for the Friends of Norwich Theatre Royal 77
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LOCAL ADVENTURER
King’s Lynn dancer in Cinderella
AFFAIRS OF THE ART Nigel Havers in hit play
A FOGGY VIEW
Around the world with actor Andrew
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Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella
Welcome
Stephen Crocker Chief Executive Norwich Theatre Royal
ON SALE NOW
These shows have been added to our programme since the last what’s on brochure was published. For those shows which went on sale before now, seats have been held back for Friends until all of you were notified. Booking in person, by phone and online for these two shows opens 9.30am on Friday 17th Nov for Friends.
Sunday 22 Apr SHERIDAN IN CONCERT Sunday 18 Nov DEACON BLUE Please note separate booking date for these three shows, presented as part of Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2018. Booking in person, by phone and online opens 9.30am on Thursday 23 November.
Tues 15 May HOFESH SHECHTER: Grand Finale Wed 16 May LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO Sat 19 May BEN FOLDS And booking dates for DANIEL O’DONNELL (Mon 30 Apr– Tues 1 May) are: Thur 23 Nov: Gold Friends & Corporate Club booking opens 9.30am
This season we’re welcoming artists from all over the world to our stage in Norwich. From Cuba, South Africa, North America, Europe, Siberia, Brazil and the Philippines, performers and companies will visit our beautiful city and county. We’re often told by visitors what a surprise it is – the history, architecture, coastline, countryside, culture and people all impress them. It’s been almost a year since I arrived here and I remain inspired, as I was when I first visited, by the huge potential Norwich and Norfolk possesses to blend the old and the new into something unique that has the power to attract visitors, businesses and residents, help develop the local economy, provide opportunities for all our communities, and connect us all more closely. The Theatre Royal, Norwich Playhouse and Stage Two are all testament to the ambition the Theatre Royal Trustees and I share to make the fullest possible contribution to developing that potential. And that ambition is, and will continue to be, reflected in our artistic programme. I’m particularly thrilled that Carlos Acosta’s new company, Acosta Danza, will be visiting us in the spring. As you’ll know, Carlos is a global dance superstar who rose to fame with the Royal Ballet, and we’re especially pleased that he’ll be making an appearance on stage alongside his company of the best young Cuban dancers, mixing classical and contemporary dance styles.
Fri 24 Nov: Friends booking in person, by phone and online opens 9.30am
Successful partnerships are essential to making sure we achieve more together, and our partnership with Norfolk & Norwich Festival remains a central part of our annual programme. This year, we’re delighted to welcome back Hofesh Shechter and his company with their latest work Grand Finale, alongside other fantastic artists in Ladysmith Black Mambazo and alternative-rock singer-songwriter Ben Folds. We are very much looking forward to working with the new Artistic Director for the Festival, Daniel Brine, who takes up his post at the start of 2018. Alongside other partners in the cultural sector, we want to maintain and develop Norwich and Norfolk’s reputation as a national and international destination for art and culture. It’s never been more important for the arts to remain international in their outlook. But home-grown talent is important to us as well and through our growing range of work in Stage Two, we’ll be offering more opportunities for people of all ages to explore and develop their creative potential. Our second season of Creative Matters arrives in January, themed around men’s mental health, and in partnership with Norfolk County Council. One of our aims for Creative Matters is to engage with people who don’t traditionally see us or the arts as being for them. I know that our Friends are passionate and enthusiastic about our programme but I’d encourage you to encourage others to take a look at what we’re doing off the main stage as well as on it. With all best wishes Stephen
Sat 25 Nov: Public booking in person opens 9.30am; Public booking by phone and online opens 10am Circle Magazine November 2017
3
it’s better to know us and not need us, than to need us and not know us!
Nigel Havers
Denis Lawson
Stephen Tompkinson
What is art and what are the bonds that govern male friendship? A multi-award-winning play featuring three highly-respected and acclaimed actors aims to find out.
Affairs of the Art
It has wowed the West End and on tour, won a Tony on Broadway and attracted some of the world’s top actors.
And the latest tour of Art is no exception as it stars Nigel Havers, Denis Lawson and Stephen Tompkinson. They play three friends Serge, Marc and Yvan whose bond of friendship starts to break when Serge buys a giant white-on-white painting and they argue over what constitutes art.
The production, which comes to Norwich Theatre Royal on April 23-28, is not new for Nigel who has appeared in it before. It is a production he enjoys and one which he also relishes taking around the country. He said: “I just love the play and I also think that touring is important. I’m not one of those actors who says ‘I’m not leaving London.’ I am always keen to do something on the road especially as I do a lot of
television. It is good to do something live and I think people appreciate that.”
Nigel’s character Serge is particularly under the microscope in the piece. He has just come through a very difficult marriage and relies on his two friends to have a good time. When he buys the controversial piece at the core of the play, it dramatically changes the relationship between all of them. Nigel explained: “This purchase sets off a chain reaction which almost ruins our friendship. Art is really about relationships. “The reason why everyone likes it and enjoys watching it is that they can relate to us. There’s a bit in all three of the main characters in all of us in real life.”
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Circle Magazine November 2017
5
Affairs of the Art The play has proved to be a big hit worldwide. As well as being a hot ticket on both sides of the Atlantic, it has also been performed in Australia, Argentina, India, South Africa, Bermuda and America.
So, as well as empathy with the characters, why else does Nigel think it works? “It is well-written. It is as simple as that. Actors are lucky enough to be given the words. My job is just to say them in the right order at the right time.”
