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Opening date for ‘Frozen – The Musical’ moved to 2021


THE PRODUCTION WILL NOW OPEN IN APRIL 2021 AT THE NEW THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE, FOLLOWING AN EXTENSIVE 2-YEAR REFURBISHMENT

Disney Theatrical Productions today announces casting for Frozen – joining the previously announced Samantha Barks (Elsa) and Stephanie McKeon (Anna) are Obioma Ugoala (Kristoff), Craig Gallivan (Olaf), Oliver Ormson (Hans), Richard Frame (Weselton), and alternating the role of Sven, Mikayla Jade and Ashley Birchall; with Jeremy Batt, Cameron Burt, Lauren Chia, Laura Emmitt, Emily-Mae (Bulda), Danielle Fiamanya, Hannah Fairclough, Matt Gillett, Joe Griffiths-Brown, Emily Lane, Justin-Lee Jones, Jason Leigh Winter, Jacob Maynard, Leisha Mollyneaux, Gabriel Mokake (King Agnarr), Sarah O’Connor, Jemma Revell, Jacqui Sanchez (Queen Iduna), Jak Skelly (Oaken/Bishop), Jake Small, Isabel Snaas, Joshua St. Clair (Pabbie), Monica Swayne, and Anna Woodside. With music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopezand Robert Lopez, and book by Jennifer Lee, Frozen is directed by Michael Grandage.

Due to the ongoing impact throughout the theatre industry of Covid-19, Disney’s Frozen will open in the West End on 14 April 2021, with previews from 2 April, and is now booking until 24 October 2021. All patrons with pre-existing bookings will automatically be transferred to a new performance date with the same seats, and notified in due course via email, with the company working through bookings chronologically. If the new date is not suitable, at this point patrons will have the opportunity to request an alternative date or a refund.

Michael Grandage said today, “We’re thrilled to announce casting for Frozen – an incredibly talented group of people who will be creating the London premiere at the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane next spring. As theatres start to open their doors again, we look forward to celebrating the spectacle of this beloved story with audiences everywhere”.

Frozen – produced by Disney Theatrical Productions under the direction of Thomas Schumacher – opened on Broadway in March 2018 to box office records, and three Tony Award® nominations including for Best Musical. In addition to the opening in London, the musical recently embarked on a North American tour, and new productions will open in Australia, Japan, and Hamburg within the next year.

Frozen was released in cinemas in 2013, winning multiple awards, including two Academy Awards® for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Let It Go”), the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film and the BAFTA for Best Animated Film. It was written and directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Frozen 2, which debuted in November 2019, had the biggest-ever opening for an animated film worldwide and is the highest grossing animated film of all time. 

In the first booking period, Frozen has scheduled the following access performances – Signed Performance (11 July 13.00 matinee), Relaxed Performance (25 July 12.30 matinee), Audio Described Performance (15 August 13.00 matinee) and Captioned Performance (22 August at 17.30).

Obioma Ugoala plays Kristoff. For theatre, his work includes The Lost Love Speakeasy (The Lost Estate), Much Ado About Nothing (New English Shakespeare Company), Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre), Motown(Shaftesbury Theatre), Henry V, The Mouse and His Child (RSC), Holy Warriors, Antony and Cleopatra(Shakespeare’s Globe), The Jungle Book, Crime and Punishment (Glasgow Citizens Theatre) and The Physicists(Donmar Warehouse). For television, Miracle Workers: Dark Ages; and for film, Beauty and the Beast.

Craig Gallivan plays Olaf. For theatre his work includes School of Rock (New London Theatre), Billy Elliot(Victoria Palace Theatre), Crime and Punishment (National Theatre), Days of Significance (RSC), The Long, The Short and The Tall (Sheffield Theatres), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Oliver! (UK tours). For television, his work includes Stella (as series regular Luke), Torchwood, Footballer’s Wives (as series regular Callum Watson) and Care; and for film, The Edge of Love

Samantha Barks plays Elsa. For theatre, her work includes Chess (Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall / Tokyo International Forum Hall), Pretty Woman (Chicago and Broadway), The Last Five Years (St James Theatre), Amelie (Berkley Rep), City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse), Chicago (Hollywood Bowl), Oliver! (UK tour), Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre), and Cabaret (Birmingham Rep). She was one of the participants on the BBC series I’d Do Anything. For film, her credits include Chocolate Cake, For Love or Money, Bitter Harvest, The Revenger, Interlude in Prague, The Devil’s Harvest, The Christmas Candle and as Eponine in Les Misérables (recipient of Empire Award for Best Female Newcomer; and nomination for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture). She also reprised her performance as Eponine for Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary.

