Circle Magazine Issue 79

for the Friends of Norwich Theatre Royal 79

EMOTIONAL JOURNEY OF STILL ALICE Why Michael Park Brought It To Life

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It’s Ghost Ship, but not as you know it…

100% taste at 0.5% abv, it’s a Win Win! MISS SAIGON Ashley Gilmour’s Homecoming

ENTER CIRKOPOLIS Internationally Acclaimed Show Comes To Norwich

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Still Alice

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Stephen Crocker Chief Executive Norwich Theatre Royal

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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 shows opens 9.30am on

Friday 20 July for Friends.

Monday October 22 Country Night In Nashville Sunday November 4 Rich Hall’s Hoedown

Monday November 5 Life On Mars

Saturday January 19 Britten Sinfonia

Sunday February 17 Classic Rock Show

Wednesday February 20 Mike & The Mechanics Sunday March 10 Barbara Dickson

Saturday April 13 Rumours Of Fleetwood Mac Thursday June 6 Julian Clary

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Please refer to the diary pages in the centre of the accompanying what’s on brochure for booking dates for the rest of the new season

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EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Official fuel consumption in mpg (litres/100km) for the Tiguan range: urban 31.0 (9.1) – 49.6 (5.7); extra urban 44.1 (6.4) – 67.3 (4.2); combined 38.2 (7.4) – 60.1 (4.7). CO2 emissions 123 – 170g/km.

Circle Magazine July 2018

Through all of our work, both on our three stages and off, we play an important role in building and reinforcing Norwich’s position as a nationally and internationally recognised centre for arts and culture. It is fantastic to see how our bold new artistic vision is certainly gathering pace and we have so much exciting new work in the pipeline.

We are continuing to work hard to nurture our relationships with national and international artists and companies to continue ensuring a diverse, acclaimed, and exciting programme of work here. Where better to demonstrate this than with two exciting productions of Shakespeare’s finest work? In the autumn, we welcome the National Theatre’s dark and brooding Macbeth set in the apocalyptic aftermath of a civil war. This will be followed by the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Romeo and Juliet,a contemporary version of the classic love story where the focus is on the emotional reality of love.

Contemporary drama is also a key part of our future vision. For a compelling and captivating performance, I can highly recommend Still Alice, the story of Harvard professor Alice Howland who is at the top of her game when she is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

The impact of this diagnosis on her and those who care about her is examined in an enviably empathetic way mixing the reality of life with a rich seam of humour.

Another area of our artistic programme that we are developing is dance. We are so excited to be staging the UK touring premiere of Rambert’s Life Is A Dream, an emotional look at alienation, vengeance, tenderness and redemption. This season will also see a strengthening of our relationship with the company as Rambert 2, a new ensemble of fast-emerging contemporary dancers, will also be bringing work to the city and making their debut at the Playhouse.

We are now playing a full role within The Dance Consortium which brings some of the globe’s most exciting, innovative and challenging companies to the UK. Through this, I am delighted to announce the influential Brooklyn choreographer Mark Morris is bringing his ode to The Fab Four, Pepperland, to a select number of UK venues including us. Described by one critic as ‘The Beatles meets Broadway’, this innovative piece reinvents tracks from Sgt Pepper’s

Lonely Hearts Club Band as jazzy theatrical pieces in a homage to Merseyside’s strong cultural heritage.

While talking about dance, it would also be remiss of me not to mention two key anniversaries of other regular visitors. Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, which helped change the face of dance and inspired so many, celebrates its 20th birthday with an anniversary tour. We are also excited to welcome back the Richard Alston Dance Company once again in Richard’s 51st year of creating great work.

Collaboration is central to what we do. We are very proud to be unveiling a new piece in Stage Two this autumn which will see us work once again with Norwich-based theatre company curious directive.

As well as being a new and exciting piece of theatre, which we have co-commissioned, Gastronomic will also give audience members the chance to sample food from a number of different restaurants from around the city.

Talking of Stage Two, it will once again be the hub of our next Creative Matters season which will be focused on Black British Identity.

There will be a mix of live performances, creative activities and workshops to stimulate discussion in a safe space. Such is the success of Creative Matters that for the first time it will span all three of our stages, including an appearance at the Theatre Royal by Ballet Black which features dancers of black and Asian descent who want to bring their work to an even more culturally diverse audience.

So as you can tell, we are forging onwards with our ambitions and aspirations while ensuring we keep a balanced programme of high quality work for every taste and interest.

We could not do any of this without all of your continued support and backing so I would finally like to say a big Thank You to you all.

With very best wishes, Stephen

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Ashley still believes in Miss Saigon From the dust-choked tropical heat of Vietnam to the peace and tranquillity of Feltwell is quite a journey.

But Ashley Gilmour is getting ready to do it daily when he stars in Miss Saigon this summer.

For Ashley Gilmour, playing the lead role of Chris in Miss Saigon is a dream come true in many ways.

Grappling with the emotions of finding love amid the horrors of war in a musical masterpiece makes the perfect day-job for performer Ashley. He tells Circle that bringing the show to Norwich Theatre Royal is particularly exciting as it means the chance to perform on home turf.

He plays American GI Chris whose night out in Saigon’s ironically-named bar Dreamland sets in train a catalogue of events that change his life for ever.

And it is his journey along with that of the girl he meets and the charming but malevolent Engineer who runs the bar which are at the core of the hugely successful global theatrical smash hit which returns to Norwich Theatre Royal from August 15 to September 15.

Ashley is particularly excited to be performing locally. Born and brought up in Cambridgeshire, his parents moved to Feltwell three years ago and he is hoping they, plus his six brothers (he is the middle sibling), will come along to see the show. As an added bonus, he gets to stay with his mum and dad while he is appearing in Norwich and rediscover village life. “Although we are going to all these fantastic cities around the UK while we are touring, it is nice to go home. Feltwell is charming and everyone says hello to everyone else when they walk down the street. It is lovely,” said Ashley.

