THE ORIGINAL THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE MIRROR CRACK’D

ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY RACHEL WAGSTAFF

AND DIRECTED BY PHILIP FRANKS

UK TOUR OPENS 8 SEPTEMBER 2022

The award-winning Original Theatre Company are delighted to announce Miss Marple’s return to the stage in a brand new production of Rachel Wagstaff’s acclaimed adaptation of Agatha Christie’s THE MIRROR CRACK’D. The production, directed by Philip Franks, will begin its UK Tour at Devonshire Park, Eastbourne on 8 September 2022.

THE MIRROR CRACK’D will star Susie Blake as Miss Marple, with further casting to be announced.

In 1960s England, a wind of change is blowing through the land. It has even reached the sleepy village of St Mary Mead. There’s a new housing estate, which alarms the villagers as much as it intrigues them and, even more unsettling, a rich American film star has bought the manor house. Jane Marple, confined to a chair after an accident, is wondering if life has passed her by. Then there is a shocking murder, and Miss Marple must unravel a web of lies, danger and tragedy. This adaptation of Agatha Christie’s famous novel brings real emotional depth and psychological insight to a thrilling story of secrets, loss and revenge.

The Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side was published in the UK in 1962 and adapted as a feature film, The Mirror Crack’d, in 1980, starring Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple, Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis.  On television, adaptations of the novel have starred Joan Hickson as Miss Marple in 1992 and Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple in 2011.

Director Philip Franks said of the new stage adaptation, “Rachel Wagstaff’s new version of Agatha Christie’s fascinating mystery has real heart and depth as well as tension. It’s witty, exciting, fresh and surprising.”

Rachel Wagstaff said, “I am so excited to be working with The Original Theatre Company on this new production of The Mirror Crack’d, a fascinating mystery, packed with a rich constellation of characters, all struggling with loneliness and the long shadows cast by grief.  I have always loved Miss Marple’s wry observations about human nature and her desire to put the world quietly to rights, so it’s a pleasure to welcome back the acclaimed and wonderful Susie Blake to play the role of Jane Marple.”  

James Prichard, CEO and Chairman of Agatha Christie Limited, said, “I am delighted that Rachel’s excellent stage adaptation of The Mirror Crack’d is coming back to UK theatres with such a formidable creative team behind it. Miss Marple is one of literature’s greatest detectives, and I am excited to share this production with audiences throughout the UK.”

Susie Blake said of the role, “Playing Miss Marple is every actor’s dream over the age of 50. To play a bright, independent, older woman is surprising and exciting for the period it was written in as well as in our society today.”

Susie Blake is best known for playing the Continuity Announcer in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV, as well as her regular roles of Bev Unwin in ITV’s Coronation Street and Hillary Nicholson in BBC’s Mrs Brown’s Boys. She has recently appeared in series one and two of Kate & Koji (ITV), Not Going Out (BBC One) and The Real Marigold Hotel (BBC One). Her films include Fierce Creatures and Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?!. Her theatre credits include Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical (Hall for Cornwall), Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em (UK Tour), My Fair Lady (Grange Festival), Grumpy Old Women Live 2 & 3, When We Are Married (West End), Pygmalion (Chichester Festival Theatre), Madame Morrible in Wicked (West End) and Belinda Blair in Noises Off (National Theatre).

THE MIRROR CRACK’D will be directed by Philip Franks (Barnes’ People, The Haunting of Alice Bowles, The Habit of Art, The Croft and A Cold Supper Behind Harrods) and designed by Adrian Linford, with lighting design by Emma Chapman, sound design by Max Pappenheim and casting by Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG.

The UK Tour will be produced by Alastair Whatley and Tom Hackney for The Original Theatre Company, the production company behind the critically acclaimed lockdown online productions of Sebastian Faulks’s Birdsong Online, Louise Coulthard’s Watching Rosie, Torben Betts’s Apollo 13: The Dark Side of The Moon, Philip Franks’s The Haunting of Alice Bowles and Peter Barnes’s Barnes’ People, as well as the stage productions A Splinter of Ice, The Habit of Art, Invincible and Birdsong.

