FEATURES Archives - Page 8 of 12

Interview with Oliver Senton of ‘The School of Night’

30Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Interviews

Interview with Oliver Senton of ‘The School of Night’

After a long time away from the stage, the Fraters are set to return with their first shows being held at a rather unique location; the ‘Willow Globe’ in Wales. Following their inaugural gig many years ago at ‘Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre’, it seems only fitting now that they return to a replica of ‘The Globe’, that was grown organically by planting willow in the shape of Shakespeare’s magnificent theatre. The School of Night’s unusual and eccentric type of improvising stimulates the literary appetite, whilst catching you off guard with their humorous sleight of hand. This event at the ‘Willow Globe’ is to be held on the 11th of September at 3pm and 7pm. To book tickets for this event go to https://www.shakespearelink.org.uk/productions/2021/9/11/the-school-of-night ...

Lucy May Barker stars in a unique staging of Mamma Mia at Harewood House

12Aug

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

Lucy May Barker stars in a unique staging of Mamma Mia at Harewood House

Lucy May Barker has travelled the globe playing Sophie Sheridan searching for her long-lost dad in smash hit musical Mamma Mia and she rejoins the show for its first ever open-air production at Harwood House near Leeds. This show has been seen by over 65 million people in 50 productions in 16 different languages, plus two blockbusting movies. Lucy played Sophie in the West End and joins a cast full of Mamma Mia veterans for this run until 30th August. The pandemic forced Lucy off the stage so she took a job with the NHS HR Peoples Services Team organising the redeployment of emergency staff, but she is now raring to get back onstage under the stars. Our Yorkshire Editor Paul Clarke caught up with Lucy as she finished a demanding week of technical rehearsals for a version of Mamma ...

Jekyll and Hyde seen from a very different angle at Pitlochry Festival Theatre

12Aug

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

Jekyll and Hyde seen from a very different angle at Pitlochry Festival Theatre

There have been numerous versions of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde over the years and Pitlochry Festival Theatre is the latest company to rethink this classic tale of science and madness. Hannah Lavery’s adaptation spins the story right around to bring the peripheral female characters front and centre offering their versions of the chaos unleashed when Dr Jekyll goes in search of his darker second nature. Just to make it even more challenging, Lavery has written it as a monologue to be performed by Pitlochry regular Alicia McKenzie. Our Features Editor Paul Clarke spoke to Alicia about taking on a classic text in a new way and getting ready to step onto the stage on her own. Before you took the job were you familiar with this classic tale of what happens when you meddle...

An onstage garden paradise is promised at Leeds Playhouse

27Jul

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

An onstage garden paradise is promised at Leeds Playhouse

During the pandemic precious time spent in the great outdoors has kept many people safe as they strolled round parks or tended their allotments and gardens. In response a team of older performers have decided to create a new botanical paradise on the vast Quarry space at Leeds Playhouse where they will share their personal stories, visions and dreams of times past, present and future creating a garden out of nothing The Promise of a Garden is a show that will blend performance, dance, music, film and photography to create blossoming moments of joy and reflection. Our Yorkshire Editor Paul Clarke asked Alan Lyddiard who is directing The Promise of a Garden to find out what audiences might expect The Promise of a Garden is billed as an unusual hybrid production so what audiences ...

Spotlight on Nigel Planer – writer of All Above Board

5Jul

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Interviews

Spotlight on Nigel Planer – writer of All Above Board

As we look forward to Nigel Planer’s new play ‘All Above Board’ coming to the stage in partnership with The Northern Comedy Theatre, we asked Nigel about playwriting, his views on comedy and where did the idea for his character Neil from ‘The Young Ones’, come from? For further details of ‘All Above Aboard’ including tour dates and booking information, follow this link to The Northern Comedy Theatre’s website - https://northerncomedytheatre.com/ Your new play ‘All Above Board’ is due to premiere in New Brighton on the 23rd August. Without giving away too much, can you give us a brief summary of the plot of the play? Well, it’s a farce, so the plot is a bit intricate, but I’ll have a go. Timothy Upton-Fell has quit the world of banking and now - for all the wrong re...

