Leeds Playhouse Archives - Page 5 of 10

Musical director Harry Blake talks about Say Yes to Tess at Leeds Playhouse

11Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

Musical director Harry Blake talks about Say Yes to Tess at Leeds Playhouse

One of the first-time candidates in the 2017 general election was Tess Seddon who stood for the Yorkshire Party in Leeds North East. Not surprisingly given it is a safe Labour safe this political novice didn’t win with her 303 votes, but she has now turned her experiences as a candidate into a musical comedy, Say Yes to Tess. Unexpectedly thrust into the political maelstrom Tess takes her newly formed party’s passion for Yorkshire devolution to the streets, but with the election day looming her play follows the candidate as she starts to question whether she’s doing the right thing. Our Yorkshire Editor Paul Clarke caught up with the show’s musical director Harry Blake to find out more about a show that attempts to make politics fun, and maybe just a bit more accessible. Tell ...

Transform Festival is back with a series of UK and World Premieres in Leeds

9Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Transform Festival is back with a series of UK and World Premieres in Leeds

Transform has established itself as one of the UK’s most innovative platforms for emerging talent and the delayed final wave of their 21-22 programme in April offers a series of world and UK premieres. Once again, the team offer productions taking place in iconic venues in Leeds with many in unusual and disused spaces that offer trailblazing co-curators a chance to create special events and experiences. The festival invites audiences from across Leeds and beyond to rediscover and explore the city and to connect with bold, brave, vivid and socially conscious performance by artists from across the globe. Leeds based artist Jamal Gerald made his name with Idol in Transform 19 and this year he presents the world Premiere of Jumbie he describes as a ritual for our sickened times. It’s...

9Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Macbeth – Leeds Playhouse

As the three witches circulate around the massive drawbridge that dominates the stark stage it's clear that Amy Leach’s latest attempt to make Shakespeare accessible will focus on the intrigue, blood and ultimately madness in arguably his most dynamic drama. Power couple the Macbeths are introduced as they mourn their dead child before the ambitious warrior muscularly played by Tachia Newall meets the witches who inform him he’s to be the King of Scotland despite the weak Duncan still being on the throne. Egged on by his wife, the brave general becomes the cowardly assassin as he takes the throne before turning on everyone around him as his hubris brings about his downfall. There is a subtle subtext of dynasty and lineage as Lady Macbeth loses another child, which helps explain h...

Hedwig brings angry inch to Leeds Playhouse and HOME Manchester

3Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Hedwig brings angry inch to Leeds Playhouse and HOME Manchester

Cult musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch comes to Leeds Playhouse and HOME Manchester starring RuPaul’s Drag Race UK icon Divina De Campo De Campo plays the hedonistic genderqueer anti-heroine seemingly hellbent on destruction who embarks on a journey of self-discovery with her husband and roadie Yitzhak, played by Elijah Ferreira. They are joined on stage by their live rock band ‘The Angry Inch’ led by Music Supervisor and Musical Director Alex Beetschen on keys with Frances Bolley on lead guitar, Isis Dunthorne on drums and Jess Williams on bass. This production explores the origin of love, gender identity, resilience, and the freedom to be whoever you want to be. “As a queer and trans director I’ve been wanting to p...

The Sh*t hits the stage at Leeds Playhouse

21Feb

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

The Sh*t hits the stage at Leeds Playhouse

The Sh*t which premieres at Leeds Playhouse in March asks what happens when you have just one hour a week to save a life? This new two hander takes us into one of the thousands of forgotten youth centres across the country, where Eric has a single hour each week to break Daniel out of his spiral towards jail or the grave. Created by The Working Party Theatre Company, and produced by Matthew Schmolle Productions, it’s an honest, unflinching examination of the relationship between those at the margins of society and the people employed to help them. The Sh*t is written by BAFTA-nominated writer Kenny Emson in consultation with youth workers and young people in London and Leeds. The artists and producers in The Working Party, who originally commissioned the play have worked with ...

