Thursday, January 16

Author: Paul Downham

Jacksons Lane starts redevelopment programme
NEWS

Jacksons Lane starts redevelopment programme

Jacksons Lane begins a new chapter as works start on the capital redevelopment programme that will transform the building into a state-of-the-art centre for performance, participatory arts and contemporary circus Since September, over 100 artists have been rehearsing, creating and filming work around Jacksons Lane, with space provided free of charge On the final day before construction work begins, Jacksons Lane welcomes its artists of tomorrow, the Youth Board aged 12 to 19 for a day of creation In early 2020 Jacksons Lane secured the funding needed to begin its ambitious capital redevelopment project and transform the building into a state-of-the-art centre for contemporary circus, community engagement and events. The 9th November marks the final day before that work begins. ...
The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience Returns with 97 Dates for 2021
NEWS

The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience Returns with 97 Dates for 2021

The multi award-winning Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience returns with a new production, featuring: live actors, virtual and augmented realities, 5D effects, plus the recorded voices of Moody Blues’ Justin Hayward, Inglorious’ Nathan James and Kaiser Chief’s Ricky Wilson set to Jeff’s multi-platinum selling double album.   Visitors will meet a colourful cast of characters as they visit the Royal Observatory, sneak into a deserted house, and escape London on a boat down the Thames, whilst trying to survive the Martian invaders.   Interactive holograms of Tom Brittney (Grantchester, Make Me Famous) and Anna-Marie Wayne (The War of the Worlds - Alive opposite Liam Neeson, and Audible’s audio book opposite Michael Sheen) feature as George Herbert, The...
The ultimate Festive Friends Event is coming to Blackpool
NEWS

The ultimate Festive Friends Event is coming to Blackpool

Comedy Central UK has announced that following the success of last year’s winter event,  FriendsFestive will be returning to The Truman Brewery in Brick Lane, Shoreditch next year, and will also bringing some Friends Christmas magic to brand new location, Blackpool Winter Gardens! The event, produced in partnership with The Luna Cinema, celebrates all the best seasonal moments from the world’s favourite TV show. FriendsFestive will include all the best festive experiences from last year, including giving fans the chance to recreate the titles in the snow with a digital snow globe photo op, and, of course, no holiday season would be complete without a visit to The Holiday Armadillo’s Grotto. Could this BE any more exciting?! More experiences include ringing Phoebe’s bell outside ...
Casting announced for the must see festive musical of 2020
NEWS

Casting announced for the must see festive musical of 2020

I'm A Celebrity 2019 winner Jacqueline Jossa makes her West End debut in the role of Emily and Busted star Matt Jay-Willis will play Bob Cratchit. Also announced today: Lucie Jones, Sandra Marvin, Martyn Ellis, Cedric Neal and Jeremy Secomb. They join previously announced Brian Conley, who takes the iconic role of Ebenezer Scrooge in Alan Menken, Lynn Ahrens and Mike Ockrent’s A Christmas Carol A star cast will join Brian Conley in the new, musical staged concert of Alan Menken, Lynn Ahrens and Mike Ockrent's A Christmas Carol, which is set to play a strictly limited season at the Dominion Theatre in London. Performances run from Monday 7th December 2020 to Saturday 2nd January 2021. I’m A Celebrity...2019 winner Jacqueline Jossa will join the cast as Emily/Ghost of Christmas Future....
SHOUT! the Mod Musical Comes to London in 2021
NEWS

SHOUT! the Mod Musical Comes to London in 2021

A glittering new ‘Covid-Secure’ production of SHOUT! the Mod Musical is being produced at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate Village, from 10th March until 18th April 2021. Journey back to the liberating days of 1960s’ London and explore the infectious anthems that made household names of stars such as Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield, Lulu and Shirley Bassey as we track the lives of five women as they come of age in this psychedelic, eye-popping, fun-filled musical comedy which will make you want to throw your head back and SHOUT! The show features over thirty hit songs from the 1960s including “You’re My World”, “Son of a Preacher Man”, “I Only Wanna be with You”, “Those Were the Days”, “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me”, “Downtown”, “Gold Finger”, “These Boots are Made for Wa...
Educating Rita – Rose Theatre, Kingston
London