Website: www.originaltheatre.com

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @MissMarpleTour / @OriginalTheatre

TOUR SCHEDULE

8 – 17 September                   Eastbourne Devonshire Park                                       01323 412000

                                               www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk                                    on sale soon

20 – 24 September                 Darlington Hippodrome                                                01325 405405

                                               www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk                                on sale

4 – 8 October                         York Theatre Royal                                                      01904 623568

                                               www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk                                         on sale soon   

17 – 22 October                     MoldTheatr Clwyd                                                       01352 344101

                                               www.theatrclwyd.com                                                  on sale 7 June

31 October – 5 November      Northampton Royal & Derngate                                   01604 624811

                                               royalandderngate.co.uk                                                on sale                                              

8 – 12 November                    Norwich Theatre Royal                                                01603 630000

                                               norwichtheatre.org                                                       on sale 25 February

28 November – 3 December   Southend Palace Theatre                                            0343 310 0030

                                               palacetheatresouthend.co.uk                                       on sale soon

Further dates to be announced

THERE’S A NEW ROMEO IN TOWN!

TOM FRANCIS to star

in the award-winning musical

Tom joins previously announced

KEALA SETTLE,

star of The Greatest Showman,

alongside other new cast member

JULIUS D’SILVA

Company also includes Olivier Award winners

MIRIAM-TEAK LEE & CASSIDY JANSON

Booking recently extended through to

Saturday 24 September 2022 at Shaftesbury Theatre, London

www.andjulietthemusical.co.uk

Tom Francis is to play Romeo in & Juliet, as the award-winning show today announces new cast. Tom, who starred in the recent acclaimed production of Rent, will join the company next month, in the joyous musical which won 3 Olivier Awards and 6 Whatsonstage Awards.

Julius D’Silva will also join the cast as amorous Frenchman Lance, opposite Keala Settle as Nurse. Keala – internationally renowned for her starring role in the global smash hit movie The Greatest Showman in which she performed the iconic song “This Is Me” – will be making her West End debut.

They will all join the production from Tuesday 29 March 2022 at the Shaftesbury Theatre, where the show recently extended its booking period through until Saturday 24 September 2022.

Miriam-Teak Lee – who was awarded the Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2020 for her performance as Juliet – leads a cast including Cassidy Janson, who also won an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Anne Hathaway, Oliver Tompsett as William Shakespeare, Tim Mahendran as Francois and Alex Thomas-Smith as May.

David Bedella continues his Olivier Award-winning performance as Lance until Saturday 26 March, as does Jordan Luke Gage as Romeo and Melanie La Barrie as Nurse.

The new ensemble includes Ebony Clarke, Bessy Ewa, Collette Guitart, Cassandra Lee, Nathan Louis-Fernand, Zara MacIntosh, Carl Man, Christian Maynard, Rachel Moran, Owen Saward, Aaron Shales, Benjamin Terry and Suki Wong, who join Ivan De Freitas, Rhian Duncan, Alex Tranter, Sophie Usher and Rhys Wilkinson who continue with the show.

Romeo who?! With her bags packed and ready to escape Verona, Juliet recovers from heartbreak in the best way possible… by dancing the night away with her best friends by her side! But when the sparkle fades, the confetti falls and reality catches up, it’s clear that Juliet needs to face her past in order to find her future. Can she reclaim a story that has been written in the stars? Is there really life after Romeo… or could he be worth one more try?

Come along for the ride as the original Anne Hathaway takes on her husband William Shakespeare to remix his legendary play. As comedy meets tragedy, will Juliet get the ending she truly deserves? And most importantly, can their love survive this battle of wills?

Fabulously fresh and riotously funny, & JULIET explodes with dozens of pop anthems by legendary songwriter Max Martin, including … Baby One More Time, Since U Been Gone, Roar, It’s My Life, I Want It That Way, and Can’t Stop the Feeling! The show also includes the brand new song One More Try, written especially for the show by Max.

Brought to life by an award-winning creative team, this vibrant, colourful and timely musical is directed by Luke Sheppard (In the Heights, Rent and What’s New Pussycat?) with a story by David West Read (Netflix’s Schitt’s Creek), electrifying choreography from Jennifer Weber and stunning set design from Soutra Gilmour.

Max Martin and Tim Headington present & Juliet, which is produced by Martin Dodd, Tim Headington, Max Martin, Jenny Petersson and Theresa Steele Page.

