Caroline Worswick

Scot’s battle against addiction took him from Heroin to Hero

28Jul

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

NEWS

Scot’s battle against addiction took him from Heroin to Hero

Young Scottish heroin addict Paul Boggie was at death’s door – but with incredible courage pulled back from the brink and ended up as a soldier guarding the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Actor and playwright Tony McGivern, who works closely with Paul, has now turned his acclaimed autobiography Heroin to Hero into a one-man play that will be performed in Edinburgh this August as part of Army@TheFringe. The new play is an unsparing and inspiring rollercoaster ride through the struggle faced by a man wanting to escape addiction in the face of a system that often hinders rather than helps. More than simply a piece of theatre, Paul and Tony see the play – also called Heroin to Hero – as a means of raising issues, bringing hope, challenging received wisdoms and ultimately changing l...

Tabby Lamb’s Joyful Queer Rom-com Heads Out on UK Tour

27Jul

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

NEWS

Tabby Lamb’s Joyful Queer Rom-com Heads Out on UK Tour

Roots is extremely excited to announce its first production, the world premiere of Happy Meal by Tabby Lamb (They/she), directed by Jamie Fletcher (She/her) fresh from her acclaimed production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Leeds Playhouse/HOME) and co-produced with Theatre Royal Plymouth. It is performed by Sam Crerar (They/them) and Allie Daniel (She/her). This joyful queer rom-com is led by a trans creative team and is presented by the queer touring company Roots in five venues this autumn. Join us for an online show IRL. Travel back to the quaint days of dial up and MSN, where you’ll follow two strangers on their journeys to become who they always were. A funny, moving and nostalgic story of transition. From teen to adult, From MySpace to TikTok, From cis to trans. ...

Tony Award nominated Keala Settle to star in her first ever Pantomime

29Jun

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

NEWS

Tony Award nominated Keala Settle to star in her first ever Pantomime

Broadway, West End and The Greatest Showman superstar Keala Settle comes to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate in Jack and the Beanstalk this Christmas Northampton’s Royal & Derngate is delighted to announce that Tony Award-nominated star Keala Settle, from The Greatest Showman, will be heading up the cast in this year’s spectacular Christmas pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk. For Settle’s first ever pantomime, she will be joined by Horrible Histories’ Richard David-Caine, with Alex Lodge returning as Jack, and the hilarious Bob Golding returning as Dame. Vocal powerhouse Keala Settle will play the Fairy. Her performance of the anthemic This Is Me in the global blockbuster movie The Greatest Showman earned her critical acclaim, with the original soundtrack becoming 2018’s best-sel...

27Jun

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Mad House – Ambassadors Theatre

Theresa Rebeck is a prolific American playwright having written Bernhardt/Hamlet, Dead Accounts and Seminar, who also turns her hand to writing for television and has a string of novels to her name such as Three Girls and Their Brother and I’m Glad About You. Her latest play Mad House examines an American family who are attempting to live with a past, which is also shaping their future. Michael (David Harbour) is living with, and caring for his dying father Daniel (Bill Pullman), who is not the easiest of patients to put it mildly, whom directs insults towards his son on a daily basis. Michael has been living with his father for eleven months and is nearing the end of his tether, when they are allocated a hospice nurse Lillian (Akiya Henry). Daniel has decided th...

Spotlight on actor Alan Cox and the Marlowe Sessions at The Malthouse Theatre, Canterbury

13Jun

By Caroline Worswick1 Comment

Interviews

Spotlight on actor Alan Cox and the Marlowe Sessions at The Malthouse Theatre, Canterbury

For lovers of the classical canon, experiencing the making of this immersive audio recording just begs for your attendance. With the cream of the classical acting crop taking part, the Marlowe Sessions feature all seven of Christopher Marlowe’s plays and performances of his poetry. Our Deputy Editor, Caroline Worswick chatted to actor Alan Cox who takes on the role of Tamburlaine in Parts 1 & 2. To find out more about this unique venture and to book tickets, go to - https://malthousetheatre.co.uk/the-marlowe-sessions/ Can you explain what the Marlowe Sessions are, and what your involvement is? The Marlowe Sessions is the brainchild of Ray Mia and Mark Rice-Oxley and involves the audio capture of the complete dramatic works of Christopher Marlowe on the stage...

