Sep to Dec 2016 Box office: 0333 666 3366
Welcome to The RONDO – Autumn 2016
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Bookings… The Rondo has teamed up with the lovely people from Ticket Source to provide a modern booking facility that’s more convenient for audiences. You can book directly online via www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre. Ticket Source gives you a variety of options to receive your tickets: an ‘e-ticket’ to print at home, mobile tickets sent to your smartphone or a physical ticket option so you can have the tickets posted to you. You can still book your tickets over the phone, if that is your preference: the booking line is: 0333 666 3366. Please note that a theatre restoration levy of £1 per ticket applies to all transactions, whether made in person at our Box Office, by post or by phone, for all payment types. Telephone bookings incur an additional £1.50 booking fee per transaction. Happy Booking!
Rondo Drama Club create, develop, perform
Autumn Term Ages 8 – 15, Mondays 4.45pm – 6pm, £80 Rondo Drama Club is a unique experience where your children are encouraged to share their creative ideas and work together to use the best of them to devise a totally original play. They then get the chance to improvise, rehearse and, finally, perform it under the lights on the famous Rondo Stage. The sessions are run by Paulo Baigent, an experienced theatre director, educator and drama workshop leader. Rondo Drama Club’s
weekly sessions take place at St. Stephen’s School, Lansdown with dress rehearsals and end of term performances at the Rondo Theatre itself. At Rondo Drama Club we are committed to raising confidence and self-esteem in a fun and nurturing environment. So if your children are into drama, love to have fun, are full of ideas and eager to share them, then book them in for our next term at The Rondo Drama Club. Please note: participants must be available for the final rehearsal on Sunday 27 November and for the end of term show on Monday 28th November.
Web bookings: www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre PROACT THEATRE COMPANY & MERRIMAN THEATRE GROUP
By Stephen Sondheim and George Furth Wed 21 – Sat 24 Sep • 7.30pm • Full £12 Concs £10 • Community Two award-winning local companies team up for a brand new production of Sondheim’s groundbreaking musical, Company. On the night of his 35th birthday, Robert struggles to think of a wish as he blows out his candles. The only bachelor in his social circle, his well-meaning if crazy married friends share their pros, cons and somewhat unconventional marriage advice with him, over increasingly hilarious dinner parties, first dates and awkward conversations. But ultimately it’s Robert’s decision – be happy with his lot or wish for something more... Company is a mature, intelligent and wildly funny look at relationships, friendships and ‘being alive’.
NUNKIE THEATRE COMPANY
The Time Machine By HG Wells; Adapted and performed by Robert Lloyd Parry Thu 29 & Fri 30 Sep • 8pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Professional Theatre “I have lived such days as no man has lived before…” 1895. In a suburban garden, beneath a waning moon, a man lies beside a remarkable machine. He has a story to tell. A story of darkness and light. Of fire and fear. Of Eloi and Morlocks. An unbelievable story about our future that he insists is true… Is it a joke? A prophecy? A dream? Nunkie, the company behind the acclaimed M R James Project, brings H G Wells’s science fiction classic to life in another thrilling one-man show.
“… A Triumph” The Morning Star “… another unique production from Nunkie… This is a great adaptation…” The Public Reviews www.nunkie.co.uk
Box office 0333 666 3366 THE FOUNDRY GROUP
Gilbert (No Sullivan) Adapted for the stage by Mitchell & Nixon Sat 1 Oct • 8pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Professional Theatre
Tall Tales and Bonkers Ballads by W. S. Gilbert Before writer W. S. Gilbert met composer Arthur Sullivan to form theatre’s most famous partnership, he wrote stories - absurd, outrageous, hilarious stories - and wildly funny verse. Now, for the first time, acclaimed company The Foundry Group brings three of his funniest tales and two of the best-loved comic ballads to the stage in this inventive adaptation by Mitchell & Nixon, writers of hit shows Those Magnificent Men and Big Daddy Vs. Giant Haystacks. Performed with gusto by David Mounfield (Count Arthur Strong’s Radio Show R4) and Brian Mitchell (The Ornate Johnsons BBC4), ‘Gilbert (No Sullivan)’ is both the perfect night out for fans and a great introduction to one of England’s wittiest writers.
