Lift is a weird and wonderful musical full of heart that leaves you with a big goofy smile on your face.
Set in the lift of Covent Garden underground station, Gabriel, a busker (Luke Friend), spends the 54 second journey imagining the lives of the other people crammed into the lift with him. Unable to move on from the end of his relationship with Sarah a year ago (he still carries around her Dear John letter), he uses these scenarios to work through his own grief. One of the people in the lift is a woman whose smile as she drops money in his hat has inspired him, and he is desperate to know her name, but cannot summon the courage to talk to her.
Since playing at Soho Theatre in 2013, writers Craig Adams and Ian Watson have worked to clarify the busker’s story. Having not seen the earlier production, it was extremely pleasing that it still takes a while to realise what exactly is going on, dropping breadcrumbs (or sometimes entire loaves) to enable the audience to figure out the plot. At first, I had no clue, just enjoying the fabulous songs and the first few scenes – but just when you think you’ve got a handle on the show, along come the avatars to scramble your brains.
The characters the busker fantasises about are a gay ballet dancer whose life in London is hidden from his Yorkshire family and his friend who pays for ballet school by providing dominatrix sessions, a teacher of French who is mystified when her girlfriend buys her a session with the dominatrix, a businessman and his secretary (the woman the busker is obsessed with), and two stereotypical American tourists. With every character named Gabriel, Sarah or K as projections of his grief, the relationship woes and personal revelations the characters work through are all steps on the path to healing for the busker, finally enabling him to leave the lift and finish his song.
The incredible cast lift the roof of the theatre with soaring vocals and sublime harmonies. Craig Adams’ music and lyrics are brought to life with energy and style, and Ian Watson’s witty and soulful book enables the cast to get their teeth into some emotional scenes. Most characters get one big solo, and wow, the cast take their moment in the spotlight with style. Luke Friend is a vocal powerhouse as the busker but then also manages to convincingly shrink into himself when he is not singing and becomes a melancholy bystander as he watches his creations. Hiba Elchikhe impresses as the secretary finally realising that her boss does not see her and grasping her freedom. Marco Titus is fantastic as her boss, and his strange online dating scenes with the ballet dancer (Cameron Collins) are a hoot. Collins is a revelation – flipping between cartoonish simulated sex and heartfelt despair in the course of a verse – simply wonderful. Tamara Morgan manages to steal every scene as the dominatrix, spitting out hilarious one-liners as people dump their troubles on her. Her scenes with Kayleigh McKnight are tender and hilarious, with both actors bringing heart and soul to the barely sketched characters. The characters are enigmatic and not fully rounded, but that is as it should be if they are all the busker’s creations. Speaking of enigmatic, Jordan Broatch and Chrissie Bhima as the avatars of online dating are bizarrely magnetic. Their evolution towards real feelings is a joy to watch as Annie Southall’s choreography takes them on their journey. Southall’s choreography works brilliantly with Andrew Exeter’s ingenious design under Dean Johnson’s canny direction – taking us from the crowded lift to a rainy day in London, to a whistle stop tour of the city’s sights.
Lift is joyous – heartfelt and thoughtful soul-searching packed with incredible songs. Hold the doors – this is a ride you don’t want to miss
Directed by Joyce Branagh, Chesters Storyhouse Theatre hosts the word premier of Tim Frith’s brand new musical. Now Is Good.
Jeff Rawle’s much loved Ray opened the show with a moving and poignant song , which seems a bizarre description of a lyric largely based around falling through a shed roof and fig rolls, yet it was moving and humorous in equal measure. Beautifully, he sang about his late wife whilst surrounded by broken timber, dust sheets and memories. A scene echoed by his Health and Safety guru son , Neil (Chris Hannon) towards the end of the play …..but I won’t spoil that for you.
