BOOK, MUSIC & LYRICS BY LAURENCE O’KEEFE & KEVIN MURPHY
DIRECTED BY ANDY FICKMAN
WINNER OF BEST NEW MUSICAL – WHATSONSTAGE AWARDS 2019
Heathers the Musical (WhatsOnStage 2019 award for Best New Musical) launches its Number 1. touring production from 5 August 2021, opening at Leeds Grand Theatre, before spreading corn nuts throughout the UK and Ireland.
Produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills, this high-octane black-comedy rock musical, based on one of the greatest cult teen films of all time, starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, is back with a bang!
Heathers the Musical will open in Leeds and visit cities throughout the UK and Ireland, including Liverpool, Nottingham, Newcastle, Sheffield, Birmingham, Canterbury, Manchester, Belfast, Dublin, Brighton, Wimbledon, Bristol, Milton Keynes, High Wycombe, Cardiff and Edinburgh. Further dates, venues and on-sale details will follow shortly.
The 2021 touring Class of Westerberg High includes Rebecca Wickes (Veronica Sawyer), Simon Gordon (JD), Maddison Firth (Heather Chandler), Merryl Ansah (Heather Duke), Lizzy Parker (Heather McNamara), Georgina Hagen (Ms. Fleming/Veronica’s Mom), Mhairi Angus (Martha Dunnstock), Liam Doyle (Kurt Kelly),Rory Phelan (Ram Sweeney), Andy Brady (Kurt’s Dad/Veronica’s Dad/Principle Gowan) and Kurt Kansley(Ram’s Dad/Big Bud Dean/Coach Ripper). Completing the cast in the ensemble is Callum Connolly, Rhiane Drummond, Bayley Hart, Benjamin Karren, Sam Stones, May Tether and Daisy Twells.
Westerberg High’s Veronica Sawyer is just another nobody dreaming of a better day. But when she joins the beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers, her dreams of popularity may finally come true. Mysterious teen rebel JD teaches her that it might kill to be a nobody, but it is murder being a somebody.
The award-winning writing team, Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy’s hit musical adaptation enjoyed successful runs in Los Angeles and New York; the UK productions are directed by acclaimed its original off-Broadway director, Andy Fickman. Choreography is by Thriller Live’s Gary Lloyd, design by David Shields, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound by Dan Samson.
Heathers the Musical previously enjoyed two record-breaking seasons, launching at London’s The Other Palace and transferring to the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2018.
In conjunction and running in parallel to the touring production, the hit show has also made its return to the West End’s Theatre Royal Haymarket for a strictly limited 12-week run, running until 11 September 2021.
LISTINGS
Bill Kenwright & Paul Taylor-Mills present
HEATHERS THE MUSICAL
UK & IRELAND TOUR
Opening 5 August 2021
Book, Music & Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe & Kevin Murphy
Directed by Andy Fickman
Associate Director and Choreography by Gary Lloyd
Design by David Shields
Lighting by Ben Cracknell
Sound by Dan Samson
Running Time: Approx. 2 hours 30 minutes including interval
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TOUR DATES
Leeds Grand Theatre leedsheritagetheatres.com
05 August – 14 August 2021 0113 243 0808
Liverpool Empire Theatre www.atgtickets.com/liverpool
Streamed live on stage from the New Wolsey Theatre in a single camera take
on Friday 27 August at 7.30pm
Emily Head(The Inbetweeners, Emmerdale, The Syndicate) will star in the world premiere of her self-penned sharp psychological thriller, THE SYSTEM, streamed live on stage in a single camera take at the New Wolsey Theatre on Friday 27 August 2021 at 7.30pm (BST). This production is one of Original Theatre Company‘s most ambitious and exciting undertakings yet.
‘He’s dead. He died. Now he’s a dead person. He no longer lives.’ Paul’s dead. And no one seems to care. Murdered at his own birthday party.
In this incisive drama, the audience is invited into the interrogation room with the murder suspects. As, one by one, the murder suspects give their accounts of that night, a dark truth begins to reveal itself. A truth so powerful it could change everything… and everyone.
THE SYSTEMwill push at the boundaries of what can be achieved in a theatre live broadcast as it will be filmed in one of the longest steadi-cam shots ever attempted. It promises an exciting feat of endurance, skill and synchronicity between the camera and performer.
The production is written and performed by Emily Head and directed by Guy Unsworth with camera work by Ben Eeley and design by David Woodhead.
Emily Head said: “As both a writer and performer, the world of digital theatre is really fresh and exciting. What Guy Unsworth and the Original Theatre Company have done to take this production to the next level of an ‘at home theatre experience’ is extraordinary. It is truly a new way to enjoy live performance, and I’m delighted that my play, THE SYSTEM, is a part of it. By filming it in the way that we are, audiences will be able to watch the play in a way that is unique to the theatre-film genre, while still maintaining the thrill of watching theatre live.”
Guy Unsworth, Director, said: “Emily‘s impressive career spans both stage and screen, so it is both fitting and exciting to bring her writing debut to life in a combined theatre-film format. The Original Theatre Company have been pioneers of the digital theatre medium over the last 18 months and THE SYSTEM will be an ambitious step further into exploring how we capture live theatricality for an on-screen experience.”
Alastair Whatley, Artistic Director of Original Theatre Company, said: “THE SYSTEM is a fantastic new play which is being made in a unique, daring and high-risk way. It continues our work exploring the outer edges of what can be described as digital theatre in the hope of finding a new way of allowing audiences to experience the thrill of live performance from the comfort of home.”
