Preview: Ladybones at Newcastle Alphabetti

Alphabetti Theatre Presents New Work Exploring OCD, Sexuality, And Loneliness

Ladybones

Newcastle Alphabetti Theatre

Tuesday 18^th - Friday 21^st February 2020

Following a successful run at Edinburgh Fringe last summer, and sell-out performances on this year’s tour, writer and actor Sorcha McCaffrey brings her production Ladybones to Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre next week.

Photo: Alex Brenner

A young woman working on an archaeological dig discovers the bones of a girl buried hundreds of years ago and, using her own experiences, starts to put life into the girl’s remains.

Nuala has OCD; the girl was likely accused of, and murdered for, being a witch. Using humour and observations of her world and the people in it, Nuala shines a light on the comparisons of past and present, and understanding what it is to be ‘other’.

Sorcha McCaffrey

Sorcha McCaffrey is both the writer and the protagonist- she also has OCD. “I wrote Ladybones to show that people are more than just their condition and to dispel the common myths about OCD - it’s often trivialised and misunderstood when it’s a terribly debilitating condition.”

Once diagnosed, aged 20, Sorcha received help from OCD-UK, a national charity that supports those living with the condition. The charity has now partnered with Sorcha to help reach more people with OCD.

Ashley Fullwood, CEO of OCD-UK says: “I have been raising awareness of OCD for many years - what Sorcha achieves with Ladybones is to reach audiences that we couldn’t, and she does it with great humour, energy, and passion.The hour-long play explores themes of mental health and recovery, family, sexuality, and loneliness.”

“I want those affected by OCD to know that recovery is possible,” concludes Sorcha. “And I want people who come to see the show to have a laugh, be moved, and leave with a bit more hope than when they arrived.”

Photo: Alex Brenner

Sorcha McCaffrey presents

LADYBONES

Tuesday 18th - Friday 21st February 2020

*Thursday 20th performance will be BSL interpreted*

Show begins: 7.30pm

Tickets:

Tues 18th: Pay What You Feel

Wed 19th - Fri 21st: £9 full price / £7 concession

Age recommendation: 12+

Running time: Approx. 60 mins

Tickets are on sale now at https://www.ticketsignite.com/event/2056/ladybones-by-sorcha-mccaffrey

Preview: Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs at Sunderland Empire

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Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs  

Sunderland Empire
Saturday 12 December 2020 - Sunday 3 January 2021

Tickets: https://prf.hn/l/rdDmy4r #Ad

They had a ball in last year’s panto extravaganza, Cinderella, so we just had to get them to do it again then didn’t we!

Sunderland Empire is delighted to announce the return of North East Queen of Comedy, Miss Rory (Boulevard, aka Dan Cunningham) who will star as the hilarious Nurse Rorina, and we say ‘Alreet’ once again to South Shields comic Tom Whalley, as the side splitting Muddles the Jester in the canniest panto of them all – Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs from Saturday 12 December 2020 – Sunday 3 January 2021.

Check out this little message from Tom:

Miss Rory (the comic creation of North East born Dan Cunningham) has appeared at Newcastle cabaret hotspot Boulevard as host since 2010, carving a place in the affections of audiences who visit from far and wide. Becoming a household name in the region and beyond, synonymous with glamour, wit and edge that only a lady like Miss Rory can bring! Billed as ‘A Tyneside Institution’, Miss Rory’s razor sharp wit and cutting quips, along with hilarious observational comedy have led to numerous sell-out solo shows.

Local lad, Tom Whalley, also returns following his hilarious comical antics as Buttons in Cinderella 2019. Trained at Associated Studios, London, graduating with a Diploma in Musical Theatre and having studied drama and scriptwriting at Northumbria University, Tom has made a name for himself as a performer, writer and composer! Following an appearance on BBC Three’s Shoplife, Tom left the North East behind for a life in London and has since starred in a number of West End productions and UK tours. Passionate about panto, he has gone on to start his own company, writing and licensing pantomime scripts for societies across the UK.