An old mahogany clock took centre stage throughout the show, never changing in time, never moving forward, which echoed the sentiments of the largely ‘older’ characters in the play who sang about their frustrations with the internet, video calling and the modern obsession with the ‘Alexa’ lifestyle. The ‘old and the new’ theme was not only portrayed through the refurbishing of the old high street bank into a new community hub, but depicted beautifully by the introduction of the Storyhouse Youth Theatre – playing characters from the nearby school, alongside their more mature fellow thespians. Working in education, I can honestly say that Alyce Liburd’s facial expressions as teacher Katy, were on point!
In all, this play was something very different. It is laced with subtle morals, themes and messages. Celebrating life, tackling loneliness, being afraid to move on but yet offering hope and a sense of community over a fig roll and a sing song.
“Beautiful souls can marry wrong; they usually do”.
The smash-hit production of C.S. Lewis’ classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which has been wowing audiences around the UK and Ireland, will make its West End premiere this summer at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, Drury Lane, London. The show has been seen and enjoyed by a quarter of a million people on its nineteen-week tour which ended triumphantly this month in Bristol where it was described as ‘a must-see production – an exceptional re-imagining of a treasured story to bewitch and beguile the whole family.’
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – starring Samantha Womack as the evil White Witch – will begin performances on 18 July 2022 and play a strictly limited season through until 8 January 2023.
Booking for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Gillian Lynne Theatre opens at 12 NOON today (Friday 20 May 2022) and tickets can be booked from the box office via www.lionwitchonstage.com.
Step through the wardrobe into the enchanted kingdom of Narnia. Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and embark on the most magical of adventures in a frozen, faraway land where they meet Mr Tumnus the faun, talking beavers, Aslan (the noble king of Narnia) and the coldest, most evil White Witch.
C.S. Lewis’ book (published by HarperCollins) has been engrossing readers young and old for over 70 years, has sold 85 million copies in 60 languages and is one of the top ten best-selling books of all time. More information about C.S. Lewis from www.narnia.com.
Samantha Womack recently played the lead role in the sold-out production of The Girl on the Train in the West End and on tour. Her past theatre roles include the Tony award-winning production of South Pacific in which she starred alongside Patrick Swayze, Guys and Dolls at London’s Piccadilly Theatre (directed by Michael Grandage) and playing Emma in an award-winning production of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal (directed by Sir Peter Hall). Her varied work on television has seen Samantha moving from comedy to drama with the cult success of BBC’s Game On and Babes in the Wood to ITV’s gritty crime drama Liverpool 1, Imogen’sFace and Ronnie Mitchell in EastEnders. Films include playing the unhinged mother of Eggsy in the The Kingsman franchise sharing the screen with Colin Firth and Samuel L Jackson and playing Hazel in Jon Godber’s Up ‘n Under.
The full cast will be announced soon.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is directed by Michael Fentiman based on the original production by Sally Cookson.
Joining Michael Fentiman on the creative team are Set and Costume Designer Tom Paris, ComposersBenji Bower and Barnaby Race, Choreographer Shannelle ‘Tali’ Fergus, Lighting Designer Jack Knowles, Sound Designers Ian Dickinson and Gareth Tuckerfor Autograph, Puppetry Director Toby Olié, Puppetry Designer Max Humphries, Aerial Director Gwen Hales, Illusionist Chris Fisher, Music Director Toby Higgins, Casting Director Will Burton CDG, Fight Director Jonathan Holby, Wigs, Hair and Make-Up Designer Susanna Peretz, Props Supervisor Lizzie Frankl for Propworks,Dramaturg Adam Peck and Movement Consultant Dan Canham.
Director Michael Fentiman said: “I’m delighted to be bringing our production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe to the Gillian Lynne Theatre. The production celebrates the magic of live theatre and is led by a multi-talented cast of actors, singers, musicians, dancers and puppeteers; it is a celebration of the possibilities of the collective imagination and the boundless wonders of individual skill.
