Review: Rapunzel at Newcastle People’s Theatre

Rapunzel Reaches For The Stars!

Rapunzel

Newcastle People’s Theatre

Until Sunday 14th December 2014

The show begins with Fairy L’Oreal setting the scene , because she is worth it. The King & Queen of Jesmond had a baby girl and through various magic spells they ended up losing her to Mother Gothel. She is imprisoned in a tower so that Mother Gothel can keep her youth. Will a prince come along to rescue her?

All of the essential ingredients are here for an entertaining pantomime. The jokes, the songs, the dame, the jester, the poor girl and the prince who wants to sweep her off her feet.

Most productions at Newcastle’s People’s Theatre rarely include songs and it made a change to hear the singing talents of the company. Emma Jane Richards, as Rapunzel, has a great voice whilst the duet of Happyfrom Craig Fairbairn, as Jimmy Jangles, and Prince Flynn, who was performed by Joe Robson, was very upbeat. Special mention should go to the multiple roles and quick costume changes by Roger Liddle, who had a great rendition of I Gotta Feeling.

Each musical number was accompanied by numerous young dancers in fantastic costumes. This had the effect of turning many songs into bigger production numbers. The show even had its Riverdance moment thanks to the quality input from the talented Clann Na nGael. Credit must go to those behind the scenes for the lighting, sound and stage management of such large numbers on stage.

Regular puns are necessary for a classic panto and their delivery requires the actors to have the skills of a stand up comedian. The bulk of the laughs landing on Steve Robertson, as the panto dame Queen Sadie, and on the jester Jimmy Jangles. Craig Fairbairn was in his element keeping the kids involved and ensuring the pace didn’t dip.

The evil characters know that they’ve done well when they register a negative reaction at the curtain call. Moira Gothel and Nathan Hussain did a great job as they left an impression on the kids, without slowing the action, as did Mother Gothel and Jasper respectively.

Anna Dobson has directed a canny panto which is full of parochial references and isn’t afraid to have a traditional sense of a variety show. Great musical numbers and amusing jokes ensure that there is much to like.

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.

Photos by Paula Smart: https://www.facebook.com/thejazzdevilphoto

Tickets:

2pm & 7pm – Saturdays

2pm – Sundays

7pm - weekdays (no performance on Wed 10th)

Tickets £14/£11.50/Family Ticket £46

Box Office: 0191 265 5020

Online: www.peoplestheatre.co.uk

Cast  

Fairy L'Oreal      Sarah Scott

Mother Gothel Moira Valentine

Rapunzel Emma Jane Richards

Prince Flynn       Joe Robson

Queen Sadie    Steve Robertson

Jimmy Jangles Craig Fairbairn

Jasper       Nathan Hussain

King Jack of Jesmond/Noggins/Foiggins/Boggins/Scroggins       Roger Liddle

Tiddles       Sands Dobson/Mark Burden/Sally Cooper

Chorus      Fiona Morris, Annabelle Warwick, Annie Ranken, Nathan Tonks, Alex Carmichael, Olivia Marcella, Barbara Edmundson, Sarah Thomas

Babes        From Jill Errington Dance School

Dancers    from Newcastle High School for Girls and Clann Na nGael

Production Team        

Director     Anna Dobson

Musical Director         James & Hayley Russell

Choreographer          Julie Bowman

Assistant Director       Sean Burnside

Wardrobe          Dianne Edwards and Team

Stage Manager         Pamela Harris

Assistant Stage Managers          Annaliese Jane Bibby & Karen Dales

Lighting Designer       Lisa Harrison

Lighting Crew   Karen Dales, Dave Bailey, Izzy Waugh, Annaliese Jane Bibby, Ian Ross Willis, Scott Sweeting, Emily Jeffery, Lauren Allison, Martin Collins, Vanessa Aiken, Rhiannon Wilson

Sound Designer          Dave Bailey

Sound Crew      Izzy Waugh

Set Designer      Stuart Taylor

Set Builders        Sands Dobson, Joshua Gray, David Campbell, Ricky Harris

Set Painters        Wendy Bennett, Karen Dales, Anneliese Jane Bibby, Julie Bemment, Jenny Irvine, Ann Hood, Hazel Mynard, Stuart Taylor, Pamela Harris

Flyman      Dave Harvey

Props         Wendy Bennett

Stage Crew       Ricky Harris, Sara Jo Harrison

Children's Co-ordinator      Margaret Oliver

 

Review: Get Santa! at Newcastle Northern Stage

Being Normal Isn’t Normal!

