Preview - Robin Hood - Royalty Theatre

ROYALTY THEATRE TO STAGE ROBIN HOOD PANTOMIME

Sunderland’s Royalty Theatre will see Christmas in with their annual pantomime, which this year is Robin Hood.

Written by the Royalty’s James Errington, who also stars as the legendary lincoln-green outlaw, the show follows the adventures of Robin Hood and his band of merry men, as he tries to foil evil-doers and win the heart of Maid Marian.

Director Helen Bowie says, “I absolutely love panto and am thrilled to be directing Robin Hood at the Royalty Theatre.  It isn't a panto you see every year and you've definitely not seen a version like ours. The cast and crew have worked so hard and I hope as many people can see the fruits of their hard work.”

Alex Goodchild, James Errington and Andy Barella.

Credit: Royalty Theatre

Joining James in the cast are panto regulars Andy Barella as Munchy Bob and Alex Goodchild as Friar Tuck.  Erin Moyse stars as Maid Marian.

The show runs from 12 to 22 December with evening shows on Tuesdays to Saturdays, and matinées on Saturdays and Sundays, some of which are close to selling out.

Tickets are £8/£6.50 in advance, £9/£7.50 on the night and canb booked via www.ticketsource.co.uk/royaltytheatre or on 0333 666 3366.

Plays remaining this season are Robin Hood (12-22 December), Two (22-25 January), Shadowlands (17-22 February), God of Carnage (23 to 28 March), Wait Until Dark (18-23 May) and Dirty Dusting (22 to 27 June).

Group bookings for parties of 10 or more can be arranged via rtboxoffice@gmail.com.

Blackadder Goes Forth - Review - Royalty Theatre

Blackadder Goes Forth

Royalty Theatre 
23rd Sept 2019

Kicking off this year's season with Matthew Hope's adaptation of Blackadder  Goes Forth, the team at the Royalty have chosen a play that packs a punch in more ways than one. This satirical look at the first world war rattles through a season of Blackadder in just under two hours, presenting key scenes in a series of vignettes. It has elements of just about every type of comedy, from slapstick and bawdy farce, through to high end intellectual wit. It is at once very funny, and heartbreakingly dark.

The roles are demanding for the cast - quickfire repartee and tongue twisting wordplay, combined with physical humour mean that delivery and timing have to be spot on for it to work. And of course, these are well known and much loved characters for the British public; portraying them on successfully stage is a whole other challenge. Thee is always the danger of mimicking the TV characters rather than bringing them to life in their own way. Would the cast and directors be up to such a challenge? There was quite a bit of speculation in the foyer as to whether it would be achieved.

First impressions as we entered the auditorium were encouraging - a selection of war time songs played us in, and the curtain raised to reveal the set - the typical trench dugout was perfect.

And the cast did rise to the challenge. Jacob Hughes as Blackadder, had just the right level of crippling disdain for his fellow soldiers, who were - with exception of Capt. Darling, and Lord Flasheart -  completely oblivious to both his disdain and his cutting sarcasm. Alex Parkin-Goodchild was suitably ingenuous as George. His scene as Georgina, describing his date with General Melchett is a classic and almost stole the show from Private Baldrick, however Lee Wilkins recitation of "War's a funny thing" and "German Guns" may just have edged the balance back in his favour and his treatment at the hands (and foot) of Capt. Blackadder elicited sympathetic gasps from the audience.
James Errington explodes onto the stage as Lord Flasheart and successfully lowers the tone with his rampant libido and huge personality.

John Appleton and Andrew Barella both gave excellent supporting performances as  General Melchett and Capt Darling. The General typically bombastic upper class military and completely insane and Darling, obsequious, self-serving and underhand and yet still in the final scenes we felt sympathy for him, ironically double crossed by his eccentric superior officer. Of all the roles Capt Darling is the most understated - the humour of this character is much more sublte, conveyed through body language and facial expressions, and could easily be lost among the mayhem of rest of the crew.

Newcomer to the Royalty, Michael Alexander was able to try out his German accent as Baron von Richthoven - arch enemy of Lord Flasheart and as Brigadier Smith the undercover spy. I actually liked him best as the Brigadier - quietly funny as he spied on the hospital inmates.

