Jack and the Beanstalk Review

New Wimbledon Theatre – until Sunday 5th January 2025 

Reviewed by C Burlinge  

5***** 

Wimbledon brings you this years Panto of Jack and the Beanstalk and what a show it was! 

With a thunderous opening making the whole audience jump in their seats, their attention now grabbed, set and ready for the show! 

The Trot family’s beloved cow, Pat is under attack from Mrs Blunderbore (Alexandra Burke) who wants to capture poor Pat so that she can feed her to her Husband the Giant! Will the family be able to keep Pat and their animals safe or will Mrs Blunderbore get her wicked way, taking poor Pat prisoner and feeding her to her Husband?! 

Alexander Burke plays the evil character, Mrs Blunderbore, with ease, with her infectious laugh and outstanding outfits of darkness and feathers that just oozed evil. She clearly enjoyed taking on as many boos as the audience was willing to give; you could see from her face that she was truly in character and enjoying her time on stage.  

When it came to her singing, what can I say….  Her voice was absolutely outstanding, magnificent, the cheers and audience participation she got whilst singing her well known hit, Bad Boys was amazing and she received much applause and whooping. 

Joe Pasquale who plays Jack’s younger brother, Simple Simon, arrives on stage on a motorised toilet, and followed with many classic panto gags, that had both adults and children doubled over with laughter. He had a great connection on stage with his fellow performers, especially his mother Dame Trot (Ceri Dupree), who held her own around Pasquale and I found it exceptionally funny when they both went off script but managed to hold the performance all together with much amusement. Joe gave a spectacular performance that was brilliant from start to finish. 

Ceri Dupree caught your eye through the whole show with her outrageous, large and bright colourful Panto Dame costumes. His performance of a well-known Cher song, used to distract the giant, was definitely one that will be remembered! To be fair I wish I could pull off that outfit with great legs like that! 

Jack (Benjamin Yates) and Princess Jill (Natalie Chua) also gave a magical performance with fantastic vocals and much humour on stage. 

Leaving Spirit of the Beans (Ria Jones) who is there to lend a magical hand, with her wand of spells, to help to defeat Mrs Blunderbore and the Giant. 

Overall, the production was amazing; the creative team have done extremely well with costumes, set design and, without giving too much away, there were some spectacular special effects. The choreography was also very catching, making this show a great watch for all. 

There also has to be a mention of one of the best renditions of the Twelve Days of Christmas that I have ever seen! With flying balls and uncontrollable laughter from both audience and cast. 

This was one of the best pantomimes I have seen, with great old school humour that offered so much for both adult and child. If you want a kick start to getting into the Christmas spirit then definitely get yourself down to New Wimbledon Theatre to see this show!  

SLEEPING BEAUTY REVIEW

STORYHOUSE, CHESTER – UNTIL SUNDAY 29TH DECEMBER 2024

REVIEWED BY MIA BOWEN

4****

With only 15 days left until Christmas, it’s the perfect time to indulge in the joys of mince pies, mulled wine, and cosy evenings on the sofa. This festive season also ushers in the excitement of pantomimes, making it an excellent opportunity to embrace the chill of December with a visit to one. We’re off to a fantastic start thanks to Storyhouse in Chester.

If you’re searching for a pantomime that captures the essence of festive traditions with great music and an easily comprehensible story line, then “Sleeping Beauty” at the Storyhouse is the perfect choice for you this season. What I appreciate most about the Storyhouse productions is their accessibility for younger audiences and those new to pantomime. This year’s production of “Sleeping Beauty” boasts a vibrant array of slapstick comedy, dazzling costumes, and dynamic choreography, ensuring there is something for everyone to enjoy.

As the show began, two fairies appeared on stage. Fauna, portrayed by Tovah Zafrin, and Flora, played by Caitlin Drake, introduced the audience to the upcoming events. Their gestures and costumes, featuring green and pink, subtly referenced the new Wicked movie, creating a playful connection with familiar themes for the audience. A third fairy, Merryweather, played by Pavanveer Sagoo swooped down from above the stage on a flying harness—what a magical moment! Safrin, Drake, and Sagoo were truly fantastic together! Their chemistry on stage was infectious, and they really brought the characters to life.

One of the most hilarious and heartwarming performances was by the two squirrels! Spike, played by Alexander McGonagle, and Susie, played by Hannah Blakeley, totally stole the show. Their lively performance and choreography to “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” truly brought the house down!

Polly Lister brilliantly brought Maleficent to life, and her performance was simply spooktacular! She truly captured the essence of this iconic villain with her captivating stage presence and stunning costume. Her deep voice and those striking, spider-like fingertips made her portrayal unforgettable.

The standout performances of the night, in my opinion, were by Tom Richardson as Duck, Maleficent’s minion, and Will Kirk as the Prince. The audience’s laughter around me seemed to echo this sentiment! Richardson captivated with his fabulous fluttering eyelashes, while Kirk, donning a pink costume complemented by Cressida Cowper’s Bridgerton-inspired sleeves, truly stole the show. Both Richardson’s rendition of “Kiss” and Kirk’s performance of “I Want to Break Free” received the loudest cheers from the crowd!

Grace Venus was a brilliant vocalist as Aurora, and Scott Gutteridge’s performance as Edward really wowed the audience, with his shirt off! Their performance of “Stay” was absolutely beautiful.

