CAST ANNOUNCED FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF WICKIES: THE VANISHING MEN OF EILEAN MOR.
● BASED ON A TRUE STORY, THIS GRIPPING SUPERNATURAL DRAMA IS THE PERFECT FESTIVE THRILLER THIS CHRISTMAS.
Paul Morrissey, Christopher Wheeler, and Molly Morris in association with Park Theatre are pleased to announce the cast for the World Premiere of Wickies: The Vanishing Men of Eilean Mor.
Wickies: The Vanishing Men of Eilean Mor is based on the true story of James Ducat, Thomas Marshall, and Donald MacArthur: a supernatural thriller that seeks to unravel the enduring mystery of thelighthouse keepers who, on December 15, 1900, disappeared without a trace.
The Producers — who brought the critically acclaimed production of When Darkness Falls (‘Eerie tales told with relish’ The Stage) to Park Theatre – are delighted to be returning to the Finsbury Park venue this festive season, with a gripping, original thriller.
Written by Paul Morrissey, Wickies: The Vanishing Men of Eilean Mor opens at the Park Theatre on Wednesday 30th November2022 and runs until Saturday 31st December 2022.
Writer and Producer, Paul Morrissey said, “I have always been fascinated by eerie islands. The isolation. The myths. The legends. The folklore. Maybe it’s because I grew up on one myself. And whilst my island home, I guess, isn’t that eerie, the folklore and stories passed down from generation to generation, most definitely are. The story of the vanishing men of Eilean Mor takes that to a whole new level. The ingredients are a gift for any writer. A lighthouse. Frequent and violent storms. Three very different men confined to a small building with the same aim: to guide and protect. To light the way. But something happened. The men seemingly vanished without a trace. Did one of them go mad and kill the other two? Were they taken by a freak wave? Or perhaps they were kidnapped by Pirates? Whatever the reason, what is true, is that they’ve never been seen since. The question I started with was, where was the light that night?”
Directed by Shilpa T-Hyland, Wickies: The Vanishing Men of Eilean Mor will star Ewan Stewart (Titanic, Witness for the Prosecution, River City) as James Ducat, Jamie Quinn (BBC’s Two Doors Down, The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as Thomas Marshall and Graeme Dalling (Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Let the Right One In) as Donald MacArthur.
Ewan Stewart
Jamie Quinn
Graeme Dalling
These three celebrated Scottish actors — along with a Scottish led creative team — will not only bring the dramatic and eerie landscape of Eilean Mor to life as they tell tale of this mysterious highland legend, but also explore the devastating mental health ramifications of loneliness and isolation imposed by such a remote island.
Director, Shilpa T-Hyland, said “A tale of pressure and isolation bringing out the best and worst, and our fascination and horror of unexplainable events. I’ve never quite believed in ghosts but always been convinced of the power of the mind in an eerie spot where the walls have history. That’s real enough for me.”
On 26th December 1900, a small ship was making its way to the Flannan Islands in the remote Outer Hebrides.
Its destination was the lighthouse at Eilean Mor; a remote island, uninhabited apart from its lighthouse keepers – James Ducat, Thomas Marshall, and Donald MacArthur.
When the ship arrived on the island, the lighthouse was unlocked and two of three oil skinned coats belonging to the men were missing. The fire was out – and had been for some days – the kitchen area had half eaten food, the chairs were overturned, and the clock had stopped. More importantly, the lighthouse lamp was out. The three men had vanished.
Wickies: The Vanishing Men of Eilean Mor features music by Niall Bailey, set and costume design by Zoe Hurwitz, lighting design by Bethany Gupwell and sound design by Nik Paget-Tomlinson.
On sale now and inspired by real life events this chilling ghost tale offers an intriguing festive treat for those brave enough!
Wickies: The Vanishing Men of Eilean Mor at the Park Theatre will run from Wednesday 30th November 2022 until Saturday 31st December 2022.
The Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Penzance, Cornwall – until 6 October 2022
Reviewed by Kerry Gilbert
5*****
“A classic novel retold will have the audience unfold with laughter!”
What could be better than enjoying a production of Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) at the spectacular Minack, open air theatre perched upon the Cornish cliffs?
This is a laugh out loud show that’s been cleverly created from an all-time classic!
The show is straight from the West End and Directed by Isobel McArthur and Simon Harvey, it will simply bowl you over and leave you with that ‘feel good’ feeling like you’ve just watched something unique that you’ll not have seen before or will likely see again.
The cast of five take on all the parts, Isobel McArthur is a wonderful Darcy. In addition, she plays an even more coarse than usual Mrs Bennet. Also in the cast are Olivier Award nominated Tori Burgess as Lydia and Mr Collins; Olivier Award nominated Christina Gordon as Lady Catherine de Bough and Jane; Award winner and Stage Debut Awards nominee Hannah Jarrett-Scott as Charlotte Lucas and Charles Bingley and Leah Jamieson as Elizabeth Bennet.