17Jan

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Cast announced for Macbeth at Leeds Playhouse

Something wickedly good is coming to Leeds Playhouse as Macbeth makes its way to the Quarry stage with a diverse cast. Director Amy Leach’s teams up once again with Designer Hayley Grindle’s to offer a raw and visceral vision of Shakespeare’s thrilling tragedy as ambitious northern warrior Macbeth does whatever it takes to gain the throne. Tachia Newall, already well-known to Playhouse audiences from his standout role as Tybalt in Romeo & Juliet in 2017 and from appearances in Waterloo Road, Coronation Street and the recent hit movie Dune, is Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is played by Doncaster actor Jessica Baglow, who fans of the TV hit Gentleman Jack will recognise as lady’s maid Rachel Hemingway. The rest of the 11-strong cast include Adam Bassett, who was Ass...

Free courses for deaf and disabled people at the beginning of their theatre careers

17Jan

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Free courses for deaf and disabled people at the beginning of their theatre careers

Deaf and disabled artists interested in pursuing careers in directing, producing and writing can apply for free courses being offered by Leeds Playhouse and Sheffield Theatres in association with Ramps On The Moon. They are joining forces to host three introductory courses led by experienced theatre professionals. The writing and producing courses will both take place at Leeds Playhouse. The writers will be led by Leeds-based artist Leanna Benjamin, the new Artist for Change and Writer in Residence at the Playhouse, and Furnace Coordinator Rio Matchett, who plays a key role in the Playhouse’s artistic development programme. The course for aspiring producers will be led by Leeds Playhouse Agent for Change Paul Wilshaw, and Freelance Producer Ben Rothera. Photo: Antony Robling T...

20Dec

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Wendy & Peter Pan – Leeds Playhouse

When Leeds Playhouse announced they were staging yet another version of Peter Pan you couldn’t help but wonder haven’t we had more than enough of the boy who refuses to grow up? What made this bold adaptation by Ella Hickson of the JM Barrie classic different is that it told this beloved story from the viewpoint of Wendy Darling, while still keeping in the Lost Boys, pirates, fairy dust, the flying and a crocodile. The reality is that the boy who refuses to grow up is. like so many adolescent boys, a self-serving narcissist, who is actually a bit of a prat. Peter’s reckless fearlessness put his gang in danger and his compulsive actions meant he could never defeat his arch enemy Captain Hook. Peter Losassa offered a lively Pan unfretted by maturity, who led his gang of forever ...

From Japan to Leeds Playhouse – Rupert Hands

2Dec

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Interviews

From Japan to Leeds Playhouse – Rupert Hands

The annual festive shows at Leeds Playhouse have become must see spectaculars for theatre lovers across West Yorkshire and this year they recruited a massive cast to rethink the legend of Peter Pan Wendy & Peter offers a new spin on the JM Barrie classic as writer Ella Hickson has decided to tell the story through Wendy Darling's eyes, but audiences can rest assured it’s still going to be a rollicking tale of a battle in Neverland with the dastardly Captain Hook full of flying, fighting and fun. This version of the beloved tale of the boy who won’t grow up started life at the Royal Shakespeare Company and has just returned from a critically acclaimed run in Tokyo. There the creative team added an epic score by Japanese composer Shuhei Kamimura and added some Anime video design. ...

From Japan to Leeds Playhouse – Jonathan Munby

28Nov

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

From Japan to Leeds Playhouse – Jonathan Munby

Peter Pan is one of our culture’s most enduring characters but a new festive production at Leeds Playhouse takes a fresh look at the boy who refuses to grow up. This time round in Wendy & Pan the endless child’s traditional sparring partner Wendy Darling takes centre stage in Ella Hickson’s adaption of JM Barrie’s classic, but you can still expect to see the dastardly Captain Hook, The Lost Boys, a pirate ship and a crocodile in the Playhouse’s festive spectacular. This production comes straight from a successful run in Tokyo during the Olympics, featuring input from Japanese creatives, and boasts a big cast who will fight and fly their way round the huge Quarry theatre. Jonathan Munby is co-directing Wendy and Peter, and in the first of a two part look at this show tells our...