Preview: The Chuckles of Oz at Whitley Bay Playhouse

To Me, To You, To Whitley Bay

The Chuckle Brothers in:
The Chuckles of Oz

Whitley Bay Playhouse

Saturday 23^rd May 2015

Join the Chuckle Brothers on their latest adventure as they return to the Playhouse with brand new show “The Chuckles of Oz” in May!

It all started with talent show Opportunity Knocks in 1967 that brought the Chuckle Brothers Barry and Paul to our screens as the comedy duo we all know and love. Hitting the big time with their children’s TV show Chucklevision in 1987, their slapstick comedy and silly routines resonated with children of all ages and lead them to be nominated for a children’s BAFTA Award in 1998 for their long-running Chucklevision series.

Becoming household names in their own right, Barry and Paul were honoured with the Special Award at the children’s BAFTA Awards a decade later and continue to entertain children of all ages with good, old-fashioned family fun.

Joining on them on stage in May is Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow, the only question is – will anything go right for the wizards in their brand new show?

There’s only one way to find out…
Click your ruby slippers and book your tickets now!

Jowheretogo reviewed the show earlier in the tour: Chuckles of Oz Review Here

Tickets:

Show contents suitable for all.

Tickets £14 (£52 family ticket available for 2 adults and 2 children), sold via Box Office at Playhouse Whitley Bay.

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 10.30am-2.30pm.

Call 0844 248 1588 or book online at www.playhousewhitleybay.co.uk

Review: The Chuckles of Oz at Darlington Civic Theatre

There’s no place like Darlington

The Chuckles of Oz

Darlington Civic Theatre

Until Sunday 11^th January 2015

The Wizard of Oz is a firm family favourite that is regularly on television. The Chuckle Brothers are also family favourites and it is interesting to see what happens when these worlds collide.

Glinda The Good Witch (Beth Stobbart) happily lives in Munchkinkand, which is in the North, with lots of Munchkins. The show starts brightly with Pharrel William’s hit Happy which is a great platform for Stobbart. Dorothy (Lauren Varnham) appears from Kansas in her flying house that kills the Wicked Witch of the East. Not surprisingly this displeases her sister, who is the Wicked Witch of the West (Emma Francis) and the future doesn’t look good for poor Dorothy who simply wants to get home. Glinda and the Munchkins show Dorothy the yellow brick road which leads the way to the Wizard who will grant her wish to go home. So off she goes picking up a Cowardly Lion (Phil Corbitt), a Scarecrow (Adam C Booth) and a Tin Man (Danny Potts) who also needed dreams to be fulfilled.

Appearing between the scenes are Barry Elliott and Paul Elliott who add jokes, songs and funny skits. As soon as they appear the audience are up for their kind of high jinks. Highlights include acrobatics and a cooking lesson which, needless to say, doesn’t go as planned.

Another element of Darlington’s production, which seems to be uncommon in 2014, is a live band to back the songs rather than piped music. The show feels very genuine as a result, with the usual mix of popular songs, under the musical direction of Joe Morley.

A number of children’s shows recently have featured 3D animation sets and their inclusion seems to be more of a gimmick.  With Chuckles of Oz the two 3D sets seemed to meld better with the action and provided many laughs and screams as assorted creatures hurtled into the audience’s laps.

This show benefits from a much stronger narrative than many classic pantomimes. Varnham is engaging as Dorothy, her companions are loveable and the evil witch makes a suitable source of booing for the children. Special mention to Toto the dog who never puts a foot wrong.

It is the Chuckle Brothers that are the main draw and they don’t let the crowd down. Barry and Paul know what makes such an evening special for their many fans.

Chuckles of Oz is a great show which sparkles for the young and the young at heart.    

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo.

Tickets:

The Chuckles of Oz runs at Darlington Civic Theatre from Saturday 6 December 2014 until Sunday 11 January 2015.