The audience were engaged with laughing almost every minute of the performance which also features a string of pop classics. So, clutching handheld microphones, Jane croons “At last” while on her way to Netherfield, Elizabeth taunts Mr Darcy with “You’re So Vain”, Jane and Bingley wonder “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”, and the Bennet women are “Holding Out for a Hero”. There’s also a perfectly groan-worthy Chris de Burgh gag.
This is a faithful staging of the novel, albeit one with more 21st century language, including a lot of swearing: Darcy is described as a ‘tw*t’ (and that’s one of the milder insults). Mrs Bennet calls Elizabeth “a f***ing smart a*se” – and there are contemporary touches like the sisters stomping around in Doc Martens or drinking Irn-Bru.
I particularly liked the moment when Elizabeth looks at a painting of Darcy and Isobel McArthur slides behind the empty frame to pose as the portrait, whose eyes then follow Lizzie round the room.
This show would appear to a wide range of ages and is admirably accessible – retelling of a classic novel with humour, music, dancing, great audience interaction and a superb clearly written storyline. My 18-year-old daughter enjoyed it as much a me, without having read the book.
This is a light-hearted play that will cheer you up – I’d highly recommend going to see it whilst it’s at the wonderful Minack!
Original Theatre, in association with JAS Theatricals, is delighted to announce that their UK Tour of Agatha Christie’s THE MIRROR CRACK’D has been extended into 2023, with dates added in Cambridge, High Wycombe, Birmingham, Kingston and Aberdeen. The brand new production of Rachel Wagstaff’s acclaimed adaptation is directed by Philip Franks. The UK Tour opened on 9 September 2022 and has already received rave reviews.
THE MIRROR CRACK’D stars Susie Blake as Miss Marple, Sophie Ward as Marina Gregg, Joe McFadden as Jason Rudd, Oliver Boot as Chief Inspector Craddock, Veronica Roberts as Dolly Bantry, Mara Allen as Cherry Baker, Sarah Lawrie as Ella Zielinsky, Lorenzo Martelli as Guiseppe Renzo, Jules Melvin as Heather Leigh, David Partridge as Cyril Leigh, Chrystine Symone as Lola Brewster and Holly Smith in the ensemble.
In 1960s England, a wind of change is blowing through the land. It has even reached the sleepy village of St Mary Mead. There’s a new housing estate, which alarms the villagers as much as it intrigues them and, even more unsettling, a rich American film star has bought the manor house. Jane Marple, confined to a chair after an accident, is wondering if life has passed her by. Then there is a shocking murder, and Miss Marple must unravel a web of lies, danger and tragedy. This adaptation of Agatha Christie’s famous novel brings real emotional depth and psychological insight to a thrilling story of secrets, loss and revenge.
The Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side was published in the UK in 1962 and adapted as a feature film, The Mirror Crack’d, in 1980, starring Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple, Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis. On television, adaptations of the novel have starred Joan Hickson as Miss Marple in 1992 and Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple in 2011.
Susie Blake is best known for playing the Continuity Announcer in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV, as well as her regular roles of Bev Unwin in ITV’s Coronation Street and Hillary Nicholson in BBC’s Mrs Brown’s Boys. She has recently appeared in series one and two of Kate & Koji (ITV), Not Going Out (BBC One) and The Real Marigold Hotel (BBC One). Her films include Fierce Creatures and Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?!. Her theatre credits include Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical (Hall for Cornwall), Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em (UK Tour), My Fair Lady (Grange Festival), Grumpy Old Women Live 2 & 3, When We Are Married (West End), Pygmalion (Chichester Festival Theatre), Madame Morrible in Wicked (West End) and Belinda Blair in Noises Off (National Theatre).
Sophie Ward has most recently been seen in the BBC‘s A Very British Scandal opposite Claire Foy and Paul Bettany, BBC/HBO Max’s Troubled Blood – an adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s hugely popular novel of the same name, and This Sceptred Isle, playing the role of Rachel Johnson, opposite Kenneth Branagh’s Boris Johnson. For the past four years, Sophie has hosted the European Diversity Awards and works closely alongside Stonewall.
Joe McFadden’s television credits include Raffaello Di Lucca in Holby City from 2014 to 2020, Alistair in Casualty in 2009, PC Joe Mason in Heartbeat from 2007 to 2009, Jack Marshland in Cranford, Dallas in Sex, Chips & Rock’n’roll, Prentice McHoan in The CrowRoad and Gary McDonald in The High Road. Theatre includes Priscilla-Queen Of The Desert, Torch Song Trilogy (Menier Chocolate Factory), She Loves Me (Chichester Festival Theatre), Rainbow Kiss (Royal Court Theatre), How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Chichester Festival Theatre), Aladdin (Old Vic Theatre) and Rent (Shaftesbury Theatre, London). Joe was the winner of Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.
