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ATG Magazine Spring 2013 features James McAvoy and Claire Foy interviews for West End Macbeth, Zoe Wanamaker on Secrets and Lies in Passion Play, Jason Donovan on Desert Fun, and Spamalot the hit musical comedy.
Citation preview
Spring 2013AmbAssAdor TheATre Group
JAmes mcAVoY clAire foY Macbeth
secreTs & lieszoë wanamaker in passion play
JAson donoVAn desert fun
spAmAloT the hit musical comedy
hoTlisT! on the road with rocky
chic feet
michelin starred luxury
conTenTs 1 inTo The dArk murderous ambition and paranoia
in Macbeth starring James mcavoy
and claire foy
3 loVe And mArriAGe zoë wanamaker returns to the
west end for Passion Play
5 9 To 5 compeTiTion leave your daily grind behind
at the dollytastic new musical
6 kniGhTY kniGhT in days of old when knights were
bold - it’s Spamalot
7 The queen And i an encounter with royalty sparks some
lively comedy in Maurice’s Jubilee
9 deserT sonG Jason donovan unleashes his inner
diva in Priscilla Queen of the Desert
11 shock horror the raunchiest Rocky Horror Show yet
13 ATG TickeTs your one-stop-shop for the hottest
tickets this spring
15 besT in shoe from park to premiere - spring style
for your feet
17 TAsTe sensATions a-list experiences for the
theatre-loving gourmet
AmbAssAdor Group producTions / AmbAssAdor TheATre Group london TheATres Apollo Victoria 0844 871 7615
The harold pinter 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 7629 piccadilly Theatre 0844 871 7630
playhouse Theatre 0844 871 7631 savoy Theatre 0844 871 7687 Trafalgar studios 0844 871 7632
AmbAssAdor TheATre Group reGionAl TheATres Aylesbury Waterside Theatre 0844 871 7607
new Alexandra Theatre, birmingham 0844 871 3011 Theatre royal brighton 0844 871 7650 bristol hippodrome 0844 871 3012
churchill Theatre bromley 0844 871 7620 edinburgh playhouse 0844 871 3014 leas cliff hall folkestone 0844 871 3015
kings Theatre Glasgow 0844 871 7648 Theatre royal Glasgow 0844 871 7647 Grimsby Auditorium 0844 871 3016
empire Theatre liverpool 0844 871 3017 palace Theatre & opera house manchester 0844 871 3018
milton keynes Theatre 0844 871 7652 new Theatre oxford 0844 871 3020 richmond Theatre 0844 871 7651
southport Theatre & convention centre 0844 847 2380 regent Theatre & Victoria hall stoke-on-Trent 0844 871 7649
sunderland empire 0844 871 3022 princess Theatre Torquay 0844 871 3023
new Wimbledon Theatre & new Wimbledon studio 0844 871 7646 Ambassadors cinemas Woking 0844 871 7643
new Victoria Theatre & rhoda mcGaw Theatre Woking 0844 871 7645 York Grand opera house 0844 871 3024
online booking at atgtickets.com
Jessamy hadley editor pat westwell, Jasper rees, al senter, Benedict nightingale, nancy Groves, Victoria kingston, mark Bouman
neena dhillon, david Bradbury, alice Gimblett contributors shaun webb design design and Art direction John Good print
The Ambassador Theatre Group ltd 39 - 41 charing cross road, london wc2h oar
the views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the ambassador theatre Group ltd.
cover photograph by Jay Brooks / shootgroup.com
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
of The besT
howard panter and rosemary squire
Topped The sTAGe 100 lisT for the
fourth year running this January. the list ranks
the powerhouses of British theatre - and this
year, the atG chief executives shared the
accolade with the national theatre. ‘rosemary
and i are both humbled and delighted that
the stage continues to recognise that atG
is a great British success story,’ said panter.
bAfTA WinninG AcTor JAmes mcAVoY (The Last King of Scotland,
Atonement, X-Men) and clAire foY
(White Heat, Hacks) star in Macbeth, Jamie
lloyd’s inaugural production in a season
of work for Trafalgar Transformed - new
productions designed for the reconfigured
auditorium of atG’s trafalgar studios. atgtickets.com
the first international retrospective
of the exTrAordinArY cAreer of dAVid boWie is at the V&a from
23 march. featuring more than 300
objects including handwritten lyrics,
original costumes, fashion, photography,
film, video, set designs and Bowie’s
own instruments. vam.ac.uk
sTep up The sTYle: pink studded
pussy cat pumps by marc Jacobs from liberty’s.
liberty.co.uk
sprinG
escape the winter gloom and get set for
spring at a ThorouGhlY briTish spA. chewton Glen, a world-renowned boutique
hotel on the edge of the new forest offers
the weary worker aromatherapy saunas and
crystal steam rooms alongside europe’s
largest hydrotherapy spa pool plus a range
of fabulous treatments and therapies.
chewtonglen.com
Spamalot at london’s playhouse
theatre treats audiences to an
array of surprise GuesTs as sir ‘not appearing in the show’.
those who have appeared in this
taxing role so far include heather
small (m people) and richard
arnold (Daybreak, Strictly) .
spamalotwestend.co.uk
Le Manoir aux Quat’SaisonsThe Rocky Horror Show
The hiT musicAl comedY!
IntervIew
1 ATG Magazine / 2
the production, studied it at Gcse.
aged 15, mcavoy had a more
personal, even life-changing
experience when the actor
david hayman, who had
played lady macbeth
at the Glasgow
citizens, came to
his school to give
a talk. ‘that was
the first time i
really became
aware of Macbeth,’
he recalls, ‘as well
as the idea of acting
as something that
somebody might be
able to do one day.’
he duly saw several
productions - his first was
in leith ‘and i just remember
thinking that it was thrilling’. since
formulating the desire to play the part,
mcavoy has made sure not to see other productions.
