Sunday, May 19

NEWS

Jack and the Beanstalk at the London Palladium
25Feb By Paul DownhamNo Comments
NEWS

Jack and the Beanstalk at the London Palladium

Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes today (25 February 2022) announced the return to the West End of The London Palladium Pantomime for a seventh year, with Dawn French and Julian Clary leading the cast in a brand-new production of Jack and the Beanstalk. For a strictly limited five-week run at The London Palladium, French and Clary will be joined by returning Palladium panto favourites Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Gary Wilmot. Dawn French said:  “Roll up! Roll up!  Much merriment and happiness and downright cheek and cheeks going to be happening onstage at The Palladium this Christmas with a brand spanky new Panto at last! We’ve waited two years to bring you Jack & The Beanstalk and I’m deblimminlighted to be part of it. See you there folks!” Michael Harrison,...
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Rehearsals start for The Rise and Fall of Little Voice UK Tour
25Feb By Paul DownhamNo Comments
NEWS

Rehearsals start for The Rise and Fall of Little Voice UK Tour

Rehearsals have started this week for the new UK touring production of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice by Jim Cartwright. Directed by Bronagh Lagan (Cruise, West End) and starring international YouTube sensation Christina Bianco (Funny Girl, Theatre Marigny Paris) in the title role alongside Shobna Gulati (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Coronation Street, Dinnerladies) as Mari Hoff, Ian Kelsey (Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Doctors) as Ray Say, Akshay Gulati (East is East; The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Bolton Octagon) as Billy, William Ilkley (War Horse, UK/ International Tour, The Full Monty, UK Tour) as Mr Boo, Fiona Mulvaney (The Ferryman, West End; Silent Witness, BBC) as Sadie, and James Robert Moore (All That, Lion and Unicorn; Fanny & Stella, Above the Stag) as Phone M...
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The Cher Show announces casting
25Feb By Paul DownhamNo Comments
NEWS

The Cher Show announces casting

The producers of the brand new production of The Cher Show are delighted to announce that the role of Cher will be played by Debbie Kurup, Danielle Steers and Millie O’Connell. The production features the actresses portraying Cher in three different ways throughout her iconic career, with Debbie as ‘Star’, Danielle as ‘Lady’ and Millie as ‘Babe’.  Further casting is to be announced. With book by Tony and Olivier Award-winning Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, The Addams Family, Peter and the Starcatcher), direction by Arlene Phillips (Saturday Night Fever, Starlight Express, Grease), choreography by Oti Mabuse (two-time Strictly Come Dancing champion) and costume design by Gabriella Slade (Six, In The Heights, Spice World 2019 Tour), the UK & Ireland Tour will open at Leicester’s Curve...
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Full Cast and further dates added for the tour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em
21Feb By Paul DownhamNo Comments
NEWS

Full Cast and further dates added for the tour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em

The producers of the highly acclaimed UK tour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em are delighted to announce the casting of Susie Blake returning as Frank’s disapproving mother-in-law Mrs Fisher, Moray Treadwell as Mr Luscombe/Mr Worthington, James Paterson as Father O'Hara and Ben Watson as Desmond/Constable. They join the previously announced Joe Pasquale as the loveable but accident-prone Frank Spencer and Sarah Earnshaw as his long-suffering wife Betty. Also in the cast are Nick Wray and Alice Osmanski. Susie Blake regularly appeared in the TV series and comedy specials of Victoria Wood, Russ Abbot and Stanley Baxter, and is perhaps particularly loved as the Continuity Announcer in Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV.  She recently has appeared in Silky Hotel (BBC iPlayer), Kate & Koji (S...
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Award Winning West End Star Announces Debut UK Tour
21Feb By Paul DownhamNo Comments
NEWS

Award Winning West End Star Announces Debut UK Tour

Actress, author, vlogger and award-winning West End sensation Carrie Hope Fletcher is heading out on her first ever UK tour. Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book will see the musical theatre star play a series of unmissable theatre shows in May and June 2023 including a date at The Lowry’s Lyric Theatre on Sunday 28th May. Performing songs from her incredible career expect fan favourites including hits from Heathers, Les Misérables, The Addams Family and many more interspersed with chat about Carrie’s fascinating life and career. Tickets go on sale at 10am Friday (25th February) and are available from www.cuffeandtaylor.com   Carrie Hope Fletcher - An Open Book 2023 18th May 2023St George’s HallBradford21st May 2023Mayflower TheatreSouthampton22nd May 2023Theatre RoyalN...
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Federico Bonelli is Northern Ballet’s new Artistic Director
21Feb By Paul ClarkeNo Comments
NEWS

