Stages Magazine - Issue 1

spring/summer 2017

issue one

s t a g e s WIN TICKETS TO MISS SAIGON A N D H OT E L PAC K AG E !

SEE P22

Sir Matthew Bourne

BORN TO DANCE?

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

PULL OUT YOUR BEST MOVES B-SIDE Hip-Hop festival is back!

BEHIND THE SCREAMS With The Addams Family UK Tour

GET CURIOUS THIS SUMMER With a relaxed performance, conference and fundraising events

#myhippodrome

WHERE EVERYONE’S WELCOME

Dates for your diary 2018

2017 THU 4 MAY

A Street Food Reception and Night of Comedy with John Richardson, supported by Molson Coors

WED 24 JAN

Relaxed Performance, Cinderella

TUE 6 FEB

Leading Ladies at Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

THU 8 FEB

Supporters Dinner at Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

THU 4 MAY

Season Taster

THU 11 MAY

Leading Ladies at Funny Girl

FRI 19 SUN 21 MAY

B-Side Hip-Hop Festival

FRI 9 FEB

Fundraising Dinner at Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella

SUN 21 MAY

B-Side Festival Supporters Reception

THU 5 APR

Wicked Fundraising Event

WED 24 MAY

Leading Ladies Champagne Tasting Supper with Laurent Perrier

JUL TBC

Leading Ladies at Matilda

THU 1 NOV

Leading Ladies at War Horse

THU 8 JUN

Supporter Summer Social at The Botanist (by invitation)

MON 12 JUN

Champagne Tasting Dinner in Circle Restaurant with Laurent-Perrier, part of our Festival of Champagne

FRI 16 JUN

Summer in Southside Festival Supporters Reception (by invitation)

THU 22 JUN

Leading Ladies at AEGON Tennis Class Ladies Day, The Edgbaston Priory Club

SAT 17 & SUN 18 JUN

Summer in Southside Festival

MON 3 JUL

Relaxed Performance, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

TUE 4 JUL

On the Verge Conference

TUE 4 JUL

Fundraising Reception at The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

FRI 14 SUN 16 JUL

U Dance 2017

THU 20 JUL

Relaxed Matinee Performance at The Jungle Book

THU 7 SEP

Leading Ladies at Miss Saigon

THU 21 SEP

Corporate Dinner at Miss Saigon

FRI 22 SUN 24 SEP

Birmingham Weekender

THU 12 OCT

Leading Ladies at Hairspray

THU 9 NOV

Corporate Dinner at Beautiful The Carole King Musical

THU 16 NOV

Leading Ladies at Sunset Boulevard

THU 7 DEC

Leading Ladies at The Nutcracker

THU 21 DEC

Relaxed Performance at The Snow Dragon

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THEATRE EVENTS HIPPODROME CREATIVE

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FUNDRAISING & MEMBER EVENTS LEADING LADIES

Tickets & Information 0844 338 5000* Group Bookings 0844 338 7000* Administration 0844 338 5010* Events 0844 338 6500* *Calls cost 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge

birminghamhippodrome.com Registered Charity Number 510842

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Welcome to our brand new magazine

6 BEHIND THE SCREAMS OF THE ADDAMS FAMILY

20 BILLY ELLIOT VIP NIGHT

21 THE BEST OF DANCE: SAMPLED

8 FOOD AND DRINK: RYDELL HIGH RIBS

s t a g e s From shows and festivals to school workshops and gala dinners, there is something for everyone at Birmingham Hippodrome. And with so much going on here we thought we needed to make our magazine even bigger and better!

We hope you like our new look, and if you’d like to feedback or share any ideas for future issues please get in touch and email press@birminghamhippodrome.com.

For now though, take your seat, grab a cuppa and enjoy the read…

Laura Smith Editor

4/5

NEWS

6/7

BACKSTAGE

8/9

FOOD & DRINK

Meet The Team Editor: Laura Smith

contents

Writers: Kate Evans, Amy Stutz

10/11

PLAY YOUR PART

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CENTRE STAGE

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HIPPODROME HEADLINER

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ON THE SCENE

18-21

OFF STAGE

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FIVE MINUTE CALL

Contributors: Rachael Magson, Judith Greenburgh, Andy Hannon, Neil Satchwell, Jonathan Thompson, Liz Leck, Andy Reeves, Hannah Carroll, Fiona Allan, Hayleah Thresher, Zara Harris, Marverine Cole Photography: Simon Hadley, Joe Bailey, Viv Bailey, Jack Spicer Adams, Pamela Raith, Hugo Glendinning, Steve Eggleton Dan Lowenstein With thanks to long-term supporters and print partners

Front cover: Sir Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes p12.

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NEWS

Volunteers and staff welcome audience members

1,2,3 AND RELAX...

At Birmingham Hippodrome, everyone’s welcome, and therefore we want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the joy of live theatre without feeling isolated or scared.

In January, over 1,300 people with special access needs and complex disabilities attended our fourth annual panto Relaxed Performance at Dick Whittington with their families and friends – oh yes they did!

For this very special performance we made alterations to our theatre environment to make it even more relaxing and inclusive. The addition of a playroom and sensory room also gave audiences a place to breakout and play.

A Relaxed Encore Our 12 Days of Christmas Challenge raised over £16,000, smashing our £12,000 target!

The production was signed, captioned and audio described. Our very own pantomime dame, Andrew Ryan introduced the show and all its special effects with his usual wit and flair, preparing the audience for the japes of stars Matt Slack, John Barrowman and the Krankies.

A big round of panto applause goes to Qdos Productions, and to the Trusts, corporate partners and individual supporters who made this production

To find out more about our Relaxed Performances and access programme, call our Creative Learning team on 0121 689 3064 or visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com/ relaxed

Thanks to the generosity of supporters, we will be able to reach over 5,000 audiences with special access needs and complex disabilities through the expansion of our Relaxed Programme this year. The programme will now include Relaxed Performances alongside our Patrick Centre performance - all thanks to supporters like you!

