New Wimbledon Theatre – 10 May 2019

Reviewed by Catherine Françoise

4****

There was a real buzz about the Gala Night performance of In The Willows at the New Wimbledon Theatre in aid of the National Children’s Deaf Society!  In The Willows has been receiving rave reviews on its’ U.K. tour and deservedly so.  Metta Theatre and Exeter Northcott Theatre have created a twenty-first century, energised, hip-hop / street dance adaptation of Kenneth Williams timeless classic Wind In The Willows with a fab cast of great dancers, brilliant rappers and powerful vocals.  The BSL (British Sign Language) signer was brilliant as well, with great energy and also occasionally integrated into the choreography. The significant number of deaf audience members and their families who were cheering and applauding at the end was very wonderful!  I particularly loved the very moving song in act 2 when Mole took over signing when she couldn’t properly express her feelings with words, instead using her hands to express herself freely ~ a very beautiful moment.

The score has obviously been heavily influenced by Lin-Manuel Miranda and I noted strong influences from In The Heights in ensemble numbers in particular which is no bad thing. The songs are catchy and the lyrics sharp and witty, driving the story forward.  Interesting to see Toad, Ratty, Badger, Mole, Otter, Weasle et al reimagined! The piece itself is updated and set in an inner city school where a nervous, fragile, frightened Mole (also hiding a dark distressing secret) is starting her first day.  Her classmates look a bit scary. Surely Mr Badger will look out for her, as streetwise Ratty, rich kid Toad and cheeky Otter teach her the ways of The Riverbank. But when Toad gets locked up for joyriding, the Weasel Clan break into his (lily) pad. It’s now only a matter of time before Chief Weasel reveals Mole’s dark secret…

Olivier Award winner Clive Rowe (star of Tracy Beaker) stars as Mr Badger. We already know he can raise the roof of any venue with his incredible voice but he demonstrates he can also rap with the best of them as well!   Also cast alongside Rowe are deaf street dancer Chris Fonseca (The Greatest Dancer) as Otter who was extremely warmly received, with a charismatic presence as well as being a great dancer! Victoria Boyce, impressed as Mole with soaring vocals;  Abiola Efunshile gave a strong, feisty Owl; Harry Jardine as Toad completely reinvents this well known character, also making the audience have far more empathy with him than usual; Matt Knight (Let It Shine) is suitably menacing as Chief Weasel, also revealing a more vulnerable side to this character and also demonstrating superb dance abilities! Zara Macintosh as Ratty, Seann Miley Moore (X Factor Finalist) as Duck,  Katherine Picar as Bitchy Rabbit, and Treasure Iyamu as Twitchy Rabbit also delight with their characters.  The whole cast work wonderfully together and each brings something new and touching to each role.

Rowe says: “From the moment I was first introduced to In The Willows I knew it was something I had to be a part of – a classic piece of British theatre given the voice and unquenchable energy of the modern generation.”

I took 3 teenagers with me at the behest of the producers who wanted feedback from younger people as well as adults and these young teens absolutely loved the show, especially the dancing which they said was “very, very good!”  They also loved the rapping, especially when it got really, really, really fast and could still be understood! Have to say Mr Toad was particularly impressive in this regard! 

I was a tad perturbed that 2 of the teens had no clue about the original Wind in the Willows story at all though! (How can this be? Isn’t it required primary school reading any more?!). Not that this adaptation was closely aligned with the original story! But the one girl who had read the original book seemed to understand the story more easily than the two who hadn’t which makes sense!   

Very worth seeing if it comes to a theatre near you on tour!

Recommended for all from age 6+ to any old age at all! In The Willows promises “ballads, beats and backflips” and “fun for the whole family” and it certainly delivers! 

Musical Theatre Cruise Reveals Huge Line-Up For 2019

Smash hit West End and Broadway musical AVENUE Q, the secrets behind brand new musical The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and a string of West End stars will all feature in the line-up for Stages – the UK’s only musical theatre festival at sea.

