Preview: Music at Sunderland Empire Autumn 2015

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FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY THIS AUTUMN

AT SUNDERLAND EMPIRE

A host of one night spectaculars are set to rock the Sunderland Empire stage this Autumn, starting with the return of Steve Steinman as Barron Von Rockula in the all new Vampires Rock Saga Ghost Train (Thursday 8 October). As Club Live and Let Die burns to the ground, Barron Von Rockula flees the ill-fated club with his band of blood sucking vampires in search of a new home. Eventually they come across an old abandoned fairground ride, the Ghost Train where they take refuge and make this their new home. The Barron and his motley crew then set a cunning plan to lure victims into the ride and to live in Rock n Roll hell forever.

Along with Steve Steinman a full cast of singers, dancers, formidable band and aerial performers, blast their way through some of the greatest classic rock anthems of all time. Tracks made famous by some of the best known artists of all time such as Meat Loaf, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Rolling Stones, Cher, White Snake and Guns and Roses plus many more. All teamed with an amazing stage set and pyrotechnics to blow your mind.

Due to popular demand, reggae legends UB40have confirmed extra UK live dates including a date at Sunderland Empire (Friday 9 October). UB40 are Robin Campbell (co-lead vocals and guitar), Duncan Campbell (lead vocals) Earl Falconer (bass, vocal), Brian Travers (sax and keyboards), Jimmy Brown (drums), Norman Hassan (percussion, vocals). The band also feature, Martin Meredith (sax) and Lawrence Parry (trumpet), who have both been in UB40’s touring line-up for over twenty years, and Tony Mullins (keyboards).

Naming themselves after the unemployment benefit form, UB40 formed in 1978, before releasing their debut album ‘Signing Off’ in August 1980 – considered by many to be one of the greatest reggae albums ever released by a British band. It was the start of a career that has since seen the band have over forty UK Top 40 hit singles and achieve sales of over 100 million records, making UB40 one of the most successful British groups of all-time. The band’s latest Top 30 album ‘Getting Over The Storm’ was awarded BBC Radio 2’s ‘Album Of The Week’ accolade and received 5-star reviews from the UK’s music press on its release in September 2013. Read the full North East Theatre Guide Preview here.

The Illegal Eagles have been thrilling audiences nation-wide for over 18 years and look forward once again to returning to the road in 2015 calling at Sunderland Empire on Saturday 10 October. Following a number of critically acclaimed UK & international tours and headlining countless concerts and festivals, the band have established themselves as not only the Official No.1 tribute to The Eagles, but as one of the foremost authentic and talented theatrical experiences in the world!

Extremely tight harmonies and an acute attention to detail have always been synonymous with The Illegal Eagles. Members Phil Aldridge, Keith Atack, Al Vosper, Darin Murphy, Garreth Hicklin and award-winning vocalist Greg Webb’s ability to capture the emotion of Don Henley’s vocal deliveries have ensured that critical and audience acclaim has been unanimous.

This latest production brings you all the classics - Hotel California, Take It Easy, Take it to the Limit, Lyin’ Eyes, Tequila Sunrise, Life in the Fast Lane, One of These Nights, Witchy Woman, Rocky Mountain Way, Heartache Tonight and a whole lot more!

One Night of Queen, performed by Gary Mullen and The Works hits the stage on Sunday 8 November. In 2000, Gary Mullen won ITV’s “Stars In Their Eyes” Live Grand Final, with the largest number of votes ever received in the shows history.  The record of 864,838 votes was more than twice that of the runner-up.  Gary began touring on his own and in 2002 formed a band ‘The Works’, to pay tribute to rock legends Queen.  Since May 2002, ‘Gary Mullen and the Works’ have performed throughout the UK, USA, Europe, South Africa and New Zealand to sell-out audiences.  The outfit have also twice rocked the prestigious BBC Proms in the Park, in front of a very enthusiastic crowd of 40,000. One Night of Queen is a spectacular live concert, recreating the look, sound, pomp and showmanship of arguably the greatest rock band of all time.

Tickets:

Tickets available in person at the Box Office on High Street West, from the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022* or online at www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland

*Booking fees and charges apply to telephone and online bookings.

Box Office: 0844 871 3022*

Groups 10+: 0844 871 3042

Online: www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland

*Booking fee applies

 

Preview: Handbagged at Newcastle Theatre Royal

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 Olivier Award-Winning Comedy Handbagged Set For Newcastle

Handbagged

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Monday 26^th – Saturday 31^st October 2015.

Direct from the West End, the smash hit comedy Handbagged is set for Newcastle Theatre Royal’s stage from Monday 26th – Saturday 31st October, when the relationship between two of the country’s strongest women is explored.

Handbagged - Susie Blake & Kate Fahy

Handbagged opens the clasp on the relationship between two giants of the 20th Century. The monarch - Liz. Her most powerful subject - Maggie. Two enduring icons born in the same year. One destined to rule, the other elected to lead. But when the stiff upper lip softened and the gloves came off, which one had the upper hand? Moira Buffini's celebrated new comedy speculates on that most provocative of questions: What did the world's most powerful women really talk about behind closed palace doors?

                              

Handbagged first premiered at the Tricycle Theatre in 2013 where it enjoyed a sell-out 7 week run, winning the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre (2014) and nominations for Best New Comedy and Best Ensemble Performance at the WhatsOnStage Awards (2014). The production transferred to the West End on 9 April 2014 where it ran for a strictly limited 17 week season and received an Olivier Award nomination for ‘Best New Comedy’ 2015.

Susie Blake

Susie Blake plays ‘Q’. Her many West End theatre credits include: When We Are Married (Garrick Theatre), Grumpy Old Women Live 2: Chin Up Britain (Novello Theatre and on tour), Madame Morrible in Wicked(Apollo Victoria), Noises Off(National Theatre, Piccadilly Theatre and UK tour); The Shakespeare Revue for the RSC (Barbican, Vaudeville Theatre and UK tour).

Kate Fahy plays ‘T’. Her theatre credits include: After Electra (Tricycle Theatre); The Goat(Almeida/Apollo Theatres); Grace, Goucho(Hampstead Theatre); and two years at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool. Recent television credits include: The Marriage of Reason and Squalor, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and film credits include: Archipelago, The Living and the Dead - for which she received best actress and best supporting actress awards.

Emma Handy plays ‘Liz’.  Her theatre credits include: Miss Julie (Chichester Festival), Thursday (Adelaide International Festival), The Boy Who Fell Into a Book(Soho Theatre, London Olympics 2012), Flare Path (Haymarket Theatre), Edward Gant’s Amazing Feats of Loneliness (Headlong),. Television and film includes: Wire in the Blood Series 2-7 and Velvet Goldmine.

Asif Khan plays Actor 1. His theatre credits include: Love, Bombs & Apples, Kabaddi, Kabdaddi, Kabaddi (Arcola); Multitudes (Tricycle); The Nutcracker, The Snow Queen (Unicorn); Queen of the Nile (Hull Truck). Television credits include: The Dumping Ground; Doctors; Dark Matters; Spooks; The Liquid Bomb Plot; Casualty and Going Postal.

Sanchia McCormack plays ‘Mags’. Her theatre credits include: The Broken Heart, Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare’s Globe); Minotaur (Theatre Clwyd/Polka).Television includes: The Tunnell; Doctors; Broadchurch; EastEnders; Big Bad World; Coronation Street; Law and Order.

Richard Teverson plays Actor 2. Theatre credits include: The Winslow Boy (Old Vic), The Doctors Dilemma (National Theatre), Cause Célèbre (Old Vic), After The Dance(National Theatre), The 39 Steps(Criterion Theatre). Television credits include: Downton Abbey, Coalition, Jamaica Inn, The Bletchley Circle, Spies of Warsaw, Dancing On The Edge, Upstairs Downstairs, The Roman Mysteries, Poirot-Five Little Pigs. Film credits include: Brideshead Revisited and Workhorse.

Moira Buffini’s plays include Wonder.land, a musical with Damon Albarn, for the Manchester International Festival and National Theatre, Women, Power And Politics for the Tricycle Theatre, Welcome To Thebes and Dinner for the National Theatre. Her screenplays include Tamara Drewedirected by Stephen Frears, Jane Eyre directed by Cary Fukanaga, and Byzantium directed by Neil Jordan. She recently directed her first short film, Father.

Indhu Rubasingham, Artistic Director of the Tricycle Theatre, directs. For the company, her work includes Multitudes, The House That Will Not Stand, Red Velvet (Tricycle/ St Ann’s Warehouse New York, Evening Standard Award and Critics’ Circle Award). She also received the Carlton Multi-Cultural Achievement Award for Performing Arts and in 2010 she jointly received the Liberty Human Rights Arts Award for The Great Game: Afghanistan. She was previously Associate Director of the Gate Theatre, Birmingham Rep and the Young Vic.

Designs are by Richard Kent, with lighting design by Oliver Fenwick, and sound design by Carolyn Downing. The production is presented by Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Tricycle London Productions and the Touring Partnership.

Tickets:

Handbagged appears at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Monday 26th – Saturday 31st October 2015. Tickets from £12 (pay 50p less per ticket when you book online).

Tickets can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21, (calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge) or select your own seat and book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk.