RSC ACTIVITIES ON SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHDAY WEEKEND, 23-24 APRIL

The Royal Shakespeare Company is offering visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon a wide range of activities to help celebrate Shakespeare’s Birthday over the weekend of Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 April.

Free events include a performance of Out of the Deep Blue, a family friendly outdoor show about the environment featuring a 13-foot-tall puppet, and the opportunity to enjoy the RSC’s new Dell Forest Garden, a space for reflection which also aims to improve the area’s biodiversity.

There will also be the chance to see the final two parts of the Henry VI trilogy, Henry VI: Rebellion (1.15pm) and Wars of the Roses (7.15pm) on Saturday 23 April, and to be part of the live audience for an edition of the popular podcast, The Guilty Feminist, at 7.30pm on Sunday 24 April. All three performances will take place in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Prior to the birthday weekend, on 21 April, a newly revised second edition of The Complete Works of Shakespeare will be published, the perfect gift for all Shakespeare lovers.

SATURDAY 23 APRIL

Out of the Deep Blue performedby Autin Dance Theatre
3.30pm, starts in the Swan Gardens outside The Swan Theatre
Free, just turn up on the day

Autin Dance Theatre will perform Out of the Deep Blue, an outdoor spectacle ideal for children and families featuring Eko, a 13-foot-tall Sea Giant puppet, operated by five world-class puppeteers, and the character of Violet, played by a female contemporary dancer.

Waves wash Eko, a Sea Giant onto the shore. There he encounters vulnerable Violet. These two beings – an ancient creature and a young girl – offer us their stories: an impactful dialogue around our earth’s climate emergency, told through dance, movement and masterful puppeteering. A story about the power of understanding that speaks to the world at large.

The performance will start at 3.30pm in the Swan Gardens outside the RSC’s Swan Theatre, with the audience following Eko to The Dell gardens by Holy Trinity Church, before returning to the Swan Gardens for the final part of the show.

There will also be a free puppet workshop, suitable for ages 6+ between 12noon – 1.30pm taking place in the Swan Theatre foyer.

Tickets for the workshop are free but must be booked in advance at www.rsc.org.uk/events/shakespeares-birthday-celebrations

Pre-recorded Audio Description files are available for blind and visually impaired audiences to listen to, either prior to a performance and/or during the performance.

Audio notes (for listening to prior to the show): https://soundcloud.com/autindt/audio_notes_out_of_the_deep_blue

Full synchronised audio description (for streaming or download to listen to during the 4pm performance): https://soundcloud.com/autindt/full_audio_description_out_of_the_deep_blue

The Dell Forest Garden
Free, just turn up on the day

Throughout March and April the RSC and Forest of Hearts – a Stratford-based organisation which aims to produce ‘gardens for good’ – will work with members of the local community to create The Dell Forest Garden which will be open to all from Saturday 23 April.

The Dell, located by the Holy Trinity Church, is a quiet outdoor space which includes a number of memorial plaques.  The aim of the Forest Garden is to make an area for health and wellbeing activities, for personal reflection, and to increase biodiversity. In the lead up to 23 April, the community participants will plant a number of flower beds in both The Dell and Avonbank Gardens, including a section featuring flowers mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays.

Inspired by the memorials in The Dell, the RSC has commissioned artist Faye Claridge to create an outdoor art exhibition, Room for the Soul launching on 23 April.  Faye is working with volunteers from Forest of Hearts and local residents to create a magical outdoor lounge where plants and flowers overwhelm furniture, while lampshades and family portraits flutter in the trees overhead.

Forest of Hearts will lead free drop-in sessions between 12-3.30pm on 23 April in The Dell, sharing how everyone can increase biodiversity.  Participants involved in developing the Forest Garden will be on hand to talk about the experience and how people can take part in future projects.

Henry VI: Rebellion (1.15pm) and Wars of the Roses (7.15pm)
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Tickets available from rsc.org.uk or 01789 331111

Henry VI: Rebellion, a fresh new take on Henry VI: Part Two, hurtles through one of the most turbulent periods in English history, asking the question: can the people ever really decide their own future?

Wars of the Roses is the thrilling climax to the Henry VI trilogy.  The tussle for the English crown escalates to the battlefield and the families of Lancaster and York drench their brutal conflict in sweat and blood. As power is shunted back and forth, there is deceit, betrayal and murder at every turn. The scene is set for the final chapter as we get our first glimpse of the villainous Duke of Gloucester – soon to become Richard III. 

Both productions are directed by Owen Horsley, and feature Mark Quartley and Minnie Gale as, respectively, Henry VI and Margaret.

Henry VI: Rebellion runs 1 April – 28 May, and Wars of the Roses runs 11 April – 3 June.

Henry VI Unwrapped: an onstage demonstration
10.15-11.15am
Tickets £5-£8 available from rsc.org.uk or 01789 331111
Suitable for ages 12+

There will also be an opportunity to find out more about the Henry VI productions from actors and members of the creative team as part of Henry VI Unwrapped.  This session will offer a peek into the rehearsal room, with the Assistant Director and members of the cast looking at moments from the play. They will give an insight into how a scene is taken off the page and onto the stage, and reveal the type of exercises and discussions that took place during rehearsals.

