Theatre

Manon - London Coliseum

Dom — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:01:00 GMT

Friday 2 January at 7.30pm
Saturday 3 January at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Sunday 4 January at 2.30pm
Tuesday 6 January at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Wednesday 7 January 7.30pm*
Thursday 8 January at 2pm and 7.30pm
Friday 9 January at 7.30pm
Saturday 10 January at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Sunday 11 January at 2.30pm

Manon is arguably Kenneth MacMillan’s masterpiece. Innocent girl or femme fatale, Manon is young, beautiful and naïve, and she is in love. Caught between two men vying for her affection, Manon becomes entangled in a web of passion, love and vanity, unable to choose. Student Renato des Grieux offers a pure love, but the promises and opulence of Monsieur G.M. entice Manon to the life of a courtesan.Kenneth MacMillan’s thrilling tragedy brings to life Manon Lescaut, the 1731 novel by Abbé Prévost. Jules Massenet’s fascinating melodies accompany Manon as she weaves her way through the decadence and darkness of enlightened eighteenth century Paris, indulging in love, luxury and pleasure. Although she finally chooses love for Des Grieux over the material pleasures offered by Monsieur G.M., Manon pays the ultimate price for her corruption. This production of Manon was premiered by the Royal Danish Ballet in 2003, and is given its London premiere by English National Ballet’s 67 dancers and symphony orchestra in 2009.

“... there seems no end to the public’s enthusiasm for MacMillan’s steamy tale… and those luscious melodies will stick with you long after the curtain has dropped.” The Times

"Klimentova brought to this most transient and earth-shaking moment a lightening and physical attack and a pure joy. She not only gave the steps a rarely seen completeness, itself a delight, but wove herself through Massenet's music, not just an extra to the melody, but part of it." The Sunday Express

The Sleeping Beauty / English National Ballet - London Coliseum

Dom — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:37:00 GMT

English National Ballet - London Coliseeum

The Sleeping Beauty
30 December, 2 – 3 January 2009, 6 – 10 January 2009 7.30pm
31 December 1.30pm
31 December 6.30pm
2, 3, 8, 10 January 2009 2.30pm
4, 11 January 2009 3pm

Tchaikovsky’s glorious music and MacMillan’s classical choreography reawaken the magic of the world’s favourite fairy tale in an enchanted world of castles and curses, forests and fairies. At Princess Aurora’s christening, fairies bestowed her with gifts of beauty, temperament, purity, joy, wit and generosity. The wicked Fairy Carabosse put a curse on Aurora; to *** her finger and die on her 16th birthday. The beautiful and kind Lilac Fairy cast a spell to counter the curse so that instead of dying Aurora fell asleep for a hundred years. Only the touch of true love’s kiss could awaken her and undo the evil spell... Join English National Ballet’s 67 dancers and full orchestra for this dazzling ballet.

“* * * * ... a staging of Sleeping Beauty so appealing it should keep for another 20 years... a production to inspire not one but two generations” The Guardian “* * * *

no brighter plum has appeared for years than Kenneth MacMillan’s The Sleeping Beauty. What a triumph. Millions of steps, hundreds of costumes, dozens of dancers and a symphony orchestra” Sunday Express The production runs for approximately three hours, including two intervals of 20 minutes.

Tickets range from £15 in the balcony to £60 in the front row stalls!

I Come From There: New Plays from the Arab World - The Royal Court Theatre

Dom — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:28:00 GMT

I Come From There: New Plays from the Arab World

The Royal Court Theatre 11 - 15 November

Last year, 21 writers from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia and Syria were invited to Damascus by the British Council and the Royal Court to begin developing new plays that reflect the times we are living in from their own perspectives.

18 months later, after more work in Tunis and Cairo, the Royal Court, in association with the British Council, presents 5 of these plays in a week of rehearsed readings. This is the culmination of a groundbreaking partnership and a unique project in the history of the Royal Courts international collaborations. The readings will be performed in specially commissioned translations and complemented by a panel discussion with the writers and the chance to enjoy music, dance and food from the region

Faces in the Crowd - The Royal Court Theatre

Dom — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:26:00 GMT

Faces in the Crowd - The Royal Court Theatre

Written by Leo Butler

17 October - 8 November

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"Yer know I'm goin' to turn forty next month. Yer fuckin owe me this."

When Dave moved south to London he left behind his family, wife Joanne and mounting financial woes in favour of a playground of riches, sex and shopping. 10 years on and Joanne wants payback with interest.

Faces in the Crowd offers a unique insight into 21st century London and the debts we accrue in the wake of seeking out our ambitions.

Leo Butler's previous plays for the Royal Court are Lucky Dog, Redundant and Made of Stone. Other work includes I'll Be The Devil which was staged by the RSC earlier this year.

Paradise Regained - The Royal Court Theatre

Dom — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:24:00 GMT

Paradise Regained - The Royal Court Theatre

Written & Directed by Mark Ravenhill

30 September - 4 October

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As Mark Ravenhill watched Shoot/Get Treasure/Repeat his epic cycle of short plays being performed at various venues across London in spring, he realised there was one more piece to put in the jigsaw - this new twenty minute play.

Paradise Regained is an epilogue to the sixteen plays that made up Shoot/Get Treasure/Repeat.

Commissioned by the Golden Mask Festival, Moscow.

Cast: Patrick Knowles, Tom Riley, Zubin Varla

The Girlfriend Experience - The Royal Court Theatre

Dom — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:19:00 GMT

The Girlfriend Experience - The Royal Court Theatre

Written by Alecky Blythe

18 September - 11 October

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"We have Tessa, curvy dress size 14, very bubbly, offers most services. We also have Suzie, curvy dress size 18 to 20, very passionate lady, offers the full girlfriend experience."

Tessa has set up a business; a brothel by the sea where mature women specialise in the Girlfriend Experience, a surprisingly caring and sympathetic service.

As the women stoically strive to make a living in a competitive market, their personal lives start to crumble. Will they ever have loving relationships outside work and enjoy being girlfriends themselves?

This extraordinary play is created entirely from edited conversations recorded inside an actual brothel.

* Please note that this production contains explicit sexual references. Suitable for ages 16+

Now or Later - The Royal Court Theatre

Dom — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:14:00 GMT

Now or Later - The Royal Court Theatre

Written by Christopher Shinn

EXTENDED RUN! Now playing until 01 November

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'Unmissable' - The Independent

"I don't think we should give up our values to find common ground.

Then it's not common ground, it's their ground and we're just standing on it."

"Riveting. Thrillingly paced, effervescent with wit and intelligence and superbly acted. Urgent and unmissable."

The Times

Election night in the US, and things are looking rosy for the Democratic Party. Holed up in a hotel watching the results flood in are the likely President-elect, his wife, advisors and 20 year old son John Jnr. Every speech, interview and photocall has been carefully controlled and meticulously orchestrated, all leading up to this big night.

At the same time controversial photos of John Jnr are gathering momentum on the internet. Whilst his father's advisors work against the clock on damage limitation, it's up to father and son to try and reach an agreement.

"Political theatre does not get much more topical than this. Electrifying. Shinn reworks diverse real-life headlines into a gripping dramatic knot."

Independent on Sunday

Christopher Shinn's searching new play examines religion, freedom of expression and personal responsibility. His previous plays include Dying City, Four, Where Do We Live and Other People.

Flashdance The Musical at the Alhambra Theatre

admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:20:00 GMT

TAKE YOUR PASSION, MAKE IT HAPPEN

Set in Pittsburgh, USA, FLASHDANCE tells the story of 18 year old Alex, a welder by day and ‘flashdancer’ by night, whose dream is to obtain a place at the prestigious Shipley Dance Academy.

Based on the Paramount Pictures film (Screenplay by Tom Hedley and Joe Eszterhas, story by Tom Hedley) FLASHDANCE is an unmistakably unique musical about holding onto your dreams and love against all the odds. The show features an iconic score including the smash hit "Maniac", along with “Manhunt”, "Gloria", and the Academy Award winning title track "Flashdance - What a Feeling" as well as 10 original songs created for the musical.

Full of pulsating raw energy and breathtaking choreography by Arlene Phillips (Strictly Come Dancing, Grease, Starlight Express, Saturday Night Fever) FLASHDANCE – The Musical promises to be the theatrical event of the year – so take your passion and make it happen!

