NEWS Archives - Page 73 of 81 - North West End UK

Leeds City Varieties makes early announcement of panto for 2021

3Oct

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Leeds City Varieties makes early announcement of panto for 2021

Leeds City Varieties Music Hall have made a very early announcement that Beauty and the Beast will be its Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto for 2021. The historic city centre venue closed its doors on March 17th and like most venues were forced to cancel their 2020 panto which in their case is now the hugely popular Rock ‘n’ Panto where the cast do all the classic slapstick for the kids, and innuendos for the adults, but also pick up their instruments to play a lively set of classic pop tunes too. “Like so many other theatres across the country, we are absolutely devastated that this year’s panto won’t be going ahead, but we’re thrilled to be able to bring Beauty and the Beast, a brand new production from the enchanted pen of Peter Rowe, to The Varieties in 2021,” says Varieties General Manager Ia...

28Sep

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Insulted.Belarus(sia) – Slung Low

Protests continued this week in Belarus, after newly elected Alexander Lukashenko was sworn in as President. Playwright Andrei Kureichik, has penned a piece of verbatim theatre in which Slung Low and more than 40 theatre companies from more than 10 countries, have organised readings of the play in order to shine a spotlight and metaphorically join hands with the people of Belarus. Kureichik’s play consists of a series of monologues communicating the feelings and plight of several Belarusian’s who experienced the protests, the alleged rigged election voting system and were the victims of the over-zealous arrests of the protestors. Many theatres in Belarus are controlled by the state, much the same as Russian theatres, so their artists are ultimately controlled by a need to earn money....

Liverpool Irish Festival returns with a virtual programme in 2020

24Sep

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Liverpool Irish Festival returns with a virtual programme in 2020

Liverpool Irish Festival 15th – 25th October ● Ten days of music, performance and conversation shifts online for 2020 ● Patrick Kielty spearheads programme exploring theme of “exchange”. Liverpool Irish Festival returns with a virtual programme in 2020, celebrating the connections between Liverpool and Ireland. In a year of change and turbulence, the Festival explores exchange through art, conversation, music and history, how it connects communities and crosses borders. A series of events examine how exchange has played out through conflict, cultural exchange and artistic practice, while diverse conversations expose dual-heritage lives, reconciliation and collective trauma. Irish Comedian and TV presenter Patrick Kielty headlines the programme with a special event, Har...

Hope Mill Theatre announces its long-awaited cast of RENT

24Sep

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Hope Mill Theatre announces its long-awaited cast of RENT

The cast and full creative team has been announced for Hope Mill Theatre’s hotly anticipated revival of the classic rock musical RENT, directed by Luke Sheppard. RENT will play at Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester from Friday 30th October to Sunday 6th December 2020. The 12 company members, who were originally cast back in February are finally getting the opportunity to come together for this special revival of the much-loved musical. The cast will receive a Covid-19 test prior to being placed in one household (bubble) for the length of the run in Manchester. Jocasta Almgill (& Juliet, Dreamgirls – West End) will play Joanne; Blake Patrick Anderson (Be More Chill – The Other Palace, Closer to Heaven – Off West End/Above the Stag) will play Mark; Tom Francis (Arts Ed 2020 g...

The Curtain Rises on Live Performance at The Dukes

24Sep

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The Curtain Rises on Live Performance at The Dukes

Following a successful reopening of their cinema back in August, Lancaster arts organisation The Dukes have announced that audiences will be able to enjoy the return of live performance at their venue this autumn. The season of live theatre and comedy will be housed in Moor Space, The Dukes’ second site on Moor Lane, beginning with a hop back on board the hilarious and heart-warming comedy-drama Ladies That Bus from Tuesday September 29th – Thursday October 1st. Inspired by the passengers, travels and tales of the Route 555 bus between Lancaster and Keswick, and originally borne out of a collaborative project between The Dukes, Kendal’s Brewery Arts Centre and Theatre by the Lake, the popular play made its debut at The Dukes in February this year to critical acclaim. Audiences wil...

