Categories
First Look News

First Look at the Barn Theatre’s Production of Patrick Barlow’s Ben Hur

The Barn Theatre have released production photos of their new Built by Barn production of the comedy Ben Hur by Olivier Award-winning playwright Patrick Barlow.

The production, which runs in the historic Roman town of Cirencester from 4 March to 18 April 2020, stars James Dinsmore (Great Expectations) as Edgar T Chesterfield, Liam Horrigan (The Play That Goes Wrong) as Daniel Veil, Devarnie Lothian (Grandpa’s Great Escape) as Omar Lord and Bronte Tadman (A Christmas Carol) as Crystal Singer.

Joseph O’Malley returns to direct, following his previous direction on the Barn Theatre’s successful Built by Barn productions of Hound of the Baskervilles and The 39 Steps. Bronte Tadman also returns to the Barn Theatre after appearing in their 2019 production of A Christmas Carol.

Liam Horrigan (Daniel Veil), Bronte Tadman (Crystal Singer) and Devarnie Lothian (Omar Lord)
Photo Credit: Benjamin Collins

Based on the best-selling novel, General Lew Wallace’s Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ and the 11-time Academy award-winning 1959 film adaptation starring Charlton Heston, this stage adaptation asks the question: can four actors in an amateur theatre company pull off this epic tale? Will the backstage drama ruin the show? One thing that can be certain… audiences will be laughing uncontrollably by the end of the evening! 

Complete with chariot races, sea battles, and stage combat, Patrick Barlow weaves his compressed style popularised by The 39 Steps into one of the largest stories ever told.

Bronte Tadman (Crystal Singer) and James Dinsmore (Edgar T Chesterfield)
Photo Credit: John-Webb Carter

This Built by Barn production marks the second time the award-winning theatre has produced a play by Patrick Barlow, following their successful 2019 production of The 39 Steps, which transferred to Theatre Royal Windsor in August 2019.

The production will feature direction by Joseph O’Malley, choreography by Off-West End Awards 2019 finalist Zak Nemorin (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), set design by Off-West End Awards 2019 finalist Justin Williams (Soho Cinders, Brooklyn), costume design by Penn O’Gara, lighting design by Sam Rowcliffe-Tanner and Justin Farndale and sound design by Harry Smith.

Categories
Everything Changes News

Everything Changes (Week 7/1/19 – 13/1/19)

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!).


Opening Up!

Coming Clean – Trafalgar Studios 2 (from 9th January)

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)

12 Jan

  • A Christmas Carol (Arts)
  • Dreamgirls (Savoy)
  • Hole (Royal Court – Jerwood Theatre)
  • Kinky Boots (Adelphi)
  • 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 Fools and Horses at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.