Floating Festivals Stages cruise returns this October bringing the glitz, glamour and iconic hits of the West End and Broadway to the high seas.

Classical Brit Award winner Alfie Boe, Olivier and Bafta Award winner Sheridan Smith and the world’s most successful musical theatre group Collabro have already been announced as this year’s headliners.

And today organisers have revealed they will be joined by the West End and Broadway award-winning musical AVENUE Q for three exclusive shows across the four-night cruise. The AVENUE Q shows are exclusive to Stages and will be the first time this hilarious show has ever been performed at a festival, let alone at sea!

Elsewhere award-winning UK Musical Director Nick Barstow will present a series of events onboard including RE:Arrangement starring current Alice Fearn (Wicked), Noel Sullivan (Hearsay and West End star), Andy Coxon (West Side Story) and, Kelly Mathieson (Phantom of the Opera). All will be performing a series of shows and solo performances across the cruise and there will also be a not-to-be-missed group performance celebrating everything from Hammerstein to Hamilton.

For classical music lovers, West End stars Steph Parry and Luke Bayer (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Alyn Hawkes (Follies) and Emma Housley (The Wizard of Oz) will present songs from the musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Pippa Clearly and Jake Brunger, the composers and writers of the West End’s newest musical The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole – The Musical, will also be onboard providing an exclusive insight into this exciting new production.

For musical theatre lovers who want to join in and take part, Stages is introducing the Stages Academy – a fully interactive programme of seminars, workshops and events getting into the backstage and behind the scenes element of the West End and Broadway.

Theatreland’s anonymous cult figure West End Producer is also back onboard, there will be a series of Q&A events with industry experts and media and each evening the West End’s best Cabaret Bar SingEasy will provide open mic sessions with all the stars, plus guests will be able to sing-a-long to their musical theatre favourites.

And there is still more to be announced.

Thefour-night Stages roundtrip cruise Southampton-Dublin-Southampton takes place onboard Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas from October 14 – 18. For more information go towww.floatingfestivals.co.uk

This luxurious Stages cruise is produced by Floating Festivals.

Unlike other chartered cruises, Floating Festivals does not just replace the usual cruise ship entertainment programme, it transforms the ship into a full Musical Theatre floating resort.

Jonathan Blackburn, the brainchild behind Floating Festivals, said: “The line-up for Stages 2019 is shaping to be a huge hit.

“This is our second Stages festival. Last year passengers were blown away with the amount of entertainment and activities we had onboard and this year we are creating even more content.

“We have a fantastic line-up planned with performances from huge West End and Broadway stars, exclusive shows, the most hilarious musical theatre comedy with AVENUE Q, fascinating Q&As, the launch of Stages Academy and much more.

“Stages is no basic themed cruise, it is a true music festival at sea celebrating the crème de la crème of the West End and Broadway and gives our guests a 100% showbiz experience in the lap of luxury.”

As well as being part of Floating Festivals passengers will be able to enjoy all the amazing features of the Explorer of the Seas including a miniature golf course, the unique FlowRider surf simulator, the signature Royal Caribbean Rock Wall, ground-breaking virtual balcony cabins, the Vegas style Casino Royale, luxurious Vitality Spa & Fitness Centre, three pools, six whirlpools, Outdoor Cinema and a selection of luxury Boutique Shopping experiences.

All Floating Festivals packages also include complimentary à la carte restaurant and buffet dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Speciality Restaurants are also available for an additional charge.

Stages will depart Southampton for four nights from 14 October 2019 and includes a full day in Dublin.

For more details go to www.FloatingFestivals.co.uk

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR
IDRIS ELBA AND KWAME KWEI-ARMAH’S TREE

Manchester International Festival (MIF), the Young Vic and Green Door Pictures today announce the full cast for Tree, which will receive its world premiere this July at Manchester International Festival, before transferring to the Young Vic in London.

