Preivew: GIFT: Gateshead International Festival of Theatre

GIFT returns to Gateshead for three action packed days of exciting new contemporary theatre, workshops and discussions

GIFT: Gateshead International Festival of Theatre

Various locations in Gateshead

Friday 4 to Sunday 6 May 2018

GIFT returns to Gateshead this May with an explosive line up of UK and international artists. Celebrating bold contemporary theatre, GIFT brings together audiences and theatre-makers for an action packed three-day festival of new theatre, workshops and discussions. Committed to breaking down barriers, GIFT is accessible and affordable; with a number of free activities and performances across the festival.

As the North East’s only dedicated contemporary theatre festival, GIFT is a unique opportunity for audiences to experience contemporary theatre and international work right on their doorstep. With events happening across a variety of Gateshead venues, this year’s programme includes a thrilling mix of contemporary dance, live art, durational performances, children’s shows, physical theatre and workshops. It’s not to be missed!

As GIFT Festival Director, Kate Craddock explains: "For GIFT 2018 audiences should expect to be surprised by the diverse range of work in the programme, but also be prepared to get really involved. There are lots of artists in the programme who will be testing out new ideas for shows, and so audiences will be invited to offer feedback in different ways, contributing to the next steps of a number of new artistic projects.

Composed presented by Rosa Postlethwaite as part of GIFT at
Caedmon Hall. Photo: Dawn Felicia Knox (Sat)

By programming events in venues across Gateshead, GIFT 2018 will stretch from BALTIC on Gateshead's Quayside, all the way up through the town centre to Caedmon Hall in Gateshead Central Library, and on to the amazing gallery and creative space Thought Foundation in Birtley. By creating GIFT events in many different spaces, GIFT aims to reach lots of people who might not have encountered GIFT or the type of experience it offers.

This year, alongside the extraordinary artists from across the UK and Europe who have been invited to perform at GIFT, there are also lots of North East based artists to look out for."

GIFT showcases theatre that’s contemporary and relevant. It’s about bringing people together to think, share and have fun. Crossing cultural and interdisciplinary boundaries, GIFT champions work from some of the most exciting, honest and innovative performance artists around.

GIFT features over 50 artists, over 25 performances and events across 8 venues. Below are just some of the highlights from the 2018 programme. 

GIFT 2018 highlights

For 2018, GIFT is particularly excited to be returning to BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art with a selection of free and ticketed events. 

Durational performances at BALTIC

Wallflower presented by Quarantine as part of GIFT at BALTIC (Fri)

At BALTIC, on Friday 4 May, join award-winning Manchester based theatre company Quarantine for Wallflower a breath-taking 5-hour durational dance marathon. Quarantine are a unique voice in British theatre, internationally acclaimed for their experiments with everyday life. Spanning a lifetime of music, fashion, politics, friendships, parties, love and loss, Wallflower is a show about how dancing can shape our lives. Alongside this performance, audiences are invited to share their own remembered dances and add to a playlist of tracks, which will be played at the Wallflower after-show party (also at BALTIC).  As the company’s director Richard Gregory explains:

“Like much of Quarantine’s work, the performance serves as a form of portraiture – a brief glimpse of the complexity of so-called ordinary lives. These are live self-portraits. In the moment, the performers choose which dances they want to present, which narratives to reveal and pursue, an ongoing process of tangling and untangling personal histories.  Sometimes they’ll return to a memory to discover something new or to correct a detail.  As we look at the portrait of another, we might also somehow see ourselves. I’m drawn to the difference between what we think we’re showing and how we’re being seen. And of course, when we’re the ones doing the seeing, our own experience influences what we think we see.  Dance appears to be a potent way to do this – it’s familiar to us all, whether we choose to sit on the sidelines or jump right in”

Present Tense presented by Adam York Gregory &
Gillian Jane Lees as part of GIFT at BALTIC (Sat)

On Saturday 5 May, Glasgow based performance artists Adam York Gregory & Gillian Jane Lees share Present Tense a task based durational performance at BALTIC. Experimenting with anxiety, a performer backs herself into a corner by setting several hundred mouse-traps, each one adding to a growing sense of tension and a breath-taking visual.

International artists

This year’s International artists include Danish theatre company CHACMA and German performance artists Oliver Zhan and Julian Warner. CHACMA present ROBUST a unique fusion of physical theatre, soundscape and poetry slam at BALTIC on Saturday 5 May at 2pm and 4pm. Oliver Zahn and Julian Warner present Situation with Doppelgänger examining the cultural appropriation of the minstrel dance at BALTIC on Saturday 6 May at 8.30pm.