SUNDAY 24 APRIL

Show and Tell with AEG presents in association with United Talent Agency
The Guilty Feminist
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
Sunday 24 April, 7.30pm
Tickets from £12.50 available from rsc.org.uk or 01789 331111

Less of a podcast and more of a global phenomenon, The Guilty Feminist is part comedy, part deep-dive discussion and part activism. Hosted by Deborah Frances-White and featuring a different array of world class guests each night, together, they examine our noble goals as 21st century feminists – and our hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine those goals.

With over 95 million downloads in six years, this is the show that proves you don’t have to be perfect to be a force for meaningful change.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Second Edition

A new edition of the RSC Complete Works of William Shakespeare will be published on 21 April 2022.  Developed in a partnership between the RSC and Bloomsbury Academic, this revised second edition combines exemplary textual scholarship with beautiful design. Curated by expert editors Sir Jonathan Bate and Professor Eric Rasmussen, the text in this collection is based on the iconic 1623 First Folio: the first and original Complete Works assembled by Shakespeare’s fellow actors, and the version of Shakespeare’s text preferred by many actors and directors today.

This edition presents Shakespeare’s plays as they were originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed on stage. Along with new colour photographs from a vibrant range of RSC productions, and a foreword by RSC Artistic Director, Gregory Doran, a new Stage Notes feature documenting the staging choices in 100 RSC productions showcases the myriad ways in which Shakespeare’s plays can be brought to life.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare will be available to buy in the RSC’s shop in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and online from 21 April. It is available to pre-order now from shop.rsc.org.uk

Rose Theatre, Kingston – until 19th March 2022

Reviewed by Bobbi Fenton

5*****

‘Persuasion’, based on the novel of the same name by Jane Austen, is an absolute theatrical masterpiece. Adapted by Jeff James to combine 19th century literature with modern day music and clothing, this show takes two things that seem like polar opposites and smashes them together, creating a work of art.

The story focuses on Anne (Sasha Frost) as she decides to stay with her sister, Mary (Helen Cripps) and her husband Charles (Dorian Simpson) and son Samuel (Daniel Aiden Matembe) when her father is forced to move to Bath, and let out their house to make money. Helen Cripps is fantastic at portraying Mary as a stubborn, self-contradicting permanently angry wife, and Dorian Simpson perfectly contrasts with her character, as the more light-hearted, relaxed husband. Annes father (Emilio Doorgasingh) takes with him Anne’s other sister, Elizabeth (Matilda Bailes) who is absolutely desperate to find a husband, because she is almost thirty years of age and still not married. Matilda Bailes portrays this character in such a comical way that it is quite difficult to feel sad for her, especially with some of the comments made by other characters about her need to be married soon. Back in her hometown, Anne soon discovers that the family who are staying in the house includes somebody from her past, who she hasn’t seen in ten years. She discovers that Captain Wentworth (Fred Fergus) is back on land from his travels with the navy, and is still bitter about his history with Anne. By the end of the play, Anne has changed her view on marriage, as she realises in hindsight that she should have accepted a marriage proposal years beforehand.

The set is made up of a tall platform, which appears slightly catwalk-like, and is lit up with lights around the edge. This platform is in two halves, and the top half rotates at certain points during the play. This set works brilliantly with a lot of the scenes, such as each time Anne physically pushes somebody off the side because she doesn’t like what they are saying, symbolizing how her character is pushing them away. This also allows the more serious moments of the play to work really well.

This play is brilliant at representing how the issues from the 19th century, as shown in Austen’s works, are still relevant today, as the scenes all use the same language as the novels, but are set in modern settings, with modern music. It should not be missed by anybody.

Persuasion will play Alexandra Palace from 7th-30th April (https://www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/persuasion-2/) so there is no excuse not to see this

Royal & Derngate, Northampton – until 5 March 2022

Reviewed by Ely King

4****

If you’re looking for a night of light-hearted fun, this is the show for you.

For this performance, the cast were two people down, including puppeteer Aya Nakamura, so the performing actors were a crew of only five.

These five were Niall Ashdown, Ruth Bratt, Adam Courting, Janet Etuk and Josie Lawrence.

Advertised as ‘theatre as live as it gets’, I’d say this musical truly lives up to that claim.

As inferred, this musical is entirely improvised and lead by words and phrases given by you, the audience, meaning that there is an entirely new show every single night.

So why not go see it a few times?

The prompts given to the crowd were as follows:

– An area by your home that is meaningful to you

– A word that, when you say, makes you happy

– If you were writing a book, what would be the gripping first sentence?

The crowd didn’t disappoint and gave the answers ‘A Lake, because it has water, and is away from the hustle and bustle of life’ then ‘chocolate’ as the happy word, before ending on ‘the house is on fire, and this time it wasn’t my fault’.

After not even two minutes of contemplation, the crew were straight into it, with Josie Lawrence launching into a storyline featuring a lake that the rest of the cast were quick to join in with, grabbing props and adding harmonies as if they all had one shared thought.