‘i thought i’d like to do this one day and i don’t want
to be bound into not doing something because i’m
worried that somebody else made a similar choice.’
it sounds as if, like macbeth, he knows a thing or two
about ambition.
foy on the other hand did not have the opportunity
to be quite so strategic. ‘i never thought that i would
ever get to play this part or do shakespeare. i wasn’t
longing for it.’ and yet, unusually for a young actress
in leading roles, she is at least familiar with the idea of
not having the audience on her side: among several
feisty and even unpleasant characters, she has played a
spoilt young fascist sympathiser in Upstairs Downstairs
and a ballsy tabloid editrix in channel 4’s hacking saga
satire Hacks. ‘when i got the audition for Macbeth,’ she
confides, ‘it’s awful to say it but i can see what leads
her to do what she does. her husband’s destiny has
been proclaimed and she says ‘you’ve got to meet it.’
which women do all the time.’
to fit in with a predominantly scottish ensemble,
and her scottish husband, foy is attempting the accent.
not that mcavoy sees the scottish play written for
england’s scottish king James i as a scottish play.
‘it’s not got a scottish voice. it’s written for an english
voice. But it is historically set in a place depicted by
shakespeare as brutal and violent, incredibly
superstitious, and that’s something that i do
believe is scottish.’ ■
Interview Jasper Rees Photography by Jay Brooks and Joanne Davidson
r
TrAfAlGAr sTudiosshAkespeAre’s
mAcbeThJamie Lloyd’s inaugural
production in a limited season
for Trafalgar Transformed
Starring James McAvoy Claire Foy
Designed by Soutra Gilmour
Until 27 April 2013
Box Office 0844 871 7632
online booking atatgtickets.com
iT’s AWful To sAY iT buT i cAn see WhAT leAds
lAdY mAcbeTh To do WhAT she does. Her husband’s destiny has been proclaimed and she says ‘You’ve got to meet it.’ Which women do all the time.
oughly how old are the
macbeths? we know
they have had at
least one child,
presumed dead, but
beyond that
shakespeare offers
no further clue.
such is the
trajectory of their
moral
degradation that
audiences, and
indeed casting
directors, tend not
to think of the
thane of Glamis and
his wife as still having
the bloom of youth on
their cheeks. thus the lead
role can happily be taken on by
someone in his 60s, as happened
with patrick stewart when the play was
most recently revived in the west end.
But now the hollywood star James mcavoy brings
the zip and springiness of someone known mainly for
playing callow young men in the likes of The Last King
of Scotland, Atonement and The Last Station. he turns
34 during his run in the role at the trafalgar studios,
and the latest king of scotland is joined in matrimony
to claire foy, who turns 29 in april but looks young
enough to have twice played teenagers in 2012: at the
royal court in mike Bartlett’s Love Love Love and in
the BBc drama White Heat.
mcavoy and director Jamie lloyd have been
cooking up this much anticipated reinvention of
Macbeth since they worked on Three Days of Rain
in the west end four years ago, but in fact the scottish
film star has had half an eye on Macbeth for nearly
a decade, since he played the lead in a BBc series
Shakespeare Retold which punchily updated six of
the plays to the present day.
‘it was a fantastic experience,’ he recalls. ‘i was very
young. and that made me think, obviously this isn’t
shakespeare’s text but it’s quite interesting having a
young macbeth because what you get is him and lady
macbeth perceived to be throwing away their future,
all through ambition. and it makes their loss all the
sadder when he delivers the ‘tomorrow and tomorrow
and tomorrow’ speech, which is an expression of utter
blackness and fatalism.’ foy concurs. ‘i had all these
received ideas about what age she should be. it’s more
depressing if they’ve got their whole lives to lead.’
for both actors, their first encounters with the play
were at school. foy, like many who will come to see
Jamie Lloyd and James McAvoy
murderous AmbiTion & pArAnoiA in macbeth
sTArrinG JAmes mcAVoY & clAire foY
he is All scoTTishcourTesY To his co-sTAr. ‘The funnY ThinG is You Would neVer eVer Think The mAn is This moVie sTAr,’ sAYs foY. ‘he’s JusT so doWn To eArTh. he could Turn round To me And Go ‘Your AccenT is shockinG!’ i hAVe To remind mYself To AcTuAllY sTop lookinG AT him.’
dArkInto the
pAssion plAY written by Peter nichols
Starring Zoë wanamaker
richmond TheATre 12 - 20 April
Box Office 0844 871 7651
TheATre roYAl briGhTon 23 - 27 April
Box Office 0844 871 7650
duke of York’s TheATre 1 May - 3 August
Box Office 0844 871 7623
online booking at atgtickets.com
ATG Magazine / 4
Interview by Al Senter
interView
3
ow a sprightly eighty-five, peter nichols
can lay serious claim to being the oldest
working playwright in this country and
one of the consequences of survival into
great age is that you are regularly re-discovered. more
than a decade ago, michael Grandage directed nichols’
joyous Privates on Parade at the donmar warehouse
and he recently chose to revisit the play at the noel
coward theatre. in 2000 Grandage went on to stage
Passion Play, nichols’ celebrated black comedy about
love and infidelity and now multi-olivier award-winner
zoë wanamaker leads david leveaux’s revival into the
duke of york’s. it must be irritating in the extreme to
watch yourself glide in and out of fashion but nichols
seems to have mellowed to the point where he can
strike a philosophical note about the considerable
number of new plays he’s written that
remain unperformed.
‘i’ve written a sequel to Passion Play and a kind of
prequel to Privates on Parade set in india. there are
about eight that are ready to go into production
which i’d like to see staged one day. plays that
lie on the shelf are not really plays; they
are more like blueprints for buildings
that are never put up.’
