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Once again, the New Theatre, Cardiff has a whole host of top quality entertainment this Autumn and Winter. This October the New Theatre says goodbye to the Welsh National Opera as they perform their final season here. In a change of pace, the laughs come thick and fast when LENNY HENRY drops in for one night only while Jerome Flynn takes a trip down memory lane starring as Tommy Cooper in JUS’ LIKE THAT!. An inspiring programme of drama includes THE SHAKESPEARE TRILOGY; Merchant of Venice, Cymbeline and Twelfth Night by The Wales Theatre Company, Rosemary Leach in THE SHELL SEEKERS, and Arthur Miller’s classic, THE CRUCIBLE starring Tony Britton. In the New Year look forward to Nigel Havers starring in Daphne Du Maurier’s masterpiece, REBECCA and Ronald Harwood’s THE DRESSER starring Nicholas Lyndhurst and Julian Glover. Musical entertainment this season comes in the form of the razzle dazzle Broadway hit CHICAGO, back after its runaway success in 2002. Cardiff’s own Orbit Theatre presents the timeless WEST SIDE STORY in October while the New Year starts with a trip to New York’s High School for the Performing Arts with FAME – The Musical. Looking way ahead into April, The Who’s TOMMY forms part of the New Theatre’s programme for the Cardiff International Festival of Musical Theatre. There’s some great family entertainment this season too with the spectacular pantomime, CINDERELLA starring Dave Benson Phillips and Danny La Rue as well as the fun-filled and energetic CARDIFF GANG SHOW. And there are a further two magical productions in the New Year, Roald Dahl’s THE WITCHES and THE JUNGLE BOOK. The season opens on Tuesday 12 October with JUS’ LIKE THAT starring Jerome Flynn as the unforgettable Tommy Cooper. Caerphilly born Tommy Cooper was one of the few who really deserved the title ‘comic genius’. His unique, eccentric, deceptively simple humour brought a little magic into British comedy – and now this remarkable celebration brings the much-loved entertainer vividly to life, Jus’ Like That! Fresh from their triumph with Under Milk Wood, The Wales Theatre Company returns to the New Theatre from Monday 18 October with a feast of Shakespearian drama. Directed by Michael Bogdanov this celebration of the Bard includes two of his most popular works, Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice alongside one that is rarely performed, Cymbeline. Unforgettable characters, eminently quotable language and some of the best stories ever told across a week of great drama culminating with TRILOGY DAY on Saturday 23 October with all 3 plays performed in one day. From Tuesday 26 October Cardiff’s own Orbit Theatre presents WEST SIDE STORY, one of the best loved musicals of all time. Following huge successes with PETER PAN, and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Orbit Theatre return to the New Theatre stage with this classic story of forbidden romance that has been a firm favourite for generations. Containing some of the most memorable show tunes including America, I Feel Pretty and Tonight, WEST SIDE STORY still has the power to move and delight almost 50 years since it was first performed. LENNY HENRY appears for one night only with “So Much Things To Say” on 31 October. The show tackles a variety of subjects including: Parents, Love, Sex, War and reggae music. It's a rip roaring tour de force of character comedy, brought to you by the man himself... Lenny Henry. See him at his best, live and direct! Rosemary Leach stars in a new play based on Rosamunde Pilcher’s international best seller THE SHELL SEEKERS from 2 November. An evocative and passionate modern day classic, this heart-rending story of a modern English family is set in London and Cornwall between World War II and the present. It is the story of Penelope Keeling, her family and the secrets, passions and heartbreak that have held them together for three generations. It is also the story of The Shell Seekers – a painting and ancestral legacy which threatens to shatter the Keeling family’s very existence. Back by popular demand, the razzle dazzle broadway musical CHICAGO returns to the New Theatre for just two weeks from Monday 8 November. Tickets are already selling quickly for this smash hit that was a complete sell-out on its last visit to Cardiff in 2002. CHICAGO is the kiss-and-tell tale of Roxie Hart, a nightclub dancer who kills her lover; Billy Flynn, a sharp lawyer who turns Roxie into a celebrity; and Velma Kelly, a dancing jailbird with an ear for