THE OTHER PALACE
REHOMES VAULT FESTIVAL SHOWS

AND ANNOUNCES ITS SPRING 22 STUDIO PROGRAMME

ALONGSIDE NEW MUSICALS LOVE IS ONLY LOVE

AND MILLENNIALS

HEATHERS THE MUSICAL EXTENDS
UNTIL SUNDAY 1 MAY 2022

The Other Palace is pleased to announce that it has been able to support several shows that were due to perform in the cancelled Vault Festival, in The Other Palace Studio. Two musicals – Love is only Love written by Sam Harrison returns following its sold out debut at The Other Palace, and Millennials with Music, Book & Lyrics by Elliot Clay will premiere in the theatre’s studio programme. Heathers, the smash hit musical in the main house will extend for 10 weeks.

Over the course of the coming months a series of performances will take place in the intimate 100-seat Studio at The Other Palace. This includes rehomed productions from the Vault Festival, alongside workshops, concerts, and staged readings, all focussed on supporting new work and developing the next generation of theatre-makers.

The season includes: Once upon a (Love) Song performed by Kieran Brown along with a host of West End Stars, Le Wine Club written and performed by Anna Larkin (The Play That Goes Wrong), The Greatest Hits of Lily & Johnwritten and performed by Rosanna Adams (The Mirror and the Light for the RSC) and Calum Sivyer (Windmill Theatre’s Cabaret), The Night Woman written and performed by Julene Robinson (Get Up Stand Up!), Little Sausage, Period Dramas, Is He Musical?, Grey Widow, The Einstein Letter, The Platform, Luke Bayer and Grace Mouat in Concert, Scott Folan in the Basement. Millennials, a musical with Music, Book & Lyrics by Elliot Clay and Love is only Love written by Sam Harrison.

Tickets go on general sale on Friday 28^th January from 5pm with priority booking available for Friends / Best Friends (Members) of The Other Palace at 12pm. Become a friend of The Other Palace to get priority booking, exclusive offers, and discounts. Join online at https://theotherpalace.co.uk/get-involved/membership/

Bill Kenwright said “I’m very pleased that we have been able to support some of the shows that suffered due to the cancellation of the Vault Festival. Just as we have several new projects and ideas for the space. The studio at The Other Palace is such a beautiful, intimate space that really has its own character, a cabaret-esque jazz bar feel combined with a black-box theatre space with a modern twist. It is ideally suited to providing an intimate atmosphere for new material.”

Paul Taylor-Mills said, “We are so excited to be starting this new chapter in The Other Palace’s journey, reopening the Studio with such a great range of new and exciting projects, working with new and emerging artists and producers as well as developing our exciting own new musical projects”.

VAULT FESTIVAL REHOMED PRODUCTIONS

Le Wine Club

Written and performed by Anna Larkin

Audiences are invited to join the Anna Lou Larkin for a tipple as she sets out to solve the mystery of who killed her lover, whilst indulging in the world of wine and adding splashes of accordion-based musical comedy and magic for good measure.

Grey Widow

In this award-winning monologue play, Lady Aria Grey tells the haunting tale of her husband’s life, her husband’s death, and her husband’s restless ghost.

Winner of the London Horror Festival Playwriting Competition 2019

Is He Musical?

IS HE MUSICAL? is an intimate, joyous musical comedy inspired by the true stories of the queer friends who loved, lived, and partied across 1930s London.

Period Dramas

Heather Milsted’s debut solo show all about the history of menstruation. It’s a comedic, cabaret piece that aims to bust open the menstrual taboo and teach the history you didn’t learn in school.

Little Sausage

Little Sausage is a new musical about everything Piers Morgan hates: men defying toxic masculinity, vegan sausage rolls, and the truth. It is a verbatim musical that explores the relationship between veganism and masculinity.

The Greatest Hits of Lily & John

Written and performed by Rosanna Adams and Calum Sivyer

The Greatest Hits of Lily and John is a semi auto-biographical, modern folk story exploring loneliness, creativity and how friendship and conversation can inspire change.

The Night Woman

Written and performed by Julene Robinson

The Night Woman tells the gripping story of a fearless journey into the dark. With Caribbean folktales, movement and music taking centre stage, this path towards healing is urgent now more than ever during these times of pandemic and BLM.

NEW STUDIO PRODUCTIONS

Once Upon A (Love) Song

Kieran Brown (Heathers, Phantom, Wicked) will be joined on Valentine’s Day by a host of West End Stars, including some Heathers cast mates for an evening of song and stories of love, loss, and everything in between.

The Platform

An evening of new writing and emerging artists, performing a host of monologues, scenes, and stand-up routines. This event is all about creating a safe, supportive, and symbiotic evening for actors, audiences, and performers.