Created by Idris Elba and Kwame Kwei-Armah, this new collaboration is an electrifying blend of drama, music and dance which follows one man’s journey into the heart and soul of contemporary South Africa – with the audience at the centre of the action. The full cast includes: Christian Bradley; Lucy Briggs-Owen; Sinéad Cusack; Kurt Edyiawan; Alfred Enoch; Anna-Kay Alicia Gayle; Joan Iyiola; Anthony Matsena; Daniella May; Patrice Naiambana; Mbulelo Ndabeni and Andile Sotiya.

Directed by Kwei-Armah, Artistic Director of London’s Young Vic, with music inspired by Elba’s albumMi Mandela, Tree is an exhilarating show about identity, family and belonging, seen through the eyes of one man on the toughest journey of his life. Elba will produce along with Green Door Pictures.

It’s just 12 hours from London to his parents’ homeland, but to Kaleo (Alfred Enoch), South Africa is another world. A family tragedy finally forces him to visit for the first time – and as he takes his journey of healing, Kaleo must confront hidden histories and right the wrongs of the past. But first he must face the present: a shattered family, fighting to hold on to what they believe is theirs, in a nation haunted by the ghosts of its own turbulent past.

Director Kwame Kwei-Armah said: “I feel genuinely privileged to be working with this incredible group of actors, dancers and musicians to bring to life our shared vision for Tree, inspired by Idris’s intoxicating Mi Mandela album. As a director and as a producer, what excites me most is our attempt to blur the genre lines; Tree places the audience, standing, at the centre of the action – almost like a club, or a gig – and at the same time it takes them on a theatrical journey with a narrative that emotionally engages. We held some workshops with Alfie Enoch earlier this year, and the atmosphere in that room was fascinating. Now that the wonderful Sinead Cusack has joined us, along with a phenomenally talented group of multi-disciplined artists, I cannot wait to get into rehearsals and prepare to bring that infectious energy to audiences at MIF and the Young Vic later this year.”

Christian Bradley’s theatre credits include Orpheus Descending: Light & Shadow  (Manchester Royal Exchange); Incoming (Hightide/Latitude); Lidless (Trafalgar Studios); Macbeth (Shakespeare’s Globe); Pan (Northern Stage); Bonduca (O.A.E.); Stovepipe (National Theatre/Hightide/Bush); Our Friends in The North (Northern Stage);The Seduction of God (The Wrestling School); Macbeth (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Paradise Lost (Headlong); The Romans In Britain (Crucible Sheffield); Scapino The Trickster (Purcarete/Chichester);  5/11 (Pimlott/Chichester); Antigone (Cheek by Jowl/Old Vic);Merlin (Library Manchester); Mariana Pineda (The Gate); Peer Gynt (Southwark Playhouse); The Stoning (BAC); The Disputation, High Jumpers, Family and Penthesilea (Hampstead; Schweyk(Copeau Festival, France). Film and TV includes: Merlin; Rugby Road; Tainted Heart; Finishing School; Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

Lucy Briggs-Owen’s theatre credits include: Out of Water (Orange Tree); Present Laughter(Chichester Theatre); The Divide, Future Conditional and Fortune’s Fool (Old Vic); The Rivals (Bristol Old Vic); The Night Watch (Manchester Royal Exchange); Communicating Doors (Menier Chocolate Factory); Shakespeare in Love (West End); Midsummer Night’s Dream, Boris Godunov and The Orphan of Zhao (RSC). Television includes: A Very English Scandal; Doc Martin; Siblings.

Sinéad Cusack is an award-winning actress, renowned for her extensive career both on stage and screen.  Theatre credits include: King Lear (Duke of York’s Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre);Stitchers (Jermyn Street Theatre); Splendour (Donmar Warehouse); Our Few & Evil Days (Abbey Theatre); Other Desert Cities (Old Vic Theatre); Juno and the Paycock *(National and Abbey Theatre); Rock ’n’ Roll (Royal Court) – Olivier Award nomination and Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play); The Birds (The Gate), The Cherry Orchard and The Winter’s Tale (The Bridge Project). She has also played many award-winning and award-nominated leading roles for the RSC. Her performance in Our Lady of Sligo at the National Theatre and on Broadway saw her win The Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle awards for Best Actress, as well as an Olivier nomination.  Film includes: Queen & Country (IFTA Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role); The Sea(Winner of the IFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role); Eliza Graves; Wrath of the Titans;Eastern Promises; Cracks; V for Vendetta; Tiger’s Tail (IFTA Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role); Mathilde; I Capture the Castle; Bad Behaviour; Dream; My Mother Frank; Passion In Mind; Stealing Beauty; The Clement Garden; The Nephew; Waterland; Venus Peter. Television includes: MotherFatherSon; Moving On; Call the Midwife; Marcella; A Room With A View; Poirot; Midsomer Murders and North & South.

