Paul Downham, Author at North West End UK

New cast announced to try and get it right or wrong!

4Mar

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NEWS

New cast announced to try and get it right or wrong!

The Play That Goes Wrong, the Olivier Award-winning box office hit today announces a brand-new cast at The Duchess Theatre from Tuesday 5th April 2022. The new cast will include Tomisin Ajani as Trevor, Jo Ben Ayed as Dennis, Ashh Blackwood as Annie, Anya de Villiers as Sandra, Tendai Humphrey Sitima as Robert, Scott Hunter as Max, Oliver Mott as Jonathan, and Mikhail Sen as Chris. The company is completed by Roisin Fahey, Charlie Richards, Stuart Vincent, Emily Waters and Jack Whittle. The Play That Goes Wrong is blundering its way through its 8th year in the West End and is currently booking until April 2023. In August 2021 it became the longest running play at The Duchess Theatre (since the theatre opened in 1929) and is the longest running comedy in the West End. Awarded the 2...

Theatr Clwyd Announces World Premiere of New Musical – The Famous Five

4Mar

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Theatr Clwyd Announces World Premiere of New Musical – The Famous Five

Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd, Tamara Harvey and Executive Director, Liam Evans-Ford announce the world première production of brand-new musical The Famous Five in a co-production with Chichester Festival Theatre will open at Theatr Clwyd on 29th September with previews from 23rd September. Photo: Johan Persson Based on Enid Blyton’s multi-million-selling novels, Tamara Harvey directs this brand-new musical written by Elinor Cook, with music and lyrics by Theo Jamieson. Lucy Osborne designs with choreography by Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster, musical supervision by David White and Benjamin Holder, musical direction by Katherine Rockhill, orchestrations by Theo Jamieson, lighting by Johanna Town and video design by Ash Woodward. Tamara Harvey said today “I loved Enid Blyton’s sto...

Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming UK tour announces casting

2Mar

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NEWS

Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming UK tour announces casting

Full casting is announced for Harold Pinter’s Tony Award-winning masterpiece The Homecoming, directed by actor and director Jamie Glover, which will open at Theatre Royal Bath from 30th March 2022 before travelling to Cambridge Arts Theatre, Malvern Theatre, Leicester Curve, Theatre Royal Brighton, Newcastle Theatre Royal, and Theatre Royal York. Harold Pinter’s 1960s masterpiece is widely regarded as his finest play. This bleakly funny exploration of family and relationships has become a modern classic and winner of the Tony Award for Best New Play. Star of BBC’s Gavin & Stacey, Mathew Horne (Death in Paradise, Bad Education with upcoming credits including Newark, Newark and The Nan Movie), plays Lenny, Teddy’s enigmatic brother. Versatile actor, comedian and musician Keith A...

Jack and the Beanstalk at the London Palladium

25Feb

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Jack and the Beanstalk at the London Palladium

Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes today (25 February 2022) announced the return to the West End of The London Palladium Pantomime for a seventh year, with Dawn French and Julian Clary leading the cast in a brand-new production of Jack and the Beanstalk. For a strictly limited five-week run at The London Palladium, French and Clary will be joined by returning Palladium panto favourites Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Gary Wilmot. Dawn French said: “Roll up! Roll up! Much merriment and happiness and downright cheek and cheeks going to be happening onstage at The Palladium this Christmas with a brand spanky new Panto at last! We’ve waited two years to bring you Jack & The Beanstalk and I’m deblimminlighted to be part of it. See you there folks!” Michael Harrison, ...

Rehearsals start for The Rise and Fall of Little Voice UK Tour

25Feb

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NEWS

Rehearsals start for The Rise and Fall of Little Voice UK Tour

Rehearsals have started this week for the new UK touring production of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice by Jim Cartwright. Directed by Bronagh Lagan (Cruise, West End) and starring international YouTube sensation Christina Bianco (Funny Girl, Theatre Marigny Paris) in the title role alongside Shobna Gulati (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Coronation Street, Dinnerladies) as Mari Hoff, Ian Kelsey (Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Doctors) as Ray Say, Akshay Gulati (East is East; The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Bolton Octagon) as Billy, William Ilkley (War Horse, UK/ International Tour, The Full Monty, UK Tour) as Mr Boo, Fiona Mulvaney (The Ferryman, West End; Silent Witness, BBC) as Sadie, and James Robert Moore (All That, Lion and Unicorn; Fanny & Stella, Above the Stag) as Phone Ma...

