London

JOCK NIGHT | London, Seven Dials Playhouse

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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.

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LES MISÉRABLES | London, Sondheim Theatre

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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.

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INTERVIEW: JAMES PARTRIDGE | London, Assembly Bangers

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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!

@jamesbpartridge

Which ones did you sing?? They all still slap tbf 🤯 #schoolassembly #hymns #schoolhymns #schoolsongs #primaryschoolmemories #fyp #shinejesusshine

♬ Top 10 Primary School Assembly Bangers – James B Partridge

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

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OPENING WEEKEND | London, Southbank Centre

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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.

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REFLECTIONS | London, Anna Steinhouse Fine Art Gallery

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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.

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INTERVIEW: DANIEL RAGGETT | London, Accidental Death of an Anarchist

Interview

Daniel Raggett explains his process for directing this new adaptation of Dario Fo’s comedy, Accidental Death of an Anarchist (1970), and how a 200-seat studio theatre production came to find a new audience on the West End.

– Congratulations on the West End transfer for Accidental Death of an Anarchist. How does it feel to have a show on the West End at this stage in your career?

This is a show that started off in a 200-seat studio theatre in Sheffield, and originally there were no plans beyond that. The most important thing about the West End run is that the show can be seen by more people. It is a piece of work I’m very proud of because it feels unique – a comedy that carries an important message at its heart – and clearly the fact it has returned for a third time means that people are responding to it.

– Accidental Death of an Anarchist is an Italian play from 1970, based on the true story of how a suspect in the 1969 Milan Piazza Fontana bombing fell to his death from a fourth-floor window of a police station during an interrogation. How can such a play make sense to an English-speaking, London audience, over fifty years later?

Crucially, there is a real case at the heart of the play: Dario Fo used the actual transcripts from the real event. But he was adamant that when productions were remounted, details should be adapted to reflect similar contemporary abuses – so that it speaks to the society outside the walls of the theatre, and the world in which the audience are watching the play. Dario Fo gave his personal blessing to Tom Basden’s adaptation before he died, because it does exactly this. Now, with the evidence of the Casey report, the relevance has only increased.

– Can you describe your directing style in a few sentences?

I don’t believe in a hierarchy. I think actors are a director’s greatest tool, and you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and that includes lighting, sound, and set. I’d also say my style is quite eclectic. I try to find the best process for that particular production, rather than having one process that fits everything.

– Some people say politics shouldn’t be theatrical, and theatre shouldn’t be political. What do you say?

From my point of view, politics is inherently theatrical – you just have to look at the Prime Minister’s Questions to see how much grandstanding and audience participation there is. More importantly, I’d argue that everything is political, including theatre. With this particular show, it isn’t our intention to lecture an audience but rather to convey a message. You may not even notice because you’re laughing so much – but, if we’ve done it right, it’ll stay with you.

Playing at the Theatre Royal Haymarket 12 June – 9 September 2023.

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INTERVIEW: KYLE RAMAR FREEMAN (A Strange Loop)

Interview

Broadway’s Kyle Ramar Freeman stars in the London production of Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A Strange Loop, playing at the Barbican 17 June – 9 September, 2023.

– Congratulations on landing the lead role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, A Strange Loop. How does it feel?

It feels amazing, and full circle that I get to be in this moment with this show. I am forever grateful for the experience, and the opportunity to tell a story that is so authentically itself; that millions of people will be impacted by for the years to come.

– So, do you prefer performing on Broadway or the West End? Be honest.

I would only say I prefer Broadway because my family and friends have access to see me perform more there than they would in London.

– A Strange Loop is very critical of conservative American Christianity, particularly in regards to homophobia. But also, the musical touches on that feeling of being abandoned by God. As a Christian yourself, has it felt difficult to be part of this production?

No, it has not been difficult to be a part of this production in that regard. But I have felt that way in my own life. And coming from a community within church that feels like home to you – but also is a place that does not really love your true self – is a tricky thing to navigate. However, it’s important for the show to speak on an experience that does not often get to be put in the spotlight. Especially for a fat black gay person to tell it, in its raw form, as we get to do in A Strange Loop.

– What’s next for Kyle Ramar Freeman?

The revival of The Wiz on Broadway is what is next for me! I will be the Lion, and I am so thrilled to be a part of the history of that magnificent show. I could not be more thrilled to start that journey.

See Kyle Ramar Freeman live at the Barbican Theatre 17 June – 9 September 2023.

