Jonathan Butterell Archives - North West End UK

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Hull New Theatre

18Jun

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Hull New Theatre

This week Hull New Theatre plays host to the hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, a production inspired by the 2011 TV documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16 which features County Durham lad, Jamie Campbell, who, from a young age, liked to dress in girls’ clothes. The theatre was packed on Monday evening; would everybody be talking about Jamie at the show’s end? Sixteen-year-old Jamie New (the super talented Ivano Turco) lives on a Sheffield council estate with his mum Margaret (a passionate performance from Rebecca McKinnis). Single mum Margaret’s best friend is bargain-loving Ray (the amusing, sassy and protective Sejal Keshwala). The opening scene shows Jamie and his classmates with patient teacher, Miss Hedge (the irrepressible Sam Bailey), discussing their career aspe...

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Sheffield Lyceum

11Apr

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Sheffield Lyceum

Seven years after its Premiere at the Crucible Theatre in February 2017, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie returns to its hometown of Sheffield this week. With endless Sheffield references the story can’t fail to be a hit here… and it hits the bullseye! Based on the 2011 Firecracker documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, the true story of Jamie Campbell follows the struggles of his teen years in light of societal bigotry, as he becomes who he was born to be. A boy in a dress and more shockingly at his Prom! Jamie’s journey to acceptance through his tumultuous school years is heightened by the knowledge he is different and doesn’t fit the social norms of the day. His birth father sees him as ‘disgusting’ but amongst all this, Jamie has his supporters none more so than his single Mother, Maur...

22May

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

Brokeback Mountain – Soho Place

Set in the wild Wyoming mountains during the 60s, Brokeback Mountain is based on Annie Proulx’s 1997 short story of the same name about two cowboys, Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar working on a ranch who struggle with their feelings for each other in a hostile and unforgiving world. Most will be more familiar with the hit film adaptation starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger. Directed by Jonathan Butterell, the story is told through the perspective of an older Ennis (brilliantly played by Paul Hickey), depressed and drinking alone in a bedroom, looking back on his past life with the solemn ‘Don’t Let the Years Get Your Down’ playing on the radio. Hickey appears throughout the story, sorrowfully looking back at his younger self, softly reacting to painful moments and decisions that shap...

14Apr

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Sheffield Lyceum

Back in its original home and setting of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, everybody left the theatre last night Talking About Jamie! After the shows premier of 19 performances at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in 2017, it then moved to the Apollo Theatre London in November 2017 and by May 2021 had racked up its 1000th performance. Everybody’s Talking about Jamie - The Movie premiered in September 2021 and there have been performances and future planned performances in Japan, Los Angeles, Australia, New Zealand and Italy. With awards in abundance, everybody is talking about the meteoric rise of the story of Jamie Campbell, a boy who had a dream to attend his 2011 Prom in a dress and ultimately become a drag queen. Conceived; from the Firecracker documentary ‘Jamie: Drag Queen at 16’ on BBC HD...

Layton Williams comes back north in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at Leeds Grand

29Sep

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

Layton Williams comes back north in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at Leeds Grand

Bury lad Layton Williams kicked off his stage career travelling down the M62 to join the Billy Elliott training academy in Leeds before graduating aged 12 to take on the lead role in the West End. He went onto play young Michael Jackson in Thriller – Live and as an adult won critical acclaim playing Angel in the 20th anniversary tour of Rent. Now he’s back up north at Leeds Grand Theatre playing Jamie New in uplifting musical Everyone’s Talking About Jamie which has just been made into an Amazon Prime movie. For people who are new to Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, how would you sum up the storyline? Jamie is based on a real character who was the subject of a documentary on BBC Three. I remember watching it years ago and it was about him wanting to be a drag queen and wanting ...