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12Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Romeo & Juliet Online

With the national lockdown still upon us and theatres remaining closed, Metcalfe Gordon Productions has found a way around the restrictions with their virtual adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet. Directed by Nick Evans, the show is set in the aftermath of the pandemic, in a world where the population has taken refuge in empty theatres. With current restrictions, CGI was used to create the virtual theatre setting, with the scenes taking place in all aspects of the venue, from the stalls to backstage, it certainly took some getting used to. After being away from a theatre for so long, I enjoyed being reacquainted with the place I’ve missed. The clever CGI set by Jamie Osbourne effectively gave the illusion of the characters interacting with each other whi...

Good Grief – Platform Presents and Finite Films

12Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Good Grief – Platform Presents and Finite Films

Written by Lorien Haynes and Directed by Natalie Abrahami, Good Grief is a romantic comedy which takes us on a journey of loss, hurt, love and memories. Filmed on location at Coptic Street Studios, London, the one act piece follows Adam (Nikesh Patel) and Cat (Sian Clifford) after the loss of someone close to them over a 10-month period, taking us through different scenarios and many different emotions. The piece takes place in one room which is dressed between ‘scenes’ to create different places, from a living room to a car park and even a hotel room. The set is extremely basic, using chairs and cardboard boxes to build different looks and situations. At first this comes across as quite bland and uninspiring but as I went with the piece, I started to feel the lack of scenery reflect...

Birmingham Hippodrome to release a series of films to celebrate Chinese New Year

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Birmingham Hippodrome to release a series of films to celebrate Chinese New Year

Birmingham Hippodrome will be sharing a series of films from Friday 12th February to welcome in Chinese New Year and celebrate The Year of The Ox. The Hippodrome has commissioned filmmaker Craig Bush and Artist Frances Yeung to create a series of short films reflecting the cultural celebrations and traditions that take place during Chinese New Year. Made in collaboration with the Chinese Community Centre Birmingham, the films will be shared over a seven-day period and explore how the local community in Southside have adapted their celebrations in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. Chinese New Year, commonly referred to as the Spring Festival, celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar and in many Chinese communities, a full week’s holiday is taken t...

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Take Care – The Living Record Festival

Take Care is an online adaptation of a stage play by the verbatim theatre company Ecoute Theatre based in Bristol and London. Crafted from interviews with carers over six years, the show first premiered in 2014 with a sold out run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This filmed version, produced for the Living Record Festival, has four actors of the company take you into the real lives, homes and stories of 20 such carers and the people they care for. Full of heart-wrenching, messy, hilarious and poignant moments captured through the actual words of carers without any ‘edits’, this show makes you introspect deeply about the formal (and informal) care industry in the UK. The show is directed by Zoë Templeman-Young who also doubles up on the screenplay with Sam McLaughlin, accompanied by Matt K...

Dream – live, online performance leads the way in future audience experience

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Dream – live, online performance leads the way in future audience experience

Theatre, music and ground-breaking technology combine in Dream, an exhilarating glimpse into the future of live performance inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Created by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in collaboration with Manchester International Festival (MIF) Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF) and Philharmonia Orchestra, Dream is the culmination of a major research project called Audience of the Future which helped develop Skepta’s mixed-reality rave for MIF19, DYSTOPIA987. Gabrielle Jenks, Digital Director at Manchester International Festival said: “Audience of the Future has been an invaluable space for world-leading organisations to consider the future of virtual production and understand the opportunities and challenges of working with real-time technologi...

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Manchester Camerata joins forces with brand new streaming platform: Virtual Circle

As live performance restrictions remain in place at the start of 2021, Manchester Camerata is as determined as ever to reach out to and remain connected to its audiences, bringing its world class music to a national and global platform. With this in mind, “Britain's most adventurous orchestra” (The Times) is thrilled to announce its first ever concert for brand new streaming platform Virtual Circle recently launched by HarrisonParrott - one of the world’s leading arts management companies. Conducted by the internationally renowned Pekka Kuusisto, this brand new concert by Manchester Camerata - All Time Is Eternally Present - packs a real punch with an eclectic and exciting programme – its first of many planned for 2021. The full programme features rising star Saxophonist and BBC Radio 3...

PDSW invites audiences on a living room woodland adventure with Night Tree

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

PDSW invites audiences on a living room woodland adventure with Night Tree

Creating new adventures for families to enjoy this half term, Pavilion Dance South West (PDSW) have co-commissioned Second Hand Dance’s Night Tree. This magical film is about one very special tree and a family’s gift to all the creatures in the wintry woods. Based on Eve Bunting’s book of the same name, this wonderfully endearing story encourages generosity in caring for nature and each other in a gentle sensory journey to explore from home. The film will be available for stream on a pay-what-you-can basis on PDSW’s website from Friday 19th February and is accompanied by a free print-at-home activity pack that includes details on how to create your own forest floor, bird feeder, and drawings and how to make a delicious hot chocolate. On Saturday and Sunday, there will also be a chance t...

New cast and revised dates announced for digital concert revival of Gatsby A Musical at Cadogan Hall

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

New cast and revised dates announced for digital concert revival of Gatsby A Musical at Cadogan Hall

Acclaimed West End talent Jodie Steele (Heathers; Six The Musical) joins the digital concert rendition of Gatsby A Musical as leading-lady Daisy Buchanan, alongside Liam Doyle (Wicked; Legally Blonde) as Tom Buchannan, and Joe Frost (Jersey Boys; An Officer and a Gentleman) as George Wilson. The captivating socially-distanced revival will be filmed in the historic Cadogan Hall and made available to stream online from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th February 2021. They will be joining the previously announced Ross William Wild (Elvis Presley in Million Dollar Quartet) in the titular role, and four-time Olivier Award nominee Emma Williams (Mrs Henderson Presents; Zorro) as Myrtle Wilson. Further casting includes Blake Patrick Anderson (RENT; Be More Chill), Chanice Alexander-Burnett (Motown th...

Arcola Theatre to collaborate with researchers from Imperial College London to understand airflow and viral transmission in theatres

9Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Arcola Theatre to collaborate with researchers from Imperial College London to understand airflow and viral transmission in theatres

Arcola Theatre announces that their artistic team will be working with scientists from Imperial College London to explore air quality in theatres and how this affects aerosol transmission of viruses such as Covid-19. As theatres and arts venues continue to navigate audience welfare amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the project will explore how increased airflow can be used by venues and performance spaces to reduce viral transmission to increase the safety of visitors and improve arts access for immunocompromised people. The project aims to: • Explore ways in which Arcola can increase airflow in its indoor performance spaces • Use this exploration for facilitate conversations about airflow with other venues • Inform the development of Arcola’s new performance space, Arcola...

Fionn Whitehead to star in new digital production of The Picture of Dorian Gray

8Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Fionn Whitehead to star in new digital production of The Picture of Dorian Gray

Fionn Whitehead, star of Dunkirk and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, will take on the titular role in an upcoming contemporary digital adaptation of the Oscar Wilde classic, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Most recently seen starring in the Lionsgate and Saban Films’ Don’t Tell A Soul, Fionn Whitehead is best known for his critically acclaimed performance as the protagonist Tommy in Christopher Nolan’s Academy Award nominated war film, Dunkirk. The Picture of Dorian Gray, from the team behind the celebrated digital production of What a Carve Up!, is set to push the theatrical form like its predecessor; utilising elements found in radio plays, films, documentaries as well as traditional theatrical techniques. Set in a profile pic-obsessed, filter-fixated world where online and reality blur...