SUMMER 2018
WELCOME It has been a busy time behind the scenes at the theatre and we are very pleased to have now moved to our new ticketing system. Benefits of the new system include the option to book online (via laptop, phone or tablet) at www.emftheatre.com, to choose your own seats and to print your tickets at home if you would like to do so. If you are happy with the existing system, don’t panic! We are always happy to take bookings by phone and in person; the Box Office is open 9.30am-2.30pm Monday – Friday during term time, and one hour before our shows.
HOW TO BOOK
BOX OFFICE: 01732 304241 ONLINE BOOKING: www.emftheatre.com EMAIL: boxoffice@tonbridge-school.org Booking fees are £1.75 per transaction
The Box Office is open 9.30am - 2.30pm Monday - Friday (term time only) and one hour before our shows. For group bookings, terms and conditions and further enquiries please check our website or contact the Box Office. Parking for the theatre is at Tonbridge School Centre or in nearby town car parks.
ACCESS
When you book via the Box Office please let us know if you have any additional requirements which would make your visit more enjoyable.
/emforstertheatre @emftheatre
We continue to offer high quality live performance in the heart of Tonbridge, and this season’s programme is as exciting and diverse as ever. Highlights for families this summer include delightful, colourful adaptations of much loved children’s books What the Ladybird Heard, and Tiddler and Other Tales. A new play, You’ve Got Dragons is a humorous and touching exploration of the ‘dragons’ we all face, and Me & My Bee, invites you to save the world, one bee at a time! Drama comes in the form of a dramatic immersive theatre piece Last Resort and John Logan’s Never The Sinner, based on the true story of the murder of a school boy in Chicago 1924. There are NT Live broadcasts of Macbeth and An American in Paris, giving you the opportunity to see these outstanding productions on your doorstep and of course the ever-popular monthly Comedy Night. External exams allow our junior boys to have their chance to shine this season. Our Junior Play this year is Stories in the Dark set in the darkness of a war-ravaged town, and Lower School Concert is always a popular event. Moreover there is also comical clowning, classical music, art exhibitions and outdoor Shakespeare to delight you; there will be something in this packed programme for everyone, so please do read on. We look forward to welcoming you to the theatre soon.
John Bleakley Chair, Tonbridge Arts Committee
APRIL
THU 26TH
JUNE
WED 27TH – FRI 29TH
WED 4TH – SAT 7TH
EMF Studio 7.30pm
THU 7TH
EMF Theatre 7.30 PM
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
EMF Theatre Wed - Sat 7.30pm and Wed & Sat 2.30pm THU 12TH – SAT 14TH
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
EMF Theatre Thu – Sat 7.00pm and Sat 2.00pm FRI 20TH
TONBRIDGE COMEDY NIGHT
KNOCK KNOCK
MAY
NT ENCORE AN AMERICAN IN PARIS
THU 10TH
EMF Theatre 7.00pm
LAST RESORT EMF Studio 6.30pm & 8.30pm
FRI 8TH
FRI 11TH
Recital Room 7.30pm
TONBRIDGE COMEDY NIGHT EMF Studio 7.30pm WED 16TH
EMF Studio 7.30pm
NT ENCORE MACBETH
FRI 20TH – FRI 11TH MAY
EMF Theatre 7.00pm
Tunnel Gallery
SUN 20TH
REPECHAGE FRI 20TH
AN EVENING WITH COLL REG: BYRD TO THE BACKSTREET BOYS
ALLAN BUNNEY CONCERT
NOVI SCHOLARS’ CONCERT
FRI 14TH – SAT 7TH JULY
CONTRAST – GCSE ART & PHOTOGRPAHY EXHIBITION Tunnel Gallery
LOWER SCHOOL CONCERT Chapel of St Augustine 7.30pm
Recital Room 8.15pm
SUN 17TH
MON 21ST, WED 23RD & THU 24TH
EMF Studio 11.30am & 2.00pm
ME & MY BEE
STORIES IN THE DARK
SUN 22ND
EMF Theatre Mon 2.30 pm, Wed – Thu 7.30pm
TONBRIDGE COMEDY NIGHT
SAT 26TH & SUN 27TH
EMF Studio 7.30pm
EMF Studio 2.00pm & 4.00pm
WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD EMF Theatre Sat 3.00pm, Sun 11.30am & 2.00pm
JULY SUN 1ST
STORIES IN THE DARK Riverhill Gardens 3.30pm FRI 6TH
LEAVERS’ CONCERT Big School 7.00pm SAT 7TH
TRANSFORMATIONS Old Big School Gallery 5.30pm – 7.30pm
FRI 15TH
Chapel of St Augustine 7.30pm
YOU’VE GOT DRAGONS
NEVER THE SINNER
FRI 22ND
TUE 24TH – WED 25TH
TIDDLER AND OTHER TALES EMF Theatre 11.30am & 2.00pm
AUGUST FRI 29TH
TWELFTH NIGHT Library Gardens 6.30pm
