Preview: NORTH Festival at Newcastle Northern Stage

NORTH Festival

Newcastle Northern Stage

Tuesday 4^th – Saturday 8^th June 2019

NORTH Festival is a new industry event offering practical advice and skills development to North East artists, theatre makers and producers.  Led by artists and industry professionals from across the performing arts sector and beyond, Northern Stage will host a week of industry focused talks, workshops and professional development sessions as part of its ongoing programme of industry support in the North East.

• Led by artists and industry professionals from national and regional companies incl. Northern Stage, National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Audible and the BFI

• Pay What You Decide tickets go on sale Wednesday 24 April 

NORTH Festival is for artists, theatre-makers and producers - both early-career and more established. It’s a chance to make new connections, brush up on skills and get practical advice on developing a career in the arts. National and regional industry experts will run sessions offering practical advice on a range of subjects including auditions, producing a festival, funding your project, motion capture acting, avoiding the pitfalls of working in entertainment, directing and casting.

Companies leading sessions include the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, the BFI, Regional Theatre Young Director’s Scheme, Equity, Arts Council England, Janet Plater Management, Independent Theatre Council, Sam Claypole Casting and the MoCap Vaults with more speakers to be confirmed.

Northern Stage Associate Director Mark Calvert said, “NORTH Festival is all about opening doors and creating opportunities. The sessions all have a focus on practical advice to help your career in the arts, hosted by some truly brilliant and generous companies from the North East and across the rest of UK. But beyond the learning and skills developed during the sessions, the festival is just as much about making new connections, meeting people, discovering new opportunities and inspiring your next project. I can’t wait for it to get started!” 

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday 24 April and will be Pay What You Decide, giving participants the opportunity to make a donation of what they decide they want to, or can afford to, pay. The only exception is the MoCap Vaults session on Saturday 8 June which costs £20 but a whole day course like this would normally cost over £100.

Northern Stage is committed to supporting, development and showcasing of independent artists, empowering individuals and companies to further their careers and strengthening the arts infrastructure in North East England.  The company has pioneered a number of initiatives as part of its talent development programme, including launching an associate artists programme in 2018 to support established artists alongside its NORTH programme for emerging artists.

Tickets:

NORTH Festival will run from Tuesday 4^th – Saturday 8^th June 2019 at Northern Stage in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. For event listings, more information or to book a place visit www.northernstage.co.uk/north-festival call the box office on 0191 230 5151.

Training: The Actors' Gym at Newcastle Alphabetti Theatre

"To Lift or not to Lift"

The Actors' Gym

Newcastle Alphabetti Theatre

Going to the gym is like going to a rehearsal, we train, keep fit and achieve our goals!
But what happens when we are aren't in a rehearsal room?

The Actors' Gym is a new version of the treadmill for North East Actors who want to take risks and develop their skills in a supportive environment. It involves weekly workshops on specific plays and skills such as self-tapes, audition technique and rehearsal methods with individual and group work at the Alphabetti Theatre.

The Gym is designed to suit the needs of all disciplines and the actors' need for consistency to try new things, and improve their craft and stamina.

The only cores we are concerned with are our core values: Community, Imagination, and Courage. The Actors' Gym is open to any actor in the North East who has acting experience from a University/ Drama School/ College, or a Youth Theatre.

The Actors's Gym will be led by Jake Smith. Jake Smith trained on the National Theatre Directors’ Programme and has held positions as Resident Director at the Almeida Theatre, Trainee Director at Chichester Festival Theatre and Creative Learning Facilitator at Hull Truck Theatre. He has also been an Off West End Award for Best Director nominee.

When: Workshop 1: Wednesday 1st May, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 2: Wednesday 8th May, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 3: Wednesday 15th May, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 4: Wednesday 22nd May, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 5: Wednesday 29th May 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 6: Wednesday 5th June 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 7: Wednesday 12th June 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 8: Wednesday 19th June 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 9: Wednesday 26th June 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 10: Wednesday 3rd July 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 11: Wednesday 10th July 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Workshop 12: Wednesday 17th July 6:00pm - 7:30pm

All workshops will take place in the upstairs rehearsal room (unfortunately not wheelchair accessible, huge apologies!)