Tickets are available from 01325 486555 or online at www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

Preview: Darlington Civic Theatre announces Winter 2014/Spring 2015 Season

Darlington Civic Theatre announces Winter 2014/Spring 2015 Season

Darlington Civic Theatre lifts the curtain to unveil a spectacular Winter/Spring Season packed with more delights than a Christmas stocking.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without pantomime, and this year we’re off to see the wizard – or should that be the Chuckles of Oz! Join stars of children’s TV The Chuckle Brothers and follow the yellow brick road to a world of surprises between Sat 6 December and Sun 11 January. 

On Monday 5 January, we usher in the New Year in style with New Year in Vienna 2015 which will whisk you away to a fairy-tale world as the London Gala Orchestra alongside singers and conductor showcase the very best of popular Viennese music, from waltzes and polkas to uplifting marches.

Then there’s a whole jukebox of musical treats as we welcome Steve Steinman’s classic rock show Vampires Rock on Thu 15 January,  folk entertainers The Houghton Weavers on Fri 16 January, and stars of hit film Brassed Off, The Grimethorpe Colliery Band, on Sat 17 January.

From Mon 19 - Sat 24 January, the dark winter nights provide the perfect backdrop to chilling thriller The Woman in Black – an evening of unremitting drama which will transport the audience into a terrifying and ghostly world.

Just because it’s January it doesn’t mean it’s too late for a party! By popular demand, That'll Be The Day returns with a brand new show for 2015 for two nights only on Mon 26 & Tue 27 January. This hugely entertaining line-up of classic gold hits from the 50s, 60s and 70s provides both laughs and nostalgia.

We are delighted to welcome The Russian State Ballet & Orchestra of Siberia back to Darlington with three great ballet masterpieces: light-hearted Coppėlia (Thu 29 Jan), tragic Swan Lake (Fri 30 Jan) and family favourite The Nutcracker (Sat 31 Jan & Sun 1 Feb).

If you saw The Play That Goes Wrong last summer, you’ll love Peter Pan Goes Wrong (Tue 3 – Sun 8 Feb) – and if you missed it you’ll want to come and see what all the fuss was about! The Play That Goes Wrong has successfully transferred into the West End and Mischief Theatre returns with another riotous comedy.

Middle Ground Theatre Company is delighted to present Richard Harris’ acclaimed psychological thriller The Business of Murder, which comes to us Tue 10 - Sat 14 February and stars Robert Gwilym, known by millions for his role as Dr Max Gallagher in Casualty, alongside Paul Opacic (a regular in Bad Girls, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks) and Joanna Higson, who played Maxine Donnelly for two series of Shameless and is currently appearing as Vicky Hall in BBC TV's WPC5.

February brings a selection of shows which stop off in Darlington for one night only. On Tue 17 February The Russian State Ballet and Opera House presents classic opera Rigoletto, a tragic tale of misunderstanding, revenge and sacrifice. On Wed 18 February there’s a fantastic line-up of former members of the legendary band The Kinks as the Kast Off Kinks rock into town to re-live the good times with all their greatest hits. On Thu 19 February we’ve a date with Richard and Adam as they take us to the movies! Following their success on Britain’s Got Talent, Richard and Adam at the Movies brings you a night of silver screen classics performed with flawless technique.

On Sat 21 and Sun 22 February, we embark on an exciting new mission with Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano, while on Mon 23 February comedian Omid Djalili brings us Iranalamadingdong. We present a brilliant evening of stories and music with An Evening with Julian Lloyd Webber on Tue 24 Feb, and there are appearances from original members of Emerson Lake and Palmer, Wishbone Ash and The Strawbs with The Classic Legends of Rock and Folk ‘Super Tour’ 2015 on Wed 25 February.             

On Sat 28 February we’re pleased to be throwing our doors wide open for two days of fun, free family activities, with competitions, workshops, performances, guides tours and lots more in our Family Open Weekend.

