Norwich Theatre Royal

SULTRY SEXY STYLISH DANCE DRAMA COMES TO NORWICH

 It is sexy, sultry and stylish and celebrates the culture clash of the Swinging Sixties.

Dance drama Play Without Words is coming to Norwich Theatre Royal on August 7-11 as part of a revival to celebrate a key dance anniversary.

Outline catches up with one of the stars Richard Winsor to find out more about the production.

 

Richard, you are returning to the role of Anthony in Play Without Words. What is it like coming back to the part?

I last did it when I was really, really young. I was about 19 and it was fantastic. It was my first time creating a new role and it was a lot of responsibility. To come back to it now with a lot more experience is a great opportunity. You can explore the character in a different way.

So what is Play Without Words all about?

The premise is a master/servant relationship and the piece is staged in the 60s where there is a class-clash between what you’d call a Chelsea boy and the aristocracy. There is an awful lot of sexual tension and it is very stylish. It is a very strong period piece.

What is it like working with Matthew Bourne?

He is a fantastic storyteller. As a director, he allows you to dive straight in and develop your character. He works with you to see that character develop. The thing is that he does work in a different way. I have worked with him on many shows and he has a sense of how the audience will view the show.

You last came to Norwich in Matthew Bourne’s fantastic Dorian Gray. Since then, you have been involved in a number of projects – one of which was the movie Streetdance. What was that like?

Working on the film was just completely different. You have to change your whole process of performing and acting because you do not get the same sort of rehearsal period.  You are left to your own devices to get a sense of the character.

You also find you are called to do a scene and can find yourself waiting around for a long time. You have to work hard to keep yourself motivated.

And you also appeared on TV playing dodgy priest Father Francis in Hollyoaks.

Hollyoaks was great fun. I played a really interesting character. I was only on a short term contract for some time in the summer but I enjoyed it.

That was a really fast way of working. You may have four or five scenes in a day. You may get your script the night before, learn it and then you would be filmed the next day. It was again, a very different way of working.

So what’s next after Play Without Words?

Well, I am always open to exciting projects and particularly working with Matthew.  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Play Without Words, Tuesday 7-Saturday 11 August at 7.30pm, and Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets £6.50-£36.50. Discounts for Friends and Corporate Club, Over-60s, Under-18s and Groups.

 BOX OFFICE 01603 630000.  For more info or to BOOK ONLINE www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

 

 He is the man at the helm of one of Britain’s biggest touring musicals.

Neil White oversees 108 cast and crew to ensure the on-stage juggernaut of Oliver! runs according to plan while visiting some of the UK’s biggest venues.

Head to the Media section for the official show trailer.

Ahead of the lavish production's visit to Norwich Theatre Royal, Neil chats to John Bultitude about one of the most demanding – and best – jobs in the theatrical world.

 

If you think being company manager of Oliver! is a nine-to-five Monday to Friday job, think again. The statistics speak for themselves.

The set takes three days to build with a production crew of over 30.

Add in a cast of 30 adult and 24 child actors per show, five stage managers, four wardrobe staff, five wig dressers, three sound and three lighting staff, an orchestra of 15, seven chaperones, a resident director, a children’s director, musical director, dog handler…and Bullseye the dog.

Then add in over 20 theatre production staff helping with everything from stage crew work to dressing the cast, and Neil White’s job is pretty massive.

In a nutshell, he looks after all the day-to-day management of the long-awaited and highly-acclaimed production of Oliver, which comes to Norwich Theatre Royal on July 3-August 4 with a cast headed by the versatile stage and TV favourite Brian Conley as Fagin.

 And Neil admits this is far from a small-scale production. He said: “It is a massive, massive show. Just the children’s costumes alone are a major job. We have two teams of 12 young actors who have five costumes each that all have to be individually fitted.

"Then you have the set – quite a bit of which is computer controlled. You have got a moving bridge, moving vistas of London which are also computer controlled, and there is also a massive scale model of St Paul’s Cathedral as well.”

Fitting a cast and crew of 108 into Norwich Theatre Royal (quite apart from the size of the set) is going to be a challenge with extra portacabins being put up in the theatre’s car park to accommodate everyone.

Neil said the hard work will be worth it as the Norfolk audiences will get a true taste of a show in London’s theatreland right on the doorstep. He said: “You are getting the full West End experience. The key with this is that if you see Cameron Mackintosh’s name on it, you expect a certain standard. Cameron, rather than scaling back by having fewer cast and having a few synthesisers in the orchestra pit, wants the full experience.

“It is going back to what touring musicals used to be. In Norwich, it really will blow people away as it is an enormous show.”

Neil explained the show will take the audience on a journey through London with some incredibly inventive on-stage designs and stunning set-pieces – which have come after hours of hard work. He said: “We spent two weeks in Cardiff doing a full technical rehearsal of the show before the tour began getting everything absolutely right. We are also constantly re-tech-ing and re-rehearsing the show with the children in each venue. Things are constantly changing and constantly evolving.”

In addition, the Norwich show will see a number of local young people starring as members of Fagin’s gang who will each need to be rehearsed on.

One of the more unusual members of the Oliver company is Bullseye the dog, played by a real-life Bullseye the dog. Neil said: “He really is the most spoiled dog in the world. He was brought up on a farm sohe has always been surrounded by children and is the most placid dog in the world. He gets so much fuss and attention.

“When he is due to do his scenes on stage on stage, he gets so excited and his tail starts to wag, and for his curtain call, he is more excited than the cast. He is in the wings raring to go. Anything he does on stage, he gets a reward for. He’ll do anything for a sausage!”

And it is not just the dog that wins the audience’s heart. Neil said: “The difficulty in this show is for the actors not to be upstaged by the children. The show revolves around the kids. That is the great thing for us because we get 24 new children at each new venue. They rehearse for three weeks before each venue. They learn all the moves.

“For many of them, it is the first time they have left home and then they get the chance to do a show like this in their home town with the most amazing beautiful costumes.”

A lavish show with a massive cast brings with it lots of organising and logistics to take care of, and that is where Neil comes in. He said: “There is always something to do. The planning on this is incredible. You tend to not be planning for the next venue but the one after. Things like where are the kids going to be eating, how will they be tutored and how will they get to the theatre?

“Putting the schedule together for the adults is also part of it. You have all the usual things for people who are away from home like doctor’s appointments, physio appointments or someone may just be having a bad day. You have to be there for them. One of the kids on the last show described me as being like the adult chaperone.”

So look out for Oliver’s adult chaperone Neil White. He will be the one remaining unfeasibly cheerful despite a diary of tasks so long it could win a Guinness World Record for the most number of things to fit into a day.

**Oliver!, Tuesday 3 July-Saturday 4 August at 7.30pm, and Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Please note there are no Sunday performances. Tickets £6.50-£47.50. Discounts for Over-60s, Under-18sand Groups. Audio described performance on Saturday 14 July at 7.30pm. Signed performance on Friday 3 August at 7.30pm. Captioned performance on Wednesday 18 July at 7.30pm.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmNfPfxhtXM&feature=player_embedded

As a familiar TV face and a versatile stage actor, Joe McFadden is always looking for a challenge.

Now it looks like he has found one starring in the Alan Ayckbourn chiller Haunting Julia which is heading to Norwich Theatre Royal.

John Bultitude caught up with him early in the tour to find out more about the revival of a play guaranteed to make you jump.

 

With its chilling themes of loss, grief and the supernatural sprinkled with a touch of Northern wit, Haunting Julia is guaranteed to get the heart pumping and the nerves jangling when it make a winter visit to Norwich as part of a UK tour.

The play is packed with suspense and follows a father’s search for answers about the sudden death of his daughter Julia. A child prodigy, she is composing symphonies at the age of 8 earning her the title ‘Little Miss Mozart’ from a predatory media.

Eleven years later, she is found dead after apparently committing suicide but is that what really happened, or is there more to it? Alan Ayckbourn’s play picks up these themes as her tortured father Joe, played by accomplished stage and TV actor Duncan Preston, tries to find some answers after opening a music learning centre as a shrine to his daughter.

Enter Joe McFadden who plays Andy Rollinson, a former boyfriend of Julia and a very uptight almost mysterious character.