The live stream will be followed by a Q&A with Emily Head.
Tickets: Super Early Bird – £10 booked by 2 Aug / Early Bird – £12.50 booked by 16 Aug / Standard – £15; Supporter tickets – £40 includes a digital programme and a credit on the final film; Premium tickets – £100 includes a signed script, digital programme and a credit on the final film. Subtitles: the show will be captioned live. See the booking page for trigger warnings (this does contain spoilers). Age guidance: 14+. Running time: 60 mins. This show is performed and streamed LIVE, not pre-recorded.
The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown’s blockbuster novel that captivated the world, is to become an epic stage thriller. It will make its World Premiere on a UK Tour in 2022, opening at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley on Monday 10 January 2022, and touring throughout the year.
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.
Based on the best-selling novel of this century, with over 100 million copies sold, unlock the secrets of The Da Vinci Code in the world premiere stage adaptation of the international phenomenon and uncover the truth in the greatest thriller of the past 2,000 years.
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.”
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), and will be directed by Luke Sheppard, who most recently directed the acclaimed new West End musical, & Juliet.
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 Big Tiny, The Lawrence Batley Theatre Huddersfield and The Dukes Lancasterpresent:
The Perfect Summer Escape: Interactive Theatrical Experience For Families And Children
CHARLOTTE HOLMES: TOP SECRET
AVALABLE NOW: WWW.THEBIGTINY.CO.UK/SHOP | £30
Returning with a brand-new adventure for families this summer, Charlotte Holmes: TOP SECRET is an interactive theatrical experience created by theatre producers The Big Tiny in association with the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield and Lancaster’s treasured arts venue The Dukes. Unfolding over seven fun-filled days, Charlotte Holmes: TOP SECRET is packed with games, recorded performances from actors, activities, mysteries, clues, puzzles and online content.
An escape for young adventurers and adults alike, Charlotte Holmes: TOP SECRET has been developed out of a need for creative activities for young people whose summer holidays are once again uncertain due to ongoing disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a perfect artistic and educational gift to get children out and about during the holidays, with 10+ hours of play time, offering an alternative to summer schools.
Following the success of last year’s Charlotte Holmes: Adventure Box described as “ingeniously designed” (The Guardian) and “imaginative… engrossing and instructive multidimensional entertainment” (The Express), this is the second experience in the Charlotte Holmes series and has been developed for slightly older children aged 9-13 years.
The first experience followed the story of a young girl evacuated to Yorkshire during World War II. Set in 1940, Charlotte Holmes: TOP SECRET picks up from where we left off as Batley Hall has been turned into a military hospital run by a stern matron and ferocious Major.
The world is in peril when a ‘Top Secret’ military asset is stolen from Batley Hall. Charlotte is fed up of being told off all the time, but when a German spy breaks into the estate and steals a Top Secret military asset and the whole site is locked down, it is up to Charlotte to piece together the clues, unmask the villain and save the war effort. From map making and orienteering to gardening and code cracking, help Charlotte navigate a world of undercover spies, secret codes and military intelligence to piece together the clues and solve the mysteries once and for all.
Henry Filloux-Bennett, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Lawrence Batley Theatre comments, ” We are thrilled to be working once again alongside our friends at The Big Tiny and the Dukes in Lancaster. Charlotte Holmes builds on the success of our digital programme which has now reached over 20,000 views through our ticketed online plays and free platform LBTV – allowing us to reach new audiences by keeping young people and their families entertained and educated during the summer holidays”.
The Big Tiny are theatrical imagineers specialising in family entertainment. From their workshops in Greater Manchester they manufacture all things show related, from puppets to pantomimes and sets to scripts. The Big Tiny’s co-founders and producers Ben Richards and Will Cousins said: “We are big believers that theatre should be entertaining and relevant for modern audiences. We’re very proud to be working with our partners at the LBT and the Dukes to create Charlotte Holmes: TOP SECRET. It’s exciting to be able to return with another innovative and creative theatrical adventure for family audiences across the country”.
Karen O’Neill, Director of The Dukes, comments “The Dukes is excited to bring the interactive theatrical adventure of Charlotte Holmes to families across Lancashire and beyond. In partnership with the Lawrence Batley Theatre this unique at home experience is fun for all the family. Working through the clues with help from Charlotte and her new friends to solve the mystery is a must for any young sleuth. The Dukes is committed to high quality family theatre and finding new ways to connect with our audiences during this time through our digital programme. We hope you will join in adventure“.
Available to purchase from www.thebigtiny.co.uk/shop, one Adventure Box has everything needed for the whole family to play along, including: toys, activities, access to online performances, posters, puzzle books plus all the clues to solve four different mysteries.
Charlotte Holmes: TOP SECRET has been supported using public funding from Arts Council England.
The KIT KAT CLUB in London’s West End will open its doors on 15 November 2021 with the musical CABARET starring Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Tony and Olivier award winner Eddie Redmayne as ‘The Emcee’ and Bafta Nominee and British Independent Film award winner Jessie Buckley as ‘Sally Bowles’.
The Kit Kat Club takes over the Playhouse Theatre, transforming one of London’s most famous theatres with in-the-round auditorium and reimagined spaces.
Tickets go on priority sale at 8.00am on 19 July 2021 for both ATG TheatreCard Members and Underbelly Full Fat Members and at 12.00noon for those who have signed up for priority booking.
There is still time to register for priority access from 12.00noon online via kitkat.club
General on sale for the first ticket release will be on 22 July2021 at 10.00am with a second ticket release going on sale w/c 6 September 2021.
