Thursday 26 July 2018
Theatrical, Maggie Harcourt (Book) | Review
Theatrical by Maggie Harcourt
Published: 28th June 2018 by Usborne Publishing ltd
★★★★
{AD PR Invite- tickets gifted in exchange for honest review}
Friday 25 February 2022
Millie O’Connell, Danielle Steers and Debbie Kurup to Play Cher in The Cher Show
“All of us invent ourselves.
Some of us just have more imagination than others.”CHER
The producers of the brand new production of The Cher Show are delighted to announce that the role of Cher will be played by Debbie Kurup, Danielle Steers and Millie O’Connell. The production features the actresses portraying Cher in three different ways throughout her iconic career, with Debbie as ‘Star’, Danielle as ‘Lady’ and Millie as ‘Babe’. Further casting is to be announced.
With book by Tony and Olivier Award-winning Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, The Addams Family, Peter and the Starcatcher), direction by Arlene Phillips (Saturday Night Fever, Starlight Express, Grease), choreography by Oti Mabuse (two-time Strictly Come Dancing champion) and costume design by Gabriella Slade (Six, In The Heights, Spice World 2019 Tour), the UK & Ireland Tour will open at Leicester’s Curve on 15 April 2022 and will continue through to 1 April 2023.
Debbie Kurup’s theatre credits include Bonnie & Clyde (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Queen Tuya in The Prince of Egypt (Dominion), Blues in the Night (Kiln), Sweet Charity (Donmar Warehouse), Mrs Neilsen in Girl From The North Country (Old Vic/ Noël Coward), The Threepenny Opera (NT), Anything Goes (Sheffield Crucible/UK Tour), Nikki Marron in The Bodyguard (Adelphi - Olivier Award nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical), Velma Kelly in Chicago (Cambridge/Adelphi), Sister Act (London Palladium), East (Leicester Curve), West Side Story (Prince of Wales), Tonight’s The Night (Victoria Palace), Rent (Prince of Wales/UK Tour), Fame (UK Tour), Guys And Dolls (Sheffield Crucible), Pal Joey (Chichester) and Boogie Nights (Savoy).
Danielle Steers’s theatre credits include The Empress in Aladdin (Theatre Royal, Plymouth), Catherine Parr in Six The Musical (London), Zahara in the original cast of Bat out of Hell: The Musical (Manchester Opera House, London Coliseum, Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto, Dominion Theatre, New York City Centre), Carmen in Sweet Charity (Donmar Warehouse), Lead Shirelle in the original London cast of Beautiful - The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre), swing and cover Nikki Marron in The Bodyguard (Adelphi Theatre) and cover Killer Queen in We Will Rock You (International Arena Tour). Her debut album, The Future Ain't What It Used To Be, was released in 2021.
Millie O’Connell’s theatre credits include Maureen in Rent (Hope Mill Theatre - WOS Award Nomination), Jeanie in Hair (Turbine Theatre), Chloe Valentine in Be More Chill (Shaftesbury Theatre and The Other Palace), Anne Boleyn in SIX: The Musical (UK Tour and Arts Theatre, London - Olivier Award nominated), Ensemble/cover Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie (UK Tour), Ensemble/Understudy Annie in 42nd Street (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Ensemble/Understudy Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street (Theatre Du Chatelet).
From a young child with big dreams, the shy daughter of an Armenian American truck driver, to the dizzying heights of global stardom, The Cher Show tells the incredible story of Cher’s meteoric rise to fame. Cher takes the audience by the hand and introduces them to the influential people in her life, from her mother and Sonny Bono, to fashion designer and costumier Bob Mackie. It shows how she battled the men who underestimated her, fought the conventions and, above all, was a trailblazer for independence.
The musical is packed with 35 of her biggest hits, including ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’, ‘I Got You Babe’, ‘Strong Enough’, ‘The Shoop Shoop Song’ and ‘Believe’.
With over 100 million record sales, an Academy Award®, an Emmy®, a Grammy®, three Golden Globes® and an award from The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Cher has influenced popular culture more than most. Her on-screen career started in 1971 with her weekly television show that attracted 30 million viewers a week, and went on to include starring roles in iconic films from Moonstruck, for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress, to Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, which prompted the New York Magazine to realise “every single movie—no matter how flawless—would be infinitely better if it included Cher.” Her ‘Farewell Tour’ became the highest grossing music tour in history – in true Cher fashion, she followed up her ‘Farewell Tour’ with two further sell-out, worldwide arena tours. She is the only artist in history to have a number one hit in the Billboard chart for six consecutive decades; an achievement that caused Vogue to deem her “eternally relevant and the ruler of outré reinvention”. She became known as the Queen of Reinvention.