LONDON THEATRE WEEK

RETURNS 21 FEBRUARY – 6 MARCH

THE POPULAR PROMOTION SEES OVER 45 SMASH HIT WEST END SHOWS OFFERING TICKETS FROM JUST £15

London Theatre Week, the successful and popular West End theatre ticket promotion, has announced its return. The initiative, which is dedicated to helping audiences experience the breadth of entertainment available in London’s vibrant theatres by offering the best prices for the widest selection of West End shows, will run from Monday 21 February until Sunday 6 March.Even more shows are available this time around with prices from £15, Tickets are now on sale at londontheatreweek.com.

The initiative, which is in its fourth year and bigger than ever before, sees nearly 50 shows taking part. This includes classic West End productions and critically acclaimed shows such as The Lion King, The Book of Mormon, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Also, as part of the expansion of the initiative in 2022, newcomers to the West End stage such as Frozen, Back To The Future, and Cinderella are included.

Similar to in autumn 2021, London Theatre Week arrives at a time where the capital’s theatres are once again fully reopened and welcoming audiences back to experience live entertainment. Following the challenges brought about by the Covid pandemic, the promotion gives Londoners and visitors the chance to return to the theatre, and provides much-needed additional sales to dozens of productions across the city.  

“After seeing the positive impact the last London Theatre Week had on the West End and beyond, we couldn’t wait to host the initiative again,” said Brian Fenty, Co-Founder and CEO of TodayTix Group, the premier discovery and ticketing platform for cultural events across the globe. “As London continues its recovery, we want to enable audiences to enjoy the best theatre experiences the West End has to offer with a wide range of top shows and accessible prices.”

For more information about London Theatre Week, please visit londontheatreweek.com. 

The full list of shows are: & Juliet, After the End, Anything Goes, Back to the Future, Cinderella, Clybourne Park, Cock, Come From Away, Cyrano de Bergerac, Dear Evan Hansen, Death Drop, Dirty Dancing, Dr. Who – Time Fracture, Frozen, Get Up, Stand Up, Grease, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Heathers, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Magic Mike Live!, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Matilda, My Fair Lady, Ocean at the End of the Lane, Only Fools and Horses, Phantom of the Opera, Saturday Night Fever, Straight Line Crazy, The Book of Mormon, The Choir of Man, The Drifters Girl, The Glass Menagerie, The Glow, The Great Gatsby, The Lion King, The Mousetrap, The Play That Goes Wrong, The Seagull, The Southbury Child, The Woman in Black, Tina, Witness for the Prosecution and The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe

FULL CAST AND

FURTHER DATES

ANNOUNCED FOR

SOME MOTHERS DO ‘AVE ‘EM

2022 UK TOUR

The producers of the highly acclaimed UK tour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em are delighted to announce the casting of Susie Blake returning as Frank’s disapproving mother-in-law Mrs Fisher, Moray Treadwell as Mr Luscombe/Mr Worthington, James Paterson as Father O’Hara and Ben Watson as Desmond/Constable. They join the previously announced Joe Pasquale as the loveable but accident-prone Frank Spencer and Sarah Earnshaw as his long-suffering wife Betty. Also in the cast are Nick Wray and Alice Osmanski.

Susie Blake regularly appeared in the TV series and comedy specials of Victoria Wood, Russ Abbot and Stanley Baxter, and is perhaps particularly loved as the Continuity Announcer in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV.  She recently has appeared in Silky Hotel (BBC iPlayer), Kate & Koji (Series 1&2 – ITV), Not Going Out (BBC One), The Real Marigold Hotel (BBC One). She is known for playing regular Bev Unwin in Coronation Street from 2003 to 2006 and again in 2015, and regular Hillary Nicholson in Mrs Brown’s Boys.  Her films include Fierce Creatures and Nativity 3: Dude, Where’s My Donkey?!. Her theatre credits include  Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical (Dominion Theatre & Hall for Cornwall), My Fair Lady (Grange Festival), The Mirror Crack’d (UK Tour), Grumpy Old Women Live 2 & 3, When We Are Married (West End), Pygmalion (Chichester Festival Theatre), Madame Morrible in Wicked (West End) and Belinda Blair in Noises Off (National Theatre).