Northern Ballet dance back to Leeds Playhouse

24Sep

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Northern Ballet dance back to Leeds Playhouse

After seven months away from the stage Northern Ballet are back with two shows at Leeds Playhouse. The Leeds based company will perform three different hour-long mixed programmes from 21st – 24th October followed by four full-length performances of Artistic Director David Nixon’s Dangerous Liaisons last performed a decade ago from 28th – 31st October. Government guidelines now permitting indoor performances with socially distanced audiences so working with Leeds Playhouse the team have been able to establish a viable programme to get performing again. With the exception of Contemporary Cuts, all performances will include live music played by members of Northern Ballet Sinfonia. All performances will be performed in full costume but ‘black box style’ without sets. Photo Merlin H...

Imelda Staunton and Maxine Peake perform Talking Heads in Leeds and Sheffield

23Sep

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Imelda Staunton and Maxine Peake perform Talking Heads in Leeds and Sheffield

In a massive coup for Leeds Playhouse and Sheffield Theatres two of the nation’s best actors Imelda Staunton and Maxine Peake will be performing two of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads monologues in his native Yorkshire. The transfers of Staunton in A Lady of Letters and Peake in Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet from the Bridge Theatre are a show of solidarity with the two Yorkshire venues by the performers and the creative teams of these two pieces. For these performances, as at the Bridge, Alan Bennett has generously waived his royalty. During April and May while the Bridge Theatre was closed the London Theatre Company worked with the BBC to produce two of the iconic monologues, which were then broadcast on BBC One in June. Leeds Playhouse has already announced Connecting Voices, a colla...

Critically acclaimed Noir goes online this Winter

22Sep

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Critically acclaimed Noir goes online this Winter

Multi award winning Vertigo Theatre Productions have been at the forefront of the fringe theatre scene in Manchester since 2007, now in these troubled times, the company are thinking outside the box and are premiering a BRAND NEW production of their hit play NOIR online this December. Rather than just showing a copy of the original try out production from 2017, Vertigo and the cast and crew will film this brand new production this November at The Empty Space Theatre without an audience, meaning you can see the premiere before the show ever goes in front of a live audience. This December you can be at the world premiere from the comfort of your own home. NOIR transports you back to a time of black and white movies of the 30s, 40s and 50s. It's New York City, a single spotlight illuminate...

Halifax’s Square Chapel reopens for business

19Sep

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Halifax’s Square Chapel reopens for business

In a rare bit of good news for the nation’s cultural life Halifax’s Square Chapel Arts Centre is back in business after going into administration in March 2020. Non-profit organisation Arts At The Mill CIC, with the support of Arts Council England and Calderdale Council, are the new owners of the recently refurbished town centre venue next to the historic Piece Hall. Arts At The Mill is the umbrella organisation for Wigan’s The Old Courts, Wigan Pier and The Royal Court Theatre who are deeply rooted in creating, producing and programming work with the community. The new team will be headed up by four experienced directors – Managing Director Dave Jenkins, Artistic Director Jonny Davenport, Director of Operations Michelle Mayor and Rebecca Davenport as Sales and Marketing Dir...

16Sep

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driveINSIDE postpones shows until 2021

“It is with huge disappointment that, following the recommendation of Manchester Council’s Specialist Environmental Team, we have had to to postpone our October programme of shows in the city until March 2021. “The R rate in Greater Manchester continues to be of serious concern and, although we were complimented on our COVID compliance, we must act in a supportive and responsible manner. “We know that this will be as disappointing for show producers, performers and the theatre loving public as it is for us, but we must assume that over the next few months the Government will be able to give Local Councils the level of support that has been lacking. “The good news is that we are now assembling a variety of fantastic shows ready to bring to Manchester in the Spring and we ...