Saw the show this week in the Gillian Lynne Theatre, Drury Lane. After purchasing the New London Theatre halfway through the Run of Cats, Andrew later decided to rename it after the show’s wonderful Choreographer Dame Gillian Lynne. During the recent pandemic he seized the chance to to completely refurbish, especially the air conditioning and the seating. It now boasts a 100% fresh air ventilation system and of course a good view of the stage from every one of it’s comfortable new seats. The theatre has an enormous revolve which you’ll find out about when you get to see Cinderella!

So, what about the show? With book by Emerald Fennell, lyrics by David Zippel and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber it has a pretty good start.

It is very clever, but very different, which you realise about four minutes into the opening chorus. It is amusing that as the show starts the audience slowly catch on from the lyrics of the opening number by the ensemble, to the fact that our Cinderella might not be the text book blonde and beautiful fairytale princess!

There are apparently two princes, Sebastian – played to perfection on the night we went by understudy Michael Hamway I think (because there was no note in the programme or announcement). We are informed that Prince Charming is away, presumed lost at war. The Queen ( Rebecca Trehearn) and the Stepmother (Victoria Hamilton-Barritt) have some wonderful comedy moments both together and with their fledglings. Cinderella’s Step Sisters are two blonde numpties that look as though they’re direct from TOWIE. Great fun and well played by Georgina Castle and Laura Baldwin.

We first meet Cinderella in all her Doc Martined glory as she is discovered adding graffiti to a statue. I think the casting of Carrie Hope-Fletcher for this part was inspired!

There’s a lot of interesting new music in the show and during Cinderella’s soliloquy the audience were spellbound.

By the way, don’t fret about Prince Charming (Caleb Roberts) – he does arrive eventually – and when he does all I will tell you is that you’ll remember his entrance and song for a very long time!

The standing ovation at the end of the show was proof it it were needed that Lord Lloyd-Webber has yet another hit on his hands….

Cinderella is at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, Drury Lane until at least May 2022.

Ernie Almond.

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Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams of some happiness in her life. When a hot new doctor arrives in town, life gets complicated. With the support of her workmates Becky and Dawn, Jenna overcomes the challenges she faces and finds that laughter, love and friendship can provide the perfect recipe for happiness.

Starring Lucie Jones who reprises the role of ‘Jenna’ having recently played the part in the West End production of the show at the Adelphi Theatre. Lucie first came to prominence in 2009 when she reached the finals of ITV’s The X Factor. Since then, her many West End theatre credits include ‘Cosette’ in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre, ‘Victoria’ in American Psycho at the Almeida and ‘Maureen’ in RENT at The Other Palace.

Having played ‘Jessie Grant’ in ITV’s Emmerdale for two years, Sandra Marvin joined the West End production of Waitress to play ‘Becky’. Her many other West End theatre credits include most recently ‘Mrs Fezziwig/Mrs Mops’ in A Christmas Carol at the Dominion Theatre, City of Angels and Committee at the Donmar Warehouse, ‘Miss Motormouth Maybelle’ in Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre, ‘Queenie’ in Show Boat at the New London Theatre. Sandra also sings the title track on the Grammy Award winning soundtrack for the George Clooney film, Gravity.

Evelyn Hoskins most recently played the role of ‘Dawn’ in Waitress in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre. Her other theatre credits include the title role in Carrie at Southwark Playhouse, Spring Awakening at the Lyric Hammersmith and in the West End, The Boy Who Fell Into A Book at the Stephen Joseph Theatre and The Secret Garden at Birmingham Rep.

Matt Willis is probably best known as a member of the double Brit Award winning band Busted, who have released four No1 UK singles, two platinum albums and sold over four million albums in the UK. No stranger to the musical theatre stage, his West End credits include ‘Fiyero’ in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria, ‘Nick Hurley’ in Flashdance at the Shaftesbury Theatre and most
recently ‘Bob Cratchit’ in A Christmas Carol at the Dominion Theatre.
WAITRESS is based on the 2007 movie written by Adrienne Shelly. Music and lyrics are written by GRAMMY award-winning, singer-songwriter sensation Sara Bareilles, wIth a book by Jessie Nelson, direction by Tony-award winner Diane Paulus and choreography by Lorin Latarro, Waitress has garnered multiple awards and nominations in both America and the UK, receiving acclaim from both audiences and critics alike.
WAITRESS opened on Broadway on 24th April 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it ran until 5th January 2020. Waitress celebrated its official opening night at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End on 7 March 2019.