Having seen The Showstoppers! On the West End, also featuring Ruth Bratt, I had a rough idea of what to expect from The Improbable Musical yet still, it undoubtedly impressed.

Improbable are icons in the improvised theatre scene and have captivated audiences across the world with their unrivalled improv skills.

With Ruth also being featured in other improv shows, it was no surprise that she was a standout actor in this performance, effortlessly flicking between age ranges and accents on a split second’s notice without any hesitation.

Though Ruth was the star of the show, every actor has their own merits and worked perfectly in tandem with each other. What any actor may have lacked in conventional vocal skills, they more than made up for in acting skills and comedic value.

It was particularly enjoyable to see performers add to the storyline and name characters in such a ridiculous manner to try and trip each other up. One instance including naming a child’s adult friend Andrew… if you know, you know. Some cast members almost broke character at that, but it just made it all the more fun.

The musicians in the company are also extremely talented, finding the perfect rhythm and timing to play along with the actors, never mind the fact they got pulled into storylines, some played as many as three instruments so had to choose which instrument was best too.

As quite a lot of their humour includes euphemisms or jabs at the news, it would definitely be recommended for over 13’s, as any younger might miss some of the jokes and wonder why all the adults are laughing. Though, if this isn’t a problem then go ahead!

From using teapots to represent ducks to using binbags to represent water, these performers are true geniuses and masters at thinking on the spot – we could all do with a bit of their imagination.

York Theatre Royal – until 4th March 2022

Reviewed by Aimee Liddington

5*****

Far Gone is one-man show, written and performed by John Rwothomack, who was nearly kidnapped from his home in Northern Uganda by Joseph Kony’s rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army. The 1980’s were a time of great trouble and turmoil in Uganda and through his abduction of hundreds of thousands of child soldiers and religious extremism, Joseph Kony managed to seize power in the northern region of Acholiland and still remains at large today.

From the minute the audience enters the studio, they are charmed by the innocence of a squeaky voiced boy called Okumu who asks them to come on a journey with him. Very quickly, the audience is also introduced to the character of the commander who requires them to answer when he speaks to them and throughout the play cues are given to which the audience must answer as a chorus. The entire experience is mesmerising– for 60 minutes you are with Okumu and you join him as you feel his joy and naivety turn to despair and desperation.

The immense talent of Rwothomack is a sight to behold – with a bare stage, minimal costume and only a handful of props, Rwothomack still manages to transport the audience to Okumu’s world and paints an imaginary set in thin air. Through the use of every muscle in his body he is able to change character in a matter of seconds and each portrayal is more believable than the last. The fight scenes are the most breath taking and special mention should also go to the director, Mojisola Elufowoju and the movement directors, Akeim Toussaint Buck and Lilac Yosiphon. Without their careful consideration of each snapshot of each scene, the picture would not have been so clear to the minds eye.

Lee Affen, the music and sound designer, should also be congratulated for his perfect use of sound to match Rwothomack’s movements. Particularly in the scene where the commander is loading a gun – there is no physical gun to be seen on stage but the magazine is loaded and the shots are fired with real credibility.

The subject matter of this play is undoubtedly heart wrenching but Rwothomack still manages to include humour and it really is true that he takes the audience on a journey with him. From start to finish you cannot help but be possessed by the story and performance. Far Gone is an educational, emotional and entertaining experience and I’d recommend it in a heartbeat.

I’d like to end with the following poignant quote from ‘The Night Wanderers: Uganda’s Children and the Lord’s Resistance Army’ by Wojciech Jagielski: “The youngest ones are best suited to it, like him, eight…nine years old, not more. They are already independent and strong enough to understand and do what they are told. And at the same time, they are still too young to tell the difference between good and evil.”

Rwothomack has written this play for the lost children of Joseph Kony’s regime and asks for anyone who is moved by the narrative to support the work of the Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN) who are committed to supporting the thousands of people affected by the unrest in northern Uganda.

The Leeds Playhouse – until 19th March 2022

Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

5*****

The highly anticipated Leeds Playhouse production of Macbeth is staged at the Playhouse’s Quarry Theatre. Directed by Amy Leach, the Shakespeare tragedy explores the how power can be obtained at cost along with exploring the physical, mentally, emotional, and psychological impacts.

Hayley Grindle’s staging is unique where the use of space is the main emphasis. The staging does have a dark structural feel with the metal scaffolding with a retractable ramp where the narrative takes place centrally. The space is used innovatively and creatively where movements of the characters are maximised. The costumes are traditional however the production has a contemporary twist particularly with the simplified dialogues, though not compromising the integrity of the text.

Supernatural is one the main themes in Macbeth and the atmospheric stage presence connects to this particularly and the characters of the three witches, played by Charlotte Arrowsmith, Karina Jones and Ashleigh Wilder, add essence to this. The use of obscured and key lighting, particularly representing the murderous activities and the soundscapes are well used and add suspense to this tragedy’s plots.

The Leeds Playhouse has a proud record making their productions inclusively accessible. Macbeth is no exception as this production includes integrated audio description and aural storytelling which ensures inclusivity for all audience members particularly from the blind, visually impaired and deaf communities.