Performance date(s)
Monday, September 29, 2008-
Saturday, October 04, 2008

Performance times
Mon-Thurs Eves 7.30pm, Fri/Sat 5pm & 8.30pm
Captioned performance: Friday 3 Oct, 5pm

Call Bradford Theatres Box Office on
01274 432000 and speak to a member of our Box Office team
Major debit and credit cards accepted.
Open Monday - Saturday 9am - 8pm (Thursday 11am - 8pm).

The Alhambra Theatre Bradford

Timon of Athens - Shakespeare's Globe

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:48:00 GMT

Timon of Athens - Shakespeare's Globe

by William Shakespeare
Until 3 October

**** 'Lucy Bailey directs with a superbly reckless bravura... Brilliantly designed... Wonderful performance of Simon Paisley Day... A thrilling occasion and another hit in the Globe's spectacularly successful season' The Independent

'A spectacular affair... The theatre's space is brilliantly exploited... Simon Paisley Day is faultless as Timon, exuding all the charisma, geniality and magnetism of a great host... Forget the recession, and book' The Observer

**** 'Lucy Bailey’s impressively imaginative production... Fine performances... Leaves you perversely wondering if Bailey’s revival isn’t better than Shakespeare’s play' The Times

'Paisley Day is excellent, he brings conviction to Timon's asinine largesse and to his subsequent hatred of all humanity... There's good support from Patrick Godfrey as Timon's improbably loyal servant and Bo Poraj as the scathing philosopher Apemantus' Evening Standard

**** 'What gives this production zing is how director Lucy Bailey and designer William Dudley have made tremendously innovative use of the Globe’s space' Daily Express

'Refreshingly radical... Visually, the effect is striking' The Guardian

**** 'One approach to a play that's been largely forgotten is to stage it in a way that's unforgettable... Powerfully anchored in Paisley Day's highly articulate performance of a particularly demanding role' Metro

**** 'A night that confounded expectations and wrung every last nuance from the text. Outstanding' LondonPaper

Timon, a rich and generous Athenian, showers everyone with gifts and hospitality. When the money runs out Timon turns to his friends for help. One by one they refuse. Timon, enraged and penniless, leaves Athens for life in the wilderness where he discovers a hidden cache of gold. Having no use for the money, Timon plans his revenge on the city.

A ruthless dissection of greed and flattery, Timon of Athens sees absurd comedy and gilded language veer suddenly into tragic satire and savage invective.

Lucy Bailey and designer William Dudley exhilarated and thrilled audiences with their sell-out production of Titus Andronicus here in 2006. Joining them is celebrated jazz composer Django Bates, who created the 'thrilling score' (The Times) for Titus, Punchdrunk associate director and choreographer Maxine Doyle who most recently devised the 'extraordinary feats of choreography' (The Observer) for The Masque of the Red Death at the BAC.

The Merry Wives of Windsor - Shakespeare's Globe

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:47:00 GMT

The Merry Wives of Windsor - Shakespeare's Globe

by William Shakespeare
Until 5 October

***** "Luscombe’s production brims with humanity, ingenuity and irresistible charm, and boasts a magnificent Falstaff in Christopher Benjamin... Serena Evans and Sarah Woodward make one of the funniest double acts I have ever seen on the stage... As we all stood up to applaud, I felt that this was not just theatre but the capital at its very best" Sunday Telegraph

***** "Andrew Havill is an excellent Ford... A hilarious play of pride, prejudice and insecurity written by the Ayckbourn of the Elizabethans. The Globe at its best" Sunday Times

**** "Christopher Luscombe's highly entertaining production... this revival is zestfully alert to how Merry Wives anticipates modern sitcom... deliciously inventive comic business is a joy" The Independent

**** "The Globe has a hit on its hands... A very enjoyable, teasing night out" The Guardian

"Blissfully enjoyable new production... Christopher Luscombe directs a sunny, funny and palpably affectionate production, cleverly designed by Janet Bird... Christopher Benjamin plays Falstaff with rich, ripe panache... An exceptionally strong supporting company... This is one of the most enjoyable productions I have ever seen at the Globe and looks like the feel-good hit of the summer" The Telegraph

**** "The acting displays an infectious relish... A wonderfully warm comedy, stuffed to bursting with belly laughs" The Times

**** "With a delightful set, and spot-on musical accompaniment, this is a quite, quite lovely show" Time Out Critics' Choice

**** "The best and freshest work I've seen at the Globe... Indisputably Shakespeare's jolliest comedy... Merriness unbridled" Evening Standard

The fat knight Sir John Falstaff imagines that Mistress Ford and Mistress Page are both taken with him and so, attracted as much by their husbands’ money as their personal charms, he decides to woo them both. But the women are up to the old lecher’s tricks and turn the tables on him with a series of humiliating assignations, midnight terrors and a very damp, extremely smelly laundry basket.

Gutsy, colloquial and bustling with vivid characters, The Merry Wives of Windsor is a brilliantly constructed farce and the only comedy Shakespeare set in his native land. It is also the ancestor of English bourgeois comedy and gave birth to a tradition that reaches down to the modern TV sitcom.

Liberty - Shakespeare's Globe

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:45:00 GMT

Liberty - Shakespeare's Globe

a new play by Glyn Maxwell
Until 4 October

**** ‘Touching, intelligently drawn… Compelling’ Time Out

‘Raucous humour, vivid emotion’ Sunday Times

‘Deliciously light and pointed, helped by the scamper of Guy Retallack's direction: anyone who thinks the Globe can't be intimate is yet again proved wrong’ The Observer

'Guy Retallack's production is well staged... Eye-catching performances come from John Bett as a gentle, Lucretius-reading ex-duke and from Belinda Lang as an arch manipulator who goes to her death with a speech of ringing defiance' The Guardian

'Ellie Piercy charts a harrowing course from revolutionary fervour to deranged eroticism as the increasingly neurotic heroine' The Telegraph

'The way a revolution soon eats its own certainly put one in mind of New Labour... David Sturzaker is dark, hunky and nicely remote... Good performances all round' Daily Mail

'Shrewd costume drama does an entertaining job of capturing a tumultuous period of French histroy... The evening is often witty' Metro

'The writing is full of humanity and humour... The trial scenes are a highlight' Daily Express

April 1793, the French Revolution is four years old and the Committee of Public Safety under Robespierre finds threats to national liberty at home and abroad. When Gamelin, an ambitious and idealistic young magistrate, joins a group of old friends for a picnic outside Paris, the ties of love and affection can take the strain. But how strong will they prove when Gamelin is given power over life and death, and the new republic plunges from high idealism to mob rule and state terror?

Private jealousies and public fears, old alliances and new ideologies, panic legislation and political correctness all combine in this thrilling adaptation of Anatole France’s 1912 novel Les Dieux ont Soif. The poet Glyn Maxwell (whose Lifeblood was voted best play by the British Theatre Guide in 2004) brings a colloquial verse of great fluidity and immediacy to a story that is both fresh and relevant.

A co-production with Lifeblood Theatre Company.

A Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare's Globe

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:40:00 GMT

A Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare's Globe

by William Shakespeare
Until 4 October

**** "Jonathan Munby’s effervescent direction... Enthusiastically applauded by a capacity audience... Siobhan Redmond is wonderfully funny" The Times

**** "Jonathan Munby has taken Shakespeare's much-loved comedy of errors, bound it in a tapestry of music, magic and madcap ebullience, and launched an irrepressible crowd pleaser... luscious, multi-sensory theatre... Munby's cast turn out some great performances" Time Out Critics' Choice

**** "Explodes like joyous fireworks... Don't miss" Sunday Times

**** "Summer larks aplenty... Laura Rogers' Helena and Pippa Nixon's Hermia are both brilliantly contrasted... The mechanicals are dominated by Paul Hunter's hilarious Bottom... Jonathan Munby's production is a bonkers panto of confusion and mayhem... Well-earned bellows of audience delight" Daily Mail

**** "Puck, Michael Jibson, is an enthusiastic mischief-maker... Paul Hunter (Bottom) is a comedy typhoon" Financial Times

"Tom Mannion (Oberon) is wry, understated and majestical" Daily Telegraph

"The Mechanicals are so joyously funny they have most of the groundlings whimpering for mercy, so by the time the billowing curtains wash over the audience like a tide, they're in this Dream's thrall" Metro

Hermia loves Lysander and Helena loves Demetrius – but Demetrius is supposed to be marrying Hermia. When the Duke of Athens tries to enforce the marriage, the lovers take refuge in the woods outside the city, and walk into the midst of a dispute between the king and queen of the fairies. And they are not alone. So, too, does a group of amateur actors rehearsing a play. Between the angry fairies, the bumbling players and the dazed lovers, flies Puck armed with a love juice capable of making anyone fall for the first person they set eyes upon – no matter how unsuitable.

