*****A story that deserves to be told and it’s delivered beautifully…A brave and beautiful retelling of his whole life story…A seriously emotional experience – Manchester Evening News
Acclaimed singer, songwriter, composer and producer, Gary Barlow is bringing his theatrical one man stage show, A Different Stage, to London’s West End, with a string of dates announced today. He will perform at TheDuke of York’s Theatre from 30 August to 18 September, with tickets on sale Wednesday 23 March at 10am from adifferentstage.show.
To date, Gary has performed sold out performances of A Different Stageat The Brindley in Runcorn, Cheshire and the Lowry Quays Theatre in Salford. He’s currently performing another sold out run at The Playhouse in Liverpool before he heads to Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre from 22 March. Limited tickets are available for select dates in Edinburgh from adifferentstage.show.
A Different Stage, which Gary Barlow created with his long-time friend and collaborator, Tim Firth, is an intimate evening with Gary, as he recounts, with humour, some tears and unflinching honesty, his life story. Of course, along the way, there will be some music, but some of which will be a surprise to many.
Gary said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed performing ‘A Different Stage’ at venues across the country for the past few months. Bringing it to London is a dream come trueand The Duke of York’s Theatre is the perfect setting for this story.”
Gary Barlow is one of Britain’s most successful songwriters and record producers. As part of the group Take That, he has won eight BRIT Awards and sold over 45 million records. Aside from his achievements with Take That, he has also co-written and produced music for other renowned artists including Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir Elton John and Robbie Williams.
In more recent years, Gary has also turned his attention to the world of theatre, composing the score for the hugely successful production of Finding Neverland, working alongside Tim Firth on Calendar Girls The Musical, and collaborating with Tim and his Take That bandmates on The Band, a record-breaking stage musical currently being adapted into a feature film.
A Different Stage is directed by Tim Firth, with design by Es Devlin, lighting by Bruno Poet and sound design by Gareth Tucker.
LISTINGS INFORMATION
30 August – 18 September 2022
Duke of York’s Theatre
St Martin’s Lane
London WC2N 4BG
Performances: Tuesday – Saturday at 7.30pm and Sunday at 2.30pm
Three sets of twins who are starring in Identical,
the new musical adaptation of The Parent Trap
After a five-year casting search and multiple auditions across the UK, three sets of talented identical twins are about to become Britain’s latest musical theatre stars. The trio of twins will be starring in Identical, the new musical adaptation of Erich Kästner’s novel ‘The Parent Trap’ directed by Olivier & Tony award-winning director Sir Trevor Nunn and produced by Kenny Wax whose current hits include ‘SIX the musical’ and ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’.
They say you should never work with children or animals but this summer Olivier and Tony award-winning director Sir Trevor Nunn will be doing both, with three sets of identical twins! Kyla and Nicole Fox, aged 12, from County Armagh, Northern Ireland, Emme and Eden Patrick, 12 from Waltham Abbey and Sienna and Savannah Robinson, 12 from Bromley, are the youngsters playing Lottie and Lisa in the world premiere of Identical, a new musical destined for the West End.
Identical is based on the novel ‘The Parent Trap’ by Erich Kästner, which inspired hugely successful Disney films featuring Hayley Mills in 1961 and Lindsay Lohan in 1998.
It will open at Nottingham Playhouse from 26 July – 14 August, then transfers to The Lowry from Fri 19 August – Sat 3 September 2022. Future dates will be announced.
Identical tells the story of Lottie and Lisa, twin girls separated at birth, reunited by chance at a summer camp 10 years later. In an attempt to re-join their divorced parents, they decide to swap identities.
It has Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, (the multi award-winning writers of the Olivier award-winning National Theatre hit ‘Honk!’, who also created a new score for the international smash-hit Cameron Mackintosh/Disney production of ‘Mary Poppins’) with a Book by Stuart Paterson.
Identical is co-produced by Nottingham Playhouse and Kenny Wax Ltd (producer of the new global musical phenomenon ‘SIX’ and the ‘Goes Wrong’ shows) and directed by Olivier and Tony award-winning Sir Trevor Nunn (responsible for some of the greatest hits in the world, including ‘Les Misérables’, ‘Starlight Express’, ‘Cats’ and ‘Sunset Boulevard’).
Producer Kenny Wax says:
“Identical is a story about the reuniting of twins separated shortly after birth and the healing of a family which has been fractured. The narrative offers a powerful message for the world right now and under the directorial genius of Sir Trevor Nunn, I have no doubt that Identical will be regarded as one of the great musicals of its generation…..providing that we can consistently cast incredibly talented identical twins!”