Kurt Egyiawan graduated from Guildhall in 2011. He won the Spotlight Prize in 2010 and was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award for the best classical stage performance by an actor under 30.  Theatre Credits Include: Mood Music (Old Vic); Othello and Measure for Measure(Shakespeare’s Globe); The Crossings Plays (Royal Court); The Rise and Shine of Comrade Fiasco(Gate Theatre); Richard III; Twelfth Night (both The Belasco Theatre); Season in the Congo (Young Vic Theatre); Berenice (Donmar Warehouse); Henry V (Shakespeare’s Globe); Earthquakes in London (Headlong); King Lear and The Frontline (both Shakespeare’s Globe). Film Credits Include:Beasts of No Nation; Pan; Kill Your Friends and Skyfall.

Alfred Enoch’s theatre work includes Red, at the Wyndham’s Theatre alongside Alfred Molina, King Lear (as Edgar), directed by Michael Buffong; Coriolanus (as Titus), directed by Josie Rourke; Timon of Athens (as Philotus), directed by Nicholas Hytner; Antigone (Chorus) directed by Polly Findlay;Happy New (as Danny) directed by Robert Shaw; Dinner (as Mike) directed by Anna Fax; The Ballad Of Salomon Pavey (as Kit) directed by Jeremy Taylor. He is also known for his recurring role as Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter film series. Enoch’s work in television includes Michael Offer’s How To Get Away With Murder; and Sherlock, directed by Colm McCarthy. Alfred is currently starring in hit BBC show Trust Me’s second season. 

Anna-Kay Alicia Gayle is a Jamaican born, London based dancer. Since graduation, Anna-Kay has performed and taught workshops in France, Italy, Brazil and St. Lucia in a range of styles including contemporary, dancehall, waacking, vogue and African dances.  

Joan Iyiola’s theatre credits include: The Duchess of Malfi, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The White Devil, Arden of Faversham, The Roaring Girl, The Orphan of Zhao, Boris Godunov and A Life of Galileo (RSC), Boudica & Omeros (Shakespeare’s Globe); They Drink it in the Congo (Almeida); The Convert, Eclipsed & The Rise and Shine Of Comrade Fiasco (Gate Theatre); Season in the Congo (Young Vic); 24 Hour Plays (Old Vic). Television credits include: Enterprice (BBC/ Fudge Park Productions); Black Earth Rising (BBC/Netflix); New Blood (BBC/Netflix); Yonderland (Working Title /Sky 1). Film includes: Denial; The Dead Sea; Words; Show Dogs.

Anthony Matsena was born in Bulaway, Zimbabwe and grew up in Swansea. He is a Sadler’s Wells young associate and the Co-Founder, Co-Artistic Director and Choreographer of Matsena Performance Theatre alongside his brother Amukelani. The company creates work that draws upon highly physical movement, theatre work and text. He graduated from London Contemporary Dance School in 2018. He previously performed at Sadler’s Wells in 2015 as part of Apex Rising with National Youth Dance Wales, and has performed professionally for Joseph Toonga as part of Just Us Dance Theatre. Anthony’s work has been shown at prestigious venues Sadler’s Wells, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, The Place and The Bunker.

Daniella May is a dancer who has toured nationally and internationally working in various dance styles such as contemporary, commercial, urban and African.  She has worked with the likes of Uchenna Dance; Southpaw Dance Company; Stomp West End and International Tour; Tavaziva Dance; BBC; Blue Pete; and many more. 

