Preview: Sweeney Todd at Newcastle Tyne Theatre

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Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Wednesday 2nd to Saturday 5th March 2016

Music & lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM

Book by HUGH WHEELER

From an adaptation by CHRISTOPHER BOND

Originally directed by HAROLD PRINCE

Originally produced on Broadway by Richard Barr, Charles Woodward, Robert Fryer Mary Lea Johnson, Martin Richards in association with Dean & Judy Manos 

This amateur production is presented by arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD. on behalf of MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL of NEW YORK.

Friends of Tyne Theatre and Opera House present Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – a musical thriller.

This follows on from the Friends enormously successful first production of The Pirates of Penzance in September 2015.

Set in19th century London, we follow the story of Benjamin Barker alias Sweeney Todd. Todd has returned to London from transportation following false charges. We follow Todd on his quest to get revenge on the judge that banished him. We become acquainted with the manipulative Mrs Lovett whose pies are transformed from The Worst Pies in London to “delicious” when the ingredients are swapped to the meat from Todd’s victims.

Premiered in 1979, this is widely recognised as one of Sondheim’s best and most complex scores containing many well-known songs:

•       Not While I’m Around

•       The Worst Pies in London

•       My Friends

•       Green Finch and Linnet Bird

•       Johanna

•       Pretty Women

•       By the Sea

This production will be performed with a large live orchestra and large ensemble and will be directed by Lynne Wilmot. Lynne is a professional actress with a career including the following recent credits:

• Disney - Beauty and the Beast

• Universal – The Huntsman

• Les Miserables movie

• Madame Thenardier in restaged National Tour (including The Barbican and the Chatelet in Paris) of Les Miserables – working closely with Cameron Mackintosh, Claude Michel-Schonberg, Alan Boubil and Laurence Connor in order to redefine the role

• National tour of Les Miserables

• London Road film in association with the National Theatre

• Played the fallen angel Abbadon in The Vatican opposite Bruno Ganz as The Pope directed by Ridley Scott for Showtime in US

• Original cast for Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of Oliver! at Theatre Royal Drury Lane with Rowan Atkinson and choreography by Matthew Bourne

• Original cast for Jerry Springer the Opera at National Theatre and transfer to West End at the Cambridge Theatre

• The Captain of Kopenick – National Theatre

• Trained Central School of Speech and Drama in London

• Worked extensively training and inspiring young actors and singers – including 100% success rate in coaching for leading drama school auditions

Friends of Tyne Theatre and Opera House is part of Tyne Theatre and Opera House Preservation Trust (Charity Number 1120746). Funds raised from this performance will contribute to the preservation and future restoration of the Grade 1 listed Victorian Opera House.

The Friends first production was a huge success. North East Theatre Guide quoted “The show has real heart and is a pleasure to watch. The fabulous live orchestra coupled with talented singers who are clearly enjoying themselves...” Read the full North East Theatre Guide review here: http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/review-pirates-of-penzance-at-newcastle.html.

Tickets:

Tickets: £8 - £13 (plus booking fees when booking online and over the phone)

Tickets are now available from www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House Box Office is open 10am-3:30pm Monday to Friday and event days

Booking and Information Line: 0844 2491 000 (10am – 6pm Monday to Friday)

Preview: JIMEOIN – YEEHAA! at Newcastle Tyne Theatre

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JIMEOIN – YEEHAA!

Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Friday 5th February 2016

Jimeoin is internationally acclaimed as one of live comedy’s masters. Now the Irishman from Australia and star of TV’s ‘Sunday Night at Palladium’, ‘Live at the Apollo’, ‘Royal Variety Performance’ musters his ever-evolving live show and the most famous eyebrows in comedy to The Tyne Theatre & Opera House to bring you an unforgettably hilarious evening of world-class stand-up. Mosey on down and lasso your tickets early!