Nottingham Playhouse’s Executive Director Stephanie Sirr commented:
“We can’t wait to create this show. It’s particularly exciting to give kids from our community the chance to work alongside world class professionals and to take part in the premiere of a newly commissioned musical.”
Stiles and Drewe said:
“It’s been a delight to adapt Erich Kästner’s hauntingly beautiful and timeless tale of two identical twins separated as babies, and their wily determination to stitch their family back together. It’s a story packed with wonderful humour and characters which makes it a great canvas to become a musical and retell for a 21st-century audience.”
Not everything is black or white when it comes to curses…
Last night’s performance was introduced by Richard Mantle (General Director of Opera North), he gave a moving speech about the importance of the Arts in the time of struggle and war. He read out a message which referenced not only the current conflict in The Ukraine but also the Opera North Ensemble which includes singers from both Ukraine and Russia. The whole audience stood for the Ukrainian National Anthem. It was a moving start to a wonderful night of Opera.
I went to last night’s performance with my daughter who hasn’t seen any live opera performances before, although she and her sister were sent off to sleep by various arias and musical pieces when they were little, so she is no stranger to the music. By way of preparation I sent her a synopsis of Verdi’s Rigoletto. Whilst she was looking forward to seeing the production she had some reservations about the subject matter. It is difficult to reconcile the storyline (based on Victor Hugo’s Le Roi s’amuse) with today’s moral code about rights and sexual abuse.
Taking this last point first this production ( directed by Femi Elufowoju jnr) takes the central theme of the opera, Rigoletto a hunchbacked court jester who keeps his daughter (Gilda) hidden away to protect her from philandering 16th century aristocrats. And casts Rigoletto as a black man with a vulnerable daughter who he hides away to protect her from the Duke and a bunch of entitled white men who cannot be trusted around women. The dynamic between Rigoletto ( Eric Greene (absolutely fantastic ) and Gilda (Jasmine Habersham) is superb. The roles are played with tenderness and strength and just the right amount of vulnerability and torment.
The opera is made up of three acts and has four main scenes. The sets and costume design (Rae Smith) are an interesting mixture of modern day scenes with an added pinch of exotic colour and glamour, along with traditional agbada and dashiki for Count Monterone (Sir Willard White) and Marullo (Themba Mvula). On the whole the sets are not too distracting from the action although the scene with the life sized zebra and the closing scene with the wrecked car and pop up tent still has me puzzled. Having said that the singing is wonderful, Roman Arendt makes a great sneering and leering Duke and Sir Willard White (Count Monterone) whose strong presence and curse is crucial to the way the story unfolds for Rigoletto, has a powerful stage presence.The conductor at last night’s performance was Garry Walker. It was a full house in Nottingham last night and the audience really enjoyed the performance with several standing ovations which seemed to take the company by surprise!
THEATR CLWYD TO RECEIVE £22 MILLION IN CAPITAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT REDEVLOPMENT OF THE THEATRE
Theatr Clwyd has today confirmed it will receive up to £22m from the Welsh Government in additional capital funding to support the ambitious redevelopment of the theatre. The transformative redevelopment will deliver a much-improved visitor experience and enhanced income-generating facilities within a greener, more efficient, and welcoming building.
Attracting over 200,000 paying visitors annually, Theatr Clwyd is the biggest producing theatre in Wales, known for world class theatre productions and having a significant social, cultural and economic impact in North-East Wales. This redevelopment will allow Theatr Clwyd to continue to produce world-class art that can thrive and ensure that social action is rooted for generations to come.
Theatr Clwyd’s Executive Director, Liam Evans-Ford, and Artistic Director, Tamara Harvey, are working with Flintshire County Council, Arts Council of Wales and acclaimed architects Haworth Tompkins on the redevelopment.
Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden, said: “Theatr Clwyd has an international and national reputation for excellence and is a key part of Wales’ cultural infrastructure. Through its innovative services and partnerships Theatr Clwyd brings considerable social, cultural and economic benefits to Wales, particularly the local communities in north east Wales. We look forward to working with the team on delivering such an exciting and innovate project.”
With an industry-leading zero carbon target and dedicated theatre-making, learning, family and wellbeing spaces, including on-site scenic construction for the first time, the project will bean exemplar of 21st century cultural space.