“Wonderfully entertaining...has the makings of a West End hit” The Times on Those Magnificent Men “Great performance...Verdict: Knockout” Quentin Letts, Daily Mail, on Big Daddy Vs. Giant Haystacks Suitability - 12+
BATH DRAMA
Stags and Hens By Willy Russell Wed 5 – Sat 8 Oct • 7.30pm • Full £12 Concs £10 • Community Dave and Linda have unknowingly chosen the same trashy 70’s disco for their Stag and Hen parties. When Linda’s ex, Peter, shows up with an offer of escape, she’s forced to make a decision - should she stay and conform to everyone’s expectations, or go and do the unheard of? An irreverent comedy, set to music from the era, Stags & Hens is entertaining, lively and a great evening out.
Web bookings: www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre PHIL MCINTYRE ENTS
Felicity Ward: 50% More Likely To Die Sun 9 Oct • 8pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Comedy 3rd best reviewed comedy show at Edinburgh Fringe 2015 (out of 3000 shows!) As seen on The John Bishop Show, Russell Howard’s Good News, Live from the BBC, Josh and heard on The Museum of Curiosity. In 2015 Felicity wrote a show about mental illness and her bumhole (IBS). Much to her surprise more people saw it than her immediate family and a guy called Gavin. At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe it was the third-best reviewed comedy show. Always one to flog a dead horse, she is writing another show about mental illness called: 50% More Likely to Die. The Mirror, Funny Women, and Fresh Air The Times, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, Chortle, Time Out, Edinburgh Festivals,
Three Weeks, TV Bomb, The Skinny, Fest Mag and WOW247 “A laugh a minute... sharp, upbeat and self-mocking” The Guardian
HAMMERPUZZLE THEATRE COMPANY
The Woodlanders By Thomas Hardy Fri 14 Oct • 8pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Professional Theatre Hammerpuzzle Theatre Company are back on tour following King John in 2015, with their distilled adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s romantic, rural novel The Woodlanders. A tale that both intertwines and unravels misplaced affection, fathers and daughters, a woodland community and above all, love. We follow the inhabitants of Little Hintock, as relationships flourish, families transform and all comes full circle with the changing of the seasons. The Woodlanders weaves Hammerpuzzle’s unique style of accessible storytelling, with live music, song and an originally composed piano underscore. The Woodlanders is a co-production with the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham.
Web bookings: www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre PHIL MCINTYRE ENTS
Nish Kumar: Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Unless You Shout The Words Real Loud A comedy show about history, democracy & capitalism. Sat 15 Oct • 8pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Comedy As seen on Live at the Apollo & Have I Got News For You. Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee 2015. Rose d’Or winner – Best Radio Comedy. Sell out show 2014 & 2015.
“Utterly brilliant” Time Out “A masterclass by a no-frills standup at the height of his powers” The Guardian Best reviewed show of 2015 – British Comedy Guide Top Ten Comedy shows of 2015 – The Guardian The five best comedy acts of 2015 – The Telegraph
SPARE ROOM THEATRE PRESENTS EXIT STAGE LEFT
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Music & Lyrics by William Finn, Book by Rachel Sheinkin Tues 19 – Sat 22 Oct • Full £12 Concs £10 • Community Tues – Fri evenings 8pm • Sat 4pm and 8pm Back by popular demand, Exit Stage Left return to the Rondo with their award winning hit production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn’t everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a hilarious tale of overachievers’ angst chronicling the experience of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. The show’s Tony Award winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time *winner of the 2013 Somerset Fellowship of Drama David Beach Award for Best Musical Special Adult Night at the Bee on Friday @ 8pm : Leave the kids at home!