Excellent portrayals from the cast particularly the ones from Tachia Newell as Macbeth and Jessica Baglow as Lady Macbeth and performances from Arrowsmith and Adam Bassett who both are proactive in the BSL arts and theatre communities.

It is nice to see an almost full audience where many are returning to the theatre and reconnecting with it after the Pandemic. It is encouraging to see school groups in the audience whose studies of Macbeth are crucial for their English Literature knowledge and learning.

“What’s done cannot be undone” and what is done is an excellent and unmissable production and performance from both the cast and creative team. Everyone can draw something from Macbeth whether by text or stage.

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

OUR MAN IN HAVANA

OPENING AT THE WATERMILL

THURSDAY 7 APRIL – SATURDAY 21 MAY

BOOK ONLINE AT WATERMILL.ORG.UK OR VIA THE BOX OFFICE ON 01635 46044

Full casting and creative team have been announced for OUR MAN IN HAVANA, the world premiere musical adaptation of Graham Greene’s iconic novel, opening at Newbury’s The Watermill on Thursday 7 April – Saturday 21 May, with a press night on Monday 11 April.

A roller coaster comedy full of colourful characters and uplifting Cuban inspired songs, this new musical is based on Graham Greene’s iconic novel that cleverly satirises the fine line between truth and lies. The production was originally programmed as part of The Watermill’s Spring 2020 season but had to be postponed by the pandemic, and now Artistic Director Paul Hart, Executive Director Claire Murray and the whole team are thrilled to welcome the show to The Watermill for a new run of the show this spring.

‘And all around them, the night comes alive with the music of Havana…’

It’s 1958 and Havana is on the brink of revolution. All day and night, the streets are filled with dancing and the shadows are filled with criminals. In the midst of the warm tropical air, an English vacuum cleaner salesman lives a quiet life running a modest business, raising his teenage daughter Milly and collecting miniature whisky bottles.

Just as Milly’s love of shopping reaches new heights, James Wormold receives an offer from the British Secret Intelligence Service that is too good to refuse. What Wormold lacks in sleuthing experience, he makes up for with imagination. Nothing stays quiet for long in Havana and his life is soon turned upside down when the fictional events of his intelligence reports start to come true!

Nigel Lister (The Secret Adversary – The Watermill and Footloose – UK tour) will play ‘James Wormold’, Daniella Agredo Piper (Electrolyte – The Watermill, The Secret Garden – Barn Theatre) will play ‘Milly Wormold’, Paula James (Beauty and the Beast – Rose Theatre, Gin Craze! – Royal & Derngate) will play ‘Beatrice / Maria’, Alvaro Flores (ClubMex – Hope Mill Theatre, Time of Our Lies – Park Theatre) will play ‘Segura / Hawthorne / Marco’, Adam Keast (The Sound of Fury – Liverpool Everyman/Playhouse, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice – Bolton Octagon) will play ‘Hasselbacher/Chief’ and Antonio Sanchez (Mamma Mia! – Sala Joaquin Turina; Seville, Beauty and the Beast: The Musical – Asociacion de Teatro La Ribera; Seville) will be the Onstage Musical Director.

Directed by Watermill Associate Director Abigail Pickard Price, designed by Kat Heath, with Eliane Correa and Ben Morales Frost as co-orchestrators, OUR MAN IN HAVANA has music & lyrics by Ben Morales Frost, book by Richard Hough, sound design by Adam Fisher, lighting design by Robbie Butler and choreography by Andrea Pelaez, with Chris Cuming as Associate Choreographer.The Stage Management team consists of Rose Burston (DSM), Natalie Toney and Fern Bamber (ASMs) with Katie Crump on ASM placement.

Richard Hough said, “The greatest honour of my career, the acme of my story so far, is being given the chance to transpose the finest writer of the 20th century from the printed page to the Watermill stage. Graham Greene has been an inspiration to me since I first read Our Man in Havana  at university, a thousand years ago. The thought of bringing his world to life, of planting my feet in the soil of a little bit of Greeneland, makes me happier than I can say, and quite frankly, more excited than is seemly. To be working with such a superb company and crew is a privilege, and to do it in Newbury a pleasure.”

Ben Morales Frost said, “It was an irresistible challenge: a story half set in 1950s Havana, half in London; a father-daughter relationship wrapped up in a tale of intrigue and international espionage; a cast of 6 who have to act, sing, dance, play instruments, and still operate a vacuum cleaner convincingly…  

Working with Eliane to create authentic Cuban orchestrations has been a real treat, and has helped us create a gloriously jarring contrast to the buttoned-up atmosphere of England in the mid-20th Century. We hope you enjoy the result.”

Abbigail Pickard Price said,“The heat and heart of Cuba perhaps feels somewhat far away from the rolling hills of Bagnor but on first reading of Ben and Rich’s new telling of Graham Greene’s Our Man in Havana I felt immediately transported. I have loved getting to delve further into this as the team has come together; seeing the brilliantly bright snapshot of Havana that Designer Kat Heath is creating and hearing Eliane and Ben’s Cuban orchestrations. I look forward to joining this wonderful team in rehearsals and hope that the audiences of Newbury will enjoy being transported across the globe and back in time to the world of Our Man in Havana as much as I did the first time I set eyes on this script.” 

