Jonathan Harvey Archives - North West End UK

28Jun

By Mary FoggNo Comments

London

Closer To Heaven – Turbine Theatre

A musical by Jonathan Harvey & Pet Shop Boys. "Let us Take you back to the Millennium for the night of your life...London's club-land is thriving. Suddenly what was wrong seems right..." Writer Jonathan Harvey’s zesty and often outrageously risqué gay club land musical has once again landed into London since it first premiered in 2001 at The Arts Theatre. There have been subsequent new productions, more recently in 2015 and 2019 and to celebrate a season of queer love at The Turbine Theatre, Harvey's Closer To Heaven which features an original club score by Pet Shop Boys is once again giving audiences the opportunity to step back in time as the cosy and intimate theatre metamorphises into 'Vic's Club' for an evening. Closer To Heaven the musical is filled with a superb Pet Shop B...

21May

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Here You Come Again – Leeds Playhouse

‘What would Dolly do?’ That’s the premise for the UK version of a musical comedy based on some of the greatest songs from country music’s undoubted queen Dolly Parton and one of the all-time great songwriters in any genre. Asking that question is fortysomething Kevin marooned in his parent’s attic during lockdown after splitting up with his boyfriend and his furlough pay is coming to an end. His boyhood room is a shrine to Dolly and as if by magic - or his subconscious - the relentlessly upbeat country and gay icon pops up to help her flamboyant, but secretly floundering, superfan find his way. This is not only a love letter to a big hearted philanthropist who has distributed 150 million free books to kids because her beloved daddy couldn’t read, but to a hall of fame songwriter w...

Dolly delights in Spring/Summer season at Leeds Playhouse

8Dec

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Dolly delights in Spring/Summer season at Leeds Playhouse

For the first time ever all of Dolly Parton’s biggest hits can be heard together in a new musical comedy, Here You Come Again, which is then cornerstone of the Spring/Summer 2024 season at Leeds Playhouse before it heads off to the West End After a successful US tour, the show is packed with the country legend’s iconic songs, including Jolene, 9 to 5, Islands in the Stream, I Will Always Love You and Here You Come Again. It’s the story of a diehard fan whose fantasy version of international icon Dolly Parton gets him through trying times, but the wit, humour and charm in her songs teaches him a whole lot about life, love and how to pull yourself up by your sequinned bootstraps. It was originally written by two-time Emmy award-winning comedy writer and songwr...

2Nov

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

Beautiful Thing – HOME Mcr

As part of its 30th Anniversary tour, Jonathan Harvey’s Iconic, coming-out and coming of age story comes to HOME Manchester. Set in the 90s, we delve into what it’s like to be 16 and in love in a time when the subject was not talked about, where the British Government brought in a legislation banning homosexuality being promoted in schools and educators were silenced. Following struggles of three teenagers, Jamie, a young boy who is bullies at school for being gay. Ste, a football fanatic who is always at the brunt of his brother and Father’s temper. And Leah, a misunderstood Mama Cass fan who has been excluded from school and struggling to find her way through life, seemingly alone. When things become too much at home, Ste takes refuge at Jamie’s flat, and this is where the boys str...

Our Lady of Blundellsands – Everyman, Liverpool

18Sep

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Our Lady of Blundellsands – Everyman, Liverpool

Jonathan Harvey’s comic drama about a messed-up family resumes from whence it was paused in March 2020, albeit it with some cast changes, with a welcome return to Liverpool’s Everyman. Sylvie’s (Josie Lawrence) life is unravelling as she is forced to emerge from the safety of her Blundellsands cocoon where she has inhabited a fantasy world that never was, and where wiser, older sister Garnet (Joanne Howarth) is now becoming weary of the shopping lists and tired love. This time though, the family’s in town as Sylvie’s boys, ‘brothers’ Mickey-Joe (Mickey Jones) and Lee Lee (Nathan McMullen), return with their respective partners Frankie (Nana Amoo-Gottfried) and Alyssa (Gemma Brodrick) to celebrate Garnet’s birthday. But for once she’s got a story of her own to tell: who’s going to fan th...