Educating Rita – Rose Theatre, Kingston

Willy Russell’s Educating Rita is a story about a girl from Liverpool who enrols in an open university course with a nihilistic and hedonistic tutor. Rita (Jessica Johnson) who came from a restrictive learning background wants to learn critical thinking and to change herself and her life through learning. She tries to find common ground and a genuine connection with her tutor as she emulates his identity of a Scholar and intellectual. She tries to find purpose, an appreciation for life and to change her culture, lifestyle and identity to something greater. Rita moves her apartment, changes her company to university students, changes her job and identity to lead a more enriching and authentic life. While encouraging her tutor (Stephen Tompkinson) to find a love for life through pursuing his...
Howerd’s End – The Golden Goose, Camberwell
London

Howerd’s End – The Golden Goose, Camberwell

Howerd’s End is a heartfelt story of love, acceptance and the use of humour as a way of masking the truth and revealing it. An emotional story of the story of a deceased popular comedian who comes back to visit his long time romantic and life partner, to go through an emotional journey through self love and self discovery and acceptance; in regards of sexuality, age, societal relevance and value. It encourages the audience to live life well, to let go of regrets and self doubt which are holding you back and explore the depth inside themselves. The show had regular laughs throughout and the comedic timing of both Simon Cartwright and Mark Farrelly was consistently great as well as their ability to hold tension in the room. This story also portrays how vulnerable comedians can be; neuroti...
From Here to Eternity – The Shows Must Go On
REVIEWS

From Here to Eternity – The Shows Must Go On

Another offering from The Shows Must Go on Youtube channel for the remembrance weekend. From Here to Eternity is an original musical with lyrics by Tim Rice that ran for 7 months in the West End in 2013/2014. The musical is based on the 1951 novel of the same name, but with less censorship, it is grittier than the book and subsequent film. It tells the story of the members of G Company serving on the US island of Hawaii in the lead up to the attack on Pearl Harbour. New to the Company is Private Prewitt with a number of personal issues, keeping him focused on himself until he meets dancer Lorene. First Sergeant Warden is determined not to become a commissioned officer, but his mind is changed when he falls for his Captain’s wife.  We follow their journey as their relationships and ...
The Bald Soprano – Magpie Theatre
North West

The Bald Soprano – Magpie Theatre

The Bald Soprano is an absurdist play by Eugène Ionesco, first performed in French in 1950, consisting of meaningless banter and nonsensical truisms – probably drawn from an English primer – and holds the world record for the play that has been staged continuously in the same theatre for the longest time. The play opens to an English couple, Mr Smith (Alex Burke) and Mrs Smith (Solenna le Goff), sat in their living room engaging in small talk about what they ate for dinner. Their conversation quickly turns to an almost incomprehensible discussion about Bobby Watson, who it transpires was the name of several people all at once: a man; his wife; their children; and most other members of their extended families. Their maid, Mary (Tsen Day-Beaver), enters to announce their guests have arriv...
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast to be re-imagined and re-designed in a completely new production
NEWS

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast to be re-imagined and re-designed in a completely new production

Disney’s beloved Olivier Award-winning stage musical Beauty and the Beast is to be re-imagined and re-designed in a completely new production staged by the original award-winning creative team and will open a UK & Ireland Tour in May 2021. Performances will begin at Curve, Leicester on Tuesday 25th May 2021, with other engagements also announced today in Dublin, Bristol, Liverpool and Edinburgh. The general on-sale will follow from Thursday 26th November 2020. Customers can sign up to be amongst the first to access tickets and can find all tour dates and information at www.beautyandthebeastmusical.co.uk Spectacularly reimagined in startling new designs which will use the latest theatrical innovations, this timeless romantic tale will be brought to life on stage like never befo...