The Daily Express dubs it ‘the best rock ‘n’ roll show in town’ – it’s the 25-year anniversary tour of Return to the Forbidden Planet, which blasts into Darlington Mon 2 - Sat 7 March.

Based on the award-winning novel by Sebastian Faulks, and coming to DarlingtonTue 10 - Sat 14 March, Birdsong is a mesmerising story of love and courage set both before and during the First World War.

For those aged five and under and their families, Where Caterpillars Go is a playful adventure set in a wild and magical paper garden, where the audience will be seated onstage alongside the performers on Sun 15 March.

The Royal Geographical Society returns to the Dolphin Centre on Mon 16 March with Professor Iain Stewartpresenting Planet Oil: The Story of a Modern Addiction.

Following recent productions of To Sir, With Love, Brassed Off and Regeneration, The Touring Consortium Theatre Company presents A View From The Bridge by Arthur Miller in celebration of the centenary of the playwright’s birth from Tue 17 – Sat 21 March.

March is a musical month as we welcome Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly (Wed 25 March), and a host of top tribute acts: The Elvis Years (Thu 26 March), Rumours of Fleetwood Mac (Fri 27 March), Sinatra and Friends (Sat 28 March), and Steve Steinman’s The Meat Loaf Story (Mon 30 March). The month ends with a flourish of magic as the team of tricksters that is Champions of Magic bring their show to us on Tue 31 March. 

If you and your family can’t wait until next Christmas for another pantomime, we have the solution with our Easter pantomime, which this year on Wed 1 & Thu 2 April is Beauty and the Beast starring Bobby Davro. April also sees the return of The Essence of Ireland on Sat 4 April – a heart-breaking, heart-warming story brought to life with the music and dance of the Emerald Isle.

If it’s laughter you’re after, this will be supplied in ample measure by Tim Vine (Tue 7 April) and the Return of the Grumpy Old Women – Fifty Shades of Beige (Thu 9 April). For something a little more gentle, The Good Old Days of Variety will take you back in an afternoon filled with classic songs on Wed 8 April. For more golden oldies, come and see The Hollies on Fri 10 April.

Currently dancing up a storm in BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing, Pasha Kovalev comes spinning into Darlingtonfor one night only on 11 April. Pasha Kovalev’s Life Through Dance is an amazing new show, a non-stop action-packed journey through life and love, expressed through the language of dance.

From Tue 14 – Sat 18 April we host English Touring Theatre as they present the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Thomas Middleton’s Jacobean drama A Mad World My Masters. A hit with audiences and critics alike in Stratford Upon Avon, this riotous and rollicking comedy now explodes onto the stage at the Civic Theatre prior to a London season.

Local heroes Darlington OS return between Wed 22 April – Sat 2 May in what has long been a firm favourite in the calendar. This season they bring their production of Hairspray which is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. 

Round up the girls (and the men, if they dare!) for The Naked Truth (Wed 6 – Sat 9 May), a poignant and uplifting comedy about sisterhood in which five very different women struggle to conquer pole dancing in aid of a breast cancer charity. With star casting to be announced, you’ll be splitting your sides and moved to tears. 

Tickets:

Tickets for the new Winter/Spring Season are on sale now, and brochures are available from the box office and in venues across the region. For further information and to book contact the box office on 01325 486 555, or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.ukto choose your own seats online.

Preview: The Chuckles of Oz at Darlington Civic Theatre

           

The Chuckles of Darlo

The Chuckles of Oz

Darlington Civic Theatre

Saturday 6 December – Sunday 11 January 2015

The Chuckle Brothers take to the Yellow Brick Road,
in Darlington Civic Theatre’s 3D pantomime, The Chuckles of Oz.
Real-life brothers Paul and Barry Elliott, better known as The Chuckle Brothers, return to panto in Darlington after the massive success of Aladdin last year. The brothers will be joined by The Tin Man (Danny Potts), The Cowardly Lion (Phil Corbitt), The Scarecrow (Adam C Booth) and Glinda The Good Witch (Beth Stobbart).

