AmbassadorTickets.comSummer 2010 Things to do, people to see

The Ambassador Theatre Group

HOTLIST!English style icons

North West escapesYoung directors

MesmerisingMark Rylance

Haunted HouseGhost Stories

at the Duke of York’s

Fat suit and falsies

Brian Conley in Hairspray

King of Comedy

MarcusBrigstocke

AmbassadorTickets.comSummer 2010 Things to do, people to see

The views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd.

2

3

1 Brian Conley in Hairspray

2 Retail therapy atLiverpool ONE complex

3 Sheridan Smith inLegally Blonde

1

The Ambassador Theatre Group

Liverpool’s Albert Dock

showcases the best of the city

in a World Heritage, waterfront

setting. Wonder at the world’s

finest contemporary art at the

Liverpool Tate and relive the

glory days of The Fab Four

at The Beatles Story.

albertdock.com

of the6best

▲

The Harbourmaster Hotel,

Aberaeron is the ultimate in

seaside chic- stunning views, stylish

rooms and amazing seafood - the

perfect summer getaway. For more

information call 01545 570 755 or

visit harbour-master.com

‘Lovingly ripped off‘

from the 1975 film

Monty Python and

the Holy Grail, ATG’s

new production of

Spamalot stars Jodie

Prenger, Marcus

Brigstocke and

Todd Carty. Book

at Ambassador

Tickets.com

Indulgent little

chocolate cakes

on sticks, which

are as scrummy

as they are cute!

popbakery.co.uk

A magical day out for all the

family, Puzzlewood is an

enchanting, meandering ancient

woodland of fantastic tree and

rock formations located in the

beautiful and historic Forest

of Dean. Call 01594 833187

for more information.

Expect a right carry

on when British icon

and national treasure Barbara

Windsor appears as Fairy

Bowbells in Dick Whittington

at the Bristol Hippodrome

this Christmas, her first panto

in fifteen years! Online booking

bristolhippodrome.org.uk

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oto

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y Er

ic R

ich

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nd

AMBASSADOR GROUP PRODUCTIONS

AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP LONDON THEATRESApollo Victoria 0844 871 7615 Comedy Theatre 0844 871 7622 Donmar Warehouse 0844 871 7624 Duke of York’s Theatre 0844 871 7623 Fortune Theatre 0844 871 7626 Lyceum Theatre 0844 871 7615 Phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629Piccadilly Theatre 0844 871 7630 Playhouse Theatre 0844 871 7631 Savoy Theatre 0844 871 7687 Trafalgar Studios 0844 871 7632

AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP REGIONAL THEATRESAylesbury Waterside Theatre 0844 8717 607 Theatre Royal Brighton 0844 8717 650 Churchill Theatre Bromley 0844 8717 620Kings Theatre Glasgow 0844 8717 648 Theatre Royal Glasgow 0844 8717 647 Milton Keynes Theatre 0844 8717 652Richmond Theatre 0844 8717 651 Regent Theatre & Victoria Hall Stoke-on-Trent 0844 8717 649New Wimbledon Theatre & New Wimbledon Studio 0844 8717 646 Ambassadors Cinemas Woking 0844 8717 643New Victoria Theatre & Rhoda McGaw Theatre Woking 0844 8717 645Online booking at AmbassadorTickets.com

Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham 0844 847 2293 Bristol Hippodrome 0844 847 2341 Edinburgh Playhouse 0844 847 1661Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone 0844 847 1776 Grimsby Auditorium 0844 847 2426 Empire Theatre Liverpool 0844 847 2525Palace Theatre & Opera House Manchester 0844 847 2484 New Theatre Oxford 0844 847 1588 Southport Theatre and Convention Centre 0844 847 2321 Sunderland Empire 0844 847 2499 Princess Theatre Torquay 0844 847 2315York Grand Opera House 0844 847 2322 Online booking at livenationtheatres.co.uk

Jessamy Hadley EditorPat Westwell, Jasper Rees, Al Senter, Mark Shenton, Becky Martin, David Bradbury, Mia Flodquist, Neena Dhillon,Ben Prudhoe, Barry Grant ContributorsShaun Webb Design Design and Art Direction John Good Print

The Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd 39 - 41 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H OAR

An Extraordinary Story 1The remarkable rise of theAmbassador Theatre Group

You’ve Got Grail 3A knight to remember with Marcus Brigstocke

A Mark Of Distinction 5Mark Rylance - the toast of the West End

What’s On in London 7

Competition 8In the pink- but is it legal?Legally Blonde

Fright Night 9Ghostly goings on at the Duke of York’s Theatre

Big is Beautiful 11Brian Conley goes up a dress size in Hairspray

One to Watch 13The UK’s newest theatre opens in Aylesbury

Seriously Talented 14Young directors rule in theDonmar Trafalgar season

English Summer 15Quirky Brit chic

Northern Delights 17Cosmopolitan, chic, surprising -visit Manchester and Liverpoolfor a very different day out

1

is always the thing of course,

but if the audience get the sense

that the people behind the stage

are not that interested in it, then

it really takes the shine off the

evening. It does matter who

runs the show.

The HistoryThe resonance that this approach

has with audiences can be seen

as the Ambassador Theatre

Group takes on 15 additional

theatres across the UK, bringing

the Group’s network to a total of

38 (39 with the opening of the

new Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

in October). It includes historic

theatres in the West End like the

Apollo Victoria, Comedy, Duke

of York’s, Lyceum and Savoy, as

well as the landmark venues of

Britain’s touring circuit, including

the big auditoria in Edinburgh,

Bristol and Manchester, and

thriving theatres from Brighton

to Glasgow. These venues are

the cornerstones of Britain’s

theatregoing, and their coming

together marks the latest chapter

in ATG’s extraordinary story. Only

18 years ago, this great British

theatre group contained just

one theatre.

The driving forces behind

ATG are its co-founders, Howard

Panter and Rosemary Squire.

In 1992, the husband and wife

team, backed by a group of

friends and enthusiasts, bought

the Duke of York’s Theatre in

London’s West End. Panter and

Squire were soon involved in

the development of a new

entertainment centre in Woking

(which included the landmark

New Victoria Theatre), and

continued through the 1990s to

launch more regional theatres in

partnership with trusts and local

authorities. As the Millennium

began, ATG grew once more,

taking on seven West End

theatres and a number of

regional venues, and this was

the period where the ATG

philosophy, born in cramped

offices above the stage of the

Duke of York’s, began to

influence theatre on a national

scale. 2010 brings the story up

to date, with theatres previously

managed by the Live Nation

group passing to ATG.