25Feb

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NEWS

The Cher Show announces casting

The producers of the brand new production of The Cher Show are delighted to announce that the role of Cher will be played by Debbie Kurup, Danielle Steers and Millie O’Connell. The production features the actresses portraying Cher in three different ways throughout her iconic career, with Debbie as ‘Star’, Danielle as ‘Lady’ and Millie as ‘Babe’. Further casting is to be announced. With book by Tony and Olivier Award-winning Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, The Addams Family, Peter and the Starcatcher), direction by Arlene Phillips (Saturday Night Fever, Starlight Express, Grease), choreography by Oti Mabuse (two-time Strictly Come Dancing champion) and costume design by Gabriella Slade (Six, In The Heights, Spice World 2019 Tour), the UK & Ireland Tour will open at Leicester’s Curve ...

Full Cast and further dates added for the tour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em

21Feb

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NEWS

Full Cast and further dates added for the tour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em

The producers of the highly acclaimed UK tour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em are delighted to announce the casting of Susie Blake returning as Frank’s disapproving mother-in-law Mrs Fisher, Moray Treadwell as Mr Luscombe/Mr Worthington, James Paterson as Father O'Hara and Ben Watson as Desmond/Constable. They join the previously announced Joe Pasquale as the loveable but accident-prone Frank Spencer and Sarah Earnshaw as his long-suffering wife Betty. Also in the cast are Nick Wray and Alice Osmanski. Susie Blake regularly appeared in the TV series and comedy specials of Victoria Wood, Russ Abbot and Stanley Baxter, and is perhaps particularly loved as the Continuity Announcer in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV. She recently has appeared in Silky Hotel (BBC iPlayer), Kate & Koji (Se...

Award Winning West End Star Announces Debut UK Tour

21Feb

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Award Winning West End Star Announces Debut UK Tour

Actress, author, vlogger and award-winning West End sensation Carrie Hope Fletcher is heading out on her first ever UK tour. Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book will see the musical theatre star play a series of unmissable theatre shows in May and June 2023 including a date at The Lowry’s Lyric Theatre on Sunday 28th May. Performing songs from her incredible career expect fan favourites including hits from Heathers, Les Misérables, The Addams Family and many more interspersed with chat about Carrie’s fascinating life and career. Tickets go on sale at 10am Friday (25th February) and are available from www.cuffeandtaylor.com Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book 2023 18th May 2023St George’s HallBradford21st May 2023Mayflower TheatreSouthampton22nd May 2023Theatre RoyalNo...

American Idiot set to play Northwich Plaza

10Feb

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Interviews

American Idiot set to play Northwich Plaza

An amateur musical theatre society in Cheshire are currently in rehearsals for the little performed musical American Idiot featuring the music of American rock band Green Day. We spoke to director Louise Colohan ahead of their final weeks in rehearsal. You are back with Mid Cheshire Musical Theatre Company for a third time to direct Green Day’s American Idiot. Did it take long for the committee to convince you that you were the director for this show? Not long at all. I said yes immediately. This is a rare opportunity to create something innovative and special which can redefine how people see musical theatre in the area. Following the success of Evita and Sunshine on Leith I felt this was an amazing challenge for both myself and the society. For those unaware, can you briefly ...

9Feb

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NEWS

1974 Productions return to Hope Mill

Following their success with the 2019 tour of Ian Townsend’s multi award winning play All The Bens (sold out dates, Greater Manchester Fringe Award for Best Drama, Nominated for Best Actor, Best Revival and Oldham Coliseum Pick of the Fringe), 1974 Productions are proud to present Ian’s new full-length play My Favourite Place In The Whole Wide World. Longlisted for the 2019 Bruntwood/Royal Exchange International Playwriting Competition, this beautiful new play tells the story of Ruth (Claire Eden) and J (Ben Kenzie), two people in search of love and purpose in a world of confusion and loss. We watch Ruth and J grow from children to adults and see how they’ve been influenced by events and circumstances. Shot through with humour, My Favourite Place In The Whole Wide World is an engagin...