This story, about a community battling hardship in the darkest of winters, who together find freedom again in the light of summer, couldn’t be more pertinent for these times.”
Michael’s previous productions include the Olivier Award-nominated Amélie (Watermill Theatre/The Other Palace/UK Tour and West End), The Windsors: Endgame (West End), The Importance of Being Earnest (Vaudeville Theatre), the 50th anniversary production of Joe Orton’s Loot (Park Theatre/Watermill Theatre), Titus Andronicus and Ahasverus (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Taming of the Shrew (Sherman Theatre/Tron Theatre) and, as director and writer, CinderELLA (Nuffield Southampton) and The Last Days of Anne Boleyn (Tower of London).
Producer Chris Harper said: “This wonderful production has been delighting audiences up and down the country and I am so thrilled that we can bring this magical family show to the West End this summer. We can’t wait for children and adults alike to join us on this spectacular journey through the wardrobe”
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is produced by Elliott & Harper Productions and Catherine Schreiber and was first produced at the Leeds Playhouse.
NEW AND RETURNING CAST JOIN THE LONDON PRODUCTION OF AWARD-WINNING ‘BEST MUSICAL’
PHOENIX THEATRE, LONDON
(L-R): Robert Hands, Kirsty Malpass, Lucy Park, Lejaun Sheppard, Sarah Morrison. Photo by Craig Sugden
London, Friday 20 May: The multi award-winning London production of global hit musical Come From Away welcomes new and returning cast members to the Phoenix Theatre from June 2022.
Kirsty Malpass has returned to the London Come From Away familyin the role of Bonnie and others, Olivier Award-nominated Robert Hands returns to the role of Nick/Doug and others, Lejaun Sheppard will play Bob and others, with Sarah Morrison (returning to the production having performed in Come From Away in Australia) and Lucy Park also joining the cast.
They are welcomed by the current London cast who are extending their time with the show beyond June: Jenna Boyd (Beulah and others), James Doherty (Claude and others), Mark Dugdale (Kevin T/Garth and others), Gemma Knight Jones (Hannah and others), Alice Fearn (Beverley/Annette and others), Kate Graham (Diane and others), Jonathan Andrew Hume (Kevin J/Ali and others), Harry Morrison (Oz and others), and Emma Salvo (Janice and others) with Chiara Baronti,Ricardo Castro, Stuart Hickey, Alexander McMorran,Jennifer Tierney and Matthew Whennell-Clark.
The Come From Away band includes Alan Berry (Musical Director/UK Musical Supervisor), Matt Bashford (Whistles/Irish Flute/Uillean Pipes), Aoife Mairead Ní Bhriain (Fiddle), Oli Briant (Electric/Acoustic Guitar), Justin Quinn (Acoustic Guitars/Mandolins/Bouzouki), Joey Grant (Electric and Acoustic Bass), Ray Fean (Bodhrán/Percussion), Ian Whitehead (Drums/Percussion), Huw Evans (Associate Musical Director), Andrew Barrett for Lionella Music, LLC (Electronic Music Design), Phij Adams (Associate Keyboard Programmer), Ryan Driscoll (Music Preparation), and David Gallagher (Orchestral Management).
Winner of every major Best Musical award when it opened in the West End in March 2019,Come From Away tells the remarkable and inspiring true story of 7,000 stranded air passengers during the wake of 9/11, and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but as uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.
Twenty years ago on 11 September 2001, the world stopped. On 12 September and in the years following, their stories of kindness, generosity and love have moved us all.
The international hit musical has celebrated sold-out, record-breaking engagements on Broadway, in Canada, throughout Australia, and on a 60-city North American Tour.
