JOCK NIGHT | London, Seven Dials Playhouse

Recommended

The unique exploration of contemporary gay life and relationships, Jock Night, has been extended until Saturday, 11 November 2023, due to popular demand. Originally a a one night special at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre in 2017, Seven Dials Playhouse have received an overwhelming response to this full theatrical run of the show.

The play unfolds over a year of wild nights in Manchester’s vibrant Gay Village, casting a light on mental health, peeling back the veneer of modern gay culture, using comedy to highlight provocative issues within the LGBTQIA+ community, including a culture of chemsex and casual encounters.

David Paisley, best known for his role as ben Saunders in Holby City, leads the cast of Jock Night as Ben.  Sam Goodchild (Far Away; The Convert) and Levi Payne (Jekyll & Hyde) will join him reprising their roles from the 2019 run of Jock Night as Kam and AJ respectively. Joining them are George Hughes, making his London stage debut as Simon, and Matthew Gent (Phantom of the Opera; Les Misérables) who will be stepping into the role of Russell.

Adam Zane’s Jock Night is a raw, hilarious, and provocative comedy drama about contemporary gay life, love, and relationships following Paisley’s character, Ben, a Victoria Wood enthusiast in his forties, striving to find love.

Mike Lee, Producer of Jock Night, comments, “We are absolutely thrilled by the overwhelming response to Jock Night, our first show at Seven Dials Playhouse. Extending the show due to incredible demand is a testament to the compelling story that Jock Night tells.”

Playing at Seven Dials Playhouse 9 October – 11 November 2023.

The Prickle - About transp

LES MISÉRABLES | London, Sondheim Theatre

Recommended

Cameron Mackintosh announced today that Killian Donnelly will return to Les Misérables as Jean Valjean in the critically acclaimed production at the Sondheim Theatre from Tuesday 31 October 2023, for 15 weeks only.  Due to sudden family reasons, Josh Piterman, who is currently playing the role, will return home to Australia. His final performances will take place on Saturday 21 October 2023.

Killian Donnelly returns to the role, having previously played Jean Valjean to critical acclaim in both the original West End production and the sell-out UK and Ireland tour of Les Misérables. This will be his first time playing the role in the new London production at the Sondheim Theatre.  His other theatre credits include the role of ‘The Phantom’ in The Phantom of the Opera at His Majesty’s Theatre.

First staged in 2009, the 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables was co-directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell, with designs by Matt Kinley, based on the original 1985 production. Following a successful UK and Ireland tour, producer Cameron Mackintosh moved the 25th anniversary production into the West End in 2019, replacing the original 1985 production. At the time, the original 1985 creative team of directors Sir Trevor Nunn and John Caird, plus designer John Napier, expressed their feelings of “profound” unhappiness and betrayal: “Everywhere it is being advertised [as] a new production. It is not a new production.” Nunn and Caird are both credited on the 25th anniversary production as “adaptation”.

Boublil and Schönberg’s magnificent iconic score of Les Misérables includes the classic songs: “I Dreamed a Dream”; “On My Own”; “Stars”; “Bring Him Home”; “Do You Hear the People Sing?”; “One Day More”; “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”; “Master Of The House”; and many more.  Several of its songs have become real life anthems of revolution, wherever in the world people are fighting for their freedom. Seen by over 120 million people worldwide in 53 countries and in 22 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular and contemporary musicals.

Killian Donnelly plays Jean Valjean at the Sondheim Theatre from Tuesday 31 October 2023, for 15 weeks only.

The Prickle - About transp

INTERVIEW: JAMES PARTRIDGE | London, Assembly Bangers

Recommended

James Partridge is the TikTok star behind Assembly Bangers, a two-hour hit show playing at sold-out venues in London and across the UK.

— Hello. Who are you?

Hi! I’m James. But to my students, I’m “Mr Partridge”. And online – on my social media accounts – I’m “James B Partridge”. I’m a music teacher turned content creator, making feel-good, nostalgic videos about growing up in the nineties, forgotten songs we sang at school, and other musical fun.