New for 2018

For the first time, GIFT is joining forces with the Thought Foundation in Birtley to present a selection of performances and works in progress. Newcastle trio Bonnie and the Bonnettes will be based at the Thought Foundation working on their new show And She. exploring motherhood, femininity and reinvention. They will open up their rehearsal room on Sunday 6 May between 10am-3pm inviting GIFT participants to drop in and share their stories and thoughts on motherhood. As Cameron Sharp, from Bonnie and the Bonnettes, said:

Someone Loves You Drive With Care presented
by Tom Cassani as part of GIFT at BALTIC (Sun)

“GIFT is hugely important as it gives us a platform to begin work on our second show. It’s a stepping stone between the gathering of our mums stories, which we did with a residency at Gala Theatre supported by the NEAD scheme, and going on to make the show. With GIFT, we are opening our first rehearsal up for an audience to come in and to hear our mums words, in our voices, for the first time. We are really excited to start work on our second show. It's going to be a lot different and a lot bigger than our debut show Drag Me to Love”

Also, new for 2018, GIFT has curated two Scratch events. Little GIFT Scratch is especially created for young people (4-8 year olds) and their families. Taking place on Saturday 5 May, Little GIFT Scratch includes two work-in-progress performances by NE artists created specifically for young people and their grown-ups. Plus, on Saturday night, the GREAT GIFT Scratch will bring together some of the most daring NE based artists for a night of brand new ideas. These Scratch events give audiences a unique chance to see work at a very early stage and offer feedback on their future development.

Other artists and companies featured during the festival include Third Angel (Sheffield), Unfolding Theatre (Newcastle), Rosa Postlethwaite (Newcastle), Jamie Harper (London), Hannah Sullivan (Bristol), Helen Collard (Newcastle) and Tom Cassani (Leeds).

Tickets

Draw To Look presented by Hannah Sulivan
as part of GIFT (Sat & Sun)

GIFT brings together artists, audiences and participants in venues and locations across Gateshead from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 May. Festival Passes allowing access to all events are £40 (Full Price) and £25 (Concessions).

Tickets for individual events vary from £5 to £12. There are also a number of free performances and events throughout the festival.

Find out more about GIFT and book tickets giftfestival.co.uk

Join the conversation on Twitter #GIFT18 @GIFTfest

REVIEW: My Romantic History ★★★★½ at Newcastle Live Theatre

My Romantic History ★★★★½

Newcastle Live Theatre

Until Saturday 12^th May 2018

Writer: D. C. Jackson

Director: Max Roberts

Designer: Alison Ashton

Illustrations: Ben Holland

One of the funniest adult comedies that we have seen this year has landed on Newcastle’s quayside. Fast paced, well observed writing and a great cast combine for a great night at the theatre.

Tom (Brian Lonsdale) has started a new job and he is shown the ropes by friendly Sasha (Amy McAllister). Quickly action moves to the end of the first week and Tom is invited to go with his new workmates for a drink after work. He meets up with Amy (Bryony Corrigan) who works on another floor. They hit it off and one thing leads to another – a whirlwind office romance begins.

This show has a nice take on the whole boy meets girl trope. In Act One Tom breaks the fourth wall and describes his thoughts and exclaims at the horror of being sociable at work.  It is like the Michael Caine or Jude Law films Alfie only much, much more funny. In Act Two the tables are turned as Sasha gets her turn to reveal what was going on in her mind.  The quality of the writing from D C Jackson shines through.

The cast have great comic timing and work well with the audience reaction. Brian Lonsdale and Bryony Corrigan are credible in their portrayal of a fledgling relationship. Amy McAllister fills in with a range of additional characters as the action heads through the dating history of the couple.  Live Theatre’s Emeritus Artistic Director Max Roberts keeps the action flowing in a show that runs for 100 minutes, without an interval. The decision to go without an interval keeps up the intensity.

Live Theatre productions have innovative designs and Alison Ashton’s set is no different. Projecting over the top are the pen and ink designs of Ben Holland which illustrate the Newcastle locations that the action is taking place in. We are fans of Ben’s work – indeed we have 4 examples of his work in this room as I type this.

This is an adult comedy. The script uses all of the naughty words. The action includes situations that drunk adults find themselves in. However the audience were laughing throughout the performance. Digging a little deeper, you will feel empathy for the characters. No one comes across as unlikeable and you can identify with the scenario. Workplaces throw random people together that have little else in common. We spend a frightening amount of our lives at work, no wonder some workplace relationships are ignited in this way.

