In 2023, the National Youth Dance Company (NYDC) celebrates its 10th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the group begins a UK tour this month before arriving at Sadler’s Wells on June 3.
Described as the country’s flagship company for young dancers, which is run by Sadler’s Wells, the tour features the NYDC’s new work, Novacene.
It is choreographed by guest artistic director and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Wayne McGregor.
The NYDC comprises 35 dancers, aged between 16 and 24 years old, hailing from 19 towns, cities and villages across England.
During a dancer’s time with NYDC, they are offered a unique insight into the dance profession, living and working closely together as a company, alongside NYDC staff and the artistic team. The year-long experience within the company provides members with the necessary skills and techniques to find career opportunities and raise aspirations, self-esteem and confidence. The dancers are mentored during four intensive residencies in school holidays to create and rehearse the new piece.
Over the last 10 years, NYDC has worked with more than 6,000 young people through workshops and projects across the country, while 313 young people have joined the company, creating 10 full length dance productions by internationally renowned choreographers including Alesandra Seutin, Russell Maliphant, Botis Seva, Sharon Eyal, Damien Jalet, Michael Keegan Dolan, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Akram Khan and Jasmin Vardimon.
The Birds and the Bees, a comedy starring Helen Lederer and Michael Starke, arrives at Richmond Theatre as part of its UK tour this June.
On Gail’s East Anglian farm, the honeybees are beginning to dry up, just like her love life. She hasn’t had her chimney swept since her husband bolted. Her daughter’s marriage is drooping just like her turkey farm. Neighbour Earl’s sugar beet yield is turning sour, as are his one-night stands.
Perhaps bio-student Ben can buck up those bees and trigger those turkeys. It could be that some booze and a boogie at the annual Turkey Day Dance will clear the buzzing in their heads and show them it’s best to commit to those closest to you – only, don’t get stung!
Writer and actor Lederer (Absolutely Fabulous) stars as Gail, with Starke (Brookside) as Earl. They are joined on stage by Laura Doddington and Jacob Bukasa as Ben.
Originally a Canadian comedy written by Mark Crawford, it has been reimagined for a UK audience, shifting the action from modern-day Canada to Norfolk. Additional material comes from James McDermott.
The Birds and the Bees is a New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich, Norwich Theatre and Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds coproduction. It is directed by Peter Rowe. The set and costume designer is Dawn Allsopp, with lighting design from Richard G Jones. The casting director is Debbie O’Brien.
The Birds and the Bees plays at Richmond Theatre from June 6-10.
Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss, Tuppence Middleton and Janie Dee are in rehearsals for The Motive and the Cue, a new play directed by Sam Mendes for the National Theatre.
Opening in the Lyttelton Theatre on April 20, it is inspired by the making of Burton and Gielgud’s Hamlet. Richard Burton, newly married to Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title in an experimental new production of Hamlet under John Gielgud’s exacting direction. But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel.
The cast also includes Aaron Anthony, Tom Babbage, Allan Corduner, Elena Delia, Ryan Ellsworth, Phoebe Horn, Aysha Kala, Luke Norris, Huw Parmenter, David Ricardo-Pearce, David Tarkenter, Kate Tydman, Laurence Ubong Williams and Michael Walters.
The Motive and the Cue was originally commissioned by Neal Street Productions and has been developed and coproduced by the National Theatre and Neal Street Productions. Set design is by Es Devlin, costume designer is Katrina Lindsay, lighting designer is Jon Clark, composer is Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, sound designer is Paul Arditti, video designer is Luke Halls, casting by Alastair Coomer and Naomi Downham and associate director is Zoé Ford Burnett.
The Motive and the Cue is at the National Theatre from April 20 to July 15.
Space age play Supernova is heading to Clapham’s Omnibus Theatre after completing a three-day limited run at VAULT Festival last month.
Focusing on a girl, a boy and an unhealthy obsession with space, Supernova is described as a sharp, funny play about falling in love with someone whilst you’re falling out of love with yourself.
On paper Tess and Harry are perfect for each other: they both try too hard at fancy dress, have prepared escape plans for the apocalypse, and would happily stay in together for three days straight eating take-out and watching Star Wars.
But Tess is not well, and, in the shadows of her depression, she shuts down and she begins to sabotage her relationship. Harry tries his best to be there for her, but whilst he’s fighting for their relationship, sometimes Tess is just … fighting.
Supernova marks the debut play from award-winning writer and performer Rhiannon Neads, one half of musical comedy duo Stiff & Kitsch. Neads (Call the Midwife) also stars in the play with Sam Swann (Pomona).
The play is directed by by Jessica Dromgoole (The Madness of Esme and Shaz, Ripped, Just Not Fair).
“I wanted to write a show about mental health that was also properly funny,” Neads says. “A show with a high-functioning depressive as the protagonist, who allows us to laugh in even the darkest moments. It deals with the greater impact depression can have on surrounding loved ones, and the difficulties of maintaining relationships. But first and foremost, it’s about the potential for recovery, and the possibility of making peace with the scariest corners of our brains.”
Supernova will run at Omnibus Theatre from April 25-May 13.
