Preview: Dan Snow’s History Hit at Newcastle Tyne Theatre

 

Dan Snow’s History Hit Announces Newcastle Date

 

Dan Snow’s History Hit

Newcastle Tyne Theatre and Opera House

Thursday 7th October 2021

Tickets: Tickets are now on sale from our affiliate Eventim UK: https://tidd.ly/3meN5IC #Ad

 

Award winning, chart topping podcast and online TV channel History Hit has announced a new 10 date live tour for Autumn 2021.

 

The tour will see one of the world’s most celebrated history broadcasters Dan Snow taking his accessible interview style to the stage in 10 cities across England, Scotland and Wales. He will talk to some of our best historians about the biggest stories from the past as well as hear the history of the towns and cities that he visits.

Interviews and show content will also be broadcast on the UK's number 1 history podcast, Dan Snow's History Hit, which is now a daily show. VIP Packages to gain backstage access and meet Dan after show dates are also available.

Dan Snow is a BAFTA award winning broadcaster, having made TV shows that have been watched by tens of millions of people worldwide. The chart topping podcast Dan Snows History Hit receives over a million listens each week and his most recent book, ‘On This Day in History’ was a Sunday Times Bestseller.

History Hit is the UK’s biggest digital history brand across podcasts, Video on Demand, social media and the web. Go to www.historyhit.com/tour for more information.

 

Tickets: Tickets are now on sale from our affiliate Eventim UK: https://tidd.ly/3meN5IC #Ad

News: Live Theatre receives Capital Kickstart grant

Live Theatre receives Capital Kickstart grant

 

Newcastle's Live Theatre
Photo: Stephen Oliver

Newcastle’s Live Theatre has been awarded an £85,911 Capital Kickstart grant as part of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund enabling the organisation to push forward with Live Theatre’s capital project despite the financial challenge caused by the Covid-19 crisis.

 

Live Theatre is one of 74 organisations receiving today. The Capital Kickstart grants programme helps organisations cover costs added to capital projects such as building works, refurbishments, and large-scale equipment purchases by pandemic-related delays or fundraising shortfalls. 

 

Established in 1973, Live Theatre is the only theatre outside of London dedicated to new writing, championing lesser heard and diverse voices and creating bold, diverse contemporary plays. Live Theatre plays a vital role in the national theatre ecology; achieved through a unique framework of nurturing and commissioning new, emerging and established writers for new plays, and a significant programme for children and young people.

 

Live Theatre’s talent development programme supports over 1,000 independent artists each year. In the last five years Live Theatre has singularly commissioned 52 productions, 75% from North East artists.

 

The funding expands the scope of an existing project and will enable Live Theatre to implement highly visible adaptations and safety measures to open and operate effectively and ensure that returning customers, staff and creative associates feel reassured and confident when they can once again return to Live Theatre. These measures include the installation of perspex screens, physical alterations to the auditorium space, reduced touch points, installation of digital screens and also the purchase of technical and production equipment including mobile seating and lighting in order to enable outdoor performances to be staged within Live Garden and Low Yard.  

 

Jim Beirne, Chief Executive of Live Theatre, said: “We are incredibly appreciative of the generous support that we have received from the Culture Recovery Fund. This additional award will help us to make the necessary adaptations to ensure a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment for returning audiences and talented theatre makers. We will be able to continue to develop and deliver our creative programme, bringing original and innovative stories back to our theatre spaces and sharing them with audiences.”

 

The Chair of Arts Council England, Sir Nicholas Serota, added “Today’s announcement is another vital step in securing the future of England’s cultural sector. Supporting capital projects will help to ensure that we maintain an innovative, sustainable cultural infrastructure that supports world class creative work, while the loans announced today will enable some of our largest and most prestigious cultural organisations to weather the effects of Covid-19 and reopen when it is safe to do so. The Arts Council is grateful to the Government for their support through the Culture Recovery Fund, and we are proud to support all the organisations receiving funding today.”