The Watermill continues to follow measures to control the risk of Covid-19 and to ensure the safety and confidence of its audience members, staff, actors and creative teams. The wearing of face coverings continues to be requested in the auditorium. Enhanced cleaning procedures, including regular fogging of the auditorium, and an efficient ventilation system supplying conditioned and filtered fresh air also remain in place.

To help audience members to book with confidence, The Watermill are operating a flexible booking policy. In the event that their booking is affected by Covid-19, audience members will be offered a ticket exchange, account credit or refund.

York Theatre Royal – until Saturday 5th March 2022

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

3***

The Bone Sparrow is a 2016 novel by Australian writer Zana Fraillon. It is a powerful story set in an Australian detention centre and is about friendship, cruelty, and resilience. S Shakthidharan has adapted this stage production for Pilot Theatre.

Subhi (Yaamin Chowdhury) is a member of the Rohingya people of Myanmar. He was the first child to be born in the permanent detention centre, after his Maa (Kiran L Dadlani) fled persecution, with his big sister Queenie (Siobhan Athwal). He has known nothing else, only guards and fences, in his short life. His lifelines are his drawings, his imagination, a belief that someday his world will be a different place and his rubber duck. Chowdhury brings Subhi to life with his innocence and ability to escape into his own world.

He meets a girl from outside his “cage”, Jimmie (Mary Roubos), a local, who has somehow found a hole in the fencing. They both relish their meetings, Jimmie bringing along her mother’s notebook full of tales for Subhi to read out loud to her, as she is unable to read them herself. All is not well inside the camp with tempers flaring from the unjust treatment the detainees are experiencing. Eli (Elmi Rashid Elmi) and Queenie are the main antagonists, fighting against the system, rioting and risking themselves in order to be heard.

Visually this piece is quite striking, the metal racking moving to depict the confines of the camp, Shubi’s drawings are depicted on a screen at the back of the stage, large heads incorporated in the story of Oto and Anka. Not too sure about the duck puppet, but it did create a much-needed chuckle and respite.

I found that I struggled with the storytelling, and at 2 hours and 50 minutes long, including interval, this was a test for my attention span. It needed to be tighter and half an hour shorter, especially as it is meant to be appealing to a teenage audience.

It is a tale of friendship and resilience, and it does have an important message that resonates, especially now in these trying times. With the atrocities that are happening in Ukraine, and all the displaced people that are fighting for survival. Surely there must be a better system in place globally, than what is effectively a prison? How can it be right for a human being to be locked up for so long, and to be treated so terribly, due to where they were born?

Dave Moutrey, CEO of HOME and Director of
Culture for Manchester City Council,
appointed as Theatres Trust Chair

Theatres Trust, the national public advisory body for theatres, is pleased to announce that Dave Moutrey has been appointed as its new Chair by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Dave Moutrey is Director and Chief Executive of HOME, a purpose built multi art form venue, having conceived and led both the merger of Cornerhouse and Library Theatre Company and the £25m capital project to create HOME. Since 2018 he has also been Director of Culture for Manchester City Council where he is responsible for advising the council on policy and strategy for culture.

Dave Moutrey says, Theatres Trust has a crucial role to play in helping to protect our heritage and advise on the design of new performance spaces to make sure that these important assets continue to serve their vital role at the heart of our communities and cultures. I am therefore delighted and honoured to be joining the organisation as Chair and to work with the trustees and team as we navigate the challenges and opportunities presented across the UK.

Four Trustees have also been appointed to Theatres Trust Board: James Dacre, Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate Theatres in Northampton; Suba Das, Creative Director Designate of Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatres and current Artistic Director and Chief Executive of HighTide; Stephanie Hall, a barrister specialising in town and country planning at Kings Chambers and Lucy Osborne, set and costume designer and co-founder of studio three sixty.

Theatres Trust Director Jon Morgan says, I am delighted that Dave Moutrey will take up the reigns as Theatres Trust’s Chair, as his wealth of experience leading HOME and advising Manchester City Council will be invaluable to our work making the case for theatres. I am also looking forward to working with the other new Trustees, who bring an extraordinary array of skills and expertise that will complement and strengthen our existing Board.

All appointments are for a three year term, beginning on 21 February 2022.

LIAM TAMNE JOINS

EMMA RICE’S WUTHERING HEIGHTS

★★★★★

“Emotionally epic entertainment from Emma Rice” The Times

Wise Children today announce that Liam Tamne joins the company as Heathcliff for the world première production of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights on 15 March, completing the run at the National ahead of the UK tour. Adapted and directed by Emma Rice, the show is a co-production with the National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal.

★★★★★

““a wildly imaginative, exhilarating piece of theatre” Daily Mail

Tamne joins Lucy McCormick as Cathy, and Sam Archer (Lockwood/Edgar Linton), Nandi Bhebhe (The Leader of the Moor), Mirabelle Gremaud (Zillah), Stephanie Hockley (Ensemble), TJ Holmes (Robert), Craig Johnson (Mr Earnshaw/Dr Kenneth), Jordan Laviniere (John), Katy Owen (Isabella Linton/Linton Heathcliff), Tama Phethean (Hindley Earnshaw/Hareton Earnshaw) and Witney White (Frances Earnshaw/Young Cathy), with music performed by Sid Goldsmith, Nadine Lee and Renell Shaw.

★★★★

“a bold and ingenious production” Guardian

After completing performances at the National Theatre on 19 March, the production tours to Hall for Cornwall; Norwich Theatre Royal; The Lowry, Salford; Sunderland Empire; Brighton Festival; Kings Theatre Edinburgh; and Eden Court, Inverness.

The Yorkshire moors tell an epic story of love, revenge and redemption.

Rescued from the Liverpool docks as a child, Heathcliff is adopted by the Earnshaws and taken to live at Wuthering Heights. He finds a kindred spirit in Catherine Earnshaw and a fierce love ignites. When forced apart, a brutal chain of events is unleashed.

Shot through with music, dance, passion and hope, Emma Rice transforms Emily Brontë’s masterpiece into a powerful and uniquely theatrical experience. Lucy McCormick leads the company of performers and musicians in this intoxicating revenge tragedy for our time.

“I am Heathcliff! Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

With composition by Ian Ross; set and costume design by Vicki Mortimer; sound and video by Simon Baker; lighting design by Jai Morjaria; movement and choreography by Etta Murfitt.

Sam Archer returns to the company to play Lockwood/Edgar Linton – he previously appeared in Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour).His other theatre credits include An Ideal Husband (Vaudeville Theatre/Oscar Wilde Season), Wonderland (National Theatre/Châtelet Theatre, Paris), La Bohème (Royal Albert Hall), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), and The Red Shoes, Lord of the Flies, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Edward Scissorhands (Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Company).

Nandi Bhebhe returns to the company to play The Leader of the Moor – she recently appeared in Bagdad Cafe (The Old Vic). Her theatre credits include A Monster Calls (The Old Vic), Fela! (National Theatre/Al Hirschfeld Theatre), Season in the Congo (Young Vic), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, 946 The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips (Shakespeare’s Globe), Boy Breaking Glass (Sadler’s Wells), The Tin Drum (Bristol Old Vic), Ubu! A Singalong Satire (Shoreditch Town Hall).

Mirabelle Gremaud returns to the company as Zillah – she previously appeared in Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour) and Malory Towers (Bristol Passenger Shed/UK tour). Her theatre credits as an actress/dancer and contortionist includeLe Conte des Contes (Théâtre Kléber-Mélau), Peter Pan (Birmingham Rep), Swan Lake (The Lost Estate), Acrojou (Roundhouse), Falling (Complicité), and her solo show Sombre Sloughing (UK and European tour).

Stephanie Hockley returns to the company – she previously appeared in Malory Towers. Her other theatre credits include Robin Hood (Watermill Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Storyhouse), The Show Must Go On (St Luke’s Bombed Out Church), Return to the Forbidden Planet (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Robin Hood the Rock n’ Roll Panto, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel (Liverpool Everyman), Julius Caesar, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Storyhouse, Chester) and Sleeping Beauty (Mercury Theatre Colchester).

TJ Holmes plays Robert. His theatre credits include One Man, Two Guvnors (UK tour), The Hired Man, Love, Lies and Lust (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), Mother Courage (Leeds Playhouse), Two Gentleman of Verona (Shakespeare’s Globe/Liverpool Everyman), La Strada (The Other Palace), Hansel and Gretel (Kneehigh), The BFG, I Was A Rat (Birmingham Rep), The Jungle Book, The Threepenny Opera (UK tour), Spend Spend Spend!, Some Like It Hotter (The Watermill Theatre), As You Like It (Curve), Cider with Rosie, Merchant of Venice (Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds) and What To Do When You Find A Dinosaur (Oxford Playhouse).

Craig Johnson plays Mr Earnshaw/Dr Kenneth. His theatre credits include The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch, The Railway Children and The Secret Garden (Minack Theatre), Alaska, One Darke Night (UK tours), The Sea Show, Skillywidden, Stones and Bones, Curious Creatures, Tales from the Trees, Myths and Monsters, The Christmassy Christmas Show, Shivers and Shadows, Universarama! (Squashbox Theatre UK tours), Tristan & Yseult, Cymbeline, Don John, A Matter of Life and Death and The Bacchae (Kneehigh).

Jordan Laviniere plays John. His theatre credits include All That (King’s Head Theatre), Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Apollo Theatre), Bugsy Malone (Lyric Hammersmith), The Life (The English Theatre, Frankfurt) and We Will Rock You (European tour).