THE MIRROR CRACK’D is directed by Philip Franks (Barnes’ People, The Haunting of Alice Bowles, The Habit of Art, The Croft and A Cold Supper Behind Harrods) and designed by Adrian Linford, with lighting design by Emma Chapman, sound design by Max Pappenheim and casting by Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG.
The UK Tour is produced by Alastair Whatley and Tom Hackney for Original Theatre, in association with Joshua Andrews and Stuart Galbraith for JAS Theatricals. Original Theatre recently won a Critics’ Circle Award for their outstanding contribution to British Theatre during lockdown, through which they produced acclaimed online productions of Sebastian Faulks’s Birdsong Online, Louise Coulthard’s Watching Rosie, Torben Betts’s Apollo 13: The Dark Side of The Moon, Philip Franks’s The Haunting of Alice Bowles and Peter Barnes’s Barnes’ People. More recently, they have produced stage and hybrid productions ranging from world premieres of Frazer Flintham’s Into The Night to Ben Brown’s The End of The Night at Park Theatre, as well as tours of The Hound of The Baskervilles, Being Mr Wickham, The System, A Splinter of Ice, The Habit of Art, Invincible and Birdsong. They recently produced a new playwriting festival ‘Originals’ in partnership with Riverside Studios, which opened at the end of June in London and online. JAS Theatricals recently produced the highly successful UK Tour of Cluedo and their other co-producing credits include 9 to 5 and Pretty Woman in the West End and the Tony Award-winning Hadestown on Broadway.
Michael Harrison and David Ian are today delighted to announce the first 2023 / ’24 tour dates for The Drifters Girl, the new musical which tells the remarkable story of one of the world’s greatest vocal groups and the woman who made them.
Having thrilled audiences at the Garrick Theatre in London’s West End since November 2021 (where it played following a triumphant run at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal earlier that autumn), the tour will begin at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, on Tuesday 12th September 2023.
The musical, which has played to packed houses and nightly standing ovations, then goes on to visit: Theatre Royal,Norwich; Lyceum Theatre,Sheffield; Alhambra Theatre, Bradford; Opera House, Manchester; Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes; Curve Theatre, Leicester; Cliffs Pavilion, Southend; Theatre Royal, Newcastle; New Victoria Theatre, Woking; Orchard Theatre, Dartford; Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol. Further dates for 2024 are to be announced.
Telling the remarkable story of The Drifters, one of the world’s greatest vocal groups, and the truth about the woman who made them. Faye Treadwell is the legendary manager of The Drifters who fought for three decades alongside her husband (George Treadwell) to turn Atlantic Records’ hottest vocal group into a global phenomenon.
From the highs of hit records and sell-out tours to the lows of legal battles and personal tragedy, The Drifters Girl charts the trailblazing efforts of the world’s first African American female music manager and how she refused to ever give up on the group she loved. Thirty years and hundreds of hit songs later, there is no doubt that Faye Treadwell was and always will be, The Drifters Girl.
The Drifters Girl boasts an incredible soundtrack of some of the most famous songs in history, including Save The Last Dance For Me,Under The Boardwalk, Kissin In The Back Row Of The Movies, Stand By Me, Come On Over To My Place, Saturday Night At The Movies and many more.
The Drifters Girl, with abook by Ed Curtis, is based on an idea by Tina Treadwell, and is co-created by Beverley Knight, Adam J Bernard, Tarinn Callender, Matt Henry and Tosh Wanogho-Maud. It is directed by Jonathan Church. Set design is by Anthony Ward, choreography by Karen Bruce, costume design by Fay Fullerton, orchestrations and musical supervision by Chris Egan, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Tom Marshall and video design by Andrzej Goulding. Casting is by Stuart Burt.
The touring production’s cast is to be announced.
The Drifters Girl is produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian.
MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY ANNOUNCES NEW SEASON FOR 2022/2023
The Menier Chocolate Factory today announces programming for its Autumn 2022/Spring 2023 season.
The season opens in November with the world première of Terry Johnson’s new play The Sex Party, which Johnson also directs. This is followed by Alex Edelman – Just For Us, after a smash-hit sell-out extended season in New York. Completing the season is the UK première of Jordan Harrison’s Marjorie Prime, directed by Dominic Dromgoole, presented in a co-production with Rachel Edwards Productions.
Later this year, the Menier’s Olivier Award-winning production of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, with Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, directed by Maria Friedman, opens at the New York Theatre Workshop. Also in Spring 2023, the Menier and Umeda Arts Theater’s co-production of Stephen Sondheim’sPacific Overtures – directed by Matthew White – will open at the Nissay Theatre in Tokyo, with a later transfer planned to the Chocolate Factory.