Details of a £25 ticket lottery, including table seating, will be announced in September
Guests will be allocated a ‘club entry time’ on booking which will allow them to fully explore and experience all parts of the Kit Kat Club and pre-show entertainment.
Exclusive three course, pre-show dining at cabaret tables available.
In a time when the world is changing forever, there is one place where everyone can be free…..welcome to the Kit Kat Club. This is Berlin. Relax. Loosen up. Be yourself.
The Kit Kat Club has taken over the Playhouse Theatre while it has been standing empty. The marginalised have staked a claim, the artists have taken over, filled their container and found their community. It’s 1930s Berlin. It’s 2020s London. It’s Then, it’s Now. Who knows how long it will reside here. For now, we’re enjoying the party. The party at the end of the world.
Before the show, guests are invited to enjoy and explore the Kit Kat Club with drinks, dining and pre-show entertainment all on offer. When booking, guests will receive a ‘club entry time’ to allow enough time to take in the world of the Kit Kat Club before the show starts. But of course, the show really starts when you first join us in the club……
One of the most successful musicals of all time CABARET features the songs Wilkommen, Don’t Tell Mama, Mein Herr, Maybe This Time, Money and the title number. It has music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, book by Joe Masteroff. Based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood.
CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB will star Eddie Redmayne (Red in the West End and Broadway, Richard II at Donmar Warehouse, the films The Theory of Everything, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Les Misérables and the Fantastic Beasts series) as The Emcee and Jessie Buckley (the National’s Romeo and Juliet, A Little Night Music in the West End, Fargo, Chernobyl and the films Wild Rose and I’m Thinking of Ending Things) as Sally Bowles. It will be directed by Rebecca Frecknall (the Almeida’s Olivier Award winning Summer and Smoke, The Duchess of Malfi, Three Sisters), set and costume design is by Tom Scutt (A Very Expensive Poison, Constellations, King Charles III, Jesus Christ Superstar, collaborations with Sam Smith, Christine and the Queens) with choreography by Julia Cheng (founder of the House of Absolute, Philharmonia Orchestra Artist in Residence, recipient of the runner-up prize for Hip Hop Dance futures, Resident Choreographer for the Royal Academy of Dance, Judge and mentor for BBC Young Dancer and Breakin’ Convention – the UK’s biggest Hip Hop Festival, collaborations with London Fashion Week, Google and Dr Martens). Musical supervision and direction is by Jennifer Whyte (Les Misérables film, Caroline Or Change, Parade). Lighting design is by Isabella Byrd (Heroes of the Fourth Turning and Light Shining in Buckinghamshire – both in New York, Daddy – A Melodrama at the Almeida and The Flick at the National theatre) with sound design by Nick Lidster (City of Angels, Passion, Pacific Overtures and Parade at the Donmar Warehouse, Sweeney Todd and On The Town for English National Opera, A Chorus Line, Les Misérables and Miss Saigon). The casting director is Stuart Burt and the associate director is Jordan Fein.
CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions and Underbelly.
It’s always a pleasure to see creatives appear in their own work: assuming that said creative has the necessary performance chops, it’s probably the nearest to their original intention, their vision of how a particular line or lyric should land, that we are ever going to experience. This proves especially true at the moment over at Chiswick where, thanks to half of the cast of four being forced into Covid isolation, Ben Barrow and Lucy Ireland are co-starring in their song cycle From Here… and pretty terrific they are too.
To be fair, they did both train as actor-musicians at Guildford School of Acting, so they’re hardly inexperienced stage performers, but they have killer voices, charm to spare, and such chemistry with each other and with the remaining cast members Grace Mouat (SIX, & Juliet) and Andrew Patrick-Walker, that all thought of them being last minute replacements goes out of the window almost from the first bars of music.
As writers, they clearly know their Musical Theatre too: a funny number about a bored teacher who lives for the end-of-day bell, contains so many specialised MT references it makes the head spin, and is reminiscent of Maltby & Shire’s masterly ‘Miss Bird’ from Closer Than Ever except that where that mousy protagonist daydreams of rampant sexuality, here she escapes into the tawdrily glamorous world of amateur theatricals.
This is performed with the requisite relish by Mouat who proves just as adept at the lower octane material here as she is when sweetly but powerfully belting her face off in the two West End shows that put her on the map. She’s undoubtedly a major talent, with an innate warmth and likability. Patrick-Walker is equally good, and of all the cast members probably faces the biggest challenges: a hugely amusing turn as an appealingly neurotic nerd losing his cool in a stranded tube carriage and swearing undying love to an indifferent co-worker is a far cry from an intense young gay man with mental health issues questioning his relationship suitability, but Patrick-Walker nails them both, plus much more besides, with an appealing stage presence and an exciting modern tenor voice.
Billed as “a new British musical”, From Here is really more of a revue, like a UK equivalent to those Jason Robert Brown or Maltby & Shire shows which take snap shots of relatable contemporary life, all bound together by a common idea rather than a linear plot and consistent characters. Apart from a vague nod to the passage of time in a single human life, it isn’t terribly clear what Barrow and Ireland’s central idea actually is, and woolly programme notes like “will this be your fairytale end or do you need to start again?” don’t help.