Box office 0333 666 3366 PHIL MCINTYRE ENTS
WiFi Wars Thu 27 Oct • 2pm & 7pm • Full £15 Concs £13 • Comedy/Gaming Special Under 16s Price – £10! WiFi Wars is a live comedy game show where you play along! Login with your smartphone or tablet (make sure you’ve got plenty of battery!) and compete in a range of games, quizzes and challenges to win the show, and prizes! Hosted by comedian and regular videogames commentator Steve McNeil (Challenge TV’s Videogame Nation, Ginx TV’s Console Yourself, Minecraft: Digging Deeper and star of Go 8-Bit, hosted by Dara O’Briain, starting on Dave this autumn), the show was first performed as part of the Royal Institution’s 2015 Summer Programme after Steve and Rob Sedgebeer’s appearance on their 2014 BBC Christmas Lectures. You may have spotted them in Time Out (Critic’s Choice), Metro (Top Ten London Geek Nights Out), The Guardian (“Not To Be Missed”) and on BBC Radio 4 Extra. They also had their own stage at Eurogamer’s EGX, welcoming over 80,000 people to the event over its four day run at Earls’ Court. The technology used in the show was originally created by the boys for the live incarnation of Go 8-Bit, and will feature in the new TV adaptation of the show.
“I have never heard the Royal Institution audience cheer as loudly, or laugh as hard, as they did for WiFi Wars” Martin Davies, Public Programming Manager, Royal Institution For more info, visit wifiwars.co.uk
RAPSCALLION THEATRE CO
I Said No
By Clare Reddaway
Fri 28 & Sat 29 Oct • 8pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Professional Theatre What would you do? In 1916, the army was running out of soldiers. Far too many were being slaughtered in the mud of Northern France. So the government passed the Military Service Act, imposing conscription on the British people for the first time in their history. Some men said no. I Said No explores the struggle of one of those men, Arthur Ballard, as he follows his conscience and objects to killing his fellow man. Inspired by historical accounts, I Said No is theatrical, engaging, thought-provoking – and still topical. Commissioned by Bath Quaker Meeting to commemorate the centenary of conscription.
“…a skilled and flexible cast…a crisply directed and tightly written demonstration of all the theatrical skills” Theatre Bath on Dare to Care, Bath Fringe 2016
Box office 0333 666 3366
PLAYING UP
The Beaux Stratagem By Georges Farquhar Wed 2 – Sat 5 Nov • 7:30pm Full £12 Concs £10 • Community What could a gentleman do in the 18th Century when he was short of cash? There were no credit cards or pay day loans available so…he either enlisted, donned a mask and robbed a coach or, as a final resort, married a woman who had a fortune. After all, what was hers immediately became yours. George Farquhar’s last play is a rollicking good comedy about rakes, highwaymen and ladies with cash. Updated in Playing Up’s inimitable style, this is a laugh out loud evening with a timeless story and lovely modern touches. Guaranteed to make you laugh and be grateful for female emancipation and quickie divorces!
Bath Film Festival Sun 6 – Wed 9 Nov • Film The Rondo is delighted to welcome the 2016 Bath Film Festival this November. Details of the exciting films to be screened during the Festival will be revealed during October – so keep your eyes peeled for the Film Festival brochure, or visit www.bathfilmfestival.org.uk for the very latest details.
Web bookings: www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre
Wild Willy Barrett’s French Connection The ‘Avant-Garde Mange Tout’ tour is underway! Thu 10 Nov • 8pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Music With their unique musical style and irrepressible sense of fun, Willy, John, Mary and Aurora are touring the UK in support of their new album, ‘Avant-Garde Mange Tout’ From a cafe in Paris, via a hoolie in Dublin, to a night out in New Orleans with rip-roaring fiddle and banjo – this band does it all! Charismatic and captivating French singer Aurora Colson takes centre stage, supported by innovative arrangements beautifully performed on instruments including the guitar, cello, fiddle, banjo and uilleann pipes, all overlaid with a large dose of wry humour. A great night out unlike anything else on offer in the UK at the moment.