Chatting to him after seeing the production, the performance is so mesmerising that you expect a very serious chat with little humour.

Instead, he emerges post-show from the Green Room at the tour’s opening venue in Colchester clutching a cuppa, twinkling with energy and eager to talk about his character.

Joe said: “The thing about Ayckbourn’s writing is that, at the beginning, it isn’t obvious who the characters are. He just gives you little snippets about Andy...how he has a wife, is in an unhappy marriage and has these kids who are troubled.

“Throughout the play, you get little hints about who he is and I think that is such good writing because it means the audience really have to tune in to see who the people are. As an actor, he doesn’t make it terribly easy for you and you have to look for the clues as to who they are.”

His character Andy knew Julia when they were both students in the lead-up to her death and more details about their relationship emerge as the play continues. “I really feel like the events 12 years ago have made these characters stall a little bit in their lives and they can’t move on. Andy has this unhappy life and I think it all stems from what happened to Julia,” said Joe.

“I think he, more than anyone, needs everything to come out and for there to be a healing. He has very much put the past to the back of his mind, tried to forget about it and it has obviously not worked.”

He is also almost everyone’s eyes and ears as Haunting Julia unfolds trying to unpick the secrets of Julia’s past with her father, and a medium, played by highly experienced actor Richard O’Callaghan.

“He is like everyone watching because he doesn’t know what he is walking into when he walks into the centre. He is the eyes of the audience which is good,” explained Joe.

The play has already won strong praise from the critics both for its performance and the power of Ayckbourn’s writing which mixes some heavy themes with that characteristic wit of the writer.

Joe said: “Technically it is very, very difficult but then the best plays are. The language is very hard to get a grasp on, but then once you do, it is fantastic, but Ayckbourn likes his language which is good. It is good to have a challenge as an actor.

“He is such a great craftsman as a writer so that when there is real tension, he will just put in a gag to lighten it. I think people appreciate the laughs all the more because it is a very serious and dark play and those laughs are needed.”

And it is this mix together with a very multi-layered script that convinced Joe to say yes to starring in the production.

“On the face of it, it seems like a ghost story and I very much thought it was. When I got into rehearsals, I realised the character is quite dark and has all these quirks. It’s interesting to play. Every day I do it, I am getting new things and hearing new lines. It is great writing and that is really all you hope for as an actor - to have something that is good to play,” said Joe.

And audiences are enjoying the piece with glowing reviews and a couple of moments guaranteed to make them jump. Joe said: “They seem to be on tenterhooks.  The audience are so tuned into it and they really get the jumps. They are really frightened in sections and it is great as an actor to have that power over them, and to really scare them.”

It is the latest project for Joe who calls himself a “jack of all trades” because of the range of acting work he has taken on over the years. He may be best known for playing policeman Joe Mason in ITV’s long-running Sunday night hit Heartbeat – set and filmed close to Ayckbourn country in Scarborough - but he has a lot more strings to his bow than that.

Joe has taken on a host of small-screen roles including Dr Jack Marshland in popular period drama Cranford, Prentice McHoan in the critically-acclaimed The Crow Road, and even played the long-running role of sinister hospital patient Alistair in Casualty.

But his versatility also extends to the stage where his previous parts range from Ed Reiss in the Menier Chocolate Factory production of Torch Song Trilogy and The Young Writer in the National Theatre of Scotland’s The Missing to Caractacus Potts in the Edinburgh Playhouse production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the title role in Sir Ian McKellen’s Aladdin at the Old Vic.

And Joe said he approaches each acting project on its merits. “I am lucky I get to sing now and again and I get to do some nice theatre. I make a decision based on whether there is a nice script and what potential it has. That is what I saw with Haunting Julia. Knowing that Richard O’Callaghan and Duncan Preston were also doing it helped to make it attractive.”

As we chat, the play is about to leave its opening venue in Colchester and head off on tour which is a first for Joe. “I have never toured before. I am looking forward to it. That is the brilliant thing about being an actor. You get to go to places that you never would have normally gone and being there for a week is just about the right amount of time to explore somewhere,” he said.

But this won’t be his first visit to Norfolk. He was last here shooting scenes for the 1998 movie Dad Savage, which also starred Patrick Stewart. “I remember we filmed around Cromer and King’s Lynn. Norfolk is a very beautiful part of the country and I am looking forward to discovering more of it.”

And he is promising audiences at Norwich Theatre Royal are in for a scary night when Haunting Julia takes to the stage. With a cheeky twinkle in his eye, he said: “They are in for a real scare. If they are scared, we are doing our job properly.”

 It is sexy, sultry and stylish and celebrates the culture clash of the Swinging Sixties.

Dance drama Play Without Words is coming to Norwich Theatre Royal as part of a revival to celebrate a key dance anniversary.

John Bultitude caught up with one of the stars Richard Winsor to find out why he is returning to the show, life on the big screen and swapping the theatre stage for Hollyoaks.

 

 

Check back through any history book and the Sixties was definitely a time of cultural change.

Music, fashion, and altering roles in society were all interlinked and at the forefront of many people’s minds – particularly the younger generation.

And that is the theme of Matthew Bourne’s dance drama Play Without Words which is being revived at Norwich Theatre Royal this summer to mark 25 years of the choreographer’s company New Adventures.

Set in Chelsea in 1965, it shows how the lives of a man of the house and his wife are turned upside down by the arrival of a new manservant.

Expect seduction, intrigue and power in an incredibly powerful piece of dance which takes to the stage on August 7-11. And one of the stars of the show is Richard Winsor who is reprising the role of Anthony in the production’s very first revival.

He says he is loving the opportunity to star again in one of Bourne’s best-known pieces. “I last did it when I was really, really young. I was about 19 and it was fantastic. It was my first time creating a new role and it was a lot of responsibility. To come back to it now with a lot more experience is a great opportunity. You can explore the character in a different way.”

And Richard said the production explores some really interesting issues. He explained: “The premise is a master/servant relationship and the piece is staged in the 60s where there is a class-clash between what you’d call a Chelsea boy and the aristocracy.

“There is an awful lot of sexual tension and it is very stylish. It is a very strong period piece.”

As well as exploring the culture clash, the piece is also quite demanding physically and mentally for the cast. At various points, two or three dancers each play the same part in the same scene but at different stages of the plot which gives a number of different perspectives on the storyline

And it is this intricacy mixed with storytelling, character development and a stylish setting that characterises the work of Matthew Bourne – and the creative team and dancers he assembles around him.

Richard explained: “Matthew is a fantastic storyteller. As a director, he allows you to dive straight in and develop your character. He works with you to see that character develop. The thing is that he does work in a different way. I have worked with him on many shows and he has a sense of how the audience will view the show.”

And that stylish aspect is also brought into play with the creative team. Lez Brotherston takes on the costume and set design. A long-time collaborator of Matthew Bourne, he has worked on a number of his productions including Swan Lake, Dorian Gray and Edward Scissorhands, as well as everything from Glyndebourne Opera productions to Sister Act in the West End and on tour.

And the music is composed by Terry Davies, who started his professional career working at the National Theatre before composing music for nearly 30 movies, and a range of TV productions including acclaimed dramas Tipping The Velvet, All The King’s Men, and Stephen Poliakoff’s Emmy-Award-winning The Lost Prince.

There is no doubt Richard is enjoying the challenge – and prestige – of working on Play Without Words judging by his enthusiasm while chatting.

 

And it comes after a busy few years for Richard since his last visit to Norwich Theatre Royal when he appeared in another of Matthew Bourne’s successful productions Dorian Gray.

He hit the big screen in the movie Streetdance which taught him a host of new performing disciplines. Richard explained: “Working on the film was just completely different. You have to change your whole process of performing and acting because you do not get the same sort of rehearsal period.  You are left to your own devices to get a sense of the character.

“You also find you are called to do a scene and can find yourself waiting around for a long time. You have to work hard to keep yourself motivated.” And Richard also dipped his toe into the world of prime time TV when he took on the role of priest Father Francis in Channel Four’s tea-time soap Hollyoaks.

He recalled: “Hollyoaks was great fun. I played a really interesting character. I was only on a short term contract for some time in the summer but I enjoyed it.