Waitress is at The Milton Keynes Theatre until Sat 9 Oct (2:30pm & 7:30pm)

Box Office: 0844 871 7615 Online : ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes

Review:

Some people like musical comedy, others like romance or drama or pathos or all four. Well you’re in luck because the best new musical for ages, Waitress has the lot!

Singing, or a particularly dramatic piece of acting, yes – but I’ve never witnessed applause just for a bit of business before and in this show it happens often! 

The Director (Diane Paulus) and Choreographer (Lorin Latarro) must have not only worked very closely together – and they must both have an eye for detail! We saw props being handed out and put away as part of a dance routine, very neat! The set changes happen smoothly and seem to carry the audience from one situation to another seemlessly!

its very difficult to pick out a member of the cast that deserves special mention, because they all do. Lucie Jones, as Jenna was a revelation! She took us all through Jenna’s trials and tribulations beautifully with plenty of humour and when there was a need, brought the packed audience to tears.

Matt Willis as Dr Pomatter proves that after the success of Busted he is still guaranteed very good living in musical theatre. The duets between Matt & Lucie were a joy – especially the potential hit “You Matter To Me”

Sandra Marvin (Becky), Evelyn Hoskins (Dawn) and George Crawford (Ogie) added a huge amount both in the comedy and musically and were all so perfectly cast!
The whole ensemble deserve a mention, I could go on for pages – but the best idea is to go to MK Theatre and enjoy one of the best nights in the theatre you’ll have this year!

Ernie Almond.

Waitress is at The Milton Keynes Theatre until Sat 9 Oct (2:30pm & 7:30pm)

Box Office: 0844 871 7615 Online : ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes

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Are you ready to rock, Milton Keynes? The smash-hit Rock of Ages is back with Kevin Clifton performing in the role of Stacee Jaxx, at Milton Keynes Theatre from Tuesday 28 September. Continue reading →

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School of Rock – The Musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash hit, Olivier Award-winning West End show is heading to Northampton and Milton Keynes!

Jake Sharp is getting the band back together as it is confirmed that he will lead the cast as Dewey Finn having previously performed the role in the West End. Alex Tomkins will perform in the role at certain performances. They arejoined by Rebecca Lock as Rosalie Mullins, Matthew Rowland as Ned Schneebly and Nadia Violet Johnson as Patty Di Marco. The remaining adult cast comprise Ryan Bearpark, James Bisp, Joanna O’Hare, Samuel Haughton, Tom Hext, Harveen Mann, Richard Morse, AnnellOdartey, Amy Oxley, Helena Pipe, Michaela Powell, Richard Vorster and Craig Watson.

‘A FOOT-STOMPING, DELIRIOUSLY ENJOYABLE FABLE OF FREEDOM AND FUN’ (THE SUNDAY TIMES)

 One of three incredibly talented teams of twelve children willperform live alongside Dewey each night and are currently getting ready to stick it to the man when the bell rings for the new school term in September.

Based on the hilarious hit movie, this new musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn a few extra bucks by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band – sensationally performed live by the production’s young actors every night with roof-raising energy! While teaching these pint-sized prodigies what it means to truly rock, Dewey falls for the school’s beautiful, but uptight headmistress, helping her rediscover the wild child within.

School of Rock – The Musical will be coming to:

Derngate Theatre, Northampton on Mon 1 – Sat 6 November. Box Office: 01604 624811 or online: www.royalandderngate.co.uk

and

Milton Keynes Theatre on Tue 8 – Sat 12 February. Box Office: 0844 871 7652 or online:  www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre

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Stephen Tompkinson and Jessica Johnson star in Willy Russell’s classic comedy Educating Rita when it comes to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate from Monday 26 to Saturday 31 July.

Educating Rita by Willy Russell 2020
Director Max Roberts
Designer Patrick Connellan
Lighting Designer Drummond Orr
Stephen Tompkinson as Frank
Jessica Johnson as Rita
©Nobby Clark
nobby@nobbyclark.co.uk

Educating Rita tells the story of married hairdresser Rita, who enrols on an Open University course to expand her horizons, and her encounters withuniversity tutor Frank. Frank is a frustrated poet, brilliant academic and dedicated drinker, who is less than enthusiastic about teaching Rita. However, Frank soon finds that his passion for literature is reignited by Rita, whose technical ability for the subject is limited by her lack of education, but whose enthusiasm Frank finds refreshing. The two soon realise how much they have to learn from each other.