The Einstein Letter

A staged reading. A Havisham-esque Amanda Wingfield languishes in a London bedsit and all she has left is her meal delivery man. Touching, hilarious – brutal.

Luke Bayer and Grace Mouat in Concert

Paper House Productions invite you to a spectacular evening of live music from the West End’s very own Luke Bayer (Everybody’s talking about Jamie, Rent, Soho Cinders) and Grace Mouat (Six, & Juliet), singing your favourite songs and joined by some amazing guests.

Scott Folan in the Basement 

Armed only with a guitar and piano (and a special guest), Scott Folan (Be More Chill, Cyrano film) will share his inner most thoughts and feelings through his intimate songs and intricate melodies. He will play some songs you may have heard and some you definitely won’t have, all to try to convey, through music, how he became the man he is today.

Love is only Love

By Sam Harrison, Directed by Jason Morell

“I’m six years old, about to watch Hello Dolly starring Barbra Streisand for the first time, and I’m terrified.”

After a sold-out debut and run at The Other Palace, Love Is Only Love triumphantly returns.

In 1993 suburban Australia a young boy’s life is changed forever when he discovers the passionate romance of Hollywood musicals. So begins a decades-long, round-the-world quest to find his own kind of romance.

Directed by Jason Morell, with Sam Harrison as the boy and David Seadon-Young as all the loves of his life, this is a joyful, tender, and honest celebration of young love.

“It’s as perfect a way to spend an hour or so in the theatre as I can imagine… Its charm will last your whole life long.” LiveTheatreUK

“A deeply touching paean of praise to the hidden power of all musical theatre. Scrupulous direction by Jason Morell elicits knockout performances from a beguiling Harrison and dazzling David Seadon-Young… As elegantly witty as it is touching (very)”

David Benedict, The Stage

“Love is only Love, by Sam Harrison is an honest, intelligent, engaging, wonderful piece of theatre.” Encore

Millennials

Music, Book, and Lyrics by Elliot Clay

MILLENNIALS turns up the microphone on the lives, the losses, and the frustrations of young people in the modern world. A generation that is so often defined by tabloid headlines, tweets and of course, avocados, pick up the mic and transport us inside their extraordinarily ordinary lives. Written and composed by Elliot Clay, this powerful and uplifting collection of songs runs the gamut of modern pop-music and sends musical theatre hurtling into the 21st Century.

HEATHERS THE MUSICAL

The UK premiere of Heathers the Musical enjoyed two record-breaking opening seasons, launching at London’s The Other Palace, and transferring to the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2018; going on to win the WhatsOnStage award for Best New Musical 2019. It enjoyed a second season at Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2020, before embarking on a national tour until December 2021.

After its return to The Other Palace, it was initially booking until February 2022 but due to popular demand it will now play until Sunday 1 May 2022.

TuckShop & Trafalgar Theatre Productions

“Kill for a ticket”

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Daily Star Sunday

STARRING

RuPaul’s Drag Race Superstar and star of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World

JUJUBEE

&

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series Three Finalist

KITTY SCOTT-CLAUS

&

Reprising her West End star turn

HOLLY STARS

CRITERION THEATRE

FRIDAY 4 MARCH – 24 APRIL 2022

TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY 31 JANUARY

FROM DEATHDROPPLAY.COM

WRITTEN BY HOLLY STARS

BASED ON AN IDEA BY CHRISTOPHER D. CLEGG DIRECTED BY JESSE JONES

Following rave reviews, a smash hit UK tour and two sold out West End runs, the fabulous killer comedy sensation Death Drop is sashaying back into London for a fabulous third time. The show will open at the Criterion Theatre for limited run from Friday 4 March until Sunday 24 April. Tickets are on sale from Monday 31 January at DeathDropPlay.com.

Described by Attitude as a “killer show” and “rollicking good fun” by The Guardian, this new London residency will also feature some amazing new casting: making her West End debut RuPaul’s Drag Race legend Jujubee and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Kitty Scott-Claus. Together with Holly Stars and a full drag cast in this hilarious murder mystery.

Written by Holly Stars, this “dazzling and delightfully camp comedy” is “jam-packed with hilarious one liners” and guaranteed to provide laugh-out-loud comedy that we all need right now. This show is like nothing you’ve seen ever before!

Jujubee, who is about to star in the BBC’s RuPaul’s UK Drag Race vs The World, said: “I am so excited to be joining the cast of Death Drop in London’s West End. I cannot wait to perform alongside these incredible artists”

Kitty Scott-Claus, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series Three finalist, said: “I am thrilled to be heading back to the West End with the wonderful team at TuckShop! I’ve got some big heels to fill following Courtney and Willam – but luckily I’m a size 10 so I’m used to big shoes.”