“That was a really fast way of working. You may have four or five scenes in a day. You may get your script the night before, learn it and then you would be filmed the next day. It was again, a very different way of working.”

If that’s not enough, Richard’s spellbinding performance in yet another of Matthew Bourne’s piece Swan Lake has also got the 3D treatment in cinemas and he admits he is keeping his options open about future work.

Richard said: “I am always open to exciting projects and particularly working with Matthew.” So it looks as though Richard is fully focused on the dance world for the time being but his versatility and willingness to try out new things means he is pretty likely to remain in the spotlight.

Check out the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rYPZdOOynE

Book tickets at http://www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk/whatson/shows/playwithoutwords.aspx

 

The power of the people, the rise of dictators and the need to be in control.

They are all themes at the forefront of the struggle for power globally now – and hundreds of years ago when William Shakespeare penned Julius Caesar.

As the Royal Shakespeare Company prepares to bring a brand new production to the Norwich Theatre Royal stage, we talk to director Gregory Doran and some of the cast to find out more about this groundbreaking production.

 

Switch on the TV or radio, or surf the internet, and there appears to be no escape from the world of politics. We may engage with it in different ways but that quest to control the lives of a nation is as strong as ever.

And it is these themes which are at the heart of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new production of Julius Caesar, which is heading to Norwich Theatre Royal on October 16-20.

Created to tie in into the World Shakespeare Festival and the London 2012 Festival, a handful of venues including Norwich Theatre Royal are also getting the chance to see this stunning new production.

Transplanted out of ‘doublet and hose’ and into a contemporary setting in modern Africa, director Gregory Doran wants to give a brand new hook to Shakespeare’s tale of the battle between public duty and the private lust for power.

He said: “It is a fantastic political thriller. You go to Julius Caesar and the one thing you know is that he is going to be assassinated. It’s probably the single most famous event of the ancient world and I’ve always been intrigued by how it seemed the second half was a dying fall.

“This stayed with me and ate at my innards a bit. I needed to find a way in which the second half would be the climax, not the anti-climax.” And this led him to look at the upheaval in the Middle East – the so-called Arab Spring. Gregory said: “Watching it all unfold, the question wasn’t ‘are they going to get rid of Gaddafi?’ It is about what happens next in Libya, in Tunisia, in Syria. That gave us a completely different focus to the second half of the play.”

But it is not just that part of the globe where there is a resonance to the piece. Nelson Mandela had a copy of the play with him while imprisoned on Robben Island and kept certain lines of Julius Caesar underlined during his period of incarceration.

These were:

Cowards die many times before their death, valiant never taste of death but once. Seems to me most strange that men should fear, seeing that death the necessary end, will come when it will come.

Gregory said the parallels with African life and politics is really strong. He explained: “Countries all over Africa from the late Fifties and early Sixties were getting rid of the yoke of colonial rule and gaining independence. Countries all over Africa from the late Fifties and early Sixties were getting rid of the yoke of colonial rule and gaining independence. That independence let people seize power on certain occasions or pull power to themselves in one-party states. Looking back, these dictators were frequently overthrown and regime change often turned into civil war."

A top-class cast are also bringing Shakespeare's poignant and powerful piece to life with the highly respected stage and TV actor Jeffery Kissoon taking on the lead role.

The roles of anti-Caesar conspirators Brutus and Cassius are taken by Paterson Joseph (Peep Show, Survivors, and a number of productions for the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company), and Cyril Nri (Supt Okaro in The Bill, Waking The Dead, and productions for the National Theatre, RSC and Royal Court.

Meanwhile former Coronation Street mechanic Nathan Harding and RSC associate artist Ray Fearon plays the 'people's champion' Mark Antony.

Paterson said taking on the role of Brutus is a total pleasure. He explained: "He is a man of honour and he doesn't try to manipulate the crowd. He just talks to them and tells them exactly what's happened. If he was probably more manipulative, he probably would have won them over and Antony wouldn't have had a chance."And his passion for the part is clear. "The thing that really narks me off is that Brutus performs this speech in front of the crowd and the crowd are wowed by it.  But then Shakespeare writes this huge dialogue with Antony and the crowd and he turns them over.  I’m just burning as an actor thinking can I just come on again? I had more to say!”

Paterson is also really excited about working with director Gregory Doran and starring opposite Ray Fearon. He said: “I couldn’t think of anyone better to play Mark Antony. You need to be jealous of him and say ‘oh my God, that guy is amazing.’ He looks great, he sounds great and that’s what Brutus has to feel about Mark Antony. He needs that sense of him being someone different to me and that I’m not a man of action like him.”

Meanwhile Ray gets to play the charismatic man of the people Mark Antony and perform the famous ‘Friends, Romans, Countrymen’ speech.

He said: “It is one of those famous scenes in the Shakespeare canon and everyone will know it when they hear it. It is just so well-written.

“Mark Antony is emotional but he uses it to his advantage. I do think Brutus is charged with emotion as well because Caesar was close to him. He does his deed and carries out his actions. I think, with Mark Antony, it’s more personal.

But is there any rivalry between Ray and co-star Paterson? Ray said: “I don’t think we compete against each other even though I think our character Mark and Brutus do. As individuals, we don’t compete. Well, I am not anyway.”

So while there is harmony among the cast, prepare for political machinations, betrayal and murder on-stage at Norwich Theatre Royal this autumn.

Buy tickets now at http://www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk/whatson/shows/juliuscaesar.aspx

And check out a scene from the production at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q7apiYunEU&list=PL9F518CB9DC26DF9E&index=7&feature=plpp_video

 

Want to find out more about two of the stars of this year's Norwich Theatre Royal pantomime Aladdin?Well, now you can. Hollyoaks favourite Lucy Dixon, who plays Tilly in the hit Channel 4 soap, is playing the title role.

And world-renowned Gladiator turned global grappler Nick Aldis, better known as Magnus in TNA wrestling, is playing the Genie.

Outline finds out more about them starting off with top TV and stage actress Lucy.

 

 

Your first big break was playing Danielle Harker in the BBC’s Waterloo Road. What was that like?

It was amazing. I got the job when I had just left school and it really literally changed my life. I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t got that job. I owe so much to the show because I learned so much and I gained confidence on television because it is a different kind of genre. I made so many great friends and learned a great deal from some great actors and actresses. I had a great time and it was like having a second family.

And Danielle was a great character.

She was sassy and very opinionated.  If ever I had a bad day and got out of bed on the wrong side, it was great to just vent my anger through my character. I had a fantastic time. I also got to work with some brilliant actors. They were so open to chatting to us about their experiences and giving us tips and advice. You can’t really learn from anyone better than people who have experienced the acting world for themselves. It was a great springboard for me.

From there, you then got the part of Tilly.

It was great. I used to watch Hollyoaks with my sister and so I knew the character. Suddenly being on the sets that I used to watch was quite strange. It’s great because when I entered Hollyoaks, there were a lot of people of the same age who all started at the same time. There was a group of us younger actors who just get on like a house on fire. I feel very lucky that I have got some great friends and, again, I have learned so much. But when I left Waterloo Road, I was looking for a new challenge.

Was it tricky taking on the role of a gay female student like Tilly?

It’s great. I wanted a challenge and I felt at the time there wasn’t a character like Tilly for gay teenagers to relate to. She is such a caring person, very observant and clever beyond her years and so self-assured. She was so sure of herself and her sexuality, who she was and where she wanted to go in life. That is a really positive strong role model for teenagers. Being a teenager is a difficult time. You are becoming the person you are going to be. I was also playing a character that teenagers were going to look up too and the responses and reactions could be the sort of things that they do, so I had to be really careful.

You’ve already managed to achieve an awful lot in your career, but do you still have any acting ambitions?

There are two ambitions. Theatre-wise, I would love to perform for the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester as I have been there many times and I would love to do period drama. Being fair-skinned and fair-haired and a bit of an English rose, I think it would be fantastic.

So watch out for one of British acting’s brightest stars as her mix of talent and ambition are sure to make her a mainstay of stage and TV work in the years to come…oh yes they will.

 

Outline also caught up with Nick in a flying visit to the city from his US base to find out what he’s been up to since his last panto starring role.

 

 How do you feel about coming back to Norwich again to star in Aladdin?