Passion Play’s much anticipated
return to the west end reunites
director david leveaux (Arcadia,
Betrayal) with zoë wanamaker
(Harry Potter, BBc’s My
Family and miller’s All My
Sons) for the first time
since their award-
winning collaboration
on Electra at the
donmar warehouse.
the play has been
hailed as a modern
classic and in it
nichols aims for
a fluidity that
speeds the
audience from
one short
scene to
another.
he hit upon the idea of giving the central couple
James and eleanor an alter ego each.
‘i think that there must have been something of
coward’s Blithe Spirit in the back of my mind then,’
he explains. ‘the alter egos in Passion Play represent
aspects of James and eleanor but they cannot talk to
each other until later in the play. they also contribute
to the idea that once you start to lie continuously, you
end up unable to differentiate between the truth and
lies. the play is less about adultery, i think, than about
dishonesty and betrayal.’
nichols freely admits the debt he owes to Eros
Denied, a book written by the labour/sdp politician,
wayland young, in the genesis of Passion Play.
‘i was very taken with it,’ he explains. ‘in the book,
young talks about the repression of physical sex by the
authorities that seek to keep us in our place. i’d argue
that monogamy for most human beings is very difficult
to maintain and yet there are animals and birds that
mate for life. so it seems that neither promiscuity nor
monogamy is necessarily natural. if we repress our
feelings, that is considered to be unhealthy but if we
give way to them, we are haunted by guilt. either way,
we’re sunk!’
perhaps the recent success of his Lingua Franca
in new york will lead to further investigations into the
unperformed plays in the bottom drawer. nichols
is cautiously positive.
‘my plays have usually been successful and i’m not
the sort of writer who simply crosses his fingers and
hopes for the best. to have written work that hasn’t
been performed seems such a waste of my time.
But then i sometimes wonder if people want new
plays anyway.’
in dealing with some legal matters recently, nichols
came across the word ‘usufruct’ and he was intrigued
to discover that it means ‘the power to enjoy’. as he
enthusiastically waves goodbye from what must be
a roof terrace, despite the freezing temperatures and
the flurries of snow on this January afternoon, the
thought occurs that nichols has been giving audiences
‘the power to enjoy’ his work for five decades. it would
be nice to think that he could continue the tradition
with one of those new plays awaiting a summons
from the shelf. ■
n
Winner of Evening Standard Award - Best Play
infideliTY proVes A rich source of blAck comedY in peTer nichols’ paSSion play
Love& mArriAGe
Zoë has appeared extensively in film and on television
including the Harry Potter films and the award-winning
BBC series My Family. Her work on stage includes Much
Ado About Nothing, All My Sons with David Suchet and
the national theatre’s The Cherry Orchard.
She has won two Olivier Awards for Best Actress; for her
performance in Electra at the Donmar warehouse and her
performance in Once in a Lifetime at the national theatre.
Zoë has received four tony Award nominations for Piaf!,
Loot, Electra and, most recently, the Lincoln Centre
production of Awake And Sing!
zoë WAnAmAker
Zoë Wanamaker at the UK premiere of My Week with Marilyn in which she starred with Michelle Williams and Eddie RedmaynePhotograph courtesy of Rex Features
COMPetItIOn
5
Terms & condiTionsone winner will be chosen at
random after the closing date. the
prize includes 4 tickets (mon - thu
perfs only) to see 9 to 5 at the venue
of your choice from the list above
plus one bottle of champagne,
show merchandise and two house
programmes. prize is subject to
availability, non-transferable and
non-redeemable for a cash value.
not open to employees of
ambassador theatre Group ltd.
editor’s decision is final.
Win TickeTs for A feisTY, fun & fAbulous niGhT ouT ave you ever felt overlooked in your
workplace? have you ever been frustrated
as others get the look-in you deserve?
have you ever just wished that you
could string up your boss and give them a piece of
your mind?!
then 9 to 5: The Musical is definitely the show for you!
come put your feet up and leave the daily grind behind
with this hilarious tale of girl power, new beginnings
and sweetly served revenge.
when doralee, Judy and Violet can take no more
from their shamelessly sexist boss, the unlikely trio
unite to give mr hart a taste of his own medicine.
Based on the popular 1980s film, this warm-hearted
show boasts an acclaimed original score by dolly
parton, including the hit title song, of course!
we’re offering one lucky winner and three friends
the best seats in the house at a venue of their choice,
where you’ll be treated to some well deserved luxury
with complimentary champagne, programmes
and merchandise.
to get your hands on this fantastic prize, simply
complete the missing word in this line from the
song 9 to 5:
please return your answer on a postcard, not
forgetting your name and email address or telephone
number to alice Gimblett, the ambassador theatre
Group ltd., 39-41 charing cross road, london,
wc2h 0ar before friday 1st march 2013. ■
h
WorkinG 9 To 5, WhAT A WAY To mAke A
WomenhArd To belieVe This WAs eVer noT A musicAl. dollY pArTon’s sonGs GAllop ThrouGh: backwoodS barbie fiTs As Well As AnYThinG in sondheim times
★ ★ ★ ★ ★iT’s A dollY Good shoWsunday express
9 To 5 The musicAl written by patricia resnick
music and lyrics by dolly parton
starring mark moraghan
Jackie clune natalie casey
amy lennox Bonnie langford
featuring dolly live from her
desk in dollywood
princess TheATre TorquAY mon 18 - sat 23 february
Box office 0844 871 3023
milTon keYnes TheATre mon 4 - sat 9 march
Box office 0844 871 7652
brisTol hippodrome mon 18 - sat 23 march
Box office 0844 871 3012
full 9 to 5 tour details & online booking at atgtickets.com
y Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen - gather
round. the award-winning hit musical
Spamalot gets topical this Spring
- jam-packed full of gags with new ones
added every day, this hilarious comedy has something
for all ages - and now all classes. to celebrate the
2013 new Year’s Honours List, the new and even
sillier 2012 production has issued a challenge to titled
theatregoers everywhere - hopefully including Baron
Sugar, Sir Bob (Geldof) and Sir wiggo - a free ‘knight
out’ to anyone from the new Year’s Honours list and
anybody else who can prove that they are a Knight
of the realm.
