March 2017 | Showbiz 75
Brochure Booking Dates Tuesday 28th March – Corporate Club Members and Gold Friends (From 9.30am) Wednesday 29th March – Friends Online, Postal and Fax (From 9.30am) Wednesday 5th April – Friends In Person and by Phone (From 9.30am) Wednesday 12th April – Public Online, Postal and Fax (From 9.30am) Wed 19th April – Public In Person and by Phone (From 9.30am)
Welcome to the March edition of ShowBiz, your Corporate Club e-magazine. This is a bumper edition, packed with exciting news and insights behind the latest shows as well as news about our Transform programme and including Stephen Crocker’s first ShowBiz welcome message. We would also like to welcome two new Corporate Club Members, Hugh J Boswell and NW Brown Group who both joined the Club in January. We hope you will get to meet them at future events.
The first show I have to mention (and I know many of you are waiting with bated breath to hear about this!!) is The Band – the new musical featuring the music of Take That, with the winners from the BBC show, Let it Shine. This new musical will be with us in February 2018 but please note booking dates are different for this show. For Friends &
Corporate Club - booking in person and by phone opens from 9.30am Sat 1st April 2017. At the other end of the scale, I am personally very excited to discover that the National Theatre’s Hedda Gabler will be with us in November. Following a sold-out run at the National Theatre, this modern production of Ibsen’s masterpiece is directed by Olivier and Tony Award®-winning director Ivo van Hove, making his National Theatre debut with this acclaimed new production.
Welcome to ShowBiz... Among the other shows on offer this season is Blood Brothers (19th – 23rd Sept). Written by Willy Russell, the legendary musical tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks. Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as the multi-award winning Blood Brothers. Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone. Hollywood legends, Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal will spend a week in Norwich in October when Love Letters comes to the theatre. Hot on the heels of its critically-acclaimed Broadway run and sell out US Tour, this enduring romance, written by celebrated playwright A.R. Gurney, is about first loves and second chances. And October also sees the start of our new series of International Concerts where some of the world’s finest orchestras, conductors and soloists perform a rich programme of classics, concertos and orchestral masterpieces. An opportunity to see some of the world’s greats right on your doorstep – definitely not to be missed! These are just a few of the highlights of this brochure but rest assured you will also find the usual mix of dance, opera, comedy and drama within its pages. If you would like a further insight into the shows please join us for our exclusive Inside Story event on Tuesday 28th March 2017 where Mark Hazell, Marketing Director, illuminates the content of our new brochure. Starting at 12.30pm it is free to attend and provides a fascinating introduction to the new shows on offer. For more information or to book your place please email me: n.rice@theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk Booking for all the new shows (apart from The Band) opens for Corporate Club Members at 9.30am on Tuesday 28th March 2017 and your dedicated booking number is 01603 598696. We look forward to welcoming you to Norwich Theatre Royal again soon!
Stephen's Introduction
Stephen Crocker - Norwich Theatre Royal I am delighted to at last be with you here in Norwich. Since my appointment was announced last Summer I have been looking forward to making this beautiful city my home and to joining the fantastic team at Theatre Royal. My first proper day at Theatre Royal was January 4th and now we are full steam ahead with some exciting plans for the future. As I begin my time here, I cannot stress enough how much I am indebted to my predecessor, Peter Wilson, for passing on the reins of a theatre that has such a high quality and wide-ranging programme with incredibly loyal and dedicated audiences. Thank you, Peter! Peter’s passion, not only for Theatre Royal, but also for both Norwich and Norfolk, saw the creation of some fantastic partnerships, including our management of Norwich Playhouse, and a number of bold and ambitious new projects, such as Stage Two. Peter’s 25 years as Chief Executive saw an incredible period of growth and development and I am thrilled to have now grasped that baton and to be leading our continued growth and development over the coming years. We have already begun some exciting work on refreshing and re-articulating our vision for Learning & Participation now that we have the incredible benefit of Stage Two, a facility that I think is unparalleled in the UK and should be the envy of any regional theatre. Our Trustees and I are determined that this building should have a profound impact for people of all ages across Norwich and Norfolk by providing educational support, access to opportunities to develop skills and by engaging the broadest range of people from across our communities. I am particularly pleased that my first season will see our first ever Dementia-friendly performance, affirming our ongoing commitment to breaking down barriers to engagement with our programme.
