SILENT CLOWNS, TWO PLAYS FOR GAZA & More Set For Hackney Empire This May

HACKNEY EMPIRE THEATRE & Studio Theatre MAY LISTINGS

Paul Merton's Silent Clowns

Sunday 10 May

7:00 pm

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre

Price(s): £14.40. Concs: £2 off. Children: £9.50

Join Paul Merton as he screens extracts from the very best silent comedians in some of their funniest films. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy and many others are hi-lighted by Paul whose enthusiasm and infectious knowledge of these films means a splendid time is guaranteed for all. See the best of the silent comics on the big sMaycreen with a fantastic live musical accompaniment by the world renowned Neil Brand.

In the second half Harold Lloyd's feature-length comedy Safety Last is shown in it's breathtaking entirety. A comic masterpiece, it's compelling mixture of thrills and laughter is as potent today as it was in 1923. There are no special effects, Harold really is up that high.

Dis Shoodbe on TV!

14 - 17 May

8.30pm

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre

£15 - £19.50

A brand new comedy sketch show by Richard Nyeila, destined for a TV screen near you! Premiering at the empire and featuring some of the best comedic and acting talent around, including Richard Blackwood, Wayne Rollins, Glenda Jaxson, Annette Fagon and Babatunde.

The show will introduce a host of new comedy characters destined to appear on a TV screen near you!

MARIE LLOYD COMEDY CLUB

Every Monday (Excluding Bank Holidays)

MONDAY 18th MAY

8.00pm

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre's Marie Lloyd Bar

FREE ADMISSION

Compère Maureen Younger

With Special Guest Lateef Lovejoy &

Darren Phillips

Louise Scodie

Alistair Greaves

Rob Coleman

Damian kingsley

John Kearns

Judith Jacob Yabba Yabbas with friends

Sundays 17, 24, 31 May & 7 June

8.00pm

Venue: Studio Theatre

Price(s): £8.50

Come join Judith Jacob Yabba Yabbas with friends.

Experienced actress Judith talks to singers, actors and comedians to find out what makes them tick. Judith uses her infectious personality to interview two of her showbiz friends each night and ask the questions you've always wanted to know and those you didn't!

Guests include Felix Dexter, Janet Kay, Leo Muhammad, Curtis Walker, Wayne Marshall who will be sharing some of their most intimate and memorable experiences as well as giving a live performance. The night will also feature the freshest and hottest new talent.

17th May - Janet Kay and Felix Dexter + Guest

24th May - Leo Muhammad and Noel McKoy + Guest

31st May - Victor Romero Evans and Curtis Walker + Guest7th June - Tameka (3 Non Blondes) Empson and Wayne Marshall + Guest

Two Plays for Gaza

Thursday 21 May

7:30 pm

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre

Price(s): £15

A benefit for the Gaza Music School and Stop the War Coalition

Introduced by Tony Benn, music set by Reem Kalani

Seven Jewish Children

by Caryl Churchill (10 minute play)

The Trainer

by David Wilson & Anne Aylor (1 hour performed reading)

SEVEN JEWISH CHILDREN

Caryl Churchill's 10-minute play about the attack on Gaza was first performed at The Royal Court Theatre in February 2009. This is what Michael Billington had to say about it:

"The work consists of seven cryptic scenes in which parents, grandparents and relatives debate how much children should know and not know. It moves, implicitly, from the Holocaust to the foundation of the state of Israel through the sundry Middle East wars up to the invasion of Gaza.

At first, the advice indicates the deep divisions within Israel ("Tell her they want to drive us into the sea" / "Tell her they don't"); at the end, it becomes a ruthless justification for self-preservation ("Tell her we're the iron fist now, tell her it's the fog of war, tell her we won't stop killing them till we're safe.")

Churchill, I'm sure, would not deny the existence of fierce external, and internal, Jewish opposition to the attack on Gaza. What she captures, in remarkably condensed poetic form, is the transition that has overtaken Israel, to the point where security has become the pretext for indiscriminate slaughter. Avoiding overt didacticism, her play becomes a heartfelt lamentation for the future generations who will themselves become victims of the attempted military suppression of Hamas." The Guardian

THE TRAINER

After Keith Burstein's opera, with a libretto by Dic Edwards tells the story of Leila, a young Palestinian, who considers becoming a suicide bomber, but who then renounces violence to find an alternative way to fight oppression. The opera offers a vision of peace to the world.

This multi-media play is set in a posh gym in the bowels of a gentlemen's club frequented by Court of Appeal judges whose trainer is Leila, a young Palestinian who is studying law. Punctuated with excerpts from the opera, news footage from Gaza and inane Breakfast TV, the play not only deals with the Burstein bankruptcy, but attacks the absurdities of the UK terror laws and satirically warns of sleepwalking towards a police state.

It delivers a darkly comical comment on the justice system, while at the same time highlighting the struggles taking place both in Gaza and nearer home to defend humanity from barbarism.

The cast will include Tim Pigott-Smith, Corin Redgrave, ROGER LLOYD PACK (if available), JANA ZEINEDDINE Janie Dee and others. Percussionist: EUGENE SKEEF Director: TOM PLATTEN

Best of the Best Comedy Xplosion!!

22 & 23 May

9.00pm

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre

Price(s): £20 & £22

Heartbeat Entertainment proudly presents another two nights of top quality comedy. Starring international comedienne

Gina Yashere, live & direct from Los Angeles, and Real McKoy star Felix Dexter alongside the comeback comedy king Richard Blackwood. Gina has performed internationally and her Skinny B*tch DVD will be available to purchase at the shows.

Ferhat Göçer

24 May

7.30pm

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre

£25- £70

Divaa Productions bring you the first ever UK performance by the Turkish singer Ferhat Göçer

Feedback

27 - 28 May

Weds 27 @ 5.00m

Thurs 28 @ 11.00am, 2.00pm & 4.30pm

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre

Price(s): £14.50, Concs £2 off

Tune into the newest European music for kids from Muziektheatre Transparant. Join musician Bert Bernaerts and mime artist Rudi Galindo as they lead children through an interactive expedition into the universe of music using electronics and new technologies. Ordinary actions performed by some members of The Audience - cycling, jumping, drawing - lead to unexpected results, one thing leads to another and soon the air is filled with an interactive, visual concert suitable for everyone over the age of 6.

Feedback is back ! One of the highlights of The Great Indoors at Manchester International Festival in 2007, Feedback has won the prestigious Young Audience Music Award from the European Youth and Music Organisation.

The company has collaborated with Steim, the leading institute for electronic and improvised music in Amsterdam and Bert Bernaerts in Belgium to create original music for the production.

Co-commissioned by Philharmonie-Luxemburg 2007, Musik Triennale Köln, Manchester International Festival, Jeunesse Austria.

*ALSO PLAYING AT

artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, London N12 0GA

Saturday 30 & Sunday 31 May 2009, 12pm & 3pm

£12/ £10 concessions (£40 family ticket admits four)

020 8369 5454 / www.artsdepot.co.uk

Friends of Tafo present

Strictly Come Laughing - Hosted By Eddie Nestor

Sunday 31 May

8.00pm

Venue: Hackney Empire Theatre

Price: £15

A side splitting night of laughter with Eddie Nestor, Robbie Gee and Kat as your hosts featuring a host of comedians including Richard Blackwood, Slim and Felix Dexter plus many more. There will also be surprise guests from the world of television, film and music.

***All proceeds from the night will go to Kwahu-Tafo in Ghana.

 

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