Based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail,
Spamalot tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and
the Knights of the round table and features a bevy
(or possibly a brace) of beautiful show girls, witch-
burnings (cancelled - health and safety), flying cows,
killer rabbits and French people. the show also
includes the nation’s Favourite Anthem Always Look
on the Bright Side of Life and eric Idle himself as
God (see small print)***
But if you’re only a peasant - worry not. Anyone
who isn’t a real bona fide Knight can still get their
free ticket just by dressing up as a Knight and arriving
at the Playhouse at least one hour before curtain
up. But don’t be fooled, being a Knight is a serious
business and those looking to bag themselves a ticket
must prove their mettle by including certain knightly
articles as part of their costume (see list). So grab
your gauntlets and go get em! ■
m
iT’s Spamalot -
The AWArd-WinninG
hiT musicAl
comedY!niGhT
AT Work
Essential gearfor Knights:
you must have at least four of the following: helmet, hood, chainmail,
armour, tunic, tabard, cape, gauntlets, shield
ATG Magazine / 6*** as a visual recording! As if they could afford this God-like comic in the current economic climate!
newS
plAYhouse TheATremonTY pYThon’s
spAmAloTStarring Stephen tompkinson
(appearing until 2 March)
Until 2 november 2013
Box Office 0844 871 7631
online booking atatgtickets.com
Terms & condiTionsActual knights go free (ID required).
All knights must arrive no later than
1 hour before curtain up to book
their tickets and all knights must be
approved by theatre management
in accordance with terms and
conditions. Management reserve
the right to refuse entry. Available
only in person at the Box Office on
the day. tickets subject to availability.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★DAILY StAr SUnDAY
★ ★ ★ ★evenInG StAnDArD
tIMe OUt
Knighty
mAurice’s Jubileewritten by nichola McAuliffe
Starring Julian Glover
Sheila reid nichola McAuliffe
richmond TheATre tue 19 - Sat 23 February
Box Office 0844 871 7651
TheATre roYAl briGhTon tue 26 February - Sat 2 March
Box Office 0844 871 7650
neW AlexAndrA TheATre birminGhAm tue 5 - Sat 9 March
Box Office 0844 871 3011
churchill TheATre bromleY tue 26 - Sat 30 March
Box Office 0844 871 7620
for casting details and online booking visit atgtickets.com
ATG Magazine / 8
Interview by Benedict Nightingale
Photography by Phil Tragen
he inspiration for the smash hit of last year’s
edinburgh Festival, Maurice’s Jubilee came
to nichola McAuliffe while she and her
husband were spending a long, dark, rainy
night driving from edinburgh to London. She’d been
thinking about the death of the utterly decent but
unfulfilled father of a man she’d once nearly married.
And when the Queen’s jubilee year came into her mind
she turned to her husband, told him she’d an idea for
a play, talked him through it - and in August 2012 saw
it materialise almost unchanged at the edinburgh
Festival.
there, it won rave reviews and McAuliffe herself a
best-actress award for her performance as the nurse
of the decent title-character who hopes to have the
Queen to tea. A surprisingly speedy success for the
hilariously funny but poignant piece McAuliffe had
written in just three weeks after being told she’d better
hurry up finishing the play as the brochure advertising
it would soon be printed! Perhaps; but then McAuliffe
is an all-electric surprise herself.
is there a brighter, livelier person in the British
theatre? certainly, none is more versatile. as an actress,
mcauliffe’s credits range from the mad vagrant in alan
Bennett’s Lady in the Van to the three characters
arnold wesker wrote especially for her in his one-
woman Annie Wobbler, from the acerbic sheila sabatini
in tV’s Surgical Spirit to the lead in the rsc’s revival of
Kiss Me Kate, a performance that won her the olivier
award for best actress in a musical. as a writer, she’s
penned novels and plays why, she’s even worked
briefly as a theatre critic on the daily mail, which let
her acclaim a play whose quiet wit Maurice’s Jubilee
shares: Bennett’s History Boys.
mcauliffe feels that actresses get more
compartmentalised and typecast than their male
counterparts and takes relish in the variety of her roles:
‘i’ve never wanted to do the same thing twice. it doesn’t
interest me making a career of the comedy barmaid or
being the spinster in a Poirot or a Morse. i’d rather take
risks, abseil up the outside of a building, than walk
up the carpeted stairs in its middle.’
when we met, she was planning a new play,
wondering how to acquire the science for a projected
sci-fi novel, and re-rehearsing Maurice’s Jubilee. as
someone who firmly distinguishes acting (which
means getting an audience to see into a character)
from performing (which means flaunting one’s own
personality), she can be relied on genuinely to act a
role she never intended to take. kika markham was
originally to play nurse katy, but got a major tV part at
the last moment, meaning that mcauliffe found herself
cancelling a foreign holiday and hurriedly becoming
the woman who tends Julian Glover’s Queen-
obsessed maurice along with sheila reid’s helena,
his doting wife.
‘it’s basically a love story, with nobody quite in
love with the right person,’ she says. mcauliffe is still
middle-aged, younger than the 55 years wikipedia
inaccurately attributes to her, but is fascinated by what
she calls life’s ‘third act’. drama, she feels, tends to
concentrate on the first and second acts, meaning
youth and its aftermath. But age adds doubt, a
realisation that time is limited, and depth to the same
hopes, dreams and thwarted ambitions - ‘so for me
writing about older people is far, far more interesting.’
she’s a bit worried that, if she says more, prospective
punters might think the play morbid, which it decidedly
isn’t. how could it be with an author as fond of fun and
funny stories, some told against herself? there was the
time when, filling in at the last moment for a sick dora
Bryan as the fairy in a christmas panto, she played the
character as alcoholic, meaning she could write her
lines on the brandy bottle she was still clutching when
she finally slid down the proscenium arch. there was
the time when, playing the statue of Queen Victoria
in peter nichols’s Poppy, she fell asleep while upright,
astounding the rsc company that had turned round
to hear her sing about the responsibilities that
came with the crown she was wearing.