Wednesday 4th – Saturday 7th April
Thursday 12th – Saturday 14th April
LAMPS PRESENTS
THE TALENTZ PRESENTS
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN If you’re FIT AS A FIDDLE and want to relive that GLORIOUS FEELING, then why not MAKE ‘EM LAUGH by bringing the whole family to see one of the ‘greatest movie musicals’ LIVE ON STAGE! Filled with every memorable moment from the film and a downpour of unforgettable songs, Singin’ In The Rain is the perfect entertainment for any fan of the golden age of movie and theatre musicals alike. This delightful stage adaptation captures the waning days of the Hollywood silent-film era as it gives way to the new-fangled ‘talkies’. Set in the roaring ‘20s, silent movie stars are the biggest names in the world. Don Lockwood has it all, a string of hit films and a studio-engineered romance with the most beautiful actress in town. But after a chance meeting with a talented young chorus girl set to steal his heart, things are about to change for Don and for Hollywood forever. EMF THEATRE
7.30pm Wed & Sat 2.30pm
£15, £13 conc
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Have you Herod the news? Join the congregation this Easter and experience the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber as you’ve never heard it before! Taking inspiration from the acclaimed 2012 UK Arena Tour starring Tim Minchin, Mel C and Chris Moyles, our unbelievable youth cast present a modern twist on this heavenly classic. Featuring a live rock band, explosive choreography and all the usual high-end production values you’ve come to expect from The Talentz. Find out ‘What’s The Buzz’ by booking your seats now! Pray you get a ticket... you’ll be damned if you miss it!
EMF THEATRE
7.00pm, Saturday 2.00pm
£15, £11 conc
Friday 20th April – Friday 11th May
Friday 20th April Friday 11th May Friday 22nd June
REPECHAGE
TONBRIDGE COMEDY NIGHT Get the weekend started on a Friday Night with brilliant comedy from three of the top comedians on the circuit. Our comedy nights are in the studio with cabaret seating and snacks are supplied by The Bakehouse at 124.
Some will qualify and some will not. For those who didn’t, they take this moment to cast their eyes over the second page of the league. Those who competed before us trace their bodies and look at the margins they are just outside of. These groups will not be printed in the record book. Thank them for keeping the subs bench warm. Thank them for always being prepared to perform. A united body of near successes, just at the grasp of our fingertips. Unified by our great failures we stand together hand on our clubs crest, singing our song. In his end of residency exhibition, Ben Urban will present a new body of works produced during his time at Tonbridge School. Urban recently graduated from Goldsmiths, University of London. Through his practice he negotiates the similarities of competing internationally as an athlete to his production of sculpture. Initially, considering drawing as a rehearsal for sculpture just as training is a practice for competition.
EMF STUDIO
7.30pm
£12
TUNNEL GALLERY
Mon – Fri 9.30am – 5.00pm Sat 9.30am – 1.00pm
All Welcome
Friday 20th April
AN EVENING WITH COLL REG: BYRD TO THE BACKSTREET BOYS
“Coll Reg” is a close harmony group made up of seven former choral scholars from the world-famous choir of King’s College, Cambridge. The group’s varied programme will span over five hundred years of music, beginning with early renaissance pieces, moving to folk songs and jazz standards, before culminating in recent pop hits arranged by members of the group. There will also be two organ pieces performed by another former choral scholar, Alex Stobbs and all proceeds from the evening will go towards the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, as Alex himself has CF. The trust helps provide remarkable support for those with the condition and, as a charity, is incredibly close to the group’s heart.
CHAPEL OF ST AUGUSTINE
7.30pm
Tickets: £10
please book in advance
Sunday 22nd April TAKING FLIGHT THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS
YOU’VE GOT DRAGONS
“Dragons come when you least expect it. You turn round… and they’re there.”