10Apr

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

North West

Carmen – Opera House, Manchester

Written by French composer Bizet and first performed in 1875, and an adaptation of Prosper Merimee’s novella Carmen, which was judged by French society to be utterly improper. This may explain why the opera was initially delayed because of fears that the themes of betrayal and murder may offend. The opera received negative press, Bizet was accused of plagiarism by Gounod whose music had a great influence on Bizet, and died aged 36, believing that his opera was a failure. Bizet was described as a child prodigy, admired by Liszt and even though Bizet himself felt that he had written something special, he did not live to see its success. In Ellen Kent’s and Opera International’s adaptation with the Ukrainian National Municipal Opera, the opening Act I reveals a set design...

7Apr

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Pass The Hat – Stone Nest

How many of you have researched your family tree only to come to a dead end because the trail goes cold? Do we secretly hope that we will comes across an ancestor with a colourful family history or a skeleton in the family cupboard? Oliver Bennett’s interest was peeked when he was seven or eight years old when his grandad would not disclose details about his great grandfather. Many years later as his grandad’s memory began to fade and Bennet’s hopes of finding further information disappeared with it, he decided to read a book that had been given to him years earlier which was the autobiography ‘Farewell Leicester Square’ written by his great grandad. It was the pandemic when Bennett had time on his hands as most actors did, and the book sparked an idea, to find out ...

Announcing “WEST END for UKRAINE” at the Charing Cross Theatre

5Apr

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

NEWS

Announcing “WEST END for UKRAINE” at the Charing Cross Theatre

A top line-up of West End stars will be taking to the stage at West End for Ukraine on Monday 9th May 2022 at the Charing Cross Theatre. The musical fundraiser is in aid of the UNICEF Ukraine Emergency Appeal, raising vital urgent funds for children in desperate need. The line-up for West End for Ukraine is*: Sabrina Aloueche, Paul Baker, Lizzie Bea, Gina Beck, Nikki Bentley, Kieran Brown, Joanne Clifton, Scott Garnham, Natalie Green, Adrian Hansel, Christopher Howell, Kim Ismay, Sooz Kempner, Joshua Lay, Emma Lindars, George Maguire, Jai McDowall, Nadim Naaman, Caroline Sheen, Simon Shorten, Courtney Stapleton, Harriet Thorpe, Shona White and Rachael Wooding alongside The Barricade Boys, members of the cast of Heathers and Titanic and the West End Musical Choir (*subject to availabilit...

Celebrate summer at the National Theatre with unmissable entertainment on the South Bank

31Mar

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

NEWS

Celebrate summer at the National Theatre with unmissable entertainment on the South Bank

River Stage, the NT's free outdoor festival packed with music, dance and unforgettable live performances returns in July; alongside KERB’s open-air market featuring some of London’s best street food traders. For the first time since 2019 the National Theatre’s River Stage festival will return to the South Bank. Over five weekends, starting in July, leading arts and performance companies will take over the stage to celebrate the best of British culture including performances from drag artists, dance performances, live streamed theatre and plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy. This year’s River Stage partners include The Glory, HOME Manchester, Hackney Empire Young Producers, Hofesh Shechter and the National Theatre. The Glory: 15th – 17th July The Glory returns to ...

Nothing in a Butterfly – Omnibus Theatre

31Mar

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Nothing in a Butterfly – Omnibus Theatre

Omnibus Theatre and Dorty Mooth Theatre jointly present this play supported by the Synergy Theatre Project. The Synergy Theatre Project works with prisoners, ex-prisoners, and young people at risk of offending with a belief that theatre can be transformative and challenges the perceptions of both prisoners and society. The writer and performer Ric Renson has benefitted from this project and has previously performed in The Invitation at the Secret Theatre, and Blackout for the Synergy Project. This time Renton has turned his hand to writing this, his first play. Nothing in a Butterfly is an auto-biographical play about Renton’s own life, set in Tyneside. Renton plays himself in this hard-hitting play, leading the audience along the path of his life beginning with him almost jumping...