It is certainly a far cry from the dust and desperation of the musical’s setting although it is a show that Ashley knows well as he was a part of the ensemble for its 2014 West End revival. “I always thought it would be nice to play Chris. I used to sit in the wings and watch Alistair Brammer in the role and think I would love to do that as it is a fantastic part in a fantastic show,” he said.

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The journey of his character is what intrigues Ashley the most. In the opening scene, when he and his GI buddies are enjoying a night out escaping the reality of war in the super-sleazy Dreamland, he almost comes across as grumpy and not wanting to join in before Chris’s life changes forever and his emotional core is gradually unwrapped during the course of the musical. He explained: “Towards the second act, there are a lot of highly emotional scenes. He spends a lot of time like many men holding in his feelings and not letting them out or showing them to his wife or friends. That is something many men can relate to because it is seen as weak if men cry. Parents don’t really cry in front of their children. Coming from a family of seven brothers, you almost feel we are all blokes and you can’t cry.

“I think what is also great about the show is that it is so well written that if you invest in the early scenes, you can go along with the arc of the story.

It is so lovely that at the end of a two-and-a-half-hour show people want to stand up and applaud and they are crying. They have gone on the journey with us and that is what theatre is about.”

And that brings back strong memories of his first theatrical memory going to see Billy Elliott in the West End with his mum and working out that is what he wanted to do with his life. Ashley recalled: “I was so inspired. I remember saying to her ‘I don’t want to be in the audience, I want to be the one performing.’ I was about the same age as the guy playing Billy Elliot.”

From there he decided to do some youth theatre initially persuading a couple of his brothers to perform as well although he is the only one who took it up as a career and then trained at the highly-regarded performing arts school ArtsEd in London.

Circle Magazine July 2018

Circle Magazine July 2018

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It was during his second year that he got his first professional part playing the Ghost and being part of the ensemble for Cinderella at King’s Lynn Corn Exchange. He said: “Even though it wasn’t a huge scale production or a big part, it was a taste of the life I was getting into and it was nice to make money from it. When you are doing youth theatre you are paying to do it because you love it. Now you were getting paid to do something you love.”

He is also looking forward to his family getting the opportunity to see him on home turf. Although none of his brothers followed him into the business taking career paths in the likes of landscaping, green-keeping and taking over Suffolk pub The Cock Inn (in Little Thurlow between Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds), he is hoping they will come along to watch his performance. He laughed: “Some aren’t that into theatre. They love the

countryside but hate big cities. They won’t come to Birmingham or London to watch shows but Norwich is not far from home, so they have no excuse.”

So, a strong contingent of family and friends are set to join the thousands of people who have already seen Ashley tap into audience’s emotions with a portrayal of a life and country in turmoil which is proving to be box office gold nationwide.

From there his Saigon journey begun and he is staying with the show now for the rest of the year.

Beyond that is hard to predict in common with many people working in the theatrical industry, but he does have some dream parts he’d love to play. He said: “I would love to do the Book of Mormon. Elder Price is such a great part to sing and it is funny, and it is another of those massive musicals like Miss Saigon. I would also like to do something a bit more classic like Don Lockwood in Singin’ In the Rain. That was the first musical I watched with Gene Kelly when it was on TV. He has such an amazing style.

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“I would like to wait until I am older so I can play Jean Valjean in Les Misérables too. Marius and Enjolras are great parts but Jean Valjean has such great songs. I did audition to play Marius in the West End for Cameron Mackintosh. It was one of my first big auditions outside of college. I was kind of glad I didn’t get it as I would have gone on a slightly different path and wouldn’t be here now. He gave me Miss Saigon a few months later so he must have seen some potential in me.”

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Circle Magazine July 2018

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Emotional Journey Of Still Alice

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Michael Park Alice Howland is a determined and highly capable Harvard professor of linguistics who is at the top of her field and shoots from the hip.

But a medical diagnosis changes her life and the lives of those around her forever. Her story is chronicled in the touching stage play Still Alice, which comes to Norwich Theatre Royal this autumn.

Its producer Michael Park explains more about what is in store and why it is a deeply personal project for him.

Your life can change for ever in a matter of seconds. That is exactly what happens to the super-successful character at the centre of a highly-anticipated stage play which is set to tug at the emotions of Norwich Theatre Royal audiences this autumn.

Alice Howland is a Harvard professor of linguistics who is stubborn, driven and determined, and at the top of her game.

But her incredible success and respect coupled with complete control and satisfaction with her life switches when she is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Cue a story that shows the impact of the condition on both Alice and those around her, and a story which its producer Michael Park had strong emotional reasons for bringing to life. He explained: “It is quite personal to me because my grandmother died of dementia. I actually watched the film of Still Alice first and it really resonated with me as it explored what goes through the family relationships, how they function and how everyone really takes on those changes in their lives.

That story is really important to me and I thought this would work really

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well on stage and I wondered if it had been done before so the journey started there.”

From there, Michael succeeded in initially bringing it to the stage at West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds where it enjoyed a run which was acclaimed by critics and audience-members alike. He believes part of its emotional appeal was its multi-layered approach exploring the impact of the diagnosis on Alice’s loved ones as well as Alice herself. He said: “There is this extra dimension where Alice can’t speak to her family but we get to see what is going on inside her mind and what she is thinking. It gives you a 3D picture and a much deeper understanding of what is going on internally, how she really works through these changes in her life and how difficult it is to vocalise them out to her family and the rest of her outside world. She has many more cognitive thoughts than people realise. It gives a much clearer picture of how her mind is working.”

This is brought to life particularly effectively with the versatile stage and TV actress Sharon Small portraying the character of Alice while another actress plays Herself

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who speaks the words going on in Alice’s mind to give even greater empathy to the character.

