Friday, January 10

Author: Paul Downham

North West End UK announces major expansion
NEWS

North West End UK announces major expansion

North West End UK today announces a major expansion as theatres prepare to return reopen next month in the first major step to normality following the Covid-19 epidemic. North West End UK (NWE) was founded in 2015 with the vision of promoting and reviewing amateur, fringe and professional theatre on an equal platform. With just a 2 man team in the beginning, the site has grown over the last 6 years and now has over 100 reviewers on their books across the UK. NWE has worked tirelessly during the pandemic in continuing to review online offerings from theatres and producers across the internet. Covering nearly 500 productions they have been one of the leading exponents of online theatre in the UK since March 2020. During this time they have also worked hard to forge contacts across the ...
Multi-award winning Dreamgirls announces new Blackpool dates
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Multi-award winning Dreamgirls announces new Blackpool dates

Sonia Friedman Productions is delighted to announce that the first ever UK tour of hit musical Dreamgirls, which was due to start in 2020, will head to the Opera House Blackpool for 2-weeks from Tuesday 25th October 2022 – Saturday 05th November 2022. Tickets are available from 10am, Friday 23rd April 2021 from www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk   Featuring the classic songs ‘And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going’, ‘Listen’ and ‘One Night Only’, this sensational, multi-award winning production of Dreamgirls had its critically acclaimed West End Premiere in December 2016 at London’s Savoy Theatre, 35 years on from opening on Broadway. Meet The Dreams – Effie, Lorrell and Deena – three talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history. Joi...
Rocky Road to stream live from Jermyn Street Theatre
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Rocky Road to stream live from Jermyn Street Theatre

Tyger Drew-Honey and Kirsten Foster star in the world premiere of ROCKY ROAD, a compelling new thriller by the award-winning playwright, Shaun McKenna. Broadcast live from Jermyn Street Theatre via Stream.Theatre on Friday 30th April and Saturday 1st May. Available on demand from May 10th to May 30th. “I make brilliant Rocky Road. It’s kind of my signature thing... What this is… is the hard lump in the rocky road.  Hard as gravel.  Small but, when you least expect it, it will stick in your throat or you’ll break a tooth on it.  Every time” Shaun McKenna’s compelling and timely new thriller Rocky Road is a gripping exploration of grief, obsession and revenge. Zoe had everything to live for when her life was suddenly and violently ripped apart. Seven years later, Zoe ...
What the Ladybird Heard flies into the West End this summer
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What the Ladybird Heard flies into the West End this summer

From Julia Donaldson, bestselling author of The Gruffalo, and award-winning illustrator Lydia Monks, comes the stage show of the much-loved picture book What the Ladybird Heard. With live original music from a quartet of talented actors, puppetry and a whole farmyard of fun, this 55-minute family favourite is the perfect summer treat! Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have a cunning plan to steal the farmer's fine prize cow. But they reckon without the tiniest, quietest creature of all: the Ladybird has a scheme of her own! Join the woolly sheep, the hairy hog, the fat red hen and the dainty dog as they take on the villains in their quest to save the day at the Palace Theatre, London. Published by Macmillan Children’s Books and with over 4 million copies sold this adaptation is the perfect in...
After a dry spell, there’s magic brewing in the West End with Wonderment
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After a dry spell, there’s magic brewing in the West End with Wonderment

There’s magic brewing in the West End once more. A vaudevillian journey of illusion, with performers at the cutting edge of their art, Wonderment is set to astonish audiences this summer at the Palace Theatre. This fun night for all the family must be seen to be believed. Wonderment brings together some of the greatest illusionists live on stage in breath-taking displays of magic and illusion that will electrify, surprise and delight. Taking to the stage will be the multi-award-winning mind reader and TV star, Chris Cox, and the most talked about woman in magic, Josephine Lee. Chris Cox has sold out UK tours and runs at Fringe Festivals from Edinburgh to New Zealand, and is no stranger to the Palace Theatre as the Magic and Illusions Assistant for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child....
Waitress UK and Ireland Tour Announces Casting
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Waitress UK and Ireland Tour Announces Casting