Lots of people get them; bad dreams, swirly tummy, feeling prickly. And sometimes they make you feel alone. So, what can a young child with a bad case of the dragons do? A delightful tale of one child’s journey to come to terms with their dragons told in Taking Flight’s unique style. With live, original music, this highly visual, sensitive production is a humorous and touching exploration of the dragons we all face. An intergenerational show, featuring creative captioning, interwoven BSL and audio description, You’ve Got Dragons is a treat for the whole family. And remember… “No dragon is more powerful than YOU!” Based on the book by Kathryn Cave Age 3+
EMF STUDIO
2.00pm & 4.00pm
£9
Thursday 26th April
Thursday 10th May
HOT COALS THEATRE PRESENTS
KNOCK KNOCK
2MAGPIES PRESENTS
In a world where it’s hard to know which path to take, who to trust or how to understand one another, Hot Coals return with a tale of self-discovery, acceptance, and friendship as an unlikely pair find themselves thrown together in the most bizarre of circumstances!
Last Resort is an alternative future for Guantanamo Bay. The waterboarding has stopped, the noise has been turned down and the military base has been reclaimed as a holiday destination.You, the audience, are our holidaymakers.You will sit in a deckchair, you will get a rum cocktail on arrival and you will feel the sand between your toes. We will be your tour guides.
Expect to laugh, to cry and to laugh at crying as these daft clowns take you on an adventure with puppets and comical happenings, and all without a word said, these loveable twits will melt your heart. Deaf and Hearing Inclusive.
LAST RESORT
Join 2Magpies Theatre as they take you through the tropical haze on a unique multi-sensory package holiday. This is an extraordinary rendition and it is all-inclusive. Last Resort is a menacing fiction, made entirely of unimaginable fact. This immersive show was developed through a research process bringing together artists, academics and human rights organisations including Reprieve. Commissioned by The Lowry. ★★★★ “This is political theatre at it’s finest” The List
EMF STUDIO
7.30pm
£15, £13 conc
EMF STUDIO
6.30pm & 8.30pm
£15, £13 conc
Wednesday 16th May
Sunday 20th May
ALLAN BUNNEY CONCERT
NT ENCORE
MACBETH DIRECTED BY RUFUS NORRIS Shakespeare’s most intense and terrifying tragedy, directed by Rufus Norris (The Threepenny Opera, London Road), will see Rory Kinnear (Young Marx, Othello) and Anne-Marie Duff (Oil, Suffragette) return to the National Theatre to play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. The ruined aftermath of a bloody civil war. Ruthlessly fighting to survive, the Macbeths are propelled towards the crown by forces of elemental darkness.
Karen Howells Clarinet Alison Moncrieff-Kelly Cello Vincent Barrella Piano Brahms Clarinet Trio Three of Tonbridge School’s instrumental teachers combine to perform one of the great pieces of 19th Century Chamber Music. Brahms Clarinet Trio (Op 114) was written in the summer of 1891 for the clarinettist Richard Mühlfeld, and is considered by scholars as part of the rebirth of the composer, who the previous year declared his String Quintet in G Major to be his final work. Although the inspiration for the Trio was the clarinet, all three instruments are wonderfully integrated throughout; if anything, it is the cello that is frequently allotted the leading role. The overall mood of the piece is sombre but includes both romantic and introspective qualities. These moods are enhanced by Brahms’ choice to write for a clarinet in A, which has a rich, dark, almost earthy quality to its sound.
EMF THEATRE
7.00pm
£14, £12 conc
RECITAL ROOM
8.15pm
FREE
please book in advance
Based on the award-winning picture book by
Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks © Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks 2009.