LAKIN MCCARTHY PRESENTS
Rob Rouse: Are You Sitting Comfortably? Sat 12 Nov • 8pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Comedy He’s married, has two kids, a dog and an eye-watering mortgage, (is in debt) in these times of austerity and uncertainty, but remains resolute that a career in unpredictable world of comedy was absolutely the right way to go. (It’s far too late to try something else now.) Rob takes this trademark comedic storytelling to a career high in this full length show, as he leads us on an irresistibly hilarious journey of enforced introspection, that has taught him to relinquish any attempts to control his life and to face down literally one of the most awkward situations you’re ever likely to hear about. Most definitely a middle-aged bloke Rob happily holds his hands up as being about as ‘un-sexy’ as it’s possible to be in terms of broad brush ‘Key Marketing Demographics’*, but as a stand-up, he is in the form of his life. * Rob sincerely believes there is a currently ‘un-tapped’ key demographic out there for him and you, dear reader are it.
“Belly Laugh funny” The Herald
“He’s a man with genuinely funny bones” Sunday Times
Rob stars as ‘Bottom’, (Shakespeare’s manservant) in Upstart Crow the new BBC show written by Ben Elton. Rob has also appeared in 8 out of 10 Cats, Dave’s One Night Stand, The Friday Night Project, Spoons, Celebrity Juice, & Live at the Comedy Store.
Box office 0333 666 3366 THE RONDO THEATRE
Blackbird By David Harrower, directed by Philippa Howard Wed 16 – Sat 19 Nov • 8pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Professional Theatre Fifteen years ago Una and Ray had a relationship. They haven’t set eyes on each other since. Now, years later, she’s found him again. David Harrower’s play Blackbird follows a young woman’s journey to reclaim her past. Fifteen years earlier, Una ran away with an older man, When she comes across a photo of him in a trade magazine, Una tracks him down and turns up at his workplace. Her abrupt arrival threatens to destroy Rays new life and derail her stability. Unspoken secrets and buried memories surface as Una and Ray sift through the wreckage of the past. Their confrontation raises unanswered questions and unresolved longings. It will shake them both to the core.
RONDO THEATRE COMPANY
In The Next Room or The Vibrator Play By Sarah Ruhl Wed 23 – Sat 26 Nov • 7.30pm • Full £12 Concs £10 • Community Set in the late 1800’s, at the dawn of electricity, our production transposes the action from America to Victorian London. Dr Givings utilises the wondrous powers of the electrical age to provide a unique ‘cure’ for relieving the symptoms of female hysteria. Providing them with a certain ‘something’ missing in their daily lives. His procedures are, of course, administered on a purely scientific basis. The good doctors wife on the other hand, starved of affection, is desperate for some passion in her life. Ruhl’s play covers subjects as diverse as race, religion, sex, equality, desire, motherhood and the odd paroxysm – all with a darkly comic touch of true Victorian stiff-upper-lip and some delightfully awkward moments. Guaranteed to make you laugh, but so much more than that – it will certainly get you thinking... Inspired by The Technology of Orgasm by Rachel P. Maines, the play was nominated for three Tony Awards on its first run in 2009.