Get Santa!

Newcastle Northern Stage

Until Saturday 27^th December 2014.

Poor ten year old Holly doesn’t want presents for Christmas, so she writes to Santa to tell him. All that she wants is to see her real Dad, the one who gave her a big teddy bear to look after. She has been really good all year, unlike the lad at school who flooded the toilets. Holly also wants to meet Santa so she hatches a plan.

Northern Stage don’t put on a traditional pantomime at Christmas, rather, they put on a couple of plays for children, and this year Get Santa is for the over 7s. whilst there is no shriek of “It’s behind you” and rapid puns, there is still a healthy mixture of laughs, slapstick and music to keep the young entertained. Director Lorne Campbell has done a cracking job of producing a play which had the full house smiling.

Tessa Parr is immediately engaging with the audience, as the young Holly, and shares a number of the early chuckles with Gary Kitching, who plays her step Dad. Anthony Neilson and Nick Powell set up a less than conventional story as Holly’s step Dad is a dog who thinks it is normal to decorate a tree with meat and sausages. Her Gran, played by Jane Holman, tries to explain that no family is normal before breaking into song about how she doesn’t care what people say. Not batting an eyelid throughout the show is Paula Penman as Holly’s Mum.

The set design is a cross between a living room and an advent calendar. This gives a number of handy windows for the chorus, dressed up as snowmen, to appear. The snowmen may have resembled the Canadians in the South Park Movie but they added a seasonal feel to the show when they appeared.

When Christmas comes Santa (James Ryland), his son Bumblehole (Tom Walton) and her favourite Teddy (Scott Turnbull) get involved as the plot twists and turns. The children in the audience were captivated as the narrative unfolded. The cliff hanger at the interval was a nice touch. The music from Aly Macrae fits in nicely with the tempo of the show.

Northern Stage have a Christmas show that they can be proud which leaves the audience, both young and old, feeling happy and in the Christmas spirit. Tessa is wonderful as the young naïve Holly and there is no weak link in the rest of the cast. Perhaps a bigger role could have been given to Gary Kitching with his natural comic timing but that is a minor quibble.

This is a warm, friendly Christmas show which shows everyone that weird is normal and left the audience grinning.

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:

Get Santa! Mon 1 – Sat 27 Dec

Tickets: £24 / £19.50 / £14.50, under 21s £12 
Special Deals:
Families: Family of 4 - £60 for selected performances (see website)
Multibuy: Buy at the same time as other shows to recieve a discount - see multibuy website

A jolly Christmas play full of songs, slapstick, puppetry and fun for children aged 7 and over and their families.

Box Office: 0191 230 5151

www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/get-santa

Review: Little Red Riding Hood at South Shields Customs House

Once Upon A Time In Cooksonville…

Little Red Riding Hood

South ShieldsCustoms House

Until Saturday 10^th January 2015

A pantomime should have something for all of the family including laughs, songs and shouts of “behind you” and this year’s production at the Customs House has them all in bucket loads.

The storyline is revealed in the first scene but this production by Ray Spencer and Graeme Thompson is about much more than the final climax. Natasha Haws is the delightful Little Red Riding Hood and she puts her experience as a singer to good use early on with Pharrell Williams’ Happy. The jokes were flying from the start as Red described her family as consisting of “Aunty Freeze and Uncle Timber”.  Timber, played by Craig Richardson, quickly engaged with the audience.