I did feel for the two female characters - Emma Thomson as Bob and Olivia Bowern as Nurse Mary - as they did seem to be there purely to provide the eye candy in a very "blokey" scenario, which is a shame because other Blackadder females have been stronger characters.

Lorna Breeze's direction has produced a play worthy of the fourth incarnation of Edmund Blackadder. The cast were clearly enjoying the experience on stage (we did note Baldrick's near corpsing in the second act, he held it together well!). Lots of laughter from the audience throughout and we were suitably subdued in the final scenes which were emotional, and very well executed.

The general consensus after the curtain came down was that the team had indeed risen to the challenge. A great start to the new season at Royalty Theatre.

Blackadder goes forth until Saturday 28th September. Book a ticket.

Denise Sparrowhawk

Preview - Emma - Royalty Theatre

ROYALTY THEATRE TO CONCLUDE 2018/2019 SEASON WITH JANE AUSTEN'S EMMA

This week sees the final production of the season for the Royalty. They have chosen a new adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma to close their season. This classic story has been adapted for stage by  comedian Doon MacKichan and writer Martin Millar.

Initially published in 1815, Austen’s novel tells the story of Emma Woodhouse, a young woman who tries to play matchmaker to the various people in her life.  It has been adapted numerous times and its plot was the basis of the 1993 film Clueless. 

Director Nikki Slack says, “This is the classic story of Jane Austen’s Emma with a contemporary twist.  It’s told through the eyes of Jane Austen’s nieces who bring the characters to life.  Not your typical period piece.”

James Errington, Abbi Laidler, Lee Wilkins    Credit: Royalty Theatre

A large cast includes Abbi Laidler as Emma and James Errington as Mr. Knightley, as well as a number of new members who will be treading the Royalty boards for the first time.

The play runs from 24^th to 29^th June.  

Tickets are £8/£6.50 in advance, £9/£7.50 on the night and can be booked via  www.ticketsource.co.uk/royaltytheatre 
or by telephone on 0333 666 3366.

Group bookings for parties of 10 or more can be arranged via rtboxoffice@gmail.com.

Barefoot in the Park - Review - Royalty Theatre

Barefoot in the Park
Royalty Theatre
21st May 2019


Despite its title Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park is not set in a park. It is set in an apartment on the fifth floor of a brownstone building in New York. The play centres on newly weds Paul and Corrie Bratter. They are an unlikely pairing. Corrie is young, impulsive, immature, the only daughter of a doting, widowed mother.  Paul is a staid, sensible, recently qualified lawyer. Somehow the two have met, fallen in love and had a whirlwind romance culminating in a six day honeymoon in the Plaza Hotel.

The play begins on the first day in their new home - an apartment that Corrie has found, and which Paul has not actually seen yet. It is not the Plaza Hotel. It is small - very small - the heating does not work, the bedroom is actually a dressing room, only big enough for a single bed, and the bathroom has no bathtub. And, it is five flights of stairs up. (The stairs play a crucial part in the humour of the play).
Corrie believes that love will make up for the shortcomings of their new home. Paul however is not convinced - having climbed the five flights of stairs (not including the stoop!) he arrives out of breath and lacking the enthusiasm and passion Corrie had hoped for. It's not the start to marred life either of them had expected. And the situation is about to get worse - Paul has been awarded his first case at work and has to be in court the next morning so must work all evening. Problem, there is no furniture (it hasn't arrived yet), there is no heat, there is a hole in the skylight and Corrie's mother is on her way up. Add to this an eccentric upstairs neighbour and you have a recipe for comedic disaster.

Simon draws on the discrepancy between expectation and reality, and pits contrasting personalities against each other to create comedy situations. The play looks at the nature of relationships, of expectation, and aspiration. He presents four very different characters each equally out of depth in the situation they find themselves, and each one must find the way to compromise in order to find the happiness they desire.

Neil Simon's observations of people are wry and witty. Unfortunately the performance on Monday didn't do justice to the writing. Somehow the delivery of  the key lines didn't quite hit the mark and so much of the wit of the writing was lost. I didn't quite feel the chemistry between Corrie and Paul, though newcomers Kylie Archer and Daniel Hart gave fair performances. David Armstrong as Victor Velasco was a little too over the top - he just over-cooked the Albanian eccentricity. However the interaction between Paul (Daniel Hart) and Ethel (Lorna Breeze) was lovely, and there was a real sense of empathy between those two characters. Lorna Breeze as Ethel gave by far the best performance of the night.