What other star casting will the Magic Mirror bring? Watch this space!

Join us on a pantomime adventure deep into the enchanted forest for Christmas 2020. With a beautiful princess, a jealous Wicked Queen, seven bumbling dwarfs, a naughty nurse, a hilarious jester, and not forgetting a poisoned apple and a Magic Mirror, it’s too tempting not to!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is produced by Martin Dodd for UK Productions and the company behind panto successes at the Sunderland Empire, including recent productions of the high-flying Peter Pan (2018) and enchanting Cinderella (2019).

Tickets:

Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs is at the Sunderland Empire from
Saturday 12 December 2020 – Sunday 3 January 2021. Tickets priced from just £13* are available in person at the Box Office on High Street West, from the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022* or online at https://prf.hn/l/rdDmy4r*

* A £3.65 transaction fee applies to telephone and online bookings. Calls cost up to 7p per minute plus your standard network charge.  

Preview: Miss Crispy 1988 at South Shields Customs House

It’s Crunch Time As Miss Crispy 1988 Returns

Miss Crispy 1988

South Shields Customs House

Friday 7^th February 2020

If you liked Dirty Dusting and The Dolly Mixtures, you’ll love Miss Crispy 1988.

Set in the north east at the end of 1987 and start of 1988, the less is MORE production tells the story of a beauty pageant with a difference, following five very unique women with even more unique situations.

Miss Crispy 1988 was the first play created by north east playwright David Tuffnell way back in 2011. It premiered in Middlesbrough in 2012 and toured the following year, which included a stop at The Customs House.

Now back on the road to celebrate 10 years of Teesside-based less is MORE, which David co-founded with the play’s director, Laura Lonsdale, it returns to The Customs House for one night only on Friday 7^th February.

Laura said: “less is MORE adore The Customs House, we were so lucky to tour here in 2013. Coming back to continue the celebrations of our 10th anniversary seemed perfect, especially with a show that epitomises what we are all about; honesty, drama and humour.”

David added: “I think Miss Crispy 1988 has received such a positive reaction because it’s a story that is set in our region with characters people can relate to. Those of us who lived through the 1980s will enjoy the sense of nostalgia it evokes – the music, the clothes, the big perms. However, the 1980s were also an important period in history and a time of great change, especially for women. This is explored in the play through the thoughts, experiences and ambitions of five unique but very relatable female characters.

“Ray Spencer and The Customs House have been such a great advocate of us as a company outside of Teesside, we’ve seen so much here and worked with so many amazing regional actors who have tread the boards here – we can’t wait to get back on the stage!”

Miss Crispy 1988 is based on a series of interviews with women who worked in the KP Foods Factory in Billingham, although the characters and storyline is fictional. There was, however, a Miss KP Foods in 1988, whose picture inspired the play.

Despite the glamour of working on line two at the crisp factory, the women dream of doing something more exciting with their lives. With the announcement of a beauty pageant, they’re raring to go – with perms, leg warmers and shoulder pads at the ready!

The cast features a wealth of north east talent, including Melanie Dagg, Natasha Haws, Olivia Walker, Rachel Teate, Lucie Walker and Elijah Young.

Natasha is well known to audiences at The Customs House, having previously appeared in The Dolly Mixtures and in panto.

She said: “Miss Crispy 1988 is the story of five women (and one man) working in the KP factory in Billingham fighting for the Miss Crispy 1988 crown. Along the way we find out their stories and that there’s a lot more to winning the title then a tiara and having your face on the back of a bus.  Set around some difficult history in Cleveland and looking at the intricacies of female friendship and rivalry, Miss Crispy 1988 is as hilarious as it is heart-wrenching.  I cannot wait to bring Less is More to The Customs House, so they can experience a South Shields audience in my home theatre - this is definitely a play for fans of The Dolly Mixtures and will be a night out well spent.”