Granny Hood represented the come back of South Shields’ legend Ray Spencer. His wit and repartee often echoed the late great Les Dawson. Rarely was a line delivered without a pun. Occasionally the innuendo flew over the head of the younger members of the audience.  Ray was as happy performing slapstick in his fish shop as he was tap dancing on the big production number Tap Your Troubles Away.

The lavish production values for one of the regions smaller pantomimes extended to the wonderful bad guys. The outfits of Wolfgang and Bracken coupled with the opportunity to wind up the audience on a regular basis must make these great roles to perform in. Steven Lee Hamilton, as Wolfgang, makes a great baddy for the kids to boo at. Jamie Birkett also produced the singing performance of the evening with her wonderful version of Disney’s Let It Go.  The year’s hits fitted in well with the story and even included Everything Is Awesome from this year’s blockbuster Lego The Movie. 

The supporting cast included Three lovely Little Pigs who were the source of many piggy jokes, a glamorous Prince Charming, the crafty Mr Fracker and a troupe of talented young dancers.

The show describes itself as the “Little Panto with the big heart and eyes and teeth” which is pretty accurate. The show is crammed full of jokes and popular recent hits.  The talented cast offer a fun way to spend time with your family.

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:

Little Red Riding Hood is at The Customs House from December 2 to January 10.

Tickets, priced from £9, are available from the box office on 0191 454 1234 or visit www.customshouse.co.uk.

Cast:

Natasha Haws: Red

Ray Spencer: Granny Hood

Steven Lee Hamilton: Wolfgang

Jamie Birkett: Bracken

Jamie Brown: Prince Chop-a-lot

Craig Richardson: Timber

Stephen Sullivan: Mr Fracker

Luke Maddison: Savaloy

Gareth Hunter: Bratwurst

Kylie Ann Ford: Chorizo

Preview: Teechers Blackeyed Theatre Company on tour

Teechers By John Godber

In Spring 2015, Berkshire-based Blackeyed Theatre Company embarks on a 43-date UK tour of John Godber’s classic comedy, Teechers. The timeless classroom comedy has performances at theatres throughout England and Scotland from 22 January until 28 March.

This is a revival of Blackeyed Theatre’s highly-acclaimed 2013 production of John Godber’s play about life at a modern comprehensive for Mr Nixon, an unsuspecting new drama teacher. Fast-moving, inventive and highly entertaining, Teechers brings to life an array of terrifying teachers and hopeless pupils through the unique eyes of Salty, Gail and Hobby; three Year 11 students about to leave school for good.

Jake Addley as Salty

Photo: Alex Harvey-Brown

Combining high energy, break-neck comedy and breathtaking ensemble performances, Teechers is a modern classic with something vital to say about education for the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.

Director Adrian McDougall said, “I can promise audiences a brilliant evening’s entertainment, lots of laughs as well as one or two genuinely touching moments. In the light of recent comments made by government ministers about the importance of Arts and Humanities subjects in schools, the messages contained in the play are more pertinent than ever.”

Adrian McDougall directs Jake Addley, Lucy Benson-Brown and Brad Clapson in a production choreographed by Scott Jenkins. The artistic team includes Victoria Spearing, Charlotte McClelland (lighting design) and Jenny Little (costume design).

Director Adrian McDougall

Cast Jacob Addley, Lucy Benson-Brown, Brad Clapson

Produced by Blackeyed Theatre in association with South Hill Park

On The Web:

Website: www.blackeyedtheatre.co.uk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/blackeyedtheatr