 I can’t wait. Ever since I did it the first time in 2008, I just knew it was the right decision.  At the time I was riding the wave of success from Gladiators and I was already transitioning into my career with TNA. Although I had always loved pantomime, it had never really crossed my mind to be involved, but when the opportunity came about I thought it would be perfect. I never realised just how much I would enjoy it, I just looked at it as a good gig, but I loved it. When I got offered the role at Genie, I was all over it!

Does it feel a bit like your all one big family during pantomime season?

 Yes, absolutely and there are a lot of parallels between that and pro wrestling.   We are very open nowadays that we are here to entertain and particularly at the moment, family entertainment. A huge proportion of our fan base is kids. It’s all colourful, over the top, escapism entertainment, which personally I feel there is not enough of.  Reality TV is everywhere and everything is doom and gloom and people thrive on drama. I love the idea of being able to entertain people with a completely fictional colourful, over the top production and that is absolutely pantomime.

From your experience would you say you need to be pretty fit to take on pantomime?

My physical fitness wasn’t a huge issue, but with sometimes three shows a day and costume changes, it’s just important to take advantage of your down time and get some rest. 

That was the busiest period of my career ever as I went from filming the second series of gladiator, immediately into pantomime and then debuted with TNA straight after that. Since then my career has been solely TNA. So to come back to do something like this will absolutely be a shock to the system at first. 

 Gladiator was really popular here in the UK, tell us about that.

There is a strong independent scene. Back when Gladiator first aired the TV market was fairly unsaturated with less to choose from, now with hundreds of channels people can pick and choose what they want, so the TV figures are far lower. As far as wrestling is concerned, I think that without television your nothing and that stands anywhere in the world.  I would love for people not to not feel embarrassed by wrestling and take it for what it is. It was a very, very fun important part of my life. 

 Was it a bit of a culture shock going into TNA full time?

My goal had always been to be a full-time pro wrestler on television. Next thing I know there is a phone call and contract and it all happened so fast. I was very rusty, because prior to gladiator I had only really been working full-time for a year and had only had something in the region of 150 matches. But I debuted on the UK live events which are their biggest drawing shows in the world. I suddenly looked around and saw all this incredible talent, half of which di grown up watching on TV. I realised then I had to step up as this really was a chance of a lifetime.  Luckily I have always been good at adapting to my surroundings.

 Am I right in thinking you were a champion for some time?

Yes Joe and I had a great run as tag team champions. It was my second time with that title. I enjoy tag team wrestling and it’s been a big part of my career. A lot of people are afraid of tag team wrestling because you have to share the spotlight and they worry people don’t think they are a big star on their own. I had those insecurities too, but your job is to carve out your fan base through whatever it is that you are given.  What Joe and I did is a prime example of that. Joe was already an established headline name in TNA and was one of the people who built TNA and turned it into what it is. Joe is a world champion and a Triple Crown winner. We had good chemistry, we are good friends off screen and we developed a routine together.  From the very first time we worked together, we both came away and knew there was something there. It was only meant to be a short term plan just until they had worked something out for us but we just took off.

What is next for you?

Right now I have just over a year left on my contract but you never know with pro wrestling as everything is so fast moving. Especially now we are with episodic live TV every week. You just have to do your best with what you’ve been given.  I had a great time in India starring in a new show that TNA helped produce with endomol. Going over there was a fantastic experience and I was the world champion there. The first show there had 18 million viewers. This was the first time a big wrestling show had been produced by Indians for Indians. The whole concept was to create a whole cast of characters which encompassed the entire world.  I was very fortunate to be pushed and presented as one of the top stars.  The response was amazing, I hadn’t even been on TV by this point, it hadn’t even started airing, and when I arrived at the airport there were hundreds of people waiting.

I just hope i get to go back there. It’s such an overwhelming culture difference and such an overwhelming response form people.

The one thing people always say to me when do you want to go to WWE? Obviously that is my dream, but I don’t want to go there until I’m fully developed and complete as a performer.

 Are you looking forward to being back in Norwich?

 Last year was the first year I spent outside Norfolk. Last year I was wresting in India right up until Christmas eve, so me and my girlfriend went straight back to America. It’s great to have been able to have some time of TNA this year and that I am able to work and be in my home county. I love Norwich, it’s one of my favourite cities in the world. Norwich is great in the Christmas; I’ve always enjoyed coming here for Christmas. Especially with the forum, square and the market. I can’t wait.

Book your panto tickets now at http://www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk/whatson/shows/aladdin.aspx

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            Dolly Parton Musical ‘A Great Way To Make A Living’ For All-Star Cast

 

                                              9 TO 5

 

It’s the ultimate feelgood musical for everyone who has a nightmare boss.

And full casting has been announced for Dolly Parton’s hit musical 9 To 5 which sees a group of sassy office workers plot to get their own back on their nasty manager.

The hilarious musical comedy, which features the singer’s iconic title track, takes to the Norwich Theatre Royal stage from February 25 to March 2 and boasts some top-class performers headed by Natalie Casey (above), who is probably best known for playing Donna in nine series of the popular BBC comedy Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.

She is also no stranger to stage work with previous credits including Legally Blonde and Abigail’s Party in the West End, and Oklahoma at Chichester Festival Theatre.

Others in the all-star cast include Jackie Clune, who has appeared in Billy Elliott in the West End and Mamma Mia all over the world, and performing legend Bonnie Langford whose previous work ranges from Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway, to the original cast of Cats and the Lady Of The Lake in Spamalot, both on the West End.

Also joining the show to take on the role of the Mr Nasty boss is Mark Moraghan, who is known for a number of TV roles including Owen Davis in Holby City for five years, and builder Greg Shadwick for two years in Brookside. He is also no stranger to the stage with a wide range of credits including Priscilla Queen of the Desert in the West End.

The show, which aims to show women can take control in a man’s world, features 18 original Dolly Parton numbers including the world-renowned title track, which won her an Oscar nomination and four Grammy Award nominations.

And the musical superstar said the show will be a really enjoyable performance. “I am so excited that 9 To 5 The Musical is coming to Norwich. I’m hoping everyone has as much fun watching it as I had writing the music for it. 9 to 5 The Musical is perfect for anyone that’s ever wanted to get revenge on their boss, which is almost all of us, so come along and join the fun.”

Ticket Booking Information

9 To 5 The Musical, Monday 25 February-Saturday 2 March at 7.30pm, and Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets £6.50-£35. Discounts for Friends, Corporate Club, Over-60s, and Groups.

 BOX OFFICE 01603 630000.  For more info or to BOOK ONLINE www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

  

 

 

Are you having one of those days? Is your boss really getting on your nerves and would you like to take revenge? Well now’s your chance to watch that workplace fantasy come true as the hit musical 9 To 5 comes to Norwich. The show’s co-creator and country music legend Dolly Parton and director Jeff Calhoun talk about working on the show and why it is a great way to make a living.

 

 Everyone has had a dodgy boss (or more than one) in their lives and harboured thoughts about getting their own back.

But three office workers actually manage to do it in a sassy Seventies setting interspersed with some fantastic feelgood songs. That’s the premise of Dolly Parton’s hit musical 9 To 5 (which does feature the iconic title tune as you’d expect) which makes an early spring visit to Norwich Theatre Royal between February 25 and March 2.

It is the latest incarnation of the hit story which began life as a hit film around 30 years ago winning Dolly an Oscar nomination and four Tony Awards.

The 9 To 5 stage story began when Dolly Parton was first approached to transform the hit movie into a Broadway musical and jumped at the chance. “I said sure because I was so familiar with the characters as I had lived with them for all those years. I thought it would be easy for me and it actually was. It was a new adventure for me and I really enjoyed it,” recalled Dolly.

Always one to put 110 per cent into a project, she admits she dramatically over-wrote the number of songs that were required. She said: “I always write at least double and triple what I need, and I kept all the songs. Nothing is ever wasted for me. I thought maybe someday I would put out a record called 9 to 5 – The Ones That Got Away.”