It marks a return to the role for Sharon who portrayed the lead part during the West Yorkshire Playhouse run. She has appeared in a host of hit TV shows including The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Mistresses, and Trust Me opposite Jodie Whittaker. She also shared the screen with Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette in the film adaptation of About A Boy, and has many stage credits for the likes of the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and both the Almeida Theatre and Theatre Royal Haymarket in the West End. For Michael, Sharon was the perfect performer to bring the character to life. He explained: “Sharon has this amazing emotional capacity. She plays this very high-functioning professor who knows exactly what she wants at a top university and then there is this sudden change and shift in her life. The emotional journey she goes on in this hour and a half show is quite incredible.

She is just astounding in the role.”

To see the play being performed was also an emotional moment when Michael took his seat in the auditorium for the first time. He admitted: “I did take a big breath and then there was this big release that we had got it on the stage. It was quite an emotional night remembering the journey the piece had taken together with my personal experience.”

What has been particularly heartening is the feedback from people who have seen it. Michael said: “The audience reaction has been quite incredible. The big thing that people took away is that they learned something new about Alzheimer’s. The play really helps you to understand what someone might be experiencing as they go through it. People with dementia came to see it and carers as well as those who knew nothing about it so it is a nice mixture of audiences who have seen it so far.”

But he hopes people in Norwich will come along and share the story of how one condition can have such an impact on so many lives and gain some more knowledge about it. Michael said: “I really believe the show has something for everyone. Although it is a difficult subject, it really helps people understand it at a certain level. It is also a great drama and a great piece to connect with emotionally and you can laugh as well.”

There is a risk that it could be too heavy but there are funny moments in Still Alice too to reflect the day-to-day reality of people who are diagnosed with the condition.

Michael said: “It is a really lovely mix. Alice is prepared to take the mickey out of herself at points. It has this real light-heartedness but this real emotional journey as well.

It goes from highs to lows and is very representative of someone experiencing dementia. It is not just all lows.

There are highs too and some lovely moments with her family too”.

And that has been very much the ethos of his work so far. The mission statement on his website is a pledge to tell great stories that inspire audiences and bring people’s stories and situations to light.

That has certainly been fulfilled with Still Alice.

The play, which comes to Norwich Theatre Royal on October 2-6, also runs for 90 minutes with no interval which helps to increase the emotional impact of the play.

“You get on a train and you don’t reach the station until the end of the show so you just keep on following Alice’s journey,” he said.

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Circle Magazine July 2018

Circle Magazine July 2018

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dreams and desires

in new Rambert work Rambert returns to Norwich on September 27 and 28 with a full-length lavish new production which delves into the world of dreams.

choreography. Speaking to David Jays, he and costume designer Holly Waddington talk about the inspirations behind Life is a Dream.

Life is a Dream tells a story of alienation, vengeance, tenderness and redemption.

Brandstrup describes how his initial inspirations were musical and visual – Lutoslawski’s turbulent music, and images of experimental post-war Polish theatre which “became the filter through which I listened to the music.”

The composer and avant-garde theatremakers like Jerzy Grotowski and Tadeusz Kantor all pursued their craft in the grey depths of the cold war.

Their access to the wider world was severely restricted, so they mined their own creativity.

A prince, locked away from birth because of his father’s nightmares, encounters the world. Then a time leap takes the audience to a run-down rehearsal room where a director drifts off to sleep with images of the day’s rehearsals running through his mind. In his dreams the play is revisited, recast and replayed, and fantastic images of worlds far beyond his room appear.

These are the threads that fed choreographer Kim Brandstrup’s imagination as he began to devise Life is a Dream featuring dramatic, lyrical dancing from Rambert’s brilliant ensemble to imagery from legendary filmmakers the Quay Brothers who create a dream-like experience, and a live orchestra playing the rich music of Witold Lutosławski.

With costumes by theatre and film designer Holly Waddington, the result is a contemporary re-imagining of a classic play by Calderó, a study of desires as recognisable in today’s world as at any time in the past 400 years depicting the longing for authentic experience and the need to dream.

Olivier Award-winning Kim Brandstrup’s previous work for Rambert, Transfigured Night, won the 2016 National Dance Award for best modern

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“These artists in the eastern bloc were imprisoned in many ways,” Brandstrup says, “dreaming about the world beyond, yet they did fabulous things. I’m not promoting artistic suffering but, somehow, something wonderful came out of this.”

nightmares. Here, they’ve designed “a derelict 1959 rehearsal room,” as Brandstrup describes it.

A director rehearses Life is a Dream, working with three parallel casts. In the second half of the producti on he enters the story himself.

Costume designer Holly Waddington became absorbed in both the 1959 setting and the 1635 of Calderón’s play.

“There is a correlation between the two periods,” she explains. “17th-century dress is really peculiar. We made patterns up from the Victoria & Albert Museum, only to realise they were completely unflattering, and not at all complementary to Kim’s movement. We’ve tempered them so that they work for dance and melded them with shapes of the 1950s.”

Waddington also closely observed Rambert’s dancers.

“Dancers are really specific about what they wear in rehearsal. They’ve arrived at very clear decisions and know their physicality, so we’ve tried to harness that.”

Another breakthrough was her discovery that the V&A had begun to x-ray historic costumes to reveal their construction. “You see through intriguing layers of scrim and boning. They’re like ghostly shells, incredibly poetic.” These images chimed with the skeleton-haunted vanitas paintings of the Spanish baroque, and excited all of the collaborators. “This idea of x-raying, excavating the past unlocked something,” says Brandstrup, “about how to deal with the walls of this room – how you could see or get through them, to another time, to the other side.”

Calderon’s tragicomedy, only rarely performed in Britain, is an anguished fairy-tale, a spiritual allegory and a uniquely theatrical metaphor about illusion. How do you convey all that to the dancers, and make it live? “Dancers are not actors,” says Brandstrup, “so you have to draw on who they are and how they move.”

The archive images that snared Brandstrup included some from Grotowksi’s landmark 1965 production of The Constant Prince. Another Calderón play with an imprisoned hero, it famously ended with his death, undercut by joyous laughter, at once anguished and defiant. This led Brandstrup to another Calderón play, Life is a Dream, and to his frequent design collaborators, the Brothers Quay.

