We recently took a little trip to London to see the hit musical ‘Rock of Ages’ and just had to come straight back and rave to you all about our amazing time…If you were thinking of going to see something fun and love a bit of good old fashioned ROCK then look no further!

Rock of Ages is an absolute blast from start to finish. It has a fast paced mix of humour, touching scenes and of course a kick ass soundtrack!! It features familiar songs from all your favourite rock acts and we absolutely guarantee that you’ll be singing and dancing along by the end. We certainly were!

Be prepared to just embrace the fun and take in the silly antics which will leave you in fits of giggles. From the hilarious Stacee Jaxx to the equally awesome Drew, Sherrie, Denny Dupree and the unforgettable Lonny, your narrator for the night.

Each and every one of the performances, from the leading roles to the ensemble and the band were faultless. They are believable, full of emotion and you find yourself completely immersed in your own little bubble of rocking great tunes!

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ROCK OF AGES the musical is written by Chris D’Arienzo, directed by Kristin Hanggi and choreographed by Kelly Devine. Scenic design is by Beowulf Boritt, costume design is by Tony Award nominee Gregory Gale, lighting design is by Jason Lyons, sound design is by Tony Award nominee Peter Hylenski, and projection design is by Zachary Borovay.

Five times nominated for the prestigious Tony Awards in the US (including ‘Best Musical’), ROCK OF AGES the musical is a celebration of Los Angeles rock culture, with a great story to boot. Set in 1987, a small town girl meets a big city rocker in LA’s most famous rock club and they fall in love to some of the greatest songs of the decade – all classic tracks which will have London rockin’ for more.
A much anticipated film of the musical, directed by Adam Shankman (Hairspray), is now well into production, starring Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin and Tom Cruise.

LONDON CAST:
Leading cast:

Dennis Dupree – Justin Lee Collins
Stacee Jaxx/Father – Shayne Ward
Drew – Oliver Tompsett
Sherrie – Natalie Andreou
Lonny – Simon Lipkin
Hertz – Rohan Tickell
Justice/Mother – Rachel McFarlane Regina/Candi – Jodie Jacobs
Franz – Sandy Moffat
Mayor/Ja’Keith Gill – Nathan Amzi Ensemble – Natalie Andreou

Ensemble – Grant Anthony
Ensemble – Carly Mercedes Dyer
Ensemble – Cordelia Farnworth
Ensemble – Ian McIntosh
Waitress #1 – Twinnie-Lee Moore
Ensemble – Jamie Muscato
Ensemble – Andrew Spillett
Reporter – Zizi Strallen
Young Groupie – Amy Thornton
Joey Primo/Sleazy Producer – Dylan Turner

Tickets for ROCK OF AGES are available from THE SHAFTESBURY THEATRE: Box Office: 020 7379 5399 or at www.rockofagesmusical.co.uk.

Performance Times:

Tuesday to Friday at 7.30pm
Saturday at 4pm and 8pm
Sunday at 3.30pm and 7pm

Rock of Ages will last approximately 2 hours 30 minutes including an interval.

Show contains adult themes. Parental guidance recommended.
Tickets are priced from: £20

Further Information: Shaftesbury Theatre Details:

Box Office: 020 7379 5399
Postal: 210 Shaftesbury Avenue, London. WC2H 8DP
http://www.shaftesburytheatre.com

U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Zac Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive — a photograph he found of a woman he doesn’t even know. Learning her name is Beth (Taylor Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job at her family-run local kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm.

Trailer: 

The Lucky One releases 2nd May 2012 from Warner Bros. Pictures

This heart pounding thriller follows a young American (Henry Cavill), whose family is kidnapped whilst on vacation in Spain. A cat and mouse chase ensues, but time is running out.

The Cold Light of Day is in cinemas April 6.

Trailer:

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter explores the secret life of one of the greatest US presidents, and the untold story that shaped a nation. Visionary filmmakers Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov (director of Wanted) bring a fresh and visceral voice to the bloodthirsty lore of the vampire, imagining Lincoln as history’s greatest hunter of the undead.