And ultimately it was a true story that provided her initial inspiration. She recalled: “I had a friend who bought a white painting and he showed it to me. I asked him how much he paid for it and he told me it was a lot. I laughed a lot. He laughed with me so we stayed very close friends. I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t laughed. I knew then that I had a subject.” So enjoy this masterpiece of live theatre featuring three of Britain’s best-loved actors and find out why it has been loved worldwide.
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Critics also highlighted two main reasons for its success. It does investigate the idea of modern art and the differences in perception about what constitutes a good piece. But it also goes deeper, burrowing into the issues many men have about communicating their emotions and expressing their often close and deep friendships publicly. The play itself has also enjoyed a celebrity connection right from the beginning. Soon after Art first opened in Paris in 1994, its creator Yasmina Reza received a telephone call from a woman saying she was the wife of Sean Connery and wanted to meet her immediately. She had seen it, loved it and wanted to buy the film rights. Yasmina was not interested though as her dream was to take it to the West End. Micheline Connery agreed to drop the movie project and bought the stage rights instead. That opening run saw Micheline’s husband Sean persuade Albert Finney to take part, swiftly followed by Tom Courtenay and Ken Stott, thereby beginning the Art story. It proved to be a hot ticket and even picked up the Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy with Yasmina memorably saying in her acceptance speech: “It is intriguing to win the prize for best comedy as I thought I was writing a tragedy.”
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January-December 2018
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Tell us about your character Andrew Pollard It boasts eight actors playing 125 characters plus six trains, five boats, four fights, three dances, two circus acts and an elephant. And the critically-acclaimed stage version of Jules Verne’s Around The World In 80 Days is on its way to Norwich Theatre Royal from 16 - 20 January. This madcap all-action show sees the mysterious and fabulously wealthy Phileas Fogg wager his life’s fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe, heading from Victorian London to the exotic subcontinent and the Wild West in a race against the clock. We caught up with Andrew Pollard who plays Phileas in the show, nominated as Best New Production in the UK Theatre Awards.
Phileas Fogg is a quintessential Englishman and a very ordered man, which I certainly am not! He's everybody's idea of a 'stiff upper lip' Englishman but, despite his insular nature, he is very kind and decent and fair. What is great about this character is we see him go through a marvellous transformation from a sort of remote, emotionally repressed kind of man to a man of passion and vigour. İt’s a lovely character journey to play. A very closed man opens up to the marvels of the world - and even finds love. What’s the biggest challenge in taking on this role?
Well, Fogg is the straight man, around whom all the comedy and mayhem whirls. I love doing comedy but I have to remain calm and in control pretty much throughout, although sadly I don’t get to do any slapstick. I also have to wear a heavy hot Victorian costume during a very energetic show.
If you could play any other character in this show, who would it be? Passepartout, Fogg’s manservant, is a terrific part. I’d love a bash at that but I know I would never match the superb acrobatics and clowning of Mike Hugo, who plays him. He steals the show and deservedly so. The story is a well-known classic. How has the show gone down so far?
It's gone down a storm with audiences. People often leave saying they feel they have actually been round the world. The piece is so alive and fast-paced with none of the stuffiness often associated with Victorian storytelling. It’s such a great yarn full of 'derring-do' and memorable characters with wonderful style and epic sweep, and a fantastic sense of theatricality.
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A Foggy View It’s a show that I have been involved in from the beginning and it was fantastic to be asked to portray one of the most popular characters from Victorian literature. I've worked with the director Theresa Heskins a lot over the past few years and she is marvellous at telling these epic tales in an exciting and immediate way. I’ve loved everything about it and have never tired of any aspect of it. It is three years since we last did the show so we’re rediscovering it with new actors joining us which opens up a whole new experience. It’s so great to be able to take it round the country and to play such a wide variety of venues. Why has this show captivated audiences so successfully?
By its nature it is very filmic, but at the same time it’s such a high-energy show. It’s very fast-paced; there are
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lots of theatrics, lots of comedy, with great spirit and joy, and of course there’s audience interaction, so you do feel like you’re being swept up on this journey. We also have a terrific music score by James Atherton, which is a fantastic driving force throughout the show. What do you love the most about performing in a production like this?
The work we do as an ensemble. We go around the world so it’s epic in its scope - we’re only eight actors so there’s a lot of inventiveness and creativity involved. We have to create boats, trains, elephants, plus a myriad of fights and chases etc. It is a great ensemble piece, not only onstage but backstage. At the end of the show we are all knackered but in a really positive way, and there's a real sense of having created something special. There have been
very few nights where we haven't had a standing ovation and I think that's reflective of the hard work everyone puts in to this piece. What's the funniest thing to happen to you on stage in this production so far?
No show is the same with Mike Hugo on board. Mike is one of the best clowns and all-round entertainers I have ever seen or worked with. Every night something unexpected or funny happens with him on stage. It’s never dull, even off stage; you could sell tickets to watch the backstage show! Without giving anything away, what’s your favourite line of dialogue?
Fogg has a line at the end of the show in which he thanks Passepartout for all he has done. It is quite emotional and shows the great shift in his character. I love that.
Circle Magazine November 2017
Around The World in 80 Days
What attracted you to the piece?
Circle Magazine November 2017
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Now that TV drama has been turned into a musical which comes to the Theatre Royal stage from April 17-21 next year. Circle spoke to the show’s executive producer, and Cilla’s eldest son (and for the last 16 years of her life her agent and manager), Robert Willis.
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Circle Magazine November 2016
Robert Willis The legendary Cilla Black brought a ‘lorra lorra laughs’ into the lives of so many during her long and varied career in the music and light entertainment industries that her sudden death in August 2015 rocked the nation. Less than a year earlier, an ITV mini-series had charted her rise from teenage girlhood friendships with The Beatles, singing in The Cavern in Liverpool and achieving her first No. 1 hit at the age of 21, to becoming one of prime-time television’s most successful female entertainers with shows such as Blind Date and Surprise Surprise.