Mon 21st, Wed 23rd & Thu 24th May TONBRIDGE SCHOOL PRESENTS
STORIES IN THE DARK
When two boys meet in the darkness of a war-ravaged town, the stories they tell become powerful beacons of hope and light. Acclaimed Australian screenwriter and playwright, Debra Oswald developed Stories in the Dark for the Australian Theatre for Young People in 2008, and was it awarded Best Play in the NSW Literary Awards. Performed by an ensemble of 21 boys and girls, the events of the play stretch the imagination - from ogres, wolves and dragons and singing bones to families trying to find loved ones, or find food and water - as we follow Dan and Tomas through the stories they tell and the remnants of their war-torn town. Amid the bullets and shells and in front of the backdrop of a ruined cityscape, these stories come to life on stage. “There is something about the simplicity and mystery of folk tales told aloud,” Oswald said, “…that can draw listeners in, sneaking around our opinionatedness and prejudices, to touch us deeply.” EMF THEATRE
Wed & Thu 7.30pm, Mon 2.30pm Additional performance Sunday 1st July 3.30pm www.riverhillgardens.co.uk
£5, £1 conc
Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th May
WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD Two crafty robbers, one tiny ladybird, and a whole farmyard of fun! Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have a cunning plan to steal the farmer’s fine prize cow. But they reckon without the tiniest, quietest creature of all: the Ladybird has a plan of her own! Join the woolly sheep, the hairy hog, the fat red hen and the dainty dog in this hit musical adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’ colourful farmyard adventure. Direct from the West End with live music, puppetry, plenty of audience participation and lots of laughs! Age 3+ ★★★★★ Netmums ★★★★★ Culture Whisper ★★★★ The Stage ‘A total delight’ The Guardian Top image: © Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks. 2009
£8, £4 conc
EMF THEATRE
Sat 3.00pm, Sun 11.30am & 2.00pm
£12 £10 Group rate 10+
14th June – 7th July
CONTRAST
GCSE ART, PHOTOGRAPHY AND DESIGN EXHIBITION An opportunity to see the great diversity of work produced by the talented GCSE Art, Photography and Design and Technology candidates of Tonbridge School. The work on display covers a huge range of Fine Art and lens-based processes, from painting to ceramics. In addition, the exhibition will display both the Systems and Control and Resistant Materials design disciplines. The boys have conceived, developed and refined the projects over the last two years and the work on display represents the culmination of their effort and commitment. TUNNEL GALLERY
Thursday 7th June NT ENCORE
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS This breathtakingly beautiful Tony® Award-winning Broadway musical, inspired by the Oscar® winning MGM film, tells the impassioned story of discovering love in the ‘City of Light’. Featuring the gorgeous music and lyrics of George and Ira Gershwin, stunning designs, and show-stopping choreography. With a record-setting 28 five-star reviews from critics, An American in Paris is coming from London’s West End to the EM Forster theatre. An American GI’s chance encounter with a beautiful young dancer leads Paris to become the backdrop to a sensuous, modern romance of art, friendship and love in the aftermath of war... “Truly ravishing” The Guardian
EMF THEATRE
7.00pm
£14, £12 conc
Sat 7th July 5.30pm – 7.30pm
TRANSFORMATIONS An exhibition of work by the Fine Art and Design and Technology Leavers. An exciting mix of Art and Design that celebrates the rich diversity and creative talent nurtured by Tonbridge School. Shown in the Old Big School Gallery. This exhibition will showcase the work of our future Artists, Designers, Engineers and Architects as their time at Tonbridge School comes to an end and they embark on the next stage of their educational journey. OLD BIG SCHOOL GALLERY
Friday 15th June
Sunday 17th June
LOWER SCHOOL CONCERT
THISEGG PRESENTS
ME & MY BEE “A rarity... deliciously eccentric” Lyn Gardner for The Guardian
School Orchestra, String Orchestra, Concert Band and the Junior Chamber Choir present a varied programme, ranging from Grieg’s Holberg Suite and Bizet’s Prélude to Carmen to a concert suite of music from Doctor Who.