Without that strong through-line, the songs -some of which are truly wonderful- tend to hang in the space, extremely pleasantly but robbed of true dramatic punch. There are exceptions, the most notable being the astonishingly accomplished “Monster Under The Bed”, mentioned above and devastatingly put across by Andrew Patrick-Walker, which is about as searing a depiction of an unquiet mind as one could imagine in song form. The nicely melodic score (exquisitely played by Ian Oakley’s three piece band) is a little ballad heavy and could use a bit more grit and edge. This is a shame as when Barrow and Ireland show us their fangs -as in the sequence where a beatific healthful living advocate hilariously unravels as she finds her day doesn’t go quite to her Zen-like plan, or a tart duet for the two men about the irritations of flat-sharing with a friend- From Here goes up several gears and becomes really rather fabulous.
As it is, Annabelle Hollingdale’s slick staging features a lot of gazing wistfully into the middle distance, which gets a bit tedious. The brief pieces of choreographed movement feel nicely organic however, and never too much for the space.
According to the programme, Ben Barrow and Lucy Ireland are scheduled to tour internationally in Footloose soon, and I really hope that during that time they get to create lots more musical theatre as, on the basis of the several moments when From Here genuinely soars, they are serious talents to watch. It’s also important to note that this show was created during the pandemic and mostly over Zoom which, in itself, is worthy of applause, as are many other things about this short but appealing production.
THE AWARD WINNING MUSICAL TO RE-OPEN ON FRIDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2021
New cast members announced to join company including Olivier Award winners MIRIAM-TEAK LEE, CASSIDY JANSON & DAVID BEDELLA
Booking period extended through to 12 February 2022 at Shaftesbury Theatre, London
www.andjulietthemusical.co.uk
This is the moment we’ve waited for…. & JULIET makes a joyous return to London’s West End!
The award-winning musical – which had been thrilling audiences before the closure of theatres last March – will return to the Shaftesbury Theatre from Friday 24 September.
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, David Bedella, who also won an Olivier Award for his performance in the show as Lance, Jordan Luke Gage as Romeo, Melanie La Barrie as Nurse,and Tim Mahendran as Francois. Alex Thomas-Smith will be joining the principal cast in the role of May.
The ensemble includes Roshani Abbey, Jocasta Almgill, Josh Baker, Ivan De Freitas, RhianDuncan, Kieran Lai, Nathan Lorainey-Dineen, Jaye Marshall, Grace Mouat, Antoine Murray-Straughan, Billy Nevers, Kerri Norville, Christopher Parkinson, Kirstie Skivington, Alex Tranter,Sophie Usher and Rhys Wilkinson.
As well as the three Olivier Awards, throughout the last year & Juliet also won 6 Whatsonstage Awards – the most of any production in 2020 – and won further awards at The Black Theatre Awards and The Mousetrap Theatre Awards. The show also performed on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing in the coveted slot in ‘Musicals Week’.
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 you already know and love 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) 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.
Music: Max Martin and friends Book: David West Read Direction: Luke Sheppard Choreography: Jennifer Weber Set Design: Soutra Gilmour Costume Design: Paloma Young Musical Supervisor/Orchestrator/Arranger: Bill Sherman Lighting Design: Howard Hudson Sound Design: Gareth Owen Video Design: Andrzej Goulding Casting Director: Stuart Burt
THEATRE INFORMATION
The Shaftesbury Theatre 210 Shaftesbury Avenue London WC2H 8DP
ETT (English Touring Theatre), today announce the full programme for Trailer Story –a travelling outdoor performance space touring across the UK, a joyful, and safe, way of bringing communities together in their local public spaces to celebrate theatre.
Inspired by ETT’s origins as Century Theatre, who toured the UK in a pop-up space, Trailer Story performances will be housed in a truck, usually used to tour production sets around the country, but reimagined as a space for artists and audiences to meet. Designed by Jon Bausor with Tina Torbey, and Lighting Design by Natasha Chivers. Trailer Story opens in Newcastle, 30 July – 1 August, before visiting Keswick 5 – 8 August 2021, in partnership with Northern Stage and Theatre by the Lake.
The touring programme includes theatre with Nouveau Riche’sdance-theatre piece, Resonate, written and performed by Ntonga Mwanza; Lung Theatre’s Who Cares by Matt Woodhead whichexplores the experience of young carers; the bike-powered family comedy, How to Save a Rock, written by Conky Kampfner, Alex Rugman and Pigfoot; and Tim Crouch’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night from the point of view of its most notoriously abused steward in I, Malvolio.
There is comedy with the country’s best comics performing for an audience of children and their families in Comedy Club 4 Kids.
Figs in Wigs host cosmic game show, Astrology Bingo; and there is ARain Walk,a self-guided tour accompanied recorded voices of children from across the UK and Ireland.
With music and beatboxing from Grace Savage who performs her award-winning beatbox routines and distinguished back catalogue of songs; and Testament also brings his spoken word, rap and beatbox show.
In addition, the programme offers a platform for local artists in each area to take over the space, including TheBonBons Cabaret,Mam Tackles The Climate Crisis, BRASH’s Raising Shame and A case in point by What’s That Dance in Newcastle. Keswick’s local programming to be announced.
Richard Twyman, Artistic Director, and Sophie Scull,Executive Producer of ETT today said, “This programme curated by the team at ETT and our partners at Northern Stage and Theatre by the Lake offers audiences a rich selection of entertainment for all ages, from theatre and dance to comedy and spoken word. In this, its inaugural year, we hope that our touring truck will provide the opportunity for artists and audiences to reconnect and celebrate the communal act of theatre-making. We, and all the artists involved, are so excited to be back making work, touring and meeting audiences in their local community again.”
Trailer Story is made possible with support from the Cultural Recovery Fund, the Weston Culture Fund, Urban Green and the National Trust.
