ATG Magazine Spring 2011
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Transcript of ATG Magazine Spring 2011
Things To do, people To see AmbassadorTickets.com
Big laughs
phill Jupitus
Richard Fleeshman in Ghost The Musical
Theatre Royalty
derek Jacobi
AmbAssAdor TheATre Group sprinG 2011
Keira Knightleyelisabeth
Mossellen
BurstynCarolKane
desirable 50’s dressing
puppets with pulling power
get set - go south!
1
2
3
1 Avenue Q
2 BaileyBalloonflights
3 DerekJacobiin King Lear
school for scandal 1KeiraKnightley,ElisabethMoss
andEllenBurstynsettowow
theWestEnd
Manchester Magic 3Haunting-theGhostphenomenon
fliesintoManchester
silliness Reigns supreme 5Lookingonthebrightside
withPhillJupitus
Kingdom Come 7DerekJacobi-whythetime
isrightforKing Lear
puppet power 9Cheekybutcharming-Avenue Q
What’s on in london 11
Competition 12legally Blonde The MusicalChampagne,tickets,beautytreats
andanightoutattheSavoyGrill!
Applause for the Alex 13Birmingham’sbest
Red Carpet 14Aglitteringlaunchparty
Fifties Fabulous 15Mad Meninspiredchic
days of discovery 17FromAgathaChristie’sTorquay
tohandbagsandheelsinWoking
-daysoutdownSouth
AmbAssAdor Group productions
AmbAssAdor theAtre Group London theAtres Apollo Victoria08448717615comedy theatre08448717622donmar Warehouse08448717624duke of York’s theatre08448717623Fortune theatre08448717626Lyceum theatre08448717615phoenix theatre08448717629piccadilly theatre08448717630playhouse theatre08448717631savoy theatre08448717687trafalgar studios08448717632
AmbAssAdor theAtre Group reGionAL theAtres Aylesbury Waterside theatre08448717607theatre royal brighton08448717650churchill theatre bromley08448717620Kings theatre Glasgow08448717648theatre royal Glasgow08448717647milton Keynes theatre08448717652richmond theatre08448717651regent theatre & Victoria hall stoke-on-trent08448717649new Wimbledon theatre & new Wimbledon studio08448717646Ambassadors cinemas Woking08448717643new Victoria theatre & rhoda mcGaw theatre Woking08448717645online booking at Ambassadortickets.com
Alexandra theatre, birmingham08448472293bristol hippodrome08448472325edinburgh playhouse08448471661Leas cliff hall Folkestone08448471776Grimsby Auditorium08448472426empire theatre Liverpool08448472525palace theatre & opera house manchester08448472484new theatre oxford08448471588southport theatre and convention centre08448472321sunderland empire08448472499princess theatre torquay08448472315York Grand opera house08448472322online booking at atgv.co.uk
JessamyHadleyeditorPatWestwell,AlSenter,JasperRees,NancyGroves,LucyJohnston,MarkShenton,NicolaVenning,MarkBouman,NeenaDhillon,DavidBradbury,BenPrudhoecontributorsShaunWebbDesigndesign and Art directionJohnGoodprint
the Ambassador theatre Group Ltd39-41CharingCrossRoad,LondonWC2HOAR
TheviewsexpressedinthismagazinearethoseoftheauthorsandnotnecessarilythoseoftheAmbassadorTheatreGroupLtd.
The Ambassador Theatre group
of the
Makingadifference-salesofLife
wateratATGtheatresacrosstheUK
havemadeamajorcontributionto
thedrop4dropprojectinZambia
andIndiaprovidingcleandrinking
watertoatleast10,000people.
s
Internationallyrenowned,Turner
prize-winningUKartistAnish
Kapoor’sfirstmajorshowtobe
heldoutsideLondoninovera
decadeopensattheManchester
ArtGalleryinMarch.Hisincredible
Orbittowerwillmarkthe2012
OlympicGames-expecttoseeit
risingovertheLondonskylinelater
thisyear.manchestergalleries.org
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50’sglamour!Vintagedressfrom
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HusbandandwifeteamHoward
PanterandRosemarySquire,Joint
ChiefExecutivesoftheAmbassador
TheatreGrouptopTheStage100
listforthesecondtimethisyear-
theindustrybible’sannualguide
tothe100mostinfluentialpeople
inUKtheatre.
Treatyourselftoanoutstanding
ensembleincludingKeira
Knightley,ElisabethMoss(Mad
Men)andEllenBurstyninThe
Children’s HourattheComedy
Theatre.AmbassadorTickets.com
s
Free,healthyandfun!Walkoffthe
festiveflabwhilediscoveringthe
beautiesoftheBritishcountryside
inspringtime.Downloadable
leafletsfromtheNationalTrust
suggestwalkingroutesacrossthe
UKbyregionortheme-bootson
andgo!nationaltrust.org.uk
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best
Co
ver
ph
oto
gra
ph
by
Mic
hae
lBir
t
allowedtoservealcohol,shegot
up,left,foundabarsomewhere,
hadherdrinkandcameback.
Lillianwasnotsomebodyyou
saidnotoandshedidn’tpull
anypunches.’
ThereferencetoOscarnight
remindsusthatEllenhascollected
anumberofnominationsandin
1975pickeduptheBestActress
Awardforherperformancein
Scorsese’sAlice Doesn’t Live
Here Anymore.The1970swere
agloriousdecadeforher
professionallyinfilmsasdiverse
asThe Last Picture Show,Resnais’
Providence,co-starringwith
GielgudandBogarde,andthe
ultra-chillingThe Exorcist.
Considerableclaimshavebeen
madeforthestatusofthelatter
moviewhileothersdismissitas
schlock-horror.Wheredoes
Ellenstand?
‘Thefilmhasjustbeenaccepted
intotheLibraryofCongressasa
culturallysignificantworkofart’
shepointsout.‘There’sno
questionthatinfilmsofthat
genre,it’sthegrandfatherofthem
all.’Withherrecentacquisitionof
anEmmyforherworkintheseries
Law & Order,Ellenhasnowjoined
theelite.