the headlines and an eye for talent. It is a loving look back at vaudeville, a timely satire on the justice system, and above all a reminder of what great theatre can be. Acclaimed contemporary opera company Music Theatre Wales return to the New Theatre this Autumn with THE PIANO TUNER on Sunday 21 November. Soon to be a major film THE PIANO TUNER has been an extraordinarily successful first novel from Daniel Mason. It is a beautiful and powerful story about an innocent London-based piano tuner who is called to a most unusual job at an outpost of the Empire in the forest of Burma in the 1880s. For the first time MTW will work with musicians from contrasting cultures in an evocative new opera which embraces their spiritual and musical worlds. The CARDIFF GANG SHOW bursts on to the stage from Wednesday 24 November for a fun-filled show for all the family. A huge cast of boys and girls from Cardiff and the Vale presents well-known songs from shows and films, hilarious comedy sketches and plenty of youthful exuberance. Arthur Miller’s THE CRUCIBLE comes to the New Theatre from Tuesday 30 November starring Malcolm Storry, Tony Britton and Paul Shelley. One of the finest plays of the last century, THE CRUCIBLE is set against the backdrop of the Salem Witch Trials. It is a deeply disturbing account of truth and honour, abuse of authority and the devastating effects of doubt and suspicion. Lightening the atmosphere, the festive season at the New Theatre begins officially on 11 December with CINDERELLA, this year’s annual family pantomime. Starring Dave Benson Phillips as Buttons, and Danny La Rue as the Fairy Godmother CINDERELLA promises to be a sparkling spectacular. Making welcome returns to the New Theatre pantomime are Powys and Jones, Capital Gold’s Tony Wright and, of course, the Olive Guppy Olivettes. To banish those January blues, the smash hit dance explosion FAME – THE MUSICAL comes to the New Theatre for one week only from Monday 24 January. FAME follows the star struck pupils on their rollercoaster ride through triumph, heartache and romance at New York’s High School for the Performing Arts. These kids are determined to live forever as they rocket through the breathtaking dance routines and unforgettable songs of this feel good sensation. The New Year brings a host of star names to the New Theatre as well as some great fun for all the family. From Monday 31 January Nigel Havers stars in Daphne Du Maurier’s REBECCA. This is the greatest romantic mystery story of all time and Cardiff audiences will be among the first to see this captivating new production before it moves to the West End and Broadway. A second highly acclaimed drama, featuring a stellar cast including Nicholas Lyndhurst and Julian Glover, is THE DRESSER by Ronald Harwood. Inspired by the memories of his years working as Donald Wolfitt’s dresser, Ronald Harwood has written this evocative, perceptive and hilarious portrait of backstage life. Family entertainment in the New Year comes from two of the best-loved children’s writers, Roald Dahl and Rudyard Kipling. THE WITCHES by Roald Dahl brings magic, mischief and mayhem to the theatre from Tuesday 8 February, followed by THE JUNGLE BOOK, featuring all new songs, from 22 February. Finally there is advance news of the original rock musical TOMMY which comes to the New Theatre as part of the Cardiff International Festival of Musical Theatre this April. Tickets for TOMMY are on sale from 4 October. Autumn/Winter and Spring performances interpreted in British Sign Language are CHICAGO (Saturday 20 November 5.30pm), THE CRUCIBLE (Saturday 4 December 2.30pm), CINDERELLA (Saturday 15 January 2.30pm, Sunday 16 January 1.00pm and Tuesday 18 January 7.00pm) and THE WITCHES (Saturday 12 February 2.30pm). On Saturday 30 October at 2.30pm WEST SIDE STORY will carry a live Audio Description for visually impaired theatre-goers as will THE SHELL SEEKERS (Saturday 6 November 3.00pm), CINDERELLA (Friday 21 January 7.00pm and Saturday 22 January 2.30pm), THE DRESSER (Saturday 19 February 2.30pm), and TOMMY (Saturday 23 April 4.00pm). These performances are interpreted or described by Erika James. Tickets for all these shows are on sale now from the New Theatre Box Office on Cardiff (029) 2087 8889 or online at www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk. |
| New Theatre Cardiff web site: www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk |
| Julia Barry e-mail: jbarry@cardiff.gov.uk |
Monday, September 13, 2004 |
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