Jonathan Church Archives - North West End UK

5Sep

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

42nd Street – Liverpool Empire

“Think of musical theatre,” says Julian Marsh, “The most glorious words in the English language!” And in the hands of director Jonathan Church, choreographer Bill Deamer and designer Robert Jones, this musical theatre production is a feast for the eyes. The transitions between scenes are impeccably planned and executed, and I love the way that the cast used the space in creative and interesting ways. The set transforms from rehearsal room to backstage to magical opening night with ease. The costumes perfectly fit both period and characters. And the clever and sumptuous lighting, designed by Ben Cracknell, is the icing on this cake! 42nd Street follows the story of Peggy Sawyer, a chorus girl from Pennsylvania who is newly arrived in New York City with dreams of joining a new producti...

21Jul

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Singin’ in the Rain – Sheffield Lyceum

Last night, I spent a gloriously nostalgic evening at the theatre watching the spectacle that is Singing in The Rain, it felt like a childhood embrace from a favourite grandparent - warm, happy, secure and where I belonged! We all know of the 1952 MGM classic musical comedy film ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, as it has been named as one of the greatest musical movies of all time. Made famous by the cast of Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds, it light heartedly charts the 1920’s depiction of performers caught up in the transition from silent films to the ground-breaking ‘talkies’. Centring on the silver screen romantic pairing of Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont - the darlings of MGM studios. Everyone has trouble adapting to the changes but none more than Lina Lamont, a beautiful screen...

Iconic musical Singin’ in the Rain returns to the Alhambra Theatre

21Jun

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Iconic musical Singin’ in the Rain returns to the Alhambra Theatre

A smash hit in Chichester, in the West End and most recently Sadler’s Wells, Michael Harrison and Jonathan Church present Chichester Festival Theatre and Stage Entertainment’s production of Singin’ in the Rain. Leading this glorious production are Sam Lips as Don Lockwood (Broadway and US credits include CATS, Chicago, West, Side Story, On the Town and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. UK credits include Strictly Ballroom); Charlotte Gooch (Strictly Ballroom and Top Hat in the West End, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage, first UK Tour and West End) as aspiring actress Kathy Selden; Ross McLaren (Sleepless, Troubadour Theatre; BIG The Musical and White Christmas at the Dominion Theatre) as Don’s slapstick sidekick Cosmo Brown and Jenny Gayner (The Girls, Chicago and Spamalot in t...

Singin’ In The Rain – Birmingham Hippodrome

8Jun

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Singin’ In The Rain – Birmingham Hippodrome

This famous water-logged Hollywood icon splish, splash and sploshed its way into the Birmingham Hippodrome last night dripping with joy, fun and a fountain of hummable, singable and danceable numbers which have woven themselves into our consciousness over the last 70 years. “Singin the Rain” burst onto the big screen in 1952 with the iridescent Gene Kelly, the avuncular Donald O’Connor and the endearing Debbie Reynolds a trio of triple threats whose unique talents Jonathan Church’s production comes very close to emulating, but all three are very hard acts to follow. Sam Lips and Charlotte Gooch, make fine attempts at the leading roles of Don Lockwood and Charlotte Gooch, with great comic support from Ross McLaren as Cosmo who bashes himself into a comic maelstrom during “Make ‘em Laugh” an...

Singin’ in the Rain – Manchester Opera House

11May

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Singin’ in the Rain – Manchester Opera House

We all know that Manchester has a reputation for enjoying a drop of rain and we've also been known to dance on tables and belt out a few songs on an evening out. So, it came as no surprise to see the venerable old Opera House packed to the rafters on a Tuesday night, with an audience eagerly anticipating this touring version of the 'golden age' classic musical. They were not to be disappointed with the high quality production values, a great ensemble, superb leads and a beautifully orchestrated score that left me walking up Quay Street hanging off lamp posts singing 'do de do do,do de do de do do do, I'm singin' in the rain, just.......'. The plot, charting the demise of silent pictures and the rise of the 'Golden Age' of 1920's Hollywood 'talkies', is well known, less so is the fact th...

Singin’ In The Rain – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

29Apr

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Singin’ In The Rain – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

It's 1927. Silent-film star Don Lockwood (Sam Lips) has it all, a wise-cracking best friend Cosmo Brown (Ross McLaren), fans, hit films and the most beautiful actress in town, Lina Lamont (Faye Tozer) on his arm. Then a chance meeting with a aspiring actress Kathy Selden (Charlotte Gooch) forces him to re-evaluate himself, just as the movies become the talkies, and everything must adapt or be left behind. The 1952 MGM classic this was adapted from was directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, and starred Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds and Jean Hagen. It is perhaps least famous for being the era's equivalent of a jukebox musical, having been conceived around songs written and released almost two decades previously. However, the film quickly eclipsed the songs' ...

The Drifters Girl – rescheduled dates in 2021

21Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

The Drifters Girl – rescheduled dates in 2021

Michael Harrison and David Ian announce rescheduled dates for The Drifters Girl, a brand new musical starring Beverley Knight, which tells the remarkable story of one of the world’s greatest vocal groups The Drifters and the woman who made them. The Drifters Girl, to be directed by Jonathan Church (Singin’ In The Rain), will now make its World Premiere at Newcastle Theatre Royal next year on Saturday 9th October 2021, before transferring to the Garrick Theatre in London for a strictly limited season of 20 weeks, with performances beginning on Thursday 4th November 2021. Ticket holders do not need to do anything; the point of purchase will be in touch with all existing ticket holders soon. Beverley Knight stars as Faye Treadwell, the legendary manager of The Drifters, who, alongsid...