Beastie Boys Show LICENSED TO ILL Will Run at Southwark Playhouse

This November will see hit show Licensed To Ill return to London, thirty years since the Beastie Boys first made headlines with their album of the same name.

Originally released in November 1986, the album Licensed To Ill put these unlikely stars on the map and introduced rap music to a far wider audience than ever before. Now the story of the Beastie Boys, hip-hop's most notorious pranksters, is revealed in this big-hearted, brash new production.

Licensed To Ill will run at Southwark Playhouse (77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD) from Wednesday 30th November to Saturday 24th December 2016. Press Night: Friday 2nd December 2016, 8pm.

Join Mike D, MCA and Ad-Rock as they go from teenage punks in 80s New York, via their discovery by legendary producer Rick Rubin, to international rapping superstars. Featuring hits from 'Intergalactic' to '(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)', Licensed To Ill is an eclectic theatre-gig mash-up which incorporates three MCs, one DJ, and a whole lot of noise.

The story of the Beastie Boys now returns following a sell-out run at Camden People's Theatre in 2015 and a highly successful UK tour. Whether you're an original Beasties fan or a complete newcomer to the band, this unofficial journey through hip-hop history will have you rhyming, laughing and gasping in equal measure.

Licensed To Ill is conceived by Adam El Hagar and Simon Maeder, and created by the ensemble cast, which includes El Hagar and Maeder alongside Daniel Foxsmith and Tope Mikun. Now presented by The Corner Shop Events, the show was originally commissioned by and developed with Camden People's Theatre.

El Hagar and Maeder comment, "This show is the culmination of three years' hard work, goofing, mixing and love. The idea came while we were flyering and started rapping to passers-by in Beastie style. We had so much fun working together in that way that we wondered if the energy would translate to a whole show. And so, after a lot of research, the idea was born! The Beastie Boys didn't just make incredible music, their life stories were hilarious and inspiring too. Licensed To Ill is a fun, crazy, and heartfelt show about three unlikely hip-hop legends and their huge impact on the genre."

IF YOU GO:

Licensed To Ill

Wednesday 30th November - Saturday 24th December 2016
Monday to Saturday, 8pm
Saturday matinees, 3.30pm
Running time: 75 minutes

At Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD

Southwark Playhouse is located in the heart of Southwark. The nearest underground stations are Borough (on the Northern line) and Elephant and Castle (on the Northern and Bakerloo lines). The nearest rail station is Elephant and Castle.

Tickets are available priced £20 (£16 concessions, £12 previews)
Available from www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk or 020 7407 0234

Recommended for ages 12 plus

About Simon Maeder - Simon is an actor, writer and director who specialises in devised physical theatre. As one of the founding artistic directors of award-winning international ensemble Superbolt Theatre, he has created sell-out hit Dinosaur Park (5* Londonist, 4* Time Out London - 'brilliantly nutty and nostalgic'), as well as The Uncanny Valley and Centralia. Simon studiEd English at the University of York, where he helped to launch Belt Up Theatre through his work as movement director on their first two productions. He then trained in physical theatre at the Jacques Lecoq Theatre School in Paris. Beyond Superbolt, his work on YouTube with Will Tribble has been viewed by over 200,000 people. He is an associate artist at Camden People's Theatre and regularly leads workshops in improvisation, mime and physical theatre across the UK.

About Adam El Hagar - Adam trained on the Acting and Contemporary Theatre course at East 15 Acting School. In 2014 he appeared opposite Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy in Peaky Blinders and he is currently a recurring character in Tyrant for Fox 21. Past devised work includes Hunter & Johnny (5* British Theatre Guide; 'it's wonderful' - The Scotsman), a biographical piece based on the relationship between actor Johnny Depp and author Hunter S. Thompson, and Samuel Beckett's Roughs (5* Broadway Baby; The List's 'Best of Dance and Theatre', Edinburgh Fringe 2013). He has also performed at Bristol Old Vic, the Arcola Theatre, with the Rubberbandits at Shakespeare's Globe, and with Hofesh Shechter Company at the Barbican.

About Daniel Foxsmith - Daniel Foxsmith is an actor and playwright who trained at East 15 Acting School. Selected credits include: BLUSH (Underbelly, Edinburgh), I Were Me (Soho Theatre, Bush RADAR), Enduring Song (Southwark Playhouse), The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr Benn (Northcott Theatre, Exeter), Room on the Broom (Lyric Theatre, West End), The Gruffalo (UK tour / Hong Kong / Manila), Bound (Southwark Playhouse / Adelaide). Daniel was named Best Performer at the Adelaide Fringe as part of Bound, which won a Scotsman Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2010. His first play, The Observatory, won the Scottish Daily Mail and Conference of Drama Schools Edinburgh Award and National Student Drama Festival and Methuen Drama Prize. His latest play, Weald, was shortlisted for the 2015 Yale Drama Series Prize and the inaugural Hodgkiss Award at the Royal Exchange Theatre, and is published by Oberon Books. Daniel is founder and co-Artistic Director of Snuff Box Theatre.

About Tope Mikun - Tope trained at East 15 Acting School and works across a variety of performance styles as an actor, dancer and DJ. He takes part in dance battles across the UK and Europe and frequently DJs under the pseudonym 'DJ Truefunktion'.

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