Paul Downham, Author at North West End UK

Julie Hesmondhalgh, Steve Evets and Shelley King to appear in Write Christmas

9Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Julie Hesmondhalgh, Steve Evets and Shelley King to appear in Write Christmas

Write Christmas has been devised to bring some positivity to a potentially difficult holiday time. The aim is to inspire, involve and share fictional stories, videos, Christmas messages and more from boroughs across Greater Manchester, involving GM schools/groups for young people and actors and writers from all backgrounds. Work will be filmed and shared on each of the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Each ‘episode’ released online and as a podcast will share a piece by young people from our local schools and an adult writer. The project will be running to raise awareness and funds for the Wood Street Mission, a charity helping children and families living on a low income in Manchester and Salford. Christmas is usually a time we associate being about family, happiness, giving and re...

New Ghost Thriller “When Darkness Falls” to open at Park Theatre 2021

9Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

New Ghost Thriller “When Darkness Falls” to open at Park Theatre 2021

The producers of new spine-chilling ghost story, When Darkness Falls, are delighted to announce a new run at Park Theatre, London, from Wednesday 24th February until Saturday 13th March, with a national press night on Monday 1st March 2021. When Darkness Falls was due to play a limited season at The Union Theatre in London this November but was unable to open due to the Government’s decision to close theatres in lockdown 2.0. Written by James Milton and Paul Morrissey and directed by Paul Morrissey, Will Barton will play John Blondel and Alex Phelps The Speaker. The audience will be socially distanced. The London run will be followed by a UK tour, beginning at the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham from Tuesday 16th to Saturday 20th March 2021, with further dates to be added. Set on the i...

National Theatre pantomime Dick Whittington available to watch for free in December

9Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

National Theatre pantomime Dick Whittington available to watch for free in December

The National Theatre is to stream Dick Whittington, for free via the National Theatre and The Shows Must Go On YouTube channels on the 23rd December at 3pm GMT. The stream will then be available on demand until midnight on 27th December. The production will be filmed live during the performance in the Olivier theatre on the 19th December, in front of a socially distanced audience. Following the limited-window YouTube streams, it will then be made available on the newly launched National Theatre at Home platform from the 11th January for six weeks. At a time when many theatres across the country have sadly been forced to cancel or postpone their pantomimes, the National Theatre is celebrating panto’s place at the heart of British theatre. The free stream of Jude Christian and Cariad Lloy...

Andrew Lancel In One Man Comedy By Jonathan Harvey Touring England In February

8Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Andrew Lancel In One Man Comedy By Jonathan Harvey Touring England In February

Following its critically acclaimed sell-out premiere at Liverpool Theatre Festival in September, Swan Song, a revised comedy by acclaimed playwright Jonathan Harvey, is heading out on tour in February to coincide with LGBT History Month. Swan Song, a one-man play starring TV and stage actor Andrew Lancel, is directed by BAFTA award-winning director Noreen Kershaw and produced by Bill Elms. The play will open at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre for six performances over three nights, this will be the first live performances at the theatre since closing in March. The show then moves on to The Atkinson Southport, Lighthouse Poole, Swan Theatre Worcester, Belgrade Coventry, Dukes Lancaster, City Varieties Leeds, and Capitol Horsham. All venue will present to socially distanced audiences and mor...

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Garrick Theatre

8Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Garrick Theatre

Showstopper did not allow lockdown to stop their creativity, they have continued to produce online improvised shows, in fact North West End UK have reviewed some of these (see our website). For those who have somehow missed the artistry that is musical improvisation here is a quick summary. Showstopper use suggestions made by the audience to make up a musical from scratch in front of your eyes. In a normal musical production, it can take years for a production to make it to the stage, with the services of a lyricist, a composer, producer, director, actors, etc, etc! Showstopper does all of this in one night – the performers multi-task and roll all of this into one very sleek team. Ring, ring, the red phone shrills, and we know it’s going to be Cameron asking the ...