One of the key creative team members is director Jeff Calhoun, who admits he is hugely excited about the US stage hit touring Britain. So if you have seen the movie, how will the stage musical differ? He explained: “It is very similar to the film although obviously you have to adapt it to be stage worthy. Patricia Resnick and Dolly herself have done a great job doing that. It has the essence of the film and the same storyline. If you love the film, you will love this. There are significant differences though, otherwise you may as well stay home and watch the movie.” Rather unusually, this is a production where the musical comes after the film rather than the other way around, and Jeff said this gives a fantastic opportunity to hear some great songs from one of the true Queens of country music. “All the characters sing great Dolly Parton songs as all the songs have been written by her. I think a lot of her fans will know the music. She also recorded a lot of songs from the show for her latest album so a lot of the songs that weren’t known before she released it are known now.”

These tunes are guaranteed to get your fingers snapping and toes tapping as well as making you smile, according to Jeff, and will appeal to everyone. “You can bring your grandmother and you can bring your child. It really does transcend the generations. It is escapism and is two and a half hours of good old fashioned fun,” said Jeff.

But what about the theme of getting your own back on your boss? Jeff thinks that is something we can all identify with. He said: “After all, who hasn’t had a fantasy about hanging their boss from the ceiling at one time or another? It also unites women. It is about solidarity for women and the seventies.

“The decade was such a fun period. There were so many variety shows in America and that is what I have tried to do with 9 To 5 - make it as close to a Seventies American variety show as possible.”

“I have worked with different men in different projects where I have bashed heads – not just men but women too. Everyone can relate to it.” But what about the iconic performer herself? The audience at Norwich Theatre Royal will get the chance to enjoy her words and music performed by a stellar cast – but will Dolly herself make an experience? Director Jeff Calhoun said she will certainly be a part of the show. “I can tell you she will make an appearance in every performance in a very special way but you have to come and see the show to find out how. I can say you won’t be disappointed.”

So for the ultimate revenge tale packed with Broadway razzmatazz and that Dolly Parton magic, banish those winter blues with 9 To 5 – a great way to spend an evening!

 Book now at www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

 

 

 

                                                          AN EVENING OF BURLESQUE

                                                                   Bettsie Bonbon

An Evening of Burlesque is all about theglamour, glitter and outrageous costumes, but star of the hit touring stageshow, Bettsie Bonbon, has revealed that there is more to her than meets theeye. We caught up with Bettsie ahead of her performance at Norwich TheatreRoyal on Saturday 29 June at 7.30pm.

A few years ago, Bettsie Bonbon (not herreal name) was a high-flying law graduate and former underwriter at the globalinsurance giant Lloyds. But, within months, the lure of the sparkles andstockings saw her trade figures for figure revealing outfits, as she took up a full-time position as a burlesque performer.

And since taking up her new profession, she nowteaches at The London Academy of Burlesque and believes there are manymisconceptions about what the show is all about.  She says: “It is very tongue in cheek and Ithink more people are realising that now. Burlesque is the Italian word forparody, and that is what it’s all about.”

But she is quick to explain that theproduction is committed to bringing every aspect of the traditional art ofburlesque to the stage. “Burlesque and variety, the two go hand in hand, soexpect the glamour and the girls in the show to be interspersed by equallyoutrageous speciality acts,” she says.

The show also keeps another surprise up itscouture-crafted sleeve. Interestingly, women regularly outnumber men inauditoriums on its sell-out tour.

“When you look a little closer at itscontent, it’s actually no surprise An Evening of Burlesque is such a hit withthe ladies. It’s a riot of feather boas, sparkly rhinestones, lace, organza,corsets, heels, capes and tassels,” she says.

Her lavish contribution includes scenesentitled 50 Shades of Gold, Isis Queen, Baseball Pin-ups and Moulin Rouge. Forthe latter routine, the girls’ specially-commissioned outfits are identical, exceptfor the colour.

Bettsie giggles: “We’re the JLS ofburlesque. Throughout the show, costumes are spectacularly, outrageouslyglamorous. But it’s all done with a nod and a wink.”

She explains that audiences buy into thefantasy. She says: “We ensure that no one loses sight that underneath it allwe’re just normal girls playing a part.”

And if you’re up for watching a show thatcelebrates girl power, then this is the show for you. It might be a claim thatsounds very right on, however Bettsie suggests that a quick scan of theauditorium on any performance reveals the truth. “It’s not only the cast thatget glammed up for the night, audience members regularly dress for theoccasion,” she said. So much so, the producers – impressed by its audience’s efforts– have introduced a prize for the most glamorous member of the audience. “It’sall very liberating,” she concludes. “Looking and feeling glamorous, there’s nolaw against it,” she said. Besides, with her academic background, she shouldknow.

And as the glamorous cast get ready to dominatethe stage at Norwich Theatre Royal, Bettsie is hoping to share her relative’slove for the region on her very first visit. She said: “Unfortunately I’venever been to Norwich, but I do have great memories of my grandparentstalking about boating on the Norfolk Broads, so I am very excited to be performingin the city.”   

Information For Editors

An Evening of Burlesque, Saturday 29 June at 7.30pm. Tickets£5.50-£23.00 Discounts for Friends. 18

BOX OFFICE 01603 630000.  For moreinfo or to BOOK ONLINE www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

 

 

 

It is stylish, sexy, sultry and sassy. That classic tale of loneliness and obsession The Great Gatsby is coming to Norwich Theatre Royal.

 F Scott Fitzgerald%u2019s classic book is being transformed into a stunning dance production by Northern Ballet and will take to the stage on April 30-May 4. Artistic director David Nixon told John Bultitude why he was so keen to bring his classroom literary passion to the stage.

 

 

The Great Gatsby is memorable to David Nixon for many reasons. It was a favourite book in his youth, a piece that he studied in great depth, and now he is getting the chance to bring his own twist to the classic tale of hedonism and obsession.

Set on New York%u2019s Long Island in the heady 1920s, it follows the friendship between Nick Caraway and his mysterious neighbour Jay Gatsby, who is renowned for having the best parties.

As the two men get to know each other, Nick realises Gatsby%u2019s image is more style than substance unlocking a tale of loneliness, obsession and tragedy.

This mix of style and emotion is something that has really inspired David Nixon and, as he sits chatting about the project, he admits the story is something he has been passionate about since his teens. He recalled: %u201CIt was probably one of my favourite novels when I was at school and I was about 17 when the movie with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow came out. I remember going on a class trip to see it because we were studying the book that year and I can remember being absolutely blown away by it. In fact, it was one of my only English essays I got a perfect score on, because I was so into it.%u201D

When it comes to choosing the elements he enjoyed, the music and style are definitely top of the list. %u201CThere was a lot of dancing going on because of the nature of the period with the jazz and the Charleston. Of course, it was also very glamorous with a lot of good characters in it. The more characters, the better for me,%u201D he said.

But it is not just down to personal taste. David also thinks the title really appeals to audiences. He said: %u201CThe problem we are faced with is that people won%u2019t venture out to a title they don%u2019t know. They are attracted often by that rather than the dance or the production quality, and those popular titles aren%u2019t plentiful. You start to find yourself a bit limited but still want to create new work which, in turn, is important to the company. It made me think %u2018what are we going to do?%u2019

%u201CThere were two that came to mind and the Great Gatsby was the one I chose. It was a good piece to write a scenario for and it was dance-able. It was also selected at a time that it was proving popular again although, when I chose it, I didn%u2019t know about the new movie.%u201D

So once the choice has been made, what happens next? Well David starts working closely with the theatre director and actress Patricia Doyle who he describes as %u201Cmy living research person%u201D and they split up the all-important preparation. He said: %u201CWe will both read the book once or twice and I will probably look at the easier forms of research because of time so I will watch movies and read some of the shorter articles about it. Patricia, meanwhile, will just do everything. She will find out everything she can so she is bringing all the perspectives to the table.%u201D

Then it is time to sit down and start the hard work of writing and preparing the piece. %u201CGatsby was particularly hard because when we started to sit down and write, we would end up just sitting and talking. With Gatsby, the language is just so wonderful in the book and you have to think about translating that into another genre,%u201D he said.

