The season ahead: Private Lives

by Site Admin on Friday, December 21, 2007
Make first comment on this post

STAC productions

When the stock of mince pies is depleated and the pile of unwanted presents has been sold on via Ebay, we’ll all be looking for something else to divert our attention from the winter duldrums. So what’s on at the Swan Theatre after Christmas, I hear you chorus?

The answer is here! Over the Christmas period the STAC blog will cover our next three productions all due in the new year.

In addition to monthly Children’s Theatre, we have no less than three varied shows for bigger people coming up in winter and spring 2008:

• Private Lives by Noel Coward is in February
• Closer by Patrick Marber in March (in the Studio)
• The Blue Room by David Hare at the end of April/beginning of May

First up, Private Lives…

(more…)

Christmas “Centre Stage”

by Site Admin on Friday, December 14, 2007
Make first comment on this post

Newspapers, Worcester Live

 

Chris Jaeger’s Centre Stage column in the Worcester News this week, mainly covering the pantomime, also delivers a wider Christmas message to arts patrons in Worcester.

May I take this opportunity to wish everybody a very happy Christmas? So many of you support us during the year, at the Hall, the Swan, the Festival and for the first time this year, at Shakespeare at the Commandery.

It is always tough financially in the arts, so your support is essential to the well-being of the arts provision in Worcester. So many of you do come regularly, and we love you! Please keep coming in 2008!

Aladdin at the Swan Theatre

by Site Admin on Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Make first comment on this post

Newspapers, Other local arts, Worcester Live

If you are still hankering for more Christmas theatre at the Swan following last week’s sell-out STAC production Dig In For Murder, then Worcester’s annual seasonal pantomime might be the answer to your wishes. This year Aladdin literally flies into town on his magic carpet.

John Phillpot gives a very positive review in the Worcester News:

this is a rootin’ tootin’, rip-roaring rampage through a roster of one-liners, with the gags coming thick and fast. Not only that, but writers Paul Milton and Chris Jaeger also add some topical jokes into the festive mix to give the show extra spice and immediacy.

The cast is a glittering showcase of talent. Worcester lad Ben Humphrey returns to his native city to make a formidable Aladdin, ably partnered by Claire Rimell as Princess Jasmine.

 

Chris Jaeger has said, “We were blown away with the success of last year’s pantomime, I still have people come up to me in the street and comment on what a great pantomime it was! This will be our 5th pantomime at the Swan Theatre now and we’re confident that we have the perfect recipe for success.”

Aladdin is showing now and runs until Sunday 30th December. Tickets from £8.50 to £14.50 are available from the Worcester Live Box Office.

If you go down to the theatre tomorrow, be sure of a big surprise

by Site Admin on Friday, December 7, 2007
Make first comment on this post

Children's Theatre, STAC productions

STAC’s theatre for children takes its monthly place on stage at the Swan Theatre tomorrow morning. (The Worcester News says “tomorrow night”, but it gets the actual times right: 10:30AM and 11:45AM.)

Slapup has two daughters (played by two of STAC’s youngest actors, Poppy and Abigail). The two girls come to the rescue a dancing bear from a cruel Circus ringmaster… but can they make sure it has a happier life in the future? And what’s beekeeping got to do with it all? And is a female bear-disguise really necessary?

(Probably not.)

The Dancing Bear is showing tomorrow, Saturday 8th December, at 10:30AM and 11:45AM. Tickets are just £1.50.

Photo evidence!

by Site Admin on Friday, December 7, 2007
Make first comment on this post

STAC productions

Some performance photos from the Dig In For Murder dress are now available on the play’s dedicated page. The murder mystery/Christmas buffet runs until Saturday night.

Protest the Derby Playhouse closure

by Site Admin on Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Make first comment on this post

National

The famous regional theatre, Derby Playhouse, is in administration, as of last Thursday. Their website is displaying a closure notice with all other content ripped from the site.

See:

• Derby Playhouse official site
• Save Derby Playhouse protest site
• Facebook Group: Save Derby Playhouse

• Guardian: Derby Playhouse closes its doors after council refuses pleas for emergency funds
• Lyn Gardner on Guardian Unlimited: It’s time to rethink regional theatre
• BBC: Cash crisis closes theatre doors

Residents are up in arms at the closure. The board argues that audiences were hit by major regeneration works ordered by the council, but the council refused to provide any additional funding to run the theatre over the Christmas period, which would have seen it collect on £200,000 worth of sales for their seasonal production, Treasure Island.

One comment on the Lyn Gardner blog at Guardian Unlimited said:

What is most telling is that the cast, crew and staff proceeded with their swansong of Treasure Island against the board’s wishes. I believe such dignity and resilience should be rewarded, Derby deserves a great theatre and the Playhouse deserves a chance for redemption.

Sixty to seventy people directly employed by the theatre lost their jobs without warning.

This week STAC provokes your little grey cells, and your appetite

by Site Admin on Monday, December 3, 2007
Make first comment on this post

Personal, STAC productions

The puzzle-solving, Christmas-food-muching murder mystery, Dig In For Murder, written and directed by Angela Lanyon (see earlier post) starts tonight with a special preview.

Sally Metcalfe, who has done a variety of work for STAC both on stage and behind the scenes, is playing Tricia Knowells in this week’s production.

How do you think the rehearsals are going?

Things are coming together at last - rehearsing 4 nights in a row this week has helped. It has been fun and the best bit has been when a rehearsal goes well with the cast all working together and reacting to each other.

Are you looking forward to performance week?

I am looking forward to the performances but I’ll be nervous too. It should be good fun giving the audience clues/red herrings and keeping them guessing.

(more…)