Performing arts for kids. Drama, Dance, musical theatre, film making. Release confidence! Have fun! No 2 weeks are the same! When Hayley and Kelle set up Lemon Jelly in 2007, their aim was to provide a safe and fun environment for children to experience everything that the world of performing arts could offer, essential skills for life (not just a career in the arts). Hayley and Kelle both trained at one of the most famous drama schools in the world, Italia Conti Academy of Theatre arts. Following their exceptional training and an exciting career in all areas of the industry, they now proudly pass on their valuable experience and knowledge to many young people. With over 1000 children attending their classes every week, Lemon Jelly is living up to its aspiration of giving confidence to as many kids as they possibly can through performing arts! Contact via our website or social media
The White Bears latest production Take Off Your Cornflakes had its first of two press nights this evening (4th June) to which it saw Mark Lockyer leave the stage to rapturous applause. After performing to sellout audiences across Ireland in 2019 the production is currently making its UK premiere.
London bus driver Tom (Mark Lockyer) begins his journey of early-onset dementia in an upbeat, comedic manner keen to reassure his wife Trish that he isn’t going to be beaten by this. However, at the young age of 53, this cruel disease slowly ebbs away at his memory during the 60-minute performance.
Fulfilling the two roles alongside one another was outstanding. Trish’s character was depicted by a slight rise in Lockyer’s tone of voice and subtle feminine mannerisms which allowed the audience to follow whose monologue was centre stage at any one time. We follow the couple’s up and downs in a compassionate and heartfelt performance as this cruel condition takes over and destroys their world.
The abstract patchwork stage setting is a touch of genius in my opinion. Each of these patches has been stitched together off centre (as seen in the photo above) characterizing fragments of how Tom’s memories return to him in sections during his clearer moments. Piecing together the life he once lived which is decreasing fast.
As Lockyer delivers an outstanding performance as husband and wife Tom and Trish. We understand how dementia is affecting their life and relationship through the couple’s correspondence to their long-standing friends who have moved to Australia. The couple explaining separately how their lives are changing beyond recognition.
Take off Your Cornflakes was originally set on the buses in Dublin by writers Rose Henderson and Pat Nolan when it was first performed at the Dublin Fringe Festival in 2017. Lockyer’s idea to adapt and place Tom on the iconic big red London buses brings this incredible play to a new audience.
Director Michael Kingsbury has brought to stage a compassionate love story. From his eye for detail in the fantastic patchwork staging to the dual roles played by Lockyer all come together to take the audience on an emotional and educational journey into the heartbreaking world of dementia, through the eyes of the patient and the loved ones left alone to watch helplessly as the symptoms of dementia take hold and destroy their daily lives.
Productions and performances such as these remind me why I passionately support the Fringe Theatres. Please use the link below for further information and to book tickets.
Today, Thursday 10 June 2021, Creative Scotland announces details of £25m additional emergency funds to help cultural organisations and venues prevent insolvency or significant job losses due to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. This funding was confirmed by the Scottish Government on 02 June.
£13m will be made available through a further round of Creative Scotland’s Culture Organisations and Venues Recovery Fund and £12m through a further round of the Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund.
Both funds will be open to previous recipients of funding from the first round who are in need of further emergency support and new applicants that were eligible for the first round who are now in need of emergency support.
Both funds will also include an option for urgent payment of a proportion of the emergency funding being applied for, to support any organisations who are at immediate risk of insolvency.
Full guidance is published today, the funds will open for applications on 17 June and close for applications on 24 June. Any urgent emergency payments to mitigate risk of immediate insolvency will be made from 01 July, with further payments being made from the end of July, following full assessment.
Iain Munro, Creative Scotland Chief Executive said:
“We very much welcome this much needed additional emergency funding to support Scotland’s cultural organisations and performing arts venues, who continue to deal with the challenge of closure or partial closure due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic.
“Following confirmation from the Scottish Government on 02 June, everyone at Creative Scotland is working as quickly as possible to deliver this funding. As reflects the seriousness of the situation, this includes early payment of a proportion of funds to any organisation at immediate risk of insolvency.”
Jenny Gilruth, Culture Minister said:
“The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the culture sector has been profound, and the Scottish Government is determined to support the sector and performing arts venues as they continue to deal with its consequences.