Stephen's Introduction... I have also been delighted over recent weeks to meet a large number of our artistic partners who consistently tell me how much they value and enjoy their visits to Norwich and the wonderful reception they receive from Norfolk audiences. This is fantastic to hear and I am also very excited by the new artists and companies that we are exploring coming to Norwich over the coming years. I hope that you will all be pleased to see that we have already introduced a new International Classical Concert series for 2017/18 which we hope will bring a new dimension to our programme and be an exciting new addition to the city’s cultural life. What is very clear to me is that we could not sustain any of our work or our ambitions for the future without the support of our loyal audiences and our dedicated supporters, including our fantastic partnerships with the business community across Norwich, Norfolk and beyond. I thank you all for helping to make Theatre Royal the fantastically vibrant and thriving theatre it is today and look forward to meeting many of you as we journey forward together.
Stephen Crocker Chief Executive
Beautiful - Carole King She was an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent. From her teenage years to today, Carole King is a true musical legend with a gift for creating many timeless classics. Her life and music is set to be celebrated in Beautiful, which is on its way to Norwich Theatre Royal from 3 – 7 October. And Beautiful aims to chart her story from schoolgirl to superstar telling of her struggle to success in both her personal and professional life which saw her rubbing shoulders with a host of big names. Brooklyn schoolgirl Carol Klein certainly had the drive to succeed and was determined to make it in the showbiz world. Undeterred by setbacks and with a fierce determination, she sold her first song at the age of 16 to pop impresario and hit-maker Don Kirshner.
Photo:Birgit & Ralf Brinkhoff
Just a year later, she got her first number one single with the track Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow which was penned for The Shirelles and marked the start of her creative partnership with then-husband Gerry Goffin. From there, this hugely prolific writing partnership was responsible for big hits written in a host of styles and for a range of performers including Take Good Care Of My Baby by Bobby Vee, Little Eva’s Locomotion, Up On The Roof by The Drifters, and I’m Into Something Good by Herman’s Hermits. In the early Sixties, she also made her solo debut with the song Baby Sittin’ and just two years later the track It Might As Well Rain Until September got to number three in the UK charts and also made the Top 25 across the Atlantic. The late Sixties also saw one of her most famous songs become a global hit when she wrote Natural Woman for the legendary soul star Aretha Franklin.
Beautiful - Carole King... It was the early Seventies which saw Carole truly become an international star thanks to her album Tapestry, which sold 25 million copies around the globe gaining four Grammy Awards. James Taylor also recorded yet another of her songs with You’ve Got A Friend becoming a huge Number One hit. Decades later, she is still winning accolades for the richness of her melodies and the power of her lyrics. These include Tapestry going into the Grammy Hall of Fame, Carole gaining a place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and a place alongside Gerry Goffin in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Carole also made history by becoming the first woman to be presented with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song which was awarded by then-US President Barack Obama at a glittering White House gala. And it was back on January 12, 2014, that Beautiful opened on Broadway. Audiences were drawn in by her life story which was mixed with her incredible back catalogue. The awards also flooded in for the stage show, netting two Tony Awards and a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album. The following year, it opened in the West End where it won two Olivier Awards and has a guaranteed run in London’s theatre-land until July this year. And Carole gives credit for much of her inspiration and support to her husband Gerry who she met when they were both teenagers at Queens College. Although he has now passed away, she said: “He did get to see the show’s opening night in New York and he was really happy. He really loved the show.” A fitting tribute from the man who was the rock behind a singer-songwriter who richly deserves the title legend and whose songs live on in Beautiful.