HIPPODROME CREATIVE RULES THE ROOST Hippodrome CREATIVE welcomed the Year of the Rooster at the end of January as one of the proud producers of Birmingham’s Chinese New Year celebrations.

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possible, or worked as volunteers on the day.

Over 15,000 visitors enjoyed walk-about performers The Dragon by Jelly Rollers, circus spectacle from Rogue Play and traditional lion dancers, as well as market stalls, fairground rides and an Asian Street Food Fair. As part of the festival over 2,000 families popped into our Patrick Centre, entering through a spectacular Chinese balloon arch to enjoy free lantern and mask masking, Minecraft and some very impressive Lego building!

CAN YOU HELP? Hippodrome CREATIVE produce Chinese New Year working closely with the Chinese Festival Committee.

Together we want to grow the festival in 2018.

We are looking for businesses, trusts, grants and supporters to help us reach even more diverse audiences from all across the city, as well as our neighbouring Chinese communities here in Southside.

B-SIDE FESTIVAL IS BACK! We’re ‘B-SIDE’ ourselves that our annual festival celebrating all things Hip-Hop is returning for 2017 even bigger and better than before!

From 19-21 May, the festival will bring together top national and international artists with the best of local Hip-Hop talent featuring performances, workshops, dance battles, graffiti sessions and much more. Co–directed with partners Break Mission, Juice Aleem, Marso Riviere and Graffiti Artist.com, Birmingham Hippodrome will be the place for Hip-Hop, graffiti, music and dance fans that weekend.

This B-SIDE also has another new partner: “We are very excited to become a new sponsor of the B-Side Hip-Hop Festival 2017. Our Posca brand is all about artistic expression. The influence of art, music and dance define generations and gives us individuality. Ultimately it’s what brings us together as one creative community – B-Side encompasses all of these qualities.”

Paul Smith, Head of Sales & Marketing UK & Export Mitsubishi Pencil Co. UK Ltd/Posca

INTRODUCING OUR YOUNG AMBASSADORS… Late last year, we recruited an enthusiastic, creative and outgoing group of people aged 18-30 to help us promote our theatre to younger audiences.

To be honest we’re still trying to think of a better name for the ‘ambassadors’ (suggestions welcome!), but despite this, they’ve all had a busy few months!

From attending press trips and writing blogs to volunteering at the Relaxed Performance and promoting shows on social media, they’ve met every challenge we’ve set them so far. Look out for our ambassadors next time you’re at the Hippodrome!

FANCY A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES? We are shining a spotlight on the world of theatre behind the curtains, with the Hippodrome Heritage’s Behind The Scenes Tours. Step back in time and immerse yourself in the history of the theatre, from when it opened as a circus and variety hall in 1899, right up to the spectacular performances the theatre puts on today.

Led by our highly knowledgeable Heritage guides, they will take you on a journey backstage whilst sharing the fascinating stories from the theatre’s past. Not only will you delve in the history of the theatre, but you will learn all about how it works and the essential components that come together to put on a production.

As Gaynor Waddingham, one of our tour members said:

“Absolutely wonderful! Very informative, friendly and amazing to see and hear about behind the scenes with the technician. The Heritage volunteers and staff members are clearly a credit to the theatre. I will certainly be recommending your tours to my friends” 5

BACK STAGE

BEHIND THE SCREAMS OF...

The Addams Family With just a few short weeks until everyone’s favourite family move into the neighbourhood, we caught up with Designer Diego Pitarch for a ghoulish glimpse of The Addams’ macabre mansion home!

Be afraid Birmingham... be very afraid.

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What exactly is a ‘Model Box’ set?

A ‘Model Box’ of a set is effectively a scaled-down, three dimensional model of the set design as it appears on stage.

This particular model is based on a scale of 1 to 25 (with each cm equivalent to ¼ metre) and is 10 metres wide by 7 metres tall. It’s one step beyond the ‘White Card’ model, which is a more basic, schematic version of the set and scenery.

Talk us through your design process. Where do you begin with a project like this?

Usually, the process starts with a conversation with the Director.

We read the script together and, from there, we have a think about which ideas and motifs we want to pull out or enhance and how we can best incorporate these into the overall design.

What are the main challenges you face when designing a set for UK Tour?

Well, from a purely practical point of view, you have to consider the variety of spaces you’re going to be working within. This tour takes in 22 separate venues, from the 3000+ capacity Edinburgh Playhouse right through to the 925 seat, Hall for Cornwall. There are other practical considerations too, like what storage each venue has available, how easy individual elements of the set are to transport to and from the venue and, of course, the facilities and production staff each venue has at its disposal.

What have been your main sources of inspiration for the design?

This particular production – the first ever UK Tour – draws heavily from Charles Adams’ original cartoon sequence. These were

single, vignettes (over 150 in total) which offered a snapshot into the life of an atypical, quirky American family. It was this set of cartoons which formed the inspiration for the 1960s television series. During the initial design stages, we were very fortunate to get hold of Charles Adams’ original character breakdowns for the cartoons, which were subsequently provided by the TV company.

An invaluable resource!

One of the main components of this particular design is the use of the central staircase, which sits right at the middle of the set and can be split into two individual parts. It’s a very versatile piece of scenery. The two sections of the staircase are on moveable treads which means they can be reconfigured into different formats depending on the action taking place on stage. They also come complete with lots of hidden elements like trap doors, cupboards and peep holes which help move the story forward!

What can you tell us about the costumes?

We all have a certain idea of what The Addams Family look like, either from the original Charles Adams cartoon sketches, the TV series or the subsequent movies.

As much as we want to be faithful to all of these incarnations, we’ve also tried to leave a bit of room for innovation within the designs. In the case of Wednesday, Fester and Grandma in particular, we really wanted to play around with people’s expectations of the characters. For example, everyone is familiar with Fester’s big, black coat but not necessarily the type of clothes that lie beneath! There’s lots of scope to be creative and have fun there!