Liam Evans-Ford, Executive Director at Theatr Clwyd, said: “The confirmation of Welsh Government’s investment towards the essential redevelopment of Theatr Clwyd, alongside the previously confirmed investment from Flintshire County Council and the Arts Council of Wales, is a significant statement about how the arts, and its social and economic impact, is viewed in Wales, a nation fast becoming one of the best in the world at supporting its cultural sectors. This funding will unlock further private investment and enable us to deliver something that our local communities, our theatre makers, our audiences, our region, and our nation can be proud of, a world class producing theatre in North Wales that will now have facilities to match the standard of work on our stages.”
Flintshire County Council’s Chief Executive, Neal Cockerton, said:This is a really welcome announcement by Welsh Government and will allow us and the Theatr to move forward with its exciting plans for refurbishment and development. This is a dynamic period in the theatre’s history – the future is looking bright with the theatre continuing as a vital and vibrant arts centre at the heart of our community.
Minister for North Wales, Lesley Griffiths, said: “Investing in our theatres and committing to Theatr Clwyd is an important element of our Programme for Government. This announcement today recognises Theatr Clwyd’s high standing and cultural significance not only in North Wales itself but further afield too. It is a valuable asset to the region.”
Phil George, Chair, Arts Council of Wales, said: “This crucial investment from Welsh Government recognises the impact of the arts in community life, in the wellbeing of citizens and in economic development. Theatr Clwyd richly demonstrates that impact through its high-quality and eye-catching productions, its community outreach and its work in areas like Arts and Dementia and youth justice. This redevelopment will further energise all that work and be a major benefit to the people of north-east Wales. The Arts Council of Wales is proud to support it.”
Throughout the building work Theatr Clwyd will remain open with work expected to be completed by 2024.
International screen and stage star Patrick Duffy had a double reason to celebrate recently as he marked St Patrick’s Day and his birthday.
To celebrate, his partner and co-star Linda Purl presented him with a cake made by one of the Hippodrome staff after today’s matinee performance of Catch Me If You Can. In addition, the audience sang happy birthday, and staff members gave his dressing room a birthday makeover. It was a celebration fit for a Hollywood star!
Catch Me If You Can is running at Darlington Hippodrome until this Saturday, with the last performance at 7:30pm. Alongside Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl, Gray O’Brien stars in this gripping drama filled with twists and turns that have had audiences guessing until the last minute.
Set in the remote Catskill Mountains, Inspector Levine is called to investigate the disappearance of the newly married Elizabeth Corban. In a bizarre development a woman arrives at the house claiming to be the missing Elizabeth but, instead of celebrating the reunion, her husband accuses her of being an imposter…
New Theatre, Peterborough – until Saturday 19th March 2022
Reviewed by Boo Wakefield
4****
For anyone whose formative years were in the 1980s, Footloose had a huge impact. The very catchy soundtrack rather blurs the memory of the story-line and with this in mind, it would be interesting to see how the film transferred to the stage at New Theatre, Peterborough.
Footloose is set in 1980 in a back of beyond town called Bomont and is based around a real story from the 1860s. After a tragic accident where four teenagers died, the Reverend Shaw Moore (Darren Day), who lost his son, insisted that no more dancing should be allowed in the town. After his father walks out, Ren McCormack (Joshua Hawkins) is forced to move to Bomont from Chicago with his mother to live with his uncle. Ren is a lively teenager who loves to dance so can’t believe that he is not allowed to. He makes friends with Willard Hewitt (Jake Quickenden) and Ren falls for the Reverend’s daughter, Ariel (Lucy Munden). Ren then decides that its time the dance ban should end.
Joshua Hawkins plays Ren with endless energy and enthusiasm which is slightly overshadowed by Quickenden’s comic portrayal of the rather goofy Willard who has no idea how to dance. His lumbersome movements and incredulous facial expressions along with the awkward on-stage relationship with Rusty (Oonagh Cox) were definite highlights. His timing was spotless, his vocals strong and note perfect, and he hit the mark with his accent. The image of him ripping off his dungarees to reveal tight gold hot pants will be hard to leave behind!
Although Day’s Reverend never stopped being the grieving but proud father, some of the bitterness he must have felt to have forced the ‘no dancing’ ban on the community was not there. Holly Ashton, playing his wife, came across as the forgotten soul in the story and sang beautifully particularly in “Can You Find It In Your Heart”.
Lucy Munden is playing Ariel Moore in her professional debut which she played with enormous confidence.
