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

The World History of Animation is a global history of animation that is lavishly illustrated and presented as an instantly accessible graphical timeline that breaks down the last century into a readily digestible format.

The book will appeal to both core enthusiasts and the growing number of casual fans that are fascinated by the genre.The foreword is written by one of the fastest growing stars in the world of animation Academy Award nominated Sylvain Chomet, the director of Belleville Rendez-Vous and The Illusionist.The book includes animation from western mainstream to world cinema encompassing the experimental avant-garde right up to the most populist films and videogames.

It documents the myriad of dynamic styles, techniques, much loved characters and stories delivered as films, TV serials, commercials, videogames and on the internet. The World History of Animation is designed to be original and serious enough to appeal to animation professionals whilst being colourful and digestible enough for the casual reader.Organized chronologically and broken into three sections, the Film age, the Television age and the Digital age, amongst the topics its content spans are the cinema pioneers, the early European experimentalists,  the birth of industrialized animation, the Golden Age of Disney and Warner Bros, WW2 propaganda, the modernist rebels of the 1950s, the West Coast beatnik underground avant-garde, Yellow Submarine and the psychedelic sixties, the rise of Asian Anime, and early computer pioneers up right up to the massively popular digital features of Pixar.

Along the way this incredible story is populated by the many masterpieces and maverick geniuses that drove this history forwards.Author Stephen Cavalier said “I felt that the current books on the market whilst often brilliant and extensive could be quite dry and academic or exclusively focused on certain regions or styles. I wanted to write the sort of book that was accessible, inclusive and talked about all the wild possibilities of the animation universe as a whole, the inspirational geniuses that have created those possibilities and the amazing wide open journey of discovery and experimentation that is the story of animation. The kind of book I would have enjoyed as much as an interested teenager as I would as an animation professional”
Fact Sheet:

• Released September 12th
• SRP £40 (Hardback)
• Global History of Animation
• Covers 100 years +
• Accessible structure and writing style
• Short  separate articles meaning digestible chunks of information
• Forward written by Sylvain Chomet (Belle Ville Rondevouz and the Illusionist.
• Lavishly illustrated and beautifully designed
• Laid out graphically as one big timeline for instant visual comprehension
• Divided into three eras; Film Era, TV Era and Digital Era
• Includes Biogs of the visionaries who have shaped this history
• Demonstrates how politics and world events affected the animation industry
• Shows the influence of 20th century fashion and popular culture on animation and how animation in turn often influenced the wider culture.
• Covers o Mainstream o Experimental o World Cinemao TV series o Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks Blockbusterso Underground curiositieso Asian Animeo Early Cinema Pioneerso Avant-gardeo Cult Classicso Video Games o Insane Works of Personal Obsession.

Topics:-

The split in animation between the differing approaches of realism on one hand and stylized cartoon surrealism on the other. This divide is obvious today but is not, as is often assumed, a new debate, and in fact has been raging since the beginning of the animation industry and we can perhaps learn from history’s lessons. That animation has perhaps come full circle in many ways from its primitive fairground sideshow roots during the birth of cinema to modern day ‘rollercoaster ride’ blockbusters. That animation is not a narrow field of formulaic kids bubblegum, it is a ‘big tent’, a wide open horizon of a countless styles, techniques approaches and types of story, limited literally only by human imagination. If we look at history we see that audiences have always readily accepted it as this, have been excited by these possibilities and been open to and eager to experience the many different journeys that are possible through the medium.
A great read, beautifully illustrated and fascinating to look through! One to come back to time and time again. Simply stunning!

It’s back, better and even bitchier than ever in Season 5

Be one of the first to see the new series of hit TV show Gossip Girl as Season 5 arrives in the UK on iTunes on 27th September, just the day after it returns to US TV screens! Every Tuesday a new episode will be available to download ensuring fans are up-to-date with all the action as it airs stateside, and before it heads back to ITV2.

The new season opens in LA, where a vacationing Chuck (Ed Westwick) and Nate (Chace Crawford), decide to visit Serena (Blake Lively). Back in New York, Blair (Leighton Meester) learns that planning a royal wedding can be stressful, and Dan (Penn Badgely) discovers the consequences of writing candidly about his closest friends. While a surprise return of cousin Charlie (Kaylee DeFer) could threaten to destroy the Van der Woodsen family…

Don’t miss out and head to iTunes every Tuesday from 27th September to download a new episode http://www.apple.com/itunes/. Gossip Girl Season 5 returns to ITV2 this autumn..

“Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s production of CRAZY FOR YOU is simply glorious and I’m so delighted it’s transferring to the West End, where even more people will have the opportunity to enjoy it as thoroughly as I did”.  – Dame Judi Dench, Board Member, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre smash hit Gershwin musical CRAZY FOR YOU will transfer to London’s West End, opening at the Novello Theatre on Saturday 8 October.   Cameron Mackintosh, who was full of praise when he saw the show in Regent’s Park, is thrilled to be able to play host to the production in one of his theatres.  CRAZY FOR YOU reunites director Timothy Sheader and choreographer Stephen Mear, who were responsible for the multi-award winning production of Hello, Dolly!.

CRAZY FOR YOU, with book by Ken Ludwig, is one of the most joyous musicals, with a Gershwin score containing some of the brothers’ most beautiful and memorable songs, including I Got Rhythm, Someone to Watch Over Me, Embraceable You, They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Shall We Dance, But Not For Me, and Nice Work If You Can Get It.

The entire company of the Regent’s Park production will star in the West End run, led by theatre veterans Harriet Thorpe and David Burt, and introducing to the British stage the highly respected Broadway performer, Sean Palmer as Bobby Child, alongside Clare Foster as Polly Baker, Kim Medcalf as Irene Roth and Michael McKell as Lank.  The sets and costumes are by Peter McKintosh, who also designed the Open Air Theatre’s Hello, Dolly!, as well as The 39 Steps, Butley, Love Story and Luise Miller, amongst others.  Lighting design is by Tim Mitchell.

The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production of CRAZY FOR YOU is being produced in the West End by Mark Goucher, Adam Spiegel and William Village.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

CRAZY FOR YOU

Music and lyrics by GEORGE GERSHWIN and IRA GERSHWIN
Book by KEN LUDWIG
Based on the Original Broadway and West End Choreography by SUSAN STROMAN
Co-conception by KEN LUDWIG and MIKE OCKRENT
Inspired by material by GUY BOLTON and JOHN McGOWAN
Originally produced on Broadway by ROGER HORCHOW and ELIZABETH WILLIAMS

Novello Theatre
5 Aldwych
London WC2B 4LD

Box Office:  0844 482 5171

Performances:  Mondays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, Thursdays and Saturdays at 3.00pm*
(First Thursday matinee 20 October, extra 3pm matinee Tuesday 25 October)

Running Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Tickets:   £25.00 – £62.50*
(all ticket prices include a £1 restoration levy)

Day Seats:  £25.00 front row stalls seats available from the Box Office, in person, from 10am on day of performance, limited to 2 per person

Box Office opens 9 September

Current Booking Period:  until 28 July 2012

Website:  www.crazyforyouthemusical.com

During afternoon tea there is a shift in the air,
A bone trembling chill that tells you she’s there,
There are those who believe that the whole town is cursed,
That the house in the marsh is by far the worst,
What she wants is unknown but she always comes back,
The spectre of darkness, The Woman in Black.

Based on the classic ghost story, THE WOMAN IN BLACK tells the tale of Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a lawyer who is forced to leave his young son and travel to a remote village to attend to the affairs of the recently deceased owner of Eel Marsh House.

Working alone in the old mansion, Kipps begins to uncover the town’s tragic and tortured secrets and his fears escalate when he discovers that local children have been disappearing under mysterious circumstances.  When those closest to him become threatened by the vengeful woman in black, Kipps must find a way to break the cycle of terror.

THE WOMAN IN BLACK also stars Ciaran Hinds (TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY) and Janet McTeer (TUMBLEWEEDS), was adapted from Susan Hill’s novel for the screen by Jane Goldman (KICK ASS) and directed by James Watkins (EDEN LAKE).

The Woman in Black will be released by Momentum Pictures on 10th February 2012.

The end has come for an eternal love story. Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch. Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities she has been branded as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste… 
Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition. He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets. Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking— and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head wielding a magic so intense, it’s as though he can see straight into her soul.

As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she’s left with more questions than answers. She has no idea just who he really is – or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is she’s falling deeply and helplessly in love with him. Beginning with Evermore (released in the UK on 7th July, 2011) their story unfolds as Ever and Damen face down dangerous rivals, jealous friends and their own worst fears—all in the hope of being together forever.

Now in the final book Everlasting, their destiny is just within reach. Will they be united . . . or torn apart forever? Everlasting is the sixth and final instalment of the epic love story that has enchanted readers across the world. Readers will at last discover the truth in this anxiously awaited conclusion! What if forever isn’t enough?

We love the Immortals series! They are absolutely perfect for fans of books such as Twilight and The Vampire Diaries. They give a slightly new twist on the supernatural genre and are easy going and fun to read.

Young adults will love following Ever and Damen’s rocky road to love and keeping up with their adventures is exciting and pretty addictive! Check out Ever’s cool ‘Aura Chart’ below. She can see people’s Aura (much to her annoyance at first!) and there’s a special meaning behind each!