Assembly Bangers is a phenomenon: you’ve been performing sold-out shows across London and the UK. Did you always know it was going to be such a success?

During lockdown I started putting some videos on YouTube to help my students with their singing lessons. Someone suggested TikTok, so I put out a few short, light-hearted educational videos, and made a top ten list of my favourite songs we sang at school. That video was shared widely across different platforms, even by the Department for Education! I started singing these tunes on TikTok livestreams, and eventually turned it into a theatre show. I had no idea it would be popular, but it has been incredible to meet so many lovely people at these events!

– What else are you interested in at the moment?

I’m a huge fan of musicals, and try to see as much as I can. I teach the musical theatre genre a lot, so it helps to have a finger on the pulse of what is going on. My favourite current shows are Operation Mincemeat, Next to Normal, and Hadestown.

– What’s next for James Partridge?

I teach in a few different schools across London, so I will be back in term for lessons. First I have a few more of my regular Assembly Bangers sing-along shows, and then I have a month of Christmas shows between November and December, which I’m touring around the UK.  I’m writing it now, and it should be a great way to get into the Christmas spirit!

Assembly Bangers is playing two shows in London prior to a UK tour 2023–2024.

The Prickle - About transp

OPENING WEEKEND | London, Southbank Centre

Recommended

It’s back to school! Come to the Southbank Centre for an amazing programme Thu 21 – Sun 24 Sep 2023, and enjoy a multi-buy discount for this classical music mini music festival. Classical music is an integral part of the Southbank Centre, and the “Opening Weekend” will celebrate the full breadth of the art form today.

Toks Dada, Head of Classical Music at the Southbank Centre, explains the success of the Southbank Centre’s “Opening Weekend” last year: “Our goal is to create as many ways for as many different people as possible to experience this wonderful art form called classical music, building on the success of our first Opening Weekend last year – during which we welcomed over 10,000 people across our spaces, many of whom visited the Southbank Centre for the very first time.”

The weekend will feature two major choral works, with Resident Orchestra the Philharmonia Orchestra, performing Verdi’s Requiem (21 Sept, RFH), and Resident Orchestra the London Philharmonic Orchestra performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with soprano Sally Matthews, mezzo-soprano Christine Rice and the London Philharmonic Choir (23 Sept, RFH).

Former Southbank Centre Resident Artist and star of 2022/23, Víkingur Olafsson, arrives in London launching his global Goldberg Variations tour (22 Sept, RFH).

Returning Resident Artists, Manchester Collective, make their season debut with a double bill beginning with Different Trains, featuring work by Barber, Steve Reich, Cassandra Miller and a world premiere by Jasmin Kent Rodgman co-commissioned by the Southbank Centre and Manchester Collective (22 Sept, QEH).

They will then move into the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer for a classical-inspired club night featuring music from titans of minimalism including Steve Reich and Philip Glass.

The Opening Weekend will also feature organist Carol Williams in Mad Rush (23 Sept, RFH) with a programme of organ classics, jazz arrangements, and Williams’ own compositions.

The Multi-Story Orchestra perform RPS award-winning The Endz (23 Sept, QEH), telling the story of two friends torn apart by gang violence in London, and a new version of immersive Living Programme Notes (24 Sept, Clore Ballroom) providing a deep dive into classical music for young people and their families.

The Philharmonia Orchestra appears a second time during the weekend with a programme including Shostakovich’s Concerto for piano, trumpet & strings featuring pianist Seong-Jin Cho and the Philharmonia’s Principal Trumpet Jason Evans (24 Sept, RFH).

The Hermes Experiment make their Opening Weekend debut (24 Sept, PUR), including a new work by composer Elaine Mitchener, commissioned by the Southbank Centre.

Lastly, violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, one of the new Resident Artists for 2023/24, will close the weekend (24 Sept, QEH) with her international trio featuring clarinettist Reto Bieri, and pianist Polina Leschenko, with a programme including a new work composed by Kopatchinskaja herself.