A mention must go to designer Laura Ann Price for her amazing set design, especially for the doors (of Durin) leading to Maleficent’s lair!

Just when I thought last night’s show couldn’t get any better, 20 talented dancers wowed the audience with amazing dance routines from the fabulous House of Dance! Such talent!

If the quality of a pantomime is to be rated on how many laugh-out-loud moments are contained in its narrative, then Storyhouse is up there with the best.

Snow White Review

Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield – until 5th January 2025

Reviewed by Alison Beaumont

5*****

Get yourself ready for an evening of fun and laughter for this year’s panto, Snow White.

You are greeted with a warm welcome and Christmas warm up by the enthusiastic and talented musical director James Harrison. You will not find anyone with as much passion for panto’s as this man. Make sure you don’t leave it to the last minute to take your seats as the musical warm up really gets you into the panto mood.

With a brilliant cast line up this was sure to be a good show.

Sheffield’s very own panto legend Damian Williams plays Nurse Nellie, and as in previous years does an amazing performance, wearing many different funny and bright costumes, my favourite one being the “Oldie Bag for Life”. How he manages to do so many quick changes is beyond me. Alongside Damian giving an equally funny performance is George Akid playing Muddles. The two together make a great double act.

As with all panto’s the cast feed from audience participation which adds to the ad-libbing fun.

Ex Coronation Street star Catherine Tydesley plays the Wicked Queen with grace and embraces the role with great class.

Aoife Kenny plays Snow White and does an outstanding job. Her vocals are beyond amazing and included in the show is the reference to her being in the West End Frozen musical. Matthew Croke plays alongside Aoife as Prince Charming and the two together show a great connection. Vocals by Matthew were equally as impressive.

If you are a fan of Gladiators you will love seeing this Panto as the one and only Viper (Quang Luong) stars as the Henchman.

Marc Pickering returns to Sheffield panto as Herma after playing a role 2 years ago in Jack and the Beanstalk and as in his previous performance adds fun and humour.

The seven dwarfs were played by Dean Whatton, George Coppen, Liam Roche, Simon Charnier, Paddy Holden, Binde Singh Johal and Hassan Taj, all of whom have lots of credits to their profiles. My favourite dwarf was Loopy who was so funny. I really liked the use of the song six (from the musical) changing it to seven, very clever.

The best part for me was the Elton scene, I won’t say anything else as I don’t want to spoil it for you.

All in all this is a great panto which involves the audience all the way through, it is by far one of the best Panto’s I have seen and I can not wait for next year for Aladdin.

The Massive Tragedy of Madame Bovary Review

Southwark Playhouse – until 11 January 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

Creating a comic romp based on Flaubert’s seminal novel is a big ask, but John Nicholson’s adaptation has “lovingly derailed” the source material and Ha Hum Ah and Minack Theatre’s production is fantastic fun.

The fourth wall is broken almost immediately as two rat catchers arrive in town and realise that they have forgotten the vital ingredient for their secret weapon in the war against rodents – arsenic. When they buy the pharmacy’s entire stock, Emma seeks them out as she is desperate for arsenic to end her life and begins to explain why she wants to die to the ratcatcher.

This framing device is pointed out early on by the cast as a clever way to arrive at a happier ending and works well as Emma describes her life. Marrying Charles Bovary was an escape from her family home, but once she realised what life as a provisional doctor’s wife was like, how could she escape that? Nicholson has written Charles Bovary as a man dedicated to his work but has ramped up his awkwardness to comic heights with Darren Seed giving a wonderful performance reminiscent of John Finnemore’s hapless characters.

As Emma seeks comfort and passion elsewhere – her announcement that they will be having a daughter is met with an incredulous “how?” by her husband – her tastes for the finer things in life become more extravagant and she falls ever deeper into debt with the merchant Lheureux.

With a cast of just four, the number of quick changes of character and costume needed to tell this story is remarkable, and handled brilliantly by the cast, with Stephen Cavanagh displaying a catalogue of delightful comic accents as the various residents of the town. Ben Kernow is a hoot as Emma’s lovers, especially in his dramatic entrances as the rakish Rodolphe.

Georgia Nicholson is wonderful as Emma – exasperated, disappointed, seductive, girlishly romantic or calculating, depending on which man she is reacting to. It is only in her narrative sections with the rat catcher that you feel she realises the true impact of her choices as these are less slapstick and slower paced. Nicholson does get the chance to deliver a promising monologue about the autonomy of female characters in classic literature and Emma’s right to choose death. Her reactions as the men can’t help but ignore her and gleefully carry on with their agenda instead of respecting her decisions are hilarious and very relatable.

Kirstie Davis’s assured direction keeps everything on track, but there are times when easy laughs that aren’t needed have been crammed in and you begin to wonder what this amazing cast could do with a sharper script. There are some wonderful comedy set pieces, and Emma and Rodolpho’s sex scene is worth the ticket price alone – who knew magic could be so sexy?

