Debbie Gilpin - Page 6

As the nights draw in, taking us closer to December and the final instalment of the Skywalker story arc, it's time once again for the Empire and the Rebel Alliance to come face-to-face at the Royal Albert Hall for another of the Film in Concert series. Following on from A New Hope back in November 2018, The Empire Strikes Back now takes centre stage. The screening is accompanied by the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by composer John Williams' long-time collaborator Dirk Brossé.

'Drink to the cause, and pure vapours.' We've reached the end of August, which for us means the summer bank holiday and Notting Hill Carnival - but go back a few centuries and the only thing on Londoners' minds would be Bartholomew Fair. An annual event that sprung up in Smithfield around St Bartholomew's Day, it saw all manner of people from every part of society come together in one place for roast hog, a variety of stalls, and all the fun of the fair. It's this melting pot upon which Ben Jonson focused when writing his city play of the same name, and that Blanche McIntyre has brought to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse for a limited run this summer.

You may not have realised it at the time, but at some point or other in your life there's a strong chance you will have heard some of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in D minor. Whether it was thanks to Alex's love of a bit of a?oeLudwig vana?? in A Clockwork Orange or through the affiliation of a?oeOde to Joya?? to the European Union, it has cropped up a lot in the almost three hundred years it has existed. It was no surprise, then, that the Royal Albert Hall was packed to the rafters for its performance at this year's Proms; it has been part of the programme nearly every year, this time at the hands of the BBC Symphony Orchestra a?' and the voices of the BBC Symphony Chorus.

Move over, Hogwarts a?' Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches is in town! Fresh from a UK tour, Emma Reeves' adaptation of Jill Murphy's The Worst Witch comes slipping and sliding into the West End for a summer residency at the Vaudeville Theatre. This musical stage version of the much-loved books is directed by Theresa Heskins and features an all-female cast.

1969. The year of the moon. But that was far from all; Woodstock, the Stonewall riots, Monty Python's Flying Circus and the Battle of the Bogside were but a snapshot of life in the last year of the sixties - The Beatles' career came to an acrimonious end just as David Bowie's started its ascent to stratospheric heights. Prom 11 commemorated the changes in culture, science and society that occurred 50 years ago, with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the heart of the action.

a?oeParisians hiss new balleta?? read The New York Times upon the première of Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring (with choreography from the renowned Vaslav Nijinsky) back in 1913; it supposedly sparked riots as the audience reacted badly to this daring piece of music, though it's thought that the strange new dance moves were the real focus of their wrath. Fast forward to the 21st century, and the piece is firmly established as a classic of its era a?" the Orchestra of the Royal Academy of Music and The Juilliard School performing it as part of this year's BBC Proms season.

Remarkably, it's been 40 years since legendary rock band The Who performed at Wembley Stadium, back then sharing the stage with the likes of The Stranglers and ACDC. This weekend's return - featuring a line-up of four support acts - felt like something of a homecoming festival for the band, made all the more grandiose an occasion with the addition of an orchestra for the headliners' set. With the very recent loss of Pete Townshend's guitar technician Alan Rogan, it was also a chance to honour his long-term involvement with the band and to celebrate life.

After wowing audiences at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Trevor Nunn's production of Fiddler on the Roof is going from strength to strength in its stint at the West End's Playhouse Theatre; not only has it extended its run until November, but it has now welcomed two new stars to Anatevka. Maria Friedman and Anita Dobson replace Judy Kuhn and Louise Gold as Yente and Golda, respectively, joining a cast led by Andy Nyman as Tevye.

When David Mamet's new play was announced back in January, it was met with more than a raised eyebrow. Bitter Wheat is a comedy about movie mogul Barney Fein, a man who bears more than a passing resemblance to disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein, and sees John Malkovich make a return to the London stage. The question is, should Mamet be the one to tell this kind of story at this juncture? Do we really need another male perspective on the subject?