Tickets: £35 for all 12 sessions / £5 per session drop-in*

*Please note £5 individual workshop tickets can only be purchased on the day at the Box Office, and full series tickets can only be purchased online before Wednesday 1st May.
Age Recommendation: 18+

https://www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk/whats-on-menu/coming-up/17-whats-on-articles/476-the-actors-gym

Preview: Girl on the Train at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Samantha Womack Leads All-Star Cast In The Girl On The Train

The Girl on the Train

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Monday 29^th April – Saturday 4^th May 2019

The thriller that gripped the world, The Girl on the Train, is coming to Newcastle next month in a brand new stage show. Based on the internationally acclaimed number one best-selling novel and starring Samantha Womack. Get ready to have your nerves rattled…

Samantha plays Rachel Watson who longs for a different life. Her only escape is the perfect couple she watches through the train window every day, happy and in love.  Or so it appears. When Rachel learns that the woman she’s been secretly watching has suddenly disappeared, she finds herself as a witness and even a suspect in a thrilling mystery in which she will face bigger revelations than she could ever have anticipated.

Samantha Womack has starred extensively in television, film and theatre.  She is best known for playing Ronnie Mitchell in BBC1’s EastEnders. Other television credits include leading roles in Mount Pleasant and the hugely popular Game On.  Her recent films include: Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Kingsman: The Secret Service alongside Colin Firth.  Samantha recently played Morticia in a tour of The Addams Family.

Samantha said:  "Having been thoroughly captivated by the novel, the opportunity to take on a role like this is incredibly exciting. I’ve been fascinated by thrillers for a long time and this kind of storytelling, like Hitchcock’s Rear Window, offers us a voyeurs journey into a world which is dangerous and full of suspense.”

Oliver Farnworth, who is best known for playing Andy Carver in Coronation Street plays Scott with John Dougall as DI Gaskill, Naeem Hayatt as Kamal Abdic, Adam Jackson-Smith as Tom Watson, Lowenna Melrose as Anna Watson, and Kirsty Oswald as Megan Hipwell.  They are joined by Philippa Flynn and Matt Concannon in the ensemble.

The show is based on based on the internationally acclaimed number one best-selling novel by Paula Hawkins and the Dreamworks film.

Paula Hawkins’ novel is an international phenomenon, selling over twenty million copies world-wide.  Produced by Simon Friend, Amblin Entertainment and Josh Andrews, The Girl on the Train is adapted by Rachel Wagstaff & Duncan Abel and is directed by Anthony Banks with designs by James Cotterill. 

Photos by Manuel Harlan

Tickets:

The Girl on the Train plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Monday 29 April – Saturday 4 May 2019. Evenings are 7.30pm and matinees Thu 2pm and Sat 230pm.  Tickets from £14.50 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

REVIEW: The Full Monty at Newcastle Theatre Royal

One Last Time

The Full Monty

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Saturday 20 April 2019

The Full Monty, based upon the 1997 film about a group of former Sheffield steel workers, is on its last tour and visits the Theatre Royal this week.

Perhaps surprisingly, we had never seen the play as life seems to always get in the way, but as the show starts its final tango we decided to check it out. Simon Beaufoy wrote both the screenplay and this script too, so it faithfully recaptures much of the successful film. The packed Theatre Royal audience were in for a treat and the play was, in our opinion, much more rounded than the film. Everyone will have their own opinion, but to us the film seemed to be in a rush in order to get to that final scene whereas the play seems to do a better job with the build up and the personalities.

