Regional

Tall Stories Celebrates 21st Birthday With Performances Worldwide

Features, News, Regional, Touring, West End
Tall Stories celebrates 21st Birthday

Tall Stories celebrates its 21st Birthday with a world premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, productions in the USA, Australia and Around the UK, plus a West End Christmas season. Olivier award nominated and renowned theatre company Tall Stories celebrates its 21st birthday in 2018 with a stellar year of productions including a brand new show for grown-ups. The 1997 Edinburgh Fringe saw the premiere of the company’s first show, ‘The Happy Prince and Other Stories’, adapted from Oscar Wilde’s fairy tales. 21 years later, the company returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with two distinctive Wilde adaptations: the world premiere of ‘The Canterville Ghost’ (definitely not suitable for under 12s) and the Edinburgh premiere of ‘Wilde Creatures’ (for ages 5 and over) – straight from London’s West End. Since joint artistic directors Olivia Jacobs and Toby Mitchell founded the company in 1997, they have co-created and staged 30 productions, in 5 languages, in … Read more

Pulse Festival 2018 New Wolsey Theatre

Features, News, Regional
Pulse Festival 2018 New Wolsey Theatre

Paul T Davies previews The 18th Annual Pulse Festival at the New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich. Now firmly established on the East Anglian and theatrical calendar, the Pulse Festival is 18 this year, and is as eclectic and exciting as it has been every year. With post Edinburgh hits on tour, scratch days, new work and material being tested, live music and dance, there really is something for everyone! The Suitcase Prize Day is always a great event, in which theatre makers present about 20 minutes of a new show, and are  encouraged to think in an environmentally and economically sustainable way- work that can be toured in a suitcase! Twelve companies and artists will present excerpts of new work, with the winner being announced at the end of the day. Last year’s winner, Rubber Ring by James McDermott, gets its full performance, and it all takes place on Friday June … Read more

PREVIEW: Europe After The Rain At The Mercury Theatre Colchester

Features, Regional
Europe After The Rain Mercury Theatre Colchester

Paul T Davies takes a look at Oliver Bennett’s Europe After The Rain and talks to the cast who are now in rehearsals ahead of a season at the Mercury Theatre Colchester. I’ll admit to a “humble brag” regarding Oliver Bennett’s surreal, funny and disturbing new play. I was on the reading panel for the Mercury Theatre Playwriting Prize 2017, and, at the second round, I championed Europe After The Rain. In fact, I confidently said, “This is the winner”, one of the few occasions in which I felt I might know anything about plays. It did indeed win, and now the Mercury are about to stage Oliver’s vision, and a wider audience will hear his unique voice. I caught up with cast, James Alexandrou (Will), Simon Haines (Max), Natasha Kafka (Marta) and Anna Koval (Yana) and director Cara Nolan during rehearsals. The play imagines a near future where the … Read more

Brighton Fringe 2018: Our Pick Of Theatre Highlights

Features, News, Regional
Brighton Fringe 2018

Faced with a bumper 160-page brochure and a packed What’s On section online, we provide our selection of some of the theatre highlights of this year’s Brighton Fringe. Running from May 4 to June 3, this year’s festival features over 4,000 performances across 155 venues, from local theatre companies and touring shows to new writing and old favourites, plus a selection of work coming out of Amsterdam Fringe. After This intriguing concept features one short play that is performed twice – by a mother, played by Syreeta Kumar, with her daughter, and by a father, played by Tom Dussek, with his son. Written by Craig Jordan-Baker, the two performances have been developed separately by directors Dodger Phillips and Rikki Tarascas. Set in a post-apocalyptic future where history is lost, it explores what we pass on to our children, whether they want it or not. Rialto Theatre 10, 11, 12 May … Read more