Paul Downham, Author at North West End UK

COVID threatening diversity in theatre, forcing diversification, research suggests

13Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

COVID threatening diversity in theatre, forcing diversification, research suggests

The team behind a major research project, looking at the impact on theatre freelancers of COVID-19, has spoken of the risks to diversity, and the emotional toll they are uncovering around the UK. Theatre-makers are seeking alternative income and considering their futures. The failure to address long-standing inequalities is also leading to increased activism among theatre freelancers. The Freelancers in the Dark project, a collaboration between East 15 Acting School, Manchester Metropolitan University and Queen’s University Belfast, is asking freelance theatre-makers, organisations and venues from across the UK to help chart the impact of COVID-19. Two surveys have been launched, to look at the effects on all aspects of UK theatre. Early responses highlight the financial impact on fr...

Pam Ferris and Toby Jones lead strong cast for Mark Ravenhill’s new play

13Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Pam Ferris and Toby Jones lead strong cast for Mark Ravenhill’s new play

Call The Midwife’s Pam Ferris and Detectorists star Toby Jones lead a strong cast for Mark Ravenhill’s new play Angela The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Pitlochry Festival Theatre, in association with Naked Productions and BBC Radio 3, are presenting the auto-biographical work as part of their new online Sound Stage project airing from 26th – 28th March with tickets going on general sale from Monday 22nd February. Angela centres on the playwright’s mother at the age of 84, and living with dementia, as she looks back across her life intercutting between old age, her memories and mind failing, and her youth. Ravenhill explores her growing up, moving away from her roots as the world of drama welcomed her. Angela looks at her struggle with depression and the challenges of her...

13Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Turn Your Home Into a Half-Term Theatre

A brilliant way to keep the children entertained (and give parents a welcome break!) is to give them a free trip to the theatre with Scenesaver’s wonderful online selection of shows and print off theatre tickets. There’s a huge choice for all ages. Pick your shows and turn your home into a theatre. The children can get dressed up for the treat, if you’ve some popcorn or ice cream for the interval even better, and at the appointed time, lower the blinds, let them sit down in front of the TV or laptop, turn on Scenesaver, turn off the lights and relax! Scenesaver is a great way to introduce children to the magic of theatre and to encourage them to use their imaginations. There is drama, puppetry, magic, circus and a whole host of different theatrical experiences from just 10 minute...

Suitcase Under The Stairs – Greenwich Theatre

12Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Suitcase Under The Stairs – Greenwich Theatre

In my time, I’ve seen more drag queens than I care to remember. From Danny La Rue at the Palladium to Naughty Nikki down the local pub. There is usually something to entertain, even if it’s the way home. However absorbed we are with the performance I would bet we never give a second thought to the artist under the slap, we just want to be entertained. In their play “Suitcase under the stairs” Lewis Pickles and Lauren Tranter take us quite literally behind the scenes and shows us the performer inside. Like drag queens, ventriloquists also create a second persona for themselves and put it in a suitcase after the performance. Sometimes though, the alter ego dominates Anthony Hopkins covered similar ground in the movie “Magic”. Here, the drag queen takes over the performer. In this pe...

12Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Romeo & Juliet Online

With the national lockdown still upon us and theatres remaining closed, Metcalfe Gordon Productions has found a way around the restrictions with their virtual adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet. Directed by Nick Evans, the show is set in the aftermath of the pandemic, in a world where the population has taken refuge in empty theatres. With current restrictions, CGI was used to create the virtual theatre setting, with the scenes taking place in all aspects of the venue, from the stalls to backstage, it certainly took some getting used to. After being away from a theatre for so long, I enjoyed being reacquainted with the place I’ve missed. The clever CGI set by Jamie Osbourne effectively gave the illusion of the characters interacting with each other whi...

Good Grief – Platform Presents and Finite Films

12Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Good Grief – Platform Presents and Finite Films

Written by Lorien Haynes and Directed by Natalie Abrahami, Good Grief is a romantic comedy which takes us on a journey of loss, hurt, love and memories. Filmed on location at Coptic Street Studios, London, the one act piece follows Adam (Nikesh Patel) and Cat (Sian Clifford) after the loss of someone close to them over a 10-month period, taking us through different scenarios and many different emotions. The piece takes place in one room which is dressed between ‘scenes’ to create different places, from a living room to a car park and even a hotel room. The set is extremely basic, using chairs and cardboard boxes to build different looks and situations. At first this comes across as quite bland and uninspiring but as I went with the piece, I started to feel the lack of scenery reflect...

Birmingham Hippodrome to release a series of films to celebrate Chinese New Year

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Birmingham Hippodrome to release a series of films to celebrate Chinese New Year

Birmingham Hippodrome will be sharing a series of films from Friday 12th February to welcome in Chinese New Year and celebrate The Year of The Ox. The Hippodrome has commissioned filmmaker Craig Bush and Artist Frances Yeung to create a series of short films reflecting the cultural celebrations and traditions that take place during Chinese New Year. Made in collaboration with the Chinese Community Centre Birmingham, the films will be shared over a seven-day period and explore how the local community in Southside have adapted their celebrations in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. Chinese New Year, commonly referred to as the Spring Festival, celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar and in many Chinese communities, a full week’s holiday is taken t...

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Take Care – The Living Record Festival

Take Care is an online adaptation of a stage play by the verbatim theatre company Ecoute Theatre based in Bristol and London. Crafted from interviews with carers over six years, the show first premiered in 2014 with a sold out run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This filmed version, produced for the Living Record Festival, has four actors of the company take you into the real lives, homes and stories of 20 such carers and the people they care for. Full of heart-wrenching, messy, hilarious and poignant moments captured through the actual words of carers without any ‘edits’, this show makes you introspect deeply about the formal (and informal) care industry in the UK. The show is directed by Zoë Templeman-Young who also doubles up on the screenplay with Sam McLaughlin, accompanied by Matt K...

Dream – live, online performance leads the way in future audience experience

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Dream – live, online performance leads the way in future audience experience

Theatre, music and ground-breaking technology combine in Dream, an exhilarating glimpse into the future of live performance inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Created by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in collaboration with Manchester International Festival (MIF) Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF) and Philharmonia Orchestra, Dream is the culmination of a major research project called Audience of the Future which helped develop Skepta’s mixed-reality rave for MIF19, DYSTOPIA987. Gabrielle Jenks, Digital Director at Manchester International Festival said: “Audience of the Future has been an invaluable space for world-leading organisations to consider the future of virtual production and understand the opportunities and challenges of working with real-time technologi...

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Manchester Camerata joins forces with brand new streaming platform: Virtual Circle

As live performance restrictions remain in place at the start of 2021, Manchester Camerata is as determined as ever to reach out to and remain connected to its audiences, bringing its world class music to a national and global platform. With this in mind, “Britain's most adventurous orchestra” (The Times) is thrilled to announce its first ever concert for brand new streaming platform Virtual Circle recently launched by HarrisonParrott - one of the world’s leading arts management companies. Conducted by the internationally renowned Pekka Kuusisto, this brand new concert by Manchester Camerata - All Time Is Eternally Present - packs a real punch with an eclectic and exciting programme – its first of many planned for 2021. The full programme features rising star Saxophonist and BBC Radio 3...