‘I’mtoldthatI’vewontheTriple
Crown,whichmakesmesound
likearacehorse.’shelaughs.‘I’m
oneofonlyeighteenpeoplewho
havewonanEmmy,anOscarand
aTony.AllIneednowistowin
aGrammyforaspokenword
recording-andI’vebeen
nominated-andthatwould
makemeaQuadrupleCrown!
Awardsarefunandit’swonderful
togetthembutyouhavetobe
carefulnottoletawardsturna
healthyegointoagiantone.For
me,theworkiswhatmatters.’
Ellenhasnothoughtsof
retirement.‘Ihopetokeep
workinguntilIdroporforaslong
asthey’llhaveme.’shedeclares.
‘IwastalkingtoKeira(Knightley)
andTobias(Menzies)theotherday
andwewereaskingourselveswhy
weactorsputourselvesthrough
suchtorture.Ithinkthatwedo
ourjobbecausebeingcreative
isgoodforyou.It’sabitlike
jogginginthatitreleasesthe
endorphinsthatmakeyouhappy.
IknowIfeelexhilaratedaftera
performance,evenwhenthe
materialisdownbeat.Somebody
askedmerecentlyiffilming
Requiem for a Dreammademe
depressed.Infact,itwasquite
theopposite.’
‘The Children’s Hourisoneof
thegreatplaysofthetwentieth
centuryandIthinkthatitsauthor,
LillianHellman,isanextremely
underratedplaywright’saysIan
Rickson,thedirectorwho’scome
totheproductionfreshfromhis
triumphwithJerusalem.‘The
psychologicalandemotional
complexityisreallyastonishing.
It’saboutdifferenceandabout
beinganoutsider.Thedialogue
doesn’tfeelthatit’snearlyeighty
yearsold;it’sverymodern.The
playhasterrificenergy:it’sraw
andit’sbold.’
RicksonpointstoLillian
Hellman’scontrastingbackgrounds
asoneofthekeystoherwork.
‘Shewasbornandbroughtup
inNewOrleansbutlivedmainly
inNewYorkandthere’sboththe
sensuousbeatoftheSouthand
theNewYorkintellectualinher
plays.Havingjustreadher
memoirs,Ifeelconnectedtoher
inthewaythatyouhavetobe
whenyou’redirectinga
playwright’swork-connected
tothatyoungwomanoftwenty-
eightin1934,abouttohaveher
firstplayproducedonBroadway.’
FirstperformedinLondonin
1936,attheGateTheatreStudio,
anexperimentalclubvenuein
VilliersStreet,The Children’s Hour
haswaitednearlyseventy-five
yearstograduateintotheWest
End.Nodoubt,audiencesand
criticsalikewilljudgethatit’s
beenwellworththewait.
2
Comedy Theatre
The Children’s hour StarringKeiraKnightley,ElisabethMoss,EllenBurstynandCarolKaneBoxOffice08448717622OnlinebookingatAmbassadorTickets.com
interview
school for scandalA world-class cast in the West end with The Children’s Hour
1
Interviewby
AlSenter
Photographyby
JohanPersson
realisethattheplayisallabout
falseaccusations.It’sabout
self-righteouspeopletellingother
peoplewhat’srightandhowthey
shouldbehave.’
EllenknewLillianHellmanand
remembersheras‘verygrizzly,
toughandplainspoken.Shesaid
exactlywhatshethought.Shewas
presentonOscarnightwhenIwas
hostingtheceremonyandwewere
backstage.Sheaskedoneofthe
boyswhoarealwaysbuzzing
aroundattheAcademyAwards
foradrink.Whenheapologised,
explainingthattheyweren’t
Foranactresswhohasso
conspicuouslytriumphedinevery
areaavailabletoherprofession,
EllenBurstynisanythingbuta
grandedame.Sheisgracious,if
initiallyalittlereserved,witha
personalwarmththatbecomes
apparentassherelaxesintothe
conversation.Nowinherlate
seventies,Ellenismakingher
overdueWestEnddebutalongside
OscarnomineeKeiraKnightley,
Mad Men’sElisabethMossand
CarolKane(Taxi, Annie Hall),in
LillianHellman’sThe Children’s
HourattheComedy.Sheplays
AmeliaTilford,thepowerful
matriarchalfigurewhotakes
actionwhenscandalthreatensto
engulfaNewEnglandgirls’school
runbytwoclosefemalefriends.
Whatmadeherchoosethispiece
asherfirstappearanceonthe
Londonstage?
‘Ifeltthatitwasabouttime
thatIdidaplayintheWestEnd
andwhenImetIanRickson,who’s
directingtheshow,Iwasvery
impressedwithhim’explainsEllen.
‘The Children’s Hourisaplaythat
isn’tdonethatoften.Andaswe’ve
workedonit,we’vecometo
it’s very modern. The play has
terrific energy: it’s raw and
it’s bold.
‘
’
CarolKane
ElisabethMoss
EllenBurstyn
4
ghost The MusicalStarringRichardFleeshman,CaissieLevy,SharonDClarkeandAndrewLangtree
Manchester opera house28March-14MayBoxOffice08448472295
piccadilly Theatre, londonFrom22JuneBoxOffice08448717630
OnlinebookingatAmbassadorTickets.com
interview
3
Interviewby
JasperRees
Photographyby
MattCrockett
thelatePatrickSwayzeasthe
murderedhusbandofawoman
playedbyDemiMoore,sofiredby
lovethatheisabletohangaround
inthislifeandprotectherfrom
harm.Forthestagemusicalthe
partofSamWheatgoesto
RichardFleeshman.
‘Ithinkitwouldbefoolishto
ignoreSwayze’sperformance
entirely,’hesays.‘Butlet’snot
forgetthatthisisanewpieceby
thewriterwhowonanOscarfor
Manchestergetsitfirst!Acrossthe
citythewordisout;Ghostoneof
themosteagerlyanticipated
musicalsofourageopensatthe
OperaHouseinMarch.Willit
becomeoneofthegreateststage
musicalsofthecentury?Allthe
signsaregood.