Music by Christopher Brett Bailey; Graphic Design by Will Brady
Newcastle: 30 July – 1 August – available throughout the day
Keswick: 5 – 8 August at 9.30am
We invite you to a rain walk – a walk in the rain accompanied by the recorded voices of children from across the UK and Ireland. With their guidance the rainfall will become your own private theatre, a space in which to observe, imagine and play. Whether in a drizzle or a deluge, we invite you to step outside, feel the rain on your face, and think about your place in a world that is changing so swiftly around you.
Andy Field is an artist, writer and curator. He creates unusual, interactive projects that invite viewers to consider their relationships both to the spaces they inhabit and the people around them. Field’s work has been presented across the UK and internationally by organisations including the Southbank Centre (London), the Natural History Museum (London), The Arches (Glasgow), Arnolfini Gallery (Bristol), Abrons Arts Centre (New York), Culturgest (Lisbon), BIOS (Athens), FOLA (Melbourne), Northern Stage (Newcastle), Warwick Arts Centre, Mayfest, Cambridge Junction, Festival B:om (Seoul), New Visions Arts Festival (Hong Kong) and Mayfest (Bristol). His key works include Nocturne (LIFT Festival), News News News (Cambridge Junction/Norfolk and Norwich Festival), Six Duets: The Incidental Plays (Forest Fringe), Non in Luce (Wellcome Collection), Zilla (SHUNT/Apiary Studios) and Motor Vehicle Shutdown (International Tour). Field is also the co-director of the award-winning Forest Fringe, and a regular contributor to publications including The Guardian, Exeunt and This Is Tomorrow.
Beckie Darlington is a creative producer. She works closely with artists and organisations to conceive, develop and deliver new work, including festivals, touring theatre performances, participatory art works, installations, and one-off live events. Her theatre credits include News News News (Cambridge Junction/Norfolk and Norwich Festival), Lookout (The Arches/Unicorn Theatre/International Tour), Super Duper Close Up (The Yard/UK tour), PSYCHODRAMA (Centro Conde Duque/UK tour), Insane Animals (HOME Manchester), Familiar (Fierce Festival Birmingham/Dance City Newcastle) and Kissing the Shotgun Goodnight (Ovalhouse/UK tour). For film, her credits include The Dream Agency.
It’s a comedy club, right, but for kids. Also any adults who enjoy a swear-free hour with the international circuit’s best stand-ups, cabaret stars and sketch acts. Non-patronising. Pure awesome.
Written by Conky Kampfner, Alex Rugman and Pigfoot
Newcastle: 30 July – 1 August at 12pm
Keswick: 6 – 8 August at 12pm
It’s 2026. We’ve found a letter from the last ever polar bear. He’s somehow ended up at the top of Scotland. We’re going to save him.
Join us on a wild polar bear chase, through peat bogs and protests. How To Save A Rock is a bike-powered family comedy about how to still have hope.
Recommended age: 7-13
Conky Kampfner is a playwright and journalist. How to Save a Rock is her professional writing debut.
Alex Rugman is a playwright, director, and co-Artistic Director of Freight Theatre. He is currently a trainee producer with Heavy Entertainment. How to Save a Rock is his professional writing debut.
Pigfoot is a multi award-winning theatre company, dedicated to making collaborative, carbon-neutral theatre. They make work with and for those grappling with the climate & ecological crisis. Their theatre ‘practices what it preaches’ (The Sunday Times on Pigfoot) & protests from within an industry which, in London alone, has been shown to have a carbon footprint of 50,000 tonnes a year. Recent works include How to Save a Rock in collaboration with Slung Low, Poplar Union, Camden People’s Theatre, Pound Arts & The Albany, and HOT IN HERE (Camden People’s Theatre).
I, Malvolio re-imagines Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night from the point of view of its most notoriously abused steward. It’s a charged, hilarious and sometimes unsettling rant from a man adrift in front of a cruel audience. Part abject clown, part theatre-hating disciplinarian, Malvolio asks his audience to explore the pleasure we take in other people’s suffering.
Age recommended: 11+
Tim Crouch is an award-winning theatre artist, playwright and director, and previously an actor. His credits as a writer, performer and director include I, Cinna the Poet (Unicorn Theatre), I, Marvolio (Brighton Festival/Singapore Arts Festival), The Author (Royal Court Theatre), England (Edinburgh Fringe), An Oak Tree (Edinburgh Fringe/Barrow Street Theatre), My Arm (Traverse Theatre/International tour), Shopping for Shoes (St. Bride’s Centre) and Fairymonsterghost (Bath International Shakespeare Festival).
Resonate is a solo dance-theatre show following Jacob, a young man trying to turn away from his life as a hard-living and loving party animal, through a new found faith and spirituality . However, constant interruptions from his friends and ex-girlfriends leads to a crisis of confidence, and a breakdown in his mental state due to him being torn between two extremes. Resonate plunges into the mania of lust, faith and sexual-addiction-affliction, merging physical theatre, hip hop dance, clowning, mime and spoken word. A pulsating lyrical journey into the soul of a young man.
Age recommended: 14+
Ntonga Mwanza is an actor, writer and dancer. His credits as an actor and writer include Resonate (Vault Festival, and for theatre, The Meet Up (Royal Court Theatre), Hotel (National Theatre Studio), Romeo and Juliet (et al), 33% – No Free Parking (Ovalhouse Theatre), and 9 Rooms (Old Vic Tunnels). His television credits include Leave 2 Remain, and for film, Honeytrap.
The Lowry and LUNG in partnership with Gaddum present
Sitting at the back of the bus, skipping the lunch queue and skiving lessons. At school Nicole, Jade and Connor are just like everybody else. But when they get home, things are very different.