‘Brilliant… It gets no better than this... Hilarious!’ (Time Out)

‘If laughter is the best medicine, Jimeoin is a course of steroids... Brilliant wit and razor-sharp take on the absurdities of life… A series of hilarious, often surrealistic climaxes. This is the comedy of one who truly perceives human behaviour, breaks it up, puts it all together again in all its ridiculousness, to leave you with your eyes streaming… Comic genius’ (Edinburgh Evening News)

‘Stand-up-comedy at its best!’ (Scotsman)

‘Jimeoin recalls the familiar at a fantastically silly level, boiling his audience down to a tear-filled, gibbering mess’    (Scotland on Sunday)

‘Inspired ramblings… Comedy of the highest order!’ (Independent)

On The Web:

Website: www.jimeoin.com

Twitter: @Jimeoin

YouTube: JimeoinOfficial

Facebook: Jimeoin

Tickets:

Tickets: £17.50 full price, £15.00 concessions (plus booking fees when booking online and over the phone)

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House Box Office is open 10am-3:30pm Monday to Friday and event days

Booking and Information Line: 0844 2491 000 (10am – 6pm Monday to Friday)

More information on the website: www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/tynetheatreandoperahouse 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tyneoperahouse

 

Review: Aladdin at Newcastle Tyne Theatre

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The Geordie Family Panto

Aladdin

Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Until Wednesday 30^th December 2015

In a crowded market place, how do you offer a panto with a unique selling point? Tyne Theatre’s production feels authentically Geordie. The local accents are allowed to ring around the stage. The end product is strongly proud of the region and doesn’t resort to much of the “the people in the next village are idiots” mentality… Apart from football jokes, but that is as much a part of the region as jokes about shopping in Fenwicks.

Opening the show in Peking is the delightful Jayne Mackenzie, as Aladdin, singing the Boy Meets Girl hit “Waiting For A Star To Fall”. It was the first of a number of songs that she skilfully tackled.

Apart from the great songs, the other feature of this production is the relentless volley of jokes. First up with the funny lines are Lewis Denny and Gary Walsh as the dim Constable Pong and slightly brighter Sergeant Ping. It wasn’t long before they too broke out into song. Mark Ronson’s hit “Uptown Funk” is this year’s hit for pantos as they nearly all cover it. Lewis and Gary gave a great tongue in cheek rendition.  The dancers, Sherrie McKale, Alistair Walker, Laura Williams and Daniel Constanzo, along with a group of cracking youngster added a vibrancy, with their choreography, whenever they were on stage.

The huge role of script writer, director and panto dame is in the very capable hands of Maxie Peters.  As Widow Twankey he is able to control the early proceedings of the show.  The jokes fly across the stage in rapid fire.  Whilst all of the classic panto elements are present in the show, at least there are some different jokes in this show.   It was great to hear the historic theatre filled with laughter.

The biggest laughs of the nights were reserved for Charlie Richmond as Aladdin’s brother, Wishee Washee.  He had a fantastic ability to connect with both the adults and the younger members of the audience. Whilst many pantos do the 12 Days of Christmas, Charlie helped make the Tyne Theatre’s version the very best.  There was no stopping the music to find a missing item here – the pace was relentless which helped add to the intensity of the routine.

Every panto needs a baddie and Kevin O’Keefe filled the role without being too nasty. Sarah Badger and Emily Swan were both glamorous as the Genie of the Ring and Princess Jasmine.

Given her reputation for singing, it was a surprise that Lorraine Crosby didn’t have more numbers. After a rousing rendition of Eurythmics “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves” Lorraine was not given much to sing until the grand finale with a fabulous Abba medley. Her role as the Empress of China shows that she can act too.

With its live band playing a number of popular songs, under musical director Michael Watson, family friendly jokes and sharp sense of Geordie humour, this is a classic panto.  It feels local without feeling alienating.  It is a very enjoyable show for all of the family.

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

Read the original North East Theatre Guide preview:  http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/preview-aladdin-at-newcastle-tyne.html

Tickets:

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House Box Office is open 10am-3:30pmMonday to Friday and event days

Booking and Information Line: 0844 2491 000 (10am – 6pmMonday to Friday)

Tickets are now available from www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk

Preview: Aladdin at Newcastle Tyne Theatre

 Follow North East Theatre Guide on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NETheatreGuideand on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NETheatreGuide

Traditional Geordie Panto

for all the Family

Aladdin

Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Friday 4^th – Wednesday 30^th December 2015

This Christmas, Newcastle Panto brings back one of the most popular pantomimes with audiences:  follow Aladdin as he pursues his love of the beautiful Princess Jasmine, from the steamy rooms of Widow Twankey's Laundry to the distant shores of Egypt via a magic cave packed with treasure! 

Founded in 1995, the professional theatre company has brought traditional panto entertainment to the historic city centre theatre every Christmas for the past 13 years.