Adaptedforthestagebysome
ofthebeststory-tellersinthe
world,withmusicandlyricsbypop
legendsDaveStewart(Eurythmics,
TravellingWilburys)andGlen
Ballard(songwriterforAlanis
Morrisette,MichaelJacksonand
CelineDion)anddirectedby
multi-Tonyaward-winnerMatthew
Warchus(Art,Boeing-Boeing)
Ghost The Musicalwillrequire
asevenweekget-into
accommodatethespectacular
magic,illusionsandbreathtaking
specialeffectsofSamWheat’s
in-betweenworld.
Oneofthebiggestgrossing
filmsintheUKever,Ghoststarred
Manchester MagicRichard Fleeshman heads north to star in Ghost The Musical
theoriginalscreenplay.It’sgot
hisblessingandhe’sreallykeen
tokeepholdofthemagicthatthe
filmhad,whichisthereasonitwas
sosuccessfulinthefirstplace.’
Partofthebuzzcreatedbythe
filmwasduetothepopularityof
Unchained Melody-oneofthe
most-recordedsongsofthe20th
centuryandafourtimesnumber
oneUKandworld-widehit.The
songremainsinthemusical
alongsideamarvellouscollection
ofnewsongsbyaward-winning
musician,songwriterandrecord
producerDaveStewart.Stewart’s
influenceisapparent:
‘Itdoeshavearockyedgewhich
sitsreallywellwithme...’says
Fleeshman,whowithco-stars
CaissieLevyandSharonDClarke
workedonthesongsatAbbey
Roadoverfourdayslastyear.‘But
thereissuchaneclecticmixwithin
themusic,Icouldn’tbelievehow
faritswingsfromlefttoright.’
Thereisquiteaneclecticmixin
Fleeshman’sbackcataloguetoo.
Televisionaudienceswillknowhim
asateenagestarofCoronation
Street.Hejoinedthesoapat12
andleftfouryearslater.‘Even
thoughI’dlearntsomuch,Ifelt
ifIwasgoingtobreakoutofthat
moulditwastherighttimefor
metopushon.’Hismusicalability
wasfirstunveiledwhen,at13,
hebecametheyoungestwinner
ofCelebrity Stars in Their Eyes.
By16hewaslaunchinghis
ownsingingcareer,releasingan
albumwhichcametotheearsof
noneotherthanEltonJohn.‘My
managergavemeacallandsaid,
‘Areyousittingdown?You’ve
gotthetourslot.’Itcamefrom
nowhere.EltonandIhavebeen
friendseversince.’
Thepopcareerisnowin
temporarystorageasFleeshman
continuestofindroleswhich
combinehistwogifts.Hewas
leadinTV’sAll the Small Things,
achoir-baseddramawhichtapped
intothecurrententhusiasmforall
thingschoralbutitwasreallyonly
amatteroftimebeforeFleeshman
wouldbecastinastagemusical.It
happenedwhenhetookoverfrom
DuncanJamesasWarneropposite
SheridanSmithinLegally Blonde.
Thepartwas‘agodsend,’hesays.
‘I’vealwayswantedtodomusical
theatre.Itwasnicetogointoa
jobofthatsizeandcalibre.No
onecanprepareyouforeight
showsaweekintheWestEnd.’
Ghostisdestinedforthe
PiccadillyTheatreintheWestEnd
butManchestergetstheultimate
distinctionofhostingtheworld
premiere.Burstingwithcreative
talentandstyle,withglobal
ambitions,athrivingcitycentre
andaproudrecordofleading
thewayinmusicandthearts,
Manchesteristheperfectlaunch
padforthiscompellingnew
musical.AmbassadorTheatre
Groupownstwotheatresinthe
citybutplumpedfortheOpera
HouseoverthePalace.‘Although
it’sabigtheatrewithnearly2000
seats,’saysproducerColinIngram,
‘thereisadegreeofintimacy.It
doesn’tfeelahugevenue.Intimacy
isimportantforus.Anumberof
oureffectsareillusionsandthe
audienceneedstoseethat.’
Willaudiencestaketoit?
AccordingtoFleeshman,itplays
withtheexpectationsofamusical-
theatreaudience.‘Fundamentally
it’snotasweetstory,’hesays.‘The
leadcharactergetsmurderedin
thefirsttwentyminutes.Ithas
love,revenge,jealousy,tragedy,
heroesandheroinesandvillains.
Ithinkit’sgotsomethingfor
everyone.’
CaissieLevy,RichardFleeshman
SharonDClarkeandDave
StewartatAbbeyRoadStudios
Hearmusictracks,watchthetrailerandjoinourfacebooksiteatghostthemusical.com
‘Manchester is the number 1 place for musicals to happen before london’DaveStewart
ManchesterEveningNews
anyonesays:‘I’mgoingtogoto
Londonforaweekend,’where
Iusedtohandthemalistof
restaurantsandmuseums,Inow
justtellthemtobookticketsfora
goodshow.It’sthebestreturnyou
cangetonyourentertainment
pound.’
Notanopinionyou’dexpectto
hearfromEssex’spremier
performancepoetandguitaristin
comedyoutfitThe Idiot Bastard
Band-andJupitusknowsit.
ComparedtohostingtheLeftfield
Tent atGlastonburywhere‘the
onlythingyouhavetoensureis
thatyouhaven’ttakenany
hallucinogenicdrugs’,musicalsare
anotherworld.‘Thecraftand
effortandtrainingthatgoesinto
them!’hemarvels.‘Whenyou’re
justthenametostickonthefront
ofthetheatre,youfeelabitof
afraud.’
It’sasignofcomedy’scurrent
cachetthoughwhenthatnameis
bestknown-aswithJupitusand
Brigstocke-forappearingona
sleeperhitquiz.Thenagain,
Jupitushasbeenonboardat
Buzzcockssinceitbeganin1996.
Fourotherregulars,comedians
all,havecomeandgoneinthat
time.SurelyJupitusmustbe
approachingsomesortofpunditry
record?‘No,MertonandHislop
winthatone,’hecorrects.‘Have
I Got News For Youhasbeenon
for20years.’
Jupituslovesthedeskjobbut
feelsnosenseofownershipover
theshow.‘Theproducertellsme:
‘Wegot3.2millionaudience
figuresfortheWoganepisode’
andIthink,‘So,57millionpeople
don’twatchus.’There’sasideof
methat’salwaysanchoredin
reality.’WhenBuzzcocksgotabit
bitchyunderSimonAmstell’s
stewardship,Jupitusalmostquit,
persuadedtostayonlybythe
arrivalofanewteamcaptain,Noel
FieldingfromThe Mighty Boosh.