Further casting announced for Hope Mill Theatre’s new concert version of NINE the Musical at Lowry, Salford in February 2025

FURTHER CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR HOPE MILL THEATRE’S NINE THE MUSICAL IN CONCERT STARRING RAMIN KARIMLOO

Announced today is Ruthie HenshallAmber DaviesJosefina GabrielleVictoria Hamilton-Barritt, Melissa JamesDanielle Steers and Zizi Strallen

1ST & 2ND FEBRUARY 2025

LOWRY, SALFORD

Further star casting has been announced for Hope Mill Theatre’s new concert version of Nine the Musical, starring Broadway and West End star Ramin Karimloo, at Lowry, Salford next year.

The concert will be in celebration of Hope Mill’s 9th Birthday – and will play for two performances only at Lowry, on Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd February 2025.

Joining the previously announced Ramin Karimloo as Guido Contini, will be Ruthie Henshall (Chicago, Billy Elliot) as Liliane la Fleur. Also appearing will be Amber Davies (Pretty Woman, Back to the Future) as StephanieJosefina Gabrielle (Les Miserables, Oaklahoma!) as Guido’s MotherVictoria Hamilton-Barritt (HEX, Cinderella) as LuisaMelissa James (Moulin Rouge, Gypsy) as Claudia, Danielle Steers (Just For One Day, Bat Out of Hell the Musical) as Sarraghina and Zizi Strallen (Mary Poppins, Strictly Ballroom) as Carla.

Nine, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, and a book by Arthur Kopit, adapted from the Italian by Mario Fratti, will be co-directed by Hope Mill founders William Whelton and Joseph Houston.

Movie director Guido Contini finds himself struggling to find meaning, purpose, and a script for his latest movie endeavour. With only a week left before shooting begins, he desperately searches for answers and inspiration from his wife, his mistress, his muse, and his mother. As his chaotic profession steadily destroys his personal life, Guido must find a balance between creating art and succumbing to its obsessive demands.

Featuring the songs, ‘Be Italian’, ‘Unusual Way’, ‘Cinema Italiano’ and many more. 

Nine the Musical won the 1982 Tony Award for Best Musical and Best Original Score, and was released as a movie in 2009 and featured an all-star cast including Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Fergie, Sophia Loren and Judi Dench. 

Hope Mill Theatre’s co-founder Joseph Houston, co-director of NINE, said: “We are beyond thrilled to finally share our line up of leading women joining the cast of NINE in concert, and what a line up. Along with our casting director Jim Arnold, we have assembled the very best in British Musical Theatre, including many legends of the stage. The story of NINE relies on its strong female stories of perseverance, strength, heartbreak, loss and the many facets of love and we could not have dreamed of such an exceptional group of women bring this story to life. Alongside the wonder that is Ramin Karimloo as Guido, I think this will be a very special concert and one not to be missed.”

This production will be produced by Whelton and Rhianna Swyer for Hope Mill Theatre. Set Design by Justin Williams, Lighting Design by Aaron Dootson, Sound Design by Nick Lodge,

Choreography by Lucy Spencer, Costume Design by Lorraine Parry, Musical Supervision by Katy Richardson, Additional Orchestrations and Associate Musical Supervision by William Parker, Musical Direction by Joseph Clayton, Video Design by Matt Powell, Associate Video Design by Ieuan Watkins. Casting is by Jim Arnold CDG.

Key Artwork Design by FEAST Creative.

It follows Hope Mill Theatre’s concert version of Gypsy, starring Jodie Prenger, in February 2024 which recently was nominated for a What’s On Stage Award for Best Concert.

Further casting to be announced.

LISTING INFO:

Hope Mill Theatre present Nine the Musical

Lowry, Salford

Saturday 1st February 7.30pm

Sunday 2nd February 2.30pm

Original Mischief Company Members to Star in World Premiere of The Comedy About Spies

ORIGINAL MISCHIEF COMPANY

MEMBERS STAR IN

WORLD PREMIERE OF

FROM THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING COMPANY BEHIND

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG &

THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY

PERFORMANCES BEGIN AT THE NOËL COWARD THEATRE

ON MONDAY 14 APRIL 2025

www.spiescomedy.com

Full casting for Mischief’s brand new West End show The Comedy About Spies was announced today.  The production stars members of the original Mischief Company – Dave HearnChris LeaskHenry LewisCharlie RussellHenry ShieldsGreg Tannahill and Nancy Zamit. They are joined by Adele James, who is making her Mischief debut. 

Mischief, the multi award-winning company behind The Play That Goes WrongPeter Pan Goes Wrong and The Comedy About a Bank Robbery bring an uproarious 1960’s spy escapade, bursting with bungled missions, tangled identities, and miscommunication that’s anything but covert to London’s Noël Coward Theatre from Monday 14 April 2025.

When a rogue British agent pilfers plans for a top-secret weapon, CIA and KGB spies converge on London’s Piccadilly Hotel in pursuit of the elusive file. Add to the mix a clueless young couple, a hapless actor angling for the role of James Bond, and enough double agents to confuse even the sharpest operative, and you’ve got a mission that’s hilariously out of control.

Public on sale will take place at 10am on Friday 13 December.  Over 150 tickets are available for £25 or less at every performance available to purchase at www.SpiesComedy.com

Written by original Mischief Company members Henry Lewis and Henry ShieldsThe Comedy About Spies will have its Gala Night on Tuesday 6 May 2025

The director is Matt DiCarlo, set design is David Farley, costume design is by Deborah Andrews, and the sound design and composer is Jon Fiber for JollyGoodTunes.   

