Season Preview - Royalty Theatre

ROYALTY THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2018/19 SEASON 

The Royalty Theatre have announced the programme for their 2018/19 season, and it is a strong programme with a great mix of plays which we are very much looking forward to!

They begin a packed season with classic comedy No Sex Please, We’re British. 

The farce by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott kicks off a season that theatre bosses believe has something for everyone.  It’s joined in the comedy stakes by May’s Barefoot in the Park, the film version of which starred Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.

For fans of suspense drama, Daphne du Maurier’s My Cousin Rachel will be performed in October and November, and the time-honoured favourite Dial M for Murder is the Royalty’s March offering.  Hobson’s Choice in February and Jane Austen’s Emma in June add to the drama.

The annual pantomime this year is Jack and The Beanstalk by local writer David Farn.

Once again, the studio is put to use for intimate small scale productions with the premier in  January of Billy Towers’ Mary, Mary, based on the life of Jack the Ripper victim Mary Kelly.  April’s studio production is John Godber and Jane Thornton’s Shakers (Re-stirred)

Thanks to the popularity of last year’s A Night at the Musicals, The Royalty are reprising this for two nights only on September 7^th and 8^th.

Visiting companies include Pink Floyd tribute act What the Floyd, appearing on 5^th October.  Sunderland Stages return to the Royalty with Red Ladder Theatre’s The Damned United, the story of Sunderland and Middlesbrough legend Brian Clough’s ill-fated 44 days at Leeds United, on 13^th and 14^th November.

Artistic Director Nikki Slack says, “We’re now raring to go for the 2018-19 season. We have a year packed with a range of diverse plays that will appeal to all. Recent media has been much focussed on equality and ‘Girl Power’ is certainly coming back with a bang! Our programme of plays this coming season shines the spotlight on our female talent from more female-centred plays to our female directors and technicians.”

Tickets are on sale now at www.ticketsource.co.uk/royaltytheatre.  
Tickets for The Damned United are available from the Sunderland Stages website.

Barnum - Review - Customs House

Barnum

Customs House
17th Oct 2015

Roll up! Roll up! Roll up and prepare to be amazed by the sights, sounds and sensations brought to you by Starset Theatre! No flim flam, no bunkum and 100% no humbug!

Starset Theatre have taken on an almighty challenge with the story of P T Barnum and the road that led to Barnum and Bailey's Circus - the greatest show on earth!
The stage is set with the trappings of a circus tent and the fun begins with tumbling clowns, acrobats and jugglers...before the entrance of Mr Barnum himself (Peter Archer) on a unicycle! Barnum is a man with a dream - he wants to bring colour and excitement to people's lives, and make some money along the way. He is extravagant and extrovert and flamboyant. A dreamer with big dreams and he's not going to let a little matter of the truth get in the way! He is the king of humbug, and he knows how to fool everyone into believing his "trimmings". Everyone that is except Mrs Barnum (Katie Howes). A former school teacher and the steadying force in his life, she understands her husband completely and strives to keep his feet on the ground - at least some of the time.

This is a great production - a challenge, for sure, to recreate the thrill and adventure of a circus on a small stage. It calls for more than just singing and acting skills - and Peter Archer throws himself (quite literally at times!) into the role of P T Barnum - and it doesn't always go strictly to plan but he never gives up! He sings, dances a bit, jumps, cycles, and walks the tightrope...just about...and part of the joy of the show is his interaction with the audience when it doesn't quite go to plan. In fact all of the cast coped with the physical demands of their roles brilliantly - there was no panic when balls were dropped or plates refused to spin, though there were a fair few grins when the seam of Mr Barnum's trousers gave way!

This is a great family show - performed with enthusiasm and professionalism. The little clowns are adorable - drawing awhs! and applause from the audience everytime they come on stage. At times there are a lot of people on stage dancing and juggling, and throwing bricks (yes, you read that right) and amazingly no-one bumps into anyone else - except for the clowns, who do it on purpose, or has an accident (except Peter Archer and his trousers, and the jury is still out as to whether that was meant to happen or not!)

Great performances by Katie Howes, Charlotte Archer as the 160 year old Joice Heth, and Michael Brabbs as the ringmaster, and fabulous singing from Angela Hannon as the Blues Singer and Laura Dollimore as the Swedish Nightingale, to mention just a few, though all the cast deserve credit.
It's also great to have a live band playing the music rather than taped backing music (which is all to common these days)!

A fine afternoon's entertainment, well done to all involved - challenge met!
Final shows on Sunday 18th 2.30pm and 7pm.

Denise Sparrowhawk