Do you have any fiendish fashion tips to pass on to audience members who may feel like dressing up themselves?

Black is the new black!

So, what happens next?

Well – the next stage is preparing the technical drawings for the scenic artists. Once that’s finished, we set about turning this gothic ‘doll-house’ into a full blown set, which involves a lot of skill and talent! The same goes for the costumes. Once the final costume designs are signed off, myself and our Wardrobe Supervisor will start the process of fabric shopping and sampling in preparation for a first fitting with the actors and actresses.

Then, it’s on to the big fit up in preparation for the first night of the UK Tour in Edinburgh. It’s amazing to think that everything will come together, lighting, sound, scenery, costumes – all in the space of a few days during a fit-up but, somehow – the show always goes on and everything comes together!

You can catch the entire Addams clan here in Birmingham from Tue 6 - Sat 10 Jun in the UK premiere of The Addams Family starring Samantha Womack as Morticia, Les Dennis as Uncle Fester, and Carrie Hope Fletcher as Wednesday!

“We all have an idea of what The Addams Family look like, either from the original Charles Adams cartoon sketches, the TV series or the subsequent movies” Diego Pitarch

“Everyone is familiar with Fester’s big, black coat but not necessarily the type of clothes that lie beneath!”

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FOOD & DRINK

Ingredients

WHAT’S HOT...

SPICY BBQ

Rydell High Ribs

2 racks baby back ribs 1 onion 2 cloves of garlic 20g thyme 1tbs smoked paprika 1tbs ground all spice 1tbs cajun spice Pinch of salt Pinch of pepper BBQ sauce 500ml Oranges x 2 zest and juice Brown sugar 2tbs Preparation Line a baking dish with greaseproof paper.

In a food processor blitz the onion, cloves of garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, ground all spice, cajun spice, salt, pepper into a rustic paste.

Rub onto the ribs and place into the lined baking tin.

Without rinsing the food processor blitz together the BBQ sauce oranges zest and juice, brown sugar until combined.

Coat the ribs in the sauce and leave to marinade in the fridge for 24hrs or overnight.

Cooking Pre heat the oven to 140ºc.

Cover the ribs with a sheet of greaseproof paper and create a lid over the tin with foil.

Roast for 2hrs 30mins until meat pulls away from the bone.

Remove the ribs from the juices and leave to rest on a plate.

We expect this to be a favourite on the upcoming Grease-themed menu, but why not try them at home?

Pour the meat juices into a sauce pan and heat on a medium flame, bring to the boil and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Spoon sauce over the ribs and serve - pink or leather jackets optional!

DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY! We’re very excited to launch our new Happy Hour every evening from 5.30pm - 6.30pm.

So why not pop along early before a show and sample one of our delicious new spring fruit Prosecco cocktails? Or come direct from work and enjoy a tasty treat from our deli bar, a sumptuous cheese board and even a bottle of wine.

We offer special drinks promotions each evening, so even if you’re not catching a show, come along for a drink and soak up the unique theatrical atmosphere.

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Did you know that before all matinee performances we offer our afternoon tea menu in our Circle Restaurant from £19.50?

Sample a delicious selection of homemade finger sandwiches, beautiful cakes, macaroons, as well as scones with clotted cream & jam.

Divine Dining

Spot of tea?

THE PERFECT WARM UP FOR ANY PERFORMANCE! Drop into our NEW coffee bar located in the theatre’s main entrance foyer.

Treat yourself to the finest barista coffee, speciality teas and sweet and savoury snacks.

From blueberry muffins to coffee & walnut cake, our delicious selection of cakes are all made in house by our very own chefs.

We also offer an afternoon tea served with cordial for our younger audience for £10.

OPENS 7.30AM EVERY Y SHOW DA

Treat yourself to a truly memorable experience by dining in one our private suites before taking your seats for the show.

Or why not enhance your experience with a glass of bubbly from our Laurent Perrier range?

Whether you’re after elegant pre-show dining or a more informal street food gathering, our two new groups menus will help create a truly memorable experience for you, your friends, family and colleagues with exclusive use of your own room for the entire evening.

If you want to celebrate in style why not add a bottle of Laurent Perrier Brut for £54 or try the delicious Cuvee Rose Laurent Perrier for £75 per bottle?

Pre-order champagne, sharing platters, cheese boards or ice cream. We’ll even help you style and decorate the room and organise a postshow nightcap.

If you fancy giving your event that extra bit of sparkle, we have a list of bells and whistles that will suit each occasion!

Why not come and taste our Vietnamese inspired Afternoon Tea during Miss Saigon?

For more information and to book for your group contact our Events Team on 0844 338 6500 or events@birminghamhippodrome.com

Hello, Gorgeous

Dine & Donate!

CHEERS !

Our Circle Restaurant Diners have been supporting a new fundraising initiative – ‘Dine and Donate’. By adding just £1 to their bill, over £2,000 has been raised by our generous restaurant customers.

All funds raised will go towards extending our work with young people, vulnerable adults and local families.

To celebrate the arrival of Funny Girl in May, we’ve once again teamed up with The Edgbaston to create a signature cocktail as part of our ‘Festival of Champagne’ (from Mon 8 May Sat 8 Jul). Inspired by a time of simplicity and utter elegance, Fanny Brice's cheeky comedy is laced within this bubbly cocktail, featuring LaurentPerrier’s La Cuvee, peach liqueur, English rose, neroli distillate and edible perfume.

Pre-order or purchase on the night from our champagne bar.

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PLAY YOUR PART

STARTING ON A RELAXED NOTE… This July we are very excited to be able to open our run of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time with a special relaxed performance on Monday 3 July.

Our audiences will be made up of young people and adults who may have read the book, or simply enjoy theatre, but just find that being in a large noisy place can be too confusing and frightening... very similar to the lead character Christopher himself!

