Preview: ALICE - A Virtual Theme Park - Online

“You’re Late! You’re Late! For A Very Important Date”

Creation Theatre, Big Telly Theatre Company

and Charisma.AI present

ALICE | A Virtual Theme Park

Online

Saturday 1^st – Sunday 30^th August 2020

Adapted and directed by Zoe Seaton,

featuring award-winning writer Charlotte Keatley

Site-responsive and immersive theatre-makers Creation Theatre and Big Telly Theatre Company present an innovative and fresh take on Lewis Carrolls’ Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Teaming up with Charisma.ai, ground-breakers in interactive and immersive storytelling technology, this digitally advanced production, blends live acting and the latest in AI and online video techniques.

Audiences will be invited to dive down the rabbit hole to experience a magical theatrical experience, meeting their favourite characters from this much-loved classic along the way. While venues remain in lockdown in the UK, the show bridges the worlds of theatre, art and technology and reunites the successful creative team behind The Tempest Live. Alice will be performed live each time across four weeks.

Director Zoe Seaton comments: “We wanted to be wildly ambitious and imaginative with this show and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is really freeing as a story. It’s so playful and already so surreal, mixing reality with illusion, a perfect combination for digital. The idea of setting the play in a theme park is also an ingenious, unconventional way to unlocking Alice’s adventures with the audience, and plays upon the skill of the actors, storytelling and drama.”

The creative team also includes playwright Charlotte Keatley, best known for her award-winning play My Mother Said I Never Should, described as one of the significant plays of the 20th century. Keatley has been part of the devising process and has guest written a scene from the Mad Hatter’s tea party. The set and costumes have been designed by Ryan Dawson Laight (Chichester Theatre Festival, Gary Clarke Company, Denada Dance Theatre, V&A).

The production features a seven strong cast and includes Leda Douglas as Alice (Soho Theatre); Vera Chok as the Queen of Hearts (National Theatre, Almeida, Regents Park Open Air Theatre); Dharmesh Patel as The Mad Hatter (RSC, Shakespeare’s Globe); Colm Gormley as the March Hare (RSC, Shakespeare’s Globe, Royal Court, Royal & Derngate); Tom Richardson as Tweedle Dee/Dum (New Vic Theatre, Watford Palace Theatre), Annabelle Terry as the Doormouse/Cook (Creation Theatre’s The Tempest Live) and Nicky Harley as the White Rabbit (Game Of Thrones, HBO).

Charisma.ai, whose work on ground-breaking creative technology includes creating narrative gaming experiences for Sky, BBC and other networks, are incorporating their artificial intelligence platform and trailblazing online video techniques to bring a new level of immersion to the Zoom platform.

Founder Guy Gadney said: “The past few months have seen digital platforms emerge as storytelling media in their own right. This production of Alice interweaves real-life and virtual environments to make a brilliantly immersive and playful version of Carroll’s magical story. This combination of theatre and technology presents a new and exciting opportunity for Charisma.ai, building off our previous experience in television and publishing to help bring to life a new form of theatre.”

Background - Theatre in Lockdown

When lockdown happened, site-responsive and immersive theatre specialists Creation Theatre teamed up with Zoe Seaton’s Big Telly Theatre Company, and quickly moved its thinking to how live theatre could operate online. The Tempest Live, Interactive and In Your Living Room, was one of the first productions made for the digital stage utilising Zoom at the beginning of April 2020. The 20 live performances were watched by audiences in over 15 countries. Alice, reunites the successful creative team behind the critically-acclaimed and global hit production.

Praise for The Tempest Live

4 Stars “Magical…The stuff dreams are made on.”  The Guardian

“Magical and awakens our imagination” Front Row, BBC Radio 4

Best Theatre to Watch List Time Out New York

“Messy but in a good way” Lyn Gardner

“You genuinely feel part of a shared experience” Rev Stan

“Leaving us heart-warmed and smiling” A Younger Theatre

Creatives:

Director and adaptor: Zoe Seaton

Co-producer: Guy Gadney: Charisma.ai

Set and Costume Designer: Ryan Dawson Laight

Charlotte Keatley, guest writer – The Mad Hatter scene

Paul McEneaney - Illusionist

Stage Manager: Sinead Owens

Cast:

Leda Douglas – Alice

Vera Chok – Queen of Hearts

Colm Gormley – March Hare

Dharmesh Patel – The Mad Hatter

Nicky Harley – The White Rabbit

Tom Richardson – Tweedle Dee/Dum

Annabelle Terry – Doormouse/Cook

Tickets:

Dates: 1 – 30 August

Ticket price: £20 per device

Times: 4pm and 7pm

Running Time: Approx 90 mins

Box Office 01865 766266 or online at www.creationtheatre.co.uk

Preview: Mark Nelson at Newcastle Stand Comedy Club

Mark Nelson – New show just announced

Newcastle Stand Comedy Club

Sunday 21^st March 2021

Lockdown has been a tough time for everyone. Fortunately for us, the Stand Comedy Club started streaming weekly comedy shows with the host Mark Nelson holding it all together. It has become a real highlight of the week to hear his rants about the news and holding the segments together when technology was struggling (especially in the early shows).