He didn’t begin by talking about the play or his ideas (“it sounds so abstract, it’s patronising”). “I feel that everything has to come out of what they do in the room.

That’s where it happens.” And for all his preparation, he says, “the most fabulous thing is when someone misunderstands something and completely surprises you. You long for those happy accidents.”

In the first half of the piece, three different casts repeat and mirror the action – something that Brandstrup says he has longed to do, and that fits the structure of Lutoslawki’s fourth symphony. “We present all this material in different versions so that you can understand it when it happens in the second half.” The floor and costumes too are subtly mirrored. “We worked with metallic mesh,” Waddington says, “slightly translucent. It will be quite subliminal, but we’re striving for this tilted language – everything’s dreamlike.”

A defining garment in rehearsals was a straitjacket – controlling a character whose impulses aren’t trusted.

‘The process was to distil this rather strange story into physical action. Brandstrup explains: “The straitjacket offered a lack of hands to grab and hold the world. Then suddenly the character is released and wants to seize everything, touches too much. And ultimately waits to be touched rather than touching. You try to reduce it to what can happen between two people, then elaborate around that.”

For Brandstrup, the core of the story is the prince’s arduous journey. “There’s something about this man, whose been restrained for so long and dreams about getting everything he always wanted,” he reflects. “He’s full of feeling, he thinks he’s owed the world. Then he gives it up because he can’t have it.” It resonates for Brandstrup on both an artistic and personal level. “You dream about all the things you could have, but getting them is not always necessary. It’s the dreaming, the desiring that is important – getting up every day to make and find something.”

David Jays writes for the Sunday Times and Guardian, and is editor of Dance Gazette. @mrdavidjays

American artists with an eastern-European sensibility, the Quays see the world through a singularly surreal lens. Their films bring inanimate objects to uncanny life; their stage designs edge towards dreams and Circle Magazine July 2018

Circle Magazine July 2018

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Period Piece

part of classical season A stunning composition which honours the patron saint of music makes up part of the forthcoming classical programme at Norwich Theatre Royal.

Chloe Hanslip

And a beautiful version of the Ode To St Cecilia performed using period instruments is just part of a season of exciting concerts coming up in the months ahead.

St Cecilia is first mentioned in a medieval collection of stories of early Christian martyrs who met particularly nasty deaths. Opinion varies about how it happened but, by the fifteenth century, she is adopted as the patron saint of music. The anniversary of her apparent martyrdom (November 22) also acted as the inspiration for composers to hit new heights of creativity.

One of those was Handel whose ode to the patron saint enthralled audiences in 1739 thanks to the mix of stunning soloists and obligato instruments.It is thought to have been one of the compositions he wrote the fastest and is noted for its overture (which Handel is thought to have been particularly proud of) and its instrumental solos..

In keeping with St Cecilia’s anniversary, the piece is being performed at Norwich Theatre Royal on November 25 as close to her martyrdom as possible as part of a programme which will also feature an ode to her by Purcell and Benjamin Britten’s hymn to her which was inspired by a WH Auden poem.

Jennifer Pike

Bringing all three pieces to life will be The King’s Consort which is one of the world’s leading period instrument orchestras.

Founded in 1980 by Robert King, who will conduct the concert, they have toured five continents appearing across Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, the Far East, and North and South America.

For more than three decades, they have presented a wide-ranging repertoire from 14

1550 to the present day which has taken them to a host of concert halls. This includes a number of appearances at the Proms, performances of Bach’s Mass in B Minor, the St Matthew Passion and Mendelssohn’s Elijah across Britain and Europe, and even staging operas at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris and across Britain, Europe and Japan.

It will be also be a great chance for a Theatre Royal audience to enjoy seeing Robert who is one of the leading and most dynamic conductors of his generation.

Born in 1960, he was a chorister with the Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge, and while there he founded The King’s Consort. As well as a busy schedule which has seen him crossing continents, he has made more than 100 recordings for CD and he is particularly known for his interpretation of baroque music.

Before their arrival, there is an autumn appearance for the Russian State Symphony Orchestra on October 7. One of the country’s oldest symphonic ensembles, they made their debut on October 5, 1936, in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and were particularly known for their former iconic leader Evgeny Svetlanov who was the face of the orchestra from the mid-Sixties to 2000. As well as performing worldwide and releasing hundreds of CDs, they have also recently focused on working more with young composers.

Their programme in Norwich will see them showcasing some of the classic works of the Soviet and pre-Soviet era including Tchaikovsky’s intensely moving Swan Lake, Prokofiev’s Symphony No 1, and Shostakovich’s Symphony No 5. Conducted by Valentin Urupin, they will be joined by violin soloist Chloe Hanslip who was named Young British Classical Performer of the Year at the 2003 Classical Brits and has graced many of the world’s top stages including London’s Wigmore Hall, Vienna Musikverein and the Carnegie Hall.

Jennifer Pike. At the age of 12, she shot to prominence as the youngest winner of the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year before making her Proms debut just three years later. Jennifer has worked worldwide with some of the globe’s most respected conductors and is a great lover of all styles of music from baroque to the present day, as well as being an ambassador for young people working with the Prince’s Trust.

Meanwhile the Czech National Symphony Orchestra rounds out its 25th year with a return visit on December 2 for an afternoon concert. Known for its versatility and broad program, Norwich audiences can enjoy a taste of this with a pre-Christmas programme of work which aims to appeal both to those who love classical music and those new to it.

Filippo Gorini

You will able to enjoy the likes of Dvorak’s Carnival Overture, the pomp and excitement of the Thunder and Lightning Polka by Strauss, and the iconic Nimrod by Elgar among a programme which also features pieces by Bruch, Smetana, Tchaikovsky and Debussy.

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The Norwich Players Present

By Kenneth Grahame, adapted by Mike Kenny

Make The Assembly House your sweet Dreamland with a special stay-and-eat offer available throughout the visit of Miss Saigon to Norwich Theatre Royal.