TuckShop Creative Director and Producer Christopher D. Clegg said: “We are beyond excited to be bringing Death Drop back for its third West End season. The audiences of this show are wild for Holly Stars’ hilarious comedy, and having Kitty Scott-Claus, who’s first ever drag gig was for TuckShop in Gals Aloud, headlining after her star turn on Drag Race UK is a great full circle moment. To have one of the worlds most beloved Drag Queens Jujubee playing opposite Kitty will make for one unforgettable, fabulous, and fierce night in the theatre!”

It’s 1991 and a gaggle of guests gather on Tuck Island for a soirée like no other. The tension rises as the outrageous guests reveal their suspicious and sordid pasts, and one by one they sashay away, until at the last, nerve-shredding, side-splitting moment the surviving guests find out who-dunnit!

This rampant, raucous, ridiculous romp of a murder mystery serves up all the drama, comedy, twists and turns you’ll ever need!

Listings Information

Criterion Theatre

First Performance: 4 March 2022

Final performance: 24 April 2022

Performances: Wednesday – Thursday at 8pm, Friday at 5pm & 8.30pm,

Saturday at 4pm & 8pm and Sunday at 4pm Website: www.deathdropplay.com

Twitter: @deathdropplay

Instagram: @deathdropplay

Facebook: Facebook.com/deathdropplay

FOR BLACK BOYS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE HUE GETS TOO HEAVY IN RARE OFF WEST END TRANSFER FROM NEW DIORAMA THEATRE TO DOWNSTAIRS AT ROYAL COURT

Today, New Diorama Theatre and Nouveau Riche announce the transfer of their co-production For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy by Ryan Calais Cameron to play in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre from 31^st March – 30^th April 2022. This marks one of the very few productions ever to transfer directly from an Off-West End theatre into the prestigious Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs in the Royal Court Theatre’s 66 year history.

Commissioned as part of New Diorama’s Tenth Anniversary Season, the show’s landmark transfer further establishes New Diorama as the UK’s most bold and pioneering supporter of independent theatre companies. The timely announcement comes as New Diorama is also currently shortlisted for The Stage Fringe Theatre of the Year 2022.

For Nouveau Riche it continues the meteoric rise of a company who have been increasingly winning awards and international acclaim for their productions, including Typical and Queens of Sheba.

For Black Boys Who Have considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavywas one of the first shows to be made at New Diorama’s revolutionary Post-Lockdown artist recovery hub NDT Broadgate, where Nouveau Riche are Associates. Launched in 2021 as brand new 20,000 square foot rehearsal and development complex, NDT Broadgate is gifted entirely free as a radical gesture to support independent artists get back on their feet.

After the show’s total sell-out run at New Diorama in October-November 2021, which saw ticket queues every night, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy will now transform the Royal Court Theatre’s stage into a “Black boy fantasia” blending movement, music, story-telling, and verse in a kaleidoscope of Black male mental health. Rich with honesty and insight, the show was developed with support from co-commissioner Boundless Theatre as part of their Accelerator programme.

Co-directed by Ryan Calais Cameron and Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, the original cast (Emmanuel Akwafo, Mark Akintimehin, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh and Kaine Lawrence) will all perform in the transferred production.

Playwright and Nouveau Riche artistic director Ryan Calais Cameron said: “After 10 years of writing and developing ‘For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy’ it was remarkable to experience these stories at New Diorama. This transfer will be a huge cultural event and landmark for Nouveau Riche and our community, to see the words ‘For Black Boys…’ in bright lights in the centre of Sloane Square.”

David Byrne, Artistic Director of New Diorama Theatre, said “Nouveau Riche and Artistic Director Ryan Calais Cameron broke all our box office records with our co-production of For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, so it feels right they break even more records – being one of the few shows ever to transfer straight from an Off-West End theatre to Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre. I’m delighted NDT is going along for the ride, with a front row seat to watch this exceptional company take over the world.”

Theatre Support Fund+ and Aqua Shard

reunite to offer a show-stopping prize draw

of unique paintbrushes

signed by renowned theatre actors

including Dame Judi Dench,

Olivia Coleman & Joanna Lumley 

Exclusively designed paintbrushes which made up Aqua Shard’s show-stopping 2021 Christmas tree in support of Theatre Support Fund+ are to be offered in a prize draw which will launch on Friday 28 January from 1.00pm to tie in with BBC One’s Big night of musicals.

800 stunning, golden, brushes dipped in glitter made up the tree, which was designed by distinguished British Theatre Designer Soutra Gilmour, and created by Theatre Support Fund+’s own Chris Marcus alongside Jonathan Hall and their team at Marcus Hall props.