‘It’sthedaftnessoftheman,’he
saysadmiringly.‘I’vealwaysadored
sillinessandNoelhasadeep
appreciationofsilliness.The Boosh
arepartofthatsamelineasthe
Goons,thePythons,theBonzos
andtheGoodies.Ipreferdaftness
tothatmorecynicalcomedyof
awkwardness.It’swhyIloveHarry
6
‘lovinglyrippedoff’from1975film
Monty Python and the Holy Grail,
deliversin-jokesgalore.ForJupitus
theappealwastwofold.‘What
reallydrewmetoSpamalotisthe
factthatit’saparody.Ittakesthe
pissoutofthemusicalformwhile
alsopayingtributetoabrilliant
comedyfilm.It’sanamazingpiece
ofwork-ostensibly,thecomedy
musicalofalltime.’
Andlikegoodmate
MarcusBrigstocke,his
predecessorintherole
ofArthur,Jupitusisafan
ofthemusicalgenre.‘If
Forsomeonewhostartedoutin
stand-up,comedianPhillJupitus
hasspentalotofhiscareersitting
down,bothasformerbreakfast
showhoston6Musicandas
longstandingteamcaptainon
BBC2popquiz,Never Mind the
Buzzcocks.Sowhen,in2009,he
notonlyjoinedtheWestEndcast
ofHairspray,butdidsoinadress,
therewassurpriseamongindie
buffsandmusicalfansalike.
Themanhadlegs!
Asdidtheshow.Infact,
Hairspraywassuchasuccess
thatJupitusisnowbackon
ShaftesburyAvenue,rehearsing
hisnewroleasKingArthurinthe
nationaltourofMontyPython’s
Spamalot.Hiscostumeismanlier
thistime-marginally.‘It’sactually
asortofsilverlycra,’hesaysof
Arthur’schainmail.‘DareIsayit,
thereisafrockyelement,butnone
ofthesequinsIgottowearas
Edna.MyfinalHairspraycostume
weighed30pounds.There’s
nothingnearthatinthisshow.’
ThedrawofSpamalotis
self-evident.FewBritishcomics
don’tcitethePythonsasan
influence,andEricIdle’smusical,
Hill.’Andwhyheisalso‘madeup’
tobeclosingtheSpamalotshow
with‘AlwaysLookontheBright
SideofLife’byhislong-timeidol
andsometimecollaboratorNeil
Innes.
‘Ifyoulookatitinreductive
form,‘BrightSide’isasongabout
inevitablefailure,’hereflects.
‘That’swhyfootballfanshavetaken
iton.’Helaughsgrimlyatthe
thoughtofhisbelovedbut
flounderingWestHam.‘It’savery
post-BritishEmpiresong.Weare
thislittleislandandwehadour
moment.Weallhaveourmoment.
Andwerealisethat’senough.’
ExceptforJupitus,whoseemsto
gostraightfromonemomentto
thenext.ReadinghisWikipedia
pagefeelsliketryingtokeepup
withapinballmachine.‘The
scattergunnatureprovesthatit
wasn’tplanned,’heinsists.‘Inever
imaginedthatI’dbewearingadress
inaWestEndshow.Withevery
newthing,it’sbeenacaseof:
‘Thatlookslikealaugh.’
IfIcan’tthinkofareason
notto,I’lldoit.’
spamalotsunderland empire*StarringPhillJupitusandToddCarty28February-5MarchBoxOffice08448472499
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre StarringJodiePrenger,PhillJupitusandToddCarty28March-2April2011BoxOffice08448717607
new Wimbledon Theatre StarringPhillJupitusandToddCarty1-4June2011BoxOffice08448717646
OnlinebookingatAmbassadorTickets.com*Onlinebookingatatgv.co.uk
if anyone says: ‘i’m going to go to london for a weekend,’ where i used to hand them a list of restaurants and museums, i now just tell them to book tickets for a good show. it’s the best return you can get on your entertainment pound.
‘’
GrahamMacDuff
ToddCartyandPhillJupitus
JodiePrenger
interview
silliness Reigns supremephill Jupitus presides over the court of King Arthur
Interviewby
NancyGroves
Photographyby
EricRichmond5
8
interview
Kingdom Comederek Jacobi gets under the skin of King lear
7
InterviewbyLucyJohnston
TheatreEditorof
TheRichmond,Kingston
andGuildfordmagazines
Photographyby
JohanPersson
theDonmarstage,swinginghis
legsandfidgetingwithhishands,
almostchildlikesaveforthewhite
hairandshrewd,wateryblueeyes.
I’mstruckbyhownervousheis,
insomewayapologeticforhis
presence,andheissmallerand
frailerthanIhadimagined.
Somehowonedoesn’twantto
acknowledgethatagecatchesup
withourgreatactorsintheway
ofusmortalpeople.But,ashe
stresses,agebringsgreatbenefit
tohiscraft.
‘PlayingLearisaworrisomething.
It’snotsomethingIcouldhave
So,historyhasbeenmade.In
December,thekingfinallystepped
intotheshoesoftheKing.After
overfiftyyearsattheforefrontof
Shakespeareantheatre,andhaving
playednearlyeveryleadingrole,
SirDerekJacobiatlastwalked
ontothestageoftheDonmar
Warehouseforhismesmerising
debutasKingLear.Itisnot
somethinghehastakenonlightly.
SirDerek-infactheholdstwo
knighthoods,DanishandBritish,
anaccoladeonlymatchedby
LaurenceOlivier-hasalways
stressedLearisnotarolethatit
ispossibletodojusticetountil
youareofacertainageand
worldlywisdom.TheShakespeare-
devotedtheatrecommunityhas,
therefore,beenholdingits
collectivebreathinanticipation
ofthismomentsinceheturned
sixty(anagetheyguessedhe
woulddeemappropriate).He
isnowseventy-two.