The Chuckle Brothers are known to generations of children for their popular prime-time children’s television show Chucklevision, of which more than 290 episodes were made. The series proved to be so successful BAFTA presented Paul and Barry with an award for ‘services to British children’s television’. During the mid-nineties Paul and Barry also recorded three series of their own TV game show including a Christmas special, aptly titled To Me, To You after the brother’s legendary catchphrase.

Most recently Paul and Barry have toured the UK in their own shows including The Ghostly Shadows, The Pirates of the River Rother 2 and A 2014 Space Oddity. Ever in Demand the boys are often seen on TV programmes, including in recent years as contestants on Celebrity Coach Trip (C4) and Pointless (BBC).

Phil Corbitt, Danny Potts and Beth Stobbart will be known to local audiences, having shared the stage with The Chuckle Brothers last year in Aladdin.

For veteran television and stage actor Phil Corbitt this will be his fifteenth panto appearance, although for the first time as Lion! Danny Potts made his mark in the world-famous Hippodrome Circus where he headlined the show Excape at only 19; since then he has appeared in many stage-shows, most notably as Jimmy in Simon Stephens’ Bluebird, Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew and his acclaimed performance as Charles J Guiteau in Assasins. Local actress Beth Stobbart has been no stranger to the Civic Theatre since last year’s pantomime, combing her performance work with teaching at the local ArtsSpark youth theatre.

Adam C Booth, who plays The Scarecrow, returns to Darlington Civic having played Buttons in Cinderella, and joins The Chuckles of Oz having recently completed a national tour of Betty Blue Eyes.

Tickets:

The Chuckles of Oz runs at Darlington Civic Theatre from Saturday 6 December 2014 until Sunday 11 January 2015.

Tickets are available from 01325 486555 or online at www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

Preview - Autumn Season at Darlington Civic Theatre

Darlington Civic Theatre announces

Autumn 2014 Season

As we head toward the autumn evenings, we have some exciting shows on their way to us this season, which will be the perfect antidote to those chilly winter evenings! So all aboard the Fish and Actors Train as it’s full steam ahead to an Autumn Season packed full of delights to please everyone!

The Season starts off with a variety of music events, starting with This is Music Hall – The Best of British Variety,( Wednesday 23 July) bringing traditional variety performance back to the Civic in a celebration of the best of British variety. Fans of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons should look out for Let’s Hang on which will be Working their way back to us on Thursdayrsday 24 July.

The charming tale of Angelina Ballerina – The Mousical (Friday 25 – Sunday 27 July) will be pirouetting onto the stage in this sparkling musical packed full of singing and dancing! Join Angelina and her Fridayends at the Camembert Academy as they prepare for their performance of ‘Dancing with Mice’.

The ever popular Last Night of The Proms returns to the Civic this year in a Last Night of The Proms Special to Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of World War One and the 75th Anniversary of World War 2 (Monday 28 July); join The British Philharmonic Orchestra for an evening of reflection, rousing tunes, flag waving and of course the usual Pomp and Circumstance!

The Bohemians return to the Civic this year with The Bohemians – A Night of Queen as It Began Tour (Thursday 31 July), this internationally renowned Queen tribute band bring their new tour taking you back to the early ‘70s and through to the Magic of ’86.

Featuring a cast comprising of past principal performers from the West End, this special performance of Beyond the Barricade (Friday 5 September) is celebrating 15 years and in this anniversary production looks back through the years and includes many of the musicals that have made it the UK’s leading concert of its kind.

Billy Mitchell and Ray Laidlaw will be bringing The Lindisfarne Story (Saturday 6 September) an evening of celebration of the music and achievements of Tyneside’s best loved band, told through Acoustic versions of Lindisfarne’s classic songs and tells the inside story of the group’s rise to fame from beginnings in Whitley Bay to San Francisco Bay!