Jack Thorne’s new play, When Winston Went To War With The Wireless, has secured its leads ahead of its launch at Donmar Warehouse.
Stephen Campbell Moore will play John Reith and Adrian Scarborough will play Winston Churchill in this world premiere by Bafta and Olivier Award-winning Thorne. The play is directed by Katy Rudd (Ocean at the End of the Lane, Eureka Day).
In May 1926, Britain grinds to a halt, as workers down tools for The General Strike. With the printing presses shut down, the only sources of news are the government’s The British Gazette, edited by Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill, and the independent, fledgling British Broadcasting Company, led by John Reith. What follows is a fierce battle for control of the news and who gets to define the truth.
Campbell Moore’s theatre credits include Berenice at the Donmar, Consent, Clybourne Park, Chimerica, All My Sons and The History Boys. On TV he’s recently appeared in Litvinenko, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, War of the Worlds and The Child in Time.
Scarborough won an Olivier for his performance in Leopoldstadt. His prolific stage career includes Accidental Death of an Anarchist and To the Green Fields Beyond at the Donmar, as well as productions at the National Theatre including After the Dance, The Habit of Art, King Lear and Henry IV Parts I & II. His TV appearances include Bloods, Gavin and Stacey, Sanditon and Killing Eve. Films include Vera Drake and Gosford Park.
The creative team also includes designer Laura Hopkins (Rockets and Blue Lights), sound designers Ben and Max Ringham (Blindness, Prima Facie), lighting designer Howard Hudson (& Juliet, Orlando), movement director Scott Graham (Frantic Assembly, Olivier Award winner for The Curious Incident…), composer Gary Yershon (Art, The God of Carnage) and casting director Anna Cooper.
Fleabag will return to the big screen as Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s oversexed, emotionally unfiltered and self-obsessed character heads back to cinemas this June.
Written and performed by Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve) and directed by Vicky Jones (Run), Fleabag is described as a rip-roaring look at some sort of woman living her sort of life. As with family and friendships under strain and a guinea pig café struggling to keep afloat, Fleabag suddenly finds herself with nothing to lose.
The production is presented by DryWrite, Soho Theatre and Annapurna Theatre, with set design by Holly Pigott, lighting design by Elliot Griggs and sound design by Isobel Waller-Bridge.
Fleabag started its life on-stage at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013, winning a Fringe First award that encourages new work. The award-winning play later inspired the BBC’s hit TV series of the same name, and was captured live on stage from London’s West End in 2019.
Fleabag will be broadcast in selected cinemas worldwide from June 15, 2023.
Bridge Theatre has welcomed its first ever musical in explosive fashion – and here’s the trailer to prove it.
Guys & Dolls, one of the greatest musicals of all time, is currently being performed in a new immersive experience that will transport audiences to the streets of Manhattan and the bars of Havana. It runs until September 2, 2023.
The ensemble cast includes Simon Anthony, Lydia Bannister, Kathryn Barnes, Callum Bell, Cindy Belliot, Jordan Castle, Cornelius Clarke, Petrelle Dias, Ike Fallon, Leslie Garcia Bowman, George Ioannides, Cameron Johnson, Daniel Mays, Robbie McMillan, Cedric Neal, Perry O’Dea, Anthony O’Donnell, Mark Oxtoby, Andrew Richardson, Ryan Pidgen, Celinde Schoenmaker, Charlotte Scott, Katy Secombe, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, Isabel Snaas, Marisha Wallace, Sasha Wareham and Dale White.
Based on the story and characters by Damon Runyon, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, the book is by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows.
It is directed by Nicholas Hynter, with choreography by Arlene Phillips with James Cousins. Tom Brady is musical supervisor and arranger, Bunny Christie is the set designer, and Christie and Deborah Andrews are costume designers.
My Neighbour Totoro was the the big winner at the 2023 Olivier Awards.
The RSC production, an adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s 1989 coming-of-age anime film, won six of the nine categories it was nominated in, including the Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director awarded to Phelim McDermott, and the Noël Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play.
The productions other wins included Tony Gayle for Best Sound Design, Jessica Hun Hang Yun for the Best Lighting Design, Kimie Nakano for Best Costume Design and Tom Pye for Best Set Design.
Kimie Nakano and Tom Pye
The Almeida Theatre was the most victorious venue on the night, with six awards across three productions.
Will Keen won Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Patriots, and Tammy Faye landed two awards in acting categories – Katie Brayben for Best Actress in a Musical and Zubin Varla for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical.
The final multi-winning show at the Almeida Theatre was Rebecca Frecknall’s revival of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. Paul Mescal won Best Actor for his portrayal of Stanley Kowalski and Best Actress in a Supporting Role was awarded to Anjana Vasan for playing Stella. The play also won the esteemed Cunard Best Revival award.
Best Actress went to Jodie Comer, for her performance in solo drama Prima Facie, which won the Best New Play award. The filmed production was seen by hundreds of thousands of people, making it the highest-grossing Event Cinema ever released in the UK and Ireland.