In the 1990s, she established The Cher Charitable Foundation to support causes around the world. She has been a long-time donor and supporter of Habitat for Humanity, The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and Keep A Child Alive, an organisation that helps to combat the AIDs epidemic. Most recently, she co-founded Free the Wild to help rescue Kaavan the Asian elephant from Islamabad zoo.
Written by Tony Award-winning Rick Elice, The Cher Show made its debut on Broadway in 2018 in a production that earned two Tony Awards and delighted fans from around the world. This new production will be the European premiere.
The Cher Show UK & Ireland Tour will have set design by Tom Rogers, musical supervision by Rich Morris, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Dan Samson, music production by Gary Hickeson, wigs, hair and make-up design by Sam Cox, associate direction by James Cousins, associate choreography by James Bennett and casting by Will Burton CDG.
The Cher Show UK & Ireland Tour is produced by ROYO with Fiery Angel, Cuffe & Taylor/LIVE NATION and Playing Field in association with Tilted, Aria Entertainment and JONES Theatrical Group.
Website: www.cheronstage.com
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @TheCherShowUK
photo credit: Matt Crockett
Sunday 17 March 2019
Passion vs Obsession in the Theatre Community
As someone who feels things very strongly, I often find myself fixated on certain topics or hobbies, in the way that when I enjoy something, I will focus my attention on it as a means to make myself more knowledgable about it/better at it. In any creative industry, emotions are heightened already and in theatre especially, it's almost natural that trends occur and passions become prevalent. However, the line between being passionate and obsessive can sometimes become wavy or unclear and there can be an almost scary intensity with which people feel.
I have always been a theatre fanatic, from when I saw my first musical (Beauty and the Beast at the New Victoria Theatre) I was hooked and haven't looked back since. Like many theatre people, I went through a Wicked phase... like, really went through it. I would listen to it 24/7, create artwork, research the performers, perform it, get my friends to perform it, basically I was obsessed. Whilst I don't regret this phase in my life at all because I was super young and it was something I enjoyed, I do see it in a different way. I was living my best life, but at that time, I was not surrounded by theatre loving people which meant whilst I was in the theatre bubble, I was alone. This is where one problem with crossing from passion to obsession comes into play. By focussing 95% of your attention on something your peers can't relate to, you do face the trial of isolating yourself. There may be an online community alongside you, but in the real, non-virtual world, it's just you.
 |
| the peak Wicked days |
However, as I said, during my Wicked (and subsequent Les Mis) phases, I was young and this outlook certainly comes with age. The issue with obsession is when it continues into adult life. Barely a day goes by when a West End performer doesn't have to call someone out for overstepping boundaries. A video recently circulated showing a girl publicly hating on a performer and explaining how she has no qualms about verbally abusing those she doesn't like; whilst a number of high profile West End people regularly have to reign people in on their instagrams and twitters for overstepping. So when does passion reach a dangerous level?
Obviously it doesn't take a brain scientist to answer this. People overstep when they try and integrate themselves into the lives of the performers they admire. Be it trying to become their friend, burdening them with their problems or just contacting them constantly. Boundaries have always been an issue in the film and television industry but with the ever developing rise of social media, way West End actors are reaching higher profiles, and the way it's so easy to access a theatre performer compared to a screen actor, means it's a problem which seems to be rapidly seeping into the theatre community and is actually doing a lot of damage.
There's also the aspect of fans often being drawn to, or purposely attaching themselves to unknowns/swings/understudies and 'lesser' cast members (not that anyone is less worthy or talented but you get the gist). It's almost as if people feel they'll be more likely to form a bond with someone who not everyone is trying to chat to. The idea of someone being less well known so therefore easier to, for lack of a better word, target, just feels wrong. Absolutely support the entire cast, crew and team but don't use someone just to validate yourself and feel closer to a show than you are in reality.
Most performers are nice people and they're not going to out you for these things because it would be an awkward conversation to have, but just because you have a nice stage door experience, or because you get friendly at the theatre with them, remember that it's all within the theatre bubble.