The play begins with former steel workers Gaz (Gary Lucy) and Dave (Kai Owen) breaking into their old workplace in order to steal some scrap. Gary hopes the money raised will help pay for, amongst other things, child support for his son Nathan (Fraser Kelly) who has joined him for their heist. Dave is more concerned with the state of the old crane that he maintained and operated for 15 years. Despite a repeated attempt to steal a girder, the lads fail. However, they do prevent the suicide of former kitchen worker Lomper (Joe Gill) who is now working as security at the steel works. After witnessing the enthusiasm that the local ladies welcome the arrival of all male dance group The Chippendales, they decide to have a go themselves. They rope in their former foreman, and local conservative club dance night regular, Gerald (Andrew Dunn), builder Guy (James Redmond) and Horse (Louis Emerick) and start rehearsals.

The reorganization of the lives of 3 of the lads features regularly in the story. Gaz’s troubles with his former wife Mandy (Amy Thompson) is a key driver in his plans. Gerald’s wife Linda (Bryonie Pritchard) is happily spending on their credit card, blissfully unaware that her husband has lost his job and Jean (Liz Carney) keeps suggesting her husband Dave picks up work that would represent a big change in career path. Director Rupert Hill keeps the pace of the action moving along nicely as the reminders of why the lads are considering the “Full Monty” money making plan in the first place regularly crop up.

The Theatre Royal crowd get plenty of laughs along the two hour (plus interval) show. This include the early attempts of dancing seductively. Choreographer Robert Jones works in some great routines that remind us that this is a group of ordinary lads with ordinary looks trying to do something extraordinary.

The set remains based on the steel works throughout. The conservative club, the job club, the police station and the working men’s club use the props from the factory to fashion tables, chairs and benches. This also helps with the smooth flow of the show, as the necessary equipment is to hand and we don’t have many periods of time as props are carried on and off. Colin Grenfell’s lighting design comes into its own especially at the end as the steel works turns into the stage for the big moment.

The final scene becomes interactive as the cast break the fourth wall in their performance. As the vests are thrown in to the audience there was a mad scramble by the Monday night crowd to get a souvenir of the night. The audience laugh, clap and scream and the lads get down to it.  This was indeed a hoot from start to finish.

The cast work well together. For example, Gary Lucy and Kai Owen, as Gaz and Dave, come across as mates who have some history together. Likewise, young Fraser Kelly is one to watch as he presents a character who simultaneously looks up to his Dad but is also sick of the lack of “stability” that he represents. This is a very good ensemble cast.

The Full Monty is a good story about relationships, depression, sexual identity, masculinity, families and the effects of the closure of traditional industries. Personally, I found the stage play more enjoyable than the film. Nothing beats being in a large crowd who are all laughing together. A good evening’s entertainment.

Review: Stephen Oliver

Tickets:

Tickets are priced from £16.00 and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge).

  

News: Young Writer In Residence Appointed For Takeover

 Young Writer In Residence Appointed For Takeover

A young playwright will see his first full play on stage after being appointed Young Writer in Residence at The Customs House. Elijah Young, 20, who is originally from Teesside, graduated as an actor from the Project A training course at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal in July last year.

He started writing two years ago and his first piece, Fag Break, was featured in the last 10 minutes to… night at Newcastle’s Live Theatre, exploring struggles in LGBT+ youth. He has recently finished the Write Something course at Alphabetti in Newcastle, where his short play, Dandelion & Burdock, was featured.

His latest play, Isolation, is now set to be performed at The Customs House on Friday, May 31, as the finale of The Takeover, a youth arts festival organised by young people for young people under the age of 25 in the north east. Elijah said: “I am proper buzzing to be the Young Writer in Residence as a part of The Takeover festival! The Customs House brings so much great theatre to the north east and has been committed to nurturing so many emerging artists.  It was at this theatre I was first ever encouraged to write. I am honoured to have my first ever full play commission at this lush venue!”

Isolation follows the story of six students and their teachers at a school in the north east of England and the week they spend together in isolation. Dale is an openly gay student who clashes with Stephen who, despite his act, is struggling behind closed doors.

The week coincides with the first anniversary of the suicide of Connor Davies, who was a student at the school. Emotions are high amongst the students and, with the recent death still raw, could his suicide have been avoided? Cabin fever sets in amongst the students and teachers, which leads them to reveal sides of them they wouldn’t normally share.