Nicole started caring for her mum when she was four. Every morning Nicole helps her get washed, put on clothes and eat breakfast. Jade has always cared for her brother, but she never expected to look after dad as well – now she juggles two lots of appointments, two lots of prescriptions, two lots of assessment forms. Connor cares for his mum. But he doesn’t like to talk about it.
Adapted from real-life testimonies, award-winning theatre company LUNG examines the impact of austerity, our failing social care system and what happens when a child becomes the parent.
Winner of: Sit Up Award for social impact, Mervyn Stutter Spirit of the Fringe Award and Summerhall Lustrum Award. Who Cares was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2021.
Age recommended: 12+
Matt Woodhead is a director. He is co-Artistic Director of LUNG, who are Associate Artists at The Lowry. Making theatre by communities, for communities and with communities, LUNG is a national touring theatre company, developing innovative and politically driven work that broadens horizons and investigates modern Britain. His credits include Trojan Horse (Summerhall), Who Cares?, The 56 (The Lowry), One Day (Sheffield Theatres Fuse Festival), Chilcot (Battersea Arts Centre), E15 (Battersea Arts Centre/UK tour), Dolly Wants to Die (Edinburgh Fringe) and Edges: A Musical Comedy (Montgomery Theatre).
Alt-Pop, Singer-Songwriter, Live Looping, 4 x UK Beatbox Champion Grace Savage will deliver an hour-long performance showcasing her award-winning beatbox routines and distinguished back catalogue of songs supported by the likes of BBC Radio 1 and 6Music. She will also be giving a fun and informal masterclass in the basic sounds and techniques of beatboxing.
Grace Savage is a singer-songwriter, actor and beatboxer. She is four times UK beatbox champion and creator of her own blend of electronic-pop that has heard her music on the likes of BBC Radio 1, Radio 6 Music and many more. She recently showcased her song writing skills on Redbull UK’s online song writing competition “The Cut” and was shortlisted for “Best Songwriter” and “Best Female Solo Act” at the Unsigned Music Awards 2018. Her theatre credits include Big-Up! (Theatre Rites), Slug (Nabokov/Latitude), HOME (National Theatre), Blind (Soho Theatre), The Lost Voice (Southbank Centre) Jamie Blake (Edinburgh Fringe/Ravenrock Theatre Company). For television, her credits include Staff Room Rap Battles and Henry IX.
Join Figs in Wigs for Astrology Bingo – a cosmic game show for astrology lovers, bingo wingers and their sceptic friends. It’s already written in the stars if you will win because instead of numbers you’ll be playing with your own astrological birth chart! It’s totally out of this world!
Figs in Wigs are a theatre company and dance troupe. Their credits include Little Wimmin (HOME Manchester/Cambridge Junction), Often Onstage (Battersea Arts Centre), The Wind in the Willows (Cambridge Junction), Giants (LSE Festival), Dance Peas (Camden People’s Theatre) and Show Off (Incoming Festival).
Delve into the mind of the multi-talented rapper and writer Testament, with new pieces, extracts from his theatre show and uplifting songs all brought to you with looping and world record holding beatboxing!
Testamentis an acclaimed rapper, world record breaking human beatboxer and music producer. His work includes album Homecut:No Freedom Without Sacrifice. Testament is writer and composer of the acclaimed play Black Men Walking which was nominated for Best Play at The Writer’s Guild Awards 2019 and Best New Play at the UK Theatre Awards 2020. His radio play The Beatboxer was nominated for the Imison Award at the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2020. Testament is a Roland sponsored musician and his current show Orpheus In The Record Shop is available on BBC iPlayer.
LOCAL PROGRAMME – NEWCASTLE
In association with Alphabetti Theatre, Bonnie and The Bonnettes and The House of Love present
THE BONBONS CABARET
30 July at 3.30pm
Step through the doors and join drag trio Bonnie and The Bonnettes, singer/songwriter MXYM, burlesque babe Mama Rhi, and appetising queen Vol-Au-Vent Love for a glitter-fuelled, foot-stomping, pant wetting cabaret riot!
MAM TACKLES THE CLIMATE CRISIS
Written and directed by Tracy Gillman
Performed by Jackie Lye
31 July at 3.30pm
Mam is trying to recycle everything, including her relationship with her daughter.
Mam is sitting on the steps of the church knitting torn up carrier bags, telling her story. She cannot deal with recent events; the pandemic, working two jobs and all the recycling she has to do. Her daughter Maisie, who has recently had a baby and wants to get married soon, thinks Mam is just making a lot of unnecessary fuss.
Can the climate crisis bring them closer together again? Or will Mam stay on the church steps forever? Will Maisie get the wedding dress she has dreamt of or something quite different and what will they call the new baby?
Tracy Gillman is an actor, writer and director. As an actress her credits include Locker Room Talk, Me and Cilla, The Lovers, (Live Theatre), Rutherford and Son (Threshold Theatre Co), A Walk on Part (Live Theatre/Soho Theatre).
Jackie Lye plays Mam. For theatre, her credits include Wet House (Hull Truck Theatre/Live Theatre/Soho Theatre), Julie and Paul (LOST Theatre), Christmas Office Party (Hull Truck Theatre). For television, her credits include Brush Strokes, Harry’s Mad and Vera.
BRASH present
RAISING SHAME
1 August at 3.30pm
BRASH is a bold, educational theatre company for young people that strives to make sex and relationships education relevant, empowering, and unafraid. Here they present lyrical highlights from Raising Shame, a show about local experiences of period poverty and stigma, and from upcoming show Ankles, a theatrical Book of Spells through which teenagers protest against victim-blaming culture.
