Sunday, May 31

NEWS

Full Cast and further dates added for the tour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em
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 (Se...
Award Winning West End Star Announces Debut UK Tour
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 RoyalNo...
Federico Bonelli is Northern Ballet’s new Artistic Director
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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 tak...
The Sh*t hits the stage at Leeds Playhouse
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 m...
World premiere of Marvellous at New Vic Theatre
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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 Bill...
Charlie Bucket comes to Leeds Playhouse this Christmas
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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 parent...
Mikron Theatre Company announce productions for 50th anniversary
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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.  ...
1974 Productions return to Hope Mill
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1974 Productions return to Hope Mill

Following their success with the 2019 tour of Ian Townsend’s multi award winning play All The Bens (sold out dates, Greater Manchester Fringe Award for Best Drama, Nominated for Best Actor, Best Revival and Oldham Coliseum Pick of the Fringe), 1974 Productions are proud to present Ian’s new full-length play My Favourite Place In The Whole Wide World. Longlisted for the 2019 Bruntwood/Royal Exchange International Playwriting Competition, this beautiful new play tells the story of Ruth (Claire Eden) and J (Ben Kenzie), two people in search of love and purpose in a world of confusion and loss. We watch Ruth and J grow from children to adults and see how they’ve been influenced by events and circumstances. Shot through with humour, My Favourite Place In The Whole Wide World is an engagin...
Birmingham Rep Announce Free Open Day
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Birmingham Rep Announce Free Open Day

Birmingham Rep are offering members of the public a chance to take a peek behind the scenes at the city’s only premiere producing theatre with a free Open Day on Saturday 26th February. The full day of activities for all the family will take members of the public behind the scenes of Birmingham’s famous theatre, the only large-scale theatre in the city that builds all of its own productions on site from scratch, including huge sets and beautiful costumes. From 10am-4pm, families can enjoy backstage tours, workshops, performances, technical demonstrations, heritage talks plus the chance to purchase incredible garments in The Rep’s costume sale. Artistic Director, Sean Foley and Executive Director, Rachael Thomas said; “We are thrilled to be throwing open our doors and inviting the ...
Casting announced for new version of Kes at Bolton Octagon and Theatre by the Lake
NEWS

Casting announced for new version of Kes at Bolton Octagon and Theatre by the Lake

Casting has been announced for a new version of Barry Hines’ northern classic Kes co-produced by Bolton’s Octagon Theatre and Theatre by the Lake in Keswick. It’s set in a 1960s working-class Yorkshire mining town depicting the struggles of 15-year-old Billy Casper. Bullied and neglected, life isn’t easy for Billy, but when he finds Kes, a kestrel hawk who he cares for and trains, it gives Billy a passion and freedom that has been missing in his life. This stage version is adapted by Robert Alan Evans, and will be directed by award-winning theatre director and one of The Stage’s 25 Theatremakers to watch in 2022, Atri Banerjee.   A trio of performers will star in this poignant coming of age story with Jake Dunn will make his professional stage debut playing the role of troubl...