Artistic Director of the Menier, David Babani said today, “After our first dark period in 18 years of production whilst the venue underwent necessary maintenance work, we are thrilled to announce our new season of work with the world première of a new play by Terry Johnson, Alex Edelman’s smash hit comedy show Just For Us, and completing the season at our home base is the UK première of Jordan Harrison’s Marjorie Prime, directed by Dominic Dromgoole. In addition, the Menier will be co-producing work in New York and Japan, continuing the company’s long association with the works of Stephen Sondheim with productions of Merrily We Roll Along and Pacific Overtures. It’s a busy season for the company, and we look forward to sharing further plans for 2023 with you shortly.”
Priority booking for The Sex Party opens today, with public booking opening on 3 October at 9am. Booking for Alex Edelman – Just For Us and Marjorie Prime will open at a later date.
The world première of
THE SEX PARTY
Written and Directed by Terry Johnson
4 November 2022 – 7 January 2023
Designer: Tim Shortall;Lighting: Ben Ormerod; Sound: John Leonard
Four couples gather in a suburban London home for an evening of wine, cheese, and more intimate pleasures. Some are curious, some are more familiar, and one is rather unexpected. Thus a promising evening is poised to go beyond anyone’s expectations.
The world première of this play by Terry Johnson similarly promises to surprise, perhaps shock, and most certainly entertain!
As a playwright, Terry Johnson’s work includes Dead Funny, Prism and Ken (Hampstead Theatre), Insignificance, Cries from the Mammal House, Hysteria (Olivier Award for Best Comedy),Piano/Forte,Hitchcock Blonde (Royal Court Theatre), The Graduate (West End and Broadway), Mrs Henderson Presents (West End and Toronto), Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick (Olivier Award for Best Comedy) and The London Cuckolds (National Theatre). His directing credits include La Cage aux Folles (Menier, West End and Broadway; Tony Awards for Best Director of a Musical and Best Revival of a Musical; Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival and Critics’ Circle Best Musical Award); Rookery Nook (Menier); Oh! What a Lovely War, Fings Ain’t What They Used T’Be (Theatre Royal Stratford East; marking the 50th Anniversary of Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop), TheLibertine (West End and Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago) and Dumb Show (Royal Court Theatre). West End and Broadway directing credits also include The Duck House,End of the Rainbow, The Prisoner of Second Avenue,The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Rain Man,Whipping It Up, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Entertaining Mr Sloane and Elton John’s Glasses. His work for television includes Not Only But Always (Channel 4, which won five International Award nominations, Best Film at Banff and the Best Actor Bafta for Rhys Ifans), The Man Who Lost His Head (ITV), Cor, Blimey! (ITV) and The Bite for the BBC and ABC Australia. Nicholas Roeg’s film of Insignificance was the official British Entry at Cannes in 1985. His plays have won him the Playwright of the Year Award 1995, Critics’ Circle Best New Play Award 1995, The League of American Theatres and Producers Best Touring Play Awards 2001, plus two Evening Standard Theatre Awards, two Writers Guild Best Play Awards, Time Out Best Play Award, the Mayer-Whitworth Award and the John Whiting Award.
ALEX EDELMAN – JUST FOR US
11 January – 26 February
Director: Adam Brace
Just For Us takes the audience through hilarious anecdotes from Alex Edelman’s life — his Olympian brother AJ, an unconventional holiday season, and a gorilla that can do sign language — but at its centre is an astonishing and frighteningly relevant story. After a string of anti-Semitic abuse is directed at Edelman online, he decides to covertly attend a gathering of White Nationalists in New York City and comes face to face with the people behind the keyboards. The result is a hair-raising encounter that gives Just For Us its title and final, jaw-dropping twist.
The production reunites Edelman with director Adam Brace – who have collaborated since 2014.
Presented in New York by Mike Birbiglia, the production was an NY Times critic’s pick; and received 2022 Drama Desk, Off-Broadway Alliance and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations.
Alex Edelman is a comedian and writer whose Orthodox Jewish upbringing has informed critically and commercially acclaimed work for the stage and screen. He is known both for his solo shows – three, all award-winning, sell-out hits in London’s West End and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – and for his TV writing. At the start of the pandemic, he served as the head writer and executive producer of Saturday Night Seder, a star studded 70-minute special, posted on YouTube, that has so far raised $3.5 million for the CDC Foundation (COVID-19) Emergency Response Fund.
Adam Brace directs. He is Associate Director at Soho Theatre where he works across comedy, theatre and performance Art and in roles spanning dramaturg, director and writer. In comedy he has developed a varied range of work including 8 Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominated shows, 2 Herald Angel Award-winners, 2 nominees for the Melbourne Barry Award and 2 Southbank Sky Arts Awards. Directing credits include all of Alex Edelman’s shows, most recently Just For Us (Drama Desk Nominee 2022) currently extended six times Off-Broadway; Age is a Feeling by Haley McGee (Fringe First 2022, Soho Theatre this autumn); all of Sh!t Theatre’s multi-award-winning international shows. Other credits include Ahir Shah’s HBO Max special Dots and Creative Supervisor on two series of Soho Theatre Live on Amazon Prime. Previously he was a playwright and was produced by Almeida Theatre, the National Theatre and the Donmar Warehouse; his plays are published by Faber and Faber.
