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Sunday, March 23

Latest Articles

Christmas Music by Candlelight – The Shows Must Go On
10Dec By Paul DownhamNo Comments
REVIEWS

Christmas Music by Candlelight – The Shows Must Go On

I love a good carol concert. I’m no expert (or singer), but I love the songs and the feeling of Christmas. Online carol singing though, how’s that going to work? Well, it does, and it does it exceedingly well. Through the flickering candlelight at St Paul’s Church, Birmingham, conductor Jeffrey Skidmore takes Ex Cathedra through a range of carols old and new bringing joyous melodies and harmony to your home. I was astonished how in love with this show I became. And maybe it’s the power of the music and the beauty of the voices, but I found this performance a time to reflect. A time to step back and enjoy the wonder of the world. Visually, I felt I was there. The candlelight is so atmospheric you feel yourself drawn into the dancing lights reflecting off the church windows. ...
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The Dumb Waiter – Hampstead Theatre
10Dec By Paul DownhamNo Comments
London

The Dumb Waiter – Hampstead Theatre

When watching a play written by Harold Pinter, I always feel as though the writer is asking the audience to help him to write the play.  There is a feeling of inclusion as we follow the plot line, never really knowing what is coming next as we are still trying to puzzle out what just happened during the previous scene.  Pinter wrote this short play in 1957 and it premiered at Hampstead Theatre Club (as it was known then) in 1960 after first being staged in Frankfurt in 1959.  Pioneering his own style of writing; Pinter continues to fascinate 60 years later. The play begins with two men sitting in a shabby room with only two beds as furniture.  In typical Pinter style there is no explanation as to why these men are in the room, we are supposed to pick up on clues i...
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The Royal Variety Performance 2020 – Blackpool Opera House
9Dec By Paul DownhamNo Comments
North West

The Royal Variety Performance 2020 – Blackpool Opera House

Well, it’s that time of year again! Christmas TV is well under way and so we are welcomed into the Blackpool Opera House (via our screens) for this year’s Royal Variety Performance. With the stage set, and the virtual audience in their seats, the night fulfilled the show’s yearly promise of talent and festive cheer. Jason Manford opened the show by journeying through the theatre to the stage, whilst singing Webber’s “As If We Never Said Goodbye”. A poignant and rousing start to the night. As Manford also hosted the Oliviers last month, it seems he is the voice of the theatre world at the moment. He used this position to present with humility, humour and class. The show was filled with its usual spectacular line-up of stars. From Gary Barlow singing his new hit “Incredible”, (an adjec...
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Julie Hesmondhalgh, Steve Evets and Shelley King to appear in Write Christmas
9Dec By Paul DownhamNo Comments
NEWS

Julie Hesmondhalgh, Steve Evets and Shelley King to appear in Write Christmas

Write Christmas has been devised to bring some positivity to a potentially difficult holiday time. The aim is to inspire, involve and share fictional stories, videos, Christmas messages and more from boroughs across Greater Manchester, involving GM schools/groups for young people and actors and writers from all backgrounds. Work will be filmed and shared on each of the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Each ‘episode’ released online and as a podcast will share a piece by young people from our local schools and an adult writer. The project will be running to raise awareness and funds for the Wood Street Mission, a charity helping children and families living on a low income in Manchester and Salford. Christmas is usually a time we associate being about family, happiness, giving and re...
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New Ghost Thriller “When Darkness Falls” to open at Park Theatre 2021
9Dec By Paul DownhamNo Comments
NEWS

New Ghost Thriller “When Darkness Falls” to open at Park Theatre 2021

The producers of new spine-chilling ghost story, When Darkness Falls, are delighted to announce a new run at Park Theatre, London, from Wednesday 24th February until Saturday 13th March, with a national press night on Monday 1st March 2021. When Darkness Falls was due to play a limited season at The Union Theatre in London this November but was unable to open due to the Government’s decision to close theatres in lockdown 2.0.  Written by James Milton and Paul Morrissey and directed by Paul Morrissey, Will Barton will play John Blondel and Alex Phelps The Speaker.  The audience will be socially distanced. The London run will be followed by a UK tour, beginning at the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham from Tuesday 16th to Saturday 20th March 2021, with further dates to be added. Set on the i...
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National Theatre pantomime Dick Whittington available to watch for free in December
9Dec By Paul DownhamNo Comments
NEWS