The DifferenceAs new venues join the group,

audiences will have the chance

to experience theatre as ATG

believes it should be delivered.

From later this year that

experience could reach millions

of people across the UK, offering

great quality shows, more choice,

and a special attention to detail.

If you are part of one of these

audiences, you will notice the

difference: you can sense the

excitement ATG still feels about

putting on a show.

For an idea of what we might

be watching, look at some

recent productions. Guys and

Dolls started in the West End

with leads like Ewan McGregor,

Patrick Swayze, and Don

Johnson, before touring ATG

venues across the country. Big

shows like West Side Story, The

Rocky Horror Show and Matthew

Bourne’s Nutcracker! followed

a similar pattern. Disney’s Lion

King, the phenomenal Wicked,

Grease and Legally Blonde

currently play at ATG theatres

transformation in ATG,’ says

Squire ‘both companies had real

strengths but together we have

something very special indeed.’

ATG’s story has only been

possible because audiences enjoy

the Group’s approach. Great

shows, great theatres, and a little

bit of magic - this is still what we

want from theatregoing, and the

success of ATG is evidence that

theatre in Britain has a very

strong pulse indeed.

An Extraordinary StoryExciting times for theatre lovers as the Ambassador Theatre Group expands across the UK

Feature

There are moments in theatre

when everything seems to come

together at the right time. A

thousand people in one place

hear and see something special,

together. You could describe it as

a magical experience: it’s hard to

think of a better description for

it. But like most magic, there is a

trick to it, and it’s a method that

has been learned by generation

after generation of theatre

managers.

Here’s the secret. It isn’t that

complicated. It’s a combination

of three ingredients: a good

show, attention to what the

audience needs, and a passion

for theatre.

That last ingredient is vital.

It has to be a labour of love. If

that passion is not there: well,

audiences can just tell. The play

Wicked

Legally Blonde

Images top l-r

Edinburgh Playhouse

Milton Keynes Theatre

Lyceum Theatre

Bristol Hippodrome

in London; Spamalot and We Will

Rock You are on tour or about to

take off. Meanwhile, the Donmar

Warehouse and Trafalgar Studios

provide brilliant settings for

a diverse range of theatre,

offering audiences inspiration

and challenging ideas. Sonia

Friedman Productions, as part

of ATG, has presented over 85

new productions since 1990,

including Boeing Boeing, Pinter’s

No Man’s Land with Michael

Gambon and David Walliams,

and Patrick Marber’s Dealer’s

Choice. Friedman is recognised

as a convention-breaking

producer in a West End where

risks are never easy to take.

Audiences in ChargeTheatre management is the

power behind the stage, but

every management company

knows that it is really the

audience who is in charge.

Audiences vote with their feet.

They want a theatre experience

that shows flair and attention

to detail, and when this is

supplied by a British company,

responding to an enormous

British audience, then we can

say that this is a very exciting

time for British theatre.

‘I’m delighted by the

A showstoppingperformance!Congratulations to the

Theatre Royal Brighton.

Part of the Ambassador

Theatre Group, it has

just been named

Most Welcoming Theatre

at the TMA Theatre

and Management Awards

for its exceptional levels

of customer service.

he says. You wouldn’t think it to

listen to him inveighing against

Tony Blair and Jeremy Clarkson

(‘the man is not just an idiot but

he’s deliberately being an idiot’) -

but Brigstocke is a snug fit for

another reason. Thanks to the

shows his parents took him to

as a boy, he is a closet devotee

of musical theatre.

‘We were definitely up the

Lloyd Webber end rather than

the Sondheim end. When

Starlight Express opened I

couldn’t believe it. These people

were singing and on roller-

skates? I had ambitions for a very

long time to be Greaseball. Then

I saw Les Mis. Javert and Jean

Valjean are two of the best

characters I’ve seen onstage

in anything ever.’

So it’s in the blood. Before

he went to Bristol University

Brigstocke was even planning

to be an actor. On the grounds

that he was funny, a friend

booked him in to do a comedy

slot in a Kiss FM stand-up

competition. ‘The first half they

sat in pitying silence. I had a

rubber chicken concealed in my

suit. And I did props gags, all of

which were awful. Once I’d used

up all the props and started

talking, then people laughed. I

went, ‘You’re seriously telling me

people will just pay you for this?

I’m set. I’m done. That’s it. This is

all I want to do.’

He did huge amounts of

comedy at university and then

entered the profession. On the

club circuit he worked his way

up to a point where people were

refusing to follow him. ‘Other

comics would go, ‘F***ing hell,

I don’t want to go on after

Brigstocke.’ Which is where you

want to get to. You want to be

unfollowable, because you’re so

good. But I kept coming offstage

and couldn’t understand why I

felt empty. And then the build-

up to the Iraq war began to gain

momentum and I found that I

cared very very much about what

was happening. It was the first

time that something I felt so

passionately about just came

onstage with me anyway.’

3

Marcus Brigstocke in a musical?

You won’t have been the only

one wondering how this

happened. Brigstocke is the

closest we have these days to a

political satirist on the stand-up

circuit. But his government-

bashing on Radio 4’s The Now

Show and his environmentally

friendly comedy routines about

saving the planet are suspended

forthwith while he takes the

part of King Arthur in Spamalot.

Even Brigstocke was a bit

surprised when he heard the

producers were considering

him. ‘I actually ignored it

because I thought it was a rather

preposterous notion, and then

it came through the official

channels.’ But exactly how

preposterous is it? The role

has been filled before by

consummate actor/singers - Tim

Curry and Simon Russell Beale.

And here’s a man who really

knows his comedy. He can also

act: he got good reviews for his

ne’er-do-well Charles Surface in

the all-comedians production of

The School for Scandal at last

year’s Edinburgh Festival. But

not a lot of people know that

he has danced for money. ‘I was

a podium dancer for a couple

of years,’ he confesses. ‘I worked

as a dancer who would get up

during club night to get the

crowd going. It was a long, long

time ago in fairness. What can

I say? When I throw shapes

people watch. I wasn’t in a

thong,’ he adds.

He wasn’t in chainmail either.

Spamalot’s allure for any

comedian, of course, is the

hallowed aura of Monty Python.

