Wednesday, 6 November 2024
Matthew Bourne’s Iconic Swan Lake Celebrates 30 Years with Extensive UK and Ireland Tour
Dance lovers, prepare to experience the power and artistry of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, as it embarks on an extraordinary UK and Ireland tour to celebrate its 30th anniversary. With 29 weeks of breathtaking performances across 19 venues, New Adventures once again brings Tchaikovsky’s classic to audiences with a thrilling revival that pushes dance theatre boundaries. Starting at Theatre Royal Plymouth on November 11, 2024, and leading into an 8-week holiday season at Sadler’s Wells, this tour marks New Adventures’ 22nd consecutive Christmas season at the iconic venue.
In 2025, the tour extends to Aberdeen, Sheffield, and Dublin, alongside previously announced cities including Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, ensuring audiences nationwide will have a chance to experience the groundbreaking production that forever changed dance theatre. Since premiering at Sadler’s Wells in 1995, Swan Lake has won over 30 international awards and become the most successful dance production of all time, celebrated for replacing the traditional female swan ensemble with a bold, male corps-de-ballet. The production’s success has reverberated globally, holding records for the longest-running full-length dance piece in both the West End and on Broadway, with Olivier and Tony Awards in categories from Best New Dance Production to Best Choreography.
This tour also welcomes a new generation of New Adventures talent making their debut in lead roles: Harrison Dowzell, Jackson Fisch, and Rory Macleod as The Swan/The Stranger; James Lovell, Leonardo McCorkindale, and Stephen Murray as The Prince; Nicole Kabera and Ashley Shaw as The Queen; Katrina Lyndon and Bryony Wood in double roles. The company’s stellar ensemble will elevate Lez Brotherston’s set and costume design and Paule Constable’s dynamic lighting, with video and projection by Duncan McLean. The dark, witty, and emotionally charged choreography, directed by Matthew Bourne, remains central to this genre-defining experience, blending wit and menace in equal parts.
As Official Partners, Fortnum & Mason and Edwardian Hotels bring their support to the tour, underscoring the cultural importance of this masterpiece. Join the excitement as Swan Lake embarks on its 30th-anniversary journey, celebrating dance theatre history with every performance.
photo credit: Johan Persson
The Great Gatsby Musical to Dazzle London’s West End in Spring 2025!
Step into the Roaring Twenties as The Great Gatsby musical makes its highly anticipated West End debut at The London Coliseum next spring, bringing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic story of love, luxury, and longing to the UK stage. Following a record-breaking, sold-out premiere at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse and a triumphant Broadway run in 2024, The Great Gatsby will start previews on April 11th 2025, with the official press night on April 24th, and performances running until September 7th, 2025. Tickets go on sale on November 27 via londongatsby.com, with priority booking available for early sign-ups.
This glittering adaptation of Fitzgerald’s timeless novel captures the glamour and extravagance of the Jazz Age.
I am thrilled to bring this timeless, glamorous, and resplendent production to the UK’s West End,” says lead producer Chunsoo Shin. "The London Coliseum, with its grand architecture and historic charm, is a spectacular venue that perfectly complements the show’s lavish aesthetic and vibrant energy, transporting audiences back to the opulence of the 1920s.”
The show’s creative team features Tony Award nominees Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen, who bring the story to life with dazzling new music and lyrics, alongside a book by Jonathan Larson Grant winner Kait Kerrigan. Directed by Marc Bruni and choreographed by Dominique Kelley, with stunning costume design by Tony-winner Linda Cho and immersive scenic and projection work by Paul Tate de Poo III, this production promises an unforgettable night of entertainment.
Casting announcements are forthcoming, but with the production’s acclaimed design team and energetic direction, Gatsby’s world of riotous parties and mysterious romance is sure to captivate London audiences. Don’t miss this chance to experience “the party of the century”- get ready to immerse yourself in one of the greatest stories ever told.
Tuesday, 5 November 2024
Full Cast Announced for The Lonely Londoners at Kiln Theatre; Extended Run Due to High Demand
Kiln Theatre and Jermyn Street Theatre have announced the full cast for the highly anticipated run of The Lonely Londoners, adapted by Roy Williams from Sam Selvon's iconic novel. Directed by Ebenezer Bamgboye, the production features a stellar ensemble cast including Tobi Bakare, Shannon Hayes, Solomon Israel, Gilbert Kyem Jnr, Carol Moses, Aimée Powell, and Romario Simpson. Due to popular demand, the run has been extended, with performances now scheduled from 10th January to 22nd February 2025, at Kiln Theatre, with the official press night set for 16th January.