From the harsh Draconian court of Athens to the wild freedom of the woods, individuals fight to establish who they are. Sexuality, identity and trust are explored in a world where nothing is quite what it seems, where the boundaries of reality are blurred, and where our worst fears become a living nightmare.

Cinderella starring Amanda Barrie & Steve Royle - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:38:00 GMT

Cinderella starring Amanda Barrie & Steve Royle - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Starring: AMANDA BARRIE (Hells Kitchen, Coronation Street, Bad Girls, Carry on Cleo), STEVE ROYLE (BBC Radio Lancashire), JAMIE MORRIS AND TERRY KEEBLE - Further star names to be announced

Showing Friday 05 December to Sunday 04 January 2009

A MAGICAL PANTOMIME FOR ALL THE FAMILY
Starring Amanda Barrie, Steve Royle, Jamie Morris and Terry Keeble - further star cast to be announced

UK Productions has presented some of the most critically acclaimed touring musicals in recent years, such as Beauty and the Beast, Anything Goes, Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel, 42nd Street, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and South Pacific. UK Productions has also produced pantomimes at The Grand Theatre for the past twelve years.

This years spectacular pantomime Cinderella will run from Friday 5th December 2008 to Sunday 4th January 2009.

This year UK Productions and the Grand Theatre present Cinderella, a magical pantomime for all the family.

In a far away kingdom Cinderella’s father has returned home, remarried and with two new wicked step-daughters. Cinderella is soon turned into her step-sisters’ slave!

Meanwhile, across town in the castle, Prince Charming is searching for a wife and invites every eligible maiden in the kingdom to a fancy dress ball, where he will be able to choose his bride.

Add to the story a Fairy Godmother, a pumpkin carriage, the stroke of midnight, a glass slipper, and the rest, as they say, is fairytale history.

This year's traditional pantomime at the Grand will be full of music and dance, fun and laughter with fabulous costumes and lavish sets – suitable for all the family this Christmas!

'Both children and adults were roaring with laughter at the characters' antics... and topical, up-to-the-minute comical references.'
Blackpool Gazette

'a rollercoaster ride of jokes, dance and songs... there is never a dull moment in the show...

truly a magical pantomime for all the family...

stunning set design and great use of special effects...'
Lytham St Annes Express

Quotes from the Grand Theatre's 2007/8 Pantomime Sleeping Beauty

Carmen by Bizet - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:36:00 GMT

Carmen by Bizet - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Showing Tuesday 25 November to Tuesday 25 November 2008

CARMEN IN A BULLRING COMES TO BLACKPOOL
WITH A TOUCH OF THE COLOSSEUM OF ROME

Ellen Kent & Amphitheatre Productions present a spectacular new autumn tour, bringing a touch of the Colosseum of Rome to The Grand following our premiere of Carmen in Leeds Castle, Kent in front of an audience of 6000 people. This new production will be directed by Ellen Kent with the amphitheatre set designed by London designer Will Bowen.

This magnificent traditional production will be performed by international soloists alongside the full Chisinau National Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus.

Carmen as you have never seen it before is staged in a bullring for a new spectacular twist to Bizets famous and seductive opera.

The Grand will be transformed into a Spanish spectacular reminiscent of the real bullrings in Spain with bull fighters and a brass band parading through the venue into the Seville bullring to start this must see performance. Carmen guest stars international flamenco dancer Sam Quy, as seen at the Royal Opera House, accompanied by the well known Spanish flamenco singer Fernando de Sevilla.

Sung in French with English surtitles
*Cast subject to change.

La Bohème by Puccini - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:34:00 GMT

La Bohème by Puccini - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Showing Monday 24 November to Monday 24 November 2008

Ellen Kent & Amphitheatre Productions present a spectacular new autumn tour, bringing a touch of Arena Di Verona to The Grand Theatre following our premiere performance of Carmen in Leeds Castle, Kent in August 2008.

La Bohème will be set within the amphitheatre structure which will be intriguingly converted into the attics and back streets of Bohemian Paris. The poignancy of this tragic opera will be set against the stunning backdrops inspired by Chagall, Renoir and the Impressionists and Act 2 will even boast snow! This beautiful production will feature authentic costumes of the period.

With the most romantic music Puccini ever wrote, La Bohème will include the famous aria Your Tiny Hand is Frozen.

Sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Romeo and Juliet - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:32:00 GMT

Romeo and Juliet - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Starring: Jack Ryder, Sara Lloyd Gregory and The Wales Theatre Company

Showing Tuesday 18 November to Saturday 22 November 2008

JACK RYDER
SARA LLOYD GREGORY
as the 'star-crossed' lovers

Directed by two-time Olivier Award winner Michael Bogdanov
Fights by Malcolm Ranson
Design by Sean Crowley

Romeo and Juliet is the world’s greatest love story. Shakespeare’s soaring hymn to young love stands at the gateway of tolerance an compassion, stretching its hands out to us across the centuries, as fresh and as pertinent today as when first penned. Romeo and Juliet is a warning to us all to live and let live and not allow our lives to be ruled by bigotry and prejudice.

Jew, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, black or white – it is a plea for us to be united in our difference. For where love is forbidden, tragedy will follow. A Sihk boy and a Hindu girl die in a suicide pact. A young Muslim girl is dragged back to India to marry a man she has never met. A pair of sixteen year olds from Yorkshire run away together, fearing their parents’ disapproval. A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life. This is Britain 2000.

Who is to blame? The gold statues erected by their parents to the memory of Romeo and Juliet will not atone. Only a sea-change in society. Bring it on…

Following award-winning productions of Twelfth Night, Cymbeline, The Merchant of Venice and Hamlet, The Wales Theatre Company now brings you Shakespeare’s definitive tale of poison and passion, feuding and fighting, pride and prejudice.

Phoenix Dance Theatre - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:28:00 GMT

Phoenix Dance Theatre - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Showing Thursday 27 November to Friday 28 November 2008

Phoenix Dance Theatre have an international reputation for presenting inspiring, entertaining contemporary dance, performed by a formidable group of dancers handpicked from around the world.

This sophisticated programme features both classic modern dance by eminent American choreographer José Limón (1908-1972), and the latest stylish offerings from the company’s Artistic Director Javier De Frutos.

‘Phoenix have never looked so superb’
The Stage

All Quiet on the Western Front - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:21:00 GMT

All Quiet on the Western Front - Grand Theatre Blackpool

Showing Tuesday 11 November to Saturday 15 November 2008

Paul Baumer is a butterfly collector – a dreamer abruptly cast into one of the greatest nightmares in history, which he can only endure through the deep bonds of comradeship forged in the trenches. Just as the Brimstone Butterfly thrives in the field of battle, somehow the men keep one another’s spirits alive even amid the horrors of the Great War.

Erich Maria Remarque’s novel is a universal anthem to the strength of the human spirit. Directed by Giles Croft, Robin Kingsland’s faithful and theatrically inventive new adaptation brings the soul of a soldier to the stage.

sarah millican's not nice - soho theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:18:00 GMT

sarah millican's not nice - soho theatre

17 - 20 December 2008

8pm

2008 If.Comedy Best Newcomer

At first she was afraid, she was petrified. Whatever, no one’s dead. Glorious mumsy filth from ‘one of the hottest things in stand up’ Herald.

***** Sunday Express, Metro, Sunday Telegraph

‘My tip for great things this year’

Observer

‘Everything's spot on and there isn't a spare second in this gag-packed, deliciously dark show’

Metro

david o'doherty - Soho theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:15:00 GMT

david o'doherty - Soho theatre

it's david o'doherty time

if.comedy award winner 2008

24 November - 6 December 2008

9.30pm

What's the time? It's David O'Doherty time. Tick tock, tick tock. It's O'Doherty o'clock.

Prepare to have your world rocked (in quite a gentle way) as David O'Doherty, the Irish viscount of rumpled whimsy, the marble fawn of tiny keyboard based musical comedy, embarks on his first ever UK tour.

