New season at Theatre Royal announced
March 10, 2008
THEATRE ROYAL NEWCASTLE has announced details of its new summer ’08 season which features fantastic drama productions.
These include both Alan Ayckbourn’s Relatively Speaking (Mon 9 – Sat 14 June) starring Peter Bowles (To The Manor Born)
and the revival of Anthony Shaffer’s stage thriller Sleuth (Mon 30 Jun – Sat 3 Jul) which stars Simon MacCorkindale (Casualty, Falcon Crest) and Michael Praed (Dynasty).
Other highlights of the season include:
Dad’s Army (Tue 27 – Sat 31 May) is one of the most popular British comedies of all time and it is lovingly recreated for the stage with a star-studded cast, including Leslie Grantham (Dirty Den, EastEnders). This production will offer a unique opportunity to see the lost episodes after the originals were erased by the BBC. Read more
Dinner Theatre opens in Sunderland
February 10, 2008
Towards the end of last year Sunderland’s newest entertainment venue. “The Theatre Restaurant “opened giving people the opportunity to have a meal while enjoying a show.
Popular in America, this is the first of its kind in the Northeast of England. The venue opened on the corner of John Street and High Street West in what is fast becoming Sunderland’s entertainment sector. The venue incorporates a theatre and restaurant on the first floor. Customers do not have to move from their seats as they dine and watch this fabulous entertainment.
With the popularity of musical theatre growing in recent years, this exciting new “house of Variety” offers a unique professional night of fun for those who love good food and fabulous entertainment. Audiences can book for a night of top class musical theatre and variety shows with a fabulous 3-course meal. It’s ideal for a very special occasion, birthdays, anniversary’s, hen nights, and meeting friends or for a romantic table for two. Read more
Panto on tour proves to be a hit
January 20, 2008
We all hear how hard work acting in a pantomime is and doing two or sometimes three shows a day must takes its toll. But usually it is in a big theatre where the cast can make themselves at home for several weeks and the panto company start to become one large family.
However at the other end of the scale there is a totally different production, the touring pantomime, which still does two or three performances a day, but includes packing up and moving venues between those performances!
Once such pantomime, last year, was Aladdin, which toured the North East completing thirty one performances in different venues over the festive period.
Whatsonstage. com North East caught up with Peter Lathan, who is the artistic director of KG Productions and author of It’s Behind You : The Story of Pantomime, who wrote and directed the show. He told us that the production has been commissioned by Beverly Artistes of Shiney Row to tour the social clubs of the North East from Northumberland to Teeside.
The 2006 touring pantomime of Cinderella was so successful that Aladdin was commissioned for Christmas 2007, with more venues being added. Part of the success is down to social clubs liking to do something special for their members at Christmas time and what better than a pantomime that comes to you.
Backstage at Aladdin in Newcastle
January 17, 2008
There is no doubting that his years pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle, has been a terrific success and with over twenty thousand tickets already sold for next year, writer and director Michael Harrison certainly has proven to have the midas touch.
It all started three years ago when Michael brought Jill Halfpenny, Clive Webb and his son Danny Adams to the Theatre Royal in what turned out to be a record breaking production of Cinderella. The success brought them all back the following year in Jack and the Beanstalk, with Jill’s husband, actor Craig Conway, joining the cast. Now returning for a third year Clive and Danny, along with Craig, have a new leading lady, Faye Tozer in Aladdin.
Demand was so high for tickets it resulted in an extra week having to be added to the run before the show even opened. On top this is Danny and Clive have announced they will return next year in Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates, again this will be written and directed by Michael Harrison. Read more
Aladdin prepares to open
November 30, 2007
As the Theatre Royals record-breaking pantomime Aladdin is just a few days away from opening Whatsonstage.com North East were allowed in to the technical rehearsals. On the surface all seems very calm as the cast work with the lighting and sound effects teams to bring the production to life, all under the watchful eye of director and writer Michael Harrison.
This year sees Michael working on his fourth pantomime with Clive Webb and Danny Adams (three at the Theatre Royal) and second with Craig Conway. One casting change is the leading lady, as for the last two years (Cinderella followed by Jack and the Beanstalk) Clive and Danny had Jill Halfpenny as their leading lady, this year sees Faye Tozer (formerly from the hit band STEPS) take over, playing the magical spirit Scherazade. Read more
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