The Menier Chocolate Factory and Rachel Edwards Productions present
The UK première of
MARJORIE PRIME
By Jordan Harrison
9 March – 6 May
Director: Dominic Dromgoole
In this richly spare, wondrous play, Jordan Harrison explores the mysteries of human identity and the limits — if any — of what technology can replace.
It’s the age of artificial intelligence, and 85-year-old Marjorie — a jumble of disparate, fading memories — has a handsome new companion who’s programmed to feed the story of her life back to her. What would we remember, and what would we forget, if given the chance?
Jordan Harrison was a 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Marjorie Prime. The play premièred at the Mark Taper Forum/Center Theater Group in Los Angeles in September 2014 and had its New York premiere at Playwrights Horizons.
Jordan Harrison’s plays include Maple and Vine premièred in the 2011 Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville and went on to productions at American Conservatory Theatre and Playwrights Horizons, among others. Harrison’s other plays include The Grown-Up (2014 Humana Festival), Doris to Darlene (Playwrights Horizons), Amazons and their Men (Clubbed Thumb), Act A Lady (2006 Humana Festival), Finn in the Underworld (Berkeley Repertory Theatre), Futura (Portland Center Stage, NAATCO), Kid-Simple (2004 Humana Festival), Standing on Ceremony (Minetta Lane), The Museum Play (Washington Ensemble Theatre), and a musical, Suprema (O’Neill Music Theatre Conference). Harrison is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Hodder Fellowship, the Kesselring Prize, the Roe Green Award from Cleveland Play House, the Heideman Award, a Theater Masters Innovative Playwright Award, the Loewe Award for Musical Theater, Jerome and McKnight Fellowships, a NYSCA grant, and a NEA/TCG Residency with The Empty Space Theater. His children’s musical, The Flea and the Professor, won the Barrymore Award for Best Production after premièring at the Arden Theatre. A graduate of Stanford University and the Brown MFA program, Harrison is an alumnus of New Dramatists. He is an Affiliated Artist with Clubbed Thumb, The Civilians, and The Playwrights’ Center. Harrison wrote for the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black.
Dominic Dromgoole directs. He launched a new theatre company, Classic Spring, with Nica Burns of Nimax, which produced a year-long celebration of Oscar Wilde in 2017/18 directing the first play in the season, A Woman of No Importance, at the Vaudeville Theatre.Dromgoole was Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe from 2006 to 2016. In that time the Globe grew into an international theatre of progressive ambition and radical scope. Amongst other projects, he created a UK-wide touring operation and grew this touring internationally, culminating in a two-year tour of Hamlet which travelled to every country in the world. In 2012, he directed the Globe to Globe Festival, which hosted companies from 37 different countries. He was previously Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre – during his tenure between 1990-1996 he nurtured upcoming talents by premiering 65 new plays from a host of now influential writers such as Billy Roche, Irvine Welsh and Naomi Wallace. He then moved onto the Oxford Stage Company which he ran from 1999 to 2005. He launched a new film company, Open Palm Films, and made his first feature, Making Noise Quietly, in the summer of 2016. The film, released by an adaptation of Robert Holman’s play of the same name, starred Deborah Findlay, Barbara Marten, Trystan Gravelle and Matthew Tennyson, and was released by Verve in 2019. He is also the author of The Full Room: An A-Z of Contemporary Playwriting and of Will and Me: How Shakespeare Took Over My Life, which won the inaugural Sheridan Morley award. His latest book, Hamlet: Globe to Globe, was published by Canongate in 2017.
LISTINGS INFORMATION
MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY
53 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1RU
THE SEX PARTY
4 November 2022 – 7 January 2023
Evening performances at 7.30pm, matinees at 3pm
ALEX EDELMAN – JUST FOR US
11January – 26 February
Evening performances at 8pm, matinees at 3pm
MARJORIE PRIME
9 March – 6 May
Evening performances at 8pm, matinees at 3pm
Box Office: 020 7378 1713 (£2.50 transaction fee per booking)
Berk’s Nest and Nick Mohammed in association with United Agentspresent…
FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR
A CHRISTMAS CAROL-ISH… BY MR. SWALLOW
ACCLAIMED ACTRESS SARAH HADLAND JOINS NICK MOHAMMED, KIERAN HODGSON & DAVID ELMS
Berk’s Nest today announces the full cast for A Christmas Carol-ish as critically acclaimed actress Sarah Hadland joins Mr Swallow (writer/star and double Emmy award nominee Nick Mohammed) and co. The show begins previews on 7th December and will conclude its limited run on 23rd December. Tickets have been in huge demand with many dates already down to the last few remaining! All tickets available from sohotheatre.com.