“I knew it could be good. I knew we had all the ingredients, but you can never be totally sure until you see it all come together,” Robert said. He is talking about the launch of Cilla The Musical which opened in Cilla’s home town of Liverpool at the beginning of September and is now touring the UK with the eventual aim of bringing it into the West End. “We’re very pleased with the show and excited at how it has all come together. It’s been quite an experience!” It was Robert who found Cilla when she suffered a tragic accident in her Spanish holiday home two years ago. One of three sons, he had been her agent and manager after his father Bobby Willis died in 1999, guiding her career and then acting as executive producer on the acclaimed 2014 TV drama which starred Sheridan Smith. Transferring the television production, written by the BAFTA Award-winning Jeff Pope (The Moorside, Philomena, From The Cradle To The Grave, Mrs Biggs), to the stage was not without its challenges. “When you take it to the stage you have to cut elements of the characters,” Robert said. “But there are also other things you can do live on stage - the songs, the variety of the bands, there are some great moments. The performance and the songs marry so well with the drama. They
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Circle Magazine November 2017
emotionally lift you. You get the full gamut of emotions and you see it in the audience each night, and not just in Liverpool where we opened. It was important to get it right in Liverpool– but thank god we got it right!” The musical score is the ultimate soundtrack to the 60s and includes Cilla’s own greatest hits such as Anyone Who Had a Heart, Alfie and Something Tells Me, to Twist and Shout by The Beatles, California Dreamin’ by The Mamas and The Papas, and many more. “The Beatles songs are great – there was a tremendous energy about at that time. The songs were sung in very confined spaces, like The Cavern, and you get the feel of that in the show. Things were very black and white then, it was post-war and then that generation came along and attitudes to music and fashion were transformed. “We have aimed high with the show – it’s a wonderful cast, the script is so brilliant, the sets are beautiful, the lighting, the orchestration, the dancing are all fantastic – the actor/musicians are incredibly enthusiastic. It’s such a talented young company.” The production team decided to put the lead role out to public audition, a decision which Robert feels has paid dividends in uncovering a star in the making in Kara Lily Haworth, who fought off thousands of other hopefuls to step into Cilla’s shoes. Kara queued for four hours at London’s Dominion Theatre to audition in the first rounds, making it through to the final 30 before being chosen to do her final audition at The Cavern Club itself in Liverpool.
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The Spirit of Cilla “Kara is incredible. I’m so happy we found her,” Robert said. “It is a very big role but she really captures what Mum was all about. Mum had a determination - she wasn’t there for her looks, although she was pretty, but it was her spirit that people liked. “Kara proved herself in audition. She stood out immediately. Physically, in terms of her height she is very similar to Mum. She’s physically very different to Sheridan (Smith who played Cilla in the TV mini-series), but I certainly wanted to have a distinct difference between the musical and the TV show. I think Kara is very similar to how my Mum was in the 60s. There’s something about her and it is an interpretation, not an impersonation. She does capture my Mum.” He’s thrilled with the rest of the cast too. He knows Andrew Lancel, who plays Brian Epstein, as Robert’s daughter performed as Gretel with Andrew in the UK tour of the Sound of Music which visited Norwich in October 2016. “We live in Cambridgeshire so we came to Norwich to see her in the show, so I am glad we have Andrew with us as Brian.”
“Throughout my life I was always able to step back and give her an honest opinion. So for me I was used to seeing her as a performer, whereas my Dad was just my Dad. Carl Au, who plays him in the show, sings beautifully and I find watching him very powerful. He captures my Dad. My parents were very much equals. They complemented each other. They were in their mid-20s when she got famous, and Carl gets that balance of the fun they had.” There are moments in the show which Robert finds particularly poignant. “Anyone Who Had A Heart is very powerful and uplifting. I like Liverpool Lullaby because she used to sing it to us when we were kids and it was the last song she sang on The One And Only, so it gets me every time. “I think I speak for my brothers Ben and Jack too when I say that it has caught the spirit of both of them, and I’m grateful, humbled and satisfied that we have managed to do that - to capture their spirit and you see that from the reaction of the audiences who have seen the show so far.”
Robert took over as Cilla’s manager and agent on the death of his father, Bobby, in 1999, and had been used to seeing his mum perform since he was a young child.
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Circle Magazine November 2017
Circle Magazine November 2017
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The countdown is well under way to the theatre’s annual panto – its major in-house production of the year – and the number of ‘sleeps’ left to Sleeping Beauty’s opening performance on 13 December are eagerly being crossed off the office calendar. A staggeringly long list of activities, all being carried out independently, now have to start to come together to make the showbiz magic work. Scenery for the show has been over a year in the design process and is now taking form in the workshops at Scenic Projects in Lowestoft where show gauzes are being spray-painted and large scenery is being glued, nailed and stapled together – gallons of paint and metres of cloth and wood will conjure up the world of ‘Norbridge’. Smaller scenery pieces and props are being crafted in the theatre’s on-site workshop and the theatre’s talented panto costume designer and her staff have taken up residence backstage in the wardrobe department which is awash with luscious materials, ribbons, braid, foam padding, fabric paints and glitter. The technical crew have been visited by companies providing the water features and inflatables and the flying experts will be on hand with training sessions once the cast arrive.