‘This is really really cool for me,’

You’ve Got GrailMarcus Brigstocke on his SPAM-tastic new role as King Arthur

4

‘ I was a podium dancerfor a couple of years...what can I say? WhenI throw shapes, peoplewatch. I wasn’t ina thong...

Interview

’

Interview by

Jasper Rees

Photography by

Eric Richmond

SpamalotKing’s Theatre, Glasgow14 -19 JuneBox Office 0844 871 7648

Theatre Royal Brighton21-26 JuneBox Office 0844 871 7650

Churchill Theatre Bromley28 June -3 JulyBox Office 0844 871 7620

Manchester Opera House*5 -10 JulyBox Office 0844 847 2295

Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent2-7 AugustBox Office 0844 871 7649

Liverpool Empire*9-14 AugustBox Office 0844 847 2525

Bristol Hippodrome*13-18 SeptemberBox Office 0844 847 2325

New Victoria Theatre, Woking20-25 SeptemberBox Office 0844 871 7645

Sunderland Empire*11-16 OctoberBox Office 0844 847 2499

Edinburgh Playhouse*18-23 OctoberBox Office 0844 847 1660

Oxford New Theatre*25-30 OctoberBox Office 01865 305 305

Torquay Princess Theatre*1-6 NovemberBox Office 0844 847 2315

York Grand Opera House*22-27 NovemberBox Office 0844 847 2322

Milton Keynes Theatre29 November - 4 DecemberBox Office 0844 871 7652

Birmingham Alexandra*7 December - 1 JanuaryBox Office 0844 847 2302

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre28 March - 2 April 2011Box Office 0844 871 7607

Full casting details and online booking atAmbassadorTickets.com

*Online booking atlivenationtheatres.co.uk

Jodie Prenger, Todd Carty

and Marcus Brigstocke

and breadth of France. Into this

high-minded ambience flounces

Valere (Rylance), a vulgar

mountebank from the streets,

whose populist instincts and

unashamed showmanship

threaten to undermine both

Elomire’s aesthetic and his status

within the company.

‘I loved the boldness of the

writing and I’ve always been

interested in one of the main

themes of the play - the

relationship between popular

culture and sophisticated art’

explains Rylance. ‘Valere

represents the first tradition

while Elomire embodies the

second. What would I call

myself? A bit of both perhaps.’

Although he has just passed

his fiftieth birthday, there is still

something of the wiry boy about

Rylance, now passionate, now

bashful. Though born in Kent,

Rylance spent his formative years

in the American Mid-West where

his father had taken up a

teaching post, and this may have

reinforced the sense that he is

something of an outsider in the

clubby world of British theatre.

He is certainly not afraid to voice

unpopular or alternative

opinions and he had to battle

during the first few years of his

tenure as Artistic Director of

Shakespeare’s Globe against

establishment prejudice that

the venue was more theme park

than theatre. Rylance is a highly

individual thinker, attracted by

ideas and issues far beyond the

confines of the Stage Door. Is

he concerned about being

labelled an oddball or an

eccentric by a sceptical media?

‘I do care what the world

thinks. I’m not a missionary: I’m

a simple, sincere, honest person.’

says Rylance. ‘I’ve just been

appointed an ambassador for

Survival International, which

campaigns for the rights of tribal

people to maintain their own

way of life. I’ve always been

interested in tribal societies. As

a boy, I remember reading about

Sitting Bull and Geronimo and

being absolutely fascinated by

them. Indigenous people have

a number of abilities which it is

hard for us to find in our culture

yet so many of them are in grave

danger of extinction.’

In a career that has been

mainly devoted to the theatre,

Rylance has made periodic, much

praised appearances on screen,

as if their very rarity enhances

their worth in the eyes of the

critics. His playing of the ill-fated

Dr. David Kelly, tragically caught

up in the wheels of the Iraq

Enquiry, won him a BAFTA

Award. Yet he reveals that he

has just dispensed with the

services of his agents, reasoning

that they are geared to the more

lucrative opportunities in film

and television whereas Rylance’s

sights are set exclusively on the

theatre. Reaching his half-

century in January has had a

bearing on his decision.

‘Now that I’m fifty, I can look

ahead and hope that I might

have another twenty-five years

of work in me, provided I’m

lucky with my fitness and my

memory doesn’t go. So time is

precious. I came to England to

be a theatre actor and it would

be silly for me not to use what I

have to offer. When I’m working,

the question I ask myself day-to-

day and minute-by-minute is

simple. Am I enjoying myself? Of

course, I’m pleased to have made

some good films but film doesn’t

interest me ultimately and I

don’t find the process of making

a film satisfying. Doing a play,

on the other hand, creates a

sense of community, especially

when you’re in a long run. You

live together in a particular

place, you share in each other’s

lives and by doing the play every

night, you develop deep and

valuable relationships with your

fellow performers.’

Rylance may downplay his

angling skills but it seems likely,

for the next twenty-five years at

least, that he’ll continue to land

some of the most formidable

catches in the theatre and

audiences and critics alike will

eagerly take the bait. Not even

Moby Dick himself, you think,

could resist a lure from this

latter-day Captain Ahab.5

It would be understandable if

actor Mark Rylance had chosen

to rest on his considerable laurels

for the remainder of 2010. He

has, after all, presented the

London theatre with two thick

slices of his mesmerising, award-

winning Johnny Byron in Jez

Butterworth’s Jerusalem, with

a season of Beckett’s Endgame

at the Duchess as the meat in

the sandwich. Not a bit of it...

At the time of writing he was

admittedly allowing himself a

few days R & R on a fishing

expedition with Butterworth.

‘Catch a brown trout?

I’m not too hopeful’ before

hunkering down to play yet

another monster part in the

eagerly-awaited revival of David

Hirson’s La Bête at the Comedy.

Set in Provence in 1654 and

written in rhyming couplets,

the play tracks down Elomire,

a thinly disguised Molière, as

he leads his troupe of strolling

players through the length 6

Interview

Comedy Theatre, London

La BêteStarring Joanna Lumley,Mark Rylance and DavidHyde Pierce 26 June - 4 September 2010Box Office 0844 871 7622Online booking atAmbassadorTickets.com

Interview by

Al Senter

Photography by

Shaun Webb and

courtesy of Rex features

A MarkofDistinctionThe La Bête star talks tribes, trout & turning 50

‘I came to England to be a theatre actor and it would be silly for me not to use what I have to offer. When I’m working, the question I ask myself day-to-day and minute-by-minute is simple. Am I enjoyingmyself?’