Patrice Naiambana’s theatre credits include: Barber Shop Chronicles, Pericles (National Theatre);The Caretaker (Bristol Old Vic); The New Nigerians, Iyalode of Eti, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi, Tell Them That I’m Young and Beautiful (Arcola Theatre); Iyalode of Eti (Duchess of Malfi) Tour (Utopia Theatre); The Histories, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Cymbeline, Much Ado about Nothing(Royal Shakespeare Company); Othello (Royal Shakespeare Company National Tour); Pericles(Globe Theatre); Perception Gap, The Man who Committed Thought, The Gospel of Othello (Tribal Soul Arts); Corialanus (West Yorkshire Playhouse); The Griot’s Tale (Yinka Shonibare Studios); Macbeth in Pidgin (Akogun Nigerian adaptation) (Ritual Theatre Arts). Film credits include: Turn up Charlie; Spectre; Monochrome; Son of God; Albert Schweitzer; Highlander; the Source. Television includes:  Nina and the Neutrons; Tinga Tinga Tales; Casualty; Torchwood; Silent Witness.

Mbulelo Ndabeni is a South African born London-based choreographer, dancer, teacher, movement director and director of N’da Dance Company. He has performed with top dance U.K and International companies such as Cape Town City Ballet; New Adventures; Rambert; Company Wayne McGregor; Alesandra Seutin Vocab Dance; Ballet Black and Tavaziva. He has created own works including launching his company N’da Dance Company’s ‘NaY Triple Bill’; Cape Town City Ballet; ADAD’s Bloom Festival; English National Ballet School; Rambert’s new choreographic seasons; Cloud Dance Festival; The Print Room and Horniman Museum. His work has been presented at Richmix; Sadler’s Wells Lilian Baylis; Queen Elizabeth Hall and ROH Linbury Studio Theatre.

Andile Sotiya is a South African born dancer, teacher and choreographer. As a teacher he has taught extensively around the UK and in South Africa leading classes, workshops and residencies. He has taught company classes for the likes of DV8 and Disney’s The Lion King. He was the rehearsal director with Ace Dance and Music for their TEN production and tour 2016/17. In 2002 and in 2006/7 he toured with Kylie Minogue’s Fever World Tour and Showgirl Home Coming Tour. He has also worked with her on various other projects including MTV European Awards in Edinburgh, Top of the Pops, CDUK and a tour of America amongst others.

LISTINGS

Tree
Upper Campfield Market Hall
4 – 13 July, 8pm (Previews 29 June – 3 July)
Matinees 6-7, 13 July, 4pm
Press night 4 July, 8pm
Recommended 14+, under 18s must be accompanied by an adult
 

Book tickets
mif.co.uk 
Standing tickets from £30 / Concessions £5 off

£10 for Greater Manchester residents on a lower wage

All orders subject to a per transaction fee of £2 (no per ticket fees)

This is a standing event.

Tree
Young Vic
29 Jul 2019 – 24 Aug 2019, 7.30pm (Previews (29 – 31 July)
Wednesday & Saturday Matinees: 2.30pm
Press night 1 August 7pm

Book tickets
youngvic.org
Tickets from £10

Colab Factory – until 25 August 2019

Review by Elizabeth J Smith

5*****

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hop onto a time machine and go back in time to experience a different era. What did people wear? What did they drink? What did the do to survive? How did it smell?

Well wonder no more. 

Just hop on the train to London Bridge, take a short walk to the Colab Factory and let the adventure begin.

I was little apprehensive on arrival when asked to sign a disclaimer! What was I letting myself in for. After being assured it was all part of the experience, I was excited as to what this was all about.

You enter a Victorian tavern and are greeted by numerous  characters in costume with extraordinary make up. This is where the interaction begins. It felt like going into a bustling pub where your not to sure of the clientele. 