 Trailer:

 

Screenplay by: Seth Grahame-Smith, based on his novel Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Producer: Tim Burton

Release Date: August 3rd in 3D

Certificate: TBC

Running Time: TBC

Director: Timur Bekmambetov

Cast: Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

One day Leopold encounters a group of Jews trying to escape the liquidation of the ghetto and agrees to hide them for money in the labyrinth of the town’s sewers. But what starts out as a straightforward and cynical business arrangement soon turns into something very unexpected, as the unlikely alliance between Leopold and the Jews seeps deeper into his conscience and they form an incredibly close bond. An extraordinary story of survival and the inherent capacity for love held deep within the human soul, In Darkness is an emotional tour de force that will stay with audiences for years to come

 Trailer:

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In Darkness is released March 16th

In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss’ young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives.

TRAILER:

The Hunger Games is released March 23rd 2012.

Alcatraz is the latest hit US drama produced by JJ Abrams (Lost, Star Trek, Super 8) and hits UKTV channel Watch again Tomorrow; Tuesday at 9. America’s most notorious and infamous prison inmates are back, and seeking revenge…

Episode 1:
The intense Alcatraz opener sees young San Francisco Police Department detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) assigned to a grisly homicide case, a single fingerprint leading her to a shocking suspect: Jack Sylvane (Jeffrey Pierce), an Alcatraz inmate who died over 30 years ago.

With both her grandfather and surrogate uncle, Ray Archer (Robert Forster), once guards of the prison — Madsen’s interest is immediately piqued, and once the enigmatic, knows-everything-but-tells-nothing government agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) tries to impede her investigation, she’s doggedly committed.

Madsen turns to Alcatraz expert and comic book enthusiast Dr. Diego “Doc” Soto (Jorge Garcia) to piece together the inexplicable sequence of events. The two discover that Sylvane is not only alive, but he’s loose on the streets of San Francisco, exacting decades-old revenge and leaving bodies in his wake. And, strangely, he hasn’t aged a day since 1963.

Will detective Madsen and Soto team with Hauser and his technician, Lucy Banerjee (Parminder Nagra) in an attempt to stop Sylvane’s killing?

Episode 1 Clip:

Gallery:

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Interviews with Jorge Garcia, Parminder Nagra and Sarah Jones

Episode 2:

After a grizzly opening to the series, the mystery and intrigue surrounding the appearance of in-mates previously presumed dead continues… Whilst Detective Rebecca Madsen and Doc Soto remain suspicious over FBI Agent Hauser’s true motives, havoc is taking over the streets of San Francisco…

A terrifying sniper begins targeting young victims, and the team are forced to group and retrace his history in order to uncover his mysterious past – but will they, can they, cooperate before it’s too late?

The story is based on the real ‘Wichita Sniper’ imprisoned in Alcatraz, infamous for seemingly random shootings at members of the public before going underground. (More info about the real Ernest Cobb here:  http://alcatraz.wikia.com/wiki/Ernest_Cobb ).

Episode 2 Clip:

Episode 2 of Alcatraz airs tomorrow night on Watch at 9:00 PM

Do you love your partner, but just can’t carry on? Can’t think of hurting them –so want THEM to break up with YOU? Jason Granger explains during an exert from smash hit sensation –Holly’s inbox, a 5 week plan to ensure your guilt free break up!!!

Read it here: Holly’s Inbox-Jason’s-amazing-break-up-guide

Welcome to Holly’s Inbox; the smash-hit romantic comedy about Holly Denham – a receptionist on a mission…Ever wanted to peek at someone else’s emails?

Meet Holly Denham. It’s her first day as a receptionist at a City investment bank and, with no corporate front-of-house experience, Holly is struggling to keep up. Add to this her mad friends, dysfunctional family and gossipy colleagues, and Holly’s inbox is a daily source of drama, laughter, scandal and even romance. But Holly’s been keeping a secret from everyone – and the past is about to catch up with her…

Read our Holly’s Inbox Review for more info!

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done to get yourself dumped…..?

Voted “MOST POPULAR BRITISH MUSICAL OF ALL TIME” by New York Times readers

“You’ve never seen a musical like BLOOD BROTHERS. Every night of the week audiences stand and cheer.
See it for yourself and understand why.” New York Times

The Bristol Hippodrome - Monday 20th February – Saturday 3rd March 2012

Following sell out seasons in the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan, the international smash hit musical BLOOD BROTHERS continues to tour the UK. Hailed as one of the best musicals of all time,

BLOOD BROTHERS has triumphed across the globe. Scooping up no less than four awards for best musical in London and seven Tony Award nominations on Broadway, BLOOD BROTHERS is simply unmissable and unbeatable. This epic tale of Liverpool life has been running in London’s West End, since July 1988 and touring the UK since 1995.

BLOOD BROTHERS tells the captivating and moving story of twin boys separated at birth, only to be reunited, by a twist of fate and a mother’s haunting secret. The memorable score includes A Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.

When Mrs Johnstone, a young mother, is deserted by her husband and left to her own devices to provide for seven hungry children she takes a job as a housekeeper in order to make ends meet.

It is not long before her brittle world crashes around her when she discovers herself to be pregnant yet again – this time with twins! In a moment of weakness and desperation, she enters a secret pact with her employer which leads inexorably to the show’s shattering climax. A sensational cast, incredible show stopping music, remarkable staging and five star performances make BLOOD BROTHERS an enthralling night of entertainment.

WILLY RUSSELL is undeniably one of this country’s leading contemporary dramatists. His countless credits include EDUCATING RITA and SHIRLEY VALENTINE. EDUCATING RITA, originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, enjoyed a two year run in the West End and was made into a movie starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters. SHIRLEY VALENTINE also made the move from stage to screen in an enormously popular film starring Pauline Collins and Tom Conti.

BLOOD BROTHERS is directed by BOB TOMSON and BILL KENWRIGHT with designs by ANDY WALMSLEY. MARK HOWETT is the lighting designer; BEN HARRISON is the sound designer. ROD EDWARDS is the musical supervisor and KELVIN TOWSE is the production musical director.

BLOOD BROTHERS
Starring Maureen Noleen
Monday 20th February – Saturday 3rd March
Tickets: £14.50 – £38.50
Concessions available at certain performances
http://www.kenwright.com/

On December 6th 2011 we attended the 2011 Alfie Boe tour at Bristol Colston Hall. What an amazing event!

Regardless of whether or not you are a fan of classical music, you needn’t worry. Alfie delivers a wide range of songs to suit everyone and his astounding voice takes each one and makes it his own, in his beautiful and charming way.

I came along with my husband, mum and 8yr old daughter so I can definitely vouch that people from all age ranges will enjoy the show! Alfie has a natural, friendly and easy-going stage presence that instantly makes you feel right at home. Despite the venue being very large, things felt surprisingly intimate. There was much laughter as Alfie joked with the audience and the orchestra and everyone was certainly in high spirits all the way through the performance.

Alfie Boe has an instantly recognisable voice; it is simply breath-taking. It is shown off to its absolute best potential on well chosen tracks from both of his albums and of course a little treat for all the Les Mis fans out there.

Highlights of the show for us had to be the stunning ‘Bring Him Home’ which brought the whole audience to tears and to their feet for a rapturous standing ovation. We also loved ‘Tell me it’s not True’ and a very beautiful, festive rendition of ‘Have yourself a Merry little Christmas’ which really did get everyone into the Christmas spirit!

There was much singing, dancing and some audience participation at the end and somehow my 8yr old daughter even ended up on stage with another younger audience member during the final song. She got a hug and a kiss from Alfie (which made her whole night!) and danced along happily alongside him. What a guy!

In short, if you are looking for an evening of entertainment, a voice that will leave you absolutely blown away and a fantastic atmosphere then get yourself to one of the amazing Alfie Boe tour dates linked in full HERE . You WILL have a blast!

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Find out more on the Official Alfie Boe Website