Spotlight on Antony Eden, ‘The Actor’ The Woman In Black UK Tour

1Jul

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Interviews

Spotlight on Antony Eden, ‘The Actor’ The Woman In Black UK Tour

As ‘The Woman In Black’ heads out on tour, we caught up with Antony Eden who plays ‘The Actor’ for the UK Tour. We find out from Antony Eden, what the show’s enduring qualities are that have drawn audiences back to see the play for more than 30 years. The Woman In Black’s success, means that the play continues in the West End, but it is also coming to a theatre near you. Find the dates and booking details for the UK Tour by following this link - https://www.thewomaninblack.com/ticket-info/uk-tour Without giving away any spoilers, can you give a summary of the ghostly tale which is ‘The Woman In Black’? ‘The Woman In Black’ is the story of Arthur Kipps who, as a young ambitious solicitor is sent to the remote, isolated home of Alice Drablow, recently ...

Leeds Playhouse’s James Brining talks about staging A Little Night Music with Opera North

27Jun

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

Leeds Playhouse’s James Brining talks about staging A Little Night Music with Opera North

Most people have heard the haunting Send In The Clowns but how many could say which musical it is from? Well, it’s just one of a bunch of brilliant tunes penned by Oscar and multiple Tony winner Stephen Sondheim for A Little Night Music that traces the complicated and interlocking relationships of several Swedish couples at the dawn of the twentieth century. Inspired by Bergman’s film Smiles of a Summer Night, Sondheim’s challenging score and an intelligent book by Hugh Wheeler offers genuine insights into the high and lows of human relationships. Leeds Playhouse’s Artistic Director James Brining was gearing up to direct A Little Night Music as his latest coalition with Opera North, but then the pandemic struck. Now the company including the legendary Dame Josephine Barstow are...

Spotlight on Vagabonds: My Phil Lynott Odyssey

14May

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

Interviews

Spotlight on Vagabonds: My Phil Lynott Odyssey

As theatres begin to re-open next week, Jermyn Street Theatre launch their ‘Footprints Festival’ running from 17th May to 31st July. The festival is a celebration of theatre and theatre makers and one of the must see shows of the festival, is Robert Mountford’s one man show ‘Vagabonds: My Phil Lynott Odyssey’. Read our interview with Robert Mountford to get a teaser of what we can expect from Vagabonds. To book the show go to https://www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk/show/vagabonds-my-phil-lynott-odyssey/. Dates are 25th May 7.30pm, 28th May 9.30pm, 29th May 5.30pm and 3rd June 7.30pm. If you cannot get to Jermyn Street Theatre, the show can be watched online – see the theatre’s website for further information. What inspired you to write Vagabonds? There were a...

Amanda Huxtable talks about directing Decades which reopens Leeds Playhouse

13May

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

Amanda Huxtable talks about directing Decades which reopens Leeds Playhouse

Leeds Playhouse kick off their 50th anniversary celebrations and reopen the doors with six short monologues written by a mix of new and experienced writers. Decades: Stories From The City takes a particular decade from across the Playhouse’s lifespan covering the 1970s to the 2020s, tracing how their home city has changed over that time. As this is their first set of shows after lockdown the Playhouse have also recruited a strong cast of directors, including Leeds Playhouse’s Artistic Director James Brining who is joined in the rehearsal spaces by Associate Director Amy Leach and RTYDS Resident Assistant Director Sameena Hussain, Evie Manning of Common Wealth Theatre and Theatre State’s Tess Seddon. The hugely experienced Amanda Huxtable directs Leanna Benjamin’s The Unknown...

Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice – Him & Me dance into Blackpool at start of their UK Tour

8May

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Interviews

Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice – Him & Me dance into Blackpool at start of their UK Tour

Brace yourselves for THE best night out in 2021 when two of BBC Strictly Come Dancing’s best loved professional dancers team up for an unforgettable tour - ANTON DU BEKE and GIOVANNI PERNICE - HIM & ME! Joined by a world class cast of dancers and singers, ANTON and GIOVANNI are coming together to put on the show to end all shows - the ultimate entertaining night out! The Ballroom King and the Jive Master bring you HIM & ME! - a true dance extravaganza for all ages. HIM & ME! is produced by Strictly Theatre Co. and directed by West End star Alan Burkitt. We are looking forward to welcoming you to Blackpool! Anton - Ah yes, Blackpool Opera House..it’s huge! Giovanni - Oh, it’s tremendous, so beautiful. Anton - We can’t wait to bring our show to the home of dance...