NW Brown Welcome to NW Brown
NW Brown is the latest addition to the theatre’s Corporate Club. The wealth management and employee-benefits business, which has clients across East Anglia and beyond, offers bespoke advice and management to individuals, companies and charities.
Oliver Phillips, Chief Operating Officer
“I’m delighted that we have joined the Corporate Club here at the Theatre Royal,” said Oliver Phillips, Chief Operating Officer. “As in a play, our lives are made up of a number of acts, each of us with our own path and diverse needs. We recognise that each client we look after is different, so we take the time to understand every individual, and tailor our services accordingly."
“We look to build long-term, close working relationships with our clients, supporting them in every aspect of their financial lives”. Regarded as one of the region’s leading financial services groups, NW Brown began life in Cambridge in 1974 and has had an office in Norwich since 2009. The group provides a comprehensive range of services, from managing investment portfolios within SIPPs and ISAs to implementing employee-benefits programmes and advising on the right pension or broader retirement plan. For more information please contact NW Brown: t: 01603 692777 e: info@nwbrown.co.uk w: www.nwbrown.co.uk
NW Brown & Company Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (191123)
ROMEO AND JULIET/TWELFTH NIGHT Shakespeare is not just doublet and hose. The power of the Bard’s words and two of his best-known plays are being transformed into exciting new productions by one of the UK’s most exciting theatre companies. The influence of indie music and the style of the Twenties will inspire these new versions of Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night in what are sure to be must-see stage productions.
Photo: Philip Tull
The creativity and flair of the Watermill Theatre is not something new to Norwich Theatre Royal audiences. It has long had a reputation for taking innovative productions around the country and was the home of the much-missed, all-male Shakespeare company Propeller which delighted city theatregoers on its frequent visits. The power of the Bard’s work and re-imagining it in a radical way is not disappearing from the theatre’s programme as the Watermill Theatre itself is doing something similar with two of Shakespeare’s bestknown works. Its interpretations of Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night are aiming to match the power of the Bard’s writing with some very compelling settings when they are performed on June 6-10.
Romeo & Juliet... The tale of those star crossed lovers who find their soulmates against a background of their feuding families is first to take to the stage. Romeo and Juliet will be translated to a modern setting and will feature music by a host of top indie bands including Mumford and Sons, The Vaccines, The Civil Wars and Hozier. And the setting of the play is going to be pretty radical, as the Watermill’s Artistic Director Paul Hart (former Artistic Associate with Propeller) explains. He said: “We have gone for a bold concept by reimagining Verona in a modern bar owned by the Capulets. It is full of music, youth and energy. This later transforms into the Capulet tomb with the main idea being that we are in the place where the characters feel most alive when they're closest to death.” That youthful vibe to the piece is also echoed with its musical soundtrack, which will be played live on stage by the cast. Paul believes this is also a key part of the production’s ambience and look. He explained: “I wanted songs that would mean something to the audience and like every element of this production, it uses a contemporary sensibility. When these plays were first performed, everything would have felt as though it was extracted from the modern world and I wanted to do the same. “This feels crucial with this play which is essentially about youth. The high poetry of these great songs also meets Shakespeare's language head on, which I hope will create a scintillating effect.” For Paul’s other production – Twelfth Night - he has opted for a retro feel but keeping it very stylish. The play is re-imagined in a 1920s setting against a background of shortages, including Prohibition, and everyone still recovering from the outbreak of the First World War. Music also plays a key part with the distinctive sound and strong spirit of the likes of Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong featured in the show. And with the production being set in a jazz club, it gives a contrast to Romeo and Juliet. Paul said: “I thought it would be the perfect setting given the play’s obsession with music, love and excess. I wanted it to be a beautiful and seductive place after the harsh, metallic world of Romeo and Juliet. This setting feels hugely complementary.”
Romeo & Juliet... The production also explores how seismic historical shifts have a long-term effect. “We are at a point when an entire generation has been wiped out and new rules are surfacing. People wanted to celebrate life at a time when older values were being undermined. That is why the soundtrack will be Twentiesinfluenced but with a modern twist, playing on the idea of Illyria as a timeless piece. Again, you will recognise a lot of the music which will be played by our multi-talented company,” said Paul.