To celebrate musical impresario Cameron Mackintosh’s stunning retelling of the Madame Butterfly story set in the dying days of the Vietnam War, The Assembly House has

Engineered a FABULOUS OFFER of Dinner, Bed & Breakfast for just £195, plus free parking.

Stay in one of our luxury bedrooms (317 has already been prebooked by Chris and Ellen Scott) dine from our special pre-theatre menu, enjoy a glass of Champagne each and after the best night’s sleep in Norwich, have a fantastic breakfast. Available on Monday to Thursday nights, price based on two sharing. Not to be used with any other offer. No third party bookings.

Call 01603 626402 to book, or visit

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The Dial House is an elegant restaurant with 8 magnificent bedrooms.

Open 9am - 9pm daily for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.

We are a 25 minute drive to Norwich and a 25 minute drive to Wells beach.

Complimentary cream tea during your stay when booking directly with us.

3 course dinner for £25 also available when booking with us.

Picnic baskets available and can be booked up until 10pm the night before your adventures.

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Apocalypic Setting For Bard Classic The National Theatre brings Shakespeare’s famous Scottish play Macbeth to the Theatre Royal stage from October 30 to November 3.

Renowned director Rufus Norris has set the Bard’s most intense and terrifying tragedy in a bleak and brutal post-apocalyptic world where, in the ruined aftermath of a bloody civil war, the Macbeths are propelled towards the crown by forces of elemental darkness.

Liz Stevenson, who is associate director for the UK and Ireland tour of Macbeth, says audiences can expect an epic production with a love story at its core.

Can you tell us a little about your role on Macbeth?

I’m the Associate Director on this production of Macbeth. I was the staff director on the original production at the National Theatre, so I have seen it evolve from first day of rehearsal all the way back in January to the end of the performance run in London.

Now we’re in the process of re-imagining the production with the specific venues of the tour in mind which has been a really exciting challenge for the whole creative team.

Why do you think Shakespeare, and Macbeth in particular, has such an enduring appeal with audiences?

What do you think makes this adaptation different from other versions of Macbeth our audience may have seen before?

As with all of Shakespeare’s work, it’s stood the test of time because it explores those universal human truths we can all relate to with a poetry and wit that is still so enjoyable today.

In many ways, the Macbeths have the most successful relationship (at the beginning of the play!) of all the couples across Shakespeare’s canon. Rufus wanted it to be a love story, about two people who are very much in love but we see that bond disintegrate. They’ve lost a child and that loss is still felt, but it has brought them closer together.

Macbeth has been revived a lot this year, and though every director has their own take on it, it’s definitely a reflection on what’s happening in the world that so many versions of this story should emerge at the same time. I think it has something to do with the culture of mistrust we find ourselves in today. No one trusts experts any more, and we’re wary of those in power.

At the start of Macbeth, the Thane of Cawdor has already betrayed the King, and Macbeth goes on to do the same. This society is living in a world where no one knows who to trust and everyone is doing whatever it takes to survive. Our production is set in a bleak and brutal post-apocalyptic world, so that struggle to survive is even more potent.

Have there been any bits of bad luck during your production which might add to the superstitions surrounding ‘The Scottish Play’?

So far (touch wood!) we haven’t had any bad luck. Though with the epic scale of the production and the physical requirements for the actors, it pays to be extra cautious!

Interestingly Lady Macbeth is nearly always perceived as the perpetrator, a puppet-master who manipulates a weak Macbeth into committing his crime. But in our production, the Macbeths are in unison and they both want the same thing. In this harsh world they find themselves in, the Macbeths are desperate and the only true means of security is to be King and Queen. When they receive the news from the witches that Macbeth shall become King, they’re given hope, a future.

Alongside Rufus [Norris, Director of the National Theatre and director of Macbeth] I’ll rehearse the new cast for the touring production and then see it into each venue. Every theatre space is different, so it’s my job to work with the cast and creative team to make sure that the artistic quality of the show is as brilliant for audiences wherever we go.

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Circle Magazine July 2018

Circle Magazine July 2018

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The company itself has been creating shows for almost a quarter of a century winning awards for the quality of its work.

enter cirkopolis

It has taken part in numerous prestigious international festivals as well as taking its work to the West End and Broadway.

The creative teams also aim to cross audience ages and cultures, and so far, its 11 different shows have been performed a total of 4000 times in over 500 cities and have been seen by over three million people.

Jeannot himself started his journey into the creative world of circus while backpacking back in 1984. He left his home in Canada’s Magdalen Islands to go and see the Tall Ships in Quebec City.

While en route, he stopped in Gaspé and saw a Cirque du Soleil show which first enthused him. Later that year he discovered the National Circus School in Montreal and it was a case of love at first sight. While he studied for his diploma, he took up street performing mastering the likes of juggling, unicycling and acrobatic cycling continuing to perform on the pavements even after founding Cirque Éloize.

Think industrial, exciting and with a touch of wry humour, and you have Cirkopolis.

One of the globe’s most exciting entertainment companies is bringing this innovative piece of contemporary circus to Norwich.

Picture a dark industrial landscape where work is represented by the monotony of the nine-to-five. How do you break out of it and find your individuality in the Cirkopolis community?

That is the premise behind an exciting piece of contemporary circus which has been performed

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around the world and is heading to Norwich this autumn.

Running on October 13-14, it will feature a dozen acrobats and performers who will perform amid a backdrop of giant gears and dark portals which all show how individuality can end up crushed.

Using an innovative stage design, original musical score and video projections, it aims to show their battle against the nine-to-five routine as they try to reinvent themselves and challenge the limits of this factory-city.

Audience-members will see

juggling, contortionists and aerial artists in this artfully inventive and imaginative production.

Jeannot Painchaud, its co-director and the creative director of Cirque loize, said: “I have imagined Cirkopolis as a crossroads between imagination and reality, between individuality and community, between limits and possibilities. The show is driven by the poetic impulse of life, the physical prowess of the circus and the humour, at once serious and light-hearted. Entering Cirkopolis is all about letting go and allowing yourself to be borne aloft by hope.”