A sneak-peek of the opening scene from The Comedy About Spies brought the house down at The Royal Variety Performance in the presence of His Majesty The King at the Royal Albert Hall and will be broadcast on ITV1 on Sunday 15 December.

The Comedy about Spies is presented by Kenny Wax and Stage Presence in association with Jo Danvers.

LLOYD WEBBER HARRISON MUSICALS AND THE JAMIE LLOYD COMPANY ANNOUNCE TIM RICE AND ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S EVITA AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM SUMMER 2025

LLOYD WEBBER HARRISON MUSICALS AND THE JAMIE LLOYD COMPANY

ANNOUNCE

TIM RICE AND ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S

EVITA

AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM

SUMMER 2025

Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals andThe Jamie Lloyd Company today announce Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, directed by Jamie Lloyd, opening at The London Palladium. The production runs 14 June – 6 September 2025, with press night on Friday 27 June.

Full cast and creatives to be announced. Tickets to go on sale in 2025, dates to be announced. Sign up for priority booking here: www.evitathemusical.com

Michael Harrison said today, “It’s an honour to return to The London Palladium next summer, with my 14th production at the theatre. I’m even more delighted, alongside The Jamie Lloyd Company, to be presenting Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s glorious musical, Evita, and to be collaborating again with Jamie following Sunset Blvd.”

Jamie Lloyd said, “After an unforgettable experience on Sunset Blvd., we are excited to continue our collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and to take another look at Tim and Andrew’s musical masterpiece Evita. It is a great privilege to do so at the incredible London Palladium alongside Michael Harrison.”

EVITA

Lyrics by Tim Rice; Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Directed by Jamie Lloyd

The London Palladium

Saturday 14 June – Saturday 6 September 2025

“The truth is I never left you”

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary Evita returns to the West End, reimagined by the visionary award-winning director Jamie Lloyd.

Featuring an iconic score including Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, Oh What A Circus, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, and the Oscar-winning You Must Love Me.

Fuelled by ambition and passion, Eva Perón rose from poverty to become the most powerful woman in Latin America. A symbol of hope to many Argentines, her star shone brightly as she captured the nation’s heart and divided its soul. 

Produced by Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals and The Jamie Lloyd Company by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd.

Jamie Lloyd originally directed Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre as part of their 2019 season.

Instagram:          @OfficialEvita

X:                           @EvitaMusical

Facebook:           /EvitaTheMusical

Tim Rice

Tim Rice has worked in music, theatre and films since 1965 when he met Andrew Lloyd Webber, a fellow struggling songwriter. Rather than pursue Tim’s ambitions to write rock or pop songs they turned their attention to Andrew’s obsession – musical theatre. Their first collaboration, The Likes Of Us, did not set the musicals world alight, but their next three works together did – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita.

Tim has since worked with other distinguished composers such as Elton John (The Lion King, Aida), Alan Menken (Aladdin, King David, Beauty and the Beast), Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (Chess), and Stuart Brayson (From Here To Eternity). He has also written with Freddie Mercury, Burt Bacharach, Graham Gouldman, Gary Barlow and Rick Wakeman among others. Many of his musicals continue to play around the world in a huge variety of productions, big and small.

In 2024 Tim toured England (22 towns/cities) to present an evening of his songs, mercifully performed by top singers and musicians rather than by him, to which he added reminiscence and comment, recalling their creation, success (or rejection) and the joy (usually) of working with great composers. The show, entitled My Life In Musicals, did so well that it is to be repeated in 2025, this time taking in Wales, Scotland and Ireland too.

Sir Tim’s interests beyond music, film and theatre include cricket and he founded his own team in 1973. Heartaches CC has now played over 750 matches and been on playing tours to the USA, Russia, France, Estonia, Hungary, Germany and South Africa. He was President of the world’s most famous cricket club, MCC, in 2002.

He has recently recorded a series of talks for BBC Maestro on Writing and Performing in Musical Theatre. He writes and presents a podcast (entitled Get Onto My Cloud) about his sixty-year career– playing hits and flops, out-takes and number ones.

He dedicates considerable time to several British educational institutions and charities, many connected with sport for disadvantaged children. He is a patron of the Bob Willis Fund (along with Bob Dylan!), an enterprise inspired by the late great English cricketer, dedicated to raise prostate cancer awareness.

He crops up here and there in all branches of the media drawing on his extensive knowledge of the history of popular music. He has won several awards, mainly for the wrong thing or for simply turning up, but since you ask: 1 Emmy, 5 Grammys, 3 Tonys and 3 Oscars, making him an EGOT. His shows have spent more weeks on Broadway than those of any other British lyricist. He was knighted by Her Late Majesty the Queen in 1994. Despite hints, he is not retiring just yet.

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber has composed the scores of some of the world’s most famous musicals. Lloyd Webber had shows running continually in the West End for 50 years and on Broadway for 43.

When Sunset Boulevard joined School of Rock, CATS, and The Phantom of the Opera he equalled Rodgers & Hammerstein’s record of four shows running simultaneously on Broadway. He is one of the select group of artists with EGOT status, having received Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards. 