My Relationship History is a tight, well observed comedy. A great evening of theatre.

Review by Stephen Oliver

Events:

Writer D.C. Jackson will give a FREE Meet the Writer Talk after the 2pm performance on Saturday 21 March. A Meet the Cast Talk will talk place after the 7.30pm performance on Thursday 26 April. Both talks are free for attenders that evening, and will be made available to listen again on Live Theatre’s website shortly afterwards at www.live.org.uk/talks.

Tickets:

My Romantic History, suitable for ages 16+ and runs at Live Theatre between Thursday 19 April and Saturday 12 May. Tickets cost between £10 and £22 with concessions from £6. Young people aged 25 and under can now claim concession price tickets from £6 at Live Theatre with proof of their date of birth. For more information or to book tickets visit www.live.org.uk or contact Live Theatre’s box office on (0191) 232 1232.

Preview: When We Are Married at Newcastle People’s Theatre

“Eeeh – they’ll hear the rumpus about this from here to Leeds!”

When We Are Married by J B Priestley

Newcastle People’s Theatre

Tuesday 1 to Saturday 5 May 2018

Alderman Joseph Helliwell and his wife have invited their friends the Parkers and the Soppitts to their sumptuous home in Clecklewyke. All three couples were married the same day twenty-five years earlier by the same parson, and their silver wedding celebrations are to be captured for posterity by the photographer of the Yorkshire Argus.

But these paragons of bourgeois respectability choke on their sherry when it’s discovered that due to an administrative mistake – they aren’t actually married!

Priestley’s When We Are Married throws a playful spanner into the works of Edwardian society, poking merciless fun at the social pretensions of provincial grandees in the England of 1908. The sitting-room doors of the Helliwell’s mansion form a perfect arena for farcical comings and goings as middle-class values are hilariously punctured.

One of the most durable classics of the Twentieth century, this lovable drama combines the high-society wit of Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest with the earthy rumbustiousness of Brighouse’s Hobson’s Choice.

Priestley’s brilliant sweet-and-sour dialogue and his laughably haughty characters mean that this classic play still delivers the comic goods with engaging panache.  

Also in May, the laughs keep on coming in spy spoof The 39 Steps adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan and film by Alfred Hitchcock.  A cast of 4 play over 150 characters in this fast-paced tale which pairs a notorious fugitive and a spellbinding blonde in a thrilling adventure. The Guardian called the original production “theatrical tomfoolery to die for”!

Plus their talented Young People’s Theatre take their production of The Blue Electric Wind by Brad Birch to Northern Stage on Thursday 10 May as part of the National Theatre Connections Festival.

Photos: Paula Smart

Tickets:

Cost £14 (Concessions £11.50) – Box Office: 0191 265 5020

Online ticket sales:       www.peoplestheatre.co.uk

Preview: JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN

ELYSIUM THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS

the Northern Premiere of

JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN

by Stephen Adly Guirgis 

Durham  Assembly Rooms

Monday 14 May 2018  

Manchester Home Theatre 2

Wednesday 16 – Saturday 19 May 2018

Alastair Gillies, Faz Singhateh, Danny Solomon, Garth Williams

Angel Cruz is standing trial for shooting the Reverend Kim in the ass; Reverend Kim later died. Lucius Jenkins is on appeal, trying to avoid the death penalty for the murder of eight people. For one hour each day, both men share adjacent cages on Rikers Island, New York’s top security prison. Then one day they get talking.

Danny Solomon and Alice Frankham

Jesus Hopped The ‘A’ Train is a funny, powerful, adrenaline-fuelled drama of good and evil, penalty and redemption, by award-winning American playwright Stephen Adley Giurgis (The Motherfucker With The Hat, National Theatre and The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot at the Almeida).

Elysium TC is a new theatre company dedicated to bringing the best of world theatre to the North. Their debut production, 'Days Of Wine And Roses', received rave reviews when it played at the Assembly Rooms in Durham and 53two in Manchester last year. This is their second premiere at the Assembly Rooms, where they are Resident Company. 