%u201CI also use the film for some visual inspiration but I don%u2019t translate movies. It is definitely the book and the essence of the book. It is also important to say we are not doing the novel on point. We are doing the adaptation in dance of that story. We have to think very carefully about how we create different scenes. Something may make sense in print or on film but you have to think, can we dance that?%u201D

David may look after choreography but he needs to keep a handle on all the other aspects of the piece with costume design a particularly important part of the creative process. He said: %u201CWhat they are wearing in dance is very important on several levels. It obviously tells you what they look like, it tells you their character and it tells you how they move. Someone in a stiffer costume isn%u2019t going to move in a fluid way. I learned this very early on because I was creating a role in a ballet and the way I moved was very fluid. It was described as elastic.

%u201CI went for a fitting and the guy put me into a costume where you couldn%u2019t see any of my body and I was very stiff. I said to him %u2018have you even seen the choreography for this because this costume isn%u2019t going to work?%u2019 It told me there and then that this is something that I need to think very carefully when I work.%u201D

David also collaborates very closely with the creative team on the music for the piece %u2013 with the Great Gatsby featuring a score by the noted British composer Richard Rodney Bennett, who has worked on everything from Murder On The Orient Express to Four Weddings And A Funeral.

As we talk several months before the first rehearsals of The Great Gatsby, David says it is a great chance to highlight the work of people like Richard Rodney Bennett and his contemporaries. He explained: %u201CWe have some brilliant composers in this country and I don%u2019t understand why they aren%u2019t seen or heard enough. The great thing when I get to do a ballet in that you are showing a vast variety of their music. Yes, you use some of their film music, but there will also be songs in it, jazz and symphonic pieces. Normally I struggle to find the stuff I like but there is just so much I could use.%u201D

Once this is all arranged, then it is time to cast the right dancers in the right parts and David believes the Northern Ballet company are perfect for a production like this. %u201CIt%u2019s a youthful story. It features lots of young people for the most part especially when you have the party scenes and that is good. It is also a piece that will appeal to people of all ages. It really resonates across the board,%u201D he said.

It is a definite labour of love for David and he says audiences in Norwich are in for a real treat. He explained: %u201CThe Great Gatsby is probably F Scott Fitzgerald%u2019s best novel and it is wonderful that they express themselves so poetically. You listen to music like Richard%u2019s compositions and that excites you too but it frightens you at the same time. I suppose working with such quality pushes you to do a better job. I am scared to death of the project but I am excited too.%u201D

Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izlpce4Fkaw

She may be best-known for her roles in several top prime-time TV dramas but Heather Peace also enjoys a hugely successful parallel career as a highly accomplished musician.

And she is preparing to share some of her tracks with an audience at Norwich Theatre Royal during a major fund-raising variety show in June.

Heather chats to Outline about her music, her small-screen success and her passion for promoting equality among all ages.

 

There is no doubt that Heather Peace is passionate about every aspect of her life. As she chats during a well-earned day off from filming the BBC’s hit prime-time drama Waterloo Road, there is a very real sense of drive and commitment in everything she does.

A familiar face in a host of top TV dramas, there is no doubt she is also fiercely committed to her musical career and is looking forward to sharing her songs with a Norwich Theatre Royal audience.

She will join forces with the likes of pop music icon Marc Almond (above), cabaret performers Kit & McConnel, and the ever-popular Christopher Biggins for a variety show on Sunday June 23 from 7.30pm.

As we chat, she reveals she is still working on her set-list for the Norwich date. “I will be playing a few new tracks with my guitarist and also performing some songs with Marc’s band. It will be a fantastic concert to do.”

Her love affair with music began as she was growing up in her native Bradford going to church every Sunday and eventually becoming a cantor leading the church in the Hallelujahs and Psalms. “I loved going to church and singing in front of the congregation. I started singing constantly and became obsessed with gospel, Motown and jazz. It was the church bulletin that advertised free piano lessons from a lady called Ireleen Cockroft. She taught about 20 kids in her council flat who couldn’t have otherwise afforded to learn. She took me through all my classical grades and was an amazing lady.”

At the age of 18, she moved to Manchester where she did a drama degree while keeping up her interest in music. Heather recalled: “I did a very classically-based acting course because I thought that was the sort of thing I should do. I did a jazz residency at a venue on Canal Street while I was there as well. It wasn’t the sort of music I wrote but it gave me a great grounding.

“Doing the residency was great because I was working with a really experienced jazz guitarist called Steve Mead who now runs the Manchester Jazz Festival. I was playing six or seven jazz standards a week, so I had to learn 70 to 80 to keep the performances fresh, so it was a really good learning experience.”

From there, she enjoyed a few roles in musical theatre before landing her first big TV part as Sally ‘Gracie’ Fields in ITV’s hit drama London’s Burning which followed the lives and loves of a group of fire-fighters at the capital’s fictional Shadwell station.

This led to a decade of major TV roles in the likes of Emmerdale, Kay Mellor’s BBC drama The Chase, and ITV’s hard-hitting military drama Ultimate Force, with Heather still writing music as more of a hobby.

Unfortunately, as Heather recalled, the acting roles then started to dry up. “After about ten years of constant TV work, there were no offers coming in that were interesting. It was a tricky, quite dark time, coinciding with my relationship breaking down.

“I didn’t know what to do with myself – and I’m really not good if I’m not working or being creative. So I just wrote song after song, and thought, ‘Maybe I should let some people hear these and see if they like them?’ I started gigging properly then for the first time.”

And she tapped into a vein of music that people loved playing full houses on every date of a UK, as well as selling thousands of copies of her acoustic demo and tour DVD much of it through word of mouth.

She also got back onto the small screen starring as DS Sam Murray in BBC3’s Lip Service and ended up making an album with Nigel Wright, who has worked with the likes of Madonna and Barbra Streisand.

While working on the latter part of the album, Heather also landed the part of feisty and determined teacher Nikki Boston in BBC1’s now-Scottish set drama Waterloo Road, which has just returned to the small screen, and is going to be involved in some strong storylines in the brand new series, which has just started (May 2).

“Well Nikki is going to embark on an affair with Lorraine, who heads up the school, and that is going to cause a lot of drama. My character is promoted for reasons that aren’t terribly honest,” she says.

On screen there may be dramas, angst and controversy, but behind-the-scenes, Heather says the show is fantastic to work on. “Waterloo Road is great fun. It is a really close-knit cast. I am sure, when they are casting, they go for people who have no ego. There is no-one who you would describe as a fly in the ointment. It is a true ensemble drama.”

She particularly enjoys watching the younger members of the cast grow and mature as actors during the course of their time in the programme, which is now set in Scotland. “They are great and pick up things from the actors around them and are not afraid to ask questions,” she said.

Meanwhile she will be swapping the schoolroom for the stage when she takes to the stage at Norwich Theatre Royal as part of the variety show to raise money for the human rights organisation the Peter Tatchell Foundation which is a cause very close to her heart.

She explained: “I have done a lot of work with Peter’s organisation Stonewall and I also do a lot of work with young people to fight against bullying. I work with them to help them understand how the way they use language can sometimes affect people.”

So with her whistle-stop tour to Norwich and her Waterloo Road commitments, will there still be time for music in Heather’s life?

“Well I am working hard on my album with a writer called Shelley from a band called Red Sky July and I am going to try and get a lot of new tracks together. I want to make the new album as strong as I possibly can.

“Even though I have got a day off from filming Waterloo Road today, I am going to be sitting at my piano and do some writing.” And as we finish chatting so she can get back to composing and songwriting, she admits she is very lucky to be able to make a living out of doing things she enjoys so much. She said: “I think I  just never really wanted to do anything else. I am very lucky that my hobby is actually my work.”

Do you want to see Heather and the rest of the cast in a once-in-a-lifetime show? Book now at

http://bit.ly/10pgoGS

 SINBAD AND THE PIRATE CURSE

Young people from across Norfolk are comingtogether once again for their annual summer production.

This year, Norwich Theatre Royal’s Arts Coursestudents will sail the high sea on the hunt for blood thirsty pirates andadventure as they bring Sinbad and the Pirate Curse to Norwich Theatre Royal fromJuly 31 – August 3.

We caught up with star of the show Joe Darbyshireas he talks about playing Sinbad the sailor, his acting highlights and hisplans for the future.