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Meanwhile the Front of House teams have been quantifying the number of ice creams and programmes needed and chosen some merchandise for those who like a panto keepsake; the restaurant team has worked on a mouth-watering festive menu; and the marketing and press teams have been hard at work getting the word out, including commissioning a filmed panto trailer to give audiences a flavour of what they can expect. Richard Gauntlett returns once again as director, writer and panto dame. It will be his 17th festive production in the city. He said: “We actually started talking about this year’s panto when we were doing last year’s - in fact there are nuggets flying around already about next year’s, which I can’t divulge. We start a full year in advance. Myself and the production manager and the executive producer get together and we talk about budgets and what we can and can’t do. I give my wish list to the production manager for various routines and set pieces, and he works on those with the set people and we are planning the whole year. The script is still in pieces in September but in October I have to pull it together and present it.” That script is now with the actors who arrive for two weeks of rehearsals at the end of November. This year two television favourites will be joining the Theatre Royal’s seasoned panto comedy double-act of Richard and Ben Langley, who will be playing Mrs Midges (the dame) and her silly son Muddles. Coronation Street actor and children’s television legend Derek Griffiths will be using his magical powers as Chortwood the butler to ward off the evil Dowager Aunt Vipera, played by EastEnders ‘Jean Slater’ aka Gillian Wright.
Derek Griffiths is best-known to a generation of TV viewers for hosting classic children's programmes Play School and Play Away, and more recently as motor-bike loving, mild-mannered mechanic Freddie Smith on the Weatherfield cobbles of Coronation Street. He first won the hearts of Norwich panto-goers 12 years ago when he appeared in the Theatre Royal production of Peter Pan, playing Captain Hook. EastEnders actor Gillian Wright will be leaving the soap’s Albert Square and her role as Stacey Slater’s mum to head to Norfolk to play the panto baddie. The cast is completed by Elizabeth Carter (recently seen at the Theatre Royal as the lead Laura in Dreamboats & Petticoats) as Sleeping Beauty/Patience Midges, while Glenn Adamson, (who has spent the last two Christmases in panto at Colchester’s Mercury Theatre) will play her Prince/The Honourable Timothy Norbridge. Professional opera singer Stephen Godward (who performed recently in Norwich with The National Gilbert & Sullivan Company) will be bringing his rich vocals to the role of Lord Teddy Norbridge of Norbridge Abbey. Richard has promised that Sleeping Beauty will deliver lots of traditional panto fun with all the usual Norwich Theatre Royal special twists including lots of water. “We will be getting very wet this year - very, very wet!” he said.
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Local Adventurer Set during the Second World War, it tells the story of a whirlwind romance among the bombs and blasts of the Blitz as an RAF pilot enjoys a chance meeting with Cinderella. They fall in love at first sight but find themselves parted by the horrors of the attacks on the capital.
Reece Causton
The incredibly inventive and emotionally uplifting transformation of a classic fairy-tale into a wartime setting has made Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella a must-see. Its return to Norwich Theatre Royal from 27 February – 3 March will be particularly important for cast member Reece Causton as it means he can perform on home turf.
And this mix of Prokofiev’s moving score, the touching tale and some stunning sets are going to make this a feast of dance and emotion. As well as an undoubted treat for the audience, it is also going to mark a return home for dancer Reece Causton, who was brought up near King’s Lynn. He said: “I am so excited about Cinderella. It is a massive production. I remember seeing it years ago and it was such a great piece.” Reece is no stranger to Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures company having appeared in Swan Lake in 2013 which came to Norwich and also appeared in the UK tour of Early Adventures which showcased some of the choreographer’s older work. For Reece, being part of the company is fantastic. He explained: “New Adventures is just like a family unit. You are looked after very well, you always feel welcome and it is a happy environment to work in. “I also think Matthew’s choreographic style and the way he incorporates acting into his dancing really plays to my strengths. It is what I enjoy doing and it is how I started off back in the day. His humour and the storytelling in general is just so smart and intelligent. He is somebody I have always wanted to work for.”
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So how did Reece end up being part of this world-renowned dance company? It all started when he was about 11 years old and joined Footlights Performing Arts in King’s Lynn. He had seen his aunt perform and decided he wanted to follow in her footsteps, although he says he did come to dance quite late. Reece explained: “I did drama for three to four years and then I started with the ballet. I don’t know what made me start really. I think I just developed the courage to give it a go. I was 16, studying at sixth form, people were a bit more mature and I started doing ballet and contemporary classes.” Two great influences in his performing life were Miss Tina and Miss Karen from Footlights who helped propel him to success, giving him extra private lessons as well as the all-important push to help him to succeed. But it paid off and he got a place at the Central School of Ballet in London in 2010 soaking up all the learning opportunities and coming out of it straight into New Adventures and the Swan Lake company. “It was quite hard for me as I started relatively late. It was pretty difficult to master ballet techniques but I worked really hard and I came out the other side.” Getting that part in Matthew’s production of Swan Lake really helped him get his career into gear although he admits being a part of Matthew Bourne’s company was a long-held ambition. He laughed: “Joining New Adventures was always something I had borne in mind. The stars just aligned for me. It was great.”
Circle Magazine November 2017
Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella
Since his previous visit to the Theatre Royal, Reece has been involved in a wide range of projects including two productions for Grange Park Opera (“one of those was a production of Fiddler On The Roof, performed as part of the Proms which was a bit of a coup”), the Yorke Dance Project performing work by Sir Kenneth MacMillan, and tours with the Rosie Kay Dance Company performing a piece called Five Soldiers which was recorded by the BBC for broadcast.
It is great to go into different environments, teach choreography from shows and open up minds. I would have loved to have done something like that when I was at school.”
opportunity to perform on home turf. He said: “I can’t wait. I have got a huge group of family and friends coming to see it one evening. I am just so excited to be back and performing in my local theatre.”
