Features Archives | Page 44 of 88

INTERVIEW: Sigrid Neilson and Lavender Menace Creatives

Paul T Davies30th July 201829th July 2018 Edinburgh Fringe, Features, Interviews, LGBT

While London’s Gays The Word bookshop is more in the public eye, (it featured heavily in the film Pride), less is known about Lavender Menace, the bookshop that began in the cloakroom of Scotland’s first gay nightclub and became the beating heart of Edinburgh’s LGBT community. Now celebrated as a play, Love Song to Lavender Menace performs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival following a sell-out run at the Lyceum. Paul T. Davies caught up with Sigrid Neilson, co-founder of Lavender Menace, and the team behind the show. I myself am just catching up with the history of Lavender Menace, so, for visitors to the Fringe, can you give me a brief outline of the history-maybe with one or two good anecdotes? SIGRID NEILSON, CO-FOUNDER OF LAVENDER MENACE: The bookshop grew out of the fact that, for many LGBT people, including me, life in the sixties and seventies mostly had to … Read more

Is Hamilton Headed To A Movie Screen Or A TV Near You?

Douglas Mayo12th April 202124th July 2018 Broadway, Features, Hamilton The Musical, News, West End

A bidding war is currently underway for a specially recorded presentation of Broadway’s mega-hit musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The Wall Street Journal has reported that rather than making a new movie musical at this stage, a recording of the original Broadway production Hamilton made over two nights may well be the first wer see of the musical on screen. The recording features the Original Broadway cast with Miranda in the title role and according to reports even includes an interval. The interesting question at the moment is whether we will see the special recording on the big screen or through an online streaming service like Netflix on our own screens at home. Hamilton, a musical about American founding father Alexander Hamilton, which melds traditional musical theatre with hip hop tapped the cultural zeitgiest from the moment it opened in 2015. The show has already grossed more than $USD400,000,000 on … Read more

Dublin Theatre Festival 2018 Programme Announced

Douglas Mayo2nd September 201824th July 2018 Features, News, Regional

This year’s Dublin Theatre Festival features a seductive selection of new work, including World and European Premieres, fresh versions of classic plays and adventurous international productions created by both renowned artists and emerging voices. A powerful Irish programme by leading theatre makers includes 10 new works, and is complemented by a strong international programme including two productions from the US and Belgium, work from Poland, Netherlands, Australia and the UK. From intimate encounters in found spaces to the grander scale of Shakespearean drama, ballet and opera, there are portraits of individuals corrupted by power, testimonies from dissenting voices and challenges to received narratives. These theatrical experiences are all connected by one thing, the need for an audience to gather together in a shared time and space. Artistic Director Willie White said: ‘Whether this is your first time seeing a festival show or you have been coming for years, there’s something … Read more

Edinburgh Fringe Preview Part Two

Mark Ludmon24th July 2018 Edinburgh Fringe, Features, News

Mark Ludmon picks out some of the new writing highlights at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe This year’s Edinburgh Fringe offers an incredible choice of new writing, including many world premieres. Alongside the powerhouse of the Traverse Theatre, venues such as Summerhall have now established a reputation for exciting new theatre, especially with the return of Paines Plough’s Roundabout space. But don’t always follow the crowd: there are plays by new writers being staged across the city, giving you a chance to catch new and emerging talent. The Fishermen Having its world premiere at Home in Manchester in July, this new play is an adaptation of Chigozie Obioma’s Man Booker prize-shortlisted novel by Fringe First-winning playwright Gbolahan Obisesan. Presented by Nottingham-based theatre company New Perspectives, it is an allegory of brotherhood, vengeance and fate about four brothers in a small Nigerian town whose lives are changed forever. The cast includes Michael Ajao … Read more

Edinburgh Fringe Preview Part One

Mark Ludmon5th August 201824th July 2018 Edinburgh Fringe, Features, News

Mark Ludmon picks out some of the new writing highlights at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe This year’s Edinburgh Fringe offers an incredible choice of new writing, including many world premieres. Alongside the powerhouse of the Traverse Theatre, venues such as Summerhall have now established a reputation for exciting new theatre, especially with the return of Paines Plough’s Roundabout space. But don’t always follow the crowd: there are plays by new writers being staged across the city, giving you a chance to catch new and emerging talent. Angry Alan Roger thinks the world’s gone mad: he hates his job, his ex-wife torments him and his girlfriend just discovered feminism. Then he discovers Angry Alan, online activist and “voice of reason”. This darkly comic new play about masculinity in crisis is written by award-winning writer Penelope Skinner and performed by Donald Sage Mackay. Underbelly, Cowgate: 2-26 August. Book Now! The Approach … Read more

GOSSIP: Bette Midler to star in Hello Dolly! at London Palladium in 2019

Editorial Staff23rd July 2018 Features, News, West End

We’ve been hearing gossip that following her triumphant Broadway run as Dolly Levi in Jerry Herman’s Hello Dolly!, Bette Midler may star in the show at the London Palladium in 2019. Put on your Sunday clothes because rumour has it that Bette Midler will be starring in the London transfer of Jerry Herman’s Hello Dolly! in 2019. The show is rumoured to be all set to play the London Palladium for a limited season. The show which has been playing for over a year on Broadway garnered 4 2017 Tony Awards including Best Actress and Best Revival Of A Musical. This production of the classic musical is directed by Jerry Zaks and marked Midler’s first Broadway musical appearance in 40 years. Midler is currently back in the Broadway production for a brief stint by popular demand before the show closes. Join our mailing list to be kept informed of all … Read more

FIRST LOOK: Rehearsals from World Premiere of Broken Wings

Douglas Mayo21st July 2018 Features, Gallery, West End

Great first look images from Kate Scott from the rehearsal room of Nadim Naaman’s new musical Broken Wings. “Broken Wings”, an autobiographical tale of tragic love based on Lebanese-born poet Kahlil Gibran’s 1912 masterpiece, will premiere as a semi-staged production with 9-piece orchestra, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from August 1 – 4. Co-Writer Nadim Naaman leads the cast as the iconic Gibran, the show’s narrator, with Rob Houchen (Marius in the West End production of “Les Misérables” and “Titanic” at Charing Cross Theatre) as Gibran’s teenage self and Nikita Johal, fresh from playing the lead role of Wendla in the acclaimed “Spring Awakening” at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre, as Selma. New York City, 1923. An ageing Gibran narrates from his cold studio. Through poetry and music, he transports us back two decades and across continents, to turn-of-the-century Beirut. His eighteen-year-old self returns to The Middle East after five years … Read more

Edinburgh Fringe LGBT Preview

Paul T Davies21st July 2018 Edinburgh Fringe, Features, LGBT

Paul T Davies takes a look at some of the LGBT offerings at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018. Before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival it’s worth accepting one fact of your visit. You will NEVER see everything you have put on your wish list. Several of them will be on at the same time, and unless you have cloned yourself or own a time machine, you’re never going to get around the city fast enough! For the LGBTQ visitor though, there is plenty of work that should reflect your tastes and interest through every aspect of queer life. Not enough work is presented in regional theatre, or even mainstream, that reflects the lives of non traditional sexuality, so the festival is a perfect place to catch new writing and performances that reflect on and celebrate queer life. Here’s just a small pick of the productions available. A significant event to … Read more