Act two felt more settled, as if the cast had relaxed into their roles and I liked Victor much more once he had admitted to his wig and ulcer!

I'm not sure why this one didn't work for me - it is a favourite film and stage play and I had been looking forward to seeing it performed at the Royalty. I was disappointed. There have been some excellent productions recently and the Royalty team generally do comedy very well - perhaps, like Corrie and Paul, my expectations were too high? Perhaps the direction missed the comedy of the situation? Or perhaps it was simply first night nerves.

Barefoot in the Park runs until Saturday.

Denise Sparrowhawk

Preview-Shakers (Re-Stirred)-Royalty Theatre

Royalty Theatre To Perform Godber and Thornton's Classic Shakers

The Royalty Theatre are gearing up to perform their second studio play of the 2018/19 season, Shakers (Re-stirred), by John Godber and Jane Thornton.

The play follows the working lives of four bartenders working in Shakers, a cocktail bar.  Director Corinne Kilvington says, “Shakers is a really great piece of theatre; it's stood the test of time.  It's full of the characters you've seen down the town on a Saturday night.  It’s funny, touching and full of memorable moments.  The four actors play all of the different characters with real ease, moving from bar tenders to girls on a night out to the 'lads' out on the town.  It's a great night out and a blast from the past with a great 80s soundtrack.”

A small but strong cast includes Helena Wildish, Tom Kelly and Royalty debutantes Jamie-Leigh Price and Rhiannon Gillibrand.

The play, by John Godber and Jane Thornton, began life simply as Shakers in 1985 before being ‘re-stirred’ in 1991. It subsequently became a 1993 TV movie and a 1996 musical and is now one of the best known of Godber’s works.

Performed in the intimate space of the Royalty’s studio theatre, seats are strictly limited to 52 per evening. All tickets are £6.50 and are available online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/sunderland/royalty-theatre .

I saw this play a few years back at another local venue. It is witty, incisive and still apt today (in my humble opinion). Anyone who has ever been to a cocktail bar after work...or worked in a cocktail bar... really ought to see it. Studio performances are always interesting as the audience is so close to the action. Corinne Kilvington is an experienced director, and Tom Kelly's comedic style should be just right for this role - and will be intense in such a small space, so it should all make for an entertaining night out.   I would recommend purchasing studio tickets in advance to avoid disappointment as their last studio production, Mary Mary, sold out... DS

Photograph shows (left to right): Helena Wildish, Rhiannon Gillibrand, Jamie-Leigh Price and Tom Kelly.

Credit: Royalty Theatre

Dial M for Murder - Review - Royalty Theatre

Dial M for Murder 
Royalty Theatre
18th Mar 2019

Tony Wendice (James Errington), former tennis player, discovers his wife, Sheila (Abbi Laidlar), has been having an affair. Having married her for her money, he plots the perfect murder to rid himself of an unfaithful wife but still keep her money. He "persuades" an old school housemate (Lee Wilkins) with a chequered past,  to execute the plan, and even enlists his wife's former lover Max (Alex Goodchild) to act - unknowingly - as his alibi. However, despite his careful planning not everything goes as expected and things soon begin to unravel. He manages to turn the situation back to his advantage but has not bargained on the tenacity of Max, or the investigating officer Inspector Hubbard (John Appleton).

This is a dialogue heavy play, with the history of the characters' relationships having to be explained so that the audience understands their current situation. It is a play of words rather than action - suspense builds as the audience learns each character's story and viewpoint. Sheila believes her once faltering marriage is now safe and stable; Max still loves Shelia despite her loyalty to Tony; Tony is devious, deceptive, self absorbed and unforgiving. James Errington plays the part with skill - wearing a mask of friendly civility which slips to reveal his cold, sneering true self the minute he is not being observed (the audience almost booed, but we contented ourselves with a sharp intake of breath and a collective "oooh!").

The tension is relieved with occasional touches of humour - Max wearing Tony's too small dinner jacket, Insp. Hubbard asking Shelia to hold off on her breakdown for a few minutes...