Lloyd Webber owns six London theatres including the iconic London Palladium and Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Reopened in July 2021, the latter was completely restored and renovated at a cost of over £60 million. It was one of the biggest projects ever undertaken by a private theatre owner in recent times. His mantra is that every penny of profit made from his theatres is ploughed back into the buildings. 

Lloyd Webber is passionate about the importance of musical education and diversity in the arts. The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation provides 30 performing arts scholarships every year for talented students with financial need and supports a range of projects such as the Music In Secondary School Trust and commissioning research into diversity in theatre. 

Andrew Lloyd Webber has composed music for globally significant moments, including Olympic ceremonies and World Cup celebrations. He has been asked to compose for many royal occasions, the most recent being “Make a Joyful Noise”, an Anthem for the Coronation of King Charles III. 

Andrew Lloyd Webber was knighted in 1992, created an honorary life peer in 1997, and made a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter by King Charles III in 2024. 

Jamie Lloyd directs. His credits for The Jamie Lloyd Company include The Tempest (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Romeo & Juliet (Duke of York’s Theatre), Sunset Blvd. (St. James Theatre, New York/Savoy Theatre – winner of seven Olivier Awards including Best Director and Best Musical Revival; Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Director), The Effect (National Theatre/The Shed, New York), A Doll’s House (Hudson Theatre, New York – nominated for six 2023 Tony Awards including Best Direction of a Play and Best Revival of a Play), The Seagull (Harold Pinter Theatre), Cyrano de Bergerac (Playhouse Theatre/Harold Pinter Theatre/Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York – Olivier Award for Best Revival; Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Best Director), Betrayal (Harold Pinter Theatre/Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre – nominated for four 2021 Tony Awards including Best Direction of a Play and Best Revival of a Play; Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Best Director), Pinter at the Pinter (Harold Pinter Theatre), The MaidsThe HomecomingThe Ruling ClassRichard IIIThe PrideThe Hothouse and Macbeth (Trafalgar Studios).

LISTINGS

The London Palladium

Box Office: lwtheatres.co.uk / 020 3925 2998

Saturday 14 June – Saturday 6 September 2025

Reviews are embargoed until Monday 30 June 2025 at 00:01.

WILTSHIRE CREATIVE ANNOUNCES FULL PROGRAMMING FOR 2025 SPRING SEASON

WILTSHIRE CREATIVE ANNOUNCES

FULL PROGRAMMING FOR 2025 SPRING SEASON

including a stage adaptation of Dan Brown’s epic novel The Da Vinci Code

Wiltshire Creative today announces full programming for Spring 2025. Joining the previously announced The 39 Steps comes the main stage co-production of The Da Vinci Code. The show is a co-production with Mercury Theatre Colchester, with The Da Vinci Code running from 10 April – 3 May at Salisbury Playhouse and from 7 – 24 May at Mercury Theatre Colchester.

After the success of their 2023 adaptation of The Girl on the TrainDuncan Abel and Rachel Wagstaff return to Salisbury Playhouse with their adaptation of Dan Brown’s best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code, with the production being directed by Chelsea Walker.

Artistic Director of Wiltshire Creative, Gareth Machin said today, “I am thrilled that our 2025 Spring season will include two made in Salisbury productions, John Buchan’s The 39 Steps co-produced with Mercury Theatre Colchester and Octagon Theatre Bolton and Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, a furtherco-production with the Mercury Theatre Colchester. Alongside a packed programme of visiting work I know we have a fantastic offer of high quality entertainment for our audience here in Salisbury and beyond.”

Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code added, “As a storyteller, I’m always excited to see a new interpretation of my work. Watching The Da Vinci Code come to life on stage, where every scene is felt in real-time, is a reminder of just how powerful the theater can be. Live actors breathe a different kind of energy into the story, and I’m eager to see how Rachel {Wagstaff} and Duncan {Abel]’s clever script will connect with audiences in this fresh and thrilling new production.” 

Highlights of the visiting season include children’s shows Treasure Island from 27 – 29 March and The Three Little Pigs from 20 – 21 June at Salisbury Playhouse. With further programming including Original Theatre’s The Croftdirected by award-winning director Philip Franks from 9 – 17 May 2025 at Salisbury Playhouse.

The season will also be host to an array of visiting comedians including Zoe Lyons: Werewolf on 5 April and George Lewis: The Best Thing You’ll Ever Do on 3 May at Salisbury Arts CentreMiles Jupp: On I Bang on 12 March, Iain Stirling: Relevant on 13 March and Josh Widdicombe: Work in Progress on 5 June at Salisbury Playhouse. Other programming of the Spring season includes master impressionist, comedian and classical pianist Alistair McGowan at the Playhouse on 30 January.

For the full programme please visit:

https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/whats-on

Wiltshire Creative, Mercury Theatre Colchester and Octagon Theatre Bolton present
THE 39 STEPS
Adapted by Patrick Barlow
From the novel by John Buchan

Thursday 13 February – Saturday 10 May 2025

Director: Ryan McBryde; Designer: Libby Todd

Experience the mystery of Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic spy thriller, The 39 Steps, in Patrick Barlow’s brilliantly hilarious stage adaptation. This Olivier and Tony Award-winning comedy is back on a UK tour after a phenomenal 10-year run in London’s West End.