Sarah Hadland joins the castas lounge singer Rochelle and is an acclaimed TV, film, and theatre actress, best known for her role as Stevie Sutton in the BAFTA-nominated Miranda (BBC). Theatre appearances include Noises Off (Garrick Theatre), Dance Nation (Almeida Theatre), and Admissions (Trafalgar Studios). On Television, Sarah has also starred in The Man Who Fell To Earth (CBS), Hang Ups (Channel 4), The Job Lot (ITV), Horrible Histories (BBC), Inside No. 9 (BBC), W1A (BBC), and That Mitchell and Webb Look (BBC). Film appearances include Horrible Histories: The Movie, Quantum of Solace, and Burton & Taylor.
Nick Mohammed said: “It’s such an utter thrill to be working with Sarah again. She has that formidable quality of bringing such solid truth and emotion to whatever character she inhabits whilst never holding back on her proper funny bones. It’s also a delight and genuine shock to be finally working with someone a notch shorter than me! We can’t wait to release Rochelle Kelly into Mr. Swallow’s world and to wreak more havoc!”
The character of Mr. Swallow is one of the country’s most popular / irritating comedy creations and is the brainchild of Nick Mohammed – one of the UK’s most celebrated comedians, actors and writers. Nick has received feverish critical acclaim for previous Mr. Swallow shows Dracula! Houdini, and The Vanishing Elephant and has skilfully transferred this success to the small screen. Nick has wowed audiences as Mr. Swallow multiple times on Channel 4’s Cats Does Countdown, with clips of the performances quickly going viral – viewing figures for the clip of Mr. Swallow’s Jurassic Park rendition stand at over 9 million on Facebook whilst the clip of him memorising cards has been viewed over 12 million times! He also appeared as Mr. Swallow in Amazon’s hugely successful new series Backstage With Katherine Ryan, wowing Jimmy Carr with his sleight of hand. Outside of his work as Mr. Swallow, Nick Mohammed is a double Emmy-nominated actor, comedian and writer who stars as the regular fan-favourite role of Nate in Apple TV+’s smash-hit, multi-Emmy award-winning series – Ted Lasso – opposite Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham. Seasons One and Two were hugely critically acclaimed, showered with awards and nominations and beloved by audiences globally. The second season received 20 nominations at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Nick’s second nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series. The show went on to win four awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series, acting awards for Sudeikis and Goldstein, and a directing award for MJ Delaney. Season Three is currently filming and is set to be released later this year.
Three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Kieran Hodgson will return as Mr. Swallow’s put-upon cast member Jonathan. Hodgson is an acclaimed actor, writer and comedian and has played series regular Gordon in three series of the smash hit BBC2 sitcom Two Doors Down. Kieran has filmed two critically acclaimed specials for Channel 4 – How Europe Stole My Mum and How We Forgot to Save The Planet. Other credits include Lovesickand The Irregulars for Netflix as well as indie hit feature, All My Friends Hate Me; See How They Run, which can be seen in cinemas now; and the upcoming tentpole feature, The Flash. Kieran is currently working on Prince Andrew: The Musical, which he has written and will star in, for Channel 4. He recently co-wrote a feature for Fox Searchlight and is currently working on another.
David Elms rounds out the cast as the piqued Mr. Goldsmith, having played the role alongside Mr. Swallow in Dracula! and Houdini, and on Harry Hill’s Clubnite (C4). Elms is an actor, improviser, writer and stand-up comedian, and the winner of the Musical Comedy Awards in 2014. His short film SWAG won Best Foreign Short at The LA Indie Film Festival in 2015. He has been well received at the Fringe with solo shows ‘Nurture Boy’ (2014) ‘Mister Boy'(2015) and ‘Goody Boy’ (2016) as well as for roles in hit shows ‘Mr Swallow The Musical’ and ‘Adam Riches is Coach Coach’. He made his TV acting debut in August 2016 as series regular Clive in both seasons of Channel 5’s semi-improvised sitcom ‘Borderline’, to critical acclaim.
A Christmas Carol-ish’s creative team includes director Matt Peover (Jayde Adams: Serious Black Jumper, UK Tour & Amazon Prime Special; Good Girl, Trafalgar Studios; Nina Conti In Therapy), set & costume design from Tony and Olivier-nominated Fly Davis (Ocean at the End of the Lane, Duke of Yorks West End, Henry V, Donmar Warehouse), and lighting design from Richard Howell (Closer, Lyric Hammersmith; Glengarry Glen Ross, Playhouse Theatre; Coriolanus, RSC / Barbican). Composer Oliver Birch (I Want My Hat Back, National Theatre; Sleeping Beauty, Leeds Playhouse), Music Supervisor Freddie Tapner (London Musical Theatre Orchestra; A Christmas Carol, Lyceum Theatre West End), and Choreographer Emily Holt (The Entertainer, Curve Theatre/UK Tour; The Wipers Times, The Watermill/Arts Theatre/UK Tour) all return having previously worked on Mr. Swallow shows Dracula! and Houdini. Owen Donovan produces for Berk’s Nest (Richard Gadd: Monkey See Monkey Do, Rose Matafeo: Horndog, Kieran Hodgson: ‘75).