The Come From Away Creative team include Irene Sankoff and David Hein (Book, Music and Lyrics), Christopher Ashley (Director), Kelly Devine (Musical Staging), Ian Eisendrath (Music Supervision and Arrangements), Beowulf Boritt (Scenic Design), Toni-Leslie James (Costume Design), Howell Binkley (Lighting Design), Gareth Owen (Sound Design), David Brian Brown (Hair Design), August Eriksmoen (Orchestrations), Pippa Ailion CDG and Natalie Gallacher CDG (Casting), Joel Goldes (Dialect Coach), Michael Rubinoff (Creative Consultant), Bob Hallett (Newfoundland Music Consultant), Shirley Fishman (Dramaturg), Tara Overfield Wilkinson (Associate Director and Choreographer UK), and Kirsty Malpass (Assistant Director and Choreographer UK).
Come From Away is produced in the UK by Junkyard Dog Productions and Smith & Brant Theatricals. The European premiere of Come From Away was co-produced with the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s National Theatre.
Northern Stage Newcastle – until Saturday 21st May 2022
Reviewed by Sandra Little
3***
This one woman show, which was written and performed by Hannah Walker, addresses issues relating to online gambling addiction. The show uses minimal props and a range of multimedia techniques to explore the impact that gambling addiction can have on families and relationships. All performances have integrated BSL interpretation from Faye Alvi and there is also a contribution to the performance from Rosa Postlethwaite.
At the beginning of the show Hannah, who is a very extrovert, larger than life character, describes her experience of gambling as a win at bingo in the village hall. She then progresses to casino gambling in the city and eventually the audience are introduced to the glitzy world of online gambling. The ease by which people can participate in online gambling is described in glowing terms, and we are told that you simply have to open your phone, log in online and start gambling from the comfort of your own home. There is also reference to online gambling as “ entertainment” and the availability of “free” £50 bets is mentioned.
The issues relating to addictive gambling are mainly addressed through a story line involving a young couple with a baby. There are also powerful recorded interviews with several gambling addicts whose identity is hidden. In the main this show has a comedic style and the style is very exaggerated ( think Patsy in Ab Fab) . There are also some quite risqué elements included, with references to nipples, vagina and periods. However, within this jokey delivery, there are some very stark facts and serious messages. One part of the show for example tells us that gambling addicts are either dead, homeless or in recovery.
For me, the most hard hitting and poignant part of this show was the interviews with gambling addicts. This part of the show really brought home the impact gambling addiction has on people’s lives and the ease with which online gambling can spiral out of control.
Clearly gambling addiction is a very serious, modern day problem and therefore this performance must be applauded for raising awareness and providing opportunities for further discussion. However, I felt that the very important issues presented in the show were sometimes overwhelmed by the comedy. I think that the the serious aspects would have had a greater impact if there had been more of a balance between the humour and the despair online gambling addiction brings.
Information provided by the theatre describes how interviews with industry experts, health professionals, people in recovery and their loved ones has contributed to the content of this show.
Each performance is followed by a post show discussion with Dr Matthew Gaskell ( Clinical Lead and Consultant Psychologist for the NHS northern gambling service) . There is also the opportunity for people to have an informal chat, either online or in person, with Hannah on Sunday 22nd May from 10:30 AM until 12:30 PM and information on organisations offering support is also provided.
I really wasn’t sure if the Jersey Boys musical would be my cup of tea. Being a huge musical theatre fan, I thought this would be a bit of a jukebox show and it would be okay but not great. How wrong I was? The internationally acclaimed show which has won 65 major awards certainly changed my mind.
Each of the original Four Seasons band members, directly addresses the audience, narrating their side of the story. Four boys from Jersey, from the wrong side of the tracks, started by Tommy DeVito (Dalton Wood), Frankie Valli (the wonderful Michael Pickering with his amazing falsetto), Nick Massi (Lewis Griffiths, who brought the fabulous bass tones and also some very funny lines) and the very likeable Bob Gaudio , the writer of most of those great hits ( Blair Gibson who brought some amazing harmonies to complement the others).