 This hilarious and heart-warming comedy won the Olivier Award when it was produced in London’s West End by the Royal Shakespeare Company, and was adapted into the multi-award-winning film starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine.

Educating Rita tells the story of married hairdresser Rita, who enrols on an Open University course to expand her horizons, and her encounters withuniversity tutor Frank. Frank is a frustrated poet, brilliant academic and dedicated drinker, who is less than enthusiastic about teaching Rita. However, Frank soon finds that his passion for literature is reignited by Rita, whose technical ability for the subject is limited by her lack of education, but whose enthusiasm Frank finds refreshing. The two soon realise how much they have to learn from each other.

 This hilarious and heart-warming comedy won the Olivier Award when it was produced in London’s West End by the Royal Shakespeare Company, and was adapted into the multi-award-winning film starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine.

 Willy Russell’s other writing credits include the Olivier Award-winning musical Blood Brothers, and the hugely successful Shirley Valentine.

 Producer David Pugh said: “Rita is the most extraordinary character – she wanted to change and learn so much and that’s everything we’re all going through at the moment, to adapt to the world as it is now. What we know is that Educating Rita gives you a great night out at the theatre and that’s the best any of us can hope for.”

Stephen Tompkinson’s television credits include five series of DCI Banks, four series of Trollied, seven series of Wild at Heart, six series of Drop the Dead Donkey and three series of Ballykissangel, and his films include Brassed Off.  

Educating Rita can be seen on the Derngate stage from Monday 26 to Saturday 31 July at 7.30pm with matinees at 2.30pm on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets – priced from £15* – can be booked by calling:

Box Office on 01604 624811 or online at www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

* A charge of £3.50 applies for all transactions of £20 and over. Does not apply to Groups, Members or Disabled Patrons, and is per-transaction, not per-ticket.

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Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical wowed critics and public alike when it played limited seasons at Manchester Opera House, London Coliseum and London’s Dominion Theatre from 2017 to 2019. The musical also ran successfully in Canada, Germany and at New York’s City Centre in 2019.

Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical won the Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical at the Evening Standard Awards and was nominated for 8 WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical.

Producer Michael Cohl said “ People will once again be able to dance and sing along to these great Steinman songs. This musical was Jim Steinman’s life-long dream and he was incredibly proud of the love the show received from critics and audiences alike. This tour will be in memory of Jim.”

Bat Out Of Hell became one of the best-selling albums in history, selling over 50 million copies worldwide.  16 years later, Steinman scored again with Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell, which contained the massive hit I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That).

For the stage musical, Jim Steinman incorporated iconic songs from the Bat Out Of Hell albums, including You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth, Bat Out Of Hell, I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) and Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad, as well as two previously unreleased songs, What Part of My Body Hurts the Most and Not Allowed to Love.
In Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical, the electrifying rock songs of Mr Steinman propel an epic story of rebellious youth and passion as Strat, the immortal leader of The Lost, has fallen in love with Raven, the beautiful daughter of the tyrannical ruler Falco.

The UK & Ireland Tour of Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical is at Milton Keynes Theatre from 14th to 25th June 2022.

Box

General bookings: 0844 871 7615 or Online: ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes

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WEST END HIT BE BOP A LULA COMES TO DUNSTABLE!

West End smash hit theatre show Be Bop a Lula presents a slice of rock’n’roll history – starring giants of rock’n’roll – Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Billy Fury, and Buddy Holly.

In 1960 American rockers Eddie and Gene flew in from the States and were joined by British heartthrob Billy Fury for the UK’s very first multi-artist rock’n’roll tour, informs show producer Pete Tobit.

“Reviewers were appalled by the on stage antics. Audiences screamed their approval. British youth culture was born!”

Theatregoers are invited to relive these seminal concerts in the company of incredible singers and a band said to be “tighter than a pair of your tightest drainpipe trousers”.

“And there’s more,” promises Pete. “Buddy Holly’s live tours were equally responsible for introducing rock’n’roll to the UK.”

Cochran’s legendary guitar riffs, Vincent’s menacingly moody stage presence, Fury’s smouldering looks and soaring vocals, and Holly’s good-time rock’n’roll are promised. 

“Be Bop a Lula is a real doozer of a stage show,” says Pete.