Welcome to Lovelyville. President Nick Dallas has just been re-elected, and all seems right with the world - until the disruptive force of Mr and Mrs Ubu make their appearance, that is. Completely at odds with the tone of the town from the moment they open their mouths, they are unable to sit back and try to make things work in their current situation. Cue an outrageous assassination attempt and a grab for power in which the crowd is powerless to intervene. Ambitious, cowardly, strange-looking leaders with poor public-speaking skills - haven't we seen this somewhere before..?
Bristol Old Vic today launched its 2020 programme of work, Year of Artists a?" shining a spotlight on the role of artists in a changing world, and celebrating creativity in us all. Work from some of the most incredible talent in British theatre today (from Emma Rice, Sally Cookson, Joel Horwood and Maria Aberg) sits alongside dazzling new writers and artists (such as Ross Willis and Miranda Cromwell) and opportunities for everyone from across the region, regardless of age, experience or background, to get creatively involved.
Following its top selling run at the Orange Tree Theatre this autumn, Maya Arad Yassur's strikingly original and audacious play Amsterdam will take to the road in early 2020. The three-way co-production, between Actors Touring Company, the Orange Tree Theatre and Theatre Royal Plymouth embarks on a tour that opens in Plymouth in February and stretches across the UK. Amsterdam is directed by Matthew Xia as his inaugural production as artistic director of ATC.
Full tour dates are announced for Kneehigh's phantasmagorical and savagely funny Ubu! A Singalong Satire. As previously announced, the show will play at London's Shoreditch Town Hall in December as the perfect alternative Christmas show. It will then embark on a mini UK tour; travelling to Bristol Marble Factory, The Lowry, Salford and Leeds Playhouse.
'Bring it down, bring it all down' is the anarchic cry from Macheath in Kneehigh's take on The Beggar's Opera. John Gray's original is given the full Kneehigh treatment- the original is not a constraint but a jumping off point. Perhaps the slide in the middle of Michael Vale's set is the physical manifestation of Kneehigh's ever playful nature.
This autumn will see Matthew Xia's inaugural production as artistic director of Actors Touring Company. The UK premiere of Amsterdam by Maya Arad Yasur will open the Orange Tree Theatre's Autumn season before embarking on a tour beginning at Theatre Royal Plymouth in February 2020.
"Bring it down. Bring it all down and start again!" An unexpected European election day in the UK and anticipation of Theresa May's resignation formed the backdrop for Kneehigh's London press night for Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs), making its presence more vital than ever - and its message more potent. Carl Grose and Charles Hazlewood's show, which was first performed in 2014, is based on John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, taking the characters and hurling them into the present day.
Opera isn't dead. In fact, it's alive and kicking off thanks to Kneehigh's reimagining of John Gay's The Beggars Opera, which takes on the new and riotous form of Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs).
Mayor Goodman has been assassinated. And so has his dog. Contract killer Macheath has just married Pretty Polly Peachum and Mr and Mrs Peachum aren't happy. Not one bit.
On International Women's Day, Kneehigh is has announced the appointment of Michelle Carwardine-Palmer as the company's new Executive Director who will take up the position in April. The company is also announcing that Hedda Archbold will succeed Professor Alan Livingston as Chair of Trustees with immediate effect.
Mayor Goodman has been assassinated. And so has his dog. Contract killer Macheath has just married Pretty Polly Peachum and Mr and Mrs Peachum aren't happy. Not one bit.
Shoreditch Town Hall today announces its 2019 programme which opens with the 2018 Fringe First Award-winning dressed. by ThisEgg in collaboration with Made My Wardrobe and co-presented with Battersea Arts Centre. In May, the award-winning Barely Methodical Troupe present their explosive circus show, SHIFT. curious directive return to Shoreditch Town Hall with Gastronomic; a unique, multi-sensory combination of theatre, gastronomy and technology. Kneehigh close the year in December with their deliriously unhinged improvised promenade musical Kneehigh's Ubu - a singalong satire.
Deafinitely Youth Company today announces Carl Grose's Gargantua as their youth production, which will run twice on 23February. Directed by Rachael Merry, the production will be open to Deafinitely Youth Company family members.
Kneehigh today announced that Carl Grose will be become Deputy Artistic Director for the company working alongside Artistic Director and Founder Mike Shepherd.
Following the huge success of Ubu Karaoke, indisputably this summer's most raucous and audience centric musical, and with Fup about to open at the Asylum ahead of a UK tour, Kneehigh is on a roll and thrilled to announce the return of their trail-blazing and much celebrated theatrical tour-de-force, Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs).
London's critically acclaimed new British musical The Grinning Man, now playing at the Trafalgar Studios, has today announced a final extended three week booking period until 5 May.
Kneehigh's Asylum is back in a Festival of Pandemonium. Summer's most joyously subversive festival of theatre returns from 2 August to 22 September with three thrillingly inventive shows, all staged in the company's award-winning purpose built tent, situated in the beautiful surroundings of the Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall.
