Theatre

Last week theatres across the country were forced to cancel or postpone shows amid rising Covid infections.

The Viaduct in Halifax cancelled performances of As You Like It, with ticket buyers offered reallocated tickets or a refund.

Edinburgh’s King Theatre cancelled five days of its Sunshine on Leith, due to Covid affecting cast members. The theatre, which was hosting its last show before closing for a £25m redevelopment project, says all ticket holders will be contacted for a refund.

Also in Edinburgh, Lyceum theatre cancelled last week’s performances of its Laurel and Hardy show, with performances expected to restart this week.

Leicester’s Curve Theatre announced its production of Billy Elliot: The Musical will begin a week later than scheduled, on 13 July rather than 7 July, after a number of Covid cases among company members.

Ireland’s national theatre, The Abbey, has cancelled performances of Translations, from 17 June to 25 June, also citing Covid. A spokesperson said ticket holders will be contacted, and the show expected to continue from 27 June.

The National Theatre is expanding its Speak Up programme to work with some 140,000 young people from 55 secondary schools across the next three years.

The programme sees school pupils working with local artists and teachers to co-create artistic responses to issues that are important to them, with the aim of developing young people’s self-expression, wellbeing and personal skills.

The expansion follows a successful pilot phase that began last Autumn and is made possible after a £3.3m grant from the Mohn Westlake Foundation to deliver the project in areas of low arts engagement.

The National Theatre’s Artistic Director Rufus Norris says Speak Up is a crucial part of the theatres work in levelling up, “giving agency to young people nationwide whose voices often go unheard”.

“This innovative model will empower young people to share their views on current issues and put them at the heart of the creative process,” he added.

Andrew Lloyd Webber called his production of Cinderella in the West End "a costly mistake" on the night of the show’s final performance.

The production came to a close at Gillian Lynne Theatre on Sunday evening (12 June), after the composer unexpectedly cancelled the show weeks ahead of schedule.

Lloyd Webber was not in attendance, but the production’s director Laurence Connor read a letter from the impresario to the audience.

The statement paid tribute to the production’s cast, crew, musicians and creative team, before lamenting the decision to open a musical during the pandemic.

“I keep thinking if only we had opened three months later, we wouldn’t have had to postpone our opening twice because of Covid,” the statement continued.

“And if only we had had a crumb of help from the Recovery Fund, I promise you we would have been here for a very long while to come.”

The statement was met with jeers from audience members, following boos when Lloyd Webber's name was read out during the curtain call.

A revised version of Cinderella is expected to open on Broadway next year.

A book detailing the history of Sheffield's Crucible Theatre has won the 2022 Theatre Book Prize, awarded by The Society for Theatre Research.

Stirring Up Sheffield – An Insider’s account of the battle to build the Crucible Theatre, written by the theatre's first artistic director Colin George and his son Tedd, tells the story of how the venue was built and the engagement with local politics and community.

The prize, the only of its kind for books on the performing arts, was first awarded in 1997 and is decided on by a panel of independent jurors.

Theatre director Jatinder Verma, a member of the jury, said the winning book is a “stirring story of our time”.

“[The] story is replete with the bureaucratic and artistic opposition aroused by the radical design Colin George proposed for the theatre, while revelling in the excitement of giving a new shape to the physical relationship between audiences and artists.”

Co-author Tedd George said Stirring Up Sheffield had been transformative for all involved.

“My father struggled for nearly 40 years to write about his experience as the figurehead of the Crucible project and this book helped him come to terms with his creation and once again feel gratitude for the opportunity Sheffield gave him.”

The Welsh Government is investing £1m over the next five years to support the relaunch of the Urdd’s national youth theatre.

Urdd is Wales’ largest national youth organisation and its theatre, Cwmni Theatr Ieuenctid Cymru, was set up in the 1970s to provide 14 to 19-year olds creative opportunities in Welsh.

The theatre ceased to operate in 2019 but will return to coincide with Urdd’s centenary celebrations this year.

The Urdd Eisteddfod, a national music competition and festival, also returns this year after a three-year hiatus, with free entry after the Welsh Government provided ringfenced funding.

Director of the Urdd Eisteddfod and the Arts Siân Eirian said the youth theatre has offered unique opportunities to thousands of Wales’ youngsters interested in theatre.

“We see the need today more than ever, due to the impact of Covid, to provide equal opportunities and invaluable training for our young adults who want to pursue a career in the arts, and the re-establishment of our youth theatre will offer that at a national level.”
 

Work on a major £29m upgrade to a theatre in Somerset to "help attract bigger shows" will begin next year, it has been announced.

South Somerset District Council said the redevelopment of the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil, Somerset, will start in January 2023 and take around a year.

The work will include expansion of the main auditorium capacity from 622 to 900 and construction of a fly tower so shows involving wire work can take place,

Two smaller cinema or studio spaces, a dance studio and a community studio are also part of the plans. Overall the work will cost £29m, with £10m coming from central government grants.

The Yeovil Amateur Operatics Society and other amateur groups who use the Octagon will be relocated to the Westlands entertainment venue while work takes place.

Councillor Mike Best, portfolio holder for health and well-being, said: "I fully understand through my theatre background the limitations of the Westlands facility.

"But at least we are fortunate to be able to... offer that, rather than societies having to cancel shows for an extended piece of time."

"Hopefully when the Octagon is redeveloped, the year it will have taken will have all been worthwhile."