Playing across the Southbank Centre Thu 21 – Sun 24 Sep 2023.

The Prickle - About transp

REFLECTIONS | London, Anna Steinhouse Fine Art Gallery

Recommended

Following a diverse showcase of work at the International Biennale of Alentejo in Portugal, International Contemporary Artist Group (ICAG) is back with their London debut exhibition: “Reflections” at Anna Steinhouse Fine Art Gallery, Primrose Hill, from Saturday the 16th to Sunday the 24th of September, 2023.

Showcasing pieces including painting, drawing, photography, and multimedia, “Reflections” explores each artist’s personal connection with nature, as well as the intricate threads that connect us to our environment.  30% of proceeds from sales are being donated to ICAG’s partner, prominent environmental charity “Client Earth”.

From the detailed work of Nazira Bibi, which uses techniques gleaned from Indian Miniature painting and Islamic geometry, to the sensitive abstract paintings of Vivi Ximenes, this exhibition confidently explores the power of nature as a refuge and point of reflection for humanity, while underscoring its growing fragility, as a resource requiring ever more careful stewardship.

Lucille Dweck’s “Wonder in the Water” transports us to a magical moment of serene contemplation, where a woman in a leopard-print bikini becomes enmeshed in the shimmering light that surrounds her.  Across Dweck’s work, a rich colour palette and mesmerising mark-making invites viewers to reflect on the magical quality of moments in nature.

Karen Wood’s “Ocean Reflections” captures the complex interplay between man-made structures and the unbounded fluidity of water, through the joyful mix of abstracted geometric shapes and industrial colour.

There’s something for just about everyone, including works absorbed in moments of natural serenity like Anna Steinhouse’s “Immersion” — or works that interrogate the nature of perception itself through sculptural multimedia techniques, like Martina Lang’s “Fantom Blues”.

“Reflections” at the Anna Steinhouse Fine Art Gallery is a celebration of art, nature, and the power of global collaboration.  Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the profound works of these international artists, all while supporting the important environmental initiatives of Client Earth.  Purchase a piece of art, and contribute to a brighter, more sustainable future for our planet.  Visit the gallery in Primrose Hill, and let “Reflections” inspire your own connection with the world around you.

For a full list of artists – see below:

Andrea Sargeant is a contemporary Anglo-Italian watercolourist known for her sensory atmospheric watercolours and Romantic dreamscapes, inspired by the peace and harmony of natural habitats.

Anna Steinhouse-Kandelaki is a London-based artist born in Georgia. She focuses on portraiture, individual life stories, and compositions with the figure in space.

Francesca Arcidiaco, originally from Sicily, explores Western and Japanese aesthetics in her meditative portraits, bridging cultures through her art.

Karen Wood draws inspiration from industrial color, geometric shapes, and lines. Her work captures hidden spaces within structures and in this exhibition explores the relationship between land and water.

Lucille Dweck creates images of the natural world, reflecting the magical, spiritual aspect of being immersed in nature. Her paintings have been described as ‘romantic’ and full of love for nature – though figurative they simultaneously show the marks and brushstrokes used.

Martina Lang explores tactile shapes through light and shade. Her work challenges viewers’ perception, questioning gravity and dimensions within the frame.

Nelson Ferreira specializes in combining classical technique and contemporary materials. His art captures the spirit of the sitter and aims to soothe and provoke contemplation.

Sara Taukolonga draws inspiration from classical drawing and painting techniques. Her artwork explores local people and events, creating emotive narratives.

Vivi Ximenes creates a visual dialogue through abstract painting, exploring imperfect beauty and connecting with the subconscious.

Nazira Bibi‘s work is inspired by Islamic geometric art, combining traditional materials and techniques to explore the underlying order in patterns and nature.

“Reflections” runs at Anna Steinhouse Fine Art Studio 16 – 24 September 2023.