You check in with the house mistress in her teller stall where you a given your nights spending. There are some unsavoury chaps lingering around, a cheeky chappy who would like to unburden you of said money at this gaming table. The accordion player sings happily in the corner encouraging all the crowd to join in with his sing along. I particularly like the song about a Cockerel!! Making your way to the bar to buy your gin or rum, I had “Mothers ruin” which apparently had been brewed in a bath tub. It was very good. All the while new characters are introducing themselves to you, while a sub plot goes on around you. Moving on from the bar to an underground labyrinth of rooms where you explore in all the nocks and crannies looking for clues.You are then summoned to the boxing ring to watch two lads go for it. Extremely well choreographed, as they slam each other onto a very hard looking floor. All the while mingling with other characters of the time, engaging in stories of their lives and who they are all answerable to.

Having no idea initially, what I was about to see it really was a spectacle to behold. Like jumping into the screen of a movie. 

Congratulations to all the actors who completely stay in character with the face to face audience and the setting really feels dim and dank, just as you would imagine a 1800’s tavern would be like.

So brush off your Victorian garb and head down to the Colab factory for an unusual, fascinating, immersing evening. 

EXPLORING THE LINKS BETWEEN SCIENCE & SCIENCE FICTION

STEP INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION WITH 

WHO ARE HOSTING A SERIES OF POST-SHOW Q&A’S

AT THE AMBASSADORS THEATRE

You are about to enter another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination.

Next stop, The Twilight Zone.

The West End production of The Twilight Zone, currently running at the Ambassadors Theatre,continues to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the original and iconic CBS television series by Rod Serling with a series of special post-show Q&A’s.

The first event will take place on Friday 17 May, immediately following the evening performance at the Ambassadors Theatre. This Q&A will explore the imagination and why we have it, the close links between science and science fiction, as well as why The Twilight Zone franchise continues to be such a major influence.

Introducing the event and the panel will be Producer, Ron Fogelman. The panel will include members of the cast, as well as two very special guests:

Christopher Beaumont representing the Estate of Charles Beaumont, one of the most important writers to contribute to the original series and whose classic story Perchance To Dream appears in the stage adaptation. The story follows the plight of Edward Hall, a man who cannot risk falling asleep or else he might confront the beautiful and sinister woman in his dreams.

Roger Luckhurst is Professor of Modern Literature at Birkbeck College, University of London. Luckhurst has written two histories of science fiction, the most recent published by the British Library in 2017. He has also written the British Film Institute classic on Ridley Scott’s Alien. His latest book is a history of the corridor from 1698 to the present day, which scandalously fails to mention Doctor Whoeven once.

Guests for the next Q&A event will be announced soon.

Bristol Hippodrome – until 8th June 2019

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

4****

Even, when they put in heaps of effort, they aren’t wasting energy!

The RSC’s Matilda has hit Bristol Hippodrome and you are not prepared! The classic Roald Dahl book has been formed by Dennis Kelly, Tim Minchin and Matthew Warchus to exude and explore the talent and passion of the young children cast in this wonderful production.

The story starts with Matilda (Olivia Cleverley) who is unloved and unappreciated by her parents (Rebecca Thornhill and Sebastian Torika). She goes off to school, where her teacher Miss Honey (Carley Thomas) is astounded by her ability to read, write and recite novels and times tables – at only 5 years old! She tried to bring the child genius to the forefront of the headmistress’ mind, Miss Trunchball (Elliot Harper) where she is immediately told that children are worms! Together, Matilda and Miss Honey and her entire class manage to overthrow the evil Miss Trunchball whilst Matilda’s parents get into some bother and have to jet off to Spain to escape the Mafia-giving the perfect opportunity for Miss Honey to adopt Matilda, become headteacher at Cruncham Hall and treat every child with love and respect!