Elijah was appointed Young Writer in Residence at The Customs House last year and his play, Isolation, was produced as part of the Takeover Festival. He said: “I play several different characters in Miss Crispy 1988 which all help in telling the story of these brilliant women who work at the KP factory in Billingham.  I’ve had so fun working on this project and it’s lovely to be a part of piece that looks at the history of my hometown. The story is full of heart and full of laughs and I’m so excited to bring it to The Customs House.”

Tickets for Miss Crispy 1988 are priced from £12 and are available from the box office on (0191) 454 1234 or online at www.customshouse.co.uk

Preview: Lady Chatterley’s Lover at Darlington Hippodrome

Controversial Literary Classic Lady Chatterley’s Lover adapted for UK Tour

A Titled Wig and Churchill Theatre, Bromley Production

Lady Chatterley’s Lover

Darlington Hippodrome

Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 March 2020

TV regular Rupert Hill (Casualty, Coronation Street) will star alongside Phoebe Marshall (Witness for the Prosecution) in a sensual new stage adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s controversial masterpiece, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, which comes to Darlington Hippodrome in March as part of its UK tour.

Considered sensationalist erotica when first published and banned worldwide, Lawrence’s text caused outrage not just because of the explicit language, but also because it bridged social and class divides. This impassioned tale of female agency and the desire to live more than a half-life changed the literary landscape of Britain.

Sixty years after the scandalous trial of the unexpurgated publication, this beautiful new production reflects the monumental changes in attitude towards female sexuality. It is also an exploration of the scars of war and the dangers of toxic masculinity. Above all, Lady Chatterley is a passionate and optimistic love story.

Trapped in a sexless marriage following her husband’s disability, Connie is burdened with her female duty of care and an increasing sense of isolation. She instigates a physically charged love affair with the gamekeeper, Mellors, flouting expectations and obligations in the name of self-love.

Director and adaptor, Ciaran, comments, ‘It’s a privilege to bring this book to the stage. I’ve loved Lawrence’s writing since I was a teenager, but revisiting Lady Chatterley, I’m struck by how modern so much of it feels. It’s a comment on the fragility of masculinity and the need for an honest approach to our physical life. And it’s beautiful, too. I’m really excited to be working with Tilted Wig, whose values and ethos make for wonderful tours.’

Photos: Matt Austin

Tickets:

Ages 14+, contains themes of an adult nature.

For more information or to book call 01325 405405 or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk

News: Joe McElderry Joins The Cast Of Theatre Royal panto

Theatre Royal Pantomime Has The X Factor!

Joe McElderry Joins The Cast Of Humpty Dumpty For Christmas 2020

Newcastle Theatre Royal is delighted to announce that singer, songwriter and actor Joe McElderry will be joining panto royalty Danny Adams, Clive Webb and Chris Hayward in this year’s egg-cellent family pantomime Humpty Dumpty  which runs from Tuesday 24^th November 2020 – Sunday 17^th January 2021.

Joe McElderry became a household name after winning the sixth series of ITV’s The X Factor in 2009. His first single, ‘The Climb’ reached number one in the UK singles chart. Joe was also a contestant on ITV’s Pop Star to Opera Star and Channel 4’s The Jump and regularly tours the UK.

In 2017, Joe played the lead role in Joseph and the Amazing TechnicolorDreamcoat, culminating in a festive run at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena where he received a fantastic reception from his hometown audiences. In theatre he has also starred in The Who’s Tommy and toured the UK throughout 2019 in the new musical Club Tropicana. Last year Joe also completed his Impossible Dream tour, which was a celebration of 10 years of music since his X Factor win.

Humpty Dumpty marks Joe’s seventh pantomime for Qdos Entertainment, having starred in productions of Cinderella, Aladdin and Dick Whittington. Joe recently starred alongside Lesley Joseph, Matt Slack, Faye Brookes and Flawless in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Birmingham Hippodrome where he thrilled audiences and critics with his powerhouse vocals as The Spirit of the Mirror.

Joe joins the masters of mayhem Danny Adams and Clive Webb in what will be their 16^th consecutive Theatre Royal pantomime, alongside the Grande Dame of Grey Street, Chris Hayward, who this year will celebrate his 14^th panto season in Newcastle. Last year Danny, and his brother Mick, starred in the first two series of Danny & Mick on CBBC, which saw them nominated for Best New Sitcom from the British Comedy Guide. They are currently recording a further two series which will be broadcast later this year. 

Qdos Entertainment’s Managing Director Michael Harrison said: “Last Christmas, as well as directing Beauty and the Beast at Newcastle Theatre Royal and Goldilocks and The Three Bears at The London Palladium, I was lucky enough to work with Joe McElderry on Snow White at Birmingham Hippodrome. Joe is one of the nicest, kindest, funniest and most talented performers I have ever worked with. His vocals are world-class and his personality both on stage and off makes him a natural for pantomime.

“Joe thought it impossible that he would ever be able to be part of the legendary Theatre Royal pantomime because reigning stars Danny Adams, Clive Webb and Chris Hayward are as popular as ever selling tens of thousands of tickets every year. However, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to add him to this year’s brand-new pantomime Humpty Dumpty, creating a new dimension to our show. I can’t wait for this brilliant performer to join the gang and for our audiences to see why I love him and his extraordinary talent so much. I’m sure they will feel the same - they are in for a treat!”

Speaking on his casting Joe McElderry said: “I am so glad to have been asked by Michael to join the cast of Humpty Dumpty at Newcastle Theatre Royal, without doubt one of my favourite theatres in the world. I’m over the moon to get the chance to be at home in Newcastle over the festive period and absolutely delighted to join the legends that are Danny, Clive and Chris in panto-land”

Tickets

Humpty Dumpty plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Tuesday 24 November 2020 – Sunday 17 January 2021. Tickets from £14.50 are selling fast and can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge) or book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk . Over 50,000 tickets have already been sold for this year’s pantomime so audiences shouldn’t leave it too long to secure their tickets to Newcastle’s favourite festive production.

Preview: Sniffy and Whiffy Adventure at South Shields Customs House

Sniffy And Whiffy Kick Up A Stink In Half Term Show

Arbuthnot and Pals’ Sniffy and Whiffy Adventure

South Shields Customs House

Wednesday 19^th - Friday 21^st February 2020

The newest recruits to the Arbuthnot and Pals family have been revealed.

The Customs House panto spin-off shows have proved hugely popular over the last three years and the team are back with Arbuthnot and Pals’ Sniffy and Whiffy Adventure this February half term.

Sniffy and Whiffy

The show has been written by Davey Hopper, who also stars as Arbuthnot, and Dale Jewitt and will be co-directed by Davey and Charlie Raine.  Charlie played Sniffy in this year’s panto, Snow White, but is handing over the reins to Laura Hawkyard, who is very excited to be making her debut at The Customs House, while Whiffy will be played by Elijah Young.  Steven Lee Hamilton, who played the Evil Queen in Snow White, which was his 11^th panto appearance at The Customs House, will reprise his role as Fleshcreep, while Lori Smedley also returns as Cecilia. Lucy Curry completes the cast, playing Goldilocks.  

Davey Hopper

Davey said: “I’m so excited that Arbuthnot and Pals is back for another year – and this one is going to be really special. Once again, The Customs House has managed to put together a team of some of the best young performers in the north east. You don’t want to miss it! Sniffy and Whiffy are such great characters and I can’t wait to explore their personalities more and see what mischief the whole gang can get up to together!”