‘It’snotsomethingyousuddenly
wakeuponemorningreadyto
takeon.I’vebeenwaitingalong
timeforthecircumstancestofeel
right,’SirDerekshares.Hespeaks
softly,perchedontheedgeof
donewhenIwasanyyounger,
Idon’tthink.It’sonlynowIfeel
Iunderstandenoughoflife’sebbs
andflowstobeabletoeven
attempttogetunderhisskin.’
Theintensityofthispinnacle
rolehasbeenwidelyrecognisedas
onethatdeeplyaffectstheactors
whotakeiton-andthereisquite
aroll-call,althoughSirDerekhas
beenresoluteinkeepingthe
influenceofotheractors’
portrayalsatadistance.
‘Oneisverymuchonthefront
lineofShakespeare’sworkwith
thisplay.Itaskssomuchofan
actor’semotions-wehavetoroll
outallourweaponrytotackleit.
Ican’tevenentertainthethought
oftakingLearhomewithme,’he
lowershisvoice,‘thatwaymadness
wouldsurelylie,’thenhiseyes
glint,‘butadrywhitewineafter
theperformanceusuallyhelps
dothetrick.’
Hebringsanincrediblelevel
ofintelligentanalysistohiscraft,
butitisvisiblyfuelledbyanervous
energythatalsomakeshimhis
ownharshestcritic,andheis
plaguedwithpowerfulflashesof
self-doubt-which,attheirmost
devastating,oncecausedhima
boutofstagefrightthatlasted
threeyears.
‘Thisroleisstartingtobecome
alittlelessterrifyingnowwe’ve
begun,but,beingonstagereally
canbefearsomeattimes.Itrynot
tonoticethereisanyonewatching
-Imean,ifIeyeballedsomeoneby
accident,myGod,anythingcould
happen!’helooksgenuinely
startledatthethought.
‘Shakespearestillsurprisesme,
evenafteralltheseyears,’he
continues.‘AndI’mstilltryingto
doitwell.Thereisnorulebook.
Thegloryisinattemptingtoplay
oneofhischaracters.Itain’twot
yousay,it’sthewaywotyousay
it...,’hejests.
Hemightbeoblivioustoit,but
Ican’thelpfeelthisdetermination
todetachhimselffromthe
audienceandhidehimselfwithin
theroleiswhatmakeshimso
captivatingtowatch.Heisalso
adamantindetachinghimself
fromwhatpeoplethink,and
neverreadsreviews.
‘God,no,Ineverreadthem!
Iftheyaregoodthat’swonderful,
ofcourse,andI’mimmensely
grateful,butitwouldmakeme
awkwardtoreadthem.Butif
theyarebaditmakesyouwant
tokillyourself,andthat’smost
inconvenient,’hemanagesa
flightychuckle.‘Myfriendsare
highlyusefulforgentlykeeping
meinthepicture,withoutme
actuallyhavingtoreadanyofit.
Theywillsaythingslike,‘youreally
shouldseewhatisintheEvening
Standard’or‘whateveryoudo
don’treadtheTimes’or‘Idon’t
thinktheDailyMailsawthesame
playIdid’.It’smarvellous,’his
eyestwinkleagain.
Andwiththattheproducer,
whohasbeenprowlingaround
protectivelyinthebackground,
announcesmytimeisup.As
quietlyashearrived,SirDerek
withdraws,toprepareforthe
evening’sperformance-hiseyes
alreadyfocusingonahorizon
beyondthisroom,ashebegins
toslipintocharacter.Acharacter
whichhasfinallybecome
completelyandrightfully
hisown.
King lear Theatre Royal glasgow8-12MarchBoxOffice08448717647
Milton Keynes Theatre15-19MarchBoxOffice08448717652
Richmond Theatre29March-2AprilBoxOffice08448717651
OnlinebookingatAmbassadorTickets.com
10
Backstage
9
Interviewby
MarkShenton
Photographyby
BrinkhoffMögenburg
Musicalsaremorepopularthan
ever,butwhileshowslikeThe
Sound of MusicandSouth Pacific
areall-timeclassicslovedbyall,
it’salsoimportanttohavenew
musicalsthatspeaktoayounger
generation.WhenJeffMarxand
RobertLopez,twolong-timefans
ofmusicalsfirstmetonawriters’
workshopinNewYork,they
realisedthattheyweredealing
inananachronisticartform.
‘We’reweird-wegrewuploving
musicals,’saysJeff,‘butwhenwe
lookaroundatourfriends,they
don’tnecessarily.Theythinkof
themasbeinganoldartform.We
soughttofindawayaroundthis,
creatingamusicalthat
communicatesourlovefortheart
formwithoutitbeingthekindof
thingthatpeoplewouldn’tlike.’
Robertchimesin.‘Wefeltwe
wantedtodosomethingrelevant
forpeopleofourownage.’And
Jeffcontinues;‘Weactuallystarted
backwards:sinceoldfashioned
musicalsmaynotbeonyoung
people’sradar,weaskedwhatkind
ofmusicalsdotheylike?Theylike
animatedmovieslikeDisney
cartoons,andSesame Streetand
theMuppets.WhenKermitthe
frogstartssinging,nooneturns
offtoitsowethought,let’sdo
somethingfunnyandrelevant
aboutpeoplelikeus,andmake
itappealingenoughforpeople
togetoverthehurdleofitbeing
amusical.’
Thuswasbornthehilarious
Avenue Q,‘Sesame Streetwith
sex’asit’sbeencalled-originally
conceivedasaTVshow.‘We
thoughtofcomingupwithan
adultpuppetshow,’saysRobert,
‘andrealisedthateverysingle
probleminadultlifecouldbe
turnedintoafunny,mock-
educationalsong.Thenightwe
gottheideawefilledanentire
legalpadwiththetitlesofsongs,
andthoughtwecouldwritethis
fortherestofourlives!Each
wouldbeadifferentepisodeof
Avenue Q-theracismepisode,
thepornepisode,thecoming
outoftheclosetepisode...’
Instead,however,itwoundup
notonTVbutfirstasanoff-
Broadwaymusicalwhichquickly
transferredtoBroadway,winning
thatyear’sTonyAwardforBest
NewMusical(overWicked,which
openedthesameyear);andthen
itcametriumphantlytoLondon,
whereitplayedforoverthree
yearsatthreedifferentWest
Endtheatres.
