Pitmen Win New Award
November 30, 2008
Lee Hall’s play The Pitmen Painters, first performed at Newcastle ’s Live Theatre, has been crowned winner in the ‘Best Play’ category at the Evening Standard Awards, this year presented by actor Richard Wilson.
Facing tough competition from Black Watch by Gregory Burke and Now or Later by Christopher Shinn, Lee Hall was presented with the award by actress Maureen Lipman at a ceremony which took place at The Royal Opera House in London on Monday 24 November.
The awards, which are in their 54th year, were attended by 250 stars of stage and screen and decided by a panel of theatre critic’s including Nicholas de Jongh (Evening Standard), Georgina Brown (Mail on Sunday), Susannah Clapp (The Observer), Benedict Nightingale (The Times) and Charles Spencer (Daily Telegraph).
This accolade is further national recognition for The Pitmen Painters which was awarded Best New Play at this year’s industry TMA (Theatrical Management Association) awards.
This is the latest tribute to the work of Lee Hall who recently celebrated opening night of Billy Elliot the Musical on Broadway with standing ovations.
The Pitmen Painters will be performed at the National Theatre in London from 27 January 2009. Tickets are selling fast and can be purchased by contacting the National Theatre’s box office on 020 7452 3000 or online at www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
North East Writers Head For West End
November 30, 2008
MARGARET THATCHER DIES ON STAGE
One of the most controversial and cutting edge plays of the decade is heading to London in April to mark the 25th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike.
Maggie’s End, which is sponsored by NUM North East Area, the RMT, UNITE and the GMB, is a dark comedy that begins with the death of Margaret Thatcher.
It will be performed for two weeks from April 6 to 18 at the 500-seat Shaw Theatre in Euston Road , an off West End venue near Kings Cross railway station.
Written by internationally acclaimed playwrights Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood, Maggie’s End premiered at the Gala theatre in Durham , October 2007, and attracted nearly 2,000 people to its sell-out performances.
The play was inspired by press reports that the New Labour government is making plans to give Baroness Thatcher a state funeral when she dies.
Trevor Wood said: “When we first heard these reports we thought that they were a bit of political kite-flying and that the idea would be quietly buried but they’ve since re-surfaced.
“There’s little doubt that most Labour supporters would see a state funeral for Margaret Thatcher as the ultimate betrayal by their party and that to acknowledge her in this way would re-open many of the sores of the 1980s.
“We wanted to explore what the possible repercussions of this could be, particularly in the north of England , where many communities were decimated during the Thatcher years.
“In the play, a former militant campaigner’s sense of outrage over the betrayal brings him into conflict with his only daughter, who has risen through the ranks to become a senior minister in the New Labour government, and threatens to destroy his family.”
Mr Wood continued: “Despite Mrs Thatcher’s death being the catalyst for the play, Maggie’s End is really about the legacy of Thatcherism and examines how far the New Labour government has travelled from its traditional roots.”
The play will mark the 25th anniversary of the miners’ strike, which ran from March 12, 1984, until March 3, 1995.
Davey Hopper, NUM North East Area secretary, said: “Maggie’s End is a great play and we wanted to bring it to the capital.
“The British public should never forget the despicable role the Thatcher government played in destroying mining communities as well as the shipyards, steel mills and other industries.”
He added: “We got fantastic help from London-based miners support groups during the strike and we look forward to seeing everyone involved with them again.”
Maggie’s End, which will be directed by Jack Milner, runs from April 6 to April 18 at the Shaw theatre, Euston. Tickets cost £15 to £11 and are on sale now. Contact the box office on 0871 594 3123.or book online.
Crusoe prepares to open in Newcastle
November 26, 2008
Over the next few weeks pantomimes will be opening all over the country but few, if any, can have the anticipation factor of this year’s Newcastle Theatre Royal production of Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates.
Once again written and directed by Michael Harrison, the MD of Qdos Pantomimes, the production promises to be larger and more spectacular than his preceding shows at the Theatre Royal, all of which have been box office record breakers. It all started four years ago when brought Clive Webb and Danny Adams to the Theatre Royal in Cinderella. Along with Jill Halfpenny they returned the following year with Jack and the Beanstalk, which was followed by last year’s record breaking show Aladdin.
It is true to say that over the years the audiences have taken Clive and Danny to their hearts and the Theatre Royal box office is already busy selling tickets for next year’s show, when the boys will be returning in a new version of Cinderella, once again written and directed by Michael. Read more
Live Theatre gives new writers a stage
November 24, 2008
Live Theatre, on the Quayside, Newcastle will be showcasing the next generation of North East writing talen on Wednesday November 28th. Six pupils aged 9 and 10 years old from Bridgewater Primary School , Scotswood, Newcastle upon Tyne , will have their own short plays directed and performed by professionals in the Main Theatre.
Year 6 pupils took part in a series of playwriting workshops during the summer of 2008. Six stories were then short listed by the class and the authors were given the chance to work with professional writers to help develop their story into a 10 minute play.
A line up of local actors including Rob Atkinson (Geoff Dead: Disco For Sale), Philippa Wilson and David Whitaker (The Pitmen Painters) and Helen Embleton (Motherland and nominated for Best Actress at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival Stage Awards) will take to the stage as a dagger, a daisy and a subura impretsa as just a few of the imaginative characters created by these talented young writers.
Hansel and Gretel arrive first for Christmas
November 24, 2008
Opening on November 28th (until Jan 10th) Hansel and Gretel is the first Christmas show to open, while not a pantomime the team who brought us the brilliant Christmas Carol are again promising something special.
Hansel is a boy who is full of bright ideas. His sister Gretel is mischievous and headstrong. Their mother - whom they worshipped - is dead. Their hapless father is now with a woman who hated their mother - and is having a child of her own.
Impoverished and destitute, when the family’s last crust of bread has gone Hansel and Gretel find themselves alone amongst the trees. But a monstrous danger lurks in the darkest part of the woods as the moon wanes over Kielder Forest.
Even with the help of some magical companions, they’ll need all of their cunning to escape a grisly fate.
Hot on the heels of Hansel and Gretel are the other North East Christmas shows which are more traditional pantomimes.
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