 

Stephanie McKeon plays Anna. For theatre, her work includes Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre), Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (Gate Theatre, Dublin), Close to You: Bacharach Reimagined (Criterion Theatre and Menier Chocolate Factory), and The Commitments (Palace Theatre). Her screen work includes, for television, Fair City – as series regular Aisling O’Brien; and as the voice of Asuka in the Netflix English-dubbed version of the critically acclaimed Japanese Anime series/films Neon Genesis: Evangelion.

Oliver Ormson plays Hans. For theatre, his work includes Back to the Future The Musical (Opera House Manchester), High Fidelity (Turbine Theatre), Cats (Kilworth House), Nerds, Protagonists (The Other Palace), The Addams Family (UK and international tours), The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales Theatre), Sopranos vs Tenors (European tour), and Hairspray (Aberystwyth Arts Centre). Television includes West Side Story (Reef Television/BBC Symphony Orchestra).

Richard Frame plays Weselton. For theatre, his work includes The Lion King (as Timon from 2013 to 2018, Lyceum Theatre), Blue Remembered Hills (Theatre on the Fly), Pocket Comedy (UK tour), Richard III, The Comedy of Errors (The Watermill Theatre), London Assurance (National Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice (Propeller), Absolute Beginners (Lyric Hammersmith), Promises, Promises (Sheffield Theatres), Love’s Labour’s Lost and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre). For television, his work includes Outnumbered, The Hollow Crown – Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Family Affairs (as series regular Damian), Wire in the Blood, Hearts and Bones, and Hope and Glory; and for film London Road.

Mikayla Jade makes her professional stage and West End debut playing Sven. Originally from Australia, she is an actress and stuntwoman. For film, her work includes Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, The Old Guard and Wonder Woman 1984.

Ashley Birchall plays Sven. For theatre, his work includes Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oklahoma! (Kilworth House), Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre), Pet Shop Boys: Inner Sanctum (Royal Opera House), Tommy (Greenwich Theatre), Starlight Express (Germany), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre). For film, his work includes Mary Poppins Returns.

Twitter @FrozenLondon

Facebook /FrozenLondon

Instagram @FrozenLondon

frozenthemusical.co.uk

PERFORMANCES FROM Thursday 15 April evening performance (NB no matinee on 15 April):

Wednesday – Saturday                 7pm

Thursday and Saturday                 2.30pm

Sunday                                              1pm & 5.30pm

ACCESS & RELAXED PERFORMANCES:

Signed Performance                      11 July at 13.00

Relaxed Performance                    25 July at 12.30

Audio Described Performance    15 August at 13.00

Captioned Performance                22 August at 17.30

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The Show Must Go On merchandise raises £250,000 for arts charities

After phenomenal public demand for ‘The Show Must Go On!’ t-shirts, Theatre Support Fund + has reached an incredible milestone by raising a huge quarter of a million pounds for Acting For Others, The Fleabag Support Fund and NHS COVID-19 Urgent Appeal.

 

Theatre Support Fund + was set up eight weeks ago by theatre industry workers Chris Marcus and Damien Stanton who wanted to form an initiative to help individual workers who are now out of work due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. They created and designed ‘The Show Must Go On!’ t-shirt, the design of which is an amalgamation of the world-famous artwork of 16 of the biggest musicals in the West End. Since Theatre Support Fund’s inception the team have received 20,000 orders and have shipped to 63 countries across the globe. The orders are being packed daily by a small team of volunteers from within the West End theatre community. All profits from merchandise sold goes to Acting for Others, Fleabag Support Fund and the NHS Covid-19 Urgent Appeal.