Every child within this cast was incredible. They were sharp in their movements, perfectly in time and most of all, all extremely talented! Olivia Cleverley was our lead as Matilda and she was spectacular! She has a great singing voice that, when coupled with Peter Darling’s choreography, showed her immense talent and passion for what she does. It really was hard to believe that this is her first professional debut, as she held the stage like she had been doing this for years. Her rendition of Naughty encapsulated the essence of Matilda; she was cheeky, clever and always coming up with a solution. She is an absolute star and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this little girl.
The infamous Bruce Bogtrotter was played by Charlie Garton. This was a slightly different take on Bruce as you may know from the film or book, but the direction he was taken was fabulous! Garton had to wonderful task of eating a whole chocolate cake before our very eyes-one I still haven’t managed to work out how he did!!! He also sang the beginning of Revolting Children showing off his beautiful voice and also adding in some dance moves that were just brilliant!! A wonderful role.

Elliot Harper as Miss Trunchbull was everything I wanted and more. He was authoritative, evil, towering and rude with a little flourish to add some depth to the character. The 6ft towered over the little ‘maggots’ with ease and when the hunchback and broad shoulders were seen, instilled a sense of fear into everybody! He fit the role absolutely perfectly and had some one liners that made the audience roar – these were perfectly executed. When faced with Carley Thoms as the gentle Miss Honey, we really saw the difference in character and it was a joy to watch him on stage and relish in his performance. Carley Thoms was a perfect fit also, kind-hearted and lovely but also vulnerable; she showed us her performance skills. Her voice was also suited well to the songs and she had a great show.

This is an absolute must-see!!

Barons Court Theatre, London W14 – until 26 May 2019

Reviewed by Antonia Hebbert

3***

A play that strictly limits the number of words that can be said sounded too interesting to miss. Sam Steiner’s 2015 play Lemons, or to give it its full title Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, is set in a world where people are allowed only 140 words per day. We see this through the relationship of struggling musician Oliver (Charlie Suff) and relatively affluent lawyer Bernadette (Jemima Murphy), in intense scenes that hop back and forth in time. (This might be baffling if you didn’t have a programme to explain the 140-word law theme.)

The play raises concerns of power inequality and freedom to speak, and director Hamish Clayton hopefully suggests parallels with Britain’s current difficulty-that-must-not-be-named. This is stretching things – the imagined ‘hush law’ is never explained or debated, so it never feels like a really political thing. We only ever see its effect on two people, although we do hear about protest marches. Lemons is much more interesting on a personal level, as an exploration of the way a relationship evolves over time. Suff and Murphy make this a gripping show – they are thrilling to watch, and their intensity never lets up as they search for different ways to communicate and run the gamut of things that can’t be said, or shouldn’t be said, or should be said that aren’t. Choreographed movements, soundtrack and lighting (Gregory Jordan) all effectively convey the ebb and flow of their feelings for each other. The play could maybe have been a few minutes shorter, but the dense, ideas-packed script leaves you satisfyingly full of things to think about for a long time after.

Yorkshire’s very own Snow White

The Grand Opera House York held an audition yesterday to find a local Snow White to star in this year’s pantomime Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs. The successful auditionee will be announced on Monday 13 May and will then be available for interviews. Rehearsals will start at the beginning of December with the rest of the cast, including our panto dame, the ever popular, Steve Wickenden and this year’s baddie, Mark Little as The Evil Sorcerer.   The rest of the cast will be announced at a later date.

The panto will be directed by Chris Moreno and produced by 3 Bears Productions, who made their Grand Opera House debut in 2016 with Aladdin, followed by Beauty and The Beast and last year’s Cinderella.

Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs will run from Friday 13 December 2019 until Saturday 4 January 2020.

THE LEHMAN TRILOGY OPENS IN THE WEST END
 

Following sold-out runs at the National Theatre and in New York at the Park Avenue Armory, the NT and Neal Street Productions’ critically acclaimed production of The Lehman Trilogyarrives in the West End, opening for a limited 16-week run this Saturday.

The Lehman Trilogy, by Stefano Massini, adapted by Ben Power and directed by Sam Mendes (The Ferryman, Skyfall), plays at the Piccadilly Theatre until Saturday 31 August.

Additional seats are now available to book across the run and a limited number of £25 day seats will be available to purchase for each performance, to be booked in person from 10am each morning at the Piccadilly Theatre Box Office.