Meanwhile Reece is looking forward to bringing Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella to Norwich Theatre Royal and having the
If Reece’s excitement levels are anything to go by, this re-imagined fairy-tale feast of emotion and poignancy is set to be a 2018 must-see.
Outside of performing, Reece has also enjoyed the opportunity to share his skills and work with the local community as part of Re:Bourne, the education arm of New Adventures. He said: “It is such a great thing to do especially when you go to places where people have not had the opportunity to do much dance.
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Circle Magazine November 2017
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He is no stranger to the stage. As well as being a successful stand-up for over 20 years, he made his theatrical debut back in 1999 in The Nerd followed by roles in the touring productions of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, The Producers, The Wizard of Oz, and he won acclaim for playing King Arthur in Spamalot in the West End and on tour. Starring opposite him will be Sarah Earnshaw who also starred in Spamalaot and boasts other stage credits including the original London cast of Wicked and the UK tour of Nativity – The Musical.
The natural escape
‘Ooh Betty, the pussy has done a whoopsie on the carpet…at Norwich Theatre Royal.
FOR YOUR HOLIDAY HOME IN NORTH NORFOLK
Yes, the beret-clad accident-prone Frank Spencer is on his way as the classic TV comedy gets a new lease of life as a stage show.
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And the popular entertainer and comic actor Joe Pasquale is set to bring his own interpretation of the classic character to life when it takes to the stage on 9 – 14 July.
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®
Circle Magazine November 2017
But the shows got written and then another challenge emerged – casting the role of Frank Spencer. First choice was Norman Wisdom but he didn’t like the script and Ronnie Barker also turned it down. Raymond recalled: “I did actually meet Norman years afterwards and he said he wished he had taken it.” Meanwhile Michael Crawford’s agent approached the BBC seeking a comedy role and he ended up winning the part. Despite it winning huge audiences and proving popular for generations, only three series (plus three Christmas Specials) were ever made of the show.
But it became must-see Seventies TV in its own right as well as providing ample material for the likes of comedians Mike Yarwood and Lenny And it will also Henry who were just two of the feature Susie Blake who won acclaim for performers who channelled their playing The Queen inner Frank by mimicking in Handbagged at him in their act. the Theatre Royal The show has never been revived. in autumn 2015, as well as dozens There were rumours it was going to be part of the BBC’s re-boot of classic of stage and TV shows to help mark 60 years of TV shows including comedy last year but that did Victoria Wood As Seen not come to anything, although On TV, Coronation Street, Michael did adopt the persona of Noises Off and Mrs Brown’s Boys. Frank for a Sport Relief comedy skit in 2016. It will also have the air of authenticity with the sitcom’s Will it ever return? Speaking during a original writer Raymond Allen previous visit to the Theatre Royal in working with the production team 2013 when she starred in The on storylines. Ladykillers, Michael’s co-star Michele Dotrice thought it was unlikely. She And the TV show’s success came at said: “It was hard for a while because exactly the right time as Raymond directors and casting agents only saw was struggling to get that me as Betty, although I do look back all-important big break. on the show with fondness and warmth.” He first started sending scripts out at the age of 15 and had hit 30 And she has never quite shaken off without any success. A crushing the role completely as she discovered letter from ITV accusing him of when she went to go and see having no talent almost put him off, Spamalot in the West End with but he decided to have one last crack at success and sent off a pitch Michael. Michele recalled: “It was hysterical because the cast suddenly for Some Mothers to the BBC. went into a whole Frank and Betty routine on stage after being tipped It was an idea they loved and off that we were in the audience. It comedy bosses there asked him to was wonderfully funny.” come in for a meeting, meaning he could leave his day-job of cleaning So, while it will not be the original toilets and start his dream career. cast, this show will provide a great The good news was tinged with some pressure. He had only written opportunity to relive a classic one episode as a pilot and the Beeb Seventies sitcom which put slapstick at its heart. wanted six. He recalled: “I put everything I could think of in this one script, I’d used up everything. It was a struggle.”
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James Graham Most would agree we are living in politically interesting times in the UK – the upheaval of Brexit, divisions amongst the parties, plotting and scheming to topple leaders, weekly calls for resignations, U-turns at every corner. Yet turn back the clock to 1974 and the corridors of Westminster were ringing with the sound of infighting and backbiting as power hung by a thread and Britain’s political parties battled to change the future of the nation. The political shenanigans of the hung parliament of 1974 to 1979 are the subject of This House, an energetic and critically-acclaimed play directed by Jeremy Herrin (Wolf Hall) which, following sell-out runs at the National Theatre and in the West End, runs at the Theatre Royal from May 8-12 next year.
This House It was written by a young British playwright, television writer and one-time actor James Graham, who was 30 when This House opened in 2012.
So what interested a young writer in the battles going on in the dry and dusty, smoke-filled corridors of Westminster before he was even born? “I wanted to look at the Houses of Parliament under the most strain it has ever been in the history of modern Britain and that was absolutely the Parliament of 1974 to 1979,” James said. “It was a government with not enough people to pass its laws. It was a country in absolute turmoil - economically, socially, politically.” He loved researching the period, describing it as “the fun part of doing a political play. For me, politics was never something that was alienating or strange. I think if you are going to lock people in a room for two hours and talk to them, then I feel it has to be important and you’ve got to leave having talked and really engaged with stuff that is important - and political issues do that.”
“No party had won an overall majority so that meant all parties had to work and negotiate with each other to pass laws - which meant everything went out of the window. There was loads of blackmailing, bribing, games, tricks, and it seemed a good opportunity to get under the skin of that building when it was at its most pressured and most stressful.” Just as today, the 1970s had its own social and economic problems such as the oil crisis, the three-day week and rising inflation. There were moments of high drama, such as one heated exchange across the floor of The Commons when Welsh Labour MPs started to sing The Red Flag and Michael Heseltine, leading the Conservative opposition, became so incensed he famously seized the Mace which symbolises the royal authority by which Parliament meets, and waved it over his head.