PAUL MESCALJODIE COMER
The recipients of both the Best Actor and Best Actress categories, Mescal and Comer, were nominated for their West End debuts, and 16 of the 18 named winners were receiving their first ever Olivier Award.
Best New Musical was awarded to Standing At The Sky’s Edge. Set in a council estate in Sheffield, where it debuted in 2019, the musical transferred to the National Theatre this year. Richard Hawley & Tom Deering also took home the award for Best Original Score or New Orchestrations for this production.
Beverley Knight picked up the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her performance as Emmeline Pankhurst in the musical retelling of her daughter Sylvia’s lesser-known story.
Beverly Knight
Dickson Mbi won Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his choreography of Enowate, and Traplord by Ivan Michael Blackstock won Best New Dance Production.
In the opera categories, Will Kentridge won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera, for his conception and direction of Sibyl and the TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production went to Alcina. Both productions were staged at the Royal Opera House.
For the second year in a row, the Bush Theatre was home to the winner of Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre (representing smaller London venues). The winning show was The P Word, the tale of two very different gay Pakistani men navigating modern Britain.
Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show, which sees beloved animated character Duggee brought to life, won Best Family Show.
The ceremony, hosted by Hannah Waddingham at the Royal Albert Hall, celebrated Sir Derek Jacobi, who was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to theatre throughout his career.
Sir Derek Jacobi
Choreographer Matt Cole won the Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for Disney’s Newsies.
The show culminated in a tribute to Special Award recipient Dame Arlene Phillips, with a performance from Grease The Musical – a production she famously choreographed.
Rehearsals are underway for Dancing at Lughnasa, Josie Rourke’s revival of Brian Friel’s Olivier Award-winning play that opens at the National Theatre next month.
The starry cast includes Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls), Ardal O’Hanlon (Father Ted), Alison Oliver (Conversations with Friends) and Louisa Harland (Derry Girls), alongside Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Bláithín Mac Gabhann, Justine Mitchell and Tom Riley.
Set during harvest time in County Donegal, 1936, outside the village of Ballybeg, the five Mundy sisters battle poverty to raise seven-year-old Michael and care for their Uncle Jack. During the Festival of Lughnasa, Pagan and Christian meet and collide. The sisters fight, love, dance, yearn and survive, in this astonishing evocation of a family’s world on the brink of change.
Director Rourke said: “In my time as artistic director of the Donmar, we staged four works by Brian Friel. During those years, I was lucky enough to meet Brian and it was a joyous honour to be near this great man and his plays, which are defining works of the theatre. It’s a privilege to be the director of this revival for the National Theatre. It was on the South Bank that the seed of the play was planted with Friel and it was always his intention that this play be produced by the NT. I’m so happy to be working with this glorious cast and creative team to bring it to the Olivier stage.”
Sean Donegan, Lauren Farrell, George Turner and Caitríona Williams also join the company.
Set and costume design is by Robert Jones, the lighting designer is Mark Henderson, the choreographer is Wayne McGregor, the composer is Hannah Peel, the sound designer is Emma Laxton, the video designer is Douglas O’Connell and the casting director is Alastair Coomer.
Performances begin in the Olivier theatre on April 6 and run until May 27. nationaltheatre.org.uk.
Hampstead Theatre has confirmed the casts for three shows set to play in its Downstairs venue.
The world premiere of Sea Creatures, by Cordelia Lynn and directed by James Macdonald, will feature Geraldine Alexander, Pearl Chanda, Thusitha Jayasundera, Tom Mothersdale, Grace Saif, Tony Turner and June Watson. It runs from March 24-April 29.
Set in a cottage by the sea, four women live in a house made for five. Meals are prepared, stories are shared and the tide breaks on the shore. When only one of their two guests arrive for the summer, it isn’t quite the reunion they were all hoping for.
Another world premiere, Biscuits for Breakfast, by Gareth Farr and directed by Tessa Walker, will feature Boadicea Ricketts and Ben Castle-Gibb. It runs from May 5-June 10.
A tender story of dreams and survival, it introduces Joanne and Paul, who aren’t an obvious match – she is spiky, defensive and a survivor, while he is quiet, considered and hiding profound grief for his father. The pleasure Paul takes in cooking – and the astonishing food he prepares – creates a bond between them. When the hotel where they both work closes and they start to spiral into poverty, it throws everything up in the air – first the dreams of a cookbook and a restaurant, and, eventually, even the dreams of a future together.
Finally, Stumped, by Shomit Dutta and directed by Guy Unsworth, will feature Stephen Tompkinson and Andrew Lancel. It plays from June 16-July 22.
Before Samuel Beckett became the playwright universally known for Waiting for Godot, he was a cricketer. He is still the only Nobel prize-winner to feature in the pages of Wisden as a first-class player. His friend and fellow Nobel prize-winner, Harold Pinter, whose best-known works include The Birthday Party and Betrayal, described cricket as ‘the greatest thing that God created on Earth’. Exploring what the friendship between these two playwrights may have looked like, Stumped, was first streamed online as a digital only production in 2022. Now, Dutta has extended it into a full-length play and its stage premiere production at Hampstead Theatre coincides with the Ashes test match at Lord’s, a stone’s throw from the theatre.