2Jul

By Rebecca CaseyNo Comments

North West

Swan Song – Unity Theatre

I have just returned home from Liverpool’s Unity Theatre, or for the purposes of this evening a high school back in 1997. Swan song is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement all I can say is that I truly hope that this is not Andrew Lancel’s swan song because he is outstanding in this role. I don’t quite know what I was expecting tonight but Lancel’s portrayal of the character was the polar opposite to any role you may have seen him in previously. Andrew has had a celebrated career including several leading roles in television. I personally can’t look at him without picturing his character from Coronation Street. I also saw him in the national tour of The Sound of Music last year in Blackpool. The guy seems to be able t...

21Jun

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Dive Into Swan Song at The Dukes

Jonathan Harvey’s bittersweet comedy Swan Song travels to The Dukes in Lancaster this July, on a short northern tour. This revised version of Harvey’s play stars TV and stage actor Andrew Lancel (Coronation Street, Cilla: The Musical), is directed by BAFTA award-winning director Noreen Kershaw (Coronation Street, Our Girl) and is produced by Bill Elms, Liverpool Theatre Festival’s Artistic Director. Set in Liverpool in 1997, the show follows Dave Titswell, a gay, middle-aged English teacher. He has a crush, but life, love and work are never straight forward for Dave. Will a school trip to The Lakes change things for the better, or make things decidedly worse? Swan Song will make audiences laugh, but equally pull at the heartstrings. Everyone knows someone like Dave – or could even...

12Jun

By Hazel BumbyNo Comments

North West

Hushabye Mountain – Hope Mill Theatre

This was a theatre trip of many firsts for me, not only had I never heard of Hushabye Mountain (except from watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and singing it myself); this was my first Hope Mill performance. And all I can say is ‘wow’. I won’t lie, I had read the synopsis and thought that the subject matter might be a little depressing but what these six amazing artists achieve, is something wonderful. Yes, you read that right – just a cast of 6 people who not only acted but seamlessly changed ‘scenery’ whilst already into the next scene and working in costume changes into that scene. I put scenery into inverted commas as there wasn’t any to speak of really, no elaborate drops (except for the Church and the star cloth – and who doesn’t love a star cloth) no big flats to move, jus...

Andrew Lancel In One Man Show By Jonathan Harvey To On Northern Tour In July

4May

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Andrew Lancel In One Man Show By Jonathan Harvey To On Northern Tour In July

Following its critically acclaimed sell-out premiere at Liverpool Theatre Festival in September 2020, Swan Song, a revised comedy by acclaimed playwright Jonathan Harvey, is heading out on a northern tour in July following its rescheduled February dates due to lockdown. Swan Song, a one-man play starring 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 2020. The show then moves on to reopen the Little Theatre in Southport, Dukes Theatre in Lancaster, and City Varieties in Leeds. All venues will adhere to the current restrictions set out by the Government and will have ...

Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre to stream online production of Jonathan Harvey’s Hushabye Mountain

17Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre to stream online production of Jonathan Harvey’s Hushabye Mountain

Hope Mill Theatre has announced it will work with Stream.Theatre to stream a new online production worldwide of Hushabye Mountain by acclaimed writer Jonathan Harvey. Directed by Nick Bagnall, this online production will star Matt Henry as Lee, Jodie Prenger as Beryl, Layton Williams as Connor, Nathan McMullen as Danny, Amy Dunn as Lana and Harrison Scott-Smith as Ben. Hushabye Mountain will be streamed live on Saturday 5th June, and then available online on 11th, 12th and 13th June 2021 (All 7:30pm) and 18th, 19th and 20th June 2021 (All 7:30pm with a 2:30pm Saturday Matinee). Hope Mill Theatre will be partnering with the following venues to show the production throughout the run: The Turbine Theatre Sheffield Crucible Liverpool Everyman York Theatre Royal Tickets are £1...