‘Gentle snores were coming from the statue while
2,000 people were looking at me, every member of
the cast was shaking with laughter, and there was a
part of my brain that was saying: this silence shouldn’t
be here.’ that’s nichola mcauliffe for you: peppy,
humorous, one of the theatre’s great originals. ■
IntervIew
7
T
TheQueen And iloVe neVer GroWs old in nicholA mcAuliffe’s spArklinG mauriceS’S jubilee
★ ★ ★ ★ ★A Triumph.SCOtSMAn
★ ★ ★ ★A Touch of AlAn benneTT in The sprY WiT. YesTerYeAr enGlAnd AT iTs besT.DAILY teLeGrAPH
★ ★ ★ ★A spArklinG Gem. A TouchinG loVe sTorY WiTh A TWisT in The TAil.InDePenDent
Julian Glover Sheila Reid Nichola McAuliffe
is There A briGhTer, liVelier person in
The briTish TheATre?cerTAinlY, none is
more VersATile.
iT’s bAsicAllY A loVe sTorY, WiTh nobodY quiTe in loVe WiTh The riGhT person,’
mcAuliffe sAYs.
neW TheATre oxford 25 February - 2 March
Box Office 0844 871 3020
edinburGh plAYhouse 4 - 9 March
Box Office 0844 871 3014
neW Wimbledon TheATre 11 - 16 March
Box Office 0844 871 7646
neW AlexAndrA TheATre birminGhAm 18 - 30 March
Box Office 0844 871 3011
sunderlAnd empire 8 - 13 April
Box Office 0844 871 3022
brisTol hippodrome 15 - 27 April
Box Office 0844 871 3012
princess TheATre TorquAY 29 April - 4 May
Box Office 0844 871 3023
York GrAnd operA house 13 - 18 May
Box Office 0844 871 3024
empire TheATre liVerpool 20 - 25 May
Box Office 0844 871 3017
reGenT TheATre sToke-on-TrenT 10 - 15 June
Box Office 0844 871 7649
kinG’s TheATre GlAsGoW 17 - 29 June
Box Office 0844 871 7648
for casting details and online booking visit atgtickets.com
Interview by Nancy Groves
ATG Magazine / 10
ritain is caught in a surprise snowstorm
the day Jason donovan calls to talk about
his latest stage outing. But after a long
afternoon’s run through in central london,
he is already home safe and dry for a friday night in
with his family - long gone Jason’s partying days of old.
the australian pop and soap star may have settled
for life in a cold uk climate, but professionally
speaking, he is back in the desert - Priscilla, Queen
of the Desert - the big-hearted, bigger-heeled tale
of three sydney drag queens that became Jason’s
most solid gold success since his run in Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in the 1990s.
despite turning down a role in the original 1994
Priscilla film, Jason appeared in a spangling 450
performances of the musical at london’s palace
theatre between 2009-10. and now the show is
parking up at manchester opera house as part of the
Manchester Gets It First initiative before a nationwide
tour. it stars Jason as tick, aka ‘mitzi mitosis’, who
drags his queenly colleagues ‘Bernadette’ and
‘felicia’ on a road trip to alice springs - and
a hoped-for reunion with his eight-year-
old son.
what made Jason want to get
back on this bus? ‘rarely do you have
a show where you not only established
a character yourself but opened that
show in town,’ explains the 44-year-old. ‘i
was always sorry that i didn’t follow through
with more time in Joseph - these opportunities don’t
come around as much as falling into a role that other
people have established.’
since his last stint in Priscilla, he’s been far from idle,
exercising his talents first as a contestant (and eventual
finalist) on BBc1’s Strictly Come Dancing; more
recently on the panel of Superstar on itV1, andrew
lloyd webber’s search for a new messiah. which did
Jason prefer: judging, or being judged?
‘i certainly understand now that judging is about
being honest and brave in your comments,’ he says
of the two experiences. ‘when craig (revel horwood,
Strictly judge) says something, he’s normally right. i
respect craig. and craig respects hard work. if you
don’t dig deep in this business, you don’t get the
results. i’m the sort of person that when i do
something, i like to commit to it.’
Strictly is ‘pantomine but not as much as X-Factor’,
says Jason, who admits to feeling ‘a little bit sorry’ for
fellow westender denise Van outen and the stick she
got for being overqualified for a dance contest. ‘of
course, denise has a bit of experience. i was accused
of that too. But it’s about casting across the board for
a show like that. at the end of the day, louis smith
wasn’t a dancer - and he won. denise was a dancer
and she didn’t. it’s more than just a dancing show.’
and while Jason might seem like musical theatre’s
ideal ‘triple threat’ - actor, singer, now dancer too - he
remains clear about his first love. ‘acting is the thing
i feel most comfortable with,’ he says, adding that it
was stephan elliott’s script which first attracted him
to Priscilla. ‘they talk about juke box musicals, but i
love how the story carries this show rather than just
the music. it has three really strong central characters,
a great plot and some fantastic songs too. it’s a
real journey.’
Jason is feeling pretty chipper about things. fresh
out of a european tour of rock opera, War of the Worlds,
he also guested at stock aitken waterman’s massive
christmas gig, The Hit Factory, even duetting with old
pal kylie on ‘Especially For You’. ‘it was a big success,’ he
smiles. ‘kylie and i had never really done it live before!’
now in his fifth decade, what keeps Jason trucking?
‘school fees,’ he deadpans. ‘no, i’m just someone who
keeps going. this business has been quite good to me.