The director of the piece will be Jake Smith, who is also originally from Teesside.  He began his career at Hull Truck Theatre as a Creative Learning Facilitator and has since been a Resident Director at the Almeida Theatre, Trainee Director at Chichester Festival Theatre and trained on the National Theatre Directors' Programme. He is currently the Artistic Director of the award-winning Petersfield Shakespeare Festival.

Elijah will be mentored by County Durham writer Tamsin Daisy Rees, an associate artist at Live Theatre, who has worked with the Royal Court, Bunker Theatre, ARC Stockton, North Wall Arts Centre and Northern Stage. 

Fiona Martin, Deputy Director – Learning and Participation at The Customs House, said: “We were delighted with the number of strong applications that we received from young writers who wanted to have their work staged at The Customs House, but for us, Elijah really stood out. We are really looking forward working with him and to produce a new piece of theatre. We already have over 40 young actors lined up for auditions, so are confident we’ll get a fantastic cast to showcase Elijah’s work. It’ll be a wonderful night of funny and inspiring theatre by a talented local writer.” She added: “This work is possible due to the generous support of our funders; South Tyneside Council, Arts Council England, Scottish Power Foundation, The Leche Trust and Noel Coward Foundation.”

The Takeover runs from Monday, May 27, to Friday, May 31, and features theatre, cinema, music, dance, poetry and visual art. For more information, visit www.customshouse.co.uk/learning-participation.

Preview: Room On The Broom at Newcastle Theatre Royal

Iggety Ziggety Zaggety Zoom!

Room On The Broom Flies Into Newcastle

Room On The Broom

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Tuesday 23^rd – Wednesday 24^th April 2019

Following a record-breaking West End season, Tall Stories’ hit family show Room On The Broom is returning to Newcastle Theatre Royal this Easter – witch, cat, dog, bird and frog in tow!  Hop aboard.

Renowned theatre company Tall Stories has adapted the best-selling book of the same name by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, published by Macmillan Children’s Books, for the stage.

The Olivier Award nominated production tells the story of a friendly witch, her cat and three loveable animals who take to the skies on a broom and face a fearsome dragon in this magical, musical adventure. With enchanting puppetry, original sing-along songs and scary fun, Room on the Broom is ideal for families with children aged three and up.

The cast of Room on the Broom includes Amy Harris as ‘Witch’; Emma Crowley-Bennett as ‘Cat’; Charlie Guest as ‘Dog’ and ‘Frog’; Andrew Mudie as ‘Bird’ and the ‘Dragon’; and Alastair Chisholm completes the cast as understudy and Assistant Stage Manager.

Room on the Broom is produced and created by the critically acclaimed theatre company Tall Stories. The company was founded by Artistic Directors Olivia Jacobs and Toby Mitchell in 1997 and this year celebrated its 21^st birthday. Tall Stories’ previous productions include, The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child (both of which have visited Newcastle Theatre Royal), Emily Brown and The Thing, The Snail and The Whale and The Snow Dragon.

For Room on the Broom the creative team includes director Olivia Jacobs, associate director (current cast) Sam Conway, creative producer Toby Mitchell, designer Morgan Large, puppet designer Yvonne Stone, composers Jon Fiber & Andy Shaw (Jolly Good Tunes) and lighting designer James Whiteside.

Tickets:

Room on the Broom is at Newcastle Theatre Royal for four performances only, Tuesday 23 April 2019 (1.30pm & 4.30pm) and Wednesday 24 April 2019 (10.30am & 1.30pm). Tickets from £12 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.theatr eroyal.co.uk

Preview: The Rite Of Spring at Newcastle Dance City

Seeta Patel re-imagines the iconic ballet in Indian Dance UK tour

The Rite Of Spring

Newcastle Dance City 

Thursday 9^th May 2019

Award-winning choreographer and performer Seeta Patel has reimagined the iconic ballet, The Rite of Spring in the powerful classical Indian dance style, Bharatanatyam.  With a cast of six outstanding performers, the opens at Newcastle Dance City on May 9th as the start of a UK tour.