Now I completely understand putting energy into theatre because it is, after all an escape and I'm definitely guilty of investing my emotional wellbeing into a show, however, not in terms bringing the actors on stage into that. As human beings, the performers of course do care about the people they talk to and I'm sure take a genuine interest in what they're being told, but at the end of the day, someone at stage door who is not actually a friend, is never going to care as much about you as you care about them so it's not fair to expect them to shoulder your issues.
I know this is all pretty much common sense, and I'm not trying to be preachy about boundaries, but for the few people who may read this and recognise some of the obsessive actions in their own lives, perhaps this can act as a gentle reminder that theatre itself is all an act, and the people who put it on, have very real, very personal lives outside of what you see on stage/social media. Of course be supportive and engaging, and be passionate, but keep in mind that there's a world outside theatre. Your life is there to be filled with as many things to make you happy as possible, but so are the people's who you admire and they pick what they fill it with, so don't use all your energy trying to make yourself an integral part of it off stage. Live your life, love shows and support actors, just keep it chill sometimes, and if you really have a lot to say, keep it to your whatsapp chats.
I hope this doesn't come across as overly negative because I really do admire people who love theatre and I so relate, but continual drama clearly means some people are unable to isolate the real from the stage so I wanted to throw my two pence in! Stay stagey!
Friday 5 November 2021
Bonnie and Clyde in Concert Full Cast and Company Announced
Thursday 3 February 2022
Peter Andre to play Vince Fontaine in Grease at the Dominion Theatre
Peter Andre will make his West End debut playing the role of Vince Fontaine at certain performances in a new production of Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey’s iconic musical GREASE opening at the Dominion Theatre on Tuesday 17 May 2022, with previews from Tuesday 3 May 2022. GREASE is directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips.
Dan Partridge (Link Larkin in Hairspray UK tour & Pepper in MAMMA MIA! West End) and Olivia Moore (Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre & Heathers at Theatre Royal Haymarket) will star as Danny and Sandy respectively, with Jocasta Almgill (& Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre) as Rizzo, Paul French (GreaseUK tour) as Kenickie, Mary Moore (Little Women at Park Theatre) as Jan, Jake Reynolds (professional debut) as Doody, Lizzy-Rose Esin-Kelly (A Chorus Line at Curve) as Marty, Damon Gould (Pretty Woman: The Musical at Savoy Theatre) as Sonny, Eloise Davies (Be More Chill at The Other Palace) as Frenchie, Jessica Croll (Hairspray UK tour) as Patty Simcox, Katie Lee (Matilda The Musical at Cambridge Theatre) as Cha Cha, Ronan Burns (West Side Story at Curve) as Johnny Casino and Corinna Powlesland (An Officer and A Gentleman at Regents Park Open Air Theatre as Miss Lynch. Darren Bennett (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Savoy Theatre) will play Officer Mailie and Vince Fontaine at certain performances.
They are joined by Jack Harrison-Cooper, Pearce Barron, Rishard-Kyro Nelson, Ellie Kingdon, Remi Ferdinand, Kalisha Johnson, Imogen Bailey, Kevin O’Dwyer and Carly Miles. Further casting is to be announced.
Peter Andre said “I'm beyond excited to be making my West End debut playing Vince Fontaine in Grease at the beautiful Dominion Theatre. Grease is such an iconic musical and we can guarantee audiences will have the most wonderful evening listening to songs we all know and love. We can't wait to see you there!"
GREASE originally opened in Chicago in 1971, followed by a move to Broadway in 1972, where it received seven Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical. During the show's eight-year run at the time, little known actors including Peter Gallagher, Patrick Swayze and John Travolta all appeared in the production, with Richard Gere understudying many roles before going on to star as Danny Zuko in the 1973 London premiere. GREASE was first performed at the Dominion Theatre in 1993 before transferring to the Cambridge Theatre in 1996. It returned to the West End, opening at the Piccadilly Theatre in 2007.
The 1978 film adaptation starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John is the fourth highest-grossing live action musical of all time. The musical features beloved songs, including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly Devoted To Youand You’re The One That I Want.
GREASE has designs by Colin Richmond, orchestrations and musical supervision by Sarah Travis, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Tom Marshall and Richard Brooker, video and projection design by Douglas O’Connell and casting by David Grindrod CDG.
This production of GREASE is produced by Colin Ingram for InTheatre Productions, Donovan Mannato, Playing Field, Gavin Kalin, and Curve.
Monday 21 March 2022
Fra Fee, Amy Lennox, Omar Baroud and Vivien Parry in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
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