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INTERVIEW: TOM FOWLER (Hope has a Happy Meal)

Interview

Tom Fowler is the writer of Hope has a Happy Meal, directed by Royal Court Associate Director Lucy Morrison, and playing at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, 3 June – 8 July 2023.

– Please describe your new play, Hope has a Happy Meal.

It is a magical realist fairy tale, about a woman called Hope, returning to the People’s Republic of Koka Kola, to find the family she left behind twenty-four years ago. I came up with the title and premise in 2016: at the time, Britain had recently voted to leave the EU, Donald Trump had just been elected president of the US – I heard a lot of people talk about hope as if it had just disappeared overnight.

– Is this a… ‘hopeful’ play?

I want to show ‘hope’ as beautiful and powerful, but unreliable. It can lift you up, but then tear you down just as easily. I would say the play is firmly rooted in now, but by it being set in the People’s Republic of Koka Kola, rather than Britain, there’s a detachment that hopefully makes it feel a little more universal.

– How have rehearsals been?

Rehearsals have been great. Lucy Morrison, who’s directing, has been reading and noting drafts of the play since the very beginning of the process, and also directed the short piece I wrote for the Royal Court’s Living Newspaper project, so there’s lots of trust there. Plus the cast and creative team are all brilliant – I feel very lucky.

– What does it mean to you to have your play on at the Royal Court?

Since learning about the Royal Court, and discovering some of the incredible writers and plays that started here, having my first professional production be here has always been a goal. So yeah, it’s amazing and I’m very excited to finally share the play.

Playing at the Royal Court in London, 3 June – 8 July 2023.

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INTERVIEW: JOHN NAYAGAM (Under The Black Rock)

Interview

John Nayagam is a British actor best known for playing series regular Hari Prasad in Emmerdale. Born in London, to an Irish mother and an Indian father, He stars in Under the Black Rock at the Arcola Theatre in London.

– Under the Black Rock is set in 1980s Belfast, around the time of the Troubles. What drew you to this play?

I have always been drawn to plays about Ireland. The context is of unfathomable complexity, as history and current affairs tells us, but really I see Under the Black Rock as being a story of a family, navigating this complexity. For me as an actor, what really excites me is the family dynamics.

– What can you tell us about your character?

Cashel Ryan is the head of the family, and nestled in the heart of his Belfast community. He is a Catholic, from rural stock, but not overly religious. But, that said, his rules are the rules – both in his family and his community. He is a criminal, but one with a completely clear conscience; needs must.

– Do you feel you gravitate more to screen or stage? Or both?

I enjoy the theatre, because the process allows a longer and more fruitful relationship with the character, the company and the piece, so it is a better opportunity to explore, and hopefully reveal, more of the character and themes. Conversely, screen, because it is less time-consuming, allows an actor to take on more projects. But, for me, the underlying process and intention remains the same.

– What’s next for you?

A walk with my son, a friend and his son for a few days. Heaven!

John Nayagam stars in Under the Black Rock, playing 2 – 25 March 2023.

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PICKLE | London, Park Theatre

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Two-word summary: it’s Jewish Fleabag. Yes, that world-dominating, award-winning sitcom started as one-hour, one-woman show, too. After captivating audiences during its sold-out performances in May, Pickle returns to the Park Theatre for a two-week run, in this cheeky and authentic exploration of what it means to be a young Jewish woman in London today.

Pickle is written and performed by Deli Segal, produced by Tanya Truman (Confessions of a Rabbi’s Daughter; Tier Three Sisters) and directed by Kayla Feldman (Swimming; Dear Peter), all female Jewish theatre-makers who strive to amplify Jewish voices on stage.

“Pickle is all about one woman’s experience of reconciling belief and tradition with change,” says Deli Segal, writer and performer. “I wanted to tell a story that explores being in the middle of both worlds: the parts that fit together, and the parts that don’t. The vibrancy, the spirit, the richness of culture, the humour of Jewish life – those things often get lost.”

Ari lives at home in North-West London, where her life is dominated by overbearing parents, tradition and expectations. However, her daily life includes her job, going out – and, inevitably, the dating scene. Pickle follows Ari as she tries to balance Friday night dinner with drinks at the pub, JSwipe with Hinge, being Jewish and secular. This uproarious simcha of a one-woman show explores a young Jewish woman’s psyche as she navigates her two contrasting worlds with irreverent humour and heart. Expect smoked salmon, guilt and a large dose of self-deprecation as Pickle brings Ari’s vibrant world to life.

Playing at the Park Theatre 14 – 26 November, 2022.

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