Direction from Billy Towers and Olivia Bowern allows the actors to give the audience glimpses of the true situation while their characters remain unaware, and makes the most of the nuances of the script. 

Lighting and sound are sharp - with excellent use of music appropriate to the period, both before and during the play. There were a couple of prop malfunctions on the night, and one or two stumbled lines - but the manner in which cast and technical team cope with these is always a good measure of  a production and they were covered skilfully,

with a degree of aplomb and a smattering of good humour. I'm sure first night nerves will calm as the week progresses and performances will be smoother.

One downside was the rather laboured footsteps to the door - while there had to be the sound of approaching footsteps, it seems every character regardless of build, has the same heavy footed tread which detracted from the seriousness of the moment and tended to puncture some of the tension at a point where it ought to be taut. But this is a minor quibble in what is an entertaining, and on the whole suspenseful production - and it does have a nicely revealed twist at the end and sharp curtain drop finish. 

Strong performances from the cast - in particular James Errington and Alex Goodchild - and excellent technical support make this well worth seeing. It plays until Sat 23rd March. Tickets can be booked in advance via the website or purchased on the door. 

Denise Sparrowhawk 

Hobson's Choice - Review - Royalty Theatre

Hobson's Choice 

Royalty Theatre

18th Feb 2019

Hobson's Choice - a play in 4 acts, set in Lancashire around 1880.  Hobson's Choice was first performed over a century ago but the themes are as relevant today as they were then -  the nature of independence, snobbery and social mobility, patriarchy and the place of women in society. 

Hobson is a shrewd man. He uses his daughters as unpaid shop girls and pays his workers, Tubby Wadlow and Willie Mossop, a pittance. We soon learn that the success of the business is due entirely to the talent of his eldest daughter Maggie rather than any business acumen of his own. For Henry Hobson reputation and respectability are everything,  appearances are important. To his fellow business associates in Salford he is an upstanding, respected  tradesman, but to his daughters he is a bullying, overbearing, controlling parent. Often coming home drunk, in the middle of the day, he is quick to lose his temper when challenged by "uppity women". Faced with rebellion he threatens to marry off the two younger girls to husbands who will keep them in their proper place. Maggie he dismisses as too old to be wed - later admitting to his friend that he needs her in the business. However, when he realises he will have to provide a settlement for each daughter he retracts the suggestion of marriage and the girls are faced with a lifetime of unpaid skivvying.

When a wealthy and influential customer praises Willie Mossop's work and demands that in future all her boots should be made by him, Maggie sees an opportunity to escape from under her father's tyranny. She proposes to the shy bootmaker and railroads him into agreeing to marry despite the fact that he is already tokened to another girl. Maggie is ambitious - not only for herself, but for Willie Mossop, and her sisters.  She sees the potential in Willie and refuses to allow other's snobbery to derail her plans. Despite her sisters' disdain for Willie she still engineers their own marriages to the men they love, and out manoeuvres their father at every turn. She is single-minded and determined, practical and hardworking. She is also compassionate and loyal. however she will not be taken advantage of - having found a way out from under her father's influence, she is determined to live life on her terms and in the end she gets exactly the outcome she wants, but unlike her father she does not do so at the cost of others.


Corinne Kilvington is excellent as the pragmatic Maggie, a calm but forceful presence on stage and a perfect foil for the blustering, bullying Hobson (ably played by David Armstrong), and the shy and unassuming Willie (Jordan Carling). Both Kilvington and Carling give convincing and natural portayals of their respective characters while the rest of the cast give stirling support. Under Andrew Barella's direction they have created a well timed, well executed, hugely entertaining play. 
Favourite moments: Maggie putting her proposal to Willie Mossop, his consternation and bemused reaction is classic,  and Willie's proposal to Hobson, the transformation of the two men is both triumphant and poignant at once. 
There are lots of laughs, and lots of telling moments in this play. 


Hobson's Choice runs until Sat 23rd February and by gum! you should go see it!

Denise Sparrowhawk

Preview - Hobson's Choice - Royalty Theatre

ROYALTY THEATRE TO PRODUCE HOBSON’S CHOICE

The Royalty Theatre, Sunderland, continues its 2018/19 season with the much-loved classic Hobson’s Choice.