“I wanted to forget Downing Street, forget Whitehall, forget anywhere where the decisions were made and look at the engine room. And when you have a hung parliament and you don’t as a government have enough members in the chamber to pass your laws, suddenly everything becomes focussed on the Whips’ Offices. They are the guys who have to get that law onto the statute books and so the Whips become the most important people in politics.” He says the play is not intimidating for audiences. “It’s not about legislation, it’s not about foreign or domestic policies. It’s about people who are struggling. Yes, it’s set in Westminster, but it could be set in an office, a call centre, a school, in anyone’s work place – essentially the rules are the same. It’s about friendship, loyalty, rivalry and power. So it’s about human beings, and yet it feels bigger and grander because it is set against the backdrop of something really serious.”
thing about this parliament is it was so crazy, people who were there testify to it being the most dramatic and most intense parliament that there has been in modern British history, so I had to invent hardly anything. The hardest thing was picking which crazy stories, which votes that were won or lost by one, to dramatise.” He cites the MP John Stonehouse and Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe as examples of reality providing far more exciting stories than you could possibly invent: “When the government has got just about enough majority to start passing laws, John Stonehouse fakes his own death and allegedly throws himself into the sea off Miami Beach; and then you have stories like Jeremy Thorpe, the leader of the Liberal party who was accused of attempted murder. Cleared of all charges it has to be said, but he was accused of murdering his male lover. I look at it and go ‘God, how am I going to fit that into this?’ That’s one story of 25! “It sounds really niche but I am so glad a play about politics in the 1970s, about people who aren’t famous in Westminster, has caught imaginations in a way that it caught mine, because I do find it exciting and moving and touching and funny and oddly beautiful. So it is great that people have got behind it and that people want to learn more about it.”
There was a hugely rich vein of material to draw from: “The good
Photos of previous cast
This House certainly pulls back the curtain and shines a light on the more human aspect of relationships in the corridors of power. James explained: “I always wanted to write
a play about Westminster and de-mystify it. I find it quite scary and I think most people find it quite intimidating and confusing – and actually it’s not. You have this really grand old building and when you strip it down, it’s lots of people running around, sometimes carrying drunk people, sometimes helping sick people, sometimes there are fights and I wanted to capture that sense of farce. I just think, by its very definition, politics in the 1970s is quite funny.
Yet instead of featuring the famous big players of the period - Ted Heath, Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, – James’s play focusses on the ordinary men and women who make up the Whips Office, the MPs whose job it is to get their party members into the lobby to vote either for or against the legislation.
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Circle Magazine November 2017
Circle Magazine November 2017
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P
hil
NORWICH
It seems like all of a sudden winter is well and truly upon us – the nights have drawn in and the weather is definitely chillier. But we recommend resisting the temptation to slump on the sofa, and enjoy a night of fantastic entertainment at the Playhouse instead. Our new seating has been installed, making our cosy auditorium even more comfortable than before, hot cider is on sale at the bar, and we have a new season of shows to entice you out. THE BOY WHO CLIMBED INTO THE MOON
And what better on a cold night than music to warm the heart and soul? We’ll be getting in the Christmas spirit with The Joe Ringer Band (Tue 19 & Wed 20 Dec) as they sing their seasonal spectacular with all the festive favourites. In the New Year, The Pasadena Roof Orchestra (Fri 5 Jan & Fri 2 Feb) will be with us not once, but twice, bringing their immaculate playing and a good dose of humour to classics from the likes of George Gershwin and Duke Ellington. Local stars Mixed Voice present Songs for a New World (Wed 17 – Sat 20 Jan); a phenomenal musical experience. The Big Chris Barber Band (Wed 14 Feb) promises the perfect Valentine’s evening, and musical superstar Kerry Ellis (Sat 3 Mar) will be celebrating 20 years on stage with her best-known tunes.
GERMAINE GREER
Featuring actual former Kinks stars, The Kast Off Kinks (Thur 15 Mar) will really get us going, whilst The Bob Dylan Story (Fri 23 Mar) pays tribute to Nobel Laureate and stand-out musician Bob Dylan. For the little ones, children’s classic The Tiger Who Came to Tea (Tue 21 Nov- Fri 8 Dec), is the perfect pre-Christmas treat! Rod Campbell’s lift-the-flap favourite Dear Zoo (Sat 10 – Mon 12 Feb), makes its theatre debut, promising fun for all the family. The Boy Who Climbed Into the Moon (Fri 16 –Sun 18 Mar) is inspired by David Almond’s very funny book, and brings the story to life with charm and
great warmth. CBeebies’ addicts will be delighted by the stage production of Sarah & Duck’s Big Top Birthday (Sat 21 – Sun 22 Apr), which uses puppets and music to transform the television show into a brilliant live experience. We’re also looking forward to Little Shop of Horrors (Tue 12 –Sat 16 Dec, 7.30pm), a local production by the multi-award winning Sound Ideas Theatre Company. In January, feminist icon Germaine Greer (Sat 27 Jan) will lecture on women, protest, and the environment. John Godber’s Teechers (Tues 6 Feb & Wed 7 Feb) will bring to life the ‘sink school’ experience, complete with terrifying teachers, pitiful pupils and razor-sharp comedy. And, as always, we’ve got brilliant comedians here – just see the list opposite, including Adam Kay (Sat 24 Feb) with his sell-out memoir-show on being a Junior Doctor, and all the chaos that encompasses.