Darlington Dance Festival (Monday 8 September) bursts onto stage for an energetic evening presented by dance schools and community groups in a vibrant celebration of dance in Darlington.

The first of our week long performances of the season is the moving production of Private Peaceful (Tuesday 9 – Saturday 13 September) commemorating the 100 year anniversary of World War One. Winner of the Blue Peter book of the year, Private Peaceful is by third Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo who is the award winning author of War Horse and similarly this production will also appeal to adults and family audiences alike. This show is suitable for everyone aged  8and above.

Have you been wondering what happened to ‘Bobby & Laura’ and ‘Norman & Sue’? Dreamboats and Miniskirts (Monday 15 – Saturday 20 September) Twists and Shouts its way into Darlington as we catch up with the characters we have come to know in Dreamboats and Petticoats as we follow up on their lives in the swinging 60s. Packed full of music that is guaranteed to get you dancing in the aisles.

The great detective Poirot returns in Agatha Christie’s Black Coffee (Monday 22 – Saturday 27 September), starring Jason Durr (Heartbeat, Lewis, Midsomer Murders, Miss Marple), Gary Mavers (Peak Practice), Ben Nealon (Soldier Soldier), Deborah Grant (Not going Out, Peak Practice, Bergerac), Oliver Mellor (Coronation Street) and Georgina Leonidas (Harry Potter).

In an isolated house on the cliffs of north Cornwall the sibling rivalry between identical twins Max and Ashley Henessey is coming to a murderous climax! Double Death (Monday 29 – Wednesday 1 October), starring Brian Capron (Grange Hill, Full House, Where the Heart is, Coronation Street) Andrew Paul (The Bill, Where the Heart is) Kim Tiddy (The Bill, Hollyoaks) and Judy Buxton (General Hospital, On the Up). A ticket will entitle you to a whole seat however you’ll only need the edge of it.

Next up in October is this thought provoking, thrilling, witty performance of The Man Jesus (Thursday 2 October), starring Simon Callow, one of Britain’s best loved actors, performing this fresh and moving account of biblical stories. His powerful portrayal of the tyrants, traitors and madmen and in Jesus’ life asks people of all faiths and none: what sort of a man was able to inspire the history of the world?

An audience with Tim Brooke- Taylor (Friday 3 October) will take place at Central Hall. Best known as one third of the comedy trio The Goodies, Tim has been delighting audiences with his gentle, zany humour ever since joining the famous Cambridge Footlights back in the early 1960s. Tim will be joined in conversation with broadcaster Chris Serle, best known for his work as a reporter on That’s Life.

Over the Rainbow – The Eva Cassidy Story (Friday 3 & Saturday 4 October) stars Bad Girls and Emmerdale actress Nicole Faraday. The production pays a genuine and heartfelt tribute to a true artist who was not interested in fame and fortune but wanted nothing more than to create beautiful music. A talented world-class cast of actors and musicians recreate her original arrangements and recordings which have received accolades from Mick Fleetwood, Sting ,Nora Jones, Katie Melua and Chris DeBurgh.

‘The James Herriot of Schools’, Gervase Phinn . With his keen ear for the absurd and sharp eye for the ludicrous , Gervase Phinn has delighted audiences all over the UK and his stories have received rave reviews. An Evening with Gervase Phinn (Monday 6 October)

Of all the stars in folk music’s wondrous firmament few shine as brightly as Yorkshire’s Kate Rusby (Tuesday 7 October). A remarkable interpretative singer Kate’s soulful vocals, Kate will be joined on stage by the cream of British folk musicians who form her band. These virtuoso artists are sure to delight you with their exceptional talents.

One man to do it all. One man to rule them all! One Man Lord of the Rings (Wednesday 8 October). The extremely talented Canadian actor Charles Ross will stun you with his one man show where he recreates the enchanting world of Middle Earth with nothing more than elbow pads and his outrageous imagination.