Circle Magazine July 2018

A major turning point in his life came in 1992 when his artistic cycling act won a bronze medal at a prestigious circus festival in Paris. Just a few months later, he headed home to Canada and founded his company.

During its early years he combined his role as artistic director with being an acrobat, juggler and comedian before deciding to focus purely on his backstage role in 1998.

Despite not being on stage any more, he does still love the adrenalin rush of his heart. “I believe risk is at the core of every good number. If the spectators hold their breath, you have succeeded but the circus is also about poetry, humour, energy and sensitivity,” said Jeannot.

So get ready for all these elements to combine when the production makes its way to Norwich Theatre Royal.

Circle Magazine July 2018

Check out what some of the critics have said

A blend of circus, theatre and dance, Quebec’s Cirque Éloize transform classic film Metropolis into a virtuosic spectacle for the whole family. As artists rebel, their grey cityscape is replaced by absurd humour, beautiful poetry and bursts of brilliant colour, in a world where fantasy defies reality.

(Fringe Review, Edinburgh) What makes Cirque Éloize's productions distinctive is the way in which circus acts are integrated into a themed narrative. As the title of the show suggests, this current production draws inspiration from Fritz Lang's classic movie Metropolis, but also from Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times and perhaps even The Office as well. Escape from the deadening routine of life in a great industrial city is the show's theme and Cirkopolis provides the perfect means of escape for both cast and audience as well.

(Stuff, New Zealand) If one were to cross the greyness of Kafka with the artistry of nouveau cirque—a style, pioneered by Cirque du Soleil, that combines acrobatics, contortionism, dance, and mime—this show might be the offspring. The Canadian company’s tongue-in-cheek allegory of modern life is mainly a frame for a series of impressive feats: juggling, trapeze, and all manner of tricks performed in a giant wheel.

And it’s appropriate for kids.

(The New Yorker, America)

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Ashley’s back in awful auntie

Expect frights, fights and friendship on the Norwich Theatre Royal stage this winter as David Walliams book Awful Auntie takes to the stage. Packed with laughs and entertainment for all the family, it promises to put a smile on the face of all the audience. One of the stars is Ashley Cousins, who came to Norwich as part of the cast of another David Walliams favourite Gangsta Granny, and talks more about what is in store.

Where were you born?

I was born in Gravesend in Gravesend hospital, which no longer exists!

Where do you live now?

I live in a little village called Hartley, which is near Dartford and Gravesend in the Kent countryside

When did you first realise you wanted to become an actor?

After I did Billy Elliot in town. Up until then it had been a hobby. After I did that show, I decided this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Were your parents supportive?

Very supportive. They always have been and wanted me to do whatever made me happy. When I was a child, they always ferried me off to rehearsals and auditions. I have a very big supportive family for which I am very grateful.

What was your big break?

I suppose that will be Billy Elliot. It was a long time, as I did it for three and a half years. I was 12 when I started and I was just turning 16 when I left. There were three of us in the role and I did three performances a week. It was a nice schedule.

Tell me about your character in it.

Soot is a little cockney chimney sweep’s ghost. He was sent to Saxby Hall to sweep the chimney and had a rather unfortunate experience which made him a ghost.

Despite that, he makes a lovely friendship with Stella, the heroine of the story, and together they manage to conquer the evils of awful Aunt Alberta.

What kind of audience would enjoy this play?

I think the beauty of the play is that there is lots to enjoy for children and adults; it’s a real family show, just like Gangsta Granny. David Walliams creates stories that touch people across the generations and the social barriers, and appeal to everyone.

What next for you after this?

This is occupying my life for the rest of the year.

There may be things in the pipeline but who knows?!

Anything you'd like to add?

Everyone should come and see this fun show!

BARSHAM BARNS

What drew you to this play?

My association with Gangsta Granny, which was the previous David Walliams show from the Birmingham Stage Company. When I was in that show, I was aware Neal Foster (adaptor / director of both shows) was adapting the Awful Auntie book. Jackie, the set designer, said there was a good part in there for me. I asked Neal but he wasn’t sure. I did a read-through and Neal then offered me the role.

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COMEDY

Norwich Playhouse This autumn, Norwich Playhouse presents a packed programme of drama, comedy, music, magic, and brilliant children’s shows.

Our new season opens with the moving and heartrending production Private Peaceful (Tue 18 – Fri 21 Sep) from the writer of War Horse, and another literary adaptation with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic transformed for the stage in Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four (Mon 8 – Wed 10 Oct).

Private Peaceful

JUDY & LIZA

© Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler 2004

ADAPTED FROM JULIA DONALDSON AND AXEL SCHEFFLER’S AWARD-WINNING PICTURE BOOK

LIVE ON STAG E

Also adapted from much-loved fiction are our children’s shows, with the gorgeous Guess How Much I Love You (Sat 27 & Sun 28 Oct), and Julia Donaldson’s The Gruffalo’s Child (Mon 15 – Sun 21 Oct) followed by The Snail and the Whale (Fri 23 Nov – Sun 2 Dec), all of which promise to delight the little ones (and their grown-ups) with music, magic, and magnificent storytelling!

We’re paying homage to the classics with Spike Milligan’s radio comedy The Goon Show (Wed 17 Oct) and a tribute to Morecambe and Wise with An Evening of Eric & Ern (Fri 9 Nov).

Thanks to Norwich Science Festival, we’re discovering and learning with Professor Alice Roberts (Thu 25 Oct)—who you might have spotted on Channel 4 talking about Tudor Norwich - Benedict Allen (Fri 19 Oct), the famous explorer who famously disappeared into Papua New Guinea last year, and stand-up comedy

Dylan Moran (Mon 3 – Thu 6 Sep extra date added!)

philosopher Rob Newman (Thu 18 Oct).

Mother and daughter team Esther Rantzen & Rebecca Wilcox (Sat 20 Oct) will be sharing personal stories in a rare chance to discover the life and history of a national treasure. Ruby Wax (Fri 7 & Sat 8 Dec) is joined by a monk and a neuroscientist to explore what it means to be human with scientific humour.

