RENT Archives - North West End UK

5Aug

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

RENT – Paradise in Augustine’s

Theatre joins us together in a shared experience to marvel at talent, commitment, application and teamwork. And to ponder the writer’s message. Edinburgh-based Bare Productions drew a rowdy standing ovation for this 1990s tale of fear and solidarity in AIDS riddled Bohemian Manhattan. My neighbour for the evening, a transgender Dane called Daniel, informed me that RENT is very popular in the queer community. He enjoyed the show, saying he likes slice-of-life style theatre and that, while this particular musical is no longer contemporary, having been created before he was born, it is still very relevant. Appreciating and understanding the social history of the queer community is important. That’s the magic of Edinburgh Fringe: sharing views and exchanging human warmth with someo...

11May

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

RENT – The Brindley Theatre

Directed and Choreographed by Donna Dale, Assistant Director Charlotte Allmand, Assistant Choreographer John Sprung-Murphy and Musical Director Craig Price have produced the latest D&S Production of ‘Rent’. Set in the East Village of New York City, 'Rent' is about falling in love, finding your voice, and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 'Rent' has become a pop culture phenomenon. 'Rent' follows a year in the life of a group of penniless young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Johnathon Larson’s 1996 rock musical focus is around the interconnected lives of three couples: Roger (Elliott Tutt) and Mimi (Sara Haynes), Maureen (Francesca Forbe...

14Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

RENT – Carriageworks Theatre

It’s a tribute to Jonathan Larson’s genius that his quirky offbeat rock musical about a bunch of New York outsiders is the eleventh highest grossing Broadway show of all time and this is a pretty faithful recreation. The claim that it’s a reworking of Puccini’s opera La Bohème has always seemed to be a bit overblown, but it remains a powerful ode to artists as outsiders based on Larson’s own experiences when he was struggling to get work made. The narrative and dizzying array of musical styles is held together by aspiring director Mark making a gonzo documentary about his friends living in and around a New York squat, many of whom have AIDS when that for many was still a death sentence. Paul Lonsdale’s Mark is a touch on the mature side, but he sings and acts well. Rent continues...

25Jan

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Rent comes to Yorkshire

With the biopic of Jonathan Larson’s life tick, tick…BOOM! winning huge critical acclaim it’s just the right moment for his Tony winning masterpiece Rent to head out for a short tour of Yorkshire. Bite My Thumb are based in the white rose county and following their tour of Little Shop of Horrors are now tackling Larson’s emotional tale of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive at the end of the millennium in New York’s rundown East Village. Full of classic songs the show ran for 12 years on Broadway as the idealistic bohemians fell in love, found their voice and lived for today as the AIDS crisis raged around them. “We won’t be playing with the staging too much this time,” says director Nathan Winn, “Rent is about the music, the passion and the beautifully ra...

9Aug

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

RENT – Hope Mill Theatre

After almost three years in the making, a short run in 2020 which became a casualty of COVID-19 and a very successful online run, RENT at Hope Mill is back and it is explosive, imaginative and full of character. The stage is open with a very minimal set, but it needs no more as the storytelling fills the space and makes the room feel full. As the cast enter and take their seats around the edge of the stage area, you can feel the buzz and excitement in the room, a full capacity audience ready to soak in the story, the music, the love. As soon as the song ‘Rent’ began, you could feel the electricity in the room as the whole stage came to life and we were taken on a journey of friendship, love, life and loss. The cast were visible the whole time, whether on the stage or not and t...

Curve announces summer production of Rent the Concert

24Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Curve announces summer production of Rent the Concert

Curve is bringing live performance back to Leicester full force this year with the announcement that Rent: The Concert, the era-defining, Pulitzer and Tony award-winning rock musical will be performed at the theatre this summer Tuesday 10th to Saturday 21st August. Staged in-the-round in Curve’s specially adapted auditorium, this Made at Curve production of Jonathan Larson’s award-winning rock musical will be directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster (Sunset Boulevard – at Home, West Side Story, White Christmas). Inspired by Puccini’s classic opera La Bohème, Rent follows a year in the life of eight struggling young artists in New York’s Lower East Side as they attempt to navigate a world overshadowed by the HIV/AIDs pandemic, addiction, poverty and homophobia. The musica...

Smash Hit RENT Returns to Hope Mill Theatre this Summer

15Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Smash Hit RENT Returns to Hope Mill Theatre this Summer

Hope Mill Theatre announces that its hit production of the classic rock musical RENT will play to audiences this summer. After only being able to perform 5 live shows last autumn prior to lockdown, the production will run for a strictly limited season from 6th August to 19th September 2021. Tickets will go on sale from 10am on Friday 19th of March 2021. RENT, directed by Luke Sheppard, with casting to be announced soon. William Whelton, Executive Director of Hope Mill Theatre, said: “It was so heart-breaking to have to close our production of Rent after only 5 shows, due to entering another lockdown. We were so thrilled that we managed to capture the show and share it with audiences online. The reaction to the show both critically and with audiences alike was truly overwhelming. ...

Hope Mill Theatre announces its long-awaited cast of RENT

24Sep

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Hope Mill Theatre announces its long-awaited cast of RENT

The cast and full creative team has been announced for Hope Mill Theatre’s hotly anticipated revival of the classic rock musical RENT, directed by Luke Sheppard. RENT will play at Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester from Friday 30th October to Sunday 6th December 2020. The 12 company members, who were originally cast back in February are finally getting the opportunity to come together for this special revival of the much-loved musical. The cast will receive a Covid-19 test prior to being placed in one household (bubble) for the length of the run in Manchester. Jocasta Almgill (& Juliet, Dreamgirls – West End) will play Joanne; Blake Patrick Anderson (Be More Chill – The Other Palace, Closer to Heaven – Off West End/Above the Stag) will play Mark; Tom Francis (Arts Ed 2020 ...

Hope Mill Theatre confirms RENT will go ahead this year and it’s set to be the hottest ticket in town!

15Sep

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Hope Mill Theatre confirms RENT will go ahead this year and it’s set to be the hottest ticket in town!

Hope Mill Theatre has announced its hotly-anticipated revival of classic rock musical RENT will run to socially distanced audiences this autumn – with the 12-strong cast forming a ‘bubble’ for the duration of the show’s run in Manchester. RENT, directed by Luke Sheppard, was due to play at the venue in July, but the run was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The venue has been working hard and keeping updated with new guidance being released regarding inside performances and after much careful consideration are excited to announce the production is scheduled to go ahead as planned. Hope Mill Theatre will be operating with strict Covid guidelines in place in line with the Government guidance for the performing arts. This will include operating at 50% capacity per show with...

Hope Mill Theatre announces rescheduled dates for revival of RENT

29May

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Hope Mill Theatre announces rescheduled dates for revival of RENT

Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester has announced rescheduled dates for its production of RENT, plus full creative team. Due to the current Coronavirus outbreak, the venue has been closed since 17th March and has had to cancel or postpone all scheduled productions until further notice. RENT, directed by Luke Sheppard, was due to open in July, with rehearsals beginning in June, however the musical will now open on Friday 30th October and run until Sunday 13th December 2020. https://hopemilltheatre.co.uk/ The venue has taken the decision to reschedule the run of RENT should they be able to open later this year, which they hope to be able to do. All audience members who have already booked for the run of RENT have been contacted about exchanging tickets and refunds. Hope Mill ...