You will watch this musical and realise just how many of their endless hits you recognise, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry,’ Walk Like a Man, ‘Sherry,’ ’ Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ and ‘Working My Way Back To You’ to name but a few. This is so much more than a ‘jukebox’ musical because the songs are slotted in perfectly to tell the Jersey Boys story and what a story it is. A combination of highs and lows, mob connections, prison spells, bad debts and soaring success, it has everything.
A simple set with a one tier scaffolding, teamed with a screen showing the changing of the seasons was very effective. At one point, the screen projects footage of the group performing in black and white on a television show, creating a whole different perspective for the audience. Special mention must go to the often forgotten ensemble cast, who had numerous different roles to play throughout the show. A very talented bunch.
This was a very slick production with wonderful performances from the whole cast. A great mixture of dynamic music and realistic drama. I would really recommend seeing this show as it was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. You will come away thinking, ‘Oh what A Night!’
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience, the critically acclaimed international immersive phenomenon, returns to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for a 13th year this August, taking up residence in a brand new venue at the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton. The production, which recently celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary, first played in Edinburgh in 2008 to rave reviews and sell-out performances.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is a highly interactive experience, where audiences enjoy a 3-course meal and 5-star comedy. A loving tribute to the BBC’s classic TV series, the show has been seen by over a million people worldwide since it was born in Australia in 1997 and is London’s longest running immersive show.
When the audience become diners in the ‘Faulty Towers’ restaurant, pretty much anything can happen – because 70% of the show is improvised. The fun starts as guests wait to be seated. It then hurtles along in a 2-hour tour de force of gags and shambolic service as Basil, Sybil and Manuel serve a ‘70s-style 3-course meal together with a good dollop of mayhem.
Expect the unexpected!
The company of actors at the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton features David Tremaine and Rebecca Norris returning as ‘Basil’ and ‘Sybil’, roles they played in 2018 to critical acclaim. Simon Grujich and Andrew Gruen will share the role of ‘Manuel’, making their Edinburgh Fringe Festival debuts.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience will play six days a week from Wednesday through to Monday, with additional matinees on Saturday and Sunday.
Born in Australia in April 1997, devised by Alison Pollard-Mansergh, Andrew Foreman and others, the show has been touring the UK and internationally since 2008, having appeared in 41 countries to date, and employing 56 actors per season. The show has toured to over 1000 venues, with approximately 400 shows per year on average in the UK alone. 2022 has already seen runs at Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival, with tours in Ireland, Scandinavia, and Australia yet to come.
In October 2009, Faulty Towers The Dining Experience played its first performance in London: a sold-out weekend in Covent Garden. The next two years saw sold out summer seasons of six weeks. Then, in 2012, the show opened its first London West End residency at Charing Cross Hotel (now Amba Hotel Charing Cross).
Reflecting on the show’s success, Artistic Director Alison Pollard-Mansergh – the show’s original ‘Sybil’ says: “It’s hard to believe that what started as a 6-month venture has now reached all these milestones. A Twenty-fifth Birthday, Ten Years in London and now a Thirteenth visit to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. What an absolute joy; working with incredibly talented performers to pay homage to one of the greatest TV comedies of all time and giving people an opportunity to escape and laugh.”
Since opening, the cast have performed to notable guests including Fawlty Towers’ very own Andrew Sachs, John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, and England footballer Joe Cole, as well as taking a pop-up version of their restaurant on the London Underground and to a sold-out Royal Albert Hall.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is a loving tribute to Fawlty Towers, the BBC TV series written by John Cleese and Connie Booth. Their TV scripts are not used in Faulty Towers The Dining Experience. Faulty Towers The Dining Experience uses its own original scripts and format.
Bill Kenwright & Paul Taylor-Mills are excited to announce the cast for the eagerly anticipated recording of the hit production of Heathers the Musical, a project with Steam Motion and Sound.