Mark Nelson
Photo: Trudy Stade

Armed with an MA in Politics from Glasgow University, his intelligent take on world affairs has had us in stiches. Through in a dark sense of humour and cutting delivery and you have a very good performer that finds keeping the attention of the audience pretty natural.

Mark Nelson has also been the host of BBC’s smash-hit show The Good, The Bad & The Unexpected as well as his viral creation “News at3” with its 180+ million views!.

Mark has now announced his first post-pandemic solo in March next year. We are expecting a hard hitting and very, very funny show.

‘An unquestionably talented writer and performer… knack for making people laugh about things they know they really shouldn’t… Pithy-but-charming delivery, great jokes, and lots of them.’ Telegraph

Tickets are available from the Stand website: https://www.thestand.co.uk/performances/1059-10787-mark-nelson-new-show-just-announced-20210321-newcastle/

News: Duo use their Talents to help raise funds for The Customs House

Duo use their Talents to help raise funds for The Customs House

Two Lawe Top legends have joined forces to help their local arts centre.

Artist and animator Sheila Graber and writer Janis Blower have combined their talents to raise funds for The Customs House in South Shields.

Sheila has been selling her art in aid of The Customs House via an online exhibition and brought in long-time friend Janis to give her own insights into some of the sights Sheila has caught in her drawings of the Lawe Top over the years.

Dubbed Lowdown on the Lawe, Janis uses her much-loved style to tell the story of the ‘Victorian streets that criss-cross a substantial part of The Lawe’, feeding in facts and her own personal memories.

The original artworks range from £60 to £400 with all proceeds from the more expensive pieces and 50% of the others going to The Customs House charity. Sheila has also donated profits to Willow Cats Adoption Centre.  Sheila said: "When I started looking through my old art work of the Lawe Top, drawn when I lived there from the 1950s-60s, I thought... Aha, who knows more about the Lawe Top than anyone? Janis!  She kindly agreed to bring the whole 'online exhibition' alive with her vast knowledge that she condenses into stories full of information, humanity and humour. It has been a pleasure to work with her and her words again.”

Former Shields Gazette features writer Janis, best known for her columns Women’s World and Cookson Country, said: "The Lawe Top is a special place for Sheila and myself. Her beautiful paintings and drawings of it are, for me, instantly recognisable and evocative, and it's been lovely to have the opportunity to share some of the history and stories that I grew up with of what is still my home.  I hope folk enjoy these glimpses, in words and pictures, of this historic part of the town, while at the same time supporting a place that's close to both our hearts."

To view the work of Sheila and Janis go to: https://www.customshouse.co.uk/gallery/sheilagraber/

News: Stephen steps up to raise funds for favourite place, the Custom’s House

Stephen steps up to raise funds for favourite place, the Custom’s House

A young theatre fan is stepping up to help raise funds for his favourite theatre.

Nine-year-old Stephen Idle was heart-broken when he found The Customs House had to close in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Bamburgh School pupil has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around most of the time but he has been using his walker to walk 200m every day to raise funds for the South Shields arts centre and charity.

His mum Helen Scott said: “Stephen was devastated when The Customs House had to close and when he got his walker home from school, he said he would walk 1000 miles for The Customs House to be open again. This gave us the idea for him to do a sponsored walk for The Customs House and also an incentive to use his walker.”

Stephen is well known to staff at The Customs House as he often attends pantomimes multiple times – sometimes even twice in one day and is regularly dressed as his favourite characters which his nana Sandra Scott recreates.

Stephen has called his challenge the ‘Walking Costume’ and it will end with one final walk outside The Customs House on Saturday 25 th July at 11.30am.

He has already smashed his target of £100 – so far raising more than £1400.

Customs House Executive Director Ray Spencer said: “In these the darkest of days there is always a light, a sign of better tomorrows, and Stephen is that sign! Despite his own considerable challenges, he wants The Customs House not just to survive but also thrive! With his support and the community of South Tyneside we will get through this!”

If you would like to donate to Stephen’s cause go to: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=HelenScott39&pageUrl=1

News: Northern Stage postpones autumn productions and reveals plans are underway to offer audiences a magical Christmas

Northern Stage postpones autumn productions and reveals plans are underway to offer audiences a magical Christmas

Following the latest government advice, Northern Stage will postpone its autumn season productions Red Ellen, The Invisible Man and Gatsby, and Christmas shows The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and The Hey Diddle Diddle Christmas Spectacular from Kitchen Zoo. 

Northern Stage -  #MissingLiveTheatre

Photo: Kit Haigh

Executive Director Kate Denby said, “While the government has announced its first steps to bringing back live performances, there is still some way to go until we can put shows on in the theatre.  As a producing theatre, we need to consider how long it takes to make a show from scratch - from writing, through to casting, rehearsing, choreographing, creating the music, building sets and making costumes in our workshops - and that’s all before it even makes it onto the stage when our technical teams work their magic.  So we have made the difficult decision to postpone our autumn productions, but we remain absolutely committed to making these shows and look forward to continuing to work with our brilliant creative teams and freelancers to bring them to life.” 

Red Ellen is a remarkable new play from Caroline Bird telling the inspiring and epic story of Ellen Wilkinson, a Labour MP who, caught between revolutionary and parliamentary politics, fought with an unstoppable energy for a better world. A Northern Stage, Nottingham Playhouse & Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh production, Red Ellen will premiere in Newcastle in spring 2022 before touring and will be directed by Wils Wilson (Twelfth Night/Royal Lyceum). 

An electrifying new production adapted from H.G. Wells’ horror fiction classic, The Invisible Man will be directed by Anna Girvan (Our Country’s Good/Tobacco Factory Theatres) and adapted by Philip Correia (Hyem/Theatre 503). The Invisible Man is part of Northern Stage’s NORTH programme to support and develop new talent in the North East of England and will open in Newcastle in 2021 before touring.

Maria Aberg ([BLANK], The White Devil) directs a vivid new production of Gatsby, plunging us headfirst into a seductive and murky world of love, money and glamour.  A Bristol Old Vic, Northern Stage, English Touring Theatre, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Oxford Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre production, Gatsby will tour in autumn 2021.

Northern Stage -  #MissingLiveTheatre

Photo: Kit Haigh

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Kitchen Zoo’s new Christmas show for under 5s will both be postponed. However, that doesn’t mean that Christmas is cancelled. Northern Stage Associate Director Mark Calvert explains, “The creative teams behind Northern Stage’s two festive productions have joined forces to try to save Christmas. We are working on a brand new, feel-good festive show for everyone to enjoy this December – a magical theatre experience for the whole family that can be enjoyed in a safe and socially distanced way. It won't be the same as we're used to, and it may or may not take place at Northern Stage, but it will be something special. We've still got a lot of details to work out, and all of this is dependent on government guidance, but we will keep you posted with more details as soon as we can…”  The new show will be written by Laura Lindow (War of the Worlds/Northern Stage) and devised with Kitchen Zoo (The Three Bears at Christmas/Northern Stage) and the creative team behind The Snow Queen, A Christmas Carol, James and the Giant Peach and Alice in Wonderland.

Spring touring productions are also being rescheduled including HERE - a co-production with Curious Monkey written by Lindsay Rodden, and the premiere of Shandyland - originally developed through The Old Vic 12 scheme, written by Bruntwood Prize winning playwright Gareth Farr. 

Customer who have booked tickets for any of these shows do not need to do anything, the box office team will contact them directly. As a registered charity, there will also be an option for customers to donate the value of their tickets to Northern Stage which will help the theatre to continue its work in the community and work towards reopening.

Kate Denby said, "Donating the value of any purchased tickets will help to ensure we can continue to weather this difficult period and get up and running again. Thank you to everyone who has sent kind messages, made donations and continued to share the work we have been doing over the last few months; we are incredibly grateful to you, along with our brilliant staff, artists, audiences and community. Northern Stage remains resilient. We continue to find creative ways to support our community, and we look forward to sharing more of our work with you over the coming months."

For the latest updates visit www.northernstage.co.uk 

News: Musical theatre CD on sale now to raise money for NHS heroes

Musical theatre CD on sale now to raise money for NHS heroes

A successful musical theatre group has produced a compilation of lockdown classics to help support the National Health Service.

Darlington Operatic Society has released a CD called “Strictly Lockdown” – comprising 18 musical theatre songs – with 50 per cent of the profits being donated to the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust’s Charity. All of the songs have been created by members singing in isolation from their spare bedrooms, under-stair cupboards, bathrooms and conservatories during the period of lockdown due to the Covid 19 outbreak.

The result is around 80 minutes of “virtual musical theatre magic”, with the CD on sale now. DarlingtonOS spokesman Julian Cound said: “I’m so happy to be able to say the CD is on sale now as it has been such a challenging project over the past three months.  The idea of creating a compilation CD came fairly soon after the lockdown happened. It has taken many weeks of planning and organisation to get the CD on sale.”

Sarah Singleton Darlington OS and
receptionist at Darlington Memorial Hospital

The process involved choosing the right mix of songs, arranging backing tracks as well as making sure the project meets all legal requirements.  “Over 40 members have submitted individual vocal tracks to be used on the CD which contains a mix of duets, small groups and full company numbers. This would be challenging enough in a recording studio but to create a CD of this quality in isolation has required a fantastic effort from everyone involved.  The CD is full of songs from the best loved musicals including Wicked, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Sister Act, Hairspray and many more.”

Commenting, Pat Chambers, charity manager at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, said, “We’re enormously grateful to Darlington Operatic Society for sharing the profits from sales with us. The volunteers who run our hospital radio are also looking forward to playing the CD. Donations are used to fund a variety of projects to enhance the experience of both patients and staff and are much appreciated.”

As well as supporting the NHS, sales of Strictly Lockdown will also help DOS through a difficult period until it can resume staging its shows at the Hippodrome.

The CD is priced at just £10 plus p&p and is available to buy now through the DarlingtonOS website www.darlingtonos.org.uk.

News: Tyne Theatre & Opera House set to ‘Light It In Red’, to appeal for government support for the UK events industry

Newcastle's Tyne Theatre & Opera House set to ‘Light It In Red’, to appeal for government support for the UK events industry

The Tyne Theatre and Opera House are collaborating with Tyne Audio to join the ‘Light It In Red’ campaign on Monday 6^th July. #LightItInRed serves as a mass appeal to politicians to save the events industry. By lighting buildings red, they hope to draw attention to the dramatic situation in which over twenty-five thousand businesses and over half a million workers throughout the UK’s event industry, are directly suffering the ill effects of being unable to operate.

North East based equipment hire & production services company Tyne Audio, will be working with staff at Tyne Theatre and Opera House to light the entire front of the Theatre and auditorium red from 7pm on Monday 6^th July. As is the situation with hundreds of venues across the country, Tyne Theatre and Opera House is currently unable to operate, meaning a loss of almost all income. This is not only affecting the venues themselves, but also all those in the numerous trades that are involved in putting on events.

Photo: LightItInRed.co.uk - Google Map of
locations set to join Light It In Red project

The Light It In Red project, inspired by Germany's #NightOfLight2020, is created and managed by Clearsound Productions Ltd, a UK based production company, in partnership with the Backstage Theatre Jobs forum. A statement on their website reads “Our goal is to have a conversation with politicians and the government about how the billion-pound events industry can be saved from a massive wave of insolvency and how the preservation of over half a million jobs can be ensured.“

The specific bailout requests include grants for businesses in the event supply chain, an extension to the furlough scheme and an extension to the self-employed scheme.

Images and videos of the illuminated buildings and structures nationwide are set to be uploaded and posted on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter under the hashtag #LightItInRed – so that anyone interested can look at the nationwide installations online and support the movement.

As an independent venue, the Tyne Theatre and Opera House relies entirely on ticket sales and donations to survive and keep the theatre’s 150+ year heritage alive. Having seen a dramatic loss of income, Tyne Theatre and Opera House are asking audiences to support their theatre directly by donating, joining their Friend’s Club or naming a seat. They recently live-streamed their first show since lockdown – an Evening of Comedy hosted by Carl Hutchinson, featuring Gavin Webster and other North East comedy talents. Over 5000 people tuned in to watch the show that was put on to help fundraise for the theatre.

Gavin Webster 

Geordie comedy legend and Newcastle’s very own original alternative comedian, Gavin Webster will be returning to the theatre on Saturday 6^th March 2021 with a brand new one man show, following a 5 year break.

His show will be about ageing, lockdown, being on hold on the phone, young people not being able to drive properly and his apparent lack of understanding of what boomers, Generation X and millennials aspire to, according to his teenage daughter.

His growing hatred of the world and growing love of complaining is here to stay – joining the ‘crash bang wallop’ jokes, angry ukulele songs and dark one liners. He’s here to ‘play live to actual people’ and you won’t want to miss the man who’s been around for years, but is just getting to his angry peak. The North East Theatre Guide reviewed his 2017 show LINK.

Tickets for Gavin Webster’s show go on sale on Tuesday 7^th July 2020 from 10am online from Eventim UK: https://tinyurl.com/ybjk48yy #Ad

More information on how to support the theatre at: https://tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/support-us/

More information on the Light It In Red project at: www.lightitinred.co.uk