PRAISE FOR THEIR LAST SHOW, 'DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES' BY OWEN McCAFFERTY

Nominated for Best Fringe Performance - Danny Solomon (Donal) - Manchester Theatre Awards 2018

"A well acted and gritty tale that deserves a big audience." - North East Theatre Guide

"This is the sort of theatre I love to see. Well written, well performed and well directed." - North West End

"A very powerful play with excellent performances." - Manchester Theatre Awards

On The Web:

Twitter: @ElysiumTc

Cast and Creatives:

Directed by Jake Murray

Produced by Hannah Ellis

Designed by Louis Price

Cast: Danny Solomon, Faz Singhateh and Alice Frankham

Tickets:

Durham  Assembly Rooms

14 May 2018 £7.50/ £5.00 Box Office 0191 334 1419 www.durhamstudenttheatre.org

Manchester Home Theatre 2

16-19 May 2018, £12.50/ £10.50 (other concessions available) https://homemcr.org/production/jesus-hopped-train/

Preview: Where Do We Stand? at Newcastle Northern Stage

Northern Stage Young Company presents:

Where Do We Stand? 

Newcastle Northern Stage

Wednesday 25^th – Saturday 28^th April 2018 

Where Do We Stand? is a kaleidoscopic view of the state of our young nation through the eyes, ears, spirits and minds of Generation Z. Untold stories and unheard voices on what it is to live, work and dream in Newcastle in 2018. 

Louie Ingham - centre - at Young Company rehearsal for Ella Grey in 2017 - Photo: Mark Savage

An unmissable, bold theatre event made in, and by, young people living in the North East right now. Collectively written by Lee Mattinson, Laurence Wilson and Northern Stage’s Young Company and developed with Kamal Kaan, and featuring percussionist Lee McMenemy who regularly busks on Northumberland Street.

Young Company Rehearsals - Photo: Sophie Teasdale

Young Company Associate Director, Louie Ingham says, “The show is a heady fusion of spoken word, live music, physical and visual landscapes. Prepare to question where you stand on everything from love, work, gender, globalisation, peace, rebellion, sovereignty, designer brands and bent bananas.”

Running time: 90 mins

Age recommendation 14+ (contains strong language and themes)

BSL performance: Friday 27 April

Tickets:

Tickets start at £10. For full details or to book tickets see www.northernstage.co.uk or call the box office on 0191 230 5151.

Preview: Les Misérables at Newcastle Theatre Royal

CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S ACCLAIMED BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF LES MISÉRABLES HEADS TO NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL

Les Misérables 
Newcastle Theatre Royal 
Thursday 15 August – Saturday 5 October 2019

Photo by Michael Le Poer Trench. Copyright CML

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that the internationally celebrated  Boublil and Schönberg musical Les Misérables will be coming to Newcastle Theatre Royal (Thursday 15 August – Saturday 5 October 2019) as part of its first UK tour in almost a decade with tickets set to go on sale in June 2018.

Photo by Michael Le Poer Trench. Copyright CML

Les Misérables marks a triumphant return to Newcastle Theatre Royal for Cameron Mackintosh following the hugely popular runs of Mary Poppins in 2016, Barnum in 2015 and Oliver! in 2012 and the epic eight week run will be one of the longest for a musical in the venue’s history.



The lead character of ‘Jean Valjean’ will be played by Killian Donnelly who is currently thrilling audiences in the role in the West End production.  Prior to his run in Les Misérables, he played the role of ‘Charlie Price’ in Kinky Boots on Broadway, a role he originated at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End in 2015, for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award. His other theatre credits include: ‘Jackie Day’ in Donegal, a new play by Frank McGuinness, at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin and ‘Huey’ in the original London cast of Memphis at the Shaftesbury Theatre for which he was also nominated for an Olivier Award.  He created the role of ‘Deco’ in The Commitments at the Palace Theatre and has also played ‘Tony’ in Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre as well as ‘Raoul’ in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

He first joined the company of Les Misérables in 2008, going onto play the role of ‘Enjolras’ from 2009 to 2011. In 2010, he played the role of ‘Courfeyrac’ in the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables at The O2 Arena and also played the role of ‘Combeferre’ in the multi-award-winning film of the show, released in 2012.

Killian Donnelly as 'Jean Valjean'. Photo Matt Crockett

Cameron Mackintosh said, “When I announced the first UK tour of Les Misérables for ten years, I was really delighted that Killian said to me that he would like to continue playing Jean Valjean.  No stranger to the original production, having played both Enjolras and Valjean with enormous success, his passionate take on the role will be even greater in the thrilling staging of my new production which has proved to be a worldwide success all over again. He is the first Irishman to play the role since Colm Wilkinson in the original and I’m delighted that from advance bookings, this new tour looks set to be sold out before we open.”



