Paul Downham, Author at North West End UK

Bugsy Malone gets first ever professional UK tour

30Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Bugsy Malone gets first ever professional UK tour

Theatre Royal Bath Productions, Birmingham Rep and Kenny Wax present a revival of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s universally acclaimed, sell-out production of Bugsy Malone which will open at Theatre Royal Bath with performances from 2nd July 2022, followed by Birmingham Rep from 27th July 2022, prior to a major national tour including Southampton Mayflower from 30th August 2022, with further venues to be announced. The world-famous musical Bugsy Malone is based on the hit 1976 movie by Alan Parker whose long catalogue of films have won nineteen BAFTA® awards, ten Golden Globes® and six Oscars®. Packed with instantly recognisable songs from Oscar®-winner Paul Williams including My Name is Tallulah, You Give A Little Love and Fat Sam’s Grand Slam, Bugsy Malone is a masterclass of musical com...

Tripartite – Slip Theatre Company Stage@Leeds

26Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Tripartite – Slip Theatre Company Stage@Leeds

It has been 125 years since Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud developed the practice of psychoanalysis. In the ensuing century, his book 'The Interpretation of Dreams', became the touchstone for psychology and psychiatry worldwide, assisting millions of people towards better mental health. As we emerge from a pandemic which has taken its toll on the entire population, it is timely that Slip Theatre has devised an accessible and illuminating piece of theatre to explore Freud's theories and their place in the modern world. We are introduced to this abstruse and theoretical world through the vehicle of a Greek chorus (Liv Taylor-Goy, Eden Vaughan, Lucy Tait). Clad in white lab coats, they outline the basics of Freudian theory with clarity and humour, Taylor- Goy and Vaughan bickering whil...

Sunset Boulevard at Royal Albert Hall for one night only

19Nov

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NEWS

Sunset Boulevard at Royal Albert Hall for one night only

In a special, one-night-only concert, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black and Christopher Hampton’s iconic musical Sunset Boulevard will dazzle audiences at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday 3rd December. Presented by The Alpha Family, in association with Quick Fantastic, the concert reunites stars Mazz Murray (Mamma Mia; We Will Rock You) as Norma Desmond, Ramin Karimloo (Les Misérables; Phantom of the Opera) as Joe Gillis, Zizi Strallen (Mary Poppins) as Betty Schaefer and Jeremy Secomb (Les Misérables) as Max von Mayerling. Based on Billy Wilder’s legendary 1950 film starring Gloria Swanson, Sunset Boulevard is heading to the Royal Albert Hall following a critically acclaimed performance at Alexandra Palace earlier this year. The 19-strong cast will be accompanied by a 40-piece orchestra on...

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

18Nov

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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 reim...

10Nov

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Yorkshire & Humber

Parade – Sheffield Theatre Deli

Parade by Jason Robert Brown is probably one of the most underrated musicals ever written. It is totally captivating from beginning to end with a powerful score and gripping storyline, the only down side is that it is not performed very often in this country. The musical is a dramatization of the 1913 trial, imprisonment and subsequent lynching, of Jewish American Leo Frank in Georgia. Tonight, Cutting Edge Productions brought this story to Theatre Deli in Sheffield where it continues until Saturday (13th November). https://www.cuttingedgetheatreco.com/ The lead role of Leo Frank requires an accomplished actor to play him, and tonight Dylan Lambert shone. His attention to detail in the role was impressive, he portrayed an introverted character with an inner determination to get perso...

5Nov

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North West

The Addams Family – Z-Arts

Not even the Addams Family are immune from Covid-19, however tonight at Z-Arts after nearly 2 years of delays they finally sat down for dinner watched by an excited audience, and it was well worth the wait. Manchester Musical Youth (MMY) Grads are back! If you are not aware of the story, it follows Wednesday Addams who falls in love with Lucas Beineke. Wednesday announces that the Beineke’s are coming over for dinner so that her extraordinary family can meet their ordinary one before announcing their engagement. What follows is a night of truth and revelations that could change the future for both families forever. I have to congratulate director Tom Jennings, not only has he brought this show to the stage in a fun and inventive way he also stepped in to play Gomez Addams with just a...

Kym Marsh to star in new Fatal Attraction UK Tour

2Nov

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NEWS

Kym Marsh to star in new Fatal Attraction UK Tour

Smith and Brant Theatricals and Ambassador Theatre Group Productions are delighted to announce casting for a new production of Fatal Attraction, based on the classic Paramount Pictures Corporation film. Kym Marsh * (ITV’s Coronation Street) will perform the iconic role of Alex Forrest, Oliver Farnworth (ITV’s Coronation Street) her lover, Dan Gallagher and Susie Amy (ITV’s Footballers’ Wives) his wife, Beth. KYM MARSH is an actress and well-loved star of the British music and television scene. The former singer was part of the hugely successful noughties pop band Hear'Say, who had two UK number one singles and a UK number one album. A treasured star of UK television also, Marsh played the role of Michelle Connor in ITV's Coronation Street for 13 years, winning many awards including the ...

Casting announced for “She Loves Me” at The Crucible this Christmas

2Nov

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NEWS

Casting announced for “She Loves Me” at The Crucible this Christmas

Sheffield Theatres announces the cast for its Christmas musical She Loves Me at the Crucible Theatre from Saturday 11th December 2021 – Saturday 15th January 2022. Directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director Robert Hastie, the cast includes: Adele Anderson playing Head Waiter (Fascinating Aïda), Lewis Cornay playing Arpad Laszlo (John and Jen, The Book of Mormon), Andy Coxon playing Steven Kodaly (Curtains, West Side Story), Marc Elliott playing Ladislav Sipos (The Girl on the Train, Macbeth), Kaisa Hammarlund playing Ilona Ritter (Fun Home, Sweet Charity), Karl Seth playing Zoltan Maraczek (Annie Get Your Gun, The Kite Runner), David Thaxton playing Georg Nowack (The Phantom Of The Opera, Passion), and Alex Young playing Amalia Balash (Guys and Dolls, Stan...

Paul Taylor-Mills returns to The Other Palace

2Nov

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Paul Taylor-Mills returns to The Other Palace

Bill Kenwright appoints his long-standing collaborator, Paul Taylor-Mills, to be Artistic Director of The Other Palace. Paul Taylor-Mills returns to the venue, following a previous role as Advisory Producer from 2016 - 2018, while it was owned by Andrew Lloyd-Webber. Paul launches his season of work for The Other Palace with the award-winning Heathers the Musical, which runs from 25th November 2021 – 20th February 2022. Paul Taylor-Mills, Artistic Director, The Other Palace said: “I am absolutely delighted to be returning to The Other Palace as its new Artistic Director and launching my tenure with Heathers the Musical, all under the helm of Bill Kenwright. I have had the pleasure of working with Bill and his incredible team for many years and the opportunity for us to have a London ...

Three Nights of Ground-breaking New Theatre

27Oct

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Three Nights of Ground-breaking New Theatre

Following on from the success of their event at 81 Renshaw Street in July 2019, the Lantern Writers collective were all set to soar again last April until – well, we all know what happened next. But time flies, the world moves on, and so better late than never, they reconvene to deliver another three nights of ground-breaking new theatre at Liverpool’s Royal Court this November. The premise remains the same with twelve pieces of original writing delivered across three evenings with plays typically ranging in length from 15 minutes to half-an-hour, although this time round an hour-long piece opens the proceedings. Covering a wide variety of genres, audiences are guaranteed a diverse mix each night with comedy and drama intermingled to provide an entertaining showcase. One of the gr...