There will be some sitting, there will be some standing, there will be a song called Bangin'.

'Can there be anything more evil than someone trying their damndest to give musical comedy a good name? Dublin's David O'Doherty not only attempts this malevolent feat, but succeeds to the point of very nearly elevating this stand-up subgenre to true art.'

The Scotsman

'Truly delightful - a glistening stream of consciousness that turns mundanity to enchanment wherever it flows.'

Metro

'He's funny, wretched and clever enough to spawn an army of imitators.'

The Age, Melbourne

As seen on Never Mind the Buzzcocks (BBC 2) & Comedy Live Presents with Russell Brand (Channel 4).

the long road - soho theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:12:00 GMT

the long road - soho theatre

by Shelagh Stephenson

directed by Esther Baker

10 - 29 November 2008

8pm

After a sell-out run earlier this year, this topical and powerful play returns to Soho Theatre.

"Mary wants us to talk about the girl that killed our son. I want to wipe her off the face of the earth.”

In the aftermath of Danny's pointless murder, his family struggles to find meaning and forgiveness.

'It is a rare play that hits the news with such cruel topicality... Stephenson offers a powerful, illuminating piece of dramatic fiction.'

Nicholas de Jongh, Evening Standard

'Rare and remarkable... this is a drama that cries out for attention - and richly rewards it. The acting in Esther Baker's shattering production is tremendous'

The Telegraph

‘The Long Road’ evolved out of a period of research with prisoners by Synergy Theatre Project, in collaboration with The Forgiveness Project and award-winning playwright Shelagh Stephenson.

Synergy Theatre Project works through theatre with offenders and ex-offenders towards resettlement and rehabilitation whilst placing the wider issues surrounding imprisonment in the public arena. www.synergytheatreproject.co.uk

The Forgiveness Project encourages and empowers people to explore the nature of forgiveness and alternatives to revenge. www.theforgivenessproject.com

On Emotion - Soho Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:10:00 GMT

On Emotion - Soho Theatre

by mick gordon and paul broks

5 November - 20 December 2008

7.30pm

Are we just the puppet of our emotions?

No aspect of our mental life is more important to the quality and meaning of our existence than emotions. They are what make life worth living, or sometimes ending. They are what motivate our behaviour and influence our beliefs.

Maverick Theatre-maker Mick Gordon and neuropsychologist Paul Broks join forces with acclaimed puppeteers, Blind Summit, to use and abuse the tools of the theatre, an art form which creates and manipulates feelings, to explore the complicated and crucial arena of human emotion.

'A play, an experiment, a meditation… gripping theatre. Don’t miss it.'

Sunday Times (from On Ego)

overspill - Soho Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:07:00 GMT

overspill - Soho Theatre

14 October - 1 November 2008

7.30pm

By Ali Taylor, Directed by Tim Roseman

‘Cold catches throats and lungs / As we sprint in rhythm, breathe in rhythm
As one the lads, we the lads / Through Bromley town centre’

In Bromley every Friday night, same time and place, Potts, Baron and Finch are preparing for their weekly dose of booze, birds and burgers. But their night out takes a dramatic and terrifying twist when an explosion rocks the town centre, and a suspicious population points the finger.

This poetic, high-energy thriller by Ali Taylor is one of the two winning plays in Metamorphosis 08.

'An almost apocalyptic vision... undoubtedly a writer to watch'.

**** Whatsonstage.com

john gordillo - Soho Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:05:00 GMT

john gordillo - Soho Theatre

divide & conga

1 - 4 October 2008

9.30pm

John Gordillo returns to stand-up with a smash-hit new show about fundamentalism, extremism and being the son of a Spanish communist ('It was like being brought up by Scarface').

'Moving and wildly funny.'

***** Metro

'Gordillo is an inspiration, a consummate performer with an amazing talent, passion and intellect.'

***** Chortle

'It's the kind of show that makes you delighted to be at the Fringe.'

**** The Times

'A show so good one can almost forgive the dreadful title.'

**** Evening Standard

danny diva - Soho Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:03:00 GMT

danny diva - Soho Theatre

29 September - 4 October 2008

9pm

By Russell Barr

Music by Tayo Akinbode

Directed by Garry Robson

A coal miner’s deaf son comes to London from Newcastle and finds his inner swan - as a Drag Queen.

Inspired by the life of Diva Dan - the awe-inspiring, profoundly deaf performer with the legendary Bloolips drag troupe - Danny Diva is a brand new show featuring a journey through the seven circles of hell with roller skates, a pink suitcase and super big musical numbers.

The show features integrated BSL interpretation, original songs and video projection with a hell of a lot of glamour thrown into the bargain.

whisper - Soho Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:58:00 GMT

Whisper - Soho Theatre

29 September - 4 October 2008

As a storm begins to brew, the audience each receive a pair of headphones and are seated in front of a large white screen... 'There have been suicides in your building, and there are voices in your head, guiding you through your memories and accompanying you on your day. Your very strange day.' (NY Times)

Fresh from runs at Fierce Festival and PS122, Whisper asks the audience to question ‘what is real’ in a world of increasing technological sophistication. Each audience member is given a set of headphones through which they hear the voices of three live performers narrating a fictional walk through a fictional city.

Not only are the three performers narrating a walk that switches between the ‘here and now’ of the story and ‘dream-world’ of memory, but they are also creating a fully immersive sound environment through the use of a sound technique called foley. Foley is a technique employed in film, where a sound artist adds sounds to a film after the film has been shot, thereby creating a hyper-realistic world of sound for the film.

Written and directed by Peter S. Petralia
Lighting Designer Rebecca M.K. Makus
Music Philip Reeder
Performers: Gillian Lees, Adam Nash and Andrew Westerside

'The mixture of foley soundscapes and the strange melding and disconnect between image and sound sucks you in.'

Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

'An intriguing brush with altered reality... poetic. And the production flirts with the feel of a supernatural, psychological thriller.'

New York Times

'Whisper cleverly mines the dramatic tension between ‘reality’ and the seductive power of technology.'

Backstage

'Daring, experimental, and theatrically engaging.'

Theatremania

'Breathtakingly original...one of the more adventurous, innovative, and worthy cutting-edge groups that I know of.'

THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE - Finborough Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:56:00 GMT

THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE - Finborough Theatre

by William Saroyan
Directed by Mel Cook
Designed by Saka Matsushita
Music by Steve Pretty
Sound Design by Cressida Klaces
Presented by Snakebit Theatricals in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre
Cast includes: Geoffrey Burton. Rachel Clare. Kevin Colson. Elizabeth Counsell. Paul Greenwood. Vincent Shiels. Kyle Soller.

[ saroyan centennial season ]
Monday, 6 October; Sunday, 12 October, Monday, 13 October; Sunday, 19 October, Monday, 20 October 2008

“I believed goodness was a coin for exchange more powerful than any coin minted by any government – the only coin. I’m no longer sure.”

The Beautiful People refuse to play by the rules of a wicked world, steadfastly preserving their enchanted and – at times illegal – innocence, by any means necessary.

A philosophical father, a one-word boy novelist, and blessed Saint Agnes of the Mice battle the breaking of dreams, accompanied by a ghostly cornet player, a nostalgic clerk, an octogenarian drunk, a drunken priest, an almost-mother, and several literate vermin.

Cheques are stolen from a dead man. Mice are daringly rescued by a poet. Strangers become family. The prodigal son returns. And lost loves are finally and forever found.

At the time of its publication, Saroyan wrote: “Putting on this play was the happiest experience in the theatre I have ever known.”. A Broadway hit in 1941, The Beautiful People has been unseen in London since 1956.

One of America’s most famous writers, William Saroyan (1908-1981) was born one hundred years ago in Fresno, California, the son of Armenian immigrants. His Armenian heritage gives his work a unique flavour, resulting in a very different view of the American experience than his slightly younger contemporaries Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams. Indeed, in 1991, he was the first and only individual to be jointly honoured by the USA and the former Soviet Union with his own commemorative postal stamps. He sprang to fame overnight in 1934 with his short story about a starving writer trying to survive the Depression, The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze, and his published writings include over 1,500 short stories, plays, and novels including The Human Comedy and My Name Is Aram. His most enduring achievements as a writer date from the late 1930's and early 1940’s when he won a Pulitzer Prize (which he refused on the grounds that “Commerce should not patronize art”), an Academy Award, and The Drama Critics Circle Award. From 1958, he lived mainly in Paris, and continued writing until his death in 1981.