What’s That Dance present
A CASE IN POINT
1 August at 4.20pm
a case in point… An estimated 1.5 million young women lost income since the start of the pandemic.
a case in point… Mothers were 23% more likely than fathers to have temporarily or permanently lost their jobs during the pandemic and 14% more likely to be furloughed.
a case in point… Women perform 76% of the total hours of unpaid care work globally.
a case in point… In the UK, 77% of frontline workers are female with a 17.3% gender pay gap with their male counterparts.
a case in point… is a dance duet created with women of Heaton. What’s That Dance stands together with women in their community to challenge the shocking statistics of the increased inequality women have faced because of the pandemic. They want to raise awareness of the ongoing fight celebrating the strength and resilience of local women.
TRAILER STORY
LISTINGS
Newcastle – Leazes Park Bandstand, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4BJ
Fifty freelancers who will shape the future of creative employment in the capital announced
Fifty performing arts freelancers have been appointed to an initiative to improve conditions for Londoners working in the creative sector through a programme funded by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
They join Creative Freelancers: Shaping London’s Recovery, a City Hall research project, supporting the future of freelancing in the capital. It will provide immediate employment for the cohort while they work with partner organisations to help remove the inequalities facing creative freelancers, who have been hugely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since March 2020, up to 60% of the city’s freelancers have lost all their income. This loss affected a broad range of roles across the performing arts sector. The appointed freelancers represent this breadth and the diversity of London’s workforce.
The cohort have been appointed following a call out in May and an extensive recruitment process. To further their research and foster links between the freelance community and London’s leading creative and cultural organisations, each freelancer has been matched with a Partner Organisation. Together they will collaborate on how to improve working practices and opportunities.
Supported by the Mayor of London, the programme aims to feed into the work to improve job creation and retention for freelancers, including the development of a new Freelancers’ Charter and take part in advocacy and lobbying.
Championing the programme, Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries said: “London is a world centre for culture and the creative industries and our success is powered by creative freelancers who make up nearly half of the workforce. We know that culture will drive our recovery, so it’s more important than ever that we invest and support freelancers now. This programme places creatives in the driving seat as we all work to re-set how we value and support freelancers as the country reopens.”
The freelancers and their organisations are:
Seifeidin Abdel Salam Battersea Arts Centre
Emily Beecher Theatre Centre
Shaniqua Benjamin Boundless Theatre
Laura Caldow Little Angel Theatre
Jessica Carter Vital Xposure
Emma Clark Actors Touring Company
Emily Collins Old Diorama Arts Centre
Rhys Cook aka Oberon White The Yard Theatre
Natasha Davis Barbican Centre
Stefano Di Renzo VAULT Festival
Sara Doctors WeMakeEvents
Eleesha Drennan The Place
Carole Edrich Paddington Development Trust
Elles Elliott Raw Material Music and Media
Tanja Erhart Spare Tyre
Richard Evans Tamasha Theatre Company
Sarah Farnsley Siobhan Davies Dance
Alex Fernandes Headlong Theatre Limited
Jonathan Glew Camden People’s Theatre
Fauzia Habib Serious
Ali Hunter The Old Vic
Tash Hyman National Theatre
Caroline Jeyaratnam-Joyner A New Direction
Chloe Kennedy Turtle Key Arts
Anne Langford Stratford Circus
Nathalie Alison Layton-McIntosh Roundhouse
Gael Le Cornec LIFT
Del Mak Akademi
Sarah Meadows Parents and Carers in Performing Arts
Cole Morrison Sound and Music
Olivia Munk Turtle Key Arts
Aston New Talawa Theatre Company
Seeta Patel Royal Opera House
Mary Paterson Serpentine
Joanna Pidcock Headlong Theatre Limited
Sarah Poekert artsdepot Ltd
Megan Prescott Polka Theatre
Nancy May Roberts Rambert
Cory Shipp National Youth Theatre of Great Britain
Lauren Silver Young Vic Theatre
Kunal Singhal UK Music
Beth Sitek Fitzrovia Noir CIC
PJ Stanley Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Hannah Tookey Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
Shamira Turner Bush Theatre
Eve Veglio-White Sadler’s Wells
Krista Vuori Theatre Royal Stratford East
Beth Watson English Touring Opera
George Williamson Studio Wayne McGregor
Kyley Winfield tiata fahodzi
Responding to their appointment, freelance theatre maker, facilitator and clown Lauren Silver said “I am thrilled to be a Cohort member and collaborate with Fuel, the Mayor of London and the team to support our creative community.”
Referring to the ideas she outlined in her application, she added: Due to the detrimental effects of Covid-19, there’s never been a more crucial time to advance proactive and accessible Mental Health support for our creative freelancers, and I am passionate for our industry to be able to make space to focus on just that.
The Organisations involved are similarly committed and enthused about the huge potential of the programme. Speaking on behalf of #WeMakeEvents, a partner organisation, Simon Prior who is himself a freelance technical director commented:
We’re very excited to be working with such an extraordinary group of people to develop the role of freelance staff in so many aspects of the creative industries. Freelancers carry their skills and experience all around our business, providing fresh inspiration along the way, and they have been sadly neglected during the last eighteen months. It is good to know that the GLA understands their importance and is hoping to provide a more reassuring infrastructure for freelance talent.