"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.

A chilly, grey April afternoon: not the most auspicious weather for an occasion such as the Olivier Awards. Before the nominees and guests arrived it looked set to be another rain-soaked affair, as fans and members of the press were subjected to a bit of a drenching, but with the arrival of the stars came a dry spell - and a chance for us to chat with a selection of excited (and nervous) artists on their way into the Royal Albert Hall.

During the latter part of this winter season, Shakespeare's Globe has been concentrating on Voices in the Dark: Pride, Then and Now, with a production of Marlowe's infamous Edward II running alongside a range of different events. The latest is a piece of new writing from Tom Stuart, which is a response to the Marlowe play; Stuart takes on the role of Edward in both productions.

Best known to many as Mr Banks in Mary Poppins, actor David Tomlinson actually had a quite extensive career on stage and screen - as well as more than his fair share of personal dramas. James Kettle's new play sees Tomlinson taking a trip down memory lane, recounting the challenges and successes of 40 years in acting; The Life I Lead stars comedian and actor Miles Jupp, and has just begun a short run at the Park Theatre as part of a nationwide tour.

We've had the film, TV and music awards, so now it's the theatre's turn to hand out some prizes. Once again, the Prince of Wales Theatre threw open its doors to some of the most popular productions from the past 12 months, as the WhatsOnStage Awards took place on Sunday evening - the only awards ceremony that hands over all of its voting duties to the public.

When it was announced that Trotters Independent Traders' three-wheeled 'yellow peril' was heading direct to London's West End in the form of a new musical, a few eyebrows were raised. Only Fools and Horses - The Musical was the brainchild of TV series creator John Sullivan, though it has been realised by his son Jim and comedian Paul Whitehouse. Taking a song written by John Sullivan and singer Chas Hodges, along with some notes and ideas, Whitehouse and Jim Sullivan have created a 'greatest hits' of sorts; over 40 hours of TV material has been filtered and spliced together to create this new two-hour stage show.

Beginning life at Theatr Clwyd last summer, Laura Wade's latest play Home, I'm Darling quickly transferred to the National's Dorfman Theatre and has now begun a limited engagement in the West End - following this run it will tour to Bath and Salford, before returning home to Theatr Clwyd at the end of April. Katherine Parkinson reprises the role of Judy in this Tamara Harvey-directed production.

It's the end of an era at the Lyric Hammersmith, as it is Sean Holmes' final season as artistic director - but it has begun in terrific style with the premiere of a new play with music, written by Matt Jones and Bloc Party singer-songwriter Kele Okereke. It is directed by Southpaw Dance Company's artistic director Robby Graham, and stars Tyrone Huntley and Billy Cullum as Obi and Alex, a gay couple contemplating marriage whilst battling secrets from their pasts.

On the eve of the return of Notre Dame de Paris to London - this time in its original French - I'm looking back to my time behind the scenes during its last few days in Paris. There I spoke to Hiba Tawaji (Esmeralda), who talked about the more challenging aspects of performing, as well as her passion for championing female emancipation.

In 2018, Richard Cocciante and Luc Plamondon's Notre Dame de Paris celebrated its 20th anniversary. The show (billed as 'Un Spectacle musical'), based on the novel by Victor Hugo, began life at the Palais des Congres de Paris and has since toured extensively - including several different translations - as well as frequently going 'home' on various occasions for limited runs. It was last seen in London in 2000, and it returns in a couple of weeks for a short stay at the Coliseum; this time the show will be performed in the original French, with English surtitles, rather than using the previous English translation.

East meets west, as the RSC's latest production of Shakespeare's comedy gets a TOWIE makeover. Following a popular summer run at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Stratford-upon-Avon base, it transfers to the Barbican for a limited engagement over the winter. David Troughton stars as the infamous knight Falstaff, who is at the peak of his lecherous and womanising ways during the course of this play - until he meets his matches in Mistresses Ford and Page.