Bamgboye, returning to direct this critically acclaimed adaptation, remarked:
Sam Selvon’s novel, The Lonely Londoners, is a timeless masterpiece... I feel doubly lucky for the opportunity to return back to it a second time, at a perfect venue, alongside a truly stellar group of actors and creatives.”
Set in 1950s London, The Lonely Londoners tells the story of Henry ‘Sir Galahad’ Oliver, a Trinidadian immigrant who arrives in London with dreams and optimism, only to encounter the harsh realities faced by a generation of Caribbean migrants. As he meets others from the Windrush generation, he is confronted with the challenges and complexities of building a home in a city that often views him as an outsider. This adaptation explores the Windrush generation’s hopes, resilience, and camaraderie in a society shaped by prejudice.
Creative Team:
Director: Ebenezer Bamgboye
Set Designer: Laura Ann Price
Costume Designer: Anett Black
Lighting Designer: Elliot Griggs
Sound Designer: Tony Gayle
Movement Director: Nevena Stojkov
Voice and Dialect Coach: Hazel Holder
Casting Director: Abby Galvin
Kiln-Mackintosh Resident Assistant Director: Imy Wyatt Corner
Associate Sound Designer: Bella Kear
Literary Consultant: Susheila Nasta
Wales Millennium Centre Launches Digital-First Venue to Revolutionise Creative Arts in Wales
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) has unveiled plans for a pioneering digital-first performance venue, set to transform Wales' digital and immersive arts landscape. This new 550-seat venue will be WMC's first stand-alone addition since its 2004 opening by Queen Elizabeth II, reinforcing its role as a landmark for the creative industries. Located opposite WMC in Cardiff Bay, this cutting-edge space will feature production, rehearsal, and training facilities, empowering artists to explore storytelling through innovative technology.
Over the next five years, the venue aims to engage over 10,000 participants in creative training and expand WMC’s youth programs, offering young people invaluable opportunities to develop skills in digital and immersive arts. The strategic placement of the venue is part of the "Cardiff Live" development, which will incorporate community areas, exhibition halls, and new offices for Cardiff Council, making it a central hub for digital arts in Wales and a leading venue in the UK.
Graeme Farrow, WMC’s Chief Creative and Content Officer, emphasised the venue’s impact:
This new space will continue our work at the intersection of technology and the arts... allowing artists to explore and experiment with multimedia approaches to storytelling. Its flexibility ensures artists will always have access to the cutting-edge resources they need to push boundaries.”
WMC’s latest venture builds on its success with Bocs, an immersive XR (extended reality) venue launched in 2022 that attracted over 31,000 visitors and featured award-winning immersive experiences. From virtual rave scenes to powerful narratives like Colored: The Unsung Life of Claudette Colvin, Bocs showcased how digital arts can engage and inspire diverse audiences. WMC also recently showcased Invisible Ocean, an immersive production that attracted 7,500 attendees in just six weeks, highlighting the growing demand for digital storytelling.
As the official Welsh partner in the UK-wide Immersive Arts consortium, WMC will further research emerging technologies such as motion capture and virtual reality tools. Through this partnership, WMC will help distribute £3.6 million in grant funding to UK-based artists, breaking down barriers for those keen to explore immersive storytelling. Additionally, WMC will launch an artist award in early 2025, granting a year-long development opportunity to an artist with an exceptional vision for digital arts.
As a cornerstone of Welsh culture since its founding, WMC has hosted 23 million visitors, generated £218 million in ticket sales, and staged 7,800 performances, including Hamilton, Nye, and the annual Llais arts festival. Each year, WMC provides free creative programs for 4,000 young people and has supported 60 technical apprentices. Its ongoing transformation is a testament to the belief that creativity is essential to the well-being and prosperity of everyone in Wales.
Cllr Russell Goodway from Cardiff Council says:
This project is a big part of our ambition for Cardiff Live... It epitomises our approach of supporting production as well as performance, allowing us to develop our cultural offerings for Cardiff’s communities.”
Cardiff Council has awarded the build contract to Goldbeck Construction, and the venue is expected to open as a central feature of Cardiff Bay’s cultural expansion.
Mike Leigh’s Acclaimed The Pirates of Penzance Returns to English National Opera This Winter
Set sail for an evening of swashbuckling humour, iconic songs, and sharp satire as the English National Opera (ENO) revives Mike Leigh’s The Pirates of Penzance at the London Coliseum, running from December 2nd, 2024, to February 21st, 2025. First directed by Leigh in 2015 to great acclaim, this production brings Gilbert & Sullivan’s beloved comic opera back to the stage for a second revival, guided by Revival Director Sarah Tipple and featuring the ENO Orchestra under the baton of Natalie Murray Beale, a conductor making her highly anticipated ENO debut.