The Finborough Theatre’s [ saroyan centennial season ], celebrating the centenary of the birth of William Saroyan, runs from September-December 2008, and also features rare revivals of two of Saroyan’s other plays – Sam the Highest Jumper of Them All and The Time of Your Life.

The cast includes:
Paul Greenwood – Since 1980, Paul has appeared regularly with the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing lead roles in The Comedy of Errors, King Lear, The Wizard of Oz, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Christmas Carol, Twelfth Night, Henry VIII, and Richard II. Other UK theatre includes Guys and Dolls, Twelfth Night, Cymbeline, The Merchant of Venice, The Seagull, Hamlet, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Television includes the title role in Rosie (for which he wrote and sang the theme tune), Captain Zep, Coronation Street, A Day Out, The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole, Spender, Heartbeat, The Bill, Pie in the Sky, Holby City, Doctors, Casualty and Midsomer Murders.

Kevin Colson – A Finborough Theatre regular and Tony Award nominee, Kevin created the roles of Cliff Bradshaw in Cabaret, Sir George in Aspects of Love, and Walter DeCourcey in Chess. Other theatre includes Rat Pack Confidential (Whitehall Theatre), Mind The Gap (Soho Theatre), Annie (West End and National Tour), Divorce Me Darling (Chichester Festival Theatre), Maddie (Lyric Theatre), Imagine This, (Plymouth Theatre Royal), Hanging By A Thread (Almeida Theatre), and The Woman In White (Sydmonton Festival Theatre).

Elizabeth Counsell - Theatre includes Salad Days (Vaudeville), The Great Big Radio Show (Watermill Theatre, Newbury), Valentine’s Day (Globe Theatre), M Butterfly (Shaftesbury Theatre), The Corn is Green (Old Vic), Jean Seberg (National Theatre), Present Laughter (Vaudeville Theatre),The Glass Menagerie (Lyric Theatre, Belfast),The Haunted Hotel (No.1 Tour), 101 Dalmatians (Nuffield Theatre), Blythe Spirit (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Noel and Gertie (Jermyn Street), and The Lost Musicals (Sadler’s Wells), as well as seasons at Billingham and the Bristol Old Vic.
Television includes ER, Doctors, Lock Stock, Nelson’s Column, Blue Heaven, 37 episodes of Brush Strokes, and 19 episodes of Executive Stress. Film includes If Tomorrow Comes and Claudia’s Story.

Geoffrey Burton - UK theatre work includes Gaddafi (English National Opera), One Under (Tricycle Theatre), Wrong Place (Soho Theatre), Driving Miss Daisy (Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds). Television and Film work includes The Bill, Outlaws, Defender, and White Light. Theatre work in the USA includes Spoon River Anthology, Zoo Story, The Catcher in the Rye and Deathwatch (Gene Frankel Repertory Theatre), The Pajama Game and Spring in Manhattan (The All-Souls Players), The Death of Bessie Smith, For Esme With Love of Squalor, The Negro Giant, Red Eye Of Love and A Taste Of Honey (Off-Broadway).

Vincent Shiels – Theatre includes Next Door’s Baby and Nutmeg and Ginger (Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond), Dance Hall Days (Riverside Studios), The Erpingham Camp (Greenwich Playhouse), The Barber of Seville (Royal Opera House), Jesus Christ Superstar (European Tour), West Side Story (Theatre Royal York), and The Pirates of Penzance (National Tour). Television includes Prince John, First Love, The Outcasts, and Rough Treatment.

Rachel Clare – A 2006 Drama Centre graduate. Theatre includes Dead Language (ICA), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare in Syria), Three Sisters (Vahktangov Institute, Moscow), and As You Like It (Globe Theatre and Drama Centre London). Her latest film, K, is currently in post-production.

Kyle Soller – Graduated from RADA this year. Theatre at RADA includes Don John in Much Ado About Nothing, Laurie Laurence in Little Women, Matt in Tomorrow, Jamie O'Brien in Dolly West's Kitchen, Bernard in A Number, Gulliver in Gulliver’s Travels, and Hotspur in Henry IV Part I.

Director Mel Cook has staged work for SPID (Remember the Name, Walking Tales, In a Different Light), New Wimbledon Studio (Burying Your Brother in the Pavement), Theatre 503(Telltales), Southwark Playhouse (A Christmas Carol), and several start night productions for Hampstead Theatre. In the last year, Mel has assisted Gregory Doran on The Giant, Anthony Clark on Life After Scandal and Fiona Laird on Woyzeck. A 2008 graduate of Birkbeck’s MFA in Theatre Directing, and graduate of RADA’s three-year Acting course, Mel has devised work for Shakespeare’s Globe, the BAC, Glastonbury, Camp Bestival, ITV, and the BBC. She has also been a finalist for both the JMK and the Channel 4 Theatre Director awards.

Works of William Saroyan used with permission of Stanford University.

CRADLE ME - Finborough Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:45:00 GMT

CRADLE ME - Finborough Theatre

The world premiere of a new play by Simon Vinnicombe
Directed by Duncan Macmillan
Designed by Paul Burgess
Sound Design by Theo Holloway
Presented by SAW Productions
Cast: Sarah Bedi. Paul Herzberg. Sharon Maughan. Luke Treadaway.

[ finboroughplaywrights season ]
Wednesday, 1 October – Saturday, 25 October 2008
Tuesday to Saturday Evenings at 7.30pm. Saturday and Sunday Matinees at 3.00pm

"On the odd occasion and worst of f**king all there is sympathy. I could handle them avoiding me. I could handle the odd empty look of sympathy - The 'i'm sorry's' or 'if it were my'... I could handle that... But this..."

In the aftermath of an unspeakable yet avoidable tragedy, a family finds themselves torn apart by grief and turning for comfort to Daniel, the troubled teenage boy who lives next door.

Having experienced their tragedy first hand, Daniel shares in their grief in a way that creates an individual bond with each member of the family. Louise is the pre pubescent daughter whose burgeoning sexuality makes Daniel an obvious target for her affections. Graham is the grieving father who recognises Daniel as knowing his dead son in a way that he never could and now never will.

However, it is Marion, the dead boy’s mother, who expresses her grief through Daniel in a way that will ultimately lead both he and her family on a path that will irrevocably alter the course of their lives forever.

Playwright Simon Vinnicombe’s first original play was Year 10 which received its world premiere at the Finborough Theatre in 2005, subsequently transferred to BAC as part of their Time Out Critics' Choice season in 2006 - and also played in France at the Festival “Premières” second edition – a festival organised by the Théâtre National de Strasbourg and Le Maillon, and as part of the Brittany International Theatre Festival in 2006. A feature film adaptation is currently under development with The First Film Company. The script is published by Methuen. His other plays include Wisdom which was part of Manhattan Theatre Club's reading season in April 2008. Simon is the writer on The Bush Theatres Halo Project to be premiered at the Bush Theatre in August of this year. Simon’s radio play Hard Road was produced by BBC Radio 4 in 2007. He was also part of the Celebrity 24 Hour Plays in 2007 at the Old Vic.

Duncan Macmillan trained as a director at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Best known as a playwright, he is the winner of two Bruntwood Awards at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, is a member of the Royal Court/BBC 50 and the Old Vic New Voices and is the Pearson Writer in Residence at Paines Plough. As a founding member of the writers collective the Apathists, he has curated and directed evenings of new work at several London theatres totalling more than a hundred short plays, and is currently programming the autumn season of Later for Paines Plough at Trafalgar Studios. His plays include Monster (Royal Exchange Theatre and Manchester International Festival – nominated for Best New Play at TMA and MEN Awards), The Most Humane Way to Kill A Lobster (Theatre 503), Satellite (Young Writers Festival Readings at the Royal Court), and I Wish To Apologise For My Part In The Apocalypse (BBC Radio).

Sarah Bedi’s many credits include The Lady’s Not For Burning (Finborough Theatre), Hamlet (The Factory), I Am A Superhero (Theatre 503 and the Old Vic), Romeo and Juliet (Sprite), Invisible Mountains (National Theatre), and The Late Middle Classes (Watford Palace Theatre).Television includes Affinity, Casualty, Holby City, The Bill, and Doctors. Radio includes One Chord Wonders, Parallel Lines, Beast At Bay, and Caring.