Harold Brighouse’s play, made into a 1954 David Lean film starring Charles Laughton, centres around the life of cobbler Henry Hobson.  His comfortable world is thrown into disarray when his ambitious daughter Maggie decides to set up her own business, along with Hobson’s bootmaker, William Mossop.

A strong cast includes David Armstrong as Henry Hobson, Corinne Kilvington as Maggie and Jordan Carling as William Mossop, as well as a number of new faces.

Although first staged in 1916, and set in 1880s, Hobson's Choice has very modern themes, exploring the role of women in society and business, patriarchy, bullying and emancipation. Over a hundred years since it was first staged it is still relevant today. DS



The play runs from 18th to 23rd February on the theatre’s main stage.
Tickets for regular season shows are £8/£6.50 in advance, £9/£7.50 on the night.

Tickets can be booked via www.ticketsource.co.uk/royaltytheatre or on 0333 666 3366.

Group bookings for parties of 10 or more can be arranged via rtboxoffice@gmail.com.

Preview - Mary Mary - Royalty Theatre

ROYALTY THEATRE BEGIN 2019 WITH JACK THE RIPPER-THEMED MARY MARY.

The Royalty Theatre will begin 2019 with the premier of local writer Billy Tower’s Mary Mary.

The play is based around the life of Mary Kelly, considered by many to be the fifth and final victim of Whitechapel killer Jack the Ripper.    Little is known of Mary Kelly’s life before she came to reside in Whitechapel – making her by far the most mysterious of the serial killer’s alleged victims.

Director Abbi Laidler says: “It is a fictional account of factual events and I try to explore how those events had an impact on the Whitechapel community and Mary Kelly in particular. The victims have been reduced to names in police files, but these women had lives that are often overlooked in the search for the killer. I am not interested in naming the killer in this play, I am using Mary to focus on how these events affected her as an individual.  I really hope you enjoy this show written by the talented Billy Towers.”

The play, which runs from 23^rd to 26^th January, stars Nikki Slack as Mary and Andrew Barella as Joseph Barnett.  Also appearing are Helen Bowie and Alex Goodchild.

Being performed in the Royalty’s studio theatre, which last year saw performances of Five Kinds of Silence, Temple and new piece Jesu Mercy, all tickets are £6.50 and are strictly limited to 60 per evening.

Over the years I have been reviewing I have come to relish the intimacy and immediacy  of a studio production. Performed in a small space these productions can have a greater impact on the audience members than plays performed in the larger auditorium.  The close proximity of the audience to the stage - often in the round - creates a sense of involvement and increases the intensity of the experience. There is no where to hide when emotions begin to run high. 

 Often studio productions are plays by established writers which  explore difficult themes, or they may be new works by writers testing their wings. Mary Mary is a combination of a new work by a local writer, and an exploration of a difficult subject. It sounds fascinating and I am looking forward to experiencing it. 

Tickets can be booked via www.ticketsource.co.uk/royaltytheatre or on 0333 666 3366 and I recommend purchasing in advance to avoid disappointment - Friday and Saturday are already sold out. 

DS

Preview - Jack and the Beanstalk - Royalty Theatre

ROYALTY THEATRE RETURN TO PANTO WITH JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

The Royalty Theatre’s annual pantomime is back, and this year it's Jack and the Beanstalk.

The much-loved kids’ classic has been given the panto treatment by local writer David Farn, and features Royalty Theatre newcomer Erin Moyse. Jack's magic beans cause merry mayhem and a fearsome encounter with the giant who lives atop a beanstalk.

Artistic Director Nikki Slack says “This year’s panto will entertain the whole family, with jokes and songs for all generations. It’s a must-see in the run up to the festive holidays.”

Also appearing is Royalty panto favourite Andy Barella as Simon, and writer David Farn steps into the high heels as Dame Flossie.

Tickets are already being snapped up, with many shows – including the four afternoon performances – already reduced to a small number of remaining tickets.

The pantomime will be performed from Thursday 13^th to Sunday 22^nd December, with evening shows taking place Tuesdays to Saturdays, and afternoon shows Saturdays and Sundays. 

Get your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. Book via www.ticketsource.co.uk/royaltytheatre or on 0333 666 3366. Group bookings for parties of 10 or more can be arranged via rtboxoffice@gmail.com.