As always, we’re bringing marvellous music to the Playhouse. The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars (Fri 2 Nov) return for a new evening dedicated to The Great American Songbook. The Simon & Garfunkel Story (Wed 7 Nov) is back for the second time this year with a full live band and all the hits we love so much.

Nightclubbing (23 Oct) brings something a little bit different with a musical theatre tribute to Grace Jones and Afrofuturism.

Joining us with her new show ‘Where Are We Now?’ Camille O’Sullivan (Sun 18 & Mon 19 Nov) promises an unforgettable evening of beauty, darkness and love.

Marcus Brigstocke (Tue 11 – Thur 13 Sep) Mark Watson (Thu 27 – Sat 29 Sep) Seann Walsh (Sat 13 & Sun 14 Oct) Jamie Raven An Evening of Eric & Ern

David O’Doherty (Tue 20 & Wed 21 Nov ) Stewart Francis (Mon 29 Oct) Phil Nichol (Fri 23 Nov)

If you like to be amazed and bamboozled, you’re in luck! Some of the best contemporary magicians around visit the Playhouse this autumn, including stage mentalist Colin Cloud (Fri 21 Sep), illusionist Jamie Raven (Mon 1 & Tue 2 Oct) and comedy magician Pete Firman (Sat 3 Nov).

Paul Foot (Sat 24 Nov) Jeremy Hardy (Tue 27 & Wed 28 Nov) Hal Cruttenden (Fri 30 Nov) Flo & Joan (Sat 1 Dec) Bridget Christie (Mon 3 & Tues 4 Dec)

Nightclubbing

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SWINGING AT THE COTTON CLUB

Ruby Wax

Circle Magazine July 2018

Circle Magazine July 2018

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SUPPORTERS ARE CENTRAL TO OUR WORK You can play your part in ensuring culture and our work are available to wider audiences and future generations.

We have 4 schemes for you to join at different levels: ambassador £120 per annum (£10 per month)

front row £2 40 per annum (£20 per month) angels from £480 per annum (£40 per month) mavericks from £1000 per annum (£83 per month)

Exploring our programme Our Supporters are invited to different events and have opportunities to get closer to our work. Each of our schemes has unique opportunities to gain insights and understanding into our programmes with some having closer access to our artistic programme, creative team and exclusive events.

If you would like to discuss different options please contact: Jess Cook 01603 598525 j.cook@theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk or see our website

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FRIENDS EVENTS Richard Alston Dance Company One Day Workshop Thursday 13th September 2018 10am-4pm £40

Please join us for a day with professional dancer Hannah Kidd (ex-Richard Alston Dance Company) to discover more behind the movement of Richard Alston. The day will compromise of a class to warm up in the style of Alston, learning sections of his work and creating original movement using his repertoire as stimuli. There will be a focus on the music he uses which plays a large part in his choreography. Some dance experience would be helpful but not necessary.

Rambert On Stage Friday 28th September 2018 9-10.30am £25 Join one of Rambert’s company dancers for a special chance to take part in a workshop on stage at Theatre Royal Norwich. After a gentle contemporary dance warm-up, participants will learn steps from Rambert's Life is a Dream by Kim Brandstrup.

The session will be suitable for complete beginners, and also those who have some dance experience.

Glyndebourne Pre-Performance Talks Tuesday 13th November (La traviata) 6.15-6.45pm Wednesday 14th November (Cendrillon) 6.15-6.45pm Free but booking essential Join Glyndebourne for a talk about the current touring productions and the company.

Glyndebourne’s La traviata- Behind the Curtain Thursday 15th November 7.15pm £10-£21 Discounts available

COMPETITION 79

In October, we welcome Still Alice, a new adaptation of the award-wining novel, to the Theatre Royal. The play features Sharon Small as Alice Howland, the Harvard professor whose life is changed forever at age 50 by a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s. But in which area of study is Alice a professor?

A Medicine B Economics C Linguistics

TALKING TO

What makes Verdi’s La traviata one of the most popular and powerful operas of all time?

Discover the answer as Glyndebourne invites you behind the scenes of this heart-breaking musical love-story in La traviata: Behind the Curtain.

Glyndebourne returns with a new operatic event that will explore just some of the secrets of this uniquely rich art-form. Watch as La traviata is taken apart and put back together again, and see just how Verdi turns the screw on this emotionally-charged story in his memorable, tune-filled music.

Whether you are an opera regular or completely new to the art-form, La traviata: Behind the Curtain promises to enrich your experience, bringing you closer than ever to this extraordinary piece.

Richard Alston Dance Company Residency Thursday 21st & Wednesday 22nd February 2019 £60 Join us for a two day residency with a professional dancer from the Richard Alston Dance Company. The residency will be workshop-based focusing on developing an understanding of Alston’s technique, learning sections of Richard Alston’s repertoire and creating original movement yourselves. Experience of dance would be useful but not essential.

This includes a ticket for the show on the 22nd February.

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Circle Magazine March 2018

Friday 25th May 2018.

Circle 77 competition winner: Congratulations to Mrs Filby from Felbrigg whose correct answer of ‘Beret’ was picked from the hat.

What did you do before you started working here? / Were you interested in theatre before working here?

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Northern Ballet Limelighters Dance Workshop Thursday 22nd November 2018, 9.15-10.45am £25 This dance workshop inspired by Northern Ballet’s The Nutcracker is fully accessible to all, regardless of previous experience. Whether you have danced all your life or simply want to try something new, the gentle exercises and chance to learn some steps from the production are a great introduction to Northern Ballet. There will be a warm up focusing on basic ballet steps and then participants will have the opportunity to explore and learn movement from The Nutcracker on all on the Norwich Theatre Royal stage

Czech National Symphony Orchestra Pre-Performance Talk Sunday 2nd December 2018 2pm Free but booking essential Join Jon James for a pre-performance talk on the Czech National Symphony Orchestra’s concert featuring works by Dvorak, Straus, Elgar and Tchaikovsky

Circle 78 competition winner: Congratulations to Mr Aelberry from Downham Market whose correct answer of ‘Shere Khan’ was picked from the hat.