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Blackeyed-Theatre

Tour Dates – Spring 2015

January 22 – 23: Wilde Theatre, Bracknell - 7.30pm 24: Swindon Arts Centre - 7.30pm 27: Capitol Theatre, Horsham - 7.30pm 28: Radlett Centre, Radlett - 8pm 29: Lincoln Performing Arts Centre - 7.30pm 30: Palace Theatre, Newark - 7.30pm February 2: Auden Theatre, Holt - 8pm 3 – 4: Mumford Theatre, Cambridge - 7.30pm 5 – 6: Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds - 7.30pm (+2pm  Fri) 7: Braintree Arts Theatre - 7.30pm 9: Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury - 7.30pm 10 – 11: Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury - 7.30pm (+2.30pm Wed) 12 – 13: The Atkinson, Southport - 7.30pm Thu, 2pm Fri 25: The Castle, Wellingborough - 7.30pm 26: Middlesbrough Theatre - 7.30pm 27: Gala, Durham - 7.30pm 28: Alnwick Playhouse - 7.30pm March 3: Cumbernauld Theatre - 7.45pm 4: Macrobert, Stirling - 7.30pm 5: The Brunton, Musselburgh - 7.30pm 6: The Witham, Castle Barnard - 7.30pm 9: Paul Robeson Theatre, Hounslow - 7.30pm 10: The Lights, Andover - 7.30pm 11: Tacchi Morris, Taunton - 7.30pm 12: Octagon Theatre, Yeovil - 7.30pm 13 – 14: Playhouse, Weston-Super-Mare - 7.30pm 16: Queen’s, Barnstaple - 7.45pm 17 – 18: Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton - 7.30pm (+1pm Wed) 19 – 20: Stafford Gatehouse - 7.30pm (+2.30pm  Fri) 21: The Civic, Barnsley - 7.30pm 23: Burnley Mechanics - 7.30pm 25: Arlington Arts, Newbury - 1.30 & 7.30pm 26: Cornerstone, Didcot - 8pm 27: Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells - 8pm 28: Connaught Theatre, Worthing - 7.30pm

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News: Panto Cast Bring Festive Cheer to Newcastle Children's Wards

Panto Cast Bring Festive Cheer to

Newcastle Children's Wards

The cast of the Newcastle Theatre Royal’s panto Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will visit four wards at the Great North Children’s Hospital tomorrow morning to bring festive cheer to poorly little ones.

The stars of the show will take time out of their busy schedules – 92 performances in 55 days! – to spend some time chatting to some of their youngest and biggest fans, giving out panto gifts and signing plenty of autographs.

The Theatre Royal panto is often cited as the fastest selling panto in the country and one of the most successful in the world. The show runs longer than every other panto in the region and now stands at a staggering 92 performances. Snow White has already broken all Box Office Records to become the Theatre’s biggest ever selling pantomime - over 83,000 tickets have already been sold and two additional performances added due to continuous growing demand - on Sunday 18 January at 1pm and 5pm.

As Clive Webb and Danny Adams’ Ten Year anniversary production, Snow White is the Theatre Royal’s most spectacular show yet - jam-packed full of more fun, adventure and comedy than ever before, as well as non-stop magic and surprises galore. As always, there is plenty of glitz and glamour along with sensational musical numbers and breath-taking fairytale sets and costumes, after all, this isn’t just panto – it’s Theatre Royal panto!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – ‘The Fairest Panto in all the Land’ is proudly supported by local Media Partner Heart FM.

Tickets:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is at Newcastle Theatre Royal until Sunday 18 January 2015. 

Tickets are available from £12 (a booking fee of 95p - £1.95 will apply to most tickets) and can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 or select your own seat and book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Preview: Buddy Wakefield at Newcastle Cumberland Arms,

Buddy Wakefield : Riled Up And Wasted On Light Tour

Newcastle Cumberland Arms,

Friday 5 December, 7.30pm

Buddy Wakefield is one of the greatest living exponents of an American slam-style poetry that has its roots in the Beat poetry of Ginsberg & co. His poetry is full of passion, and compassion for everything that makes us human, expressed in dazzlingly surreal images that are true and surprising in the manner of dreams. It is metaphysical metaphor jazz, and we'd like you to come along for the ride.

Supported by Steve Urwin, with music from Miss Danby &The What.

Not sure if it's for you? Check out some videos here:

Buddy Wakefield

Steve Urwin

Miss Danby & the What

Tickets:

£8 on the door. Newcastle Cumberland Arms, NE6 1LD