50 of the 800 paintbrushes have been signed by a host of renowned actors from the theatre community, including Hugh Bonneville, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Coleman, Stockard Channing, Trevor Dion Nicholas, Tamsin Greig, Dame Judi Dench, Alice Fearn, Sir Derek Jacobi, John Owen Jones, Robert Lindsay, Joanna Lumley, Trevor Dion Nicholas, Sir Ian McKellen, Mazz Murray, Catherine Tate, David Suchet, Zizi Strallen and Layton Williams with many more to be announced. Over 50 prizes will be up for grabs in a prize draw offered by Theatre Support Fund+ to raise monies for freelancers in the theatre industry which is still recovering from the ongoing pandemic.

The team are offering supporters the chance to enter the prize draw by purchasing a £10 ticket via the Theatre Support Fund+ website. All monies raised will go to their charity partners Acting For others and Fleabag Support Fund. 50 prizes are up for grabs with more names being released over the next 24 hours on our social media.  One lucky winner will also win the magical Peter Pan afternoon tea for 2 at Aqua Shard, on the 31^st floor of The Shard in London. *Terms and conditions apply

The theatre industry has suffered two years of uncertainty and show closures as a result of the Pandemic which has massively affected the entire community especially its freelancers who have been offered little support from the government and continue to face difficult times. The team continue to raise monies for those who face hardship with the theatre community being one of the hardest hit industries from the coronavirus pandemic.

To be in with a chance of winning one of the 50 prizes and to help continue the work of the Theatre Support Fund+ visit www.theatresupportfund.co.uk  to purchase a £10 ticket be in with a chance of winning one of these remarkable and exclusive prizes

Supporters have from 1pm on Friday 28^th January until midnight on Sunday 6th February to purchase tickets. Winners will be picked at random and announced on Monday 7th February.

The Show Must Go On!

Royal & Derngate Northampton and Improbable present An Improbable Musical – a new musical created every night

Royal & Derngate is delighted to present An Improbable Musical as part of its Made in Northampton 2021/22 season. With a brand-new show created at each performance, An Improbable Musical sees world renowned theatre company Improbable take to the Royal stage in Northampton from Friday 25 February to Saturday 5 March, ahead of an autumn tour. 

Their cast of seasoned improvisers includes Josie Lawrence (Whose Line Is It Anyway; Good Omens, Amazon/BBC; The King and I, London Palladium), Janet Etuk (Satyagraha, English National Opera), Niall Ashdown (Tristan and Yseult, Kneehigh), Ruth Bratt (Showstopper! The Improvised Musical) and Adam Courting (Extreme Improv), along with versatile musicians Max Gittings on flute, Joley Cragg on percussion and Juliet Colyer on cello.  The production is directed by co-artistic director of Improbable Lee Simpson (70 Hill Lane, Lifegame, Theatre of Blood, Comedy Store Players) and the associate director is Angela Clerkin (Moll and the Future Kings, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse).

Some of the best bits of any show are the parts that audiences never get to see – beautiful moments of discovery, fresh minted gags, a story coming alive for the first time – all of this traditionally happens in the rehearsal room. With this new production, maestros of improvised theatre Improbable let audiences in on those moments by improvising from scratch a new show made especially for the room that night. Story, song and puppetry will be conjured from the unlikeliest materials and every moment of creation (or lack of it) witnessed. This is not an attempt to improvise the “classic” musical but an unapologetic experiment in starting with nothing and seeing where the night ends.

For three decades Improbable have created improvised shows that have captivated audiences across the world from off-Broadway to the National Theatre. Their productions have ranged from the hilarious to the heart-breaking, the anarchic to the eerily atmospheric but their first ever improvised musical aims to spin theatrical magic out of thin air. 

Lee Simpson,co-artistic director of Improbable said: “Improv has come of age. There are very successful make-it-up-as-you-go-along shows. Most often they take a genre we know and love and give us their improvised version. The best of these are brilliant. We love them.

An Improbable Musical is a little bit different. Because the “frame” for the show is not a genre, it’s just what is in the theatre: a skeletal tower of stairs, puppets, musicians, actors and the audience. This is theatre made out of listening: performers and musicians listen to each other, to the audience, to the dreams swirling around the auditorium and from that they find the next moment of the show. A bit more listening in the world is worth a try, right?”

The show is designed by E Mallin Parry (Hamlet, Shakespeare’s Globe; Rotterdam. West End). The musical devisor and director is Christopher Ash (Austentatious and Mischief Movie Night, West End) and the puppet designer and director is Aya Nakamura (collaborator with Horse+Bamboo and Theatre-Rites), and both will also be part of the cast. 