Paul Herzberg’s many credits include I.D. (Almeida Theatre), A Streetcar Named Desire (Mermaid Theatre), Dancing At Lughnasa (National Theatre of Ireland – Abbey Theatre, Dublin), The Dead Wait, Arms and the Man, Romeo and Juliet, While The Sun Shines, and People Are Living There (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester), The Merchant of Venice, and Carrington (Chichester), Julius Caesar (Riverside Studios), Goodbye Kiss (Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond), Oleanna (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough) and Pride and Prejudice (Richmond). Television includes The Life and Loves of A She-Devil, Warburg, Smiley’s People, The Knock, Poirot, Soldier Soldier, Napoleon and Josephine, Murder City, Band of Brothers, Dark Secret, and Seaton’s Aunt. Film includes Cry Freedom, The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission, Blood, Room 36, The Book Of Eve, and Almost Heaven (which he also co-wrote). Writing includes The Dead Wait which was shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award, performed at the Market Theatre, Johannesburg, and at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester where it won a Manchester Evening News Award for Best Actor, and was nominated for Best Play / Production; and The Song Of My Father (BBC Radio 4). He is currently writing The Fighting Prince, a screenplay for Focus Features, New York.

Sharon Maughan’s many credits include Habeas Corpus (Lyric Theatre), Filumena, directed by Franco Zeffirelli (Lyric Theatre), Plenty (Liverpool Playhouse), Born Yesterday (Crucible Theatre, Sheffield), Adam Was A Gardener and A Doll’s House (the Minerva Theatre, Chichester), Arcadia (National Theatre), and All The Children Cried (West Yorkshire Playhouse and New End Theatre, Hampstead) as well as repertory seasons at Chester and the Liverpool Playhouse. Sharon has also appeared in Out of Our Fathers House (Fountainhead Theatre, Hollywood, where she received a Drama Logue Award for Best Actress), and directed Widowers Houses (Chelsea Centre Theatre).
Television includes Shabby Tiger, Dial M For Murder, The Main Chance, The Enigma Files, Keats, The Flame Trees of Thika, Dombey and Son, By The Sword Divided, Inspector Morse, Hannay, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, Murder She Wrote, Felicity, Cinderella, Holby City and Twelfth Night for which she was also Executive Producer. She was also seen on the long running series of commercials for Gold Blend coffee in the UK from 1987–1991, and in the USA from 1991–1998.
Film includes Home Before Midnight, Another Stakeout, The Bank Job, and She's Out of My League.
Writing includes the screenplay Cross Country.

Luke Treadaway‘s many credits include Saint Joan and War Horse (both at the National Theatre) and Piranha Heights (Soho Theatre).
Television includes The Innocence Project (BBC), Clapham Junction (Channel 4).
Film includes Northern Star, Heartless, written and directed by Philip Ridley and co-starring Jim Sturgess and Timothy Spall, and playing a conjoined twin with his identical twin brother, Harry. in the feature film Brothers Of The Head which won the prestigious Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and earned Luke a British Independent Film Award nomination for Most Promising Newcomer.

Saw Productions recently produced the world premiere of Steven Berkoff's Sit and Shiver at the New End Theatre in May 2006 before transferring to the Hackney Empire for a sell out run in January 2007. Their other productions include Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill at the New Players Theatre in 2005 and the London premiere of Visiting Mr. Green at the New End Theatre in March 2005.

The Press on Year 10
Time Out Critics' Choice **** Four Stars The Guardian
“When you come across really promising new writers at the Royal Court or Bush, you raise a smile. When you stumble across the unrefined talent evident here in Simon Vinnicombe, you cheer' Lyn Gardner, The Guardian
“This is a hugely promising play" Ian Johns, The Times
“We'll be hearing more from this talented writer." Fiona Mountford, Evening Standard
"This is a hit…Simon Vinnicombe’s ferocious new play" Benjamin Davis, Time Out
"Simon Vinnicombe’s impressive debut…immediate and intense" Colin Shearman, The Stage
"The dialogue and characters fizz in tough and touching moments" Ian Johns, The Times
"Vinnicombe…brings a real verve to his dialogue and neatly charts the constant shifting of adolescent allegiances and the volatile anger of raging hormones. He’s also adept at tender moments…and the comedy of social embarrassment" Ian Johns, the Times

Spider's Web - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:43:00 GMT

Spider's Web - Richmond Theatre

Monday 2 - Saturday 7 March 2009

THE FOURTH INSTALMENT IN THIS HUGELY SUCCESSFUL SERIES

After the Agatha Christie Theatre Company’s hugely successful productions of The Hollow, The Unexpected Guest and most recently And Then There Were None, comes the thrilling fourth instalment in this much acclaimed series.

When the wife of a Foreign Office diplomat discovers a body, she attempts to dispose of it before her husband returns home with an important client. When her houseguests are persuaded to help her, it becomes apparent that not all of them were strangers to the deceased!
And so the web of deceit starts to unravel.

Coppelia - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:42:00 GMT

Coppelia - Richmond Theatre

Saturday 17 - Sunday 18 January 2009

Ellen Kent Productions presents The Russian Classical Ballet Theatre Ellen Kent returns with the best of Russian ballet, including
the outstanding Alexei Terentiev and Kristina Terentiev*, Grand Prix winner of the International Dance Competition, Vienna 2007. Together with principal stars of international
reputation and a full orchestra, they deliver performances of breathtaking technique and dazzling artistry.

Coppelia is a jewel of the traditional ballet repertoire. This delightful tale of an eccentric toymaker whose amazing creations include a beautiful, lifelike doll is told through
exquisite elegance and amazing technique.

Swan Lake - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:39:00 GMT

Swan Lake - Richmond Theatre

Thursday 15 - Friday 16 January 2009

Ellen Kent Productions presents The Russian Classical Ballet Theatre Ellen Kent returns with the best of Russian ballet, including
the outstanding Alexei Terentiev and Kristina Terentiev*, Grand Prix winner of the International Dance Competition, Vienna 2007. Together with principal stars of international
reputation and a full orchestra, they deliver performances of breathtaking technique and dazzling artistry.

The heartbreaking tale of Swan Lake is set against a background of enchanting German fairytale castles, dense forests and moonlit lakes. Its hauntingly beautiful music, the
aura of romantic tragedy and two legendary pas de deux make this magnificent production one to remember.
*cast subject to change

Calendar Girls - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:37:00 GMT

Calendar Girls - Richmond Theatre

Monday 24 - Saturday 29 November 2008

‘We’re going to need considerably bigger buns’

At first glance it should look like your classic WI calendar. Jams, cakes, sewing and all that. Except for one tiny thing...the ladies are not naked, they’re nude.

A group of extraordinary women, members of a very ordinary WI, persuade one another to pose for a charity calendar with a difference.
Puzzling their husbands, mortifying their children and riding the wrath of the outraged WI, they achieve their goal of raising money for charity, but inadvertently spark a global phenomenon.

Adapted by Tim Firth from his smash-hit film of the same name, Calendar Girls is quirky, poignant and hilarious.

Enjoy - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:35:00 GMT

Enjoy - Richmond Theatre

Monday 17 - Saturday 22 November 2008

ALAN BENNETT AT HIS VERY BEST

Alison Steadman and David Troughton star

A comedy by Alan Bennett
A
Alan Bennett’s rarely performed Enjoy shines a whole new light on Britain’s favourite playwright.

An elderly couple are living in the last back-to-back in Leeds. They’re about to be re-housed in a brand new maisonette, complete with waste-disposal unit and non-slip vinyl flooring. As the bulldozers rumble and homes tumble, a way of life is fast disappearing. But that’s where sentiment bumps into surrealism. When a sociologist comes to observe Wilf and Connie’s daily life, things take a distinctly peculiar turn...

This comedy stars renowned actress Alison Steadman (Abigail’s Party, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice and, most recently, Gavin & Stacey)and David Troughton (starring roles with the RSC, Dr Who and A Very Peculiar Practice).

This is a delightful and unexpected side of Alan Bennett: gentle nostalgia and wicked satire in equal measure combine to make this an unmissable evening.

Phoenix Dance Theatre - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:33:00 GMT

Phoenix Dance Theatre - Richmond Theatre

Tuesday 11 - Wednesday 12 November 2008

Phoenix Dance Theatre has an international reputation for presenting inspiring, entertaining contemporary dance, performed by a formidable group of dancers handpicked from around the world.