To help the audience in advance, we will offer pre-show materials to familiarize themselves with Birmingham Hippodrome and also the play, e.g. a visual guide telling the story – in addition

to carers’ notes. We’re also hoping to put interviews with the cast online – talking about their roles; and a virtual tour of Birmingham Hippodrome on film.

At the actual performance we will offer a more relaxed atmosphere in the foyers, with lower frequency front of house calls and more activities to do in advance of the show. We’ll be opening the doors earlier than normal to give the audience time to get to know the theatre and find their way around. There will be breakout

rooms with a show relay running – if audience members just need a chill out for a while. The stage show won’t be as loud and the house lights won’t be totally turned off, ensuring it’s not too dark in the auditorium, whose doors will be left open.

We hope everyone enjoys the show!

If you’re curious to find out more visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com /relaxed

INTRODUCING OUR ‘ON THE VERGE’ CONFERENCE

Breakthroughs in Learning Disability Performance

Tue 4 Jul 2017

On Tuesday 4 July, Hippodrome CREATIVE will host a fascinating day of conversations and presentations on the theme of learning disability and ‘higher profile’ arts settings. ‘On the Verge’ is a one-day conference bringing together names like The Guardian’s Lyn Gardner, writer Henry Normal, the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company, with artists with learning disabilities at various stages of their careers. Conference booking includes a ticket to the relaxed performance of ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ the evening before.

To book call 0844 338 5000 or visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com/on-the-verge/

ALL SET FOR A ROUSING RECEPTION Theatre fans are invited to join us for a special fundraising reception for Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on Tuesday 4 July.

Reception tickets cost £85 and will include: a welcome drink, an informal sharing platter meal, a top-price theatre ticket and a sweet treat in the interval.

Plus the chance enjoy some more curious surprises and take part in a special fundraising raffle.

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Guests will also be offered an insight into the creation of the show with a Q&A led by The Guardian Journalist and Theatre Critic Lyn Gardner, with more speakers to be announced.

Don’t miss the chance to join us for this special event and enjoy this internationally, critically acclaimed National Theatre production.

All funds raised from the evening will support our Access work with disabled audiences, young people and vulnerable adults through our Hippodrome CREATIVE programme.

A Specialist Paralegal Law Firm

WHERE THERE’S A WILL… Did you know you can further support our charitable work through our partnership with Wills & Legal? Specialist paralegal Clare Mac can visit you in your own home, or you can book onto one of our monthly advice surgeries here at the theatre.

Over 25 customers have now taken advantage of our partnership with Wills & Legal, who offer a FREE basic Will Writing Scheme in return for a donation of £40 or more to Hippodrome CREATIVE. So far this has generated over £2,000 towards our Hippodrome CREATIVE projects.

Patron, Andy Le Marr has used the Free Wills Scheme and had this to say: “Both my partner and I decided

we needed to update our wills…. as a long-time supporter of the Birmingham Hippodrome I decided to take advantage of the Wills and Legal Services company to do this for us, as the donation from the will service actually helped to support the work of Hippodrome CREATIVE”.

To find out more visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com /freewills or email fundraising @birminghamhippodrome.com 0121 689 3068

Welcome on board!

PLAY YOUR PART

We’re pleased to announce a number of new and renewed partnerships with Birmingham Hippodrome.

PERFORMANCE PARTNERS: Barclays, BE Wedge Holdings Ltd, Lockton LEADING LADIES: Highfield Wellness & Beauty (Associate Sponsor) MEMBERS: Suzanne Barnes - Suzanne Barnes Design Practice Catherine Junor - Coleridge Law Ltd Jackie Kelly - Cure Leukaemia (sponsor of reception at Funny Girl) Kate Meadowcroft - DWF LLP Leisa Turner - Joy Global PROJECT PARTNERS: Monarch Airlines

Need some space?

Did you know we have some of the most innovative and versatile spaces in the city in which to create a show-stopping event?

From major briefings in our magnificent auditorium to intimate birthday celebrations alongside a world-class show, our most recent venue hires have been as varied as our main stage and Patrick Centre programme.

PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP! Will you help us raise £5,000 and put the spring in the step of local young dancers?

Get ready to donate from 1 - 5 May in our ‘Spring Steps’ five day fundraising campaign!

Our Event and Technical teams work closely with clients to ensure that no detail is missed from the brief and theatrical flair is always a must-have! Did you know that every event held with us makes a direct contribution to our wider artistic and community ambitions?

Your support will enable 500 young people to take part in youth dance opportunities this spring - from free first-time dance workshops in our B-SIDE Hip-Hop festival to opportunities for gifted and talented young dancers.

For more information about venue hire, please call Business Development on 0121 689 3082/3085 or send an email to events@birminghamhippodrome.com or birminghamhippodrome.com/venuehire.

Donations can be made online at birminghamhippodrome.com/springsteps or by calling the fundraising team on 0121 689 3068.

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CENTRE STAGE

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Sir Matthew Bourne

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With The Red Shoes retuning to Birmingham Hippodrome this summer for an unprecented second run, we talk to one of the world’s top choreographers about films, Fred Astaire and how shows like Strictly Come Dancing resonate with his work.

Photo: Hugo Glendinning

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What inspired you to adapt The Red Shoes for the stage and what were some of your biggest challenges?

I really loved the film as a teenager - it was probably one of the first films I saw that was about ballet specifically. I had never been to a ballet at that time, so I think that was the experience of many people who saw the film, especially when it first came out in 1948 as ballet was quite a new art form in the country then. The film helped popularise the art form in many ways. I love the atmosphere of that whole period of ballet and that’s something I really wanted to capture in this adaptation. The film’s genius was to make that theatrical world at times surreal, larger than life and highly cinematic. My challenge was to capture some of that surreal, sensuous quality within the more natural theatre setting.

Strangely I don’t normally like films, plays or dance pieces about dance - I always find it something of a bus man’s holiday!

The Red Shoes is different, this isn’t just a story of a 19th century dance company.