ROH Winter Programme to open with Tosca in January 2021

8Dec

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NEWS

ROH Winter Programme to open with Tosca in January 2021

The Royal Opera House is delighted to announce that The Royal Opera’s Winter 2020/21 Programme will open with 12 performances of Puccini's Tosca. The revival of Jonathan Kent’s 2006 production will see one of the most captivating opera singers of our time, Anna Netrebko, return to the stage at Covent Garden. Puccini’s operatic thriller – one of the great opera experiences – will be the first fully staged production of an opera at Covent Garden since lockdown in March 2020. Running from Wednesday 13th January to Saturday 13th March, the production will also be live streamed for audiences across the globe on Friday 22nd January. Opening on 13th January, Dan Ettinger will conduct the star cast including Anna Netrebko, leading tenor Yusif Eyvazov and world-renowned bass-baritone Gerald F...

7Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Potted Panto – Garrick Theatre

Panto – as traditional a Christmas custom as mince pies, mulled wine and pulling crackers. Like many of our favourite things this year, Covid has put-paid to lots of the pantos and theatre trips we’d normally be enjoying, so naturally I jumped at the chance to see Potted Panto - a madcap romp through all the classic pantomimes, performed in just 70 minutes. As my first theatre trip in socially distanced times, I must give a quick shout-out to the team at the Garrick who did a terrific job of creating a Covid-safe space, whizzing us through temperature and bag checks and ensuring everyone remained vigilant with their masks. A different experience for sure but a smooth one which provided a small slice of normality in an otherwise very strange festive season. Using a pretty basic bu...

Musical Theatre under the Stars in Liverpool

7Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Musical Theatre under the Stars in Liverpool

At last, a chance to get out and enjoy a good singsong in the centre of Liverpool. St Luke’s Bombed Out Church at the top of Bold Street is hosting a musical theatre concert on December 17th starting at 7.30pm. Doors open 7.00pm The event, “Musical Theatre under the Stars” is designed to raise money for the local Fringe Theatre group Make it Write. The group will use the money to give people on low-income access to playwriting and theatre activities. “As a performer myself I was keen to get a show going and to help theatres and groups hit by the pandemic”, said Laura Smith, the main driver of the show being arranged by Make it Write. It could be a chilly night so the team is suggesting that people should dress warm and bring a blanket for the event expected to last about...

Theatr Clwyd Announces Christmas Productions For 2020

7Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Theatr Clwyd Announces Christmas Productions For 2020

Tamara Harvey, Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd today announces the company’s reimagined Christmas season. Commencing on 5th December, the season includes the immersive family experience Once Upon A Christmas; Christian Patterson’s The Panto That Nearly Never Was! directed by Harvey; and the bilingual family show Gwrach yr Iâ / The Ice Witch, in co-production with Pontio Arts, written and directed by Emyr John. If theatres in Wales continue to be unable to open under Covid restrictions, The Panto That Nearly Never Was and The Ice Witch will be streamed into audiences’ homes, whilst Once Upon A Christmas – three brand new pre-recorded Christmas stories told in three immersive worlds – is able to take place under such restrictions. Tamara Harvey today said, “Despite the obvious challenge...

Musical Powerhouse Marisha Wallace Announces 2021 UK Tour

7Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Musical Powerhouse Marisha Wallace Announces 2021 UK Tour

West End and Broadway sensation Marisha Wallace is delighted to announce an all-new UK tour for 2021. The musical powerhouse – who has dazzled both the Royal Variety Performance and Strictly Come Dancing in recent days – is heading out on a six-date tour next autumn. The announcement follows the release of Marisha’s stunning new album ‘Tomorrow’. Named BBC Radio 2 Album of the Week, ‘Tomorrow’ is a wonderful collection of uplifting show songs and sing-along pop classics delivered by one of the most instantly recognisable and beloved voices of a generation. Marisha, the star of such smash-hit stage shows as Dreamgirls, Waitress, Aladdin and The Book of Mormon, will play these unmissable dates: Friday 24th SeptemberIlkley – King’s HallMonday 27th SeptemberLondon – Arts TheatreThu...