Arbuthnot and Pals’ Sniffy and Whiffy Adventure follows the gang as they cause the usual mischief and mayhem down on Arbuthnot’s farm. When Sniffy and Whiffy arrive on the farm, Cecilia and Fleshcreep don’t want anything to do with them because they are skunks. Meanwhile, Arbuthnot meets a singer, Goldilocks, who has been kicked out of the circus.

Can Arbuthnot reunite the gang to cheer up Goldilocks by putting on a circus of their own, or will Sniffy and Whiffy never be accepted on the farm? Find out in this all-singing, all-dancing panto adventure!

Tickets:

Arbuthnot and Pals’ Sniffy and Whiffy Adventure runs from Wednesday 19^th February to Friday 21^st February 2020, at 11am, 2pm and 6pm. Tickets, priced £8.50, are available from the box office on (0191) 454 1234 or online at www.customshouse.co.uk.

REVIEW: Ask Me Anything at Newcastle Live Theatre

Ask Me Anything – A Loud, Live, Love Song To Not Having Figured It Out

Newcastle Live Theatre

Until Saturday 8 February 2020

Created & Presented by The Paper Birds

Co-Produced with Live Theatre

Music by Rosie Doonan

Directed by Jemma McDonnell

Performers: Georgie Coles, Rosie Doonan, Kylie Perry

The flexible stage in the main theatre at Newcastle’s Quayside venue has been transformed into a teenager’s bedroom. That’s right, they’ve ripped out the stage and removed the cabaret seating. In their place are two beds, a settee and a lot of bean bags for the audience to join the show. Indeed, the audience are expected to join the show rather than to just sit passively in the dark.

So, what is the show about? Paper Birds have written to a number of teenagers asking them to “ask anything”. This show has the original questions and the replies.

Here’s the issue. If you were a teenager in the 90s then you have magazines and problem pages. The lack of the internet and mobile phones was, somehow, not an issue. Yet kids today, even with the internet, don’t necessarily have a conduit for safe answers to their key questions.

The set has, in addition to two bedrooms, a music area, and a number of TV screens. We have a virtual assistant, which has been named “Bridge-It” and it is able to act as a glossary to the phrases which one generation may not understand about the other. Sometimes the screens feature videos of people that the creative team have asked, as they are in a better position, to discuss some of the points raised – especially about raising children, race or sexuality. But the bulk of the performance are from three very engaging performers.

The stage play is available for sale – the show is scripted, however Georgie, Rosie and Kylie feel spontaneous.  The interactions with the audience are friendly and they do a great job putting everyone at ease.

The problems, from unseen teens, are discussed but they are also related to the performer’s own experiences.  That sense of not expecting to know everything – that I have in middle-age – is probably not what the younger participants are expecting. But the need for discussion, for love, to seek for support rather than trying to hide it are key themes. Music, and its ability to emote adds to the experience too.

I went to the show with my teen, who enjoyed the show very much and clearly understood where the issues were coming from. I appreciated the texture to the performances – the build up of light and noise, followed by calm, helping to create an impact. Along with the pace, it certainly kept the show interesting. There were the little touches that added to the feel: the whispering volume for when the original letters were addressed and the burger telephone from the 90s bedroom for example.

The show bravely doesn’t dodge two important issues – mental health is as important as physical health and, as adults we still have scary learning episodes including raising our own children. Having said that – it doesn’t then offer much in the way of answers and that’s a key message. We need to listen, to be aware of our support networks and to foster them. Remember that no one is perfect.

This is a great show for teenagers to see – and the company are running a scheme in order to raise funds so young people can be offered a free tickets (https://www.thepaperbirds.com/help-build-our-nest/). It gets the mix of light hearted moments and the tough stuff right. This is an important rollercoaster to be a part of. A superb example of verbatim theatre.

Review: Stephen Oliver

Tickets:

https://www.live.org.uk/whats-on/ask-me-anything-0

1hr 20mins, no interval

Suitable for ages 13+, contains strong language and themes of mental health and youth suicide.