This is a story about what it’s like to have the kind of ambition that a girl like Vicky Page has. To be a great dancer is what she wants above all else but then something else gets in the way of that - she falls in love. The crux of the piece is the conflict between her career and her romantic life.

Through the figure of Boris Lermontov, the Director of the Company, we see Vicky Page as the artistic ideal. He is in love with her, not as a sexual object, but as an idea of what she can become and what she can 14

achieve for him as a dancer. It was this triangular relationship that really caught my interest. I found the whole idea of life imitating art and art imitating life in this piece absolutely fascinating.

What is it about this story, and your adaptation in particular, that speaks to a modern audience?

I felt it was important for modern audiences to be able to recognise the universal in this story and not just see it as some rarefied world of dance and dancers. Audiences also love a backstage story, particularly one that gives insight into the art form. In today’s culture everyone is very interested in what it takes to become a great performer or artist. The likes of TV and movies such as The X Factor, Black Swan and Strictly Come Dancing highlight this, and the question of what sacrifices need to be made.

Everyone has a dream of being something and it’s her crushed dream we all identify with which makes it moving.

For those who missed The Red Shoes on its sell-out first visit to Birmingham Hippodrome in February earlier this year, what can audiences expect from your adaptation of the classic film?

What I hope audiences can is expect is an evening that’s very fulfilling, both emotionally and in terms of what it looks like and what it sounds like. All those things, all the elements working together.

With Terry Davies for example, we have created an incredible score from the early works of the genius film music composer,

Bernard Herrmann. Herrmann is mostly famous for his scores for the films of Alfred Hitchcock, but the music for The Red Shoes is taken from an earlier period (30s and 40s). In the process, we’ve unearthed some great dance music as well as some beautiful music from movies such as The Ghost and Mrs Muir and Citizen Kane.

This production sees you reunited with the team behind the world-wide hit, Sleeping Beauty, including Lez Brotherston (set and costumes), Paule Constable (lighting) and Paul Groothuis (sound). How important was that to you?

I like to have the same people around me.

We’re a team and we create these shows together. That’s very important to me because that makes for a particular kind of work and it’s difficult to compare it to any other kind of company. The Red Shoes, for example, has more costume changes than any other show I’ve worked on. Vicky Page had seventeen quick changes in this show - it’s crazy back stage! In fact watching from backstage, it’s almost like watching another show entirely.

Would you say that you were a particularly demanding Director?

You’d have to ask my company! I think dancers, especially, like to be utilised.

People ultimately prefer to be busy and not be sitting around in a dressing room waiting to come on. I think they like to feel satisfied at the end of a day’s rehearsals, and that’s how I like to approach things when I direct.

“The film’s genius was to make that theatrical world at times surreal, larger than life and highly cinematic. My challenge was to capture some of that surreal, sensuous quality within the more natural theatre setting.”

Bourne To Dance…

1987 Matthew Bourne became artistic director of his first company ‘Adventures in Motion Pictures.’

1999 His final performance on stage in the Broadway production of Swan Lake, before turning his head to choreography.

2001 Matthew was awarded an OBE for his services to dance in the New Year’s Honours.

2002 What is it about the collaboration with the Birmingham Hippodrome that your enjoy so much?

For me, Birmingham Hippodrome ranks as one of the premier theatres in the country.

It’s a beautiful theatre for dance in particular, where you get the absolute best, which is wonderful! Birmingham Hippodrome was one of the first theatres we came to when we started touring many years ago and we’ve been going for thirty years now.

I’m also a big supporter of the many collaborations that have gone on alongside our productions here... Projects like our amazing Lord of The Flies tour which gave twenty two local boys the chance to appear on stage alongside a company of professional dancers. This year was also our seventh Curtain Raiser at Birmingham Hippodrome, working with young choreographers to devise an original dance work. As far as choreography is concerned, I don’t know of any other theatre that does that.

Choreography, in particular, is something that I’m particularly passionate about. It’s very difficult to get your career going as a choreographer because you need people and you need space, then you need to get it seen, that’s really difficult.

You’ve won countless awards across the years, but if there was one award above all that you cherish the most what would it be?

Oh my goodness that an interesting question! Well there’s a couple I suppose... I got an Astaire Award for a dance on Broadway when we did Swan Lake there. Fred Astaire is my idol and so to have got an award in his name was always very special to me.

Of course I got my knighthood last year too which was incredible - the only thing is, I wish my parents had been here to see it. They were around when I got my OBE which is more than ten years ago now, so I’m glad they got the chance to go the palace with me, but they would have been so thrilled by the whole thing. I’m quite a believer in the honours system, not necessarily for people like myself, but I like the idea that it picks people out of the community who have done great work which may have gone unnoticed. It’s such a thrill to see that, it’s like the country saying “thank you, you’ve done a good job”, and I think that’s a brilliant thing.

Sir Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes returns to Birmingham Hippodrome for a strictly limited run from 19 - 22 July.

Matthew launched his own dance company ‘New Adventures’ which created his award-winning productions; The Car Man, Sleeping Beauty and Edward Scissorhands.

2003 Matthew was awarded the Hamburg Shakespeare Prize for the Arts.

2008 Re:Bourne, the charitable arm of New Adventures, was formed.

2014 22 local Birmingham boys were cast in his production of Lord of the Flies.

2016 His award-winning choreography in Mary Poppins arrived at the Birmingham Hippodrome for the summer.

2017 Sir Matthew Bourne’s stage adaptation of the Powell & Pressburger classic film, The Red Shoes, announces return to Birmingham Hippodrome on its first ever UK Tour due to unprecedented public demand.

With thanks to interviewer Marverine Cole.

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HIPPODROME HEADLINER Zara Harris is the Creative Programmes Assistant and also works directly with Hippodrome Heritage, which is a scheme that showcases the history of the theatre.

How long have you worked at the Hippodrome?

Three years and five months.

How would you describe your job?