The Prickle - About transp

CABARET | London, Kit Kat Club

Recommended

Well, isn’t this exciting! “Wilkommen” and “Bienvenue” to Jake Shears and Rebecca Lucy Taylor aka Self Esteem, who will play the roles of The Emcee and Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club from Monday 25 September 2023.

Singer, songwriter, actor and writer Jake Shears is best known as the lead singer of the multiplatinum-selling, Grammy-nominated, Brit award-winning glam rock band Scissor Sisters. The band’s hits include ‘Comfortably Numb’, ‘Take Your Mama’, ‘Let’s Have A Kiki’ and the UK number one hit ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancing’.  As Self Esteem, Rebecca Lucy Taylor won BBC Introducing’s 2022 Artist Of The Year award, and her album Prioritise Pleasure (2021) was crowned both The Guardian and Sunday Times Culture’s Album of the Year.

Also joining the company on 25 September are Wilf Scolding as Ernst Ludwig, Jessica Kirton as Fraulein Kost/Fritzie, Liv Alexander as Texas, Natalie Chua as Frenchie, Taite-Elliot Drew as Hans, Damon Gould as Victor, El Haq Latief as Helga, and Travis Ross as Bobby, joining Laura Delany as Rosie, Grant Neal as Herman/Max and Hicaro Nicolai as Lulu. The cast is completed by Rebecca Lisewski, Ela Lisondra, Nic Myers, Andy Rees, Toby Turpin and Patrick Wilden.

This unique production of Cabaret opened in December 2021 to critical and audience acclaim, widely praised as the ultimate theatrical experience. In April 2022 the production won a record-breaking seven Olivier Awards, the most for any musical revival in Olivier history. The production has also won three prestigious Critics Circle Awards as well as the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Design for designer Tom Scutt.  Transforming one of London’s most famous theatres with an in-the-round auditorium and reimagined spaces, before the show guests are invited to enjoy and explore the Kit Kat Club with pre-show entertainment, drinks and dining all on offer.

The new cast joins the Kit Kat Club from Monday 25 September 2023.

The Prickle - About transp

PRIVATE LIVES | London, Ambassadors Theatre

Recommended

Noël Coward’s scintillating comic masterpiece Private Lives (1930) starring Nigel Havers and Patricia Hodge heads to the West End this Autumn, for a strictly limited 12-week run. The acclaimed Theatre Royal Bath production by award-winning director Christopher Luscombe premiered in 2021, prior to a UK tour in 2022.

Private Lives will be the first production to be staged in the now fully refurbished Ambassadors Theatre, following ATG’s multi-million-pound investment to improve facilities, customer experience, and access. The access improvement works carried out provide an access lift for the first time, the potential for 6 wheelchair spaces, accessible toilet facilities, and improved audio access to support the hearing impaired.

One of the UK’s most popular actors, Nigel Havers has been a favourite with audiences for nearly four decades. His roles on screen have encompassed Downton Abbey and Coronation Street, Chariots of Fire and The Charmer. Stage roles range from Art to Rebecca, to The Importance of Being Earnest at the National Theatre and becoming a mainstay of the annual pantomime at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

One of our best-loved actresses, Olivier Award-winning Patricia Hodge OBE has starred in Travels With My Aunt, Relative Values, Calendar Girls, His Dark Materials, Noises Off and A Little Night Music. Her recent television credits include A Very English Scandal, Downton Abbey and Miranda.

Playing at the Ambassadors Theatre 31 August – 25 November 2023.

The Prickle - About transp

THE LORD OF THE RINGS | Newbury, Watermill Theatre

Recommended

Newbury’s The Watermill Theatre is thrilled to announce the full cast of their upcoming musical; a brand-new production of The Lord of the Rings, a musical tale based on the classic trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, with book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus and music by A.R. Rahman (Bombay Dreams; Slumdog Millionaire), Värttinä, and Tony Award-winner Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical).