But i’ve worked very hard.’ also, he adds, ‘i enjoy the
good things and they don’t come cheap!’
once upon a time, this might have meant something
different - Jason’s early battles with drugs are well
documented - but these days, his luxuries are more
salubrious: ‘i love holidays, i love spending time with
my family and drinking good wine. i live in a nice house
in central london and i like to come home and put on
the fire.’
does he ever dream of moving home to australia
on chilly days like this? ‘i’ve found a home here,’ he says.
‘i’m a big fan of england and its history and the public
have been extremely good to me. things happen here.
that’s not to say they don’t happen in australia. they are
just a little more removed.’ he pauses for a moment and
shivers. ‘But australia is never going to go away, and
yes, at this time of year, i do dream of the beach!’ ■
interView
9
b
Featuringover 20 dancefloor classics including I Will Survive,
It’s Raining Men, Hot Stuff and
Go West
Jason Donovan
DesertsonG
The besT feel-Good shoW since mAmmA miA!sunday express
huGelY enTerTAininG, insAnelY GliTzYdaily teleGraph
i loVe hoW The sTorY cArries This shoW rATher ThAn JusT The music. It has three really strong central characters, a great plot and some fantastic songs too. It’s a real journey.
JAson donoVAn JourneYs To The heArT of fAbulous
t’s hard to argue with the merit of tv talent shows,
when you learn that two of the stars of the 40th
Anniversary Production of The Rocky Horror Show
are products of that gruelling, elimination process.
I am having coffee with them and they are both total
charmers. Ben Forster, who plays Brad, won the tv
series Superstar, a nationwide search for Jesus, guided
and judged by Lord Andrew Lloyd webber himself,
and he then played the role in a UK and Ireland tour,
along with Melanie C, one of the judges. At 31, he
has a strong Cv - he has starred in west end shows,
Grease, Thriller Live and All You Need Is Love.
rhydian, who plays rocky, is now 29, a platinum
recording artist, who shot to fame on Simon Cowell’s
X Factor. Despite being a runner-up, audiences loved
his rich baritone voice, and Cowell signed him up for
a record deal the day after the final. He has starred
in three Albert Hall galas, appeared in a UK tour of
Grease, and sung with an impressive list of artists,
including Katherine Jenkins, Dame Kiri te Kanawa
and Bryn terfel.
was it a bit daunting being offered such sought-
after roles in Rocky? ‘I was really honoured,’ says Ben.
‘the nerve-racking thing is that the audiences know
every line of it, so you can’t get it wrong. Brad is a
perfect role for me - and different in so many ways
from Jesus, which people associate me with - Jesus
doesn’t end up in stilettos, so that’s one difference!’
rhydian didn’t let himself feel intimidated by
previous Rocky performers. ‘I auditioned for the
BACKStAGe
11
i
Feature by Victoria Kingston
The rockY horror shoWwritten by richard o’Brien
directed by christopher luscombe
musical arrangements
by richard hartley
starring Ben forster rhydian
roxanne pallett philip franks
oliver thornton
sunderlAnd empire 18 - 23 february
Box office 0844 871 3022
kinG’s TheATre GlAsGoW 25 february - 2 march
Box office 0844 871 7648
edinburGh plAYhouse 11 - 16 march
Box office 0844 871 3014
GrimsbY AudiTorium 18 - 23 march
Box office 0844 871 3016
operA house mAnchesTer 25 - 30 march
Box office 0844 871 3018
York GrAnd operA house 8 - 13 april
Box office 0844 871 3024
richmond TheATre 6 - 11 may
Box office 0844 871 7651
reGenT TheATre sToke-on-TrenT 20 - 25 may
Box office 0844 871 7649
churchill TheATre bromleY 27 may - 1 June
Box office 0844 871 7620
neW VicToriA TheATre WokinG 24 - 29 June
Box office 0844 871 7645
milTon keYnes TheATre 15 - 20 July
Box office 0844 871 7652
for casting details and online booking visit atgtickets.com
richArd o’brien WroTe iT in A Week,i Think. Wouldn’T eVerYbodY loVe To do ThAT - write a hit show in a week. The songs are catchy, it’s a bit crazy and it’s still very left-field. There’s nothing else like it.
ATG Magazine / 12
part, like everyone else, so I feel I have to go out there
and do my best. I know I am very fortunate to be in this
show - and particularly being directed by Christopher
Luscombe.’ ‘He’s a lovely guy,’ says rhydian. ‘and he’s
a fantastic director too. So the show feels very fresh,
because of him.’
not surprisingly, both men are grateful to the talent
shows that groomed them. ‘It gave me a profile which
helped me to get into musical theatre, which is my
passion. It was like auditioning on a bigger platform,’
rhydian recalls. ‘Absolutely,’ Ben agrees. ‘In a normal,
two minute audition, they get no insight into the kind
of person you are, what you can cope with. On the tv,
they watch you grow and develop - and the final ten
contestants get highlighted, and that’s good for their
careers, but also for the business itself.’
So, in terms of future roles, what burning ambitions
do they have? they both chuckle at this and start
counting on their fingers. ‘there’s quite a few,’ says
Ben. ‘Jean valjean in Les Misérables, Galileo in We
Will Rock You, Joe in Sunset Boulevard, Chris in
Miss Saigon. I’m going to do them all, trust me.’ And
rhydian joins in: ‘I want to play Phantom, without a
doubt. I relate to that character and I’m moved every
time I see the show. Sweeney todd, anything in Les
Mis, Billy Bigelow in Carousel. My Boy Bill is one of
my party pieces.’
Yes, a lot of ambition there. But
ultimately, I ask them, what is the
phenomenal appeal of Rocky Horror
Show? the story of Brad and his
fiancée Janet and their scandalous
adventures in the castle of Frank n
Furter, is packed with timeless songs
(Sweet Transvestite, Damn It Janet
and Time Warp), brilliant costumes,
and bags of energy. It’s as popular
as ever after 40 years - translated into
over 20 languages and performed in
over 30 countries. why? ‘well, I think
it’s a masterpiece,’ says rhydian.