In my role as Creative Programmes Assistant, I provide administrative support on our large-scale outdoor festivals. I also coordinate our Heritage Project and the theatre’s outdoor arts volunteer scheme. Throughout the year, I support the team with project preparation, staff training, financial administration through to event delivery and evaluation. I ensure that everything is organised prior to the festival and make sure there aren't any hiccups on the day.

How would you describe a typical working day?

Every day is completely different and my duties tend to change if it’s festival season. At the moment I’m focussing on booking and contracting the artists for our outdoor festivals. I do this whilst ensuring that they have schedules, travel itineraries and welcome packs. In the afternoon I will start to work on the volunteer recruitment plan for our outdoor events and work with internal colleagues to plan the training sessions. After a cup of tea, I will check in on the Heritage Project and make sure that everything is ticking over nicely!

What’s the favourite part of your job?

I love attending planning meetings and seeing where an initial idea can take you.

It’s incredibly satisfying to see a festival or project come to life after months of planning and preparation. I never thought I would see a giant puppet squid at Summer in Southside! I also thoroughly enjoy working with the heritage and outdoor arts volunteers; it’s a privilege to

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work with a group of individuals that have such a passion for the theatre and I appreciate all of their hard work. When I first started in the position I was an intern and worked with the outdoor festival team, now I am project managing the heritage project, so my job has grown so much.

What are you most proud of achieving here?

I’m proud to be part of team that collaborates with artists and members of the community, establishes partnerships and strives to deliver exciting events that bring a smile to people faces. Over the last three years, we have grown as a department and I’m excited to be a part of that journey.

Which show/event are you most looking forward to in the coming season?

On 17 & 18 June, our outdoor festival Summer in Southside is coming to Birmingham Hippodrome and it is an occasion that is not to be missed! This year, the theme is ‘Countryside’ and we’re inviting audiences to have a picnic in our country garden, say hello to Dolly the sheep and join a barn dance. I’ve already got my wellies ready!

If you could have someone else’s job for a day, who would it be?

I’d love to have a go at being a technician; I want to be on top of the theatre doing lighting or go on the rigs. Plus, I’m not scared of heights so I’d love to take on that challenge!

Zara at the Summer in Southside festival 2016

“I never thought I would see a giant puppet squid at Summer in Southside!”

ON THE SCENE Fiona Allan is Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Birmingham Hippodrome.

Here she shares her passion for dance and top picks for this season.

Dance has always been synonymous with the Hippodrome. Over 100,000 people see dance here every year, we are home to Birmingham Royal Ballet and DanceXchange, and invest much of our own income from the panto and big musicals back into making sure that the best international contemporary dance can be seen in Birmingham. It’s no wonder that we are known as one of the UK’s great dance hubs.

I’m lucky that a big part of my job involves always being on the lookout for new and interesting shows to present, and for me this season in particular involves lots of dance.

Firstly I managed to catch Motionhouse: Scattered at our neighbours The Old Rep – truly spell binding. I also popped to Nottingham for the first UK performance on the 2017 tour of Danza Contemporanea de Cuba. They were touring thanks to Dance Consortium, which is a national dance organisation made up of a number of large venues including the Hippodrome, and are now based in our offices – it’s handy to have them so close to home given I’m also their co-Chair.

Back in Birmingham and Sir Matthew Bourne arrived with The Red Shoes, which had completely sold out before it even opened. We’ve been incredibly lucky to snaffle up another week of the tour from 19-22 July so my top tip is to get booking now! Matthew and his company were so generous with their time, helping us through several fundraising events that week. I’m delighted that we were able to raise over £15k towards young dance development.

Collaboration within the arts is very important to me and along with Sadler’s Wells and The Lowry, Birmingham Hippodrome is part of a dance partnership called The Movement. Our most recent collaboration was Dance: Sampled. The idea is that you get to ‘sample’ a variety of dance forms on one night and I was particularly taken by the two Argentinian tango dancers – fast and fancy footwork – and the crazy Catalan BBoy crew Iron Skulls Co. The off-stage activity was just as varied, with our foyers and bars filled with over 100 local performers; showcasing everything from hip-hop battles and Morris Dancers, to South Asian stick dancing and youth dance groups.

And of course we can’t forget our current residency Billy Elliot. Ok, it’s a musical, but it’s ALL about dancing, and how wonderful that as a result of the film and musical, we now have more boys dancing than ever.

Looking forward I’m really excited about our second B-SIDE Hip-Hop festival taking place on 19-21 May. Last year it attracted over 5,000 visitors – this year we are aiming for even more! And then of course Milonga returns for tango lovers, and we welcome back our friends the Birmingham Royal Ballet in June for the delightful Coppelia and an exciting triple bill. We’re also incredibly proud to partner with U-Dance youth dance festival on 14 16 July - where every part of our building will be filled with some of the best young dancers from across the country.

Now I may be a bit biased, given I have a slight dance addiction, but I think there is something in our upcoming dance programme to tempt just about everyone.

Dance, after all, is a universal language.

Fiona getting involved in Dance: Sampled pre show performances.

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OFF STAGE Bourne to Dance – stepping up support for young dance talent The stage was set for a week of vintage, red carpet glamour in February 2017 as Birmingham Hippodrome welcomed Sir Matthew Bourne’s magical new staging of The Red Shoes for seven sell-out performances.

THE RED SHOES ROUND UP

Alongside the public performances on our main stage, we were delighted to welcome over 500 guests for a series of special fundraising events and creative learning projects.

With your help, we raised over £15,000 for the theatre’s award-winning Hippodrome CREATIVE programme of learning, access and free community performance, delivering inspiring arts experiences for young people, vulnerable adults and families across the region.

‘We had a fantastic evening.

We were delighted to support the Curtain Raiser performance – which really was an amazing achievement for the participants.

Our guests thoroughly enjoyed the evening; we’ve had lots of positive feedback” Dr Adam Parker, Tilney Group, Sponsor

Individual Supporters get into the spirit.