Follow the dashing Richard Hannay as he embarks on a thrilling adventure filled with daring antics, romantic encounters and ghastly murders. Get set for a whirlwind of suspense taking you from the bustling streets of London to the remote Scottish Highlands, as four talented actors play over 150 characters. Don’t miss this exhilarating escapade that will have you laughing, gasping, and cheering for more!

Ryan McBryde is an award-winning theatre director. He is formerly the Creative Director for the Mercury Theatre, Colchester (2019 – 2024), where his productions include MidsummerThe Importance of Being EarnestGreat Expectations, They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay!, The Comedy of Errors, Baskerville,Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin,Oliver – the MusicalMoll Flanders, and Pieces Of String. Other directing credits include Romeo And Juliet (Theatre Trier), Faust1984 (Alte Schauspielhaus), Love On The Links, Before The Party, Beauty And The Beast, Cinderella, Aladdin, Jack and The Beanstalk (Salisbury Playhouse), The Invisible Man (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), Saturday Night Fever (UK tour), Angus, Thongs And Even More Snogging (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Who’s Tommy (European tour), and Hamlet! The Musical (Royal and Derngate, Richmond Theatre).

Wiltshire Creative and Mercury Theatre Colchester present
THE DA VINCI CODE
Adapted by Duncan Abel and Rachel Wagstaff
Based on the Novel by Dan Brown

Thursday 10 April – Saturday 24 May 2025

Director: Chelsea Walker; Designer: Alys Whitehead

Dan Brown’s best-selling thriller novel comes alive in a way you’ve never seen before, in this electrifying stage adaptation written by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel.

Professor Robert Langdon and fellow cryptologist Sophie Neveu embark on a pulse-pounding quest across Europe. When a brutal murder in the Louvre Museum uncovers hidden clues within Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpieces, the duo must unravel a web of intrigue that could alter the course of history…

Uncover the twists and turns of ancient secrets, relentless rivals and coded messages in a quest to protect a secret that could change the world forever.

Chelsea Walker is an award-winning theatre director. She is currently directing All’s Well That Ends Well at Shakespeare’s Globe. Her other directing credits includes Visit from an Unknown WomanThis Much I Know, Yous Two (Hampstead Theatre), On the Beach (Sheffield Theatres), Missing Julie (Theatre Clwyd), Hedda Gabler (Sherman Theatre), Cougar, Low Level Panic (Orange Tree Theatre), A Streetcar Named Desire (UK tour), P’Yongyang, Chicken Dust (Finborough Theatre), Klippies (Southwark Playhouse) and Lean (Tristan Bates Theatre).  She won the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award and toured her critically acclaimed production of A Streetcar Named Desire across the UK. In the same year she was nominated for Off West End awards for her productions of Low Level Panic and Cougar.

TREASURE ISLAND
Salisbury Playhouse
, Main House, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA

Thursday 27 – Saturday 29 March

Escape to Treasure Island with Le Navet Bete and their swashbuckling, smash-hit comedy for all the family!

Featuring dastardly pirates, tropical islands and a mermaid you’ll never forget, set sail on the Jolly Todger with Jim Lad, Long John Silver and a whole host of other characters for a hilarious voyage across the seas. But will they get there in one piece? Is everyone who they say they are? And does ‘X’ really mark the spot?

Le Navet Bete (King Arthur: A Legendary Comedy, The Three Musketeers, Dracula: The Bloody Truth) are a multi award-winning physical comedy company based in Devon. Joining forces with one of UK theatre’s best comedy writers and directors John Nicholson (Peepolykus, BBC Radio 4), the company of four play out Robert Louis Stevenson’s legendary tale as you’ve NEVER seen it before!

Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company present
THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
Salisbury Playhouse
, Main House, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA

Friday 20 – Saturday 21 June

There’s a wolf coming… but for now, the Three Little Pigs have tricked him onto a bus. If he catches them, he’ll huff and he’ll puff and we all know how that ends…

On the run and with the need to build a strong shelter, our three problem-solving pigs call on you to save their bacon. Be blown away by the world of Stuff and Nonsense in this joyful retelling of a classic tale. Told in a unique physical style with raucous puppets, this is high-octane family theatre that will make you howl!

Original Theatre in Association with Wiltshire Creative
THE CROFT
Salisbury Playhouse
, Main House, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA

Friday 9 – Saturday 17 May

Based on a true highland story.

In the remote Scottish Highlands two women arrive at a former Crofters Hut in the deserted village of Coillie Ghille. When suddenly the weekend getaway takes an unexpected turn. Cut off from the modern world, Laura and Suzanne find themselves drawn into the dark history of the Croft and the lives that passed before them.

In this bold and haunting play the present interweaves with the past as ancient tales surface and the terrifying truth lurking In the Croft is revealed.

Directed by award-winning director Philip Franks (Murder in the Dark, Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d) and produced by the award-winning Original Theatre (Birdsong, Murder in the Dark, Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d), The Croft will be setting your pulse racing.