Review - My Cousin Rachel - Royalty Theatre

My Cousin Rachel
Royalty Theatre
29th Oct 2018


Written by Diana Morgan 
Based on the novel by Daphne Du Maurier


My Cousin Rachel is a tale of suspense and murder. Philip Ashley has travelled to Italy after he receives the news that his cousin Ambrose is seriously ill. He receives a number of letters that cast suspicion on Ambrose's new wife. When Philip arrives in Italy he discovers Ambrose has died and the funeral has already taken place. The new wife, Rachel, has disappeared.

The play opens as Philip returns to his home in Cornwall and has to recount the strange situation to his guardian Nicholas Kendall. While they wait for Philip, Nicholas and his daughter Louise discuss the sudden and surprising marriage between Ambrose and Rachel. Louise is sure that Rachel must be extraordinary and beautiful, since she managed to capture the heart of confirmed bachelor Ambrose Ashley. 
Philip is convinced that the letters he received from Ambrose prove that his death is suspicious and that Rachel and her Italian friend Rainaldi are involved. Why else should she have left so suddenly after the funeral? 

James Errington acquits himself well as the young Philip Ashley, seduced by the beauty of his older cousin Rachel, yet suspicious of her involvement in Ambrose's death. His performance gathers strength as the conflict pushes him to a kind of madness.  Olivia Bowern is rather aloof as the grieving widow making the character difficult to read - which perhaps was the intention of the director. The play hinges on the doubt surrounding her - is she a cold blooded murderer or simply an unfortunate, misunderstood widow?

The outstanding performance of the evening goes to Stephanie Cubello whose playful portrayal of Louise Kendall provides the most engaging and convincing character in the play.

The drama and suspense is heightened throughout the play by an excellent choice of background music and very slick lighting.

The play has been likened to an Agatha Christie suspense - and the ingredients are there. A suspicious death, strange letters, a widow left with nothing, a naïve young man just ripe for manipulation by a beautiful, older woman and a small country village rife with rumour.

I'm sure Du Maurier's novel conveys all the expected tension and suspense, but for me it somehow doesn't translate into this stage adaptation by Diana Morgan. A lot of scene setting and background information has to be given through the dialogue and it lacked the flare and finesse of a Christie play, though it does have a killer twist at the end. 

The audience this evening however was fully engaged and displayed appropriate amounts of surprise, shock and awe throughout - most notably when Philip, in a fit of rage, throws a candlestick which bounces back with some force! (I'd like to see more of this sort of passion from the actors - after all two of the characters are Italian!) 

My Cousin Rachel plays until 3rdNovember. It has some excellent dramatic moments and some strong performances and it will keep you guessing - till the end. 

Denise Sparrowhawk

Preview - My Cousin Rachel - Royalty Theatre

ROYALTY THEATRE TO SHOW DU MAURIER CLASSIC "MY COUSIN RACHEL"

James Errington as Philip, and Olivia Bowern as  Rachel

Credit: Royalty Theatre

The Royalty theatre will continue their 2018/19 season with an adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s thriller My Cousin Rachel.

Diana Morgan’s adaptation of the Victorian suspense drama, set in the Cornish countryside, concerns Philip Ashley, a young gentleman who has just inherited his late cousin Ambrose’s estate and a valuable collection of jewels.  After Ambrose’s widow Rachel arrives from Italy, having been left nothing by Ambrose, Philip begins to develop affection for her.  Not all are convinced that Rachel has innocent motives for coming to England – especially when Philip begins to show signs of a similar sickness to that which killed Ambrose.

Director John Appleton says “It’s a story that’s perfect for the stage, full of intrigue and some great characters.  It melds the suspense of Agatha Christie with some grit and realism - something I think that our audiences will enjoy from start to finish.”

The show runs from 29^th October to 3^rd November, and stars James Errington as Philip, Olivia Bowern as Rachel and Royalty newcomers Peter Wilson and Stephanie Cubello as Nick and Louise Kendall.

Tickets are £8/£6.50 in advance, and can be booked via www.ticketsource.co.uk/royaltytheatre or on 0333 666 3366 (booking fee applies). 
Tickets purchased on the door are £9/£7.50 

Review - No Sex Please, We're British - Royalty Theatre

No Sex Please, We're British!

