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Some early October musical news

Put A Pin In It Productions (a new Brighton based production company with a big heart and big ambition) brings a not-to-be-missed show to The Old Market in Hove this autumn. Voices of Today and Tomorrow is a musical show tunes event with a difference – partnering established West End stars with talented newcomers who are already making waves on the fringe of the industry and are sure-fire stars of tomorrow!

Jodie Steele, Luke Bayer, Maiya Quansah-Breed, Joanne Harper and Alexandra Doar plus Brighton-born Alex James Ellison, creator of the hit musical, FIVER, are set to appear live in concert alongside some of the UK’s most promising up-and-coming talent in the musical theatre industry, including Frankie Davison, Eleanor Lakin, Daniel Walford, Katie Ramshaw and Amie Shouler. Continue reading “Some early October musical news”

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News: Royal & Derngate announces further productions for its 2021/22 Made in Northampton season

Royal & Derngate has announced four further productions to complete its 2021/22 Made in Northampton season. A new production of Joe Penhall’s biting contemporary satire Blue/Orange is brought to the stage this autumn by the producing team behind Ralph Fiennes’ hugely successful Four Quartets which is soon to transfer to the West End. Giles Terera and Michael Balogun will collaborate with Artistic Director James Dacre with original music by Valgeir Sigurðsson of Bedroom Community. The venue then premieres The Wellspring, an autobiographic work from playwright Barney Norris and his father David Owen Norris, directed by Jude Christian. The venue’s previously announced production of An Improbable Musical will then premiere with a cast including Niall Ashdown, Ruth Bratt, Adam Courting, Josie Lawrence and Janet Etuk.

This autumn also sees Royal & Derngate’s artist development programme Generate host a festival of new work and present 60 Miles by Road or Rail chronicling the recent history of Northampton Town. Meanwhile, the venue’s charity compilation album Incidental: Music for the Stage, will be released on 24 September on CD and all major streaming platforms. Continue reading “News: Royal & Derngate announces further productions for its 2021/22 Made in Northampton season”

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Some September casting news

Dana Al Fardan, one of the Middle East’s leading contemporary composers, and West End star Nadim Naaman today announce that their second major stage musical, Rumi: The Musical will get its world premiere as a semi-staged concert at the London Coliseum on November 23rd & 24th 2021.

Rumi, based on a story about the 13th century philosopher and poet Rumi by Evren Sharma, follows Al Fardan and Naaman’s 2018 debut Broken Wings, which premiered in the West End at the Theatre Royal Haymarket before touring the Middle East.

Led by Ramin Karimloo (as Shams Tabrizi) and Nadim Naaman (Rumi), Casey Al-Shaqsy (Kimya), Soophia Foroughi (Kara), the London Coliseum cast will comprise entirely of performers of Middle Eastern, North African and South Asian heritage, and will also feature a 25+ piece orchestra, conducted by Joe Davison.

Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday 14 September via the London Coliseum website Continue reading “Some September casting news”

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News: Chichester Festival Theatre announce Winter 2021/22 season

A feast of visiting drama, dance, comedy, family shows and music for all tastes and ages is heading to Chichester Festival Theatre for the Winter 2021/22 season.

We’re particularly proud to offer a new home-grown production: the revival of one of the best plays of modern times, John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Award-winning Doubt: A Parable, directed by Lia Williams and starring Monica Dolan and Sam Spruell in their Chichester debuts. Continue reading “News: Chichester Festival Theatre announce Winter 2021/22 season”

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Early September theatre news

Full casting has been announced for the brand new stage adaptation of British comedy The Good Life which tours the UK this Autumn. The acclaimed cast will include actress and presenter Preeya Kalidas as ‘Margo Leadbetter’, Dominic Rowan as ‘Jerry Leadbetter’, and Sally Tatum as ‘Barbara Good’, joining the previously announced actor and comedian Rufus Hound as ‘Tom Good’. Also featured will be Nigel Betts and Tessa Churchard.

The new comedy by Jeremy Sams, is based on the classic television series by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey which entertained countless millions in the 1970s and which I have never seen an episode of. Directed by Jeremy Sams, this world premiere production will be the first time that the iconic characters of suburban neighbours the Goods and the Leadbetters will be seen on stage. The Good Life will open at Theatre Royal Bath on 7 October 2021, before dates at Cheltenham Everyman, Salford Lowry, Oxford Playhouse, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Malvern Theatres, Richmond Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre. Continue reading “Early September theatre news”

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News: Casting for MUM, The Mirror and the Light and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice

© Jeremy Freedman

Francesca Moody Productions, Soho Theatre and Theatre Royal Plymouth in association with Popcorn Group have announced that Sophie Melville, Denise Black and Cat Simmons will appear in the world premiere of MUM.  This provocative and unflinching portrayal of early motherhood and mental health, written by Olivier award-winning playwright Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emilia, The Globe/ West End) and directed by Abigail Graham (soon to also direct Aladdin at Lyric Hammersmith) will run at Theatre Royal Plymouth from 30 September – 16 October before transferring to Soho Theatre from 20 October – 20 November.