“Which is why I am pleased that this further £25 million of additional emergency funds will now be available to support cultural organisations and venues address their urgent and critical needs.”
Posted on 11/06/2021
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Author: Samuel Beckett, directed by Roxana Ciurean A radio play available on Vimeo
Nottinghamshire
Venue: ONLINE
Box Office: Book your FREE tickets for Bluebird via TicketSource This is an audio performance and you will receive a link 24 hours before the booked performance date. The broadcast platform is YouTube for which you do not need to have an account. You simply need to click the link to listen via your phone, computer, web-enabled TV, or other device. You should use the link only at the time and date specified. If you log in early you may need to try again at the exact performance time. Do not worry if you miss the start, as you will be able to re-wind to the beginning and listen to the whole performance. You can listen on the performance date booked, but the link you receive will not work on any other day. You may receive other emails confirming your booking, but only the email from the West Bridgford Dramatic Society will contain the valid link for your show.
28 29 30 July 2021 Time 7.30pm
Samuel Beckett’s ‘All That Fall’ is a radio drama commissioned by the BBC in 1956 and first broadcast on the Third Programme in 1957. Marking the arrival of the avant-garde and experimental drama on the BBC in the second half of the 20th Century, Beckett’s first use of radio in the production of a play caused a profound shift in the aesthetics of listening. First in a growing body of work, ‘All That Fall’ had far-reaching implications, from the technological advances in the BBC radio drama broadcasting to the contemporary-classical music of Phillip Glass. Above all, it explored the aural-centered relationship between the act of external listening (of sounds, music, and silences) and internal hearing (of character and listener’s inner voices) which is still inspiring today. The play follows the agonizing journey of elderly Maddy Rooney as she ventures along a country road to surprise her blind husband at the train station for his birthday. Along the way she meets an array of local people, some of them friendly, some of them not so much, all traveling in the same direction. When Maddy finally arrives at the station she is disconcerted to find her husband’s train is late. This event prompts much speculation and worry from Mrs. Rooney and other people at the station. When the train finally arrives, Mr. Rooney is cold and distant. Their slow and precarious journey back home is punctuated with Mr. Rooney’s tale of what happened to delay the service. But his account of the event and the half explanation that follows only increase its uncertainty and vagueness, leaving the audience once again in the dark.
Posted 10/05/2021
Recently Posted Events
Show Stopper The Musical
UK The Actors Centre
FREE Diversity Workshops – Actors
July 13th or July 20th 10.30am – 4.30pm
Are you an ethnically diverse actor or improviser who would like to learn how to improvise a musical? Showstopper! The Improvised Musical are holding a full day workshop* on July 13th and 20th and we’d love you to join us for one of them. The Olivier-award winning Showstoppers will share with you how to improvise musical theatre, on the spot. Through a series of exercises and scene work that use skills you already have, as well as new skills that we’ll share with you, you’ll gain the tools that are needed to improvise scenes, songs and choreography. The ability to improvise is increasingly in demand by all aspects of theatre, so even if you’re not planning to do this professionally, you will have added a wealth of techniques to your arsenal, techniques that will assist you in auditions, make you sought after for R&Ds, and will prove invaluable when devising and/or writing projects. Come play with The Showstoppers and refresh those performance skills that might have been laying dormant while our theatres have been closed. Who is it for? Ethnically diverse performers who are interested in exploring the world of theatrical improvisation. How do I apply? Email workshopsinfo@showstopperthemusical.com with your Spotlight pin or CV, your preferred date and why you would like to take part. Places are limited to 12 and the closing date for applications is June 25th. Places will be offered on a first come, first served basis, whilst taking into consideration gender balance. If needed, we will have a waiting list. *If restrictions are not lifted, we will have to reduce to half day workshops due to limited capacity under covid restrictions. If this happens, we will contact all participants in good time. These workshops are supported by Arts Council England and the government’s Cultural Recovery Fund.
Jazz Hands Glasgow Productions is sharing a COVID-19 update.
We are all super excited to me finally allowed to Relaunch Tomorrow Evening for Excisiting Members Only to continue working on our fabulous Pantomime The Wizard of Oz by James Barry.