Mark Rylance in Jez

Butterworth’s Jerusalem

David Hyde Pierce

Joanna Lumley

What’s On

7 Book your tickets online at AmbassadorTickets.com

What’s On

APOLLO VICTORIA 0844 871 7615

WickedThe untold story of the Witches of OzWinner of Most Popular ShowLaurence Olivier Awards 2010

PHOENIX THEATRE 0844 871 7629Willy Russell’s

Blood Brothers‘Brings the audience to its feet androaring its approval’ Daily Mirror

COMEDY THEATRE 0844 871 7622

La BêteFrom 26 June10 week only pre-Broadway runStarring Mark Rylance, David HydePierce and Joanna Lumley

COMEDY THEATRE 0844 871 7622

BirdsongFrom 18 SeptemberRachel Wagstaff’s adaptation ofSebastien Faulk’s modern classic.Directed by Trevor Nunn

DONMAR WAREHOUSE 0844 871 7624Heinrich von Kleist’s

The Prince of HomburgStarring Charlie Cox and IanMcDiarmid

DUKE OF YORK’S THEATRE 0844 871 7623

Ghost StoriesDirect from the sell-out run at theLyric Hammersmith‘Brilliant and deeply unsettling’Daily Telegraph

FORTUNE THEATRE 0844 871 7626

The Woman in BlackFrom the novel by Susan Hill‘A truly nerve-shreddingexperience’ Daily Mail

LYCEUM THEATRE 0844 871 7615Disney’s

The Lion KingThe award winning musical‘For once a mega-musical lives upto the hype; this is a dazzling show’ Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph

PICCADILLY THEATRE 0844 871 7630

Grease‘A feel-good, pick-me-up musical’Sunday Express

PLAYHOUSE THEATRE 0844 871 7631

Dreamboats and PetticoatsThe Rock ’n’ Roll sensation Back by popular demand!

TRAFALGAR STUDIO 1 0844 871 7632The Willy Russell Season

Educating Rita and

Shirley ValentineDirect from sell-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory

TRAFALGAR STUDIO 2* 0844 871 7632Donmar Trafalgar Season

Lower Ninth 30 Sep - 23 Oct

Novecento 28 Oct - 20 Nov

Les Parents Terribles25 Nov - 18 Dec

TRAFALGAR STUDIO 2* 0844 871 7632

Wolfboy-The Musical6 - 31 July

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s

State Fair3 - 28 August

SAVOY THEATRE 0844 871 7687

Legally Blonde The MusicalStarring Sheridan Smithand Richard Fleeshman‘Perfection’ ★★★★ Independent

Buy Your West End Tickets HereCompetition

8

Savoy Theatre, London

Legally Blonde The MusicalStarring Sheridan Smith,Richard Fleeshman and Jill HalfpennyBox Office 0844 871 7687Online booking atAmbassadorTickets.com

Win Legally Blonde tickets plus a bunch of other goodies in our tempting competition!

*Studio 2 has been made possible by a generous donation from Christina Smith

To celebrate the return of those

long hot summer nights we have

arranged the most fantastic prize

for you to see London’s hottest

show - Legally Blonde The

Musical.

College sweetheart and

homecoming queen Elle Woods

(Sheridan Smith) doesn’t take

no for an answer. So when her

boyfriend Warner (Richard

Fleeshman) dumps her for

someone ‘serious’, Elle puts

down the credit card, hits the

books and heads for Harvard

Law! Along the way, Elle proves

that being true to yourself never

goes out of style. With an all-star

cast featuring Sheridan Smith,

Jill Halfpenny and introducing

Richard Fleeshman (Coronation

Street), the biggest and most

blindingly fabulous sets hot

from New York matched with

an hilarious and heart-warming

story, you’d be mad not to show

up to this courtroom.

We are offering one lucky

person and three friends the

best seats in the house with a

complimentary bottle of pink

champagne for your party, house

programmes and merchandise

on arrival, along with an

exclusive signed poster by

the cast and crew of Legally

Blonde! And that’s not all -

you will also be whisked

off to Boyd’s Brasserie for

a complimentary pre-show

meal and glass of wine,

guaranteed to complete

a night of style and

sophistication that

Elle herself would

be proud of.

To join Elle and Bruiser

and win four tickets for

Legally Blonde The Musical

at the Savoy Theatre together

with exclusive prizes and

meal simply answer the

following question:

Q: What is Elle’s signature

colour?

Please return your answer, not

forgetting your name, address

and telephone number to Ben

Prudhoe, The Ambassador

Theatre Group Ltd., 39 - 41

Charing Cross Road, London,

WC2H 0AR before 30 July.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS One winner will be drawn at random

after the closing date. The prize

includes 4 tickets (Mon - Thu perfs

between 2 Aug - 28 Oct) to see Legally

Blonde The Musical at the Savoy Theatre

plus 1 bottle of pink house champagne,

4 complimentary programmes, 1 copy of

the original Broadway cast CD, 1 T-shirt

(which you will be able to choose on

your visit), 1 signed poster & 4 positions

at Boyd’s Brasserie before the perf with

a meal & a glass of house wine. Winners

will be notified by 2 Aug. Prize is

subject to availability, non-transferable

& non-redeemable for a cash value.

Not open to employees of Ambassador

Theatre Group Ltd or Ambassador

Theatre Group (Venues) Ltd. Editor’s

decision is final.

★★★★‘Perfection’

The Independent

★★★★‘A Huge Hit’

The Daily Telegraph

something far more baroque!’

But first Andy, who had not

acted in a play for a decade, did

a theatre job: ‘I was in a play

at the Tricycle Theatre called

Moonlight and Magnolias a

couple of years ago, directed

by Sean Holmes. And I had such

joy doing it, it rekindled my

excitement for the theatre.’

Fast forward to last year, when

Sean was made Artistic Director

of the Lyric Hammersmith. Andy

goes on, ‘On his first day in the

office, he rang and asked me for

ideas, and I told him about the

ideas that Jeremy and I had been

working on. He told us to come

in tomorrow. So we went in on

the second day that he was in

his job, and we left his office

with the play not only

commissioned but scheduled

and announced - even though it

wasn’t written yet!’

For Jeremy, ‘It was a clever

and bold and brave thing to

programme it without us having

written it yet, so we had to do it!

That’s brilliant, and the opposite

of telly, where you can write

scripts and endless drafts, but

there’s no guarantee of anything

being made. With this, we knew

it was going to happen. The dare

of it was exciting, and it fed into

the finished product!’

It put them both under a

certain amount of pressure, but

says Andy, it’s something he is

used to: ‘I’m happy working that

way - that’s the way all the

Derren Brown stage shows that

I’ve written and directed are

done. Any writer will put up

their hands and say there’s no

incentive quite like the date for

the arrival of an audience to

drive the creative juices.’

They duly set about writing

it - and it went fast. ‘In three

days, the structure of the play

had written itself,’ says Andy.

‘It spewed out of our fetid

memories - 35 years of watching

horror and our combined

phoning of each other merged

into this love letter to the genre.’

The show retells a series of

original ghost stories, but says

Andy, ‘while they are each

completely original, fans of the

genre will recognise many

nods to other things in there!’

And, just as they are deeply

familiar with the rigours of stage

comedy - where you know that

a show is working purely by

whether an audience is laughing

or not - so with this genre you

know the same thing from

whether or not they are

screaming. ‘The analogy with

comedy is spot-on,’ says Jeremy.

‘The beautiful thing about

comedy is that it is completely

binary - it either works or it

doesn’t, you can’t debate it. And

the first night that we did this

show was exactly the same as the

first night of a live comedy show

- until the audience comes in and

tells you by their response, you

just don’t know. We sat there

completely on tenterhooks. But

when it became apparent that

it worked, we were thrilled.’9

Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson

are leading figures in the

entertainment industry - Andy

as co-writer and co-creator of

Derren Brown’s TV shows, as well

as Brown’s stage shows including

the Olivier Award winning

Something Wicked This Way

Comes, and Jeremy as co-founder

of The League of Gentlemen.

Nyman and Dyson have also

been friends for over 25 years,

ever since they met at summer

camp when they were both 15,

but they have never worked

together - till now.

‘I remember that Andy had

brought a big pile of rag mags

with him, and he made me laugh

with dirty jokes - then we started

talking about horror films, which

we both loved, and we bonded

over those two things,’ says

Jeremy. ‘We have been a

constant presence in each

other’s lives since.’

It has taken them a long time

to work with each other. ‘I’m

obsessed with horror,’ points

out Andy, ‘and Jeremy and I

had been talking to each other

for years about doing something

together. About twelve years

ago, I did a mock séance where

I took over the House of

Detention in Clerkenwell,

and he loved it, but the reality

of children and mortgages kept

getting in the way.’

But they kept talking: ‘We had

one or two conversations about

doing a walk-round spookhouse

event,’ says Jeremy, picking up

the story, but then Andy came

up with a better idea. ‘I had this

idea in my head of doing a kind

of Vagina Monologues, but with

ghost stories, and featuring

three people sitting on stools

telling them.’

Jeremy was attracted by it:

‘There was something very

alluring in the purity of that,

though we ended up doing 10

Interview

Duke of York’s Theatre, London

Ghost StoriesWritten & directed byJeremy Dyson & Andy Nyman Box Office 0844 871 7623Online booking atAmbassadorTickets.com

Derren Brown

Steve Pemberton as his character

Pauline Campbell Jones from

The League Of Gentlemen

Interview by

Mark Shenton

Photography by

Helen Maybanks and

courtesy of Rex features

Fright NightSpooks and supernatural stories at the Duke of York’s Theatre this summer

WARNINGPlease be advised that Ghost

Stories contains moments of

extreme shock and tension.

The show is unsuitable for

anyone under the age of 15.

We strongly advise those of

a nervous disposition to think

very seriously before attending.

★★★★‘A pant-wetter of a night. It’s terrifying’Daily Mail

★★★★‘I had to sleep with the lights on.A top night out’Metro

Main image: Jeremy Dyson

and Andy Nyman

Edmonds and Kenny Everett,

the label has been hard to shake

off, especially in terms of being

taken more seriously. ‘I’ve been

in the game a long time. My

initial shot to fame was in my

early 20s and people still

remember that; they’re afraid

that the Butlin’s Blue Coat is

always going to come out. I

always tell them, ‘yes, I was

a Blue Coat, but it was thirty

years ago, and I only did it for

3 months’ - and I’ve moved on!’

But not in every way: he’s

particularly pleased to be back

onstage singing for a living,

which is how he began his career

in nightclubs. ‘I always say I was

born to sing - everything else I

learnt. The comedy came later,

when I was about 18 or 19.’

He’s proud of the fact that he’s

recorded three albums now -

‘they’ve always gone cardboard,’

he quips, and adds, ‘the next

one I’m going to call the Beatles

Greatest Hits - I think that might

do well. But unfortunately I

am in my box, which is comedy.

People are always surprised

when they come to see me

live, and say I had no idea

you could sing’.

It has equipped him well

though, for a career in West

End musicals. He did his first

one in 1992 when he took

over in Me and My Girl,

playing a cockney barrow

boy - ‘so it wasn’t much of a

push, really’, he points out.

‘They said I was born to play it;

but then everything I have done

since they’ve said the same

thing about, too. So it has been

interesting to see whether they

think that of Edna!’

On the one hand, it’s a role

that, as a family man, he readily

identifies with. It was in fact as

a family treat last Christmas

that he first saw the show. ‘My

kids - Lucy and Amy - are huge

fans of it, so I came with them.

I sat there and just loved it. But

I never thought in my wildest

dreams that I would be taking

over from Michael.’

But then his career never has

been minutely mapped out. ‘I

don’t think it can be. Things

just come about; I put it down

to fate. I was doing a show

called The Best of Brian

Conley, a live theatre

show in which we

played some of the

classic moments from my

35 years in the business, and it

worked a treat. Then suddenly

the phone call came to see if I’d

like to audition for this, and then

there I was, kissing Nigel Planer

onstage!’ (Planer played Edna’s

husband Wilbur, reuniting the

two from a TV series, The

Grimleys, they once starred

in together).