The Lehman Trilogy transfers to the West End direct from the production’s triumphant New York debut at the Park Avenue Armory, where it garnered huge critical acclaim. The New York Times called it a ‘magnificent play, a genuinely epic production out of London, directed with surging sweep and fine-tooled precision by Sam Mendes…with a design team that understands the value of simplicity in doing justice to complex matters.’ The production has been nominated for two Drama Desk Awards; Luke Halls for Outstanding Projection Design and Nick Powell for Outstanding Music in a Play, and the Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Broadway or off-Broadway play. The winners will be announced later this month.

The story of a family and a company that changed the world, told in three parts on a single evening.The Lehman Trilogy weaves through nearly two centuries of Lehman lineage. On a cold September morning in 1844 a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside. Dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is joined by his two brothers and an American epic begins. 163 years later, the firm they establish – Lehman Brothers – spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, and triggers the largest financial crisis in history.

Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley and Ben Miles play the Lehman brothers and a cast of characters, including their sons and grandsons, in an extraordinary feat of storytelling, until 3 August. From 5 August, Dominik Tiefenthaler will play the role of Emanuel Lehman alongside Simon Russell Beale and Adam Godley.

The Lehman Trilogy features Olivier Award-nominated set designs by Es Devlin, costume design byKatrina Lindsay, video design by Luke Halls, and lighting design by Jon Clark. The Composer & Sound Designer is Nick Powell, the Co-Sound Designer is Dominic Bilkey, with music direction byCandida Caldicot, movement by Polly Bennett and voice by Charmian Hoare. The Associate Director is Zoé Ford Burnett.

A talk, Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley and Ben Miles on The Lehman Trilogy, will take place on stage at the Piccadilly Theatre on Friday 7 June at 3pm. The actors reflect on the challenges and rewards of performing in The Lehman Trilogy, from originating the roles at the National Theatre in 2018, through taking the show to New York and now performing in the West End. This talk will include an audience Q&A session.

The world premiere of Stefano Massini’s The Lehman Trilogy opened at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan in 2015. It turned out to be Artistic Director Luca Ronconi’s final production before his death. A long-term admirer of Ronconi’s, Sam Mendes was inspired to begin planning an English adaptation for Neal Street Productions. Ben Power was commissioned to create a new version of this epic play, using a literal English translation by Mirella Cheeseman.

The Lehman Trilogy is produced in the West End by the National Theatre and Neal Street Productions.

THE BAR HAS BEEN RAISED…

THE HIPPODROME IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 

STRUT & FRET PRESENT

A GROUNDBREAKING NEW THEATRICAL INSTALLATION IN THE REVAMPED

LOLA’S UNDERGROUND CASINO

LAUNCHING ON 21 MAY 2019

The Hippodrome, in partnership with Strut & Fret (Blanc de Blanc, Limbo and Madonna’s Rebel HeartTour), have redeveloped Lola’s Underground Casino by adding a new digital theatrical installation which, alongside gaming, features live pop-up performances. This groundbreaking new installation opens from 16 May 2019, with the official press launch on Tuesday 21 May 2019. 

The Hippodrome has a long history as the centre of entertainment in London. From the early days of the indoor circus, to Talk of the Town, and now, a casino-based entertainment complex, currently housing the box office breaking production, Magic Mike Live. Continuing to amaze, surprise and entertain customers, the evolved Lola’s offers audiences a new space in the Hippodrome to enjoy great drinks and food, alongside this innovative new take on entertainment and all the excitement of a live casino environment. 

Featuring the latest technology, the show includes three extraordinary live pop-up performances every hour, performed against a 10-metre video wall backdrop. 

Join HM secret service in an evening of Double-O-Heaven featuring some of the greatest hits from your favourite Bond movies. 

Fly to Sin City and hit the Las Vegas strip with sensational showgirls, sizzling sorcery and mind-blowing magic.  

Travel through time and watch the history of The Hippodrome theatre unfold as vintage meets digital in our circus show.  World-class performers bring to life tales of bygone days. 

What happens at the border between real and imaginary?