Praise for Mr. Swallow:
“One of the most incontrovertibly hilarious hours in town.” ★★★★★ TheGuardian
“Split-your-sides hilarious.” ★★★★★ Evening Standard
DISNEY’S THE LION KING UK & IRELAND TOUR ANNOUNCES FURTHER VENUES
The Walt Disney Company UK and Ireland have announced further venues for Disney’s THE LION KING UK and Ireland Tour.
The internationally acclaimed production will come to Sunderland Empire from Thursday 16th March to Saturday 6th May and Birmingham Hippodrome from Thursday 6th July to Saturday 16th September 2023.
Disney’s THE LION KING UK & Ireland Tour is currently at the Southampton Mayflower until 15 October before opening a season at the Manchester Palace starting on 27 October.
Priority tickets for both Sunderland Empire and Birmingham Hippodrome will be available from 11am Tuesday 11 October. The general sale will begin 10am on Friday 14 October. For more information about priority sign ups please visit: thelionking.co.uk/tour
The story of THE LION KING leaps into life using spectacular masks, puppets and costumes to tell the story of Simba’s epic adventures, as he struggles with the responsibilities of adulthood and becoming king.
Julie Taymor’s internationally celebrated stage adaptation of THE LION KING opened on Broadway in 1997 and 25 global productions in nine different languages have been created since then (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese). THE LION KING is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher.
The Lion King
The previous tour of THE LION KING broke attendance records across the nation. Since the UK premiere in 1999, THE LION KING London has entertained more than 16 million theatregoers and is the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.
The stunning artistry of the production is the work of a team of designers which drew on diverse cultural influences to recreate the rich colours and vast expanses of the African savanna in this daring and inspiring reinvention of one of the most successful animated feature films of all time.
Julie Taymor, one of the world’s most innovative directors, brought a vast array of disciplines to THE LION KING, including extensive experience staging epic theatre and opera productions, exploring classic myths through ritualised puppetry, mask, and movement. The Lion King was the first musical Taymor directed in the commercial theatre and she made Broadway history by becoming the first woman to win the Tony Award® for Best Director of a Musical.
The Broadway show’s full creative team, which won five Tony Awards® for its work on THE LION KING, reunited in 1999 to recreate the show in London. Julie Taymor and Michael Curry created hundreds of masks and puppets.
Scenic design is by British designer Richard Hudson and lighting is by Donald Holder. Costume design is by Julie Taymor, and choreography by Garth Fagan. The book was adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated feature and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the screenplay.
The original score from the animated film was expanded for the stage and now features 15 musical numbers. As well as writing completely new songs, South African composer Lebo M created an evocative blend of African rhythms and chorales, with additional material by Julie Taymor and Mark Mancina.
Elton John and Tim Rice have added three new numbers to the five that they wrote for the award-winning score of the animated film. The resulting sound of THE LION KING is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, including the Academy Award®-winning Can You Feel The Love Tonight and the haunting Shadowland.
The Master Shipwright’s House, Deptford – until 2 October 2022
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
2**
Credit and copyright: Helen Murray www.helenmurrayphotos.com
The Gretchen Question is a frustratingly nebulous production, but there are promising elements that could be developed into a fascinating play. Melly Still and Max Barton’s ambitious vision imagines an alternative history of climate change. An Arctic expedition by the Royal Society in the 18th century unearths a mysterious gem that, when powdered, has explosive properties, and is also used as a form of insulation by the Indigenous people. A further expedition is commissioned, and the source of the pearl is discovered – the mysterious Gretchen oyster, named by Joseph Banks (Alex Mugnaioni) as an act of devotion for Gretchen (Lauren Moakes). The scientists’ lack of concern and humanity for the land and the people who live there is shown in quick brushstrokes as the rush to gain control of this wondrous fuel source begins.
In modern day London, influencer Maisie (Yohanna Ephrem) is embarking on a sponsorship deal with Nova – the company originated by the 18th century scientists – and travels to the Arctic to highlight Nova’s environmental credentials. Lulit (Tamaira Hesson) wakes up on an ice rink after Maisie’s launch party with disturbing symptoms and no memory of how she got there. Lulit has been commissioned to record a spoken word piece by Nova, and her quest to find the truth about her missing hours and find the cause of her deteriorating health begins to get in the way.
