Northeast Music Guide

DERREN BROWN BRINGS NEW SHOW TO NEWCASTLE The multi-award winning acknowledged master of psychological illusion is back on tour with his smash-hit show  Derren Brown: Infamous . The show is at Theatre Royal for one week only, 2 – 7 June, and is sure to demonstrate why Derren is one of the world’s most renowned live performers; a dark manipulator of magic and mind control. Critics and the public have been universal in their praise for what has proven to be Derren’s most ‘heart-felt’ show and audiences have flocked from around the world to be part of this unique theatrical experience. Derren commented: “ After six months of touring a much more personal show - quite a 'brave' move away from the template of previous shows - it's been hugely rewarding to repeatedly hear audience members and critics say it's the best show yet”. Infamous  is Derren’s 6th show since 2003. Since then he has toured every year and been watched by an estimated audience of over o...

CATCH A CLASSIC BRITISH DRAMA AT THEATRE ROYAL Alistair McGowan reprises his West End role as Henry Higgins in a new production of Bernard Shaw’s best-known play,  Pygmalion , which comes to Newcastle Theatre Royal, 22 – 26 April, as part of a 16 week national tour. The aristocratic and egocentric Professor of Phonetics Henry Higgins, makes a bet with his friend, the amiable Colonel Pickering, that he can transform the manners and speech of Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle and pass her off as a lady in society. Packed with a host of larger than life characters including Alfred Doolittle and lovelorn Freddy Eynsford-Hill,  Pygmalion  remains one of the most popular of Bernard Shaw’s plays and is perhaps best known as the inspiration for the Lerner and Loewe musical  My Fair Lady.  This ever-entertaining dramatic tour de force is full of Shaw’s trademark wit, style and provocative insights, as well as a beguiling and enduring humour. A classic Brit...

FROM PASSION AND PISTOLS TO  AMBITION AND DESPAIR Opera North returns to the Theatre Royal, Newcastle this March with the Company’s first productions of 2014, featuring a long-awaited and critically acclaimed new production of Puccini’s thrilling opera of the American West,   The Girl of the Golden West . Dubbed ‘the original Spaghetti Western,’  The Girl of the Golden West  is a story of true love and second chances, set in a tough mining camp during the California Gold Rush. Puccini’s melodic gift and rich orchestral score is a perfect match for the love triangle between Dick Johnson, also known as the bandit Ramerrez, the embittered Sheriff Jack Rance, and Minnie, the Girl of the title, who runs the Polka saloon. The intensely lyrical and human score reflects the maturity of Puccini’s characters, experienced in life yet unhardened by it. Filled with delicately poignant moments, this opera presents a dramatic and stunningly beautiful love story,...

SCOTTISH BALLET PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF HANSEL & GRETEL This winter, unwrap a tasty new treat with Scottish Ballet’s fantastical  Hansel & Gretel  at Newcastle Theatre Royal, 29 Jan – 1 Feb. This delightfully inventive, brand new  Hansel & Gretel  takes creative twists and turns inspired by the Grimm Brother's famous fairy tale – and the stories and imagination of the people of Scotland, gathered from a year-long country-wide initiative called  Hansel & Gretel, and Me . Hansel & Gretel  is Scottish Ballet’s Artistic Director Christopher Hampson’s first choreography for the company and Scottish Ballet’s first new Christmas ballet in six years - it promises a carousel of delicious treats from start to finish! “I’d had ideas about Hansel & Gretel as a ballet for a number of years.  But it wasn’t until I joined Scottish Ballet and realised the potential to involve the people of Scotland that I began to think abou...

Pam Royle steps out in support of the Theatre Royal ITV Tyne Tees anchorwoman, Pam Royle is to host a special fundraising event at Newcastle Theatre Royal next week. Pam has been a familiar face in the north for 30 years and is known for giving much of her personal time and support to a number of North East charities, and the Theatre Royal is set to join the list. Pam Royle will host the event at the Theatre Royal on Monday 13 January alongside local artist Alexander Millar, who has produced a brand new oil painting featuring his infamous ‘gadgie’ in support of the Theatre Royal, the auction of which will begin on the evening. Alexander Millar is one of the UK's most popular contemporary artists. His paintings, collected by art lovers and celebrities across the globe, are inspired by the working men and women of his childhood, affectionately termed ‘gadgie’. In this new piece,  My Way , the ‘gadgie’ takes centre stage and has been proudly produced in support of ...