The cast for the filmed production are Ailsa Davidson (Veronica Sawyer), Simon Gordon (Jason “J.D” Dean), Maddison Firth (Heather Chandler), Vivian Panka (Heather Duke), Teleri Hughes (Heather McNamara), Vicki Lee Taylor (Ms. Fleming/Veronica’s Mom), Mhairi Angus (Martha Dunnstock), Liam Doyle (Kurt Kelly), Rory Phelan (Ram Sweeney), Oliver Brooks (Kurt’s Dad/Big Bud Dean/Coach Ripper), Andy Brady (Ram’s Dad/Principle Gowan/Veronica’s Dad), Benjamin Karran (Beleaguered Geek), Chris Parkinson (Hipster Dork/Officer McCord), Jermaine Woods (Peppy Stud/Officer Milner), Eleanor Morrison Halliday (Young Republicanette), Mary-Jean Caldwell (Stoner Chick), Hannah Lowther (New Wave Party Girl) and May Tether (Drama Club Drama Queen)
Performances at The Other Palace have been taken off sale from 3 – 19 May to allow for filming to take place ahead of a future release. Performances will resume on Friday 20 May and will run through to 4 September 2022.
The musical started its UK journey with a cult following and was a box office record-breaker at The Other Palace in 2018, before transferring to the Theatre Royal Haymarket for a limited season later that year. Last year the production returned to the Haymarket for another successful West End season, while in parallel with a UK tour, before returning to it is original home, The Other Palace in November 2021 for another record-breaking run.
Steam Motion and Sound is a creative content company founded in 2003 by Brett Sullivan and Clayton Jacobsen in Sydney. They then opened offices in London then New York. Steam are the company of choice for the world’s theatrical producers and entertainment companies to film their productions in the West End and Broadway. Live Theatre Films include: Waitress, Bonnie and Clyde, Prince of Egypt (all currently in post-production); Aladdin (Disney+), Kinky Boots, Newsies, Miss Saigon, Billy Elliot, Love Never Dies, Phantom of the Opera 25th, Les Miserables 25th, Jesus Christ Superstar Arena Spectacular.
With book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, Heathers the Musical isbased on one of the greatest cult teen films of all time, and starred Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. The production is directed by Andy Fickman, withchoreography by Thriller Live’s Gary Lloyd, designs by David Shields, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound by Dan Samson.
LISTINGS
Bill Kenwright & Paul Taylor-Mills present
HEATHERS THE MUSICAL
Book, Music & Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe & Kevin Murphy
Directed by Andy Fickman
Associate Director and Choreography by Gary Lloyd
Design by David Shields
Lighting by Ben Cracknell
Sound by Dan Samson
Musical Direction by Phil Cornwell
Venue: The Other Palace
Dates:Heathers The Musical on-sale until 04September 2022
2022 Connections Festival at the National Theatre this summer with ten new plays staged by young people
Ten youth theatre companies and school groups from across the UK will be staging new plays at the 2022 National Theatre Connections Festival, which takes place in the Dorfman Theatre from 28th June – 2nd July.
Now in its 27th year, Connections champions the talent of young people across the UK, with ten new plays by established and emerging contemporary playwrights exclusively commissioned for young people to stage and perform. Over 5,400 young people participating from 228 youth groups have had the opportunity to stage their production at one of 28 leading partner theatres nationwide, from Aberystwyth Arts Centre to Theatre Royal Plymouth. Ten companies are selected to perform at the NT to represent the range of exciting work being produced nationwide.
The portfolio of plays explores topics from climate change to class and relationships, and aims to challenge young people to experience life in someone else’s shoes and tell stories about a wide range of experiences. Participants are involved with every aspect of creating and staging the play and take on a variety of backstage and off-stage roles, from operating lights and sound to set and costume design and stage management.
Rufus Norris, Director of the National Theatre said, “It is fantastic that young people have been performing in theatres right across the UK as part of Connections over the past few months and we are so excited to have the NT building buzzing with their talent in June for the culmination of the nationwide festival. We know how resilient and enthusiastic our participants have been over the past year and we’re thrilled to be able to come together to celebrate these emerging theatre-makers at the NT”.