Throughout the performance the whole cast is fully included in every scene, from singing and dancing to playing most of the instruments whilst on stage, and moving the sets. Their enjoyment in this production is clear to see through their well-choreographed dance routines and chorus singing. And although the sets (Sara Perks) were clever, there were occasions where the dancers looked cramped and could have benefited from more space. The spots from the lighting were also a bit hit and miss.
Footloose has kept all the well-known songs – “Let’s Hear It For The Boy”, “Holding Out For A Hero” and of course “Footloose” which provided the toe-tapping, sing-a-long moments for the predominantly female audience. The story-line is remains overshadowed by the many songs for an entertaining evening. And those gold shorts………!
BRAND NEW SHOWS ON SALE FOR THE LYCEUM AND STUDIO THEATRES
Sheffield Theatres today announces a number of new shows heading to the Lyceum theatre, including returns of highly-anticipated favourites such as Jersey Boys and Rocky Horror Show.
In the Lyceum, Mischief Theatre’s multi-award-winning international smash-hit comedy The Play That Goes Wrong returns to Sheffield following its previous sell-out success, from Monday 11 – Saturday 16 July. The Cornley Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does! As the accident-prone thesps battle on against all the odds to reach their final curtain call, hilarious results ensue!
Northern Ballet’s The Little Mermaid graces the Lyceum stage from Thursday 22 – Saturday 24 September. When a young mermaid is finally allowed her first glimpse of life beyond the ocean, she is enthralled by what she sees. From breath-taking underwater scenes to vibrant life on land, rediscover Hans Christian Andersen’s original fairy-tale performed by Northern Ballet’s world-class dancers with Celtic-inspired music played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia.
Bugsy Malone runs from Tuesday 27 September – Saturday 1 October. Prohibition era, New York. A city full of mobsters, showgirl and dreamers. Rival gangster bosses Fat Sam and Dandy Dan are at loggerheads. Enter Bugsy Malone, a penniless one-time boxer and all-round nice guy, thrust not-so-willingly into the gangster limelight. Alan Parker’s world-famous movie, which launched the careers of Jodie Foster and Scott Baio, becomes an unforgettable theatrical experience in this revival of the universally acclaimed Lyric Hammersmith Theatre production.
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of),a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story, runs from Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 November. Men, money and microphones will be fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation, where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance. It’s the 1800s. It’s party time. Let the ruthless matchmaking begin.
Girl from the North Country plays from Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 January. It’s 1934 in the heartland of America and we meet a group of wayward souls who cross paths in a time-weathered guesthouse. Standing at a turning point in their lives, they realize nothing is what it seems. But as they search for a future, and hide from the past, they find themselves facing unspoken truths about the present. Featuring music and lyrics by Bob Dylan.
Cult-favourite Rocky Horror Show runs from Monday 23 – Saturday 28 January. Follow squeaky-clean sweethearts Brad and Janet on an adventure they’ll never forget, with the scandalous Frank’n’Furter, rippling Rocky and vivacious Magenta. Get ready for a night of fun, frolics and frivolity in this thrilling production of Richard O’Brien’s classic original script, with timeless classics, including Sweet Transvestite, Damn it Janet, and of course, the pelvic-thrusting Time Warp, Rocky Horror Show is a non-stop party!
Fisherman’s Friends The Musical plays from Tuesday 7 – Saturday 11February. When a group of Cornish fisherman came together to sing the traditional sea shanties they’d sung for generations, they hoped to raise a few quid for charity. Nobody, least of all them, expected the story to end on the Pyramid stage of Glastonbury… Fisherman’s Friends is a brand-new musical based on the true story of the Cornish singing sensations, and the hit 2019 film.
Jersey Boys returns for a two-week run from Tuesday 21 February – Saturday 4 March. They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story — a story that has made them an international sensation all over again.
In the Studio theatre, Under the Stars, a creative arts charity for people with learning difficulties and/or autism, present two shows from Tuesday 31 May – Wednesday 1 June.
These Hill Are Ours then plays on Saturday 4 June. Do you ever want to run away from it all? Daniel Bye and Boff Whalley’s did exactly that: they ran a series of routes from the centre of a city to the top of the peak overlooking that city. But what are we really running from? In story and in song, These Hills Are Ours is the story of what they found out on those journeys.
What Happened To You plays on Saturday 9 July. Follow Little Red, Bo and Noodles, three raggedy puppets, who just like their puppeteers, are trying to get through the day but ahead of them lies a mountain of challenges. Through humour and creativity they overcome their impassable surroundings. What Happened to You? exposes the preconceptions disabled people face in a playful and humorous way, and showcases the endless opportunities out there once barriers, of all kinds, are removed.
