Sunday, December 22

Author: Newsdesk

Acclaimed Hillsborough Drama Returns To Liverpool This Week
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Acclaimed Hillsborough Drama Returns To Liverpool This Week

A powerful play which explores the ongoing impact of Hillsborough on those who survived the disaster is returning to Liverpool this week in a new full-length production. 97+ is written and directed by Tom Cain and co-produced by Tom Cain Theatre and Bill Elms Productions, in collaboration with the Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance. The theatrical drama, which in a shorter version previously won acclaim at Liverpool Theatre Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe, is being premiered at the Liverpool Olympia for one night only on Friday 12th April, just ahead of the 35th anniversary of the football disaster which claimed the lives of 97 Liverpool fans. Set in 2012, Hillsborough survivors John and Steve – now middle-aged men - are each still dealing with the trauma they suffered as b...
Zodwa Nyoni talks about new musical Chisholm for President!
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Zodwa Nyoni talks about new musical Chisholm for President!

Chisholm for President! is a brand-new musical inspired by the remarkable journey of the first Black woman to be elected to the United States Congress, and who then dared to run for the Democratic nomination for President in 1972. Playwright Zodwa Nyoni has teamed up with Leeds based rapper Testament to develop a musical that traces Shirley Chisholm’s life as the daughter of immigrants who then battled racism and misogyny to win a seat in Congress. Chisholm was known for her advocacy on behalf of women, minorities, stood with the gay community, was way ahead of her time on environmental protections, fought against child poverty and was noted for her opposition to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.   Chisholm served in Congress for seven terms before passing away in 2005...
The Cheshire Drama Festival 2024 – Chester Little Theatre
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The Cheshire Drama Festival 2024 – Chester Little Theatre

Seven very different productions took place over the weekend of the 23rd and 24th March at The Chester Little Theatre as part of the Cheshire Drama Festival. The festival gives companies from across the county the opportunity to compete for a place in the Northern Semi Final of the All England Theatre Festival. All of the one act plays performed were watched and scored by adjudicator Bob Tomson. Chester Little Theatre was the perfect venue for the festival weekend, the auditorium, which seats 124 was comfortable and there was plenty of space to walk around during the breaks between performances. The theatre has a welcoming atmosphere and is a hidden gem in the busy city.   On Saturday evening, three performances took place. All original scripts. Starting with ‘Voyage of The Beag...
Maureen Lipman, Tom Conti and Anne Reid star together for one night only in the West End
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Maureen Lipman, Tom Conti and Anne Reid star together for one night only in the West End

For one night only, Maureen Lipman, Tom Conti and Anne Reid are to head the cast for a rehearsed reading of Peter Shaffer’s critically acclaimed play Lettice and Lovage. It is being performed in aid of Alzheimer’s Research UK with kind permission by the Sir Peter Shaffer Charitable Foundation. at 5.30pm on Sunday 24th March at the Ambassador’s Theatre, West St, London WC2H 9ND. Full cast: Maureen Lipman, Tom Conti, Anne Reid, Miranda Hewitt, Cassandra Hodges Directed by Loveday Ingram and produced by Miranda Hewitt. Flamboyant tour guide, Lettice Douffet comes up against brusque traditionalist Charlotte Schoen from the Preservation Trust, for theatrically over-embellishing historical facts on her tours of Fustian House. These two eccentric ladies, through a shared desire to...
Award-Winning Classic Thriller Returns to Liverpool
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Award-Winning Classic Thriller Returns to Liverpool

Following a sell-out tour in 2022, and a sell-out Liverpool Empire Theatre run in early 2023, Stephen Daldry’s multi award-winning National Theatre production of JB Priestley’s An Inspector Calls returns to the city for another Empire stint from 19th – 23rd November 2024. Casting to be announced. The story? It's a classic: when Inspector Goole arrives unexpectedly at the prosperous Birling family home, their peaceful dinner party is shattered by his investigations into the death of a young woman. His startling revelations shake the very foundations of their lives and challenge us all to examine our consciences. More relevant now than ever, An Inspector Calls is a must-see for a whole new generation. “We’re thrilled to be presenting another tour of An Inspector Calls," says Director S...
Bradford panto legend Billy Pearce returns to the Alhambra Theatre this festive season
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Bradford panto legend Billy Pearce returns to the Alhambra Theatre this festive season