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Below, left to right: Chair John Crabtree, David Pardoe from evening sponsors Mailbox and New Adventures dancers Ashley Shaw, Sam Archer and Fiona Allan.

Top: Tony Heap, Jayne O’Malley, Luke Pearson - The Edgbaston Boutique Hotel & Cocktail Lounge.

Bottom: Curtain Raiser performers in foyer.

Left to right: Linda McBride, Lisa Brownell, Suky Bhogal, Dominika Pawlikowska and Dr Preet Bhogal.

Inspiring the next generation at Shireland’s Saturday School Our newly launched Shireland’s Saturday School continues to go from strength to strength thanks to the work of Hippodrome CREATIVE and the talented youngsters of Sandwell borough.

AN ACORNS ADVENTURE

Earlier in January, Shireland’s Saturday School students were put through their paces with an acting masterclass led by the stars of Dick Whittington, Dance Captain James Titchener and Wolverhampton-born Taofique Folarin, a.k.a, ‘Babby the Tabby’.

Ten families from Acorns Children’s Hospice enjoyed a relaxed time out at the end of January with a special family day at Dick Whittington.

Acorns children and their families enjoyed mask making, singing workshops and our sensory room, as well as the chance to take a backstage tour, enjoy the show and meet the cast!

As Eileen Doyle, one of our fabulous volunteers summarised: “Working for the Acorns Family day was truly a fun and uplifting experience meeting amazing families who face daily challenges to navigate the things most of us take for granted, like a trip to the theatre with children. Working alongside dedicated Hippodrome staff I’m proud to be part of that belief that every family should be able to access the magic of theatre!”

This project is generously supported by Children & The Arts, and Individual Donors.

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OFF STAGE It’s a Knock Out! Boxing Meets Ballet at Billy Elliot the Musical Press/VIP Night.

What a fabulous show Billy Elliot was! Loved it.

Pure and utter talent!

Alison Hammond via Twitter

Billy Elliot the Musical arrived in Birmingham Hippodrome with a bang earlier this March.

With West-Bromwich’s own Lewis Smallman stepping into the shoes of Billy Elliot for press night, the stage was set for a knockout evening as over 200 celebrity guests, VIPs and members of the local media arrived in Birmingham for a night of boxing, brass bands and balletdancing on Wed 8th March.

Warming up the crowds on arrival were The Jackfield Brass Band, and of course, no press night party would be complete without a novelty, 14 foot boxing ring!

Decked out in tutus, legwarmers and novelty miners’ helmets, our guests wasted no time getting into the press night spirit.

With plenty of laughs, more than a few tears and multiple standing ovations – it was an electrifying evening!

Seeing Stars: The Voice’s Zoe Hedge and Ebony Wilson (Capital B), Alison Hammond (This Morning) and the cast of BBC1’s Doctors were among the stars stepping out on the red carpet for Billy Elliot the Musical press night.

Producer Jon Finn talks to guests.

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THE BEST OF DANCE:SAMPLED The Hippodrome’s foyers, restaurant and workshop spaces were literally jumping in March as Hippodrome CREATIVE presented an ambitious supporting programme for Dance: Sampled.

Mirroring the main stage Sampled activity of different dance styles on one night, the supporting programme presented a series of workshops and free performances by young and local artists. Ballet, Hip-Hop, Morris Dance, South Asian Stick Dance, Ceilidh and Contemporary there really was something for everyone!

WANT TO ?

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“One of the best things was seeing young dancers from Shireland Academy, who have been working with us in school, taking the dance floor in the restaurant by storm.That and the chaps from Jockey Morris Men stick dancing with the young performers from Jaivant Patel Dance! It was great to help so much local talent be a part of ‘Sampled’.”

Getting into the groove: Shireland’s Bboy dance crew, The Jockey Morris Men, Break Mission & Adam Rutherford Youth Dance - just a handful of some of the incredible acts who took to the foyers for Dance Sampled. While performers from Dance: Sampled itself gave a pop-up performance in Grand Central.

Andy Reeves, Head of Creative Learning, Birmingham Hippodrome

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Over 72 shows between 19 December 2016 and 28 January 2017 we found…

62 umbrellas - 19 in a single day!

23 pairs of glasses - not sure how people found their way home!

34 hats 22 scarves 18 pairs of gloves and 7 odd ones We get 8 purses ge of an avera 3 coats calls 3 phone 8 jumpers arding g re s /email 6 mobile phones erty lost prop 5 necklaces ay! d ry eve 3 rings 2 pairs of binoculars

And a pair of underpants!

QUIZ

How well do you know the Hippodrome’s Heritage?!

What was the first musical to be staged at the Hippodrome in 1939?

A) Carousel B) Me and My Girl C) Show Boat

What famous singer has NOT performed at the Hippodrome?

A) Judy Garland B) Frank Sinatra C) Elvis Presley

What was the Hippodrome’s first pantomime?

A) Cinderella B) Dick Whittington C) Jack and the Beanstalk

What year did the Queen watch the Royal Variety performance at the Hippodrome?

A) 1984 B) 1999 C) 2012

What was the first Andrew Lloyd Webber musical to be staged at the Hippodrome?

A) Cats B) Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat C) School of Rock What year did Birmingham Royal Ballet first perform the Nutcracker on the Hippodrome stage?

A) 1960 B) 1990 C) 2010

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COMPETITION!

Over the course of panto we found over 40kg of lost property! A record number of people left something behind during our Dick Whittington run. We give our visitors three months to collect their property, but sadly most things are never retrieved by their owners.

However, the silver lining is we donate all lost property to the British Heart Foundation and it finds a new home.

What was the original name of the Birmingham Hippodrome?

A) The Tower of Varieties and Circus B) The Theatrical Variety Grand C) The Birmingham Variety Theatre What was the first act to perform on the Hippodrome stage?