“Sarah Ruhl’s brilliant play is, to put it mildly, an eye-opener” The Guardian “Ruhl has come up with something rather wonderful” The Telegraph
Web bookings: www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre
PHIL MCINTYRE ENTS
James Acaster: Reset Thu 1 – Sat 3 Dec • 8pm • Full £15 Concs £13 • Comedy James Acaster finds himself with something to look forward to. Something he’s always wanted. Something we all want. Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show Nominee 2015, 2014, 2013 & 2012
“There’s no one better at constructing a show than Acaster” Guardian “Comic genius” Evening Standard “A bright and unique comedy mind” Chortle “He really is rewriting the comedy rulebook” Time Out “Continues to stun with boundless creativity and technical mastery” The Scotsman “If Oxford wants to study stand-up in depth, Acaster is a good place to start” Sunday Times
Box office 0333 666 3366
HODGEPODGE THEATRE
Reindeer on the Roof! Thu 8 – Sun 18 Dec • Full £12 Concs £10 • Professional – Family It’s Christmas morning... and Darcy wakes up to a sparkly tree, a stocking full of presents and a Reindeer on the roof! Why is the Reindeer here? Shouldn’t it be with Santa and all the other Reindeer? Is it lost? Without the other Reindeer and Santa’s sleigh, how will it ever get home? Join Darcy on her epic adventure to get her new Reindeer friend back to Lapland where he belongs and discover the true meaning of Christmas along the way.
Suitable for the whole family and with a chance to stay and play with your favourite characters, Hodgepodge Theatre’s latest story will have you feeling the Christmas spirit in no time! The Rondo’s Christmas shows have become a mainstay of the Festive season in recent years - so book early to make sure you don’t miss out on a fabulous Christmassy treat!
Main performances: Thu 8 Dec • 7pm Fri 9 Dec • 4pm Sat 10 Dec • 3pm & 7pm Sun 11 Dec • 3pm
Wed 14 Dec • 3pm & 7pm Thu 15 Dec • 7pm Sat 17 Dec • 3pm & 7pm Sun 18 Dec • 3pm
Relaxed Performances
Big Scream Performances
Sun 11 Dec • 11am Tue 13 Dec • 7pm Fri 16 Dec • 4pm Sun 18 Dec • 11am
Fri 9 Dec • 12pm Fri 16 Dec • 12pm
Relaxed Performances are for everyone, but lighting is less harsh, house lights remain on and audience members are free to make noise and move around the theatre. A break out area will be available in the foyer. The only rule is: no shushing!
Big Scream Performances are aimed specifically at people with very young children. These performances will operate a Babes in Arms policy, where children under eighteen months will not need a ticket, providing they can be held by a parent/guardian.
Web bookings: www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre
Web bookings: www.bathboxoffice.org.uk SQUASHBOX THEATRE
The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness! Mon 19 Dec • 1pm & 4pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Professional – Family Squashbox Theatre’s new show is a celebration of everything Christmassy, from fir trees, fairy lights, sleigh bells and snowflakes to crackers, carols, presents and puddings! Meet a snowman who lives in the fridge, try and spot some naughty elves, play hunt the brussel sprout, endure the world’s worst Christmas jumper and gaze at the “beautiful” Christmas fairy... Learn about Yuletide traditions old and new, hear the story of the first Christmas Tree and even explore some festive science. The Christmassy Christmas Show of Christmassy Christmasness! is an over-stuffed stocking of seasonal surprises crammed with puppets, songs, quizzes and comedy, and over-flowing with crazy characters, silly slapstick, tall tales and fantastic facts - all presented in that unique Squashbox style!
“Craig has a huge sense of joy and fun that is as inspiring as it is infectious. An engaging entertainer to be treasured” The Cornishman
LIVING SPIT PRESENT
A Christmas Carol Wed 21 Dec • 8pm • Full £14 Concs £12 • Professional Theatre Christmas is coming... The Goose is panicking... And Living Spit are back to start your Christmas with a zing! Hard-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge hates the season of goodwill. Until a visit from three Phantoms one memorable Christmas Eve makes him rethink his miserly ways and turn his wicked life upside down… blah blah blah. We all know the story. We’ve all seen the film(s). But who’s the best Scrooge of all time? Albert Finney? Alistair Sim? Patrick Stewart? Well, just hold your horses there, Sir/Madam! Because you’ve yet to witness the actor Howard Coggins’s unique take on the eponymous anti-hero of Dickens’ festive masterpiece. Like a coiled spring he waits in the wings, ready to take up the mantle and give the performance of his career as the mean miserabilist, Ebenezer Scrooge. And he’s brought Stu Mcloughlin along for the ride to dress up, sing, dance and generally act like a complete idiot whilst playing ALL the other parts. With silly songs, pitiful puppetry and more Dickensian daftness than you can shake a selection box at - a feast of festive foolery!