Echoing these sentiments from a venue perspective , Head of Theatre and Dance at the Barbican, Toni Racklin added At the Barbican we’re committed to supporting artists and companies who challenge what theatre can be, so we’re thrilled to be part of this important programme to reimagine the industry’s working practices. We’re looking forward to collaborating with our freelancer, seeing and hearing their ideas whilst sharing with them our unique arts centre perspective. We believe that through this new relationship we can positively contribute to the industry’s support and development of our vital freelance ecology.
The Freelance Cohort and Partner Organisations are supported by a freelance Facilitation Team – Jessica Antwi-Boasiako Facilitator, Charlotte Mafham Communication and Administration Coordinator, Marie Wilson Bookkeeper and Miranda Yates Access Manager – as well an Advisory Group of industry experts Jamie Beddard, Lily Einhorn, Lilli Geissendorfer, Ameena Hamid, James Hodgson, Tarek Iskander, Jeanefer Jean-Charles, Jennifer Jackson, Chi-chi Nwanoku and Jo Tyabji.
About the programme:
Creative freelancers, particularly those in the performing arts, have been hit hard by COVID-19. From the very start of restrictions, up to 60% of freelancers had lost all of their work, and it is estimated that at least 200,000 Londoners have been excluded from any Government support. The pandemic has also highlighted existing inequalities facing creative freelancers – including a lack of security at work, unequal access to freelance opportunities, and a lack of a basic safety net.
This Mayor of London programme will enable this diverse group of freelancers in the culture sector to come together to explore and make recommendations on the future of freelancing. It will support the Mayor’s ambitions to improve working conditions and training, as well as advocating for the statutory changes needed for freelancers.
Creative Freelancers: Shaping London’s Recovery will amplify the voices of the self-employed in the culture sector, giving space for freelancers to shape and demonstrate their role in the recovery of London’s creative and cultural industries, as well as in wider civic spaces.
How will it work?
The Freelance Cohort and their Partner Organisations will develop new plans to improve working conditions and job and training support for freelancers. They will collaborate in focused working groups during this six-month research project, supported by the Facilitation team. The cohort will feed into the work to improve job creation and retention for freelancers, including the development of a new Freelancers’ Charter and take part in advocacy and lobbying.
The programme builds on the first national Freelance Task Force initiated by Fuel as a pilot in April 2020, in which 150 organisations sponsored 169 freelancers across the country. It builds on the evaluation and recommendations by independent evaluators Morris Hargreaves McIntyre, which highlighted the positive impact of the pilot, its promising potential, and suggested that external funding would improve future work in this area.
Programme Aims
This project will empower creative freelancers in the performing arts sector to make recommendations for London’s recovery from COVID-19 in these distinct areas:
Improving job conditions, creation and retention for creative freelancers
Advocating for an improved statutory position for creative freelancers
Establishing skills and training opportunities for creative freelancers
This programme will support the civic role of creative freelancers in London’s recovery from COVID-19, in policymaking and in delivery.
Credits:
Enabled by Fuel.
Funded by LEAP, the London Economic Action Partnership, and supported by the Mayor of London. The LEAP brings entrepreneurs and businesses together with the Mayoralty and London Councils to identify strategic actions to support and lead economic growth and job creation in the capital.
Returning to Park Theatre, London after playing Boris Johnson in the sell-out run of The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson, Will Barton will star as John Blondel and Alex Phelps as The Speaker in the spine-chilling ghost story, WHEN DARKNESS FALLS. The show will run for a limited season from Wednesday 18 August until Saturday 4 September, with a national press night on Monday 23 August 2021. Written by James Milton and Paul Morrissey, the production will be directed by Paul Morrissey.
The London run will then tour to Theatre Royal Winchester, MAST Mayflower Studios in Southampton and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford.
On the small island of Guernsey, local history teacher, John Blondel, runs the Island’s only Historical Society. Tonight, as part of the Society’s weekly vlog, a young writer who has been researching the island’s mysterious and often frightening folklore, has been invited to give a talk. As his seemingly innocent stories unfold – many of which are based on true events – it isn’t long before they reveal dark pasts, disturbing truths and unforgettable terrors.
Will Barton’s most recent theatre includes the title role in The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson (Park Theatre & National Tour), The Libertine (Theatre Royal Haymarket) and Toast (Park Theatre and New York). He also played Boris Johnson in the 2017 BBC 2 drama Theresa V Boris. Other television includes A Confession, Vanity Fair and two series of How Do You Want Me?.
Alex Phelps’s theatre work includes Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night and Reynaldo/Priest and understudy Hamlet in Hamlet (both Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre), Raleigh in Journey’s End for Mesh Theatre Company, and Dennis Dutton in The Vertical Hour, Bob Acres in The Rivals and Orestes in Elektra (all at Theatre By The Lake).
The show’s illusions will be designed by John Bulleid, an Associate of the Inner Magic Circle with Silver Star, whose other theatre credits include Harry Potter and The Cursed Child (Palace Theatre, London – current Magic & Illusion assistant), The Ocean At The End Of The Lane (The National Theatre – associate to Jamie Harrison) and The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre, London – associate to Chris Fisher).
WHEN DARKNESS FALLS is James Milton’s first full-length play. Paul Morrissey’s other writing includes the play Bingo! and the new musical Toys.
WHEN DARKNESS FALLS is directed by Paul Morrissey and designed by Justin Williams, with lighting by Bethany Gupwell and sound by Daniel Higgott.
WHEN DARKNESS FALLS is produced at Park Theatre by Paul Morrissey Limited, Chris Wheeler and Molly Morris, in association with Glynis Henderson Productions, Jason Haigh-Ellery, Dawn Smalberg and Bev Ragovoy and Park Theatre.