The Ken Dodd Happiness Show (Thursday 9 & Friday 10 October) Come and enjoy the famous Happiness Show and enjoy a tattifelarius (that’s Knotty Ash for fun- filled) evening of laughter and songs presented by a true comedy genius!

Theatre Hullabaloo present Angel (Friday 10 October) at Central Hall, a story of Bill (who is a girl by the way) who returns an old woman’s shopping bag on an afternoon when she had nothing better to do, and finds her life is never the same again. A brilliantly funny and heartwarming new play about childhood and ageing. Recommended age for this show is 10+.

October continues with the hilarious and moving tale of Stones in his Pockets (Saturday 11 October). This multi award winning comedy has been seen by over 2 million people; don’t miss out on this tale of how a quiet Irish community is turned upside down by the arrival of a Hollywoodmovie shoot.

Starring Shobna Gulati (Coronation Street, Dinnerladies)and Joe McGann (Calendar Girls, Upper Hand, The Hanging Gate) John Godber’s April in Paris (Tuesdayday 14 – Saturday 18 October) will make your heart melt. Join Al and Bet in this hilarious romantic adventure, Olivier –nominated for comedy of the year when it premiered and featuring John Godber’s unique brand of observational comedy.

It will be ‘Fabulous Baby!’, taking us through to the end of October we have the ‘Gloriously Funny’ Sister Act The Musical (Wednesday 22 October – Saturday 1 November)– presented by DarlingtonOS our resident amateur operatic group, Sister Act is a hilarious musical comedy with larger than life characters, a set of nuns who find their voices and a diva who finally finds true Friendship.

Playing at Central Hall, the delightful and enchanting family show Handmade Tales (Thursday 23 October) takes place as part of the Take Off festival. Handmade Tales is brimming with five original children’s stories and live music, exploring a land of lost things, magical kingdoms, supernatural dictionaries and a whole lot more! This is a family show which will suit the youngsters aged 6 – 11 .

Playing at the Quaker Meeting House, Educating Ronnie (Friday 24 October) part of the Take Off Festival, tells the astonishing true story of Joe and Ronnie. In 2002 Joe went on a gap year trip to Uganda, whilst there he made Friends with Ronnie….back in Manchester Joe got a text that would change both their lives forever. Recommended age 12+

Calling all Junior Detectives aged over 6….Me and My Cat? (Monday 27 October) taking place at Central Hall is a hilarious adventure full of manga clues and mysterious events. Will Detective K solve the mystery in time? Using projection, puppets and bags of ingenuity, this is a fast- paced, action- packed story and oodles of fun!

November starts off with the affectionate, moving and fantastically funny homage to the greatest comedy double act that Britain has ever seen! Eric and Little Ern (Monday 3 November) vividly brings back warm memories of a bygone era. Reviving some of the finest moments of Eric and Ernie’s television and stage performances , together they make a brilliant comedy that recreates the all-ages appeal of Morcambe and Wise in their heyday!

5,4,3,2,1…..it’s the Manfreds in concert!( Tuesdayday 4 November) Boasting some of the finest quality talent ever assembled on one stage since Manfred Mann formed in 1962 they have firmly secured their place in the history books of British popular and RnB music with timeless anthems such as Do Wah Diddy Diddy, 5,4,3,2,1, Mighty Quinn and Pretty Flamingo.

What would you do if a Viking moved in next door?..... Horrible Histories are Live on Stage with Barmy Britain (Wednesday 5 – Sunday 9 November), with stunning 3D Bogglevision effects and live action! It’s the horrible history of Britain with the nasty bits left in!

Joining us at central Hall Nicholas Crane Maplines (Tuesdayday 11 November) asks, where would we be without maps? Drawing on journeys and film shoots ranging from the Hindu Kush to Tibet and the Pyrnees to the Pennines, join Nicholas Crane as he explores the way maps open the door to geographical enlightenment.