RachelJerramspentsometwo
andahalfyearsintheshow,first
coveringforvariouspartsincluding
kindergartenassistantKate
Monster,andplayingMrsT.Now
she’sbackfortheshow’stouring
premiere,butthistimeinthelead
role:‘Iobviouslyknowtheshow,
butit’sreallylovelytocomeand
feellikeI’mlearningitfresh,so
thatI’mabletoputmyownmark
onthecharacter,’saysthebubbly
26-year-old.It’sashow,ofcourse,
aboutlife’slearningcurves,and
she’slearntalotdoingit.The
appealoftheshow,shesays,is
that‘everyonecanrelatetoit.
Peoplewhodon’tlikemusicals
alwaysenduplikingit.Thelads
canrelatetoPrinceton-they’ll
Avenue QChurchill Theatre Bromley14-19FebruaryBoxOffice08448717620
Richmond Theatre28February-5MarchBoxOffice08448717651
new Victoria Theatre Woking21-26MarchBoxOffice08448717645
Milton Keynes Theatre18-23AprilBoxOffice08448717652
Theatre Royal Brighton2-7MayBoxOffice08448717650
Bristol hippodrome*23-28MayBoxOffice08448472325
King’s Theatre glasgow28June-2JulyBoxOffice08448717648
OnlinebookingatAmbassadorTickets.com*Onlinebookingatatgv.co.uk
The night we got the idea we filled an entire legal pad with the titles of songs, and thought we could write this for the rest of our lives! each would be a different episode of Avenue Q - the racism episode, the porn episode, the coming out of the closet episode...
‘’
sassy, satirical, uproarious - it’s Avenue Q !
say,I’vedonethat,Ididn’tmean
tohurtthatpersonbutIdidthat.
It’sjustsohuman-eventhough
it’sactuallypuppets-butthere’s
ahumanhearttoit.’
AdamPettigrew,whoplays
Princeton-anEnglishLiterature
graduateworriedabouthisfuture
-concurs,andsaysthatperforming
theroleviaapuppethelpsthe
showtosaywhatitneedsto.‘It
allowsustosaythingsyoucan’t
normallysay.Withpuppetssaying
thesethings,there’sinnocence
aboutit-it’snotdoneinaharsh
way.Andit’srefreshingtohear
thingssaidlikethis.’Healso
identifieswiththeshow’stheme
aboutfindingone’spurposeinlife.
‘I’veaskedthosequestions,likedo
Istayinthetheatre,whichI’ve
beendoingsinceIwasakid.Isthis
therightthingformetodo?And
attheend,Princetonisstill
searching;soit’sanongoing
process.There’squitealotforhim
tolearnintwohours!’
EdwardJudgeplaysBrian,one
ofthenon-puppetcharacters,and
hesays,‘It’sagreatreliefforme,
butitalsomeansthatIdon’thave
thatfantasticmediumtowork
through.’Andhe’salsolearntthat
there’sabigchallengeinacting
withpuppets:‘It’ssurprisingly
difficultbeingahumanplayingto
apuppet-youhavetomakesure
you’relookingnotattheactorbut
attheactor’sshoulderwherethe
puppetis!’
HHHHHSundayTimesNewsoftheWorldSundayExpressAbsoluteRadioMagicRadioSmoothFM
12
TeRMs And CondiTions Onewinnerwillbedrawnatrandom
aftertheclosingdate.Theprizeincludes
2tickets(Mon-Thuperformancesuntil
26Mayonly)toseeLegally Blonde
The MusicalattheSavoyTheatreplus
twopre-theatremealsatSavoyGrill,
abottleofchampagneintheinterval,
programmesplustwogoodybagswith
assortedBicandBenefitproducts.
TowintwoticketstoseeLegally
Blonde The Musicaltogetherwith
anightouttoremember,simply
answerthefollowingquestion:
WhatUniversitydoesElleWoods
attendtowinbackherlove?
Pleasereturnyouranswer,not
forgettingyourname,address
andtelephonenumbertoBen
Prudhoe,TheAmbassadorTheatre
GroupLtd.,39-41CharingCross
Road,London,WC2H0ARbefore
Monday21March.
Here’sachanceforyouanda
luckyfriendtowintheultimate
nightout-bringingabitofsparkle
tothenewyear.Enjoytwotop
priceticketstoLegally Blonde
The Musical,programmes,abottle
ofchampagneintheintervalplus
agoodybageachoffabulous
beautytreatscourtesyofBenefit
andBic.Andthat’snotall...to
celebratetheopeningoftheSavoy
Grill-GordonRamsayHoldings
arealsoofferingtwopre-theatre
mealsforyoutodineinstyle
beforetheshow.
Legally Blonde The Musical
istheaward-winning,hilarious
musicalcomedywhichhaswowed
thecriticsandtakentheWestEnd
bystorm.Collegesweetheartand
homecomingqueenElleWoods
doesn’ttakenoforananswer;
sowhenherboyfrienddumpsher
forsomeone‘serious’Elleputs
downthecreditcard,hitsthe
booksandheadsforHarvardLaw
School!Legally Blonde The Musical
isthemust-seeshowoftheyear
andthemostfashionableticket
intown!Book your tickets online at AmbassadorTickets.com 11
What’s on
Apollo ViCToRiA 0844 871 7615
WickedDiscovertheincredibleuntoldstoryoftheWitchesofOz.Winner! Most Popular ShowLaurenceOlivierAwards2010
phoenix TheATRe 0844 871 7629
Blood Brothers ‘Exhilarating. One of the best musicals ever written’SundayTimes
duKe oF yoRK’s TheATRe 0844 871 7623
ghost storiesDirectfromasell-outseasonattheLyricHammersmithcomesthemostterrifyingexperienceintheWestEnd.‘Awesome’JonathanRoss
plAyhouse TheATRe 0844 871 7631
dreamboats and petticoatsHHHH‘Tremendous, tub thumping fun, it brought the house down’SundayTelegraph
CoMedy TheATRe 0844 871 7622
The Children’s hourKeira KnightleyreturnstotheLondonstagealongsideelisabeth moss(Mad Men)inLillian hellman’svisionarymasterpiece.ian rickson(Jerusalem)directs.