With 15 scheduled performances, this production tells the charmingly absurd story of Frederic, a young pirate apprentice torn between his duty to his pirate crew and his love for Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley. Audiences can look forward to iconic numbers like 'I am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General' and 'I am a Pirate King'. delivered by an exceptional cast of G&S veterans and ENO regulars.
Richard Suart reprises his celebrated role as Major-General Stanley, joined by John Savournin as The Pirate King, bringing his G&S expertise from recent ENO productions Iolanthe and H.M.S. Pinafore. Tenor William Morgan makes his debut as Frederic, and Classic FM “30 Under 30 Rising Star” Isabelle Peters will play Mabel, following her appearance in ENO’s Jenufa in 2024. Rounding out the principal cast are James Creswell as Sergeant of Police, Bethan Langford as Edith, and Gaynor Keeble as Ruth.
Mike Leigh’s production, known for its vibrant direction and humour, is brought to life with design by Alison Chitty, lighting by Ian Jackson-French, and choreography by Francesca Jaynes. A relaxed performance will take place on Thursday, January 30, at 13:00, and a signed performance on Saturday, February 8, at 14:30.
Ticket Information:
Tickets begin at £10, with free options available for those under 21, and discounted prices for 21-35-year-olds. A booking fee of £3.75 applies for online and phone bookings. The production is a co-production with Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg and the Saarländische Staatstheater Saarbrücken.
Performance Dates:
Evening Performances: December 2, 4, 6, January 24, 25, 30, February 4, 6, 19 at 19:00
Matinee Performances: December 7, January 30 (13:00); January 25, February 8, 21 (14:30)
Cast Announced for Stiles + Drewe’s Best New Song Prize Concert 2024: A Star-Studded Celebration of New Musical Theatre Talent
Prepare for an unforgettable night of new musical theatre as Mercury Musical Developments and Stiles + Drewe, in partnership with Broadway Licensing Global, present the 2024 Best New Song Prize Concert. Hosted by Olivier Award-winning actor Jenna Russell, this one-night-only gala will take place at The Other Palace on Monday, December 2 at 7:30 pm, showcasing the incredible talent of both emerging and established musical theatre creators.
This unique concert features a glittering cast, including stage icons like Charlie McCullagh (42 Balloons, Jesus Christ Superstar), Desmonda Cathabel (Aladdin, Miss Saigon), Lauryn Redding (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), Natalie Paris (Pretty Woman, SIX), Obioma Ugoala (Frozen, Hamilton), Samuel Barnett (Rock Follies), and Tim Howar (Rock of Ages, The Phantom of the Opera). Also performing are Allyson Ava Brown (Hamilton, Les Misérables), Cassius Hackforth (Something Rotten), Dan Partridge (Grease), Jodie Jacobs (Hello Dolly!), and Liv Andrusier (Fiddler on the Roof).
Alongside performances from these incredible artists, the event will feature songs from recent British musical successes like Becoming Nancy, Cable Street, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), and 42 Balloons. The evening celebrates the vitality of new writing with a special showcase of 12 finalist songs, which include:
- 'The Temptation of Me' from Proud by Mark Anderson & Lee Freeman
- 'I’m Going to Stay With You' from The Tale of the Gifted Prince by Lezlie Wade & Dan Green
- 'It Starts Small' from Unfolding by Emma Vieceli
- 'Ideal Robot Assistant' from A.I. Will Solve All Your Problems by Leo Mercer
- 'Someday My Prince Will Come' from Queering the Canon by Cheeyang Ng & Eric Sorrels
- 'Viareggio' from Lifeboats by Gus Gowland
- 'Die Like Trees' from Girl Goes to the Underworld by Sam Norman & Bela Kawalec
- 'Hero' from Man Vs Snake the Epic Musical by Stuart Matthew Price & Daniel Fletcher
- 'Spread a Little Joy Around the Place' from Retail Therapy by Hilmi Jaidin
- 'Locked Away' from The Queen is Mad by Amy Clare Tasker & Tom McGrath
- 'Drek!' from Otto's Weidt's Brush and Broom Workshop for the Blind by Amir Shoenfeld & Caitlyn Burt
- 'Invisible' from Hatched! by Lydia Shaw & Edward Court
A distinguished panel of judges, including Chris Bush, George Stiles, Anthony Drewe, and Joanne Benjamin, will select the winning song, awarding £1,000 toward the winner’s development. An additional award recognising Voice, Vision & Potential will also be presented. Sponsored by Broadway Licensing Global, Dorico, Tarento Productions, and Kenny Wax Productions, the Best New Song Prize Concert celebrates the vibrant future of British musical theatre and its outstanding creative talent.
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