Lucy McCormick plays Catherine. Her previous theatre credits include Life: LIVE! (Battersea Arts Centre), Triple Threat and Post Popular (Edinburgh Fringe Festival/Soho Theatre/UK and international tours), Roller Diner, First Love is the Revolution (Soho Theatre), Dear Elizabeth, Effigies of Wickedness (Gate Theatre), Collective Rage (Southwark Playhouse), Cinderella (Oxford Playhouse), The Naked Truth (UK tour), Splat! (Barbican), and The House of Bernada Alba (Tristan Bates Theatre). Her television credits include This Time with Alan Partridge; and for film, Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, and Uncle David 2.

Katy Owen returns to the company to play Isabella Linton/Linton Heathcliff – she previously appeared in Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour). Her other theatre credits include UBU Karaoke!, Rebecca (Kneehigh), The Little Matchgirl and Other Happier Tales (Bristol Old Vic/Shakespeare’s Globe/UK tour), Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe), 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tipps (Kneehigh/Shakespeare’s Globe/UK tour), The World of Work, The Night Before Christmas (Chapter Arts Centre), Apparitions of Spirits with the Forsythe Sisters (Gaggle Babble), Maudie’s Rooms, Plum – and Me, Will!, Cinders (Sherman Theatre), Ill Met by Moonlight (Wales Millennium Centre), The Tempest (Theatr Iolo) and The Moon Dragon & The Wounded Angel (Theatr Gwent). Her television credits include The Story of Tracy Beaker.

Tama Phethean plays Hindley Earnshaw/Hareton Earnshaw. His theatre credits include The Great Christmas Feast (The Lost Estate), Man Muck (Etcetera Theatre) and Night of the Living Dead Live (Pleasance Theatre).

Liam Tamne plays Heathcliff. His theatre work includes The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre – Grammy nomination for Original Cast Recording), Bonnie and Clyde (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), The Light in the Piazza (Royal Festival Hall/LA Opera), Spamilton (Menier Chocolate Factory), Mack and Mabel (concert – Hackney Empire), Working (Southwark Playhouse), The Rocky Horror Show (UK tour), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre), Departure Lounge — the Musical (Perfect Pitch), HAIR (Gielgud Theatre), Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre) and Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre). For television, his work includes Doctors.

Witney White plays Frances Earnshaw/Young Cathy. Her theatre credits include Five Plays Project: Irreconcilable Differences (Young Vic), Light Falls (Royal Exchange Theatre), A Christmas Carol, Sylvia, A Monster Calls (The Old Vic), NOF*CKSGIVEN (Vault Festival), Room (Theatre Royal Stratford East/Dundee Rep/Abbey Theatre), wonder.land (National Theatre), Dusty (Charing Cross Theatre) and Loserville (West Yorkshire Playhouse). For television, her credits include Cleaning Up.  

Emma Rice is the proud and excited Artistic Director of her company, Wise Children. She adapted and directed the company’s Bagdad Cafe (The Old Vic), Angela Carter’s Wise Children (The Old Vic/UK tour) and Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers (Bristol Passenger Shed/UK tour). For the ENO she directed Orpheus in the Underworld. As Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe (2016/18), she directed Romantics Anonymous, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Little Matchgirl (and Other Happier Tales). For the previous 20 years, she worked for Kneehigh as an actor, director and Artistic Director. Her productions for Kneehigh include The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, Tristan & Yseult, 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, The Wild Bride, The Red Shoes, The Wooden Frock, The Bacchae, Cymbeline (in association with RSC), A Matter of Life and Death (in association with National Theatre), Rapunzel (in association with Battersea Arts Centre), Brief Encounter (in association with David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers Productions), Don John (in association with the RSC and Bristol Old Vic), Wah! Wah! Girls (in association with Sadler’s Wells and Theatre Royal Stratford East for World Stages), and Steptoe and Son. Other work includes the West End production of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Oedipussy (Spymonkey), The Empress (RSC), and An Audience with Meow Meow (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). In 2019 Rice received the UK Theatre Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS

LISTINGS

National Theatre, Lyttelton

Until 19 March

Box Office: 020 7452 3000 / www.nationaltheatre.org.uk   

Hall for Cornwall

29March – 9 April 2022

Box Office: 01872 262466 / www.hallforcornwall.co.uk

Theatre Royal Norwich

12– 16 April 2022

Box Office: 01603 630 000 /www.norwichtheatre.org

Theatre Royal Nottingham

26 – 30 April 2022

Box Office: 0115 989 5555 / www.trch.co.uk

The Lowry

3 – 7 May 2022

Box Office: 0343 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

Sunderland Empire

10 – 14 May 2022

Box Office: 03330 096 690 / https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire/

Brighton Festival

17 – 21 May

Box Office: Brighton Festival | Brighton Festival

King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

24 – 28 May 2022

Box Office: 0131 529 6000 /www.capitaltheatres.com/your-visit/kings-theatre

Eden Court

31May – 4 June

Box Office: 01463 234 234 / www.eden-court.co.uk

THE DA VINCI CODE

BASED ON THE BEST-SELLING NOVEL BY DAN BROWN

CHRISTOPHER HARPER TO PLAY ROBERT LANGDON ALONGSIDE DANNY JOHN-JULES

& HANNAH ROSE CATON

IN WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION

Coronation Street star Chris Harper joins the tour of Dan Brown’s best-selling thriller, The Da Vinci Code to play Robert Langdon alongside Danny John-Jules as Sir Leigh Teabing, Hannah Rose Caton as Sophie Neveu and Joshua Lacey as Silas.  This World Premiere production which visits Richmond Theatre from 2-7 May 2022 is directed by Luke Sheppard, who also directed the award-winning West End musical & Juliet.