“A glorious celebration of silliness, fully appreciated by a packed home crowd.” The Stage on Elizabeth I: Virgin on the Ridiculous Squashbox Theatre
Web bookings: www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre Become A Rondo Volunteer Acting as a Rondo Theatre volunteer is a great way of getting closer to the theatre, music, comedy and other fantastic events on offer at this fantastic venue. In return, you get to see the shows for free, as well as to make new friends and socialise.
Our volunteers work mainly as bar staff or on front of house and are an essential part of the success of The Rondo. Volunteering normally means working on two or three shows a month. It’s great fun – and you get to see a huge variety of performances for free! If you’d like to volunteer, please contact the Theatre Director, Ian McGlynn: ian@rondotheatre.co.uk
The RONDO Theatre ST. SAVIOURS ROAD, Larkhall, Bath, BA1 6RT www.rondotheatre.co.uk
INFO Box Office: Ticket Agent - TicketSource www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre
Find us on…
Booking Line: 0333 666 3366 Please note: booking fees apply - but we’ve kept these as low as we can!
Charity No: 1000051 Parking: On street after 6pm and, by kind permission, Co-Op car park.
Concessions: Concession prices are available to children under 18, full-time students, Equity Members, unemployed benefit claimants, disabled people and those whose sole source of income is a DSS state retirement pension.
The Rondo Theatre Company is our resident community theatre company. If you want to get involved in performing or backstage work, visit www.rondotheatrecompany.org
Groups: Buy ten tickets and get an additional ticket free.
Theatre Director: Ian McGlynn. email: director@rondotheatre.co.uk
Door Sales: Doors open 30 minutes before the show. Tickets are available to buy on the door for all events at The Rondo.
Marketing Coordinator: Alison Farina. email: marketing@rondotheatre.co.uk
Latecomers: For security reasons, it may not be possible to admit latecomers. So please be prompt!
Associate Directors: Hannah Drake, Shane Morgan, Alison Farina, Jazz Hazelwood
Access: The main entrance to The Rondo has excellent disabled access. We have a disabled toilet and the front row is available for wheelchairs. Pre-booking recommended.
Intern Director: Philippa Howard email: admin@rondotheatre.co.uk
Programme Design: GAS Design. Tel. 01249 712657 www.gas-design.co.uk
With support from
RONDO DIARY
Box office 0333 666 3366 Web bookings: www.ticketsource.co.uk/rondotheatre
DATE
SHOW
GENRE
29 & 30 Sep
The Time Machine
Theatre
1 Oct
Gilbert (No Sullivan)
Theatre
5 – 8 Oct
Stags & Hens
Community
9 Oct
Felicity Ward
Comedy
14 Oct
The Woodlanders
Theatre
15 Oct
Nish Kumar
Comedy
19 – 22 Oct
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Community
27 Oct
Wi-Fi Wars
Gaming/Comedy
28 & 29 Oct
I Said No
Theatre
2 – 5 Nov
The Beaux Stratagem
Community
6 – 9 Nov
Bath Film Festival
Film
10 Nov
Wild Willy Barrett’s French Connection
Music
12 Nov
Rob Rouse
Comedy
16 – 19 Nov
Blackbird
Theatre
23 – 26 Nov
In The Next Room
Community
1 – 3 Dec
James Acaster
Comedy
8 – 18 Dec
Reindeer on the Roof!
Theatre
19 Dec
The Christmassy Show…
Theatre
21 Dec
A Christmas Carol
Comedy Theatre