Upstairs at the Gatehouse Archives

17Jun

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

Longitude – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

There seems to be no story which cannot be made into a musical nowadays. The fascinating history of the struggle to devise a marine navigational aid to accurately measure longitude is the latest, in a new musical written and produced by Kaz Maloney. The story focuses on John Harrison, the northern carpenter and clockmaker, who responded to the Board of Longitude's appeal in the early 1700s for solutions to this navigational dilemma, which was causing the loss of thousands of lives at sea. For the most part, the narrative of the story accurately follows John Harrison's story and his interactions with the Board, who were made up of well renowned establishment figures of the day. The style of the production was an interesting contrast between the more or less realistic ...

Songs for a New World – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

10Feb

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

London

Songs for a New World – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

When you watch a musical production, it usually follows a known formula with a beginning, middle and an end. Not so with ‘Songs for a New World’ for this is what’s known as a song-cycle. That means rather than having one fully formed narrative, the show is an anthology; a collection of short stories that hang together with common themes. For me, I think the best way to describe this production is as an immersive musical show. You honestly feel as though you’ve stepped into the making of a musical and are part and parcel of the actual show, such is the intimacy of this performance. The venue aids this feeling enormously, and to be seated just inches away from the action is a real thrill. Unlike most shows, the band are not hidden away, they are clearly visible, on display and are inte...

This Girl: The Cynthia Lennon Story – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

3Aug

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

This Girl: The Cynthia Lennon Story – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

The Programme description: The play is also a musical featuring original songs and music arrangements by BBC Radio Merseyside’s Frankie Connor, Billy Kinsley and Alan Crowley and depicts the emotional journey of Cynthia (CIN’s) life before, during and after Beatlemania. THIS GIRL features eight brand new songs making it a must see musical for theatre lovers of original and contemporary theatre. THIS GIRL tells a story of Cynthia Powell a shy student from Hoylake, who fell in love with a young musician called John when they met at Liverpool Art College in 1957. She became Cynthia Lennon and mother of their son Julian. This play has been created it seems to showcase their love and affection for each other, her struggles and the challenges she faced in her relationship with John Lenn...

False Accounts: Exposing the Post Office Cover Up – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

22Jun

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

NEWS

False Accounts: Exposing the Post Office Cover Up – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Last year I listened to a podcast that made my blood boil. It centred on innocent Sub Post Masters being accused of theft by The Post Office due to errors in the new computing system. Some had been sent to jail, some had committed suicide, and all of them had faced unbelievable stress. I couldn’t believe such a travesty of justice could have happened - and was still ongoing, in the UK. False Accounts, a satirical play, by Lance Steen Anthony Nielsen takes a closer look at the events leading up and the aftermath of this scandal. It is not an easy watch, but then it is not meant to be. What happened to these people – and the lack of adequate resolution for their suffering is an outrage. Nielsen does an excellent job in explaining a very complicated situation in a digestible format. We ...

The Girl on the Train – Upstairs at The Gatehouse

10Jun

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

The Girl on the Train – Upstairs at The Gatehouse

Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Able’s stage adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ hugely successful novel The Girl on the Train has been given a revamp in this new production, following its tour and West End debut in 2019. Directed by Joseph Hodges, the story focuses on Rachel Watson (Katie Ray), a struggling alcoholic that has lost her job and her husband Tom (Tom Gordon) who has moved on with his new partner Anna (Tori Hargreaves) and their baby. Rachel travels on the train to London every day, as it stops, she has a perfect view of the house where she lived with her ex-husband as well as the couple two doors down. As Rachel watches neighbours Megan (Chrystine Symone) and Scott (Scott Hipwell), she enviously imagines what life could be like for this couple she doesn’t know. When Megan suddenly goe...

Call me Madam – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

15Sep

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

London

Call me Madam – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

When all a country has to offer is babies and cheese, it’s little wonder they need help. Enter the good old USA with their helpful loans and Bob’s your side of chicken. Except, that’s not quite how things pan out. ‘Call me Madam’ is set in 1950, in the years following World War II, when Truman was rolling out the Marshall Plan to help finance the economic recovery of devasted European countries. If you’re thinking this is political, don’t, it’s purely a backdrop for what is essentially a double love story. At a time when women were expected to make home, Sally Adams (Rosemary Ashe), is bound for the Grand Duchy of Lichtenburg in her newly appointed role as ambassador. Her creds: Parties and socialising. Next, enter Cosmo Constantine (Richard Gibson), a man who cannot be bought, a man...

SHOUT! the Mod Musical Comes to London in 2021

9Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

SHOUT! the Mod Musical Comes to London in 2021

A glittering new ‘Covid-Secure’ production of SHOUT! the Mod Musical is being produced at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate Village, from 10th March until 18th April 2021. Journey back to the liberating days of 1960s’ London and explore the infectious anthems that made household names of stars such as Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield, Lulu and Shirley Bassey as we track the lives of five women as they come of age in this psychedelic, eye-popping, fun-filled musical comedy which will make you want to throw your head back and SHOUT! The show features over thirty hit songs from the 1960s including “You’re My World”, “Son of a Preacher Man”, “I Only Wanna be with You”, “Those Were the Days”, “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me”, “Downtown”, “Gold Finger”, “These Boots are Made for Wa...