Writer and Director, Maxie Peters, stars in his much loved Dame role as Widow Twankey, while panto favourite, Charlie Richmond, returns as Wishee-Washee; loveable Kevin O’Keefe is set to receive all the boos this year as he switches to the dark side to take on the baddie role of Abanazar.  Show choreographer, Emily Swan, will appear as the beautiful Princess Jasmine, opposite Jayne Mackenzie as Aladdin.

New faces this year include local newcomers, Lewis Denny and Gary Walsh as the hapless Chinese policemen, and Lorraine Crosby, known best for her legendary voice on Meatloaf’s “I’d Do Anything For  Love”, who will play the Empress of China.

Join us from Friday 4^th – Wednesday 30^th December to boo and cheer, sing and dance and laugh out loud in a Christmas tradition you simply can’t miss!

Tickets:

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House Box Office is open 10am-3:30pm Monday to Friday and event days

Booking and Information Line: 0844 2491 000 (10am – 6pm Monday to Friday)

Tickets are now available from www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk

Preview: Dylan Moran: Off the Hook at Newcastle Tyne Theatre

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Dylan Moran: Off the Hook

Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Friday 11th March 2016 

Due to overwhelming demand following his recent Sell-out UK, Australian and South African dates Dylan Moran star of Black Books, Shaun of the Dead and Calvary will bring his latest show Off The Hook back to the UK for a limited run during spring 2016

Expect a master class in comedy

Moran who has been referred to as The Oscar Wilde of comedy, has recently been sharpening his deceptively rambling stand-up in unusual places including Kiev, Moscow and Kazakhstan - making him the first western comic to perform in St Petersburg.

This new show, Off The Hook, is Moran’s first stand up show for more than three years. Having received overwhelming reviews in the UK, Off The Hook is a hilarious glimpse into MORAN’S unique take on love, politics, misery and the everyday absurdities of life all delivered with poetical panache.

**** “Trumping Shakespeare, he reduces life to four ages: “Child, failure, old and dead”. Faced with one-liners as killing as that the world suddenly seems a better place.”

The Telegraph

**** “His comedy takes on an existential dimension, as tubby, nicotine-starved, emasculated Moran comes to represent the struggles we all wage for meaning and connection”

The Guardian

**** “High-octane riffs from Irish master of grumpiness…spellbinding”

Evening Standard

**** “In his heightened ideas and vocabulary, Moran compulsively swerves clichés as he builds up layers of laughs… funny and fascinating, and utterly deserving of his place in the modern classics'

The Times

If you missed the must see show of 2015 be sure to catch one of these limited dates when DYLAN returns Spring 2016

Tickets

Coming to Tyne Theatre & Opera House on Friday 11th March 2016, Tickets go on sale Monday 12th October at 10am. Suitable 15+

Tickets: £25, Concessions £23 (plus booking fees when booking online and over the phone)

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House Box Office is open 10am-3:30pm Monday to Friday and event days

Booking and Information Line: 0844 2491 000 (10am – 6pm Monday to Friday)

More information at the website: www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk

 

Preview: Freeze FRAME at Tyne Theatre

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Freeze FRAME: The Illustrated Cinemas of Newcastle

Newcastle Tyne Theatre

Monday 1^st June to Tuesday 30^th June

Newcastle’s glorious cinema heritage is being celebrated with a new collection of eight artworks. Heaton based artist and illustrator Ben Holland has been working on the series of drawings for the last two years and will exhibit the collection for the first time in one of Newcastle’s most historic cinema buildings.

The Tyne Theatre and Opera House, previously the Stoll Picture House on Westgate Road, first opened its doors as a cinema on 2^nd June 1919 with a screening of Tarzan of the Apes. 96 years on, the auditorium will once again be filled with memories of the silver screen as the collection, entitled Freeze FRAME, is displayed in the theatre, initially onstage (1^st & 2^nd June) and then throughout the remainder of the month in a public exhibition space.

“There’s something about old cinema buildings, a certain romanticism that I really like. These drawings try to encapsulate these eras, certainly with a hint of nostalgia but also with an undercurrent of edginess. Often these were the places that provided real talking points for their customers, from the news reel films of the 30’s through to controversial movies of the 70’s, into 90’s blockbusters and beyond.”

“It’s not a definitive collection of every Newcastle cinema by any means – there’s been more than eight for starters. Rather it’s a snapshot of some of Newcastle’s key buildings throughout the 20^th century. Some of those buildings, like the Tyne Theatre and Tyneside Cinema are very much still here today. Others, notably the Odeon on Pilgrim Street are, shamefully, derelict and further still the Pavilion and ABC have been pulled down altogether. These new artworks will hopefully both rekindle some memories as well as add to the debate about the regeneration of Newcastle’s city centre.”

All eight artworks have been researched by piecing together several library archive photographs. Each composition has then been painstakingly hand drawn in pen and pencil. All limited edition prints are hand coloured after printing – giving each print a unique touch of originality. 

Ben’s work – which has until now centred around the subject of Newcastle’s pubs and cafes – has previously been displayed in galleries and venues throughout the city. He has also previously been nominated as a finalist for The Biscuit Factory’s UK Young Artist of the Year Award. Freeze FRAME is his first major solo collection.

Tyne Theatre & Opera House are thrilled to be playing host to this event and using the stage space in a different way. Attendees are welcomed to join Ben and his work on stage on Monday 1^st June from 7pm to 9pm. Freeze FRAME will stay on stage on Tuesday 2^nd June from 10am to 3.30pm then moved to a gallery location within the Tyne Theatre & Opera House for the duration of June 2015.

FREE ENTRY. On Stage Exhibition: Mon 1st June from 7pm to 9pm, Tues 2nd June from 10am to 3.30pm. Gallery Exhibition: From Wed 3rd to Tues 30th June (Mon to Fri only) 10am to 3.30pm.

On The Web:

Website: www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tynetheatreandoperahouse

Twitter: twitter.com/tyneoperahouse

Theatre Address: 109 – 119 Westgate Road, Newcastle, NE1 4AG

Preview: Legally Blonde at Tyne Theatre & Opera House

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Legally Blonde

Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Monday 23^rd– Saturday 28^th November 2015

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House is proud to welcome the West End Musical Theatre Co. with the North East’s amateur premier of the Smash Hit Musical, Legally Blonde.

Sorority Sister Elle Woods doesn’t take ‘No’ for an answer, so when her boyfriend dumps her or someone more “serious” Elle puts away the credit card and gets out the law books and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before, Harvard Law.

Along the way Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style.

Join us for this production of this smash hit musical, funny and feel good, you will have a smile on your face throughout!

Music and Lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin.
Book by Heather Hach.
Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture.
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Josef Weinberger Limited on behalf of Music Theatre International of New York.

Tickets:

Monday 23^rd – Saturday 28^th November 2015

Performances daily 7pm, with a 2pmperformance on Thursday and Saturday

Tickets are priced at £19 - £12 (plus booking fees when booking online and over the phone)

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House Box Office is open 10am-3:30pm Monday to Friday and event days

Booking and Information Line: 0844 2491 000 (10am – 6pm Monday to Friday)

Website: www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk 

Preview: Hairspray at Tyne Theatre

Hairspray: Presented by the West End Operatic Society

Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Monday 13^th– Saturday 18^th April 2015

Performances at 7pmwith a 2pmMatinee of Thursday 16^th & Saturday 18^th

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House is very excited to announce that the West End Operatic Society is bringing the Broadway Smash-hit and winner of eight Tony Awards, Hairspray on Monday 13th – Saturday 18th April 2015!

Hairspray’s toe tapping 60s pop score makes it impossible to leave the theatre without a smile.

It’s packed with humour and a story of love, respect and acceptance.

In Baltimore the 50s are out and change is in the air. Loveable plus size heroine, Tracy Turnblad, has a passion for dancing and wins a spot on the local TV dance program, The Corny Collins show.

Overnight she finds herself transformed from outsider to teen celebrity, singing and dancing all the while! Can the larger than life adolescent manage to vanquish the show’s reigning princess, integrate the cast and find true love without messing up her hair?

Online

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tyneoperahouse

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tynetheatreandoperahouse

Tickets:

Tickets are priced from £9 - £16 (plus booking fees when booking online and over the phone)

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House Box Office is open 10am-3:30pm Monday to Friday and event days

Booking and Information Line: 0844 2491 000 (10am – 6pm Monday to Friday)

More information at our Website: www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk

Theatre Address: 109 – 119 Westgate Road, Newcastle, NE1 4AG