Since Cameron Mackintosh first conceived this new production of Les Misérables to celebrate the shows 25th anniversary in 2009, it has taken the world by storm. It also inspired the hugely successful movie version starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne.



This brilliant new staging has scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, and has been seen in North America, South America, Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia, Spain, France, Manila, Singapore, Dubai and Broadway.



Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, Boublil and Schönberg’s magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the songs, I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Stars, Bring Him Home, Do You Hear the People Sing?, One Day More, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, Master Of The House and many more.  Seen by over 120 million people worldwide in 45 countries and in 22 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals.


Tickets: Tickets for Les Misérables go on to Friends of the Theatre Royal on Tuesday 5 June 2018 at 11am and to the general public on Thursday 21 June 2018 at 11am. Find out more about how to become a Friend of the Theatre Royal by visiting www.theatreroyal.co.uk/ support/become-a-friend

REVIEW: Priscilla Queen of the Desert ★★★★ at Darlington Hippodrome

Priscilla Queen of the Desert ★★★★

Darlington Hippodrome

Until Saturday 28^th April 2018

The Australian road trip with a difference is in town as Priscilla Queen of the Desert storms into Darlington this week. Filled full of disco mega hits and real pathos in the storyline, this is going to prove to be a hit with the Darlo crowd.

Tick (Nicholas Fletcher-Holmes), who performs under the stage name Mitzi Mitosis, is a drag queen in Sidney Australia.  He takes a call from his estranged wife Marion (Beth Hopper) who wants him to call and meet up with his 6 year old son. The trouble is that she is based miles away in Alice Springs. She suggests that he performs at her local casino, so he invites 2 fellow performers along for the trip and to help with the show. Bernadette (Julian Cound) is an older performer from the lip sync generation. She had toured with a successful group and needed some persuasion to join in. Meanwhile Adam (Luke Oldfield), who sings under the stage name Felicia, has also joined the trip. His dream is to perform Kylie songs on Ayers Rock in a frock.  The difference in age, values and culture quickly comes apparent as they start the long run into the bush.

To take them there Adam has bought an old school bus and he names it ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’. This production indeed features a bus on stage that can swing around to reveal the action in Priscilla's interior.

This show is full of disco standards like I Will Survive, Don’t Leave Me This Way and Boogie Wonderland. A live band, under musical director Nigel Ball, and many talented singers help make the music side of the production a real strength of the show. Indeed, the show opens with three divas, Rhiannon Walker, Jenny Poole and Tori McDougall, belting out Its Raining Men. These 3 regularly pop up to back the lip sync routines and show that they have real power in the vocal department.

Other numbers are performed by harmonising chorus groups which also worked well. Like every good musical we have the solo opportunities for the principals in the cast to emote their case.

The story is a strong one which examines attitudes to homophobia, fatherhood and generational conflict. Whilst never being afraid not to pull a punch, it remembers that the audience is here for a good night’s entertainment and chucks in plenty of laughs.  Julian Cound probably gets the pick of the comedy responses as Bernadette addresses various situations with calmly delivered put downs. Some of the humour and innuendo is adult and whilst it may go over kid’s heads, this would probably not be a show for the under 14s.

So, the show delivers great songs, tight dance routines, a sense of humour and some wonderful character acting under director and choreographer Martyn Knight. From the fragility of the 3 travellers on the bus to the pragmatic and sympathetic mechanic Bob, played sensitively by David Murray, there is a chemistry between the performers.

Two young lads are sharing the role of Tick's son Benji. Whilst Jamie Collict will be appearing later in the week, we had the confident Matthew Scott. Lines were delivered well, he sang beautifully, and he joined in with the dancing at the end. We have witnessed previous young lads not appear as relaxed in the role in other productions.

We said it about Darlington Operatic Society's Spamalot, and we'll say it again, mix up with the curtains aside, there wasn't a massive difference between this production and the professional production. Well done to everyone involved.  Next up for Darlington Operatic Society is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which is making its North East amateur here. Tickets go on sale this week and are available direct from the society rather than from the theatre.

Review by Stephen Oliver

Tickets:

Priscilla Queen of the Desert runs at Darlington Hippodrome from Wednesday 18^th to Saturday 28^thApril. Thursday April 26 is a BSL Interpreted performance. There is a 14+ age recommendation on this show.

Tickets are available now fromwww.darlingtonos.org.uk or by calling the ticket hotline on 01325 244659. Tickets for Priscilla are not available through the Hippodrome box office.