 

Preview: Christmas with the Hobs - Online

 

New Christmas show from Alnwick Playhouse, Maltings Berwick & Queen’s Hall Arts streaming online

 

Christmas with the Hobs

Online

Saturday 12^th – Thursday 31^st December 2020

 

This December, three Northumberland venues, Alnwick Playhouse, Maltings Berwick and Queen’s Hall Arts, are teaming up with CaroleW Productions to create Christmas with the Hobs, a brand new festive animation made in Northumberland for audiences everywhere to experience at home, and in schools, hospitals and care homes. 

 

It’s Christmas Eve at Nana’s house and Tyler and Eliza are waiting for Dad to pick them up to start the celebrations. But when plans change, they must work together to create a Christmas to remember, with the help of their newfound friends, the Hobs! Join them as they discover what really makes Christmas special, with mishaps and mayhem along the way.

 

Written by Becci Sharrock, Christmas with the Hobs is illustrated by Sheila Graber who animated the children’s TV series Paddington in the 1980s, with original music by North East singer songwriter Bridie Jackson. The cast are Joseph Casling, Jude Nelson, Lewis Jobson, Viktoria Kay and Jacqueline Phillips, who will also direct.

 

l-r Carole Wears, Viktoria Kay, Lewis Jobson, Joseph Casling,
 Jacqueline Phillips, Jude Nelson 

Katy Taylor, Queen’s Hall Arts Artistic Director said, “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Alnwick Playhouse and Berwick Maltings to create a wonderful new animation for Christmas. This is the first time we’ve commissioned an animation and we are so lucky to be working with a fantastically talented team of artists and performers. All three venues in Northumberland were successful in our applications for emergency funding from Arts Council England last month and this has enabled us to try something new and make something truly magical for our audiences this Christmas. 

 

“We know that freelance performers, technicians and artists have really struggled while venues have been closed, and many people have been unable to access government financial support so it’s vital that we do our bit to help. Christmas with the Hobs gave us an opportunity to bring together North East arts professionals to create a magical Christmas gift from Northumberland. We hope you enjoy it!”

 

Viktoria Kay

Becci Sharrock was inspired to start writing after her first experience of working in theatre, ushering on The Pitmen Painters at Live Theatre. Her first producing commission - Waiting for Angus - was a co-commission from Maltings Berwick, Theatre Royal Newcastle and ARC Stockton, through the Bridging the Gap programme.  She has since worked with Northern Stage, Theatre Sans Frontières and New Writing North. She also runs the Hexham young writers’ group in partnership with Queen’s Hall Arts and Hexham Book Festival, which Joseph Casling who plays Tyler in the show took part in.

 

Jude Nelson

Becci said, “I was so excited to be asked to write Christmas with the Hobs. It feels like a chance to spread a little bit of Christmas magic, which we need this year more than ever. With such a crack team of creatives working on the production, audiences are in for a real treat. I hope they enjoy meeting the Hobs as much as I enjoyed writing them and fall in love with their cheeky personalities, the naughty and the nice sides!” 

 

Joseph Casling

Christmas with the Hobs will be streamed online from 12-31 December. Tickets are free but must be booked via venues’ websites. Donations to support future commissions and creative projects in Northumberland are welcome.

Photos: Jonathan Bradley

News: Theatre Royal Pantomime Robin Hood to be rescheduled

 Theatre Royal Pantomime Robin Hood to be rescheduled

Following the government’s announcement last week that Newcastle was entering Tier 3 restrictions, Newcastle Theatre Royal and producer Qdos Entertainment have been considering all options for their Socially Distanced pantomime, Robin Hood, which was due to open on Saturday 19 December 2020 and run until Sunday 10 January 2021.

Today the theatre has announced the difficult decision to reschedule Robin Hood to April 2021. Current restrictions mean that theatres are unable to open, and without a clear timeframe for the city moving to Tier 2, progressing with December plans is now not possible.

 

Philip Bernays said: “This is a huge disappointment – this will be the first year since 1900 that there hasn’t been a Theatre Royal pantomime in Newcastle and Danny, Clive, Chris, Joe and the whole team are devastated. We had really hoped to give some Christmas sparkle but it will now be an Easter treat.”