In an attempt to find clues for how to overpower uncertainty, circus Strong Lady Charmaine presents Power on Thursday 14 July. Expect a mix of storytelling, circus, comedy and a voice-over soundtrack of people revealing their strength and struggle in their own words. Uncover stories, choice, change, resilience and determination – and marvel at the extraordinary strength of ‘ordinary’ people.
The Bonbons Cabaret: On The Road runs from Friday 15 – Saturday 16 July. Be a drag, be a queen, get out the shoes that were made for walking, for tonight we are going to do it our way! Step through the doors and who knows who you will meet. A glitter-fuelled, foot stomping, pant wetting cabaret riot! A safe environment that champions dangerous, queer and alternative performance work from the north east and beyond.
as british as a watermelon plays on Thursday 21 July. ‘My name is mandla. It means power. I gave it to myself.’ mandla rae has a selective memory and they are scrambling to piece together their life. as british as a watermelon questions what it means to belong through exploring mandla’s fragmented asylum and migration memories. mandla weaves poetry and storytelling together with destruction and colourful chaos.
In the Crucible, Human,a story about the small moments that shape us, runs from Wednesday 18 – Thursday 19 May. This new live show by Extraordinary Bodies is a poetic record of our time. It is based on real-life stories from the company and performers and told through circus, music and film. Human is BSL interpreted, captioned and audio described. All performances are relaxed.
Jarvis Cocker, at his home in the Peak District, UK. June 17, 2020.
Tom Jamieson for The New York Times
Jarvis Cocker is In Conversation: Good Pop, Bad Pop on Monday 30 May, also in the Crucible. Join legendary musician and broadcaster Jarvis Cocker live in conversation to celebrate the publication of his highly anticipated new book Good Pop, Bad Pop.
Tickets for all new shows go on sale to Centre Stage Members on Saturday 26 March at 10am, then on general sale on Saturday 2 April at 10am. More information about all upcoming shows can be found at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk. Tickets can be booked through the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0114 249 6000 or at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.
David Harbour and Bill Pullman will star in the world première of Theresa Rebeck’s dark and funny new play Mad House. Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, the production opens on 26 June at the Ambassadors Theatre, with previews from 15 June, and runs until 4 September.
Theresa Rebeck said today, “There are those projects when the stars simply align, and to see David and Bill together on stage is beyond my wildest dreams. I’m very much looking forward to being back in the rehearsal room with Moritz as we bring the play to production here in London.”
David Harbour added, “So excited to return to the London stage with Theresa’s blistering new dark comedy. It features two of my favourite things: the abyss of madness that lies at the pit of every family as they stare blankly, incomprehensively into the nature of our fleeting existence, and real estate.”
The production reunites Rebeck and von Stuelpnagel following their collaborations on Bernhardt/Hamlet and Seared.
Public on sale is 12pm today via ATG Tickets, with ATG TheatreCard holders able to book from 10am.
AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP PRODUCTIONS PRESENT
THE WORLD PREMIÈRE OF
MAD HOUSE
BY THERESA REBECK
Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel
at the Ambassadors Theatre
15 June – 4 September
A family reunion. Time to pay your last disrespects.
In rural Pennsylvania, Michael has returned to his childhood home to look after his dying father. His siblings Ned and Pam soon arrive, determined to work out how much money Dad actually has left and how they’re getting their hands on it.
David Harbour and Bill Pullman return to the West End in the world première of Theresa Rebeck’s dark and funny new play. Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Mad House opens at the Ambassadors Theatre this June for a strictly limited season.
David Harbour plays Michael. His theatre work includes Cal in Camo (Rattlestick Theater), Glengarry Glen Ross (Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (Delacorte Theatre 50th Anniversary reading), The Merchant of Venice (Broadhurst Theatre), The Coast of Utopia: Part 1 – Voyage, The Coast of Utopia: Part 2 – Shipwreck, The Coast of Utopia: Part 3 – Salvage (Vivian Beaumont Theatre), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Longacre Theater – Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play – also Apollo Theatre in the West End), The Invention of Love (Lyceum Theatre), and The Rainmaker (Brooks Atkinson Theatre). For television his work includes as series regular Jim Hopper in Stranger Things – winner of SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series and Critics Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and nominations for Emmy and Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actor; Star Wars: Visions, Q-Force, Big City Greens, The Simpsons, Animals, Drunk History, Crisis in Six Scenes, Banshee, State of Affairs, Manhattan, Rake, Elementary, Blue, The Newsroom, Midnight Sun, Pam Am, Royal Pains, Lie to Me, Law & Order, The Unit and Hack; and for film, Violent Night, Black Widow, No Sudden Move, Extraction, Hellboy, Human Affairs, Sleepless, Suicide Squad, Black Mass, The Equalizer, A Walk Among the Tombstones, X/Y, Parkland, Snitch, Knife Fight, Between Us, End of Watch, The Green Hornet, Every Day, State of Play, Quantum of Solace, Revolutionary Road, Awake, The Wedding Weekend, War of the Worlds, Brokeback Mountain, Confess, and Kinsey.
Veteran of the stage and screen Bill Pullman returns to the London stage to play Daniel – he previously appeared in All My Sons at The Old Vic. His other theatre work includes The Other Place (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre), Oleanna, The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? (John Golden Theatre), and Off-Broadway, The Jacksonian, Peter and Jerry – Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play, and The Sad Lament of Pecos Bill on the Eve Killing His Wife Killer’s Head/Action. For television, his work includes The Sinner (as series regular Harry Ambrose), Halston, Ten X Ten, 1600 Penn, Innocent, Torchwood (as series regular Oswald Danes), Too Big to Fail, Nathan vs. Nurture, Revelations, American Masters, The Virginian, and Fallen Angels; and for film, his extensive work includes The High Note, Dark Waters, The Coldest Game, The Equalizer 2, Trouble, Battles of the Sexes, A Thousand Junkies, The Ballad of Lefty Brown, LBJ, Independence Day: Resurgence, American Ultra, The Equalizer, Peacock, The Killer Inside Me, Your Name Here, Surveillance, Phoebe in Wonderland, Bottle Shock, You Kill Me, Nobel Son, Dear Wendy, Igby Goes Down, Ignition, A Man is Mostly Water, Titan A.E., The Guilty, Brokedown Palace, Zero Effect, Lost Highway, Independence Day, Mr Wrong, Casper, While You Were Sleeping, Wyatt Earp, The Last Seduction, Malice, Sleepless in Seattle, Sommersby, Singles, A League of Their Own, Newsies, The Accidental Tourist, Rocket Gibraltar, The Serpent and the Rainbow, and Ruthless People.
Theresa Rebeck is a prolific and widely produced playwright, whose work has been staged across the globe. Her work on Broadway includes Bernhardt/Hamlet, Dead Accounts, Seminar and Mauritius. Other notable New York and regional plays include Seared (MCC), Downstairs (Primary Stages), The Scene, The Water’s Edge, Loose Knit, The Family of Mann and Spike Heels (Second Stage), Bad Dates, The Butterfly Collection and Our House (Playwrights Horizons), The Understudy (Roundabout), View of the Dome (NYTW), What We’re Up Against (Women’s Project), Omnium Gatherum (Pulitzer Prize finalist). As a director, her work has been seen at The Alley Theatre (Houston), the REP Company (Delaware), Dorset Theatre Festival, the Orchard Project and the Folger Theatre. Major film and television projects include Trouble – with Anjelica Huston, Bill Pullman and David Morse (writer and director), NYPD Blue, the NBC series Smash (creator), and the female spy thriller 355 (for Jessica Chastain’s production company). As a novelist, Rebeck’s books include Three Girls and Their Brother and I’m Glad About You. Rebeck is the recipient of the William Inge New Voices Playwriting Award, the PEN/Laura Pels Foundation Award, and a Lilly Award.
Moritz von Stuelpnagel directs. His work on Broadway includes Bernhardt/Hamlet (Roundabout Theatre Company), Present Laughter (St James Theatre), Hand to God (Booth Theater – nomination for Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play, and also in the West End at the Vaudeville Theatre). Off-Broadway, his credit include Seared – also Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Thanksgiving Play, Teenage Dick – also Pasadena Playhouse, Huntington Theatre Company and Woolly Mammoth, Important Hats of the 20th Century, Verité, Bike America, TheaterJam IV: Sleep, Love Song of the Albanian Sous Chef, Trevor, Drop of a Hat, My Base and Scurvy Heart, I F*cking Love Winning, Gentrifusion, The Second Son, The Bird and the 2-Ton Weight, Best Sex Ever, Spacebar, Turnabout, Cerebral Planning, Too Little Too Late, Deathpod!, The Building Party, Mel & El: Show & Tell, The Clause, Historie of the Barber-Surgeons, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Lunch with Bonnie; as well as extensive work regionally, including Found: A New Musical, Tell Me I’m Not Crazy, Twelfth Night, Tiger Style!, Romance Novels for Dummies, All Is Calm, Bike America, Macbeth and Fat Pig.
Mad House is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions and Gavin Kalin Productions.
Ambassador Theatre Group Productions is the award-winning producing and general management arm of the Ambassador Theatre Group.
Upcoming and current productions include: Cabaret starring Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley (West End); Pretty Woman the Musical (Savoy); Fatal Attraction starring Kym Marsh and Louise Redknapp (UK Tour); Cyrano de Bergerac starring James McAvoy and The Seagull starring Emilia Clarke (West End) via the Jamie Lloyd Company; The Doctor starring Juliet Stevenson (West End); Plaza Suite starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick(Hudson Theatre, Broadway); and Sunday in the Park With George starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford (West End).
Recent productions and co-productions include: Cyrano de Bergerac starring James McAvoy (Playhouse Theatre); Touching the Void (Duke of York’s Theatre); Ghost Stories (Ambassadors Theatre/UK tour) and 9 to 5 the Musical (Savoy Theatre and UK tours).
Previous productions and co-productions in London and the West End include: Ian McKellen On Stage (Harold Pinter Theatre/UK tour/Hudson Theatre, Broadway); The Lehman Trilogy (Piccadilly Theatre); Betrayal starring Tom Hiddleston (Harold Pinter Theatre); The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night-Time (Piccadilly Theatre); Pinter at the Pinter Season (Harold Pinter Theatre); King Lear starring Ian McKellen (Duke of York’s Theatre); Caroline, or Change (Playhouse Theatre); the Tony Award-winning Oslo (Harold Pinter Theatre); Glengarry Glen Ross starring Christian Slater (Playhouse Theatre); Buried Child featuring Ed Harris in an Olivier Award-nominated performance (Trafalgar Studios); Big Fish starring Kelsey Grammer (The Other Palace); Hamlet starring Andrew Scott (Harold Pinter Theatre); The Maids and The Homecoming (Trafalgar Studios); Doctor Faustus (Duke of York’s Theatre); Oresteia (Trafalgar Studios); and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Savoy Theatre/UK tour).
Recent Broadway productions include: Caroline, Or Change (Roundabout Theatre, Broadway); Betrayal starring Tom Hiddleston (Bernard B Jacobs Theatre); Sea Wall/A Life (Hudson Theatre); Sunday in the Park with George (Hudson Theatre); and Pretty Woman the Musical (Nederlander Theatre).
ATG Productions is also committed to bringing high quality shows to the UK regions and abroad. Recent touring productions and co-productions include: Baskerville (Beijing and Nanjing, China); Abigail’s Party starring Jodie Prenger; Glengarry Glen Ross starring Nigel Harman and Mark Benton; Strangers on a Train based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel; the Victorian thriller Gaslight starring Kara Tointon, Keith Allen and Rupert Young.
MARK RAVENHILL TO DIRECT A CONTEMPORARY QUEER REINVENTION OF PUCCINI’S CLASSIC OPERA
AT THE KING’S HEAD THEATRE 26 APRIL – 28 MAY 2022
Mark Ravenhill, Co-Artistic Director of The King’s Head Theatre, will direct a contemporary queer reinvention of Puccini’s classic opera LA BOHÈME, opening at the world-renowned Islington pub theatre’s stage from 26 April and playing until 28 May, with a press night on Tuesday 3 May.
With Puccini’s score and a new English libretto originally conceived by David Eaton and Adam Spreadbury-Maher with additional material by Philip Lee, and with Musical Direction from David Eaton, thisclassic tale of love and loss amongst a community of struggling artists returns to the King’s Head Theatre in a new version which relocates the story to contemporary London. Full casting will be announced shortly.
Penniless writer Rudolfo struggles to monetise his online writing but a Grindr hookup with a Liberty perfume salesman- known to his friends as Mimi -leads to unexpected blossoming of romantic passion. Meanwhile Rudolfo’s flatmate, Marcello pursues an on/off relationship with sometime model Musetta who is torn between the idealism of loving an artist and the material possibilities offered by a hedge fund manager. As a year passes from one Christmas to the next, the four friends struggle to reconcile love with artistic aspiration and the need to pay the bills.
Puccini’s story has been constantly reinvented since its premiere in 1896 most notably with the Broadway musical Rent. A previous production for Opera Up Close enjoyed a successful run at the King’s Head Theatre, and received an Olivier award. Subsequently in 2018 another incarnation of La Boheme from the King’s Head Theatre West End season was nominated for Best New Opera at the Oliviers.
Mark Ravenhill explains: “Our version of La Bohème is the story of a group of friends who started partying in the 1990s. As they reach middle age, they are faced with the possibility that now may be the time to sell out and settle down. But romantic passion, sexual desire and the hedonistic pleasures of partying remain as strong as ever. It’s exciting to honour the overwhelming romantic beauty of Puccini’s score with his eye for telling social detail in this new version”.
Musical Director David Eaton continues, “It is really exciting to be returning to the King’s Head to work on this new production of La Bohème with Mark Ravenhill. I’m always looking for ways to bring opera to new audiences and to reframe the outdated tropes and narratives that can make Opera feel elitist and alienating. The King’s Head is the perfect space to come and experience something new – up close, personal and modern, far from the old-fashioned conventions of the Opera House. There are some great singers on board and an inspiring Director – I can’t wait to get started!”
The King’s Head Theatre was established in 1970. Passionate about great theatre, it is known for its challenging work and support of early career artists.
The King’s Head is committed to fighting prejudice through the work it stages, and the artists and staff it works with. The team believes in fair pay for all on the fringe and create accessible routes for early career artists to stage their work – work they are passionate about. In 2022, subject to a fundraising campaign, the King’s Head Theatre will move into a custom-built space in the heart of Islington Square, directly behind its current home securing the future of the venue for generations to come.
Darren Murphy is an Olivier Award Nominated producer and writer who in 2014 founded his production company Making Productions. He has gone on to produce bold new writing and existing work in new and exciting ways to engage and entertain audiences. Combining newly discovered talent with experienced collaborators, partner organisations and other producers, the aim is to extend the scope of creativity in the performing arts. Darren is passionate about exploring relevant and current work for education and community organisations for the betterment of all and is unique in this practice by championing Women, BAME and LGBT+ creatives. @Make_Prods
New Vic Theatre, Newcastle Under Lyme – Saturday 9th April 2022
Reviewed by Lesley Eagles
5*****
“Marvellous” by Neil Baldwin & Malcolm Clarke-adapted for the stage by Neil Baldwin & Teresa Heskins
An absolute, not to be missed, treasure of a production. If you’re thinking about going please do not hesitate as you’re in for an absolute treat. I quite literally could not take the smile of my face throughout.
Marvellous tells the heart-warming true story of a local legend Neil Baldwin (Nello) which was originally retold for a BAFTA Award winning drama for the BBC. The story tells of a boy with learning difficulties who left school at the tender age of 14 with no qualifications and ended up with an honoury degree from Keele University.
The production was specifically commissioned for the New Vic as it is Neil’s local theatre therefore created in conjunction with Neil Baldwin himself.
This unique play is staged “in the round” with a remarkable directoral style that I have not seen before which quite simply left me in awe of the talent of the production team involved.
The fact that it was staged in the round with the colourful signage was perfect to replicate the circular staging of the circus from which Neil’s stage name Nello was created.
The way in which Neil (Nello) Baldwin’s story was told was utterly brilliant with faultless performances from the entire cast.
I do not like to single out characters, as all performances were outstanding however credit needs to go to Michael Hugo who played the part of “The Real Neil” guiding the other cast members through the retelling of his life. The seven strong cast played out versions of themselves playing both Neil himself and an endless number of other characters that Neil encountered during his life. His portrayal of Neil was incredible demonstrating his quirky, warm and endearing nature to perfection.
Another stand out performance was delivered by Gareth Cassidy. His comic timing was genius along with his ability to deliver many voices, dialects and impersonations. He was quite clearly an audience favourite as a result.
The play demonstrates through Neil Baldwin’s positive outlook on life that you can realise your dreams despite any labels society tries to bestow.
He didn’t see obstacles but rather opportunities that weren’t to be missed. As a result, he always seemed to manage to get what he wanted. His achievements as a result were outstanding. His colourful life led him to becoming a clown (Nello), a kit man for Stoke City Football club, meet many famous people including HRH, receive a BEM and many more weird and wonderful achievements.
The mainly comedic script is a celebration of these life achievements, which allows for playful banter between the characters involved. The cast genuinely appeared to be having a blast with their clever use of props from their ‘bottomless’ bag for life!
“Marvellous”… it’s exactly that from beginning to end