The hardest part of the job

isn’t the fat suit that he has to

wear to bring him up to size -

‘I’m coping with that, but the

one thing that doesn’t sit right is

the false eyelashes! It’s a bit like

having a couple of boxing gloves

above your eyes. But I’m sure I’ll

get used to it eventually.’ But

one place he is more than used

to is being onstage: ‘I love it

there. I remember Jim Davidson

saying to me once, ‘you’ll always

work, Brian, because everyone

knows you’re good live’. I love

taking the audience somewhere

and blowing them away.’ He

never gives less than his all:

‘Every performance is 110% - I

have to! It’s just my job, it’s what

I do - I could never short change

the audience. It’s an obligation.’

11

They always say that you can’t

teach an old dog new tricks, but

it seems that it’s never too late

to learn new skills if you’re one

of Britain’s most popular stage

and television entertainers. The

perennially youthful and ever-

jovial Brian Conley is facing a

new and welcome challenge:

‘I’d never played an 18-stone

woman from Baltimore before!’,

he says, until he inherited the

role of Edna Turnblad from

Michael Ball in the original West

End production of Hairspray.

Both Michael and Brian are

now sharing the role on the new

national tour of the show with

Michael Starke, and Brian says of

his West End predecessor: ‘They

are great shoes to fill - but he’s

been very charming, and given

me advice’. It’s not the first time

he’s followed where Ball has led:

he also inherited the role of

Caractacus Potts in the stage

version of Chitty Chitty Bang

Bang at the London Palladium.

‘Whatever Michael does, I tend

to follow him,’ he quips. ‘But

he never took over from me in

Jolson!’ That was the title part

that Conley originated in the

West End in 1995, and

subsequently took to Toronto,

and he says, ‘That show turned

it all around for me, without

a doubt. Up until then, I was

always zany comedian Brian

Conley; but once I did that,

perceptions changed. One review

said, I came to wince and I stayed

to cheer; that pretty much

summed it up.’

For Conley, a star of TV light

entertainment who started his

career as warm-up man for the

likes of Terry Wogan, Noel

Big is BeautifulBrian Conley goes large in Hairspray

12

‘ He’s proud of the fact that he’s recorded three albumsnow - ‘they’ve always gone cardboard,’ he quips, andadds, ‘the next one I’m going to call the BeatlesGreatest Hits - I think that might do well.

Interview

Brian Conley

’

Interview by

Mark Shenton

Photography by

Hugo Glendinning &

Tristram Kenton

Brian Conley

and Nigel Planer

HairsprayManchester Opera House*13 - 31 JulyBox Office 0844 847 2484

Liverpool Empire Theatre*17 August - 4 SeptemberBox Office 0844 847 2525

Sunderland Empire*7 - 18 SeptemberBox Office 0844 847 2499

Milton Keynes Theatre21 September - 9 OctoberBox Office 0844 871 7652

New Theatre Oxford*12 - 23 OctoberBox Office 01865 320 760

Edinburgh Playhouse*14 December - 9 January 2011Box Office 0844 847 1660

New Victoria Theatre, Woking18 - 29 January 2011Box Office 0844 871 7645

New Wimbledon Theatre15 - 26 March 2011Box Office 0844 871 7646

Bristol Hippodrome*12 - 30 April 2011Box Office 0844 847 2325

Full casting details and online booking

at AmbassadorTickets.com*Online booking at

livenationtheatres.co.uk

DAY SEATS10 TICKETS AT £10*

*Available daily from 10.30am, in person,

from the Box Office. Maximum 2 tickets

per person. Excludes certain perfs.

Lee Mead, Rhod Gilbert, Julian

Lloyd Webber, Jimmy Carr and

Reginald D Hunter. This milestone

season wraps up in time for

Christmas with the £1 million

sparkling family pantomime -

Cinderella, everybody’s favourite.

Get involved

Our dedicated Creative Learning

Department aims to enhance the

theatre experience through fun,

engaging activities. Participation

events in the first season include

post-show talks, production

events and workshops, plus the

chance for local youngsters to

appear in panto through

Robinsons ‘Search for a Star’

auditions.

Escape to entertainment heaven

As the first new theatre of the

decade in Britain, Aylesbury

Waterside Theatre holds an

exciting position in theatre

history and marks the beginning

of a new era for Aylesbury and

entertainment. Around 300,000

people from across Aylesbury

Vale and beyond are expected

to visit the new theatre each

year to enjoy a dynamic and

diverse programme of live

performance. The Waterside

Theatre boasts an impressive

1,200-seat auditorium that

Donmar Warehouse Artistic

Director Michael Grandage

recently announced the launch

of an exciting new initiative at

the Trafalgar Studios - Donmar

Trafalgar. Demonstrating the

Donmar’s commitment to the

next generation of young

directors, the company will

take up a residency at Trafalgar

Studio 2 for 12 weeks a year for

the next three years to enable

recent graduates of their

Resident Assistant Director (RAD)

programme to stage productions

under the Donmar banner.

‘It has always been a great

privilege to support young

directors through the Donmar’s

RAD scheme and this residency

at the Trafalgar Studios will now

give everyone an opportunity

to watch the next generation of

theatre directors at work. I have

every confidence that over the

next three years we will see some

serious and important talent

emerging that will help us focus

on the theatre practitioners of

the future’ says Grandage.

Since it began in 1994, the

RAD scheme has become widely

regarded as the most prestigious

training programme of its kind

in the country, offering young

directors at the start of their

professional careers the

opportunity to work alongside

leading theatre directors for

a year at the Donmar.

The first year of Donmar

Trafalgar will see Charlotte

Westenra, Róisín McBrinn and

Chris Rolls each direct a production

- Lower Ninth, Novecento and Les

Parents Terribles respectively.

Lower Ninth is a new play

by Beau Willimon. Set in New

Orleans’ Lower Ninth district, it

tells the story of two African

Americans, Malcolm and EZee,

who find themselves stranded

on a rooftop waiting for rescue.

Their city has been devastated,

Seriously TalentedCatch the next generation of young directors in the Donmar Trafalgar season

West End Comes to the WatersideA new era for theatre in Aylesbury

This Autumn, the brand-new

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre will

raise the curtain on a world class

opening season. This landmark

building, in a picturesque

riverside setting, is inspired by

the hills and forests of the

surrounding Chiltern countryside.

Situated right at the heart of

Aylesbury, it opens its doors on

12 October with the award-

winning Northern Ballet

Theatre’s Swan Lake.