Royalty Theatre
24th Sept 2018

Written by Anthony Marriott and Allister Foot
Directed by Andrew Barella and David Farn


The Royalty's opening show of the season is a classic British farce - that staple of any game of charades in the 70s - No Sex Please We're British!

The play is set firmly in the 1970s and reflects the society at that time. Peter and Frances Hunter are newly weds, just settling into their flat above the bank where Peter is assistant manager. The flat is provided by the bank, and offers them little in the way of privacy - an intercom links the flat directly to the bank downstairs. Wanting to speed up her dream of owning a house with a garden, Frances has ordered a consignment of luxury Swedish Glassware to sell. This goes against the bank's policy which prohibits their manager's wives from working.  As if this was not bad enough, when the consignment arrives they discover to their horror that it is infact pornographic photographs. Add to this the arrival of Peter's mother, the regional manager of the bank, the financial inspector, and a missing cheque and you have the recipe for potential disaster. Lives could be ruined - and discovery must be avoided at all costs. Hilarity ensues as Peter and Frances, helped and hindered by head clerk Brian Runnicles, try to extricate themselves from this unfortunate predicament.

The set is simple - the living room of the flat with a selection of doors to facilitate the door slamming and room hopping which is a requirement of a good farce, and a malfunctioning sliding partition to the kitchen, used throughout for physical comedic effect. The set itself is fairly nondescript - it could be from almost any era, but the costumes (by Laura Finlay and Sue Bailey) are bang on 70s with wing banger collars, beige suits and amorphous print dresses. Director Andrew Barella chose to keep the 1970s setting but he could easily have set this play in the present and it would have worked (with just a bit of a feminist tweak) in light of the recent revelations about sexual misconduct in high places.

The cast do a stirling job, eliciting plenty of belly laughs from the audience as the situation becomes

more and more farcical and the attempts to remedy things lead to more and more outlandish ideas and consequences. Lee Wilkins portrayal of the increasingly desperate banker, does not  disappoint, while Nichol Kilty gives good support as his beleaguered wife. the star of the show is undoubtedly Tom Kelly as Brian Runnicles, who flounces and sulks his way through the many outrageous attempts to dispose of the illicit materials. Mik Richardson adds to the hilarity of the final act with and over the top performance of sleeping pill induced stupor. Special mention should also go to the two ladies of the night - not mentioned in the programme - who provide the spice in the final act.

There are of course some first night hitches - boxes that refuse to perform, and scenery that wobbles perilously when the doors slam, one or two stutters over lines, but there are also plenty of well delivered lines, pregnant pauses and raging innuendo. It's a fun start to the season - as long as you take the 70s misogyny with a pinch of salt!

No Sex Please runs until Saturday 29th Sept - advance booking gets you a reduced price on the ticket but even at £9 on the door it will hardly break the bank! Book at Ticketsource .

Denise Sparrowhawk

Preview - No Sex Please We're British - Royalty Theatre

ROYALTY THEATRE BEGIN 2018/19 SEASON WITH NO SEX PLEASE, WE’RE BRITISH

Nichol Kilty, Tom Kelly, Lee WIlkins

Credit: Royalty Theatre

Sunderland's Royalty Theatre will begin their upcoming season with the classic comedy No Sex Please, We’re British.

The farce by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott follows the misfortunes of banker Peter Hunter and his new wife Frances, whose attempt to order some Scandinavian glassware by mail goes awry. Instead of glassware they receive videos, books, photographs – and visits from young ladies – of the sort they wouldn’t wish their visiting relatives or banking superiors to find out about.

The original play starred Michael Crawford, and the film version, Ronnie Corbett - no small shoes to fill for the Royalty cast. They have fielded a strong team with Royalty regular Lee Wilkins taking the lead role, and Nichol Kilty playing his wife, while Tom Kelly co-stars as Peter’s friend (and the bank’s chief cashier) Brian.

No Sex Please, We're British runs from 24^th to 29^th September.

Tickets are £9/£7.50 on the night or £8/£6.50 in advance and can be booked online via  www.ticketsource.co.uk/royaltytheatre or by telephone on 0333 666 3366.

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.