevity and adoring fans and why my husband was in the minority.

The huge juggernaut Les Misérables has finally arrived in Leeds as part of its UK tour. And it was wonderful.

Jean Valjean, Prisoner 24601, stole a loaf of bread and spent 19 years in jail, under the watchful eye of Javert.  After his release Valjean is treated with contempt when he looks for works and lodgings, moving from place to place.  After getting caught stealing a silver plate from the Bishop of Digne, he vows to become a better man when the Bishop gives him some silver candlesticks, telling the police he wasn’t stealing, it was all a gift.  

The struggle between the former convict Jean Valjean and the pursuing policeman Javert is a very real and dramatic one.  Dean Chisnell shines as the thief with a heart, Jean Valjean, with Nic Greenshields breathtaking as Javert.  If you go for nothing else, it’s worth the three hours just to hear Greenshields spine-tingling version of Stars (although Chisnells Bring Him Home was a standout moment too).  Lauren Drew as Fantine and Jenna Innes (covering for Sobhan O’Driscoll) as Eponine gave heartbreakingly powerful performances.  Drew’s version of Come to Me was high on emotion, as was Innes’ A Little Fall of Rain. And the Thénardier’s (Ian Hughes and Helen Walsh) provide the comedy moments with a sublime rendition of Master of the House.

Of course you must take your tissues with you, watching little Gavroche (Lucas Melrose Steel) die and the heartbreak of drunken Grantaire (Raymond Walsh) is palpable, along with the fall of the Barricades. 

The live band lead by Giles Deacon captures Claude-Michel Schönberg’s music and the outstanding ensemble gives life to Herbert Kretzmer’s lyrics.  At the End of the Day and Do You Hear the People Sing? are stunningly performed by the full company, filling the theatre with a superb sound.  All thanks to Mick Potter’s sound and Geoffrey Garratt’s musical staging.

The staging in this production has quick set and fluid changes and some quite brilliant use of projections based upon Victor Hugo’s original paintings. Some of these animate to extremely clever effect, especially with sewer work and a key Javert scene.Paule Constable’s lighting, Andreane Neofitou and Christine Rowlands costume design and Matt Kinleys set all take their inspiration from these paintings and Finn Ross and 59 Productions should be congratulated for realising the projections.This production was breathtaking. Les Misérables is so well-known and adored everywhere that it is truly hard to make it new or different every time. But with some impressive performances, incredible lighting design and imposing but effective sets, this production makes it feel fresh, full of energy, and very much alive. As the final chorus echoes through the auditorium during the finale you’ll find yourself wanting to march on until tomorrow comes.