Must have entertainment

A world-beating theatre, the

opening season includes global

phenomenon Calendar Girls

with Aylesbury-born Linda

Bellingham, Andrew Lloyd

Webber’s family favourite

Joseph, dazzling, show-stopping

Evita, hilarious, Tony award-

winning Spamalot, the hit rock

and roll musical Rocky Horror

Show and a special gala concert

from the Royal Philharmonic

Orchestra, reinforcing Aylesbury’s

tradition as a premier centre for

music. Magical dance from

English Youth Ballet performing

The Nutcracker offers 100 local

dancers the chance to be part

of the opening season. Comedy

and music fans will find an

unparalleled choice amongst 14

AYLESBURYWATERSIDE

THEATRE

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their worldly possessions swept

away and the body of their

young friend lies before them.

Novecento is by Alessandro

Baricco. In 1900 on board a great

Atlantic cruise liner, Novecento

was born. He became the

greatest jazz musician the world

would ever know. For six years

before World War II, Tim Tooney

played trumpet with him and

Novecento gave him his story...

Jean Cocteau’s Les Parents

Terribles is set in a bohemian

household in 1930’s Paris. When

Michael declares his love for a

girl, his devoted mother burns

with jealousy while his father is

shocked to discover that his son’s

lover is someone he knows only

too well.

Following their generous

support of the Donmar’s West

End Season, leading housing

contractor and developer United

House will be the Season Sponsor

for Donmar Trafalgar September

2010 - December 2012.

Donmar TrafalgarTrafalgar Studios 2, London*

Lower Ninth30 Sep - 23 Oct

Novecento28 Oct - 20 Nov

Les Parents Terribles25 Nov -18 Dec

Tickets on sale 7 Jun All seats £17.50Box Office 0844 871 7632Online booking atDonmarwarehouse.com

*Studio 2 has been made possible by a generous donation from Christina Smith

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To book for the opening

season or to join the mailing

list please call 0844 871 7607

or visit AmbassadorTickets

.com/aylesbury

Feature by Becky Martin13

Joseph Cinderella Evita

Swan Lake Calendar Girls Spamalot

converts into a 1,800-capacity

hall for standing events and a

more intimate 225-seat second

space. The venue offers a range

of versatile meeting rooms, public

spaces and a waterfront café,

making it the area’s premier

centre for meeting, exhibition

and conference facilities.

Leader of Aylesbury Vale

District Council John Cartwright

says ‘The realisation of our dream

is moving closer. We knew that

when we chose ATG as the

management operators for this

wonderful theatre, we were at

the beginning of a very special

relationship and this opening

season and commitment to

creative learning and education

demonstrates the quality and

the breadth of shows and

opportunities ATG will bring to

us. We are absolutely delighted.’

It’s so easy toget to this great

new theatre

ENGLISHSUMMERAfternoon tea, croquet on the lawn-country house style

Style

All prices quoted are given as a guide

only and may be subject to change by

individual retailers.

Feature by Mia Flodquist

15 16

LeJu brown horn resin ring £32equaclothing.com

People Tree Holly ruffle-front top£44 at Equa Clothing

Sailor shorts £45 by Tara Starlettarastarlet.com

Home front dress £68 by Tara Starlet

Izzy Lane bolero £165 at The Natural Storethenaturalstore.co.uk

Ciel striped t-shirt £10 ecobtq.com

Fedora Brisa 2 hat £34.50panamas.co.uk

Tea cup candles £15myvintageparty.co.uk

Executive croquet set £200ubergames.co.uk

Nandi flower shoe £60 by Where at The Natural Store

Linen Bea coat £290 at cabbagesandroses.comTabitha lace top £287.50 by Minna at Eco BTQEdun slim leg jean £93.80at The Natural Store

Three Whishes gift set £30at Equa Clothing

Veja volley trainers £75at Equa Clothing

1930’s floral blouse £125by Still stillethical.comKuyichi Nipi belt £45at Equa ClothingLove doves necklace £86 at hairygrowler.co.ukCiel linen culottes £30 at Eco BTQ

Enya necklace £185 by Rosie Weisencrantzrosieweisencrantz.com

Izzy Lane bolero see Dragona necklace £195 by Rosie WeisencrantzHand-embroidered v neck dress £225 by Still

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for children interested in nature

with its magical realm revealing

the secret world of plants,

from leafy canopies to huge

root systems. Best of all, the

exhibition and other attractions

are free.

A morning of exploration

deserves to be followed by an

open-air adventure so make your

way towards the Albert Dock

where a five to ten-minute stroll

along the River Mersey brings

you to the new Pier Head Ferry

Terminal. Opt for the 50-minute

River Explorer Cruise to learn

about the city’s fascinating

history and see landmark sights

from the water. Liverpool has

an important maritime heritage

and the ferry service is more

than 850 years old.

Once back on dry land, why

not check out the Condé Nast

Traveller-endorsed Liverpool

ONE complex? With over 130

retail stores, more than 20

restaurants, a 14-screen cinema

and five-acre park, this is a great

choice for retail therapy and

dining. The leisure terrace comes

alive in the summer and caters

for eclectic tastes - sample Jamie

Oliver’s take on Italian food this

June when his chain arrives at

Liverpool ONE.

As the sun goes down, liven

up the entertainment by booking

tickets for a show at the

Liverpool Empire. This summer

sees the famous venue hosting

award-winning productions of

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and

Hairspray.

Manchester RocksManchester is a free-spirited city

in which to find inspiration and

indulgence in equal measure.

Those seeking to explore its

artistic side can now download

one of four self-guided Urban

Culture Trails for free - these

walking tours are easy to follow

and packed with juicy morsels

of information. The A City

Performs trail highlights a deep-

rooted theatrical heritage,

pointing out such legendary

spots as the Manchester Opera

House, today a favourite choice

for music theatre lovers, and the

‘Grand Old Lady of Oxford

Street’, otherwise known as the

Palace Theatre. Originally

opened in 1891, the auditorium

and foyers have retained many

of their original late-Victorian

features including a distinctive

proscenium arch and grand

balconies.

Another area that is simple

to navigate by foot, the funky

Northern Quarter combines vinyl

shops, vintage fashion stores and

art galleries. Afflecks emporium

and the Manchester Craft &

Design Centre are two must-sees

for creative types while visitors

with a sweet tooth shouldn’t

miss Cupcakery opening on

Oldham Street in June.

