Nikolai Foster Archives - North West End UK

21Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Wizard of Oz – Bradford Alhambra

We’re off to Bradford to see the wonderful Wizard of Oz in an updated stage version of the classic Judy Garland movie that has become a must see every Christmas for generations of families everywhere. Unless you have spent your life in a closed religious order then there is no point in detailing the plot as a young girl in depression era Kansas enters a strange new world, and with the help of some new mates fends off a wicked witch to find her way home. This lively technicolour revival comes straight from a sell-out run at the London Palladium, and the good news for all friends of Dorothy is the classic movie tunes are still here, with typically solid extra songs by the venereal duo of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice in the second act. Whilst staying true to the movie’s message ...

An Officer and a Gentlemen – Alexandra Birmingham

28Feb

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

An Officer and a Gentlemen – Alexandra Birmingham

Like “Dirty Dancing” before it, yet another of the screen to stage transmutations which seem to proliferate currently, “An Officer and a Gentlemen” has a single, vibrant choreographic image around which all else might be considered mere dressing. He lifts her up (presumably where she belongs) and carries her from the factory surrounded by applauding workers and colleagues. So ingrained is that image in my mind I can recall it without any research 42 years after its release! Such is the power of screen, but what of stage? In the highest grossing movies of 1982 only ET and Tootsie* elbowed “An Officer and a Gentleman” into third place just above Rocky III - which, I’m sure, would make an excellent ballet - proving itself a huge success for Richard Gere, Debra Winger and the very shouty L...

20Sep

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

North West

Annie – Manchester Opera House

The story of orphan Annie originates from a 1924 comic strip called Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray, lyricist Martin Charnin approached author Thomas Meehan to write the book of a musical, a wise choice considering his many successes since, with awards for co-writing The Producers, Hairspray, also writing the books for the musicals, Elf, and Young Frankenstein amongst others. Meehan created Annie, using some of the characters from the comic strip, but added to them, using Charles Dickens’ orphan characters as inspiration, which worked well with the musical being set at the time of the Great Depression of 1929. Lyricist Charnin, would then work with composer Charles Strouse, using Meehan’s book as the framework for Annie. We join Annie (Sharangi Gnanavarathan) and her fri...

Leicester Curve delays opening of Billy Elliot

14Jun

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Leicester Curve delays opening of Billy Elliot

Due to a number of cases of Covid-19 amongst the Billy Elliot the Musical company, the production is now delayed, with performances beginning 13th July. Curve Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said, "Unfortunately, valuable rehearsal time for Billy Elliot the Musical has been lost due to a number of covid cases in our company. Therefore, we have made the decision to cancel performances from Thursday 7th to Tuesday 12th July to allow us to make up time in the rehearsal room and ensure we deliver a first-class production for our audiences. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this delay in opening. All customers affected by the show postponement have been contacted by our Box Office team. If you have not received an email from us, then please ...

19May

By Robert BartleyNo Comments

London

Grease – Dominion Theatre

‘Grease’ is one of those shows that everyone knows, even people who don’t like musicals. Who among us hasn’t performed one half of the legendary megamix (badly) at a wedding or Christmas party? Steeped in kitsch 1950s nostalgia, the original “high school musical" premiered on stage in 1971 before being immortalised on film with the world’s tightest trousers in 1978, cementing the careers of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Now, 15 years after it was last seen in London, the show is back in town. Reimagined by Nikolai Foster (Curve’s resident Artistic Director), and featuring choreography by Arlene Phillips, ‘Grease’ has moved into the Dominion Theatre for a summer run on the back of a successful UK tour. But with such a well-known and often-visited show,...

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Leicester Curve

5Mar

By Robert BartleyNo Comments

East Midlands

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Leicester Curve

Carole King is such an exceptional songwriter (both with her husband Gerry Goffin and singlehandedly in her own right), that a biographical musical detailing her life and extensive back catalogue was inevitable. Sure enough, ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’ first hit US stages in 2013, transferring to Broadway in 2014 and the West End in 2015, and has also enjoyed a UK tour in 2017. Leicester’s Curve have teamed up with the Theatre Royal Bath and the Mayflower Theatre Southampton to create a new adaptation, which has kicked off a new UK tour this week. Spanning 1958 to 1971, ‘Beautiful’ tells King’s story from being a 16-year-old aspiring songwriter, to finding success with Goffin (in more ways than one), rivalry with fellow songwriters and friends Barry Mann and Cynthi...

New Production of GREASE to open at the Dominion Theatre in May 2022

18Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

New Production of GREASE to open at the Dominion Theatre in May 2022

Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey’s iconic musical GREASE will return to the Dominion Theatre in London’s West End, with new staging and choreography, opening on Tuesday 10th May 2022, with previews from Tuesday 3rd May 2022. GREASE is directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. Casting is to be announced. Colin Ingram, lead producer said: “This is the first new production of Grease in the West End for 29 years, so we are excited to be bringing this grittier version to the Dominion Theatre. All the familiar songs from the film are included, plus some of the songs and script from the very first production which will be new to audiences. Directed by the brilliant Nikolai Foster and choreographed by the legendary Arlene Phillips, they have done an incredible job of rei...

17Nov

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

Grease the Musical – Liverpool Empire

Fantastically feel good and naughtily nostalgic, Grease the Musical arrived in Liverpool this week with all the right moves and an abundance of exuberant energy. You cannot help but leave this show with a smile. Starring Peter Andre, and debuting several newcomers, it offers a slightly different flavour to what has been done before. Expect to have a good time. This production took a couple of scenes to find their flow but once they were in it there was no stopping them. Directed by Curve’s Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips, Grease demands strong dancing from the cast in order to carry out creative sequences and transports the audience back to Rydell High School with ease. Led by Dan Partridge (Danny Zuko) and Ellie Kingdon (Sandy) the dialogue is fast paced with...

Dreaming of a White Christmas in Manchester

19Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Dreaming of a White Christmas in Manchester

Jamie Wilson, Mark Goucher, Gavin Kalin and Kevin McCollum are thrilled to announce Broadway and West End star Sally Ann Triplett will join the Made at Curve’s production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas as ‘Martha Watson’ as it embarks on a UK tour. The show also stars Dan Burton as ‘Phil Davis’, Matthew Jeans as ‘Bob Wallace’, Jessica Daley as ‘Betty Haynes’, Emily Langham as ‘Judy Haynes’ and Duncan Smith as ‘General Waverly’. White Christmas comes to Manchester Palace Theatre on 22nd November until Saturday 4th December. The previously announced Sheila Ferguson has withdrawn from the production. The cast is completed by Phillip Bertioli, Imogen Bowtell, Isabel Canning, Freddie Clements, Meg Darcy, Adam Denman, Beth Devine, Kirsty Fuller, Ashton Harkness, Sam Holden, Matt Holland,...

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical embarks on new UK tour

15Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical embarks on new UK tour

Curve, Theatre Royal Bath Productions and Mayflower Theatre Southampton have today announced plans to launch a new UK tour of the Olivier, Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, opening at Curve in February 2022. Directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster (Sunset Boulevard, West Side Story), Beautiful will open at Curve on Monday 28th February until Saturday 12th March before moving to Theatre Royal Bath from 17th – 26th March 2022 and Mayflower Theatre Southampton from 12th – 16th April 2022, with additional tour dates and casting to be announced soon. The hit show, which ran in the West End for two and a half years before two successful UK tours, will feature a talented cast of actor-musicians performing countless classics including Y...