Federico Bonelli is Northern Ballet’s new Artistic Director

Royal Ballet principal dancer Federico Bonelli is Northern Ballet’s new Artistic Director succeeding long serving predecessor David Nixon. Bonelli has danced the Royal Ballet’s leading roles since joining in 2003 after training at the Turin Dance Academy and dancing with Zürich Ballet and Dutch National Ballet. In 2019 he graduated from the Clore Leadership Programme and he is a non-executive director and member of the Board of Parents and Carers in Performing Arts.   He has curated the programme for The Royal Ballet activities in Doncaster as part of the Doncaster Creates festival, prior to its pandemic postponement and has coached Royal Ballet repertory, helping to nurture and develop the high standards of the company’s dancers.   Federico Bonelli Bonelli who ta...
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The Sh*t hits the stage at Leeds Playhouse
21Feb By Paul ClarkeNo Comments
NEWS

The Sh*t hits the stage at Leeds Playhouse

The Sh*t which premieres at Leeds Playhouse in March asks what happens when you have just one hour a week to save a life? This new two hander takes us into one of the thousands of forgotten youth centres across the country, where Eric has a single hour each week to break Daniel out of his spiral towards jail or the grave. Created by The Working Party Theatre Company, and produced by Matthew Schmolle Productions, it’s an honest, unflinching examination of the relationship between those at the margins of society and the people employed to help them. The Sh*t is written by BAFTA-nominated writer Kenny Emson in consultation with youth workers and young people in London and Leeds. The artists and producers in The Working Party, who originally commissioned the play have worked with ...
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World premiere of Marvellous at New Vic Theatre
19Feb By Paul ClarkeNo Comments
NEWS

World premiere of Marvellous at New Vic Theatre

Staffordshire’s New Vic Theatre will stage the world premiere of Marvellous telling the almost unbelievable story of Stoke City FC kit man, clown and all-round local hero, Neil ‘Nello’ Baldwin. It is a wild ride through Baldwin’s colourful life filled with football stars, comedians, bishops, circus acts, budgies and even the Queen who awarded him a B.E.M. From the moment he was born, Baldwin knew he was destined to do wonderful things and so that is what he did. He joined a church choir then appeared on Songs of Praise, he hitchhiked across the country then became a famous clown, he went to see his local football team then became their kit man and this was a man who left school at 14 with no qualifications then received an honorary degree from Keele University. Credit: Andrew Bil...
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Charlie Bucket comes to Leeds Playhouse this Christmas
11Feb By Paul ClarkeNo Comments
NEWS

Charlie Bucket comes to Leeds Playhouse this Christmas

Over the last few years Leeds Playhouse have staged on a series of family festive extravaganzas and this year they’re staging the musical version of the beloved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Their reinvention of the West End and Broadway hit will be directed by their Artistic Director James Brining, adapted from Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel by David Greig, with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Generations of fans have loved the magical tale as young golden ticket winner Charlie Bucket ventures into a strange factor run by eccentric confectionary wizard Willy Wonka with five other winners for a wild ride through the imagination “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is such a special story, loved by generations of children and their paren...
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Mikron Theatre Company announce productions for 50th anniversary
10Feb By Paul ClarkeNo Comments
NEWS

Mikron Theatre Company announce productions for 50th anniversary

Mikron Theatre Company announce productions for 50th anniversary tour Mikron Theatre’s four strong cast will take two plays via the company’s narrowboat and van to 130 venues to celebrate their 50th anniversary. One play is the premiere of Red Sky at Night which is Lindsay Rodden’s new play about the nation's obsession with the wild and wonderful world of weather. The other revisits their successful 2015 production of Maeve Larkin’s play about the Women’s Institute, Raising Agents. Mikron are based in the village of Marsden at the foot of the Yorkshire Pennines, and over the last 50 years have played to nearly half a million people as they toured 66 productions on board their vintage narrowboat spending over 34,000 boating hours on the inland waterways.  ...
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