Moray Treadwell recently finished filming The Witcher: Blood Origin (Netflix). His theatre credits include No Man’s Land (UK tour), Hysteria (national tour for London Classic Theatre Company), The Railway Children (King’s Cross Theatre), The Beatles LOVE Show (Cirque Du Soleil, Las Vegas), Waiting For Godot (Italian tour), The Importance of Being Earnest (Vienna’s English Theatre) and The Ruling Class (Frankfurt’s English Theatre).

James Paterson made his London debut in the original production of The Phantom of the Opera. During his long association with the show he played the title role when Michael Crawford was indisposed and also played M. Andre. He became Resident Director for the national tours and the London production. His other theatre credits include Sunset Boulevard (London Coliseum), Half a Sixpence (Chichester Festival Theatre), Cats (UK/International Tour), Cinderella, Dick Whittington and Snow White (The London Palladium). James most recently played Herr Schulz in Cabaret for ARTS Aberdeen. His television credits include London’s Burning, Close To Home and Birds of a Feather.

Ben Watson is an actor, writer, director and comedian who recently starred in Around the World in 80 Days (Blackpool Grand Theatre). He regularly performs his own solo comedy show The History of Everything in 60 minutes. His theatre credits include Aladdin (White Rock Theatre, Hastings), I Capture The Castle (Watford Palace / Bolton Octagon / Oxford Playhouse), Blue Brothers Party (UK / Japan Tour), The Jungle Book (UK Tour), A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Comedy of Errors (Cambridge Shakespeare Festival).

The 2022 UK Tour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em will begin at The Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage on Tuesday 29 March 2022.

In addition Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em will now play Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford from 5 – 9 April, The Beck Theatre, Hayes from 12 – 16 April, Blackpool Grand Theatre from 10 – 14 May, Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle from 19 – 21 May, Richmond Theatre from 31 May – 4 June, The Orchard Theatre, Dartford from 7 – 11 June, Cheltenham Everyman Theatre 14 – 18 June, Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from 21 – 25 June, The Marlowe, Canterbury from 5 – 9 July, Palace Theatre, Southend from 12 – 16 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham from 19 – 23 July, Stoke Regent Theatre from 26 – 30 July, St Helens Theatre Royal from 2 – 6 August and Kings Theatre Portsmouth from 9 – 13 August.

Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em will be directed by Guy Unsworth and designed by Simon Higlett, with lighting design by Matt Haskins, sound design by Ian Horrocks-Taylor and choreography by Jenny Arnold.

The UK Tour will be produced by Limelight Productions.

Website: www.somemothersdoaveem.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/somemothersuk/

Twitter: @somemothersuk

2022 TOUR SCHEDULE

29 March – 2 April                  The Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage                  01438 363200

                                               www.gordon-craig.co.uk

5 – 9 April                               Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford                                      01483 44 00 00

                                               www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

12 – 16 April                           The Beck Theatre, Hayes                                        020 8561 8371

                                               www.becktheatre.org.uk

10 – 14 May                           Blackpool Grand Theatre                                        01253 290190

                                               www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk

19 – 21 May                           Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle          0844 2491 000

                                               tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk

31 May – 4 June                    Richmond Theatre                                                   0844 871 7615*

                                               www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre

7 – 11 June                            The Orchard Theatre, Dartford                               01322 220000

                                               www.orchardtheatre.co.uk

14 – 18 June                          Cheltenham Everyman Theatre                             01242 572 573

                                               www.everymantheatre.org.uk

21 – 25 June                          Aylesbury Waterside Theatre                                0844 871 7615*

                                               www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury-waterside-theatre

5 – 9 July                               The Marlowe, Canterbury                                      01227 787787

                                               marlowetheatre.com

12 – 16 July                           Palace Theatre, Southend                                      01702 351135

                                              palacetheatresouthend.co.uk

19 – 23 July                           The Alexandra, Birmingham                                   0844 871 7615*                                              

                                               www.atgtickets.com/birmingham                                     

26 – 30 July                           Stoke Regent Theatre                                            0844 871 7615*                                                                                             

                                                    www.atgtickets.com/stoke

2 – 6 August                           St Helens Theatre Royal                                        01744 756 000

                                               www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com

9 – 13 August                         Kings Theatre Portsmouth                                    023 9282 8282

                                               www.kingsportsmouth.co.uk

*calls cost 7p per min plus your phone company’s access charge

NATIONAL THEATRE SUMMER SEASON WITH LEADING ACTORS FROM STAGE AND SCREEN 

– NT Associate Simon Godwin returns to the NT to direct Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing in the Lyttelton theatre with John Heffernan as Benedick and Katherine Parkinson as Beatrice 

