Saturday, November 16

NEWS

Faulty Towers the Dining Experience Returns to London
NEWS

Faulty Towers the Dining Experience Returns to London

Faulty Towers the Dining Experience, the critically acclaimed international immersive phenomenon that celebrates its tenth birthday in London’s West End in October 2021, will resume full capacity performances at the Radisson Blu Edwardian in Bloomsbury from 2nd September for a limited run this autumn. Closed for much of 2020 due to the pandemic, the show reopened last autumn in a new socially distanced format, before closing again due to the December lockdown. The producers are pleased to announce that they will be bringing back the original version of the pre-pandemic show, in a newly refurbished space in the hotel, which has extremely high-quality ventilation. A loving tribute to the BBC’s classic TV series, the show has been seen by over a million people worldwide since it was born i...
Northern Ballet are back with three Yorkshire shows
NEWS

Northern Ballet are back with three Yorkshire shows

Northern Ballet are back with a trio of shows including a brand-new production of Merlin, the return of David Nixon’s bodice ripping Dangerous Liaisons and the world première of a new children's ballet Pinocchio.  Merlin will be one of the first productions created during the pandemic to visit theatres across the country. Following its world première in Nottingham in September, Merlin tours to Hull New Theatre, Sheffield Lyceum Theatre, Leeds Grand Theatre.  Created by the British choreographer Drew McOnie, Merlin tells the tale of a young and inexperienced sorcerer mastering his magic to unite a warring kingdom. The ballet explores Merlin’s teenage impulses and his quest for acceptance set against a backdrop of conflict and divide. For Olivier winner...
Drama takes to the Leeds Liverpool Canal
NEWS

Drama takes to the Leeds Liverpool Canal

This September the Leeds Liverpool Canal will become a moving stage as traditional 1930s canal boat The Ribble hosts a play discovering how the waterway and River Aire have shaped local communities. This Island’s Mine is part play and part friendly chat around the kitchen table as audiences join two characters played by Claire-Marie Seddon and Steve Scott-Bottoms in conversation as the boat tours Yorkshire’s Aire Valley discovering the rich history and heritage of West Yorkshire’s waterways.  Using simple props and humour friends Barbara and Danny, who grew up in Dockfield, Shipley, help audience members can help the characters build a map detailing the history of the waterways and shared stories which will be displayed at Leeds Industrial Museum in Armley. “Dockfield, is a s...
SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC – Mary Poppins flies back into the West End
NEWS

SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC – Mary Poppins flies back into the West End

Based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the original Walt Disney film, Cameron Mackintosh and Disney’s Olivier award-winning production of Mary Poppins resumed performances at the Prince Edward Theatre on 7th August 2021 and is currently booking to 13th February 2022. The principal cast comprises Zizi Strallen as Mary Poppins and Charlie Stemp as Bert with Charlie Anson as George Banks, Amy Griffiths as Winifred Banks, Petula Clark as Bird Woman, Liz Robertson as Miss Andrew, Claire Machin as Mrs Brill, Jack North as Robertson Ay and Paul F. Monaghan as Admiral Boom and Bank Chairman. Katie Cox, Rose Dawson, Megan Donovan, Megan Judge, Ellie Kit Jones and Maddison Thew will alternate the role of Jane Banks with Logan Clark, George Hamblin, Charlie Murphy, Frankie Treadaway and Fred ...
A Simple Tale of Love to play Camden and GM Fringe Festivals
NEWS

A Simple Tale of Love to play Camden and GM Fringe Festivals

Rude Raven Productions is a new production company set up by writer Sasha Ravencroft and this play will be its professional debut. Ravencroft has been involved in the arts for many years as a writer, actor and producer of a puppetry theatre company. A Simple Tale of Love is directed by Nicole Roberts Ryder for the digital recording for Greater Manchester Fringe, the live shows at Camden Fringe, and as it goes on its premiere tour. The play follows the relationship between Molly and a sinister stranger, JD, who holds a terrifying secret, and her life is never the same again. It is a story about a woman who has lost not only her confidence but also herself along the way. Cheated on by her vicar husband and bullied at work, Molly is broken and yet clutches on to hope. In order to carry ...
Cast and creative team announced for world premiere of What’s New Pussycat?
NEWS

Cast and creative team announced for world premiere of What’s New Pussycat?