Chris and Damien said today, ‘We are incredibly overwhelmed with the generosity and support people have given to the theatre industry and with the government announcing arts funding last week, it is all moving in a very positive direction. However there are still individuals out there that need our help and we will continue to unite and work together to raise monies for these charities to help all of those that have been affected from the pandemic until the theatre industry is up and running again’.

Since the charities inception they have also gathered a fantastic celebrity following which includes Michael Ball, Samantha Bond, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Alan Carr, Dame Judi Dench, Todrick Hall, Amanda Holden, Derick Jacobi, Myleene Klass, Kiera Knightly, Beverley Knight, Patti LuPone, Sarah Parish, Melanie Sykes and Denise Welch amongst others.

 

Pheobe Waller-Bridge who is the figurehead for The Fleabag Fund said today “These shirts must go on!” A massive thank you to Theatre Support Fund for supporting Fleabag Support Fund and other wonderful charities with this incredible range of merchandise’.

The shirt design is an amalgamation of the world-famous artwork of 16 of the biggest musicals in the West End. Shows included on the design are & Juliet, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Everyone’s Talking about Jamie, Hamilton, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Matilda The Musical, Six The Musical, Tina, The Tina Turner Musical, The Book of Mormon, The Prince of Egypt, The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.

In addition to the t-shirt, merchandise now includes a re-useable face covering, notebook, mug, badge and tote bag. All profits from merchandise sold goes to Acting for Others , Fleabag Support Fund and the NHS Covid-19 Urgent Appeal. All of ‘The Show Must Go On!’ merchandise continues to be available via the website www.theatresupportfund.co.uk.

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A week in the life of Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden

There is a problem with assuming that all politicians are idiots: more often than we realise, they are smarter than we are.

Hopelessly out-of-his-depth Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden has been busy this week. A man who has all the authenticity of a character at a murder mystery weekend; he has spent all week covering himself in infamy.

Which is fitting. The gung-ho Cabinet are behaving like a besieged rat colony.

Oliver Dowden

Oliver Dowden

The destruction of the arts and live entertainment industry seems almost too big to take in, doesn’t it? It is an impossible thing to consider. The real tragedy is not that we cannot prevent it. The real tragedy, I think, lies in the fact that we can.

Industry leaders are at their wits end from repeating the fact that 34 million theatregoers attend 63,000 performances and all the financial benefits that brings to the economy – and that is before hotels, restaurants, bars, and other economic activity.

According to The Sunday Times, theatres will ‘not reopen until next year.’ It stated that venues will be encouraged to “aggressively mothball” until they can open under profitable conditions in 2021, without social distancing. Yikes.

Indeed, Chancellor Rishi Sunak holds piggy bank. He is, though, expected to announce a cultural rescue fund as part of his mini budget on Wednesday. The package is said to be a mixture of loans and grants offering direct help to arts organisations. Arts Council England are set to get a £1.57 billion cash injection; about 90 days too late.

Dowden spoke out following criticism of his handling of the pandemic and the ways in which the arts are being supported. Or not, in this instance.

The MP tweeted after comments made by BBC Front Row’s John Wilson, who said that he’d heard that Dowden “believes UK arts are ‘better & stronger’ for NOT having the sort of financial support offered by other European countries”. When Dowden was told that “UK arts need huge new investment”, Rattle states that this “wasn’t something that was welcome for him [the Culture Secretary] to hear”.

Dowden clapped back, which was unsettling as he never replies to anybody on Twitter: “Not true. What I said was that arts organisations who have worked hard to increase income from non-government sources should not be penalised for it in this crisis. I understand the seriousness of the situation and am working on it every single day.”

The following day Dowden was at the Palladium to meet with Andrew Lloyd Webber. Sigh.

 

Last month Lloyd Webber revealed plans to test safe performances at the Palladium, with thermal imaging cameras and silver ion self-cleaning door handles to help prevent any spread of infection.

Yet the reality is that we are in the middle of a unique recession, created by deliberate Government action to save lives. All industries were put into an artificially induced coma and most of them are now being resuscitated. But the arts are being left behind and are in serious trouble.

The situation is as desperate as Dowden’s timeline.

And yet, today the MP for Hertsmere found time during his schedule to Zoom with Tom Cruise to tell the Hollywood star about the relaxing of quarantine rules meaning that production can resume on the latest Mission Impossible blockbuster.

Back to reality: the grim outlook on jobs is part of a wider picture of economic gloom; the fate of 290,000 jobs across UK Theatres hang in the balance.

The fact that Dowden worked as a special adviser and Deputy Chief of Staff to David Cameron where he said most of his time was spent on “day-to-day crisis management” makes him feel like a broad stroke in a heavy-handed satire.

Encouraging to see him building on his friend Cameron’s legacy: trotters up even before you have screwed the country, instead of only after.

Maybe this is what you get into politics for. On the other hand, is there a less self-respecting role in public life than being the haunted face of the decimation of our ‘world-beating’ theatre industry?

 

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Open letter: It’s time to put an end to the toxic West End PR culture.

Dear all,
Long story short, it’s time to put an end to the toxic West End PR culture.
There are times in life when you have to say, “do you know what, let’s not put up with idiocy anymore.” The Daily Mail’s Richard Littlejohn piece arguing that two dads are not ‘the new normal’ crossed the line. Freedom of speech isn’t a passport to spout hatred and bigotry.

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For too long PR and The Daily Mail have had a toxic relationship with ‘scoops’ being handed over to their ‘Entertainment Reporter’ Baz Bamigboye. London theatre PRs extend Baz preferential treatment — when they owe equal attention to all media.

But the more you find out about theatre, and the more you find out about the way theatre works, don’t you find yourself realising that nothing, not even Baz’s scoops, really happen by accident?

The Daily Telegraph Chief Theatre Critic, Dominic Cavendish summed it up recently with this Tweet. 

Arts journalism and arts journalists deserve better. What are we, the theatre-consuming community, to take from all this? Well we can simply say that enough is enough.

I call on the following Press Managers / Publicists to restore the Arts PR business in the interests of preserving the sense of an inclusive, free and fair press and in recognition of transparent arts journalism.

NT Press Office

RSC Press Office

The Almeida Theatre

Emma Holland PR

Target Live

Jo Allan PR

Kate Morley PR

Cornershop PR

Draper Conway

Royal Court Theatre

Kevin Wilson PR

Premier PR  

Amanda Malpass PR

I will be updating this blog in 7 days time – I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Carl Woodward 

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Interview with the cat from ‘The Lieutenant of Inishmore’

Michael Grandage will direct The Lieutenant of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh.

The PR campaign kicked off this week with bold artwork, which features Aidan Turner in a vest – holding a cat. The star of the show is undoubtedly the unassuming cat whose bloody paws hint at the pitch-black comedy within McDonagh’s play.

I caught up with cat earlier this week to find out how his involvement came about.

Show_TheLieutenantOfInishmore.jpg

Hello cat! How are you?

Fine, thank you.

How did you come to be on the The Lieutenant of Inishmore publicity material?

Right place, right time! I was on a night out with friends at The Ivy Club and after a few drinks I needed to pee, so went to the bathroom and bumped into Cameron Mackintosh who said he was looking for a cat for his latest venture with Michael Grandage. The rest is history. I couldn’t believe it when I got the call saying I was going to be part of the production.

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Aidan Turner

Why do actors pose like Aidan Turner has in your recent publicity shot? Is it because their talent isn’t apparent?

Ha! I think it comes from all those years of rejection. When one becomes a household name such as Aidan their ego can become inflated. I tend to keep myself to myself most of the time… I don’t think Aidan even realised I was a huge Poldark fan but he was very humble. I hope he keeps his shirt on during rehearsals.

Did you have any concerns about appearing in your winter coat?

I may be a bit chunkier than the average feline but I’m proud of how I look. And when you consider what I might have been wearing instead — a pair of boots for instance — I think it’s turned out fine.

The Lieutenant of Inishmore is arriving after *another* James Graham play. Have you seen Quiz?

I saw QUIZ at Chichester… I think it’s a good play. I guess after the huge success of Labour of Love, James is in a really different place to where he was before — Ink was such a sophisticated play too, though, know what I mean? It pushed Graham to the theatre a-list and Quiz feels a bit like *another* crossover into the mainstream. I guess James’ profile and the momentum of his amazing 2017 will make it a massive hit anyway, but I’m kind of glad this is the last James Graham play on St. Martin’s Lane for a while. I’d really like to see an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical in there. Perhaps Aspects of Love?

The full, all-Irish cast of The Lieutenant of Inishmore was announced earlier this week. Press night should be a laugh.

Yes, my agent called to tell me the news; I think it is a real top-notch cast. I am quite nervous at the prospect of starring in Aidan Turner’s West End debut.

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Aidan Turner and cat

Will you have stunt-double puppets for the gorier elements of the play?

No. I do all my own stunts.

So, what do you make of Aidan Turner swapping Poldark for a serious play?

I think it’s great. I don’t know him very well — that photo was the first time we met, and he didn’t say much to me — think he’s a great talent. Can you imagine the calibre of the projects and collaborators he’s been offered post-Poldark?

When you say he didn’t say much to you, what do you mean?

Well he didn’t say anything to me to be honest. He just stroked me occasionally.

Maybe he has allergies.

What are your plans for the rest of 2018?

Well Nick Hytner has been in touch, I might do a few adverts. But while I’ve enjoyed my brush with fame I think I’ll just keep a low profile. I’ll probably travel a bit.

The Lieutenant of Inishmore  runs at the Noël Coward Theatre from 4 July until 8 September with previews from 23 June.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO EPISODE 1 OF COMMIT NO NUISANCE a new theatre podcast by Mark Shenton and Carl Woodward

Shows discussed in Episode 1: The Band, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Girl From the North Country, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (at Brentwood Leisure Centre) Witness For The Prosecution & Pal Joey.

Theatre podcast by Mark Shenton & Carl Woodward

Commit No Nuisance

Commit No Nuisance

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Five key shows opening in London in the next four months 

Here are five important shows opening in London between now and the middle of November. (Please note that I am open to doing regional shows and Fringe shows but thought it would be fun to start with the ‘big ones’ – just humour me for the time being)

Jesus Christ Superstar (11 August)

Tyrone Huntley and Declan Bennett both have a natural luminescence so intense that it would shine bright in a Vantablack theatre dungeon. This revival is perfectly at home at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock musical could raise the Titanic from the sea bed. Enjoy!

Five Guys Named Moe (29 August)

How do you think this will do?

It doesn’t exactly feel as if the world of theatre is ‘battening down the hatches’ in anticipation of an unstoppable Clarke Peters musical tsunami. At the same time: you can’t go wrong with a bit of Clarke Peters. (Unless you happen to be the person who designed the poster, who ‘went wrong’ on an epic scale.) Anyway, the cast are extremely talented and it’s on at this new pop-up theatre in Marble Arch. So, ‘Let the Good Times Roll’, etc.

Footloose (12 September)

At this point we are so far into ‘will this do’ territory that you might as well watch the 1987 film.  It’s always difficult to say that a movie musical is entirely pointless, especially when there are audiences enduring it on tour around the country. However, this show, literally a frame-by-frame recreation of the movie, does make you wonder

The Toxic Avenger – (28 September) 

This show is a JOY. Joe DiPietro and David Bryan’s cult rock musical lands at the Arts Theatre following a storming month-long run at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Watch and learn, lesser theatre entities. This is how you do it.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – (6 November)

This show is a really exciting thing, isn’t it? The new musical by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae premiered at Sheffield Crucible last year and transfers to the Apollo Theatre. John McCrea is brilliant, and ‘Everybody’s Talking’ is a super-smart musical. If you enjoy it, buy the concept album.  

N.B. There are two plays (‘Ink’ and ‘Labour of Love’) by up-and-coming scribe James Graham opening this Autumn in St Martin’s Lane, apparently. 

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