This is the first production of the musical in the UK since the original 2007 West End show, which ran for just over a year, earning five Olivier nominations. It was one of the most expensive West End musicals ever produced, with a cast of fifty, in the enormous 2,200-seater Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Here, at the 200-seater Watermill Theatre, the cast has been reduced to twenty. With the production set across both the Watermill auditorium and gardens, audiences will be immersed in the magical landscape of Middle-earth, joining an ensemble cast and large-scale puppets on an epic journey celebrating the power of friendship and common goodness to conquer unimaginable evil.

The Lord of the Rings will be directed by Paul Hart with design by Simon Kenny, Musical Supervision and Orchestrations by Mark Aspinall, Choreography by Anjali Mehra, Lighting Design by Rory Beaton, Sound Design by Adam Fisher, Projection Design by George Reeve, Associate Directed by Sibylla Archdale Kalid, Puppet Design by Charlie Tymms, and Puppetry Direction by Ashleigh Cheadle. The stage management team are Cat Pewsey (CSM), Katie Newton (DSM), Natalie Toney and Fern Bamber (ASMs) with Leila Stephenson (ASM Placement).

Playing at the Watermill Theatre 25 July – 15 October 2023.

The Prickle - About transp

DANNY ELFMAN’S MUSIC FROM THE FILMS OF TIM BURTON | London, Royal Albert Hall

Recommended

Danny Elfman will take centre stage at the Royal Albert Hall this October 2023, at a special concert celebrating the composer’s lifetime of work with director Tim Burton. For over thirty-five years, four-time Oscar nominee Danny Elfman has established himself as one of the most versatile and accomplished film composers in the industry.

Elfman himself will make an appearance at the concerts at the Royal Albert Hall on 7 October 2023, which will span three decades of his collaborations with Burton, taking in fifteen classic scores including: Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985); Beetlejuice (1988); Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990); Sleepy Hollow (1999); Alice in Wonderland (2010); and Frankenweenie (2012).

Led by the BBC Concert Orchestra and Crouch End Festival Orchestra, conducted by John Mauceri, the concert will also feature violin soloist Sandy Cameron and a performance from Elfman, as he brings to life his unforgettable songs from The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).

Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton had its world premiere at the Royal Albert Hall in 2013, and returned for more sell-out performances the following year. The show now returns to London for a special tenth anniversary performance.

Playing at the Royal Albert Hall Saturday 7 October 2023, 2:30PM and 7:30PM.

The Prickle - About transp

DIVAS LONDON | London, The Prince Of Wales

Recommended

The Entertainment Providers (the team behind London’s sell-out, critically acclaimed Snow White And The Seven Merry Men in 2021 and Sinderfella in 2022) sashay back into the West End this summer, with a brand new party show, Divas London, at The Prince Of Wales Cabaret Venue (Drury Lane), for a three-week limited season.

Divas London is a brand-new, live, all-singing, all-dancing party show, celebrating the world’s greatest diva powerhouses: Whitney Houston; Aretha Franklin; Tina Turner; Cher; Celine Dion; Britney Spears; Beyoncé; Diana Ross; Amy Winehouse; Adele – all shall be represented. The show will also feature comedy tributes to the Spice Girls, Kate Bush, and – the Queen of Country – Dolly Parton.

The show will feature a top West End cast of male and female singers, emceed by a drag compère – the hilarious Simon Gross. Expect dazzling costumes and audience participation.

Ginny Lazzoni, General Manager at the Prince of Wales, says, “We are super excited for this opportunity to house this brand new party show for London, which is also perfectly in line with our new vision of the venue: we want it to be London’s number one night out. It’s a show not to miss.”

Audiences will be treated to a night of their classic diva anthems: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”; “I’m Every Woman”; “If I Could Turn Back Time”; “Hot Stuff”; “Natural Woman”; “Material Girl”; “Think”; “Single Ladies”; “Proud Mary”; “Back to Black”; and many more.

Playing at the Prince of Wales Cabaret Venue 15 June – 2 July 2023.

The Prickle - About transp