JACK CLIMBS TO TOP OF SALES RECORDS Figures released today reveal that  Jack and the Beanstalk , the Theatre Royal’s 2013/14 pantomime, has broken all previous records to become the most successful pantomime in the Theatre’s 176 year history.  What’s more, over 36,000 tickets have already been sold for next year’s show  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , which will mark Clive Webb and Danny Adams’ tenth anniversary at the theatre. Jack and the Beanstalk  went on sale in November 2012 to meet high demand, and got off to an auspicious start when it opened on 26   November 2013 with sales in excess of £1million. Now, over 90,000 tickets have been sold with three weeks of the run still to go until the final performance on Saturday 18 January. Last year’s show  Aladdin  was the Theatre’s most popular show EVER, and  Jack and the Beanstalk  has now beat it by some margin. The Theatre Royal pantomime starts earlier than any other in t...

    Panto Just Keeps Getting Bigger!   The Theatre Royal is renowned for its lavish pantomimes and this year is no exception. Extravagant costumes and amazing special effects combine to give a wow factor but it is the sheer hard work of the cast and crew that ensured everyone, old and young, was entertained. Returning for their ninth season, Danny Adams (playing Jack Trott) and Clive Webb (playing Farmer Trott) are joined by Chris Hayward who asserts control as the Dame. A combination of slapstick and panto friendly jokes weave through the story. They made each performance feel unique and special. Tonight they were nearly upstaged by a 5 year old called Daisy who assisted them with a musical routine. The acid test is whether or not the younger members of the audience enjoyed it. Our 10 year old loved it and said it was the best pantomime he had ever been to. The children helped with the attack on the giant and with the many interactive parts ...

So many questions..?     Terence Frisby has acted as a litigant-in-person himself. He has tried to defend himself in court. This experience, perhaps has led to the excellent play ‘Rough Justice’.  His play explores the dynamic of the closed shop that is the British Legal system. He has not, however, used his own cases for this play. Rather, he has taken a separate controversial issue and used that as a vehicle to allow the audience to question the due legal process.   James Highwood, played expertly by the experienced Tom Conti, stands on trial for the murder of his disabled son. He tries to defend himself whilst being cross-examined by the equally articulate Margaret Casely (Elizabeth Payne). Payne’s portrayal of the prosecution barrister is a perfect foil for Conti’s character. The umpire in the proceedings is of course the Judge (Benjamin Whitrow) who seems to provide the audience with a number of ironic laughs.   Highwood is not totally o...

SHREK IS ‘TAKING OGRE’ NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL! Something huge is coming indeed! The larger than life production,  Shrek the Musical  will be heading to Newcastle Theatre Royal as part of the show’s first national UK tour! Join Shrek, Donkey, Princess Fiona and Lord Farquaad on this year’s biggest family musical adventure, Wednesday 11 – Sunday 29 March 2015! Coming direct from London, where it was seen live on stage by nearly a million people, the UK tour of the Drury Lane production of  Shrek the Musical  will be directed by Nigel Harman who starred as Lord Farquaad in the west end production, winning him the 2012 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Shrek the Musical  is based on the story and characters from William Steig’s book  Shrek!,  but will be known to most of us as the Oscar winning DreamWorks Animations feature film that had us laughing with Donkey and quivering at the sight of Lord F...

60’s MUSICAL ICON MARK WYNTER TO TAKE STAR ROLE IN THE UK’S FAVOURITE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL MUSICAL…   Following the sell-out success of Save the Last Dance for Me , Dreamboats and Petticoats the musical, features some of the greatest hit songs of the Rock ‘n’ Roll era! This whirl round the jukebox of one of the most dynamic musical decades stars musical legend Mark Wynter, performing on tour for the first time in 50 years! Grab a seat in the 60’s at Newcastle Theatre Royal, 7 – 12 October.   Since premiering in 2009 and having played to more than two million people across the UK, Dreamboats and Petticoats , inspired by Universal’s multi-million selling album series, features some of the greatest songs of the Rock ‘n’ Roll era - when each passing week brought another classic track. Set in 1961, emotions run high as young musicians Norman and Bobby compete to win a national song writing competition, and, more importantly, the attentions of the gorgeous Sue. But when Bob...

Knickerbocker Glory!     51 Shades of Maggie is a colourful mix of comedy and adult relationships. It started life when writer Leesa Harker started put about 500 words online. The positive feedback for 50 Shades of Red, White and Blue (check out the Facebook page ) encouraged her to carry on with her story about how Maggie Muff started a relationship with a man she met at the dole office.   Since her start as a Belfast girl, Maggie’s story has now relocated to the East End of London. She is now frequenting the Red Lion with her big best mate Sally Ann, with whom she enjoys cigarettes, White Lightning cider and men. Things change when Maggie agrees to step in to do the Back to Work interview at the dole office for Sally Ann. Her interview is with “Mr Big” and after a chance meeting in B & Q everything quickly starts to move. This is when the differences between the book 50 Shades of Grey and this play become obvious. Maggie is no shy and retiring vi...