Lighting design is by Colin Grenfell (Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) and Black Watch West End), sound design by Oscar Thompson (Rob Brydon Songs and Stories, UK Tour) and Will Thompson (Salome, Southwark Playhouse), and movement direction by Pauline Mayers (What I Told You, UK tour).

The production has been developed as part of a five-year project which has seen Royal & Derngate lead a national consortium of partners to support 150 artists in nurturing the creation of new musical theatre. 

Over the last five years, with the support of Arts Council England’s Ambition for Excellence fund, Royal & Derngate has been leading a consortium including China Plate, Improbable, Mercury Musical Developments, Musical Theatre Network, Perfect Pitch and Scottish Opera, to develop original new musicals, including the critically acclaimed Gin Craze!, a brand new musical by April De Angelis and Lucy Rivers, which premiered at Royal & Derngate in July 2021. 

An Improbable Musical can be seen at Royal & Derngate, Northampton from Friday 25 February to Saturday 5 March. Tickets priced from £11* can be booked by calling Box Office on 01604 624811 or online at www.royalandderngate.co.uk. 

The Made in Northampton season is sponsored locally by Michael Jones Jewellers.

* A charge of £3.50 applies for all transactions of £20 and over. Does not apply to Groups, Members or Disabled Patrons, and is per-transaction, not per-ticket.

Southampton Mayflower – until 29th January 2022

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

5*****

It isn’t often that one gets to watch a stage adaptation of their favourite book, but even if you haven’t read the original from Mark Haddon, this is a work of art.

We follow Connor Curren as Christopher Boone, our protagonist, whilst he navigates through the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime. Curren is superb in this role and he has such an emotive performance that reduced me to tears by the end of the show. From the start, Curren commands the stage with such grace and never leaves the stage except for the interval. This is a vastly physically demanding role and Curren really excels. Together with his Tom Peters, as his father, this is a great casting. The emotion and rapport between the two was great, giving us a truly immersive performance. Words can’t describe how brilliant this cast is and how the staging and direction from Simon Stephens and Marianna Elliott dive you deep into the world of a young person with autism. With a sensory overload during the show and flashing lights and smoke, you start to understand how the world is overwhelming for a young person with needs.

A huge mention needs to go to both Rebecca Root and Sophie Stone as Siobhan and Christophers mum. Both of these actors were captivating, with Siobhan being the support for Christopher and popping up in the audience, she really brought us in and glided through the piece. Sophie Stone as Christophers mum was brilliant, giving such empathy and support to Curren as his character had overloads through the show and broke down.

This is a sterling piece with such an incredible cast, one that you will never forget. I urge you to see this stupendous show and experience the wonders of the world through an autistic persons eyes

HIT STAGE SHOW 80’s MANIA STANDS HEAD AND SHOULDER PADS ABOVE THE REST

Endorsed by Radio 1 breakfast DJ during the Eighties, Mike Read, as being “like Live Aid meets Top of the Pops” – 80’s MANIA is sweeping into Darlington this March.

From West End producer, director, performer and choreographer Vikki Holland-Bowyer, and partner Greg Stevenson, the hit-packed production features back-combed hair, shimmying shoulder pads, wet-look neon leggings, the lairiest of leotards, indiscriminate double denim and 24-7 sunglasses – and that’s just a description of the audience of Europe’s official long-standing premier 1980’s multi-tribute concert show. . .

28 chart-topping artistes from the 80’s are authentically recreated to look and sound as they did back in the day with a full live band, awesome dancers, mind-blowing lasers and light design combined with huge video projection complete the production together with over 150 costumes!

Kim Wilde, Duran Duran, Adam Ant, Boy George, Wham, Erasure, Soft Cell, the Human League, Dead or Alive, Nena, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Gary Numan, and Tony Hadley are just some of the stars you will witness in this high energy, fast paced, party style show!

Producers Vikki and Greg say that 80’s Mania features something for everyone.

“It’s broader in its range of music than your widest shoulder pads, standing stiletto-heels-like head and shoulders above the rest. We promise a show bigger than the biggest hair the Eighties had to offer. . . catch 80’s Mania – it’s sweeping the nation!”

“It’s totally unique,” says Vikki. “Audiences take the time to prepare and dress as their favourite pop stars, reliving the childhood memories that the 80’s helped make so unforgettable.

“Hen parties, stag nights, school reunions, office parties, couples and groups all come along to have a good night out, reminisce, sing, dance and clap along to their favourite Eighties tunes.”

80s Mania will be at the Hippodrome on Saturday 5th March at 7.30pm. Tickets cost just £16.50 and can be purchased from darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk or by calling the Box office on 01325 405405.

Malvern Theatre – until 29th January 2022

Reviewed by Kathie Hodges

5*****

As we left the theatre I gave a deathly stare to my husband. It was inevitable I would let him know if he ever does such a thing there will be a murder. I wonder how many others left with the same state of mind after watching Same Time, Next Year?