Versatile performer Joe Darbyshire is hoping to followin the footsteps of former arts course student Sam Claflin, who has takenHollywood by storm starring in the likes of Pirates of the Caribbean, SnowWhite and the Huntsman and the latest Hunger Games film.

It looks like arts course director David Lambertbelieves Joe’s got what it takes, as like Sam, he’s given Joe the prestigiouslead part in their annual summer show.

 

And Joe’s played a whole host of lead charactersover the years, from a 50 year old alcoholic through to an innocent school-boywrongly accused of man slaughter, but this year he has landed the slightly morelight-hearted role of Sinbad the swashbuckling sailor.

But Sinbad’s voyage won’t be plain sailing as hemust battle sea monsters and pirates, to save his true-love the Princess ofSamarkand from an evil curse.

 

And Joe is thrilled to be playing the heroic role.

 

He said: “What’s great about playing Sinbad ishe’s not your typical hero; he’s not a prince or warrior, he’s a sailor. And afterfighting off the bad guys and monsters in the previous Sinbad adventures, thelocal people think he’s a hero.  Butwithout giving too much away, I think his new found status might cause him afew problems along the way.”

Joe is quite happy to swap a night down the pubwith his mates, for show rehearsals.

 

He said: “It might sound like a bit of a cliché, but the summer showreally is my favourite date in Norwich Theatre Royal’s Arts Course calendar. Oftenthe shows we do in term-time are slightly darker and more serious and it canget quite heavy, so it’s great to be taking part in an up-beat, high energyshow like this.” 

 

He adds: “We also get the added bonus ofperforming on stage at either Norwich Theatre Royal or The Playhouse and that’sgreat because we have a vast space and a larger audience to perform to. It’salso a chance for all the arts course students to come together and work withpeople who we might not have had the chance to work with before.”

 

But despite always having a passion forperformance, Joe didn’t start the arts course until his early teens. Rather thanstarting in the beginner’s class, he was fast-tracked to the intermediate groupand now performs alongside the seniors.

 

As a result of the arts course, Joe has discoveredthat he now wants to take up acting as a full-time profession.

 

He recalled: “Last term, we did a play calledJerusalem and I played the lead role of Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron; a 50 year oldalcoholic, drug dealer who lives in a caravan. Funnily enough this productionimpacted me the most, as I had to genuinely think about playing a role where Ihad nothing in common with the character. It pushed me that little bit furtherand made me believe that I had the ability to pull it off.”

Joe explains that since starting the course he hasgrown in confidence and now has more belief in his own abilities.

 

He said: “I’ve always known that I wanted to act;I’ve known that since I was tiny, but the arts course has really confirmed tome that I’m doing the right thing. This is not only down to the great teachingand support from David Lambert, but it’s also down to the plays we study, someof which makes us think differently and directly impact the way we deal withsituations in our everyday life.”

At one point Joe had considered going touniversity do a combined English and Drama course, but his plans changed afterplaying the part of Vernon in Vernon God Little.

He said: “I loved playing the challenging part of thewrongly accused murder suspect Vernon. It was then that I realised that actingis really what I want to do, and if I want to be taken seriously I need to godown the most direct route possible.”

As a result, outside of rehearsals, Joe is busyauditioning for drama schools.  

Joe explains: “I got through to the 2ndround of auditions at Bristol Old Vic and completely fell in love with theplace, so it would be great to go there one day.”

And he wants to encourage aspiring actors to startthe arts course. 

He explained: “I want people to know that it’snever too late to start the course; this year alone we have had a number of newstudents join who are in their early twenties. As a group we are really open, so we would welcome anyone onto thecourse.”

 

He concludes: “And when it comes to working onsomething like the summer show, we all just muck in and come together and puton a great feel-good show to entertain family and students alike during thesummer holidays.”

 

 

 

Information for editors

Sinbad and the Pirate Curse, Wednesday 31 July–Saturday 3 Augustat 7.30pm, and Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.Tickets £5.50-£9.00. Discounts for Friends. Under Threes Free.

BOX OFFICE01603 630000.  For more info or to BOOKONLINE www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

 

One of Britain’s best known comedy impressionists and an actress who captured the nation’s hearts on TV are to share the role of The Voice of The Book in a stage production of a cult book, and radio and TV show.

 

Jon Culshaw (above) and Anita Dobson (below) will play the all-knowing digital Book in The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy punctuating the action with a mix of facts and acerbic wit when the show takes to the stage at Norwich Theatre Royal on September 16-17.

 

They follow in the footsteps of the actors Peter Jones and William Franklyn who played the part in the cult radio version of the sci-fi comedy masterpiece.

 

The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy was created by world-renowned sci-fi writer Douglas Adams becoming a huge hit on Radio Four for five series as well as proving hugely popular in book form.

 

It follows the story of ordinary man Arthur Dent whose life is turned upside down when he discovers Earth is going to be obliterated to make way for a hyperspace bypass.

 

Arthur and friend Ford Prefect end up hitching a ride on board one of the demolition ships and encountering a host of characters including the ditsy Trillian, the two-headed Galactic President Zaphod Beeblebrox, and the perpetually depressed robot Marvin The Paranoid Android.

 

Back in 2012, top comedy director Dirk Maggs decided to bring the classic story to the stage with all of the original radio cast and it was a huge hit being seen by over 35,000 people nationwide.

 

Now the show is hitting the road again with Jon Culshaw bringing his distinctive brand of comedy and delivery to the September 16 performance before Anita’s blend of wit and stage presence comes to the fore the following evening.

 

As well as proving to be one of this country’s top impressionists on TV hits like Spitting Image and Dead Ringers, Jon has also been seen in a wide variety of shows on stage and the small screen including the Royal Variety Performance and the Secret Policeman’s Ball, as well as firming up his galactic credentials as a regular contributor to the BBC’s long-running astronomy series The Sky At Night.

 

Meanwhile Anita is renowned as one of this country’s best-loved stage and TV actresses. She is still remembered for her iconic role as the much-loved Queen Vic landlady Angie Watts in EastEnders and is also no stranger to theatrical audiences in the West End and the UK recently winning critical acclaim for her portrayal of Joan Crawford in the play Bette and Joan.

 

John Bultitude, of Norwich Theatre Royal, said: “In the words of The Hitchhiker’s Guide itself, Don’t Panic. There are still seats left to enjoy the magic of Douglas Adams’ writing and the performances of some of Britain’s best-loved actors and actresses. This is a great chance to enjoy this entertaining mix of sci-fi and comedy which has enthralled generations and built up a very strong, devoted cult following.”

It is a beautiful production which takes the audience back to childhood through a combination of beautifully conceived stage effects, clowning, acrobatics and slapstick.

 

Global phenomenon Slava’s Snow Show returns to Norwich Theatre Royal on November 12-16 and the show’s creator explains more about the inspiring and inspired production.

 

 

 

Audiences in over 120 cities drawn from 30 different countries have loved Slava’s Snow Show. It has broken Broadway box office records and beyond as well as proving to be one of 2008’s busiest Norwich Theatre Royal productions on its previous visit to the city.

 

The show brings the beauty and power of imagination to the fore as a bed becomes a boat, a web of cotton covers the audience, and a tiny piece of paper heralds an incredible finale which will stay with everyone watching for a long, long time.

 

Slava’s Snow Show is now returning to the UK for the 9th time and coming back to  Norwich by public demand following the rush for tickets last time, with some patrons enjoying the show more than once during its previous week-long run in the city.

 

Slava himself, who created the production, is quite a character who seems to have boundless energy and enthusiasm. He has been dubbed both ‘anarchist’ and ‘genius’ and admits he looks at life through a rotating prism.

 

Born in the USSR in a small village of 3000 or so inhabitants near the community of Orel, his entertaining prowess is definitely not genetic as his parents had nothing to do with showbiz. Instead, with not many toys, Slava made his own entertainment creating his own stories, playing in the woods and performing in shows for his friends.

 

When he was older, he was sent off to Leningrad to study engineering but decided he would rather find out what made clowns tick joining a mime troupe instead.

 

Slava ended up setting up his own theatre company Litsedel which tapped into  theatre-goers love of fantasy, organized a six-month tour of major European capitals in an event he called The Peace Caravan and, of course, wowed global audiences with his Snow Show production.