Our fuzzy little friends need our help and so we’re launching a political party disguised as a party party disguised as a show. Multi award-winning theatre company, ThisEgg, invites you to save the world - one bee at a time. A new comedy for children and adults alike. Plant the seed for change, join the Bee Party. Before it’s too late... ★★★★ The Scotsman ★★★★ The Stage ★★★★ The List ★★★★ Three Weeks ★★★★ A Younger Theatre ★★★★ Edinburgh Festival For Kids “completely in awe” A Younger Theatre “a riotous, cleverly constructed and hilarious family show” The Stage Age 5+
CHAPEL OF ST AUGUSTINE
7.30pm
FREE
please book in advance
EMF STUDIO
11.30am & 2.00pm
£9
and
other terrific tales
Tiddler © Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Alison Green Books, an imprint of Scholastic Children’s Books, 2007; A Squash and a Squeeze © Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Macmillan Children’s books, 2003; Monkey Puzzle © Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Macmillan Children’s books, 2000; The Smartest Giant in Town © Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Macmillan Children’s books, 2002
Wednesday 27th – Friday 29th June
Tuesday 24th – Wednesday 25th July
TONBRIDGE SCHOOL PRESENTS
FRECKLE PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS
NEVER THE SINNER BY JOHN LOGAN Chicago, Illinois. Summer, 1924. Two privileged, wealthy, educated college boys; Nathan Leopold Jnr. 18 years old and Richard Loeb 19, murdered a 14-year-old schoolboy, Bobby Franks in cold blood and dumped his body in a culvert. Then, they sent a ‘kidnap’ ransom note to his parents. Using verbatim transcripts from the trial as well as scenes of original dialogue, Never The Sinner tells the true story of what happened that hot summer in 1924, and how the trial of these two extraordinary, callous young men, became a sensational media spectacle, bringing both the ethics of American legal system and capital punishment into sharp focus. This was John Logan’s first play and was a breakthrough production for him; he has since gone on to write screen plays for Gladiator, The Aviator, the Tim Burton directed Sweeney Todd as well as the Bond movies Skyfall and Spectre.
EMF THEATRE
7.30pm
£5, £1 conc
TIDDLER AND OTHER TALES FOUR TERRIFIC TALES – ONE SUPERB SHOW! Under the sea, out on the farm and into the jungle, these terrific tales are woven together with live music, puppetry and a whole host of colourful characters from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s best-loved titles: Tiddler, Monkey Puzzle, The Smartest Giant in Town and A Squash and a Squeeze. Funky moves, toe tapping tunes and giggles are guaranteed! Is Tiddler telling the truth? Will Monkey find his Mummy? Will George The Giant make lots of friends? Can the old lady really squash and squeeze all those animals in? This delightful production is brought to you by the team behind Stick Man Live, and is the perfect treat for all ages! ★★★★ ’A delight from start to finish. A room of children laughing hysterically, all totally mesmerised by the action.’ Time Out EMF THEATRE
11.30am & 2.00pm £12, £10 Group rate 10+
OTHER TONBRIDGE MUSIC EVENTS Friday 8th June
NOVI SHOLARS’ CONCERT RECITAL ROOM
7.30pm
Free. No need to book in advance
Friday 6th July
LEAVER’S CONCERT The annual Leavers’ Concert is one of the highlights of the musical year. This year’s Upper Sixth musicians perform a selection of concerto movements, operatic and oratorio arias from the Austro-German tradition with the Chamber Orchestra. The programme includes music from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Strauss’ Oboe Concerto, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Beethoven’s Emperor Piano Concerto.
Wednesday 29th August HANDLEBARDS PRESENT
TWELFTH NIGHT
The world’s first cycling theatre company, The HandleBards, pedal from venue to venue with all the set, props and costume necessary to perform environmentally sustainable Shakespeare across the globe. Join their all-male troupe in the beautiful Library Gardens for a bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ like none other. In usual HandleBards style, expect riotous amounts of energy, a fair old whack of chaos, and a great deal of laughter. And what’s the play about? Well - Duke Orsino is in love with Lady Olivia, but she won’t have anything to do with suitors.Viola is shipwrecked and believes her twin brother Sebastian to be dead. Meanwhile, a bunch of Olivia’s servants plot to make a fool out of her pompous Butler, Malvolio. There’s drunkenness, frivolity and cross-dressing a plenty. Visit www.handlebards.com to find out more! ★★★★ “Gloriously eccentric and very, very funny.” The Stage LIBRARY OLD BIG SCHOOL GALLERY £12 before 28th June, 6.30pm All £15 welcome after, GARDENS £17 on the day, U16’s £8
BIG SCHOOL
7.00pm
Free. Please book in advance
SATURDAY 15th DECEMBER – SUNDAY 6th JANUARY
Tickets on sale Monday 19th March www.emftheatre.com PEDESTRIAN ENTRANCE
BLUE BADGE PARKING
*Entrance to car park (London Road, opposite Dry Hill Park Road)
EMF THEATRE, STUDIO & BOX OFFICE
CHAPEL OF ST AUGUSTINE
footpath
CAR PARK
boxoffice@tonbridge-school.org www.emftheatre.com /emforstertheatre @emftheatre
EM Forster Theatre | Tonbridge School | Tonbridge | TN9 1JP