Set in 1951 this story begins with Doris played by Sarah Kempton and George played by Kieran Buckeridge, waking up after a one night stand, or at least what they assumed to be so, however that one night turns into a twenty four year series of one-night stands in which Doris and George return to the same cottage annually for a weekend rendezvous.

This saucy in parts, romantic comedy is based on the Broadway hit show, which was adapted to film in 1978 and it really is oddly gripping and entertaining.

You quickly push aside the sins of the affair and get to know the pair in a sympathetic way, quietly brushing under the carpet the damage the two are placing on their marriages.

Over the years the characters change, on occasion quite dramatically, from dress sense and hairstyles to political ideals but as several years pass between scenes, simply defined each time with the actors producing a small chalk board stating ‘Happy, 5th’ Happy 10th’ and so on, the reasons behind the changes are cleverly explained to the audience.

The relationship is about so much more than sex. The couple are really both learning and growing together, navigating the changing world, and the uncertainty of life, careers and children, but one thing remains the same. That one weekend of the year they share. No matter how they may have changed, the weekend stays the same. A safe familiar retreat that the pair have grown to want and need and look forward to.

It’s a fun show and there are many giggles, the actors are believable and did a wonderful job at pulling the audience in and keeping us on tenterhooks. I think we all wondered if it would come to an abrupt end, but did it? You will have to watch to see for yourself. No spoilers here.

York Theatre Royal – Tuesday 25th January 2021

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

3.5***

This Macbeth is bought to life by The HandleBards, a cycling Shakespearean Company that tries to cycle their way to different venues, with a zero-emission electric van carrying their wooden stage and bicycle-powered set accompanying them. York Theatre Royal is hosting this environmentally sustainable company, with three shows over two days.

The all-female troupe of three actors, Kathryn (Kat) Perkins, Natalie (Nat) Simone and Jenny Smith, I was so wanting her name to be something like Pat, but alas, it wasn’t to be, introduce themselves to the audience and tell us who they will be portraying. Yes, only three actors playing all the characters. If you’ve seen one of HandleBards shows before, you know you are going to be treated to a condensed madcap, chaotic and humorous take on the traditional Shakespearean play. This didn’t disappoint.

In this physical production, the legendary tale of power and treachery is very loosely followed. It starts with a prophecy by three witches, singing and playing instruments, that one day Macbeth will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and encouragement from his wife, what follows is a downward spiral of murder, paranoia, madness, and death.

Kat plays Macbeth, resplendent in a red biker leather jacket, with a cockney accent and a laddish attitude. Nat is his “Strictly Come Dancing” loving wife who descends into madness. Amongst her many roles, Jenny is the Scottish MacDuff, adorned with a black leather biker jacket, competing with Macbeth to prove who is the manliest man, I can’t repeat how this is done, you must go and see for yourselves, it certainly gave us a giggle. All three had great chemistry together, jumping from one character to another, with changes of accent, though at times I struggled to identify quite what accent they were trying to portray.

The scene changes are shown with the help of pedal power, whilst the change of characters are delivered with great effect. This could be just a jacket or hat hanging in mid-air, the addition of goggles or clothing. This is a feat, just to remember what to wear and when, and who they are portraying, in very frantic circumstances.

Unexpected props are used to help the story along. Handlebars, indicating motorbikes, zooming on and off stage. Pockets filled with never ending red confetti, signifying blood in this gory tragedy. We even have a kazoo, with Nat belting out a Queen number, amongst other tunes. The costumes were kept simple, with bike references, special mention to the crown with it’s reflective lights all around and tyre inners creating the shape.

At times I found the dialogue muffled and the storytelling got a bit lost and confusing, though the premise is very inventive, making Shakespeare accessible for all. This is a bit of manic fun, with some terrific energetic performances from all three actors.

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR

WORLD PREMIERE OF DAVID HARE’S

S T R A I G H T   L I N E   C R A Z Y

Joining Ralph Fiennes (Robert Moses) in the world premiere of David Hare’s Straight Line Crazy are Alisha Bailey (Mariah Heller), Samuel Barnett (Ariel Porter), David Bromley (Stamford Fergus), Al Coppola (Walter McQuade), Siobhán Cullen (Finnuala Connell), Ian Kirkby (Lewis Mumford), Alana Maria (Shirley Hayes), Dani Moseley (Carol Ames), Guy Paul (Henry Vanderbilt), Helen Schlesinger (Jane Jacobs), Mary Stillwaggon Stewart (Nicole Sawyer) and Danny Webb (Governor Al Smith).