The cast also includes:  Basienka Blake (Vernet), Alasdair Buchan (Remy) Alpha Kargbo (Fache), Leigh Lothian (Collet), Andrew Lewis (Saunière) and Debra Michaels (Sister Sandrine/Marie).

Producer Simon Friend said: “We have a truly stellar cast and creative team bringing The Da Vinci Code to life on stage for the first time, and with Dan Brown’s full endorsement of the show and the talented director Luke Sheppard at the helm, we’re confident that we’ll please devoted fans as well as newcomers to this magnificent story.”

‘Dan Brown’s epic thriller has been read by millions worldwide, and seen by millions worldwide on the big screen, and we are all looking forward to taking our brand new stage version to audiences all over the UK.’

Dan Brown said: “I am thrilled that The Da Vinci Code is being adapted for the stage, and excited to see the unique potential of live theatre enhance this story. The team making the production has been faithful to the book, but will also bring something new for the audience, in what is certain to be a gripping, fast-paced stage thriller and a thoroughly entertaining show.”

Christopher Harper’s previous theatre credits include: Dial M For Murder; Apollo 13: The Dark Side of the Moon, Birdsong; Dance; Strangers on a Train; Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe); Slipping (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough); The Wind in the Willows, Man of the Moment and Private Fears in Public Places (Royal & Derngate); I Know How I Feel About Eve (Hampstead Downstairs); The Night Before Christmas; The Village Bike (Sheffield Crucible Studio); Our Country’s Good and Journey’s End; Persuasion, After Miss Julie and People at Sea (Salisbury Playhouse); Saturn Returns; Light Shining in Buckinghamshire and Lie of the Land; See How They Run, Separate Tables and Volpone (Royal Exchange); Adam Bede and Strange Orchestra (Orange Tree Theatre); Tabloid Caligula (Arcola and Brits off Broadway) and Twelfth Night.  His films include: The War Below, Patiala House, Rules of the Game and Charlie.  On television he played the high profile character of Nathan Curtis in Coronation Street, and appeared in Holby City, Endeavour, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, Doctors, Upstairs Downstairs, The Bill, Heartbeat, The Roman Mysteries, Rosemary and Thyme, Life on Mars and Housewife 49 with Victoria Wood.  Chris also produced and voiced the award-winning charity animation The Mouse.

 Danny John-Jules is probably best known for his role as Cat in Red Dwarf and has appeared in every episode of the 13 series. He also made the character of Dwayne Myers in BBC’s hit series, Death in Paradise, his own. Danny has also appeared in many other film and TV roles across his 40 year career as an actor.Danny has appeared in Barnum at the London Palladium, Cats at the New London Theatre and Time at the Dominion Theatre. He created the role of ‘Rocky 1’ in Starlight Express at the Apollo, Victoria, and was Dink in the first West End production of Carmen Jones at the Old Vic Theatre for director Simon Callow and musical director Henry Lewis.

 Hannah Rose Caton makes her UK theatre debut in The Da Vinci Code.  Hannah is based both in London and New York and is a recent graduate of The Juilliard School’s Drama Division. Her theatre credits (off Broadway and in theatres across the US) include: Mrs. Christie at Vermont Theatre Festival, An Octoroon for Chautauqua Theatre Company and Hay Fever for West Fulton Theatre. 

Her TV and films include: The Falling, Last Knights and Wizards vs Aliens. 

 The Da Vinci Code is described as follows: The curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered, and alongside his body are a series of baffling codes. Follow the pulse-racing journey as Professor Robert Langdon and fellow cryptologist Sophie Neveu, attempt to solve the riddles, leading to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci and beyond, deep into the vault of history. In a breathless race through the streets of Europe, Langdon and Neveu must decipher the labyrinthine code before a shocking historical secret is lost forever.

The Da Vinci Code is adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff (Flowers For Mrs Harris, Birdsong) and Duncan Abel (The Girl on the Train).  Director Luke Sheppard, who most recently directed the acclaimed new West End musical, & Juliet and What’s New Pussycat at Birmingham Rep is joined on the creative team by Set and Costume Designer David Woodhead, Video Designer Andrzej Goulding, Composition and Sound Design team, Ben and Max Ringham, Lighting Designer Lizzie Powell and Casting Director Stuart Burt CDG.

Luke Sheppard said: “Cracking The Da Vinci Code open for the stage reveals an epic thriller steeped in theatrical potential, rich in suspense and surprising at every turn. Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel’s brilliant adaptation leaps off the page and demands us to push the limits of our imagination, creating a production that champions dynamic theatrical storytelling and places the audience up close in the heat of this gripping mystery.”

The Da Vinci Code is produced by Simon Friend.