Regeneration (Tuesdayday 11 – Saturday 15 November) is the latest production brought to us by the Touring Consortium Theatre Company who brought To Sir With Love and Brassed Off. Regeneration examines the insanity of war with shocking clarity; a powerful anthem for the youth of WW1 and the lives of young soldiers today.

Bursting onto stage in a Coat of Many Colours Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Tuesdayday 18 to Saturday 22 November) returns to Darlington. This sparkling family musical has announced a new all-star cast; Danielle Hope winner of ITV’s Over the Rainbow competition, Lloyd Daniels X-Factor Finalist and Eastenders and Dancing on Ice Star Matt Lapinskas star in this ‘Amazing’, ‘Superb’, ‘Wonderful’ and ‘Brilliant’ production. 

Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as the multi award winning Blood Brothers (Monday 24 – Saturday 29 November). Written by Willy Russell, this legendary tale tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks only to meet again with fateful consequences. The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marylin Monroe and the emotionally charged Tell Me It’s Not True.

There’s no place like….Darlington Civic Theatre this Christmas! The Chuckle Brothers return to their favourite venue for The Chuckles of Oz (Saturday 6 December – Sunday 11 January), starring some familiar faces. Phil Corbitt returns as The Cowardly Lion, Danny Potts as The Tin Man, and our very own Beth Stobbart appears as Glinda the Good Witch alongside Adam Booth as The Scarecrow. Packed with all of the traditional pantomime ingredients of comedy in abundance, stunning sets , beautiful costumes, plenty of boos and hissing and a yellow brick road into a world of suprises….The Chuckles of Oz offers a world of magic, mystery and mayhem!

Tickets for the new Autumn Season are now on sale.

For further information about the full Autumn Season programme, pick up one of our brochures located in venues across Darlington including Darlington Civic Theatre Box Offices, or contact the Box Office on 01325 486 555 or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk

Review: Chuckle Brothers in Space Oddity at Newcastle Tyne Theatre

Family theatre isn’t just for Christmas

Chuckle Brothers in Space Oddity

Newcastle Tyne Theatre 15^th March 2014.

The Chuckle Brothers, ably assisted by their real life brothers The Patton Brothers, were able to delivery a couple of hours of family friendly variety entertainment. The audience laughed and everyone went home happy. Mission accomplished.

The show starts with the idea that Barry and Paul Elliott have gone shopping in a toy shop and after pressing a red button in a space ship that have found themselves on board a space ship manned by the Captain (Jimmy Patton) and Spot (Brian Patton). A bad guy needs to be stopped before he takes over the ship and then they can safely return to Earth. Additional support is given by Richard Morgan. The party tricks that give the show move of a variety show feel come from the husband & wife team Safire - Stuart and Jayne Loughland carry out random illusions at various points in the show.

For the show to be successful it has to keep both the parents and the young ones happy. The four brothers on stage clearly have a chemistry on stage. They naturally know what the other is about to do. This helps with the smooth delivery of the gags and the punchlines. The jokes work on both levels – a few jokes have the younger members of the audience wondering why their parents are laughing.

The show feels like a Panto complete with a variation of the 12 Days of Christmas at the end. This is not high end theatre and the story is just a vehicle for entertaining routines from the cast. The acid test is how the younger members of the crowd react and they loved it, especially when the parents were invited up to help out in a messy routine. The best of the illusions from Stuart and Jayne Loughland came at the start of the second half with some black light theatre tricks with a couple of spacemen appearing to be weightless on stage.

It is great to see this historic venue being used as it was originally intended – to entertain. Hopefully in the coming year more shows will happen in what is often Newcastle’s forgotten theatre. It is also nice to be able to take the young ones along to a live theatre event at another point in the year to the usual Christmas Panto. There is a lack of children’s variety shows on tv and judging by this young audience there is a demand for them.

The tour continues.

This review was written by Stephen Oliverfor Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo