GARTLAND PRODUCTIONS AND CHRIS MAGUIRE ANNOUNCE THE EUROPEAN PREMIÈRE OF 

HEAD OVER HEELS 

Gartland Productions and Chris Maguire today announce the European première of Head Over Heels at the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester. Originally written and conceived by Jeff Whitty, it is adapted by James Magruder, and based on The Arcadia by Sir Philip Sidney, with songs from The Go-Go’s. Directed and choreographed by Tom Jackson Greaves, Head Over Heels is a bold musical comedy set to the music of the iconic 1980’s all-female rock band The Go-Go’s. The production opens on 31 January 2023,with previews from 26 January, running until 4 March.

Director, Tom Jackson Greaves said today: “Head Over Heels has been on my radar since its inception. Its colour, pride and joy combined with the music of The Go-Go’s is a delicious recipe. There are very few new musicals that excite me as much – from its portrayal of queer experiences to its comment on the patriarchy, with its mounds of silliness – the piece is a breath of fresh air within the art form. It’s a rebellion against the confines of history. It’s a celebration of uniqueness. It’s the perfect antidote (and in some ways challenge) to the world’s darkness in 2022 and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with Manchester.”

Gartland Productions and Chris Maguire co-present

HEAD OVER HEELS

Songs by The Go-Go’s

Based on ‘The Arcadia’ by Sir Philip Sidney

Conceived and Original Book by Jeff Whitty

Adapted by James Magruder

26 January – 4 March 

Director and Choreographer: Tom Jackson Greaves; Musical Director: Arelene McNaught; 

Casting Director: Lucy Casson; Set and Costume: Sophia Pardon

This laugh-out-loud love story is set to the music of the iconic 1980’s all-female rock band The Go-Go’s, including the hit songs, We Got the Beat, Our Lips Are Sealed, Vacation, Belinda Carlisle’sHeaven is a Place on Earth, and Mad About You.

A hilarious, exuberant celebration of love, Head Over Heels follows the escapades of a royal family on an outrageous journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction—only to discover the key to their realm’s survival lies within each of their own hearts.

Head Over Heels is presented through special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, 7 Penn Plaza, Suite 904, New York, NY 10001, www.broadwaylicensing.com.

Tom Jackson Greaves is a theatre maker based in the UK, specialising in creating cross-art-form, collaborative work with movement at its heart. Greaves is an Associate Artist at The Watermill Theatre, and he has won the 2012 New Adventures Choreographer Award. As a director his credits include Whistle Down the Wind and The Jungle Book (The Watermill Theatre), Brother (Southwark Playhouse), Extraordinary Women, Lucky Stiff (GSA), High Fidelity (Turbine Theatre) and Run For Your Life (Kneehigh).  His credits as choreographer/movement director include The Book Thief (Bolton Octagon), The Da Vinci Code, Zog and The Flying Doctors, Priscilla Queen of the Desert (UK tours), Rent (Hope Mill Theatre), Amélie (The Other Palace), King John (RSC), , Miracle on 34th Street, Paint Your Wagon, Fiddler on the Roof (Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse), The Audience, Billionaire Boy (Nuffield Southampton), Macbeth, Sweet Charity, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, The Borrowers, Romeo and Juliet (The Watermill Theatre), Spring Awakening (Hope Mill Manchester), Teddy (The Vaults/UK tour), Boudica (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Life (Southwark Playhouse), Peter and the Starcatcher (Royal and Derngate), The Glass Menagerie (Headlong) and The Crocodile (MIF)

The Go-Go’s are band members Charlotte Caffey, Belinda Carlisle, Gina Schock, Kathy Valentine and Jane Wiedlin and they will forever have the beat! These female pioneers formed The Go-Go’s in 1978 and were an integral part of the LA punk scene. The Go-Go’s made history as the first, and to date only, all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to ever top the Billboard charts. Their 1981 debut album, Beauty and the Beat, was #1 on the charts for six consecutive weeks and it remains one of the most successful debut albums of all time. Other albums include Vacation (1982), Talk Show (1984) and God Bless The Go Go’s (2001). With a 1982 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a 2021 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and a place in history that no other band can claim, it is assured that the Go-Go’s will keep going with a classic catalog of songs that transcends time, trends and genres. 

Jeffrey Whitty is an award-winning screenwriter, playwright, poet and performer. Jefferey Whitty is the author of the musical Avenue Q (Tony Award) which ran for sixteen years commercially in New York, six years on London’s West End, and continues to be produced all over the world in dozens of languages. Other musicals include his original story for Bring It On with a score by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Amanda Green (Broadway, Best Musical Tony nomination), and an adaptation of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City with music by Scissor Sisters (best Book, Bay Area Critics Circle Award).                  

James Magruder made his Broadway debut with the book for Triumph of Love. His adaptations of Marivaux, Molière, Lesage, Labiche, Gozzi, Hofmannsthal, Dickens and Giraudoux have been staged across the country in Germany and Japan, and his dissertation, Three French Comedies, was named an “Outstanding Literary Translation of the Year” in 1997. Also a fiction writer, he has published Sugarless, a Lambda Literary Award Finalist; Let Me See It, a story collection; Love Slaves of Helen Hadley Hall; and the just-released Vamp Until Ready. He teaches dramaturgy atSwarthmore College and French drama at the Yale School of Drama.                           

Listings

Hope Mill Theatre

Hope Mill Theatre, 113 Pollard Street, Manchester, M4 7JA

Box Office: 0161 275 9141 (Tuesday to Friday 12:00pm-6:30pm)

Performances: 

Tuesday – Sunday at 7:30pm

Matinees 2:30pm on Wednesday & Saturday and 5:00pm Sunday 

https://hopemilltheatre.co.uk/events/head-over-heels

Theatre Royal, Newcastle – until 19th November 2022

Reviewed by Alex Sykes

5*****

There are few occasions in life where you can go out in a tutu and be one of the most normally dressed people in the venue but when seeing Rocky Horror Show it seems almost compulsory, as more people were dressed up than were not, even on a wet Tuesday night.

The opening number, Science Fiction/Double Feature is sung by Suzie McAdam, in her role as the Usherette, and the audience sang along, although a little hesitant at first. McAdam also deserves a mention for how quickly she managed to get changed at the end of the show from the Usherette outfit back into the Magenta outfit.  Jackie Clune is brilliant in her role as the narrator as she receives the most heckles from from the audience but responds to them brilliantly, whether or not these replies are scripted remains unknown but the timings and the responses are spot on, especially when Clune informed the audience that she was the 4th best Liz Truss impersonator in the country.

Sweet and innocent Brad and Janet are played by Richard Meek and Haley Flaherty who have amazing on stage chemistry. The pair also take the heckles well, although at times you could tell the pair were trying not to laugh, especially during the scene with the cocktail shaker. Joe Allen brings both Eddie and Dr. Scott to life and performs both parts well. Ben Westhead is wonderful in his role of Rocky and Darcy Finden tap dances her way into the role of Columbia, although the role should be bigger as her talents are not used as well as they should be. Stars of the show though are Stephen Webb and Kristian Lavercombe who play Frank N. Furter and Riff Raff respectively. The pair have a brilliant connection and use each other to work out how to play the scene, and Lavercombe has racked up over 2000 performances as Riff Raff, more than any other actor in the role

All in all a brilliant night out which will make Richard O’Brien proud and will make fans of the Rocky Horror Show keep coming back to do the Time Warp again and again.

Malvern Theatres – until November 19th 2022

Reviewed by Kathie Hodges

5*****

A psychological thriller performed by a perfectly placed cast in this artful adaption by Rachel Wagstaff of a Marple Mystery. The set, a mirrored corridor cleverly switches the scenes seamlessly from a manor house to a movie studio for this classic crime story.
Susie Blake sparkles as an absolutely wonderful witty and sharp minded Jane Marple, relentless in her quest to discover the truth in any case aided by best friend Dolly Bantree and her remarkable memory of events played skilfully by Veronica Roberts.

The story begins with bumbling nephew also known as the new ‘Chief’ Inspector Craddock if you don’t mind, played expertly by Oliver Boot, seeking advice from his aunt after a dreadful murder is committed while insisting he doesn’t actually need any help or advice at all.

It appears that the famous American actress Marina Gregg played by Sophie Ward could be the target of a murder plot, having narrowly escaped death in a twist of events the race is on to discover who and why anyone would have reason to murder the actress. It goes without saying, all is not what it seems.

Jason Rudd played by Joe McFadden, is the  movie director husband of the Marina, in fact the latest in a long line, and appears as captivated with his wife as her fans.

The play covers significant topics such as homosexuality and self harming, Love and loss, and yet the drama is played out carefully with gentle humour.

Blake’s Marple is warm and humorous engaging the audience instantly.

The director Philip Franks says of the adaptation that it is ‘a terrific mystery but a thrilling story of love, loss pain and fear.

Not to be missed.

CHOIR!CHOIR!CHOIR!

EPIC 80’S SINGALONG COMES TO THE UK

THEY Teach: YOU sing

Phil McIntyre Live Ltd are thrilled to announce that internationally renowned Choir!Choir! Choir! is finally making it’s UK and Ireland debut next year. Nobu Adilman and Daveed Goldman are coming to venues all across the UK with an epic 80’s singalong!

Each audience is taught harmonies and sings songs they love together. Tickets go on general sale this Friday 18^th November with various pre-sales for select dates going live from Thursday 17^th from www.choirchoirchoir.com/what-is-choir/.

Opening in Birmingham on Tuesday 21^st March, this duo who have performed with the likes of David Byrne, Patti Smith, Rufus Wainwright and Rick Astley, are ready to teach audiences how to sing at their Epic 80’s Singalong! Following Birmingham they will perform in Stoke on Trent, Southampton, Manchester, Oxford, Guildford, London, Brighton, Glasgow and Newcastle.

The Epic 80’s Singalong! NOTHING BEATS THE 1980s! NOTHING! From Prince, Madonna, & George Michael…To Bon Jovi, Whitney, & Journey… the 80s had it covered when it came to EPIC pop hits. And now, it’s time for YOU and Choir!Choir!Choir! to take a journey through the 80’s as they lead and YOU SING!

Choir! Choir! Choir! is a show where the crowd is the star. Every show, Nobu Adilman and Daveed Goldman create something electric with the audience – it’s comedy, it’s interactive, and it’s all about the audience. There are no auditions – show up and they’ll have you singing in harmony in no time! It is a night that sparks into something so much greater than the sum of its parts.

Founded in 2011, Choir! Choir! Choir! has amassed a dedicated and passionate community of singers and a thriving international fan base on YouTube amassing millions of views on their videos.

Tickets go on general sale this Friday 18^th November with various pre-sales for select dates going live from Thursday 17^th from www.choirchoirchoir.com/what-is-choir/

Twitter: @choirchoirchoir | Instagram: @choirchoirchoir

Facebook: www.facebook.com/choirx3/  | YouTube –www.youtube.com/user/CHOIRx3

Southampton Mayflower – until 19 November 2022

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

3***

Written by Tom Eyen with music from Henry Kreiger, Dreamgirls hits the Mayflower on its UK Tour. 

The swinging 60’s hits the stage and fills  the auditorium with a crowd pleasing; multi award winning and sequin studded performance! The sparkling tale of the rise of the Dreamgirls-formally known as the ‘Dreamettes’ is told, following Effie (Nicole Raquel Dennis) Lorrell (Paige Peddie) and Deena (Natalie Kassange) as they battle to make it into showbiz. With the help of their manager, they get their big break, but ultimately, showbiz takes over and we see the fractures in their friendships. Resulting in a wonderful resolution, the display of defiance, energy and self belief is evident-with a smattering of love! 

The stand out song was Dennis’ rendition of ‘And I am telling you I’m not going’, ending the first act. This heavily emotive performance rang through the theatre. They deserved the standing ovation that was displayed from the audience! However, as this song closes Act 1 and was met with a standing ovation, it was hard for the cast to move forward from there and Act 2 seemed slightly flat in comparison to the spectacular we had heard beforehand. Natalie Kassanga and Paige Peddie as Lorrell and Deena were pleasant and it was nice to have the focus on them for quite a bit of the show too, with their own solos and performances. 

For me, the stand out performance of the night goes to Brandon Lee Sears as ‘Jimmy Early’ an established singer who seems to use his wit and charm to get where he is in life. Sears was funny and so different from any of the other characters and at one point, encouraged the audience to clap and dance along when he sang. He gave an air of James Brown and really entertained the audience. 

The costume and lighting also deserves a congratulation for the sheer number of sequins on stage, quick changes and lighting to cover every inch of the stage. There was one quick change which was met with rapturous applause and it truly deserved it! 

Whilst the cast seemed to hit the ground with so much energy and excitement, it was hard to top scene by scene and left me feeling like I wanted more. The songs also became very repetitive and felt as though I was almost waiting for a section of dialogue (this is not to detract from the performances of the cast-they were fabulous!). 

If you like sequins and sparkles mixed with the swinging 60’s and powerful songs-this is your show!!

Grand Opera House, York – until 19 November 2022

Reviewed by Katie Brewerton

5*****

A brand-new musical based on the icon that is Cher is here! Opening on Broadway in 2018, The Cher Show dazzles as it comes to York full of glitz and glamour. Throughout the show three Cher’s appear on stage portraying different stages of Cher’s iconic life. 

Beginning with Millie O’ Connell playing Cher through her childhood, teens and twenties we learn of her struggles through school and we learn of the heartbreaking inspiration behind the song Half-Breed, according to the story Cher was bullied in school for not looking like everyone else and was referred to as ‘half-breed’. We also learn of her home life with her supportive mother and the men who left her behind as a child. This Cher is the one that starts a loving relationship with Sonny Bono played by Guy Woolf, at this age she is devoted to him and they have a happy relationship having a hit with ‘I’ve got you Babe‘ and having their own show in Vegas.

As Cher becomes well known Danielle Steers takes over and Cher’s troubles develop being forced to work endlessly and finding it hard to find time to spend with her child. Her relationship with Sonny goes from bad to worse with betrayals and arguments eventually culminating in their divorce. 

Cher goes on to marry Greg Alman (Sam Ferriday), but after his drug problems and her needing to focus on looking after the 2 children and other family this also ends in divorce. As Debbie Kurup takes over for the final part of the show Cher learns to live without the need of men in her life and becomes the star she was born to be. 

The three Cher’s are fantastic, portraying Cher with her own unique style, voice and mannerisms flawlessly. With a whole host of Cher’s biggest hits including ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’, ‘Just Like Jesse James‘ and so many more featured, this is a show that will have fans begging for more. With the audience up and dancing for the encore, the standing ovation was well deserved.

The Alexandra Theatre – until 19th November 2022

Reviewed by Emily Cliff

2 **

The effect Noughts and Crosses has on its audience is an odd one. On the one hand, the story makes you think about what life would be like in an alternate dystopian society not so subtly using outdated laws, behaviours and attitudes that pre-date the civil rights movement in 1960s America. However, on the other hand, you are left feeling genuinely baffled by the poor execution of what could have been a fantastic story with fantastic potential.

Surrounded by a fantastic set and supported by a brilliant cast, the show had some truly great moments. In a segregated society where the Crosses (darker-skinned people) are the majority in charge, Noughts (lighter-skinned people) are left fighting prejudice and fighting for equality amongst all. Effie Ansah portrayed Sephy excellently, showing the hope of wanting a more inclusive future which can be seen in younger generations in today’s society. Playing alongside Ansah was James Arden, equally as talented showing the struggle of living in a society that isn’t inclusive, and the detrimental effect that can have on your mental health.

Using Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as a blueprint, it is wholly unfortunate the story didn’t follow in the footsteps of its inspiration. The story for the most part was clunky, dragging and taking far too long to address storylines that could have easily been cut without making a difference to the show as a whole whatsoever. The show runs at a whopping 2 hours and 25 minutes, however, the important and relevant parts of this show could have easily made this an 80-minute show. Using reverse racism in any piece of art can be hard to pull off, however when done correctly and respectfully it can be incredibly educational, the potential was there with Noughts and Crosses, but some parts of this show were just written in very bad taste.

The journey to the interval seemed to take forever with extremely poor pacing and often felt like pulling teeth and the second half seemed to try and jam many storylines into an extremely short space which made for an extremely confusing performance.

Aside from this shows many faults, the cast and the set were fantastic and it is such a shame they were let down by such poor writing and pacing in this story. This play had the potential to be truly groundbreaking and fantastic. With a shorter run time and more succinct writing and pacing, this play would be brilliant, unfortunately, we did not see that tonight.

Transworld to publish hilarious account of non-league football club ownership by comedy performer and co-writer of The Play That Goes Wrong, Jonathan Sayer.

Transworld Publishers is delighted to announce the publication of Nowhere to Run, a warts-and-all insight into the running of a non-league football club, written by comedy performer and writer Jonathan Sayer.

Nowhere to Run follows the first year of Sayer’s co-ownership (alongside his dad) of his local football club, Ashton United FC. As his initial optimism begins to fade and a the briefest of honeymoon periods comes to an end Jonathan starts to realise the scale of the challenge ahead.

Battling to keep the club afloat, a record number of games without a win sees hope turn to despair as Jonathan contends with a mutiny from a group of octogenarian supporters, constant battles with the local council and a star striker who arrives on crutches despite somehow passing his medical.

As the on-pitch form continues to deteriorate and rifts appear between him and his father, Jonathan begins to make some increasingly desperate decisions: dressing as a seven-foot robin in the local market in an effort to drum up larger crowds, sinking his savings into an ever spiralling wage bill and even contemplating bringing in a local priest to lift the ‘Boxing Day Curse’ by performing a late-night exorcism on the pitch.

Chronicling the bitter disappointments and euphoric highs of the less glamorous side of the beautiful game, Nowhere to Run is the hilarious, heart-warming tale of life in the hot seat of a non-league football club and a story of a father and son trying to work together.

Henry Vines, Editorial Director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from David Luxton at DLA.

Henry said: ‘Every football fan has a soft spot for the non-league game and the quirks, characters and contests at the grassroots level of the sport. To have a writer of Jonathan’s talent immerse us in that world and explain its inner workings is a complete pleasure. With his own money on the line and the hopes and despairs of a community on his shoulders, his memoir is a brutally honest and wildly entertaining insight into the running of a football club.’

Jonathan said: ‘I’m delighted to be able to bring together two of my biggest passions, the world of comedy and the world of football. Becoming the chairman of Ashton United FC with my Dad (David) has been both a dream come true and a living nightmare and I’m so excited to get to tell the story and make people laugh along the way.’

Nowhere to Run by Jonathan Sayer will be published in hardback on 18 May 2023.

National Theatre Live broadcasts David Tennant in the Fictionhouse and Playful production of C.P. Taylor’s GOOD to cinemas worldwide

20 April in the UK / Ireland

15 June internationally

The National Theatre today announces that the West End production of GOOD, directed by Dominic Cooke and produced by Fictionhouse and Playful Productions, will be broadcast to cinemas worldwide as part of the National Theatre Live programme.

Professor John Halder thinks he is a ‘good’ man.  But ‘good’ men must adapt to survive.  As the world faces a World War, Halder finds himself pulled into a movement with unthinkable consequences. In his much-anticipated return to the West End, David Tennant (Doctor Who) gives a ‘magnificent’ (The Guardian) performance in this blistering reimagining of one of Britain’s most powerful, political plays.

Olivier Award-winner Dominic Cooke (Follies) directs C. P. Taylor’s timely tale, with the cast featuring Elliot Levey (Cabaret) and Sharon Small (The Bay).

On behalf of Fictionhouse, Producer Kate Horton said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with NT Live to make our production of GOOD available across the UK and worldwide. C.P. Taylor’s play is a powerful and timely message, and this broadcast will allow audiences to connect with the play, Dominic Cooke’s extraordinary production and David Tennant’s brilliant lead performance long beyond our run at the Harold Pinter Theatre.”

GOOD will be available in cinemas in the UK and Ireland from Thursday 20 April and around the globe from Thursday 15 June, with tickets now available with National Theatre Live.

GOOD is produced by Fictionhouse and Playful Productions, and runs at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 24 December. Tickets available via returns, visit www.goodtheplay.com for availability.

Further company includes Jim Creighton, Rebecca Bainbridge, Izaak Cainer, Jamie Cameron, Edie Newman, Lizzie Schenk and George Todică.

Set and costume design is by Vicki Mortimer; lighting design by Zoe Spurr; sound design by Tom Gibbons; hair, wigs and make up by Campbell Young Associates; musical arrangement and composition by Will Stuart; movement direction by Imogen Knight and casting by Amy Ball CDG.

Filmed live at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London.

Sky Arts is the Headline Partner of National Theatre Live in the UK.

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre – until 19 November 2022

Reviewed by Julia Spargo

4****

Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers brings alive the streets of Liverpool through the 1950s to the 1970s, with the backdrop of poverty, privilege, unemployment and crime. Forced into an impossible situation by financial hardship and debt, young mother-of-seven Mrs Johnstone gives one of her newborn twin boys to her wealthy employer, Mrs Lyons, who is desperate for a child. The boys grow up geographically close, but at opposite ends of the socio-economic spectrum, becoming unlikely friends but unaware of their relationship to each other.

The climax of the brothers’ story is shown in the first scene, before rewinding some twenty-odd years, revealing how the tragedy of the brothers Mickey and Eddie unfolds. The ever-present character of the Narrator navigates the audience through their lives with constant reminders of their ultimate fate.

Many of the cast of this tour are returning to the musical after having been in its West End production, and it shows. Niki Colwell-Evans is exceptional as Mrs Johnstone and is, along with Richard Munday as Narrator, one of few cast members able to compete with the orchestra, whose sheer volume overpowers some of the other characters.

Sean Jones and Jay Worley give very convincing performances of Mickey and Eddie respectively, and their portrayals of the twin brothers as children give the musical many light and humorous moments. The show is held together well by different verses of the song Marilyn Monroe, giving the audience a continued sense of the wider time-frame and the development of the story.

The simple Liverpudlian background of the set and dim lighting increases the sense of tension surrounding Mrs Johnstone and her children, highlighting the claustrophobia of both their economic situation and inevitable fate of her children. The cast are used for any prop changes, meaning the pace of the show never drops and the audience is swept along with the story. The unanimous standing ovation at the end of the performance was well-deserved, and the time it took Niki Colwell-Evans to regain her composure after her incredible rendition of the final song Tell Me It’s Not True showed just how much she is giving to every performance.

Highly recommended.