LISTINGS INFORMATION

WILTSHIRE CREATIVE
Box office: 01722 320 333 / [email protected]Salisbury Playhouse
, Main House,Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA


SLEEPING BEAUTY
Salisbury Playhouse
, Main House,Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RARunning until Sunday 12 January 2025BSL Signed/ Captioned                                Wednesday 11 December 7:00pm/ Friday 3 January 2:15pm
Audio Described & Touch Tour                  Thursday 19 December at 7:00pmRelaxed Performance                                  Thursday 9 January at 2:15pmTickets from £18
Age Guidance: 4+

ALISTAIR MCGOWAN
Salisbury Playhouse, Main House, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA

Thursday 30 January 19:30
Tickets from £18

THE 39 STEPS
Salisbury Playhouse

13 February – 8 March

https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/
Tickets from £12
Age Guidance: 10+
BSL/ Captioned performance                     Tuesday 4 March at 7:30pm
Audio Described & Touch Tour                 Thursday 6 March at 2:15pm and 7:30pm

Mercury Theatre Colchester

11 – 29 March
https://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/
Octagon Theatre Bolton

16 April – 10 May
https://octagonbolton.co.uk/

MILES JUPP: ON I BANG
Salisbury Playhouse
, Main House, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA
Wednesday 12 March 19:30
Tickets from £27
Age Guidance: 16+

IAIN STIRLING: RELEVANT
Salisbury Playhouse, Main House, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA

Thursday 13 March 19:30
Tickets from £24.50
Age Guidance: 14+

TREASURE ISLAND
Salisbury Playhouse, Main House, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA

Thursday 27 – Saturday 29 March
Tickets from £15
Age Guidance: 8+

ZOE LYONS: WEREWOLF
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin Street, Salisbury SP1 3UT

Saturday 5 April 19:30
Tickets from £19
Age Guidance: 14+

THE DA VINCI CODE
Salisbury Playhouse
10 April – 24 May

https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/
Tickets from £12
Age Guidance: 14+
BSL/ Captioned performance                     Tuesday 29 April at 7:30pm
Audio Described & Touch Tour                  Thursday 1 May at 2:15pm and 7:30pm

Mercury Theatre Colchester
7 – 24 May

https://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/
GEORGE LEWIS: THE BEST THING YOU’LL EVER DO
Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin Street, Salisbury SP1 3UT

Saturday 3 May 19:30
Tickets from £18
Age Guidance: 14+

THE CROFT
Salisbury Playhouse, Main House, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA

Friday 9 – Saturday 17 May
Tickets from £12
Age Guidance: 14+

JOSH WIDDICOMBE: WORK IN PROGRESS
Salisbury Playhouse, Main House, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA

Thursday 5 June 19:30
Tickets from £22
Age Guidance: 14+

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
Salisbury Playhouse, Main House, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury SP2 7RA

Friday 20 – Saturday 21 June
Tickets £16 (£12 for under 12s)
Age Guidance: 3+

Nadiya Bychkova and The Overtones Announce Jukebox Idols Tour for 2025

Nadiya Bychkova and The Overtones Announce Jukebox Idols Tour for 2025

Strictly Come Dancing star Nadiya Bychkova and the platinum-selling vocal harmony group The Overtones have announced they will star together in a brand new show for 2025 called Jukebox Idols.

From the producers of the West End smash hit Rip It Up 60sJukebox Idols will feature non-stop hits from the jukebox idols of the past and present, brought to life with show-stopping dance routines.

Nadiya and The Overtones will be joined throughout the tour by a stellar supporting cast of dancers as they swing, bop, jive and rock ‘n’ roll their way through a kaleidoscopic array of pop music’s greatest moments, featuring classic hits from the likes of Nat King Cole, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, The Bee Gees, The Backstreet Boys, Take That and Bruno Mars, amongst many others.

The 31-date nationwide tour will start in High Wycombe on 4th June and end in Aylesbury on 9th July, and includes dates along the way in London (10th June), Glasgow (19th June) and Cardiff  (8th July).

Tickets go on sale on Friday 13th December, available from all venues and via www.jukeboxidols.com .

Looking ahead to the tour, Nadiya said, “This is going to be amazing!  I am so excited to be touring Jukebox Idols next summer with The Overtones. They are the best vocal harmony group in the UK and it’s going to be wonderful sharing the stage with them. The entire cast is at the top of their game so the show is going to be a perfect fusion of song and dance. We can’t wait for you to see it.”

The Overtones added, “The Jukebox Idols tour is truly something special, and we’re thrilled to be part of it! This feel-good music and dance spectacular blends the best of two worlds, delivering a fresh, high-energy spin on timeless entertainment that’s perfect for everyone. Sharing the stage every night with the incredible five-time world champion, Nadiya, alongside some of the UK’s most exceptional dancers is, to excuse the pun, ‘strictly’ an honour. This isn’t just a show – it’s an electrifying experience that takes entertainment to the next level.

“We’re bringing our all to this, and we know our fans are going to love every second of it. So, get ready for an unforgettable night – we can’t wait to see you there!”

The full list of tour dates for Jukebox Idols starring Nadiya Bychkova and The Overtones is as follows:

June

04        High Wycombe         Swan Theatre

05        Crewe                         Lyceum Theatre

06        Malvern                     Malvern Theatres

07        Eastbourne                Congress Theatre

09        Liverpool                   Philharmonic Hall

10        London                      The Adelphi

11        Bath                            The Forum

12        Newcastle                  Tyne Theatre & Opera House

13        Scunthorpe                Baths Hall

14        Halifax                       Victoria Theatre

15        Bridlington                Spa

16        Shrewsbury               Theatre Severn

18        Perth                           Concert Hall 

19        Glasgow                     Pavilion Theatre

20        Buxton                       Opera House

21        Manchester               The Bridgewater Hall

22        Northampton             Royal & Derngate Theatre

24        St Albans                   The Alban Arena

25        Fareham                     Fareham Live

26        Warwick                    Arts Centre

27        York                           Barbican

28        Leicester                    De Montfort Hall

29        Birmingham              The Alexandra

July

01        Guildford                   G Live

02        Bromley                    Churchill Theatre

03        Bournemouth            Pavilion Theatre

04        Folkestone                 Leas Cliff Hall

05        Basingstoke               The Anvil

06        Southend                   Cliffs Pavilion

08        Cardiff                       New Theatre

09        Aylesbury                  Waterside Theatre

www.jukeboxidols.com

OLIVER! | Full cast announced for Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Lionel Bart’s irresistible musical masterpiece

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED
FOR CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S NEW PRODUCTION
OF LIONEL BART’S IRRESISTIBLE MUSICAL MASTERPIECE

GIELGUD THEATRE, LONDON
FROM 14 DECEMBER 2024

www.oliverthemusical.com

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce the full London cast for Lionel Bart’s iconic musical, Oliver!, which will begin performances at Gielgud Theatre in London on Saturday 14 December 2024. oliverthemusical.com

This critically acclaimed production, which Mackintosh has fully reconceived with director and choreographer Matthew Bourne, is presented in association with Chichester Festival Theatre, where Oliver!’s run as part of their 2024 Summer Season was the biggest success in the theatre’s history. Most performances for the beginning of the West End run are already sold out with best availability for weekday performances from mid January 2025 and for weekends and midweek matinees from early February. Patrons are advised to check daily for returns.

The full cast of Oliver! in the West End includes Simon Lipkin (Guys and Dolls, Avenue Q) as Fagin, Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon, The Bodyguard) as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell (Henry VI, Wicked) as Bill Sikes, Billy Jenkins (Les Misérables, BBC’s Dodger) as the Artful Dodger, Oscar Conlon-Morrey (Mother Goose, Only Fools and Horses The Musical) as Mr. Bumble, Katy Secombe (The Music Man, Les Misérables) as Widow Corney, Stephen Matthews (Strictly Ballroom, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Mr. Sowerberry/Dr. Grimwig, Jamie Birkett (Peter Pan Goes Wrong, Mamma Mia The Party) as Mrs. Sowerberry/Mrs. Bedwin, Philip Franks (The Rocky Horror Show, Witness for the Prosecution) as Mr. Brownlow, and Billy Byers as Alternate Artful Dodger.

The role of Oliver Twist will be played by Cian Eagle-Service (The Witches, Les Misérables), Raphael Korniets (The Snowman), Jack Philpott (The Witches, Matilda) and Odo Rowntree-Bailly (Love Never Dies). More incredibly talented young performers for the roles of Oliver and Dodger for later in the run will be announced in due course.

Forming the young adult cast are Callum Hudson (Noah Claypole), Isabelle Methven (Bet), Lochlan White (Charley Bates) and Harry Cross (Dandy). The ensemble members/swings are: Rachael Archer, Tegan Bannister, Adam Boardman, Lois Craig, Stephen John Davis, Bethany HuckleEbony Jonelle, Bethan Keens (Charlotte), Danny Lane, Peter Nash, Josh Patel-Foster, Sam Peggs, Jasmine Sakyiama, Wendy Somerville (Old Sally), Charlie Stripp, Leah Vassell and Matthew Whennell-Clark.

Following a nationwide search where hundreds of children from all around the country came to London to audition, the younger roles in Fagin’s gang are shared by Toba Agbelusi, Zoe Akinyosade, Ben Birch, Preston Cropp, Kylan Michael Denis, Sebastian Elton, Liam Findlay, Rudy Gibson, Stanley Guy, George Hamblin, Lily Hanna, Sammy Jones, Grace King, Jonny Niland, Hugo Pechey, Alex Prior, Teddy Probets, William Skinner, Ethan Sokontwe, Dylan Xavier and Aaron Zhao

Lionel Bart’s musical masterpiece, freely adapted from Charles Dickens’ novel, Oliver! tells the story of the orphaned Oliver Twist, who escapes the harsh Victorian workhouse and takes refuge in London’s murky underworld with the wily gang leader Fagin and his team of resourceful pickpockets led by the Artful Dodger. He finds a friend in the kind-hearted Nancy and when he’ s wrongly arrested for stealing, Oliver meets an unexpected saviour; but is happiness truly within his grasp?

With a sensational score, including Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself, You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two, I’d Do Anything, Oom Pah Pah, As Long As He Needs Me and many more, the Olivier, Tony and Oscar-winning masterpiece vividly brings to life Dickens’ ever-popular story of the boy who asked for more.

Produced and revised by Cameron Mackintosh,Oliver! is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne andco-directed by Jean-Pierre van der Spuy. Designed by Lez Brotherston, lighting design is by Paule Constable and Ben Jacobs, sound design by Adam Fisher, video design by George Reeve, new orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe based on the original by William David Brohn; music supervision is by Graham Hurman.

Oliver! is a Cameron Mackintosh in association with Chichester Festival Theatre production.