‘richard O’Brien wrote it in a week, I
think. wouldn’t everybody love to do
that - write a hit show in a week? the
songs are catchy, it’s a bit crazy and
it’s still very left-field. there’s nothing
else like it.’ Ben agrees. ‘richard
O’Brien grew up in a small town, and
he wrote this musical as an escape,
to express himself in an extrovert
way. It has become an escape for
audiences too. It means a middle-
aged man can stand at the bus stop
in stockings and suspenders and it’s
perfectly acceptable. He can say to
people - oh, I’m going to see The
Rocky Horror Show tonight - and
they will understand. It’s about
having 1,000 people in an
auditorium, who are on the
same page.’ ■
Ben Forster
Rhydian
t
fun, frolics And friVoliTY GuArAnTeed!
All New 40th Anniversary
PARTy ProductionShock
sTockinGs, suspenders, sTileTTos - GeT reAdY for rockY!
sTill The sexiesT & funniesT shoW in ToWn evenInG StAnDArD
*studio 2 has been made possible by a generous donation from christina smith
phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629
midniGhT TAnGoeveryone’s favourite Strictly stars,
Vincent simone and flavia cacace
make a welcome return to the
west end.
savoy Theatre 0844 871 7687
leT iT beexperience the Beatles live in london.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘beatlemania is back!’ tony dibbon, magic 105.4
duke of York’s Theatre 0844 871 7623
The JudAs kissstarring rupert everett as oscar
wilde in david hare’s compelling
drama.
Trafalgar studio 2* 0844 871 7632
heminGWAY’s fiesTAa unique adaptation featuring live
jazz of ernest hemingway’s tale
of love, loss and decadence.
Trafalgar studio 2* 0844 871 7632
mYdidAewritten by Bafta award winner
Jack Thorne, mydidae transfers
to the west end following a highly
acclaimed run at soho theatre.
ATG Magazine / 14
atg tickets
book Your TickeTs online AT ATGTickeTs.com Your one sTop shop
harold pinter Theatre 0844 871 7622
old Timeskristin scott Thomas, rufus sewell and lia Williams star in harold pinter’s
seductive and compelling drama.
13
Apollo Victoria 0844 871 7615
Wickedthere has never been a
better time to experience
‘the hit musical with brains, heart and courage’ (sunday telegraph) as it flies into
its seventh spellbinding year.
fortune Theatre 0844 871 7626
The WomAn in blAckone of the most exciting and
gripping theatre events ever
staged. ‘a truly nerve-shredding experience’ daily mail
lyceum Theatre 0844 871 7615disneY’s
The lion kinGwith a cast of over 40 actors,
singers and dancers.
‘a beautiful dazzle of invention and imagination’ evening standard
piccadilly Theatre 0844 871 7630
ViVA foreVer!a fabulous, feel-good story of our
times, inspired by the songs of the
spice Girls.
playhouse Theatre 0844 871 7631
spAmAloTthe award-winning hit musical,
jam packed full of gags with
new ones added every day is
now booking until 2 november.
this hilarious comedy for all
ages includes the nation’s
anthem ‘Always Look On The
Bright Side of Life’.
‘Fantastic Fun’ daily express
The old Vic 0844 871 7628
The WinsloW boYlindsay posner directs terence
rattigan’s story of a father’s fight
to clear his son’s name.
The unforGeTTAble exciTemenT of
liVe TheATre - GeT inTo iT This sprinG
usinG ATGTickeTs.com As Your Guide
old Times the first pinter play at the harold pinter theatre since it was
renamed after the great man stars kristin scott Thomas,
rufus sewell and lia Williams in a seductive and compelling
drama - directed by ian rickson.
once The musicAlexpect all the excitement and
exhilaration of an irish ceilidh live
on stage in this new musical based
on the much-loved, oscar-winning
film - a celebration of love,
friendship and music.
GhosT ‘Simply out of this world!’ sun
a roller-coaster ride of romance
with dazzling state-of-the-art staging
from inner magic circle member
paul kieve - on tour this spring.
donmar Warehouse 0844 871 7624
TrelAWnY of The Wellspinero’s love letter to the theatre,
directed by Joe Wright.
Trafalgar studio 1 0844 871 7632
mAcbeThstarring James mcAvoy & claire foy. directed by Jamie lloyd.
part of the brand new Trafalgar
Transformed season. shakespeare’s
darkest tale plays out in a dystopian
scotland brutalised by war. under
a toxic fog, macbeth begins his
tormented struggle for power
fuelled by ambition and paranoia.
phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629
onceWinner of 8 Tony Awards, a new
musical adapted from the oscar
winning film.
duke of York’s Theatre 0844 871 7623
pAssion plAYstarring zoë Wanamaker in peter nichols’ celebrated black comedy.
priscillA queen of The deserT Join us for a journey to the heart
of fabulous in this fresh and funny
musical starring Jason donovan.
winner of 4 whatsonstage.com
awards, the tour comes direct
from the west end.
book of mormon the smash-hit Broadway sensation
from the creators of South Park comes to london.