COMEDY COMING SOON to Norwich Playhouse Lee Nelson
(wed 29 & thur 30 nov,
7.30pm)
Griff Rhys Jones (fri 26 jan, 7.30pm)
Stephen K Amos (mon 29 jan, 8pm)
Richard Herring (Fri 16 Feb, 8pm)
Phill Jupitus
(Thur 22- Fri 23 Feb, 8pm) STEPHEN K AMOS
This is only a small selection of what’s coming up at the Playhouse – the next few months are packed full of amazing shows, which are selling like hot cakes. To see all that’s coming up, visit www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk, or keep an eye out for one of our brochures. To book, call 01603 598598, or head to our website. We look forward to seeing you!
Adam Kay
(Sat 24 Feb, 7.30pm)
Shappi Khorsandi (Fri 9 Mar, 8pm)
SATURDAY 9 DECEMBER 2017 7.30pm MAHLER Symphony No.9 TUESDAY 19 DECEMBER 2017 7.30pm The Phil’s Family Christmas
SATURDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2018 7.30pm KABALEVSKY Overture ‘Colas Breugnon’ RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No.3 MARTINU Symphony No.3
(Wed 14 Mar, 8pm) (Sat 17 Mar, 8pm)
NORWICH
ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS
Tom Allen
Simon Evans
ST ANDREW’S HALL
NORWICH PHILHARMONIC
The Norwich Philharmonic Society is a registered charity No.264425
Norwich Playhouse
SEASON 2 0 1 7/ 1 8
Alexander Ullman piano
SATURDAY 17 MARCH 2018 7.30pm BRAHMS Schicksalslied (‘Song of Destiny’) MENDELSSOHN Lobgesang (‘Hymn of Praise’) Ruth Holton soprano • Christopher Steele tenor TICKETS £12-£17 (£7 students) BOX OFFICE www.stgeorgesmusic.co.uk INFO www.norwichphil.org.uk www.norwichphil.ticketsource.co.uk SEASON SPONSORS
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Circle Magazine November 2017
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COMPETITION 77
Based on the classic Seventies TV sitcom, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em introduced British audiences to accident-prone Frank Spencer and his long-suffering wife Betty, but what type of hat topped off Frank’s signature look? A Bowler B Flat cap C Beret
TALKING TO
Name: James Kinsley Job Title: MARKETING ASSISTANT
CARROW ROAD NORWICH
01603 218705 deliascanarycatering.co.uk/delias
Describe your role at the theatre. My role here falls loosely into two halves. I’ve recently taken over the day-to-day running of the Friends Scheme, dealing with renewals, direct debits and that sort of thing, so you may have started to see my name crop up on correspondence in the past few weeks. And I also deal with the storage, display and distribution of print media, keeping the poster and leaflet displays around the theatre up to date. Circle Magazine November 2017
To be in with the chance of winning a £20 Theatre Royal Gift Voucher, which can be used at the Box Office or in the restaurant, simply answer this question and send the answer, along with your name and address, on a postcard to: Competition 77, Friends Department, Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre Street, Norwich, NR2 1RL by Friday 26th January 2018.
Circle 76 competition winner: Congratulations to Mrs Hobson from Hethersett whose correct answer of Afghanistan was picked from the hat.
What did you do before you started working here? / Were you interested in theatre before working here? Prior to taking up the position in Marketing, I spent six years selling you tickets in the Box Office! But before that, my last job was in the HR Department of a sushi factory. My interest in the theatre goes back as far as taking Theatre Studies at A-Level, and I also volunteer as a steward at the Playhouse, so it’s definitely not just a day-job for me.
What’s the most memorable production you’ve seen at the Theatre Royal? One of the joys of working for the Theatre Royal has been being exposed to art forms I’d previously no experience of, so seeing English Touring Opera’s production of The Siege Of Calais had a profound effect on me, as did Matthew Bourne’s Play Without Words. But as an experience, being in the onstage seating for the National Theatre of Scotland’s The James Plays in 2016 is hard to top.
What do you enjoy most about your job? I’m a big believer in the idea that art and culture enrich our lives, and it’s important for my own job satisfaction to appreciate the worth of the end product. I may only be a small cog in a huge machine, but what that ‘machine’ provides for the community is invaluable. And, of course, I get to see a lot of shows as well, which as perks of the job go, is probably as good as it gets!
What show or act would you most like to see come to the theatre? The thing that always impresses me the most is the thing I’ve never seen before. But if pushed for a name, given I was born decades too late to see Jacques Tati onstage, I’d probably say American singer Tom Waits.
Describe your first theatrical experience. Wise man in the school nativity. The jury’s still out on how accurate a casting decision that was…
What would you wish for the future of the Theatre Royal? I think it’s a case of evolution, not revolution. Whilst we continue to offer a rich and varied programme of popular entertainment at the same time as constantly being on the lookout for new things to tempt audiences to come and see, we’re probably on the right track.
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Nick Faghy
Green Team
Kemp’s RestaurantNick’s Turkey Tips
It’s quite unusual for a restaurant but we have our birds delivered to us whole. This technique was taught to me by one of the greats, and we’ve always done it this way. It must be good. We sell hundreds of turkey dinners every Christmas! First, we strip the wings & tips for stock, take off the legs, and remove the bones (also for the stock). We discard any ligaments from the legs and then lay them flat. Alongside our choice of stuffing, we roll them in greaseproof paper and foil, ready for the oven. Next, we cut the spine out to create the crown which is seasoned & steam roasted to perfection.You’ll need to calculate your cooking time according to the size of your bird. All the turkey offcuts (excluding the liver) go into the stock pan, along with root vegetables and celery. Once the turkeys are cooked, all the pan juices are added to the main stock and reduced to create the most flavoursome stock – that forms the basis for the perfect gravy. Finally, the breasts are removed from the bone and sliced. We’ll serve that along with the leg meat. With the traditional Christmas accompaniments, of course!