We are still looking for people to audition for the parts of Dorothy and King/Queen of Munchkin Land.
AUDITION FOR OUR PRODUCTION OF RENT Audition info! If you’d like to know more or audition read on!
Email auditions@festoontheatrecompany.co.uk to get sent the audition form Audition materials will be sent out once form is complete Auditions will be required to be self taped and sent to us by the close date. You must be a member in order to audition (You can do this via the website) Ensemble to be cast from auditions GOOD LUCK!!
Wanted: An experienced STAGE DIRECTOR/MANAGER to help establish and run the Kent Summerhouse Players with a view to staging plays, written by the founder Colin Fantham, from 2022.
Kent Summerhouse Players is an unincorporated association, based in Dartford, Kent, bringing local amateur drama talent to local theatres.
I have a number of copies of well known plays, (in good condition) looking for a home. These include Noel Coward, ‘ Private Lives’ and Chekhov ‘ The Cherry Orchard’ and various others.
Do you know of any group that would like them? If so, please get in touch, my email is: elnorton49@gmail.com
I was wondering if this chair would be any good sorry about the photo. This would make a excellent throne. The eggs cross over and are covered in velvet. It is free . I live in Gravesend. I think it would make wonderful prop.
Rachel is a London based vocal coach and founder of The Sing Space,. She is fondly named, "the voice whisperer," by the singers she works with, due to her rigorously technical yet accessible approach to singing training which is based on the belief that you must understand your instrument in order to set it free and allow you to give yourself over to the music.
She works with recording artists and West End performers and has been studying the voice for over 20 years. As a performer, she spent 10 years playing leading roles in the West End and internationally. She is also the founder of The Sing Space , a busy voice studio, which matches singers with some of London's top coaches.
Contact: via our website or social media
Recently Posted Musicians Required, Music Services, Music Swap
St Louis Catholic Academy
UK Fordham Road, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 7AA
I am looking for a music teacher to deliver lessons at St Louis Catholic Academy.
Community Theatre Plays offers an array of hilarious scripts ideal for older, mostly-female casts. Amateur theatres welcome!
Alberta, Canada
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Latest from our Advice Column Click here for the complete Advice Column
Post 68
Recent Post from one of our readers - 05/10/2020
Name: Claire Brown
Hi, I’m not sure if this is the right place to enquire, so apologies in advance if so.
I am trying to find info on a distant relative. I have a newspaper cutting saying she belonged to the West Sussex players. She played in The Queen and the Rebels, I think early 60’s, and Witness for the prosecution in 1959. Her name is Elizabeth Marriott.
Is there any kind of archive for past plays/actors and actresses in amateur dramatics? Or could you point in a direction where I might find more info, would love to know what other parts she played.
Many thanks,
Claire
Peter's response:
Hi Claire,
I'm afraid I don't have any information on the West Sussex Players and I don't know of any archive for actors / actresses appearing in amateur theatre. Certainly in the early 60s there wouldn't have been digital records. I have found a website http://www.westsussex.info/theatre-groups.shtml West Sussex info which contains a section on theatre groups. I couldn't see the Players listed but they may have someone on staff who might remember?
I will post your query in the #Advice section of www.dramagroups.com asking anyone who is able to help to contact you directly via your email address.
I wish you luck in your search and would be interested to hear if you are successful in tracking your relative down.
I’m Amanda. I’m currently doing make up artistry at West College Scotland. I am in my first year level 6.
I am looking for any work experience I could do. Anything at all would be great. Any local groups who need makeup artists for their productions do please get in touch.
At Create Studios, we have 5 bespoke studios available for hire, which is perfect for Drama Groups/Dance groups. We have many rehearsals take place at our Studios, and our welcoming staff are always happy to help and go the extra mile for those in the Creative Industry! If you have an event coming up in the future,or would like somewhere to rehearse and perform shows etc, Create Studios might be the perfect place!
We're located in Clarendon Park, Leicester. Create is somewhat like a tar-dis as you don't realise just how big it is until you walk inside!
With our bespoke studios, we have great working spaces for freelancers and groups to use for their creative purposes. Additionally, we have had an influx of musicians booking in with us as we offer a great music room for lessons and rehearsals in Studio 2, as well as larger choirs who rehearse in our larger studios for events.