Producers Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian are delighted to announce casting for the first ever UK and Ireland tour of the smash hit romantic musical comedy WAITRESS opening at the New Wimbledon Theatre on 4th September 2021. The show will star Lucie Jones as ‘Jenna’, Sandra Marvin as ‘Becky’, Evelyn Hoskins as ‘Dawn’ and Busted’s Matt Willis as ‘Dr Pomatter’. Tour and casting schedule below. www.waitressthemusical.co.uk They will be joined by George Crawford as ‘Ogie’, Tamlyn Henderson as ‘Earl’ and Christopher D. Hunt as ‘Cal’. The company also includes Monique Ashe-Palmer, Amelia Atherton, Donal Brennan, Aimée Fisher, Nathanael Landskroner, Charlie Martin, Liam McHugh, Olivia Mitchell and Ben Morris. Further casting to be announced soon.  Lucie Jones reprises the role...
Birmingham Repertory Theatre announces autumn season programme
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Birmingham Repertory Theatre announces autumn season programme

Artistic Director, Sean Foley has today announced his programme for the 50th anniversary season of Birmingham Repertory Theatre in its current home on Centenary Square.  Tickets go on sale to Members from Monday 26th April and on general sale from 10am, Friday 30th April at www.birmingham-rep.co.uk    Opening the celebratory season, the smash-hit comedy-drama East Is East (4th - 25th September) returns home for its 25th anniversary Since premiering on The REP’s stage in 1996, East Is East has sold out three London runs, been adapted into a BAFTA Award-winning film and become a modern classic of comic-drama. Rediscover this joyous play where it all began. This hilarious comedy follows George Khan as he strives to raise his family the proper Pakistani way but hasn’t c...
OLEANNA – West End transfer and tour for David Mamet’s provocative play
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OLEANNA – West End transfer and tour for David Mamet’s provocative play

Theatre Royal Bath Productions and Jonathan Church Productions’ critically acclaimed production of David Mamet’s highly provocative drama Oleanna, directed by Lucy Bailey, will tour the UK this Summer from 8th June, visiting Cambridge, Bath, Southampton and Malvern, before transferring to the West End’s Arts Theatre, London from 21st July to 23rd October 2021. The production will star Rosie Sheehy as Carol and Jonathan Slinger as John, reprising their roles from its sell-out run at Theatre Royal Bath’s Ustinov Studio last December. When Oleanna opened nearly thirty years ago, it caused uproar amongst audiences from New York to London. Set on an American campus, a seemingly innocuous conversation between a college professor and his female student warps into a nightmare which threatens...
Brand new kickass-pirational pop musical Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World premieres this Autumn
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Brand new kickass-pirational pop musical Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World premieres this Autumn

The world premiere of a brand new kickass-pirational pop musical will burst into life at the Mayflower Mast Studio this Autumn as the Fantastically Great Women take to the stage to tell their stories. From the producer of SIX, this stage adaptation of suffragette descendent Kate Pankhurst’s award-winning picture book is written by celebrated dramatist Chris Bush (Nine Lessons and Carols, Almeida Theatre) and Number 1 hit songwriter Miranda Cooper (Girls Aloud, Sugar Babes). The incredible all-female creative team bringing this empowering new stage show to life is completed by Amy Hodge (Mr Gum and The Dancing Bear – The Musical!, the National Theatre) as director, Joanna Scotcher as designer (Emilia, Shakespeare’s Globe/Vaudeville Theatre), Dannielle Lecointe as choreographer (Dick Whit...
Barn Theatre and Arcola Theatre team up to co-produce the world premiere of A Russian Doll
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Barn Theatre and Arcola Theatre team up to co-produce the world premiere of A Russian Doll

The Barn Theatre in Cirencester and the Arcola Theatre in London have today announced that they will be teaming up to co-produce the world premiere of Cat Goscovitch’s new play, A Russian Doll. The play, which is based on a true story, follows twenty-something Masha as she becomes embroiled in the world of data and deceit as a member of Russia’s disinformation campaigns during the EU referendum. A Russian Doll, which will be directed by Nicolas Kent (All The President’s Men?, Another World), will run in Cirencester from 18th May – 13th June 2021*. Following the run in the Cotswolds, the production will open Arcola’s new outdoor space, Arcola Outside, in East London. The world premiere will feature design by Liz Da Costa, lighting by Sam Rowcliffe-Tanner, sound and composition by H...