Photo: Philip Tull
With these very different settings and soundtracks, is there a danger the passion and power of Shakespeare’s work may be glossed over? Absolutely not, according to Paul. “For me it's all there in the text. We sit back and listen to the plays and treat them with the same respect as a piece of new writing. But without being reverential, Shakespeare had a radical spirit and I feel it's our job to match this and push ourselves as a company out of our comfort zone. With passion, dedication and rich imagination working with the Bard’s timeless words, it does sound as though the Watermill Theatre is set to follow Twelfth Night’s Malvolio by having ‘greatness thrust upon them’ thanks to these stunning productions. The productions are part of Hatch Brenner’s Drama Venue Sponsorship series.
Hugh J Boswell
Hugh J Boswell is an independent insurance broker with over 110 years’ experience There have been a number of changes over the past few years including a Management Buy Out and being awarded Chartered Insurance Broker status, but one thing that has remained a constant factor is our core values which were chosen by our staff and underpin everything we do. We specialise in sectors such as Leisure & Tourism, Education and Aftermarket as well as being a generalist Corporate broker. Over time we have gained the skills and ability to service a wide range of businesses and trades, as well as develop innovative products solutions for the aforementioned sectors. As a community broker we believe in giving back to the society that helps our business grow. We support a number of charities and have raised over £50,000 from various activities for charities such as The Benjamin Foundation Sleep Out, The Coastal Walk, Norwich Run and many more. We are also proud members of both the Norfolk and Suffolk Chambers of Commerce. Being an active part of the local community is invaluable to us and for this reason we are happy to support Norwich Theatre Royal and our employees' interests by becoming Corporate Members If you would like to discuss your current insurance programme please contact us on 01603 626155. To discover more about Hugh J Boswell please visit www.hughjboswell.co.uk.
Transform at Norwich Theatre Royal “Friends, Romans and Corporate Club members lend me your ears…..” Transform, the exciting new CPD course for businesses, will soon complete its first academic year and recruitment is now open for new applicants.
Transform, the unique arts-orientated course, uses the facilities and space within our recently-opened Stage Two education and skills centre and has specifically been developed for businesses. Harnessing the arts as inspiration, it aims to develop three key areas: communication, leadership, and creativity and innovation, allowing the acquired skills to be applied to any business. The Transform programme encompasses modules provided by high-quality external education providers Olivier Mythodrama, the National Theatre and the Ideas Centre. Already boasting a prestigious participant list, including Barclays, Adnams, Howes Percival and Kettle Foods, we have now started the enrolment process for the 2017-18 academic year. Delivery Partner Biography Our high-quality delivery partners form the basis of an outstanding continued professional development offer. Olivier Mythodrama was developed in 1997 by Richard Olivier, the son of classic thespian Laurence Olivier. Their classes use Shakespearian stories and mythology as case-studies to improve participant’s abilities to persuade and communicate: the essential qualities of leadership. The day-long workshops define what it means to be a successful leader by exploring the themes of inspiration, wisdom and behaving with integrity. In addition to Norwich Theatre Royal, Olivier Mythodrama’s other clients include Harrods, Ebay and Oxford University.
Transform... The National Theatre’s TheatreWorks programme also provides day-long workshops, which are led by reputable actors and directors. Workshop leaders apply tried and tested techniques designed for the rehearsal room. These challenge participants of any level to leave the comfort zone of their workplace behind and 'dig deep' to improve their presence, confidence and negotiation skills. TheatreWorks’ other clients include HSBC, Boots and Marks and Spencer. The Ideas Centre Ltd provides organisations of all sectors with a mechanism to unleash the potential that is otherwise locked away within individuals and cultures. We all get locked within the backwardlooking confines of conventional and traditional thinking, and the forward looking organisations of the future will install mechanisms to achieve breakthrough thinking, which will then drive the innovation process. Their clients include Unilever, Abellio and the Academy for Chief Executives. Your Business and Transform If you’d like to find out more about Transform, please contact Paula Sanchez, Development Director, on p.sanchez@theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk, or call (01603) 598558
Quotes from Transform participants
“Superb workshop. Certainly inspired me to think differently about leadership qualities and how to implement them.”