Composer Igor Stravinsky wrote The Rite of Spring, the ballet and orchestral concert – widely considered to be his masterpiece - for the 1913 season of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes.  When it premiered at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the avantgarde nature of the music and choreography caused a sensation and continues to be influential over a century later.

 “The Rite of Spring has been choreographed by many different artists and companies over the years,” says Seeta Patel.  “Nijinsky, Pina Bausch, Maurice Bejart to name a few.  But this will be the first time ever it will be done with the Bharatanatyam dance form.  I’m really excited to be bringing my first upscaled work to premiere at Newcastle’s Dance City.  It will be my first time presenting work at this amazing venue; it’s been a joy to rehearse in the lovely theatre there too.”

Seeta Patel

Patel’s production is set to be an exciting flirtation between East and West as it looks beyond notions of the exotic and orientalist perceptions of Eastern classical arts. The piece will showcase some of the finest international Indian classical dance talent in an exciting bridge between two very technical, powerful and evocative art forms: Western classical music and Indian classical dance.  Seeta Patel will bring a transformative re-telling of this tale through intricate rhythmic footwork, expressive prowess, geometric and dynamic movement.  

Stravinsky’s epic score gains a fresh perspective in Seeta Patel’s production through the use of Bharatanatyam, the dancers’ knowledge of Indian classical music to interpret the rhythms, and production design referencing the parched earth, the need for spring rain and the birth of new life. “We’ve played with lighting design and makeup effects and our two costume designers, who live in Bangalore, have inspired the look of the production with their beautiful textures,” says Seeta.

Patel’s The Rite of Spring brings together four of London’s key organisations: principal sponsor the Bagri Foundation, and co-commissioners the Place, Sadler’s Wells, and Akademi. “I’m thrilled that this project has captured the imagination of our partners,” says Seeta Patel.  “The idea was formed in 2017 following a seed commission from Akademi so it’s a joy to upscale and present it in London to celebrate Akademi’s 40th anniversary.  This is my first time working with the Bagri Foundation; however, Sadler’s Wells first presented my classical work in their Wild Card series in 2014, followed by a reprisal of the full-length show as part of the Darbar Festival in 2017.   The Place presented Not Today’s Yesterday, my one-woman show in collaboration with Lina Limosani in October 2018.  We hope this unique partnership will attract a breadth of audiences from across the city.  We’ll be rehearsing The Rite of Spring in the Place studios in the lead up to the tour and I’m already proud and humbled to think we’ll be able to create the work in such an iconic dance venue.”

Photos by Joe Armitage

Cast and creatives:

Choreographer and Artistic Director  Seeta Patel 

Dancers      Chris Gurusamy, Indu Panday, Kamala Devam, Moritz Zavan, Sarah Gasser, Sooraj Subramaniam

Lighting Designer    Warren Letton

Costume Designer    Jason and Anshu Arora

Producer     Sarah Shead, Spin

Arts Project Manager     Hayley Youell

The Rite Of Spring – Tour Dates:

May 9th  Newcastle, Dance City    www.dancecity.co.uk  

May 10th Ipswich, Jerwood DanceHouse  www.danceeast.co.uk/the-dancehouse

May 12th Leicester, Curve Theatre  www.curveonline.co.uk

May 13th Salford, The Lowry   www.thelowry.com   

May 14th Birmingham Patrick Centre http://livebrum.co.uk/venues/the-patrick-centre  

May 16th Bournemouth, Pavilion Dance South West https://surfthewaveuk.org.uk

May 17th 18th London, The Place   www.theplace.org.uk

May 21st Nottingham Lakeside Arts Centre www.lakesidearts.org.uk

May 23rd Bradford Kala Sangam   www.kalasangam.org

Newcastle Dance City Tickets:

Free Pre-show Talk: https://www.dancecity.co.uk/performance/99499/the-rite-of-spring-pre-show-talk/

Main performance: https://www.dancecity.co.uk/performance/99899/the-rite-of-spring-seeta-patel/

Tickets: £16.50; £8.00 students & under 18s; £13.00 concession