Motherhood. No one can prepare you for it. No matter how much you tell yourself you can do it – can you?  Where’s the rush of love? When will you sleep again?  What if the thing you fear most is also the thing you crave?  All you wanted was one night of unbroken sleep, what have you done? 

Nina is a new mum and tonight is her first night off. Tonight is about pizza and wine and letting go. But Nina didn’t feel prepared for motherhood and isn’t sure she fits the job description. Nina feels like she’s losing her grip.

This thought-provoking, funny and honest new play shines a light on early motherhood, anxiety and mental health. MUM examines the pressures and complex emotions many women experience when they have a baby. At a time when mothers have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic, never has it been more pertinent to explore these issues. Continue reading “News: Casting for MUM, The Mirror and the Light and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice”

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Review: The Importance of Being Earnest, Newcastle University Theatre Society via stream.theatre

Newcastle University Theatre Society stage an online production of The Importance of Being Earnest in aid of Acting for Others

“You’re quite right in making some alteration”

Although theatres in England are starting to reopen their doors, the impact of the lockdowns is still being disproportionately felt by many in the arts community. So it is fantastic to see people still grabbing the reins to come up with fundraising efforts for Acting for Others, the theatrical charity whose network of member charities offering financial and emotional assistance and support to those in the entertainment profession.

To that end, students from Newcastle University Theatre Society have mounted a production of The Importance of Being Earnest, available to watch online now on stream.theatre, performed and filmed in an empty Sunderland Empire. Directed by Adam Kinneen, he has added a framing device which introduces Oscar Wilde himself as a character, biographical snippets contrasting starkly with the intrinsic lightness of his play. Continue reading “Review: The Importance of Being Earnest, Newcastle University Theatre Society via stream.theatre”

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News: The National Theatre announces 2021-22 programming and launches National Theatre Together

The National Theatre announces new programming and launches a major new campaign for its future, National Theatre Together

The National Theatre has announced its programming until the start of next year with productions on all three South Bank stages as well as three major UK tours, two productions on Broadway, a return to cinemas, and a new feature film to be broadcast on television this autumn. In the week the theatre reopened for audiences again, six new productions were announced, and five productions halted by the pandemic were confirmed to return to the South Bank.  

It has also announced the public launch of National Theatre Together, a new campaign with people at its heart, highlighting the importance of creativity and collaboration with theatre-makers and communities, for young people and audiences. The campaign cements the NT’s commitment to the people of this country and will raise vital funds for the theatre’s ambitious recovery post-pandemic.  Continue reading “News: The National Theatre announces 2021-22 programming and launches National Theatre Together”

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News: Pitlochry Festival Theatre announce Summer Ensemble for 70th anniversary season

Pitlochry Festival Theatre is delighted to announce the Summer Ensemble for its 70th anniversary season which will take place in the picturesque grounds of the Perthshire theatre from the end of this month.

Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s exciting 22-strong Summer Ensemble will feature BAFTA Scotland award-winning Jane McCarry (Isa Drennan in Still Game, BBC Scotland and Granny Murray in Me Too!, CBBC); Colin McCredie (Taggart, ITV and River City , BBC Scotland); Lauren Samuels (We Will Rock You, Bend it Like Beckham and Grease, all West End and Cinderella, Lyric Hammersmith); Daniel Boys (The Boys in the Band, The Park Theatre and West End, Avenue Q, Tommy and  Spamalot, all West End); playwright Jo Clifford;  Richard Colvin (Sunshine on Leith, UK tour and A Christmas Carol, Octagon Theatre Bolton); Brian Ferguson (Beats, Sixteen Films); Beth Frieden (Class Act, Traverse Theatre and Caiptean Cora, Theatre Gu Leòr); Connor Going (Footloose, UK tour and The Choir of Men , US and Australia tour); Katie Grosset (various productions with Scottish Opera)  Barrie Hunter (Smile and  All My Sons, Dundee Rep) and Nicholas Karimi (The Twilight Zone, Almeida and West End; Macbeth, National Theatre and James II, National Theatre of Scotland). Continue reading “News: Pitlochry Festival Theatre announce Summer Ensemble for 70th anniversary season”

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News: a whole load of UK musical tour casting announcements

Priscilla Queen of the Desert will restart its tour at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham on 23rd June. Miles Western will take on the role of Bernadette, with Nick Hayes as Adam/Felicia and Edwin Ray playing Tick/Mitzi. They are joined by Daniel Fletcher (Bob), Rebecca Lisewski (Marion), Kevin Yates (Miss Understanding), Gracie Lai (Cynthia) and Ronan Burns (Frank). The Divas will be played by Claudia Kariuki, Rosie Glossop and Aiesha Pease, and the cast is completed by Emma Katie Adcock, Jak Allen Anderson, Allie Daniel, Martin Harding, Clarice Julianda, Jemima Loddy, Nathan Ryles, Tom Scanlon and Jermaine Woods. Continue reading “News: a whole load of UK musical tour casting announcements”