 

Director and producer of Robin Hood, Michael Harrison commented: “We know how excited the audience were about this new production of Robin Hood, with queues at the online box office when it went on sale. We’re delighted that the theatre, cast and our friends at The National Lottery are all able to make the show work at Easter, and we’ll be using the extra weeks to make the show even bigger and better!”

 

This year’s socially distanced production had been created by Michael Harrison especially for the Theatre Royal, to allow audience members to come together safely and enjoy the magic of the much-loved art form this festive season, following the rescheduling of Humpty Dumpty; the pantomime the theatre had originally planned for 2020 which is now on sale for Christmas 2021.

 

Ticket holders for the show have been contacted and need take no action as all tickets will be automatically refunded over the coming weeks; these customers will also be offered priority booking for the rescheduled dates.

The new April dates and performance schedule for Robin Hood will be announced on Friday 11 December and go on sale the following week:

Friends members - Monday 14 December 10am,

Advantage members – Tuesday 15 December 10am,

Public booking - Wednesday 16 December 10am. 

News: Newcastle Theatre Royal to Restart Recruitment for New Chief Executive

 

Newcastle Theatre Royal to Restart Recruitment for New Chief Executive

 

Newcastle Theatre Royal Chief Executive Philip Bernays has today announced that he plans to retire in the summer of 2021, after his initial plans were interrupted by COVID-19.

In light of the unprecedented challenges the Theatre Royal was facing, in March 2020 the Board of Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust took the decision to postpone the recruitment of their new Chief Executive, while they focused on managing the crisis.   The current Chief Executive, Philip Bernays, kindly agreed to stay on to lead the organisation through this difficult time.  

 

With a successful application to the Culture Recovery Fund for £3million and a programme in place for reopening in 2021, there is some light at the end of the tunnel and it is now time to recruit for a new Chief Executive who will lead the theatre out of the pandemic.

 

Nick Swales, Chair of the Board of Trustees said: “We are hugely grateful to Philip for deferring his retirement plans and steering us through the crisis over the last few months. Philip and the Board now want to look to the future, recruit a new Chief Executive and ensure the Theatre Royal is best placed to continue bringing great entertainment to many generations of theatregoers to come.” 

Newcastle Theatre Royal closed its doors on 23 March 2020 and has cancelled over 400 performances as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, affecting some 400,000 members of the audience.

 

For further recruitment information please go to www.aeminternational.co.uk

News: Pay It Forward: Northern Stage supporters gift festive show to schools, hospitals and care homes across the North East this Christmas

 

Pay It Forward: Northern Stage supporters gift festive show to schools, hospitals and care homes across the North East this Christmas

 

The Emperor’s New Clothes

Online

Saturday 12^th – Thursday 31^st December 2020

 

This December, Northern Stage and Kitchen Zoo are making a brand new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic folktale, The Emperor’s New Clothes for audiences to experience at home from 12-31 December. And thanks the generosity of Northern Stage’s supporters, more than 22,000 North East school children will enjoy the show for free.

 

A generous donation from the Hoults Family Grassroots Fund at the Community Foundation means that thousands of North East school children, as well as hospitals and care homes across the region, will be able to enjoy a festive treat this December, despite not being able to visit the theatre.

 

Karen Turland from Lobley Hill Primary School in Gateshead said, !It is an absolutely fantastic thing for Northern Stage to do this year when the children and schools have had such a hard year. We really appreciate it. It’s just such a kind and lovely gesture.”

 

Peta Hoult and her son Charlie, who is MD of Hoults Yard Hub in Newcastle, visited the theatre to see rehearsals for The Emperor’s New Clothes and hear how their generous donation will benefit pupils at the region’s schools, with children able to watch the play in their classroom bubbles before the end of term.

 

During the visit, Peta Hoult chatted with new Northern Stage Artistic director Natalie Ibu about her lifelong love of theatre and of the joy it can bring in challenging times, recalling the time she performed on the main stage at Northern Stage (then called the Newcastle Playhouse) while studying Creative Arts at Northumbria University.

