The wonderful world of Twirlywoos – as seen on CBeebies – will be brought to life on stage in London this Summer, when Toodloo, Great BigHoo, Chickedy, Chick and Peekaboo set sail for Leicester Square Theatre from Friday 13 – Monday 16 August 2021.
Featuring all the favourite characters from the hit TV show, expect mischief, music and plenty of surprises as the Twirlywoos welcome young fans on board their Big Red Boat for a theatrical adventure. With beautifully inventive puppetry, Twirlywoos Live! promises to be a laugh-out-loud treat for little ones.
Twirlywoos was first broadcast on CBeebies in 2015, and in 2017 celebrated its 100th episode. The Twirlywoos are four small, bird-like characters who are inquisitive, enthusiastic and always looking to learn something new about the world. Ever curious, they seek adventure and fun wherever they go. Whether in the real world or on their big red boat, they love to hide, imitate and be surprised as they discover new things. Twirlywoos is co-created by Anne Wood, who has devised shows including Teletubbies, and Steve Roberts, who with Anne co-created the Bafta-winning CBeebies series Dipdap.
Twirlywoos Live! is brought to the stage by MEI Theatrical, whose recent productions include CBeebies favourite Sarah and Duck Live on Stage, and the smash-hit production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. It is written by Zoe Bourn, who has brought to life some of the world’s best-loved children’s titles including Thomas and Friends and Fireman Sam Live!.
Twirlywoos Live! is recommended for ages 1+, with babes in arms welcome. The running time is 55 minutes with no interval.
It’s our first ever “Everything Changes” feature! This is the weekly feature that keeps you informed of shows that are opening and closing in the UK theatre scene and yes, it’s a reference to Waitress (which is opening in the West End this February!).
Coming Clean opens at Trafalgar Studios 2 on 9th January.
Location: Trafalgar Studios 2
Dates: 9th Jan to 2nd Feb 2019
Cast: Lee Knight (Tony), Stanton Plummer-Cambridge (Greg), Tom Lambert (Robert) & Elliot Hadley (William/Jurgen)
Creatives: Kevin Elyot (Author), King’s Head Theatre (Producer), Making Productions Limited (Producer), RGM Productions (Producer), Adam Spreadbury-Maher (Director), Nic Farman (Lighting) & Amanda Mascarenhas (Design)
Following a critically acclaimed run at the London’s King’s Head Theatre, the producers behind the Olivier nominated La Boheme transfer the smash-hit, sell-out play by Kevin Elyot, writer of the landmark drama My Night With Reg, transfers to Trafalgar Studios 2 this January.
Tony and Greg seem to have love all figured out. They’re in a committed relationship but with room for a little more on the side whenever it takes their fancy. The only rule? Never sleep with the same man twice.
When drop-dead gorgeous Robert walks into their lives, the fragile foundations of their sexual contract are thrown into jeopardy.
Funny, fresh and packed with razor-sharp wit, Coming Clean questions the nature of fidelity and the limits of love.
Songs for Nobodies – Ambassadors Theatre (from 9th Jan)
Songs for Nobodies transfers to the West End on 9th Jan
Location: Ambassadors Theatre
Dates: 9th Jan to 23rd Feb 2019
Cast: Bernadette Robinson
Creatives: Joanna Murray-Smith (Author) & Simon Phillips (Director)
After a stunning run at Wilton’s Music Hall, and after overwhelming demand, Songs for Nobodies is transferring to the West End’s Ambassadors Theatre for a strictly limited run starting 9 January. This one woman show is unlike anything you’ve seen before.
For 90 minutes, accompanied only by live musicians, Bernadette Robinson singlehandedly tells the tales of five everyday women whose lives are changed when they briefly encounter fame and the legendary singers who had such an impact on them. Bringing to life powerhouse voices across vastly different genres of music, Bernadette Robinson has a versatility that is truly astonishing. Watch as she brings Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday and Maria Callas to life as you listen.
Bernadette Robinson’s talent is nearly unbelievable so don’t miss your chance to see it for yourself.