Christmas Menu Here at the Theatre Royal, preparations for the Christmas period pretty much begin as soon as the previous year’s panto ends. There’s a feeling of Christmas in the air, and nowhere is that more true than in Kemp’s Restaurant, where the team are gearing up to deliver a festive feast to hundreds of hungry audience members – and the odd actor! Chef manager Nick Faghy tells us the story behind this year’s Christmas menu, and shares a few tricks of the trade when it comes to cooking for the big day. As ever, the Christmas menu at Kemp’s Restaurant features the traditional favourites of turkey with all the trimmings, followed by a steaming helping of Christmas pudding. For vegetarians, or those who just can’t stand another mouthful of turkey, the team introduce a few new ideas each year. For Nick, that’s no small task: “The dishes are suggested by the team of chefs here at the theatre. We all submit ideas, everyone has a say on what foods work well together, and then we sample all the dishes. At that point, it either goes straight on the menu or gets stored in the file – we could write a recipe book or two with the log of recipes we have!” This year, they’ve settled on the likes of a nut roast and a spiced orange treacle tart. With such a range of options on offer, what’s Nick most looking forward to sampling? “I’d still have to say the roast turkey. It marks the start of the Christmas season for me on the first Sunday of December when these huge whole turkeys arrive and the work begins!”
There were cuts in energy use in many areas. Since we started recording data in 2008-9, we have reduced: Our energy use per performance by 71 per cent
And as with any restaurant, the sound of sleigh-bells means that the workload is about to get a whole lot heavier: “Christmas is a very busy time of year for us, what with feeding the pantomime cast, catering for the staff parties and Christmas parties we’ve got booked in, and of course, serving lots of hungry families throughout panto season. It’s a month of hard work, but with all the festive cheer and the hustle and bustle out front, it’s hard not to enjoy it.” It might be a fun time of year but what about all that cooking? Chefs are famous for eating badly, knowing that the last thing that they want to do on getting home is to cook another meal. That’s not the case for Nick, though: “In all honesty, I’m very lucky to be able to take Christmas Day off work every year, and if we’re spending the day at home then we’ll all cook dinner together.
Green Champion Helen Tully gives Hellesdon High School pupils a tour Seven is definitely our lucky number as we have achieved a Creative Green Award from the environmental body Julie’s Bicycle for the seventh consecutive year. This was accompanied by a four-star rating for our work during 2016-17 as we continue to make the theatre as environmentally sustainable as possible.
The levels of waste going to landfill by 98 per cent Energy emissions by 67 per cent So how is this achieved? In practice, this has meant a number of schemes including encouraging carbon-free commuting of staff which has helped see car use drop by 11 per cent, encouraging paper-saving techniques, and replacing 180 of the 25 watt bulbs surrounding dressing-room mirrors with 3.5 watt bulbs. Helen Tully, the theatre’s environmental champion, said: “We have a great commitment to sustainability within management and staff, and we take engagement with our audiences and our teams really seriously. We learn from others too.
“For some reason though, whenever we’re invited elsewhere, people don’t want me to help telling me to go and relax. I guess that, being a chef, they feel intimidated by having me watching over their shoulder. Unfortunately for them though, I can’t resist getting in the kitchen to help out – or take over!” As for getting that Christmas dinner right, Nick has a few last words: “Just ensure you’ve prepared ahead of time. Create a list of jobs, put them in order and try to stick to your timings. Beyond that, just don’t let yourself get stressed out: enjoy the cooking, and make sure to involve the whole family, rather than slaving away by yourself in the kitchen. “In the end, Christmas is about having fun with your family. Why should cooking Christmas dinner be any different?”
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Our staff Green Team has visited intu Chapelfield recently to share some best practice in waste management and to examine other ways of encouraging sustainability.” The hard work does not end there with Helen and her Green Team colleagues having many more ideas on the horizon. She explained: “We are going to be exploring some very interesting ideas including the alteration to mixed recycling in the auditorium and around the building which is already under way. “We have just phased out the use of plastic straws and replaced them with a biodegradable alternative and are changing to ice-cream tubs made of paper.” So the commitment continues as the theatre works hard to reduce its carbon footprint and looks ahead to making it eight years on the trot that its green successes gain national recognition.
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Circle Magazine November 2017
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FRIENDS EVENTS
Friends OFFER
For Friends of the Theatre Royal
Around The World In 80 Days Wednesday 17th January Post-performance Q&A, following the matinee. Free to ticket holders just move to the front stalls after the show.
Richard Alston Wednesday 31st January Open Rehearsal in the Peter Wilson Auditorium in Stage Two. Watch the Richard Alston Dance Company rehearse. Discover more about their professional practice and observe the company in motion. For more information, contact the Learning and Participation Team on 01603 598600 Friday 2nd February, 6:30pm Pre-Performance Talk in the Targetfollow Room. Free to attend but please book in advance.
International Concert Series European Union Chamber Orchestra Saturday 24th March, 6.30pm Pre-Performance Talk. Taking place in the auditorium. Free to attend but please book in advance.
International Concert Series Czech National Symphony Orchestra Sunday 15th April, 6.30pm Pre-Performance Talk. Taking place in the Peter Wilson Auditorium in Stage Two. Free to attend but please book in advance.
Beethoven Symphonies 4 & 5 Thomas Adès and Britten Sinfonia Sunday 27th May, 6:30pm Pre-Performance Talk. Taking place in the auditorium. Free to attend but please book in advance. Circle Magazine November 2017
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