This sophisticated programme features both classic modern dance by eminent American choreographer José Limón (1908-1972), and the latest stylish offerings from the company’s Artistic Director Javier De Frutos.

José Limón was a crucial figure in the development of modern dance whose landmark work is rarely seen in the UK. Javier De Frutos is celebrated for his evocative and highlycharged choreography, for his work with contemporary dancecompanies and for musical theatre, including Olivier Awardwinning choreography for the West End’s Cabaret.

If you like dance grab this rare opportunity to see someof his most thrilling work.
Suitable for ages 11+. May contain images of nudity and conflict.
Repertoire to be confirmed.

Far From The Madding Crowd - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:31:00 GMT

Far From The Madding Crowd - Richmond Theatre

By Thomas Hardy
Adapted by Mark Healy

I shall do one thing in this life. That is love you, long for you and keep wanting you ‘til I die

A fusion of vivid story telling and fine ensemble staging, shot through with humour and folk-song, brings one of Thomas Hardy’s most popular and enduring novels dramatically to life in this thrilling new production from the ever-inventive English Touring Theatre.

Bathsheba Everdene is alone in a man’s world. Beautiful and headstrong, she is pursued by three suitors; the constant friend Gabriel Oak; the wealthy, obsessive William Boldwood; and the reckless, dazzling Sergeant Troy. But is any of them a match for the passionate Bathsheba? A woman who will give herself only to a man she loves.

This production reunites the creative team behind the acclaimed The French Lieutenant’s Woman in 2006. ETT’s work is vigorous, popular and above all entertaining. Anyone who saw their thrilling Hamlet, with the fabulously
brooding Ed Stoppard, will need no introduction to this powerhouse of touring theatre.

An Ideal Husband - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:29:00 GMT

An Ideal Husband - Richmond Theatre

Monday 27 October - Saturday 1 November 2008

Sir Peter Hall’s highly-acclaimed West End and Broadway production of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband returns to the stage.

Into the fashionable world of London parties, politics and diplomacy comes the worldly and devious Mrs Cheveley. She attempts to blackmail the British Under Secretary for Foreign
Affairs, Sir Robert Chiltern, whom she accuses of building a career on dishonour by selling a cabinet secret.

Kate O’Mara (Dynasty and Bad Girls) returns to the role of Mrs Cheveley, a part she originally played in the West End. Appearing alongside are Michael Praed (Robin of Sherwood); popular TV series actress Carol Royle, whose various stage roles include leads in RSC productions; renowned actor of stage and screen Tony Britton(Don’t Wait Up and Robin’s Nest); Robert Duncan,
best known as Gus from the cult comedy hit Drop the Dead Donkey and Fenella Fielding (Carry On and Doctor films) whose distinguished theatre credits include Lady Fidgetin The Country Wife and the title role in Hedda Gabler.

Wilde’s characteristic wit and style make this tale of political intrigue amongst society’s highest-ranking figures both entertaining and highly topical.

Hound of The Baskervilles - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:27:00 GMT

Hound of The Baskervilles - Richmond Theatre

Monday 20 - Saturday 25 October 2008

By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Adapted for the stage by Clive Francis

A bloodcurdling howl is heard across the moors. A blanket of images and sounds envelopes the audience, bringing the atmospheric terror of Dartmoor, the eerie gothic hall and the ghostly hound to life as you have never seen before!

Successfully combining the power of live performance with revolutionary theatrical techniques, this brand new production of the classic Sherlock Holmes tale intensifies Conan Doyle’s masterful storytelling skill. A visual feast of jaw-dropping projected animation terrifies and unsettles, thrills and entertains.

This adaptation of one of the greatest thrillers ever written stars Peter Egan (Ever Decreasing Circles, Noises Off) as Sherlock Holmes and Philip Franks (Heartbeat, Journey’s End) as his loyal assistant Dr Watson. It is directed by Robin Herford(renowned for his expert creation of The Woman in Black) and designed by Tim Bird (Evening Standard and Olivier Award winner for his amazing projections in Sunday in the Park with George).

Tiger Who Came To Tea - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:24:00 GMT

Tiger Who Came To Tea - Richmond Theatre

Thursday 16 - Saturday 18 October 2008

Based on the picture book written and illustrated by Judith Kerr. Adapted for the stage with songs and lyrics by David Wood.

The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, stripy tiger!

Exciting and charming, The Tiger Who Came to Tea has been enjoyed by millions of children since it was first published over
30 years ago. Now for the first time ever, the much-loved tale of a tiger creating tea time mayhem is brought vividly to life on stage in a show packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long
songs and clumsy chaos.

Don’t miss out on this wonderfully entertaining show for children aged three and up. Tea time has never been so entertaining!

The Concert They Never Gave - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:22:00 GMT

The Concert They Never Gave - Richmond Theatre

Monday 13 - Saturday 18 October 2008

Co-creators of such hit shows as Four Steps To Heaven, Elvis That’s The Way It Is and The Roy Orbison Story - Bill Kenwright and Keith Strachan - once again recreate those special days of the golden era of rock and roll with fantastic evocations of seven of pop’s greatest acts. A concert that really would have been too good to be true!

‘Only the Lonely’ - ‘Bye Bye Love’ - ‘Poor Little Fool’ - ‘Swiss Maid’ - ‘Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart’ - ‘Wake Up Little Susie’ ... and many more! Hit after massive hit will have you singing along and rockin’ in the aisles!

Lord of the Flies - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:20:00 GMT

Lord of the Flies - Richmond Theatre

By William Golding, adapted for the stage by Nigel Williams
Directed by Marcus Romer

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, one of the most disturbing and celebrated novels of modern times, is vividly brought to life in Pilot Theatre’s award-winning production.

A plane has crashed on an uninhabited island. The only survivors are a group of school boys. There are no homes or schools, no adults and no rules, and before long the boys’ fragile sense of order begins to collapse. With the discovery
of ‘the beast’, their games take on a more sinister significance and this once well-behaved group of children quickly turns into a bloodthirsty, murderous tribe.

Tuesday 7 - Saturday 11 October 2008

The Circle - Richmond Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:18:00 GMT

The Circle - Richmond Theatre

Supported by The Bingham

A Chichester Festival Theatre production.

With Somerset Maugham’s characteristically shrewd understanding of human nature, The Circle is an elegant and entertaining social satire that explores the conflict between romance and responsibility.

Dorset, 1921. Lady Kitty (Susan Hampshire) abandons her husband and young son to run away with politician Lord Porteous. Thirty
years later, Kitty returns from exile in Italy still clinging to her glamorous past.
After she discovers her daughter-in-law Elizabeth is tempted to embark on a similar affair, events turn full circle, leaving
Kitty to decide whether or not to encourage the elopement.

Susan Hampshire’s theatre credits include The King and I,
Relative Values and Lady in the Van. The cast also includes Bertie Carvel, Anna Farnworth, Richard Lintern, Philip Voss and Charity Wakefield.

The Night Before Christmas - Rose Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:47:00 GMT

The Night Before Christmas - Rose Theatre

The Night Before Christmas

4 December - 24 December
Presented by Rose Theatre, Kingston and Turtle Key Arts. Supported by Stage Electrics.

"Ingenious & energetic" The Stage

"An hour long frolic to inspire festive feelings" Time Out

A unique Christmas theatre experience...meet Father Christmas and his naughty Elf!

A bubbly and mischievous Elf is pretending to be hard at work in Santa's workshop on Christmas Eve, but he is secretly hiding toys away for himself. When Father Christmas finds about his naughty stealing out he explains to the Elf what Christmas is really all about through song, poems and stories - and with some audience assistance.

This cheery festive show is a magical storytelling adventure for children and their families, rounded off with a sing-along and the chance for every child to meet Father Christmas.

Suitable for 3-8 year olds.

A Christmas Carol - Rose Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:45:00 GMT

A Christmas Carol - Rose Theatre

2 December - 4 January
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Karen Louise Hebden
Directed by Stephen Unwin

Mean and miserly, Ebeneezer Scrooge has lost all compassion for human kind, rejects the festive season and good will to all men. After retiring to bed, alone, on Christmas Eve he is haunted by three ghosts - the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Ebeneneezer is shown the error of his ways and wakes to the joy of Christmas Day.