Violet – Charing Cross Theatre (from 12th Jan)
Violet opens at Charing Cross Theatre on 12th Jan
Location: Charing Cross Theatre
Dates: 12th Jan to 6th Apr 2019
Cast: Kaisa Hammarlund (Violet), Matthew Harve (Monty), Jay Marsh (Flick), Simbi Akande, Angelica Allen, Kenneth Avery-Clark, Keiron Crook, James Gant, Danny Michaels, Janet Mooney, Amy Mepham, Rebecca Nardin & Madeleine Sellman (Young Violet)
Creatives: Jeanine Tesori (Music), Brian Crawley (Book & Lyrics), Steven M Levy (Producer), Vaughan Williams (for Charing Cross Theatre Productions Ltd) (Producer), Umeda Arts Theater Co Ltd (Osaka Japan) (Producer), Shuntaro Fujita (Director), Cressida Carre (Choreographer), Morgan Large (Design), Jonathan Lipman (Costume), Howard Hudson (Lighting), Andrew Johnson (Sound) & Dan Jackson (Musical Director)
1964. Somewhere between North Carolina and Oklahoma, we find Violet, a young woman who was facially disfigured as a child. She hopes her life savings will bring her a miracle halfway across the country. Reflecting on her childhood, and shaped by the reactions of the people she encounters, Violet embarks on a life-changing personal journey.
Based on The Ugliest Pilgrim by Doris Betts.
Another Opening Of Another Show
The War of The Worlds (The New Diorama Theatre, 8 Jan to 9 Feb)
Anomaly (Old Red Lion, 8 Jan to 2 Feb)
Franz Kafka – Apparatus (White Bear, 8 to 26 Jan)
In Lipstick (Pleasance, 8 to 27 Jan)
In Conversation with Graham Norton (The Hope Theatre, 8 to 26 Jan)
Two of a Kind (Bread and Roses, 8 to 12 Jan)
Salt (Theatre503, 9 to 10 Jan)
Rosenbaum’s Rescue (Park Theatre, 9 Jan)
Approaching Empty (The Kiln, 9 Jan to 2 Feb)
Stop and Search (Arcola, 9 Jan to 9 Feb)
Outlying Islands (The King’s Head Theatre, 9 Jan to 2 Feb)
Original Death Rabbit (Jermyn Street Theatre, 9 Jan to 9 Feb)
Valhalla (White Bear, 9 Jan to 10 Jan)
The Daughter-In-Law (Arcola, 10 Jan to 2 Feb)
Olivier de Sagazan – Transfiguration (The Lilian Baylis Theatre, 10 to 11 Jan)
The Murder Express (Pedley Street Station, 11 Jan to 31 Mar)
Gone (Theatre503, 11 to 13 Jan)
Snow Baby (Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, 12 Jan)
Murder, She Didn’t Write (Leicester Square Theatre, 13 Jan to 19 May)
Extra Virgin (Above the Stag Theatre, 13 Jan to 10 Feb)
I’m Sorry But… (Bread and Roses, 13 to 14 Jan)
Waiting for Curry (The King’s Head Theatre, 13 to 14 Jan)
Happy Trails!
Kinky Boots, Dreamgirls & The Band are a few of the shows that are closing this week.
8 Jan
Cuttings (Theatre503)
9 Jan
The Tell-Tale Heart (Dorfman Theatre (National Theatre))
10 Jan
Salt (Theatre503)
Valhalla (White Bear)
11 Jan
Olivier de Sagazan – Transfiguration (The Lilian Baylis Theatre)
Mother Goose Cracks One Out! (Above the Stag Theatre)
Snow Baby (Half Moon Young People’s Theatre)
The Band (Theatre Royal Haymarket)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (Drayton Arms Theatre)
Two of a Kind (Bread and Roses)
Uncle Vanya (Hampstead Theatre)
13 Jan
Gone (Theatre503)
Murder For Two (The Other Palace)
Room on the Broom (Lyric)
Sherlock Homeless – The Anatomy of Rubbish (Barons Court Theatre)
Snow White at The London Palladium (London Palladium)
Swan Lake (London Coliseum)
It is going to be a crazy week with a lot of long-running shows leaving the West End this weekend. With last weekend’s closings of Bat Out Of Hell, Chicago and 42nd Street, followed by this weekend’s closings of A Christmas Carol, Dreamgirls, Kinky Boots, The Band and Snow White…well, the West End is going to look a lot different!
This will also mean that the West End will start to see signs of new shows arriving with new marquees for shows such as Come From Away at the Phoenix, 9 to 5 at the Savoy, Six at the Arts, Waitress at the Adelphi and Only Foolsand Horses at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