– Laurie Davidson, Kelvin Fletcher, Caroline Quentin and Natalie Simpson lead the cast of Jack Absolute Flies Again a new comedy by Richard Bean and Oliver Chris, directed by Emily Burns in the Olivier theatre 

– Writer and comedian Francesca Martinez brings her debut play All of Us to the Dorfman theatre, directed by Ian Rickson  

– Samira Wiley makes her NT debut as Angel Allen alongside Giles Terera as Guy Jacobs in Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky directed by Lynette Linton opening in the Lyttelton theatre in September

The National Theatre today announces new productions for all three South Bank stages this summer: Jack Absolute Flies Again in the Olivier theatre, Much Ado About Nothing in the Lyttelton theatre and All of Us in the Dorfman theatre with tickets on sale to the public from Thursday 10 March.  

Jack Absolute Flies Again a riotous and comedic new version of Sheridan’s The Rivals, co-written by Richard Bean (One Man, Two Guvnors) and Oliver Chris (Emma), will play in the Olivier theatre in July. Originally due to open in April 2020, Emily Burns (The Comeback) will direct Laurie Davidson (Cats) as Jack Absolute alongside Caroline Quentin (Jonathan Creek) as Mrs Malaprop, Natalie Simpson (Three Sisters) as Lydia Languish, Kelvin Fletcher (Emmerdale) as Dudley Scunthorpe and Kerry Howard (Him & Her) as Lucy, James Corrigan, Theo Cowan, Jordan Metcalfe, George Kemp, Akshay Sharan, Tim Steed, Geoffrey Towers, Shona White and Helena Wilson also join the company.  

Set and costume design is by Mark Thompson, lighting design by Tim Lutkin, composer is Paul Englishby, sound design by Paul Arditti and video and projection design by Jeff Sugg. Physical comedy director is Toby Park and choreography is by Lizzi Gee. Staff director is Cara Nolan.  

Simon Godwin (Romeo & Juliet) will return to the Lyttelton theatre to direct Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing in July. Set in the Italian Riviera at the fictional Hotel Messina, Katherine Parkinson (Home, I’m Darling) will play Beatrice with John Heffernan (The Pursuit of Love) as Benedick in Shakespeare’s timeless romantic comedy. With set design by Anna Fleischle, costume design by Evie Gurney and lighting design by Lucy Carter. Composer is Michael Bruce and sound design by Christopher Shutt. Staff Director is Hannah Joss.  

Award-winning writer and comedian Francesca Martinez will make her NT debut with her new play All of Us, directed by Ian Rickson. A powerful and timely drama that explores the human cost of abandoning those who struggle to fit in, the play was postponed due to Covid-19 and will now open in the Dorfman this July.  

The cast is led by Francesca Martinez alongside Chris Anderson, Oliver Alvin-Wilson, Bryan Dick, Kevin Hely, Christopher-John Slater, Francesca Mills and Wanda Opalinska. Set and costume design is by Georgia Lowe, lighting design by Anna Watson, movement direction by Lucy Cullingford. The composer is Stephen Warbeck, sound design by Gregory Clarke and fight director is Terry King. Staff Director is Hana Pascal Keegan. 

Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre, Lynette Linton makes her National Theatre debut with a new production of Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky in the Lyttelton theatre from September. This startling play set in 1930 during the Harlem renaissance, is about four friends whose lives and passions collide when a newcomer from Alabama arrives. Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale, Orange is the New Black) performs the role of Angel Allen with Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo (Three Sisters) as Delia Patterson, Osy Ikhile (Sweat) as Leland Cunningham, Sule Rimi (Barber Shop Chronicles) as Sam Thomas and Giles Terera (Death of England: Face to Face) performing the role of Guy Jacobs.  

Set and costume design by Frankie Bradshaw, lighting designer is Oli Fenwick, movement director is Kane Husbands, composer is Ben Kwasi Burrell, sound designer is George Dennis and Staff Director TD Moyo. Tickets for Blues for an Alabama Sky will go on sale in May. 