Ever’s Aura colour chart:
Red: Energy, strength, anger, sexuality, passion, fear, ego
Orange: Self-control, ambition, courage, thoughtfulness, lack of will, apathetic
Yellow: Optimistic, happy, intellectual, friendly, indecisive, easily led
Green:Peaceful, healing, compassion, deceitful, jealousBlue: Spiritual, loyal, creative, sensitive, kind, moody
Violet: Highly spiritual, wisdom, intuition
Indigo: Benevolence, highly intuitive, seekerPink: Love, sincerity, friendship
Gray: Depression, sadness, exhaustion, low energy, skepticism
Brown: Greed, self-involvement, opinionated
Black: Lacking energy, illness, imminent death
White: Perfect balance

Find out more about the series: AlysonNoel.co.uk
Chat with other fans: facebook.com/immortalsbooks
Meet other book lovers: mykindabook.com

Everlasting is available to purchase in the UK on 7th July, 2011

This new single, taken from Olly’s forthcoming second album (due out later this year), features hotly tipped Brighton duo Rizzle Kicks.

Olly said: “Heart Skips A Beat marks the start of the next chapter for me. The song has a new sound, and getting Rizzle Kicks to feature on it was the icing on the cake. Those guys are amazing!
The single will be released with the b-side ‘On My Cloud’, another new song co-written by Olly with Sam Preston and Mark Taylor.

Take That and Constantin Film/Impact Pictures jointly announced today that the new single from the group, ‘When We Were Young’ (taken from their No.1 album ‘Progressed’) will be the theme song of the upcoming feature film adaptationTHE THREE MUSKETEERS, Constantin Film/Impact Pictures’ highly anticipated 3D action-adventure that rolls into theatres this fall.

Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams were inspired to write the ballad after a private screening of the film in Los Angeles with the film’s director Paul W.S. Anderson, when asked about the new single Gary said: “The film is visually so rich and beautiful that our main challenge was to then match it musically. We’ve returned to guitars, real pianos and a conventional song structure to achieve this. We also thought that the Musketeers reminded us of ourselves.”

The release of ‘When We Were Young’, set to be the last single taken from the band’s Progress studio sessions, in conjunction with the hotly anticipated film, comes at a busy time for the super group, who are currently in the middle of their record breaking Progress Live Tour, which finishes at the end of July. The tour that will see them play to over 1.6 million people and will see them play eight nights at Wembley Stadium breaking Michael Jackson’s previous record for the Bad Tour in 1988. As well as the tour the boys also announced the release of a double disc album entitled‘Progressed’ which came out on June 13th through Polydor Records and went straight to the top of the UK album chart. The new tracks were released as a package alongside the band’s record-breaking album ‘Progress’ which is on a separate disc of this two CD set.

Take That’s Progress Live 2011 tour became the biggest tour in UK and Irish history when a record breaking 1.34 million tickets were snapped up in less than 24 hours of going on sale.  The band smashed their previous box office record set in 2008 with The Circus Live Tour, more than doubling their own record for sales in a single day.  850,000 tickets went on sale at 9am on October 29, 2010 and throughout the day the band added a further 11 dates to cope with demand. For those that didn’t manage to get a ticket, or if you did and want to relive the magic again, the band are releasing a DVD of one of the Wembley shows later this year.

Between them, Take That and Robbie Williams have sold over 80 million albums, had 14 number one albums, 18 number one singles, played to over 14.5 million people live, won 20 BRIT Awards, eight MTV awards and five Ivor Novello awards; and the list goes on. Their critically acclaimed 2010 album, Progress, has now sold in excess of two million copies.

The new single, ‘When We Were Young’ goes to radio on Monday July 11th and is available digitally now through Polydor Records.

Luke Treadaway (Brothers of the Head, Clash of the Titans) stars as strutting indie star Adam, one half of globally successful duo The Make. Arriving at the T in the Park music festival for his latest gig Adam finds himself accidentally handcuffed to Morello, played by Natalia Tena (Mrs. Henderson Presents, Harry Potter), lead singer for all girl punk band The Dirty Pink’s . With no key in sight the feuding pair have to get through the weekend as best they can delivering not one but two performances whilst having to placate a jealous girlfriend, an angry boyfriend and a lunatic manager. This is one weekend they will never forget.

YOU INSTEAD is a free-wheeling, rock ‘n’ roll romantic comedy set against an unforgettable lost weekend at a music festival, filled with lust, mud, betrayal, portaloos and a hundred thousand people partying to the greatest music in the world.

Starring Luke Treadaway and Natalia Tena alongside Ruta Gedmintas (Lip Service), Sophie Wu (Kick Ass), Gavin Mitchell (Still Game) and Alastair Mackenzie (Perfect Sense).

Directed by David Mackenzie (Perfect Sense, Hallam Foe, Young Adam), and produced by Gillian Berrie (Perfect Sense, Red Road, Hallam Foe, Dogville) for Sigma Films. The film is from a script by award winning painter and novelist (but first time screenwriter) Thomas Leveritt.