Directed by Nicholas Hytner at The Bridge, performances are from 16 March – 18 June 2022 with opening night on 23 March 2022. Designs are by Bob Crowley with lighting by Jessica Hung Han Yun, sound by George Dennis and music by George Fenton.  Straight Line Crazy reunites Fiennes, Hare and Hytner who previously collaborated on Beat the Devil at The Bridge in Autumn 2020.

Ralph Fiennes stars in David Hare’s blazing account of the life of a man whose iron will exposed the weakness of democracy in the face of charismatic conviction. For forty uninterrupted years, Robert Moses was the most powerful man in New York. Though never elected to office, he manipulated those who were through a mix of guile, charm and intimidation. Motivated at first by a determination to improve the lives of New York City’s workers, he created new parks, new bridges and 627 miles of expressway to connect the people to the great outdoors. But in the 1950s, groups of citizens at grass roots began to organize against his schemes and against the motor car, campaigning for a very different idea of what a city was and for what it should be.

Ralph Fiennes has enjoyed an extensive career in theatre, film and television as well as producing and directing film. He was last on stage at The Bridge in David Hare’s Beat the Devil, directed by Nicholas Hytner, and recently toured in The Four Quartets which also had a West End run. Fiennes was previously directed by Hytner as Edmund in King Lear for the Royal Shakespeare Company. His many other theatre credits include Hamlet, Ivanov, Richard II and Coriolanus for the Almeida, Antony and Cleopatra, The Master Builder, God of Carnage and Faith Healer.  His many film credits include Schindler’s List, The English Patient, The Constant Gardener, The Grand Budapest Hotel and the roles of Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films and M in Skyfall and Spectre. He has also directed three feature films – Coriolanus, The Invisible Woman and The White Crow. Fiennes’ most recent films include The King’s Man, The Dig and The Forgiven.

Alisha Bailey was last on stage in The Twilight Zone for Almeida Theatre and West End. Her previous credits include 4 Women for Loud Talkin’, A Raisin in the Sun for Sheffield Theatres, Paradise Street for the Tricycle Theatre, Mouthful at the Trafalgar Studios, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl for the National Theatre, The Serpent’s Tooth for the Almeida Theatre and Powder Monkey for Manchester Royal Exchange. On television her credits include Park Bench Plays, Grace, I Am…Victoria, Chewing Gum, Save Me, Save Me Too and Call the Midwife. On film her credits include Backdraft 2 and I Give It a Year.

Samuel Barnett was last at The Bridge in Allelujah! directed by Nicholas Hytner who has also directed him in His Dark Materials and The History Boys for the National Theatre and Broadway as well as the feature films The Lady in the Van and The History Boys. His other theatre credits include Kiss of the Spiderwoman and Dealer’s Choice for the Menier Chocolate Factory, An Oak Tree, The Beaux Stratagem and Women Beware Women for the National Theatre, Richard III and Twelfth Night for The Globe Theatre and Broadway, The Way of the World for Sheffield Theatres, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and The Accrington Pals for Chichester Festival Theatre and The Marriage of Figaro for Manchester Royal Exchange. His television credits include Four Lives, The Amazing Mr Blunden, The Prince, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Penny Dreadful, Endeavour, Not Safe For Work, Twenty Twelve, Beautiful People, Desperate Romantics and John Adams. His other film credits include Jupiter Ascending, Bright Star and Mrs Henderson Presents.

David Bromley’s theatre credits include No Villain for the Old Red Lion and Trafalgar Studios and 1938 – Hitler Takes Vienna, Without Reluctance and Without Relief and Boris Godunov, all for the Ballast Theatre Company. His television credits include Harlots, Doctors and The Tunnel, and his film credits include Tolkien, How to Stop a Recurring Dream, Poor Thing and Holmes and Watson.

Al Coppola was previously seen at The Bridge in Bach & Sons. His other theatre credits include The Importance of Being Earnest for the Barn Theatre, Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Split Second Productions, and Sonnet Walk, Journey’s End and Macbeth for Guildford   Shakespeare Company. His television credits include Holby City.

Siobhán Cullen’s theatre credits include Once Upon a Bridge, The Cherry Orchard, Richard III, Crestfall and the one woman play Boland: Journey of a Poet, all for the Druid Theatre Company, Galway. On television, her credits include The Dry, Origin, The Long Call and Paula. Her film credits include The Bright Side.

Ian Kirkby’s theatre credits include Touched for Nottingham Playhouse, Two Gentlemen of Verona for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Peaches for the Royal Court and Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Arsenic & Old Lace, Dancing at Lunaghsa, The Caretaker, The Recruiting Officer and The Crucible, all for the Mercury Theatre, Colchester. On television his credits include Swashbuckle, Crackerjack, Diddy TV, Hoopla, Pete Versus Life and The Slammer. His film credits include My Last Five Girlfriends and National Treasure 2 – Book of Secrets.