Pantomime will be making a magical return to the Alhambra Theatre this festive season as Bradford panto legend Billy Pearce returns for his 24th season, following a triumphant run as Buttons in last year’s pantomime Cinderella. Tickets go on general sale on Monday 25th March for Pinocchio which runs from Saturday 7th December 2024 to Sunday 19th January 2025. Billy Pearce first topped the bill of the Alhambra Theatre’s annual festive production in 1993, winning acclaim from critics and audience members alike, and has since solidified his reputation as the King of Yorkshire comedy. Side-splittingly funny, Billy will bring his trademark mad-cap comedy and boundless energy to the stage and will have audiences laughing in the aisles just like he does every year. The Alhambra Theatre ...
Comedy version of The Time Machine comes to Leeds Playhouse
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Comedy version of The Time Machine comes to Leeds Playhouse

H G Wells was not known for his comic genius but his Sci-fi masterpiece The Time Machine is played for laughs at Leeds Playhouse direct from a highly acclaimed season at London’s Park Theatre. The Time Machine - A Comedy stars Michael Dylan, Amy Revelle and George Kemp, and is produced by the team behind the hit comedy The Hound of the Baskervilles, Original Theatre. The trio take the audience on a journey of a lifetime as George tries to persuade the others to stick to the script he’s worked so hard on, as Michael attempts to explain time travel without the help of excessive props. Will Amy get to sing her Cher tribute and can these three clowns defeat the space time paradox If Amy was to somehow invent a time machine, she knows exactly which period she would go back to. “I would...
Ghost The Musical embarks on new UK tour
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Ghost The Musical embarks on new UK tour

Bill Kenwright Ltd is delighted to announce the triumphant return to the stage of the worldwide sensation Ghost the Musical, opening on 22nd August 2024 before embarking on a major national tour across the UK. Written by multi Brit Award winner Dave Stewart and Grammy award winning Glen Ballard, with a script by Bruce Joel Rubin based on his OSCAR winning screenplay, Ghost the Musical brings all the romance and magic of the classic story to life on stage. “Walking back to their apartment late one night, a tragic encounter sees Sam murdered leaving his girlfriend Molly alone, in despair and utterly lost. With the help of a phony storefront psychic, Sam, trapped between this world and the next, tries to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving her from grave danger...” Ghost has...
Liverpool Everyman Welcomes All to Celebrate its Anniversaries with Open House
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Liverpool Everyman Welcomes All to Celebrate its Anniversaries with Open House

To mark Liverpool Everyman Theatre’s 60th birthday and the new award-winning building turning 10, on Saturday 23rd March the theatre will open its doors, inviting audiences to join free Backstage tours, Q&A sessions, and family-friendly activities across the building.         The day will begin with the unveiling of the Frederick Douglass plaque, a permanent installation designed by Liverpool-born artist Vicki Opomu, to commemorate and honour Douglass's legacy.  Following the unveiling, people will be able to discover parts of the theatre that are usually closed off to the general public, including visiting the wardrobe and other backstage areas as well as accessing the auditorium from the stage. BSL interpretation is available for the tour from 12:15 pm ...
Multi Award Winning Come From Away flies into Liverpool
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Multi Award Winning Come From Away flies into Liverpool

When the airspace over North America was closed on 9/11 and planes were grounded, the town of Gander in Newfoundland suddenly found itself playing host to more than 6,500 passengers and crew. With all airborne planes forced to land at the nearest airport and inbound flights from Europe diverted to Canada, a total of 38 planes carrying 6,579 people and 19 animals touched down in Gander, almost doubling its 10,000-strong population. On the northeastern tip of a province nicknamed The Rock by locals, these ‘come from aways’ (as the locals call people not born there) were welcomed with open arms. They were fed, clothed, housed and entertained - most notably at a ‘screech-in’ ceremony where kissing a cod earns you the title of honorary Newfoundlander - in and around Gander before aircraft...