 

It is all a far cry from his original childhood dreams of his role in later life. He recalled: “I always wanted to be a journalist, a gardener or a forester, an engineer or a librarian. Now I feel that, with this house and grounds, constructing and creating things, and also writing my book (which I’m currently finishing), I’m actually achieving a bit of all of those ambitions. I won’t have enough time in my life to get it all done – does anyone? – but the important thing is to keep on doing it as well as you can.”

 

In fact, he is very clear that his work is not really clowning.  Slava explained: “My main objective is to break down borders and restrictions. A clown is really like a child. We have immediacy and a freedom, as children do. It is impossible for a child to sit still for more than five minutes, and, like clowns they always demand to be the centre of attention.”

 

Slava also enjoys a strong following most notably from film-maker and ex-Monty Python member Terry Gilliam who admits to being a big fan of his work to the extent they have made a film together entitled Diabolo about a clown.

Slava in turn has his own inspirations for his work many drawn from the golden age of silent film comedy such as Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and the less well-known Harry Langdon.  He explained: “Short film transcends the boundaries of performance. You didn’t have to crack a verbal gag. You see what those people were going through. Why is Langdon obscured by the others now? Possibly because he never used huge action sequences and was a more intimate performer.”

It not just those early clowns which entertain him, as he also admires the likes of Tommy Cooper and Max Wall.  “I also enjoyed Norman Wisdom and Benny Hill. Monty Python were also a great intellectual team, never mind the humour,” he said.

 

What is most interesting for Slava is that he does not seek fame, praise or the backing of his peers. His motivation is very clearly to ensure every member of the audience really enjoys the show and hopefully forgets their problems which is demonstrated by a story

 

But it must be wonderful to be able to make so many people laugh, and to enable them to forget their problems for a while? “Oh yes, that’s the best thing of all”, he agrees. “The last time I was in the UK, I played in Glasgow for a few weeks, and I met a very well-known doctor, a consultant, up there, who told me that he’d been to see the show, and how much he’d enjoyed it. I thanked him a lot. And then he said that he dealt with people who suffered from severe depression. He said ‘In the last few weeks, I’ve not been writing prescriptions for tablets, I’ve been telling them ‘Go see Slava – if that doesn’t make you forget your problems, nothing will!’ Wasn’t that a wonderful thing to say?”

 

So, even a member of the medical profession agrees that Slava’s Snow Show can be good for your health. For a spectacular taste of childhood fantasy and the perfect theatrical tonic to treat the hassle of day-to-day life, it does seem this is a production which is hard to beat.

 Book now at www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

 

 

 

As the hit musical Happy Days prepares for its arrival at Norwich Theatre Royal on March 10-15, the stars talk about the show and its iconic characters

Ben Freeman who plays The Fonz

One of the best things about this job is meeting Henry Winkler who was the original Fonz and getting snippets about his inspiration. It was brilliant meeting him and asking him how he came up with the idea of The Fonz and some of the techniques he used. One was never brushing his hair. He always looked as if he was about to do so but never did. He also used to make all these guttural sounds. It was amazing where all those ideas came from.

I auditioned for this part like any other part and it was only when I eventually got it that I started to realise what sort of a show I was getting into. You could create brand new characters but with a nod to the originals obviously. The characters are bigger than the show almost! The Fonz is rated up there with James Dean and Elvis and they are stars in their own right. It took me a while to get into his character because I am not the same as him. I am taller and I am not Jewish-American so I found it quite difficult.

I used to watch Happy Days all the time when I was younger. I was born in 1980 and it was either still going then or it was just starting its reruns so I%u2019m pretty sure I%u2019ve watched every episode. I used to watch Happy Days as well as shows like The A Team and MacGyver. Happy Days is definitely one of the shows that I watched religiously. It just seemed to have everything.

Heidi Range who plays Pinky Tuscadero

I am absolutely loving being part of Happy Days. It is quite different to what I have done before with my pop career. It sounds like the cheesiest thing but I just love being part of this big family, creating the show together and I just love to sing. So it%u2019s like I%u2019m nine again and I%u2019m just getting to sing and dance every day. I hope I continue to enjoy it like I am now because I love getting up every day and coming in.

Happy Days is great. It was always being repeated and it was always on the telly when I was growing up.

Cheryl Baker who plays Mrs Cunningham

I don%u2019t do many musicals and I turn down more than I accept. One day, my agent rang me and said that they were auditioning for Happy Days and I said %u2018absolutely yes%u2019, even though I didn%u2019t know anything about it. I didn%u2019t care because Happy Days was such an important part of my life and I loved it. People of my age would come home on a Saturday and make sure they were sitting in front of a television because Happy Days was coming on.

I did Footloose on stage because I love the show and I love the songs and I love the era. I wanted to do Happy Days for the same reasons and it is great to be part of the inaugural cast and to put your own stamp on Mrs Cunningham.

That is the other thing that attracted me to the show. Mrs Cunningham is a fantastic role to play. She%u2019s the heart and soul of the show. Marion Ross who played the part on TV was wonderful and we all loved her. Obviously, The Fonz was such a strong character and so funny but Mrs Cunningham was the heart of it and looked after everyone. I like that role and I think that, maybe because I have children of my own and the age that I am and the life that I%u2019ve led, I%u2019m kind of like her. I am a bit like that with the cast asking them if they%u2019re alright. Some would say I%u2019m a nuisance but maybe nurturing is the right word!

As the hit musical Happy Days prepares for its arrival at Norwich Theatre Royal on March 10-15, the stars talk about the show and its iconic characters

Ben Freeman who plays The Fonz

One of the best things about this job is meeting Henry Winkler who was the original Fonz and getting snippets about his inspiration. It was brilliant meeting him and asking him how he came up with the idea of The Fonz and some of the techniques he used. One was never brushing his hair. He always looked as if he was about to do so but never did. He also used to make all these guttural sounds. It was amazing where all those ideas came from.

I auditioned for this part like any other part and it was only when I eventually got it that I started to realise what sort of a show I was getting into. You could create brand new characters but with a nod to the originals obviously. The characters are bigger than the show almost! The Fonz is rated up there with James Dean and Elvis and they are stars in their own right. It took me a while to get into his character because I am not the same as him. I am taller and I am not Jewish-American so I found it quite difficult.

I used to watch Happy Days all the time when I was younger. I was born in 1980 and it was either still going then or it was just starting its reruns so I%u2019m pretty sure I%u2019ve watched every episode. I used to watch Happy Days as well as shows like The A Team and MacGyver. Happy Days is definitely one of the shows that I watched religiously. It just seemed to have everything.

Heidi Range who plays Pinky Tuscadero

%u201CI am absolutely loving being part of Happy Days. It is quite different to what I have done before with my pop career. It sounds like the cheesiest thing but I just love being part of this big family, creating the show together and I just love to sing. So it%u2019s like I%u2019m nine again and I%u2019m just getting to sing and dance every day. I hope I continue to enjoy it like I am now because I love getting up every day and coming in.

Happy Days is great. It was always being repeated and it was always on the telly when I was growing up.

Cheryl Baker who plays Mrs Cunningham

I don%u2019t do many musicals and I turn down more than I accept. One day, my agent rang me and said that they were auditioning for Happy Days and I said %u2018absolutely yes%u2019, even though I didn%u2019t know anything about it. I didn%u2019t care because Happy Days was such an important part of my life and I loved it. People of my age would come home on a Saturday and make sure they were sitting in front of a television because Happy Days was coming on.

I did Footloose on stage because I love the show and I love the songs and I love the era. I wanted to do Happy Days for the same reasons and it is great to be part of the inaugural cast and to put your own stamp on Mrs Cunningham.

That is the other thing that attracted me to the show. Mrs Cunningham is a fantastic role to play. She%u2019s the heart and soul of the show. Marion Ross who played the part on TV was wonderful and we all loved her. Obviously, The Fonz was such a strong character and so funny but Mrs Cunningham was the heart of it and looked after everyone. I like that role and I think that, maybe because I have children of my own and the age that I am and the life that I%u2019ve led, I%u2019m kind of like her. I am a bit like that with the cast asking them if they%u2019re alright. Some would say I%u2019m a nuisance but maybe nurturing is the right word!