Alana Maria moved to England from Detroit in the late ’90s and began performing in various tours and West End productions including The Blues Brothers, 125th Street and Dancing in the Streets.  Her other theatre credits include Golden Boy for Greenwich Theatre, Little Fish for the Finborough Theatre and The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea for the The Watermill.  As well as acting for the stage and screen, her voice can be heard on audio books and in many video games. She most recently filmed new series, Mechanical for a major streaming platform, as well as Avenue 5 and Doctor Who.

Dani Moseley‘s theatre credits include Somebody for Power Play Theatre at the Pleasance for the Edinburgh Fringe, Secret Cinema’s Casino Royale in London and Shanghai, Freefall for The Bunker Theatre, A View of Her Own Beauty for Writers Avenue, Rivers of London for Look Left Look Right/City Read, Nice Jumper and Three Women in a Music Box both for Waterloo East Theatre, The Bird Woman of Lewisham for The Arcola Theatre and The Forty Elephants for The Albany Theatre.  Her television credits include Dreaming Whilst Black, Brothers with No Game Series 1-3, Which is Witch, Gates, EastEnders and Doctors. On film her credits include The Devil Went Down to Islington and Finish Line. 

Guy Paul’s London theatre credits include Death of a Salesman with Anthony Sher for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Boa for the Trafalgar Studios.  His US theatre credits include Mary Stuart, King Lear, The Invention of Love, The King and I, Twelve Angry Men and 1776, all on Broadway; Stuff Happens for The Public Theatre, Scrooge in A Christmas Carol for the Geva Theatre Company and How the Grinch Stole Christmas for The Globe Theatre, San Diego. On television his credits include Patrick Melrose, Father Brown, Black Sails, Life on Mars, The Sopranos and Law and Order.  His film credits include The Sense of an Ending, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Fifth Estate, Hyde Park on Hudson and the upcoming Indiana Jones 5.

Helen Schlesinger’s more recent theatre credits include Henry V, Henry IV parts 1 and 2 and Hamlet all for Shakespeare’s Globe, Albion for the Almeida Theatre, Boys Will be Boys for the Bush, Frozen for the Park Theatre, Single Spies for the Rose Theatre, Coriolanus for the Donmar Warehouse, Bracken Moor for the Tricycle Theatre and Fireface for the Young Vic. Her television credits include Midsomer Murders, Lewis, Merlin, The Hour and Nativity. On film her credits include Dirty War, Persuasion and 24 Hour Party People.

Mary Stillwaggon Stewart’s UK theatre credits include An Enemy of the People for the Union Theatre, The Glass Protégé for the Park Theatre, The Remains for the Canal Cafe Theatre, The Fat Man’s Wife for the Albany Theatre, Don Loco for Tristan Bates Theatre and Sleeping Beauty for Kenton Theatre. Her New York theatre credits include Machinal for Lincoln Center Lab, Ivanov and Love’s Labour’s Lost for Circle in the Square, Bender Gender Straight and Neutered for the Transport Group, Alcestis and Five Women Waiting for Manhattan Theatre Source and Dear Brutus for Wings Theatre. Her television and film credits include The Crown, Berlin Station, The Amazing World of Gumball and Boardwalk Empire.

Danny Webb’s theatre credits include King Lear alongside Ian McKellen at the Duke of York’s Theatre, Welcome Home, Captain Fox! for the Donmar Warehouse and The Seagull, directed by Matthew Dunster, for Regent’s Park Open Air. Webb is reprising the role of John Ripper in the second series of Pennyworth. His other television credits include The City & The City, SS-GB, Liar, The Halcyon and Humans. His film credits include The Dig and A Little Chaos.

David Hare is one of the UK’s most prolific and acclaimed writers having written extensively for stage, television and film. He is the author of over 30 full length plays, his first, Slag, was produced in 1970.  Hare is the winner of multiple international awards including a BAFTA for Licking Hitler, an Olivier award and a Critics’ Circle award for Racing Demon, an Evening Standard Drama award for Pravda and a Tony award for Skylight. He is also a two-time Academy award nominee for The Hours and The Reader and was knighted in 1998.For the Bridge Theatre

Nicholas Hytner has directed Young Marx, Julius Caesar, Allelujah!, Alys, Always, A Midsummer Night’s Dream,Two Ladies, Beat the Devil, The Shrine, Bed Among the Lentils, A Christmas Carol, Bach & Sons and The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage. In June he will direct Alex Jennings in Stephen Beresford’s The Southbury Child at Chichester Festival Theatre and The Bridge. Previously he was Director of the National Theatre from 2003 to 2015.