Ease down from an action-

packed day at le petit spa, an

intimate oasis based in the

glamorous Malmaison

Manchester. Reserve the one-

hour ESPA body aromatherapy

massage so you have the

freedom to decide on a relaxing,

energising or balancing result

on the day.

Once the body is recharged,

complete your Manchester

odyssey with dinner at The

Modern Bar and Restaurant,

which is accessed by a private

elevator that transports guests

to the top of the Urbis building.

Here panoramic views are served

up with a seasonal menu that

places an emphasis on

provenance.

St Helens EscapeLocated midway between

Liverpool and Manchester, St

Helens is an excellent starting

point from which to uncover

the region’s countryside gems.

As Merseyside’s largest body

of inland water, Carr Mill Dam

attracts anglers, watersports

enthusiasts, hikers and

birdwatchers. Pack a picnic and

enjoy walking the picturesque

lakeside trails or catch one of

the occasional high-speed

powerboat races in the summer.

The family run, 35-hectare

Fir Tree Farm is a relaxing place

in which to amble through

beautiful woodland walks and

observe local wildlife. A small

group of listed buildings include

the farmhouse itself, dating

back to 1704, and a renovated

barn that houses a Farm Shop

and café.

For something a bit different,

visit the Inglenook Lavender

Farm managed by Phytobotanica

on one of its open days in July.

You’ll have a chance to get

involved with bringing in the

lavender harvest and treat

yourself to essential oil-based

gifts.

Also worthy of a stop, the

award-winning World of Glass

visitor centre may not be outdoors

but it does capture the

imagination with live glassblowing

demonstrations, stunning displays

and a special effects film show.

Summer exhibitions include

Crystal Clear featuring the best

contemporary 20th-century

pieces from the Pilkington Glass

Collection, some of which are

displayed for the first time.

Feature by

Neena Dhillon

Northern DelightsCulture and countryside in England’s vibrant North West

Going Out

Home to the cosmopolitan cities

of Liverpool and Manchester,

North West England also boasts

breathtaking countryside just

waiting to be discovered as the

weather warms up. So whether

you are planning family fun or

an indulgent day of me-time,

come to a region that’s got

something for everyone.

Love LiverpoolSince being named the European

Capital of Culture 2008, Liverpool

has flourished as a family-friendly

destination. Keep the young at

heart happy by visiting World

Museum where historic treasures,

an aquarium, bughouse and

planetarium come together

under one roof. An interactive

exhibition that runs until early

September, Plantastic! is perfect

Le petit spa at Malmaison

Images top l-r

Liverpool Empire

Plantastic!

Manchester Palace Theatre

Liverpool ONE

Fir Tree Farm

visitliverpool.com

liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

merseyferries.co.uk

liverpool-one.com

visitmanchester.com/

arts-and-culture.aspx

creativetourist.com

afflecks.com

craftanddesign.com

malmaison-manchester.com

themodernmcr.co.uk

visitsthelens.com

firtreefarmshop.org.uk

phytobotanica.com

worldofglass.com

For details of Liverpool

Empire, Manchester Opera

House & Manchester

Palace Theatre see

livenationtheatres.co.uk

World Museum

7 - 12 JUN NOTTINGHAM THEATRE ROYAL 0115 989 5555

14 - 19 JUN KING’S THEATRE GLASGOW 0844 8717648

21 - 26 JUN THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON 0844 8717650

28 JUN - 3 JUL CHURCHILL THEATRE BROMLEY 0844 8717620

5 - 10 JUL MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE 0844 847 2295

12 - 17 JUL LEEDS GRAND THEATRE 0844 848 2706

19 - 24 JUL NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL 08448 1121 21

26 - 31 JUL SOUTHAMPTON MAYFLOWER 02380 711811

2 - 7 AUG REGENT THEATRE STOKE-ON-TRENT 0844 8717649

9 - 14 AUG LIVERPOOL EMPIRE 0844 847 2525

16 - 21 AUG ABERDEEN HIS MAJESTY’S 01224 641122

23 - 28 AUG WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE 029 2063 6464

13 - 17 SEP BRISTOL HIPPODROME 0844 847 2325

20 - 25 SEP WOKING NEW VICTORIA 0844 871 7645

18 - 23 OCT EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE 0844 847 1660

25 - 30 OCT OXFORD NEW THEATRE 01865 305305

1 - 6 NOV TORQUAY PRINCESS THEATRE 0844 847 2315

22 NOV YORK GRAND OPERA HOUSE 0844 847 2322

29 NOV - 4 DEC MILTON KEYNES THEATRE 0844 871 7652

7 DEC - 1 JAN BIRMINGHAM ALEXANDRA 0844 847 2302

28 MAR - 2 APR AYLESBURY WATERSIDE THEATRE 0844 871 7607

‘I FELT I MIGHTACTUALLY DIE OF LAUGHTER’THE INDEPENDENT

7 - 12 Jun NORWICH - THEATRE ROYAL 0160 363 0000

14 - 19 Jun SUNDERLAND - EMPIRE 0844 847 2499

21 - 26 Jun EDINBURGH - PLAYHOUSE 0844 847 1660

28 Jun -3 Jul ABERDEEN HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE 01224 641122

5 - 10 Jul BRISTOL - HIPPODROME 0844 847 2325

1 - 4 Sep WOKING - NEW VICTORIA 0844 871 7645

6 - 11 Sep SOUTHEND - CLIFFS PAVILION 0170 235 1135

13 - 18 Sep BRIGHTON - THEATRE ROYAL 0844 871 7650

20 - 25 Sep LLANDUDNO - VENUE CYMRU 0149 287 2000

4 - 9 Oct LIVERPOOL - EMPIRE 0844 847 2525

25 - 30 Oct BIRMINGHAM - ALEXANDRA THEATRE 0844 847 2302

1 - 6 Nov LEEDS - GRAND THEATRE 0844 848 2700

8 - 13 Nov GLASGOW - THE KINGS 0844 871 7648

15 - 20 Nov MANCHESTER - PALACE 0844 847 2275

22- 27 Nov RICHMOND THEATRE 0844 871 7651

29 Nov- 4 Dec AYLESBURY - WATERSIDE THEATRE 0844 871 7607

STARRING

DAVID BEDELLA

AS FRANK

/STILLTHE SEXIEST AND FUNNIEST SHOWIN TOWN/

EVENING STANDARD

IT’S AGUARANTEED Party!www.rockyhorror.co.uk