Jazz, Comedy, Cabaret, Play Festival and More Set for St. James Studio Jan-Feb 2013

Following a successful first season with events spanning all genres of entertainment, from stand-up comedy and musical cabaret to jazz trios and West End favourites - and featuring artists such as Frisky and Mannish, Sharon D. Clarke and Hadley Fraser - the second season of events in the St. James Studio is officially announced today.

On Sunday 6 January, two professional groups of singers will be the first acts of 2013 to be welcomed in to the studio. Young and dynamic chamber choir The Delphian Singers will perform at 3pm and are followed by multi award-winning all male a cappella ensemble, The Songmen at 7.30pm. Cabaret Weekends continue on Saturday 12 January as Sophie Walsh-Harrington delves into the depths of uncensored lust and melodrama in her internationally successful cabaret show The Damsel in Shining Armour, then some of the West End's finest vocalists come together on Saturday 19 January to celebrate the career of the world's most accomplished contemporary composer, Burt Bacharach, in Bacharach: Of Life and Lovesong. Lush Life: A Cabaret about Drinking will salute libations - and the results - on Saturday 26 January, whilst versatile and highly regarded singer and performer Jessica Walker's Pat Kirkwood is Angry comes to the studio on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 February, following hugely successful runs in Manchester and Leeds. Tony Award nominated actress and singer Anita Gilette's one woman show of music and memories, After All, follows on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 February. Further Cabaret Weekend highlights include the return of the hugely successful Peter Straker's Brel on Saturday 16 February and Success Express, mentoring emerging artists, on Sunday 17 February.

In addition to Comedy Thursdays, Jazz and Roots Fridays and Cabaret Weekends - as seen on the bill last season - the St. James Studio will now also throw open its doors on Wednesday nights, kicking off with Vin's Night In! on Wednesday 9 January, featuring the multi-talented actor Laurence Fox. A new comedy night, The Political Party with Matt Forde, combining topical stand-up and a big interview with a political heavyweight, follows on Wednesday 16 January and Wednesday 13 February with special guests George Galloway and Nigel Farage respectively. Four fabulous singers will sweep through life in upper-middle class England and behind the scenes of a 1970s musical game show in hilarious musical comedy romp, Vocalarity, on Wednesday 23 January. British singer-songwriter Rosabella Gregory will bring her classical songwriting with a filmic twist, infused with improvisational elements, to the studio on Wednesday 27 February.

Comedy at St. James Studio in 2013 will begin in style on Thursday 10 January with two award-winning comedians, David Mills and Mae Martin, on the bill. David Mills: The Gospel Truth is the brand new show from the stylish raconteur who won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year, 2011. Martin, winner of Best International Performer at the Brighton Fringe 2012, will perform her Edinburgh show, Mae Day which received rave reviews at last year's festival. Chortle Best Newcomer 2007 and Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer 2009, Carl Donnelly, will be the headline act on Thursday 17 January, with support from Ed Gamble and Lucy Beaumont. Sarah Kendall, nominee for the prestigious Perrier comedy award in 2004, brings her comedy with brains, Get Up, Stand Up, to the studio on Thursday 24 January, following her sold out Australian tour and Edinburgh run. Comedy actress and stand-up Sara Pascoe, who has made appearances in popular series such as The Thick of It and Twenty Twelve, will perform her sell out Edinburgh show in the studio on Thursday 31 January, with support from Tania Edwards. Totally unique sketch comedy duo Totally Tom present their second sell out show, set in a prison, on Thursday 7 February. St. James Studio is proud to present a St. Valentine's special on Thursday 14 February, featuring musical genius and sex symbol Earl Okin and soul songstress Lizzie Deane in an evening which promises to be rib tickling, heart pounding and ear pleasing in equal measure. Rounding off a fantastic February line-up is ventriloquist extraordinaire Nina Conti, the last chance to catch her in the UK before she goes to work abroad. Nina will be supported by Sarah-Louise Young.

Once again, Dorian Ford, one of London's most highly acclaimed jazz musicians, hosts Jazz and Roots Fridays at the St. James Studio, a night which aims to link tradition based contemporary music to an overall jazz programme. Highlights will include Fumi Okiji's Old Time Jazz Band on Friday 11 January, Alex Garnett's Jazz Ambassadors on Friday 18 January, UK guitar legend John Etheridge and his Blue Spirits Trio on Friday 25 January, the Byron Wallen Quartet on Friday 1 February, Zoe Rahman Trio on Friday 8 February and Mark Jennett and Geoff Gascoyne on Friday 8 March. In addition to the Jazz and Roots Fridays programme, which will be announced in full at a later date, one of Britain's top singers and a unique interpreter of popular song, award-winning performer Barb Jungr, will bring her own writing and interpretation of great songs to the studio, in a fabulous new collection, on Friday 15 February.