National Theatre Live 

Following the success of Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt broadcast to 40,000 people around the world on 27 January, NT Live continues with Henry V broadcast from the Donmar Warehouse on 21 April and Straight Line Crazy, a new play by David Hare, from the Bridge Theatre on 26 May.  

National Theatre Collection 

With 75% of all UK state secondary schools now signed up to the National Theatre Collection, ten additional productions will be available to schools, colleges and educational establishments from 24th February in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing and ProQuest. These ten new productions will complete the second Collection, making a total of 50 titles available to the education sector worldwide.  

The new titles include the multi-award-winning new staging of Tony Kushner’s two-part play Angels in America starring Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane, Denise Gough, Russell Tovey and James McArdle, award-winning one-woman play Chewing Gum Dreams written and performed by Michaela Coel and award-winning original film Romeo & Juliet directed by Simon Godwin with Jessie Buckley and Josh O’Connor as the star-crossed lovers.  

Free for UK state-funded schools and FE colleges, the NT Collection celebrates the best of British theatre and provides access to high-quality recordings of world-class productions from the NT and other leading UK theatres. The NT Collection is also available via subscription to education providers worldwide and is used in schools and colleges in 57 countries.   

West End and On Tour 

The National Theatre’s acclaimed production of The Ocean at the End of the Lane continues in London’s West End until 14 May. The first major stage adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s work, this fantasy novel is brought to life in an adaptation by Joel Horwood, directed by Katy Rudd.  

The internationally acclaimed production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time based on Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel, adapted by Simon Stephens and directed by Marianne Elliott, continues on a 10th anniversary tour of the UK and Ireland this spring. 

International

Following an acclaimed Broadway run, The Lehman Trilogy by Stefano Massini and adapted by Ben Power, tours to the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles this spring.  Sam Mendes directs Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley and Howard W. Overshown who play the Lehman Brothers, their sons and grandsons. A co-production with Neal Street Productions.

Forum Theatre, Malvern – 18th February 2022

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

4.5****

A musical legacy handled with care!

The Travelling Wilburys were a super-group initiated by George Harrison in 1988. Given George’s penchant for fun (he funded Monty Python’s Life Of Brian film) it’s only fitting that the evening should start with a whole lotta fun chatting with Jayne (Jayne Connor, the show’s Manager) at the intriguing merchandise stand with an exciting Wilbury Twist: a brand new Epiphone guitar, signed by the band, being raffled. You don’t get that at every merchandise stand!

Tonight’s tribute band consists of Paul Hopkins (Roy Orbison), Mark Pearon (George Harrison), Aubrey Robinson (Bob Dylan), Red Litchfield (Jeff Lynne), Buddy Baker (Tom Petty) and Jake Perrett (Jim Keltner). Paul is a very engaging (main) front man, with an assured onstage presence and an infectious sense of humour. It’s an ensemble affair though, as the entire band are crowd pleasers. This is a genuinely funny show, with special mention going to Mark (as George) explaining what happened to Travelling Wilburys Vol 2. Hilarious! The band do a fine job of appearing like our heroes, which adds to the occasion (of course), but it’s really all about the music. And boy does it help when you have a back catalogue as rich as the original Wilbury lineup! That’s a classic show of top notch tunes covering the history of rock ‘n’ pop right there! I could single out each band member for marvellous solo moments but it’s as a collective that they shone most brightly. “I Won’t Back Down”, “Pretty Woman”, “Mr. Blue Sky”, “Blowin’ In The Wind”… as you can see the instrumentation needed for such an eclectic set list is extremely varied. Luckily the band have plenty of talent, which hit its peak perfection (for me) on “Here Comes The Sun” with the stunning backing parts sumptuously recreated on keyboards! Fun facts about the songs and band are interspersed throughout by the musicians as well as on the big screen behind them. Audience participation is greatly encouraged too and with everyone having such a fab time we didn’t need much persuading!

The introduction of Jayne showed she was a natural on the stage as well as off! She even managed to make not winning the guitar enjoyable. I’ll buy more raffle tickets next time… This was a real feel good night out with talented musicians engrossed in the music of the band they’re paying homage to. In fact that’s one of the biggest things I took away from the show – it was a total celebration of these great artists and their music. I’m sure the original Wilburys would be thrilled to know that their legacy is being handled with care. From the evidence of tonight’s performance this new incarnation has certainly not come to the end of the line! I will definitely catch their show next time they are in town and I unreservedly recommend you do the same. I’m sure you will love them just as much as I did tonight.

Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield – until 26th February 2022

Reviewed by Sophie Dodworth

4****

Far Gone is at the Crucible Studio theatre which is the perfect place for it to debut its tour. The theatre is small and intimate which really suits the one-man production.

The audience is drawn in right from walking into the Studio. There we meet Okumu, in Uganda, playing with a toy as he looks for volunteers from the audience to play with him. Before the production starts, we are instructed to verbally join in on certain parts of the show which, evidently later, really contributes and adds to the atmosphere.

Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster as you are taken on this journey. Follow Okumu on his heart wrenching journey of being taken by the Lords Resistance Army, as a young boy. We watch him grow with the LRA and go through some of the most testing times with them, physically and mentally. He witnesses and causes death, pain and heartache.

Okumu is played by John Rwothomack who also wrote this show. What a performance by this talented man. He also takes on the roles of all the other characters in the performance, not an easy feat. His ability to switch between characters and never falter is astonishing. The use of the stage and the movement, created by Movement Director Akeim Toussaint Buck, is crucial to keeping this show fluid and clear to the audience.

The set by Kevin Jenkins is minimal, barely there really; just some decorative pieces hanging but they do make some atmospheric shapes when the lighting is just right over them. The same can be said for the lighting (by designer – Will Monks), not many lights at all but the way the lighting used is done expertly and is so effective.

This show really is a must see… it has the solid talent, enticing story line and really leaves you thinking about what you have just seen. Isn’t that what theatre is supposed to do?

Southampton Mayflower – until 5th March 2022

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

5*****

Robert Lopez Trey Parker’s award winning ‘Book of Mormon’ brings its mission to Southampton-and it will make you laugh until you cry!!

We join Elder’s Price and Cunningham (Robert Colvin and Connor Peirson) as they try to speak to a tribe in Uganda and preach to them the word of God – the Book of Mormon. Hilarity ensues as this perfect pair have fights and eventually make up, as Elder Price is devastated to be in Uganda and not Orlando. Elder Cunningham (Peirson) is stupendous; both charming and entrancing, he really carries this show to perfection. Along with his perfect comedic timing and brilliant vocals (excelling in Man Up), he fills the stage and elevates the show to the highest heights! Robert Colvin as Elder Price, the long suffering ‘best friend’ of Elder Cunningham, has a lovely voice and made the audience laugh with his brilliantly selfish persona. Upon arrival in Uganda, we meet Nabalungi (Avila Tulley) the daughter of Mafala (Ewen Cummings). Both Nabalungi and Mafala are incredibly fantastic characters, paying homage to both Lopez and Parker’s writing excellence. Mafala (Cummings) sings easily the most offensive but hard hitting song ‘Hasa Diga Eebowai’ with ease and perfection. Tulley has a lovely innocence during her solo ‘Sal Tlay ka Siti’. The ensemble are also superb during this performance, with a special mention to Jordan Lee Davies as Elder McKinley. He has a brilliant stage presence and performed the role with ease and complete believability.

This show is a true testament to all cast and creatives with the costuming and set design being so exquisite. Having seen the show before on the west end, this is a stunning performance and is definitely not one to miss! Be warned there are swearing and explicit references during, so may not be suitable for under 14’s. Definitely go to catch the show and join the mission of Southampton!

Wilton’s Music Hall – until 19 February then touring until 2 April

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

The trial and execution of William Corder for the murder of Maria Marten caused a sensation, with thousands showing morbid curiosity, and souvenir hunters removing pieces of Maria’s gravestone and the barn in which she was murdered, and her body hidden. Beth Flintoff’s play begins with Maria, bloody and ghostly, describing her death but wanting to share the story of her life. What follows is a moving retelling of Maria’s short life and the injustices faced by women in the 19th century.