National Theatre pantomime Dick Whittington available to watch for free in December

The National Theatre is to stream Dick Whittington, for free via the National Theatre and The Shows Must Go On YouTube channels on the 23rd December at 3pm GMT. The stream will then be available on demand until midnight on 27th December. The production will be filmed live during the performance in the Olivier theatre on the 19th December, in front of a socially distanced audience. Following the limited-window YouTube streams, it will then be made available on the newly launched National Theatre at Home platform from the 11th January for six weeks. At a time when many theatres across the country have sadly been forced to cancel or postpone their pantomimes, the National Theatre is celebrating panto’s place at the heart of British theatre. The free stream of Jude Christian and Cariad Lloy...
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Andrew Lancel In One Man Comedy By Jonathan Harvey Touring England In February
8Dec By Paul DownhamNo Comments
NEWS

Andrew Lancel In One Man Comedy By Jonathan Harvey Touring England In February

Following its critically acclaimed sell-out premiere at Liverpool Theatre Festival in September, Swan Song, a revised comedy by acclaimed playwright Jonathan Harvey, is heading out on tour in February to coincide with LGBT History Month. Swan Song, a one-man play starring TV and stage actor Andrew Lancel, is directed by BAFTA award-winning director Noreen Kershaw and produced by Bill Elms. The play will open at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre for six performances over three nights, this will be the first live performances at the theatre since closing in March. The show then moves on to The Atkinson Southport, Lighthouse Poole, Swan Theatre Worcester, Belgrade Coventry, Dukes Lancaster, City Varieties Leeds, and Capitol Horsham. All venue will present to socially distanced audiences and mor...
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Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Garrick Theatre
8Dec By Paul DownhamNo Comments
London

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Garrick Theatre

Showstopper did not allow lockdown to stop their creativity, they have continued to produce online improvised shows, in fact North West End UK have reviewed some of these (see our website).  For those who have somehow missed the artistry that is musical improvisation here is a quick summary.  Showstopper use suggestions made by the audience to make up a musical from scratch in front of your eyes.  In a normal musical production, it can take years for a production to make it to the stage, with the services of a lyricist, a composer, producer, director, actors, etc, etc!  Showstopper does all of this in one night – the performers multi-task and roll all of this into one very sleek team. Ring, ring, the red phone shrills, and we know it’s going to be Cameron asking the ...
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ROH Winter Programme to open with Tosca in January 2021
8Dec By Paul DownhamNo Comments
NEWS

ROH Winter Programme to open with Tosca in January 2021

The Royal Opera House is delighted to announce that The Royal Opera’s Winter 2020/21 Programme will open with 12 performances of Puccini's Tosca. The revival of Jonathan Kent’s 2006 production will see one of the most captivating opera singers of our time, Anna Netrebko, return to the stage at Covent Garden. Puccini’s operatic thriller – one of the great opera experiences – will be the first fully staged production of an opera at Covent Garden since lockdown in March 2020. Running from Wednesday 13th January to Saturday 13th March, the production will also be live streamed for audiences across the globe on Friday 22nd January. Opening on 13th January, Dan Ettinger will conduct the star cast including Anna Netrebko, leading tenor Yusif Eyvazov and world-renowned bass-baritone Gerald F...
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Potted Panto – Garrick Theatre
7Dec By Paul DownhamNo Comments
London

Potted Panto – Garrick Theatre

Panto – as traditional a Christmas custom as mince pies, mulled wine and pulling crackers. Like many of our favourite things this year, Covid has put-paid to lots of the pantos and theatre trips we’d normally be enjoying, so naturally I jumped at the chance to see Potted Panto - a madcap romp through all the classic pantomimes, performed in just 70 minutes. As my first theatre trip in socially distanced times, I must give a quick shout-out to the team at the Garrick who did a terrific job of creating a Covid-safe space, whizzing us through temperature and bag checks and ensuring everyone remained vigilant with their masks. A different experience for sure but a smooth one which provided a small slice of normality in an otherwise very strange festive season. Using a pretty basic bu...
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