piCCAdilly TheATRe 0844 871 7630
greaseTheoriginalhigh-schoolmusicalstarringLauren samuels andmatthew GoodgameMustend30April
FoRTune TheATRe 0844 871 7626
The Woman in BlackOneofthemostexcitingandgrippingtheatreeventseverstaged.‘A truly nerve-shredding experience’DailyMail
sAVoy TheATRe 0844 871 7687
legally BlondeThe MusicalStarringsusan mcFadden(Elle)anddenise Van outen(Paulette) HHHH‘Blows other musicals out of the water’Sun
donMAR WARehouse 0844 871 7624
The 25th Annual putnam County spelling BeePrepareyourselvesforthespellingchallengeofalifetimeinWilliam Finnandrachel sheinkin’shilariousTonyAward-winningmusical.
piCCAdilly TheATRe 0844 871 7630
ghost The MusicalThedazzlingnewmusicalbasedonthephenomenalOscarwinningfilm.Ghostisatimelessfantasyaboutthepoweroflove.From22June
lyCeuM TheATRe 0844 871 7615disney’s
The lion KingWithacastofover40actors,singersanddancers.‘A beautiful dazzle of invention and imagination’ EveningStandard
TRAFAlgAR sTudio 1 0844 871 7632
end of the RainbowOlivierAward-winningtracie bennetttakestheWestEndbystormasJudyGarland. HHHHH‘A Star is Born’TheTimes
The old ViC 0844 871 7628
Cause CélèbreAtaleoflove,betrayal&obsession,basedonthetruestoryofAlmaRattenbury(Anne-marie duff)whowentontrialwithher18-year-oldloverforherhusband’smurder.
TRAFAlgAR sTudio 2* 0844 871 7632
ordinary days NewMusicalbyAdam GwonStarringdaniel boysandJulie Atherton.Thehugelyanticipatedtransferoftheacclaimed,excitingandvibrantmusical.
Buy your West end Tickets here
*Studio2hasbeenmadepossiblebyagenerousdonationfromChristinaSmith
Competition
TheSavoyGrillisoneofLondon’s
mosticonicrestaurantsdating
backto1889.Themenuisinspired
byclassicBritishandFrenchdishes.
gordonramsay.com/thesavoygrill
Winner of london’sBest MusicalTimeOutAwards2010
HHHH‘hilarious’DailyExpress
HHHH‘sensational’MailonSunday
HHHH‘perfection’TheIndependent
savoy Theatre
legally Blonde The Musical StarringSusanMcFadden&DeniseVanOutenBoxOffice08448717687OnlinebookingatAmbassadorTickets.com
13
staturetoBirmingham,wewill
starttobringbacktheaudience’,
saysHowardwhofeelsthatinthe
past,thetheatrehassufferedfrom
underinvestmentandtherefore
hasunderperformed.
TheNewAlexandraisoneof
sixteenregionaltheatresthat
joinedAmbassadorTheatreGroup
lastyear.Thetheatreiscurrently
intheprocessofanimpressive
upgrade,whichwhenaddedto
thecostofitsannualmaintenance,
comesinatover£500,000.Aspart
oftheimprovements,theatre-
goerswillenjoyanewattractive
façadeandcanopyaswellas
improvedseatinginthemain
auditorium-withmorelegroom!
‘Wehaveatrackrecordofturning
buildingsaroundacrossthe
country,’saysHoward,‘and,with
better,moretargetedmarketing,
thereisnoreasonwhythistheatre
cannotbeinthepremierdivision’.
Thestarsarecomingoutfor
TheNewAlexandraTheatre
inBirmingham.Buildingonits
successfulre-launchlastwinter,
morehigh-profile,international
calibreshowsareplannedforthe
revampedtheatreoverthenext
twoyears.
Theexcitingprogramme
includesmusicalssuchasGrease
(currentlyonsalefornextyear’s
festiveseason),Corrie!afunny
andaffectionatetributeto
Britain’sbest-lovedsoaptogether
withthechildren’sclassicJungle
Book.Morequalitydramaisin
thepipeline.‘Wewanttoinclude
Birminghaminourdramatouring
circuitaswellascreatingnew
playswhichwillpremierthere,’
saysHowardPanter,JointCEOof
theAmbassadorTheatreGroup
anditsCreativeDirector.‘There
reallyisn’tanywherein
Birminghamthatdoeslarge-scale
dramaproductions’,headds.The
‘Alex’,asitisalsoaffectionately
known,isanaturalvenuefor
actorsasthestageandauditorium
workparticularlywelltogether.
‘Theaudience/actorrelationship
inBirminghamisreallywonderful
andveryintimate,’saysHoward,
‘eventhoughthetheatreisa
venueofalmost1400seats’.
Thoughhislipsaresealedatthe
moment,Howardwillannounce
somebigdramaproductionslater
intheyear.Theplays,likethe
musicals,aimtorepeatthesuccess
ofSpamalotwhichkickedoffThe
NewAlexandra’sre-launchlast
December.90%oftheaudience
inthefour-weekseasonvisited
thetheatreforthefirsttime.
Howardisconfidentthatina
cityasculturalanddiverseas
Birmingham,thissuccesscan
berepeated.
‘Wehopeit’savirtuouscircle;
bybringingbetterproductionsof
ahigherqualityandrealnational
Applause for The AlexBirmingham’s new Alexandra Theatre is tipped for the top
MainimageGrease
InsetpicturesSpamalot
Christmas2010
Forfutureprogrammeand
tobookticketsfortheNew
AlexandraTheatre,Birmingham
seenewalexandratheatre.co.uk
Interviewby
NicolaVenning
news
Red CarpetA star-studded launch for the new Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
TheWestEndsteppedontothe
redcarpetatthenewAylesbury
WatersideTheatrelastOctober
asahostofstarsfromstageand
screenmarkedamilestoneinUK
theatrehistory.TwooftheUK’s
greatestactors-DavidSuchetand
SimonCallow-werefirsttostep
ontothestageandformallyopen
Photographof2011WestEnd
CompanybyPaulColtas
Britain’snewesttheatre.
ComedienneRubyWax,actress
SusanHampshire,theRocky Horror
Show’sRichardO’Brien,
Hollywood’sWarwickDavies,
dancestarAdamCooper,the
gorgeousGemmaAtkinsonand
recordinglegendTonyChristie
werejoinedbywell-wishersfrom
thewiderworldofentertainment.
