UK Theatre Network

SECRETS - Veronika Tugendraich - Tony Taras - Adam Brody OPPORTUNITIES - Older Male Actors HAVE YOU SEEN ? - Looking for Paul REVIEWS - Footloose in Woking - Eugene Onegin in Milton Keynes WHAT'S ON - Glasgow International Comedy Festival ---------------------- SECRETS......SECRETS......SECRETS......OF THE NETWORK VERONIKA TUGENDRAICH IS PLAYING THE PART..... ...of the dynamic Honey Bunny in Pulp Fiction Live! at The Underworld in Camden, 31st March - 3 April. Book your tickets on 08700 600 100 and get ready. After kicking in the teeth of Pulp Fiction audiences, look for a more subdued and “Fonzie” cool Veronika in indie film Metropolis by Charlie Bleakley TONY TARAS IS STEPPING INTO..... ......the role of 'Jacob' in 'The Surgeon and the Nurse' for one performance on Monday 5th April @ 7pm. The play in One Act is part of the festival showcasting the freshest new writing and directing talent to hit the London fringe as part of the ONE ACT FESTIVAL 2004 where 21 plays are being shown over 7 nights on one stage: Diaroma Studio Theatre, 34 Osnaburgh Street, London NW1. Box Office 07963 083133 ADAM BRODY IS APPEARING IN....... .....the Alan Ayckbourn play "Absent Friends" at the Greenwich Playhouse from 23rdMarch-18th April. The play is directed by Bruce Jamieson and produced by the well established and respected Galleon Theatre Company. The box office no: 0208 858 9256 alternatively: boxoffice@galleontheatre.co.uk ----------- OPPORTUNITIES....OPPORTUNITIES....OPPORTUNITIES.... Older Male actors (playing age 55-70) with good ear for accents needed for ground breaking new production from Prize winning Royal court Young Writer. Production runs from 8-26 June, Tues to Sat. Small fee offered. Please contact David Merctali on 07966166969 or e-mail Cridtina@blueelephantheatre.co.uk ---------------------------------------------- HAVE YOU SEEN ?....HAVE YOU SEEN ?....HAVE YOU SEEN ?.... Looking for Paul I am looking for an actor based in London. I don't know his last name but he introduced me to this site in the first instance. I used to work with him on really dodgy promotions (Telegraph Magazine at unearthly hours in the morning at train stations!!!) I wanted to get in touch to see how he was getting on. I lost touch with him when I moved from London and was hoping he was getting on ok. Any help from anyone would be marvellous. (He was in his 30's, shoulder length blondish hair, loved guitar music, his girlfriend was an actress too) Cheers Lucia Cox lougrand76@hotmail.com --------------------------------- REVIEWS......REVIEWS......REVIEWS...... These Reviews are posted online shortly after the performance. Click on http://pub27.bravenet.com/forum/show.php?usernum=2289416293&cpv=1 to see the archive. NEW VICTORIA THEATRE WOKING Box Office: 01483 545900 THEN ON TOUR FOOTLOOSE Those of you who know me will be aware that I'm not a great fan of "pop musicals" as I tend to like a strong narrative in my theatre. However, I do enjoy watching most forms of theatre if it is well done. Footloose is thus a rare exception for me in that once I realized that I was not going to be able to hear many of the lyrics (which didn't really drive the plot anyway) then I could just sit back and admire the extremely talented dancers on stage. There is something so exciting about watching exuberant dancing. The choreography in this show is superb and should any of you have aspirations about becoming a musical theatre performer then boogie along to see Footloose and ask yourself honestly whether you not only have the talent to be part of such a company but whether you have the energy and dedication for such work. What marks out this Company is the way that they communicate their joy at being on stage despite (or maybe because) of the rigours of touring. As Footloose is very much an ensemble piece it is difficult to single out individual performers but I feel I must mention the clarity of performance given by Marilyn Cutts as Vi because of her stage presence and wonderful singing voice. Taylor James, as Willard, is a very striking performer who I 'll tip for great things because not only is he a very talented dancer but because his stunning good looks certainly won't harm his show-biz career! My only gripe, as hinted at earlier, is that the band too often drowns the singing. It's a common occurrence especially with tours but one that really ought to be addressed particularly when using radio mikes. A couple of weeks' ago I saw the tour of HMS Pinafore which had a number of faults but nearly all the words of the songs could be heard; strangely there was not a microphone in sight. CARRIE COHEN ---------- CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF By Tennessee Williams Directed by Colin Blumenau Now playing at the Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford, until Saturday, 27th March. My first thoughts on entering the auditorium were what a cool-looking set was presented to portray the heat of the Deep South – but this steamy story of characters in emotional turmoil generates its own heat! The whole action of the play takes place in the bedroom, which takes up the whole of centre stage, but with many louvered doors (Kit Surrey’s set cleverly suggesting the impression of a cage) leading to other rooms and to the terrace, which is clearly visible to the audience and from where we can hear the sounds of children playing in the garden and the ‘clunk’ of a croquet mallet – sounds which, as day gives way to evening, change to the exploding of fireworks arranged for Big Daddy’s 65th birthday party - very effective sound and lighting by John Bramley. The scene is beautifully set. This is a wealthy family, living in the midst of their ‘twenty-eight thousand acres of rich land’, inhabiting their elegant house in an enviable position close to the cooling breezes of the river, but wealth doesn’t bring happiness. (Or so I am told, although I’d like the chance to find out!) Maggie (Helena Lyons) is the Cat of the title – as nervous, highly-strung, tense and agitated as a cat on a hot tin roof – but her theory is that victory for the cat involves ‘staying on it’ and stay she does, tenaciously hanging on to her position in the family despite all odds, and despite the feeling of living in a cage – as are they all! In this play the whole range of human weaknesses are compressed into the eight characters of this seemingly close-knit, yet dysfunctional family, comprising avarice, jealousy, envy, distrust, infidelity, suppressed sexuality and alcoholism I believe love is in there somewhere but it’s a little hard to find, unless it is the love of money as they are all waiting to inherit Big Daddy’s fortune. On the surface is the thin veneer of civilised sophistication of a wealthy Mississippi family in the 1950s, but gradually all the pretence is stripped away and we see the beginnings of the disintegration of a way of life – epitomised, perhaps, by the fact that Big Daddy(Christopher Robbie), the patriarch and very much in control, is dying of cancer. The whole of the first act is Maggie and husband Brick (Darren Strange) getting ready for the party, Maggie desperately wanting a child, but as Brick refuses to sleep with her, there’s not much chance there. Helena Lyons is fully in control of this high-tension, emotional script, although I feel that – when she has lived a little longer – she will have more experience to draw on for the anguish felt by Maggie. Darren Strange, as the injured former footballer, turning to drink in his resigned desperation, gave a good laid-back, quiet, watchful performance, but given to sudden bursts of frustrated violent anger. In the second act Big Daddy talks to Brick, trying to discover the meaning of his life, and yet more secrets are revealed. I left the theatre feeling emotionally drained by this superb but tragic story. I can only imagine how the actors felt! Reviewed by Sheila Ann Connor Box Office..........01483 44 00 00 ------------- Eugene Onegin - Welsh National Opera - Milton Keynes Theatre Wow! Is all I can say. I'd never been to an Opera previously, and other than a lot of singing, didn't really know what to expect. What I saw was a beautifully costumed and superbly designed set, portraying a moving story, which, to my un-trained operatic ear was beautifully sung and well acted. I loved it! I particularly liked Amanda Roocroft (Tatyana), who sang fabulously, such a beautiful voice and the comic Monsieur Triquet, sang by Robert Tear. All the principals seemed good to me and acted well, as did the chorus. It was also lovely to see the orchestra, which is not something we often see at Milton Keynes, as they are usually hidden away. I learnt 2 things. The first? Make sure you go to the loo before the opera starts and in each interval as the acts are long - the first act was an hour and a half!! And the second? You don't have to speak the language the opera is sung in or even know the story beforehand. They have surtitles (a digital screen with the English on) above the stage and they sing the same line either very elongated or over and over again, so you have plenty of time to digest the surtitles and understand what's going on! My only disappointment? The story at the end...a bit weak after so many dramatics all the way through...I think Onegin should have pulled a dagger and killed himself in grief at the end...would the Opera Companies like a re-write, I wonder? What would Mr Tchaikovsky have said? Or Mr Pushkin? All in all a top evening's entertainment. If you haven't been before, give it a go - you might even like it! Welsh National Opera are at Milton Keynes Theatre until Sat 27th March. Madam Butterfly is on Weds and Sat, Hansel and Gretel is on Thurs and Eugene Onegin is on again on Friday. Box Office No: 01908 606090 The tour continues to Southampton, Swansea and Bristol (how will everything fit in backstage at Bristol? That'll be a feat of logistics for the Company Manager!) Reviewer: Sarah Bowron --------------------------------------------- WHAT'S ON.....WHAT'S ON.....WHAT'S ON..... Bringing the glittering stars of stage and screen to your inbox #1 FRED MACAULAY “I’ve been checking my accounts records to see when I last did a gig at The Tron…….turns out this’ll be my first time!!! If you’re from The Inland Revenue, I’m just joking. My accounts are impeccable. As are my credentials. Officer. One thing about giving up accountancy for comedy is that you never stop learning. Anyway, a long time ago I was asked if I fancied returning to The Tron as part of the International Comedy Festival. Of course, I said yes. Then I learned it was Wednesday and Thursday….not your traditional comedy nights. Then I learned that it was at 10:00p.m. after Iain Heggie’s new play “Sauchiehall Street”, the much-coveted late-night, mid-week comedy slot beloved of the employed earners who so enjoy that bleary-eyed feeling at work the next morning. But what the heck…..I’m going to be there, why not join me…..and remember, I’ll be in the office at 6:45 the next morning getting ready for the radio show……all you’ve got to do is listen!” Fred Macaulay plays at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow as part of The Glasgow International Comedy Festival on Wednesday 24 & Thursday 25 March @ 10pm. Tickets priced £10/£8 are available now from the box office on 0141 552 4267 www.tron.co.uk … read on for more info on comedy @ the tron this week! DANGEROUS COMEDY AT THE TRON THEATRE... It all starts innocently enough with your ribs being gently tickled. Before long though you find your sides splitting and then it's only a matter of time before you're laughing your head off! No need to worry as the Tron have a full compliment of first aiders on hand for any mirth-induced injuries (banana skin-slips a speciality!) as well as a full compliment of liquid anaesthetics available from any of our three bars. This week sees the Tron presenting a whole lot of painfully funny comedy capers. Why not join us on a trip to SAUCHIEHALL STREET (Wed 24 - Sun 28 March) as Iain Heggie makes a return to writing for the Scottish stage, directly following a stint of saucing up the scripts for the BBC’s Scottish Super Soap-arama River City. Following the chaotic comical stints of ageing Actor’s agent, Dorothy Darvel as her talk now, think later attitude gets her into all sorts of trouble with Scotland’s rising starlettes. Heggie will also be previewing his deliciously twisted, juicy and at times outrageous poetry and comments following Saturday night’s performance absolutely for free - so why not grab a beer or two at the bar, and settle down for an evening that’s bound to make you wriggle, giggle and maybe even blush! Or take a trip upstairs at the Tron to our studio space where this week you can encounter Trio Con Brio’s IN THE BEGINNING (Thu 25 - Sat 27 March) - a twisted little tale of love, temptation and original sin in a comedy to top all others. That's not the only topping either - the cast call out for pizza during every performance! Bella Bella! And not forgetting the Magnificent Glasgow International Comedy Festival which this weeks makes it’s mighty mark on the Tron with performances by Glasgow’s very own FRED MACAULAY for two evenings only (Wed 24 - Thu 25 May) - join him for a night of banter, patter and pleasure. Not forgetting the outrageous TINA C. (Fri 26 Mar) who returns to the Tron with a very intimate (!) evening of song and comedy following a sell out tour world wide. Go on … have a giggle on us this week at the Tron Theatre 63 Trongate, Glasgow, G1 5HB Box Office 0141 552 4267 www.tron.co.uk