Preview: School of Rock at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Smash Hit West End & Broadway Musical School Of Rock Is Coming To Newcastle!

School of Rock

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Monday 24 - Saturday 29 April 2021

School of Rock - The Musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash hit, award-winning West End show is set to rock out Newcastle Theatre Royal during May 2021 with tickets going on sale next week.

Based on the hilarious hit movie, this new musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn a few extra bucks by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band – sensationally performed live by the production’s young actors every night with roof-raising energy!

While teaching these pint-sized prodigies what it means to truly rock, Dewey falls for the school’s beautiful, but uptight headmistress, helping her rediscover the wild child within.

Featuring 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and all the original songs from the movie, this high-octane smash delivers face-melting guitar riffs and touching romance in equally awesome doses.

Friends of the Theatre Royal can book from Mon 16 Mar with general on sale at 10am on Fri 20 Mar 2020.

School of Rock - The Musical features new music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid, Sister Act) and a book by Julian Fellowes. It is directed by Laurence Connor (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, London Palladium 2019) with choreography by JoAnn M.Hunter, set and costume designs by Anna Louizos, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Mick-Potter, music supervision by John Rigby with Matt Smith as musical director.

Andrew Lloyd Webber is the composer of some of the world’s best known musicals including Cats, Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera (which this year celebrates its 30^th anniversary) and Sunset Boulevard.  In New York, School of Rock – The Musical, a stage version of the movie, is currently running alongside Cats and Phantom of the Opera, equalling Lloyd Webber’s previous record of three shows running simultaneously on Broadway.

His awards, both as composer and producer, include seven Tonys, seven Oliviers, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, the Praemium Imperiale, the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, a BASCA Fellowship, the Kennedy Center Honor and a Grammy for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Requiem, his setting of the Latin Requiem mass which contains one of his best known compositions, Pie Jesu.  He owns seven London theatres including the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, the New London Theatre and the London Palladium.  He was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen in 1992 and created an honorary member of the House of Lords in 1997.  He is passionate about the importance of music in education and the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation has become one of Britain’s leading charities supporting the arts and music.

School of Rock has a book by Julian Fellowes, for which he received a Tony nomination. Julian the creator, writer and executive producer of the worldwide hit TV series Downton Abbey, which has received 69 Emmy Award nominations, winning 15, including two awards for Fellowes.

Casting for the UK Touring production is to be announced.

The UK & Ireland Tour of School of Rock – The Musical is produced by David Ian Productions.

Tickets:

School of Rock is at Newcastle Theatre Royal Monday 24 - Saturday 29 April 2021 playing evenings at 7.30pm and matinees on Thursday at 2pm and Saturday at 2.30pm.  Tickets from £20.00 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.

Preview: By The Waters Of Liverpool at Darlington Hippodrome

Sian Reeves Takes A Break From Corrie To Join Cast Of Helen Forrester’s By The Waters Of Liverpool

By The Waters Of Liverpool

Darlington Hippodrome

Thursday 9 - Saturday 11 April 2020

Sian Reeves has kept Coronation Street viewers on the edge of their seats since rolling up as Charlie Wood, the deluded wife Tim Metcalfe didn’t know he had. But viewers will have to wait to see how it all pans out for Tim, Sally and Charlie as she takes a break from the cobbles of Weatherfield to star in the brand new stage play adaptation of Helen Forrester’s, By The Waters Of Liverpool which is coming to Darlington Hippodrome Theatre on 9 April for a short run.

Sian Reeves

From ex-con, Hannah Temple in Hope Springs, to the psychotic Sally Spode in Emmerdale - and now Charlie Wood in Corrie, Sian seems right at home playing the vulnerable woman with issues. And her new role in By The Waters Of Liverpool is no exception.

Sian said: “I’ll be playing ‘Mother’, Celia Forrester, who is a wonderfully complex person. From money, status and class, before the great depression of the 1930’s, to then losing everything and being dumped in a damp bug infested house with one cold tap, one toilet –and seven children to look after. I think she absolutely cannot shake herself out of the nightmare that is now her new life. She is stunned that her husband, who once held a senior position in the financial world, cannot find work and they have to grovel for handouts from the local parish. And to escape the confines of this smelly, claustrophobic house she leaves the day to day running of the family to her 11 year old daughter, Helen, which manifests itself as a very strict and uncaring woman. Helen actually said of her mother,‘ her bouts of temper bordered on insanity’. But really she is exhausted and so dreadfully depressed. It’s a great role to play”.

Sian continued: “I have read about five of Helen’s books and I feel very honoured to have been asked to unveil Helen’s blue plaque with the lovely Mark Moraghan. Helen was a magnificently, clever woman and it will be lovely to meet some of her family at this very special occasion”.

By The Waters Of Liverpool is set in the 1930s after Helen’s father went bankrupt during the Depression. Her family were forced to leave behind the nannies, servants and comfortable middle-class life in the South West of England. The Forresters chose Liverpool to rebuild their shattered lives, but they were in for a terrible shock. Taken out of school to look after her young siblings, Helen is treated as an unpaid slave. So begins a bitter fight with her parents for the right to go out to work and make her own way in life.But by 1939 and with Britain on the verge of war, Helen now aged 20, has still never been kissed by a man. But things start looking up for her when she meets a tall strong seaman and falls in love.

The touring cast also features Parry Glasspool, Lucy Dixon, Eric Potts, Lynn Francis, Danny O’Brien, Roy Carruthers, and Chloe McDonald.

West Bromwich born Sian Reeves is an original cast member of the 1985 stage production of Les Misérables. She also later appeared in the 25th anniversary performance at London’s O2. Sian has already shared a stage with fellow cast member Mark Moraghan in celebrity TV singing contest, Just The Two Of Us – when Sian and opera singer Russell Watson won the competition. Sian’s television credits also include Casualty, Cutting It, Holby City and, more recently Coronation Street. Theatre credits include West Side Story, Love Me Tender, The Merchant Of Venice, and The Little Match Girl.

Tickets:

By The Waters Of Liverpool has sold more than a million books. Now this is your chance to see it come to life in this brand new stage play adaptation. The play runs at Darlington Hippodrome from Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 April, 2020. Tickets are on sale now. For more information or to book call 01325 405405 or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk.

Preview: Halloween Adult Panto - The Little Mermaid at Newcastle Tyne Theatre

Halloween Adult Panto - The Little Mermaid

Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Saturday 31/10/2020

Tickets go on sale Monday 16th March 10am.: https://tinyurl.com/TyneAdultPantoTickets #Ad

Following the success of Sinderella; Adult Pantomime swims back into Newcastle in October for a special Halloween edition in the swashbuckling camp, filthy and naughty tail of ‘The Little Mermaid.’

Due to popular demand, returning in the title role is Drag Race UK Runner Up ‘Divina De Campo.’

Complete with Glittering sets, Sparking Costumes and an All Star Drag and Celebrity Cast to be announced; you won’t want to miss the UK’s biggest and best Adult Pantomime!

Suitable for ages 16+

Tickets go on sale Monday 16th March 10am.: https://tinyurl.com/TyneAdultPantoTickets #Ad

REVIEW: As You Like It at Newcastle Theatre Royal

All the world's a stage

And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts

Royal Shakespeare Company: As You Like It 

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Thursday 19^th March 2020

The arrival of the Royal Shakespeare Company to the Newcastle Theatre Royal is still something special even after all of these years. There is a buzz in the auditorium. How will this particular production of one of Shakespeare’s often performed plays compare? Very well, as it happens.

It is refreshing to see something other than the regular GCSE English Lit fodder (Romeo, Macbeth). At the interval I did ponder whether the exam boards are missing a trick if they want to get the next generation to appreciate the bard’s work. This play is fun. A light comedy with accessible themes makes it a good place to start an adventure with the playwright. It has to be said, you don’t need to have studied it in minute detail in order to understand what is going on.

This production does a bit more as the talented ensemble are happy to break the fourth wall, invite members of the audience on stage for some participation. In doing so they acknowledge that they are putting a play on in Newcastle Upon Tyne and everyone has hand sanitizer. Yes. William would approve.

Now past Shakespeare reviews have split the readers into two camps. Some want to see the plays done in a straight way which is as close to the way the audience imagine it was originally produced. Others acknowledge that Shakespeare was trying to be a popular storyteller of his time and, if he were still with us today, he would have tinkered with the formula himself. Regular readers will know that we are happy to see something different. Shakespeare can be done in a modern fashion without losing the core values. His script still shines through.

The set in this production as you enter the auditorium is deceptively simple. A swing hangs from above the arch over a large circle of grass carpet. There is also a balcony which has a group of live musicians – under MD Lindsay Miller. Orlando (David Ajao) walks over and sits on the swing. The house lights are still on though his appearance makes a hush descend over the Theatre Royal crowd in anticipation. The handful of mobile phones are tucked away quickly more rapidly than an usher with a sign. An entrance has indeed been made.

Duke Senior (Anthony Byrne) has been usurped by his younger brother Duke Frederick (also Anthony Byrne) and is in exile in the Forest of Arden. His daughter, Rosalind (Lucy Phelps) is only allowed to stay in the kingdom as she is Frederick’s daughter’s cousin and best friend. Their friendship, however leads to Celia (Sophie Khan Levy) and Rosalind assuming new identities and heading off to the forest too. Orlando, who had fallen in love with Rosalind also leaves the court after a dispute with his brother Oliver (Leo Wan). Thus after themes of family feuds, the tale goes into a comedy about the complications of love.

The court fool Touchstone (Sandy Grierson) accompanies the young women on their adventure and he is the source of a number of laughs. Sandy Grierson, David Ajao, Lucy Phelps and Sophie Khan Levy stand out amongst a very engaging cast. The whole ensemble regularly draw the audience in through their delivery. 

Director Kimberley Sykes has made good use, not just of Stephen Brimson Lewis’s set but of the wider space around the stage. This breaking down of the traditional barrier between cast and audience was effective in making this a really entertaining trip to the theatre. The action flows well too. The dead moments between scenes are reduced by a allowing the action to flow on and off the stage.

A nice touch is the live music and singing which enhances the atmosphere. It would have been nice to have a better view of the musicians but that is just my opinion.

As already mentioned, spicing up Shakespeare splits audiences. We continue to enjoy productions in which the question is posed "what would Shakespeare do in 2020?" His plays, on the whole still work and are robust enough for a bit of reworking.  They are strong enough stories for some interpretation. Having said that this show doesn't deviate that much but the feel is modern and yet the Shakespearean spirit remains. I remember seeing a different interpretation a number of years ago and, do you know what, I preferred this one.   

Review by Stephen Oliver.

Photos: Kimberley Sykes

Tickets & Show Details:

The Royal Shakespeare Company is at Newcastle Theatre Royal Wednesday 11 – Saturday 21 March 2020. Measure for Measure plays Wednesday 11, Saturday 14, Friday 20 & Saturday 21 March; As You Like It plays Thursday 12, Friday 13, Saturday 14 and Thursday 19 March; The Taming of the Shrew plays Tuesday 17, Wednesday 18, Thursday 19 & Saturday 21 March 2020 – see website for full details and performance times.

Tickets from £16.00 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.

       

Preview: Diversity - Connected at Gateshead Sage

Diversity - Connected 2021

Gateshead Sage

Tuesday 6 April and Wednesday 7 April 2021

Tickets: https://ticketmaster-uk.tm7559.net/nQKJx #Ad

After nine sell out UK tours, over 600,000 tickets sold, and countless television and live performances Diversity have announced one of their biggest UK tours to date.

Last year marked 10 years since Diversity took the nation by storm when they won the third series of Britain’s Got Talent. Over the past 10 years thanks to the overwhelming support of their fans and the British public they have continued to wow audiences around the world with their innovative live tours and performances. They celebrated this incredible achievement with a critically acclaimed sell-out 48 show UK tour, Born Ready.

This tour is set to be even bigger, and as Diversity promised their fans on the Born Ready tour, they will continue the legacy of Diversity and never let anyone tell them they cannot achieve something. To take them into the new decade of Diversity, Ashley has created a new show, Connected, which centres around the world of social media, the internet, and the digital era we now live in, but more importantly how this connects us all.

Creator and choreographer Ashley Banjo said of the forthcoming tour, “Every year that goes by, and every time we get to create a new touring show, I cannot believe we are still lucky enough to get to do this. But even after all this time, we are still growing, and this new decade and new chapter for Diversity is sure to be something even more special than the last. I truly do believe that we are all connected in mores ways than one and I cannot wait to bring this to life on stage.”

Ashley Banjo has returned to the judging panel for his third series on ITV’s primetime show Dancing on Ice. Ashley has also hosted, choreographed and starred in the BAFTA nominated The Real Full Monty (2017-2019) and International Emmy Award, Broadcast Award, and Royal Television Society award winning The Real Full Monty: Ladies Night (2018) and (2019). Ashley’s show Flirty Dancing on Channel 4 completed it second hit series last December.

Fellow Diversity member Jordan Banjo is currently hosting the second series of BBC 1’s primetime show, The Greatest Dancer.

Diversity continue to inspire the next generation of dancers and cannot wait to launch their online dance classes 20DV and return to Butlins this summer to showcase their 20DV experience dance academies.

Tickets: https://ticketmaster-uk.tm7559.net/nQKJx #Ad

 

REVIEW: Marriage of Figaro at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Quirijn de Lang as Count Almaviva and 

Máire Flavin as Countess Almaviva

Opera North – Marriage of Figaro

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Saturday 7 March 2020

Regular visitors to the Theatre Royal, Opera North return with three shows this week including Street Scene and The Turn of the Screw. We had the opportunity to first performance of Mozart’s popular Marriage of Figaro which will be performed again on Saturday.

Phillip Rhodes as Figaro and 

Fflur Wyn as Susanna

The first thing that always strikes you, when attending an opera, as you arrive in the auditorium is that most of the stalls have been removed and replaced by a large live orchestra. However, on this occasion there was also a harpsichord, rather than a keyboard, in the pit to give the tremendous score that extra authenticity. This nice touch was not the only attention to detail that turned this production into something rather special.

 

Joseph Shovelton as Don Basilio, Alexandra Oomens as Barbarina, 

Phillip Rhodes as Figaro, Fflur Wyn as Susanna and 

Quirijn de Lang as Count Almaviva with the Chorus of Opera North

This is opera is a comedy which borders on a farce at times. Well observed comedic moments were received with loud laughter from the Theatre Royal audience. I would go as far as to say that this production, which is sung in English, is a good introduction to opera for anyone wanting to dip their toe into to this often-overlooked creative form.

Heather Lowe as Cherubino 

and Fflur Wyn as Susanna

Figaro (Phillip Rhodes) and Susanna (Fflur Wyn) are servants to the Count and Countess Almaviva and they want to get married. Complicating matters is that the Count (Quirijn de Lang) wishes to exercise his droit du seigneur, his right to bed a servant girl on her wedding night, with Figaro's bride-to-be, Susanna. The Count’s wandering eye comes to the attention of the Countess (Máire Flavin) who helps in the plan to frustrate him. Throw in the Count’s plan to use due legal process to force Figaro to marry a much older woman, Marcellina (Gaynor Keeble), and you have a battle of wills.

 

Máire Flavin as Countess Almaviva, 

Heather Lowe as Cherubino and Fflur Wyn as Susanna

Marriage of Figaro is a wonderful marriage of voice story and orchestra. This show works well thanks to the talented performers. Philip Rhodes and Fflur Wyn, as Figaro and Suzanna, have good onstage chemistry as  the central couple. They were comfortable at delivering the exposition as well as their own narrative.  Quirijn de Lang, as the misogynistic Count, also had both comic timing and great storytelling skills. Amongst the many singing highlights was Máire Flavin during act 3 with Dove sono i bei momenti.

Jonathan Best as Doctor Bartolo, Joseph Shovelton 

as Don Basilio, Quirijn de Lang as Count Almaviva and Gaynor Keeble as Marcellina

Director Jo Davies’s attention to detail also stretches to the relatively minor roles such as Antonio the gardener (Jeremy Peaker). I loved the parochial Yorkshire phrases and broad accent when remonstrating about broken flowerpots and this added to comedy of the situation.

 

Quirijn de Lang as Count Almaviva 

We love live music and the orchestra of the Opera North, under Assistant Conductor James Hendry at this performance, were fabulous. As already mentioned – we couldn’t get enough of that harpsichord!

 

Fflur Wyn as Susanna, Phillip Rhodes as Figaro, 

Gaynor Keeble as Marcellina and 

Jonathan Best as Doctor Bartolo

The set, designed by Leslie Travers, effectively provided the entrances and exits for farce, whilst being pushed around without a pause in the action which was picked off by the lighting design from James Farncombe.

 

Máire Flavin as Countess Almaviva

The only niggle for us was that the action is, at times, across the full width of the stage and hence it sometimes went out of view for those sat on the edge of the seating blocks.

 

Fflur Wyn as Susanna, Heather Lowe as Cherubino, Jeremy Peaker as Antonio, Alexandra Oomens as Barbarina, Quirijn de Lang as Count Almaviva, Joseph Shovelton as Don Basilio, Máire Flavin as Countess Almaviva, Warren Gillespie as Don Curzio, Jonathan Best as Doctor Bartolo, Gaynor Keeble as Marcellina and Phillip Rhodes as Figaro

Misogyny and feudal right are an undercurrent to the themes, but strong female roles and positive resultant outcome help give it a modern edge. Perhaps only differences with a modern musical are the operatic style of singing and the 3 hour plus interval running time. Having said that, the time flew by. I attended with my teenage son who enjoyed both the live orchestra, singing and the comedy.  This is a very engaging show which we both loved.

Review: Stephen Oliver

Photos: Robert Workman

Preview: Swan Lake at Sunderland Empire

Birmingham Royal Ballet glides into Sunderland

   Swan Lake

Sunderland Empire

Thursday 12 - Saturday 14 March 2020

Tickets: https://prf.hn/l/6Wevmk7 #Ad

Ballet’s greatest love story returns in Birmingham Royal Ballet’s lavish production of Swan Lake. This romantic fable of ill‐fated passion, powerfully illuminated by Tchaikovsky’s legendary score played live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, has bewitched audiences for generations.

By a moonlit lake, a grieving prince witnesses the transformation of a swan into a beautiful princess. Compelled by an evil spell to spend her days in the form of a bird, she can only be saved by the power of love.

Filled with exquisite ensembles, lyrical pas de deux and bravura solos, this Swan Lake is atmospheric, romantic and beautiful - an unforgettable experience.

First Steps: Swan Lake

This hour-long, interactive show, specially adapted for children aged 3+, features ballet excerpts from Swan Lake, performed by Birmingham Royal Ballet's amazing dancers and orchestra, interspersed with scenes in which a storyteller introduces the children to the music and the leading characters, and shares some technical magic.

A feast of dance, music, costumes and lots of fun, this is a perfect introduction to ballet. Tickets: https://prf.hn/l/KM4Z1O6

Or for older Children why not experience to full majesty of the original Swan Lake.

Swan Lake comes to the Sunderland Empire from Thursday 12 - Saturday 14 March 2020. Tickets: https://prf.hn/l/6Wevmk7

Swan Lake - First Steps - Age guidance: 3 - Thursday 12 March, 4.30pm

Tickets: https://prf.hn/l/KM4Z1O6

BRB Swan Lake Family Music Making Workshops with Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

Age guidance: 3 - 11 years – Saturday 14 March, 11am

Tickets: https://prf.hn/l/649lwWK

Birmingham Royal Ballet - Class On Stage - Swan Lake.

Age guidance: 3 - 11 years – Saturday 14 March, 11.15am

Tickets: https://prf.hn/l/7axGElK #Ad

Booking fees may apply to telephone and online bookings.