JonathanWilkesandSuzanne
Shawentertainedacapacitycrowd
outsidethetheatrebefore
nationaltreasureCillaBlack-star
ofthetheatre’sfirstpantomime
Cinderella - cuttheribbontoopen
thehouseforthefirsttime.
Formoreinformationona
sparklingfutureprogrammethat
includesSpamalot,SiberianBallet,
Yes Prime Minister,theRoyal
PhilharmonicOrchestraandRuby
WaxvisitAmbassadorTickets.com/
aylesburywaterside
14
RichardO’Brien
SimonCallow
GemmaAtkinson
WarwickDavies
RubyWax
SuzanneShawJonathanWilkes
CillaBlack
TonyChristie
DavidSuchet
16
1 2 3 4 5
6
7
8
9
10
11 12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
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style
elisabeth Moss plays career girl peggy in TV’s award-winning Mad Men alongside well-kept wife Betty (January Jones) and slinky secretary Joan (Christina hendricks) - which style will you be?
FeaturebyMarkBouman
Wallpaperbackdropcourtesy
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ElisabethMossimagecourtesy
ofRexFeatures
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thelightbox.org.uk
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Fordetailsof
NewWimbledonTheatre,
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AmbassadorTickets.com
ForBristolHippodrome&
PrincessTheatreTorquay
seeatgv.co.uk 18
Featureby
NeenaDhillon
Imagestopl-r:
BaileyBalloonflights
DownHouse,Bromley
Brunel’sSSGreatBritain
KentsCavern
Below:KurtGeigerboots
fromtheexhibitionEssential
Accessories: Handbags and Heels
atTheLightboxgallery,Woking
17
Cosmopolitan TorquayFormingpartoftheEnglish
Riviera,Torquay’slovelywaterfront
andpalmtree-linedpromenade
combinetogivethisSouthDevon
resortaMediterraneanfeel.By
visitinginthewarmspringmonths,
you’llbeabletodiscover
picturesquespotsoverlookingthe
baywithoutthesummercrowds.
Onewaytogetacquaintedwith
theseafrontisbyfollowinginthe
footstepsofacelebratedformer
resident-theQueenofCrime.The
AgathaChristieMiletakesyouon
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interestassociatedwiththelife
andworkoftheauthor.Staying
withthecrimetheme,theSleuths!
Festivalisarareopportunityto
hearthrillerwriterslikeRobert
Goddarddiscussingtheirfavourite
subject,whilegettinginvolvedin
Lookbeyondthecapitalthis
season!Whetheryoutaketime
toexploreBristol,checkoutthe
resortofTorquayorenjoythe
delightsofouterLondon,these
activitiesareguaranteedtoput
aspringinyourstep.
Fascinating BristolAcityrenownedforitscultureand
gastronomy,Bristolisalsohome
tooneoftheUK’smostpopular
attractions.Firstlaunchedin1843
toprovideluxurytraveltoNew
York,Brunel’smajesticSSGreat
Britaintodayformsthecentrepiece
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designedtogivevisitorsataste
oflifeatsea.Stepbackintime
attheDockyardMuseumbefore
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passengertonavigatebeautifully
recreatedspacesfilledwith
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Oncesafelybackondryland,
besuretowalkthehistoricstreets
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Forfamilyfun,whynothead
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celebratingitslandmark175th
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Presentinganewperspective
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Ifheightsaren’tyourthing,
roundoffyourdayoutwitha
nightattheBristolHippodrome.
Thiscityinstitutionisknownfor
puttingonagreatshowandyou’ll
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tohitmusicalssuchasHairspray
andAvenue Q.
thespeciallydevisedmurder
mysteryevents.
Ofcourse,thisdestinationisrich
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familyissuretobeentertainedby
anoutingtoKentsCavern.One
ofthemostimportantStoneAge
cavesitesinEurope,complete
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formations,thisprotectednational
monumentisopendailyforguided
toursthatfinishinanunderground
exhibitionchamber.
Completeanaction-packedday
withagourmetdinnerorshow.
Foodieswillwanttosavourthe
Michelin-starredcuisineservedup
byheadchefSimonHulstoneat
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Locallysourcedseafooddishesare
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Alternativelybookticketsfora
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Theatrewheretheartisticchoice
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south of the RiverJourneytosouthLondonand
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diversions.Locatedwithinthe
Bromleydistrict,DownHousewas
oncethehomeofCharlesDarwin
anditwasinthispeacefulfamily
days of discoveryA trio of inspirational escapes
StNicholasMarket
going out
Torquay’swaterfront
TheatreBromleyandtheNew
VictoriaTheatreWoking.The
RichmondTheatrestagescritically
acclaimedproductionsinthemost
stylishofsurroundings.TheGrade
ll-listedtheatrepresentsanemotive
versionofJourney’s EndinMarch
followedbyacompellingKing Lear
withDerekJacobi.Ticketsare
sellingfast!
residencethatthelegendary
Victorianscientistworkedonhis
theoryofevolution.Dropbyto
seethestudywherethe
groundbreakingOn the Origin of
Specieswaswritten,learnabout
Darwin’sideasthrougha
multimediatournarratedbyDavid
Attenboroughandbesuretostop
inatthehothouse.
AtTheLightboxgalleryin
Woking,highlightsincludeThe
IngramCollectionofModern
BritishArtcomprising300thought-
provokingpiecesspanninga
periodofnearly100years.Don’t
missthevisitingexhibition,
Essential Accessories: Handbags
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Weekendfunwithacommunity
vibecanbefoundattheartsand
craftsmarketatMertonAbbey
MillsinWimbledon.There’slive
music,deliciousfoodandactivities
conceivedforkidsandthe
youngatheart.
Thereareplentyofoutstanding
theatresintheleafysuburbs
includingtheNew
Wimbledon
Theatre,the
Churchill
21 - 26 FeB CAMBRidge CoRn exChAnge 01223 357851
28 FeB - 5 MAR sundeRlAnd eMpiRe 0844 847 24 99
7 - 12 MAR The ipsWiCh RegenT 01473 433100
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