“An exciting, thought-provoking and hugely enjoyable day. I feel cultured and learned!”
“It has given me a new perspective on leadership which I can incorporate into my own work”
Funny Girl
With some of the most well-known songs in musical theatre, it’s the role which brought global fame to Barbra Streisand and was re-invented for a new generation by Sheridan Smith. Now stepping into Fanny Brice’s shoes when the UK tour of the record-breaking West End show Funny Girl reaches Norwich in late June will be Natasha J Barnes. Natasha was understudy to Sheridan in the West End last year when in a fairy-tale moment she had to step in for the leading lady, winning her critical acclaim (The Telegraph called her “a sensation in her own right”) and leading to the plum role of Cinderella in the London Palladium’s first pantomime in nearly three decades. For the UK tour of Funny Girl, Natasha teams up once again with recording artist Darius Campbell who reprises his West End role of professional gambler Nick Arnstein. The show boasts some of the most memorable songs in film and theatre history, including People and Don’t Rain On My Parade. A warm-hearted and very funny musical, it tells the story of American comedienne Fanny Brice, whose vocal talents and comedic ability see her rise from Brooklyn music hall singer to big time Broadway star under the tutelage of an adoring mentor Eddie Ryan (Joshua Lay) and suave impresario Florenz Ziegfeld (Nigel Barber).
Funny Girl... Here she answers a few questions for Showbiz: How long have you been acting and singing – did you start as a child and who inspired you? I grew up on Disney films and old musical movies. My favourites were Funny Girl and Calamity Jane so I always had an ear for the older sounds. I started at five in a local drama club on a Thursday night. Were you familiar with the story of Funny Girl, the musical and the 1968 film, prior to being cast and what do you like about the character of Fanny Brice? I never ever thought I would play Fanny Brice. I'm a short blonde girl from the English countryside and she is a hard-nosed Brooklyn Jew... I suppose the fact that in her bones she sticks out from the crowd and I never felt like I fitted in at school, we do have certain things in common! What is it like to sing those famous Barbra Streisand numbers and have there been any particular challenges? The challenge was stripping away the memory of all the different versions she had created through her music career. It was about going back to the way the music was originally written.
Funny Girl - Photos: Johan Persson
Funny Girl... How did you feel as the understudy when you stepped in for Sheridan Smith in the role last March? It was a wonderful feeling. I wasn't finished exploring the part even after I did over a hundred shows in the West End; to play her in my own right is something I'm very grateful for. Do you enjoy working alongside Darius and has he given you any tips on the pros and cons of being in the spotlight? The spotlight is different for everybody. I'm enjoying exploring it for myself but it really is just a side effect of the work I do. I'm only interested in the spotlights that shine onto the stage when I'm performing as someone else really. I'm so glad to be working with Darius again because we already have a connection on stage; it makes it easier to get back into the world of Fanny and Nick. Have you toured before and what are you looking forward to about visiting other parts of the UK? I have never toured before! I am really looking forward to living out of a suitcase for a while! Have you been to Norwich and do you have any links to the region? I have never been to Norwich but I'm really excited to explore a little of it while I am there. Did you enjoy being in panto at the Palladium – and what was it like to work alongside such an eclectic cast with Julian Clary, Paul O’Grady, Nigel Havers and Amanda Holden? Do you have a funny panto story to tell? I loved it! It was the first proper panto I have ever done and to be part of the first pantomime at the Palladium in 30 years was incredible, especially alongside such variety veterans. The dresses are huge in the show for when Cinderella goes to the ball - I managed to complete the run with only one fall .... which was onto my back and the ball gown fell up around my head and I was at the front of the stage unable to get up alone. 2,000 audience members probably won't forget that in a hurry!
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