Celebrate Christmas 2008 with the Rose Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol, the ultimate festive family show, filled with music, dance and heart-warming moments to thaw even the sternest Scrooge.

Full cast to be announced.

Suitable for ages 7 +
Some younger children may be scared by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future (although they're very nice really!)

Love's Labour's Lost - Rose theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:43:00 GMT

Love's Labour's Lost - Rose theatre

21 October - 15 November
By William Shakespeare
With Peter Bowles
Directed by Peter Hall
Presented by The Rose Theatre, Kingston

Love's Labours Lost will be the Rose Theatre's first home-grown production since the theatre opened in January of this year.

Four young men swear to devote themselves to uninterrupted study for three years. But when four young ladies come to visit they discover that their oaths are very hard to keep.

Famous for its dazzling wit and exquisite word play, Love's Labour's Lost is a rare jewel that should not be missed.

After the success of Uncle Vanya at the Rose earlier this year, Peter Hall, (the theatre's Director Emeritus) returns to direct Shakespeare's early comedy Love's Labours Lost. In a directing career spanning more than fifty years, his most recent productions include The Vortex, starring Felicity Kendal, at the Apollo Theatre and Pygmalion, currently enjoying a highly successful season at the Old Vic.
The cast of Love's Labour's Lost is:

Nick Barber
Paul Bentall
Nicholas Bishop
Peter Bowles
William Chubb
Dan Fredenburgh
Peter Gordon
Greg Haiste
Nelly Harker
Finbar Lynch
Michael Mears
Rachel Pickup
Sally Scott
Ella Smith
Kevin Trainor
Susie Trayling

Born in the Gardens - Rose Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:41:00 GMT

Born in the Gardens - Rose Theatre

30 September - 11 October
By Peter Nichols
With Stephanie Cole and Simon Shepherd
Directed by Stephen Unwin
Presented by Theatre Royal Bath Productions & The Peter Hall Company

"Stephen Unwin directs a witty and superbly acted production...What an addictively quirky delight Born in the Gardens proves." Daily Telegraph, 24 July 2008

Maud and her son Mo live in a decaying mock- Tudor house in Bristol. She chats to people on the telly, he converses with the cat and both share a penchant for bizarre cocktails, tinned food and keeping the past alive.

When older son, Hedley and Mo's twin, Queenie, return for their father's funeral, they try to persuade Maud and Mo that the time is ripe to escape the confines of their crumbling home - but not everyone wants freedom
when it's offered...

Stephen Unwin directs Stephanie Cole, Allun Corduner, Simon Shepherd and Miranda Foster in Peter Nichols' classic comedy.

Click here to listen to Stephen Unwin talk about the autumn season at the Rose, and Born in the Gardens, in an exclusive interview with Nicola Barranger.

Post performance talk: Tuesday 7 October

Audio Described performance: 11 October 2.30pm. Touch tour 1pm.

Suitable for all ages.

Running time: 2 hours & 15 minutes, including interval.

The Comedy Store - Rose Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:39:00 GMT

The Comedy Store - Rose Theatre

28 September - 14 December

Hailed as “Comedy’s Unofficial National Theatre” The Comedy Store is delighted to continue its monthly residency through the autumn at the Rose Theatre, Kingston presenting “The Best in Stand Up” from around the globe, showcasing the brightest names in comedy talent.

With over 25 years experience in the business and as the premier name in comedy, the Store is renowned as a breeding ground for new comedy talent, and remains the place to see tomorrow stars today. Names such as Paul Merton, Eddie Izzard, Peter Kay, Clive Anderson, Mark Lamarr and Lee Hurst to name but a few all cut their comedy teeth at The Comedy Store.

Sunday 28 September, 7.30pm

MC Rob Rouse, Hal Cruttenden, Micky Flanagan, Markus Birdman, Ted Alexandro (USA)

Sunday 26 October, 7.30pm

Russell Kane (MC), Terry Alderton, Steve Gribbin plus special guests

Sunday 30 November, 7.30pm

Greg Davies (MC), Reginald D Hunter, John Moloney

Sunday 14 December, 7.30pm

Line up information coming soon

To see more information about each comedian in every months line-up, click here

Comedy line-up subject to change. This page will be kept as up-to-date as possible with any changes to the schedule.

Grimethorpe Colliery Band - Rose Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:37:00 GMT

Grimethorpe Colliery Band - Rose Theatre

28 September

The real stars of the hit movie "Brassed Off", the Grimethorpe Colliery Band are in constant demand throughout the world for concert appearances. Having won almost every brass band accolade, these musicians have an esteemed international reputation with numerous television appearances and recordings to their credit.

"Sensational - performing favourite classics in spectacular style!"
The Times

National Brass Band Champions 2005 & 2006

Tickets £10 (pit cushions), £15 & £20

Matinee(s) 2.30pm

A Doll's House - Rose Theatre

Dom — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:26:00 GMT

A Doll's House - Rose Theatre

9 September - 27 September
By Henrik Ibsen
Adapted by Stephen Mulrine
Directed by Peter Hall
Presented by Theatre Royal Bath Productions & The Peter Hall Company

"A Doll's House remains a shatteringly powerful and astonishingly modern drama" Sunday Express

"Peter Hall stages A Doll's House with power and clarity" The Times

In 1879, Ibsen's new play stunned the world and provoked outrage. One critic compared it to the ‘dropping of a bomb into contemporary life'. Beautifully crafted and powerfully moving, no work better distils Ibsen's genius than A Doll's House.

The cast includes Catherine McCormack (The Land Girls, All My Sons), Finbar Lynch (Proof, Not About Nightingales), Anthony Howell (Foyle's War), Christopher Ravenscroft (The Ruth Rendell Mysteries) and Susie Trayling (National Theatre, Heartbeat).

STAGETEXT Captioned performance: 19 September 7.30pm

Audio described performance: 20 September 2.30pm. Touch tour at 1pm.

Suitable for all ages.

Running time: 3 hours, including 2 intervals.

Evenings 7.30pm. Friday 12 September 7pm.

Matinee(s) Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday 2.30pm

The Snowman - Peacock Theatre

Dom — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:34:00 GMT

The Snowman - Peacock Theatre

The stage version of Raymond Briggs' much-loved book continues to delight children everywhere as it returns to the Peacock Theatre this Christmas.

Sheer theatrical magic. Go see The Snowman, and melt THE TIMES

When a young boy's snowman comes to life on Christmas Eve, the two set off on a night-time quest for adventure. On their travels, they meet dancing penguins, reindeer and, of course, Father Christmas.

Watch spellbound as the Snowman literally flies through the night sky above you, before escaping the clutches of the evil Jack Frost to return home for Christmas morning.

Suitable for all children aged two and upwards, this is a captivating mix of dance, stagecraft and music. Featuring a live orchestra, it is the perfect introduction to dance for the very young.

An essential part of London's Christmas calendar TIME OUT

Performance times

11am performances:
6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27,
28, 29, 30, 31 Dec & 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 Jan
2.30pm performances:
6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,
24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 Dec & 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
8, 9, 10 11 Jan
7pm performances:
3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 20, 27 Dec & 2, 3, 9, 10 Jan

Running time

1 hour 40 mins (including one interval)

Jasmin Vardimon, Yesterday - Peacock Theatre

Dom — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:32:00 GMT

Jasmin Vardimon, Yesterday - Peacock Theatre

Award-winning dance theatre choreographer and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jasmin Vardimon celebrates her company’s 10th anniversary with a retrospective new piece at the Peacock Theatre.

"Choreography that is dangerous and beautiful, impassioned and remarkable"THE DAILY MAIL"Highly original material, beautifully executed by a talented cast"THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

Yesterday features some of the most breathtaking duets, striking solos and iconic moments selected from Jasmin Vardimon Company's repertoire including Justitia, Park, Lullaby, Tete, Lurelurelure and Ticklish.

"Consuming love, and a killer virus"THE OBSERVER

Interwoven with new choreographic material and live multimedia, this bold new work resounds with passion, precision and trademark physicality.

Contrasting flashes of daring athleticism with moments of touching beauty, eight dancers interweave Jasmin Vardimon’s scenes of intimate and vulnerable tenderness with provocative and playful choreography, remaining as stirring and socially relevant as ever.

"Jasmin Vardimon is a powerful voice in physical theatre and the daring movements she creates leave scars on the memory"THE GUARDIAN

19 - 21 Nov 2008