Peta Hoult said, "As a family, we’ve seen the power of theatre to inspire and change lives. My aunt ran a theatre in Bristol throughout WW2 and long received letters from members in the audience who had enjoyed the escape it gave to daily challenges. The Little Theatre also gave a vital springboard to actors who went on to entertain the nation. Covid has taken a terrible toll on mental health, so we wish to see Northern Stage continue its role as a civic hub to reflect society’s journey through drama.”

 

Natalie Ibu said, !We are all very thankful for the Hoult Family support of Northern Stage. Christmas promises to be a rather different celebration for all of us this year but thanks to the generosity of Peta and her family, we are able to share some festive theatrical magic with children across the region this December.”

 

Su Legg, Senior Philanthropy Advisor, Community Foundation for Tyne and Wear said, “It is fantastic that the grant from the Hoult Family Grassroots Fund at the Community Foundation has enabled Northern Stage to create this inspired project that will help keep the spirit of Christmas alive for many children who might otherwise miss out on many of their usual Christmas activities.”

To share the gift of theatre, donations of any amount can be made to the Northern Stage Pay it Forward appeal, an initiative to provide creative, fun experiences for local children and young people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to take part in the arts www.northernstage.co.uk/donate

 

The Emperor’s New Clothes will be streamed online from Saturday 12 – Thursday 31 December.

Tickets are £15 per household. Book online at www.northernstage.co.uk or call 0191 230 5151.

Photos: Pamela Raith

Preview: Wet Wet Wet at Newcastle Tyne Theatre

 

Wet Wet Wet Announce ‘The Journey’ 2021 Autumn Tour & New Album

Newcastle Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Sunday 21st November 2021

Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/tyneWetWetWet #Ad

 

Tickets will go on sale 10am Friday 4th December 2020

 

With 2021 looking brighter for all, love really will be all around as Wet Wet Wet are heading back out on the road for a full theatre tour in autumn. Kicking off ‘The Journey’ tour in their beloved homeland of Scotland, the band will visit 20 cities across the UK in what will be their largest tour since 2019’s sold-out run.

 

Having spent quite a fair amount of time in their homes this year, the band turned their creative juices on to entertain fans via their ‘Wet Wet Wet from Home’ sessions, rearranging original classics in videos viewed by tens of thousands. Now itching to see their fans in person, the tour will be their second full run with singer Kevin Simm who was seamlessly welcomed into the fold in 2018. Previously a member of BRIT Award winning band Liberty X, Kevin won the 2016 series of The Voice UK.

 

When asked about the excitement of a new tour, Graeme Clark said ‘Nothing comes near to playing a live gig, from travelling to the venue for the soundcheck, to getting psyched before you go on, the roar when the lights go down, doing your gig with your musical brothers, to the bow at the end of the show. When you get it right it completely re-energises you. Going out on a tour is one of the most exhilarating things you can do in life.’

 

Next year will also see the band release their first album with Kevin at the helm, entitled ‘The Journey’ it is available to pre-order now. Neil Mitchell explains ‘Releasing a new Wets studio album in 2021 is all the more

unusual because of these weird times that we're living in. Having Kevin as our singer now gives the band and the new album a different dynamic and an excitement that has reinvigorated Wet Wet Wet for an exciting journey ahead…’

 

 

Kevin Simm followed, ‘I have loved being part of the band, performing with the lads and singing an incredible catalogue of songs. We have really gelled on stage and as friends off it, so it was the next natural step to write and release some new music.’

 

Wet Wet Wet are undeniably a musical phenomenon, having made an incredible impact with their music over the last four decades, becoming one of the most successful bands in British pop history. Selling in excess of 15 million singles and albums to date, Wet Wet Wet have featured in the UK official singles and album charts for over an immense 500 weeks. With number 1 hits including ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ and ‘Goodnight Girl’, 1994’s ‘Love Is All Around’ was the biggest selling single of the year, when it spent 15 weeks at No1, making it the longest spell at the top for any UK artist – a record that still stands.

 

Tommy Cunningham concluded ‘2021 is going to be one of the most challenging but most successful years in our entire 30-year plus career. We will not go down. We will fight on and the journey continues. Wet Wet Wet have a very bright future and we all can’t wait.’

Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/tyneWetWetWet #Ad

Tickets will go on sale 10am Friday 4th December 2020