The story threads intertwine with a lovely rhythm at first: Gretchen and Banks marry and have a child as the money comes rolling in and the demand for oysters soars. As the scientists all become power-hungry, greedy capitalists, Gretchen is the lone voice of dissent, questioning the damage that is being done, and finds an ally in Goethe. Meanwhile, after seeing the true state of the Arctic, Maisie goes off message in her broadcasts, leading her producer, Davina (Katherine Manners) to show her true loyalties. Meanwhile two ice rink workers, Dave (Ryan Gerald) and Dave (Al Nedjari) provide everyman opinions about the floods and whether Maisie’s trip is actually real.
Christopher Saul plays a modern scientific commentator bought in to describe Maisie’s Arctic adventure and has long muddled passages of explanation until he describes in excruciating detail, death by hyperthermia. Sitting on the windy banks of the Thames, we could all sympathise.
I think the confused and confusing second part of the play may be meant to convey the rapid and chaotic deterioration of the ecosystem and climate, as well as Maisie’s body, but it gets so messy it’s hard to tell. There are some beautiful moments that are rushed over, and some sections, mostly focussed on the 18th century characters, which could be cut to make a more cohesive narrative. I am all for chaos, but I think Lulit and the audience deserve even the beginning of an explanation. The movement pieces are exquisite, but lots of what happens between them in the latter part of the play doesn’t fit with what has come before and gets a little repetitive before heading into.
The cast all give committed performances, with Tamaira Hesson’s urgent and lyrical spoken word performance a standout. Max Barton and Jethro Cooke’s gorgeous music adds something special, and E.M. Parry’s intriguing and sympathetic design uses this unique and historical riverside space brilliantly.
Flawed but full of promise, The Gretchen Question is a timely and fervent call for action to combat climate change with some intriguing elements that shine brightly in the jumbled narrative.
This stunning revival of Barry Keefe’s coruscating drama about institutional racism would be a sobering period piece in an ideal world. Sadly, this production serves to remind us that nothing much has changed since SUS was first performed in 1979.
Lee Newby’s design is pitch perfect – a stark interrogation room with an ashtray full of cigarettes, terrible suits and dodgy moustaches. Before the show, music is interrupted by soundbites from Thatcher. Even though some of the references may mean nothing to younger audience members, the lengthy misogynistic banter about Angela Rippon and Anna Ford could be a conversation overheard today.
It is election night, and Margaret Thatcher looks set to be the next prime minister. Delroy (Stedroy Cabey) has been brought into the police station without knowing why. He assumes it is SUS (suspect under suspicion), a catchall legislation that allowed the police to pick up predominantly black men without any tangible evidence. This is obviously nothing new to Delroy, who jokes that the police always want to talk to him more than he wants to talk to them. He plays along with the police officers, trying to find out why he is there.
Karn (Alexander Neal) and Wilby (Fergal Coghlan) just want a confession so they can leave the station to celebrate Thatcher’s new government – with promises of support for the police and cutbacks for the Welfare state. The suspicious death of Delroy’s wife looks cut and dry to them, and they have Delroy in their sights. Delroy was in the club and has no idea his wife is dead, and the callous way the detectives finally tell him marks a huge shift as Delroy has to deal with the officers’ attacks while shocked and grieving.
Cabey is magnificent as Delroy and his transition from the cocky persona he knows the police expect to see as he tries to read their intentions, to frustration, anger and devastation is beautifully nuanced. Alexander Neal is skin crawlingly good as Karn, the senior detective. The vicious racism behind his crocodile smile and condescending politeness is always clear, but this never lessens the shock as his mask slips and he screams his bile at Delroy. Fergal Coghlan’s Wilby seems less dangerous than his older colleague at first, but it soon becomes clear that his muted reactions are those of someone who must keep tight rein on his violent urges. This is a man who mourns more for a police dog than a black woman who died in agony, and Coghlan exudes casual sadism.
SUS isn’t easy viewing, but this darkly funny and brutal story is as relevant today as the day it was written
This is the story of Simon and Garfunkel’s musical career, told mainly through their songs, video footage of historical news stories and cartoons to show the movement of time.
With Phillip Murray Warson as Paul Simon, and Charles Blyth as Art Garfunkel, this duo gave an amazing rendition of the music, sounding very authentic. They told the story as themselves, not pretending to be Paul and Art.
As with a lot of musicians of the time, Paul and Art were friends from school and shared a love of music, releasing their first record at the age of 16 with little success. Throughout their lives, they had disagreements and undertook solo careers in song writing and acting, but kept returning together, singing their amazing song catalogue.
The projection of news stories, cartoons, pictures and facts were mainly interesting. One part of this display did not appear to make sense to the story and I wondered if picture and recording were not synchronised.
The artists were supported by 3 musicians, who were excellent, Adam Smith (Electric guitar/Keyboards), Leon Camfield (Bass), Mat Swales (Drums)
This was a ‘feel good’ evening, the audience were spell bound and enthusiastically gave their appreciation of the show with a standing ovation and calls for more, ending of course with the song A Bridge over Troubled Waters, arguably their greatest classic song of all time.