Winner of 8 TonY
AWArds in 2012 incl.
besT neW musicAl
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
‘i The book of mormon’ new york post
ATG Magazine / 16
IntervIew
15
style
1 3 Tone broGue from dune dune.co.uk £80
2 pink sTudded hiGh Top TrAiner from ash footwear ashfootwear.co.uk £139
3 sTudded TAupe leATher booTs WiTh fluoro pink lAce from kurt Geiger kurtgeiger.com £220
4 orAnGe plimsoll lAce-ups from Victoria victoria-plimsolls.co.uk £30
5 Green kid suede peep-Toe shoe from ash footwear £149
6 florAl plimsoll lAce-ups from Victoria £30
7 pink peep-Toe WiTh fluoro YelloW shAped heel from kurt Geiger £195
8 men’s ikAT fAbric slip-on shoe from t & f slack shoemakers
tandfslackshoemakers.com £235
9 YelloW sTrAppY sAndAl WiTh espAdrille WedGe sole from Balenciaga selfridges.com £465
tights and nail varnish from a selection at topshop
and accessorize
all prices quoted are given as a guide only and may be subject
to change by individual retailers
Feature by Mark Bouman
Best The forecAsT is for briGhT And breezY
This sprinG
in shoe
castleterracerestaurant.com
restaurantfraiche.com
simpsonsrestaurant.co.uk
manoir.com
casamiarestaurant.co.uk
hshotels.co.uk
For full details of what’s on at all
the theatres listed in the feature,
visit atgtickets.com
Feature by Neena Dhillon
ATG Magazine / 18
cAsAmiA
ockenden mAnor
9 To 5 The MusicalPriscilla Queen of the Desert
GoinG out
perfect for dinner à deux.
ideAl pAirinG: liverpool empire (Phantom of the
Opera, Hairspray)
set in a handsome Grade ii-listed Georgian house in
leafy edgbaston, simpsons is renowned as the smartest
restaurant in the midlands. But it’s not just good looks
that draw people here; the outstanding anglo-french
cuisine, overseen by popular chef and industry mentor
andreas antona, is lovingly prepared from quality
ingredients sourced from the best regional suppliers.
on warm spring days, there’s a secluded landscaped
garden in which to enjoy pre-lunch drinks. typical
lunch delights from the constantly updated menus
include portland crab, Gressingham duck and silky
chocolate tart (£38 for three courses).
ideAl pAirinG: new alexandra theatre Birmingham
(Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Goodnight Mister Tom,
Midnight Tango)
famed the world over, raymond Blanc’s gastronomic
oasis is to be found in a 15th-century, honey-coloured
chiltern manor house situated in the picturesque
oxfordshire village of Great milton. one of the few
nestled in the heart of edinburgh’s old town, castle
terrace has established itself as one of the most
celebrated additions to scotland’s competitive dining
scene, picking up a coveted michelin star less than
18 months after opening. chef-patron dominic Jack,
who honed his skills in his native scotland as well as
in paris and istanbul, presents modern British cuisine
influenced by french cooking techniques and an
appreciation of the best ingredients to come from
scotland’s natural larder. the three-course set lunch
menu is particularly good value at £24, with mains
such as scottish rabbit à la provençal or cassoulet
of ayrshire pork.
ideAl pAirinG: edinburgh playhouse (Priscilla
Queen of the Desert starring Jason donovan,
Ghost, Blood Brothers)
merseyside’s brightest culinary star, located in the
conservation village of oxton, stands out from the
crowd with contemporary french cuisine designed
to take diners on an adventure in taste, texture and
temperature. ‘we try to have our own touch, our
own twist to things,’ says chef-patron marc wilkinson,
whose signature six-course tasting menu - packed full
of innovative flavour combinations and eye-catching
presentation - is served in intimate surroundings
restaurants to retain its two michelin stars for an
impressive 28 years, le manoir remains a mecca for
gourmets seeking culinary voyages of intrigue and
discovery. painstakingly sourced by executive head
chef Gary Jones, are the freshest seasonal ingredients,
including organic produce grown on le manoir’s
two-acre kitchen garden. these form the basis of the
modern french cuisine that is represented in exquisite
menus such as the five-course lunch - a distillation of
the most alluring flavours dreamt up by le manoir’s
50-strong team.
ideAl pAirinG: new theatre oxford (Soul Sister,
Joseph)
‘we’ve got two little geniuses, my God can they cook,’
Gordon ramsay has enthused of the Bristol-based
brothers, Jonray and peter sanchez-iglesias, who are
behind the success of the small but perfectly formed
casamia. as the youngest chefs to be awarded a
michelin star in the uk, the self-taught duo has taken
inspiration from childhood memories and travels to
invent food using superlative British produce. But
beyond providing mouthwatering meals, casamia
adopts a Japanese tradition of reflecting seasonal
change not just in its menu but also in its décor.
the result is a sensory experience in tune with the
seasons. lunch menus starting from £38 take guests
on an exciting journey through marriages of flavour
and texture captured in artfully plated dishes.
ideAl pAirinG: Bristol hippodrome (9 to 5,
Starlight Express, Priscilla)
head to one of the prettiest tudor villages in england
for expertly devised dishes incorporating the very
best that sussex has to offer. with the feel of a country
bolthole, ockenden manor in cuckfield beckons guests
to an elegant dining room affording sweeping views
across a lovely garden towards the south downs
national park. in this tranquil environment, head chef
stephen crane presents food that mixes innovation
and tradition, rooted in french classical style yet
maintaining a loyalty to locally sourced produce. look
out for popular plates such as sautéed langoustines
with crisp pork belly, fricassee of carlingford oysters
or saddle of Balcombe venison. puddings are equally
tantalising, featuring classics with irresistible twists,
from a warm plum clafoutis to a millefeuille of cox
apples and white chocolate and vanilla cream.
ideAl pAirinG: theatre royal Brighton (Maurice’s
Jubilee, Yes Prime Minister, Passion Play starring
zoë wanamaker)
cAsTle TerrAce
simpsons
17
AWAken Your senses bY indulGinG in A WinninG combinATion of michelin-sTArred cuisine And firsT-clAss enTerTAinmenT. simplY folloW The fine food And drink from one of our speciAllY selecTed resTAurAnTs WiTh A mAGicAl niGhT AT The TheATre.
frAiche
le mAnoir Aux quAT’sAisons
SensationsTAsTe
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons Oxfordshire
Theatre Royal Brighton Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons Oxfordshire Fraiche Merseyside Simpsons Edgbaston