Flintoff doesn’t shy from the hardships of country life for poor families, and the group of friends in young Maria’s Hazard Club face many hazards as they grow up with no money, no rights and no contraceptives. The double standards of the women bearing all the shame and responsibility when having a child out of wedlock while the men rack it up to experience are laid bare as the girls mature and men take interest. Only two of these men are portrayed onstage – the fathers of two of Maria’s children – Thomas Corder (older brother of her murderer) and Peter Matthews. William Corder is never seen, but the two previous relationships need to be seen to understand why Maria fell under William’s influence. His gaslighting of Maria will make your blood boil, especially as Maria herself narrates his actions whilst blaming herself; and the gradual isolation from her friends and family, and their attempts to get through to her, are painful to watch. Things don’t get much better for the women after her body is eventually found and the trial begins, as their voices and testimonies go unheeded. Flintoff gives the women one last act of defiance and sisterhood, with shades of Emilia, but with a greater sense of urgency that leaves Maria’s ghost smiling in serene approval.

This doesn’t, in essence, make for an uplifting show, but the inclusion of Luke Potter’s hauntingly evocative music and songs create magical moments of dance, joy and love. Amongst the dark narrative, director Hal Chambers highlights plenty of silliness and gallows humour – mostly from Hanora Kamen as Sarah Stowe, unapologetic and defiant as the villagers judge her, and Susie Barrett as Lucy Baalham, god-fearing and jealous of Maria. Elizabeth Crarer is magnetic as Maria – whether incandescent with love or in the depths of despair as her reality is rewritten by Calder, Crarer gives Maria a sense of wild, untameable energy which makes Calder’s actions even more heinous.

This emotional story of Maria Marten’s life is part folk tale, part social commentary, and completely absorbing – a lyrical and exuberant show that will haunt you.

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh – until 20 February 2022

Reviewed by James Knight.

4****

It’s a rare thing for a family-oriented production to open with the child protagonists’ parents dying during the Blitz. Rarer still to continue with an entirely non-verbal prologue detailing those children in the traumatic aftermath. Welcome to ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’, folks. Mary Poppins this ain’t. 

The 1971 Walt Disney film, with music by the Sherman Brothers (also famous for Mary Poppins), clearly hoped to capitalise on the success of the Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke spectacular. English period setting? Check. A woman with magical powers, looking after adorable children with absent parents? Check? Animated characters? David Tomlinson? All there. But while still regarded as a classic, it was never quite as popular as Poppins. 

The new stage show however, aims to correct that. Despite the grim opening, and the looming threat of invasion throughout, this is still a light-hearted musical about magic, hope, and the power of just believing. 

Eglantine Price (Dianne Pilkington) has been learning witchcraft via a correspondence course with ‘The Great Professor Emelius Browne’ (Charles Brunton), and now she has to take charge of three recently orphaned evacuees: Charlie, Carrie and Paul Rawlins (Conor O’Hara, Izabella Bucknell* and Aidan Oti*). After discovering her secret, Miss Price reveals to the children that she needs one last spell to defend the country against an imminent invasion. That last spell however, is going to prove very difficult to get hold of, as her witchcraft course has been cancelled… 

So begins a magical journey that whisks the audience to London to find Emelius Browne and then to the Island of Nopeepo, all via a flying bed. 

The magic used is superb and used to great effect. Directors Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison, of theatre company Vox Motus, know precisely when to let the technical wizardry do the work, and when to let older, more traditional methods, like puppetry, take the lead (Harrison also designed the set, of which the looming ruins of the Rawlins’ former house maintain a constant reminder of the trauma they have faced, and the threat that is to come). During ‘A Step in the Right Direction’, Eglantine learns to fly a broom for the first time and the results are hilarious and bewitching all at once. Little touches, such as the flying bed passing through an archway, or a person appearing mid-air when they have turn back from a rabbit, heighten the magic effortlessly. 

Most of the Sherman Brother’s songs remain from the film, but new ones written by Neil Bartram to flesh out characters or moments. Some of these are more successful than others, and two songs near the climax (It’s Now, Onward) feel underpowered, and don’t manage to capture the emotion that is required at such an important point. And after the wonderful ‘Portobello Road’ I was expecting great things from ‘The Beautiful Briny’ and a dance competition between the fish and Miss Price and Emelius, but the choreography seemed simple and clumsy in comparison. Also, parents be warned: it’s a long show for little ones, despite the magic onstage. 

That being said, the theatrical tricks that are used work wonders, whether it’s the incredible puppetry for the various animals that appear or the simple movement of set by the Ensemble to show our heroes’ journey when they’re not travelling by bed. Theatre has always been about magic in some form, and the cast and crew of Bedknobs and Broomsticks honour that tradition impeccably. 

 *on night reviewed