Between Monday 18 February and Sunday 24 February, the studio will host its first play festival; comprising The World's Wife, adapted from the poems of Carol Ann Duffy and performed by Linda Marlowe; Savage Beauty, an invigorating cocktail of Euripides, Homer, Sappho and Aristophanes presented by the Actors of Dionysus and with a cast led by Fenella Fielding; Nihal, an intensely dramatic and moving story of a mother's tireless battles and inspiring triumphs in her struggle for her disabled son's rights, performed by Jaye Griffiths; and Bloodshot, a gripping and intelligent mystery with music and a little magic, Starring Simon Slater and directed by Patrick Sandford, who recently directed Bully Boy, the St. James Theatre's inaugural production.

Looking a little further ahead, Peter Howarth, lead singer of The Hollies and long-time backing vocalist with Cliff Richard, performs a choice selection of solo acoustic arrangements of classic hits in Peter Howarth Unplugged on Tuesday 5 March, featuring Devil Woman, Miss You Nights, Carrie, He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother, Jennifer Eccles, Pretty Woman, Only The Lonely and more. Special guest, singer/songwriter Michael Armstrong, will also be present to tell his own musical story, from his brushes with international fame to his lucky break into the world of music and celebrity.

Other March highlights include Piaf, a powerful musical homage to one of France's most endearing icons, performed Christine Bovill on Saturday 9 March; BBC New Comedy Award-winner and a Funny Women finalist Helen O'Brien's one-woman comedy show, Bronagh's Big Weekend, about a mad weekend in a mad family on Sunday 17 March; and singer, comic and compere Dusty Limits, on Saturday 30 March. The full March and April programme will be announced in due course.

Tickets for all performances are now on sale. St. James Theatre is located at 12 Palace Street, London SW1E 5JA. Box Office: 0844 264 2140. Website: www.stjamestheatre.co.uk. NB. No additional fees are charged when booking tickets at the St. James Theatre box office or online at www.stjamestheatre.com, only £1 postage per order.

THE DELPHIAN SINGERS

Sunday 6 January 3pm

£18/£20

THE SONGMEN

Sunday 6 January 7.30pm

£18/£20

VIN'S NIGHT IN!

Wednesday 9 January 8pm

Pay what you think the night is worth

COMEDY THURSDAYS WITH DAVID MILLS AND MAE MARTIN

Thursday 10 January at 8pm

£10/£12.50

FUMI OKIJI'S OLD TIME JAZZ BAND

Friday 11 January 8pm

£12.50/£15

THE DAMSEL IN SHINING ARMOUR

Saturday 12 January 8pm

£12.50/ £15

THE POLITICAL PARTY WITH MATT FORDE

Wednesday 16 January and 13 February at 8pm

£10/£12.50

COMEDY THURSDAYS WITH CARL DONNELLY

Thursday 17 January 8pm

£12.50/£15

ALEX GARNETT

Friday 18 January 8pm

£12.50/£15

BACHARAH: OF LIFE AND LOVESONG

Saturday 19 January at 8pm

£20/£25

VOCALARITY

Wednesday 23 January 8pm

£18/£20

SARAH KENDALL - GET UP, STAND UP

Thursday 24 January 8pm

£20

JOHN ETHERIDGE

Friday 25 January 8pm

£12.50/£15

LUSH LIFE: A CABARET ABOUT DRINKING

Saturday 26 January at 8pm

£20/£25

SARA PASCOE

Thursday 31 January 8pm

£15/£17.50

BYRON WALLEN

Friday 1 February at 8pm

£12.50/£15

PAT KIRKWOOD IS ANGRY

Saturday 2 February at 8pm and Sunday 3 February at 7.30pm

£20/£25

TOTALLY TOM

Thursday 7 February at 8pm

£12.50/£15

ZOE RAHMAN TRIO

Friday 8 February at 8pm

£12.50/£15

ANITA GILLETTE
Saturday 9 February at 8pm and Sunday 10 February at 7.30pm
£20/£25

Valentine's SPECIAL
Thursday 14 February ay 8pm
£TBC

BARB JUNGR
Friday 15 February at 8.15pm
£15/ £17.50

PETER STRAKER'S BREL
Saturday 16 February at 8pm
£17.50/ £20

SUCCESS EXPRESS
Sunday 17 February at 7pm
£15/£17.50

PLAY FESTIVAL
THE WORLD'S WIFE - Monday 18 February at 7.45pm
SAVAGE BEAUTY - Tuesday 19 at February 7.45pm
NIHAL - Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 February at 7.45pm
BLOODSHOT - Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 February at 7.45pm
£15 per play

ROSABELLA GREGORY
Wednesday 27 February at 8.30pm
£10/£12.50

NINA CONTI
Thursday 28 February at 8pm
£25

PETER HOWARTH UNPLUGGED
Tuesday 5 March
£15/£17.50

PIAF
Saturday 9 March
£10/£20/£25

BRONAGH'S BIG WEEKEND
Sunday 17 March at 7.30pm
£10

DUSTY LIMITS
Saturday 30 March at 8pm
£15/£20

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