I graduated from UEA last year and then worked at a theatre company in Ipswich. My first ever experience of work was actually at a theatre too – I just keep being drawn back to theatres!

Northern Ballet Pre-Performance Talk Wednesday 21st November 2018, 6.30-7pm Free but booking essential Join Northern Ballet for a talk about the current production and the company. The pre-show talk will be led by a member of the company’s Learning Team.

Northern Ballet Revealed Thursday 22nd November 2018, 11.15am – 12.45pm £5 Northern Ballet Revealed offers a unique insight into the life of a touring ballet company, revealing some of the best kept secrets behind Northern Ballet’s productions in the form of a talk from a member of their Learning team. Attendees will also have the opportunity to observe professional dancers taking their daily training class on stage.

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 79, Friends Department, Norwich Theatre Royal, Theatre Street, Norwich, NR2 1RL by Friday 28th September 2018.

Name: Rachael Putland Job Title: ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT

Describe your role at the theatre.

I help the Executive team and the wider theatre with their day-to-day admin. If you send in a charity raffle request it will be me who processes it, and I get some retail therapy in through ordering the office stationery.

Circle Magazine July 2018

I really love being a part of a place which helps to bring joy to so many people. The buzz of the theatre is electric and it’s fun to hear the music and noise from backstage when each new cast arrives.

Describe your first theatrical experience.

When I was young I took part in a yearly amateur dance performance at my local theatre. I really enjoyed it, although I recently watched the recordings and I spend the whole time glaring at the audience. I also once got the honour of playing the triangle in the school nativity.

What’s the most memorable production you’ve seen at the Theatre Royal?

Rambert’s Ghost Dances was the first production I saw here – I’d never seen a professional dance production before and the skill and beauty of it was incredible.

What show or act would you most like to see come to the theatre?

Probably a common one but I’d love to see Wicked again. I went to see it as a teenager on a school trip and was absolutely mesmerised. I’ve also heard great things about Mary Poppins when it toured, so it would be lovely if that came back.

What would you wish for the future of the Theatre Royal?

That it goes from strength to strength as a leading and accessible regional theatre, continuing to bring in diverse and talented productions and creating amazing opportunities for Norfolk and East Anglia. The development of Stage Two’s new training and art courses is really exciting, as it is such a vital and wonderful creative hub for the community.

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Learning and Participation As part of the work being delivered by the Learning and Participation team, there is an exciting expansion of our daytime workshops and events at Norwich Theatre Royal and Stage Two. Theatre Café started in May this year and is an informal monthly discussion group for adults to explore issues in theatre, inspired by one of the shows on our three stages during that month. We have talked about a broad range of topics such as this history of circus and weaving a narrative from a select discography.

Each month we are joined by a guest speaker to open the discussion and share their thoughts and experience.

Theatre Café takes place on the first Friday of every month (taking a break during August) 10.30am – 11.30am in Kemps Restaurant. To find out details of all of the discussion topics this year go to ntr.org.uk/TheatreCafe Our new Community Choir launched in June. Singing is good for the body and soul - improving health and wellbeing whilst sharing an activity with other like-minded people. A wide range of songs will be explored from pop, rock, the musicals to world music, all interspersed with warm up exercises and chants.

Most importantly our choir sing for fun; both for ourselves and our audiences!

No previous experience is necessary and we’ll make you feel most welcome in our range of abilities, voices and ages.

There are free taster workshops on 30 August, 6 and 13 September, 1pm – 2.30pm at Stage Two for anyone who wants to take part and see if it’s for them.

The twelve week term will start on the 20 September, 1pm – 2.30pm and is £40. This is suitable for anyone over the age of 26.

Sam Patel, community participation manager, said: “We’re really excited to be able to offer new daytime workshops and events, and we look forward to welcoming people who can’t always access our programme during the evenings.”

Our over 50s Limelighters programme is going from strength to strength and Silver Stage is now embedded into our Learning and Participation programme.

We have such a vibrant and energetic group of individuals who explore the skills and techniques of the performer over ten weeks, whilst most importantly, having fun in a safe and supportive

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environment.

Our next Silver Stage programme starts on 19 September. Silver Stage Company is the newest addition to the Limelighters programme and exclusive to those over 50 years of age. The company will devise new work and further their drama and performance technique, whilst working towards small scale productions. Playful and experimental, the Company will be led by the participants with the support and guidance of an experienced practitioner.

The Silver Stage Company is an exciting next step for people wanting to create new work. Members of the Silver Stage Company should have attended at least two terms of Silver Stage. The ten week term will begin on 19 September, 1pm – 3pm. Visit our website for more details.

Our Limelighters Dance programme sees some wonderful workshops taking place this Autumn. An on stage workshop inspired by Northern Ballet’s The Nutcracker is fully accessible to all, regardless of previous experience.

Whether you have danced all your life or simply want to try something new, the gentle exercises and chance to learn some steps from the production are a great introduction to Northern Ballet.

This takes place on 22 November, 9.15 – 10.45am.

Richard Alston Dance Company practitioners return for a one off workshop on 13 September, learning sections of his work and creating original movement using his repertoire as stimuli. There is also a two day residency on 21-22 February, with an in depth exploration of Richard Alston’s technique and creation of your own work. The residency includes a ticket to see the show on 21 February. All details are on our website.

Limelighters Drama continues each month offering a creative and enlightening chance for anyone over 50 to engage in one-off monthly drama sessions, inspired by productions on the Theatre Royal stage. These workshops are fun and supportive, whilst exploring the skills and techniques of the performer. No experience necessary, just a curiosity about performance.

Workshops are held on the third Thursday of the month, 10am – 12noon, with the exception of 13 December. All dates and themes for the workshops are on our website.

Circle Magazine July 2018

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Telephone 01692 558648 www.wayfordbridge.co.uk info@wayfordbridge.co.uk

01362 705024

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