A) An acrobat B) A singer C) A juggler

TICKETS, DINNER FOR 2 & HOTEL STAY Answers: B) Me and My Girl • C) Jack and the Beanstalk • B) Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat • B) 1990 • C) Elvis Presley • B) 1999 • A) The Tower of Varieties and Circus • C) A juggler

fiveminute call

DID YOU KNOW?

Win dinner and 2 tickets for Miss Saigon at the Birmingham Hippodrome, and a complimentary night stay and breakfast for two at Pentahotel in Birmingham To enter answer the question:

In what country is Miss Saigon set?

A) France B) Vietnam C) China Simply email your answer to press@birminghamhippodrome.co.uk by 1 July 2017.

Terms & conditions apply, see website for details.

And finally a big round of applause to...

Hippodrome Circle Patrons Matthew & Jennie Hammond Mark Hopton • Maureen & Roy Kirby Chris & Jane Loughran

Headline Act Patrons

Leading Role Patrons

Teresa A Cook • Joseph Devlin • The Dickens Foundation • Dr & Mrs Harrison Emma & Peter Neads • Janette RutterMark & Amanda Smith • Simon & Kath Winner

Mark & Liz Abrol • Mrs Jayne Cadbury • Jim & Birdie Ceaser • John & Heather Clemson • Sara & Tim Fowler Averil Green • Claire & Mark Hales • Andy & Rebecca Hammond • Steve & Laura Kearney Debbie & Mark Lilburne • Michael & Cerys Luckman • Jeremy & Harjinder Millington • Tony & Julie Phillips Paul Twose • Steve & Suzie Whittern • Anthony & Daisy Gt Wyrley • David & Janine Young

Supporting Cast Patrons Christine Bachelor • Sheila Ballantyne-Smith • Simon Bashford • Janice Bennett • Bridget Blow • Simon & Amanda Boardman-Weston • Mandy Bostock • Richard Burke • Andrew & Sarah Connors Adrian Cox • John & Diana Crabtree • June Lynda Cross J.P • Eileen Doyle • Patricia Edwards • Patricia & Ronald Etchells • Nicola Fleet-Milne • Mark Forty • Neil & Jackie Frettsome David & Beryl Glanfield • Roger & Jennifer Gould • Jill & Jeremy Griffin • Martin & Roni Guest • Pauline Hancock & Simon Derby • Ivan Heard • Dorothy Hobson • Justine & Paul Irish John Jeremy & Pamela Buckley • Rodney & Alyson Kettel • Martin & Joanne King • Andy Le Marr • Lynne Myers • Nathalie Neill • Ralph & Linden Osborn • Win Palmer & Lola Ralph • Mrs Jill Parker Isabel Pilgrim • John & Jill Queenan • Mr & Mrs J Quinn • Claire Ralley • Dr & Mrs Reynolds • David & Jane Richardson • Don & Diane Scriven • Mary Shaw • Dr N & Mrs C Speak • Christine Spittle Gwen Stephens • Glynis Troth • Gillian Tune • Mrs Ann Wailing & Mrs Vanessa Ottley • Richard & Maggie Waller • Ray & Marilyn Way • Neil & Polly Wilson • Jane Woolrich

We acknowledge the generous support of Peter Tod and other anonymous individual donors.

Trusts & Foundations Aurelius Charitable Trust • Birmingham Bodenham Trust • Birmingham Common Good Trust • Bishop of Birmingham Charitable Trust • The Thousandth Man – Richard Burns Charitable Trust William A Cadbury Trust • Children and the Arts • George Henry Collins Trust • Baron Davenport’s Charity • The Dumbreck Charity • The Eveson Charitable Trust • The George Fentham Trust Marc Fitch Fund • The Grimmitt Trust • The Joseph Hopkins Charity • Limoges Charitable Trust • The Mackintosh Foundation • The Norton Foundation • Oakley Charitable Trust • The Patrick Trust Penny Trust • Sir Robert Gooch Charitable Trust • The Rowlands Trust • Henry James Sayer Charity • The Saintbury Trust • Stella Symons Charitable Trust • Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust Edwin John Thompson Memorial Fund • Roger and Douglas Turner Charitable Trust • GJW Turner Trust • The WED Charitable Trust • Alan Woodfield Trust • Xoserve Foundation • The Grantham Yorke Trust

Development Partners

Performance Partners

An elite group recognising the importance of cultural life in the city.

twentyfirstcenturymediagroup Associate Partners

Good Company Club

Influential names proud to demonstrate their CSR credentials.

Like-minded business people who enjoy first class networking.

Benussi & Co Clarendon Care Limited The Edgbaston Lorica Insurance Brokers Professional Polishing Services Ltd Squire Patton Boggs Shaylor Group

Hippodrome CREATIVE Partners Print Partner

Assisted Performances

B-Side 2017

Welcome to our World, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School and St Bernadette’s Primary School

One of a Kind

Young Carers

Relaxed Performance Pantomime 2017

Curtain Raiser 2017

Project Partners

Commercial Partners Las Iguanas • Artifax Software Ltd. • Christie & Co • Cross Country Trains • BDO LLP Birmingham • Faithful + Gould • Babcock International • SLC Rail • Hoare Lea & Partners Colliers International • United Airlines • CastAlum Ltd. • Rees Bradley Hepburn • Willis Towers Watson PLC • University of Birmingham • Aon • Jordans Solicitors

Leading Ladies Audley Retirement • AVA Events Styling • Vivienne Bailey Photography • Suzanne Barnes Design Partnership • Barques PR Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust • Bridge Street Global Hospitality • Coleridge Law Ltd • Consulting Rooms Birmingham Cure Leukaemia • Genba Digital Ltd • DWF LLP • Elaine Elkington & Associates Ltd • FLR Group • Independent Education Services Ltd Holiday Inn • HSBC • Hygenie Ltd • Joy Global • Mailbox • Midlands Today Presenter • MPW Steakhouse Bar & Grill Park Regis Birmingham • Style Our Home

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