The full cast and creative team have been announced for the highly anticipated, brand new musical, What’s New Pussycat? An exclusive first look video and images of the cast in rehearsals have also been released today. Freely inspired by the novel The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling, this romantic musical comedy reimagines Fielding’s classic tale in London’s swinging sixties and sets the story to the iconic hit music of Sir Tom Jones. Written by the Tony Award winning Joe DiPietro (Memphis The Musical), with a stellar creative team including director Luke Sheppard and legendary choreographer Dame Arlene Phillips, get ready for music, mods and rocking romance when the show enjoys its world premiere at The REP from 8th October – 14th November. The cast will include Dominic Andersen as...
Greater Manchester Fringe’s most iconic venue reopens this weekend
NEWS

Greater Manchester Fringe’s most iconic venue reopens this weekend

Iconic Salford pub The King’s Arms reopens its theatre in August with a series of themed live music Saturday Night Specials, after a massive refurbishment during lockdown.  The Bim Williams Quintet kick off the Saturday Night Specials with jazz on Saturday 7th August; folk with Irish band Quare Craic play on Saturday 14th August; there will be a funk and soul DJ on Saturday 21st August and jazz again on Saturday 28th August with the George Grundy Quartet. The current red brick building opened in the 1870s, replacing an earlier King’s Arms pub built in 1807 on the opposite side of Bloom Street. Tables and chairs have been added to the domed theatre space upstairs to make it COVID safe and create a cabaret feel.  A vintage vinyl record player, discovered during a clearout ...
David Suchet: Poirot And More, A Retrospective
NEWS

David Suchet: Poirot And More, A Retrospective

Sir David Suchet makes his eagerly awaited return to UK stages in POIROT AND MORE, A RETROSPECTIVE this autumn. Following a successful tour of Australia and New Zealand in early 2020, the show will make its UK debut at The Watermill Theatre, Newbury on 5th October. David will retrace his steps as a young actor, visiting more than 20 theatres across the UK before a final performance at the Stockton Globe on 19th December. POIROT AND MORE, A RETROSPECTIVE looks back fondly at David’s illustrious career, sharing some of his most beloved performances in a new and intimate light. Geoffrey Wansell, journalist, broadcaster, biographer and co-author of Poirot and Me, will be joining David as interviewer in this unmistakably unique event. Join us in conversation with the actor behind the detecti...
Five Star Panto Cast Join AJ & Curtis Pritchard in Cinderella!
NEWS

Five Star Panto Cast Join AJ & Curtis Pritchard in Cinderella!

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre announced more magical casting for this year’s pantomime, CINDERELLA! Playing the title role of Cinderella is Kingswinford-born CBeebies presenter Evie Pickerill and Five Star’s lead vocalist Denise Pearson joins the cast as the Fairy Godmother.    Denise and Evie star alongside the previously announced AJ and Curtis Pritchard as Prince Charming and Dandini from Saturday 4th December 2021 – Sunday 9th January 2022.  Having grown up in Dudley, Evie has fond memories of Wolverhampton Grand. She performed at the theatre in her school days with West Bromwich Operatic Society before training professionally. On her return to the Grand and her first pantomime role, she said; “I’m so happy to be in my hometown for Christmas! Panto is always such fun...
Hope Mill Theatre presents A Celebration of Musical Theatre at Hope Fest
NEWS

Hope Mill Theatre presents A Celebration of Musical Theatre at Hope Fest

Hope Mill Theatre’s summer festival of arts and culture will be closed with four nights celebrating the very best of musical theatre starring a cast of stellar stage performers. Written and conceived by Chris Burgess and directed by Kirk Jameson, A Celebration of Musical Theatre is a new show that will take audiences on a musical journey of song and dance featuring some of the best songs ever written for the stage. It has choreography by Tosh Wanogho-Maud, musical orchestrations by Nick Barstow and musical direction by Greg Last. The show will feature a selection of some of the best loved songs from the genre, including medleys of classics from Gilbert & Sullivan and Rodgers & Hammerstein, to more recent hits like You Will Be Found from Dear Evan Hansen. Other favourites s...