The performances at the NT to celebrate the final week of this year’s Connections Festival are:
Date
Time
Play
Performed by
Tuesday 28 June
7pm
Cable Street by Lisa Goldman
Winstanley College (Wigan)
Tuesday 28 June
8.30pm
Remote by Stef Smith
On Point Theatre Company, Leyton Sixth Form College (Waltham Forest)
Wednesday 29 June
7pm
Like There’s No Tomorrow created by the Belgrade Young Company with Justine Themen, Claire Procter and Liz Mytton
Bristol School of Acting (Bristol)
Wednesday 29 June
8.30pm
Chat Back by David Judge
LORIC Players from South Wirral High School (Merseyside)
Thursday 30 June
7pm
Variations by Katie Hims
Theatreworks (Deal, Kent)
Thursday 30 June
8.30pm
Hunt by Fionnuala Kennedy
Kensington Arts (Isle of Man)
Friday 1 July
7pm
Find a Partner! by Miriam Battye
Best Theatre Arts (St. Albans)
Friday 1 July
8.30pm
You Don’t Need to Make a Big Song and Dance out of it by Abbey Wright, Shireen Mula and Matt Regan, in association with Tackroom Theatre
Suffolk New College Performing Arts (Ipswich)
Saturday 2 July
7pm
The Ramayana Reset by Ayeesha Menon, with choreography by Hofesh Shechter
Cable Streetis about two girls growing up in London’s Jewish east end in the 1930s. Leah and Kitty are blood sisters, best friends and more… but they get caught up in the political turmoil caused by Oswald Mosley’s fascist Blackshirts. As their passion and the political tensions grow stronger and stronger, pulling each of them every which way, the snare can only get tighter and tighter until something snaps.
Remote by Stef Smith
Seven teenagers’ lives all intertwine over the course of a single evening as they make their way through the park on a seemingly normal Autumn’s night. Remote is a play about protest, power and protecting yourself.
Like There’s No Tomorrowcreated by the Belgrade Young Company with Justine Themen, Claire Procter and Liz Mytton
Like There’s No Tomorrowis about climate change. Even when the evidence of imminent climate disaster across the globe is staring them in the face, as presented as the world literally cracking up before their very eyes, still no one wants to listen, they just want to carry on consuming, like they have always have and always will, won’t they?
Chat Backby David Judge
Chat Back is about the underclass – all those young people who are so ‘bad’, disempowered, alienated, ostracized, and abandoned – that even on the last day of school they still find themselves in detention. We watch a snapshot of the lives of each individual as they negotiate their way around the obstacles en route to discovering their identity, their economic power or lack of, their lyrical dexterity or lack of, and the meaning of in their lives, revealed through their desires, hopes and fears.
Variations by Katie Hims
Thirteen-year-old Alice wishes her life was completely different. She wakes up one morning to find that her life is different. In fact, it’s so different that all she wants to do is get back to normality. But how does she do that? A play about family, string theory and breakfast.
Huntby Fionnuala Kennedy
Hunt is about a group of Belfast teenagers playing their version of hide and seek. Their version entails ‘borrowing’ objects from their neighbours back gardens, and ‘dumping’ them at the ‘box’ without being caught, by either the official pursuers or the neighbours who’s gardens they are infringing upon. The more outlandish and extraordinary the object and the more difficult to acquire it is, the more kudos you score. This is a hunt they will never forget.
Find a Partner! by Miriam Battye
Find a Partner! is about the sometimes catastrophic methods we use to find that elusive thing, love. This is ‘Love Island’ scrutinised through a ‘Black Mirror’ style lens as a group of young people compete to publicly couple up and fall in love forever, or die…. quite literally. The play asks the questions, what does it really mean to love someone, does it have to be forever and does it have to be only one person?
You don’t need to make a Big Song and Dance out of it by Abbey Wright, Shireen Mula and Matt Regan, in association with Tackroom Theatre
You don’t need to make a Big Song and Dance out of it is about young people’s attitudes towards, experiences of, access to, feelings about and opinions on pornography, love and connection. Taken from the actual words drawn from interviews of 10,000 young people from across the UK, this is a verbatim musical, that tries to simply be honest and out in the open about what is often considered to be a taboo subject.
The Ramayana Reset by Ayeesha Menon, with choreography by Hofesh Shechter
The Ramayana Reset is about Zara, a young teenage woman who has a decision to make….to like or not to like….the latest Instagram post by her friendship group. This is a piece of dance drama, using movement inspired by award-winning choreographer Hofesh Shechter. This is a BIG story that fills the stage with action –there are fires, battles, trials and weapons powerful enough to end the universe. But most importantly of all there is love….and loyalty?
Superglue by Tim Crouch
Supergluetells the story of a group of climate activists gathering at a woodland burial ground to say goodbye to a friend who died during a protest. Parallels are drawn between old age and adolescence in a play that gently invites an intergenerational understanding of the future of our planet.
Apply to take part in Connections 2023
Applications are now open to take part in next year’s Connections Festival. The National Theatre is looking for school and youth theatre companies across the UK to take part. For more information and to sign up, please visit nationaltheatre.org.uk/connections
The Mohn Westlake Foundation supports nationwide Learning programmes for young people.
The National Theatre’s Partner for Learning is Bank of America.
Connections is supported by The Mohn Westlake Foundation, Buffini Chao Foundation, The Broughton Family Charitable Trust, The Peter Cundill Foundation, CHK Foundation, The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, The EBM Charitable Trust, The Golsoncott Foundation, Katie Bradford Arts Trust, Susan Miller and Byron Grote, Mulberry Trust, Henry Oldfield Trust, The Royal Victoria Hall Foundation and The John Thaw Foundation.
AT THE TURBINE THEATRE FROM 30 JUNE TO 7 AUGUST 2022
Based on real events from the perspective of the writer and the autistic community, JJ Green will lead the cast as Boy for the limited run at The Turbine Theatre.The rest of the cast will be made up by Caroline Deverill (Mother), James Westphal (Father/Doctor), Conor Joseph (Jake/Daniel), Joy Tan (Abby/Thomas/Lara) and Maya Manuel (Emily/Mrs Whiteman/Rachel).
Boy has always seen the world differently to most people. Where they see monochrome, he sees the world in vivid and brilliant technicolour.
As Boy grows up, he faces increasing pressure to conform to the black and white logic of the ‘real’ world, a way of thinking that doesn’t make sense, and forces him to suppress his unique and beautiful view of life.
A-Typical Rainbow is the World Premiere debut play by autistic writer JJ Green that asks: could a kinder, more joyful world lie at the end of the rainbow?
Katy Lipson (Producer) has said, “I am so thrilled to be presenting the World Premiere of this beautiful and relevant piece of writing. We are delighted to have assembled such a wonderful creative team and cast with multiple autistic and neurodivergent team members. We are looking forward to welcoming audiences to the Turbine Theatre this summer.”
A-Typical Rainbow is written by JJ Green, with direction by Bronagh Lagan. Composition and sound design by Max Alexander-Taylor, with associate sound design by Chris Czornyj and choreography by William Spencer. Set and costume design by Frankie Gerrard, and video design by Matt Powell. The casting director is Jane Deitch and production manager is Jack Boisseux with deputy stage manager Ryan Webster. Ollie Hancock, Tom Ramsay and Sarah Jordan Verghese are production coordinators with Chris Matanlé for Aria Entertainment as general manager and Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment as producer.
This new play will run at The Turbine Theatre from 30 June – 7 August.
